December 6, 2008 - Podiatrist

My heel is healed!!!!!!

December 5, 2008 - anxious to run

Well, I didn't exercise but I have missed blogging so I'm posting anyway. So there! I guess it's my blog though...

Anyhoo, tomorrow is my follow-up podiatrist appointment. Wish me luck!!

November 28, 2008 - random "excercise"

Tonight the extended family went to the Monett (Missouiri) YMCA to play around. I decided it was the prime time to try out an elliptical. It certainly was an interesting experience. I really couldn't coordinate myself very well. I did a mile in 13:51. It really does give a nice, whole-body work out though. Then I did 10 minutes on the rowing machine. I only went 1340 meters (I think...if I read the thing right...).

Saturday, December 6th, is my next podiatrist appointment. Here's hoping for a healed heel!!!

November 18, 2008 - 7.09 miles

I used the stationary bike at Matt's grandparents' house. I rode for 30 minutes and went 7.09 miles. I didn't constantly do the arms though, I couldn't.

I had a dream I was running and it felt so good. I wasn't supposed to be running, even in my dream. "Fortunately" I have a horrible head-cold that leaves me wanting to do nothing so I won't be going on any illegal jaunts.

November 10, 2008 - Yoga

Well, there's nothing like 45 minutes of yoga for the first time in years to make this runner feel horribly out of shape. Now I wish I had cross-trained! Ugh! It was a good thing I was by myself because it was rather comical. I'll have to get used to it, because it's all I have for a month. I am hoping to get out on my bike some too but it will depend on time and daylight. Matt talked about getting a trainer for winter riding. I'm thinking sooner is better than later.

I wish I could run. And there's nothing that increases the desire to run more than to have someone tell you not to run. *sigh* I will just have to wait until December 6th. Absolutely no running... I must be a runner if I'm missing it.

November 8, 2008 - 2 mile

I ran my 2 miles this morning outside. It went pretty well. My foot was bothering a little bit. I didn't put my knee straps on which was a mistake for my left knee. I finished the 2 miles in 22:07.07

I finally had my podiatrist appointment today. It ends up that I have a stress fracture in my left heel. "So that's why my foot hurts!" I said. So my doctor said no running for three weeks. None! It will actually be four weeks because my next appointment is in a month. *sigh* I will have to turn my attention (and motivation) to other types of exercise.

November 7, 2008 - 1 mile

Another treadmill mile this morning. I finished in 10:52. My left foot definitely is feeling better but I'll probably still go to the podiatrist. I'll probably end up feeling like I wasted time at $25 but oh well! I'm planning (right now) to run a mile or two earlier tomorrow morning just to see how it behaves on pavement without the give of a treadmill.

Here's hoping!

November 4, 2008 - 1 mile

I ran one mile on the treadmill this morning in 12 minutes. My left foot still hurt enough to not want to push for two miles but seemed improved. I don't know if it's because the treadmill helped absorb some of the shock or because my foot's actually healing. We'll see. I have a podiatrist appointment for Saturday morning. As of right now, I'm keeping the appointment.

I also exercised my right to vote this morning!

November 1, 2008 - Lakefront 50/50: Official support team

Bethie was running a 50K so I commandeered babysitting (Matt had to work) and headed downtown with my bike to cheer her on. So as to not have to backout in case kid-watching fell through, I decided to surprise her. I made it down to the start with about 15 minutes to spare so I was able to say hi before she started her 31 mile race.

Here's me, Bethie and Danielle before the race starts. Notice I already have helmet head. Sad.

I decided to bring my bike because I wasn't confident that my foot would hold out to actually run with her. Since the course is in 3 loops, I figured my bike would be an excellent way to jump from spot to spot as needed, cheering as necessary. The only problem with that method is that I have not ridden my bike in, oh, about 4 years. As a result, my rear end, quads, shoulders and even hands were not happy with me by the end of the day. But they can just deal with it because the whole experience was totally worth it!


After saying hello to Bethie, I road a mile or so to the first water spot. Here I found Kathy, who's husband was running. She was at the table by herself and asked me if I had seen any porta-potties. I hadn't but offered to stand it while she went searching. I ended up staying at this water station until well after I had seen Bethie and crew run by.

Here they are now!

I stayed and chatted with Kathy for a while after that and then went on my merry way. I found the next station that was about half-way through the out-and-back and hung out there briefly. Then I met up with Bethie and crew at the final station near to the turn-around. I road next to them (feeling very lazy for being on a bike) until we got back to the original water station. I filled in for Kathy again and waited until Beth came back by. The rest of the time I spent riding next to her.

Here we are together!

Beth was amazing! She had a blister since mile seven but finished strong! I'm so very proud of her. We had fun chatting along the way then singing for the last 8 miles. Seriously, that woman knows a lot of lyrics! I was having lots of issues effectively getting off of my bike and getting the correct seat height and not having the seat slide down with me on it! In the end, I think I biked ~25 miles with ~21 miles as official Bethie support crew. What a reintroduction to biking!

And I'm happy to report that biking does not make my foot hurt. I will be attempting to run again but at least I have a suitable cross-training if I need to rest from running for some time. (More on that later.)

A big congratulations to Beth the Ultra-Marathoner!!! I'm so proud of you!! Thanks for letting me be part of your first 50K!!! And if I haven't said it recently....

You're AWESOME!!!

October 29, 2008 - 1 mile

Ugh.

Arch hurt immediately.

Ran 1 mile in 11:14.63

Now icing and very sad. =(

October 26, 2008 - 2 miles

Brrr...this evening's run was chilly. I went out intending to go for 2, hopefully 3 miles. But my left arch is still bothering me when running. So I opted for 2 miles. There's no sense in further injurying myself. It was a good and much needed run. I do wish I could have run for longer, but I need to give my foot time to heal. I finished the two miles in 22:42 and iced after my run.

October 23, 2008 - 2 mile run

I finally made it out for my first run after the marathon. I had planned to run yesterday morning but overslept. Then I decided to run on my treadmill but that involved moving toys and not falling asleep watching SNL skits online. So I set multiple alarms and ran this morning. I decided to run outside because, let's face it, running on the treadmill can be boring and I will have to resort to that sometimes during the winter. Why start now? Anywho, the run went pretty well. I finished 2 miles in 24:01.35 I feel I have recovered nicely from the marathon. Ironically, better than I did for the 20 miler. My right hip was tight but my hips are always tight. The biggest issue is my left foot/arch is still quite sore. I'm worried about developing a heel spur (if I haven't already). So I'm not sure what to do. Whether to go to a podiatrist now or wait and see. Honestly, I'm worried an M.D. will tell me to stop running and that's not an option in my mind. Right now, I'm behaving like my grandmother did and thinking if I ignore it and not go, then there isn't a problem. Mind over matter, right?

Hmmm...

On the off-chance that this method doesn't work, how sore is sore enough to go to the doctor? I mean, it is improving...

October 18, 2008 - The Indianapolis Marathon

The Marathon.



The Marathon!




The MARATHON!!!




There so much still swirling around in my head about the run. To sum up: it was awesome!!!



Beth and I took Friday off from work so we could travel down to Indianapolis and pick up our packet. I do so love waking up on a Friday and not have to go into work. As William put it when he woke up that morning, "I'm happy!" I finished my packing Friday morning and checked roughly 245,375,748,728,867 times that I had my running stuff. Naturally, my "Aunt Flo" decided to visit that morning, so after dropping Isabelle off at school, William and I swung by Walgreens to pick up supplies. Fortunately for me, Beth called saying she was also running late. After Walgreens, I headed into the in-laws to drop off William and vacuum the equivalent of a box of cheerios out of my car. Ah, kids. Then it was off to pick up Beth!


The ride to Indianapolis was relatively uneventful. Beth amused me with stories from her job..."Where'd you get that?...From my butt!"...and we laughed at various billboards in Indiana..."Thinking of becoming Catholic? We're waiting for you."..."Jesus (serene clouds)...Hell (torturous flames!)". I'm pretty sure it was the longest ride ever. Especially when waiting in Indianapolis area traffic ("How can there be this much traffic in Indiana?"). When we finally made it to the expo, I was excited. Until I walked in. First of all, I felt like a mouse searching for cheese in that maze-thing with all the twists and turns they had to get to the registration table. Beth pointed out that the race numbers only went up to 6,000. I commented that I heard it was around that number but she reminded me that it was 6,000 total for the full marathon, the half marathon and the 5K. At that point, we figured we might be the only ones running the full marathon. We were happy with the tech shirts. We had to pay an extra $10 bucks to get them but I'm glad I did. Then the rest of the expo was a disappointment. I did pick up some Shot Bloks and Sport Beans for the marathon. So after a long ride and 15 minutes at the expo it was back to the car to drive another hour (back the way we came) to my sister's house.


I love staying with my sister. She's such a good hostess and an amazing cook too! She made us a pasta dinner with homemade pesto (so good!) and we visited awhile before heading off to bed. Just before my alarm went off the next morning, I had a dream about the marathon. I dreamt that it was run in the grass with about 30 grade school kids. Right away a kid fell and Beth stayed back to help them, telling me to keep going. I did and realized what an odd course it was. Part of the course was run in my parents' basement and my mom was there watching TV. We stopped to eat a pot roast too. I was stressed about stopping to eat but Beth said, "we have to eat!". Finally we started again, completing the laps in my folks' basement. Beth must have gone to help another runner because she showed up again, only this time in just a bra and underwear. "What?" I asked, obviously confused. "Well, this guy forgot pants so I gave him mine." I was baffled but we left my parents' house and continued with the run. Then I realized that I didn't have my running shoes on. "I can't run a whole marathon in bare feet!" I exclaimed. Beth told me to go back to my folks' house and get my shoes since we weren't that far away yet. I did so, stressing even more about the wasted time. I decided that I would take my car back to get my shoes to save on time. Only instead of driving in my car, I used a remote control to drive the car while I continued running in front of it! Needless to say, it was difficult for me to accomplish this task and since I was so focused with driving the car by remote control while in front of it, I missed the road back and ended up on the entrance ramp to the highway. In a panic about missing more of the race, I decided to U-turn on the ramp and ended up crashing my car in the side wall. It turns out that there was a man in my car and the police showed up right away, so I left them there and started to run back. At this point in the dream, my alarm went off and I woke up with the thought, It's time for the actual marathon.


In preparation for running, I wanted to have freshly painted toenails in SuperJulia Blue. So first thing, I painted then continued getting ready. Since we had an hour drive we left around 6:40 a.m. Once again we hadn't counted on the traffic to get there and get parked. While we were waiting in a long line of cars, Beth rolled down her window. Odd, I thought, since it was a cool morning. "Are you okay?" I asked.
"I think I might throw up," Beth responded.
"Do you need me to pull over?" I asked.
"I don't know," she said initially followed quickly by a "yes".
Before I had a chance to though, she was throwing up outside of Roxy. After which, Beth turned to me and said, "I really need to work on my projectile vomiting!" Or, just a thought, not vomiting at all! Some oh-so-handy baby wipes and a stick of gum later, we were back in line for parking.

I swear it took forever to park. I was so nervous about missing the start. Plus, I needed to go to the bathroom first. We finally parked and quickly donned our surgical gowns (to stay warm) and were starting towards the start line when I remembered I had forgotten my tissues. And it's a good thing I went back for the tissues because I had also forgotten to put on my knee brace and knee straps! That would have been a very, very bad thing! I grabbed the reminder of my items and we were on our way to the start line...well, to the port-o-potties.


Naturally, there were lines for the port-o-potties. Although I was amused that they were called "Hoosier" Potties, I was mainly nervous about making it to the start. They were singing the national anthem. I was hurriedly putting on my knee brace and straps. Probably having had enough for my fidgeting and worrying, Beth hugged me. "It will be okay. We are chip-timed. Better to start a little late then stop on the course," she assured me. I tried to calm down. We made it to the front of the line. Once inside the Hoosier Potty, I had some logistical problems, including dropping my "supplies" and my sunglasses. The stink was making me gag too. "You've changed poopy diapers," I told myself. "You can handle a port-o-potty!" I was happy they had hand sanitizer available, although I had my travel keychain one attached to my hydration belt. Yes, you read correctly...I had mine with me. Beth said I wouldn't care about hand sanitizing during the run, but I did care so I brought it with me.


The race officially started when we were walking to our place in line. The firetruck blew it's horn when we were right next to it. Still nervous and already out of my surgical gown, I asked Beth, "should we jump in here?!" "Absolutely not," she calmly replied. "These are the 8-minute milers." Later she added that she had not wanted us to become marathon roadkill. We continued walking back to the 12-minute pace. All the way, Beth's Garmin was searching for the satellites and I was searching for a trash can for my surgical gown. None was found so we left them on the side to be picked up by the volunteers. I began to relax when the Garmin found the satellites and we found our place in line in time to start with everyone else. I was not stretched or warmed up at all but I was counting on the adrenaline to help me through any tightness (which it did).


All-in-all, I don't think I could have asked for a better "first marathon". The weather was gorgeous, in the 60's and sunny. Plus, my knees felt great! The first 12 miles of the race was run with the 1/2 marathoners and initially through some residential sections. I felt like we were making the petals of a daisy or something with the mini-loops we made always taking us back near the start. There were some places that had people playing music. The first we encountered was basically two guys with a speaker, a microphone and a karaoke machine. Guy #1 (numbering only, not a ranking designation...) was dressed as Elvis and singing some sad ballad about crying. When we passed them the second time, Guy #2 was singing. I was thinking about how he was dressed and realized he was supposed to be Meatloaf. Seriously?! I asked Beth if it was a bad thing that all I wanted to do was run away from them. Later on there was a much better band playing. I enjoyed them.


Most of the running through residential sections was a non-event. But some people were out to watch the race. One house owner even let a runner use the bathroom and offered it to the other people passing by. The fan support was more for the 1/2 marathoners and my philosophy was that the "good" spectators (i.e. those who cheered for everyone) probably had either run in a race themselves or had family/friends who had run before and informed them how nice it is to cheer everyone on. Some volunteers and kids were waiting for high-fives. And I took every high-five I could get.

Several miles took us through a forest preserve. I was a little worried when we had to run through some wood chips because I thought the whole thing might be wood chips and I was not prepared for it. But it was mainly paved. It was a very scenic portion of the run and like I said, a gorgeous day. The unfortunate part was that between miles 9 and 10 there were some hills. Beth advised me to walk up the hills to save my knee. After running up a smaller hill, I knew she was right and walked the larger one. We took advantage of the downhill though. I was a little worried when we passed a sign saying "Steep grade ahead! Use extreme caution!" Not a sign I want to see! But we survived and ran some negative splits even!

Once we were "out of the woods"...yes, I'm corny and yes, I said this while we were running...it was back towards where we started. At mile 12, the 1/2 marathoners split from the full marathoners to finish their race while we continued onward to our second half. It was an odd feeling to have most of the people we were running with head left while the selected few kept going. A little bit of jealousy on my part that they were almost done. The split felt very symbolic in some ways...the road for me was different. Once on that road there was no turning back. From that point on, I was running a marathon.

The rest of the race was an out and back. Not the most fun way to divide up that last 13 miles. This portion of the race was mainly digging deep. But there were some portions that stood out.

Just before mile 13, there was a dead squirrel in our path that Beth and I saw at precisely the same time. Causing us to scream (loudly) at precisely the same time. Also, causing us to jump to the sides in a perfectly coordinated and synchronized way. I wonder what the people behind us thought of that? Shortly after was the 1/2 way timing mat. My 13.1 mile split was 2:43:31, a 12:26 pace. Not too shabby. Beth was a second before me (literally).

Beth was running an amazing marathon. Did I fail to mention that this was her second marathon in 6 days? Yeah. Plus, she was queasy. Seriously. She's a great pacer too. I had fresh legs and had no excuse for a bad run. She had every excuse but was running a great race! Seriously, rock star status! After mile 16, she said she was going to walk some but I should keep going if I wanted to. I said I was going to keep going. About two miles later I realized that she probably stopped to puke and shame on me for not realizing it and completely leaving my friend. I learned after the race, that she had indeed puked...three times...but would have been angry if I stayed with her. That just elevated her rock star status...she felt bad but still put my race first. Selfless I tell you.

The rest of the marathon I ran alone. I was always in view of someone and mainly focused on counting down the miles. Just after the 17th mile water station, I decided to use the Hoosier Potty. It was a near miss as the potty was positioned on a slight decline. I seriously just about fell on the pot when I closed the door because of the angle. Fortunately, it didn't come to that and I continued on my way. My hand sanitizer did come in handy too. Even after 17 miles, I did still care...I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. =)

One of the inspirational sayings about running says: "I tell our runners to divide the race into thirds. Run the first part with your head, the middle part with your personality, and the last part with your heart." --Mike Fanelli Well, when I got to mile 19, my mantra became, "I'm running this part with my heart." Several times I said this to myself. I said it when I ran past Beth, who instantly was cheering me own and looking fabulous herself. I remember it when I stopped drinking the Gatorade they had because it was too syrupy and upset my stomach (I still drank water and had my Shot Bloks for the electrolytes). At mile 22, my left arch began to really hurt. I did some of what I call "sanity walking", which is about a minute of walking per mile to give my body a "rest". Over and over, I reminded myself, "I'm running this part with my heart." The last 4.2 miles were difficult. I was always in sight of other runners (including one guy "checking out nature" in the woods...oops!), but my body was worn out. "Four miles, you can run four miles," I told myself. Then at 3 miles, "it's only a 5K. You're not going to let a 5K beat you, are you?" Between two to three miles left, I ran by three men. "How are you doing?" the one guy asked.
"Everything hurts!" I exclaimed.
He smiled and replied, "Well, you look good!"
"Thanks," I answered then added "it's my first marathon."
"Way to go!" he encouraged. "Only about 2 1/2 miles left. The last mile is the easiest. All the pain goes away."
"I'm holding you to that," I responded. He laughed again.

In some ways he was right, the last mile was somewhat "easy". Actually it was more like the last 1/2 mile. There wasn't very much of a crowd lining the last mile. But there was one man at about 1/2 mile left. Then I was able to see the finish line. It was almost surreal, finishing my first marathon. For while it was more like finishing a training run. Until I heard my name. There was an announcer calling out the names of the people finishing. He saw me for long enough that he said my name twice. And then it set in. I was finishing a marathon. I crossed the finish line with both fists pumping in the air.

Not only had I met my primary goal of finishing, I also met my secondary goal of finishing in about 5 1/2 hours. My final time was 5:31:13, a 12:38 pace.

Of course, as painless as finishing a marathon may be, it doesn't take long for the pain to catch up. Immediately after finishing, a volunteer cut the chip off of my shoe. Only I had to lift my foot off the ground and put it on a bar about 8 inches off the ground...not easy to do and maintain balance. Then I received my medal and the emotions took over. I couldn't believe I had done it.

Beth came in 9 minutes after me with a 10 minute PR over her time 6 days before. She promptly threw up in a nearby trash (she would vomit only once more on the way back to Chicago...on Roxy again...after paying for a carwash...then buying me another car wash). Afterwards she turned to me and said, "next time I think about doing something this stupid...remind my how AWESOME I am!!" I'm so proud of her for two marathons in 6 days and for PRing in both of them! Now she can become a member of Marathon Maniacs! =)

Back at my sister's house, Beth broke out the foam roller and the stick. Seriously, ouch. Beth foam rollered me and it hurt a ton. But it was a good hurt at the same time. My left arch still hurt and stairs were hard for my quads to manage.

I feel like this marathon is really only the beginning. Where it leads to has yet to be determined. One thing's for sure...this is not the end of my running adventures!

October 15, 2008 - Last training run: 2 miles

My 2 miles this morning was just about on pace. Total time was 23:48.

That's it. The next time I run will be the Marathon on Saturday.

October 14, 2008 - 4 miles

The morning came entirely too quickly today. Despite wanting to stay in my cozy bed, I ventured out for 4 miles. I decided this morning was an ipod kind of morning. It was nice to listen to Superchic[k] when running. Actually it's been a while since I've run with music. I finished the 4 miles in 46:08 and I'm happy about that. Only one more training run left before the marathon. Pure craziness. Today I'm feeling pretty confident. I'd feel more confident if my left knee (and leg, really) was feeling better. I'm praying it holds out for the big race on Saturday. I've come so far...not finishing is not an option.

October 13, 2008 - 3 miles

Well here they are, the last three training runs. I skipped the weekend's run altogether. It was just too difficult timing-wise to get it in. This morning I ran 3 miles in 35:51 just a smidge under pace. Perfect. It's hard to believe I'm in the last week of training. The Chicago marathon was Sunday. I wasn't able to cheer on my friends in person but I watched the coverage on TV and played the role of stalker and monitored them online (hey, the TV said I could!). Although I haven't heard about their personal experiences yet, they all finished and did awesome! I'm so proud! Watching the coverage (the part I was able to watch focused on the elite runners) was interesting. Basically, I was left thinking, "What the heck have I gotten myself into???". My mind is pretty much in denial. My legs, enjoying the taper, probably think I'm done for the winter. My stomach, however, seems to know better and is fluttery. So, during this morning's run, I was again thinking about the road that brought me to this point, to The Marathon. Why did I, of all people, think I could do this? Why did I, of all people, think this was something worth doing? Honestly, I don't have an answer for either of those questions. But I do notice a change in me that has happened since I started back into running last March. There's a physical change, yes. But I'm talking more about the mental change.
I've gained a sense of pride in setting a goal, a goal seemingly impossible, and working towards the goal as well as being on the brink of actually achieving that goal. And not just with running a marathon, really in any aspect of life.
I've gained a sense of self-worth. Granted, I have a long way to go in truly seeing myself as someone of worth. I still see my physical flaws, my character flaws. But it lessens when doing something for myself. I feel like I am beginning to see myself through my husband's eyes. And, more importantly, through God's eyes. Eyes that see beyond what the world sees, beyond what the world expects. Eyes that see His creation and says that it is good. It's ironic that I have difficulty loving myself when God, who created all things, can love me. I am definitely not higher than God to say that I am not of worth!
Which brings me to my next gain...I've gained a stronger relationship with Christ. Granted this is not just through running; Matt and I have also been part of a couples Bible study. But the time spent running, sometimes listening to Christian alternative music, sometimes alone with my thoughts, sometimes in prayer, has strengthened my walk with God. Again, definitely an area that still needs growth! =)
Hopefully, I gained the opportunity to be a role model for my kids, especially my daughter. Today I was thinking of something she said to me the other day. I was asking her if she had gotten a participants ribbon for the race she ran last Saturday (when she ran awesome, running the whole mile, but happened to finish last). She said no, because it's too big of a meet to hand out ribbons to everyone. "But I know I'll get a medal when we do our race together, Mommy. Because all the losers get medals." Obviously, you see what caught my attention. I was quick to explain that it is the finishers that get medals and it doesn't matter if we're first or last but that we do our best. I thought a lot about how she worded that. I hope she can see her slow Mommy and realize that it's not about the place. That it's okay to be the slowest person out there. And that it's also okay to be the fastest person out there. The point is to do your best.
When I was in high school, an issue of Runner's World had a poster that I put on my wall. It said, "It's not about how fast or how far. It's about how running makes you feel." This has been at the front of my mind throughout this journey. But as the nerves about next Saturday grow, I really am beginning to appreciate that statement more and more. I really am beginning to appreciate the changes in myself. I thank God for this opportunity He's given me through running. And I pray that I make it to the finish line next Saturday. I know it will be hard. But I now know it will be worth it.

October 11, 2008 - GO BETHIE!!!

Good luck to everyone running the Chicago Marathon!!! I'll be praying for you all!!!

October 9, 2008 - 6 miles

I had a nice run this morning. 6 miles in 1:12:26. I was a little frustrated with my time when I finished because I had run the first 3 miles in 35:38-ish which meant I had slowed down for the last 3 miles. I just was feeling like I haven't been able to get at least the 12-minute miles! Then I thought about it and realized that my average pace for this run was ~12:04. And that's not far from a 12 minute pace. So I need to quit with the whining and be glad. After all "there's no crying in baseball." Fortunately (or unfortunately, for my friends and family) this is running... which to me means I'm allowed to cry a lot.

Anyway, since I have new running shoes, my old ones are now everyday shoes. But since they are exactly the same band/model/color of shoe, my kids still think of them as my "running shoes". This morning as I was slipping them on to go out the door, William asked, "Mommy? Those your faster shoes?"
"Yes. 'Faster shoes.' Let's go with that," I replied. Faster than what?? That's a whole different kettle of fish. =)

October 7, 2008 - 3 mile run

Ran 3 miles this morning in 36:39. Definitely not the most enjoyable run.

Only a week and a half until the marathon.

October 6, 2008 - 4 mile run

4 miles this morning. My first mile was ~11 minutes. Very exciting. Other three were 12's for a total time of 46:57. I was disappointed but probably shouldn't be. My left knee was a little tighter but once I stopped babying my right hip, the left knee felt better.

The marathon is looming...

October 4, 2008 - 8 miles

This morning I ran my 8 miles on my own. Isabelle had her cross country meet at 9 a.m. so I needed to stay close to home. My run went well. My left knee was sore but really seemed to hold up well. I have 2 more weeks (tapering weeks no less) so I'm hoping it will be okay. I can't believe I only have 2 weeks until the marathon. I don't really want to think about it.

I finished 8 miles in 1:35:36. I stopped to pick up Isabelle's shoes from school so she could run and carried them for about the last 1.75 miles. I think running with shoes on my feet and in my hands must look just a tad odd.

After my 8 miles, I woke up the family to go to Isabelle's meet. Isabelle only had 3 meets this year and this was the last one, all 1-mile distances. The first one she did a combo sprint then walk and chat, then sprint then walk and chat, etc. Naturally, she still finished in 12:48. The second one she ran more at a slower pace with some walking. She PRed with 11:55. Today it was a bigger race with the 3 - 6 grade girls running one large loop (as opposed to only 3 - 4 girls together in two 1/2 mile loops). She started out a good pace but quickly fell to the back of the pack. After the kids ran by, us spectators moved to the next spot. Kids kept running by and running by. Finally I saw my little girl coming. Still last but not too far. I was cheering her on but she started walking. Then I noticed she was crying. I ran up to her, took her hand and started running with her.
"What's wrong??" I asked.
"It's so hard! It's so long! I'm so cold!" she cried.
I ran with her for about a quarter mile or so, reassuring her, encouraging her and, hopefully, giving her advice. The crowd was great. They saw she was so sad and they all cheered her on. She wanted to walk but I said let's just slow down a little but keep running. I knew she had it in her. We headed up the hill, "my knees!" she cried. "Can I walk down the hill?" I told her that down was the easy part (not that it is for my knees...) I told her down the hill and then in to the finish. She kicked it in the last bit and pulled away from me. I moved to the side, chasing her and cheering. My little fighter finished her race, last place, but to me, the biggest champion of the day. I was so proud! She ran the whole mile! I'm not sure what her time was because we left early to go apple picking. I told her coach and the other parents about Isabelle running the entire loop.
"You did awesome!!" I told her.
"But I came in last," she responded.
"I don't care what place you came in because you did your best," I praised.
Later on the way to the apple orchard I said again, "I'm just so proud of you! Sorry I keep saying it. I just can't help it!"
"That's okay Mommy. You can say it as much as you want."

October 2, 2008 - 3 mile run

I woke up late this morning but still went out for my 3 mile run. It was chilly too! My left knee was tight during mile two but otherwise okay. I ran the 3 miles in 32:59. Woohoo!

September 30, 2008 - 6 mile run

I woke up this morning and thought...I just want 10 more minutes of sleep. Fifteen minutes later I had another thought...new shoes! That's right! I bought my new shoes! And they made a huge difference! My left knee is still sore, understandably, and my right hip is tight but then again I have been running lots. It's amazing what cushioning can do for absorbing the pounding of running! I'm so happy. I did contemplate increasing my mileage this week but both Matt and Beth popped into my head stressing the importance of tapering. So I will, begrudgingly, taper. I finished the 6 miles today in 1:10:17.

September 29, 2008 - 4 mile run

This morning was a 4 mile run. I've decided to continue with my taper and consider last week gone. I struck out this morning with a knee brace and a knee strap on my left knee (yes...both) and a knee strap on my right knee. The run was refreshingly good. My form is awful and I had to spend mental energy correcting for it, especially my arms. My left knee was sore but held up. I'm really feeling the pounding of the pavement though. I'm not as enamored with my shoes as when they were new. But as of today they have 301 miles on them. That might have something to do with it! I made it two miles in 23:00 and I was excited about that. Somewhere around three miles though I stopped my watch and adjusted my knee strap. Apparently, I didn't turn it back on because when I checked my time at 3 1/2 miles it said 34 minutes. So based on my first 2 mile pace I was on track for a 46:00 final time and I don't think I was longer that 48 minutes. A very good run and very needed on a mental block level. I did have to watch out for the urban wildlife this morning though. A little yappy dog was being walked when I first started out. It's owner was shushing the dog and apologizing to me as I ran by. Then I saw a big raccoon lumbering about just after I passed the 2 mile mark but, thankfully, it crossed the street before I got to it. Not too long after that, a mouse or chipmunk darted across my path. Soon after that I saw another object a couple of blocks away. It wasn't moving so I was starting to plan how to get around it without bothering it. As I got closer, I realized that it wasn't an animal...it was a fire hydrant. Needless to say, I was able to run by that unscathed. I know, I know, I'm heroic. Finally, a biker nearly made me jump out of my skin because of his wandering head lamp. Plus, since I was listening to music, I didn't hear him coming up from behind me. Ah, early morning runs can be such an adventure in my imagination! I'm just so glad I enjoyed this run. It's been a couple weeks overdue.

September 27, 2008 - 4.46 miles

I only made it 4.46 miles today. At about 4 miles my left knee was giving me pain again. I walked a smidge but finished pretty well in 54:07. Despite not making it the 12 miles, I'm actually feeling encouraged about the state of my knee. It lasted longer than earlier this week! I'm hoping to go get some new shoes today. I had purchased a knee brace to try today but it felt odd so I ran with the knee strap instead. We'll see! 21 days until the marathon. If nothing else, I hope to at least finish!

September 25, 2008 - 2 miles

Set out for 5 miles.
Decided to be happy for 4.
Knee bothered me right away.
Changed to three miles.
Made it 2.04 miles in 25:03.
Walked 10 minutes home.
Marathon is three weeks away.
Really hoping my knee can hold out.
Really hoping I can boost up the training runs again.
And soon.

September 23, 2008 - 4 mile run

This morning I ran 4 miles. I'm switching around my mileage this week in an attempt to give my left knee some recovery. It held up pretty well this morning. My right hip flexor muscle was really tight but it loosened up after 2 miles. I'm been babying my left knee. Icing a lot, even at work, walking downstairs backwards, lots of ibuprofen, and wrapping it. I also didn't push it on my run this morning. While difficult to convince my upper body, lungs and heart that slower was better, I managed to stick to ~12:12 pace, finishing the 4 miles in 48:49.

I just did something stupid though. I had a meeting on the third floor at work. Going upstairs is fine on my knee, downstairs, not-so-much. But I was walking with coworkers and didn't want to go to the elevator on my own nor did I want to walk downstairs like a little kid or backwards. So I limped down regular. And now my left knee is screaming at me again. So much for babying it! Stupid pride! I iced some and have it wrapped for walking around at work. I'm not sure I'll get an 8 miler in this week. I'd rather not push it and have to bail on the marathon. I'll have to see how it goes tomorrow morning. I'm also seriously considering new shoes this week...no money budgeted though...but if new shoes would help my legs feel better it's worth swipping for.

September 21, 2008 - Ready to Run 20 miler

This morning was the Nike Ready to Run 20 miler. It was mentally and physically the most exhausting run to date. I ran it in 4 1/2 hours, 30 minutes longer than I wanted. But it was probably a miracle I finished at all because my left knee was screaming at me starting at mile 1 (yes...mile ONE). The weather was humid too. We started the run at a risk level yellow/moderate. At about 10:30 a.m., they updated it to risk level red/high due to the heat and humidity. I was not able to keep with the 12 minute group at all. I had to compromise because of my knees. During mile 17 I had to walk a little bit too. My legs were just so sore. They still are. The other issue was that I ran a large majority of the run by myself. I could always see someone but I didn't have anyone to pace with. Towards the beginning I did have Julie to run with for a few miles and that was great. It was nice and distracting to run with her. But she had to go to the bathroom and I kept going. Part of me wishes I had waited for her so I wasn't running so much on my own. I did end up seeing Melissa, Crystal and Candice later on but I didn't stay with them for very long. I still can't believe how hard this run was mentally. To run so long, in the heat, relatively alone fighting mental and physical blocks. Ugh. I don't want to do that again. So back to mile 17...I stretched a little bit and retied my shoes (which I stopped my watch for). And I walked a little bit. Not sure how much, probably about a quarter mile. I started running again when I saw the 18 mile mark. I crossed that and grabbed some ice. I didn't want to wait for them to wrap my knee so I decided to just run with it in my hands and use it to help cool off. The last two miles actually were okay. I think the walking and the ice helped. That and being so close to being done. Beth did absolutely awesome. I wish I could have run with her. The nice thing was I knew she be at the finish line cheering us on. And she didn't disappoint. She even taunted me with beer! It was nice to finish. I was disappointed in my legs and my time. And I did cry after finishing. It was just such a hard run. In so many ways. My brain isn't working so well right now because of exhaustion so it's hard to put into words. Seriously though...wow. Beth handed me a beer and I cheered up. Then she and I cheered more runners in. It's great to cheer people whether you know them or not. The photographer was amused by us. He even took a picture of me with my beer! =) I'm excited to see the picture although I had just run 20 miles so I doubt I looked cute at all. LOL.
The reality of endurance running hit home today though. Melissa finished strong but needed medical aid afterwards. Beth called one of Melissa's friends to come pick her up. The medics gave Melissa an IV and everything. They also suggested she go to the emergency room. Although since she was pretty alert, Beth and friend were allowed to take her themselves. I pray that she's okay.
Endurance running is hard: mentally and physically.

September 18, 2008 - 4 mile run/walk

Honestly, I really don't want to blog about this workout. But I committed to myself that I would write about my running and I'm hoping it will prove therapeutic. This morning was a disappointment to say the least. I got up at 4 a.m. to get ready to try (again) for my 8 mile run. I had a power bar and stretched and was out the door about 4:30. I decided to run in the morning because Matt has been have problems with his sinuses and feels worse in the evening. To be helpful, I thought I'd get up and run early so that I could have parenting duties after work (knowing full well I'd be tired). I guess my bad run could be due to getting up early. Or better yet, due to the fact that I woke up just about every hour last night, if not more frequently than that; worried about missing my alarm, worried my alarm would wake up Matt, and also because Matt was tossing, turning and coughing a lot. I guess my bad run could also be blamed on my right upper thigh still being stiff and in pain or that my left knee now hurts. Maybe, I could blame the fact that my body is tired and has been giving a lot to this whole running thing. And while I'm mindful that these things all factor into how my body will perform, I can't shake this feeling of disappointment. I had such a runner's high after Monday's run. I kept up with about a 10:50 pace! But now, I'm worried that I pushed myself too hard. Tuesday was supposed to be 8 miles...it was 5. So today, I tried again for 8 miles...only did 4 and had to intermittently walk/jog after 2 miles. I finished in ~54:29, which is slower than Monday's 5 mile time. And now, I'm faced with the 20 miler on Sunday. And I'm just not sure anymore. I was so confident in my training, in how far I've come and now...what if I don't have anything left? I feel like I went out for an easy run this morning and came back dragging a huge mental block.

My to do list before Sunday:
1. lots of stretching and hydration
2. eat some semblance of healthy food
3. let Tuesday and today's run go

September 16, 2008 - 5 mile run (should have been 8)

My legs felt great today!!!!...until I started running...

I think the fact that I have an ice pack on both knees and one hip pretty much sums up tonight's run.

I decided to call it quits after 5 miles of my 8 mile run. It took me 1:01:09 and I'm disappointed about it, especially after yesterday's great pace. Oh well. I'll try for the 8 miles again on Thursday.

September 15, 2008 - 5 mile run

Running is a love/hate relationship. And today I was still only feeling "eh" about it. I'm not sure what it is but I've just been so stinkin' tired and crabby. I've basically switched back to running in the evening which is nice for "sleeping in" but not so great for family time. I've started feeling like the running is taking over my life and resulting in a lot of the parenting responsibilities falling on Matt. But maybe that's not entirely true. Matt was gone all of yesterday and did go to a baseball game last Thursday night. It doesn't help that all the rain we had this past weekend really got to me. I felt as if my spirit was water-logged. Plus there is a lot of flooding (fortunately not in our house) that has resulted in a much increased travel time to and from work. Which ever way you slice it, I was not thrilled about running tonight. But running seemed to be exactly what I needed after all. I guess that's what makes it a love/hate relationship. I finished the 5 miles in 54:11.

September 13, 2008 - 14.31 miles

What happened??? I got up this morning at 4:15 and was debating whether to even venture on in the rain for my 14 mile run. I had to run by myself because I was going with my daughter to her "Break out the Bible" session from 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. It also meant I needed to be running by 5 a.m. I thought about running only 3 miles on the treadmill then doing yoga. But I haven't done yoga for over a year (likely more) and I wasn't really excited about running any amount on the treadmill. I had mapped out a 14.31 mile huge loop so that I wouldn't have to do multiple loops but with the prediction of thunder storms I wasn't sure I wanted to do that and get stranded. But I wasn't excited about the thought of three smaller loops. I was sure I would cut the run short. So I finally decided to brave the rain, run at least 5 miles but wear my fuel belt just in case. Well, so much for that plan. I ran the whole 14.31 miles (yes, I'm counting the 1/100 of a mile) in the long loop (fortunately no thunder storms!). I think about an eighth of it was run through 2 inches of water. I had a long sleeve shirt on, which ended up being a mistake. So I ran with it tied around my waist. That was a huge self-consciousness hurdle for me because it meant I was running in my sports bra. But the shirt was around my waist as was my fuel belt. I learned that when the weather prediction says 100% chance for rain, it means it's going to rain...constantly. There were some times when it was absolutely pouring. Other times it wasn't too bad. I even was foolish enough to think that it might stop for a while. Silly me. I ended up running the 14.31 miles in 2:56:37. I'm trying not to be disappointed about running over 12 min miles but it's difficult. I actually was giving myself a pep talk in the last 2 miles. I'm trying to focus on the fact that I ran over 14 miles, by myself, in the rain and puddles, in my sports bra (sexy!) and without my ipod. Only issue...I have bra burn. From the rubbing of the band of my bra on my skin. It hurts. =( Note to self for the marathon...use body glide in case of rain!

September 11, 2008 - almost 5 mile run

Well I tried to run my 5 mile loop in reverse again this morning. And I failed again this morning. I was concentrating so hard on not forgetting the extension from Monday that I completely forgot about the other extension. *sigh* I did not make my run longer though because I was thirsty and extremely hungry. I didn't have much of a supper last night and my energy stores were definitely lacking. Why my body didn't draw from my reserves located in my thighs, butt and abdomen has me baffled. And don't give me the scientific answer. That should be the way it works! And it should be instantaneous. Just sayin'. In the end, I ran 4.86 miles today in 57:32. I guess that's not bad for me but I feel *eh* about it. Probably a direct result of a combination of frustration over ditziness, hunger, and the rush to get ready for work afterwards (while helping Isabelle work on a forgotten homework worksheet). I guess they can't all be great runs. I'll settle for mediocre...until Saturday.

September 9, 2008 - 8 mile run

It's amazing how an overactive imagination can motivate me to run. I ran 8 miles in the evening after it had already started getting dark. About half way through I thought I heard someone angrily yell, "hey lady! I'm talking to you!" right after I crossed the street. Whether or not they were yelling at me, I don't know because I wasn't paying attention and I had my ipod on. But it resulted in enough of a boast of adrenaline to pick up my pace and get over my lack of motivation. I didn't listen to music the rest of the time so I would be prepared to defend myself ninja-style if needed. I relaxed a little bit about 20 minutes later but since I was running two loops (5-miles and 3-miles) that had common routes, I picked it up again when I passed the Yelling-Guy-Spot again. If it hadn't have been for my imagination, I think my stiff hips would have created enough of a mental block for me to have over a 12 min/mile pace.

5-mile split - 57:37
3-mile split - 35:53

Total 8-mile - 1:33:30

September 8, 2008 - 5ish mile run

I was supposed to run 5 miles today. I got up a little later than I wanted, misread my clock, realized my running clothes were dirty (minus the shirt) and couldn't remember where I left my knee strap (naturally, I remember after my run). I left anyway so I could get back in enough time to make it to my 8 a.m. meeting (after dropping of my son, of course). My right big toe/foot was still bothering me but I kept going. I felt I was going at a good clip on my reverse 5 mile loop and happy that my knee wasn't bothering me when I realized I had missed my loop extension. So the second half of my run was me guesstimating where I could add on the distance I completely forgot about. I added on a few blocks but was worried that wasn't enough. I figured if I ran by my street at about 52 minutes I would add one more extension that takes me about 8 minutes to run. I would have run for an hour and then I could map it out on my mapmyrun.com profile to get the distance. I finished in 1:00:36 and the distance ended up being ~5.38 miles, which is about a 11:15 pace. I guess when everything seems to be working against me, I end up with a good run. Be that as it may, I will still plan on being better prepared for tomorrow's run! =)

September 6, 2008 - 18 mile run

BOO-YAH!!!!

18 miles baby! 18 miles! And it was a good run. I can't believe how unbelievable stiff the body can get but afterall, it was 18 miles. I ran it in 3:34:46 and that's because I had a negative split on one of the miles. (I had to stop and tie my shoe then pick up the pace to catch up with the group). It was an absolutely fabulous day for running! It was gorgeous and there were a ton of people on the lakefront. I saw two people I knew from high school...okay technically three because I run with Beth...although Tracy started after we graduated....you get the point. Nothing like seeing people you haven't for years when you're all sweaty and gross. At least you can say, "I'm training for a marathon". That's pretty neat.

I bought ice on the way home and filled my tub with it and cold water. Then I submerged myself for 15 minutes to awaken my stiff legs. Man, it was seriously cold. But it felt good. Then I took a nice, long shower. I feel so much better now. My legs are achy though. My knee felt good during the run but my right foot is giving me problems. Specifically, my arch, the inside top of the foot and along my big toe. I believe a regular icing routine is in order for my foot now.

My shoes officially have 220 miles on them. It's hard to believe! I'll be putting in an order for a new pair soon so I'm ready when these officially need to be retired. 220 miles...and that's just on this pair...I had been running awhile before I got them. That's ridiculous.

September 4, 2008 - 5 mile run

Have you ever been driving in the pouring down rain and you see that lone person out running despite the rain? And you think, "man, that person's crazy!" Well, tonight that person was me. I ran my 5 miles in 57:06. Running around puddles when I could. Mainly running through them because they were unavoidable. I was soaked from head to toe. My shoes are currently in the dryer, my clothes hanging in the bathroom. But it was a good run. I needed to run in the rain. I ran without the ipod. I needed to feel the rain and the weight of my drenched clothes, listening to nothing but the cars, the rain, my shoes on the pavement, and the sloshing through the puddles. I needed it for me. Today's run was more than just 5 miles. It was a reminder that in life, rain is going to fall. And we don't have much choice in that. We do have a choice in what we do when it rains. I choose to keep running.

September 3, 2008 - 7 mile run

This morning at 3:30 a.m. I was woken up by a fierce thunderstorm. So I decided I would not get up and run. Plus, I didn't want to have to start running by 4:30 to be done by 6:00. As it turns out, I ended up running in the dark anyway because I didn't get started until about 7:30 p.m. It is quite the challenge to run on sometimes uneven sidewalks when it's difficult to see. I only tripped once though...well and stepped wrong on a curb with my left foot...and stepped wrong on a curb with my right foot...but other than that!

Total time to run 7 miles - 1:24:07

September 2, 2008 - 4 mile run

Holy cow! It's September! When did that happen??? I remember being little and thinking it would take forever to get from my birthday to Christmas and back again. Now I'm thinking the months are flying past! If only I knew then to enjoy my childhood. At least I know now I guess!

Anyhow, I ran 4 miles this morning. And I really, really, really wanted to stay in bed. Actually, I did wake up later than planned and toyed with the idea of running this afternoon at work. Until I watched the weather and it called for 92 degrees Fahrenheit at 5 p.m. Forget that! So I got up. I wanted to run my 5 miles today too because it's so nice to save the shortest distance for Thursday, but in the interest of time I had to opt for the 4 miles. I was in panic-gotta-get-done mode and I think I started out pushing it too much. So naturally I was dying the last 2 miles. And by dying, I mean, have to mentally push myself to keep going. I've really been fighting the urge to just stop running all together. But I enjoy it, so I don't. I just don't enjoy getting up early. For tomorrow and Thursday's run, I might run in the late afternoon which will be a nice change. I'll still get up at the same time in the morning so I can get to work earlier, but I won't have to roll out of bed and go exert myself. We'll see how that pans out. Really what's gumming up this whole adventure is the whole "work" thing. Stupid bills that need to be paid.

Total time to run 4 miles - 45:11 - not to shabby for this reluctant runner.

August 30, 2008 - 12 mile run

The last run of August 2008! The long run was 12 miles this week, which brings my August total to 125.88 miles! That's insane!
I decided to run three loops by my house instead of going to the lakefront today. I ran a 5-mile loop (1:00:03), a 4-mile loop (47:54) and a 3-mile loop (33:36) for a grand total time to run 12 miles in 2:21:33. The best part about this run was that I was just about spot on for a 12-minute mile for the first 9 miles then actually decreased my split time for the last 3 miles! Super de-dooper! My knee felt good and really only slightly more creaky than the other knee. My only complaint was that the top of my right foot was really achy for the last three miles. It's still achy now, actually. Not sure how to stretch that....

T.M.I ALERT!!!! T.M.I ALERT!!!!

Today for running I wore my new-ish (i.e. worn only once before) "Running of Faith" shirt that I purchased at the CDC expo. I like it because it's a snug fit and works well when I run with my hydration belt. It's also a tech shirt and great for warm days such as today. The problem is that since it is form fitting the fact that I sweat is much more visible. Much more. Sweating really isn't a problem in and of itself it's more in the manner in which I seem to sweat. I'll just lay it out for you, my chest gets sweaty. All of me gets sweaty but since my chest protrudes, due to being a woman, the area above it, i.e. my shirt, gets sweaty first. It's a lovely sight, I'm sure. A woman running around with giant (okay not giant...) sized sweat circles. What a way to draw attention to my chest! I guess it's still not as bad as the first time I wore my black sports bra (without washing it first) and ended up with black circles over my boobs. THAT was hilarious!

August 28, 2008 - 4 mile run

Today I ran my 4 mile loop in 45:29.

August 27, 2008 - 7 mile run

I ran the four mile loop and the three mile loop this morning. According to my Ti89 that totals 7 miles.

Total time to run 7 miles - 1:19:00

Total days until the IN marathon - 52

August 26, 2008 - 5 mile run

It was a 5-mile morning. It's definitely staying darker for longer. Soon I will need to switch back to afternoon/evening runs. I scared some sort of animal this morning and soon after smelled skunk. Hopefully I was not the one who scared a skunk. I guess as long as it didn't spray me. It did remind me to be careful of nocturnal animals though. That smell lingered for awhile and is not so fun for lungs trying to breathe normally.

Total time to run 5 miles - 57:53

Total time remaining to register for IN marathon at the discount - 5 days, not that it matters anymore because I registered today!!!! I am officially crazy!!!! But I'm not alone...Beth registered today too and she's running the Chicago Marathon the weekend before. I have a ways to go before I'm willing to do back-to-back weekend marathons. It's very surreal. If you had told me last March when I started this journey into running (targeting 5Ks, mind you) that I would be running a marathon in October, I would have said you were crazy. Now who's the crazy one???

26.2 miles? - bring it on!!!

August 24, 2008 - 16 mile run

Yep. You read it right. It's not a typo. Today's run was 16 miles. It went really well. I was worried about it, not really because of the mileage, but more because initially I was slated to run it by myself. This was an incredibly daunting idea for me. But yesterday afternoon, Beth called me asking if I was running this morning. Ends up that the heat and humidity of Saturday got to her because of her asthma and she "only" made it 8 miles. Let's pause for a second here: if it had been me that had "only" made it 8 miles of the 16, I too would have been disappointed and wishing I had finished. I may even toy with the idea of running the next day. Another few miles, maybe even up to the additional 8 miles. But I wouldn't be on the phone calling my friend to see if I could run the full 16 miles. So that alone shows you what a rock star Bethie is. Back to yesterday afternoon: needless to say I was excited she was wanting to run because it meant I had a friend to run with plus a pacer. Awesomely awesome! We decided running on the lakefront would still be the best and to start 6-ish a.m. to make sure to avoid heat.

This morning I got up at 4:20 (why I'm still awake right now, I have no idea). Since it was ridiculously early I ate some Cheerios with fresh blueberries (yum!) and watched Extra only to be inundated with bikini styles on bodies that I do not have. Not motivation for running faster, mind you, motivation to leave, definitely. I met Beth at her house and we caravaned down to the lake front. We decided to run North then circle back South because of a triathlon taking place downtown. The weather was perfect for running. It was absolutely gorgeous out. I was particularly chatty today too. My big worry for the run was my knee. I worked on my form focusing on running straight on my legs, striding evenly, not favoring either leg. I thought the run went pretty quickly actually. Beth was battling a mental block. It's completely understandable. She ran 8 miles yesterday! Seriously a rock star! She was apologizing for being crabby. I thought she was pretty reserved. Besides, I was in a good mood, an annoying good mood. I think, maybe, I was trying to be in a good mood for both of us. I was just so happy to have someone to run with! At mile 13, we stopped for a sanity, I mean, water break. I was complaining about my knee starting to feel a little off and Beth was feeling tired in general. While we were having our little pity party, a young man ran by us. What caught our eye was that this man had no legs, he was running with prosthetics. Seeing him running (faster than us) despite a physical difference shut us up pretty fast.

We finished our 3 miles strong. Beth walked 0.1 mile in the last mile. I think she felt guilty about it. I mentioned 8 miles yesterday trumps 0.1 mile walk of today's 16 mile run. In the end, my knee held up. I think two things helped. One, I had been good about icing this week. And two, I did not wear heels this week. I am so glad that my knee never felt worse than just a little off. Well, plus, I prayed about it. I'm thankful that God chose to say yes to that prayer!

Beth stretched my legs for me, which felt awesome! Then she headed out on her bike to meet Tina so they could watch the triathlon. I headed home but not before stopping at Dunkin Donuts to get a bagel ("You just want it plain??" they asked) and a strawberry banana smoothie (so good!). I still need to ice my knee but it feels so good! I'm so happy about that! (I will still ice though.) I also need to lay down and put my legs up for a while too.

All-in-all a most fun run.

Total time to run 16 miles - 3:16:13

Total time to register for the IN marathon for the cheaper rate - 7 days

August 21, 2008 - 4 mile run

The third day of my midweek runs also seems to be the hardest (mentally). Maybe because it's the third day in a row getting up around 4:30 a.m. Maybe it's because I had a dream that all my coworkers walked faster than I run and were asking "so...when are you going to start running?". Maybe because it's the final run of three mornings in a row. Maybe I'm just a whiner. I guess, if I really break it down, the run itself was okay. But I didn't feel that way until after already going 3.5 miles. Naturally motivation does increase when there's only a half mile remaining. I will try to focus on the positive sides like: I did not die, I was not abducted by aliens, I did not get lost, I did not spontaneously burst into flames, etc., etc., etc.

Total time to run 4 miles - 47:39

Total time to register for IN marathon at discounted rate - 10 days

August 20, 2008 - 6 mile run

Another good run today. Fortunately no tripping on this one. Yay! My knee felt good and I felt strong.

Total time to run 6 miles - 1:06:57

Total time to register for IN marathon at discounted rate - 11 days

August 19, 2008 - 4 mile run

This morning's run was awesome!! I ran a 10:45 pace which is a great time for me!! I was a little leery because of my knee but my body knew what to do. It felt so good. I did almost wipe out though. It was pretty comical actually. I tripped on the sidewalk and had one of those arms flailing-body contorting-big steps forward type of trip. I seriously thought I was going to eat sidewalk. But, thankfully, I was spared. I even think I wasn't seen (by anyone I could see at least). =) And my knee felt really good during the run too. Still keeping up with icing it though. This weekend's run is 16 miles. Hopefully my knee will hold up. Fingers crossed! Matt is doing a service project on Saturday though so I may be running solo on Sunday morning. This will definitely be a challenge but not an impossibility.



I've been listening to the Superchicks a lot when running. Their song "It's On" has become my theme song.

It all comes down to this

You take your best shot, might miss

You take it anyway

You're gonna make your move today

Got the will, you'll find the way

To change the world someday

Grab this moment before it's gone

Today's your day

It's on (and on) it's on (and on) it's on (and on) today's your day so come on, bring it on

(and on) it's on (and on) it's on (and on) today's your day so come on, bring it on

And the view will never change

Unless you decide to change it

Don't feel like it today

Just show up anyways

And though life will take you down

It only matters if you let it

Get up, go through, press on

Today's your day

It's on (and on) it's on (and on) it's on (and on) today's your day so come on, bring it on

(and on) it's on (and on) it's on (and on) today's your day so come on, bring it on

And though you wanna quit

Don't think you can get through it

You've come too far to walk away

It's not gonna be today

And no matter how you feel

It's what you do that matters

This is your moment to be strong

Today's your day

It's on (and on) it's on (and on) it's on (and on) today's your day so come on bring it on

(and on) it's on (and on) it's on (and on) today's your day so come on, bring it on

(no matter how you feel, it's what you do that matters it's your moment to be strong)

It's on (and on) it's on (and on) it's on (and on) today's your day so come on bring it on

(and on) it's on (and on) it's on (and on) today's your day so come on, bring it on

Total time to run 4 miles - 43:01 (Holla Holla!!)

Total time to register at the discounted rate for the IN marathon - 12 days

August 18, 2008 - Easy 1.5 mile walk

I walked to the daycare for tie-dying.

There and back is 1.5 miles. Walked for a total of 28 minutes. It was a nice way to loosen up my knee.

August 16, 2008 - 15 miles

I did it! 15 miles baby! I ran on the Lake Front path in the morning and it was gorgeous! (Although crowded with people because of the Air and Water show.) The run went really well. All until the last mile when my knee was sending shooting pains. I was in quite a bit of pain. I was determined to finish though. I trotted in with Melissa who was also experiencing a lot of pain. We figure next time we'll just strap our bad legs together, run a three-legged race and be good to go. I really need to be icing every day and working on strengthening that knee or I will not be able to finish a marathon. I'll see how this week goes before I consider a sports physician. But going to a doctor is definitely on my mind.

Total time to run 15 miles - 3:02:38

Total time to register for IN marathon at cheaper rate - 15 days

August 14, 2008 - 4 mile run

So I don't know what the deal is, but my motivation is so stinking low. My legs are tight or sore or something. I really, really just wanted to sleep this morning instead of getting up. But I got up anyway albeit an hour late. I really considered running after work but Matt has a meeting tonight and I didn't want to run at work. I reversed my 4-mile loop today and that did provide for some variety. I think I need some new loops so I don't get too bored. Knee strap is still a blessing and I had ducks on my socks which made me happy. I also passed this man with a red-and-white striped shirt on (looked like a soccer shirt). He was a little too smiley. What's to smile about when you're tired? We ended up passing again about 20 minutes later. He gave me a rock-fist sign of support and that ended up being just what I needed to finish strong. Hooray for soccer-shirt guy! I guess God knows what He's doing when he allows for little encounters with other people. And I bet that guy doesn't even know we passed the second time at just the right time. Makes me wonder how my actions can be a blessing for strangers that I pass...

Time to run 4 miles - 45:02

Time until 15 mile run - 2 days

Time to register for the IN marathon at the cheaper rate - 17 days

Time to dig deep - NOW

August 13, 2008 - 6 mile run

It felt more like running 1 mile today with a 5 mile warm-up. =)

I'm still happy with the addition of the knee strap. I also used my hydration belt. (BTW, I finally bought a hydration belt at the CDC expo. I love it! It's a fuel belt and it's SuperJulia blue...very appropriate.) My left leg was still very stiff, especially my hip. The last mile/mile-and-a-half felt good though. So that's happy.

I am getting very nervous about Saturday's run. It's 15 miles. 'Nuff said.

Total time to run 6-miles - 1:09:10

Total time until 15-mile run - 3 days

Total time to register for the IN marathon at the cheaper fee - 18 days

August 12, 2008 - 3 mile run

A few things about this morning's run:

1. My left leg is very tight. I imagine from overcompensating for my right knee. Therefore I did not run, I waddled. In my mind's eye it was a rather humorous sight. Naturally, I waddled past a couple cop cars today too. The MP cops are cuties! Too bad I looked like a penguin...oh...and I'm married... =)
2. I like the knee strap. Granted the instructions as to how to position it were talking about centering it over the patella tendon and I don't know where the patella tendon is exactly, other than by my knee and probably on the outside of my leg. So I expertly positioned it over the sore spot and adjusted as necessary. This highly scientific method must have worked because my knee was much happier.
3. New tech shirts are fabulous. Beth has more race shirts then she knows what to do with so she gave some to me. How great is that?! Today I wore the Shamrock Shuffle shirt. Most comfortable. Plus there were new socks in her hand-me-down bag. Vive le France. (Beth, if those were in there on accident, let me know!) Looking at her race shirts has motivated me to sign up for some of these races. Ah, more running!

Despite the incredible tightness, I had a pretty successful run. I am considering a massage soon. My body is all achy!

Total time for 3-miles - 33:34

Total time left to decide on IN marathon to get the cheaper registration fee - 19 days

August 10, 2008 - First Half Marathon

Today was the Chicago Distance Classic. My first half marathon. 13.1 miles.
Actually the course was long and recertified at 13.2762 miles.

It was awesome! I ran with Beth the whole time. She was an awesome cheerleader and a great pacer! The weather was perfect. It was the perfect temperature and the view, especially on the way back, was beautiful. I had a great time running with a large group of people. Honestly, I'm in a daze. If you had told me four months ago that I would be running a half marathon this summer I would have laughed at you. And yet here I am. I couldn't have asked for a better run. My knee did bother me for most of the race and I am at the beginning of a cold, but God gave me strength to finish and finish strong. My time was 2:29:40. This is a 11:17 pace. I am just so pleased and proud. Beth did awesome! She blasted her previous time by 9 minutes! So inspirational!!


Here's a picture of us after finishing:

I was so excited to have cheerleaders too! My mother-in-law and sister-in-law came down to support me! It was so great to see familiar faces while running. I saw JoAn and Sarah early into the race and they kept me motivated on my way back. Although I didn't see them on my way across the finish it was nice to know they were rooting for me!

At Beth's suggestion, I did label myself with tape that said "Julia's 1st 1/2 marathon" so I also got cheers for my name specifically and for "first half marathoner". Some were at Beth's urging, she can certainly work a crowd! =)

The best part about finishing is that everyone receives a metal! I love bling! And yes, I am wearing it right now. At home. Twelve hours after finishing. Because I want to.

Even Roxy, my car, has an added item. At the expo yesterday, I bought a "13.1" magnet which I ceremoniously applied to my car today after finishing the race.

All-in-all, a most successful day.

August 7, 2008 - 4 miles

Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow....this became my rhythmic chant in my head during this morning's run. My knee was okay and only a little stiff. My quads however...holy stiffness batman! I didn't realize my bones had turned to lead while I slept last night! Granted I did not get enough sleep (in bed at 12:30 a.m., up at 4:50 a.m.) but my goodness I felt like I was running in water. Despite fighting the urge to walk the whole thing, or better yet, stop and sleep on the sidewalk, I continued on in my quest to run a ridiculous amount. And despite my stiff legs, my run went surprisingly well. I saw two of the walkers from last Thursday so that was nice. And since I have only one running outfit, I'm sure they recognized me. =)

Total 4-mile time - 45:14

Total days to CDC - 3(!)

August 6, 2008 - 5 mile run

I've been enjoying running before work. It's significantly cooler, I don't feel like it cuts into family time, and it's quieter/less busy. This morning's run went really well. My legs felt great and have recovered from the 13-miles nicely. My right knee is still giving quite a bit of pain. Not enough pain to stop but enough so that there's no doubt it hurts. I forgot my ice pack today on the way to work so will make a point to stretch if I can. I also am going to look into that knee-strappy-supporty-thingy to wear when I run. Even with the pain, the run was great.

Total 5-mile run time - 55:33

Total days before the CDC - 4

August 5, 2008 - 3 mile morning run

It was very muggy this morning but the temperature was cooler so that helped. I ran a 3-mile loop by my house. My legs felt good. My right knee was still a little tender. I iced on the way to work (about 35 minutes) using a ice pack strategically held in place by a kitchen towel that I tucked under my leg. I may ice later at work too. Ice is my friend!

Total time for 3-mile run - 32:35

Total days until Chicago Distance Classic - 5

August 2, 2008 - 13 miles

I did it! I ran 13 miles! And I learned the benefit of running with a group. I joined Bethie's running group and ran along the lakefront. The weather was gorgeous and there was a good breeze. A couple of running observations. 1. I didn't realize it was kosher to stop for drinking. I had been at home but not as much as we did on our 13 miles. From now on I will not feel as bad about stopping for water breaks more often. 2. There are a lot of people running, walking and biking on the lakefront. I'm not good with group running rules because I'm so used to running on my own. 3. Pacing with other people ROCKS! I don't think I'll be able to join every Saturday but hopefully for a few. It really does depend on our family's schedule. It's not just my commitment to running, it's also Matt's. He's the reason I'm able to dedicate this much time to training. He's pretty awesome. So anyhoo, I'm sore. My knee started yelling at me about halfway through the run. But I finished. I felt strong. And I feel ready for the Chicago Distance Classic which is IN A WEEK!!!! I'm excited. I iced my knee several times yesterday and I will probably do some more tonight. My legs are hurting for sure. So I'll stretch tonight and am definitely looking forward to some easy runs this week.

According to Bethie, we ran our 13 miles in 2 hours 37 minutes.

Thursday Morning Run

Last night I decided that I would get up early and run before work. And guess what?! I actually accomplished that goal! I started running about 5:40 a.m....a.m.!!! I decided to run 5 miles, since I wussed out on Tuesday and only accomplished 3 miles. I also decided to lock the door since my family was sleeping and run with a key and my phone...because I'm paranoid. And I didn't run with Matt's Ipod. Also a conscious decision and fortunately one I did not regret. It was relatively a quiet run. There were cars out of course but no where near the traffic I see when I run in the evenings. It was nice. I was passed by one woman running. That annoyed me but I guess that's bound to happen. I also passed by a man running and a woman walking. I like passing people who are also exercising. It's like an instant bond with them. And they're usually so friendly too. Although I do live in Mt. Prospect, "where friendliness is a way of life"...I kid you not...that's the town's motto. Anyhoo, I also passed two cops sitting on a crate and clocking cars. Good times, good times. All-in-all, running in the morning was a much better option for me. It was still 80% humidity (according to the morning news) but the temp was about 76F so much more enjoyable.

I finished 5 miles in 59:02

Hot and Muggy

Let's see...I've been running for, goodness, I think, 4 months now. It all began when Bethie invited me to participate in the Wondergirl 5K. I started with a program I adapted from the Internet called "From couch potato to 5K in 9 weeks". It was a great way to start because it mixed walking and jogging. It was easy to stick with and never more than three miles.
As I was up to running 3 miles without walking and near the end of the program, I was chatting with Bethie about where I would go from there. I told her how I was thinking of registering for some more 5K runs in the summer to keep up my motivation for running. I then said I was thinking about running the Chicago Distance Classic. "Okay," Bethie responded. "But it's a half marathon, not a 5K. But you can do it! And you have time to train!" I considered this. "Okay," I decided. "I will do this!"
So that's kind of where I'm at right now. I have done two 5K's, one at work (time 34-something minutes) and the Wondergirl 5K (untimed, about half walking with my Wondergirl!). The Chicago Distance Classic is August 10th...a week and a half away. And I'm worried. I'm worried because it's 13.1 miles. I'm worried because I had 13 days (13 days!) off due to preparing for and traveling on a mission trip (awesome!...by the way). I'm worried because since then I haven't run over 5 miles. And I'm worried because it's incredibly hot and muggy. Yesterday, when I started my 5 mile run, it was 90 degrees F! And I swear about 3,000,000% humidity! Basically, I think I got 3 miles in because I ran for 36 minutes. But it was killer. I'm going to try again for my 5 miles on Thursday but I'm going to aim to get up early and run before work. If I hear my alarm that is. I've been hydrating (sort of). I've been trying to be safe. I've been trying to listen to my body but I worry that really I'm just a wuss for wimping out because "it's hot!"...what a whiner I am! What happens the day of the race? It's going to be hot! What if I can't get past this mental block! I will be so mad at myself. I am trying to think positively but it is difficult.

Maybe if I focus on the positive things...

• Like my 3 miles on Monday. It went really well. I actually felt like a runner for the first time.
• I'm also loving my running shoes. I got them at Fleet Feet where they fit you for shoes. My shoes are awesome! They're so comfy and my knees haven't been hurting! Yay! Before I was running in ~6-year old cross training shoes that made my toes bleed. Not fun. My knee was bothering me too, which in retrospect was due to bad shoes.
• Matt's been super supportive and wants to get back into running too. So I'm going to take him to Fleet Feet to get him new shoes right away.
• And I'm going to try out G2 as an alternative to water during the day. Time to boost those electrolytes! That should help with the heat.
• Oh, another good thing....my calves. They are getting so toned. I have thick legs, which I don't like, but if they're going to be thick, it might as well be because of muscles! Yay muscles!
• Along those lines, I've been feeling strong in general. And my self image, although still not the greatest, is definitely improving. My confidence is up!
• Not related to running...I love bullet points! And any excuse to use them!

There! Now I'm feeling better! It's good to focus on the positive stuff! Oh, oh, oh!!! One more!!!

• I will run my first half marathon in a week and a half with my friend Bethie!!! Woohoo!!!!

...and I'm even beginning to train for a FULL marathon...shhh...don't say anything...I haven't told myself that yet... =p

Start of a running journal

Bethie has inspired me yet again. First it was to start running again. Now it's to blog about it. So here goes...

By the way, advice is welcome...

Cheerleading is encouraged! =)