Eleanor Runs and Stuff!

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Sat, 04 May 2013 11:49:24 -0700

Finish Lines and Fine Wines: Hood to Coast and back again...

Thu, 02 May 2013 11:07:37 -0700

Finish Lines and Fine Wines: Hood to Coast and back again...:

My friend Reese posted a (long-anticipated!) recap of our Hood to Coast Relay on her running blog. It was super fun to remember the race, and it’s fun to read Reese’s other running updates, too!

Eugene Marathon 2013: Accomplished!

Thu, 02 May 2013 11:04:36 -0700

So obviously the marathon happened this weekend. You’ve seen the photos and the results, so it comes as no surprise now for me to say I finished.

Today, as my legs are mostly recovered from Sunday’s exertion, I thought it would be a good time to say a few words about what went well!

Normally I guess a person would say what went well and what they’d do differently next time, but I really feel like for a first marathon things went unbelievably well. I did get a stitch for the first time in probably over a year, which was of course disconcerting and painful, but obviously it didn’t hinder my progress too much, so overall no issues. I guess running 26.2 miles with no noteworthy pain would be its own kind of magic; I feel like a six-mile stitch is probably on the mild end of things that could happen.

Running the race went fine, and actually faster than anticipated. I had no time goal for myself, since finishing was the main accomplishment. My coach, though, estimated our times for himself and his assistant Tonya so he’d know when to look for us. He did this based on our 21-mile run pace. Dave and I were having an ok 21-mile run until his stress fracture, which obviously slowed things down. My pace included that stopped time, and I knew I could run faster than my total time on that day indicated (I sped up for the final four miles after Dave had to leave me). However, I decided that even if I had the worst run of my life and I took seven hours to finish, I’d call it a victory on Sunday.

During the race I knew I was basically killing my coach Joe’s expectations of my finishing time as I passed other people from my running group. I kept thinking, “uh oh, she’s usually way ahead of me…” and then I’d stay with that person for a bit, and then I’d end up in front of her! This didn’t happen literally every time—I ended up a few minutes behind one woman I saw around mile 10, but I think she’d been hanging back with her friend and her pace later increased. That’s what it seemed like, but I did slow down over the course of the race, so maybe she stayed consistent. Hard to tell.

In any case, I saw lots of familiar faces both in the race and along the course. My friends in Springfield had a rainbow sign with my name on it, which was a great boost at the halfway point. One of my friends was by our apartments ready to wave, but she didn’t recognize me because I didn’t warn her I was wearing a yellow long-sleeved top over my group shirt, so I had to yell to get her attention. One of my dance students and her mother were out by River Road, and it was fun to get their encouragement. One of my peers here at Oregon was at three places along the course to see her husband (and me!), and at the finish she was joined by two other friends of ours and their baby.

I finished around the same time as Ben, her husband, so we took a finisher photo together and got our food together. I tried to high-five my baby fan, but he hasn’t quite mastered that yet, so oh well. (He had also missed nap time to watch the finish, so maybe that’s a factor.)

At the finish as I got my medal, I could hardly believe the race was done and I could stop running! It had been nearly five hours of constant forward motion (minus two bathroom stops—far fewer than my usual 4+), and all of the sudden I could stop and rest. It was a great feeling.

Finishing on the Hayward track with fans yelling for me was amazing, and when they announced my name on the intercom I felt like an Olympian or something.

I think because of my school exams in the fall, I won’t be able to commit the training time to another marathon until next spring, so I’m going to hold off on setting any goals for my marathoning future for now. Tentatively I think I’m going to plan to do the same race again next year, so closer to December I’ll decide if I want to work on my pace or something.

Up next: Rainier to Ruston (June 1 in Tacoma), and the Ragnar Northwest Passage (July 19-20 in Washington).

Marathon photos by Dave! He came to six or so different...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 08:52:23 -0700

Marathon photos by Dave!

He came to six or so different locations along the route to see me and bring me water, Clif shots, mini Luna bars, and extra sunscreen! He was the best fan I’ve ever seen!

There aren’t any professional photos of my finish, because...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 08:44:31 -0700

There aren’t any professional photos of my finish, because I was almost 20 minutes earlier than Joe predicted, but here’s a funny one of my water stop at mile 9. I make funny faces while talking on a regular day, but I guess it’s exacerbated by being partway through a marathon.

And my specific race results!

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 12:55:00 -0700

And my specific race results!

ChronoTrack Live :: Eugene Marathon 2013

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 12:51:25 -0700

ChronoTrack Live :: Eugene Marathon 2013:

Race results!

When Not to Run

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:40:50 -0700

In my jogging class the other day, our teacher gave us two hard-line rules about when definitely not to ever run while sick. Generally, you can run through allergies, coughs, headaches, things like that at your discretion—you’re just deciding with yourself about how much you can take and how it feels. But if you have these conditions, do not go running:

pneumonia: the fluid in your lungs + running is really bad
fever: this is horrible for you and your body can overheat and cause lots of problems

This is excellent advice for me right now, because with just three days pre-marathon, I have a huge sniffle and I’m tired, but I think even if my symptoms persist a little bit on Sunday, I’ll be able to push through and do the race. I hope being so tired doesn’t negatively affect my performance, but with my new flexible pacing guidelines, I know how to adjust even if I am tired/stuffed up.

Getting excited! (And anxious!)

How To Run a Marathon With (Almost) No Training — Location 180 | Build a Business, Live Anywhere, Achieve Freedom

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:33:18 -0700

How To Run a Marathon With (Almost) No Training — Location 180 | Build a Business, Live Anywhere, Achieve Freedom:

There were a few thoughts that kept me going through the hardest parts:

Getting to know what it would be like to cross the finish line.

If I didn’t finish, I wouldn’t be able to cross it off the list, and I’d have to go through the whole thing again at some point.

The constant realization that I was doing something that I truly thought was impossible.

Those were the three things that mentally kept me putting one foot in front of another. I also had a great playlist, got a lot of support from friends and family along the way, and really didn’t want to write a blog post about being a failure.

This man finished the Eugene marathon with nearly no training, and here are the mental tips that kept him going even though, obviously, it was really hard.

How To Run Your Best Marathon PaceâGuaranteed

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:24:39 -0700

How To Run Your Best Marathon PaceâGuaranteed:

You don’t need a watch, a heart rate monitor, a GPS system, or a gallon of Gu.

…

I’m going to use B-B from this point in reference to the exquisite feedback loop that connects your brain and your body, especially your muscles.

Use your brain and body to pace you during a marathon instead of a goal pace on your GPS.

How to Pace Your First Half or Full Marathon

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:22:29 -0700

How to Pace Your First Half or Full Marathon:

The key is to run by how you feel on race day.

This is a good article about running a full or half marathon so you can finish feeling strong:

The idea is that you begin at a conversational pace, til about mile 14, then increase a little to mile 24 so you can still talk in little fragments, and finally increase for the final 2.2 miles so that you’re working hard but not miserable.

It seems like good advice, so I’m going to see what I can do to follow it during my race on Sunday!

Here’s a weirdly formatted photo from the Run for Boston...

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 09:48:22 -0700

Here’s a weirdly formatted photo from the Run for Boston the other day. You get a sense of the beautiful place we ran, by the footbridge, and you can see a hint of the big crowd.

I’m very lucky to get to run here in Eugene.

Pictures of the group and today’s run!

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 14:02:16 -0700

Pictures of the group and today’s run!

Marathon course flyover video.

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 12:23:54 -0700

Marathon course flyover video.

Running Attire

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 12:19:41 -0700

I had hoped to wear my favorite running tights during the marathon (they’re WSI and I’ve had them forever and I love how they don’t sag in the crotch, they’re thin, they’re the perfect length on my calves, they have a drawstring but also stay in place when I scrunch the waist down, overall great), but of course drama, because one of the inner thigh seams has just started to look like it’s about to fail.

This isn’t shocking for running tights I’ve worn probably on average 2x/month for 6-8 years, but I hesitate to wear them for 26.2 miles with the seam in this shape.

So I have the exact same product in bike-short length, which might be a good back up (I’ve worn those in another half marathon), or knee-length shorts I’ve worn in two half marathons and I think during the Hood to Coast. I also have some other longer tights, which might be more weather-appropriate (I haven’t done any training runs in shorts at all due to weather here), but most of those sag a little in the crotch and one pair has been chafing me.

So I don’t know what to do! Clothing crisis!

I also need to choose a sports bra, but I think the solution on that is just the flattest seams available in my drawer.

I also qualified for a 100-mile T-shirt from the Eugene Running...

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 12:12:14 -0700

I also qualified for a 100-mile T-shirt from the Eugene Running Company! My “run club” shirt is a tech shirt and the 100-mile shirt is a regular cotton one.

One Week to Marathon

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 12:03:05 -0700

This week I’ve been feeling stressed and anxious about the upcoming race, both because that’s how I feel about races and because of the added awfulness of the bombings at the Boston Marathon. I usually am pretty bad before a race—cranky and scared, definitely not good company—so this week I’ve been tending in that direction when talking about/thinking about the marathon next weekend.

Today was our last group run before the race and we all wore our group t-shirts and had a group photo taken, and I ran for an hour with a woman in our group who has been injured but is going to try the full marathon anyway. Since then, and getting updates on our plans for next week, I’m feeling much more excited than anxious, so that’s really good news!

I found out that the energy gels at the race are the same brand I use in training, which means I don’t need to carry four or five of them with me, and I’ll be able to leave some mini Luna bars (my other in-race snack) with Joe and Tanya, our training supervisors, that I can get at miles 9 and 18 if I want. I think Dave will be able to sit by Tanya around mile 18 in a camp chair and cheer, and there’s a shuttle from by my apartment to the starting line, so all those things will work out great.

I just need to figure out what pants/shorts to wear during the race, and I am choosing among a few sports bras, since during the 21-mile run I had some minor chafing from the one I thought I would use. The temperature should be in the 50s during the race, which is another plus!

So that’s how I’m feeling about things so far. Very exciting!

Run to Support Boston in Eugene, Oregon 2013

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 11:01:41 -0700

Run to Support Boston in Eugene, Oregon 2013:

Run to Support Boston in Eugene, Oregon 2013

On Wednesday I went to the Eugene run to support Boston, which was an enormous and touching event, culminating in a run of any length (they recommended at least 2.6 miles). A few people spoke, including a local runner who just got back from this year’s race, and the news took photos as we all ran around the duck pond at Alton Baker Park.

I found a woman in my graduate program, Amanda, and we ran three miles together. I had already run on Wednesday in my jogging class, so I was glad to find a friend and have a nice social run (though I think I forced Amanda to chat more than she’s used to while running!).

I saw a lot of people from my running group, including our coach Joe, and a lot of people I recognized from other things in town like my fitness classes. It was nice to feel like a part of the community in that way.

Here’s a picture of me and Amanda:

Both men to my left are in my running group, and they are much faster than I am. We weren’t near them very long!

Anyway, it was a really nice event and I’m so glad I decided to go.

If You Run Slow, Who Cares? - Competitor.com

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 09:18:11 -0700

If You Run Slow, Who Cares? - Competitor.com:

When I first started working with age group and recreational runners in 2006, one of the biggest surprises to me was the amount of negative thinking and lack of self-confidence many runners exhibited. Almost every runner that joined the group introduced themselves to me by stating “I’m probably the slowest person you’ve ever coached” or “you probably don’t work with runners as slow as I am.”

I love this article about being “slow.”

I definitely do worry about being too slow. Even at the Boston memorial run on Wednesday, I worried about going because what if I was the slowest person? But I also realize that no one really cares if you’re behind them. They’re just on a run, too.

When I talk to people about running, almost always everyone says how slow they are, as the author of the article says is also his experience. I guess more and more I just find it annoying. There is always someone better than you, in everything. But you’re still getting up and running and presumably enjoying it, so that’s all that matters, at eight minutes per mile or thirteen minutes per mile or I don’t know less than five minutes per mile. In all those cases, and in all others, and when you have to walk then run or stop to walk a lot, it’s all still completely fine. All of it is great, in fact.

A runner has nothing to apologize for, even if they have literally gotten last in every race they’ve ever run. EVEN THEN, they’re doing great, and it’s wonderful that they’re running.

Here’s a secret about running. The feeling you get after a new PR, the satisfaction from a tough workout well done, and the disappointment from a bad performance all feel the same no matter how fast you are. That’s the beauty of our sport.

There is no difference between the runner who breaks 30 minutes for the 5k for the first time and the one that breaks 16 minutes. Both worked hard, sacrificed to achieve their goal, and experienced the same challenges.

That means all runners can relate to each other, no matter their speed.

"Being a Runner Does Not Make Me Crazy"

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 10:26:21 -0700

"Being a Runner Does Not Make Me Crazy":

A little article from Hello, Giggles about being a runner.

I actually think this article, along with the handful of others I’ve read on the site, begins like it’s going to look at something in depth and then just ends abruptly without looking at very much at all, but it’s a good topic of conversation nonetheless.

Does having a hobby like running affect your social life and interactions to an extent that people judge your choices?

I’d say among people I know running is pretty common, and having run at least one marathon is pretty common, so training isn’t especially shocking. I also live in a running city, and everyone knows what weekend mornings look like in the parks here. But maybe in other social contexts and at other jobs it’s not that way.

What do you guys think?

Eleanor Runs and Stuff!

Photo

Finish Lines and Fine Wines: Hood to Coast and back again...

Eugene Marathon 2013: Accomplished!

Marathon photos by Dave! He came to six or so different...

There aren’t any professional photos of my finish, because...

And my specific race results!

ChronoTrack Live :: Eugene Marathon 2013

When Not to Run

How To Run a Marathon With (Almost) No Training — Location 180 | Build a Business, Live Anywhere, Achieve Freedom

How To Run Your Best Marathon PaceâGuaranteed

How to Pace Your First Half or Full Marathon

Here’s a weirdly formatted photo from the Run for Boston...

Pictures of the group and today’s run!

Marathon course flyover video.

Running Attire

I also qualified for a 100-mile T-shirt from the Eugene Running...

One Week to Marathon

Run to Support Boston in Eugene, Oregon 2013

If You Run Slow, Who Cares? - Competitor.com

"Being a Runner Does Not Make Me Crazy"

How To Run Your Best Marathon PaceâGuaranteed