Just Me, Myself & I

Just Me, Myself & I
Honolulu Marathon, Hawaii
State #24
4:08:40

2011 has been quite the year. Ironman training started early January, with the Miami Marathon end of January. Ironman Training continued, and i completed the Boston Marathon. I decided to cut out a marathon in May, and focus on Ironman Training. I completed the American Triple T, and the Racine Half Ironman. Then, just as Ironman training peaked at 16 hours a week, I moved to San Francisco. I made a new bike friend, completed my first 100 miler which was actually 130 miles with what would soon be known as my new normal elevation profile. I completed the Ironman and enjoyed every moment of it. Still, when people ask about it, I smile big and say "I had so much fun!"

After the Ironman I had a goal to complete one more marathon, but living in San Franciso, I'm still getting my budget underway, I was limited on vacation time, and well, I started focusing on shorter interval training. So up until the end of October, I still hadn't fully committed to another marathon and I definitely wasn't putting in miles. Oklahoma was on the radar, but when looking at tickets, it just didn't seem worth it, to travel so much, and pay so much for Oklahoma. Maybe eventually i will have to, but when I looked at the Honolulu Marathon, it was only $50 more to fly there.

I had to get a marathon in as I raised money based on the miles I was to race in 2011, so I couldn't raise the money and not race those miles- it's not how I work, so Hawaii it was.

I was at a point where I kind of felt like I needed some me time. I find it an art to be able to spend quality time with yourself, in public but alone. People tend to react akwardly to this thing- you see a cute girl walk into a nice restaurant and she says "Table for one' you get looks and people think "poor girl" But then, you get perks- you get to talk to many nice people and meet many people yet, you get to do your thing and go your own way (and sometimes, you get your drinks paid for).

I booked Hawaii with the possibility that I might not go it alone, and the excitement to go it alone is what pushed me to book it without knowing anyone else's availability. Up until now, I had chosen my marathons based on another event or another friend's availabilty to join. So, not only was this state number 24 (my favorite number), probably the most fun vacation spot you can have in the states, it also continued with the theme of my move to California: Focus on Me. It's all about me (maybe that sounds selfish but to a people pleaser, it's a big breakthrough).

I booked early November, with just over a month to prepare. The longest distance I had run since the ironman was 13 miles- so it was time to get to work. I got a 20 miler in the weekend after I booked the trip. Pam has become a fun running partner. She doesn't go the long distance, but she gets out there with me and then i run on my own and meet up with her from time to time- taking breaks, or her running with me. It really passes the time. The weekend after the 20 miler, I ran 12 miles. It was mid november and we had the most beautiful weather, and I took Pam this waterfall I love running by in Golden Gate Park. After the 20 miler i didn't have any run longer than 15 miles.

One thing I haven't mentioned about 2011, is though it has been a super awesome year, I have made the mistake of cutting out Yoga and replacing it with Muscle Conditioning. Muscle Conditioning was definitely not the mistake. That was great. BUT, sacrificing yoga was. I"m not much of a stretcher so yoga keeps me stretched out and in check. After the IRonman, Julie started stretching me out to learn that I had serious issues with knots and being tight- everywhere. I kind of ignored it. And every now and then i'd have a pain here or there. Then I got a bad hamstring issue, which might be hamstring related or IT band related or many other things. But I'm a firm believer it was an issue because I wasn't stretching, then I started to again, and I started doing more interval workouts moving faster on my hamstrings which jus irritated the minor issue. Three weeks before the Marathon, this issue took me out of the game for 3 days straight. I tried after 3 days of rest, and still, the pain was too much to be on, so I pretty much cut down most workouts other than yoga, biking, slow runs and weights - more abs and arms and stretching/rolling out the knots in my legs (Julie calls this Myofacial release or something like that? I nearly cried the first few times, but 2 times a day for a week almost 15 minutes at a time, and it's not as painful anymore).

This was the least prepared Ive ever been for a marathon- but it was another state and it was a fun one so the preparation wasn't such a concern. My concern was whether or not I could really run on my bum leg or not. My taper week was the opposite of most. I started with 2 miles and worked my way up to 5 through the week (with 5 the day before the marathon).

I made it to Hawaii and I was loving every minute of it. I went out the Friday night i got in. Had a few drinks that were delicious and went for a walk to discover a bit. I made my way to bed by 12 am. I woke up at 6 am to go for a run and get to the expo to pick up my race stuff. While waiting for the expo to open I walked all around looking for food. I finally found this awesome whole in the wall place right by the convention center, and they made me some hawaiin breakfast thing that was delicious.

With the humidity already at 6am being a bit much, I figured I should start hydrating. But the vacationer in me just wanted to vacation- I was in Hawaii after all. So, I had 2 drinks around 2pm- with lunch. I had signed up to go on this sailing event which i didn'tknow what to expect other than i was going out on a sail boat. Well, it turned out to be a booze cruise. If you ever go to Honolulu, I suggest you take a ride on the Waikiki Rigger. It's super cheap and the drinks on it area also cheap. They take you out, look out for dolphins (which I saw on my first trip), Sea Turtles (saw on my 2nd trip) and then you just enjoy the atmosphere and chill music. At your choice you can sit at the front of the boat on the net and let the waves splash you as you move real fast across the water. I drank champange while on the cruise, and as I got splashed, I ended up slamming my drinks. So now it's 5pm the night before the marathon, and I was pretty drunk. I called it a night, drinking lots of gatorade and having pizza for dinner (because i just wanted to fall asleep).

I had yet to go through my race stuff, so I set the alarm for 2am. At 2am, I continued to drink fluids and go through all my race stuff. I also had to cancel my rental car for Monday as I signed up for a snorkling event that was taking me out to the west side of the island (which was where i wanted to go with a rental).

At 4am i made my way about 2 miles to the start. They sang the national anthem and set off a load of fireworks, and we were off. I vowed to start off slow and was keeping an eye on my hamstring pain, which was not there. After a few miles at a 9-9:30 I decided I was warmed up and picked it up at a faster comfortable pace. I knew I could crash and burn, I also knew I wasn't prepared to go the distance so i figured I better get in what i could on the front end. Around mile 7 we were making our way around Diamond Mountain (which was called that because some guys thought they foudn diamonds in the mountain- but they were wrong...the mountain kept the name though it actually looks like a dorsal fin of a dolphin). I felt great on the climb, maybe a little just soreness, but nothing bad.

We started running on some rolling hills, when my stomach started to bother me. And already around mile 10, I was struggling. Not because I was fatiguing or because of muscle pain, but because I put myself in a spot of being dehydrated and the bouncing irritated my stomach. My first bathroom stop was before the half way mark.
Putting more fluids in my body felt horrible, but I knew I had to and because of how my stomach felt, I decided I would get through the marathon without any gus/food, there was no way I would stomach that. Around mile 10 we also went from night to day. The sun was up and it actually felt a little cooler at this point. We had some wind which felt good, and there was some rain.

I was focused on making sure I didn't completely flop on my time- but I also thought, no need to rush through this course, it's beautiful out here. Look at the mountainside, the greens, the sky, clouds and the water. So I took it all in (in between cursing at how my stomach felt).

Just before mile 23 the stomach issues were at its worst and I had to walk. There was no way I could stomach the bouncing until after another bathroom stop. At the mile 23 water stop, the single porta potty was hidden and I wasn't given the greatest directions to it. I knew I would feel better if I just made that stop, so I back tracked in my footsteps. I got looks for going the 'wrong way' but- unlike most people out there, I have had my victories- this marathon was not about time and I chose enjoying myself the night before instead on caring about the time. I pushed myself to the limit on not being prepared, which is fine. I think I've said this many times, but I need to keep things interesting, not every marathon can be focused on time. This one was Hawaii! There was no other way to get the state done than with pretty drinks with umbrellas.

At the end, it was really just a battle between me and my stomach, so when it came time to kick it, I had lots left in me and I did just that. Once I finished, I ate a bagel, laid around for a bit, and then slowly walked back to my hotel. On the walk back, my legs were a little sore, but I felt hungover. You know, when you have alot to drink and breathing hurts when you are standing, so you'd rather be laying in bed? When you feel like the best place for you would be horizontal, not vertical. I made my way to this place I wanted to try breakfast. They came to my rescue with Rice and eggs...seriously, exactly what I needed. I then went back to the hotel and laid in bed for a half hour while my stomach screamed. Once I managed to get out of bed, I got pepto bismal right away and after an hour lounging on the beach, the stomach was more under control and I was finally drinking fluids again. I made sure I drank a good 60 oz of water/gatorade before I got back on that booze cruise and enjoyed round two.

I know usually this is a blog for marathons and not my vacations, but I have to write down my Monday experience because it was just awesome :) Monday, I woke up real early for a snorkling tour. I would love to scuba dive but I wasn't there long enough for a crash certification. So, snorkling it was. I swam with a sea turtle, saw 50+ dolphins in the water- sleeping - learning how they operate when they are asleep.
Then, it was time.
Time to see a whale, or actually 4!
We sat around watching them float around coming up for air, sometimes talking to one another and then diving down. As I was switching from my regular camera to my camera phone, they started to get active. You see, it's mating season and the men fight over the girls. There were only 3 at one point, and a 4th was joining which caused trouble. One minute one of the Whales came right up to the boat on the right side, I ran out to see it and as I did, it dove under the boat- tail up- I felt like I could almost reach out and touch it. I ran to the other side of the boat to watch it come up. Then it went to the front of the boat where the whales started to get rowdy! Yelling (or i'm calling it htat) at eachother and moving around- and though they were moving slow earlier and you would think hump back whales are slow in nature, those suckers can move! they moved to the right side of the boat again and started circling. It was just so amazing to see them in action. They were pissed and they were right there, putting on a show for our boat.

An amazing trip, meeting some great people (islanders and candadians were the ones I tended to talk with most). The trip was a success. The me time was amazing, makes me long for more. Usually I complete a marathon and on the side, bet some vacation/visiting of the state in. But this time, I vacationed and on the side, I got another marathon done (and i got part of my tan back- yay :) )

**PS- the song that goes with this title- Kelly Clarkson- 'What doesn't kill you' -great song- look it up!