It only seemed super sonic...

I was pretty calm showing up to the starting village, and didn't have TOO much time to wait around, about an hour, most of which was taken up waiting in line at the porter potty.  It was SO cold, and that's pretty much all I could think of- but I had sweats, gloves and hand warmers to take to the starting corals with me.

Once I got in the corral it was a little lonely, if you can be lonely among thousands... but it was just time I used to take it all in- there were so many people and so much going on around me.  Once I passed the start, and got on the course, I felt great!  I was still timid to talk to anyone until I found someone at a pace I liked, I didn't want to commit.  I made small talk with a few people throughout the first few miles, and wished them well as either I passed or they passed.

The mile markers seemed to be FLYING BY in the beginning... However, I had my watch and I was splitting time so I could track mile by mile and be sure I was keeping a steady pace that felt really comfortable; it only seemed super sonic.


It wasn't until I was approaching Georgetown that I finally noticed I was next to a lady, and we naturally kept pace together... I was super excited because I was dying to talk to someone!  Her name was Tracy and I quickly found out her goal was to keep between 11:30-12 minute miles throughout the entire race- sold!  We weaved in and out of people the entire way, kept a really feel-good pace and were both able to stop along the course to see our families and friends (Thank you: my awesome husband, Steve, Kristen & Geoff and my amazing parents who trekked from Brooklyn!).

We were both having a lot of fun and were sure to celebrate our accomplishments along the way, counting down the miles we've already put behind us instead of looking ahead at all the ones yet to come!

I was mostly surprised with how many people there were- the entire time- on the course... I mean, I almost felt like I was in Frogger.  I was constantly bobbing and weaving in foot traffic... the entire time... wow!  It was a benefit in that it kept me very engaged and focused in the moment, simply because I had to make sure I wasn't bumping into the next person.  It got mildly annoying at times, but nothing to take away my smile!

A little more than halfway through, the mile markers seemed to pass by a little more slowly- even though we knew we were keeping our pace while running, mentally the markers seemed to come by less often... it became a little harder to ignore exactly how many miles were left, but we decided it best to start counting only by water stops.  They seemed to be popping up right when it felt like we wanted one.  We started to stop at every water stop to go to the side and stretch our legs- better to get a little more comfortable at each stop for the next couple of miles than to push through and feel like hell... this was a huge help!!  It felt so good to stretch those old bones!!

Crossing the 14th street bridge was a stand out moment for me- there were SO many people who looked like they were just trying to "hang in there", and despite me battling a lot of pain I still felt SO strong- I had no doubts we were going to keep pace and get to the finish feeling strong enough to give it our all, it was just a matter of time.

Despite some of the less exciting course mileage after Crystal City, we kept pushing forward and once we reached that final strech, we wished each other well, thanked each other, and told each other to push through and just get to that finish!!  I moved ahead alone, feeling a burst of energy, especially after seeing my Mom and Dad who came down in hopes to see my finish, and kicked butt up the last "challenging hill"... thanks to my Carroll County training that last hill seemed more like a joke- ONLY because I was expecting MUCH worse (i.e. John Hyde, a hilly back country road on many of my training runs, was in my head).


And all in all, that's how I felt about my entire race- I was expecting a lot worse.  I truly enjoyed my time and even my friend Kristen who is a marathoner herself was so happy (and maybe a little shocked) with how much fun I looked like I was having... I guess the Flying Feet program really made a runner out of me!!

                                       What a day, what a day!!

The Kiss

Digital Cheering!

Your spectators forgot to pack your sign??  No worries!  Just text a picture of it to your runner! 

Now it's not just a one day reminder, it's a constant reminder to keep going and work toward my goals:) 

Thank you, Kristen for being the best digital cheerleader ever!!!

                                                   

Street stretching

Stretching feels better with a big ass Marathon medal around your neck!

Glorious!

                                      Finish line fist pumping.

Capitolized dreams...

I was savvy enough with my phone camera at mile 20ish to capture the Capitol building.

The night before the big day I knew it was my last night of dreaming.  I would get to chase the dream down come morning. 

The entire run I was filled with pride as I was finally working toward the completion of my crazy goal. It took months of hard work and I was now capitolizing on my dreams. 

It felt so good!!

Sleep: overrated?

Sleep probably isn't important the night before your first Marathon right??

Leaving for DC in the snow... in October. .. really?? Despite the anticipated awful drive I am excited to get down there for the Expo!! 

New 'fuel belt' for Marathon day... I wish they had it in a BRIGHTER color!!! (sarcasm for those who couldn't pick it up)

The Plan

Along my journey I read something that has stuck with me and has especially been on my mind recently as marathon day is catapulting towards me... split the race into three sections.  Run the first with your mind, the second with your personality and the third with your heart.

Marathon day is only 5 days away and I have basically calibrated my body to be capable of a 26.2 mile run.  So now a successful marathon is up to my mind... how does one calibrate their mind??

My intention is to follow directions... throughout my training I have had a *few* reminders (thank you to my coach, Dave)... it will be hard to go out slow, but GO OUT SLOW and there will be a point when it will become very difficult, BUT KEEP GOING...  So I have to prepare to face these two inevitable challenges.

My first challenge will be to go out SLOW... If I split the course into 3s, this will be my goal for my first 9 miles.  I run through Georgetown from about mile 8 through 9 on my course... so once I get to Georgetown I should be thinking something along the lines of- what a lovely course this has been, I'm so happy I've taken my time to enjoy it, I still feel so light, happy, determined, comfortable!  I should be between 103-108 minutes, anything faster and I haven't followed directions...

My second section will take me up to about mile 18- I'll be in Washington, DC at that point, passing by the Smithsonian and some other of the Nation's Capitol's finest sites... at this point I should be running with my personality- should be having fun and hopefully found a nice groove and met some good people along the way... I may be in danger of getting very close to the part where it feels very difficult- where I start to think holy crap what was I thinking?

Per my directions, I will start to run from the heart, and to break the remaining 8 miles into smaller, palpable measurements.  This will be where my courage may start to break down, but my willpower must kick in.

I am not oblivious to the fact that it was courage that helped me begin this (thank you courage!!!), but that it won't be enough to finish this.  In general, courage is good for starting a journey, but willpower, dedication, commitment is needed to end one.

In the end I can only trust in my training and give it everything I have to give to get to that freaking finish.  (and with any luck make it look good because there are photographs involved!)

I believe...

"You are what you believe yourself to be" Paulo Coelho




I believe...


I am a runner.
I am a happy runner.
I am a fast, happy runner.
I am an unstoppable, fast, happy runner.
I am a prepared, unstoppable, fast, happy runner.
I am a strong, prepared, unstoppable, fast, happy runner.
I am a determined, strong, prepared, unstoppable, fast, happy runner.
I am a motivated, determined, strong, prepared, unstoppable, fast, happy runner.
I am fearless, motivated, determined, strong, prepared, unstoppable, fast, happy runner.

Wisdom from Mom & Dad

This past Saturday I ran my big twenty mile training run.  It went well.  Weird.

It went so well I was immediately worrying about why it didn't go badly... I mean, surely something should have gone wrong!  The day after the run I spoke with my mom and dad... my mom had seen a Facebook status about the successful 20-mile run and she had left a comment, "I knew you could do it!!!".  As I talked to her about it though I aired my concern, "I'm so worried, I wonder why it went so well..."  She reminded me that I have been putting the effort in and I was well prepared now; of course I could do it!  I still spoke about how anxious I was but she reminded me that I chose this journey.  And I've prepared for this throughout the journey. And now it's my choice to just enjoy it and have fun.  My dad knew how to put it in terms I can agree to, breaking it down to the most simple idea... "half the time, life is just about showing up"... simple but smart!!  My entire journey has been about showing up... every single training run was more than I had done before the last... and every single one I was scared of... and every single time I found success along this journey, all I had to do was show up.  My nerves calmed, my worries passed.

Once again, my mom and dad helped me focus on what's truly important in my journey to 26.2 (and life in general): showing up and having fun.  It's frustratingly easy to forget these two simple ideas and I'm thankful to have parents who keep reminding me.

Spectator Signs... post Chicago Marathon...

After hearing about the woman who finished her Chicago marathon and shortly after gave birth I had a few initial reactions... first and foremost... "OMG, WTF?!"

I have not yet run a marathon and also have not given birth.  I am not a doctor either.  But I do not condone marathoning as a past-time for 39-week pregnant women.  If not for the questionable health effects on mommy or baby, because it's making the rest of us look bad.

But one insane woman decided to change the world forever, and she successfully completed a marathon while giving birth a few hours later resulting in the possibility of new spectator signs, which I may have to deal with... damnit.

"Complain to me when you're pregnant and try this"

"There's no crying in running... unless it's your newborn"

"Is that a bun in your oven or are you just happy to be running?"

"Mommies in Labor Do It Better"

"Pain Push Now.  Pride Mommy Forever."

"Your feet hurt because you've kicked so much butt been pregnant for 39 weeks!"

"Free Massages and Deliveries Here"

"Either your Ovaries are Sweating or Your Water Just Broke"

"The Pregnant Lady looked better in Spandex"

"Next Food Station Serving Pickles and Ice Cream!"

"Beat Oprah.  And the Pregnant Lady."

"HOV Lane Only"

Spectator Signs

After recently researching spectator signs commonly seen at races, I want to share these with you, along with my possible reactions, because if you show up with any of these signs, I'd like to give you fair warning of any bad reactions.

"Your feet hurt because you are kicking so much butt!"

Favorable reaction- yes, I kick butt!!  Tell me more nice things!

"Your legs will forgive you...eventually."

Neutral.  Thanks for coming out, but you don't even have a clue.

"Don't stop -- people are watching."

Favorable.  This is funny but also evokes feelings of peer pressure... effective!

"Worst Parade Ever"
Unfavorable.  Worst sign ever.  Go home- do not pass Go, do not collect $200.

"That's not sweat, it's your fat cells crying."
Unfavorable.  I don't even understand the purpose of this sign- is it an awkward compliment?  Like, oh, look at all that sweat, that's your fat cells crying, what I'm trying to say is you are looking quite skinny!  If I wanted to look skinny there are easier ways to do it than running a freaking marathon, i.e. I'd probably just quit my ice cream habit, thanks for trying though.

"If it was easy, I would do it."

Favorable.  Anything implying I'm working my ass off to acheive something really difficult is awesome.

"Run like you stole something."
Neutral.  That's all you had really?  I appreciate the sign though, that's cool you took the time.

"This is easier than labor and delivery."
Unfavorable.  Are you aware that you can't get a freaking epidural during a marathon??

"You're not slow. You're just enjoying the course."
Favorable.  Not that I need your approval, but yes, I am, thank you for noticing!!

"Stop reading this and keep running!"
Favorable.  Simple humor is good.

"Beat Oprah!"
Favorable.  Even if I don't beat her time, this sign would make me crawl to the finish if I needed to.

"Puke and rally!"
Favorable.  Anything referencing puke is funny.

"Don't worry, toenails are overrated."
Neutral.  I guess.

"Run like someone's chasing you."
Unfavorable.  This one is a little creepy.

"It'll feel better when it stops hurting."

Could go either way.  Smart ass sign.

"Mortuary ahead....look alive!"
Favorable.  LOL funny.

"If I ran it, by God, you can, too."
Favorable, only if the person holding this sign is about 40 pounds overweight, drunk and smoking cigs.

Unfavorable, if runner-type-for-life person with a six-pack and spandex hugging muscles is holding.

"Chuck Norris never ran a marathon." 

Favorable.  Hilarious.

"Staying up all night making this sign was hard too." 

Favorable.  I enjoy sick humor.

"You are NOT almost there." (seen at mile 1)
Unfavorable.  I may give you the finger for this.

"The end is near." (Sign held by man dressed as the Grim Reaper at mile 21 of the 2010 Marine Corps Marathon, which was on Halloween)
Favorable.  This may result in hugs, or at least a thumbs up.

Be the tortoise, not the hare

"I didn't train all that time just to come here and get it over with as fast as I can."
-John Bingham, on running marathons

My first marathon is just a little over a month away, and so far I've had a pretty good attitude throughout my training. Just take one run at a time- on my longer runs, I break it down even further- take one mile at a time. I never really had a mantra before, but have finally adopted one: "Run for a Reason"... Wish I had thought of this myself, but really just got it off the postcard St. Jude's mailed me when I first registered.

I think about my upcoming marathon and I am a touch more confident than I was 6 months ago. At the start, I was still having problems running for 45 minutes without wanting to die. 6 months later and I think I'm doing so good that I'm pretty sure I'm annoying to all co-workers, friends, family and my entire Facebook network because I'm so consumed with running it's pretty much all I talk about. (But seriously Facebook friends- you run 18 miles and try not to post how awesome you are... not going to happen.)

But here's the thing... don't let me fool you... I'm still nervous as crap.  I've trained so much and so hard, but at the end of the day- well, not today thank god, but the end of marathon day- I still have to run for 5 consecutive hours- and that's if I do REALLY well, and don't make any mistakes, get injured, go insane, flag a taxi or hit the dreaded wall and let it destroy me like it does so many others.  So as funny as I think Bingham's quote is, I'm also sort of taking it to heart- I've put too much freaking time and effort into my months of training to mess this all up, so I am really focused on taking my time.

But identifying yourself as a runner, sometimes it's difficult to think this way, even though it's the only way a beginner marathoner should be thinking.  Running, at the root of it, is an individual sport.  Even if you're in a race with thousands of people, you're only racing yourself- and there's a 50/50 shot you're going to either succeed or fail, sometimes based on seconds.  And all the runners I know are always thinking in terms of PR: Personal Record.  Runners are definitely victims of their minds- because it's not a team sport, in a true sense of the word (can't really rely on the go-to guy to make you go faster if you're not having a good day), runners are left to battle themselves in every race... just a finish line and a struggle with their own worst enemy, themselves.

But in the end, I think I am still novice enough to really believe in Bingham's quote.  Plus, I can run all I want, but I hope I'll always be laid-back enough (ahem, lazy enough) to never be disappointed in a run--- any run.  At least I got off my freaking couch, right?  And I will strive to always be completely impressed with efforts and let you all know about it on Facebook to make myself feel good, no matter how much it pisses you off.  So stay tuned friends!

Things I learned...

Things I learned on my EIGHTEEN mile run this morning...

• There are better, more efficient, more enjoyable ways in which to travel 18 miles, but none are more rewarding than running
• What makes a bunion more unattractive?  A blistered bunion. When the shoe guys says don't wear your new shoes on your first long run, you should listen.
• Talking Trains are wise; The little train that could knew that there is power in positive thinking, and now I do too
• Sometimes you just get lucky... no chafing :)
• I am capable of a lot more than I ever thought I was!

Death by Chafing

I have been so consumed with the fact I've actually been able to complete my last couple of long runs that I've only touched on my excitement and appreciation on my success of my 14 and 16 miles runs.

Alas, there has been an issue I have been glossing over... holy chafing!!!!

I assume chafing is the number one reason humans aren't meant to run marathon distances.  But apparently the super human marathoners have long been  ignoring the fact that subjecting body parts to repetitive movements for extreme durations, creating, I estimate, enough friction to start a fire if arms and legs were made of kindle and wood, will cause gut wrenching chafing.

Now, I remember from Dawn Davis's witty marathon training book (The Nonrunner's Marathon Guide for Women) she warned me of chafing to come.  But like many experiences you read about, or hear a friend talk about, or watch a television show describing, I had NO idea what it was all about until I lived it.

After my 14 miles I felt AWESOME!  I was on 2nd street in Ocean City, MD (after running to 127th St. and back), and I was literally cheering ("whooo!") for myself on the street as passer-bys moved aside telling their children not to make eye contact, I imagine.  I was on cloud 9, for sure.  Cloud 9 disintegrated once I got into the shower, and I fell fast and furious to the depths of a hellish sting as the water hit my butt.  OMG!  Chafe!  On my butt??!  How does that even happen... right where my leg meets my cheeks; it was most unfortunate.  Oh but wait- there was more- the insides of my arms- looked and felt like I had taken a cheese grater to them.  This was it: my first god-forsaken experience chafing.  Unfortunately I knew it wouldn't be my last.

So then this is where I'm at with this part of the whole journey: as a twenty-seven year old I've invested in more medicated burn ointment than I have in my former years combined.  But much like some of my other marathon training experiences so far, I'm learning what doesn't kill me makes me stronger.  And for that I'll stay positive and keep on keepin' on!

Doubtful, but not Defeated.

I ran sixteen miles today, but in heavy contrast from when I completed my fourteen mile run, I do not feel like I won the feel good lottery.  I feel more like I won the I-feel-like-I-just-got-hit-by-a-truck lottery.  After about four miles into the run, I realized I'm just not feeling it today.  From there on in, each step was filled with more and more doubt... how am I going to make it up that hill?  will I be able to finish?  everything hurts, is this normal? is my body ripping at the seams? how come I'm not a milking cow, they all look really happy over there...

But I wasn't a milking cow, and I chose this commitment to train for a marathon, and on days like today I remember that the struggle along the road will only help me reach my goal, as long as I fight through it (similarly to the kids at St. Jude's).

A deep thank you to the group I ran with today: Emily, JoAnne, Kim, Sara and Bobby.  They led the way and offered me the words of encouragement I needed throughout the run.  And with their help I was able to struggle through my doubtful, clumsy, tired strides and ensure I wouldn't be defeated in the end.

Just won the feel good lottery. .. 14 miles on my own... prisoner of my thoughts and all... AND in under two forty... excuse my French but fuck yea!

The Value of a Dollar

It's difficult for me to write about the reasons I picked St. Jude's as the charity I'll run for... not because I've personally known a child to battle a catastrophic disease, but because the opposite is true- I haven't personally known a child to battle a catastrophic disease.

There are many worthy charities out there that I would have also been honored to run for.  But St. Jude's stood out to me; the thought of battling 26 miles was scary to me, but the thought of a child battling for their future is even scarier to me.

I came from a great home, and I know my Mom and Dad would have done anything for me growing up, because time and time again they did (and still do; thank you!!!).  And I know that all the children that benefit from St. Jude's have parents that would do anything for their kids too.  I want to pay it forward- I want to help fight for St. Jude's, because I know my parents would've fought for me.

Although we all know that medical costs can be sky high, this will give a concrete insight into it.  At St. Jude's here's some costs for common treatments day in and day out:
Platelet count test:::::::::$45
Complete blood count test:::::::::$57
Chest X-ray, one view:::::::::$140
Spinal tap (includes physician fee):::::::::$282


This is the value of our dollar... we will pay for platelet count tests, complete blood count tests, chest x-rays, etc.... we will fund the fight these children need.  


Thanks to every one who has already donated, and thanks to all who will.

Glass of... Speed Bump

This isn't completely related to my marathon training except for that it happened right after I finished a run... but I went to the liquor store to pick up a bottle of red... walked straight to the discount section, naturally... and pretty much saw a message from above: Speed Bump, red wine.  

No joke.  

And it's delightful!  So obviously it was meant to be- tackling metaphorical speed bumps in my marathon training and appreciating a glass of Speed Bump red in my downtime... life is good!

Speed-bumps... don't let them become road-blocks!

Six weeks into my Flying Feet program and after one of my runs I found myself feeling overly exhausted, with a sore throat and was trying not to think about it.  I was doing SO well!!  I was actually enjoying it too!  Sure enough, this wasn't just a sore throat though... slowly became bronchitis, and I was out for 2 weeks.

Now, within the two weeks' time, I debated every single day... I feel a little better, maybe I can do just an easy run... then went through double the guilt and frustration when I decided the smarter thing would be to wait until all of the cough and phlegm was behind me.

I am thrilled to be back at my training... however, I wanted to take the time to write about this because it's something we can all relate to- taking time off while working towards any goal, after working so freaking hard to keep moving forward, is not only really difficult, it is unbelievably frustrating.  I am an intelligent person; I knew it'd be better for me in the long run to take the time off, get better and come back when I was really ready- and I'm so happy I took the time I needed to be able to do that.

However- at no point during my time off did I want to do that- no matter how much I knew it was better, I wanted to get out there.  I immediately felt like I had just ruined everything I worked toward for 5 weeks. I felt so frustrated because there's this common idea among people who are striving to make major life changes- people tend to go with an All or Nothing approach.  So it was easy for me to think: I missed 6 runs, I should just forget this marathon and eat my favorite sinful guilty pleasure, fettuccine alfredo, all day, every day and get fat and cry about it.  However, like I said, I do have an intelligent side to me- so I knew I should just calm the hell down, get better, and rock it when I was ready.

The All or Nothing approach doesn't work, so just forget it.  It engages too much emotional reaction to every sort of speed bump you run into- i.e. "omg, I messed it all up, I'll just go back to my old ways and feel extra badly about my lame attempts".

There should be more effort placed on a balanced approach to any big changes we're trying to implement... we should be able to work through speed bumps- just like in an automobile- we're making forward progress, but we are forced to put on the brakes, only to get over the hump without any damage, in order to be able to move ahead without any issues.

And furthermore- if for some reason this speed bump hits us harder than we anticipated- and now we're forced to move ahead with our goal a little slower than originally thought- but we do not let it become a road-block- we should be able to tell ourselves that's okay... we still made it out on top- we should still celebrate that we made it through!

No matter what the situation... sometimes that's all we can do... make it through... and that's always something to celebrate.

Solitude

I usually think of solitude with a negative connotation... like, not that I have the personal experience, but I know that in prison solitude=bad.  It's like the worst punishment they can think of giving a person- hey, you've screwed up so badly, we're going to throw you in a hole with only your thoughts... gooood luck... it's only a matter of time before a person loses grip with reality.

So I was going through a little bit of anxiety this week when my running coach announced that this week's theme would be "solitude".  Oh no, that doesn't sound good... but with his announcement he spoke of solitude in a way I don't often think about it... runners will report that one of the best benefits they get from running is getting away from their daily tasks and stresses... it's just you and your thoughts.  What an ideal way to clear your head... stride by stride the stress melts away and any runner will brag about how amazing they feel after a run.  Yay endorphins!!  Thinking of solitude in this way left me craving a good (short) run to wash away the troubles of the day...

But I wasn't scheduled for a very short run... I was scheduled for a 50 minute run- incorporating 5 yasso 800s (I won't go into what a yasso is, but here's the two important things: 1. I had to do mine alone because noone else in the group was doing them at my goal (slow) pace and 2. they required me to count laps on the track and watch my clock to keep my pace surgically steady)... my first demonstration in solitude and I had to really focus on my goal... but there were other people on the track, and a guy reading a book in the stands, and a soccer practice going on, tennis players on the courts- so much to look at and think about!!  Oh lord this solitude thing was going to be hard.

 Ultimately I was  left feeling a little confused, maybe even torn... because looking at solitude in terms of an endurance run... let's say, ooooh 26.2 miles... I am most certain I'll find myself struggling to balance the scales between the very different sides of solitude.  I imagine once I run for a half hour or so, I'll start to get comfortable, in a groove, then as I go on feel the amazing strength my solitude will bring me... but after a while, I'm bound to start feeling like I've been punished, like I'm in a prison, questioning why am I here and what the hell was I thinking??  

Moral of my story...focus will be a key element in finding strength in my solitude, instead of defeat.  God help me... I may start implementing yoga into my marathon training :)

Appreciation

One of the best things I've gotten out of the Flying Feet program so far, and there's been a lot of things I've already gotten out of it, has been an appreciation for running.  Every week we are given a theme- which I really have been taking to heart.  This week happens to be themed appreciation... this theme spoke to me a lot... when I sit back and reflect on what I've already accomplished, I'm wowed... I mean, I ran 10 miles this morning... that's awesome!!  

Sometimes it really doesn't hurt to not only celebrate your accomplishments but to appreciate them- really give thanks that yes, I'm able to do this. This is so important for me especially, because most of the time I'm complaining about running... it's no fun, I hate it, I don't want to, please don't make me.... but some people can't run at all, or walk, so why am I complaining?  Well, because it's hard, and uncomfortable, and hard.  But completing each run, mile by mile, with great runners sharing their time, motivation, encouragement with me- man, I've definitely learned to appreciate it!

bitches & gripes

I think I'm a pretty positive person, most of the time, but I also have an ever-present side of me that loves to bitch and gripe.  And I'd love to let you all know about a complaint I had during my 9 mile run this morning... and my complaint isn't even related to a) having to run 9 miles or b) waking up before 9am on a Saturday...  I did fairly well with those two issues.

Me and a handful of runners were standing at a water station (7 miles into our run, woohoo, we're awesome!!!) and observe a pack of cyclists headed our way- so we start cheering them on, some say some nice things to us as they past... it was just a polite little cheer fest going on...

Until, one of the cyclists asks as he approaches us, "what race are you doing?"  We call out that we were just running for FUN!  As he passes, he turns back and says, "Really?  When did running become fun?"

7 miles into my run, I did not find humor in that. 

NOW.  I will be the first one to admit, my idea of fun does NOT include running, especially for 99 consecutive minutes like this morning, HOWEVER.... he could have just given us a good old polite thumbs up, or "Good Job" and went on his merry way. 

The last time I checked dressing up in a bright ass colored adult sized baby one-sy with a bike seat up your crotch isn't that much fun either.  

Moral of my bitch and gripe: Let's all be supportive to each other no matter what insanely miserable endurance activity we're participating in- give a good ol' fist pump and just keep on trucking, and make yourself think you're having fun, without worrying about someone reminding you that in fact, you're not.

9 miles?!

I have to wake up at 6-ish AM tomorrow morning to run NINE miles...

Have I ever mentioned I'm not a morning person?

Apparently I'm also not a person who doesn't FREAK OUT in anticipation of running 9 miles... like, nine sweaty hot difficult miles, in a row...

Have mercy on my soul... I know I'll get through it (hopefully without crying like my 8 mile run), but can't understand how right now...

6k aka 3.75 miles

Had a "fun" 6k in my running schedule tonight... it was an out and back course with some lovely Carroll County rolling hills (uuuhhh duh!) and me and some of our pace group made it out at around 20 minutes- picked up the pace and I made it back in somewhere just under 18 minutes- booyah!

This probably doesn't sound as impressive as it felt- because I'll tell ya what- as we turned the cone on our way back, we were definitely trying to pick up the pace, but we knew the same hills were going to be a challenge on the way back, so we also were trying to make sure we'd have enough gas.  So, we were being a little conservative in how much faster we were headed back.  Once we passed the marker that let us know we had only 1 mile to go, I pretty much just decided to beat feet.  And luckily I had enough left in me to do just that :)

Progress

If you've been wondering I haven't been posting, it's because I've been busy running!

My progress has been great so far; I have been having a great experience running with Flying Feet and am hoping my success continues *cross fingers*.  I run with the group three times a week, and the coaching is a huge help- Dave Griffin runs this program for runners of all levels and goals.  He is a great coach, and is extremely knowledgeable- probably because of his own running experiences, as well as helping high school runners train in the past.  He's been running the program for a while, and I'm very happy to have found out about it, because I know it will be a huge part of successfully completing this journey.

It's a brand new experience for me to be running with others, and I was super nervous.  I have the benefit of a college friend, Steph, also joining this program.  And it turns out one of her friends, Megan, who had also gone to college with us, had done the program in the past, and joined again for the summer program.  Having some friendly, familiar faces in the crowd really helped calm my nerves a little bit.

The rest of my nerves calmed down a bit once I realized how awesome it was to run with other people... first of all, I'm learning a lot- apparently I was running too fast- most runners make the mistake of running faster than they should... although I joked around that this probably wasn't a problem of mine- once I got together with my pace group, I realized, holy cow, I really was running too fast!  No wonder I wasn't able to pull off a longer run, I was using all my gas within the first few miles... this new running pace is great- for instance, my 8 mile run on my own was a nightmare- over-ran the first half, had to walk a lot the second half (and cry)... but this weekend I ran an hour and fifteen minutes with my pace group, running the second half of the run a full 2 minutes faster than the first half, feeling stronger than ever (runner's high really does exist!)...

Although, with a group run in a half hour, and mother nature not giving me a break (so hot!!!), we'll see if I get lucky with another good run- because I've also learned that on any given day no runner knows when a rough run will hit us.

Officially Training....

So up until this point, I've been referring to how my "pre-training" has been going... mostly because I was so scared to actually begin training... I don't know why- I was running during pre-training, and now I'll be running during training.  Doesn't sound much different, eh?

I guess I was just really intimidated to be all official about it.  Because that means I'd have to start completing a lot of long runs, tempo runs, pace runs- there was a lot of running jargon involved with training that I did not know a lot about, so I didn't want to talk to people about "training" to have them ask me questions, and then I'd give answers that would clearly reveal I had no idea what I was doing...

Well, I found a solution- I found a local running program- so now, I'll have the benefit of a seasoned coach, and a lot of seasoned runners (and new runners) who I can run with!  And doing it this way, I can learn as I go without worrying about all the technicalities.  I just do what the coach says, and I do it with this group of people to keep me motivated.  Perfect!!

My schedule starts Monday.  I've actually followed the schedule this week, in preparation, so I'm already feeling great about this!

This is so new and exciting that I actually can't wait to run 8 miles Saturday!  I hope that I continue to look forward to weekend long runs, although knowing me pretty well, this welcomed feeling for long runs may die down VERY soon... oh well, gotta make it count while it lasts!

All this speak of running reminds me, it is time to hit the road- I think that nasty thunder cloud has passed by now...

Run on, friends!

Strong Run Today :)

So, I know that it's just a little victory, but I ran about 3.6 miles today in 36 minutes, which isn't anything big to some people, or even a PR for me, but I felt really strong throughout my run- which has not been a feeling I've had on many runs recently... so it was a totally feel-good moment!  


And then I came across this Paulo Coelho quote: "...when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too."  


And it just really made me smile- because I've been working really hard in the pool and on the road, and that's why I felt so strong on my run tonight.  I put in the work and it paid off.  And although I have so much more work to do, I also know I should be proud of myself and celebrate the little victories along the way.  Woohoo!

Pursuit of...

I believe the common phrase is "pursuit of happiness"... but I don't believe that I'm running this marathon to find happiness (although I'm sure I'll be a smidge of happy crossing the finish line).  So what am I in pursuit of?  


I think that by pushing myself beyond limits that I can't even fully understand yet, I'll become a better person. 


I know that seems cliche, but I was so afraid of failing at this goal.  When I first thought about committing to this, I was scared to say it aloud to anyone, because I didn't want anyone to know I failed before I even began my journey- I especially didn't want to fail myself (again, before I even began, this was going through my mind!)  And then I thought- wow, this is so unbelievably sad... depressing even. 


To rewind a bit, My mom even jokes that even as a kid I'd kind of sit back, just do what's necessary, you know- coast along... I guess I had the original idea for cruise control, just not for putting it in cars.  I remember being content with Cs and Bs in school, and my parents would be so confused- why wouldn't she try for an A, she's so capable. I guess I never cared too much while I was in school... I did ballet as a very young kid, and by the recital tapes, it was clear I wasn't striving to be the best in show... Even playing sports all my life, I was more worried about playing and having fun than winning.  


I mean, sometimes staying on cruise control is worth it- if you're always trying super hard to be the best or most successful, you rarely have time to pause and enjoy life, right?  Not to mention you're so disappointed if you don't meet your pie in the sky expectations.  I'm the kind of person who's more worried about enjoying the pie- and I'll settle for the pie in the fridge if I don't feel like reaching for the sky.  Anyway, although I'm still happy to apply this mantra to some facets of my life I've realized that without Big Huge Risks, I will never reap Big Huge Rewards.


And running a marathon is the Biggest Huge-est Reward I can think of.  And obviously I have a lot of fear to conquer while working toward such a big huge risk, but it will make my big huge reward taste that much sweeter.


Just like I can't fully imagine and understand the limits I'll push myself beyond, I can't really fully imagine or understand the rewards that will be earned throughout my journey... but I believe it will make me a better person.  And if it doesn't, well then I'll never feel bad about how much time I spend on my couch again!


So I guess I'm in Pursuit of Betterness (or guilt-free couch lounging, whichever prevails)!

Medium Salsa, Not Medium Singlet

So it's been a while since I've posted to my blog... and if anyone out there is keeping track, and disappointed, my apologies!  

My "pre-training", as I'm labeling it, is going slowly... but as I realized that April 30th will be my 6-month mark from the race, I've been working to get more serious.  (I will also soon be getting more serious about fundraising, so watch out, ya'll!)

But alas, what has inspired me to jump start my (thus far pretty lame) blog?! Well, I got mail this week from St. Jude's... and as anyone who LOVES receiving any sort of R E A L mail, I was so excited to rip it open, just like a kid on Xmas.  

It was my race singlet... which was a Medium... the size I selected... and as the title of this post give away, the heat-scale I usually prefer for my salsa, and the size I usually prefer for my shirts... I was very excited, so I tried it on, and regretfully realized, holy cow, I am not a medium in the race singlet world of clothing design... but I guess with all my pre-training, followed by my real training, I will possibly fit in my medium sausage-casing-like race singlet for race day! 

So, that's all; summary: pre-training is going slowly but surly, I'm almost 6 months from race day, and most importantly the shameful fit of my race singlet is my motivation for at least a few more weeks.... That's all the news that's fit to print!

St. Jude's Heroes

Paige Boughan's Page

Visit my fundraising page (click the link above) for some more information about St. Jude's hospital.

Day Two and Hurting

I've always struggled with identifying myself as a runner.  Who is a runner?  How far do you have to run or fast do you have to run to qualify as a "real" runner?  Well, I'm coming to terms with the fact I was a runner... but am no longer.

I haven't been running since sometime in the fall.  And haven't been running regularly since probably last summer.  So all you non-runners, or runners who have also been taking a long winter break, can relate to how I feel on day two on the treadmill.

Muscles are very cranky with me, and Tylenol is probably a must before bedtime at least for a few more days... every 5 minutes on the treadmill I'm battling myself to keep going for 5 more.  

And at this point I'm already thinking about running for 4, 5, maybe even 6 hours.... CONSECUTIVELY.... seems DAUNTING.

But, like my Mom always told me:  Like the Nike commercial says Paige-ee, Just Do It.

So even though I won't look as awesome as the people in the Nike commercials, I'll just keep doing it. 

How I got this far...

Okay, well "they" say the best motivation for running a marathon is to register for a marathon.  And my particular "they" was actually my great friend and former college roommate, Kristen Wilson.  She has one marathon under her belt already (you are awesome, friend!!) and she signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon in DC this October. 

Well, let me back up a little bit- I've been toying with the idea of running a half marathon for a while- however, committing to any race is where I usually fall short.  But alas, I was determined to finally sign up for a half, because a full would be CRAZY.  So I decided I would tentatively commit to running a half, and ordered myself a book to help motivate me to actually register... oh yeah, and to train...

So I started reading Dawn Dais's, "The Non-Runner's Marathon Guide for Women: Get Off Your Butt and On With Your Training".  This is a humorous guide written by someone I can actually relate to- she LOVES watching tv, she loves finding a close parking spot, and she was also scared of dying in the process of training for her marathon.  The book encourages readers to journal their own marathon running efforts, much like she did.  And since I think it's likely that once I complete this marathon, I may never want to take one on again, I figured it'd be a good idea to follow suite and blog my journey because I rarely take on feats of this magnitude, and like I said, doubt I will after this:)

So now that I'm almost finished with the book, and saw that Kristen signed up for her second marathon, I decided- screw a half!!  I'm going to push myself to impossible limits, and I figured a short lapse in reality like this only comes to me every so often, so I should go with it and REGISTER!

Well, this is where my actual marathon journey really began I suppose- without registration, there is no journey... and would you believe that I went to the Marine Corps Marathon website to register, to see that it sold out- in just over two days of being open... this means that almost 30,000 people gobbled up the online registration spots in about 48 hours... these are spots that seal your fate of running 26.2 miles- I can't get past this- if it was sold out and I was trying to register for a free Macbook, yes, maybe shock wouldn't be my reaction... but, come on people!  

However, this was a good thing- because I found out, through some reading that I was still able to register, if I agreed to fundraise for a charity.  And so I found St. Jude's.  

So maybe it's all meant to happen this way... hopefully this is a sign I'm meant to finish my journey of completing 26.2.    I definitely want one of the 26.2 bumper stickers on my car November 1st if this all really works out for me!  Just had to throw that out there.