WW3 Day 5: Things Are About to Get Deep

We're over halfway through the What's Your Wall? challenge.  It's all downhill from here.  Except when we run tomorrow and Saturday.  We'll probably hit an uphill then.  But then we'll get to go downhill too, I'm sure.

Love me some Mean Girls... it really helped pass the time!

Today's run was much better for me.  I still had to hit the treadmill, since the windchill was so low and I'm a pansy.  I was dreading running on the treadmill today.  As I got in my car after work to head out for my run, I noticed in my running bag, I forgot my running shoes.  The most important part of a run, and I forgot.  I was angry about forgetting, and having to drive all the way back home then all the way back.  I was getting very irritated about the whole thing.  And then, halfway home, my gas light came on.  I'm very obsessive, so I wanted to get home and get my shoes, but I realized that I needed to stop for gas before I ran out.  I made it to the gas station near my house, then I paused.  This is where things start to get deep.  Today I was afraid of running out of gas in my car, but I was also afraid of running out gas physically and emotionally.  This week has been long, challenging, and tiring.  So as I pumped my gas, I reflected on the fact that we have already completed over half of this challenge.  We are rocking it out, and getting it done.  Mr. Marathon is running in the cold, and I am running on a treadmill-- both things we're not exactly fans of, but we're doing it.  So I filled up my literal and figurative gas tank, went home, got my shoes, returned to the treadmill, and conquered it, with the help of Netflix and Mean Girls.

Action treadmill selfie!  Sorry it's blurry.
I tried.

Post run selfie!

Hubbs conquered his chilly run today with about 15 pounds of layered clothing, limited foot pain (yay!) and only moderate knee pain, with a touch of back pain.  Nothing too bad to ruin his run.  He just keeps saying he's getting old... riiiiiiight.

5 down, 2 to go.  Only 2 more runs and we have successfully completed the What's Your Wall? challenge!!!!!!!!!  And what's the great thing about this, you ask?  We get to have our very own bricks!  You know, like the ones you build houses with.  Yeah, pretty badass huh?  But we're probably not going to build a house with them...  We also get a pretty cool jacket.  Be jealous.

Mr: 15 miles, 2:11:29

Mrs: 6.204 miles, 1:06

WW3 Day 4: Treadmill vs. Cold

Day 4 of our challenge proved to be even more challenging than previous days.  As many of you who live around here are aware, it's, um, COLD to say the least.  The high for today was below 30, with a wind chill of even lower, so we were both pretty torn.  Brave the cold, or settle for a treadmill?  Run on a hamster-wheel, or potentially freeze?  Decisions, decisions.  So hubbs opted for the dangerous option, running outside.  I, on the other hand, settled for a treadmill run.  Both of us had our struggles, though.

Hardcore ninja runner!

Mr. Hardcore set off for his afternoon stroll after bundling up.  His 15 miles were tough.  He was literally freezing for his run.  His water bottle had ice forming around the top, and his mask covering his nose, mouth, and neck started forming ice crystals from the condensation of his breath!  And at this point in the week, the challenge is taking its toll physically on him.  His back is aching, knees are sore, and the bottom of his foot is suspiciously starting to bother him....  He says it will be interesting to tackle these lasts 3 runs.  He may even have to settle for a treadmill run with me, seeing as the high for tomorrow is 29, not counting the wind chill.

Frozen water bottle

My treadmill run was emotionally taxing.  First of all, let me tell you that I am not a very coordinated person.  I'm not coordinated in anything I do.  Fortunately, running doesn't require much coordination.  Concentration, yes, but not much coordination.  While I run outside on a trail or track, I can hold my own at a steady pace, trucking along.  Sometimes, I'll lose concentration and fall of the side of a trail, but I'll snap back into the groove and carry on, mostly unharmed.  However, let me tell you that a treadmill is different.  It requires concentration AND coordination.  I kept zoning out and my foot kept hitting the sides of the treadmill.  Every time my feet went off the rails, I was terrified that I would go flying off the back into the wall behind me!  This happened four or five times.  I'm not a fan.  Also, trying to stay focused on what I was doing proved especially difficult, considering I was trying desperately to distract myself from the fact that I wasn't going anywhere.  I was miserably bored.  Each mile dragged on longer than the one before.  But I did it, and it was nice that I could wear capris and a short-sleeved shirt and be comfortable.

4 down, 3 to go.

Oh, and just so you know, this evening I got out of the shower and went to the living room to see this:

My lovely husband has his foot in my crockpot soaking it in hot water to make it feel better.  He was having a hard time finding a container big enough and sturdy enough to fill with hot water.  So he tore apart the kitchen and decided on my crockpot.  He promises that it will be sanitized by the next time I have to use it though, so it's all ok.

Mr: 15:01, 2:05:43

Mrs: 6.2, 1:14

WW3 Day 3: The Day Everything Went Wrong

Ok, so everything didn't go wrong.  My title is a bit dramatic.  I'll start this post off with a positive note and tell you what went right:

1.  We finished.

Now that that's over, let me tell you what went wrong in my third 6.2-mile run of the week.

A little motivation... all true about this run
except for the "early" part

1. As I was packing my stuff this morning, I was rushing a little bit.  That being said, this afternoon after work when I changed, I realized that I had grabbed my tights, two jackets, a compression shirt, socks, shoes, and a pair of compression shorts.  That pair of compression shorts though, I didn't need.  I don't wear compressions with my tights.  However, the reason I'm telling you this is because those compressions in my rushed morning preparations, I thought were my sports bra.  So, I didn't have a sports bra.  Runner chicks, you know how it is.  This piece of running attire is very important, regardless of chest size.  Running without the proper garment in that area is very difficult.  I didn't realize that it would bother me as much as it did.  Between the girls not being properly contained and it being cold and bothering my asthma, my chest was starting to get really tight and achy.  But enough about my boobs.
2. After realizing that I had forgotten my sports bra while changing before my run, I was confused about the amount of moisture on some of my clothes.  Apparently, my water bottle that I must run with at all times had been slowly leaking all day into my running bag.  Most of my clothes were slightly damp, which in the cold is really not the best idea, but I could deal.  The part that upset me was that my headband that covers my ears up and keeps them toasty warm that I have to wear in temperatures below 50 degrees was DRENCHED.  No possibility of drying it off.  Soaked.  Unwearable.  Bright side!  I had my ear buds that I stuffed into my ears which kept some of the bitter cold wind out of my ears.  But enough about my ears.
3. As I mentioned, my water bottle leaked.  It also got the strap soaked, so I couldn't carry my water bottle with me unless I wanted my hand to turn into a handsicle.  I always like to have my water bottle with me because I am a mouth breather, so having water to wet my whistle is important.  Also, I keep my inhaler in the little pocket.  So I was lost without it.  But enough about my unnatural attachment to my water bottle.
4. It was COLD.  That is all.

Enough about my drama.  Hubbs had his 15 mile run, and he headed out after work (he gets out an hour or so earlier than me), so he was out on the trail a little bit before me.  He was trying to be helpful after completing his run on his own, but he wanted to see me so he did 2 extra miles that caused him to feel like he was about to die.  He felt like he was going to freeze or starve, but he didn't know what would happen first.  He finally saw me with a half mile to go, and he limped all the way to his car to bundle up and relax!

Despite the problems, we did it.  And I guess we still love to run.  Or something like that.  3 down, 4 to go.  Almost halfway!

Mr: 15 miles, 1:54:43

Mrs: 6.21, 1:08:43

WW3: Day 2

Is today seriously only Day 2 of the What's Your Wall? challenge??????  The correct answer is yes, yes it is.  Anyway, today we took on our runs, despite me having to go back to work (boo!).

Hubbs was lazy today and doesn't have to go back to work until tomorrow.  Just kidding!  Of course he wasn't lazy.  He still ran 15 miles.... so totally not lazy.  He got to do his run this morning and enjoy the cool, brisk day.  As he was enjoying the morning, he was hoping that his knee would not continue (!) to bother him, because it had started to ache just a little yesterday, along with his back.  He claims that it's old age....  But today, he began his run wearing his knee brace to ward off any lingering pains, but he ended up taking it off after the first 3 miles and didn't look back.  He ended up having a successful, although tough, second day.

I, on the other hand, had to wait until the afternoon to run after work, and it actually started getting dark on me by the end, as you can see in my picture... but I still got in my 6.2.  Since he still had some energy after his morning run, he rode alongside me for my run.  AwWwWwWw ToTes AdOrBs!!!!

Mr.: 15 miles, 1:52:53

Mrs.: 6.21 miles, 1:09:59  

2 days down, 5 to go!  And unfortunately it's looking a little extra chilly Wednesday and Thursday.... Yikes!

WW3: Day 1

So, my mister and I have taken on a new endurance challenge that a lot of our friends are doing.  They talked us into doing this crazy awesome challenge.  A local running and tri store has posed this challenge apparently twice before, but we had never heard of it.  This challenge is called What's Your Wall? 3 (WW3).  The premise of this challenge is to commit to a distance and run that distance every day for 1 week.  Like, 7 consecutive days.  Meaning, no rest days.  Hence, the challenge.  Also, the additional challenge of it being winter is added in, so of course we signed up and we're off!

I signed up for the 10K distance, so my challenge is to do 6.2 miles every day from today (Sunday) through Saturday.  Of course, Mr. Marathon had to do the highest mileage possible.  He selected the 15 mile challenge.  Yikes!

Today was Day 1.  It was a yucky, gray, slightly rainy, but not too cold morning.  Hubbs set his alarm for waaaaaaay too early during Christmas break to get a head start on his 15 miler.  Because I'm only signed up for the 10K distance, I couldn't keep up with him anyhow.  Also, we like to meet up with our running posse on Sunday mornings, so instead of making them run 15 miles with him, he just ran to meet us.  And then kept on running....!  So we kept on running with him.  After leaving our house, he ran to the trail where we usually run, which was 8.4 miles down, then he just jumped right in on the trail to finish up the next 6.6, no break, no stop, no nothing!  As a matter of fact, one of the other running friends didn't want to hold him back, so of course he ran harder and stepped up his game.  It is a challenge, after all, right???  Right!

Mr.: Day 1

Mrs.: Day 1

Anyway, 1 down, 6 to go.  Stay tuned for (hopefully) daily updates!

Jingle Jog 5K

Friday began Christmas break for my mister and me.  We took off to Georgia to visit my family, and while we were there, we decided to participate in a 5K.  After some research, we found a 5K right there in Barrow County where all my family lives, which is also where we were staying.  The Jingle Jog 5K was a nice little local race of just under 100 people.  The race began at a local park, and although we never ever like to register on race day, we had to register the morning of the race because we had gotten in a little late the night before.  So, Saturday morning, we registered and got ready and took off at 9:30 AM.  The weather was perfect, although a bit chilly, and we took off around the park.  Despite this area of Georgia being moderately flat compared to where we live in Virginia, this course had 2 major hills, and one of the major hills, we had to go up twice.  So that's like three hills in all, but fortunately, those three hills we had to go up, we also got to come back down.

Struggling up one of the challenging hills, the second time around

So, for those of you who haven't seen any Facebook posts, this race was amazing for both of us.  Despite the hills and somewhat chilly weather, we both hit a personal record.  I was hoping for one since the Pancake Run, when I came sooooo close to a PR, but then things went, umm, awry.  I was hoping that maybe I would be able to hit a new 5K PR by spring.  Little did I know that I would be able to do it right before Christmas.... It was a Christmas miracle indeed!!!  Or maybe it was just the extra speed training I've been doing, as well as feeling extra motivated on the morning of the run.  Either way, I'm going to tell you something-- this race, I pushed harder than I have ever pushed in any race, which I guess makes sense since it was my fastest time.  Those hills were killer, but I managed to push through them, as did Mr. Marathon.

Is this Prancer? Or Dasher?  Or Comet?  Or Dancer???

Chilly rainy weather didn't slow us down!

We really enjoyed this race, except for just a couple of little things.  First of all, this race had the weirdest age groups.  Instead of 5 or 10 year age groups, this race had 20 year age groups, which was really different than what we're used to.  Also, they didn't do overall awards.  Between no overall awards and such large age groups, I didn't get to place.  If they did overall places OR they did normal age groups, I would have come in 2nd place.  I came in 4th in my large age group, regardless.  And hubbs came in first place overall, but since they didn't do overall places, he just came in first in his age group, even though he won the thing by a good 3 minutes!  Either way, we both got a PR, and he won a comfy cozy blanket for his prize, and it was a fun weekend.

Post-race cheesin!

There I am!  Elizabeth Garcia, 27:52!

There's Hubbs!  Alfredo Garcia, 18:21!!

Oh, and the shirts were super cute!

BIG Effort

So this post is definitely better late than never.  Mr. Marathon ran the Richmond Marathon the week after Savannah Rock and Roll, which was November 15.  However, we have been crazy busy and really bad procrastinators, so although it's late, here ya go!

Um it was cold.  COLD.

The Richmond Marathon was an interesting event for both of us.  I was recovering from my first full marathon-- physically, emotionally, and mentally.  Mr. Marathon was fresh as a daisy and raring to run another, so he decided to run the Richmond Marathon with a bunch of friends from our area.  It was a stressful time for us, because it was fairly last minute.  So he had to get a friend to pick up his packet, and we had to scramble to find a hotel, pack, and then finally to drive those 3 hours away.  The morning of the race it was FREEZING.  So he was getting ready to run and "warming up" while I was absolutely freezing my face off!  Spectating is a challenge!  Anyway, he was off a couple of waves, but he ended up starting around when he was supposed to, and he was ready to take on this marathon with a fun attitude.  His intention for this race, since he had already met his qualifying time for Boston, was to have fun and enjoy the race.  And that he did.  Besides the fact that it was miserably cold for pretty much the duration of the race, he really managed to have a good time.



I, on the other hand, was still freezing my face off.  I was running around Richmond trying to catch him on the course.  Since I wasn't about to run another marathon just to get a picture of him, I found mile 16 and settled in and waited for him to come to me!  While I was waiting at mile 16, inspiration struck me, thanks to some other spectator.

He is the shadowy runner that's waving

Striding to the finish line

Inspiration can strike at times when I least expect it, sometimes even from complete strangers.  And this time, I was sitting down waiting for my hubbs to come over that monster of a hill, and I was too cold and grumpy to cheer for anybody else when inspiration hit me.  This other spectator fellow was too spirited to let the cold get him down.  He was cheering everybody on!  He was cheering all the runners on with the same phrase: "BIG EFFORT!"  I had never heard that before, so as I was grumpily waiting on my star marathoner, I got to thinking.

Big effort.... I really like that.  The more I thought, the more I liked it.  I have a problem with positive self-talk or even accepting positive talk from others.  Things like "Good job!" or "Way to go!" or "You're amazing" have very limited meaning to me at this point.  If you say "Good job," I'll say, "Not really..."  If you say "Way to go," I'll say "Way to suck, don't you mean?"  If you say "You're amazing," I'll say "You're lying.  I am not."  But "Big effort" was different.  "Big effort" means that the effort was what was being recognized, not the ability of the runner.  "Big effort" means that you can't disagree with the statement because of some subjective point of view.  "Big effort" is one of the highest compliments that a runner can receive, because giving a big effort is sometimes all we CAN do.  And as I continue running and training, I have those words playing in my head, because I may not feel awesome a lot of the time, and I may not feel like I'm doing a good job, but so long as I'm putting in a BIG EFFORT, I know I'll be doing just fine.

Love this saying.  Hence why it is the background of the blog.
However, that last line should say JUST RUN... WITH BIG EFFORT.