DECEMBER 2010

WEEK 9: Last week of December starts tomorrow. I've got one more week until 2011 and the realization that the marathon is getting closer and closer is both exciting and nerve racking. I must not look too far in advance and have to stay focused and give constance vigilance to week 9. I finished out week 8 with a spot-on workout from my training plan. This week, I hope to do 3 of 3 complete workouts to get back on track with "the plan". My plan has been siderailed and derailed, and mispelled, and just smelled at points. But, it has jelled at many points as well, and I am thankful for this. I've learned the utmost of patience and had to be extremely flexible as my body becomes the dictator of "the plan", and not so much my head. I'm mentally ready, my cardio is good, my psyche is awesome, and my body is trying to keep up the demands of the constant pavement pounding with each step I take. Running long distances is hard on your body and I am starting to realize that my Goal 1 of getting to Albany is the correct 1st goal for me.

12/27 GOAL: TEMPO, 1 mile easy, 6 miles @ 8:05, 1 mile easy. Frigid weather temps and running in circles for 32 laps is only possible when you run with friends. Temps were in the low 30's, but with the wind gusts, it felt like low 20's....according to the Super Doppler which is always accurate :O. Looking forward to running a half marathon in circles on Wed. at the track! Foot holding up!

DISTANCE: 8
Avg. TEMPO PACE: 7:42



12/29 GOAL: 13 @ 8:38 pace. I was fortunate to have my mom and Danette join me on a run this morning.....but the best part, was when my friend John showed up in his nice work attire and ran a lap with me. John has been sidelined with some medical problems and today was the day where the doctor gave him two big toes up to get moving again. I was lucky enough to be running with my mom's i-phone and able to capture him in sweet motion. I truly have the best friends in the world that are prodding me, encouraging me, and carrying me all the way to Albany and beyond. I am certain this is not the last you will see of John. Maybe he will join me in Albany?


DISTANCE: 13 miles

Avg. Pace: 8:23 (which is my marathon pace for Albany...completely run by accident when the lap paces avgeraged out)

Avg. HR 152

1/1/11 HAPPY NEW YEAR! The goal for today was to run 12 Quarter lap sprints at the track @ a 1:39 pace. I had two friends at my side, D and Todd. I had been looking forward to this workout for 10 weeks. SERIOUSLY!! I even was able to wear my lighter track shoes and test them out and had no problems with my foot. I was running on clouds and flying after wearing my heavy clunker training shoes for so long. I will slowly try to incorporate the use of these shoes more into the training program for tempo and track workouts. These will be my marathon shoes.....they are bright green and crazy! Perfect :). What a great way to start the new year. Friends, feeling good, and of course, running in circles!!

DISTANCE: 6 miles
Avg. Quarter Pace: 131.6 (min.)

31 MINUTE VICTORY!

CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS (left)

12/19/10

Yes, it is week 8, which is pivotal. It is the half way point of a 16wk training plan for Albany. Today, I ran on the Clemson track for 31 minutes after taking 2 weeks off from running. I was nervous. Would I be able to complete my goal of running 30 easy minutes? Would my legs remember how to run? Would my hat still fit? Such silly things to worry about...... of course my hat still fit, of course my right foot made a purposeful step in front of my left, and yes, I was able to run for 31 minutes. What does week 8 hold for me? I'm not sure but I'm hopeful 3 easy days of running will get me back on track. I am not worried about paces right now, I am simply running very easy, easing myself back out there. I am so thankful!! :). I've had a solid week 7 of training with 2 very good bike days and a few great swims. Time to rock and roll!

On a side note, the Clemson Track has been resurfaced but it is still closed with a bright yellow sign that says "UNDER CONSTRUCTION". The track looks perfectly finished to me and the lane lines are even perfectly painted. Danette and I have decided to stick to the softer track surface for the majority of our upcoming runs. With a secret side entrance, we jumped quickly onto the track. I felt like at any moment the SWAT team would raid the track and banish us to the Island of Elba when we were caught with our hands in the cookie jar. Luckily, we did not get caught. It is so easy for the sign to remain in place for the next 2 weeks for the holidays when students are away from campus. The track is done and we plan on using it to its fullest extent!

12/21 Clemson Track circles of hope! I ran with a new girl today, Jenny, round and round. I wouldn't mind if we had to run on a 2ft x 2ft ring, at least I was running! Today's goal was to run 45min. which I did accomplish plus a bonus 5 minutes. Nice easy pace, then a little tempo center, then easy. Jenny actually PR'd on her training run with a new best 10k time! :) I am still not wearing a heart rate monitor and prefer to gage my effort on feel as I get back in the swing of running. I am hopeful for a "long" run on Thursday morning.

12/23 Simply run. I did it, my longest run in 3 weeks. Small victories :)

Distance: 8 miles

Avg. pace: 8:51

12/25 Christmas Blessings abound this season. I was able to convince, surprisingly with not too much arm twisting, my mom and fellow friend Q to join at the track on Christmas morning. With the threat of snowfall in the afternoon, it was quite cold. However, our spirits were high and our hearts were warm with the blessings of friendship and the love that non can bestow like Jesus Christ can on such a merriment of days. Today is Jesus's birthday! HOSANNA in the highest. I felt the positive vibes as I actually did a workout from my training plan to the "T" as I ran tempo round and round the track. My mom and Q ran and walked respectively. With their very presence I was able to run the Boston Marathon in my head. Each step brought me closer and closer to my goal of March 5th. Today, friends helped me achieve my goal. Presence is key and and taking hold of each present day to the fullest is possible with the blessings of relationships that are wrapped in beautiful presents on Christmas Day. THANK YOU FRIENDS!!

DISTANCE: 6 miles

TEMPO PORTION: 3 miles at 7:24

MY YOLK

WEEK 7

AHHHH, a possible glimmer of hope? My foot is somewhat better? Is it a metatarsal stress fracture or tendonitis? Not sure. But, I do know, is that all is not lost. I have been swimming up a tsunami and maintaining my cardio. I must stay optimistic. Every morning upon awakening I lay in bed and pray that when I roll to my side and press my foot down into the mocha white carpeting, that it will not hurt, it will be healed. I teeter and totter on the edge of the bed eventually taking a dainty step as if walking on egg shells. I don't want to hear any creaks or crackling. Please no scrambling or anything over easy. Just a sunny side up will be fine please. And, an extra hot coffee please. If I stay in bed the foot is fine, does not hurt. When I start walking around and as the day advances, the pain becomes more constant. Today has been the best day yet. I have not ran in 8 days. I tell myself constantly that I can still run a marathon on March 5th. I am ever so hopeful that with a few more days I can try running again. I truly believe that all things happen for a reason. I may never know the reason, but with my faith I can put everything into God's hands.

PAIN

WEEK 6

Week 6 is officially here. I was suppose to run sprints today, but i've got the dreaded "I" word. I'm hoping that if I don't acknowledge it, it won't exist and will eventually become a figment in my imagination. The top of my foot hurt immediately after running Saturday's 5k. Ironically, it did not hurt during the race at all, but as soon as I stopped and jogged back out on the course to finish the last 1/2 mile with my mom, I immediately felt it. It was jarring and created an awkward limp with each step. I tried to "walk it off" with no such luck. I tried to walk thru it pretending it wasn't there. I tried, I really did. With four days of work ahead, I was dreading having to walk on the cold, long hallways at the healthcare center. Usually, I have a lot of pep in my step and am noted to walk with a bounce, but not Saturday, or Sunday, or today, Monday. I was dreading writing this blog because I'm validating that my foot hurts and I don't want to acknowledge it. The good news is, is that it has improved each day. I'm a competitor by my very nature, pushing limits. So, I will stay optimistic, my goal is is still March 5th, to get there healthy, that, after all, is my first goal.

12/6 Lap Swim. Yes, I SWAM, or SWIM like a fish out of water. I say I don't enjoy doning my swimming gear and getting into the pool of chlorine, but it is such a freeing movement and I feel rejuvinated when I'm done. I had fun, practicing swimming in draft with two of my friends and slapping each other's feet and swimming closely side by side. One of them is secretely preparing me for my first triathlon next year and is helping me gain confidence in the ability to swim in close proximity of others during a tri. Good board kick work at the end. I feel good and am thankful to have such wonderful friends.

Distance: 1 mile

12/8 Back in the pool! Right foot has improved, but is still not runnable due to pain located at the top of the foot. I knew that this would be my battle. No, the battle would not be in my head, or in my heart (cardio), it would be a test of time, to see whether my body could weather the storm and structurely stay strong for the duration of training leading up to the marathon. I'm glad I made it to week 6! To the pool I go until the foot pain eases! I also stopped by Go Tri Sports for some shoe analysis and foot talk. I will be determining if it was a shoe problem, or the criss crossing of laces during the 5k, or the hilly event itself, OR whether i just got me another dag gum stress fx. Phooey on that I say! I must stay optimistic. I did some good pool training today, doing some tempo to sprint interval work.

Distance: 1.25 miles

12/10 I'm officially water logged :) Making the best of the situation as I recover with my right foot. The top of the foot is still not allowing me to run. Swimming will have to suffice for now. The only problem in the pool is when I push off the wall between laps with my right foot, otherwise, enjoying the low impact. Doing more tempo and more distance as I try to keep my cardio up. Lots of board kicks using the hip flexors, keeping my core tight. Hoping to be running again next week? Will have to be smart! :) Quick bike spin in the afternoon, foot ok. not so hot when standing out of saddle.

Distance: 1.45 miles

12/11 300 yard warm-up, 1 mile swim constant, 10 board kicks finale! The mile swim continuous is a great workout and really taxes my cardio. I've been working a lot on swimming technique, specifically, breathing on both sides for balance, quick arm turn over, and pacing. Just call me Michael Phelps, or not.

Distance: 1.5 miles

26 miles at 26!

WEEK 5:

I had an epiphany this week, albeit a very dumb one. I will be running 26 miles and will be 26 years old during the Albany marathon. 26 is quickly turning into my lucky number. I may actually be 26.2 years old on race day, but that math is too complicated for me to comprehend after running my long run. I could run each mile of my race for each year that I've lived! haha! Nah, I'll just run. So, it is week 5, a crazy mixed-up week. This week is the Clemson Down's Forget Me Not 5k on Saturday. This will be my sprint day. So, I've got a tempo and long day to get in.......to make a long story very short and not to bore everyone that much more......I may have to skip completing the EXACT workout! Yes, I did just say that I would diverge and take the road less traveled........or maybe more traveled,? when you are training for a marathon and trying to live life and get your workouts in.... BUT, i'm actually okay with this. I refuse to run 2 days in a row. AND, I refuse to run 20 miles, then take one day off, then run 18. And, with work, I don't think I will have the time this week to get the complete 18 miler in. BUT, here is another epiphany! THIS IS OKAY! I like to think that as I mature I get smarter with my training :) If you miss a workout, you don't get to make it up! Why kill myself by running 18 miles and dig a hole? If I can get a quick 12/13 in at the given pace, this is perfectly fine. I am hopeful that on week 6 I will be back to my normal schedule. No digging holes unless I'm planting a garden.

11/30: LONG RUN SHORT- Beautiful day! POURING RAIN, chilly morning, with fog, AWESOME! It may be like this on marathon day! I am still sore from the 20 miler on Sunday, a good sore, particular at the hamstrings. Instead of tempo, I opted to do a run on how I felt, staring at my Garmin in the pouring rain trying to hit 7:35 splits with a non water proof watch wasn't going to happen today :O. So, off I went, i-phone 4 double zip-locked bagged jammin' to some One Republic and Lady Gaga for 8 miles. I felt significantly looser then when I started and did a good deal of stretching post run. I'm actually considering running the tempo tomorrow! I KNOW, 2 days of running in a row? Maybe so.....after all, i'm a girl and allowed to change my mind at any time! I can always justify my reasons, but will spare you my tangled thoughts that are in my head.

DISTANCE: 8 miles

Avg. pace: 8:49

Avg. HR 153

12/1 TEMPO: Goal 2 miles easy, 3 @ 7:35, 1 mile easy. I remember when I would run a 5k RACE at this pace, now it has become my tempo pace. This is still quite odd for me to fathom. Today was cold with strong, blustery winds. D and I had a nice tailwind for the first tempo mile, but on the turn back, we were faced with a wall of wind that adamantly wanted to see my hat fly like a kite in the sky. Luckily, my visor did not set sail and I managed to hit my paces even in the wind. 2 rest days now before the Clemson Downs Forget Me Not 5k.

DISTANCE: 6.5 miles

Avg. Tempo: 7:27

Avg. HR: 163

12/4 SPRINT DAY, CLEMSON DOWNS 5k! Fun day for an even better cause: ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH! 0645 departure from restaurant with my neighbors and momma! This is my mom's first 5k in 30 years!! Her goal is 45min! This is a very hilly course right on campus where I work at Clemson Downs. It is my 2nd home so I easily navigate thru my warm-up and potty breaks, etc. Home course advantage does help. The course is 2 miles of flat/down and a punishing last uphill mile with "GOT HILLS?" painted on the road. My run plan dictates 1 mile repeats today at a 7:02 with 1 min. rest in between......well, i didn't get to rest during the race OR enjoy the hot chocolate aide stations, but I did have an awesome run!

Distance: 3 miles (it was a little short of a true 5k)

Avg. pace: 6:51

Avg. HR: 169

AND, bigger news! My mom went 34:58 and won her age group with ease! GO MOMMA!

AND, a 95 year old woman completed the entire 5k, hills included!! :)

I am not a Shovel! I will not dig to China

Yes, if you read the fine print, the turkey man has "all natural breasts" :)

Week 4: Alright, stupid title I know, but bear with me. This week takes control and lots of it. As usual, I have 3 runs to absolutely dominate, the sprint, tempo, and long run. I am signed up for the CU-ICAR Turkey Trot for Thanksgiving morning, which is an 8k. Question is, do I substitute this out for the sprint or the tempo day? I do not want to be a slave to my Garmin on this day attempting to hit certain paces, I want to run free, like the turkey who crossed the road in several lame jokes we all have heard, o.k., it was a chicken, but who cares anyway. I would normally run this 8k "all out" in an attempt to PR or win my age group. But, not this year. This year is different, my goal is not to win the Turkey trot, my goal is to start the Albany marathon on March 5th. All too often I've gotten excited about local events and hammered forgetting that I'm actually digging a hole, one that encompasses overtraining and an overzealousness to have immediate gratification, to receive immediate results. No Danielson, I must be patient. I must slow for I will be running 20 miles on Sunday. I am committed to run this Turkey Trot as a training run, pacing wisely, giving 80% or so. I am not a shovel, I will not dig holes. I will rest and be well watered and planted so that the fruits of my labor will blossom on March 5th and not a single day before.

11/22 TEMPO- Goal 1 mile easy, 4 miles at 7:50, 1 mile easy. I had a little bit of a tough time getting motivated after working a swing shift at work, but out the healthcare center I went to run in overcast conditions with my good friend Danette. After the quick warm-up I settled in, hitting an exact 7:50 split for mile one. Good, I thought, right on it. As I ran the rollers out to Central and back I kept a constant eye on my Garmin. I was running too fast, but warming up nicely. I made a determined and very disciplined move to slow down. Why you say? Why do you slow down? No, my race is not today, I don't want to dig holes. Stick to the plan! And, taking much effort, I did slow, although I wanted to be the horse to the barn. My last tempo mile being 7:49. Working with Alzheimer's patients everyday teaches me patience, and to a certain degree, tempo running has that same effect. Run the plan now so you can run the race on race day.

Tempo avg: 7:43
Avg. HR 160


11/25 Trees for Greenville Turkey Trot (sprint day). BE SMART!! OK, I DID 'IT' AND 'IT' TOOK A CONCERTED EFFORT!! I RAN SMART AND DID NOT GET CAUGHT IN THE HUBBUB, OR THE THRILL OF THE RACE. I RAN MY RACE!! I'M VERY EMPHATICALLY TYPING THIS IN ALL CAPPS BECAUSE THIS WAS GOOD DISCIPLINE! Here is the scoop:

The day that was dreary and damper, did not put a hamper, on our Turkey Day scamper. Danette and I used this as a training run, a way to have fun, and a means to eat a ton.
I ran a solid sprint pace, because this is not my race, Albany marathon is the place!!!
I was smoked at the end, by guys sprinting with big ego heads,
Huffing and Puffing
but, did I even care or dare to stare?
NO! because today is not my race.

Last year I ran this at a 7:04 pace with an avg. HR of 172! This year, 7:24 pace with avg. HR 162, 10 solid beats less. I did not dig a hole today and feel confident that I can accomplish my first 20 mile run this Sunday at the given pace.

Special Congratulations to Danette who placed 2nd in her age group on our training run. Her prize was a very green coffee mug, but her true prize was the confidence she gained that will spill over to her long run later this week.


11/28 Goal: 20 mile run at 9:23 pace. My longest run EVER was completed today! I started out at 0730 with Amber and a random girl she knew named Shelly, who was running 11 at a faster clip. Amber was going to just run for fun not knowing that she herself would end up with about 18.5 miles. An hour into the run we looped back and picked up two more runners who would split and do 10 and 15 miles each. It was nice having at one point 5 runners in a pack! The miles were ticking by and the sun was warming us up. The stinky waste treatment plant and the smell of old beer from last night's Clemson game could not keep our spirits down. I felt good today, building confidence, practicing trying to open those little hammer gel packs with my very cold hands. My dexterity sucked and I generally would pass the gel over to someone else who would easily open it for me. I'm thankful for great friends! At mile 12 my feet began to hurt, but whoa is me and you just got to keep going. I practiced gel-ing responsibly today and never felt my energy drop. My cardio is good, it is my body that aches. With .2 miles to go I saw an old crusty sign and pretended it was the banner I would run under at Albany. I threw my hands up victoriously as I crossed under the rusty metal piping. And, then I ran straight into the woods for a quick potty break. Sweet relief. It is hard for me to fathom that I just ran for 3 HOURS! And, that I would run for another 6 miles in the marathon. Today, I practiced running very upright at the end, with good steady form. I know I will be ready to run 26 on marathon day.

Distance: 20 miles

Avg. Pace: 9:14

Avg. HR: 146

BALANCING ACT

WEEK 3

So here I type with my feet propped up offering prospective for week 3. I had a very busy week 2 with a total of almost 12 hours of training compared to a more moderate week 2 at 5 hours of total training. I had a lot of time in the saddle with with 55 fast miles on Saturday and riding for Mark Knight's out of Greenville today. What a blessing to ride for a super guy as a he battles cancer. I'm balancing trying to stay in bike shape and train for a marathon, and he is juggling with life and death. Puts everything into a little bit more perspective. So, yes, i'm tired, long week of training, but i have absolutely NOTHING to complain about. I'm giving myself a pep up talk for a hard day of sprints tomorrow knowing that on Tuesday, by golly, it is going to be a much needed rest day.

Sprint Day: 11/15 Clemson track is still being revamped, so Benn, D, and I completed sprints on the road. I am very much looking forward to having OUR track completed, it will be much easier to pace on sprint day. I was having to work backwards and hit lap buttons and trying to do complex math in my head during the sprinting portion today. O.k., it was not that complex, but when your HR is 175bpm, simple math can throw you for a loop. We completed a sprint ladder. 1200m @ 5:10, 1000m @ 4:16, 800m @ 3:23, 600m @ 2:30, and finally, 400m @ 1:39. When we got to the bottom rung, the ladder broke and we were done :). In reviewing my laps on training peaks, we were right on or below pace. AWESOME. Sprint day is always a hard day, but with the promise of a rest day tomorrow the workout was much more palatable. I am working weekly on changing my mindset that SPRINT DAY = FUN DAY. This may take a few more weeks :)

Tempo Day: 11/17 Todd, D, and I hit the pavement for a great tempo run down Hwy. 93 in Central. The goal, 1 mile easy, 5 miles @ 8:05, 1 mile easy. I'm still working on feeling the paces instead of having to be a slave to my Garmin pacer feature. Tempo was.......tempo today. Not too hard, not too easy, just right according to the 3 bears. Bears being me, Todd, and D and the bad wolf being? No, can't think of a bad wolf. It was a great day. I'm thankful for positive friends to run with.

Distance: 7 miles
Tempo avg: 7:55
Tempo HR avg: 160

Long Run: 11/19 Goal 17 miles @ 9:08. I gave myself a good pep up talk going into this long run. I've had a solid week so far and this would just be icing on the cake to complete this distance. I got her done with the help of Amber and hubby Eugene, and my friend Danette. We ran loops thru Central on a flat to slightly rolling course. I felt great UNTIL about mile 13 or so and then I really started to feel all my weaknesses, namely the core group of muscles. My low back and hip flexors are weak! But, good to know so i can increase my ab workout from doing 5 sit-ups a day to a solid 10 a day....this should help, right? My fatigue was not cardio related, although I still do not have a running base, but more so muscle fatigue. And, dang, my feet hurt at the end. I attempted to run on every sprig of grass I could find, even if my big toe landed on the edge of what looked like grass or something soft, I was in thankfulness of heart. I would have been glad to run thru dog doody at that point, as long as it was soft. Enough whining, Happy Cow chocolate milk and recoverite cure everything along with a good nap. SO LONG for now, my bed is calling :)


Distance: 17 miles
Avg. pace: 8:45
Avg. HR 153
Ok., had to include this pic which was taken by a very nice, random woman in a parking lot. I asked is she could do an "up and down" pic and this is what we got. Either I'm loopy from running 17 miles or she took the pic at an angle. Geez, who knew my request was so difficult? Maybe my chaotic hair distracted her and she lost focus and took the crooked shot. Next time I think I will leave my hat on!

I'M DOING IT!!!

WEEK 2

WOW. I AM SO THANKFUL! I MADE IT TO WEEK 2 OF TRAINING!!!....Seriously, i never thought i would make it this far. It is with heartfelt sincerity that I must express how truly blessed I feel. My body is holding up thus far. I have 117 days, 19 hours, and 36 minutes as of right now as I sit typing this for the world to see. With every day, I become that much closer to completing my goal. I put another nickel in my piggy bank. And, not to be too cliche, it is not about the destination, but the journey as I already know. I'm taking baby steps each day as I progress in my training and mindset. Soon, I hope to progress in physical capabilities where the thoughts of not completing the marathon and thoughts of not physically holding up for the event become a distant drop in the future.

Sprint Day Sunday: Tough day, 4 1/2 mile repeats at 3:23. I was ready and determined. Running a sprint day by myself makes me more than ever appreciate having friends to train with. There is immense pleasure taken in suffering

as a group :). However, my good friend Todd completed his first ever IRONMAN yesterday in Florida with a time of 14 hours, give or take. I thought of Todd today when the intervals got long and my legs were on fire. I thought of his determination that last .2 of a mile as he completed the last leg of his tri, dialed his wife by cell, and told her that he "loved her". How awesome and inspiring. Thanks Todd, you were with me!

Avg. 800 meter repeat pace: 3:22

Avg. HR 168bpm

Tempo Day: SUNSHINE, OH MY!!! Goal: 1 mile easy, 5 miles tempo at 8:23 (which is marathon pace), and 1 mile easy. Ran at the Shaver complex with D. The track was a 1.1 mile loop that was promised to be "flat" and "rubberized"....neither of which it was. I ended up running off the "track" thru downtown megalopolis of Seneca. It was simply just a beautiful day.....and I felt good :)

Distance: 7 miles

Avg. for 5 miles of tempo: 8:09

Hr. avg. for tempo: 153

Long Day: Goal: 15 miles at 9:08 pace. I had a new crew of crazy friends to run this 15 miler with. Meet Amber, Shelby, Tracey, and Karen, 4 of which are training for a marathon in December. These girls are not "girly" by any means and can burp and fart with the best of them, especially Shelby and Tracey :). I was in for one crazy, fun run! We ran from Shelby's house in downtown Clemson out towards Central and Southern Wesleyan. At mile 8 we dropped Amber off at her house. Shelby needed to potty so I ran around the front in circles waiting. I eventually became dizzy and ran into the house to see what the hold up was. To keep this blog clean for the kiddies out there, there was much talk of needing a plunger and having to flush multiple times. Poor Amber's bathroom, we hardly know this girl! With Shelby 10lbs lighter, we proceeded on our very hilly course the rest of the run.

This is the longest run I have ever done and I was so thankful to have such great entertainment along the way. The miles just seemed to tick by. The post run leftover Halloween treats, coffee, and chatter made this one very special day.

Distance: 15 miles

Avg. pace 8:47

Avg. HR 149

Getting to the Start........of Training!

Official marathon training began today, November 1st. This is a big day for me. I made it to the start of training and all of my previous running ailments are under control as of today. I will start my marathon on March 5th, like starting training today, with solid legs and mindset. I am ready to begin. I've waited patiently for this day. The game plan is to run 3 times a week consisting of a track workout, a tempo run, and a long run. The goal is to complete these workouts with quality. No junk miles. Days in between will be cross training days or rest days. So, what pace do I run? That is the question. My utmost goal is to start the marathon! Goal 2 is to finish the marathon. Goal 3 is to qualify for Boston.....there I said it, I shared it with the internet world of billions of people all who read my blog daily. Actually, no one may read this last goal, but it is there whether read or not. Whether spoken out loud or not. It dances and twirls in my head constantly. I am waking to this goal, dreaming about this goal. No additional pressure. I am thankful just to get to the start healthy. Everything else is icing on the cake. Thank you Lara Shaw for your encouragement with these goals. I will be calling on my friends religiously as I go on this journey.

From now on, I will give weekly updates. I have approx. 16wks of training ahead of me. I will be disciplined, smart, and progressive in training. I will.

WEEK 1:

Monday: It was sprint day. Danette and I did a quick warm-up then headed to a field for sprints x 6.....nothing crazy, just day 1. I am anxiously waiting for the Clemson track to be refurbished so I can run quarters! I did not expect the athletic department to redo the track for Danette and I to prepare for my future marathon! Although, they are a little behind schedule because my training started on Nov. 1st. I can't wait until the new track is laid down.......i will run the tar out of it! ;)

Wednesday: Goal: 2 miles easy, 2 miles tempo at 7:35, 2 miles cool down.

Completed: 2 miles easy warm-up, 2 miles tempo at 7:29, 7:21, then 2 miles cool down. Good day. Danette and I went into the run know that it was going to rain. But, it may rain on marathon day so it is good practice. We were "lucky", not really any rain!

Distance: 6 miles

Avg. pace 8:33

HR. during tempo: 164bpm

Friday: Goal: Long run to Ingles from Clemson Track. Just for time, not for speed.....

Distance: 11 miles

Avg. pace 8:30

Awesome long run with D! Thanks!

My Friend's First Half Marathon

I took great pleasure in having the honor of running with my friend as she completed her first half-marathon in downtown Greenville this Saturday. Completely by chance, Caitlin and I reconnected after she saw my facebook post that I was running "10 miles" as my status update on facebook. Caitlin and I were rowing teammates at Clemson 4 years ago. We spent a great deal of time together suffering thru morning erg workouts before daylight and then splintering thru an additional afternoon row on Lake Hartwell. Even though we had not talked in some time, conversation came with ease as friends do, picking up right where they have left off. Sure, I would join her in her first half marathon since her training partners had bailed for one reason or another.

Her goal: "Weinacker, I'm going on a really long run today".....this is her mentality. PERFECT. Her pace: "Consistent".

Well, it just so happens that we were running in the Sphinx Half Marathon, and that 1,500 of her "friends" would be joining us on a rolling course all along downtown Greenville ending at homeplate in the Greenville Drive Baseball Stadium. I'm not going to lie, I did not register, I was a "ghost runner", carrying my own energy gels and water. Kind of fitting to be a ghost for the day since it was after all, Halloween.

Race Start: 8:40a.m. We started almost at the very front for kicks. Todd Bice, tapering for IM Florida would be joining us for 10miles of the course. Before we knew it, we were off, shedding miles very quickly. Caitlin eventually settled into a good, consistent pace, HER pace, based on perceived exertion, no fancy smancy Garmin watch or HR monitor, just an inate sense of smarts built in. In typical Todd fashion, he had both Caitlin and I laughing. He took shortcuts to the amazement of other runners who did not realize he was just jogging along, not registered. He even took a mile shortcut as Caitlin and I made a loop. And, to top it off, as Caitlin and I rounded the halfway point, there was Todd off the course holding up a sign and yelling at us; "YOU ARE AWESOME!!", the sign said. He had joined a group of spectators cheering for a friend.

In all seriousness, it was a great "long run". Caitlin stuck to the game plan, did not break out of the gate steaming mad, but paced herself throughout the undulating course. Rowing seemed to be the topic of the day. Another former Clemson rower, who we did not know, recognized Caitlin's shirt that said rowing and cheered for her. All along the course, friends of a former rower held up large poster signs, and to top it off, my former freshmen teammate, Lindsay "Z" Decken, an accomplished runner herself, was spotted with a mile to go cheering on the runners. I think everyone in the Upstate knows someone who rows or was a rower at some point! Kind of like when you get a new car and you suddenly notice everyone driving that car :)

What a great day in G-vegas with the fall weather and SPOOKtacular race!

Distance: 13.1

Avg. pace: 10:11

Avg. HR: Zone 1, 136bpm

MEET GINGER

With D out sick today, Ginger and I braved the Clemson campus for a quick run, mostly uphill it seemed. And, for dramatic effect, it truly was mostly uphill with a headwind.....and we will pretend it was snowing and we had to run barefooted and blindfolded....ok, that part is a lie.

You may be asking, who is Ginger? Well, meet Ginger, aka Benn Gleason from good ole' hot Arizona, a grad student at Clemson. If you need to know something about fiber optics or how to treat a bunson burner burn, just ask him, he is your man! Red hair and beard make Ginger hard to miss.

It's official Benn is our newest committed member, albeit, on the 1/2 marathon level. But, we will take him and his fun, flexible, low-key personality. He will fit right in and we are glad to have him join the team. Application approved!

I would have had a picture of Benn to share, and our new matching shoes (we have the same ones!), but I think I left my camera on the bumper of the car today after running.......boo on that ;(.

*******UPDATE******* Athletic department finds my missing camera 2 days later and notices pics of me on it! Bends pieces back together with a screwdriver, hides it in a dumpster near track, and WALAH! I've got my camera back :)

No reason to cry over spilled milk, turn lemons into lemonade!

Thanks for a great run today Ginger!

Distance: 4 miles
Avg. pace: 8:39
HR: 155

Shout out to YO MOMMA!

As I prepare for a marathon, I realize how much family support plays a crucial role in my training. My mom and I decided to walk today, simply walk, and enjoy each other's company. She has been recouping from a knee injury so I was excited that she was ready to get back out there. We are slated to run the first annual Clemson Downs Forget Me Not 5k together in December.

My mom easily accomplished 2.5 miles of walking with some short pushes of running at the end. No knee problems reported. My mom and I both learned the hard way that with running, a steady progression is key, don't jump into the deep end off the high dive, instead, wade into the kiddie pool and use the ladder to get out.

I see a future 5k runner in our midst! Thanks mom for your support as I train for my first marathon! Who else makes daily steel cut oatmeal with blueberries and flax seed, coupled with boiled eggs, and smokin' hot coffee, all stirred and combined with heaping tablespoons of endless love? MOM.

PECAN PIE RUNNERS HIGH!

Ok, maybe I learned a lesson on Sunday evening.....don't run with a full belly of savory pecan pie inside ya. :) Todd and Tonya's baby shower featured an array of wine, cheeses, and homemade desserts. D and I decided we would do a short run after the party, including a few first time sprints. I was excited about doing a couple of sprints....but, eke, i ate too much of that darn pie. Mile warm-up out of downtown Clemson to Bowman field. 4 sprints completed, YES! I haven't been able to run like that in months and months, if not a year. If I wanted, I could have joined in a game of ultimate with the college kids. I would have been just happen running up and down the field with them, not caring if they passed the frisbee to me or not. Maybe I would have preferred if they hadn't passed it to me so I could just enjoy my running. I would have been ABLE to do it (RUN!)!, not having to worry whether i could sprint on an achilles or not. Just to have the choice is a blessing. Sure, a pecan pie can make your sugar high, but I'm not going to lie, I was flying on an extreme blessed endorphine high.

Planet SMOOTH

Big day today, 10 miler. Easy pace, just get the miles in. Todd, D, and I met up at the Clemson Track. D and I would run the planned 10 miles, then Todd would push onward and upward to the 20 mile level in preparation for IM Florida.


I felt good, clean and crisp. I haven't run 1:40 min. in a very long time, not since I completed my first and only 1/2 marathon a year ago in Myrtle Beach. I'm not going to lie, at an hour or so in, I did get tired. My endurance is not quite there yet, which is ok. Officially marathon training does not start until Nov. 1st. Everything completed now is icing on the cake, bonus. I gave myself a quick pep talk, downed some delish GU gel and forged on.


Best part of the run? Planet Smoothie, courtesy of Danette. A frozen goat never tasted so good. Coffee beans, chocolate, banana base = yummy in my tummy.



Looking forward to setting up an official training schedule soon, working in conjunction with the book Run Less, Run Faster based on the Furman FIRST training program.


I am ever so blessed!


Distance: 10 miles

Avg. Pace: 9:54

Avg. HR 153

Dancing in the Mist

Short report today. First run back from the Foothills Trail. 30 minute run around Clemson with Benn and Danette. Somehow the scattered showers missed us! Looking forward to Friday 10 mile run as training picks back up again. It felt great not toting 25lbs on my back, WAHOOOO!!

3 MARATHONS IN ONE WEEK!

I walked in the dark for 7 days and 6 nights along the 77 mile Foothills Trail, extending from Table Rock to Oconee State Park with my teammate and friend, Emily. If you have never read the book, "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson, I highly reccomend it. It captures the ups and downs of the author as he hikes the Appalachian Trail. What I did this past week was a complete walk in the dark. I have never really camped except once along the Natchez Trace Parkway in mid July a few years ago in 100+ degree weather with fellow cyclists as we biked the Trace Parkway. After one night of "camping" out after riding 100 miles we decided that the rest of our bike tour would include more comfortable night housing, also referred to as the Holiday Inn Express.

In typical Weinacker fashion, I stubbornly jumped in full throttle and signed up for a week in the woods.

What Emily and I did is considered to be ultralight backpacking/camping. We had very modest means. Our hiking poles served as our tent stabilizers. You learn to be very resoureful in the woods and everything seems to have a double purpose. The first day was our strenuous day as we were dropped off at Table Rock for our little adventure. We hiked and hiked, approx. 13.5 miles along very hilly terrain with packs weighing approx. 25lbs. The supposed water source and "campsite" were not exactly positioned as we had thought. And, to top it off, a thunderstorm was lurking in the area. Night approached quickly and fearless Emily ran around at dusk throwing up the tent, pumping water, and positioning the bear bag. I felt so inept because I didn't know how to do ANYTHING! That night I had vicious nightmares as I lay like a mummy in the dark. Positioned between us was the hatchet that Emily would use and the small bear spray I would use if we were attacked. Emily's dog was on high alert all night barking and growling at noises and movements deep into the woods. I held tight to my bear spray like a child would hold its pacifier. Luckily, dawn broke and we were still alive. :)

The typical day would consist of waking up with the daylight and breaking down camp. Before this could occur, we had to have our coffee. Emily had brought a small stove and we would boil water for instant coffee and hot oatmeal. The temperatures were far colder than I had anticipated so the hot steaming coffee was a highlight each and every morning. I enjoyed blowing into my coffee cup so the steam would hit me in the face. I didn't want to let go of the metal cup as it warmed my hands for the start of the day. After our morning ritual we would walk, mile on mile, step beyond step, absorbing the vast beauty of the day's hike. We passed gorges and thru thickets, over streams, around Lake Jocasee, soaking up the sunlight as we walked, talking some, but enjoying the quiet as well. There was no need to talk most times, most communication was unspoken. For almost two solid days we didn't see another hiker on the trail. The woods were ours for establishment. Along the way we had friends join for day hikes or evening meals, this was great fun and we looked forward to PEOPLE! (and food, i'm not going to lie).

The life of a hiker is tough. You walk all day, doing the work of the day. You get to camp and you know what the reward is? You get to work more, pumping water, setting up camp, building fire, finding a place for the bear bag, and you do all of this rather quickly before the night captures you. At the end of the week I became slightly more useful and could help with the duties of camp life and eventually my walk in the dark becamse somewhat more light.

I am extremely thankful to have had a tour guide and leader in Emily. I trusted both her and her vicious attack dog, Jinx (about as vicious as a kitten in a child's arms, but I pretended so I
felt safer, haha). I learned so much about camping/hiking as I journeyed in the woods. It also served as a reminder of how blessed we are with all the little comforts in life. Running out of TP on day 3 was not cool :).

Emily and I completed 3 marathons this week as we hiked the Foothills Trail. I got to hold my first snake! She was stung by 4 yellow jackets. I got a blister on my pinky toe. She is going to lose her big toe nail. I got to hear trees talk!! This is what I call an awesome stay-cation. Enjoy the beauty of your backyard. Go take a hike!

LEFT, LEFT, LEFT RIGHT LEFT!

It was all boot camp style today at the Clemson track. We were raided by 40 or so military men out for a 2 mile test run. Of course, Todd, D and I yielded and ran on the outside part of the track to allow the army cadets full use of the inner lanes. There were no time for smiles or prancing. We were running with the military and by all accounts, we had to stay in line. If we were to fall back or take a misstep who knows what the ramifications would be. The sergeant dictated our pace. Easy first 4 mile warm-up, then 2 miles tempo, then 1/2 cool down. Todd rocked out the black tights and yellow shoes which reminds me of Klinger from the old show MASH. He may eventually get us kicked out of the army. D and I were a little more serious proudly wearing our marathon training belts as badges of honor. Round and round we went, backwards to throw off the troops who were running the "normal" direction on the track. We eventually wore out the troops with our steadfast endurance and pressed on to become victorious. We did it, conquered our first hour run and defended our territory by unifying our strengths and keeping step, stride by stride, and more importantly, side by side. LEFT, LEFT, LEFT RIGHT LEFT!! Bring on the Marines!! We're ready to sink them!

Distance: 6.5 miles
Avg. Pace: 9:14

TENT CAMPING IN C-TOWN

Good morning run with D and Benn around Clemson campus. Goal, 50min. of running, no tempo, just easy running. Hilly around outskirts of C-town., then fast and flat around track. Funniest part of the run was the ironic scene around the Clemson ticket office. Students bundled up in tents and cots awaiting for the ticket booth to open so they could get tickets to the weekend football game. The scene......old tents, blankets, cots......something you would see in the woods on a long overnight trail hike, minus the blackberries, laptops and cell phones so obviously displayed around the area. Tents and laptops mixing it up in small city America. I'm sure the kids were most likely studying about late theologians in their study books and calling home to mom and dad on their cell phones, and certainly not texting drivers in Clemson, lol. jk.

What did we learn today? Rest is crucial. After a subpar performance week for D last week due to various stresses, she came out strong today and felt amazing. The key, take time off when you need it so you can hit it hard on your next workout. Don't dig a deeper hole by pushing your body repeatedly into the ground. Danette proudly finished the run, chest up, feeling awesome and pushing the pace. THANKS!

Distance: 5.47
Avg. Pace: 9:08

Running in Circles

I never realized how much fun it is to run in circles. I joined Mr. Ironman himself, Todd Bice for a training run today at the Clemson track. Todd is a pro at running in circles. Today, he had to run for 16 miles in preparation for upcoming IronMan Florida. Dare I do the math, but that makes 64 feverishly fun laps on a track in circles. Some say that doing something over and over again is the definition of insanity. I say, it is otherwise known as discipline and passion fueled together to create an epic adventure at the local track. Ok, maybe it is just a little bit crazy, but why not?

Winds were calm, weather cool. I joined Todd about mile 3 to give him some company for a few miles. Our shadows danced to our right as we went round and round. After going in circles so many times I find that the track is not completely flat. It looks like it is a false flat at times. I should contact the track director and let them know. Alright, maybe i was delusional or just dizzy from going round and round. I bailed at mile 6 to be smart with my healing achilles. Just thankful to be there and running with my friend Todd.

Distance: 6.04 miles
Avg. pace: 9:21

ENDORPHINE HIGH

4:30pm at Clemson Track. Decision time. Danette and I decided to run 4 miles at 10pace. Decision: Run off track, across both dikes. How did I feel? I felt awesome, high on the best kind of drugs, the endorphine high. I couldn't control myself. I was free. Endorphine highs cover up all sorts of aches and pains you may have. You are lost in a dream world, time does not exist. I visualized running the marathon and what it would feel like to cross the finish line, healthy, standing tall, in one piece on March 5th. What would it feel like? I would be grateful, kiss the ground. Danette and I ran the last bit on the track. She pushed thru being tired from a very stressful week. She got in the zone at the end. We were running side by side encouraging each other. Our weaknesses were masked by our camaraderie. We were being cheered on by the loudest fans possible, yelling and clapping. Seriously, the Clemson football team was preparing for the Miami game on Saturday next to the track. Loud speakers were blaring "fan backdrop noise" so that the football players could mimic what the arena would sound like on game day with 80,000 roaring fans. At the same time, unbeknowest to anyone else on Earth, the fan noise was actually for me. Cheering me on each step of the way. I crossed the track finish/start line victorious. New plan. Weird Achilles run thru, pain stop. I'm thankful.

Distance: 4.5 miles
Avg. pace: 8:53

Isaqueena Trail Run

This is an unofficial post. Official marathon training has not begun. Today, Danette and I increased our run time to 40min. after doing 30min runs last week. Our hopes are to progress slowly to avoid injury. We ran in the Isaqueena trails today to enjoy the softer trails. Well, the trails were soft, too soft in fact from the large amount of rain we have had in the last 48 hours. Large amounts of the trail were taped of with yellow criminal "Do not pass" tape. And, of course as free citizens, Danette and I went around the tape. Eventually, we realized that downed trees and other obstacles did create an unworthy running trail so we ended up turning back. I guess we will heed these warning in the future.....but, most likely not. The best part of the run was running up a fire lane, rocked, packed gravel with trees bending over both sides to create a tunnel. As if it were the 1500's, 4 horse drawn carriages passed us. We could have been in amish land for all I knew. This is where Danette began speaking in old English about plantations and beaus and tea time. I think she had practiced for this moment because it was very amusing. Ok, 40minutes completed. Achilles feels weird, but no pain. Amazing recoverite and stretching to follow. I'm thankful. Onward and Upward....Let's do it!

TEST POST :)