Running Update / Chicago Marathon Recap

I haven’t posted much about my running journey in recent months, and this lack of blogging may make it appear as though I’ve given up on running and opted for more sedentary activities. This is not true. On the contrary, I’ve continued racking up miles and pounding the pavement, trying to stay as dedicated as ever. There have been times of frustration and self-doubt, but I’m still running! There were many peaks and valleys on this road, and I reached a high point on October 11, 2015 as Issac and I ran the Chicago Marathon.

First, I have to say that my pesky left leg has continued to bother me in the same darn spot on the lower hamstring, right above the back of the knee and possibly in conjunction with the Sciatica Nerve. (Will it EVER be back to normal?!).  My right hip has also been painful, and I’ve often felt pain on the outside of my lower right hamstring (perhaps the IT Band area?). I’ve kept up with physical therapy (I switched to a new Physical Therapist who even did a gait analysis with me running on the treadmill), acupuncture, chiropractor sessions, and massage therapy. I’m definitely better than I was a year ago, but I have to say that keeping up with all of this extra care has been quite the additional commitment! Training for a marathon seemed to take three times as much time as it should have.

Balance, balance, balance--

I spent countless hours doing PT exercises like these ones.

I’ll now backtrack a bit because I’ve left such a gap since I last documented anything about my running journey. Because I was still concerned about further aggravating my now-chronic injury, I stayed away from half-marathons and marathons for quite some time. Since my last blog post, I focused on fun races like these instead:

The New York Marathon’s "Sprint to the Finish" 5K in November -- 

I was there to cheer Issac on as he ran the full marathon and 

got just a small taste of it by running the NYRR's 5K.  We ran

through the city and finished in Central Park.

The Kirkland St. Paddy's Day Dash 5K in March --
this was a really fun race that Issac and I ran together.  
I actually came in 3rd place in my age division and
won a pint glass-- woohoo!

The Top Pot Donut Dash 5K in May -- notice
the donut socks?!  This was another really fun one.

Ski to Sea in May -- We had a wonderful team (Dirty Hamster Love).
This athletic event allowed me to take a break from running because
I was our kayaker, but this was muuuuuch more difficult than I'd imagined.

The Rock N' Roll 8K in June -- This was on my
birthday and felt like a huge celebration!  I opted
 to do the new 8K, while Issac ran the half-marathon.  

The Dirty Dash in late June -- we had a blast with all of the
obstacles and (as expected) got fully covered in mud!

Ragnar Northwest Passage in July -- This was our third year on a Ragnar team. 

 I wish I'd had the time to devote a full blog entry to this race again, 

but (alas!) this photo montage will have to suffice.  I 

was captain of our team this year, which was named Showers 

Are Overrated.  Such shenanigans!

Amidst all of these shorter races, Issac and I were both notified that we’d been selected in a lottery drawing for coveted spots in the Chicago Marathon. We had heard so many great things about this race from lots of different sources, and we were incredibly excited to have the opportunity to experience all of the excitement. I was also really eager to have something to work toward—an end goal in mind to keep me motivated. We started an 18-week training plan in early June, and (as difficult as it was) stuck with it as closely as we could during the insanely busy months of summer and early fall. The Chicago Marathon had once seemed soooooo far away until, all of a sudden, it was less than a week away!

Neither Issac nor I had ever been to Chicago before, and we were so excited to explore the Windy City. We purchased a guidebook and CityPasses and started reading about all that this historic locale has to offer. We arrived on Friday afternoon and made our way to our hotel right in the heart of downtown. We could see signs of the marathon everywhere we looked; it was clear that the Chicago Marathon truly envelops the city.

The expo was on Saturday, and it also a great preview of what race day would be like. We were surrounded by 1,000’s of people from all around the world, and everyone seemed so joyful to be there.

It was pretty amazing to see all the ground we'd cover
at the expo!

The night before the marathon was nerve-racking. My legs/hips hurt in all the usual places, and I still suffered from a bad cold that zapped my energy and made it difficult to breathe (which, of course, conveniently hit me the Tuesday before the race!). I was miserable and afraid I’d have to walk all 26.2 miles. We took an Architectural Boat Cruise and found a Mexican restaurant for our carbo-loading tradition of nachos but headed back to the hotel room fairly early to allow me to begin a long regimen of attending to all ailments and trying anything that could possibly help me survive race day. This included: icing my legs/hips, hours of stretching, an Epsom salt bath, gargling Vitamin E, a Netty Pot sinus cleaning, visualization activities, taking cold medications, foam rolling, etc. Issac and I both tried to get a good night’s sleep, but (of course) this was easier said than done!

I woke up at 5:00AM on race day and started yet another round of “everything that could possibly help me to remain healthy and injury-free while running a marathon.” In addition to electrolytes and carbohydrates, I also backed Kleenexes and cough drops to take with me to the start line. I was pleasantly surprised, though, that I felt muuuuuuch better than I had in the previous days. I felt a glimmer of hope.

Issac and I journeyed to our start corral amongst the huge crowds of people speaking many different languages. There were over 45,000 runners from all 50 states and well over 100 countries—plus over 1.7 spectators. Wow! I tried to take it all in. The sun was shining, and (in spite of my pre-race jitters and lackluster health) I could tell it was going to be a great day.

Ready or not, here we come!

The signs were the typical messages that are seen on race courses, and some were cleverer than others. Here are some of the ones that I remember: “punch here for super powers,” “free high fives,” “I like your stamina—call me!”, “Chuck Norris Never Ran a Marathon,” “You’re Better than Chuck Norris,” “Worst Parade Ever,” “You Got This!”, “Smile if you farted,” “Smile if you peed a little,” “Runner butts drive me nuts,” “Find a cute a$ and follow it,” “Remember: You PAID to do this!”, “I bet this seemed like a good idea four months ago,” “Run like you’re saving me from a fire,” “Run fast or the Walking Dead will get you,” “Run Fast—the Walking Dead is on Tonight!”, and “The first 20 miles are training; the last 6.2 are all heart.” There were also all sorts of characters on balloons, signs, or costumes—like Elmo, Big Bird, dinosaurs, and dance outfits. It was fun to have so many neat things to look at!

The time passed very quickly, and we were at mile 20 before I knew it. Issac had very kindly pledged to stick with me all 26.2 miles of the course, and he stayed true to his offer. We didn’t interact a whole lot as the miles passed (just basic questions or statements like, “How are you feeling?” or “Do you want to get water or Gatorade or both at the next pit stop?” or “Did you see that man’s outfit?” or “Let’s move over to the other side of the street because there’s shade over there!” or “They are playing this song everywhere!” or “We are right on pace to get under a 4-hour marathon!”), but it was reassuring to have him there.

We both wore matching Seattle socks to
represent the Pacific Northwest.

Because it was such an abnormally hot day, we developed a routine at each of the water stops: We’d get a bit of Gatorade, chug it, throw the cup, get a cup of water, drink most of it, pour the rest into our hats, and then put our hats back on our heads—allowing the cool water to seep down our faces. I felt better than I had on most of the long runs prior to the race—much, much better than I thought I would. The running seemed so ordinary/routine. Of course, the shade became harder and harder to find as the race progressed.

I sported a temporary tattoo with my goal split times.

As we reached the last few miles, I realized that we were getting further and further away from my 3:55 goal time. We’d been on pace for most of the course, and I didn’t feel TERRIBLE (I was fighting with my hamstrings as they felt like they wanted to cramp up), but I just couldn’t convince my legs that they could go any faster. Miraculously, my chronically painful spots were not the ones that bothered me much at all. I kept meditating on the next mile that we were approaching: “mile 23, 23, 23, 23, 23, 23…”, then “mile 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24…”, then “mile 25, 25, 25, 25, 25...” At long last, we were close to “mile 26, 26, 26, 26, 26…”, and 26.2 was within reach!

Although the Chicago Marathon is known as a flat course, the last quarter mile was uphill. This was a bit of an ego booster because, having trained in Seattle’s notoriously hilly terrain, we were passing people left and right. It wasn’t a record speed by any means, but it was a positive way to end the race nonetheless. We could eventually see the finish line, and then we crossed it—hand in hand!

I ran the whole 26.2 miles with KT tape
on my legs.  This was basically just a placebo
thing to stop me from panicking about my legs.

Woohoo -- we did it!!!!  Hallelujah!
Happiness is... seeing the finish line!

Our official finish time was 4 hours, 3 minutes, 20 seconds. This averages to 9:17 per mile and is almost 7 minutes faster than my Portland Marathon time. I was really thinking I could get a time in the 3:50’s if I’d felt at 100%, but it wasn’t meant to be. (Thus, I have it on my list to break the 4-hour marathon at some point in the near future!).

There were probably a few gallons of sweat between the two of us. 

We don't look quite so peppy in our after-race photos!

I felt relatively good after crossing the finish line, which was a HUGE relief because I was bracing for the worst. We took some time to get some fuel into our body and stretch tight and fatigued muscles, but we had enough energy to begin taking Chicago by storm. We covered a lot of terrain in the last few days of the trip. 

Thanks for so many lovely sites and memories, Chicago!

My only lasting wounds from the race were some pretty vibrant blisters on my toes.

I had a few of these beauties on my feet.

I can’t say when I’ll get around to a sub-4:00 marathon (just 3 minutes, 21 seconds to shave off!), but (in the meantime) I’ll keep trekking along in sustaining a healthy and active lifestyle and trying to get that darn hamstring area back to normal. We’re also busy preparing for our marriage, another real-life “marathon” for which proper training and hard work will be key to our success.

Leavenworth Half Marathon

The Leavenworth Half Marathon was set to take place on October 4, and I was quite nervous.  My leg STILL wasn’t healing the way it should, and I hadn’t been training appropriately.  Although  I’d been doing my physical therapy exercises religiously, going to the gym [almost] daily, and taking yoga classes 2-3 times per week, I hadn’t run at all in the several weeks prior to the race (per doctor advice).   I’d spent a lot of time trying to simulate the cardio demands of running on the low-impact elliptical machine (up to 1 hour, 45 minutes at a time), but this certainly wasn’t the same as pounding the pavement.  I wasn’t sure what to expect.

Katie, Issac, and I took off on Friday evening and stopped in Leavenworth before heading to our camping accommodations at the Lake Wenatchee Campground (just 30 minutes outside of town). Leavenworth was bustling with revelers filling the streets for the Oktoberfest Festival.  Many had costumes, and lots were clearly intoxicated.  It was definitely a festive atmosphere.

The race started at 9:00AM on Saturday morning.  The weather was perfect-- not too hot or cold and DRY (!!).  The course began at the Leavenworth Fish Hatchery and went into the village (briefly) and along the Wenatchee River.  We were surrounded by mountains and beautiful scenery, but I have to admit, as much as I tried to admire it, I found myself looking at the ground for most of the time.

My left leg was bothersome, yet it wasn’t super-painful.  This was better than anticipated.  I had moments of doubt as I was running (“Am I really going to be able to do this?!”), but I made it through! I tried not to think about time and just let myself run at a pace that wouldn’t leave me broken or aggravate my injury.  This was hard.  My GPS died at about mile 8, which left me guessing how fast I was running.  I knew that I’d slowed down.  Issac and I ran a few miles together, but I lost him as he sprinted up a hill.  I started counting my steps as I watched the mile markers pass by, and I was happy to see the finish line. 

As always, here are my stats: time= 1:56:35 (12 minutes slower than my PR); pace= 8:54 per mile; place in my age category= 36 out of 226 female runners; place overall= 356 out of 1,629 runners.  Having not run for a while, both legs were surprisingly sore the next day. 

After the race, we were able to enjoy some of the Oktoberfest shenanigans.  We also went for a hike on Sunday.  It was a fun getaway.


Leavenworth, a Bavarian village nestled in the Cascade Mountains,
served as the perfect backdrop for this destination race.

Finish line photo with me, Issac, and Katie

Post-finish photo with me, Issac, and Andrew (who
completed the full marathon)

We met lots of interesting people as we partook
in Oktoberfest, many clad in dirndls and lederhosen.

Our Sunday hike up Nason Ridge was perfect.  Hooray for
fall hiking in the sunshine!

No one likes a whiner, and I certainly don’t want to be one.  I hate how so many of my recent running posts have been about my frustrations with my left leg.  I don’t want to be dramatic about the situation, but I am discouraged that it isn’t back to normal yet.  It has undoubtedly improved, but it’s just not the same as it used to be.  It constantly gives me this nagging, aching feeling.  What am I doing wrong?!  I’ve seen a Sports Medicine Doctor and a Physical Therapist, and I’m still trying to get to the bottom of this question.  I hope to isolate the variable that is prolonging the recovery process (maybe something as simple as hyper-extending during yoga classes?) and move on with an active life.  I don’t want my running journey to end here!

Team Road Killers Conquers Ragnar Northwest Passage

Last year, I ventured into the great unknown of a Ragnar overnight running relay race for the first time.  I discovered what it was like to cover 200 miles of road on a team of 12 and share the adrenaline rush, pain, joy, and stench of the experience with 5 van mates.  I felt the camaraderie of being on a relay team; I learned lots about Ragnar traditions and customs; I met some really cool people; I saw some gorgeous scenery; and I had a blast.  I was ready to do it again!

Ragnar Northwest Passage 2014 was equally enjoyable.  There were a few bumps along the way, but it still turned out to be an epic experience.   Our team was the Road Killers, which consisted of six new friends from California in van one and the following folks in our van: me, Adam, Sergio, Rachel J, Luis, and Issac.  We ‘killed’ it on the course!

Prior to the start of the race, I was a bit nervous.  I became a captain of our team and had the extra responsibility of organizing, coordinating, and rallying the troops.  My tendonitis was still flaring up in my lower left hamstring, and my IT Bands were as tight and inflamed as can be.  I stretched, rolled out, did PT exercises as much as I could, and felt skeptical.  But I didn’t want to miss out on this much-anticipated event! 

Yet, once the race started, things fell into place.  I completed my 18.6 [hilly] miles with much less pain than I’d envisioned, and things [almost] went off without a hitch!  There was one botched exchange, though, during which the other van somehow went to the site for exchange 18 instead of the correct site of exchange 12.  When Issac (our last runner) arrived to ceremoniously slap the slap-wrap “baton” onto the next runner, our fellow Road Killers were nowhere to be found.  But, after some deliberation, he ran a few extra miles and met them later down the course.  We took it all in stride.

Here are some photos from the Road Killers’ Ragnar Northwest Passage experience 2014:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pictures feature: van 2 group carbo-loading the night before the race, van decorations, me taking off for the first time-- starting off the race for van 2, several exchanges, views of nighttime running, Deception Pass, Issac bringing it home for the team, and our photo finish.  Can’t you just tell how fun and beautiful it was?!

It took us 28 hours, 47 minutes, 10 seconds to complete the course.  We ended in 115th place out of the 455 teams that finished the entire race.  But we should get first place for having the most spirit!

My left hamstring is still not back to normal, and I’ve accepted the reality that I should not run until it’s fully healed.  (I know, I know!  I keep saying it and fail to follow my own advice.  But I really am taking a break this time).  I think that this may be just around the corner-- hooray!  I look forward to more running adventures… although I'll wait to take part in another overnight race until year!

Healing, Pacing, and Lamenting

Recovery time after the Vancouver [Half] Marathon has been longer than expected, and I have to admit I’ve grown impatient with my body (namely, my left leg) as it learns how to work properly again.  I’ve woken up many nights due to pain in my lower hamstring, and I’ve tried to focus all of my previous commitment to/ excitement about running to other endeavors (like yoga, swimming, strengthening exercises, and foam rolling)… But I still feel like I’m missing out!

In an effort to protect my leg, I decided not to run the Shore Run 10K and opted to walk the 5K with my aunt instead.  Cheryl and I had a lovely time as we walked the course at a brisk pace, and it was a great reminder that it’s OK to be slower.  Photos below demonstrate our grand adventure.  You will notice in the very granular, poor quality ones (if you can see them well enough) that I hammed it up for the official race photos—including a heel-click and dramatic finish with Cheryl, hand in hand.

 

However, when given the chance to serve as a pacer for the Seattle Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon (LINK here), I decided it was an opportunity that I did not want to pass up.  I would only have to pace half of the marathon (starting at mile 12 to get a feel for the pace and then taking over at mile 13), and it was at a much slower pace than any of my previous half-marathons—including the very first one I ever completed in October 2012.  Therefore, I convinced myself that it would be easy.

My experience proved otherwise!  It was a beautiful day in Seattle, and I greatly enjoyed cheering on other runners, keeping a consistent pace, and taking in the excitement of the event.  I felt great…  until about mile 24 (mile 12 for me)!  My leg hurt, and I was suddenly was suppressing the urge to vomit.   (Perhaps this was due to the fact that it was a hot Seattle day, and in an attempt to model good hydration habits for all runners, I had made an effort to drink sports drinks at every water stop—maybe causing my stomach to overflow with Gatorade???).  I handed the sign to my co-pacer, ran off course, and had a nice little throw-up session by myself.

I was conveniently right near my downtown office and was VERY tempted to give-up and head inside for some recovery… But I decided I needed to finish!  I started running again; eventually, I could see my pacing group up ahead of me.  I got closer and closer to catching them, but ultimately finished behind them.  As defeated and crummy as I felt, I was happy to have made it to the finish line.  Here are some photos of the event:

 

 

I am now preparing for a much-anticipated Ragnar Pacific Northwest Relay Race that starts tomorrow.  I’ve stayed off my leg as much as possible; I'm prepared to take it easy on each of my runs.  I even emailed my teammates to let them know that I’ll probably be far from 100%.  I hope that it will be a more pleasant experience than the pacing gig.  I have another appointment with my Sports Medicine Doctor next week, and I’m optimistic that this leg will be able to run happy once again at some point in the near future!  In the meantime, I will appreciate the gift of learning patience this experience has granted me.

Vancouver (Non)Marathon

My BMO Vancouver Marathon experience was a lesson in letting go.  I held on tightly to so many hopes, goals, and expectations for the run.  I'd been very dedicated to a rigorous training plan and had already completed the most difficult requirements (including 2 20-mile runs).  I looked forward to the marathon with optimistic excitement and envisioned a race that would improve on my Portland performance.  But I soon had to accept that it wasn’t meant to be.  I had to let go of the Vancouver Marathon that I’d visualized and come to terms with the Vancouver Marathon of reality.
 



I bought so many different braces, bands,
and wraps-- hoping that they could work miracles
in the short time before the race.

Three weeks before the race, things started to go awry.  I’d completed a very hilly 20-mile run on a Saturday and set out to complete a simple 3-mile run a few days later.  Just 1.5 miles into this short run, my IT Bands were so painful on the outside of my knees that I had to stop.  I rested and stretched for a full week before running again, but then everything seemed to be out of whack!  My IT bands still hurt, and I had pain in my shins, left hamstring, above my left knee. 

I desperately searched for a solution as the marathon date approached.  I got a 1.5-hour sports massage (which helped the IT bands but didn't fully solve my problems); I saw a drop-in physical therapist (who noted lots of swelling on the side of my left knee); I attended several yoga classes; I followed YouTube videos about how to heal all of my miscellaneous leg injuries; I iced and took Ibuprofen incessantly; and I rolled my legs out on the foam roller multiple times per day. But, as difficult as it was for me to admit, my legs were rebelling… and there was nothing I could do about it!  26.2 miles of pain would not be a pleasant experience.  I held out until the day before the race, when I switched to the half-marathon at the expo.  I knew that it was the right decision, but I was still quite disappointed nonetheless.

 

Here, Issac, Luis, and I pose at the end of the
race.  We had difficulty reconnecting with
everyone in the huge crowds at the finish line,
 and we were freezing and absolutely drenched.  I also
was hobbling about and couldn't keep my teeth
from chattering.  Not a shining moment for me!
 

Race day was cold and rainy (although not nearly as bad as the miserable Nookachamps race).  I had taped up my legs to help them through the 13.1 miles, and (remarkably) they didn’t start hurting until several miles into the run.  I was proud that I didn’t walk at all (yet didn't over-exert myself TOO much), and my stats were as follows: time= 1:51:52; place out of all females= 651 out of 6,112; and place in age/gender category= 145 out of 1,069.  It certainly wasn’t the pinnacle of my running career, but it could have been a lot worse.



Vancouver is a fun city, and we got to do a bit of exploring
during our time there.  This photo captures one of the few
moments when it was not raining.

We had a great time in Vancouver (with my aunts as spectators and several friends along to run or support the race), but I was limping and very uncomfortable (in my left leg) after the race had taken place.  I used the hotel’s hot tub to soothe my aching muscles and vowed to start a new recovery regimen.


Since our return to the USA, I’ve been fully committed to getting better.  I am cross-training; I’m attending lots of yoga classes; I’m seeing a Sports Medicine Doctor (who is most concerned about my hamstring, which may have not ever fully recovered from my original injury oh-so-long-ago!); I’m working on strengthening muscles in my glutes, core, and hips; and I’m taking a break from running.
I am hopeful that I’ll be back to normal soon.  I still plan on completing a 10K run in June and serving as a pacer in the Seattle Rock ‘N Roll Marathon on June 21st, but I’ll take it easy as I get there. 

This experience has taught me a lot about the body’s need for balance, and I am now more cautious about avoiding overuse injuries.  Perhaps another full marathon will be in my future, but I will try to be grounded and prudent as I get there.



One more half-marathon medal to add to the collection!  It
is my seventh one.