Last week was full of fun, excitement, craziness, and running around in preparation for Christmas. Along with the usual holiday stresses, I also conquered my toughest training week this go-around.
Bad parts:
I ran for 30 minutes on Tuesday, and it STUNK! I know by eating a bunch of unhealthy food my running is affected, but for some reason I'm still too dim-witted to make that connection until I'm suffering in the middle of a poor run. The best part of that run was that it's over!
Also, leave it to the fabulous governmental system of USPS to put a major damper on my Christmas by failing to deliver my running skirts. The computer says they were delivered, but they never made it here. They were either dropped off at the wrong house or someone decided to try to make their holiday a little more sparkly and bright by stealing my skirts. If the later is what transpired (which I'm guessing is true), deep down I hope it's some humungous, hairy man who lifted them & was terribly disappointed by his treasure.
Good parts:
My post-Christmas run went much better than the pre-Christmas one. We decided to make it a family bonding time by letting the boys play with Shawn while I ran at the park. My mom bought me a fantastic long-sleeved running jacket (my first one with thumb holes), and it's perfect! It fits me very well, has lots of airing panels, and helped keep my hands a little warmer. I had seen others with the thumb-holed jackets, and I wondered if I'd like them or not. I LOVE them! :) I was able to knock out a 2.5-mile run in my 30-minute time, and since I'd continued to eat poorly over Christmas, I was pleasantly surprised that it went okay.
Best parts:
My long run on Saturday was probably the best. I had the pleasure of enjoying the run with my dear friend Carol. She met me at the park and we did a few laps together. Then, since she's not training for a race (and neither of us wanted her to get injured), she would rest a lap, then join me on the next lap.
Here's how the mileage broke down:
Mile 1 - 12:01
Mile 2 - 11:40
Mile 3 - 11:52
Mile 4 - 11:40
Mile 5 - 12:02
Mile 6 - 11:49
Mile 7 - 12:17
Mile 8 - 11:38
Mile 9 - 11:43
Final 1/2 Mile - 5:41
Total Time - 1:52:29, 11:50-minute pace
I set another PR! We decided that an achievement like that deserved a celebration, so we went to Rise Cupcakes across the street from the park for cupcakes. After running off over 1,000 calories, I felt like I could splurge a little bit...
When I looked up my pace when I got home after my run, I discovered that if I could keep up that pace for another four miles, I should be able to finish my half-marathon in under 2:45, a full 15 minutes faster than my goal! It makes me feel so much better to think that I have a very good chance of meeting my sub-3:00 finish time, barring any issues. I'm now currently praying for great weather & no injuries or illness between now and the end of February! Well, that and the arrival of my second order of sparkly running skirts...
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Saturday, November 30, 2013
First Month Training Fun!
So, I'm finally back to blogging about my running. I started my GSC training a month ago, and so far so good. I've learned a few things that will hopefully help me make my goals of completing the GSC & finishing the Princess Half in under 3 hours:
- I like running in skirts (never thought I would). However, I have discovered which ones I like (fuller skirts with more material) and don't like (short, slimmer jersey skirts). I think I need a sparkly one or two for my races... :)
- Shoes make the woman! I ran three of the past four weeks with my old shoes from last year, and then only ran in my new shoes this week. What an amazing difference! I told my hubby that it felt like I was running on marshmallows today, minus the sticky mess... Every time I plunk down a crazy amount of money for shoes, I just need to remember that they are a necessity, not a silly want. Plus, I'm not the kind of person to spend a horrendous amount on shoes regularly. Now Gator stuff, totally different discussion.
- You run what you eat. When I've eaten healthier, my runs are always better. I still like my "comfort foods," but I need to save them for rest/recovery days instead of running days. I have also discovered that I don't crave some of the evil foods nearly as much as I used to. Those chocolate covered yellow cake doughnuts are disgusting to me now. I'd much rather have a container of Greek yogurt and call it done. The hard part will be eating well during the holidays (sigh...).
- Strength training with pilate-type exercises after my training runs have made me run better. I've been reading Runner's World magazines more regularly as of lately, and I've gotten some good ideas for trying to improve my running. My new favorites are Superman & the one-legged bridge. :)
The best run so far in my training was today! My hubby took me to my favorite Italian restaurant yesterday for dinner, and I was able to enjoy some spinach fettuccine with grilled chicken. I only ate half of the plate, so I wasn't stuffed to the point of agony. Plus, I have leftovers for lunch today. When I ran at the park this morning, I posted my best time EVER for 6 miles: 1:12! My mileage breakdown was interesting:
- Mile 1: 11:51
- Mile 2: 11:43
- Mile 3: 11:41
- Mile 4: 13:44 (due to a quick pit stop)
- Mile 5: 11:53
- Mile 6: 11:24 ("Magical Mile")
I think I have figured out that starting out a little slower has helped me to do better overall, and I was able to make my "magical mile" 30 seconds faster than the rest of the run. I'm anxious to see how my 8-miler in two weeks will go!
Here's to hoping for more amazing runs & healthy training! :)
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Here we go again...
As I was looking at my calendar this morning, I realized that I'm just two weeks away from officially beginning my next training for another endurance race. I'm registered for the "Glass Slipper Challenge" for the Disney Princess Half-Marathon Weekend in February! Part of me is ready to get back to driving my friends crazy with my constant talk of running and training, and part of me is a little scared due to the ante up with two races in one weekend.
For those who don't know, the GSC is where you run a 10K on Saturday, February 22nd, followed by a half-marathon on Sunday, February 23rd. I've recently had friends that completed the Dumbo Double Dare at Disneyland earlier this month, so I know it can be done. I've just been frustrated by the lack of training schedules available on the RunDisney site. So, I've taken the DDD training log and adjusted the dates to fit for my races. My goals for the races are pretty simple: 10K--finish in a non-embarrasing time and enjoy myself; Half-marathon--PR under 3:00 (missed it by 4 minutes last time). From the pictures from previous Princess races, I'm sure my "enjoy myself" goal will be met easily. The other two goals? Only time will tell.
I'm going to try to do a better job blogging this time around. I also give permission to bug me if I'm not posting regularly. Until next time... :)
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Just Keep Running, Just Keep Running...
So, after my less-than-stellar long run last week, I was a little nervous about this week. And then I remembered when I ran my first 10-miler during my marathon training and it was awful as well. So I looked at my blog from the following week when I ran 11 miles, and I remembered that that run was great. I had high hopes that history would repeat itself.
I had an average, run-of-the-treadmill run on Tuesday at my own gym. Then I ran at a different gym due to a training I had for work. There just happened to be a 24-Hour Fitness within 2 miles of my training (which was over an hour away from my house), so I knocked it out early before I picked up the boys from daycare. That run was fine, but the treadmill was a little different, so it felt weird. For the rest of the week I kept a close eye on the weather forecast...
Once again, thunderstorms sent me running inside again. I don't mind the mill runs for 3 miles, but anything above 6 miles tends to lose its "fun" factor rather quickly. The worst part was that SportsCenter wasn't playing on any of the TVs, so I was stuck watching "Law & Order". I hadn't watched that show much, but I was able to enjoy 2 episodes during my run. I think having to focus on reading the subtitles to keep up with the story helped distract me from my task, so it wasn't as dreadful as it could have been. I broke my run up into three 3-mile chunks with restroom breaks in between and a 2-mile chunk to end. If I didn't count my pit stops, I kept a 13:28-minute mile pace for the entire run. However, I kept my timer going, so my actual pace was 14:33-minute mile. I think that is the best pace I've kept for my long runs, so I feel pretty good about it. We'll see if I'm able to walk tomorrow... :)
I had an average, run-of-the-treadmill run on Tuesday at my own gym. Then I ran at a different gym due to a training I had for work. There just happened to be a 24-Hour Fitness within 2 miles of my training (which was over an hour away from my house), so I knocked it out early before I picked up the boys from daycare. That run was fine, but the treadmill was a little different, so it felt weird. For the rest of the week I kept a close eye on the weather forecast...
Once again, thunderstorms sent me running inside again. I don't mind the mill runs for 3 miles, but anything above 6 miles tends to lose its "fun" factor rather quickly. The worst part was that SportsCenter wasn't playing on any of the TVs, so I was stuck watching "Law & Order". I hadn't watched that show much, but I was able to enjoy 2 episodes during my run. I think having to focus on reading the subtitles to keep up with the story helped distract me from my task, so it wasn't as dreadful as it could have been. I broke my run up into three 3-mile chunks with restroom breaks in between and a 2-mile chunk to end. If I didn't count my pit stops, I kept a 13:28-minute mile pace for the entire run. However, I kept my timer going, so my actual pace was 14:33-minute mile. I think that is the best pace I've kept for my long runs, so I feel pretty good about it. We'll see if I'm able to walk tomorrow... :)
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Bad at Blogging & Bonking
So, I completely forgot to blog last week. I had a rather busy Saturday, but I've finally pried the boys off the computer long enough to catch back up. Here's what you've missed:
Last Week
I finally got my new shoes, and boy do my feet feel fantastic! Every time I wince at the price of those puppies, I need to remember that they fit wonderfully and make all the difference. I ran on Sept. 11th through the neighborhood, and the weather felt great. We finally got a much-needed break from the heat.
On Sept. 13th, I started out too fast and got tired towards the end. But, all in all, still wasn't a bad run. Once again, the shoes were nice!
On Sept. 15th, I ended up changing my running plans due to getting a call from the city of Alvin that we had multiple mosquito populations near us that tested positive for West Nile virus. Between not wanting to get sick & having a haircut scheduled at 9:30, I went to the gym. It was only 6 miles, but feeling like I was on a time crunch bothered me and threw off my concentration. I got it done, but it wasn't pretty. I had a lot of running around town to do, so I still squeezed in a little more exercise...
This Week
On Tuesday, I decided to run through the neighborhood due to being at school longer than I anticipated. I started out great, then slowed down a bit when James decided to "help" me. He wanted to ride his bike along side me. The only problem was that he kept weaving in front of me and slowing down suddenly, which threw off my pace. At one point, I told him to ride behind me, and then he ran into the back of my leg. Needless to say, I will not be encouraging him to ride when I'm running again anytime soon...
On Thursday, I had this weird feeling that I was forgetting something. I had my school stuff, both kids, my keys & phone, but I couldn't figure out what I had missed. It wasn't until I was getting ready to run on the treadmill that I made my discovery--my MP3 player was at home. Ugh! I'm a bit of a "music-holic", so not having my tunes was really frustrating. So, instead, I just focused on SportsCenter and followed the timer on the mill to make sure I kept a decent pace.
This morning, I woke up early to go tackle my 10-mile run. Learning from my mistake on Thursday, the first thing I grabbed was my MP3 player. I checked the battery level & discovered to my horror that it was dead. So, I made an executive decision to charge it and go back to sleep... :) I got up later & had my granola bar, then headed out the door. I chose to run at Stevenson Park again because I wanted to be sure I only ran 10 miles. Plus, my tummy was a little off(so making sure I had facilities nearby was a bonus. I figured out that I could use rocks to keep track of my laps. The track is only 1/2 mile around, so I was in for 20 laps. I wanted to make sure that I didn't miscount and end up doing any extra, so I picked up 10 rocks and put them in my pocket. As I completed a mile, I placed a rock on top of the distance sign. I did really well for the first 8.5 miles, keeping a solid 13:11-minute-mile pace, and then the big BONK hit me. I didn't have enough of the energy gels I normally use on my longer runs, and the granola bar didn't last as long as I was hoping. It was literally all I could do to make the last 3 laps. The worst part was feeling dizzy and out of it. I had never experienced that before, and I never want to again! I stopped at my rock-piled sign, prayed that God would just help me finish, and I started again, but at a much slower pace. I even ended up walking the last 1/2 mile because I didn't want to risk passing out or not being able to drive home. I stopped at McDonald's on the way home to get a mango-pineapple smoothie to bump my blood sugar up, and that seemed to make all the difference. I'll be making sure I'm more prepared next week, since I have an 11-miler scheduled.
If memory serves me well, the last time I trained my 10-miler was awful, but my 11-miler was awesome. I'm sure hoping history will repeat itself!
Last Week
I finally got my new shoes, and boy do my feet feel fantastic! Every time I wince at the price of those puppies, I need to remember that they fit wonderfully and make all the difference. I ran on Sept. 11th through the neighborhood, and the weather felt great. We finally got a much-needed break from the heat.
On Sept. 13th, I started out too fast and got tired towards the end. But, all in all, still wasn't a bad run. Once again, the shoes were nice!
On Sept. 15th, I ended up changing my running plans due to getting a call from the city of Alvin that we had multiple mosquito populations near us that tested positive for West Nile virus. Between not wanting to get sick & having a haircut scheduled at 9:30, I went to the gym. It was only 6 miles, but feeling like I was on a time crunch bothered me and threw off my concentration. I got it done, but it wasn't pretty. I had a lot of running around town to do, so I still squeezed in a little more exercise...
This Week
On Tuesday, I decided to run through the neighborhood due to being at school longer than I anticipated. I started out great, then slowed down a bit when James decided to "help" me. He wanted to ride his bike along side me. The only problem was that he kept weaving in front of me and slowing down suddenly, which threw off my pace. At one point, I told him to ride behind me, and then he ran into the back of my leg. Needless to say, I will not be encouraging him to ride when I'm running again anytime soon...
On Thursday, I had this weird feeling that I was forgetting something. I had my school stuff, both kids, my keys & phone, but I couldn't figure out what I had missed. It wasn't until I was getting ready to run on the treadmill that I made my discovery--my MP3 player was at home. Ugh! I'm a bit of a "music-holic", so not having my tunes was really frustrating. So, instead, I just focused on SportsCenter and followed the timer on the mill to make sure I kept a decent pace.
This morning, I woke up early to go tackle my 10-mile run. Learning from my mistake on Thursday, the first thing I grabbed was my MP3 player. I checked the battery level & discovered to my horror that it was dead. So, I made an executive decision to charge it and go back to sleep... :) I got up later & had my granola bar, then headed out the door. I chose to run at Stevenson Park again because I wanted to be sure I only ran 10 miles. Plus, my tummy was a little off(so making sure I had facilities nearby was a bonus. I figured out that I could use rocks to keep track of my laps. The track is only 1/2 mile around, so I was in for 20 laps. I wanted to make sure that I didn't miscount and end up doing any extra, so I picked up 10 rocks and put them in my pocket. As I completed a mile, I placed a rock on top of the distance sign. I did really well for the first 8.5 miles, keeping a solid 13:11-minute-mile pace, and then the big BONK hit me. I didn't have enough of the energy gels I normally use on my longer runs, and the granola bar didn't last as long as I was hoping. It was literally all I could do to make the last 3 laps. The worst part was feeling dizzy and out of it. I had never experienced that before, and I never want to again! I stopped at my rock-piled sign, prayed that God would just help me finish, and I started again, but at a much slower pace. I even ended up walking the last 1/2 mile because I didn't want to risk passing out or not being able to drive home. I stopped at McDonald's on the way home to get a mango-pineapple smoothie to bump my blood sugar up, and that seemed to make all the difference. I'll be making sure I'm more prepared next week, since I have an 11-miler scheduled.
If memory serves me well, the last time I trained my 10-miler was awful, but my 11-miler was awesome. I'm sure hoping history will repeat itself!
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Schedule Problems & a Slump
I spent Monday evening downloading & going a little haywire on iTunes to help freshen up the playlist in hopes of that helping my momentum with training. That was, sadly, the highlight of the training for this week. If I had my way, I'd just forget the whole thing happened and just move on. However, there were lessons to be learned from my training trials.
Lesson #1: NEVER run on a full stomach. Even if you wait the obligatory 30 minutes to "let it settle", you will be extremely sorry and in agony. I don't think I have ever had a more painful run (stomach-wise) than my run Tuesday night. I ended up having a meeting after work, so I couldn't just go straight to the gym like I had planned. Instead, I made dinner, ate with the family, sat with the littlest one and watched part of a DVD with him before I headed off to the gym. I made it about a half-mile before I started feeling my dinner slowly try to march back up my esophagus. I hadn't had that sensation since I was pregnant with James (and no, I'm not expecting again!). Let me just say that it was reminiscent of driving hundreds of miles across Louisiana, which at the time had terrible roads. I spent somewhere between 300-400 miles trying everything possible to keep from throwing up inside our U-Haul truck and the occupants. Needless to say, that is an experience that never needs to surface again. The good part was that I ran at a 12:45-mile pace, even while trying to hold my dinner down.
Because I had "Meet Your Teacher Night" on Thursday & didn't leave school until 8:30 pm, I opted to skip my Thursday run and just rest from being at work for about 13 hours straight. I wonder if that had something to do with my long run not going so hot. Which brings us to my other lesson...
Lesson #2: Old shoes & treadmills make for bad long runs. I attempted to replace my Brooks last weekend, but the store didn't have my size in stock. Apparently, they don't carry high quantities of women's "Gargantuan" shoes. So, I was put on a waiting list and told that I'd be called when they came in. They called Thursday night while was sitting in the McDonald's drive-thru, waiting for my salad, my hubby's food, & the kids' Happy Meals to take back to school so we could eat before "MYTN". I decided I'd just pick up the shoes on Saturday.
So, today (Saturday), I had a baby shower at church to help co-host, so I had to be done with my long run, showered, presentable, & present by 10:00 am. Since we have a crazy outbreak of the West Nile virus running rampant, I decided to not take my chances with the mosquitoes and just take my long run indoors again. This time, I decided to break it up into 3-mile increments & to run my normal pace using my music as my timer instead of the clock on the treadmill. I figured I'd run a little faster this time than last week. Not so. I got about 5-6 miles into my 9-mile run when the tops of my feet started to cramp up. Then at about mile 8, the bottoms of my feet started to ache. The last mile I was so worn out I couldn't even run through an entire song, so my pace ended up being a full minutes per mile slower than last week. At least I got it done, and this time I didn't feel like I was going to hurl in the process.
I finally have the new shoes in my possession, and I'm anxiously awaiting my run on Tuesday. Nathan told me that he thought my new purple shoes would make me go fast. I guess we'll have to wait to find out.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Hamster Runs
Ah, back to work and back to schedule juggling. I have to admit, I'm a little frustrated that I can't just zip up to the 24-Hour Shaq gym after work. But I refuse to pay the extra money just for a little convenience. Plus, the gym in Friendswood is only 8 miles from my house and has lovely ladies that know my boys as soon as they come in. It's just going to take a little getting used to for now.
Due to the weather not cooperating this week, I ended up feeling a bit like a hamster on a wheel (all this running & not going anywhere). It never bothered me running in a gym during the week, but it really bothered me on Saturday. Overall, the runs went okay.
Tuesday's run was interesting. I figured it would be tough because I was running after my second day of teaching. For those of you who don't know, the first week of teaching is usually the hardest. You're so exhausted by 3:45 that all you want to do is curl up in a ball and nap until Thanksgiving break. Instead, I used the faculty restroom as my personal "phone booth" to make my transformation from meek & mild (yeah, right) Mrs. Cooke to Mandessa, the Marathoning Momma (minus the cape--don't want anything to get tangled up on the equipment)!
I picked up my kids, drove to the gym, and got them checked in with Ms. Joanne. I flew to the first treadmill I saw and started my run. I adjusted the incline & speed and was on my way. After the first mile I felt pretty good. I was thinking about my class & how smoothly the first two days had gone. But, by the second mile, I felt like someone had unplugged me. I was not sure I would even make it another mile. Then, I glanced down at the display and realized my mistake. I had the incline too high. No wonder it seemed so much harder this time! I adjusted it to where it should have been, and that made all the difference. Disaster averted, three miles done.
Thursday rolled around and my schedule got messed up. I don't even remember what happened. All I remember is that I went home, made dinner, and ate before going to the gym. This was different. One, tilapia in the tummy while running three miles is not the best thing. Two, it was later in the evening than I'm used to running. The good part was that the gym was not nearly as busy. The bad part was that my body was already beginning to wind down for the night. I got on the treadmill, and it was a struggle to get done. The good part was that I had a rerun of "Glee" to watch while I was running. Once I reached my three miles, I was glad to be done and on my way home.
I woke up at 5:30am on Saturday to tackle my eight-mile run early on and turned on the news. Bad news: thunderstorms were headed straight to my outdoor route. Had it been just rain, I probably would have sucked it up and done a "drowned rat" training run. However, with the lightning, it was a different story. I run near a golf course where at 5' 4" I'm the tallest thing out there in some parts, I just didn't feel the need to test Franklin's theory and become a human lightning rod. Judge if you must, but I chickened out and headed back to the trusty gym.
I pulled up in the parking lot, walked inside, and was surprised to see that there were only three other people working out besides me. I picked a treadmill with a fantastic view of ESPN SportsCenter and got to work. I ran for two miles, made a pit stop, ran another three miles, made another pit stop, and finished the final three miles. This time, I didn't pace myself with my music like I normally do. I just did the same thing I do for my short runs. I ran for 0.25 miles, then walked for 0.10. I didn't worry about being below the 13-minute mark since I was already out of my normal routine, and I'm not really sure exactly what my pace is when I'm running outside. Anyway, the best part had to be watching the clips from the Boise State-Michigan State game from the night before replayed over & over again. Two football players were running out of bounds and completely creamed a cheerleader on the sidelines (don't worry, she was fine). I must have seen that clip at least a half a dozen times, and it made me laugh out loud every time! I had no idea laughter would help a long run.
So, the "hamster runs" are done, and I lived to tell the tale. Hopefully the weather will be better this weekend so I can get back into my "normal" routine of running outdoors. Somehow running outside just feels better than being cooped up in a gym, even if the entertainment on the screens gets a giggle...
Due to the weather not cooperating this week, I ended up feeling a bit like a hamster on a wheel (all this running & not going anywhere). It never bothered me running in a gym during the week, but it really bothered me on Saturday. Overall, the runs went okay.
Tuesday's run was interesting. I figured it would be tough because I was running after my second day of teaching. For those of you who don't know, the first week of teaching is usually the hardest. You're so exhausted by 3:45 that all you want to do is curl up in a ball and nap until Thanksgiving break. Instead, I used the faculty restroom as my personal "phone booth" to make my transformation from meek & mild (yeah, right) Mrs. Cooke to Mandessa, the Marathoning Momma (minus the cape--don't want anything to get tangled up on the equipment)!
I picked up my kids, drove to the gym, and got them checked in with Ms. Joanne. I flew to the first treadmill I saw and started my run. I adjusted the incline & speed and was on my way. After the first mile I felt pretty good. I was thinking about my class & how smoothly the first two days had gone. But, by the second mile, I felt like someone had unplugged me. I was not sure I would even make it another mile. Then, I glanced down at the display and realized my mistake. I had the incline too high. No wonder it seemed so much harder this time! I adjusted it to where it should have been, and that made all the difference. Disaster averted, three miles done.
Thursday rolled around and my schedule got messed up. I don't even remember what happened. All I remember is that I went home, made dinner, and ate before going to the gym. This was different. One, tilapia in the tummy while running three miles is not the best thing. Two, it was later in the evening than I'm used to running. The good part was that the gym was not nearly as busy. The bad part was that my body was already beginning to wind down for the night. I got on the treadmill, and it was a struggle to get done. The good part was that I had a rerun of "Glee" to watch while I was running. Once I reached my three miles, I was glad to be done and on my way home.
I woke up at 5:30am on Saturday to tackle my eight-mile run early on and turned on the news. Bad news: thunderstorms were headed straight to my outdoor route. Had it been just rain, I probably would have sucked it up and done a "drowned rat" training run. However, with the lightning, it was a different story. I run near a golf course where at 5' 4" I'm the tallest thing out there in some parts, I just didn't feel the need to test Franklin's theory and become a human lightning rod. Judge if you must, but I chickened out and headed back to the trusty gym.
I pulled up in the parking lot, walked inside, and was surprised to see that there were only three other people working out besides me. I picked a treadmill with a fantastic view of ESPN SportsCenter and got to work. I ran for two miles, made a pit stop, ran another three miles, made another pit stop, and finished the final three miles. This time, I didn't pace myself with my music like I normally do. I just did the same thing I do for my short runs. I ran for 0.25 miles, then walked for 0.10. I didn't worry about being below the 13-minute mark since I was already out of my normal routine, and I'm not really sure exactly what my pace is when I'm running outside. Anyway, the best part had to be watching the clips from the Boise State-Michigan State game from the night before replayed over & over again. Two football players were running out of bounds and completely creamed a cheerleader on the sidelines (don't worry, she was fine). I must have seen that clip at least a half a dozen times, and it made me laugh out loud every time! I had no idea laughter would help a long run.
So, the "hamster runs" are done, and I lived to tell the tale. Hopefully the weather will be better this weekend so I can get back into my "normal" routine of running outdoors. Somehow running outside just feels better than being cooped up in a gym, even if the entertainment on the screens gets a giggle...
Saturday, August 25, 2012
FINALLY Broke 13:00-Minute Mile!!
I feel like Wonder Woman, minus the inappropriate outfit for someone who turned 35 yesterday! This had to have been the best week I had running, and I'm pretty sure it was because it was my "easy week." It started off a little rough, but today made it all worthwhile!
So, Tuesday I roll in to the 24-Hour Fitness Shaq gym near my work. This is the location I ran at all year last school year, and it was recently expanded and refurbished. I was able to enjoy this gym until Tuesday. Little did I know, my gym membership that I had renewed the week before was no longer valid because I only had access to "all-Sport" gyms, not "all-Super Sport" gyms (of which there are 4 in the country, and with my luck, that location is one of them). I was informed that I could upgrade by paying a mere $120 more, to which I screamed, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME??" in my head while politely responding, "Uh, I don't think so. I'm a teacher, and that will not be happening." The manager could probably see the fire back-lighting my eyeballs and was kind enough to let me enjoy one last hurrah. I got on a treadmill and ran a little of the frustration out in my 2-mile run and made a 12:15-minute mile pace. Maybe being aggravated made me run a little faster...
Fast-forward to Thursday. I attended training all day (which, in itself it torture when you're used to being on your feet most of the day), then worked at my school for two hours with student registration. Apparently, my brain was still a bit in "summer" mode when I spoke with a certain student. I won't bore you with the details here, but let me just say that I've been kicking myself ever since and am fervently praying that I haven't completely soured this poor student towards me or the institute of education. Anyway, after my brief moment of "athlete's tongue", I picked up the boys, headed home, made & ate dinner, took care of dishes, and then continued the "kicking myself" process on the treadmill at the gym location that will still welcome me (thank you 24-Hour Fitness in Friendswood!). Once again, irritation helped fuel another sub-13-minute mile pace, but this time it was a tad slower at 12:35-minute mile. I think exhaustion & running after dinner for the first time didn't have as bad of an affect on me as I thought. I still like running right after work because once I get home, I can stay put!
Now, the moment you've all been waiting for: today's "long" run! Because it was an "easy week", I only had to run 5 miles. I decided to try out the new RunKeeper app on my phone. Unfortunately, because the park I ran in had so many trees, it couldn't log as I went. I had a back-up plan in mind in case that happened. I just used the timer on my phone to keep track of the time so that all I had to do was keep track of my laps. I decided to skip the slower songs as they came up on my MP3 player, and I think that made a difference. It also gave me a personal homework assignment to put only faster songs on it for the future (thank you, Mark Wiesenborn for the idea!). So, ten laps and five miles later, I looked at my clock. It read one hour and four minutes. I quickly switched to my RunKeeper app to input my run and was ecstatic to find out that I had kept at 12:57-minute mile pace! I probably looked like a complete wacko, fist pumping and hopping up and down like I had won the lottery, but I didn't care. I finally did it! I broke that crazy 13-minute mile road block! The true test of success will come next week, with a full week of teaching & an eight-mile run on Saturday. We'll just have to see how the week pans out...
So, Tuesday I roll in to the 24-Hour Fitness Shaq gym near my work. This is the location I ran at all year last school year, and it was recently expanded and refurbished. I was able to enjoy this gym until Tuesday. Little did I know, my gym membership that I had renewed the week before was no longer valid because I only had access to "all-Sport" gyms, not "all-Super Sport" gyms (of which there are 4 in the country, and with my luck, that location is one of them). I was informed that I could upgrade by paying a mere $120 more, to which I screamed, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME??" in my head while politely responding, "Uh, I don't think so. I'm a teacher, and that will not be happening." The manager could probably see the fire back-lighting my eyeballs and was kind enough to let me enjoy one last hurrah. I got on a treadmill and ran a little of the frustration out in my 2-mile run and made a 12:15-minute mile pace. Maybe being aggravated made me run a little faster...
Fast-forward to Thursday. I attended training all day (which, in itself it torture when you're used to being on your feet most of the day), then worked at my school for two hours with student registration. Apparently, my brain was still a bit in "summer" mode when I spoke with a certain student. I won't bore you with the details here, but let me just say that I've been kicking myself ever since and am fervently praying that I haven't completely soured this poor student towards me or the institute of education. Anyway, after my brief moment of "athlete's tongue", I picked up the boys, headed home, made & ate dinner, took care of dishes, and then continued the "kicking myself" process on the treadmill at the gym location that will still welcome me (thank you 24-Hour Fitness in Friendswood!). Once again, irritation helped fuel another sub-13-minute mile pace, but this time it was a tad slower at 12:35-minute mile. I think exhaustion & running after dinner for the first time didn't have as bad of an affect on me as I thought. I still like running right after work because once I get home, I can stay put!
Now, the moment you've all been waiting for: today's "long" run! Because it was an "easy week", I only had to run 5 miles. I decided to try out the new RunKeeper app on my phone. Unfortunately, because the park I ran in had so many trees, it couldn't log as I went. I had a back-up plan in mind in case that happened. I just used the timer on my phone to keep track of the time so that all I had to do was keep track of my laps. I decided to skip the slower songs as they came up on my MP3 player, and I think that made a difference. It also gave me a personal homework assignment to put only faster songs on it for the future (thank you, Mark Wiesenborn for the idea!). So, ten laps and five miles later, I looked at my clock. It read one hour and four minutes. I quickly switched to my RunKeeper app to input my run and was ecstatic to find out that I had kept at 12:57-minute mile pace! I probably looked like a complete wacko, fist pumping and hopping up and down like I had won the lottery, but I didn't care. I finally did it! I broke that crazy 13-minute mile road block! The true test of success will come next week, with a full week of teaching & an eight-mile run on Saturday. We'll just have to see how the week pans out...
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Summer's End & 13:00 Struggle
Ah, the final week of just being a mommy & going to the gym mid-morning. I will miss time with my boys like crazy, but I'll really miss having a bunch of treadmills available when I want to run. Now I'll be joining all the "working stiffs" trying to squeeze in my jaunts after work & before dinner. At least my training this week went well!
My 3-mile run on Tuesday went well, followed by hours of work getting my classroom ready for the new school year. I wonder if climbing up & down ladders and rearranging furniture counts as cross-training? My 3-mile run on Thursday was a little different. Apparently, the treadmill I chose for the morning was possessed by some evil gremlin that refused to keep the incline where I wanted it. Instead of changing machines, I figured I'd just deal with it so I could hurry & get done. I ran my first two miles like normal (run for 0.25, then walk for .10 and repeat), then I decided to push myself and try to run the whole last mile without a break. Much to my surprise, I did it! I made it and didn't feel like I was going to keel over once I hit the stop button. I felt like SuperMom minus the cape! I figured that would help my long run on Saturday go faster.
This morning, I started my run with my new app "Run Keeper". I love it! It periodically tells me how far I've run, my time, and my pace while I'm running. Plus, it actually kept an accurate distance for me. The first half of my run felt great, albeit humid. I had my stride & breathing down and thought, "This is awesome! I'm going to break 13:00!" Once I hit my halfway point, it felt like I had been dropped in a sauna. I ended up having to stop at mile 5 to buy more water because I ran out. The rest of the run was slower than I liked, but I got it done. Unfortunately, it was at a 13:35-minute mile pace. I'm a little frustrated that I can't seem to break the 13-minute mile mark yet, but I think I'll be able to before too long. I think I may start changing my running pace for my short runs to increase endurance, like run 0.50 instead before a walk, and then see how next weekend goes...
My 3-mile run on Tuesday went well, followed by hours of work getting my classroom ready for the new school year. I wonder if climbing up & down ladders and rearranging furniture counts as cross-training? My 3-mile run on Thursday was a little different. Apparently, the treadmill I chose for the morning was possessed by some evil gremlin that refused to keep the incline where I wanted it. Instead of changing machines, I figured I'd just deal with it so I could hurry & get done. I ran my first two miles like normal (run for 0.25, then walk for .10 and repeat), then I decided to push myself and try to run the whole last mile without a break. Much to my surprise, I did it! I made it and didn't feel like I was going to keel over once I hit the stop button. I felt like SuperMom minus the cape! I figured that would help my long run on Saturday go faster.
This morning, I started my run with my new app "Run Keeper". I love it! It periodically tells me how far I've run, my time, and my pace while I'm running. Plus, it actually kept an accurate distance for me. The first half of my run felt great, albeit humid. I had my stride & breathing down and thought, "This is awesome! I'm going to break 13:00!" Once I hit my halfway point, it felt like I had been dropped in a sauna. I ended up having to stop at mile 5 to buy more water because I ran out. The rest of the run was slower than I liked, but I got it done. Unfortunately, it was at a 13:35-minute mile pace. I'm a little frustrated that I can't seem to break the 13-minute mile mark yet, but I think I'll be able to before too long. I think I may start changing my running pace for my short runs to increase endurance, like run 0.50 instead before a walk, and then see how next weekend goes...
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Good, Good, Blah...
My two 3-mile runs at the gym this week were fantastic! I felt great & finally have gotten to the point where I'm not gasping for breath by the second mile. The lungs are starting to remember how to do the "run & breathe" thing, which makes life more comfortable. Plus, watching the Olympics on the screens is amazing motivation to keep going when you feel a little tired. The only thing that would be more inspirational for me would be watching Tebow... :)
The long run today was a six-mile jalk. I arrived at the park for my run and discovered a mini tent-city. Apparently, there was a 5K that was starting & ending there, complete with a DJ from a local country station. I had a lot more company than I was expecting for my training! The path is a half-mile, so I completed 12 laps to get my mileage in. I tried a new app "Map My Run" to keep track of my distance & time, but I think I bumped something by accident or it didn't have a good GPS signal. Instead of recording my six miles, it only recorded four, and I KNOW I ran six because I was counting laps. I'll give it another shot next weekend to see if it's just a case of user error or app issues. What mattered to me was that I ran six miles and kept an average of 13.5-minute-mile pace. I'm a little frustrated that I haven't dropped below the 13-minute mile mark yet, but I know it'll get better. That's why I'm training. We'll have to see what next week holds in store!
The long run today was a six-mile jalk. I arrived at the park for my run and discovered a mini tent-city. Apparently, there was a 5K that was starting & ending there, complete with a DJ from a local country station. I had a lot more company than I was expecting for my training! The path is a half-mile, so I completed 12 laps to get my mileage in. I tried a new app "Map My Run" to keep track of my distance & time, but I think I bumped something by accident or it didn't have a good GPS signal. Instead of recording my six miles, it only recorded four, and I KNOW I ran six because I was counting laps. I'll give it another shot next weekend to see if it's just a case of user error or app issues. What mattered to me was that I ran six miles and kept an average of 13.5-minute-mile pace. I'm a little frustrated that I haven't dropped below the 13-minute mile mark yet, but I know it'll get better. That's why I'm training. We'll have to see what next week holds in store!
Friday, August 3, 2012
Still going strong... sort of...
So with being on vacation, I skipped on blogging. Now that I'm back home, I can get back into the swing of posting more regularly (with any luck)... Here's how the past two-and-a-half weeks of training went.
We flew into Orlando late Friday night. On Saturday, I had a two-mile run scheduled, but I didn't know the distances from my parents house. We came up with a consensus that it was about a mile to my old elementary school, so I ran there and back. I came in the door after my run and said, "That felt too short..." I checked the pedometer, and I was right. It was only a mile and a half. Since I had plans that night to go out, I decided to not worry about it.
The next week, I walked a little over four miles with Mom & Mary Monday night. Then, I skipped my three miles on Tuesday because we went to Legoland and walked six-and-a-half miles. On Thursday, we were in New Symrna Beach, so I enlisted in the help of the condo manager to figure out my three-mile route (from the condo to A1A, back down to Flagler Ave, back to the condo & repeat). While my family was playing on the beach, I was completing my training run. I have to admit, playing in the cool Atlantic felt wonderful after that run! We were back in Orlando by Saturday for my three-mile "long run." I ran from my parents' house to Mary's house and back (which we confirmed the distance in the car).
The following Tuesday, I ran my three-mile route in Orlando while the family ate breakfast. On Thursday, we were in Cocoa Beach. This time, I just decided to run for 30 minutes on the beach. I had never actually run on the sand before, and it was nice. The only part I didn't like was getting sand in my running shoes. I'm pretty sure there's still a little bit of Cocoa Beach in my Brooks to this day! We were back in Orlando by Saturday for my four-mile "long run", so I ran to Mary's house & back for three miles, then ran up & down the main road next to my parents' house to make the fourth mile. I left on my run to the smells of bacon & pancakes, and I think it help me keep my fastest pace since I started training again: 12-minute mile!
I had one more run in Orlando before coming back home on Tuesday. I did great for the first two miles, but when I hit mile three, my stomach decided to do a repeat performance of "miles 14-17 misery" from my Marathon. I got it done, but it drastically impacted my pace (only 13:30-minute mile). I figured once I got home things would improve.
Unfortunately, they haven't yet. I ran at the gym yesterday and only made a mile before the stomach began its pyrotechnics once again. I took a quick break, then got back on and ran in smaller increments. Talk about frustrating! I'm really hoping my five-mile "long run" tomorrow goes better. We'll have to wait and see...
Now that I've gotten caught up online, I need to get caught up on housework (sigh...)...
Monday, July 9, 2012
Here I go again...
I trying to get ready to start training again! My sights are set on the finish line of the Disney Wine & Dine Half-Marathon on November 10th, and my brain is still rethinking the training schedule. The problem I'm having is that I'm torn between two schedules. The first one, which is the Jeff Galloway Beginner schedule, has me running only three days a week (two short runs and one long run). It seems easy enough, but it's unfamiliar. And I'm not sure that "jalking" only 30 minutes twice a week will prepare me enough for the long runs on Saturdays. The other option is to run two "short" days, one Fartlek (ugh!)/cross-train day (Zumba?), and one "long" run,. It's basically a modified version of the one I used to train for the Disney Marathon, so it's a little more comfortable. The problem with that one is that stinkin' Fartlek/cross-train day falls on Wednesday. This may not seem like a big deal, but what it means is doing training after work and church, with a possible a faculty or vertical team meeting and/or praise team practice twice a month. In a word? Yuck. Plus, when I was running last time, my weekday runs were here at home on a borrowed treadmill. This time, I'll be at the gym. So, here's what I'm thinking. I can do the Jeff Galloway schedule time-wise, but keep the distances from my old training. If I have time and/or energy to
Fartlek/cross-train, then it'd just be a bonus. I may even try just the Jeff Galloway plan for a week or two and then see how my long runs go. If they're just awful, then I can switch back to the other plan. The only thing that is for certain is that my tail will be in the gym for a 2-mile jalk tomorrow!
Sunday, May 20, 2012
She's At It AGAIN!
So, almost 18 months after I completed the 2011 Disney Marathon, I am now registered to complete the 2012 Disney Wine & Dine Half-Marathon! I know, you're probably thinking, "Why is she doing this again?" or "What trouble has fallen upon another soul that she feels she needs to do another big race?" Oh, don't worry, nothing like that has happened. This time it's all about me. I saw videos & pictures of friends completing the race, and I felt like, "Well, if I can finish a whole one, I KNOW I can finish a little half-marathon..." There are other benefits besides the fact that it's shorter than my last one: (1) it's a night race--no getting up at 2:30 am, (2) I'll get to run with my mom's best friend, Mary, (3) it ends at the Food & Wine Festival at Epcot--run & then eat? I'm all over it! So, I'll be continuing to run a little at the gym from now until early July, then it's back to "training camp". As my son likes to say, "It's on! It's on like Donkey-Kong!"
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Reflections and New Directions
So, I'm almost two months out from finishing my race, and I finally have time to blog about it!
I flew out the Thursday night before and stayed with my parents. It was a little weird, but really nice to fly alone (sans children)! I had a hard time getting to sleep that night because of the time difference & the excitement from the upcoming weekend.
Friday morning I took my mom and we went to the Expo to pick up my race day packet and to look around at the other crazy people who were going to be joining me on Sunday. I was really nervous about the computer chip for my shoe since it was my first-ever race. I plopped myself down on the ground (like a big dork) and watched the video for how to put the tag on my shoe. I got my shoes out, put the tag on, made sure it worked, and we were on our way! We did a little shopping (needed a long-sleeved shirt and a few Powerbars), and then we were off to lunch at Mimi's Cafe. After a refueling stop, we continued our shopping and found an inexpensive jacket for me to wear on the race day because the temperature for Sunday morning was about 15 degrees cooler than I anticipated. We got home, I got cleaned up, and went out to dinner with my friend Jenn & my cousin Hillary. We ate at a hibachi place, then went to a sports bar for a celebratory drink & to watch some sports (Magic were playing the Rockets & LSU was playing Texas A&M). Mike joined us for a little while, and we had a great time reminiscing. Then it was off to bed. Another night of difficulty sleeping because of the excitement.
Saturday morning, we got up and around, packed our bags, headed over to Grandma Boden's house to check on a few things, then went to see her at the assisted living facility. I got my good luck hug & kiss from her, and then Mom & I went to find a Panera Bread to each lunch in Winter Park. Which, we didn't actually find. Somehow, we ended up in Maitland, and just gave up and went to Lake Buena Vista instead. We stopped over at the Disney Marketplace to do some shopping (promised James birthday presents from Disney, and they have a Lego store), had some much-needed coffee, and then met up with my friend Elison for a mini-reunion at Macaroni Grill (I had to carb-load). We hadn't seen each other for 17 years, and it was fantastic to catch up with each other! After hugs & dinner, Mom & I headed off to the Wilderness Lodge, courtesy of my sis-in-law Clancy, to check in & get settled. I checked phone messages, called the boys, did my nails, and tried to get to sleep. However, right about the time I was just starting to relax, we heard this crazy noise outside. I got up to investigate, and it was "water parade", complete with lights & music. Since there was NO way I could sleep through it, I got up, padded out to the balcony, and watched the show. Then, I went back to bed and finally got to sleep.
It felt like I had just closed my eyes when my alarm went off at 2:45am. I got up & dressed, looked at Kylee's pictures & the signs Kaylee & Skylar made for me, woke up Mom, and then we headed down for breakfast. I ate some oatmeal & a banana, made one last pit stop, smiled for a picture for Mom, and by 3:25am I was off to Epcot!
Everyone I met was super nice and very helpful with suggestions & conversation to pass the time. I checked in, got through security, and made my way to my corral ("H") to wait for another hour before the race started. I made a friend with another marathon newbie, Mary, who was from Canada. We ran at about the same pace, and ended up spending a little over half the race together. We started off outside of Epcot, ran through one side of the park, looped outside, and we found our families waiting for us just past the 4-mile marker. We smiled, made quick introductions, and kept on going. I stopped for a few photo spots (Chicken Little & Toy Story friends) for my boys along the way, and for appropriate restroom breaks, and made it to the Castle in pretty good time. We found some fun signs from Sharpie to make us laugh during mile 12, and the next thing I knew, I was half-way done. I felt terrific! Until mile 13 1/2...
That was the point at which my tummy decided it no longer liked the power gels I had been downing, and it wanted it out immediately. I've never been so grateful for a port-o-potty in my life! Mary kept encouraging me to go on, and we got through Animal Kingdom okay. Once we were outside the park, my stomach decided to do another round of pyrotechnics, so I told Mary to go on without me because I needed to walk more to get my stomach to settle. We passed each other when I got to mile 20 & she was approaching mile 21. We waved and yelled, "Keep going! I'm gonna make it!" type remarks back and forth. When I looped around and made it to mile 21. I looked over and saw the dreaded "bus" that took the too-slow people pulling up at mile 20, and it made me a little nervous. I picked up my pace a little, but it was getting a little harder. Then, I realized, "This is the farthest I've ever run in my life!" And I kept thinking that the rest of the way. Once I got to the Studios and to the Backlot tour area, I figured I was in pretty good shape & would finish, so I didn't push as hard. Once I got outside the Studios and on my way to the Boardwalk area, I heard "Undignified" by David Crowder Band, and it made me giggle and gave a little boost of energy for the last few miles. I saw my friend Elliot from my old GMR days DJing at mile 24, gave thumbs up, hugs, and waves, and told myself, "I so totally have this!" So, I took my time for the last two miles because I wanted to enjoy it and take it all in (meanwhile, Mom was panicked that I wasn't going to make it). Someone had a sign that said, "Hello stranger! I don't know you, but I'm proud of you anyway!" and someone else had one that said, "Remember why you're doing this!" That got me a little choked up, so I had to turn on the smile & start being silly to make it to the end. I gave high-fives to people in Epcot, took a picture in France, and made my way to the finish line.
I wasn't with a group of people, so the announcer had time to look up my name and said, "Mandy Cooke! You made it!" as I crossed the finish line. I heard Mom, Matt, Erin, & the kids cheer for me, and I ran to the gate to give high-fives & wave at them. Then, I walked over to get my silver wrap, my medal, and then I realized, "Holy cow, I did it!" That's when I broke down & cried. All the heartache of losing Kylee, all the training, raising money, it was all done, and it was totally worth it. I got a snack, sat down on the asphalt, ate a little & stretched, and then found my family. I let the kids wear the medal & take a picture with me, and did the same for Matt, since Kylee's why I did this. We gave hugs, and went our separate ways, Ft. Myers for them & Mom & Dad's house for us.
It was amazing that God got me through this whole thing with only a swollen knee as an injury (and I was fine by Wednesday), and that I met my goal. I ended up sending a check for $1,047 to Matt & Erin to start the year off. There were so many lessons I learned along the way that I'll take with me the rest of my days. But next came the hardest part--what next? It was almost like planning my wedding. All the work, sweat, preparation for one day, and then it's over. The first few weeks were hard, but now I have a new focus. I'm planning to continue running, but I think I'll stick to 1/2 marathons & shorter races. My dream one day is to do a 1/2 marathon in Disney World, then the 1/2 marathon in Disneyland in the same year so I can get the Coast-to-Coast medal. Maybe for my 35th birthday? We'll have to see what is in store for me.
So, that's it. The journey for this race is done, but another journey is on the horizon. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to honor Kylee's memory in this way, encourage other "non-athletic" people to get moving somehow, and work on making myself & my family a little healthier. But, the most important thing of all is that God is given all the glory, because there is no way I could have made it without Him!
Until the next adventure!
Mandy :)
I flew out the Thursday night before and stayed with my parents. It was a little weird, but really nice to fly alone (sans children)! I had a hard time getting to sleep that night because of the time difference & the excitement from the upcoming weekend.
Friday morning I took my mom and we went to the Expo to pick up my race day packet and to look around at the other crazy people who were going to be joining me on Sunday. I was really nervous about the computer chip for my shoe since it was my first-ever race. I plopped myself down on the ground (like a big dork) and watched the video for how to put the tag on my shoe. I got my shoes out, put the tag on, made sure it worked, and we were on our way! We did a little shopping (needed a long-sleeved shirt and a few Powerbars), and then we were off to lunch at Mimi's Cafe. After a refueling stop, we continued our shopping and found an inexpensive jacket for me to wear on the race day because the temperature for Sunday morning was about 15 degrees cooler than I anticipated. We got home, I got cleaned up, and went out to dinner with my friend Jenn & my cousin Hillary. We ate at a hibachi place, then went to a sports bar for a celebratory drink & to watch some sports (Magic were playing the Rockets & LSU was playing Texas A&M). Mike joined us for a little while, and we had a great time reminiscing. Then it was off to bed. Another night of difficulty sleeping because of the excitement.
Saturday morning, we got up and around, packed our bags, headed over to Grandma Boden's house to check on a few things, then went to see her at the assisted living facility. I got my good luck hug & kiss from her, and then Mom & I went to find a Panera Bread to each lunch in Winter Park. Which, we didn't actually find. Somehow, we ended up in Maitland, and just gave up and went to Lake Buena Vista instead. We stopped over at the Disney Marketplace to do some shopping (promised James birthday presents from Disney, and they have a Lego store), had some much-needed coffee, and then met up with my friend Elison for a mini-reunion at Macaroni Grill (I had to carb-load). We hadn't seen each other for 17 years, and it was fantastic to catch up with each other! After hugs & dinner, Mom & I headed off to the Wilderness Lodge, courtesy of my sis-in-law Clancy, to check in & get settled. I checked phone messages, called the boys, did my nails, and tried to get to sleep. However, right about the time I was just starting to relax, we heard this crazy noise outside. I got up to investigate, and it was "water parade", complete with lights & music. Since there was NO way I could sleep through it, I got up, padded out to the balcony, and watched the show. Then, I went back to bed and finally got to sleep.
It felt like I had just closed my eyes when my alarm went off at 2:45am. I got up & dressed, looked at Kylee's pictures & the signs Kaylee & Skylar made for me, woke up Mom, and then we headed down for breakfast. I ate some oatmeal & a banana, made one last pit stop, smiled for a picture for Mom, and by 3:25am I was off to Epcot!
Everyone I met was super nice and very helpful with suggestions & conversation to pass the time. I checked in, got through security, and made my way to my corral ("H") to wait for another hour before the race started. I made a friend with another marathon newbie, Mary, who was from Canada. We ran at about the same pace, and ended up spending a little over half the race together. We started off outside of Epcot, ran through one side of the park, looped outside, and we found our families waiting for us just past the 4-mile marker. We smiled, made quick introductions, and kept on going. I stopped for a few photo spots (Chicken Little & Toy Story friends) for my boys along the way, and for appropriate restroom breaks, and made it to the Castle in pretty good time. We found some fun signs from Sharpie to make us laugh during mile 12, and the next thing I knew, I was half-way done. I felt terrific! Until mile 13 1/2...
That was the point at which my tummy decided it no longer liked the power gels I had been downing, and it wanted it out immediately. I've never been so grateful for a port-o-potty in my life! Mary kept encouraging me to go on, and we got through Animal Kingdom okay. Once we were outside the park, my stomach decided to do another round of pyrotechnics, so I told Mary to go on without me because I needed to walk more to get my stomach to settle. We passed each other when I got to mile 20 & she was approaching mile 21. We waved and yelled, "Keep going! I'm gonna make it!" type remarks back and forth. When I looped around and made it to mile 21. I looked over and saw the dreaded "bus" that took the too-slow people pulling up at mile 20, and it made me a little nervous. I picked up my pace a little, but it was getting a little harder. Then, I realized, "This is the farthest I've ever run in my life!" And I kept thinking that the rest of the way. Once I got to the Studios and to the Backlot tour area, I figured I was in pretty good shape & would finish, so I didn't push as hard. Once I got outside the Studios and on my way to the Boardwalk area, I heard "Undignified" by David Crowder Band, and it made me giggle and gave a little boost of energy for the last few miles. I saw my friend Elliot from my old GMR days DJing at mile 24, gave thumbs up, hugs, and waves, and told myself, "I so totally have this!" So, I took my time for the last two miles because I wanted to enjoy it and take it all in (meanwhile, Mom was panicked that I wasn't going to make it). Someone had a sign that said, "Hello stranger! I don't know you, but I'm proud of you anyway!" and someone else had one that said, "Remember why you're doing this!" That got me a little choked up, so I had to turn on the smile & start being silly to make it to the end. I gave high-fives to people in Epcot, took a picture in France, and made my way to the finish line.
I wasn't with a group of people, so the announcer had time to look up my name and said, "Mandy Cooke! You made it!" as I crossed the finish line. I heard Mom, Matt, Erin, & the kids cheer for me, and I ran to the gate to give high-fives & wave at them. Then, I walked over to get my silver wrap, my medal, and then I realized, "Holy cow, I did it!" That's when I broke down & cried. All the heartache of losing Kylee, all the training, raising money, it was all done, and it was totally worth it. I got a snack, sat down on the asphalt, ate a little & stretched, and then found my family. I let the kids wear the medal & take a picture with me, and did the same for Matt, since Kylee's why I did this. We gave hugs, and went our separate ways, Ft. Myers for them & Mom & Dad's house for us.
It was amazing that God got me through this whole thing with only a swollen knee as an injury (and I was fine by Wednesday), and that I met my goal. I ended up sending a check for $1,047 to Matt & Erin to start the year off. There were so many lessons I learned along the way that I'll take with me the rest of my days. But next came the hardest part--what next? It was almost like planning my wedding. All the work, sweat, preparation for one day, and then it's over. The first few weeks were hard, but now I have a new focus. I'm planning to continue running, but I think I'll stick to 1/2 marathons & shorter races. My dream one day is to do a 1/2 marathon in Disney World, then the 1/2 marathon in Disneyland in the same year so I can get the Coast-to-Coast medal. Maybe for my 35th birthday? We'll have to see what is in store for me.
So, that's it. The journey for this race is done, but another journey is on the horizon. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to honor Kylee's memory in this way, encourage other "non-athletic" people to get moving somehow, and work on making myself & my family a little healthier. But, the most important thing of all is that God is given all the glory, because there is no way I could have made it without Him!
Until the next adventure!
Mandy :)
Saturday, January 8, 2011
RACE DAY TOMORROW!
So, the flight out here was fantastic! It was the first time I've ever flown with Southwest and had a seat empty. In fact, almost all of the middle seats were empty! There were about a dozen of us "marathoners" on the plane, so it was fun to chat with others that had experience during the stop over in Panama City. I arrived early in O-Town (9:10 instead of 9:25), and made it to my parents' house without any problems. The hardest part was winding down to sleep. I'm thinking it will continue to be a problem until Sunday night...
Mom & I had a fantastic day of "girl time" together. We went to the Expo at Wide World of Sports to get me signed in and to pick up my race packet with "stuff" (my race bib, my chip for my shoe, my commemerative pin, and my free ticket to Disney on Monday that I won't use because I have to fly home). I took my shoes with me so I could put my chip on my shoe. I was a total dork, and I literally sat down on the floor in front of a monitor that showed how to put the chip on and got mine on the shoe. I then walked through the "chip checker" to make sure it worked, and I was set. I'm sure a lot of the veteran runners will be laughing with their buddies about the nerd who put her chip on in front of God & everyone, but I don't care. :)
Once I got checked in, we walked over to the "expo" part to get my "race bag" (complete with a neat long-sleeved shirt with "Disney Marathon" picture on the front & sponsors on the back and LOTS of handouts, which went promptly to the trash). They had a board that I was able to sign that I wrote a note to Kylee telling her that this was for her and that I miss her & love her. Then we got my bag, looked around the expo and bought two shirts (short-sleeved Marathon shirt & long-sleeved for the race) for me and some PowerBars. We then found a kiosk from HP that took my picture with my race bib & a picture of "my castle" that I could e-mail & print for free. That was a real treat! Then we stopped at a booth that asked why we were racing, and I put down that I was racing for Kylee and to raise money for her kids. I'm just so thankful for all of the supportive words & money that have come in!
After the Expo, Mom & I headed out for lunch at Mimi's Cafe, then to do some shopping. A few hours later, we found ourselves back at the house with some extra bags with us. I got cleaned up and had the chance to go to dinner with my friend Jenn and my cousin Hillary. We had some hibatchi Japanese food and then headed out to a sports bar to watch the LSU vs. Texas A&M game and to chat some more. Then, our friend Mike met up with us there to catch up and watch the game with us as well. I had a great time! Adult conversation and football--a perfect combination! :)
Now, I'm getting my bag ready to stay at the Wilderness Lodge tonight, and then it's off to visit with some more friends & family members, more shopping (James' birthday is Thursday & he specifically requested "Disney Toy Story" stuff), dinner at Macaroni Grill so I can "carb load" to my cute little heart's content, and hopefully a fairly early bedtime. A part of me still can't believe it's already time to do this, but another part feels ready to go. I want to do my best to honor Kylee's memory and to finish strong. At this point, I've done everything I can to get ready. It's just time for RACE DAY!!
Until next time...
Friday, December 31, 2010
9 Days and Counting!!
It is so hard to believe that this time next week I'll be picking up my packet and getting ready for the Disney Marathon!! This has been an amazing experience so far. I never thought I'd ever do something like this, and here I am, nine days away from the big day! I just hope and pray that God gets all the glory for this one because I know I never would have made it this far without Him. Now I just need cooperative weather, a big boost of confidence, and peace that surpasses all understanding because I'm beginning to get nervous about this thing...
I got my "Final Information" e-mail for the Marathon and I guess the realization of it being upon me overwhelmed me a bit. That, and finding out I have to be up at 3am (which will feel like 2 am CST), on a bus no later than 4 am, and in my corral by 5 am made me realize this may be harder than I imagined. I just have to trust that all of my training will come into play, a great song list will get me through it, and know that it's mostly a mental thing to get me to the finish line. I've survived 20 miles, and that was around scenery I've been looking at over the past 5 months. I know I can make it to 26.2 miles in one of my favorite places in the world (besides "The Swamp").
On a good note, I ran my last "long run" before the race today. It was only 6 miles, and I knocked it out in 1 hour 13 minutes--a personal best! I think that was just the thing to end on before I head out to FL next week. I admit it--I may be more excited about 4 days without the boys, but I want to make sure I make them proud with my accomplishment and honor Kylee's memory the best I can.
Until next time...
I got my "Final Information" e-mail for the Marathon and I guess the realization of it being upon me overwhelmed me a bit. That, and finding out I have to be up at 3am (which will feel like 2 am CST), on a bus no later than 4 am, and in my corral by 5 am made me realize this may be harder than I imagined. I just have to trust that all of my training will come into play, a great song list will get me through it, and know that it's mostly a mental thing to get me to the finish line. I've survived 20 miles, and that was around scenery I've been looking at over the past 5 months. I know I can make it to 26.2 miles in one of my favorite places in the world (besides "The Swamp").
On a good note, I ran my last "long run" before the race today. It was only 6 miles, and I knocked it out in 1 hour 13 minutes--a personal best! I think that was just the thing to end on before I head out to FL next week. I admit it--I may be more excited about 4 days without the boys, but I want to make sure I make them proud with my accomplishment and honor Kylee's memory the best I can.
Until next time...
Monday, December 20, 2010
#15903 Getting Ready!
I have my official number (#15903) for the race! To think that in a mere three weeks I'll be on my way back on a plane with my parents, hopefully sporting some adorable Mickey bling... :) My right knee feels just like normal today, so I think I'm in the clear as far as injury goes. We'll see how it tolerates the 5 mile training run tomorrow!
Until next time...
Until next time...
Sunday, December 19, 2010
20 Miles Down & THREE WEEKS TO GO!!
The past two weeks have been a bit hectic (hence, no posts). Last week's run went fine--nothing to write home about. This week, however, more to write about...
I made a bad discovery on my five-mile run on Tuesday: Taco Soup & running don't mix. Let's just say that I won't be eating ANYTHING remotely spicy the day before my marathon. I got it done, but it wasn't fun. My "fartlek" training didn't happen due to mommy-duties interfering (baked & iced almost 5 dozen gingerbread cookies), but my hubby thinks the time on my feet should count for something... :) I ran 4 miles on Thursday the fastest I ever have: 4 miles in 50 minutes (12.5-minute mile pace). I felt fantastic! Maybe baking the night before helped somehow? Makes one wonder...
The biggest run I have ever done happened yesterday: 20 miles! I was able to jalk it in 4 hours, 55 minutes, which was a pace of 14 min. 45 sec. per mile. I was doing great until I tripped over a brick in the driveway of Ferguson Elementary School. It kinda "stubbed" my foot, which in turn hurt my right knee. I finished my run, but at a little slower pace than I had been going due to the knee pain (not sidelining--just annoying). The end of my run was at Kim's son, James, first birthday party. I think that gave me some incentive to finish--wanting to make it before it was over & seeing everyone. She was kind enough to offer me a nice hot shower & food, both of which I was extremely grateful for. Once the party broke up, we headed home to my supply of Icy Hot & a comfy napping spot on the couch. I have no idea how long I rested, but I was so glad Shawn let me sleep. When I got up this morning, my left leg felt like it always does, but my right knee was still a little sore (still no swelling). I've been taking it easy around here today to make sure it's back to normal by Tuesday (my second-to-last 5 mile "short" run).
I'm still in disbelief that my race is just three weeks away! I'm getting more excited, antsy, & nervous. Probably par for the course, but it's the biggest achievement I've ever physically made (besides having my boys). I am just praying that I stay healthy & injury-free, that the weather isn't windy, and that I cross the finish line and get that cute little Mickey medal to take home with me. And the best part will be seeing my family & friends along the way (hint, hint--if you don't have plans now, make some to come cheer me on on the 9th!).
Needing to break up World War III in the living room (never a dull moment with hyper pre-Christmas boys in the house). Until next time...
I made a bad discovery on my five-mile run on Tuesday: Taco Soup & running don't mix. Let's just say that I won't be eating ANYTHING remotely spicy the day before my marathon. I got it done, but it wasn't fun. My "fartlek" training didn't happen due to mommy-duties interfering (baked & iced almost 5 dozen gingerbread cookies), but my hubby thinks the time on my feet should count for something... :) I ran 4 miles on Thursday the fastest I ever have: 4 miles in 50 minutes (12.5-minute mile pace). I felt fantastic! Maybe baking the night before helped somehow? Makes one wonder...
The biggest run I have ever done happened yesterday: 20 miles! I was able to jalk it in 4 hours, 55 minutes, which was a pace of 14 min. 45 sec. per mile. I was doing great until I tripped over a brick in the driveway of Ferguson Elementary School. It kinda "stubbed" my foot, which in turn hurt my right knee. I finished my run, but at a little slower pace than I had been going due to the knee pain (not sidelining--just annoying). The end of my run was at Kim's son, James, first birthday party. I think that gave me some incentive to finish--wanting to make it before it was over & seeing everyone. She was kind enough to offer me a nice hot shower & food, both of which I was extremely grateful for. Once the party broke up, we headed home to my supply of Icy Hot & a comfy napping spot on the couch. I have no idea how long I rested, but I was so glad Shawn let me sleep. When I got up this morning, my left leg felt like it always does, but my right knee was still a little sore (still no swelling). I've been taking it easy around here today to make sure it's back to normal by Tuesday (my second-to-last 5 mile "short" run).
I'm still in disbelief that my race is just three weeks away! I'm getting more excited, antsy, & nervous. Probably par for the course, but it's the biggest achievement I've ever physically made (besides having my boys). I am just praying that I stay healthy & injury-free, that the weather isn't windy, and that I cross the finish line and get that cute little Mickey medal to take home with me. And the best part will be seeing my family & friends along the way (hint, hint--if you don't have plans now, make some to come cheer me on on the 9th!).
Needing to break up World War III in the living room (never a dull moment with hyper pre-Christmas boys in the house). Until next time...
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Five Weeks Left--YIKES!!
I looked at my calendar today and realized a few things:
1) Christmas will be here fast & I'm not anywhere close to done on Christmas shopping.
2) I need to figure out when I can shop without anyone tagging along (tough to play Santa with the boys in tow).
3) I'll be staying at the Wilderness Lodge 5 weeks from tonight getting ready for the race of my lifetime!
It seems like it was July, then I sneezed and now it's December. The training overall is still going well. I didn't get to do my short run on Thursday because of being on my feet all day for a practice TAKS test, but I did run on Tuesday. My long run today started later than usual because I had to take the boys to church for "This Way to Bethlehem" before I could run. I did a different route as well--I just ran around Stevenson Park. It took me 16 laps to complete 8 miles, and it would have been easier with music. I went to press "play" on the MP3 player and it said something to the extent of, "Sorry, lady, but you're an idiot and forgot to charge me. I'll be spending this training run waiting for you in the car." Needless to say, trying to remember the music on the MP3 player is way harder than just playing the music and running. I pace myself with the music usually, so my first 4 miles were slower than usual. I did make a little faster run for the second 4 miles. And even with my pacing piece in the car, I still managed to keep a 14.378 mile pace (did 8 miles in 1 hr 55 min). My knees were a little more sore this time around, and I'm guessing it's because of all that walking on Thursday for the practice test. Icy Hot with the vanishing scent is now my new friend...
Until next time...
1) Christmas will be here fast & I'm not anywhere close to done on Christmas shopping.
2) I need to figure out when I can shop without anyone tagging along (tough to play Santa with the boys in tow).
3) I'll be staying at the Wilderness Lodge 5 weeks from tonight getting ready for the race of my lifetime!
It seems like it was July, then I sneezed and now it's December. The training overall is still going well. I didn't get to do my short run on Thursday because of being on my feet all day for a practice TAKS test, but I did run on Tuesday. My long run today started later than usual because I had to take the boys to church for "This Way to Bethlehem" before I could run. I did a different route as well--I just ran around Stevenson Park. It took me 16 laps to complete 8 miles, and it would have been easier with music. I went to press "play" on the MP3 player and it said something to the extent of, "Sorry, lady, but you're an idiot and forgot to charge me. I'll be spending this training run waiting for you in the car." Needless to say, trying to remember the music on the MP3 player is way harder than just playing the music and running. I pace myself with the music usually, so my first 4 miles were slower than usual. I did make a little faster run for the second 4 miles. And even with my pacing piece in the car, I still managed to keep a 14.378 mile pace (did 8 miles in 1 hr 55 min). My knees were a little more sore this time around, and I'm guessing it's because of all that walking on Thursday for the practice test. Icy Hot with the vanishing scent is now my new friend...
Until next time...
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Longest Run DONE!!
Oh, I just have to post about my success yesterday! :) I completed my longest-ever jalk of 18 miles in four hours & twenty-two minutes (that's a pace of 14.5-minute mile). That included a 15-minute stop at Kim's house for a quick potty, snack, and chat break. So, I guess if I didn't count the chatting time, I was actually done in 4 hours & twelve minutes (which would be a pace of 14-minute mile). The best part was that I felt like I could have done more if I had needed to, so the training is paying off. The next two weeks will be easy, then the 18th is the big one--20 miles. After this weekend, I really feel like I've got it!
I've also got my plane ticket, thanks to Jeremy & Carol Napier. If someone wants to know why I go to church, there are so many reasons, but there are two biggest ones that come to mind: to show God how much I love him and to fellowship & get support from my church family. Without them, I'd be completely lost, and possibly hitchhiking to FL for the race... :)
Off to eat some dinner. Until next time....
I've also got my plane ticket, thanks to Jeremy & Carol Napier. If someone wants to know why I go to church, there are so many reasons, but there are two biggest ones that come to mind: to show God how much I love him and to fellowship & get support from my church family. Without them, I'd be completely lost, and possibly hitchhiking to FL for the race... :)
Off to eat some dinner. Until next time....
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