26.2 miles...check, mate

I DID IT! I think that I didn't fully comprehend the distance until about mile 20...at which point my body just started to break down. My lungs were great, I was not out of breath at all...it was just that my legs and feet and hips seemed to no longer want to work. One foot in front of the other was suddenly harder than I'd ever imagined it could be.

Pre-race: Emmy had her parents & brother in town so Josh, Mom, Dad & I went to Manayunk and feasted on home-made meatballs and spaghetti for a carb-loading dinner. It was wonderful, and fun, and we all got psyched up for the race. Emmy & I even decorated our t-shirts with "YOU are a MARATHON RUNNER...KICK IT!" on the backs. Our names, of course, are on the front for all those new friends you make on the sidelines.

Miles 1-8 - Feeling Great!!
Emmy & I are running together and amazed at the people and the city and this whole race. There's a common saying among marathoners that this run is a 20 mile warm-up to a 6 mile race. So, my first mind game of the run was that when I passed mile 6...the hard part was over, and I just had 20 miles to go. It worked for a little bit...

Miles 9-13.1 - Emmy paces ahead of me (Kick it!!) and I'm still feeling great as I pass the half-way point. At this point I keep repeating Barney's lessons on how to train for a marathon: "Step 1 - You start running. Step 2 - there is no step 2, you just keep running." Then I start singing to myself "Just keep running, just keep running" a la Dory from Finding Nemo...

13.1-18.5 - Starting to feel "not so great" but happy that I know I'm still ahead of the 5:00 pace group. That is...until I stop to stretch at a water station and look up in time to see the pace group running past me. I jumped up (Okay, I didn't jump) and ran to catch up with them. Ended up staying with them for a few miles and have nothing but wonderful things to say about the pace leader. What a woman: completely able to keep up conversation and positive reinforcement for everyone. Thank you! Then, about mile 18.5 as we headed up the hill to Manayunk I had to listen to my body and slow back. That was the moment I realized that this was no longer about time for me. It was about finishing. No one said it had to be fast, and no one said it had to be pretty...
Though I did see Thing 1 & Thing 2 at mile 14 which made me laugh because Emmy & I had seen Thing 1 in the beginning and had made a goal of finding Thing 2. I won! (I think)
Miles 18.5-20 - Manayunk. The first people I saw as I turned the corner into Manayunk were Tony (Emmy's brother) and his girlfriend Christine! What a happy surprise. They held me up for a second while I stretched and until I could make it a little further down the road to Megan & Alison at the Bryn Mawr tent. Meg went on a mission to find me water for when I came back around and then I saw Emily & Patrick! Before I knew it, "this is why I'm hot" was blaring on the speakers at the turn around and I was FINALLY on my way to the finish line. I did not take a beer from the Beer Stop table, but I did have some potato chips and a brownie :)

Miles 20-22 - Utter pain and despair. I start to wonder if my legs might actually detach from my hips and fall off. I start to worry about being able to make it to the finish line. Suddenly, my arm is buzzing, I look down and...

Mile 22 - Lizzy is calling me! (I should have been finished) but her call totally took me through mile 22. Thank you for convincing me that 4 miles was completely do-able!

Mile 23 - I'm thinking in my head about this story I read once about the participants in the Special Olympics: how sometimes, in the middle of an event, they'll just sit down on the ground because they can't go any further. But they all have angels that are assigned to them and they come out onto the course and help them up and keep them going towards the finish. I'm thinking about this story, and wondering where my angel on the sideline is. Because I really need it. I'm talking to anyone who is walking with me, but no one sticks (though I met some amazing people). Then I look over and see a woman wearing a Phillies sweatshirt, "Yay Phils!" I muster; trying to keep up the positive thoughts in my head, and keep OUT the negative ones that were creeping in. She smiles at me, and that is when I meet Phyllis, and she ends up being my angel in this race. She totally paced me in miles 23-26 ("we're going to run 2 light-posts and walk 1"), and I truly believe that this woman's purpose in my life was to be there and pace me in. She is amazing. I doubt I will ever see her again. This was her 17th marathon, and she's 44 and I love her.Mile 25 - I'm telling Phyllis all about my little packet of 26.2 miles of inspiration and how I had been reading all these really inspiring things from my friends and family for the last 24 miles. As we got to mile 25 I told her I'd read it out loud..."You're the a-hole that signed up for this! Hope you're not too sore from soaring. Love, Christa" We both busted up laughing. What a great quote for mile 25.

Mile 26 - I took off and ran with as much as was left in me for the last .2 miles. As soon as I could see the finish line banner I was completely overcome with emotion and just tears were streaming down my face. I could not believe that I was here and doing it. I saw Emmy jump out from the side as I rounded the corner and that made me smile and then I crossed the finish line and just collapsed into my family.What a feat. I cannot thank my friends and family enough for all their love and support. I will never forget this.

Lessons on running from How I Met Your Mother

Click on the title to see. I actually cried I laughed so hard.

Lesson #1 - Just keep running
Lesson #2 - DON'T SIT DOWN

3 days...

I checked the website again today to sign up for the Clif bar pace team...and saw the clock countdown in the corner. Unreal that this day is finally just around the corner. I think I've officially reached "freak out status" because every time I think about the marathon I get short of breath.

As Heather told me today, though: no matter what happens you will still be alive after it’s over, the planet will still be turning, and Obama will still be the president in January. The end.

It's a good mantra :)

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

T-minus 6 days...I can hardly believe it.

I spent the majority of last week coughing and hacking and wheezing, but took off Friday from work and finally kicked the cold in the ARSE. So there. Take THAT sickness. On Saturday I rose early and headed to the gym for my last long run before the race. Since it was cold/rainy out again this weekend I opted for treadmill action instead of risking another cold. I felt great, but stopped after 6 miles purely from boredom of running on a treadmill.

Also, fun fact, I like to watch TBS movies on Saturday morning if I'm running at the gym. Usually I'll just watch whatever movie they're airing but this Saturday it was...Richie Rich. I've never been more self-conscious of my TV screen. At every commercial I'd be like "man, I wonder what ELSE is on" and half-heartedly search through other channels before inevitably arriving back at TBS. See, the truth is, I kind of liked the movie. It's entertaining, and really I just need a story line to keep me going for a couple hours. I'm cool. I know it...

The run was good, and nothing physically hurt afterwards. Achilles? Check. Knees? Check. I am thrilled.
It was a great self-confidence booster, as was the shopping trip that Brie & I took that afternoon. My wallet is hurting...but my closet is busting!

Tonight I have an easy 4 miles and then Yoga for some good stretchy-ness.

I got SUPER pysched this morning when I looked up the course map again. The last 13.5 miles are through the Kelly Drive loop that I know so well...I think I had my first "mental" feeling that I'm really going to do this. And it's going to be AWESOME.
omg...it's almost time. I can't believe that by this time Next Week, I'll be a marathoner.

Taper Madness

Last night Emmy sends me this email

"by the way, not sure if this describes you at all bec - but it's describing me....

taper madness!

http://www.runrichmond.com/id33.html"

And it totally is...especially this part: "Every sneeze, sniffle, cough or pimple becomes a life-threatening virus or infection."

After our run on Saturday morning where it started raining, I developed a chest cold. ARGH. I mean AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH. But it'll be OK. I am taking Nyquil to get decent night's sleeps and am looking forward to a 5 mile run on the treadmill tomorrow. I refuse to lose any more fitness...even though I know I'm supposed to be tapering. It's a maddening mindset to be forced into less running when I feel like I should still be pushing myself.

Four-teen

With big plans of a homemade Chicken Parm dinner before the 14, Josh came over to find me still sitting in front of the computer with 3 different recipes in front of me, and the oven not even pre-heating. He laughed at me, and then suggested we indulge in a meal out. Thank goodness. We went to Primavera Pizza Kitchen, which is just up the street from my house, and has yet to disappoint me.

The forecast was calling for rain on Saturday am, but when I woke up at 6:30 the skies were still just threatening. I met Emmy at the movie theater in Manayunk and we kept pace together for the first 2 miles or so. Our route today: From the movie theater to City Hall and back (via Kelly Drive). It was wonderful. After Emmy picked up her pace, I focused on keeping mine and enjoyed people-watching. There was a Crew race happening on the river that day and on my way down Kelly Drive, I got to watch them setting up. It was a rush to finally have City Hall come into view and get closer and closer...and then to turn around and have the same experience with the Art Museum. Two of the most iconic buildings in Philadelphia, and I have them both in the same run. I felt spoiled. On the way back, I started up my audio book (Sex, Drugs & a Double Latte -- Heather, you're right: very funny and keeps my attention!) and got to see the Crew race in full swing. Around mile 10 I started having trouble, began running for a quarter mile at a time and then walking 30seconds to a minute. Before starting up again, I would start to chant to myself little mantras: "come on, Becca you can do this" and "all right, another quarter mile down! You're almost there. The Falls Bridge is around the corner", and then there's Emmy's personal favorite: "YOU'RE A MARATHON RUNNER".


Pretty soon the Falls Bridge was a memory and I looked up and saw Emmy coming back to run the last mile with me. Hooray! Em pushed me that last mile (thank you, emmy) and while it started to rain on our last quarter mile, it POURED just as we got back to my car. Perfect timing. 14 miles in about 2.5 hours. I'm looking at a 5 hour marathon, probably. It will be painful, but I will finish it. This training season has been racked with sickness, weddings (see also: drinking to excess, eating to excess and not getting proper runs in) and injury. I'm really proud of all that I've accomplished so far, and absolutely cannot wait to cross that finish line on November 23rd.

The Twenty

On my run...20 mi (Nov 2)
Originally uploaded by Becca Elizabeth

and no, not the "twenty" that you get to see in the movie theater when you get there early. This was one of the more grueling runs I've ever completed...and actually, the longest one to date. I didn't make the full 20 miles. I almost threw in the towel at mile 14 and called it quits, already fighting back tears, when Steve came running back towards me on the trail. Emmy & Steve had run ahead, and Josh had been following me on his bike. My first thought when I saw Steve was "oh no, something's happened to Emmy." Thankfully (for Emmy) Steve had only come back because he'd lost Emmy and wasn't sure of the rest of the route.
Now that it wasn't just Josh with me (who was being completely sweet about my breakdown) and was with Steve (who was someone I'd met only 2x before) I put on my brave face and picked up my feet. We ran/walked/ran/bitched about how we should have been training better/ran some more, etc...for the remaining 4 miles. As great as it was having Josh with me for the first 14 miles (and THANK YOU JOSH , YOU ARE THE BEST if you're reading this) I have to say that it was having Steve there that pulled me through the final miles.

The good:
The run was amazing. The route was beautiful, and one that I've always wanted to do from start to finish. We started out in Valley Forge and followed the Schuylkill River Trail all the way down to Philadelphia. Not to mention all the insanely beautiful leaves that were out. There was even a section of trail that twisted its way through a wooded tow path in Manayunk:

unfortunately, this was only shortly before my mental and physical breakdown. I'm actually still amazed that I realized my surroundings were pretty. I was in a sorry state.

I think the most frustrating part of it all was that cardiovascular-wise, I was tip-top. Doing great. Heart rate - easily in the 180's. It was everything below the waist that was killing me. My knees, my feet, my hips, my joints, my TOES. I mean every step, even walking, was a personal hell. The thing is, I'd been so good about keeping my heart in good shape while I got over the Achilles Thing, I'd been completely un-aware of the fact that all that elliptical work was going to do NOTHING to prepare my body for the physical pounding I was currently giving it.

We made it back to Emmy's house, where I proceeded to collapse on the floor of her living room while she gave me a banana and a jar of peanut butter.

I had to ice my knee for the next 48 hours. The best part of the WHOLE thing though, the silver lining, was 2 things. My Achilles didn't hurt at all...and the best part...I just ran 18 miles. Holy sh*t.

360 degrees of Awesome

360 degrees of Awesome
Originally uploaded by Becca Elizabeth

The Phillies won the World Series. Oh my goodness.


Tomorrow (Sunday?) The 20-miler. My first time back on the road for a long run since the Achilles Tragedy of 2008.

All right, I get it all ready!

I'm already in a short-term boot and on prescription anti-inflammatory meds. I'd given in to taking a few days off running when I got hit by a mac truck with a cold(?) on Sunday. Pretty much it went like this:
Wed/Thurs/Fri/Sat - thinking and psyching myself up for a good elliptical run on Monday
Sunday - BAM, death rattle cough, chest & head congestion and a sore throat

I feel like someone/thing is making it pretty clear that maybe I need to take a step back and take care of myself right now for a little bit.

The plan for this week is to see how I'm feeling after a solid 12 hours of sleep tonight and then maaaaaaybe pick up some good cardio later in the week.

Fun fact: Tomorrow I have a the physical I scheduled to make sure I was healthy enough to run the marathon. I'm going to show up on the tail end of meds, in a boot, with a box of kleenex. Even I think it's hilarious.

Achilles...

Been having major pain in the lower back of my calf. From this handy diagram, I'd say it's a toss up between the Achilles Tendon (tendonitis??) and the Plantaris Tendon. The pain is in the skinny part, but closer to the top than the bottom. And that's just the pain when I push on it.

I have spent the better 1/2 of my afternoon trying to get a podiatrist to see me before I hop on a plane to Albuquerque tomorrow. I'm supposed to have a 16 mile run this weekend...I really don't want to miss it. I'm being good though, and staying completely off it until I see the dr. Thankfully, I got an appointment for tomorrow am. Fingers crossed...

Week 13: Day 1: 5 miles

It constantly amazes me when I get home and the thought "well, it should be an easy 5-miler" goes through my head. Since WHEN have I thought that 5 miles was "easy"!?

That's what training will do to you: when you know that you have runs coming up that will be 3 or 4 times that distance, suddenly 5 seems like chump change.

Last night was a Great Run. I did the whole loop and made it home just as it was starting to get too-dark. No music, not even an audio book (too lazy/hurried to download one before I left) and just the cars, and the sound of my own labored breath. I am excited by the fact that my theory of the first 2 miles being the hardest is holding true. It seems that if I can get past 20 minutes, I can go forever. It becomes a game of "I can make it to the next light, it's only a couple blocks..." and before I know it I can be 5 miles out from home. Of course, this time I was happy to turn around, the ever quickly fading days are a deterrent to my after-work runs.

I might need to get one of those reflecting-vests things. And a road ID. Maybe some mace...

Next is a 7 miler and then I'm in Albuquerque visiting a good friend for the rest of the week/weekend. She's promised breakfast for me when I get back my runs in the morning. Good friend :) Thank you, Janelle! Maybe I'll get you out there for my "chump change" run on Friday...it's only 5 miles...

Week 12: Day 6: 10.5 miles (or 1hr 38min on an elliptical)

Still smarting from Thursday's run, and trying to soothe my achilles tendon, I decided to do a run at the gym on Saturday morning instead of attempting to pound pavement. My friend, Heather, helped me realize that I'm better off taking it a little easy this week than hurting myself and not being able to do the 16 miler next weekend.

Heather, not only am I updating this thing, I have mentioned you personally. Honestly, I think you're maybe one of 3 people that have actually read it, so you deserve the shout-out :)

So, resigned to elliptical cardio-training, I looked up the movie on TBS for Saturday and was delighted to see that it was Varsity Blues! I can easily run for 2 hours if I'm watching a movie, and in fact, it's one of the few saving graces of a long run brought indoors on a Saturday morning.

Felt pretty good afterwards, and looking forward to a run outside on Monday. Nothing better than a crisp fall run. I'm working on psyching myself up for the 16 I have waiting for me while I'm in Albuquerque...

Week 12: Day 4: 6 miles

New Shoes.
Normally very exciting, and in fact I was doubly excited because these particular new shoes were not only a new brand but a new color! Yellow! I could hardly wait to get home and run.

It all started out so well...until about mile 1. That's when I realized that my right shoe was too loose, and decided to tighten the laces. Mile 1.3, and I felt like there was a wooden board in my shoe that was slamming into the bottom of my ankle with every step. I deal with this pain (why!?) until mile 2.5 when I finally loosen the shoe again only to run about 1/2 a mile before I have to sit down, take off my shoe and re-tie it. As I took off (now on my way back) all was good for a hot minute before the wooden board was back, this time coupled with an uncomfortable feeling in my lower intestine.

Awesome.

I'm 3 miles from home, limping, angry at Brooks for making torture-shoes, and now I'm trying to weigh the pros & cons of a public restroom.

By the time I got home, my right achilles was tender to the touch and walking was painful. I ripped off the shoes, shoved them back into the box they came in and vowed to never own a pair of Brooks again. I marched back to the running store (Bryn Mawr Running Store - awesome staff and excellent customer service) on Friday during my lunch break and left with my tried & true Saucony Omni 7's.

I have no idea what made me think I should stray from these...I was tempted by the thought of something better, but got burned. Sticking with what works.

Week 9: Day 3: 7 miles

My cat (adorable as he is) got a hold of my last pair of headphones and now there is a tooth puncture in the left earbud rendering it useless and the volume level is suddenly dramatically decreased. All this led to a very frustrating 3 mile run on Tuesday where I kept having to up the volume until I was afraid the next person to plug into my treadmill at the gym would go deaf.
So I bought new running headphones.
Sony.
And I tried them out today.
They are A W F U L. I wasn't a quarter mile into my run when they fell off for the first time, and then after a frustrating 3 full minutes of trying to find a good fit they fell out again as soon as I broke a sweat. Not a mile into my run, I ripped them out in disgust and ran the rest of the way sans my running playlist. Grrrr.

Sony, I am disappointed. I am returning your "one size fits all" earphones tomorrow and buying the Nike ones. You should be ashamed.


Aside from all that, I was pretty happy with the run. I made it down to Airdale and then headed back through Ardmore, there were so many people out running tonight! I passed at least 4 people on my side of Montgomery, and it was fun...like a sense of camaraderie. I am sure that it helped with the whole no-music thing too. Making sure I was smiling when I passed other runners (lest they think I am not enjoying it, I am! Really!) helped keep me remembering that I really do enjoy running. I started to notice each breath, and the pain in my lungs just reminding me that I was here. now. this moment. Sometimes I get overwhelmed at the goal ahead of me and I forget what got me started in the first place.

I started thinking (around mile 3, I think) that I want to do the fund raising thing to help the East Coast Assistance Dogs association that helped my sister find a an assistance dog, and ultimately the freedom to live life a little more on her own terms. I've always thought that gift of independence was a invaluable to Heather, and I think that even though what they did for her was a first; I want it to be the beginning of something bigger.