Finally -- another blog!

Ok, several have complained that I have failed to blog for some time, but as a viable excuse – until this week – I was without a home computer. My house was burglarized on July 21^st – so hopefully the two of you who acknowledge that you read my blog will forgive the three week hiatus. The iPad was simply not an option.

This morning, I awakened to the wind slamming the outside-window coverings against the walls of my home. It was 3am. I was annoyed – the last of the five 5K Summer Series was at 6:30am. I needed the sleep. Nothing ruins my running confidence more than a poor night’s sleep, but the wind carried on for the next 90 minutes when I finally just got out of bed. Additionally, I was also frustrated knowing that, not only is this South Mountain 5K the hardest and most demoralizing of the series, but CLEARLY I would be enduring fairly high winds to boot!

I had received news last night that the majority of my best friends would not be joining me for the morning run – no Anne, no Loretta and no Amy. My other close friend, Rachel, is always iffy since she has a 20 month old at home who is getting her rear molars.

I arrived at South Mountain with 30 minutes to spare and within 15 minutes found Rachel. She had warmed up and was ready to beat her time the year prior (which was her first race post-baby). Additionally, and to my surprise, I found Jackie G. and her boyfriend joining forces in the wind. Jackie is new to running and seeing her this morning made me realize she really is committed to running and getting healthier. I am inspired by her spirit every time she shows up for a race! This is the 3^rd race I have seen her at in the last month – I was all smiles!

The race started late because the Park Rangers were heavily guarding the entrance to South Mountain – creating a line of vehicles down Central that extended for a mile. Out of respect, we all simply allowed for a 15 minute late start – after all, what’s 15 minutes when its already 90 degrees, sunny, with 30 mph winds. It also provided me an opportunity to visit the porta-potty one last time – which everyone knows makes me very happy.

The race started in waves and I elected to stand with the 9 minute milers. I am always a bit intimidated by the 9:00 sign, but I want to be in the 9’s so I know that’s where I should stand. I am not the smallest woman, so occasionally I get the “looks” from the other women and men around me, but I am confident those very looks will help me finish strong. In the back of my head is a little voice that says “it’s really hot, you’ve been pulling 10-10:30 minute miles on your long runs – you sure you want to stand here and get in the way of all these 9-minute-milers?” As I mentioned earlier, this particular 5K is the most difficult of ALL of the summer series. The first mile and a half are uphill – climbing nearly 300 feet. Last year, I wound up walking a chunk of the biggest hill just after the 1 mile mark – so I know its hard. I do this run every year – I am not sure if its to find a way to do well, or if its to remind me that I need to get more hill work in my routine. Regardless, everyone is intimidated by this run.

The 9’s take off and I am feeling really good. “Lovecats” by The Cure was the first song to come on my iPod and it made me want to dance and sing like an 8^th grader. I knew this was going to be a good run. We started our ascent immediately, and as I hit the one mile marker, I could see Rachel coming down the hard hill and I was jealous. She was already out of the tough stuff and I was moving head-first into the hardest part of the run. Runners were dropping like flies – I passed runner, after runner, after runner. Its so inspiring to pass runners who gave you the “stink-eye” when you stood next to them in the 9-minute corral. Some runners would abandon their runs mid-stream, not moving to the right – which is so terribly rude, but it gave me something to do, as I bobbed and weaved my way around them up the steepest part of the run. I hit the 1.6 mile mark and there stood the one and only water station. People bailed right and left at the water-stop, as well. But, having done this run so many times before, I knew everything was downhill from there, so I would wait another 13 minutes for water.

I rounded the bend and down I went. I was smiling, singing and really enjoying the run. I took a gander at my watch and I realized I had pulled sub-10’s for the uphill portion which meant (not only did I really belong with the 9’s), I could now pull sub-9’s on the downhill. And, I did… 8:42’s, 8:37’s, 7:35’s…I was thrilled. The course levels out for the last ½ mile and I was still pulling 9’s flat. I could see Rachel screaming my name and cheering me on as I came to the finish line – and I also knew it was my best South Mountain 5k, ever! My watch said 30:03 and 3.2 miles – so now I have to wait to see what the official times report from the www.azroadracers.com site.

That run is the hardest – no one does well. We all simply hope for a better run than the year before. I remember following my friend, Lora’s, butt the whole run, last year – how I wished she’d been there again this year – alas.

So to bring everyone up to speed – I completed a 12, 14, 10 and 13 mile run in the weekends that followed the burglary. The 14-miler was at home in St. Louis is 100% humidity. Hysterical. Next weekend I have a 16 miler – please pray for some cooler temperatures! I have no idea how much more of this heat I can handle.

…and we’re back in business, my friends!

11 Miles - BAM!

The valley temperatures took a drastic dip, this week, and the humidity left ever-so-briefly, so I took advantage and moved my typical-Sunday-long-run to Friday – where the forecast was 78 degrees at 5am.

I actually found myself excited about my run, last night, which made it difficult to fall asleep. So, when my alarm went off a few minutes after 4am, I was definitely displeased. But I got up, had my standard glass of iced coffee and headed out before the sun came up.

I was floored! I started out super strong – pulling just under 10 minute miles for the first 6+ miles. The hazard of neighborhood long runs are stoplights – every mile, if not every ½ mile from time to time. Because my pace was good and I was feeling better than ever, I was annoyed with each red light and found myself hoping for no cars so I could simply cross at my leisure.

By mile 7 the sun was up and I was careful to choose the side of the street where I would enjoy the most shade – not to mention I planned a route south for 4 miles and then again north for 4 miles, so there were very few miles east and west, making the sun less of an issue. I did rest at mile 8.5 for 90 seconds (walking/watering), but was really fine until mile 10.3 when I was thinking the run needed to be over. As I crossed Priest to head back over the I10 – a jerk in a white, Ford Taurus thought his right on red would trump my legal crossing. Naturally, I allowed my outside-voice and flailing gestures speak volumes and the guy flipped me off. Fortunately, it gave me the venom to finish strong – pulling just over a 10 minute pace for the last 7/10’s of a mile. I felt great all the way up the overpass and literally skipped/jumped as I approached the last 1/10^th of a mile. One guy in a truck honked when he saw my glee!

11 miles completed in 1:57. Again, nowhere near my best time – but I am simply resigned that summer runs will be slower than those in 40 and 50 degree temps! I am feeling a LOT better, this week, about my marathon training. Let’s see what next week holds – keep your fingers crossed for another cooler morning!

As an aside, I got a Facebook message from a student I know from one of our District-Wide leadership retreats shortly after my run. “Today when you went running and you were held up by the freeway, the little red car that let you pass that you said thank you to…THAT WAS ME! Lol”. This is a shout-out to Tina – I need a LOT more drivers like her on my runs!

Today marks the end of week 4 of marathon training – in preparation for St. Louis. I am still completely tortured by the horrible heat. I am able to pull through about 45 minutes of running before needing to take water and rest my exhausted body. Unfortunately, I didn’t think I would need much water on my run, this morning – since it was incredibly humid. Boy was I mistaken – I was out of water shortly after I hit mile 6 – which was 2 miles ‘til the end. I thought about cutting my run 6/10’s of a mile short, as a result, but as I hit the 7 mile marker, I was convinced that another 9-10 minutes of running was not going to utterly dehydrate me. Naturally, I made it and was pleased I had pushed through all 8 miles with relative ease.

Next weekend, I have an 11 mile run. Training is going to have to be more focused with lots of water and electrolytes to keep my body in check. I admit to being worried, but even if I need breaks here and there, I know I can do it. I have been there before; I just have to enter the run with a positive mind.

Wish me luck!

PS – this picture was taken as I watched the sun rise on 36^th Street/Equestrian in the Ahwatukee Foothills. Its approximately 5.25 miles into my run – I could not believe the clouds, the mountainside and the sun…it was breathtaking. Sadly, you don’t get to see that from this picture – so you’ll have to believe me! After all, I never take out my phone mid-run to pause for a picture!

First HOT long run of the training season...

Saturday night I was already dreading the 9 mile run planned for Sunday morning. I knew a 4am wake-up was inevitable – it was simply going to be a miserably hot 9 miles, as Saturday boasted 118 degrees and a record for July 2^nd in Phoenix.

The alarm went off on Sunday morning at 4am and I reluctantly got myself out of bed. The coffee was ready – so I poured a cup over ice and read the news before sticking my head outside to feel what was to be my fate. I had already read that it was 92 degrees in Phoenix, so I knew what was in front of me. So, the day before I had planned two routes – one took me down 48^th Street and into Chandler over the I10 and back through a smidge of Tempe to my house; the other, took me 2.5 miles to my gym, with 5 miles on the treadmill and another 1.6 miles home. I am trying hard to acclimate to the heat, but I needed to make sure I was going to be safe in the heat, too. Only my body would tell me.

I filled my small, running Camelbak with 1.5 liters of water, my cell phone and gym membership card (just in case). As I stepped foot outside, the heat hit me like an open oven after baking for 5 hours. It was just gross. I had resolved that I needed to be slower in these temps.

I started out at a 10:15 pace hoping I would hang in strong. And, I did. I passed the 2.5 mile turn to the gym and continued through Ahwatukee to Chandler Blvd where I headed over the I10. I was feeling just fine. The heat was evident, but at a 10 minute pace, I felt just fine. I continued to mile 5.5 and decided to take a one minute water-walk break. The water was refreshing (although it was body temperature at this point). I figured I would finish the remaining 3.5 miles with 10 minutes of running, one minute of water-walk breaks. But, I felt good through mile 7.3 before I took more water. This time I found myself very thirsty so I took several more ounces and needed to make sure to walk another minute so that I wouldn’t get a side cramp. Ordinarily I can take 2-3 ounces and be fine after a few seconds, but I needed 6 or more and therefore allowed myself a slightly longer. I was off again and feeling good for another ten minutes and was less than a mile from the house when I began to really feel crappy. I took a smidge of water as I approached the I10 overpass and pushed myself over the hill and down to my street. 9.25 miles in 1 hour 39 minutes – 6 minutes slower than I intend to be during the marathon.

Training is going to be hard, but I realized I can push through the long runs outside with enough water and mental conviction. Next week I drop back to an 8 mile run, and I intend to pull through the entire thing without a trip to the gym mid-way through.

I admit, I am proud of yesterday’s effort. The heat continues to worry me, but I realized there are a number of athletes on the road with me at 4 and 5am, so I am in good company. Bikers and runners alike – we nod, smile and occasionally cackle at our passions. Many would call us crazy, but I was up again this morning at 5am for a run with my friend, Kris. We both admitted that after a good dose of sweat-build-up, we felt cooler than when we’d started. Tomorrow, I rest.

Contented...

Yesterday morning I didn’t set my alarm. I figured I would wake naturally and simply hit the gym, rather than run outside in the horrid heat. But, when I awakened, the temperature outside was a mere 82 at 5am, so I threw my running shoes on and went for a 6 mile run – outside. The benefits of being able to run outside are incredible. I get the hard hills and then the occasional relief of a 15 second stoplight break. About an hour later – the run was done and I was really pleased I awakened (naturally) with enough time to enjoy the non-90-degree morning I was expecting.

This morning, I set my alarm for 5am – I promised my friend, Kathleen, I would help get her started (running). This would be our second time out together in 8 days – not too bad! As I drove to her house at 545am, I couldn’t help but think of something my masseuse (Lisa) said the afternoon prior. “Meredith, you run to inspire others, I bet.” I was knee-deep in the enjoyment of the massage and didn’t really think about the intent of her message until 545am – en route to Kathleen’s. I know I run to clear my anxious mind. I know I run to be able to eat a lot of the foods I probably shouldn’t. I know I run because I am painfully, internally competitive. And, I guess I know I run to inspire those around me to do something challenging.

In fact, earlier this week, another co-worker (Jackie) came flying into my office to tell me that she’s started running – slowly and with lots of breaks, but she has a goal to complete a ½ marathon. She asked if I could help her.

I feel very fortunate. I have surrounded myself, for the first time in my life, with the kinds of people who not only appreciate me – but trust me enough to help them accomplish something incredible challenging. I cannot believe it has taken me over 38 years to find the right balance of good people and good choices in my life. I might stretch and say this could very well be the most peaceful I have ever felt – perhaps even the happiest.

Summer Runnin'

I haven’t blogged since Pat’s Run and I am getting all kinds of grief about it, but really after Pat’s Run everything seems to take a nose dive for me. Summer running in Phoenix is the pits. I am thirsty and tired. My heart-rate is always elevated. I can’t seem to go as far or as fast and I get discouraged.

To try to combat this annual feeling – I signed up for the first St. Louis Rock ‘n Roll Marathon – debuting on October 23^rd, 2011. This means my training starts mid-June and I am forced to get through the long, tough, exhausting training in 100-115 degree temps with limited humidity. So, answer me this – at 38 years of age – am I insane?

My good friends, Ron and Cat, have agreed to train for this marathon, as well. In fact, we all signed up so we wouldn’t fail each other. Cat’s in Boca Raton, Florida – Ron and I are here, in Phoenix. None of us are going to have it easy with the summer heat and sometimes I think Cat may have it the worst.

But, we will endure.

As an aside – on July 20^th, Ben Davis (who I only know as a result of his amazing blog BenDoesLife) is coming to Phoenix on his national Do Life! Tour, encouraging people to take control of their lives and do something healthy: walk, run, whatever! I am super excited to meet him. I feel like he’s a part of my life, now – almost like an absent brother. He doesn’t really know it, but he encourages me to run, even on days when my 9:30 pace is going to be a 10:15 pace – even on mornings when I think its too hot to run. Ben is like a little grasshopper on my shoulder saying “don’t be such a tool, Mer, get yer butt out there and do it!”

So, I am dedicating this blog to Ben Davis. The man who gets many of us out of bed in the mornings to lace up our sneakers and remind us that we’re going to feel a lot better once we’ve accomplished another 4, 5, or 10+ mile run!

Pat's Run - The Sprinting Scholars Story

It’s been a number of years since I was excited about Pat’s Run. In January, shortly after I completed my third PF Chang’s Arizona Marathon – I committed to captaining another Pat’s Run team. I mean, it’s a 4.2 mile run – so anyone could begin training for this kind of experience. Right?!

Last year I called the team the MCC Sprinting Scholars, but there were a number of people who didn’t work or go to school at MCC, so I thought I would drop the MCC part and just go with the Sprinting Scholars – it’s a strong name and I wanted to keep it.

After creating the team, I let my friends know how to register as a team member and then began my advertisement all over the MCC campus. By the end of March, the Sprinting Scholars were 24 team members strong with several MCC students and staff – and as always some of my closest running friends.

(A good friend in the MCC athletics department offered to support the team with Sprinting Scholars t-shirts, so that we could all show our team spirit and truly “be a team”. We would all match on Pat’s Run morning – VERY COOL, indeed!)

This was the first time I offered to help train anyone interested in becoming a runner. On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons we met at the MCC track and completed a 2-mile course I’d designed a year or so prior. Each time out, someone (if not several someones) from the Sprinting Scholars met me at the MCC track for our jaunt around the college – in front of thousands of people moving from car to class to car. Occasionally we got a high-five along the way from students who knew us and were supportive.

By the 16^th of April – we were excited and ready. Some trained well, others not at all. But we were out there – ready to fly through the 4.2 mile course. It wasn’t until race morning that I really got to meet the majority of the team. A handful met me at 5:45am to park and warm up together. So, by the time we reached the starting line – we were pumped and warm.

Fortunately, Pat’s Run was well organized, this year. Nearly 30,000 registrants were milling about the starting corrals. The corrals were designated by anticipated finishing time – and what a blessing this was! Last year everyone (runners, walkers, strollers and sleepers) lined up together and it was a MESS. I thought I would never do the run again it was so poorly organized. I was elated to learn differently, this time around.

This was my 6^th Pat’s Run and my 6^th organized team – for several years we were the Techno Trotters. We even won the team challenge and took first place the first time we made the team. But, those days are long gone – not only are many of those original team members living in other parts of the world, now, but the race has gone from several thousand (and maybe 25 teams) to tens of thousands and well over 350 teams.

As we all lined up in our corrals, I was alone. No one on the team would be joining me and my 39 minute goal. With the exception of 4 members – I was in an early corral (#6). The rest of the team members were corral numbers 15 through 23. The first corral went (as did teammates Rachel, Margaret and Kristian). Then, every 60 seconds they released another corral. The organization was fantastic. As my corral approached the starting line, I saw 3 more team members (Lauren, Loretta and Andrew). They arrived late and were waiting for their designated corrals to move toward the starting line. Loretta was running for my friend, Anne, who couldn’t run for medical reasons – and since Loretta and I had run together a few times prior, she figured she could jump into my corral and keep me company. Yes! A buddy! And, her pace was always good – I knew she’d keep up with the 39 minute corral! Sadly, within the first several hundred feet – we got separated and that was that. We were both on our way to the finish line alone (with 30,000 strangers, of course).

Pat’s Run is one of those races you love to hate. The course is really not wide enough to support the numbers of runners and even with the 60 second separations between corrals - the sea of people is incredibly frustrating. I’ve never really understood the need for water stations a mile #1 of any race, but if nothing else, it gives me the opportunity to take the outside lane and pass a bunch of people who probably won’t finish in 39 minutes, as they predicted they could.

Shortly after the #1 mile marker, the sea of people turn right and head up a rather steep climb over Papago Park/Mtn. This is another opportunity to pass those who have not done hill training. And, my training was paying off. I could see my pace: mile #1, 9:02. As I flew down the hill and passed the second unnecessary water station and the #2 mile marker, I looked down at my watch – 9:06 pace. I was pleased – I am on track to hit my time and completely floored with my progress. Unfortunately, the narrowest part of the race occurs just after mile marker #2. While admittedly, there has been some “thinning” out of runners, nothing is great when running in one lane around several neighborhood bends with hundreds of people at your sides. And, as I rounded the last of the annoying bends, I could see one of the MCC students standing with a home-made sign that read “Go Mer”! I was super excited – 2.5 miles down and a cheering fan – thank you, Kim!

I was tired as I approach the 3^rd mile marker – and I looked down to see my pace was a 9:04, but at this point I was puttering out. I did get a small burst of energy at the 3^rd water stop (ok, maybe this one is excusable). I took the outside lane to run passed those stopping/slowing for water. I could see one of my students from my evening class at SCC. Danica was working the 3^rd water station with her husband and daughter and screaming cheers to all the runners. It was a quick “Hey Danica” and I continued to the finish line. I don’t know what happened to me as I hit the 4^th mile marker and could see the dreaded pace marker on my watch: 9:40. Crap! Just as I focused on my crappy mile, I saw Loretta! There she was, right in front of me! I yelled for her and we finished the last two tenths together. Oh well – we started and finished together. Overall time: 39:07!

Loretta and I waited just outside the finish line and we got to see the majority of the Sprinting Scholars finish! We loved seeing everyone come around the corner to run into the ASU stadium. We stood there cheering people on for nearly an hour before we felt our duty complete and went home.

I walked back to my car with my good friend and coworker, Kris. We were thrilled and giddy the whole way back to the car. 39:07 is a 9:18 pace – I’ll take it.

The Sprinting Scholars took 41^st out of 330 teams. 1^st place went to the ASU men’s track team! Not too shabby!

Next race? October 23^rd – the St. Louis Rock ‘n Roll Marathon – all 26.2 miles of it! See you there!