Ok. Now I'm nervous.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Not Today, But Soon
Three days left until the big race. At this point there is absolutely nothing I can do to change how it is going to go down. The training is long over, the weather is set, and the fee has been paid. I have no idea if I am ready for this race. I think I am but I won't really know until it is all over.
This will be my sixth marathon and what is interesting about this one is that I will be doing it completely alone (not counting the several thousands other runners). What I mean is that I will be driving to, running in, and coming home from the race by myself. I only know one other person actually running in the marathon but who knows if I will even see him there. This is a strange situation to be in as it will be my first marathon without anyone else.
So how is this going to affect my run? I usually like being able to do my own thing before a race so I certainly won't mind being alone in the morning. But on the other hand it also means that I need to get myself to the start and I won't have anyone to divert my nervous energy onto. It's always nice to have someone around that you can take your mind off what is soon to come. I've only done one marathon the whole way with someone else (I was a pacer) but it always seems much easier to keep up a pace when you have someone there with you. Even if it is for a short time there is some psychological benefit to running alongside someone instead of being out on your own. Probably because you can put some of the focus on what they are doing instead of constantly worrying about your own running. It'd be nice to have that during this race but oh well.
The hardest part though, is knowing that both during and after the race there will be no one to share it with. It's nice seeing a friendly face during some tough stretch, it really helps to lift your spirits. And as you near the finish it is always a boost to know that someone is waiting for you as you cross the finish line. If there are other people running the race with you, just knowing that you will get to hang out afterwards and relive the day is a nice way to cap it all off. Not this time though. This race is all business. It's going to be a real test for me, both physical and mental. Three more days.
This will be my sixth marathon and what is interesting about this one is that I will be doing it completely alone (not counting the several thousands other runners). What I mean is that I will be driving to, running in, and coming home from the race by myself. I only know one other person actually running in the marathon but who knows if I will even see him there. This is a strange situation to be in as it will be my first marathon without anyone else.
So how is this going to affect my run? I usually like being able to do my own thing before a race so I certainly won't mind being alone in the morning. But on the other hand it also means that I need to get myself to the start and I won't have anyone to divert my nervous energy onto. It's always nice to have someone around that you can take your mind off what is soon to come. I've only done one marathon the whole way with someone else (I was a pacer) but it always seems much easier to keep up a pace when you have someone there with you. Even if it is for a short time there is some psychological benefit to running alongside someone instead of being out on your own. Probably because you can put some of the focus on what they are doing instead of constantly worrying about your own running. It'd be nice to have that during this race but oh well.
The hardest part though, is knowing that both during and after the race there will be no one to share it with. It's nice seeing a friendly face during some tough stretch, it really helps to lift your spirits. And as you near the finish it is always a boost to know that someone is waiting for you as you cross the finish line. If there are other people running the race with you, just knowing that you will get to hang out afterwards and relive the day is a nice way to cap it all off. Not this time though. This race is all business. It's going to be a real test for me, both physical and mental. Three more days.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Miserable
That about sums me up this morning.
Last night I decided to start the final week before BayState by getting a good night's sleep. By 9 O'clock I was happily tucked in to bed and looking forward to a solid 8 hours. By 12:30 I was ready to kill myself if I didn't fall asleep soon. So instead of getting some extra sleep to start the week I actually ended up getting about 2 hours less than normal. Great. But at least I could take a nap on the train on the way to work like I do every morning. Yeah, I don't think so. Apparently my body had no interest in sleep at all this morning. Add in the no caffeine and I am exhausted. Great way to start a week.
Now compound this with all the other crap going on and you can see why I am getting miserable. It was about a week ago that I realized that the shoes I had been planning to wear during the race have become too small and I need an alternative. Awesome, last minute shoe changes always work out well.
And my heel is killing me. And my calves are sore. And my knee was giving out this morning. And I keep wondering when I get to start my taper (hint: it started a week ago). Aack.
At least the view from my office will inspire me this morning:
Oh no, wait. That's what everyone else in my office gets to look at. Here is my view:
Blow me.
Last night I decided to start the final week before BayState by getting a good night's sleep. By 9 O'clock I was happily tucked in to bed and looking forward to a solid 8 hours. By 12:30 I was ready to kill myself if I didn't fall asleep soon. So instead of getting some extra sleep to start the week I actually ended up getting about 2 hours less than normal. Great. But at least I could take a nap on the train on the way to work like I do every morning. Yeah, I don't think so. Apparently my body had no interest in sleep at all this morning. Add in the no caffeine and I am exhausted. Great way to start a week.
Now compound this with all the other crap going on and you can see why I am getting miserable. It was about a week ago that I realized that the shoes I had been planning to wear during the race have become too small and I need an alternative. Awesome, last minute shoe changes always work out well.
And my heel is killing me. And my calves are sore. And my knee was giving out this morning. And I keep wondering when I get to start my taper (hint: it started a week ago). Aack.
At least the view from my office will inspire me this morning:
Oh no, wait. That's what everyone else in my office gets to look at. Here is my view:
Blow me.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Hell Weeks
Allegedly my taper for the marathon has begun. Although you probably wouldn't know that from looking at tomorrow's workout (10 miles, 7 at MP). Tapers are never fun. You feel lazy, restless, and you really have to watch what you eat. But that's not the reason why the next two weeks are going to be hell. No, it's because I can't have any caffeine during that time. Aargh! No coffee for 2 weeks! The horror. I don't know what is worse, the pain that is destined to come or having to face it without any caffeine. Marathons make me cranky enough, take away my go-go juice and I'm an irritable bastard.
Caffeine-free living began today. I'm already freakin' tired.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Injured, again
Last week I ran the CVS Downtown 5K and it went really well. Better than I had expected actually. Although I just missed getting into the 17:00s I was excited about how well I ran and my big new PR. Life was looking up! And then I woke up on Monday and just went "Ow. What the deuce is this?" Apparently I had managed to injure myself again, pretty badly from the feel of it. Every time I moved the muscle there was a good deal of pain and there was obvious visible swelling around it. This did not bode well for me.
I've been dealing with an achilles problem for about seven months now and that has provided me with enough pain in my daily life so I could do without another injury right now. Not to mention that I am merely weeks away from the marathon. But unlike injuries of the past I wasn't freaking out just yet because, you see, this time the injured part of my body was my wrist. My pre-pubescent girlish wrists had finally decided to give out on me. I don't know what caused this particular problem, I think it was the yard work I had been doing, or why it was perfectly fine Sunday but flared up Monday, I suspect running the race aggravated it, but it's become really annoying.
Just how is it that a wrist injury can hinder or be affected by running anyways? Well, every time I flex it or move it there is a jolt of pain and since you swing your arms several thousand times over the course of a marathon... I think you can see where I am going here. I've been keeping it in a brace but you just know it is a bad sign when after completing 24 miles yesterday Jen looked over at me from about 5 feet away and was shocked to be able to actually see from that distance how swollen it was. Not good.
Luckily this is a wrist injury and not a foot or leg injury because it would have been a show stopper. But it still hurts like a bastard so let's hope it clears up before BayState.
I've been dealing with an achilles problem for about seven months now and that has provided me with enough pain in my daily life so I could do without another injury right now. Not to mention that I am merely weeks away from the marathon. But unlike injuries of the past I wasn't freaking out just yet because, you see, this time the injured part of my body was my wrist. My pre-pubescent girlish wrists had finally decided to give out on me. I don't know what caused this particular problem, I think it was the yard work I had been doing, or why it was perfectly fine Sunday but flared up Monday, I suspect running the race aggravated it, but it's become really annoying.
Just how is it that a wrist injury can hinder or be affected by running anyways? Well, every time I flex it or move it there is a jolt of pain and since you swing your arms several thousand times over the course of a marathon... I think you can see where I am going here. I've been keeping it in a brace but you just know it is a bad sign when after completing 24 miles yesterday Jen looked over at me from about 5 feet away and was shocked to be able to actually see from that distance how swollen it was. Not good.
Luckily this is a wrist injury and not a foot or leg injury because it would have been a show stopper. But it still hurts like a bastard so let's hope it clears up before BayState.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
CVS 5K Final
18:04 unofficial
5:44 pace
36 second PR
I tried hard to get a sub-18 once I realized it was possible but it was too late. Happy with the results just wish it was 5 seconds faster.
New start was decent but I still got stuck behind walkers. Walkers in the 15 minute corral! Get a clue, asses. And that's all I have to say about that.
CVS 5K
I'm sitting in my truck before the start of the CVS Downtown 5K. My seventh consecutive running. With an hour to go it's starting again. The nerves, the anticipation, the fun. Normally I run this with a group but this year I am on my own. No one to deflect any energy onto. All of my focus is on myself this time around.
The six grade 1500 meter just finished. Lots of fun watching them run their hearts out. Running in its purest form: very little technique but lots of heart.
The weather is nigh on perfect. Today is a good day for a PR.
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