Tri-in'

It has been almost a year to the day since my last race. That was an emotional one. I had worked so hard, only to be derailed by what was the start of an agonizing breakup (with ties to running) just a few weeks before. But I ran, ran hard, and had an amazing race.

I’ve been saying I’m going to do a triathlon for ages. But the timing never seemed right. Or I was scared. The latter is more likely. I’m a runner. I was a swimmer in a past life. And I ride my bike to school every (sunny) day. But all 3, together? Ummm.

Well, 2009 is going to be the year of the tri. I’m signed up for my first one at the beginning of August. It is just 8 or so weeks away. I’ll be out of town for over 3 of those weeks. Sweet timing.

But whatever, I’ll get it done.

This week I’ve already swam a half-mile. Biked 17 miles. And ran 3. Now it is just about putting it all together. And just in the first week of training, it is evident how much I thrive off of working towards a goal. I feel like I have a purpose again.

I learned a lesson last night on my bike ride home after happy hour(s), I’m a faster biker after some brew. There have been several bike trips to the bar recently so I can affirm that this is not an isolated occurrence.

Do you think it would be okay if I pounded a tall boy in the middle of the race?

How I Run: 30.3 & GOTR

I had a goal of running 30 miles this month. The same goal I had for February and March - but didn't reach.

But in April... 30.3 miles. Whoo-hoo! That is a whole 4.1 miles more than some people recently ran in just one day (yes, I am looking at you JustRun!). But you got to start somewhere. And I don't think I'll ever find myself running an marathon anyway. Regardless, here's to 30 miles in April and 40 miles in May!

In other running news, today I volunteered with Girls on the Run - a program I have only started to get involved with, but am very excited about. Personally, I get so much out of running. I have become healthier and stronger. I feel better about myself when I run. I have made and strengthen friendships through running. And I only started running when I was 25... imagine if I had started at 12!! I've been looking for a new volunteer opportunity and this seems absolutely perfect for me.

Other runner chicks out there interested in getting involved (or at least finding out more)? Find a chapter near you.

(We didn't end up climbing/skiing St Helen's last weekend due to a death in the family - not mine, but my climbing buddy's. But I'm still looking forward to many more climbs this summer!)

How I Run: Goals and Motivations

My goal this month is to run 30 miles. Its been my goal for the past 2 months now. Third time's a charm?

It is not impossible. I've run upwards of 60 miles in a month (make that consecutive months, plural). But I haven't run more than 30 miles since last June - where 13.1 miles of that was a race.

I just need a bit of motivation.

Which currently is this:

Yeah, I am suppossed to climb this bad boy (with ski on my back!) in just about 3 weeks. Should be entertaining. I'll keep you posted.


Photo source

How I Run: Why We Run

(Inspired by JustRun's recent good run)

Much of what came out of his mouth was a load of crap, but Boston did leave me with one piece of advice that I find invaluable.

We don't run because it is easy.
Most runs suck (even if you run 30 to 40 miles a week like he did).
Many runs are painful - physically or mentally (or both).
Many runs are frustrating.

But every once and a while you have a good run.
Better than good.
Amazing.
That run where you feel strong and fast.
And like you can run forever.

Those runs are few and far between.
Those runs make the painful ones worthwhile.
Those runs are why we run.

Monday's run hurt.
Lungs burning and legs aching.
But I wouldn't take it back for anything.

How I Run: Starting from Scratch

5 months ago today, I was in awesome shape. Coming off a PR in the half marathon in the late spring, I spent the beginning of the summer riding my bike, hiking almost daily - with strength training and runs thrown in there too.

Then I went for a solo hike (although it being solo had nothing to do with the injury, just made the mile journey back to the car post incident more interesting), slipped on a rock, and it all went downhill.


(Smiling at the summit - little did I know what would happen next!)

I spent 6 weeks doing nothing. I thought I was going to go crazy - literally - there were numerous tear-filled conversations with my mom and KC about not being able to run or even swim. I started physical therapy, and started half-assing exercise. It was a balancing act between doing at least something to keep me sane, and not hurting myself more. It wasn't much but I didn't feel like quite a lazy bum.

I started to actually run again in October and then royally sprained my ankle in November. Ugh!

For the sake of my ski season - because while I like running, I looove skiing - I went cold turkey. I did my physical therapy exercises but nothing else until January 1st.

So here I am now - the 3rd week in January and I am... well a bit sore! I've run, biked, done lunges and pushups, played innertube basketball, and most importantly skied. I'm out of shape but not out for the count.

What I've learned from this whole experience: I am most certainly thankful for my body and all that it allows me to do!

How I Run: Better Off on the Treadmill?!?

It was my first race in 6 months, and also my first since my knee injury.

And there I go, stepping off a sidewalk as I turn around to make a snarky comment to my team. It wasn't even like it was one of the obstacles - just a sidewalk. My knee? It feels fantastic. Actually, it is pretty awesome that it came out unscathed. My ankle? Not so much.















As my classmate proclaimed loud enough for the entire class to hear - "You have a CANKLE..." Gee - thanks.

I was back in not quite peak - but getting there running shape only to be twarted again by the running gods. Grrrr!

At least I already have a physical therapy appointment for this week. And I figure that I can just shove it in a ski boot and still hit the slopes (if it ever gets cold enough to snow - people were wearing shorts today - seriously?!?).

As I count down to my 30th, if this is what getting old entails... no thanks, I'll stick to my 20s.

How I Run: Recovery

I got the okay to run last week. And then I was slammed with work and a killer cold. Life sucks like that sometimes.

But that first glorious run... oh it was heaven! It was the most perfect day for a run - sunny, crisp air but not too cool, which helped with the whole "I think I might die!" thing I had going on. Limited exercise for 6 weeks will do that to you. But with my quads aching and my lungs burning, I barely felt that little twinge in my knee.

My doc told me he wasn't really in favor of me learning to rock climb this quarter (so sad - I was so looking forward to it!) and while I didn't ask, I don't think he'd been keen on my running a half marathon over Thanksgiving. Instead, I'm taking that $70 I would have spent on the half and running a handful of smaller races (that I am typically to frugal to enter) in the upcoming months. If my runs this week go well, you might catch me here in a few weeks.

Runs aren't all that fun right now, but they are getting better. And I'm just happy to be able to get out there and pound the pavement once again!

How I Run, Vol. 6

After a bit of a hiatus, I started running seriously again this week. And during my hiatus, I started biking more seriously too.

So put the two together and this week I’ve found myself biking to school and also pounding the pavement in my running shoes. Call it the start of triathlon training. My “double sessions” make me feel all hardcore and reading Ultramarathon Man is inspiring – don’t worry though, I won’t be running for 24 hours straight anytime in the near future!

Yesterday, I rolled into the driveway only to turn around minutes later to run 5 miles with Laura and Clare. I thought it would be a struggle, but guess who set the pace the entire run?!?! Ordinarily I’d feel a little bashful about this, feeling like when it came right down to it they are better runners than me and it is my role to be the one that gets dragged along. In the past I’d almost be apologetic for being the fast one, but not this time. I worked for it and have earned my spot leading the pack. There is a simple reason why I can run faster than Laura, I’ve put my miles in, and I am proud of that.

Running isn’t always easy. In fact, most runs are downright sucky. But every once and awhile there is that run which is amazing. Despite of often suckiness, I think I keep at it because of how running makes me feel when I am not running and because how it makes me feel inside.

How I Run, Vol. 5: Half Marathon Edition

1:55:56

In case you didn't figure it out from the size of the font, that is huge!

I honestly thought I wasn't capable of much less than 2:05. Even though we were on pace to run under 2 hours for the entire race, I didn't believe I really could do it until we made it to mile 9 and I remarked that we could run 10-min/miles the rest of the race and still make it under 2 hours.

I called Boston when I got home to tell him the good news. But what I really wanted was for him to have been at the race. And instead of just talking on the phone, been lying on his couch, recovering while he watched the game.

It is so frusterating, to fully understand and accept what the future holds, but to want to be with someone, knowing that he wants to be with you, and yet somehow, not be able to be together, for just a few months more. Really, it is (or maybe more appropriately, I am) pathetic.

(UPDATE: Pictures from the race. I'm the one on the far right.)

6 Days and Counting.

I’d honestly rather not write a post about how I am trying to pick up all the pieces. All the self-pitying bullshit has got to get old to anyone reading. But that is all there is to write about, because that it all I have been doing, figuring out how to pick up the pieces. You think I’d be good at it, I mean it has been less than a year since I did it last. At least I’ll spare you a story about the bedsores I’m well on my way to developing.

If any good is to come out of this, it would be the no-work diet I’ve found myself on. I lost 4 pounds last week. I wouldn’t doubt if I’ve lost the same this week. It is all quite simple. The thought of food makes me feel sick. I try to eat something because I know I should, and I feel even more sick. At some point I just stop thinking about food (quite a novelty for the girl who tends to thinks about food non-stop). But given the alternative – gallons of ice cream and subsequent inches on my thighs – I’ll take the weight loss.

I tried on a new dress last night for Laura and Max. Max told me I looked hot. Then he corrected himself, smokin’ hot. A compliment from my best friend’s husband is as good as any. And while he is at it, he can go ahead and tell Boston what he is missing out on.

Only downside is that I trained hard for a half-marathon that I am running in 6 days. It is a race that I have no desire to run now. Putting on my sneakers is torture. Add to the fact that I have no energy due to the lack of food I’ve been eating and I’m one big old running mess.

He’s not going to be there waiting at the finish line anymore, but I know he’ll look up the results. I know what he thinks I am capable of running. I almost feel like it would be more satisfying to let him see me fck it up, to have him feel like he was partially to blame for something he knows I worked so hard for. I won’t though.

6 days and counting (both forward and backward). Laura is forcing me to run tonight. And I will make myself eat lunch and dinner today.

How I Run, Vol. 4: LOVE/hate

This commercial totally describes my relationship with running.

How I Run, Vol. 3

Track Workouts

Yesterday I did my first track workout. Both Boston and Steve (my roommate) kept telling me how track workouts would really improve my half-marathon time. Something about lactic acid and recovery – obviously I am not the bio major here. But I figured as college track superstars, I should probably listen to them.

Best part of the whole athletic outing was the setting. Of course, my camera was in the car (missed a picture yesterday – whoops!). I felt like an Olympic track star with the stadium surrounding me. Now only if I ran like one!


I was nervous. I wanted to run fast. And I wanted to impress Boston.

I ran 200s (half-way around the track). Fast 200, then sloooow 200 (like so slow that you are almost walking, but you aren’t). About 2.5 miles total. At times I felt like I was going to throw up (and that would have been so charming, I’m sure). But after it was all over, it felt like a great workout.

And hopefully as I continue, I’ll see my longer run paces picking up.

How I Run, Vol. 2

Grit (noun): firmness of mind or spirit.

I’d like to think I run with grit. Although it took me some time to get there.

Back in late January I decided it was time to get back into running. I had been running sporadically since November, but my sporadic efforts meant that I spend most of the time frustrated by the fact that I felt slow, heavy, and so out of shape. And with running just once a week on average, I wasn’t making any forward progress (leading to even more frustration).

After a week of seriously attempting to run, yet always feeling like I was coming up short, I said a big F-You to running! No, I wasn’t giving it up, I just wasn’t going to let it get the best of me. I channeled all my pent up frustrations, summoned up some grit and started to run. I wasn’t going to let any of my mental or physical pain sabotage my run. I didn’t give myself an option when I wanted to stop, I just kept going. I ran 3.5 miles without stopping. It was slow and I felt like I was going to die, but I did it. A few days later I ran the same loop again, this time 90 seconds faster. The next day, a minute faster than the day before.

Two months later, I’m not fighting my body anymore. My mind isn’t telling me to stop, but I keep that same attitude. Like each run is a battle and I am going to come out victorious. Nowadays when I don’t feel like running, I remind myself why I do it. And wouldn’t you know, I almost always end up with the running shoes on my feet!

How I Run, Vol. 1

I started training for a half-marathon in June. My 4th.

01. May, 2005: Vancouver, BC - 2:21
I was so sick but also was so mentally invested in this race that I had to finish it, even if it meant crawling across the finish line.

01.5. May, 2006: Vancouver, BC - DNR
It was a repeat of the year before - so sick, although this time I was less mentally invested and it was pouring the morning of. The morning of the race, I spent under the covers, listening to the rain outside.

02. July, 2007: Bellevue, WA - 2:16
My race partner and I were not on the same page when it came to our pace (despite discussing our goal on the drive to the race!). I stuck with her for the first 9 miles but took off for the last 4, although too little too late.

03. October, 2007: Bellingham, WA – 2:09
My goal was to finish under 2:11 and drink a beer at the finish (my fave brewery was a race sponser). I guess one out of two ain’t bad!

I think half-marathons are the perfect race to train for. Long enough that one has to train (or at least I do), but not long enough to make the training unbearable. Except that I always slack off on my training. Sometimes I'll get all those long runs in - a little bit farther each week - and totally slack off during the week. Other times I'll run 3 to 4 miles several times a week, but do just 3 longs runs - 6, 8, and 10 miles - convincing myself that I can tough it out during the actual race.

This year I have an aggressive goal. This year I am going to really train.

04. June, 2008: Port Angeles, WA - (goal) under 2:00