I'm going offline for a month starting tomorrow, and I want to get my race report up. It's already a month late, but better late than never.
Having already done the Disney Princess Half Marathon in February, I was able to build on that training for the Illinois Half Marathon. I increased my running time from 1 minute per cycle to 2 (I do a run/walk interval of 4 minutes walking and 2 minutes running). During training I felt great and was pretty fast (for me). I went into the race knowing that, barring extreme bad luck, I was going to set a personal record. My previous record had been 3:06:06, and I was aiming for 3:02.
As I was moving toward the start line, I suddenly got a blank spot in the right side of my vision. That is always the first sign of a migraine headache. I couldn't believe it--this was supposed to be my PR day, and I was about to have blinding pain! I decided to just keep going and, if I had to, stop at a medical station to be picked up.
During the first two miles, the blind spot got bigger. It got so big, in fact, I had trouble seeing my watch. But I stuck with my 4:2 interval. During miles 2-4, the blind spot started shrinking. It's usually about that time that the pain hits, but I didn't get any pain. I did start getting the pins-and-needles tingling along my right side, another of my usual migraine symptoms, but it wasn't enough to make me slow down. In fact, I averaged 14 minute miles for the first 7 miles. By that time, all of my migraine symptoms were gone. I never did get any pain. Very weird.
One of my usual problems on race day is that I start out too fast and burn out around mile 10. My strategy for this race was to intentionally hold back in the first half and then push a little harder in the second. As I said, I averaged 14 minute miles during the first 7 miles, which was exactly what I had planned to do. From miles 7-11, I averaged 13 minute miles! I felt really strong the whole time. Coach Terry was working that stretch of the course and ran a couple miles with me. He told me several times how well I was doing. He had run with a few other TNT racers and said none of them were doing as well as me. I ended up passing several of them during that stretch.
Miles 11-13 were a little harder. I slowed back down to 14 minute miles, but that was still better than I had expected. The TNT tent was just outside the stadium where we finished. Papa Runner was waiting on that corner to cheer me on. As soon as I saw him, I started yelling, "PR! PR!" I headed into the stadium and across the field, finishing in 2:58:22! I was more than 3.5 minutes faster than I had expected, and almost 8 minutes faster than my previous record!
As I crossed the start line with early symptoms of a migraine, I wasn't sure I'd finish. Instead I crossed the finish line triumphant! I don't currently have another race lined up, but I will probably do 1 or 2 halves this summer/fall and make the Big Push for my first Full Marathon in January.
(Papa Runner also ran this race and also set a PR of 2:18:18--15 seconds faster than his previous best.)
___________________________________
Second race report:
Last weekend I did my first 5k. You'd think having done 5 half marathons I'd have done some shorter races, but no. I knew from my previous race that I was capable of doing 13 minute miles for 4 miles in the middle of a half marathon, so I wanted to do better than that for a race that's only 3.1. During my few weeks of training between races, I shortened my walking ratio from 4 minutes to 3. On race day I decided, what the heck, let's do 2 minutes walking. I did 2:2s through the whole race.
I did my first mile in 12 minutes. That's really fast for me. There were several others who were doing run/walk intervals at the back of the pack, and we kept passing each other over and over. I did my second mile in 11 minutes! I was really surprised. By this point, all the other run/walkers had switched to just walking, and I didn't see them again after the half-way point. My third mile was closer to 13 minutes, but still pretty fast for me. Final time was 36:55. Pretty good for my first 5k. When they announced the age group winners, I was actually ahead of the ladies who won the 40-49 and 60+ age groups. There are a few 5k's in my area this summer that I'd like to do. They make for good speed training as I build toward my first full marathon.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
I'm Grateful to Be a Mother
This Mother's Day, as I do every year, I am thankful that I am able to watch my children grow up. I am the proud mother of four beautiful children, including a set of twins. While we are all healthy and happy now, our story could have been very different.
I had a wonderful, easy first pregnancy until around thirty weeks when I started having episodes of racing heartbeat and shortness of breath. I also started swelling quite a bit. My OB said my symptoms were just normal pregnancy stuff and that I shouldn’t worry. At my 34 week checkup, I had gained ten pounds in two weeks. My blood pressure was up a little, but “not enough to be concerning.” However, because I was obviously having trouble breathing, he gave me samples of an allergy medicine and told me to come back on Friday.
That Friday, at 35 weeks even, I had gained another four pounds in three days, was dipping +3 protein, and had a headache and spots in my vision as well as brisk reflexes. The OB wouldn’t even let me drive myself to the hospital. I had severe preeclampsia with central nervous system involvement, and would have to deliver within 48 hours.
I had never heard of preeclampsia before that day. I had no idea that my symptoms meant I was on the brink of a stroke or seizure. I had no idea that I was very quickly heading toward HELLP syndrome (another condition I had never heard of), and that my liver and kidneys were headed toward failure. If I hadn't gone to the hospital when I did, if I had tried to tough it out through the weekend until my next appointment, I very easily could have died. I also didn't know that my baby was being affected. She was mildly growth restricted, weighing just 4lb 4oz and with almost no body fat. She had trouble regulating her temperature for her first 6 months of life due to the lack of insulation.
Preeclampsia and related disorders are a leading cause of maternal and infant illness and death. They affect 5-8% of pregnancies and are responsible for 76,000 maternal and 500,000 infant deaths a year globally. Preeclampsia is characterized by high blood pressure and protein in the urine. Other symptoms may include excessive swelling, sudden weight gain, nausea and vomiting, abdominal and/or shoulder pain, lower back pain, headache, visual disturbances, hyperreflexia, racing pulse, shortness of breath, mental confusion, and anxiety. Eclampsia is diagnosed when the condition progresses to seizures and/or stroke. HELLP syndrome involves hemolysis (breaking down of red blood cells), elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets. There is no known cause and no way to prevent the condition. If caught early enough, it can be possible to slow the progression so that baby can have more time to grow, although sometimes the condition strikes so quickly there is no time to wait. The only cure is delivery. In rare cases the condition will get worse before it gets better even after birth. In fact, it's possible to develop preeclampsia as late as 6 weeks post partum.
Preeclampsia can strike any woman. It is more likely to occur in a first pregnancy, but can happen in any pregnancy. Risk factors include age (both teenagers and age 35+ are at greater risk), obesity, having high blood pressure outside of pregnancy, kidney disorders, diabetes (type I, II, and gestational), blood clotting disorders, autoimmune diseases, and carrying multiples. Preeclampsia usually only strikes once, but some women, including myself, get it more than once. The earlier and more severely it occurs, the greater the risk that it will happen again.
After my scary first birth, I was closely monitored in subsequent pregnancies. My second baby was also induced prematurely due to preeclampsia, although I had a milder case with no brain swelling and made it to 37 weeks. I then had a set of twins. I was diagnosed with pregnancy-induced high blood pressure at 22 weeks, and progressed to mild preeclampsia at 31 weeks. Within hours of giving birth at 36 weeks, I experienced severe post partum preeclampsia with brain swelling. As a three-time survivor, I am grateful that God saw fit to let my children and me live. Not everyone is as lucky, as I know from my time in an online support group. I now want to share my story to raise awareness. Every pregnant woman should know the signs and symptoms, and seek treatment promptly if she suspects a problem. If I had known what to look for, and if my doctor had taken my complaints more seriously, it's possible I could have carried my first daughter closer to term as I did my other children.
In addition to raising awareness, this year I am raising money for the Preeclampsia Foundation. On May 22, I will be running a 5K for Chicago's Promise Walk for Preeclampsia. If you wish to donate, you can visit my fundraising website and make a secure online donation.
The Promise Walk for Preeclampsia
More information can be found at the Preeclampsia Foundation.
I had a wonderful, easy first pregnancy until around thirty weeks when I started having episodes of racing heartbeat and shortness of breath. I also started swelling quite a bit. My OB said my symptoms were just normal pregnancy stuff and that I shouldn’t worry. At my 34 week checkup, I had gained ten pounds in two weeks. My blood pressure was up a little, but “not enough to be concerning.” However, because I was obviously having trouble breathing, he gave me samples of an allergy medicine and told me to come back on Friday.
That Friday, at 35 weeks even, I had gained another four pounds in three days, was dipping +3 protein, and had a headache and spots in my vision as well as brisk reflexes. The OB wouldn’t even let me drive myself to the hospital. I had severe preeclampsia with central nervous system involvement, and would have to deliver within 48 hours.
I had never heard of preeclampsia before that day. I had no idea that my symptoms meant I was on the brink of a stroke or seizure. I had no idea that I was very quickly heading toward HELLP syndrome (another condition I had never heard of), and that my liver and kidneys were headed toward failure. If I hadn't gone to the hospital when I did, if I had tried to tough it out through the weekend until my next appointment, I very easily could have died. I also didn't know that my baby was being affected. She was mildly growth restricted, weighing just 4lb 4oz and with almost no body fat. She had trouble regulating her temperature for her first 6 months of life due to the lack of insulation.
Preeclampsia and related disorders are a leading cause of maternal and infant illness and death. They affect 5-8% of pregnancies and are responsible for 76,000 maternal and 500,000 infant deaths a year globally. Preeclampsia is characterized by high blood pressure and protein in the urine. Other symptoms may include excessive swelling, sudden weight gain, nausea and vomiting, abdominal and/or shoulder pain, lower back pain, headache, visual disturbances, hyperreflexia, racing pulse, shortness of breath, mental confusion, and anxiety. Eclampsia is diagnosed when the condition progresses to seizures and/or stroke. HELLP syndrome involves hemolysis (breaking down of red blood cells), elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets. There is no known cause and no way to prevent the condition. If caught early enough, it can be possible to slow the progression so that baby can have more time to grow, although sometimes the condition strikes so quickly there is no time to wait. The only cure is delivery. In rare cases the condition will get worse before it gets better even after birth. In fact, it's possible to develop preeclampsia as late as 6 weeks post partum.
Preeclampsia can strike any woman. It is more likely to occur in a first pregnancy, but can happen in any pregnancy. Risk factors include age (both teenagers and age 35+ are at greater risk), obesity, having high blood pressure outside of pregnancy, kidney disorders, diabetes (type I, II, and gestational), blood clotting disorders, autoimmune diseases, and carrying multiples. Preeclampsia usually only strikes once, but some women, including myself, get it more than once. The earlier and more severely it occurs, the greater the risk that it will happen again.
After my scary first birth, I was closely monitored in subsequent pregnancies. My second baby was also induced prematurely due to preeclampsia, although I had a milder case with no brain swelling and made it to 37 weeks. I then had a set of twins. I was diagnosed with pregnancy-induced high blood pressure at 22 weeks, and progressed to mild preeclampsia at 31 weeks. Within hours of giving birth at 36 weeks, I experienced severe post partum preeclampsia with brain swelling. As a three-time survivor, I am grateful that God saw fit to let my children and me live. Not everyone is as lucky, as I know from my time in an online support group. I now want to share my story to raise awareness. Every pregnant woman should know the signs and symptoms, and seek treatment promptly if she suspects a problem. If I had known what to look for, and if my doctor had taken my complaints more seriously, it's possible I could have carried my first daughter closer to term as I did my other children.
In addition to raising awareness, this year I am raising money for the Preeclampsia Foundation. On May 22, I will be running a 5K for Chicago's Promise Walk for Preeclampsia. If you wish to donate, you can visit my fundraising website and make a secure online donation.
The Promise Walk for Preeclampsia
More information can be found at the Preeclampsia Foundation.
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