Marathon Mania

This is part of Take it and Run Thursdays:

There is a difference in how marathoners communicate. In my everyday life I get asked questions such as “How many miles was your marathon?” and “How many marathons are you planning on running?” To which I answer, “This year? I think I’ll do three” and this seems surprising.

But while I was in Boston for the marathon, the questions were much different. It was like a different dialect:
People kept asking, “What’s your goal?” and “What’s your theme?”

What is my goal? What is your goal? What is your theme?

For many runners, completing one marathon is accomplishment enough. I wholeheartedly agree. When I ran my first marathon I was convinced it would be my last. Now, two marathons later, I’m hooked and looking forward to running as many marathons as I can, for as long as it’s fun. Eventually, a repeat marathon runner needs to find a focus and a reason and a logic to how he or she chooses the next marathon and what will be the next goal.

Here are just a few marathon goals I’ve heard lately:

• Some wonderful guys from L.A. who hope to run a sub 3:10
• Several inspirational bloggers who want to qualify for Boston
• My good friends John and Rachel who want to complete their first marathons in June

Marathon Themes or Marathon Challenges: After awhile, it’s not about running a marathon, it’s about collecting marathons, and having an a special reason for running them. Here are some examples of Marathon Themes:

• The Big Five: Boston, Chicago, London, Berlin and New York
• The European Tour: Berlin, London, Paris, Rome and Greece
• The 50 States Marathon Club: Run a marathon in every US state
• The Rock n’ Roll Marathon Tour: San Diego, Phoenix, San Antonio and Virginia Beach

As I look to the future and for the fall Marathon season I have two goals.

Short Term - I do have a time goal: I hope to break into the 3:35 or below… I think with diligent training, attention to my diet and lots of sleep and LOTS of hills this is acheivable

Long Term - And I have found a theme, thanks to my dad who understands my love for running and my penchant for traveling:

THE PACIFIC RIM TOUR: I want to run a marathon in every state and country that touches the Pacific ocean. I can start local and run races in Washington, Oregon, Canada and Mexico. I can eventually go to Alaska and Hawaii for the Honolulu marathon, and maybe, much later down the line, if I’m still in love with running, I’ll go to Tokyo, Australia, China and Russia (Vladivostok Marathon, anyone?)

Portland Weather

SPACKLES

I had to share this great Portland weather story with you. Early this morning I went to the gym and while working out on the elliptical machine I listened to the local morning news.

This is what the weatherman said,

“Folks, it looks like it won’t be raining today (and I swear he said this…) … Just the possibility of a few spackles on the sidewalk”

SPACKLES!!!?? Spackles! What the hell is a spackle? I know that spackle can be used for building things like walls… but used as a weather term? And if that weren’t enough, he summed up the weather report by saying “Looks like were in for a dry day- except for the possibility of spackles later this afternoon”

Here is my definition:

Spackles: (noun) Spackles is NOT rain. It is a technical term used exclusively by Oregonian weather officials to describe the type precipitation that is appears as wet dots on a sidewalk, but may not be felt by citizens walking on “spackled” sidewalks. Spackles may turn into light intermittent showers, but by themselves “spackles” do not necessitate hats, umbrellas, raincoats, or other gear made of Gortex and only available at REI.

Muffin Recipe

Here is a flourless, sugarless, totally tasty alternative to traditional muffins. It’s a real winner and it tastes better than the picture. I’ll be the first to admit, the muffins can be kind of unsightly, but they are very very tasty.

Super Pumpkin Blueberry Coconut Muffins

1 1/2 cups almond flour (available at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods)
3/4 cup pureed pumpkin or squash (canned or frozen works fine) I’ve used both
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3 large eggs
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (if you don’t have this, I sub 1 tsp cinnamon plus enough ground ginger, cloves, and nutmeg to equal 1/2 tsp)
2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1/2 cup or 3/4 cup frozen or raw blueberries. I use the organic frozen variety
1/2 cup shredded,unsweetened coconut, plus some extra

Note: If you decide to use frozen squash the batter may turn out slightly runny. Just add some more almond flour if you feel like it needs it.

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Save the blueberries til the end.
Pour into muffin cups.
Top each muffin with some extra coconut

Bake at 350F for 30-35 min. Simple as that.

Yay for Running

Post-Marathon Recovery is proving to be as emotionally difficult as the Pre-Marathon Taper. In the days after The Boston Marathon I felt like I could do anything, run anything and achieve any personal goal because nothing could be harder than finishing 26.2 miles.

The SuperWoman Effect is finally starting to wear off and after 10-days of not running my body decided that it not only wanted to go for a run. It needed to go for a run. Badly. So I went out for a 7-miler and felt great. Today my five-miles around the Portland waterfront felt a little slow, but I’m not worried. It felt so good to be running in the sunshine.

Take it and Run Thursday

The Runners Lounge Take it and Run Thursday:  where people with a passion for running and blogging get to share knowledge, inspiration and dirty little running secrets.

This week the editors are changing it up. Instead of sharing knowledge or answering one of their questions, we get to ask a question - and then wait feverently for some kind blogger/runners to answer them.

So, here are my questions.

1.  Would it be foolish to run three marathons this year?

I just finished the Boston Marathon and I’m ready to start my next training program. Ideally I’d like to compete in a marathon in July and The Portland Marathon in October. Is that too much? A little background info: I averaged 55 miles/week during my last training program and peaked at 65 miles/week. I’ve had no injuries other than a tight piriformis. I do little or no crosstraining, but I’m trying to get better at that.

2. Should I invest in a Garmin Forerunner 405?

I currently run with  only a stop watch and am totally in the dark about distances and pace. I always assume that I run a 9 min/mile pace which is probably not right - I’m pretty sure I’m quicker than that, but I can’t be sure. Is a heartrate monitor/ GPS device worth the price?

3. I like gadgets, I like clothes - What cool running accessory am I missing?

Examples might include, but are not limited to: the coolest sports bra I didn’t know existed, the most comfortable running shorts in the galaxy,  the best GU-like product I haven’t tried, the cutest tank top that will make me feel feminine, even at mile 22, when all I want to do is melt into the pavement.

Post-Race Doldrums

Someone close to me suggested, before heading off to Boston, that I would likely suffer from Post-Marathon Depression. At the time, I didn’t give it much thought.

Now that the race is over, my bags unpacked and my finisher’s medal resting in the bread basket along with the other bib numbers and medals, I’m at a loss. What to do with myself? The pleasure of not worrying about training is not all that pleasurable. The new found time after work is not all that exciting and I find that I’m missing every little detail about my marathon prep - the good and the bad.

I decided I needed to take a mandatory two week running vacation.  When was the last time I did that? I’m hating it, but I know that I’ll be a healthier runner if I rest up and let Princess Piriformis get some well-deserved R&R.

That doesn’t mean I’m not working out. I’m currently using the only machine worse than the treadmill. Of course I’m talking about the elliptical machine. It takes all the joy out of running and replaces it with a weird, frustrating, gliding motion.

This leads me to an obvious conclusion: I need a bike. And I need to start running again. ASAP

Lessons Learned from The Boston Marathon

Three Things To Do If You Want Lots of People to Cheer for You:

1. Wear distinctive clothing - a man with a white shirt and orange polka-dots got mad cheers, as did the guy dressed in Wisconsin Badger gear - “Go Badgers!” “C’mon Wisconsin”

2. Wear a gigantic badge/bib with your name spelled in bright colors. Extra points for you if you write it on your arms in a Sharpie.

3. Use a nickname. Someone named Pickles was one of the most popular runners around.

Pre-Marathon Diet

Traveling for a marathon adds stress. Stay away from all the free edible marathon expo crap. I ate nuts and sliced veggies on the plane as well as some deli meats. Deli meat is a perfect way to get protein on the go without feeling like you’re stuffing yourself.

Day before marathon I ate:

2 eggs with zucchini and tea. A few rice crackers

A cup of tea, a couple of cups of coffee

Lunch: Gigantic green salad with grilled chicken, more water and tea

Dinner: Grilled veggies, chicken breast stuffed with proscuitto and herbs and onions. I ate until I was 75% full. Not stuffed. More water and more tea.

Marathon morning: Brown rice and sliced turkey breast and coffee.

One hour before the race: LaraBar, some fruit leather and some more coffee

Note: No huge plate of  starches or pasta with acidic tomato sauce.

Post Race

I wanted to collapse after crossing the finish line. I was forced to move through all the post-race checkpoints and that kept me on my feet and walking for 20 minutes. I recovered quicker and felt better. Keep those legs moving - however slowly. A pathetic, hobbling walk is perfectly acceptable.

Get a massage.

Eat lots

Wear your medal to work the next day

Running Wisdom in 13 Words or Less

I always find the The Runner’s Lounge “Take it and Run Thursdays” series to be inspiring and interesting to read. Up to this point I haven’t contributed, but found today’s post pretty cool.

The challenge of this week’s Take It and Run Thursday is to post some wisdom about running in 13 words or less.

Here’s what I came up with:

The hardest part of running is quieting the voice that says “I can’t.”

and

There is no such thing as too much BodyGlide and too many socks.

The best fans ever.

Here’s one of the best things I saw along the race course

My parents rocked!

Boston Marathon

The Race Report

I’ve got some time to write a recap of the Boston Marathon. I’m suffering from some post-marathon insomnia. I am exhausted and sore, but sleep won’t come.

Here’s the recap of the day. Watch out. It could be a long entry. I’ll add pictures tomorrow.

Night before the marathon:

6:00 PM - The mission is to locate a grocery store and find breakfast foods for race day. My dad and I walk past volunteers as they set up the finish line for the marathon. The nervous butterflies in my stomach go crazy. What will tomorrow bring, I wonder.

9:00 PM - While setting my clothes aside for the next day, I tell my mom how nervous I am and she responds, “It’ll be over before you know it.” Nothing about running 26 miles feels like it’s going to be over quickly.

- Sleep fitfully -

Race Day

5:52 AM - Wake up before my alarm goes off. It’s race day! Oh God. What have I done?

6:00 AM- Breakfast is brown rice heated in the hotel microwave, sliced turkey and a cup of coffee. I dress in my race duds and apply liberal amounts of BodyGlide to my feet. I feel calm during the ritual of lubing up my feet and putting on my socks. It’s the runner’s version of applying war paint before heading out to battle.

6:50 AM- Sweatbag packed with snacks, clothes and other neccessites I walk with my dad to Boston Commons where buses will take runners out to Hopkinton ( site of the starting line). I arrive at the Commons and see thousands of runners lined up, all shouldering the same red sweatbags, waiting patiently in the gray, overcast morning to board yellow school buses. My dad notices that it’s not a very exuberant crowd. I comment that it doesn’t look much different from herds of cattle being corraled or batches of people being shipped off to Auchwitz. I begin to feel like I’ve made a huge mistake.

Marathon Pace Temporary Tattoo - Morning of the Race

Waiting with a few thousand of my new best friends…

Boston Marathon!

 

Boston Marathon Results: 3:37:40

New Personal Record!

Super challenging course. The Newton Hills were leg killers. It was amazing. The whole entire thing.

Look for a step-by-step recap soon.

Boston Marathon: Getting closer

I arrived in Boston last night after a long cross-country flight. The vibe here in Boston is incredible. The city is buzzing in anticipation. The streets are teeming with runners - already proudly sporting their Boston jackets and buying tons of swag at the marathon expo.

This morning I took a 5-mile run around the Harvard campus both to shake off the jetlag and evaluate my piriformis. The piriformis took a few miles to warm-up but she felt fine in the end of the run. The jetlag was a different story. I hope to get a good night’s sleep and feel better in the morning.

I’m trying not to set expectations for my time. I’ll do my best on Monday. Maybe Monday’s best will be fantastic - or maybe it won’t. What’s important that I enjoy every step of the race. Right? It’s hard to keep that voice in my head that repeats “3:35! Go for 3:35!” quiet.

Oddly I’ve been getting hiccups all day. I told my friend that I’m suffering from IMS: Impending Marathon Syndrom. Symtoms include fits of nervousness, odd eating habits, mild insomnia and hiccups.

I’m both totally excited for Monday and somewhat slightly scared to death.

Packing for The Boston Marathon

Funny how packing for the race doesn’t include many of the normal vacation items

Included on my packing list:

1. Running clothes for all weather possibilities. The forecast says 50 and slightly cloudy, but I’m not taking any chances . I have my first choice outfit, my back-up socks, my back-up sports bra, my back-up, back-up socks in case something happens to the first two between now and Monday.

2. Food Stuffs: GU, HammerGel, Shot Bloks, rice porridge, brown rice snaps, almonds, raisins, pumpkin seeds. I’ll rely on my parents to pass me a few GU packs during the race.

3. My lucky necklace and earrings

4. The Boston Marathon Jacket - after hanging in my closet for a month, I’ll get to wear it in public.

5. The Chi of Running - good for plane reading.

6. Body Glide

7. And of course, the gigantic “GO HEATHER! YOU CAN DO IT!” sign, spray-painted on an old bedsheet that participated in my first two marathons

Boston Marathon Countdown

The Boston Marathon is less than a week away and I am happy work is keeping me busy enough to keep pre-marathon butterflies at bay.

Here are a few other things that are making me smile instead of stress about the marathon:

• My brother making fun of me for “breaking my ass” during training. It’s not so funny when it’s your ass that hurt
• Looking forward to a pre-race massage on Thursday with a very talented massage therapist
• Anticipating getting drunk and happy with my parents during the post-marathon celebration. Bring on the red wine!
• Taking a trip cross country to participate in one of the biggest and most exciting footraces in the world.
• Wearing the heavily embroidered, slightly kitchy Boston Marathon jacket after the race

Oh my Glute.

The Boston Marathon is only a week away. I can only think about one thing: My piriformis muscle.

Such a silly little muscle, but right now it’s cause for major marathon concern. A twinge in my glute began about a week ago. It felt a little tender after the 1/2 marathon. No worries, right? The twinge became more acute and a tenderness was replaced by real pain. I backed off for a few days, felt better and went for a 10 mile run. No good. The following day it was worse than ever and my lunch run didn’t even last a mile.

To say I flipped out would be an understatement. I completely lost it - I called my parents. I cried in the bathroom at work. After all these months of running and now this. Following the advice of my dad, I called a massage therapist, explained my situation and had a deep tissue massage that afternoon. It helped immensely, but not unlike an addict, I immediately returned to my old ways and took a 20 mile run on Sunday. What a silly thing to do! What was that about a three week taper?

Currently I’m treating my piriformis like a freakin’ princess. Nothing is too good for her. She’s getting hot baths, cold compresses, contrast showers, tiger balm lotion rub downs, Braggs apple cider vinegar and gentle stretching. I imagine that if my piriformis were a person, she would be a high-maintenance pop star and I’d be her personal assistant: My piriformis is Mariah Carey - do not mess with her.