River Run Race Recap

Please note the alliteration that is the title of this post ^^^^ Try and say it five times fast...I dare you.

Anyways....The River Run I have wanted to do this race since I was 15 years old but I've never been able to because of conflicts with High School Track or College Track. This year was my year! .....or so I thought.

Side Note
Little did I know that I would endure one of the most challenging, stressful, and sleepless weeks of my newly formed career. Our annual convention took place in Philadelphia the week before the race. I averaged 3 hours of sleep a night, ate unhealthy food at irregular times, was not properly hydrated all week, and was under a ton of stress. To top it all off, I hadn't run at all that week, let alone had much base training in the weeks leading up.
End Side Note

I woke up at 5:00 am as I had been doing all week to eat a banana (which was not enough!!) and head down to the race. Once I arrived, I was instantly nervous. I was not sure how to warm up anymore since it had been several years since I had run a race. My legs felt like cement blocks on the warm-up run and I was feeling pretty tired and sick in the hour leading up to the race. I pulled it together and pumped myself up.

I jumped in the front group at the starting line ( that way less people are touching me) and the cannon went off. I was so nervous, luckily I had Matt there to run by my side every step of the way.

Girl in pink tank top, Right Back = Me

The first mile went really well. I felt great, I ran a really easy 7:50 mile. Mile two wasn't bad either, I had slowed to 8:10 pace just to make sure not to wear myself out since my goal time was 9:00 minute mile pace throughout the race . I completed mile three and everything started to fall apart. 

I was exhausted. I was not getting enough oxygen to my body. It was hard to keep my legs going. I was losing my mental edge second by second. Matt kept encouraging me to keep on keeping on but I wanted so badly to stop. My body was so tired. My blood sugar starting dropping as well ( stupid banana did not energize me enough). It got harder to breathe. My muscles started cramping up....I could no longer breathe....I was hyperventilating and I stopped. Thats when the tears came. I was so disappointed that I was not going to hit my goal time of 60 minutes. It was hard accepting that I may not even be able to finish the race. My body just couldn't do it. 

BUT after a bucket of water was dumped on my head and a granola bar was eaten, I hit the ground running. Literally. I was determined to make up some of the ground I had lost with the previous 15 minute mile. I hit 8:15 pace for the last two miles of the race allowing me to pass quite a few of the people I had been running with before my episode. With a mentality to win, I finished strong battling to still meet my goal time. 

Matt is still by my side! So glad I didn't have to do this one alone! 

I passed him just in the knic of time! 

Unfortunately, my time was 1:04:52, a little slower than my goal time. This put me at 588 out of 1020. Although I fell short of my goals, I was so proud of myself for finishing with a decent time. I made it through one of the toughest races I have ever run. I was able to build a mental toughness by pushing through even when it hurt the most. When I fell (not literally) I got back up and battled for the last two miles like a champ.

I learned a lot about myself from this race. It was not about placing, hitting a certain time, or even just finishing. It was about pushing myself and finding out where I really stand with my running. All my questions were answered that day. I had dug deep and found "that something special". 

New Adventures

I have been absent from posting workout summaries and logging my runs for quite some time now. I have just been so busy with graduating college and starting my new job, there's barely been time to even get my workouts in. 

Things have finally slowed down and I have so many things to share! I've run two races and started some workout classes! I've also gone on several trips for work which led to several running adventures. 

Be on the lookout for new posts! 

n

P.S Runners don't follow rules. I'll post again when I break free from my prison cell 

(Just Kidding...or not)

-Kait

Workout Recap Part 2

As noted in my first workout recap located HERE  . You will realize that I had not been keeping up with my logs.

Matt (boyfriend/coach) and I agreed that in order to be in decent shape to run a 10K at the beginning of June, I needed to run at least 4 days a week with a long run on one of those days.

Monday, April 19, 2015

OFF

Tuesday, April 20, 2-15

OFF 

Wednesday, April 21, 2015

OFF 

***I really wanted to run Wednesday but my schedule really was not cooperating

Thursday, April 22, 2015

30 Minute Run

Approx. 3 miles

This run was terrible! I ran super-alley thinking a new course would be fun! After 15 minutes, I was laboring pretty hard and hurting pretty bad. I decided to walk for 3 minutes and then cut my pace back significantly to finish out the run. I felt pretty crappy for most of the run. 

Friday, April 23, 2015

OFF

Saturday, April 24, 2015

Easy 25 Minute Run

2.5 Miles

Sunday, April 24, 2015

45 Minute Run

5 Miles

It is apparent that I did not run on my four days. Definitely something I will be changing next week! June 6 is coming up quick. I need to be ready to go! 

Workout Recap

I haven't been very diligent about posting lately...oops! I've barely had time to run! Here's the low-down on my work-outs the past two weeks! 

Thursday, April 16, 2015

25 Minute Run

Approx. 2.75 miles

Friday, April 17, 2015

OFF

Saturday, April 18, 2015 

Interval Workout at the Gym

20 min run on treadmill at 6.0 (10 min mile pace)

10 min on stair elliptical at resistance level 7

10 min on elliptical at incline 10 and resistance 8 

10 min cool-down on treadmill at 6.0 (10 min mile pace)

Sunday, April 19, 2015

50 Minute Run 

5 Miles

This run counted as my long run for the week. I haven't run this long or this far since I quit running for my college team! Whoa! At first, I did not realize I would be running this long but I was staying at Matt's house in Topeka and he took me on the run. I had no idea how far we had gone! It was tougher on me mentally than it was physically. I wanted to quit more times than I could count. My motivation was this 10K I signed up to do. If I couldn't do this run....how could I run a 10K? Ugh the run felt terrible but it was really good for my confidence. 

First of Many

Wednesday Workout

"Easy" 25 minute run. 

Approx. 2.75 miles

This run was the first of many. I was really excited to get started but that changed QUICKLY. Lets just say this was one of the worst runs I've completed. 

The first few steps I took, both my achilles tendons popped leaving my ankles and calves sore. After only 10 minutes, I was laboring pretty hard. I tried to keep pushing but my back started spasming. I walked for a few minutes and tried to continue. My body felt exhausted.....I got dizzy once I started to run again. I walked some more. Once I started running again, I had side-aches.....the list goes on and on. The worst part was the wind. It was INSANE today. Of course I have no endurance or strength built up so that vindictive breeze wore me down quickly.  

On the bright side, it was a beautiful day and I ran by a tree in full bloom, which, I had to snap a selfie in front of. The run didn't happen unless there is proof right?

This is a really wordy workout post and I apologize, however, I feel it was necessary to document the horrendousness of the run. Discouragement aside, I will not quit this time! 

The Perfect Excuse: No Time

At least that's what I always tell myself...

My greatest struggle in getting back into running is "finding time". I am that type of person that cannot run any earlier than two hours after I eat, therefore, I have to plan my runs around meals.

Guess what?? my only breaks between class and work are meal times.
I am a terrible morning person.
Afternoons sometimes work but I have anatomy lab in the way.
I only have breaks of two hours, there is not enough time for a run and shower in between.

Tomorrow is the worst of the worst. I have class all morning, a short lunch break, and an anatomy exam, and another anatomy exam the following day. In other words, I will be living in the library with my head in a book and a coffee in my hand. There's no way I have time to exercise when I need to know every single muscle, nerve, artery, vein, bone, crevice, line, skin cell, and hair follicle in the body!

I think I can stand to spare 4% of my day exercising. I would normally spend that 4% Facebook stalking someone I don't know anyways. I just need to convince myself that working out is happening tomorrow. Getting myself to commit is the hardest part. 

Wish me luck! 

Finding that Something Special

"distance runners have to have something special, they don't always get what they want, that's called perseverance and I admire that."

This quote was said by my former high school track/cross country coach at my senior year cross country banquet. At the time, it had an enormous impact on my running career. I was being recruited by colleges and looking towards pursuing my dreams and reaching my running goals. Hearing this from my coach made me appreciate dedicating my life to running and all that encompasses it. Strangely, I realized at that point, how much he appreciated my dedication to the sport. As he said, we have something special; distance runners do not get everything they want. In fact, we work hard to achieve small accomplishments and wait what may seem like ages to achieve those great accomplishments. It was fantastic to have someone admire me, us, all distance runners for that "something special" in each and every one of us. 

Four years later, I have lost that "something special". It is still with me....I just cannot seem to access it. After a discouraging and short try at college track and cross country, I lost my love and drive for the sport. Running became a painful task, something that made me sad. My body was against me and so was my mind. I quit. I did not run for an entire year. A scar formed. One that makes its presence known every run I attempt. It is frustrating, I no longer enjoy running. I am frustrated by it. I am out of shape, discouraged, and lost. I love it. I want to enjoy it. I want to heal that scar and move beyond it. 

I want to find my "something special". The thing that is in each distance runner. I need it to motivate me. When I do encounter it, the second chapter of my running book will begin. I am so close. I feel it. I just need to start. 

This blog will be my journal....a place to record all things running. I will be able to hold myself accountable. Accountability will lead to appreciation, appreciation for running, to a new dedication to the sport, to new beginnings, to finding that "special something."