The Office

This whole running thing is beginning to feel like a job. We have to clock in, do the duty and clock out. We clock in at the storage sheds, run the necessary route, and head back to the cars to head home. We have our  boss (aka JB) who keeps us in line, we have the competitive co-worker (aka Alison) who consistently makes us feel like we need to do more and then there’s me... not sure what role I have in this “job” but I tend to think of myself as the one who makes it seem so wonderful and enlightening, but then craps out when it comes right down to it. You know that co-worker? Yep, that’s me. J And you know that BIG work project that is due soon…well, that BIG project is our marathon... And it’ only 4 weeks away!

Monday, January 30 - 5 miles

If I ever decide to run 14 miles on Sunday and think I can run 5 more miles on Monday and consider that a good idea, would someone please slap me? As Alison said “we would never run a half marathon on a Sunday and then come back and run the next day” So, this was a hard run for me. The miles and also the wind were difficult tonight. It was really warm also. All 3 of us overdressed. Running north was very hot! We ran the storage shed route and wouldn’t you know it we were stopped by a train. It was going fast, so we only had to do a block circle before we were able to cross. JB and Alison ran well this night. They were joined on Washington by John and continued to the sheds. There was a big group for the 5:30 run, which is always great to see!

Wednesday, February 1 - 10 miles

Funny how we used to consider 10 miles to be a long run, now it’s just like a normal weekly run.  It was over 60 degrees today, so we all had the opportunity to wear shorts! Yay! So, there was talk about us doing our 20 mile tonight since it was so nice out. Definitely didn’t have enough time to prepare mentally and also physically. And we could tell after our 10 miles we put in. There was a HUGE group of runners tonight; it was so exciting to see us filling up all the roads in Wellington! I think there were close to 20 runners tonight. It was so cool… And there were way too many for me to list off in this blog. It was such a gorgeous day to run that many took advantage of it. Run was a pretty typical run. We’ve been working on going through drink stops faster so that we’re not spending so much time. Our plan is to do the same at the marathon, so our goal is to train as close to the actual marathon timing as possible. Alison’s back is still giving her problems and her knee has been bothersome too. JB’s hamstring has also been hurting her a bit so she tried to tape it before the run and said she couldn’t really tell a difference. My knee still continues to hurt but it’s not too bad.

Thursday, February 2 - 5 miles

Once again, another great day for a run. We are still struggling with the feeling that this running is turning into something that we HAVE to do versus something we WANT to do. It will be nice to get that feeling back after this training. Alison has been diagnosed with tendonitis in her foot, so the doctor told her that she should rest before our 20 mile long run this week. So… she turned into Lance Armstrong and rode her bike beside JB and I J At one point, she started whistling on her bike as it was obviously not as hard as us pounding the pavement and JB sternly said “No Whistling”. Haha, she still wished she was running with us even though she couldn’t. We started slow, but JB and I ran the last 2 miles of this run fast. At one point, we were going 8:22 pace, which is unheard of for us. Not sure if we were just ready to be done or just felt good. Probably a little bit of both. Next up—20 miles! 
Sunday, February 5 – 20 miles

We had planned to run our long run on Saturday, but it was cold and windy and so we decided to wait and run on Sunday when the weather was to be nicer. We were thankful we waited because it was such a better day! Well, this is our final long run before we taper into the final stretch before the marathon. So, not sure what is worse: the anticipation of the long run or actually running the long run. There is such a lifestyle change that goes into training. You have to make sure you eat the right things, make sure you wear the right clothes, make sure you take the right stuff to fuel you on the run and make sure you just keep those legs going when they are screaming at you to stop!

We started at the Jr. High with me, JB, Alison, Kitchel, Trey, Dave and Dr. Anders was there. We only saw him for like 2 minutes and then he was off. Dave and Dr. Anders had run 15 miles before they even got to the Jr. High at a 7:45 pace! Wow. At 12 miles, DeAun, Cassie and Maria joined us. And as we ran into Carroll Glass, we realized that there were signs. Kim had made us signs and they were so cute and so inspiriting! I took a picture of it and it’s below. Then when we turned on Vandenberg to B Street, there was another one! We touched it as we ran by it. So thoughtful and we appreciate it so much! Love our fellow runners! Mitzi and Lisa joined us at 14 miles, we love when they run with us because we miss them so much! Dave decided to quit about 27 miles in on his run---wow! That's just crazy. But he did it. Kitchel and Trey dropped off at mile 16 and Cassie and DeAun went to C Street and back to Carroll Glass.  It’s not easy running these long miles. It takes so much out of you physically and mentally. When new runners join us along the route or drive by us and honk or yell things, it gives us such a burst of energy. Not energy as in we run faster, but energy where you feel like maybe you can actually do it. It really is something only you will know if you ever experience it. Shawn Becker joined us for the final 3 miles. Even though I personally couldn’t speak to him until we were at the water stop, we definitely enjoyed having him there too! JB was all smiles this run. She kept us in check with our water stops and felt really good. She is an inspiration because running just seems so easy for her. Alison was quiet for the last 4-6 miles. Her back is really hurting her. She is still ahead of all of us though, she is so strong mentally and physically both. I struggled a bit this run, but I always tend to struggle. But the most important thing is that I made it without walking. Our total time which included drink stops was 3 hours and 51 minutes. We have set our goal for 4 hours and 30 minutes for our marathon time and I feel like we may be able to do it. But if we are under 5 hours, that is good enough in my book.

We did it!!! We made our final long run and we are all still alive. It is such a mental game this running business. The power of positive thinking really helps you through those tough miles. Running seems to be over 90% mental and if you get down on yourself and think you can’t do it, and then you won’t. But if you feel like you can make it and think you can, you will. When I coach my middle school track and cross country athletes, one thing I teach them is that when it gets tough, you need to think of one word that you will say to yourself either out loud or in your mind that will help push you when it feels hard. I asked JB and Alison to come up with their words this morning and JB’s word was “believe”, Alison’s word was “determined” and my word was “strong”. I think that sums our running experience “believe, determined and strong” ---that’s what we are and our road on this journey to run our marathon. Now we taper and get ready to race! 

Quote for the Day: “Distance is one of the only things in life you can truly earn. Anyone can give you nine pies, but no one can give you nine miles. Nine miles you have to take. “

- Marc Parent

Awesome Signs 2-5-12 Love ya Kim!