Well actually, it was more like 9.1, because someone from the coaching team got the route slightly wrong, which ended in running around the bathroom area twice. My the bathrooms were lovely. BUT, I'm getting ahead of myself!
Last weekend and week, I was SO busy that I felt beyond insane. I didn't even have enough time to think about stressing over wedding or marathon stuff because I only had the time to do what I was doing at the moment. How's that for living in the moment? Ha. So, my run schedule Monday-Friday was interesting. I ended up switching some of the longer runs around and ended up adding a run in on Friday morning before I went wedding dress shopping.
Oh yeah, I GOT A WEDDING DRESS!!!!!!!!! Ahhhhh!!!!!!! For risk of Alec reading this, I won't go into any detail, but let's just say that it is not really what I set myself out to get as far as fabric/color/style, but it has the important qualities of classic, modern, and romantic. We went to two different places to find it and there was another dress that I was considering, but I am SO glad that I didn't go with that one and continued to the second store. The people at the second place were also really awesome, so if you're looking for a prom/recital/wedding dress, ask me about it!
I had a really difficult time saying "yes" at the dress store, because it was a very emotional moment for me. It was overwhelming to think about the fact that this is our "one and only" wedding and that everyone will be looking at me on that day. I went through so many feelings standing there. All I could think was about the fact that there might be another dress out there that is better for me, or that maybe I should look for more, or what if I don't like this dress in a couple of months when I go to get it fitted.
At the first store, I loved the woman who was helping me and there were some nice dresses there. As I went to stand on the platform in front of everyone, it really didn't sink in until 3 or 4 dresses that I was looking for my wedding dress. When it did hit me, I had the first really big "I am a bride" moment since being engaged. I actually pictured myself walking down the aisle in white. (I am such a visual person that before actually trying a wedding dress on, all I could picture was everything else in the wedding. I had all those details worked out perfectly, but just couldn't picture myself). An enormous help in the whole process of shopping was having my sister (and MOH!) there with me. Not only is she my favorite lady to be around, she also has this amazing ability to bring me back to who I am, and help me center and live with more of an open heart. So, she was the perfect person to have in the dressing room and the perfect person to talk to when I needed help.
It was actually really cool looking at myself in the mirror that long. Not that I'm vain about myself... I've always been one to run away from mirrors...but this experience was the first time since being in an opera that I was forced to stare at myself in a mirror for a long period of time. It actually started to sink in that I've lost weight.
This may be something that you will hear from other people who lose a significant amount as well, because it is one of the challenges of letting go of the old person and forming a new self image; I struggle every minute of every day with accepting exactly what I look like now. I go into the store and am afraid to pull clothes that are in the size that I am now, because I am absolutely convinced that I am going to wake up and this is all going to be one big weight loss dream. I even wake up every morning and am shocked at how I look. In my head I am still a size 22, in my dreams every night, I am still a size 22...even though I may feel soooo healthy and energetic and in-shape, I still think that I look like I did a year and 1/2 ago. Weird, huh?
So, I am working on that. Standing in front of a mirror for 3 hours helped. Perhaps by the time of the wedding, I will have enough mirror time and pictures of myself that I will have a good strong mental image that is a little more realistic.
Speaking of the time of the wedding, let's talk about how much I LOVE that it is going to be warm at that time of year. The other day when it was 80 degrees outside, I was like "oh yeah, this is why we're having a summer wedding!" But, that was also the day that I went running outside and felt myself really slowing down. I am pretty sure that running when it is 30-50 degrees outside and then all of a sudden running in 80, is like shock for your body. Especially if you are not hydrated enough, which I wasn't. Or, if you ate more bad foods the day before that, which I did. My hands were like sausages by the end of it. My rings would just barely fit on my fingers!
I mapped a new run around my area that day that I quite enjoyed. It went through a park, by a train, under a bridge, up a hill, down main street, and all through my neighborhood. The only issue was that it was 80 degrees and there was no shade until the last mile. Despite my efforts of putting on plenty of sunscreen (can't have bad tan lines for the wedding!) I still got a tan. Uh-oh! I might ask the coaches what their advice would be on sunscreen that works with excessive sweating. Otherwise, I think I will spend the entire summer with strapless shirts on gardening and laying out in my back yard. Has anyone else with pale skin done distance runs?? What do you do for it??
Although, that was not an issue this past Saturday at practice. We met at the Gwynns Falls trail in Baltimore City at the end of I-70, where the Park-N-Ride is, and ran all through the park. I forget what the park name is, but it is actually really beautiful. Coming from this area, it is general knowledge that Security isn't considered the safest place to be, and there was definitely a moment there in the beginning that I could have sworn I saw a trash bag that was human shaped in the woods....BUT, once we got to the main area that winds around the falls, it was gorgeous. The first mile ran down through a little town, crossed a road several times, and then went up into the woods. There was a leg of it that was going straight down a ramp that made sharp turns all the way down. Mile 2 was where we ended up going around the bathroom area in a circle before one of the coaches caught me and told me to go the other way. I was tempted to stop to use the restroom, but I resisted because I really wanted to finish with a decent time.
After mile 2, the rest of the run until the turn-around at 4.5 was consistently in the woods. There was one bit that was on a road, and then woods again all the way. I think it was around the turn-around that I felt my ankle tweak again. For the first 4 miles, it was like it was completely healed and then all of a sudden after I stopped for Gu at 4.5, I felt it twinge and for the rest of the run it never felt the same. On the way back, I also realized that I absolutely had to stop and use the restroom. This was a big disappointment for me, because I was trying to make it home as quickly as possible to see my sister/niece. Let's just say that the bathrooms there left something to be desired- including but not limited to: toilet paper. I hit my brick wall at mile 8, which was what I was anticipated. That is the furthest that I ran before that day, and my body was ready to be finished. So, as I anticipated this happening, I was smart and packed an extra Gu for that moment. It gave me a tiny little boost that allowed me to complete the last mile. I think I might have even sped up!
One thing that I liked was that I ended up finishing ahead of someone that I've consistently been behind at the practices. Not that I was trying to do this, it just sort of happened around mile 6. Even with the bathroom break at 7, I still managed to keep a decent enough gap. When I finished the run, I grabbed a water and booked it out of there. I could feel my stomach getting upset, and I really wanted to get home for waffle brunch with my sister/fiance/niece/aunt. The plan was that I would run home and shower, and then start the waffles. In reality, my stomach got upset instantly when I got home and took all day to feel normal again. Alec and Laura ended up making the waffles (which were good after the first few came out a little strange) and we had the perfect meal for a post-run. Blueberry waffles with fresh fruit and real maple syrup. MMMMMmmmm! I froze some, so I might do that again in a week.
So, it is now 7 weeks to the race. A little update for my current state: My ankle pain seems to have just disappeared overnight, and I have no idea why, but I will not complain. My hip still feels tight, and I am going to try to ice it as much as I can over the next week. I have noticed some REALLY bad chaffing as well on my chest that bled after the 8 mile run, so I am heading out this week to buy a bra that is made for runners who are not flat-chested. I'm excited about that! Also, I've decided to get a belt that I can use to have water and Gu in, so that I don't have to make stops anymore and so I can time the nourishment according to my needs. My aunt and I are planning to go to the Under Armour outlet after the race on Saturday, so that might end in some other clothing that will help me in the next few months. I'm looking forward to feeling a little more comfortable than I have so far! I've completed my first two days of training this week and I'm feeling well, so I'm hoping that I will continue to improve - hip-wise - as the week progresses. It's all up to my dedication of icing and rest. So, until next time, I love you all and wish me luck!
XO
Up next- I am running out of foreshadowing topics. Anything that you all would like to hear about?
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