Twas the Night before Race Day....

part of my lunch today..... 

Taylor, there have been almost 75 little entries on this blog.... 

Know that it has been a sweet thing to tie you up in my shoelaces with some prayer in the last few months of training and running-- bringing you along the way and holding you up to the Light. 

I just googled "night before race day" and found this very funny poem.  

‘Twas the night before race day, when all through the town

No sleep would be had by the runners around;

Their race clothes were laid by the door with care,

In hopes that a PR soon would be there.

The rest of the world – they were snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.

But for runners like me, sleep would not come,

We tossed and we turned until up came the sun,

Only then did our bodies succumb to a nap,

But then – BOOM! Our alarms went off like a slap.

We frantically pulled our clocks to our faces,

To make sure we hadn’t slept through our races.

Next: Check the weather. Sunny or Snow?

Running through heat or twenty below?

Even though we’d stalked the forecast forever,

We needed that last minute check on the weather.

Time to get dressed, get stressed over layers,

Yes, it’s cold now, but what about later?

Sure we can shed some clothes as we go,

But where goes the damn race bib? We know it must show.

Once our wardrobe is finally complete,

It’s time for the Glide and to deal with our feet!

Glide is easy: everywhere it goes

More difficult is dealing with feet and with toes.

Long or short socks? Compression or not?

Too risky to try the new ones we’ve bought?

And no matter how much we adjust our right sock,

There’s a bump in it that feels like it’s hiding a rock.

Next come the sneakers, a whole different stress

One wrong lace and BINGO! Your feet are a mess.

First they’re too loose. Then they’re too tight.

On race day they never ever ever feel right.

Next up: some food, though it’s barely daylight

And who wants to eat when it’s still kind of night?

So we choke down bagels, maybe oatmeal instead,

And toss back some coffee to wake up our heads.

Breakfast is over, so now we must pack

Some fuel to eat for a mid-race snack.

Chompers or gel? Sport beans or Gu?

Too many choices, so we just grab a few.

We’re dressed! We’re packed! We finished our meal!

Time to head out – it's sure getting real!

But of course we cannot just head out the door,

Without visiting the loo, at least one time more.

Off to the race site, time to check in,

Stare at the elites – those guys might win!

Then straight to the porta potties – get in a line,

We know that is where we will spend most of our time.

After spending quality time at the John

We realize the moment has come to move on

And make our way over to the starting line;

Adjust our Garmin and pacebands one final time.

Do a few stretches, hand to your heart,

As the national anthem signals the start.

Excitement builds, you’re ready to burst,

Whether it’s your fiftieth race or your first.

The countdown begins and off goes the gun,

It’s finally here – the race has begun!.

So we look up and wish on the new morning star,

“HAPPY RACE DAY TO ALL, AND TO ALL A PR!!

You'll definitely be with me in spirit tomorrow. :) 

butterflies and inspiration

The adrenaline is already kicking in and I have some butterflies fluttering around today

 with less than two days until race day.... 

The following quotes were great little pieces of inspiration. 

“Every single one of us possesses the strength to attempt something he isn't sure he can accomplish. It can be running a mile, or a 10K race, or 100 miles. It can be changing a career, losing 5 pounds, or telling someone you love them.”

-Scott Jurek, Ultrarunner

Now may the God who leads us 

from darkness to light 

illuminate our footsteps, 

lengthen our stride

and strengthen our resolve

that we might walk (or run) the path 

prepared for us

and faithfully serve our Lord and King. 

Amen. 

-John Birch, A Fragrant Offering 

I am praying for God to lead you from darkness to light, 

to illuminate your footsteps and to give you the strength to walk with the King today and always.... 

Wilma Unlimited

This is one of my favorite books-- not only is it about running, it's about an amazing woman named Wilma Rudolph who had a remarkable tenacious spirit and who set Olympic records. 

I love this page because it shouts the story of the underdog

 and of the unexpected grace that shows up. 

There are times that I have felt like this even in this training for this race. 

Perhaps no one expected much.... BUT most people did not have what I have-- a friend who has run alongside me and has coached me, a family who has cheered me on and supported me, friends who have prayed for me, a PT who has some magic up her sleeve and whose optimism spurred me on, and the gift of the Holy Spirit to bring me God's presence through every mile.  

I heard this question posed in church the other day: 

"Do you feel that the task before you is greater than the resources you have?" 

When we feel that way, we can be assured that we have God's spirit in our ordinary lives doing extraordinary things. 

It's Normal

My legs are feeling tight today and I'm wishing I had legs that felt a bit more fresh.... However, this post below reminded me that this is just part of the whole experience.
Sometimes I think the best thing is to know that we are not alone and that our feelings and thoughts are completely normal... My prayer for you today Taylor is that you would know that you are not alone and that on your many colored days that this is all normal and part of this wild journey of life. 

Taper Traps

Don't get caught making these common mistakes in the weeks before your big race

BY DAVE KUEHLS

SEP 5, 2006

Three-time marathoner Kris Kelley, 37, of Akron, Ohio, knows that the toughest part of marathon training isn't the first few weeks out the door. Or the slow grinding buildup of mileage. Or even the last sweat-soaked long run of 23 miles, three weeks before the race. No, Kelley knows that the toughest part of marathon training is after all that, when she is walking across the parking lot at Target, and suddenly a sharp pain strikes in her right knee. And there she is, trying to hold back a panic attack. "Never does a pain like that occur in the middle of intense training," she says. "But there is something about those last couple of weeks before the marathon, when you are cutting back your mileage, getting more rest, and preparing for the big race, when everything, and I do mean everything, seems to bother you more."

Call them taper tantrums--the phantom pains, panic attacks, and much more--that plague most marathoners during the three-week period of decreased training just before the race. "Runners develop not only a physical but also a psychological dependency on running," says Troy Smurawa, M.D., a 2:46 marathoner and physician at Akron Children's Hospital Sports Medicine Center. "So when runners take time off, they go through withdrawal." Hence, the weird constellation of mental and physical symptoms that crop up during the taper.

Thing is, if you know what to expect as you back off your training, you'll be better equipped to survive your taper and arrive at the marathon starting line feeling rested and ready to run. To that end, we've outlined the most common mental and physical problems associated with the taper, when they're likely to occur, and how to deal with them so that you can relax, and, dare we say, enjoy your weeks of rest--not to mention race day.


THREE WEEKS TO GO
Trap: Craving Carbs
Symptoms: The urge to stuff yourself with high-carbohydrate foods to ensure a vast supply of energy for the marathon.
Cause: "During those last three weeks, marathoners tend to think only carbs, carbs, carbs," says Vince Rucci, head of the Vertical Runner Marathon Training Group in Hudson, Ohio. But shoveling down the carbs, particularly at the expense of other important nutrients like protein, will make you feel bloated and will accelerate--and inflate--the normal water-weight gain associated with a taper
Solution: During your taper, slightly modify the carbohydrate-based diet you've maintained throughout your marathon training. "Simply emphasize the carbs already in your diet," says Nancy Clark, R.D., a sports nutritionist in Boston. "For example, instead of having chicken with rice, have rice with chicken." Clark recommends taking in 55 to 65 percent of your calories from carbohydrates, 10 to 15 percent from protein, and 20 to 30 percent from fat. Ensure the proteins are low in fat, such as chicken, fish, lean meats, beans, and legumes. 

Trap: The Impulse to Cram
Symptoms: The sudden, irrational urge to "cram" in extra miles and more long runs, speedwork, and other quality marathon training during your taper, especially early on when your body is feeling primed for peak performance.
Cause: "Runners tend to be focused and goal-driven," says Kate Hays, Ph.D., the director of the Toronto Marathon Psyching Team, which offers peak-performance strategies to marathoners. "When they enter a stressful situation, such as the last weeks before a marathon, they rely on actions that have been proven to get results--like the cramming we all did before tests when we were in school." But while all that extra, last-minute studying may have helped you ace a college exam, additional training during your taper will only leave you feeling exhausted come race day.
Solution: "Rational thinking helps," says Hays. Realize that extra mileage and harder training at this point will hurt your marathon, not help it. Research has shown that those who taper properly perform better than those who train right up until race day. To convince yourself that you've done all the work necessary to run a good race, review your training log thoroughly, noting all the weeks of high mileage, long runs, and tough workouts. And no matter how short and easy your runs get during the taper, keep recording your workouts in your log to reinforce the feeling that you are studiously sticking to the plan.


Trap: Pressure to Perform
Symptoms: The overwhelming fear that the time goal you've set and trained for diligently is now somehow much too ambitious (what were you thinking?).
Cause: Once your peak training is over, it gets harder to feel confident in your abilities to maintain your goal pace. Many marathoners obsess on the five- or 10-minute gap between their goal time and the time they "fear" they might actually run--for example, crossing the line in 4:10, not 4:00, which would somehow make the marathon a failure.

Solution: Insert a couple marathon-pace miles in the middle of some runs during your taper (say two to three miles at marathon pace part-way through a couple of eight-milers) to reinforce confidence in your ability to hold that pace. You should also develop an alternative time goal that you can live with that's five or 10 minutes slower than your ideal goal in case the weather on race day--or your body--just doesn't cooperate.

TWO WEEKS TO GO
Trap: Recovery Rebound
Symptoms: A feeling of strength and complete fitness midway through the taper. Your body is itching to race.
Cause: As your mileage starts to decline after your last heavy training week, your body rebounds. The added rest and the four good months of training you have behind you have strengthened your body and your confidence.
Solution: No matter how good you feel, don't risk your months of marathon training for a PR or an age-group award at a local 10-K. A strained hamstring that plagues you throughout your marathon could be the subsequent door prize. Instead, re-read your marathon application to get yourself psyched for the big day. And meet with your training buddies for coffee to discuss marathon-day strategies. Also, find something active and productive to do on Saturday or Sunday mornings--say cutting the grass--to take your mind off of racing. Or if you must be around runners, volunteer at a local race. The energy there will give you your "race fix" without ruining your marathon chances.

Trap: Phantom Pains
Symptoms: A totally new pain in the foot, knee, hip, back, or insert-any-body-part here that strikes for no apparent reason.
Cause: Twinges and passing aches are all part of the body's rejuvenation process. "During a taper, tissue repair on the microscopic level causes muscle twitches and sometimes muscle cramps as the body adapts," says Dr. Smurawa. Also, when we run less, and worry more about our marathon, everyday aches and pains-which would normally be ignored--get exaggerated to the point of lunacy.
Solution: Think of each phantom pain as a signal that the body is healing itself and preparing you for the marathon. Since your workouts are now shorter, spend some extra time on your favorite stretches to help relax your body. And if you like whirlpools or long baths, indulge. Also, if you've had massages during other parts of your training, get one this week. It will further aid the healing process.
Trap: Panic Attacks
Symptoms: Every time you feel an ache or start to think about some aspect of the race, you jump to a doomsday conclusion. (I have a stress fracture! The hill at mile nine is going to be the end of me!)
Cause: Most panic attacks stem from a lack of confidence and a fear of the unknown. "This is a particular problem for first-time marathoners," says Hays. If you've never run a marathon before, or you've never run a particular marathon course, you have no experience to draw from to boost your confidence.
Solution: Collect all the information you can about the racecourse from your registration materials, the race's Web site, and even personal insight from those who have run it in previous years. If possible, run parts of the course or ride the whole thing. Some races offer guided bus tours of their marathon route the day or two before the event. Knowing everything you can about that hill at mile nine will help you conquer it. You can also come up with solutions to problems that might arise during the marathon, such as how you'll handle a blister or a side stitch, so that you know you'll be prepared to overcome any obstacle.


ONE WEEK TO GO
Trap: Heavy Legs
Symptoms: A tired, heavy feeling centered in the legs, but affecting your whole body, that you get late in a taper.
Cause: "Tissue repair in the legs during recovery, coupled with the fact that you are storing more carbohydrate and water late in the taper, will make you feel like you do after eating a big meal," says Dr. Smurawa. In other words, you feel like a slug.
Solution: Remember you're not the only one feeling this way. "Just knowing that this is how tapering marathoners are supposed to feel can help curb your anxiety," says Robert Udewitz, Ph.D., a sports psychologist and the director of Behavior Therapy of New York. Also, try a few strides (100-meter sprints) after some of your easy runs. Strides can help knock off the rust, leaving you feeling fresh and ready without overdoing it.

Trap: That Sinking Feeling
Symptoms: A feeling of malaise, depression, and hopelessness, which often accompanies the physical sluggishness that intensifies at the end of a taper.
Cause: "Generally, running counters feelings of anxiety and depression," says Hays. "So as you run less miles, bad feelings tend to crop back up and increase."

Solution: Take a short-term approach. "You only have to get through the rest of the taper," says Hays. Do a little low-impact and low-intensity cross-training--like pool running--to generate the good feelings you normally get from running. Also, use your downtime to focus on other things that bring pleasure to your life, such as listening to music, cooking, and being with family and friends. And rent some funny movies or read a few joke books to lighten your mood.

Trap: Weight Gain
Symptoms: A couple of additional pounds that show up on the scale at the end of a taper.
Cause: When we eat high-carbohydrate foods to stock our glycogen (energy) reserves, water is stored along with the glycogen. "If you have been chronically dehydrated, that extra water can cause some gain in weight during a marathon taper, since you're running less and not sweating as much," says Clark.
Solution: Realize that the extra "water weight" will be beneficial during the marathon. It will actually help keep you better hydrated on race day, when it will be released as the glycogen is burned. But you can also do a few practical things to help you cope with this temporary weight gain. Don't weigh yourself during the three-week taper period. And if the feeling of tighter-than-normal clothes causes you anxiety, wear clothes with more forgiving waistbands and drawstrings.

Your Song

I found the following story online.  There is debate whether it is really a true story and if it is indeed based on the Himba tribe in Namibia.  Regardless of the origins, I do believe that it has a good message:

“There is a tribe in Africa where the birth date of a child is counted not from when they were born, nor from when they are conceived but from the day that the child was a thought in its mother’s mind.

And when a woman decides that she will have a child, she goes off and sits under a tree, by herself, and she listens until she can hear the song of the child that wants to come. And after she’s heard the song of this child, she comes back to the man who will be the child’s father, and teaches it to him. And then, when they make love to physically conceive the child, some of that time they sing the song of the child, as a way to invite it.

And then, when the mother is pregnant, the mother teaches that child’s song to the midwives and the old women of the village, so that when the child is born, the old women and the people around her sing the child’s song to welcome it. And then, as the child grows up, the other villagers are taught the child’s song. If the child falls, or hurts its knee, someone picks it up and sings its song to it. Or perhaps the child does something wonderful, or goes through the rites of puberty, then as a way of honoring this person, the people of the village sing his or her song.

In the African tribe there is one other occasion upon which the villagers sing to the child. If at any time during his or her life, the person commits a crime or aberrant social act, the individual is called to the center of the village and the people in the community form a circle around them. Then they sing their song to them.

The tribe recognizes that the correction for antisocial behavior is not punishment; it is love and the remembrance of identity. When you recognize your own song, you have no desire or need to do anything that would hurt another.

And it goes this way through their life. In marriage, the songs are sung, together. And finally, when this child is lying in bed, ready to die, all the villagers know his or her song, and they sing—for the last time—the song to that person.”

This story reminds  us that we all have a song.  And during times of your life when things are changing all around you, you must remember your song to stay connected to who you really are.  And if you need help, find people who can help sing your song to you. The letters written to you for your 13th birthday will be reminders of the refrain of your song that you are loved.  As you said, they are all really saying the same thing, and I’ve tried to listen in during these training miles to your particular song. I will keep on reminding you and telling you again and again until you know it by heart... 

Countdown

With the race almost here, I've been thinking about my game plan for the run on Sunday. I'm hoping to get to the start line happy, healthy and strong and get to the finish line happy, healthy and strong. 

My goal is to get out there and test my limits, do the best I can do, and cross that finish line with a smile on my face.   I'm praying for stamina and for God to spur me on through the miles... 

and Taylor- that's my prayer for you too- 

that God would give you stamina and that He would spur you on through the miles... 

Glass Half Full

A few friends rallied early this morning to go run a relay starting near Rainier heading toward Tacoma on some of the Rails-to-Trails routes.  I ran 13.5 miles and it felt good. Knowing that this is a bit over half of what I'll run next weekend, I'm grateful that my glass is half full! 

Maegan (teammate whose picture I am holding) was not able to make it at the last minute because her husband had to go to the ER from an injury from a softball game last night so I had the inspiration this morning at 5 am to print off this picture and have her with us in spirit with this giant picture of her :) 

  

Ringing the bell at the transition points was a fun touch---