You're cramping my run

I am pretty sure everyone who runs or races has experienced the dreaded cramps that makes your toes curl and slows down your running to where all you can think about is that you will not be making it in the time that you intended to finish with to crush your previous PR.

The things that I will share in my blog is hindsight that I am hoping I've learned my lesson and will not repeat on my upcoming races.

I've researched about cramps and although there are articles out there that shares the possibility of cramps, there is no definite answer because it can be to undertraining, nutrition, weather or you are just blessed with the ability to have cramps cling to your calves.

Honolulu Marathon 2013
Before the Honolulu Marathon, I was training but not as much in the mileage as I should have to where I researched on what I can do to maintain fuel / hydration to bring me to the finish line. And thank goodness the Honolulu Marathon expo had great vendors there because I was introduced the brand zipfizz.

I almost bought there bottle too but my husband was with me, which later he shared he was surprised I didn't just purchase it because it was a deal (darn!).

Anyhow, I have to share that I liked it because it carried me through. From what I understand, you are to use this with your water and it helps you maintain every 4-6 hours. As I look back at the marathon, it was zipfizz along with the water/gatorade stations that helped sustain me along with me buying pretzels around  the 23 mile marker. The only thing I did not care for about zipfizz are their plastic containers. It's cumbersome (not that I wanted to carry 10 but still...)

Great Aloha Run 2014
2014 rolls around and the Great Aloha Run is waving at me quickly. That morning, I under prepared. I didn't tape up (KT my calves-mistake #1) nor did I bring all of my NUUN tablet drink because I only poured it in my two little bottles that were attached to my waist pack (mistake #2) while I carried watered down gatorade...WATERED DOWN GATORADE...

The experience I had with the Great Aloha Run was not funny at all because the timing was perfect until I hit mile 7. As soon as I slowed to take in sports beans and a drink, my toes curled on it's own. I thought it was my KT tape coming undone but it wasn't. It was my toes curling on its own because my body was already dehydrated (it was muggy and I was pissed because my husband ran ahead of me despite the fact that I told him to run ahead earlier in our run). What further aggravated me was the fact that mile 7 is all hill and I was afraid of tearing my calf muscle if I pushed myself faster than I should.

So, what should have taken 10-15 minutes for me to get to Aloha Stadium took me over an hour to where I didn't crush my previous PR and it left me in a foul mood because now I have to run the Great Aloha Run next year to redeem myself.

Spartan Race at Aloha Stadium
I didn't want a repeat of what happened at Aloha Stadium, so I carb-loaded and prepared my fuel/hydration for during and after the race. Let me just say that when you do obstacle racing, your body is working out way more than a regular run to where whatever you have stored in glycogen will deplete quickly if you do not fuel/hydrate well.

Well, I kept popping sports beans and drinking my zipfizz throughout the stadium but towards the run to the last spiral (down), my toes twitched and I was like, "Oh hell stinkin' NO". I managed to make it through the finish line but it floored me because throughout all this time while I'm running, my bladder was always full to where I would have to stop to use the bathroom. So, after the race, I'm still stumped on what happened to where I have come to the conclusion that it falls on me on how I trained and my nutrition intake:

• I am not taking enough nutrients in my body
• I am not training as I should be that would have minimized any injuries or setbacks if I did

I also posted on the Spartan Chick page as well as others giving me advice and the number one item people have been sharing is...mustard. Have you tried it? I haven't but I'm considering on having this in the pockets of my hydration pack to carry along during the Spartan Race.

Hindsight and planning for the future events

• Revamp my nutrition intake and plan smarter
• Revamp my training to endurance training that will take me out of my comfort zone

And I found another brand that I think I will try prior to the Spartan Race in August:

 

 

At least I can try this out prior to my half-marathon to see if my body takes well to this but I have a feeling that I am over-preparing in regards to these type of products when what I should be doing is focusing on training on strengthening those weak areas (calves).

 

Have you found something that works for you? Do share

To the Wall and Beyond (the Vanity Struggles of a Marathon)

I am pretty sure I am not the only one who cringes at photos that are taken at the marathon of you along the course.

There is that woman (or man too) that has a vain streak that rises up when they see themselves at their worst especially when the pictures makes you look bigger than normal or it is a reality check that you still have a long ways to go in your fitness journey.

Well, this blog is dedicated to all the runners who have experienced their vanity ugly moments because I had mine at the Honolulu marathon (I'll disregard the Great Aloha Run 2012 because they only took one ugly photo of me that is still online).

The beginning
As you are standing at the starting line, you're stretching, warming up and preening as you have your picture taken by another runner because hey...it's a great moment that you want to remember, right?

The first stretch (0-6 miles)
You're on top of the world especially if you're pacing yourself and it's morning still.

The second stretch (6-13 miles)
Mid-morning and you got this-ain't no stopping you!

The third stretch (13-20 miles)
Wait...it's lunchtime and there's other runners and walkers pulling to the side eating...You begin to wonder if you should have brought something more than gel chews and sports beans...

Congratulations! You've hit the wall (20-23 miles)

You're stomach is rumbling and you're remembering those extra toilet paper advice. Porta-potties are out of the question especially after seeing someone's underpants discarded. Thank goodness for the Chevron staff that were allowing runners to use their restroom!

Going beyond the wall (24-25 miles)
After buying pretzels from Chevron and filling up your water bottle and gatorade bottles, you feel somewhat better, right? 

Keep going (24-25miles)
Your mind starts playing mind games with you, "Did they stretch out the last two miles? Are they sure they measured the distance correctly?!"

Last stretch knowing Diamond Head is coming up within the last mile. One more sport beans left to down with zipfizz for that last energy to start running...

Homestretch
From 5:00am...you've ran the first mile then walked all the way till the 25th mile marker...

So crank up the iPod and let those epic movie score from Transformers, "No Sacrifice, No Victory" play as you are running down to Kapiolani Park to the finish line...

All you're thinking is, "I want my medal and shirt! Thank God the finish line is right here and I'm not cramping over! Just don't let me trip and fall!"

Legs on fire as "Girl on Fire" starts blasting in your ears while the volunteers are directing you to stand and pose (even if you are in pain and you feel as if your legs will pop off at any moment) 

You wait anxiousky for almost two weeks to view the marathon photos. After viewing them and buying those ugly photos, this makes you want to run the Honolulu Marathon again with makeup and to make sure that you're smiling at the end (Note: Being under the sun for 10 hours must have addled the brains to think such a thing).

But, as you sit back and think, you remember that quote on Pinterest, "If you are still pretty at the end of your run (workout), you didn't run (workout) hard enough." 

Guess I did a good job, yes?

The Honolulu Marathon (5th of 9th run to the Spartan Race)

 

Honestly, I don't know what to write about this experience except that I'm still reeling from the fact that I accomplished and finished a marathon by majority of walking.

 

Bragging rights has not set in and it is taking me over a week to share about this experience.

 

I thought I prepared okay because I honestly thought you can incorporate what you do in your shorter runs to a marathon. Not really unless you really prepare your fueling and keeping to your plan to avoid giving up especially when you "hit the wall".

 

I went according to the suggested list of must-haves while you are doing the marathon. I also invested in a great pair of running shoes to minimize any aggravation of my bunions. I also learned about taping that I know I will utilize on any upcoming runs.

 

My overall learning experience of a marathon:

• It never goes according to your plan
• Hydration is a must
• Gels and sports beans is a must-too
• Some people on the course actually bring food to eat along the way (I'm afraid to because I may have to use the bathroom that will be more than 2 miles away when my stomach rumbles)
• Satohap and vaseline are lifesavers
• Bring extra k-tape strips
• Don't throw away your sponge
• It's more mental than physical especially when you've "hit the wall"
• Core exercises is a must in your training plan
• Pretzels is great to munch on
• Mixing up your playlist with different genre's is a good idea (Note: Incorporating epic movie scores is awesome because it really digs deep into your soul dramatically like you're about to run Chariots of Fire)
• That long stretch from Kahala to Hawaii Kai is a really long stretch
• Dry-wick clothes is essential because it's light and will not chafe
• Your body is still burning calories after the marathon

26.2 freaking miles...I thought I could run the first mile, walk all the way to the 20 mile marker and run the last six miles. It didn't happen. I wanted to give up at the 20 mile marker. I felt like my hips were about to fall off. I had to do hip extensions every quarter mile. Seriously, I felt like my legs were going to pop off like Barbie's legs.

 

At the finish line, my family was congratulating me and all I wanted was the medal and t-shirt as well as my clothing bag because I was afraid that the marathon people were going to donate it since it was past 2:00pm.

 

I wanted to lay on the ground and cry for being such an idiot because who in their right mind does this kind of thing? Seriously! who DOES?

 

Well, as I think back to what I was thinking that day...I realize that I am that idiot as well as many others. Because now I am actually contemplating on doing a marathon. Well, to be better prepared and train a little more wisely.

 

But, I'm an idiot runner. Just kidding. I'm not an idiot. I thought I was an idiot but people who love to run has found something internally. A fire that burns within us to challenge ourselves to go beyond what we could imagine. It is a fire that lights up every day to just run for no reason. To sign up excitedly not just for a shirt but to accomplish and know that we can complete the run because it is no longer in us to give any less of ourselves.

 

I am now a runner. A crazy runner but a runner none the less who has completed 26.2 miles.