{No 26.2 miles or bourbon for me today}

Posted in Pregnancy Journal, Running Pregnant by sneaksandstilettos

Today I was going to run the Kentucky Derby Marathon. I signed up in February after starting a training plan and successfully running three long runs on weekends in a row. I finished 13 miles mid-February and felt amazing. I registered and booked my flight and hotel. I pinterest planned my weekend…hot air balloons Friday night, race Saturday, Opening Night at the Kentucky Derby and mint juleps Saturday night. Maybe check out Louisville Slugger or a bourbon sampling.

Later in February I started not feeling great. I was so tired all the time. I was feeling nauseous off and on throughout the day. I was gagging on green vegetables. Alcohol hadn’t sounded good in a while. In early March my milk supply started dropping. What was going on?

I said I swear I felt pregnant several times, but that couldn’t be. I knew there was a chance I could be since we were on the not trying, but not not trying plan. EXCEPT I had taken two pregnancy tests the month before and both were negative and I had my period. It wasn’t until this happened that I registered for 26.2.

Except…I was pregnant. The tests taken slightly early for my long cycle. The period actually a hemorrhage that showed up in an ultrasound in mid-March after two positive tests the week before. Everything is ok now!

I could have never said a word about my plan to run 26.2 today, but I was following my dream and still getting after my goals. Even though I have not been frequent in blogging or instagraming as of late, I’m still working hard on my dream to run a marathon in every state. I am just once again experiencing a delay.

I’m not upset about the delay at all. How can you be when it means another bundle of joy. I’m sure this will temporarily make my goal and dream a little more put off and for sure even more of a challenge, but babies are only little for a while. Having one has taught me that the first year goes by so fast. There will be challenges, but it is only for a blink of an eye in a lifetime that these unique challenges exist.

My favorite running shirt already!

I’m working hard to balance being a full time working, pregnant mom of a one-year-old who is also a baseball coaches wife. Fitting in runs and workouts now is near impossible with the husband gone so much. Caring for my son, home and everything else some days feels like a workout by itself.

I’m still planning on some spring and summer races depending on how things are going. I already feel so much better running this time around. So much less pressure and discomfort. Time will tell. I’m sure I will again be documenting the journey to a family of four. Sometimes I still can’t believe it!

Currently I’m recovering from a nasty cold and my first experience with pink eye. Wash those hands people!

Stay tuned!!

Sarah

6Apr2014

{Wisconsin Marathon Training-Week 14}

Posted in Wisconsin Marathon Training by sneaksandstilettos

After this past week’s training we have a month to go-four more weeks. It seems so close and the second guessing and doubt is starting to creep in. By now I know this is totally normal, but for first timers it is such a mix of emotions.

This week the foot is feeling awesome, but I’ve come down with a mother of a chest cold. Despite not feeling awesomesauce, I pushed through and ran some good mileage. Ryan, too. Weather temperatures were all over the place. There was rain, snow, sleet, freezing rain, and sunshine. There was wind and there was calm. We ran it all this week.

Yup…we’re at this spot!

Monday-5 miles

Today should have been a rest day for me since I ran 15 miles the day before (first run in 11 days) and I was sore! I am helping coach middle school track on Monday’s though and it was just too nice of a day. I ran a couple miles with the kids and ran a few more when I got home.

Thursday-5 mile

We were making our angry and sad faces at the cold and sleet and snow. I had to take a break half way through because I couldn’t stop coughing. This only caused more coughing, but I do believe it helps break up some chest congestion.

Saturday-6.7 miles (trail run with walk breaks)

The weather was great (50 degrees and sun) and I was anxious to hit the trails for the first time since the snow has started to melt. We headed to a nearby state forest to run some trails. I might have jumped the gun a bit as there was a fair amount of snow in places. The open spots were wet, muddy, and awesome. Smelling leaves and spring was so rejuvenating. There were plenty of walk breaks though because this chest cold gets me coughing and very out of breath.

Sunday-18 miles (Sarah) and 12 miles (Ryan)

Since easing back into my long runs after my foot injury Ryan and I are on different pages with our long runs and that is ok. Today’s run was ok. My chest is filled with junk so I cough regardless of whether I’m running or laying on the couch so I chose running. Plus it was too nice to sit inside (60!)

My legs felt strong and the foot good. I ate a GU at mile 5, a sweet juicy pear at mile 11, and another GU at mile 15 because I was hungry and felt I needed it. It feels great to be back! I have to say though the past few months have been rough between the hurt foot and the chest cold. Even though it feels great to be back, I’m not saying the runs themselves have been really great. Every run has felt challenging or frustrating since I hurt my foot in mid-February. Once this cold is gone, I’m expecting to fall hard for running again-in love that is!

Tip of the Week: If you are sick know when to sit out a few days and when to run. If you are running a fever I usually recommend taking the day off from running. No fever, means you can run! If you truly feel terrible, then a day off will help you bounce back faster. I felt like I had a bit of a low-grade fever mid-week and felt zapped for energy. Later in the week, I was starting to feel better but still had the lingering and annoying hack going. Since I knew I didn’t have a fever, I didn’t let a cough become an excuse to sit out again. Get lots of rest, drink lots of water, and eat good foods to help your recover or ward off sickness in the first place.

Total Weekly Miles: 28.7 miles (Ryan) and 34.7 miles (Sarah)

Happy Training!

13Nov2013

{State #14-Kansas} Pilgrim Pacer Marathon

Posted in 50 States, Race Reports by sneaksandstilettos

Saturday was the Pilgrim Pacer Marathon in Shawnee, Kansas. This race report starts very similar to others. We arrived later than expected Friday night due to road construction and a later than planned departure after work. I got to bed at 2:00 a.m., but did get to sleep a fair amount en route to Kansas thanks to my amazing support network aka the husband.

Upon arriving I was pleasently surprised by our hotel room. We always get rooms from Hotwire when staying out of town-ALWAYS. I usually love our rooms, and I love Hotwire for their great rates, reliable star ratings, and excellent customer service. Of the 26 hotels rooms, 5 car rentals, and 2 flights I’ve booked through the company I’ve only had one issue with a hotel room. They immediately refunded my purchase and helped find a new room. If there star ratings change after you’ve booked a room, then they offer you two choices- #1) Keep the room and get $25 towards a future room reservation through Hotwire or #2) Cancel your reservation with no consequences and rebook a room you want. This has only happened twice to me in the past few years.

This weekend was no exception except we got a lot more space than I’d anticipated for $125 total (both nights).

Trying to show the arm warmers.

After five hours of sleep, I was up and getting ready. I was hungry so I ate a granola bar I’d never eaten before (Broken Running Rule #1-Don’t eat new foods on race day). I got dressed for the warmer weather (highs in the 60’s) I was looking forward to. Because of the cool initial temps I wore Asics Arm Warmers I got for Christmas last year, but had never gotten to wear yet (Broken Running Rule #2-Don’t wear new race gear on race day). They turned out to be perfect for the change in temperatures during the race. Then I grabbed breakfast at our hotel (a bagel) and headed to the race without my water…oops (Broken Running Rule #3-Drink water/start hydrating before a race.)

When I got to the race everything was smooth sailing. Within 15 minutes I had picked up my packet, used the bathroom, and taken my extra gear back to the car. While in line I met someone originally from Wisconsin and chatted with runners about the challenging course. Soon it was time to take off.

Times 2! Out-back-out-back.

My goal for the race was to run near 9:00 minute miles and run under four hours. The first half of the race was good. I noticed in the first miles that this course was going to be much hillier than I’d anticipated. I knew I was in for it on the last miles.

mile 1-8:49

mile 2-8:44

mile 3-8:44

We then passed Shawnee Lake and continued on the trails. The entire race was ran on paved trails that connected Shawnee to Olathe, Kansas. The race was an out and back half marathon and an out and back x 2 marathon. I’d never ran a marathon route like this before, so I wasn’t sure what I’d think about it. I didn’t feel like water so I skipped a few water stations (Broken Running Rule #4-Drink before you feel thirsty.)

mile 4-8:56

mile 5-8:56

mile 6-8:44

The colors were in full blaze and the temperature was warming up. I was feeling really good at this point in the race. I reached the first turn around and had a mix of feelings-the exciting, it’s the turn around and the dreadful-I have to run back to this spot again.

mile 7-9:04

mile 8-8:31

mile 9-8:46

It was at this point in the race that I realized just how tired my legs felt from running a PR in a half marathon six days earlier (Broken Running Rule #5-Don’t race a PR before running another much longer race days later.) My legs hadn’t been sore or tired on my mid-week runs, but I hadn’t ran far either.

mile 10-8:44

mile 11-9:02

mile 12-9:17

The hills we ran down in the beginning were rough on the way back. I just couldn’t believe that I wasn’t done at the half marathon. I had to repeat this whole distance again! I really wanted to be done at the half marathon and actually let my mind go to that place of maybe I should short change myself and finish after 13.1 miles. Then I slapped myself mentally! You don’t drive to Kansas to quit. I must have been delirious or just a damn dummy. Ryan’s grandma, Evelyn, used to affectionately use this phrase often. You damn dummy!

mile 13-9:12

mile 14-8:32

mile 15-8:47

Miles 13-15 offered a shift in mentality. This race was full of highs and lows. These miles were highs as fans cheered really hard for marathoners since there were not a ton of us mixed in with half marathoners. Even fewer than marathoners, I learned, were female marathoners. The encouragement of fans saying “go marathoner”, “way to go lady”, “go #236”, “your the fifth female”, and just the extra excitement they gave to marathoners helped me push passed my mental struggles. On the second out and back so many half marathoners cheered for me that I couldn’t help but smile. I really needed it at that point, too. I saw the guy I met at the bathrooms who recognized me and began yelling, “go Wisconsin”. The running community is so supportive and kind!

mile 16-9:46

mile 17-9:07

mile 18-9:29

At this point in the race I was basically running alone. My mental state began to swing low again. I was also thirsty. I passed a water stop and only had one drink. Bad idea. (Broken Running Rule #Whocankeepcount) Then my mental state went waaaaayyyyy low. I had used my mental toughness up earlier this week PR’ing at the Rails to Trails Half Marathon. Yes, I believe it is hard to run challenging races back to back. The mental energy it takes to stay focused and on pace should never be underestimated. It can be freakin’ exhausting at times. I really struggled with this as evidenced by the rest of my mile splits. I just couldn’t get my mind to go to that mental place where I push through.

mile 19-10:19

mile 20-11:15

mile 21-9:13

At the second turn around of the full marathon I had three drinks. One gatorade, one water, and one ginger ale. I had never had ginger ale in my life (Broken Running Rule #7-Do not try new food or drinks on long runs/races), but learned I really like this stuff. I knew I was dehydrated at mile 18. I was starting to get dizzy and feel disorientated. All I could think about was being done running and guzzling a gallon of anything. It was warmer than I’d anticipated and I have only myself to blame. I did not drink enough fluids the day before or the day of. Going out Thursday night and having adult beverages until too late in the morning was not good pre-race preparation either. (Broken Running Rule #8, 9, and 10-Get a good nights sleep two nights before a race, drink extra fluids the days before, and avoid things that dehydrate you i.e. alcohol.)

mile 22-9:45

mile 23-10:15

mile 24-9:54

I knew I had to drink more fluids so at all the remaining water stops I had both a gatorade and a water. It helped and by mile 23 or 24 I started to at least think clearly again.

mile 25-10:35

mile 26-10:24

The last two miles were uphill. I hated them. I didn’t like running them one bit. I would not run them again with a fox (no matter what it says.) I would not run them in a box. I would not run them again for free socks. You get the point. This was a rough race for me and I have only myself to blame.

Considering I broke at least ten common sense running rules prior to and during this race it is a bit of a miracle that I finished. I didn’t reach my goal, but was content with my time considering it was way hillier than I thought it would be and that my last run over 13.something miles was the Big Cottonwood Marathon in September in Utah (and we all know how in shape I wasn’t for that race.) There were also only 34 female runners who ran the marathon compared to 90 guys.

The mixed emotions at the finish.

Nevertheless, I think the last paragraph sounds like a whole lot of excuses. It was a weird feeling at the finish line; I actually felt kind of stupid. Who did I think I was? What was I thinking breaking so many “running rules” and expecting to run decent on a challenging course. These were new and unexpected finish line emotions for me. In all honesty, I needed a challenging race like this. I needed a race like this to humble me and remind me of the beast the marathon is. You cannot outsmart the distance. I needed a little kick back to reality to remind me that you have to train, prepare, and get your body ready. No matter how many races you run, you are not too good for simple running common sense. I let myself get cocky and overly confident.

Consider myself humbled. I’ve learned my lesson until the next time. I look forward to my winter recovery and base milage building that will help me start spring training with a strong base. I look forward to actually training for a marathon again, instead of running them underprepared. Running the Pilgrim Pacer Marathon was the perfect wake up call I needed.

The actual race was well organized, beautiful, and challenging (which they said many places on their website). The medals were huge (size of a cd) and the shirts were super cool; a big part of why I picked this as my Kansas.

I also chose this race as my Kansas because it was close as possible to home and the time of the year worked well for my schedule. I was bummed to not get pumpkin pie or a mug like the website said, but in all honesty I didn’t really deserve those things after the performance I gave.

Enough of my self-pity. Humbled. Lesson learned. We all need races like this every now and then. It doesn’t mean we’ve failed; we just get to come back smarter, stronger, and better ready to face future challenges.

Pilgrim Pacer Marathon
Time: 4:06:38
Pace: 9:25
Overall: 32/120
Gender: 6/34
Age Group: 3/5