Ending the Streak on a High Note

My 2nd run streak (112 days!!!) officially came to an end on Sunday, following Saturday's amazing 7 hour 26.5 mile run up and down the Southern California coast between Pacific Palisades and El Segundo (and back!) with an incredible group of women training for their very first marathon. The decision to end the streak weighed heavy on me yesterday - but the need to recover from what turned out to be the longest run (from a total time perspective and almost in total distance) I've had in my running career thus far, weighed even heavier. This streak began on Memorial Day as part of the Runner's World 2013 Summer Challenge but instead of ending on 4th of July, I challenged myself to make it longer than 50 days, then 100 days, then the "#RunTillFall" challenge came around....   I was really trying to continue the streak through the first day of Fall on 9/22.  But alas, I ended it a week earlier. I recently posted a blog on The Art of Streaking.  One of the major points I made in that post had to do with knowing when to say when. Specifically, "be willing to end it at any time". I knew the hardest part about this streak would be deciding when to stop. I wanted it to be a decision not a 'must' because of an injury. The streak was meant to keep my love for running alive - to get into the habit of doing it every single day....for a finite period of time. Surely I would get a sign from something or someone - and I needed to stay open to that idea so I didn't miss it and wind up hurt for days, weeks or even months because I just HAD to run 1 silly mile on a day when I knew my body wasn't up for it.

Saturday marked the last long run for our remaining Galloway group marathon members - 26 miles! I know what you're going to say: "Why do you ask beginners to run 26 miles before race day? Isn't 20 miles the 'normal' last long distance run before a marathon?"  In short, yes, 20 miles is typically the longest run most beginners will do before tapering 2-3 weeks prior to race day. In the Galloway programs, we have members run 17, 20, 23 and 26 miles, with 3 weeks of recovery (via 6-7 milers) between each of these distances. I know it seems like a lot to ask but with ample recovery time between the long runs, we see tremendous growth in our runners' confidence levels.

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The experience they gain on these days (physical, mental, nutritional) goes such a long way on race day. At first, there is apprehension and uncertainty - and by the end of the 26 mile training run, there is joy, confidence and excitement about race day!!  I am so very proud of 3 women who have hung on through this 30 week training program - including one of our amazing pace group leaders who not a year ago said to me "marathon? me? no way." She finished her longest distance ever with us on Saturday, all while supporting another beginner marathon along the way - imagine THAT!

Since we were doing an out-n-back on the Marvin Braude Bike Trail, I gave our group the option of running the full marathon distance by adding 0.2 miles to the planned 26. That was met with a resounding Yes! In the

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end, we ran even further than that - 26.48 miles total. Lots of crowd weaving on the way back as the Venice Boardwalk and Santa Monica pier pathways were filled with people, many of whom were likely enjoying the foggy, misty cloud-covered day, escaping the 95+ degree valley heat that day. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect running day. The sun came out in the early morning hours, perfect for lighting our early start. As soon as we turned around in El Segundo, the fog we'd seen off in the distance over the ocean rolled in and brought a heavy mist with it. Just what we needed for the last half of our run! We really did have an awesome morning and afternoon out there. Yes it took us 7 hours but we all finished with big smiles on our faces! Of course, we threw our shoes off and walked out in the cold ocean for a natural ice bath before heading home. What a day!!

I've thought about wearing different shoes when I know I'm going to be running much slower (in this case, more than 5 min/mile slower than my marathon race pace) because I don't think my Pearl Izumi Streaks are intended for a 7 hour run, no matter what the distance is. They have a comparatively low heel toe drop and because I have to change my gait to slow down and I'm walking a lot more (this is a 1 min run/1 min walk group), these long slow group runs can take their toll on my body. Specifically my hips, calves and lower back. I was pretty sore after sitting in the car for the 50 minute drive back home. I didn't do much for the rest of the afternoon or evening. Sleeping on Saturday night wasn't fun. Not only is it freaking hot around here, my body was becoming increasingly sore and even turning over in bed was difficult. By the time I rolled out of bed Sunday morning, I was pretty miserable. My lower back was going into random spasms. I couldn't push off from from toes on my right foot because of outer calf pain. All the while, I'm thinking to myself "I still have to keep the streak alive".... or do I?

Runner Confession Ahead: This might be a good time to add that I completely missed the 23 mile training run with this group because it fell the weekend before the Disneyland Half. Hubby and I split the distance between us that day - I ended up running the last 10.5 miles with them.  This means I ran 26.5 miles six weeks after running 20 miles (too long in between long runs!) and only 13 days after PRing at the Disneyland Half (1:47) - and I had been running every single day for 111 days leading up to this 26 miler. And I'm transitioning into the new Pearl Izumi EM Road M3 shoe which has only a 4mm heel toe drop. That's a pretty big difference from the 10mm drop in my Izumi Streaks and while the transition is going well,  I've been feeling it in my calves.

I couldn't get the streak out of my head all day Sunday. Should I? Shouldn't I? Just give it shot Vera. What if you start running and all your discomfort goes away?  What if it goes away for 1 mile but in the aftermath you're out with an injured back for a month? What if you can't run with your group for the first marathon? What if you can't run the NY marathon because you just HAD to run a mile today? It was those last 2 questions I was really focused on. All this training, all this time - I've been trying to get into NY for 4 years! Yes I could still show up to the Long Beach marathon and show my support for our Galloway members but that really isn't good enough for me. I want to be IN it with them - experiencing every mile.

Hubby was great about it of course. He watched me have this internal debate/mental implosion all day....even offering to take me out and help me get through the mile after the sun went down if that's what it would take to keep me going. A huge part of me was saying "just do it! you've got the support - just go!". But honestly, in the 112 days leading up that moment, there was NEVER a moment where I didn't want to run. On this day, I almost hated running. Not. Good. Still waiting for a sign Vera? THIS IS IT.

6 Days 'Till Disney!

I can't believe race day is so close now.... just 6 days until the Disneyland Half. This was my very first half marathon back in 2007 and I've run it every year since then. Historically, this has been a good course for me to PR on. I know it can be very crowded in the first few miles - this is especially true if you are starting in Corral D or later. But in my experience here, as long as you're in C or higher, you've got an awesome shot at PRing on this very flat and fun course!  For the first time, I was placed in Corral A which means we'll be crossing the Start very close to 5:30am - and done by 7:15; well before the sun is out in full force. Our weather has been heating up these last few days but if I believe the weather reports, we are looking at 80F tops on Sunday and maybe even seeing a little cloud cover. YES!!! Now if I can get the stars and the moon to align just right, we're 'all systems go' for a possible PR! :-)

To Do:  Freaking Chill Out!

Work stress has been over-riding my PR stress the last week. I don't know if that's necessarily a good thing but it's taken my mind off the PR pressure a little and maybe given me some perspective too. I'm taking the afternoon off on Friday to drive down to the Expo a day earlier than usual. I need a new runDisney hat since I lost my mine and since we usually wait until Saturday afternoon to pick up our packets & bibs, the good stuff is pretty much gone.  Hubby is going to drive down with me and we'll find a spot to have lunch in Downtown Disney, take in the sights and enjoy some people watching. Like I told him, I just want to go down there and relax in that environment before race day. Soak up the excitement but chill out and get ready to get my head in the game too. It's going to be an awesome weekend!

We have several members in our Galloway program training for the Long Beach Marathon and they had a 23 mile training run this past Saturday.Since hubby and I are both racing the DLand Half, we decided to split the miles up between us. He ran with the group for miles 1-12.5.  I met them at mile 10 with fluids and then again at mile 12.5 with more fluids and fuel. Hubby took the support vehicle home and I stayed with everyone through a very hot hot hot end to a very long long long run! I am happy to report though that everyone made it the entire distance and I couldn't be prouder! One more long run of 26 miles in a few weeks and they'll start their taper. Exciting!!!

During this 10.5 miles, I tested out a new pair of Pearl Izumi's: the EM ROAD M3.  Now granted, I was running about 4-5 min/mile slower than when I run on my own but it was still a good test distance. It seems like PI has stopped making the Streak available and this new Project E Motion series is their next big line. I have such fantastic luck with PI shoes that I knew I had to try them.  The run went really well and my initial impressions are nothing short of positive and optimistic. I'll post a review once I get about 100 miles on them. That seems to be the mileage when my body tells me to accept or reject a new model via strange aches and pains or bruising. I did get a raw spot on the base of my big toe on my left foot but that might have been the result of a) running a long-ish run in brand new shoes and/or b) compromised foot fall or form from running/walking much slower than usual.

On Sunday, I noticed my calves were a little sore and that is definitely not normal for me, especially after a slow 10 miles.  When I checked the PI website, I found the culprit: this shoe only has a 4mm heel drop compared my PI Streaks which have a 10mm heel drop. I'm so glad to know this early on so I can be careful about how I transition into this new model. I don't want to blow out my achilles or cause other issues by trying to run too far or too fast or too often in these low heel drop shoes before my body is ready for it. I have learned this transition lesson a few times in my running career: Proceed with caution!!!

When Speed, Distance and Cauliflower Collide

You know that week on your training schedule that you look at weeks or months ahead of time and think "how am I going to be able to do that"? That was last week for me. The final week of my peak training cycle before tapering for the Disneyland Half.  In addition to keeping the run streak alive, I had my last true speed work session and a long run planned.  Over the last 2 months, I've been building on my 800's. Starting with 6 x 800 in June, adding 2 additional repeats every couple of weeks until the max 12 x 800 session scheduled for last Thursday.

I realized just how tired my legs were after nearly falling on my face 2 or 3 times on the 9 mile, 2000 ft ascent trail run I brilliantly concluded would be a great addition to my last big training week of the summer. Instead of kicking off the week feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the week, I barely eeked out 1 mile on Monday (the big trail run had been on Sunday). Tuesday was a little better: I managed to hold a 9:30 pace for an hour. I tried to stick to my plan of running 5 miles on Wednesday but cut it short at 3 miles. My hips were still pretty tight and my quads weren't feeling as light and loose as I'd hoped the day before the 800's!

I was super anxious about the speed work. The 10 x 800 workout was very difficult.With a 1:44:30 time goal (7:48 pace) for the Disneyland Half, I have been running my 800's in 3:45 (7:30 pace). My brain tried to convince me to quit after the first 4. "You'll never make it to 10". But I did make it even though I thought I might fly off the back of the treadmill near the end. But that didn't happen. I also didn't puke or die which
were on my list of things to fear about this workout too.  So when I stepped onto that 'mill last Thursday, I was ready for anything. Come on Brain, bring it. I've got an arsenal of mental tricks ready for the counter-attack. As it turns out, I didn't really need those tricks. The first 4 went by pretty quickly. Before I knew it, I only had 4 left. Something new I've found about myself through this challenging speed work, I grunt when I'm pushing really hard for an extended period of time. Loudly. And my internal Coach voice makes herself externally audible as well. "Come on Vera!" "Push!"  It's always a good sign when you can still talk during the workout, right? Anyway, I was happy when the workout was over and proud too. Not only was it the hardest speed work I'd ever done, it also marked the highest mileage I've ever done before work - 10.75 mi!

I had planned on taking Friday as another rest day (ie. "only" 1 mile for the streak) but when hubby asked if I wanted to run with him Friday night after seeing the new Wolverine movie, how could I say no? While I enjoyed the time with him immensely, it was the longest 3 miles of my life. My inner thighs were sooo fatigued. I couldn't believe how little energy my legs had in general. With 15 miles on the schedule for Saturday, I decided after that Friday night run to cut the Saturday long run back to 12 miles. Boy was I glad I did. The final few miles on Saturday were pretty tough. Thank goodness I was running with some of our Galloway program members who carried me through the distance! Now I can focus on some shorter distances, one more day on the trail, one more 11.5 miler with our group on Saturday and then I coast into race day on 9/1. I'm ready (almost)!

On the cooking front, I tried out some new recipes last night. I had planned on making Lentil Walnut burgers out of Dreena Burton's Let Them Eat Vegan cookbook but had to make a few substitutions when I realized I had no lentils.  In lieu of lentils, I added mushrooms and 3/4 of a Gala apple. I also added about 1/4 c. more rolled oats than the recipe called for. Mushrooms are such a great meat alternative. They add just the right amount of texture and density to meatless burgers. I added the apple on a whim because I thought the sweetness would accompany the real star of our meal last night: Hot Cauliflower "Wings". I had been wanting to try a similar recipe that my sister sent to me a few months back but put it off when I saw that the cauliflower had to be deep-fried in oil.

The recipe I used from Evolve Vegan used a 2-step baking process and it was very easy to do!  The one caveat I'll throw in here is the Wing sauce I used. Hubby and I made a trip to Whole Foods earlier than day (if I'd only known I was out of lentils!) and were unable to find a vegan option for wing sauce. The only Wing Time sauces they had included a little Parmesan. As hubby pointed out, there's probably not a big market for vegan wing sauce considering wings are from animals! D'oh! I guess I'm on the hunt for a vegan wing sauce recipe now - or maybe I'll just make one up. In any case, these cauliflower "wings" are THE BOMB. You must make them today. Right now even. Seriously.

The meal turned out fantastic and sooooo delicious. We topped our mushroom/walnut/apple burgers with a piece of Daiya swiss cheese and a couple of slices of an heirloom tomato.  Of course, we couldn't forget the Ranch dressing for our "wings" ! I made this vegan & raw-friendly version. And yes, it tastes exactly like Ranch dressing.

Happy Meatless Monday!

Winning!

Last night, while I was cooking dinner, I participated in a FitFluential #BeAmazing Twitter chat that was sponsored by Women's Running Series. Over the course of 1 hour, readers/Tweeters were encouraged to respond to 10 questions. As a result of my participation, I won a free entry to any 2013/2014 Women's Running Series events!! WOO HOO!! :-D  I chose the February Half Marathon in San Diego because it is the closest to me geographically.

What was I cooking? A stir fry with these delicious morsels:  http://www.traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/article.asp?article_id=381 and a little brown rice, fresh bok choy and a purple bell pepper right out of my weekly CSA box. Tuesday is our weekly pick up day. YUM!

On the subject of our local CSA program..... I was interviewed on camera yesterday by the coordinator when I arrived to pick up our box. Underwood Farms is putting together a little documentary/promotional video for their CSA program and I wanted to show my support! After all, I did switch to this program after a disappointing trial period with Farm Fresh to You. Not only is the produce fresher with Underwood, it is truly supporting a LOCAL farming program. One of the farms I visit is quite literally a 15 minute drive from my house. Yes, Farm Fresh to You delivered to our doorstep but I'm so much happier with the variety and quality from Underwood that I think I can handle driving less than a mile to the home where our local pick up location is! I'm not very comfortable being on camera and I almost bailed out of it completely but I'm so glad I did it. If I have a way of posting the final video here when it's released, I will!

In other cooking news, I also participated in my very first Google Hangout last night. This is a once a week, 30 minute "hangout" for the Vegan Mainstream Cookbook Club community. It was awesome! I'm so excited to learn and share recipes with other home cooks. There are also professionals spotlighted and in attendance each week. Next Tuesday, Dreena Burton, will be the guest chef. I really love her cookbook "Let Them Eat Vegan". This week's Hangout was a Kick Off session. Only the 2 moderators were on camera. The remaining 300+ community members in attendance communicated via live chat by posting comments. The theme for the month is Fresh Herbs and for this week, every one is sharing their favorite smoothie recipe. Some chefs include herbs like rosemary and basil in their smoothies. Sounds delicious! I can't wait to try some new recipes this week!

My legs have been feeling pretty trashed this week and I've been frustrated with the slow recovery from our 20-miler last Saturday. Rather than try to run for a 3rd day in a row today (aside from 1-mile to keep the run streak going of course!), I tried a new online spinning workout from Spark People. One of my Dailymile friends turned me on to the site. I bought a spin bike about 18 months ago and while I like to jump on and do my own thing, I find that with activities other than running, I like to be a Follower! It seems more motivating to me. Does anyone else experience this too? Anyway, I tried the 25 minute "Stationary Biking Intervals" for beginners. The intermediate and advanced programs are similar in structure, but higher in intensity and longer in duration. Let me tell you, sweat was dripping off my face like a running water faucet  after the first 10 minutes. I loved every second. I followed it up with 40 push-ups and was ready to start my work day! I'd really like to fit in 2 of these sessions every week. I think it will be easier to motivate myself to do it now that I have some help with the workout structure from Spark People. Cool!!

Happy Cooking, Happy Training, Happy Life!
Vera :-)

The Art of Streaking

Today was Day 72 of my summer run streak - a continuation of the Runner's World 2013 Summer Run Streak.  I'd seen lots of other runners on Dailymile and Twitter participating in run streaks but it wasn't until Thanksgiving of last year that I tried it out for myself. [Hmmm. Something just occurred to me. I obviously like to kick off new lifestyle habits around Thanksgiving. I went vegetarian the day after Thanksgiving in 2011.]  The Runner's World Holiday Run Streak challenges athletes everywhere to run at least 1 mile every day between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. I completed the challenge and actually hung on a few extra days, ending on Day 50 with an almost midnight run in Orlando, FL the night we arrived at our hotel in Disney World, 2 days before we started Goofy's Challenge. I didn't have any expectations or goals with the streak other than to listen to my body and give myself the flexibility to stop whenever it seemed "right". It happened on Day 50 the last time. I'm hoping to make it to at least 100 days this time around.

The first sign my current streak was in jeopardy came yesterday in the first half mile of a planned "easy 3-5 miles". We headed out to the beach with some of our Galloway marathon training members the day before (Saturday). It was a very slow 20 miles as I was running with our 1 min run/1 min walk group. It's a lot more walking than my body is used to and our overall pace was about 4.5 minutes/mile slower than my personal LSD pace. Runners often ask me how I can run so much slower for such a long time - and my answer is simple: these training runs aren't about me, they are for our members! My focus is their journey and their success. My role is one of support and motivation (ie. leave your ego in the car!!).  A few of us cooled our legs and feet off in the cold Pacific Ocean afterwards. That feels SO incredibly good after a long run! I was tired, like anyone would be who covered 20 miles in 5 hours on their own two feet. A little lower back pain, a creaky IT band and some general stiffness but nothing alarming.

I didn't rush to jump on the treadmill for the easy 3-5 miles Sunday morning. I slept in past 5:30 (woo hoo!), had my coffee and cruised the Internet for a while. The stiffness was subsiding but running for 30+ minutes wasn't sounding like such a great idea. Just get on the TM and see how the first mile goes - that's the whole point of this streaking thing, isn't it? - I told myself. I walked for about 2 minutes and bumped my pace up to 5.5mph. I took the incline down to 0.0% (from my normal 1%) because it felt instantly tiring to be on any kind of incline. I stayed mentally flexible with the plan and decided to try walking for 30-45 seconds after every 0.25 miles run. After about 0.5 mile, my left hip joint started aching. Almost like I could feel the inflammation of tendons or ligaments. I slowed down my walking speed so I wasn't talking big steps that would over-stretch my hips. I hit STOP as soon as I made it to 1 mile. I know better than to push it (and sometimes I even know when to listen to myself!).

I had some fleeting thoughts I could run for an hour this morning since I "lost" a couple of miles yesterday, but thought better of it and held myself to a relaxed 4 miler at a 10 min/mile pace. I'm coming off 2 40-mile weeks in a row, not to mention I've been running a series of 800's for the last 5-6 weeks in preparation for a PR attempt at the Disneyland Half Marathon on 9/1/13. I was ready to pull the plug on the streak today if my run today was uncomfortable but alas, it was pain free and I actually wanted to keep going! I may push for a tempo pace on Wednesday but I'll play it by ear.

Is Streaking Right For You?
There is a delicate balance between keeping a run-streak going and training hard for a race. My advice is to WAIT to try your first streak until:

1) you have been running consistently for 4-5 days/week for at least 6 months;
2) run "only" 1 mile on every 3rd or 4th day
3) you know how your body reacts to over training;
4) you are willing to end the streak at any time.

A couple of thoughts I remind myself in the middle of a streak: No streak is worth an injury or missing a race goal over. The best thing about a run streak is that you can always start over or set a new streak goal. After all, it's YOUR streak and YOUR goals!

Happy Streaking!
Vera :-)

The May Round Up

Here am I again this year - going over a month without posting! I did the best I could with the WEGO Health Activist's Writer's Challenge to write everyday in April, hoping that would kick me back into blogging more often but alas......  With a new Galloway 10K Training Program ongoing and my Ultra training, I haven't made the time to write; and I miss it terribly.

My next personal race is Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, MN (touted as being the 13th largest marathon in the U.S.), coming up in just 2 weeks. After posting my first DNF at this race last year, falling out at between miles 22-23 from cramps and a weak heartbeat, I am definitely feeling some anxiety; despite having completed 2 marathons since that time - one of which was the very challenging 2011 Nike Women's Marathon through the hilly streets of San Francisco. Grandma's is a flat, fast course. Both Kara Goucher and Abdi Abdirahman are participating in the Half marathon (officially titled The Gary Bjorklund Half) as this race is also where the USA Half Marathon Championships are taking place this year (click here to read the press release). I hope we catch a glimpse of them, but with the Half and Full marathoners starting in different locations at different times, our chances are pretty slim. It will be fun for me to know that I'll be running those final 13.1 miles on the same course that the Half Marathon Championship racers ran on earlier in the day though! Hubby and I can't wait to get out to MN since we'll be spending that time with our BFFs who live there - and also run. :-)

I'm doing my best to work with my race anxiety. I visualize myself being completely relaxed, not going for a PR but with a goal to finish, as crossing the finish line this year will be such a significant mental victory. Another way I'm dealing with feelings of internal pressure and anxiety is to remember that this race is just a training run for me (I'm running my first Ultra on Aug 4th). I'll be running most if at my LSD pace, picking it up in the end, only if I'm feeling extremely strong around mile 22. I typically struggle emotionally between 22-23, and this is the time where the coach in my head is the loudest, pushing me to keep going; reminding me how strong I am.  I had a 24-miler scheduled for last weekend, but I was having motivation issues (likely fueled by my race anxiety and jet lag after spending 3 days in OH late in the week for work - which meant a 3 hour time difference for me). With just 2 weeks to go, tomorrow is the day -  then I can go into my taper, relax and have fun with my Galloway club!

Back to the Nike Women's Marathon - our group was lucky enough to be chosen from the lottery again this year!!  I'm thrilled that my sister-in-law, a couple of my pace group leaders and one of our Galloway club members registered with our group code too. What an awesome experience it's going to be - and completely different from last year since I won't be running alone. I'll be running alongside one of my group leaders as she's a bit apprehensive about those SF hills. I have no doubt that we will all finish and be sporting our new Tiffany necklaces within minutes of crossing that Finish line!



In other fun news, I recently attended a Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) coaching certification course in Vegas. We had 30 days to take the online exam after we returned home. I admittedly delayed taking the exam after hearing about several class members who were failing with scores below 70%. I studied and studied, reading the course book again, the supplemental material, practicing use of the pace charts, etc. The RRCA has a little higher standard for passing the exam with a minimum score of 80%. I'm so very excited to announce that I passed on my first try! My last step is to complete a First Aid/CPR course (hubby and I are signed up for a class tomorrow). Once I submit the cards, I'll receive my official certification in the mail and I'm ready for business! I am definitely ready to coach non-run/walkers. I understand that the run/walk method is not for everyone. With both my education and experience, the transition to being an "all running" coach seems natural. I will not however, for ethical reasons, be individually training Galloway members on the side if they are currently enrolled in that program. These training methods are completely different and I stand behind both Jeff's training methodology and that of my own, based on the RRCA guidelines.  Different styles, different types of runners.... I'm excited to start this new chapter in my running career!

I've been reading Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons by Byron Powell. What an amazing resource this highly recommended book is. I'll be posting a review of it, hopefully before the ET 51K race in August.  I know that finishing this race is going to give me an even greater boost of confidence - and I'm going to need it with my first Goofy's Challenge coming up in January 2013.

I think that about covers my running life for the past month or so!

Vera :-)

Taking the Long Way Home and a Cirque World Premier Partaaaay!

Well, I did it. The last long run before the Nike Women's Marathon is behind me. I mapped out a 22 mile route but ended up going a little over 24 because I was daydreaming about what a great time I was having and missed a critical turn to get out of the hills. Oops.

Here is the elevation profile from my long run. I was sure to get plenty of hill work in and I was able to maintain my goal pace of 11:30 min/mile. Even more exciting is that I ran the entire distance in my PI Streak II's! I can't wait to share my review of these shoes!

I was careful to time my fuel intake, and I think I've finally got a good combination of different carb sources that won't upset my GI tract: Roctane, Clif Shot Blocks, 2nd Surge and Power Gel. I am going to back off more during this taper period than I did for Grandma's by cutting my mileage and slowing down. My only goal for this race is to have a great time and take lots of pictures along the way - and of course the icing on the cake - to see hubby waiting for me at the finish line!

Later on this day, hubby and I drove into Hollywood for the World Premier of the new Cirque Du Soleil show, IRIS, at the Kodak Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. Hubs works for the Operations department so we were invited to the World Premier event and after party! The celebs saw the 5pm show and the cast, crew and their family members saw the 9pm show (well, some of the cast and crew weren't in the audience since they still had a show to put on). :-)  It is phenomenal.

Any time Hollywood Blvd is shut down for several days, you know something big is happening in the Entertainment world.  This is the same place where the Academy Awards are held every year.  Here are a few shots of the construction of this massive tent for the after party. Hubby's brother was part of the art design construction crew.

The Set Up:

The After Party!

Proof you can run an LSD and wear 3 inch heels on the same day

Our DJ for the night. Super cool lasers controlled the trax.

No celebration is complete without a little bubbly

This guy's a keeper.

We were also celebrating our 8th wedding anniversary! I love you baby! 

Thank you for a GREAT night - Hollywood style!

Marathon training, new gear and the Disneyland Half

Just 32 days until the Nike Women's Marathon. I'm so excited about this race I could just burst! I ran a hilly 18 miles on Sunday  (well, 14.66 technically with the remaining miles on the TM) and it went SUPER! A little negativity around the DNF crept in a couple of times, but honestly, I was having so much fun on such a perfect morning for a long run that I didn't give those thoughts any power over me what-so-ever.

After tackling this local route, I'm feeling ready for those San Francisco hills! My Garmin timer somehow was stopped around 5.5 miles and I missed about 1/2 a mile.  I decided to run the last 3.5 miles on the TM at home so I wasn't overdoing it with the hills. This was a lot of work in itself!

I recently purchased a Hydrapack and this was my first time using it. Isn't it super cute?! I wish I'd considered trying the whole 'backpack' thing before. No more heavy water belts, no more chaffing my forearms on the Nathan bottle tops (or leaking from the bottles) and best of all, no more hot spots on my hip bones and lower back. I swear I could bathe in Body Glide and still get raspberries with the water belts.

In other good news, I ran the entire distance in my new Pearl Izumi Streak II's. I think this might be my favorite shoe of all time. I had not run further than 5.5 miles in them prior to this long run so I was a little curious as to how my feet and my calves would feel after 18 miles of minimal support (minimal for me anyway).  The balls of my feet were a little sore at the end, but nothing significant. My last long run will be a 22-miler on the 24th of this month. This is about the point where I dropped out of Grandma's and it's really important to me (emotionally) to get to that distance again BEFORE I hit it again on the marathon course.  All those San Francisco hills will be challenging enough!

I'll be ready to post full reviews on both the PI Streak II's and the Hydrapack after the marathon when I've got some good mileage and experience with both!  I was also just given a shiny new pair of Lunar Glide 3's to test. I can't WAIT to get some miles on these shoes! More so, I'm looking forward to a comparative review of the LG 2's with the the LG 3's. It's hard to believe I could love a Nike shoe more than I already love my LG 2's, but I'm ready to show some more love to the 3's if they treat me just as well. :-)

Nike Lunar Glide 3

Some of our Galloway group members and pace group leaders ran the 2011 Disneyland Half Marathon on September 4th. In the 5 years I've been running in this event, I have never had so much fun or been so relaxed during an event. I don't think I'll be trying to go for a PR on that course anymore after how much I enjoyed taking my time, laughing and dancing along the course with friends and stopping to take pics.....  It just doesn't get much better than that!

Several of us really got into the spirit of the event by dressing costume.

And of course hubby and I stopped by Jeff Galloway's booth at the Expo to tell him how much we were LOVING our program and thanking him for not only changing our lives, but the lives of each and every one of our members. He is a true class act and I am SO proud to be a part of his quest to make running fun and enjoyable for anyone!

 Happy Running!

Surprise - my DNF is knocking

I ran my first solo medium long run (since breaking my toe last month) on the TM this past Sunday. I planned to play my 10 in 100 game (10 miles in 100 minutes), keeping in mind that my toe not be ready for that distance at this speed yet. For the first 20 minutes or so, I listened to some new music I downloaded from iTunes. Then I switched to Smallville Season 3 for some added distraction.  I used 4:1 (running:walking) intervals instead of 3:1 since I was only doing 10 miles.

As I started getting closer to 8 miles on the TM,  I could tell my brain was trying to convince me to stop. "You're going to Six Flags later today and you're going to get injured. You can make up the miles in walking.   No, I need to run this 10 miles". My left IT band starts to ache. "Uh oh - you're coming back too fast - you should stop Vera". I check in with myself. Am I really in so much pain I have to stop? No way. The aching is not a stabbing pain or shooting  up and down my leg. The reflex brain has reared it's ugly head.

After taking 2 weeks off for the broken toe, I'm not surprised this is happening.  But then, all of the sudden, this thought went flashing through me - "You quit at the end Grandma's Marathon and now you've started a quitting pattern - so what, you're just going to make up a bunch of lame excuses to quit at the slightest bit of discomfort or tiredness? Maybe you can just keep being a quitter".

Whoa. Hold on a second here. Even though that thought was just a flash, it really hit me. This mental reaction I was having didn't have anything to do with my toe. I'm not over the DNF. After the experience and sharing it here on the blog and with running friends, some told me it took them a year or even longer to truly "get over it".  I have to work on this. The Nike Women's Marathon is coming up quick and THIS is what the elevation looks like. I calculated the grade for the mile between 6.25 and 7.25. It's about 6%.

I gained a little confidence yesterday with 50 minutes of hill work (1-6% incline) but where I need the most confidence right now is my ability to run these solo long runs and work through what I now realize is a mental block of sorts. I DON'T want this DNF looming over my head for the next year or even the next month.

I ran with our 2:1 interval Galloway group back on the 6th for our final long run before America's Finest City Half Marathon (coming up this Sunday!!). That was 14 miles, but I was pacing the group so my focus was not on myself. I'm definitely encouraged by the fact that I could go the distance, even though I did it with the distraction of others. I take that as a sign I AM capable of running longer distances without thoughts of the DNF.

I'm just blown away by the impact this has had.....

Break, Rebound, Streak!

It has been 2 weeks since I have been able to run (from a physical standpoint). As if the mental challenges from my DNF at Grandma's Marathon wasn't enough to deal with, I managed to break a toe just 1 day after the long run (13 miles on the TM) that kicked off my training for the Nike Women's Marathon.  Granted, I didn't know I had any lingering mental negativity around the DNF but I had definitely been taking a lot of time off from running. Writing the recap was therapeutic and I gave myself a month to let it all sink in, but about 10 or 11 miles into this 13-mile training run (my first solo long distance run since Grandma's), I was questioning both my abilities and my motivation. I was able to finish the run, but those thoughts and feelings that came flooding back in an instant definitely caught me off-guard. I'm no stranger to mental challenges. I don't know a runner who is!  Never-the-less, I knew I had a little mental work to do but at least I figured it out early. I didn't have another long run scheduled for 2 weeks and it was only 15 miles. I can get through this, I know I can!

The very next day (Monday 7/18), as I was rushing around a corner near our bed, I ever-so gracefully slammed my pinky toe into the box springs under our mattress. Hubby and I have been living in a small apartment since we had to bail on that shady short sale crap deal with the house we were trying to buy and our bed frame is too big for the master bedroom which is why the box springs are on the floor. Much to my surprise, the corners are made of Titanium-reinforced steel solid wood. BAM!! It hurt - a lot. I'm instantly my grabbing foot (very carefully), expletives are flying out of my mouth that a trucker would be impressed with and all I can remember thinking (or maybe I was saying it out loud) - "OMG this hurts so bad, OMG this hurts so bad". Soon after, the initial shock of the pain is subsiding, but by the looks of my toe and my foot, I'm starting to consider the fact that my toe is possibly broken but it's way too early to tell. I grab a bag of ice, elevate my foot and finish out my work day.

By the end of the day, most of my smaller toes and the top half of my foot are very swollen. The top right side of my foot has turned into various shades of purple and blue. I thought about going to Urgent Care but it was after work hours and I knew both Urgent Care and the ER would be packed. I'd rather lay in bed with my foot icing and elevated and take 1/2 a Vicodin than be miserable waiting for hours to be seen. Not to mention I know there is nothing that can be done for a broken toe except tape the broken toe to the toe next to it, rest, ice, elevate and take pain meds if necessary.  I decided to wait until Tuesday morning to see if maybe this was just a sprain and hoped the pain and the swelling would be down considerably.

Needless to say, after a somewhat uncomfortable night, I drove myself to the ER first thing Tuesday morning.  There was no one in the waiting room. The triage nurse brings me into her station and takes all my vitals.  The ER Dr comes in, looks at my toe and says "it's probably broken but you know I can't really do anything about it, right?". Uh, yeah - but isn't this a hospital where you help injured and sick people? He calls for an XRay tech just to confirm the break. In the meantime, I'm wondering why the nurse has a strange look on her face as she is re-checking my BP for the third time. Instead of asking her, I just whipped the machine right around so I could read the digital face. 172/102. Got pain?!?! Holy crap. I'm going to have a stroke before they confirm I have a break in a tiny little bone in my toe. Sheesh! Then the nurse has to tell me the first reading was a lot higher. Okay thanks - I know how much pain I'm in. Let's move on so I can go home!

The break is confirmed via X-rays- it's in the tiny bone at the tip of my pinky toe. A hairline fracture that is maybe extending half the width of the bone. That's it? All this pain for THAT? Get outta here. Are you sure all the bones in my entire foot aren't shattered into tiny pieces?

The Dr comes back to see me and the first thing out of my mouth is "How long until I can start running again?". Dr: "Two weeks - minimum. Oh and here's this really cool and stylish awkward and ugly post op boot that may or may not help you, but other than give you more nasty drugs and a shitty taping job, this is the best we can do."  Awesome. I feel so much better now. :-(

I avoid taking Vicodin at all costs - I mean, I have to be in some serious pain before I'll put that crap in my body and that's after I've tried OTC's, including the super strength Ibuprofen prescriptions. I have a pretty high pain tolerance after living with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome since I was 15, but on this night I was overcome with how much pain I was in and was ready to do whatever it took to make it go away. I took not one, but TWO Vicodin pills (as prescribed by the Dr) as I crawled into bed, hoping I would just pass out and wake up in a land far, far away where pain didn't exist.  I made it to a land far, far away, but I wasn't anywhere near passing out. The "good news" is that I was so dizzy and nauseous from the Vicodin, I could barely move or feel any other sensations what-so-ever. Things just keep getting better and better.....

Eventually, hubby comes home and helps me get something in my stomach. Within 20-25 minutes I was feeling well enough to at least stand up and pretend like I was human. That was THE LAST TIME I take that shit again. I stopped taking it after I had knee surgery in high school. That's right - I stopped taking it as a teenager in the 80's - that's how much I hated how it made me feel.  I have taken it a few other times since then (as an adult within the last couple of years) - but only 1 pill in 1 day on maybe 4 or 5 occasions. I won't forget how much worse I felt after taking that drug relative to my pain level. I would have rather gutted out the pain than deal with the side effects of the drug. DONE!

Now for the fun and good news!  

I didn't let that toe stop me from enjoying 4 days at Comic Con International in San Diego just a few days later! I'll be posting a "Comic Con Review in Pics" blog later this week, but here's a sneak peak of a day in the life of hubs and I at SDCC this year:

REBOUNDING!
I have already run 3 times this week! Monday was 2 weeks on the nose so that was my Rebound day #1. I wore my Lunar Glide +2s since they have a pretty wide toe box. I took it nice and easy, using 1 min run/1 min walk intervals and limited myself to 30 minutes. I made it 2.4 miles with hardly any noticeable pain. I upped the ante a little on Tuesday, increasing my total time to 45 minutes using 2:1 intervals and increased the speed. I made it 4 miles and felt even better than the day before.

STREAK!!
I had planned to take a rest day today but then my Pearl Izumi Streak II's showed up on my doorstep just before lunch. How could I disrespect the shoe I've been waiting weeks for by leaving them unused in the box???

I managed to hold off for a couple of hours and then I just couldn't take it anymore. I loved the Isotransitions SO much and this shoe is similar but is marketed for longer distances. I ran just 1 mile on the TM and I LOVE LOVE LOVE them! I'm going to wear them again tomorrow for another 45 minute session. I can't wait to get more miles on them so I post a full review!

So there you have it..... broken, on the rebound and now I can finally Streak! Let the marathon training commence!