3 Scared Things and Training Updates

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There were three things scared during yesterday’s run…

1) An innocent bystander

This was weird…because due to my incessant huffing and puffing and plodding of my feet, people normally have no problem knowing that I’m coming up behind them. The lady I scared must have been stoned distracted though, because as I slinked by she jumped a little screaming, “You scared the hell out of me!” It was friendly in nature though, and I smiled and apologized while wondering if she was wearing earplugs.

2) A black cat

I saw a little kitty up ahead of me as I was cruising downhill, and naturally I thought—oh, cats have superb senses and often freak out over insignificant sounds, surely this guy knows I’m coming.

Wrong again.

Just as I got right behind the kitty, he turned around in a panic—hissing and obviously very startled. He went into full on defense mode. I don’t know which was worse…his startled response or my yelp of fear. Flashes of a cat attack swept through my brain, and I made sure to traverse far around him while keeping an eye over my shoulder.

If I start having bad luck, I’m gonna know that the black cat curse thing is true.

3) Myself

After detailing bitching about how much I hate the afternoons and how working out in the afternoon is not for me, once again I found myself lacing up post-work. When I woke up yesterday morning, I decided that 2 extra hours of sleep was needed. The lull in the afternoon became inferior to some extra zzzs, and although I wasn’t jazzed about the change of plan, I was happy for some more sleep.

I actually felt better during yesterday’s afternoon run than last week’s , but my calves never really loosened up. I don’t know if it’s from sitting all day or what, but when I run in the afternoon my legs are always slower to warm than in the AM.

#teammorningrunner

A brief “mid” week update on Chicago training…

Today marks 5 days in a row of running for me. I know some of you are very used to this routine, but for me—I actually don’t know if it’s happened before. I try to fit in cross-training as much as possible simply because I feel like it wards off injury, but with the mileage I’m trying to get in these next two weeks—spin and swim just aren’t going to happen.

I’ve already logged 36 miles since Monday—which, for me, is a ton. Today’s 10 miler, quite frankly, kind of sucked. I didn’t wear a watch (thankfully) but I’m fairly certain that my speed was deteriorating the entire time. This run was what you would call “junk miles”: miles done simply to add onto overall weekly mileage, without much agenda for speed, tempo, etc. I was glad I did it, but man—this sport can take a toll.

Luckily, I’ve got a sports massage scheduled for tonight—which is ideal timing with my legs being extra tired and me having a rest day tomorrow. Another 20 miler is on tap for the weekend, and although I’m predicting some unhappiness during the actual massage—ultimately I’m hoping it helps me work through my stiffness.

As for overall physical status, I’m doing pretty good. I’m definitely feeling the wear and tear of peak week training—but my legs feel pretty healthy relatively speaking. I’ve got a nagging tendonitis/shin splint thing in my left ankle, but otherwise no real issues of concern. Vitamin I(buprofen) and ice, you guys are the best.

I feel a bit like I’m walking on eggshells because I know high mileage and injury susceptibility go hand-in-hand, but so far—so good. If I can survive this weekend, and if I can survive final peak week next week, I’m going to be feeling pretty great going into taper time for Chicago.

 

Those are my updates for today, and now I want to know from you…

Do you call out to people when you’re passing them from behind?

How many days in a row do you normally run?

What’s your highest weekly mileage?

Have you ever had a sports massage?

Disneyland Half-Marathon Race Report

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Chances were that I was going to have a fan-flipping-tastic time at the Disneyland Half-Marathon. I wrote all about how obnoxiously tickled I was to be doing the race, and after the fact—it’s pretty safe to say that overall, my expectations were definitely met.

But let’s start at the beginning—because what’s a race recap without expo and pre-race details?

On Saturday, BF and I made our way from Pasadena, CA (where we were staying) to Anaheim to get our race packets at the Disneyland Hotel. This is about where my Disney-themed excitement really began and lasted until our final farewell to the park on Sunday afternoon. Typical expo scene—plus a boatload of Disney-themed running things, music, DJs, etc.

BF has a toothpick in his mouth, he doesn’t just look creepy normally.

Sorority pride in the form of exercise headbands! I didn’t buy one, but I appreciated the gesture.

The best part was the option to SEE the finish line.

I actually have never seen a finish line before the end of a race, and although I consider the finish line to be sacred ground, it was definitely fun to see where the grand finale would take place the next day.

If you read my post on Friday, you know that I really didn’t have high ambitions in terms of actually “racing” this race. I never intended on taking it too seriously, plus with peak weeks for Chicago afoot, it was the best decision to lay-off in terms of speed and effort during this race. Needless to say, I wasn’t nearly as nervous come race morning as I normally am.

It’s 3:45 am!!! No one has ever been up this early!! Let’s take a photo!

BF and I were both in Corral A, which was very nice, and we managed to do the whole wake up-drive-arrive-park-porta potty-corral-wait thing like champs. We had enough time that we weren’t stressed out, but we also only wait for the race start for about 10 minutes.

BF DON’T HATE ME FOR POSTING THIS K?

After the National Anthem played, FIREWORKS went off (yes, at 5:45 in the morning) and with the shot of a gun, we were off!

The race course was designed to highlight both the Disney parks as well as Anaheim, and it showed. I knew this race was bound to be impressive (both due to Disney’s reputation and the first born child fee it cost to get in, but I wasn’t expecting quite the spectacles we were given.

To start off, there were spectators nearly the entire race. And not just one or two “Go Mom!” signs…like, crowds of people lining the course, cheering everyone on. And not only general fans—there were cheerleaders, volleyball teams (weird?), bands, even a rally of old-time cars honking their horns. It was mighty impressive, and there’s something so great about getting your name called out even if it’s by a stranger.

We started off going through California Adventure, winding our way through the park. All the lights on the attractions were on, so it was really easy to see everything and everyone. It was at this point that there started to be characters along the course, which was highly entertaining. They were all definitely in character in terms of the mannerisms. Oh, and just about every princess was there EXCEPT for Belle. She was probably too busy reading and being an independent woman.

Mid-run photo fail. But you get the idea.

After leaving California Adventure, we headed into Disneyland for a run around all the different lands. It’s surprising how much smaller Disneyland feels when A) you aren’t 7, B) you’re running through it, and C)there aren’t hoards of people to meander around. Perhaps my favorite part of the race was when we ran down Main Street toward the castle. I got all kinds of giggly and we stopped for a photo.

Dark shot…but you get the idea.

At this point, the course was still decently crowded. I normally don’t mind crowds too much, but with BF and I staying together the whole time, all the weaving was a little annoying. But relatively speaking, everything was still well and good, and without a goal time—we really didn’t mind the bunching.

When we left Disneyland, we were around mile 5 or so and for all I knew we hadn’t really been running at all. BF and I were clocking a cool 8:50 pace or so, and I was so distracted/enthralled with the whole thing that it barely felt like a race.

The next 5 or so miles took us through Anaheim toward Angel Stadium. These miles were definitely less scenic than the rest of the course, but the race did a good job of making sure there were still groups cheering along the way. There was even an authentic mariachi band and Spanish dancers which was great.

There had been a few rolling hills at this point but really nothing significant. It was flat mostly, and it felt like a course someone would choose for their own run, if that makes sense.

Around mile 10 we came into Angels Stadium which is where the real cheering began. The stands were piled with all kinds of people cheering, and it was really encouraging to run into a professional ballpark feeling like the competitor. We ran nearly all the way around the warning track of the field, and they projected all the runners on the big screen by the scoreboard.

We were starting to realize at this point where some of the enormous registration fee went…

{BTW I took a video of the stadium crowds, but WordPress wouldn’t upload it. Sad.}

You might be wondering exactly how I/we were feeling at this point. I know race reports are typically filled with minute-by-minute details of when every Gu was consumed and when each calf began to cramp. But honestly, I have never felt better during a race. I almost felt like I was on an easy recovery run rather than an actual half marathon, and by Mile 11 I felt it might as well have been Mile 3. I did have, by the way, only two cups of water and no Gus during the race…and I choked on both cups. Still a skill I need to learn.

Now, it would be a lie to say that BF felt as good as I did. He was in pretty high spirits up until this point in the race, but around this time his endurance started to wane. We both expected this—so it wasn’t surprising, but let’s just say someone was not very excited about all of my “Look at that!”s and “I love this!”

However, he went almost two weeks without running at all (severely rolled ankle) and it wasn’t until two and a half weeks ago that he actually even started running again. He maxed out mileage at 8.5 miles last week, and although he was pretty confident he could finish the half—he knew it wouldn’t be pretty.

And although he was definitely feeling it around Mile 11—I was in awe of him. After very little endurance exercise, clocking 8:50 and below miles consistently is pretty damn awesome—especially when that’s only slightly above what he does when he’s in great shape. He was a rockstar.

We picked it up a little bit toward the end, and I asked if he wanted to hold hands across the finish line. He was game, and as we approached the end both of us were getting so excited and we picked it up a lot. Once the finish line was in sight, I knew we’d finish in under 2 hours (which wasn’t even a goal) and..behold, Mickey and Minnie were at the finish line! So, despite my hand-holding idea and BF’s compliance, the poor boy was left holding his hand out unheld while his Disney-freak girlfriend scurried over to Mickey and Minnie for her euphoric finale.

The photos are hilarious, and in the end we did hold hands across the finish line, but not before I got to slap those big gloves of love.

1:56!

For a race with no goal other than to go slow and have fun (and stop and take pictures!) this wasn’t too shabby. Mostly, I was just impressed that BF was able to pull off such an impressive display without much training.

And as for me, the race might as well have been 5 miles. It FLEW by, and I credit that to going slower than normal but also how much fun it was to see and hear everything going on. I LOVED not wearing headphones for this race, and it was really nice to be able to chat with someone the whole time. I’m not convinced these strategies would work in an actual goal race, but for a race with no agenda—it was perfect.

Ignore Mr. PhotoBomb in the background.

Finishers!

Disney Half-Marathon success!!

I loved this race, and after a quick baby-wipe bath and change of clothes, we were ready for a day at the park. That’s a post for another day…but I’ll show you how it started off:

Mickey waffles!!!

Going to the Minnie and friends BUFFET breakfast was perhaps the best idea I’ve ever had. Refueling from the race and prefueling for Disneyland at its finest.

The heaviest/coolest medal ever. We wore them all day.

Have you ever done a Disney race? What did you think of it? Did you dress up? Were you up as early as we were?

Chicago Marathon Training Week #9

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A lickety split recap of last week’s training—this whole “three day weekend” thing really takes a toll on how much work needs to be done in 4 days! Worth it.

M:  3750 meter swim

T: 10 m run in the afternoon, no watch, no iPod, no idea of pace

W: 7 m run, 5 @ 7:30 + BodyPump

T: Spin class + ~25 min stair stepper

F: 7 m run to the gym in 57 min, BodyPump class, 3 m run home

S: REST

S: 13.1 m run, Disneyland Half-Marathon

Total: 40.1 miles

This cutback week was needed BIG TIME. It felt really good to not run as many miles, and by Sunday’s half-marathon, I could feel how happy my legs were to have a little additional rest. Friday’s workout kicked my ass, but I kind of dug it. I normally take it a little easier on the leg weights stuff in BodyPump, but either way—running 3 miles following that class (one up a 5% grade hill) was h-a-r-d. But, since I had only been doing one hard strength session a week, I wanted to get in another while my mileage was lower.

And as for Sunday’s race…a full report will be coming up tomorrow. But for now, let me just say—I have never felt better during a race, and I’ve never had a race fly by so quick. It was magic—and I can’t wait to tell you all about it.

Hope everyone’s long weekend was splendid! And just think—short week ahead!

Excitement Overload

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I am 24-years-old. I am a fully-functioning adult. I pay bills, I do dishes, I can change a tire, and I have a real job with a 401k plan.

And yet, I’m currently sitting at my desk, listening to Disney music, and my legs are shaking with excitement. My brain is scheming on various ways to affix a crown to my head while running and whereabouts to put temporary Mickey Mouse tattoos.

Yes, it’s here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Disneyland Half-Marathon. AKA: Everything I love in life is about to happen all at once. ALL CAPS EXCITED, PEOPLE!!

I know, I know…nearly every runner gets all giddy excited about the prospect of running through the happiest place on Earth. It’s perfectly normal—the child in us gets to tag team with the runner in us for 13.1 miles of magic.

But, my elation about this race is on a whole other level. It’s over-the-top, some may say unhealthy, and most would say obnoxious. I am the quintessential Disneyland kid: I was SUCH a princess when I was little, I worshipped all the Disney leading ladies, and to this day I can sing just about every song there is, word-for-word. Needless to say, a trip to Disneyland for me—as a 24 year old—is equally as exciting as it was when I was little. Friends of mine who have gone with me have said that they never really knew me until they saw me in Disneyland—in my primal element of giggles and a huge toothy grin.

Four years ago with Minnie. Besties.

Have I scared you away yet?

If not…thanks, you’re the best.

Obviously, the idea of running (aka my favorite activity in the world, see:every post I ever write) combined with Mickey, Splash Mountain, and Sleeping Beauty’s castle is just about too much for me to handle. I’m a little worried I might actually combust from sheer euphoria during the race. I will probably have the best races photos I’ve ever taken, though, seeing as I will have a constant obnoxious grin on my face. Or tears of joy—one way or the other. There’s also a chance a lot of gallant leaping will be involved too.

Point blank: I am so stupid excited for this weekend I can’t even contain it.

And BF? What a trooper that boy is. He is fully aware just what he’s dealing with in terms of his 24-turned-6-year-old girlfriend, and so far he seems well prepared. We’ve been to D-land before together, twice in fact, and he was such a great companion both times. He himself is a big fan of the park (let’s get real…if he wasn’t we would have some serious issues), and so I’m pretty sure he’s really excited himself.

Super cheesy pic from way back when I wore my ponytails on one side of my head.

So, considering I always have a well-thought out, down-to-the second pacing plan and goal times in mind—I’m sure you’re wondering: Hey Robyn, what’s your race plan?

The plan? NO PLAN! We are going to do this race super easy and casual. I’m not wearing headphones (a first!) and I’m going to carry my phone to take pictures. Hello…um, there are characters lining the course, some of which I have never in my life been able to get photos with. Watch out Belle…you might get tackled. But you still need to pull it together for a picture with me.

JK I have a pic with Belle already, you really think Mom was going to get away with not letting her little baby meet her idol?

So the plan is not to have a plan. We want to have fun, enjoy the whole thing, and not stress about PRs or negative splits or whatever. The other thing is that Mr. BF is recovering from a bad twisted ankle from a few weeks ago, and although his injury has recovered…his endurance has waned a bit. My plan, then, is to help keep us at a comfy pace and distract him with all of my sobs of joy. I’m dedicated to staying with him the whole race, and if I know BF as well as I think I do…I’m pretty sure he’s going to finish no problem. If we can get in under two hours, that would be cool, but I’m not worried about it. There’s a good chance this will be my slowest half to date, and I really don’t care.

Sure, I’m a little itchy to race since I know I could do well if I pushed it, but even if that were an option…it probably wouldn’t be the best one. With peak weeks coming up and a marathon in a little over a month, going balls-out in a half wouldn’t be the best idea for me. Maybe for some people—but I’d rather use it as a relaxed training run and keep up with my schedule rather than risk injury and need extra recovery time.

So, from now until 5:45 AM on Sunday, I’ll be busy packing, flying, expo-ing, carb-eating, listening to Disney Pandora, and trying to get some sleep because as we all know…sometimes the promise of Disneyland leads to insomnia.

Have a great {long} weekend!!!

If this isn’t the picture of readiness for a flight to Disneyland…I don’t know what is.

Post-Script: Disneyland is the happiest place on Earth, not Disneyworld. Those who disgree, meet me out back after school.

Are you racing this weekend? Long run? No run? Labor Day Plans? 

 

 

 

Not An Afternoon Person

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You always hear people say, “I’m not a morning person,” or “I AM a morning person!” It’s normally one or the other, few in-betweens.

Rarely do you hear people discuss their preferences/aversions for other times of the day.

Well, I am here to officially state my most recent self-realization:

I am NOT an afternoon person.

In fact, I’d venture to say that I rather dislike the afternoon, and I’d be fine if we just skipped over it.

Pretty positive that you all have guessed by now that I am 100% a morning person. Not only do I preference the morning for running, but I just generally enjoy the energy and promise that comes in the earlier hours. I realize that this is certainly in my nature, and for many people—no matter how hard they try—will never be morning people. Such as my own sister, or this girl. This is no fault to them—and in fact, their productivity at the hours including a “PM” in the title really impresses me.

So let’s talk about why, to me, the morning is spectacular and afternoons suck.

I now pronounce you oatmeal and PB. You may now be consumed by Robyn,

An obvious starting point…breakfast. Breakfast is THE BEST and while I enjoy every time I get to feed, breakfast is always my favorite. Several of my favorite foods are of the breakfast variety, and I’m pretty sure there is no one on Earth who dislikes going out to breakfast. And BRUNCH? Don’t even get me started.

Second, the running. With ever present variables involved with running—namely weather, traffic, and time—the morning consistently proves to be a superior time to get some miles in.

There is very little traffic (aka: stoplights are just pretty lights to look at rather than obey), the temperature is typically cooler and calmer (rain in the PNW tends to hold off in the AM hours), and once you’re done—YOU’RE DONE. No waiting and waiting and waiting throughout the day to run after work, when you’re already ready to crawl into bed.

Or at least—that’s when I’m ready to crawl in bed. Or watch Gossip Girl. Or better yet—a combination of the two with a jar of PB.

Generally, I’m just more productive in the morning. I answer more emails, I stay on task, and I’m generally in a better mood. Yes, this could be a direct result of the fact that I run in the morning—but I think it’s more in my hardwiring than anything else.

Self-photography at 5:30 am—obviously productive things are happening.

So between the hours of 4:45 am (peachy wakeup time, eh?) and, oh, let’s say 1:00 PM—I’m a machine. It’s amazing the amount of things I can accomplish in this time frame, particularly before 8 am. I am typically worked out, showered, dressed, breakfasted, commuted, and at my desk by 8. And on days when I consider putting a bra on an accomplishment (see: all Sundays in the winter), this seems somewhat impressive.

So why, then, after 1 PM does my day start to suck? Honestly, I don’t really know—but slowly but surely, between 1 and 5, my productivity, energy, and attention span start to spiral in a bottomless pit of death. Around 3:15 I start imagining pajamas, horizontal positioning, and a bag of trail mix. That fantasy gets more elaborate as the minutes tick by, and when I think it’s finally time to peace out to Lazyland, it’s only 3:31.

Now, there is a very obvious explanation for this phenomenon: I wake up in the deep buttcrack of dawn, so obviously my energy teeters as the day progresses. Kind of true, but not entirely the reasoning.

You see, around 6, I start to perk up again—as if by some afternoon-turned-evening miracle, the pit of despair has spat me back out into the real world. Once the afternoon is over, I turn back into a milder version of my morning self and can generally maintain some semblance of a functioning person until bedtime.

Also, dessert comes during this time of day, an obvious incentive for some mood-boosting.

So why so much happiness and glitter in the morning, muddy sloth-like behavior in the afternoon, and normalcy in the evening?

My justification: I am not an afternoon person.

Tell Kristin Bell we can be friends.

Just like so many people aren’t morning people, I’m declaring myself not an afternoon person.

I know that a lot of people experience that 2 pm slump that 5 Hour Energy loves to capitalize on, but this is a whole new level of lethargy. It’s really a general hatred for these hours of the day—and while I know it’s important to appreciate the time we’re given because it’s fleeting and blah blah blah…I just really would rather fast-forward through these hours of the day. And not just work days—no, this is a general statement about every day.

The only thing these hours are good for is optimal sun exposure in the summer, and otherwise—they do nothing for me.

What spawned all this afternoon-hating, you may be wondering? Well, in an out-of-character move I decided to move my run from yesterday morning to the PM hours. Normally, if I bail on a morning workout—I take it as a rest day. But no, I went the fateful route of deciding to postpone my run in favor of more sleep. The extra sleep was nice—but when I was grumbling and cursing my way through my PM run yesterday, I gladly would have taken less sleep over that misery.

Seriously it BLEW, and I don’t know how in the world so many of you workout in the afternoon. I mean, hat’s off for sure, because to me that takes about 6,000x more energy than rolling out of bed and sweating in the AM. It took me oh probably 6.5 miles to finally be like, ok—I guess this isn’t too bad, but believe me it took a lot of angry thoughts before I made it to that point.

So, I’ll stick to my morning rituals, and accept the fact that I’m useless human from 1-5 pm.

Or I’ll get 5 Hour Energy to sponsor me.

WHAT ARE YOU? Afternoon or morning? Night owl only? High on life 24 hours a day?

Chicago Marathon Training Week #8

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Good morning!

I hope everyone had stellar weekends and you’re enjoying the finale of summer. I personally refuse to accept that autumn has arrived until nearly Halloween, so you’ll be seeing me in my summer dresses until the very last minute!

This is an exciting week, primarily for two reasons. The first being that it’s a cutback week, which has such super perfect timing. Last week was my highest mileage to-date, and although it all went well, I am definitely feeling it, particularly in a very sore quad/hip, and I just generally feel drained. And the other perfect reason for this being cutback week leads me into the SECOND reason to be excited…

The Disneyland half marathon is this weekend!!

I wrote about registering for this race way back when, and now it’s finally here. I giddy excited for it—and so is BF. He tweaked his ankle a few weeks ago, and although for a while his ability to race was questionable, he thinks he’s gonna be up for it. We both have NO intention of racing, and it is highly possible this will be my slowest half to date, but I don’t really care. I’m really just excited to frolic around the park with BF and all the characters lining the course. And no, a costume decision has not been made yet.

Needless to say, running 13.1 miles through Disneyland is a perfect long run option for a cutback week.

Anyway, let’s talk about some training.

Here is what last week looked like:

M: 60 min spin class + ~20 min stair-stepper

T: 10.4 m run, 8:10 avg. pace

W: 7 m tempo run, 5 @ 7:30 + BodyPump

T: 10.2 m run, slow—no watch

F: REST

S: 20.5 m run in 2:44

S:9 m run, slowww recovery

Total: 57.1 miles

My weeks are really starting to look a bit identical, but I suppose that’s what happens when you spend over 10 weeks training for something. This was a new record of miles in one week for me, and like I said…I was feeling it. Saturday’s 20 felt superb (I’m a little convinced that time isn’t right…8:03 averages seems fishy) but yesterday’s recovery run turned into a very hot, slow, “ow my hip hurts wtf” trudge. I think my hip hurts a bit from canoeing for two hours immediately after Saturday’s long run and trying to balance on a wet swimsuit bottom—but it could also be some general wear and tear from so much mileage. I’m trying not to be too concerned, and like I said—perfect week for a cutback in running. I’m trying to get a sports massage in this week too and I’ll likely abuse the privilege of decreased miles.

After this cutback, I’ve got two more heavy weeks—peaking at 63 or so, and then it’s taper time. I’m hoping my body cooperates, because it’s been a trooper so far. Lots of rolling, stretching, and sleeping to come.

Other than nearly 30 miles in the books, I had such a wonderful weekend—canoeing, swimming, and brunching with some of my best friends, getting late night McFlurrys with BF (did you know they have a snack size now??), and buying some new running shoes yesterday. I’ve already put nearly 400 miles on my little baby Pure Connects, not too shabby after almost 2 months of running silence 🙂

Also, stalking following all the Nuun HTC lady bloggers this weekend via Twitter was insanely entertaining. Congrats to all you gals who participated, I hope you had a blast!!! Now I really REALLY want to get a team together for next year….

How was YOUR weekend?

Happy Monday!

Central Governor Theory

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I’ve officially indoctrinated myself into the ranks of serious runnerd.

I bought a running textbook. Not a novel, not a book of motivational quotes, not “Runner’s World.”

A mother effing textbook. The Lore of Running, to be specific. And the worst part? I’m stupid excited about it. I’ve already planned early bedtimes of sitting with a highlighter and going through each chapter like I’m studying for a test.

Who am I?! Either this is a sign that I might need to go back to school sooner than I thought, or I’ve really got it bad for running. And because I’m really digging the whole not-ever-having-homework-or-taking-tests lifestyle right now, I’m gonna go with the latter.

It all started with another running book, Eat and Run—the one we’ve already talked about. Scott Jurek was merrily telling me all about his adventures in 100 mile races and whatnot, when he said something that hit me straight between the eyes. Or, more so, it hit me straight in the part of my brain that is haunted by the Tacoma Marathon.

{Yes, still talking about that one—sorry. I thought I was done, but this discovery was just too enlightening to ignore. I promise I’ll stop talking about that race someday}

Truth be told, in many ways I have left that race behind me as I’ve moved onto other endeavors. I certainly learned a lot from it, but it was a fairly traumatic event and I don’t want the bad parts of it to overwhelm my ambitions and love for this sport.

However, to this day I haven’t been able to answer exactly why what happened, well, happened. I was completely depleted and fatigued, and I’d reached my own physical threshold. However, I still hadn’t been able to come up with why, after 26 miles of running, my body decided to quit when the finish line was in view.

Enter, Scott Jurek. He was telling a story about the Western States 100—a notable race in California that courses up and down mountains for a hundred miles. Scott was pacing a friend, who was about to win the race, and right when they got to the local high school track (the location of the race’s finish line) and the finish came into view, his friend collapsed—unable to move.

The circumstances sounded very similar to mine—and as Scott continued to tell the story, my interest heightened and it all started to sound frighteningly parallel. Scott stated that in his opinion, when his friend’s brain processed the finish line in sight, it told his body, “Hey dude, you’re done. You can quit now.” Subsequently, his body gave out, just stopped, because his mind had resolved that it could stop working so hard.

It’s all very hippy dippy stuff, but hear me out. This guy was able to run, up and down mountains no less, for ONE HUNDRED MILES without faltering. Of course he was tired, battling, and exhausted, but there was something that was able to keep him going. But then, right as the finish line comes into view, that same body that’d been working toward this finale just decided to stop? The timing seems all too peculiar, just as my own seemed in the Tacoma Marathon.

Scott goes onto describe some actual scientific rationale behind this occurrence—termed the Central Governor Theory by  Dr. Timothy Noakes. In essence, the theory advocates for the power of the mind over the body in endurance sports.

“The central governor is a proposed process in the brain that regulates exercise in regard to a neurally calculated safe exertion by the body. In particular, physical activity is controlled so that its intensity cannot threaten the body’s homeostasis by causing anoxia damage to the heart.”

In lamens terms, our endurance is not only an effect of our training or our VO2 max, but of a part of our brain that strategically plans out our exertion levels based on the required mileage, time frame, etc. It’s essentially a case for mind over matter, and it advocates that our Central Governor has means of protecting us from overexertion.

It’s a debatable idea, have no doubt. But, it is one that has been cited and used in many sports studies and theories for years.

The thing that struck me about it is that it spoke so closely to the feelings I experienced during the Tacoma Marathon. I had passed my own limits for a good deal of that race: I was hurting, I was done, but for some reason I was able to keep going. And it wasn’t pride at that point—because no matter how much I wanted that BQ and I wanted to keep going, my fatigue had overtaken my pride.

But I was able to keep going, and my legs seemingly had a life of their own. Until, that is, I saw the finish line. I was grateful to see it, have no doubt, but it felt like my desire to be done had overtaken the strength that had kept me going. When I fell, it was because my body had given up, and although I had been able to continue to push it along for all those miles of pain, for some reason—so close to the end, they’d won the battle.

If you attribute the Central Governor Theory to my experience in that race, it makes a whole lot of sense—particularly the part where I fell right before the finish line. In a direct comparison to Scott’s story about his Western States 100 friend, my brain resolved that it could be done upon seeing the end, and my body responded with absolute abdication.

Now, I fully realize that there are a number of factors that could have come into play in the end of that race. I was entirely depleted, have no doubt; a 105 degree fever, cramping legs, and complete fatigue undoubtedly contributed to the time I spent in the medical tent afterward.

However, those factors would have existed whether or not I collapsed so close to the end. I’ve thought all along that it was my mind more than anything else that was the ultimate reason for the disconnect that occurred at mile 26. It felt like a cord between my body and my mind was snapped, and I couldn’t get the two to work in sync any longer.

So yes, my physical exertion was beyond a manageable level. But there was something more that occurred on that day—and the Central Governor Theory, at least to me, explains better than anything else the final factor that came into play.

Again, I promise that I have and will stop analyzing that race. I have gotten over it, and I know one day it’s going to be an ancient memory. But once this idea of the power of the mind was presented to me, I couldn’t help but draw comparisons to that day. Because that day was the first time, and perhaps the only time, where I can say that I relied solely on my mind to carry on when my body was done. My mind was the only thing I had left for a long time in that race—and this theory presented an explanation for just how that dependence actually worked.

I think what I love so much about the Central Governor Theory is the theme that running is so much more than just our physical abilities. We hear time and time again that “Running is a mental sport,” and yet it’s so much easier to measure the physical side of it. We concentrate on times, VO2 max, lactate threshold, maximum heart rate, and mileage so often as the means in which we measure our physical abilities.These things have a lot of merit, of course, but there is something more to running than just the physiology. It’s the reason we can get out of bed in the morning when our bodies are so much happier staying under the covers. It’s the reason why we can sprint to a finish line even though we’ve been dead for miles. Our brains have a lot more power over our abilities that we even realize—and while that’s not to say that we shouldn’t concentrate on the tangible numbers, I truly believe that to be a good runner, we must remember that one of the most valuable tools we have is the one inside our head.

So, in going back to the textbook—The Lore of Running was written by the Central Governor Theorist himself, Timothy Noakes. The book discusses his theory, but also any and all things related to running. It’s definitely somewhat biased and opinion based, as essentially all running books are, however I’m excited to read what more this South African bloke has to say in favor of the power of our minds in relation to the power of our running.

The only problem? Everything is in kilometers, meaning he’s forcing me to exercise my brain while siphoning through chapters. Tricky man that Noakes.

Happy Friday! Happy running 🙂

11 Racing Tips

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Happy Thursday afternoon!

After a little blog housekeeping, I’ve decided to move my super professional racing advice from my Racing page to an actual post.

Take or leave any of it…these are just some of the lessons I’ve learned through the racing I’ve done. Hopefully they help!

Commence!

Racing is one of the best ways to get into running—it did it for me! It gives you a tangible goal to work toward, and there’s something magical about crossing a finish line after months of preparation.

Here are 11 tips and tricks for having a great race.

Thou Shalt…

1) Start slow!

Say it with me: “I will start slow.” Repeat. Repeat.

This point cannot be stressed enough. Several first-time racers, and many experienced racers, start too quickly, driven by adrenaline and nerves, and by the end of the race they’ve completely depleted their  energy. There is no shame in starting off slowly, as there’s plenty of time to establish a good pace, and you’ll end up being very thankful for starting off carefully when you’re flying at the end. Negative splitting exists for a reason…you’re really going to be thankful in those final miles that you had some stored energy from a conservative start.

2) Stick to your routine.

Race day and the days before a race are NOT the time to start eating anything new, wearing new gear, or changing up your normal daily habits. Stick to what you know so your body and your brain are familiar and comfortable before, during, and after the race. Indian food is delicious, but trying it for the first time the night before your first half marathon is probably not the best idea.

You might also try a “dress rehearsal” run before your race, specifically a half or full marathon. During this run, wear everything you plan to wear on race day, right down to your iPod strap and sports bra, so you can ensure that nothing rubs wrong or fits funny. Chafing is not to be messed with.

3) Dress down.

I promote this idea in day-to-day running, but especially in races. Wearing less clothing will almost always be superior to wearing more. Of course, waiting at the start line before a race in the cold morning will make you wish you had long pants and a sweatshirt, however this doesn’t mean you should clad yourself in running tights, pants, gloves, hat, and scarf. Go to Goodwill, and buy yourself some sweats that you can throw off when the gun goes off, or invest in some arm warmers that can easily be removed and stored if need be. Chances are you’ll be running further than you normally run, which will ensure a warm body temperature. There will be space blankets and warm clothes at the end.

4) Set a few goal times.

If you are running your first big race, there is no shame in having a goal of simply finishing—which is an accomplishment in and of itself! However, if you do have a time in mind, I recommend having a reach goal time and an acceptable goal time. Kind of like your reach school when applying to college—it’s ideal, but you don’t put all your eggs in that basket. It’s great to go for a PR, however in order to ward off potential disappointment if you fall short of the time, set another time that you know you’ll be pleased with. I like to have A, B, and C goals…C normally being, “I’ll be happy if I can finish.”

5) Plan your carbo-load. Sure, a big plate of pasta the night before a big race should do the trick, but I’ve found that it’s really helpful to experiment with what works best for your body beforehand. You’ll have long runs you need to carbo-load for before the actual race itself, and you can use these as a chance to try out your pre-race meal. For my first marathon, I found a meal that fueled me up great, but also didn’t leave me with any cramping or feeling overly-full. The key is really what works for you. 

6) Plan ahead!

There are a lot of little details that, if overlooked, can make race day stressful. You don’t want anything small to take away from something you’ve spent so much time preparing for. Plan your driving route to get to the race, including potential traffic, ensuring you’ll have plenty of time to get there. Figure out where you’ll meet your supporters after the race so you aren’t wandering aimlessly sweaty and dehydrated. If you’re traveling, make sure you pack all necessary clothing for different weather conditions.

7) Be picky.

This might be more of a personal thing, but I’ve found that being very specific in terms of my race day attire, playlist, and post race meal has really made the event feel more special and distinct. There are some routines I stick to (I always start and end with the same two songs), but otherwise I try to honor each race as its own. Customizing a race according to your preferences helps to not only get you more excited, but it allows you to have comfort in knowing you’ve given some forethought to the event.

8) Know your fuel.

If you have trained using your own hand-held water bottle, then you are probably pretty well aware of how much water you need to take in during a race. However, if you aren’t sure, it’s probably not a great idea to take water at every fuel station along a race route. It’s fine to stop every so often, but you don’t want to upset your stomach by ingesting more during your run than you’re used to. The same strategy goes for gels and sports drinks as well. Know what works best for you, and stick to it during the race. Remember, use water and sports gels/gummies OR a sports drink. Using gels and sports drinks together is often too much glucose for the stomach to handle and can quickly lead to stomach aches.

9) Trust your training.

Pre-race nerves (and bathroom stops) are inevitable before a big race, whether its your first or 50th. Although self-doubt may creep its way into your psyche, remember that if you’ve trained hard you are both physically and mentally prepared. Training programs are tried and tested to ensure success for their users, so on race day be proud of your work and trust you’ll do the best you can.

10) Enjoy!

You’ve spent several months, weeks, and hours devoted to a race that will only last for a few hours. Once the gun goes off, leave all your stress, anticipation, and doubts behind and just have fun! You’ve earned it; no matter what the clock says at the finish line, you’ve accomplished something that most people would never even attempt, and that alone is reason enough to be ecstatic!

11) Rest well.

It’s easy to get hyped up on post race energy and enthusiasm (as you should!), but this can also make you forget that your body needs its rest. Take the next 24-48 hours to sleep, eat, and stay off your feet. You’ve earned and need a rest period after a big race, and you should ere on the side of caution in terms of activity. Your immune system is weakened after so much exertion, leaving you prone to sickness after finishing a race. Also, your muscles have been broken down significantly, and not allowing enough recovery time is the fast track to injury or permanent damage. So prop up those feet, enjoy a beer, and leave the workout to your TiVo.

Chicago Marathon Training Week #7

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Cheerio chaps.

What? Weird. I’ve been in the sun all day…it’s messing with me. But do I care enough to create another greeting in my head? Not at all.

Let’s talk about some of last week’s training, shall we?

M: Spin class + ~20 minutes stairmill

T: 10.4 m run @ 8:00 avg. pace

W: 7 m tempo— 1 m warm up, 5 @ 7:30, 1 m cool down + BodyPump

T: 10.2 m run—easy, no watch or music

F: Rest

S: 20 m run @ 8:18 avg. pace

S: 8.5 m recovery run—no watch, really relaxed + lifting

Total: 56.1 miles

A new personal weekly mileage high! I was happy with all these runs individually, although I was definitely feeling the high mileage during yesterday’s run. I love the recovery runs, but they also remind you of just how much wear and tear the long runs can do to your legs.

And speaking of, I am pretty pumped with how well my first 20 miler of this training cycle went. I felt really relaxed and efficient, and although I was pretty set on maintaining an 8:30 pace, I let my legs do the decision making and between 8:00-8:10 is what felt best. In fact, had it not been for the 10:40 mile 18 that was entirely up a massive hill, my average would probably have been closer to 8:10. Super encouraging run…and I think the amount of energy and strength I felt at the end was the best part. With the exception of a water bottle refill and an opening of my Honey Stingers, I didn’t have to stop at all, which was especially encouraging after last week’s beast.

Long runs can go so many different ways, and I feel like personally..I can predict how well they’re gonna go beforehand. I really felt it going into this one…I had fueled really well, I had slept well, and my running mojo was ticking. Other times, I go simply on principal…even if  I feel wretched, and that’s often times when I feel like it’s a lot of work. Running is so mental, I’m reminded of it every time I go out.

So what’s next? Well, my plan thus far is to have another 20-21 this week, a pretty sizable cutback week after that, then two more 20-something bad boys before taper. I’m considering finishing with a 23 miler, instead of my usual 22, but we’ll see. I’d also like to peak at over 60 miles, but playing it by ear seems to be the best way to approach this high of mileage. I’m not going to be afraid to skip a run if I think it’s necessary, and at this point I know my risk of both injury and over-training it up, so I want to proceed with caution.

For the time being though, I’m really happy with these numbers, and I’m especially happy with how much I’m enjoying my runs. I’m thankful for my legs being receptive to this mileage, and I’m especially grateful that I’ve moved out of injury land. Yep, Saturday’s 20 miler was done sans IT band strap—meaning that every mile I ran last week was done au natural, and it seems that my nagging knee pain has decided to throw up the white flag.

Very, very grateful.

‘Tis all for today, but just to leave you with a quick statement involving the golf tournament I played in today…

I. HATE. GOLF.

I am really, really not kidding when I say that I’m the worst golfer there ever was…and I could barely take the 9 holes of humiliation…thank God we only did a half round. And thank God we were playing as a shuffle, meaning no one was subjected to the number of swings I would have had to take per holes. Screw golf.

I MISSED the ball not once, not twice, but THREE times during one of the tee offs…oh, and the CEO was right there to watch. I told him that I voted for flag football next time, and I beelined for the bar once we broke for lunch.

Truthfully, I really just hate being bad at things. So instead I’ll stick to chocolate cookie making, “Friends” watching, and finding samples at grocery stores.

Now those things…I’m pro.

How was your weekend?! Do you do 2, 3 or 4 20+ milersfor marathon training? What’s the highest weekly mileage you’ve ever had? Will you join my Golf Haterz team? I will provide t-shirts. 

Friday Favorites for Friday

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I couldn’t think of another title. Forgive me.

Welcome to Friday, folks. It’s pretty safe to say that no one has ever been as jazzed about their rest day as I am right now. Pat me on the back people, and remember to tell your friends—yes, Robyn Broker is loving her rest days.

I was obviously super high on running in yesterday’s post. I was feeling particularly existential after an incredibly satisfying naked 10 miler. No watch, no music. And let me tell you…running without a watch after having used your Garmin for months is SO refreshing. I loved pacing according to how I felt rather than reaching a certain number. If only my “by feel” approach yielded faster times than when I use my Garmin 😉

Today, I’m still floating on running cloud 9, but let’s get real…yesterday’s post was a bit serious, and Fridays aren’t for seriousness. They are for big bowls of oatmeal (yes…every Friday, religiously), TGIF picture texts to people, and Favorite Things.

Onward and upward, or something:

Claussen Pickles

I realize this is a debatable topic in which there are normally two very divided sides of those who do and those who definitely don’t like pickles.

I am definitely the former, always have been always will be. I’ve started trying to integrate pickles into other things I eat…hey, isn’t the sodium good for runners? One time when I was little I ate so many pickles in one day I actually got sick the next day…but my love continues.

One of the best parts about dating BF is that he doesn’t like pickles, so not only do I get jars to myself—I always get his at restaurants.

Compression Socks

20120817-092311.jpg

I did it you guys. I finally resolved that spending over $50 on a pair of socks would outweigh the consequences of injuries due to calf tightness. My own issues with my calves has gone down a lot since starting to wear the Pure Connects, but lingering tightness is imminent…as was buying a pair of these babies.

Admittedly, I wanted a white pair (I have a thing about things that are bright and white) but these are kinda B.A. looking and I’m into them. I hounded the dudes at my running store for if they *really* work and both of them crossed their fingers and hoped to die that the socks really do help. Okya, they didn’t really do that…but I wish I’d made them.

*Update* When I went in the running store, I finally claimed my prize for my AG win at the Float Dodger 5k. I told the staff all about how two ladies had screwed me over for a 3rd place finish…but they still seemed to think it was my fault. Whatever.

Unfortunately, it’s been way too hot in Seattle to wear these babies regularly yet…but I have a feeling they will slowly start becoming a staple in my wardrobe.

Golf

Just kidding! I hate golf.

BUT on Monday, my new fancy employers are having a department-wide golf tournament for everyone. I read the “Come Join Us For Golf!” invitation as: “Skip a day of work and drink free mimosas in the sun!”

Obviously, I agreed. Luckily, one of the people in my “foursome” is a lady who sits across from me and we’re buddies…and she is self-proclaimed “bad at golf” too, so we’ll get to giggle in our shittiness together.

Fun fact: My ENTIRE family loves golf. My dad teaches a golf science class at the University he works for, my sister was captain of the varsity golf team in high school, and my uncle puts on a golf tournament/tv show every year. I’m really not kidding when I say my whole family is obsessive over this boring stupid country club sport.

So why not me? It’s simple. I don’t like golf because I suck at it. It’s childish really, but I don’t like being bad at things…particularly things where I can’t avoid people waiting for me and watching me. So while you’re all concerned with your pars and birdies and whatever, this birdie is more concerned with actually getting the ball off the tee…let along getting it to the hole.

Give me a pick up bball game, softball, capture the flag, or football game anyday. Golf…not so much. And actually no tennis either. Maybe I am just bound to never join a country club.

But, I’m glad that this sport is the reason for my freebie no-work Monday.

Strawberry ChapStick

The most wonderful ChapStick of all. Eternal love right here people.

Eat and Run

I know, I know… I just talked about this book yesterday. I’ll spare you a book review, but I really really enjoyed this book—and I recommend it. I got a lot more out of it than I thought I would, and it did a really good job of humanizing someone who the rest of the world sees as invincible. Ultramarathoners, specifically those as accomplished as Scott Jurek, seem so superior to those of us who run a few “big” races a year. And they are indeed very impressive…but Scott shows that even he deals with burnout, fatigue, and even plantar faciitis.

Next on my running reading list…Lore of Running, which I’m jazzed about.

And don’t worry, I have another non-running book in my current rotation too.

As for this weekend…I’m considering talking to the shoe store about the possibility of integrating the Pure Flows or Cadences into my routine. I love the Pure Connects, but I’m questioning if they’re best for distance?

Also, there’s a little tiny thing called a 20 miler tomorrow morning. I’m actually feeling good about it…hoping to settle into an 8:30 average and try out a new route for some entertainment. Some more paddleboarding will happen as well…I’m obsessed. More on that to come.

Til Monday…

Have a great weekend!!

Play my game! What are your favorite things? What’s your plan for the weekend? Do you know anything about the Pure Flow vs. Cadence vs. Connect? Do you love or hate golf? Love or hate pickles?