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October 17, 2004
What Happened????
Friday I ran for about 50 minutes easy with the team. We ran the alternative pumpkin loop backwards... The pace was nice and conversation was great. We took the high ridge trail on the back of the loop and we could see the lake shining through the tall skinny trees...it really was a nice perspective...being high up on the ridge ...watching the sun start to set...and the lake dance!
I took Sat. off-- just to really seal my taper for the week. I did pick up a good luck charm from my swimming, sewing, art friend...it's the coolest oddity...really...a little baby doll traped in a plastic mini pocket book...with a linked chain as the strap for the pocket book. i kept it in my coat pocket...with the hopes that this would add to my success in the half marathon...
Today was the race. It was up north in Humboldt county. we left for the race late saturday...(a local running friend and I)...it took just about 3 hours to get up north... I woke up this morning feeling pretty good...no major pains...my legs felt great... The only catch...was that...it was raining...! But the rain did NOT take away from the tall majestic beauty of the tall redwoods....i think the rain brought out the redwoods' beauty even more...
i warmed up with some friends--again feeling great--we all conspired to run 6:30s for the first half and then try to pick it up...that sounded like a great plan.
the race took off...the first mile was a tad fast (but rumor is the mile markers are a bit off...so who really knows...)...6:19 first mile...i slowed it down a bit...the entire first half felt great...under control...and right on... 6:35, 6:31, 6:28, 6:31, 6:24... i hit the turn around...only to have two of my teammates, my impala coach and another friend of mine...catch up to me...and pull me into their moving pack-- i thought this is great..the pack will really motivate me on the way back...i love doing long races w/a great pack..it's so much easier!!! ...our next mile...was a bit slow...6:54...again someone mentioned maybe the measurement was off...then the next two miles were right on 6:30, 6:30...and then the pack started to pull away... step by step...i started to fall apart...my arms felt numb and my head clogged up...i felt like my breathing was on SUPER loud volume...b/c i was so congested ...every sound was vibrating via my head...my legs however still FELT awesome..i kept trying to get my legs to do ALL the work for me...but my arms, chest, and head were dragging way behind...i felt like the rest of the race was in slow motion...i spent the time...debating to myself...should i drop out, why do this, what the heck is happening to me, am i sick, do i have a virus, is it worse than that...do i have a disease....mingled between every one of these self deprecating, negative thoughts...was come on liz you are so strong, this is a mere training run..., keep looking ahead..., make a big come back..., your legs and heart are so strong...you can do it...., i really tried to balance "the talk" in my head...i finished up with 6:55, 7:12, 7:06 and 7:33 and some change...to finish in my all time (3 tries) slowest half marathon...1:28 and some change...! i was really disappointed...of course my super negative side..said RETIRE NOW....but then my cheerie optimistic side...said...oh you got the worst bad race over with...no matter what everything from here will feel easier....! again...i tried to sandwich "the talk" my mind was having w/myself...
about 30 minutes after the race...i nearly passed out...i was so sick..i lost all color in my face...and i had to sit down...and recover...i m not sure what happened today...but i'm willing to give it another try..in 3 weeks and run the clarksburg 30k...(a much more conservative pace---7:10-6:50)...and see where i'm at then...
maybe i tapered TOO much...maybe i'm doing too much (work, extracurricular, running, etc) and my body is run down, maybe it was just a bad day..., maybe in a year...i'll look back on this...and it'll be the best race of my year!!! ahhhh..no i hope not...but you never know right...it's all about perspective...i should embrace every opportunity that comes my way....maybe i am coming down with something...a cold?!! who knows???...maybe it was just my turn to have an off day...
who knows...
there will be many more opportunities for me down the road...i'm going to keep plugging away and see what happens... for now i've got to physically and mentally get my game back!!!
more later!
Posted by liz at October 17, 2004 05:39 PM
Comments
Hi Liz.. I am sorry you had such a hard race. The description of the dialogue you had in your head while you were running was right on.. haven't we all been there.. fighting with ourselves.. thinking the worst.. trying to think positively.. analyzing every breath.. every step.. every second.. getting stuck upstairs with all of the congnitive details instead of letting our body do its own magic while our legs seem to glide through the motion without the direct commands to do so. Wouldn't it be nice if we could always just tell our bodies what to do? Something physiologically was surely happening inside of you to give you so much conjestion in your lunges and in your head and the symptoms you described after the race sound like low blood pressure. I am sure the combination of everything you are doing is running you down.. be sure you get lots of rest so you don't get another bout of mono. Your cross country team and family need you too much for you to be down and your blog fans need you to be out running describing cool runs and transcendental thoughts so we can be inspired on a regular basis.. For this to happen you need to be healthy! I am thinking of you and hoping you get a lot of rest and indeed certain that you will look back on this race and be amazed with how much you have improved! Thanks for another great entry!
Posted by: Mary at October 17, 2004 06:27 PM
mar---that program is already working--you sound like a coach...(& it's been what 8 weeks!!!) holy moly great investment!!!
Posted by: mar at October 17, 2004 06:28 PM
Liz, I wish that I was writing that you ran an awesome PR, but it is remarkable that you were able to finish. Running, as is all of life, a series of cycles. Some times everything goes how we want it, and other times things don't go as well. I second what Mary said about getting some rest, it sounds like you really did a number on your immune system. From reading your blog, it sounds like you are doing quite a bit between waking up early to run with your friends and running after school with your team. Is this new for you? It's ok to take a few days to relax and recover, and to cheer up!
Blondie
Posted by: Blondie at October 17, 2004 06:33 PM
I'm sorry you didn't have a better day. You're obviously in better shape than that and something just went wrong today. I just hope you keep listening to the positive voice. And yes, get some more rest! Good luck.
Posted by: Alison at October 17, 2004 06:49 PM
I hope you feel better soon! We all can relate to the head game or "the talk". Keep up the positive attitude. I look forward to hearing about your next race. :)
Posted by: Leilani at October 17, 2004 09:21 PM
how scary. I'm glad you survived, but sorry the last few miles weren't so great.
I went to Humboldt a few times during my college days and just loved it. It always reminded me of the Ewok villages in the last (real) Star Wars movie (and for good reason - that's where they filmed it!)
Posted by: jenandmats at October 18, 2004 06:37 AM
Hey I didn't know they filmed the Star Wars movie in Humboldt... that is a great tidbit of information!
Posted by: Mary at October 18, 2004 07:38 AM
Sorry you didn't have the race you wanted Sunday. (I know how that feels - read my blog from today!) But the really good ones wouldn't seem nearly as good if we didn't have the bad ones mixed in there. Keep your head up...and keep at it! (after some rest of course...) I really enjoy reading your blog by the way. Your descriptions of where you run are so wonderful!
Posted by: Beth at October 18, 2004 10:06 AM
The folks above said it so eloquently, get healthy, keep running, rest much. And, really, you provide me with a lot of motivation, so puh-lease keep running like a goddess? :) Meghan
Posted by: Meghan at October 18, 2004 10:43 AM
Sorry to hear about your stuggles up at Humboldt. If I had to guess, it sounds like maybe you suffered a little bit from exposure? Don't laugh, it's not as uncommon as you may think. I've had it happen to me a couple of times. You said it was raining up there, so temps were probably cool. (It doesn't have to be *cold* in order for your body core temperature to get too low.) I'll bet you probably ran in a singlet, no gloves or hat, and didn't eat much (if any) breakfast before the race? Your symptoms after the race sound like classic case of mild exposure - feeling faint, probably low blood pressure. Kudos to you for gutting it out and finishing. It'll make you stronger for next time!
ps - Consider wearing light running gloves next time you race in cool/rainy weather. (You lose a LOT of heat out through your extremities.) If it gets too hot, you can always stick `em in the waistband of your shorts...
Posted by: Dave at October 18, 2004 01:09 PM
Just to keep things in perspective, 1:28 is still pretty darned good for a half-marathon. Maybe not as fast as you would have liked to run, but still pretty speedy. Of all the runners out there, probably only ~3-4% (men & women) can even go under 1:30 for a half. Don't worry, you'll kick butt in your next attempt at the distance, I'm sure of it!
Posted by: Dave at October 19, 2004 02:07 AM