chicago

seriously considering chicago now in october 2009.
i still can't believe i am typing that.

2009

planning for 2009.
i'm considering running the chicago marathon.
yikes......did i just type that?

7

ran in a 7 mile cross-country race this morning. 25 degrees temps with 9 creek crossings. lots of mud and tons of people dressed up crazy. it was so much fun! sooo cold at the finish though and it started snowing just as we ended.

here we all are dressed like pirates (gotta love my pants from the thrift store. they were 2 sizes too big, but the skulls went so well that i couldn't resist).
such a fun way to end the race season for the year!

pushing on

it's getting cold here and dark early, which makes it harder to get my miles in. i'm pulling out the treadmill and i'll be trying to make friends w/it again. i probably won't update my every run here until late winter/early spring when i start training for another 1/2. i will be updating my miles in the sidebar.

i hope you continue to increase your miles and finish the year stronger than you were in the beginning of the year.

5

5 with the wind at my back. 63 degrees. beautiful. a good day.

finally broke 400 miles for the year. hoping to run 500, which means i must do about 2-3 on average every day. we'll see how it goes...

5

5 on a very sunny, but very chilly day. the first 2 miles were not good. i really wanted to stop. i just couldn't get my rhythm and i felt heavy. thankfully, it got better. the last 3 miles went really well and i was glad that i went today. i've been feeling unmotivated and kind of blah lately. i think it has to do w/this that i read about today:

Post Marathon depression is a common phenomenon for marathon runners of every experience level. The excitement of the marathon season is over and the intensity of preparation is behind them.

For some runners, there is a sense of relief and they welcome the opportunity to relax for a little while. For some, if there isn't something to replace all the hours on the road, the lull of TV boredom sits upon them. The sense of focus and purpose is lost.

Completing a marathon is a very emotional and physical process.

According to Dr. Suzanne McAllister, a former member of the New York Marathon psych team and a marathoner herself, "runners get accustomed to the endorphins kicking in when they run. It helps them to be happy. When the endorphins are no longer released you have a greater chance of depression setting in. Runners need to find a replacement physical activity if they don't plan to continue running."

i think this is definitely a real thing. i've experienced it in some form after every big race i train for.

6

6 miles today w/my friend carol. a chilly 42 degrees, but it felt good w/the sun out. i'm going to have to get used to running in the cold if i want to stay at the same level. it'll be a challenge. i don't like running on a treadmill, but i'm thankful i have the option. looks like the next week will be nice weather. hoping to have a good running week.

4

after 3 days off, i ran 4 miles today. my legs felt pretty good, but MAN it is freezing here! low 40's. sadly, it is almost time to pull out the treadmill. i'm going to run as much as i can outside, but it won't be happening in icy/blizzardy conditions.

i signed up for a 7 mile cross-country race at the end of november. i ran it last year and it was so much fun!

the 1/2 marathon...

yesterday was perfect weather for running.
i had my alarm set for 5:30 a.m., but woke up at 4:30. i couldn't go back to sleep, so i decided to just start getting ready. i ate a granola bar and drank lots of water. at 6:00 my friend carol came to pick me up, i grabbed my ipod and i was ready to go.

i always love standing at the starting line, so much nervous energy and chatty runners. and, what a blessing it is to be able to run. we overheard a man saying that he was 68 years old and running the full marathon. i was so impressed by him. i hope when i am that old, i am able to run that far.

during the first mile, i saw steve's parents standing on the corner waiting to cheer for me. i almost started crying. it was just one of those moments where i was so thankful. they have always loved me like i am their own child. for the next few miles i thought about how awesome it was that they were there.

around mile 8, i started feeling great. i picked up the pace quite a bit. from mile 8-11, i ran effortlessly and felt so good. i wish it would have lasted. by mile 11.5, my legs started burning (i think that's the only way to describe it). it continued for the remaining 1.6 miles. usually when i see the finish line i can force myself to speed it up, but i tried and i just didn't have much left.

overall though, i feel good about how i did. i think it was my best time ever for 13.1. and, i have definitely decided that the 1/2 is my favorite distance. it is still a challenge, but it doesn't invade my life with training as much as the marathon does. for this season i am in with little kids, i think it would be better for me to stick with the 13.1. i look forward to many more...

(i only have one picture from the race, but i still need to upload it).

1/2

tomorrow morning is the 1/2 marathon. i'm getting excited and a little nervous. part of me really wants to be running the full. in fact, i actually considered signing up for the full and running as much as i could and walking the rest. there are lots of people that walk the whole thing, so it wouldn't be strange to do it. however, i decided i will just run the 1/2 and plan on running the 26.2 when i've trained for it.

the marathon and the 1/2 all start together tomorrow. i love being at the starting line and just knowing that everyone standing there worked hard to get to that point...running in the heat, wind, rain, sun, and sometimes through pain. it is inspiring, especially when you see all the different types of runners - all ages and sizes.

stay tuned - i'll let you know how it goes.

3.5

3.5 tonight w/my friend carol. it was our final run of the week before running the 1/2 on sunday. it supposed to be 68 and cloudy on sunday, which will be perfect because it will be nice at chilly at the start. i felt great tonight and i'm so looking forward to those 13.1 miles. i'll be uploading some new songs onto my ipod tomorrow. do you have any recommendations on good running songs? i'd love to hear helps you push through the miles.

2 + 4

2 miles last night - a short and easy run.

4 miles tonight in the drizzle + 50 degrees. i think that is my absolute favorite running weather, but only when i am wearing shorts and long sleeves. i love when my legs are a little numb.
tonight was my BEST run all year! and, for the first time in a long time i looked at the world and could see beauty. for much of this year i have been overwhelmed by the tough circumstances that many people i love have been going through and sometimes i just look at the world and see so much ugliness. it is there, but so is the beauty. i listened to this song tonight as i ran and was reminded that there is hope. i have hope.


savior he can move the mountains. my God is mighty to save, he is mighty to save.

10

ran 10 today. ran w/the fuel belt, which is such a lifesaver on longer runs. i also love having a garmin and having the freedom to run where i want and still know my mileage. ahhh, it feels so good to be done.

only 8 days until the 1/2 and i'm getting excited now that i have completed a 10!

6

ran 6 this morning. a beautiful morning. felt great, hoping that means i've finally turned a corner...
looking forward to 10 on saturday.

5.5

ran 5.5 tonight and finally i had a good run! i felt like i could have kept going and my legs feel good. the 50 degree weather was perfect for running in shorts and long sleeves. i feel like a runner today.

9.1

ran 9.1 w/my friend carol today. the first two miles were tough and then it got a little easier. i still am feeling pretty discouraged because of how i have been running lately. last year when i was training for the marathon, i remember having so many runs where i just felt great and felt like i could go forever. i remember one of my 18 mile training runs in the rain and i felt wonderful. this year, i have not felt like that. i don't know what is wrong with me lately?! for the most part, i've kept up with my training, i'm not injured, the weather has been great, i'm not pushing myself too much...i just don't know what my problem is...i think one problem today was that i ran pretty hard yesterday, so i'm going to take the day off before my long run this week.

hopefully the 10 mile run this week will go better.

4.5

ran 4.5. there were times today where i felt great and lately it seems like there hasn't been enough of those moments. i ran some hills today, the route i've been running lately is pretty flat. 3 weeks until the 1/2. i'm looking forward to it and hoping for good weather and a perfect running day. ha - that's not asking too much, is it?!

planning on running 9 tomorrow.

5.5

ran with 2 friends tonight after our kids were in bed. it was dark and cool. perfect. the run went so fast because we were busy talking the whole time. it was great to catch up w/friends and get a good run in. i felt like i could have run more...

4

out-of-town and couldn't fit any running in, so i hadn't gone since thursday. had to eat out for the last few days, but tried to make somewhat healthy choices...although, that m c griddle was not healthy, but very good!
4 miles tonight felt pretty good and i was glad to get back to it. my long run this week is 9. only about 3 weeks before the 1/2 now. hoping for a week of good running and lighter eating.

5

ran a pretty good 5 miles today. the weather was beautiful. i'm still feeling some shin splints in the first mile to mile and a half and then it seems to get better. hopefully that won't get any worse.

my neighbor and i have traded babysitting twice this week while each of us went for a run and that has been so wonderful. it's hard to fit it in the evenings sometimes and other times i am just so worn out after the day that i don't have much to give. we're planning on continuing this until it gets too cold we can't stand it.

planning on 6 or more tomorrow.

5

had a pretty good run today. my legs were a little sore from sunday's 8, but once i readjusted my shoe strings, i got into a rhythm and felt pretty good. so far, i'm on schedule for the week.

8 was great!

ran 8 miles with my friend carol today. the weather was a cool 73 degrees and it felt great. i was pretty thirsty and wishing i had my fuelbelt with me, but i survived. it was so much fun to run it with her today because it was the most she has ever run. i am so proud of how far she has come.

i'm hoping for a week of eating better, drinking more water, and getting my miles in. it's going to be tough with another busy week coming up though.

4...finally!

it hasn't been the best running week. we've been so busy that i just haven't been able to run much. i did finally run 4 today. i ran the first 3 miles just under 9 minute miles and my last mile i was feeling pretty sluggish and it was over 10 minutes. i'm planning on 8 tomorrow, which will be the longest i've gone since may (i think). hopefully it will go well. i'm going to try to drink more water than i have been. i think it definitely makes a difference and i haven't been doing it enough lately.

2

had a very small window of time to run tonight before it got dark. i squeezed in 2 miles. when i started, i looked down and noticed my ipod was out of battery. ahhh, i was tempted to just not run. i really wanted to listen to music tonight. i needed the motivation, but i went anyway. every mile counts and i feel better even after a short run.

4

ran w/my friend carol today. my legs were sore from the 7 yesterday, but the run went pretty well. it's amazing how fast the time goes when you are chatting away. it was 60 degrees, with the wind at our backs most of the way...perfect running weather!

i thought again today about how being able to run is such a gift from God. the giver of my every breath. i am thankful.

7

ran 7 in the rain again. this time it was just misting for most of the time and it felt great. i wish i could say my run was great, but it was pretty mediocre. my route had too many stop lights and i had to stop twice. sometimes it's tough to get going again after stopping. i'm a day behind on my training schedule, but i'm glad to be on schedule for my long runs.
the 1/2 will be here before i know it!

3.5

ran 3.5 in the pouring rain. it was 70 degrees though, so it was wonderful. i really like running in the rain. i still felt a little off, just couldn't seem to get into a good rhythm tonight. overall though, not a bad run.

4.5

not the best run, but i didn't expect it to be with so many days off lately. life has been busy and it has been hard to find the time to run. it is also getting dark earlier, which makes it more of a challenge too. i was glad to get some miles in tonight. hoping to get a good long run in this weekend.

0

it really was one of those days...i was so ready to run all day and planned my whole night around running with a friend. she called 15 minutes before running to say it wasn't going to work out. i was so bummed because it was dark and i wasn't going to go by myself. i really needed to run. oh well, life is like that sometimes. i hope your run today was better.

tomorrow is a new day!

3.5

ran 3.5 w/my friend amy after the kids were in bed. it was dark and peaceful. not something i would do by myself, but it was wonderful with a friend. it has really cooled off here, tonight it was mid 60's when we ran. i loved it!

5 with the fam!

tonight i ran 5 w/steve pushing #3 and the other two riding bikes by us. we mostly ran on bike trails and it actually went really well. i run way slower than what steve normally would run, but he said he didn't mind. i think we will try to do it more often, at least until it starts getting dark really early. i'm not looking forward to that at all!

6.5

my friend carol called and asked if i wanted to run this morning and i was so glad she did because i've really been lacking motivation lately. we ran 6.5 and i felt pretty good the whole time, which was encouraging considering my slacking this week. i need to make sure i get all my days in this week, which will be more of a challenge now that school is starting this week. the good news is carol and i decided we will do our longer runs together every saturday. i think that will help both of us so much! she is planning on running the half with me in october, it will be her first. today she ran the longest she ever has and it was so nice to be there with her and encourage her to the end.

if you're having a hard time getting started, call a friend and do it together. it can be such a help.

5

it was a FAST 5 miles tonight. i ran with my friend and she is speedy! it was good for me to get out of my nice-slow-comfortable pace though. i felt pretty great once we got going. i think it helped that i took a couple days off and the break was probably good for my leg too. it's hard to take days off, but i know if i don't, i will injure myself and not be able to run at all.
it feels like fall here lately and i'm loving it! i have a 10 mile race planned at the end of september, along with the half marathon in october, and a 7 mile cross-country race in november. i'm looking forward to all of it!

what?!

i just noticed that i have comments on this blog! people are actually reading! i thought i was the only one that liked to read about other people running! it's so great to hear from all of you and how you are doing. keep moving!

6.5

a good 6.5 miles today. it feels good to be back on track with training. my left leg felt pretty good today too, so that was a relief. i tried to incorporate some hills to my run today. i'm loving the garmin. it is so nice to be able to run anywhere and know the distance without having a planned out route. i also like knowing my pace, even though i don't focus too much on it. this weather is beautiful - low 80's.

4

i ran 4 tonight. i hadn't run in 3 days. it was a really busy week and i've been having some pain in my left hamstring, so i knew i needed a little break. i could still feel it tonight, but it seemed to be a little better.
had a prayerful run - lots of stuff on my mind and running always helps. God always meets me when i'm running, right where i am, and i pour my heart out to him. i feel refreshed.

4

ran 4 last night with my friend carol. that makes a 10 mile weekend and my legs are sore today.

running adventures

ran 6 today. it was a little toasty, i always seem to run in the heat of the day. the run started out great, but was interrupted. i was at mile 2 and had just concurred my big hill when a white car with two creepy looking guys pull over right by me and start asking me for directions. i kept running and immediately crossed to the other side of the street and they drove off. it was probably nothing, but i am a little paranoid after all the trouble i had last summer when i was running. and, maybe i've seen one too many datelines. the funny thing is when i left for my run today i decided to bring my mace. i haven't been carrying it on my shorter runs, but i think i will now. you can never be too careful.
(i always have my cell phone with me too). the rest of the run went pretty well - the added adrenaline always helps!
i am running ahead of my training schedule lately just because i've been feeling so good.

week 2 training - 4

starting week 2 of training. i am scheduled to run 3,2,3,4,5. i ran 4 miles tonight. the first 2 miles were tough, but they usually are. the weather has been great lately - low 80's. it feels good to be back to running consistently, even though i definitely feel out of shape. i need to eat better and drink more water.

5

ran 5 today. i was only scheduled to run 4, but i was feeling so good so i kept going.
i tried to change up my route and run some hills today too. i'm slowly getting some endurance built back up, but definitely not where i want to be. there is a 10 mile race at the end of september that i'm thinking of signing up for, along with the 1/2 in october.

2.5

today i squeezed in 2.5. i felt great the entire time, the weather was beautiful, and i think it was the fastest i have run in a long time - an 8:35 pace. just as i was finishing and feeling great about my run, she zooms by... i see her running all the time and she is an amazing runner. i had to laugh a little, isn't that just life?! there will always be someone that is younger, prettier, faster, smarter, and more fit. so, i quickly reminded myself not to compare myself to others and i enjoyed the mile walk home.

3.5

ran 3.5 miles last night. i felt pretty good until i started thinking about how far i was running this time last year. oh well. one foot in front of the other...
this is my 1st week of training for the 1/2 marathon in october. this week my schedule is to run - 3,2,3,3,4.