Not the best time to get sick.. or is it?

I'm pretty sure that everyone in my general area has been fighting off the same bug, or at least that's my scientific assumption based off all the data I've been gathering (i.e. reading whiny facebook statuses and watching my employees and co-workers drop like flies). Of course my instant reaction to anyone who mentioned being sick was to shoo them away and tell them that my precious pre-marathon body wanted nothing to do with their nasty sickness. I was feeling optimistic as I started the week with no signs of sickness and then the temperature dropped about 20 degrees and naturally all the little symptoms started showing up (and yes, I know that cold does not make people sick but drastic temperature changes ALWAYS make ME sick). 

So, I spent a day feeling run down and whiny and tried to go through my normal routine and of course I woke up the next day feeling 1000x worse. After a sick day, too many episodes of Gilmore Girls, two cans of soup and 13+ hours of sleep (thanks NyQuil) I was certain that I'd beat the bug and was ready for action. Yesterday I worked almost a whole day and attempted a 30 minute run, I thought "what can go wrong in 30 minutes?". Well, that answer is a lot. About a mile in I felt tired so I slowed down a bit, which was practically a shuffle because I was already moving pretty slow, and sure enough my shuffling feet caught an uneven curb and WHAM before I even realized what was happening I was rolling into the middle of street. I got up, shocked, and noticed my bloody hand + elbow and honestly couldn't help but laugh. Luckily I hadn't seriously injured myself but obviously I was not in the state to be running. I was already half way into my out-and-back run so I just turned around and shuffled home (being sure to pick up my feet along the way). Once I got home I realized the burning sensation coming from my shoulder was due to a nice large section of road rash and that my hip was already bruising from my roll. Oh Ashley, you are too clumsy to do ANYTHING when you aren't feeling 100%!

Just like the three nights prior, I settled into the couch for a big bowl of soup and healthy serving of Netflix.

I realize now that looks like a big bowl of broccoli & cheese, which would be delicious, but it's actually butternut squash soup (and TONS of broccoli).

Today I do honestly feel better, which I am relieved to say, and hope that since I've already succumbed to the mystery illness of mid-Ohio that I can make it to race day with no further sickness. I may try to redeem myself with another nice & easy run tonight, preferably without the fall. Tomorrow is my last remotely "long" run (6 miles) and then it's nothing but 30 minute jaunts from here on out. I'm getting excited/nervous/anxious/terrified/etc. and already beginning to obsess about every ache and pain I'm feeling. I'm also reading any marathon advice I can get my hands out- what to eat & drink throughout this week, how much exercise to do other than running (I hope to squeeze in some yoga and core work, but probably not much else) and I'm asking every runner I know for wise words. I can't believe I'm into single digits on my countdown!

So- weigh in! I love the advice I've received from you all so far and would appreciate more. What kind of things should I pay attention to this week? 

Last long run = DONE

This weekend I tackled my last double digit run until the marathon and I'm so glad that it's behind me! I know that people tend to complain about the taper but I'm welcoming it with open arms- I'm mostly looking at 30-45 minute runs and one six miler over the next two weeks and that sounds glorious right about now.

Per the advice of all, I stuck to my training plan and set out for an easy 10-miler. I ate a pretty large-for-me pre-run breakfast (two pieces of whole wheat toast w/ PB + jam) so I could see how my stomach felt being a little fuller. To be honest I'm typically pretty lucky in that department- outside of the one stupid time that I ate hummus + popcorn pre-run, my stomach never gives me any issues. And Saturday was no exception to that, I felt well fueled. I normally wouldn't take any fuel other than water for a 10 miler but I knew this would be my last real chance to toy with nutrition. I traded out my usual Shot Bloks for some pomegranate honey stingers just to see if I noticed a difference. For an early October day the weather was crazy hot. It was almost 80 degrees when I left my house and I was glad that there were some scattered showers coming my way. The run itself was pretty uneventful, I watched my heart rate closely and just tried to keep it super low. I ignored my pace (but I know it was SLOW) and just tried to enjoy my last long run. The next time I gear up and head out for long run it will be marathon morning! I felt good about fueling but still not so great about hydration, I think I need to work on drinking more on a daily basis so I'm at a better starting point (it also didn't help that I had had a glass of wine the night before and not drank more water before bed, rookie mistake!).

I needed this run to go well because my head has just been full of doubts. Thankfully I made it through all 10 miles pretty easily- no walking breaks, no mental breakdowns and only a few curse words (my heart rate monitor kind of went on the fritz and my patience was low). I'm well aware that being able to run 10 miles does not at all imply that I will breeze through a marathon but it feels better just reminding myself how far I've come. Now that I'm entering the homestretch I'm really trying to work on my mental toughness. Looking back at my May half marathon I know that those 5 seconds were due to giving up mentally, not physically. Obviously this race will be different, as I won't be fighting for a certain time, but I do want to be fighting for a strong run. As much as I want to enjoy the ride and soak in every moment of it, I always want to push myself both physically and mentally (not to the point of injury though!). I don't want to give up when it starts to get uncomfortable and start walking. One of my big goals was to run the whole race and I'd love to be able to accomplish that one- even if it's a slow shuffle- I want to give it everything I've got. 

13 days to toughen myself up a bit. K. has found some documentaries for me to watch and I'm re-reading a few of my favorite running books. Any suggestions for other things to watch/read?

The return of the usual

Yesterday a lot of things felt more normal than they have in awhile.

After work I set out for an easy 45 minute run- emphasis on the EASY. I finally paid attention to my heart rate again (something I have NOT been doing at all lately) and the whole run felt great. Yes, my pace was slow, but I'm not going to win this marathon. My goal is to finish and nothing I do in the next 18 days will make me faster but it can injure me, so it's slow and steady from here on out. While I was pounding the pavement I got to thinking about what it will mean to me to finish this race and as I started to imagine crossing the finish line (which I can still barely fathom at this point) I was welling up! It was in that moment that I realize just how important all of this has been to me- and not just marathon training, this whole running journey I've been on for the past 2 years. The next 2.5 weeks are going to be all about this race- following the training plan, eating clean, sleeping well and running safe. I'll be dropping my speed work and just getting the miles in without getting hurt. I'll be paying attention to my average heart rate, not my average pace, and doing everything I can in to keep my legs feeling strong (including lots and lots of stretching, something I'm terrible at). 

So now for some running advice. Even though I am pretty sure I already know the answer I'll pose it as a question: Do I stick to my training plan advised 10 miler this weekend or do I push it a bit further (maybe 13-15?) to try to toy with nutrition & hydration a bit more? Will those extra miles just be putting unneeded stress on my body?

Post-run I sat down for a giant, if not completely unphotogenic, salad and many cups of water (I'm back to aiming for my 100oz per day).

It's embarrassing for me to admit that my eating habits have been way less than stellar recently. I don't remember the last time I did a REAL grocery trip or made a meal that took longer than 10 minutes (which is plenty of time to create awesome things, I just haven't been). There's been a bit too much eating on the go/eating out and I just feel off because of all of it. I'm trying to snap myself out of it but I've really been struggling (and it doesn't help when my favorite coffee shop has homemade pumpkin cream cheese! Yes, I had a bagel for breakfast). Tonight will be spent meal planning and grocery shopping, because I've got to put an end to this vicious cycle.

Someone share some awesome fall recipe ideas, please. Even though it's going to be 80 degrees today I can still embrace the fact that it's October, right?

The time that I kind of ran 20 miles...

I can't believe that I am less than 3 weeks away from my first marathon! Unfortunately my training has been going only slightly better than my blogging these past few weeks- spotty at best. After a lengthy debate I made the questionable decision to tackle my planned 20-miler- I knew I needed to get a solid 3+ hour training run in and I also wanted to assess where I was at (vs. where I thought I would be). 

Going into this run I wasn't feeling very confident- for my last long run (17 miles) I went to bed excited to wake up and run, for this one I was basically hoping for something to prevent me from doing it- not a good way to start. I woke up at 7a, after a pretty crappy night of sleep, and ate 1.5 pieces of toast with almond butter + jam. I was sure to drink plenty of water and actually stretched a bit (a pre-run rarity), as my legs were feeling tight for a 5-miler the previous day (another great sign). I could write a book about everything that went wrong on this run but I think I'll stick to bullet points instead.

1. My "warm-up" mile was ran at a pace almost 2 minutes faster that what I've been aiming for on my long runs.

2. Miles 1-10 were also at a pace 1-2 minutes faster than what I've been aiming for on my long runs

3. During the first 10 miles I only took in 2 shot bloks and maybe 4 oz. of water + Skratch. At this point I should have realized that I was doomed

4. I slowed down a bit for mile 11-15, settling in to something closer to my long run pace, and started kicking myself for going out so fast.

5. At mile 15 literally everything fell apart. I was sweating but had goosebumps, I was dying of thirst (and by my calculations probably quite dehydrated at this point) and unable to get down any calories. Despite the fact that I was starving, all I could do was drink plain water.

6. I switched over to walk/run for 15-17.5 and knew that it was just a desperate attempt to salvage the run. I HATE walk/run, I know it works for others but it is hard for me and hurts a lot more, something about the switching back and forth. 

7. At 17.5 I basically collapsed into the grass and vowed that I couldn't move anymore. My back/abs/shoulders were KILLING me and my legs have absolutely nothing left. I walked the remaining 2.5 miles (with a few half-hearted attempts at running) and really wasn't sure if I was going to make it home.

This run was definitely a learning experience and honestly makes me terrified for the marathon. I'm not where I need to be (my own fault) and I obviously haven't nailed nutrition. It's easy for me to see what I did wrong- I need to eat more before the run and strictly stick to my "fuel early, fuel often" motto. I also need to be drinking more frequently, because that came back to bite me. By the time you realize you are thirsty you are probably already dehydrated. 

So where does this leave me now? 100% focused on this race. I plan to strictly stick to my training plan for the next 3 weeks and hope for the best. I have one last long-ish run planned for next weekend and I'll use that to toy with my fueling again. I'm cleaning up my diet and adding in some extra core work (my abs are probably the most sore after this disastrous run). 

Any suggestions for how to come back from this terrible run and rebuild my confidence a bit? Any advice for me during these next 3 weeks? HELP!!!

I'm Still Alive!

Been lost in the real world, busy beyond belief, but I haven't forgotten about this little corner of my world and I'll be back on a regular schedule here in no time. Can't wait to catch you guys up on all the exciting happenings in my life and blog my way through the last 4 weeks of marathon training!

Training Rundown 7 Weeks to Go: PDR + Blood blisters

A pretty solid per-my-training plan week and a new PDR have me still riding high so let's take a look back.

Monday: Rest
Due to the Emerald City Half on Sunday, Monday became my rest day. I was pleased with the fact that nothing hurt. My legs felt 100% normal and I was so tempted to do an easy three or four miles but I was a smart runner and decided to trust my training plan.

Tuesday: 45 minutes cross-training. Strength circuits
In an effort to save my legs for my long weekend run I opted out of Jillian and did some strength circuits of my own. Mostly I used exercises from NMTZ and 8-minute abs, arms and buns in my own order but kept it a bit lighter on the squats and lunges. I felt pretty good about what I put together, especially the abs & arms, but I'm excited to hang out with Jillian again this week.

Wednesday: 50 minute run
This run was fine. I felt a little slow but that was mostly because I made the insane decision to run after work and it was super hot and CRAZY humid. I felt like I could not stop sweating afterwards!

Thursday: Nada.
I got called in to my second job so my plans for post-work cross training were ruined. That's what I get for not working out in the morning though!

Friday: Easy 30 minutes of running
In anticipation of my long run the next day, this was mostly just a shake out run. I felt strong and the weather was nice so I actually wanted to keep running but knew better.

Saturday: Long, slow run. 16 miles!
I was literally dreaming about this run the night before, haha. I felt so confident going in and I think that made all the difference. I woke up a bit later than I would have liked but I still took the time to eat a proper breakfast of toast, PB (the real stuff, I usually go with PB2 but I wanted the extra fat/calories) + jam and a whole banana. I drank plenty of water and let my breakfast settle before heading out. During my run I ate one shot blok every three miles and drank a bottle full of Skratch. Towards the end of the run (when it was effing HOT) I was so grateful for the generous running clubs that offer "Help Yourself!" coolers of Gatorade. I think I chugged three dixie cups full during the last two miles.

The run itself was definitely slow- truthfully my slowest overall pace ever- but I am okay with that. I did the miles and only stopped for water and red lights (no walking breaks at all!). Post-run was so much stretching and a nice ice bath.

Sunday: Recovery.
Again, I was so pleased to wake up and realize that my legs didn't feel totally spent. I honestly felt about 100% better than I imagined- which was good because I was set to spend four hours on my feet working retail! Upon putting on my shoes I noticed my long run injuries- crazy blisters galore! The second toe on my left foot was basically just one giant blood blister. They seem to be healing well though, which is a relief.

Total Miles: 25

This week makes me feel a bit more back on track. Though I look at my training weeks from Monday-Sunday (and the total there is super low) I did notice that with E.C. + my long run I ran over 40 miles in a 7 day period (Sunday-Saturday) which is another new record for me! 

This week is a dial back week so I'd like to really focus on more quality miles and better cross-training, as I know I've been slacking there. I plan on doing NMTZ, getting on the bike again and bringing back Wednesday speed work. My "long run" of 8 miles should feel like a stroll in the park, haha.

Running Form- I'm doing it wrong

For the first time in the three races there were actually pictures of me- yay! And not only one or two- a good selection. While clicking through them I was initially pleasantly surprised with how I looked- comfortable, enjoying myself, good outfit (ha) but the more I analyzed them the more discouraged I got. I couldn't help but notice some serious problems with my running form.

Exhibit A:

Heel strike like WOAH. Granted, this is right as I was coming up to the finish line and the pictures aren't quite as bad (still pretty bad though, let's be honest) earlier on but this is  extreme. My stride is also pretty huge, but I am going to attribute that to the fact that I was "sprinting" at this point. 

Exhibit B:

Apologies for the poor quality, I just felt like this needed to be a bit larger

I am still running on the outside of my foot. Almost every picture really showed that. No wonder I've been dealing with foot problems after my longer runs! This is not good and I don't even know where to begin to fix it. I've been trying to be a bit more conscious of this while I run but I notice that as I start to adjust it I start heel striking even more. During my 16 miler (which yes, I did finish. Yay PDR!) I had a lot of time on my feet to try out new things. When I really put my mind to it I could hit a good midfoot strike with no side-foot action but it took a LOT of concentration (therefore it was not very maintainable). 

I don't think that 7 weeks out from my first marathon is a great time to try to drastically change my form but I do know that if I keep running like this I'm just asking for an injury. I have grand plans of starting essentially from scratch post-race- low, slow mileage with proper form and building from there. As for the side-foot, my shoes are coming up on the end of their life so my plan is to take some of the screen shots from the race with me to see if maybe a new shoe will help. 

Any suggestions?