Highway to Hell!

Well yesterday was the 12-14mile run for the full marathoners. It was hard. With having been sick last week I was rough around the edges....though there was a small part of me that felt stronger for having taken a week off. The course was to run around Lake Merced (4.5miles), then to loop up on to Sunset towards the park (Golden Gate Park)....Heading that direction on Sunset meant that we were running up hill, fun! Once we hit the park we were to go left and run through the park on Martin Luther King until we hit the beach, we were to turn left again, run along the path until we hit Sloat. Once on Sloat we needed to run past the Zoo and head back towards the lake. After we hit the last water stop at the lake we needed to keep running until we hit either the 12 mile marker turn around point or the 14 mile turn around point.
Once I hit the beach I started to struggle energy wise. My leg was bothering me but my energy was zapped. I stopped at all the water stops to get water and any snacks they had to offer. I tried to run strong after that water stop, but when we hit Sloat it was a gradual uphill for a while....in all honest THIS WAS FREAKING TORTURE! But I have no one to blame but myself. I am doing this for a good cause....but did it have to be so painful? :)
After circling back up towards the lake is when I one of our coaches ran up along side of us and asked us how we were and what distance we were doing. I told her I was the verge b/c after having ran up Sunset on uneven terrain my knee was bothering and my IT Band was starting to really hurt. She told me, "Then don't push it. 12 miles is still huge and it is too late in our training for you to injury yoursefl...however it is still early enough to back off the training if you feel like you might be on the verge of hurting yourself. Save yourself now, thank yourself on race day." I looked over at Kael and said, "Man, I think we have our answer." He nodded and really didn't seem to want to argue....which I was grateful for!
We ran strong past all the folks that had either finished the 9miles (we were broke up into groups of 9, 12 and 14 miles) and of course the fast ones that were just done with either the 12 or the 14 miles. I looked down at my watch and even with the walking that we had done that day...we were pretty strong pace wise. So we pushed on. We were running and then we hit the 12 mile turn around marker. I looked at Kael and said, "We are going for the 14 miles." He nodded and we continued on. Once I had gotten onto flat surface my knee and my IT Band had stopped hurting....so we pushed on! That is until I was close to 1/2 mile from the turn around location and then I just hit a freaking wall! My body wouldn't let me go anymore...even though my mind was still ready for this. So we walked and walked. Our run manager was training with us that day and ran past us and I said, "How much further until the marker to run around?" She said, "It isn't that much further but you can turn around at any point." I then retorted back, "Its a matter of principle. I can't turn around until I hit the marker....and people with cancer can't turn around...so I am not." Not sure if she heard all of that b/c she was running away from me...running towards the finish line. I think I just had to say it to talk myself into continuing to move. We hit the marker, turned around and walked a good portion of the distance back. We were encouraging folks that were running towards that marker...and by doing that it was helping me stay focused on anything other than feeling like I was going to throw up. After having been sick all week and stuffing my body full of power drinks and food not to mention pushing it beyond its limit running wise, my body was on the verge of protesting.
We rounded a corner and I saw the finish line...so we started running and we ran it in strong. Folks were cheering for us...which felt great. I had run 14.50 miles by the end of the day. I may have walked a small amount of that...but I completed 14.50 miles. That was hard....and the trainings will only get harder, but I can now say...I have ran over a 1/2 marathon! I rock!

No Running Tonight

Well, the bug that was going around my office ran and caught me this week...so there was no running for me. I have been down and out for 2 days. I did however go and talk to our sports therapist that volunteers his time with us. My leg has been hurting me a lot lately (I think it is my IT Band....which scares the hell out of me). The only way to make that better is to rest...CRAP. I guess it is a good thing that I am sick this week....forced down time!

My talk with the sports therapist wasn't what I wanted to hear. He basically told me that the only thing that I can do is to stay off my leg......which means NO RUNNING. He said to focus on swimming and cycling (likely I like both) and to weight train...but no running.

Since I am under the weather this week...that shouldn't be a probably. What I am worried about is the long run on Saturday. 14 miles....that is starting to give me nightmares! Hopefully I will be feeling better and my leg will be better in order for me to run well....here's to hoping!