Today I don't have anything riveting I want to talk about, just wanted to write one more post for 2011. As time goes by I feel more and more like a "regular" person than a weight loss surgery patient. Because of this feeling or normalcy, I bought some Guinness beer to celebrate tonight. Drinking is a whole lot different in post op life. My limit is 3 drinks. I will have these few drinks on special occasions, usually the evening after a good race. New Year's Eve feels like a special occasion, and I didn't "celebrate" in this way after the marathon because my stomach felt horrid. The funny thing about drinking post op is it goes through me very fast. I will have a drink or two, feel tipsy for about 30 to 45 minutes, and then I'm back to normal like I never drank anything.
As I mentions in my recent youtube videos, 2011 was a huge year. There is no way I will be able to top it in 2012, so I will just work on getting faster. I am excited about working on getting faster as opposed to going longer. I am also so excited about traveling a little farther to race in triathlons to see how I do in a bigger field, and against faster competitors.
Ironman finisher, I still can't believe it. I earned this title in 2011. I will tackle Ironman Louisville again in 2013. It has been very difficult to fight the urge to sign up for another ironman in 2012, but I am sticking true to my decisions to only race half ironmans and under in 2012.
I already know in addition to many tough speed workouts, 2012 is going to be a challenging year. I'll be finishing school and trying to figure out what is next in my professional life, trying to find a job I can live with, and continue to try and find the balance in my life among other things. Joel is deploying to Afghanistan in the fall, so many tears and so much heartache are to come.
Happy New Year to all my readers! Stay safe and be careful out there!
I'm Jillian,this is my journey from a morbidly obese woman to endurance athlete
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Race Report-Jacksonville Bank Marathon 2011
A little background
Doing this marathon was a last minute decision. After Ironman Louisville I vowed to do nothing longer than a half marathon for 6 months. I did one more sprint triathlon 3 weeks after ironman where I placed 1st in my age group and then decided to end my triathlon season and spend the winter focusing on running to get faster-at the short distance stuff, nothing longer than a half marathon.
For our 6 year anniversary, me and Joel ran a half marathon together, my 5th, his 1st ever. A few days after that he decided he wanted to try running a marathon. With Joel committing to a marathon, I decided I wanted to try another one, see what I could do by training properly, last year I trained completely wrong for the marathon, and I still managed a 4:17. I wanted to see how far I could push myself, how much I could make myself hurt and still keep going, and mostly see if I could possibly get a time that started in 3, yes, the coveted jewel for me at this point in my fitness progress was the sub 4 hour marathon. I was confident I could do it, but I knew it would hurt.
I started training for this marathon mid October. I didn't follow a training plan. I did the workouts I knew I needed to do, when I needed to do them. I did 4-5 runs a week, and 1 one hour cycling interval on the bike trainer a week. My runs included a 4-mile speedwork(treadmill), a 6-8 mile moderate distance tempo run, a 5-mile speedwork, and a long-slow distance starting at 12 miles and going up 2 miles every week. Some weeks I needed 2 rest days, so on weeks that had 4 runs the 5 mile speedwork would get dropped. I slept in my calf sleeves every night and drank 2-3 protein shakes a day for recovery in addition to food protein in meals.
The race
We didn't do the hotel thing, so we left for Jacksonville at 3am. Aunt Flow had graced me with her presence that morning and I was not happy to see her. Already not the best start to the day, 4 hours of sleep and an unwelcomed visitor. Got to the race site, picked up our race packets and set up out bibs and timing chips. Went to the porta potties a few times. Hung around waiting for the race to start. I was confident in my training, but this morning I was unsure if it was going to be a sub 4 hour day. Nonetheless, I was happy to be there, and happy to be wearing my Team RWB shirt and hat for the race.
The first 3 miles were an out and back, 1.5 miles out, turn around, and cross the starting line again while stepping over a timing mat at the 3.1 mile mark. I crossed this mat in 28:06. Me and Joel were still together at this point, around mile 4, the course went off the main road and went into residential area. I started focusing on my pace and breathing and realized that Joel was nowhere to be found, I kept looking behind me and he wasn't there.
I was trying to weave around people, it was hard because so many people wear headphones and they can't hear anything, so if I say "right behind you" they have no idea I am trying to pass a wall of people all oblivious to the people trying to get around them because of their headphones with blaring music. I don't wear headphones in races. Reached the 6 mile point and said to myself "only 20 more to go". I spotted the 4 hour pace group by the white balloon with a 4:00 on it, I passed it and told myself "just stay in front of that stupid balloon".I started thinking about Christmas, and spending time with Joel and the girls, and seeing their faces on Christmas morning excited about all the gift we got them, we started our Christmas shopping in September. At mile 8 the half marathoners split off to the finish of their race, I yelled to them "Merry Christmas!" and nobody smiled or waved or even said it back, a few of them just gave me strange looks. Made it to the 10-mile mat and crossed it in 1:27:29. I was thinking "16 more miles and I am a 2-time marathon finisher.
I had told Joel on several occasions that the 10-mile point is where things start to get difficult. It is the point where the excitement of starting the race is over, and you are nowhere near finished. I was at the 10-mile point, and was feeling pretty good, I was really wondering how Joel was feeling, as well as where he was at this point. At the pace I was going, I was on par for a sub 4 hour marathon. Mile 11 came and I was starting to feel that dreaded bubble gut feeling. I had been taking a GU gel every 5 miles, which had worked awesome in training, but just like last month at the Thanksgiving Day half, it seemed like my body wanted to reject it once I hit a certain pace. I ignored the bubble gut feeling hoping it would go away.
About halfway through mile 11 the course passed a small cemetery. For some reason my eyes were drawn to this cemetery. Wondering about what kind of people are buried there. I said a silent prayer for the families of those in the cemetery, who would be spending a Christmas without their loved ones who was buried there.
Made it to the halfway point, crossed the mat in 1:55:14. I was halfway done and I was starting to feel not so good. I stared at the ground while running, it is a coping skill for me when I am hurting. Halfway done, and still on par for a sub 4 hour time. Mile 14 is when the wheels started falling off, way too early for a marathon. My calves were aching, my hamstrings were tight, my gut was feeling funny in a bad way. In my pain I thought back to my time in Iraq, I always go back here when I am hurting, it reminds me that no matter how bad I may feel in a race, that I am here in the race because I want to be here, I am safe, and no one is going to shoot me or my friends, another coping skill. Iraq was scary, walking across the desert in heavy gear in 130 degree heat hurts too. I remember all I have been through in my Iraq deployments, and it gets me through the dark places in a long race.
Mile 16 I had a near "opps I crapped my pants moment" so right after the mile marker was a porta-pottie. GI DISTRESS!!!!! AGGGHHHH!!!!! NOW????!!!!!!ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!!SUB 4 HOURS IS ON THE LINE!!!!!!!!!!
Finally got out of the porta pottie after what seemed like forever. As soon as I stepped out I saw that stupid 4 hour balloon and I was pissed! Obviously I had been sitting for a few minutes so I had a little pep back. I took off and quickly passed that stupid 4 hour balloon and didn't look back, I knew I had to create a gap between me and that stupid balloon to still have a chance at sub 4. This may had been a mistake, but suddenly I found myself a woman possessed. I didn't want to lose a chance at sub 4 hours, especially not knowing when I would get another shot since I already know I am not running a marathon next year.
Without even realizing it I had just ran the next 4 miles at an 8:20 pace in an effort to create a gap between me and the 4 hour balloon. Made it to the 20 mile timing mat in 2:59:34. Right after that a National Guard soldier saw my OIF tattoo and we were talking about the Army. I think he was hurting too and just wanted to talk to somebody to get his mind off the pain. It helped me as well and we were at mile 21. He ran ahead of me and I was alone again. I was in a lot of pain at this time, this is where I started walking through aid stations to make sure I was getting good drinks and to give my knees a very short break, these walking breaks lasted about 20 feet, but they helped tremendously. I picked up this strategy during the ironman run and decided to bring it to my marathon since it helped so much in Muncie 70.3 and then ironman Louisville.
At mile 22 I was really tired of running and just wanted to be done. A lady on a mountain bike rode up from behind me, looked at me and said "come on ironman, only 4 more miles to go!" she must have seen the tattoo on the back of my left calf. I smiled the best I could and said thank you. At mile 23 all I could think about was pain, it hurt. I was silently praying for strength to get me through this.
Mile 24 every runner I saw looked miserable, we didn't speak to each other, but misery loves company. Looking at my Garmin I still wasn't sure if I would make sub 4, but I was still holding on to hope. I gritted my teeth, stared at the ground, and got myself to mile 25. One more look at my Garmin and I knew I had it, I had 15 minutes to do a mile for sub 4, and I can walk a mile faster than that. I tried to hurry my steps, but I almost fell over. Instead I jogged at a 9:20 pace to the finisher's chute, it was all I could manage right now. That last .2 seem so incredible long. I crossed the finish line with a fist pump into the air knowing I just ran a sub 4 hour marathon. Final chip time was 3:56:29.
After I got my medal and some water I headed back to the finishers chute to wait for Joel. I had no idea how he was doing or where he was. Everything hurt, everything was pulsating. Every muscle in my leg felt so tight. Every few minutes the weight of the race would come over me and I would momentarily cry a few tears. I didn't want to sit down since I knew how hard it would be to get back up. I waited and waited, and waited some more. I was really getting worried about Joel, I hoped he wasn't hurt. Finally, after 35 minutes of waiting he finally entered the chute. I was cheering for him and yelling "you did it!" and he yelled back "that was much harder than I thought it would be!" Joel finished in 4:31:47. He was so happy and proud of me for my sub 4 finish, he knew how much it meant to me.
I won't be running a marathon in 2012, that much I know right now. I will get back to the distance in 2013. A marathon takes so much out of me, and my goals for next year all include short distance success. My longest running races next year will be half marathon, and my longest triathlons will be half ironmans (70.3). Running this marathon was a good experience, once again I got the chance to see what I was capable of, even when I didn't think it was possible. Right now as I type this 2 days after the race, I am still sore, but my soreness will fade away, and I will begin preparing for the next race, and once again see what I am capable of.
Here is a pic of me and Joel after the race
Doing this marathon was a last minute decision. After Ironman Louisville I vowed to do nothing longer than a half marathon for 6 months. I did one more sprint triathlon 3 weeks after ironman where I placed 1st in my age group and then decided to end my triathlon season and spend the winter focusing on running to get faster-at the short distance stuff, nothing longer than a half marathon.
For our 6 year anniversary, me and Joel ran a half marathon together, my 5th, his 1st ever. A few days after that he decided he wanted to try running a marathon. With Joel committing to a marathon, I decided I wanted to try another one, see what I could do by training properly, last year I trained completely wrong for the marathon, and I still managed a 4:17. I wanted to see how far I could push myself, how much I could make myself hurt and still keep going, and mostly see if I could possibly get a time that started in 3, yes, the coveted jewel for me at this point in my fitness progress was the sub 4 hour marathon. I was confident I could do it, but I knew it would hurt.
I started training for this marathon mid October. I didn't follow a training plan. I did the workouts I knew I needed to do, when I needed to do them. I did 4-5 runs a week, and 1 one hour cycling interval on the bike trainer a week. My runs included a 4-mile speedwork(treadmill), a 6-8 mile moderate distance tempo run, a 5-mile speedwork, and a long-slow distance starting at 12 miles and going up 2 miles every week. Some weeks I needed 2 rest days, so on weeks that had 4 runs the 5 mile speedwork would get dropped. I slept in my calf sleeves every night and drank 2-3 protein shakes a day for recovery in addition to food protein in meals.
The race
We didn't do the hotel thing, so we left for Jacksonville at 3am. Aunt Flow had graced me with her presence that morning and I was not happy to see her. Already not the best start to the day, 4 hours of sleep and an unwelcomed visitor. Got to the race site, picked up our race packets and set up out bibs and timing chips. Went to the porta potties a few times. Hung around waiting for the race to start. I was confident in my training, but this morning I was unsure if it was going to be a sub 4 hour day. Nonetheless, I was happy to be there, and happy to be wearing my Team RWB shirt and hat for the race.
The first 3 miles were an out and back, 1.5 miles out, turn around, and cross the starting line again while stepping over a timing mat at the 3.1 mile mark. I crossed this mat in 28:06. Me and Joel were still together at this point, around mile 4, the course went off the main road and went into residential area. I started focusing on my pace and breathing and realized that Joel was nowhere to be found, I kept looking behind me and he wasn't there.
I was trying to weave around people, it was hard because so many people wear headphones and they can't hear anything, so if I say "right behind you" they have no idea I am trying to pass a wall of people all oblivious to the people trying to get around them because of their headphones with blaring music. I don't wear headphones in races. Reached the 6 mile point and said to myself "only 20 more to go". I spotted the 4 hour pace group by the white balloon with a 4:00 on it, I passed it and told myself "just stay in front of that stupid balloon".I started thinking about Christmas, and spending time with Joel and the girls, and seeing their faces on Christmas morning excited about all the gift we got them, we started our Christmas shopping in September. At mile 8 the half marathoners split off to the finish of their race, I yelled to them "Merry Christmas!" and nobody smiled or waved or even said it back, a few of them just gave me strange looks. Made it to the 10-mile mat and crossed it in 1:27:29. I was thinking "16 more miles and I am a 2-time marathon finisher.
I had told Joel on several occasions that the 10-mile point is where things start to get difficult. It is the point where the excitement of starting the race is over, and you are nowhere near finished. I was at the 10-mile point, and was feeling pretty good, I was really wondering how Joel was feeling, as well as where he was at this point. At the pace I was going, I was on par for a sub 4 hour marathon. Mile 11 came and I was starting to feel that dreaded bubble gut feeling. I had been taking a GU gel every 5 miles, which had worked awesome in training, but just like last month at the Thanksgiving Day half, it seemed like my body wanted to reject it once I hit a certain pace. I ignored the bubble gut feeling hoping it would go away.
About halfway through mile 11 the course passed a small cemetery. For some reason my eyes were drawn to this cemetery. Wondering about what kind of people are buried there. I said a silent prayer for the families of those in the cemetery, who would be spending a Christmas without their loved ones who was buried there.
Made it to the halfway point, crossed the mat in 1:55:14. I was halfway done and I was starting to feel not so good. I stared at the ground while running, it is a coping skill for me when I am hurting. Halfway done, and still on par for a sub 4 hour time. Mile 14 is when the wheels started falling off, way too early for a marathon. My calves were aching, my hamstrings were tight, my gut was feeling funny in a bad way. In my pain I thought back to my time in Iraq, I always go back here when I am hurting, it reminds me that no matter how bad I may feel in a race, that I am here in the race because I want to be here, I am safe, and no one is going to shoot me or my friends, another coping skill. Iraq was scary, walking across the desert in heavy gear in 130 degree heat hurts too. I remember all I have been through in my Iraq deployments, and it gets me through the dark places in a long race.
Mile 16 I had a near "opps I crapped my pants moment" so right after the mile marker was a porta-pottie. GI DISTRESS!!!!! AGGGHHHH!!!!! NOW????!!!!!!ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!!SUB 4 HOURS IS ON THE LINE!!!!!!!!!!
Finally got out of the porta pottie after what seemed like forever. As soon as I stepped out I saw that stupid 4 hour balloon and I was pissed! Obviously I had been sitting for a few minutes so I had a little pep back. I took off and quickly passed that stupid 4 hour balloon and didn't look back, I knew I had to create a gap between me and that stupid balloon to still have a chance at sub 4. This may had been a mistake, but suddenly I found myself a woman possessed. I didn't want to lose a chance at sub 4 hours, especially not knowing when I would get another shot since I already know I am not running a marathon next year.
Without even realizing it I had just ran the next 4 miles at an 8:20 pace in an effort to create a gap between me and the 4 hour balloon. Made it to the 20 mile timing mat in 2:59:34. Right after that a National Guard soldier saw my OIF tattoo and we were talking about the Army. I think he was hurting too and just wanted to talk to somebody to get his mind off the pain. It helped me as well and we were at mile 21. He ran ahead of me and I was alone again. I was in a lot of pain at this time, this is where I started walking through aid stations to make sure I was getting good drinks and to give my knees a very short break, these walking breaks lasted about 20 feet, but they helped tremendously. I picked up this strategy during the ironman run and decided to bring it to my marathon since it helped so much in Muncie 70.3 and then ironman Louisville.
At mile 22 I was really tired of running and just wanted to be done. A lady on a mountain bike rode up from behind me, looked at me and said "come on ironman, only 4 more miles to go!" she must have seen the tattoo on the back of my left calf. I smiled the best I could and said thank you. At mile 23 all I could think about was pain, it hurt. I was silently praying for strength to get me through this.
Mile 24 every runner I saw looked miserable, we didn't speak to each other, but misery loves company. Looking at my Garmin I still wasn't sure if I would make sub 4, but I was still holding on to hope. I gritted my teeth, stared at the ground, and got myself to mile 25. One more look at my Garmin and I knew I had it, I had 15 minutes to do a mile for sub 4, and I can walk a mile faster than that. I tried to hurry my steps, but I almost fell over. Instead I jogged at a 9:20 pace to the finisher's chute, it was all I could manage right now. That last .2 seem so incredible long. I crossed the finish line with a fist pump into the air knowing I just ran a sub 4 hour marathon. Final chip time was 3:56:29.
After I got my medal and some water I headed back to the finishers chute to wait for Joel. I had no idea how he was doing or where he was. Everything hurt, everything was pulsating. Every muscle in my leg felt so tight. Every few minutes the weight of the race would come over me and I would momentarily cry a few tears. I didn't want to sit down since I knew how hard it would be to get back up. I waited and waited, and waited some more. I was really getting worried about Joel, I hoped he wasn't hurt. Finally, after 35 minutes of waiting he finally entered the chute. I was cheering for him and yelling "you did it!" and he yelled back "that was much harder than I thought it would be!" Joel finished in 4:31:47. He was so happy and proud of me for my sub 4 finish, he knew how much it meant to me.
I won't be running a marathon in 2012, that much I know right now. I will get back to the distance in 2013. A marathon takes so much out of me, and my goals for next year all include short distance success. My longest running races next year will be half marathon, and my longest triathlons will be half ironmans (70.3). Running this marathon was a good experience, once again I got the chance to see what I was capable of, even when I didn't think it was possible. Right now as I type this 2 days after the race, I am still sore, but my soreness will fade away, and I will begin preparing for the next race, and once again see what I am capable of.
Here is a pic of me and Joel after the race
Monday, December 19, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
6 days until my second marathon
Today is Sunday, the Jacksonville Bank Marathon is next Sunday. Needless to say, I feel much more prepared for it this time than I did last year. Last year I was coming off a foot injury, and even before the injury I was only running 2 days a week in order to maintain bike and swim fitness. This year I learned that if I wanted to get good times and run well, I had to temporarily become a runner. I have not swam since late October, I have been riding the bike trainer for an hour once a week, and everything else is running, lots of volume, lots of miles, speedwork, long runs, moderate runs, tempo run, I have thrown myself into running. This change is what helped me to finally break a personal barrier in the half marathon distance last month when I finally achieved sub 1:50.
With all that being said, I am glad the marathon is almost here, because I am really getting burnt out on exclusively running. This was the reason I took up triathlon, because running, and only running, burns me out. I am really excited to get back to 3 bike rides a week with 3 swims and the 3 runs thrown in. My first tri of the year will be the Parris Island Triathlon on March 17th.
I haven't set a goal time for the marathon on Sunday, I just know I want to beat last year's time of 4:17. I did my 20-mile training run last weekend, and that was a grim reminded of what a marathon feels like. I would love to go sub 4, but I honestly don't think I am there yet. Plus, my pipes, I know that at some point in the race I will have to stop at a porta pottie and go pee, there is no way around it. In the week after the race I plan on doing a few recovery swims and just hanging out with my family enjoying Christmas.
With all that being said, I am glad the marathon is almost here, because I am really getting burnt out on exclusively running. This was the reason I took up triathlon, because running, and only running, burns me out. I am really excited to get back to 3 bike rides a week with 3 swims and the 3 runs thrown in. My first tri of the year will be the Parris Island Triathlon on March 17th.
I haven't set a goal time for the marathon on Sunday, I just know I want to beat last year's time of 4:17. I did my 20-mile training run last weekend, and that was a grim reminded of what a marathon feels like. I would love to go sub 4, but I honestly don't think I am there yet. Plus, my pipes, I know that at some point in the race I will have to stop at a porta pottie and go pee, there is no way around it. In the week after the race I plan on doing a few recovery swims and just hanging out with my family enjoying Christmas.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Priorities, I can do this
Here in the Savannah area, one of the biggest running races all year is the Savannah Bridge Run. I still have yet to run it, but have only heard great things about it. Last year I had registered months in advance, but on race day I was injured and decided to save myself for my first marathon weeks later, which, as you know, I was able to complete.
The Savannah bridge run have a 5k and a 10k option, both races start at different times so you have the option of doing the "double pump" where you run the 5k, hop on a bus back to the start, and then do the 10k. All year I had been planning on doing the double pump, and later on Joel decided he wanted to do it as well.
Training for the ironman, I missed out on a lot of family time. My weekends consisted of up to 7 hours a day of training. Loraine or Joel would take the girls to a playground while I was training so I would be able to ride or run to the playground and see them for a few minutes, it was nice, but wasn't exactly the "mommy time" I knew the girls needed. My whole family was super supportive, and never said anything negative about what I was doing or what I was pursuing. Still, I couldn't help but to feel a little guilty.
The same day as the Savannah Bridge Run was the winter festival at my eldest daughter's school. Its a little festival where the school serves food and has games where the kids can win little prizes and do little art projects. Our daughter was really excited about going and really looking forward to it. We had not yet registered for the Savannah Bridge Run, and I am glad we hadn't. I realized going to the winter fest at school for our daughter was much more important that doing another running race. There wasn't much to the festival, but our daughter had a blast and was smiling and happy every second we were there. I was able to realize what was more important, and that was a step in the right direction for me, especially after making ironman such a big priority for much of the year.
The Savannah Bridge Run will always be there, they do it every year, it is the area's most popular race. I will do it one day, and I will probably end up doing it many times before we move from the area, but when it comes to a race and something that means a lot to one of the girls, my babies will always win out.
The Savannah bridge run have a 5k and a 10k option, both races start at different times so you have the option of doing the "double pump" where you run the 5k, hop on a bus back to the start, and then do the 10k. All year I had been planning on doing the double pump, and later on Joel decided he wanted to do it as well.
Training for the ironman, I missed out on a lot of family time. My weekends consisted of up to 7 hours a day of training. Loraine or Joel would take the girls to a playground while I was training so I would be able to ride or run to the playground and see them for a few minutes, it was nice, but wasn't exactly the "mommy time" I knew the girls needed. My whole family was super supportive, and never said anything negative about what I was doing or what I was pursuing. Still, I couldn't help but to feel a little guilty.
The same day as the Savannah Bridge Run was the winter festival at my eldest daughter's school. Its a little festival where the school serves food and has games where the kids can win little prizes and do little art projects. Our daughter was really excited about going and really looking forward to it. We had not yet registered for the Savannah Bridge Run, and I am glad we hadn't. I realized going to the winter fest at school for our daughter was much more important that doing another running race. There wasn't much to the festival, but our daughter had a blast and was smiling and happy every second we were there. I was able to realize what was more important, and that was a step in the right direction for me, especially after making ironman such a big priority for much of the year.
The Savannah Bridge Run will always be there, they do it every year, it is the area's most popular race. I will do it one day, and I will probably end up doing it many times before we move from the area, but when it comes to a race and something that means a lot to one of the girls, my babies will always win out.
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