Training for 3/31/10

This morning, I did today’s 100 push-up challenge workout, completing 74 push-ups over five sets (14, 16, 12, 12, 20) and then did some abs, invisible chair-sitting and more upper body work with the weights. So it sucks to be my upper body for the next few weeks, because, since I can’t run, I’ve refocused all my energy on it.

Which means, by the time I can run again, I may be slow as hell because my leg muscles and lungs have been out of it for so long, but damn if my arms and back won’t be ripped, haha.

In other news, Clark got a building permit for our garage, and Ben has agreed to come dig out the footers soon. I’ve never gotten to park my car in a garage before! This is very exciting.

Finally, it’s the last day of the month, so it’s time for the monthly summary. This should be a depressing one:

Mileage:

• Week 1 (March 1-6): 5.5 miles
• Week 2 (March 7-13): 8
• Week 3 (March 14-20): 3
• Week 4 (March 21-27): 13.1
• Week 5 (March 28-31): 0

Total: 29.1 measly miles.

Hard to believe I ran 144 miles only two months ago — and felt great. God this injury is frustrating.

I also put in 71 miles on the bike over the first 10 days, until the massage therapist told me riding such an old, ill-fitting, hardly-working bike was doing more harm to my IT bands than it was doing good for my aerobic fitness.

I ran that 5K on March 13 that went OK (I was relatively slow, but not in pain) but of course this month will always be remembered for the marathon DNF.

April will start with a solid two and a half weeks of NO RUNNING, and then I will hopefully be able to start rebuilding my mileage at the end of the month. I’m signed up for a 5K on April 10, but I might just walk it. I really, really, REALLY want this IT band crap gone, so I’m not going to risk extending the injury for one 5K.

I’m still interested in getting a Trek bike. Supposedly everyone who would normally get me a birthday gift is giving me some money to put toward the bike, so I hope to have it soon.

Training for 3/30/10

Happy 50th birthday to my dad! Which means, in two days, I’ll be hitting the big 2-7.

This morning, I was feeling appreciably sore in my arms and back from my upper body workout yesterday, so I just did some stretching.

I’ve decided to run the Marine Corps Marathon in October, so I’ll be logging on for online registration the moment it opens at noon next Wednesday. It’s a very popular race and fills up the 30,000 registration slots quickly. One of the girls with whom I ran the Baltimore marathon relay last fall is running the Marine Corps Marathon. She’s got some marathon finishes under her belt already, and we run about the same paces, so I might have a partner for this one, which would be pretty sweet.

The marathon course winds through D.C. and passes a lot of monuments and landmarks. It’s also pretty hilly, which means I need to find somewhere to work in some hill workouts if I want to survive this thing. I’m thinking the Sharptown bridge, about five miles from my house. That should kick my ass.

I’m feeling good about this. I have the rest of my year, running-wise, planned out — rest and heal for the next three weeks, run some shorter races throughout the summer and train for the Rock ‘n’ Roll half in September and the Marine Corps Marathon in October. I would also like to do the Rehoboth Beach Seashore Half Marathon in December. Free unlimited Dogfish Head is just way too good to pass up!

Training for 3/29/10

This morning, I did the first day of the second week of the 100 push-up challenge. I rested 60 seconds in between sets of 14, 14, 10, 10 and 18 push-ups.

Then I worked my arms some more on the weight bench, did some abs and sat in my invisible chair for three minutes.

Finally, I did a bunch of stretching and foam rolling.

My knees still do not feel 100 percent. It’s been more than a week since I tried the marathon. They feel 1,000 times better than they did last Monday, but there’s still some obvious discomfort. Oh well, they’ve got three more weeks of rest coming at them, so they should be fine.

It’s raining its ass off here again today, but I’m really looking forward to the rest of the week. By Thursday (my birthday!) we should be in the 70s and sunny. And Easter weekend is supposed to be warm and clear for the first time in years.

Training for 3/26/10

More stretching and foam rolling this morning. Also, I did the second workout of the 100 pushup challenge, which looked like this:

• 11 push-ups
• Rest 2 minutes
• 15 push-ups
• Rest 2 minutes
• 9 push-ups
• Rest 2 minutes
• 9 push-ups
• Rest 2 minutes
• Max push-ups (at least 13) — I did 16

So, a total of 60 push-ups this morning.

My knees are feeling pretty close to normal, so this is the hard part. I must resist the urge to run until my IT bands are fully healed. Gah!

Yesterday, I ordered a pair of Asics running shorts simply because the style had the same name as me. What else could I do when I saw “the Abby short” staring at me? (OK, they also looked like the cut I was looking for, so it wasn’t only about the name. But that made it easy to decide between them and a similar pair of Nike shorts.)

Tomorrow, Clark and I are going to a surprise 50th birthday party for one of his coworkers, who right now thinks his wife is getting a bunch of women together for a Longaberger basket party, haha. Should be a good time, even if Clark and I are the only people younger than 45 in the room.

Training for 3/25/10

It’s a miracle — I can walk again!

It’s not completely pain-free, but I finally have a natural-looking stride again. And just in time. I had to cover something for the newspaper at Federalsburg Elementary School this morning, where my worry-wart aunt is the principal, and had I been hobbling today like I was a couple of days ago, I never would have heard the end of it.

I just did some more stretching, foam rolling, icing and heating this morning.

Also, since my birthday is in a week, I got my birthday coupons from Rita’s, Dairy Queen and Cold Stone in my e-mail this morning. Cold Stone’s is by far the best, since it’s the only one that is just flat out get something free, not buy something and get something else free. Take note, Rita’s and Dairy Queen.

Training for 3/24/10

Today was more stretching and whatnot. Also, since I’m off running for a while, I’ve decided to take on a challenge that has nothing to do with my legs — the 100 pushup plan.

Supposedly, no matter how many real push-ups you can do, this plan can get you to 100 in a row in six weeks.

Apparently I’m in better condition than a lot of people starting out, because I can do about 20 at once right now, and the plan makes concessions for people who can only do a couple. So today’s workout looked like this:

• 10 pushups
• 90-second rest
• 12 push-ups
• 90-second rest
• 8 push-ups
• 90-second rest
• 8 push-ups
• 90-second rest
• max push-ups you can do (called for at least 12, I did 15)

So, this morning, I did 53 push-ups. It’s a start. On this schedule, I’ll be able to do 100 by the beginning of May.

Training for 3/23/10

This morning, I did some stretching, foam rolling, icing and heating. My knees are still very tight, but they’re getting better. Today I could get in and out of the shower, walk up and down steps and put on pants without nearly toppling over. It’s progress.

Since I’m not running again until at least the week of April 19, this blog will pretty light on the running tales.

So today, I’ll fill in a bit more about the entire Shamrock Marathon weekend, since yesterday, all I could do was mope about my DNF.

Clark and I got to Virginia Beach late Friday night, and got a little lost trying to get to Dave’s apartment. At one point, I followed a line of cars making a left turn, but didn’t notice we only had a green light, not a green arrow, until we were nearly T-boned by a car coming from the opposite direction.

Clark was appropriately freaked out; I don’t think my pulse went up even one beat per minute. I guess I was more worried about other things.

Saturday morning, I got up bright and early and went to watch the 8K. It was very chilly, but a clear morning. The 8K started in about the same spot as the marathon would. A lot of people were dressed up in St. Patrick’s Day costumes. There were close to 8,000 runners and walkers.

As soon as the last runner crossed the start line, we all walked over to the finish line a block away. We didn’t have to wait long until the winners started coming across the line. The first guy finished in just under 23 minutes — not much behind my best 5K time!

I had made plans to meet an online running group friend who was running the 8K. I hung around until about 10 a.m. before deciding to head over to the expo to get my race packet. While at the expo, she called, so we agreed to meet at her hotel, only a few blocks from the expo.

She was really cool! Both she and her husband had run the 8K and were pretty pleased with their races. We hung out a while and then I headed back to Dave’s apartment.

Dave, Kasey and Clark were finally awake, showered and ready for lunch when I got back, so we walked over to Buffalo Wild Wings. This was the highlight of the weekend.

Clark took on the Blazin’ Challenge — a dozen wings in their hottest sauce. He had to eat them in less than six minutes, and he couldn’t drink anything, wipe his face or cry.

I knew he would easily beat the Blazin’ Challenge, and he did! He was done in 4:01. He got a T-shirt and his Polaroid picture on the wall of victors. So now, whenever Dave goes to Buffalo Wild Wings, he can see Clark on the wall, covered in wing sauce.

Clark said the Blazin’ Challenge was disappointingly easy, so he would like to try some other eating challenges, a la Man v. Food. Move over, Adam.

Since Saturday was the first day of spring, we found a Rita’s so we could get our free Italian ice. I got mango, and it was excellent. I might have to try a gelati with mango ice sometime this summer.

That night, we went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. I put down an entire plate of penne pasta with eggplant, peppers, oven-dried tomatoes, olives and brocolli, and half of a slice of fresh banana cream cheesecake. That’s the biggest advantage to running distance — the free pass to pig out on carbs the night before. After all, you’re going to need it the next day.

We went back to the apartment and went to bed, and you know the rest of the story.

Training for 3/22/10

Yesterday, I completed the Yuengling Shamrock Half Marathon. Problem was, I was signed up for the full marathon.

We got to the starting line a block off the boardwalk about a half an hour before the 8 a.m. start. The race start was not corralled. There were pace leaders sprinkled throughout the crowd, so I got in line not far behind the 4:00 pace leader. I figured I would see what that pace felt like, and if I could hang, fine, if not, also fine.

Can you see me? I'm in the white V-neck Nike shirt, close to the right edge of the shot.

We took off and the pace felt relatively easy, so I watched that little green 4:00 sign hovering above the crowd like a carrot on a stick. Things were going great for the first six or seven miles. Every time I took water from an aid station, I’d lose ground, but I’d catch back up with the pace group and settle in. It felt like a huge group training run.

It was as we were coming out of Camp Pendleton, a very small state military reservation, that I really started to feel like it was not going to be my day to run a marathon. My knees had felt tight pretty much from the beginning, but now they were becoming painful. As we approached a steep bridge around the 10-mile mark, I knew I had to slow down and walk. The 4:00 sign grew smaller and smaller as it disappeared into the distance.

I walked up the bridge, then tried to run again on the downhill. It was nothing more than a pitiful shuffle. I went back to walking.

Every time I would try to run, my knees would seize up. I decided I would have to finish this race walking. I sent a text message to Clark saying it would be a long day, as I could no longer run. He sent one back saying to just take my time.

I continued walking. At this point, the race course was on the boardwalk. The other runners were streaming by me as I half walked, half limped down the boardwalk, which had quite a few spectators. As if it wasn’t embarassing enough being the lone walker at that point, our race bibs had our names on them. Friendly spectators kept yelling, “Come on, Abigail! You can do it!” I tried to smile at them, but it really made me want to cry.

I walked the rest of the way to the halfway point, where Clark, Dave and Kasey were waiting. My knees were seizing to the point where I could no longer really walk. I looked like I had two wooden legs as I tried to move forward without bending my knees. This was by far the most severe the IT pain had ever been.

I took some water from the aid station and walked over to the sideline. I told them I wanted to finish it, but I could see in Clark’s and Dave’s eyes they thought that was a bad idea, after seeing how I was already limping at the halfway point. I saw the 5:00 pacer walk by and said I was going to try to keep up with him. I tried to walk, but my legs just would not cooperate. The pacer took off running, and with him went all my resolve. I knew I had to stop right there.

So that’s what I did. I turned around, walked back to my family and said I needed to go home. And that was the end of my first marathon attempt.

I was not as disappointed as I expected. I think I knew it was coming. My knees had just not felt right the entire weekend, but I wanted to try. Although apparently, it hurt worse than I realized, because later that night, when we were driving home, something went haywire in the dash of my car and the windshield wipers and indicator lights started going crazy. I started bawling. I told Clark it felt like NOTHING was working the way it was supposed to, most of all my stupid knees. I guess I was just feeling betrayed by everything.

However, I can’t feel too bad about this. A year ago, I couldn’t fathom running any farther than a 5K, and now, I’m disappointed because I “only” ran half of a marathon. And when my knees fully heal, I know I will be able to run a full marathon.

I’m taking at least the next four weeks off running. I’ve agreed to do a summer racing series with TK. The first race is a 5-miler on Memorial Day weekend, followed by five 5Ks throughout the summer.

And I’ve decided to try a fall marathon, probably the Richmond Marathon on Nov. 13. That’s more than eight months away. I’ll start training for that in July. If my knees aren’t sorted out after all that time off, I’m cutting them off.

Training for 3/19/10

Today is my husband’s and my six month anniversary, the last day of winter, an unseasonably warm day and the date of my last post before the marathon. Big day.

Last night I went to see the massage therapist. She said the IT bands felt much less defined than they did a week ago, which meant they were less swollen, which is a plus.

This morning I did some more stretching, icing and heating, which is all I will do between now and 8 a.m. Sunday, when this thing starts.

Tonight, Clark and I are leaving Delaware as soon as possible to head for Virginia Beach. The weekend is supposed to be perfect, gorgeous running weather.

Tomorrow, I’m watching the 8K race in the morning and meeting an online running group friend, who’s running that race. Then I’m heading to the expo to pick up my bib and timing chip.

And Sunday is the big day. Holy crap I can’t believe it’s here! It seemed so far away when I started training for it in December.

Training for 3/18/10

I am in a very good mood today. I’m really not even sure why.

This morning, I did some weight training, stretching and foam rolling, and I settled on my outfit for the marathon — long sleeved, white compression top; my favorite Nike Tempo shorts in the world; and those idiotic St. Patrick’s Day socks I wore in the 5K last weekend.

Dumb as it sounds, I think the socks contributed to the painlessness of that 5K. They’re so tall they hit above the knee, which both kept the Patt Straps firmly in place (and hid them, so I didn’t look like such a gimp) and provided some added compression.

I think the reason I’m so chipper is because the marathon is three days out and I really feel like I’ve done all I can to beat these IT band problems. I just have this feeling that I’m going to finish. I’m going to get my medal and all the free Yuengling I can put down.

I’ve also given myself permission to go as slowly as I need to, to just enjoy the experience and not worry about the time clock. This is the first race I’ve ever gone into with no time expectations at all, so I can’t disappoint myself.

So, here are my goals for the marathon:

• A: Finish.
• B: Finish on my feet.
• C: Don’t die.

Sounds doable, right?

Tonight, I’m heading to Easton after work for one last short massage. I’ll keep icing, heating and stretching them over the next couple of days. I will finish this race!