Registered

I registered for the Dallas Rock 'N' Roll Half next March. Hoping this gives me enough time to adequately prepare.

I've set a tentative goal of 2:20 which I think is realistic based on where I am now. I would love to finish under 2 hours, but that may be a tad ambitious for my first half. We'll see where the training leads me.

Speaking of training, would be glad for training plan recommendations. I know of a few out there, but would like to hear your first-hand experiences.

Here we go...

Positive and Negative

I've been avoiding writing for the last few days because I didn't really have much to say that didn't have a negative cast to it.  Maybe a short post with both positive and negative will help push me past.

Negative:

(Skip down to positive if you'd like to avoid my negativity.)

It's been hard for me to read some running blogs and see how cavalier some people are about their running.  They laugh off missed workouts, mention just in passing their runs like they're no big deal, and describe their spur-of-the-moment runs with whoever happens to come calling that day.  All at paces that I can merely dream of at this point.  I know runners aren't supposed to compare themselves with other runners--that the only person we're in competition with is ourselves. I'm pretty sure I'm not upset about their distances or pace--those will come with time, effort, and patience. I'm not scared of the hard work. I guess what needles me is their attitude.

But I just work so hard.

I push, and push to the very edge of what I can do right now, to the brink of injury.  I plan my workouts out, put them into our combined calendar weeks in advance.  I run at 5 am to beat the heat.  I run at 8:30 at night after the kids are in bed instead of spending time with my wife.  I run after 12 hour shifts at work--I run on my days off.  I run instead of taking naps. I know there are many of you out there who do the same and I love and respect your efforts.

In reward for my hard work, I improve every time I run.

Something that I am tremendously grateful for.

But it's like they're laughing in the face of my hard work and dedication when I read about some runners doubling, even tripling my runs at paces 4, or even 5 minutes per mile faster, and giggling about it just being an easy/recovery run or saying, "I ran this so much faster than I meant to."

Oops.

I just wish people were more respectful(?), appreciative(?), reverent(?) of their ability...

I don't even really know what I wish people were like.

I just know it's frustrating me lately.

Positive:

So today I picked up my race packet for my 5k on Saturday.  The packet pickup happened to be at my gym.  As I passed by the table on my way to the treadmills, the girl manning the packet table asked me if I was there to pick up.  Maybe, just maybe, I resemble a runner?  It was fun to grab my stuff, and to hear her tell me to have a good workout.  Maybe, just maybe, I resemble someone who works out?

Anyway, I'm getting excited.  I'm worrying a bit about getting there on time as my wife works the night before (we're both nurses, but she works nights).  Although she's leaving work early for me just to get home to stay with the kids while I go run my race, I'm worried it won't be early enough.  I will likely get to the race site about 20-25 minutes before the 5k start time.  Maybe it will be better that way since I'll have that much less time to be overwhelmed and nervous like I usually am in new situations with lots of people and apparent disorganization and chaos.  I plan to be dressed, pottied, stretched, fed, hydrated, freaked out, by the time my wife gets home so that I can bolt out the door.

Am I maybe obsessing
if I've checked the forecast for Saturday morning every morning and night for the last week?

Today I ran an interval workout that I've been successful with previously (1/4 mile intervals at 11:20 pace and 9:40 pace for 3 miles) to end on a high note for my last workout before the race.  It was a good workout.  I felt like I was attacking the faster intervals and the last couple I started early, ended late, and pushed the pace.  (See, even now I keep thinking about my successful workout and realizing it's somebody else's warm up or cool down. Bad negative thoughts!  Bad!  Sit!  Stay!)

I'll take the day off tomorrow and hydrate.  I hope that leads to a successful race.  Kind of just trying to feel my way through prepping for for race day--I'm bound to make a mistake, but I guess I'll just chalk it up to a learning experience.

Oh, and I'm down 35 lbs now (well, 34.8) in almost exactly 2 months.  Hoping to hit 240 lbs on the nose by next Thursday in time for my CRNA school interview.  Going to require no hiccups in my diet for the next 7 days, and consistent workouts, but I think I'll nail it.

People Watching, Milestone & 5k Taper

This morning I extended my distance for my long run from 4 miles to 5 miles.  I ran for an hour (12:00 pace) on the treadmill at the gym. 

It was an exercise in self control because I kept having the urge to turn the pace up.  But since I was going further than ever, I resisted to ensure that I'd still be in it at the end.  Likely I would have been just fine with some mild increases in pace to keep things interesting, and probably would have shaved a few minutes off my overall time.

It's interesting to me to people watch while I'm on the treadmill--I like to keep tabs on those around me.  Don't get me wrong, I will definitely whip out the stinkeye if someone boards the treadmill directly next to me when there's many other open options (drives me nuts!), but I do find it interesting to observe other people. 

It's like a little micro-community that forms, then dissolves, then reforms as time passes by.  Being on the treadmill for much longer than 30 minutes grants a perfect view of this.  It can be rather interesting because when you pass by, it can be impressive to see the guy that's pounding along at hefty pace decked out in all his workout gear. 

I've been intimidated by that guy several times in the past. 

But when you start spending time on the treadmill you discover "superman" only does a mile and done.  I'm not faulting anyone for the distance they put in, but rather I find him a lot less intimidating knowing that long after he's stepped off I'll still be running.

In fact it gives me a pretty good boost (and a small sense of pride) when I'm running, and somebody shows up, puts in their workout and finishes, leaving me still running.

People are funny. 

Like this morning, there was a woman on a treadmill in front of me and to the left a bit.  She just really didn't want to be there.  She started her treadmill, then stopped about 30 seconds later to fiddle with her headphones.  Restarted, only to stop to meticulously arrange her towel to cover the display.  Restart, then stop to adjust her shoes.  Restart, towel falls off.  Restart, headphones again.  Restart, then bathroom/water break.  I wonder if she's under the impression that she's putting in a workout?

I wonder what people see when they look at me? 

I wonder if I look as fat and awkward as I feel sometimes.  I hope that I'm earning at least a little bit of "street cred" when they see someone my size putting in the work to get it done.  Likely I'm far less conspicuous than I feel. 

Either way, I'm not stopping.

So this taper week.  Is there such a thing as a taper for a "just want to finish" 5k?

My plan is to take tomorrow off (because I work).  Then some sort of average workout on Monday--maybe a moderately paced 2.5 miles?  Then I work again Tuesday and Wednesday so I'll take those days off too, though I would normally put in at least one late night run.  Thursday I have an intervals workout planned--likely I'll do a repeat of yesterday's run alternating 1/4 mile intervals.  Then a rest day on Friday (maybe a short, light, easy run??)  Then race day on Saturday!!

Does that sound like an appropriate taper?  Please someone more experienced leave me a comment...

Getting a bit nervous.

Today was a good day to run...

Turns out today was a good day to run.

I was worried.

Last night I went to bed with a tweaked knee.

That's what will happen when you have to move a 396.7 lb patient that refuses to even attempt to assist, all by your lonesome.  How does something like that happen?  Well, aside from the lack of impulse control and personal responsibility that allows somebody to become 400 lbs in the first place (and subsequently experience all the health conditions that come along with being morbidly obese), when your unit is 2 complete nurses below proper staffing levels, there just isn't anyone to help.  Add one part unfair impatience and over demanding ignorance on the part of the patient and family, and yours truly is set up for an injury.

So yes, I did single handedly move 400 lbs of dead weight.  (I don't have superhero strength, I'm just a nurse.)  And I sure did limp out of the room with a tweaked knee.

Two months ago I would have chalked it up to a normal day at work and gone on without complaint.  But yesterday, I ended up limping directly to the break room to compose myself.

You see, there was this despair that welled up inside me.  What if it was a permanent injury?  What would happen to all the progress that I've made?  Would my new found love for running simply go to the wayside? 

And then came the anger.  Anger at administration that continually puts patient safety, my safety, my license and livelihood on the line, day after day.  I mean, if something untoward happened, I'd be hung out dry; left holding the bag while the hospital churned on, business as usual.  How unfair.

Then, most concerning, came the contempt.  Contempt for the patient in the bed that allowed himself to get in that condition.  For demanding so much of others when he's obviously unwilling to hold himself to the same standard.

But as a nurse, I am not afforded the luxury of being judgmental.  I am good at what I do because I remain impartial--a champion for the needs of the patient.  I am to be the patient's biggest (and often only) advocate in navigating the frightful healthcare system we have in this country.

So yeah.  Not a red letter day for me.

(Wow, sorry.  Didn't expect for all that to come boiling over.)

This morning I woke up gratefully and thankfully pain and tweak free.

I had planned an interval workout for today, and since by 9 am it was already 90* out, I opted for the treadmill.  Actually intervals on the treadmill make a lot of sense for me since it offers complete control over pace, distance, and time.

I ended up running 1/4 mile @11:30 pace, then 1/4 mile @9:40 pace, alternating back and forth (as intervals are apt to do) for 3 miles.  Then, as I was ending on a fast interval, I just continued on to complete the 5k since that's the distance on my mind these days.  So I ended up 3.11 miles in 32:41--a perfectly snappy time for me.

At the end I felt spent, but not obliterated.  And, of course, basking in that immediate post-run glow.  All the despair, anger, and contempt from yesterday was left splattered in sweaty drops on the treadmill, and wiped away with a handi-wipe.

Today was a good day to run.

UPS Brought My Wings Today

Maybe it's cliche.  Maybe it's overused.  Maybe its metaphoric imagery has long since faded.

But these shoes are my wings.

They've set me free from who I was.

Creating in me who I will become.

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 13

My only regret is that I'm headed back to work and getting a run in them will be a scheduling coup.

Mama said there'd be days like this.

I set my alarm for 5 am this morning to run. It went off to the tune of thunder and flashes of lightning, so I reset it for 6. When it went off again I just turned it off. At 8:30 I finally dragged myself out of bed, but it was time to head out to grandma's house to retrieve our children. On a whim I stuck my shoes and a pair of shorts in the car, just in case.

By the time we arrived at grandma's house, the sun still hadn't come out from behind the morning rain clouds, so I laced up and headed out.

I was running along a Farm to Market road out in the country.  While there was relatively little traffic, what traffic there was was barreling along at 60 mph on a narrow road with no shoulders.

I was a tad anxious I'd soon become a Texas hood ornament.

I couldn't get settled into a pace, and every time I looked down I was running 9 minute miles--way faster than I could sustain for very long.

The morning rains had served to create stifling humidity, and the temp had risen into the 80s.

My trip outbound went fairly well, although it had a few more hills than I was used to. When I turned around and started back though, I realized the breath of a breeze I'd been enjoying would now be at my back, and no longer discernable.

At about 2 miles, I ended up walking for a bit, and tried a few times to restart before it finally stuck.

I managed to finish 5k, and stay under a 12 min pace, barely...

I know not every workout can be amazing, so I'm hoping today was the day for a bad workout for me.

Neon Peacocks

Friday night wasn't a good night sleepwise. For some inexplicable reason my diaphragm decided it had been far too long since my last bout with hiccups.

Clearly the best time for a fit of hiccups is at 0230 am...for the next 3 hours.

My neck and stomach muscles are still sore. Hiccups are a heck of a core workout in case you were wondering. One set of 3 hours of hiccups is plenty.

Needless to say, my planned long run for Saturday morning was questionable at best based on the perceived effort of just assembling breakfast for the kids and myself. (In fact I forgot about my oatmeal until I went to make lunch!)

I decided that Saturday was a perfect rest day. And I was perfectly content to go runless.

I even valiantly resisted testing my new shoes.

Until 2000 or so (8pm for you non hospital/military folks).

Everyone knows the best time for a shakedown run in new shoes requires completely upsetting bedtime routines. And laundry.

Armed with pure inconvenience, I ran 2.25 miles of one minute intervals alternating 12:00 pace with 9:50 min pace. My idea was to teach my body to regroup while continuing on running. No walking allowed.

At least that was the idea.

Either way, my new shoes were light and comfy, and as an added bonus they caused me to run like I was drunk on the treadmill.

Plus they are a super bright shade of red/pink that I catch out of the corner of my eye causing me to think I'm being chased by a neon peacock.

My feet/ankles/knees are a little tired as a result of transitioning to minimalist shoes, but no pain. Tomorrow morning I'm running the 5k course again

In my very jealous older shoes.