Owie.

It was going so good.  Too good.

Running and feeling good!

I even “bragged’ to my husband just last night how my sciatic nerve hadn’t given me any issues since I starting training and racing in my Newton Distance shoes.  I also dealt with hip bursitis last year and hadn’t felt a twinge of pain in months.   

I ran in some “old” traditional running shoes to the beach on Monday for a barefoot beach run.  I didn’t want to get my Newtons sandy so slipped on my Sauconys and was surprised at how heavy they felt which is what led to the conversation regarding how remarkably injury free I’ve been since last spring. 

Hit 200 miles for the month yesterday after a hard Yasso workout.  No twinges. No aches.  Set the alarm for 4:30am this morning for a 20 mile run before work.  It was dark, the air was cool, I was running with my husband and running partner (yes I know I am a LUCKY girl), and all was right with the world.  I was chatting (typical) and then it hit me out of nowhere. 

My calf totally seized up.  Stopped me dead in my tracks. Stretched it out on a nearby fence and the pain wouldn’t go away.  But I’m stubborn.  Just a little.  And a Type A. A lot type A. So  I started “running" again as we had 20 miles on the schedule, but it was more of a hobble.  I was sure it would just go away. 

The long walk towards home.

It didn’t.  (11 hours later it still hasn’t gone away)

Steve convinced me that it was time to walk home.  He was even quite the gentleman and offered to run home and get his car to pick me up.  I was a bit offended.  I’ve never needed a ride home. Ever. I could make it home.  So I walked.  And it hurt so bad that I figured why not run home and make the pain go away quicker?  So I ran.  And I couldn’t.  I sent Steve on his way to go pick up the car and drive me home. 

I’m not sure if I had tears streaming down my face or if it looked like I wanted to kill someone when the car pulled up.  He just held my hand.  Told me I would be ok. 

I don’t want to “rest”.  My body obviously does.  Sure it is just a muscle strain.  Yet I have read enough blogs and seen through my “IG” Ohana that if it’s not better tomorrow, will have it checked out and make sure it’s not a tear. 

It’s tough to accept that today my body won over my mind. 

Questioning Capablilities



H.U.R.T. 100 Course


The hubby has incredible faith in my ability.  Sometimes it takes someone else to show you what you are capable of, before you believe it yourself.

Yesterday, I found myself sitting at a table talking to a complete stranger who is 10 years younger than me (in my world, that makes her 19!) making a plan so she finishes this weekend's H.U.R.T. 100.  It's her 3rd 100 miler, on top of numerous Ultras this past year.

What struck me was how grateful she is that Steve and I are willing to take turns to spend 20 miles and numerous hours  on one of the most challenging 100 courses.  To me it seems totally normal and natural to help out a fellow trail runner. Although I am not an Ultra Runner, I run on trails and love to run far.  I am confident I can "Rike" (Run/Hike) for 20 miles.  What I wasn't sure I could do is be a coach/cheerleader to someone who has a pretty impressive resume.  That was my hesitation.

Yet it was reinforced, yet again, that those who are dedicated to running, who push their bodies to where most wouldn't even dream of, and who live and breath a training/race plan are connected by the "addiction' and the differences fall by the way side.  From fueling, rest days, peeing in the woods, and getting through aid stations as quickly as possible (YES, she thinks like me!!!).....we speak the same language.

So, I'm going to spend a few hours and 20 miles with a sister in running.  I knew I had the legs and lungs, and now I know I have the heart.

And I got the lucky lap.  I get to take her home to the FINISH LINE!



Running in a NEW skirt

It's the 2nd week of 2013, and I knocked off 1 of my goals for the year:  find a company to support my running (ambassador, sponsorship, tester).

I sent Lululemon some pictures of me running and shared my story with them because all I train and race in is Lulu!  I met with the girl in charge of the ambassador/testing program and had an absolute blast trying on their new running products.  Ran 13.1 miles this morning in the "Work It Out Tank" and "Breath of Fire Skirt" and as with all my Lulu gear, it fit like a second skin.  I have never had chaffing from any of my gear and this tank, which has thicker straps than my other tanks, was no exception.  The skirt is a little shorter than the ones I normally wear, but it did have ruffles (!!!) and a pocket on the side for fuel.

Checking out the sun rising and surfers heading out to Flat Island 10.5 miles into my run

Matching this colorful tank is the "Run Under Pant" which is super soft and reversible!  Since my running playground is Hawai'i and the temps are in the 70's and 80's, I won't get much use out of it here, but it's on the radar for the Napa Valley Marathon in March where the temps are in the 40's.  Also new to their line in the "Pump It Up Short" which comes in a variety of colors, from basic black to my favorite, a mint striped pattern.  They would be good on runs under 10 miles, as there isn't a zipper or pocket to store fuel in, although if you have a belt for fuel, that wouldn't be an issue

Heading home after a wet, dark, and hilly morning on the road

Lululemon sizing is on target.  I wear between a 2-4 bottom and the pant and skirt were a 4, although needed a 2 in the "Pump It Up Short", as the 4 gave me the saggy bottom look!  Size 6 tops are more comfy than the 4's; unfortunately for me, it has nothing to do with bust size, and everything to do with a broad back and should-have-been-a-football-player type shoulders.  :)

I was stoked to be able to wear this outfit on day 1 of my F3 "marathon" weekend in memory of the 26 victims killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School.  The official start date is Monday for the FurtherFasterForever Ride/Run event, but I want to run 2 13.1's back to back this weekend.  Click here to register for this virtual event.

(At the top of this page, check out the 2 Blogs I have listed.  The 1st is Kiana's journey to becoming a runner and the other is Steve's Blog)

Mommy Woes.

It's Saturday night and I've got big plans: Movie night with the 9 year old.  The hurricane force winds and the fact that I'm sure the sky is falling with all the rain, actually makes movie night at home sound appealing.  The fact that my older 2 aren't here with me is tinged with some sadness.

Kiana left for college yesterday and the tears were streaming at the airport as I watched her make her way through security.  It was so fun having her home and we were able to sneak in 2 beautiful beach days in between Christmas celebrations.  Yet the reality is that she belongs in college.  She knew what she was doing when she said OSU (GO POKES!) was the school for her.  She has a super duper fabulous roomie, who comes with a super duper fab family that live an hour away.  Her sorority sisters are just that, sisters.  The amount of texts, calls, snapchats (had no idea what it was!), ect from these girls was overwhelming.  They love her.  They missed her.  It made putting her on that plane, knowing I wouldn't get to wrap my arms around her until May, bearable.  It's where she belongs.

Walk on the beach with my college girl!

Makai.  Sigh.  He is driving.  He is in high school.  He is going out at night.  Although I personally was a perfect angel, I DO know what goes on in Kailua with high schoolers on a Saturday night.  So I gave him another talk tonight (repeat of last night), he promised he would make good choices, but it sucks. I worry. He's never done anything to make me question his judgement and chats up a storm.....I try (TRY!) to not be judgmental, listen, and offer insight if I feel it is warranted.  He has 2 full day shoots this week, which means missing 2 days of school.  It's a delicate balance.  School comes first.  The industry usually doesn't shoot on weekends.   He doesn't want a career in the industry as he sees how fickle it is, but the money allows him to not have to work for minimum wage and instead focus on school, running, and surfing.  Yet the industry worries me......the amount of money is insane and the fuss made over a kid from make up, wardrobe, the directors....well, it's embarrassing.  I have to sit back while they fetch whatever he wants when I want to scream, "HE CAN GET HIS OWN WATER AND SANDWICH IT WON"T MESS UP HIS HAIR!"  Thankfully, when I observe him at work, he is always responsible, mature, and does exactly as the director asks.  Allowing him to grow up is difficult.  Driving. Girls. Wish he was on the couch watching a movie with me.

Growing up.  Helping build the trampoline verses waiting to jump on it. 

Thankfully I have my sweet Kanoa.  He wants to sit on the couch with me and snuggle.

Snuggle Time

RACING:
The hubby is getting ready to run his first ultra.  I was going to camp with him but the weather would cause the tent to blow away.  I'm going to bed early so I can pace him in the wee hours of morning.  Due to the above mentioned wind and rain, I am bummed for him as it is going to be a mud fest.  I don't know if he'll get in his 60 miles as he may be swimming through the creek verses running through it.  I have no idea what to wear.  Really think I should wear a bathing suit with a jacket.  And it doesn't matter what shoes I run in as they'll be covered with mud.  Can honestly say, it doesn't sound in the least bit fun, but maybe when I get out there I will be surprised.
I'll leave the bikini at home.  I'm wearing a running skirt. It makes me feel like a #beast!

New Year. New Goals

Ready to run the last mile to 2012 miles.  As always, sporting Lululemon and my Newtons!

Steve and I accomplished both running goals set in 2012 by completing our 2012th mile on December 30th!

DONE!

Seeing the pictures of our boys and their lack of enthusiasm as to what running 2012 miles meant to us led me to the conclusion that there are many out there who "don't get it".  At first I was offended and irritated that our kids didn't jump for joy at our feat, but then realized that it's my joy in what I accomplish that is important, and I don't need other's approval or pats on the back.

So on this first day of 2013 here are my goals:

1. Run 3 Marathons

2. Run a sub 3:15

3. Don't have a mileage goal yet plan on hitting 1500 miles.

I realized after running over 208 miles in December and only taking 2 days off, how important rest is as my hamstrings are still fatigued after taking yesterday off.  

2013 Race Schedule:

Marathons:

-Napa Valley Marathon/March 3rd

-Mayor's Marathon/June 22nd

-Honolulu Marathon/December 8th

Half Marathons: 

-Hibiscus Half Marathon/May 26th

-Windward Half Marathon/September 8th

-Val Nolasco Half Marathon/November 17th

Trail Run (!!!):

-Xterra Freedom Fest 10k Kuuloa Ranch/July 6th

15k/20k/25K/30k:

-Norman Tamanaha 15k/August 11th

-Kaelaloa 20k/September 1st

-iRun 25k/Septermber 29th

-808 Race 30k/October 27th

Happy New Year!  I am looking forward to seeing what 2013 brings and pray that each runner sets a goal that will challenge them.  Goals, and sharing them with others, hold you accountable.  On our run this morning my husband says that it is human nature to do the minimum of what is expected out of you...if you say you'll run when you feel like it, you will.  If you say you'll run 20 miles a week, you may hit 21.  If you say you'll qualify for Boston, you'll do everything you can to qualify.  It doesn't matter where your fitness level is....we can always be challenged to become better and the first thing to do is lace up your shoes and head out the door.  

The Journey to 2012 Miles in 2012

Back in January, Steve and I set 2 goals. (1) To qualify for the Boston Marathon, and (2) to run 2012 miles during 2012. We both achieved Goal #1 back on December 9th, but Goal #2 still is a work in progress.

For 2012, we planned a virtual 2012 mile race from the most southern point of the Continental United States at Key West, Florida to the easternmost point at West Quoddy Head, Maine.

We live on an island with a 140 mile circumference and aren't independently wealthy, so had to come up with something to make it interesting. Running, like life, is supposed to be about the journey, not the destination, right? In the beginning, we kept track of our virtual positions and had fun announcing our location, but once our mileage hit Georgia, we stopped tracking our location on Google Maps and just focused on distance. The destination, not the journey, had became our focus.

Or so it seemed. Running 2012 miles has been a big deal for us. Through the 1st half of the year, it was the top priority for both of us. But as I saw my speed and endurance increase, qualifying for Boston became a top priority. Knowing that we had the Napa Valley Marathon in March 2013 (a much faster course than the Honolulu Marathon) lingered in the back of my mind, but I REALLY wanted to qualify on one of the toughest marathon courses there is.

                                           Mile 500 - Lanikai Pillboxes                                                                

There's a pretty significant feeling of accomplishment that comes over you when you work hard at something for an entire year, fighting through illnesses, injuries, fatigue, and the calendar. The old saying "The steeper the mountain, the harder the climb, the better the view from the top." really is true. It's been a tough climb, but now that we're standing at the top, we can look back down and see the amazing journey that got us here. Before this year, Steve and I had run together, but not regularly. We're only on the same work schedule 4 months out of the year and I didn't have my SVT under control late in 2011, my pace was much slower than his. But we entered 2012 as training partners and the majority of our miles would be run together. The intent was for Steve to push me hard to drop 45 minutes from my previous marathon result and for me to keep Steve from skipping runs for the beach or gym. The husband/wife combo had the potential to become a dangerous situation, but instead of creating friction, it brought us closer together than we have ever been in 24 years.

                                        Mile 840 - Kailua Beach Sunrise 

The miles and the time we spent together logging them were incredible. Our journey took me through many states (Hawaii, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri) and 2 islands.....Steve had his race in Colorado so had more states than me.  We ran along the shores of the Pacific and through the Ozarks, through scorching heat, pouring rain, and near hurricane-force winds. But not a single mile was wasted. Each one either had a specific goal towards meeting our BQ time (tempo runs, intervals, hill repeats, long runs, etc) or experiencing the beauty around us, whether it be the calming sounds of a rainforest or the glory of a sunrise while running in the sand along the beach. We celebrated every mile. They've engraved 2012 memories that I hope will last forever.

                                              Mile 760- I said "yes"!!!

Probably my favorite run was on June 2nd, when we ran 9 miles on the Maunawili DemonstrationTrail. Besides having one of the most beautiful trails on the planet to ourselves all morning, Steve dropped to one knee halfway through the run and asked me if I would marry him again.  We reconfirmed our wedding vows on our 20th anniversary on Lanikai Beach a few weeks later.

                                                        The Ozarks

In August, we took our oldest daughter to college on the Mainland. We ran through North Texas, Oklahoma City, and Arkansas's Ozarks. We even made a quick side trip north to Missouri so we could log another run in another state. With daily high temperatures hovering around 113 degrees, it was challenging, but the views were beautiful. I had to go back to work after 10 days, so Steve  headed off to Colorado with his dad for the Pikes Peak Marathon.


Steve's Side: "What Malia has lacked in speed, she's always made up for in endurance. I think this is true for most women - the time gaps between men and women shrink as the length of a race increases. And I've yet to meet another female runner who enjoys "chicking" a guy more than Malia. On more than one long run, I cruised at her training speed early on, only to have to hear her complaining that I couldn't keep up with her at the end. Not a case of kicking a dog when it's down. More like kicking a mule when it's down since I carry about 10 extra pounds of fuel and drinks (for both of us) on our long runs. Chivalry is not dead, but there have been times when I wanted to put it in a sleeper hold.  Then there was a 14.5 mile run on Peacock Flats Trail on July 21st. We were finishing the steep 2000' climb up a series of switchbacks in the first 1/2 of the loop when she started to drop me. Being the self-appointed "superior climber", my ego was already a bit bruised as I lost contact with her and started to walk. But to add insult to injury, she had the nerve to turn around and yell "if you're not puking, fainting, or dying, keep running!" I don't remember exactly what I replied under my wheezing, but I'm sure it was something to the extent of "thank you for the words of encouragement and I love you very, very much". But at the end of every run, no matter how hard or easy, fun or miserable, we always grabbed each others hand and said "good job". "

I have no idea what he is talking about. :)                                                                                          

                      Mile 1225: Kiss Up after insulting him at Peacock Flats

There were some special solo efforts as well. Besides runs that had to be done alone because of conflicting work schedules, we did several races in preparation for our BQ attempt, and they were all individual efforts. We both raced in 4 half marathons and a 25k (Hapalua Half, Hibiscus Half, Windward Half, Val Nolasco Half, and the Windward 25k). I set a PR in each race, with my 1/2 marathon PR dropping consistently from 1:42:07, 1:40:04, 1:38:24, and 1:33:37 between March and November.

I'm not running 2013 miles in 2013.  I'm going to run 3 Marathons and try to break 3:15, which I'm perfectly accepting of it happening on the mainland.

Although the 2012 miles was a "Steve and Malia" journey we met amazing and inspiring individuals along the way.  We see two incredible athletes in Kailua on our daily runs and have gotten to know them.  Although she is an elite woman runner, and he is crazy fast and usually wins the series races, they congratulate us after each race.  We've gotten to know some of the regular racers and there is one female in particular who pushes me as I've only beaten her once and she's got me twice.  I tell her it's her youth (she's 9 years younger than me!) but at the finish line there are hugs. :) After the marathon, a guy came up to me and said "you're the girl who killed the series this year!".  What me??!!!  The fact that a total stranger noticed my times was a huge boost of confidence.  Some of the most supportive group of athletes are via social media (Instagram).  Steve started following some runners and they followed him back.  One suggested he become part of the #furtherfasterforever family.  I joined Instagram and started following some of those same people.  Although we have only met one #f3 member in person, they are some of our biggest supporters and sources of encouragement. I hope to come face to face with more at our mainland races this year.

2012 Miles Stats:

Total Mileage: 1991.43 Miles (have 4 days to get to 2012 and WILL get them)

Total Days Run:  298

Longest Run Streak: 20 days

Highest Monthly Mileage: November (209.2)

Some Favorite Pictures from our runs:

Mile 268: Hapalua Half Marathon

Mile 653 -Running the Marsh

Somewhere in the 1900's-I qualified for Boston!

                                   

Christmas Eve Rambling

Just over 40 miles left until I reach 2012 miles this year.  Have only taken 2 days off this month and ran a marathon on the 9th.  I'm tired.  My legs are sore.  My foot hurts.

Yet a benefit to playing catch up with mileage is that I am able to enjoy Christmas goodies (A LOT of them!) and can still button my size 2 jeans. :)

Tried to ice my foot last night in an ice bath and holy moly it was excruciating! My foot throbbed for a good 10 seconds after I took it out of the ice.  I was moaning and groaning and received NO sympathy from Steve as he has been doing ice baths 2/3x day for months. 
1.  I don't know athletes emerge their entire bodies in ice.
2.  Reinforcement that I could never live and run in the snow as I'm certain my toes would fall off.  This is why I "like' my IG friend's running in the snow pictures. #badass

Ran 7.5 miles this morning.  Wore my blue Newton Distance verses my new hot pink Newtons and kept an easy pace as my hamstrings are sore from yesterday's 14 miler and hike up the mountain.  Had a cup of coffee and started baking.  Made chocolate chip cookies (only ate one bite of dough thank you very much) and Special K Bars (they do have Special K cereal and peanut butter) for Steve's troops who will standing watch on Christmas Day.  It's a small jester to stop by his work on Christmas day, but feel it's important his troops know that we are grateful they are protecting our Freedom while most of the world celebrates Christmas at home.

Enjoying time with all 3 kids, since the oldest is home from college for the holidays.  After 2 weeks of wind and rain (Hawaiian winter) we were able to enjoy a picture perfect beach day yesterday.  Even managed to make a Sandman complete with coconut hat!

Celebrating the true reason for the season.  Church tonight followed by Jammie exchange with my parents.  Tomorrow morning will rise early with the kids and let them go through their stockings before sneaking out of the house to hit the pavement with Steve before breakfast.  Feeling blessed.

Mele Kalikimaka!