Seven just before seven

The long run this weekend called for 7 miles, and while I had every intention of joining a local running group Saturday morning for these miles ... I ended up doing them solo on Sunday morning instead.

(I think I've become a Sunday morning runner.)

The weather has been stifling in Kansas City, so I prepared myself by filling my handheld 1/3 of the way with water the night before and sticking it in the freezer. Little did I know, I would find this ironic in the morning.

I headed out to Shawnee Mission Park to run by the lake, hoping that the breezes off the water would be a little cooler - and they were! As I set off on my run, I came across the irony of my frozen handheld ... it was cold! My hand was freezing within the first 5 minutes, and I knew that I would be wishing for that cold hand at about mile 5, when the ice would be completely melted.

SPOILER ALERT: I totally did wish for that icy cold handheld at about mile 5.

True to my run 2 minutes/walk 2 minutes, plan, I set off at an easy trot, trying to make myself slow down even more than usual since it was so warm.

Ok, ok, so it was only 75* when I started, but the dew point was 69! CRAZY! In fact, the dew point hasn't been below 65 in Kansas in I don't know how long. It's very inconvenient.

In any case, the minutes and miles ticked off and I found myself on a new section of the trail that I had never gone on before. I had no idea this part of the trail existed and I quickly fell in love with it. I started to find things on the Loop Scavenger Hunt list ... even though I didn't have a camera, I took a mental picture of them.

It was easy to find something beautiful in the trail that wound through this little section of prairie.

Surprisingly, I found something purple AND ugly: huge patches of thistles! (ugly because I remember having to chop thistles as a kid - yuck!)

I found the coolest thing with numbers - location "IDs" for emergencies. You simply call 911 and give them the number of the nearest sign and they know exactly where you are! Yay, safety!

There really wasn't anything tall, except for an occasional telephone/electric pole.

I passed and got passed by plenty of runners, bicyclists and walkers on the trail, being healthy just like me.

I never saw something loud, but I heard a train and very nearly tripped trying to figure out where it was.

However, I didn't really see anything ironic, but I can assure you I was a sweaty self. Drips kept rolling down my temples and the sides of my nose. At first I was annoyed, but then I remember sweat was a good thing, so towards the end of my run, I was always glad to be feeling drips run down my face.

At about mile 5, when I was wishing for my ice cold handheld, I also took a spot of Powerbar Strawberry Banana gel ... OMG GROSS! Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew! Apparently, I have gotten so used to my organic gels that I can't go back to that other 'stuff'. Yucky.

Half a mile later, I stopped in a restroom to run cool water over my wrists and splash it on my face and neck. Ahhhh, that felt good.

At about 6.70 miles, I said to hell with the 2/2 and just kept running because all I wanted was to be done. And it seemed to take forever to get that last .05 of a mile, because I had to go past my starting point and run laps around the little parking lot until 7.00 appeared. People must have thought I was a weirdo.

It's cool, I kind of am.

In any case, I made it through 7 miles on a yucky, humid Kansas morning in 1:35 and change.
Slow and steady gets me to the finish line.

Well that was embarrassing

Yesterday, I joined in on my second Summer Prehab course, which took place at a local high school track. For those of you who don't live in the Kansas City area, it was 94* yesterday. I'm not sure what the head index was. Needless to say, it was HOT.

I brought my water bottle like a good runner, even putting sports drink mix in it rather than just water, thinking that I could make up for all the sweating I knew I was going to be doing.

While it was hot, the workout was designed to let us take lots of breaks, which was good. However, my water bottle was not filled with ice cold drink, and that turned out to be not good.

Towards the end of the workout, I was feeling the drain from the sun and took our final round of drills extra slow. Had I not lingered to get the coach's opinion of my marathon training plan, I probably would have been ok. However, those extra 10 minutes out in the sun got to me. In the middle of my conversation with the coach, I got light headed, had to sit down and then had an overwhelming wave of emotion which made me start crying.

Seriously, it was super embarrassing. Luckily, everyone was super nice and had me lay down, got me an ice pack and wouldn't let me move until I didn't look so pale anymore.

Then I sat in my car with the AC on for a few minutes before heading home.

Sigh.

Next week, when it's 10* cooler, I'll be over prepared with a cooler AND a cooling towel.

First Run of Marathon Training

The first run of marathon training seemed the scariest run to me, I suppose because it met the first run of a lot of runs, and of a lot of runs that are farther than I have ever ran before.

(this, apparently, is my scared face)

My schedule called for a 3 mile run, which adds a bit of irony to my fear, because I've done tons of 3 mile runs in the past. Heck, I've done tons of runs that are longer than 3 miles.

Honestly, I think the word "marathon" was the scary part.

In any case, as it was a rainy day, I waited until later in the evening to go for my run, and since I wanted a nice, easy run, I ventured from the rolling hills of my neighborhood to the flat and scenic trail next to the Missouri River in the East Bottoms. I even brought this guy along for company:

 

That's my Jeff. And that's me being a total dork.

Jeff loves a good run, and I'm glad that I had him along. As many of you know, I've adopted a Galloway style of running, where I run for 2 minutes and walk for 2 minutes. My goal, however, is to make my 3-4 mile runs those runs in which I run for the entire length of time. I started this run with that goal in mind, however, found that my pain in the you know what was not having any of that plan. So, I settled into the run/walk.

Let me tell you something. On a nice, sunny day, the trail by the river is full of runners and walkers and people just hanging out and it's a great place to run. However, on cloudy and incredibly humid days, there is hardly anyone there and it's slightly creepy. I did my best to tune out the creepiness and frolicked along with Jeff. Miles ticked off slowly but surely, and I found myself dripping with sweat by the end of the run, despite the below 70* temperature (seriously, it was HUMID). Even Jeff was getting tired and that's saying something!

I ended up run/walking 3.18 miles in about 41 minutes for a 12:48 pace. This is about what I'm expecting for the marathon, so as summer prehab helps strengthen me, I'm hoping I can get these shorter runs to be a little faster and see my long runs are this pace.

In due time, friends in due time ...

Thank you to those how have donated to MOCSA in my honor! I'm so touched at the response already! I will be getting updated on the total amount raised and a list of donors periodically, so keep an eye on my Facebook page to see how we are doing!

www.facebook.com/ElizsOneandOnlyMarathon

Thanks again!

Summer Prehab

Yesterday, I tried out a Summer Prehab course offered by the Runners Edge in Kansas City. It's a 6 week course on doing all of those crazy exercises that we are prescribed when we are injured. The concept is to do exercises that strengthen us in 360 degrees, rather than just focusing on the part that hurts.

Although I'm not unfamiliar with these types of exercises, I was introduced to a lot of new ones and it was good to hear from the coach that he had struggled for a long time with a chronic injury and only now feels like he is as close 100% as possible ... after doing these exercises 3 times a week for 4 months.

So what did we do? A lot of band work, with a band around our ankles and taking little steps in all directions, rotational planks, running bridges, drills on the track and galloping in circles (literally). Honestly, I could probably just take what I learned from the trial class and do everything and save a little money, but I like the idea of having a weekly meeting to be held accountable for, and also, it never hurts to meet more runners :)

I plan on returning next Tuesday.

In the meantime, Happy National Running Day! Today starts my official marathon training with an easy 3 mile run. Saweeet.

Don't forget to like my facebook page! www.facebook.com/ElizsOneandOnlyMarathon

Something Different to Run For

I have never been a charity runner.

As someone who spent most of her life doing things to get the approval of others, or to impress them or to somehow fit in, I loved the thought that I ran purely for myself.

Running was for me, and only me.

But then this whole idea of a marathon moved from just thinking about it to planning it. Sure, it was delayed a year, but soon, I start training for the biggest endurance challenge I've ever sought. And about 6 months ago, I thought,

"Since this is a one time deal, why not fundraise?"

I considered the popular options: American Cancer Society, Team in Training, Girls on the Run ... but none of them seemed right for me.

Then, on September 22, 2012, a person I once considered a very close friend told me this:

"I'm a firm believer that there are a few girls out there somewhere who have been raped and actually enjoyed it a little bit."

At first, I swore this person was joking. But they weren't. They were dead serious. It suddenly became clear where I would want any money raised on my behalf to go: MOCSA - the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault, located right here in Kansas City. The work this organization does, from providing counseling services to education throughout the Kansas City area, is, in no exaggeration whatsoever, life-changing.

However, I was hesitant. Cancer and young girls' self-esteem are a much easier topic to discuss for most people. I worried and fretted that people wouldn't want to donate money to this cause, that they wouldn't want to think about the need for things like preventive education for young men and women or counseling for kids and adults who are victims of sexual assault. I worried that people would automatically assume things about me.

Then a small town along the Ohio-West Virginia border shot to into the public eye. Stubenville.
Listening to the news updates on NPR on this case made me cry; hearing the arguements made by those young men's attorney's angered me and I knew, without a doubt that this was what my marathon would raise money for: to educate our young men and women about sexual assault and sexual abuse. What it's really about (hint: it's not sex) and what it really looks like (hint: it's not always violent).

So here I am, declaring it for all to know:

I am running for MOCSA. I am running for those victims who are worried what people will assume about them, think about them, and say about them. I'm running for Jane Doe and her amazing courage to come forward and face all that she has faced. I'm running in the hope that one day, this won't be a taboo topic, that this won't be something that people want to not think about, that all the misconceptions about what sexual assault will be gone.

All money raised will be used for MOCSA's education programs.

To learn more, like my FB page: https://www.facebook.com/ElizsOneAndOnlyMarathon

To donate in my honor or on my behalf: MOCSA's online donation