The Treadmill that Saved Marathon Training

If you read my marathon story, you got a brief homage to my treadmill, but it really doesn't do it justice. For starters, I am an outdoor runner. I learned to run during a drought, through a very hot summer. I hated treadmills and only relinquished the fight to run inside after TWO close calls running outside near sunset in fall/winter. At that time, I joined Lifetime Run and used the gym treadmills. If  you haven't heard about it, Lifetime Run is a great way to get to know other runners, keep yourself accountable by weekly social runs, and really get the chance to mentor or be mentored by another runner. I personally help newer runners to improve and motivate them toward new running goals. If you have a Lifetime Run group in your area, I highly suggest checking it out. Anyway, I digress....

It was summer of 2013 when I started to consider running a marathon and stumbling across the article for medals I found the Little Rock Marathon. I was sold, if I was going to run a marathon, it would be the one with a big honkin' medal I could brag about for years. I looked up the date. CRAP! An early March marathon meant training through the winter. Yuck! That meant short days, cold weather and the possibility of ice and snow. Despite the idea of training through winter I signed up for the race.

I was a couple months later when I heard something about the Farmer's Almanac predicting an especially harsh winter. DOUBLE CRAP! That was about September and I then began to plan my training. I needed a treadmill and not just any Walmart special....I needed something that could take the mileage necessary to train for a marathon. I run tested treadmills at secondhand sporting goods stores but found a lot of overpriced aged models. I went online to try and research what models would be best for me and found Treadmill Doctor. This website was a wealth of information and contained unbiased reviews of all sorts of treadmills by price range. If you're in the market for a treadmill, this is the place to start looking for your best model option. It's also where I found and fell in love with the NordicTrack C1750 model. It had everything I needed: a strong motor, a wide and long belt/platform, a reliable cushioning system, and the mechanics necessary to take the kind of beating marathon training would dish out.

 

http://www.nordictrack.com/fitness/en/NordicTrack/Treadmills/commercial-1750-1

Not to mention, it had two things I absolutely wanted as my own guilty pleasure: the ability to run downhill and the iFit screen. I wanted this for one reason and one reason only, so I didn't get bored with running on a human hamster wheel. The iFit allowed me to run maps. I could run a course during training and it would automatically adjust the incline and decline as I ran. I was amazed and just had to have this fabulous, wonderous thing that made running inside less mind-numbingly dull!

The only hang up was that this treadmill was well out of my price range at $1,500. I had about $700 to spend on a treadmill and it was looking more and more like I was going to have to settle on the Walmart du jour. I searched Craigslist and eBay for options and stumbled across a C1750 for sale on eBay. It was another runner who was moving and needed the money. It had a full extended warranty and only 40 miles logged on it! That is either amazing luck or perfect timing. She wanted $1,100 for it. Still too expensive. I offered $700. No deal. I was lucky enough to talk with her and explain that i was going to be training for my first marathon and she really wanted to see her treadmill go to another runner who would really appreciate it. BINGO!!!! We settled on $900. $900 with full warranty for the exact model I had been drooling over!?!? HECK YEAH!!!!!

I got my C1750 around the end of September and immediately used the iFit maps to run my relay legs of the Bourbon Chase. I was able to train for the terrain of my event that was a state away! I was in love!!! Of course, winter approached and so did marathon training. The Farmer's Almanac was right and we endured one of the coldest, snowiest winters on record. My training went on, day in and day out, in the semi-comfort of my unheated garage. I ran beaches and Amazon rainforests on iFit. I even programmed in 5 mile sections of the Little Rock Marathon and ran it bit by bit to get acquainted with the course. The constant elevation change kept things interesting and seeing my progress on Google maps gave me something to look at besides the walls. I even added my iPad to the holder and ran while watching YouTube videos with "epic music"

It all helped the time pass and take my mind off of the fact that I was running on a treadmill. That was probably the only thing that made my 20 mile training run bearable indoors and I couldn't have made it had it not been for the amazing timing and luck that landed my dream treadmill. Don't get me wrong, I'm still an outdoor runner and have been beyond ready for spring to get here, but now when it's cold or rainy I don't hesitate to hop on the treadmill instead of bum about the weather.

Get your own C1750 here.

The Marathon

I've often laughed at the internet meme that says:

but the truth of it is that a runner wants to shout it to the world. It's a huge milestone for them and it is the climax and result of months of training and dedication to achieving this one event. Sure, to many it's hours of mind-numbing one-foot-in-front-of-the-other body-pounding boredom, for for those few dedicated souls it is a life changer.

It's been a couple years since I started running and after a few half marathons I thought that running at least one full marathon in my lifetime was one of the next goals on my bucket list. In order to figure out which race to do, I took to the internet and it wasn't long before I heard about the monstrosity of a medal earned at Little Rock: Retire the Finishers Medal? I was sold and only that much more convinced when I found out this year's race theme was super heroes. The medal was epic, literally, and almost as big as a dinner plate but twice as heavy.

So I signed up the same day registration opened and managed to get a couple of friends to join me as well. Now comes the part where I get my personal marathon story off my chest, float it out to the internet and hopefully quench the desire to tell any and every person I meet about running a marathon. If they ask - sure I'll rattle off my personal "epic" tale, but only if they ask for it.

My story really begins November 9th. It was the day I ran the South Carolina Spartan Beast. I was earning my Trifecta during over 12+ miles of hilly trails. If you've never heard of a Spartan Race, first of all come out from under that rock under which you've been living and check out Spartan Race.  At the end of the race, you jump over fire and blast past pugil stick-wielding Spartans to finish the race. Well, I jumped but misjudged how wide the fire was, essentially catching my heel on a log and rolling my ankle. My finish was a dismal limping to the medic tent after crossing the finish line. Two days later I found out it was a two severe sprains. This all happened a day before my marathon training was supposed to begin....

For the next four weeks, I limped along in a walking boot, frustrated because I couldn't run. I felt like Igor as I hobbled along at my weekly Run Club meetings. I made it my goal to run a mile by Christmas and with the help of my brother's girlfriend (a physical therapist and runner) I was armed with the strength and resistance exercises I needed to rebuild my ankle day by day. By my birthday, December 7th, I took my first jogging steps. It was only a quarter mile, but it was weeks before the sports med doctor said I'd be able to do anything. Day after day, I focused on rebuilding and strengthening and by Christmas I had run a mile! 

At that point, it was time to set my sights again on the marathon, which was March 2nd. I lost a month of training and my mileage was going to be impaired by a still weak ankle, but I would run what I could and walk when I had to. I kept my runs on the treadmill because I couldn't trust my ankle should I get too far from home. 

January hit, along with the Polar Vortex, dumping inch after inch of snow and beyond frigid temperatures on our area. Records were broken, heating bills forced the thought of selling first born children, and I kept my focus on Little Rock. I put that poor treadmill through a lot of use, including that dreaded 20 mile long run. Many wondered how I could stand to run so long on the "human hamster wheel" but I can honestly say I love my treadmill (which I'll have to post about later on).

 I finally caught a break in February, during the taper. My final long run (only 8 miles) came on a day we got a "heat wave" with temps in the 50s. This was it - my dress rehearsal. I donned my race day costume: a Superman tank with cape, arm sleeves, and a SkirtSports capris. Now I relished my first real run after my injury but that first run outside after spraining my ankle was so freeing. After being cooped up inside on the treadmill, it was so awe-inspiring to feel the wind, the sun, and the pavement with each step. Sure, there was still snow on the ground, but the sun warmed me and after the first mile, the 50 degree weather felt more like 70. I was ready.

By the time race weekend approached, temps were reportedly going to be in the mid-to-high 40s...not too far off from that great 8 mile run. I was excited. Days to go and suddenly rain chances entered the picture. PANIC! I've trained indoors. Sure, I've run in the rain - in warmer weather. I quickly researched my options: 50by25  Competitor   Runners Connect

 I added a hat to my arsenal and ended up buying a disposable tyvek rain jacket at the expo. But, the expo (the day before the race) had beautiful weather. 57 and sunny...it was the first time we'd seen anything green since fall and new weather forecasts were saying the rain and cooler temps would hold off until noon. 

Race day morning arrived and the weather appeared as though it was going to cooperate, with rain chances at 30% until closer to noon. We stayed at a Comfort Inn about 15 minutes from the start location. It was very affordable and very clean, but the neighborhood it was located in was run down. As we left the hotel to head for the race, we encountered three people arguing just outside the parking lot. We minded our own business until one of the guys threw the woman down to the ground and started beating her. As I deliberated whether it was a situation that required me to pull out my 9mm for the first time ever, my friend Jennifer dawned her full "Mommy mode". Shaking her finger at the guy and yelling at the top her lungs I was ready for this thug to come after us next. 

This grown man, dressed like he was all big and bad, suddenly took on the persona of a toddler in full tantrum. He stomped the ground and argued back "but she took my stuff!" 
Jennifer, not to back down, retorted "but that's not how you treat a lady!"
     "But she took my wallet!" he yelled again.
   "I don't care! That's not how you treat a lady!!!" Jennifer replied. 
Now, I can only imagine what this guy thought. Here were three white girls, obviously not fitting in with the neighborhood, but how do you argue with three chicks decked out like Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman?!? 

I'm sure there would have been more said if we were dressed normally, but there's something about arguing with a super hero - even if it's just a costume - that says I'm not going to win this fight. He and his friend walked away and the woman left in the opposite direction, without even a single "thank you."  Needless to say, our marathon morning started epically!

We got to the start with plenty of time to spare and snapped a few photos. At 15 minutes before the start, the rain began. I was lucky to have my rain jacket and my friends quickly dawned some garbage bags to keep dry. After all, it was still fairly warm and it wasn't raining that hard. We stood in our corral, in the rain, and waited with nervous anticipation, still flying high in that mornings heroic moment. 

The race began in waves, released one corral at a time. Being in Corral H, suddenly meant we had an additional half hour wait before we could go. Slowly, our corral edged closer to begin. FINALLY, we were off and the first couple miles were great...except the rain stopped and I was quickly heating up. At mile 3 I made the mistake of tossing my tyvek rain jacket to the side...a decision I would later regret. 

By mile 6 the rain resumed, soaking our clothes, but at least it wasn't freezing. Then the temps began to sink. At mile 11, we headed into the wind, bitter and chilling I fought the temptation to take the 13.1 split and settle on the half marathon. The wind stung against my wet skin but Jennifer was there to help convince me to keep pushing. That fateful turn at mile 12 cut the wind and helped renew my goals of the marathon. 

 At the half split, we saw the temp displayed on a bank clock: 35 degrees. We had run through a 20 degree drop and increasing rain - no wonder it felt so much harder than planned. We plodded along, tackling the long uphill ascent at mile 14. By mile 16 we had a renewed energy despite the increasing rain and kept a steady pace...when suddenly volunteers at a water station started yelling that the race was cancelled. 

WHAT!?!? 

No!!! That's not fair. I'm not quitting. As we passed, more rumors trickled through from passing volunteers and other runners in bits and pieces.

Incoming storm.....black flagged.....buses coming......no medals......

We kept going. If we were being reigned in we were going to get as far as we could before it happened. At mile 18, we finally had admit defeat. A police officer blocked the course. "Your race is cancelled due to an incoming storm. You're being diverted to Walmart where buses will pick you up and take you to the finish line. You cannot continue on the course. They've already closed the water stations and picked up the cones and mats." 

Defeated, we took the diverted course to Walmart. Once there, we spotted a few others running past the parking lot. That's when we saw it, like some beacon of hope. It was a course mile marker. Jennifer and I quickly made the decision to keep going. We didn't want to wait around, getting chilled by the wait for the bus. We took off to finish the final few miles of the course and finish our race. It was bittersweet. We didn't get 26.2 miles of our marathon. In fact, by counting the trek back to the car after the finish line, we were logged at 24 miles. I had my medal but I didn't feel like I really ran that marathon. 

The storm had finally hit on our walk back to the car. Pelting rain and lightning seemed like a fitting end to the feelings that I was so close but so far from my goal. We hopped in the car and tried to get ahead of the storm for our 10 hour drive back to Indiana. After a couple hours, conditions deteriorated to freezing rain and the passing trees and roads became an ice-coated mess. We quickly found a hotel in Memphis for the night....a hotel with a fitness center. After finally getting into some dry clothes and refueling our bodies I became determined to earn that huge chunk of metal hung around my neck at the finish line. 

I limped downstairs to the fitness center and with every painful step completed that final 2.2 miles on the treadmill. Every step shook with pain as my legs had already become stiff and swollen from the run, but that pain was earned to me. It was feeling that completion of that marathon and knowing that had we been allowed to continue I would have finished. In retrospect, it seems fitting that I finished my marathon the same way I trained - on the treadmill...and while I'm still stiff and sore three days later as I write this, I'm already planning on doing it again next year to finish the course I couldn't this year.