June Swoon

I feel like this month has been a bit of a let down in terms of running, even with the PR last week.  I suppose that was inevitable after the high points of running my first races and a successful first half marathon, but I really didn't expect to look back at June and feel sort of meh about the whole thing.

In May I ran 100 miles in a month for the first time ever.  One of the things I didn't really talk about all that much while doing that was that I was running them battling this constant nagging pain in my shins.  It came and went.  Was the worst right before my half, seemed to miraculously disappear for a few days right after my half, and then came back right towards the end of the month.

After a conversation with my new (and utterly fantastic, I might add) running coach we dialed my mileage back and focused on flat, easy, running in an effort to defeat this silly injury now.  It's the right move.  It's still the very early stages of my next training cycle and I really don't want this to get worse.  I don't know what I would do with a summer sidelined from running completely because I can't get a handle on this injury.

In fact, I was being perfectly rational about all of it, chugging along with short easy miles, doing hip/glute strength training diligently (because she's pretty sure that's the source of the problem), hanging out with my new best friend: the foam roller, swimming (more on that below) and going about my day.  I was a little antsy that my miles were lower, but I didn't worry about it too much.

Until I looked at my June mileage tally and realized it was already the 20th: 51 measly miles and 10 days left in the month.

Granted I still have two weekends left (read: two long runs) but suffice to say there is nothing impressive about following up a 100 mile month with what will likely be something like a 75-80 mile month.

I know I'm being a little hard on myself and I'm trying to remember that I am doing all of this now so I can run faster and pain free later.  I'm trying to remember that it's a process and it's better that I take a step back now than actually injure myself in a way that puts me out of commission for weeks or months later.  I keep reminding myself that the goal races are the Philly RnR Half and Rehoboth and I *need* to heal now to get my sub 2:00:00 there.  I'm trying to remind myself that I didn't *just* run 51 miles this month, I also worked up to 80 push ups a day (from 36) and swam again for the first time in ages, and spun and did strength training and got a new 5K PR...

...But man, 51 miles in 20 days seems low to me.  And I haven't missed a goal by this much in a while (wanted 110 in June at the start of the month).

Okay, enough whining.  New blog rule: I have to find some positive things to finish up these posts.  So here goes:

1) I replaced some of my miles with swimming/aqua jogging this month for the first time in years.  I am in total and complete awe of swimmers/triathletes.  Holy hell swimming is hard.  Last week for the first time I finally did some serious continuous swimming (1 lap swimming followed by 1 lap aquajogging for 30 minutes. Made it 30ish lengths of the pool (I think, I only started counting mid way).  That was ridiculous hard and definitely something I a) couldn't do before b) wouldn't have been able to do if I hadn't added swimming/aqua jogging at the behest of Coach S.  So thank you for that accomplishment, shin splints.

2) I have gotten much more diligent about foam rolling/strength exercises for my lower body/core.  I am relatively certain this will pay huge dividends in the long term (hopefully in the form of staving off injuries far into the future, hint, hint).  I basically have a little corner of my apartment set up to be foam rolling, stretching, strengthening zone.  And I use it.  Daily.  *pats self on back*

3) I have learned how to use KT tape.  I'm not thrilled with the cost of said tape, but I'm pretty damn good at taping my shins now, and it really does help.

4) I saved the best for last.  The run I'm most excited about this month will also be the last run of this month and my limited miles have not hurt my ability to complete that one at all.  On June 30th I get to be part of the One Run For Boston.  6.5 easy miles (prob right around a 10 min pace) with a group of other people to bring to a close the first relay across the United States.  It ends on the marathon route and will raise money for the One Fund.  I posted more about my feelings on this event here.  There are currently more than 1,000 people, some of whom have already ran, some of whom (like me, are waiting to run).  People have run in 100+ degree heat across California and Arizona.  People have run 30 and 40 mile stretches across some of the most desolate areas you can imagine.  People have flown across the country to run stretches that were hard to fill.  But most importantly they keep going.  I'm thrilled and humbled to get to be a part of this awesome relay.  I think it will make up for any feelings of disappointment I'm struggling with today.

Women Running Wild

Earlier this year I sat down to make New Year's resolutions.  Some revolved around life, some revolved around general fitness and health, exactly one revolved around running: I wanted to run a 5K in under 27 minutes in 2013.  The whole half marathon thing wasn't even an idea at that point in time and I never thought I'd run this in an actual race or anything. I just wanted to get on a treadmill or out on a track at some point and run 3.1 miles in under 27 minutes.

I still need to do some work in order to make this happen, but I am much, much closer than I was.

Saturday I ran the Women Running Wild 5K in Osterville MA.  I ran it in 27:10 . So very, very close to accomplishing my goal of running a 5K in under 27 minutes, and it's only June.  Some take aways from this race and thoughts for future races are below.  This isn't all that orderly or anything, more a stream of consciousness.

There is a me who would have been absolutely devastated about coming so close to a goal in the past.  I've had moments, some recently, where SO CLOSE was almost worse than SO FAR.  That person came around the corner, saw that I was .1 miles away.  Saw that the clock said 26:xx.  Realized that the xx was 40 and knew that there was no way, no kick I had, no chance of crossing in under 27.  And she was annoyed, but really very quiet compared to the much more positive me that has grown and thrived in this new and wonderful running world.

Thoughts regarding the time and my goals (which honestly, I'd like to get out of the way because I have more important things to discuss below):

27:10 is a time I am really proud of.  It was 63/371 over all and 9/48 in my Age Group.  Every other race that I've been in I've hovered around the half way mark in terms of finishers.  This put me solidly in the top 20% of finishers both overall and in my Age Group.

My original goals was a New YEAR'S resolution.  I am 11 seconds away from my goal as of June.  I *know* I can knock 11 seconds off this distance in the next few months of training.

I used to  be amazed when I could run consecutive miles under 10 min a mile.  This race was solidly under 9 min miles.  27:10 is an average pace of 8:46 a mile.

I have now run 2 5Ks.  Ever.  You can read about the first one here.  But if we want to talk about times...I knocked 2:48 seconds off my 5K from my first race to my second one.  I can be a little annoyed about the 11 seconds that were left hanging between me and my New Year's resolution, but I'm unlikely to do that again in the near future and I should be proud of it.

I ran a smart, negative split race.  First mile was about 9:09 and I kept chipping away from there.  Last mile speed was down to 8:30 a mile.  In fact, when I looked at the Nike+ data (and yes I know, that should be taken with a grain of salt, but it's what I have right now until I can get a Garmin) my first .5 miles is where I lost a bunch of speed.  I remember being slower there, b/c I was passing a ton of people.  Note to self: start further up.

I was passed exactly 4 times this whole race.  From the start, on.  I passed 2 of those people later and never caught 2 of the other ones.  It was a great race for me.

I probably should have fueled better before this race.  I hadn't had many carbs earlier in the day (half an english muffin an a couple bites of bread.)  I think that contributed to my lackluster kick in the last .4

The best parts of this race had absolutely zero to do with the times above, they are below:

I got to run this race with two of my very close friends M & K.  It was absolutely awesome to run a race with such awesome women.  After I crossed the finish line I went back to cheer them on and ran back the last .2 with them.  It was so much incredible fun.  When we came around 2 of our friends were cheering everyone on.  It was amazing.

We had so much fun running together I'm going to pace K in her goal 10K in September.  I'm super psyched about it and really hope I can do a good job to help her get her goal! :)

The race was an all women's race.  It was so supportive I couldn't believe it.  When I passed people I gave them encouragement and saw others doing the same.  I let out an involuntary woot at the water stop b/c I was so close to my goal pace and some women around me cheered in response.  I saw a girl of about 8 who I passed running with her mom and gave her a thumbs up, she grinned a grin the size of Texas and I was so glad I got to see her cross the finish around 31/32 minutes.

The weather was gorgeous, albeit a bit warm because the start time was 6pm, and the course, while there were rolling hills throughout was really pretty and not terrible in terms of hills.  There was lots of joy and cheer.  It was a very fun environment.

So that's it, a great weekend on the Cape filled with clamming, friends, fun and laughter plus a crazy PR, even though it was JUST SHY of my goal.  Plus, I now have a t-shirt that says "Women Running Wild" on it.  Obvi a win.

One Run for Boston

If you know me at all you know that I can get a little intense about my causes (there is laughter all over America at the idea that I just qualified intense with "little" but that's okay).  My cause of the day is simple and I'd really love it if people would take a minute and check it out over the next 24 days, because it's going to be epic.

My name is Sara.  A year ago I was struggling to run a mile.  in 25 days I will run 6.5 of them, on the Boston  Marathon route as part of the One Run for Boston.  The One Run for Boston will raise funds for the One Fund, but more importantly (at least for me) it's a statement.  It is a cross country relay, organized by 3 wonderful individuals from the UK.  Starting tomorrow at 10 am Pacific Time a relay will begin that will end on the Boston Marathon route.  800+ runners have signed on, some taking marathon or ultra marathon distance in the most remote areas of Arizona or New Mexico.  Some runners, like me, are running much easier, urban routes that have some meaning for them (I'll be running past the house of a dear friend who watches the marathon every year).

I think this race is fantastic.  I have become a little obsessed with it, and I can't pinpoint why.  Raising money for the onefund is fantastic, but we haven't raised as much as others, so that isn't it, and running is a thing I've been doing and focusing on anyway.  I run in my Run*Now bracelet and look down at it when I consider slowing down.  It's not the motivation, at least for me, it's something else.

Being part of this relay has exposed me to the absolute best in humanity as a direct response to the absolute worst.  It has made me appreciate running in a way that is deeper than the accomplishment I felt completing a half marathon.  This is no light comparison, btw, running that half was among the most fantastic experiences of my life to date, that there is something in running intrinsically better than that is remarkably humbling.  Recently I've had a string of bad days at work and really, the best parts of my day have been my runs.  I mentioned this on the loop and had a response of: "how do non-runners cope with life?"  It's a profound question and one I do not have an answer to right now, which is odd when you consider I've only been a runner for a year.

I encourage you to follow the relay baton as it makes a profound journey of healing and strength.  I encourage you to run one of the very few remaining legs, or join a leg, if you can.  Most importantly, I encourage you to follow your joy.  Sometimes it seems like the world is set up to keep us from our joy, fight for your's, no matter what.