Lesson Learned

I managed to run 11 miles on Saturday. Seriously. 11. The best part is that I got through it. Even when I was sure it was impossible. The worst part was learning that I should not run on an entirely empty stomach. I felt like I was running on bad fumes. Also, I learned that sleep is useful for efficient running. And the combination of too little sleep and too little food, is a less than optimal run. 

This Saturday is my first official race. It's the Great Race half marathon in Agoura Hills. The half marathon (that's 13.1 miles) will be on a combination of trails and road. I'm excited but nervous. Excited because it should be a very scenic route. Nervous because that's 13.1 miles. And trails mean that there's stuff for me to trip over. But this time, I'll stay hydrated throughout the week, I'll get enough sleep and I'll eat a little breakfast. This race is supposed to be one of the best post-race brunches, so that should also be fun. And of course, I'll finally have an official picture of myself to put into my scrapbook!!!

Man, I can't get over the fact that I ran 11 miles. Granted, I slowed down by the end and didn't keep my pace perfectly. But I completed it. Me. Amazing. I can't wait to see what I can do next.

Finally, Correct Form

It has now taken me three visits to Jeff Waldberg, but I finally have been able to implement good running form!!! As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I started off with several form issues (i.e., landing heal first, bending at the hip, slightly too slow of a cadence, etc.). Then, when I learned what those were, I over-corrected, running almost entirely on my toes the following week. That hurt. I felt like someone had shoved nails into my calves. So on my second visit, I learned to find the mid-foot, and sped up my cadence. I went back this morning, and I got it!

For some added stability, Jeff taped my heals, which has the unexpected additional benefit of helping me walk in heals without wobbling. I do feel more stable with my feet taped and this week, I'm going to be experimenting with how it feels on the long run. Hopefully, once my body has gotten used to the proper form, the taping won't feel necessary, but in the meantime, it seems to help. I had planned on attempting to run with the tape last Saturday, but because I walked, I couldn't be sure if the taping helped significantly.

This Saturday is our nine mile run in Reseda. We'll be practicing on hills, which, I'm actually really excited about. I think I'll need the practice because in only two weeks, I'll be running my first half-marathon (yikes) on trails in Agoura Hills. Wow that's soon. But I'm confident that even if I can't run the whole thing, I'll be able to complete it. And I'm really excited because I'll finally have a race under my belt. And a picture that I can put into my scrapbook!!! Finally! LOL.

Seven Mile Struggle

Last Saturday (the 7th), we did seven miles at Balboa park. Unfortunately, I felt horrid the entire time, and after starting out at a slow jog for two minutes, realized that I could not keep going at even that slow pace. I was still uncomfortable walking, but decided that since I would have a nine mile run the following week, I really wanted to complete the seven miles, even at a snail's pace. So that's exactly what I did. I basically walked the entire seven miles.

The experience was both exhilarating and humiliating. I was extremely self-conscious because even my walking pace was much slower than everyone else. By the time I was at mile 4.5, the runners were passing me on their 6th mile. The way our course was set up, the runners then passed me on their 7th mile as well. I was literally the last person to finish (except for the encouraging and ever-positive Kelley, who was kind enough to walk with me the entire time).

But, other than being slow, I found that seven miles, walked or run, was still exhilarating and was more mileage than I have ever done in one setting. I completed it, even though it was uncomfortable and even though I would have rather slept in. I was proud of myself for persevering even though it was nothing like the ideal run I had originally hoped.

And I received an added and unexpected benefit -- of working and conditioning the different muscles used in walking. I'm sure that come 26 miles, I will be doing a good deal of walking, and it's good to know that even when I feel crummy, seven miles is completely doable.

So, I got back on the wagon, and did a 45 minute run on Tuesday (I still was feeling pretty awful on Monday morning). It was a little more difficult for me, probably because I hadn't run since Wednesday, but I did it anyway. And I felt good for not giving up.

Or Maybe I Am Crazy

Our Saturday run this week was 5 miles.

I realize that 5 miles is only a little less than one-fifth of the marathon distance, but I didn't think I was going to get through it. During the first mile, I was sure that I was going to have to start walking the entire last few miles.

My usual comrades weren't at practice, so I ran with our pace leader, Christy, who seems like a really nice and motivating person. She changed our group's pace at the beginning from 3/1 to 4/2 (i.e., four minutes running, two minutes walking).

I tried to remember everything that Jeff and I had gone over at my physical therapy session on Thursday. I mainly focused on keeping a quick and steady cadence, and landing on the mid-section of my feet. I think, for the most part, that I was able to maintain good form throughout the run.

The best part was that I did manage to get through the entire 5 miles at the 4/2 pace. The worst part was that I slowed down a lot. I did the whole thing in 1 hour, 10 minutes, or an average of a 14 minute mile. According to Christy, I started at closer to an 11 minute mile, so I clearly slowed down quite a bit.

More frustrating, however, was how stiff I got. Even after I stretched. By the afternoon, my right foot hurt in a new spot. I'm going to ask Jeff about this when I see him on Friday. Sunday, I hurt everywhere. Seriously.

And that's when the doubt started. Am I insane? Really? This is how my body feels after five miles. I'm going to run 26.1 in a few months? Get real. I just hurt. Did I do everything wrong? No. I'm pretty sure my form was better. Will this get easier? Everyone insists that 5 miles will eventually feel like an "easy" run.

I rested yesterday, with the exception of a nice long walk around Balboa lake with Noah and Mason. It was the first outrageously beautiful day in a while (approx 85 degrees and sunny). But I couldn't believe how crowded Balboa park was. It took so long to find parking. I much prefer the park at 7am on Saturday mornings. This was insane!

But we had a lot of fun, and I got a little less stiff while I was moving. I started feeling more energetic again, and started getting excited again, thinking about the upcoming weekend. This time, we're scheduled to complete 7 miles. I'm sure I'll be able to run 5 miles again this weekend, and if needed, I would still be able to walk the remaining 2 miles. (We are scheduled to do 7 miles this weekend). But maybe I'll be able to keep pace for the entire 7 miles. That would be incredible.

So the question really seems to be: am I crazy for running, or crazy for not wanting to stop?