lessons from my first 1/2 marathon

taken with iphone

01. Running is--dare I say fun? Or at least that's what I would have said at mile 6. I'm not saying running is fun for running sake, but I understand now why people get addicting to races. The sound of deep breaths and many feet striking the pavement all around me made me feel like I was apart of something big.

02. Choose a race that is beautiful, terrain that you will simply be in awe of as you weave back and forth. I watched the sun rise over the red rocks as I made my way down Snow Canyon. It was stunning and relevant to where I was and what I was doing. All you have out there is your thoughts and found it helpful to have something beautiful to look to.

03. Running in the cold is ideal. I remember one of my friends posted on facebook how her favorite temperature to run in was the high 40s low 50s. I thought she was absolutely crazy, but now I understand. Saturday morning it was cold, about 32 degrees, but it was perfect for running long distance. I wasn't 2 miles in before I stripped down to only a t-shirt and gloves. On that note, I should have run with my arm warmers instead. The only thing that got cold from time to time was my wrists. Strange.

04. Run with a friend. I really loved knowing that I wasn't alone. We actually didn't even run it together, but knowing she was there, working toward the same goal, gave me strength and comfort.

05. If I regret one thing it would be that I wasn't able to run with my camera. There were just too many times I wish I could have captured certain moments throughout the race. I wonder when the time will come that we will be able to take pictures with our eyes without them fading?

06. Embrace imperfections. Undoubtedly something is going to happen that's not ideal. Body aches and pains you've never felt before, chaffing in odd places, uphills that were unexpected, wind working against you. Accept that it's apart of your experience and move on.

07. You may be what someone else needs. At one point for about 2-3 miles I noticed this guy in a green neon shirt running next to me. Finally I had found someone I could pace with, seemed everyone else was passing me up. Toward the end before I pull away from him I wondered who was pacing with whom? I love to imagine we were helping each other.

08. If you've trained you have no need to fear. I thought the night before I would have been a wreck with worry and anticipation. You would have been proud of me, I was calm and peaceful. I was ready.

09. Running is a mind game. If you tell yourself you can, you can. Trust me. If I can run 13.1 miles anyone can.

10. I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 A young man (guessing 18) ran passed me toward the beginning of the race with this scripture written in black ink across his back. I didn't really think about it again until mile 10.5 when everything started to fall apart. I think the term is, I hit my wall. For one, I couldn't breath because I got water down my trachea, never good, the wind kicked up, we started running uphill, I was hurting and becoming fully aware of my fatigue. Doubt crept in in a serious way and I started to lose focus. I wasn't sure I could continue on. It was then that my one song came on that always pumps me up and gives me energy and I immediately thought back to the shirt I had seen at the beginning of the race. I have no doubt that song coming on just then was a tender mercy from the Lord. I felt loved and understood and was given what I needed. When we do our part and do all we can, God gives us strength to continue on.

11. It feels amazing to see a goal through to the finish line. Although I have been afraid and intimidated by running a 1/2 marathon (do you realize how far that is??) I've always wanted to do it. It's been on my bucket list for years, remember how devastated I was two years ago when I injured my back and I wasn't able to run with Robyn? What an amazing feeling it was to cross the finish line, exhausted, knowing I had given everything I could. Did I say this already? I understand why racing is addicting.

12. Enjoy it. Toward the end when I really started struggling like I have already written about and the race stopped becoming "fun" I keep telling myself to enjoy it, particularly the end, because I may never do it again. This lesson seems to crept into my life more often than I care to admit. As we all know life is full of ups and down, but regardless of what we are facing this experience is meant to be enjoyed. I can't be sure if I will ever run another race, part of me wants to, part of me doesn't, but for now I am just grateful for what this experience taught me and that I enjoyed the whole of it.


Finished results:
distance: 13.1 miles
time: 1:51:00.7
pace: 8:28/M

randoms

I finally gave in and took a nap this afternoon, something I haven't done in a really long time. I decided not to fight it after I was driving home from meeting my friend Lucy for brunch and doing a bit of shopping (last minute Halloween and even some Christmas shopping), and noticed my blinks were a little too long for my own good. It felt good to give in, needed.

I ran 11.1 miles Friday. Yes you read that correctly, 11.1 miles. It's the longest I've ran in my life. I must say, I'm impressed. I honestly didn't think I had it in me. What's even better is I could have run the extra 2 miles to make it a 1/2 marathon, but decided to wait to November 5th, race day, to meet my ultimate goal. Of course it didn't hurt that I ran down a canyon lined with yellow and orange covered trees.

I'm frantically putting the finishing touches on Tess' costume, or trying to at least. Remind me again why I'm making it? It was suppose to be an easy "no sew" costume (of course it was), but it's not turning out quite the way I had envisioned. Bleh! I'm really hoping the makeup will add the extra punch it needs.

I need a last minute costume idea for myself? Adam and I are invited to a "costumes strongly encouraged" Halloween party. We never dress up so I have nothing and really no good ideas. Are you dressing up? If so, what will you be?

I've been in a bit of a reading drought lately. Nothing has been calling to me and everything I start I have no desire to finish. Last week we chose The Little Book to read for bookclub and I'm hoping it will be engaging enough to keep me interested. What have you read recently that you've loved?

Adam's been out of town the last couple of days. I usually don't mind it the first night, but then it grows old and we all just really want him back with us. He definitely adds a layer of goodness to our day we can't get anywhere else.

The best part of my day was sitting around the dinner table eating homemade pizza with my girls chatting about anything and everything. We do it every night as a family so I don't know why it would stand out tonight, but it did. It seemed different somehow, exciting. I think there is a serious buzz surrounding the upcoming holiday (they have their school parties on Thursday, no school Friday) and for some reason Megan's really excited to wear her new boots to school tomorrow. I can't pin point exactly what it was, but it ended my day in just the right way.

And now it's time for bed. Good night.

monday miscellany

It's so nice that it's finally feeling like spring. I was early for a meeting with the women I'm presenting with so I took advantage of her beautiful blossom covered "popcorn" tree. It was eerie standing under it and hearing a distinct buzz from the many bees.


Cracked me up to see her reading with her alligator visor on. She said she made it to keep the sun out her eyes and it felt sunny inside.


I ran the 5K on Saturday morning. It wasn't something I had planned on doing, but I'm so glad I did. (Thanks Tasha for putting the idea in my head and Amy who ran it with me.) When I got there I figured it would be a glorified exercise with a free t-shirt. I didn't plan to try, but a race is a race and well, I was curious. Quickly, my competitive side kicked in and I went for it. I can see how racing can be very addicting. I'm planning to run a 10k this summer.


from the other night while painting.


Megan had an opera at school and she was a pig. She was really funny and animated. I'm not sure why, but afterward when I tried to take her picture she gave me this face. She put up her fists and looked as if she was ready to fight me. She's gold.


I spent a good portion of my afternoon outside yesterday and couldn't help but watch the lone paraglider floating around in the clouds. I wondered what that must have felt like to be up so high and free...too bad I'm to chicken to find out.

a mind game

I've always believed, after all heaven knows I can't count the conversations I've had with Adam or the talks I've listened to about how your head creates your world, but it wasn't until yesterday on my 7 mile run that I really knew that life is a mind game.

It's a really nice concept to say, if you think positive you are positive, if you think happy you will be happy, but much harder to actually implement in your life. I admit all the times I've heard this over the years I've thought, yeah this is a good idea, I'm sure it works, it make sense...yada yada yada. I know I've had experiences in my life where I've seen this concept at work, but yesterday it just clicked and I guess that's what it takes, at least for me, to learn/change.

As I ran I had a never ending dialogue, I can do this, this is easy, and I'm feeling good. There were times when the road ahead seemed long, but I constantly pushed myself and put those thoughts in the back of my head and kept going. On the home stretch, unfortunately I was running an incline (not intentional when mapping my course), I pushed myself hard to get up fast and when I rounded the corner I saw the gray buildings near my house that indicated the end of my run. Interestingly enough, at the moment I saw the end I felt a definite physical change in my body. I was exhausted, I wanted to be done, and I let those feelings influence me and my body started to shut down.


[thanks Crystalyn for the beautiful flowers]

Not surprisingly this lesson was reiterated to me at church today when we discussed how God wants us to bear our afflictions cheerfully (1 peter 4:12-13). We're all going to go through trials in this life, so if it's inevitable why not change our attitude? I remember at conference hearing the story of the woman crossing the plains with her children. During her journey, for whatever reason, one by one she buried each of them in the ground and arrived having lost everything...it was her faith that kept her going. I believe if she had let those feelings of despair in, she too wouldn't have made it.

Yesterday I proved to myself that life really is a mind game. I told myself I could do it and I did. Our minds have the power to shape our attitudes for good or bad and that attitude is what determines how we see our course. Today the girls asked me to play house with them and although I really didn't want to, I did, happily. That attitude change made all the difference and I ended up having the best time. Hopefully this is a lesson I will not soon forget.

13 miles, I can do this....right?

Can you tell by my title that I'm experiencing some doubt?


[circa 1980]

The dream all started with my dad. When I was a little girl he ran marathons and I remember going to the races with my family and watching for him. When we saw him coming we would run along side him for as long as we could, we were so excited. Since that time, somewhere in my mind, I've often thought about running a marathon too, but once I grew up and realized what a marathon was I sort of put my dream of running in the far far places of my brain because in reality do I really wanted to run for four hours? I was doubtful.

More recently I've followed many of your stories, via your blogs, from training to the actual race and have been so inspired that those desires to run from my childhood started to creep back and I've wanted to have a similar experience.

So last fall I told my sister-in-law Robyn (who inspired me so much last summer when she ran her first marathon) I was going to train to run a 1/2 marathon, let's be honest a marathon just seemed a bit too much for me...baby steps, and wondered if she would not only run with me, but help me train. She immediately sent me to Runners World to get a program going because I hadn't run in a very long time. I did a really good job at sticking to my goal, but I was still a bit hesitant to sign up for the 1/2 marathon in April and kept telling myself maybe I should just run a 10k...6 miles is good enough.

A couple of weeks ago at our family party Robyn told me about a 1/2 marathon in June we should do. My mind was racing...June, how far away is June? A race around the lake sounds beautiful, but could I really do this? 13 miles isn't so far, is it? Ya, I could do it. It's June. I've got loads of time. So I said, "Yes, let's do it. We'll make a weekend out of it." Immediately I was terrified.

So I am committed and with a plan in hand (thanks robyn) I start my training Monday. Last night Jill, I'm sure after seeing my hesitation, asked me why I wanted to do it? A part of me thinks I am crazy, but I want to prove to myself that I can because I never really thought I could. I can do this is apparently going to be my motto for the next 14 weeks.

Have you run a marathon or a 1/2 marathon?
Do you have any words of encouragement?

weekend update

Friday after making suckers with Megan the girls spend the majority of the day playing outside. Ah, it's working already. I was in the house cleaning up our lunch/sucker mess when they requested I take pictures of them. I can't remember the last time they asked me to pull out my camera, but I was grateful for it as often I need reminders to photograph the normal everyday.



That night was spent at Jill's for game night. We played one game of Catan, which seemed to last a long time (Randy won), and then watched Flight of the Conchords for the rest of the night. Such a funny show, but I agree with Lucy, it's not for everyone.

Saturday Adam and I enjoyed an entire day to ourselves thanks to Jill who offered to have our girls over for a sleep over. Delightful. I slept in and read in bed for an hour after waking up. We finally got ready and headed out for the day. We waited 20 minutes to have lunch at Cheesecake Factory where we enjoyed a good meal and conversation, despite the crazy people next to us that insisted on a booth. We also took home with us a jar of Thai peanut sauce, which made for a delicious meal yesterday (did you know you could buy their sauces and dressings?). We then went to a movie, 21, it was the only thing playing that wasn't rated R and we were both in the mood for darkness and entertainment, but it wasn't that great. The popcorn and company were good though.

Sunday I told myself I wasn't going to nap because it often messes with my schedule, but I couldn't help it. I was so tired I just had to. So about 3pm after dinner I laid down and Adam came in about 5:30pm to wake me up. Drat...that's way too long and too late to be able to recover from and go to bed at a decent hour. Aargh, another poor choice. At 7pm I had a youth conference meeting, which I wasn't happy about having to go back out for, but it unknowingly saved me from a sleepless night or so I think (just the act of going out made me exhausted). I came home, read for a couple hours and then went to bed at 10:30pm. It was nice (for once) waking up this morning at 6:30am feeling refreshed and ready to go.



I even ran this morning with a goal in mind. Apparently Adam's family wants to do a 5k with the whole family...kids and all. I'm not sure how it will work out with my girls. I don't think they could walk a 5k (without complaining) so I need some pointers to help them get ready. I am glad this morning to have something to work for to push me. I ran/walked 3 miles in 45 minutes so hopefully in a few weeks running will stop hurting and become more enjoyable.