Quote of the Day!

Realizing your limitations (at any given point in your training) is one of the hardest things to accept as a runner, but it’s also one of the best things to learn, because you find ways to run smarter. - Me!

There are Good Days, and There are BAAAAD Days

Since a picture is worth a thousand words (and I don't want to type it all out), I figured I'd tell you my run in photos! Here goes!

In the beginning...

After 9 miles...

I needed...

But I was dangerously low.

I'm passing by other joggers. I put on a brave smile, hoping I look like this...

When in reality I feel (and probably look more like) this...

By the end of the run, I'm...

Now, you might be thinking that it could be a real downer mentally, being the last long run before a race. But I proved to myself that I can run even when I don't feel that great and still put up a respectable time. And from now on, I'm running with more water!!

Quote of the Day

Slower gets us there faster. Faster seldom gets us there at all.

Marathon Attempt #2!

I signed up for the Wineglass marathon again this year! I'm determined to make it to the start line (and the finish line) on race day - September 30th!

Quote of the Day

There's a big difference between having to run and getting to run.

Where Have I Been?


Yes, it seems I have been lax in writing on my running blog for some time. A brief summary from the last couple months:


Hartwood 10 Miler - August 22, 2011. I'm at the top of my game, but have really run too far too fast during my training runs. One month to go before my first marathon. It's a Sunday and I've docked 27 fast miles before the race. I start out fine with a nice and flat course until I reach mile six. The last four miles are hills. I quickly tire and can't catch my breath. I slow down, and my legs feel heavy. Hill after hill...then I see the finish line, but instead of relief, I find a sinking feeling as I see the race volunteer waiving people onto a trail back into the woods. By the way, a trail is not something you want to race on after you're tired (you end up injuring yourself). So, I'm on the trail and it seems like it will never end, twisting and winding through trees, and over logs. I'm trying to catch a glimpse of the road - I can hear people but can't see them. Finally a clearing and we head out onto the road with just a small incline to the finish. Surprisingly with my troubles, I still finished at an average 9 minute pace. I feel fine...until the next morning. Woke up and there it was - a swollen ankle the size of a grapefruit. Applying pressure was almost unbearable the first day. After many doctor's visits (three different doctors), an x-ray and an MRI, I found that I had two tendon tears (inner and outer peroneal tendon), a blood pool in the calcaneus, and tendonitus. Wow. It took me four months to heal. In the meantime, the only thing I could do was swim. So I joined a gym and started attending a Masters Swimming class in October. 

I swam until I could run again which was in January. I kept my runs slow. I also decided to get a coach. My first race was the Sweetheart's Forever 4 Miler. Last year my time was 34:45 (8:41 pace). After only one month of running, I had no intentions of beating my last year's time. As a matter of fact, I just wanted to finish! I felt tired the first mile of the race with all the hills, but it flattened out a bit and I started getting into a rhythm. I felt great! I had plenty of energy and decided to run by feel. I had enough left in the tank to sprint to the finish and only then did I glance at my watch. I was shocked! I ran 34:01 (8:30 pace)! After the race I spoke with several other women who had injuries and swam during their off time. And they too came back stronger! I really didn't think that swimming could help keep my cardio up, but it did!


So now that I'm running again, I bet you're wondering if I'm still swimming. Well, I'm proud to say yes I am! I use swimming as my cross-training. I use it on my recovery days. It's FANTASTIC on recovery days. You get a great cardio workout without the impact. You also increase your lung capacity, and work your upper body and core. So with every dark cloud comes a silver lining. If I hadn't injured myself, I would never have found swimming. And since it's become a part of my routine, it's made me a stronger runner.


I've run several races since then and every single race I've run I've beat my last year's time! Imagine that!

Discovering The Joy of Trail Running

Last Sunday's long run represented a milestone for me. I finished a 16 mile trail run with my running buddy Christine! It's the farthest I've gone since I started running last June. I haven't run much on trails until recently, and I've found I really like it!

Trail running isn't as speedy as road running, but that doesn't mean it's easy. The trail's uneven surface requires you to use your leg muscles and core for balance, and the obstacles and hills prompt you to pick up your feet which strengthens your quads and glutes. I think over time trail runs will make me a stronger runner.

Trail runs bring another element to the standard road-running routine. They allow you to surround yourself with nature, forming a protective barrier from the car exhaust, noise, concrete, and buildings. Trail running reminds me of how running is supposed to be, a world that is not dominated by storefronts and sidewalks. Venture away from the roads and you'll find it in the narrow, worn footpaths that divide the parched plains teeming with nomadic wildlife, or the foggy country dirt path that smells of honeysuckle and hay, or deep in the forest mountains where the aroma of spruce and evergreen saturate the air and haunting echos of eagles call in the distance. There's adventure, beauty, and peace in these places, which brings a sense of accomplishment and general happiness in completing such a run. What we find in those trails is a different perspective and a place in the heart and mind that aren't accessible on suburban streets. 

If I sound like I'm romanticizing trail running, maybe I am. Everyone experiences trails differently because we're looking for different things. Yet most of us who pursue those remote paths will find what we need along the way.