Month: October 2011

My evil plan worked out fantastically.

I lifted weights last night so that when I got my flu shot at work today, the soreness from the shot would blend right in the with the weight-lifting soreness. Luckily neither type of soreness was very noticeable. Sometimes flu shots hurt like hell and then wipe me out for the day, but this one hardly affected me. Win.

After work, I ate a Clif bar and a banana (so hungry. all the time.) before heading over to Road Runner Sports, where I had to return something and pick up some new arch-support inserts.

Road Runner is my happy place. This is just a tiny fraction of the glorious store.

I first got custom inserts from Road Runner in May when I learned that I have very high arches and regular inserts just wouldn’t cut it. I had major shin issues before getting these inserts, and haven’t had issues since. Hundreds of miles later, I started feeling a little shin-splinty again, like the inserts weren’t supporting my arches like they used to.

So I had shiny, new ones made. I was prepared to pay $$ for them, like I did last time. Imagine my surprise when the Road Runner guy said I could “trade him” my old ones and get the new ones for free. Oh, heyyy! Win.

Then I hit the gym for a 7-mile run. I can’t even remember the last time I used a treadmill, but it was super gloomy and dark outside when I finished at Road Runner, so the treadmill was calling my name.

Guess what? It’s still boring. And it doesn’t record runs longer than 60 minutes, so I ran 6 miles + 1 mile.

7 miles, 1:05:16, 9:19 pace. Big sweaty times. Win.

Also snapped my first-ever gym photo.

This the little room where I stretch, and where some people do things that I hate to do, like crunches. Ugh.

I’m just finishing up a hearty, healthy dinner — chicken breast, sauteed zucchini, baked yam — which will keep me full tonight. I’m finding that I either fall asleep starting to feel hungry or wake up feeling really hungry these days, which means I need to get more food in. my. face. Yayyy for more food! Win.

I really, seriously love marathon training.

…I have done all this:

– ate a Larabar

– went to the gym

– did 3 x 8 of the following:

• bicep curl 12.5#
• chest press 12.5#
• hammer curl 12.5#
• military press 12.5#
• bent-over single-arm rows 15#
• lat pull-downs 60#
• dead lifts 45#

– went home

– baked chicken breasts for the whole week

– steamed a yam

– unloaded the dishwasher

– loaded the dishwasher

– become much, MUCH happier and awesome-feeling than I was earlier.

Whatever happens from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. is out of my control. After that, it’s MY time.

I’d hate to let it go to waste.

I am tired.

I am cranky.

I am hungry.

I am frustrated.

I am going to the gym anyway (after I eat something).

NO. EXCUSES.

So, today I ran 15 miles.

And I swear it almost killed me.

But let’s start from the beginning, shall we?

It was a cold, blustery day in Seattle, which was especially shocking coming back from several days in sunny, 85-degree California. I layered up. This would come back to bite me.

The first 7 or so miles went fine. I worked hard to slow down and not wear myself out. The route around Lake Union was lovely, as usual. But I got really sweaty really quickly in my long-sleeved top and had to take it off just 1.5 miles in. Throw some wind in there and you’ve got a cold, sweat-soaked, miserable girl.

I decided to stop off at my house 9 miles in to completely change clothes. By this point I was shaking from the cold-sweat situation. I drank a ton of Nuun, ate a chocolate Clif Shot, dried off, changed clothes and headed back out for 6 more miles.

Toughest 6 miles of my life.

There was quite a bit of walking, stopping to stretch, trying to ease little stomach cramps, etc. I think the combo of eating dessert at practically every meal in California and flying yesterday did me in. I also didn’t eat a good pre-run breakfast since I hardly have any food in the house and just scraped together a few scrambled eggs and some zucchini. My standard pre-run meal (Larabar and an apple with almond or peanut butter) usually takes care of me.

At mile 13, I realized I just needed more calories. I stopped at a 7-11 for a Clif bar, and as I stabbed my PIN number into the checkout screen, shaking and sweating, the woman behind the counter asked, “Sooo… do you run a lot?”

Me: “Well, I’m on mile 13 of 15.”

Her (in disbelief): “Are you one of those marathon people?”

Me: “Working on it!”

I ate half of the Clif bar and completed the trek home. Then I immediately collapsed on the floor of my room (cold and sweaty again) and chugged Nuun like my life depended on it. I changed into dry clothes, crawled into my warm bed and slept for more than two hours.

(I stretched and foam-rolled like crazy when I woke up. I hope my legs will be OK tomorrow.)

Every piece of clothing I wore today is soaked with sweat. Don’t worry, it’s all being washed right now!

Lessons from today:

– Don’t skimp on the pre-run breakfast, especially when tackling a new, long distance. I need that energy!
– Wear fewer clothes than I think I’ll need because I’ll warm up quickly.
– Take in more calories during long runs so I don’t end up shaking at a 7-11.
– The post-run nap is the greatest nap of all naps.

Next weekend, my long run will take place in CENTRAL PARK since I’ll be in NYC Friday through Monday! Luckily it’s “only” 10 miles, which sounds like a… walk in the park (sorry)… compared to today’s hellish adventure. I’ll be needing a big, fat NYC bagel afterward. Also: booze. Any suggestions?