My poor running shoes. After 300 miles, my Mizuno Elixirs are starting to feel a little funny in the heels and under the ball of my foot. The tread is wearing down and my feet are starting to whisper to me that it’s about time to trade in or risk injury.

This isn’t a huge surprise. I’m racking up the miles again and my next pair of shoes will be the third pair for 2008. I’m toying with the idea of saving all my running shoes for the year and then doing something artistic and wacky with the pile of leftover running sneakers.

I’ve been really happy with my Mizuno Wave Elixirs, and I know that I should stick with what works, but part of me loves the idea of trying something new. I admit that I’m intrigued by the latest shoe reviews on RunnersWorld. Plus, some of the new designs are just so cool looking… not that I should care what the shoe looks like. Right?

So, does anyone have suggestions about whether I should go with what I know, or try something new. Should I look for a distance shoe and a shorter, faster shoe?

One of my favorite recent discoveries has been the magic of contrast showers. Runners swear by the recuperative powers of ice baths, and while that certainly has some appeal, the idea of soaking in an admittedly not very clean tub of ice water makes me cringe.

Instead, I replaced my shower head with one of those European style, detachable heads. Every morning and after working out I take a contrast shower. Here’s what to do.

1. Take a shower. Remember to wash behind the ears.

2. At the end of the shower, turn the tap, so it’s only cold water.

3. Scream whatever expletive comes to mind first as the stream of ice cold water hits your body.

4. Working from your feet up, vigorously rub the cold water on your skin… Work up legs, stomach, back, armpits (woo, that’s cold), kidneys, lower back and face.

5. Turn the hot water on. Do the same thing.  Repeat between hot and cold water for about 1-2 minutes each, paying particular attention to any sore or tired areas - quads, calves, piriformis, etc.

6. Always end with a cold cycle

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?)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

My parents rocked!

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…

7:00- 9:30 AM - Wait. The bus line is long and moves slowly. Finally I say goodbye to my dad, board the bus and take a seat next to a man from London. I learn his life story because the bus ride takes more than an hour. Hundreds of yellow school buses are backed up on the highway. Hydrated runners with full bladders beg their drivers to open their doors. The roadside becomes lined with men and women shamlessly peeing.

9:35 -10:10 AM- Arrive at Athlete’s Village in Hopkinton. The staging ground for the marathon. The place is a madhouse. There are thousands of runners, portapotties and a few hundred tents. Some runners have obviously done this before. They are listening to their iPods, reading the newspaper and sitting on tarps they’ve brought for the occassion. It really should be called Marathon Beach because of all the power lounging and liquid ingesting going on. I have time to eat a bit more, wait in line for the portapotties and apply more BodyGlide. The sun starts to peak out behind the clouds and I suspect it’s going to be a warm day.

10:10 AM- With the first wave runners already on their way, it’s time for the second wave runners to make their way the starting line. My sweatbag goes in a yellow school bus organized by bib # and I stop by the Adidas tent to make a sticker with my name on it. It’ll be much easier for people to yell “Go, Heather” rather than “Go, 15278!” No one likes being a number.

The start line is on the mainstreet of Hopkinton and about a mile from the staging area. I have to jog and dodge hundreds of people. The bib number is really important at this point. Runners receive bib numbers according to their qualifying time and are organized fastest to slowest. Wave Two includes runners from #14000 - #26000 and then further divided into corrals of 1000 runners. I’m in Wave Two and quite close to the starting line. Only the #1000 runners stand between me and the start line. I wish good luck to the women around me and feel elated. I’m running the Boston Marathon. The crowds at the starting line are impressive. I am thrilled to be here.

10:30 - Bang! It’s race time. I start my watch as I cross start line. “Oh, God. I’m really doing this, I’m really running the Boston Marathon.” A knot forms in my throat. I’m a bit emotional and overcome. Here I am, starting a race that I’ve been training for for the past four months. The feelings are intense. I am so proud to be there. I am so proud to be with such amazing, inspiring runners. I am so proud and happy to see so many people cheering us on.

Mile 1: It’s downhill from the startline. The crowds are impressive and there are many runners. I start out slow and try to feel out my piriformis, but all seems to be going well. I’ve only got 25.2 more of these to go I remind myself at the end of the first mile.

Mile 2: It’s mostly downhill and I run this mile too quickly. I feel good, but I’m nervous about the temperature, the sun and the hills. Run the first half conservatively, I’ve been told. You’ll need it after mile 17. It’s hard to run conservatively when you’re so elated and happy to be running. I make a point to slow down, but it’s hard to do. I feel great.

Mile 2-5: I don’t remember many of the details of each mile. I just remember being continually impressed by the size and enthusiasm of the crowds. I am not an elite runner. These people have already been here for an hour cheering on runners and it looks like they are going to be there until everyone has passed. Little kids stick out their hands for high-fives and people hold up encouraging signs. I stop to get water and eat my first GU around Mile 5. I’m feeling good, but that means nothing at at mile 5 of a marathon. There is still a lot of ground to cover.

Mile 7: It’s starting to get hot. I walk 30 seconds at every mile to get some fluids in me. I’ll need it later. The race course is beautiful. It’s sunny and warm. I think to myself as I cross the 7 mile marker there are only 10 more miles before I’ll see my parents who will be cheering me on at mile 17. 10 more miles ain’t so bad, right?

Mile 10: I hear lots of cheering coming from up ahead. It’s defeaning. I can’t see what it is. We round a corner and see Wellsley College. And we hear the Wellsley Girls. They are famous. They yell, they scream, they have banners and they are the best damn marathon spectators you’ve ever seen. “You GO Heather! You GO!” I hear constantly. I move to the right to slap hands with a few hundred of the girls. They scream, they yell. They go crazy. The crowds are 3 or 4 people deep on each side. I feel like a fuckin’ rock star.

Mile 12-I’m already at Mile 12! That’s almost half way there! I feel great. I check my pace and am happy to see I’m a minute below a 3:35 pace. Rar! Those Wellsley Girls put a fierceness in my stride and smile on my face.

Mile 13.1 - I’m half-way there. The crowds are huge. I am all thumbs-up and smiles as I cross the halfway mark and feel a huge sense of accomplishment. I just gotta bring it on home now, I think.

Somewhere along the way I pass some great signs and banners. One family with a house on the race course was having a picnic. They were on lawn chairs, eating hamburgers and watching the race. They even had “Free Hot Dogs” and “Free BBQ” signs out front. It smelled meaty.

Mile 14- 16- My legs feel slightly achy, but I feel strong otherwise. I keep my pace conseravtive on the downhill and maintain my speed. Only one more mile until I see my parents.

Mile 17- I see the banner before I see them. I feel a rush of gratitude and happiness for my super-supportive parents. I move to the left. My mom and dad spot me and they go crazy. I pump my fists. I yell “I love you!” I am re-energized and I’m ready to go. I am great! Nine more miles.

Mile 17.5-Start of the Newton Hills. Everyone makes such a big deal about Heartbreak Hill, but the Newton Hills are so much worse. They are quadricep killers. The steep descents tax already fatigued muscles and I saw my error in training right away. I spent so much time training to get up the hills, but none on how to race and power down a hill. My legs just didn’t have the muscle to keep up.

Mile 18- I am starting to bottom out- but it’s not severe. Just keep chugging. The uphills go by quickly but as soon as I crest and coast down the descent, my legs start to scream. This is not going to be comfortable, I think.

Mile 19- It’s all about finishing. The hills continue. Those stupid Newton Hills. I hate you.

Mile 20-Oh God. It burns. I take a GU and resolve not to stop until Mile 22. No walking. No breaks. Git’er Done.

Mile 21- Longest mile of my life. I hurt. It hurts. I do not want to continue. We go up what I think is just another Newton Hill and then hear some crowds yell “It’s all downhill from here.” I start to wonder if I’ve just passed Heartbreak Hill. Finally, I ask a runner next to me “Was that Heartbreak Hill?” She shoots me a surprised look and says, “Yeah, it’s all downhill from here.” I am overcome. I am thrilled. Then we start to go downhill again. The crowd cheers. My legs yell.

Mile 22- I get past mile 22 and decide I never ever ever want to run again. Ever. This is my wall. My legs feel broken. Everything hurts. I just want to stop. The crowds are even bigger than before. I move to the side of the road to drink some water and the crowds start yelling “You’ve got it, You’re almost there! C’mon!!!” I start repeating “You can do it, You can do it” incessantly. Capacity to think much else is almost gone.

Mile 23- This will never end. Three miles stretch out like an eternity. I will never get there, I think. Forget Mile 21, this is the longest mile of my life. I try not to think negative thoughts and continue to repeat, YOU CAN DO IT. YOU CAN DO IT.

Mile 24- At this point I am all about getting to Mile 25. My parents will be there to cheer. I don’t think about anything else. I hate everything. I hate life. And I hate running most of all. Everytime I think about slowing down, the spectators seem to read my thoughts and my face, and as I start to slow to walk all of a sudden it seems like hundreds of people are yelling at me. “Heather! Don’t quit now. You can do it!’ Keep going.” ….. OK OK, I’ll go, just don’t yell at me, I think. Those Bostonian marathon supporters, they have special gifts.

Mile 25- I see my parents sign again. Oh, it hurts. I give a feeble Rock On sign to my parents and move forward. It’s the equivilent of only a few more laps around the track but it seems horribly far. You can do it. You can do it. You can do it. You can do it.

It seems to take an eternity to get from Mile 25 to the finish line. As I approach Bolyston street and the finish line, the enerrgy of the crowd overtakes me. I am so going to finish this marathon. I check my watch. OH GOD! I’m going to make it!

I speed down Bolyston with everything I have left. I have eyes only for the finish line. I run and run and run and run and run. It seems like the sign is moving farther away. I Run and run and run and run. And then all of a sudden I’m done. It’s finished!

I finished!

I cross the finish line. And immediately start sobbing. My legs which felt awful before feel a new type of awful as soon as I stop running.

This seems to happen in every marathon. The pain mixed with the pride and happiness of finishing get me crying. I sob. I gasp for breath, my legs shake. I have given everything I have in me. I am spent.

Finishing time: 3:37:40

New Personal Record by 50 seconds.

Check out that salt!