How Not to Train for a Half Marathon...and My Next Big Step!

Wow, I have a lot of catching up to do!

The last time I posted was right before the Knoxville Half Marathon in March.

Yes. March. I'm aware it is now November.

I miss you. You miss me (maybe). I've had good intentions of posting (and I have this GREAT "how to make espresso and lattes" post I'm working on), but I just haven't. Life goes into warp speed in your 30s, or at least it has for me.

Can we just make this easy? Here's my running life over the last 6 months in a nutshell:

I completed the Knoxville Half Marathon in 2:37 - a PR! It was my 3rd half, and I had much less pre-race jitters than I did on my first two races.

It's no big deal. It's no big deal. This is no big deal! - name that tune!

Even more impressive, B ran his first FULL marathon that day in 4:29! I bolted out of Neyland Stadium once I finished so that I could surprise and support him in his last few miles.

For my fellow HIMYM fans

No, he doesn't wear his marathon hat like that - only to keep the shade out of his eyes for the picture

I focused on shorter distances during the summer, and FINALLY PRed at the Fireball 5K in July at 31:02! I also ran an 8K race at a pace less than 11:00 min/mi, which was a big deal for me.

Meanwhile, B went race crazy. In June, he did a trail marathon in the mountains of Cumberland Gap, which he said was the most painful thing he's ever done. He did a ton of 5Ks and is down around 20 minutes. He regularly brings home prizes these days.

Expo 5K, May 2014

Cumberland Gap, TN Trail Marathon, June 2014
I think he regretted that decision.

We also tried some (short) trail races, which turned out to be a fun (albeit difficult) change of pace. Lots of watching where you step and tricky maneuvering, but beautiful scenery!

Panther Creek, TN 5 mi Trail Race, May 2014

Unrelated to running but completely worth mentioning, we adopted a super sweet, adorable 4 year old dog, Carly, back in April!

This could be a post alone.
In case you're wondering, we don't know what breed she is, but we think she's a Cocker Spaniel/Golden Retriever mix.

And then it was time for half marathon training again...

Once August came, it was time to start training for the inaugural Farragut 13.1 in Farragut, (suburb of Knoxville) TN. Despite my fabulous running friends and coach, I just couldn't get my head in the game this time. Maybe another half marathon was "old hat" by now. Maybe it was the hot weather in the first month of training. I don't know. 

I should clarify that this was a "me" problem. I had all of the resources and support I could ask for within my RunKNOX training program, coach, and running friends. 

Sometimes the "what not to do" can be just as valuable lessons as the "what to do", so take heed of my warnings!

What Not to Do When Training for a Half Marathon

1. Train in the blistering heat, leaving you feeling miserable and demoralized. This one is also potentially a safety issue, so be careful! Our half marathon training started in August. I am particularly sensitive to heat (I don't perspire much, so I overheat). I found myself quitting practice runs early feeling nauseous, dizzy, and completely disappointed in myself. I finally switched to early morning runs per my coach's advice, which I found to be peaceful and productive. Without heat sickness, I was finishing my intended workouts! However, my first weeks of training weren't off to a great start.
2. Go on a week-long vacation right in the middle of training and only run once. Back in September, we stayed in the Outer Banks with my family. It went like this: Eat. Lay on the beach. Eat. Play pool or board games with family. Eat dinner. Sleep. Repeat. B and I forced ourselves to get a 10 mile run in while we were gone, running from Southern Shores to Duck and back. It was a pretty run, but the snacking, desserts, and dinners out during vacation made me feel like a complete slug on the run.

   

   Does the pool count as an ice bath?
3. Whine before every long run. Seriously, once I lost my motivation, I let every minor disadvantage throw me off - my headphones aren't working, it's raining, I don't have my favorite sports bra, I don't have anyone my pace to run with, etc. Without excitement and dedication towards my goal, I let every excuse get to me. B was encouraging at first, and finally got annoyed with me and gave up. Who could blame him?
4. Set unrealistic pace expectations. Coming off a summer of 5Ks and 8Ks, I expected my faster pace to continue into my half marathon training. I should have known better. I started out my long runs faster than my 10K pace of 11 minute miles, then wondered why I had to walk so soon. Shocking. This led to my long runs becoming walk/runs during all of fall. No consistency at all.
5. Yo-yo diet. I don't write about this much, mainly because I fail constantly in this area. I wanted to lose weight (as I've wanted for years) while training. I could write a book here but long story short, I find myself often following MyFitnessPal to a T for a few days, then having a heart-to-heart with the Nutella jar when stress gets to me. And after the disappointment fades, I'm back to MyFitnessPal. No net weight loss. Depending on the day, I feel depleted or sluggish while running.  I still haven't figured this one out.

If you'd like my more positive tips for training for a half marathon, check out this post. :)

Honestly, if it weren't for B, my group of running friends and coach in RunKNOX and the Knoxville Track Club, I might have dropped out of training and the race. Seeing that everyone else was staying positive and committed was what kept me going. I tried to keep my mouth shut around them so I wouldn't be Debbie Downer. My coach also offered helpful advice (like the morning practices in the summer) which I tried to follow. 

Finally the race was this past Saturday, November 1. I followed the "what not to do" steps above to a whole new level. I had "carb loaded" on a ton of Halloween candy following several days of dieting. It was forecasted to be 30 degrees and rainy and snowy, and my excuses were running rampant. It hit an all time high when I realized on the way to the race that I left my Garmin at home.

Turn the car around! I'm not doing this!

Well, I couldn't be the only one out of my friends that chickened out of running the race, so here I was. I let their positivity rub off on me and started the race in good spirits. 

T-5 minutes to the race. Who could be down when you have such fabulous running friends to support you?

And you know what?

It was cold...but not unbearably so.

It was hilly...but not unbearably so.

Without my watch, I was inconsistent in my pace and walked/ran it...but I still finished.

It was my worst time at 2:47 (I don't know how that happened with my solid attitude towards training! ;))...but what does it really matter? 

And it was FUN! The race had a great crowd and refreshments afterwards. I celebrated with my friends all weekend, and cheered B and others on as they ran double the pleasure, double the fun by running the Foothills Half Marathon on Sunday, the very next day!

On that note, B PRed 7 minutes Saturday with a time of 1:41 at Farragut, then followed it up with a time of 1:46 the very.next.day. I can't comprehend how he does that, but the B Train is a machine!

And there you have it - had I just stayed positive and consistent, I might have actually enjoyed training and had a better result in the race.

My Next Big Step

With all of that said, I've decided to channel my newly found positive energy into a new goal...

Wait for it...

I have signed up for the Knoxville Covenant Health FULL marathon in March 2015!!!!!!!!

I'M GOING TO RUN A FULL MARATHON!!

While I explored destination races, I decided I want to complete this goal in my home city, surrounded by the support of my wonderful local running friends. A few of my friends will be running Knoxville as their first full marathon, so we're in it together!! 

Yes, I'm freaking out a little. 

Whatever you do, don't Google the dangers of running a marathon.

Overall, though, I'm excited and also plan to document this new journey here on the blog, so get ready for me to come back at it!

Thanks for bearing with me. I'm glad to be back! I'd love to hear your thoughts on training for a first full marathon, as well as your "what not to dos" in training.

-Amy


I was not compensated by any of the above organizations for this post, nor are they affiliated with this blog. I am simply sharing my honest opinions and experiences. The views expressed in this article are solely my own. Also, I'm not a health or fitness professional of any kind. See my Terms and Conditions page.

Want more? Follow the CSRS Blog on  Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram for the latest updates, articles, and more!

Burnout and Balance

Hello, light!

A friend recently texted me to say he wanted to share my blog with a friend, but when he got there...

Darkness.

I haven't blogged this year. How did that happen?

First off, I got another promotion at work. When I was promoted last fall, I was told there was a possibility of another, larger promotion down the road. I found out a couple of months ago that the dream had become reality. When I found out, I almost fell to my knees I was so excited. That's saying a lot for someone as non-expressive like me who usually reacts with "Oh, that's great." (note the period, not an exclamation point). The new role is an exciting new step for me and my mind is filled with ideas to bring to it.

Second, I think it's fair to assume that I manage my personal time pretty poorly. An average day of my non-work time looks like this:

I seriously doubt you would want to pin this.

So yeah...I'm kind of joking but kind of not. It's true that I spend time researching a "magical" time management technique that will change my life. I'd be better off just spending that time actually doing something.

My Quest for Balance (and what balance means to me)

The word "balance" gets thrown out a lot in advice articles, self-help books, and blog posts. It's a little vague and probably means different things to different people. I can only speak to what it means to me and why I want it.

Everyday, I carry around a mental list of everything I could or should be doing - go to the dry cleaners, respond to that work email, try that healthy muffin recipe, organize my closet to be worthy of Pinterest so B doesn't complain that it's about to explode, call that friend back so she knows I still care, respond to the 50 LinkedIn requests I have, Swiffer the floors, do something with my rough looking nails for goodness sake....I could go all day with this. I might as well add end world hunger to the list. Today with cell phones and 24/7 connectivity, I carry my work to-dos and personal to-dos with me constantly. That's a lot of mental clutter. The personal to-dos are mostly first world problems, but they weigh on me.

To me, finding balance means I find a way to devote some time to "The List" but then letting it go at some point each day. Savor a cup of coffee. Meet a friend for drinks. Take a stroll downtown on a nice day. Relax and watch American Idol or a movie (am I the only person in America who hasn't seen Frozen?). Read a magazine (I need that one - I have no clue what's in style these days). Write a freakin blog post for once. I already do a lot of these things, but I don't truly enjoy them because "The List" is on the back of my mind. It's time to let "The List" go.

Long Run Burnout

Also, let's face it. Part of the reason I don't have a lot of downtime is...running.

Don't freak out.

I still love running, and hopefully always will. However, my relationship with running is evolving.

Remember when you first started running? The first few minutes, the first mile,the first 5K, the first 5 miles, etc. provides a feeling of accomplishment that is exhilarating. You can't believe you just did this. It's amazing! Then other runners fawn all over you and tell you how amazing you are for doing it (as they should!).

Whoa. I'm not really as obsessed with attention as that would make me sound.

It's addicting. Each new goal feels so great, so shiny and new, that you want to go to the next goal, and the next. You eat, sleep, breathe and talk running. Your friends think it's all you talk about. They don't understand how amazing it is!

But then...you've run your first 5K and several more. You've run your first 10K. Your first double-digit run. Your first half marathon. It's still fun and it's exciting to shoot for new PRs...but it's not shiny and new anymore.

And that's where I am. It won't be shiny and new again until I train for a full marathon (tentatively planning for next year). I still enjoy running. I still enjoy seeing and supporting running friends. I still get excited for races and the possibility of a PR. I feel myself getting faster. My easy/moderate pace is 11:50-12:00. Last year it was 12:15-12:30. All great stuff.

Training for two half marathons back-to-back has been mentally tough. As soon as I finished Kiawah, I jumped right back into training after the holidays for the Knoxville half . That means that since October, most of my Saturdays have included a long run. And long run weekends for me involve being too sore, tired, and hobbling to do fun and productive things, and wanting to eat everything in sight. I'm officially burned out on long runs.

In the past, I trained for 5Ks, then a half marathon, then back to 5Ks. Mentally, mixing things up kept me excited, engaged, and energized in my running. Doing the same long runs for almost 6 months has left me physically tired and mentally burned out.

All of this has led me to the realization that it's time for my relationship with running to evolve. I need running to be a part of my life, not consume my life. I need variety in my training to stay energized and engaged.

Winter Running Blues

Not helping was the fact that Tennessee has had an unusually cold winter. I've lived in Knoxville for 9 years, and this is the coldest winter I've experienced by far. Here in Tennessee, we complain any day it's below 40 degrees, and we can't handle anything below freezing. Throughout all of this, I had several memorable runs.

The Calhoun's 10 Miler in January, also known as "That time I ran 10 miles up and down mountains in 20 degrees and wind blasting in my face, ending with me lashing out at a vehicle that almost hit me at the finish line." True story.

The Strawberry Plains 10K in February, also known as "How I learned that volunteering outside before races is hard and cold and that I'm a terrible parking attendant." I have a whole new respect for race volunteers. Despite that and the fact I didn't have time to fuel and hydrate before the race, I PRed. Go figure.

The 5K to support Volunteer Ministry Center (a local organization supporting the homeless and poor in our community) earlier this month, also known as "That time I remembered how fun 5Ks are and met Cuonzo Martin."

We also had a great time at a St. Patrick's Day social run organized by the Knoxville Track Club socialites (a social running group that meets every Wednesday - everyone's welcome to come).

How to Deal with Running Burnout

If you're feeling a little burned out on running like me, here are some tips I'm trying.

• Take a break. I'm definitely doing this after tomorrow's half marathon. Taking breaks is crucial for me to feel rested and re-energized.
• Try a new goal. Last year, when I switched between short distance running and half marathon training, I didn't get bored or burned out. Mixing it up helped me stay engaged and excited in my running. I never ran into burnout until I did two back-to-back half marathon programs.
• Let the goals go for a little while. Last year, when I unsuccessfully tried to reach my goal of a 30 minute 5K, I stopped enjoying running. I couldn't run without the time pressure weighing on me. I finally let the goal go for a little while. I ran several times without my watch, and learned to enjoy running again.
• Cross train. I think it's physically and mentally good for us to mix up our activity. In addition to running, I do bootcamp, yoga, and most recently, barre classes (which I LOVE). Moving in different ways and having variety during the week is more fun than JUST running all week. Friends of mine vary their activity by adding biking and training for triathlons. 

What's Next?

Tomorrow, this chapter of my journey ends with the Knoxville Covenant Health Half Marathon. Despite my burnout in training, I'm excited about the race. I love running on my home course and love all of the local support and excitement. This will be my third half marathon, old hat for a seasoned vet like me. :)

I have four goals for tomorrow (in this order):

1. Pace myself in the beginning. I have a problem with this, as illustrated at Kiawah.
2. Don't get sick and miserable at the end of the race, like I did at Kiawah. Hopefully following #1 will help prevent this.
3. Shoot for a PR. My current PR (at Kiawah), is 2:39.
4. If I can't get a PR, shoot to beat last year's time at Knoxville of 2:45. Knoxville is MUCH hillier than Kiawah.

However, I'm even more excited for B!! He's running his FIRST full marathon tomorrow! After doing many long runs (up to 20 miles!) over the last few months, he's feeling more burned out than me. However, I think he's excited for his race. I can't wait to cheer him on as he conquers his new goal. 

I'll also be interested to hear his take on running his first full marathon - something I'm considering for next year. He's shooting for a "conservative pace" (for him) of 9 minute miles. This should put him finishing somewhere around 4 hours. As I've told him, however, any time is a PR. Like me, he'll really need to pace himself. Just finishing is an honor!

That's it! Wish us luck tomorrow! I'll share the details on my Facebook,  Twitter, and Instagram pages tomorrow, and hope to write a recap soon (really!).

Have you experienced running burnout? If so, how did you overcome it?

-Amy

I was not compensated by any of the above organizations for this post, nor are they affiliated with this blog. I am simply sharing my honest opinions and experiences. The views expressed in this article are solely my own. Also, I'm not a health or fitness professional of any kind. See my  Terms and Conditions page. Background for title image via Flickr

Want more? Follow the CSRS Blog on  Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram for the latest updates, articles, and more!

Kiawah Island Half Marathon Recap Part 2: Race Survival and my Hardest Earned PR

Happy 2014!

I hope you are off to a happy and healthy start for the new year! Thank you so much for joining me in my blogging journey last year, and stopping by for my first post this year. I look forward to exciting things to come this year, including growing in my health journey and my blogging. More on that later...

If you're new to Coffee, Scarves, and Running Shoes, or you missed last week's post, this is the second part of my recap of my second half marathon in Kiawah Island, SC last month.

I was feeling nervous about my second half marathon. Mentally, running a second half marathon has completely different nuances than the first half marathon (at least in my experience). Nonetheless, we arrived to beautiful Kiawah Island, got our packet and pre-race meal, met up with our RunKNOX friends at the race, and I totally looked like an idiot cutting in front of everyone at the portapotties (see Part 1).

I was feeling the pressure to PR. I finished my first half marathon, the Knoxville Covenant Health Half Marathon in April, 2013, in 2:45. This averages to about 12:30 per mile. My goal for this half marathon was to PR (duh!), and to hopefully be under 2:40. I wanted to average 11:50 per mile.

Mile 1-6: Unstoppable

As I left off in Part 1, after tapering, hydrating, and magic running jellybeans, I was feeling fantastic. On fire! My plan (per my coach) was to start running at 12:30 pace for the first 4 miles, then progressively get faster by 5-10 seconds per mile. I felt so awesome that I was running faster than planned at first. My friend Lauren had to keep reminding me to hold back.

Wild mustangs just can't be tamed.

The first 6 miles FLEW!! I ran about 11:50-12:00 minute pace, with Lauren randomly reminding me of our pace if I inched up any faster.

Here we are again. Didn't we look so happy and energetic?

The weather was gorgeous and warm. We had expected it to be cool and rainy, but it was sunny and clear. The temperature was in the 50s when we began and crept into the 60s during the race.

I was unstoppable! The course is an out-and-back, so I saw B and my faster RunKNOX friends as they passed by. I was jacked up on energy, beautiful weather, and my excitement to see my friends.

I played the numbers game.

With each mile I ran 12:00 or faster, I thought about how I was banking up 30 seconds faster than my previous half marathon pace. During those 6 miles, I was adding up those banked minutes and realized I was already 3 minutes ahead of my last half marathon. 

I know, I wasn't following my recommended plan, but it felt great to be ahead. I had plenty of energy. What was the worst that could happen?

I was careful to fuel and hydrate.

I consumed a pack of my Sport (jelly) Beans before the race, which gave me plenty of energy. I had another pack with me and and consumed a few beans every couple of miles, as I usually do (this story will explain why I prioritize fueling and hydration). I had been drinking plenty of water in the days before the race, and had my handheld filled with water and a Nuun tablet. I had another tablet with me to add to water later. I skipped the first water stop at mile 2, but refilled my water bottle at the water stop at mile 4. 

I was following my tried and true plan. This would work, right?

Mile 6-8: Overzealous?

I couldn't believe I was already halfway through the race. I still felt amazing. I was supposed to progress slowly, only increasing my speed 5-10 seconds each mile. 

Forget that. It was time for this bird to fly free.

Despite my plan and despite Lauren's help, I decided I wanted to jump up my pace to 11:30. 

This was a whole minute ahead of my last half marathon pace! Talk about banking up time!

So I did just that after 6 miles. I still felt good, so I continued that pace after 7 miles. However, during mile 7, my energy started to dwindle. I still felt fine, but my faster pace had started to wear on me. I had already stopped for water at mile 6, and decided I would just consume a few more jelly beans to get my energy back. 

The jellybeans weren't helping, and I started feeling really hot. The temperature had gotten up in the 60s and the sun was blazing down on me.

It had been a few months since I'd run in this kind of weather. The sunny 60 degree weather was gorgeous and all, but I wasn't used to being this hot while running.

Mile 8-10: May Day! May Day!

Once I approached the 8 mile mark, I had reached the peak of my energy and I started crashing fast.

What goes up, must come down.

I was determined to keep going, as my pace was about 4-4.5 minutes ahead of my last half-marathon.

Get it together, Amy! You've set yourself up for a PR. Don't screw this up!

My plan was to slow down at the upcoming water stop at mile 8, refill my water bottle, drop another Nuun tablet in, and eat a few jelly beans to get myself back on track.

Then something weird happened. You may remember back in the summer (in 80+ degree weather), I got overheated during a track workout. I realized something was weird when I felt cold (as in cold chills) all over in miserably hot weather. I told my coaches, who told me that was a symptom of overheating/heat exhaustion, and ordered me to quit the workout immediately. They made sure I re-hydrated with water and electrolytes and cooled down.

Just before the water stop at mile 8, that happened again.'

You've gotta be freaking kidding me. I'm in the middle of a race. What am I supposed to do?

I didn't know what to do, so I followed the plan I'd laid out above - I walked a little while and re-fueled and re-hydrated. I actually felt better once I did that, so I kept going. I got the weird chills under control, but I felt thoroughly fatigued and exhausted. To make matters worse, I started feeling nauseous, and had to fight those feelings.

Amazingly, even though I felt like I was dragging myself, my pace didn't actually suffer too much. I still stayed in the 11:50-12:00 minute range, so I was still outperforming my last half marathon.

Mile 10-13: Survival

Finally, I had run 10 miles and realized there was only 3 miles left. Mentally, I felt better when I saw that 10 mile sign. 

There's just a 5K left. Less than 36 minutes (for me). I can do anything for a half hour. I'm still ahead of my last half marathon time, so I can still pull out a PR, even if I have to slow down.

Because I knew that I was ahead of my last half marathon time, I told myself that all I had to do was survive and get to the finish line.

Easier said than done.

Physically, I was feeling worse and worse. I felt like I was dragging my legs each step of the way. I had no energy left, and no jellybeans left (I'd already consumed 2 packs). The sun was glaring down on me. Every 10 minutes or so I'd get those chills again, and I'd walk it off and drink water. I was fighting the urge to throw up, even though I was also hungry. Weird.

It was the most miserable 3 miles I'd ever ran.

Regardless I kept at it. I told myself that a half hour isn't a long amount of time. As long as I kept going, it would be over before I knew it. Besides, what else was I going to do? I had to get to B and my friends at the finish somehow.

Finally, my pace slowed down as I finished the last two miles. I hate to admit I didn't care anymore. 

Once I saw the 12 mile sign I felt better. Just 1.1 mile to go! I could do this. I'd be done in less than 15 minutes! I told myself no more walking breaks!

Although my jogging was almost as slow as walking at that point.

And Then It Was Over

Finally I saw the finish line. In some races, getting to the finish line feels exciting, like a prize or accomplishment. That race it felt like arriving to a hospital. I was going to feel better!!

People were around and cheering so I tried to stand tall and look like I had this running thing down. It didn't work so well.

I felt even worse than I looked. Stark contrast to the photo from the first part of the race, huh?

Finally, I crossed the finish line and was so relieved it was over! And the best part - I PRed by 6 minutes at 2:39!!! I knew I  should hang in there!

Times (according to my watch)

Mile 1: 11:41
Mile 2: 11:57
Mile 3: 11:51
Mile 4: 11:56
Mile 5: 11:58
Mile 6: 11:57
Mile 7: 11:36
Mile 8: 11:36
Mile 9: 11:58
Mile 10: 11:55
Mile 11: 12:34
Mile 12: 12:55
Mile 13: 12:56

Overall Time (official): 2:39:19

...Or so I thought it was over...

However...even though the race ended, my feelings of sickness and exhaustion did not. I hobbled past the finish line, found a portapotty (I didn't cut in front of anyone this time), some water, and finally my husband, Brandon. You know, the essentials. I chatted with him and one of our RunKNOX friends for a few minutes and we got some pics.

It turns out B had a great race himself! He PRed by over 20 minutes!! Who does that?? He had a great time of 1:48. He too, however, said that he felt dehydrated and sick around mile 10.

Then I made a genius move.

I was still hungry (although still nauseous), so I decided to check out the food available after the race. B helped me get a plate of a cornbread muffin and some fruit. 

Some food would help me feel better, right?

Um, no. A few minutes after eating, I was desperately trying to find a shuttle back to our end of the island, and laying on the ground while waiting on the shuttle. I texted the friends I missed after the race to tell them I was outtie.

We finally made it back to the condo, where I spent the next 4-5 hours in bed. I was so sick. My tummy was unhappy on multiple levels. 

I was so thankful we had rented a comfortable condo with a bed, refrigerator with filtered water, and shower and I didn't have to sit in a car for 6 hours.

At first I was so sick, I couldn't sleep. I forced myself to drink water, thinking that rehydrating might end this madness. 

Not even a hot shower, my solution to everything, could help me. As soon as I got in, my fingers wrinkled up immediately (usually it takes 15 minutes or so) and I felt even worse.

I didn't even know that was possible.

B felt okay, just tired. He laid in bed with me to watch TV and nap. He tried to help me but there wasn't really anything he could do for me. He turned on a marathon of the Terminator movies.

I like Terminator movies as much as the next child of the 80's and 90's, but really? Do I really want to watch death and destruction as I lay here feeling miserable?

Finally, I fell asleep for a few hours, and woke up feeling...okay. Still a little sick, but bearable. And starved.

My legs had that "hurts to walk" soreness, which apparently had taken a backseat to my stomach, because I hadn't noticed them before. 

Finally, later that night, I put myself together and we dragged ourselves out of the condo to eat dinner. We went to an Italian place we'd seen the night before, and ordered Neopolitan style (wood fired) pizzas, and I then enjoyed a vanilla bean ice cream with espresso and biscotti.

Food had never tasted so good.

We took the next day, our last day in Kiawah, pretty easily. I made cinnamon rolls (out of a can) and fresh local coffee that morning.

We did "active recovery" by walking on the beach.

We were famished and we snacked all day. We browsed around boutiques and got ice cream. We had a fabulous dinner at a French/seafood restaurant. And it was awesome.

Overall...

The Kiawah Island (half) Marathon was a beautiful, well organized race, and I'd highly recommend it. We loved staying on the island, and it was the perfect place to relax for the weekend after the race. It's a very quiet and private island, but there are great shops and restaurants nearby.

So what happened??

After sharing this story with running friends, I *think* what happened to me was dehydration. One of my coaches told me that it can be a shock to our bodies to race in a location even 10 degrees warmer than we're used to training. Tennessee doesn't have a cold climate by any means, but I was used to running in 30-40 degree weather before the race. While 60 degrees and sunny is beautiful, I was not used to it.

My takeaways from this race:

1. Destination races are fun! It was exciting to travel and race in a new location and make a vacation out of a race.
2. I need to plan better for the conditions of a race ahead of time. Learn the race course ahead of time - will it be hilly, flat? How will I pace myself around this course? Know the weather conditions of the course ahead of time, and prepare for them. How should I dress? In a destination race, I need to understand if the weather is different than where I've been training, so that I can adjust my hydration strategy. Clearly, I didn't do a great job of this, and I'm inspired to better prepare in the future. 
3. I'm stronger than I ever gave myself credit for. As much as I've been complaining about how sick and miserable I felt, one point still stands. I never gave up. I fought through the last 3 miles in which I wanted to lay down on the ground. I even earned a PR despite of it!! Getting through a tough race is a victory in and of itself, PR or no PR!

That's it! I don't claim to have all the answers when it comes to race strategies, fuel, and hydration (obviously), and I'm not qualified to give advice on it. However, staying healthy and safe is my top priority in running. I'm learning all of the time, and have much more to learn. I hope this story inspires you to also prioritize health and safety in running (if you're not already doing so), and find what works for you!

Have you had a rough racing experience? How did you get through it? Did you discover your own strength in doing so?

-Amy

I was not compensated by any of the above organizations for this post, nor are they affiliated with this blog. I am simply sharing my honest opinions and experiences. The views expressed in this article are solely my own. Also, I'm not a health or fitness professional of any kind. See my  Terms and Conditions page. 

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My Last-Minute, Running-Themed Christmas (without much actual running)

Happy New Year's Eve!

I hope the holidays have treated you and your loved ones well.

As for me, I hate to admit I didn't get into the holiday spirit as strongly this year. No, I'm not sad. No personal tragedies have happened. I've simply felt...rushed this season.

As I've mentioned, I need to find better ways to manage my time. I just haven't figured out how to balance work, running, blogging, time with friends/family, and cooking/household chores in my day-to-day life. Add the holidays in the mix and it has felt like chaos.

December was a blur. There were a lot of good times, which I'm grateful for. However, I could only focus on one at a time.

I'm seeing this friend tomorrow - gotta buy them a gift. I'll put off addressing my Christmas cards...

Gotta get ready for this party tonight - I'll buy presents later...

Gotta pack for Kiawah, I'll clean my house later...

Next thing you know, it was December 20 and we had a third of our gifts purchased, none wrapped, piles of laundry, and no Christmas cards sent out. Sadly, our schedules with some friends just didn't line up, and I didn't get to see them.

Yikes. This was so much easier when I was a kid and all I had to do was show up and get presents.

And we couldn't just blow it off. We had plans to visit my family (an hour away) for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we were hosting friends Saturday the 28th, B's family for a belated Christmas on Sunday the 29th, and my sister and brother-in-law for New Year's Eve.

So the weekend of the 20th, we kicked it into high gear. I sent out my cards. We cleaned most of Saturday, finally showered around 3 PM or so, and we went out and knocked out the rest of our shopping, minus a few stocking stuffer items.

We did more cleaning and laundry Sunday, and I went out and bought 90% of the groceries I'd need to make spinach tartlets and this amazing white chocolate peppermint layered cheesecake to take to my family's celebration, dinner for our friends Saturday, fun appetizers for B's family, and fondue ingredients for our annual New Year's Day fondue tradition with my sister and brother-in-law.

We were getting there. I worked Monday, went to bootcamp, and started my cake. I didn't work Tuesday, so I purchased the last gifts, finished my cake, made the spinach tartlets, and wrapped gifts at 4 PM.

The peppermint cheesecake layers, white chocolate whipped cream topping, and white chocolate curls. I had WAY too much fun taking a vegetable peeler to white chocolate bark.

Assembly...

The finished result!!

Pure. Decadence.

Yes, we were that last minute.

Finally the car was loaded by 6 PM and we were off.

Then it felt like Christmas.

Once the hustle and bustle were over, we could relax and enjoy ourselves. I had vacation days at work that I would lose, so I took off through the end of the year.

I go back Thursday. I've been living in a fantasy land I don't want to leave.

We enjoyed yummy apps and hot apple cider Christmas Eve with my family, and French toast and a nice dinner Christmas Day with my family. We love games, and enjoyed some Catch Phrase. My family knows the way to my heart, and I got a few running gifts and an espresso maker.

Me and B on Christmas Eve

Best.gadget.ever. But more on that later...

A Road ID bracelet from B so I can stay safe. :) I feel like a puppy with my little collar so that someone can locate my family for me. :)

A running top from my sister. <3

My sister has started running (yay!), so I got her a few running essentials - Balega socks, a handheld water bottle, a clip-on light for visibility, and a neck gaiter. The winter air really hurts her throat and sinuses - so much so that it has discouraged her from running. I got her this purple one (we thought black might look like she might rob someone), and hope it will help.

She makes a cute purple running ninja, right? :)

We came home the 26th, and had NOTHING to do the 27th. It was awesome. I straightened up the house and went shopping for new jeans and accessories for my espresso maker - a frothing pitcher and espresso shot glasses. We also FINALLY made gingerbread cookies with my running cookie cutters!

You can find them here.

Just roll them out...

The finished result!

The runners in their cookie winter wonderland!

We like gingerbread, and this is a great recipe. You can use your favorite gingerbread or sugar cookie recipe. They are a great idea to share with your fellow runners or running group!

The 28th, our friends Sara and Terry (remember the birthday party?) came over for dinner. Their 10 month old daughter Audrey is ready to explore the world! She's a sweet, happy child, but she is a crawler! She had to check out everything in our home - including our cats! We had a blast, but poor Coco didn't know how to handle it!

The standoff...

The 29th, I made a plethora of fun appetizers for a casual celebration with B's family. We enjoyed food, open gifts, and spent a couple of hours playing Cranium and laughing hysterically at each other. What more can you ask for?

I should have taken this pic AFTER I placed the bacon wrapped chicken on the empty platter...

I don't usually use disposable dishes...but it has been a busy week!

On my menu:
Cocktail meatballs (in Crock Pot)
Bacon wrapped chicken - HUGE hit!! Not pictured (they went on the then empty platter)
Spinach tartlets (I use cream cheese instead of goat cheese and pre-made frozen phyllo shells)
Smoked bacon gouda (from The Fresh Market - so freakin good) and crackers
Shrimp cocktail
Veggies and pita chips with ranch dip and hummus

And then yesterday....we had NO plans!!!! The house was clean, and we could relax. I played with my espresso maker.

Seriously, I'm obsessed with this thing. 

I've made at least one skim latte at home every single day. It's not as hard as I expected and it is so delicious. I only use a half cup of skim milk and a teaspoon of sugar per latte, so it's low cal as well.

My precious....

I worked on this blog post and caught up on reading my favorite blogs, and we went to dinner at Bonefish Grill and saw Anchorman 2 like we had no care in the world.

I live for these quiet days.

Today, we'll meet up with our running group, then my sister and bro-in-law are coming for New Years Eve. Tomorrow, we'll continue our tradition of 5 years making fondue on New Year's Day.

And then it's back to the real world. Sigh...

Even though the holiday started out stressed and hectic, it all worked out. Doesn't it always? I'm grateful for the times I got to spend with friends and family, and look forward to seeing those I didn't get to see soon. I also LOVED the quiet moments in between celebrations. I needed this recharge.

I also must add that I did run a couple of times over the break. I ran 2 miles in my neighborhood on Christmas Eve, and I ran 3 miles with the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon training group on Saturday. I'll get back in the swing of things soon.

I'm looking forward to 2014 and all it has in store. What I desire the most is simplicity and balance in the new year - something I was desperate for this year.

I have some fun blog posts in the works - Part 2 of my Kiawah recap, how to make amazing lattes at home, and my thoughts on New Year's resolutions. Stay tuned!

I hope you have a happy New Year, and a wonderful 2014. Make it YOUR year and tackle those goals you've always wanted to achieve! I'll be back next year!

-Amy