Monthly Archives: December 2014

2015 – IM Ready

Posted on December 29, 2014 by Running Boston and Beyond

I find it interesting the way things come to be. One simple conversation or one decision can lead you to something that you never thought possible. Maybe not impossible exactly, but just not considered.

I learned a lot in 2014. The two main kernels of knowledge came at the beginning and the end of the year. I learned how to train. I trained my ass off for Boston. I ran when I was tired, I ran when I was exhausted, I ran when everyone else was sleeping in, I ran when my muscles ached, I swam to cross train, and I didn’t give up. I didn’t miss anything.  I knew that PR’s and successful races don’t train for themselves, so I got up before 5, I ran in the snow, the ice, and honestly, I loved it. I learned how to put everything into my race.  It became even more of a part of me, deeper into my soul. It made me happy to work so hard, to focus on a goal, and to push myself.

I also learned that being afraid of things is stupid. Ok, there’s things like sharks and the flu and spiders in the toe of your shoe and things like that, but I was terrified of the open water swim in my half iron triathlon. I knew we wouldn’t have a tide push, or much of one, and I was scared I wouldn’t make the time cutoff and be disqualified – I am not a strong swimmer. I FREAKED out about it more than once, and I honestly considered not doing the tri for that one reason. And when race day came, I finished in good time, with plenty to spare, and I pulled off a really good race, especially with it being my very first tri. I ate a little crow, got a little sheepish, and realized that all that worrying was stupid. And a waste of energy. There’s no room for fear when you have a a dream.

So what does this mean for 2015?

March 22, 2015!!!

March 22, 2015!!!

MARATHON: I’m still planning to run my marathon on March 22nd right here in good ole Wilmington – the goal is a 3:43, which would be a PR and a BQ. My training has increased, and I’m hopeful for a good race. I’m behind with speed work, but at this point, I’m doing the best I can that doesn’t irritate my irritable leg. It’s like the grumpy old grandpa sitting in the corner of the room with a ratty old plaid blanket over his legs, muttering “bah” every time someone asks if he wants something but then complains that no one will get him anything and he’s cold.  I can’t figure this one out, so I’m being cautious, but I’m also continuing with training. I’m still very much in love with running, and every time I visualize the race, I get goose bumps.

March 7-8, 2015 - SO EXCITED FOR THIS!!!!

March 7-8, 2015 – SO EXCITED FOR THIS!!!!

COACHING: I have decided to pursue more coaching education (I would like ALL of it, but let’s be realistic – one class at a time). I happened to find an open (that’s hard to do) RRCA Coaching Certification Class ONLY 90 MINUTES AWAY (also hard to do), so I signed up within ten minutes of finding it. I almost peed myself.

I’m also beyond happy that my ideas to work on the middle school Stride program curriculum were accepted. My goal is to make it more of a pre-high school cross country meets track and field program since there is no track program for any middle school in our county. I have tons of ideas, resources to read and talk to, and a plan to write. I am really excited to see this come together this spring for the fall season.  I’ll be coaching the elementary Stride this spring, so that will be working with twenty 3rd-5th graders. This will be like herding cats on a treadmill, or at least that’s what I’m guessing, but I know it will be a lot of fun!

THE BIGGUN:

The two elements that I mentioned earlier are put together on this one. I learned how to train right and to train hard. I learned how to do new things, things that I’m afraid of (or not comfortable with), and that I must take chances. I love to challenge myself physically, but more than that, mentally. I love the mental part of running, of training, of pushing yourself and doing new things. So by chance one Sunday afternoon in November, I found registration still open for Ironman Florida, and I registered.

No room for fear on this one.

No room for fear on this one.

There’s no going back, there’s no excuse that will get me out of it, and honestly, more than fear, I have a sense of determination, of eagerness, of peace. Whether I cross that finish line to the tune of “Kelli, YOU are an Ironman” or not, I’m going to face my fears and give this thing my all. Why this event? I’m such a newby, why would I take on something so BIG? Well, it’s simple to me, yet quite complex to explain. I’ll steal from the video below and say “Ironman is about persevering, enduring, and being a part of something larger than ourselves…. Anything is possible.”

November 7, 2015

November 7, 2015

If you’ve ever wondered why people do Ironman races, watch this video – for reals.  This will explain it all. For example, when I told my parents that I signed up, instead of getting, “Wow! Way to go! Good for you!”, I got a head shake with “That’s nuts” and “Why would you want to put your body through that?”. To me, it’s simple. To them, I need to be put in a straight jacket and thrown into a padded room. I had my mom watch this, and I honestly think she gets it, or at least gets it more than she did before. And this video motivates me to try my absolute best, to be the epitome of what an Ironman really is. Or more accurately, an athlete.

2015, IM ready!

Categories: anything is possible, coaching, go for your dreams, half iron distance, iron distance, ironman, learning from failure, marathon, no fear, quintiles wrightsville beach marathon, rrca coaching certification, running, swimming, training for half iron distance, training for marathon, training for triathlon, triathlon, wrightsville beach marathon | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

I’m So Not Ready For Christmas…..To Be Over

Posted on December 23, 2014 by Running Boston and Beyond

Christmas for me is all about sipping peppermint mocha creamer with coffee in it, hanging out with my family, sleeping in, eating fudge for breakfast, and watching all the Christmas movies, even the dumb ones that I can’t stop watching and commentating on (Hallmark). I’m ready for Christmas, but I guess I’m just not ready for it to be over. I’m only going to get to watch George Baily’s struggle with life only once this year. What happened? Why am I so behind?  I just don’t know.

I love Christmas and all it stands for. No matter what your beliefs are, it’s a time of giving, a time of being a little kinder to those around you, and it’s a time to be around those you love, hopefully being kinder to them too. With the passing of the year, it’s also a time to think about renewal, a time to start over, a time to stop doing things you shouldn’t do and a time to start doing things you should do. It’s a time of forgiveness, of happiness, of possibilities.

And considering we have a HUGE trampoline to put together for the kids, it’s going to be a time of testing patience. And reading instructions. It’ll be a time of trying new things, taking chances. That’s the way I view this time of year, anyway!

Little training blurb, because this IS a running blog 🙂 As many of you know, I’ve been dealing with a pretty pesky case of shin splints. The symptoms are very inconsistent and I really never know from one day to the next what pain, if any, I will have. My goal race is the Wrightsville Beach marathon on March 22, so I knew I needed to get to training, or just let that particular goal go. Because speed work is the trigger, I decided to go with the Hal Higdon training plan, one that isn’t as intense as the plan I used for Boston. Last weekend, I had a 7 mile Saturday and 14 mile Sunday scheduled. I was nervous, because I didn’t have a clue how it would go. I’m happy to report that I feel like my leg is on the mend. My leg was pretty crampy after the 7, but I worked on it all day, and by Sunday morning, I was ready to tackle 14. I honestly didn’t know if I was going to do 11, 14, or even make it to 10 miles, but I ended up with the full 14, and it was pretty awesome. I picked up the last mile or two, and I felt good and I felt strong. I ran a very slow 3 mile recovery on Monday, per the plan but 99% because I was too lazy to go to the pool or set up my bike for a ride as I was planning, and unfortunately, the leg was sore. I’m taking the next few days off running, but am cross-training to simulate speed work, but I’m very hopeful. Very, very hopeful! I think patience is key right now, and my goal is to get my long runs in on the weekend, skip the speed workouts until after the new year, and start back VERY slowly. I hate being patient, and I hate the feeling of not knowing, but it’s the best course of action for this strange set of circumstances.

Anyway, that being said, I want to wish you the best best this holiday. No matter what you are personally celebrating, I wish you a very Merry Christmas! May you see your possibilities come true, may you feel true love, may you be happy.

My favorite boys.

My favorite boys.

Categories: marathon, running, running with friends, swimming, training for marathon | Tags: , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

2014: Looking Back Before Looking To 2015

Posted on December 19, 2014 by Running Boston and Beyond

2014 was pretty epic. I accomplished and experienced things that I never thought I would or could. I also failed. More than once. I surprised myself with both the successes and the failures. I had a LOT of fun. I met a LOT of people.  Since this is the time of year that we make our goals for the upcoming year, I felt it was important to FIRST look at what the past year held and remember what I learned from those experiences.

EPIC:

Um, heller….did anyone say, “BOSTON MARATHON”??? The mostest epic-est, awesomer-than-anything and favorite part of my year and running life altogether was being a part of the athlete field in the 2014 Boston Marathon. It took me many years to get there, and to realize that dream was the ultimate epic experience. This got the diamond crown.

I got the medal.

I got the medal.

EPIC BUT NOT AS EPIC AS BOSTON BECAUSE BOSTON IS PRETTY DAMN EPIC ON ITS OWN:

I was able to PR in both the 5k in January (21:13) and the half marathon in February (1:40:15) as a part of marathon training. I was pretty damn happy about those times, too.

I learned how to train my ass off.  During Boston training, I never missed a workout. Ok, I never missed a running workout. Zero. I missed one swimming workout the entire training cycle. ONE. I learned how to be devoted. I learned to not make excuses. I learned that in order to become the runner you want and know you can be, you have to work and work hard. I learned how to go the extra mile. I did that, and I’m really proud of the work I did. I know I was capable of running an amazing race in April, which is almost as good as actually running that amazing race.

Beach 2 Battleship 70.3 – 6:03      I learned about being a triathlete. I looked fear in the face, cuddled with it for a while, let it whisper sweet nothings into my ear, then kicked it’s ass out. I learned how to swim better than I did before, I learned how to open water swim, I learned how to ride my bike in between swimming and running, and I learned how to run after swimming and biking. It was epic. And I’m going to do it again.

Almost to the finish of my first tri, B2B 70.3.

Almost to the finish of my first tri, B2B 70.3. It looks like my knees are stuck together.

I had fun.  Running is really awesome. But it can become competitive for me, and the ability to “just run” a race diminished. So that’s why I decided to do an endurance triathlon. Well, I had one on my radar for a number of years, but I needed to do something different and NOT be competitive. It worked, and I had a total blast training for and competing in the 70.3.

Mott’s Channel Swim – I entered and completed an open water swim race. Pretty proud of that, mostly because I would have laughed until I peed myself had you told me two years ago I would do something like that.

After the Mott's Channel Swim, a 1.3 mile open water race.

After the Mott’s Channel Swim, a 1.3 mile open water race.

The 10×10 Challenge. Ten continuous miles for ten days in a row.  I learned that it’s definitely doable to complete this challenge in July, but not advisable. I can’t wait to do this challenge again. It was an epic feeling and quite the journey in itself. Try it, you just might learn something about yourself.

Post-Challenge

Post-Challenge

Coaching. I found that I really love coaching. I’m learning a lot about it, and I know that I want to keep doing it. Being at the 5k with those boys made me feel like a momma hen watching her chicks fly for the first time. It’s a really cool mix of pride, excitement, and nerves.

Here’s the video I made for my Stride boys.

FAILURES:

I hate to admit this, but there’s usually something good that comes from failure. I think we all know this, especially as athletes. I’ve had a lot of good things come from the hard work and dedication that I’ve put into my running and triathlon training and races. I’ve also had some pretty big fails. But with a little distance, I can see how the failures have done me good. Dammit.

I’ll start with the little one. I got a pretty big PR (4 minutes) in my half marathon in February. So you’d think it’s all good, right? No, I was pissed. I got a 1:40:15, but I could never see the success in THAT because I was too busy being pissed that I was only 15 seconds from getting a sub-1:40.  I wished I had pushed just a second or two faster, that I had put my head down and gunned it into the harsh wind that met us a mile or two from the finish that totally wiped me out. I wish this and I wish that. What I REALLY wish is that I could’ve forgotten about all that garbage and celebrated the huge success that I DID have. I ran a really good race, and I’m now really happy about it. But my finishing moment was ruined by me wishing I had something better. When you start getting that attitude, that nothing is good enough, it’s time to think about things. And that is what led me to decide for sure to do the triathlon. I KNEW that I wouldn’t be competitive with it. I KNEW I would have fun, that I COULD NOT get all ants-in-my-pants about times and stuff. I knew I needed to step out of the bubble, the one that says you’re never good or fast enough. That was stupid, and that race taught me to not be stupid.

So the next one… it was the epitome of good and bad. The Boston Marathon. Yes, I’ve talked a lot about this, but I think, after this, I’m done talking about part of it. I’ll wipe the bad part out of my memory like wiping the marker board clean.

Running Boston was so awesome, so overwhelming, but I had a big fail. I trained and trained and spent hundreds of dollars on a coach and getting there and all the hubbub that comes with seeing your dream marathon come to fruition. My parents came to see me, my sister and her husband came to see me, my husband and my two kids came to see me. I was ready for the race of my life. Oh, I got the race of my life all right. The race recap I wrote that day describes the race perfectly – It was the Best of Times, It was the Worse of Times. You can read it HERE. It really was the strangest combination of good and bad. The bad was something I didn’t see coming. I thought that it was possible for me to run out of strength because I pushed the race. I was worried about how warm it was too, but when racing, I never felt hot. I wasn’t sweaty. I went for my goal, and I was doing it. I was heading for a sub 3:40 and I only had a 10k to go. Part of my race mantra was “I can do anything for X amount of time”. I was counting down. I was doing it. In freakin’ Boston. That was the best of times.

I can’t remember the exact feelings, but around mile 20-21, I knew something was wrong. I knew I had to stop, regroup, and slow down. I knew my PR was shot, but I was having fun.

Heartbreak Hill area, having a brew with one of the college kids. Most of it spilled out the sides of my mouth, but still, this was fun.

Heartbreak Hill area, having a brew with one of the college kids. Most of it spilled out the sides of my mouth, but still, this was fun.

Then the bobble head feeling started. And the nausea. It all went downhill from there. I barely remember the last part of the race. I knew I had to stop several times so I wouldn’t throw up. And I didn’t truly understand what happened until I became the internet doctor later that night.

761540_1257_0011

Can you see the sarcasm on my face?

Where’s the lesson in this? How can my slowest marathon of seven teach me something? First of all, I’ve never tried harder to finish a race. I could NOT DNF. No. Hell no. So I put on my big girl tights and pulled out every bit of anything I had to finish that race. And it took me almost 5 hours to do it, 75 minutes extra minutes in just the last 5 miles. I had to put one foot in front of the other carefully and consciously. To sum it all up, I had salt depletion dehydration. How did I turn that frown upside down? I acquainted myself with Endurolytes. I thought that taking in salt was just an endurance triathlon thing. Honestly. But I talked to a lot of people, tried them myself, and learned that Endurolytes are pretty damn awesome. I used them throughout the summer, especially during the 10×10 Challenge. I used them during my triathlon. I used them with long runs. And if I learned one thing from the Boston Marathon, it was what salt depletion was and how serious it can be. Oh, and how to help prevent it. Sometimes I wish I didn’t have to learn so many lessons, especially the hard way.

WRAPPING IT UP

You can always learn something when you look back at your experiences. Whether you learn them right then or have some “delayed learning” like I did, chances are, some piece of information can be available to you at almost any given moment. It’s just up to you to grab it.  Where does this leave me as I look back over 2014?

I’m very proud of the work I did. I’m proud of the chances I took. I’m proud of the fact that I let myself learn things along the way. Sure, I have a tiny baby scar from feeling so horrible during one of the best races of my life, but I’ll go back. I’ll do it again, and I’ll get my moment of glory. Some day. I’ll be patient. I know I have things to work on too. Facing fears and not letting them take over. NOT taking the easy road (swimming only on calm days). Balancing life and athletics.

As I took towards 2015, I know that I’ve got a beast mode full of grit and determination that I have not fully used before. I also have a lot more patience than I used to. What EXACTLY does that mean for me in 2015? You’ll just have to wait and see! Plans post to be coming soon. 😉

Do you look back before you look forward?

Categories: 10x10 challenge, beach 2 battleship triathlon, Boston Marathon, coaching, half iron distance, learning from failure, marathon, open water swimming, running, running buddies, running challenge, running streak, running with friends, swimming, training for half iron distance, training for marathon, training for triathlon, triathlon | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Going To PT To Fix My Leg But Coming Out With A Fixed Back

Posted on December 12, 2014 by Running Boston and Beyond

Today was hopefully my last day of physical therapy. I never truly was treated for my shin splint issues, just given several stretching exercises to do to help the tightness in my calf and foot. Besides what I was already doing, anyway. Honestly, shin splints are devilish things and it’s not simple to find an exact cause, so is very difficult to find a fix.  Mine are extremely high and medial, so a little more atypical than others. But they suck.

To say that I was inflexible would be a huge understatement. I’m sure this has something, if not a huge part of what has been going on. As part of his exam and “the body is all tied together” theory, he checked my back during one of the early visits. I won’t ever forget his response to my “cobra” pose, which should more accurately be called the “I can’t do a cobra” or a “stiff as a board” pose. He muttered, with wide eyes I may add, “Ohhhhh, yeah. We gotta fix that.”  I was shocked because, in my head, I was as flexible as the Nutcracker ballerinas. Nice way to crush a dream, doc. Sniff.  All in all, he said he wasn’t certain if my leg issue was related to my back issue, but it could definitely be a factor. That being said, my back really needed fixed, no matter what. Maybe that’s why my back hurt any time I swam, especially when sighting in open water and using the kick board. Maybe that’s why it is a total mess after I do yard work. Yeah, let’s get this back thing fixed.

Fast forward six weeks and my calves are a lot less inflexible (note I didn’t say flexible, but I’m working on that daily!).  I let him fold me in half BACKWARDS, and now I have a gorge cobra pose.  I can cobra pose like the pros. I’m a pose pro. Ok, not really, but it’s crazy what you can make your body do after practicing for several weeks. Being more flexible less inflexible takes a lot of work.

By the way, I can’t believe it’s Thursday, I haven’t written in a week, and I haven’t commented on so many of the blogs I read. For some reason, I’m feeling like the TV of old, when there was no station or after all the programs were done for the night, and it would go to black and white, the old “cowboys and Indians” as we used to say. That’s my brain. I need an antenna. Maybe it’s because I’ve spent HOURS doing Christmas cards. Maybe it’s because I’m shopping for the family. Maybe it’s because I’m working on a video for my Stride boys. Maybe it’s because I turned the TV to the Hallmark Channel and I CAN’T STOP WATCHING. I don’t know. I don’t really care, honestly, because I LOVE this time of year. I love the silly movies. I love the shopping. I love the candy I shall be making and eating in large quantities. I love that my parents are going to visit. I love that I’ll have a few unstructured weeks. So I’ll take the “fuzzy TV” feeling, it will pass, as will the decorations, sugary food, and lack of structure.

Wook at her cute lil' face. Extra cuddle and play time!

Wook at her cute lil’ face. Extra cuddle and play time!

So where am I with running? I think the last time I wrote (I would look but I’m too lazy), I said I was taking two weeks off running. I made it nine days. I ran yesterday, and I ran again today. A lot of it was for mental health. It was sunny. Running and cloudless skies make me happy. I needed a mood lifter, that’s for sure. And, as prescribed, my run cleared my head, put a smile on my face, and didn’t hurt. I’m healing. It’s not there yet. I can’t even consider training for another week, but I know I’m healing and am not dealing with a stress fracture or related issue.

I renewed my membership to the YWCA so I can use the pool any time they have open lanes. I have gone three times already, so that’s good for me since I can be in my swim suit, towel and car keys in hand, and talk myself out of going. I made HUGE progress last week too, so that’s a bonus. Maybe not in the fashion category though….

 

Bowchickawowwow. I couldn't keep the guys away with THAT outfit.

Bowchickawowwow. I had to beat of my suiters with a kickboard!

As for the progress in the pool, my back doesn’t hurt for one. That’s huge progress. Hint: if you’re back hurts, that just might be a sign you have a problem with your back. And last week, I decided I needed to teach myself how to breathe on left side. A few laps later, boom. I was doing it. I have to very conscientiously pay attention to what I’m doing. So I went slow, very slow, even slower than my normal snail pace, but I did it, and it felt natural. It was a good rhythm to have and a much better breathing pattern for success in triathlons. I felt it kept me at a better balance too. So yeah for swimming (you won’t hearing me cheer about swimming very often), and for pushing yourself into doing things out of your comfort zone.

Besides the pool work, I’ve been working hard on the bike. Some rides have a purpose, some are to get the seat time, but I’ve realized that Netflix is a good thing with indoor biking and the boredom that can result. I’m base building, strength building in my legs for running, for more triathlons.

This weekend is the Stride 5k that all my protégés will be participating in. I’m so freaking excited for them, and I’m making them a video that will hopefully instill in them a desire to keep running or at least realizing that running is the BEST EVAH. We’re having a pizza party next week and I’m making them individual certificates for their personal achievements. For example, my son will get the Guy Smiley Award because he’s always talking and will never find him without a smile on his face. Except for the day they had the Spanish class market and he ate more than a pro football player does before a big game. Urp. Yeah, the boys certainly learned how much NOT to eat before running.

Guy Smiley

Guy Smiley

So I’m keeping myself in a relative holding pattern as far as running, but I know I’ll try again Monday, and must remind myself to GO SLOW, both in pace and progress. Practice. I must get to the pool twice a week to just re-familiarize myself with the water and become stronger while seamlessly gliding through it. Or at least work on that. Practice. My trainer probably will remain behind the tree, reminding me to get on my bike and practice. And stretching. I have lots of that to do. I don’t want my physical therapy graduation certificate to get revoked, that’s for sure! So I will practice that too. That’s the most important part, stretching, exercising, training to train. Until the next time, as I will be indulging on too much Michael W. Smith and chocolate covered cherries.

Has anyone else gone to someone for treatment for one thing and realized you needed treatment on something else?

 

 

Categories: coaching, marathon, open water swimming, running, swimming, training for marathon, training for triathlon, triathlon, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Being a Patient Patient

Posted on December 3, 2014 by Running Boston and Beyond

patience2

First of all, you are now reading the ramblings of a USATF Level I Certified Coach. I took the 200 question test on Monday, and 7 hours later, I pushed the “submit” button and received a 98% passing grade. I didn’t realize it was going to take so long and I wasn’t planning to take it until Tuesday, but I decided to just start on Monday. I figured I’d put a few hours in and go back to it the next day. Hour turned into hours, and honestly, I was afraid all my answers would have been erased had I logged out and that my computer would decide to reset itself and delete everything that night, so I just finished the darned thing. My head almost exploded all over the table.

I want to pole vault now.

I want to pole vault.

I learned A LOT, got A LOT of ideas, and am now crafting a plan to approach the USATF decision makers to see if what I want to do in my son’s middle school will be considered enough to be able to take Level II. You see, the requirements state that you have to have three years/seasons coaching experience for track and field and/or cross country. What my plan is, is to turn the current Stride program into a pre-high school track/cross country program since there is no middle school running program AT ALL. Eye roll and fists balled up.  I’m not sure if this fits their criteria, but I’m chomping at the bit to take Level II. I mean, I’ll seriously do whatever I need to do to get that experience so I can take Level II concentrating in Endurance.

Anyway, how was y’alls Thanksgiving? Besides being cold for three days in a row (me, not the outside temperatures) and having an….. uncomfortable “bed” to sleep on (if that’s what you want to call it, but raking up some leaves and sleeping on them would have been comparable), it was nice to catch up on my sleep, hang out with the family, watch the kids play with their cousins, and eat.

No running that morning.

No running that morning.

When we got up and until we left town on Wednesday, it was raining, so when we got to Charlotte, both my husband and I wanted to go run. Run? “Gee, Kelli, I thought you were not running right now because of your leg issues…” Well, I didn’t have any other option, and I can’t just NOT do anything, so I ran. And that run was perfect. If I could have canned that run and sold it, I would make millions. It was perfect. I felt like Flo Jo. I would have run a marathon that night and I probably would have qualified for the Olympic Trials. Ok, maybe not so much, but it was one of “those” runs.  Then the next day happened. Flip. Oh, it hurt. My leg hurt on impact. I got three miles in, and I had to call it quits. The best way I can describe my thoughts is WTF. And *($%#@. I wasn’t expecting to just be magically healed all of a sudden, but I wasn’t expecting THAT. So I was worried. And took the next day off.

Back at it on Saturday to burn off the mashed potatoes and mint oreos. Pain wasn’t too bad. Form felt better. Strides seemed more even than they had for several weeks before. Could my PT be working? Six miles Saturday, six miles Sunday. I could tell on Sunday that I had run Saturday, so I knew I had to just knock it off. We were heading home where I have alternative exercise options, so I decided to take TWO weeks off running. It’s literally like torture. All of a sudden, my house is on the Wilmington Road Runners Raceway. EVERYONE is running. Except me. And I hate all of them. Not really, I’m just jealous.

patience1

So what is a runner to do when she can’t run? She bikes. She bikes hard. I have several good workouts from tri training that I pulled out, one a 90 minute heart rate workout and one a 60 minute cadence workout. My legs feel good, strong, and really, they feel like I did my running workouts, which is exactly what I wanted.  Today, I’m off to the pool to reacquaint myself with the water. Once I do that, I’ll start working on drills and improvement, probably next week. I really do hate swimming. I mean I love the concept of it, but I hate actually doing it. I hate swallowing water when I try to breathe from the left side. I hate looking like a fish out of water. But I’m determined to work on it to meet my 2015 goals and to allow my leg to fully heal. I’m REALLY trying to be patient. REALLY. And it’s hard.

patience

I was supposed to be building up miles to the Houston Marathon. Instead, I cancelled my flight and deferred entry. I was supposed to be going for a sub-21 minute 5k next weekend, a PR I’ve been wanting since last winter. Instead, I’m going to have to sit by the sidelines with my camera so I don’t blow all the progress I hope I’ll make by then.

I’m going to be patient. It’s hard, I’m frustrated, very frustrated, but I’m going to be patient.  Meeting my goal will be worth it. I’ll look back and be glad that I had the patience to do the right thing at the right time. Maybe me saying the word “patient” over and over will allow it to absorb into my body and mind? Hey, whatever works, so patient patient patience.

In any case, assuming things get healed up, my goal marathon is the Wrightsville Beach Marathon in March. No travel and I’m already signed up, so this will be my last chance to BQ for the 2016 race. I’ll be busy doing other things next summer and fall to marathon train. More on that in my 2014 wrap-up in a few weeks.

I know I’ve written a lot about PATIENCE and the “woe is me” from having to give up this marathon AGAIN this year, but honestly, I am truly thankful. I’ve never lost sight on what I’ve been able to do, the fact that I’m healthy, strong, and loved. And as annoying as it is to NOT be able to do what I want to do, I know that I WILL some day. I’m good with that.

Categories: coaching, half iron distance, marathon, running, swimming, training for marathon, training for triathlon, triathlon, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

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