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Sep 28

Yes, something is up

But I’m not quite ready to share.

There’s a great concern among readers of this blog when I suddenly drop off the face of the world for awhile. It’s not deliberate. I promise. I’ve been busy with my students (journalism conference last weekend and a new issue this week), website work and family stuff.

There are some confessions, though:

  1. My nutrition is still in flux and I’m working through it. I say that because I have received many, many suggestions for things that are “easier” on my stomach. The problem is I still have no gallbladder, so what works for one person sometimes (usually) doesn’t work for me.
  2. The nutrition aspect has wrecked havoc on my training. My mileage will be severely cut this month, likely in the 65-70 mile range.
  3. For two weeks, I couldn’t run without feeling like I was going to throw up. TMI, I know. But it was really bad there for a minute.
  4. I’m still running the Half Moon Bay Half Marathon, but I’m pacing myself. That should translate into “I’ll likely be slow and I don’t care.” And I’m already slow-ish. So “slow” may take on a whole new meaning.
  5. I’m still signed up for multiple races this month and have every intention in running them. Slower, with more deliberate thinking and motion going into each step.
  6. The “Year of the PR” is officially over for me. I’m completely OK with that. I’ll hold my 2:16 half marathon finish very close for awhile. And my 5:12 marathon finish. (Not to mention running a 5:15 in San Francisco on a tougher course than San Luis Obispo.)
  7. I’m OK with my level of fitness devolving a little right now. I ran a six-mile taper run yesterday. Today my butt hurts in a way it hasn’t since I trained for my first half marathon. I haven’t hurt this bad after a six-mile run in forever. After tomorrow’s 13.1, I may pass out. It’s likely.
  8. My marriage is fine, my husband continues to be the most supportive man I know. He even let me drag him to Walnut Creek last weekend for packet pick-up for the Half Moon Bay Half Marathon. He stood by me as I traded in my personalized marathon bib for a half one. I think he realized how bittersweet it was for me, but both of us KNEW it was the right choice.
  9. My mental health is fine. That comes up, not surprisingly, because it would be easy for me to regress into an anxiety-ridden, panic mode. That hasn’t happened.
  10. All of this equates to nothing bad. I ran with a cranky gallbladder for two years before the damn thing was removed. I’ve had to work much harder than this. Right now, though, every step feels like a mile. I’m working through it.

Working through it means I haven’t wanted to share as much, for the first time since I started this blog. So I’ve been stepping back and prioritizing. It doesn’t mean I’m joining the mass exodus of bloggers who stopped blogging either. I’m not there yet either.

I just ask for a little patience as I put my health back together. And a little understanding when my half marathon times really start to take a hit.

Sep 22

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Halving it for Half Moon Bay

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As of 11 a.m. today, I am officially no longer running a marathon in a week. I traded in my dark-blue bib with my name emblazoned on it for a teal replacement that signifies the switch to 13.1.

I had a moment, as I was walking in to Sports Basement in Walnut Creek, where I asked my husband if he just wanted me to try and run the marathon so we could get our money worth. We both agreed that with the stomach issues and training changes over the past couple months, it would be best to not go that route.

So I walked it, turned a corner and found my way to packet pickup. I went through pickup for the full, with my number 344 being assigned to me. I grabbed the shirt and headed around to the answers desk. The race director was cordial about everything and got me switched out really, really quick.

Part of me wants to be sad. I wanted to finish 2013 with six marathons under my belt.

Instead, I’ll be running 13.1, likely slowly, and adding another half marathon to my list.

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Speaking of that shirt, I love it. All the shirts are the same, saying “26.2 Miles of Running Heaven” so I didn’t have to switch my full marathon shirt for a half shirt. It’s a large Brooks shirt, so it’s good quality. This will be my first of two Brooks shirts in the next couple weeks. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon series also has Brooks shirts. I love how durable they are.

I don’t know much about this race, but I’m already liking what I see. The Half Moon Bay International Marathon has only been around three years now. It seems to have gathered some great traction, though, with a hefty list of sponsors.

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When I first found out about it, I was excited because it sounded exactly like a Big Sur race without the need to travel a long distance and book an overnight hotel room. (It’s about an hour and 15 minute drive early in the morning from where we live.)

Big Sur, though, is a very well established race that splits its main event into two: An April marathon and a November half marathon.

I actually first ran the Big Sur Half Marathon in 2011 on suggestion from my mom. She had a friend who had run the marathon. I, without really looking into the run, decided I wanted to do the 13.1. The full marathon included way too many hills. I found out later, during my 21-miler along the coast there, that it was a tough one.

But the Big Sur Half happens in Monterey and in nearby Pacific Grove before finishing near downtown. It’s not exactly the same as running along Highway 1. That said, I love the Big Sur Half. It’s one of my favorite races. I’ve already told my husband I hope to be back to it in 2014 as I ramp up for California International Marathon next year. Schedule conflicts have prevented me from doing so many of my favorite races this year.

That said, I’m hoping I enjoy Half Moon Bay just as much. I love the feel of smaller races. And I love that more and more are popping up in coastal areas. One of my best experiences in running was at the San Luis Obispo Marathon this year. That route doesn’t run along the coast, but it is beautiful.

So as much as I’m upset that I won’t be tackling the full 26.2 next week, I have a lot of reasons to be really excited about taking on 13.1 along the California coast. I just hope my stomach and body cooperate.

Sep 18

Harnassing the power of algae: An Energy Bits review

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We know algae as the gross green stuff that sits on the top of pools, collects along unclean patios and, generally, causes even the less squeamish of us all to make a contorted face when thinking about it.

It’s kind of gross. A microscopic view of it, as seen below thanks for Wikimedia Commons, doesn’t help the organisms case at all.

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So you can imagine my trepidation when I started seeing my fellow running bloggers, particularly in my Fit Approach Sweat Pink group, talking about the wonders of Energy Bits, an algae-based fuel source. Then I got interested. Because it just seemed so bizarre.

I mean, for real? People are eating algae? This can’t be right.

Doesn’t it taste bad? Make you gag? Upset the stomach?

So I did what I do when I’m interested in something, but not quite sold on the idea: I stalked the Energy Bits Twitter account. I’m not even ashamed.

The things I learned:

  1. The Energy Bits Twitter account and social media crew is VERY responsive. It’s probably the most responsive Twitter account I’ve ever seen in all of the running-related Tweets I’ve done over the past couple years.
  2. The bits are RAVVED about. People seriously love them. And swear by them.
  3. Probably the most important of all: The bits don’t taste gross.

Now the last one I didn’t believe. I mean, this is a type of algae. It HAS to taste bad. Nope, I was told. If I swallowed them down with water, I likely wouldn’t taste anything at all.

That’s when I was offered a sample trial of Energy Bits by the Twitter-handler and Energy Bits Director of Social Marketing Jonathan. I jumped at the chance, especially because I’ve have stomach issues all summer that have caused me to rethink my fueling strategies in general.

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So I was really excited when I received a package from Energy Bits. I opened it up and looked through all the informational material, which included a breakdown of the Spirulina algae that makes up the 100-percent natural, one-calorie per tab product.

“Run better with bits” a postcard in the package said, saying each tab is all vegan, all raw, all non-GMO, all Kosher and includes more than 40 vitamins and minerals, as well as 64-percent protein and antioxidants.

So much stuff. Such a small little tablet.

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And yes, the tabs are green. They have a bit of a “fishy” smell to them. I guess it’s less “fishy” more “aquarium.” That’s part of the reason Energy Bits actually recommends swallowing the bits since, according to the literature, they “taste very green.”

Since I didn’t want to taste anything green, I did as told.

I put the bits to the ultimate test. About a month ago I had a VERY LONG day ahead of me that included an early-morning run with friends, teaching, meetings and evening code work. They are “Energy Bits” I figured, so I was hoping that instead of turning to a Diet Coke or a Five-Hour Energy boost, I’d try this.

The makers actually suggest using Bits to “jump start” the day to keep hunger and fatigue away. Sold. Let’s do it, I figured.

I downed the recommended 30 bits, which took a good-sized chunk out of my tin. I’ll admit that it took me awhile. I’ve never been good at taking more than one pill at once, so this was a challenge. I had the Bits with orange juice because I was really afraid of tasting the “green.” I never did.

Here’s a look at how Energy Bits got me through a very long day:

SIX-MILE RUN WITH FRIENDS

My 4:45 a.m. wake-up call is always hard. About 10-minutes after taking the Bits, I left the house and headed out to a neighboring community for a run. I was running on tired legs. Ten minutes into my run, I felt different. I was increasing speed. I wasn’t sluggish. In fact, it was one of the best runs I’ve had in a very long time.

At the end, I honestly felt like I could add on another four miles and still feel great … but I didn’t have the time.

MEETING WITH STUDENTS

After running home and getting cleaned up, I rushed to school for a meeting with my editing staff. After an early-morning run, I’d usually need a caffeine pick me up to get me through. But I was really active and energetic as we discussed possible stories for the beginning of the semester. By 11 a.m. I’m usually downing a Diet Coke or searching for something surgery.

I didn’t have one of those “craving” moments.

LUNCH

I’ve readily admitted that I overeat at times. But on this day, after a quick snack in the morning and a large bottle full of water (I’m always hydrating), I didn’t feel the need to scarf down my lunch. In fact, I ate slower because I wasn’t as hungry. Still no cravings for something sweet.

AFTERNOON/EVENING ACTIVITIES

I was probably more awake than I’ve been all semester so far that day. By the time I left campus, after another meeting, I was starting to think I could chalk it up to a good night’s sleep. But it was definitely the Energy Bits. I was still feeling energetic by the time I got home and made dinner. I even slept better at night.

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I’m a big “I’ll believe it when I see it person,” so I can truly say that Energy Bits are for real. Not only was I propelled through my morning run, but also through the rest of my day. The best part is that Energy Bits are all natural, so there was no “crash” at the end of the day. But the bits were also kind to my very cranky stomach.

I took them down in the morning with no issues during the day. My only regret is that I kind of “wasted” them on a day I only had a six-mile run. I would have loved to see how they preformed on a longer run, maybe even a 15-miler. But by the time I tested them out, my stomach issues had already made me decided that I wouldn’t be running a marathon at the end of this month.

Now for the fun part: You can enter for a chance to try Energy Bits.

The folks at Energy Bits are offering a sample of one of my readers so that you, too, can say to your friends: “Oh, don’t mind me over here. I’m just taking some algae!” And then get interested and amazed looks. That’s the truth. My friends thought I was nuts.

Enter below. And earn more entries by liking Energy Bits on Facebook or Twitter. I’m closing the giveaway on Oct. 2, so enter now!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sep 14

A colorful 5K in San Jose

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Today my morning run was a lot more colorful than it typically is — and that’s saying a lot because I love wearing neon running clothes.

I ran my first color-type run today in San Jose with the Color Me Rad 5K. After walking around at a local festival for about three hours last night, I was thanking the race gods for a 9:40 a.m. wave start. It meant my husband and I could get on the road from our home, 60 miles away, later than a normal race. It also meant I got to sleep in some.

After an uneventful ride from Tracy to San Jose, the first major obstacle hit us: parking.

I had read reviews, and heeded the advice of the Color Me Rad website, to arrive early, especially since I was unable to attend an early packet pick up.

The problem wasn’t the organizers, though, in this case. Instead, it was the venue’s parking attendants. My husband was concerned I wouldn’t be able to get my packet, so he literally forced me out of the car as quickly as he could before driving off to pay $8 for parking.

But he literally sat in a traffic jam, only about a quarter-mile long, for 40 minutes. Why? Apparently one of the attendants kept having conversations with every driver coming in. Seriously.

My husband texted me that is was “awful” with an expletive in front of it. Yikes.

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Thankfully, inside the Santa Clara County Fairgounds, everything was moving much more smoothly for me. When I got at the venue at around 8:45 a.m., there were very few lines leading up to race-day packet pick up.

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I walked right up, picked up my bib, then got my sunglasses and race T-shirt (see above). The race T-shirt is one of the best ones I’ve received from a race and, hands down, the best from a 5K. It’s a cotton-blend shirt, but it’s also a fitted tee. And it runs true to size. When I took of my color-covered shirt today, I wore it home and then changed back into it after my shower.

After packet pick up, I had a lot of time to kill. Unfortunately I also had a lot of swag and wasn’t too sure my husband was going to make it into the venue before I started. He was still battling parking.

Two or three phone calls later and I was heading back out to where I entered the venue and waiting for him. After I handed over all my swag, I decided to go line up.

I didn’t know what time it was, but when I got over to the start, it was WAY before my expected wave start. No one checked my bib, and I was a single runner, so I figured I’d just start with the next wave.

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That scene is about 10 minutes before the wave I started with. I figured there were still more people coming in the gates, so some people were probably late. I also heard a woman outside the corral area say she was just going to start at the 10 a.m. wave because she wanted the course to be less impacted.

It all worked out.

After some fanfare that included the emcee’s microphone cutting out, we were off.

Except there was a snag nearly immediately.

No one was along the route to direct the massive group of runners out. Instead, everyone just kept following the wave before the others. The problem was, it significantly cut the 5K down. It wasn’t until other runners mentioned the error that people started turning around.

It was then a woman asked me if I was going back. I wasn’t using my Garmin or anything, but I would have missed the first color station if I had kept going. So the woman and I turned around and started running back.

Her name was Darlene. She was from San Jose. And we started running together.

For awhile, we were the ONLY ones along certain parts of the course. Then we were behind all the walkers. Toward the end we made our way up to the runners again. With the detour and the backtracking, we probably logged about four-miles today instead of the 3.1.

The color stations were split between cornstarch color being thrown at some and color being sprayed at others. The color spray didn’t get nearly as much of the runner’s clothes, but covered brighter. The course, in this specific location, kind of zigged-zagged through the fairgrounds. We crossed over ourselves numerous times before coming to the finish line.

And the finish line was confusing for me. As someone who had NEVER done a color-themed run, I threw up the “color bombs” as soon as they handed them to me near the end. Actually Darlene and I each snagged two, so I threw them both up.

Apparently I was supposed to wait until the end. Oops. Rookie mistake.

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I haven’t run a 5K in so long I forget how quickly they go by. As soon as we started, and just when my legs were really starting to come alive, we were heading in toward the finish line.

Darlene and I had kept a conversational pace throughout the run. As someone who came to run without any “crew,” it was nice to stumble upon someone who wanted to run the complete course and was willing to backtrack. I enjoyed the conversation.

Darlene said she is running the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose Half in a couple weeks, so I’m hoping I can catch up with here there too. It will be her first half marathon.

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That’s Darlene and I, post race. Excuse my bed-head. I didn’t exactly get myself all dressed up for the run. And thanks to the LaraBar crew for being kind enough to take our photo post-race.

Despite missteps in parking, course routes and knowing what to do with a color bomb, Color Me Rad was actually a really good time. I enjoyed seeing new runners and families spending time together on the course. The great thing about themed runs is that the events attract a diverse range of runners, but usually newer runners gravitate toward them.

The runs are good ways to get runners hooked. I’m all for more people getting in shape and living healthier lives.

It’s a bonus that the events are also a hell of a lot of fun.

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Too bad I don’t look as “colorful” as I actually was. Hours later I’m still trying to get the color off my skin. I haven’t even washed the running clothes yet. I’m soaking them in some stain remover beforehand. I purchased the white shirt for $5 at a discount store when I was scheduled to do a different color run with friends this summer that I ended up not going to.

I’d definitely recommend this run, particularly with Color Me Rad.

Not only is the swag superior to other 5Ks (shirt, sunglasses, temporary tattoos), free Larabar samples were offered, bottles of water were handed out at the midway point and, overall, the organization was good. Color Me Rad runs are also very reasonably priced, starting in some cases at $35. There are also frequent discounts codes given.

If I was on a timed course, I would have been more upset about the course mishap. But I rolled with the punches today and was glad I did.

Not only did I have a good time, I had a great conversation and run with a complete stranger who just made the experience that much better.

Disclaimer: I was provided a free race entry as a Color Me Rad Ambassador as part of my affiliation with Fit Approach’s Sweat Pink group, but the thoughts, opinions  and newbie mistakes are my own.

Sep 12

Beyond the personal fitness mess that is now

More often than not lately I feel like running and I are just having a “time out.”

After a really successful spring racing season that gave me a 12-minute PR in the marathon and a 2:16 finish in the half, I shouldn’t be surprised.

I’ll be switching down to the half marathon at Half Moon Bay in a couple weeks. I have a lot of reasons to do so. One of them, though, is that I’m just not ready to run 26.2. (There are health reasons too, yes.)

After yoga on Tuesday, I felt like I had been hit by a bus for no other reason than it just didn’t go well for me.

I feel like a fitness mess right now. But I also have A LOT to look forward to in the next couple months.

COLOR ME RAD 5K

colormeradThe first is that I’m FINALLY going to be participating in a color run this weekend. I’ll be heading to San Jose on Saturday, husband in tow, to run in the Color Me Rad 5K. After not making it to the start line this summer for the one I previously registered for, I’m excited to get to do one. I didn’t get to early packet pickup with my students in production for their first newspaper of the semester this week, so I’m anticipating long lines comes Saturday.

My wave starts at 9:20 a.m. I’m hoping to get there at about 8:15 a.m. or so.

The best part of this run is that it’s a 5K! That means that, in comparison to the other runs my husband has had to wait for me at, this one won’t be nearly as long. I’m excited to run something shorter too.

But I won’t be running for speed. Instead I’m going to focus on taking it all in and having fun.

HONEY BADGER HALF MARATHON

I’m planning on taking this one slow and steady too. I’ve never run a trail half marathon. I don’t really feel like I have anything to “prove” on the course either. I’m just going to get it done.

I went into my first trail 10K thinking the same thing. I was slow. The next year I ran it much, much faster. I just want to enjoy myself.

Plus, my husband will likely pack the kayak for this one, so I can take a little longer if need be as well.

I’ll admit, though, I’m a little bit more excited about the fact that this half is named for the Internet Honey Badger meme. And the medal is pretty awesome as well.

LET’S GO 510 10K

letsgoI’m REALLY excited to announce that I’ve been chosen as an ambassador for the Let’s Go 510 10K on Oct. 19 in Berkeley.

I love the East Bay. When I was a graduate student at University of California, Berkeley I lived in Oakland for two years. I loved the life and culture of the area. I lived in North Oakland, where there were a bunch of cute shops and restaurants.

I’m already signed up for the Berkeley Half Marathon in November. So when I saw this race, I knew I had to get involved. I sent an email inquiring about the company’s ambassador program. And I was accepted!

I’ll be running the 10K.

This race is partially put on by Brazen Racing, which is one of my favorite racing companies.

The race will take runners through the Berkeley Marina area. It will be nice and cool come October. Even better is the 10 a.m. start of the race. I actually get to sleep in a little before running.

CHANGING IT UP

The reason I’m so excited about these races is that they are all a little bit different than the norm for me. A color run. A trail half marathon. A 10K. Two I’ve never done. One I haven’t done in awhile.

I’m hoping by the time the Let’s Go 510 10K comes around, I’ll have rebounded from this funk. That said, I still have two other half marathons to run in that time. But the good news is that I’m excited about running again.

Now if I could only clam down the nagging pain in my hip and the nasty pains in my stomach…

Sep 8

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An infusion of hydration: Oral I.V. review

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I’ve made no secret of my horrible stomach issues over the past two months or so. Nearly everything that goes down doesn’t sit right. My abdomen is a constant source of pain. The good news is that we now know what it is. But I’m not really ready to talk about it quite yet.

Things are all good, no worries. But I’m still planning on potentially switching down to the Half Moon Bay 13.1 instead of 26.2. I figure with everything going on, it would probably be for the best. I’m still going back and forth though.

One of my issues as of late has been that all my hydration and and fueling has been way off. My go-to Gatorade has been causing me lots of issues, so I’ve been trying to drink as little of it as possible. If I have to drink it, I water it down. What used to be a one part water, two parts Gatorade mix is now the opposite.

So when the fine ladies at Fit Approach mentioned a new hydration product, I was interested to try out something new, especially if it meant I wouldn’t be running with horrible stomach issues.

Enter Oral I.V.

Oral I.V. comes in a packet of four pack for about $12. It contains NO “sugars, caffeine or stimulants, additives, preservatives or artificial ingredients,” according the documentation on the company website. Plus, there’s no taste.

A list of other features, per the Oral I.V. website:

  • Natural Ingredients
  • No sugars or stimulants
  • Aids existing methods of hydration
  • Lightweight and portable

My biggest interest in Oral I.V. was the fact that is doesn’t replace hydration, rather it AIDES hydration. So many time new products come out that are meant to replace water, or make it more palpable to drink. The bottom line is that we need water to survive. If you’re a runner, especially, you need to watch hydration because if you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.

I drink a lot of water, but even I’ve had times when I’m not hydrated enough.

A couple weeks ago, we had a bit of a hot spell where I live. I was hydrating, but it didn’t seem like enough. It seemed like the perfect time to try out my Oral I.V. samples thanks to being a Sweat Pink Ambassador for Fit Approach.

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As the small, easy-to-open container says you can ingest Oral I.V. in one of two ways. You can either drink it directly from the small bottle, or you can pour it into 16-ounces of water.

I poured mine into my water bottle before a particularly hot yoga session a couple weeks ago. I don’t do Bikram Yoga, but my studio gets fairly hot when it’s about 90-degrees outside. I started drinking, when I was already feeling a bit parched, and within a couple minutes I was no longer yearning for water. I kept drinking anyway, because hydration during exercise is important, and I felt amazing afterward.

In fact, I didn’t feel at all dehydrated for the rest of the evening.

I also tried Oral I.V. out on a long run a couple weeks ago. Because of my ongoing stomach issues, I didn’t put it in at the beginning of the run. I was really worried that something new would cause me gastrointestinal issues.

Instead I waited until I was about six miles into the run. It was starting to get warm. I was sweating more. It was definitely time to get more water.

I decided to try Oral I.V. straight from the small container. I had it tucked away in my running belt. It was small enough that it fit easily with the couple dollars I carry during my run.

I sat down on a seat along my running path and shot it down.

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I’ve noticed people saying that there’s a taste to Oral I.V., but I can’t discern one. In fact, it just tasted like water to me.

I waited a couple minutes and enjoyed the view. Then I picked it up again. I started feeling the impact almost immediately. I was no longer yearning for water as much. By mile eight in my run, I’m usually sipping Gatorade every couple minutes. Not this time.

I finished a 10-mile run without any problems and even felt great afterward. My legs felt like they could go on forever.

I’ll admit, I was a little skeptical of a product that essentially “enhances” hydration. I figured I would just drink more water. Oral I.V. is not a replacement for a fueling product, but when considering the effects of it on hydration, I want to argue that it kind of it. I run better when I am properly hydrated. With Oral I.V. I was properly hydrated, so to me it boosted my performance as well as keeping me hydrated.

The best part is that it didn’t hurt my very sensitive stomach. I didn’t have any issues in my yoga class, after ingesting it in water, or after downing it straight from the bottle.

Does it sound like something you want to try? Right now Oral I.V. is offering a discount of 10-percent off of any purchase on the Oral I.V. website. Just enter the code FITNESS when you purchase.

Disclaimer: I was provided with two packages of Oral I.V. for review thanks to my affiliation as a Sweat Pink Ambassador, but was not monetarily compensated for this review. The views in this blog post are all my own.

 

Sep 2

1 Comment

A good run

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Today I did something that I don’t normally do while out on a run: I ignored the time. My two running buddies and I set out for a 10-mile run with no given pace. In fact, we set out going purposely slow so that we would make it through the 10.

We stopped when we needed to, whether it be for bathroom breaks or Gatorade refills. We were in no rush.

My stomach didn’t hurt. I had no nagging pain. I paced myself. I watched my heart rate.

We finished, 20-minutes faster that our fastest 10-mile time together, but a finish nonetheless. We talked the entire time. And we had fun.

I started thinking that maybe THAT’S what has been missing from my runs lately. The stress and anxiety plaguing my runs has meant that I stopped having fun while I was running. Today I had fun.

Perhaps it was the good company. Or the overcast weather.

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A missing sun is a very welcome thing for a runner after multiple weeks of hot days, especially a runner who has been dealing with overheating issues and a wonky stomach.

Today was a good day for a good run.

Sep 1

A hard-fought diet battle

Over the past four weeks my stomach has waged a relentless war against me. Everything I eat has made me sick. Every run I went on suffered from it. Every training decision I made was marred by the fact that I couldn’t fuel properly.

And now, as the problems seem to be receding, I’m having to make some difficult decisions about the marathon I’m supposed to be running in less than a month. The likelihood is that now I can’t. I won’t be able to get in my long runs. I don’t have enough energy to do so with a very limited diet either.

I’m losing the war.

When my gallbladder was removed in emergency surgery, I was told, repeatedly, that my diet had to change. I HAD to cut out certain foods and drinks. There was no way around it.

But over a seven-month period, my bad habits creeped back into what was once a very clean diet.

Those bad habits include an very dependent relationship on Diet Coke. And a love of the occasional cupcake. Then there’s a horrible habit of overeating.

Over summer, when I was working from home more, my diet became worse and worse. I was still running 100 miles a month, but I was also eating a lot of burrito bowls. Then I was drinking a lot of diet soda.

In July, I realized that I had packed on some pounds. My time for the Summer Breeze Half Marathon wasn’t bad at 2:19, but I was tired the entire run. It was definitely not my 2:16 half time from June. I was sluggish. But I also just wanted to stop running again, half way through 13.1 and give up.

By mid-August, I was having digestion issues that were causing to me call and cancel my runs with Sam and Jennie. The two had started running early in the morning three days a week. I could, maybe, get my stomach under control one day of the three to run with them.

My diet was all out of sorts.

I reverted to treadmill running where I had control over my situation a little better. By situation I meant that if I had to go to the bathroom immediately, I would be able to quickly. I know that’s TMI, but quick trips to the bathroom have become commonplace.

So two weeks ago, I did something drastic: I severely cut my diet. I removed nearly everything that was making me sick, or that I thought was, and added everything back one by one, slowly.

It meant that for about four days, all I ate was toast with an almond-butter spread from A Loving Spoon.

Seriously, two slices of wheat toast with a little almond butter (which is made locally in Mountain House with all-natural ingredients), was the only thing I could stomach for about three days.

In a week, I lost four pounds.

This past week, I started adding fruits (which were really, really hard on my stomach) back in moderation. Bananas first. Then apples. No peaches yet. My one experience with pineapples this week left me feeling a little queasy, so I won’t be trying that again for another couple weeks.

I’ve had chicken, but red-meat hasn’t been good to me either.

I’m also eating significantly less, cutting my portions by more than half.

So far, my stomach has felt A LOT better. I haven’t had as many issues with rushed bathroom trips (this is a good thing since school started back up and half of the women’s rooms in my building have been torn down). Yesterday, I finally got through a six-mile run without trouble.

It took two weeks. I know my stomach is nowhere near “healed.” I know I did a lot of damage to it with a summer of eating bad stuff.

And these weeks where it hurt more to run than it should have mean that I’m likely going to switch to the half marathon at for the Half Moon Bay International Marathon. I know I could probably slog (slow+jog) through 26.2 miles, but I’m starting to feel like it may not be worth it.

What would my motivation be if I knew I wouldn’t be at my top performing shape? Just to finish another one? To tell people I ran a marathon that weekend? It just doesn’t seem worth it.

Plus, I have two more half marathons the following weekends that I want to run. I don’t want to injure myself on Sept. 29 and NOT be able to run the other races, particularly the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose Half Marathon, which will be my “Grand Slam” Heavy Medal finish (and my last for this year).

Perspective is telling me there will be more marathons. Experience is telling me I’m not ready for this one.

hardfought3

All I know is I’m tired of looking like I did above, struggling, at the end of a race.

So instead of gunning for a PR in the full at Half Moon Bay, I’m going to work on getting through my next couple races while trying to work through these ongoing stomach issues. I feel like it’s going to be a hard-fought battle … which I’m hopefully now getting the upper hand in.