Dear Mr. Pfitzinger

Dear Mr. Pfitzinger,
What have you done to me? And why do I love you so?  I run and run and run and run. I get bored with myself running so many double digit runs each week.  I feel exhausted and think there is no way I can even think of running a MP run for one mile....I warm-up and then somehow run 12 beautiful miles at or under my MP. Why did you do this to me? How did you do it?  I can't say that I won't care about the outcome of this next marathon (Colfax Marathon in Denver May 18) but I am so happy with how well I am running throughout the training that I feel a lot less pressure about having a great race.  This whole running thing is about selfish-little-me anyway so as long as I'm enjoying it and making measurable progress, I'm a happy girl and I thank you for that. I don't know how you designed a program so perfect for me.  I felt like for the first 6-8 weeks that you were slapping me across the face and telling me how out of shape I was and that I needed to run more; so I did what you told me.  You tell me what my heart rate should be and what paces I should be running.  You make everything so clear.  You know me so well. You push me through the hardest and lowest days and then a day later I have a game-changing run; a confidence run; a run that reminds me why I love this sport.

Thank you for being so wonderful...
Love,
Tennille

The Week of the Eagle

I have been logging hundreds of miles lately at 'The River Walk' (aka Berg Park). Three rivers converge near and in Farmington, NM and they have built some beautiful wide dirt pathways (Wordquota has posted some beautiful pictures from there) that line the river for about 6 miles.  The paths are lined with huge Cottonwoods, some Russian Olives (that they are always working to remove), some Salt Cedar (also invasive and being removed all the time), and a few Elm trees.  The morning school traffic has been "driving" me crazy lately and the river walk allows me to avoid it all so that's where I've been throwing down some big numbers.

So, why the week of the Eagle?
1. Last Wednesday was 12 miles (a mid-effort progression run from MP+20% down to MP+10%).  I spotted many bird watchers at the river that morning. Woodpeckers, a hawk, and the usual ducks and geese.  As I neared mile 11, I came upon a few guys with jaws dropped staring up into a tree. I glanced over my shoulder to see what it was and immediately slammed on the breaks next to them and my jaw dropped also. Not 20 feet away (like 5 feet horizontally and 15 feet vertically) was a Golden Eagle. Now, this is the first time I have ever seen a Golden in real life. We have quite a few pairs of Bald Eagles that live here along the river and even when they were fighting extinction a few years back, I think they recorded like 18 pairs living here...so a good population. I see them soaring high above, not often, but every now and then.  But this was a Golden....munching on a small bird or fish. Didn't seem to care about us watching at all. What a sight.

2. Sunday long run....16 mile long run. 8 miles around town easy, then 8 miles at MP at the River Walk.  Around mile 11 I spot a Bald Eagle on the end of a Cottonwood Tree branch overhanging the river.  They are so polished and perfect looking. Every feather in place. The white...so white.  The yellow beak and talons...so bright. Every grey feather perfectly symmetrical. Wow.  I changed my course to circle back a second time, and then a third time all within about 10 minutes.  So amazing. (and I schooled this run, by the way...my MP portion was beautifully perfect!)

3.  Today. 13 miles (mid-effort progression again).  Had 11 yesterday mid-effort too.  So, today I'm pooped. Ran the first 6 with Sentry around downtown and had a lost King Charles Cavalier Spaniel chasing us for-what-seemed-like-ever!  Had to drop down into 6:30 pace to lose the little sucker.  Probably hasn't been on a walk in months (from the sound of his long nails on the pavement) so he was making the best of it.  Ended up feeling wrecked after losing the little beast.  Dropped Sentry off and had a quick potty break at the house and headed to the River Walk. Mile 10.5 I'm feeling totally trashed.  My pace is slow, my heart rate is high. I am pretty sure my oatmeal is long gone and I'm beat. I choose to take my favorite trail with tall Cottonwoods draping over the walk from both sides, close to the river. And then I saw him.  The same Bald Eagle from the other day. But this time soaring over the water.  He makes a wide swooping turn and lands on the very same branch where I saw him Sunday.  Made my day....my week.

Three eagles in one week but I'm still tired.  
Then I saw this quote:
THE STRUGGLE YOU'RE IN TODAY IS DEVELOPING THE STRENGTH YOU NEED FOR TOMORROW.
Bam. Got it.

Trying the Pfitzinger Plan

After five marathons, I decided to step it up. I used Brad Hudson's Running Faster from the 5k to the Marathon for my first two with great success. Then I used The Hansons Marathon Method for the last 3 and didn't get what I wanted even though I had great training sessions and felt great.  So, after hours and hours of research I am going to try Pfitzinger's Advanced Marathon Method. There are a few plans. I am doing the 18 week 54-70 miles per week plan. Lots of focus on endurance building and many medium and long runs. Hansons had lots of quality runs and pace runs and Pfitzinger has a lot less.  Supposedly the two programs compliment each other very well. If you've done one, it will shock your body doing the other, and hopefully make you faster. First week was last week. 54 miles. Good stuff. Tired legs from quite a few lengthy runs. I feel good though and can see how these "medium/long runs" holding prescribed paces based on my marathon goal pace work to build fitness, endurance, mental focus and strength. There are 2-4 of these each week ranging from 9-20 miles. These are basically progressive runs starting at 20% above MP and ending the last few miles at 10% above MP.  Colfax Marathon in Denver has some good hills so I'm doing a lot of hills on these runs.  I am going to try to run flat on the two 5-mile recovery runs each week to give myself the best rest. This is opposite of what I used to do (which seems ridiculous in my brain now). I always did my tempo runs on flat courses to be as consistent as possible and would do recovery on hills since pace didn't matter and to work different muscles.  I am just trying to change everything up this time around to try and get the results I want.
Anyone ever tried Pfitzinger? I'd love to hear what you thought of it if you have.
Happy Running Everyone!

2013...miles that is

Yes. It's true.  2013 miles for the year.  In 2012 I actually managed 2136, but this year held 3 marathons which include at least a week of rest after each one.  It averages out to 5.5 miles per day, for 365 days.  I can't complain. I have minor aches and pains and nags but nothing serious; and I'm grateful.  2013 has been a good year.  Thanks JB for capturing my love of running in this photo.

Santa Clarita RR - I found my limit

I found my limit.

I did a lot of evaluating of my last two marathons before this one.  January was a 3:28 and May was 3:28. They were very different courses at different altitudes and I ran very different races but the overall time was nearly identical. In January I was somewhat injured and ran as tough as I could.  In May I ran to negative split and enjoy the run (which I did) but the whole race was too slow.  So for this weekend my plan was to go with it in the first half and see how long I could hang on and hoped it would be enough to break 3:25. It wasn’t.

I’m not sure what to write about this race. It didn’t go by fast. It didn’t go by slow (except the last 8 miles). Nothing really monumental happened (except I went my best Half Marathon time in the first half of the race). I was happy. I felt good. Weather was perfect. Course was busy with too many turns and little foot bridges and underpasses but it kept things interesting.  I started out cruising in the 7:30s so I went with it.

The last 8 miles brought a mental struggle of fatigue combined with about 6 women all racing within a few minutes of each other.  Who had enough left? Could I tail this ponytail and then pass her with a mile left? Or will she pass me back and will the other ponytail behind me pass me also? So hard to know and there is no way to tell. I did what I could. I passed 3 ponytails and I got passed by 2 different ponytails that crept up from the back. 

Highlights from the race:

-Seeing JB at the start…a virtual friend who I met for the first time on Friday night.  It was so encouraging to have a supporter at the race.

-Seeing JB at 3ish, 6ish and just before the Half.  I was ecstatic when I saw him at the Half because I knew I was completing my best Half Marathon time (it’s been well over a 1 ½ years since I ran a Half so it’s expected to be faster but I was still really happy).  1:39. Yay!

-Seeing DH (GutterRunner) at 20ish.  There was a little out-and-back from 19.5-23.5ish and we estimated before the race that if all went as planned we would just catch a glimpse of each other here. We were right. I entered the stretch of out-and-back and hadn’t run 1/10 of a mile by the time I saw him.  We gave a low five.  I cheered him on. He said nothing. He looked like crap. Breathing hard. Sweating like a pig.  I felt as bad as he looked. But I also knew that we were both pretty close to being on target at that point.  From my estimation, he was going to BQ and that was what I wanted more than anything for this race.

-Every aid station where I took a drink, I tried to take the cup from the smallest and youngest volunteer. Their cheers and encouragement made my day.  I thanked them and always gave them my best smile.

As I closed in on the finish, it hurt. I never like to remember this part because there is nothing like it. The fight is over. The pounding subsides. I see DH and he can barely walk. He cheers me on and says the finish is just around the corner. “Go” he says. I turn the corner and finish (I think there was a Bangle Pump in there but it’s all a blur now). I congratulate the other girls that I raced with and they were all so nice.  I love this sport because of this. We are just all out there for ourselves and we are all so proud of each other for our individual accomplishments. The finish line is full of kind words and wonderful goal-oriented people.  I grabbed some chocolate milk and water.  I hobbled to the side of the recovery area to watch for DH coming back from the course where he cheered me on.  As I watched for him and looked down, the ugly sweats I wore to the start were laying in front of me. Someone had gathered up all the ditched clothing and brought them in a heap to the finish. Dang. Turquoise fleece with paint on it and ugly green sweatpants came home with me AGAIN (this is the 2^nd time now that they have been returned to me without a go-bag). 

Final result was 3:26:46.  I was 32^nd place overall.  I was 5^th place woman. I got 2^nd in my age group.

Crazy part was, DH went 3:01. He was 5^th place man. He got 2^nd in his age group.

We placed identically.  Couldn’t have planned that one!

I love running. At mile 13 a woman hollered to me that I was in 7^th place and that I looked great. I smiled and waved and told her thank you. Then she hollered back that I was the first woman so far that was smiling. I smiled even bigger.  I had a wonderful race and I did smile most of the time. I run because I can. I run 26.2 because it’s fun for a good 20 miles and a good fight with yourself after that.

Thank you JB for the wonderful photos that captured our race: 

http://junblack.smugmug.com/Events/2013-Santa-Clarita-Marathon/n-R6gWd

Taper Tantrum

Here we go.  TEN DAYS TIL SANTA CLARITA MARATHON!!!  Marathon #5 for me...in just under 2 years.  Before that if someone said the word "marathon" I couldn't have told you how far it was...my answer would have been "a long way...20ish miles."  

Hansons training program complete (every single run in the entire program for 16 1/2 weeks...haven't missed a single mile or a single run). For the next 10 days I can run easy and slow.

The last two weeks of Thursday tempo runs have been fantastic. They are 12 miles. One mile warmup, 10 miles at goal marathon pace, one mile cool down.
7:38 is my goal marathon pace.
Last week:

7:38

7:27

7:34

7:34

7:35

7:37

7:36

7:34

7:38

7:34

This week:

7:32

7:34

7:34

7:38

7:34

7:38

7:38

7:28

7:36

7:30

Eek. So excited. 

Bad news. Got another blood test and my iron is still stupid low so I'm going to have to keep working on it.  I feel tons better already after 6 weeks of changing my diet to be more iron rich and taking some iron supplements but I still have a long way to go.  

Starting tomorrow I will be able to see race day in the forecast, I can start packing and I plan on trying really hard to stay off my feet so I can recover.  Maybe I will blog some more. 

And a few photos:

A pile of Newtons...mine and the husband's.  Love.

 A pretty new winter wool coat I sewed for my wonderful boy.

My nephew practicing for me (he is one of my violin students).  The apples and eggs help him play the sections of the violin piece in the correct order.  He is 5 years old.  Love my job!

24 days to go

24 days until Marathon #5.  Got this anemia thing taken care. Got the shoes picked out. Got the hundreds of miles logged. Got EVERY single stinking run in the Hansons Marathon Method in the books for an entire 18 weeks.....not a single miss.  Got the hotel booked for the night before. Got the dog sitter. Got my sights set on a combo race....what does that mean?  Well the last 2 marathons have been all over the map.  In January at Arizona Rock n Roll, I had a very upset foot/stabalizer ankle thing (peroneus brevis) so I spent the race crying inside. I managed a best time but much of the race is a blur as I was in so much pain.  In May I ran Shiprock Marathon in my backyard. I focused on negative splitting (which I'd never done before) and enjoying the race....all 26.2 of it, and I really did.  I raced and had a great time.  Santa Clarita on November 3 is going to be a combo. I'm going to love it, live it and race it.  I'm going to LOVE every step because for the first time I feel so ready (this will definitely change when I get taper brain a week from now and start freaking out). I'm going to LIVE it because I have trained hard and I know how my pace feels and I believe that I can get done what I've been aiming for (this will also change with taper brain because I will question everything and doubt all).  I will RACE it because I can and I'm a competitor.  I'm not afraid of those big numbers anymore. I know I can run a marathon. I know it's going to hurt so so so so stinkin bad even if I go slow so I'm going to push and hope for the best.

Seriously, I know this will all change after Sunday's last long run. I am confident right now though....for real.  My little brother (also a marathoner) told me today "Seriously...the work and pace you were done with a month ago will determine what happens in Santa Clarita. Just chill and let it happen. Don't obsess about these last training runs. Don't over-analyze. Just rest up and run."  I'm going to try so very hard to take those words to heart.