Air Force Recap aka I did it!

Can you say busy?  PT x3 week, 2 boys x2 soccer games a week, attempting to spin1-2x week, work x5, oh, and we found a house we want to get...so add in realtor, etc = blog failing to get updated.

So I'll give you my update in picture format.

"Run as tolerated"

Shout out to my running partner who got 2nd in her age group!

I have to explain, the dips are my walk breaks which get farther apart as I go!

No pain after!Shocking, I know, for me too! I was expecting some at least.

 So, after 2 PT sessions this week, they've let me go! I'm going to be taking it easy since my IT bands are tight this week, but hoping that the foam roller will help out.  So from ankle surgery to half marathon 12 weeks and 1 day. 

Now....for that Flying Pig Marathon in May...

I'm in a funk

I'm not motivated at all right now.  I haven't run more than once a week in ummm, I can't even tell you it's been so long.

 I blame my damn IT band. 

I went for a run after my last marathon and it seized up and it has been annoying as get out.  I've been following the typical remedies of rest, ice (well, a few times), foam rolling (not daily but more than before) and I had a massage as well. 

When I go for a run it feels fine for the first 2.5 miles then it starts to hurt.  If it doesn't, I get excited, then the next time I go for a run, it hurts again.  So frustrating!  It doesn't hurt unless I run.

 On top of the IT band, we had a crazy family schedule in Nov/Dec trying to squeeze in swim lessons for the boys (on different nights so we were at the rec 4 nights a week!).

Meanwhile, my running partner has been doing fine and got a treadmill, so I get daily reminders that I'm not running and she is.  She's going to be kicking my @ss this spring.  Grrr.. Not that I'm competitive or anything.

So my plan of 13 13.1s in 2013...might not happen.  :-( 

BUT- I decided on this Saturday night (yah, I know, I'm lame), to write up my training plan for the Flying Pig 3 way this spring.  I have 17 weeks before the race.  I have to get back in to shape before actually training!  

And how do you train for a 5k, 10k and a 1/2 all on the same weekend?

I decided to place my faith in good old Hal Higdon again.  I followed the intermediate 1/2 training plan before and he did a great job combining distance and speed, so I thought that would be the best plan.  Here it is:  Hal Higdon's Intermediate Half training plan.  I need to start training on Feb 10th, so I added a build up for the next few weeks.  That requires me to start running at least 3 times a week for 3 miles.  (Ugh, I hope I can!)  I'm also starting to lift now, so once the program starts I can go up to 3 sets.  Also, I want this to be my "A" race so I'm adding in the McMillan training paces to make sure I'm running my Tempos at the right speed.  Then again, maybe I'll still have IT band issues.  Grrrr. 

On top of that, my favorite spinning instructor has left, and a few others who are good are leaving for various reasons, so my go to workout is iffy.  I asked about getting certified to instruct but I'm not sure if that's a good way to go.  I don't think I'd get  a good workout and it's $295 to get certified and no guarantee I'd get the job. (although, the person in charge seemed to be enthusiastic that I wanted to do it.).  Hmm. 

What would you do?

Indianapolis Monumental Marathon Race Recap

Redemption. 

I planned on running this race since I'd had a horrible race at the Air Force Marathon in September.  You can read about that here:  Air Force Marathon Recap  I'd been sick for that race and wasn't 100% and it showed.  So when my running partner wanted to do another marathon since she knew she could do better, we had the training, and we haven't injured ourselves yet that we should go for it.  She found the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon on Nov 3rd.  7 weeks out from the Air Force race.  It was worth it.

We drove over on Friday, a 2 hour drive from Dayton, got ourselves settled in at the Hyatt (yards from the start line/finish line).  I'd made reservations at Buca di beppo which was close the hotel for dinner, since I wanted pasta night before the race.  I'd heard about the restaurant from former colleagues that it was fine.  It had the feel of a local Italian restaurant but I knew it was a chain, which was fine by me.  Spaghetti and meatballs were perfect. I have to say, I love Yelp and the feature of being able to make reservations from an app.

After dinner we headed off to the the Expo to grab our bibs and shirts.  We looked around the expo.  I was so good and didn't get anything.  Maybe it was because I was stuffed from all the pasta or I didn't really need anything but my wallet thanked me.  :-)  We did browse the different booths for the big races in the area for next year.  I have 13 half marathons to plan for.  See here if you're interested in the 13 13.1s in 2013 challenge.  Unfortunately, many conflicted with the Flying Pig marathon on May 4-5th.  Time for a little shopping after that at the mall nearby (can we say H&M? Yay!) then off for a nightcap a nearby bar, then off to bed. 

Race time:

Typical breakfast for me on race day, bagel and peanut butter with a half a cliff bar a bit later.  Then we packed up.  Dropped off our bags at the front desk then hung out in the lobby for another 20 minutes. Since Hyatt told me we would have a late checkout at 2 pm but when we checked in they said we couldn't.  But, we could store our bags and use the fitness room showers later.  Joy. Really, Hyatt?   No point in standing in the cold, about 35 degrees in the am, so we hung out with a bunch of runners waiting and getting more nervous.

Garmin paused when we stopped and lost satellite under a bridge 

so I'm not sure if I can use this time. 

Ok, fast forward.  Start time, great first mile or so with nice sized crowd. As my running partner said, this feels like a "real" race.  Sorry Air Force Marathon, but it was nice to have so many be people cheering you as you start off the race.  The first few miles were really crowded,  spent  time zipping around people, and got pretty warm.  I was regretting my choice clothes, since my long sleeved shirt had my number on it and so I didn't want to mess with it, ditched my gloves at least.  Once we got out of the downtown, I regretted not having them anymore.  We were going at a pretty good pace a little under 9 min per mile.  Went through the 10k in 1hr.

Around mile 10 I started to notice my knee a bit.  I tried to ignore it.  I didn't mention it to Carrie, since if it was spoken I'd notice it even more.  Passed the half marathon mark in 2:02, other than the knee feeling weird, felt great.  Then we passed through Butler University at mile 17 and that is when my knee was really not being happy.  It felt like it was going to give out every few steps.  Carrie moved ahead, which was our plan- well- to go at our own pace this time.  By mile 19,  we were out in a pretty lonely area.  I was thinking, will I be able to finish?  I've never dropped out of a race before? I can't call anyone!   Then it started sleeting hard little ice balls and it was cold.  My Garmin by now, was either off by a lot or the mile markers seemed to be off, since my watch out say it was a mile then 1/2 mile later the mile marker would be there.  Frustrating, since I wanted this to be done.

pain around 4b

The rest of the race was pretty uneventful.  I slogged through it, rain, ice and all.  I will say that my marathon mix on iphone made a difference.  It always seemed to have the right song at the right time (I'd put it on shuffle).  The last mile I ran to the Chariots of Fire theme.  It was the perfect way to end the race. 

I finished in 4:16.12.  21 minutes better than I had run at the Air Force Marathon 7 weeks earlier.  I'm totally happy with that time.  Carrie finished in amazing time of 4:04.

 Positives:

• well organized race
• (kinda)great running weather
• spi-belt worked awesome
• E-Gels by cranksports.com are amazing (no muscle cramps, lots of energy)
• PR by 21 minutes! 

Negatives:

• Hotel making us checkout early
• long drive after the race
• mile markers seemed off with my garmin
• knee pain

Overall, I'm very happy with this race.  Will I do it again?  Maybe.  That's if I do another one next year.  It was a ton of time to train for.  I could have never done it without my awesome husband who put up with all the weekends that I did my long runs, running for 3-4 hours then coming home exhausted and not wanting to do anything the rest of the day.    Now, it's time to rest up and hang out with the family!  Oh, and gear up for next year's challenge of 13 13.1s.

Injury update:  Took a week off, then attempted to run a 3 miler.  Knee acted up in the first 1/2 mile, hurting like it did in the marathon, then the IT band seized up.  Ouch!!!! I've never had IT band pain like that before- normally I just get a twinge.  I'm just so glad that it didn't happen in the race. That would have been horrible.  I'm not sure if my knee problem in the marathon was the IT band or not, since I never had pain on the side or above the knee.

Anyone dropped out of a big race before?
IT band pain?  What do you suggest?
Update:  Here's the course elevation if you are interested!

There was an area that you run under an overpass for a while and my garmin went a bit crazy- same at the end, I don't remember a hill there.

marathon training, hips, and 3 way

Air Force Training Week 12

Yes, that actually is Pitbull.

Monday- Spinning- tired from the weekend festivities (although Pitbull's concert was lots of fun!- nothing like a road trip with girlfriends!)

Tuesday- 5 miles

Wednesday- 8 miles

Thursday- Spinning

Friday-rest

Saturday- 6 on the trails with Carrie, then 4 more when I got home.  I realized after I sync'd my Garmin that I'd run 496 miles so decided to do another 4 for a nice even 500 miles.  My goal since I got my Garmin was to run 1000 miles in a year (starting in the beginning of Feb.) 

Sunday- rest 

Training Week 13

Monday-spinning (tired again- maybe it's the instructor- he's killer)

Tuesday- 5 miles

The rest is the plan for the week:

Wednesday- 5

Thursday-rest (PT- more on that down below)

Friday- 19 miles! (gulp!)

Saturday- rest/spinning?

Sunday- rest 

Then next week- I go back to work.  Boo.  No, I'm just going to miss running in the am, instead it will be right after work in the blazing heat. 

Injuries...boo.

 So the last few weeks, my hip/glute area has been super tight.  Last week, after one of my runs, I'd gone into work (to get ready) and I could hardly walk up the stairs.  I was ok if I was going downstairs or if I walked on flat surface. When I run, it hurts a bit but gets better after I've been running for awhile.  I decided to get an appointment with a sports doc, to make sure that I wasn't doing damage by continuing to run.  No need for a repeat performance of last year.  

So pretty much, my butt hurts.

They wanted to do an x-ray since my mileage was pretty high.  They ruled out a stress fracture in the hip area.  Thank goodness that was negative.   I would have freaked out.  Doc thinks it's just the IT band.  I'll be heading to PT to learn more IT band stretches.  joy. oh joy.  Hoping this will go away soon.  Also, hoping that the massage I have planned for today is going to help.  
Edit:  Massage therapist worked my leg and didn't find any tightness in my IB band at all.  But my upper hamstring had a gap and knot- which she worked on.  I had hope that that would be it, but it still hurts today (one day later).  Hoping one day more day off and then run this 19 miles.  Grrrr.  

In other news, just signed up for another 1/2 mary (Edit: regretting this already)- this one is going to be instead of a training run.  It's down in Morrow, OH.  I did it last year, it was flat (good for my hip) and out and back on a bike trail.  Here's the race recap Little Miami 10k

Oh- very cool news from the Flying Pig marathon for next year.  They are going to have multi-race competition.  The 3 way is going to be the 5k, 10k on Saturday, 13.1 on Sunday.  The 4 way will be 5k, 10k on Sat. with 26.2 on Sunday.  I think we're going to do the 3 way.  It should be fun to train for, since you'll need mileage and speed workouts.  I'm signing up early.  

Check it out:  http://www.facebook.com/flyingpigmarathon

Better safe than sorry

I have been trying to be good with my mileage since I really haven't been running in awhile and I don't need to end up with shin splints, etc. from doing too much too fast.  Here's my training log from August 2011 til now.

My weekly mileage (week of 31 Jan)

I hadn't planned on running 5 miles on Wednesday but I had to find my house key.  Afterwards, I was feeling my IT band.  I've had twinges in the past with this so I knew what I was feeling.

On Friday, I'd planned on running before my last (hopefully ever) PT appt.  I only had time for 2 miles but I had to take advantage of such nice weather in Feb.  My IT bands protested the run.    I talked to my PT about what I could do to stretch them out better.  He suggested getting a foam roller and rolling out my leg with it.  I tried it there and ouch! that hurts but it felt better afterward.  So now, I'm a proud new owner of a foam roller.  (surprised I hadn't gotten one of these earlier!).  Here's a link to  how to foam roll from MichaelRunner.

I'd planned on running the Frostbite 5 miler this weekend in Centerville since the weather has been awesome, and today it was 48 degrees.  But I decided to be a responsible.  I can not get injured again, especially after forking over $80 for the Flying Pig Half Marathon.  So what did I do instead? Ran in the neighborhood- just 3 miles with plans on quitting as soon as I felt my IT bands. It actually was a great run no pain at all.  I made sure to foam roll after.   

I've been working on my training plan for the half and I think I've made a good compromise. I originally wanted to do the Hal Higdon's Novice B plan with low mileage then I looked at the intermediate plan and I felt that was more my speed. I love track workouts- my running partner not so much.  Plus we both have other classes/cross training that we want to keep doing this spring.  So here's my plan- basically a cross between the 2 plans.  I wanted to keep my spinning as part of cross training but by the end of March my son's soccer practice starts so I had to switch my days for spinning.  I'm planning on being "one of those moms" who workout while their kids are practicing.  I don't need to watch every soccer drill!  The nice thing is the park where he practices has a mile loop bike path (and an 400 m. path around a lake.   

So, on a completely funny note, here are some great videos that cracked me up.  Oh, silly runners!

 

I saw this one on the Boring Runner- loved this one.