My Running/Triathlon Journey

I have this separately from my weight loss journey because 1) that story is already plenty long and 2) sometimes this is a separate entity entirely.

As you can see from my Races page, my very first race was a 5k in 2007. I had just had my son in August 2006 and between September and January 2007 I gained about 24lbs and was back up to 209lbs (my all time high weight when I was pregnant was now my all time high weight non-pregnant). I was obviously upset and decided that I needed to do something other than focus on food. I decided to start the Couch to 5k program and complete my first 5k in June 2007. I trained for probably about 12 weeks for this race and at the end I was able to run the entire thing without stopping. I completed that 5k in 35:03. At first I just wanted to finish and run the whole thing; but by the end of my training I was hoping for under 35 minutes. I came SO close!

I really did get the runner's high from that first experience and had these wonderful thoughts of continuing with running that summer....I just didn't. Fast forward to the summer of 2008 and I get an email from CCFA (Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America). You see, in November 2006 I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. Anywho...this email was all about Team Challenge. This is a group similar to Team in Training, but instead of raising funds for cancer, you raise funds to find a cure for Crohn's Disease (and colitis). They were recruiting for the Ing Miami Marathon to have people train for the half marathon and raise funds for CCFA. I went to an information session and signed up on the spot! What the hell was I thinking??? I had run 1 5k in my entire life and it was a full year ago! I had done nothing since then and was sitting at a new all-time high with my weight. But, I thought I needed the challenge....the motivation.

I trained for the half marathon from October 2008 until it happened in January 2009. I learned a lot about running and worked hard. I knew that I wasn't going to be able to run 13.1 miles without stopping so I had decided that I would run a little...walk a little...run some more, etc. Unfortunately I didn't know much anything about running and knew even less about pacing myself. I remember during one of the training runs I ran an entire mile without stopping and I was SO proud! Yet, I then couldn't keep running to save my life! I still didn't learn though. During this training period we completed 2 races as a team. The first one was the Aurora Turkey Trot 4 miler, which I finished in 51:03 and the second was the Reindeer Run 5k, which took me 39:00. I was embarrassed by this time and annoyed with myself since this was so much slower than my only other 5k 2 years earlier. However, my coach reminded me that I was training for a half marathon and not a 5k so I approached it differently. Whatever. I'm just slow.

 

Before training started my goal was to just finish. However, there was a time cut-off for the course so "finishing" was officially under 4 hours. After going through training I decided I was pretty confident I could finish in 3:30 so this was my new goal. I went through the half marathon and kept a pretty good pace and ran a lot of the first half. Then, it all stopped. The person I was running with wanted to keep going and I needed to walk. I told her to leave me and that's when it really went downhill. For the last 6+ miles, I walked....I tried to run and lasted probably about 30 seconds....then I walked some more. I crossed the finish line of my first ever half marathon in 3 hours and 20 minutes. This was actually well within my goal, but it was very anti-climatic. I had set a goal of 3:30...and I beat that...but I still felt defeated when I finished.

 

I did nothing else running related in 2009. I started with a personal trainer in Feb 2009 and lost about 20lbs between then and July, but then it all went downhill again. My running (or attempts at running) started again in 2010. After I re-started my weight loss journey in August 2010, I decided I would train for another 5k. I trained for this one in about 6 weeks and crossed the finish line in 36:55....a little slower than my first 5k 3 years earlier, but faster than the one I completed in 2008. This time I decided to keep going and completed the Aurora Turkey Trot 4 miler in November 2010 with a time of 50:49. I was happy that I was able to take some time off my previous finish time.



Then, in December 2010, my sister in law asked if I had any interest in doing the Cleveland Half Marathon in May 2011. I said yes, again looking for some motivation to get my butt in gear with this weight loss stuff. This time around I was introduced to the Galloway Method. I decided on a 3/2 run/walk interval and started officially training for the half in February 2011. However, by March I still wasn't really doing what I needed to be doing and almost changed my registration to the 10k. I was nervous. I REALLY wanted to beat my previous time and didn't think I would do it. I had my 12 mile training run which took me over 3 hours to do and I felt defeated. I thought, "if I finish this half marathon slower than my first it is totally going to defeat me". I then started trying to convince myself that I'd be OK as long as I came in under 3:20. What I REALLY wanted was less than 3 hours. But, I was still fat (about 219lbs), didn't train as hard as I needed to, and that would require shaving 20 minutes off my previous time.

Finishing strong at the Cleveland Half Marathon 5/15/11
I really LOVE this picture.

It was time for the half marathon. I was crazy nervous waiting to start. The race started at 7AM, but it probably took me 10 minutes to get to the starting line. I knew the clock times would be off from my official time, but I had an idea of what my official time might be based on those clock times. I was with my SIL and her friend Adrienne. Their plan was to start with 3/2 and then switch to 4/1. My plan was to see how long I could stay with them. The race started and when 3 minutes was up I stopped to walk (as per my 3/2 plan). SIL and Adrienne kept going because they felt good. However, I soon caught up with them and then ended up being able to keep pace with them until about mile 4. They were then doing 4/1 and I just couldn't keep up. I set my watch back to the 3/2 intervals so it would beep at me when it was time to walk or run. Each mile I kept telling myself that if I could just keep my intervals until the next mile I'd be guaranteed to have a faster time than in 2009. I remember between miles 8 and 9 I couldn't remember how far I'd gone. I didn't know if I was looking for the 8 mile marker or the 9. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the 9! Then, around mile 11 I happened to look at my watch and see that it was only 9:30(ish)AM. I had told my family to get there no earlier than 10 AM because there would be NO WAY I'd finish that fast! I decided to text my husband because I remember thinking, "OMG! Even if my last 2 miles are 15 minute miles, it will be just 10AM when I cross the finish line!" And I soon realized that that would mean I could come in under 3 hours potentially! I started to get quite excited at that moment. I was tired...it was getting colder by the minute (although not a bad thing when running), but I was determined to be under 3 hours. A goal that I truly didn't think possible was about to come true! I crossed that finish line and although the clock said 3 hours and 5 minutes, I KNEW that meant I had DONE it! My official finish time was 2:56!! I felt amazing. I had a high for a solid month.

 

I started thinking of what else I could do. I had re-started my healthy eating and had also dropped 11lbs in the month of May. I was on a roll. I remember dreaming in December about wanting to try a triathlon, but thinking I'd wait until I lost the weight. After May I decided now was as good a time as any. I found a Sprint Tri in September near me and I signed up for it. I started training to swim/bike/run my first triathlon. I crossed the finish line of my first tri on 9/18/11. You can read all about it here. 

 

9/18/11 First Tri

During the Tri training, SIL and I decided we were going to do another half marathon. We signed up for Stomp the Grapes in November 2011. There was no rest after the sprint tri, as I got right back into training for my 3rd half marathon. I would say I was at my peak at this time. I upgraded to 4/1 intervals and completed this half marathon in 2:41....my current half marathon record. I finished off my racing last year with the 4 mile Turkey Trot once again and this time came in at 44:03 - just over an 11 minute mile pace (this is crazy fast for me)! My current 4 mile PR. 



Since then, I decided to challenge myself with completing as many races in 2012 as I had completed, total, through Dec. 2011. I miscounted, however, and thought that number was 10. I see now that number was actually 11. I have completed 5 races in 2012(indoor tri; half marathon; duathalon; 10 miler; and Olympic tri) and have 3 more for SURE on the schedule (10k, MARATHON, Turkey Trot). That means I need to decide on 2-3 more races between now (Sept) and Dec. 2012 in order to meet my goal (I'll take 10 OR 11 since up until today I really thought the # was 10...but I like a challenge...clearly!). My next big insane can't believe I'm doing it race is the Columbus Marathon on October 21, 2012.

Edited 10/27/12: I officially completed my first marathon and became a marathoner on 10/21/12! Read all about it here and here.