The weekend of April 3-4 was Easter weekend, so we went to see Chad's parents up by Chicago. With those two days and the Friday before of the Oliver trip, I had 3 full days off of working out. I can't remember the last time that happened! These days it feels like a stretch to get 2 days off consecutively.
This past week, April 5-9, was a busy one at work. A few group fitness instructors were out on vacation, which left me covering their classes. It was also my first week of picking up a cycle class on Tuesdays since my co-worker is 7 months pregnant and teaching cycle has become uncomfortable for her to say the least. When all was said and done, by Thursday of last week I had taught 7 classes! And thrown in 2 other workouts of my own. Friday I only taught the 10-minute abs class, and Chad and I played tennis after work. Finally, on Sunday I was scheduled for the 11 mile traning run.
We had gone out to eat at Nickel Plate for lunch on Sunday. One of my favorite menu items there is the strawberry chicken salad: a HUGE bowl of salad with grilled chicken, strawberries, mandarin oranges, walnuts, blue cheese crumbles and balsamic viniagrette--all of which I love. I ate the whole salad thinking it was a better pre-run meal than the fish and chips or the buffalo burger that I also like there.
About two hours later I set out on my 11 miles. (See map below.) I was feeling great initially. I ran through downtown Fishers along 116th which was new scenery for me. By the time I had crossed Allisonville Road, I felt like I could throw up if I tried, but wasn't too worried about it yet. Normally when I get side stitches during running, I can make them go away by focusing on deep breathing and pulling in my abs, but I was getting some stomach cramps that weren't subsiding. I reached 131st and Hazel Dell which was my designated turn-around point and headed towards home. Here my stomach was totally cramping up and aching, top to bottom. My chest had a little bit of a burn in it that felt like acid-reflux. I saw Chad coming up the hill on his bike with my bottle of Powerade Zero. I took a few swigs of that hoping it would revive me, but instead, as soon as I stopped running to take a drink I realized how awful my stomach was actually hurting and knew I probably couldn't take off running again. I started thinking back to that giant salad as well as my breakfast which included scrambled eggs with tons of chopped bell peppers. Basically, not enough high-carb grains and too much fiber and roughage, which is a bad feeling especially when you're running...if you know what I mean. (From a previous experience, I also don't recommend grapes before a run!)
I tried to run for a few minutes, but by the time I reached the corner of Hazel Dell and 116th, I absolutely could not continue. I was so frustrated and on the verge of tears because my legs felt geat, my heart rate seemed on the low end for running, and I still had plenty of stamina left cardio speaking. It seemed like my good intentions were always foiled somehow. Chad was planning on booking it back to the apartment on his bike, then getting his car and picking me up.
I started walking on 116th back east, frustrated the whole time. Even walking at a fast pace made my stomach double over in pain, so I just took it slow, waiting to see Chad's blue Blazer there to save me. Finally I made it back to Allisonville, crossed over, and thought that I would try running again. This time there was still some cramping but it was bearable. The fact that I COULD physically run was a step up from where I was moments earlier. I was able to get up to a pretty quick pace, and shortly after, saw Chad pull up beside me. He must have been able to tell I was going to make it, because he gave me a fist pump out through the sun roof, and I yelled "See you at home!" I made it back pretty much just in time as the stomach aches/cramps/rumbling were coming back.
I peeled off my sweaty clothes and jumped on the computer to mapmyrun.com to see how much of that 11 miles I actually ran versus walked. I was quite surprised to find I actually ran 9.05 miles between my 2 spurts of running. I was already just passed 6 miles when I started walking, and I couldn't have been walking for more than 30 minutes even though it felt torturous. So I felt satisfied. Almost.
Sitting there watching Phil Mickelson clinch his Masters victory, I decided it was bugging me that I didn't RUN the full 11. Here's where most normal people, not mini-training, would think that running 9 miles and walking 2 was a crazy amount of exercise for one day. But what did I do? Put back on my same sweaty clothes and headed to the apartment gym to knock out 2 more miles on the treadmill. Although we were getting ready to head to the grocery, Chad didn't even protest. He knew it was just a mental goal I had to complete. I was back in no time at all, having ran the 2 miles at a speed anywhere between 6.2-7.0 mph. Being a perfectionist, it still bothered me that I couldn't complete the 11 continuously, but three combined efforts was as good as it was going to get that day, so I was happy, mentally settled, and physically exhausted, but not sick or in pain.
The lesson of the run here was, just like I underestimated the importance of hydrating during a run, I underestimated the energy that comes from carb-loading before a distance run. I don't mean a crazy amount of carb-eating; just grains and sugars that are easily and quickly digestable, fueling your muscles and glycogen stores. Protein is slowly digested--great for post-workout replenishment and muscle repair/growth; not great for immediate energy. Fruits are vegetables are great for keeping your stomach fuller for longer with their high fiber, but like any plant, they all have certain elements that are undigestible. When you are doing high motion activites like running, you want all the blood moving to your limbs, and not a lot of activity going on in your digestive system.
It's coming down to a science of running. Even though running is not new for me, running this amount is. There are certain criteria of what to do and what not to do that best prepare my body for a long run and enable good results. Beyond standard rules and common runner knowledge, every person's body is unique and will react differently to foods/drinks.
Yay for Oliver Winery! It's amazing how a bottle is just right around $7 and yet that is our consistant gift to people out of the state and country (even my brother's snobbish French girlfriend loves it!)
ReplyDeleteBoo on the Nickel Plate - that's where the Pittsburgh faithful of the Northern Suburbs head to watch their Steelers and don their horried bumblee bee jerseys.
Map My Run is awesome, I had never heard of it before - good post Mechelle!