ShannonAlbert.com - June 2009

Well..........I ran a half-marathon yesterday and ran a total of 27.2 miles this past week. That's going to be it on the running thing for a while. I'm taking this week off from exercising which is good because my sore muscles can't take much right now.

Weight-wise, I lost 18 pounds overall this year. I'm happy with where I'm at but I expect I will actually lose a few more once I start Body for Life. I think my body has gotten used to all of the running and the change in routine will kick start me back into weight-loss mode. It's not my primary goal but I think it will happen. All I really care about is toning up.

Marcy and I completed the half-marathon this morning. It was tough. But we did it.

Race Results




The race started at 8 but I had read that they expected 1000 runners this year so we left a bit before 7 to get there a few minutes after 7.


The weather was great and after stretching and walking around for a bit, we got to the starting line and put ourselves at the back of the pack knowing that's where we'd mostly stay.

Miles 1 - 4 weren't too bad but Marcy had a couple of shooting pains in her knee that were particularly bad any time there was a down slope.

Miles 4 - 6.5 were long especially since the path looped around at the half-way point and when we were at mile 4, the leader was going past us the other direction at his mile 9.

Mile 6.5 was a drink station and everybody seemed to walk for a few seconds which is hard when your muscles aren't used to stopping and starting again.

Miles 6.5 - 8 were ok until Marcy's knee just wouldn't let her keep running. She told me to keep going so I did. I thought she would probably take one of the bridges across the river to shortcut back to the finishing area where we could meet up.

Miles 8 - 11 were long for me as I ran alone.

Miles 11 - 12. At mile 11, I just stopped running. My body didn't feel like it could continue any further and my legs felt like lead. Eleven miles is the furthest I had run prior to this race and my body knew it. I did a combination of running and walking during this mile to try to get through it.

Miles 12 - 13. At mile 12, I just wanted to get it done as soon as possible. I started seeing spectators again and could hear the crowds assembled at the finish line. My friend Carrie was up ahead right before the finish line cheering me on as I turned the corner. Then I saw Andy and Blake and then the finish line and ran through the arches. They handed me the medal and then I saw Payton and she was thoughtful enough to have a cup of water ready for me. I guzzled it down and had to find a place to sit.



Andy asked where Marcy was and I said that I wasn't sure but I thought she probably would take one of the bridges because her knee wouldn't make it. By the time I grabbed a banana and another water and found a place to sit, I saw Marcy coming and couldn't believe it. She was running and she was finishing. She was clearly in pain but she made it. Unbelievable. I didn't have any injuries and it was very hard for me. I can't imagine how hard it was for her.

Post-race, we came home and took the best showers of our lives and then ate the best pizza of our lives and then took the best naps ever. It felt so good to rest. The blisters and aching legs and feet are going to linger with us for a bit. Good thing we both have Monday off!

It will come as no surprise to anybody that I'm really glad the half-marathon is over. I haven't been in a good state of mind about running for about 4-6 weeks and had to go into manual override to get this far. In hindsight, I do wonder if it was a bit ambitious to train for a half-marathon within 6 months of being unable to run 1/8 mile. I think it was physically possible (obviously because I did it) but mentally it was probably what made me really hate running recently. If I were to do it over again, I would probably have taken it slower - train for a few 5k races, train for a couple of 10k races and then maybe do a half-marathon within a year instead of 6 months.

As I've said before, I plan to do 12 weeks of the Body for Life plan which will let me get back to lifting weights and doing just 20 minutes of cardio at a time. I'm told I will miss running. I can't see it right now but look forward to taking the time off to find out.

So this past week I just did the one 5 mile run on Monday or Tuesday and then another tonight. Hated them both. Weather was great, times were fine and I felt fine but I hate it. Only a couple of more runs left for me this year. Thank goodness.

Not sure what I did weight-wise but I think I stayed the same. Continue to eat healthy most of the time so maintaining is all I'm shooting for right now.

This next week, I'll be doing 1 or 2 more "short" runs and then the half is on Sunday. Marcy is coming up and if she can't run with me, she'll be cheering me on. She wants to run but may not. I don't want to run but have no physical reason not to. Guilt is a big factor in this picture, people!

Well, despite what I said, I didn't do any runs for the past week until tonight when I ran 5 miles. Theoretically it should have been fine - cool temps, only 5 miles - but I really hated it. I'm so burnt out. I keep telling myself "only 13 days until I'm done with long runs." I added a ticker to help me count down.

Weight-wise I stayed the same which is good by me. Pants I bought last weekend with Amanda are already baggy though. Taking a batch of big pants to a tailor to be taken in.

This next week is all about just trying to get my runs in so I can make it through the half-marathon. Planning to start Body for Life on October 1. Checked the book out from the library this week as a refresher. Can't wait.

So this past week was a bit off for me. I didn't do any of my short runs (first time in six months or so I've gone a week without running) but did run my long run (11 miles) this morning. Ouch. I'm BURNT OUT on running right now. Can't wait until the half is over so I can change it up a little bit.

Eating wise, I ate everything I hadn't eaten the previous six months - Oreos, ice cream, cookies, gravy, sausage, etc. None of it low calorie, or reduced fat or healthy in any way.

Even with the lack of runs and eating terribly, I didn't gain any weight. I can't figure out how that works out mathematically but I'm glad it did this time.

This coming week will be better - will eat better again, will do my short runs and then will run my last long run before the half (a 12 mile run). I'm back on track!

This last week was slightly off since we got back from wedding festivities and didn't get the long run in on Sunday, instead did it on Monday which put my short runs off schedule. Ended up heading out for a short run (again, where on earth is 5 miles short?) but the temperatures and humidity had jumped so I stopped at 4.

Went out Sunday night for a 10 mile run and was really dreading it. I'm getting burnt out on the long distance running despite the positive things that come of it. It's a big commitment and often very hard. The things keeping me going right now are Marcy, knowing the training and half marathon are near, needing to lose a few more pounds and knowing I'll get a Garmin for my car after the half.

That being said, my 10 mile run was awesome. I managed to cut a minute per mile off my pace from last week plus went a mile further. That puts me into Marcy's territory pace-wise which makes me very happy. Maybe we can actually run together through part of the half!

Speaking of....

We registered for the half this past week. It's official now. Only a few weeks away!

Weight-wise, I'm back to where I was before wedding gorging put me way above. I'm glad to have bounced back so quickly since the scale shot me up about 7 pounds there for a while.

Andy wasn't feeling great this past week and ended up not eating or exercising the way he normally would. I'm hoping that my workout plan after the half will be something he'll do with me so we can both tone up and keep the weight off.

Marcy and I are technically done with our half-marathon training but we're adding an 11 and 12 miler into our training since we have a couple of extra weeks between now and then. That means next weekend will be 11 miles with two 5 mile short runs during the week. Yipppeeee....almost there!

Side note: I had a dream a few months ago and in it, I was thinner, had a better haircut, had a little sun on my skin, etc. After that, I got my haircut and highlighted to match what I had dreamed, I've lost weight and my skin is tan from running outside so much. I just realized tonight that the pictures of me from Nick's wedding are very, very similar to that dream. I still have probably 7-8 pounds to lose but my face lost a lot so I look like I had pictured at least from the waist up. Now to just lose those last 7-8 pounds which reside in my hips, thighs and butt!

Ran 20 miles in 8 days and gained weight. Turns out Michael Phelps diet doesn't work for Shannon Albert.

Wedding festivities meant lots of drinking, eating and drinking so the weight gain was to be expected even with running 20 miles this week.

Just returned from a 9 mile run and realized that I always dread the long runs but they are almost never that hard. Very comfortable pace, temps have been good and no bathroom issues. Afterward, I am pretty sore, exhausted, feet covered in blisters and black toe nails but the actual run itself isn't that hard. I expect a toe nail or two to fall off anytime now. It's like a badge of honor. :)

This week will be a total of 20 miles again but the food will be healthier so I expect the weight loss to return.

Also, Andy has lost a total of 25 pounds and looks great. He wants to lift and tone up but he has met his goal weight. Yea Andy!

Okay people....

So this past week, we ran a total of 17 miles including an 8 mile run on Saturday morning. The runs weren't too hard and felt really good. This next week is supposed to be a total of 19 miles. Yowza. My feet hurt just typing it.

Weight-wise, I lost another 1-2 pounds this week. I'm able to get my "goal jeans" on but they aren't comfortable enough to wear. A couple more pounds and I should be able to get those puppies on and actually wear them somewhere.

This week is a busy one so fitting in 19 miles of running (plus a 1 mile race with Andy's family so make that 20 miles this week!) and healthy eating will be more challenging but we should be able to make it work. Wish us luck.

Wanted to give a health update but was too excited to wait until tomorrow.

Last time I attempted to run 7 miles, it didn't go so well so I was dreading the re-attempt today. I made some changes to try to insure success on this run - dietary changes so I wouldn't have a bathroom emergency, I went at 5 a.m. when the temps were in the 70s, drank plenty of water beforehand, etc....and it worked! It wasn't really hard at all and I can definitely imagine adding on more mileage in the coming weeks.

This week I ran a total of 16 miles which is my first mileage increase in about a month. Weight loss tends to come when I increase mileage so I lost 2 pounds this week which brings my overall weight loss total to 15 lbs.

Feeling very good about the health situation right now which is a nice change from the past couple of weeks. Hopefully the next 7 weeks leading up to the half-marathon will be equally as successful.

Last week I dropped my short runs down to 3 - 3.5 miles so I could focus on pace and try to go a bit faster in preparation for the 5k race on Saturday. It was really good for me to do that because I had been struggling with the longer "short" runs...since when is 4.5 miles "short" anyway?

Weight-wise I've stayed the same as I've been for several weeks which is fine with me right now. I'm just focusing on completing the half-marathon training and then I'll re-evaluate from there. Obsessing over pace time, distance, heart rate, weight, calories is just too many pieces of data at once. One thing at a time and that thing is the half-marathon.

Just returned from a 4.5 mile run tonight which I would normally have done tomorrow morning but decided to do tonight. I like running at night and feel much better afterward. Going to try that this week and maybe these 4.5 mile runs won't seem so bad after all. This weekend....trying 7 miles again. Barring any bathroom emergencies, I hope to be able to check that distance off the list finally!

The good news is that despite the heat, we managed to run well at the Midnight Streak run late Saturday night.


Amy (Kam's running partner and friend), Kam, me

The bad news is that this 5K wasn't a whole 5K - we were about 1/4 mile short.

Here's the way the course was supposed to look:



Here's the way it did look from my watch data:



Since the course didn't have us going all the way to 12th street, we were shorted and as a result our times are skewed. This was a sanctioned race that is supposed to follow certain rules and Kam says they could get into trouble for not having the right distance. It was certainly disappointing at the very least.

My goal was 32 minutes and when I crossed the finish line and it said less than 30 minutes, I knew it was wrong for sure and my watch confirmed that.

The overall results are here. Kam came in 5th in our age group and I came in 22nd, right in the middle of the pack which I'm very happy about.

Unfortunately, Kam hurt her foot while running and is now out of commission for at least a couple of weeks.

This could be my last race before the half-marathon!

Did my runs this past week and as posted previously, the Sunday long run wasn't the full distance. Managed to fit in some cross-training and weight lifting during the week as well.

Weight-wise, I've once again hit a plateau and since I keep doing this and then manage to get past it, I assume this too shall pass. This past week people did comment a lot that I look like I've lost weight which was strange (but nice) since I've been the same for a little while now.

This next week, I'm shortening the runs during the week and focusing on time in preparation for this weekend's 5K w/Kam in OKC.

This morning, Andy and I got up and planned to do our run in these segments:

1/2 mile warm up walk
7 mile run
1/2 mile cool down walk

Here's how it went instead:

1/2 mile warm up walk
4 mile run
1 1/2 mile walk*
1 1/2 mile run
1/2 mile cool down walk

*I had to stop running because I had a bathroom emergency. Running made it worse so we walked slowly until we could get to a restroom. After that, I was fine to run again so we picked back up.

I'm disappointed I can't cross my 7 mile run off the list but we did do 8 miles total which is still good. The blisters on my feet, chaffed thighs, sore ankle, and swollen hands are all there even if the run was broken into pieces. Next weekend is another 5k so I'll be focusing on speed this week and then running the 5k on Saturday. Next long run will be the week after that so hopefully I'll be able to do the 7 miles continuously then.

After a tough week last week where the runs were slightly shorter than they should have been and cross-training/weightlifting were skipped, we finished the week off well with a long run of 6 miles on Sunday.

Weight-wise we continue to drop pounds. I believe that I'm down about 13 pounds overall but will confirm on the official scale at the gym on Tuesday.

Another 5k in two weeks and half-marathon in 2 months!

This past week was a bit different than the last several months since we were out-of-town. While in Mexico, we did manage some exercise including some laps in the pool and a 2.5 mile run on the beach. I really didn't eat much (though the rum and Diet Cokes made up for it!) because I'm never really hungry when it's hot. We both stayed about the same weight which was the goal.

I intended to do my long run when we got back but have just been tired and had so much to do. I missed my long run on Sunday so I'm repeating a week of training and will pickup from there. I haven't missed a single run in 5 months and my training program has some room for repeated weeks before the half-marathon so I'll cut myself some slack on this one.

Overall, I'm happy with my progress and love having Andy along for most of the runs and cross-training. He actually did a first this morning - when I wouldn't get up to run, he left alone and ran without me...something he's never done before. He enjoyed running at his own pace and not worrying about sticking with me. :)

Last week, the runs were very difficult for some reason. They were both 3.5 miles which shouldn't be hard for me but it was really difficult. After that, I wasn't looking forward to today's 5 mile run especially since I'd never run that far. Good thing was that it was fairly easy and I completed it without a problem. The change of scenery at my parents house and the mid-60s temps couldn't have hurt anything!

Weight-wise, I lost another 2 pounds. The last two weeks I've lost two pounds each week which has been nice to finally break free from the plateau I was in for a month or more.

This week will be interesting because I don't want to skip any runs or gain any weight but....we'll be in Mexico. I've timed it so I should only have one run while we're there but being at an all-inclusive with unlimited food might make the weight gain thing a little hard. I'll just aim to not gain and see how that goes.

This week, I completed another week of half-marathon training but instead of doing my long run this weekend, I ran a 5k. I'll resume normal long runs next week.

I tried something different food-wise this week and just tried to be sensible rather than obsessed. I didn't count points, just ate healthy when I was hungry. It seemed to have worked for me because when I checked mid-week, I had lost 2 pounds. I think I will do the same thing this coming week.

This whole training thing takes quite a bit of time and dedication. I had a short-lived feeling this week that it felt really selfish given the amount of time invested. Had to talk my way out of that by reminding myself that I'm making myself healthy which ultimately benefits the family. Plus, I have way more energy and get more done when exercising and eating well so it ends up better in the end.

Kam and I ran the first annual Stepping Out to Cure Sclerdoderma 5K in OKC this morning. It was a small event but very humbling seeing all of the "in memory of" shirts (including one large group of family members of someone who just passed about two weeks ago) and people with oxygen tanks.

They announced that runners would go first and there were only maybe 8-10 of us I'm guessing. They told us to go and we were off running. I was the last of the running group but some did stop running mid-way and didn't finish. I lost sight of Kam pretty quickly. The running path was two laps around a 1.5 mile course and I passed walkers on my second lap who were still on their first lap. It felt good to pass somebody even if they were walking. :)

My goal was 34 minutes and I finished in 32:27 despite the really high humidity that had me covered in sweat. First place was a high school girl who runs mid-distances for her school, then Kam, then the high school girl's mom.

Glad to have completed the first 5k and won't be doing my long run tomorrow since I ran today. Kam wants me to run a sanctioned race that's more official and includes timing chips. Considering the Midnight Streak in late July.

Completed week 2 of half-marathon training. I did skip the two cross-training days because I was just very tired and needed the time off. I did lift weights and do all of my runs including today's 4 mile run which shaved almost 3 minutes off the last 4 mile run. Andy ran it the whole time with me this time and we about died in the heat and wind.

Weight loss...

Who would have thought that working out 6 days a week including running several miles would not equal weight loss? That's what I've been dealing with for the past month or so but became a little obsessed about it this week. After many conversations with people and reading a lot, it would appear that the running distance doesn't make you lose weight but varying the intensity does. I also think that my meals should be more protein/carb balanced. Varying intensities and balancing carbs/proteins are the tenets of the Body for Life program which we've had a lot of success with. The scale has now been put away, I'm not going to obsess over the points and just try to be sensible. I dug out a pair of "skinny jeans" that will be my new goal rather than a number.

Next week of half-marathon training increases the distance so this time next week, I should be writing "I just ran 5 miles!" Wish us luck!

Update: Body for Life website says not to combine BFL concepts while training for long distance running because the caloric needs while running are so much higher and the intense weights that are in the BFL program aren't appropriate for runners. The site says to do training and BFL separately so I guess that's what I will do!

This week was the first week of half-marathon training which entails exercising 6 days a week. The exercise varies between running, cross-training and lifting weights. Today, I ran 4 miles in a better time than I had expected and that was my "long run" for the week. Eventually the long runs will work up to a half-marathon.

I chose to ride my bike this week for cross-training, going 4 miles both times. I discovered that I'm kind of a bike riding wimp. I just don't go as fast as most people can but I think that means I should keep trying. I can feel it a lot in my hamstrings and glutes which are the parts of me that need the most work anyway.

Andy did some of the cross-training and running with me this week which made it more fun. Luckily his shins haven't been bothering him and he's able to run again.

On the weight loss front, I've been stalled at the same weight for a few weeks. My clothes are fitting better but the scale hasn't moved. That's incredibly frustrating for me since I'm working out so hard and being very strict with food. I'm going to change some things this week and see if that helps.

Andy has actually lost quite a bit of weight since he's been able to exercise lately and has chosen to eat healthier. It's always easier for men. I'm happy for him and a wee bit jealous that the same isn't happening for me.

Next up is week 2 of half-marathon training which is an exact repeat of the first week. Not too bad...looking forward to it!

Lessons learned this week:
- I hate running on a treadmill now that I'm going multiple miles. I did it once this week and it was the most boring thing I've done in ages. The temperature at the gym also isn't kept low enough for me to run multiple miles so I was sweating more than I ever have. Yuck.
- Hard to run while wearing glasses. Finally got new contacts which helped a lot.
- The 6 days a week schedule is hard but knowing that Marcy is following the same schedule helps me to stay on track. The ability to exchange Garmin 405 data makes it possible to train together without actually being together.