Cotton Patch Run

Over the last month, it has been so nice to run because I love to run and not have the pressure of training. I continued to run with Ledah as she prepared for the Austin Marathon. Which, she ran on Sunday and did absolutely amazing finishing in 3 hrs 52 minutes!! She was smoking! I am so proud of her!!

On Saturday I went out and ran the Cotton Patch run at the Boys Ranch with the West Texas Running Club. I ran the 8.4 mile race and was a little nervous since I had not really been running higher mileage but I knew it would be a good run either way.

It was a cold and windy morning. Plus we were out in the middle of no where, where the wind really blows! Well, I ended up running a 9:09  pace and finished in 1 hr 16 minutes and 1st place in my age group! I was so pumped! My legs were tight and sore but I felt great!! I am looking for the next race and will keep you posted!

Stuart and I are getting ready for a mission trip over spring break, so I am not focusing on races till we get back. I will post more details soon on the mission trip! It is going to be neat!!

26.2

We arrived in Houston on Saturday and headed to the Expo to get my bib, t-shirt and look around. It was so crazy! I could not believe I was actually there getting ready to run a Marathon!!

January 17, 2010 finally arrived! I slept great that night which was a surprise since I was so excited and nervous. I woke up ready to go at 4am. I was very calm as I got ready for the morning I had been preparing for for 4 months now. My sister, Stephanie braided my hair wrote “26.2″ on my calf and dad wrote “Ali” on my arms. Now I am ready to go. Dad and I head downstairs for breakfast then out the hotel to the convention center. We attended a small church gathering there and got ready to head out to the starting line. This is when I began to get really excited. We saw Stuart, my Mom and Steph standing on the sidewalk down the street from the starting line. It was so nice to see them and calm my nerves.

The gun sounded and we took off. My adrenalin was pumping! I was looking at all the people lining the streets and it felt surreal. I could not believe I was actually running a marathon! My knee felt great! It took me about 3 miles to really settle in and get in the groove, but I felt great overall. I was soaking in everything I saw and enjoying every moment. The next couple of miles flew by! Dad and I were having a blast! The crowd was incredible. People were everywhere yelling our names and encouraging us. Around mile 5 I was impressed by a church whose congregation was outside lining the streets cheering runners on! They were so loud! It was awesome!

We started watching for Mom, Steph and Stuart about mile 10. I was looking forward to seeing them and about mile 11, we see these 3 people running across the street to get to where we are running.  We realize it is them!! I was so pumped to see them and for them to see how good I was feeling!

The next few miles were a little more challenging. I was ready to get to the halfway point! At 13.1 my time was 2:05:51! That is a personal record by 6 minutes!!!

Right after the excitement of 13.1, I turned to Dad and said “I really wish I was done” Dad stopped me from saying anything else and explained, it is to early to be thinking that way! I had to slow my pace way down for about a mile to get rid of side stitches. But then I realized I had just overcome one battle and knew I was going to have to overcome more. I started to notice soreness in my legs and pain in my feet from running on concrete instead of asphalt. With much encouragement from Dad, I was able to stay somewhat positive overall.

I don’t remember when, but somewhere between 15-18 the outside muscle on the bottom of my right foot started hurting. I would stop to wiggle my toes and stretch it out, run for a while and have to stop to stretch again. This continued through about mile 22. 18-22 was super tough! I was miserable and 8 more miles seemed impossible. I focused on making it to the next water stop, where I walked through and hydrated and then continued on. Without Dad there I would have probably walked that whole time. Around mile 22, I looked up and saw Stuart, Steph and Mom! I was so excited to see them!! Mom was standing there with Tylenol, gels and a bottle of water! I gladly took them all! After seeing them and making it through mile 22, I got a boost and was feeling better and ready to finish! Since we had a water bottle we decided to run through the next water stations since I was feeling good and really did not want to stop. It was almost more painful when I stopped and had to get going again.

We were getting closer to downtown and I knew we were getting close to the finish! Mile 23… 5K left… no problem! Mile 24… 2 more… wow I am really going to do this!! Mile 25… ok I am really ready to see the finish line! Mile 25.5… turn the corner, see the Finish Line but wow I was hurting! I knew if I pushed myself I could make it in 4 hours 30 minutes. Mile 26… Kick it!! As we are running to the finish line, the announcer announces our names and Dad yells out “First time Marathoner!!” and the announcer said “First time marathoner Ali, finishing in 4 hours 40 minutes” (Clock time not my chip time). I made it!!! I had just completed a Marathon!!! I was so glad to be finished and was so looking forward to getting my medal and finishers t-shirt!!

Now that my legs have forgiven me and feel better, I can think about how much fun I had! N, when and where will the next race be? I will keep you posted!!

Thank you for all the prayers, support and encouragement!!

4 Days till Houston!!!

I am pleased to report that I was able to run 3 and a half miles this morning with very little pain in my knee!! I went to see an Orthopedic doctor yesterday. He was able to locate where the pain was coming from and it is at the top of my petellar tendon at the bottom of my knee cap. He said it is tendonitis but I could also have some cartilage damage as well but we would not know for sure without an MRI. We decided to wait till after the race to get an MRI and talk more long term because the doctor reassured us that if I run on Sunday I will not further damage my knee.  He gave me a strap to wear right under my knee cap which helps take some of the pressure off the tendon and a pain relief cream to rub on my knee. So this morning I headed out with Ledah for an easy run to see how everything felt. It took me a little bit to get the tightness of the strap right but once I did there was very little pain! After a mile I stopped to stretch and readjust and after that… NO Pain!!!! Praise God!! It felt so good to be out on the road again and it really boosted my confidence! I really feel ready now!!

You can track me through email or text message allerts that can be set up here. It will ask you for my bib number and it is 7086. My dad’s bib number is 6550. He will be running with me and pacing me! So we should be together the whole time.

You can go to the Houston Marathon home page and get all kinds of information.

My goals for this race have changed a little since my knee started bothering me but here are my 2 goals for my first full marathon!
1. To Finish! I originally wanted to get between 4 hrs and 4 hrs 15 minutes but now I would be happy with 4 and a half hours to 5. Really… I just want to finish! I am not going to put the pressure of time on myself!
2. I want to run the whole time.  I have pushed through all my long runs without walking and the only reason I would have to walk is because of my knee, but I do not to walk unless I absolutely have to.

I am ready to go and so excited I can hardly stand it!! Thanks for your prayers and support!!

Off the Road

Happy New Year!!

My new year did not start as I had planned. On Thursday, I closed the store early, came home and got ready for an easy run. I started on the treadmill to break in my new shoes. After 2 miles, I was feeling great and decided to head outside for a few miles. I hit the road and felt great for the first mile. The second mile was a different story. I started to feel a sharp pain in my left knee. I stopped, stretched and then started again at a slower pace. Every time I took a step there was a horrible pain in my knee. I always carry my phone when I run but have never had to use it to call Stuart to come get me… but I did today. I was so upset and frustrated! I came home and started icing my knee and taking ibuprofen hopping it was nothing and I would feel better in the morning. I didn’t. I started to notice some swelling and continued to ice and take ibuprofen. Yesterday, I got on an elliptical for an hour to get some cardio in and used a compression brace on my knee and it felt really good. Today it has been feeling pretty good, but after talking to my dad quite a bit he told me to stay off the road and not to do anything but walk on it for at least 3 days! We think it is “Runners Knee” or Tendonitis from over use. I am hoping to get to a sports clinic tomorrow or tuesday to have it checked out just to make sure it is not something more serious. Just to easy my mind.

Houston is in 2 weeks!! I know I have trained hard but I don’t feel like I am finished. The thought of have so few miles scares me even though I am supposed to be decreasing my miles anyway. Going from almost 50 miles last week to only 10 this week is kinda scary! Plus not getting the endorphins doesn’t help! Those things are addicting

I have to really focus on eating right and resting. AHHHHHHH I may go crazy during these next 2 weeks but I want to be able to finish the marathon. I would rather have a fully healed knee with very few miles than more miles and only a semi healed knee and not be able to run my best or have to drop out. I am trying to stay positive and stay mentally strong while resting.

Hope you all had a Happy New Year and Welcome 2010!

Let the Tapering Begin

It has been way to long since I posted and I apologize! So here goes

First of all… Merry Christmas!! It was a white Christmas here in Lubbock! I was so excited about the snow… till I realize I would be running on the treadmill instead of outside. I am not a fan of the treadmill and was very fortunate to make it so far into my winter training without having to hop on one! I did an easy 5 miles on the treadmill Christmas Eve and it actually wasn’t that bad. I took Christmas day off to spend with Stuart and our families. We had a wonderful Christmas!

Sunday was my longest run… 22 miles! I was mentally and physically prepared for it! I felt great! On Saturday we decided we should probably think about running inside because of all the ice, so we headed to a local gym here in town. This gym had a bunch of treadmills and each treadmill has its own tv. Dad, Ledah and myself hopped on our treadmills about 1:30pm and spent the rest of the afternoon running along side each other. Ledah finished her 18 mile long run and Dad and I made it 22 long miles on the treadmills!! During the almost 4 hrs spent on the treadmill Ledah and I talked, I watched a little tv, listened to a very motivating playlist Stuart made me and then watched the a movie that was playing on tv. That had to be the most challenging thing mentally and physically I have done! I have to say that after I finished I was hurting so bad and could not even imagine running 4.2 more miles but after the soreness has worn off I feel great! I know that I am ready and these next 3 weeks will be spent mentally preparing, eating well, resting, stretching and getting excited!

Let the tapering begin!

Happy New Year!! I am excited about 2010!

Bad runs make you respect the good ones!

Wow December is flying by. Christmas is next week and I can not believe it. This month has been crazy! I knew I was taking on a challenge when I wanted to train for a marathon during the busiest retail season of the year… Christmas. I had no idea it was going to be this crazy though. I did not actually think through how much time I would be spending on the road during these 40-45 mile weeks. Well last week I realized how much everything was wearing me out. I could not catch up on sleep! I kept thinking about that 20 mile run I had planned for Saturday morning with my dad. I tried to rest up and eat really well on Friday but didn’t do such a good job. Saturday morning I woke up and was dreading running. I was so tired and felt weighed down. Dad and I headed out. Running into the wind at the beginning so we would have the wind behind us coming home. I felt decent for the first couples miles. We were out on 1585 running directly into the wind when I started to really feel drained. I tried to stay positive but I became very discouraged and frustrated. I could not keep up with my dad even at a slow pace. He was so great to stick with me and keep me going. We decided to head home about mile 12 and it was a little over 3 miles home. I had to focus on just getting home. We made it 15 miserable miles. I was so glad that run was over with but I was very discouraged. I wondered if the rest of December was going to be this tough. What had I gotten myself into? Would I be able to finish a marathon in just over a month?

I had to remind myself that bad runs make you respect the good ones! I learned a lot through that bad run. This weekend I have a 15 mile long run and then next week is my last long run… 22 miles. January 17th will be here before I know it!

20!!

Yesterday morning at 5:15am I headed out to run 20 miles! I will admit I was really nervous about this run. The last few long runs have been tough and I really wanted to have a good run. I was careful to eat right on Friday and drank lots of water to stay well hydrated. I hit the road to run 4 miles by myself and then met up with Ledah to finish 16 together. It was a chilly morning but I rethought my wardrobe for the run and tried something different. Actually fewer layers, nothing tight on the top so that when they did get wet the cold clothing was not right against my skin. It was a success! I also decided to take hand warmers with me. My hands get so cold even with gloves and I have to say hand warmers are my new best friend!! Instead of focussing on how cold I was or my hands were, I was able to focus on the warmth of the hand warmers. Ledah was so great to put out water, gatorade, Tylenol, Kleenexes and gels for us at 2 different places (one we stopped at twice). One of the stops was out near Slide and 1585. We got there, opened the water and realized the water had started to freeze!!

I do want to say to all the businesses who have not turned off their sprinklers and the water runs all over the sidewalk and then freezes… PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR SPRINKLERS!! It is not cool for runners! We had to dodge so much ice and when you are at mile 18 and your legs feel like jello, dodging and jumping over ice is not fun!

After 3 hours and 29 minutes I finished 20 miles!!! Ledah helped me through 16!! I could not have done it by myself. though there were some tough times and our legs hurt, overall it was a good run! I felt really good at the end and was very encouraged! That is what I needed.

I only have 3 more long run before I start to taper for the race! I am getting so excited!!
Hope all is well and you are staying warm! See you on the road!

Turkey Trot

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We sure did! Thursday morning was the yearly Turkey Trot. It was a cool morning but definitely not as cold as it has been in the past. It was a great race! My time was 16:10, that is an 8:05 pace! My goal was an 8 min/mile pace and 16 min total, I did not hit that goal but I was very pleased. This was a personal record and I got 1st place in my age group out of 12 girls! I have never won 1st placed with real competition so I was SO excited!! My dad and both sisters ran as well! They all did so good and I am so proud of them!

This week I started speed work. I ran mile repeats (1 mile at a fast pace, jog for 400 meters then do it again) on Tuesday. Then on Friday I ran a tempo run (1 mile warm up, 7 miles at my goal Marathon pace and 1 mile cool down) and the Sunday, Ledah, Dad and I headed out for a long run. It was cold, wet and windy! I am not going to lie, it was a tough run! My knees and hips continue to bother me during the cold weather and I realized I really need to strengthen my legs. I will be doing lots of lunges and squats over the next month! Ledah ran 14 with us and then we dropped her off  and we headed out for 4 more! Let’s just say I was glad to be finished with that run!

I headed home and my wonderful husband had an ice bath waiting for me. It was tough because I was so cold, but I knew my legs would thank me later. I can only imagine how sore I would have been without it because my legs were very sore and achy all day sunday. I did a lot of laying around. I slept great last night and feel great today! I am ready for a good week of training and a 20 mile on saturday!

Don’t let the cold keep you in! Bundle up and see you on the road!

Thankful

Since the last post a lot of mile have been run and a lot has gone on. 2 weeks ago I ran 16 miles! I took off early Sunday morning with my dad. Felt great in the beginning. I have really enjoyed running in the dark because you can’t see how far you still have to go. We carried water with us but about mile 12 we decided to stop to go to the bathroom at a convenience store and decided to pick up a gatorade. It hit the spot. I told myself that every half mile I could take a drink and it got me to mile 16. When we hit mile 16, we still had a little more than half a mile back to the house. We slowed down the pace and jogged. That last half mile was the worst part of the whole run! I was hurting so bad and very glad my dad was there to keep me going! It felt so good to finish 16!!!

Then next week was a crazy week and I did not hit my miles for the week. I was supposed to run high miles during the week but that did not happen. I just decided to refocus this week and get back in a routine. That is what I did with Ledahs help. We got up even earlier than usual on Friday and ran 10 together and then I finished 4 more miles to get my 14. It was good. I have had trouble on log runs getting cold. I am warm at first but them wearing wet clothes for so long really bothers me. I am going to have to find some new gloves. My hands get so cold and my gloves get wet on the inside once I start warming up and them don’t dry, which then keeps my hands cold and wet which is miserable. This is why you train though! You train your body but also figure out what works and what doesn’t. So now I continue to try new things till I find what works! Ill keep you posted!

This week is the Turkey Trot on Thursday which will be a quick 2 mile race and I am hoping to PR and truly see what kind of shape I am in. I will run 18 miles this weekend and am nervous but also looking forward to it! I am also trying to plan ahead and be prepared for all the yummy food that will be in front of me on Thursday!

I can’t finish this post without reflecting on a few things that I am thankful for. First of all I am thankful for all the ways that God has blessed me and my family this year! He has truly shown that he is in control in every situation and all things will work out for His glory! I am so very thankful for my amazing husband who supports me and loves me unconditionally. He is my biggest fan and I could not train for a full marathon without him! I am thankful for my family, my wonderful parents and sisters! I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to run a marathon with my dad! He inspired me to start running and this will be an amazing experience! I am so thankful for new and old friends! I won’t list all of you but want to thank each one of you for your love and friendship!

Hope each of you has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Longest Run

Yesterday morning, I got up and met up with Ledah to begin our long run. We were scheduled to run 13 but the route we took ended up being 14. We were both ok with that though. I was actually very excited about that extra mile because it is longer than I have ever run before! I was ready to run more than 13 and really start adding the miles! We had a great run. It was cold but it was great training. Ledah put out water and Gatorade for us and we both took 2 gels throughout the run. We both finished strong and I was so excited to go further than I had ever gone!
Post run, I stopped to get a chug of Chocolate milk! The best post-run recovery drink! Then ate my usual scrambled eggs. My legs were tired and starting to feel sore. I knew that Ledah always takes ice baths after long runs and she says they really help. I decided it wouldn’t hurt anything to try. I will be honest with you… it was miserable! The first few minutes it hurt and it took my breath away but after a few minutes it was bearable. I stayed in for probably 7 or 8 minutes. My legs did feel better after the ice bath and was curious to see how I felt later. Well, I felt so much better than I thought I would and today I am not sore at all!! Thats awesome! Yes my legs feel fatigued and I am taking the day off as I usually do after long runs, but I know they will be ready for an easy run in the morning! I will be taking ice baths from now on after long runs or hard workouts!! Here is an article that also was convincing and helpful! Ice Baths: Cold Therapy

Now for my October totals!!
127.2 miles in 21 hrs 53 minutes
This years totals so far: 547.4 miles and a total time of 88 hrs 12 minutes which is 3 days and 16 hrs of running!!!

Training is going so well! I am so excited to run 16 this saturday!
See you on the road!