running 26.2

Rock ‘n’ Roll – First time Marathoner!

| cheriarmour

I ran my first marathon 2 ish years ago in Virginia Beach on a cold, rather blustery day.  I know what my experience was like, but much like childbirth, you sort of forgot what the actual day is like, and you romanticize the idea of a marathon, only remembering the feeling of crossing the finish line and smiling a lot for pictures while you hold up your medal.  Or, as it were in my case, bawling like a baby whilst your husband snapped pictures of your blotchy face.

I thought it was important to talk about Rock ‘n’ Roll through the eyes of someone who’d just done it, and had just done it for the first time.  So without any further blathering on, here is my amazing friend, Liz!

Liz Marathon

Liz is in the pink in the middle, just after completing 26.2 miles in 4:45:06, which was her GOAL!!!

  • Introduce yourself!  Name, how do you know me, and what do you do! Hello! My name is Liz Passannante, I am 25 years old and currently live in New York City. Cheri and I go way back to my freshman year of college when I joined her a cappella group Twisted Measure and we’ve been friends ever since. I work in HR for a consulting firm in NYC, and have been dabbling in running for a few years now.

Liz caught my attention during her audition.  She was really cute, fearless, and admitted to fully appreciating Nicole Richie at the audition.  I was hooked then!

  • What made you decide to sign up for a marathon?  What running had you done leading up to it? I decided to register for the Raleigh RNR Marathon kind of on a whim – I had run a few half marathons and always felt the ultimate goal would be to run a marathon. I started running after college when I signed up for the More Magazine Women’s Half-Marathon in Central Park. It was really a life-changing day – that race is still my favorite to run. I always hated running in high school and college, but found myself wanting to stay active after I stopped playing sports.   Enter running! This past October I really just kind of decided to go for it – I registered and set off on my training plan!
  • Tell me about your training process?  Since it was a spring race, I know you had to do some winter running/possibly modify your training?  What did that entail for you? I started running regularly again in November 2014 to build up a baseline before launching into the training program. I started really increasing my mileage in January, just in time for one of the snowiest winter’s we’ve had in recent history. I think the biggest trick with Winter running is to prepare, prepare, prepare before long runs. I would make lists for myself of everything I needed, and it took a few tries to get it right. I usually pushed back the start time of my runs until about noon or 1PM so I could hit the warmest part of the day. On the coldest days I would wear 2 pairs of tights, a thermal layer, my winter running jacket, a neckwarmer, earwarmers and gloves.Keeping all that gear in one place was surprisingly difficult (ex: a few times I left gloves or my watch at work, and would have to swing by the office on my way to the park). I also don’t have a washer/dryer in my building, so it was also a task keeping everything clearn! I did some of my shorter runs indoors, both by booking gym time on ClassPass (best thing ever) or by attending classes at Mile High Run Club (<<<so much fun). My most memorable run was probably when I ran in 8 degree weather in Vermont on a ski weekend – FUN!!! Overall though, I was usually able to find one day of the weekend where it was bearable.
  • Why did you choose the race that you chose? I chose the Raleigh RNR for a few reasons. 1) It’s always been a goal of mine to run the NY Marathon, and I was advised to run one marathon before tackling New York so that when the time came I could really enjoy the experience of the NY Marathon. I think looking back that was smart – I have a much better idea of how to train and what to expect, and now am genuinely looking forward to when I will (hopefully) get to run that race! No first time race jitters there. 2) I wanted to run a race where I was close to my family, both because I like spending time with them and because logistically it made things much easier. My mom took me to the expo, the starting line and we had an awesome lunch all together after the race. It would have felt lonely without them, and seeing them along the course was such a great motivation. Race day would have been way less fun without them – my sister even hopped in for the last stretch which was a really cool memory for me.
  • Okay, race day.  What were you jittery about?  Looking forward to? I think I was most anxious about 1) hitting “the wall,” and 2) not being able to keep up with the pace group. I think I can say pretty confidently that I did not hit “the wall.” As Cheri can attest, there were a few times especially towards the end where I needed to walk, but I was for the most part able to push through. I definitely didn’t feel like I was going to die or anything (although I probably said it LOL).  I also for the most part was able to keep up with the pacers, which is good for me because they were amazing. They were so so helpful, and I knew that staying with them for as long as possible would be key to me hitting my goal. I lost them a little during the last mile, but I think I ended up finishing only 2-3 minutes behind them?
  • Talk to me about your nutrition leading up to/on race day?  I kept things pretty normal leading up to race day. I didn’t drink for the majority of the 2 weeks leading up to the race but that was mostly to make sure I was well hydrated. The night before I ate some delicious gluten free pasta, and the morning of I had a luna bar, hot tea and water. During the race I used 2 flavors of Gu: Tri-Berry and Jet Blackberry (delicious). The plan was to take them at 3, 10, 15 and 20. I ended up taking one at 19 because I started feeling tired and I felt like I wanted to get ahead of any potential crash.
  • Talk to me about the race.  What time did you wake up?  Talk to me about your outfit (silly, important tho!).  Talk to me about the day.  How long did you feel good for?  When did you start to feel rough (if you did at all)?  Did you run with pacers?  What factored into your decision to use/not utilize a pacer? Race day I woke up at 4:20AM because we needed to be out the door at 4:40. I tried to pick clothes that I had run in many times before, but it was hard because I’ve been training in cold weather and race day was warm! I wish I could have worn shorts, but it was just risky because I hadn’t trained in them and the last thing I needed was some type of wardrobe malfunction. I honestly felt great up to mile 18. I feel like I looked up and we were at mile 13, and then again at 17 when Cheri joined. At 18-20 I started thinking to myself “this is getting really hard” but overall the race flew by. I could not believe when I crossed the finish line. As I mentioned above I did run with pacers and am so glad I did. I wanted to stay with them for majority of the race because I felt like I would probably really benefit from having a group later in the race. I was confident in my ability to push myself through 20, but felt like having the extra motivation during the last 6 miles could be helpful. It was such a lifesaver. = The pacers were truly amazing – they had an altitude specific pace plan and they did such a great job telling us when we should bank time or when we could dial back and take a rest. I definitely lost them a bit on the last mile but really feel like I was able to stay on target due to their help.
  • And finally, what’s your takeaway from this experience?  Would you/will you do this again? I had such an amazing experience training for and running my first marathon, and I would totally do it all over again (and hope to this fall for the NY Marathon!) I was initially dreading the training process but by the end I really enjoyed it overall. The hardest part surprisingly was fitting in runs during the week – I weirdly started looking forward to my long runs and feel like I don’t know what to do with all of my free time now that my weekends aren’t going to be dominated by training! My key takeaway – if you want to run a race, any length, just go for it! I hated running in high school (ask my parents). When my field hockey coach made us run 3 miles I thought it was the hardest thing in the world. Little by little I trained, improved and learned how to enjoy myself! I also need to give credit to you, Cheri Armour Samples, because you definitely have inspired me to run races far beyond what I believed I was capable of doing (hello, marathon). My race day was so fun and you were such a huge help to me – thank you!!!

Pink Ladies

And that’s it! An extremely well-prepared marathon first-timer!

How was your first race (ever)?

How marathoning is like delivering a child.

| cheriarmour

So here’s a disclaimer.  I am not pregnant, nor have I delivered a baby.  But., one of my best friends was pregnant throughout the time I trained for my marathon, and our lives have always been eerily parallel, despite the fact that she lives about 8 hours away in Nashville.  As I was going through the whole process – the training, the race itself, and then the after, I asked her about it, and she seemed totally in agreement, that training for, and executing a marathon is kinda sorta like the process of getting pregnant and delivering a baby.  Also, fun fact:  now that we have kids, we are sworn to secrecy about what happened at her wedding weekend.  I am fine with that 😉

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Mama Chelsie and baby niece Evie, when she was born on January 21st of last year! Mama delivered with no drugs!

How Marathoning is Like Delivering a Child

By: Cheri and Mama Chelsie, cause she’s actually delivered a child.

  1. You’re pregnant/you’ve registered for your first marathon! So what do you do? You tell your best friends, because you’re kind of so excited, but kind of terrified. What have you gotten yourself into? Oh well, you’ve got forever to prepare for this, right? Right? Why do some people so happy for you, and some people seem so terrified for you?
  2. Realizing that what you’re about to do is going to be a big deal, you go to Barnes and Noble and sit there with a tea while you read every single book on the topic.  You might even bring your laptop to Google some stuff and do some cross-referencing.  Why the hell are there so many theories on this stuff?  Should I eat seafood?  Is caffeine okay? Am I about to get judged for all my choices?
  3. You tell people.  And the world starts to implode.  First, it’s a lot of congratulations.  Then, a lot of unsolicited opinions.  Then a lot of stupid questions.  “How far is a marathon?”  “Why are you doing that?” “I think my sister ran a marathon once, but she said it made her hate running. [shrugs] Hope this doesn’t make you hate running!”
  4. Once you get over the initial shock of what happens, you realize, you have to eat well.  Gone are the days where you could mindlessly toss back a few cups of coffee, or drink all night with friends because each day when you wake up, whatever’s in your belly is what is coming with you for the run.  If something doesn’t agree with you, your body will certainly let you know, and you may find yourself in the bathroom a little more than usual.
  5. You talk to your friends about how they did it.  How did they prepare?  What should you know?  Some of their advice is comforting.  Some of their advice is terrifying.  You kind of think you can do it, but you kind of doubt yourself a little bit.
  6. You start going to bed a little earlier.  But it doesn’t really matter, because as you get a little closer to the event, you won’t sleep well anyways.  You’ll fall asleep okay, and find yourself stress dreaming about every thing that could possibly go wrong.
  7. You get a little practice with your longs runs (a few fake contractions).  Some of them make you really confident.  Some of them are defeating, and you’re really not sure if you can do it.  But what choice do you have right now?  You can’t back out, right?
meeviebirthhome
Jesus, that beautiful is baby, huh? Mama Chelsie isn’t too bad either 🙂
  1. Some really weird stuff starts happening to your body.  You’re hungry all the time.  But you only want to eat good stuff.  Your thighs rub together.  Things spread, things come together, and your energy is all over the place.
  2. Okay, it’s the morning of.  You can do this!  After 9 months (or less) of training, you are so pumped, and very nervous.  And the adrenaline of what’s about to happen to you starts to pull you through.
  3. Less than halfway through, endorphins are flowing.   What are people talking about?! This is awesome!  You might even nod your head and high give some passers-by.  Mind over matter that’s all it takes. ::hair flip::
  4. Chelsie was in labor for over a day.  Luckily, there is not really that when you’re marathoning.  But an hour and a half after those endorphins are flowing, despair comes.  What the frick were you thinking?  Why did you think this was fun?  Why did you tell everyone you were doing this?  Now if you were to lay down and die, they will know you failed.  You’re breathing heavily.  You’re making noises.  The only thoughts are the thoughts of your loved ones, and how you have to make it back to them.  Not religious?  Doesn’t matter.  You will be praying.
  5. The final push.  25.5 miles.  People tell you you’re almost there.  You hope so, because seriously, you’re not sure you’re going to make it.  But you put one foot in front of the other, and keep moving.  And suddenly, the finish line appears.  And with that, you give it literally everything you have.
  6. Euphoria.  You’re crossing the finish line.  And you collapse into a pile of emotion.  Disbelief.  There are tears and sobbing.  Someone puts a medal (a baby) on your chest, and a blanket around your shoulders.  There are hugs and smiles.  And in the words of Chelsie, “you feel like a million bucks,”
  7. The would-be Rip Van Winkle.  You want to sleep for 1000 years.  But you have to call your family and friends who are wondering how/what you’re doing.  Ugh.
  8. The next day, when you feel like like 10 trucks ran you over, you swear that you will never do this again.  No one in hell could pay you enough to make you want to do this again.  Your chub rub hurts.  You want to eat, but you can’t.  And you want to slap whomever it was that said this was a good idea.
  9. The blackout.  A few days later, when you’re feeling better and your homies are slapping you on the back for what you’ve done, you literally black out all the crazy stuff that happens to you, and you think that it might be a good idea to do it again.  Whaaaaaa?  Who would do this more than once!
EvieV14-12
Those little feet!

Happy Valentines week beautiful people!  What have I missed about training for a marathon/having a sweet baby?