Shamrock Marathon 2017

I read lots of blogs out there where the writers have big, fluffy, life-altering, insightful race reports.  I'm just not the kind of girl or runner.  When I run, I just run.  I don't solve life's problems.  I don't learn valuable lessons.  My life isn't changed.  I just run.

No sugar coating it, the weather sucked.  I woke up race morning to pouring rain, 40 degrees, and winds up to 30 mph.  I was pissed!  All this training and I was going to come undone because of the weather.  The husband helped me to settle down, get ready, and eat something.  We walked to the start line, keeping to myself.  I waited under a hotel overhang, took one bathroom break, and I lined up.  It was raining, but I felt almost peaceful.

And then I ran.  I didn't go with a pace group.  I didn't set a pace for myself.  I just tried to stay comfortable.  I kept my watch underneath my sleeve the entire race and only looked at it when it beeped for the miles.  The first couple of miles were so comfortable.  Then we turned around and we were headed into the wind.  It was rough but I tried to stay out of my head.  We toured a military base (the first of two) and anytime I could I tried to hang with other runners to block the wind.  I was close behind the 3:35 pace group but I couldn't quite catch up to them to use them in the wind. 

Before I knew it we were back in Virginia Beach proper and on the boardwalk.  This is when the wind was started to get crazy.  I was running with another girl and used her to block as much wind as possible.  She wasn't running fast enough for me, though, so I got ahead of her.  This was my marathon, I had to do the work.  And still I was just far enough behind the pace group to not be able to use their energy.  I saw Dave and Anderson around mile 12, and let them know I was okay.  He offered me dry gloves and shirt, but I didn't need it (famous last words).

We turned off of Atlantic Avenue and made it over to Pacific Avenue.  We were headed north, straight into the wind.  These were some miserable miles.  It was pouring and crazy windy (I was literally holding onto my hat) and then it started sleeting.  This was the lowest point of the race for me, and yet I still felt good.  I just kept running.

Somewhere around mile 16 or 17 we turned to the left and headed down a long, tree lined road.  This was my favorite part of the race.  We were finally out of the wind and I felt terrific.  I was flying.  We got to the second military base and I just felt great.  19 miles, 20 miles, 21 miles.  Things were going fantastic.  My pace was so consistent; my legs were a metronome.  At some point in here I did some math and knew I was going to be golden. 

Finally we were back on the boardwalk.  I could see the finish line.  I had run every step of the race.  And I was going to qualify for Boston 2018 easily.  It's hard not to smile when you've had such a great race.

My finish time was 3:37:29 - my fourth fastest marathon.  I was 11th in my age group (by four seconds, dang it!).  My fastest mile was a 7:57 and my slowest was 8:38 - pretty damn consistent.

Guess I'll see you in Boston on my 40th birthday!!!

Foto Friday

I have not been a very good blogger.  I've got a computer that barely works, an icloud that is full, and a winter of discontent that have really dragged me down.  But I've got a new computer, a marathon on the horizon, a return to multisport training soon, and a vacation upcoming so it seems like a good time to get back into a routine.

So I'm starting now with some cute pictures of the kid.  I've kind of started a new series on my instagram that I'm calling Life in Black and White or for the younger generation, #lifeinblackandwhite.

Lent

I'm not Catholic.  Nor am I overly religious.  But, I feel like this Lenten season is a good time to get my act together and focus.  And yep, I'm talking about my running.

Before I went back to work I had my act together.  I was doing all my workouts; I was hitting goals; and I was following my nutrition.  After I went back to work, I got tired, lazy, and fell off the wagon.  With two and a half weeks until my marathon and with Lent starting this is a great time to jump back on that wagon.

So, I've committed myself to following that nutrition plan again.  It's gonna help me sleep better, which will help with my patience and desire to work out.  And hopefully it will help me lose a little weight and oh yeah, maybe turn out some good running performances. 

I'm a day and a half in with a gazillion to go and I'm doing alright.  I'm a little sugar and sweets deprived which has made me hangry, but I can get through this.  I CAN EFFING GET THROUGH THIS!!!

What did you do for Lent?  Or did you do anything for Lent?  Or what did you start fresh in March?

Sloopy Update #2

It's been four weeks since our dog Sloopy's emergency surgery to fix the herniated disk in her back.  Unfortunately, we don't have any good news to report.  We met with the vet yesterday for a follow up and our poor doggy has still not regained deep pain sensation in her hind quarters.  What this means is that she is very unlikely to ever regain it.  We now have a permanently paralyzed dog.  

Personally, I am struggling with processing all of it.  I am totally okay with putting my dog in a wheelchair.  She will adapt, she will be able to get around again, we'll build little ramps around the house, and she will return to the (somewhat) active dog she was.  But, it's everything else that goes along with this that I'm struggling with.  Let's talk about the obvious.  She has no ability to go to the bathroom on her own.  We have to express (squeeze) her bladder to get her to pee.  She will have a bowel movement on her own but it happens whenever it happens which usually in the middle of the night or during the day while we're at work.  She now stays in her crate during those times which makes for an easy clean up, I guess, but I literally wash her blankets every.single.day.  Supposedly you can put a handicapped dog on a schedule but we haven't figured it out yet.  We also need to worry about things like bladder infections and bed sores.  Plus, we travel A LOT.  Our usual kennel does not take care of special needs dogs.  I'm not even sure if this is an option.  And if we do find someplace/someone, what the heck is that going to cost?  And we have to get her measured for a personalized wheelchair.  Holy hell!  This is costing us a fortune and has really changed our way of life.

But can I bring myself to put her down or take her to a shelter or adopt her out.  I love this dog.  She was my first baby and for Dave, it is his first pet ever.  She's the same dog; she doesn't have use of her back legs.  

For now we're taking it a little bit at a time.  We are scheduling her for a therapy appointment where she will be evaluated further and then measured for a wheelchair.  We borrowed a wheelchair from someone at Dave's office that doesn't quite fit her but we've been using to help train her.  We will do research on getting her on a bathroom schedule.  And we will have to look and ask around for pet sitting options as we're traveling a couple times in March. 

If you have any good advice, please help a sister out!  Keep our little doggy (and our family) in your thoughts and prayers.  It's been a difficult road.