3:38--I QUALIFIED!

Please ignore the ridiculous but effective ear warmer I'm wearing (if that's even possible).

Josh and I ran the St. Jude Memphis Marathon yesterday and we finished! More details later, but here are the biggest details.

Our groups finishers:

Josh: 3:21

Afton: 3:38

Emily: 4:52ish?

Josh's Mom: 5:02

Our cousin Amanda: 5:28ish

Josh and I each had an unfortunate and lengthy bathroom break which was really discouraging for me. Josh had terrible leg cramps, so he's already toying with the idea of doing another one because he knows he can do better (he thought this would be his only one ever). I am too for that matter. All in all, I'm very happy with it because I still barely squeaked by in time to qualify for the Boston Marathon! I don't plan on it, I just hoped to qualify. YAY!

Thanks for everyone's encouragement!

Tooting My Own Running Horn

I am so SO excited about my last two runs, again, it's all thanks to my friend Shelah who's taught me (unknowingly probably) how to push myself. Rachael once asked if I liked running, and to be honest, I'm not sure. Sometimes I think absolutely no. Most of the time I start a run I think that actually. But if the stars are aligned and I feel great during it, I really get a rush from it.

I run mostly because it's just something I can do, I mean that very literally. Most of us have the simple capability to run, even if it's hard. I don't have to have props or skills or talents to do it, I can just do it (wanna sponsor me Nike?). So I started to when I was in college really and have done a few 5Ks here and there.

Once I had kids it's become more important to me though because time is much more limited and I wanted something to do that was for me. I knew I wanted to work out, but with running I can sign up for races which provide me with that adrenaline and competitive edge I don't get from motherhood. Races are just something to look forward to so the mundane day-to-day jogs are more tolerable.

I've tried to not put many running times in here because it seemed a little weird for non-race times, but I'm so proud of these past two runs and I don't know if I'll ever be able to do them as well, so I'm putting them on the record!

Here's a little Afton marathon training history:

*5 weeks ago I ran 18 miles and then left for Peru for two weeks

*3 weeks ago we came back from Peru and ran twice in those two weeks we were gone (a 2 miler and a 3 miler--not exactly good marathon training). I ran 18 miles and about died, it was so hard. I actually stopped at 17.3 miles to squat down and stretch because my back was having some kind of spasms (and had to embarrassingly turn down an offer for a ride home)
--those were 10min10sec miles

*2 weeks ago I ran 15 miles, I think 9min45sec miles

*1 week ago I ran 21.35 miles with my super fast marathon friend
--8min12sec miles!!! A HUGE difference, and in only a week and on 5 hours sleep! I was elated (I'd also done a 10 miler a few days before)

*Yesterday I ran 15 miles, 7.5 of those with my fast friend. Get this--
--7min52sec miles! I was so afraid I wouldn't be able to keep it up on my own that I actually went a little faster than when I was with her (sorry for holding you back that first half Shelah, I just didn't want to burn out!)

A few years ago Josh and I ran our first half (13.1 miles). I finished in in 1h56min. A couple of months ago Josh and I ran another half and I finished in 1h47min. Yesterday during my run, I just checked my watch to see what I'd be at if I were running a half marathon and at 13.1 and I was at 1h43 min! I was so excited! I have to say, the one a couple of months ago was hilly and very humid and we'd been sick for like a month straight, so hopefully I would've done better under better conditions.

Anyway, I'm SO happy! I never thought I could do that well and it's all because of running with someone who I was afraid of holding back. I guess I always thought I was pushing myself because running is just always hard for me, but yesterday I realized what pushing yourself really is. Now I'm nervous about the marathon, I really want a good time, but it's my first and it will be hilly so I'm afraid that will make it slower.

Any last minute tips? It's in two weeks! Wish us luck!

Do you have a friend that would get you through 21.35 miles?

So I have this friend, her name is Shelah. She's pretty much superwoman, just so you know. She has four kids and has run like 3 or 4 marathons in the past year (and managed to still train while her kid was in a body cast). She's a superb cook, avid reader (I think her goal is 100 books this year, and they're not all like 10 pages or anything, we're talking real books), and a writer on the side. Anyway, I've already told her she's my hero, but here's my newest reason she has that title.

She offered to go together for my longest run before our marathon. That might not sound like a big deal to any of you, but it was huge. I haven't run with anyone in about 10 months besides Josh, and those are pretty much short runs anyway. I dreaded this run for weeks, esp because there was a 10 miler the Wed right before. I'm not what I'd consider a natural runner either, so I dread a lot of my runs. When Shelah offered to go with me I almost declined because she doesn't just run a lot, she runs guys into the ground, she almost qualified for Boston--in the men's category. But she insisted that the pace didn't matter and I could set it.

I took her up on it, and we ran, and I am SOO grateful to her! We started at a pace much faster than I would have gone on alone and I thought, well, I'll just slow down when I need to. But having the company and feeling the pressure to not totally ruin one of her long runs, I went much faster than I would have normally gone and having company made me stay sane on such a long run. Who knew running 21.35 miles could actually be enjoyable? Now I'm actually excited for our marathon because I'm confident I can get my goal time. Or mostly confident...

There are a few things I think of when I think of this run. To her, it was probably no big deal since she's done it so often, but I really didn't know if I'd make it; at least in a working piece since I had to cripple over two weeks ago on my 18 miler for a minute (in which my pace was a whole 2 minutes slower per mile).

So two things:

1. You probably often don't know the influence you have over someone else who is at a weaker place than you.
2. You might not know that you can do as much as you're capable of until you're pushed. For that reason trials sometimes help because we're pushed in ways we'd rather not be, but other things are just up to us to push ourselves into better places we'd like to be. Does that make any sense?

Q: Do you think you underestimate yourself a lot or a little?
Q: When have you done something you really didn't know you could do until you had done it?
Q: Was it because of someone else or yourself?

Third Place

I just checked my comments for my busy Saturday post and noticed that there was one on there from the announcer at our half marathon. I have no idea how he found my blog, okay, well I guess google probably pulls it up, but still, he posted a comment telling me I was third place for my women's age group. Fun huh?

It wasn't quite the time I wanted, but I'll take a place any day! As much I like big runs with lots of people to keep me going, placing with average times is also a boost in self confidence! These pictures show me that I should really push a little harder, I don't look like I'm trying hard enough...my running pics always end up like that! I should take note.

Miracle Cabbage?

I woke up early this morning with an all too-familiar feeling in my, ah hem, chest (I much prefer that word to the "br..." or "bo..." words, esp in writing). I was not only engorged, but really really sore on one side, the same kind of sore I woke up with several months ago where 10 hours after waking up in pain ("hm, must have slept funny") I was balling on the phone to my parents and then Dr's office begging for drugs to treat mastitis.

I spent my shower painfully trying to push out the hard bumps, hey, if it prevents me from getting to that feverish state with red streaks again, I'll keep keep up the painful rubbing. It's not nearly at the same level of pain that I was in at this point in the day last time, so that's hopeful, but I need to do something about it, so I took some IB Profin and then remembered the cabbage bit.

Cabbage can do many things besides just give you gas. It's said you can lose like a 100 pounds in a week by eating cabbage soup, if cut in half it makes a great stamp dipped in paint, but can it really relieve a suffering woman from engorgement? The cabbage factor, you know, one of those things women say works but scientists can't figure out why. We rarely have cabbage on hand, but we happen to right now, so I stuffed my bra full of it (sounds a little pre-teen stuffing my bra and all).

Josh has been gone in CA for the past few days so he surprised me and came home to eat lunch with me today (and since I had a stressful experience at the passport office). He pulled me in for a disappointingly stinky hug. What ever man wants, a cabbage-chest wife.

I'm skeptical and I don't like smelling cabbage so much, but I'm excited to see if this works!

Q: Have you ever tried this?

Q: How long do you leave it in? Do you have to replace it after a certain amount of time?

Q: Any other tips for helping ease engorgement (weaning remember?)?

Marathon Advice?

If you've run a marathon, could you email me your training schedule? I don't really have one and I've looked all over the internet and there are just so many out there that I'm confused. I've had a few small and annoying injuries, sickness and the hurricane that have really messed things up, so I'm all off.


My long weekend runs have been:

1. 8 miles
2. Hood to Coast Relay=17 total miles
3. 10 miles
4. 11.5 miles
5. 6.5 miles (out of town, thanks Hurricane)
6. 14 miles (sick and sorely paid for it afterwards)
7. 18 miles

Our race is Dec 6, so 10 weeks away. This Friday night I'll do another long one since we're doing a 5K in the morning (I have to walk with the jogger for this one), then we're doing a half marathon next week (13.1), so the next week I really need to up the mileage I'm thinking because we're going to Peru the next day and won't be able to really run for 9 days. Then I'll only have 5 weeks before the marathon when we get back. How far along should I be at that point?

Q: Could you send me your training schedule if you did one?

Q: Any marathon advice?

18 Long Miles

I ran 18 miles yesterday.

I can just about hardly believe it myself, it's definitely the longest I've ever gone. It took me forever though so I was bored out of my mind. I used Josh's MP3 player for most of it since it had the radio and I could surf and have variety, but then I was sick of that and returned to my over-used play list on my IPod. I know, kind of a pain to carry two, why don't IPod's have radios???

I also ran with this bottle of water because the last few big runs I've been so thirsty I was nearly delirious and contemplated asking other runners for a drink to wondering how dirty water by the roadside would be. I stopped twice to fill it up and was glad for a potty break too--we had a ward Chili Cook-Off the night before, nice.

Hazel said they were "Daddy's." I told you they looked like man shoes. And why are they on their side like that? Can't figure out the computer.

That toenail came off the other day, can't really tell if there's a new one or not, it just feels firm, but not nail-firm. I'm afraid the one next to it might have the same fate with that blister pushing up the nail, ew. When we ran a 1/2 marathon 3 years ago the same nail came off, strange huh?

Q: Ever lost a toenail?

Q: Want to meet in Memphis Dec 6? Marci--you almost sounded like a maybe...? PLEASE? I would love to see some friends there!

Hood to Coast Relay!

Warning: Journal Length.

We just got back from Oregon where we ran the Hood to Coast Relay, 197 miles and 1000 teams, each team has 12 members and two cars with six people each. You average about 15-19 miles total spread out over three different legs. You run about every eight hours but are driving for most of that so you can't just go to sleep or do something else.

And we're off! I bought brand spankin new shoes the day before despite crazy warnings not to :). I was really torn between the asics cumulus (which I already owned but were way overdue for a new pair) or the new asics nimbus. I had a coupon so that helped, but I don't think you should worry about paying a lot for shoes that will be supporting your body as you hammer out tons of miles. I'd say a small price to pay to make sure you treat your body right.

Anyway, I went for the cumulus which happened to be cheaper, I just had to stick with a good thing even if the newest shoes are hideous. Red and silver? Total man shoes. Any of you have these shoes too?
Near the start line up on Mount Hood.

Check out the yellow runner, pretty stylin dude. It was FREEZING up there. I have a towel wrapped around my legs if you can't tell. People were actually skiing on the mountain.

Stan is my brother in law, white shirt. He was super speedy. Not sure if he beat the yellow prancer, he was thoroughly entertaining to watch.

Yeah, sorry. Just happy about my free drinks. I LOVE free stuff. Cool Mount Hood too!

This is Ethan, Josh's brother, also super speedy. The first several legs were straight downhill, lucky dogs. They had great times to prove it too!

This is my first leg, 7.42 miles.

My wonderful van of people (1/2 the team) was so fun and supportive. This is after a few miles, I could have really used them on my run today to give me some water!

It was sure nice, but I realized again how hard it really is to drink while running. I have to say, I was very proud of myself! I had only done one eight mile run (and only six before that) the week before, so it was tough and harder to breathe with the elevation increase.

I ran about a 9min mile (what I expected) in the first half where it had some uphill (and those maps we all decided do NOT show all the uphill that really goes on in all the legs!) and the when it hit the downhill I picked it up a little, but the last mile and half a man started coming up beside me to pass me so that gave me way more drive than I thought I'd have at that point and ran about a 6 1/2 min mile from then on to average an 8min20sec mile pace average (GPS watch Josh got me for my birthday has paid off!).

I was thrilled with that for such a long run as I'm not a fast runner, esp to pick it up so much at the end made me feel great! I also managed to pass a bunch of people which upped the satisfaction.

After our first legs while the other van was doing their runs, we drove home to Josh's parents house in Portland (Beaverton) and played with the girls, ate, and went back to the city where we were due to start running again. Elisa, Josh's sister, has a WONDERFUL husband who babysat our two girls as well as his own two (the same ages as ours). THANK YOU MARK LUDWIG!

It was gorgeous weather and really fun to just hang out around all the buzz while we waited for the hand-off.

I'm on the phone so much because my sister was going through a break up and I was getting the sad scoop. Oh, and remember the whole pink debate? Can't miss me here! I actually am wearing this flourescent sign because I'd be running my leg in the dark and this was bright with reflectors.

Ethan and friend Joseph, also a speed demon and previous master swimmer (went to state in high school).

The crowd of partyers and runners, I spy Ethan and Joseph in the background! See the arms above everyone else?

This is Lori, superb florist (did our wedding, now works for the church doing arrangements) and runner too! She ran leg 12, so she was the last runner who got to run through the finish line after her third leg. I like how she's smiling and the guy behind her looks like he's trying to attack her. Yikes!

They had porta potties everywhere, thankfully. Well, this brand was actually "Honey Buckets," a little weird we decided. With all the nerves and runners you'd expect them to be much worse if you know what I mean, but they were actually really clean with hand sanitizer too! Joseph just really liked being safe, so he wore this a lot. I hope nobody is really like that. For certain legs you had to wear these groovy reflector vests that were nice and soggy for the subsequent runners. Mmm mmm.

In between legs we'd get out and stretch, went to Safeway and bought food, or hamburgers for some runners...I tried a delicious bite, but my run was up in 45 min and didn't think that would be a good idea since I did that last time we ran the race (with pizza) and I barfed after it.

The in between running was pretty fun and I have to say, even though we really missed the girls, it was nice to be without them too and just get to relax and have fun. Except the part where I had to pump milk since I'm still nursing every few hours--in a car of: Josh's dad, brother, brother's friend (both unmarried), Josh and his mom. It was just a tad weird. And then I stored it in an empty gatorade bottle in the cooler, yummy.

Stan's 2nd leg, letting his vest flap in the wind. It was a really small one so it made for a nice fitted vest if he strapped it.

This is after my second leg. It was at midnight and obviously, dark. It was 4.15 miles and mostly uphill and on potholed back roads. I was trying to catch up with some guys so I would feel a little safer than being all alone on empty country roads, but I could only get close, darn fast people. You had to have a flashlight, most people wore headlamps, but I held a little one too and it was still pretty dark.

At one lonely place I saw a man out of nowhere standing on the side of the road that momentarily freaked me out but then I realized he was just out watching the race and offered me water. I did pass a few more people towards the end, so that was fun.

Unfortunately the fun slowed down when I crossed the finish line only to hand off to nobody. The other car had a flat tire and so they had to change cars and stuff in it and didn't make it back in time (they'd spent their in between hours at home too). I know it wasn't how they wanted to spend their time either. It was such a disappointing feeling to see nobody at the end after you push it so hard, oh well. Josh's sister Emily was after me and the poor thing never had time to warm up because they had a hard time getting to the hand off spot by the time we were there.

Josh didn't see me finish my first leg for some reason and he didn't see me finish this 0ne either, sort of a let down since it was such an exciting and proud moment to do so and then he was somewhere else. I guess they miscalculated times and thought I wouldn't be there yet, oh well.

Oh yeah, that's the other tricky part of the race, you are just estimating how long you'll take and then your team drives ahead and meets you there. Some roads you can follow the runners and give them drinks, etc. Others, like this one, you couldn't, so it was all a guess and we all ended up doing better than we expected. Good, but bad for connections. Oh, and I had an 8.02 min mile average, yay!

I finished my 2nd leg at 12:30am and then we had to drive a while to find where we'd lay out sleeping bags. We just found a field and laid them out and tried to go to sleep, but other cars kept coming and parking next to us and talking. I zipped two bags together into a queen size to share with Josh and it was soo fun! I'd always wanted to do that for some reason. We were only able to sleep two hours before we had to get up and get to our next point.

Ethan's early morning 3rd leg. Stan, the first runner of our team had it the worst though, after the couple hours of wonderful sleep, he had to hurry and get ready and run in the middle of the cold, misty night. Miserable is my guess.

Ethan passed another one just in time! This is the "exchange point," which they were VERY particular about. One more roadkill as we called it. The name was a bit tarnished when one runner really did get hit by a car during her night run and broke both legs and a rib. Yikes!

Cold again. I think I was in the car trying to sleep here.

Josh's super mom, over 50 too! She organized this whole thing for us which also included finding three volunteers to work an 11pm-3am shift somewhere on the course--not easy. Thank you volunteers! She did excellent on her runs too!

We were waiting to get a picture of Josh coming up his beastly mountain leg, but the camera died right before he arrived. Uh, sorry, that might have been my fault.

This is at the end of my third leg which Josh was sure not to miss. It was 5.35 miles and I was tired and starting to get worn out, so thankfully I had a big downhill and a girl I was trying to catch for most of it. Unfortunately I just kept seeing the back of her, but she pushed me pretty hard and I ended up having 7min 25 sec miles! I was THRILLED with that. I just desperately wanted to break that 8 min mile average and I did, yay! That was big for me.

I'm doing my new favorite thing in pictures here, too bad you can't see it. After my sister went to Taiwan and we saw everyone doing "peace" signs in the pics, Tina and I kept making fun of them by doing it in pictures, and I guess I can't help but keep doing it. Every time I'm still doing it as a joke, but nobody else knows that.

Sometimes the course was empty and you were the only runner, but this is getting towards the exchange point so it could get congested.

My final stretch, finally!

I was too close to death to smile here.

And this is Major Disappointment #2. No teammate to hand off to again. I was like, "WHAT? This happened at my last one and I waited a half an hour!!!" There were audible moans of sympathy from around and I waited another half an hour for them to show up. It just took longer than expected to get there, traffic can get pretty bad during this.

This happened the last time we ran this race, but I only waited five minutes because the girl couldn't find her shoes and they didn't expect me yet (good for me I guess:). So anti-climatic, but got a good time out of it anyway. Oh, and I love how I look like there's some muscle in that leg, that's pretty exciting, it's like my super speedy looking "runner" picture with the blur and all.

On the next leg, pretty scenery!

I gave Emily my GPS watch so she could watch her pace, it's so cool. I don't know how I ran to her, my quads have never been so sore, it was torture to stand up, sit down, walk, or take stairs. Ow.

Emily was a great sport at being thrown in with no time for warm ups!

This is the cute town of Seaside on the beach where the race ended. They had so many cute shops, an ideal place for a finish!

We only stayed there for a little while so we could relieve the babysitters. Such a gorgeous day and perfect place to finish.

The other half was still running, so this was our van plus Josh's dad who drove us, thank you!

My speed demon husband Josh.

Like father like son, seriously, in so many ways.

Our team number was 665. Ethan said our team name should be, "The Devil's at Our Heals." It was registered as, "FUMI: Family Unit Most Important"--it's what Josh's mom's family uses as their motto, so we put that on the sides of the van. I put this on the back when she wasn't looking:), but I forgot heels and put feet. Oh well. That's my sloppy job of a pitchfork and flames. I wanted to draw the devil chasing a stick figure but I didn't think his mom would like that--right?

Back with my babies! Well, Felicity here anyway.

Our whole team. Go team! We did awesome!

This was such a fun run, I hope to keep doing it. I think it will be way more fun than halfs and whole marathons just because of all the support and size and length of it. It was just soo fun and social! And I have to add, not as much training, which was really nice.

HOOD TO COAST RELAY ROCKS! Now on to 1/2 marathon training...

Q: Anyone want to do the Huntsville 1/2 Oct. 11?

Q: Anyone want to run a half or whole marathon Dec. 6 in Memphis?