Making the commitment...

I think it's about time I made this commitment public.

2013 Hamilton Road2Hope Marathon (Nov 3rd)  I'm committed to training smart and getting to the starting line well prepared both mentally and physically.

I didn't make it to the starting line of my scheduled marathons in 2011 and 2012.  I think this will be my final attempt at a marathon but I'm determined to enjoy it and be proud of it!!!!

Started running in 2007.

2009 CIM 4:14:59

2010 Marshal University 4:06:15

2011 Minor health issues, family and work conflicts, and old lady issues all combined lead to some very poor training decisions.  I tried to make up for missed and poor runs by training harder and I think I ended up over trained and just couldn't get things together.  I ended up dropping down to the half (the only smart decision I made!) and running a PR half in Rehobeth (1:54:11).  My son ran with me and we had a great weekend.  I came away with a good attitude.

2012 Just seemed to be a repeat of 2011.  I was actually relieved when I injured my ankle (farming not running).  I initially tried to run through the injury until the doctor insisted I take several weeks off.  End of training.

I keep telling myself that a time isn't important but I'm lying.  When I ran my first marathon in 2009 my BQ time was 4:05:59.  I was close in 2010 and thought it was within reach.  My BQ time is now 4:10.  I haven't decided on a goal time yet...I need to concentrate on getting to the starting line ready to go.

What's different this year?

I'm older and I feel older.

I contacted a trainer.  
She evaluated my weak areas and developed a core/strength workout that I've been doing pretty regularly since last November. 
She looked at my training plan and tweaked it for me. 
-Speedwork more like Hanson's strength workouts.  I was running way to fast and resting way to long.
-She insisted that I warm up and cool down.
-Slight increase in mileage...significant increase in cross training efforts.
-I suggested running more often...I'm a 3 day a week runner...but she said based on my history, goals etc that she thought I should stick to 3 days a week.  It seems to be working.

Where am I today?
I ran a PR 10K on July 4th (50:43).  It was only a PR by a few seconds but I did it without my son there to pace me and it was 5 seconds faster than 2010.
I recorded a PR triathlon yesterday.  It was an awesome race that was a real confidence booster!

On one hand I'm really pleased with where I'm at and realize that PRs are still possible for me at this point in life.  On the other hand I'm really nervous about the marathon.  I've intentionally slowed my training runs...in the past I was doing them way faster than suggested and then taking way to much time to recover between runs.  With the slight increase in mileage, the increased cross training and the addition of core/strength work I'm not able to complete the training runs as fast as I did in 2010.  It seems to be working but I'm still nervous.  

I'm not able to post and follow your blogs as often as I'd like but I'll do what I can.

Thanks for listening...Nancy

Just looking forward to you crossing the finish line, Nancy - no matter the time.  Keep up the good work.

Sounds like you've really been working hard! Congrats on the PRs. I agree with Michele, it'll be great to finish your race no matter what your time. Too many variables are uncontrollable and unpredictable with marathons to get too worried about time every time and finishing is always very honorable.

Listen to your coach/trainer! It sounds like you've been getting some great advice - and more importantly, you've been following it.

Keep at it, and I think you're going to be happy with how things turn out in November.

Mark B wrote:Listen to your coach/trainer! It sounds like you've been getting some great advice - and more importantly, you've been following it.

Keep at it, and I think you're going to be happy with how things turn out in November.

+1...I agree.  It may feel like you are not working hard, but you are doing so many other things this cycle to help your body train.  I bet you will be amazed with the results.

Good luck on your training, Nancy! I agree with the others, just focus on finishing this one in one piece and then worry about the BQ--you're so close.  Who knows--maybe you'll end up getting it this time around anyway.  Keep up the strength training and I'm sure that will help a lot.

Thanks Michele and Julie,
I'm trying to keep the competitive part of me under control...at least while I'm training.  I keep reminding myself that the reason I started all this was so that I could enjoy my grandchildren and I've definitely accomplished that.  The rest is just a bonus.

Mark and Nick,
It's tough to look back at my training logs and see how much faster I was completing runs back in 2010.  I know that I'm on the right track based on my current results.  I guess the race on Saturday should have verified that the training plan is working...now I just need to trust it till the end.

Kathy,
Yes, just making it to the starting line well prepared will be a big accomplishment.  Oddly enough the BQ isn't really important as I've never really intended to run Boston.  It's just a number for me.  I think I'm ready to move on to something other than marathons and I just want to move to the next phase with pleasant memories of my marathon days.

It was obvious that I'd raced based on how I felt Saturday evening and Sunday.  I took it pretty easy but made sure I moved around a bit.

Monday was an easy 8 miles.  It actually felt pretty good and I finished up with a 10:05 pace even though I ventured out into the hills.  Pretty happy with how things felt.

Had planned to swim and bike today but I woke up a bit under the weather so took an unscheduled day off.  I felt off until late afternoon but seem to be fine now.  Back to training tomorrow!

Busy week on the farm...should be finished with harvest in a week or 10 days depending on the weather.  

Swam again on Wednesday.  Took it pretty easy but got in a decent workout.  Also started back up on the core/strength training.  I've taken a few days off from that before and after the triathlon last Saturday.

8 miles on Thursday.  Kept it fairly easy per the plan. 10:02 pace with heart rate of 155.  Run felt good but I could feel the effects of adding back in the core work.

Nice swim on Friday.  We added in some drills and speedwork which was fun and challenging.

Long run on Saturday.  21 miles @ 10:24 heart rate 152  Run went well.  Perfect splits but I had to work at it the last few miles.  Legs pretty sore today but not overly concerned.

Looking good, Nancy! Way to nail those nice, even splits on the long run.

This cross/tri training seems to be working well for you. Do you count harvest as one of your workouts?

Nice long run Nancy!!  Looks like you got some good time on your legs and this should be a good run to build the rest of your training off of.  Keep it up

Good week, Nancy!  Keep it up.

Nice running and swimming! And core work, too! 
I can imagine things are busy these days if you're on a farm.  What type of crops do you grow?

Mark B wrote:Looking good, Nancy! Way to nail those nice, even splits on the long run.

This cross/tri training seems to be working well for you. Do you count harvest as one of your workouts?

Unfortunately everything is pretty mechanized now so harvest isn't much of a workout...just very long days with a lot of stress involved.  We irrigate twice a day 7 days a week from mid-April to mid-October so our days start before 6:00am and don't finish up till nearly 8:00pm normally.  Harvest times are even longer as much of the work needs to be done when we have a dew...very early in the morning or very late at night and occasionally all night long.

We're just happy to have crops to harvest this year.  I don't know if our thunderstorms made it into the news over there but we've had some devastating ones this year.  The worst was on August 25th when a farm couple was struck by lightning.  He was killed...she is recovering.  They estimate that 6-7 million dollars in crops were destroyed that afternoon!  We were on the edge of it...and several other storms but have had very minimal damage so far.  We'll breathe a sigh of relief once everything is harvested.

Penelope wrote:Nice running and swimming! And core work, too! 
I can imagine things are busy these days if you're on a farm.  What type of crops do you grow?

Thanks for dropping in Kathy.

We operate an irrigated farm in Central Oregon.  We grow carrot seed, Kentucky bluegrass seed, peppermint oil, grain and hay.  It's a very intensive type of farming.  We're excited that our youngest son returned to the farm in April.  It's a great environment to raise a family in.

Started out the week with a couple nice runs!

I was nervous as I'm doing things out of the normal order in an effort to make sure I can fit in my quality runs without any of them interfering with my triathlon recovery and my preparation for a half on Oct. 13th.  Normally I do my long run at the end of a hard week but I did it at the end of an easy week last week and then had two hard runs scheduled for this week.  My legs were still pretty sore and I wasn't sure how they would respond.  They did fine.  

Monday  9.5 miles w/6x1 @8:55.  Goal pace was 9:00 but 8:55 came easily.  I did this run a month ago and struggled to complete it.  Felt good to complete it with relative ease this time.

Tuesday  Recovery type swim.  Core/strength (eased up just a bit on the legs)

Wednesday  12 miles w/10 @ 9:15  This was scheduled as a marathon pace run (9:20-9:30 depending on the goal I choose).  I've struggled to keep these runs between 9:25 and 9:30 so was really pleased with this run.  Wasn't able to speed up much the second half but did manage a slight negative split.  Great confidence builder!

Thursday  Easy swim this morning.  Will try and find time to do my core this afternoon.

Runs are starting to feel better.

Looks like everything is coming together!!  It's fun when that happens

So, you have about 6 weeks or so until the November 3 race and your paces are in line with expectations without really grunting through the run.  Looks like you are getting the sweet tasting benefits of a consistent, yet persistent plan.

Just don't get hurt.

Very quick update as we're battling the weather and struggling to finish harvest.

Managed to squeeze in my core work Thursday evening.

I woke up feeling awful on Friday morning...I was afraid that Nick and Doug's comments had jinxed me!!!!  By the time I got to feeling better I didn't have time to run.  I jumped in the tractor hoping to finish in time for a bike ride but that didn't happen so it ended up being a rest day.

Still feeling a bit off on Saturday but well enough to run...15 miles on the schedule and it was a nice run.    Each 5 mile loop was a bit faster and I finished with an overall pace of 10:02.  Quite happy with that.  I also tried out HoneyMaxx...the sports drink they'll be serving in Hamilton.  It tastes awful.  But no tummy issues and it seemed to work fine.  I think I can deal with the taste.

Planned to squeeze in that bike ride on Sunday but family commitments didn't allow for that.

We got up early this morning and did our core work before breakfast.  Marty (husband) took some time off when we got busy on the farm but wants to get back to regular exercise.  I enjoy it when we do it together and also tend to be more committed to doing it!

It's cool today...not the weather we need for harvest...but it enables me to run later today after I finish payroll and errands.  Easy 10 on the schedule.

Thanks for the comments/encouragement...sorry I don't have more time to post.

Edit to add my afternoon/evening run.  The day seemed to slip away and before I knew it things had warmed up and the wind was kicking up.  Headed out for an easy 10 which wasn't so easy...  My legs were really struggling right from the start.  Lots of potential reasons but I'm guessing it was a combination of things with the biggest factor the early morning core/strength workout.  Even though I cut back on the leg work it still seems to be tough to fit in without affecting my runs.  Struggled though the first 5 at 10:24 and then the 2nd 5 seemed to feel a bit better...10:13.  Good thing this is a step back week.

Tuesday - Swim...our coach is back so swimming is much more productive.    It was raining so we headed over the mountains to catch up with family.  I think riding in the car and visiting is more tiring than working or training!  Didn't quite make it over to Mark's territory but we were close...Hillsboro.

Wednesday - 8 miles at MP on the schedule.  10 miles total with the 8 miles at 9:21 pace.  It seemed like I had to work at it a bit but that's an acceptable run.  I was waiting for the clouds to open up and dump on me but I finished before they did.  It was a bit windy and spit rain a couple times but nothing to serious.

Still struggling to get things harvested.  We need a few more days of sunshine!  Forecast is not looking good.

I just realized...with my run today I surpassed my total 2012 mileage!   

It's amazing you can get anything done during harvest season. Congrats for every minute you can get away!

I knew about the thunderstorms, but I hadn't heard about the fatality. That's scary stuff.

Over here on the west side of the Cascade Range, we mutter about never getting decent thunderstorms - forgetting that real thunderstorms can wipe out a season's worth of crops in minutes flat. Farming is a stressful life!

Keep up the great work, Nancy.  We will need to make sure and channel each other during our races since they will only be miles away.

Mark B wrote:It's amazing you can get anything done during harvest season. Congrats for every minute you can get away!

I knew about the thunderstorms, but I hadn't heard about the fatality. That's scary stuff.

Over here on the west side of the Cascade Range, we mutter about never getting decent thunderstorms - forgetting that real thunderstorms can wipe out a season's worth of crops in minutes flat. Farming is a stressful life!

So frustrating...we should be done and cleaning up and putting equipment away.  We can't work but we also can't plan anything as the weather is just so variable.  We have to be here and ready to go at a moments notice.  I just hope things clear up soon or we're talking huge monetary losses!  Not to concerned yet but...

On the bright side.  It's been nice for running.

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Keep up the great work, Nancy.  We will need to make sure and channel each other during our races since they will only be miles away.

If I remember correctly you run on Saturday...Nick and I can cheer you on remotely as we pick up our packets and carb load.  You can return the favor the next day while we run and you recover.  

I'm definitely feeling a bit more confident these last couple weeks.  I'm still not completing training runs as fast as I was during my marathon training in 2010 but I'm doing much better than 2011 and 2012.  I'm obviously older than I was in 2010!  I'm going to have to be careful/conservative with my goals for this race but I still think I can make it a positive event.

Early morning core work and then a nice long easy swim on Thursday.  Felt good.

Pretty happy with my long run today.  20 miles @ 10:13  Much better than my last 20 and only 41 seconds over MP if I go for the 4:10 BQ.  The trainer had 24 miles on the schedule but I was a bit concerned with that recommendation as it would have been longer than my actual marathon!  I didn't really have the time or desire to do the full 24 so I opted for 20 with an attempt at a faster finish.  My individual mile splits were a bit erratic as I kept having to remind myself not to get to carried away.  When I calculated the splits for each 5 mile loop they were pretty consistent.  10:17, 10:16, 10:15 and then 10:04 for the last 5.  The last mile had a bit of a hill near the end and I wasn't able to get down to MP but I was OK with a 9:48.

Some days I wish I was at this point a month ago and had a few more weeks to train but other days I realize that maybe I'm peaking at a more appropriate time.  Pretty happy with where I'm at compared to last year...and last month.  I need to be careful not try to compete with the younger Nancy.