My First Half that Wasn't

I’ve taken a while to write about my first half marathon experience. This is why:

I was ready. I had trained diligently for 16 weeks. Short runs, tempo runs, strength training, Pilates and of course, long runs. I went so far to say my training was ‘uneventful’. It all just fell into place.

As it got closer to race day I was increasingly nervous about injury and illness. With 6 days until race day I started to get a tight knot in my neck. That sent me into reserved panic as I tried all my tricks to help work it out (later to find out my tricks were making things worse).

With 5 days until race day I got out of bed to heat up a heating pad for some temporary relief of my neck. And then it happened.

I fainted. I woke up in the kitchen with my head bleeding and not knowing what the hell happened. Panic, pain, paramedics in my kitchen, blood on my pjs... all ended with a trip to the hospital and this:

 Two gashes right on my forehead needing seven stitches.  

I was in pain and feeling pretty sorry for myself. I told every medical professional in the hospital that I was running a half marathon in 5 days and they needed to fix me up and get me ready. I don’t think I realized the extent of the damage at that point. I just wanted the whole thing over with. They sent me home, with some great pain killers and said ‘good luck on your race!’

The rest of race week went like this:

Thursday: went for massage (to work out sore neck that caused this catastrophe in the first place) and went to get my hair cut. I considered bangs to hide the damage but was talked out of it (phew!). By day’s end my face was starting to swell and I was getting a black eye.

Friday: iced my face and neck and actually rested. I reconsidered the situation and decided not to race at all. I would cheer on my friend Kim. We went to packet pick up and it was a little disheartening. I had stitches in my face and was telling everyone that I was not racing. I even gave up on meeting Katherine Switzer because I felt I was giving up and embarrassed by my injury.

Saturday: woke up feeling great! Went for a long walk. On said long walk I decided that I should at least walk the race (there was a walking division). For sure I could walk.

Saturday night: Why walk when I can run? at least some of it.

Sunday (Race day): I decided to start the race with Kim and see where it takes me. I promised to assess myself honestly and slow down when I needed to. I’ve never started a race without a solid plan.

I was incredibly emotional at the start and began the race blurry-eyed from tears. So much had happened in just a few short days. I was on a roller coaster of emotions.

The Race:

I ran with Kim until I felt I needed to slow down. I let her go ahead while I made friends on the course. I was encouraged by the sheer number of women, all shapes and sizes, running this race. It was inspiring. I jogged, walked/ran and walked.

 

 

  I ran the last km to the finish. I had to run across the finish line. 

I finished!

In the end I didn’t have any more swelling in my face, but my knees hurt like crazy. I iced everything the rest of the day and didn’t move much otherwise.

Final Thoughts

On one hand I’m glad I did the race. I needed to do it to feel like myself again. I know it might sound strange that running/walking a half marathon would help me heal, but it did.

On the other hand I’m upset at myself for pushing so far. I just couldn’t let it go and probably delayed my physical recovery that much more.

Now I am trying to turn this whole ordeal into a positive. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and this is what I have learned:

     1)  It’s just a race. It’s supposed to be fun. I will remind myself to not get so worked up over race day again because you never know what can happen.

      

           2 ) It could’ve been so much worse. I could’ve hit my teeth or eye or had a cracked skull. I'm thankful it wasn't that bad.

 

     3) Stay down! I've never fainted before so I didn't know the feeling. I remember sitting on the floor. I likely tried to get up and tripped and fell into the counter, a barstool and the floor…hard. Next time, I'll remind my unconscious self to just stay down.

      

    4)  Everyone is dealing with their own shit. No one on the course cared about my stitches because they were dealing with their own hurdles. Some were much, much bigger than mine.

      So all things considered I had a pretty good first half marathon race. I have a vendetta on this race, so I plan to do it again next year. In fact, they have sweet deal on. If you sign up before June 30th of this year, the race is only $66!  How could I not do it again?

Apparently, I had fun too!

Finding Time

I have recently found extra time just laying around in my week, not doing anything. Seriously.

When people talk about fitting in exercise there is often the question of time. I have learned that if you really enjoy something and it is important to you, you will make time for it.

I am fortunate to work in an office that takes 45 mins lunches throughout most of the year. In the summer we get 1 hour lunches, but that's another story.

I have started training for this half marathon and committed myself to running a minimum of 3 times/ week. I know that doesn't sound like much, but with full time work and family commitments, it's what I can balance.
Even those three runs are hard to schedule as one of my goals for this race was to not take any time away from family while training. This means that I had to start getting up reeaallly early in the morning or get it done realllly late at night.

Neither of these options are in my best interest. I'm not likely to get up early when it's still dark and there is fresh snow on the ground. It also wasn't the safest idea for me to go at night. What is a busy mom, working full time to do? Run at lunch!

I don't know why it took me almost two years of working in this job to realize that I could be using my lunch breaks to 'Runch'. I guess it took me to actually commit to a training schedule, which I haven't done in two years. Hmmm, funny how that works.

So my 'runch' time has become a hectic, but joyful moment of the work week. Here is my breakdown of events.

Night before: pack running clothes, shower gear and lunch I can eat at my desk

Half hour before lunch: plan my route while eating a small snack

Lunch break begins: get out of office attire and into running clothes (this process takes about 5-8 mins that I hope will decrease as the weather gets nicer and I won't need as many layers )

Get outside and run! I work in a downtown area with heavy foot traffic. The runs have mostly been stop and go, so I usually try to pick up the pace and turn them to intervals. I've been able to get between 3-5k.

Post run: race to washroom to clean up and get back into running attire. (I'm fortunate that my office has a shower in the washroom, I'll have to explain my 1 min. shower another time)

Back at desk: eat my  packed lunch while finishing my afternoon work

End of day: relax and enjoy time with family knowing that my workout is done for the day!

It's a little hectic and takes extra planning the night before and even the day of. I have to work around meetings or other commitments that may happen over lunch hour. But I've realized that my runches will save my training plan.

Where have you found the time to train or do anything else you may enjoy? Was it hiding under the couch?

Taking the Leap

After taking a somewhat extended hiatus from training, I’ve decided to take the leap to do my first half-marathon.

 I have never trained for anything over 10miles and that was two years ago. Since then, I've only done shorter distances and trail races (another topic for a later date).

I have been inspired and motivated by my run-buddy, Kim. Knowing that I will have someone to stay accountable for and some company for those long runs, has kicked me into action.

And by action, I mean starting out a training schedule, not actually signing up for the race…yet.

So here are the deets:

The Race: Niagara FallsWomen’s Half Marathon

I always said that if I did a longer race (ie. half or longer) for the first time, I would want it to be a smaller, local race. I can get carried away with the crowds and overwhelmed by small details, like shuttle busses. My run-buddy Kim ran the race last year and loved it so much (even though it was a real tough one for her) she wanted to do it again. In 2011 it was the race’s inaugural year and they have received high praise for their organization. The best part is that you can park right by the start line! For those of you who race, you know how exciting this is. 

The second best part? A bottle of wine in the swag bag. The third best part: Katherine Switzer, woman running pioneer, will be part of the whole event. The fourth best part…really I could go on. Basically, this race has it all. 

The Plan: 15 weeks, custom made

I created a plan for myself based on several resources. A torn out page from an old copy of Runner’s World magazine, it was only 10 weeks and all in miles so I had to convert it all. The Another Mother Runner’s “Finish It” Half Marathon plan. It was 16 weeks and included some optional workouts (less guilt is always good). I also had to adapt these schedules to my actual life. The nitty-gritty of when I would do the plan workout. The process looked like this:

 I'll post details of training as I go.

 

The Goals: Live to tell the tale

Being my first ever half-marathon there are some goals I would like to achieve.

  

• Complete the training as best to my ability without making my husband resent me and my kids    forgetting who I am.
• Get to the starting line injury free
• Enjoy the race! Take in the sights and sounds and people around me.
• Set a realistic target time (and a secret target time) and work hard to get there.
• Savour the hard-earned taste of that wine after the race

Not so difficult, right?

Come follow me

Just an update. The contest has begun. I am officially writing for iRUN magazine as a contestant for iRUN Blogger Idol 2.0.
Long title...cool contest.
So, for anyone (if there is anyone) looking for fresh new stories I have only been writing here:

So come follow my journey and see what I've been up to lately. There will be fun, laughter and some mud.
Seriously.

Big News

Now this has to be big in order to get me to write a post. It's been like 6 months...so this is epic!!

In June I entered a blogging contest with iRUN magazine. It's a Canadian running magazine that I regularly browse through online. Anyway...I've been selected as a top 10 finalist for the contest.
The prize? I get to blog for iRUN...an actual, real magazine blog...that people would read...all over the country!

Can you tell I'm excited?

 Now the hard part. They are showcasing all 10 bloggers in the upcoming September issue of the magazine. I will have the opportunity to start blogging and gain some loyal followers.
The top 5 bloggers with the most hits, moves on to round 2, where the very, tippy, top blogger (basically, the most popular) wins!!!

I'm hoping it will be me. Now I just need hundreds of followers. No big whoop, you're all out there somewhere. Right?

So although this blog has been (embarrassingly) out of date for some time. Have no fear. You will get your dose of me through my iRUN blog. I will try to remember to post the link here as well.

Even if I don't win, this whole process has got me running again, and writing about it. Wish me luck and hope you join me for the journey.

Music Monday...a little late

Okay, there is no need to go crazy, I realize it's Tuesday. I had the intention of writing this yesterday, but well...life with kids gets in the way.

Little K was seriously cranky on Sunday and we figured she was getting a cold. So Monday morning we kept her home from school. Considering her fever and all over bad-moodiness, I called the doc. I'm not one to go to the doctor for just a cold or flu. There has to be something more. Call it mother's intuition, but I felt it was the right thing to do. Turns out, I was right. My baby has a case of strep throat. Not life threatening, in fact she's already bouncing back.
Just 9 more days of antibiotics to go and she'll be back to100%. Although, considering her crazy repulsion to taking medicine, this might just be the longest 9 days of my life!! I'm already running out of ideas to hide the taste. Poor girl, poor mom.

Anyway, that's my excuse. Life trumps blog. That's the way it is. However, I have been lucky to work from home for the past two days and the short breaks I get away from the computer (and Max and Ruby) I have been enjoyed some tunes.

Here's a couple of my current faves:

 

AWOLNATION-Not your fault

A fun diddy to get you moving. I think it would make a great running song (if I ever get running again, but that's a story for another day). I liked their other hit 'Sail' but they overplayed it on the radio and it quickly lost it's edge. The video for this is a little creepy, claymation and all. Wonder what I would look like animated?

Florence + the machine-Shake it out

I've been a fan of Flo here for a while but a few weeks ago I watched her perform on Saturday Night Live. I was so impressed. She sounded equally as good live as not so live...She's got a wicked voice; unique and strong. This song (and some of her others) have such a great meaning too. 

" I am done with my graceless heart
So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart..."

Mr. B was also blown away and now comments every time we hear this song on the radio. "Is this that girl we saw on t.v.?...she's awesome." I also like that she's quite 'normal' looking, just an average girl with an above average talent. Enjoy some awesome.

Role Models

Being a mom of two girls, I'm especially aware of tv, movies, photos, music...okay, basically anything in the social world today...that will have an effect on their impressionable minds.
I have always had body acceptance issues. Not exactly sure where it stems from, I'm sure a few hours and a few thousand dollars spent at a therapist could help figure it out, but it is what it is. I deal.
My only goal now is to try my best to make sure that I don't push those insecurities onto my children.

Because of this, I have a problem with magazines. I enjoy flipping through a fashion magazine once in a while. I like the clothes (I worked retail for over 10 years and still get excited to see a new season of clothes), I like knowing the trends, seeing the styles. But because most fashion magazines reflect the wrong image I want for my children, I never get a subscription to a fashion mag, or do I rarely buy them. If I do buy them, I'm aware of the cover photos.

I recently read this article that got me thinking.It asks "Should magazines and modelling be banned for under 18 year olds?" This stemmed from the recent announcement and photos released of Cindy Crawford's 10 year old daughter being the face of 'Young Versace' a line for the under 18 crowd. My eyes have rolled so much they hurt.

photo

Anyway, my opinion is yes, magazines are not meant for younger kids, they are too impressionable at that age to understand all the imagiary and what it does to them. In the same breath, I don't think 18 is the age. By the time you are 18, you are already exposed to so much (other than mags) that is seems irrelevant. I think magazines, specifically fashion and tabloids should be discouraged for the under 16 crowds.

That said, I do get a regular subscription to Runner's World. I thought because it is a fitness magazine, the purpose was to encourage healthly living, exercise and being fit. Then one day, when I asked my daughter to join me for a run, she wanted to wear her bikini top. What?? Why?? We're running, no going to the beach! Then it hit me. Sure, RW shows healthy models, but they are usually scantilly clad in short-shorts and bra tops. Not what I wear to run.

So here I'm thinking that I'm protecting my daughters from inappropriate images, but it was right under their noses this whole time.

Recently, Dee, my oldest daughter, who is now 9 years old, went to a birthday party where the favours were 'Teen Beat' magazine. Sheesh! I try hard to not bring that crap into the house and other people are just givin' it away. Before Dee had a chance to grab it, I took a quick look through it to see if there was anything offensive to me. Then I looked at it with her. I commented on the people, the hairstyles, the dresses etc. There was a lot of Bieber in there, but she was more interested in the Taylor Swift article.

I gave in. I let her have the magazine and noticed that she practically slept with it. She read it every night for a week. Now, I think it's under the bed. Am I a hypocrite? Those magazines are made for young readers, right?

I remember these magazines as a kid. I also loved them. I can understand her interest, I just worry that it's too much too soon. What's a mom to do?

What do you think?