My First Half Marathon

Why running is harder than cycling:

Nothing against cyclists (my dad is an amazing and avid cyclist! And I love cycling at the gym) But I just wanted so badly to be able to coast while maintaining speed for a little bit to give my legs some recovery time, but knew it would drastically slow my time and I would be passed by several people.  The idea of all those people passing me was worse than my burning and tingling legs.  There is just no rest in running.

So here is my story of running a half marathon - a bunch of women from my church signed up to run a 13.1 mile race on June 8 - See Jane Run.  I wasn't sure if I would be in town that day or what my plans would be so I didn't sign up, plus I hate signing up for races way in advance in case I injure myself or something.  I didn't really train for it, just stayed in shape lifting and teaching my exercise class twice a week, with an occasional cycling class about every other week.  I did run 6 miles with a friend back in the middle of April and felt pretty good about that.  

Then last week I did a 5 mile charity fun run (not timed) and kept about an 8.5 minute/mile pace.  This gave me confidence and I was thinking about just signing up and running the half marathon, but wanted to get in a longer run that Saturday.  However, I totally got sick after - dehydration and the like - all weekend.  So I didn't get in that extra long run to prepare me :/  But then on Tuesday...I got the text.  A girl who had signed up hurt her knee and wouldn't be able to run it.  She asked me if I would take her place, so I said yes...ah!!  The anxiety settled in and all week I was pretty nervous, as I always get before a race of some sort.  But at least I would have the opportunity to just get a half marathon out of the way!  It had kind of been on my bucket list of things to do.  

Anyways...about the actual race - I just wanted to write this down for my own record and thought "what better place than my blog?"  I started out really fast...well, really fast for me in long distance.  I set a goal the night before to finish in 2 hours and felt that would push me and be fairly realistic.  I started the race next to the 1:45 pacer and then passed her around mile 2.  I was feeling pretty good and going pretty fast.  I was passing people right and left.  I knew I wasn't at my "aerobic" pace and knew I was using quite a bit of my glycogen stores, but my pride was getting the best of me and I didn't want to slow down.  Plus I had carb loaded pretty heavily the night before and this morning and knew my glycogen should last a good amount of time.  I think I stayed at this pace til around mile 3.  Then exhaustion started kicking in.  People started passing me.  I fell back a little bit.  Then at mile 4, I had to use the john.  I grabbed a goo packet and some water and walked for a few paces, then started again.  This time at my aerobic pace.  But my muscles were starting to become exhausted.  More and more people were passing me.  But I knew I still had over half of the race left and kept telling myself to just stay at pace.  It was definitely a mental battle.  Not ever having run more than 6 miles before, I didn't even know what to expect, or what lied ahead.

Mile 5 (I think) was one of  the hardest.  It was so hot, and we had to run up this one street, and turn around to come back down that same street, which was divided by cones.  Oh how I so badly wanted to just cross the cones and skip that street!!  "Til I Collapse" came on my ipod, by Eminem.  That has always been a super motivational song to me while running.  I had to put it on repeat and listened to it a couple times to keep going. 

Cause sometimes you just feel tired,
Feel weak, and when you feel weak, you feel like you wanna just give up.
But you gotta search within you, you gotta find that inner strength
And just pull that s*** out of you and get that motivation to not give up
And not be a quitter, no matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your face and collapse.

What better lyrics to run to!?!  I always somehow find that inner strength when that song comes on and I just pull it outta me.  Mile 6...awesome!  It meant I was almost half way...mile 7...more awesome!! I was over half way.  I was keeping my pace and feeling pretty good.  I knew I was ahead of my 2 hour goal because that pacer hadn't passed me yet.

Then mile 9 was approaching.  I couldn't move my legs anymore.  They hurt.  So bad.  Then the idea hit me that I still had 4 miles left.  I couldn't even imagine myself running 4 more miles!  I didn't think my legs would make it.  I had to walk.  I wanted to cry!  I thought once you found a good pace, you could just keep going since you had unlimited fat supply...at least that's what I'd just been studying in the Personal Training manual and what I'd learned during my undergrad in Exercise Science.  But that's theoretical.  That doesn't take into account how your joints hurt - your hips, your knees, your ankles.  It doesn't take into account the mental anxiety and stress involved in depleting your body of energy and performing the same task over and over for multiple hours.  However, in my moment of despair, I saw a saint - somebody handing out whole bottles of water!  I didn't know what that water would ultimately do for me, but I was grateful for it when I got it.  I started drinking some, then splashed some over my left shoulder.  It felt AMAZING!  Then over my right shoulder.  Then down my chest.  Over my head.  The cold water seemed to refresh my muscles and re-energize them.  It was like I was at the start of the race again (or maybe just mile 2). 

Just then, the 2-hour pacer jogged up next to me.  I knew I had to stay with her.  I had to reach this goal.  I started my pace again.  I kept with her for the next two and a half miles.  I even got ahead at some points and was feeling really good.  Then with about a mile and a half left, my legs cramped so badly I couldn't keep running.  I started walking (if what I was doing could even be considered walking) and watched my goal run away from me.  It was depressing in some ways, especially because I kept thinking if I kept up with here, I would be done with this race that much sooner.  But I just couldn't go.  I walked a bit further, then saw a pole up ahead.  "Just run to the next pole" I told myself.  I did.  Then I told myself to just keep jogging to the next pole.  Once I got there, I had to walk again.  People kept passing me.  Ugh!  Then a girl passed me and the back of her shirt read "You are stronger than you think you are".  Because my mind kept saying I couldn't do this, I knew I could.  The whole next song that came on, I just kept repeating those lyrics to the beat.  I jogged that whole next song!  Then I had to walk.  Then I came on the 13 mile marker!!!!!!   I seriously couldn't believe it.  I just wanted to cry.  I couldn't believe I had made it.  I saw the finish line.  And I sprinted for it.  I passed probably around 10 people.  I had my glycogen stores back for that last bout :)  And I finished strong.  

Then I collapsed. 

Here are my results: http://results.bazumedia.com/event/results/event/event-4317 (Danielle Curtis is who's place I took in the race)

Total Time: 2:03:25 

Avg Pace: 9:26 min/mile

After affects: five hours later, I still wanted to cry thinking about how hard that was and because my body hurt so bad.  My left knees KILLS!!!!!  I seriously can't walk normally, and stairs are excruciatingly painful.  Both my hamstrings feel strained.  However, I do feel accomplished - almost like I can do anything in the world.  I have a new-found determination to accomplish other goals I have in my life.   I also feel skinnier :) (which is always a plus for women!) and every time I stepped on the scale after the race, I weighed less and less.  (I don't normally weigh myself multiple times a day, but I was just curious how my body would react after running a half).  From the time I weighed myself in the morning to the last time I weighed myself after the race, I lost about 2.4 pounds, which is amazing because normally you weigh less in the morning and more as the day goes on.  

Well that is my story of running my first (and possibly my only) half marathon.  In sum, it had a lot of goods and bads, positives and negatives.  If I could go back, I would definitely do it again.  It was a journey I will always remember.  

THINKERS

What is something you have done out of your comfort zone?  What did you learn from it?  

What is a goal you have in your life?  What steps can you take today to accomplish that goal?  Just take one step and you will be that much closer. 

Real Abs are Made in the Kitchen

I've been hearing this phrase a lot lately in my research and since changing my eating habits and hitting the gym regularly, I have definitely found this to be true.  Back in March, I was inspired to have my own "March Madness" where I revamped my eating habits and (for a change) planned out all my meals - five a day, plus extra things to eat if I got hungry.  I realized that when I got hungry, that was when my self-control was at its low.  When my stomach grumbled, my hands tumbled...over anything it could get a hold of!  Planning out my meals helped my body know when it would be fed to prevent food cravings and binge eating, ensured that I got all my nutrients and protein, and allowed me to plan things I liked and looked forward to in order to prevent boredom and dissatisfaction.

**Changing something as drastic as your eating habits is a very psychological thing.  Something that really helped me during this month of revamping my diet was trying to read positive things about health and nutrition.  It just got my mind aligned with my body and actions and definitely made it easier to eat clean.  

So here's the first two weeks of my meal planning.  *DISCLAIMER* I didn't measure out everything to a T and I don't have all the macro nutrients calculated.  This is a rough outline I used and am posting for my own record and to give you guys some ideas to base your meal plans (or individual meals) around.  Everybody's needs are different and this is where you need to listen to your body. You can also use a calorie counter (such as myfitnesspal) or the like to get an idea of what your needs are.  

MONDAY

Breakfast	Pumpkin spinach shake w/Chia seeds
Snack	Whole wheat bread w/almond butter & cinnamon
Lunch	Omelet w/peppers, onions, spinach Berries
Snack (pre-workout)	Celery w/peanut butter & hemp seeds Herbal tea if hungry
Dinner	Salad – Spinach, Canellini beans, egg white (hardboiled), feta cheese, tomato, lemon dressing.

If hungry, snack on protein bar or mixed nuts.

TUESDAY

Breakfast	Pineapple Spinach Shake w/Chia Seeds
Snack	Mixed nuts w/craisins.
Lunch	Fish w/rice & Asparagus
Snack	Celery w/peanut butter & hemp seed
Dinner	Protein Mix w/cinnamon. Protein bar. Sesame snack

If hungry, snack on apple or protein bar. 

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast	Oatmeal w/Chia Seeds, protein, cinnamon Wheat toast, almond butter, cinnamon, honey.
Snack	Greek Yogurt w/strawberries, cinnamon, honey, pecans
Lunch	Grapefruit w/cottage cheese
Snack	Protein bar & carrots Grapefruit w/cottage cheese
Dinner	Salmon burger w/spinach salad arugula/pea sprout salad w/carrots, kidney beans, Caesar dressing. Sourdough toast.

If hungry, snack on nuts. 

* As you can see, I didn't always follow through with what I planned.  If I did, I bolded it.  If I didn't, I crossed it out and wrote what I actually ate. 

THURSDAY

Breakfast	Peanut butter spinach shake
Snack	Homemade carrot protein bar
Lunch	Egg white breakfast burrito
Snack	Greek yogurt w/strawberries, cinnamon, honey, pecans, and hemp seed
Dinner	Sun-dried tomato chicken & asparagus  ate out – thai food

FRIDAY

Breakfast	Oatmeal w/chia seeds, protein, cinnamon
Snack	Grapefruit and cottage cheese
Lunch	Turkey burger w/asparagus
Snack	mixed nuts
Dinner	Sun-dried tomato chicken w/asparagus

SATURDAY

Breakfast	Bagel w/avocado and cream cheese - CHEAT
Snack	Chocolate protein w/hemp seeds
Lunch	Salmon burger w/spinach salad
Snack	Protein bar
Dinner	Sun-dried tomato chicken w/asparagus

Week 2 

(Changed the format here) 

Day	Meal 1	Meal 2	Meal 3	Meal 4	Meal 5
Wednesday	Banana/blueberry protein shake	Orange & homemade flax Muffin	Sourdough bread w/shredded chicken & tomato	Vegetable quinoa	Salmon Burger w/broccoli
Thursday	Oatmeal	Orange & homemade flax muffin	Eggs w/shredded chicken & cottage cheese	Green shake	Page 8 (Greek Chicken)
Friday	Protein Shake	Cottage cheese w/cantaloupe & pineapple	Black bean soup w/sourdough bread. Add shredded chicken?	Salsa w/black beans & cottage cheese	Page 5 (pan-seared oven-roasted chicken w/brussel sprouts & mushrooms)
Saturday	Salmon Omelet	Nuts & orange	Black bean soup w/sourdough bread	Green shake	Leftover 8 or 5
Sunday	Protein Shake	Nuts & apple	Eggs w/quinoa	Pea pancakes	Turkey burgers w/broccoli

Nowadays....it's something like this: 

I don't plan out my meals, but I plan out my protein.  I just let everything else fall around that.  Because I am trying to build muscle and not lose any, I try to get around 1 gram of protein per pound of my body weight.  Since I weigh around 140, I divided that by 5 meals and figured I needed around 28 g of protein per meal.  I always make sure I get my protein, fruits, and vegetables.  Then every couple days, I will have a high carb day where I eat lots of good carbohydrates with my proteins. My favorite good carbs are oatmeal (do not get the packets!! they are sugar-loaded), quinoa, whole wheat bread, whole wheat pita chips, whole grain cereals with almond or coconut milk, couscous, brown rice, aaand I think that's about it.  Increasing and decreasing your carbohydrates is great because it tricks your body and speeds up your metabolism, burning more fat on the days you don't eat as many carbs.

You can follow me on Instagram as well to see more meals/tips.  @hspeaker

Bumping up my protein and even my weights in the gym, I have seen more pounds drop on the scale and have gained more lean muscle.  

CHALLENGE: Make a list of the benefits or gains you see/feel when training mean and eating clean.  Put these somewhere you can see them.  Once you crave these feelings and results more than you crave that chocolate ice cream, you will be able to reach your goals!!  Thrive on that :)