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October 27, 2006

first post-marathon miles

I ran 4 miles last night. My first run since crossing the line on Sunday.

It felt surprisingly good! Both for my legs and to be running again. My right quad and ankle were a little tight this morning, but seem to have loosened out.

No running today, and a nice and easy 5k on Saturday followed by an even easier 10 k on Sunday, then it's back to training as normal next week.

Posted by Ali at 10:06 AM | Comments (201)

October 24, 2006

progress

I am making progress, right now I am drug free! My name is Ali and I haven't taken anything since 4pm yesterday afternoon. Yes that's right campers no ibuprofen, no tylenol, just caffeine cursing through these veins.

My legs are still stiff and sore but I don't have to pyshc myself up to get off the chair ... progress. Plus tonight I have 1 hour with the massage god ... oh I am salivating at the mere thought.

After many hours with myself on Sunday I have tweaked my plan for vegas, increasing my mileage to increase my endurance. Here it is ... what'ya think?

Posted by Ali at 10:29 AM | Comments (1)

the plan - revisited

Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
off	2	off	4	off	3	10k Race
off	5 x 1 mile (2.30)	4	8	off	3	18
off	6 x 1 mile (2.30)	4	10	off	3	20
off	7 x 1 mile (2.30)	4	12	off	3	22
off	6 x 1 mile (2.30)	4	8	off	3	16
off	8 x 1 mile (2.30)	4	6	off	3	10
off	2 x 1 mile at marathon pace	4	3	off	3	Vegas

Posted by Ali at 8:43 AM | Comments (0)

October 23, 2006

lucky number slevin

things to do ....

run a marathon .... check!
run another marathon ... check!

Yesterday I completed my second marathon. In some ways it was easier and in many ways it was harder than the first.

I am not sure exactly how long it takes for you to forget. The pain, the discomfort, the mental challenge that those last 6 miles create. Not long. It's been less than 24 hours and besides the flashbacks I get whenever I try and stand up or sit down those memories have all but disappeared. What's left is accomplishment, pride and a few more lessons learned.

I haven't been looking forward to or dreading this marathon, I decided early this month that this was going to be a training run ... a long one. I am going to do Vegas in December and want to be able to keep training and not take a week or two off after giving my all for 26.2 miles. So, that was my plan run 26.2 miles easy miles.

We got to Niagara early Saturday afternoon and picked up my race kit. I was number 7 ... lucky number slevin. This then inspired a lot of gambling featuring the number 7 ... unfortunately not so lucky.

The weather was cold, wet and windy for the first 7 miles. After we crossed over the Peace Bridge and got onto the Niagara Parkway the wind calmed down and the scenery was beautiful. My support crew, my dad and bff M, were waiting at mile 12 for me. After a quick hello, wave and cheer I was off. I felt really strong at the halfway point. The support crew were waiting at mile 17, I stopped this time and grabbed a drink with them, after a couple motivational pats on the back I headed out.

Just before 19 I noticed two things ... the weather changed, it was windy and colder ... and I was beginning to feel nauseous. I figured both would pass soon. At mile 20 it started to drizzle. I had packed an extra shirt in the support crew bag, I grabbed it and changed out of my wet one. They asked how I was doing, I said okay I felt strong but a little sick.

I ran all of mile 20, but when I started to run again after the waterstop I was dizzy and really naueous. I think 21 was the hardest mile for me yesterday. It was the first time I had walked all day and I walked all of it, just staring at the yellow line so I won't sway all over the road. At 22 I tried running again I got almost the entire mile in, but had to start walking again. I mixed the gatorade and water together at the next waterstop and sipped it slowly for part of mile 23. I'd run for a bit, then walk, then run.

As I came round the corner at mile 24 I saw a familiar yellow hat and blue coat. I could of cried. It was my support crew, I thought they were going to the finish line after mile 20. They didn't, my dad stopped and bought me a plain bagel hoping it would make me feel better. I ripped off a piece and started walking again, I wanted to get in their car, I wanted to sit down, but most of all I wanted to finish this. The bagel seemed to help.

I started to feel a little human. I started to feel like I was going to finish. I started to run. I didn't stop until I crossed the line. Today, I started and finished my second marathon.

I'm not sure what caused the nausea. I've drank water and gatorade before and haven't experienced any side effects. Maybe it was just fatigue. I really felt the difference of not putting in all my training miles. I did a lot of miles before Chicago, both during the week and on long runs. It makes a difference on race day. I felt like my tank was filled for 21 miles, I cruised along no problems, then suddenly, chug chug. Trying to knock out 5 miles on empty is tough.

In the end, I was 11 minutes slower than Chicago. Which isn't bad considering I wasn't trying to set a new PR. I ran it like a training run. If, if, if .... nope no ifs. I am very happy with the result.

Tonight I am going to tweak my training plan.

Posted by Ali at 1:22 PM | Comments (4)

October 20, 2006

can you smell the excitement

marathon #2 is almost here

Posted by Ali at 8:50 AM | Comments (1)

October 18, 2006

a little something for moi

I am going to buy it today!

Posted by Ali at 10:11 AM | Comments (1)

October 15, 2006

6 days, 17 hours, 3 minutes

till marathon number 2!

I got 10 little miles in this morning, god bless the beautiful taper! I met T, C, J, R, S and D at 7.30am this morning. All but D are faster than me, but I decided as I was only doing 10 miles ... only ... love it ... that I would keep up with them until I had to turn around (they were doing 16 miles).

I knew within the first 1 mile that the pace was faster than I would run, we lost D so that confirmed it. I stuck with them. We passed the 3 mile mark normally were I would stop and have a drink, they keep going ... damn them ... so I did too. At the 4 mile mark they stopped for a potty and fuel break ... thank god. Then we started up again, only one more mile with them I could do it. They decided to go off the path and into the trail up hill. At this point I thought they were trying to ditch me ... let's see what she's made of. Then T says lets go this way, and we are off through the non-path-trail, now I am positive they are trying to kill me. We emerge from the forest and join the others, down the hill and back onto the path. I kept up all the way to mile 5, and I think I could of kept going with them further, but it's taper time so I get to turn back.

I say goodbye and head back, I kept the pace most of the way back until I met up with D around 7.5 miles. He was 8 miles, his longest run in 3 months. We had a nice and easy 2.5k run together, a few walking breaks which I didn't mind at all today. It was beautiful out, my first 7.5 miles were the best I've run in months and the last 2.5 helped my best running buddy get his miles in.

Fingers crossed the weather is like today and so is my running next week!

Oh and I had the cinnamon raisin bagel before my run this morning ... worked great, I think I'll have it as my post-breakfast-pre-marathon snack!

Posted by Ali at 3:56 PM | Comments (0)

October 12, 2006

god bless the taper

I had a massage last night ... 45 minutes on my hip, hamstring and IT Band. It was brutal. I literally wanted to jump off the bed run naked down the street. But I didn't I stuck it out, because I know it will make me better, and the masseuse, he's hot, as a single female that's the most excitement I've seen all week!

I went to bed around 11.30 last night and fell fast asleep only to wake up at 2.30am wide awake for the rest of the night. Why does this happen when you have an 8am meeting that you have to must be can't miss be at? I don't want to get up or read just incase I might fall asleep at that moment ... that moment lasted 4 hours.

So I was completely exhausted all day. I really didn't want to run tonight. Nope. No sir. To make matters worse, it's snowing. Yip, snowing, it's Oct 12, why is it snowing? I laced up my shoes and did 4 very slow, honestly quite pathetic miles. But 4 none the less.

I was so cold when I got home I had a hot bath ... bliss. So now I am ready for McSteamy and McDreamy! Given a choice, if I had to choose, I think I would definitely pick McSteamy.

Thanks for all the breakfast suggestions. I am going to have a bagel before my long run on Sunday and see how that does ... I think I am leaning towards cinnamon raisin.

Posted by Ali at 5:40 PM | Comments (1)

October 11, 2006

t minus 11 days

Til marathon number 2!

Last Thursday night I ran with a guy who has run Niagara a couple of times. He gave me some good advice and also made me think. Think about breakfast. You see the race starts at 10am, but we have to be at the bus at 7am. Once we arrive state side (the marathon starts in New York state and finishes in Canada) we are put in a staging area for an hour or so. The staging area is an art gallery, where you can't eat ... you can outside but depending on the weather that could be difficult.

Normally my pre-race routine involves eating oatmeal 2 hours before the race, but I'll be leaving my hotel 3.5 hours before the start ... argggghhhh. I could bring a snack ... but what snack? I have a 12 miler this Sunday so I could try it out then.

Last Sunday was our last long run before the big day. Not that 12 isn't long ... P and I set out at 7.30 for our 16 miler. It was a perfect fall day. Cool, clear, beautiful coloured leaves in trees and on the ground and a wonderful mist rising off the river. At mile 4, K and D joined us and we headed to the end of the park and up Boler hill, a wonderful 2 miles all up hill. When we reached we turned around and flew back down. I love downhill. I felt great. We headed back into the park were a thanksgiving 6k race was taking place. We got to run through the finish line and get cheers from the crowd. Time for another waterstop so we stopped at a waterfountain, everything seemed good til we started running again, I seemed to have seized up in minutes and left all my energy at the finish line.

K left us at our 12 mile mark and P and I continued on. We were both exhausted and took turns picking the next goal ... just make it to the anchor, then we can have a drink, then the tunnel, then the splash pad. We finally made it back for a total of 16.5 miles. I thought the second half was a lot slower, but turns out it was only 3 minutes slower. Very pleased with Sunday's run.

Last night was the last big workout, mile repeats ... 6 or them plus a 2 mile warm up and cool down. I ache today, it's either all the miles or someone is beating me with a plank in the middle of the night!

Massage later tonight ... yipppee!

Posted by Ali at 6:00 PM | Comments (3)

October 5, 2006

taste test

I am on a quest for the perfect marathon snack.

1. It needs to be portable (coke, the drink is perfect, but not portable)
2. small enough to fit into those tiny pockets in my shorts
3. high in sugar
4. tasty
5. something I am willing to sacrifice to the cause ... after the marathon I will probably never want to eat it again.

I bought an assortment of jelly bellys today, I think they could work ... my favourite so far is red apple.

Posted by Ali at 1:35 PM | Comments (5)

October 2, 2006

inside the head of a lone runner

"I bet you could write a book with all the thoughts that went through your head.. "

Jeff's comment about my solo 21 miler on Sunday made me think.

What did I think about?

If you are thinking something profound ... hmmm ... not so much ... it went something like this.

Mile 1 - it's dark and foggy. control your pace. slow down. long way to go. Heel hurts, how long till drugs kick in

Mile 2 - traffic lights, should I wait till they change or change my route ... hmmm wait til they change .. oh Tim Hortons, I would love a coffee. First hill, doing okay. Run faster, drunk guy staggering towards me. Oh that's that apartment building of that cute guy, I wonder if he is awake? Spend alot of time thinking about cute guy.

Mile 3 - Drugs still haven't kicked in, heel really hurts. Cute guy is dating wrong girl, should be dating me. do people stay in relationship because they don't want to be alone. Maybe they are happy. Happier with me! Going to stop at the anchor for water, just around the corner. Spend next few minutes thinking only about anchor and stopping.

Mile 4 - Should I take the short route or long route in the park? long route, get miles in now. Reading messages on the path from old races. In three weeks I'll be running a real marathon. wonder what the weather will be like? Toilets coming up, I should stop. toilets closed, where are the next ones? feel groggy, legs are cold.

Mile 5 - gels really work. someone told me about gel blocks or something. almost my longest run alone ... almost. should I get a macbook pro? need new boots, brown boots. cute guy would like sexy brown boots.

Mile 6 - officially my longest run alone. this is a long hill. waterstop at the top, keep going. Maybe I should buy an ipod. would I sing out loud? am I talking out loud?

Mile 7 - when is this hill going to end? If I turn around at the top that would be 16 miles .. no I'm doing 21 ... 16 is good though ... no it's not.

Mile 8 - waterstop. first one at the waterstop ... yeah me. yum jelly beans. maybe I'll pack jelly beans for the marathon. Need a goal. hmmmmm. gonna buy an ipod

Mile 9 - got a goal, I started at 7.15am, the group starts at 8am, they are super fast, okay goal is to not let them catch me before mile 11. Try doing math. Wake me up inside ... Save me ... wake me from the dark ... what's that song

Mile 10 - still doing math. still foggy. oh cows, I wonder what it's like to be a cow? What songs will I put on my ipod. Wake me up inside ... oh yeah that song

Mile 11 - keep looking behind me, can't see anyone yet. more cows

Mile 12 - enough of the hills already, see runner ahead, going to catch him. this surface is nice

Mile 13 - downhill back to the park .... weeee I love downhill .... look at me super fast .... weeeee

Mile 14 - need toilet ... where is toilet .... find toilet

Mile 15 - no thoughts .... get passed by runner who left at 8am

Mile 16 - I'm hungry. what will I have for breakfast?

Mile 17 - guy walking dog, that's nice. can't seem to catch him, how fast is he walking? he must be super human. what power would I have

Mile 18 - Should I stay on path or go onto the road, if I go to road where no runners are I'll walk I know I will, stay on path.

Mile 19 - run it's not far now, shoes are dirty

Mile 20 - can't stop until gizmo says 21, don't stop ... don't

Posted by Ali at 2:16 PM | Comments (4)

October 1, 2006

all by myself

I have complete and utter admiration for those of you that train alone. Some runners enjoy the solitude, occasionally I do to, on short runs. For long runs I need company, both to entertain me and keep me motivated.

Today I just had me. My longest run alone was 10k, even then I was meeting someone at that point to continue on so I knew I had to do it. Today I set a new record.

I ran 21.1 miles. I ran 21.1 miles all. by. my. self. alone. sole. just. me!

I only weaken once, at mile 8 where I contemplated heading back, but didn't.

I found two other runners at mile 17 who were around my pace, I chatted to them for a couple minutes then decided to go ahead, I'd come this far alone ... damn it ... I would finish it.

I wanted all the glory just for moi!

Posted by Ali at 2:20 PM | Comments (5)