Big Sur Marathon - 1 Week Out!

Well, this is it. All my mileage and training comes down to this next Sunday and I don't know how I feel about it.

Right?!?!

In part I feel excited- I get to share this experience with my boyfriend and celebrate an end (for now) to all the tough marathon training and finally have time for other things, including picking up with the much-missed BMX racing again.

Another part of me is really nervous and full of phantom sicknesses and pains and doubting whether I have it in me to accomplish something so big. If there's anything I've learned along the way and picked up from others in the same situation, the key is to enjoy the process and the present as much as possible- and I'm trying- but those nerves inside of me are really making it tough. For now all I can do is pack my backpack, get my butt out to California on Friday and try my best not to let the looming monster of self-doubt take over (which is MUCH easier said than done).

I'm hoping my shoe switch from the Brooks Launch to the Brooks Ghosts this time around will be better for my toenails, and I plan to put into play everything I've learned about hydration and nutrition for this race as well. I LOVE California so much, and getting to run down highway 1 with my boyfriend will definitely be crossing a wish off my bucket list.

All I can do now is trust in my training and try my best to enjoy everything from here on out. The taper crazies have started, along with my phantom pains and sicknesses and I'm itching to get out there and start running. It's gonna be AWESOME.

RUN/RID-erful Wednesday

It's important to take stock in life's everyday blessings. Sometimes I have so much going on that focusing on the small things make me smile, as well as force me to live in the moment and not take things for granted. My goal is to set aside one day a week to discuss a favorite quote or theme that currently resonates with me when it comes to running, BMX or just life in general.

This week's thoughts include:

Roll with the punches.

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Ask anyone around you- your family, friends, anyone- if every single thing they planned for themselves in their life worked out. Chances are you will get a resounding NO. You may get a yes, but I haven't met one of those people yet, and I assume my chances of doing so are on the same level as seeing a unicorn prance across my path as I pedal my happy butt down the BMX track in a cloud of dust. 

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Since it's always been a given that we're not all able to get what we want all the time, the most important thing to do in a non-ideal situation is to stop feeling sorry for yourself, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, take ownership in whatever actions on your part got you there, learn from it, and move the heck on already. I don't know about you, but I learn the most when I end up failing at something (not that we TRY to fail). I have fallen countless times on the bike track over the years, but that's what elbow and knee pads and a helmet are for, and in the end I clean my scrapes and cuts and learn from it. The same goes for anything else, weather it's an overcooked meal, a failed friendship, a new idea for training or dropping the ball on a more professional level.

Being flexible can be one of our greatest strengths. So when life throws a plot twist your way, try your best to roll with it. It's okay to be sad or to take a minute to regroup, but I, for one, refuse to constantly piss and moan and cry about something when I can be out there working hard and fighting for what I want. And I'm guessing you do, too. So who's with me? 😎 Happy hump day everyone! 

Big Sur Marathon Training - TAPER TIME

I can't believe my 2nd marathon is already happening in April! I'm a little less nervous this time around, and I went over things to figure out what worked and what didn't. Since I don't have as long to begin to completely re-train with mileage, etc., I'm taking an intermediate training plan and modifying it to meet my needs. I want to work more on hills, technique and speed and I feel that this allows me to reach those goals in a shorter time period. 

Time to Taper

Well, this is it- taper time...

Looking back on my training versus my social media account views of "everyone else's training", I feel that I could have done more. Honestly, I could have put in more miles, more hills, etc., but I'm about burned out. Does anyone else hit that point too from time to time? This isn't the "I hate running" type of burnout, just the "please dear God let me scale back to half marathon status" type of burned out. I've run multiple half marathons in several seasons over the past 5 years of my running adventures, but never a first and second marathon in the same season. All my brain can grasp is the sheer amount of mileage stacking up against me every time I go out for a run. This makes it SO hard to enjoy the process since I'm focused on just being able to finish my miles. 

That said, training for this has certainly been a game changer. I began to research proper nutrition for once, and for once I can feel it paying off. I'm also thankful for my supportive boyfriend (he's running this one with me) good friends who invite me on their training runs or join me on mine and family, for which none of this would have been possible. I can feel those "taper crazies" coming on again, and that nervous twitch in the pit of my stomach where all those negative voices are laying in wait, dormant until they awaken to fill my head with the "what-if's", the "you cant's" and the "you shoulda's" that all proper sports training, (or preparing for anything, really) eventually succumbs to.

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Having been through my first marathon a few months ago, I feel more confident and stronger in my approach and I'm determined to tell those thoughts, very kindly, that they can shove it. I plan on a few shorter runs this week followed by stretching and foam rolling. My taper strategy this time around is to stay calm and keep things light, loose and fun. Yesterday I met up a friend and we ran from her place to the park and back. We logged 5 miles and it felt great! By the way, this is the route and profile for Big Sur- isn't it pretty? 😃

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Despite my nerves, I am beyond excited to fly to California and run this race. I can't wait to run it with my boyfriend, see that gorgeous view from Highway 1, as well as all the cool Big Sur marathon type things along the way like the tuxedo-clad piano player, ever so casually tickling the ivories on that baby grand after the ginormous incline. Now that's something I'll run a hill (Texas mountain) for! 

Big Sur Marathon Training - 2 weeks out

I can't believe my 2nd marathon is already happening in April! I'm a little less nervous this time around, and I went over things to figure out what worked and what didn't. Since I don't have as long to begin to completely re-train with mileage, etc., I'm taking an intermediate training plan and modifying it to meet my needs. I want to work more on hills, technique and speed and I feel that this allows me to reach those goals in a shorter time period. 

2 (ish) weeks out

I think my body is doing the tapering for me on this one...natural tapering...is that a thing?!

Monday 4/1 - Rest day. 

Tuesday 4/2 - Resting up (a.k.a. allergies took over my body and I was a useless lump).

Wednesday 4/3 - Shall we continue the horrible no good very bad allergy day? Sure! Why not? Allergy day numero dos. 

Thursday 4/4 - Volunteer day at the Memorial Herman Ironman building in River Oaks all day for packet pickup for the Trail Racing Over Texas (or TROT) Brazos Bend 50. I had a BLAST meeting so many new trail runners. This day left me passed out the minute I got home but SO happy. And I got a TROT running buff, so there's that. 

Friday 4/5 - Looong day at work = some core work at the house and not much more than that. 

Saturday 4/6 - 60 minute spinning class at Rev Studios. The usual class I take is 45 minutes, so this ramped things way up (just the way I like it, ha!). One hour of pretty much straight sprinting had me worn out for the rest of the day. It's the best feeling. #accomplishment There was also McLovin's bath. He still loved me afterwards even though his post bath mugshot says otherwise. 

Sunday 4/7 - 11.1 miles in the park along with a healthy dose of super crazy weather. This was my longest "rain run" yet and I loved it...well, except maybe for the last few miles of thunder and lightening. That was a bit scary. It did make me run faster though so there's that. 

Big Sur Marathon Training - 3 weeks out

I can't believe my 2nd marathon is already happening in April! I'm a little less nervous this time around, and I went over things to figure out what worked and what didn't. Since I don't have as long to begin to completely re-train with mileage, etc., I'm taking an intermediate training plan and modifying it to meet my needs. I want to work more on hills, technique and speed and I feel that this allows me to reach those goals in a shorter time period. 

3 weeks out

Monday 3/25 - Rest day (and laundry day). 

Tuesday 3/26 - 4 miles today in the park.

Nothing like these views after a tough day

Wednesday 3/27- Worked late and I've definitely been slacking on my miles this week and hating that feeling. 

Thursday 3/28 - 3.78 park miles and hill repeats (those hills are NO joke but the views were GORGEOUS)

Friday 3/29 - Rain day. I really shouldn't have cancelled my gym membership again. I anticipated Spring way too early.

Saturday 3/30 - Endurance class at Run Race Pace with a friend. It was so hard but so much fun!

One of my favorite quotes ever. Race Pace isn't too shabby either.

Sunday 3/31 - Brother's birthday lunch with family and an awesome fire pit. I didn't get to run today but I did chase some little kids. 

All in all I'm not too happy with how this week went. I had to cancel my long run of 10 miles and that had me feeling all kinds of frustrated. This happened on my last marathon training as well- a month before the event things seemed to go awry and slacking became a way of life. Not this time. I am determined to make it up even though this week is super hectic with appointments and volunteering for packet pickup at a trail race for TROT. I'm accepting that this week may not go how I want it to, but this weekend I will get those miles in! 😎