Monday, November 3, 2014

{Rock N Roll STL}

i signed up for the Rock N Roll St. Louis Half Marathon months ago, in an effort to earn the Rock Encore medal for completing two rock n roll events this year.  (my other was the Country Music Marathon in Nashville, which you can read about here)
and then, a sweet friend of mine went and signed up for the RnR Chicago Half-Marathon, knowing it wouldn't take much to get me to join her!  
so now... by running all three races, i was going to earn the Triple Crown medal! 
but wait... there was one more.  
because i signed up for both CHI and STL, there was the "Midwest is Best" medal as well.
which, if i count correctly will add up to 6 medals.  
so, now you know why i ran Rock N Roll St Louis! Ha.  
***********************
expo day
 i was down and out with a migraine the two days prior to race day, so i didn't spend much time at the expo.  grabbed my packet and headed home.  
with a stop for a cake photo before heading in.
then... 
night before race prep.

i was aiming for an 18 mile run, so i headed out a little early and ran about a mile and a half prior to the start line.  
i was excited for my friend hailey to complete her first half marathon.  
she was injured, but still rocked it!  
we all ran around looking for a porta-potty, and snuck into the start corral a little while after the race started. 
crossing through the start line.
and this... is one of the only photos i took during the entire race.  and, it pretty much sums up the entirety of my race day.  two port potty stops... and counting down each and every mile to the finish line.  this was the first time i have ever had to stop for bathroom breaks multiple times during a race. 

 ultimately, this was a training run for me, and had i not been signed up for this race, i would have pushed off my long run for later in the week.  but, i stuck it out... and finished.  Totaling 14.5 miles for the day.   (spoiler alert: i finished my 18 mile run feeling much better, 3 days later!)
i feel like you can see how crummy i felt in this photo.  
it was just a minute after crossing the finish line.  

it was pretty cold and i was happy to have found the heat lamps while my friend was at the St Louis Injury and Rehab tent.  One of the therapists even helped me stretch my terribly stiff IT bands!  

i headed to a birthday party after the race, and spent the rest of the day on the couch!  
this race... kicked my behind!

Sunday, November 2, 2014

{rest}

guys... marathon training is hard.  
like, no matter how many times i do it, i forgot how hard it is. 
this is the past 4 weeks on my training plan.  I almost always use Hal Higdons Novice 2 plan for my full training.  And these weeks, they were my peak mileage weeks.  I am fairly certain, after my PR at the MO' Cowbell half marathon,  i was burnt out.  i knew i had met my sub 2 hour half goal, and i needed a mental break.  

so, week 10?  
i did nothing.  as in zero miles, zero body pump and zero yoga.  
and you know what?  i didn't feel bad about it.  
photo from pinterest.  {thats not me!}

now, on to week 11.
this week's mileage should have been 5, 8, 5, 18.  I had scheduled the Rock n Roll St Louis half-marathon as part of my training on my long run.  tuesday, i ran 5 on the treadmill before body pump, wednesday, ran 8 outside at my favorite park.  then, BAM... my next 5 miler hit and i just didn't have it in me.  I made it barely a mile on my treadmill (it was raining) before i gave in.  I knew i still had my 18 miler on Sunday during the RnR half.  Long story short (and there will be another post with a race recap of that one) my sunday run was a flop.  I didn't feel good the 2 days leading up to the race, and as the race went on, i knew i wasn't going to be able to finish.  i ended that run with 14.35 miles (i did a little before the race).
i struggled with this one.  i felt like how was it possible that two weeks ago i PR'd a half marathon at 1:57:XX and then ran a 2:18:XX.  I struggled to remember that i spend a good chunk of that extra time standing in line at porta-potties.  and that sometimes, we need to listen to our bodies.  

i push my body.  i run lots of miles.  i don't give it the amount of sleep it needs.  and sometimes i fuel it with pizza, chicken wings and 2 am hospital cafeteria food.  yet, it still performs.  i am lucky that my body is capable of doing what i ask of it.  With some aches and pains, but generally no injuries or back talk.  So, these few weeks were a test for me.  
and a reminder that it is okay to rest.  
and speaking of... i went out again that week and conquered that 18 mile distance.
and then ate some bacon.