3.5 Half Marathons Down = New Flowers for Tat

I absolutely adore my tattoo I got last November to have as my own personal medals/reminders of my half marathons. I knew when I got it that this tattoo would grow and extend to some degree. I never in a million years imagined that I would challenge myself in December to complete 6 half marathons in one year (which of course meant adding 6 more flowers for 2011!) It would be different if this was the original tattoo that I had planned a simple ankle chain with little flowers representing my half marathons. But, NO, my artist said that anklets were overdone and he wanted to do something more. So, I went with it! And I guess it's truly one of my mottos to "Go Big or Go Home" because it is so much bigger and so much more than I imagined it would be. But I LOVE it!!

After completing my three half marathons this year, Tripp and I were talking about my races. I was still irritated and frustrated over the half marathon in Columbia that I tried to run with a stomach virus. I hate that I had a DNF (Did Not Finish) but I knew I could not complete the race feeling that way. Tripp suggested that since I ran half of that half marathon (my quarter marathon! LOL!) that I should get an unopened flower bud to symbolize the race that I did not complete. I LOVED the idea and decided that it was a perfect way for me to move past that race. I did make it through half of it and with the way I felt that day, it was an accomplishment to make it that far!

So, today was the big day...I went in to see my tattoo artist, Matt Terry at Fu's Custom Tattoos in Charlotte. He does awesome work. I love that I can tell him what flowers I like and he figures out which flowers we will add and positions them and picks the colors. I just have to like the concept he comes up with and so far I have loved what he has done. He was in complete agreement with Tripp that I needed a bud to symbolize my DNF and I was thrilled at his exuberant response!

And though getting tattoo work is uber painful, (Yes, I subscribe to the belief that lying to you that it didn't hurt is just wrong and that anyone who thinks they don't hurt in some way shape or form has not had a larger scale tattoo done or any work done near bone OR has the highest pain tolerance ever!) this tattoo is so worth it! I may have squirmed and occasionally squealed and made some of the most amusing and painful faces ever, but as always, I am thrilled with the end result. My custom tattoo is something that people will ask me about and I will never regret having it done.

(It amazes me the people who mock me or tell me that I will regret my tattoos or question why I would want to do that. I have been told that I will never be able to get a real job with my tattoos either. These were my choices and I don't regret them. And as far as I am concerned, I can get tattoo cover-up for the one on my arm and wear pants if I am ever trying to get a job that has issues with tattoos. And as my tattoo artist says he would like to know what kind of job interview I have that requires me to take my pants off! LOL)

Anyways, I am thrilled with the new flowers added to my tattoo. And although I am terrified to go in for the one in December which will have flowers going across my shin and some really bony areas...I cannot wait to see what Matt comes up with then!!! Here is a pic of my newest addition to my tattoo. (Side note, we also discussed cleaning up the tattoo on my back and adding on too! I am super excited!!!)

Focus...

Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus. (Alexander Graham Bell)

When I am working out with Tripp sometimes, he will occasionally ask me what muscle I am working. The purpose for this is so that I will focus on the work at hand. If I am focusing on the muscle groups that are being used to do the particular exercises and focusing on my form, I will get a more isolated and intense workout for those muscles and that movement.

I think it's important to remember this not only during strength training but also during my cardio. If I am focusing my energies on the task at hand, the intensity of my workout increases, my calorie burn increases and I experience better results. Also, I am paying much closer attention to correct form which helps to prevent injuries.

If I keep my focus on what I am doing, rather than making a laundry list of all the things I have to do during my workout, I feel more challenged. I experience muscle failure from the intense focus! And honestly, I feel like I got an amazing workout in when I am completely focused!

Lately, I have not been as focused as I have needed to be during my workouts or my cardio. As a result, even though I have gotten some awesome workouts in and have seen good results, I have not been as motivated as I needed to be. My training for my half marathon was not where it needed to be. My focus was not where it should have been. I was all over the place.

After this last half marathon, my focus has re-shifted. I am ready and committed to getting down to work and seeing if I can reach my goals for my running. I am ready to re-evaluate where I was and where I want to be. I look forward to my strength training with Tripp and I look forward to getting my running and cardio re-focused and ready to get me to the finish line!

Now that I am so focused, I wonder why I let other things blur my focus. How did I lose sight of the prize? Why did I let my frustration keep me from achieving the things I wanted? One of my biggest problems was I let my irritation over not the infertility keep me from where I wanted to be. That coupled with the hip surgery from last year really blurred everything. So, what's different? The hip is healing. It still has good days and bad days. It occasionally still hurts. But the better I train and the more focused I am on getting it back to 100%, the better it will be. The infertility issue is not one I have tackled but I am aware that I let it break my concentration for too long. And honestly, I just have to let it go so that I can continue on my path to reaching my goals.

Also, I had not re-evaluated my fitness goals. Periodically, I find it necessary to re-evaluate and recharge my thinking there. I knew I wanted to run six half marathons but I didn't set any real goals for them. I think part of me was afraid I couldn't/wouldn't rise to the challenge. Another part of me was not certain what goals I wanted to lay out in front of me. Now, I am ready. I am about to throw everything I can into my training so that I can achieve what I want. I am going to be sitting down in the next few weeks and rewriting my fitness goals. It's time and I'm ready.

What is blurring your focus? What things do you need to let go or acknowledge as a distraction from your goals? Are you continuing to set achievable goals during your journey? Are you focused on the task at hand?

I challenge you to keep your eyes on the prize. Know what you want and reach for it! No excuses!

Challenges

Just because you've always done it, doesn't mean you must continue. Just because you've never done it, doesn't mean you cannot start now. (Ralph Marston)

I love this quote. It is so true. I find often that we sit back and wait for things that we want to happen to finally come true. I was that way with weight loss for the longest time. I wanted to be fit. I wanted to lose weight. I would put in a half-hearted effort and expect to see results. So, I would continue on and believe that the reason I couldn't lose weight was because nothing worked for me. The truth is that even when I was putting in more than a half-hearted effort, I was not committed fully to the endeavor. What I was attempting was really more of a short-term fix instead of a long-term change. Until the journey became about my life and about changing my life, nothing changed. Until I finally challenged myself to be all that I wanted to be, I was never going to get there.

How often do we look at the challenges ahead of us and become so overwhelmed by the task that we quit before attempting it? How many times do we think about things that sound interesting or fun and decide that we cannot do these things because we've never done them before?

This journey I am on has been a long one and many ask me if my journey is over. And honestly, it's not. I am still actively working on my weight loss and I am still working towards new fitness goals. I tell people that my journey evolves with me because I am not the same person I was when I started. Along the way, my goals and thoughts change. When I started this, I had no idea and certainly no desire to run, much less start competing in half marathons. I would've laughed at you for suggesting it back then. Now, it's a part of my life. It's a challenge that I continually put out in front of myself. Was it a bit ambitious to challenge myself to do 6 half marathons in one year? Perhaps. Or perhaps it was about challenging myself to think outside of the box, to reach for greater things than I could've expected, or even to see myself in a different light? Whatever the underlying reason might have been, the reality is that I have been challenged this year by the first three half marathons.

My friend that I met at the Marine Corps Historic Half this past weekend had run several marathons and half marathons and made the very correct statement that no matter how many races you run of the same distance or even on the same course, each race presents new and different challenges. It's very true. I have competed in several races multiple years and no race is quite the same. Sometimes it's little things...changes in training, mental preparedness, race strategies, unexpected injuries...whatever it is, there is challenge there.

The truth is that I do love a challenge. I like to constantly better myself and look for opportunities to move beyond my capabilities. I strive to increase my fitness level. I want to be a better runner. I am challenging myself to take my running to the next level. And though sometimes I am not quite up to the challenge I present myself, other times I exceed my own expectations for it.

Right now, I am realizing that just because I can complete a half marathon without proper training, does not mean I should. Also, I know that if I am truly to exceed my own expectations and to reach my goals, then I must better prepare myself. It's one of the reasons that I am truly excited about the work that Tripp and I are doing together. Our training is working. We've been working together for two weeks and not only have I seen greater increase in strength, endurance and stamina, but I have also seen weight loss. I feel like I am getting back on track and on my way back towards my fitness goals. I sincerely desire to be a better runner. Part of that requires weight loss because running will be easier and require less effort with less body weight. And the other part requires more dedication to proper eating and strength training which enables my body to better face the challenges that running presents. So, now I continue on with the work that Tripp and I have been focusing on and I start putting more emphasis into my running form and skills. I expect to see much improvement in my racing in the fall if I put more time and dedication into this endeavor.

And when I reach those goals, there will be something new and exciting to follow. I am not ready to settle down and I am certainly not ready to give up!

Life is challenging and it's unexpected at times. But without challenges, can there truly be change? If we continue to live as we always have, can we possibly grow or become better than we are? Are there areas in your life that you need to challenge? Look at your life and see where you have grown complacent or overly comfortable. Step out of that comfort zone and reach towards something greater. A life well-lived is a life that is full of trial and error, successes and failures, but in the end, that life is actually lived instead of endured.

Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon...May 15, 2011

I eyeballed this race several times before actually signing up for it. I began looking at it back in January thinking it would be nice to run a race in Virginia when it was not too terribly hot. The final decision came in when I competed in the Columbia Half Marathon in March and was unable to complete it due to a stomach virus...I knew that if I wanted to achieve my goal of 6 half marathons in 2011, I was going to have to find another spring half. With that in mind, I signed up for it.

After the wonderment of the Palmetto Half Marathon in April, I decided to try and take my training a bit more seriously and asked my dear friend and trainer, Tripp, to help me out. So, we have been training for the past two weeks and working towards getting me ready. I knew it was not enough time to challenge myself to reach for a PR, but I also knew it would be better than my last half where I ran/walked it with a broken pinky toe and twisted ankle. So, my goal was truly to come in at least 10 minutes under my time for that half.

The weather for this race was really questionable. I seriously thought it was going to pour down raining. So, I planned for it by wrapping my iPod in plastic prior to the race. There was no way I was doing this without my music and my special mp3s that Tripp recorded for me. And those mp3s were so worth it!!!

We got to the start/finish line early Sunday morning. I wanted to make sure that my dear friend, Ann, who accompanied me was going to have a good spot to stay where we would not have to worry too much about me finding her at the end of the race. They allowed us to park in the start area since Ann had a broken foot. It was a good spot because she was right at the finish line and able to wander among the few vendors at the end and the VIP tent.

At 6:30, the opening ceremony began. Drew Carey was running his first ever half marathon and spoke at the beginning. I believe he also may have started the race by shooting the gun at 7 a.m. A couple others spoke and the race was under way. This was much larger than the races I have been in lately...close to 6000 people were competing. It took me about 5 minutes to actually cross the start line. The miles were very clearly numbered and there were tons of Marines, cops and volunteers along the course. There were no issues with traffic or concerns about cars or anything. They had plenty of water and gatorade along the course. And there were lots of Marines and spectators out and about to cheer you on. It was also a pretty run.

It ended up not raining and the sun came out and made for a much warmer run than I expected. I was focused though on my run. I purposely avoided making friends and kept my eyes on the prize...the finish line. This was a hilly course. I didn't mind the downhills but the hill around mile 11 that led into mile12 was painful!!! After two weeks of serious training, I knew that I could not expect miracles or perfection, so my goal was simple...enjoy the run and finish the race.

At just the right times in the race, inspirational messages from Tripp popped up on my iPod or songs that remind me of my running buddies or just the right song to push me along. But about mile 10, I experienced some of the most severe pain I have ever felt. I cannot tell you how much I wanted to stop moving altogether. I tried everything I could to stop focusing on the cramping that started at the bottom of my left calf. I kept moving...much slower at this point, but I kept going forward.

Then, the cramping became spasms in my calf. At one point, the spasms went up and down my left leg and I began dragging the left side of my body along. It was so painful. About then, I happened to notice another runner also having some difficulty. I actually asked her where we were on the course (closing in on mile 11) and if I had to stop at that point, was there a way to get back to the finish line. Somewhere along there we were passing the ER and I debated on making a pit stop there too. My new friend, though, was a former Marine, who was running this with her husband (former Marine also). She was not new to the marathoning world and she was experiencing similar issues. She told me that I was way too far along to give up and that she was going to get me across the line. There was no way I was not going to finish.

I soldiered on but the pain continued to get worse and worse. At one point, I was seriously scared about just how much pain I was experiencing. And then, the spasming decided to spread to the right leg as well. I wish I could tell you my friend's name, but my poor brain was not functioning on very high levels. I can tell you that had it not been for her and her husband, I might not have made those last 3 miles. They kept me focused and kept me going. Along with my special encouragements from Tripp, I was able to get closer to the finish line.

The hardest part for me was the last hill which was uphill right before mile 12!!! And boy was it a hill! I wasn't sure I was going to make it to the top. But, my new drill sergeants would not give up on me! And I knew that I had come too far to stop now, no matter what. With the finish line in sight, I knew I had to do my best to finish strong. So, I sucked up the pain, remembered the goal and ran to the finish line!! And my drill sergeants were right, the feeling at the finish line was so much better than the pain!

It was an honor to have my medal placed around my neck by a Marine and to be congratulated by one of our country's warriors. I thanked every service person I saw. After being awarded two bottles of water, I decided to use one to help cool me down and poured one directly overhead as I was heading to find some fruit and my friend, Ann.

Ann met me near the end of the finish line and told me she found Drew Carey and got some pictures for me and she took me over to where he was. I was able to get about a five minute conversation in with him. We discussed our weight loss and we discussed how we had new goals like being fit and looking good without a shirt! It was awesome. And perhaps it was marathon brain, but I was not starstruck or nervous, I just said, "I'm a huge fan. Can I trouble you for a picture?" And I asked how much weight he had lost (80 pounds) and told him about my journey. It was just awesome!! Here's my pic...

So, it was an awesome experience. It was perhaps one of the best run races I have done and I think I would like to do it again in the future. (Definitely training better next time!) I beat the goal Tripp and I set out for me...which was awesome since I had no idea I was going to experience the calf spasms! But as my Marine friends told me on those last 3 miles, no race is ever the same...no matter if you are competing in one you have done before, trained exactly the same, they are all different and there is always something new and challenging.

However, I am re-focused and recommitted to my training. Tripp is going to keep working with me and I am hoping to see some new and improved numbers in the fall! But I will not lie, I am psyched to get back in the game and start seriously training. Next race is in September! I am going to be so much more than ready!!!