Chicago Marathon Training: Week 1 Recap

Posted by hellyontherun in Marathon Training, Running and tagged with Chicago Marathon, Exercise Induced Anaphylaxis, Heat Wave, Marathon Training, Running, Weekly Recap June 15, 2015

The first official week of training is in the book, friends!! And it was quite an eventful week!

Mondays I’ve marked cross-training days and I hit my local rec center for 30 minutes on the bike (7.25 miles). They’re pretty fancy bikes than what I’ve used before; each one has a big screen. I watched a show on VH1 that was highly entertaining –Love & Hip Hop in Atlanta. I’ve never seen or heard of this show nor knew anyone on it, but boy, those 30 minutes flew by jaja!! I don’t watch a lot of t.v. unless it’s Mickey Mouse Club House, Elmo, or sports. 🙂

I also did some core, back, and arm videos but in the comfort of my own home and not watching Love & Hip Hop lol!

Tuesday I met up with my running buddies at a local running store for a quick 3 miler. And it was quick! Despite the heat (and humidity!) I was able to pull out a fast (for me) negative split run.

How’s that for humidity Kristina? 😉

I was so freaking happy (and shocked) to see that last mile split! I didn’t feel completely dead either lol!

My plan had 4 miles on the schedule but I was okay with this quick 3.

Wednesday also had 4 miles on the schedule and I met up with my run club to get ‘er done. I was into mile 2 when a familiar sensation starting creeping up from my hands.

I was getting another allergic reaction.

If you’re a new reader, or haven’t heard yet lol, I experience what’s called Exercise Induced Anaphylaxis–basically, I’m allergic to exercise. I don’t have an attack each time I work out, but this was the second time in as many weeks it’s happened and this particular one was pretty bad.

I was 2 miles out from my car and knew I didn’t have much time before it (hives, itching, swelling) would begin to spread. One of my running buddies offered to run and get my car; I usually have about a 15 minute or so window before shit gets real. I knew it’d be close.

After a few minutes though, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to drive myself home and overdose on Benedryl (I stupidly didn’t have any on me or my EPI pen). So, I called my husband.

I was about a 10 minute drive from home and I had already been waiting for about 10, so when he finally found me, I was a hot itchy, red mess. I was trying hard not to scratch my scalp and skin off.

He had brought the goods and I immediately downed some Benedryl. I opted not to use my EPI pen as I can usually control the attack with medicine (and I’d avoid another ER visit).

The thing is, I get so frustrated that we can’t pin point what causes this thing. It doesn’t happen all the time, it doesn’t happen only outdoors (once was on a treadmill), and I don’t do anything out of the ordinary that could attribute to an attack. After the second time this happened, I started keeping a journal where I record everything–what I ate that day, what times, what I wore, products I used–everything, so I can try and find some commonality. But alas….

And when time goes by where I don’t get an attack, I become complacent with carrying my medicine and EPI pen. I know it’s dumb on my part but ….

A while back, my doctor suggested I take a Claritin before runs and Benedryl for if I sense an attack coming, so that’s what I do before runs (before complacency sets in) and what I’ve been doing after Wednesday’s fiasco.

I had 5 miles scheduled for Thursday morning and my husband left it up to me whether or not I’d do them.

I had to.

I just couldn’t let fear keep me from running. I know that it can happen but I also can’t really control it. I can try and prevent it–with taking a Claritin pill before I run–but even then, I don’t know if that really is preventative or if it was simply a run with no attack. Regardless, I knew I wanted to prove to myself that I wouldn’t let the anxiety of whether or not it would happen keep my from running.

So I got those 5 miles done.

Fight run.

Friday was a rest day thank goodness and it was also date night! My husband and I treated ourselves to a night out and we decided to do something we love but hadn’t done in a long time: bowling!!!

We are super competitive against each other so we take any form of sport we play seriously lol. He was going down!!

Pretty proud of my 170 🙂

And yup, yours truly came out on top!

Saturday I woke up so sore from the previous night’s bowling lol, but I made it out the door for my long run. It was pretty uneventful, which is good in my case. I made sure to start off slow and try to keep a steady pace throughout. After about mile 4, I felt myself settle in at a 9:45ish pace and that pleased me.

Sunday was a rest day and we took the kids to see Sesame Street Live 😀

Me and my bestie ❤

I was really productive this week besides my running by doing a lot of strength training videos at home. I did a few each day. I also met my 10k Steps Everyday in June Challenge 6 out of the 7 days (I like to give myself one rest day) and ended the week with a cumulative 49.26 miles–19.02 of them running.

Overall, very happy with the first week of training. Now, I’m looking forward to a new week aaaaand this:

Hope everyone has a great week!!! ❤ , Helly

–Have you ever heard of Exercise Induced Anaphylaxis?
Anything you allergic to?

–Do you like bowling? Think you could beat me? 😉

–Favorite Sesame Street character? (We’re team Elmo because my son is obsessed. Although I’m a little partial to Cooke Monster because…duh…)

Mid-Week Musings

Posted by hellyontherun in Running and tagged with BRF, Family, Mid-Week Musings, Runner's World, Running, Zelle June 10, 2015

Happy Hump Day!!!

I hope everyone has been having a good week so far–we’re almost to Friday! 🙂

A few things I want to share with you today

First, yesterday I had such a great run! I’d been a little discouraged getting back into running after taking a brief break and any time you re-start something you have to expect some getting used to, you know? But, I finally feel like I’m coming back! 🙂

I met up with my friends at a local running store for a 3 miler (it was also Saucony demo night!) and wouldn’t you know it, negative splits..again!! This time at much faster paces I haven’t seen in a while: 9:08, 8:43, and 8:14 –yep, you’re seeing that third mile correctly! I felt like I was pushing myself but it wasn’t a painful pushing at all but a more comfortable uncomfortable and that’s something I’ve been wanting to work on–being okay with uncomfortable.

Running this way won’t happen all the time as I’m a big believer in that not all runs should be done fast, but it’s nice that on a run where I’m feeling good, I can challenge myself a little.

Maybe it was the Saucony’s?

Second, I have a brother update. If you’re a new reader or don’t remember the awesomeness that is my brother, you can read about his weight loss here and his amazing first half marathon here. Anyway, he ran a 5k this past weekend.

I don’t think you’re ready for this…..

…..He finished in 24:47! YES, 24:47!

He texted me Saturday morning and in my half-awake state, couldn’t believe the numbers on my screen. But there they were and were confirmed when I looked up the official race results! He is so amazing and he’s so proud of himself–almost as proud as I am of him ❤

His smile though… ❤

Finally, you guys all know about my BRF Salt, well…she made her Runner’s World Debut yesterday!!! She’s featured on their website, Runner’s World: Zelle, and you have to go read the article written about her fabulousness. Go ahead, I’ll wait!

My BRF and sole sister–Salt ❤

Anytime anyone tells me they hate running, I always say, “It might just not be your time yet.” I think of Salt, who didn’t discover running til later in her life and now is a superstar 😀

I hope everyone has a great rest of the week!! Keep your eyes on the Friday prize! ❤ , helly

–When’s the last time you had a great run?

–Any family members inspire you?

–Have you ever been in a newspaper/magazine?

Let The Training Begin!!

Posted by hellyontherun in Marathon, Running and tagged with Chicago Marathon, Marathon Training, Running June 8, 2015

Pre-season is OVAH!! and now it’s time to get down to the real deal Holyfield 😀

But first, lemme recap last week — it was a productive base training week for sure:

Monday was supposed to be a rest day as I had run the previous Friday, Saturday, and Sunday–4, 6, 4 miles respectively–and was feeling it. But, my MRTT group had started a June One Miler Challenge where we run one mile at the beginning of June and one mile at the end (and hope for improvement lol!)

This was a tough mile. And it ended on a rough note — upon finishing, I felt my hands start to itch and my throat start to scratch and I knew it was coming. Another allergic reaction. Luckily, I was already home and when I walked inside, I told my husband what was happening. He quickly took out the Benedryl. I could feel my ears start to swell, I could see my hands turn red and bumps start to form on my legs–I wanted to scratch off my scalp.

But I was fine, and it wasn’t too long after ~~overdosing~~ taking some Benedryl that it went away and I was back to normal.

It’s just super scary while it’s happening and not knowing when it will or won’t is frustrating.

Tuesday I met up with a local running store for their weekly group run. I got in a really good (hot) 3 miler chatting with some friends and was very happy with my splits and pace.

How’s the weather where you’re at? Lol!

Wednesday was National Running Day and I met up with my main running club at another running store to celebrate. The run was an out and back 3 miler, and my Chicago running partner and I (along with another MRTT friend) managed to negative split this hot, windy run. 9:18, 9:12, 9:03.

Yay!

After six days of running in a row (a little mini streak there), I decided to call Thursday a break. I could feel a tinge of tightness in my right quad and had been foam rollin’ the hell out of it since earlier in the week. I knew with rest, I’d be alright.

Fridays are typical rest days so I rested from running but did some light upper body strength stuff and some abs stuff. And foam rolling.

By Saturday, I felt so much better. My husband, who is also Chicago Marathon training, and I decided that I’d long run Saturday and he’d long run Sunday. But, we had early plans on Sunday that would likely make him have to split the 7 miler scheduled. He’s not a fan of splitting runs so he went Saturday which meant an extra rest day for me 🙂 I’ll take it. (Plus, I was little sore from the arm and abs stuff from Friday lol!).

Sunday I knew that it was likely I’d have to split my run. We were meeting up with my run club for a Summer Sizzle Fun 5k and would have to be out the door by 7:15. I could run 4 miles at home and then run the 5k with the group; or, I could get my butt out of bed super early and get it all in at once.

Surprisingly, I got out of bed.

It ended being a great run! My body felt rested, my legs felt good. The first mile beeped 10:07. Then the second mile beeped 10:39 and I could swear it felt reversed. I had felt the first mile to be slow and steady, a good warm up pace. And I felt like I had “started” my run the second mile. But, the numbers don’t lie and I gathered myself up the third mile and kept going.

I ended up negative splitting the rest of the run.

I wasn’t actively trying to negative split but I felt after the 4th mile to be warmed up and just ran, only looking at my watch when it would beep the mile split. When I was done, I felt so good, like I could have kept on going. That made me really happy as that’s how I always hope to end a long run.

We left to meet my run club not long after I got home from my run. I love my main running club because they’re seriously like family to me. We’ve done so many cool things with them that has brought us close together; my kids know everyone and I love how they’re growing up around such a positive community.

Also in June, I’m participating in a 10k Steps Challenge with my MRTT group and I’m happy to report 6/7 days met!

Overall, it was a great pre-season training week (14 total miles) and now I’m ready to get the show on the road. Things are getting real up in here! Chicago, here comes Helly!!!

I hope you all have a great Monday!! ❤ , helly

–Do you like long-running?

–What’s your favorite thing about training for a race?