My road to Boston

Many people continue to ask me about my running, so I thought I would start a running blog to share my experience. Plus, I wanted to document my training for Boston. Although I qualified for Boston on October 11, 2009 at the Steamtown Marathon with a 3:37:03 chip time (8:17 pace), my running journey started several years ago. I want to write my experiences down for myself, but I thought others may learn from some mistakes that I made throughout the last two years.

Although I was a runner in Junior High and High School, I was never really that good, perhaps slightly above average. I didn’t get reinvolved (is that even a word?) in running until June of 2007 when I entered my first 3-mile race for the 4th of July. I did alright, so I entered several other races that summer and fall. Surprisingly, I ended up placing in my age group in a few of them. Around November of 2007, my sister-in-law and I decided to enter the Lehigh Valley Half Marathon in April of 2008. We wanted the challenge and it gave us a way to stay active over the winter. I quit the gym and my aerobics classes, and bought a treadmill. This was the best investment! Over the winter, I didn’t follow a training program. I ran 6 miles twice a week and increased my long run each weekend. Now, I laugh at what little mileage I ran. Lex and I ran that half side by side and finished in just under 1:49. To date, that is my only half marathon and I can’t wait to see what I can really do with some real training for a half!

After that half, I decided I could do a full. The thought terrified me, but I wanted the challenge. This time, I researched a bit. I decided to follow Higdon’s Intermediate I program for Steamtown 2008. I followed this exactly and had no problems in my training. My goal was to finish in under 4:00. I finished in 3:49:28. I felt great afterwards! I was so shocked that I ran that time. During the race, I felt something just took over my body and just propelled me forward!

After Steamtown, I didn’t plan to run another marathon so soon, but Lexi, my cousin, Amy, and her husband, Chad, all got the marathon fever, and wanted to run the New Jersey Marathon (near where Amy and Chad live). Well, if they were all running it, I was, as well! I wanted to improve my time, so I wanted to increase my training a bit. This time, I followed Higdon’s Intermediate 1 with the long run schedule of Intermediate II. This would get me 3 twenty milers before the race. I found training through the winter to be tough. I ran most of my mileage on my treadmill, but tried to get outside for my long runs on Saturdays (although I did a 14-miler on the treadmill). Towards the end of my training, I started to get really tight calves, and was very nervous come race day that my calves would tighten up. I was fine calf-wise, but had a terrible race.

On May 3rd, 2008, we ran the NJ Marathon in the pouring rain. It was terrible, but I can’t blame the weather. It just never felt “easy” for me that day. I struggled to keep a decent pace. Towards the beginning, I felt pretty good, and had visions of “maybe I can qualify for Boston, although I didn’t train to,” run through my head. I surprised myself at Steamtown, so I thought that could happen again. Well, I was certainly humbled. That’s what I love about the marathon. On any given day, you don’t know what could happen. I struggled the second half. Around mile 24, I got Charlie horses in my quads and I struggled to run through them. My hands also felt really funny, almost numb. It was like they weren’t attached to my body. I finished in 3:55:11, over a 6 minute increase from Steamtown. This wasn’t the worst part. When I got done running, it was pouring rain. I just stood in the rain and didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t think clearly. I was just dazed. Aaron came and found me and led me to a tent. I sat down and immediately started vomiting. I vomited for the next 5 hours. I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t keep anything down, which is terrible because the first thing you should do after a marathon is refuel. We had to walk about a mile to our car, drive back to the hotel (about a half hour away). I just lay in the bed trying to get warm. I finally managed a shower, couldn’t even comb my hair, and stumbled to the car for a 4 hour drive home (while vomiting and dry heaving the whole way). Once I got home, I ate some soup, felt better, went to bed, woke up the next morning feeling fine, so I went to work and taught all day.

That was the first time my body failed me. I was so confident that I was going to smash my Steamtown time, I made many rookie mistakes. After reflecting, I didn’t hydrate properly, I took too many gels (5!), and I ran too quickly in the first half. Honestly, I was devastated by my time. I trained harder, it was a flatter course, I should have done better. I viewed NJ as a failure. I was cocky and I paid for it. The marathon is a distance that you have to take seriously. What feels good at mile 8 will kick your butt at mile 24. I immediately knew I was going to run Steamtown that October.

I jumped right back into training. I decided I was going to do a harder program, so spent some time researching. I bought the Pfitz book, but I honestly thought it was too scientific for me. I decided to stick with Higdon, only this time, I was going to do the Intermediate II with Advanced I’s speedwork/hill work. It was the first time I ever did any speed.

In July got my first running injury: IT Band Syndrome, an overuse injury. My knee would start to hurt around 4-miles into every run. It was such a frustrating injury. As soon as I stopped running, the pain would stop. I found a chiropractor who specialized in sports injuries and began going about twice a week. While the pain continued, it became much more manageable. I bought a foam roller, iced, took advil like it was candy, and started doing many exercises to strengthen my hamstrings and lower back muscles. Surprisingly, I only missed about 2 days of training the entire cycle and completed every run.

Towards the end of my training, I felt great. During my taper, I felt really strong and was running fast times. I was afraid to push the pace at Steamtown after what happened in NJ, so I had no idea what my marathon pace would be. I trained for 3:40 (Boston qualifier), but didn’t tell anyone about my long shot goal of qualifying. In the back of my mind I knew I was going for it, but I didn’t want the pressure of not qualifying to affect my race, so other than Aaron, I kept it to myself. I promised Aaron that I would tone the running down a notch after Steamtown unless I qualified, as my body needed the break.

My 2009 Steamtown race was the best race I will probably ever run. I totally shocked myself. I honestly have no idea how I was able to run 8:17 pace for 26.2 miles. I guess you just have to trust the training and taper process. Everything came together and I have honestly never been so amazed at what my body is capable of! I had a great recovery and have had no lingering ITband issues (knock on wood)!
My Boston training officially starts on December 14th. I debated following an easier program, but I just can’t do it! I am going to use the same exact program as last time. It is going to be tougher as it is not the summer, and I am working full time, but I will do it. I just hope my body holds up and allows me to run one more race. Then, I promise, I will give it a break!

If you read my entire running saga…thanks! I want to have everything documented. Like I said before, many people are always asking me about my running and training, and I know many people who recently started training themselves, so I hope I can help share some of my experiences with others.