Category: Running

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Cancer Cole Family & Friends Health Running Ryan

The Perfect Race- The Perfect Ending

On Saturday I ran in the Eagle’s Heart 5K race, trying for my fastest 5K time.  My previous record had been 27:07.  In my last post I explained why I wanted to achieve this so much, and the work I was putting in for it.  My dad was also running in this race as his first 5K.  I had a flood of emotions on Friday.  Everything just hit me at once- cancer, my mom, where I had been health-wise last year.  It was a lot to think about.

I was afraid of failing for a reason I describe at the end of this post.  I thought back to all the runs I have done since September.  It occurred to me I have ran in a lot of different conditions.  I’ve run in freezing cold, and heat.  I’ve run when I was feeling great, and when I was feeling bad. I’ve ran fast, and I’ve ran slow.  I’ve ran in pain, and I’ve ran pain free. I’ve ran when I felt like I could go on forever, and I’ve ran where I like I couldn’t take another step.   I told myself I can run in any condition except one- fear.  I was never going to run with fear.

I got up at 6AM on Saturday, and made breakfast for my dad and I.  He made me breakfast for my first race, so I returned the favor.  He arrived at my house at 7, and said he was feeling great.  I had gotten over my funk, and I felt calm and ready.

It was quite a bit cooler and it was windy where the race was being held.  My dad and I warmed up, and walked across the street few minutes to the race site, before it started.  I told my dad I was so proud of him for getting himself in 5K running shape.  He told me I had been his inspiration, and that made me feel good.  He told me not to worry about him, and he’d meet me at the finish line.  A few moments after that, we were off! 

The course started out flat for about 30 seconds, and then there was a hill. I barely noticed it-I just saw the other runners ahead of me running up a hill. It was very satisfying to be able to run up a hill without it affecting my pace.  I didn’t want to get tied to looking at the Garmin, but when I looked at it a few second after the hill, my pace was at 7 minutes a mile.  I was right where I wanted to be. 

I started up at the front.  There were a few men passing me, but no women.  There was a woman who was about a tenth of a mile ahead of me.  She was running really well, and I thought if I could keep the gap between us where it was, I’d be doing really well too. There was enough room on the course to run.  I didn’t have to worry about strollers, or walkers, or having to pass a bunch of people. 

Then I just let everything go from my mind, and ran.  It was like my body took over- it knew what it needed to do. I had done this so many times, and under harder conditions, everything just flowed and came together.  My mind and body were working perfectly.  The first mile seemed to fly by.  I had run it in 7:24.

The second mile had been the hardest in training.  I tended to slow down too much, and then it was hard to pick the pace up again.  The Garmin really came in handy during the second mile.  At times I felt like I was too slow, but I’d look at my pace and see I was actually running faster than I needed to.  I made myself slow down a bit, because we were running down hills, and I knew those would be uphill in the third mile.  The runners who were in the lead started passing us on their return trip back.  I counted the women, and saw there were only 3 of ahead of me.  There had only been a handful of men too, and I started to get excited that I was pretty much in the front of pack.  I passed my dad, and he gave me a thumbs up. 

I was gaining on the woman who had been ahead of me.  We were just starting mile 3, and my pacing was great.  I had planned on running mile 3 in the 9 minute range, but I was running in the low 8 minute range.   After we ran up the hills, and the course evened out, I was starting to get tired. I wanted to try to pass her, but there was still almost a mile to go, and I didn’t want to put the last of my energy into passing her, and then not having enough to finish the race strong.   

I ran a bit slower in the last mile.  But when I came over the last hill, and saw there was about a quarter mile left, I looked at the Garmin and it said 24:24.  I couldn’t believe I had a chance to finish this race in less than 25 minutes!  It was time to give it my all, and go for it! 

It was the moment I had been working and training for.  I sprinted, and ran as fast as I could.  I was getting very tired, but something my friend told me popped in my head, and that was to keep setting goals and keep knocking them down.  I was almost there, and I gave it every last thing I had- I wanted to knock down the 25 minute goal.  I was not going to let that clock turn to 25 minutes, and not be on the other side of the finish line! 

I crossed the finish line, hit stop on my Garmin and it said 24:58.  Emotion hit me then. I had done it, exactly one year after all the uncertainty the cancer diagnosis brought.  But I had just run my perfect race, and the time proved it.  I ran strong, I ran fast, and I and I ran fearlessly.   It was one of the best experiences I have had. 

I drank some water, and then ran back to find my dad to run the rest of the race with him.  I found him with about half a mile to go.  He had taken off his coat and hat and was carrying them.  I took them from him and told him he was almost done.  We ran up that last hill together, and he saw the finish line.  I told him to run, he was almost there, and he was doing great.  He sped up a bit, and crossed the finish line at 33:12.

We were both so happy, and hung around the finish line to cheer for the other racers that were finishing.  As we were getting ready to walk back to the building, they posted the official results.  They had my time at 24:59.  My dad was the top third finisher for his age group, so he was going to get a medal!  (They combined the male and female top finishers for each age group, and they were all men in my age group, so that is why I didn’t qualify for a medal.)

I met up with woman who had been in front of me and I told her she had run a great race.  I told her I had been trying to catch her but couldn’t.  She told me she was glad to hear that, and said she had been worried about me the whole time passing her.  She mentioned she looked behind her throughout the race and saw I was right there.  She said I had been making her run faster, and I told her she had been making me run faster.  It was neat we both pushed each other to do a little better.  

I have not written the main reason why I wanted to break my record in this race.  It was for my boys, Ryan and Cole.  From the moment I found out I had cancer, I worried about them, and how it would affect them.  I worried what their lives would be like if I were sick, or could not maintain my level of activity with them.  Last summer, after my surgery and when my thyroid medication was messed up, I was so sick, and so weak, I could barely take care of them.  They watched me in this state, for almost three months.  They watched me and remember I was too sick to even walk up the stairs.  It was the absolutely worst thing about cancer- not being able to be there for them the way they needed me to. 

I wanted to show them they can overcome the hardest and unexpected obstacles life will throw at them- even cancer.  It might not come easy or instantly, and it might require a lot of hard work, but it is well worth the fight.   I never want them to feel like there is something that they cannot overcome. I wanted to show them, not just tell them, they can fight and work hard, and come back stronger than they were before, and achieve what at times, seems like the impossible. 

That is why I wanted this so much, and worked so hard for it.   So I could make this ending come true for my boys.     

Time: 24:59

Overall: 18th out of 67 runners

Overall Female: 4th out of 26

Female Age Group: 3rd place

My dad and I after the race
With the Bronze Medal Winner!

 

Categories
Cancer Family & Friends Health Running

Do You Really Want It?

“There will come a point in the race, when you alone will need to decide. You will need to make a choice. Do you really want it? You will need to decide.” ~ Rolf Arands

I came across this quote about a month ago, and I thought it was kind of corny the first time I read it, but it seemed to keep popping up.  I thought about it when my dad told me he was ready to try his first 5K race.  He’s been working really hard, and I have no doubt he’ll finish well within his goal of 35 minutes.    

My best 5K race time is 27:07.  I ran this in the second race in November, and I finished in fifth place for my age group.  I’ve wondered why I haven’t been able to run that fast since in a race.  I thought about what I did in that race, that I haven’t done in the races since then.  I have always known I pushed myself in that second race.  I started out faster than I had wanted, but I kept up the pace.  It was one of the harder races I’ve ran, but it was also my fastest.

Since then in races, I start out a comfortable pace, building up my speed for the end of the race.  I’ve been running negative splits.  I have tried several times starting out faster in training 5K runs, and every time I have done this, I’ve ran the 5K distance faster.  But I also have to work very hard during the run- much more than when I run it in negative splits.     

Then I kept thinking about this quote- how much did I really want to work for what I wanted to achieve?  What if I fail at it?  Is it better to try it and fail, or just stay in the comfortable zone, not risking much-not being disappointed?  

I’ve been concentrating on running longer distances since February.  I have to start out at slower paces for those, so switching gears to start out fast for a 5K, is like starting all over again in some aspects.  I know I have the speed to begin, and I know I can do the distance, but can I maintain the speed to get the time I want for the entire distance?  I would also have to train backwards for the 5K from what I was used to.  If I wanted to do this, it was going be a lot of work, and I kept thinking about the quote- “Do you really want it?  You will need to decide.”

I found a smaller 5K for my dad’s first race, which won’t be overly crowded.  The race is this Saturday, April 17th.  It is also the exact day to the year last year, when my surgeon called me at home, on a Saturday, and told me I had cancer.  The actual date was April 18th- my mom’s birthday.  I called my mom when I received my devastating cancer diagnosis, and told her.  I was very upset and scared.   She talked to me for what seemed like hours.  She was positive and optimistic for me.  She told me I was strong and I was going to beat it.  I couldn’t have known at the time it was her last birthday.  I am very grateful my mom saw me beat cancer and knew I was healthy when she passed away.  I am sad it was the way we had to “celebrate” her last birthday. 

My goal is to get a new personal best (PB) time for this race.  I decided I was going to put in whatever work- whatever effort into training and running this race I needed to achieve this goal.   The last few weeks have been the hardest I have ever worked physically.  My focus had always been to finish the race, and get a decent time.  This time my focus has been to train hard, and carry that through the entire race.        

Two weeks ago, I ran the 5K distance and I had cut a full minute off my PB.  I was down to 26:07.  Last week, when I ran it again, my time was 25:56.  My goal is to run the race on Saturday in less than 26 minutes.  I’m not content to say I’ve done my best, and I’ll see what time I get on race day.  I’ve been training and running with this goal in mind for weeks.  I know exactly what kind of race I have to run, to cross the finish line in less than 26 minutes.  I am not going to be content until the race is over, and I have accomplished this goal. 

I was sad, terrified, and uncertain of my future, when I received my cancer diagnosis.  I want to replace that awful day with feelings of happiness, hope, and health.  I got through cancer with love, help, and support from my family and friends.  I want to achieve this for myself, what I have been working so hard for, one year after cancer. 

The choice has been made.  I have decided.  Yes, I really want it.

Categories
Family & Friends Health Running

Garmin Forerunner 405 Review

 

Garmin Forerunner 405

When I started running I didn’t own a stop watch.  I started timing myself with my phone.  I’d look at the time on my phone before I started and when I stopped.  This was problematic.  Many times I’d forget what the starting time had been because I was counting laps as I ran, to keep track of my distance.  Sometimes I run with my kids, and I am still watching them, so I can easily lose track counting.  Many times I had to “guestimate” the distance.  When I ran a new route, I “guesstimated” that distance too.  

So a few months into running, I bought a simple stop watch at Target.  It kept track of the time, so I could concentrate on counting laps.   Technology can overwhelm me, so I tend to think the simpler the easier.  I knew there were more advanced options out there- I just didn’t know where to begin. 

In November, my mom told me she’d love to get me something for Christmas that would help me with running.  But she didn’t know what I needed or wanted.  I immediately told her a running watch.  She said she’d keep that in mind, and I was thrilled on Christmas Eve, when I opened her gift to me and it was a running watch.  She told me if it was not what I needed or wanted, she’d return it, credit me the money, and I could pick out what I wanted.  I thought the Timex sports watch she had picked out would be perfect.

The next day I went for a run and discovered the watch didn’t have a way to measure distance.  I didn’t want to tell my mom though- I didn’t want to hurt her feelings. When she asked me how I liked it, I told her the features I liked about it.  When I was finished she asked me if it could measure the distance.  I told her no, and she told me she remembered that was one of first things I told her I had wanted in a watch.  She said, “Heather, give me the watch back.  I am going to return it, so you can get the watch that will help you run the best you can!”   I was happy she was so understanding.  I had no idea it would be the last Christmas gift my mom would ever give me. 

At the end of January, I was in touch with Jake from Garmin.  I had heard good things about Garmin and asked him what product he would recommend.  I was thinking the Forerunner 305, but after hearing what I wanted, he suggested the Forerunner 405.  While I was making my final decision, the call came that my mom was very ill.  My sister I left for Minnesota a day later.  I forgot about Garmin, and watches for several weeks.  My mom passed away one week after we arrived in Minnesota. 

After her death I returned home.  I had promised her I’d run in a St. Patrick’s Day race- my first 7K- a few weeks later.  I didn’t want a new watch.  I was mad I had given her back the one she had gotten for me.  It wasn’t the ideal watch, but she had picked it out because she thought I would like it, and now it was gone, just like she was. 

I can’t explain why every time I ran after that, my Target watch would lose the time.  It had never happened before.  It kept track of the regular time, but every time I ran, it would lose my running time.  During the 7K race, I looked at my watch towards the end, and saw the time was at 33 minutes.  After I crossed the finish line, the watch said 3 minutes.  It had lost the time again.  I decided then I was being silly.  My mom had wanted to help me run, and having a reliable watch that kept track of all of these things- time, pace, distance, and routes, just to name a few- would do this.

I ordered the Garmin Forerunner 405 (in green) a few days later.  I have had it for just under a month, and I am so happy with it!

The first thing I liked about it was it is easy.  The directions are clear, and the watch works the way it is supposed to.  I was a bit intimidated at first by all the features it has, but once I went through them, it is really manageable.  I also loved the directions are all boiled down in about 40 pages, but there is a quick start sheet too.  I hate having a thick manual to read- just to find out how to set the time- it is too time consuming and overwhelming.  I had the basic features down in fifteen minutes.

The 405 can be customized and changed for biking as well, but running is the default setting, so it was very easy.  The 405 is navigated by touching the rim around the face of the watch.  There are two push buttons for start/stop and lap/reset. 

There are three training screens total that will give you data while you are running. Each screen can give you up to three pieces of information.  You can customize this to only receive one piece of data, or up to nine.  With just a touch of the rim, you can change between screens while running. I am using all three screens.  My first screen shows the overall time, my pace, and the distance ran.  The second screen shows how many laps I’ve done (you can customize laps by time or distance), the time for the lap, and the increase in elevation.  The third screen shows average pace time, the grade percentage, and the lap cadence (how many steps you are taking.)  There are other data features, like calories burned, you can choose to display. 

Screen shot

You can review all your workouts, and it keeps track of your mile splits, so you can see what your time was for each mile ran.  It probably goes without saying, but you can change the distance too.  If you want to time half miles, or five miles- it can all be customized. 

If this sounds like too much information to keep track of while you are running, it is.  But you can download all your workout information from the 405 to your computer- all wireless!  The software is free to download and it will then display all the data for you.  You can export it to Excel, or make custom reports.  Since the 405 is GPS-enabled, you can view a Google map on where you ran.  The reports are very impressive. They tell you anything you want to know about your workouts. 

Some of the other features are GPS, goals and courses you can set, and the Garmin 405 has an optional heart monitor as an accessory.  One of the most fun and amusing features is virtual training partner you can train against.  It is like you have running partner (a little one) on your wrist!  I’m trying to think of a name for mine.  🙂

Virtual Training Partner Screen Shot

 Another feature I really like is the interval setting.  You can tell the 405 exactly what kind of workout or intervals you want to do.  You enter how long you want to run, or the distance. Then you enter your resting time or distance, and when you are ready to start, you simply hit the lap button.  An alarm notifies you five seconds when your speed interval is ending and the resting interval is about to begin.  Then it does the same thing when the resting interval is ending and the speed one is beginning again. 

It was a little different navigating through all the screens by touch, and I’m still getting used to it. The other day the alarm that went off every time I ran a mile, stopped. I think I turned it off somehow. I have also noticed when I run at the gym, the GPS can’t find the satellites, so there is no distance data recorded. The manual does say the GPS usually only works outdoors.    

I love being able to just glance down and see what pace I am running.  I am training to run a seven minute mile in my next race, and I know instantly if I am on pace.  Only once, have I actually known what my finish time was in a race before the official results were posted, so I’m looking forward to not only having the time, but the pace, and the mile splits. 

The 405 really allows you to just run.  If you can hit a button, or touch a screen every now and then to start or stop the recording, it does everything you could possibly want a sports watch to do- and more.  It has permitted me to focus on running and breathing, and it is helping me become a better runner.  I’m not trying to mentally keep track of distance or time.  I’m not wondering if I’m really running faster, or just thinking I am.  After the run, I have statistical reports showing my strengths and weaknesses.  All those things I had to think of before are now being kept track of by the Garmin, so I can concentrate on running, and my goals.  

When my mom passed away, I decided to wear the bracelet she always wore.  I’ve ran with it on, but I’m afraid it could fall off when I am running, and I would lose it.  It had not been off my wrist since the moment I put it on.  It reminds me of my mom, and lets me keep something she had, with and close to me.   

Last week, I took my mom’s bracelet off for the first time when I went running. As I put the Garmin 405 on, I thought it is really is the perfect sports watch my mom helped me get.  Her final gift to me will assist in improving and achieving my running goals.  My mom will never see me run, but I can’t help but feel every time I put the Garmin on, or look at it when I’m running, a piece of her is with me. 

(If you are still on the fence about a Garmin, there is a $50 mail-in-rebate offered for the purchase of a 405 or a 405CX between now and May 31st.)

Categories
Activities Family & Friends Running

My 20 Mile Running Week

This past week, I ran 20 miles!  If someone had told me in September, when I started running for one race,  I’d run 20 miles -ever- I would have laughed!

I ran two times this week under five miles, once at 6.2 miles (a 10K distance) and I ran the longest distance I have ever run, at 8 miles.  I was really happy with the 10K distance run.  My time on that was 1:01.  I ran this outside in a lot of mud at a park.  At first I didn’t want to get mud all over me, but after a mile I figured why not, and had fun running through the muck.  I have been wondering if I am going to be able to run my first 10K, the Bolder Boulder, in May sub 68 minutes, and it gave me a lot of confidence today that I will be able to.   

Physically, I’m a little tired but not as much as I thought I would be.  After Ryan was born, I had some funky hip pain that lasted for about 6 months.  I had an MRI done on it, and the doctor told me sometimes after pregnancy the muscles and ligaments never quite get back to “normal.”  He predicted the pain would go away, and few weeks later it did.  However, when I was running the 8 miles, I felt that exact same pain start.  I did a few stretches and used the foam roller on the spot and that seemed to help, but I still feel it slightly.  I am hoping it is a “running” pain and it will work itself out, as I keep running longer distances. 

This week I also got a Garmin Forerunner 405.  I used it today for the first time, and I think I am in love.  For the first time, I can see how fast I’m running each mile, my pacing, and I don’t have to worry about knowing the distances ahead of time.  Today I ran my fastest mile in mile 5, which was kind of a surprise for me.  I can download all the information to my computer to keep better track of my workouts.  I am going to be reviewing it shortly, after I have used it more. 

I am going to keep increasing my distances every week.   From what I have read, usually it is not recommended to increase distance by more than 10% at a time to avoid injuries.  I am really happy I had such a productive running week, and am hoping it will all pay off in April.  My dad has been training to run in a 5K with me, and we are going to do one mid-April.  I am so proud of how hard he has been working, and I know he will do great.  I am going to go for my personal best time for a 5K so that means under 27 minutes. 

This next month, I am going to run farther, run a little harder, and run a little faster.  I think if I do these things, I’ll be able to reach my goal.  I reached one this week I never imagined myself reaching, and it is just the start. 

Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors.
Try to be better than yourself.
–William Faulkner

Categories
Family & Friends losing a parent Running

Runnin’ of the Green Race

I kept my promise to my mom, and ran in my first 7K (4.4 miles) race.  It was the Runnin’ of the Green in Denver.

I was going to run in this race with my friend, Alison, but sadly her mother-in-law passed away recently, and she hasn’t been able to train for it.  

I arrived downtown about half an hour before the race started, and it was PACKED.  I couldn’t even find the registration booths to pick up my bib and timing chip.  I could barely make my way through the crowd.  I finally found the line; a full city block and a half away.  There was no way I was going to be starting the race at 10 AM.  I figured I’d be lucky to get up to the booth by 11. 

After my last timing fiasco, I was happy to hear the announcer tell the crowd several times the timing chips are not activated until you cross the starting line.  A few minutes later they announced the entire race had been sold out, and if you hadn’t preregistered, there was no more space for runners.  That cleared out some people and lines collapsed.  I walked and made my way to the booth, and only had to wait for about five minutes.  They were announcing it was time to start when I put my timing chip on my shoe.

It was so crowded though!  The race was not started in waves, and really should have been.  I waited about 10 minutes until they said it was time for the walkers to line up before I started.  I hit the start on my watch, and off I went.  The morning had been sunny, and I usually get hot when I run. I wore my capri length running tights and a jacket. I was so glad I had thought to bring my gloves and hat, even though I didn’t think I would need them.  The day before, it was 60!  I think at race time it was in the 30’s, and it was windy.  I definitely needed them!

There were a lot of people walking right off the bat.  There were lots of strollers, dogs, and just a lot of people.  I didn’t start out on my normal pace, because I couldn’t.  I had to watch out for people.  As we ran out of downtown and across I-25, there were two big hills we were running down.  I knew we would be running UP these at the end of the race. I thought back to the Oatmeal 5K when the hills killed me at the end.  These hills were twice that size, but I have been doing the work, and I was actually somewhat excited to see how I would manage them at the end of the race.

As I ran down the hills, I broke away from the mob of people a bit, and I just felt free for a few moments.  I got tears in my eyes- I was thinking about my mom.  It just overwhelmed me in the moment.  I was only about a mile into the race, and knew I had a lot of work to do, so got myself focused again and started thinking about my pacing and breathing. 

I loved the course.  There were some flat parts, and some smaller hills.  It was challenging without being a killer course.  I wish I could say I completely broke away and found that perfect pacing, but I didn’t.  There was just too many people for me.  Every time I started to speed up, someone would step in front of me, or a stroller would stop, and everyone would have to adjust. There was no room to run really like I wanted to. 

As I got back to the section where the big hills were, I figured there was about a mile and a half left. I had way more energy than usual because I had not been running as fast as I normally do.  I thought about running conservatively up the hills, or trying to go a bit faster.  I opted for a little faster.  I sped up, and was kind of shocked when I reached the top of the second one.  I wasn’t out of breath, and wasn’t tired at all. 

I slowed down a little, because there is nothing I hate more than running out of steam right at the end. I like to finish strong. I held myself back until the final half mile, and was ready to sprint, but found out I couldn’t.  There were still too many people, and the streets were narrower now that we were back in downtown.  I tried running around as many people as I could, but it didn’t feel like I was really running- more like maneuvering. 

I finally saw the finish line and figured there was no point in sprinting.  I would have run into people if I did.  I thought of my mom again, and silently told her I was a few seconds away from finishing what I promised her I would do.  I touched her bracelet she wore, that I have been wearing since she passed away.   As I got to the finish line, it was bogged down by people, walking across, so I had to wait for them to walk across, so I could  run across.  Kind of crazy.

I looked down at my watch and it said three minutes!  I knew that wasn’t right and obviously my watch got reset somehow.  I was going to have to wait for the official results.  I decided right then and there I was done with the watch, and not knowing my times, distances, and splits.  (More on that in a future blog post)

I had to wait for someone to cut the timing chip off my shoe, and by the time that happened and I saw the official clock it said 53 minutes.  I figured my time was probably about 45 minutes. It was getting really cold and windy. I found a few running friends from Daily Mile and chatted a bit with them.  I drank some water and waited in the longest line ever for some soup, but it was good.  It had started snowing, and I was freezing, so it was time to go. 

The parking lot was nearly empty when I got to my car, and the snow was coming down. It seemed like another world, being so crammed into so many people while running, and not even an hour later, being in such a wide space alone.  

I turned the heat on and sat in the car for a minute, trying to get warm.  I touched my mom’s bracelet again.  It occurred to me for the first time after a race, she wasn’t going to be calling me to see how I did.  But as I watched the snow fall on Union Station, I felt like she already knew. Sometimes words aren’t necessary. 

Results

Time: 41:12

Age Group Place: 21 out of 74

Division Place: 240 out of 918

Gender Place: 536 out of 2189

Overall Place: 2436 out of 3832