Turtles Can Run

By nature I am a shy person.  That is actually how the whole turtle thing started.  A friend of mine gave me a little stuffed turtle who could come out of his shell.  My friend said that reminded him of me.  Running has really helped me come out of my shell and it seems to do the same with many other people.  It breaks down barriers and builds bonds.

One place I have noticed this is on my morning runs.  I have been running on the same trail at least 2 days a week for almost two years.  Many mornings at the same time of the morning so that I can run with my husband.  Day after day we see the same core group of runners and walkers.  I think of them of my trail family.  We always say hey, comment on the weather and wish each other a good day.   A few of them have noticed the changes in my weight and speed and have commented on it.  They are very encouraging, how sweet is that.  I have also noticed the changes many of them have made and the consistency in their workouts inspire and motivate me.  There is a group of men that love to razz my husband if I am running faster than him, that always gets my husband to pick up his pace. It is so funny.  On occasion  I have joined some of the ladies on their runs to chat for a few minutes if we are going in the same direction.  I love my morning trail runs for so many reasons and one big one is all these little exchanges.

The trail is not the only place I have met fellow runners.  On the track, at the gym, at races, online and even at the grocery store.  Runners are some of the friendliest people out there, either that or we just really like talking about running and will talk to anyone who will listen.   This turtle has made quite a few friends through running…yet another reason I am thankful for and love running!!

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Today on DailyMile people shared their before  running and after photos.  So many people had incredible transformations.  It was so motivational and inspiring. Some of them have lost over a 100 pounds and are now great runners.

It really made me think of all the changes I’ve made in my life over the past two years.  It is mind boggling to think that I couldn’t even run a mile back then.  The thought of running 10 miles seemed unfathomable, I thought nobody just goes out and runs 10 miles and yet that is what I am running tomorrow.  And some of my friends on DailyMile  run close to that almost every day of the week.

When I started losing weight I set out to lose 50 pounds and have now lost 65.  I never thought I would be back down to this weight.  I have finally learned how to eat.  Now I know if I am a little more careful and actually follow the lessons I have learned  I can lose even more and be at a peak running weight.

I was also infused with a new level of confidence today.  If I’ve come this far in 2 years surely I can achieve my goals for this year.  I just need to keep plugging away, work hard and be consistent.

Thanks and congrats to all my friends out there who have changed their lives and shared their stories, you’ve given me a big boost today.  For those of you just starting out stick with it.  Eat less, cut out the junk (most of the time)  and move.  Set goals, challenge yourself, you’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish!

Here is the before and after pic I posted.  Hard to believe I was ever that woman.

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I’ve been having a hard time believing that I am going to be able to run a half marathon in one hour and forty minutes.  The pace required seems to fast for me.  Even though I have gotten faster over time,  I really still consider myself a turtle when it comes to running.  Setting goals with pace in the sevens scare me.  My mind keeps telling that pace is too fast for a turtle.

When feeling this way there are several things that help me break down the walls of self down. Look at past performances and my training log.  At the 3M marathon I ran a 1:43:32 half marathon.  Going into the race I thought if I fought hard I might be able to finish the race in 1:45. But I ran the race at what felt like a relaxed pace, I didn’t feel like I was really pushing and I exceeded my expectations.  Keeping this in mind I should be able to cut a few minutes off of that time if I am actually make a strong effort during AHC half marathon.

The second thing I need to have confidence in is my training.  I am following a pretty rigorous training schedule, it has much more speedwork than I am used to doing.  The first week of training was a disaster but last week was better and this week has been great so far.  My intervals and tempo run this week were actually better than the schedule called for and faster than I thought I could run them.  Following a training plan has always allowed me to meet my goals in the past. If I am consistent  and put the work in I will see good results.

The last mental barriers I need to knock down are my poor self image and low self confidence.  Sometimes I still see myself as that overweight woman who ran so slow speed walkers passed her on the trail.  I am not that woman anymore, I’ve worked hard,  have gotten much faster and if I don’t let my mind stop me I can kick butt this April.

I just want to leave you with some quotes I find helpful when I doubt myself:

“Run hard, be strong, think big!” -Percy Cerutty

“Part of a runner’s training consists of pushing back the limits of his mind..” -Kenny Moore

“The body does not want you to do this. As you run, it tells you to stop but the mind must be strong. You always go to far for your body. You must handle the pain with strategy…It is not age; it is not diet. It is the will to succeed.” -Jacqueline Gareau

“Mind is everything: muscle–pieces of rubber. All that I am, I am because of my mind” -Paavo Nurmi

Am I the only one who is constantly doubting herself?  Do you ever doubt yourself and your running ability?  How do you overcome your doubts?

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A few months ago I wrote a post about buying a bike and 3 weeks ago I finally bought one.  I chose this bike because it is versatile, light and fast but I can still ride it on the gravel trail close to our house.  I’ve taken it out on a few 1 hour rides and am getting used to riding a real bike again.  I’ve spent plenty of time on stationary bikes in the past few years but being out on a bike is very different.  The person at the bicycle shop said I should get used to riding on the bike before putting on clipless pedals on.  I think I will be able to ride faster when I get them but honestly am glad I don’t have them yet because I know I will be taking a tumble on one of my first rides with the clipless pedals.  I have found my rides to be very relaxing, especially the ones where my family is along.  Going for a ride is a great alternative on a day when you need a break from the impact of running.  It is also a great activity to do with the family.  I don’t think I am likely to enter any triathlons anytime soon or be a speed demon on my bike ( I am likely to remain a turtle) but I can see riding a couple times a week for fun and exercise.

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First week of training is done.  Fast runs did not go as planned, I was winded and my heart rate was higher than normal all week.  Last year I would have been worried about this but I’ve been running long enough now to know that this sometimes happens.  Sometimes our bodies need a little rest and can not do what we want them to.  I find that every couple of months this happens to me, it usually occurs in the weeks following a big race or during the later part of my cycle.  Coach Jenny on Runnerworld.com wrote a good article describing the effects of a woman’s cycle on running.  After reading this I stopped freaking out when I couldn’t run as fast, was more winded and my heart rate was going crazy  during PMS.  Now I just try to come as close to my goals as I can reassured by the knowledge that next week will be better.  I am looking forward to next weeks training, I am hoping for much speedier times on my intervals and the tempo run.  I will be opting for the bike ride on Monday instead of the 3 mile run, my left ITB (it was the right one before) starting hurting after Saturday’s run so I am hoping a non running day with lots of stretching and rolling will help.

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I was originally planning on running the Zooma Austin Half Marathon this year but found out about the Angie’s Half Crazy! Half marathon and decided to do that instead.  One of my twitter and Daily Mile pals recommended it and I thought it would be fun to run it and spend the weekend in Houston with the family.  The course is a loop and really flat so I am going to try for a PR which means running something close to a 1:40 half marathon which seems kind of crazy to me.  I have a hard time thinking I can run that fast but I did run a 1:43:32 at the 3M so I should be able to run something close to my goal with smart training and if the weather isn’t crazy hot.   I chose to go with the Hal Higdon  advanced  half marathon training program for training, I tweaked it a bit to allow for 2 non running days if I choose and went with mileage instead of time for the long runs because that works better for me.  Here it is:

I will be started my training tomorrow.  I may add in a 5K or 10K in the schedule if anything catches my fancy.  After this race I plan on taking it easy the rest of the spring and the beginning of summer then I will start training for my fall marathon.  I am hoping by then I will be able to run a 3:40 and qualify for Boston.

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A couple of weeks after I ran the Rock and Roll San Antonio marathon my right ITB has been tight and painful.  The knee pain has made me walk home a couple of times from a run or cut a run short.  I keep thinking I have moved past it and then it comes back.  There are a few things that I have found that help relieve the pain,keep it and little looser and allow me to keep running.

First thing is the foam roller.  Using this before and after a run help the tightness from setting it too soon during the run and helps the pain afterwards.  Yoga, especially the pigeon pose and the winshield wiper.  When I do yoga 2 or 3 times a week the ITB pain/tightness is greatly decreased.  The Pro-Tec Iliotibial Band Compression Wrap has also helped me get through longer runs with less discomfort.  Usually the pain and tightness sets in around mile 3 or 4 but when I wear the strap and have been foam rolling I can get through 10-14 miles.  Some other things that help are avoiding hills (downhill really irritates it), replacing my shoes, keeping most runs short and running on even surfaces.

It was no surprise to me that after 3M race last weekend both my ITBs were painful because the race has a lot of downhill.  I was actually surprised that I made it through the race with just a little tightness and not much slowing down.  So this past week I have taken an easy rest week with just three runs 6-7 miles each and lots of rolling and stretching.  I am hoping to be back in business next week to start training for my next half marathon.

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Since I wrote about my Nike Free yesterday, I thought I would write about the shoe I run in the rest of the time today Brooks Women’s Launch Running Shoe. After I started running in the Nike Free once or twice a week I really started to hate running in my old Asics 2140.  They felt heavy, stiff and the heel just felt wrong.  So I searched, asked around and found these babies.  It was love at first run They are  lightweight neutral shoe with a nice flexible out-sole and great cushioning.  Recommended for fast running (tempos, intervals and racing) but I have found that I love to do any kind of run in them.    I have used them on long training runs  (up to 26 miles),  a marathon, half marathon and speed work.  I love them so much I am on my second pair .

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In an effort to gain the benefits of barefoot running without actually running barefoot or running in my vibrams (which I love but still haven’t managed to run more than 4 mile in) I bought a pair of Nike Wmns Free 5.0 V4 354751-301.  I really love this shoe.  They are light and comfortable. They force me to shorten my stride and increase my cadence, which makes me run faster with less effort.  I also strike my forefoot instead of heel striking.  I like using them on some races, track workouts and regular training runs.  My limit in them is about 10 miles though, anymore than that and I really start feeling it in my legs and feet.   I don’t run in them everyday but I do run in them once or twice a week and think they have improved my running form which has in turn increased my speed.  I would recommend this shoe for anyone who want to try a minimalist running shoe.  Side notes:  They are also very comfortable for walking in and can be worn without sock (if you like to run without socks on).

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I started this blog one year ago the day before I ran the 3M half marathon. It was an amazing experience, I loved it and after I completed it I really felt like a runner and knew I wanted to do a full in the fall.  This year once again I ran the 3M.  I was a lot less nervous and really did not have any real goal (I was thinking a 1:45 would be nice) but my real go was to just go out and have fun.  This really worked out well for me, not having any pressure to make a certain time goal allowed me to just run by feel and since I felt great I also managed a good run.  The race started almost an hour late because it was really windy and barricades were getting knocked down along the course.  The late start really ended up being good for me because the sun was up and it was a little warmer, perfect running weather.  The wind didn’t affect me as much as I thought it would, it felt like it was at my back for most of the race which is nice.  My first 5 miles were my best, I slowed down by about 30 seconds/mile after that because my ITB tightened up a little bit.  It wasn’t bad though, not  enough to make me walk or run turtle pace.  I finished in 1:43:32 which is a big PR for me..my former PR for a half marathon was 1:56:39 (last April at the Zooma half marathon).  I was really thrilled with my finish time but more importantly I really enjoyed myself and finished with a big smile on my face.   I plan on running more races with the goal of just having fun because this was truly one of my most enjoyable race experiences.

Garmin Data from today’s race:

http://connect.garmin.com/splits/23228604

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