Dermatological hiatus

Dear fellow runners,

If you schedule an appointment with a dermatologist and intend to have a mole or other lesion removed, plan to be very unhappy.

You see, the doctor will tell you that you must cease running for THREE WEEKS in order to be certain that you don't tear out the stitch or bleed unnecessarily. I have two skin items to be examined that I could not have removed today. (Thinking about this is a little icky, but I'm sharing this experience for your benefit, so I'm sucking it up...)

Since I have races scheduled through the middle of December (and obviously the end of December is Official Holiday Crazy Time), I have scheduled my appointment for January. I won't be able to run for three weeks. This really means that I need to schedule my January race before my appointment so that I can be sure I'll even get to run a race in January...

I'm open to cross training activities that I can do while I'm healing... Share, please!

Sincerely,
Karissa

Resilience and my first ever group run

Yesterday I enjoyed my very first group run. I have always trained solo and ran races with hundreds of strangers. This was a wonderful change from my ordinary routine.

Because I’m signed up as part of the Animal Rescue Leagueteam for the Pittsburgh Marathon (5K, Half, Relay, and Marathon), I have the opportunity to attend informational training sessions along with the rest of the ARL team. Yesterday we learned about the way to build yourself up to run the half or the full marathon. The lady who spoke gave us a great calendar that included suggested mileage (for beginner and advanced), cross training days, and rest days. I was so happy to have this because I didn’t really know how to go about preparing and I wasn’t sure what advice to trust since the Internet is filled with resources for runners. 

After the info session, we gathered into groups setting out to run different distances—one 3.5 mile group, one 5 mile group, and one 8.3 mile group. My friend and I chose to go for 5 miles.

It was a gorgeous fall day—sunshine, blue skies, warm air, and cool breezes. We took off and the group settled into a line that obviously outlined our pace comfort zone. I know right now that I run about 11 minute miles regularly. I’m proud of this, considering I’ve only got one year of running under my belt, but I’m always looking to improve. I just know that speed isn’t going to come overnight…!

After about a mile and a half, I couldn’t get a deep breath. I started to feel drained as my breathing got worse. I’ve noticed that in the past few weeks that running outside has been really tough. Sadly, I think this has a lot to do with the leaves on the ground. They smell wonderful! It’s an irresistible autumn aroma that I look forward to every year, which now seems to be irritating my lungs. 

I had to slow down. Walk. My friend stayed with me and she jogged as I speed walked along the path. I don’t normally run in the city, so I think it’s possible that exhaust fumes irritated my lungs even more. I stopped to use my rescue inhaler. I was sad that I had to stop. I was ready to run! Why can’t I just run? My breathing was shallow and I gasped for air as we walked along. It took a while for my inhaler to work. I feel like I walked at least two of the five miles, unfortunately. 

I began jogging again when I felt that I could breathe, but each time I began to transition to running I found my cough worse, my throat itchy, and my fingers tingly. The tingle in my fingers is a bad sign—I usually experience that right before I get dizzy and need to sit down or I will blackout. It’s scary. I stopped again and sat down on the side of the road. I took some time to catch my breath, but I caught it nonetheless. When we crested that last hill, I did my best to keep my legs moving at a pace my lungs could handle, but ultimately I walked back to the community center where the rest of the group was waiting. 

My asthma was the worst it’s been in years yesterday. I’m disappointed that it’s bothering me so much. I’m going to meet with an allergist on Wednesday, and I’m hoping he will be able to help me figure out the other triggers for my asthma and what I can do about them. I realize that I might not be able to do anything about some of the triggers, which is frustrating. At the same time, I find myself getting angry about pollution, smoking, and exhaust filling the air that fills my lungs. 

The group run was still fun, despite my minor medical emergency, and I plan to do it again next month. I’ll begin my half marathon training in December like the training program suggests, but in the meantime I’ve pretty much racing every weekend from now till the middle of December. I will work my way through this asthma and I will continue running. No matter what.

Mantis reprise!

Yesterday morning as I took my dog back into the house, I noticed something (I didn't know what) on the side of my house. Lately I've had to be vigilant about whereabouts of every last stink bug in my neighborhood before opening my door, so I've paid more attention to what, exactly, is on my house.

I came back outside and crept closer. I found, to my delight, a beautiful mantis.

I hadn't seen one of these lovely creatures prior to my birthday last summer when a mantis made a fashionable entrance to my party by landing on my friend Nancy's face. Now it seems that, if I'm careful, I can spot several each year. I must live in a good place for mantises to live...

This little fella was turning orange. I don't have any idea what that means. I thought perhaps it helped him cloak himself in foliage, since that's shifting from green to red-orange-yellow-brown these days too... But I'm not sure. I already read that it's possible that this fella was a male because he was brown or that the color indicates the climate he lives in (?). I'll have to pose this question to my entomologist friend to find out the real deal.

In any case, I loved finding another mantis! They're really beautiful.

Addicted to running

It's now a tradition: on New Year's Eve my boyfriend and I sit down to reflect on the year we're leaving behind and the year we're taking head-on. We each write a list of accomplishments or just general "awesome things" about the year past and, usually after some reminiscing, we turn toward the coming year and write resolutions or goals.

On December 31, 2011, my New Year's resolutions included "Run a 5K." I had started running in November and was beginning to enjoy it (after a few weeks of soreness from using muscles I had long forgotten about), so I thought I would challenge myself.

In January 2012, I joined a gym. The Anytime Fitness near me was a great choice, especially as my work situation changed drastically in March. My new job left me coming and going at odd hours, so the 24-hour possibility of a workout was a relief. Then my company gave me a membership to LA Fitness down the street from the office. 

I couldn't have known what this would turn out to be. I couldn't have predicted that I would become addicted to running. 

I registered for my first 5K in February with a friend. She knew about my goal and was getting back into running too, so we vowed to go together. The race was in April, so we had time to get ready. With zeal and energy, I ran and ran. An outsider not privy to my 5K goal might have thought I was preparing for a marathon. In my mind, this was such an important goal. 

By the time the April 21st race rolled around, I was already registered for my next race--the Pittsburgh Marathon 5K--and knew that running was something I wanted to keep in my life.

I ran my first 5K for a fallen Pennsylvania State Trooper, Trooper Iwaniac, in Latrobe, PA. My time? 32:04. I was beyond thrilled. An average of just over 10 minutes per mile delighted me... and ignited me. I started signing up for more races and by the time I ran the Pittsburgh Marathon 5K on May 5th, I had races planned for June and July.

I've raised money for charity for a few races. I chose only those dearest to my heart--the Animal Rescue League of Pittsburgh in honor of my own rescue mutt (May 5th) and the Epilepsy Foundation of Western Pennsylvania in honor of my sister who has dealt with epilepsy her whole life (July 21st). Those races were meaningful in a different way. Sure, I was meeting my goal of running the race, but I meditated on the reason for the race and that provided a little something extra that I struggle to describe. It's a holistic, peaceful vibe that the world can be good if good people make it so. That's the best I can do with words, without making you come with me to feel it for yourself.

At this point, I've run a race every month since April: April, May, June, July, August, and September. I ran my first 10K in September, which was another milestone I couldn't have predicted. I've also now scheduled more races for October, November, and December that, combined, total more than I ran in the prior six months! Running everything from a 5K to a 5 miler and an 8K to a 10K, the remainder of the year looks bright and fast.

And, for what it's worth, my finishing times are decent. For a novice, for someone who has only trained by running (not lifting or cross training much, if at all), for someone who just put on some shoes and strode for the road, my times are decent. I might not be winning races (yet??), but I am winning in my heart by meeting my goals. I battled my asthma for much of the summer, what with northeastern humidity and heat as it is, and my times were slower, but I am pleased nonetheless because I persevered. 

When December 31, 2012 rolls around (sooner than we realize), I will set my goals and make resolutions once more. This coming year I am registered for the Pittsburgh Half Marathon--the big 13.1 miles--so I will train for that through May 5th. The goal setting is what revs my engine. The achievement is what pushes me onward, covered in sweat, exhausted, and hungry, to run to the next goal. Yes, friends, it is safe to say I am addicted to running.

Completed:**2012**
April  21- Trooper Iwaniac 5k, Latrobe, PA; 32:04 (with Jenny)
May 5 - Pittsburgh Marathon 5k, Pittsburgh, PA; 31:03 (with Jenny)
June 30 - Fearless 5k, Allison Park, PA; 35:17 (solo)
July 21 - Epilepsy Foundation 5k, Pittsburgh, PA; 31:50 (with Caleb, for Katrina)
August 25 - Run Around the Square, Pittsburgh, PA; 34:50 (solo; a respectable time for the asthma problems I had.)
September 30 - The Great Race 10k, Pittsburgh, PA; 1:08:57 (solo; a new PR for my first 10K!)

Scheduled:
October 20 - Ohio Outside Trail Series #1 Five Miler, Kent, OH; www.ohiooutside.com/trail-series/index.html; with Eleanor
October 27- Terrifying 10K Costume Run, Allison Park, PA; www.pittsburghmarathon.com/Freaky5K.asp; solo
November 3 - New York Road Runners Dash to the Finish 5k, New York City; www.nyrr.org; with Amanda
November 11 - Marshall Mangler 8K, Allison Park, PA; http://race360.com/15303; solo
November 17 - Ohio Outside Trail Series #2 Five Miler, Kent, OH; www.ohiooutside.com/trail-series/index.html; with Eleanor
December 1 - Ohio Outside Trail Series #3 Five Miler, Kent, OH; www.ohiooutside.com/trail-series/index.html; with Eleanor
December 15 - Doomsday Dash 5K, Columbus, OH; www.doomsdaydash.com; with Eleanor

Traversing Pittsburgh: The Great Race 10K

I started running a year ago. After trying yoga, Pilates, and other “calmer” forms of exercise, I found the adrenaline rush in running to be just what I needed. And what did I need? A sport pushing me to stay active, motivated, competitive: a challenge. 

Most days I run alone. It’s me and the trail, me and the treadmill, me and the pavement. But on September 30, it was me, 6.2 miles of Pittsburgh pavement, and 10,074 other runners. 

On the last Sunday in September, runners take to the streets of Pittsburgh for what has become the largest 10K in Pennsylvania. This year, in its 35^th running, 10,075 people ran The Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race 10K. Add to that the 4,925 registrants for the 5K, and the grand total is 15,000 people, the largest crowd to date.

This was my first Great Race and my first 10K. To this point, my New Year’s resolution motivated me to run a 5K in April, May, June, July, and August. This was my September race. Many people told me that it is the best first 10K for a new runner. I felt welcome, albeit a little intimidated. 

My anxiety fueled my workouts. I would run that 10K and run it well, I told myself. I trained a little harder, diligently hitting the gym at least two days a week and running at least two more. I noticed I was feeling stronger as my distances grew. My legs no longer yielded to an incline.  By race day, I was ready for those hills.

I arrived at the start line much earlier than I needed to, but it was fun to chat with other runners about the course. And their shoes. Oh, the shoes! Brilliant, daring colors combinations with punchy laces forced me to greet people while staring at their shoes. But runners always talk about shoes. Any gear, really, but shoes are a big topic.

The gun went off and suddenly I felt like I was in a cattle drive—we all wanted to move, but we couldn’t until everyone in front of us began to move. After a few seconds of hesitant steps and running in place, we were off. Establishing my pace was relatively easy; I conquered that first incline through Squirrel Hill, hitting the first mile marker at just over nine minutes. 

People in the neighborhoods en route gathered on sidewalks to cheer as we ran past. Some cheered for family or friends; others were indiscriminate with their cheering and heartened the whole of us, telling us to keep going. Music faded in and out as we pushed onward; we were greeted by sound systems blasting “Eye of the Tiger” and collections of instrumentalists playing everything from college fight songs to the Rocky theme song. 

Going down Forbes Avenue into the Carnegie Mellon campus is when the rain began. By the time I was halfway down Fifth Avenue in the Pitt campus, I was soaked. It wasn’t a downpour, but it was steady enough and cold enough to affect me. My hands were numb by the time I passed Carlow University and reached the aid station on the Boulevard of the Allies; I couldn’t grip the cup of water to drink it.

I had been warned about the last hill. It was waiting for me at mile five in the Duquesne University campus. A bystander held a sign: “It’s just a hill: GET OVER IT!” I laughed and pushed forward.

The course literally is downhill from there. I ran cautiously not only because I was tired, but also because the sharp grade of that last hill, leading me down into Point State Park, could hurt me if I let it. With my feet slapping the wet pavement, I cruised down that final hill and reached the festivities in the park. (I have never seen so many umbrellas in one place!) Once I sensed that I was back on semi-level ground, I recognized the urge to run faster and sprinted for the finish line.

There is nothing like finishing a race. Finishing a race—crossing the finish line after enduring the trials of the course—is always my goal. I cross that line in my mind a hundred times because visualizing myself there, doing what I want to do, is what helps me make it a reality. When I crossed the finish line in Point State Park at the 2012 Great Race 10K, I smiled. I was drenched, exhausted, sore, hungry, cold, and desperately in need of a dry pair of socks, but I smiled.