Overworked

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Mattie

Sorry I have been missing in action….
but I am overworked…overtired… and exhausted. The last thing I can think about is sitting down to blog… sorry. Boston is only 6 weeks away so I will try to be better. I really want to document this journey, not only for myself so I can look back on it but also for all of you out there hoping to run it one day.

I am tired. I hate to complain but I am tired. I am overworked and drained. I try to fit way too much into my life and I need to take a break. Don’t get me wrong, I am happy [seriously!], I just need about 10 more hours in every day. While training for Boston is a lot of work, it may be the one thing continuously getting me out of bed every day. I love to  run. I love the satisfaction of completing a run, long or short. I feel refreshed and alive. It is worth the 5am wake up calls after only 5 hours of sleep. I am more awake and alert at work if I have gone for a run in the morning. The days I have off, I always struggle to focus and get my work done. So, although running is another big item on my list of things to do, it is the one thing I really enjoy.

You  might ask, what else is on my list this winter (ps- thank god it’s March and almost spring!)? Well, let me tell you.

On Monday and Wednesday nights, I coach the young ski racers at the local mountain. While it is fun once I am there, it makes for super long days, stressful nights and rushed work at my real job. I have to be at the mountain at 6:30pm for practice and it takes about 45 minutes to get there with traffic. I rarely leave my day job before 6 so to get to ski practice on time, I have to leave my real job early, rush to my car, sit in traffic, rush to put my boots and skis on and then stand on the hill for 2 hours only to get paid $30 for the whole evening! haha… ok so maybe I am complaining… it is A LOT. I get home around 10pm and then have to get up at 5am to train for the one thing I am doing for myself… BOSTON!
So, that has been my Monday and Wednesday nights this winter.

Then there’s Thursday night.
I signed up to play in an adult soccer league with some co-workers way back in September. It was supposed to start in October and be done by January, but Superstorm Sandy changed things quite a bit causing the league to start on Jan 1 [instead of finishing then]. So, on Thursday nights, I play soccer. Again, it’s super fun once I am there but it’s a lot of work. The games are played at 8, 9 or 10pm and they are by my office which is about an hour away from home. I usually stay around my office, do extra work, grab dinner at Wholefoods and hang out until the games start making it so I don’t get home until really late at night.

Tuesday’s are the only night of the week I am home because on the weekends we usually go up to VT.

No excuses... just run

To say the least, I am BUSY. But, I have managed to run and maintain my training schedule. It hasn’t been easy, but I think it has helped keep me sane. I know I have to do it, I want to run and I am doing it for me, no one else.

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Boston Prep 16 miler

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Mattie

Yesterday I ran the Boston Prep 16 miler  in Derry, NH. It was a fun casual race and I am so glad I decided to do it. Going into the race I had no set expectations, I wanted to run at a decent pace and finish 16 miles comfortably so I could feel confident that I am on track to be in shape for Boston. Even though, I didn’t have expectation I was still nervous. It took me a while to fall asleep on Saturday and I was wide awake at 6:30 on Sunday. I rolled out of bed and made some coffee and watched the news while I ate oatmeal with peanut butter. I hit the road at 8am and arrived at registration by 9.

run 005

I had an hour to kill and was all by my lonesome. Luckily we were in a gymnasium so we could stay before the start. I sat on the bleachers and watched everyone prepare for their race. All the runners seemed so professional and organized. They talked about their marathon pace and speed work. They all seemed to have groups of friends and know so many people. I knew no one and, sat by myself waiting to walk to the start. Everyone was very nice and occasionally chatted with me, but for the most part, I just listened and observed this fascinating running scene that is so new to me.

run 007Good thing this guy showed up at the end of the race to keep me entertained!

About 20 minutes before the start I went outside to jog a little and get my blood flowing. I did a lap around the gym and was freezing. The wind was intense and the temperature was cold. I went back inside and put on another layer. It was around 16 degrees and with windchill it felt around 2 degrees. I dressed warm with a Skida necky on, Saucony hat and apparel, long socks and gloves.

run

I started the race really strong. I tried not to look at my Garmin because I just wanted to run comfortably. I ran the first 5 miles really pretty quick for me. I felt strong and had to make sure I didn’t push myself too hard. I wanted to run my race and not worry about the other runners passing me. Sometimes I get caught up in that and chase them down… but since  I was already running a much faster pace than normal, I tried really hard not to focus on that.

Around mile 8 the course started to go up hill and it continued to go up until mile 13. Luckily, the hills would be really steep and then mellow out a little so I got some relief before the next climb. Regardless, it was hard but I was refused to stop and walk even though the hills were big and the roads were winding. I kept my head down and focused on my stride and breathing. I was so happy when I reached my marker 13 because I knew it was all downhill from there… or so I thought… boston prep course

The whole race was pretty cold and windy, but it wasn’t until the last 3 miles that I really noticed it. I ran past the clock at the half marathon marker and it read 1:40.That meant if I wanted to run this race in 2 hours or less I needed to run 3 miles FAST. I convinced myself, it was only 3 miles, I should push as hard as I can and leave nothing on the course so I put my head down and picked up the pace. Then, I turned around a corner onto an open road next to a field.

The wind blew so hard in my face I could barely move forward. It felt like trying to run in water. The rest of the course felt like that, but I didn’t give up. I kept running not wanting to feel like I could have done more.  With 1.5 left all I wanted was to stop. I think if it wasn’t a race, I definitely would have. I longed for the finish. I was so ready to be done, but I pushed on. The last half mile was really tough. The wind was howling, my legs were burning and my mind was exhausted. It felt like an eternity but I finally crossed the finish line. Phew! I made it… and I made it in 2:00:58!
run 006

I felt good. I ran well, I ran hard and that is all I can ask for. I am not sure how I can run 10 more miles like that, but I guess I have 2 more months to figure that out.  Last night, my left leg and knee were sore but today my body feels good, my knees don’t ache and my hip doesn’t hurt.

5 mile: 36:24                       Pace 7:17
10 mile: 1:13:49                  Pace: 7:23
13.1 mile: 1:39:26             Pace: 7:36
Final: 2:00:58                      Pace: 7:34

Overall, I am happy with my result and feeling confident going into the next couple months of training, pre-Boston!

run 008

 

 

 

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What’s in a Plan?

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Mattie

A running buddy recently suggested I look into finding a personalized program to follow while I train for Boston. My last marathon I just used the Hal Hidgon programs  and it seemed to work fine. I was pretty sick of running by the end of my training, but I was prepared and relatively healthy.  [I struggle with off and on knee pain, it flared up occasionally during training but wasn’t too bad until the end of the actual marathon. Then I was out for a while dealing with knee aches] Regardless, the program got me through the finish line and with a qualifying Boston time! Wahoo.

So to train for Boston this April, I figured I would just use a similar program. Hal Hidgon actually has a Boston Bound program that I was going to loosely follow. But, my friend suggested working with The Run Smart Program.

They create programs specifically for the individual with the hope of reaching a PR. I filled out a bunch of questions regarding previous races, my pace and my goal time.  With the information I gave, they created a personalized program for me so I can PR at Boston. Super Cool. However, after looking through it I was a little discouraged. My longest run is 17 miles and that’s only happens twice. My ‘normal’ pace for runs is 08:48 – 09:18 working towards 08:39 – 09:09. Right now, I run almost every run at 8 min mile pace and my last marathon I ran several long distances, maxing out at 20. To top it off, the plan is assuming I’m going to run about a 3:25. I want to run faster. I want 3:20. I know Run Smart is being conservative and that with a 3:25 finish I would still be 4.5 minutes faster than my PR but that was my first marathon, I didn’t know what I was doing and I had a lot left at the end. I can improve significantly in my next marathon. 4.5 minutes is not enough.

To feel better about this and to ensure I get the most out of my training, I am going to dig deeper into the science behind the program, ask a few questions and find the answers  I feel like I should be pushing harder during training. This plan seems too easy [for me]. I also need to be smart and stay healthy. I am prone to runners knee but come on. I want to run fast. Period.

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Quick Natural Tips for Preventing and Alleviating the Flu

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Mattie

In Boston, there has been an outbreak of the flu. With the flurry of reporting over the flu epidemic and the shortage of hospital beds, I wanted to talk about quick natural tips for preventing and alleviating the flu from Dr. Brian Clement, co-director of the Hippocrates Health Institute (HHI).  HHI is one of the country’s top healthy-living, spa retreat centers.

Below are some simple steps you can implement from Dr. Brian Clement to stay healthy or recover more quickly from colds and flus.

Dr. Clement’ Tips for a Healthy Cold & Flu Season

  1. OSHA: Take 10 drops of this bio botanical every day.  Osha root is commonly used as a multi-therapy for cold and flu symptoms. The root has antiviral and antibacterial properties and, when taken at the onset of cold or flu, may help reduce the window of time in which symptoms are experienced.  Osha root helps clear mucus from the sinuses and lungs by increasing expectoration; this relieves congestion and makes breathing easier.
  1. Apple Cider Vinegar:  Twice a day mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 8-12 oz. of water. This soothes the stomach, fights colds and gives an incredible boost of energy. Apple cider vinegar is available at your local grocery store.
  1. Sprouts: Use sprouted garlic and onion in a green veggie juice or in salads to cure the flu. Sprouted garlic and onions are available at most local health food stores.  Garlic and onion boost cells in the body that destroy infection causing viruses and bacteria.
  1. Cayenne: Sprinkle dried cayenne pepper on your salad at lunch, use in your favorite dinner recipe or take 10 drops a day in liquid form. The active ingredient in cayenne is capsaicin.  Capsaicin alleviates congestion and thins the mucus in your nasal passages so you can breathe again.

I hope these help everyone stay healthy and sickness free!

Do you have any tips you use to stay healthy?

Posted in Thoughts, Tips | Tagged | 2 Comments