Still Beating Like a Hammer

I have been toying with this blog post for a while now.  Trying to decide how exactly I wanted to describe and express my Olympic experience… the journey before and the emotions after. 

The basic gist of my Olympics included having an amazing set up rooming with Brianne Theisen-Eaton, Melissa Bishop, Phylicia George, Angela Whyte, Nicole Sifuentes, Jess O’Connell & Maria Bernard.  Having the majority of my roommates come in with previous Olympic experience helped calm me. 

The Olympics were an opportunity for me to foster relationships… with my sport, my teammates, and the bears that I’ve poked.  It was a chance for me to fall in love… with the marathon again.

I wish I could say my Olympic prep went off without a hitch and training for it was the dream of all dreams.  The reality was far from that… it was ugly.  Sickness in April.  Junk Iron all Spring.  A jenky left leg that has been a growing pain in my “not so runner sized” ass since 2012.  Emotional stressors.  And finally, the #doubledouble debacle.  (What can I say? Sometimes I tend to rock the boat).

Those who know me well know that I do not download music.  Instead, I travel around through my gypsy life with a stack of old CDs in a beat up silver case held together by a rubber-band.  When I packed up my car… my life… my home and made my way out to Arizona in January I made sure to run back into the house and grab my music stack.  When I left AZ and spent two months in Vancouver, much to Natasha’s dislike, I came with my amazing music selection.  When life took an unexpected turn and I packed up and returned home to London, Ontario for my final Rio training block, the musical stylings of Lanni came with me.  My soundtrack to the Olympics.  We are talking nothing much newer than 2010… other than a Wiz Khalifa and Miley Cyrus CD my roommate burnt for me…  a lot of mixed CDs that my siblings were looking to toss that I rescued, a few I burnt back in high school. 

Throw in a disc and I am instantly 17 again driving with my sis Randi and friend Bethany to Port Stanley Beach.  A Tragically Hip CD that I titled “God’s Band” in the hopes of convincing my southern friends to like them. Pop in another and it’s driving to my late night law classes at Michigan State belting out some Kings of Leon.  There is one though that I can’t tie to a particular time… one that seems relevant to the last 4 years.  “Let’s break up”… a mix CD my older sister gave me and one that I am not embarrassed to say has been played a time or two-hundred during the end of a relationship (don’t worry… this isn’t a break-up blog… I already did one of those).    It has been the soundtrack to countless drives up and down I-75 between Chattanooga and London, Ontario.  The disc most regularly left in my car’s cd player.  The cause of a lot of bad car dancing… worse singing.  It’s scratched.  It skips. It’s perfectly imperfect.

It opens up with Metric’s “Help, I’m Alive” and leads into “Your Ex-Lover is Dead”. It also has gems like “Bulletproff” “Magnetic Baby” and Madonna’s “Revolver” and “I’m not Sorry”… I heart Madonna… and I’m so not sorry.

It’s the opening song that I have worn out… its chorus and verses often stuck in my head on training runs.  The song that was running through my mind on the start line of both races.

“If I stumble… they’re going to eat me alive”

Everyone wanted to weigh in on the double.  Everyone had their expectations and opinions.  If I pulled it off, would it be good enough?  If I failed?  “They’re going to eat me alive”.  Do not be upset or confused here.  I loved the support I received and will forever be amazed by the way the Canadian and running community at large stood up and took up for me… wanting to see me run both events in Rio. ‘preciate ya.  But with the attention came pressure.  Suddenly everyone was weighing in on my personal goals and aspirations.  My intentions and abilities celebrated by most, questioned by some. 

For some reason it was not until I stood on the start line of the Women’s 10,000m that I realized there was no turning back.  I trembled… time to find out if I would be eaten alive. 

“Help I’m alive. My heart keeps beating like a hammer”

Like most races, once the gun went off my mind turned to the task at hand and the nerves melted away.  Unlike the track races earlier in the season, I felt in control in this race.  The pace was on a runaway train. We had a few trip-ups… but I never gave up.  I fought for every step. That’s what I do.  If the concern was whether I would put in an “A” effort knowing there was something bigger and tougher to come in 46 hours, those thoughts were for the jaded… the faint of heart. I have never been attracted to easy.  I crossed the finish line with nothing more of myself to give.

“Hard to be soft. Tough to be Tender”

Being in professional sport… having a professional career outside of sport… being a woman doing both… it does not allow for much time to do much of anything other than present myself as tough… as hard.  Looks can be deceiving.  Miles and miles run have hardened my body… hours and hours of work have toughened my mind.  Both requirements to get to the Olympic level in sport. Necessities for parts of my life but not allowed to harden me to life.

“If you’re still alive… my regrets are few.  If my life is mine. What shouldn’t I do?”

My expectations and reality were quite different during those 46 hours.  I thought I was going to be emotionally and physically drained.  I thought I might feel dread.  I thought the fear of stumbling was going to hit.  Instead I was amped.  In the place of fear was confidence.  I was not bothered by the doubts of others… the inconsiderate thoughts of those who were too stubborn to truly try to know me.  I was going to work.  And I’m good at what I do.

Running that marathon was one of the best experiences in my life.  There were parts that were tough.  Patches here and there where my head trumped my heart… other parts where I was running with pure heart.  I can be analytical about most things.  Overly pragmatic apparently.  But when I think of that race it isn’t the splits or tactics I remember… I remember running with a calm I haven’t felt before.  I remember the excitement of knowing you were watching.

“I get wherever I’m going. I get whatever I need”

Relationships end.  It happens.  Usually you see it coming… other times you feel a little blindsided and confused. My relationship with the Olympics started out rocky back in 2012.  We got over our initial falling out, apologized and actually forgave. We faced a few more bumps and grew together the last four years.  I have come to view my road to Rio as a well-rounded and full relationship.  It was ugly at times. It was hard.  It was worth it. 

As I find myself in the final weeks prep for New York City marathon, I once again find myself with my busted CD case and stack of CDs.  I find myself listening to “let’s break up” slightly unsure of which ended relationship it’s helping me run through.

Putting Together the Pieces

Everything this year has been about building a program, training and recovery wise, that is sustainable and that I will be able to use next year as I prepare for the Olympics in Rio… iron out those kinks so-to-speak.  Changing events from the marathon to the 10,000m meant putting together a new puzzle and making sure each puzzle piece fits.

So here I am, training in South Korea before heading over to Beijing, China for the IAAF Track and Field World Championships.  I have continued my season jet-setting across Canada and the USA for training camps and races… lots of races… and am happy to say I sit here less than two weeks out from the Championships with a body that has held up and is ready to go.  I am happy to have found a recovery routine that keeps my body happy and put together (even when I am racing national championships on back to back weekends in cities located across the country from each other)... it has proven to be one of the most important pieces.

It has been a busy but successful season so far with two national titles (10k Road Race Championships & Half Marathon Championships) and a bronze medal at the Pan Am Games (10,000m), and I am not done yet. 

Recovery on the Road

 

The season is off and running (pun intended) and so begins my tour of training camps and race locations. I packed up my training gear, some street clothes, and my recovery pump at the start of January and have been on the road since. From Chattanooga, to Ottawa, to Kenya, to Montreal, to Ottawa, to New York, to Vancouver, to San Francisco, and now in Flagstaff... it’s been a busy last four months and it will not be letting up anytime soon.

I opened up my season in New York with the United New York Road Runner’s half marathon on a tough course and in some windy conditions. The following weekend I raced the Modo 8k in Vancouver and then had two very wet and cold weeks of training. I headed to California for the true test of my early season fitness at the Stanford Invitational where I raced the 10,000m on the track. The field wasn’t what I hoped for so I ended up running the entire race solo. I came away with an 18 second personal best, running 32:11, which puts me very close to the World Championship standard of 32:00. So here I am… back at altitude here in Flagstaff hoping to find 12 more seconds when I head back to California for the Payton Jordon track meet.

Packing for months of travel, training and racing is not fun… planning and locating massage and treatment options proved to be a bit of a hassle in some locations, so I found I was really reliant on my RecoveryBoots to keep me going through heavy training loads and hard workouts. I found them especially helpful when I needed my hands free to work from the comfort of the living room and to eat some fried chicken and waffles post-race.

Fitness Friday - err... pre-race recovery

Ok, so tomorrow I make my return to racing at the Crim 10 miler here in Flint, Michigan. I made the road trip up here yesterday and have been chilling in my hotel room with my Colorado running buddy Deanna Ardrey.
Yes, I opted to drive up to the race. Yes, there was a lot of car dancing. Yes, I still hate Ohio. No, I'm not crazy.
I'm actually going to jump up to Canada after the race tomorrow to visit the fam, and so that I can then cross back over the border to have my paperwork processed. Fun... eh? eh? Let's hope that border patrol do not find me "too hot to cross" again, and I get through in a timely manner.

So, since I am racing tomorrow my "fitness friday" hasn't been to "fit" feeling.  Dee and I went for a shake out run and will hit up the pasta dinner tonight... that's about the extent of today.
I'm not looking for much out of my race tomorrow... Just a solid effort to see how my body is coming back from this dang ankle injury.  I have been able to maintain some form of fitness swimming and rollerblading... but man, I now understand why people complain about running. It's hard! I didn't remember it hurting this much to get back in shape.
Anyways, enough sounding like a wimp for me.
Next week I'll be "fit" again, I promise!

Going out with a Bang!

Well everyone! I officially did it! I have graduated from law school (x2) - that is, I have completed both my Canadian and American law degrees! It was definitely a killer last few weeks, with exams, training, and packing/moving. Needless to say, I had to miss quite a few days of running - some due to pure exhaustion, and others because I'd get out the door and my right hip or right shin were just not having it. The best I have been able to do is pretty much run every other day, sometimes I'd get two days in a row - I have been trying to throw in some tempo work mid-run, but have not done a true workout in weeks. I really have no idea what to expect in Ottawa at the end of the month ... eek

Anyways, back to that whole finishing law school thing - I finished my last law school assignment on Wednesday, a negotiation in the morning, and then later that evening joined the rest of my law school friends downtown for celebration activities... and celebrate (and dance like a fool) I did! Ha! Perhaps a little more celebrating than I had planned ... hmm... yeah, best to leave er at that. I did manage to get out for a run the next day - later in the afternoon of course, and finished up packing up my apartment as best I could before my family and guests arrived to spend the night for grad the next day.
The graduation ceremony itself was pretty good, aside from the fact that the majority of the people I know at MSU are 2Ls and therefore, don't graduate until next year (oh sad face). I did have my Ottawa friend Michael to keep me company as we both sat there sweating like crazy under our gowns (the lack of AC in the building definitely did not help matters).
After the ceremony I finished packing up my apartment and hit the road for my road trip down to the Marine Corp Historic Half Marathon in Fredricksburg, VA with my former teammates Shannon and Alaina. I stopped in Pittsburg for the night on Friday, and had another mini graduation celebration (no where near the extent of Wednesday though). Then Saturday I got up and finished the drive to VA, with a quick stop in Washington, DC to drive around and see the sights and grab a burger.
The half marathon was this morning, and of course, after my stressful weeks of studying, moving, kinda training, and well, my last few days of celebrating and driving in a car for hours on end, I woke up with the worst sore throat and thick chest (aka, lung butter) ever. But the race was supposed to be fun, and I tried to shake it off. The course was beautiful, but hilly .... OMG was it ever hilly... there was one cruel cruel hill, that you hit somewhere after the 10 mile mark I think, which took a good 3 minutes to run up. Umm... just to clarify, there aren't really any hills in East Lansing or Okemos! After the first few miles of the race, and after going up and down a million times already, I decided to relax my effort and just focus on being the first female. I was fortunate to have an experienced historic half runner, Jeff, keep me company for the majority of the race. Thank God! I do not think I have ever felt worse in a race. He gave me warning when the hills were coming up, and zig-zagged around to give me the inside on the turns. Ok, so lesson learned, celebrations to the extent of Wednesday night probably should not happen the days leading up to a race, at least not leading up to a hilly and humid half marathon.
But  yeah, I met the goal of being the first female, ran a horrible time, but got a cool trophy and a $100 gift card. My girlfriends ran amazingly, both of them have never raced that far before - and I'm pretty sure that their training runs didn't go beyond 11 or 12 miles either.
After the race, I grabbed a quick shower and hit the road again soon after. Another 9ish hours later, I arrived here in Chattanooga, TN, my trip finally complete. I am not really that sore from the race (I didn't run nearly hard enough to be sore), but my chest and throat hate me, payback from exams I suppose... damn cooties.
So, yeah, LAW SCHOOL IS DONE! I celebrated, had a killer road trip, and now get to start my Bar Prep course tomorrow... I am pretty sure I ended my law school career in an entertaining and interesting fashion. True Lanni form no doubt.
Oh well, time for some rest and hopefully a quick bounce back!

So how about some fat kid breathing?

http://www.montrealendurance.com/media/coverage-of-canada-running-series-21kdemtl/
So the Canadian Half Marathon Championships were two weeks ago, and as some of you know I was less than pleased with my performance. The event itself was really well organized and we "elites" were treated like gold, I was just frustrated with the outcome. Now that I have had some time to reflect on the race, I really am not all that disappointed anymore. Yes I still wish I had placed and/or ran faster, but there is nothing I can do about that now but look forward and get back up on the horse. As I'm sure most have heard by now, the course was windy - and no, it was not the nice tail-wind they had at Boston. I'm talking huge gusts from the front and the side that would blow you back 5ft if you weren't careful (let me just say, I wasn't very careful).
To be honest, I have been struggling this last month to get my body back to feeling like normal (I mean Lanni-normal). My stride has been off since my left calf decided to tear a bit leading up to the Around the Bay 30k, which caused me to compensate and end up with some really tight IT bands. Add to this that my body has just generally been revolting against me - head colds, girl issues, tummy turmoil... u name it, and it's no wonder that even once I got my stride back I then felt totally out of shape and like I was breathing like a fat kid at fat camp.
The 5k this past Friday in London, Ontario made me feel like I was on the road back. My stride released and I felt like a normal runner again (just a little winded from my head cold). Just when I thought "Yippie! My body is cooperating again!" Flash to yesterday (Monday) evening, where the right side of my bum/pelvis/hip jammed up so bad that I had to walk it in the last mile. I was pretty annoyed considering I had a really good tempo going up until that point. At least I know that my fitness is not as far off as I thought, and I just need to get my hips and pelvis to square out again and my right hamstring to release and I will be back on track. Should be fun to try and do that while I now spend the majority of my waking hours studying for MY LAST SET OF LAW SCHOOL FINALS! Hopefully things release in the next few days as I have the last portion of my 2 Feet and a Heartbeat (www.Lannimarchant.wordpress.com) this weekend in Chattanooga, TN. I am really very lucky that there are such supportive and generous people out there. I cannot wait to be able to pay it forward some day!
Aside from the run-a-thon, I have my marathon coming up at the end of May. Hopefully the little speed bump that is my jammed up right hip will be a thing of the past in a few days and I can keep building and getting my wind back.