A BQ on a Broken Ankle

Nothing was shaping up in my favor, as I road the bus to the starting line of the Colorado Marathon. The weather was snowy and cold to start. During the week, I had begun looking for other marathons that I could run to Boston Qualify, in the event that my time was affected by the impeding crappy weather. I'm not sure why I was so concerned, considering that some of my best racing has happened during the winter months. As I finally stepped off the bus, with only minutes to spare, I decided to give one last go at the bathrooms. This gave me enough time to put on my iPod and discover that the battery didn't charge, to drop my bag at the sweat check, and to walk to the starting line. There was no time to warmup. I calmed my worry by reassuring myself that all of these little things that weren't working were just a sign that my race was gonna be amazing. I had planned a slow first mile, anyhow, so I knew I would get some warming up. There I was, with only one way out of Poudre Canyon and the race starting in two minutes.

I took off at a comfortable pace, following the 3:30 group. I kept them in sight for the first mile, allowing my legs and body to warmup. During the second mile, I started to close in on the group, because I was nervous that I might be taking things a bit too slow. I was immediately uncomfortable, mixed within the big group. I'm not use to running so close to people, so I stuck towards the outside. This unfortunate position made me have to dodge cones and be overly aware of how the runner, directly in front of me, was moving. It was about that time, as I was trying to watch other runners, look for potholes, dodge the cones, find my stride, that it happened. My left ankle rolled. I heard a noise. Maybe it was my feel scraping along the road. It was confusingly mixed with the voices of concern and regret surrounding me. The tones that told me my race was over. I looked at my watch; 1.8 miles. I was done, and if I were smart, I would walk myself back to the starting line to catch a ride to the finish. I hobbled for a minute, told everyone I was okay, and kept thinking and running. I knew an aid station would be in the next mile or two, just as close as the start. I figured I would keep going and evaluate my ankle as I ran.

I really don't run marathons, but in the past year, I spend 40 weeks training for them. I ran ADTM just to see what I could run and finished in 3:42:49. I trained harder for the Colorado Marathon with the help and guidance of John O'Neill in the hopes of qualifying for Boston with my husband and running Boston for our 10th anniversary. I knew that my ankle was damaged enough that I was gonna be off of it for awhile. I had figured that I could train for another marathon, if things didn't work out, but this injury changed the game. I had also been here before. I ran the Pony Express two years ago and rolled my right ankle 3 miles from the finish. I finished as the first female runner, but the injury put me out for 6 months. I swore that I would never let my ego get in the way, again. I regretted the decision to keep running and here I was, again.

I reached the aid station and pulled myself off the road. My ankle looked okay with just a little swelling below the fibula. I decided to keep going and check it at the next station. I spend the next two miles angry that this happened and wondering if I should keep moving. I checked my ankle again, at the second aid station, and noted that it kept the same amount of swelling. As I started to run again, I felt more pain. Clearly, stopping was allowing the swelling to increase, and I figured that my running was keeping the swelling down. I decided not to stop again, unless I was done. I was halfway to the half marathon point, and I figured I would reevaluate my decision, then. The 3:30 pace group was beginning to slip out of sight with my original goal. I spent the rest of the race watching my pace band.

At the half marathon point, I assessed the number of vehicles sitting around that could drive me to the finish. Duane had the keys, so I would sit in the cold until he finished. I was wet, cold and broken. My situation hadn't changed for better OR for worse in the last 13.1 miles. I was one minute off of my split goal, but my ankle wasn't getting worse, so I decided to keep on running. I started to notice people passing me around mile 16, so I made a game with the cones. Run hard for five cones, go easy for a few, a variation of what John told me to do around this point in the race. Or, I would pick a person to catch up to, just to keep motivated and keep my legs and brain from falling into a slower pace. I also noticed that any change in terrain made a painful adjustment for my ankle. Uphill would hurt, then my body would get use to it. Then the downhill would hurt, then my ankle would find that comfortable. When the pain would get bad enough, I would chant to myself, "The Revenant, but the Revenant!!" Reminding me that the human body is capable of astounding feats. At mile 20, I decided that I would never try doing math in a marathon, because I started counting down 8 miles and thinking that my BQ was completely gone. I only had 6 miles, though and was still in the game.

Pretending that I'm having fun at the Colorado Marathon!

Somewhere around 22 miles, I realized that I would be physically done running if I stopped. At mile 24, everything below my hip flexors began to cramp. My right leg was really tired from doing much of the work. My ankles didn't seem to flex or extend, but I could put one leg in front of the other. I finished in 3:36:29, much slower than my goal and only a little faster than my BQ. Immediately after crossing the finish line, I couldn't walk or hold my body up. I hobbled to the medical tent. Cold and shivering, they put me in the ambulance. My left ankle was now swollen to the size of my calf muscle. Once we located Duane, I was put in a wheel chair and brought to our van. I experienced an amazing amount of pain and guilt. We bought some crutches, and I did my best to keep from being incredibly miserable for the rest of our trip.

We returned home on Monday. I had an afternoon appointment with my foot and ankle doctor, who immediately took x-rays of my ankle. I had a spiral fracture of my fibula that happened when it rolled. Knowing this alleviated some of my guilt from continuing my run. I'm in a boot and on crutches for 4-6 weeks, but should be able to run by July 4th. I can't walk if I wanted to, but have been able to get around on my crutches and knee scooter rental. I no longer regret my decision to keep running. I did PR and BQ, though I'm a little nervous about being so close to my 3:40 time. There is a chance that my BQ could not make the accepted time. If that happens, I will plan to train and run for the Colorado Marathon, again, hopefully on two good legs and in beautiful weather.

Running Goals for 2016

You might've seen my post this week about a student who asked if I would ever climb Mt. Everest. I gave an explanation that culminated in "no" (family, cost, life vs. death, etc). She proceeded to tell me about how a few of them were watching the Everest movie and decided that I was the only person they knew that would ever be able to, because of my determination and endurance. While I have no intention to ever climb Everest, I'm humbled and flattered. It also made me realize how much my students see, and possibly admire, about my training and goals. We lead by example, and I feel that the reason I am successful as an educator is because of this, coupled with the fact that I'm endlessly inspired by many of them...just as much as they may be inspired by me. To teach, you need to be able to learn, to re-evaluate yourself, and to change accordingly.

But, this post isn't really about teaching. It's about goals, some of those goals inspired by the young people that I work with everyday.

I've been training for the Colorado Marathon. It is my current goal, and I'm hoping to finish around 3:35 to more than clear my Boston QT of 3:40, thus landing Duane and I in Boston to celebrate our 10th anniversary at the Boston Marathon. After all, we hiked a 26 mile slot canyon for our honeymoon. Maybe for our 20th, we'll take on a 50 miler or 100 miler (if you do the math, that would make Duane really f'ing old). But, I've been slowly chipping away at mileage along the trails and on the treadmill in the hopes of having a great race. I was close at ADTM with a 3:42. The course was hillier, and it was really the first marathon that I had actually trained for. I used the "Run Less, Run Faster" training plan, and I just don't think it was the right plan for me. Now, I'm running almost daily under the guidance of John O'Neill. My running is stronger, and my body is well conditioned, now that I've added some strength training to my weeks.

I've also been kicking around the idea of completing the TCR, this year. I've never actually finished TCR, because the year that I tried, the Ascent was cancelled mid-race for terrible weather. I've decided that I will, at least, register for the Ascent. I'm just not sure that my body needs to run the Garden 10 Mile six weeks after my marathon. This way, I'll be ready to run the Ascent, but can decide on the Garden 10 as the time approaches. I'm looking forward to hitting a lot of trail during the summer, on my feet and on wheels. I'd like to earn a PR at the Pony Express (and not break myself, this time). I'm thinking that some Pikes Peak training can help complete that goal.

I will also be going back to Shoshoni to complete my RYT 500 training. I started this journey in 2008, the same year that I tried TCR, so it seems like a great year to finish both. I also am hoping to solo summit James's Peak (13er), during that time. It was an amazing and beautiful adventure that I had in between babies. I look forward to making that journey, again. So, I won't be climbing Everest, but I do have a couple of mountain challenges to attempt this summer. I'm grateful to my students, who have so much confidence in my abilities, for giving me the final push towards deciding that I can do this again.

My 21 Day Fix Experience (No, I'm not a coach)

After Thanksgiving, and before...I noticed that my weight was on the higher end. I try to not care and be all body positive, but as a runner, a few extra pounds can be a lot to carry, and as an "athena" runner, I already carry 160 lbs. It can have an effect on your joint health, and my ankles and feet have been pretty unforgiving, lately. I want to get a tiny bit faster and possibly qualify to run the Boston Marathon this year, so I thought I'd focus on making some changes. Honestly, I was getting to the point of allowing myself to eat anything and everything. I just needed to reign it in. At my healthiest, I worked out in the morning (swimming) and ran or biked in the afternoon. I think there was something crazy about my metabolism then...like some type of supercharge after having Aspen, because I feel like I do a lot more now, with little change in my body. I think that my nutrition, and probably age, have something to do with the changes. As a result of my self-assessment (and probably spending too much time on Instagram), I decided to try the 21 Day Fix.
Don't stop reading.

I'm not trying to sell you anything.

Frankly, any blog post that I could find regarding 21 Day Fix was written by a coach. Coaches are people that sell the program and encourage that you finish. It's like the Pampered Chef of fitness. I had one, she was awesome. I probably would have quit, if she hadn't encouraged us. We used Facebook for some daily posts about our progress, thoughts, motivations and feelings. I do think that accountability is a cool addition to the program. But, I'm not a coach...so I'll give an honest assessment about 21 Day Fix.

It's actually pretty great.

I thought that I wouldn't gain much from the workouts, and would benefit from the nutrition. I was wrong on both accounts. Getting up 30 minutes early (the workouts are only 30 minutes) to sweat in my basement was much better than going to the pool. Showering and prepping for my work day away from home was always a pain in the butt. I honestly never skipped a workout on 21 Day Fix. There are seven different workouts that are a combination of strength training, cardio, plyometrics, pilates and yoga. As a super fit person, they kicked my ass (but they have modifications). I have found it really easy to get up early and go into the basement for a workout that is unlike my "norm". I also feel fantastic. I look strong, but more importantly, I am strong. I feel much more capable in doing things that I would easily give up on...like anything that required any level of strength. Plank? Forget it, I'd rather take a nap. Now, I can handle it. I also appreciate that the workout has a countdown clock, and when I can see it (I often don't put my contacts in before working out), it's nice to know how long I will feel the torture.

There are some things that I don't like about the workout, mainly the instructor. The overall vibe is that something is wrong with you, and you need to change it. There are a lot of buzz words throughout the videos to support this, "you give me 21 days, and I'll give you the body you've always wanted." I was totally annoyed by this. I already have the body I want. It's mine, and it's not going anywhere. At some point, she even says something about how no one wants to see your flabby arms. I don't think that body shaming creates lasting change in a person. You can't think of a workout as punishment and a way to banish unwanted parts of yourself...because it's yourself. It's not going anywhere. And, you certainly won't experience change, without some self-love and feel-good motivation. I really wasn't surprised, though, because the program is called 21 Day Fix, which implies that you need fixing...and you don't. I also don't think it helps that the only "normal looking" person in the workout video (i.e. not a fitness instructor or fitness model) is the one doing the modifications. Frankly, I know quite a few men and women that don't look as fit as me, but are a helluva lot more strong. It wouldn't hurt to put some diverse body types in their videos. But, alas, they are selling an image of perfection as something to be achieved in the way you look.

I thought that I would gain the biggest benefit from the nutrition. The problem, for me, with the 21 Day Fix nutrition program was that I'm a runner and had no intention of not running during the duration of the 21 days. The program gives you a mathematical calculation for your calorie intake. My intake was suppose to be 1200-1400 calories, which is starvation. I tried it for two days and was so hangry, I was a monster. I bumped myself up to the next level of 1500-1800. The program works by portioning your food into food groups. The biggest change for me was recognizing that I eat a ridiculous quantity of fruit and nuts. I began to eat more protein and complex carbohydrates.

By the end of 21 days, I had gained in muscle what I had lost in fat. I was much more toned. I didn't feel like the diet was sustainable for me, because I really felt the need to eat more, and I don't like going hungry. As a result, I started using a food and activity tracking app. This has been a much better way for me to monitor my eating and workouts. Using a combination of food tracking and the 21 Day Fix workouts in the morning with my regular running, I've lost about 4 lbs in this month. I'm not following the workouts everyday, because I actually value my running goals more than any weight-loss goals. At this point, I'm just happy maintaining that I am strong and happy. I have had a difficult time feeling this level of strength and confidence after having Rowan.

So, would I recommend the program? Maybe??? I think it's probably really fantastic if you are sedentary and aren't sure how to eat healthily and be active. The program emphasizes real foods and measures these foods in pre-measured containers, so it's very simple. I also think you need to have some pretty thick skin to laugh off the body shaming in the videos, though. It's probably not any more shaming than what happens in normal videos or fitness classes. As a previous fitness instructor and trainer, I probably said and believed some of that crap, too. The workouts are fantastic. As a pretty fit person, I've gained a lot more strength with very little extra commitment. So, I do think the program can benefit someone that understands their nutrition, but is less motivated to do strength workouts or high intensity interval workouts.

Overall, I'm pleasantly surprised by the strength that I've gained and the basic awareness of my nutrition, again. I might not lose any weight, but I'm happy being stronger.

Rim Rock Marathon Relay 2015

I most recently raced in the Rim Rock Marathon Relay, again, with Duane. We ran the race back in 2011, when Aspen was tiny. Duane really wanted to win this race. We've been close and our times aren't far off, but it looks like we'll be needing to return for a big win. I have no problem with that.

We rented a house that was close to the bus pick-up on race morning. This was nice, because Duane was able to leave a bit earlier to catch the 1st leg bus, and I left about 15 minutes later. The wait was in the Fruita Community Center, which was so much nicer than waiting outside and in our van forever at the last Rim Rock we ran. The 2nd leg bus seemed to leave much earlier, this time around. I had a 1:30 wait until my leg of the race.

The beginning of the second leg was a bit confusing. The 2nd leg runner was chip timed, but there was no starting mat. I only wanted to find one to make sure that I was starting in the right place, mostly because the relay start changed this year. The 2nd leg started about 200 m sooner and actually ended a lot farther, so it just seemed suspicious and I didn't want to make a major mistake. I also really didn't want to start my run at the bottom of a rather steep hill.

I ran a couple of brief warmups (the morning was VERY cold), used the bathroom a couple of times, sat in a warm bus, and chatted with other relay runners to pass some time. I was super grateful to meet a couple that were waiting for their son (the lead runner) and 1st leg of their relay. The mother was able to drive Duane down to the starting line and we were so grateful for that. Otherwise, the 1st relay runners wait for the very last relay to be bused back to the start.

I caught the dad that started out before me pretty quickly. I didn't hold the lead for very long as a faster marathon runner soon took the lead. After another two miles or so, I was passed by a male team. I held around a 6:15/mi pace until around mile 7. I just started to decide that no one could actually catch me. This was somewhere on a big sweeping stretch of road where you can see about 1.5 mi in front of you. I'm pretty sure the next female saw me and committed to passing me at that moment. When I hit the section of switchbacks that lead out of the monument, I was surprised to see people behind me. I didn't realize it was a female, until she passed. I knew it must've been a coed team. This was about 3 miles from the finish. Within the last mile, I was passed, once more, by a male runner.

I finished knowing that I was the 4th relay runner to pass, and 5th overall. While I know this was good, I was disappointed that I allowed myself to slow down around mile 7. I relaxed into an easier pace, because I didn't want to cramp up and be unable to finish. I probably could have maintained a slightly faster pace, but maybe I just wasn't ready for that super downhill 13.5 mi of road.

After the race, we enjoyed the festivities that are now centered in downtown Fruita. We didn't stay throughout the awards, because the family was antsy. This was unfortunate, because it turned out we were the 3rd team. The 2nd place team consisted of both the 3rd and 4th place runners. The male runner that passed me in the last mile was the 1st leg of the team in front of me. I wish that had been more clear. We don't normally leave before awards, but sometimes it's hard with little guys.

We plan to return and run next year. Overall, I've been racing each week this fall and I'm looking forward to taking a couple of months off. I'll probably take a little bit of time off of running, completely and get back to racing in 2016. This weekend is my last race of the PPRR Fall Series on the Red Leg/CRC Women's team. After that, I'll be vegging out until my age group promotion at the end of December!