Marathon Readiness Series: HMSA 30 K 10.27.31

Last year I signed up for this race, was totally ready for it and it got cancelled due to a Tsunami watch.  I ran anyway and finished 20 miles.  That run gave me the confidence I needed to do my first marathon.

This year is a whole new ball game.  Work and the kids' schedules has me off my training plan.  While I knew I needed to do this race I almost let my pride and insecurities get the best of me.  Thankfully two amazing friends snapped me outta my stupidity!!  So, I signed up at the last minute, and hoped for the best!!

I was ill this whole week and even took a flu shot on Tuesday so I  didn't get to train at all.   Once Friday rolled around I got into my pre-race routine and ate well.  I have put on some weight that needs to come off in the next 6 weeks but I have found that more carbs has been helping me feel much stronger.  Anywho, with  a crazy weekend that included soccer, a luau for the hubby and a UH football game that we didn't make it to coupled with a flash flood and storm warning and another earthquake in the vicinity on Friday made for another harrowing weekend.

Morning of the race got to a late start since the poor hubby got home from his Luau after 12.  Yes, even though he wasn't running I dragged his ass to the 5:00 am start!!!  We stood in line for two porta potties and made it to the starting line with a minute to spare.  A little too crazy for the girls.

I got out to a good start with a solid 10 minute pace.  My feet and right knee which had been bothering me felt fine and the vog that had me knocked down with sinus issues and breathing issues didn't seem to be a problem.  The air was hot and humid but not as bad as previous days.  Things were looking up!!

I ran the first 6 miles on pace and feeling good.  At mile 8 I felt like I hit my stride and was cruising along smiling and happy down Kalanianaole Highway.  Unlike last year when I ran this route every Sunday I hadn't been on it for a long time.  I think that was a good thing because the stretch went fast and I was happy to see that the sun was taking a long time to rise.  I turned around at Hawaii Kai feeling confident and happy with my pace.  I was on track for a 3 hour race.

I ran back toward Kahala on the sidewalk which I do because the white cement is not as hot and rough as the black road.  That was my mistake. I totally forgot how bad running on slants is for me.  I am really mad at myself for making such a rookie mistake because at mile 14 my left knee literally just gave out. It was an immense pain and I couldn't believe how ironic it was.  My right knee normally starts hurting at mile 6 but today it was perfectly fine. Left knee, not so much.  I removed the patella band on my right knee and strapped it on really tight to my left.  I hobbled and hobbled as much as I could and then began to walk/run for the rest of the way.  I was in pain and it hurt like hell but I was energized by the fact that aside from the sore knee everything else was okay. I was not tired, not winded, not down, in fact I was feeling pretty good..I just simply could not put pressure on my knee unless I walked a bit every half mile.  And so it went for the last 4 miles walk, run, walk, run.  I focused hard and made it over the mountain.  These last 2 miles are usually my strongest of every run but I just did not have it in me and simply sucked up all the guts and courage I had to finish strong and proud.

As I ran into the last stretch at Kapiolani Park I saw my hubby running toward me. He was laughing but his presence helped me finish with my heart and my soul.  Nothing to be ashamed about, everything to be proud about.  3:25 minute finish time and an 11:06 pace.  If I fix a few things I'm on track to a great marathon in 6 weeks.

So here I am, I know exactly where I stand and what I need to do to get me through my first goal.  I am admittedly a little sore at the moment but I am smiling ear to ear.  Honolulu Marathon, here I come!!

PS--A huge thank you to my girls J and J for convincing me to run today. I am soo happy I did this!  We did it girls!!!

                                                

Susan Komen Race for the Cure 10.20.13

Race for the Cure!!!

Honolulu Run, Rock & Wine Half Marathon 10.12.13

What?!!  A new race in Hawaii and it's only 30 bucks?  Sign me up!!!  Today's Half Marathon was my 9th and 3rd in 3 months.  My training has taken a dive due to a very busy sports schedule (4 games every Saturday during the month of September) and I have gained quite a bit of weight from stress. All that being said I have no excuses and accept that "it is what it is."  

 

Ode to my hubby 10.3.13 on his 42nd Bday

This morning while I was driving to work I heard a commercial advertising something or other with award winner Weldon Kekauoha and his beautiful voice singing in the background.  I immediately thought, "Man, Rona (his wife whom we went to school with) is sooo lucky to be able to be serenaded all the time."  My mind then jumped to women whose husbands are chefs and how lucky they were because their husbands could whip up a fabulous meal.  Inevitably my mind then jumped to my own husband and I asked myself, "Well, what the hell am I lucky for and what does he bring to the table?"  I expected to have to think long and hard to stretch something, but as I drove into work heading into Wahiawa, it hit me. And I realized exactly why I have been drawn to  my husband since the age of 15.

Recently, a couple of people have pointed out to me that I am extremely competitive.  Now this is something that I knew but I didn't realize that it was so blatantly a part of who I am.  I know that I am pretty intense but I have never thought to think about what it means to the people that surround me or how it affects my relationships with others or how it shapes my relationships with them.  And that got me to thinking about Mike.  Mike too is highly competitive.  He's not as showy or arrogant as I can be (well, that's because he's not as decorated an athlete as I [sorta joking]) but he doesn't like to lose.  One day we were at the field talking about our kids and he told me, "Wow, Dannika doesn't like to lose."  And I looked at him and said, "Well, neither does her parents."  At last week's soccer game Noah had a fit and when I got him to calm down he admitted that he wasn't to happy about losing his first game ever.  So, while we have a lot to work on with our kids let it suffice to say that the will to win runs strong through the Pila and the Padilla blood.

But back to Mike.  My husband is a very unique man.  He does not like to lose but he can lose gracefully to me.  I mean, he has had quite a bit of practice losing to me.  Just kidding.  What I am trying to say is that although a jock and a typical male he totally supports me in all my athletic endeavors even if it means losing to me.

Let me tell you about our first race together it was he 2011 Great Aloha Run and it was also Mike's first road race ever.  .  Mike was convinced that we should cross the finish line holding hands.  We ran the entire 8 miles together and as we entered the Aloha Stadium I decided to scare him a bit (and beat him) and started sprinting toward the finish.  After I looked back and saw his shocked face I stopped and laughed, feeling a little bad.  At that exact point he sprinted to the finish line and beat me by one second. It's captured on film and from that moment on, there have been bragging rights at each race. I vowed to never lose again.

Fast forward to  the Honolulu Marathon 2013.  Mike injured himself racing against high school students (because he sure as hell wasn't going to lose) and had to quit training 2 months prior to the marathon.  We had vowed to run together and up to that point he was able to keep up with my pace. He was still hoping to get that finishing shot together, especially for this, our one and only marathon.  Going into the marathon I wasn't sure what to do. On the one hand we had planned to run together, on the 2nd hand I had trained hard for the race and was on track to reach my goal time. At the marathon we ended up running together for the first 13 miles  and when we neared the turn around he told me to go get my time and gave me his blessing.  Sure, some wives would have stood by their man but our relationship is unique and I took off running.  After I finished my race in my goal time I went back up to look for him and helped him finish the race injured.  There was no resentment, just an incredible pride that we had for one another.  Me, for getting my time, and him, for showing so much courage,

I think this glimpse into who he is tells you a lot about him and a lot about us.  He is a proud man but supports his wife 100%.  And yet, there is more to "us" than that.  We compete in a lot of sports.  He kills me at golf and tennis when he can use his brute strength to over power me and when we step on the court or the course we are always equals.  He will never "let me win" nor will we ever give each other gimmes. In fact it's kinda funny to watch us play tennis.  Big athletic gorilla against petite girl in a dress.  Anyone watching would probably frown at the man he hits the ball 100 mph at his wife.  But the truth is, is that he's 1) not scared to hit the ball at me as hard as he can, 2) knows that I am fast enough to get outta the way, and 3) knows that if he hits me I will pick up the racket and hit him over the head with it.  How many men-women relationships can be that equal on the athletic front?  Ok, there are a few but they are few and far between.

My point is, is that in Mike I have found the equal that I have always looked for to match the competitiveness that is inside me. We can compete together and against one another and have no guilt taking one another down.  It is a very special bond to know that whenever we go out running I am going to push him past his limit and he's going to kill himself to keep up.  We have this little thing, before we go out to run together he asks me how much we're going to run and I'll tell him 2. But then we go out and I run up hills really fast to run away from him and end up running 6 miles.  In my head I am laughing because he's dying and I know in his head he's saying, "Bitch please, I can keep up."  It's a sick and twisted game we play but it keeps us both alive.

So, on this day that Mike turns 42, I would like to thank him for seeing me as his equal, always pushing me to improve, matching my drive to win, and for being that one person that I can compete against and with.  Happy Birthday and let's see who gets to that finish line first come December 8, 2013.