Photos and such

So, first of all, I did hijack some of these pictures from the marathon photo company, but they are charging $14 for a single 5x7 photo, which on a grad school budget is nothing but highway robbery. As a result, please forgive the big "Proof" sign on most of these pictures.

It's quite obvious that the pictures where I am smiling were taken very early in the race and the pictures without smiles, grimaces, and general pained looks were taken at the end. My sister commented how I was squinting in many pictures, and it should be noted that there was not a single cloud in the sky on Sunday, so the sun was definitely an issue.

Major props to Seth for the sign. Had to share if only so Seth can get the glory for taking the time to make it! Provided a good laugh at mile 24.

I also forgot to add that a minor highlight of the race was my high five from President E. Gordon Gee himself! He was in Bexley (presumably near his home). I saw him in his bowtie greatness as I was coming up the street. He had his hand out taking high five from the runners and no one was around me. So, needless to say, when the opportunity presented itself, I took advantage;-)

So the day after the race will forever go down as one of the most miserable days for me. Looking back, I should have just cleared everything off my plate and just sat at home, but I went to class and work. Everything from the waist down ached when sitting still and hurt when I moved. I took 4 alleve in a 12 hour period, if that gives you any idea. I'm still a bit sore, but it was a minor victory being able to walk the next morning. I also moved my massage up to Wednesday instead of Thursday. I decided that I wanted relief sooner than later;-) I have to say that the massage was amazing! The therapist used shiatsu (focusing on trigger points). Any of you that have had one of my massages know that I use trigger points a lot, so you also know that it hurts while you are having it done but feels amazing when finished. I was actually so tight that an hour wasn't enough. The therapist said I needed to come back.

That now concludes my chronicles of this process. I hope you all have enjoyed it as much as I have enjoyed sharing it! TNT and running became a huge part of my life and it's something that will always be with me. Thanks to all for your support both now and hopefully in the future!

With much love,

Mitsu

And the results are in!

Hi all!

Okay, let me get to the information that you all first are dying to know. I finished in 4 hours 15 minutes and 14 seconds (9:45 / mile pace). My first immediate observations:

• This was the hardest thing I have ever accomplished (and I do count my numerous degrees when I make that statement)
• Things that NEVER happened during training will happen on race day. Example: I had no blisters in spite of running in 90+ degree heat. I also made sure to wear the same shoes and socks I trained in. Yet, I ended with a huge blister on my toe.
  
• That was the most painful experience of my life (I am sure childbirth probably compares but since I have not had that experience yet, this will be tops on my list) In the hours since finishing, I am experiencing what marathoners call the "marathon walk." If you need a visual, imagine a penguin waddling, no bent knees, wide stance. Yes, I look as funny as it sounds. I fully anticipate this pain getting worse in the coming days.
• There is a lot of cheering for Team in Training members. TNT stated that they should write our names in puffy paint on our shirts. Unfortunately, this meant that I heard "Go Misty" a lot. In one case, while running with my coach Holly, I heard "Go Holly's Friend!" If I ever run for Team in Training again, I'll need to solicit nicknames to write on my shirt.
  

As far as the experience of running, miles 1-15 were going fabulously. I felt really strong and felt that I was going at a great pace. After around Mile 15, there was a gradual downhill. In the end, there was minimal walking and my final times also includes the 1.5 minutes I spent having to take a potty break. To get through, I had Dori from Finding Nemo in my head, particularly after mile 20 ("Just keep runnin', Just keep runnin'). I have to give huge public props to Misko, Seth, and Lynn for being in very ideal locations cheering me own (and in some case with signs) when I REALLY needed it. You all brought a smile to my face and helped me to pick up the pace at the most ideal time.

As far as post race activity and things coming up this week, when asked by my mother what I wanted to eat, my response was "eggs" so I had a fabulous omelette from First Watch. I do have to go to work and school tomorrow. I am only hoping that I can get down the stairs out of my apartment. If the pain is too great, then those at work and in class will know what happened. On Thursday, I will also be getting my first ever professional massage. This is rather significant because as PT, I typically am asked to provide massages, yet never have the opportunity to experience it.

Finally, and MOST importantly, I want to give my most sincere thank you to all of you that have showed your support with donations and / or frequent e-mails. Running this marathon was a huge personal undertaking but I was definitely thinking about the great mission of the Leukemia and Lymphoma society, especially during the rough stretches. Knowing that my run will directly benefit a family that truly needs the support made the experience even more worthwhile. I have already been asked if I would run a marathon again, and I definitely would (although the timing will definitely depend on where I am in getting my degree). However, when I do, joining Team in Training would definitely be my choice. I would recommend it to anyone considering running any long distance. The support and friendships are things that will for me last a lifetime.

Finally, it will take a couple of days to get the pictures from the race. Until then, I've posted a picture taken by Lynn as I was approaching the finish. This was the most exhilarating, exhausting, and nauseating (yes, I was fighting the urge) part of the race.

Thanks so much to everyone for embarking on this fabulous journey with me!

Mitsu

You can track my progress online!

For those who are out of town or can't watch me on the course, the beauty of today's technological age is that you can track me online! Use this link

http://www.championchipmn.com:8080/Columbus/Maptracker

My bib number is 3705 or you can use my name.

Of course I will follow up a few days later with my official results and report of how it went.

It's Marathon Week!

Okay, so the big day is almost here! I must admit that I am bit anxious and nervous. I want the day to get here just so I can FINALLY get it done! Health wise, things are okay. I have been having a stiff back toward the end and after runs since the 20 miler. At this point however, I plan on running regardless so I just hope that my body will hold up. This week is the "taper" week meaning I only run 5, 5, and 3 miles so I am hoping that the rest will do some good.

Quickly, I wanted to share some information for those who may want to be on the course.

Course Information http://www.columbusmarathon.com/race-information/course-map.php

Information on where to watch http://www.columbusmarathon.com/race-weekend.php

If anyone can be on the course the day off, I would GREATLY appreciate it. I can't promise I'll know that you are around, especially if it is later in the course. My friend Seth is planning a shindig at his house (which is near the very end of the course and is when I will likely need the most cheering). E-mail him at fishman.31@osu.edu for more information.

Thanks all for the words of encouragement for the past few months! It's very nice and comforting to know that I have such support.

20 miles down and 3 weeks to go!

Hi all

So, on Sunday, the day of my glorious 30th birthday, I spent the morning running the 20 miler. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. (I think that the anticipation was the worst part!) I was doing alright until about mile 17, which is when the pain set in and I ended up just powering to the end. My parents arrived about an hour after I finished to take me to lunch, and the rest of the afternoon, I felt like I had turned 130 years old instead of 30, but overall, I think my body could have reacted far more worse than it did.

With regards to time, I finished in a time of 3 hours and 12 minutes (9:36 mile splits). I also ate 4 gel packs on the run. (This means I ate about 100 g of carbs packed in 4 tiny gel packs; not pleasant, but totally necessary.) A few things that amazed me about the time, first, when I looked at my watch at 13 miles, I realized that I was running about a minute faster than I did during the 1/2 marathon a few weeks ago. Also, the last few miles were just as fast as the first two. I have said all along that my main goal through all of this has been consistency, and was glad that I was able to maintain that though the race.

For those who don't know about marathon training, you actually max at 20 miles during training. This means, I won't run any longer distances until the day of the actual marathon. As I look back on this race, I think that the mental challenge in preparing is greater than the physical one. While physically I have remained in good health, there has always been a mental hurdle to overcome during the last 2-3 miles. I'm hoping that this won't be any different during the actual race.

There is now less than 3 weeks until the big day! I must say that I am starting to get nervous for the big push to the end. It is hard to believe that this has been going on since June. I also don't know what I will do without the weekly trainings. They seem like such a basic part of my life now.

Well, there is the latest update. I've attached the newest pictures from the last race. (I know that they aren't the most flattering, but given the circumstances, I think I'm allowed a pass.) I'll make sure to follow up with at least one more update before the big day!

Before and After Pics

The picture in blue is a picture of a 5K that I did in June. The picture in pink was taken during the recent 1/2 marathon. (Yes, I look like I am concentrating and in pain during both ;-)

Columbus Marathon General Information

Here are some links if you want additional information about the marathon or about Team in Training.

http://www.columbusmarathon.com/

http://www.teamintraining.org/

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society http://www.lls.org/hm_lls

Running is a metaphor for life

In the past few weeks, I have been asked about them mental challenge associated with long distance running. I then read a blog entry by my friend Josh (http://rengawman.wordpress.com/) who talks about how running on cobblestones, or really any surface, can be a metaphor for how we handle the different challenges in life. After running 16 miles today in the steady rain, I have to now agree that running is a great metaphor for life. In life, you face many challenges, big and small. In order to tackle any of these challenges, you have to take it one step at a time. When each smaller goal is met, you end up one step closer to meeting the larger one.

Long distance running is a big challenge that I am facing one step (or mile) at a time. Today, in the steady rain, I felt like a drowned rat, but rather than succumb to the weather, I kept going and managed to finish in a decent time. In this type of situation, it has less to do with my physical ability to run 16 miles but rather my mental capacity to overcome the challenges associated with meeting the task at hand. The training has really taught me a greater lesson about how valuable mental focus can be in one’s life, and will hopefully carry over into the other aspects of my life.

Running update: As mentioned above, I ran 16 miles today, which was a new distance high for me. Two weeks ago I ran my first half marathon race and finished in 2 hours 6 minutes and 12 seconds (9:38 mile pace). In the coming weeks, the “short” evening runs will go from the current 7 miles to 8. My weekend run will be 18, 16, and 20 miles. For those that don’t already know, the 20 miler is actually a race that falls directly on my 30^th birthday. So to celebrate turning the grand 3-0, I will be up early running in Westerville. Needless to say, my mental focus will continue to be tested in the coming weeks ;-)

Fundraising update: I am so very close to meeting the 2^nd goal of $2500. Thanks so much to those that have already contributed! For those who have mentioned wanting to donate, it is still not too late. Any little bit will help the cause. Even a donation of $5 or less will be helpful. Believe me when I say that the fundraising certainly motivates me and helps me as the trainings get longer and longer. You can donate online at http://www.active.com/donate/tntcoh/MNarui

Other Update: One final thing. I finally got around to putting these entries up on the web. (Yes, I joined the blogging world.) You can find my blog at http://chroniclesofmarathontraining.blogspot.com/ So if you would like to read through some of the progress or pass along my entries, feel free to do so. You can also leave me comments on the webpage as well. This blog will give me an opportunity to post any pictures without clogging everyone’s inboxes and allow me to share my progress with others. Enjoy!

That’s it for now. We will see how things go in the coming weeks. With school starting, training will become a carefully timed balancing act between work, class, homework, and having time to enjoy life.

Exactly How Long is 14 Miles?

So exactly how long is 14 miles?

Well, I started to ponder this question during my run today (Sunday), because while running I don’t think anyone has a true idea of how long it is. So I did a little homework (see www.mapmyrun.com if you want to try it yourself) and here is what I came up with. For those outside of Ohio, these probably don’t make much sense, but you will get an idea. 14 miles is approximately:

Ø The distance from Ohio Stadium to the Westerville Road exit on I-270

Ø The distance on I-270 from I-70 to St Route 315 (when coming from Dayton)

Ø The distance from the north of Dayton to Troy.

I have to admit that after doing this bit of homework my ego grew just a little bit. How long did it take? Well today it took 2 hours 16 minutes, which equates to about a 9 minute 45 second pace. While there are plenty of seasoned runners on the team running a much faster pace, as first timer, I didn’t think it was too shabby. Currently at about 10pm tonight, I am feeling fine, other than my legs being a bit sore.

Thank goodness the weather has decided to calm down a bit in the past few weeks (although this might just be pure luck given the running schedule.) I’ve actually felt really good with the training the past couple of weeks, and my confidence has grown steadily. Next Sunday, there is a ½ marathon race on the schedule. I am anxious to try my first long run in a race environment. I am hoping it goes equally well.

Today also marks the 1 month point before classes begin again. I really can’t believe where the summer has gone but am excited for the new year to begin. Fortunately, I will only have about a month of having to juggle school, assistantship, and running schedule. Here’s to hoping that the next transition will be a smooth one!ee

Fundraising update: Fundraising has slowed down in the past few weeks, but I am only $152 from reaching the 2^nd fundraising goal of $2500! Now, some of you have expressed to me a desire to donate but have yet to do so. There are two easy ways, once is to do so online at http://www.active.com/donate/tntcoh/MNarui.

Keep in mind that the all of the extra money from the 2^nd fundraising goal will go toward the society. Any little bit will help!

For many of you that get this e-mail, the school year and semester is very close to beginning. I hope that you all are enjoying the end of the summer and experience a smooth transition into the new year. For those not in education, I hope that you have used the summer to take some time off and enjoy the great outdoors!

Mitsu

Running in 100 Degree Weather is NOT fun!

Okay, so the title of the e-mail says it all. Today, the temperature approached the upper 90s. With the heat index, it felt over 100 degrees, and of course, I was out there running 6 miles. Now, I must admit that it was the least fun I have had running in a long time. When the weather is that hot, it is difficult to breathe. I recently invested, however, in a fuel belt, which is a belt that has four 8 oz water bottles attached to it. This allows me to stay fully hydrated during the run.

The past few weeks consisted of me TRYING to run at 6000 feet. (This resulted in along power walk.) Hiking at 12,000 plus feet, running 10 miles in lovely indoor track, and the super hot 6 mile run listed above. Needless to say, it has been busy. Luckily, I have no injuries to report and no additional bouts of heat exhaustion. During the month of August, the weekend runs will be 12, 14, and 13.1 miles, and the weekly runs will eventually go up to 7 miles. I decided that if I can survive this month, that it should be smooth sailing toward the marathon.

Fundraising Update: I can’t go an e-mail without mentioning how the fundraising has been going. The drive toward the second fundraising goal has been going well. I am still about $225 short. If you have not yet donated, and had planned on doing so, it is not too late. With the 2^nd goal, I have until September 15^th to raise the money. You can either go online at http://www.active.com/donate/tntcoh/MNarui

It is hard to believe that the summer is over halfway done. Classes begin on September 19^th with my graduate assistantship starting at the beginning of the month. I can truly say that this training has been an extremely worthwhile experience, and has definitely given me valuable lessons on my limits both mentally and physically. In the future, I don’t know if I will be running more full marathons, but it is safe to say that I will become a consistent ½ marathoner.

Team in Training Update / Blog #3

Hi all! Yet another update on the marathon training. The past two weeks have been interesting. I hit a bit of a training bump. Last Saturday, I ran 9 miles with a fellow Team in Training member (and not with the group) and had a rather unfortunate bout of heat exhaustion. Basically, it laid me up for almost an entire week and prevented me from doing any sort of training. I’m fine now but having experienced heat exhaustion in high school, I learned that my now older body is not capable of bouncing back nearly as quickly as it used to. I did a 10 mile run today without a problem, but I did “tone it down” a notch just to make sure that I finished in one piece.

This bump in the road made me realize that training for the marathon is a science! Everything in your body need to be in perfect order. As a first-time marathoner, I am learning exactly how my body need to be treated, and unfortunately it has been a trial and error experience. Subsequently, I originally wanted to try and complete it in under 4 hours 30 minutes, but now, I really just want to finish. The thought of crossing the finish line in one piece is enough of an accomplishment for me.

Fundraising update: I am happy to say that I have crossed my original goal of $1700! However, since I hit my original goal so early, I have decided to try for the second fundraising incentive for Team in Training. The Mission 2015 Challenge is an opportunity to help the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society reach its national goal to cure or at least make blood cancers manageable by the year 2015. This second incentive means raising $2500 for the organization. If I am able to reach the second goal, there are perks involved for me (like a Nordstrom’s beauty day) and ALL of the extra money will go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. So, if you have not yet donated, please consider doing so! You can donate online at http://www.active.com/donate/tntcoh/MNarui

I made the decision to try for the 2^nd incentive because I am finding this experience to be so worthwhile. Reaching the first goal means I do not have to drop out of the race; therefore, by helping me reach this next goal, you are further showing your support for the cause and my run.

Coming up: In the coming weeks, I have a couple of vacations planned. I will be in Boulder, CO this coming weekend. (During which I think the altitude change will be enough of a workout! It’s a “rest” week, meaning I am scheduled to only run 6 miles.) The following weekend I will be in Chicago to attend a wedding. This means that my running shoes and other equipment will be traveling with me as I land in various parts of the country. I am hoping that these coming weeks will go smoothly and that I will not longer hit any more training "bumps.".

Hope this e-mail finds you all healthy and well.

Mitsu

Team in Training Update / Blgo #2

Well, another few weeks have flown by with training! Things are progressing well. I am up to running 8 miles on the weekend (which I did this morning), and running 4 miles during the week. Of course, as the summer months have progressed, it has gotten very hot and humid. This weather makes the evening runs particularly torturous. Next week, the weekly runs will become 5 miles and I will be up to running 10 miles on weekends

A few reflections on how things have gone during the past couple of weeks. First, remarkably, my body has decided to hold up during the process. I still have many an ache and pain, but for the most part, I have held up quite nicely. I am also eating constantly (every 3 to 4 hours!) and find myself craving carbohydrates like I never have before, and trying to lift weights during the cross training days, which I am sure is part of the reason I have remained healthy during the process. (Oh and the totally awesome running shoes are certainly helping!) My knowledge as a physical therapist certainly helps and comes in handy when training for an endurance event like this marathon.

Secondly, it has been refreshing to think how meaningful this experience has become. What has been refreshing and heartwarming is that many of your are donating because you have been directly affected by leukemia or lymphoma, either individually or with a friend or family member. These notes that you have included with the donations have touched me and are an additional motivation during the training.

A few other updates: I recently participated in my first group fundraising event. This involved serving beer for 5 hours at Red, White and Boom (the Columbus fireworks show for those not from the area). I managed to make over $220 for my efforts. Still leaving me a ways from my final goal, but it will go a long way to getting there. After serving beer and wine for that long, I learned a few things. First, you really crave beer after you serve it for hours. Also, as the beer runs out, picture a scene from The Night of the Living Dead. Finally, when drunk, men of all ages will come up with the craziest pick up lines. (The crazy pick up lines and the fact I was serving alcohol are undoubtedly related.)

Which brings to my final plea. For those of your who have donated, THANK YOU! For those of you who have not, it’s not too late! I committed to raising $1700 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. If I don’t make that minimum, I will have to make up the difference or else drop out of the team (which is NOT an option for me). So, if you want to avoid having me dip into my school savings, please consider contributing to a great cause. There are two ways to contribute. You can donate online at http://www.active.com/donate/tntcoh/MNarui

Well that all for the updates for now. I have remained true to the weekly training schedule so on Tuesday and Thursdays at around 6pm, when you think about how hot it is outside, you can remember that I will be outside running 5 miles. The weekend runs are on Saturday or Sunday and are a 8am. (Early, but at least not as hot.)

Hope all is well with everyone and that you are enjoying your summer. Please feel free to e-mail me any questions or comments you might want me to address in future blog entries.

Mitsu

Five Things I Learned Training for the Marathon

As you all probably know by now, this summer I joined Team in Training (through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society) and am now training for the Columbus Marathon on October 21^st. Team in Training works to fund research to find a cure for Leukemia and Lymphoma and also provide support for families dealing with these diseases.

I thought it would be fun to start a blog in order to answer many of the questions that I have been receiving. The theme with this entry is “5 things I have learned in training for a marathon.” So in order, here it goes.

1. It is very important to have a good pair of shoes! Last week, I went to the local running store and bought a $100 pair of running shoes. It was honestly the best $100 that I think I have ever spent. Running in the shoes has been amazing, and my feet feel much better in the new shoes.

2. You have to eat a lot of calories to train for a marathon. I went to a seminar sponsored by Team in Training where a dietician spoke about proper eating while training. I calculated that I need over 2300 calories to maintain my current weight! (Yes, that is a lot of food.) For those of you that don’t know, I eat pretty healthy (lots of fruits and veggies, few sugars) so this is a tall task for me. I’m currently at my lowest weight in several years, so I am in a fortunate position of not needing or wanting to lose any additional weight. (Yes, you can all be mad at me for that one;-)

3. Training for a marathon takes a lot of time! The training schedule currently has me running 4 miles each twice a week, cross training twice a week and a long run on Saturday or Sunday. In addition, I have been working full time as a physical therapist. It honestly doesn’t leave much time for much else. For example, tomorrow (Sunday), I will run 6 miles at 8am before having to go to the hospital to work for a few hours.

4. I’m definitely not as young as I used to be. The training has made me realize that I am definitely not in high school anymore! While training, I transitioned into the hospital job which requires me to be on my feet 7-8 hours / day. The result is almost a daily reminder from my muscles that I am going to be 30 years old this fall.

5. On top of doing all of this, I have to fundraise. As part of my commitment to Team in Training, I pledged to raise $1700 for the organization. This is where you come in! By contributing to the cause, you would be donating to a great organization while helping to provide a HUGE motivation for me during the 4 month long training process.

If you haven’t already done so, you can donate to me online at www.active.com/donate/tntcoh/MNarui

A BIG thank you for those that have already donated. (And a future BIG thank you to those that are going to.) Overall, I hope you have enjoyed reading a little about what it is like to train for a marathon. I will try to send out updates at least on a bi-weekly basis.

Hope all is well with everyone!

Mitsu