Sometimes you come in last

Saturday was the "Endurathon." A 25K race that I was told was "challenging." The word one person used was "punishing." Next time anyone describes something as punishing, I'm taking them at their word and not experiencing for myself. The run is pretty much 15.5 miles of uphill. And I think I would have been OK if I 1) hadn't have been dehydrated and 2.) my shoes didn't suck. I didn't get a chance to drink as much water as I should have, especially considering I was thirsty all day and I had been sick. Then at about mile 6 my toe started hurting from bumping up against the front of my shoe. Something I kind of experienced in Houston, but was able to ignore. My foot and dehydration were not to be ignored this time around. I did manage to finish the race (in a wretched time of 3:30). And hope to NEVER endure the Endurathon again. Oh, did I mention I came in last. Something I've never experienced, but I'm glad I finished.
Now it's onto concentrating on the Austin Marathon.
I think I'm going back to my old Asics. I might get a new pair in the next few days and break them in for Austin. The Mizunos I'm currently in also gave me shin splints. So It's back to my trusty Asics and back to hoping I'll be able to finish the Austin marathon!

Hebrews 12:1

I see this at races a lot and want a shirt that says this

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

Houston

I have no snappy headline for this blog entry because in a word the Houston half marathon: sucked.
But before I start complaining: A big shout out and THANK YOU to my sister, Lizz who paid for my entry to the Houston Half Marathon. Lizz, you rock and I really appreciate all your support!!!
Onto the race report:
I managed to pull a hamstring and I'm still trying to nurse it. And since I'm supposed to run 20 miles this weekend to prepare for Austin, I'm a little bit worried. I think I might run 15 or 18, as much as my body feels ready for and just hope that's enough.
I am proud that I finished the race. At about mile 5 I started to feel the hamstring hurt and managed to sort of limp the last couple of miles in. The only reason I even ran the last mile was because I was determined to have a time better than 2:45. Someone I know and am not too fond of was recently bragging about his "GREAT" half marathon time of 2:45. Before Sunday my worse time was 2:30 and I'm pretty slow. So I was determined to have a better time than he did. I finished in 2:38:38. Not great, but respectable I guess. This was probably one of the only half marathons I've run in which I thought "now I know why people think distance running is so impressive." I struggled to finish, but I did it. Now I just have to get myself mentally ready to run another 26.2 and hope I can do it without injury.

I'm fairly certain I hurt myself going around slower runners and hopping up onto a curb or two. The thing is I KNOW not to do that. In previous races I even reminded myself that no matter what I wouldn't do that. For some reason in Houston I lost all control of my senses and did it anyway. Lesson learned.

But what was most frustrating about the whole ordeal is that the race medics weren't much help. Those along the race course told me: stretch it out. The medical tent at the finish line refused to help me because I wasn't "a medical emergency." I mean all I needed was some ice and someone to wrap my leg. It wasn't asking for an IV drip. Hopefully they'll take notice of what I wrote in my postmarathon survey and fix that next year.

I was happy to have someone to run with. Running with Jordan, who I haven't run with since Nashville in 2004, was really great. It's always nice to have someone to keep you going!

In other fitness news, I've started doing Bikram Yoga. It's the type of yoga where the room is heated and humid. The first class I thought I was going to get sick and pass out. In that order. But now I'm pretty addicted to it. I think the heated room has been good therapy for my pulled hamstring. I'm going to walk a few miles today after work and see how the hammy feels. Wish me luck!!

NY Times Article

When I first moved to San Antonio and went to my doctor for a sinus infection I asked him about some ailments I was having. Mainly that my knees hurt a bit and I wondered if taking glucosamine would help the alieviate the pain. He said: you should stop running. The odd thing is that since I've lost weight and started running on a regular basis (remember those 876 miles last year?) my knees don't hurt anymore. It could be because of the weight loss. But the thing is I had knee pain in high school, weighed about 140 lbs and I was pretty active. I wasn't a runner, but I was active. And now that I'm a runner I don't have knee pain. Odd isn't it.
When I first started having ankle pain I went to a podiatrist who prescribed some steroids and said I shouldn't run so much. Then I found a doctor who is an athlete and well, he's slowly curing what ails me. It never dawned on me that you have to find a doctor who understands sport. I saw this article on the New York Times and I had one of those "ooooh!" moments.

We all knew it was coming...

I did a lot of hemming and hawing over the Austin marathon: should I run the whole? would it be better to do the half? Maybe I should. Maybe I shouldn't.
When in reality I probably made up my mind about it a week after Marine Corps. But then tendinitis wouldn't go away. And then early registration passed. But I couldn't bring myself to just sign up for the half marathon. Then I got the drugs (e.g. cortisone shot) and my ankle feels A..Mazing! So on Monday Allison, aka pancakes, and I signed up for the full marathon.
Am I crazy? Probably. Will I hit the five hour mark I'm hoping for? Probably not. Will it be worth it? It always is :)

I did seven miles of speed work yesterday. I thought I was going to be sick at the end. That's a lot of sprinting! But it felt good overall.
This weekend is the Houston half marathon. Then I have a 21 mile run (which will probably only be 18 for me since my longest run since Marine Corps has been 15 miles.) Then an 8 mile run, a 6 mile run and then the marathon!! I'm completely jazzed!

This and that and 2007 wrap up

My husband and I spent Christmas in Charlotte with my father in-law. And I tell you there is something fabulous about running in Charlotte. I think it's because I feel like I'm running through the opening scene of a movie: wet orange leaves on the ground, tree lined, pedestrian friendly streets. And if I plan my route right there are a few fabulous homeowners who have drinking faucets just on the edge of their lawns for passersby. It's really a runner's paradise. I even found this neat trail that runs by a river/stream/creek not too far from the F-I-L's house. What I always forget about are the hills. OH MY! If I trained there year round I'd have no problem come Austin marathon time!

On to other topics.
I finally tallied up my 2007 mileage. I know you're all in suspense wondering how many miles I ran. If you remember I hoped for 1,000 miles and wasn't going to be able to accomplish that as the days ticked down. I did however run 876 miles. I guess that's a respectable sum. I think I would have been happy with 900 miles, but I guess 12 races, 3 pairs of shoes and one awesome marathon medal to show for 2007 makes it no such a bad accomplishment after all.
I did however go out and run 5 miles today in hopes of making 1,000 miles in 2008!

Oh and I finally broke down and got a cortisone shot in my ankle. I tell you what that HURT! The shot itself didn't hurt, but about 2 hours afterward I couldn't walk around because any pressure made me want to cry. I actually convinced a friend of mine who recently had ligament surgery to lend me his crutches. But I swear that was like a miracle shot. I've been running completely pain free (and happy!) because of it. Which makes 26.2 in Austin more of a reality now.

Happy New Year Everyone!