This morning's mayhem was just so comical that I simply had to put it down on e-paper.
Let me start by saying that I've realized I've become a bit of a complainer when it comes to running. Partially justified, given the sheer physical endurance required to run a half marathon, but partially it's just been easier to complain than recognize how far I've come. So this morning, I left my apartment around 9 am expecting to do a quick and easy 3 mile run. About 20 minutes in I even realized that I was averaging a 13 minute mile, which is faster than usual, and I was feeling good and strong! I even started typing my post-run blog in my head, thinking about how I'd write a paragraph similar to the one I'm currently writing about how I know I've been complaining a lot, but now I had a run to be proud of!
Now, I'm not sure if it was the distraction of writing the blog post in my head, the faster pace or something completely out of my control, but the next thing I know, I'm tumbling into the grass and there are 3 people standing over me asking if I'm ok. It must have looked like a bad fall, because as I got up, I realized I had sufficiently removed the skin from my right knee, right elbow and left palm as I cruised the hard pavement before hitting the grass (the first thought that ran through my head was "thank G-d there was no dog doo in that portion of grass!"). Physically, I felt ok, but emotionally, my previously inflated ego was now about as small as it could get. Then some obese woman had the nerve to walk past me, give me a dirty look and say, "You shouldn't be running so fast!" I could think of about a thousand retorts now that would have put that woman in her place, but I held my tongue, which was probably smart.
One of the nice men who stopped offered to walk me home, but I told him I was fine and he could continue his run. I really did feel ok, but I was also awful bloody, so the worst part was having to turn around and walk the mile home with red grossness dripping down my arms and legs. It must have looked like I was attacked by an animal or something...and I may actually want to change my story to that in order to appear more brave and less clumsy.
Alas, I am now bandaged up and ready to start the rest of my day. I'll chalk the experience up to a battle scar, and be thankful that I took a spill now and not on actual race day!
It's Getting Harder!
I had a terrible awful thought yesterday. "Maybe I should quit this running thing," I said to myself after a debilitating 8-mile long run and post-run headache had me incapactitated for nearly the entire day. Even if it weren't for the utter exhaustion, I thought back to how badly my right hip started to ache after the sixth mile and it made me wonder if I was really meant to do this half marathon thing. Of course, getting up this morning and feeling well rested and non-achy (I went to sleep at 9pm last night because I was so tired), I'm not quite ready to quit, but I'm also starting to feel realllllly nervous about whether or not my body will actually hold up for a full 13.1 miles.
Allow me to vent for a moment:
- I had to do my 8-miler on the treadmill due to non-stop rain yesterday. This meant that I could bring two bottles of water (16 oz each) and my new Jelly Belly sport beans with me, and rest them easily on the ledge with a water cooler merely steps away. I broke away from the treadmill three times to refill my water, meaning that I effectively drank FOUR 16 oz bottles of water in 2 hours. That's probably good in terms of staying hydrated, but how in the heck am I going to get that much water during the actual race? I did buy myself a hydration belt from eBay that holds four 6 oz bottles, but that's just 24 oz, and therefore isn't going to last me very long. Apparently the water stations during the half are 1.5 miles apart, so I may have to literally stop for a minute each time to sit and refill my water bottles with the freebies they give out. Otherwise I really think I will pass out.
- The Jelly Belly energy beans certainly helped increase my overall energy level, but after a while they just became too darn sweet! I have a huge sweet tooth, so I was surprised at myself, but I just couldn't stand to get another one down by the time I neared my second pack. I wonder if this is an indication that my salt levels were too low (hence the reason I was craving salt?). I also sort of felt like I was going to puke at times...is that normal? Sorry for the TMI...
- I am STILL not able to run continuously for very long at all. I probably walked half of my 8-miler yesterday at a 15-minute per mile pace, running every so often for a minute or two at a 13/14 minute per mile pace. I did get a good 10-minute running streak in there at around mile two but then I got so exhausted that I just felt like my body was going to crumple into a little ball. I would have thought that by now I would be better at this!
- Then there's the headaches. OMG, I have never had worse headaches in my life. It can't be from dehydration considering how much I drank, and the Jelly Belly energy beans are supposed to be full of electrolytes so I'm not convinced that's the problem either. What I do know is that I had to take 6 advil yesterday throughout the afternoon to make it fully go away, and although it subsided after two naps (yes, I took two, one-hour naps yesterday), it picked up again every time I stood on my feet for more than a few minutes. Am I going crazy?
- Final rant: my hip. This is the second time that it's started to bug me during a long-run, and interestingly both times the pain began around mile 6. Anyone have any recommendations on what to do when something like this happens, or how to prevent it from happening? I could try taking some ibuprofen before the race? If my hip starts to act up, I know I won't be able to finish.
On a positive note, it is pretty amazing to think that since I started training in April-ish (those first few months don't count for much since my training was so sporadic), I've run/walked over 70 miles...certainly progress!
Thanks for sticking with me during this difficult journey. Appreciate all the support and advice!
Allow me to vent for a moment:
- I had to do my 8-miler on the treadmill due to non-stop rain yesterday. This meant that I could bring two bottles of water (16 oz each) and my new Jelly Belly sport beans with me, and rest them easily on the ledge with a water cooler merely steps away. I broke away from the treadmill three times to refill my water, meaning that I effectively drank FOUR 16 oz bottles of water in 2 hours. That's probably good in terms of staying hydrated, but how in the heck am I going to get that much water during the actual race? I did buy myself a hydration belt from eBay that holds four 6 oz bottles, but that's just 24 oz, and therefore isn't going to last me very long. Apparently the water stations during the half are 1.5 miles apart, so I may have to literally stop for a minute each time to sit and refill my water bottles with the freebies they give out. Otherwise I really think I will pass out.
- The Jelly Belly energy beans certainly helped increase my overall energy level, but after a while they just became too darn sweet! I have a huge sweet tooth, so I was surprised at myself, but I just couldn't stand to get another one down by the time I neared my second pack. I wonder if this is an indication that my salt levels were too low (hence the reason I was craving salt?). I also sort of felt like I was going to puke at times...is that normal? Sorry for the TMI...
- I am STILL not able to run continuously for very long at all. I probably walked half of my 8-miler yesterday at a 15-minute per mile pace, running every so often for a minute or two at a 13/14 minute per mile pace. I did get a good 10-minute running streak in there at around mile two but then I got so exhausted that I just felt like my body was going to crumple into a little ball. I would have thought that by now I would be better at this!
- Then there's the headaches. OMG, I have never had worse headaches in my life. It can't be from dehydration considering how much I drank, and the Jelly Belly energy beans are supposed to be full of electrolytes so I'm not convinced that's the problem either. What I do know is that I had to take 6 advil yesterday throughout the afternoon to make it fully go away, and although it subsided after two naps (yes, I took two, one-hour naps yesterday), it picked up again every time I stood on my feet for more than a few minutes. Am I going crazy?
- Final rant: my hip. This is the second time that it's started to bug me during a long-run, and interestingly both times the pain began around mile 6. Anyone have any recommendations on what to do when something like this happens, or how to prevent it from happening? I could try taking some ibuprofen before the race? If my hip starts to act up, I know I won't be able to finish.
On a positive note, it is pretty amazing to think that since I started training in April-ish (those first few months don't count for much since my training was so sporadic), I've run/walked over 70 miles...certainly progress!
Thanks for sticking with me during this difficult journey. Appreciate all the support and advice!
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