Undertrained and Over Confident: Smuttynose Half Marathon Recap

If you've been following my running story lately then you know that over the summer I developed a nasty case of Plantar Fasciitis. It first started in February but didn't hit its peak level of pain until July after I took a break from running and started up my Half Marathon training again.

As my runs got longer and harder the pain grew more intense until I was completely disabled by it. I forced myself to go to the podiatrist where I was quickly diagnosed with PF.

Long story short, I was barely able to train. The podiatrist assured me that rest would help my feet. He gave me 2 cortisone shots in each foot over a period of 2 weeks. They did nothing to touch the pain.

My training consisted of strengthen my arms and using our rowing machine to keep up my cardio. My nutrition suffered as hard as I tried to get it back on track. Depression set in and my emotions decided my food choices.

In the days leading up to the race I hoped that it would be cancelled due to rain as thunderstorms had been foretasted. No such luck.

I was up at 4:30 in the morning to get my family to the beach where the race was before the 8 am start time. I woke up to rain and although the weather report said otherwise it never stopped.

I had no delusions of grandeur going into this race. I just wanted to get it done giving it my all in the process. My two mantras that I wrote on my hands to remind myself of when the course got tough were "No Regrets" and "Leave it all on the course."

Did I look at those mantras often?  Oh yeah I did.

The traffic getting to the race wasn't too nuts, we got to the beach by 6:30am, but there was a long line of cars behind us. For anyone thinking of running this race in the future then I suggest getting there early because they closed the roads at 7 am.

About 10 minutes before the race started I got in my corral with my family by my side and they stuck around until the last minute. They sent us out in waves so I didn't start until a few minutes after 8 and I was getting anxious to start. Of course, it was just a few hundred feet after the start line that I stepped in a puddle and had soggy feet for the rest of the race. That's alright by the end of it I was soaked to the bone.

The first 3 miles were like something out of a Spartan Race because we were jumping puddles left and right. I felt really good those first few miles although I secretly wished I had dropped down to the 5K they were holding simultaneously so I could just be done. I knew the pain was just going to get worse.

The way the race is set up spectators have 4 chances to see runners:  the start and finish and two times in between during the first loops. I was able to see my husband and daughter two times, both times when I rounded the beach. The last time I saw them before the finish I shouted, "See you in 9 miles!"

I did great the first 5 miles up until I had to slow down to take my fuel. After that it was hard to keep up my momentum.  

By mile 7 my feet hurt. My quads hurt too. I stopped to stretch a few times and I'm glad I did but I actually felt pretty good for miles 8-10. 

So much rain!

It wasn't until mile 10 that the rain really started to get to me. It didn't help that the cold air from the ocean started to hit me so my arms and fingers went numb. It was so cold I could see my breath. 

By mile 11 I was picking out markers to run to. I'd tell myself to just run until the guardrail ends and then walk to the person wearing the red coat. Doing this kept me going. 

It was all mental by the end. 

By mile 12 I was literally seeing stars. I knew the pain from my feet was increasing my blood pressure. At this point it was all mental. I told myself that if I kept running I would be done with this race a whole lot sooner than if I walked it. 

I was desperate to be done.

The pain in my feet was intense and I was a soggy mess. 

When I finally entered the finish chute and saw my husband holding my daughter I was overjoyed. I quickly snatched her from his arms and told her to run. I started screaming, "Go, Scarlett! "  She just giggled beside me. 

After we crossed the finish line and I looked up from grabbing my medal and turning off my watch, I noticed she had a medal too and the biggest grin on her face to go along with it.

It was a great moment to share with her. 

After hugs from my husband and daughter we snatched up our free lobster roll, clam chowder and beer and then we ran back to the car to dry off. 

I've never been so happy to be done with a race in my life!  Looking back, I am glad I did it, but considering my injury, it might not have been the brightest idea I've had. 

Now it's time to heal my feet and get back to basics. I can't wait to run a 3K this weekend!

There is no shame in starting over. 

What Will Surely Be 13.1 Miles of Agony

Well, this is it folks.  The end of my second half marathon "training."  It definitely didn't go as I planned considering I've hardly logged 1/3 of the miles that I should have to prepare for it.

If you are just tuning in then I must share with you that I developed a pretty severe case of plantar fasciitis back in July that only seemed to get worse with traditional medical treatments (2 rounds of failed cortisone shots.)  The next step is an ultrasound which will likely show that the fasciia has thickened to the point that surgery will be my only relief.

Even though I am in a significant amount of pain on a day to day basis, I am not ready to go there.

So back to my half marathon "training" we go!

I could totally beat myself up by claiming I didn't do enough to prepare and a small part of me does believe that.  Honestly, I have still managed to make positive changes in my body.  My arms, shoulders and back are stronger than ever before from all of the rowing, push ups and tricep dips I've been doing.  Rawr!

I've been creative about how to fit in exercise during my day rather than setting aside an hour or two block of time a day.  By squeezing in different moves like push ups into my down time I can spend more time with my family at the end of the day.  I can also spend more time putting my feet up to give them a break.

One unfortunate downside to this way of training has been me gaining weight back.  It's not a lot, about 5 pounds, but it's enough to be discouraging and to remind me that I am an emotional eater.  I really wish that I had taken this opportunity to really focus on my nutrition but the constant pain really wore me down.  Even when my feet were up, they throbbed.

During this time I've come to love acupuncture.  Who knew getting stuck with several small needles would be so relaxing?  Before you ask, yes it did help with the pain, but it didn't cure it.  I didn't go enough for it to make a huge impact, but I always left feeling better.

So here goes nothing!  I'll be spending my race week trying to foam roll out the cramps in my feet and calves, cross training on the rowing machine, working my arms, throwing in a few squats, visiting the chiropractor twice and using Quick Tape from Etrode Sports and Therapeutics. 

My motto for this race:  No Regrets and Leave It All On The Course! 

Running My First Race - Again!

I finally did it!  After a little over a year of running, I have finally re-run my first race, the Halfway to St. Patrick's Day 5K.

Since I still have plantar fasciitis pretty bad, it was a last minute decision for me to run this race.  I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to run it again to see how I would do after a year's worth of training even if I am suffering from a foot injury.

I'll never forget the sense of joy and accomplishment I felt after my first 5K.  I never thought I could do it.  I had irrational fears that I'd fall on the course, get lost or just be dead last and forgotten about - none of which happened.

I wanted a little bit of that feeling back.

This race would also be the first time I had run since my 10 miler at the end of August about 3 weeks ago. During that time, I rested, tried to eat more veggies and less carbs, and worked my arms like a mad woman. I also cross-trained on our rowing machine to keep up my cardio. The downfall to using it is that it's in my nice cool basement and not outside in the elements which have been hazy, hot and humid lately. 

Oh, what about yoga?  I've been doing what I can but there are several poses that DESTROY my feet especially if it is working on balance. It definitely has helped ease some stomach pain from all that ibuprofen I've been taking for my foot pain though.

Race day was cold, wet and humid. I don't mind running in the rain but it was down pouring when we left the house. Luckily, by the start, it wasn't even sprinkling.

Of course, in true Sabrina fashion, I broke my husband's headphones right as I was lining up for it and in the corral. The whole reason I was using his headphones is because I lost mine back in July and then my cheap replacement pair broke at the start of the NH 10 Miler. If anyone can recommend a good pair, I'm all ears.

I started out the race strong and fast (6:17 mm was my best pace). My legs felt great and were ready to run. I had no foot pain thanks to the Quick Tape that I was sent from Etrode Sports and lots of rest.

It didn't take long for my lungs to realize that I couldn't keep up an 8 minute mile for 3 miles. I hit the half mile mark and I was sucking air - I had to slow down. What I forgot at the time was how humid it was. The air was like soup and my lungs were not having it. I did have to walk the one hill - my foot started to throb. I also walked through the one water stop because I was so parched by then. I'm so used to long runs at this point where I would have my hydration pack with me that I had a hard time adjusting for this quicker, shorter run.

I did take a few moments during this run to ponder what a difference this year's race was compared to last year's. Last year, 3 miles felt endless. I really never thought I would finish. This year 3 miles was quick to me. My game plan last year was to pace myself, and finish without walking. This year my goal was to run as fast I could and if I had to walk there was no shame in that because I'm injured and under trained

Can't beat family support!

When I hit the 3 mile mark and saw the finish line come into view I pushed with everything I had which wasn't much. I still finished strong.

The best part was I left it all out on the course. I did what I could even though my legs wanted more. My lungs and feet were toast though.

Look at that "best pace"!  Holy smokes! 

My number one goal was to PR (personal record) this course by beating my time from last year which I accomplished - I took over a minute off of that time. As long as I am moving forward in my training then I am happy.

Less than 2 weeks until my second half marathon. You better believe there will be no regrets!

No Practice Makes Perfect: How I'll Run a Half Marathon with Zero Training

If you've been keeping up with my blog, you know I've been battling plantar fasciitis for over 6 months now. My podiatrist has administered 2 cortisone shots and I'm still in pain. I've also been seeing an acupuncturist and chiropractor regularly.

Still in pain. Less pain, but it's there.

I have yet to run this month.

In fact, I haven't run in over 2 weeks.  

My next half marathon is in less than 3 weeks.

Now, I haven't been a complete slug. Admittedly,  my nutrition has been spotty, I'm an emotional eater, but I've done better at consistently fasting for at least 16 hours a day. Also, I've done a nice job of working on strengthening my arms and back. I've kept up with my cardio, my husband's rowing machine, and thrown yoga in the mix a few times.  Sleep and I are getting along again (I suffer from adrenal fatigue). Hell, I've even taken to napping on the weekends.

So, can it be done?  Can I successfully run a half marathon without logging any miles or at least a minimal amount, the month prior? 

This half marathon was supposed to be all about time and pace unlike my last one which was about just getting it done. Sigh.

I think I'm going to need to find a way to push myself into leaving it all out on the course. Thankfully, it is flat and fast so my feet shouldn't get too beat up. I'm just itching to get out there and do more than "just get it done."

This will likely be my last big race for awhile as my family is getting ready to make some big changes.

I want to make it a memorable one.

Strength Training For Runners: Quick Core Workout

Full disclosure here:  I am completely muddling through my second half marathon training.  I don't feel nearly as committed as I did for the first one.  It doesn't help that I've been plagued by everything except the plague:  Poison Ivy, pink eye, bulging disc in my lower back, a never ending cramp in my left foot and endless stomach issues.  Just name it and I've got it these days.

I have managed to keep up with my strength training circuits though.  Yay for something going right!  The circuit I worked on this week from the Train Like a Mother Club was the Super Short Strength Circuit 3 which highlights a lot of quick ab work.  A strong core is essential for runners because strong abs increase the stability of your hips, pelvis, and even your knees during running. The result is less strain on your muscles and connective tissues and consequently less chance of injury. Also, by minimizing wasteful movement at the joints, strong abs make your stride more efficient, so you can run faster, longer.

So what are you waiting for?  Burn, baby, burn!

Happy 1 Year Run-iversary to Me!

Looking back it is hard to believe that I have been running for one year as of today.

One year ago, I was sick and tired of being sick and tired.  I had lost 53 out of the 80 pounds that I had gained during my pregnancy with my daughter but I still felt like crap.  I had mystery stomach pains, I suffered from an average of 2 migraines a month and the arthritis in my neck was constantly inflamed. I was suffering.

To make matters worse, my doctor administrated a C-Reactive Protein Test to check for levels of inflammation in my blood.  It came back positive,  My body was stressed and we needed to find out why.  After running a battery of tests including checking me from Celiac, Rheumatoid Arthritis and ulcers he finally referred me to a Doctor of Functional Medicine who later diagnosed me with Leaky Gut.

I was scared.

I've suffered from severe stomach pains since my early 20's and possibly even earlier.  I saw two gastroenterologists who diagnosed me with IBS, but not what was causing it.  I was relieved to finally get some medical care that might give me answers, but I wasn't sure I was ready to hear them.

My huge list of food sensitivities. 

Leaky Gut, if left untreated, can open you up to a whole host of diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer.  That was a road I didn't want to go down.  It was a awhile before I met with a nutritionist who tested me for food sensitivities, turns out I have a lot.  Who is allergic to broccoli?  This girl is!  Myy PCP finally did some standard allergy tests.  Hey, who knew I was allergic to nuts?  Glad to find this out at 38 years of age!

In the meantime, it was time to do something.  I had worked out at least 5 times a week for about 12 years before having my daughter.  I loved the elliptical and even threw in some weights when I was feeling it.  I was missing getting my heart rate up and just moving.  I had to do something, I told myself.

I turned to running.

I hated running.  Did I mention that?

I have a lifelong professed hatred of running.  Everybody knew I didn't run.  I joked that the zombies would just eat me.

But my neighbor had a rickety old treadmill that she said I could use so I found myself the cheapest sports bra, but on my old pre-baby gym clothes and got on the damn thing.

I set the pace at about a 15 minute mile and told myself to just run for 10 minutes.  Once I hit that goal and I was feeling pretty good, I figured what the hell and told myself I could stop at one mile.

I completely shocked myself when I had done it!  Never before had I run a mile without stopping.  I didn't care that I was slower than molasses.  I felt great, I was sweaty and it was glorious!

The best part?  I got back on that damn treadmill the next day and ran continuously for 25 minutes.  And the next day I woke up EARLY to put 10 minutes in on it.

I stunned myself by how good I felt and that if I ran at my own pace I could in fact do it.

It wasn't long before Sunday became my long run day.  Ah, the good ol' days when my long runs were just 3.1 miles (5K).  It took me 45 minutes and it was the hardest thing I had ever physically done but I kept plugging away at it.

About a 45 pound difference. 

After about 2 months, I ran my first 5K and stunned myself again by finishing and never walking.  I also took about 12 minutes off my finish time from what I had been doing at home.
Here I am a year later training for my second half marathon.  In just one year I have lost 20 pounds, cut my inflammation down to almost nothing and I've run in 12 races including my half marathon and a 10 miler.  My 5K PR is now a 27:36 down from 33:29 during that first race I ever ran.  That's a 6 minute difference after 9 months of training.  Not too shabby for this almost 40 year old!

My best piece of advice for new runners is to go at your own pace.  I used to think the only way to run was to go full throttle, but I'd just be burnt out a quarter mile in and give up.  Start slow and work your way up.

Who knows?  You just might like it.

Every Runner Must Do These Foam Rolling Moves

When I trained for my first half marathon, it became apparent about halfway through that I HAD to invest in a foam roller.  Upon the recommendation of the coaches in my Train Like a Mother 13.1 Club, I purchased a TriggerPoint Grid Foam Roller X-Tra Firm and then I watched the video below.

GAME CHANGER.

This video is no joke and you might need to take breaks because once you start releasing those muscles it is intense.  But it hurts so good!  You will feel so much better in a short amount of time.  Plus, your arms get a good strength training work out too.

Enjoy!  Trust me, this is good for you.



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My First Half Marathon Recap: Gate City Took Me for an Emotional Ride

 Anyone close to me, my parents, my husband, my friends that are my family, know that I'm notorious for holding myself back in life. Whether it's in my career, my schooling or just getting ahead I do things to sabotage myself. My weight is a prime example of this. I know how to eat healthy and exercise, but I can go long periods of time where I consciously abuse myself with food.

My running is not safe from my self-sabotaging.

And this is exactly what I did to myself during my very first half marathon, the inaugural Gate City Half on Sunday, May 15. The race I'd been training 4 months for. 

All that training, all the time away from my family, all of my hard work and effort that I put in and I fell back into old habits and held myself back. I kept myself from running the race I knew I could. I let myself down. 

Let me just say that before we go any further I don't want you to think I'm going to be all emo about my race results. These past few weeks I've gone back and forth between feeling extremely proud of myself for completing a half marathon when less than a year ago I couldn't stand running and extremely disappointed in how I ran that race, that I held myself back and didn't run the race I was capable of. 

At the start of it I was nervous, scared even. The enormity of what I was about to do got to me. I tried to tell myself it was just another long run but my brain knew better. I was nervous but excited too. After the gun went off I spent a good 5 minutes slowing my pace down. I couldn't run a 9mm half marathon. I wouldn't make it past 5 miles. I managed to get myself down to an 11 minute mile where I knew I would be comfortable for the first 5 miles or so of the race. Then I needed to pee. 

I tried not to think about it but as I was completing the first loop (it consisted of 3) back to the start I remembered where the porta-potties were and made a break for it. I didn't care that it would add 2 minutes to my finishing time. I wanted to be comfortable for the next 7 miles.

The Halfway Point

After kissing my family and hugging a childhood friend who surprised me by coming out to watch me run, I was off for loop 2. The wind really beat me up here. I knew that I needed to crank up the pace but I just couldn't. I felt like I was running in place for most of it.  I also had lost my pack so I was running solo. I felt incredibly lonely. Usually, I prefer to run by myself but today this really bugged me. I did pass a runner here and there, but I noticed even the water stops didn't have many volunteers. The vibe was different. It was desolate.  

Surprisingly, it took me until mile 8 to believe I could finish the race that no matter what happened I would get it done. This was another proud moment and I think it shows in my time for the following mile. 

By mile 9 Florence and the Machine's "Dark Days are Over" came on over my headphones and I was finally able to crank my pace up. Incredibly,  this was my fastest mile of the half marathon. It still wasn't as fast as I knew I could go this late in the game though. 

Let me say that again:  Mile 9 was my fastest mile. I'm proud of that. 

By mile 10 "AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" came on which was perfect because my left ankle started to go and I felt like I was on my way to hell. Searing pain radiated up from it. I stopped at the next water station to stretch it out but it didn't help. I pushed on. 

By this point I just floated on the realization that I was going to see my family for the second and last time before the finish. 

Mile 11 took me back to the start/finish line. While grabbing Gatorade the volunteer looked at me, looked at my bib and said, "Sabrina!  Look over there!"  My family was screaming and cheering me on to keep moving.  I also saw my friend Ang and called to her.  She had been wanting to run a leg with me and I knew she would catch up with me at the end which is exactly what she did.  She told me to hurry up and we were off for the last 2 miles.

Now miles 12-13.1 were uncharted territory for me.  My training had only taken me as far as 11 miles.  In retrospect, I really wish I had made the effort to get the full 13.1 miles in.  It would have lessened some of my pre-race anxiety.  I really feel like my nerves just zapped me.

I expressed my concern to my friend and told her that my pace was waaaay off.  She quickly replied with what I kept telling myself in my head but my heart didn't believe, "No, it's not.  It's your first half marathon.  Whatever you get is a PR. You don't want to set the bar too high on your first time out because then you can't PR the next time."

I kept moving.

I hit mile 12.5 and it sucked.  In order to complete the last 2 miles of the race I had to re-do part of the first loop I ran.  The volunteers warned us that some of it was going to look familiar and not to worry.

I let out a loud, "Ugh. Not this again." when I saw where we were.  This part of the course wasn't bad, it wasn't scenic either, but I just had no desire to be back where I had started.  I just wanted to be D-O-N-E.

At this point I really wanted to walk.  I was hurting.  I felt like I was just walking fast and barely moving.  But my friend just kept encouraging me and taking pictures of me to document the moment. It kept my mind off the pain in my left ankle.

When I hit the mile 13 marker the volunteers started clapping and other runners that were done racing gave me thumbs up.  I started singing out loud, "My quads are in fire!" as I approached the finish line.

But I did it.  I hobbled to the finish line.  As soon as I was done the race director gave me my medal and told me she loved my Wonder Woman headband because she has the same one.  I told her it was my first half marathon and that earned me an extra congratulations.

I limped back to my family who immediately sat me down.  My best guy friend who had driven down from Maine to cheer me on asked, "Um, you do realize you are limping, right?"  Right.

My 3 year old daughter gave me my Train Like a Mother 13.1 medal that I had earned for completing the half marathon training program through Another Mother Runner.

Friends from my running group, Mom's Run This Town, came over to congratulate me.

Ang handed me a jello shot.  I had earned it.

I spent the rest of the day relaxing and trying to figure out what happened, why my pace was so off.  Why couldn't I ever seem to speed it up?  Why did I hold myself back yet again?  Surely, I did something to sabotage this race for myself.  Why can't I live up to my potential once and for all?

Then I looked at my Garmin, specifically at the elevation chart. One look at it told me all that I needed to know.  This wasn't a flat course.  It was fairly hilly with an elevation gain of over 300 feet.  My poor ankle that sustained a ligament tear in the fall was put to the test with all the of rolling hills.

Realizing this gave me some reassurance that I ran the best I could on a hilly course while being battered by wind gusts of up to 30 MPH.

I'm proud to be a half marathoner.  I didn't run like I knew I could but there were circumstances out of my control.  You can't train for wind for one.

There was only one way to make myself feel better about this race.  I signed up for my next one on October 2.  Smuttynose Rockfest here I come!

It's billed as being flat and fast by the way.  

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Global Running Day!

I linked up with Jonesin' for a Run to answer some questions about Global Running Day! Because if there is one thing us runners like to do just as much as running it is talking about running.

Why do you run?

The short answer is I run for my health.

Before I started running I had gained 80 pounds during my pregnancy.  I lost 25 of it quickly, but the other 55 pounds stuck around for over 2 years.  When, during a routine physical, my doctor discovered high levels of inflammation in my blood I knew something had to change.  I had been experiencing migraines, intense shoulder and neck pain and excruciating stomach pains. It took a few months but I was ultimately diagnosed with leaky gut.  Prior to this diagnosis I had made small changes like cutting out soda and coffee, increasing my water intake to a gallon a day, practicing intermittent fasting and following a high fat, low carb diet.  It wasn't enough.  Over July 4th weekend 2015 I finally jumped on my neighbor's old treadmill that she said I could have and slowly jogged a mile.

I was overjoyed!  I was the fat kid in school and never ran a mile without stopping before in my life.  I averaged a 15 minute mile pace but I didn't care.  Besides, I didn't really know what pace meant back then anyway.  It wasn't too long before I was "training" for my first 5K.  Less than a year later I've completed 9 races including a half marathon.   

How do you plan to celebrate National Running Day?

I think this one is self-explanatory. I'll be running.

How many miles have you run so far this year? Do you have a mileage goal for the year?

Honestly, I have no idea. I made it a goal to keep track starting at the beginning of the year with the goal of hitting 750, but to me it is just one more thing to do and I don't care that much about tallying it all up.

What big events do you have on the race calendar so far this year?

Well, I just completed my first half marathon on May 15. I didn't run it as well as I knew as I could so I didn't know if I would do another one in the fall, but after 3 days I signed up for the Smuttynose Rockfest Half Marathon in October.

Before I leave for a run I must have: 

Oh lord, where do I start? I'm a very ritualistic person and because of all of my health issues there is a lot of prep work I have to do before going for a run. I even blogged about it HERE.

Do you track your runs? If so what do you use?

I use a Garmin Forerunner 620 that my husband purchased for me for my last birthday.

Who is your favorite running partner?

My friend, Ang. She's been running forever and ran her first marathon in the fall. I was so proud!

What races have you run so far this year?

• Lowell First Run 10K
• Snowflake Shuffle 3 Miles
• Fat Tuesday 5K
• Shamrock Shuffle 2 Miler
• Northshore 10 Miler
• Cinco de Miles 5K
• Gate City Half Marathon
• Boston's Run to Remember 5 Miler

Up Next:

• Rockin' Ribfest 5 Miler
• Finish at the 50 10K
• Smuttynose Rockfest Half Marathon

If you have to give someone one piece of advice about running, what would it be?

Start small by setting small, short and achievable goals. Then, go buy yourself some nice running shoes. Talk to your running friends and find a store that does professional fittings. Your feet and legs will thank you.

Me after the first time I ever ran a mile without stopping.  Took me 15 minutes.  I was proud.  

Describe your relationship with running in one word:  

Lifesaving

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Half Marathon Music Playlist

I have to listen to music when I run. It inspires me. It motivates it. It allows me to escape from my surroundings.

I'll be sure to make some last minute changes before the race and I'm looking for any suggestions for songs that will fit in with my eclectic genre. 

Below is a list of the songs and their artists that will be listening to during my first half marathon on Sunday, May 15. 

Total Run Time:  2:41

• Misirlou- Dick Dale and His Del-tones 
• Daft Punk is Playing in My House -  LCD Soundsystem
• Fat Bottomed Girls - Queen
• Heads Will Roll - Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
• Hooked On a Feeling - Blue Swede
• I'm Shipping Up to Boston - Dropkick Murphys 
• Let's Dance - David Bowie
• Let's Go Crazy - Prince
• Lust For Life - Iggy Pop
• Berlin - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
• Paper Planes - M.I.A.
• The Dope Show - Marilyn Manson
• Elephant - Tame Impala
• Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
• Got Your Money - Ol' Dirty Bastard 
• Tighten Up - The Black Keys
• Spirit in the Sky - Norman Greenbaum
• Kashmir - Led Zeppelin 
• Howlin' For You - The Black Keys
• Don't Stop Me Now - Queen
• Flagpole Sita - Harvey Danger
• The Beautiful People - Marilyn Manson 
• Long Cool Woman - The Hollies
• Dog Days are Over - Florence + The Machine
• Rock and Roll - Led Zeppelin 
• Highway to Hell - AC/DC
• Welcome to the Jungle - Guns N' Roses
• Stronger - Kanye West 
• Work Bitch - Britany Spears
• I Want It All -  Queen
• Sabotage - The Beastie Boys 
• Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen 
• Dancing With Myself - Billy Idol
• Turn Down for What - DJ Snake and Lil Jon
• Love You Like a Love Song - Selena Gomez 
• Ring of Fire - Johnny Cash
• Darude - Sandstorm 
• A Little Less Conversation - Elvis
• I Love It - Icona Pop
• The Final Countdown - Europe

10 Tips to Surviving the Week Before Your First Half Marathon

So you're running your first half marathon.  Good for you for being only half crazy!  Ideally, you've put in some serious training over the last 3-4 months and you've followed your training plan to a T or modified it so it fits you to a T whichever the case may be.  Below on some last minute tips to help you survive the final week before the big day.

1.  Hydrate!

Aim for a gallon of water a day.  If you're worried about being up all night to use the bathroom then guzzle most of your water in the morning hours.  Add some Nuun Hydration Tablets so you get the electrolytes without the sugar.

2.  Check your gear. 

Make sure everything is in working order.  Ideally, everything you are using come race day has been broken in so there are no surprises.

3.  Pick Your Mantras.

You will be chanting them in your head, or out loud like a crazy person, when the going gets tough.  

4.  Set Your Playlist

The right music can inspire and motivate you right when you need it most.  Some of my favorite running songs are:

• Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen
• Can't Stop Me Now - Queen
• I'm Shipping Up to Boston - Dropkick Murphy's 
• Let's Go Crazy - Prince
• Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin
• Welcome to the Jungle - Guns N' Roses
• Stronger - Kanye West
• Work Bitch - Brittany Spears 

5.  Clip Your Toe Nails

This one should be a no brainer.  No one likes bloody socks during a race.  Clip those talons.  

6.  Protein Up!

The week before your big race your nutrition needs to be on point.  Ideally, you've been doing this all along with your training so there are no surprises on the big day that lands you in the long porta-potty lines doing a crazy dance.  Protein is important because it helps build and repair muscles.  Carbs are great for a quick burst of energy, but red meat will deliver the nutrients your body needs to feed those muscles that are deep down inside.  While your at it, add an egg a day, I prefer hard boiled, to clean out your liver.

7.  Rest

This is probably the most important step.  Don't overdue it.  You don't want to risk an injury or deplete yourself this close to reaching your goal.

8.  Make a Mental Plan

Think about how you are going to pace yourself.  Research and plan which water stops you are going to stop at and which ones you might even want to walk through.  For longer races, water stops often include fuel like Honey Stinger Chews.  It's a good idea to know which ones those are so you aren't making any unplanned stops and in the process add valuable seconds to your finish time.  

9.  Stick to Your Plan

This one goes back to #7.  Run when your plan says run, rest when it says rest and cross-train when it says, well you get the idea.  The last week before your race is not the time to start adding in extra runs.  

10.  Pack Your Bags

Dress rehearsal time!  Make sure you've picked out what you are going to wear from your socks to your headphones and that you have some experience using them.  Again, to avoid surprises on race day everything on your body should have been worn before.  

Put everything you are going to need for race day into your bag.  Pack extras!  For women, I suggest packing a few extra hair ties in case they break because who wants to deal with a sweaty mess of hair while you are trying to focus on your form?  After my 10 miler I had packed flip flops and my feet were so thankful especially since we had an hour car drive home.  

If you have any other tips to add, please share them below!  I've found that the best advice comes from other runner's mishaps because  it's the little things, like hair ties, that can make or break a race for you.

How I Found Joy While Running My First 10 Mile Race

Sunday, August 24 was a pretty special day for me. No, it wasn't the day my daughter was born or even the day I married my best friend.

But still, it was important to me.

It was the day of my first ever 10 mile race, a truly monumental day for me in my young running journey. Prior to this race, I had only run 10 miles three times in my life. There was a part of me that felt like I had no business running a race of this length yet, having just started running 8 months prior, but I placed all of my trust in my training so I knew running this race was exactly what I was supposed to be doing.

Probably the smartest thing I did was to mentally prepare a plan for how I was going to run it which calmed my type-A personality. Miles 1-5 I was going to stay as close to an 11 minute mile pace as I could even though I knew I could run a 10:35mm and still make out ok.  Since I was running this without my training buddy and the best runner I know, I wanted to make sure I was safe and I could finish it STRONG.   At mile 5, I planned on grabbing Gatorade from the water station that I was going to walk (gasp!) through and then take off running again while quickly chomping down my Honeystinger gummies.  After that I was free to pick up the pace as much as I could with the goal of making my last mile my fastest.

It helped that my music was perfectly timed to either slow me down or speed me up based on what mile I was on. Knowing this really allowed me to enjoy the run.

Yes, you read that right. I ENJOYED running a 10 mile race!  Even with Queen, Prince and Guns and Roses blaring over my headphones I was able to take in the coastal scenery as well as the beauty of what my body is capable of doing.

Miles 1-4 were truly peaceful. My mind was at ease with the task at hand. I knew I had awhile to go before I would be done so why not relax and let my legs take over?   I had plenty of time to think about how my running has changed both the shape of my body and my overall health. I no longer struggle from terrible stomach pains (hello, leaky gut), migraines and neck/shoulder pain on a daily basis. My last blood test results showed the inflammation that was tearing my body apart over a year ago was almost all gone. Not to mention my wonderfully high triglyceride level that my doctor was genuinely amazed by. "See that number?" he questioned at my last visit,  "That's what all your running has done."  

Miles 5-7 were spent thinking about my mom and how she can barely walk. She long ago chose to not take care of herself full well knowing our family history of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Knowing I don't want to suffer like she is with her many ailments, pushed me to keep running even when the little voice in my head snarked, "You know, when you run your half marathon in 3 weeks you won't even be halfway done yet."  Ugh, shut it, girlfriend.  

One of the many reasons why I've learned to love running is because I can set goals and test my limits. I've slowly learned how to be alright with being uncomfortable. On the flip side, I believe running has a meditative quality to it. If you can get in that peaceful zone then you feel like you can run forever and that is a beautiful thing for your mind and body to be so connected. You forget about that uncomfortable feeling.  You do what our bodies were designed to do - to move, breathe deeply and sweat. It's very freeing and empowering to get to that point in your running when the endorphins take over and you're just happy. 

That brings us to miles 8-10. I was still in a good mood, flying by everyone at the remaining 2 water stops. I knew I'd see my family soon which gave the little boost to push harder.  At that point, I was also dreaming of a cold beer and a cheeseburger. Mile 9 included a hill which was rough on my tired legs, but the view at the top of the Massachusetts coast was worth it. When I hit the final quarter mile Queen's "I Want It All" came blaring over my headphones.  It was my cue that this race was nearing the finish line. I gave myself a cheer and a fistpump, because, let's be honest, if you can't do one for yourself who is going to do it for you?  I was overjoyed to see my family waiting for me at the finish line and to hear my 3 year old yell, "Go Mommy!"  

The best part was I felt great!  I could have kept going if I needed to, but I was thankful to be done. 

I started, ran and completed that race with a smile on my face and a mind and heart full of joy.

I'm ready for my first half marathon now.  I know my mind and body can handle another 3.1 miles because really, after you've run ten miles 3.1 is only a 5K.


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