I make 26.2 Look Good

Brightroom posted the photos from the Nike Women’s Marathon the other day, and let me tell you, there were some winners in my group. And by winners, I mean epic failures.  But, because I have no shame, I will share some of them with you.

Here we are crossing the finish line. This one isn’t actually terrible, I kind of like it, but I don’t think I ordered this one.

It’s hard to tell from the thumbnail but the look on my face is a combination of joy/pain/tears

This one is even better, my arms look stupid, my face looks like I’m about to die.

I actually ordered this one, because I think it’s hilarious and very typical Catherine. Here I am laughing like an idiot. This was early on in the run, possibly still on Embarcadero.

Power walking like a champ! 

Insane smile.

This is the one I did order, I think…they all start to blend together.

So, they’re not all terrible, in fact I guess now that I’m looking at them all here they aren’t half bad.  I do wish there was a slightly better one of me actually crossing the finish line, but I’ll take it! Next time, I won’t wear so much crap. I could have left the Camelbak and been fine, even though it really came in handy carrying all the Gu and our phones.

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Catherine, October 20th 2011 | Tags: , , , ,
Posted in 2011, accomplishments, Marathon, San Francisco

Left Foot, Right Foot…

<iframe width=”480″ height=”390″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/QWpIMFEe2ds” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Does any one remember this episode?

Today was my first run in weeks.  Sure, I only did a little over a mile, but hey, you gotta start somewhere, right?  I figured attempting the 5 mile Tempo Run on my marathon training plan wouldn’t be wise.  So, instead, I hopped on the treadmill for a quick mile, and then headed to spin class.

Thankfully, I got through my mile with NO knee pain! None at all!  I’m taking this as a good sign. Sure, it was only a mile, but it’s a start!

I think my new shoes helped.

I ordered two pair so that while I train for my marathon I can alternate.

I didn’t realize how badly I needed a new pair until I put them on and remembered, “Oh, so THAT’S what arch support feels like!”

The new pairs are super clean and the laces seem to be a bit shorter which I’m into.  I’m pretty thrilled, even though they’re the same style I’ve been wearing for over a year.

In other news, on Monday, after I blogged, I passed out and was dead asleep by 7pm. Travis woke me at 8 to ask if I wanted dinner, and I managed to stay awake until about 10 before passing out and sleeping hard the rest of the night. I guess I needed the sleep?

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Catherine, May 25th 2011 | Tags: , , , ,
Posted in 2011, life, shoes, training

Running Dreams

Before my first half marathon last September, I used to have dreams about Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum chasing me in a golf cart because I was too slow. I don’t remember having any bad dreams before my second half marathon, but with my painful knees and a 5k coming up tomorrow, well, dreams came back with full force.

Last night, I had a dream that I was run walking in a Disneyland marathon.  This is odd since Disneyland only has half marathons, but in my dream there was a half and a full.  I started out walking with one of the mom’s from my dance school, and things were ok, until we got to a point where she wanted to stop. I was certain we’d gone almost the whole half marathon distance, so I said, ok I’m not going for this full for any time I just want to finish. I’ll walk with you to the bathroom.  Then, I realized as I was getting ready to head back to the course to run the rest of my full marathon, that I had no fuel, no phone, nothing on me that I would normally have on a long run, AND my garmin said we’d only walked 3 miles!!  In my dream, I had a nervous breakdown trying to find my way back to the course, which I did find, but only at mile 11.  I realized then I’d have to go back, find where I left the course and start over, otherwise my chip wouldn’t have recorded all the miles. Once I found my way back to the course my legs were like lead, I could hardly move them, and felt like I was moving through syrup.  I’m pretty sure this dream has more to do with my fear that my knees may not heal in time for me to properly train for the Nike Women’s Marathon in October than anything else.

I woke up with my heart racing. Does this happen to you? Do you have running related nightmares?

 

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Catherine, May 6th 2011 | Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in 2011, life, Marathon, training

26.2 For Real This Time

I’m in!!

 

I’m not going to lie, I’m pretty nervous.  Since putting my name into the random drawing I’ve had all kinds of anxiety about this race.  It’s a super hilly course, it’s a full 26.2 which I’ve never done, and I don’t even know if my running buddy, Janna got accepted.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Janna, and will be sitting down with Runner’s World Smart Coach sometime today for sure!  In the meantime, I’ve got a 10k to run this evening for the Nike She Runs LA!

 

Happy Hump Day everyone!

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Catherine, April 27th 2011 | Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in 2011, goals, life, Marathon, San Francisco, training

Don’t Worry! Maybe It Won’t Happen!

On Monday, I got an email from the Disney Half Marathon people saying basically, sorry, you didn’t make it from the waitlist!  I was really, really disappointed.  I had my heart set on running the Disney half again this year, but, apparently it sold out in only a few weeks.  Crazy!

About an hour after that email, I got an email from the Nike Women’s Marathon people.  So, one of my running buddies and I each put our names in for the random drawing to see if we can register.  We’ll see what happens, we should know in the next few weeks.  I’m not going to lie, I am terrified. It’s not just a full marathon, it’s a full marathon in San Francisco, and the course map elevation is scary. Obviously, there are LOTS of hills.  REALLY BIG hills. I’m really, and truly afraid I won’t be able to finish. But, as my subject line says, Don’t Worry! Maybe It Won’t Happen!

See?!! Check out that elevation map at the bottom. WTF?!

The good news, is there are 27 weeks until the Nike Women’s marathon, and, if we don’t get in to that race either, as an absolute last ditch effort to get into Disney we could try and squeeze in with a charity (if there are any spaces left.)

What scares you? Would you ever do the thing that scares you most?

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Catherine, April 13th 2011 | Tags: , , , ,
Posted in 2011, goals, life, Marathon, San Francisco, training

Long Run Apathy

Since realizing I won’t be running in the San Diego Rock n’ Roll Marathon in June, I haven’t really been into doing my long runs.  Two weeks ago my stomach was bothering me so I skipped my 8 miler, and last week I was really sick with a terrible cold so I skipped the 9 miler, and then this morning, after a 3:30am text from one of my running buddies, saying she couldn’t make it, I too decided to skip the 10 miler.  The truth is, without a race as a deadline, I don’t have the motivation to do the distance. How do you stay motivated to run when you aren’t training for a race? I’ve been putting in the shorter distances on the treadmill after work, but just can’t seem to get my butt out for the long runs.

When I know I have a full day ahead of me as well, the desire to snuggle with the kittehs in bed for a few extra hours is way too tempting.  I did register for a 5k here in Los Angeles in May, butI think I need to find another half marathon before the Disney half in September.

In order to hopefully tempt myself into doing the upcoming longer runs, I stopped at Arch & Sole on La Brea after we did laundry to pick up a box of these:

Since I started training, I had been using the PowerBar Gel Blasts, but I wanted to try using the Shot Bloks. I’ve used them before, when I got a sample in one of my race bags, so instead of replenishing my Gel Blasts, I got some Bloks instead.  I’m going to bring a pack with me tomorrow so I have fuel for my cross training after work.  I’m hoping to get into the spin class, and will definitely need some energy! How do you fuel?

 

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Catherine, February 13th 2011 | Tags: , , ,
Posted in training

26.2 On Hold

San Diego Rock-and-Roll Marathon banners

Image by Jeff Hester via Flickr

Remember when I wrote about how I got talked into training for a full marathon?  Well, those plans have been put on hold for now.  You see, my running buddies have chosen the San Diego Rock n’ Roll Marathon for their race, and as it turns out, that’s also the weekend my friends are getting married.  So, while I am disappointed, which surprised me, because I was so hesitant about this whole marathon business to begin with, I am, of course, super excited to share that special day with our friends. I love weddings, and love my friends who are getting married, so it’s clearly a no brainer.

I always knew this could be a possibility since I wasn’t sure which weekend they had chosen for the wedding.  This was why I originally put out there that I would want to do either San Diego or Seattle, but San Diego is ideal since it’s in state for me.  Well, I also wouldn’t do an out of state full or half marathon by myself.  Especially since I couldn’t even guarantee that Travis could go, since his work is always so up in the air.

All that said, I am still following the full marathon training plan, even if it is only in order to push myself and prove to myself that I am capable of doing it.  Plus, I figure all this training can’t hurt my half marathon time, when I do my third half marathon.  Right now it looks like that half will be Disney in September, but this weekend I might start looking for a local half (or maybe even full?) sometime between June and September.  I know that I definitely want to do two shorter races, and I’ve got my eyes set on two in May, so maybe I’ll just keep adding in shorter distance races?  Who knows.  I do know that based on the disappointment I felt at knowing I couldn’t do the full marathon in June, that I do want to do one soonish.  ;)

Have you ever had to shelve your own race plans, for what reasons?

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Catherine, February 1st 2011 | Tags: , ,
Posted in 2011, friendship, goals, life, Marathon, training

Planning

Remember when I said that I agreed to train for a full marathon?  Yeah, I remember that too.  Well, because I am a Virgo, and I like to make lists and plans, I’ve already started looking for a marathon training plan.  My first stop was to Runner’s World which is what I used to create my half marathon training plan (that I really only vaguely followed.)

I choose the first June race as my race date, because even though I don’t know which race I’ll be able to sign up for (June 5th or June 25th,) I figure being prepared earlier is better.

As I was looking over the plan, it looked pretty normal, you know, the longer distances (20 miles) are scary, but I understand they’re necessary. Everything was looking relatively normal/scary until I got to this:

4:59:05  That’s five hours of running, folks.  Five hours. FIVE HOURS.

This is what really scares me, truthfully.  Running for FIVE.HOURS.

How do people do it?! Seriously, how do you mentally prepare to be running for five hours?

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Catherine, January 23rd 2011 | Tags: , ,
Posted in 2011, Marathon, training

26.2?

Thursday was one of my running buddy, Courtney’s birthday.  Travis and I met she and her husband, and Janna, our other running buddy at Burbank Bar & Grille, where I may or may not have agreed to “train for a full marathon,” with the girls.  I did not agree to actually register for one though.  Basically, I think what my plan will be, is whichever June race I end up registering for, I’ll train with the girls for a full, but if I don’t feel totally ready, I’ll drop down to the half, or move up to the full if I think I can make it.

Wine may or may not have been a factor in my decision making process.

What really sealed it though, was as I protested, as I talked about my fear, and my concern about running for like 5 hours, Courtney said “considering you just killed 22 minutes off your last half time, I think you might surprise yourself. You just have to train.”

Have you ever agreed to something crazy when you were drinking? I was two sips of wine in by the way.

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Catherine, January 22nd 2011 | Tags: , , , ,
Posted in 2011, accomplishments, friendship, goals

Ready, Set….

Well, race day is tomorrow!  I am almost packed up, and then Travis and I will drive out to Anaheim, land of Disney.  Courtney (training buddy) and I still have to pick up our bibs and goody bags.  I’m starting to get nervous now, I can’t believe it’s almost here!

I’ve got my HALF MARATHON playlist all synced up to my iPod. I’ll share it with you all when I get back :)   I haven’t decided if I’m bringing my computer along with or not.

Alright, here I go! I’m off to run my very first half marathon tomorrow!!

Eep!

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Catherine, September 4th 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in life, Los Angeles, training