2019 Maine Coast Half Marathon

On Saturday I ran a 1:55:07 half marathon, which is a 4 minute PR!!!!

But let’s back up. Last time I posted I had a possible stress fracture. I meant to post an update soon after that, that the imaging didn’t show evidence of a stress fracture (yet). So, with the doc’s approval, I decided to try for the race since I was already through the bulk of my training. However, I focused primarily on my 2 remaining long runs and cut out most of the shorter runs and cross trained instead. In that same time span, our family was hit with several nasty colds followed by spring allergies. And it was basically cold and rainy every day.

All of this to say is that I had low expectations going into this race. I threw out my hopes of lowering the PR I set last year and just wanted to finish. This year they moved the full to be on the same day as the half, where is previous years it was the after. I left my house the same time as last year, but this year I sat in traffic FOREVER waiting to park. I was feeling frustrated and rushed by the time I finally parked. Luckily bib pick-up was quick, but I still felt rushed trying to get to the bathroom and ready to run. I managed to get myself together and ready by 8 am………. And then I waited and waited. The race started more than 20 minutes late. I always expect a few minutes delay, but almost half an hour is not okay. I had taken my caffeine (still going with the caffeine pills instead of coffee to lessen the bathroom trips) and fuel expecting an 8am start.

Finally though we were off and thankfully, I was in the first coral. The amount of runners around me felt just right. After the first ¼ mile or so I had plenty of company, but it never felt too crowded. My plan was to just run by effort. I set my watch for 6 minute run, 30 second walk intervals. I missed the first walk break, but took all of them after that. I realized about 2 minutes in that I had forgotten to use the inhaler I had spent a lot of time trying to get in the week leading up to the race (my lungs had never fully recovered from a nasty chest cold I had in April). Oh well, too late now. Luckily my lungs felt okay as I settled into a comfortably hard pace, but my legs just had no pop. They never hurt, they just felt flat from the very beginning. What did hurt however, was my right foot. This was entirely my fault because I was wearing new shoes. The Wednesday before the race I did an easy 6 miler and my feet hurt so much at the end. As I took off my shoes, I looked at the soles and realized they were so worn down. I hadn’t been paying attention and totally forgot to switch my shoes this spring. I was running in shoes that were almost 6 months old. I chose new shoes over the completely worn out ones, but ended up feeling a hot spot under the ball of my right big toe less than a mile into the race. I’d just finished Meb’s new book so I tried to think about the time he raced with a Breathe Right strip in his shoe.

I had also worried about the weather. I did all my training in weather under 40 and race day was 60 and sunny. But between the shade on the course and the sea breeze it wasn’t too bad. It was a strange race, nothing felt terrible, but it also didn’t feel good. I just kept plugging along, occasionally glancing at my mile splits, but not looking at my overall time until mile 10. At that time I realized that, as long as I didn’t implode, I’d set a significant PR. Last year I felt so good in the last 2 miles of this race and really pushed hard. This year I just hung on. I did take a couple extra short walk breaks because all the hills are in the last couple minutes. I crossed the line in 1:55:07, which is way faster than I ever expected.

Post race I immediately took off my shoes, enjoyed the free gelato, and then headed home to an overtired and over-hungry toddler who was in full meltdown mode. #Momlife.

This race was such a reminded to never count yourself out. A hard training cycle can make you tougher and stronger.

Signs

Scientifically I know the importance of rest days, yet I don't take them. I try to justify it by saying that I have a well rounded workout routine, its not like I'm running every single day. I run 3-4 days a week, spin once, do a kickboxing class, do a bootcamp class, and then mix in some yoga and strength training. Deep down though, I know it isn't good for me to go hard every day. 

This week the universe sent me some pretty strong signs that it is time to back off. Monday night I couldn't fall asleep because my left shin hurt so much. I finally admitted to myself that I was injured and it was a bone injury (aka not anything I can run through). 

As hard as it was, I didn't run at all this week. I did some spin, some elliptical, no impact. But I still went hard at every workout. Then last night I woke up in the middle of the night with terrible stomach pain and spent the rest of night and the morning violently vomiting. Over and over.

Okay universe, I hear you. And I definitely took today off. 

Its so hard to explain to others why taking a day off is so hard, it's deep seeded. It's partly, I'm sure, a remnant of the eating disorder I had in high school. It's about control and getting time for myself. It's a long standing habit, and those are the hardest to break. But as soon as I have a healthy leg and a healthy GI system I'm going to try. 

The Moon is a Thing

disclaimer: This post has zero to do with running, so if thats what you are here for, feel free to skip this one.

I was talking a fellow Mom at a playdate recently and we both mentioned that we had noticed the moon the night before. There had been this beautiful, bright, full moon that we both saw from inside our houses. Sadly it wasn't the beauty of the moon that we noticed- instead we both realized that neither of us had even seen the moon in months. The bright light streaming in our windows made us realize that, oh yeah, the moon is still a thing, it still exists."

Deep in the trenches of raising a small child, I don't often get to leave my house after 6:30 pm. I don't often get to see the moon. I can live with a lack of moon sightings in my life, but it's harder to be without all the other things I used to do outside of my house after 6:30pm. I used to go to evening yoga classes, out to happy hour or to dinner, to wine tastings, to concerts, to the monthly Portland art walk. I used to be able to run to the store if I wanted ice cream.

I have a husband who works nights and weekends. In some ways this is great. It allows us to have opposite work schedules so we don't have to pay for daycare, which saves us a LOT of money. But it means that I solo parent most evenings, that I'm not free when the rest of the world us usually free. The one or two nights a week when we are both home, I have to choose between having time as family or getting to go out and do something for myself. I"m only working part time right now, so that I can have more time with Cooper. It's a gift to get this time, but it also means we don't have a lot of extra money. Meaning that paying a babysitter so I can go out is rarely an option.

I know these years with small kids are short when you look at a whole lifetime. I love snuggling and reading books and singing before bed with my little boy. But right now I'm also feeling a little like a prisoner in my own house. It gets awfully lonely and boring. I default to TV and ice cream every night because I'm too tired and too stuck in my rut to do anything more productive or fulfilling. But I guess I can at least step out onto the deck and look at the moon, now that I've been reminded that it is still up there.

How Becoming a Mother Made Me A Better Runner

I'm running a spring half marathon and I did a 10 miler last weekend, so I've been ramping up my mileage since December. It's my second build-up post partum, and it just feels like everything is clicking. I feel physically the strongest I've ever been, but also like I've found this new mental strength. I truly think become a mother has made me a better runner.

I think there are a few reasons for this, one is that I am physically stronger than I was in the past. I go to the gym instead of running more often now, mostly because there is childcare. Running outside with Cooper isn't an option in the winter. But I've also (finally!) realized that strength training is good for me. I've come to like it and to like what it does to my body. I'm still a cardio junkie at heart, but I'm so much better about cross training and strength than I was in the past.




5 am and snowing? Oh well

I also think that going through a long, painful labor made me so much tougher. It was a pain like nothing else I have ever experienced and it made everything else seem not so bad in comparison. It was also the first time I had no control over what was happening to my body. Marathons hurt, but there was always the possibility that I could quit if I really wanted. In labor I just had to keep going for as long as it took. I was forced to learn to take it minute by minute and not worry about what was to come.

The biggest shift though is mental. I used to spend so much time worrying about my long runs. During my runs, I dwelled on how much further I had to run. Now, I don't have the time or mental energy to spend as much time worrying before I run. There is usually only time period during the week that works for my long run, so I can't obsess about finding the perfect conditions for my run. I have to run when I have the chance. Running used to be something to get done for me- I loved how I felt after my run, but not necessarily during. Now though, I appreciate having that time to myself so much more. I love the freedom of being outside, of being able to listen to a podcast without interruptions, of having time to think. Running has become a privilege instead of a chore.

Cape Elizabeth Mid-WInter 10 Mile Classic 2019

I ran a race! It’s a rare event these days, it deserves an exclamation point. I did the Mid Winter Classic, which is a challenging 10 mile course in Cape Elizabeth. It had been SOOOOO cold in the week leading up the race, but luckily the forecast was for warmer weather on race day. I tried something new on race morning- not drinking coffee and instead taking a caffeine pill before the race start. I was hoping this would help with not needing to the use the bathroom so much before and during the race. It did help, but I sure missed my hot cup of coffee when I first woke up!

 

Before the race I had a chance to meet a bunch of the Spandits ambassadors, which was so fun! We interact quite a bit on-line, but I’d never met any of them in person!

 

It was only 19 when I got to the race, so I decided to wear my thin jacket over an insulated shirt and tank, with thermal spandits on the bottom. By the time I walked out to the start 45 mins later, it felt like it had warmed up 30 degrees! This was fortunate because the race didn’t start on time. At 9:44 the race starter said “ready, set…. Hold on a minute.” He then said it would be 30 seconds. Several minutes later they said 2 more minutes. It turns out the generator wasn’t running so the timing system wasn’t on and ready to go. Around 9:50 we finally went.

 

Due to weather, and life in general, my longest training run was 9.25 miles. I knew I could finish, I just didn’t know how fast. My shorter training runs have been on the speedy side (for me), so I had hope that I could run a decent race. My A goal was sub 9 minute miles, and my B goal was sub 10 minute pace. The course starts off with about a mile of downhill and then some long, steep uphills. So I went out at a comfortably hard pace and tried to hold on. I set my watch for 6 minutes run, 30 seconds walk, but I used that very loosely, mostly only walking briefly on the steepest parts of the hills.

 

I was too warm almost immediately. My bib was pinned on my jacket, so I couldn’t get that off. I did ditch my mitten though and felt a lot better after that. I got into a good groove, listening to the Ali on the Run podcast and just continuing to push. I took a gel at mile 5 and sips of water at 3,6, and 9 miles. My only complaint about race organization was that the water stops were all on downhills. One, I don’t want to walk the downhill, and secondly all the spilled water around the water tables made it very slippery for a downhill.

 

This is very much an experienced runners’ race. It is a hard course and it is in the dead of winter, so it is usually cold. This means that the competition is stiff, so once I settled in, I didn’t really pass anyone. It was a little discouraging, but also worked to my advantage as I started to tire near the end because it motivated me to hang on to all the runner’s I’d been with the whole race. My cardiovascular endurance felt pretty strong the whole race (until I sprinted the finish), but my legs got really tired around mile 8. My right hamstring and quad in particular just locked up. Thankfully I was right with on the other Spandits Ambassadors, Gretchen, as we made the turn into the high school for the finish. I hate the finish of this race because you think you are at the end when you make the turn, but you still have quite a way to go as they make you loop all the way around the back of the school. I passed Gretchen heading down the hill, but then she passed me again on the last flat before the finish. My legs just had nothing left!!

 

I accomplished my A goal, finishing in 1:27:55, an 8:48 pace. I was 27^th in my age group, 178^th for all women, and 386^th overall. Given how competitive this field is, I feel great about this.

 

I didn’t stick around long after the race because I wanted to get home to relieve my friend Gillian, who watched Cooper for me. I swigged a chocolate milk and grabbed a couple pieces of Otto’s pizza (my favorite) to eat in the car. There was a super cool recovery station with all kinds of self massage tools that I wished I had time to try out.

 

Overall, it was a good day. The weather was amazing and given my training I did better than expected. But I was DONE afterward. Luckily I put Cooper down for a nap when I got home and then had 2 hours to shower, stretch, and rest before he was up again. I was so SORE for 2 days after the race. I guess that’s a sign that I ran all out?

Vacation in the Florida Keys

I realized last fall that we hadn't been on a vacation since our honeymoon more than 4 years ago! Between me going back to school, being pregnant, and then having a baby, we just didn't make it happen. This year I was determined get away from the Maine winter and head somewhere warm. We chose the Florida Keys because it was warm, not too long of a flight (critical with an active toddler), someplace neither of us had ever been, and we could get there using my Southwest miles.

goal #1 accomplished

We stayed at an AirBnb because we knew we needed more space than a hotel room, so that Cooper could nap and go to bed early without Rory and I having to tiptoe around silently in the dark. We stayed here and it was wonderful. It was clean and well equipped. Being able to eat a lot of meals at the condo saved us $ and sanity, since eating out with Cooper is not always relaxing. It had a beautiful pool, where we spent a lot of time, and a nice sandy beach area (although you couldn't swim in the ocean there because it was a rocky coast). It also came with 2 bikes and 2 kayaks to use. Most afternoons while Cooper napped, I got to go out in a kayak. The water was calm and beautiful and there was even a private island not far away that I could paddle out to.

Given that it was our first real vacation with a child, we kept our expectations realistic. My only goals for the trip were to 1) run in shorts and a tank, 2) sit by a pool, and 3) spend time with my family. I accomplished all 3 on the first day!

The pool was amazeballs. And 88 degrees.

The area we stayed in was great for families. It is not high season yet, so the traffic was never bad and nothing was too crowded. But it was still warm and sunny for us Mainers! Most mornings we headed out to a park. There were a lot of great state parks where we could hike, explore, and play. Our favorites were Harry Harris, Windley Key, and John Pennekamp. They were perfect with a toddler because they were affordable, we could explore at Cooper's pace, and they let him burn off some energy.

Our one big splurge activity was Theater of the Seas, a marine mammal park. We all loved it way more than we expected. There was hardly anyone there so we got so close to all the animals. I even got a kiss from a dolphin and Rory got a kiss from a sea lion!

I have some mixed feelings about parks and zoos in terms of animal rights. However most of the animals here are rescues or the offspring of rescues. It was clear how much all of the staff loved and cared for the animals in the park.

This sea turtle was hit by a boat and had a damaged shell, so they made him a little life jacket so he could still swim

Every vacation has to include some yummy treats. We had key lime muffins from Harrietts, conch fritters (for me) and alligator fritters (for Rory) with key lime butter from Lazy Days, and amazing crab rolls (for me) and calamari rolls (for Rory) from What the Fish.


Naturally, no trip can be perfect. Unfortunately one night Cooper developed croup, which quickly worsened to the point where he was struggling to breathe so we ended up in the ER. Luckily for us, there was hardly anyone else there so he was treated quickly, responded well to the treatment, and we were headed back to our condo in less than 2 hours. However the next day, his 2nd birthday, was a mess. We were all tired, Cooper's croup turned into a nasty cold, plus his legs were sore from the steroid shots at the ER, and I fell on my run and skinned my knee and hurt my hand. But we muddled through and still celebrated with cake and ice cream.

Overall, we had such a great trip. I'd highly recommend the keys for families with young kids (and for anyone!) The weather was great, the food was great, and we saw a lot of neat things. Honestly though, my favorite thing was just getting to spend a solid week with my family. Rory and I work opposite schedules so that we don't have to pay for childcare, which means that we rarely get to spend any time together. It was such a treat to have so much time together, where there was nothing else we needed to be doing besides enjoying each other's company.

 Sadly our trip had to come to end and we headed home, just in time for a blizzard followed by sub zero temperatures. Yeah Maine.

Are you going on vacation this winter? Where? If you aren't, but could go anywhere, where would you go?

mom o meter

I listen to the fabulous, funny podcast “One Bad Mother,” which just had an episode called “Where are We on the Mom-o-meter?” that resonated with me SO much. One of the hosts, Theresa, said that she feels like she is right up there near 100% because she is at the point where she just does all the Mom stuff automatically, without thought. She doesn’t have to think about putting on her Mom hat anymore, it’s just a part of her head now.

Almost 2 years into being a Mom I feel like I’m at that point too. It’s never easy, but I’ve settled in. Even when I’m at work, or out with friends, part of me is always tuned into Cooper. Sometimes I can’t remember when I last ate or went to the bathroom, but I know when he did. I’m so used to responding to and anticipating his needs that I don’t even think about it.

The thing I loved was that Theresa went on to say that she refuses to feel bad about it. That for a long time she felt like she should have this whole separate non-Mom identity. But that she just doesn’t have the time right now. The years when children are young goes so quickly, that she is fine with dedicating most of her attention to them right now. That’s exactly how I feel. I can’t believe Cooper is almost 2- time has just flown. I love being his person- the one who understands his toddler language, the one he turns to when he is upset. I spent my 20’s working a lot, travelling a lot, and doing a lot of things for me. Being a Mom is the thing that makes me feel happiest and most fulfilled right now. I don’t feel like I should have to apologize for prioritizing my family over my career or other things right now, and yet I feel like there are so many people telling me that I should. I’m a Mom right now, and that is more than enough.