The Not-So-Marathon

4 5K's +3 half marathons + 2 marathons =  104.1 miles 

As most of you have figured out by now, I didn’t run the Chevron Marathon instead I did the Aramco Half completing it for the 3^rd year in a row. Ultimately it was the best choice for me, although I was the die-hard captain encouraging everyone to train hard and do the marathon last year. I’m not sure exactly when I fell away from the goal of doing marathon maybe it happened in bits and pieces now that I give it more thought.

I have always been the poster woman for “running is awesome” “if I can do it anyone can” and I always would explain it this way – When I started running the closest gym to me at the time was about 20 minutes away and I figured a good work out would take 45 minutes (at least right?) so why go to the gym taking an hour and a half out of my evening when I could walk right outside my house and run for 30 minutes and end up at my own front door! Running is awesome!

Except at the peak of my training I would go out for an 8 mile run on a week night and take me over an hour and a half, come home stretch and shower and taking up almost two hours of my evening at home! or a Saturday morning for a 17 mile run?! Wait what? How did that happen?!

The answer is easier than you think, if you ever thought running was impossible and suddenly you train and realize you can run 3 miles, you feel invincible! You feel like you’ve accomplished something you didn’t realize your body could do, so if you can run 3 miles that must mean you can run 6 miles and if you can do 6 miles you must be able to do 12 miles and 12 miles is almost a half marathon, right? Of course if you can do the half marathon you must be able to do a full marathon. See easy right?

Not so easy, some of us take more work than others. In the end I knew I could do the marathon just not in the time allotted to do it (6 hours). I had become quite obsessed with the idea that I could do it too, no matter the time it took, or the pain (running injuries) or the stress. Then we went on vacation and it was the first time I missed two of my long runs, although I made a vow to run while on vacation I quickly gave into the fun and relaxation instead. I came back thinking I would make up for lost time but I found myself stressing out about it more not to mention covering up nagging injuries. I found that just a few years earlier when I first started running and when I was healthier and fit and full of energy I now was sore, tired and just plain worn out (and hungry)!!

One morning during Christmas break I woke up worried about not having gone out for a run like I was supposed to on my training plan, I made up my mind that I would bust out the jogging stroller and I would take my little bear with me on a run. Until that is, my little bear crawled into bed with me – I asked her about going with me on a run and she said yes and we both fell right back to sleep. Maybe that'e when I made up my mind...

One day I’ll meet that 26.2 for now 13.1 will do the trick :)  

Miles Miles and More Miles

This is the third week of my training plan for running the Chevron Houston Marathon, let me tell you it’s been interesting. The first week “sore” was an understatement when I finally had a cross training day I realized very quickly how important it really is. I decided to get on the stationary bike and I did some exercises on the big ole’ exercise ball and I felt so much better getting a chance to stretch out and wake up all my other muscles.

I dislike hate running in the sun and heat is my kryptonite, so even though I’ve claimed to dislike the treadmill I decided to go that route instead. Turns out I can at least feel cooler inside at the gym with the fan blowing at me and not melt. I have to make the treadmill interesting, so I take it a ¼ mile at a time, then a mile at a time and then 2 miles at a time. In each quarter mile I set my pace and increase it little by little and then start all over, at a mile I check my time and then try to improve it the next mile. Finally I’ll break at two miles reset the treadmill and try to improve all of it all over again. I know this sounds like a lot but let me tell you the treadmill.is.boring. very very boring.

I know if I attempted to go out in the heat I would throw in the towel I know myself and I know I would give up long before I hit 5 or 6 miles. So the treadmill has been my better than nothing go to. I pray for cooler weather, for an over cast sky and even for a little sprinkle but while the temps still hit 90 degrees plus and Mr. Sun insist on shining bright I’ll head inside and battle it out on the treadmill.

On the 19^th I ran the Kemah’s Toughest 10K and it was warmer than I would liked and this past weekend I did the B.I.G Love 5K fun run and by the time we got going 8:30am I was feeling a little hot too but each run was done and great - I’ll fill you in on those later :)

For now I’m adding on the miles and keeping my eye on the goal.  I had this fantasy that when I would increase the miles that my pounds would start melting off. Of course this is yet to happen. I am going to be the bigger person here (haha!) and understand that running more mile does not equal losing weight. This crazy thing happens when you go for a longer run – you get hungry like hangry kind of hungry and I might be guilty of feeling like if I just ran 6 miles then a bacon cheese burger should be my lunch. SO I am adjusting and planning my nutrition better and I am hoping to see better results within the next few weeks. I pray to the weight loss god’s that if they could please hurry up, the next bridge run is on Oct. 17^th and I’d really like to carry the least amount of lb’s up the Galveston causeway. Please and Thank you in advance!! 

Aramco ½ & Chevron Marathon Race Report

Another long overdue Race Report Part #2

 Pre-Race- I have to say that the Aramco half feels like such a big deal! I mean I did the La Port Half over the Fred Hartman Bridge in November and it pales in comparison to the pre-race jitters we all had going in to this race.  I think it’s just the enormity of it all - it’s the city of Houston standing out there and rallying together in support – it’s the thousands of people running vs. hundreds. Not matter why the reason (maybe our shoes were tied to tight…) we all had the butterflies in out tummies and we were as ready as anyone could be.

We meet up and in a flurry of making sure we had everything on our bodies (earbuds, gels,  phones, watches, etc…) that would carry us through the next 13.1 or 26.2 miles and meeting everyone we knew would be joining us in this run – somehow we managed to be set and in our corral ready to go. Ah and Guada showed up and although she didn’t feel 100% better – she dressed to help her fake it until she would make it!! I just love her attitude!

Mile 1-2 – We were off and running! Alma was running the full marathon and was gone like the wind bull’s-eye! Guada teamed up with a few ladies from the Chronicle. Cindy, Clari and I started off in step with each other with hopes to stay by the 12:30 minute pacer and Lety started off with us but somewhere in mile two had moved well out of my sight.  In mile two we found Joseph and Amina cheering us on!! She was so happy to see her momma (Clarissa) out there running and it for sure gave us a pep in our step!

Mile 3 & 4 – I see this as our first big “turn” onto the Heights and over Allen Parkway, the people cheering us on seemed to keep us moving right along, by this time it was the three musketeers – Cindy, Clari and I moving right along! Another turn and we were on W. Grey, which for me is always so nostalgic because of so many years that I worked in this area and everything seems so familiar – Kinda like “Oh hi Office Max remember me?!!”  :)

Mile 5 & 6 – Right where mile 4 ends and 5 begin we were surprised by Joe and Amina again! How cool, was that! I mean in such a huge race with hundreds of people cheering us on there was this tiny person with a smile larger than life smile cheering on her momma!!  Melted my heart each time, of course I would get so excited that I would run up to Amina too and give her some quick loving and crazy screams :) and then if that wasn’t enough Diana (friend and trainer from Fit4her Gym) was on the other side of the street cheering for us too!! She made a super awesome sign for us!! It was like “Hello?!” we belong here we even have our own signs and fans on the sidelines!! Whoop-whoop!!!!!!

In Honor of … I decided to run in Honor of Sara, Josh and Zori, who lost their lives 01/07/2015 … the days leading up to the run were very hard on our community and family, especially for my son. I was overwhelmed with my thoughts and the song “God’s not Dead” came on and in the middle of mile 6, and I wanted to drop to my knees and cry… why? Honestly? I am thankful that my son is here with me today; my heart literally hurts when I think about the parents and what they must be facing now. But also because God is not dead, not in MHS, not in Alvin ISD, not to my son who had to ask God the question why? I run in faith, faith that God gives me the strength when I have no more… and not just in running but in everything I do. 

Mile 7 & 8 – I was a little lost in thought at mile 7 but right before you hit mile 8, there is the split for the full marathoners to head out and away from us only half crazy runners. It get a little crazy right around here as volunteers start trying to guide the traffic one way or the other and that’s when I thought about Alma, I knew then that she had headed out before us and was taking on the challenge of the full marathon without training just on the simple notion that she knew she could do it. I didn’t doubt that she could do it but you know me and I was worried all kinds of ways that she might get hurt! So I mentally threw prayers out her way down the street hoping that they would catch up to her and keep her safe! In mile 8 Joe and Amina were there again and although it was fun and encouraging I felt myself starting to fade!!

Mile 9 & 10 – In the beginning of mile 9 I knew I was in trouble, I just wanted to walk! Being with Clarissa and Cindy kept me chugging along. Then at mile 10 Oscar (Cindy’s hubby) made his appearance! Ha we got a quick picture and off we went again! Right after our water break in mile ten, I knew I was in trouble, my legs were tired and I think that I had let my mind beat me into thinking that I was done…

In Honor of… Cindy dedicated her run to her mommy Estella who passed away 07/09/2014. Around mile 9 a wonderful lady came to Cindy and shared a very special moment with her, as her husband had passed away a day before Cindy’s mommy. Per Cindy’s own words “I felt this overwhelming sense of strength overcome me. It was game on after that!!”

Mile 11 & 12-  At the end of mile 10, told Cindy she would have to push me because I was done, in a state of delirium I might have told her that I would not walk anymore… just running from there till the end –HA! Cindy was the best ever for these last miles she carried me forward and never let me stop. If I slowed to a walk she would hook her arm in mine and say “are you waiting on someone??” “Who are you waiting for?” and “Come on, we are not stopping!”.  Clari fell back a little bit but Cindy would turn around and look out for her telling me “ I can still see her!!” We were both so proud of Clari and how much she had pushed herself for this half.

Mile 13.1 – When I would run with Cindy on the weekend I would tell her to finish strong, the last turn into my street we would run as fast as we could to the end. In mile 13.1 – I hate to say but I had no fast finish left in me, I kept thinking that I was holding Cindy back, but despite that she never left my side. Near the finish I saw my kiddo yelling for me and just as I passed him I saw my hubby and Hailey on his shoulders cheering me on! And just like that once again we crossed the finish! We met up with Lety and waited a couple of minutes for Clari and we were done!

Mile 13.1- 26.2 – Alma was a beast, she finished that marathon, her first ever, like a champ. I am so proud of her, if you know Alma you know there is rarely a challenge someone can put in front of her that she won’t fight to accomplish.  I think the 26.2 took a toll on her physically but  26.2 puts a toll on anyone who attempts to do it – she finished that 26.2 a little bruised (on her toe) and a little sore, but I would bet that she will never be the same again! They say you learn a lot about yourself in 26.2 miles…