Texas Tumble

Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't... Much like Almond Joys and Mounds, with distance running sometimes you feel good, sometimes you don't. Yesterday at the Houston Half Marathon I was a total Mound, sure didn't feel good! (If you haven't seen those old commercials and don't know what I'm talking about, then obviously you didn't watch enough Price is Right as a child).

I ran just barely faster than what I came through the first half of the Columbus Marathon, and that first half of Columbus felt a heck of a lot better! I'm not going to make excuses, but there were definitely extenuating circumstances (some back, spine and neck issues left over from a bad weight coach last year) that contributed to my poor finish time, and based on how my legs felt I probably didn't recover very well from my little high mileage experiment. I was right where I needed to be at four miles, but the last nine were u-g-l-y.

It's very frustrating to travel far away for a big race and then bomb, but this is not the first time I've done it, so I know from experience that I'll survive. However, I'm not satisfied with survival, I want to prosper! I am extra motivated after observing all of the other elite athletes during the weekend.

I don't consider myself greedy or overly materialistic, but for some reason I've always been obsessed with free stuff! It started at the Expo the day before the race where I came away with two Lara Bars, some Power Bars, an entire box of brown rice, two handkerchiefs with the course map on them and a really cool stress ball with legs and arms and a cowboy hat. The freebies continued with all the benefits of being considered an "elite athlete."

The elite hospitality suite had amazing food for breakfast (Einstein's bagels and schmear, my favorite!), lunch, dinner and tasty snacks in between. We all got over-the-shoulder bags and t-shirts with the race logo on them, and the super-nice Brooks rep from Houston gave me a free technical tee (unfortunately, since everything really is bigger in Texas, even though it was a small it fit me like an X-large). Best of of all there were free massages, and boy did I need them!

Before the race the race officials escorted us across the legions of dedicated joggers lined up for blocks, past Minute Maid Park and to our own port-o-poties - the ultimate pre-race perk! Afterwards I thought to myself "only in Texas" when I saw that in addition to the typical bagels and bananas they were serving "recovery tacos" in the elite athlete area. They actually weren't bad, but right after I ate one my stomach really regretted it. Like I said, I have a hard time turning away free stuff!

Despite my terrible race, it was hard to be upset for long when the sun was shining and it was warm in January! Afterwards we went back to Nancy's town house and after lying on the floor trying to get my back to chill out for a while, I showered and pulled on my Peyton Manning jersey before we went to a local bar to watch the Colts game. It was depressing to watch them loose, but I was proud of myself for winning a verbal scuffle with a random guy in the bar who was trying to tell me that Eli is the better Manning quarterback, give me a break...

On my way home I ran into a good friend from high school and she ended up being on my flight back! It was great to catch up and before I knew it we had landed. It was even greater that I didn't have to drive home thanks to my ride, but I'll admit that going from sunshine to snow was a bit of a shock to the system. Going back to work this morning was also quite a shock to the system...

So, what's next? Time to regroup, refocus and re-energize for the next ten weeks until the Stanford 10k. With the Olympic Trials - Marathon being in late April, the early April Stanford meet is my best shot to qualify for the Olympic Trials - Track and Field. I am right on the bubble of being able to go, and since the meet and all hotels within a 30 mile radius are sold out, there's only one way I get to go to that meet, and that's by running fast! I know it's in there somewhere. I know with some hard work, help from friends and some faith I'll be back to Almond Joy shape in no time.

"Adaptability Day"

Running for Judy Wilson in college meant that every day was "adaptability day," the argument being that since you never know what may happen in a race, daily you must be ready for anything and be able to adapt. At times, this concept served as justification for lack of structure, but at other times I have to admit it made things more interesting (especially when we were about to miss our flights, which happened frequently). After a particularly poor showing one year at the Penn Relays, she even turned this concept into a workout. We went to the track to do a hard workout, but she wouldn't tell us what the distances or times we were to run until right before she said, "go!" Although I know the distance I'll be running this Sunday (13.1 miles) at the USA Half Marathon Championship in Houston, I find myself again headed for another one of those adaptability days.

Give me a 5k any day. I can (and sometimes in my dreams do) run those in my sleep. I know exactly when it will start hurting, exactly where I need to start pushing the pace, exactly when I can't let the pack get away and exactly when it's time to kick it in despite the burn. But half marathons and marathons feel far from natural right now. Used to be Coach wouldn't let me run long runs farther than 12 miles, now my race is even more than that!

I had a similar feeling earlier this week when I went to get my hair cut at Great Clips, spurred on by the coupon I had found earlier in the day and my old college ritual of getting my hair cut before every Big Ten race (it makes you lighter and therefore you'll run faster, duh). I was the only female customer there and I listened as each male went to the chair and listed off how they wanted their hair cut. "One and three," "Two for the sides and the top," "Two and four." Simple - a few easy instructions and they knew exactly what they would get. Myself on the other hand told the hair dresser that I was trying to grow out my hair. I ended up with so much cut off that I now have trouble putting it up in a pony tail without clips, the female runners ultimate annoyance.

I was momentarily jealous of the guys who had it so easy, so predictable. Going into this race, I've found myself yearning for the comfort of a familiar 5k or 10k on the track. Yet, when I went home and looked in the mirror, I actually did like my hair cut and it was fun to have something new and fresher. As the half marathon draws closer I'm finding myself more and more excited to get another crack at the distance and learn those things I already know about the shorter races.

No matter what challenges this race brings, I'm well prepared to adapt to them. Now, if I was only as well prepared for the actual trip... once again it is the night before I'm leaving and I haven't even started packing! Wish me luck (with the packing that is; with the race, a good trainer once told me you have to make your own luck and I prescribe to that theory whole-heartedly). Off to the Lone Star State for one more Adaptability Day!

For Auld Lang Syne

Ah, another new year, I am starting to feel old! It seems like only yesterday that everyone was making a big deal about Y2K! Nonetheless, we rung in the New Year in style and I hope 2008 will be just grrrrreat!

2007 in review, a year of "firsts"
Ran a lot, made my television anchor/reporter debut, went to Disney World to visit Em, finished my master's in journalism, won my first Big Ten title in the 10k, fought with IU athletic administrators, got All-American in the 10k, worked for InRunCo, got my first full time job, ran a lot more, lived by myself for the first time, went to Boston for the first time and for my first professional race, ran my first marathon and qualified for my first Olympic Trials, made my first trip to London, got my first freelance journalism gig (it's in RunMidwest, check out the Jan/Feb issue!), ran my first week of mileage over 80 (and then my second), had my first Christmas since 1986 without my little sister, and lots of other events (plus some other "firsts" that I will spare you the details, and spare myself the embarrassment).

Bring on 2008!
I resolve to:
*Stretch more after I run
*Get more sleep, but not while at work
*Not skip out on drills and strides
*Eat slightly less ice cream
*Complain less, dance more
*Sing loudly in the car when a good song comes on
*Put my laundry away instead of letting it sit in the basket for weeks
*Run PR's on the track in the 5k and 10k
*Leave it all on the track
*Catch up on all the books I own but haven't read yet
*And, most importantly, have fun while doing it! Stride on friends, stride on.