Running While Anemic

I've been meaning to do a post on this for a while and look! I finally got around to it.

This post is only about my personal experiences with anemia and running and remember to always consult a professional if you ever sense something is off with your body. 

So, let's dive right in- shall we?! 

I jokingly assumed that I had anemia in college because I was always tired, vegetarian (not eating the healthiest foods), and everything (from running, walking up stairs, strength training) just felt 'hard'. Fast forward to when I moved to Colorado (helllooo high altitude), I had begun eating meat again, but always thought that the exhaustion I felt was due to the lower oxygen available when you live and work-out at 6,623 feet above sea level. 

I never officially got my blood checked out until I was in the hospital with a kidney infection. While it was absolutely terrible (anyone who has ever had a kidney infection would agree...), it was also a blessing in disguise because they told me that my iron was extremely low and that I was anemic. It was honestly a great feeling because I finally had an answer as to why I could never run 'faster' or improve my race times as much as I thought I would, I would feel foggy a lot of the times at work or during schoolwork, I only felt a certain amount of empathy towards others, going up stairs would leave me exhausted and out of breath sometimes, and I always felt like I was living in a cloud. I also could summon myself to pass-out when at the hospital (especially when getting blood drawn/ donating blood).

Prior to being diagnosed with anemia, I would do my long runs and feel a constant headache (like I was dehydrated, but I was keeping up on my electrolyte/water intake)- it actually wouldn't go away until I finished my run (and ALWAYS had to take a nap afterwards, no matter whether it was 8 miles or 14 miles). 

My doctors put me on a slow release iron supplement as soon as I left the hospital (about 65 days ago) and I have been on the slow release tablets since. So, what differences have I noticed thus far?

• I have more energy. ALL the time
• I've started to run faster at my easy paces without giving them anymore effort
• When I finish my long runs, I no longer have headaches or feel like I need a nap (even after my 20 mile runs)
• Going up stairs no longer leaves me breathless
• I bruise less-often 
• I no longer feel like I'm living in a fog and have already felt myself feeling happier more often
• Almost all of my runs (since I recovered from my kidney infection) were done with a smile in my believe training journal. Prior to my diagnosis, about half of my runs each week were sad faces
• I've noticed my metabolism increase (could also be that I'm able to run more mileage each week) and more muscle definition throughout my body
• I can focus on tasks at hand and not feel distracted as often

So, overall I think I still have some improvements to see when I've been on the iron supplements for 120 days (~4 months), but I am already feeling so much stronger than I ever have before! It's really exciting to think where I will be when my iron and RBC count reaches a normal level. Here's to the next 60 days!

Tapering.

I always block how terrible the last few days of tapering for a marathon really are. I think I get so caught up in the excitement of the expo, the race, traveling, sightseeing, etc. that they become so miniscule compared to the race and finish itself; BUT DON'T LET THAT FOOL YOU! The taper-crazies are real and they suck. 

Accurate.

I'm cranky for no reason at all (well besides the fact that I'm not running very much and I'm *twitchy bitchy* to want to run). I'm really hungry all the time. I honestly feel like I could chow down on a steak dinner for LUNCH, but these feelings will just make my post-race meal that much better. Weird parts of my body just ache and 3 miles seems like it took forever to finish. Did I mention that I'm cranky and hungry? Ugh. 2 more days!

I slept in again yesterday morning and opted to do my run later in the day. So, I runched instead. What is runching? Running on your lunch break! I don't get to do this very often, so when I'm able to enjoy the bright sunshine and see other runners out it's truly something special. 

Did an easy 3 miles followed by some foam rolling/ stretching/ 30 second plank/ 2 x 10 dips. I wanted to do a few light strength exercises to help keep my body feeling strong going into the race, but definitely didn't want to do my usual full-body 30 minute strength session. I figured a few dips and plank were a good compromise.

I still am not feeling super nervous about the race, but mainly excited! I've basically got my race-day strategy done, but don't want to set it in stone (since you never know exactly how you will feel the day of the race). It looks like the high could get up into the mid-90s! Luckily the race starts at 6AM and I should be done by 10ish, although I definitely remember the race being super hot in the sun by the time I finished last year! Already prepping myself for the hot sun and the rolling hills in miles 12-17!

The first 12 miles are super downhill, so I don't have a time specific in mind (ultimately under 9:00 min/mi would be great), but will go by feel (not straining myself and keeping in touch with my form and easy breathing more than anything else). In the rolling hills miles 12-17, I ideally just want to push through them and know that this will be my slowest section. I know I have a few mantras that I'd like to repeat to myself during this time. 

If I stay right around goal pace (9:10ish min/mi), I'll be happy. The next section, miles 17-22 are pretty flat and fast (with some shade), so I'll try to stay at goal pace or slightly below (depending on how I feel). From miles 22-26, it is another steep downhill so I'll try to utilize this to power through near 9:00 min/mi or slightly faster if I can muster it. There is no shade in this section, so it'll be tough. But you're already feeling exhausted in a marathon after somewhere between miles 18+, so just propelling yourself forwards is all you can really do (and knowing that the faster you go, the quicker you'll be done).

Miles 18+ is where I have always struggled, so I am going to try to change my music at this point (possibly put in an uplifting podcast or music) to get my mind off the pain since it's inevitable anyways. 

I've been super focused on my nutrition this entire week and will focus on it even more today and tomorrow! More light meals, less fiber-rich foods, more iron-rich foods, and light carb meals & electrolytes/water throughout the day. 

Had this as my lunch yesterday (Spicy Sausage and Beans Minestrone Soup):

I'll also continue to have light snacks throughout the day like this one!

The race has a few pacers (one at 3:55 and one at 4:00). I kind of want to try to stick with the 3:55 and see how long I can hold onto it with them. I've never stuck with a pace group (since time-goals are still pretty new to me), so I guess I'll leave that up to the morning of! It would be kind of nice not to worry about my watch time so much, but that's also how I trained....hmmm.. decisions! decisions!

Still have plenty of time to decide and will be working on my race day playlist tonight and tomorrow!

Have any good race day songs?

Pace groups? yay or nay?

How do you deal with tapering? Do you love it or not a fan?

Recapping my Revel Rockies Marathon Training Cycle

And just like that it's time to recap my 4th marathon training cycle! I seriously cannot believe that this will be my 4th marathon AND my 2nd marathon OF 2017! I've only ever done one marathon during a year, so this was the first time where I went from finishing one marathon, took 2 weeks off of running, a few weeks of building my mileage back up, then started another training plan. I went with the Runner's World Advanced Training Plan to Break 4:00s and we will see if it pays off! I'm feeling pretty confident going into the race (especially with the downhills) and having done the course last year, I think I have a pretty good shot of meeting my goal!

So, let's start at the beginning of the training cycle with some HIGH points:

• This was the first training cycle where I actually logged my mileage! I know, I know, I was a crazy runner before...but now I'm converted! I love keeping track of my mileage each week and recapping the good, the bad, and the...well...unglamorous side of marathon training (i.e. chafing, lack of sleep, sweaty-smellyness, hair always wet when heading to work, etc.)

I logged 416.14 miles during this training cycle

• Tempo Runs. This was another first for me! I did some tempo runs (at marathon goal pace) and they were tough. I got through them and I think that was a HUGE confidence booster.
• Pilates every week. I think I may have only missed 3 Jumpboard Reformer Pilates Classes the entire training cycle. I was able to stay strong and keep the injuries at bay thanks to these classes (I believe..). 
• I set a new PR in the Half AND crossed off my goal of breaking 2:00 hours. This race was a huge confidence booster for me because it was a few weeks after my kidney infection and I was tired/ in the middle of this training cycle/ didn't completely push myself and still was able to break 2 hours. It was amazing. 
• I meal prepped every week during this training cycle. I normally have a few weeks where it's hard to meal prep and I get lazy, but I really stuck to this every week. 
• I took rest days when I needed and stopped going to the gym every Monday-Friday. This was a really big difference between my previous marathon training cycles and this one. I had ALWAYS thought that I needed to work out 6 days a week and never rested. Even my "rest days" typically included some strength training (which is still WORK/STRESS on your body). 
• I slowed down on my easy runs. My previous training cycles, I never really focused on keeping my easy runs slow. This was the first time where I really stepped-back and slowed down and listened to my body when it needed it. I feel like this was a HUGE reason why I was able to nail almost every interval workout I had.

The Lows:

• I got a kidney infection and found out I was Anemic half-way through my training cycle. This was definitely a big blow to my running and training. I ended up taking 7 days off of any activity and then took another week of blended easy running before tackling any sort of hard work-out (including long runs or tempos). Although, in the end it was needed for me to take some rest days and the anemia really helped me become stronger and healthier. I looked back on the weeks prior to my infection and I noted several times a week how tired I was, allergies were terrible, my runs were not going well, and my strength overall was just not there. Afterwards, almost every single one of my runs were happy (some were still hard) and I haven't dealt with any sickness/allergies/ rundown energy since! It really was a blessing in disguise. 
• It snowed. A LOT. I think the beginning months of any late-Spring race will always have weather as a negative. It caused me to run on the treadmill during the first few weeks of my training cycle, but it could be worse I suppose?
• I worked over 40 hours a week most weeks. It wasn't until about 3 weeks ago where I finally was able to only work 40 hours, but the majority of my training cycle I worked upwards of 48-50+ hours a week. This really isn't a change from other training cycles, but still can be a low.

Overall, this was a strong marathon training cycle towards the end. The first 8 weeks of training were rough, but the last 6 weeks finished out really strong. I feel like I'm trained and prepared. If my sub 4 doesn't happen this race, that's OK. I know that I've already become a stronger runner and want to go out and have fun and enjoy one of my favorite races of the year. I know my sub 4 will come either this year or some other year and that the steps leading to it will make me a better runner in the end! 

Happy Global Running Day & Valuable Lessons that Running has Taught me!

Happy Global Running day! I figured I would take this fantastic holiday that is dedicated to US- ALL of us that run (whether you walk, run, jog, spring, very occasionally take a few running steps a day) and list some of the most valuable lessons that running has taught me!

• It has increased my appreciation of the outdoors. I have always loved being outside (besides those few years in College where I tried to "fit-in" and claim that I "hated" camping/hiking/bugs etc. I think that there is almost nothing that comes close to the refreshing feeling you get when the weather is beautiful and temperatures are perfect. The air feels fantastic, you're able to explore nature when you run outside, and sometimes you can even enjoy the time outside with your furry friend!

• It has provided me an outlet to work through anything. I originally took up running to get into shape during college and really only ran on the treadmill (because I was convinced running outside was just too hard for me). I used running/working out (sometimes to an extreme at times through college) as a way to cope with my parents divorce, grandfathers attempted suicide, hardships with friends, dealing with homesickness, getting rejected from medical school, loneliness, heartbreak. BUT I also used it as a way to celebrate all the positives in my life: getting accepted to graduate school and the peace corps, securing my first 'real world' job, falling in love, making new friends, meeting a new goal in my personal life, finishing a great book, the first day of spring, Thanksgiving, etc. Running really has been there for me. It may not have solved all my problems or fixed anything, but it provided me a clear mind to think through things and oftentimes brought about a new perspective that I didn't see earlier. If there ever comes a day when I cannot run, I think I will still utilize walking/just being outdoors as a way to celebrate both the good and bad things in life. 

• It has given me so much confidence. Do I need to be running all the time to have confidence? No. But has it helped rebuild my confidence after tough times? Absolutely. Even when I was injured with Achilles Tendinitis and in a boot for 3 weeks, I didn't lose my confidence completely (it was a little hurt because I was unable to run, but I utilized that to push me more once I became healthy and actually came out stronger on the other side) because I knew I was still considered a 'runner' even if I wasn't running right at this very small period in my life. I had such strong confidence in High School, then College and the few years post-college slightly damaged me. I never completely lost all confidence, but I did kind-of lose yourself. It's funny because many will exclaim that they 'found themselves' in College, but I found it did the complete opposite for me. I had a lot going on in my personal life and it destroyed me. It was until several years after graduating college that I found myself and my confidence again (although sometimes I will still go through shaky 'unknown' times). Running played a major role in that. Running my first marathon was a HUGE confidence booster, then running my second marathon and completing it (while not feeling completely destroyed) changed me. It was one of those pillar moments where I finally believed that I was actually a runner (sure my race times still weren't considered 'great' by any standard), but crossing that finish line twice was special. I was no longer ashamed to tell people that I ran or boast about my race times because you know what? Only 0.5% of Americans have run a marathon and I was one of that VERY small statistic (found here). It didn't even matter what my time was. 

• It's helped me grow up and mature. There's nothing like an early morning run (or maybe late run for you night owls) and getting up early every morning forces you to grow up really quickly. You know what else makes you grow up? Those early Saturday or Sunday morning long runs. Going out drinking and partying before a long run the next morning for a half-marathon goal race does not mix well (trust me, I did it in college and definitely do NOT recommend). Running has forced me to become (and appreciate) the magical time of day that is the early AM.  Even when I'm not planning to run, I love to get up early and just enjoy my cup of coffee on the deck. Especially when training for marathons, you have to become a good planner and mature quickly. There's no way you're able to fit in training runs and a full-time career (and/or other responsibilities) if you are scattered and not have a pretty set schedule (with some flexibility obviously).  

There you have it! A few things that running has given me. I am continuing to grow, mature, learn more, and experience new places because of running. Now, go out for a run! Unless you're in the same boat as me and are tapering and today is a scheduled rest day- I'll be running with you in spirit!

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What are some lessons that running has brought to you or your loved one?

Are you running today?

Do you do anything special on Global Running Day?

Track Tuesday & 5 DAYS

Started off the morning (my last early morning run until the Marathon) with an interval workout on the Track!

My training schedule called for 2 miles warm-up (10:00min/mi pace) then 6 x 400s at 1:56 pace (actual: 1:46, 1:52, 1:51, 1:52, 1:50, 1:47) with 200 recovery in-between sets then 1 mile cool-down. I felt so strong and definitely wanted to keep going, but I will save my legs for the race on Sunday! 5.25 miles total. 

I recovered tonight by putting my legs up the wall. I'm trying to do this and a foot stretch to help with any plantar facistis that I have at least once a day leading up to Sunday's race. Anyone else a fan of putting their feet up the wall? I normally try for just 5 minutes, but honestly love it so much that I've been like that for up to 15 minutes!

Also saw another gorgeous sunrise on my drive into town this morning. It's amazing what you can see when you're up and out of the house early!

We made Run Fast Eat Slow's Sweet Potato Salmon Cakes tonight and the Avocado Cream on the side. I didn't have any limes or jalapenos, so I subbed for some lemon juice and red pepper flakes--> IT WAS AMAZING! Highly recommend this recipe from their book if you haven't tried it already. It was pretty easy once I popped the sweet potato in my Instant Pot for about 20 minutes (this one was pretty large and took 10 minutes longer than most do). Prep and cook-time were ~25-30 minutes. 

Tomorrow's another rest day (all the rest days are ROUGH- I have way too much energy at night and need to fill them with some new projects)! I already scheduled a mani/pedi to treat myself after the race, so I know that will help push me towards that finish line! I haven't really started to feel too nervous yet and am mainly just excited for race day (I'm sure the nerves will come...). Happy Tuesday!

When do you like to do your speed work? Tuesdays? Wednesdays? Do you do it more than 1 time per week?

Favorite running recipe? 

Favorite way to rest & recover at the end of a long day?