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Tag: @dsdollar

I Have a Decision To Make

September 13, 2016

I have come to a point in my running life where I need to make a difficult decision.  This decision is based around the Marine Corps Marathon.  I entered the lottery for the marathon this year as a way of tossing my fate out to the universe, and I was chosen.  So I accepted the fact that I was chosen and I have been training for it.  I am coming to the point in the training where longer runs are required and these runs are intertwining with my family’s busy schedule of Fall softball season and back to school events, along with Fall activities.

If you read my blog you will remember that last year I had a very difficult race for the Marine Corps Marathon.  This year, during my training I have been analyzing my stats from last year’s race and mapping out training runs against the elevation map of the existing course map.  So I am preparing myself.  Also, major changes have been made to the race course this year because of the changes going on with the Metro construction.  If there ever is a year to do this race with a lot of leeway, this is the year.  BUT, I am just not feeling it in my heart.  If I am not feeling it in my heart now, what is going to happen on race day?  I already feel like I am setting myself up for failure.

Last year Dimity McDowell, from Another Mother Runner’s  spoke at a seminar for Girl’s Night Out during Hartford Marathon weekend.  She mentioned that there are sometimes things that happen in our life that get in the way of our training, or can cause a shift in our focus.  Changes in work, changes in family, health, etc.  I did just start a new job this past summer and my husband has been struggling with pain lately.  So there is a lot on my mind.

I finally vocalized my fear of this race to my husband today and told him I am considering deferring my registration this year.  He supports my decision either way; but did tell me that sometimes we get burnt out with things we do.  And that maybe I would benefit from the time off, or less pressure of getting in the marathon before my third Dopey challenge in January.  I believe I will feel a big weight off of my shoulders if I defer this race; but then I will also feel some guilt because of all years to get a “redo” of last year’s race, this is the year to do it.

I have shifted a lot of my efforts and focus this past summer on getting healthier.  I am eating better, working out differently and running casually.  I wanted to enjoy running and not have it become a chore, which it has now become.  When I trained for my first marathon, I enjoyed the training because it was leading me towards something I never did before.  As much as I would love to do this race this year; I want to do it when I am strong and looking forward to it.  Not as another, get it done for the sake of doing it.  Yes, it is a race for redemption to make up for my horrible experience last year; but I want to cross that line having the feeling that I was prepared.  Just like I felt after I finished my first marathon.

So I guess I made my decision.  Now I have to work on the paperwork.  Having said this out loud and writing about it; I can now also focus on getting some better half marathons under my belt as training runs.  I have been struggling with those races.  They used to be my favorite distance and I would like to also enjoy that distance again.

Getting In The Zone – Heart Rate Training

May 19, 2016

With my approach to a more successful Marine Corp Marathon this fall, I am working on my training plan.  I already printed out my Jeff Galloway training plan for completing a marathon and filled in the dates going backwards from race day.  However, I also want to incorporate heart rate training into my plan this summer.  I was listening to two of my favorite podcasts, Another Mother Runner and Team Shenanigans, and they were both duscussing training plans in a way that I hadn’t really heard it explained before.

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Dimity, from Another Mother Runner is training for an ultra with her coach Mary-Katherine “MK” Fleming, so she wanted to do so in a way that will help her be successful and also to avoid injury since she has been prone to injuries with her feet so frequently.  The Team Shenanigans podcast had Matt Fitzgerald on the show several times and he was talking about doing an 80/20 plan.  Meaning 80% of your runs are done at an easier exertion level, and then spend 20% of your training working on speed, whether that be cadence drills or track work.

For the last two weeks I have been doing the heart-rate training with my running.  With heart rate training the rule is to keep you heart rate below 140.  If it goes above 140 then you have to walk until it lowers.  The purpose for doing this during your training is to establish a solid cardiovascular base. Over time you will become faster but while in the training it is grueling because your pace is significantly slower.  Heart-rate training requires a lot of patience.  It teaches your body to convert fat instead of glucose for fuel.

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So far, despite feeling much slower while running, I am doing pretty well with using a heart-rate monitor and training at around 140 bpm.  It’s hard because sometimes you easily jump up to 150; but it also syncs in well with my Jeff Galloway run/walk/run method.  When my heart rate is higher, it happens just about the time that my timer goes off for a walk break.  So my stats have been averaging around 140-144 bpm while running.

The Train Like A Mother Club is providing Heart-Rate Training Programs as well as a Stride Into Summer Plan so I may take advantage of those two plans to help me have a successful summer of training in preparation for the Marine Corps Marathon.

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I Am Now A Nuunbassador!

December 18, 2015

Wednesday night when I got home from a girls night out, I checked my phone and saw an email from Nuun congratulating me on becoming a Nuunbassador.  I was so excited.   I applied to the program in November and wasn’t sure when I would receive any type of notification.  I love when I don’t check emails for several hours and then find an email with good news in it!

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I used to train using Gator Ade and Power Ade; but once I was done with my run I would immediately have to run to the bathroom and had stomach problems for the rest of the day.  I also didn’t like all of the extra sugars that were in the other sports drinks.  I heard that Nuun is a much gentler electrolyte enhanced drink tablet from the Another Mother Runner Podcast so I tried it.  There was an immediate improvement!  So from now on I only use Nuun when I run my long training runs.  Nuun does have a fizz to it when you first drop the tabs into water so if you want to have your water without the fizz on your run, then make the water the night before and leave the cap off.  I also use Nuun before my runs to hydrate my body and prepare it for the longer training runs.

So be sure to check it out and if I receive special offers to pass to you as a Nuunbassador I will be sure to post it on my blog and via social media!  So don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @pamjamer and Instagram @pamjammer and on Pinterest as pamjammer99

The Hartford Half Marathon

October 22, 2015

 On Saturday, October 10, 2015 I ran the Hartford half marathon for my first time. I had been nervous about running this race, especially for driving into the city and finding parking. I left my house at about 5:40 and I arrived in the city by 6:15. The plan was to meet the girls at the Hartford stage parking lot. I got off the highway and saw the start and finish line area and there wasn’t any traffic at all. I drove over to the Hartford stage parking lot but it was still closed. So I texted the girls and ended up back at the lot across from the start and finish line. I found Diana and we walked over to the gathering area use the Porta potties because there were no lines and then we went back and sat in my car for a little while. I was very surprised that there was nobody around considering this was such a big race and it started in a little over an hour from when we arrived.

At 7:00 we walked over to the Bushnell Park and try to locate Anne and Kimberlee. We used the Porta potties again just before we headed over to the starting line and on my way there I saw my new sponsor Ron as he was directing people. We took time for a quick picture and then Diana and I went to locate Kimberlee and Anne.We found them five minutes before the start listen to the national anthem and then we were off for the race.

Kimberlee decided she wanted to run her own race so she took off ahead of us. My intent was to take the advice that Dimity gave us at the Girls Night Out on Thursday night; which was to start off the first half slow so that you will have enough gas in the tank for the last half of the race. I also wanted to enjoy the now and savor the moment. I wanted to enjoy the race and have FUN with my friends. I definitely had a great time.

The course was nice and we were maintaining a good pace for the first few miles. At around mile 8 we started walking a little bit more because Anne was trying to get her sugar regulated. At that time Diana went off ahead of us. So we planned to just meet her at the end.

At mile 9 we entered Elizabeth Park. It was a beautiful park with rose gardens and they had a candy table there for the runners. We continued on through the the park and then went on back towards the city.We were taking our time so we could use this run as a training run. I was concerned about my leg acting up. We finished the race in 3:08. Not a fast race for me, but 13.1 miles under my feet.

After the race, we met back up with Diana and collected our awesome Hartford Marathon Foundation reusable water bottles and snack bags and then went to the food tent to get our post race fuel.  They had corn muffins, pumpkin bread, bananas, chili and milk.  They sadly did not have chocolate milk.  After eating we went to collect our Triple Challenge Race medal and jacket.  I was VERY happy to have them!  Those were some tough races.  Tough enough where I am not sure if I will do that triple challenge again next year.  But you know the bling always entices us when the registration opens in the beginning of the year.

I saw Dimity and Denise again at their booth.  I didn’t realize they were going to be at the race Saturday.  I thought they were flying home; but I saw Dimity earlier in the morning before the race and she told me to stop by their booth after the race.  I took pictures with them and got a cute Mother Runner shirt.  It was great to see them one more time before they head home.
   As we were walking around I bumped into my friends Bob and Mary and their daughter Elizabeth.  We talked for a bit and then Anne and I went to find the beer garden.  We got our Harpoon ale and drank it in the designated area, took some pictures and then went on the hunt for the Amethyst jeans.  

I read in one of the emails that there was going to be a pink truck that was giving out jeans for a $10 donation.  I had to check it out!  We finally found them on the far side of Bushnell Park.  Next year they need to get a closer spot so more people can take advantage of their special deal.  You give them a $10 donate and they donate food, money and a pair of jeans to someone in need.

I said goodbye to Anne and made my way back to my car.  As I did, I had to cross the area very close to the finish line and it was exciting to see the marathon finishers trickling in.  I decided to stand there for a little it to watch.  I had to get home for my daughter’s family birthday party.  I knew my friend Michael was going to be crossing the finish line close to 1:00.  I tried to wait and watch for him.  I was texting his family to find out where he was.  But somehow I missed him!  I was bummed, I really wanted to see him cross the finish line of his very first marathon.

The Hartford Marathon Foundation put on a fantastic event.  It was never in my plans to do this race; but now that I have done it I think I’ll consider it again next year as I use it for a training run toward the WDW marathon.  The Hartford Marathon Foundation has great support on the race course, with sufficient water stops, a good size expo, an excellent pre and post-race area and plenty of support and communication throughout the time leading up to the race.

Will I see you at the Hartford Marathon and Half Marathon next year?

Girls Night Out with Dimity Was Like Runners Church For Me

October 18, 2015

Last week during the Hartford marathon pre-events, there was a girls night out meet up at the Hartford club with Dimity McDowell from Another Mother Runner. Before the event I went to the XL Center to pick up my bib and race shirts. On my way there I saw on my new sponsor Ron from Mintz + Hoke. As I was talking to Ron I saw Dimity and Denise leaving the XL Center to go to the Hartford Club. I said hi to them and goodbye to Ron and hurried down to the expo to get my race items.  At the expo I met up with Kimberlee D. and her husband.  I picked up my race shirts and then we visited some of the booth at the expo. It is definitely a small expo compared to some of the others that I have been too. But it was good to sample some of the items from local shops and spend a little time with Kimberlee and her husband.

I stayed there for about a half an hour and then walked over to the Hartford Club. It is a nice location to have a meet up like we did. They had finger sandwiches and a cash bar and we all received a raffle ticket when we entered. I sat down with a group of people that I did not know but I recognize one of the girls at the table. When I introduce myself she told me I looked familiar to her also. Then I realized she was Alison Overholt who was at the another mother meet up at Fleet Feet in west Hartford earlier in the Spring. She is one of the essayists in the latest Mother Runner book Tales From Another Mother Runner. She also read her essay at the last meet up at Fleet Feet. We talked for a bit about the races in the Connecticut area, since she recently moved here, and I recommended to her to do the Manchester Road race for Thanksgiving.

Ali was there that night to introduce Dimity and interview her for the meet up. I felt like I was at church for runners. Everything Dimity was talking about was exactly what I needed to hear at the time. Ali did a 20 questions interview with her which had some great questions.

 
The first thing Dimity said was to remember that good is good enough. Before kids when we used to train for our races we would train and follow the training plan to the letter. Now with kids and life we need to give ourselves a break. Sometimes if the training plan calls for 6 miles and we were only able to get in 4 miles, 4 is good enough. We made the effort and we should take pride in what we were able to do.

Another thing she talked about which stood out for me was to enjoy the moment. Dimity said that we need to enjoy the now and not look at the end of the race or how many miles we have left, or how much work is ahead of us; but to actually enjoy the moment we are in.  Running shouldn’t bring us stress. Running is our playtime. If we are worrying about how much is ahead of us, or the hills up in front of us, then we are not enjoying the now and having fun with it. I really needed to hear that.

She also talked about some of the basics that I needed to hear all over again. The essentials like taking on fuel at miles 4, 8 and 11. Those will keep us hydrated and sufficiently fueled so that we can finish the race strong.  In doing so, we will keep our brain happy and will push away the mental monkeys.  I used to be diligent about my fueling and hydration during races; but lately have been running half marathons with little fuel, just enough to get by.  When you fuel properly you will have a stronger finish.  Especially at the time when you need it.  She also reminded us to start of slower so we can finish strong.  It’s so easy for me/us to go out fast because of the crowd pushing us along and when we do that we run out of gas too fast and then struggle at the end.  You have to make a very conscious effort to be slower the first half.  Especially in the beginning when everyone else is surging forward.

Keep a mantra in your head repeat that mantra to yourself so that you are taking your mind away from the bad thoughts and making a conscious effort to speak to yourself positively. She made an excellent point that struck a chord with me. She said don’t ever say something to yourself that you wouldn’t say to a friend. Would you tell your friend she looked fat? Would you tell your friend she’s too slow? So why is it that we can talk to ourselves that way?

I had been struggling with the upcoming Hartford half marathon coming up that week. I was afraid of arriving to the city on time., finding a place to park, and actually running the race. I had been having prerace anxiety with the last few races lately.  I don’t know what has been causing it, but hearing what Dimity had to say has been very very helpful to me. Especially the part about enjoying the moment. That is my playtime, that is my time to be with friends who enjoy the same thing that I enjoy.

After the interview was over there was a raffle for some great prizes and then Beth, the Race Director for the Hartford Marathon presented Dimity with the Wonder Woman award.    

It was a fun night and afterwards I visited with Dimity’s travelling partner Denise Dollar.  I met Denise at the Philadelphia Marathon and also at the Fleet Feet meet up.  

  
I had Dimity sign my bib for the race and took pictures with her and Ali.  It was a lot of fun and as always.  Thank you Hartford Marathon Foundation for another great event!  

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