2009 Milestone--Marine Corps Marathon

This post is long overdue. If I am motivated enough, I try to attempt a milestone each year. A physical feat. At least, a feat for me. Here is a summary of my milestone for 2009, the Marine Corps Marathon.

In 2009, I decided not to attempt the Assault on Mount Mitchell. Been there, done that mentality I guess. Also, logistically, it can be rather nerve racking. The ride is on Monday. Weekends are much better for transportation both drop off and pick up. My husband works, my son is now in school. In 2008, my husband dropped me off in Spartanburg, SC at ~6:00 am. They watched me start at 6:30 am then rushed back to Marion, NC to have my son in school by the bell. He did it. I just didn't want to put him through that again. Although, he would have. (I think).

I actually thought I would take it easy this year with no goals in mind. Just enjoy myself. Training can be more mentally taxing than physical especially if you have a real job and family. Am I training enough? I need to get more miles in? It's exhausting just thinking about it.

My sister runs and ran the Philadelphia Marathon in 2008. She wanted to do the Marine Corps Marathon in 2009. I run as an alternative to bad biking weather. I actually think I'm a better runner than rider, but I LOVE my bike. I don't have a Bucket List. So many people have "run a marathon" as something to do before they die. Makes running a marathon sound cliche. But it is definitely a challenge, and I knew that.

I jumped on board finally, and signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon. Now I was committed. Training started in late June. I followed Art Lieberman's beginning marathoner training plan found in The Everything Running Book. My first long training run was 10-miles in hot, humid Myrtle Beach. I was beat. Talk about questioning your goal. I had run probably 9-miles at the most up to then, and mostly winter running. It was definitely a wake up call that this was going to be HARD.

I followed the training plan religiously. Although I did skip my easy Saturday runs with a bike ride. At first, I thought I could keep up with both my running miles and my bike miles. No such luck. I injured myself the day following the 17-mile long run. I tried to run the very next day. I walked home after 2.5-miles with much pain. I treated my injury and was concerned that I would not be able to run. I talked with friends that were runners or former runners who all gave me very good advice. The lesson I learned don't push it. Your body can only take so much especially at my age. Tough, painful lesson. I'm not Super Woman after all.

I completed the training, running in pain for a time after my injury. Completed the Asheville Citizen-Times Half Marathon in September in preparation for the whole. Asheville Citizen-Times Half Marathon was a great training run since it is a VERY hilly course. Not good for my injury, but I took it easy knowing that this run was not my ultimate goal.

The actual marathon day was great. I had my sister escort me around since she was the expert. She told me about the Clif Bar Pace Team so I could have someone else worry about my pace and not me. Running and concentrating on your time is hard so why not let someone else do it for me? Over 21,000 runners that day. Never ran in a group quite that size. That was the most difficult, sharing the road with so many people. You had to stay alert.

I kept with my pace group until mile 22, I think. I can't remember exactly. But I knew I was on mark to achieve my goal. The group would run through water stops and at that point, I needed my water. I reminded myself that the ultimate goal was to finish. I wasn't going to finish without fluids. I crossed that finish line, and I was so thankful that it was over. My official time was 3:41:44. Good enough to qualify for Boston at my age. Not bad for my first (and only) marathon. There were plenty of spectators on the route with motivational signs. One of my favorites...Pain is temporary. Pride is forever. It helped me immensely. It is so true.

Oh, by the way, my sister finished too! Very proud of her. I relied on her throughout this process to get me through. She did the same for me for the first year of my son's life. (She has three boys). We would update each other on our training runs. Even though we weren't physically training together, we were together in spirit--often a sweaty, tired, and sore spirit.

We also enjoyed our short time as tourists in DC. Went to a museum and a few monuments. We country folk loved the Metro. Got caught in a torrential downpour. We had a blast! DC, a great place to visit.

Now what for this year...I would like to say that I just want to enjoy pedaling or running without any training for an event or goal. Maybe this year, I will accomplish just that!

www.eXtension.org

eXtension, www.eXtension.org, is an interactive learning environment delivering the best, most researched knowledge from the smartest land-grant university minds across America. eXtension connects knowledge consumers with knowledge providers - experts who know their subject matter inside out. The Families, Food, and Fitness section of eXtension at htttp://www.extension.org/families_food_fitness provides education and skills to help families make informed decisions about healthy eating and physical activity by providing them with evidence (science/research) - based information and interactive learning opportunities through eXtension. This virtual educational environment is targeted to families with young children. The Families, Food, and Fitness (FFF) Community of Practice (COP) is organized around 3 goals:

1. improved diets,
2. increase physical activity, and
3. maintain body weight in a healthy range and avoid exess weight gain.
   

Interactive content and learning materials support these 3 goals in addition to focusing on the 6 key behaviors identified through the literature to be associated with achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight:

1. move more everyday,
2. tame the tube,
3. right size your portions,
4. enjoy more fruits and vegetables,
5. prepare and eat more meals at home, and
6. re-think your drink.
   

Help for healthy lifestyles includes a recipe section:
http://www.extension.org/pages/Families_Food_and_Fitness_Dynamic_List_of_Recipes

A picture spice guide for suggested foods with each spice:
http://www.extension.org/pages/Interactive_Spice_Guide and

A "Fast Food Menu," to size up fast food selections from McDonald's, Burger King, Subway, Chick-Fil-A, Donino's, and Taco Bell is provided on an interactive menu at:
http://www.extension.org/pages/Interactive_Fast_Food_Menu

Experienced extension personnel and researchers based in the 1862 and 1890 land-grant universities, as well as other universities and education centers contributed to this new eXtension site.

2007 Highlights

As we get to the end of the year, it's time to reflect on two big highlights that occurred in 2007. The first event was a personal accomplishment. As I get older, I feel like I have to prove myself (like most people). I am bigger, faster, stronger, smarter? ! Yea right! In order to memorialize my entry into another decade, I decided to challenge myself physically. The Assault on Mount Mitchell^tm is an annual bike ride from Spartanburg, SC to Mount Mitchell, the highest point east of the Mississippi River. The ride is ~100 miles. The first 72 miles which ends in Marion has 4,500 feet of climbing. The last 30 miles has 6,500 feet of climbing. Eleven thousand feet of climbing overall.

To get a number to the top is a challenge in itself. One thousand bike riders are permitted to ride to the top. You first have to ride The Assault on Marion/Mitchell^tm the prior year in order to get on the list of eligible riders to Mitchell. The Assault on Marion^tm occurs on the same day as the Assault on Mount Mitchell^tm. This ride ends in Marion. With only a limited number of tickets available, it is a crap shoot if you will get a rider number. I was lucky. I got a number.

After training and riding many miles in the Spring, I was ready for the ride on June 11, 2007. The 32nd Assault on Mount Mitchell^tm. I rode with others from Marion. We all finished. A lucky feat in itself since anything can happen that is beyond your control. I was lucky enough that I got some good advice from an Assault finisher a few days prior to the ride. Who knows maybe I will do it again in '08.

The 2nd highlight of '07, my five year old started kindergarten. He loves school. Eat, sleeps, and breathes it. He was ready for the challenge. I really only have positive things to say about the education he has received. He is reading simple books only after 12 weeks in kindergarten. I feel dumb. I hope the positive experience continues!