Training the Hanson Way!

3/05/2012 09:56:00 AM by Alicia A


Two weeks ago, I took my bestie, Linda (of http://gymnotes.org/) up on her challenge to train for my next race in a different way. The Hanson way. Since I started, I have run 59 miles. With 2 rest days. Yes, you read that right.

And you know what? My legs feel better than they have in YEARS.

For those of you not in the know, this is what makes Hanson running different. It teaches you to run your desired pace on tired legs. And believe me, your legs get tired. But without the abuse of the standard long runs weekly, it's a different kind of tired.

I'm loving this plan so far, even though I whine to Linda (and anyone else who will listen) almost daily about dreading my run on legs that are exhausted. However. I'm gaining speed AND confidence. Two things I desperately needed after my miserable NYC performance and subsequent gall bladder removal surgery.

I'm hitting (close to) the paces that I want to hit to finally do a 2:00 half marathon. My current 13.1 PR is a 2:06. Yes. I'm looking to shave 6 minutes off of my PR. And you know what? For the first time in my life, I not only think I can do this, I KNOW I can. That's part of the beauty of Hanson training is that you hit your paces on dead tired legs, and it shows you that you can do it. Two weeks in and I'm already at 8 mile runs. Next week brings my first double digit run since November. And I'm not even worried, even though I know I will be crying from the fatigue afterwords.

I will keep posting about my progress. This training is vastly different from how I have been training for the past 3 years, and it will be interesting to see how my performance is impacted... stay tuned!
3 comments

The race that wasn't

2/06/2012 01:06:00 PM by Alicia A


This past weekend, I flew out to one of my favorite places in the world (Southern California) to run a race that I really enjoy running (Surf City).

Unfortunately, the universe had other plans for me. And believe me when I tell you that when the universe speaks to you, the universe REALLY speaks to you. Let me break it down for you:

1. Last Wednesday, I felt the hint of a nasty cold coming on. My throat burned, a cough began to brew, and I was sneezing up a storm. No bueno. I tried (unsuccessfully) to ignore this and pretend it wasn't happening.

2. On Thursday, I tried to check in for my flight. Error message after error message appeared. Long story short, after speaking to a customer service rep, I found out that while my reservation was held, my credit card was never charged. I had to REbook my trip (thankfully at my original price).

3. Late Thursday afternoon, I got word that a major snowstorm was about to hit Colorado. Within hours. I hastily packed, and drove up to my brother's house in Denver, figuring that I would beat the storm. Oh, I beat it. And then watched as Denver got nailed with more than a foot of snow overnight. I got to drive to DIA in 4-wheel drive, feeling certain that my flight would be cancelled. It wasn't, but it was one of only a few that wasn't.

4. Upon arriving in Orange County, I discovered that in my haste to pack, I forgot my running bra and fuel belt. Let's be honest- in NO world am I a rookie runner. 4 years of racing and I KNOW what I need to have to race. Forgetting two key pieces of equipment was a seriously stupid mistake.

5. The final insult. The cold that had been teasing me went into hyperdrive on Saturday. By the time I went to bed, I was hacking and sneezing up a storm. By 3 am, I could hardly breathe. And by 4 am, I did something I have never done before in my running life... I called a race off. A voluntary DNS.

I can't lie. It devastated me. I felt weak. Unworthy.

And like he always does, my best friend put it into perspective for me. I'm 6 weeks post-op on an abdominal surgery. My resistance isn't where it was. My training wasn't there. I was risking a lot by attempting this half marathon on healthy lungs... but to push it on sick ones was asking for disaster.

In the end, it was the right choice to make. It still stings. It will sting for months to come. But instead of being out for a month, with luck, I will only be out a week or so... say a prayer that I'm right.
0 comments

Bigger things

1/31/2012 06:10:00 PM by Alicia A

For the past month, I have been in serious mope mode. Healing from the surgery that removed my gall bladder. Mourning the fact that even though I ran a marathon just 2 months ago, I'm no longer even close to being in marathon shape. Pouting because I gained weight as a result of all of this.

Me, me, me, me. Wah, wah, wah, wah.

And then I read this:

Virtual Run for Sherry Arnold- February 11, 2012

On January 7, 2012, my cousin Sherry, age 43, left her house in the small town of Sidney, Montana at 6:30 a.m. for an early morning run. She didn’t always run in the morning because as a teacher, it was often difficult to fit in runs before she headed to Sidney High School to teach math. January 7 was a Saturday, however, and Sherry had a bit more time to spare. After her run she planned to meet her sister, Rhonda, and head out to their parent’s ranch a few miles outside of town. Her husband, Gary, had gone for a walk at 5:30 a.m. and when he returned home he could tell that Sherry had already left for her run because of the toothpaste splatters in the sink and a light that was on in the kitchen.

Sherry often ran within the town limits and January 7 was no exception. When Sherry did not come home later that morning, however, her husband began to worry. He called the police and a search ensued. By 3:00 p.m. hundreds of volunteers were searching for Sherry and only one clue had been found, Sherry’s right Brook’s running shoe.

My aunt called to tell me that “something bad had happened in Montana.” As the details unfolded, a weight sat in the pit of my stomach. I hoped for the best, but feared the worst. Please find her. Please bring her home.

For several days there was no sign of Sherry. On the seventh day, a tip was received on the FBI’s tip line that led to the arrest of two men, one in North Dakota and one in South Dakota. One of the men confessed to killing Sherry. She had been abducted at 6:40 a.m., only about a mile from her house.

Sherry’s body has not yet been found.

Sherry’s traumatic and heinous death has shocked, angered and saddened her small community. On a much larger scale, it has also rocked the running world from coast to coast and abroad. How could something so random, violent and senseless happen to someone so giving, someone loved by so many?

We have so many emotions. As mothers, runners, and teachers, we fear it could have been us. Our hearts break for her students, her family, her community. We feel things we don’t know how to express and we cry for someone who we have never met. We hope she did not suffer and we hope that she found peace in her final moments. The human connection often feels deepest during tragedy. These past three weeks this connection has been alive, pulsing and powerful. The goodness has poured out of each and every one of you, demonstrating that good overpowers evil.

And suddenly everything fell into perspective. I have been in a very selfish state of mind.

On Saturday, February 11, 2012, I will be running in Sherry's honor. I don't care if it's slow or ugly. I don't care because I'm not running for me. I'm running for her. For all runners.

The truth is that this is something that could happen to any of us. Me. My sister. My cousins. My girlfriends. We all run. And yes- at times, we all run alone. I refuse to run scared, so instead, I'll run knowing that bad things happen, and when they do, the whole running community joins together and reminds me that there is more good out there than evil.

I hope you all join me on the 11th. Rest in peace, my sister in sweat. I hope your spirit blesses my running shoes as I move through the streets in your honor.



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A Letter to Myself

12/29/2011 09:39:00 AM by Alicia A

Dear 2011 Me-

You are a badass. Four time marathoner. Super mom. Awesome sister. Incredible friend. You have a Master's Degree. You're Angie's daughter... Margie's niece... Ricardo's granddaughter. You have a legacy of strength and glory running through your veins.

Going forward, you are no longer allowed to settle for ANYone who can't keep up with you, love you, support you and push you to be more. Not in love. Not in friendship. Not anywhere. It's time to step up to the plate and hit your full potential.

I love you. Now go forth and kick some ass. Starting with your own.

Sincerely-~2012 You
3 comments

New Years Resolutioners...,

12/27/2011 09:23:00 AM by Alicia A
As a die hard gym rat, this time of year is bittersweet for me. Most
days of the year, when I get to the gym at 5:00am for my daily
workout, I know the gym will be more or less mine. I won't have to
wait, I can crank out a nice hard workout at my own pace.

This time of year, however, we KNOW we will see a huge onslaught of
resolutioners. You know... the people who will come to the gym GUNG ho to lose the weight and get in shape. You can pick them out of a lineup- shiny new gym clothes coordinated from head to toe... going BALLS out on everything they do. You just know that they won't be able
to walk for a week... and there will be hoards of them.

I try not to be judgmental. I know that four short years ago, the die
hard gym rats looked at me and scoffed. 251 pounds of pure resolution
madness. And like me, I know that some of them will actually be
successful in their resolutions. But more likely than not, most of
them will give up. Because it's hard to be healthy. It takes work to
be in shape and have a nice body.

*sigh* God grant me the strength to not push their coordinated butts
off of the machines I KNOW they will be hogging starting next
Monday...
1 comments

NYC Marathon- quick and dirty

11/08/2011 02:17:00 PM by Alicia A


Quick and dirty race recap (full version coming soon):

What started out as an amazing race- strong pace, perfect conditions- ended up being a race I finished with my heart.

Through mile 13, I was on pace to KILL my PR. At mile 13, I felt my right knee pop, and it was a struggle from then on.

The heat (who knew that 55 could feel so HOT!!) added another layer of craziness to the whole thing. I was drained from the sun, and exhausted from trying to ignore the growing pain in my knee. By mile 20 I was feeling overwhelmed and done. My knee was screaming at me to stop, and my head was considering it.

Thank God that my heart was having NONE of it. I pushed a solid run/walk pace for a few miles, then started running (slowly) again until mile 24.

At that point, the pain was intense and I wanted to puke. The crowds in Central Park were my saving grace along with knowing that SO many people I care about were watching me online. So I pushed. And pushed some more. And managed to finish in just under 5 hours.

NOT my best race. Not even close. NYC was hard in a way I NEVER expected. But I gave it my all, ran a race full of heart and determination, and finished with dignity and grace.

I'm disappointed, and yet... proud. Strange mix.

Highlights: The bridges. WOW. I am in love with the bridges. Brooklyn has some really cool neighborhoods. Manhattan... well. Yeah. The Bronx was REALLY cool- loved the salsa music and the families. I felt like I was home! And Central Park was really fun.
Overall a great race. But not one I am inclined to ever EVER want to do again. Marking this one off my bucket list. :)
5 comments

Toeing the line

10/31/2011 07:20:00 AM by Alicia A

This Sunday, I will be lucky enough to toe the line at the NYC Marathon. For those of you who have run a marathon, you know what I mean when I say there is NO feeling like it in the world. For those of you who haven't, let me enlighten you.

You wake up on marathon morning, stomach full of butterflies. Adrenaline pumping through your veins. The air feels lighter, the blood in your veins more rich.

You get ready, paying attention to the details. Glide. Deodorant. Every piece of clothing adjusted just right. You eat your first food of the day, begin to hydrate. Then you leave for the race.

And when you get there, the electricity in the air is tangible. The hum of tens of thousands of runners and their cheerleaders fills the air with an excitement that is like NO other. You snap pictures, talk with friends- and even if you're there alone, you aren't really alone because every runner there is a friend.

The national anthem is sung... and for me, it is a time when I cry and say my race prayer. The one I say before every race- big or small. The one where I ask God to give me the strength to see this through to the end with strength and dignity.

The first waves go off... you move steadily towards the starting line... towards your new destiny. Because every marathon changes you in some way, and you know that you won't be the same person at the finish line as you are at the starting line. The nervous energy continues to build as you move closer to the line. And for me, I find myself retreating into that place in my mind where my inner runner lives. I block out the world until it's just her and me. Every step moving me closer to that place where my strength lives.

And then, suddenly, it's your turn... and that line you've been flirting with for months as you train, is before you. You take that first step, and the journey begins all over again.

Toeing the line is like nothing else in this world. And Sunday, I am blessed enough to be able to do it again.
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