Runner Insight

I Fall Down, Go Boom!

The running of my third full marathon was a glorious event, to be sure.  Despite a few mishaps and delays along the way, I was still able to shave over 20 minutes off my PR, and finish with more fuel in my tank then should be possible after running 26.2 miles. Amazing! 

We had a very cool start to the 5th Missoula Marathon, with temps in the mid 40’s (Fahrenheit)  I had T position me at the start behind the 5:00 (5 hour) pace group. 

I felt good and well-rested, and I could see well enough (for a blind person, anyway :) )for more than the first half of the race.  It’s not until I got into town that I had to really slow down, due to all the turns, parked cars and other potential obstacles.  So I didn’t have to use my white cane during the first 16 miles of the marathon. 

This year they had put out orange safety cones all along the course – a good idea – but when I learned about it, I was a bit concerned.  Those little guys can give me grief and trip me up. So I knew they were there, but believe it or not, that awareness didn’t keep me from tripping on one half way through the race. 

I was feeling really strong, and when T met me at mile 9 she told me I was just ahead of the 4:45 pace group.  I was shocked that I was doing so well; I thought it was the 5:00 pace group I had passed.  After an electrolyte drink, a honey pack, and a pit stop, I was on my way into the very shady and beautiful Big Flat area of the course.

Now, the placement of the safety cones along the route was based on how much shoulder there was on the road.  As I run along the course, I use the white line as my guide, staying on it as much as possible. But when I have to pass other runners and walkers, I pass on the left, because I don’t know how much shoulder there will be on the right, and I don’t want to twist an ankle on the edge of the road.

It was just after mile 13, before the only hill on the course that I came upon two runners on the white line.  I went around them on the left, and I tripped on the bright orange safety cone that naturally just happened to be there! 

Down I went: hands stretched out in front of me, taking the brunt of the road rash!  I got up, moved off the road and surveyed the damage.  My right palm had a pretty good sized chunk of skin flapping off the wound, so I bit it off and spit it out with a growl! 

The passing runners who had seen my fall graciously stopped and asked if I was okay.  I assured them that I was, and thanked them for stopping to check on me.

Well I licked my wounds, literally and saw that my race number was torn a little, but not too badly.  Of course, I was feeling a bit deflated after the fall, as I had been feeling so-o good beforehand. It kind of took the wind out of my sails. 

Then, with an abrupt shift in attitude, I made a conscious choice, and decided that I was not going to be defeated: I was going to use this fall as a catalyst, to propel me like a warrior into battle.  I charged up the hill and was passing other runners that were using the the hill as an opportunity to walk and rest their weary legs. But not me! I was determined not to let my lack of eyesight bring me down again!

As I was descending out of the Big Flat canyon, I noticed that my legs felt great, not at all sore as they usually feel when going downhill.  I think this was due to the fact that we had been climbing to the “M” several times in the weeks before the marathon.  That’s a 620 ft climb over ¾ of a mile with 14 switchbacks…I’m sure that hill work is what had helped to strengthen my lungs and legs.

As I approached mile 18, T called out to me.  I slowed to a walk, and as I got closer I told her I had fallen.  She looked at me worried and asked me,  “Are you okay?” She then looked down at my hip that had a dark stain creeping down the front of my shorts. “Are you bleeding?” she asked with more than a little concern in her voice.

 I showed her my palms and replied nonchalantly, “Well, maybe a little on my hands.” 

“NO! Your hip!” 

I looked down at my right hip, and it was wet and dark.  Then T got a closer look and felt the spot.  It was sticky. “It’s HONEY!“  She laughed. When I fell, the honey pack I had in my “SPI” belt had burst open, and for the last few miles, it had been creating a sticky trail down the front of my shorts.

I hadn’t even realized it, but Oh, now that I knew it was there, I needed it to be gone!

I had never done this at any race in the past , but luckily I had packed an extra pair of running shorts for T to keep in the van.  Why? I had no idea – it’s a real mystery to me. But the day before the race, when I told T that I wanted to bring extra shorts, socks and Body Glide in the van for the race, she had asked me if I had read this tip somewhere. I just said, “No, I just feel like I want to.”  So I did!  And I am so glad of it!  And of course,  now I know why.

We walked a couple blocks to where the van was parked ahead on the corner of the race course. I got in the back seat, whipped off my sticky, gooey shorts and slipped into the clean ones.  T cautioned that I better not linger, as there was a police officer directing marathon traffic near the van, and I might get arrested for indecent exposure! 

So after my cleanup, I had my last honey pack and electrolyte drink of the race.

T met me one more time at mile 21 where I declined the electrolyte drink and honey that she offered, reassuring her that I would get some delicious gummy bears at mile 23.  Ultimately, the gummy bears never happened.  The race information had said that they would be there, but I didn’t see any. You know, being blind sometimes sucks!  But not to worry, I didn’t need the replenishment as I was feeling really good at that point. Normally I would have hit “the wall” by mile 20 or so…but it didn’t happen this time.

Another part of the race course that can get a bit tricky for me is along a very shady street lined with parked cars and round-a-bouts at several intersections.  At one point I think I was lost in a forested round-a-bout, fighting off shrubs and tall grass, when a spectator yelled for me to move to my right. “Go right! More right – right - right, now straight!”  she yelled.   I thanked her. I was going along okay until a little later I drifted over too much to my right and ran into a parked car!  Lucky for me it was a small compact car, and I bounced off it, only banging my right knee a bit. 

This incident inspired a fellow runner named Daniel to come up alongside me to offer his much-needed assistance. He mentioned that he saw me hit the car, and he was going to help me through this part of the course, if that was okay with me.  How nice was that?!

So Daniel and I ran, him giving me verbal commands, as to when to turn and kept me from straying off towards other parked cars!

With all the delays and mishaps and wardrobe change-out, I thought for sure I was going to finish, like in the previous years, in around  5 ½ hours.  But to my delight, I did the full 26.2 miles in a PR of 5:06:55! 

Making me oh so very happy! Couldn’t have asked for a better experience all the way around!

Tell me about your best adventure – Leave a comment!

How ‘bout it?

- Vision Runner 

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Preparation For Marathon Race Day – Forget the Miles: It’s All About the Running Clothing! Really!

As the marathon day drew near, I was well into my marathon training program, and as long as I stayed healthy, there was no question – I was going to run this marathon! 

So before the cut-off date when the price to register went up, I registered for the marathon.  Now I was committed – no backing out – not that I would have, I was excited, and the excitement just kept building as I started planning what to wear for the big race.

Of course this monumental event called for a new outfit.  I knew I wanted to wear red for sure as I like red, plus there’s the psychological edge it gives to wear a fast color. But I was having trouble finding just the right pair of red shorts. It was hot, Hot, HOT in Montana that summer, and I wanted a stratus-cut for lots of ventilation.

I looked online, but was disappointed with the choices, so one afternoon I walked down to the Runner’s Edge, our local running store, and found just what I had been so desperately searching for: a pair of red Hind stratus-cut shorts.  Albeit in men’s, but that didn’t matter, as they had a size small. 

So now that I had the running shorts, I needed the right running shirt to go with it.  I found a nice blue one and I was set. I had my WrightSocks ready, and a new outfit in hand: I was stoked.

I didn’t wear my new clothes ahead of the race day, except for a short trial run.  Some runners run their long marathon training runs in the clothes they will run in on race day, so there will be no surprises as to how the garments will feel and perform – to ensure there are no unexpected seams rubbing the wrong way, etc.  But me, I bathe in the rush of new running clothes, so just a short, quick test-drive of my new race day running outfit was fine. Oh and I also got a new running hat…red, from the Runner’s Edge, too. Now I was set.

The forecast was calling for more hot weather and it ended up being one of our hottest summers on record. I thought we could find some cool neck wraps. These things are great.  We had used them the summer before, and so I knew that by soaking them in water and then putting them in the refrigerator, they get nice and cool and the refreshing coolness lasts quite a while. 

So off we went in search of neck wraps.  We found some at Wal-Mart, but when we soaked them in water they turned slimy!  Yuck!  I couldn’t wear that!  So we returned those.  We eventually found some at a sports warehouse that didn’t turn slimy. I wanted about three so that T could meet me on the road and change them out for me during the race. 

My other quandary was finding a running pocket.  I had stuff I wanted to take with me on the long run, but the little pocket in my shorts would not be big enough to hold my mints, ChapStick, energy beans, and extra battery if I decided to take my MP3 player.

I didn’t want a fanny pack as I didn’t want to deal with the bouncing of a fanny pack on my waist for 26.2 miles. So I looked in all the stores, but all I could find were cell phone cases.  I bought several of them hoping I would find the right fit, but none were what I was looking for. I even looked online, but no luck.  So I settled for a carrier a little bit larger then a cell phone case.  It was a bit bulky, but it held all the stuff I wanted to take, so it would have to do.

A year later I found the perfect running pocket by Amphipod. It was in Illinois while visiting family – right there in a local running store! I can’t seem to find it available anymore, so I’m a little afraid that they may have stopped making them.

Another last-minute buy was a pair of wrist sweat bands.  Knowing race day was going to be extremely hot, having the wrist bands would be vital to keeping sweat out of my eyes. And I was right; my hat could not keep all the sweat from running down my face as it ended up being over 90 degrees F that day!  So I got wristbands in both light blue and red, not sure which would coordinate better with my running outfit. 

Okay now you might be thinking that I was spending way too much time on what I was going to wear, more then any sane person would. But if you’ve been following my blog, you know how much I love running clothing. And for me, it’s all a part of the excitement and for sure, choosing the best running outfit is a huge motivation factor, as well.

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Just to update you on my RunOverToEllens.com 1,222.25 mile Fundraising Run, I’m over 25% of the way to Burbank, California. We’re having a drawing for anyone who’s donated at least $1 by Friday June 12. The winner will receive a free pair of Runner’s Edge running socks. Don’t fret if you’re not a runner, they work for walking or sitting, too.   So get your donations in by Friday! Just go to the secure website at www.FirstGiving.com/VisionRunner . Or you can click on the FirstGiving widget in the sidebar. Thanks a lot!

How ’bout it?

-Vision Runner

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Motivation And A Big Enough Why

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To stay motivated for any goal, you absolutely must have a big enough “Why”: the reason that makes you keep going when you don’t want to and it’s easier to quit. That big enough “Why” is the key. However, sometimes finding your big enough “Why” is the stumbling block when setting a goal.

I personally have found myself using lots of different “Whys” to keep myself motivated and moving forward. Some of them are just short-term “Whys”, that help for a day or a week or two or three, and some of them are long-term “Whys”. For any goal, the size of the “Why” has to be equal to or greater than the size and importance of the goal.

I’ve been a runner for just over 17 years now, but when I was first starting out, I needed the motivation of my friend Dana to keep me going.  I would have given up and would not be a runner today if not for Dana running alongside me with her enthusiastic energy and love of running.  My “Why” was just keeping up with Dana, and that was a big enough “Why” at the time. Eventually her passion for the sport took root in me, and I have since found my own pace, and haven’t stopped running yet.

Once Dana moved away I was left to run by myself. Not necessarily a bad thing though, as running alone allows me to re-connect with my self and center my thoughts. And even though I have a deep passion when it comes to my running, there are times when I do need some strong motivation to get my butt out of bed and pull my running shoes on. So here are some tips and techniques I’ve used over the years to make a big enough “Why” for myself. I have relied on these tricks to stay motivated and keep my running fresh and fun.

I used to be able to keep myself motivated by running a new trail or area of town.  Seeking out new running paths and exploring streets and trails kept my running new and exciting.  I found some beautiful and magical spots by simply running in a new place.

But since my diagnosis with Retinitis Pigmentosa in 1997, my eyesight has been slowly declining over the years.  This makes it almost impossible for me to run new trails anymore.  In fact for safety reasons I pretty much only run on controlled paths that I can navigate with my white cane and limited vision.  And it definitely gets boring sometimes running the same path every single time I put on my running shoes. 

So now I am using these other tricks to keep me motivated.

One sure-fire way to get me out of bed to go running is new running clothes.  A new pair of running shorts or shirt can keep me going for weeks, but soon the novelty wears off.  I could buy more running clothes, but I’m running out of room in my closet and drawers!  I have more running clothes than one human should be allowed!  But hey, that certainly won’t stop me from picking up just one more running shirt…or two, or three…  :) Did I mention how much I love running clothes? It’s my not-so-secret addiction.

Another motivational tool I use is new songs on my mp3 player.  When I load up my mp3 player with a new playlist, my “Why” is that I honestly can’t wait to get out and run so I can listen to all the new high energy songs.  This can last quite a while as well, as I only allow myself to listen to my running music while running. In a similar vein, if I have a good book to listen to, that can keep me hitting the pavement for up to a couple of weeks. But the problem is that all of these strategies last only a few weeks at best. And it’s easy enough to load new running music or books onto the mp3 player, but it’s not really a big enough “Why” for the really long-term.

So for me, one of the best motivational techniques I have ever used is training for an event or a particular goal. At one point a few years back, I was going through some new and wonderful changes in my life and my running days were pretty much non-existent.  But after about 6 months I was really feeling the void in my life that only running could fill, so I made the decision to train for BloomsDay: a very big race held each spring in Spokane, Washington.  There would be over 40,000 runners and walkers participating in this race.  By having a goal race to train for, I was giving myself the “Why” I needed to stay totally motivated to get out and run.  I even trained on hills even though I hate running hills, as I knew there was the dreaded “DoomsDay Hill” at the end of this 7 plus mile run. So having a looming event on the schedule is a great “Why.”

After BloomsDay, I kept training for small races here and there, but it was not until I decided to run in my first full marathon, that I learned the true meaning of dedicated and perpetual motivation.  I knew that I would have to be unwavering in my marathon training program for 6 long and arduous months if I was going to pull off the training schedule and ultimate running of a full marathon and live to tell about it. Of course, “living through it” that was my big enough “Why” for that one.

So for 6 months I told as many people as I could that I was going to run a marathon.  Their supportive reaction and amazement that a blind runner was going to run a marathon fueled me on.

My friends and family were another great source of motivation, as they each helped me however they could. My friend Vickie rode her bike with me on my long marathon training runs and our conversation and laughter was so much fun. Some runners use running clubs to keep them motivated, but with my work schedule I was not able to take advantage of them. But my partner and I attended workshops put on by the marathon organizers.

After all the miles of my marathon training program and ultimately running the marathon, I was tired from training so long and hard. It took some recovery time, but soon I was out there running again and doing a fairly good job of staying dedicated to it.

At the beginning of this year 2009, I got flattened with lower right back pain. At one point I sneezed, and I was down right now, rolling on the floor like a beach ball. The diagnosis came back that I had sciatica down my right back and leg.  It was impossible for me to run for over 2 months!  Once I was given the okay by my chiropractor to run again, it was slow going, as the sciatica was still hampering me somewhat.  But soon I was plugging along and eventually my lower right back pain was all healed up, and I was moving normally. 

Even though my back injury was healed, and I wasn’t having the lower right back pain anymore, I was having trouble getting past the 3 mile mark on my runs.  Before my back injury I had been running 6 to 8 miles at a time, easily and comfortably, so it bothered me that I’d get to 3 miles and be wiped out, even though I shouldn’t have been.

So in order to challenge myself, get myself motivated to break through that 3 mile barrier and push my comfort zone, I decided to do a virtual Run Over To Ellen’s: to the Ellen TV show in Burbank, CA.  This 1,222 and a ¼ mile run from my home in Montana to the Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank will take 34 weeks running an average of 36 miles a week!  Before my lower right back pain and the sciatica issue, I was running about 18 to 24 miles a week. 

But not only am I doing this virtual Run Over To Ellen’s in the hopes of getting Ellen Degeneres tickets to see a taping of the Ellen TV show, I’m fundraising for Guide Dogs For the Blind at the same time.  My quest is to raise $30,000 for them between now and the end of the year.

So this Run Over To Ellen’s fundraising project will keep me motivated and running for 8 months!  And by doing a daily video update for the special access Donors Only page, I am determined to do the mileage.

So I think I have found my big enough “Why”…for this year anyway! 

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner  

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