Another person wearing Vibrams! What are the odds the event camera happened to catch 2 Vibram wearers together?
Finish LINE!!
My experience running the Columbus Marathon was surreal and quite enjoyable! As I mentioned in my previous post, I chose to run the race this past Tuesday on a complete whim. I was feeling spontaneous and like I wanted to take a nutty risk, so I said “ Why not DO this? I am, I’m gonna do it”.
Now, I’m not completely unreasonable in my spontaneous leap to run 26.2 miles, because leading up to running the Glass City Marathon which was in April, I had completed six runs of 17 miles or longer before race day. So at least I have some sort of base built up. But I had not run much more than 8 miles a week (if that) ever since crossing the finish line that day. So this past Wednesday (taper week mind you) I went out and ran 10 miles to be my “long run”. Talk about doing everything WRONG! I felt good though! I felt like I could conquer the task at hand.
The night before the race I loaded up on some whole wheat Pasta from La Scola, and in the morning I showed up in my proper corral based on my estimated finish time. I wasn’t nervous, I felt funny because I hadn’t trained and was about to run 26.2 miles. It’s a very odd feeling! It’s like doing a back dive off the high dive for the first time. That’s what it reminded me of. The race started and I just started running. I didn’t have and ipod because a crook stole it from my car a few weeks ago, so I just took in my surroundings. It was awesome! There were people lining the street for the entire race! Cow bells, horns, signs like “Chuck Norris Never Ran a Marathon”, and “Your Feet Only Hurt Because You’re Kicking So Much Asphalt”. I saw a child on stilts with a sign that said “If you need someone to run with you for a half mile give me thumbs up” and I suppose one of the other people standing with him would join you in running for a little encouragement. It was just such a cool, supportive, friendly crowd! Complete strangers were calling out “Go Vibrams!“ or “Alright pigtails, lookn’ good”. It was awesome! I’m so happy I didn’t wear my headphones. I wasn’t plugged in to technology, so I experienced the marathon.
I put no pressure on myself since I wasn’t adequately trained. I just listened to my breathing and ran at a comfortable pace. The miles ticked off… mile 5…. mile 12…. mile 17… 20 (20 is half way there!! That’s my little mind trick I do on myself). I got to 23 and knew I had just a 5k race left. Mile 26! MILE 26!! And it was over! I never hit the wall this time since I wasn’t pushing it like last time. I finished in a 4:21.41 which is 15 minutes slower than last time, but I am so happy with it anyways. I didn’t walk once, and I did it! Oh and I had my period and really bad cramps, and I did it in Vibrams. I’m told I’m a badass, and today I kind of feel like one.
Proof that Vibrams cause no harm to my feet, once again! 26.2 miles of pavement and NO BLISTERS! For the story on Vibram Marathoning Click Here
I’m running the Columbus Marathon on Sunday, & I decided this Last Night.
After I ran the Glass City Marathon I was very enthusiastic about signing up to run yet another marathon, the Columbus Marathon to be exact. Over the summer the heat and a weird irregular heartbeat problem arose, so I never trained for it except for a 14 miler in July (which set off the irregular heartbeat problem, scaring me) and a few scattered 4 mile leisurely runs which I do simply to stay in shape.Then last night in conversation, I realized that not only is the marathon this coming Sunday, but that I have the day off, and it would be amusing to try to run it for fun. So with that a plan was made. I ran 10 miles today after work ( a new PR time by the way!), and I’m going to go do this thing and see how it goes. I might as well since I paid for it and can’t get my money back at this point. I certainly don’t recommend or take pride in my attempt here. Last time I ran a marathon I had run 6 runs of 17 miles or longer. This time, nothing to speak of. I am hoping for a good time and a memory if nothing else!
(old photo- nowadays I would never wear shoes,just Vibrams!)
10.)The Girl and the Robot by Royksopp
9.) Headlights by Snow Patrol
8.) Wolf Like Me by TV on the Radio
7.) Fire Starter by Podigy
6.) Bulletproof by La Roux
5.)Happy Up Here by Royksopp
4.) White Knuckles by OK Go
3.) Shattered by The Trucks
2.) Uprising by Muse
1.) Courtship Dating by Crystal Castles
This Sunday I am running the Glass City Marathon, my first marathon, and I will be running it “barefoot” in my Vibram 5 Finger Bikilas. At 4 days out, I am getting very excited, anxious, and a little intimidated. 26.2 miles is a long way to run! Also the weather forecast is looking to be cold (30’s or lower 40’s) with a chance of snow showers, or rain showers, and I am not sure what to wear. I had an outfit planned, but now I am thinking it may make me too chilly. I thought by mid April the temperature would be a little nicer!
Anyways, I know I have trained long hours for this, so I should be prepared. I am just afraid of the unknown. Will I go out too fast even though I am deliberately trying not to? Is the pace group I am running with correct for me? Will I crash in the later miles? Will I be too cold, too warm? What about these Shot Block things? I have not ever tried them, I hear now is NOT the time to try them, but otherwise I will consume zero calories during the race. There are so many things going through my mind. All I can do at this point is be as prepared as possible so that race day I will not have any self-inflicted stress.
I have most of my stuff ready to go, but I may change my mind about the outfit depending on the forecast as it gets closer.
.
So, to help calm my fears I figured I’d put my “race strategy” here in writing.
Here is what I know :
-I ran a half marathon a month ago in 1:45:00 (an 8:00 minute mile pace), and using McMillen’s Calculator, that predicts my marathon time to be about a 3:41:27 ( in other words, it thinks I could run an 8:30 minute mile for 26 miles).
- My very long training runs average about a 9:20 min/mile pace.
-McMillen’s calculator is highly debated, some people say it is very accurate, some say it is highly optimistic.
- Breaking the 4 hour mark in a marathon would be a very good realistic goal.
- This is the last year EVER a 3:40 marathon time would qualify me for Boston. (it goes to 3:35 for 2013).
- I am stubborn and competitive
- There is both a pace group for the 3:40 group, and the 4:00 group (not for anything in between).
———-
So given this info, I think my plan will be to start in the back of the 3:40 pace group pack, and try to stick 8:45- 8:50 splits for a while ( a little slower than what the group is going). Then after the first 13 miles, I’ll evaluate how it’s going, and go from there. Ideally, I’d love to keep steady splits with the 3:40 group the whole way to the end, but since this is my first marathon I don’t want to blow it.
My goals (in order of importance) will be
1.) Finish without walking
2.) Finish in under 4 hours
3.) Finish closer to a 3:40, than to a 4:00
4.) As a final outrageous goal, if I went under a 3:40 and qualified for Boston I would be THRILLED. However that is a little lofty a goal to focus on entirely.
(photo from my first half marathon running in the Vibram Bikilas. I love running in them! I know they won’t give me trouble.)
Yesterday I raced in my 2nd half marathon race, the Churchill’s 44th Annual Half Marathon. I feel really good about how it went! I cut a little more than 10 minutes off of my previous time (at the Towpath Half Marathon) and I ended with a time of 1:45:00, 4th in my age group.
Participation Medal
I ran “barefoot” in my Bikila Vibram Five Fingers, as usual. My mantra is to run “easy, light, and smooth” - something I took from the book Born to Run.
Craigslist comes to the rescue again! I’ve been saving my tips over the last several months and had $593 saved up (with a goal of around $1000 - $1500 by spring for a new race/ road bike). Yet, this Trek Lexa S road bike , worth $1000, I got for $650 and it only has 200 miles on it at just 2 months old! I love it! It’s woman specific design so it is a plesant fit and feel, it’s super lightweight, rides smooth as butter, and it’s pretty hot. This is a big step up for me because I’ve been riding the same bike since I was 16 and it’s rather small for me. I can’t wait to put some miles on this baby!
Yesterday I got a new PR time in my 5K at the Holiday Hustle 5k in Maumee - 22:38! My toes went 100% numb inside my Vibram Bikilas moments after crossing the starting line. It was odd to race hard with no feeling in my feet, but I’m glad I stuck through it. I’ll have to come up with a solution for winter barefoot running here pretty soon since it’s getting so cold outside. Anways, I was happy with my results, and afterwards I had pizza at The Village Idiot with friends.
What to Wear for a Marathon / Half Marathon in Cooler Weather
I’ve checked the weather forecast for my half marathon this weekend and it’s looking lovely! It’s early October in Ohio, and we’re looking at a high in the upper 70’s, lows in the mid 50’s, and 0% precipitation! I’ll take it!
One question I’ve had on my mind as I’ve geared up for this race is, “what should I wear for a half marathon in cooler weather?“ I’ve looked into this and have found some great tips to help me prepare, and hopefully you too if this is something you are planning for.
1.) Don’t wear (or try) anything NEW on race day! It’s very important that you are comfortable and familiar with your clothing and gear. If you wear new shorts the day of the race, they might rub you the wrong way. New shoes that you haven’t broken in yet, could lead to blisters by mile 4! What agony would that be! This was a good rule of thumb for me to learn because I like having a new outfit for a big day. I still got one, but I’ve worn it a few times beforehand to make sure it’s going to work for me.
2.) When you’re running a race in cooler fall weather like I am, it’s good to know the low temperature from the night before, because races often start early in the morning and you want to know what kind of temperature you will be dealing with. You will be getting to the starting line much earlier and that could mean the difference of several degrees. One excellent tip I learned is to have a “throw away” jacket or hoody. Go to the Goodwill, or any local thrift store, and buy yourself a warm track jacket or zippered hoodie for as cheap as possible ( I actually found a fantastic pink 70’s style zippered track jacket for about $3.50!). Or maybe you already own one you hate anyways and won’t mind losing for good. On race day, wear the jacket up until the race starts to keep warm. Shivering will WASTE precious energy, so stay warm! When the race starts you can keep it on if you want, and discard it along the side once you get too hot. Just make sure it’s zippered for easy removal and that your music and headphones (if you have them) are wired underneath and not over top. Often times, race sponsors then donate these clothes back to charity.
3.) Layering and simplicity is the key to having a successful race day outfit for weather in the mid 50’s. One example I’ve notice from the pros is to wear arm-warmers instead of a whole additional long sleeved top. I think that’s pretty clever because they’re very simple and don’t take as much time or effort to remove if and when you want to remove them. You can even make your own if you don’t want to buy them. I’ve read where many people will cut off parts from girls tights or tube socks.
4.) Buy a cheap hat and pair of gloves at The Dollar Store. Again, you can dispose of them if and when you want to. 40% of your body heat escapes through your head.
5.) Keep in mind that you are going to feel much warmer once you get running so you don’t want to overheat. Races that happen in a temperature range of the 50’s are actually perfect in many runner’s opinions! Don’t ruin it by wearing too many cold weather gear items ond overheating.
6.) Look for clothing made of sweat wicking material. Avoid cotton shirts. This will help you maintain body temperature control and feel better while moving.
7.) Wear what you love! I like snugly fitted compression shorts over loose mesh or nylon running shorts, and I know many other girls are the opposite. It’s a matter of preference really. I always filter it this way: 1.) What are the pros wearing, and 2.) Will this work for me? Also you need to feel fabulous about the outfit because when you feel great about how you look you will perform better. My theory is that I may not be the best athelte but I can look the part and that’s 90% of it! hehehe
8.) Have different clothing to change into at the end of the race right away so you don’t get cold standing around in sweat once you stop moving!
Here is what I’m wearing:
VSX Sports Bra - Victoria’s Secret makes my favorite sports bras. They are nice looking, keep their shape in the wash, and they’re supportive too.
Nike Pro Compression Shorts - Obviously not everyone would want to run in these with nothing else on top, but having grown up a swimmer I like how they are basically like swimsuit bottoms. They stay in place and feel great. My other favorite running shorts are these from American Apparel, and I have heard running friends rave on how great LuluLemon’s shorts are.
Garmin Forerunner 405 - This is a tool that was worth investing in! When I run it tracks me via satellite and when I’m done I upload my data to the Internet where it tells me detailed information about my pace, distance, etc. While I’m running it helps me keep pace with a “virtual partner” and other information. I love it!
Inexpensive thift store track jacket to discard along the way when I get too hot
Sweatband AA - I have one from Puma. I just think they’re cute.
Vibram 5 Finger- “Bikilas” - Named after a marathon Olympic champion who ran barefoot. I have been barefoot running since early this summer and have no desire to go back to regular shoes. From here on out it’s always going to be my Vibrams and Nike Frees. I like how lightweight they are and minimalist. My toes have even become straighter oddly enough!
Apple Ipod with running armband - I have not yet reached the point of being able to run without music. I love having upbeat music to pep me up!
Earlier this year I completed my first triathlon. As soon as it was over, I wanted to have another event to train for, so I signed up for the Towpath Half Marathon, a 13.1 mile race (or, a full 26.2 mile marathon for some!) described as “one of the most beautiful race courses in America” by Runner’s World magazine. I have been training for this since August, and I can hardly believe as I write this, that it’s going to take place this Sunday!
Several months ago I had never run a continual stretch of over 5 miles! Mostly I ran 4 miles on the treadmill at 7.5- 7.9 mph, 4-6 days a week. So I wasn’t out of shape, but I wasn’t trained for distance running either. I was very intimidated by the idea of running 13.1 miles on land (as opposed to on a treadmill which is more forgiving) without stopping! “Could I really do it?“ I wondered. I have never considered myself a runner, and frankly I still don’t. It’s not something that I naturally excell at given my muscle structure and body chemistry. In fact, when I was born my feet were turned inward very far and it was not certain I would be able to WALK! Praise the Lord, I am so blessed to have the ability to walk and run! I try never to take it for granted!
The first day I ran 8 miles, I broke through to a new level of running confidence, and ever since then I’ve been slowly building up my distance. My longest continual run as of date is 11 miles! This Sunday will be 2.1 longer than that, but I think adrenalin will help carry me through.
There is one problem though. Two weeks ago I was running along and ended up injuring my left foot so badly that I could not finish the run, let alone put weight on my foot without terrible pain. I work a job on my feet 8 hours every day, so the healing process was/is taking an awful long time. I have been limping because my foot hurts on the “push off” to the ground ...think of the way Barbie’s foot is shaped, when it’s in that position it shoots pains under my metatarsal bones. I have not run in two weeks (except for last Thursday I tried to run 3 miles and it ended up making me worse). Today, the Thursday before the race, I finally feel like my foot is going ot be decently OK to run on. Additionally I have 3 full days where I don’t work, so I can stay off it and let it heal. I am hoping for the best and thinking positive!
Check back after the race and I’ll let you know how it goes!
Cycle of America 2010 Visit to Bowling Green, Ohio
Last evening I had the pleasure of meeting 5 Irish gentlemen who are riding accross the country to raise funds for the USA and Ireland to fight cancer (3 cyclists and 2 drivers). You can check out their website here to find out more and/ or make a donation, and their facebook here.
My friend Sara with the team at Grounds For Thought in BG
Me & Alan
The team outside of Easy Street in Bowlinng Green, Ohio
