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The Dopey Challenge – Orlando, FL (January 9-12, 2014)

The Dopey Challenge
The Dopey Challenge

Forget Goofy.

I went Dopey.

Yes…Dopey.

This was the inaugural year for the Walt Disney World Dopey Challenge.  Prior to this, the main event was the Goofy Challenge, which involved running the Disney World Half Marathon and the Disney World Marathon (a grand total of 39.3 miles) back-to-back.  But, with the addition of the brand spankin’ new 10K race on Friday…a new challenge was born.

Four races.  Four Days.  A total of 48.6 miles.

So…this is how it works:

Thursday – Disney Family Fun Run 5K
Friday – Disney World 10K
Saturday – Disney World Half Marathon
Sunday – Disney World Marathon

The payoff?  I walk away with 6 race t-shirts and 6 finisher’s medals.  Yep.  Six.  Because included in this package is the t-shirts and medals for the Goofy Challenge AND the Dopey Challenge.

So, not really having told many people that I was doing the Inaugural Dopey Challenge (it’s the first year…which means it will be the year it is the cheapest to run…TRUST ME!), I hopped a plane to Orlando Florida on Wednesday morning, leaving behind the frigid temps in Louisville for the warm, 66 degrees at Disney World.  After a stop at the grocery store for some necessities and getting checked into my resort (staying at Port Orleans Riverside…again!), Cathy and I boarded the shuttle bus to the ESPN Wild World of Sports where the race expo was being held.  It was a hike to get there and we couldn’t find the way to get down to the packet pick-up level…until it was mentioned that there were stairs hidden behind the photo booth.  Well…that makes sense, right?!  I went and retrieved my packet for the Dopey Challenge, and was told my green bib is for me to wear during the 5K and 10K races.  And the gray bib is for me to wear for the Half Marathon and Marathon races.  I went to retrieve the commemorative pin I had pre-ordered and then hurried off to get my t-shirts.  I got five of them at this part of the expo, but had to go somewhere else to retrieve the 5K one.  In fact, the better part of the expo was where the 5K t-shirt pickup was happening.  I didn’t have much time to linger, but hit up the Official Merchandise booth…snagging all the pins for each race.  Cathy surprised me with a new BondiBand, a lanyard, and a decal for my car.  WOOOOOO!!

We had reservations at Sanaa for dinner, so we couldn’t linger, but said after we ate we would return to the expo to do some shopping.  My dinner was awesome…loving some Indian food as always.  Then…back to the expo we went.  I purchased some goodies…like more KT Tape…and had them tape up my Achilles.  Hope that it lasts through these races.  Cathy paid close attention to the technique and took pictures so we can probably replicate it if needed.  This is the best my Achilles has felt though…so here’s hoping.  Going to be interesting to see what happens at the 5K tomorrow morning.

After some browsing, shopping, and some talking me out of purchases, we headed back to the shuttles to return to the resort.  The 5K race kicks off at 6:15 a.m. on Thursday morning and is the only one that won’t require a 2 a.m. wake-up.  I will definitely enjoy that.  Read on…for race reports on each of the 4 races in 4 days.

Me after finishing the Disney World Family Fun 5K
Me after finishing the Disney Family Fun 5K

Disney Family Fun Run 5K

Race: Disney Family Fun Run 5K

Place: Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida

Date: January 9, 2014

Time: 24:15

This was not a fast 5K.  This was nowhere near a fast 5K.  With about 10,000 people running in it, speed was hindered by sheer volume.  Masses of people were everywhere…and I was in Corral A.  So…take that for what it’s worth.  Huge field.  Lots of places where you were basically bottle-necked by other participants.  Expected.

But still a good time.

And let me tell you…it did my heart good to get out on the road again.  Race.  Breathe.  Struggle.  Feel.  It was therapy after having taken 3 long weeks off from running, save for 2 deliberate runs…one on Saturday and one on Tuesday before coming to Florida.

The Achilles was a little tender in the morning.  I was taped up…but stiff.  So, that was a bit disheartening, but with the 3:30 a.m. wake up alarm, I was out of bed and getting into costume bright and early.  I was dressing as a Minion.  Yes…I realize that Despicable Me is NOT a Disney movie…but…I had to be a Minion.  It had to happen.  And it did.  And, despite the humidity and 56 degree temperature that morning, I even wore the knit cap as part of my costume.  I knew I’d regret those long sleeves and the hat, but…it’s Disney…and I must run in costume.

I was up and dressed and then had to get Cathy up and moving.  Our breakfast was a Greek yogurt…we took bananas to go.  Once she was dressed, we headed out to catch the shuttle bus to take us to the race start.  I was going to meet up with my friend Andrea.  Soon after arriving, we went to the reunion area…where I had a few people ask to have pictures with me.  Who doesn’t love a Minion?  And then it started to rain a little.  A sprinkling…but rain nonetheless.

Andrea texted and soon Cathy and I were heading over to where she was hanging out with her husband.  We relaxed pre-race by chatting and talking about pretty much everything.  Andrea had some other friends that were on their way to join us.  And soon after…Cathy was wishing me luck and we were being ushered into our corrals.

The corrals were filled…and we all noted most of the runners were doing the Dopey…very few just had on 5K race bibs.  There were some…but not many.  We were soon after being let out of our corral to walk to the starting area.  I heard Cathy’s sign for me get called out…which was awesome!  After the National Anthem, the wheelchair racers were sent off.  And a few moments later…the rest of us.

Totally caught up in the moment, I was out of the starting gate and running behind a large group of people.  They held my beginning speed really in check, which, with this injury I’m nursing, was probably a good thing.  But the further I ran, the better my Achilles felt.  So, I bobbed and weaved my way through the crowd as much as humanly possible.  It was no easy task, especially at the water stops.  This race is run through Epcot.  With the sprinkling rain, we were warned that some areas on the course might be slick.  They weren’t kidding, but I managed to navigate them well enough.

I was frustrated with the crowds, but it’s a Disney race…that’s to be expected.  I pushed on, rocking out all sub-8 miles…not bad for someone dealing with Achilles tendonitis.  And it had been forever since I truly have been able to run sub-8…as this body does not react well to cold weather.  At all.  It tightens up and slows down.  Give me heat any day.

Running in the shadow of Epcot was awesome!  We dashed through Future World and then through the International Showcase.  A lot of employees were out to cheer us on…and some to direct us on the right path toward the finish.  I loved running past the giant Epcot ball and toward that finish line.  I love seeing that finish at Disney races.  There is something so thrilling about it.

I crossed it, still feeling good without much pain.  Cathy saw me and started down.  She went to toss me a water bottle, but I told her I wouldn’t be able to catch it.  A very nice guy came over to catch it for me.  He was awesome.  I went around the corner where I was handed more water…a snack pack…and my Finisher’s Medal.  As part of the Dopey Challenge, I had to get in a line to get a bracelet saying that I completed the 5K race.  After that…I was out and meeting up with Cathy.

We had some plans for Hollywood Studios that day, so after returning to our resort, I showered, dressed, and we headed out for breakfast at Babycakes NYC in Downtown Disney and then some rides and shows at Hollywood Studios.  Of course, I am totally feeling that run now in my Achilles.  I’m hoping that the pain goes away over night.  I’m still KT Taped and I just had Cathy tape up my feet…just for some extra help.  Here’s hoping.

Tomorrow morning…another early morning…another race.  This time…the Disney World 10K.

Me after finishing the Inaugural Disney World 10K
Me after finishing the Inaugural Disney World 10K

Disney World 10K

Race: Disney World 10K

Place: Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida

Date: January 10, 2014

Time: 50:30

It wasn’t fast.  It wasn’t pretty.  In fact…it was hot and humid and just plain gross!  Welcome to Orlando, Florida in January, folks.

And welcome to the Inaugural Disney World 10K.  This is the very first year the 10K has been a part of this race weekend.  Exciting to be part of the first group who runs it.  Honestly.  I think it’s awesome.

The morning started very early with my 3 a.m. alarm.  I got up so that I could get into costume and get ready before today’s insanity spiraled out of control.  I love to have a firm grip of my morning on race days.  Cathy was up 15 minutes after me and we both enjoyed some Greek yogurt and water before gathering up our stuff to head out to the shuttle which would take us back to the starting area.

The ground was soaking wet.  Soaking wet.  Mostly because with the humidity, none of the water from the previous day of pouring rain really dried up.  Puddles and wetness.  Fun, fun.

This was the 10K and I was dressed up as Eeyore…complete with ears and tail.  HA!  Like I said…when I run Disney, I gotta dress up.  At least I was a Disney character this time.  Hahaha!  Anyway, we got through the security check and instead of heading over to where they do bag check, Cathy and I immediately headed in to the starting area.  We were meeting up with Andrea, Aaron, and Silvia again for pre-race shenanigans and the like.  I remembered to stretch more today.  Probably should have done more than I ended up doing…but at least I stretched.  And I ate my prerequisite before-the-race banana.

We took a few photos together and then were being ushered into our corrals.  We were all in A…so that worked out nicely.  And we also knew that the further back in the corral you were, the closer to the front you ended up being.  But, we stuck around where we were yesterday and just followed the crowd.  The wheelchair racers were being sent off at 5:30 and Corral A was 2 minutes after that.

Exciting.  Because after the National Anthem, we were pretty much ready to run.  I told myself to take this one easy…and I vowed to do just that.  When the fireworks were set off and we began moving to the start line, I kept telling myself to take it easy.  After all, I still had 39.3 miles to run in the next two days.  So, I kept to my promise and found a comfortable pace to start.  Immediately after turning out of the park, we were put on this long and dull stretch of highway.  Mile 1 was marked and then we took a sharp right turn and got sent up a hill.  I think spinning and strength training are helping me hone in on my hill work.  Because it didn’t slow me down at all.  Perhaps I’m also just used to steeper hills.  HAHA!  That could be it.  Miles 2 through 3 were marked by the highway…nothing to really distract you.  There were a couple of character shots along the way…but not many.  After hitting the halfway point…the fun started.

EPCOT!  Again…but slightly different.  This time, we took a longer loop through the World Showcase.  It was beautifully lit up.  And, dammit, if I didn’t enter Epcot and immediately hear the Tiki Room song.  That song is worse than It’s A Small World.  Trust me!  But, off we were.  I took in water at Mile 4 from the water station, because it was so humid and I didn’t want to get dehydrated.  From a girl who ran a half marathon in this sort of weather…best to not press your luck.  Over the boardwalks, over bridges, through the World Showcase…it was so much fun.  The employees and members of the Cheer Squad were out to give support and guide us on the correct path.

As we came out of one of the back lots and towards the ball (which in the 10K you don’t run around), we were informed that we were close to the end.  Sure enough…that finish line was around the corner and down a stretch of pavement.  The sidelines were filled with people cheering.  The DJs were announcing people.  MarathonPhoto was out in hoards getting those finish line shots.

I crossed.  Not happy with my time…but knowing that taking it easy due to injury…as well as having two very long races back-to-back in the next couple days…well…that was good.  Honestly, I’m just happy to be out there.  I’m loving it.

Of course, I am currently showered, sitting in my hotel room with a bag of ice on my Achilles.  It’s feeling it today.  Heading out to Animal Kingdom in a few.  It’s going to be a fun…relaxing day.

Two down…two to go!

Join us for the inaugural Walt Disney World® 10K. This 6.2 mile course is the perfect distance for runners of all skill levels. Winding throughout Epcot® and the scenic World Showcase, it is the newest way to be part of the Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend.

Me after finishing the Disney World Half Marathon
Me after finishing the Disney World Half Marathon

Disney World Half Marathon

Race: Disney World Half Marathon

Place: Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida

Date: January 11, 2014

Time: 1:51:43

UGH!  UGH!!  First of all, after spending all day at Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios yesterday, my legs were feeling it this morning.  I was already intending to take this one easy.  So, that was okay.  No problem.  I had two alarms set this morning.  One for 2 a.m.  Then one for an hour later.  That would give me ample time to get ready and then get Cathy up so we could get going.  Not sure of when the sun would officially be up, I slathered on some sunscreen.  Didn’t need it.  I was done before the sun was up, but we were running through 99% humidity.  So it was beyond gross!!

I dressed as Wonder Woman for this race…and kept it to just the bra top out of fear of having too much clothing on in this humidity.  It was a wise chose, as I found out later.  So, looking all adorable as Wonder Woman…it was time to get my third race in as many days on.

We made the walk from our room to the shuttle that would take us over to the race…as usual.  I was expecting the bus to be cold, but for the first time…it wasn’t.  I was shocked.  Anyway, we arrived and I headed over to where I was supposed meet up with Andrea and Aaron again.  They weren’t there yet, so I texted to find out where they were.  Turns out they were stuck in traffic.  My corral was already being called to get people inside…which felt early to me, but I keep forgetting that Disney World literally sends you on a hike to your corrals, especially those beginning letters in the alphabet.  For the Disney World Half Marathon and Disney World Marathon, I’m in Corral B.

I ate my banana on the way to the corral and made it there with 15 minutes to spare.  Ironically, this guy we kept seeing in the recovery area wearing only a speedo…was next to me in the corral.  In only his red speedo.  I hope he has a lot of red speedos, I’m just saying.  They did their usual interviews.  Not any celebs that I’ve heard of this time.  Jeff Galloway was up there talking.  The National Anthem was sung.  And then Donald (this race’s character) came out to count off the wheelchair racers.  But he brought along Mickey and Goofy too.  The wheelchair racers were off just after 5:30 a.m.  Then, 2 minutes later…Corral A was sent off.  As my corral was moved up toward the start, “It’s A Small World” started to play on the speaker.  The announcer said, “Congratulations, Corral B.  You get ‘It’s A Small World’ stuck in your head for the next 13.1 miles.”  It made me laugh.  2 minutes after Corral A had left, Donald gave us a “Ready…Set…GO!”  Fireworks.  We were off.

I knew this was going to be a tough one.  First of all, I’m injured.  Still.  Secondly…I ran a 5K and a 10K the two days prior to this one.  Thirdly…I was tired.  These 3:00 a.m. mornings SUCK!  And this was my third morning in a row with one.  So, I chose to set an easy pace and try to stick with it.

The problem was that humidity.  It was like back when I ran the Indy Women’s Half Marathon and practically died afterwards due to the high humidity.  Like breathing through a wet towel.  That’s what this felt like.  Just like the Indianapolis race, I was already drenched with sweat before I hit that first mile.  And that is not a good feeling.  I wanted to take this one easier than usual anyway, so I didn’t push it.  Not here to PR…just here for some fun and to finish all four races.

That being said, this course was the exact replica of the Disney Princess Half Marathon, which I ran last February.  I knew that the first four miles were nothing but highway.  And, save for the characters and some entertainment…can make for some rather boring miles.  Thankfully, Disney is good about putting people out there to cheer, characters to break of the monotony, and music too.  As you come into Mile 4, you enter Magic Kingdom.  The most exciting part is just before Mile 6, when you run through Cinderella’s Castle.  This is, by far, my favorite part of any Disney race.  Send me through that castle.  I was smiling the entire time.

After exiting Magic Kingdom, it was back out onto the highway.  Ugh.  I took in some GU and water, and was making a point now of using the water at water stops both for sipping and for pouring over my head.  That felt amazing and definitely helped keep my body temperature down.  Around the midway point, the speaker system was blaring this weekend’s theme song, “Let It Go” from Frozen.  The highway, complete with characters and water stops was my path from the 10K mark to just around Mile 12.  There were a couple of hills there at the end.  I think the last half of the half marathon is far more difficult than the beginning.  In fact, just before hitting Mile 12, you’re sent up a ramp and over a bridge that is over the highway.  When you come down the other side, you’re at Mile 12 and about to enter Epcot.

I was happy to hit that mark and just decided to take it easy and cruise into the finish line.  Epcot sends us in to run around the ball, make a turn, and come back on the other side of the ball.  You round a corner, and that finish line comes into view.  I was so happy to cross that finish line.  But, I didn’t push too much.  In fact, I was flexing some muscle at photographers, LOL!  Leave it to me getting into Wonder Woman mode.

After crossing the finish line, I was handed my medal.  Cathy spotted me up in the crowd and was cheering from the stands.  She headed down and I walked through to get my bracelet showing that I completed the half marathon in my quest for the Dopey Challenge.  Once I had that bracelet on, I was through to get photos taken with the backdrop, get a snack pack, then head out through bag check.  Cathy was waiting for me on the other side.  I told her I was gross but to come give me a hug.  She brought a towel and managed to get the sweat off me for the time.

I wanted my finisher’s photo taken with the Disney Half Marathon backdrop.  And Pluto just happened to be there.  So…I had the chance to give Pluto a hug and pose with him.  It was awesome.

Afterwards, we headed over to our shuttle.  Cathy had me put my feet up so she could get working on my Achilles, to hopefully keep it from aching too much.  We got back to the resort, back to the room, where I showered.  We ate breakfast and got ready to head out to Epcot for the day.  Then back over to Hollywood Studios for dinner…at Mama Melrose’s again.  This time for pasta.  I had a gluten-free pasta dish that was huge.  In fact…I maybe was able to eat 1/3 of it.  Because I just didn’t want to stuff myself full before a race.

I’m icing my Achilles at the moment, relaxing, and prepping for some foam rolling.  Then, just getting some last minute things together for the early wake-up call that awaits.

One more.

I have a feeling it won’t be pretty.  I get to meet the characters tomorrow!

 

Me after finishing the Disney World Marathon, and in doing so, completing the Goofy Challenge and the Dopey Challenge
Me after finishing the Disney World Marathon, and in doing so, completing the Goofy Challenge and the Dopey Challenge

Disney World Marathon

Race: Disney World Marathon

Place: Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida

Date: January 12, 2014

Time: 4:00:04

I went into this race with no expectations for speed.  There was no way my legs were going to be up to any record setting.  So, my entire plan for this marathon was to fall into an easy pace, take some pictures with the characters, and just have some fun.  And that’s what I did.

Which was a good plan because my morning was a little more stressful than intended.  The problem wasn’t so much in the getting ready part.  Nope.  Getting into my Snow White costume (made for me by my co-worker Andrea at the very last minute…and she did an awesome job!) was easy.  Sunscreen.  Easy.  Prepping for the weather (humidity way down and actually a bit cool)…easy.  Getting to the shuttle.  Easy.  Getting to the race…not as easy.  In fact, I barely got to the corrals in time for the start.  Seriously.  The traffic was awful heading to the start area.  And it was just a mess.  So, when I got there, it was just in time to be told that I had 30 minutes to the start of the race and a 20 minute walk to the starting line.  I quickly jammed the banana I brought with me down my throat, got a good luck hug from Cathy and headed toward the corrals.

But, I got there…just in time for the moment of silence, the national anthem, and have Mickey, Goofy and Donald come up on stage.  Dopey even made an appearance…for obvious reasons.  Mickey counted down the wheelchair racers and they were sent off with fireworks.  Corral A was next, about 2 minutes later.  Then my corral, Corral B, was sent off 2 minutes after that.

This race made me realize that I have some pretty amazing and really loud friends.  Despite being across the highway, I could hear Cathy screaming at me as I started off on the highway toward Magic Kingdom.  It made me smile.  I gave her a wave.  It reminded me of Heather at Chicago.  Hahaha!!  My friends are made of awesome.

Miles 1-4 are, as in my previous Disney World half marathons, spent out on the highway.  Cathy went to catch the monorail to try to see me at Mile 4, but I apparently beat her there.  So…whoops.  She decided to try again at Magic Kingdom…but I had beat her there too.  Oh well.  Out of that…she did get to see the awesomeness that is the crowd at Magic Kingdom.  It’s why that is my favorite part of any Disney race.  Hands down.  Miles 4-5 are spent in the Magic Kingdom…where crowds and Disney cast members are out to cheer you on.  Just before Mile 6, as before, is the run through Cinderella’s Castle.  It is the part I always look forward to on these runs.

After exiting the castle, it’s a short dash out of the Magic Kingdom and back out onto the road.  I kept to my plan to keep it easy and meet some characters.  Along the way, I made some stops for some classics and favorites.  The next 6 miles were all highway miles…so the characters helped break that up.  Our next stop…Animal Kingdom.

Normally, around Mile 12, I would be taking in a GU…but we were entering Animal Kingdom, so I didn’t want to tear into a GU packet when they are so strict about what is in their park due to the animals.  So, I waited until I exited Animal Kingdom to do that.  This was the smallest amount of time spent in a park.  Less than a mile.  But the employees were so awesome…and as we entered some had the animals out on the corner to welcome us.

After Animal Kingdom, we hit the highway roads again for 4 miles…taking us to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.  I loved running through here.  Just before entering the motor speedway (going down and then up very steep inclines), the very last lady at a water stop was handing out cold, wet towels.  I told her she was my favorite person of the moment, and took one to wring over my head.  The weather was cooler…but the sun was up.  So…it felt amazing.  Ran the complex to the track…made a circuit…then back on out to head back toward the highway.  Next stop…Hollywood Studios.

Park 3 of 4 shows up just before Mile 23.  Again, you’re not in this park for long, but I was loving running through there.  I have spent a lot of time in Hollywood Studios this time around.  So, this felt like home.  As I was exiting the park, however, I noticed Dopey…and of course needed to get my picture taken with him.  Turned around and hurried back to do just that.  I mean…come on!  I was dressed as Snow White doing the Dopey Challenge.  It was a must!

From there, it was on the boardwalk of the Beach Club Resort and Yacht Club Resort…which took us to Epcot.  The finish was a mile away, but there were characters that caught my attention.  Including Belle.  I met Belle the previous day, but now I was dressed up as Snow White, at the request of my niece Kaytlynn, whose favorite Disney princess is…Belle.  This had to happen.  Unplanned photos that were totally worth it.

The entire race, I was getting a lot of “GO SNOW!  GO SNOW WHITE!  GO PRINCESS!”  The spectators at Disney races are awesome…when you have them.  But for long stretches you don’t.  That’s why they have a great set of volunteers who fill in those gaps.  Disney has their act together and really knows how to put on a race.

This was not a fast race, nor was it a pretty race.  Running 4 races in 4 days was a nice challenge, but made extra difficult due to my Achilles tendonitis.  That, in and of itself, took me out of training for this series…so I just had to take it easy on all of the races…and run them on a wing and a prayer.  My goals were to finish and to do so without doing damage to myself.  I did both.

Anyway…back to the marathon…

But…at Mile 26, the gospel choir was singing and I made the turn to take me to the homestretch to the finish line.  I crossed the line, in 4:00:04, which was amazing, considering I made character stops, walked some water stops, and ran this with an injury that crippled my training and involved more KT Tape than I care to admit to even make it possible for me to run.  I received 3 medals today – one for completing the Disney World Marathon, one for the Goofy Challenge, and one for the Dopey Challenge.  WOOHOO!  CHA-BLING!

Dopey was an expensive adventure, but one that I enjoyed.  I’m just thankful I get to sleep in past 3 a.m. tomorrow.

I’m ready for another adventure, Disney.  Give it to me.

My medals from the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend - (r - l) - Disney Family Fun Run 5k, Disney World Inaugural 10K, Disney World Half marathon, Disney World Marathon, Goofy Challenge, Inaugural Dopey Challenge
My medals from the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend – (r – l) – Disney Family Fun Run 5k, Disney World Inaugural 10K, Disney World Half marathon, Disney World Marathon, Goofy Challenge, Inaugural Dopey Challenge


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Baby steps…into the new year…

First run of the year...slow and steady...with minimal pain
First run of the year…slow and steady…with minimal pain

Achilles Tendonitis.

You plague me.  You discourage me.  You dishearten me.  And you cause me pain.

BUT…I am on the verge of feeling better.  I’m doing so much cross-training these days to keep any unnecessary pressure off my tendon.  So, spinning has been a lot of fun to get into.  And it is teaching me to dig deep when I think I’m spent.  It makes the stationary bike (something I loathe) fun and enjoyable.  And the music is amazing.  I’ve been swimming more too.  Which was something I have been wanting to do more of anyway.  So, this gave me a push to get into the pool and work on that stroke.  I need to keep this trend up.  Loving that water…once I get acclimated to it.  And…strength training.  I had started doing it before, then stopped, but I’m back to it.  And have a great 30 minute workout that I do with weights and other workout equipment that is helping me build a stronger core.

All that being said…it’s been over 2 weeks since I last ran.  And the ankle/Achilles is feeling much better.  Some tightness still, but nothing debilitating.  So…on this frigid morning, I met up with my running group and decided to test it out.  Most of the runners were aiming for 8 miles or more.  I didn’t want to push it, and thankfully my friends Harry and Natalie were more than happy to do an easier and more deliberate 5 miles.  The cold weather is not helping my tendon feel any better.  Everything is just tight.  UGH!  Cold weather and I do not get along.  It slows me down…always.  I run so much better in the heat.  Let me sweat it out!

It was a good run this morning.  I had a great time with these two while we were running.  And after a mile or so, I forgot about how cold it was…up until we hit some pretty wicked headwinds.  It didn’t matter.  We were just enjoying the run.  And it felt so good to get back out there and hit the pavement.

All that being said…my ankle/Achilles twinged at me a couple times, but it didn’t flat-out hurt.  So, that is a good sign.  I have been icing it on and off today…which is helping and I’m about to go do some stretches and get all the kinks worked out.

But…wow…I totally needed that run today.  More than I even knew!


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Another year of running down some dreams…

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Oh my goodness!!

What a crazy year it has been.  I started off this year with a simple goal: run 1300 miles in 2013.  Well, that goal was easily reached because I met yet another goal this year as well…

I ran my first marathon.

And then followed it up with another marathon.

My other goal was to make it through the year uninjured.  I almost made it.  SO close.  The past two weeks I have been going without running due to Achilles tendonitis brought on by refusing to hop on a treadmill and going for a run while there was still ice and snow on the ground.  The uneven footing was enough to alter my gait enough to cause this bit of discomfort.  I am on the mend though.  Not being able to get out and run has been killing me…but I have supplemented spinning classes (I go at least 2 times a week), swimming (once a week) and some weight training in, all of which I intend to keep doing well into next year.  Because I love how strong these other activities are making me.

Do I have a goal for this coming year?  I haven’t really given it much thought.  Miles I always seem to surpass…races I run plenty…I think my main goal is to eat better, train better, remember to cross-train more, take some time to walk and see the sites that I might miss otherwise, work on speed, and just have a great year on the road.

SO much love and thanks to all my friends this year who have seen me through training, traveled to my races, cheered for me, cried with me, and pushed me beyond what I ever thought possible.  I have made so many new friends this past year and I know that I’m going to forge new friendships in this coming year.

So…here is to a happy, healthy, and healing New Year.

Thank you, my dearest readers, for sticking with me and offering advice, words of love and encouragement, and for pushing me to aim higher.

2014…I’m on the mend…and I’m ready to hit the road!  Let’s do this!


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YOU SUCK…and more words and feelings of self-doubt…

Self-doubt can GO AWAY!
Self-doubt can GO AWAY!

Negativity.

That’s all I’ve been feeling toward myself these days.  While so many of my running friends are posting better times and new PRs…I feel like I’m in a slump.  I feel like…things are just…getting worse for me.  And all of this leads to a lot of self doubt and a lot of low self-esteem.  Yes…I am so very proud of my friends for their accomplishments.  But it’s only natural for me to look at what they are managing and wonder…why am I slowing down?  Why is the weight piling on?  Why…just why?

I try to keep my thoughts positive, but when you feel like your fitness is suffering…well…it’s hard to keep that good attitude.

Let’s start with the first thing.  I’ve put on about 10 pounds since I ran the Chicago Marathon.  I haven’t changed my eating routines.  I’m not loading up on junk food.  I’m still eating clean.  I still treat myself.  But…the weight just won’t come off.  In fact, I just seem to add to it.  And that just sucks…mightily.  When you no longer feel as light as a feather…you don’t feel like you’re running as fast or capable of running as fast as you did when you were at your prime fitness.  This is me.  And it is really messing with my mind.  I hear about all my friends losing weight, dieting, all this stuff.  I don’t diet…I just eat clean and I workout.  And somehow this has brought on weight.  I don’t eat a lot of crap.  Yes…I treat myself to ice cream on the weekend…but I’ve always done that.  Even back during my marathon training.  UGH!  The biggest insult happened this past weekend when I went to the pool to swim some laps…and my bathing suit was tight.  Uncomfortably…not fitting me right…tight.

Now, allow me to follow this paragraph up with the fact that I am not working out to lose weight.  I don’t run to lose weight.  Nor do I run so I can eat a lot of crap and not feel guilty about it.  I run and I go to the gym because I love how it makes me feel.  I don’t need to lose weight.  BUT…I don’t want to gain it either.  And despite my workouts and my runs…that scale keeps creeping up…and with it…my self-doubt.

It sucks having low self-esteem!

Secondly…

Ow.

Yep.  Ow.

Achilles tendonitis.  Brought on from…ironically…avoiding the treadmill and going out to run on those icy and snowy days.  Landing on uneven icy and snow altered my gait…and with it…put some strain and stress on my Achilles.  What has this brought on?  Slower runs.  No long runs.  And a lot of very mixed emotions from me.  I hate cutting my mileage.  If there is one run I look forward to every week it’s my long run.  I love going long.  I love the distance.  I don’t care how fast I run or how slow…I just want to get that distance.  I love the time with others…or the time alone.  I love talking or sometimes just letting my thoughts take over.  This past weekend I was supposed to run 2 long runs…but…I ran a total of 4 miles.  FOUR MILES!!  And not even at speed.  I can’t.  Not with this ankle/Achilles issue.  It is so aggravating.  I can still run…but the intensity isn’t there.  The distance is definitely not happening.  And it just tears me up inside.  I know it’s for the best…not to put added strain/stress on the problem area…but…I get so cranky when my runs get messed with.  And this has definitely left me feeling insignificant.  Especially when the miles are turned down and so is the speed.  I feel like I should be turning up the intensity if the mileage is not there…but I can’t even do that.  And it’s beyond bumming me out.  It’s making me second guess everything.  And then I read about everyone else who is running long, setting new PRs, and just getting so much stronger and faster…and here I am…slowing down…feeling like I’m reverting back…feeling…SO DAMN SLOW!!  IT SUCKS!!

I know it’s for the best, but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t suck.

What I have been doing is taking my runs inside…to the dreadmill…and running at a very deliberate, easy pace.  The soft belt is a lot kinder to my joints than the hard pavement right now.  Oh…and I’ve now officially taken two spinning classes (and totally intend to keep going to them!!) and have added more weights for some strength training.  I’ve only learned the machines…so I haven’t officially added that back in.  I’m going to get back into the habit of my circuit training.  I fell off it when my roommate went into the hospital.  Then it was too close to my marathon to really want to hop back in.  After that…probably sheer lack of motivation…and the fact that the roomie can’t turn it up and dial it in like I can while on her current meds.  BUT…that changes when I get back from my Christmas vacation.  Dialing back into those weights, the core, the strength training.  Hopefully the ankle/Achilles will be further on the mend.  I also went swimming on Sunday.  Yep.  Swimming for a whole 45 minutes.  I love to swim, and definitely should incorporate it more.  Or else I’ll never get any better.  Not that I’m a horrible swimmer, I’m just not very fast.  I don’t have that strength behind it yet.  But that comes with time and training.  Time to just hop in and DO IT!

I have a difficult time wrapping my head around slower running times.  I’m built for distance…that much I know.  But I also like to prove that I am swift.  I’m speedy.  Sometimes I feel that way.  But ever since the cold weather hit, my times have been so much slower than what I could master in the heat of summer.  I run better in heat than cold.  Cold burns my lungs, makes it hard to breathe, therefore…I never quite find my rhythm.  Some people run better and faster in colder temperatures.  I am not one of those people.  Slowing down scares me.  I am not ready to slow down.  I want to find that strength to push a little harder, fight to get a little faster, and outrun all my doubts and limits.  And I have yet to do just that.  I feel like I’m failing…

Cold weather creeps in and so does my self-doubt.  I am my own worst critic and my harshest competition.  I don’t feel like I’m running up to par and that gets stuck in my head.  I get aggravated when I fail to nail a time on a distance that felt so easy during the warmer days.  I know it’s natural.  I know it’s normal.  But I’m competitive…and when I feel like I’m sliding backwards instead of moving ahead…I get into this tug-of-war with myself and my emotions…my expectations…

And yeah…that sucks too.

My competition is not my friends I run with…nor is it those who are out there making progress.  My competition is myself.  I look in the mirror…and those extra pounds, those slower times, the lack of long runs, the self-doubt…that is my competition.  And until I get get over this hump…it’s the fight of my life right now.  Because until I believe that I can run faster in the cold, that my ankle won’t hurt, that my body isn’t failing me or trying to slow me down…then I’m not making progress.  And I won’t.  Words have power…even the unspoken ones inside my head.

Time to find my strong…again.

It’s a battle I’m willing to fight.  I just have to be smart about it.  My competition…is all in my head…and it’s time to show it who is boss.


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Grey Matters

Grey Matters - For Trinitie
Grey Matters – For Trinitie

Fly, fly precious one
Your endless journey has begun
Take your gentle happiness
Far too beautiful for this
Cross over to the other shore
There is peace forevermore…

As you might recall from my previous post on the Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast, I ran that race for a little 12 year old girl, who I was connected to via a group called Brain Cancer Share Your Shirts.  Her name was Trinitie and in 2012, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor known as Glioblastoma Multiforme Stage 4.

The concept was simple…run a race and send your race shirt, race bib, and a little note to the child you are connected with via the program.  So, on a bitterly cold Thanksgiving morning, I hauled out to my five mile race and battled the cold temperatures to churn out my best 5 mile race to date.  It was by no means fast…but it was fast enough.  And I did it for Trinitie.  I boxed up my race shirt (a beautiful long sleeve tech shirt), my race bib, enclosed a card, and threw in the signs I made for the occasion, a ribbon, and a few extras because, without having even met Trinitie…she touched my life.  The box was sent off to the address provided.

And then…Trinitie took a turn for the worse.  But it seemed she was going to bounce back.  That’s what kids do, right?  They bounce.

Then yesterday…the most heartbreaking message was posted on Trinitie’s page as I was getting ready to leave work.  Her mom wrote that Trinitie had a massive brain hemorrhage and was unresponsive.  She was being airlifted to Children’s Hospital.  She asked for strength…and prayers.

Strength.  Prayers.

So simple…yet I know every person reading that status felt so helpless and powerless.

This morning…the news I read on Trinitie brought me to tears.  The Brain Cancer Share Your Shirts page stated:

Miss Trinitie earned wings a few hours ago. She’s now flying high with the rest of the angels. To those who supported her during her fight, know you touched the life of a child. Please join me in prayer/positive thoughts for her Mom & family. Fly high Trinitie!

I was brought to tears.  It seems foolish, perhaps, since I never personally met Trinitie.  But I felt so connected to her.  I ran a race for her.  I thought of her through each cold, hilly mile.  She provided inspiration and strength.  It is hard to believe such a beautiful and brave girl was now gone.

Her fight was not in vain.  She touched so many people with her story.  She touched my life…and never even knew it.  Which is why I sit here, crying, because I feel like I lost a part of myself.  That’s what running for someone does to you.  It connects you in ways you never even realize.  I am heartbroken at the loss of such a young life.  But Trinitie was a fighter.  And she went to battle each day, brave, relentless, and she did it all with a smile.  She never lost her spirit.

I hope that her fighting spirit and courage continue to live on in each of us…and that her soul watches over all the other children in this world who are fighting the battle she fought.  Her strength, her courage, her grace live on in a beautiful soul that went to fly with the angels last night.

Fly high, Trinitie!  Thank you for letting me be a small part of your inspirational life.


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Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast – New Albany, IN (November 28, 2013)

Me crossing the finish line of the Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast - New Albany, IN
Me crossing the finish line of the Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast – New Albany, Indiana

Race: Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast

Place: New Albany, Indiana

Date: November 28, 2013

Time: 36:54

Thanksgiving morning ushers in what I like to call “The Least Stressful Race I Run All Year.”  Why?  Because on Thanksgiving, our local “Turkey Trot” is held right across the street from my apartment.  Which means, I don’t have to rush around in the morning trying to make sure I have everything in order and time to get there, stretch, etc.  I don’t have to worry over parking or any of that.  All I have to do…is get up…get dressed…stretch in the comfort of my own home, and then about 15 minutes before the start, meander down to the starting line.

I. LOVE. THIS. RACE.

BUT…this year I was doing something special at the Fast Freddie.  I wasn’t running it for my own personal satisfaction or a PR or to not feel guilty about indulging at dinner.  Nope.  This year…I was running it for a group I joined called Brain Cancer Share Your Shirts, that my friend Joanne directed me to one day.  Her brave daughter is one of my heroes…and at the age of 16, conquered brain cancer.  Cailin is amazing and continues to show how truly awesome she is.  For real.  So, I contacted this group and they paired me with a little girl, ironically from Dothan, Alabama.  Her name is Trinitie and she is 12 years old.  Trinitie was diagnosed at the age of 11 with Stage 4 brain cancer known as Glioblastoma Multiforme.

She is a beautiful little girl and has become such an inspiration and one of my personal heroes.  I wanted to make this race special for her.

You know what that means?  SIGNS!  Cathy and I made signs that morning to tote over to the fairgrounds and have some fun taking some pictures.  With the signs made, I went and changed into my racing gear.  It was a bitterly cold morning that day…with temperatures in the low 20s…but with the very strong 14 mph wind gusts, it felt like 16 according to The Weather Channel.  I can believe it.  It was really cold.

Once I was dressed and got my bib pinned on and used the provided twist tie to attach the timing chip to my shoe (which didn’t actually serve a function as the race goes off gun time, not chip time…), it was time to brave the wintery chill and head out to the start of the race.

Me with the signs for Trinitie before running the Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast
Me with the signs for Trinitie before running the Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast

Despite the cold morning, there were a lot of people hanging around outside.  I was surprised.  But, this race draws a lot of very fast, very talented, and very amazing people.  Everyone who shows up fits into one of those categories.  Trust me.  This race is awesome and one of my favorites to do year-after-year…and not just because it’s so convenient.  Anyway…after a few poses with the signs, I went on a mission with Cathy to find groups of people who would hold the sign that we made wishing Trinitie a Happy Thanksgiving.  Everyone was happy to do so and we got a lot of great pictures.  We were finishing that adventure up when everyone started to fill in Green Valley Road.  The start of the race was close.

It seemed a majority of people were hanging back away from the pink tape that marked the start line.  I moved up toward the front, but know from the past 2 years I have run this race that there are a lot of super-speedy people here.  In fact, a lot of track teams turn out to run this race.  And trust me…it is a challenging course.  I think the Fast Freddie people set out to find a course that pretty much would have runners tackle every hill in New Albany.

Eventually, the space in front of me did fill in.  And we were all tightly packed as people finished up their strides and warm-ups.  Fred, himself, came out with the bullhorn to make a few announcements and said that he would say, Runners Set…and there would be a whistle.  Except…all we got was the whistle.  So, for a brief moment, no one moved.  Then we heard Fred yell, “GO!”  We were off…

Now, this course is no stranger to me.  I run it a lot, especially in the summer when I do runs around my neighborhood.  I ran it Wednesday morning with my friend Natalie…keeping an easy and leisurely pace though, so as not to burn out my legs the day before a race.  Actually, it was really nice to be able to change up my morning route, throw in a bit more of a challenge, and do it with the lady I call my sole sister…because we hit it off so well and are so much alike.  Anyway…I run this route often…normally not at race pace.  And…I also know which sections slow me down.  I was mentally preparing myself for it all…but telling myself to run hard for Trinitie.

Within the first half mile, runners are already plodding up the first of three major hills in the race.  This one takes the crowd over the highway and often we get people honking as we race above them.  This climb is no joke, but you get rewarded with a nice downhill on the other side.  It all levels out and you round the corner and hit a couple of slight hills, but nothing too hard.

Mile 2 starts shortly after the turn, and this one does bring the ups and downs of New Albany.  And train tracks.  Just for that extra challenge.  This stretch of road is nice though, and I do love running it.  I enjoy a challenge and mentally trying to push myself a little harder.  I usually save it for later in the course though…and you’ll understand why.  Mile 2 was a breeze.  As we were about to turn onto Grant Line Road, a guy began running next to me and said, “Hold this pace!”  I was like…”Ummm…okay…”  But…after making the turn and knowing we had another minor hill and then the turn into the community park…I was ready to run.

The last half mile leading to Mile 3 is a tough incline up inside the park.  The first year I ran the race I had the worst side stitch coming up the hill.  Last year…no such problem.  This year, it slowed me down slightly, as it always does.  I’m halfway through the race and my legs are burning, but I press on, and I push them…and I get up that hill and head past the clock at Mile 3.  That’s good because heading toward Mile 4 takes you on the toughest portion of the route…Schell Lane.

You see, after you exit the park you are put onto what I think must be the road with the steepest uphills in New Albany.  The downhills are slight, but these uphills are killer.  This is one reason I both love and hate this route.  Hills make me stronger, but I hate hills.  Go figure.  Anyway…this is the part of this run where I always choose to push myself.  It’s the most challenging…so why not?

And push is what I did.  Every uphill I battled up, pumping my legs and getting to the top.  The one at the very end is the worst one, and even in training runs, I congratulate myself when I reach the top.  I did the same thing on Thanksgiving morning.  The best part is once you make the turn onto Daisy Lane, you have a nice downhill before it levels out.  Whew.  I love that downhill.  It makes all the effort I pour into that mile worth it.  Mile 4 is near the bottom of the hill, just after it levels off.  With one mile to go, I know the route well.  I often run the street in the morning and know where the hillier portions will find me.  Luckily, these hills are nothing compared to what we already ran through previously.

I really just wanted to finish strong.  My goal was to run for Trinitie…and maybe even beat last year’s time.  I wasn’t sure how the time thing would work out because my muscles hate the cold weather and when it is as bitter cold out as it was on Thanksgiving…well…sometimes it just hurts for me to breathe.  But I could see it ahead…after I ran past the cemetery, the turn towards the finish at the 4-H Fairgrounds.  I was about a half mile out.  So, I just thought of Trinitie and said I was going to finish strong.

And I did…crossing that finish line never felt so good.  I know I can run that route faster than what I managed…but with the wind and the cold, I just wanted to finish that race and do a good job for a little girl in Dothan, Alabama.  I managed that…and set a new PR for 5 miles for myself.  Happy about that.

Afterwards, I went back to the apartment to make some hot apple cider.  Then Cathy and I trekked back over to the fairgrounds to watch the winners get the awards.  I love watching runners collect their prizes for being so amazing.  We left after that as I was hosting Thanksgiving and needed to hop in the shower and finish up the rest of the meal (including making sushi!).

I will say this…the Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast had the most people register in the 25 years it has been running.  However, due to the cold, both finishing times and turn-out were lower than previous years.  In fact, this year apparently tied for the coldest year the race has run.  Go figure.  All proceeds from the race to benefit the Type 1 Diabetes Education Program at Floyd Memorial Hospital.

It was a great way to start out Thanksgiving, for sure.

Official results of the Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast are that I finished it in 36:54 based on gun time!  Yes…my fastest 5 mile time to date.  I was 113/935 overall; 22/448 women to cross the finish line; and I was 5th in my division.  Of course, after reading some of the times my running friends turned out on their Thanksgiving races, I feel rather slow.  But…like I said…my body hates cold weather so I can only do what I can do.  I was on my feet for 4 hours the night before doing TONS of Thanksgiving prep as well, but…you know what?  I had fun.  Bonus…what I did was run a great race for a brave little girl named Trinitie.  And on Tuesday, I am sending her a package with my race shirt, my race bib, a special gift from me, and a note.  She is an inspiration, a fighter, and definitely one of my heroes.

For Trinitie.

It was a great day and a great way to give thanks!

Me after the Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast...celebrating with Tirnitie!!
Me after the Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast…celebrating with Tirnitie!!


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Bank of America Chicago Marathon – Chicago, IL (October 13, 2013)

Me at Mile 3 of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon - Chicago, Illinois
Me at Mile 3 of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon – Chicago, Illinois

Race: Bank of America Chicago Marathon

Place: Chicago, Illinois

Date: October 13, 2013

Time: 3:28:28

I just ran my first marathon!  My first 26.2 miles.  I ran it through 29 neighborhoods in Chicago.  I ran it strong.  I never hit a wall.  I had a plan.  I stuck with it.  And I had some of the best support on the ground I could have ever asked for at a race.  The weather was perfect.  And I, honestly, had the time of my life.

How many people can say that when they’re running 26.2 miles, eh?

But this post doesn’t start at the race.  This post started 18 weeks ago when I not only began a challenging training program, but also took it upon myself to find a sports nutritionist because I wanted to be sure that I got to this race and was able to run this race in the best shape possible…and ready.  There are so many times before where I did so many things wrong…especially when it came to fueling and hydrating during races.  I didn’t want that to happen here.  You only get your first marathon once.  I wanted it to be a good and happy memory.  So, Donna, if you are reading this, all your advice and help really, really paid off.  I listened to you about how to fuel properly for a marathon, how to hydrate properly for a marathon, what to eat, what to avoid, and how to figure out what worked best for me.  Some weeks were better than others…but that’s why we have those 18 weeks of training.  You figure it all out.

So, as the taper kicked in and my mood shifted from runner’s high to evil step-runner mode (I do NOT handle taper well.  Let this be my PSA to all of you), I had to really trust my body and try not to let the mental game of…running less = poor performance get to me.  Mind games.  They happen.  I was very respectful of my taper, doing exactly as my plan called for.  That meant the week leading into my marathon, I didn’t run much.  For three days, I ran 4 miles each morning.  Two of them were at marathon pace.  One was more speed work and pacing related.  Then…two full days off.  No running.  No morning walks.  Zero.  Zilch.  Nada.  Rest the legs.  Get them ready.  I wanted to run so bad during those days…but I didn’t.  I made myself rest.  It was two of the hardest days of my life.

Friday night, my friend Jenn from Ohio rolled into town.  She has been to quite a few of my races and is such a huge support.  She wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to come to Chicago to see me run.  Nope.  So, she headed this way and got in as I was still trying to make myself pack for the race.  I was distracting myself.  With everything.  Including organizing my BondiBand’s by color.  Packing…yeah…focus.  She and Cathy got me on task, and once my running bag and my regular duffel bag were packed with what I could pack that night…the three of us headed out to grab some dinner.

Since it had been way too long since Jenn had come into the area, I had her pick a place where we could eat dinner.  I sent her places that had options for everyone, including me.  And she surprised me when she chose Dakshin, a local and amazing Indian restaurant.  I threw it on the list because I knew it had good food.  Never did I expect Jenn to pick it.  But she did.  And I was proud of her for branching out.  So, we made the drive over to Dakshin and settled in for some crazy-good Indian food.  If you live in Louisville and haven’t tried this place…DO IT!  Since it was only two days to my marathon, I was being extra cautious about my food.  Being a Celiac means being so careful when it comes to eating out.  I wanted carbs and protein…so I ordered the Dal Tadke Wali…which is home style yellow lentils which are tempered with Indian spices.  YUMMY!  It was served with this delicious basmati rice that has coriander seeds and various Indian spices cooked in with it.  Keep that in mind as you scoop it onto your plate…FYI!  Needless to say…the food was delicious and Indian food is one of my favorite cuisines anyway.  I don’t get the authentic stuff often…so this really made me happy.  Cathy, in case you were wondering, chose the Goat Korma…which was apparently spicy.  Jenn went with the safe, but still off the beaten path for her, Tandoori Chicken.  It was spicy for her too.  So, with me being the one who loves spice…I got the mildest meal of all three of us.  Go figure.  Anyway…after our amazing food, we went to celebrate the upcoming race with some ice cream from The Comfy Cow.  I was a Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice scooper.  Hey…marathon training means ice cream.  This was Jenn’s first taste of Comfy Cow ice cream, so she went with the Bonjour Toast offering.  Cathy went with Vermont Maple Walnut.  With full bellies…we headed back to the apartment to settle in for the evening and watch Spirit of the Marathon to get keyed up for Sunday…and followed it up with Marathon Thoughts…which if you haven’t pulled that up on YouTube…shame on you.  Do so now!

We crashed out that evening at a decent time.  The people downstairs were having a party, so sleep wasn’t easy and I didn’t get much of it.  My alarm went off early…because my training plan called for me to do 3 miles or 30 minutes of running that day.  Since we had a drive to Chicago ahead of us, I got out of bed, put on my running clothes, my reflective gear, and headed out to run.  The rest days were good for me…and my legs felt good as I pushed through three very early miles.  I came back and snuck inside so as not to wake anyone yet.  Went to shower and finish packing.  Then, Jenn was up.  And soon Cathy was as well.  We ate a quick breakfast (cereal and some gluten-free French toast sticks…which…eh…) before packing up the car with all of our stuff, a cooler of drinks and snacks, and hit the road to Chicago.  We had to detour around Indianapolis due to Highway 65 being shut down going through downtown, so this tacked on some time.  My friend Heather, like one of my best friends who I have known since third grade!, was in Chicago to see me run.  She flew in from Minnesota for the occasion and texted to let me know she was there and grabbing some breakfast.  We had hoped to get in around 10 a.m.  We got there around 11 a.m.  We met up with Heather at the Hilton Chicago, the host hotel, and the hotel we were staying in for the weekend.  We valeted the car, put our luggage on a cart to be delivered, and I got us checked into the hotel.  We were up on the 8th Floor…which just happened to be the floor where many of the elites were staying.  The luggage would be up shortly, but the four of us headed up to the room.  The first set of keys I was given, didn’t work…so I headed back down to the lobby to get that fixed.  There was a much longer line now and more of a wait.  But, I just let it roll off my back.  These things happen.  No sense getting worked up over it, right?  The key situation was fixed and we got some commemorative keys to boot.  LOVE them.  Back up to the room and my friends were already inside.  I closed myself out just to make sure the keys worked this time.  They did.  And soon after…luggage was delivered.

This is how I know my friends are totally amazing.  The guy bringing in our luggage carried in the famous Donkey sign first, saying the most important thing had to come in first.  He immediately put it up in the window facing the lake.  It made me smile…a lot.  As he was bringing in our bags and cooler, he was asking questions about the race…and I mentioned it was my first marathon.  He said to my friends that they had a long day ahead of them tomorrow…at least a 4 hour or 4-1/2 hour wait for me to come in.  To which, Heather chimes…”Nope.  She’ll run it in 3:30.”  Cathy and Jenn totally ran with that as well and I just nervously laughed.  He asked what my number was because he’d have his eye on me.  So, we told him, tipped him, and he was gone.  With that bit of business taken care of…and bathroom breaks made, we hurried downstairs to 8th Street entrance of the Hilton and got in line for the shuttle buses to take us over to McCormick Place, where the expo was awaiting us.  The first bus that arrived filled up fast…but we got on the next one and soon were on our way to the expo.

Me at the Nike booth at the expo for the Chicago Marathon
Me at the Nike booth at the expo for the Chicago Marathon

Lately, my race expos have been tiny and rather…disappointing.  Utica…was probably the best one I had been to all year…and I’m not counting Disney races in this.  Disney is a monster all its own.  But this expo…was HUGE!!  We walked into McCormick Place and just followed the sea of runners…which guided us to the monstrous exhibit hall where all things running related were happening.  First things first, however…and that was getting my packet.  I headed over to where this BIG sign declared PACKET PICK-UP, and stepped up to this little table where they scanned my participant guide and sent me over to Booth 5 to retrieve my bib number and packet.  I headed that way, and my information was already pulled up and waiting on me.  I was handed my bib, an envelope of information, and told where to go in order to get my race t-shirt.  I grabbed some Chicago Runs For Boston bracelets for me and my friends and went to head to get my t-shirt.  But…got waylaid by this awesome wall where people were able to remove a magnet and sign their name.  We all did it…writing messages and the like…and keeping our magnets as mementos.  Then, we got to battle the crowds.  I was ready…and as we made our way up the first row of exhibitors…I just casually glanced at the booths.  I was hoping to make it out of the expo without spending too much money, so the less time I looked at things, the more likely that was going to happen.  I managed to get up to the tables in the back that had the t-shirts and bags for the participants.  I retrieved mine…and, as I learned my lesson from Disneyland, immediately pulled out the t-shirt to make sure it was a proper fit.  It was.  So now…we were loose to check out the exhibitors and try to make it out with as much of my wallet in tact as possible.

It was a valiant effort…but an ultimate fail in the end.  I found CEP’s booth and picked up some compression sleeves for my friend Natalie.  She wanted the blue ones I wore once to the fun run…and I promised if I spotted them at the expo in Chicago in her size, I would buy them.  Well…it happened.  And they were now hers.  Not far from there was the BondiBand booth.  And my friends and I set out on a mission to find a 26.2 BondiBand.  We found SO many good ones, just not 26.2.  Then…we started finding them…in hideous colors.  With some luck…I found two that were okay.  One in blue with pink numbers, and a red and black one.  I asked my friends which I should get, and since my uniform for the race was red and black…that was what we went with.  I purchased two other BondiBands as well…

Oh…I also got to meet Hal Higdon.  Like…THE Hal Higdon.  How amazing is that? I bought his new book, 4:09:43 – The Boston Marathon Bombings, and was able to have it autographed.  This happened because I get a call from Cathy saying…”I’m standing next to Hal Higdon.  You better get over here!”  And with some direction…yep…it happened.  And I was this little fangirling runner trying not to squee and make a fool of myself.  Because…DUDE…it’s Hal Higdon.  AND while Hal was signing my book, right behind me on the main programming stage…Deena Kastor.  DEENA KASTOR!!  One of my running idles.  I was…in runner heaven, I think.

But…there was much to do that day so lingering too long was not going to be an option.  We were just scraping the surface of the expo.  So…we made our way past booths…in which I ignored the Newton booth…because I couldn’t afford more shoes at the moment as much as I wanted another pair.  We sampled different NUUN flavors.  We tried some protein bars (gluten-free, of course), we walked past Scott Jurek, the vegan ultramarathoner…and I once again had to attempt not to squee!!  I was doing good…not spending any more money…and we were making lots of progress through the expo.

Then, lo and behold, I hear someone calling my name.  It’s Matthew and Dawn, who I run with on Saturday mornings with my group.  They were up in Chicago as spectators, not runners, in this marathon and saw me walk by.  In that mass of people…they spotted me.  We hugged…we talked…they asked how I was feeling.  I said the nerves were gone, now I was just excited.  So…I was already feeling better.  Lots of people I knew were here…they were going to be cheering…it was going to be a good time.  They told me to have my bib scanned at the Nike booth…so I took that advice and headed that way.  Bib scanned and the screen read, “Karen Owns Chicago.”  SWEET!  I was about to leave, after getting a free poster, when I spotted the official merchandise.  No shirts though…but we were directed over to the Nike booth.  UH OH!!  Yeah…might as well have just drained my wallet when I walked in there.  Needless to say…a jacket and a shirt later…I was now leaving the expo…because I was running out of money.

We returned to the Hilton and took things up to the room.  We had a small amount of downtime to sit and chat.  Heather did some foam rolling and I started to get my race outfit out and laid on the table so it was ready for the morning.  We called down to valet after that to have the car brought around because now…it was time to feed our faces.  I had discovered what sounded like an amazing place to get a gluten-free pizza.  The place: Da Luciano Pizza, Pasta and Catering.  It was located in River Grove, so it was about a 20 minute drive.  We got there…went inside…and was asked if anyone needed a gluten-free menu.  I was feeling good about this already.  We were seated and left to look at the menus.  While all the pastas sounded awesome, my pre-race tradition is gluten-free pizza.  I wasn’t changing that up.  Nope.  So, we all placed our orders…and I got my gluten-free pizza with mushrooms, onion, and roasted red peppers.  YUMMY!  Food came out and I devoured my entire pizza and even ordered a gluten-free cannoli for dessert.  That, BTW…was super-duper delish.  The pizza was really good too.  It hit the spot.  And I was now properly fed (carbs!).  We dropped Heather off at a train stop so she could head back to her hotel…and then we were headed back to the Hilton.  We all changed, brushed our teeth, and…climbed into bed around 8:30 p.m.

Da Luciano's Gluten-Free Pizza and Gluten-Free Cannoli
Da Luciano’s Gluten-Free Pizza and Gluten-Free Cannoli

This was early for me.  This never happens.  I always try to get to bed early on race night, but it never seems to work out.  So, I immediately figured that I’d have trouble falling asleep.  WRONG.  I was out.  And I only woke up, briefly, twice during the night with the, “What if I didn’t set my alarm?” panic I always have.  I rested…and rested well.

My alarm went off at 4 a.m. and I snuck out of bed, hoping not to disturb Cathy and Jenn as I fumbled around in the dark, grabbing my outfit for the race and heading into the bathroom.  I dressed.  I did my hair.  I came out as Jenn was heading into the other bathroom.  Cathy finally dragged herself out of bed too.  We all had a quick bite to eat and I was texted by Heather to say she was on her way.  I wasn’t sure cereal would be enough on a marathon race morning, but was told to stick with what I knew.  So that morning, I ate a serving of Chocolate Chex cereal…no milk…slowly and leisurely, as I checked my e-mail and Facebook on my phone.  I had so many people wishing me luck.  Text messages were coming.  And just as I finished eating and went to brush my teeth, Heather texted to say she was at the hotel and heading up.

I got my fuel belt ready with my hydration needs, tucked my GU packets into my skirt pockets…and when Heather arrived…we were all set to head down to the lobby.  And…with perfect timing my friend Cheryl texted to ask if I was at the Hilton.  I said I was and she said her gear check was right there and she wanted to come over and see me.  We made plans to meet in the lobby…which was bustling with runners.  But…she found me.  And we hugged and talked about the race…and took pictures…because that’s what we do.  Time was nearing for me to head to the gate that would take me to my corral.  So…with us each wishing each other luck and telling each other to have a good run…we parted ways.  She was in the 2nd wave of runners to go out…and I was in the 1st.  In fact, my corral, Corral C, was only accessible through Gate #1.  Heather lead the way there…and we just talked a lot about anything but racing.  We even took selfies on her phone while walking.  HA!  We paused at the corner and took photos with each other…rotating through and then crossed the street to Gate #1.  This was as far as they were allowed to go.  The security checkpoint was right there…so…they wished me luck…Jenn sent me off with her usual sayings, which are magic, I swear…and I went to get in line for the no-bag security check.  One more wave…and they were off to find a spot near the start…and I was off to get to my corral.

My friends are awesome - Me and Cheryl; Jenn, Me, and Cathy; Me and Heather
My friends are awesome – Me and Cheryl; Jenn, Me, and Cathy; Me and Heather

It was still dark out, but I just sort of followed the signs to get me to Corral C.  It was a bit of a hike, but not bad.  Not really.  I was clinging to my banana for all it was worth and trying to get the butterflies in my stomach to settle.  Not nervous butterflies.  The excitement was starting to build.  And I was just…wanting to settle in and zen.  So, I found the entrance to my corral, but didn’t go right in.  I stood on the side and did some stretching…some walking…some pacing.  I wanted to be loose.  I wanted to clear my mind.  And the moment I stepped into that corral…I wanted to be focused.  So…I just paced the sidewalk for about 30 minutes, stopping to stretch out my legs every now and again.  At 6:55 a.m., I peeled my banana and sent to get into Corral C.  Security checked my bib number, I entered and moved up to a spot where I remained for the rest of the time.  I ate my banana quicker than I intended to…but I think that was just me needing something to do.  I just hoped it would stick with me long enough to get me to the point I chose to be my first fuel point.  I packed an extra GU pack though, just in case I needed it.  I was taking no chances.  But…I was fine.  The corral filled up quickly.  I had to help the guy behind me start his iPod.  His daughter loaded up a playlist for him, but he had no idea how to work the player.  I helped him out and he thanked me.  I talked to some people around me, making friends, and hearing from others about their experiences with the Chicago Marathon.  Exciting!  The announcer had everyone remove their hats and the National Anthem played.  Runners shed clothes they wore to keep warm, and we all shivered in crisp 45 degree air.  At 7:20 a.m., the wheelchair start headed out.  Then, at 7:21 a.m., the handcycle racers got underway.  It was 7:30 a.m. when the start officially happened…with the elites up front…and the corrals behind them.  We were slowly moved up as each corral was sent off.  It was so comical when those holding the rope to the corral tried to clear out as those of us in Corral C were turned loose to head to the Start.  I stuck to the left of the course, because Cathy said she’d be aiming for the left side of the road…I trotted to the start…crossed the line…and was off.

Chicago Marathon!!

This marathon runs through 29 neighborhoods of Chicago.  It kicks off in Grant Park, which is beautiful, by the way.  I took off from that start line, heading for the underpass we go through.  The crowd was already prominent and loud.  It was awesome.  I started off smiling and I don’t think that grin ever left my face for one moment.  Soon, I found myself in the Streeterville neighborhood, home of the Magnificent Mile, lots of luxury hotels, great shopping district, and Navy Pier.  People were lined up 5 deep on the side of the road, making as much noise as possible…and just being loud.  I wasn’t sure where I was going to see my friends…but I was through the first mile and didn’t see them at all.  Onward.

The Loop was up next…with all the gorgeous architecture it brings to Chicago.  I was heading up LaSalle Street…and just before Mile 3…I see the Donkey sign.  There are Heather, Cathy, and Jenn and they are making some noise!!  I think my smile grew even more.  I waved as I ran by.  Jenn yelled, “RUN DONKEY!  RUN LIKE A PRETTY PONY!”  Um…this is becoming a new mantra I think.  I LOVE that.  It was awesome seeing my friends as I neared the 5K mark.  Pressing on, I entered Near North Side, where the streets were lined with trees, offering some shade from the sun, and residential areas as well.  Then it was into Lincoln Park…then Wrigleyville (yes…Wrigley Field!)…then Lakeview East.  And in Lakeview East…Boystown!  Boystown is the first officially recognized gay village in the United States, and is also the cultural center of one of the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities in the nation.  This is immediately evident in the race because, aside from the rainbow flags, runners are greeted by a stage full of drag queens.  It was really awesome and definitely a change in the usual mix.  It made me smile!  It was a party right on the course.  This was one of my favorite neighborhoods to run through.  The vibe was awesome.

The different neighborhoods continued…Park West, Old Town…and then…around Mile 12…River North.  What made Mile 12 so damn special was that this was where Cathy and Jenn found me again on the course.  Somehow I missed them.  I didn’t know they were going to be there…but my eyes were always searching that crowd for my friends and my sign.  How I missed it…I don’t know…but they were there and have pictures to prove it.  Regardless…I must have felt them in spirit because I was still going strong!  My friends are awesome.  From there it was through some more of the city’s amazing neighborhoods…West Loop Gate, Greektown, and the West Loop.

I bet you’re wondering where Heather went then.  Well, she already had a place in mind for where she could see me again on the course.  After Mile 3…she hopped a train and found me again right around Mile 14…in front of Soul City Church.  And…WOW…was she loud and cheering as I came through.  I heard her above the roar of everyone else in the crowd.  She wanted to be at Mile 14 because it marked the furthest I had ever gone in an official race.  With 10 half marathons under my belt…13.1 miles has been the standard.  She wanted to see me into that next step.  And she did it with perfect Heather style!!  And even got the pastor of the church to scream right along with her.  What a way to take on the second half!

Near West Side was next…then Little Italy (aka: University Village).  The smell of Italian food was prominent.  And it smelled really good.  From there it was into the Illinois Medical District.  And then, as we come around toward Mile 20…the Pilsen neighborhood.  Mile 20…is usually where The Wall hits.  But I never even hit it.  The Wall was not even a force to be reckoned with.  It was dead to me.  And I powered through this difficult part of the race without even slowing down.  I was feeling good.  My race plan for fuel and hydration was working…and fatigue wasn’t even hitting me.  There was no stopping me…not here.

East Pilsen was next…followed by Chinatown.  I loved Chinatown.  I rounded the corner into this neighborhood and was greeted by a big, silver Chinese Dragon.  The atmosphere was uplifting and awesome.  And the area smelled ethnic and awesome.  And it really made me want Chinese food.  I haven’t had Chinese food in forever due to my food allergies.  I miss it.  A lot.  Chinatown was SO awesome.  The crowd here was massive and loud.  Uplifting for sure!

Which was good because heading into Mile 23 was the hardest to contend with…because the crowds faded as we hit the industrial area.  There was very little crowd support.  It was only for a little over a mile though…the crowds did come back.

Bridgeport was next…then came the turn to “head home” and through the Park Boulevard neighborhood.  It was straight up Michigan Avenue from that point on.  The final 3 miles were upon me.  And this was where I started to slow down.  I felt strong, but the sun was up and the temperature was nearing 70 degrees.  I was hot.  But with only a 5K remaining, I was ready to give it all I had.  Bronzeville…The Gap…South Commons…Prairie District…

At around Mile 26…South Loop and Central Station…where the crowd gave runners a much needed lift as all of us tackled the one hill on the course.  And it was NOT nice having us run up a hill at the very end.  Let me tell you though…they did their job.  I slowed down just slightly as my legs really didn’t want to run up that hill, but the crowd got me there.  And so did my friends, who I heard screaming for me.  This was the last point they could see me at before the finish line.  I was going to reunite with them in the runner reunion area afterwards.  So, they were loud and awesome and I was on my way to the finish.

Me...the marathoner...after the Bank of America Chicago Marathon - Chicago, Illinois
Me…the marathoner…after the Bank of America Chicago Marathon – Chicago, Illinois

The Finish Line came into view and I kept smiling.  I think I was smiling the entire time I was running, but that Finish line just went to show how tough I was…how far I’d come.  It was beautiful.  I gave my final push to cross the line and threw my arms up in victory.  I finished strong.  I finished feeling good.  I got past the photographers and paused my Garmin.  Then…immediately started crying.  I didn’t hurt.  I wasn’t tired.  It was just I had so many doubts coming into this marathon, and then I went and did something extraordinary.  I finished it far faster than I anticipated or even dreamed.  Everything felt like a blur.  I took a few deep breaths and kept moving…getting some water…and then receiving my finisher’s medal.  Bananas…snack boxes…more water…and finisher’s photos…that all followed.  I downed some Gatorade as I moved…then had some water.  I made my way through the finish area toward the runner’s reunion, where I was to meet Cathy, Jenn and Heather under the letter V…because it would be less crowded than the beginning of the alphabet.  I saw the sign…and my friends…and went running toward them.  Cathy came up and gave me a tight hug, immediately telling me my official time.  I cried some more.  I cried more as Heather gave me a hug and then some more when Jenn gave me a hug.  We were just…so happy!  I was so FREAKIN’ happy.  I made sure I drank some more water and I laid down to put my feet up while I called my parents in Birmingham, Alabama to tell them about my race and my finish.  They were so thrilled and proud of me.  I only wish they could have been there to share the moment as well.

After I hung up the phone, I stood up and went to get in line for a stretch and massage.  The line was long, but I knew this would help in the end.  While I was waiting, Cathy went off to see if she could find any official finisher’s gear.  She returned about 10 minutes later (the line hadn’t moved) and handed me a gorgeous red rose and a bear wearing a Chicago 2013 26.2 t-shirt.  Ironically, the bear’s name was Dean, which was a sign…had to be…since the captain of the charity (Action for Healthy Kids) that I was running for is none other than Dean Karnazes.  Eventually, it was my turn for a stretch and massage.  That was the best thing ever.  It helped get those muscles loose.  The therapist working on me mentioned how flexible I was…and I told her it was from years of yoga.  After a good stretching…we decided to make our way back to The Hilton so I could get showered and changed.  My intention, even though I wasn’t sore, was to take a cold shower.  I turned the water on, stuck my hand in…and totally nixed that plan.  I’ve never taken an ice bath or ice shower after a run, why start now?  Especially when I didn’t feel I needed one.  I bounce back really well from long distances on my own.  Never change up the routine.  Anyway…I was clean.  I foam rolled.  It was time to go see some sites around Chicago.

Our plan for the day was to hit up Garrett’s Popcorn for amazing popcorn of awesomesauce.  Cathy promised me a gallon tin of the Cashew Caramel Crisp.  We also got a small bag of the Chicago Mix…because we needed something to snack on.  All of us bought our share of popcorn to enjoy…and we went walking the Miracle Mile.  With Nike being one of the sponsors, they had all the official Finisher’s merchandise.  So after a stop by The Bean…and The Chicago Tribune building…Nike was next.  As we neared the building, employees were out cheering on everyone who was wearing one of the finisher’s medals.  It really made it SO special.  We ducked inside…and Cathy purchased two shirts for me…and Heather put money toward a nice pull-over (in Heather gray).  After that…a walk back to the hotel.  Heather needed to meet up with our friend Janet to go to church and Jenn, Cathy and I were going to grab some dinner.  Instead of the Mexican place we had reservations for that night, we ended up sticking to the hotel and eating at the pub that was connected.  I had a salad.  They had fish and chips.  From there…back up to the room to relax a little while and wait for Heather and Janet.  Because gelato was on the menu for dessert.  Well earned…and dessert is best when done with friends.  I didn’t want the evening to end…but, much like my little cup of gelato…it did.

Sadly, it was time to say goodbye.  Janet was going to get Heather to the airport, as she had to fly back to Minnesota that night.  So, lots of hugs and promises to get together again soon…we parted ways.  I walked Janet and Heather to the elevators and gave hugs and said goodbye…for the time being.  I returned to the room and got changed into pajamas.  Foam rolling was next.  And then…we were all ready to settle in, watch some television, and then get some sleep.

The problem was…I couldn’t fall asleep.  I was tired, but sleep just wasn’t going to come.  So, all night I tossed and turned and watched the clock.  I finally got out of bed…and went to change.  Soon, Jenn woke up and then Cathy.  Cathy and I went to walk a bit around the track at the fitness center before we finished packing everything up and getting ready to check out.  Chicago was a blast…but we had a long drive ahead of us.  So…after a quick jaunt to Caribou Coffee…we had our luggage loaded up, my car brought around…and we hit the road.

I am very, very proud of my accomplishment…and I know a lot of this was made possible by the people who have helped me along the way.  First of all…major huge props, hugs, love, and appreciation go out to my sports nutritionist.  Donna…without your advice, guidance, and all-over support and enthusiasm…I don’t think I would have made it through that distance without hitting The Wall.  As The Wall and I are still perfect strangers…I hope to continue this trend.  You are awesome and I’m so glad we are working together.  Your advice and your help have, definitely, made me a better, stronger, and faster runner.  You helped me develop a plan to go the distance and feel good at the end of said mileage.  Guess what?  It worked!  Tons of praise, love, hugs, and cowbell jingles go out to my family (who couldn’t be in Chicago), my friends, my co-workers, my runners, and the strangers who got me to that finish line.  This has been a long journey…and you’ve seen me through all of the insanity.

To Cathy…who saw me try and fail, try and succeed, rode 18 miles on a bike one Sunday with me to keep me company on a miserably hot day, who has seen me through injuries, seen me struggle, seen me overcome, and just continued to be the best damn crew a runner could ever have.  To Jenn…who coined my new favorite phrase when it comes to running, who always tells me not to pants my poop…and who compels me with the power of Dean…who shares my love of all things chocolate, ice cream, and delicious…and who never judges me when I get up early when I visit and go for crazy long runs.  Even if it’s in the kitchen during a snowstorm.  Next time, I promise not to slam into the island.  And to Heather…who I have known since 3rd grade…and despite your move to Minnesota as we were heading to middle school, kept in touch and still, to this day, is the best damn friend this girl could have asked for.  Your amazing belief in me and my abilities is unstoppable.  You teach me to reach for the stars and go beyond even what I think I am capable of achieving.  Your drive is contagious.  It always has been.

So…my official results of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon are that I finished in a time of 3:28:28.  I am still shocked with my time and blown away by what that time means.  I was 3,897/39,122 finishers overall.  I was the 592/17,527 female to cross the finish line.  And I was 154/3,274 in my division.  You cannot believe how thrilled I am with these results.  I felt so good about this run.  I conserved energy…even though I took that first mile fast.  I knew to ease up and let my body find it’s rhythm and its pace.  I ran strong.  And with that…achieved more than I ever thought possible.  This past week has been dedicated to recovery…although my body hasn’t really felt like it needed it.  Like I said…I bounce back.  This was such an amazing experience.  I never stopped smiling during the race…and it’s been hard to get me to stop smiling since then as well.

I ran this town...and owned it!
I ran this town…and owned it!


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Marathon Training Week #18 – In which I head to Chicago for my first 26.2 miles!

Marathon Training Week #18
Marathon Training Week #18

Deep breath.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

Don’t pass out.  Don’t freak out.  Keep calm.  Keep calm and run a freakin’ marathon!

I can’t believe 18 weeks have already passed.  I began this journey on a rainy morning, June 10, 2013…and it all culminates at the finish line of the Chicago Marathon.  God willing, I’ll get there.

Marathon week has arrived.  Technically.  And I’m going through the motions of the taper.  I’m retaining water, which is messing with my head.  I’m running fewer miles…which is messing with my body.  And I’m a basket case of emotions, which is messing with my friends, family, and co-workers.

But it’s here.  At last.

On June 10th…I woke up at 3:30 a.m. to eat something small, drink water, get dressed, and head out to run.  It was raining.  Pouring, in fact.  But no one guarantees perfect weather on race day.  So, without even blinking, I grabbed a hat, got my reflective gear flashing, and went to head out the door.  Except I was greeted with a message from my roommate, which, to this day, still hangs on the back of the front door.  She was in her room, still asleep, but this was how she was showing her support…and every morning from that day when I struck out for 5 miles easy (which I did with hills, mind you!), I took everything on this little sign in…and used it as a mantra:

Roomie shows her support...with a sign on the back of the front door!
Roomie shows her support…with a sign on the back of the front door!

Inspirational, yes?

And with early morning runs every week, early morning runs every weekend, some fun runs, some races, some mile sprints, speed work, pacing work, and just finding out more about what I can and can’t do…pushing through it all…I arrive…at race week.

Sunday, October 13, 2013 marks the date for the Chicago Marathon.  My first 26.2 miles.  My first full marathon.  A part of me feels so ready.  But a bigger part of me is doubting my abilities, not wanting to believe all the hard work I put in through training for 4 months was good enough.  Or, that I’m just not ready.  This is normal.  And I know…deep in my heart…I’m ready.

I. AM. READY.

So…let’s see how this final week of training leading up to race day went, shall we?

Sunday was a rainy, rainy, rainy morning.  Sunday is a rest day, but I often go for another run, keeping pace easy and distance minimal.  I don’t want to over train, but I go stir crazy at times.  I had told the roomie that since I was in taper, I would simply do 5 short miles…at the gym if the weather was bad.  Well, it was raining…I’ve run in the pouring rain before.  I could have gone to the gym…sure…but the very thought of hopping on a treadmill was unappetizing.  For real.  So, I laced up my old Nike running shoes, put on my reflective gear, slapped on a hat, and went out for a run.  What I didn’t know (because I don’t have cable nor do I watch television) was that we had flooding in our area.  This should have been apparent in the first mile when I was warming up and kept splashing in pretty deep puddles.  But as I hit the roads, nothing prepared me for the ankle deep water I ended up trudging through.  I turned around and went the other way, only to be greeted with the same situation that way too.  Flooding…does not make for good running.  But, I laughed.  I was having a good time.  The puddles were everywhere…some ankle deep without me being able to tell…and every time I hit one…it just made me smile.  I mean…what can you do?  I logged my miles, went home, stuffed my shoes with newspaper, and went to take a shower and get dried off.  The rain stopped later in the morning.  Go figure.  It was a good way to start the week though…which I needed as I continued to struggle with my taper demons.

Monday morning greeted me with 4 miles.  I was supposed to do 4 miles at marathon pace…but I decided to move my speed work up a day.  It was my last day of speed work, and my schedule was going to be pretty insane this week.  Doing it on Monday was the best way to do it.  I did an easy warm up of 1/2 mile at my long slow distance pace.  Then it was 1 x 4800 meters (3 miles) at marathon pace.  Followed that up with 1/2 mile at my long slow distance pace for a cool down.  My body is playing tricks on me…with the water retention and all.  The run felt good.  And I still think I need to push myself a bit more on my speed work, but this was a good run.  I actually enjoyed my speed work for once.  And, naturally, being Monday…the Daily Double struck.  I headed to my running store for the running group that evening.  They decided to do the Pumpkin Run…so we went on a run past the house in the Highlands with all the pumpkins…then continued on to Cherokee Park.  We were to run the loop backwards…but Patrick (it’s always Patrick said we would run the loop regular, make a full loop and then head back.  Meaning…Dog Hill…TWICE!  The man is insane…and yet I somehow I always get suckered into doing it.  It was challenging…and I like challenging.  After the morning speed work, I didn’t think my legs would do well on the hills on the loop, or the speed that Patrick was pushing.  I was behind the two others who actually did run the loop, but I was feeling good.  I kept pushing…and I caught up on Eastern Parkway.  It was a good feeling.  And I really needed that.  Granted, it was a bit disrespectful of the taper…and ended up being 5.4 additional miles that day…but I was elated with how I managed to take those hills and maintain a great pace.  I had a feeling my legs would feel it in the morning, however.

Tuesday morning greeted me with an early wake-up call and 45 degree weather.  It was brisk and amazing outside.  I was in my shorts and short sleeves and ready to take on the cooler weather.  The training program called for 4 miles at marathon pace today.  So, I went and rocked it out.  In fact, I took these 4 miles faster than my estimated marathon pace.  The legs weren’t even feeling the two hard runs from the day before.  They were ready and raring and just enjoying hitting the pavement that morning.  I managed beautiful negative splits.  And then…my last day at the gym this week.  Since it is Tuesday, I hit up the Arc Trainer – Program 1 – Level 5 for 45 minutes and churned out a fantastic 2.8 miles.  I was having a great work out day!!  Seriously.  After the Arc Trainer…I went over to the rowing machine to get that full-body cross-training effect.  I have a love/hate relationship with this machine, but I managed 1.18 miles in 10 minutes, which is pretty good for me.  After that, downstairs I went for some strength training before calling it a day and heading to work.

Wednesday was my last run before the taper really hit with some down time.  The plan called for another 4 miles at marathon pace.  Which…I did get out and do, once again, in the dark and cool morning.  I even managed some negative splits.  I honestly didn’t feel like I was pushing too hard or struggling for that next mile, which is only a good thing.  My pace was good, my breathing was good, and my legs were starting to feel the effects of less mileage.  They weren’t as tired or as heavy.  And it just felt good out there running.  I finished in amazing time and feeling strong and good.  But really dreading the days ahead.  Me going without running is like…being without air.  I don’t cope well.  So, watch out world…I’m tapering…big time.

Thursday morning was rough.  I got up later, because the body needs rest on rest days and as tempting as it was to get up at normal time and go for one of my brisk walks…I need to respect these important days of rest and recovery.  Because that’s what my body needs to do in preparation for Sunday.  This doesn’t mean that I just sat around all day.  I made a healthy breakfast that morning.  I took a package down to the car.  I walked around Harvest Homecoming in New Albany twice that day.  Just to not be sitting at my desk the entire time.  I stretched.  I foam rolled.  I made sure I was taking in good carbs, good protein, and healthy fats…topping off my tanks.  I was taking care of me and getting my body ready.  And, it was hard…and I might have whined a couple of times…but I soldiered through.  A day of rest…it was tough.  But I got there.

Friday was the second day of complete rest.  I, once again, let my body rest in the morning, sleeping in and setting my alarm for much later than I would normally wake up.  I had a few things I needed to go get at the grocery store that morning, and although it is just a mile and a half up the street…I didn’t walk.  I drove.  I didn’t skim the aisles, but went immediately to what it was that I needed.  I went home.  I baked some treats for Chicago.  I made breakfast at the same time.  I enjoyed a protein-filled breakfast with fruit on the side and a fantastic caramelized apple parfait with some Greek yogurt.  Yummy!  I went to work.  I enjoyed easy strolls through Harvest Homecoming once again.  I moved around from my desk as much as I could manage with my work load.  I left work and came home to pack.  I didn’t pack…because when I’m nervous I find things to distract me…like hand washing clothes.  I know…I’m weird.  Jenn arrived from Ohio…and she and Cathy put me on task to pack…so I did.  Eventually.  Then we headed out to dinner.  Jenn chose Dakshin, an amazing Indian restaurant in Louisville.  I had the Dal Tadke Wali, which is home style yellow lentils tempered with Indian spices.  It was SO good.  And vegan.  And that meant…good and safe.  I had it over delicious rice.  Carbs.  Protein.  Topping off those tanks properly.  We treated ourselves to Comfy Cow afterwards.  Then it was home to watch Spirit of the Marathon and Marathon Thoughts…then getting some much needed sleep.

Saturday…it’s here.  The day before my first marathon.  And I’m a mixed bag of emotions.  I got up at 4 a.m. to do my shakeout run.  And the rest days paid off.  My legs feel good and strong and amazing.  I didn’t push my pace.  Didn’t push anything.  Now was not the time to try to hit a best time.  Now was the time to just let my legs do what they wanted to.  And every moment of this run felt good.  I enjoyed it…taking in the still, dark morning.  It was in the low 50s too, which helped make it feel even more effortless.  Temperatures on race morning in Chicago will be around 48 degrees.  I can’t wait.  I’m feeling amazing…which is making me feel better about a lot of things.  So, out for a 3 mile easy run…and now I’m going to make up breakfast so we can pile in the car and make the trek to Chicago.  Going to hit up the expo and meet up with Heather and have a good time.

So…this has been a physically and mentally challenging week.  But I have made it through the taper and on Sunday, I will get to see if taper madness really does translate into taper magic.  Because…I have not been a happy person this week.  Running shorter mileage…not running…it’s been driving me insane.

Not to mention, I’m an emotional wreck as it is.  I’ve been having moments of complete panic and what I call…race panic.  I have these freak-out moments and I just have to remind myself to breathe.  Just breathe.  And I know I can do this.  I’ve put in a lot of long hours on the road.  I’ve put in so much time, so much effort, and I know I have a lot of people cheering for me…all over the country and the world.  And that’s pretty awesome, yes?

So…there it is.  18 weeks of long, hard training…18 weeks…and I finally arrive at the place I’ve been training for.  When I started this journey it felt so far away.  The race is now…tomorrow.

I hope I’m ready.

Chicago…here we go…

Chicago Marathon - Sunday, October 13, 2013
Chicago Marathon – Sunday, October 13, 2013


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Marathon Training Week #17 – The heart of the matter

Marathon Training Week #17
Marathon Training Week #17

Taper madness continues.  Along with a lot of outside stress…inner doubt…and really learning to rest this body.  It’s not easy.  I love my runs, especially my long runs.  And having my mileage cut back hasn’t been easy for me.  Neither has this entire week for that matter.  Never before have I felt like the weight of the world was pushing on my shoulders.  And, honestly, my week had gotten off to a good start.  I was feeling good.  I was making good decisions.  I was training right.

But all it takes is one thing to throw everything out of whack.  That’s what happened this week and it lead to stress…stress…stress eating…difficult runs…lots of crying…and more stress.

You see, on Monday morning, my roommate, Cathy, woke up and came out of her room looking panicked.  She said she had a bad dream and now her heart was racing.  Sort of like a panic attack.  She went to the doctor that morning and was tentatively diagnosed with Atrial fibrillation (A Fib), which is an irregular and often rapid heart rate that causes poor blood flow to the body.  During A fib, the heart’s upper two chambers beat chaotically and irregularly, out of coordination with the two lower chambers.  She was admitted to Floyd Memorial Hospital…and that was her home until Thursday afternoon.  And I was bouncing back and forth between being at the hospital with her, work, training, and working at home.  There wasn’t any downtime this week.  The good news is…her heart eased back into its natural rhythm on its own.  She had been taken to have a procedure done on Wednesday morning that would involve giving her heart a shock to put it back into its natural rhythm, but her heart had already managed to do that.  So, she’s on a blood thinner and a medication to slow down the beating of her heart.  Yeah…it’s pretty scary stuff.  But, I’m happy to report that she is recovering well, taking her medications, and getting back to normal.

All that being said…training seemed impossible…and impossibly hard this week.  Somehow…somehow I managed to get it all in, visit the hospital twice a day, work at the office my normal hours, and work at home after leaving the hospital at the end of visiting hours (8:30 p.m.).  This meant there were a lot of very late nights and early mornings.  It was a hard week and I would be lying if I said that I didn’t sit down at the office and cry a few times at my desk…or cry in the car…or call my mom and cry…or just have a hard cry while out on my run.  It didn’t always make me feel better…sometimes it made me feel worse…but…things happen for a reason.  And I know if I can make it through this…I can make it through 26.2 miles in Chicago.

While the week started off great…it took a steep downturn starting Monday after my first run.  Let’s take a look at how stress and restlessness turned me into one exhausted runner.  I have never felt so physically and mentally wiped in my life.  This week…felt harder than any other before it.

Sunday is my other day of rest, which I often use to take a second long run.  This run is always shorter than the previous day’s run.  And, I also had to meet with Donna, my sports nutritionist, that morning.  So, I was out early and getting that run in.  I had decided I would go either 8 or 9 miles, whatever I was feeling, really.  I wasn’t feeling too good about things.  Water retention was becoming an issue and each morning I was waking up feeling bloated and just…fat.  Honestly.  Turns out, after meeting with Donna, water retention happens during the taper.  I should not panic over it or fuss over it.  It’s natural.  Whew.  Because, honestly…I was starting to wonder what was happening.  Apparently being very tired and sluggish is another side effect of the taper.  Good to know these things.  I am so blessed to have Donna seeing me through my training and giving me advice and information I wouldn’t have thought of before.  Anyway, I ended up rocking out 9 miles Sunday morning before the sun came up.  I kept the pace easy and slower, wanting to keep it challenging, but not push too much.  And that’s what I did.  I felt really good at the end of it.  The run felt good.  And in the end…that’s the important thing.

Monday started off great.  I was scheduled to do 6 miles easy that morning.  And when I set out in the dark, I did just that.  I just pressed on.  No need to stop for anything.  Even on the hills I randomly chose to throw in there, my legs felt good and strong and I was having a very, very good start to the day.  Came home to make breakfast and that was when the shit hit the fan.  Cathy woke up with the heart arrhythmia, which stressed her out…which stressed me out…which just spiraled into one of the worst mornings ever.  The gorgeous and nutritious breakfast I made (veggie egg white scramble with homemade breakfast potatoes and a caramelized apple and Greek yogurt parfait) was thrown away.  A doctors appointment was scheduled…then a trip to the hospital…which lead to a hospital stay.  I briefly ducked back into the office when Cathy’s mom came to relieve me at the hospital and grabbed some work to do from home that night.  I came home and had to go run some of this pressure off.  So, I laced up my Newtons and went for a soul cleansing 3 mile run.  I didn’t want to be gone too long…just needed to do something to take the some stress off my shoulders and try to ease my own  heart.  The run was cleansing…but it was soon back to reality.  I headed back to the hospital and stayed with Cathy, meeting her doctor, hearing what he was recommending (lots of tests in the morning!), and staying until the last possible moment I could.  Cathy had never stayed overnight in the hospital…and as much as I didn’t want to leave her there because of how stressed out she was…I had to go home.  Came home, ate a dinner consisting of Greek yogurt and red grapes, then worked until the wee hours of the night before calling it quits.

Tuesday is normally my cross-training day.  But I changed it up.  Tuesday, I decided I needed to do my speed work.  It was the day I was dreading most…and that morning I just needed to feel my heart beat fast and hard and have my legs and body pushed beyond limits.  I hadn’t slept well the night before, having only managed about 3 hours of sleep if that.  But speed work was happening.  I did a 1 mile warm up, then hit the paces with 8 x 800 meters with a 2 minute recovery, then a 1 mile cool down.  8 miles total.  I needed that run to battle exhausting, battle my inner demons, battle my emotions.  I needed it that morning.  Not Wednesday…but Tuesday.  Afterwards, I returned to the apartment and showered, then packed up some fruit to have for breakfast (banana, apple with almond butter, grapes), grabbed my lunch for work and headed out the door to the hospital to visit with Cathy.  She had her EKG early in the morning.  But that morning they were going to take her down for her Echocardiogram.  I was there and talking to her (she hadn’t slept much either) until they arrived to take her down for her test.  I told her I’d be back after work, and headed into the office.  Back to the hospital I went, as promised, immediately following work.  We were going to get test results that evening, but her doctor didn’t show up until very late, again.  The news was that her tests were fine.  There was no serious cause to her A fib.  It was brought on by outside factors…stress, anxiety, etc.  So, he gave her two treatment options…medicine…or the shock.  To my surprise…she chose the shock to the heart.  So…they went ahead and had that scheduled for Wednesday morning.  It was after visiting hours when I left…got home…had another dinner of Greek yogurt and red grapes, and worked from home until late again.

Wednesday was another early morning.  It was also cross-training day.  I went to the gym right when it opened at 5 a.m.  And I decided to change things up.  I did my strength training first.  Which felt good.  Then, I hit up the Cardio Wave machine.  I rocked that one out, despite an exhausted body and tired legs from speed work and late nights…and a not so good dinner the past two nights.  After that, I got on the Arc Trainer for 45 minutes and rocked out an amazing 2.75 miles with challenging resistances, inclines, and intervals.  I felt good at the end of the morning.  I came home, quickly showered, packed up an apple and some grapes to eat at the office and headed back to the hospital.  I met up with Cathy’s mom and sister in the elevator and the three of us went to Cathy’s room.  She was asleep, but her mom woke her up.  We chatted until they came to get her for her procedure.  Lots of hugs and well wishes happened outside the cardio unit.  I left after they took her back, having a good cry on the way to work.  Good news came though when her mom texted and said Cathy was doing fine and that nothing had to be done…she naturally went back to her normal rhythm.  It was a relief to be sure.  I stopped by after work and stayed with her until her doctor came in.  He told her she had to stay overnight, which bummed her out beyond belief, and he was putting her on a blood thinner and a medicine for her heart…but that she could go home on Thursday.  I asked if it would be in the morning, and he said it would.  So…I left and went to get some work done, once again making a late dinner out of Greek yogurt and grapes, and managed to do as much as I could before fatigue hit me hard.  I called it a night and tried to get some sleep.

Thursday morning greeted me and I had an easy 3 mile run to do.  I managed that, cursing the taper the entire time.  But I did rock the run, and that was the important thing.  I felt solid and strong logging those short miles.  Then, I hit up the gym.  I did just the elliptical machine, keeping the setting at Level 7, but dialing back on intensity.  Too close to the marathon to do something stupid, and my body was fighting me.  It was just done with everything.  Tired doesn’t even begin to describe how I was feeling at that point.  I was just…dead on my feet.  So, listening to my body, I skipped the other cardio machine and did some easy strength training downstairs before hitting up the apartment again, showering, and getting to the hospital at 7 a.m.  Cathy was supposed to be released that morning.  She was starving, mind you, when I was there and after she woke up…so I gave her the grapes I had brought with me.  Which is good because the breakfast they brought her was not what she ordered the night before.  She picked at it.  Around 10:00, her mom showed up and I left to do some work from home, assuming that despite the promise that she would be released in the morning, it might be an all day thing.  I was wrong.  45 minutes later, I was texted saying they were doing Cathy’s release papers.  So, I booked it over to the hospital to retrieve her.  Hurry up and wait.  Trust me.  It took another 2 hours to get her out of there.  And from there…a trip to the pharmacy for her prescriptions.  She finally settled in at home just before 1:30 p.m.  It made for a long morning.  I was working from home to keep an eye on her, and made her some lunch.  Then later…at her request…I made a baked mushroom and Parmesan risotto for dinner.  All while doing my work and trying to keep up with things at the office from home.

Friday is my day of rest.  And I am doing my best to keep it holy and respect it.  I admit…I did go out on a 5 mile walk.  I KNOW!!  BAD!!  But I just needed to be moving.  I knew I was working from home and that would mean little movement that day because I had work that needed to get done.  So, I did this thing where I would walk/jog for a mile…then walk a mile…then repeat.  For 5 miles…because it felt so good to just be moving.  I didn’t push for speed or anything…I just needed to be active.  I needed to be doing something that didn’t involve sitting at home in front of my computer.  I ducked over to the office to drop off work, pick up new work, then headed home.  I made breakfast for Cathy and I and then spent the rest of the day working while she watched movies and Star Trek.  I ducked back to the office to sort and open mail and pick up more work.  All the hours I had put in at home added up…and I was actually right at my 40 hour week.  So, I was sent home for the rest of the day.  And I vegged.  Dinner was leftover risotto, so that was easy.  And Cathy said she was feeling 70% normal that day.  Getting there.

Saturday is my long run day.  And, sadly, these long runs as of late have had to be done solo for the pacing requirements of my training program.  Today…only 8 miles…but these were paced.  My first 2 miles were to be at my long slow distance pace.  Miles 3-7 were to be at my marathon pace.  Mile 8…back into long slow distance.  I wasn’t really feeling this.  I miss running with my Saturday group something fierce.  Honestly.  But, I got out at 5 a.m. and turned out my 8 miles.  All 8 miles were actually at my marathon pace, which is good because I didn’t always feel like I was pushing or running hard.  This means my legs are stronger than my body and mind think they are.  I pressed on all 8 miles and felt really good when the run came to an end.  I had only wished it had been a longer run.  Aside from that…Chicago is 8 days away and I’m getting really nervous and trying hard not to put too much pressure on myself.  I want to enjoy my first marathon and I’m feeling as ready as I can be.  The taper edges into almost nothing this week…and my body will take time to repair itself and get strong.  Because next Sunday…I go the distance.

It’s been a very trying, very difficult, very stressful week.  But I feel if I could maintain my training and battle through this load of stress, doubt, fear, and anxiety and come out strong on the other end (which I feel is what happened)…then I can do battle with the streets of Chicago and prove to myself I have it in me to be a marathoner!!  I am really giving myself a pep talk.  I did a lot…and I mean…a lot of stress eating this past week.  Being this close to my marathon, I don’t want anything to derail the hard work I have put into training for this.  This means controlling all stress, anxiety, and every other emotion not through stress eating but through healthier outlets.  I think that’s doable.

With Cathy on the mend, the taper coming to an end, and my marathon looming RIGHT THERE on the horizon…I have a feeling I’ll be a basket case this entire week.  But, as my friend Dawn told me, now is the time to trust my training and know that when I get to that starting line in Chicago…all this hard work I’ve put into these past few months will have paid off.  I can only hope.

That being said…I have my bib number for Chicago…and the participant’s guide…and things are seeming very, very real to me now.  Almost there…so close…just trying not to cave under pressure or wear myself out getting there.  Yeah…the nerves have kicked in.  It’s very real now.


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Marathon Training Week #16 – Easing into the taper

Marathon Training Week #16
Marathon Training Week #16

Taper Madness.

It’s very real.  And I am trying very, very, very hard not to let it affect me.  In fact, Runner’s World couldn’t have been more timely when they published an article on Taper Madness and how to go into the taper and feel good as you go through it.  Some runners, honestly, look forward to the taper.  I am not one of those runners.  Cutting back on mileage is not easy for me.  I love my long distance runs.  I do them with people and I do them alone.  Either way, I enjoy them.  But cutting down has proven to be a bit of a challenge for me.

Thankfully, there wasn’t too much of a difference in this first week of the taper.  It was sort of like going into a cut-back week during normal training.  Maybe these marathon training planners do know what they are doing.  I promise…I am respecting my taper.  I swore I would and I intend to do so.

So, as my miles get shorter…let’s take a look at how I’m dealing this week.

Sunday was a busy day for me.  I was having my birthday get-together with some peeps.  Many of my friends made it out.  A couple ended up not being able to make it.  My roomie and I had our friend Greg in town…so…that being said…I knew I needed to get up and moving that morning if I was going to get my long run in.  Having run 24 miles the day before I had no plans for speed.  In fact, I wore my heavier shoes to keep my pace slow and steady.  I was aiming for 10 miles that morning, and I managed an easy (although at times it felt hard) 10 miles before heading back to the apartment and getting showered and making some gluten-free madeleines for breakfast.  The rest of the day we were out and about before my favorite local food truck, Sweet ‘N’ Savory catered my birthday party at The Beer Store in Louisville, Kentucky.  My roomie got me a gluten-free beer to try…blech…still not into beer.  Just not my thing.  I stuck mostly to the water and was served up one of the most amazing three course meals of my life.  FROM A FOOD TRUCK!!  Richard and Ashley do fantastic work, but they really did some amazing things.  I was the only gluten-free person at the get-together, but everyone enjoyed the appetizer gluten-free savory crepes, the gluten-free ravioli for the entree, and the gluten-free crepe suzette with their homemade gelato for dessert.  We were all very full at the end but everyone enjoyed the food.  I think it was one of my favorite get-togethers yet.  So many different personalities and people and yet…we all came together for good food and a good time.  It was a good Sunday.

And Monday definitely came around way too soon.  My training plan called for 6 easy miles, so I was up and at it early.  The darkness no longer slows me down…but what does slow me down is super tight hamstrings.  The morning air felt great, but my legs weren’t wanting to move as they normally would.  I foam rolled after I hit my mileage, slower than normal, but I was okay with that.  I was going the distance, not going for speed and I do not push when something is twinging.  After work and a quick dinner, I was back out for my Monday Daily Double…with my running group.  That night we were going to go a different route because a tree had gone down somewhere up the way and they were sculpting it into…something.  Laura had heard about it and was going to lead us that way.  She said that she was going to block me from running out ahead because I was in taper mode.  It actually worked and I loved her for this!  I have good friends in the running community.  As it turns out, they had finished the sculpture and the tree now was a castle with a dragon wrapped around it.  It was AWESOME.  We completed the run after stopping to marvel at the tree art.  Ellen and I stuck together, talked while we ran.  She said I pushed her at the end, and we finished up a full 3 miles together.  She said my easy pace was pushing it for her, but it felt great.  And we hit wicked negative splits.  Despite my tight hamstrings…we had a great run.  After a shower, foam rolling commenced once more.

Tuesday was my cross-training day.  So, no running.  These no running days are the most difficult part of training.  I just want to hop out of bed and put in some miles.  But…I behaved.  I hit up the gym and hopped on the Arc Trainer for 45 minutes, using Program 1 – Level 5 and managing 2.79 miles.  Not bad.  I love and hate that machine.  But it’s great for cross training.  After that, it was the rowing machine for 10 minutes.  The rowing machine is tedious…and boring.  But…it works so much of your body.  I always feel it after the workout.  After that, I went downstairs for some strength training before heading into the office.  But my day didn’t stop there.  After work, it was right into my circuit training.  This new routine kicks my butt every time.  Seriously.  But that’s good.  Honestly.

Wednesday morning I woke to the task of hitting 7 miles with Negative Splits in my marathon training.  Pacing and speed work days are my least favorite of the week.  But, they are necessary.  So, I started off slow and steady and picked it up with each mile.  I didn’t feel like I was actually doing the whole negative split thing, but when I hit 7 miles, I surprised myself.  I actually had managed those negative splits.  It felt good out there that morning.  I didn’t push too hard, because my legs were still feeling my runs from earlier in the week, but the hamstrings were feeling loose again and much better.  So, I kept it challenging…just didn’t push my luck.  Quite happy with it.

Thursday morning was another 7 mile run…this time at an easy pace.  I decided that I would take my Newtons out for a spin.  It would be the longest distance that I had run in them since I purchased them, usually keeping them on for my fun run Mondays or some light jogging on Friday.  But, I’m doing this whole shoe rotation thing and I figured…why not?  I love these shoes.  You either love or hate these shoes, but I love them.  My 7 easy miles were done, once again, with negative splits and I shaved a full minute off my time from the day before.  If I had gotten these shoes sooner, I would probably wear them in my marathon…but…that might have to wait for another time.

Friday is the dreaded day of rest…that I respect and keep holy.  Kind of.  I went out for a walk, because if I don’t, I sit at my desk all day on Friday working my ass off in front of the computer.  So, this was necessary.  I had on my walking shoes, so I kept a great pace, and did some light jogging on the straightaways.  I ended up doing this walk/jog thing for 4 miles that morning, which didn’t take me too long.  Still had plenty of time to make some coffee and get some breakfast ready before resting my legs for the remainder of the day.  I had a lot going on at the office, but at the back of my mind I kept thinking about my long run…

Saturday…the long run day.  Not as long a run for me this week.  Like I said…tapering.  BLECH.  Anyway, my training plan called for a paced…yes…a paced 12 mile long run.  What does this mean?  As laid out by the plan, I was to run certain miles at certain paces.  I wasn’t feeling too confident about it.  And…I was going this one alone.  Lots of things were now going on during the day Saturday, so meeting up with my peeps wasn’t going to happen.  BUMMER.  I was lacking motivation this morning.  I hit the snooze button on my alarm, goofed around online, but finally decided the miles and paces weren’t going to run themselves.  I made myself a deal…focus on the distance…I knew I could run the paces…so if I didn’t hit it…whatever.  The distance is what matters.  The training plan called for Miles 1-2 to be done at my Long Slow Distance pace; Miles 3-11 at Marathon Pace; Mile 12 at Long Slow Distance Pace.  I nailed it.  In fact, I once again ran most of the miles faster than necessary.  I am working on that because I don’t want to be burned out when I am in my marathon.  I want to feel strong and good at the end.  Anyway…I was pleased with the way this run turned out.  It wasn’t easy…but I pushed through and showed that I didn’t have to doubt myself.  I am quite capable of these paced long runs.  I just never feel like I’m strong enough or good enough.  And that’s something i need to get over.

Next week the taper gets very real.  I keep eying the training schedule and shaking my head.  It will be so hard to work around the cutback on the miles, but I will do it…and I will continue to respect the lower mileage because I know what it is doing is getting my body ready for the big day.  My muscles are healing, getting stronger, and getting prepared.  And because of that…I will work through the miles as laid out by my plan.  It’s not easy…but I’ll manage.

Taper Madness…I can get through this, right?