Running Mama-in-Training: Cross training is the name of the game

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Cross training is the name of the game

So, I've been a good little patient.

I've been cooperative and have been heeding the advice from my PT (for the most part :)).

I've been resting.

I've been stretching.

Cross-training.

Icing.

Popping pills (ugh, I try not to do much of that though).

Going in for ultrasound treatments.

And....resting some more.

I haven't gone on a REAL run since Sunday, September 26th.

(Did I mention that "real" run was a PR marathon!? ;) 26.2 in roughly 3 hours and 53 minutes, baby! When I'm feeling down about not being able to run...I just repeat that fact over and over to myself in my head. Makes me remember I'm not really a failure :))

Whoops, I guess I also ran on Saturday, October 2nd, a mere six days after that marathon. I did do a "little" 5k...Run the Woods (an Easter Seals fundraiser)...and did get 2nd in my age group. Meh....

But, I don't really consider running 3.1 miles much of a run to me right now. It's just a tease!!

So, for all intents and purposes...it's been EIGHT FULL WEEKS since I've been on a REAL run. WOW!!!! That is some crazy, crazy, crazy stuff....coming from someone who ran 3 marathons in 12 months.

I have been gaining weight...which is NOT fun...and some days I am in denial about it (until I looked at a picture of myself taken Friday night and realized I really need to get things back in check. Good grief, Rachel.). I need to be better about adjusting my diet due to decreased activity...but I haven't been very good at that.

Sigh.

Spinning classes....namely, 5:15 am "hour of power" spinning classes...have been saving me. I've gone a few times over the past few weeks...and I feel like they give me the cardio/sweat fest I crave. I don't necessarily think they are great on my Achilles, but it's definitely not like running. And I'm "careful" ;).

I went to a Zumba class yesterday...it was a fundraiser for Easter Seals put on by some students at Heartland Community College. It was a lot of fun! Also, though, maybe not the wisest choice healing-wise. That hard floor was a bit rough on joints. It was a 2-hour "event"; I was a bit late and participated for about 1 hour and 45 minutes. I felt really silly...I am SO not coordinated. But, it was fun!

I haven't been swimming in the past 2 weeks. I swam/pool jogged so much over the past 2 months or so that I felt as if I was going to sprout gills ;). I am not really a big fan of swimming. It's SO good for you, though, I should probably get back at it.

I would love to schedule marathon 4...but I can't yet. Darn you, Achilles!

2 comments:

Romo said...: That book is back on the shelf in the library, if you are interested. Hope Santa gets you a water proof iPod, fine jewelry, a rockin' pair of boots or an achilles that torments you less.; December 7, 2010 at 10:09 PM
Rachel Lynn said...: Hey Romo. Goodness. I've neglected this blog...who knows if you'll even see this response ;). I still have yet to check out that darned book you've recommended. I need to do that. Should I be ashamed to admit I've NEVER been to the library since I've lived in Blo/No?!
As far as Christmas gifts...no water-proof iPod (yet ;)), however I did get some lovely earrings (probably not in the "fine jewelry" category as you stated though ;). As my husband said, "Since you work with little kids all day there's really no point in getting you really nice jewelry" ;)) and some other things.

Hope you are doing well, sir! :); March 27, 2011 at 10:20 PM

Current PRs

1 mile - 6:17 (Main Street Mile, Peoria IL, July 2014)
5k - 20:20 (Evergreen Lake 5k, Hudson, IL, August 5, 2017)
4 mile - 27:32 (FOLEPI River Trail Classic, East Peoria, IL, November 25, 2017)
8k - 39:02 (Da Deer Run Run 8k Trail Race, Hudson, IL, December 2017)
5 mile - 35:34 (Park2Park, Bloomington-Normal, IL, July 4, 2017)
10k - 44:30 (Run for Hope, Bloomington, IL, March 26, 2017)
7 mile - 49:39 (Bix 7, Davenport, Iowa, July 29, 2017)
12k - 53:18 (Lake Run, Hudson, IL, May 6, 2017)
15k - 1:08:22 (Steamboat Classic, Peoria, IL, June 17, 2017)
13.1 - 1:33:39 (Lincoln Presidential Half Marathon, Springfield, IL, April 1, 2017)
26.2 - 3:23:07 (U of I Marathon, Champaign, IL, April 22, 2017)
Sprint Triathlon - 1:17:48 (Tri Shark, Hudson, IL, June 2015)
Olympic Triathlon - 2:59:39 (2013)
70.3 (Half Iron Tri) - 6:00:51 (Ironman Racine 70.3, Racine, WI, July 2013)
140.6 (Iron distance Tri) - 14:35:18 (Ironman Wisconsin, Madison, WI, September 2013)

Hello there!

Welcome to my little corner of the Internet:). I am by no means one of the more skilled runners in this big, awesome world of athletes...but am not lacking in passion regarding the sport.

I have eleven(stand-alone) marathons, three half-Iron distance tri's, one full-Iron and countless smaller races under my belt...but I am quite quick to say I am NO means much of an "authority" on running/triathlon! However...I find much delight in training and racing and truly enjoy sharing my love of running with others. One of the things that makes me the very happiest in the whole-wide-world is when a friend joins me and runs his/her first race! Being with someone at their very first race (or first race of a new-to-them distance) and seeing the joy of their personal accomplishment is an incredible feeling.

My "running history" is pretty unremarkable. I ran track in the 8th and 9th grades, but was painfully mediocre. When it came time to run the mile in PE class, I was less than thrilled. I tended to take the path of least resistance when it came to anything remotely "athletic" throughout high school. I enjoyed some aspects of sports...mostly just the social aspect, though, and most definitely not the sweaty aspects. Something, though, changed during my undergrad years....I began running for fun. A mile here, three miles there...running became an outlet for my brain that had become fried by academics and the mental anguish of constant thoughts of "what am I going to do with this life of mine?" (I changed my major three times).

I began running the Bix 7 race in Davenport, Iowa each July (in the summer of 2015 I completed my 12th consecutive Bix and am somewhat proud to say I consistently run that 7-mile race in under an hour...when I first ran the Bix in 2004, that "under an hour" goal seemed insurmountable!)...and found myself looking forward to it. During graduate school at Purdue University, I began running even more. I ran to stay in shape, and I ran to de-stress. Running became a much-needed constant in my life. Later, having declared 2009 as a "year of firsts" for myself...I registered for my first half marathon (at the U of I in April of '09) with my sister. After living to tell tales about this small success, I registered for the 2009 Chicago Marathon. The summer months were devoted to my running schedule. In the midst of long runs on the weekends (I followed Hal Higdon's novice plan and would highly recommend it to newby-marathon-runner-wanna-bes like myself!), I ran a number of other races that year. After my first marathon (ran in just a minute past the coveted 4 hour mark!), I was absolutely drained...physically and emotionally. It was an exhilarating experience, but I felt like I was in over my head in this "crazy runner world." I informed my friends, "I have NO IDEA how I will ever be able to do better at this than what I did today! Sure, I can imagine getting better at half marathons, but I really don't think I'll EVER be able to run a faster marathon!" Eleven and a half months later, I ran my 3rd marathon...approximately seven minutes faster than that first attempt, proving myself wrong. I love proving people wrong...especially myself.

Shortly thereafter, I began to venture cautiously into the world of triathlon...my first tri was the Kansas City Triathlon-sprint distance in 2011 (I would be remiss if I didn't mention the "indoor triathlon" I completed in St. Louis in February of 2010...pool swim, spin bikes, treadmill...nice). Following the Kansas City race, I informed my bestie Jillian who had encouraged me to complete it with her that triathlons just "aren't for me" and that I would be sticking with running. Following a six-month (or so) emotional break-up with my bike, something made me get back on "the horse." In May of 2012 I registered for a 70.3 (half-Iron!) in Branson (thanks to an e-mail from Active.com advertising half-off registration) and realized that doing so meant I needed to get "serious" with my training. From May-September 2012 I completed one sprint-distance, four Olympic-distance and two half-Iron distance triathlons....all basically on my own.

After completing the 70.3 in Branson I toyed with the idea of continuing the forward momentum I had in my training and simply moving forward with building my endurance and skills and doing a full 140.6 the following year. In October of 2012 I met my first coach, Laura Wheatley (at the finish line of Run the Woods, one of my favorite races!). I signed on with her, thus tasking her with the job of getting me to the finish line of Ironman Wisconsin in September of 2013.

I started building my base in December of 2012 and Laura gradually built up my training plan's intensity through the summer of 2013. There were MANY moments of self-doubt, but Laura never doubted me (at least not out loud ;)) once. Completing Ironman Wisconsin 2013 was one of the proudest moments of my entire life. Rachel Matyasse, you are an Ironman! Those are the kind of words you never forget.

What's next? Will there be another 140.6? Most definitely! When? Who knows!! But, until then, there are plenty more adventures to be had. On my short-list?
~Complete 50 marathons in 50 states by the time I am 50 (as of 12/15 I am 33 years old and have completed 12 marathons...and checked 7 states +DC off the list: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Virginia, New York, Wisconsin (if I am allowed to count IMWI, which some say I am :)), California, Washington DC.)
~Qualify for the Boston Marathon AGAIN (My current qualifying standard is 3:35. I qualified for the FIRST time in September of 2015 with a 3:33:16, but cannot run in 2016 because of...my son's pending arrival 4/29/16!). Did I mention I qualified at 7 weeks pregnant?

~Run a sub 20:00 5k (My current PR is 20:54, set 4.18.15!)
~Go sub 6 hours in a 70.3 (I was so CLOSE in my last 70.3 in the summer of 2013!)

~Continue to pursue the passion for running alongside my runner-husband
~Continue to encourage others to pursue running/triathlon/athletic endeavors and to grown in my own passion/skills...namely my son :)

~HAVE FUN

(Oh and in the midst of all of this...I would also really like to finish my doctorate :). I started working on my Ed.D. in Special Education in May of 2014 (I am a pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist). Anticipated graduation is May of 2019...but we will see how the new-baby-situation affects that situation:))

So...bring on the training, and bring on the next adventures!! The best IS yet to come.

2010 Race Results

8) October 2, 2010: Run the Woods--25:46.1 (Trail 5k)

7) September 26, 2010: Quad Cities Marathon--3:53:51 PR!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6) July 24, 2010: BIX 7 Davenport Iowa--56:42
5) June 19, 2010: Warrior Dash (3.17 miles with 12 "extreme" obstacles)--28:34:.20
4) June 6, 2010: Minneapolis Marathon--4:04.07
3) May 1, 2010: U of I Half Marathon (Champaign, IL)--1:50.07
2) April 3, 2010: Lincoln Memorial Half Marathon (Springfield, IL)--1:49.57
1) February 13, 2010: JCC Indoor Triathlon (St. Louis, MI)--750 meter swim, 18 mi bike, 5 mi run

2009 Race Results

11) November 15, 2009: Jingle Bell Run (Blm, IL)--24:57:8
10) October 11, 2009: Chicago Marathon--4:01:04
9) October 3, 2009: Easter Seals Run the Woods (5k)--26:12
8) September 27, 2009: Quad Cities Half Marathon--1:52:09
7) July 25, 2009: Bix 7--58:36
6) July 4, 2009: Park 2 Park (5 mi)--43:12:1
5) June 20, 2009: Steamboat Classic (15k)--1:25:03
4) June 13, 2009: State Farm 5k--25:26
3) May 2, 2009: Lake Run (12k)-1:05:39
2) April 25, 2009: Race To Wrigley (5k)--27:32
1) April 11, 2009: Illinois Marathon (my 1st half marathon!!)--1:57:25

Running Mama-in-Training

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Cross training is the name of the game

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