Week 19: 21 miles? PIECE OF CAKE!!!

Who ever would have thought I'd say something like that? Much less, who would ever have thought that I would actually feel like that? We ran 21 miles today, and and it wasn't so bad! I actually would say that it felt pretty good! Particularly miles 13-17. For the first time in my life, I kind of get what people mean when they talk about the runner's high. I felt like I could have gone on and on at that point- I was running fast and feeling really, really good! I felt pretty good the whole time- my legs got pretty heavy the last couple miles, but I could have gone another 5 miles one way or another to get the marathon done.

So I feel great- I KNOW I can do the marathon! Who'd have thought 6 months ago that I would ever be here right now, but it feels really good to be here. We "taper" the next 2 weeks- we only go 12 miles next weekend and then 8 the week after that, and I'll probably only do 3 miles or so 2-3 times during the week over the next two weeks as well, so I'll be plenty rested for the Marathon!

In other great news- Pat gets home VERY soon barring an act of God or Robert Gates. I've got a very exciting next 3 weeks!

Personal Best

Well, I think I hit a milestone at our Wednesday night track practice this week. I think I ran a personal best on the mile, at 9:43! Given that up until this year, my most recent experience with a timed mile was probably back in the Spicewood Elementary School days, and that back in those days I was KILLING myself to finish it in the required 10 minutes, I'm pretty sure that running it in a full 17 seconds below 10 minutes must be a personal best. I feel like 10 year old Amy might have been at a slight disadvantage since my legs were much shorter then, but we are letting that slide.

As part of our track workout, we were running for 10 minutes then walking for 3, and repeating it for a total of 3 reps. I ran the first mile 9:43, the second in 9:59, and the 3rd in 10:10, so I averaged less than 10 minutes for all 3 miles! I feel good!

Week 18: Much better than week 17

Good news! I saw the very nice Orthopedist (Dr. Kwong) last Friday and got a clean bill of health to keep running! My feet felt back to normal by Thursday but I decided to keep my appointment to get things checked out anyway. I got some X-rays done of my feet, and Dr. Kwong did all kinds of wiggling and tapping of my feet and ankles- it was actually pretty cool.

I learned that:

1. I have "abnormally long" first metatarsal bones. I couldn't really tell that from the X-rays, but Dr. Kwong could. I'm not sure what to think about that. Apparently if I end up having pain at the sesamoids (where metatarsal bone connect to the toe bone,) this can be the reason. So far so good as I've never had pain there.
2. The big toe on my right foot is less flexible than the big toe on my left foot. Again, no idea why this is.

None of these things seem to be contributing factors to the arch pain I was having last week, but they are interesting none-the-less. I have always had a weird fascination with X-rays. Something about seeing your insides.

So Dr. Kwong thought that my arch pain was probably caused by the uneven surface we'd been running on last Sunday, and said I could have stepped funny, into a hole or something and not really even realized straining my foot. So he said just to be aware and if I had any pain at all, to stop, but that I should be fine to keep up with my training, which was great news!

So Sunday we were on a "down week" which means we only ran about 12 miles. Can you believe I just typed that we only ran 12 miles? 4 months ago 12 miles seemed like an impossible task. The run went great- no problems with my feet at all!

Next Sunday is our big 20 miler- the last big run before the marathon! So please say a prayer or two Sunday morning as you're beginning your day- I'll probably be somewhere around mile 14 and in need of a little divine intervention!

Week 17: Cautiously Optimistic

So Sunday's run did not go well. It was one of those things you hope doesn't happen- I got a little injured.

We were supposed to run 18 miles on Sunday, and we took a little field trip to Palos Verdes, south of LA. It was a perfect day for running- overcast and cool, and we were running along the ocean. It was going well- I made it 12 miles and was a little sore, but other than that, fine. At mile 12.5, however, I got a sharp pain in the bottom of my right foot- on the arch. I thought it was just a cramp, so I slowed to a walk and tried to walk it off. Walking seemed to help a little, so I carried on that way for another 1/2 a mile. Then I got to a fork in the road where I could have either gone straight to head toward the start/end point and gone about a total of 14 miles, or I could turn left and do a big loop, going the full 18 miles. I decided to push through it and go for the whole distance.

So much of a marathon is mental, and I have had aches and pains before, but usually I can work through it and finish. I was looking at it that way at that point- this was not easy but I would get through it and it was just a cramp. I kept telling myself I could do it.

Well, that turned out to be the wrong move. This was not just a cramp. As soon as I picked up the pace, it started hurting again, and a couple hundred yards later, I was done.

The fabulous TNT folks took good care of me, though. Coach Ed came along a couple minutes after I stopped and offered some good advice, and he called Ivanne, our Westside campaign coordinator who came over and picked me up in her car. She took me over to visit with Coach Gary. All three were really supportive and did their best to make me not discouraged that I wasn't finishing the run. Because at that point- that was what I was most concerned about- I really wanted to finish the full 18 miles and was concerned that I was going to be behind if I couldn't finish the miles. Gary particularly gave me good advice and a lot of confidence that I already have what it takes to finish the 26.2.

Well, I headed home, quite discouraged on the 45 minute drive back to Santa Monica. Getting out of my car was the first time when I thought- uh oh. I might have bigger problems than not finishing my 18 miles today- what if there is something really wrong? The coaches had thought it might just be a bad cramp, or it could be plantar faciitis, which is the stretching of ligaments that run along the bottom of your foot connecting the bones in your heel to your toes, or some other kind of muscle strain. Regardless of what it was, it HURT. I really couldn't put any weight on my foot at all. Not good.

I got home and did the ice bath thing- soaking my legs and feet/ankles in ice cold water, and then iced/elevated my foot all day long.

I woke up yesterday and unfortunately it didn't feel much better, and that's when I really started to worry. You know that feeling when you first get a sore throat, and you realize how much you take it for granted when you don't have a sore throat? Or a stuffy nose, or the Flu? How all you can think about is how much you wish you could just feel "normal" again? Yeah, so that was yesterday. And I started to really feel down and wonder what I would do if I couldn't run my marathon. I have put in so much work and to get sidelined by something that feels SO out of my control- I didn't even twist my ankle because I stepped in a hole- it was seriously fine one minute and debilitating the next. And I feel like I've got 80 people behind me, supporting me that I don't want to let down. That's why I didn't post yesterday- I didn't want to put anything out there when I was feeling so down about things. But I got some good advice from some runner friends on Facebook yesterday, as well as coach Gary and Ed from TNT, and I resolved yesterday to try my best to be patient- something I can always use some practice on. I iced it off and on all day yesterday and bought an ace-bandage type thing to sleep in last night that several people recommended.

I woke up today feeling cautiously optimistic- my foot feels much better. Not 100% by any means, and I think I am off running at least until the weekend (something else I'm having trouble being patient on- the idea of being "behind" frightens me even though everyone keeps telling me I've got the training in me already,) but it feels significantly better than yesterday. I have an appointment with an Orthopedist on Friday that i am going to keep regardless, and I may get custom orthotics for my shoes that should help keep my feet in line and keep this from happening again, assuming I get a clean bill of health and can keep going for the marathon.

I'll keep you posted.

16 miles on week 16!

So I was a little nervous this week, because our run was 16 miles, and when I ran 15 miles a couple weeks ago at the Rose Bowl, and the last week I had a down week when I only ran 6 miles in the Nike Human race. But I'm happy to report that 16 miles was not so bad! We ran from the Santa Monica Civic Center, along Ocean Blvd to Amalfi, which is really hilly, all the way to Sunset Blvd and then over to 26th street. It felt like we had been running forever and it was only 6 miles! That was the roughest part.

From there we ran up San Vicente all the way to Wilshire and then back down to the Brentwood golf course, did a lap around the golf course through a farmer's market, which was a little cruel because there was yummy smelling breakfast. Then all the way back down San Vicente to Ocean, and back down Ocean all the way to the Civic Center. I was definately ready to be done at the end, but I concured it! Just 5 more runs to the marathon!

Thanks to the Jureys!

Big thanks to my good friends, MARY & JOHN JUREY! I work with Mary at New West Records, and I feel really lucky that I landed some really great co-workers. Mary has been there since the beginning of the running journey- she got herself up really early and came and cheered me on in my very first race- the Santa Monica 5k last December. She's also one of the first people who suggested I think about doing a 1/2 or full marathon with an organization like Team In Training. I have so much fun every time I hang out with Mary and John, and they've both been so supportive of this crazy running thing I've gotten myself into. Thanks guys!

WEEK 15: Human Racing in Austin!

So I spent Labor Day weekend doing a little bit of wedding stuff in Austin. Some good friends threw me a wedding shower, and my wonderful new mother-in-law Sara flew in town for it. We had a really great time, and I had the opportunity to run in the Nike Human Race in Austin. The Human Race took place in 25 cities all over the world, with over 750,000 runners participating. In Austin alone there were close to 14,000 runners participating. It was a great race, just REALLY hot. We ran a 10k (6.2 miles) at 6:30 PM and it was over 90 degrees. Tough conditions, but I did it! I ran it in less time than I thought it would take me, too. I walked a bit more than I thought I would on the first half (mostly up hill,) but I stuck with it and finished! I also felt like a pro doing the water toss- it was so hot that I poured more water on myself than I drank, but it helped quite a bit!

Here are some race photos:

The crowd at the start of the race:

Sara, Me, Mom, Dad














Me near the end of the run:














Austin's own Lance Armstrong:

Thanks!

Thanks to MO SHARPTON! Mo is one of Pat's good friends from growing up. I feel really lucky that I get to kind of inherit so many cool friends through him. I always look forward to getting to see Mo when we go back to Charlottesville. Thanks Mo- can't wait to see you soon!

Also, thanks to KAREN HERNANDEZ! Karen and I worked together at House of Blues back in the day, and her and I share a love for a certain boy band that pretty much every 20/30 something woman I know loved back in the day. The difference is that Karen and I got to re-live our youth a couple months ago and squeal like 12 year olds, only this time, with cocktails. Karen and I, along with a bunch of other former HOBers, have participated in the Revlon Walk for Cancer a few times in memory of our dear friend, Liz Fitzsimon. We all share a desire to wipe out all forms of Cancer. Thanks for your support, Karen!