Fracture: Installment Three on My Darn Foot

14 Mar By

As y’all know, I stopped running for six weeks because of a stress fracture in my foot. Actually, I now might be counting it as eight weeks since I ran for about six days at the six week mark, felt familiar pain and then backed things down to rest again.  I’m not going to further jack up my old sore feet for the benefit of impatience.

Anyway, I stopped running.

Stopped logging 20-30 miles a week.  Stopped training for the 12 races I registered for in 2013 (without insurance, dangit).

Abandoned my preferred form of therapy.

Freaked out a little bit.

Regrouped and boring-worked-out (In my own private version of the movie Office Space, I beat a recumbent bike to smithereens in an open field).

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And I…

…got crazy toned.  So that’s my first revelation:  “THEY” ARE RIGHT!  Cross-training, even when it burns fewer calories and fails to leave you breathless actually does challenge your body in a way that produces visible results.  Y’all I’ve got a six-pack.  Of abs [and beer].  I’m not going to take a picture because it’s not my thing and I sense that such pix might breed more negativity than not.  You’ll have to trust me.  But I’m more cut than I’ve been in any year in my thirties.  Or in my twenty-nines.  Shout out to the bike, the Arc trainer, the pool and my husband’s stupid-large collection of free-weights.

…didn’t lose  or gain weight.  Because, BECAUSE (gasp!) despite what you read/hear/think, women don’t need to be in a constant state of trying to lose weight and if you’re at an ideal weight, having to back off of 700-calorie-burn workouts shouldn’t result in weight gain.   Also, I hate gyms.  That’s unrelated to my weight, but I just wanted to say it.

…fell into a surreal place I can’t quite describe. I think I’m in a type of shock. I feel like I’m in a bit of a haze some days and sort of all-around directionless, though by no means depressed or unproductive.  I supposed it might be described as “relaxed” but that’s not how I’d describe it – it makes me nervous.  I mentioned earlier that running has likely become an idol for me, so perhaps this is withdrawal from that drug.  For now, I’m looking forward to some upcoming (non-fitness) changes that will necessarily add structure and schedule to my life and may, in a healthy way, fill the gap left by running.

Needless to say, this forced running ban hasn’t been altogether bad.  I certainly, truly, definitely miss my quiet time, zoned out on a favorite running route, but there’s great growth in having to adjust and I’m eating that growth with gusto.  Here’s hoping this grumpy foot of mine decides it’s done rebelling and that I’m devoted enough to keep flexing new muscles in less comfortable ways.

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Catching Up

4 Mar By

It’s been almost two weeks since I’ve written in this space, but I’m back!  Quit groaning.  I can hear you.

Anyway, I’ve got lots of good excuses.  I’ll unveil excuse #1 in about two weeks when it’s appropriate (no, I’m not pregnant) and excuse #2 is that I’ve been busy entertaining my awesome sisters-in-law who came to visit our lovely island for a week.  Excuse #3 is that life has been a bit chaotic in both the good and bad ways.  So much has been going on I’ve not really taken a break to address it.  I’ll try to catch you up at least a bit today.

First, I’m delighted to have The Gentleman back home after a TDY (temporary duty for you non-military types) that took up most of February.  I’d like to point out that the Army has made sure my husband was thousands of miles away from me or stuck in the office for 1) our birthdays; 2) our first anniversary; 3) my first marathon; 4) Hallmark (Valentine’s) Day.  I’m very glad he’s not been full-on deployed, but the timing of temporary out-of-country work seems awfully coincidental.  I don’t believe in coincidences, Big Brother.  Anyway, he had a great work trip to Thailand that ended with him featured in a news story and snuggling fuzzy tigers.  I’ve dreamed of hanging out with these “tame” (we all know they’re not really) tigers for over a decade and it was awesome to see pictures of the hubs cuddled up with the big cats. We’ll be heading that way for vacay ASAP.

Second, I mentioned that my sisters-in-law came to visit.  It’s so great to have family in town  and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy showing off our beautiful new home town.  In addition to showing off our favorite off-the-beaten-path parts of Oahu, we took the sistas-by-another-mista to the Big Island for two days. I’ll dedicate a whole post to that adventure, but suffice it to say, timing was perfect to watch Mother Nature really show off with her lava skills.  I also got the opportunity to really get to know my sisters-in-law better and am so glad for that.

Having family in town, and doing some inter-island travel with them, solidified a feeling I’ve been having for the past few months:  that Kailua is really home.  If I’d said the word “home” back in August or September, I would have been referencing North Carolina.  Now, however, that word means here.  What a wonderfully turbulent adventure it’s been to go from aching for my roots back on the East Coast to really REALLY loving and craving where I live now… and not because it’s paradise, but because it’s our home.  We’ve reached the point of knowing local store clerks, having favorite running routes and surf breaks, haunting the same restaurants, and randomly running in to friends in town.  We leave our home for a few days and miss its comforts and expected irritations. I know the FedEx gal and that one of the property caretakers can catch a rooster with his bare hands. Kailua is home.  I love that.

In a final moment of change over these past two weeks, I was finally able to run again after six weeks of rest to heal my stress fracture.  I can’t understate this:  WOOOOOOO!!!!!!!  Okay, honestly the first run was quite awkward and I was clearly favoring (out of fear, not pain) my uninjured foot.  I’ve got a long way to go to be back in the running condition I was pre-injury, but y’all…. Oh it felt so, so good to see the pavement whizzing by under my feet and to hear my measured breaths.  I ran two miles in 18:20 and it was AWESOME.  Shout out to the forced cross-training, too. I could tell a difference in my stride that I attribute to the ever-hated recumbent bike.  My quads were bearing so much more of the running motion than usual and my ankles felt almost slack.  I still hate that stupid bike, but it really made the run effortless.  I’ll keep upping my mileage VERY SLOWLY for the next few weeks and hope this is goodbye to stress fractures!

So, there you have it, at least in part.  I’ll be back soon with Big Island photos, an update on my running and the REST of the news.

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Aquajogging

7 Feb By

On Friday morning, I’m going to throw on the first one-piece swimsuit I’ve owned in TWO DECADES, strap an awkward flotation belt around my waist and hop in our pool to try a new cardio workout:  Aquajogging, or Deep Water Running.  I’m weirdly nervous about this new workout, because I’m really counting on it to keep me in running shape while I heal from the stress fracture in my foot.

In the process of armchair diagnosing my injury (don’t worry, a doctor and x-ray confirmed it), I noticed multiple recommendations of aquajogging as a form of exercise that would keep running muscles in shape.  In fact, research shows that people who aquajog while recovering from an injury maintain their running fitness better than people who cross-train in other ways like biking or swimming.  This article summarizes some of that research, but I also found some studies that suggest aquajoggers heal more quickly than people who rely on cardio equipment like recumbent bikes or elliptical machines.  Presumably this is because while it is too a much lesser degree than running, the foot is still engaged when using such machines.

I’m sold.  I’m going to give this aquajogging thing a try. 

Aquajogging is a pretty simple form of exercise.  The idea is that, with the aid of a flotation device, you suspend yourself in deep water with head and shoulders above water and everything else submerged.  Your feet do not touch the bottom of the pool/lake/ocean.  From there, well, you basically run in place.  The motion engages the same muscles as running and the water provides resistance.  Some aquajoggers also add webbed gloves for foam weights to get an upper body workout.

To prepare, I’ve purchased some necessary gear:

Speedo Aquatic Fitness Jogbelt – The only required piece of equipment!

Speedo Contemporary Ultraback Suit – It was recommended that I get a legit fitness swimsuit with more back coverage because over time the flotation belt can chafe or cause two-pieces (even tankinis) to ride up.

Finally, I snagged and altered the below recommended workout from Active.com.  Check back next week for my reflections and review on aquajogging!

First Workout

  • Warm-up: 300-meter swim
  • Jog medium run intensity 5 minutes
  • Easy jog 1 minute
  • Jog medium run intensity 4 minutes
  • Easy jog 1 minute
  • Jog medium run intensity 3 minutes
  • Easy jog 1 minute
  • Jog medium run intensity 4 minutes
  • Easy jog 1 minute
  • Jog medium run intensity 5 minutes
  • Easy jog 1 minute
  • Cool-down: 50 meter swim

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Sidelined

5 Feb By

 

This is some serious dirt. I’m sidelined.  As of today at about 2:30 p.m., it was confirmed that I’ve got a stress fracture in my third metatarsal, and possibly one in my fourth and must give up running, potentially for as long as eight weeks.  As far as life tragedies go, this one is not major.

But when I first realized the problem (about a week ago), it sure did feel major.

About eight days ago, I went out to do some speed work and was trucking along at a great pace.  I felt good so I kept going.  I ended up knocking out 3 miles at a 6:50 or so pace.  In fact, inspecting my GPS data, I did mile two at a 6:30.  That’s very fast for me.  And it was very stupid to run at the speed on wet pavement for such a long distance.  Now I’m paying the price.

I’ve been a running seriously for about two years, but running at all for the past thirteen years.  My time on the pavement or the treadmill is refueling time, therapy time, time with God, time with me.  It’s something I truly enjoy and something I do first for fun and second for the health benefits.  I look forward to races and get a little flutter in my heart when I step out on to the road with my favorite sneakers on.

When I go three or four days without a run because of a cold or a tendon injury, it affects my mood.  I get grumpy and intolerant.  I feel antsy and sick and disorganized.

I actually cried over this injury.  The Gentleman has graciously helped me formulate a plan.  We re-introduced ourselves to the Marine Corps gym just three miles away.  I can spend lots of quality time on the recumbent bike (ugh) while healing this injury.   We incorporated partner assisted training and researched weight training options that don’t rely heavily on the feet.  I’ve ordered aquajogging gear.

I’m still pretty sad.  Running is my friend.

This past Sunday, a few days before the doctor confirmed my self-diagnosis, my pastor talked about how God confronts our idols.  It’s funny because as soon as I realized I might be sidelined, I asked the obligatory “Why?” and immediately answered myself:  “Because it’s your therapy.  Because it’s your escape.  Because you need it.  Because you don’t function well without it.  Because it’s your friend.  Because you worship it.” 

No I don’t have an altar covered in candles honoring running in my living room.  No, I’m not the recording secretary for the Hawaii Chapter of a running cult. Running is an idol for me.  I’ve come to rely on my daily run for things that only God can provide.  He’s the only one who can really give me comfort or joy or relief and here I’ve been expecting a pair of New Balances and a good route to keep smiles on my face. If you want to identify your idols, look at where you spend a lot of time, energy and money.  I’ve been pouring resources in to running like I ought to be doing with God.

It’s really not the action itself.  It’s how I use it. If I’m bored, I run.  If I’m ticked off, I run.  If I’m sad, I run.  If I’m insecure, I run. In horribly unfunny play on words, I could say that running is my crutch.

And God is a good dad, so he’s swiped that crutch out from under me so I can learn a different way.  I need to learn (again) that he’s the only source of security, comfort, joy and calm that really works.  I’ll be missing at least three of my 2013 planned races, but I’ll have time for some serious refocusing in my life.

In the meantime, look for the following posts here on Notice the Dirt: “Aquajogging 101”, “How to Tone Up with a Bum Foot” and “Coordinating Pedicure and Therapeutic Boot Colors”.

 

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2013 Running Goals

17 Jan By

I’m a bit late sharing my running plans for 2013, but I honestly floundered for a few weeks about what I wanted to accomplish.  After the Honolulu Marathon (and being sure I never wanted to run a marathon again), I felt a bit like I’d gone off a cliff.  Aren’t marathons sort of the ultimate goal.  Okay, ultra-marathons are, but there are several ultra marathoners in my running club and I know how they run and, well, no.  I cannot do that.  Don’t want to.

Ultimately, I decided to work mostly on speed, with a few fun distances thrown in there to challenge me.  Here’s how it shaped up:

Overall Goals:

  • Be able to keep up with the “front of the pack” at running club.  They knocked out 5 miles in 36 minutes last night. I’m going to try to keep up on a 4-miler :) .
  • Log an official sub-25 5K. I’ve already got this in the bag – just need to actually get it officially timed at a race.
  • Enjoy running.  I’ve shared that I didn’t really enjoy the end of marathon training or the end of the actual marathon.  On reflection I think this resulted from training up for the race too quickly.  I’m going to go for a longer, slower burn the next time.

Races:

2/3/13     Women’s Tri-Fitness 5K – Kakaako (will try to get my official sub-25 here)

2/18/13    Great Aloha Run (8.14 miles)

3/9/13     Marine Corps Base Hawaii Beast Run (10K)

4/6/13     Cooper River Bridge Run (10K) – Charleston, SC

5/26/13    Hibiscus Half-Marathon (Tropical Triple Crown)

6/16/13    Wahine Run (maybe)

7/14/13     Coconut Chase 8  (Tropical Triple Crown)

8/4/13      Mango Days 5 K (Tropical Triple Crown)

Sept-Nov   Marathon Readiness Series Runs (20K, 25K TBD)

12/8/13    Honolulu Marathon

 

That’s 11 races for those of you following along at home.  I should probably find a 12th race just to round it out and expect to see a little 5K or 10K pop up here in Kailua in the Fall.  Here goes nothin’!

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How ’bout them Resolutions?

16 Jan By

Yesterday marked two weeks since New Year’s day and I’ve noticed that the blog, Facebook and Twitter posts about the ‘ol lose weight resolution have started to wane.  In some cases, this is because folks are down to the hard work of knocking off the pounds, but in many other cases, it’s because you’ve given up.  The longer I’ve done nutrition counseling, the more I’ve realized that people fail at “diets” because they follow bad advice or believe some pretty big lies.

If you’re currently trying to lose weight, I’d like you to know a few things:

  1. You should feel hungry.  Our bodies are hard-wired to respond to a rhythm of hunger and satiety.  Even if you don’t want to lose weight, you should feel hungry before a regular meal time and you should be eating portions that fill you up for a while and then leave you feeling hungry for the next meal.  Making the lifestyle change to lose weight means learning to recognize the feeling of hunger AND understanding how to just satisfy (rather than stomp to death) that feeling. When a diet swears you’ll never feel hungry, it should probably be touting that you’ll never go hungry instead.  Feeling hungry is okay.
  2. Deprivation doesn’t work. It’s pretty hip right now to cut out certain types of foods as means of getting healthier and losing weight.  Paleo, gluten-free, whole 30 and other movements call for the systematic elimination of huge chunks of the usual American diet, and they often result in weight loss.  The problem here is psychological:  We don’t like to be told and over time, “no” turns into “maybe” which turns in to “I’m doing [fill-in-the-blank eating lifestyle] except that I eat [forbidden food]” and before you know it the pounds come back.  The fix is simple:  Say yes.  Instead of focusing on things you can’t or shouldn’t eat, make your new eating lifestyle about the things you can or should eat and reward yourself for success.  Positive is the new negative!
  3. Don’t be tricked by food labels. Foods labels like “Made with Whole Grain”, “Naturally Sweetened”, “Organic”, and”Free-Range” do not mean “Will Help You Lose Weight”.  I recently compared a “whole grain”, “organic”, “naturally sweetened” cupcake to a pre-packaged, highly processed one in a local grocery store.  The “healthy” cupcake had 5 more fat grams and about 150 more calories than the “unhealthy” one.  While steering away from heavily processed foods is a good move, the truth is, if you’re hoping to lose pounds your focus needs to be on eating more fruits, veggies and lean proteins rather than on finding “healthy” versions of what you already eat. Instead of searching for healthy-sounding labels, focus on filling your shopping cart with foods that don’t need labels: fresh produce, unprepared lean proteins and unprocessed grains.
  4. Changing WHAT you eat isn’t a stand alone solution.  You must change WHY you eat. Anyone who reads this blog knows I’m a self-proclaimed foodie – I love eating and I love cooking.  I don’t, however, eat to be happy or to feel comfort. I eat because I find delight in the artwork of flavors and textures and aroma that can be found in a great meal and I enjoy them in moderation.  If, however, you find yourself seeking solace during difficult times from a box of macaroni and cheese or a hoping to entertain yourself with a few dozen Oreos, chances are you’re eating for the wrong reasons.  Changing this isn’t easy, and may honestly require the help of a counselor, but spending time identifying your triggers for overeating is the first step to dealing with them.  You can also start dealing with these triggers by responding to them differently.  When you’re bored and want to eat, go for a walk instead.  When you’re sad and want to eat, leave the kitchen and call a friend to talk instead.  Long term, if you’re heart is in the right place, changing your eating habits will be easier!

Whatever you do, don’t give up.  Ignore the people complaining about crowded gyms during resolution time and hop on that elliptical.  Log out of Pinterest so you don’t have to look at all those unhealthy dinner ideas. Think of this endeavor as the beginning of a new lifestyle and not as a diet or a temporary “fix”: you’re not broken!

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Bucket List Progress

28 Dec By

2012 was a good year for my Forty Before Forty Bucket List.  I completed a much-needed bucket list revision to reflect changing priorities and lifestyle and marked 6 items off the list. With that, I’m over half-way finished with the list… and I’m only 33!

At the beginning of December I was able to check “Take my parents on vacation” off the list when my Mom and Dad came to Hawaii for a visit.  It helps to live in a vacation destination! The Gentleman and I gave them a tour of the island, fed them traditional Hawaiian food and otherwise played vacation host and hostess.  They were our first visitors here in our new home and it was SO fun to watch their faces when we showed them our beautiful Koolau Mountains, big surf on the North Shore and the incredible, world-renowned Kailua Beach just steps from our house.  Can’t wait for our next visitors in February!

Truth:  My parents are in great shape and not only kept up with our regular physical activity but straight-up wore us out. The couple that stays fit together, stays together!

On December 9, I checked off “Run a Marathon” after jogging through the Honolulu Marathon.  I’ve already re-capped this, but left y’all hanging about my next running goals.  In 2013, I hope to 1) Run one or two more half-marathons.  I really, really enjoyed that race distance and want to get a few more under my belt.  There’s a fun one in Honolulu in March! 2) Knock a lot of time off my pace.  I already have as evidenced by a 5K at 8:30.  I’m hoping to drop that down to sub-8:00 before year’s end and am currently working on this goal with lots of intervals!  3)Find another marathon.  Yep.  I know I said I wasn’t going to run another one, but I really really want to see how I do if I run one in a normal marathon climate (think 50-60 degrees instead of 80).  I may not actually run it in 2013, but I’m going to decide which one – perhaps Boulder, where my brother and his family live?

I’m going to also check off “take up yoga” and “learn tai chi” because I’ve been doing yoga about 2 days a week  (really helps with the running, y’all) and I’ve 1/2 way learned basic tai chi via DVD.  Tai Chi, by the way, is a lot more difficult than it looks, but really enjoyable!

I can also speculate about which items I’ll check off in 2013.  Here’s my best guess:

  1. Read the whole Bible.  My church has been going through a reading plan that accomplishes this goal.  I’m behind because  we moved here mid-year, but I’ll get it done!
  2. Wrangle a herd of animals from atop a horse.  I’m hoping this will get done in New Zealand.  The Gentleman and I are planning a farm-stay trip there sometime this year…. hopefully in the Fall!
  3. Reread War and Peace.  It’s pretty silly that I haven’t done this already.  Now that I’ve finished all the available “Song of Fire and Ice” books, I’ve got time to do this and will.
  4. Take a Photography Class.  Just gotta nail down which one!
  5. Organize all my photos. This will be a beast of a job, but it’s really got to happen.
  6. Be able to do 20 pull-ups.  I almost had this a while back, but got derailed.  When we moved we lost our in-home pull-up bar, so I’m way behind now, but I’m going to knock this one out stat.

What goals do you have for 2013?

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On Addiction

13 Dec By

It’s apparently pretty hip to set a goal to run a marathon.  Well, it WAS hip, until I did it and made it uncool, so on to the next fad, folks.  Anyway, the fitness market has definitely capitalized on this trend, producing ridiculous amounts of running gear and publishing literally hundreds of training regimens and advice articles.  Marathon running is pitched as being great for your physical health (it is…to a point), an excellent social activity when done in groups, and a gratifying experience overall.

What no one says is this:  Training for a marathon will completely take over your life and like a drug, start to control you.

It’s not that the running sessions themselves are so time consuming, although there are weeks where you’ll run 40 miles, but rather that the effort takes a great deal of mental capital and that kind of focus ultimately dominates your life. The entire last month before I ran the Honolulu Marathon was marked by one thought:  “When is the next time I can run?”.  That sounds remarkably similar to “When can I get my next fix?”, huh?

For me, this effect was heightened since I transitioned from 1/2 marathon training straight into marathon training with no break (that’s dumb, by the way.  take a break).  Today is the first day since, oh, June that my mind hasn’t been occupied by getting in a good run.  I guess I’m on the twelve steps to recovery.

To further encourage my new running sobriety, I’ve been focusing on some exciting non-running plans looming on the horizon.  Here’s what I have to look forward to:

1.  Hubby is coming home!  The Gentleman has been in Asia for the past few weeks, dodging earthquakes, tsunamis and the occasional North Korean missile, but I’m picking him up from the airport today and he says he’s brought home some sake.  Sake it to me, baby.

2.  Hubby has vacation!  Y’all this man hasn’t been able to take leave in like 75 years, so this is a really big deal.  I’m so excited we’ll get to have a real Christmas

3.  Oh! And we’re headed to Kauai for Christmas!  Actually, I’ve got to get on planning that little trip ASAP, but there will be lots of hikes and boats involved.

4. I’ve got a New Year’s party to plan!  So, uh, who wants to do this for me?  I hate planning parties.

5. It’s almost time to start training to meet pace goals for the Great Aloha Run!  DAMN!  Fell off the wagon.

 

Hi.  My name is Sarah, and I’m addicted to running.  I’ve been sober for 3 days.

 

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2012 Honolulu Marathon

10 Dec By

On December 9, 2012 I ran in the 40th Annual Honolulu Marathon.  It was my first marathon, one run to raise funds for my sister-in-law as she battles cancer, and ultimately a success. While I’ve typed out a full play-by-play of the race, for brevity’s sake I’m just going to share a few bullet points to mark the 26. 2 miles.

Highlights:

  • The Run to Nuke Cancer.  Y’all donated $1500 to help my sister-in-law and her family as she battles cancer.  That’s $500 over my original goal of $1000.  AMAZING.  I’m a beyond grateful!
  • Running over Diamond Head during the sunrise.
  • Amazing views of the Pacific Ocean from Kahala.
  • Sharing a race with some incredible elite runners including Olympic Marathon Medalist Wilson Kipsang (who won the Honolulu Marathon – see his time below).  Seeing those folks whiz by during out-and-back portions of the course is incredible.
  • Finishing my first marathon!

Things that Went Well:

  • My previously bothersome little toe held up like a champ. No blister, no irritation.  I just slathered it with Vaseline before running and it worked!
  • I hydrated perfectly – I was never thirsty and didn’t have to take a bathroom break.
  • Talking to God.  He kept me distracted and I swear he answered prayers for wind.  The tradewinds finally showed up during the race and cooled us off!
  • I stuck to my strategy for dealing with heat and poor air quality: slow, steady pace; listening to my body; tons of fluids; and use of every aid station.
  • Finishing!  My final time is below.  As of writing, I finished in the top 18% of my age group, the top 17.5% of all women and the top 26% of all racers.  I was pretty down on my time after the race was over, but then I’ve remembered that we Honolulu Marathoners ran in much harsher conditions (heat, humidity, vog) than most U.S. marathons. (Also include the race winner’s time, just for fun)

Things that didn’t go well:

  • Around mile 22 or so, I was sure that my lack of a longer run than 16 miles was an issue.  I was straight-out suffering and wished I’d been able to tell myself “but you know you can do this.” from experience.  Guess I can now!
  • Sun protection.  I applied sunscreen before the race but the combination of sweat and regular cold water showers (there were mist tents and cold sponges at some of the aid stations) washed the protection away.  I’m not burnt, but I may or may not look like I fell asleep in a tanning bed.
  • GPS Watch discrepancy.  If you’ve ever run a race with a GPS watch, you know that the distance registered on that watch and official mile markers rarely line up because it’s nearly impossible to run the originally measured course.  Sometimes you’re ahead of the mile markers, and sometimes you’re behind. Unfortunately, my watch had me .2 miles ahead of the mile markers.  This means that when my watch ticked over to 26 miles and I said “YAY! Only .2 miles left!”  I actually had .4 miles left.  And I knew it.  Big morale bust.
  • Hotel.  Because of parking issues and distance from my house, I would have needed to awaken by 2:30 to make it to the start line on time, so instead I booked a hotel near the start line so I could walk over.  I did this with the understanding that Honolulu buses would take me back to the hotel (the start and finish lines were 2 miles apart).  Except I forgot to bring bus fare. FAIL.  So, I ran 26. 4 miles (see GPS watch above) and then walked 2 more….oops!  Do they make 28.4 bumper stickers?

Funny Moments:

  • Over half the runners in the Honolulu Marathon are from Japan and in an effort to share their inspiration with Americans, many of them printed mottos on their shirts in English.  Or Engrish.  Cases in point:  An elderly Japanese gentleman had a shirt that read “I am not a virgin!” and another Japanese national’s shirt said “Do Not Retire!” and featured a photo of a man crawling.  Translations :  “I have run a marathon before!” and “Don’t give up!  Keep running!”  SO FUNNY.
  • Because we were running down city streets we ran under a number of stoplights.  I slowed my pace several times when lights turned yellow and almost stopped at one red light.  Guess those are good habits.
  • A friend from my running club ran the whole marathon in a taco costume.  She was raising funds for Girls on the Run of Hawaii.  I enjoyed all the costumes, but seeing that taco go by was priceless.

As I write this on Sunday night, I’m throwing back Advils and icing muscles like it’s going out of style. I’m most proud of all of you who supported the Run to Nuke Cancer – humanity IS good!  I’m satisfied with my showing in the marathon and so glad for the experience.

I’m also confident that I’ll never run a hot-weather marathon again.  To be honest, by about mile 20 I wasn’t having fun anymore, and I’m just not competitive enough to do something that makes me miserable for bragging rights.  I won’t close the door on trying a cooler weather race some day – now that I’ve finished 26.2 in summer weather, I feel like I could own a race in 60 degree weather!

My next goals will relate to speed.  I’m running much faster these days than I was a year ago and I’d like to knock out some super-speedy shorter distances, so I’ll be joining my running club for track training nights starting next week next month.

Linking up with Jen at That’s What She Read, Jess at Tooth N Nails, and Mallory at From California To Kansas  for #BragAboutIt Monday.

From California To Kansas

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Marathon!

8 Dec By

The Honolulu Marathon starts in just 18 hours – WHOA!  I’m about to head down to The Modern Hotel in Honolulu, where I’ll be sleeping tonight so I don’t have to get up at 2:45 to find parking before the race. Local news reported today that everyone’s least favorite running buddies, Vog and Humidity, will be racing with us, so I’ve adjusted strategies accordingly.  Tomorrow’s weather forecast is below.  I’m glad to see scattered showers on the menu – the rain usually only lasts for a few seconds, but cloud cover would be really helpful, but the humidity (84%??!!) is going to suck.

{from Hawaii News Now}

And here’s my plan:

Before the Race:

  • The vog irritates my asthma, so to combat it, I’ll take cold medicine and Advil today and tonight.  The Advil will help reduce inflammation (we’re talking airways here, folks) and the cold medicine contains an expectorant to help clear out congestion. I’ll also obviously be taking my normal asthma meds.  Bonus: cold medicine will help me fall asleep early tonight!
  • Drink ridiculous volumes of water.  I actually started this on Thursday and will continue right up until the race.  The cold medicine can be dehydrating, so I’ve got to do some extra hydration.
  • Leave my hair wet in the morning – “They” say this doesn’t really help keep you cooled off during a run, but I think it does, so I’m doing it.

During the Race:

  • Stop at every aid station, no exceptions.  I’ll drink both water and Gatorade with extra focus on doing this early (even before I feel thirsty).  I’m also carrying one bottle of water and several Gu gels.
  • Visit mist tents and carry sponges.  Once the sun comes up here in Hawaii, it does get toasty, so I’m going to take advantage of all cool-off opportunities.
  • Sight-see.  I’ve not scoped out the race route on purpose so much of the view will be new to me.  I’m particularly excited to check out the Christmas decorations around Waikiki.  A distracted running Sarah is a happy running Sarah!
  • Reapply Vaseline to my sad little toe at least once.  I’m carrying a small amount of petroleum jelly in a ziplock.
  • Run. SLLLLOOOOOWWWWWWLLLLLYYYYY.  I’m talking 10:30 pace.  If I can stay at that pace, I’ll never really huff-and-puff which will prevent more vog from getting in to my lungs.  This will be extremely challenging, as I’m used to running a much faster pace, but I’ve got to rein it in!
  • Walk if I must.  I really really don’t want to walk, but finishing a marathon is not worth a major asthma attack or heat stroke.  I’ve got to listen to my body.
  • Pray.  Y’all know God is my favorite running buddy… I know he’ll keep spurring me on.

Here we go!

PS – if you’d like to track my progress, visit this website and enter my bib number (13666)

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Seeing the Moon

5 Dec By

In just four short days, I’ll run in the 40th Annual Honolulu Marathon and the rocky path that’s led me here has finally overwhelmed me for the better.

Amazing, kind, generous friends and family members helped me far exceed my goal in raising funds to support my sister-in-law Rachel and her family as she battles cancer.  Humanity is good, y’all. So good.  Thank you again to all of you who’ve pitched in. And, there’s still time to donate!

Training hasn’t gone as planned.  Injury, illness, circumstance and even my own flippant attitude have stumped me at regular intervals.  I’m going in to the race with four fewer miles on a long run than I’d planned, but with great confidence that even if I have to crawl across the finish line, I will finish.

I’ll be running the race without my magic feather. You may recall when I ran the Maui Half, I briefly thought The Gentleman wouldn’t be with me on race day.  We managed to spoil the Army’s plans on that day, but this time the mission of our armed forces wins:  The Gentleman will be working many time zones away from me on race day.  Bummer.

In addition, Mother Nature is doing her best to thwart all the race runners.  A choking vog currently hangs over the island and our weather reporters are pretty sure it will join us on race day.  When vog comes over the island, folks here sneeze and cough for days, suffer dry eyes and blurry vision and wake each morning with sore throats.  This nasty combo of microscopic volcanic particles and noxious volcanic gases is no joke, and this asthmatic gal isn’t excited about running in it.

Mostly I’m overwhelmed that I’m going to run a marathon.  WHAT THE HELL?  Just three months ago I was promising anyone who would listen that I would never run a marathon. If someone had told twenty-something me, “Sarah, you’ll run a marathon when you’re 33″, I would have rolled my eyes and laughed.

But, I wouldn’t be laughing in disbelief.  I’d be laughing at my own audacity, my very-typical blind, unearned confidence in conquering ridiculous goals (if only I could muster the confidence to order delivery pizza over the phone).  It’s such a “Sarah Move” to commit to achieving some great feat, to only marginally adhere to best practices for success, to arrogantly shrug my shoulders at unforeseen obstacles and, with only God’s grace to blame, somehow soldier through.

I realized today that this unusual pattern of behavior marks many of the things I’m most proud of in life.  Good things happen when I just go along for the ride, ignoring the rules, any sense of caution and the nay-sayers. Meticulous preparation, contingency planning and over-analyzing lead me to disaster.  Who knew?

So, this Sunday I’ll push confidently on, thinking of the radical generosity of the people in my life to reach out and help someone many don’t even know.  I’ll grit my teeth and keep placing one foot in front of the other, come what may, because in the end I was never the one piloting this plane anyway. I’ll run without worry, thinking on my most favorite of quotes, posted at the top there, which reminds me that in every difficulty, in each moment of trouble, some great beauty exists, if only we’d take the time to look up.

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Running Barbie

4 Dec By

A Barbie. Based on the number of accessories I’ve been using to train for the Honolulu Marathon on Sunday, I must be a Barbie. I posted a photo of my gear before the Maui Half Marathon a few months ago and at the time I couldn’t believe I’d add any items to the stack, but more miles apparently means more stuff. Here’s my line-up for Sunday. Let’s hope the horrible Vog clears out on Friday and Saturday, or I’ll need to add a gas mask to the pile.

The Clothes:

Nike Athletic Department Striped Tank, Balega Socks, Mizuno Compression Shorts, New Balance 870 v2, Moving Comfort Fiona Sports Bra

The Accessories:

Superfeet Blue Premium Insoles, Costa del Mar “Stringer” sunglasses, Gu Jet Blackberry Energy Gel with Caffeine, Ipod Shuffle with New Balance headphones, My Droid!  I’ll be Tweeting the Race, Nathan Shadow Pack, Garmin Forerunner 405 GPS Watch, My inhaler, Glide Anti-Chafe Stick, Petroleum Jelly (for my toe blister), Amphipod Vizlet Reflector, Cho-Pat ITB Compression Wrap

Now all I need is a pink convertible and a Barbie dream house and I’m all set!  Whoever said running is a “free” workout obviously never geared up for a marathon.

 

 

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Jinxed

30 Nov By

Happy Friday, friends!  I’ve been below the radar all week because my parents are visiting our little island paradise and I’ve been playing tour guide.  It’s been so fun showing them around our corner of Hawaii but I’ve realized a table has turned:  they are go, go, go all day long and at night, after getting them into bed, I wipe out on the couch unable to move.  I’m pretty sure they used to describe taking care of us kiddos that way.  Regardless, I love having active parents who can still conquer the same trails and waves I do.

Weighing big on my mind right now is the Honolulu Marathon, just 9 days away, and the inspiration for this post title. About 3 weeks ago, during a long run, I developed a horrible blister that took me out of training for almost 5 days.  Last week, I came down with a horrible cold, complete with fever, that again knocked me out of training for at least 5 days (as of writing, my congestion is still horrible – it’s very tough to get rid of a chest cold when you have asthma). These trip-ups at the end of my training have “conveniently” spanned weekends, when I have time to do long runs.

 

The result is that I’ll go in to the Honolulu Marathon with longest run being about 16. 5 miles…not ideal.  I’ve been researching this exhaustively, though, and handful of pro trainers out there poo-poo the idea of a 20 mile run being requisite.  I hope they’re right.  I’m clinging to the quote up there, shared with me by a pro friend, because it tells me success in this race is more about my mind than anything.
 

Still, when I received my race packet earlier this week and saw my bib number…. well, you can see how I might feel a little jinxed.
 

 

I’m not superstitious, but really? 
Happy Trails, friends, and wish me luck knocking out a final medium run this weekend!

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My Running Buddy

15 Nov By

Today, I’m excited to be guest posting for my friend Megan at All Things New, where I’m giving a big shout-out to my running buddy. 
Also, don’t forget to enter to win a Box full of Aloha! 
Tomorrow’s the last day to enter to win these goodies!

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Resigned but not Resigning: Marathon Update

8 Nov By

Last week, in advance of seeing an actual doctor, I issued an internet plea for ideas about preventing a recurring blister.  The pinky toe on my left foot has begun to protest long distances (anything over about 14 miles) by developing a shockingly huge and quite painful blister. Dozens of armchair “trainers” responded with a variety of potential solutions and while I waited for the opinion of a pro running coach and an orthopedist, I ran to the drug store to buy 2 types of medical tape, rolls of gauze, several boxes of bandaids, gel toe spacers and toe sleeves.  I should just buy stock in Dr. Scholl’s!


{source}
Here’s the update:   I actually have two separate blisters on that poor little pinky toe:  one caused by a malformation in my foot and the other caused by the athletic tape meant to prevent the first blister.  The blisters are so severe, that almost 3/4 of my toe is basically skinned right now.


Y’all, this is extremely painful.


For reference, I incurred this most recent set of blisters on 11/2 and as of today, 11/8, I’m still limping.  Without shoes on, it’s clear that I basically step on my pinky toe with my fourth toe – in other words, my pinky toe is curved under and I’m crushing it with each stride, causing a compression blister.  Taping isn’t helping so far because the tape begins to move as I rack up miles causing more problems than it solves.   I’ve got a few more temporary solutions to try (vaseline, a gel toe sleeve, etc.) but for now, I’m waiting for the damage to heal and rapidly losing training ground as the marathon looms, just four weeks away. 


All that said, I am still going to run the Honolulu Marathon on 12/9…. I’ve just got to ignore my goal pace and even consider using the  Galloway method near the end.


I am resigned to a slooooowwwwww time, but not resigning from the race. 


It’s too important to me, personally, to accomplish this goal, particularly with the added goal of supporting my awesome sister-in-law (DONATE! DONATE!), that it would literally break my heart to drop out. 


I’m not continuing toward this goal blindly.  A retired college track coach and an orthopedist both told me that as long as I let the toe heal for the next week or so and, using something like vaseline or gel, slow the development of a new blister, I should be able to run the race without altering my stride.  This, of course, is the big deal.  Blisters heal, but favoring one foot over the course of 26 miles can lead to all kinds of compensation injuries to the foot and knee, so I must be able to complete the distance without altering my running style.


Last night I ran 3.5 miles with my running club to test the toe with a new wrapping method.  Though I had no pain during the run, I did mildly aggravate the injury and am back to epsom salt soaks and resting.  Hopefully I’ll be back in the saddle in the next week or so.  Long term, I have a few options:  corrective toe separators, surgery, or  even just leaving behind the marathon distance in favor of super-speedy half-marathons. 


Thanks to you all for your continued support – for now I’m soldiering on!

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