Run Like a Girl

Hey Preps!

My pup and I post-marathon

It was 3:30 in the morning, and I gave up on sleep.  The anticipation of an event that I had spent months training for and visualizing kept me from sleeping until my 4:00 alarm sounded.  For the first time, I didn't mind waking up prior to my alarm.  I was ready.  Out of bed I went, and into my running attire.  Then there was the pre-race rituals, oatmeal, stretching, and packing my SPEEDO bag until it was jammed full (I have this thing about leaving space in bags).  I was ready.  It was marathon day.

My dad is the best in the world.  I am sure of it.  Only he, would wake up at the same time as me, to meet me at my apartment and drive me into Pittsburgh for my big race.  He is my biggest fan and best friend.  He also knows exactly what to/what not to say at all the right times.  I can't remember a single race throughout my life that my father wasn't at cheering me on.  That alone says so much about the amazing person he is.

He knows my race rituals.  He also knows I don't talk very much before races.  So, for the most part we remained mutually quiet during the drive.  A past marathoner himself, he knows exactly what I am about to endure.  He told a few stories that eased my nerves...and gave me a ton of encouragement as we parted ways at the starting line.

Here we go...

Pre-race you get corralled into different sections based on your seed time.  I made it into my corral and waited with 25,000 other people for the starting shotgun sound.  Away we went...

I had spent months training for this.  Today was the day to accomplish something I had dreamed about for years.  I couldn't help but smiling as I fell into my pace and let my feet do the cruisin.  Over bridges, up hills, winding everywhere throughout Pittsburgh, I was proud.  I had so much pride for what I was doing, and for my city.  Running through the towns of Pittsburgh, and having the incredible support of so many people was emotionally moving for me.

Every so often I would glance at my watch to check my pace, but was nervous when I passed mile 8, and my pace was right on track with what my dad had thought I should be running (I thought it was too fast).  I had a slight freakout moment.

"Am I going to fast? What if I die at the end?"

I started playing mind games...but listened to my body, and my heart, and kept pushing my pace.  I wasn't going to let the psychological part of the race beat me.

The course started heading down into the South Side of Pittsburgh, and there he was.  Mile 10.2.  My stink bug flushing, supportive, gentleman was there to cheer me on.

"Come on Kalyn, your ahead of pace...keep it up! You look strong!"

I blushed as I glanced back down at my feet after making eyes at him.  No slowing down, no giving up.

Part of the reason I decided to run the marathon was to work through my past.  I run through my problems, and I signed up for the marathon after a break-up.  Months of training, and recovering, and there I was, running the race that helped me overcome emotions, a damaged heart, and the limits I had previously placed on myself.

Never in a million years did I think I would have the guy who "made me blush" for over a year at the gym supporting me as I was running my big race.  It is so funny how life works, and how much running alone has given me.  I look back on the past few months, and running is what really has saved me.  I am a much happier person now, and I thought I was happy before.

Mile 15 came...there was my loving father.  Taking pictures and running along the road next to me.


"Great pace KK you are killing it!"

What a great dad.

I kept pushing.  I was beginning to feel the pain, my muscles ached, they cramped, but I kept going.

Mile 22...pushing through the wall

Mile 22. The wall came.  Every muscle in my legs felt fatigued, my pace started to fall...then all of a sudden, I see my dad, running along the sidewalk next to me.  He ran the whole mile uphill with me until the 23 mile marker.  He knew this is where I would be struggling, and he was there to help me through it.

Do you have amazing people like this in your life?  That will help you work through any adversities, heart break, and pain you may endure?  Who support you and your passions?  If so, appreciate them.  They don't come along very often.  

I slowly worked through the pain and worked back up to my pace.  Mile 25 came...ONE MORE MILE, and of course it was uphill.  I pushed myself.  I somehow found the strength to kick my stride into full gear as I sprinted into the finish.  I clocked out three minutes before my goal...and the second I officially crossed the finish line, every muscle in my body stopped working...and I peed my pants.  Yep. couldn't even hold my bladder.  Always have to make a grand entrance.

I peed my freaking pants.

There I was.  Wet pants, sweaty, exhausted, and incredibly happy.  I did it.  26.2 miles.  I had overcome pain (both emotional and physical), stereotypes, psychological negativity, and had done something I had always wanted to do.

There is nothing like setting a goal, working hard, and achieving it.  What are you going to achieve that you have deemed impossible?

Just Show Up

Hey Preps!

This week I am tapering my distance run down to 14 miles...

that means cutting more calories out of the diet.  

I feel great though! 

Cut and taper time = Marathon is sooo soon!

 Pumped!

Last night after a Bootcamp class that I teach, I (being the crazy that I am) decided I needed to do a little bit more cardio for the day.  Sure, I had ran sprint intervals for my weekly 'speedwork' workout of the week earlier, but was zoning in on some chub above the knees.  We all do it.  There are always areas of our body that we feel self-concious about.  For me, I know that when I pack on a few pounds, they go straight to my booty and thighs.  Now that I am cutting for the marathon, I am slightly more self-aware of the areas I need to be targeting.  

So I sneak down to the Fitness Center by taking the back staircase from my classroom to avoid anyone who wants to talk to me for an hour.  The problem with being a trainer and teaching classes is that everyone wants your time, even when you are not on duty.  Being as busy as I am, I really can't talk to people during my own workouts.  That doesn't mean I am standoffish to people, it just means that I am matter of fact with them.  I love working with people and hearing their stories, but not when I have to crank out a run or a good solid lift (which I hardly rest in between sets) and someone comes over to me to tell me about the new helmet for their bike they got, I am supportive, but brief.  The point is, sometimes I struggle with getting in my own workouts because I am in the environment that is my profession.  

As soon as I enter the Fitness Center, a lady I work with comes blubbering in.  Gosh, I love her.  She has been kicking her own butt into shape and I am so proud of her dedication.  The issue was that she gained a pound in a month.  She gained instead of lost.  With anyone I am working with, I recommend that you don't obsess about your weight daily, but instead, weigh yourself once a month.  I also take my client's measurements so we can see where they have lost their weight.  To me, this is a more accurate count of how well you are doing...since the goal is to build lean muscle and lose fat...and fact known is muscle weights significantly more than fat.  

So, I got caught up in motivating her in other ways.  We measured her, and I asked her how her jeans were fitting.  She said loose.  I explained the muscle/fat ratio, and promised her that she would lose weight in the next three months if she kept up with her nutrition and workout plans.  

By the time that was over, it was an hour later.  I was cold from being sedentary so long after my class, and had to go through the motivation process again.  After finishing my run it was 10:30PM.  The fitness center had already closed, but since I work there I do have the advantage of staying after hours occasionally.  

I went home and ate something light since it was so late, and passed out.  

This morning, my alarm clock screeched at 5:30AM and I felt like I had gotten zero sleep.  To get up?  Not to get up?  I made the terrible decision to sleep in longer...I woke up at 6:30, and moved at a turtle pace to put on my swimsuit and make the trek over to the gym.  

"At least Janell and Heather will be gone by now..." 

I thought as I slipped into the locker room and stripped off the layers of sweats I had on.  

"Oh Kalyn! Good! You are here!  Heather and Ann are just getting in the pool!"

I turn around and there is Janell, a mother of two, a physical therapist, and an incredibly talented distance Triathlete.  

"Great. Busted."

Before I knew it, I was in a freezing cold pool pounding out sets of 200s followed by 50 sprints.  I was killing it.  I mean, they couldn't even keep up.  It was like every stroke I could pull even more water, as my legs propelled me forward in a fury of unsettled water.  Thank goodness I ran into Janell, or I would have been very lazy today.  

All three of the ladies I swim with are accomplished Triathletes.  They all have incredible careers, families (Heather is pregnant, and still keeps up with me in the water), and are some of the most dedicated athletes I know.  Do you think they have time to do a lazy workout?  Definitely not.  

I know there are days where you dread going to the gym.  It happens to all of us.  It happened to me today, yet getting up and showing up are the hardest steps in the process.  Sure, you will have to battle through sweat, pain, and really push yourself sometimes.  Yet, that's better than not showing up at all.  

For myself, I have found that the days I have little or no expectation about my workouts sometimes catch me by surprise and I leave the gym knowing I really did kick my own butt.  That's a really rewarding feeling.

I challenge you, to just show up.  No matter how hard it is, or what time limits you have, find a way.  I promise you won't disappoint yourself.  

P.S. to those who were wondering, yes, I am running the Pittsburgh Marathon!

Have a blessed day y'all!