Now What?

After the high of the weekend, I am sitting here wondering "what next?" I accomplished one fitness goal; now on to another, I suppose. But what? I want to continue running so I think I should focus on getting faster for shorter distances like the 10k. I've always had trouble with 10ks. I can run them just fine but nowhere near as fast as I would like. My personal best is 53:10 and that was in a half marathon--not in an actual 10k (I don't get it!) I usually finish around 55 minutes so it would be nice to PR in the 10k this spring. In order to do that, I have to do lots of track workouts. I haven't done track workouts since high school so it will be fun to do them again (I think.)
Anyhow, that's the plan. The week following a marathon is kind of depressing and it's important to look forward to new goals.
I've tried to not be too lazy in the past few days. Today, we did a stroller workout with the moms group in a local park. I was going to run a few miles after but the baby was grumpy and I hadn't eaten lunch so we came home and didn't make it back outside. Also, when is this weather going to change?!? So tired of the 40s and 50s and tomorrow it is supposed to SNOW. WTH? I just want to put away the parka and forget about it.

Marathon Recap

I did it! I ran the National Marathon!
My day started at 4am when I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. My friend picked me up at 5:30, we picked up someone else, and we made it to RFK by 6:15. We hung out in the armory until 6:45 since it was about 29 degrees outside and indoor bathrooms were preferred over the hundreds of porta potties. I found the 4 hour pace group and, at 7:03am, we were on our way.
Everyone was in a good mood. The first 13 miles flew by (although, I did lose the 4 hour pace group at mile 10). We were joking and laughing and taking tons of pictures. The crowds were thick and there were bands or djs every few miles. We drank water at every stop and walked for a few seconds each time. At 13 miles, the half marathoners turned right to go to the finish line and the marathoners went straight. My friends were running the half so we said goodbye and I was on my own.
I have run five half marathons but never the full so when I was half way done, I felt like my body was saying "Where are we going? Why aren't we stopping?"Mile 13 was decidedly one of the hardest. Miles 14-19 were easy. I had a good pace, I walked all of the water stops and I felt good. Mile 20 took us to the waterfront in southwest DC and there were hardly any spectators on the course. There was a steel drum band here that sounded awesome but not too many people standing around. Mile 21 took us by the Nationals stadium and across the Anacostia river. We ran along the river in Anacostia park and mile 23 took us across Pennsylvania avenue. We ran down Alabama avenue until mile 25 when we turned and ran down a ramp to East Capitol street and looming in front of us was RFK stadium--the finish line! It was the longest 1.2 miles. It felt like forever and I couldn't run very fast and I had to alternate walking and running. I heard someone yell that it was only half a mile and I started running and was determined not to walk. I ran up the hill and through the finishing corral and people were shouting my name and the announcer said "Hello, Mrs. Walden! We've been waiting for you. Congratulations on your first marathon!" I started crying. I knew I would cry when I finshed. When I ran my long runs, I would often tear up at the end just thinking that I was actually going to run a marathon. I hadn't seen my parents on the course but my mom popped out of the crowd as I crossed the finish line and gave me a hug. I was very emotional and happy and relieved to not be running anymore. My official time for the marathon is 4:31:34. Not too bad considering I wanted to finish between 4 and 4.5 hours.
Afterwards, I had a delicious lunch of pizza with my parents and brother. I didn't feel badly at all except that the bottom of my feet were very sore (they still are.) Today, everything is sore. The tops of my shoulders are even sore.
Now to recover. I was told to walk today so I should probably do that if I can ever get up from the couch. At least I have today to relax before my husband and daughter get home tonight. I can't wait for that! Until then, it's a movie marathon to recover from the running one.

I'm Running 26.2 Miles Tomorrow!!

Holy cluster, Batman. I'm glad I don't have a full time job that I had to rush back to because, unless you have all day, you don't have time to pick up your packet for the National Marathon. It opened at 11am and I got there at 11:30 to MASSIVE lines outside of the DC Armory. I waited and waited and waited outside in the cold and--tada--you have to go through a security check. So that's why it took so long. I got inside and found some friends and we went to our respective packet pickup lines--mine for the full (which was a significantly smaller section of lines) and them to the half. But, alas, why are we being pushed around and why can't I seem to stay in my line? Oh, because they have the late registration lines perpendicular to the marathon packet lines. So there were a dozen lines going in all directions. What the heck? If you are claustrophobic, you would have freaked. In yet another line, I picked up my shirt. Now, I ran the half marathon in 2009 and loved the shirts we got. They were brightly colored, easy to read, and the back said "13.1 FINISHER". THAT'S what you want in a race shirt--simplicity and a feeling of "look what I did!" Well the shirts are white, have nothing on the back other than the sponsors, and the front is just a busy scene of words, numbers, some fuzzy picture of the Capitol dome, and in small, tiny letters "26.2 finisher." What the heck? I should design race shirts for a living. Hmph.
So I guess I'm all set. Clothing. Check. Bib. Check. Headband that says "I thought they said RUM". Check. Alright...I guess I'm ready. Wish me luck!!

Gearing Up

What a day! My husband had a 2pm flight to St. Louis and around 9am, he decided to take The Baby. We figured that his mom, who lives in Dallas, doesn't get too many opportunities to see her and she has been pretty distraught over the loss so I wish I could see her reaction when the two of them walk in! (We told his mom several times that The Baby would not be going.) The only caveat is that the funeral is actually in Springfield, Missouri but flying there is not feasible since their airport is so small so my husband has to drive four hours once they land. They probably won't get to Springfield until late tonight. (I guess I should say what a day for them!) I just want to say that seeing a father haul a car seat, baby, stroller, and luggage through an airport makes me feel warm and fuzzy. I love that he took it on. I, on the other hand, am free! This is definitely an odd feeling.
On the way home (and after going "wheeeeeee!" all the way out of the terminal), I stopped at Michaels to buy some heat transfer letters to personalize my marathon shirt. I heard it is really motivating to hear strangers cheer your name so that's what I decided to do. I also made a shirt for my friend who is running the half. She volunteered to run the first half with me and I just so happened to know someone who was giving away their entry so tada!
Now I am sitting at home wondering what to do next...seriously, this is weird. I might go to this Italian place next door and order takeout pasta. It's that or go to the grocery store and then I still have to cook so...easy decision, in my mind.
Well tomorrow is the race expo. I'm gonna run my 2 miles and then head over right when it opens at 11. Race expos are a zoo and I don't feel like being herded like cattle if I can help it. I also want to check out the vendors. Sometimes you see the best running items at expos that you wouldn't normally see anywhere else.
Let's hope I take advantage and get some good sleep tonight! I know tomorrow night is probably a wash so tonight has to count.

Two (2) Days!!!

Wow wow wow. I have two days until the marathon. I feel much less stressed since last night. I talked to my mom on the phone and we came up with a plan and this morning my friend offered to pick me up and drive me to the race so I don't have to go alone. I've created a checklist of things I can't forget and started throwing items in a bag so that they are there waiting to go on Saturday. (4:30 am isn't the time I want to have to remember things.) I figured out for SURE what I'm wearing and laid it on the dresser so it's ready to go. I even pulled out The Baby's cold weather bundler and made a checklist for my mom of things to bring so everything goes smoothly while they watch the marathon. I also decided on a place to have lunch (brick oven pizza...mmmmm.)
My husband leaves tomorrow for Missouri for his grandfather's funeral so hopefully The Baby will cooperate and sleep for a long time tomorrow night. Friday, we will go to the expo for the packet pickup and run the last, final run of a whopping two miles.
I can't wait for Saturday but despite that, the week still seems to be zooming by. Hopefully, so will the race.

BIG YUCKY

I wish tomorrow was Saturday so I could run this marathon and get it over with because it's hanging over my head and mocking me right now. Last night, we found out that a member of my husband's family passed away and now my husband has to go out of town and won't be here to see me run. The weather is looking to be dismal at best: 40s and rain/snow showers. I was really excited to have my parents watch but now I feel bad that they will be standing in the cold waiting for me while holding The Baby the whole time.
Waaaaah. Hopefully this will pass...

Running LOLZ

I shouldn't blog at 8am because inevitably something will happen during the day that I will want to talk about. I was supposed to run 3 miles today. I decided to run to the trail and head south and run to a shopping center with a post office to drop something off in the mail (yes, I could drop it off downstairs, but where's the fun in that?) So it was roughly 3 miles there and it would take another almost mile to get home in what would be a loop. There were some random signs that I had to take pictures of. I guess someone wanted to spread some cheer? I wonder if there were more further down...
So anyhow I got off of the trail and headed down a sidewalk to go to the shopping center and I passed some woman pushing a stroller and she GASPED and said "Well I NEVER" to me like I had just rammed my jogging stroller into her behind instead of just passing her like I did. Crazy lady. I think two strollers can fit on one sidewalk. So I just ignored her and sprinted away. I got to the post office and the same lady was walking towards it and I was thinking "please, please don't come in here and be crazy" but she kept walking.
I was planning on going down another road that would lead straight to home but there was no shoulder at that point so I just went home the way I came and it wound up being just over 6 miles. Oh well!! It felt good, though, and it feels great outside. I regretted wearing long sleeves.