2014 Goals - Progress At 10%

At noon yesterday, February 6, the year 2014 was 10% complete. That milestone (?) marks a nice time to visit progress toward annual goals. Since I haven't yet posted those nine goals on this blog, it's also the time to reveal them.

1. Remain injury-free
I am plagued by overuse injuries, sometimes even when my "use" isn't that high.  When I start running around 35 miles a week, it can be dangerous.  Part of my tendency for injury is due to the Crohn's disease, which weakens my bones.  Regular pavement pounding doesn't mix well with bone density issues.  However, my bones are as healthy as they've ever been.  Also, as proof of progress, I recently took off a week when I felt some post-tib tendinitis in my left ankle.  That I rested is a HUGE deal, because I would normally run through pain and make it worse.  Ok, ok... I also had dropped a board on my foot and Wendy had had surgery the prior week, rendering me partnerless... but the important thing is that I RESTED.

2. Surpass 1,000 mi. in annual mileage
I have run 81.31 mi. in 2014.  Simple math says I am on track for 813.1 mi. annual mileage.  However, I took off the week mentioned above, and additionally, I was not training for a race in January.  My mileage is starting to increase now.  Coupled with marathon training in the fall, I fully expect to reach this goal.

3. PR in the Mini (under 1:54:19)
Training for the Mini (May 3) began for me yesterday with an interval run.  I will have no problem covering the 13.1 mi.  However, I'm nervous about the pace.  I haven't really raced in months, nor have I done speedwork.  Luckily, I have Wendy to guide and pace me.  I've entered the 500 Festival's Training Series 15K (April 5), as well, to use as a pace run.

4. Break 1:50 in the Mini
This is an "if the stars align and all goes right with the world" goal.  I know that this time (an 8:23 pace), is achievable for me.  A LOT has to go right for it to happen, though.  We'll see.

5. Run the Red Eye Relay

The Red Eye Relay (July 19-20) is a great 100-mi. relay race run overnight in Bloomington, Indiana.  I ran it last year on Team Embrace The Chaos, and we received fifth (out of 24).  It's a fun race, but VERY challenging as one is sleep deprived, the course is hilly, and it's often humid.  Any mileage I run in the winter can only help for this race.

6. Break 4:30 in Monumental (and run the whole thing without passing out)

This goal will be in clearer focus when mid-summer arrives, but like Red Eye, any mileage I can run right now will only help.  I know a sub-4:30 at Monumental is in me; it's just a matter of good preparation and a little luck on race day.

7. Work on the committee to stage the BMS 5K

I have already secured three sponsors and am working to raise funds for the race (May 16).  BMS 5K Day is one of my favorite days of the school year.

8. Encourage another person or people to become more focused on fitness
This is one of my annual goals that always stays on the list, because I want to encourage others in fitness daily.  Thanks to the Bedford Half Marathon, this goal is even easier this year.  I have a lot of friends, former students, and current students who are using the Bedford Half as an opportunity to run their first 13.1-mi. distance.  Many message me for advice, and I'm glad to help.  Also, I am helping Wendy's daughter, Amelia, train for her first half marathon, the Kentucky Derby Half, since her Mom is recovering from surgery.  We're having a lot of fun!

Diamond Push-Ups

9. Build more muscle
This is another of the goals that never leaves the list.  Thanks to Sam at Anytime Fitness in Bedford, my muscles, especially my core, stay strong and ready to work during runs and races.  I've met with her for a few sessions this year, and I have many more scheduled.  I couldn't do it without her.

In summary, it looks like I'm on my way to some fun running and, likely, some successes in 2014.

January 2014 - Winter and Wounds

One month of the year 2014 is complete.  That's 8.5% of a year, done.  (Actually, since I'm posting this entry on the morning of February 2, it's really more like 8.9% complete, but I won't bore you with math... anymore.)  January was a colorful month with events that affected my running in a myriad of ways.

Historically Cold Temps
One day, the high was -6°F.  The HIGH.  Even I won't run outdoors when it's that cold, though believe me, I wanted to get in a "polar vortex" run for posterity.  Some of my friends did go on arctic runs, but I am forever haunted by a 2007, -1°F run after which I landed in the hospital with pneumonia.  The sub-zero run and the liquid lungs might've had a correlation; one can't be sure.

Boatloads of Snow

On Mile 7 of The Highway Blizzard Run

My favorite run is a snowy run, so this aspect of January 2014 was a happy one for me.  I managed to don my trail shoes and enjoy several snowy runs.  A combination of the snowfall and cold temperatures led to five school closures and five two-hour delays in NLCS, the school corporation where I teach.  On the early morning of one of the closures, Wendy and I ran 11.16 miles along Highway 37 from Mitchell to Bedford in white-out conditions.  Joined by Becky and Larry for the first half, we both agreed that that run was one of our most memorable.

Wendy's Foot
Wendy has been dealing with a large fibroma on the bottom of her foot for months and months now.  She finally had it removed on Jan. 17.  Held the morning of her surgery, the snowy Mitchell-to-Bedford run was Wendy's last.  She is not allowed to run for four to six weeks, so that has altered my training, as well.  I've been running less and running alone more often, but I've also run on the treadmill at the gym with Wendy spinning beside me, so we can still train together.  Wendy's foot has an incision shaped like a W slashed across the bottom of her right foot, but she already feels less pain than she experienced prior to the surgery.

Py's Tray
In my living room, I have a five-foot polar bear named Pythagoras who holds a 12" x 6" x 1" wooden tray filled with candy.  (Long story.)  That tray crashed onto my foot on Jan. 18.  For a few hours, I was certain I had broken my big toe.  Luckily, the injury was nothing more than a good bruise, but both it and what felt like the start of post-tib tendinitis sidelined me for eight days.  Better to be safe than sorry.

3K Club
My running odometer rolled over 3,000 mi. on Jan. 17 during that famous Mitchell-to-Bedford blizzard run.  I don't know how that statistic affected my running, other than to make me feel awesome for a little bit.

Here are a few statistics for the month of January.  Apologies for breaking the "no more math" promise above.

Miles Run: 59.29
Runs: 8
Hours Run: 10.01
Average Run Distance: 7.41 mi.
Average Run Pace: 10:07.90
Average Run Duration: 1:15:05.3
Average Temperature: 24.7°F  (Good suggestion, Jennifer!)
Longest Run: 11.16 mi., January 17
Shortest Run: 6.00 mi., January 8 and January 29
Favorite Run: January 17, 11.16 mi.
Total Lifetime Mileage: 3,012.03

So, it's clear that I ran less often, and mostly on days that weren't frightfully cold.  There were some frigid-temp runs, but there were also some unseasonably warm runs to balance the average.  Running less often is OK right now, because it gives my body a break from mileage that will soon increase.

February promises to be a fun running month as I'll be enjoying several runs with Wendy's daughter, Amelia, who is training for her first half marathon as a means to raise money for Saving Sunny, an organization that rescues and rehabilitates pit bulls.  Amelia had a mileage PR yesterday when she ran 8.5 mi. of my 10 mi. run with me.  If you would like to donate to her cause, you may do so at her fundraising web site.

Running The Numbers - 2013

I am obsessed with both math and running.  I keep tons of data on my training and racing.  Here are a lot more numerical details than you probably want about my running in 2013. :-)

Miles Run: 864.78
Increase Over Previous Annual Mileage High: 404.79 mi., 88% increase
Runs: 131
Hours Run: 144.38
Average Run Distance: 6.60
Average Run Pace: 10:01.04
Average Run Duration: 1:06:07.7
Miles Walked: 133.37
Walks: 59
Average Walk Distance: 2.26
Visits to the Gym: 96
Personal Training Sessions: 49
Personal Training Hours: 24.5
Miles On Elliptical: 55.8
Races Run: 11
Total Race Mileage: 102.9
Third Place Medals: 0
Second Place Medals: 2
First Place Medals: 1
Falls: 1, August 14
Injuries: 4 (three cases of tendinitis and a stress fracture)
Toenails Lost: 6
Pairs of Shoes Retired: 3
Pairs of Shoes Purchased: 5
States Where I Ran: 1, Indiana
Longest Run: 22.7 mi., November 2 (before passing out in Monumental)
Shortest Run: 0.47 mi., February 2 (aborted run due to IT pain)
Week With Most Running: September 1-7, 45.23 mi.
Month With Most Running: September, 136.37 mi.
Month With Least Running: November, 28.2 mi.
Most Honks on a Run: 44, October 12, 20.05 mi.
Favorite Run (Tie): July 13, 8.01 mi.; September 21, 20.1 mi.
Least Favorite Run (Tie): January 5, 12.08 mi.; June 8, 10.47 mi.
Percentage of Goals Reached: 57.14% (4/7)
Weight Range in Pounds: 6.8
Total Lifetime Mileage: 2,952.74
Percent of Lifetime Mileage Run in 2013: 29.29%

Mileage By The Month
January: 50.03
February: 41.53
March: 68.59
April: 73.9
May: 72.8
June: 46.46
July: 87.38
August:  113.11
September: 136.37
October: 99.88
November: 28.2
December: 46.53

Can't wait to see the beautiful numbers of 2014!



With Wendy, Wes, & Brooklynn
Final Run of 2013

Running Year In Review - 2013

The year 2013 was full of running ups and downs, but mostly ups.  I wanted to honor the year in a special way, and I decided to make a little funny running slideshow to the tune of "The Twelve Days of Christmas."  This "Year In Review" slideshow began as a gag gift for Wendy, but turned into a nice memory slideshow of our 2013 running fun.  It's so silly, but will be fun for some of you who remember these fun/funny events, so I wanted to share it with my friends.

Instead of "days," I used categories for each round of the song.  Here was my outline:

Round 1 Theme: Wendy.  A large chunk of my 2013 mileage was run with Wendy, usually in matching outfits.
Round 2 Theme: Memories.  There were a lot of fun moments from runs or involving runs in 2013.
Round 3 Theme: Family.  My family supports me well in my running and racing.
Round 4 Theme: Finish Lines.  I was blessed to cross several finish lines in 2013.
Round 5 Theme: Medals.  Check out that shiny participation swag, y'all!
Round 6 Theme: Group Runs.  I enjoyed many holiday-themed group runs and races with teams in 2013.
Round 7 Theme: Gear.  Part of the fun of running is acquiring new gear.
Round 8 Theme: Small Group Training/Fun Runs.  Running would be a bore if I always did it alone.
Round 9 Theme: Injuries.  I had two or three cases of tendinitis and one very minor stress fracture (that was 90% healed by the time it was finally diagnosed). I also had lots of blisters and messed up toenails. I spared you the toenails.
Round 10 Theme: Training With Sam.  Sam Rightmyer of Anytime Fitness put me through the paces this year in both a six-week boot camp and weekly training.
Round 11 Theme: Weather.  I ran in all kinds of crazy and severe weather in 2013.
Round 12 Theme: Stats. I ran over 860 miles in 2013, which is 87% more than 2012, the former top-mileage year.  What fun!

Enjoy, and Happy New Year!

Monumental Marathon 2013 - Race Report

Monumental 2012
1:54:19

I'm a half marathon girl.  I love the distance.  It's long enough that you get to enjoy it, but short enough that you can run a bit hard.  After three years of trying to break two hours in a half marathon and being thwarted by injury after injury (including a broken left femur), I finally earned a sub-2 time in the 2012 Monumental Half Marathon with a 1:54.  With that goal achieved, I wanted to try something new.  The very day I was toying with the idea of running a full marathon, Wendy texted me and asked if I would like her to pace me in the Monumental Marathon in November 2013.  "YES!" I said.  I had "run" a marathon before, the Kona Marathon in Hawaii in 2009, but I had walked the bulk of that course.  My goal for Monumental 2013 was to run the whole thing and finish the race "still liking running."

I had a fun winter and spring, building a mileage base and running some races.  In the summer, I completed a six-week boot camp program with my trainer, Sam, at the local Anytime Fitness.  Those sessions helped me build muscle, core fitness, and balance.  In July, I completed the 100-mile Red Eye Relay on the seven-member team Embrace The Chaos.  The ensuing months were chockfull of 4:45 A.M. 6-milers and Saturday morning destination long runs, all with Wendy.  I got stronger and stronger with each training run, and even finished a Bloomington-to-Bedford 20-miler singing show tunes.  I was ready.

The morning of the race, I awakened early to the sounds of the Monumental start line being constructed right outside my window.  I stood at the window and watched the volunteers work.  One worker must've noticed my silhouette in the window.  He began jumping and waving wildly at me.  I waved back.  For some reason, that moment was encouraging to me.  In my mind, I felt that he knew I was a participant in the full marathon, and he was cheering for me and saying, "This is going to be a 'Monumental' day!"


Monumental Mile 1

Wendy arrived in my hotel room, and we prepared for the race by donning our matching singlets, shorts, arm warmers, and gloves.  We topped off our race day attire with flowers in our hair.  We walked to the start line with my husband and parents, and then got into our starting corral, where the energy felt like a tangible thing.  The moment toward which I'd been literally counting the hours was about to happen.  I was overwhelmed with a myriad of feelings, and I was so glad Wendy was with me to share the experience and guide me to success.

At the gun, we began to execute the race plan: navigate the pack in the first mile, then maintain 9:45 minute-miles until the halfway point, when we would gradually accelerate.  The plan would allow me to comfortably finish around 4:15.  We talked.  We laughed.  We quietly questioned all the people wearing full tights. ("They're going to be SO HOT later.")  Wendy made sure I drank and ate at the right intervals.  We ran into friends. We commented on the beauty of the course during a peak fall weekend.  We laughed some more.  Everything was going perfectly.  It was shaping up to be the race of my dreams.


 



It was at the end of the 14th mile that I started to have unusual feelings.  I remember seeing the marker to conclude Mile 14 and thinking, "I hope Wendy doesn't remember that I'm supposed to take a GU soon.  I feel so full."  I was getting a bit weary, which was expected, but the weariness was early, sudden, and profound.  I told Wendy that we needed to slow our pace.  With each subsequent mile, I slowed a little bit more, first by a few seconds, then by minutes.  My vision was blurring, everything was starting to annoy me, and negative thoughts were blooming in my mind, which is very unusual for me.  I did my best to stay positive, both to help myself and to hide the pain from Wendy. 

 

Not fooled by my concealment efforts, Wendy could see that I was descending into trouble, and offered encouragement.  She talked about how proud my parents, husband, and students were going to be.  She told me to slay the miles one at a time.  She told me, "Forward is a pace."  The only time she failed was when she said, on the 18th mile, "Hey, we're closer to the finish than we were when we started."  Even in my weakened state, I think I could've figured out that nugget myself. :-)

 

 

Additionally, Wendy was eating EVERY FOOD AVAILABLE on the course.  Because Indianapolis had held Trick-or-Treat the previous evening, children were handing out their candy.  Wendy ate Tootsie Rolls, M&Ms, Fruit Roll-Ups, and Shot Bloks that took her two miles to open.  She kept offering the food to me, but it sounded so awful.  I didn't even want Salted Caramel GU, my favorite flavor. 



I have lost a lot of memories from Miles 19-23.  I remember creating a new strategy in my mind: I told myself that if I acted like everything was fine, everything would be fine.  When our photo was taken on the 19th mile, I employed this strategy, and it's difficult to tell that I was in a lot of pain.  I also remember telling Wendy, "Let's just be quiet for awhile," when I could no longer process her words.  After 22 miles, as Wendy was mopping the drool from my chin with a tissue, she said, "Jo, it's OK to walk. You NEED to walk."  I knew walking would mean that my goal of running the whole marathon was lost.  However, now that Wendy had given me "permission" to walk, I allowed myself to do so.  What happened next is fuzzy for me, so I will let Wendy explain from her point of view.

 

Wendy: "Around 17, I noticed (while running) that Jo's belly was kind of sticking out. Since she has NO belly, I found this odd. Despite not feeling hungry at all, around mile 19-20 she started exhibiting all the signs of severe glycogen depletion. She was a little confused, her vision was blurred, and she totally stopped talking. At 21, her vision was getting worse and I forced her to eat more shot bloks and GU. Nothing was helping. I, who have run looooots of long distance runs, couldn't figure out why she was in this state given her pacing was perfect, it wasn't hot, and she was eating and drinking plenty. At 22, I told her we needed to stop and walk to get more nutrition in her. (She never stopped running until that moment.) She shoved in more food, and then she lifted her shirt a little... and her abdomen was such that she looked 5-6 months pregnant. So I then figured it out: nothing she was eating or drinking was absorbing. That's why she didn't feel hungry but continued to go deeper into glycogen debt. I wanted us to just walk it in from there. But near 23, she began to stammer. I told her to sit down on the curb. She promptly sat down IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. I said, 'Do you want to move to the curb?' She said, 'No, I just want to lie down a minute.' I said, 'No, no, no...' Her eyes rolled back in her head and she passed out cold. I could tell she was breathing, so I called her name a few times. No response. Three runners stopped (good for them!), and one called an ambulance. She came to a bit with a sip of water. I pressed on her belly, which was huge, and she winced. HER BELLY WAS SO BIG! That is soooo abnormal for her. She woke up, was seriously confused about why everyone was around her, and then spent 28 minutes in an ambulance. The whole ordeal was almost 45 minutes. After sitting in the ambulance (where they kept threatening to take her to Methodist!), her abdomen slowly shrank, her vitals normalized, and she started talking. She asked them to please not take her to the hospital, just drive her to the finish. They kept insisting hospital. Then she said, 'I want to finish. Can I get out?' They stared at her. She said she wanted to finish this thing, signed the papers saying she was leaving against medical advice, got out, and marched in the last 3.2 miles."

The Last Mile

We still don't know what happened.  My doctors think that it was either caused by Crohn's disease (a condition with which I was diagnosed in 2003), or a hernia.  The event upset my whole system.  Immediately after leaving the ambulance that never moved (and after apologizing to the medics, with whom I was a little short when they wouldn't let me leave), I experienced extreme hip pain that caused me to limp those last 3-ish miles. 

Believe it or not, Wendy and I actually had fun on those last miles.  The only way not to cry was to laugh, so we made jokes about the situation.  Wendy kidded that she thought I was pregnant with a yeti, the character on the packages of my beloved Salted Caramel GU, when my belly became distended.  She reminded me that when the medics asked if I remembered what I was doing, I said, "I'm running a marathon... and I'm FAILING." Near the end of Mile 25, my Dad joined us to walk about a mile.  He even gave me his jacket to cut the wind.

When we hit Mile Marker 26, we began running.  It was painful for my sore belly and hip, but I couldn't imagine any other way to finish the Monumental Marathon.  As we rounded the corner, I noticed that most of the crowd had gone since their loved ones had already finished.  However, the ones who were there cheered heartily for us.  My triumphant all-running, 4:15ish finish did not happen, but I still experienced the triumph of a finish, albeit one that was an hour and 11 minutes later than expected.

This marathon was aptly named for me, because it was truly Monumental, though not in the way we expected.  At first, I did not view my experience as a success.  However, since the event, I've gained perspective.  I understand that it took perseverance to leave what was a very comfortable stretcher and warm ambulance in order to finish what I started.  I also understand that I have a very good friend in Wendy, who never, never, never left my side.  I understand that my Monumental Marathon was a success in a way different than I had planned.  Nevertheless, I have grander plans for the 2014 Monumental Marathon.  On Nov. 1, I will run that entire course.  I will wave at the spot where I passed out on Mile 23.  I will finish that race with a 4 on the front of my time.  And I will do it all with Wendy by my side.

I'm a blogger. I'm blogging. I BLOG.

Hi.  I'm Jo.  I never felt it necessary to have a blog because I had my own nifty web site, www.JoKai.net.  It served me well from 2005 to 2010ish.  However, Facebook found its way into my life in late 2008, and it became my main avenue for life-sharing by 2010.  (JoKai.net is still there, but only for archival purposes.)  Recently, I've wanted to share more than a few-sentence status update, and a blog lends itself well to that need.

I would like to treat this blog less as a means for public sharing and more as a memory book for myself.  That outlook will help me be more diligent in writing, I think.  I already keep a simple handwritten diary (for 10 years, now), where I list what I did that day, what the weather was like, and any major (or minor), events.  This outlet will allow me to expound on events and share pictures or videos. 

The main focus of my blog will be running.  I run.  I run a lot.  I like to talk about running.  Sometimes, I talk so much about running that people quit wanting to listen.  With this blog, I can (maybe) get it out of my system, and all my talk will be here, buffet style, for those who want to dig in.  I'm blessed to have lots of fun in my life, and I know those people/things will find their way into this blog, too.

Oh, what's the deal with the blog title, you ask?  Well, have you ever seen What About Bob? :-)