September adventure run, Cycle the wave, and a 12 miler

It's hard to find time to run, let alone blog about running.  A full time job, a lot of crazy side-gigs, 2 kids, a husband, and training for a marathon...  And then blogging about it.  Yeah, some things slip.  

I've missed two long runs.  I missed an 8 miler because I was sick a few weeks back, and then I missed a 10 mile run because my cousin was sick and I decided that Cycle the Wave was enough for the weekend.  

Here's a recap from the last few weeks to catch you up:

The September Adventure Run was a blast, as always.  My son decided not to tag along this time so I went with the 11 min pace group.  The first mile was 9:40ish.  (And that was with a stop light!!)  We lost half the group, it was crazy!  After she realized she was going too fast, the last two miles were right around the 11 min pace.  Much better, but going from zero to booking it down the street made my left hip hurt.  It was kinda killing me towards the end of the run but I was determined to GET ALL THE TICKETS!!!

My cousin was sick so she didn't make it to the run.  But here's a few pics of the gals who made it down.  It gets awfully dark early in September so we were being dorky....

Me, VK Sista, Our new PNW VK Sista, and Cheetah.

And... us being spooky.

Like I said, my cousin was sick so she couldn't do our 10 mile run so I was trying to decide whether or not to do it by myself.   (I had Cycle the Wave the next day so I wasn't sure if I wanted to do the run anyway.)  I called VK Sista and asked if she'd run with me for a few miles after we were done with our ride.  We decided we'd do the 60 mile ride, and then do a 5K after.  

After the STP, I made the decision to spend my energy running.  No cycling until I was done with my marathon.  Training would get too overwhelming otherwise.  BUT I had already signed up for Cycle the Wave because it was such a blast the year before that I made an exception.  Last year we did the 37 mile (I think... maybe we did the 45...  Somewhere around there anyway.)  This year I figured, since I skipped my run, that I'd do the "Burly Girl" 60 miler.  

Around the 25 mile mark, there was the "point of no return" and we choose the 60 mile route.  There was HUGE hill after HUGE hill.  My hip was still hurting from Thursday, and at a rest stop I told VK Sista' that I wasn't having any fun.  I signed up for this to take a break from running and have a fun break cycling and to eat amazing food at the finish line.  I was getting really worried I was going to screw up my hip even more and I wouldn't be able to run.  I decided to bail.  I wish I chose the 37 mile route but I was too ambitious.  I had my husband pick me up and take me to the finish line.  He found me at mile 35.  I got a ride, and VK Sista finished the route like the total badass kitten she is.

I felt like a total failure even though I did 35 miles after not being on my bike for months, and I was trying to do what's best and listen to my body.  Also... I pretty much finished as many miles as I did last year on the other route so I shouldn't feel like I failed.  I just finished the "little sister" route instead.  (I didn't do the 5K on foot we planned to do either.)

Overall, it was still a fun day.  I waited for VK Sista' for only an hour and a half (Did I mention she's badass?) while I sat in the grass in the sun and read a book on my phone.  Much needed "me time"! And then we ate some amazing finisher food.  

Here's a few pics...

At the start line

She brought us Vanderkitten tattoos!

After doing my training runs on my treadmill at home during the week, I was excited about getting outside for my 12 mile run.  BUT my cousin had plans early in the day so she wanted to meet at 6AM.  *Yawn* .  I got up at 5am and drove to her house so we could do our run on the Cedar River Trail.  We were off and running before the sun was up.  

A blurry, dark photo of my cousin running in front of me.

My hip felt a lot better than it did the weekend before, but not 100%.  Also, I'm still trying to get used to my Altra Torin shoes and my calves kill me.  (That most likely has a lot to do with the probable stress fracture I have in my left foot too!)  But I love the shoes so far.  I didn't even use any KT Tape. Just compression sleeves and plantar sleeves!

I started my HIIT IT music mix and did walk/run intervals almost the entire 12 miles.  But I finished!!!  ...And being a mile less than a half marathon, I actually felt really great afterwards.  It gives me hope for my marathon!  I have a little spot on my arm that was rubbed raw because it was rubbing on the buckle on my hydration pack.  But overall, so far so good!

Some deer on the route.  :)

This is me recovering from my run in the hot tub with a mocha!

I'll try to update more often, but no promises!
We have a 8 miler this weekend but because we skipped a couple of long runs, we're going to do 10 miles this weekend instead.  And then we have the Snohomish River Run Half Marathon the weekend after.  That's supposed to be my longest run so far.... 14 miles.  So I figure I'll just have to run a half mile further than the turn-around point... if that makes any sense.

Onward!

It's really fun to be one of those crazy people

The first year we did the Warrior Dash, we saw some people covered in powder from the Color Run.  We were so nervous to do the Warrior Dash alone that we thought these people were absolutely out of their minds to do the Color Run and THEN the Warrior Dash in the same day.  We were kind of in awe of these crazy people.

Last year I saw these same type of crazy people again and I thought, "I could do that.  I'm going to do that next year!"  So I signed up.  Color Run in the morning, Warrior Dash in the afternoon.  After all the training I have done the past 2 years, it didn't seem like a big deal.  And it really wasn't.  It was a blast.  It's pretty amazing how far I've come.

I have so many photos from this day.  I chose just a few of my favorites for this blog post:

Before the Color Run in the Shout Photo Booth with my husband and cousin

Me and my cousin at the start line... with BUBBLES!

So, my husband won this shirt for getting first place in the Shout obstacle course
so we talked him into joining us in the race!  He blended in just fine.  :)

My husband and me

Like a vampire?

At the finish line!

So fun to have my husband do this run with me.  

And here we are at the start of the Warrior Dash!

We threw glitter color packets when the start line fired up!

True love right here

My cousin and me after throwing color packets on top of the bridge

Best photo ever

Done!

"After" Photo!

Me and my cousin

Raaarrrr!!!

See?!  We're officially crazy!

It was a really fun day.  I overheard a lot of people from the Warrior Dash commenting on the fact that we came from the Color Run.  I love that I remember doing exactly the same thing a couple years ago.  Crazy people!

After two races, we went back to our hotel and took turns showering off the mud, color, and glitter.  My cousin and her clan went home and my husband and I planned to go to dinner and a movie.  When there wasn't a good movie playing, we walked a couple miles to REI and back instead.  You know, because we didn't get in enough miles already.  When we climbed into bed that night, I looked at my Garmin and it said I did exactly 13.1 miles (A half marathon) for the day.  :)

Excited to be crazy again this year.  Maybe even crazier!

Busy life, busy training schedule.

Well, sorry I haven't updated in a bit.  I've been busy at work filling in on routes.  (Delivering cookies and muffin tops.) Fun fun!  However, it's quite the workout and I average 12,000 steps per day!

Lots of heavy boxes!

I bought new shoes!!!  Altra Torins!  They're the closest thing to running in my Vibram Five Fingers as I can get but gives me much more support.  They have a wide toe box, and zero drop.  So far they're amazing!  

Other than that, I've just been chugging along with my training schedule.  I do my long runs with my cousin on weekends, and weekdays I either spend in my neighborhood, or on the treadmill after boot camp with VK Sista.  Boot camp is tough!!

Sweaty Selfie!

AdvoCare Post Workout Recovery!  Ah.

I went almost 7 weeks without missing a run.  (Or at least a run/walk...Stupid foot.) Then I caught a really crappy cold that knocked me straight to bed.  I skipped my 8 miler last weekend for Week 6 Day 3.  I was going to try to make it up but I realize it's not going to happen, and that's ok.  I'm still very early in marathon training.  This Saturday is the Color Run and Warrior Dash!  Can't wait!  Bring on week 7, and less sniffles!