It has been a little over 2 weeks since Big Sur and I am still not back in the swing of things. My whole intention has been to take 3 weeks off of running and just swim and bike. Well the first week post Big Sur I swam once for 1,500 yds and did nothing else. Then this past week I swam with my Masters Group Monday and Tuesday and biked Wednesday and Saturday. Nothing out of this world but still not what I fully wanted to accomplish this past week. This morning I hit the snooze button successfully for over an hour and skipped Masters swim practice this morning.

What is the deal?? I usually don’t have a motivation problem but am having a hard time getting back into the grind. With Ironman Louisville 14 weeks away I need to spend some serious time on the bike. My longest rides so far have been 50 miles which isn’t even half the bike course.

After each major race (Ironmans or Marathons), I take what my friends call a “Janet Recovery”. This is the term they use because they think I am crazy. A “Janet Recovery” is simply my version of recovering after a major race which means doing absolutely NOTHING. No swimming, running, biking, yoga, pilates, NOTHING. Literally laying on the couch, eating, and doing no physical activity. I have taken up to 6 weeks off during Janet recovery. My main philosophy behind doing this is simple, my mind and body needs a break after the 16, 18, even 24 weeks of tough, hard, and exhausting training. Most people can’t do this. They start to get antsy and start throwing in some serious miles right after a marathon or start biking a lot after a Ironman. I on the other hand have not seen any effects of “loosing fitness” because of Janet Recovery. I am getting faster, still setting PRs, and keeping my body healthy.

Now no 2 athletes are created equal; however, this recovery method has kept me injury free (beside the hamstring issue 6 weeks ago). It has given my mind and body the rest it needs.

My main problem is right now is I think my body needs an official “Janet Recovery”. Not the faux recovery that I have done these past 2 weeks. But with this crazy plan of mine to do one last Ironman before turning the big 3-0 there just isn’t time for it. Not if I want Ironman Louisville to be my “A” race of this year which is what my goal has been.

I am planning on a big ride (70+ miles) out in the suburbs Saturday morning. I believe if I can get through this ride then I will feel much better on where I am at. It’s amazing after doing this endurance athlete hobby of mine for 8 years I still feel I am doing the training for many of these races for the first time. I am hopeful I can snap out of this and get back to “normal” soon!

Happy Running

In celebration of finishing Big Sur and completing my 11^th state on my quest to 50 marathons in 50 states, I thought I would recap my race by stating my 11 reasons on why I loved this race:

1.)    Not a crowded race – I have done a lot of races and I think I enjoy the smaller ones vs. the bigger ones. I feel this way for many reasons but one of the biggest reason is I love being able to walk to the start line 15 minutes before the gun goes off, take my place, and be able to relax. Big Sur everyone was friendly and took their places. No one shoved or was pushing just a nice relaxing start.

2.)    Running through the Forest – Miles 1-6 was very beautiful. I definitely took this way to fast and didn’t take the advice of EVERYONE during the Runner’s World Strategy session where they advised not to do this. I had a hard time keeping my adrenaline in check mainly because I felt NO PAIN in my hamstring! As you might remember I strained my hamstring 5 weeks ago and even though it has been feeling pretty good leading into Big Sur, I was still feeling tightness. I was excited that I felt 100% in my legs that I took the first 6 a little too fast. I also loved running with trees surrounding me. As a Chicago girl there are very few places to run where you are surrounded by trees. I really enjoyed this.

3.)    Wind – I can’t say that I loved dealing with the wind; however, I do appreciate realizing that I need to train more with a headwind. Living in Chicago I had the advantage of being used to running in a headwind. But this headwind was something else. After leaving the forest the 30mph wind literally knocked me off my feet. I remember my coaches in high school cross country always saying “Don’t lower your body when facing wind. Stand tall and take it on” So that is exactly what I did. I think it helped but that wind had a mission to challenge every runner out there. There were a couple of times during miles 6-13 that I was swearing with Mother Nature and I am sure she was laughing from above.

4.)    1^st Half Hills – Oh boy this was by far the toughest marathon I have done. This made Boston look flat and Atlanta (which is also very hilly) look like nothing. With my hamstring still feeling good I was averaging 8:05-8:10/mile which I was very happy with. Then the hills began. The first couple was no big deal but then I hit Hurricane Point. I am grateful the Big Sur organization didn’t put any kind of signage indicating Hurricane Point was coming up. I am not sure exactly where it began (somewhere shortly after mile 10) but with 30mph winds AND a 2 mile climb I was beginning to think if I can get through this I can get through anything. The good news is I got through it and waiting for me at the end was a beautiful grand piano with a man playing music. Being a former musician this was absolutely awesome to see and gold star for him playing in gloves and playing beautifully.

5.)    Fog – In addition to the wind and hills, there was a lot of fog during the first half. The fog was so thick that you couldn’t really see more than 10 feet in front of you. I was wearing my Oakley’s but had very dark shades on and I was starting to get nervous that I was going to trip on something. The good news is that never happened and when the fog cleared I was finally able to take in the scenery. And it was INCREDIBLE!

6.)    Cows – I LOVED seeing all the cows in the pastures. My mom always loved cows and seeing those cows for some reason made me think of my family. They have always been so supportive of me and I am grateful for that. Something about those cows and running by them with the only sound was a wave crashing was absolutely awesome.

7.)    Isolation – We received a lot of questions on where spectators can watch runners during the race. We were told that there was no access to the area since Highway 1 is completely shut down during the race. As I was telling this to other runners part of me didn’t believe it. I thought I am sure people live along this road and they will be out there cheering. Nope it was completely isolated and quiet with only sounds of waves, wind, and aid station volunteers. I have to say I really loved this. On marathon day, I put my game face on and completely zone out. Sometimes I even feel bad if I don’t give that high five to kids on the course that are cheering. This was so nice to just focus on my race and not have to worry about giving thumbs up or giving high fives. I really enjoyed the isolation of this race.

8.)    Strawberries – Whoever put out the Driscoll strawberries around mile 23 will forever be my hero. There were crates and crates of fresh delicious strawberries around mile 23 and they were AWESOME! I took a huge handful and then went back for another round. They sweetness was the perfect last energy boost I needed to cross the finish line.

9.)    Lesson Learned – I learned a very valuable lesson during the Big Sur Marathon…don’t take the 1^st half fast because you will fade out at the end. I always knew this but really discovered it on Sunday. I started hurting around mile 19 which turned into me to walk aid stations which then shattered my original sub 3:30 goal. I knew breaking 3:30 was a huge stretch but leading up to mile 19 I was on target and really thought I had a shot. I was feeling pretty down about it but then realized I was lucky to even be running as well as I have given my hamstring issue. So not only did I learn not to take the 1^st half fast but more importantly that not every race is going to be a PR and to just enjoy being a marathoner.

10.)  2^nd Half Hills – I met the race director Wally at the Boston Marathon expo a couple of weeks ago and he said the 1^st half hills are nothing just wait until the last couple of miles. I was thinking maybe it was going to be similar to the last “hill” of the Chicago Marathon or Marine Corps Marathon. Nope mile 23, 24, 25 all had massive hills and I was thinking, “You have got to be kidding me.” When I hit the last hill at mile 25 I stopped to walk. My legs were so tired I just didn’t even care. When I was walking for 15 seconds I said to myself “Come on Janet it’s 10 more minutes of running. Get up this hill and finish this.” And I did! I charged up it with the determination to just finish the race. Again as much as I hated those hills I loved they were there because it made me a stronger runner.

11.)  Finish Line – This was my 13^th marathon and every time I see that finish line I always cry. All that training and all that work always pays off on race day regardless of what kind of race you have. It is such an incredible feeling crossing the finish line and that is why I keep coming back for more. This was by far the toughest marathon I have ever run and I am so glad I did it. I am so happy that I picked Big Sur to be my California race so I can officially check that off my map. I finished Big Sur 3:38:46 just 4 minutes off my PR. I’ll take it!!!

So what now? I am going to take a couple weeks off from running. I am jumping right into Ironman Louisville training but just swim and bike for the next couple of weeks. That will be my 12^th state and knock off Kentucky for me. Thankfully that race is not too hilly. Maybe some rolling hills but nothing compared to Big Sur. After Ironman Louisville, I am registered for the Berlin Marathon so I can cross off one of my life long bucket list of completing all the Marathon Majors. Berlin is the only Marathon Major I have not done and I am super excited it is a flat fast course. The last 3 out of 5 marathons I have completed have been very hilly (Boston, Atlanta, and Big Sur) so I am very ready for a flat marathon.

After the marathon, I came back to the famous bridge at mile 13 and took this picture with my finisher medal. For all of those who ran it was still CRAZY windy when I was out there. The other picture is of me biking along 17 Mile Drive the week prior to the Big Sur Marathon. It was absolutely gorgeous.

Congrats to all Big Sur Marathon finishers!

Happy Recovery and Happy Running!

If someone asked me when I was training for my first marathon which is harder: the physical endurance or the mental endurance? I would have immediately said the physical endurance. If someone now asked me which is harder I would respond the mental endurance. 

Many runners do not realize when they sign up for a race there are 2 segments to the training: physical endurance training and mental endurance training. Usually we only focus on the physical side of training (i.e. mileage, strength training, cross-training, etc.). The mental endurance training happens automatically as you are pounding out all those miles, following your training schedule, eating properly, etc. But what happens after you log all the miles and your mind start playing tricks on you? For example as you are running you start thinking why is my body feeling tired? Why is my leg hurting? Why am I always hungry? Is this run ever going to end? Can I really do this? These are the exact thoughts I have been dealing with these past 2 weeks. 

I received the green light from my sports doctor to start running again last Wednesday after taking 10 days off from running to heal my strained hamstring. I was sooo excited to get back outside and run again. I ran on Wednesday and the run went OK. My hamstring didn’t hurt but felt really tight which was absolutely screwing with my mind. On Thursday I swam and did some strength training and Friday did some more swimming. Saturday came around and the plan was to do 15-20 miles depending on how I felt. The beginning of the run was awesome. My legs felt totally fine, it was a beautiful day, and I had some Ludacris pumping in my ears. What more could a girl ask for? Then right around 9 miles I fell apart. My quads started bothering and I felt very light headed. Well the run was cut short at 13.5 miles and I felt sick, legs were throbbing, and felt about as low as you could feel after a run. It has been a very long time since I have felt that discouraged after a run. Came home took my ice bath and moped around the house for the rest of the day. Why did I let this get me down? I have logged the miles, I have done 12 other marathons before, and I have no specific goal for Big Sur besides just enjoy it. Well my mental endurance my mental toughness is just not where it usually is at right before a race. 

On Sunday I decided to discuss my frustrations to the best listener in the world, my husband. He has been with me since I decided to sign up for my first marathon and has been my biggest supporter of this hobby of mine for many many years. What I realized is after talking about it, I felt very silly that I got so down about it. I mean I am never going to win a marathon or become an Olympian so who cares if I had a rough couple of weeks. I am so grateful to be a runner, to take on the challenge year after year to finish a marathon, meeting other fellow runners, and to continue my quest of completing a marathon in every state. Sometimes it’s those bad runs that put things in perspective to make you realize it really isn’t that big of a deal. 

Now I am officially tapering for Big Sur. With just under 3 weeks until race day, I am starting to get excited to run what is considered one of the best marathons in the world. Perhaps I didn’t have the greatest “last big run” before tapering but I know physically my body is ready and my mind will be ready as well.

Happy Running!

Catching up on emails and came across this awesome email…T minus 27 days until Big Sur state #11

Yep somehow strained my hamstring during my 20 mile run this past Saturday.

My run was going great until about mile 17 when my leg started to bother me. I didn’t think much of it since my legs always start to hurt during long runs but then when the run was over and the pain started to increase. After some stretching and walking around my thoughts were “Wow why my hamstring feels super tight”. It was tough hilly 20 mile run which I ran faster than my 1st one 2 weeks ago. Once I got home (after stopping for brunch with my running group of course) I took an ice bath and still no change. I bagged my bike ride that I usually do Sunday morning and went to swim practice Monday morning. After about 20 turns at the wall my leg started feeling better. Later that day I saw my sports doctor I have been seeing for years and diagnosed me with a strained hamstring. No running, biking, yoga, pilates, or lifting for 1 week. Thankfully this is a pull-back week and I already have done 2 20-milers in prep for Big Sur so if I need to pull it back to race day I am OK with that. Best news he gave me was that I can still swim and encouraged me to do that daily until I see him again next week.

Swimming is my 2nd favorite sports activity (very close behind running). I never was on a swim team but learned how to swim when I was young and always enjoyed it. Fast forward to 2001 when I decided to try a Sprint Triathlon I knew I had the bike and run part down. I just needed to learn how to endurance swim. The first couple months of attempting this in the pool was REALLY frustrating. I would swim down 1 length and was so out of breath that many times I would get out of the pool completely frustrated. Very similar to when we all tried going out for that first run after being off for months, years, etc. But I stuck with it and finished my first Sprint Triathlon that year and have kept swimming ever since.

This is the first real “running” injury I have had in years. Maybe a tight calf muscle here and there but never a strain, pull, tears, etc. So I consider myself very luck. I don’t even consider this really being injured just more of a setback. I think one of the biggest reasons why my body has held up is because I swim at least twice a week, year round, and always during marathon training. It is such a great endurance workout and most importantly gives my legs a rest from all the pounding. Plus it helps vary the training for a marathon and helps recovery as well. So just as the doctor ordered, I am swimming at least once a day and kind of loving it.

The plan was to do one more big run next weekend then start to taper. I was really hoping to do 22 miles but I would much rather have my leg be healthy for race day and not set me back anymore. So hopefully all the swimming is paying off and I should be back in my running shoes in no time :)

Happy Running!

Why hello to you heavy legs! It always seems the heavy leg syndrome creeps up on me about 6 weeks from race day. Now I know heavy legs are normal and signs of training but I hate them. They make me feel worn down, not fast, and frankly they are just annoying.

The past 2 weeks overall have been very good. I did my first 20 miler on March 10th and it went well. I was out in the suburbs of Chicago tackling the dreaded 20 miler on hills. I have a mental barrier with 20 milers. 26.2 milers…no I love those but for some reason when the training run calls for a 20 miler, I start having anxiety about it the night before. I should be over this especially since I will be running my 13th marathon distance. I believe the 20 miler is a big indicator on how your training is going and how race day could go. And frankly most of my 20 milers are not great. I usually feel VERY tired at the end and the heavy legs creep up on me. So after my first 20 miler 2 weeks ago I felt neutral. Not great but not exhausted just neutral. But then Sunday came around and in the morning I went for a 25 mile bike ride and after that my legs were completely shot. So then came the heavy legs for a couple of days then the panic of “Am I over-training?” set in.

I made the mistake while training for my first marathon of over-training. What should have been an amazing first marathon experience turned into a stress facture in my hip and no running for 4 months. I learned my lesson very quickly to listen to my body and it’s better to pull back then to get injured. So when the heavy legs come, I start to get nervous. Then I came across this great article on runnersworld.com called Energy Crisis. And I was reassured that these heavy legs are ok. So this past pull back week since the heavy legs wanted to stay around for a couple of days I did no speed training and my long run I cut short a couple miles.

This Saturday I am going into another 20 mile run. I plan on running them on hills again and as of today the heavy legs are not here. I will just tell myself that I am going to run strong and rock that 20 miler. Then immediately after the run, head into a ice bath to avoid a potential re-visit of heavy legs.

Happy Running!

There is no secret to those who know me that I love twitter. In a lot of ways, twitter reminds me of what AOL chat rooms tried to be back in the day minus being creepy. It is a way for people to microblog about anything using up to 140 characters. For the longest time I never sent a tweet. I just didn’t know what to say so I would use it to follow professional endurance athletes and celebrities. But then my world was opened up to the #hashtag. The #hashtag concept on twitter is a very easy way for people to search for tweets that have a common topic. One of my favorite #hashtag on twitter is #runnerds. I started noticing people would post about their training, running woes, running achievements, etc. by ending it with #runnerds. So there it began, sending tweets from my smart phone about running ending it in #runnerds. I found the topic name hilarious because we all are run nerds at heart. There is a special bond that all runners share together and when you meet another runner what do you immediately talk about…running!

I consider myself a HUGE run nerd. I live, breathe, work, and just love running. The sport has brought so much joy to my life and has proven to me many times if you work hard you can achieve your goals. So during my long run this past week I started thinking about top 10 signs that you are a run nerd. So here is the list I came up with…

1.) You spend more time on planning your running outfit then on any other outfit.

2.) You have tried almost every energy gel on the market and can discuss with other runners the pros/cons of each of them.

3.) Your idea of a bath involves either ice or Epsom salt.

4.) When it’s time to change out running shoes, you have a hard time parting with your running shoes after all those miles you have spent together.

5.) You feel proud of your running clothes selection versus your everyday clothing selection.

6.) You have no shame spitting or snot rockets in public while running.

7.) You wish there was a way your foam roller could travel with you.

8.) When you travel the first thing you do is scout out where the closest running route is.

9.) You have your vacations planned a year in advance based on when you have registered for your next race.

10.) Your friends think you are crazy to wake up before dawn to run 20 miles but you think this is the best way to spend your morning.

So there is the list. Maybe these are the top 10 signs that I am a run nerd but I am proud to be one

I enjoyed my pull-back week last week.  Going into my first 20 mile run this Saturday and feeling very ready. It will be great to see how the training has been coming along. Also completed 8 Yasso’s last night with 25mph Chicago wind. So in one direction I was flying in the other direction well let’s just say it was tough. But that is what makes you stronger right?

Happy Running!

I am always intrigued on how other endurance athletes recover from their workouts. Whether it’s eating a certain food, naps, a certain stretching routine, etc. I always love learning what works for them to recover from those long training workouts.

I personally love recovery. In my head it’s the perfect excuse to be lazy, eat a lot, sleep in, etc. I just tell my husband “I am recovery from my 18 mile run yesterday. Let’s make a monster breakfast!” I am a firm believer the best way to truly enjoy the marathon experience is you need to work hard and actively recover. I have been gathering a lot of recovery methods over the years to help with sore muscles, depleted nutrition, and just plain old being tired. Here are some of my MUST for recovery:

1.) Ice Bath - Yep that is me taking an ice bath. After every hard run (speed training and long runs) I take the grueling ice bath. Each week it never gets easier. I still gasp and squeal getting into the tub and pop open the iPad to watch videos to help me not focus on the freezing cold water. I wear at least a base layer and sweatshirt to keep my core warm and shorts. The 10-15 minutes of discomfort are completey worth it for the effects. It really helps relieve muscle soreness. I do this within an hour after hard runs.

2.) Compression Socks - Those are my pink CEP compression socks that I put on right after the ice bath and leave on for at least 24 hours. I usually sleep in them and then take them off the next day. I have the TIGHTEST calves ever and this has helped with that problem. Plus they are very comfy to wear and don’t feel like they are cutting off circulation. I have tried a couple of brands and these are my favorites. (Side note: Sydney Thunderstruck is also “recovering” with me but she seems to recover for many hours a day even when she doesn’t run)

3.) Sleep - I really try to take a mini (30-45 minute) nap sometime after my hard runs. It helps me feel refreshed and gives the muscles time to heel. I am in general a big sleeper. I try to get at least 9 hours of sleep a night sometimes even 10 on the weekends.

4.) Food - This is probably the most important. I always make sure I replenish my calorie intake after a run and also make sure I am eating 3 big meals with 2 small snacks every day. RW has awesome nutrition ideas that I constantly refer to. Check them out here!

5.) Good Old Fashion R&R - Whether its watching TV, taking a warm epsom salt bath while reading a book, taking a long walk with my dog, hanging out with my husband or friends, etc. Sometimes the best recovery is just doing a whole lot of nothing. You definetely earn it while training!

So what are your favorite recovery methods? Please share!! I would love to learn what helps you achieve your goals!

I am going into a pullback week this week and pretty excited about it. Training last week went well but nothing like the week before. I did 18 miles on hills again on Saturday and bonked the last couple of miles. Oh well it happens. Hit the Yasso’s again last Wednesday and did 7 of them. This week the long run will be shorter and no Yass’s (HORRAY!!!)

Happy Running!

Do I love yoga? Not really. There are a lot of things I am in love/obsessed with: running, swimming, DVR, reading, music, pilates, my family, traveling, etc. but love yoga…its never been on my list. I have always been that girl if I am going to spend an hour exercising I want to be sweating, out of breath, heart pumping, etc. Being centered and laying on a mat for yoga has never been my thing. I have been to a total of 7 yoga classes and everytime I have left the class thinking “Wow that was a waste of time.” I am not one to make resolutions each year but I do love making goals and one of my 2012 goals is to do more yoga.

I have read over and over how great yoga is for runners. Even runnersworld.com has a whole section about Yoga for Runners that I seem to look at a lot and day dream about how I wish I was more of a “yogi”. This morning I went to my first yoga class for 2012 (I know its February…I have been busy) and let me tell you it was kind of disaster. My legs were shaking from the poses (probably from my 8 mile speed training run last night), my hamstrings were screaming, and the instructor basically planted herself right next to me so she can constantly adjust me. I was pretty embarrassed but just like during a bad run I was going to see this class to the end. Finally the hour ended and like a miracle my legs felt pretty awesome. They felt loose and ready to go. It’s the first time I have actually felt a positive result. I have now looked to see when yoga is offered at my gym and have added it to my training schedule. I am going to start off slow and go once a week. Maybe I’ll even bump it up if my legs stop shaking or just maybe I will actually start enjoying it.

Happy Running!