3.29.2009

OD 10/marathon


Whew! I am relieved today! and happy. 10 raced, 10 bandit and 20 done! This is kind of long so skip to the bottom if you'd like and answer the question there!

I was actually looking forward to this 20 mile run to sort out my thoughts. I didn't really get anywhere but ran into a colleague and felt that was a mini sign...

Woke up this morning to fog, rain, crap weather. The plan was to do the 10 mile race and continue to run with the marathoners to get in my 20 miles. Bill got up with me (thanks Bill! - we had a crap night - Nick did not want to sleep in the pack and play so we took turns waking up and holding him and falling asleep with him on us) to take me to the start, and I was considering going back home for a few seconds. Pumped, got out of the car and walked to the start. Kind of wanted to cry walking there alone in the rain and questioned what I was doing. Also just been feeling stressed about decision making.

First few miles I was considering texting Bill and telling him to get me at the 10 mile finish. It was raining, cold, windy, and foggy and my right knee was hurting all around - behind it, on the kneecap -everywhere. I thought I was going to be limping just to finish 10. Mile 1 was around 9 minutes. Mile 2 was around 9:30. Mile 3 around 9:30. Then around mile 4, I got this burst of energy, forgot about my knee and started picking people in pink to pass. I'd pass one and then look for the next one. So this game totally worked for me! My knee stopped bothering me. I was rolling along and feeling really good. Probably around mile 5 or 6, still feeling good, I decided I wanted to get a sub 1:30 time. I had no time goal going into it. I took a GU at mile 7, a little more than an hour into it. I thought I could do it and was only 30 seconds off of 9 min mile pace. I started speeding up, and the pink game helped alot! When I hit mile 8, I knew I could push it out for 2 more miles. I started picking other people to pass - guy with no shirt, girl with big butt, and was really doing a good job with it. I think I ran those last two sub 9 and was able to finish somewhere between 1:28 and 1:29. I'll figure out the official time later on. I was really happy!!

I took a break and got my medal for the 10 miler, saw the colleague from work who was running and then kept on going. I was thinking it was probably bad to push it those last few miles since I still had 10 more to go, but I just plugged along. I took another GU around the 2 hour mark and felt pretty good! My pace slowed, I was a little less motivated to care about my time once I wasn't really on the clock, but I felt good! I had some sport beans - dropped about 5 of them on the ground - bad packaging man!! (I was picturing how I could make a better package) and kept drinking my water. I used the fuel belt that I won from Amanda's HBBC! (When I first got this in the mail, I was prego and it was sooo tiny, I thought I would never ever be able to use it, but it actually was really snug and worked great!) I tried not to steal the water from the marathoners but have to admit I took 2 cups of water at 2 stops. Half marathon: around 1:58. Good! I realized around mile 14 that my bib # was a different color than the marathoners so I zipped up my jacket - kind of felt bad! The course was pretty cool, on the boardwalk for a little while and through the streets from shore town to shore town. It was a bit windy, with rain here and there, but not hard rain. Mile 15 - the weather started to lift and sun started coming out. I called Bill at mile 16 to tell him where to meet me and how long I might be. Knowing I was only doing 20 miles made me feel like I had a leg up on the marathoners and I kind of felt bad! But mentally I felt like it was easy and what a great way to get through a 20 mile run with a bunch of other people running, mile markers and water stops. I would totally do that again, even sign up for the marathon and only do 20 maybe? 4 more miles to go, I felt pretty strong! I took a few walk breaks to drink water but other than that I ran and felt good!

Mile 18 I ate 1/2 a cookie dough balance bar - wanted to try this for the actual marathon. It worked ! Mile 19, dropped a water bottle from my belt and bent down to pick it up and ooo.. was pretty stiff. Some guy running by was laughing at me and we chatted for the first half of that mile. Made it to mile 20, ipod still functioning, in good spirits, hydrated and feeling good!

There were a few moments where I considered running the whole thing since I was feeling good. But.. I didn't think it would be the best of ideas with Boston in a few weeks. It was a relief that I felt that way and I feel confident for the big day! I would have been close to a PR had I continued which is awesome! Boston is a bit more challenging - there were a few hills going over bridges and all, but I don't think it will compare to Boston! But I would do this marathon again - it was small and had that small marathon charm with fans here and there with lots of enthusiasm. I'm so used to doing the big ones. I am looking forward to Boston now, maybe I can get a decent time - for me! I hope that I feel that good!

In the end, Bill, Nick, and my parents were waiting for me at mile 20, and I was done! It felt great. I did an ice bath when I got home. I thought hypothermia was going to set in. Warm shower, pump, stretched out and plan to eat lots of food!

20 miles /3:04:40/9:14
first 10: 1:28:?? /8:52ish pace
last 10 1:35:??/9:30ish pace

Night before: Pasta with a bag of spinach cooked, chick peas, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, tomato sauce, crackers, some pound cake, some of a power bar, some rosemary bread(thanks ABBY!), bread with PB, oat bran muffins

Before the race: bread with PB + water!

During the race : 2 GUs, 1/2 a package of sport beans, 1/2 a balance bar and lots of water

Question:

Ice bath - do you take a warm shower first? Do you totally stretch out before or after? How do you will yourself to get in - that was difficult! How much ice do you use?

Today I ate a power bar in the car, stretched a little before but got in right when I got home with 2 bags of ice, then took a hot shower, stretched more, then ate more.

26 comments:

  1. So so so happy that it went well! I was thinking about you all morning during our 20 miler, wondering how yours was going. Woo hoo!!!!

    Your post came over the google reader just as I was about to head out to the grocery store to get a bag of nice :) I'm wondering what the best strategy is for these too - is there a window of opportunity for when they can be effective, or is the shelf life the rest of the day after the long run? Should you stretch before or after? Eat before or after? I need a how-to, too! You'll have to fill me in on all the tips you get.

    Bess and I finished around 11:30, so here's hoping 3.5 hours isn't too long!

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  2. I LOVE the idea to pick off people in pink!

    Sounds like a great confidence building run.

    I haven't done an ice bath since high school (though when I lived in CO I'd end my long runs with a dip in the mountain snow-fed river near my house). Believe it or not, I'm actually looking forward to doing something worthy of an ice bath sometime soon -- sort of a twisted milestone for me, I guess ;)

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  3. Great job girl! You really did well! Sounds like the weather was a little crappy but it seems like you pushed through it and really enjoyed your race! Nice time too!! :) I love how positive you stayed through the race too!!

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  4. Your run this weekend reminds me of mine...even the ice bath. i have no answers to your questions about them though since this was my first. I haven't decided if it helped or not yet.

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  5. Sounds like the run you needed!! You did great and you'll do even better at Boston in a few weeks! Congrats!

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  6. On the issue of the ice bath:
    no shower first (take one right after)
    use the entire contents of your ice bin and a tub of cold water
    get in fast; it's the only way to go
    stay in for 8-10"
    water needs to be at your hips
    stretch before, but don't wait too long to take the bath after your run
    drink something warm while you're in there, and have a catalog or magazine to distract yourself

    Good luck!

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  7. Great job, you are ready for Boston now!

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  8. You did a wonderful job on the 20!! Looks like you are ready for Boston.

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  9. wohooo so glad you had a great run and are now feeling the boston mojo again.

    I have always done the bath then the nice hot shower. Just figured the other way around would never happen.

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  10. nice job! i just asked my tnt coach about this the other day, actually. he said that you've should shower first (not hot, just medium temp) then ice bath, because showering after takes away the benefit of all the icing by immediately heating your muscles back up. i took my first ice bath yesterday and the strategy that worked for me was getting in the tub, filling it up with cold water while i was sitting in there, and then dropping in the ice. eases your body in. i stayed in for 15 minutes- was tough but you definitely get used to it!

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  11. nice job!!! i'm still stuck at 6, can't imagine 20, and PR pace at that. you rock!! good luck with the job decision.

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  12. When I have ice bathed in the past, it was done right away (to be affective) and then stretch after I take a warm shower.

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  13. Great job! You're going to rock Boston.

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  14. Again you are my hero. I don't know of many new moms who are running 20 milers! Especially when you are still pumping! I hope the girls didn't bother you running :)! I hope it felt good and you got some good thinking done!

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  15. Nice job! I suck at ice baths, I could never make myself get in or stay in for long. However last year I trained for a spring marathon and would make myself sit in the snow before going in. That I coudl manage and it helped a lot.

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  16. Lol at picking off the girls in pink, you would definitely have passed me. And I agree on Sport Beans packaging, a few always wind up on the ground. I have only taken an ice bath once, and I stretched before, used a couple bags of ice poured into a tub of cold water, stayed in 10 minutes, got out and dried off and ate, then took a warm shower. Congrats on your 20!

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  17. great job girl!!!!! way to get those 20 miles in, you are going to do great in boston!!!

    i always stretch right after my run, so pre-icebath. then i get in the tub with just water and then put the ice in after i am already in there... makes it easier to get in. i use a couple of bags usually. i dont take a hot shower until after, but i usually wait for my legs to thaw out a bit after i get out of the tub.

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  18. Great job on the long run!!! Sounds like you are ready for Boston.

    I've done ice baths in the past after my long runs. I stretch immediately after running, then go home and do the ice bath, then shower after that.

    I get into the ice bath very gradually... by holding myself up. I may have to try Aron's idea though....by just getting in the water first, then putting in the ice!!!!

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  19. Great job! You are ready for Boston! I think it was smart not to do the whole 26 no matter how good you were feeling. It would have made Boston that much harder.

    And to answer the question on my blog, Zach is 6 months. If Nick seems to like water in his bath you could probably put him in a pool sooner, but be ready for the visit to be short if he doesn't like it the first time.

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  20. You are a badass!

    Ice bath-- I take the icebath and when I'm done, then a warm shower.

    I use a single (the big size) bag of ice and all cold tap water, filled to just above my quads. And I wear a bathing suit and sweatshirt.

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  21. Congrats on the run! Stretch before ice bath, enough ice to make it colder than cold, and just jump in and sit right away.

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  22. Well done! Congrats on the 10 mile race and the extra 10 mile run. You're such a naughty girl! hehe. I love that you wanted to finish the marathon. I think that means you'll be fine in Boston! :D

    I stretch out before an ice bath and then just shower right after to warm back up. I sit in water that just covers my thighs and I use a varying amt of ice. Usually it's melted a minute or two before I get out (I sit in for 10 minutes).

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  23. Awesome job on the 20! Look at you just bouncing back girl! congrats and the baby is just too cute!

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  24. "Only" 20miles! Man, I just ran 30k (18.6miles) and that nearly killed me! You are awesome.

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