The past month has been a runners dream for me. My partner, Tyson, has been doing his rural rotation for medical school in Granby, Colorado a small town in the mountains between Winter Park and Steamboat Springs. While I had to stay in Denver during the week, somebody has to pay the bills, and even on most of the weekends so I could work summer outreach for work, I got to head up to stay with Tyson on my days off!
Tyson was housed in an over-the-garage apartment on a beautiful ranch with an amazing view of the resort in Winter park. Since I was mostly in the mountains on Mondays and Tuesdays while Tyson was at work I explored the ranch and neighboring towns and also got to run at an even higher altitude than normal. Denver's at a mile-high (5280 ft) but Granby is just below 8,000 feet above sea-level.
You don't really think about it when you're a Colorado native, but it is hard to exercise at that altitude. The first time I decided to take on the county road the ranch was built of off was the day after I ran the Bolder Boulder. Not really thinking about it I assumed that if I could run 6.2 miles in 1:01:17 (my goal was one hour even) then I could take on the five mile round trip no problem. This would be the point where someone should have smacked me across the face to knock some sense into me! But since Tyson was at work, I was by myself and started running on the side of the road.
I was doing pretty well, it was still really cool in the mountains so I wasn't too hot, and every single person I passed (read 3) waved and said hello! SO friendly! And the view was amazing, I felt like I had somehow found my way into Mary Poppins and was able to be a live person working my way through a piece of art, the only thing that proved to me that that was not the case was that Dick Van Dyke was no where to be found, and dancing penguins were out of the picture all together!
It's when you start to get comfortable that things start to go down hill! I started to feel really tired after what I thought was about 2 miles and maybe 20 minutes of running. So I turned around for what I thought would end up being a 4 mile run. On the way back home I started to see black spots blurring out my once picturesque view and it seemed like the way back was much longer than the way out!
By the time I got back to the ranch I was a wreck. So much so that the ranch dogs, Listo and Lacy, gave me one of those looks that says, "If I could actually speak I would tell you to sit down right now, because you are a hot mess!" So I went up to the apartment to find out that what I thought had been a quick 40 minute run was actually 1:15 run! Those four miles kicked my ass and left me with little other than the ability to sleep afterwards.
This was one of those tough running experiences, that would make a lesser woman curl up in a ball and cry for mom (which I did, at least once) but each time I went up to the mountains to visit Tyson, I got my run in, and each time it got a little easier!
My next challenge, a half marathon from Georgetown to Idaho Springs more than 8,000 above sea level the whole way! Yikes!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
I did it!
So the morning of the Boulder Half Marathon, I had what we should probably be referring to as a minor melt down. My confidence was completely shot, if you couldn't tell from my previous post, and I had my self convinced that I would not be able to finish. To make it worse, the few people that are able to talk me off of such a ledge fell in to one of the following categories: 1)refuses to run unless it is an emergency and even then it better be a good one; 2) exploring the world; and 3)6am on a Sunday is a time period that has never been personally witnessed.
Luckily for me I had Tyson. He gave me a pep talk as he made my breakfast of champions (2 eggs, scrambled, cheddar cheese melted on top, glass of Naked Juice Green Machine), gave me a confidence nudge as I was crying on the couch, distracted me on the drive up to Boulder, and the most amazing thing of all, ran the whole thing with me, even though he hadn't trained for it, or planned on it. To top that all off, he was my personal photographer throughout the race, so I have something to show everyone that falls into the above categories!
The first 4 miles or so were pretty solid, I felt like I was pacing myself well and had found a couple that was going right around my pace in front of me that I could chase! It was right around this point that I got a phone call from an international number I wasn't familiar with (Yes, I was carrying my phone, and I answered it!) It was my mom calling from Israel! She wanted to see if I was done yet. The answer of course was no, the race hadn't even started a full hour ago yet, so I told her to callback later,"Give me an hour" I said. Little did I know she was setting a timer. But it was nice to hear from her, it was that little voice I needed to keep me moving.
Mile 5 is when things started getting a little rough. The way the trail is laid out, there are a bunch of sharp turns, so you can't actually see the turn around point until it is right in front of you. That last mile and half was the longest 7,920 feet I'd seen to this point. But once I got to the turn around it was much easier for me to play the mind game with myself, after all I had already gone farther than the distance I still had to go!
As we got to the hills Tyson gave me advice on how to get over them without wearing myself out, he ran track and cross country while in undergrad, so he seemed like a reliable source for the information! At this point I was feeling pretty good, we'd' made our way through most of the sharp turns and I could see the Boulder Reservoir in the distance where I would eventually find the finish line.
Exactly one hour after the previous call, and shortly after I passed the 11 mile mark, I felt my phone vibrating in my hand and could hear Fitz and the Trantrums wailing "Oh what a lovely day" over the Lady Gaga I had playing on my iPod, it was mom.
Mom: "Are you done yet?"
Becca:"No, I'm not done yet, I have 2 miles left!"
Mom: "Ok, so I should call you in like 15 minutes?"
Becca: "Mom, I have run 11 miles so far, it's going to take a little longer to go the last 2!"
Mom: "So 20 minutes?"
Becca: "Fine, 20 minutes!"
I think she was a little anxious since she was on the other side of the world, that or she was getting my ESP on a 2 hour delay, from my melt down earlier in the morning letting her know I needed my mom!
At this point in the run you are so close you can taste it, but your body is seriously considering throwing a revolution (the type that will not be televised). My breathing was pretty steady, but my quads were calling in for air-strikes and my knees had made arraignments with NATO to take over if this thing was going to go for much longer. Meanwhile, Tyson, seemingly walking next to me but keeping perfect pace, was studying for the Medical Boards on his cell phone (which threw a few of our fellow runner for a loop)!
At the very end, Tyson ran ahead to get a few last minute photos of my run and to catch me at the finish line. He caught me instead on the phone with my mom.
Mom: "Are you done yet?"
Becca: "Mom, you are KILLING me here, this is a 13.1 mile race, it is going to take me some time!"
Mom: "Ok well you're Dad and I are going to go to dinner, we will call you later though!"
Becca: "GREAT Mom, talk to you later!"
As I made the final turn before crossing the finish line I saw my sister, waiting for me like she said she would!
I am so glad to be done with the Boulder Half, but Tyson is working on convincing me to do the Colfax Half in May.
I think I'll do it!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Is it just me is 13.1 miles really far?
After 10 months of training, 3 pairs of shoes, many bottles of Advil and at least one tube of Neosporin I am half way into my training and (I think) I'm ready to prove it by running my half marathon tomorrow!
The Boulder Half Marathon is at the Boulder Reservoir and I am really nervous!
Everyone keeps telling me that I will be fine and there is nothing to worry about because I will have all sorts of adrenaline helping me to get through it. But how is everyone so much more confident than I am? The farthest I've run so far is 10 miles and I was not feeling incredibly awesome after wards. Can adrenaline really push me those last 3.1 miles and make me feel like I don't want to die at the end of this?
Since my confidence is clearly lacking at this point, I Googled some running words of encouragement, and decided to share them here:
"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."
- Steve Prefontaine
"I always loved running...it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs."
-Jesse Owens
"The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare."
-Juma Ikangaa, 1989 NYC Marathon winner
"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that."
-Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon co-founder
"Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it."
-Oprah Winfrey
"Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it's all about."
-PattiSue Plumer, U.S. Olympian
"Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?'"
- Peter Maher, Canadian marathon runner
"We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves...The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, 'You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.' The human spirit is indomitable."
-Sir Roger Bannister, first runner to run a sub-4 minute mile
"Ask yourself: 'Can I give more?'. The answer is usually: 'Yes'."
-Paul Tergat, Kenyan professional marathoner
I will write again tomorrow to let everyone know my time and will hopefully have some pictures!
The Boulder Half Marathon is at the Boulder Reservoir and I am really nervous!
Everyone keeps telling me that I will be fine and there is nothing to worry about because I will have all sorts of adrenaline helping me to get through it. But how is everyone so much more confident than I am? The farthest I've run so far is 10 miles and I was not feeling incredibly awesome after wards. Can adrenaline really push me those last 3.1 miles and make me feel like I don't want to die at the end of this?
Since my confidence is clearly lacking at this point, I Googled some running words of encouragement, and decided to share them here:
"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."
- Steve Prefontaine
"I always loved running...it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs."
-Jesse Owens
"The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare."
-Juma Ikangaa, 1989 NYC Marathon winner
"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that."
-Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon co-founder
"Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it."
-Oprah Winfrey
"Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it's all about."
-PattiSue Plumer, U.S. Olympian
"Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?'"
- Peter Maher, Canadian marathon runner
"We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves...The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, 'You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.' The human spirit is indomitable."
-Sir Roger Bannister, first runner to run a sub-4 minute mile
"Ask yourself: 'Can I give more?'. The answer is usually: 'Yes'."
-Paul Tergat, Kenyan professional marathoner
I will write again tomorrow to let everyone know my time and will hopefully have some pictures!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Running as a team sport
On the surface, running is an individual sport, but since we started this journey I've learned it is much more like a team sport. Everyday I am the one that has to convince myself to lace up my shoes and pound the pavement, but when I'm out in the world, touring the parks, trails and sidewalks of Denver, that is when my team shows up.
This morning as I walked out of my building, there were two homeless men in the foyer, they'd been there over night protecting themselves from the cold and they were the first to tell me to have a good run. Turning the corner and running past the Governor's mansion I past dozens of cars, their drivers on the way to work; whenever the street lights turns red, the drivers that are first in line are like my cheerleaders, the lights on the car like the spotlights in a stadium.
Cheeseman Park is when I meet up with my competition, luckily it is always friendly. I took two laps of the park this morning and each time my fellow runners and I past each other we gave "the nod." You know the one. It's when two runners going in opposite directions look each other in the eye and lift their chins slightly. That little movement, that could easily be confused as a muscle spasm to the untrained eye, is all I need to keep my my left leg following my right. The nod says "Good morning, nice to see you again. Sweet kicks, are those new? I thought I saw that Runners Roost was having a sale this weekend. There's a big hill up ahead but keep going, you're doing great!" There aren't any classes you can take to learn proper etiquette of the nod. It almost seems like the nod was developed on accident as people's heads were bobbing along on the trail.
On the way back to my apartment there was a driver that had pulled out into the driveway, blocking my path to cross the street. As I got close the driver waved at me as he put the car in reverse and backed out of my way. It was all I needed to go the last few blocks.
I like team sports. They keep me running, day in and day out.
-Becca
This morning as I walked out of my building, there were two homeless men in the foyer, they'd been there over night protecting themselves from the cold and they were the first to tell me to have a good run. Turning the corner and running past the Governor's mansion I past dozens of cars, their drivers on the way to work; whenever the street lights turns red, the drivers that are first in line are like my cheerleaders, the lights on the car like the spotlights in a stadium.
Cheeseman Park is when I meet up with my competition, luckily it is always friendly. I took two laps of the park this morning and each time my fellow runners and I past each other we gave "the nod." You know the one. It's when two runners going in opposite directions look each other in the eye and lift their chins slightly. That little movement, that could easily be confused as a muscle spasm to the untrained eye, is all I need to keep my my left leg following my right. The nod says "Good morning, nice to see you again. Sweet kicks, are those new? I thought I saw that Runners Roost was having a sale this weekend. There's a big hill up ahead but keep going, you're doing great!" There aren't any classes you can take to learn proper etiquette of the nod. It almost seems like the nod was developed on accident as people's heads were bobbing along on the trail.
On the way back to my apartment there was a driver that had pulled out into the driveway, blocking my path to cross the street. As I got close the driver waved at me as he put the car in reverse and backed out of my way. It was all I needed to go the last few blocks.
I like team sports. They keep me running, day in and day out.
-Becca
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Thank God for Treadmills
I HATE TREADMILLS. It's true, I can't deny it any longer. Treadmills have the amazing ability to suck my soul out of my body through my feet. The worst part is that the gym in my building doesn't have a tv in it to distract me from the sheer boredom that is the treadmill. Plus, as if every person in the world couldn't already find something they didn't like about their bodies, there are giant mirrors set up in front of the treadmills. They are conveniently placed so that you can see your face get red as you lose your breath and your thighs giggling around as your legs hit the conveyor belt! It's nauseating really.
Even though these things all add up to a totally legitimate hatred of running indoors I find myself living what an environment that has recently transformed itself into something that can be most easily described as the frozen tundra of mother Russia. I've gotten pretty good at handling cold weather, but -17 degrees just doesn't work for me.
On top of that last week I got the great news that I had both a sinus infection and pink eye! I couldn't make it up the stairs at work without having to send word (through use of a little known network of Denver Sherpas) that I would be setting up camp overnight and would summit in the morning. Plus eye infections have a well documented impact on a runners ability to maintain their footing!
So tonight, after more than a week without a run, I needed it. I needed the run like mean girls in 7th grade need someone with low self esteem! So, I caved, and I got on the treadmill.
It was glorious! I finally got to test out my new shoes even though it's only 1 degree outside!
While I maintain my strong dislike for small conveyor belts and unchanging scenery, I've decided that I don't have to pound the pavement to get my trot on!
Even though these things all add up to a totally legitimate hatred of running indoors I find myself living what an environment that has recently transformed itself into something that can be most easily described as the frozen tundra of mother Russia. I've gotten pretty good at handling cold weather, but -17 degrees just doesn't work for me.
On top of that last week I got the great news that I had both a sinus infection and pink eye! I couldn't make it up the stairs at work without having to send word (through use of a little known network of Denver Sherpas) that I would be setting up camp overnight and would summit in the morning. Plus eye infections have a well documented impact on a runners ability to maintain their footing!
So tonight, after more than a week without a run, I needed it. I needed the run like mean girls in 7th grade need someone with low self esteem! So, I caved, and I got on the treadmill.
It was glorious! I finally got to test out my new shoes even though it's only 1 degree outside!
While I maintain my strong dislike for small conveyor belts and unchanging scenery, I've decided that I don't have to pound the pavement to get my trot on!
Monday, February 7, 2011
If you like Pina Coladas...
Or getting caught in the rain, which is exactly what I did on Saturday morning. Saturday was one of those dreary, wet days, in lovely DC and I got my tush out of bed and ran. While I was prepared for the cold temperature, I was NOT prepared for the drizzle. After 10 miles a drizzle can really do some damage. Needless to say I was soaking, but man it felt good! We ended by going up the Woodley Park Hill, which for those that don't know is a long, treacherous, "death" hill that is a perfect cherry on top of a hard run. But hey, I'm in the double digits!
Also, I saw this story http://www.newser.com/story/111442/man-runs-365-marathons-in-one-year.html which reminded me why we started this whole thing. Can you imagine doing 365 marathons? That can't be good for your body!
Also, I saw this story http://www.newser.com/story/111442/man-runs-365-marathons-in-one-year.html which reminded me why we started this whole thing. Can you imagine doing 365 marathons? That can't be good for your body!
Monday, January 17, 2011
My new expensive hobby
I am running more than ever! I just got back from a 5 mile run and I feel great! I am going a body attack class tonight, though so we'll see after that. My pace is getting better and I am baring the cold weather (which really isn't that bad). The bad part about running for a girl like me is it open a whole new shopping world! I now have to go into all the athletic stores to see what's on sale, what's new and how cute I can look while I run. Please, how cute can anyone look while they run??
I am still running with the DC road runners and I really like it. For anyone who is scared of long runs and just can't get in the mindset I would highly recommend running with a group.
As for my new purchases they have mostly centered around warm clothes and long spandex pants (I am fortunate to have no butt so spandex doesn't look to gross on me). I did have to get one of those water bottle belts, though, so we'll see... I'll keep you updated on some of my other purchases!!
I am still running with the DC road runners and I really like it. For anyone who is scared of long runs and just can't get in the mindset I would highly recommend running with a group.
As for my new purchases they have mostly centered around warm clothes and long spandex pants (I am fortunate to have no butt so spandex doesn't look to gross on me). I did have to get one of those water bottle belts, though, so we'll see... I'll keep you updated on some of my other purchases!!
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