testing...testing...testing

I'm finally sitting down to write about my date with the Exercise Physiology and Human Performance Laboratory. I can't believe it's been a week and a half. Cripes.  Fair warning, this is a long one. If you're interested, (all four of you), click through after the jump break.  It's a long post, so if you don't want to read the whole thing, the short version is: I need to go slower, if I want to get faster. And I need to lay off the M&Ms (actually, that one's all me. We didn't talk about nutrition.). But I will get there, eventually, on the M&Ms.

me against the marathon

Your heroine

vs.

26.2 glorious miles

In these conditions

The bags are packed, the boarding passes are in hand. All training that is to be done has been done.  All that's left to do now is make sure I'm properly hydrated and my liver is all filled up with glycogen goodness. I think I can handle it. The scale this morning claims my liver weighs 2 more pounds than it did last week. Unless that's all water weight. Hm.

Actually, there is one last bit of training I need to do now, and aside from Mr. Bump and I herding cats my parents around northern Oregon. And that's getting my game face on.  I've got a variety of goals for this marathon, which is partly why I'm so keyed up.

A goal:  A 4:45 marathon. Is this realistic given my training? Probably not, but if all the stars align, I might have it in me.  It's my might-just-be-out-of-reach goal.

B goal: A 4:59:xx marathon. My main goal is to break 5 hours. My previous marathon time was 5:03, and I believe I can break that 5 hour barrier, barring any major crap disasters.  There will be pacers for this marathon, and although my previous experience with pacers wasn't great, if I can keep myself between the 4:45 and 5:00 pacers, I'll be in the sweet spot.

C goal: A 5:02:xx marathon. If something goes awry, and I can't gain back a couple of minutes, I would really like to beat my previous marathon time.

D goal: Finish this mother.  Really, this is primary. Given the challenges of this training cycle, I just want to git ma giddy up and hold my medal up.  I just freestyled that right there. Next career: rap star, yo.

Beyond setting out my goals ahead of time, the mental preparation is also all about making a sort of plan and visualizing how that's going to look.  

• I plan on running the first 17 or so miles except for water stops, and then assess how I'm feeling at that point as to whether I want to switch to run/walk or just keep after it.  If I switch to run walk, I'll shoot for 5/1 intervals.  
• Mr. Bump and I are trying to make a spectator plan as well, places where they'll try to be so I can look for them.  There are going be something like 14,000 runners in this bad boy, so there's a good chance we could miss each other all together.  We'd all be disappointed to come all this way and not have the opportunity to connect, but I have to face that as a possibility, and mentally be prepared to run the whole distance on my own. With 13,999 other people.  
• Speaking of other people, I really want to try very hard not to get caught up in the start surge and run those first couple of miles too fast. This is hard for every runner, and while I've been guilty of it in the past, I know that I can also slow down and take the first few easy.  
• I'm also experimenting with a mantra or two:  I've always loved Haruki Murakami's: Pain is inevitable, misery is optional. I've actually got a headband with those words on it, which I might be wearing for  the marathon. Other options are
• Those last 6.2 miles. I'm going to try and dedicate each of those last six miles to someone who has supported me, helped me along and been my cheerleader. I've got three pros already lined up, who I hope to see along the way.  
• My two friends whose names both start with Chris. I've raced with both of them, and had so much fun with both of them.  While I'm hating miles 20-22, I'm going to try to think about the smiles on their faces while I was pushing them both to sprint at the end of those races. 
• Mom gets mile 23-24. Pretty much don't have to explain this one to anyone who has ever met my mom, but in case you haven't, I'll just leave you with this picture. Also she's the designated worrier for Team Bump, so I have nothing to worry about--she's on top of it.
 
• That guy in the matching sweatshirt is my dad. Mile 24-25 is really hard. You want so badly to quit, even though you're almost done. Your body is wrecked (pain is inevitable, misery is optional) and every step feels like the toughest step you've ever taken. My father has broken many bones, fallen several stories, flown through the windshield of his pickup truck, fallen down a well, and had so many stitches we've stopped keeping track. At almost 77, he's still a badass. If he can shrug off pain and keep at it, then I can cowboy up that mile. I'm going to be picturing him marching behind me shoving me toward the finish line. That'll work for me.

• Mr. Bump gets mile 25-26. He's been to all but a handful of my races, and he's always there after a hot run with a big glass of ice water and a fan, or a mug of cocoa after a snowy, chilly one. He always, every time, no matter whether it's a 3-miler or a 21 miler, asks me how my run went. I never could have gotten to a point in my life where I was running a marathon without him.
• Don't worry, I didn't forget that last 2/10ths of a mile, which is without question the most difficult .2 miles EVER. The person I hope to be thinking about, through the hazy stupor that comes from being able to see the finish line,is my littlest running partner, A. He runs because it's fun and most of the time when he does, he's giggling (although that might be because I'm chasing him...hm). And I'm sure I'm going to need that reminder right about then. Because really, shouldn't it always be this fun?

And have no fear. I'll probably be thinking about you somewhere between miles 1 and 20. I'm sure you'll come up.  Thanks for reading all the way to the end of this ramble. I'll be back, hopefully before Sunday.  In case you're dying to know how this all plays out, you can real time track my progress via this link on race day. My bib no. is lucky #6523.

the car goes where your eyes go

So this wasn't a Pullitzer Prize winning book, but I loved The Art of Racing in the Rain and I got something out of it that has stuck with me. That which you manifest is before you.  I'm sorry if it's cheesy to quote a book, but it was a good book.  I cried my eyes out over it on the way back from Africa at that phrase (and other parts of the book too).  I encourage you to read this book if you haven't yet.  Yes, if you have even a black nubbin of a soul you'll cry.  But it's a good read.  And I can't get that idea out of my head.  It reminds me of the setting my intentions I did at the beginning of last year, which was very successful for me.  Goals are good.  But planning and focusing are better. 

 Anyone else have a book they've read that was surprisingly resonant?

other goals may include

Aside from the marathon, here are some of the other things set as my intentions for 2010:

Read 100 books this year (hence the Good Reads thingy over on the right).

Lose that pesky last 10 pounds between me and a "healthy" BMI.

Spend less money on crap.

Learn some Italian.

What are your plans for 2010?

so, yeah

Christmas was ok, wasn't it?  I mean it wasn't perfect, I was way behind schedule on my Christmas cards, and they didn't in fact go out until after Christmas, but oh well.  I got myself into a heavy schedule of pre-Christmas Barefoot Bakery cookie plate nonsense, but I think I handled that ok.  Everyone got what they ordered.  So what if my dining room and some portions of my kitchen look like several strategic sprinkle and ribbon mortars were detonated?

Despite some nasty traveling weather on Christmas Eve Eve, we had lovely Christmas days with both my family and Mr. Bump's family, got lots of great loot, and ate lots and lots and LOTS of cookies.  I even managed to get a couple of runs in during that weekend, despite the cold and snow and ice.*

Mr. Bump gave me a Garmin 310XT for Christmas, which I totally completely and utterly love.  So much data!  At your fingertips!  It's going to require fiddling and fussing to get it set up exactly how I want it, but it's really really cool.  You can download your data and track it on Google Maps.

New Year's was eh.  We didn't do our traditional movie marathon with Mrs. Bump, and instead we sat around reading until Mr. Bump fell asleep in front of the fire sitting up at 10:30.  Both he and Mrs. Bump toddled off to bed around then, and I sat by myself in front of the fire and read my book until 1 am.  That's right, I rang in 2010 by myself.  Reading a book and drinking a mug of cocoa.  Golly, I bring the party, don't I?

So in between finishing my book and sipping on my non-alcoholic bevvy, I began thinking about what I wanted to accomplish in 2010, where I planned to focus my intentions, etc.  It took me a couple of days to get them all lined up, but one thing rose to the top.  Let me explain the chain of events.

First, I eat waaay too much over Christmas weekend, and then the following week the gym is closed at work so I can't work out there, so I'm in a panic about weight gain! and backsliding! and so I set up an intense running schedule for New Year's weekend, because that's what you do on New Year's Day--you start over.

But then, I neglect to remind Mr. Bump to grab my running shoes from under the bench by the front door.  He doesn't think of it, because they aren't his shoes and he's not a mind reader.  I don't think of this or remember it until we're actually an hour north of our house, which is approximately 5 minutes prior to pulling up at my mother-in-law's house.

So I decide that I might as well go buy a new pair of running shoes, because I'm going to need a new pair soon, and so I'll do that and I'll be able to run.  So on New Year's Day, I go to the running store, pick up my new shoes (they're pink!), and as I'm going to pay I say, "Oh yeah, and I need to sign up for the Colorado Marathon, too."  (!!)  It just popped out of my mouth.  Well, sort of.

So I really wanted to run (or try to--there's a lottery) the Nike Women's Marathon next October, what with the Tiffany's necklace finisher's medal and all, I felt like if I was going to do it, I might as well get a blue box from Tiffany's out of it, right?  But then we decided to go to Italy.  Guess when we could go on frequent flyer tickets?  Yep, October.

So no Nike Women's Marathon 2010--boo!  If I didn't get in to the lottery for the NWM, my backup plan/thought was to run the Denver Marathon, which is the same weekend.  So that one was out, too.  I started hunting around for another one.  There is the Boulder Backroads, which is the half-marathon I did in September.  I really didn't want to do that one again, what with the hot and the hills and the poor organization--running out of water, etc.  I know I should give them another chance, but maybe not on my first marathon, mmkay?

Based on conversations with a marathoner friend who has done a few destination races, I decided I wanted to do one on home turf, where people I know can cheer me on.  But here the marathon season is either May or September/October.  So then I looked at the possibilities in May.  Which came down to either the Colorado Marathon or the Colfax Marathon.  One is a downhill course through the scenic Poudre Canyon.  The other is on Colfax, which if you are at all familiar with Denver, is a big long stretch of asphalt that is in no way scenic.

So by process of elimination I had narrowed the choices, but I honestly wasn't planning on signing up so soon.  But then I realized that if I was going to do the Colorado Marathon, I should start training, like, now-ish.  And if you're at the running store, and they have the sign-up sheet there, now-ish starts right at that very moment.

The shoes I bought were the fourth pair of running shoes I've bought.  The first pair I bought was on New Year's Day 2009.  When I bought them I couldn't run a mile.  One year later I'm signing up for a marathon.  If you had told me this would be my future I would have laughed.  Loudly.  

What a crazy year this has been.  I feel really grateful for all the experiences 2009 offered up.  I appreciate every person who said "good job" or sent me an email or a comment.  Every one who came out to see me race, or even just cheered me (and everyone else) on from the sidelines.  Everyone who noticed those 50 pounds slip away.  I'm grateful for these two, also:

Mr. Bump spent a lot of nights giving me room to exercise, being supportive of my healthy eating goals.  And the Ru-hound spent a lot of time waiting for me to come home so that she could give me supportive licks.  I appreciate their sacrifices so much I'm going to ask them to go around again.  I've got 18 weekends of long runs, and some fairly significant mid-week runs ahead of me.  At the moment, it's very cold and very dark outside.  We've gotten 3 inches of snow today and it is supposed to get down to zero tonight.  I keep getting these little panicky shocks every time I look at the calendar and realize there will come a day at the beginning of April where I will have to go for a 20 mile run.  And then on Mother's Day I'll have to add 6.2 on to that.  I honestly don't know how it's going to play out, but I have a new toy and a new pair of running shoes.  I'm going to just keep putting one run in front of the other and see how it goes.  I'll let you know.

Oh, and once I cross that finish line?  I'm buying myself my very own blue box.

New year, new shoes, new goal

New year, new shoes, new goal, originally uploaded by LANABUMP.

I'm pretty sure I have no idea what I've gotten myself into, but at least I've gotten myself into it. I've got less than 18 weeks to figure it out.

nablopomo, take 2

Ok, so I've wiped the slate and today is a new day, new month, new post. I'll admit that recent maudlin post smacked a bit of Poor Poor Pitiful Me Syndrome (or PPPMS), but I'm feeling much better now. I'm going back to the beginning, starting today. I've got a new battery in my pedometer, a food log filled out for today, and I've reset my goals. With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, it might seem like a good idea to maintain for the next couple of months, but I'm not going to delay reaching goals based on what the calendar says. Thanksgiving is one day. Christmas is one day. It's easier not to spiral out of control for the whole season if you just do what you've got to do and damn the season. Damn the weather! Damn the darkness! Damn the torpedoes! Er, strike that last one.

I tend to go off in all directions when it comes to goals: this number on the scale, this BMI, this level of exercise, this frequency of exercise, this calorie consumption, elimination of this sweet treat, this processed food, this restaurant. But I'm going to erase most of that from my mental chalkboard (oh, you don't have a tabla rossa? I highly recommend. I picture taking a sleeve and smearing it across the chalkboard--true, it's messy, but it's vehement!). What I'm leaving on the list is a healthy BMI. This actually requires I meet a few of those other things (that healthy BMI doesn't just magically happen because I want it to), but it's best just to keep my head down and push forward on all of those.

Basically it boils down, as we all know, to two things: eat fewer calories, and burn more calories. One pound equals 3500 calories, so in order to lose a pound a week, you need to either cut out 500 calories a day, or burn 500 calories a day, or some combination thereof. Simple, right? Well, sort of. I'm going to let you in on the basics I have learned through the classes I took at Colorado Weigh, which is a fabulous program that I can't recommend enough. Every one of the 100 pounds I lost was a direct result of what I learned there. Unfortunately, they rarely offer classes to the public anymore, and if you're not in Denver these aren't available anyway.

First you need to figure out what your resting metabolic rate, or basal metabolic rate is. This is not exact (the best way to do that is water displacement, but that's kind of thing isn't available to most people, and this is close enough). Go figure it out, I'll wait.

Got it? I'm at 1515 calories per day (jeepers, that seems low!). Ok, so this is the amount of calories you burn if you were to slug it all day in bed, not moving. Basically what your body needs to perform it's vital functions. This number is important, because if you don't eat this, your body thinks "Hey, where's my energy! Uh-oh. I'd better slow things down--I've got to make what I get last!" Obviously this is counterproductive to weight loss. So if I were to just reduce my calories by 500 calories a day, I'd be at 1015 calories a day. This is waaaay too low. My body puts on the brakes (yours will too) if I go below 1200 calories. No one should consume fewer than 1200 calories. Got it?

I'm going to stick with consuming around 1500 calories. This means any energy that I burn, either through incidental exercise or during an actual workout, will be above and beyond what I'm consuming.

So here's where that pedometer (you know, the one you got in a happy meal--I mean healthy meal--one time) comes in. It factors all of the calories you burn through incidental exercise. How much you move during your day just walking around. This counts in that 500 calories I have to burn--woohoo! This is the part that experts talk about when they say park your car further away from the store, take the stairs instead of the elevator, etc. And yeah, it works in that way, but I'm afraid there's more to it than that. You need to calculate your steps per calorie, which is a chart that factors your height and weight and gives you a number of steps per calorie. Mine is 20 steps per calorie. This means I have to take 20 steps before I burn a single calorie. To put this in perspective, 100 pounds ago my steps per calorie were 12. The less you weigh, the more energy you have to expend to burn the same amount of calories. Bummer, I know.

Today I walked about 7,000 steps. For me, this calculates to 350 calories burned through just walking around. Then I went for a short run after I got home (yay me!), where I burned another 450 calories.

So, here is where the math comes in. My total energy expenditure for today is my RMR (1515), plus energy burned (800 calories) = 2315. In the snapshot of just today, in order to maintain my current weight I would have to consume 2300 calories. Less than this, I lose weight, more than this I gain it. So if I subtract 500 (the amount of calories I need to reduce my intake by in order to lose weight) from 2315, it gives me 1815. In theory, if I were to consume 1800 calories a day and burn 500 calories through physical activity or incidental exercise, I would lose a pound a week.

But it isn't always that simple, is it? First of all every time you lose weight (even five pounds or so) you need to re-do these calculations, because as you lose weight your steps per calorie changes. Secondly, fat is more difficult to burn than carbohydrates. There are 9 calories in a single gram of fat. In either a gram of carbohydrates or a gram of protien, there are only 4 calories per gram. So for my body to burn a single gram of fat (assuming my glycogen stores are depleted), I need to walk 20 x 9, or 180 steps. A single gram. That's like nothing. You can make the scale register a gram if you blow on it kind of hard. But even getting to the burning of that gram isn't easy. In training for my half-marathon I learned a lot about glycogen, which is your muscles' energy source. You have to deplete this energy store before your body will begin dipping into its fat stores. The fastest way to deplete it is through high intensity exercise. Also, the faster you go, the more you burn in less time. Can you see now how I might have gotten into running?

At some point after I did these calculations in class, I realized that I was going to have to walk about 22,000 steps a day (based on calculations) in order to reach my goal. This, needless to say, was daunting. There just aren't enough hours in the day to get that much walking in, particularly if you work an office job. But there was this great option--I could kick up the intensity, which would burn more calories faster. Lightbulb!

Essentially, all these calculations are a nice way to track your progress, and to adjust your goals as you move along. For me they were the mode by which I realized I had control over what I weighed. They were the tools that got me up off the couch and onto a treadmill at the YMCA. I always think of what Maya Angelou has said: "I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better." Even with weight loss, it applies. Now that I know exactly how to do the math, I know that weight loss (or gain) doesn't just happen by magic.

It might seem daunting to some to have to live within the confines of a particular goal, either in consuming fewer calories or burning more of them (or more often than not some of each). But knowing that the answer is in your grasp, and the ability to change how you feel and how you look is in your control--to me that cracks the world wide open with possibilities.

(Gah--I feel like I just vomited out the hideously deformed baby of a 12 step program leader and a motivational speaker that sells his own tapes on 2 am informercials. I didn't mean for this to turn out quite so earnest. I'm tired. I'll try for more sass tomorrow, ok?)