I'm back, Boston!

The greatest race with the greatest people for the greatest cause.  That's why I am running the 117th Boston Marathon this year.

After a brief hiatus, I'm back.  Last year I thought I'd change things up a bit and for the first time since I ran my first Boston Marathon in 2004 (and was not injured) chose to run a different spring marathon (or marathons as it turned out).  And although I remained involved and even trained with the team from the Alzheimer's Association, I missed being a part of the big day, even if it was 90+ degrees.

So it was a no-brainer for me to decide I wanted to run the marathon in 2013, and raise money for the Alzheimer's Association yet again, in honor of my grandfather, Felix Iovino.  For me, this year's race is all about having fun and raising a lot of money for an amazing organization.  

The having fun part will be easy.  I spent about 2 hours Saturday morning laughing with my running pal, Dale.  I didn't stress about the headwind or the sometimes icy, unshoveled roads slowing my pace.  And to be honest, I felt great the whole run.

The fundraising will be the tougher part, but just as rewarding as crossing the finish line on April 15th.  As this January is the 8th anniversary of my grandfather's death, I am pledging to raise $8000.  Donations to help me meet this goal can be made at http://alz.kintera.org/boston2013/runchrissyrun.

Looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead of me this winter.  And hoping for mild weather to get it all done!

  

Lessons from another year

As I celebrated my birthday this weekend, I reflected on some of the lessons I learned that made this past year a pretty good one.  Some lessons came from running and can be applied to life.  Others were life lessons that can apply to running.

Don't decide what you can and can't do before you try.  You may surprise yourself.
I never thought I would run 2 marathons in the same year again because my body couldn't handle it.  In fact, I ran 2 in 3 weeks and I held up just fine.  Who knew?!

Set goals. But don't be disappointed if you don't achieve them.  Learn from the process.
This one is hard, but I'm getting better.  The reward is not as instantaneous as achieving the goal, but a lot can be learned on the way there.  I didn't meet my marathon goals this year, but learned A LOT from my races that I will definitely put into practice next time.

Surround yourself with great friends.  Sometimes you need a hug and sometimes a kick in the butt.  Different friends are there for different reasons and appreciate them all.  Whether it's the friends that texts from across the country to tell you they are proud of you, the friend that gives up her weekend to cheer you on in Burlington, or the friend that eats ice cream with you the day after your big race, remember how lucky you are to have them all.

It's tough to be the boss.  Last year I hired staff, fired staff, delegated, motivated, trained, explained, prioritized and organized.  Being in charge is not easy and it doesn't always feel great when tough decisions need to be made.  When someone else steps up in a leadership role, it's good to remember this and help out rather than criticize what could have/should have been done differently.

Tell your parents "I love you".  Especially when they really are the best.  My parents have been to 9 of my 10 marathons, and the one they missed was because I gave them 10 days notice.  My dad used to drive 4 hours on a Tuesday to watch me play a college volleyball game in Baltimore, only to drive home the same night.  My mom's hug is the one I look forward to most after a race.  I really lucked out.

Double knot your shoelaces.  And make sure all the other preparations are taken care of before the race/day/meeting starts.  but if your shoelaces do come untied, you forget your lunch at home or you printed the wrong draft of the meeting presentation, it's not the end of the world either.

Two days into my new year and so far, off to a good start.  I truly cannot wait to see what this year brings!

Peanut butter chocolate rice krispie birthday treats from my team at work.  They know me better than I thought.  

Chocolate cake for breakfast and other post-marathon splurges

It's been a full week since I laced up my running shoes and went out for a run.  I thought this week would take place 3 weeks ago, but after marathon #1 did not go as planned, I decided to dig in for a for more weeks to give marathon #2 a shot.

Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed some downtime this week.  I could not totally commit to being a couch potato, but I definitely took it easy.  Not surprisingly, my legs were pretty beat up this week.  I spent some quality time pool running and on my yoga mat.  Both felt amazing.

My week off was also about enjoying a little more unstructured time.  Friday afternoon, as we discussed upcoming weekend plans, my co-worker and running friend Sarah suggested "doing something I wouldn't normally do" to celebrate my accomplishment.  This was great advice and I found a few things to meet the criteria.

1. Sleeping on the couch
I fell asleep on the couch Friday night.  I love my couch and LOVE napping on it.  At night, however, I'm always too nervous I will fall asleep before setting an alarm, or wake up in the middle of the night, move to my bed and then not be able to fall back asleep.  But with nothing planned for Saturday, it didn't matter when I would wake up.  With 2 minutes left in the Celtics game, my eyes started getting heavy.  At some point I heard the Celtics won by 10.  I thought I just dozed off, but when I next looked at my watch, it was 4:56am.  Nice.

2. Sleeping in
I did eventually crawl into my bed early Saturday morning and without an alarm, planned to sleep until whenever my body decided to get up.  Apparently the magic time was 10am.  I have not slept that late since...

3. Chocolate cake for breakfast
When I finally did get up I was hungry.  And some left over chocolate cake looked delicious.  And tasted delicious too.

4. Us Weekly and coffee in bed
After "breakfast" I took a cup of coffee back to bed.  With the rain pouring down outside, it seemed like a good excuse to stay in bed a bit longer and catch up on some reading.  I bought Us Weekly in case I couldn't sleep and needed some mindless reading while in Vermont last weekend.  Turns out, it's good lazy Saturday morning reading too.

As nice as my lazy weekend was, I know I could not do this every weekend.  In fact, I'm really glad it rained to deny me the temptation of wanting to do something fun outside.  But I'm getting ready for my first run tomorrow morning and soon enough, I'm sure I'll be itching for a training plan for my next marathon.

My secret marathon

In 2008, after I injured my hip, I promised myself I would not run more than 1 marathon a year, ever again.  I truly believed I would keep that promise.  Until about 3 hours after completing the Long Island Marathon on May 8.  The race didn't go as planned and I was extremely disappointed.  I tried to still be proud of the effort, but in all honesty, I really was not. My finishing time itself did not bother me as much as my failure to mentally stay in the race.  I wanted a do-over.

So the next day, I started researching marathons.  Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) there are not many marathons during the summer months.  The only one I really considered in the Northeast was the Key Bank Vermont City Marathon in Burlington, Vermont, scheduled for today, just 3 weeks after the Long Island Marathon.

Well, if there is any question about how this story ends, today I finished my 10th marathon in Burlington, Vermont. 

I kept the race a bit of a secret, so as not to add any pressure, all of which comes 100% from myself.  I told my running friends who I knew would be supportive, as I didn't need anyone other than myself questioning my decision. I told my parents, just in case anything went wrong.  I told some Run for the Memory colleagues, as running the races meant bailing on a prior commitment; thanks for covering for me guys!  And I told my long time running partner Brenna, and asked her to serve as my copilot, and luckily for me, she accepted.

I assumed if I ever broke my promise not to run more than 1 marathon a year, I would run them several months apart.  I was concerned about the physical impact running 2 marathons in 3 weeks would have on my body.  But I was also concerned about what the mental impact would be if I did not run.  I needed to prove to myself I was tough enough to hang in there for all 26.2 miles.  "I want to do this" beat out "I'm crazy" and at 8am today I was standing at the starting line.

Over the last 3 weeks, while my mileage was light, I put in a lot of time thinking through how I was going to correct the brain games that defeated me a few weeks ago.  I tried to remember what I how I felt and what I thought about during my last race that contributed to what I call my "unravelling".  I researched hitting the wall - what causes it and what helps prevent it.  Often, it is the lack of glycogen available to the brain that keeps a runner from doing what her body is still capable of doing.  I realized I can't go 4 hours sitting at a computer without a snack, WHAT would make me think I could think clearly at mile 19 with just 8 jelly beans since breakfast?!

So my goals were clear: 1) Take in enough food during the race to be able to think clearly and 2) Stay positive and focused, especially from miles 18-24.  Physically, I had no expectations; I had never run 2 marathons so close together and I did no know what to expect.  I had a time goal in mind, that was mostly to give me a reasonable place to focus.  As it turns out, it was completely reasonable for the first 15 miles.

Mile 15 through just about 17 was the longest hill on the course.  I expected my pace to drop during those miles.  I did not expect the cramps that began shortly thereafter.  They started and remained most vicious in my calves, but did not ignore my quads, adductors and even my toes.  But I kept going.  Slowly.  Aside from walking through a few water stops to ensure the water and gatorade actually went in my mouth and not down my chest, I only walked once when the cramps got so bad I was uncertain about my foot plant and was afraid I would turn an ankle.  As soon as the muscles loosened a bit, I was back at it. 

I finished the marathon today in 3:59:36, a minute slower than I finished the Long Island Marathon.  But it was by far my better race.  I never once did not think I would finish and never wanted to quit. One day my my body and mind will show up for the same race.  Until that race, or maybe even after, today's Vermont City Marathon will remain one of my best races ever.

Pre-race, by Lake Champlain. An amazing view, but probably the last time I noticed it.

 

Fancy Framework

I struggled with what to write about running my 9th marathon yesterday for about the last 24 hours.  Prior to the race, I had a lot of ideas, but they all relied on the outcome being a bit different.

I was certain after training this winter that I was ready for a great race.  I had a solid plan and I stuck to it to prepare to reach a goal. Other than some phantom pains the week before the race, I held together in one piece over the last 4 months and felt good.  I'd even done some work on improving my mental approach to running and racing.  I studied up on some techniques to keep focused and confident.  I practiced them in my training so I would be ready to use them come race day.

One technique I learned was reframing.  A frame is a structure that gives shape or support.  How I frame an event, like a run or a race, will affect how I view the event and respond to it.  It's not easy.  But when done well, it can help make the event a constructive experience.  So I've chosen to reframe the results of my 9th marathon to make me a better runner (and person).

My finishing time at the Long Island Marathon was 3:58:34.  Although this was a bit slower than I had trained for, here's how I will instead frame this race:

• This was my first sub-4:00 marathon since 2008 and 2 minutes faster than my last marathon last April.

• Several times I rebounded from and "off" mile or miles, including finishing the last 2 miles faster than any between 19-24.

• Miles 19-24 really were rough, but now I know where I need to prepare most for next time (yes, next time).

• I stayed healthy throughout my training and other than some general soreness and grossly large blister on my pinky toe, seem to be healthy post-race as well.

• I am incredibly fortunate to have amazing parents who stood outside for 4 hours to see me run by 4 times.  To be fair, they did stop for pancakes while I was running miles 13-20, but cheering does work up an appetite. 

Like I said, it's not easy, and several times I've caught myself wishing I'd done this or that differently.  But it's a lot better to work to believe these points than be disappointed in myself for running a marathon. 

Me, post-race.  Happy to be sitting down.

Have you met my friend Dale?

There is definitely not a lack of runners training for a marathon in Boston in the winter/spring.  While I'm not planning to run the Boston Marathon this year, I've remained involved with the Alzheimer's Association and their Run for the Memory Program.  It's a nice benefit for me to be able to take advantage of the team's supported training runs and avoid as many solo 18-20 milers as possible.  (I am planning on another marathon a few weeks later.  I do not run 20 miles just for kicks.)

Today was one of the best days to take advantage of this, as it was the annual charity long run, where many of the charities affiliated with the marathon, hold a training run that begins in Hopkinton and ends 20-22 miles later somewhere in Newton.  My plan today was 20 miles at marathon pace, so it was a great fit.

The run started out well, until about Mile 6 when my stomach started to turn a bit.  For about 10 miles I struggled to keep it in check, unfortunately slowing some to compensate for the Gu Chomps and Sports Beans that had started dancing in my belly.  I was annoyed and a little frustrated.

And then I thought a bit about my running partner, Dale.  He just finished telling me how he thinks he almost had a heart attack and had a stint put in 10 days ago.  Dale also ran a marathon after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and then ran another marathon a year after a pretty significant surgery to remove that cancer.  He still has double vision as a side effect of the surgery, but instead of letting it slow him down, he re-qualified several times for the Boston Marathon.  And he notes when we pass a cute girl, that sometimes double vision has it's benefits.

We ran all 20.65 miles together.  Even though he originally was going to run "only 16", he tacked on an extra .35, so he could run an even 21.  Seeing as I was only planning to do 20, stopping at 20.65 was just fine by me.

My point is, Dale's attitude is amazing.  Not only does he not let anything stop him, but he always enjoys himself when he runs, even on a bad day.  And if the result isn't what he hoped for he just gets back out again for another run.

My stomach settled down after Mile 16, and I actually felt great the last 4+ miles of my run.  I didn't hit my overall pace goal, but I think I made a lot of progress elsewhere in my training today.

Dale and I running today.  If you want to make a donation to the Alzheimer's Association, on behalf of Dale and his wife Dale (I'm not kidding, they have the same name), click here for the link to their fundraising page.

Not another "bad race" report

Hooray!  And thank god. 

Finally a race that I don't have to write about how I gutted out a bad day.  Today I ran the Black Cat 20 Miler in Salem, MA.  It was basically an opportunity to do a long run somewhere new with support along the course.  And go out for brunch afterwards with my friend Carolyn.

The plan was to use the first 4 miles to warm up and then hit the remaining 16 at my goal marathon pace.  The weather was awesome for a long run, hovering around 40, little wind and overcast.  Chilly standing to start, but fine once I was moving.  My goal marathon pace is 8:23...I know, not specific at all...and I have been getting pretty confident and comfortable at that pace on my longer runs.  Twenty miles would be my longest run since the Boston Marathon, but didn't seem impossible.

One thing I hadn't realized is my obsession with the clock.  On training runs, I will turn off my watch when I stop for water or take a bathroom break.  Not today.  So, I perfected the cup fold allowing me to run and drink while not spilling too much water on myself or choking.  I also convinced myself to hold "it" for one more mile, and eventually I just finished the race without stopping (or wetting myself, just to be clear).

I also hadn't realized all the "lessons" I've learned from those bad races, actually come in handy, even on a relatively good day.  Yes, the physical training helped, but the mental game training may have proved to be even more important.  Twenty miles is a long run no matter how you slice it, but if I can make it seem less intimidating when I'm at mile 3, I'm definitely helping myself out.  I didn't care who I passed or who passed me.  I didn't feel envious of the 10 Mile racers finishing as I crossed my half way point.  OK, maybe I was a a little jealous, but I didn't want to quit.  I never doubted I could run this race today. 

Don't get me wrong, I still have work to do.  Mile 16-20 were challenging.  My pace dropped more than I would have liked it to.  And I still struggle with my race nutrition - what to eat (that won't make me want to puke) and when to eat it.  But I saw progress today, and finally I can appreciate what I was supposed to take away from those previous rocky races.