More exercise and fitness.

[Gus]

Gj Alg! Especially under the circumstances.

[Mr. X]

Congrats Alguien. That's great that you stuck it out to the end.

[baxus]

congrats Alguien.

a personal best is always a good result and especially so when you have trouble with cramps

[Tammy]

Congrats Alguien!

That's awesome.

[Greywolf2375]

Dear god, that woman is RUINING her breast tissue.

Bounce is anathema to all who would keep "perky" in their future.

at least they were able to do that shot in only one take - it's from an Adam Sandler movie.

Finished in 5:21, which is 35 minutes faster than last year's marathon, so overall I'm happy with the result. Still, I think with a little better weather, better pacing, and no goddam cramping, I could have hit 4:45 easily. Just two weeks earlier I had no problem putting up a 3:37 for 20 miles.

Ah well, perhaps next time! In any event, it was a fun race overall. Met a lot of nice people, had a great time with my parents and friends afterward. Now thinking about what I'm going to do next...

Harlot and Chats! Good luck to both you guys! Sounds like you've been clocking up some killer times.

Congrats, that is awesome!!!

[Edda van Heefmstra Ruston]

That is awesome, alguien, even if you were hoping for better. A PR is still a PR, and it sounds like the race was a lot of fun!

PS - On the bra thing, I've found that Enells work well for me. I'm normally not a fan of the compression-style hold, but I swear my Enell makes me bulletproof as well as bounceproof, and there's not too much underboob sweat/chafing. (I do have a Freya sports bra, but I haven't actually tried it yet, so I can't give a comparison.)

It turns out that you can get a custom Enell for reasonable adjustment fees, too. I'm lucky enough to fit reasonably well into one of the standard sizes, even as an FF/G, but I'm not trying to shove my breasts into one of their bras that could fit a 32-band ribcage!

[Tammy]

That's great Mandy! Good luck. I worked a night shift for a while once, and it wreaked havoc on my weight. And I didn't have kids to deal with so I can't even imagine how difficult it would be to keep on track when you're being pulled in so many directions.

This morning I was reading the news and came across this:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2047560/Pregnant-Amber-Miller-runs-Chicago-Marathon-hours-giving-birth.html

I can't imagine running a marathon 9 months pregnant. I have a friend who's a runner and at month 5 she started getting cramps every time she ran. Her doctor advised her to stop running, which she did but hated it.

[Rubies & Jade]

congrats Alg! and to those of you just getting back into the gym. it can be a hard adjustment so hang in there!

Same thing has happened to me. But, I don't really mind since I think I overall look better with out the extra fat. I've accepted my small boobs, the rest of the world can just deal with them.

me too... it was about 3 years ago, lost some weight and was lifting weights at the same time. lost more boob weight than I had ever lost there. but its not worth it to gain the weight back.

Oddly, I have had a couple people recently tell me I should gain weight. Its a little frustrating because I've worked really hard to get this shape, I'm not too skinny by any stretch of the imagination (5'6" 130 lbs) and I'm generally happy with my progress. but, I guess there is always someone that has something critical to say.

The weather was too nice this weekend to be indoors shopping, so I'll get to a shoe store this week sometime. but I did get a chance to buy a cheapish jogging bra the other day and even that was a huge difference from the compression bras I was wearing before. but I'll be on the lookout for some of the ones you all have mentioned.

I don't think I could ever run barefoot, but the idea of foot placement while running has definitely been on my mind. my calves are really tight, even though I work a lot on stretching them (I wear high heels to work most days, I think that makes a difference) so it feels better to run on the balls of my feet. but I'm never sure if that's helping me or making the problem worse. is there any consensus on best practice here or is it vary by runner?

[Nichole]

Great job Alguin! I can't imagine running a marathon but you did it and finished. That is wonderful accomplishment.

I was having a hard time with my calves and ankle for awhile and added arch supports to all of my shoes. It has made a world of difference. I've had problems with my arches for a while and have been walking on the edge of my right foot to compensate. I think this was causing my muscles to hate me. Now with the support, I stand and walk much more how I should.

[alguien]

Thanks everyone!!! Means a lot to read all the kind words. Also feels nice to be done and relax for a few days. Am looking into getting a massage in the next day or so and hitting the gym this Thursday for an easy 5k and some weights. My shoulders and calves are still pretty sore!

I think I'll probably do another marathon next year, but I think I'm really going to look into a few half marathons and 10k's in the next few months to keep me fit. And a triathlon!

I was looking up leg cramping in marathons, since I'd never had them this bad before, and came across this article. Specifically this part:

Pace is a major factor, probably the primary one, that can lead to cramps. We often feel so damn good in the early miles that we are seduced into running just a few seconds per mile faster than goal race pace to "bank some time", or because we want to believe that we underestimated our race potential. I think this was the primary cause, along with mineral/electrolyte depletion, of the cramps I experienced in my early marathons. It simply doesn't work, unless you misjudged your goal pace to begin with. Running just 5-10 seconds per mile faster in the first half what you are truly capable of will extract a even bigger price in the second half. Positive splits harm your overall race performance. And, cramps can be one manifestation of them.

This is exactly what happened to me. I was running 10 minute miles for the first half of the race, and should have been running 10:50-11 minute pace (which is what I trained at) but I felt fine and thought, "Ah well, I'll put this time in the bank."

So, lesson learned. STICK with your planned pace, even if you feel amazing at first and like you could be going faster. You're gonna need that muscle in the second half.

ETA: Oh, and a conversation I had in a bar on Sunday night after the marathon:

Guy: "How are you still standing?"

Me: "Ibuprofen and alcohol."

Guy: "Oh, I use that too."

Me: "Oh, you're a runner?"

Guy: "... no."

[LacyinTX]

Mandy... I am wishing you all kinds of luck! You can DOOOO EEEEETTT!!

[Stego]

I put in my request to change my schedule back to the dayshift after almost 3 years of working nights and then getting up to deal with children in the morning.

Since I went to nights I have gained weight and even found it near-impossible to get back on a diet and exercise schedule due to the lack of sleep. I've had strep throat 4 times this year, once right before my boyfriend came to visit (he kissing me the whole visit and never got sick, making me think my immune system must really suck).

I needed to do this for the kids but I can't even tell you how excited I am to get back to days. With days comes the diet and scheduled exercise plan that I lost 100 pounds with before. I AM PSYCHED.

Just thought I'd share.

<3

You can do eet, Dingo!!!

[peterbound]

Gah, had a shitty 5k today. I can tell my nutrition is off.

[dobegrrrl]

First of all, congrats to Alguin, sounds like you did well even with the cramping.

Since I went to nights I have gained weight and even found it near-impossible to get back on a diet and exercise schedule due to the lack of sleep. I've had strep throat 4 times this year, once right before my boyfriend came to visit (he kissing me the whole visit and never got sick, making me think my immune system must really suck).

I worked nights for 4 years and it screws with you in so many ways. I did it for the kids too but I think in the long run they would have been better off if I'd stayed days. Oh yeah, and I put on tons of weight. When I switched to days I lost a ton of weight off the bat without changing much of anything. Took me awhile to get my sleep patterns normal so I could get back to my exercise program: good luck!

It turns out that you can get a custom Enell for reasonable adjustment fees, too. I'm lucky enough to fit reasonably well into one of the standard sizes, even as an FF/G, but I'm not trying to shove my breasts into one of their bras that could fit a 32-band ribcage!

I ordered an Enell a few years ago-just didn't work for me and ended up returning it. There was not enough difference between the band size and the bust size, plus since the straps couldn't be adjusted they were too long But the custom thing might be worth looking into. They also seem like they'd be superhot during a work out, I imagine my back totally breaking out.

I appreciate the input on the "barefoot" running. It seems like people get super religious about it and y'all seem to have a more practical approach. I've been gradually increasing my mileage and switching back and forth between shoes while trying to retain the forefoot gait in my regular shoes-which are Keen trail runners. I just randomly tried them when they were on sale since I have some casual styles of keens that work great for my foot. The Keens don't have a lot of "heel" raise so they work too.

[Edda van Heefmstra Ruston]

I ordered an Enell a few years ago-just didn't work for me and ended up returning it. There was not enough difference between the band size and the bust size, plus since the straps couldn't be adjusted they were too long But the custom thing might be worth looking into. They also seem like they'd be superhot during a work out, I imagine my back totally breaking out.

I've never run more than a 5k in one, so I can't speak to longer races. However, I've used them when it was 95+ out, and I didn't notice them being any hotter or sweatier than the rest of me, at that point. I also had no problems with chafing. (That is, unless I came home and fell asleep before taking it off, at which point all bets were off. It was always relatively weird locations, too, never where I would have expected).

[Tammy]

Saw this really cool story about a 100 year old man who ran the Toronto marathon

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/17/sport/oldest-marathoner/

I'll be happy if I'm one day able to run a half-marathon, let alone a marathon at the age of 100

[lokisnow]

I've been a bit debilitated lately by a pulled/sore/aggravated muscle. it's mostly worked itself out but I'm taking a long and slow reintroduction of exercise. Frustrating, but necessary.

[Harlot]

I ran the Columbus Marathon on Sunday. It was my first marathon and my official time was 4:37:15. It was a beautiful fall day. It was about 45F when I got to the start area around 6:00 a.m. I felt mentally and physically strong. Unfortunately, I dropped one of my water bottles off my hydration belt in the walk up. Tempted to retrace my steps, I reminded myself that there are 21 water stations on the course and I would be fine. I did my first bathroom stop when I got to the start and checked my bag. I was definitely early as I was able to walk up and get a coffee without a wait. I drank about ¼ of a small cup to keep warm but stopped myself as I don’t drink coffee before runs. I reminded myself to keep to my routine. I warmed up a little and by the time I had to pee again the rest of the 17,000 runners had arrived and it was a good 10 minute wait. People finally started filling the corrals around 7 a.m. I looked around for the pace teams but didn’t see any balloons or placards near me. I had received a 4:30 pace wristband at the expo and just figured I would follow it. A live band started playing music and people started hopping up and down for the gun. Then I felt like I had to pee again. Why did I drink that coffee? The lines to the port-a-lets were even longer and it was less than 10 minutes until the gun. I just accepted that was going to have to stop somewhere during the race. After the anthem and race director speeches, they fired the state house cannon and the crowd started slowly walking toward the start line. Fireworks were going off, the band was playing Hang on Sloopy and the spectators were cheering. About 20 yards from the start line people started to jog and I got my watch ready. I hit the line running and it finally washed over me I was running a marathon.

It was crowded and there was the usual jockeying and dodging. I kept a close eye on my watch trying to keep my pace reigned in. About Mile 1 I realized that I hadn’t eaten my pre-race gel so I squeezed one in. The Mile 1 toilets were a crazy line and I just ran by them. At Mile 3 I was already 2 minutes ahead of pace but feeling strong. I lost about a minute stopping at the shorter port-a-let lines here. I tried to keep a steady pace at just above 10 mins/mile. The crowds were fantastic and they had live music about every mile or so. I felt good for the first half and had no issues. The perfect race day grey overcast had continued with temperatures in low to mid-50’s. I was over 5 minutes ahead of the pace as I approached the halfway mark. Time in the bank I told myself. I knew I would lose pace and time later but I had a secret desire to finish on pace or before.

My family was supposed to be waiting for me at 13. However, the half marathon runners split from us just before 13 and it was packed with spectators cheering them on to the finish. I didn’t see my family and just kept going. After the split, it was noticeable how few runners were doing the full 26.2. (4500 full, 12,500 half). I saw my youngest brother near 14. He was planning to run Miles 20 to 25 with me. I felt awesome and told him I’d see him at 20 and let the family know I missed them.

The only real elevation gain on the course is a steady uphill of about 250 ft from Mile 17 to Mile 20. And that’s when I started to feel like I was really working. My pace was slipping to above 10:30 and I just kept telling myself to make it to 20 and it would be downhill and my brother was waiting. Also a friend of mine sent me an email that she was volunteering at the water station at Mile 23. At Mile 20 they had a big balloon arch “Start Line” and were calling each runner’s name individually. I looked for my brother but didn’t see him as I started the sharp downhill to 21. I just put out of my head any negative thoughts and reminded myself that no one was up at 5:00 a.m. to cheer me on during my training. This race was always going to come down to me and it was only a 10k downhill to the finish. I told myself to keep running to Mile 23 where I would have a friendly face waiting. I hit the Mile 23 water station but no sign of my friend.

I kept positive self-talk but my pace continued to slow. About .25 miles beyond 23, my legs buckled. I didn’t quit mentally. There was never a “I can’t keep going” thought in my head. My legs just stopped. I almost fell but told myself to keep moving, keep walking. Walking was painful in a way that running hadn’t been. I had felt fatigue but never anything that felt like injury. Walking brought all the pain in my feet to the fore. I told myself that I had broke and now I didn’t have to worry about that anymore. I had walked and would walk if I had to. There was a spectator right there that said “Keep walking Travis. I walked to the finish from here last year and you can do it.” This actually pissed me off. I wanted to punch that guy in the face. I wanted someone to tell me to run again, not that it was OK to walk. The goal that I had in my heart for this race is that my son would see me run across the finish line. I couldn’t just keep walking. I had to run.

After about half a mile there was an intersection with a cop directing traffic around the racers and this dumb shit wasn’t going through the intersection before we approached. I said to myself there was no fucking way I was stopping for this asshole and started running across the intersection and didn’t stop. I saw the Mile 24 flags ahead and the next water station. The sun came out. The last volunteer in the water line was my friend. She ran with me about a half mile and was so positive and so uplifting. All my tough talk of doing it myself meant nothing compared to knowing that someone was there to encourage me. I knew then I was going to run this to the end. My watch and pace just didn’t matter any more.

Just past Mile 25, my brother came riding up on his bike. I was just grinding it out. He started apologizing and I don’t even really remember what he said. I know I told him it didn’t matter. All that mattered was reaching the finish. I told him to just run with me and try to keep a pace.

My running mantra during training was “Carry the calf. Carry the bull.” Hercules started carrying a calf when he was a child. As the calf grew into a bull, Hercules grew progressively stronger. This was my bull. This is why I got up early. This is why I ran in the heat and the cold and the rain. My brother ran with me to the half mile mark. From there the streets were lined with cheering spectators. At the turn for the final .2 miles, I saw my wife, son and mother cheering me. I blew them kisses and soaked in the encouragement of the crowd. I sprinted to the finish with my arms pumping above my head. I didn’t even look at the clock.

[Nichole]

Way to go Harlot! Really good job.

I ran my zombie 5K on Saturday. It was a horribly planned race. I don't know I ended up running 3.1 miles, 3.2 or 3.6. Whatever distance I ran my time was 39.22.

[Tammy]

Wow that's awesome Harlot! Congrats.