20 Miles Hurts

On Saturday I did my second ever 20 mile run (excluding my two marathons).  I have a love/hate relationship with the 20.  Actually, scratch that, there is nothing I love about the 20 mile run, but I'm still glad I did it.

You might wonder how I've run two full marathons and only one 20 mile training run.  No, the marathons were not close together, they were 7 months apart (LA Marathon, March 2010 and Nike Women's Marathon, October 2010). 

Before LA I felt like I NEEDED at least one 20 mile run, the marathon was still a terrifying distance.  We were scheduled to do two 20 milers, but alas, my body wasn't cooperating that first go round with the marathon and I was having some serious IT band issues (which have since resolved).  I did get in the second of the two twenty milers.  I think, for me, that 20 miler was more of a mental hurdle than anything else. 

While I was training for Nike Women's last summer I was also serving as a mentor with Team in Training.  When you are a mentor (volunteer) you are not always able to get your own mileage in.  And, seriously, I was not disciplined enough to do the mileage on my own.  So, I ran with the team when I was able to and didn't run too much on my own.  I did shorter runs during the week, but my longest long run before the marathon was 16 miles (I seriously have no idea how that happened, there was at least one 18 miler and two 20 milers on the schedule).  Epic fail training wise.  Well, I PR'd at Nike, by 22 minutes.  I mean my LA time was SOOO slow that I really had no choice but to PR (and I sprained my ankle at mile 22, so I would've probably finished faster if not for that).

It was that day that I realized that the 20 is not an absolute necessity.  Although, thinking back, maybe I wouldn't have sprained my ankle if I had trained more (maybe I still would have, I am incredibly clumsy and fall and/or walk in to things a lot).  I signed up to do LA again, and this time I was going to kill it.  I had put together a training schedule that included a lot of running, but nothing over 16 miles.  Alas, due to an accident on a stationary spin bike and a resulting sprained knee I was not able to run LA this year (eventually I will run LA again in a normal amount of time).

I wound up dropping LA and signing up to run the Alaska Mayor's Marathon with Team in Training.  When I started training for Alaska I figured I would stick with the idea of doing 16-18 miles at the high end.  Unfortunately I haven't been doing as many shorter, weekday runs as I would like to accommodate said shorter long run schedule.  (The 16 mile long run schedule calls for a lot of running during the week, and my training during the week has not been nearly disciplined enough to allow for that.)  This past weekend the training schedule called for a 20 mile run for Alaska full marathoners.  I REALLY did NOT want to run 20 miles.

I was nervous all week. I did everything I could to prepare for it, physically and mentally (I was more nervous for this than I have been for a race in a long time).  I made sure to hydrate, for fear of overheating.  And yet, I was still nervous.  I knew that if I got in a full 20 I would feel really confident going in to Alaska, but I was worried that it would do more harm than good.  And, if 20 went badly then I would head into taper in a bad state of mind, which I didn't want.  I figured if I could at least get in 15 I'd be happy.

I got to the park at 6:15 to have an early start.  Melissa, one of our coaches started running with me.  I felt good and strong.  I got through the first 5 mile loop as the rest of the team was getting ready to start their runs (I was the only person at practice doing 20 that day and so glad that I started early).  I continued on through the second loop feeling good at a 5:1 interval.  I had my nutrition down, about every 40 minutes I took a GU (Chocolate Outrage) and sipped on water and Gatorade throughout.  After mile 10 Melissa, who was still running with me, asked if we could take the interval down to 4:1.  I could have stuck with a 5:1, I was feeling strong, but dropped it down to 4:1.  After this loop I headed out on the last one alone, Melissa was in pain.  I was still feeling strong, I didn't mind running alone.  On the last loop it was getting warm out and I wound up walking through three of my run intervals (not all in a row).  I took a GU Roctane (Chocolate Raspberry) on one of these extra long walks and it gave me the added burst of energy I was really needing.  As I circled around to the finish I felt strong and ran hard in to the end.  I did not feel like my legs were filled with lead and I still had energy.  Amazing!

I had finished 20 miles! In 4:08 (definitely a 20 mile PR for me!).  I felt strong and happy.  I didn't feel like I had run 20 miles, and this run has given me confidence for the Alaska Mayor's Marathon in just a couple of weeks.  I'm pretty confident that I will PR in Alaska.

What did I learn from this run?  First, I've got my nutrition/hydration worked out well.  I never felt hungry or thirsty.  I felt good without ever bonking.  Yay!  Second, I really need to stick with my interval, it gets really hard to start back up again when you walk too long.  Third, I really can run 20 miles.  Fourth, I have realized that while I do sometimes enjoy running with people I also really like being alone on long runs, I think it does my brain and body good to be alone and push through it.  Lastly, 20 miles f*ing hurts!!  I was so sore later that day and evening (I was definitely limping a little bit).  (Even though it hurts, sometimes that 20 miles can be just the thing to get you where you need to be.)

I've known this last thing for a while, but whenever I hit a milestone like this again I am reminded that I really can do anything.  I am strong and the whole world is mine if I'm ready to take it on.  And, guess what that 20 miler taught me?  Right now, I'm ready.

An extra special thank you to every one on Twitter who reminded me that I could do this and whose support helped get me through last week's pre 20 mile nerves.  It helped more than you know to have all of your support.

I'm not sure if I'll do another 20 miler before the Marine Corps Marathon in October, I'm going to see how Alaska goes and then decide.

To support me as I get ready to run the Alaska Mayor's Marathon please consider making a donation to LLS here:

http://teamintraining.org/los/anchor11/ewallersco

Thanks!

Week 16

Wow! Just over two weeks left until the Alaska Mayor's Marathon.  I couldn't have gotten this far without all of your support, so thank you!  Now, on to the week in training.

Monday - I took the dog for a long walk.  I wasn't feeling great, still getting over a bit of a head cold and decided to take the day as a rest day.  But, I did get in a 1.5 mile walk.

Tuesday - I've been getting bored running the same basic route around my house, so I decided to take a slightly different way.  Instead of turning right out the gate I went left and wound around to the street behind me, followed that around and then did some of the same run that I usually do.  4.78 miles in 52:15, pace 10:55.  I felt strong and good the whole way.

Wednesday - Our last speed training session with the team at VNSO.  We did a couple of different speed exercises, including skipping for a quarter mile.  If you haven't skipped recently, it's hard. Seriously.  2.96 miles in 32 minutes (time was slowed way down by the skipping. Seriously, so hard).

Thursday and Friday - I took Thursday off because I was tired.  And Friday I didn't want to run the night before my longest pre-Alaska run.

Saturday - I had been nervous all week about this run.  I haven't done a 20 mile run since before I did LA, more than a year ago.  The only other times I've done 20+ miles were during the LA Marathon and Nike Women's.  So, I was freaking out a little bit all week.  But, I prepared properly and ate well all week and made sure to hydrate, since I knew there was a good chance that Saturday was going to be hot.  I met Melissa, one of the Team in Training coaches at the park at 6:15 am, to get an early start and hopefully beat the heat.  I actually wound up having a really good 20 mile run. Seriously. I swore months ago that I'd never do another 20 miler because I PR'd at Nike without having done one.  But, this run seriously bolstered my confidence for Alaska.  Anyway, I ran 20.35 miles in 4 hours 8 minutes, pace 12:12, and I'm VERY happy with it.  (This was definitely a 20 mile PR for me, about 30 minutes faster than the last time I did one!)

Sunday - I was sore on Saturday evening and kind of limping around a little bit.  (20 miles hurts!)  I thought taking the dog for a hike and moving my legs on Sunday would be helpful. I took him over to Wilacre Park in Studio City and we did a nice 3 mile hike in about an hour.  The first mile is basically straight up hill and my legs were still tired and not happy with my decision to do this, but the dog loved it, as always.

Now it's TAPER TIME! And in just over two weeks I'll be in Alaska getting ready to run my third full marathon!!

Remember, you can still donate to my fundraising page to support me and LLS:

http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/anchor11/ewallersco

Thank you!

Fanny Packs

Fanny packs... Fashion faux pas and runner's best friend.

Oh the fanny pack... The unsightly accessory of days gone by.  When most people hear the words fanny pack they tend to think of a poorly dressed tourist in khaki shorts, sandals with socks (or maybe some silly looking black tennis shoes with white socks pulled up high), a loud shirt and possibly the chance of a bad sunburn, around the sunglasses forming "raccoon eyes."  This is not a good look. 

Evidence: Disney tourist
OK, he's not wearing a loud shirt, but I'm going
to guess he's got the socks/sandals combo
happening. And, he looks like his face is
a little red.



Sparkles don't make this look good.

I'm seriously afraid of what the rest of this picture looks like

Apparently fanny packs have attempted to make a couple of comebacks with high end designers such as Louis Vuitton and Diane Von Furstenberg.  They've been sported by celebrities, including Rihanna, and spotted on TV shows such as “Sex and the City” being worn by Carrie Bradshaw.  Seriously?  Why do these hideous bags keep trying to make a comeback?  They are not an attractive look for anyone, they ten to draw attention to the wrong area of your body.  The fanny pack has tried to be rebranded as a waist pack and a belt bag, among other fancier names, but make no mistake, these fancy bags (or even non-fancy versions) are still fanny packs.

   

Just because its a designer name

doesn't make it okay.



Hulk Hogan,
busy looking like a bumbling tourist

For the most part, I am anti-fanny pack.  They pretty much look ridiculous and are not good fashion sense.  You might be wondering, why am I talking about fashion and fanny packs on a blog about running.  Well, that's because there is one arena where fanny packs have become very useful – running.  Runners around the country (and probably world, for that matter) are being spotted wearing a version of the fanny pack.  Often times they are referred to as hydration belts or fitness belts or running belts, but they are essentially fanny packs with fancier names, like it or not.  They are quite useful when you're running (popular brands include FuelBelt, Nathan, SpiBelt and iFitness).  Most runners aren't going to wear a backpack and these belts hold nutrition (and sometimes hydration) for a long run/marathon/half marathon, keys, some cash and even a cell phone.  They are worn around the waist, in the same way as a fanny pack, making them, yep, a fanny pack.  (Wear it on the front, or the back, it's still a fanny pack.)

I'll admit it, I use one, all the time.  I was reluctant at first.  I mean, really, who wants to wear a fanny pack, of any kind, ever?  When I started training with Team in Training the coaches told us we would be required to wear a hydration belt on any run over 8 miles.  I was not excited about this.  Even when you call it a hydration belt, its still a fanny pack, and it still looks ridiculous.  Regardless, I had to go get a fanny pack to run with.  Ugh. I eventually found a belt I didn't mind wearing (after a couple of so-so belts), its got two small bottles, a water proof pouch big enough for my phone (yes, I take my phone with me on every run after being scolded by my parents, easier to take it than fight with them), a key, some cash and GU. (Check out my review of this awesome fanny pack! I do love this one, and I call it a hydration belt, but make no mistake, this is still, essentially a fanny pack.)



Look! A group of TNT'ers (including me) all wearing hydration
belts (just a fancy name for a fanny pack)

Fanny packs are never a fashionable choice, even when running.  But, they can prove to be quite useful.  I  would not wear one with my regular clothes.  The only time you'll find me sporting a fanny pack (or equivalent) will be when I'm on a run.  The rest of the time, it is completely unacceptable. 

The best reason to carry one of these runner friendly fanny packs?  To take care of yourself.  If you are out on a long run you need to be able to hydrate yourself, and get some nutrition in.  And, having the phone on you can be helpful too in case something happens.  (In January I went for a run and my sprained knee was still healing, I got about 3 miles away from home and couldn't run anymore, I was in tears. I had to call my roommate to come pick me up).  My running belt/fanny pack is something I don't leave home without, it has become an important part of my running gear and I pretty much don't leave home without it.  Tomorrow, when I'm running 20 miles you can bet that I'll have my fancy fanny pack with me every step of the way, holding my hydration, nutrition, cell phone, and other little essentials to help me get through that mileage.  Don't laugh at me or judge me, I'm being self sufficient!

So, the moral of this story is, don't judge a runner wearing a fanny pack (don't point and laugh).  They are busy taking care of themselves on a long run.  It is clearly necessary, or at least very helpful to wear a fancy fanny pack when you're running.  In public, in regular clothes, if you see someone wearing a fanny pack, well, they need fashion help.  Try not to judge them either, cause it isn't nice, neither is pointing and laughing.

A few more examples.  Clear evidence - running belts = fanny packs.

 

Here's an article I found on time.com about fanny packs trying to make a comeback:

http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/02/11/fashion-fail-are-fanny-packs-really-making-a-comeback/

Also, I am still training for the Alaska Mayor's Marathon (just three weeks away) and I have my longest training run tomorrow - 20 miles! Show me some support and make a donation (even though I've hit my minimum donations are still very much appreciated), or send me a tweet/text/message giving me some support!  I could use it!

http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/anchor11/ewallersco



Week 15

Less than four weeks until my next full marathon.... I'm not really nervous about the marathon, I'm really getting excited to go to Alaska and enjoy myself.  What I am nervous about is this coming weekend's run - 20 miles.  I haven't done a 20 mile run since my training for LA.  Before Nike last fall the longest training run I did was 16 miles (and I PR'd by 22 minutes, with an injured ankle).  I swore I wouldn't do a 20 again, because I feel like it just kills my body.  But, its been so long and I really want to get a gauge on how I'm going to fare in Alaska.  So, here I am, getting ready to run 20 miles this weekend.  I think its going to be warm on Saturday, so I'm already starting to hydrate now.  I am not taking any chances.  But, no matter what happens on Saturday I do think I have a good chance of achieving a PR in Alaska.  (Setting a PR in Alaska is not a far fetched idea, my marathon times have been slooooow...)

So training last week was way off.  But, in my defense I was feeling exhausted and crummy all week - explained by the stupid head cold that appeared on Friday.

Monday - I went to Disneyland with a friend to celebrate my birthday, which was the day before.  And, I'm pretty sure walking around Disneyland all day is like a workout.  Although, it is probably negated by the junk food I consumed.  Meh, totally worth it.  =)

Tuesday - My body was completely wiped out from Sunday/Monday. I chose to rest.

Wednesday - I tried going for a run and was only able to complete 2 miles.  SO damn exhausting.  Had to keep it short.  My body wasn't cooperating.  I didn't even log the exact mileage/time.  It was just not a good run.

Thursday - I tried running again, this time I was able to go a bit further and it felt better.  Ran 3.04 miles in 32:09 (10:34 pace).  Not bad.  And, I was able to stop by Runnergy and pick up a couple of GUs.  I grabbed two new flavors of Roctane, Cherry Lime (nasty) and Chocolate Raspberry (pretty good).

Friday - Rest, long run Saturday and I left work early, as I was not feeling well.

Saturday - Long run with the team.  We were scheduled for 13 miles for full marathoners and 10 for half.  I only did 10, but only because my head felt like it was going to explode.  Stupid head cold.  But, I got through the 10 miles at a good pace.  I tried the Chocolate Raspberry Roctane and liked it.  So, yay for another new GU flavor I like.  I wound up way in front of my pace group and ran alone mostly and really enjoyed myself.  I think I do better not running with people than I do with people, in general.  My pace was good and steady throughout.  I felt mostly good until the end when I thought my head would explode.  Stupid cold.  Mileage: 10.24 in 1 hour 58 minutes (11:31 pace).  I am super excited about this time, I'm happy I got through 10 miles in under two hours.  It's giving me hope for a good marathon in Alaska.

Sunday - I went back to the park with my mentor, Tara, and ran another loop.  While I like running alone there is pretty much no way that I would have gone for a run on Sunday without knowing that I was meeting Tara there.  Glad I got in another few miles.  Mileage: 4.97 in 59:09 (11:54 pace).

Now, on to this week.  Hoping for a good 20 miler this weekend.  And a couple of good runs before then.  I'm closing in on 100 miles for the month of May.  As long as my body cooperates and this cold goes away soon I'll hit that goal.

I have hit my fundraising minimum for Team in Training/LLS, but I can still use your support.  My marathon is less than four weeks away and I can use all the support I can get!  Please donate, even just a dollar or two helps!  You can donate here:

http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/anchor11/ewallersco

Pasadena Half Marathon and my Birthday!

When I signed up for the Pasadena Half Marathon I thought it would be a fun thing to do on my birthday.  I ran OC two week earlier (check out my recap, it didn't go quite as planned... http://bit.ly/jLcoug)  I hoped Pasadena would have a better outcome, especially since it was on my birthday.  And, the overall verdict - a fun way to spend my birthday!

I know it might seem crazy to want to run a half marathon on your birthday, but for me, it was life affirming.  It was a great way to start a new year.

On Saturday I ran 5 miles at Team in Training practice for Alaska.  The Alaska full marathoners were scheduled to run 18 miles, so I stopped at 5 since I was going to be running 13 the next morning.  After practice I went over to the expo and picked up my bib.  It was a little expo and an easy pickup.

That afternoon I went to a scavenger hunt/birthday party, instead of having dinner and going to bed early.  I left the party early, but had dinner a bit late and went to bed at about 10:30, with my alarm set for 4:15am.  This is the moment where I wondered why on earth I thought running a half marathon on my birthday would be fun. Waking up at 4:15am, ugh.  A few short hours later that alarm went off and I had that thought again, why am I doing this?  I got myself up and got ready and before I was quite finished my friends, Susie and Amanda, were arriving and parking so we could carpool over.  Yikes, hurry up!

I had my dad's Prius, so I drove us over to Pasadena.  And, because I was following the sign on the freeway that said the exit was jammed I took a different way and managed to drive us down part of the course and a bit out of the way to get to the parking.  Just a slight detour.  Oopsies!

We got to the start line with a little time to spare and got ready to run.  I decided I wasn't going to go for a PR, I really just wanted to have fun, and for me that meant running with Amanda.  Amanda is probably my favorite running buddy.  I always have fun with her.  And, on Sunday, I definitely had fun.

Amanda and I decided to run a 5:1 run:walk interval.  As soon as the race started and we crossed the start line big fat raindrops started to fall.  Amanda, whose last run was the torrential rain of the LA Marathon, of course had some interesting thoughts about this rain, including, "Really?!?"  I don't mind the rain, as it means cooler weather and I will be less likely to overheat and/or dehydrate.

Anyway, we were making pretty good time and enjoying the course, and I was enjoying Amanda's commentary.  Including the following gems: "Single and ready to mingle!" as we passed a fire station and  "What is this, dinosaur piss!?" in reference to the electrolyte beverage on the course - Ultima.  I think she may have also thrown a water cup There were a million more funny, entertaining moments throughout the morning.



Suicide bridge in Pasadena... Beautiful bridge, bad nickname.

   

Amanda and I having fun, even in the rain



fogged up camera lens.... rainy day fun!

When we got to about mile 11 we were on a good downhill and I started to pick up momentum and I quickly realized that I had lost Amanda.  At that point I decided to run as hard as I could.  I wound up finishing in 2:45, same time as OC.



running alone and still smiling!



terrible form, but still enjoying myself



i love this giant watch, even when
it tells me i run slow :)

Could I have PR'd on this course?  Maybe.  The weather was perfect for me to PR.  But, I would rather have the memory of having a super fun race with a good friend than a PR.  There will be other races that I can run hard and go for a PR.  But, on my birthday I wanted to enjoy myself every step of the way.  I highly recommend running a race on your birthday, it was a great way to celebrate!



finished and still smiling! success



great start to a new year!

The rest of the day was fun as well.  I took a little nap, then my roommate took me out for a birthday lunch to Umami burger - yum! Truffle burger and a Mexican coke followed by Menchies... Holy food coma, I needed another nap.  Then my parents took me out to dinner.  Instead of cake I got a birthday cannoli!

The fun didn't end on Sunday.  On Monday I had the day off work so I went to celebrate with a good friend at the Happiest Place on Earth - Disneyland!  Needless to say, at the end of Monday I was wiped out, and was all day Tuesday as well.  Exhausting but fun birthday weekend.  I have a feeling 32 is going to be my best year yet!

 

 



Special shout out and thanks to Amanda for running Pasadena with me! And, Susie for helping me celebrate my birthday at Pasadena.  Also, my amazing roommate Sheree for spending part of the day with me.  And, Matthew for spending Monday at Disneyland with me. And all of you who sent me birthday wishes and love, it made my day so much more special.  To all of my friends, I love you, thank you for making my day so wonderful!  And, of course, last but not least, my parents and sisters.  I wouldn't be where I am today without each of you.  I love you!

I know this is a long post, but I have one final thing... I'm still fundraising for the Alaska Mayor's Marathon with Team in Training, please support me and LLS!

http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/anchor11/ewallersco

Or, you can support my efforts for the San Francisco Marathon with Train 4 Autism:

http://www.crowdrise.com/teamtrain4autism/fundraiser/ewallerscott

Week 14

Just about a month away from the marathon! Yikes!! Am I ready???  After this past week, I don't know, I was an epic fail with training, almost all week.... But, I'll forgive it because it was my birthday on Sunday.  This week MUST be better.  Here's how last week went down...

Monday and Tuesday - I did nothing.  Seriously fail.  I feel like I had reasons, but I have no idea what they are now.

Wednesday - First ever speed training session.  It was way more fun than I thought it would be.  I really enjoyed it.  I did my first half mile repeat at 4:21.  WAY faster than I thought I could run.  (And, way too fast for the first lap of the night.)  It wound up being a good night.  I used the Virtual Partner on my Garmin for the first time ever, making sure I stayed at the pace I was supposed to.  Did four miles total, average pace of 10:24.  Not bad for my first time around.

Thursday and Friday - Fail again.  Seriously ridiculous.  Why did I do nothing?  Well, in reality its because I've been getting this weird pain in my right quad.  It's totally random and I've been referring to it as the "phantom pain."  I don't know what the hell its all about.  I'm doing everything right, and it only happens sometimes.  Phantom.

Saturday - Team in Training practice at Balboa park.  It was supposed to be 18 miles for Alaska full marathoners.  I was going to try to do 10, and it was a perfect, lovely day for a run.  But, I was smart and stopped after 5 miles.  I knew that I'd regret it the next day.  Finished in 55 minutes for a 10:41 pace.  I'm clearly getting faster.  Yay!  After practice I headed over to Pasadena to the marathon expo to pick up my bib for the half marathon the next day.  I then went home and got ready for a birthday party scavenger hunt in Playa del Rey that evening (not necessarily the best idea to go to a party the night before a race, but I wanted to go, and I wasn't concerned with getting a PR at the marathon, so off I went).

Sunday - Ugh, 4:15am alarm went off.  I had a moment when I thought about turning off the alarm and going back to sleep.  Why on earth did I think waking up at 4:15am on my birthday was going to be a good idea?!?  But, I did.  I got up and got ready to go run 13.1 miles.  My friends Susie and Amanda came and met me and we carpooled over to Pasadena.  I decided I was not going to run super hard and try to PR, I wanted to enjoy myself, and I knew the best way to do that would be to run with Amanda.  She is always entertaining and I knew it would make the race so much more fun if I stayed with her.  (I'll post a full recap of Pasadena tomorrow.)  I finished the race in 2:45, exactly the same time as I ran OC two weeks ago.  Pace was 12:28.  It was a fun day, even in the rain.  More soon.

So... back to my question at the beginning.  Am I ready?  Kind of.  I just need to work hard for the next few weeks. I put in 18 miles this weekend, and, while I'm sore today, I know that I can do this.  Alaska, I'm coming to get you!

Back on track this week.... Must run tonight, since I went to Disneyland yesterday to celebrate my birthday and didn't run.

Please consider supporting me and make a donation (it'll also tell you why I'm training with Team in Training and raising funds for LLS):

http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/anchor11/ewallersco

May 15 is All About Me!

This Sunday, May 15th, is my birthday. I know people don't think its polite to ask a lady her age, but I'll scream it from every roof top, I'm going to be 32. And, I am proud of it. There were long periods of my life that I didn't think I'd live to see 30, let alone 32. I am grateful to be here and try to remember to be grateful every single day, some days are harder than others, but I still remember, everyday, to be thankful for life, for my life.

This Sunday I will be doing something to celebrate my life, for me. I am going to be running the Pasadena Half Marathon.

A year ago I thought that I would sign up for Bay 2 Breakers this year. It is also on May 15. I thought it would be a really fun way to celebrate my birthday. If you don't already know, Bay 2 Breakers is a long standing (this is the 100th year), sort of wild and crazy event. It usually involves a lot of drinking.  One issue, I don't drink. (Check out this post on my "Other Birthday.")

When registration opened early, back in December, I almost registered. But, something held me back and the more I thought about it, the worse the idea seemed. The idea of spending my birthday being surrounded by thousands of people getting drunk seemed like a questionable idea. I didn't register. I kept putting it off, waiting to decide. And then, the event sold out.  And, I didn't have to decide.

While this debate of should I or shouldn't I was going on fate stepped in. Not only did B2B sell out, but the Pasadena Marathon switched dates. It was supposed to be in February, and then it was switched, to May 15.  I grew up in the Pasadena area, and the event was on my birthday.  It seemed like fate.  This was the event I should do on my birthday. So I registered for the half marathon.

I have had moments since I registered when I wondered why on earth I decided to pay to run 13.1 miles on my birthday, which will require that I wake up at approximately 4am. Hmmm... Maybe this isn't the best idea after all. But, most of the time I remember that this is a great way to celebrate my life and bring in another year.



Hopefully I will not be looking like this while running on Sunday

Now, what do I want for my birthday? I want to enjoy myself. I want to run the Pasadena Half Marathon as hard as I can and have fun while doing it. If I hit my time goal that will be one of the best birthday presents I can give myself. If I enjoy the day and the event then getting up at 4am and running 13.1 miles will be more than worth it. It will be a great way to start a new year.


I want to look happy, like this!

If you happen to be in the Pasadena area come cheer for me. Come wish me a happy birthday. Help me celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of a new year of my life.

I am not going to spell out any time goals or race goals before Pasadena, because I just want to have as much fun as possible. That is my one and only goal for Sunday, enjoy the race, enjoy the day and enjoy my life. Because this is what life is truly about.

After the race, no matter how I do I am going to enjoy the rest of my day.  And then on Monday I will be heading to the Happiest Place on Earth, Disneyland!  (I get Monday off, birthdays are considered a holiday and you get to take a day off at my job!) If you don't have work and want to come play for the day, the more the merrier!

If you want to give me an actual gift, that is perfectly acceptable. Some things I would love, cash is always good ;) or registration paid for in one of these races: Rock n Roll Las Vegas Marathon (half) in December and/or Tinkerbell Half Marathon at Disneyland in January. I also pretty much love everything at lululemon.  Or you can give me cash ;).  Better yet, do something good and make a donation to my fundraising campaign for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as I get ready to run the Alaska Mayor's Marathon.  But, the best gift you can give me is to come celebrate my birthday with me.

You can donate to LLS via my fundraising page, here: http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/anchor11/ewallersco

My perfect birthday will leave me looking as happy as I do right here...  I may have been exhausted after running 13.1 miles in the heat, but I was happy... And, that's how I want to look/feel on Sunday!

Thanks for reading!



Week 13

Less than forty days til the Alaska Mayor's Marathon! So, here's a quick recap of what happened last week.  My goal for the week was to get in at least six workouts, and I successfully did that.

Monday - I decided not to run on Monday, with the half marathon the day before.  I went to a yoga class, Yoga Rocks.  It was a tough workout, but it really felt great to stretch my body out.  That night when I got home I decided I was going to try to go for a run first thing in the morning.  I had a plan and laid out all my running gear for the morning.  I even got to bed at a decent (early) time.

Tuesday - I did it! I woke up early and went for a morning run.  Last week was so hot and the idea of running after work was not something I could handle.  I knew morning was going to be the only time to get in a quality run.  I got out the door and ran 3.46 miles in 39 minutes (11:13 pace).  It was a little slow, but it was my first every work day morning run and I had that same funny pain in my left leg that I've gotten a couple of times recently (not sure what it is, but trying to rest/stretch/ice as much as possible).  And, even though it was slow, it was more about getting myself up to go for that run, rather than hitting mileage or pace.  On Tuesday evening I actually got in a second workout.  I went to the gym and signed up for a spin class.  Before it started I used the rowing machine and rowed 2,000 meters in 11:38.  Good warm up.  Then I went to spin and that class was a fail.  There is a thin window on one side of the room, and as the sun was setting it was rapidly descending into my eye line. And, the teacher was very annoying.  She was yelling, but more like screeching and just be annoying, not motivating at all.  For the first time ever, I left a spin class early, I stayed for 45 minutes and then couldn't handle her anymore.

Wednesday - I went to a group run in the evening at Runnergy.  Just went for the two mile loop, it was quite warm, and I knew I would only be able to do a couple of quick easy miles.  I ran 1.71 miles in 18 minutes (10:18 pace).  It was an easy run and nice to go with a new group.

Thursday - I went to another yoga class.  This one was called XFlowsion.  It was a cardio/yoga class.  It was hard.  I was super sweaty and tired at the end.  Another good workout done.  Thursday was Cinco de Mayo, and as I'm sober, there was no way I was going out.  So, I went home and laid out all my running gear and went to bed early, planning on getting up for a morning run again.

Friday - Morning run was an epic fail.  I blame the dog, but not my dog, my roommate's dog.  When I was getting ready for bed I let all three dogs out one last time and then went to bed.  Well, apparently Max, the lab, decided he wasn't going to sleep this night.  When my roommate came home Max barked a lot and woke me up.  But, I quickly fell back asleep.  Then at 3am and every 45 or so minutes from there on out, Max decided he was going to make his presence known and bark.  Urg.  I got almost no sleep.  Bad news.  When the alarm went off to run I was so completely exhausted I couldn't get up and reset my alarm for later to get up before work.  That night I went over to my parents house, my older sister was in town for the weekend, so I went over to see her.  She and I and my younger sister wound up staying up chatting until 2am.  I realized that I was probably not going to be able to wake up in the morning for my long run.

Saturday - Long run fail.  I did not wake up for that run.  Which I knew was going to happen.  But, I did take the dog for a hike at Fryman.  He had a great time and it was a good workout.  Although, we started walking down a side trail, off the main path and suddenly heard some sort of creature rustling in the bushes.  Totally freaked out we turned and ran back to the main path.  We hiked about 3 miles.  It was a lovely day and he was pooped afterwards.

Sunday - I was going to try to get up and go for a long run on Sunday morning, but that nagging pain in my leg was back.  I decided to skip the long run for the weekend.  I don't want to injure myself this close to the marathon (plus I have Pasadena half marathon this weekend).  I did do a fair amount of manual labor at my parents house though.  I helped assemble some new desks and move stuff around, so that was like a workout in and of itself.  It was nice to be helpful to my mom and do this stuff for her on mother's day.

This week's goal, yoga, running, long runs, and hopefully a PR this Sunday at the Pasadena half.  This Sunday is also my birthday, so I'm hoping that the race is good and that the weather is nice.  My training will be on track this week.

Also, big news on the fundraising front, I hit my minimum with Team in Training/LLS for Alaska! But, I can still use your support.  To make a totally tax deductible donation click this link, it's easy and you'll help me get across that finish line:

http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/anchor11/ewallersco

Or you can donate to my Crowdrise page in support of Train 4 Autism as I run the San Francisco Marathon in July:

http://www.crowdrise.com/teamtrain4autism/fundraiser/ewallerscott

Thank you for your continued support!

OC Half Marathon

On Sunday, May 1, I ran the OC Half Marathon.  It was a spectacularly slow time for me.  But, I finished, without any pain (a real concern) and without throwing up or passing out (both concerns that became all too real while I was running).  But, back to the beginning.

I registered for OC and lined up my place to stay the night before (one of my best friends from high school, Allyssa, lives in Costa Mesa, very close to the finish and she was running the 5k at the OC Marathon) and continued on with my regular running schedule, sort of.  I definitely missed a few days here and there, or a lot, either way, what's done is done.

The week before the race I should have hydrated.  I should have run more than I did.  I should have stretched more than I did.  But, I didn't.  I didn't really worry about the hydration issue, the race was in Orange County (Newport, Costa Mesa areas) and I figured it wouldn't be too warm so I'd be okay just going along with my regular schedule.  Wrong, but back to that later.



I headed down to Allyssa's place in Costa Mesa in the early afternoon on Sunday.  We walked to the expo, about 10 minute walk (where the finish line would be at the OC Fairgrounds).  We picked up our bibs and wandered through the expo and then headed back to her place.  After much debate and serious lack of decision making we decided to get dinner at a place called Gypsy Den.  It was delish, including two amazing desserts, creme brulee and bread pudding (see pictures of both below.... yum!).  All day Saturday and through dinner, and after back at Allyssa's place I only drank water, hoping that would be enough hydration for Sunday.  Wrong, but back to that later.





After watching part of a "House" marathon I fell asleep around 11pm, with my stuff laid out for the next morning, definitely not enough hours of rest, with my alarm set for the ungodly hour of 4:45 am.  I woke up, slightly startled, thinking I had overslept at one point and looked at my phone, only 12:30 am, plenty of sleep still to come.  I woke up slightly before my alarm and started getting myself ready.  Allyssa, amazingly, woke up super early and drove me the quick drive over to the finish line in time for my 5:15 am shuttle to the start.  I managed to skip most of the line to get on the shuttle because of luck and walked right on to a school bus.  A few minutes later we arrived at the start line, Fashion Island in Newport.  As I was waiting for the start, I ran into Tai, my lovely friend, and former mentee, from Team in Training.  We don't run at the same pace, but we started together, it was nice not to have to wait around for the start by myself.  



My race started out great.  The weather was lovely and my tank top and crops seemed like a good choice of running gear.  I was going along at a good pace.  Heading down toward the ocean there were gorgeous views and it started out a good temperature.  I had hope that I would PR.  I was on track to do just that.  I was feeling good.  I can't tell you what all of my mile splits were because I had my watch set to my interval of 6:1 (run 6 minutes, walk 1).  I ignored it for the first couple of miles, as I was feeling good, but I was pretty sure I wasn't ready to run straight through which is why I set it in the first place.  (According to the race results my 5k time was 33:31, with a 10:48 pace, a good easy pace.)  In reality, as I look at my Garmin results my pace was all over the place.  Sometimes I was running a half mile at 9:45 or less, others I was closer to 11:15 or more.  It would be nice if I could hold a steady pace, but that's for another post.

As the sun started to come out I started feeling hotter and hotter.  I started to use the run/walk interval and my runs were closer to 11:xx for the most part.  For a couple of minutes I managed to stay just in front of a group pushing a marine (I think he was a marine) in a wheel chair.  They were moving at a good clip, so I was excited.  But, the sun was starting to get to me.  I was drinking my water and Gatorade in my iFitness hydration belt and getting water and Gatorade at every aid station (except the first one, which I didn't realize I passed until I was beyond it and was trampling cups in the road).



seriously? this is terrible. i look like i'm
about to punch myself in the face.
MUST WORK ON BETTER FORM!
Although I like that neither foot is on the
ground, I'm flying!!

The course was lovely and I continued to feel good, even with the heat.  Then, at about mile 8, tragedy struck! (Okay, maybe saying it was a tragedy is an exaggeration, but in that moment it felt that way.)  I suddenly felt very nauseated.  I broke my intervals and decided to walk, even though I was supposed to be running.  I had taken a GU at about mile 5, but decided maybe I already needed another one.  It didn't help.  It didn't make things worse, but it didn't make them better.  Then, suddenly I felt a bit dizzy.  Not good.  I realized I was feeling dehydrated and overheated.  I kept walking and ran when I felt like I could.  My hopes of PR'ing quickly faded away.  I was still hoping for sub-2:40.

At this point, I realized that my lack of preparation was taking its toll on my body.  I was not properly hydrated and I knew that I was paying the price for it.  I can't assume that the weather is going to be to my advantage.  Even if it had been cool I could have still wound up feeling this way.  I must prepare properly! I have certain disadvantages going into every race, seeing as how I do dehydrate and overheat much more easily than most people (thank you medication for making my life difficult *sarcasm*).  My new mantra is the same as the Boy Scouts, "Always be prepared." For me, that means being hydrated and rested.

As the miles wore on there were a few people with hoses turned on outside their houses, spraying runners who wanted it, and I walked through each and every one hoping that would help, not really.   I still wasn't sticking with my interval and I was just running when I was able to for as long as I could.  At about mile 10 I decided to take another GU, this time I tried Pineapple Roctance.  I had never tried this flavor, or even Roctane before, but I figured it wasn't going to make things worse at this point.  I was getting hotter and still not feeling great.  The Pineapple GU wasn't too bad and actually gave me a burst of energy.

I slowly saw the miles finally ticking down, but my dreams of sub 2:40 also went right out the window.  At this point I didn't care about my time, I just wanted to finish.  At about mile 12 there was an awesome cheering section - from lululemon.  It seriously got me motivated and running a bit more.  But, then I started walking again, feeling nauseated.  Blech, I was wondering if this was awful feeling was ever going to stop.  I was really disappointed that I wasn't able to just run the final mile, but I had almost nothing left.

Then I saw the fairgrounds approaching.  The end was near! I ran as much as I could.  Finally I crossed the finish line, 2 hours and 45 looong minutes later.  I was so happy to be done.  I quickly found Allyssa and we found a place to just sit and let me try to re-hydrate a bit.



Me and Allyssa post race with our medals

Note the Gatorade and water in front of me, I
downed those and just tried to cool off.   I was
happy to be done and sitting down for a few minutes

A few minutes later Tai and Joy, from Team in Training found me and we all chatted for a bit about our races.  Then Allyssa and I walked back to her place.  I packed up my stuff and headed home to the dog (who was very naughty while I was gone, he wouldn't leave my room, not even to go outside, and then when I got home he ate my bagel!).

Tai, Joy and myself.  Go TEAM!

my newest medal

Oh Garmin, why must you make me
remember my slow time??? Oh I know,
so I can improve next time.

So, basically, this wasn't my best race, but it wasn't my worst either.  I know I can do better and I have a chance to do better at the Pasadena half marathon in just under two weeks, on my birthday.  Would I do this race again?  Yes.  It was a good course and there were plenty of aid stations, it was a little more expensive than I'd like, but in my opinion, it was worth it.  There weren't tons of spectators, but the ones who were out there were really great, especially the lululemon cheer section just before mile 12, that got me pumped back up.

As far as my goals go: I didn't hit either of my time goals, but I did get through the race with one huge success, NO KNEE PAIN!  this was the longest consecutive mileage I've done since I was injured way back in November and it felt great to get through the whole thing without any knee pain at all.  I'm looking forward to Pasadena and then Alaska! 

You can support me as I continue to train for the Alaska Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon in Anchorage Alaska in June to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through Team in Training.  I'm less than $200 away from my goal (SO close!), you can help me get there, it'll only take a couple of extra minutes.

http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/anchor11/ewallersco

Or, you can support me as I train for the San Francisco Marathon and raise funds for Train 4 Autism, another amazing cause:

http://wwwcrowdrise.com/teamtrain4autism/fundraiser/ewallerscott/