13.1

Well... I did it!!! I feel like that's the first sentence of a few of these posts, but I guess that's a good thing. Means I've made a few accomplishments!

It all started with "carb-loading" at dinner last night...

We ate at Elizabeth's Pizza. Let me just say, as a pre-run dinner, that was as good as it gets. Maybe the best Alfredo pasta I've ever had. No, I didn't eat the entire plate. Yes, I brought the leftovers home. Can't wait for lunch tomorrow.

Next, we went to Harris Teeter to stock up on breakfast and energy/hydration supplies:

We went to bed around 10, but of course I couldn't fall asleep right away. I read that it was pretty common not to sleep well the night before a race. So of course, 5AM came REAL early. But, we dragged ourselves out of bed, ate breakfast, and got to the start point around 6:15. It was still dark out.

I actually wasn't tired, especially once we got there and saw everyone who was running (turns out it was a total of around 2700 runners). Everyone was excited, and they were playing music over loudspeakers to get us all pumped up. Once we started, we paced ourselves to let all the faster runners ahead of us-- our goal was simply to run the entire time, and we knew we needed to run slower at first to make it through the whole thing.

Here's the route:

The first two miles were down at Wrightsville Beach. As we were between mile 1 and mile 2, we got to run during the sunrise. That was pretty cool.

Jess and I talked most of the time, which made it a lot easier to pass time quickly. By the time we got to mile 5, I honestly couldn't believe we'd been running that long. I also made myself a really great playlist, so having that as an extra motivator was exactly what I needed.

Then, once we got past mile 6, I had to pee SO BAD. There were port-o-potties all along the route, but I really didn't wanna stop. I knew I would have to stop eventually, because there was no way I could run 7 more miles in that state of discomfort. I saw one with no line and made a quick stop. I told Jess to keep running, and I felt so good after that I sprinted for about a half mile to catch up to her. Phew!

By the way- I HIGHLY recommend Sport Beans. They're made by Jelly Belly, and they literally taste exactly like jelly beans. But they're like super beans- with carbs, Vitamin B, C, and electrolytes. I would not have made it without these magic beans!!!! Thank you Jelly Belly!

Here we are at mile 12, almost there!

And finally.... at the Finish Line! It felt great!

It's hard for me to really express how this moment felt. Part of me was relieved to be done, part of me felt like, "Duh, you knew you could do it." I also felt a little emotional, because it was a significant accomplishment for me, and I knew I was doing it in honor of my mom. I knew she would tell me how proud she was of me. I know she was cheering me on.

I wrote this poem about a year and a half ago when I was going through a pretty tough time and running was one of the things I did to get through it and re-build myself. I think it's a good note to end on (although a cheesy one... just call me Sharp Chedda). I feel like it's a good illustration of the relationship I have with running and why this race was not just a physical milestone, but a personal one as well. So... at the risk of feeling like a huge nerd, here it is!

RUN

I begin ready.

Without hesitation or doubt --

though I don't expect it to be easy.

Nonetheless I am prepared.

It's just me.

the wind hits my face

my hair is back

no distractions from what's right in front of me

I am strong.

my heart is strong

my pace is just right

not too fast or slow

just as fast as I want to go

I have the whole world to myself

I like it that way

the only thing I'm certain of

is myself

Each time, I see the beauty around me

with fresh eyes

and it makes me free again.

the best part is halfway

I may be tired,

but I've made it this far.

now I know I'm at least thing strong

strong enough to finish

and though I'm halfway done

there's still that much more to enjoy

What happiness and strength.

it's as close as I've come to flying

I have wings, I just have to use them

I know there are inclines ahead

but they do not discourage me

I have seen hills before.

No hurry.

Just trying is enough

and the sweet, sweet finish

to reflect

to revel in that feeling

to be at peace - burning peace

that extinguishes other unimportant thoughts

my heart pounds

like the rapid rhythm of a drum

I am truly me.

alone with myself

indulged in my own soul

here is peace

here is freedom

here is strength

and bravery

here is love

Never lose me again.

5.04

This might be one of my favorite routes I've run so far. I started from Jessica's house near Cameron Village and ran down her street (Van Dyke St), up to Meredith, back through the neighborhoods behind Hillsborough, and down St Mary's back up behind Cameron Village. The houses on Van Dyke are so pretty - they're all different, and they're a little older. I love neighborhoods like that. It was also the warmest temperature for a run yet- it was 80 degrees yesterday! I hope it's here to stay.

I just got to Wilmington a few hours ago-- I can't believe the half marathon is tomorrow!!!! It seems like it's still so far away from actually happening. Jessica and I drove down this afternoon and just checked into the hotel. Here's the view from our room:

We went to the Expo to pick up our Registration packets at this hotel called Shell Island. There were a lot of people there- I think there are 2400 runners total. We picked up these Sport Bean packets- they're made by Jelly Belly, and they taste just like jelly beans, but they give you the same kind of energy as a Goo pack. (I've never had a Goo pack, but Jessica said the beans taste way better.) It was really cool to see everyone who was coming in for the race. I got pretty excited!

I am a little nervous, though. I've taken it really easy today, and I'm gunna make sure I stretch a lot tonight. I could feel my knee and IT band smarting a little this week and during the 10 miler, so I'm a little worried it's gunna bother me tomorrow. I don't want anything like that to keep me from actually finishing the run.... I swear I'll be so pissed if my knee acts up tomorrow.

We're hanging out in the room now, trying to figure out where we gunna go for pasta tonight. Then we're going to get our breakfast for tomorrow- bagels with peanut butter and bananas, and some Smart Water- and we'll be calling it a night, I guess! Wow. This time tomorrow... I will have run the longest distance I've ever run in my life - 13.1 miles.

Wish me luck!

5.56

Phew! I was like a zombie running.... man, I'm tired. I haven't been getting quite as much sleep as I probably should be, but I really think that 10 mile run on Sunday wore me out. Damn.

At least it's nice out. The flowers are blooming everywhere, it was light out til almost 8:15 or so, can't really complain. Thank god my legs could do the work my mind didn't want to...

Gearing up for the big run this weekend... time to go get my Gatorade on and eat some chicken.

10.1

Yup. I did it. I honestly thought this day was a long way off, like something you talk about but don't ever really expect to happen. But it did! And honestly... it wasn't so bad.

I ended up going to the UNC-Duke game on Sunday too (poor Heels), and was pretty worn out when I got back to Chapel Hill. I felt bad, because I'd made plans to run with Callie, but I bailed to take a nap for a while instead. I slept for about an hour, and finally got myself ready to run around 6:30 or so.

The one great thing about daylight savings time is that it stays light out longer. So I got to enjoy a little more daylight for this run than I was expecting. I ran through Carrboro first, looped around to Merritt Mill and Cameron, down by the hospitals, then finished up with the Gimghoul loop and a couple miles through campus and down MLK.

It took me about an hour and 45 minutes to run the whole thing. I think that's a pretty decent time. I'm hoping to do the half marathon in 2.5 hours, or maybe a little less, so I feel like my pace is on track to meet that time. It was warm out, I could wear shorts and a tshirt, and I just ran. I enjoyed it-- I felt strong, but not like I was killing myself. There were a few times when I felt my knee hurting because of my IT band, but I just made myself run through it carefully. I got a little out of breath a couple times, but I never felt like I needed to stop. I had my CamelBak (thanks Schwei!) filled up with Trader Joe's Smart Water, so that was a big help to keep me going.

I've let myself be a little lazy here at the beginning of this week. Monday I knew I wanted to rest and give my legs a chance to catch up, and today I ended up catching dinner with my Uncle who I don't see very often. But I'm tired, I want to relax. I know I will run tomorrow.

Gotta get a couple 5-milers in, and then Saturday Jess and I will drive down to Wilmington. Can't believe it's already race week. It feels like it went by so fast.

5.04

Meh. Did it. Wasn't tough, but my legs were sore. Kinda lazy tonight, gunna go get some grub and watch some tv.

Headed to the ACC tourney tomorrow!!!!

5.09

Ran 5 around the neighborhood (at Dad's) last night. It was a little chillier than Monday. Felt ok throughout the whole run, although I think I had a faster pace since I wanted to get it over with and meet Dad and Kelly for dinner. This particular route was a little more difficult than what I'm used to, because there are a lot more hills around the 'hood.




I noticed my ankle was hurting a little bit, and the knees were still a bit sore from Monday's 8 mile run. I need to be stretchin!!!

Me and Callie are doing hot yoga tonight, I'm excited about that. It's been too long since my last yoga class.

8.05

YES!!! I did it!

Wouldn't have made it without Callie there to help me stay motivated. We had a great route through Carrboro, down Manning, up through campus, down to the Gimghoul loop, then back around Cameron to Franklin and down MLK. It seemed so much colder outside earlier today. Maybe it was just my mentality- I was exhausted and I really didn't want to run. I didn't think I was gunna make it.

But once I was out there and running, and I felt pretty good. We kept a good pace, getting a little faster as the run went on. I had the CamelBak on, even though I honestly didn't feel like I needed it. (I'm drinking what I didn't drink on the run right now.)

The best part was when Callie told me we'd run 7 miles, and I got so excited because I knew I could do one more mile, no problem. Even when we stopped at 8 miles, I still felt like I could've run longer. But Callie and I decided that we should conserve since we're running 5 miles tomorrow.

I have to say I'm proud of myself. I've stuck with it, and even if I don't run every single tenth of a mile or even if I don't run on schedule, I've always gotten it done. I've also balanced my social life and work life with a regular workout schedule. It's great to finally feel like I have a grip on my routine while still maintaining a healthy lifestyle. (Callie and Elisabeth tease me and tell me this blog should really be called "DrinkStauceRun"....)

Time to get rested for 5 miles tomorrow.

4.09

This run yesterday was a little on the sluggish side. Well, a lot on the sluggish side. I went to Charlotte Friday night with Cassy, Kat, and Rachel to visit Dylan, and of course, we had such a good time that we stayed up until about 6AM. Cassy and I woke up Saturday morning to drive home at 10ish, and I immediately went back to bed once I got home and slept til 5PM.

I actually made myself get out of bed to run. Once I got out on the street, I felt ok. Not awesome, but not terrible. The weather was nice, it was in the 60's. I just took it really easy and didn't push myself too hard. I was more concerned with just completing the run than anything else. I also want to practice running at a slower pace, because Jessica told me I'd need to start slower than normal on race day. You supposedly have so much adrenaline at the start of the race that most runners have a tendency to wear themselves out too early without realizing it.

I probably need to really scale back the going out and late-night lifestyle right now. Friday was really not the best idea, but it was the last time all of us would've been able to visit Dylan before Rachel goes back to Europe. It was totally worth it, but I don't think I can get away with it after now.

Now for the more eventful part of the weekend, and the explanation of why I'm going to have to push my 8-mile run til tomorrow: (... reading back over the last couple posts, it feels like I'm really slackin off here...)

Last night, we all went out to TopO to watch the Duke game. It was such a blast. I came home a little earlier than everyone else, because I didn't want to stay out and drink too much before my run today. I get to bed by about 2Am, looking forward to sleeping in for the first time in several weeks.

Around 5:45AM or so, Rachel was sleepwalking and fell down our stairs. I woke up immediately and tried to help her get up and make sure she wasn't hurt too badly, but she'd fallen VERY hard. Over the next hour or so, she started getting less delirious and realized that her wrists and hands were really hurt. We ended up going to the UNC hopsital ER, and found she'd broken both wrists. We got there around 8AM, and I stayed til noon when Cassy and Kat came to relieve me.

So, not only am a little hungover/not feeling phyiscally my best from last night, but I'm way more exhausted than I could've anticipated because I haven't had good sleep all weekend. Not to mention it's been pouring and chilly all day. Not trying to spend an hour+ running just to get pneumonia. 8 miles will still be there for me to run tomorrow.

But... that being said, this week calls for lots and lots of early bedtimes, plenty of water, and good, healthy food. (No more fast food! I've been SO bad this weekend.)

Phew.

2.90

Woops.... today was supposed to be 4, but me and Jess ended up accidentally skipping a mile- ha! Oh well. 3 is still good, and I was supposed to run 3 on Saturday, so I'll just do 4 then instead.

Nice and easy run around Cameron Village and Fletcher Park. It's 48 degrees, which is kinda chilly but I think it's good running weather. Cold enough to make me run a little faster (to get back in the warmth), but not freezing enough to make my muscles cramp up.

Jessica told me all about what the race will be like- what I should wear, what to get at the water/food stations, all that good stuff. I knew they had these gel packs to give you energy, but they also have beans! I'm excited to try them. She said the race will be all flat, and we're running through a neighborhood called Landfall, which is this gated community with really nice houses. Should be fun!

I'm really excited because KAT AND RACHEL ARE HERE!!!!! Me, Kat, Rachel and Cassy are going to see Future Islands at King's Barcade downtown tonight- should be fun!

This week went by kinda fast.... not complaining. I'm ready for to do this race. 3 weeks!

4.55

I was supposed to do 5 today, but I was in a rush and wanted to go to dinner with the Roomies at Carrabba's. So I took a little time off.

I worked out yesterday, even though I really didn't want to. I'm starting to get to the point where I feel weird if I don't work out one day. So I made myself do it. I was pretty sore today, and I could feel it the most in my calves towards the 3rd and 4th mile. But I ran pretty fast, it only took me 42 minutes. My dad told me the other day that he did a 10K in 37 minutes once... can't believe he was that fast... and ran 1.5 miles more than me in 5 minutes less time. Big shoes to fill! Always have been.

Today was a fun day at work, we went out to Snoopy's and Char-Grill on Hillsborough- Yes, we went to both places. They're right next to each other! Tuesdays are 99 cent Hot Dog days at Snoopy's, and I had coupons to Char-Grill. My coworker James had never been to either, so I insisted that we go and try both.

I don't have much to report on the running front, so I'll share some links that Schwei sent me (he always sends me fun stuff while he's at work).

I highly recommend taking 5 minutes to read this Commencement address from Steve Jobs to Stanford's Class of 2005. Really great message, and makes me feel more confident in my current floundering.

And now, on a lighter note- a nerdy Transformer reference!

6.62

Wow. I did it. The longest run I've ever done in my entire life.

Not so bad!

I ran pretty slow and steady the whole time. I was honestly pretty anxious about running it. The hardest part - hands down- was just getting out there and doing it. I felt more confident with every mile, but also stayed cautious to make sure I didn't overdo it.

It was a really nice run, it's 79 degrees outside- so strange, but I'm not complaining. At the beginning of the run, my new shoes kinda hurt the arch on my left foot. I just kept running and eventually, I stopped noticing it. I also felt my IT band starting to tighten up right as I hit about the middle of the run, but again, just tried to take it easy and keep going.

Here's a screen shot of my route, from Carrboro to the Old Well to Gimghoul and back to Umstead:




I also double-knotted my shoelaces to make sure they didn't untie while I was running. I didn't anything breaking my pace and my focus.... also meaning I was more tempted to stop running this time than usual. I did stop once at the Old Well to get a quick sip of water. I figured it wouldn't hurt to do that, since I'll be stopping at water stations during the half 'thon also. Plus, legend has it that drinking from the Old Well on the first day of classes would make sure you got good grades all semester- why it can't be a good luck potion for me while I train?

I also noticed that flowers are starting to bloom- there were daffodils in bloom and trees in the Arboretum with pink flowers on them. Looking a lot like spring, bring it on!

This is the point in my training where things really start to get serious. A week from today, I do 8 miles. I've decided that I want to dedicate this training and the half marathon to my mom. Anytime I start to feel like I'm weak or I can't do it, I think about how strong she was, and how she always encouraged me. She knew I was strong, too, and she knew I could do whatever I set my mind to. When I was running the Gimghoul loop, I noticed a shallow wooded ravine that reminded me of the view from the top of our Mountain Farm, where she's buried. She used to go up there to re-fuel and calm her mind. I try to think about how hard she fought and channel that strength to keep my mind open and help me keep running.

Tough week ahead, starting with 5 miles tomorrow.

3.10

Yesterday I ran the Torch Run 5K, put on every year by Raleigh Law Enforcement for Special Olympics North Carolina. My Uncle, Keith Fishburne, is the President of SONC, so my sister and I always try to go to as many of their fundraising events as we can. I like 5Ks or other events that benefit some cause- I feel like there's no reason any race or half marathon shouldn't have a good cause to donate proceeds to. The Quintiles Half Marathon is donating to a few charities, although I have to say I don't know much about either.

The Tarheel 10 miler in April donates to the UNC Lineberger Cancer Center, so I'm excited to contribute to that. I think it's especially important that I contribute to SONC this year, because they're losing funding due to the state budget cuts that are being implemented. This is one of my favorite Special Olympics commercials- I think it really illustrates the importance of this organization, and it's sort of a "lightbulb" moment for people who might not get it yet.

Special Olympics PSA: "Fantastic"

The route yesterday was definitely more difficult than last year- I definitely felt challenged. There were a lot of gradual hills, one right after another. Usually most of the routes I run are pretty flat for the most part, with only 1 or 2 hills in the mix. But I still did ok- my time was 27:41, with a pace of 8:55- woohoo!!! I came in 8th place overall for my age group (20-24 Females)- wow! So even though I felt like I was doing worse than usual, that's a pretty good pace! It's not my best 5K time (I think last year I did 27:20... or maybe 26:20, I can't remember), but I had to stop twice to re-tie my shoes. So annoying. I had my race chip tied into my laces, and I was worried if I didn't stop to re-tie, I'd lose the chip.

I also got new shoes yesterday from Fleet Feet in Carrboro. I've been using the same pair of tennis shoes now for.... at least 2 years. My uncle and sister were like, "Stacey.... go get new shoes TODAY." They say you're supposed to get new shoes every 6 months, depending on how often you run. So I'm excited to break the new pair in! Guess I'll be doing that today when I do my 6.5 miler.....aaaah!

Went to the The Umstead Spa yesterday and got a massage with Cassy. Holy crap it was amazing. Awesome deep tissue, I felt so rested and relaxed. I'm definitely going back for another one, my therapist was really great and knew I was training so he knew exactly what areas to focus on. It's an expensive habit, but in my opinion, there are worse things I could spend my money on.

Today is 6.5 miles. That will be the longest distance I've run in my whole life. Wish me luck, will post later.

4.17

I am exhausted.

Seriously. The definition of today's run was struggle bus. I'm talkin at least two flat tires. I don't think I'm getting enough sleep, but I'm also doing more intense workouts than before. This week I'll have worked out 6 days out of 7, and I'm currently on day #3 of 9 straight workout days in a row. I did it to myself- I chose to sign up for a bunch of free classes at HEAT in Raleigh and I'm doing a free triathalon cycling class on Tuesday. Why turn down free classes? Plus, I needed to change up my cross training routine anyway.

But... like I said, I'm worn out. I ran so slow today. The temperature was nice, not too cold. I wore more layers than I needed to. But I was soooo sore from the cycling class I did with Callie, Elisabeth and Lindsey- my butt hurt so bad from that damn bike! I'm definitely investing in biking shorts/pants (they have padding- whoever came up with that did the biking world a favor).

I think I've gotten a little too overzealous signing up for 5Ks and marathons and 10 milers... I need to chill out with that, even though I'm glad I'm enthusiastic about trying new things and pushing my physical limits. But part of pushing your limits is knowing them- I need to pace myself here. I signed up for the Tarheel 10 miler on April 9th with Callie, and I think Lizzy and I are going to sign up for the Ramblin' Rose triathalon on May 22nd. Saturday I'm running the SONC Torch 5K (my schedule has me doing 3 miles that day, so it's perfect). But I know myself, and I have tendencies to stretch myself too thin. Girl gotta get her lazy on sometimes!

On that note, I gotta get some sleep. Night people!

2.40 + 5.04 + 4.27

Haven't written in a while, I know.

Did the 2.4 in Dylan's neighborhood on Saturday. It was pretty easy, nice run. The houses in Asheville are so gorgeous. The weather was awesome, we sat on Dylan's porch all day and just chilled. I LOVE Dylan's house. It's honestly my dream house, and the beds are literally the most amazing beds I've ever slept in. It was perfect for all of us to stay there for the weekend. The pics in this post are some of my favorites from the weekend.











And then... BASSNECTAR!!!! We all got tickets and had a great time.




Sunday was Rachel's birthday, me, Cassy and Justin got up early and made everyone breakfast. Then we had to get on the road.... I had 5 miles to do. All I can say is, thank GOD for Smart Water and 5 hour energy shots. I felt awesome on my 5 mile run, which was really surprising considering the weekend-long party and how exhausted I was on Sunday. But the weather was great, I felt really strong, and I just really enjoyed the run. I felt so great when I got to the point where I new the run was almost over, it was the first time where I started to think that maybe 13.1 miles won't be so bad...

Today, Callie and I ran together again, we did 4.27 miles. It was a lot colder tonight than it has been in the past few weeks, so we were both a little reluctant to do the run. But, we did it! And it felt pretty good. Just goes to show you how much mentality can make a difference.

I signed up for the Tarheel 10 miler today, and I'm also doing my first class at HEAT Studios in Raleigh with Callie and Elisabeth tomorrow... guess I'm drinkin the Kool Aid now.

Til tomorrow... when I may be in a not-so-chipper mood, as I'm currently playing a Glee Drinking game with Garrett and Lizzy. Yeah.

3.09

Same route as Monday, much, much slower. My calves are so tight! It kinda hurt to run, I just did a lot of post-run stretching. It was a nice night out, not too cold. I was really lazy and tired tonight. I guess it really does make a difference what kind of diet and lifestyle you have- I think I felt lethargic because I ate my weight in Los Pos last night, and took a shot of Aristoshit Tequila. Had to! It was Ross's bday/welcome-back-from-Germany dinner!

I'm not wild about this three mile route, it's just an extra mile onto the 2 mile run I do on Umstead. The extra mile at the beginning and end of the run are on Estes, and there's no sidewalk and always lots of traffic. I don't like it so much... but it's well-lit and it's convenient.

One cool thing, I saw a fox. He was Fantastic. (Ha! Don't say I didn't warn you.... the Vernon Humor Disclaimer was given many posts ago.)

I think I'll try to meditate tonight. Maybe see if I can get some better sleep, since that's been rare recently. I don't really know why. But it's extremely annoying that I seem to have a hard time sleeping and have tense shoulders.

That's all for tonight. I'll be doing a 2.5 mile run in Asheville this weekend, I bet that'll be nice. Til then.

3.09

I ran faster today than I usually do. I got out of work a little early, and I really wanted to try to run before the sun went down since it was so warm out. It got to 70 degrees!!! It was kinda fun pushing myself, too.

I also ran fast because I had to meet this girl who was selling me her Bassnectar ticket!!! We got 2, we need 2 or 3 more tickets for this weekend's show in Asheville (I'm so excited to visit Kat and Rachel!!!!!!!)

Tomorrow, Ross comes back from Germany.... so I pretty much scheduled my week of training around that, and the insane amount of Mexican food I'll be eating tomorrow night... oh yeah, and Asheville this weekend....

4.30

This is the longest run I've done so far- and it was a beautiful day! Callie came with me, and it was really nice having her to run with. Sometimes it's really good to have another person there for support and to help you take your mind off the run (especially if it's a longer one and you're sort of dreading the distance). But in this case, I enjoyed both the company and the run.

It's 58 degrees out- PLEASE CAN IT PLEASE STAY LIKE THIS??? No more snow! It makes the runs so much better to have daylight and warm weather. Hopefully on the day of the half marathon it will be both- I'm sure it will, March 20th is late enough, I think...

Not much to report here, felt pretty good on my run. We ran at a good steady pace, hit a couple of good hills to keep us working hard. Just glad to be outside and enjoy the weather and do something to feel good!

3.13

I was supposed run 2 on Thursday and 2 today, but I skipped Thursday's run because I felt terrible and was super paranoid about getting the flu that EVERYONE and their mom seems to have right now. Johhny, Schwei, Kat, and my coworker Jason all have it, and supposedly Lizzy is getting sick too. I was just really worn down on Thursday after work, and I thought maybe it'd be better to try to rest and take it easy instead of pushing it, getting sick, and possibly falling behind even more.

So today, to make up for it, I did about 3. I'm guessing on the actual distance here, I used a new website to map the route called WalkJogRun.net. It's pretty cool, it uses Google Maps/Google Earth, which I like because I can actually see the Bolin Creek Trail and accurately map it into the route. (I was using MapMyRun.com, which was good too, but the maps weren't as accurate.) The other thing I really like about WalkJogRun is that I can see tons of routes that other people have mapped out and saved, with a brief description. I think that will be helpful when I start adding on extra miles and don't already have a route planned out.

Lindsey sent me an interesting article this week about training for a marathon with the right diet, it was pretty good. Some of the tips from the article that I'll try to follow are:

-Eat within 15-30 minutes after finishing a run to ensure proper recovery (I'm eating a yogurt and grape nuts right now)
-Your meals should be roughly 1/3 carbs/grains, 1/3 protein, and 1/3 fruits and veggies- carbloading isn't the best thing for running
-Before a long run, drink water about an hour before for the best hydration
-Stop at the water stations and gulp (not sip) your water
-You are allowed to eat cheeseburgers sometimes!!! (Great news since it was McGriddle Friday at work yesterday.... oh yeah. You're jealous.)

Phew. Starting to feel better here- today I felt so sluggish running. It may have had to do with the fact that I stayed up kinda late, slept in til 12:30, and didn't eat or drink anything before I went. Actually, that probably is everything to do with why I didn't feel so great. But, I ran slow, got it done and I'm feeling better now. It's a gorgeous day out, currently 51 degrees, sunny-- perfect day for a run. I should've just left my iPod at home, for all the help it was.... all of the songs on Shuffle were killin me! Nothing hype, nothing inspiring, all of it was just.... slow and sluggish, like I felt, so I kept changing the songs a million times.

Small confession: I only ran halfway up the hill, and then cut through a path to the parking lot. I did run through the rest of the parking lot, though. For whatever that was worth.

I think I've found my next event after I finish this half marathon- the Ramblin' Rose triathalon! They have them all over NC, but there's one in Raleigh on May 22nd (and one in Chapel Hill on October 9th, but that's a bit too far away to commit to right now). It's a 250 yard swim (5 laps), 9 mile bike, 2 mile run. I think Lizzy and Garrett and I might do it together- I'm trying to talk Schwei into it, but.... I won't hold my breath. Anyway, looks like it's totally do-able. Especially for someone like me, who might as well be swimming in a baby pool. Not really, but I'm sometimes surprised I was ever a lifeguard. I've just never been a strong swimmer. (NO REILLY, I'M NOT SAYING I CAN'T SWIM....despite the weird rumor you tried to make up about me...)

Alright, that's it for now... gotta go catch up on TV shows, or maybe read outside on the porch. Til tomorrow!

3.51

39 degrees and windy. Real rough to run in that kinda weather. But surprisingly not hard for me to run. Well, in terms of my energy, anyway. I can tell that it's taking a toll on my body, especially my joints. I just need to make sure I do a really good job of stretching before and after. Tonight I didn't stretch very well beforehand because it was getting late and I wanted to get out the door and do the run before it got too unbearable.

The worst part of this particular run is the fact that I CANNOT STOP COUGHING. Again with the asthma-like wheezy breath and hacking up half a lung. That's probably what I'm looking forward to the most about Spring and warm weather. And the fact that it won't be dark at 6pm... that just sucks. I'd be fine with the cold if it were light out.

I also think I just like running earlier in the day. Sometimes running at night is nice, but after a long day of work it's hard to be enthusiastic about going for a run. Especially when I walk in my room to change clothes and my awesome poncho-tent-blanket-hoodie-snuggie-but-way-better is looking me right in the face. (Yes, I am wearing it right now... if anyone was wondering.)

Until the next lung-freezing run... over and out.

3.50

Garrett came with me today, and we did the 2 mile run I usually do but adding an extra mile and a half on the Bolin Creek trail. That trail is one of my favorite routes to run, and I hadn't done it in a really long time. The creek was full from all the rain and was actually moving along. It was about 45 degrees out, which was pretty nice compared to the colder runs I've done this week.

Overall, it was a good run. I felt stronger and kept a better pace than I thought I would, and surprisingly I didn't have much trouble with the hill. For the last quarter mile of the run, I tried to up my pace a bit. It's strange to me that I felt so strong during the run, again because I went out with everyone last night. I woke up at 8am with a terrible headache and thought I'd be hung over all day, but I woke up around 1:30pm and felt fine.

Cassy finally showed all of us the video she made of the 5 of us (plus Dylan, of course). It was just random videos and photos of all of us from the past year when we lived together. She also put all our favorite songs in and had everything all timed out to the music. It was such a great gift- I think it might be one of my favorite things.

Pretty proud of myself for actually getting all my runs in this week, even with everything going on. Feeling confident and satisfied.

Alright- it's nap time. Need to rest up for the main event that will be tonight.

2.17

It's 36 degrees and drizzling. Not pleasant.

But I suited up and did it. I ran at a pretty slow pace, but steady nonetheless. I didn't feel like pushing myself that hard today, considering the weather and the fact that I went out last night for my birthday.

I even gave myself permission to walk up the dreaded hill, because I felt like just doing the run was good enough for today. But surprisingly, I ran up the whole thing. Maybe it wasn't so terrible because I just took it easy, so I didn't feel like I was ready to pop an air bubble in my lung by the time I got to the hill. Either way, got it done- and relatively painlessly. So I feel pretty good.

I had a fleeting thought that this was going to be as easy as it'd ever get, because starting next week I have to up the mileage. So much for my easy-peasy 2 milers. At least I can never pretend that doing an easy 2 mile run is really that painful- it'll be good remind myself of that when I'm trying to come up with excuses to be lazy after the half 'thon is over.

I also needed to do at least SOMETHING productive today, considering I had the day off and slept til 2pm. Glorious.

The birthday was pretty good, the sushi dinner was awesome, we had plenty of sake bombs, and then we went out for a more low key night, but it was nice to sit around with people and just hang out. At Sushi Love, we literally brought the entire restaurant to silence when we did the bombs- the first time we did it, we hit the table so hard that Lizzy's sake glass broke and a half full can of Sapporo fell over and spilled everywhere. And the sushi boat- seriously the biggest boat I've ever seen at a sushi place, and we ate every. single. piece. Of 18 rolls of sushi. It was amazing.


Before we went to dinner, I came home from work and my roommates had decorated my bed! It's the best...

And they got me the COOLEST super hoodie/snuggie/wearable blanket EVER from Urban Outfitters... I slept in it, I've worn it all day til I ran, and I'm probably gunna put it back on right after I shower. AND they got me an awesome Shark Encyclopedia book (I have a weird obsession with sharks. Cage diving with Great Whites is #1 on the bucket list.)









It's been so great having Kat and Rachel back, it's pretty much like they never left. It makes me very very happy. And it's not even close to over yet!!! Dylan should be here any minute, and then the group will be complete. I didn't realize it until someone said it, but a year ago this weekend was our huge Bday Rave Party... what an appropriate weekend for us to be reunited!

We'll see what happens with the 3 mile run I'm supposed to do tomorrow.... stay tuned.

2.17

I was realllly distracted and didn't wanna run today. First of all, I was really tired this morning... maybe because I don't ever go to sleep before midnight, and maybe because of the antihistamine/anti-allergy medicine I took that could've made me drowsy. Either way, even an espresso wasn't enough to stop me from wanting to pass out on my keyboard at work.

And I'm not gunna lie, I wasn't exactly motivated to run, even without the distraction of thinking about this weekend. (Kat and Rachel are coming TONIGHT!!! And against my better judgement, I may go out tonight with them even though I told myself I wasn't going to...) I guess there's part of me that enjoys having nothing to do when I get off work, having the option to work out if I feel like it or just relax, maybe go shopping, maybe go to dinner or whatever. As much as I need discipline to keep myself in shape, I also value down-time and not having anything planned or scheduled. I want to have my cake and eat it, too- big shocker.

Well, at least I did it.

And I ALMOST quit running and just walked up that damn hill... but I stopped running for a few seconds, then made myself jog up the rest of the way.

Now I can focus on the weekend ahead! (I'm not going to think about the two runs I still have to do this week until I have to do them.)

2.17

Same route as last week, although not as tough today. I had a good pace, good energy. But shit it's just as cold- 37 degrees. You know how your lungs get tight when you're breathing really cold air, and you come back inside to warmth but your lungs are still cold? And then you start wheezing like you have asthma or some other upper respiratory ailment? Yeah, that's me tonight. Wheezy McPhlegmerson.

Had some great tunes keeping me going: "On and On" by Girl Talk, "Genesis" by Justice, (those got me pumpin through the first mile), then ended on "Church" by T Pain.

And yeah, that hill... still a bitch.


I'm hoping to find a good marathon diet- maybe some recipes for guidance so I don't feel like such a lame ass college student who only knows how to cook mac n cheese. I did make a delicious meal with Schwei this weekend- steaks, potatoes, asparagus, sauteed spinach with pan-friend crabcakes, and then Bananas Foster on French Vanilla ice cream. Oh yeah. It was awesome. I guess that counts as an early bday dinner..

My birthday is Thursday!!!! And Kat and Rachel are gunna be here! And I have Friday off! Glorious!!!!!!

2.97

I should have run yesterday, buuuut I didn't... oh well. So, I ran a little longer today, and did a 3 mile run to make up for not doing the 2-mile yesterday. I did walk around on a cool trail in the woods with Schwei though, so yesterday wasn't totally lacking in exercise and getting outside.



We saw this tree on the trail, I thought it was pretty so I took a picture.

But TODAY! Wooooo it's almost 60 degrees, the sun is out, maaaan it's gorgeous. I can't WAIT for springtime. I did a really enjoyable run around Schwei's neighborhood in Cary, and ran up to a lake with a 1-mile sidewalk around it. There were little kids out with their parents, people walking their dogs, and tons of geese, ducks, a couple swans in the lake. It was so warm it almost felt like I was at the beach. This made me really excited to run the half 'thon because it's in Wilmington. Yesss.....

I did an easy pace today, I could sort of feel my knee smarting (I've had a bad IT band unless I seriously stretch it out before and after any run that I do), but I just took it easy, so I didn't have much trouble. It's really so much easier to breathe and keep running when it's warm out.

No iPod today, didn't need it. The run went by pretty quickly- the worst feeling is when you feel like it's taking FOREVER for the run to end... but I think that has a lot to do with the mentality you have when you're doing it, more than anything else. If you're able to enjoy the surroundings, or the physical act of being outside and exercising, it makes everything a lot easier. I think that mentality will be huge in terms of actually accomplishing the goal of running 13.1 miles.

This week is going to be so fantastic- Kat and Rachel are coming back Wednesday (YAAAAAY!!!) My birthday is Thursday, I'm working a remote "half day" Friday, Dylan is coming, and Cassy's bday/Super Bowl is on Sunday! Maaaaan I'm excited. BUT! That means lots of distractions from really getting my training done. I'm gunna try to knock the first 2 runs and the cross training out by Wednesday, then do the last 2 runs on Friday and Saturday. I think I can do it, but I've gotta take it seriously and not be an idiot about going out.... of course, therein lies the ultimate dilemma. I'm going to have a strong tendency toward idiocy with Kat and Rachel back....

Wish me luck.

2.17

Fuck. That was hard.

The current temperature is 34 degrees. No rain, no wind, just cold, freeze-your-ass-off air. I had to take the iPod this time. I needed a little more than my own mental strength to force myself to do this one.

I was pretty exhausted, I woke up really tired today even though I went to bed earlier than I have all week..maybe it's catching up with me. I had gloves, a hoodie, toboggan, running pants, a long sleeve running shirt, and thick Carhartt socks on. The worst part was how phlegm-y it got... and I have the worst gag reflex ever because snot and boogers make me wanna vom.

Not much to report besides that. Hopefully it won't get much colder than that while I'm training.

The song of the night that got me up that hill- "Everyday I'm Hustlin'", Rick Ross. Hell yeah- it came on right as I got to the bottom of the hill. (Speaking of, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, and Lil Wayne are coming to the Greensboro Coliseum on April 8th... I have GOT to go.)

2 runs down, 2 more to go this week...

2.17

Ok, so it's safe to say I haven't been keeping up with this blog as much as I thought I would. I really should be better about it, because I get as much out of writing as I do out of running and working out- so I guess this running blog really has two purposes. I meant to write last week when I did a run-gym-run (1 mile run to the gym, weight circuit at the gym, then 1 mile back). I've actually been consistently working out at least 3 times a week for the past several weeks, with at least one run in there somewhere. I'm pretty pleased with that.

But this week, I really have to start preparing- mentally and otherwise. Next week is the official Week 1 of training for the half 'thon. So far this week, I've done my weight routine yesterday, and just did a 2.17 mile run tonight. It was raining- well, drizzling, I guess- and the current temperature here in Chapel Hill is 47 degrees. Pretty chilly, but not as bad as it sounds.

I actually really enjoyed it. My iPod was dead, so I had nothing but my own thoughts to keep me going... yikes. But.. turns out, it was really nice to listen to the rain. My apartment is right near Bolin Creek, and running next to it might be one of my favorite things. I could hear the rain hitting the surface of the water, the pavement, and hear it in the trees. It was sort of pretty bouncing off the pavement, almost like sparks coming off the road where the streetlights lit up the asphalt. The creek was gurgling along, and all in all it was peaceful.

I had a lot of energy when I got home from work, which seems to be the norm lately (maybe I'm finally adjusting to the 9-6 routine.. good thing or bad? I'll say good for now). So I felt pretty strong and energized during the run. I had a good pace going, I wasn't struggling to maintain it but I wasn't necessarily going all out, either. It was just a good, solid little run.

There's always a point in a run when I have to force myself to push a little harder. Usually when I'm running back to the apartment, it's at the end of the route when I start to anticipate the hill that's coming... man, that hill can be a biatch. It's a not the steepest hill ever, but sometimes it makes for a tough finish.

But... I did it! Even though it was cold and rainy. I felt a little jolt of happiness and accomplishment when I finished- not so much because I ran an easy 2 mile route that I've done a million times, but more because I know I'm committing myself to this half marathon. More importantly, I'm committing myself to... myself. I'm committing to something that's challenging as a way to maintain discipline in taking care of myself. I needed something like this training to remind me of how much joy I get from being outside, exercising, and accomplishing goals that are purely for me.

Alright, that's enough cheese for a plate of nachos. (If you actually read this blog, get ready for the Vernon humor. We think our own jokes are really funny...) Time for either grocery shopping.... or eating a whole box of mac and cheese.

3.24

I did 3.24 miles on the Treadmill yesterday... unfortunately it was harder than it should've been, but I still need to get back into the hang of things.

In the spirit of the New Year, I wanted to do a review of 2010. Here's the recap, and it looks pretty good:

Trips:

• NYC Birthday/Valentine's with the Roomies in Feb
• Dominican Republic with Kate in March
• Madrid, Spain with the fam and the Hambridges (collectively, the Farkels) in May
• Bonnaroo in June with the Roomies, Schwei, and Steve (aka Camp Counselor Steve)
• Charleston with Schwei in July or August... can't remember
• Moogfest in Asheville for Halloween with Schwei, Johnny, and Cassy
• Annual Thanksgiving/Family Reunion in Mt Sydney, VA with the Fishburnes

Concerts:

• La Roux
• Justice
• Matt & Kim
• Chiddy Bang
• Bonnaroooooooo!!! (Jay Z, Kings of Leon, Stevie Wonder, Flaming Lips, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Deadmau5, Temper Trap, Weezer, Phoenix, Kid Cudi, Wale, Avett Brothers, sooo many more...)
• Moogfest (Big Boi, Thievery Corporation, Pretty Lights, Mimosa, Hot Chip, Dam-Funk, RJD2, Girl Talk, Dan Deacon, Massive Attack)
• Lady Gaga

Other random cool things I did:

• 6 month stint as a bartender
• Horseback riding, canyoning, and jumping off a 50 ft cliff in Domincan Republic
• Ran my fastest 5K to date in the Feb 2010 NC Special Olympics Polar Plunge (27:20)
• Took the GMAT... ok, that's not that cool, but it's the 3rd standardized test I've taken for grad school (well, technically 4th, if you count the LSAT twice)

Hm... obviously since I just listed the GMAT as one of the "cool" things I did, I must be done with this list.

I think David and I are gunna run another 5K tomorrow, trying to get a good base and get back in running shape before JBell and Lauren turn me into a real runner...