Rollin' strong: my first week of 108 miles!

Yo, yo, my OG's!

T-3 weeks!!! Holla!!!

Even though I don't do a 3 week taper I still feel the magic from everyone else's taper. The collective sigh that WE made it here, healthy. It's the next phase of training, a change. Today felt different when I woke up. Maybe it was the 22 miler from yesterday actually..haha.

So just a quick training update. Last week was my all time, lifetime, highest week ever. 108! And I'm super freaking proud to say it correlated with my fastest speed workout to date. 2x15 minutes at a hair under 6 flat and then a hair over. With 4 in-between miles. I usually fail this workout on the second fast part but not this year!

My long run was probably like yours. Muddy, windy, wet and disgusting. I added in 1414 feet of elevation (at 7:05 avg pace) towards the end to really throw my ego in the shitter! A very tough run. Mainly because of the wet shoes and mud. It felt like I stepped in dog shit the size of Clifford's and couldn't shake it off my shoes. Crazy.

But health wise I'm in great shape. No injuries.  I took a risk with this buildup and it agreed with me. I still have to run the friggen marathon to see how well it worked but at least the 2000 miles since December have been a dream.

 



These are pics from my long run. The first time I've seen mud IN my shoes.

Here are some random pictures of my training week:

Sophie, The Official Sock Darner of my Boston Marathon 2014 training! XO

Also, my fancy bike pacer for my doubles.

I hope you guys are doing well. I appreciate all your kind comments and ohhh and ahhhh each one. We'll have to meet up in athlete's village for a group high 5! Let the countdown continue!! Happy tapering guys!!

Laura

Another 100 mile week down

Hey guys!

I hope everyone is kicking ass out there or if you're like me, cutting back on the sulking from a bad race. Haha.

I just wanted to give a quick update on my training. After my horrible Half Marathon last weekend I decided it was best to X it out of my mind and move forward. Onward! So back to work. I did 100 miles last week. My 2 workouts were perfect! I was/am so happy. I really needed to not feel like a piece of worthless overtrained crap. So that picked up my spirits.

My tempo was 6 miles inside of 15. The 6 were done at 6:09 pace. Insert happy face!

Then my long run was 19 miles on hills. I had to start in the dark on back country roads solo. To a 100 pound girl who watches Mystery Detectives obsessively THAT run started out scary!
My splits were:
7:47
7:11
7:07
7:00
7:09
7:18
7:09
7:07
7:05
7:05
7:08
7:17
6:54
6:37
6:43
6:50
6:37
6:42
6:18
Avg 7 flat. 50 degrees, 100% humidity, no water, 1 gel. I didn't have any instructions on this run. I figured if I behaved long enough I could drop the hammer towards the end. I was stoked to have expended minimal effort. Even running the last mile fast was easy. As my friend Ice Cube says: It Was A Good Day!!

Post long run and couldn't figure out a pose…lol

This week I am peaking out my mileage at 105. I'll probably just add a double. My long run is 22 miles.  This will be my highest mileage week EVA! Hell, why not? I've worked hard to get here! I've done 2 months at 95 and 2 100 mile weeks. I don't know if it's coincidence or what but the 2 100's had the fastest tempo's and best long runs. Hopefully this will tire me out so taper isn't such a struggle. Let's not go there yet!

Well, that was a total brag fest. I'm sorry. lol! T-29 days!!!

Party on guys!

Laura

Wrightsville Beach Half Marathon Race Report

 Happy Monday Everyone!

It seems like the whole world raced a half marathon yesterday. I wasn't so sure I had it in me. But I ended up doing Wrightsville. I love the race. I love the people, the town. It's always a great race, even on days like yesterday when I totally tanked it. Tank as in worse than a training run. UGH!

I wish I could say: I failed because of X. But I can't because it's not so simple, at least to me. But after much thought I think it was a combo of:

*My 10th (or around there) 95 mile week. Actually, I taper down to 91 by skipping a double. I really thought it would make a difference.
*Running my easy runs slightly sub 7 in the week prior.
*Being too cocky and thinking I could do it all.
*Giving up at mile 1 because it wasn't what I wanted.
EQUALS FAIL!

In all fairness, I have been able to kill my tempo workouts all winter. I show up, put my fast shoes on and my legs move. So, I figured I would put the damn flats on and I would go.  Wrong-o!

Let me rewind, because the set up for this race is so excellent that is makes the fail almost delicious!

Legendary Olympian Frank Shorter

I pretty much decided last minute to commit to this race. So I had to hurry to the expo and get my stuff. I knew Frank Shorter was going to be there so I was excited to meet such a legend. He was really cool though. I stood in line and waited. It was almost my turn and I realized I had no idea what I was going to say! Awkward!! I ended up shaking his hand like 3x and gushing over his glory, reciting his races. To which he was like, tell me about you. I'm thinking, who gives a shit! Let's talk more about you!

So he gave me advice on Boston. He actually said trying to PR in WB was a bad idea. That I should save it for Boston. Ugh, not what I expected. But overall, a great experience and cool guy.

While in line I met another runner. We talked for a while. He then said he was the local sports writer for the Sun Newspaper. He asked if he could use me in his Frank Shorter Article. I said yes, after reflecting on all the dorky things I just said. But so cool to be in an article with a legend and my local friend
Dawn.

Dawn also hustled to make it to the expo and just barely caught Frank on his way out the door. Afterwards Dawn and I gushed over meeting Frank. Shortly after, the Sports Writer for The Sun, Dan found us and asked us some more questions for his article. Very cool! Raleigh represents!!

click here for full article

 So I left the expo and I see that Frank changed into shorts and headed out for a run. I had to get all stalkerish and get his pic. I saw him later and told him he was a beast. He chuckled.

Fast Forward to race morning. I had a 4 am wake up to make it to the buses by 6am for a 6:45am start. Not too bad. That went very smoothly. Then I hung out at the starting area for about 30 minutes pre-race and saw some old friends, chit chatted with Frank again and met Melissa. A super cool blog follower who recognized me. We chit chatted. Then someone asked me if I was "the elite" doing the half. They were referring to Laurie Knowles I believe but it was such an awesome question to receive! My ego thanks you repeatedly!

Next the gun goes off. It was a slow start. My first mile was 6:20ish. I was horrified. My first mile in this race is always 6:10ish. My second mile was even slower. I was beside myself. I thought I would click of 6:18's in my sleep. Then suddenly, I coped an attitude and said screw this. I ran the remainder of the race at marathon pace. It wasn't hard. It required zero thought. I figured if I feel like it, I would negative split it. That time came and I was still clicking off 6:35's. My legs wouldn't go. They didn't die.  They just never had it. And in the back of my mind I hear Frank Shorter saying, "don't kill WB, save it for Boston!" My final time was 1:27:23. But honestly, it didn't matter. Meh.

One of my favorite parts of this race is seeing the runners who started at 6:15am working so hard at their slower pace. I love cheering them. I see their fight and tenacity and it inspires me.

So, I finished. I saw the rolling results. I noticed I was first Master. 8th female. 44th overall. 1800 finishers in the half. Quite possibly my worst effort ever. Initially, I was pissed at myself. But later on I took solace in the fact that I ran marathon pace, or slightly faster, for a half. I feel I could have done that for a full.  If this was a regular Sunday I would have been happy.

Afterwards I saw Dawn. She ran nearly 8 minutes faster than expected for the full while looking like she just finished shooting for French Vogue. Go Dawn!! All my friends did well. I left and finished to get 20 miles for the day. Marathon training must push on!

So with that I shrug it off and move on. 5 weeks until Boston! The show must go on!

Thanks for reading!!
Laura

A marathoner's rendition of: Sympathy For the Devil by The Rolling Stones

Hi guys!!

Some runners have deep thoughts while running. They contemplate life's issues. Fair enough. I do too. However, today during miles 11-12 I was listening to the Rolling Stones: Sympathy For The Devil and this popped in my head. I immediately wrote it down. I think it's hilarious and awesome. It's more less my journey through running.

Laura's Version of:

The Rolling Stones

Sympathy For The Devil

Please allow me to introduce myself

I'm a runner that's raced and paced

I've been around for a long, long year 

Stole many a man's goal and face

And I was 'round before the TAF'ies disbanded

I saw their moments of greatness and pain

Made damn sure that I crept on them

No matter what their name

Pleased to meet you

Hope you guess my name

But what's puzzling you

Is the nature of my game

I stuck around Raleigh

When I saw it was time for a change

I killed off the 5k

My coach screamed in vain

I ran more, held an age group rank

I said I can do more

Pleased to meet you

Hope you guess my name, oh yeah

Ah, what's puzzling you

Is the nature of my game, oh yeah

I plan to run with glee

And pass many for 26.2

I want the announcer to shout out

"who the hell is that?!"

When after all

It was just little 'ol me

Let me please introduce myself

I'm vying to kick some ass

And I laid out the workouts 

To beat those who give up before they reach 30k

Pleased to meet you

Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah

But what's puzzling you

 is the nature of my game, oh yeah, get down, baby

Pleased to meet you

Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah

But's what's confusing you?

Is it that I have a 19:20 5k?

Just as every troll can whine

And all the winners elate

Just call me determined

Cause I don't need any restraint

So if you meet me

Have some courtesy

Have some sympathy for my aching calves

Use all your well-learned politesse

Or I'll lay your ego to waste, um yeah

Pleased to meet you

Hope you guessed my name, um yeah

But what's puzzling you

Is the nature of my game, um mean it, get down

Woo woo!

Oh yeah, get on down

Oh yeah

Oh yeah!

Tell me baby, what's my name

Tell me honey, can ya guess my name

Tell me baby, what's my name

I tell you one time, you're to blame

Woo-woo!

woo-woo!

woo-woo!

Oh, woo-woo

Oh, woo-woo

Oh, woo-woo…

I hope that was amusing to someone else but me, lol. Have a great weekend!!

Laters!

Laura

The Shit is off the Fan!

This is referencing my last post about the shit hitting the fan.  I took last sunday off when my ankle swelled up from a shoe injury.  Usually when I go out, I go out BIG. I break my leg, twice in the same bone. I rip my tendons off. Stuff like that. So a 1-day'er was nice.

I'm not fully out of the woods as I have residual swelling that is annoying. Most runners wouldn't notice it but I do. It's getting better daily. RICE all day, every day post run. It doesn't effect my run other than scare me that I could make it worse. If I have good music I usually forget about it.

So, last week I ran 95 miles. It was a very hard week of really hard wind, big hills, ice storms, hard rain/sleet etc.

Yes, I just doubled in freezing rain but it's also the same stuff I wear everyday. Help, fashion police!

This looks almost peaceful. WRONG, it was hell!

So by the time my long run came around I was a zombie. I had about 90 minutes of marathon pace scheduled inside of a 19 miler. I did an hour at 6:40 pace and then dropped to 7:15's for the remainder. I had nothing left. Oddly enough, it didn't really bother me too much after.

I have to give BROOKS some props. I emailed them about my injury resulting from the Pure Flow 3's. I asked for my money back or a pair of Launch's. Within 24 hours they responded and asked what color Launch I would like. I had them the next day. Very nice. Thank you Brooks. I'll quit MF'ing you to all of cyberspace. : )

So back to the grind. 6 weeks left! That's about all I really want to do. I'm getting tired of being tired. I'm tired of eating so much. I'm tired of all the Run Forest jokes. Just roll me down Hopkinton at 2:55 pace please! But guaranteed I'll be pissed that I'm too sore to run on April 22, 2014. ARG!

Coming up soon I have to decide on my outfit for Boston!! I have a few ideas. (okay, I've been collecting stuff for 5 months, lol) I'll do a virtual fashion show! It's the best part of training!! Finally!!

I hope you guys are doing well!

Later Taters!!

Laura

If I'm typing on a Sunday morning then the shit hit the fan!

Good Morning Dears!!

I'll preface this to say that I'm a little irritable today. This is because I'm typing and NOT running! But I feel I need to share my experience. I'll categorize this as a non running injury. In retrospect I feel like an idiot.

So, about 6 months ago I was a Wear Tester for the Brooks Pure Flow 3. I LOVE the original. Hated the 2. So I was excited that the prototype was more like the PF1. I gave a very lengthy review back to Brooks and asked them PLEASE to stop doing the "side tongue." No one likes it. It's ridiculous.

Well, they didn't listen. I put on my new shoe and immediately unlaced the first 3 lace holes before tying them. I felt the tongue was too stiff and too close to the very front of my ankle. So by unlacing them I could push the tongue away. I wore them for a week like that. I loved the shoe otherwise. But I hated that my foot was cold where it was unlaced and I figured I broke them in enough so I laced them back up.

BAD MOVE!!

Then I ran 15 miles. The tongue jabbed my left ankle and made a welt. I really didn't think much of it. I wore them again the next day for 10 miles. The welt turned to a sore bruise. Then, like an idiot, I wore them for 20 miles. My ankle was now hurting. I took them off and cut out the tongue. I thought I solved the problem.

Well, too little too late. I had upset my anterior tibialias tendon. It's that thin layer right under your skin where the tongue hits. Well that's the part that blew up on my leg.

So yesterday I am looking at my cankle in disbelief. I iced, I RICE'd, I kept my foot on the ceiling, I risked liver damage to keep ibuprofen, Voltaren and arnica flowing thickly in my blood. Nothing worked.

It's now been a full day of this. The swelling is almost gone but there is a small nodule of inflammation where the tendon meets the muscle. I'm waiting for that to go away before running. A great benefit of being skinny is that I can see my tendon and everything that is going on.

So hopefully the remainder of the swelling will VACATE the building today or tomorrow. I wrote Brooks on their "defective shoe form" link. So now I'll ice and bitch all day. : )

This is unreal though! I would almost expect any other injury than this..ARG!!!

I guess I'll do do core all day. This stinks!! I'll keep you posted!!

Laura