Winter Training, Part II

It's been a long time since I was on. Life intervenes.

My Half at the Hamptons was a good experience, but not necessarily one I wish to repeat. It wasn't the running, it was the cold, wind, snow, sleet and freezing rain that got me.

Starting out:
0.8 miles down,
12.3 miles left to go...!

I ran a 10 minute/mile pace for a while, but after a couple miles I had to walk for a minute and drink a lot of water. I had a horrific pain in my right side and under my ribs. I tried kneading it, stretching, breathing deeper, and drinking water. It took three miles, but I finally shook it off. It was horrible!

Despite the horrific pain in my side,
I have a happy smile going here.
I'm so glad to be doing my 2nd half marathon!

I maintained a decent pace, though. I was trying to keep the 11 min/mile pacesetter in sight; it wasn't until mile 8 that I heard from other people that no, I wasn't imagining it--he was running more like a 10-minute-mile pace. I had thought so, but I kept wondering if he was starting out fast to "bank" time for slowing down later. Or maybe he was just not a great pacesetter! Eventually I passed him, and ended up finishing before he did.

I got too warm, despite the cold weather,
and had to undo some layers. You can see
my water bottle in my right hand--
I was still trying to shake that side pain.

Eventually, I slowed way down as the cold and weather started bogging me down. It was tough slogging, with the precipitation kicking in around mile 6, then the freezing rain literally bogging down my running pants so that I had to keep hiking them up around my waist as I ran. My drawstring was broken so that was no help.

The last couple miles were especially tough, with the wind whipping straight into our faces and straight through my soaking pants. Running into a headwind is bad enough; doing it when wet and trying to speed up during the last bit is near impossible. I eventually managed to force myself to manage a pathetic kick at the end, and finished in 2:22:39, knocking a good 14+ minutes off my first half marathon time (which was run in perfect conditions, no wind).

A couple days later, with my finishers medal.
I still cannot figure out what the figure in the center
is supposed to represent.
To me, it looks like a 1920s flapper
sitting on a pile of boxes and bags from a shopping spree!

I was really happy with my performance, and was lucky in that Kent and the girls happened to drive by (looking for parking) right as I raced across the finish line. So they saw me finish! However, when I stopped to take my timing chip off my shoe, my stomach hurt so badly, I felt so sick and nauseous, but not like I had to throw up. I just needed some nutrition and DESPERATELY needed to stretch. I spent 20 or 30 minutes chatting with Amy and her family, and stretching out the body, while enjoying an Accelerade and some of my favorite Stacy's Pita Chips, which LocoRunning always seems to provide.

Oh, and of course, the requisite banana.

Some time later, "Auntie Sue" (the girls' Godmother and our dear friend) told me that all that sick feeling was probably a bit of hypothermia; all the blood was being shunted to major organs to prevent me from going into cold shutdown, but at the same time I was trying to force it into extremities with the running. She said running this was no doubt a good experience and a great challenge, but not something I should consider repeating because of the hypothermia dangers.

I told her, Not to worry--I am DONE with running half marathons in New England in FEBRUARY! If I run another February half marathon, it's going to be someplace like Sedona or Hawaii! I am not THAT addicted to running that I'm willing to do that again.

The sad part is that a runner, Bill Paradis, died on the course--a man from North Berwick. I passed the ambulance at mile 6, and the women he was with were crying. The papers later said they rushed him to the hospital, but I saw his sneakers sticking out of the end of the gurney inside the ambulance, and NOBODY was rushing anywhere. I'm sure he was already gone (massive heart attack) and the "rushing to the hospital" to pronounce was a formality. It was very very sad.

Apparently he was a pretty nice man, an oustanding member of the running community, and was a supporter of Olympic Marathon hopeful Emily LeVan (http://www.twotrials.org), who is trying to qualify while her 5 year old daughter Maddie is simultaneously battling leukemia.

Bill Paradis will be much missed by the seacoast community.

___________________________________________________________________

Anyway, with that said, now I am going to veer into another direction. As promised, I need to address the issue of winter running--not that we'll be doing much more of that (hopefully).

When it comes to clothing, it's all about the layers. You need to be comfortable--not too hot, and definitely not too cold. You need something that wicks away sweat, so it doesn't get cold and clammy (or worse yet, freeze to you).

So what is layering? Basically, it's putting two or more pieces of clothing over each other to help you keep dry and warm when you're out in the elements. Then, as you get warm or cold, you can add to or "delete" items from your attire.


"The Layers"

The first layer you want up next to your skin is the wicking inner layer. That is the layer of clothing that will trap warm air against your body, but it will also transfer, or "wick", away the moisture you produce when you exercise. You know--sweat. You can use anything made of polypropolene or microfleece. I like coolmax products, and others like Power Dry underwear. Under Armour makes good stuff too. You'll see it on the label.

The second or middle layer needs to be for warmth. Its purpose is to insulate the body, to help you retain heat. Wool is a great option, unless it makes you itch. My preference is fleece, but you can also use down or primaloft (depending on conditions). Sweaters, jackets, vests--all are good options.

The third or outer layer is for protection from the weather. This is the layer that's going to keep that rain, snow and sleet out--or, in the case of me during my last half marathon, the layer that DIDN'T keep the rain, snow and sleet out. Some good choices include gore-tex shells (which are waterproof), nylon shells (which are water resistant, unless you treat them with some waterproofing option), and insulated jackets or parkas. My Brooks Nightlife shell (the bright yellow one) was actually quite effective; it was only the Sporthill running pants that I had on that weren't weather-resistant, and that bogged down.

Of course, you will probably want some sort of weather resistant and warm hat, and the same with the gloves, and maybe even something to wear over your face if it's cold enough.

There you have it. The three layers that keep you toasty.

The last thing you need to know when you go out is that all this clothing should NOT make you feel toasty as you run out the front door. If that's the case, you'll be overheated before you hit the first mile-marker.

Ideally, you should feel somewhat chilled when you first start out. You'll warm up as you go, and then you'll be good for the run.

As far as wind, if you have to run in windy conditions, and you have any choice, it's best to run into the wind on the way out, then with the wind on the way back. That way the wind won't be chilling you all the way home when you're at your sweatiest.

Some people love to run in winter. As for me, I have learned to love my treadmill. If it weren't for the fact that I wanted to keep my fitness level or improve, I wouldn't have worried about running at all. I HATE the cold.

So what am I doing living in Maine?? Hee hee! Ask me next summer and fall when the weather here is glorious!

I hear a baby crying out for her Mom. Time to hit the road.

Be well!

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face."
- Eleanor Roosevelt

____________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: Look, I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!

Transitioning from Jogger to Runner

"You need to be flexible with your workouts. Some days you just don't have it, but some days you will shock yourself with your strength." -- Dotsie Cowden, U.S. National Cycling Team member
____________________________________________________________________

Dianne Jones (blue and black) and
me (in purple), running at Long
Sands Beach during the inaugural
women's only Maine Coast
Half Marathon, Sept. 23, 2007.

I have never considered myself a runner. Even when, as a teenager, I would take my walkman out for long runs around San Francisco when in town visiting my sister, I would call it "jogging". It didn't matter if I was "jogging" for three hours--I was still only jogging, because I did it slowly, and I took walk breaks.

Running, on the other hand, was something that people did when they were (a) going really fast, or (b) going really long distances without stopping.

This past Sunday, I passed the point where I can now feel comfortable calling myself a runner.

How did that happen, you ask?

Simple. I ran my first-ever half marathon.

You may recall from an earlier blog that I signed up for the inaugural Maine Coast (women's only) Half Marathon in York, Maine, to be held on September 23. When I "jogged" the York Hospital 5K in June, there was a postcard on my car window advertising this race. Instead of tossing it, I held onto it--because of two little words:

"Walkers welcome!"

Well heck. I could WALK 13 miles, I knew that I could do that. Up to this point I'd only ever walked 7 at a time, but I figured from June to September I should have been able to improve to walking 13. So I held onto the postcard.

After spending the summer in Eureka, I was comfortable jogging a couple miles, so I decided to sign up for the half marathon. I was going to sign up as a walker, but there was a proviso that said, "If you plan to jog any part of this course, you must sign up as a runner." So I did, despite being scared to death of that term.

Over the past two months, though, I improved to the point where I could jog 7 miles straight, nonstop. That was a huge breakthrough, and I was so excited to try out my "new legs" in the half marathon last Sunday.

The experience was incredible. I finally splurged and got myself a real "cool-max" tank top to wear (me? in a tank top?)--no more hot cotton. I also got some cool-max shorts at Target, on sale yet. So the morning of the race, when I lined up, I felt good. There is something to be said for dressing the part. I felt like such a real runner!

My only concern was that the race was USA Track & Field sanctioned, which means the rule is no iPods. That was a big concern because I run best when I have music. I need the distraction. Otherwise I obsess about my legs, my breathing, my side (I always get a cramp), how far I have gone, and so forth. The music takes me out of that and allows me to just go, without all the internal dialogue messing me up. Thankfully, I saw lots of other women with iPods, and nobody seemed to be policing it, so I decided to wear mine after all.

The walkers set out first at 8:30 a.m. I was nervous about this. I had visions of being the last one in--not that it would be disgraceful, as long as I finished. I just didn't want to never be able to catch any walkers. I kept trying to figure out how far I'd have to run to pass at least one walker. It was my own little "pride" thing that I still need to get out of my system, I guess.

At 9:00, we lined up on the course, and I positioned myself about 2/3 of the way back in the pack. There were so many women! I saw all shapes, sizes, colors, fitness levels, some with iPods, some without, lots of women in cool max clothing and lots and lots of women in cotton. I was pleased that I'd run with my Moms on the Run group all this time, because at least I knew the cotton wouldn't hold me back today.

When the race started, we all moved forward at a walk. There was a "chip timer" on my shoelace that would activate when I crossed the start, thereby entering my official start time, so I wasn't too worried. I had queued up my iPod to start with Keith Urban's "Days Go By", one of my favorite songs, but somehow messed it up. It was a happy coincidence, though, because when I hit the "play" button, what I got instead was Rascal Flatts' "Life is a Highway".

If you have seen the Disney/Pixar movie "Cars", you will recognize the song as the one that plays when Mack the truck drives Lightning McQueen on an all night drive to get to California for the final race to determine the winner of the Piston Cup. That scene is one of my favorites of the whole movie, because although the scene is totally computer-generated, it accurately reflects what it's like to travel long distances out on the open road.

This made it the PERFECT song choice! It started just as I crossed the Start line, and the appropriateness actually brought me to tears!

I started out at what felt like an easy pace, and watched all these women run past me. That was a bit demoralizing, but I kept thinking, so long as I'm ahead of SOMEONE, that's OK! (That's my "pride" thing talking.) I finally settled into a field of women that seemed to be going my pace.

Suddenly, a women came up alongside me, and somehow we got to talking. Her name was Dianne Jones, and she's from New Jersey. Then another lady joined us. Her name is Jen Nachbur, and she's from Vermont.

I shut off my iPod as the the three of us started talking as we were running together. Jen was running for Team in Training, and so she had scheduled walk breaks that she took, so now and again it was just Dianne and me. Yet Jen kept catching up to us, despite the fact that Dianne and I just ran without stopping.

Dianne was a bit concerned about our pace. We were on an 11-minute-mile pace, which is a bit faster than she (or I) wanted to go. But I couldn't pull up, because I was comfortable.

That still strikes me--I was comfortable running!

Another amazing thing is that I started passing people. The same women who had passed me were now walking, and I was still running...and zipping past them. I was so beyond psyched. It was such a revelation--I could run well enough to keep my pace and pass other people who had started faster than me.

Dianne and me, joking with the photographer

That was an amazing feeling. I look back now, a few days past the run, and I remember it more with a sense of gliding than pounding. I felt so strong when I was running (and passing others); I felt like I could accomplish anything. I amazed myself at my strength.

During one point in the run, one race official who was stopping traffic started laughing. He told us, "Only women could run a half marathon and still talk all the way through it!" We laughed also and I yelled back, "We're multi-talented!"

About mile six, Dianne gave me a sports jelly bean, which helped because I was getting hungry. My stomach actually growled! I drank some Accelerade when it was offered at mile 4, and then by mile 8, I was getting really hungry. Once I passed the 7 mile mark, I told Dianne and Jen, "Every single step I take now is a personal best!" I had never run that far without stopping before.

At mile 8, I was all ready for some Accelerade...but to my surprise and delight, they were also passing out something called Clif Shot Bloks, which are thick 10-gram gummy squares of carbohydrate in the form of organic brown rice syrup mixed with electrolytes. They were handing out packets of a flavor called "Margarita with salt", but I didn't even look at that. I just knew I needed some fuel, and I needed it NOW.

After drinking some Accelerade and water, I ripped open the package (while still running) and ate one of the Shot Bloks.

Oh my. It was simultaneously the worst thing I have ever tasted, and the best thing I have ever tasted.

I was half expecting some kind of sticky-sweet stuff like the "GU" and gels many runners prefer. Instead I got a shot of margarita (yum!) with a lot of salt.

How smart is the Clif company to make margarita with salt? It turns out that when you run and sweat a lot, of course you lose salt. That means as you drink water, you lose your electrolyte balance--hence the need for sports drinks like Gatorade and Accelerade. By the 8 mile mark, I must have been pretty salt-depleted, because I was already talking about walking.

Two of the Shot Bloks fixed me right up, and I was good to go. I ate two more of them over the next two miles, then just held the package in my right hand--a good idea because it stopped me from clenching my fist, which also halted any cramps in their tracks.

I later forgot all about the Shot Bloks, unfortunately, and after mile ten I dropped to a walk for one minute. I wish I'd thought to try a Shot Blok first, but the walk break was good for me. Diane kept going, but Jen was near me, so after my one-minute walk break, I started running again. I knew the last three miles would be my toughest, despite it "only being a 5K" at this point, so I used my iPod to get my groove back. That helped a lot--I ran along, singing and smiling, waving at people and shouting "THANK YOU!" to any race officials I saw.

Over the last three miles, I took a total of four one-minute walk breaks. Jen and I stayed pretty even, but Dianne was long gone.

When we rounded the last corner to take us into the final stretch, Jen and I were side-by-side. I saw Kent and the girls, waving at me as I ran past, and then I yelled to Jen, "Shall we kick it?" She said yes, and we started to SPRINT. We finished the race that way--sprinting to the end.

Jen Nachbur and me in our final sprint

I'd done it! I finished my first half-marathon, running most of the time, and my final time was 2 hours, 36 minutes and 56 seconds, which put me in at an "11 minute, 59 second per mile" pace. Another personal best.

Afterwards, we all got medals, and I immediately went to find food and stretch. While I felt great during the run, as soon as I stopped, things started to cramp up. My stomach (which my Dad later said was my diaphragm) cramped, my legs started to ache, and I had to stretch, drink, stretch, eat, stretch, stretch, and stretch some more. I thanked Jen for keeping me motivated, and I found Dianne and thanked her for not letting me stop at 8 miles (I wanted to). Both of those women were SO key in getting me through as far and as well as I did, and I will forever be grateful to them both.

The rest of the day was spent resting, eating, and smiling. I later took a 30 minute walk to help stretch my legs, and Kent presented me with a gift--a $100 bill to buy a new iPod shuffle, one of the little ones, so I wouldn't have it banging against me as I run, and I won't have the headphone cords yanked out by weight machines or the jogging stroller any longer, because it won't be hanging down the front of me. I was shocked and really thrilled, and have already loaded it up.

The color? Bright pink of course!

That day will forever be etched on my mind as a highlight of my life. It was a day I did something I swore I could never do--run over ten miles non-stop, completing a half marathon in just over 2 1/2 hours. It has inspired me as nothing else in my life ever has--except becoming a mother.

I told both Dianne and Jen about my plans to try the Honolulu Marathon. They were both absolutely certain I could, and they both encouraged me to go for it. They said the time I have until that marathon (15 months) will give me plenty of time to train properly.

They also said if I could do this, then I could definitely do a marathon.

First, however, I still have one other little matter to attend to:

The Cape Elizabeth Land Trust Challenge Triathlon. That's next Sunday.

One goal realized (half marathon); one more to go (triathlon); one new one to train for (full marathon).

I'm gonna be one busy lady.

____________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: Look, I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!

Am I out of my mind???

Well I have done it now.

I haven't written in a while. Boy did I foul this blog up. I meant to write all summer, but something about being 3,000+ miles from home with my two girls (hubby Kent was at home) meant that I did very little writing. I have been working on a book about my experiences, too, and while I did a little work on it, that's about all I did.

The rest of the time, I was walking and jogging and running up hills three times a week, and visiting with family, swimming at the River House (in Willow Creek), eating lots of veggies and fruits and generally moving my way down to a new low of 165.

I then sat at that 165 mark for three weeks. I've since moved lower, 162.5 on my last weigh-in two days ago, but considering my hubby thought I would gain weight while in California (thanks to my Mom's great cooking), I think I did OK.

So back to how I started the blog: Now I've done it. I am out of my mind.

What, pray tell, have I done?

I have signed up for not ONE but TWO big races.

On consecutive weekends.

To be held in just over six weeks.

Yup. I am signed up for the Women's Only Half Marathon in York, Maine on September 23, and I am also signed up for a Sprint Triathlon at Cape Elizabeth, Maine on September 30.

And in a small bid toward mentally preparing for those, I am signed up as a volunteer to mark numbers on triathletes (LEGS and ARMS ONLY, PEOPLE!!!) at the West Kennebunk FireMan Sprint Triathlon on August 26. The idea is that I can mark triathletes, and when they're in the water, I get to go watch how they do the swim-bike and bike-run transitions, and hopefully learn how the heck I'm going to get out of a swimsuit and into my running gear (which is also going to be my biking gear).

Good plan, eh? :D

Anyway, for those of you who don't know, a Half Marathon is just that--13 miles. And it's "walker-friendly" although if you intend to jog at all, you have to sign up as a runner, which is what I've done.

AND, for those who also don't know (as I didn't), a "Sprint Triathlon" is a short, non-Ironman-distance triathlon comprising an approximately 450 yard swim (in my case, in a swimming pool..thank God no wetsuits!), a 15-mile bike ride, and a 5K run.

I have always wanted to do a triathlon. I would LOVE to someday do the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii, but I realize that I have many years to go before I can manage that...and probably it won't happen at least until the baby is in her teens. Or near enough anyway. And by then I'll be in my ... ergh ... 60s!!!!!!

Oh God. I just got depressed.

Anyway, I have always wanted to do a triathlon. When I weighed 259.6 pounds, that was a far-flung dream. But last week, I got a shot of "I-Can-Do-This" when I decided to do my little walk/jog routine from Kennebunkport all the way to my in-law's condo in Kennebunk, and did it in record (for me) time.

How far is it? It's a "nice" little 7.6 mile distance, if you go through Dock Square, which I chose to do.

I was secretly hoping I could manage it in 90 minutes. I did, however, stop several times for about 7-8 minutes to talk to people I knew along the way, and made it in 97 minutes. So if you don't count the stop times, I made it in 90. My actual speed in movement was about 12 minutes per mile...not bad, especially considering that last January, I couldn't even WALK for 30 minutes on a treadmill.

That made me so excited, I started looking around for another race. "Another" because back in June, Maddy and I did the York Hospital 5K run, and we weren't even the last ones in (although an 80-year-old man beat us quite handily).

So now that I can walk and jog with a jogging stroller for 90 minutes, and still have energy when I'm done, I suddenly start thinking "half-marathon", "marathon", and "triathlon"!

I have well and truly lost my ever-loving mind.

Still...you gotta admit. This has truly been an amazing journey.

So now here I am, and I have these two major races coming up. However, I am also actively pursuing employment. No more teaching for me! I am DONE. I turned in two applications today, one for a receptionist job that I really, really want (with an ad agency in Portland), and one for a copy editor for a magazine, which I would also like to do. I think it'd be fun.

The receptionist job looks great...reception's the main duty but I'd be a backup for the clerical, all of which is easily doable. I spent almost 10 years as a secretary so it sounds like a nice, low-stress (in terms of ability) job.

That means that it's likely that I'll be training and working full-time at the same time. At least for the next month or so. But I can do it! I already figured out how I can do my usual routine at the club, of elliptical trainer on cardio setting (143 beats per minute on the heart for 30 minutes just about kills me...but it's done wonders for my stamina) and my weight machine rounds. I can do them separately, instead of all at the same visit, and alternate them most mornings (6x per week). The amount of time I need is 30-45 minutes per day, plus another 15 to shower and dress, so if I left the house at 6ish, I could do my routine and still get to work on time, assuming it starts at 8.

Of course, the running/swimming/biking will have to be done after work, but Kent will support me. He has already said as much and added how proud of me he is.

So I am completely out of my mind. It will be interesting to see how this goes, not just exercise-wise, but time- and weight-loss-wise at the same time.

I have other news to write, but it doesn't belong on this blog. I'll add another one.

Have a great evening. And remember:

“Blessed are the flexible for they shall never be bent out of shape.” – Ancient Xterra Tribe Race Director Proverb



__________________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: Look, I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!