Tag: challenges

#TinkRuns2024, challenges

My First Marathon

2chicksandapen

So much anticipation has led up to this point. Specifically every day after my half marathon until now. 12 days of am I ready? Do I have everything? Should I start packing? How will I do away from home? Will my pit crew be annoyed with me? The course is ready, but am I?

Today is the day.

The big day.

My first and only marathon quest.

My bright idea for age 52!

A dooms day of sorts. Can I do this? Why did I sign up for this? Am I crazy? So many questions but the reality is I am here. I have several friends by my side. We are doing this. The months, days and hours leading up to this point have been full of so many memories. Just being here is an accomplishment for each of us. Nobody wants to think about a DNF (did not finish) but it’s entirely possible. At least it’s not a bunch of hills.

Now we get to take these steps today and prove to ourselves that we can finish what we started and trained for. Or in my case what we barely trained for. That our bodies are capable and we can do hard things. One by one we will cross our own barriers before we finish today. Our stories are different. Our training regimens were different. Our ages are different. However we all put on our racing shoes and number looking to achieve the same goal with thousands of others today. Completing the marathon. Becoming one of the 1% club.

Signing up alone is a big step.

Training is a huge commitment.

Mental toughness is required.

Patience and grace is much needed.

Nutrition and hydration is paramount.

Clothing must be well thought out and tested!

Shoes and socks need to be broken in.

So many little steps before the big day.

Then you may need to circle back to the mental toughness multiple times in this preparation process. It’s a given.

When it’s time to show up, that’s another hurdle.

When you need to find your pace and really sync into it for the duration, that’s commitment.

Pain will be involved for most of the process.

Staying consistent for 26.2 miles is straight out courage!

Will your electronics last?

Do I have all that it takes? Not sure yet. I know I can get half way for sure. I’m sure I can go a little more as well, but can I finish? That’s my goal. Only me.

Only me to rely on!

Only me can say it’s time to quit.

Only me can cross that finish line.

Only me can motivate myself ultimately….

Stay tuned for the next post in this series showcasing my epic day.

#TinkRuns2024

My 2nd Half Marathon

2chicksandapen

November is here. It’s been such a long journey to this point in 2024. A 5-year stint after my first half marathon. A few of the same friends participating. A few new friends added this go around. A few friends even turned into spectators but still are a part of the journey.

I took a few minutes to look back on photos from 5 years ago when I did my first 1/2 marathon. It was a wild weekend. I almost forgot we signed up for a 5k the next day to get an extra medal. To think about doing that now is just mind boggling. I guess I get a little more wiser with age!

I didn’t know what to expect my first half and really I don’t know what to expect this go around either: I’m packing more stuff this time. I’m wearing a vest. I feel like I have a plan, but no plan at the same time. Such a quandary in my mind. Hoping to avoid a long potty break. Hoping to avoid chafing of any kind. Time will tell.

So many ups and downs on this journey. 10 months of training was planned. Injuries took a toll on that timeline in a big way. 3 friends followed the training plan to T and their performance will reflect that effort. Another friend trained solo on a run-walk segment that worked for them keeping up with many races along the way. Although different training, the consistency will yield results.

Then there is me. The one person plagued with injuries. The one who took off almost three months from running. In that time my mobility has suffered. My stamina has diminished. My weight has gone up. The list could go on and on. The reality is still the same. I will put on my race bib and lace up my shoes no different than any other racer that day. My race may look different. It may feel different. My mental preparation will undoubtedly be different, but we all cross the same finish line. A finish line many will never attempt to cross, ever. For that reason I will feel successful no matter what time is recorded:

My effort.

My outcome.

My race.

My pace.

100 percent my effort to start and finish. Talk about a feeling of exhilaration. How powerful is my body, my mind and my spirit? I’m about to see. On race day so many conversations were had with myself. Some to pass the time. Some to reflect. Some just ramblings of being tired I guess. I enjoyed the solitude of my race day for the most part.

The day arrived. 4am wake up. A little travel time. A time change. A little morning drizzle. On the road as the sun rose. The portapotty adventure. The hills. Whomever designed this course was a bit demonic. It started with the hill and ended with a continuous hill that lurked around multiple corners. The finishing mile was a grueling mile to say the least. One of the fun parts of being slow was reading all the chalk messages written along the way. A pleasant surprise and fun way to have cheerleaders where there were no actual cheerleaders on the course.

Speaking of cheerleaders, there was a high school drum line playing on this course. Such a fun experience along the way. The drum beats definitely gave me a little pump up as I passed by. Great to see kids supporting the community as well.

Met some new faces at this race. Passed some folks. Got passed by some folks. Walked a little. Ran out of water for 2 miles when a watering station ran out. All in all I survived to tell about it. I was slower than 5 years ago but I am older and don’t move as well as I did back then, but I did it. I was one of 6 strong friends who adventured out for the half marathon. All of which completed the task. The same six will meet once again but for a full marathon. Double the distance. Double the challenge!

Two of the six have completed a marathon before. 4 are new to the challenge. All with different paces. All with different stories of their why. For me it’s why not. Why not give it a go. See if I can be one of the 1% to complete a marathon.

As 2025 approaches I will be setting out to balance my half marathon series. I will be completing my third half marathon in February 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. A travel race. A few days of the same friends embarking on the trek. This will most likely end my marathon series, but will allow me to have another time stamp to wrap up my trifecta experience. Looking forward to a few cold training days between now and then. Hopefully no injuries as well. Maybe I can clock a better time in a couple of months, too.

Officially old.

Officially slow.

Learning to embrace the back of the pack at these races. Each and every time I show up. Back of the pack isn’t so bad. Plenty of time to observe the surroundings, chat along the way and really enjoy the event.

I also vlogged this race which gave me a great memory reel to view in the years ahead!

#TinkRuns2024

The Final Countdown

2chicksandapen

Next month is around the corner. The marathon month!

A half marathon.

A full marathon.

Can I do it?

Should I do it?

I have my vlog camera ready to go. My clothing is planned and ready. I hope to document my journey for the half and the full to showcase my efforts and memories. It might not be pretty but I’m going to try to commit to the documentary along the way. 

A little extra baggage! To carry and maneuver, but I’m committed to the process.

This month is dedicated to overcoming fear. The fear of injuring myself. This is a big mental hurdle. I can get by today pain free, but I’m not running. If I run and run at an extreme level of a marathon will that be too much on my extremities? That’s what’s nerve wracking. Stay where I’m at and not push the envelope or push my limits to the extreme and see if I break or succeed?

What would you choose?

I don’t even like to run. Rather I choose to run to get better at running: this was my whole goal for the year. Somehow my injuries stacked on top of each other in ways I couldn’t even imagine leaving me helpless on the running front while my counter parts trained their little hearts out. 

7.5 miles done mid month. A big hurdle was jumped on this day. I didn’t feel like I would run. Somehow I ran. Then I decided to push a little. It felt good to get this out of the way. A little tight the next day but I survived!

Now the hard part. Finding the time to train in the remaining days before the two big events. 3-5 weeks is not much time at all! 2 hours at a time is how I will chip away. Little by little. Here I go!

5.5 miles was my next trek out just a couple days after the 7.5 miles. Progress: the pace was an improvement but still far behind ideal. I am Still choosing to celebrate progress. I mapped out a schedule for my remaining weeks to the marathon. I’m penciling in 2 hour bike time and run time in between paddle sports. Not ideal but what the calendar allows and my body can handle. Focusing quality vs quantity to limit stress on my joints.

Running into people along the trail is a blessing and a curse. It’s hard to ignore them socially but if you’re training your not there for social hour either. My version of saying hello is in the distance as we both pass by. Too funny not to share. Another 5 plus in the training books. And boy does it feel good to even type that I’m back at it!

New panic sets in when I realize the start time is 7 am for the half marathon. A decent drive there, morning prepping, etc. I’ll get through it but man it’s cold and dark these mornings which means extra layers and weight to carry and my body isn’t all the way awake at this hour these days. Got to get up extra early to stretch before the car ride, just to stiffen back up.

Oh another funny to reflect on. A friend sent me my time for my first half marathon in 2019. Sub 3 hours! For some reason I thought my time was 3 hrs 38 minutes. That would be a big no! Based on my practice runs I will be over the 3 hour mark this go around. I will be happy to complete it, not be last, and not be kicked off the course before the end of time cutoff. Let’s just wait and see how the clock treats me this time around.

Cheers to doing hard things in life to test your limits and face your fears. It’s also time to start mapping out my fitness goal for 2025. I can for sure say it won’t be running after this year of injuries! 

#TinkRuns2024

So Close – September 2024

2chicksandapen

November is almost here. 2 big races! Will I be ready? That is the big question. Half marathon early November. Recover. Full marathon end of November. Mighty ambitious at this point in the year.

September 1st I’m logging a distance workout on the bike. 13 miles on the bike helps me with training, just eliminating the pounding on my knees. This month I will be adding bike workouts to see how that helps me overall.

While I finish the final preparations for the big races in November, I was supposed to complete a 21 mile fun relay with two friends this month. Unfortunately schedule conflicts prohibited it and so did a hurricane! Another let down for the mind to overcome. Boy am I getting good at positive self talk or now it seems like excuse babble at this point.

While my friends who are running the marathon are putting in serious miles each week, I seem to be twirling my thumbs. Workouts, yes. Running, no. It’s a bit scary to get back your running legs after such injuries. Much harder than I expected.

Another month down with no races and no running. Pretty funny to think I’m training for a marathon without running. Guess I’ll be testing my theory here soon.

Hoping to pick up mileage in October! I may need prayers and a little luck at this point to be successful. I’m not opposed to either at this point.

#TinkRuns2024

Marathon Miles August 2024

2chicksandapen

It’s the month of walking.

5.3 miles here. 4.6 miles there. 9.7 at the peak. Time on my feet they say. It’s training. It’s so much time I say. It’s slow. It’s a mind challenge! Maybe even a mind fuck of sorts.

I didn’t track walking miles at all this year so I don’t have a quantity to give you but I did walk a lot. I walked because I could. I also walked because I knew I would have to walk a portion of the marathon thus my mind agreed I’m still training. I’m slowly increasing the time I spend on my legs even if it’s just a walk vs. a run. Sidelined from running until September. I feel I’m getting better but also falling behind in training. The quandary.

I shed the cast which lightened my load, however, I feel I need to trash a pair of shoes because they seem to lean to the side I had my cast on. That was surely an unplanned problem. The cast removal gave me a small victory to celebrate however the realization of the recovery outside the cast was a defeat. My walking pace is still a work In progress. I’m just not a fast walker. I’m more of a social walker. Both are very different paces. The hip shake needed to be an advanced walker is just not my thing. I much prefer a strut vs. a shake the tail feather. Walking unfortunately is my main training focus that may have not been designed but is now a required part of my training. Speed walker here I come!

Strength training is still a slow go until my wrist fully heals but each week I can tackle a little more. Lots of hand exercises with a squishy ball are in my future. Physical therapy for the lower extremities and occupational therapy for the hand. Aren’t I a lucky girl. It’s definitely frustrating to have three of four limbs injured at the same time. Different symptoms yet they can flare at the same time. Rest is overrated for sure. 

The 10k for this month is still questionable. Walk. Attempt to jog. Forward progressions. Will this be faster than my 10k in a cast? It’s a night race which should mean it’s cooler. That’s a positive. Maybe the only positive. 

Oh wait I get to wear my lighted vest so that’s a bonus. All geared up. Let’s hope the legs want to go go go to outer space!

Change of plans! Got all the way to the start line and a huge storm rolled in. Thunder. Lightning. Torrential downpour. No dry spot on one’s body. Rain delay. Rain delay. Cancellation. Walked a couple miles to and from the car but that’s about it. Got drenched. Even got nailed with water from passing cars on my trek over a bridge. Dirty, gross water. I guess it really wasn’t meant for me to do this race. At list I got a bib to write did not start/did not finish on it. That’s a first for me on a race day. The path below was one of the few race day pictures I got since it was too wet to use my phone.

Back to walking for my training.

Hoping September is a turning point in my training.