12-31-13 Next Race Salt Lake City Half Marathon

So I have revised my races for the year in an easy to follow list, including training schedules. Once I have the funds I will register for the SLC Half Marathon. I will start running again tomorrow (since I don't drink I don't have to worry about doing it in excess and can avoid a hangover). My running distances have been moving all over the place since I finished my marathon. But for now it will be the following. Tuesday, Thursday, 5k (3.1 miles). Saturday 10k (6.2 miles). I figure keeping with a schedule like this until I start my training runs on the 21st with the training group I am joining will create a solid foundation (all three weeks of it). I was teetering on the edge of not joining the running group because my wife and I didn't end up moving back to SLC. It was disappointing to say the least and I was being stubborn after we decided to stay here for the rest of the semester, saying things like, "It's too far to drive," (in reference to the running group) and "I'll just do it on my own again!" I look at it now and I sounded like a real baby. But I want to get better at running so I will do what I need to. I will be up in SLC on Tuesday and Saturday mornings running with the group, and on Thursdays running on my own with the drills I get on Tuesday. On Thursdays I will be adding in upper body workouts as well, and may do some cross training on my bike on Monday mornings.

About new year resolutions, I have seed quite a few posts about them on other blogs I follow and how they don't make them. I am a little different than them and did make some new years resolutions. But I have criteria the I need to keep to when making these goals, because that's what they are in reality is goals. Just like running you make little goals as you run. So my goal setting criteria.

1. Set realistic goals. I have a couple of goals, one is academic, and it's to get a B+ average this semester. I would put a 4.0 but I know that isn't realistic in my program with my current skill level. I did get just under a B+ average this semester, so I know it's possible to push myself a little more (since I am not training for a marathon) and get the 3.33 gpa for the semester.

2. Be specific with your goal. I have a goal to lose weight. But the specific goal is to lose 20 lbs.

3. Have a time frame. Losing 20 lbs. is good, but without a specific date I have no parameters. So the 20 lbs. goal is to be accomplished by March 31st.

4. Smaller goals that need to be made to support the bigger goal. I have two smaller goals to support this bigger goal, one is to train for the SLC Half Marathon in April 19th (sub goal for this is to join the training group), second is to get a diet figured out that will support my goal of losing 20lbs. by the end of January.

5. Take Action. Start achieving these goals. Each will have it's own steps, with the diet I need to do some research, fins recipes, and rid my cupboards of all the junk. Training, I have to accept my recovery phase is over for my marathon and get running. The losing weight step will be assisted by these other two steps.

If you have problems with setting goals and achieving them, try these 5 steps. The unwritten sixth step is post goal time period. Don't beat yourself up for not achieving your goal, reassess and make new goals. You may have set your goal too high and need to lower to show you can achieve it, then increase it gradually over time.

So here are my targetted races for the year, I have not include any 5k or 10k runs because I will treat those as training runs when I see one I want to do.

Race & General Training Schedule:

January/February/March:

Change focus of running to weight loss, weight management and speed

April 19th (109 days away):

SLC Half Marathon

May:

Train for Ragnar

June 27th-28th:

Ragnar

July 13th (maybe): Canyon to Canyon 13.1 Trail Run (for the experience)

August/September:

Train for October and November Half Marathons

October 25th?:

Halloween Half Marathon or Haunted Half Marathon

November 27th:

Thankful 13 Half Marathon

Thanks for reading and have a great new year,

Riley

12-23-13 First Run Since the Race

So today was my first run since the marathon. It was a short run and that's all I could do today. I had some carbonation and that has a negative effect on me running (most likely a mental block associated with it since many people run just fine and drink carbonated drinks). I have had three since the race and each one had a less than favorable effect.

It was strange, my right knee started bothering me as ran. So I had to slow down to a fast paced walk. It looks like my slipping on the ice may have hurt me a little more than I thought.

Right now my wife and I are trying to get things together to move. It has been an extremely stressful situation for me. Running functioned as medicine for an encroaching migraine and a stress reliever. I am feeling less stress now than I was before my run. It's strange how running is able to relieve so much. The time exerting your energy allow for moments of clarity that brings things into perspective. I was able to take my mind off of what's going on right now in my life for a half an hour and it made it easier to handle. Running is quite the blessing my life. Thursday I will get out to run again.

12-14-13 3 Days until I run again

In three days I will run 4 miles (I am treating myself to this run after I turn in my last assignment for finals). I have said this many times over the course of a couple of weeks, but I would not advise doing marathon training during any semester of an under grad. But the changes this training has brought into my life have been great.

I finished working on two traditional pieces that I started yesterday, and the one to the right is a current event painting of the Canadian woman who started running a half marathon as a training run for her full marathon, and around mile 13 she didn't see the finish line and realized she missed a turn and asked if she could just finish the full marathon (she ended up winning the women's division). I will be doing some more touch ups Monday on things I just saw. Right now I am working on three digital paintings that are due Monday morning between 7-9 am. I will most likely do what I did on Thursday and get to campus around 6:30 the day the assignments are due and work until I absolutely can't work on them any more. Which will allow me some sleep tonight.

Because sharing with everyone my schedule helps me to keep things in order, here it is for the next three days.

Sunday:
8:00 AM - Up, shower, eat, and set up computer for digital painting
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Work on pieces titled, "The Great Pumpkin" and "Ghost of Christmas Present"
12:30 PM - 1:00 PM Prepare lesson for kids class I teach at church (we're doing a scripture game)
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Church
4:30 PM- 6:00 PM Eat Dinner and spend some time with Silvia
6:00 PM - Finished Work on "Ghost of Christmas Present" and "Three Bears"

Monday:
5:45 AM - Up and shower and eat and get out the door
6:30 AM - 8:30 AM Touch Up on Digital Paintings and work in class sketchbook
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM Print assignments to turn in and turn them in
9:00 AM - 12:30 PM Work on and finish "Pumpkin Boy" painting
1:00 PM - 2:50 PM Turn in Master Copy of Figure Drawing and Doing Anatomy Figure and Structure final
3:00 PM - 8:00 PM Go home and work on and finish "Monkey King" painting
8:30 PM - 10:00 PM Finish "Mars Attacks Whoville" painting (It combines Mars Attacks and Dr. Suess)
10:00 PM - 12:00 AM Redo line work for Queensryche: Mindcrime Sequential Art

Tuesday:
8:00 AM - Finish Repaint (digitally) Sequential Art Piece (on campus), and turn in class portfolio for Narrative Illustration
After I finish go Running!
After Run: Shower, Eat, Sleep

Next semester I am doing three days a week of classes and three days of running. It will be a heavy work load, but I will do it happily as I prepare for the SLC Half Marathon, lose more weight, get faster, and try to find a 1 or 2 day a week job. With schooling, I finish all of my classes two years from now (unless I can manage to get it done sooner), my last semester is 1 class. Well I am off to sleepy town to wake up early tomorrow and get this work done.

Thanks for reading,
Riley

P.S. My next post will be about running!

12-11-13 Recovery Week and Finals at School

It's nice that the recovery week I have is right now, because I have three big projects and two finals due between today and Monday. So it's been a stressful week and I look forward to running next tuesday to relieve some of this stress. During the next six weeks or so I will be running three times a week, Tuesday, Thursday, and long run Saturday. My distances will be 4 miles on Tuesday and Thursday. Saturdays will be either 6 or 8 miles I have yet to decide.

After six weeks I will be starting my training for the Salt Lake City Half Marathon, I will have a goal time (again not sure about what it will be). During my marathon I beat my half marathon time by 6 minutes (so 3:01:XX). I know I will be shooting for a sub 3 hour time, but how far under I'm not sure. About running another marathon, it will have to wait until summer of 2015, right before graduation. But I do have Ragnar planned for this June which I am exited for. I have some friends who I plan on running it with and some more who would be interested in doing. Having a cheering section would be great at a race. It feels so nice to have friends with you as you run. So after I run the SLC Half, I start training for Ragnar.

Well, class is starting.

Have a Great Day,
Riley

12-7-13 Race Recap

I was a little scared when they dropped us off half way up a mountain in southern Utah. There was snow on the ground, and about 120 people who were gearing up to run a marathon. It's a small marathon, but as you get closer to Nevada you have some breathtaking views. Tomorrow Silvia and I will be driving home and will get some pictures of the views.

So the play by play of the run:
Pre-Run
Last night I only had one running dream, I woke myself up and said something to the effect of, "I am not going to dream about running tonight and promptly went back to sleep. I picked up my packet last night and had some hope of getting a sticker of the marathon, but I will settle for a 26.2 bumper sticker to put next to my Halloween Half bumper sticker. We bumped into a couple last night who were just picking up his packet as well. We ended up sitting by them this morning as we waited for the buses, she became the race photographer and he helped me out a lot at the end of the race (Lynn(SP?) & Chas).

When I woke up this morning my stomach was upset so I wasn't able to eat my bagel and settled for two bananas instead. Silvia rushed up and grabbed my music for me because I forgot it. Because of that I ended up getting on what looked like a prison bus. I slept all the way up to the starting point. Which I believe saved me from getting more nervous because then I didn't experience how far I was going.









Miles 1-3 First Aid station
I started the race with the gun. Since there were only 120 people I crossed the start line fairly quick. I was at a 16 minute mile pace, and soon everyone started to pass me. Much like the half marathon I ran, but that was the last I saw of just about everyone. I was a little excite because there was a man in his late 80's who was going to walk the entire race, which meant I was not going to be the last to cross the finish line. For the first three miles there was snow on the ground and a periodic flake that came down. It was nice to run and have a snow flake go into my mouth instead of a bug. I had one person drive up and ask if I was going to be alright. I laughed a little and said I'd be fine.

Miles 4-6 Second Aid Station
This was nice because my legs didn't hurt. The compression socks were the best thanksgiving weekend purchase. This is also where I took my first shot of gel. It never started raining lie the 80% chance of rain the weather forecast showed. So I took off my jacket, because under it I was sweating so bad. I made it to the second aid station and all was well. Mentally I was doing really good at this point. I only slowed down to take off my jacket and was keeping a 13 minute mile pace.

Miles 7-9 Third Aid Station
The wind started to pick up, and I was fighting putting back on my sweaty rain jacket, but started to get ridiculously cold and the jacket and sweaty gloves came back on not to be removed again until I got to my car. I started to warm up quickly and didn't sweat as bad. I still chilled myself to the core, which I wasn't able to recover from until I got into the shower after the race. I also noticed that something funny was happening in my left shoe. The insole was rubbing against my foot in a very very annoying way. I adjusted a few times throughout the race to make sure I wasn't going to get any blisters (I did end up getting one on my left big toe and my left big toenail has pressure building up under it. At the mile 9 aid station I realized I had pushed a little to hard so far and needed to slow it down, so I started to walk a mile then run two.

Miles 10-12 Fourth Aid Station
I repeated my walk run until I got to mile 16ish, but it gradually decreased to walk a mile run a mile. This is where the aid station clean up guys started to talk to me and encourage me. I was getting tired and hungry at this point (I had been swigging my cinnamon apple gel every 30 minutes at this point (it tastes a lot like apple pie). My camel bag water started to slush up in the tube at this point because of the cold weather.

Miles 13-15 Half Way Point
Half way there, and I hit the wall shortly after. I started to doubt everything, and look at my watch too much, and listen to my legs tell me they were exhausted. But I found two things that got me through it. One I remembered my wife was waiting for me at the finish line, and she supported me. Then I started to think about other people who supported me in various ways through the entire process, and ended with myself, and said, "I believe in me too." Then I started the mantra, "I am a marathoner" over and over again until I remembered I was. I also started my count down, because I was half way through at this point I started with 11 miles to go, and started to run again.

Miles 16-18 Fifth Aid Station
Stupid hills pissed me off! It was almost all down hill until mile 17. All the up hill at this point was gradual and able to be handled relatively easy. This is also were I found out that the man who was walking behind me had to withdraw due to not having enough layers, and it causing his heart not to function right. So I was on my way to mile 18 and had to ascend this hill. This hill was a beast and my legs weren't liking me too much right now. So I walked up the hill, and made it to the aid station for a brief break with three cups of water, one cup of Hammer Heed (which I think taste horrible normally, but it was sweet nectar to me at this point in time.

Miles 19-20 Sixth Aid Station
I hit another little wall here and when I got to the aid station had to decide I was finishing this. I also came to the realization that I was on my last 10k of this massive run, and I knew I could do 10k regularly, but then the hills returned with a vengeance. I decided I would run down hill when I came to it and walk up hill. That worked until mile 24 when my legs quit wanting to respond to my directions.

Miles 21-22 Seventh Aid Station
More hills and beautiful scenery. Lynn and Chas cam back by and stoppe, she took some photos and he encouraged me from the car.

Lynn & Chas

Miles 23-26 Eighth Aid Station
Chas got out at this point and said he needed to get the lactic acid build up to decrease and wanted to know if he could walk with me for a while. He was a life saver and easily distracted me from what my body was yelling at me. He also paced me and made sure I pushed as much as I needed to finish the race. I am very grateful for his help.

At mile 25 my wife was standing there with a sign that read "Super Riley" with a picture of me drawn on it, and under the drawing it said "My Hero." I about started to cry at that point because it was such a wonderful sign. I discovered after the race Silvia did go looking for me but didn't find me so she could cheer me on.

At the aid station I found out I had 20 minutes left to be able to finish the race and have it count. So I walked some more and then started running, and ran up this massive hill (most of the way).

Mile 26-26.2 Finishing a Marathon
 I made it to mile 26 and Chas said you are running the rest, and that's what I did. He was encouraging me and Silvia was too. I was so exhausted and Chas said, "When you finish you won't remember this pain, so just keep running." I made it to the last street and turned left and started to pick up speed to an amazing pace, which was most likely around a 14 minute mile. I was here, the finish line, they hooked back up the computer when they saw me recorded my time as I crossed the line. I did it, I did what 1% of the people in this world have done. I have just run a marathon. My eyes welled up some, but I guess they didn't have the energy to cry or else I would have.

So here I am now, calves sore and feeling great. I love the fact I was able to accomplish this goal in a short 7 months. I have to somehow thank the authors of "The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer" for giving me a guide to follow as I went through the experience.

Last thoughts, I will not be running another marathon while I am still working on my under grad. It took a lot of time away from studies that I really needed. But I don't regret doing this run in the slightest. My wife and I noticed a few changes that have happened over the past 7 months, the first being a 30 lbs. drop in weight. Second I have become nicer (to everyone). Finally I have become more caring.

I will post any additional thoughts I have over my off week from running. But I will start up again with running for health and getting rid of these extra pounds, and training for my next race.

Tanks for reading,
Riley

12-7-13 I JUST RAN A FREAKING MARATHON

I am tired and sore and finally warmed up so I am not shivering anymore. It didn't end up raining but that jacket we picked up yesterday was a life saver when I had to walk. I will have a full recap up within the next day. I would like everyone to know how great Silvia is, she made signs and cheered me on at the end, and is now going to do some sports massage on my beaten body.

Thank you all,
Riley

12-6-13 The Night Before

Apparently my stomach likes to take all the anxiety. I have had a day similar to the day before my half marathon. But add a 4 hour drive in there and you have it. Clark thanks for the feedback, I have been trying to decide what to wear tomorrow, and a gentle reminder is all I needed to cement in my decision. I will be sporting the following gear at this 120+ person marathon: Under Armor Storm beanie, Nike storm fit gloves, Columbia light weight rain jacket, Awesome blue compression socks, base layer tights, a long sleeve base layer, and my trusty orange Adidas running shirt, which has been with me from the beginning. Shoes wise I will be sporting the comfortable blue Torin, since my black Torin are retired from running. I will use a smaller camel bag, with my gel, and waffles in it. It's all packed up and I am getting ready to sleep. I had my marathon dream last night, so does that mean I get to avoid that stress tonight and just sleep... let's pray it does.

I will post tomorrow after I finish with my time and that's about it. I will have a longer post up by the end of Sunday that will be a recap of everything.

Thanks for reading,
Riley

12-5-13 High of 45 and a Chance of Snow

So I am trying to get everything squared away for my marathon, and the weather is frightening me a little. At the 7:00 am start time the temperature should be below freezing and raise to freezing by the time I get down to a lower elevation. There is a 70% chance of precipitation. Here's the link to the weather if you want to check it out Mesquite Weather. I am still running, I will give it my all and I will finish the race. I have run in the rain and sleet and snow, and know I need to get a waterproof jacket to be able to really be prepared. Because of the need for a waterproof jacket I will be heading out a little earlier than expected. But I got a good start on one of my art projects today, so I should be able to stay on track with getting out the door between 1:00 and 2:00.

Right now I am a bit nervous because of the weather, but I am still going to finish this race and get the medal I will earn. I am overwhelmed because of my homework load in conjunction with my race, and how the length of training has effected my school work. I am applying to get into the BFA program this spring, and don't feel I have quality pieces of art to submit for the portfolio just yet. So I will be busting my ass off over the next two weeks to get some of the work that is less than amazing to the level it should be. Here's a link to my website where my portfolio pieces will be appearing. Riley Horn Illustration

With this blog, I want to be able to help others change like I have been changing my life. So if you know someone who could benefit from reading what I have gone through so far, please share me with them. Again, thank you everyone who reads this. My wife and I will be moving back up to Salt Lake at the end of this month, so if you are in the area and want to do a run together, I would really like that, it would help to keep me running.

Have a great night and I will post again tomorrow, the night before the big race,
Riley

12-4-13 The time draws even closer

My run was on a treadmill, which bores me to tears! I really need to make it outside to run in this weather. 

Alright here is my pre-race events for Friday and Saturday, and what I am doing to prepare for the run. This week I have been eating more carbs than normal (I didn't do the carb depletion, then load). I am not sure if I have had enough carbs though. So tomorrow I will increase carb consumption (and tonight).

Friday game plan:

• Up at 7, to start work on home work

• Double check to make sure all race day gear is ready

     • camel bag loaded

     • clothes packed

     • breakfast packed

• Work on master copy of figure drawing for 2-3 hours

• Finish 2 panels for Narrative Illustration Assignment 2-3 hours

• Eat at Cafe Rio

• Drive down to Mesquite and check into hotel

• PICK UP PACKET! (it will be at the hotel)

• Work on three bears digital painting
• HYDRATE (all day)
• 9:00 PM Bed
• Wake up after dreaming about running a marathon
• Go back to sleep
• Wake up after dreaming about running a marathon
• Go back to sleep
• Wake up after dreaming about running a marathon
• Go back to sleep
• Wake up after dreaming about running a marathon
• Go back to sleep

Saturday:
I don't have any superstitions that I need to do before I do a big event, accept maybe brooding around and giving an unapproachable vibe. I do that quite well. I will follow closely to what I did prerace for my half marathon, I will have a banana and a bagel with peanut butter with me and eat about an hour before the run starts.
• 5:00 AM wake up
• Shower
• Eat something small
• Paranoidadly check all my gear
• Drink more water and panic that I didn't drink enough water
• 5:30 or 5:45 make my way to the 6am bus
• Head out to the start line, pace to keep myself warm
• 7:00 AM start my Marathon
• 7:00 AM - 845 AM -- Run
• 8:45 AM - 1:30 PM -- Run More
• 1:30 PM Be finished, wearing a my medal that I earned!
• Walk around until I can't
• FOAM ROLLER /  Massage from amazing massage therapist wife
• Get into ice bath at the hotel
• Take a hot shower
• Walk around until I can't, and go to a buffet and replenish carbs and nutrients
• Come home
• Make sure my legs are stretched out and not killing me, and work on some homework
• Call it a night and go to bed

It seems simple enough when I write it all down, but the most important part of it all is finishing that race in enough time for it to count. If you read and see something I missed that I should have on there, please let me know, and I will add it to my written list.

This journey has been hard. I knew I wanted to change something about myself, and I believe I have already, but there is still a lot more I want to change. I hope that you will keep following my blog even after I run my marathon, and work towards my new goals of half marathons throughout the year. So you know I am up to suggestions for a more permanent name for my blog after I run my marathon, because the marathon is just the beginning.

Thanks for reading today, and remember I really don't like the treadmill, I though it was a torture device of some sort before, but now I just get bored.

Also to Holly who sent me the message, you are a brave woman giving up Caffeine. I think I will follow that example as well.

Until Next Time,
Riley

12-3-13 4 Days to go

So I have a marathon coming up if you haven't heard about it. I have been looking at the weather reports for the day of the race, which it will be starting at around 20ish degrees outside, and will be close to 40 by the time I am finishing up the race. So I will be thinking warm thoughts as I run.

12-2-13 Mental Health Run

Today was one of those runs that I needed to de-junk my brain. The junk builds up almost always when I have a critique at school that doesn't go in the slightest bit favorable. I am frustrated with my art right now. And having a marathon this Saturday doesn't bode well for time. Next week I have 3 big assignments due... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Well onto my run recap. It was really short. I counted my cadence, which is around 160 at my long distance running speed. Apparently the ideal is 180. The ideal meaning that the body runs at that speed the best (or something like that). I figured it out by counting the strikes of my right foot over a minute. When I pushed myself to 180 I was going at the pace I did for my run last Thursday.

It took the run today to get my head in order. I will be able to keep things in order upstairs a little better.

Well thanks for reading,

-Riley