Zenaida Arroyo

23
Apr
2017

Training to train to train to train for a BQ

categories: Boston Marathon, Hansons Training, Marathon Training, Running, Weekly Recap

I remember back in 2006, two days before my first Chicago Marathon, I was talking to my coworker (cannot remember about what) but I do remember telling her that I wanted to BQ before I turned 40. Umm, clearly I had NO idea what I was talking about at that time. I was a newbie runner. I had began running the year before and there was still a lot for me to learn about running and races. My goal was simply to finish and on October 22nd I ran my first marathon in 5:53:33. Not horrible but maybe I could have done better.

In the next few years I ran a couple more marathons:

Chicago Marathon, October 12, 2008, Finish time: 5:59:47 <–Worse than in 2006.
Chicago Marathon, October 10, 2010, Finish time: 5:40:49 <– A PR!
ING Hartford Marathon, October 15, 2011; Finish time: 5:25:22 <– Another PR!
Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans Marathon, March 4, 2012; Finish time: 5:16:53 <– A PR!
Walt Disney World Marathon, January 12, 2014; Finish time: 5:30:37 <– Did this as part of Goofy Challenge.
Chicago Marathon, October 11, 2015; Finish time: 5:21:17
Chicago Marathon, October 9, 2016; Finish time: 5:12:59

I think I used Hal Higdon’s training plans for most of them except the last two marathons. My goal was simply to finish. While I did PR on most of my marathons, I never really seriously trained because my goal was simply to finish each race. I could have done better if I had trained better. << Maybe. You never know how it will go on marathon day.

I worked with a coach in 2014 to train for the Chicago Marathon. I liked my coach. She gave me fun and challenging workouts. I ended up not running it because I got to a point that I did not want to run anymore. I was burned out. I did have a GREAT time spectating the marathon.

I decided to try again for the 2015 marathon. I hired another coach. My previous one couldn’t coach me. She also gave me fun and challenging workouts too. I finished in 5:21:17. I was disappointed. I was devastated. I had trained hard that summer and I was hoping for a finish time under 5 hours.

Last year I trained using the Hansons Marathon Method. It was tough. I was running 6 days a week and I was ALWAYS tired. I felt strong and had some great runs. I remember one Sunday morning I ran 6 miles @ a 9 minute pace and I was very happy to have done so. My marathon finish time was 5:12:59. Yes, I did get a PR but I was again aiming for a finish time under 5 hours. I did so well during the first 9 miles and then I had some hip pain and then struggled the rest of the race. I remember wanting to quit about 3 times but by the last time I was at mile 22 and I kept reminding myself that I had 4 miles to go. Why quit now?

I decided not to run the Chicago Marathon this year. I needed a break. I did not want to run anymore marathons. Instead, I wanted to focus on my half marathons and my quest to run one in each state. Well, I was bitten by the BQ bug and decided “Why not? I can get a BQ.” Will it be easy? No. Will it be this year or next year? Probably not. It will take me a few years but I am determined to get there. Reading and writing about Elizabeth Clor’s book Boston Bound about her struggles and determination to BQ also motivated me to work towards a BQ.

I need a 3:55 for a BQ. My marathon PR is 5:12:59 (let’s just go with 5:13:00). That means I need to cut 1 hour and 18 minutes off my marathon time. << But even that will not guarantee me a spot at the marathon. So, I will need an extra 5 minutes (1 hour and 23 minutes). Once I hit the next age group, I will need a 4:00 finish time. You bet I want to do it while I’m in this current age group.

For now I am running again using the Beginner’s Plan of the Hansons Marathon Method. The plan ends in July and I am scheduled to run a marathon on July 30th. I will be on my way back from a cruise in Alaska. I haven’t decided if I want to run a marathon or run an unofficial one on my own (if so I will probably add 1 or 2 weeks of training depending on how much running I do in Alaska). The Chicago Lakefront is 18 miles from beginning to end. With the right preparation and planning I can run my own marathon at the beginning of August. No pressure. It will be good to see where I am training wise/marathon time.

Another marathon I am thinking about is the Miami Marathon on January 28th, 2018. But the thought of training during the winter makes me NOT want to sign up. We’ll see. <<Edit: I am not attempting the Miami Marathon as a BQ. Since I am not running the Chicago Marathon I would like to see where I am fitness wise with my training.

I know I still have to make more decisions (hire a coach, use Hansons Method or Run Less, Run Faster Method, sign up for a marathon, etc) but what I do know is that I want to get a BQ.

I hope you follow along in my journey as I attempt to get a BQ. The goal is to run The Boston Marathon before I am in the next age group which will be in 2022.

Have you run The Boston Marathon? Am I crazy for thinking I can qualify when I have to cut more than 1 hour from my marathon PR? Any advice you have for me?

I’m linking up with Holly and Tricia for their Weekly Wrap and Courtney for her Training Recap Link Up!

Hoping everyone had a good week!

16
Apr
2017

Boston Bound Book Review

categories: Running

With the Boston Marathon on Monday and my goal of one day getting a BQ, I thought it would be a good idea to write about Boston Bound by Elizabeth Clor. I’ve never run the Boston Marathon but would like to one day. I am slow and know it will take me a few years to BQ.

I’ve been reading Elizabeth Clor’s blog Racing Stripes for a number of years. To say that I love her blog is an understatement. She is honest, passionate and is very detailed when writing about her runs and races. She was on a mission to qualify for Boston and after 7 years, she finally did so in October 2014 and ran the marathon on April 18, 2016. Just last month she qualified again with a 3:21:54 finish time. It definitely was not easy (is it ever?) but over the years she had to overcome various obstacles in which she talked about in the book.

I started reading it in early March. I had been diagnosed with IT band syndrome, runner’s knee and knee bursitis (and feeling sorry for myself). The doctor recommended using the bike to help with recovery. I could not put it down. The book was exactly what I needed to get me out of my running funk and to get motivated to get better soon and get my own BQ.

Elizabeth is a perfectionist. She trains with the McMillan Group and does very well in her races. But there was still something holding her back. She was always hard on herself and had to meet a specific finish time. She lacked confidence and suffered from race anxiety. If she knew she wouldn’t meet her goal, she would drop out of the race. She finally decided to seek help from a sports psychologist.

She knew she had some barriers to overcome and with her doctor’s help she was able to do so:

Making comparisons
Learning from setbacks and moving on
Patience
Tempering emotions
Expecting to make mistakes

She would also worry about what other people thought of her. She was afraid of running a slow race because she did not want people to think that she was a slow runner.

I think that many of us as runners share some of those obstacles (I used to compare myself to others too). However, with Elizabeth it was even more tough because she was always hard on herself. Many times she couldn’t just let go. She expected things to turn out exactly like she had planned (training for a XX finish time therefore expecting XX finish time). She was no longer enjoying her races nor her runs.

Over the course of numerous visits to her sports psychologist, Elizabeth was able to take it easy, relax, and gain confidence. If a race or run did not go well, she learned to see the positive of it instead of focusing on the negative.

You can read about her experience running the Boston Marathon HERE.

Something interesting that I read is that I have not met Elizabeth but am excited to do so in July at The Great Alaskan Running Cruise. I am excited to also try and get my own BQ. She has definitely demonstrated that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE. I am hoping that she decides to become a certified running coach as I would love for her to be my coach. I definitely enjoyed reading her book. It is easy to read and she does an excellent job of sharing her ups and downs as time after time she attempts to BQ. Even if The Boston Marathon isn’t in your bucket list, I encourage you read her book. Also, I encourage you to check out her blog – definitely one worth reading!!

Have you read the book? What did you think of it? Is running The Boston Marathon on your bucket list?

09
Apr
2017

Running again and a giveaway

categories: Brooks Running, Giveaway, Oiselle, Running

I’m linking up with Holly and Tricia for their Weekly Wrap.

Hoping everyone had a good week!

Hello! I have been neglecting this blog for too long. Thanks to Wendy’s post on Tuesday, I was motivated to start writing again. Lately I have not had anything interesting to write. I haven’t been running much like I usually do. Well, that is about to change. My knee feels much better! I ran the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K on Sunday and managed to finish it under an hour. My goal was to enjoy the race and finish it (my longest run had been only 3 miles) but secretly I was hoping to finish it in less than an hour and I did it!

I’ve been running again using the Hansons Marathon Method (Beginner’s Plan). I stayed up late one day going over the book again and decided to start off with the 5:00 marathon finish time. I updated my spreadsheet with the dates, runs, and paces. I also did one for 4:45, 4:30, 4:15, 4:00, 3:50, 3:45, and 3:40 (I had coffee late in the evening and could not sleep and all I had to change were the various speeds/paces).

For now (until November) I need a 3:45 to BQ. Next year I need a 3:55 finish time. Do I know when I will BQ? No. But I would like for it to happen in a few years. I also added my runs and paces to the calendar feature in Garmin Connect. For now I’ve been doing easy runs with paces between 12:57-13:57 and I am liking it. My first speed workout isn’t till May 2nd (12×400) so I have plenty of time to build my endurance and then maybe I’ll leave it at 5:00 or change it to 4:45. We’ll see.

I have two new and beautiful pairs of running shoes from Brooks – the Launch 4 and some new Oiselle capris. I like the capris but love it when I can wear shorts (which I did today).

I also purchased a cute Oiselle tshirt for inspiration.

During last year’s marathon training, I did not take care of myself like I was supposed to. I hardly stretched and did not foam rolled on a regular basis. I learned my lesson. I will not make that mistake again. Eating wise I am doing much better. I rarely ate fruits and vegetables. Now I eat fruit every single day and make a shake with spinach. I also have been enjoying eating tofu, quinoa, and recently made cauliflower fried rice. Slowly making progress.

Work is going well. Next week is Spring Break and I am excited about it. After that I have about 7 weeks to go till summer break. In July I will be going to Alaska on The Great Alaskan Running Cruise. Just the other day I booked a glacier tour in Juneau and a kayak adventure. Should be fun!!

Now let’s talk about the giveaway. The winner will receive a NUUN container (I have various flavors), a Momentum Wrap, a pair of Lock Laces, and Headsweats Visor.

To enter, click on the image below where you will be directed to Gleam and enter several different ways such as leaving a blog post comment, following me on Instagram, commenting on any of my Instagram posts, or tweeting about the giveaway.

This giveaway will run for seven days (until April 16th at 11:59 pm). The winner will be selected on the eighth day. The giveaway is open to US residents only. The winner will be contacted via the email address associated with their Gleam account and will have 24 hours to claim their prize. All entries are verified, so please be sure to complete them or a new, random winner will be selected.

Best luck to everyone that enters!

12
Feb
2017

Wine and an assortment of food

categories: NOW Foods, Running, Weekly Recap

I’m linking up with Holly and Tricia for their Weekly Wrap.

Hoping everyone had a good week!

Wow, cannot believe another week is over. We have been enjoying some semi mild weather for February which is nice. However, not nice for this girl that still cannot run.

I made it to the pool on Saturday morning for 30 minutes of pool running. I got there at 8:05 and there was another person swimming in the pool. I went about doing my thing. Then more people arrived. Thankfully I was done with my workout. It was fun but also tiring. Thanks to Marcia I have a plan that includes more pool running on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday and a 2 mile run/walk on Friday. I am crossing my fingers and toes that my run is pain free. Remember, my goal is simply to finish the race and get my medal.

Other important stuff. My awesome wine opener broke. Maybe it isn’t so awesome since it broke? Well, I went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond to get another one because it is an important gadget to have in the kitchen. Am I right?

My mom made pozole and invited some family over to eat this delicious meal. Have you ever eaten pozole? If you get a chance, please do. There is white, red, and green and with chicken or pork. My mother makes it white with chicken. I add avocado, cabbage, lemon juice, oregano, raw onion, and chile.

Fridays are the best. It is the end of the week and almost the weekend. Plus, I get paid every two weeks on Friday and on said day we have breakfast. Teachers sign up to bring an assortment of food and it is always delicious. I had ‘molletes’ which are slices of bolillo, topped with beans, cheese and jalapeño peppers and grilled in the oven till the cheese melts. There wasn’t any peppers so I added pico de gallo. It was very good.

Friday ended with some wine at home. I stopped at Walgreens and bought 3 bottles. I am not picky. I like red, white, pink, etc.

On Saturday I received my box of NOW Foods. I found a bunch of recipes on their website that I’ve been meaning to try.

First I made Pumpkin Seed Brittle. It was so easy – just 3 ingredients and it came out really good. I did not have parchment paper but thanks to Google I found out I could use aluminum foil covered in cooking spray.

Then I made Buttermilk Pancakes. They were OK. Let’s just say that I need to do more work on the pancakes. How hard can it be to make them, right? I did like the maple syrup. It isn’t cheap but still very tasty.

On Wednesday it is a half day at school (students leave at 12pm but teachers stay till 3pm) and then no school on Monday next week. The plan is to go over President’s Day and have them write about several U.S. Presidents. A good reminder as to the reason we will be off on Monday.

REMINDER: Don’t forget about my giveaway!!

05
Feb
2017

No running and a giveaway

categories: Giveaway, Running

Disclaimer: None of these items are sponsored by the companies but are items I purchased with my own money.

It’s been over 4 weeks since my injury. My calf is better. I can walk and go up and down the stairs feeling no pain. I ran 3 miles on Sunday using a run/walk method thanks to the advice of my friend, Marcia. I felt good but did feel some pain on the inside of my left knee. The pain stopped when I began to walk and I did not feel any more pain the rest of the run.

I felt confident enough to seek Marcia’s help and have her work on a plan to get me to Rock ‘n’ Roll DC in March – which is 4 weeks away. I will admit that when I began training for this race, my goal was to run a sub 2 or at least get a PR. Things do not go the way we want them to and I had to change my goal. I changed it to simply finishing the race. I love DC and was looking forward to run with friends and also meet new ones (Courtney and Elizabeth).

Marcia had me run 3 miles yesterday and to take walking breaks as needed. I did a few errands after work and then got home to change and set out for my run. Ugh, I only managed 1 mile. I felt the same pain in the same leg. Not good. I stopped running and walked back home. I have two new and cute Brooks shoes and I was ready to hang them up for good. Marcia believes in me more than I do. She is not letting me give up and advised me to try pool running to get me ready for my half marathon next month.

Below is a video that explains pool running.

That is what I will be doing until race day while I rest my calf and knee. Am I upset? Well, maybe a little. I am frustrated. I do get jealous when I see people’s running pictures on Facebook and Instagram. OK so maybe I am not all that upset because I do have a giveaway that includes some of my favorite items I use during a run. The winner will receive a NUUN container (I have various flavors), a Momentum SPARKlet, a pair of Lock Laces, Headsweats Visor, Honey Stinger Organic Chews, and Honey Stinger Strawberry Waffle.

This giveaway will run for seven days (until February 15th at 11:59 pm). The winner will be selected on the eighth day. The giveaway is open to US residents only. The winner will be contacted via the email address associated with their Gleam account and will have 24 hours to claim their prize. All entries are verified, so please be sure to complete them or a new, random winner will be selected.

Best luck to everyone that enters!