Now What?

So it's been a little over a week since I completed my first half marathon.  I kept my work outs light....almost too light I think.  Here is how last weeks schedule looked.

Sunday:  Off

Monday: An hour of upper body

Tuesday:  30min elliptical, tris and abs

Wednesday:  10min elliptical, some legs, and 2mile run

Thursday:  30min elliptical, legs and core

Friday:  An hour of all lower body

Saturday:  6mile run

Sunday:  3mile run w/hills

So, nothing that was really hard with the exception of my 6mile run.  That was just more tiresome than anything.  Towards the last 2miles I kept asking myself why I had only ran 2miles this week.  I wasn't sore just tired.  But I did it and it felt good once I was done.  It is kinda true about being kinda depressing when you are done with your training and the event itself is over.  For 12 weeks there was a plan of what I was to do each day.  Be it run 2miles to 12miles to cross training to just having a rest day, there was a plan.  Not to even mention that the event itself is over.  

So now what?  Having this week to kinda take it easy and also let me rest my foot a bit, has had me thinking of what I wanted to do next.  Back when my girlfriend and I were running together we had talked about doing another half in October and another in November.  We thought there was just the right amount of time in between them that we felt we could run them.  But now with it being just me out there I'm not sure if I want to do them by myself.  I have given it a lot of thought to maybe just doing a 5k later in October then maybe doing the turkey trot on Thanksgiving.  I don't know.  I have also thought maybe I should just take this time to work on a little speed and hills but don't want to make my PF act up again.  So, I am not sure but I'm leaning on the side of having a little training plan and doing the 5k and turkey trot.  We will see.  

Today I plan on doing some core and upper body and then going for a run.  No distance.  No time.  Just get out there. Do what my body feels.  

How do you feel after you have done your weeks of training and your race is now over?  

FINALLY.....Air Force 5k & Half Marathon Recap!!

Wow!! So can't believe I am just now sitting down to recap my first half marathon from this past Saturday which was held at the Wright Patterson Air Force Base.  This is such a big and growing race that gets bigger each year it seems.   This was my third attempt at getting to this race.  It wasn't easy this time either as you all know.  With it being a year ago to this month I found out that I had three blood clots in my left calf.  Then that to finding out that I had thyroid cancer.  So I was put on meds for the blood clots, including giving myself shots in my stomach and was scheduled for a total thyroidectomy then about six weeks after that I did my radiation.  But that January 1st I was signed up for the Air Force 5k and the half marathon.  I knew the 5k was just going to be walking with my daughter, daughter-in-law and granddaughter.  I was kinda glad to do this 5k with them to not only spend time together doing something fun and healthy, but to hopefully see first hand what this Air Force Marathon event was about.  Even though I was sure glad I did the walk I kinda regretted it just a bit because I wound up getting a small blister on the bottom of my left foot =(  But anyway, more on that later, back to after I signed up.  So after all my health issues and getting radiation and getting settled into my thyroid medicine I was finally back to slowly working out around the end of January.  It was slow going but it felt good.  Once it warmed up outside enough for me to go on a run outside I was thrilled.  But that was short lived.  Around the beginning of May I was noticing a lot of pain in my right foot.  I wasn't sure what it was other than it hurt.  Especially when I first woke up or if I had been sitting for a period of time.  That's when I found out I had Plantar Fasciitis.  My podiatrist recommended the boot and icing and stretching and also pt.  So I did what I could for my foot and also did some research about people with this same condition and did they still run.  Most did.  My PF was bad but I don't think as bad as what some people get so I decided that I was still going to train for this half marathon.  So in June I got with a girlfriend and asked her if she wanted to train with me too and she did!!! Wonderful.  So I found us a twelve week plan that was good enough just to get us to the finish line.  I didn't do speed or hill work due to the PF.  We ran on our own mostly during the week but we did our long runs together each Saturday.  We trained through the hottest summer here in Ohio in thirty years!! We lucked out on some of our long runs but most were through the heat and humidity even though we ran at 6:30 in the morning.  Then, we got to our twelve mile long run and my girlfriend wound up getting a stress fracture of her left tibia.  I know she was disappointed for sure as so was I but I was also scared.  We had come to far for me not to still run this race!  But I would do it all by myself.....well not totally I get that but still!! But, either way I made it!  And my girlfriend was right there with me taking me to the race and taking some pics and was there when I started off and was there at the finish line!  She knew how important this was to me and I love her for that!! Thank you girlie!! Now for a few pics!

My bibs and my my medals!! Wore my half medal all day long!

This was taken right after the 5k

How awesome is that Stealth bomber?? That was flying over just seconds before the full and 10k took off.  Then right before all of us half marathon people you got to see several parachuters with the American Flag.  Totally awesome! 

Me about 10min before my run.  It was a gorgeous 48 degrees.

Me at mile 9 giving high fives to my family who came out to support me!

Even though it was mile 9 I was feeling pretty good.  The blister on my left foot was pretty bad but my PF foot was just barely sore.  It wasn't until around mile 11ish that I was feeling really tired and wondered why was I doing this again??

Finally!! This was right after the finish line.  I had been stretching and my girlfriend wanted a pic!

Me again and feeling pretty good except for that stinking blister!

All of us standing around talking about the race and of course them telling me how proud they are!

Me listening to my daughter Ashley and just loving the fact that my family was there!

Ummm yea! It so hurt!  But not bad if this is all I got right?

Again.....me!  So so happy!

Like I said, my goal was to just finish!  But in the back of my mind I was hoping that I finished under 3 hours.  I only walked through the water stops and then a big part of a hill.  Not bad considering!  I did finish under the 3 hours but just barely!!  Even though it was a pretty rough training time, I feel like I did everything the way I should.  I made sure I took care of my PF, I made sure to be careful what I ate especially before my long runs.  I made sure to get plenty of sleep but most important I tried to just relax and have fun.  I was so sad that I didn't get to do this with my girlfriend but we have already vowed to do this race together next year and I can not wait!! 

My Goal? Just to finish....

Wow!  I can hardly believe that in three days I will be running my first ever half marathon.  I have wanted this so bad!!! My goal is to just finish!  I have no time frame in mind.  Just finish. Oh, and have fun!  My family will be there to cheer me on so hopefully all things will go just fine.  I'm sure they will right?  It's normal to have this type of nerousness right before your first ever half marathon right?  I feel strong and believe it or not my PF has been really feeling a lot better! Not a 100% but close to it!  

Do any of you have any advice for my first half?  

Awful and not so pretty long run

Yesterdays long run was suppose to be 13.1miles.  I knew that I would not be able to run the whole thing without stopping and stretching but I had no idea that I would actually walk part of it and then call it a day at mile 10.  

My running partner had to pull out of the training due to a stress fracture in her left tibia.  She, of course, is not at all happy about this!  All the training she has done and knocking her out of the half marathon =(  I know she is sad but I have to tell you.....I am so so so sad!!  How am I gonna finish this training schedule without her by my side?  How am I gonna do the half marathon without her there beside me telling me "its just one more mile"!?  I felt unsure and nervous about this half even running with her but now I find myself with even more uncertainty and more nervousness.  It just seems like since training for this half marathon there have been huge obstacles that have come into play.  The weather this summer and my PF being the main ones.  I have told myself that this race is about having fun and just finishing it.  Not to at all, worry about the time.  If it takes me 4hrs then so be it!  And I have told myself that its super okay to take walking breaks!  Yea, all this isn't working too much.  I'm scared to death.  I don't know anybody at this race.  What if the weather is super sucky like yesterdays long run?? Oh yea, about that.  So, since my running partner couldn't be there due to her injury my hubby agreed to bike along beside me.  When we started out the door that morning as soon as we opened the door, the humidity slapped us in the face.  The humidity was 92% with the dew point being 73!!!!!!!

Anyway, we get down to the path and get started about 7:20am.   There were already several people there too.  The first 3 miles I forced myself to go very slow!  More slower than I would have had the weather been decent and if my running partner had been there.   At a little over mile 3 I stopped for some water and some chomps.  I wanted to make sure that I stayed hydrated and stretched.   It didn't matter to me how long it took to run this because it mattered to me to stay injury free and hydrated.  I stopped 2 more times for water and to stretch then at mile 6 decided it was time to get rid of the compression sleeves on my calves.  It was so hot and I thought that would be just two less pieces of clothing on me.  I was glad I did!  While sitting on the path and taking them off one of the male runners that we usually see each Saturday was walking.  I asked him how he was doing and he replied that he was on his 20 mile run and still had 6 miles to go and it was awful.  He said it was the worse run he has had and I could tell he was not at all happy.  There were several more runners we seen and they too were walking and just looking like they were flat struggling because of the weather.  I went up to the 6.5 turnaround point and then did a little walking then some running.  I did this to about mile 7.5 and just was done.  My hubby took off for the car and I continued to walk/run.  I did .25 mile of walking then running.  I managed to get that to 10.01 miles when hubby was there with the car to pick me up.  The only positive I can take from this run is that I was mentally okay!! It was hot! It was humid! And I wasn't the only one struggling.  I did what I could do considering everything.  

As far as me running the half marathon....I'm scared.  But yet kind of excited too!  I have wanted this for so long and it's just time to get over that finish line.  I need to get this under my belt.  No worries, no time, JUST FINISH!