I'm baaaaaack!

Yeah, I know....it's been a while....a long while. HEY! It's my blog, I'm allowed a break. I needed a break. I needed to step away from social media and spend time with my amazing family. We've been super busy this fall...

We've been to baseball games...

camping... 

apple picking...

to the fair...

to the top of cadillac mountain... 

and trick or treating!

I've had an amazing fall, setting PR's like it's my job and falling in love with running....speed work....hard work and sweat. I'm refreshed and ready to come back. This fall I ran a half marathon and PRd by 3 minutes, in the pouring rain, heavy winds and a nutrition bonk at mile 10. Then 2 weeks later I ran a 2 person marathon relay on a difficult course and PRd my half again, this time by 6 minutes. I also ran a couple 5ks this fall. The first one was on a Sunday and I PRd by 10ish seconds?? Then I ran one the following Thursday and set another PR, this time by 50 seconds! I tried to write race reports but I couldn't. I wanted to share with you how excited I tell you about the highs and lows of every mile. It just wasn't coming to me, believe me I tried. I have several drafts but nothing was working. I couldn't accurately express how blessed I was to be able to run, to run well, and to love every minute of it . Instead of trying to write them now, I'll just share a few photos. I think they say it all...

ally just completed her 13.1 mile leg and im about to take off on mine

the top of some hill (hence the "i wanna die right now" face)  

the finish line after a kick ass 13.1 mile leg and a 6 minute PR on a tough course

ally my relay buddy,  danielle who just became a maniac and me!

So don't fear. I'm still here and I'm defiantly still running. I just needed a bit of a break.  I'm ready to kick some butt in 2012!

who is this girl!?

who is this girl...

...that has been getting up at 4:30am to get her run in before work?
...that is excited to run again and wants to add 5.6 extra miles into her schedule this week?
...that looks at a massive hill ahead and says "sweet, this will make me stronger"
...that has a craptastic run and gets back out the next day to try again instead of taking a rest day?
...that doesn't make excuses to not run (the rain, the early morning, too tired)?
...that is knocking off massive amounts of time to her average mile pace each time she goes out for a run?
...that is doing regular core work!?
...that is bummed that tomorrow is a rest day?

yeah... i have no clue because it's certainly not the girl that was running in march i can tell ya that much! whoever it is though, i like it!

since getting back to running things have been going so well. i have absolutely zero expectations for myself . right now it's all about building my mileage up safely so that i can be ready for the mdi marathon relay that i'll be running with ally in october. last week i started getting up before work and getting my runs out of the way. as much as i love my sleep, i am reallllly loving these pre dawn runs. it's cooler outside, no traffic and it feels amazing to be done with my run by 6:00am. so good in fact that when i get home in the afternoons i contemplate running again but i usually always opt for a nap instead!

sam has helped me with a schedule to build my mileage up safely but also in time to run 13.1 in mid october. today i asked him if i could run an extra 5.6 miles this week...he squashed that idea and said i could only add in an extra 2. fine, fine, fine...

when i was out with my injury i gained a lot of motivation to hit my training hard when i came back. i promise you all that i am taking it slow and in no way am i pushing myself. im just running what feels good and the faster pace has just been happening. i guess im just more motivated to get out there and put in some good miles and have solid runs. if im going to run the relay in october i want to be as prepared as i can be. i dont want to be running the hills of somesville and say "damn i wish i had put a little more effort into my runs".

so tomorrow is a rest day, thursday will be a 5 miler, friday a rest day and saturday will be my first big test of 7 miles. thinking about calling my neighbor to see if he will run it with me (hey mark! are you reading this from your vacation? wanna join me?... i did clean up cat poop in your house today ;) )

Beach 2 Beacon

gksarahj5 sarah

8 1/2 weeks ago I was having back surgery. Right now I'm lined up at the starting line of Beach 2 Beacon 10k ready to start a new chapter.

I had gone back and forth for a while about whether or not I was going to run this race or not...and by run I mean, line up with the walkers and see if I could cover the distance before they shut down the bag pick up at the finish and made you get it later in the week at the town office.

If this was any other race I would have skipped it all together and been a spectator, yet again. This was not just any other race though. The Beach to Beacon is Maine's largest road race. 11 countries and 41 states were represented. The race is head up by Joan Benoit Samuelson and brings in a lot of elites....like, ya know, Deena Kastor! (Although she made it to town and to the finish, she didn't run the race due to the flu. booo). This year the race sold out in 10 minutes.

Up until the race I had only run 2.5 miles at the most at one time since coming back from injury. I had logged 10 miles total since coming back from injury. Clearly running the Beach to Beacon was a smart choice. Right? I talked to my neighbor the night before and he asked what my plan was. I really had no idea. Run the first 2, walk 1, run 1, walk 1/2 and run the last 1/2??? I dunno...that sounded like a good idea. Just before we hung up he says "Just go out and have fun. Be glad you can move again. Enjoy it Sarah". Although I knew these things, and I had no expectations. I took his words to heart and really set out to have fun!

My super speedy friend Maddy who is coming back from injury offered to run along with me. I warned her that it was going to be a slogfest and will include walk breaks. She was totally cool with that and really helped me along the way.

Danielle, Maddy and I at the start

I met up with everyone at the start and we all chit chatted for a bit before all the super speedy runners set off to find their place in the mass of runners. We said our goodbyes and Maddy and I hung out at the back of the pack. Since we were planning on having fun we both brought our phones to take pictures, tweet and text while we were running!

Photo by Kevin Morris

The National Anthem was sung and we were off....well....kinda. It took us 5-6 minutes to actually cross the starting line. As we were walking up to it I was busy creating a new album on Facebook from my phone called "Beach 2 Beacon 2011". I joked with Maddy and said "as if I'm making a new album right now as we are about to cross the start!".

Mile 1

gksarahj5 sarah

Hey I'm passing people! #beachtobeacon10k

I guess this is what happens when you start at the back of the pack- you pass people. A concept I'm not quite used to :). I was feeling good, chattin it up with Maddy and taking pictures!

Mile 2.

gksarahj5 sarah

Born this way baby!!! @AndreaDuke15

I had one ear bud in so I could still listen to tunes and chat with Maddy. Lady Gaga's Born This Way came on and got me all pumped up! I thought of my Gaga loving friend Andrea and sent her a text to tell her how I was doing :)  


Fun Fact: you see a lot of interesting outfits/styles from the back of the back! It was somewhere around here that we saw a lady wearing sunglasses that took up half her face and cost more then my car! Another women was wearing a camelbak big enough to hold water for an all day hike. Not sure if she got the memo that there were water stops every 2ish miles. 

then we decided that this might be a fun place to stop since I was busy tweeting through the first water stop and didn't grab anything.

Mile 3

gksarahj5 sarah

Some lady just yells "hey she cell phoning" #whatwedo #beachtobeacon10k

Yes lady, I was also using my cell phone. Haha. Maddy and I got a kick out of that. Not much to say abut this mile. I was just surprised how good I felt despite just having back surgery 8 weeks prior. 

Mile 4

@gksarahj5 sarah
Feeling so ghgooooood!!!!b!!b! #beachtobeacon10k mile 4

Clearly I was crusing along and my typing went all to hell! :) This course is lined with spectators from the start all the way to the finish. Many of them playing music in their yards. I told Maddy it was Maine's version of a Rock n Roll race. Somewhere along mile 4 my current obsession OneRepublic's The Good Life was blasting and I decided it was a good idea to bust out some moves including a complete spin in the middle of the road. I really was living the Good Life at that moment (helps that mile 4 is downhill!:))

Mile 4 was fun.

I saw Danielle's mom...

 

ran along side a Lighthouse on wheels...

stopped to take a picture with the best sign ever...

 

also got to run under this awesome flag...

 

Mile 5.

Apparently I didn't tweet during mile 5...I was starting to struggle a bit here. Even though it sucked, we were still having fun. In fact, at no point during this race did I feel like death or wish that I hadn't run the race. I knew were close to entering the park which helped power me through. It was also along this mile that I thought of two friends that just had the same back surgery that I did and dug deep for them.

Maine Running Photos. Mile 5

Mile 6 

gksarahj5 sarah struggling through the last mile but im gonna do it! #beachtobeacon10k

This last mile sucks. alot. It has a series of 3 rolling hills that are not so much fun. I walked the hills and ran down them cause by this time I wasn't feeling so hot. As I got closer to the park I was excited to cross the finish line. While I was struggling a bit on the hills, my back felt great and I was so happy with that.

Mile 6.2

gksarahj5 sarah

I finished that bitch!!!! I feel great!!! #beachtobeacon10k #8weekspostbacksurgery

Maine Running Photos. Finish Line

Photo by Kevin Morris

Overall, I was so pleased with the race. I ran it super slow but I had so. much. fun. Not being stressed out about my time or pace was a good feeling. Like I mentioned, this course has so much crowd support it felt nice to be able to take it all in and enjoy it. I can't thank Maddy enough for slogging through it with me. I know I would have stopped to walk much earlier if it hadn't been for her. 

Maddy, Brendan, Danielle and I

Once at the finish we met up with tons of running friends, took pictures, talked about future races and watched the awards ceremony. 

Runner Army

T

One year ago today this happened.

and it feels like over night he turned into this...

Dear Ty,

You are the most amazing thing to ever happen to me. You have brought so much joy and laugher into my life. The days when I was at my worst you just looked at me, smiled and started laughing...I can't help but smile from ear to ear every time I hear that. You love life more then anyone I know and I can't wait to see you grow. One year ago today at 8:00pm you entered this world full of life. Tonight, at 8:00pm I quietly walked into your room where you were peacefully sleeping after a fun day at daycare celebrating with your friends and then a yummy dinner at Friendly's with your dad and I. I told you how much I love you and gave you a kiss. I wondered what you were dreaming about, and I hope all your dreams come true. From the day you were born everyone has called you smiley. You are so happy all the time and I couldn't be more blessed. I love you Ty.

Love,
Mama

patience? i haz none

....true story. i might be the most inpatient person ever. not like, oh hey it's taken you 45 minutes to bring me my cheeseburger and fries you suck, inpatient. more like, i've been killing myself at the gym for a whole week, why am i not buff and have abs of steal by now, inpatient.

this whole injury thing has tested my patience a time or two. i hate sitting around and waiting for things to happen..like all these doctors appointments. i can't tell you how many times i was referred to an office and then told it would be 3-4 weeks before i could get in.

excuse me, i dont have 3-4 weeks. i have a marathon to start training for. i need to get fixed now!


clearly my urgency wasn't enough for them to fit me in any earlier. sigh. as it got later and later in the spring i slowly realized that my fall marathon was out the window (good news: i can write about it and not cry anymore! progress my friends!).

having 6 weeks off in the summer and being told to "wake up, take your meds, eat breakfast, go for a walk, take a nap, take your meds, eat lunch, go for a walk, take a nap, take your meds, eat dinner, go for a walk and then go to bed" sounds pretty sweet and im sure many people would be jealous of such a thing. i enjoyed it for a while but after a week, i was bored, restless and itching to get back to life.

anyone that knows me, knows that i don't slow down for much. i had a lot of time to think which i always have told my patients is not a good idea. too much thinking is never good. i had minor freak out moments where i felt like i would never get better and days when i felt so good i wanted to put my running shoes on and take off. i talked to two different running friends that i have a lot of respect for and they both told me i need to be patient.

but you knooooooow im not patient


you'll get back and you'll be fine. but you must be patient. if you're not, that's how you'll injure yourself. just know the more patient you are now, the better it will be later.


ok. fine. 


so here i sit. trying to be patient, a week left to go in my recovery and feeling pretty good. i take my daily 3ish mile walk once or twice a day and then rest. i spend way too much time on twitter (im sure the twitterverse will be happy when i return to work) and watching tv. i read trashy books and think about what it will be like to get back to life again. im so thankful i have the unlimited texting plan (is 8,000 a month too much?) and have designed my next tattoo. i've also refocused myself. i know what i want and im so excited to go get it. like jumping out of my skin excited!

i know that im going to need to carry all this patience over into my training. before i got injured, 26.2 was going to be a challenge. running doesn't come easy or naturally to me. it's something i have to put a lot of work into. now that i have to start from scratch, its going to be even more of a challenge. im going to need patience, trust, and strength to get through it...all things ive needed and had to get through the last 5 months. i know ive got 'em....just need to put them to use!

things are looking up!

oh hi! it's me...the one who hasn't blessed this blog with her im so depressed posts love in a good month or so. breaking news folks: IM BACK!!! last time i updated you was a week post surgery, im now 4 1/2 weeks out. to be honest, it hasn't been all rainbows and unicorns...which is kinda why you haven't heard from me. i was sick of having nothing good today say, or pretending i had good things to say. i don't wanna get too excited but i think i am finally making some progress. there was some concern that i had reherniated my disc and had a follow up CT scan which showed "post op abnormalities". oy, thats a phrase i dislike. so they had to order an mri to confirm or deny a reherniation. i got the results of that today and to quote my doc "your mri looks fine, no disc issues at all".

for real!? im good to go!?


he says the pain im feeling in my leg could be some nerve damage or some scar tissue. to be honest, the pain isn't that bad compared to what i was feeling before my surgery. hell, i havent taken any pain meds since 3 days post op. that says something, especially when i was taking 8 vicodin a day just to get through the day before surgery. what i feel is a pinch right behind my right knee and its worse when im not active. doc said that getting in the pool is A OK and thinks that will be the best thing for me right now.


to say the last 4+ weeks has been an emotional roller coaster is an understatement. i can remember 2 days specifically that i just wanted to jump off the ledge. i was mentally done. the first day i sent my dear friend an email asking him all my "what if" questions. he wrote back, answered every last one of my "what if" questions and talked me off the ledge. then, i got two care packages that day from two amazing friends.

then a few weeks later when my leg was really getting wonky and worse this gem of a package showed up at my parents doorstep from my royal sister...

another thing that has kept me from freaking out is going through all this with someone. i remember getting back to my room from surgery and seeing a tweet from eric. he was going to have the same surgery as i just had a week later. we've been chatting since and it's been so nice to have someone to talk to about different pains or things that are going on in our recovery. i have had amazing support from all my friends and family but it's nice to talk to someone who understands and knows the exact things im talking about.

sooooo that's the injury update. just because my leg has been all wonky doesn't mean it has slowed me down any....

ive been watching hours of whale wars with zachie at night...

reading lots of trash magazines...

taking boat rides to islands off the coast of maine...

watching joanie kick butt at the ll bean 4th of july 10k...

enjoying parades with my little man...

eating lots of strawberry shortcake...

taking t on lots of walks...up lots of hills...

and of course watching lots of world cup soccer!!

i've also been swooning over all things tattoo and hope solo related...but that's all for a different day! :-)

ive got another week and a half or so of recovery left before i am cleared to go back to work. im finally feeling good. ive got some spunk back and im not letting it get away from me again!