One Bad Ass Runner

"You ran a marathon with a cold, on prednisone, coughing the whole way, and you came close to your best marathon time when your breathing is currently at 49%?  I do not know how to do it." Those were the words of my asthma doctor this morning.  And it summarizes the race in one paragraph.  I went, I ran, I conquered, I didn't PR.  But considering all of that, I think a 4:47 was great and that I did a'right. Long : Yesterday, I ran the Marine Corps Marathon in DC.  What an awesome race!  It's another big marathon and the Marines knows how to put on a great race. After Berlin, I was looking forward to see what I could do when not having asthma issues during a race.  Unfortunately, after I got back from vacation, my dad came for a visit sick as a dog.  Having just ran a HM in the rain the day I saw him, I caught his cold.  That was two weeks post marathon so I don't think the marathon and the subsequent reduction on my defenses h...

Today, I ran the Livelong Livestrong Half Marathon in Hallandale, FL.  This was to be a training run with some speedwork between HMP and MP pace.  Forecast was very nice: 76-80F and 69 dewpoint.  That is Fall weather down here.  Except the forecast didn't say it would rain...hard...and that the wind would be 20mph...or more.  Oh, well.  I found out when I got there when one downpour started and it never abated much until after I had finished. I got back from Europe on Wednesday afternoon and my run that day sucked.  It was 90F and 74 dewpoint and after running while on vacation in 49F and 39 dewpoint, this sucked too much.  A lot.  The run on Thursday sucked less but my HR was still too high and the pace too slow.  Then, on Friday, as the same thing was happening, I had an epiphany, I am dehydrated from the 11 hour flight.  Doh, I'm a genius!  Not. Anyway, I knew the pace might suffer a bit because of how the runs have ...

Yesterday, I ran the Berlin Marathon. This marathon idea started when I saw that registration was open and I knew I liked Germany and wanted to go back, so I had an "accident" and signed up. Then, I told my husband we had to go and he, after much huffing and puffing that he does not like to travel in September, agreed. :-) This was to be my 8th marathon and my goal marathon for the season. I still have 4 more marathons and an ultra in the next five months (I am searching for my second star on the Marathon Maniacs), so I knew a PR would be harder to achieve later in the season, when my legs are tired. As you remember, I was having bouts of severe asthma in April and May, 2012. My breathing capacity went down from 84% to 74% to 62%! I was taking 5 medications to keep my breathing afloat. I had many races with asthma attacks (mostly 5Ks and 10Ks). Because I needed to try something new to try to improve the asthma while training, I asked a friend of mine who is a coach, for h...

Today, I ran the Doral Freedom Run 5K in my backyard.  This is the second year for this race and it's always in support of our troops, the victims of 9/11, and our police and firefighters.  Since the Southern Command is right in my backyard too, it is a nice local race that involves the military and we get to run inside SouthCom, which we never get to see because it's all secret and closed. This was to be my second time trial before Berlin.  I already did a time trial with a distance that is better for gauging my progress but it was a month ago and I wanted to see how far I've come since I've noticed in the last month a huge improvement in my asthma and my paces. Asthma Update: Back in May, my asthma was out of control.  At the beginning of my marathon training, my breathing capacity was at 62%, four of the last five races had me having asthma attacks during them (and the one I didn't was only because I took it slow).  On top of that, I got severe asth...

It's been almost five weeks since I posted an update on my training, so sorry it has taken me this long.  I have gone through so much in those five weeks that I don't want to repeat, it's not even funny. Last time, you heard about my first four weeks of training.  I just got to say that the next five weeks of training (Weeks 5 through 9) have been great.  The asthma symptoms have improved, I am off the allergy medication, and my running has steadily improved. But not everything that has gone on has been happy.  One of our cats died three weeks ago.  Suddenly, the most active 4 year old kitty, just went from happy to dying and died within a 36 hour period.  We are very sad and have dealt with it in our own ways.  I turned to running.  My first two runs after Lily's death were cathartic to say the least.  After those, talking to the vet really helped us let her go without guilt.  The next runs got better.  Without running, I do no...

Training for Berlin started on Memorial Day weekend. It's been a few months since I have done any marathon training, and with the asthma flareups, I have been reticent to push it and get an attack. So, going into this training, I was not sure what to expect. Training for a marathon is not easy; training for a marathon during Summer in Miami, is worse. But I am nothing if not a fighter, so fight I will. Week 1 went really well. I got my new paces from my coach and it allowed me to run easier than before in order for the asthma not to be a bother. The first week included a 5K race I had already planned and, like the other 5K races, it was a disaster. After the last five 5Ks, three of which included an asthma attack, I am officially scared of them. Mileage: 43. Week 2 came with a challenge. The Saturday prior, I attended a party and there was some debris and residue from a construction done earlier that week. By Monday I was seriously ill. I was diagnosed with severe as...

Today, I ran the Weston Memorial Day 5K, to start my road to Berlin with a bang.  It was a bang alright, to my chest!!!!! Summary Asthma Attack - Check Hot Weather - 84F? Check High Humidity - 72 Dewpoint?  Check Sunny and Shadeless - Check Nice Patriotic Outfit - Check Long Version After my last 5K, I really didn't want to do another one, but knew that a more recent race would help me determine the paces for my marathon training, which started today.  Oh, how I wish I had stayed in bed. Weather was yucky, 75F and 72 dewpoint when I got there before the sunrise, but 84F and 72 dewpoint, sunny, and no clouds by the time I finish.  It was bound to happen.  Asthma attack came at Mile 3.  I finished in 27:55 and barely made the 28 minute mark.  I so hate 5Ks! Instead of doing this as an RR, I wanted to look at my 2011-2012 racing season, which ended today, and look at how far I've not come.  I feel like the last year has...