The Queen's Life

Body Image and Weight

2012-01-26T21:59:00.000-06:00

Today I watched a YouTube video that mentioned celebrity sizes. The video, originally posted on a Facebook page for my running club, said that the size of the typical model is 0, and size 6 is considered over weight. That prompted me to do a little google research. According to a few different websites, the average American woman wears a size 14.

Growing up, I was the short child in my family. My brother and sister, both of whom are older than me, are also taller and growing up, were both thinner than me. I hated the fact that my sister, who rarely did any form of physical activity, was so skinny. She wore a smaller size than me and it bothered me.

In college I was more or less happy about my body image and size. Then, a year after college, I became rather obsessed with my scale. I wanted to lose weight and become a faster runner. Eventually, I lost close to 20 pounds and with that, got some speed along the way. Later that year I got a stress fracture and was worried I would become fat from not running. Although I ended up gaining weight because I was injured, it eventually came off. But, I continued to struggle with body image for the next few years.

I am in a much better place now, and I have a few things to attribute that to. As I have written about before, I have a hard time believing in myself and what I am capable of. However, if someone else tells me something I'll most likely believe it. I feel like i constantly write this, but joining my running club has been one of the greatest things I have ever done. It is such an encourage group of runners - slow, fast, short, tall, accountants, teachers. I feel like anytime I go run with the group I have my confidence built up and I believe in myself more than before.

After a run recently, we were talking about being fit. One of the guys in the conversation mentioned that he thought i was running well and very fit. I have to admit - I agree.

Am I the skinniest person? Absolutely not. According to Hollywood, I am overweight because I wear a size 6 or bigger. Sizes vary based on brands, anyway. I am also many pounds heavier than the average American woman.

I weigh more because I have muscles. Muscles that I have worked hard to get. Muscles that I maintain by lifting weight a few times a week. Muscles that are worked 6 days a week when running and biking. Muscles that have gotten me PRs and across a marathon finish line.

When I look in the mirror, I see a successful runner who has accomplished more than she ever imagined she would. I don't see someone overweight, but someone who is fit and strong. And that I think is far better than being a size 0.

Not Even Pink Eye Can Stop Me

2012-01-25T21:23:00.000-06:00

After ~~complaining~~ writing yesterday about my lack of desire to run in the darkness and cold some days, I woke up with a renewed sense of dedication to my race schedule today. When my alarm went off at the ungodly ugly hour of 4 AM, a full 2 hours earlier than normal, I hit snooze for only 15 minutes then got up, packed various bags, made my lunch, and was out the door by 4:50 to go to the gym.

Let me say - the gym is a totally different place at 5 AM compared to 5 PM, my normal time. There was only one problem - on the way to the gym my contacts were killing my eyes. I had brought my glasses along, something I usually don't do, because I thought I might need to take my contacts out after my afternoon workout. They ended up coming out before my morning run.

I knocked out 5 miles on the treadmill before going to school to teach for the day. However, at school, my eyes were irritated. It was hurting to blink some hours, but fine other hours. Another teacher told me some students had been diagnosed with Pink Eye at school today. I called the eye doctor after school, got an appointment, only to learn that I, too, have Pink Eye.

What does this mean? I have to wear my glasses for the next week, put drops in my eyes 4 times a day, and not go to school tomorrow. That means I get to sleep in and (hopefully) accomplish things because I feel fine. In a way, I feel like I am somehow cheating the system.

After getting the Pink Eye diagnosis, I went back to the gym to run another 5 miles, bike, and lift weights. I don't know how some people can do 2-a-days religiously. Bravo to you if you can. I prefer to sleep instead.

Tomorrow is supposed to be in the 40s and sunny...a perfect day for an 8 mile tempo. This sick day could not have come at a better time. :)

Are you a two-a-day person, or do you want to be? I always feel very intense when I do two workouts in one day. The ladder half of that sentence has occurred about 5 times in my life. I think it is safe to say that I am not a 2-a-day person.

Intentions vs. Follow Through

2012-01-24T20:00:00.000-06:00

I made my Illinois Marathon training plan in December - which now sees like forever ago. I wanted a plan to follow, something to tell me what to run so I would not have to think about it when I was busy. If it says "run 7 miles" I planned on just running 7 miles.

What I gravely misjudged was that I would be training in Winter and the time of day it is light outside is far less than in Summer, which is also the time of year I don't have to work. I love to run, especially outside. But, I like to run when it is above 50 degrees, sunny, with no wind or precipitation. We all know that those days are few and far between. Although the Chicago winter has been anything but a typical winter this year, it has been hard to train in.

My Tuesdays are supposed to be track workouts. With the snow, the track where I meet some of the guys from my running club is covered and icy. Therefore, we've been running stairs (which I am not a fan of), and hills (which I am liking more and more). Track starts at 6, so it is always dark. Running in the dark is great every once in a while....I just don't like to do it multiple times a week, which is what has been happening.

Today, after working out at my gym beforehand, which is typical, I started to change to get ready for track. I think people at the gym think I'm crazy - I workout there, change into running tights and a jacket, some type of hat, gloves, different shoes, and strap on my Garmin before leaving. Today, I got in my car and decided to drive home. I had absolutely no desire to run in the dark and in the cold (it was a balmy 30 outside).

As I was driving, I tried to justify it to myself: you just ran a race on Saturday and an 18.5 mile long run on Sunday; it is dark and relatively cold outside; the marathon is still three months away; your legs need a break; there is always tomorrow. The excused poured from my mind. In reality, the two miles I got in at the gym before leaving were all that were going to be logged today.

I am getting to the point in my training where I cannot and do not want to miss runs. I have big goals that I'd like to accomplish at this marathon that I want to see happen. Skipping runs is not how a person BQs.

Therefore, I have decided that tomorrow will be my first double run day of the year. I plan on going to the gym early tomorrow morning to run an easy 5, and then return at night to run the 5 that were on my training plan for the day, along with some biking and lifting.

Tomorrow I am going to follow through on my marathon plan. I will log my miles every week. Why?

Because winter miles bring spring and summer smiles.

And I want to have a big smile on marathon day.

The Half Turned 10k Race Report

2012-01-21T20:58:00.000-06:00

The mind is powerful, even if the body is weak.

This past week I've had horrible sleeping issues. I've woken up at 3 AM - wide awake - every night, including last night. That really does not make for decent sleep, or at least for me.

Even though I was tired this morning when my alarm went off, I got ready and drove into the city with 2 other people from my running club. Before we hit the city, it started to snow. And, it was really cold. Then, we got down to the bike path, and it was windy.

Before the race started they said if you were running the half marathon, you could quit at the 10k because it ended at the half finish line (the half was 2 loops, the 10k 1). When I heard this, I was very tempted. Let me remind you, I was freezing at the start and wanted nothing more than to be warm.

The gun went off, and the start was crowed. I maneuvered around some slow people and before I knew it my Garmin beeped for mile 1: 7:26. I was feeling great, and kept going. At mile 1.5, we had to make a sharp turn. I noticed there was a lot of snow on the path and a guy about 15 feet in front of my fell. At this point, I wasn't sure if I wanted to run. The last thing I wanted is to fall and get injured.

Mile 1.5 - 2.5 were covered in snow. I was moving, but it felt like I was going soooo slow. My legs were heavy. At mile 2.5, I decided I would only do the 10k. I justified it to myself various ways:

1. I've only ever run 1 10k and it will be good to see what time I can have in crappy weather.
2. I will get done sooner, be warm sooner.
3. I could still do my planned 18 mile run tomorrow if I only ran a 10k.

After making that decision, I focused on keeping a decent pace. After I got over half way done, we started to run by others that were on their way to that point. People were being very kind and telling me what place I was in for female runners - 3rd. I was getting excited...I could probably place if I held my pace.

With that encouragement, mile 5 was my fastest - 6:54 according to my Garmin. I was nearing the finish and happy to be done. I crossed the finish line, got my medal, and went to our meeting point at a nearby hotel. I was never happier to be out of the cold.

How did I actually do?

Time (10k): 45:29 (7:20 pace per mile)

Overall Place: 17/669 (top 2%)

Gender Place: 3/434 (top 1%)

Age Group: 2/82 (top 2%)

Have you ever changed the distance you were running during a race? Or, would you have liked to do so during a certain race?

Meet Queenie: 20 Questions

2012-01-20T14:27:00.002-06:00

1. What is one of your favorite ways to spend a Saturday?

Sleeping in, running, and relaxing. If I can accomplish all three in a day, than I am happy.

2. List your top 3 favorite TV shows.

I don't watch a whole lot of TV, but my favorites are...

1. Wheel of Fortune (I've always loved the show and still watch it whenever I can)
2. College Football, especially the Iowa Hawkeyes
3. House Hunters

3. Would you rather be in pictures or take them?

That is a tough one - I guess it depends why the picture is being taken and who I am around.

4. Why do you blog?

I started out blogging in an attempt to connect with other diabetics. However, now I blog because I want to document how I felt at this time in my life. I also do it because it is a good way to record everything that involves running. Finally, I like to write and find it calming.

5. If you could have lunch with one person from your Twitter list, who would it be?

I am not on Twitter, and don't foresee this ever happening. I think I've updated the status on my Facebook account three times in the past 7 years, when I first got an account.

6. List a few of your favorite snacks.

Blueberry Bliss, Honey Peanut Crunch, and White Chocolate Macadamia Luna Bars
Chocolate Chip Clif Bars
Apples
Peanuts

7. Share five websites that you visit regularly.

Google (regular Google, mail, and maps)
Runners World
J.Crew
My Running Group's website
Facebook

8. Do you have a pet? If so, what kind?

I dislike all animals, so I don't have a pet and never will.

9. Which three material possessions would you struggle to live without?

Garmin Watch
Computer (laptop)
Tea Kettle

10. What is your favorite drink?

Currently, I love tea - both iced tea and hot tea.

11. Do you enjoy cooking?

No, I don't. I will cook or bake if I have to, but I feel like I have better ways to occupy my time....like running. Cooking is pretty low on the priority list.

12. Do you have children?

Yes, 30 of them in my homeroom class.

13. What are your favorite hobbies?

Running, biking, any fitness activity/sport, reading, and being with my friends.

14. Would you consider yourself to be shy or outgoing?

I am incredibly shy until I know you well...then I become a little more outgoing, but not a whole lot. I am a quiet person.

15. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you change?

I wish I was not so much of a perfectionist.

16. Who is your favorite actor/actress?

I've always liked Denzel Washington.

17. What's the coolest thing you've done this week?

Nothing is coming to mind....I partially tapered this week for my race on Saturday. Is that cool?

18. Do you live near your family or far from them?

I live about 3.5 hours away from my parents, but my siblings live in Colorado and Los Angeles, so not close at all.

19. List three of your talents.

I am a good listener.
I have good instincts.
I am creative.

20. What is your greatest attribute?

I am trustworthy and loyal.

Tell me something about yourself!!

A Powerful Mind

2012-01-19T17:21:00.002-06:00

How does a runner go from being mediocre to good? Although some would argue that adding miles and speed work to weekly workouts is most import, I think it really can be attributed to confidence and believing in oneself.

Let's rewind the clock about 6 years. My first half marathon preparation went well. Even though I did not keep track of my mileage back then, I vividly remember logging multiple 10 mile runs leading up to the event in the spring. The half marathon was in late May, and although I only logged 1 10 mile run in May, I became nervous about conquering this new distance. Could I do it? My only two goals going into that race were to not walk at all and to have fun. Both were accomplished, and I ran negative splits. My ending time: 2:17. My happiness level: 10+.

I signed up to run that same exact half marathon the following year. I had put in significantly fewer miles. Leading up to the race, I only ran 10 miles once. During that 10 mile run, I had to stop and walk countless times. Although my training was sub-par at best, my confidence level was high. I had already run that distance once, and truly believed that I could break the 2-hour mark. The end result was crossing the finish line in 1:58, and feeling amazing.

As I've been logging countless miles, both on foot and on bike, in preparation for my Spring marathon, I can honestly say, as of now, my perspective has changed. My long runs are significantly slower than when I was training for Chicago, and I've felt increasingly better each week. Not only have my long runs been going well, my shorter runs during the week have also improved. My confidence is increasing along with my fitness level.

2012 is going to be an amazing year because I believe it will be.

Do you believe that the mind is powerful?

What It Is Really Like

2012-01-17T22:35:00.000-06:00

Many days I play a review game with my students called fact or fiction. I'll say things that we have been studying in various subjects and then they'll have to say if what I said is a fact, or fiction. In many ways, the game fact or fiction can be applied to some areas of my life, mainly, diabetes.

Fact: There is no cure for diabetes. Although technology has improved a great deal recently, people who are diagnosed with type 1 will have it until they die.

When many people find out that I have diabetes, the next questions is typically "do you have type 2 or that other one...type 1?", and then "how long have you had it?" Living with diabetes for practically my entire life - over 22+ years - has not always been easy. I only have one memory of not being diabetic, which, ironically, is the day I found out I was. All my life I have always known "check your blood sugar" "take insulin" "count your carbs" and so on. Often times, I have wished that my diabetes would just magically disappear into thin air. However, that has never happened.

Sometimes I have gotten into the trap of thinking if I don't care about my diabetes, it will disappear. In actuality, that makes my control a lot worse. Diabetes does not take a break. It is with me every moment of every day. Sometimes it behaves itself and doesn't require much attention. Other days, though, are the extreme opposite and I want to put it in "time out." But, that doesn't really work either.

Diabetes is something that I have to deal with every single day. There are no breaks, or nights without it. I really can't take a vacation from it. I cannot have some medical procedure done to get rid of it.

Sometimes people say "I can imagine and understand that it is hard to live with diabetes." It is a lot of hard work if you want to live successfully with diabetes. It is not necessarily hard, but manageable. And, yes it is true, you really don't have a clue what it is like.

So...what is it like?

Going low is like running a marathon. You had half a slice of toast for breakfast and did not fuel beforehand. During the course of the race, you didn't take GU or drink Gatorade. Now, it is mile 24. How do you feel? If you have run a marathon, you know how you feel at that mile marker. Without any fuel, that is what my low blood sugar feels like.

Having a high blood sugar is harder for me to explain. You are in a walking in a desert for an entire day. You've been out in the sun, but have not consumed any water. You most likely feel exhausted and incredibly thirsty. Now, try to eat GU. It would get stuck in your mouth. That awful feeling is me with a high blood sugar.

But, there is another aspect of having high or low blood sugars: personality. I am not my normal self. When I have a high blood sugar, I am incredibly moody. When I have a low blood sugar, I get sad. Having one of these blood sugars is like a mask is put over me. I am not my normal self. I do not try got high or low - it just happens. It is part of living with diabetes.

Although diabetes has its fair share of overall crapiness, it has taught me a lot of things, brought me to experience various things, meet new people, and be a a stronger person. And although it sucks, takes time and effort, and can get int the way, it will not define and tell me what I can and cannot do.

I am stronger than it.

2012 Goals

2012-01-15T10:02:00.002-06:00

How can it be the middle of January already? I feel like yesterday I was ringing in the new year.

"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."
- T.S. Eliot

Goals are both motivating and scary at the same time. They serve as motivation because it helps me get the workouts I need to get done accomplished. They are a bit scary because sometimes I don't accomplish my goals and feel like I have not failed but learned something in the process. If I put my goals out for the world to see, then they become more real. Other people have the chance to see if I am meeting my goals, instead of just me knowing how I am doing. In the spirit of trying new things this year, I am documenting my running goals on my blog.

Goal #1: Stay injury-free
I don't know if there is anything worse than an injury. The few times I have been injured I have hated every second of it. This year, I want to be strong and healthy while running, which means avoiding injuries.

Goal #2: Sub 20-minute 5k
I used to hate 5ks because they were so short. Now, my outlook has changed. I think I actually enjoy them now. I ran 3 last year (21:13 in March, 21:12 in August, and 20:12 in September). This year, I want to see 19:xx in front of my name. Will this be hard to accomplish? Yes. But hopefully by doing track workouts year-round I will be able to accomplish my goal in which I need to run an average mile pace of 6:25.

Goal #3: Sub 1:40 Half Marathon
It was well-documented last year that my goal was to break into the 1:30s in a half marathon, but that never did happen. This year it will. I will run those 13.1 miles at 7:30 pace.

Goal #4: Boston
This is my scariest goal to write. I am going to try to qualify for Boston at the Illinois Marathon in April. Sub 3:35...here I come. Boston 2013...look out. I will be on the start line.

Goal #5: Consistently Life Weights
Lifting weights helps me become a better runner. Last year I lifted 80-some times. This year, I would like to lift even more. It is especially important for me to consistently lift during marathon training, as it will help me be faster and recover quicker.

Do we share any of the same goals? What do you hope to accomplish in 2012?

The Average Runner and Me

2012-01-14T10:40:00.002-06:00

Ever wonder how you compare to the average runner?

How I Compare to the Average Female Runner
I was a little surprised at the comparison.

Average Age: 38.5
Me: I'm in my 20s

Average Weight: 137.6 pounds
Me: I don't talk about my weight because it is deceiving a lot of the time.

Average Body Mass Index: 22.9
Me: 19.5

Average Height: 5 feet, 5 inches
Me: 6 feet

Average Weight Satisfaction: 40.9%
Me: I'm happy with my weight

Percent Married: 63.2%
Me: I'm not married

Percent that are College Educated: 78.2%
Me: I have both a college degree and a Master's degree

Most women prefer to run half marathons (39%)
Me: I don't know if I have a specific distance that I prefer to run anymore. I find many distances both challenging and rewarding. I will say my least favorite distance is a 10k.

Average Days Run Each Week: 4
Me: 6

Average that Run 4+ hours each week: 70.4%
Me: Yes, I run more than 4 hours each week.

Average Miles Per Week: 21.9
Me: Last year, I averaged 33.7 miles per week, which surprises me. I though I would have averaged more.

Average Number of Running Events Attended Last Year: 7.2
Me: 12 + 2 multi sport (duathlons)

Percent that Run every Month: 77.7%
Me: I run outside every month

Average Running History: 9.9 years
Me: I am not sure what defines "history." I tell people that I have been really racing for 3 years, although I started running back in junior high, which is many more years before that.

Spent over $100 on Running Clothes Last Year: 80.4%
Me: Yes, I did. I love running clothes.

Number of Shoes Purchased Last Year: 2.9 pairs
Me: If my calculations are correct, I got 6 pairs last year.

Spent Over $90 on a Pair of Running Shoes: 65.3%
Me: Yes, all of mine were over that amount.

Motivation: Varies
Me: I love running.

How do you compare to the average runner?

Snow Running

2012-01-12T21:53:00.000-06:00

Yesterday the weather in Chicago was a nice 50-degree day. I got to run outside in shorts.

Today? We got over 4 inches of snow and had to pull out all of my winter weather running gear, bundle up, and was not warm until mile 4 of a 6 mile run. We ran on snow-covered trails/path. I've never done this before and although my pace was probably the slowest I've ever run 6 miles in, it felt like I was working so hard. Running in the snow and through it is hard work.

I got an email today from The Polar Dash people and they are rescheduling the race until next weekend. I was disappointed to read this, but they said they had to postpone the race for safety reasons. I now have to decide how many miles I am going to run on Sunday. I'm torn...

This is a step-back week for me, where my long run (in this case, race) is supposed to be shorter. Do I run 12 or 13 miles, as originally planned?

Or do I run my long run distance for next week (18 miles) this week?

Decisions, decisions. What would you do?

Don't Bring your Jealousy Here

2012-01-11T14:44:00.001-06:00

This is a two-part post because I feel like i need to say something first, and then the bottom is what I actually intended on posting. I have a feeling this will be a long post, but hopefully you understand.

Part 1 - Don't bring your jealousy and negativity here

I never kept a journal when I was younger and don't have a typical one now. A few years ago, when one of my friends encouraged me to start blogging (thank you, K!), I thought it was a good idea but didn't realize the value it would have to me in the future (now).

I blog so I can re-read my thought and perspectives on different races, workouts, runs, and other things I post about. Mostly, my blog has been an outlet for me to talk about my love of running and racing. I have re-read posts that I have done after a race to learn more about what happened so I can become a better runner.

Recently, I posted the statement that I thought I went from being an "OK" runner to a "good" runner in 2011. When I did my first distance race in 2006, I was just thrilled to cross the finish line. As with anything, the more you work at it, the more improvements you will see. I had my fair share of good races last year, and others that were disappointing, but I am thankful I got to run all of them, and have success at most. After all of my races, not only do I post my thoughts and opinions about the race, but also my time and pace. Why do I do this? So then I can easily look back to see what I ran. It is simple - I do it for me.

Yesterday, someone posted a link to my "awkward conversations" post and told me that I am becoming a running snob, should more or less be "less of a runner" and more of a human being because soon I'll be putting berries in my water to make me run faster, while only reading running books.

First, I think you took the post the wrong way. It was a comical look at what people say in response to me telling them about racing. I found them funny...we obviously have different senses of humor.

Second, I LOVE TO RUN. Maybe you love to do something else that I don't like or does not interest me, like hiking. Does that make you a hiking snob? No, it means that you are different than me. My passion and joy for running helps me live a better life. I am a happier person because of it. As with all things that I am passionate about, I want to get better. I have worked hard and continue to work hard to make my dreams a reality. For example, this year I want to break 20 minutes in a 5k. Running that time does not just happen for most people. Track, tempo runs, lifting weights among other things will make that dream a reality.

Perhaps my "running snob" com mentor is a recreational runner only. That is great - I am still glad you are running because it will greatly improve your health. However, I am sure that my goals are much, much different than yours. If you were to post on your blog something about a certain run, would I negatively comment? No. I don't do that. And I don't want it on my blog.

If you plan on commenting something negative on my blog in the future, I would advise you to think before you actually do it. Your comments could not be more off base. Do you even know me? No, you know the small fraction of my life that I chose to share on my blog. I constantly run with people who are both faster and slower than myself and enjoy each opportunity.

With all that being said, this blog is not for negativity and jealousy. Leave your comments elsewhere - they are not appreciate, wanted, or acceptable here.

And for all of my other favorites who read my blog and love to run, keep running. If I find that putting berries in my water makes me faster, I'll be sure to share the information, as I'm sure it could lead to massive PRs.

Part 2 - Yesterday's Phenomenal Modified Track Workout

Yesterday I was thrilled with my modified 800 workout. Although I feel like I've run a lot of 800s recently, none were as fast as my last two on Tuesday night. I only did half of the 800s (4 instead of 8) because I'm racing on Saturday.

*400 recoveries between 800s

Warm-up - 8:01 pace

800 #1 - 3:09 (6:14 pace)

800 #2 - 3:10 (6:16 pace)

800 #3 - 2:58 (5:52 pace)

800 #4 - 3:00 (6:03 pace)

2+ miles of cool-down

Although I was running with some of the guys from the running group, they are much faster than me so I ended up running my 800s by myself. Given my times and the fact that I was on my own with no one else running near my speed, I am happy. Look out....Saturday is going to be awesome, even if it is supposed to snow and be cold.

Do you have any comments, not of the negative "running snob" variety?

Awkward Running and Triathlon Coversations

2012-01-10T15:24:00.001-06:00

A few conversations I've had of late....I couldn't have scripted these if I tried.

Conversation #1: The Awkward Triathlon Conversation

Me: So, Friend A, what are you training for?
Friend A: I think I'm going to try and train for a full triathlon.
Me: There is no such thing as a full triathlon. Do you mean Olympic distance? Or Half Ironman? Or Ironman?
Friend A: A full triathlon.
Me: What are the distances of each leg?
Friend A: The run is a 10k. I don't know what the swim and bike distances are.
Me: OK, that is an Olympic distance triathlon.
Friend A: Yes, a full triathlon.

Sometimes, I just give up.

Conversation #2: The Awkward Marathon Conversation

Friend B: So, what are you training for right now?
Me: I'm going to be running a marathon in late April...so I'm training for that.
Friend B: How long is this marathon?
Me: All marathons are 26.2 miles.
Friend B: Wow! That is so long.

Well, it is no longer than any other marathon.

Conversation #3: The Awkward Half Marathon Conversation

Friend C: You run a lot.
Me: You could say that.
Friend C: What is your next race?
Me: I'm running a half marathon in mid-January. It is outside and along the lakefront in Chicago.
Friend C: Why would you do that?
Me: I love to run. Also, it fits into my training schedule right now.
Friend C: Do you run them fast?
Me: I think I am a decent runner.
Friend C: What is your fastest time?
Me: I ran a 1:40:14 last March.
Friend C: Is that fast?
Me: It is a 7:39 per mile average.
Friend C: That doesn't seem too hard...I bet I could do that.

***Friend C has not run a race in over a year and does not run regularly.***

Conversation #4: The Awkward 5k Conversation

Friend D: I am going to sign up and run my first 5k this year.
Me: Awesome! I am so happy for you. I love it when my friends run.
Friend D: It will be hard to run 5 miles.
Me: Wait...are you running a 5k or a 5 mile race?
Friend D: 5k.
Me: Okay, that is 3.1 miles.
Friend D: I thought 5k was 5 miles.
Me: No, each kilometer is like 0.62 of a mile.
Friend D: Awesome! I get to run less.

At least Friend D is running. Maybe, one day, he'll be up for 5 miles.

Please share....have you had any comical conversations lately?!?

Sleep, Long Runs, and Winter Races

2012-01-09T19:22:00.001-06:00

Sunday morning I set my alarm early - 6:45 - to get up and run with my running group. I haven't been going on Sunday mornings with any regularity because I like to sleep in too much. Although I had some extra motivation - 16 miles worth of it that I didn't want to do on my own or later in the day.

I love sleep, especially on the weekends. I don't like getting up in the mornings. Also, it takes 30 minutes to get to where my running group meets. All of those things complied together have led to me only running with the group 2 times since the Chicago Marathon. But, with the distance of my long runs increasing, I know that it would be best for me to run with the group. Plus, I like most of the people. Who doesn't want to see their friends at 8 AM?

Sunday I got out of bed, had some breakfast, and then went running. There was only one other person running any sort of long distance yesterday, and she happened to be going 16 as well. We went slower than I would have liked, but I am fine with the end result (16 miles averaging 9:07 pace). It ended up being an progression run - with the second 8 miles being faster than the first. However, the whole run just wasn't that great. I wasn't feeling it - and 9:07s felt like 8:07s. If you look at my runs from Friday and Saturday, I'm sure you'd understand. Tempo two days in a row? Not the best move.

Last year, if I would have averaged 9:07 for a 16 mile run I would have thought it was a complete failure of a run. This year, I am (slowly) learning to embrace slower long runs. I have a half marathon next weekend that I plan on racing and I want to be prepared - not only mentally, but also physically. I don't want my body to be recovering for an extra hard 16-miler when I have other gaols to accomplish.

Week 5 of training for the Illinois Marathon has come to a close. The weeks are flying by too quickly. I'm hoping to get back on track this week and not miss any runs.

Week 6 is a cut-back week, and I am running a half marathon in Chicago (Chicago Polar Dash). More on this later in the week, but, needless to say, I'm excited. I'm hoping the weather stays as nice as it has been for Saturday's race.

Are you running the Polar Dash? Would you run a race outside in January? Or, are you smarter than that?

2011 in Review, take 2

2012-01-08T10:00:00.002-06:00

Read my first post about 2011 here.

In addition to having a good running year in 2011, I also learned a lot about myself as a runner. This knowledge will help me more in the future, and is much more useful than a PR (although, PRs are wonderful).

What did I learn?

Distance training runs should not be completed at anticipated goal pace...or faster. Doing this leads to burn out, as legs feel as if they are racing every single weekend. I learned this the hard way when training for my spring half marathons (Sam Costa and Rockford).
Track workouts are incredibly beneficial for gaining speed. I started doing track workouts with my running club in June and greatly improved over the summer and early fall. I am continuing to do them with some other members of the club this winter. Lesson: if you want to get faster at a 5k, the track needs to be your friend.
Long, slow run for marathon training means the run should be long and slow. I once was told that your pace is on target for success if you feel like you could run an extra couple miles when you have completed your run. If trained properly, your race day performance should be about 60 - 90 seconds faster than your long, slow run pace. I failed at this because my marathon mile average ended up being the same as what I trained at.
The more you race, the more comfortable you feel at the start line. I raced a lot (for me) in 2011 - I completed 10 running races, 2 duathlons, 1 metric century bike ride, and 2 relay races. When I lined up for my last race of the 2011, the Hot Chocolate 15k, I didn't have a single butterfly in my stomach. I am not sure how much I'll be racing in 2012, but I am glad I have conquered the fear of the start line.
Having a set training plan is good, but it might not work for you. My legs cannot handle running 10 miles on Saturday and 22 miles on Sunday, which is what my fall marathon plan called for one week. Training plans are good guidelines. Sometimes life happens and runs do not. It is not the end of the world. One missed run does not really matter in the grand scheme of training.
Confidence is so important in achieving your goals. If you go to the start line with even an ounce of doubt in your body, you won't accomplished what you set out to do. If the mind believes it, the body can achieve it.
It helps me if other people believe in me, and tell me so.

I am taking the things I learned from the past year and using my knowledge to my 2012 the best year ever.

What did you learn in 2011 that will help you in 2012?

2011 in Review

2012-01-04T22:16:00.000-06:00

After being gone to visit family for 12 days, I am happy to be home. I had a wonderful time and didn't bother to check my blog or email once. Instead, I spent my days sleeping in until late in the morning, drinking the world's best coffee, running, reading 3 books, and watching some TV. However, all good things must come to an end. School is back in full swing. But first, I want to take some time to reflect on 2011.

First, when I got back to Chicagoland, I was welcomed by Bobbi's blogger Secret Santa gift. I love it. Thank you so much, Bobbi! You are so kind and thoughtful.

I am sad to see 2011 go. Without a doubt, 2011 was the best year of my life.

I met a lot of new people, joined a running club, and connected with other people in the blogosphere.

I set new PRs in 5k, 4 mile, 8k, 15k and the half marathon distance. I also ran my first marathon so I got an automatic PR. I also ran my first and second duathlon. In every distance I ran, I set a PR. My PR's prior to 2011 were decent. I think I went from being an "ok" runner to a "good" runner.

More about 2011 and 2012 to come....

LA to CR and Beyond

2011-12-20T22:11:00.000-06:00

After I get home for the evening I typically log my workout stats in for the day on a spreadsheet I started back in January. After realizing that I have logged over 100 miles for the month of December, I wanted to see just how many miles I have run all year.

I added up all my monthly totals to find that I currently have run 1,795.3 miles in 2011. I am surprised that my legs have carried me that far.

I feel confident that it is safe to say that I will run over 1,800 miles this year. For a frame of reference, that is farther from Los Angeles, California to Cedar Rapids, Iowa (a city located in the eastern part of the state between Des Moines and the Mississippi River).

Back in January I would have never guessed I could have run this much and felt so good while doing it. My body never ceases to amaze me.

If I log just as many miles in 2012, I'll be just as happy. If I log more, great. I don't really care about the number of miles I run, although it is fun to look at, I really care more about being healthy. I'm excited for 2012 and all that it has in store.

Do you keep track of how many miles you run? I used to never do it, but 2011 was the first year and I'll keep track of everything from now on.

Tis the Season

2011-12-19T21:09:00.000-06:00

Favorite Christmas Cookie: A Reese's peanut butter cup in peanut butter dough. So, so good.

Favorite Christmas Song: Christmas in Killarney by Bing Crosby. It is not well-known, but I love it.

Favorite Christmas Tradition: Every year my parents get a real Christmas tree for their living room (they have a fake one in the basement). As a family, we decorate the tree on Christmas Eve together. My dad is in charge of getting the ornament hooks untangled, while my mom, sister and I put ornaments on the tree. Typically, my brother watches, although this year he is not coming to Iowa for Christmas (he'll be in LA instead vising other family members).

Christmas Plans: My immediate family always exchanges gifts on Christmas Eve before going to church. On Christmas day we travel south to see my mom's siblings and their children (my cousins), and my grandma.

Number of People I know that have a Christmas birhtday: 1 - my great aunt was born on Christmas.

Favorite Christmas ornament: I wish I had a picture of it, but you'll just have to visualize it. When my brother was young - like 5or 6 - he made my mom a teenage mutate ninja turtle ornament - I believe it is Michelangelo. He drilled a hole through a round rock and painted a face on it. I'll take a picture of it and post later. It is pretty quality.

What I'm hoping to get this year: I don't ask for a whole lot for Christmas. In my family, we always make lists of items we want my parents/siblings/grandparents to buy for us. This year I asked for a running medal hood that was custom-made and purple. I'm not sure if my mom found one/got someone to make it. I hope so. My birthday and Christmas gifts are typically combined, and I'm sure I'll get stuff, I just don't know what. It is a mystery.

Favorite Christmas Movie: White Christmas by Irvin Berlin. It is old, but my favorite movie. My sister and I typically watch it together and she quotes the entire thing.

What tops my Christmas trees (both in Illinois and my parents in Iowa): Angels.

Do I send out Christmas cards: I used to, but now I only send a few out to my favorite people and friends that live far away.

Do I wish I had a birthday a different time of year? No, not at all. I love my birhtday being in the middle of December. I love the whole month.

Thoughts on Snow: I love the first snow and think it is absolutely beautiful. I hate driving in it, though. I get very nervous, even after living in Minnesota for 3 years.

Ultimate gift i want but never get: I wish I could be chauffeured around everywhere. I really do not like driving, in the summer or winter. If someone offers to drive me somewhere, I'll happily agree.

Family and Christmas: No matter what place I am in in my life, I will never have Christmas away from my family. They mean too much to me, and I love seeing them. It is the only time of year I am guaranteed to see my sister, which I enjoy even though we are complete opposites.

Favorite Gift Ever Received: This is a tough question for me. My mom framed old artwork that she made in high school a few years ago for me, my sister, brother, and dad. I got a flower piece of artwork which I love and have displayed. Last year she gave us each the Time magazine from the year we were born. A few years ago she framed old post card stamp envelopes that had my (deceased) grandpa's name and address on them and gave them to the kids and all of her siblings. Each of those gifts is very special to me. None of them were asked for, but things my mom gave just because she is generous.

Favorite Gift Ever Given: I am not a very good gift-giver for the holidays. As far as gift for my family are concerned, I once made a generous donation to a domestic violence shelter in honor of my parents one year for their gift. I also made my brother a scrapbook of various pictures from our childhood and adult lives which I was quite proud of. This was before my blogging days, otherwise I would have photographed it. It took a lot of time to assemble, going through a lot of old pictures.

Absolute favorite thing about Christmas: I get to spend time with my family.

Your turn: answer one or more of the following questions. Are you like me or different?

Week 2 of Marathon Training

2011-12-18T16:12:00.000-06:00

After completing week, 1, I set 2 goals for myself:

1. Complete track workout - success!
2. Run slower on Sunday. - fail.

Week 2 didn't go according to plan, just like week 1. I hope this trend does not continue.

Week 2 started off great when I completed a modified ladder workout. It was so nice outside which made it pleasant to run in circles around the track. Originally I was disappointed with how my ladder went, but after further review, it is decent. I have to remember I have not completed track workouts in 2.5 months so it is kind-of like starting over.

Wednesday was a nightmare of a run. I was feeling okay to start, and then things turned awful. My stomach hurt so bad and I just couldn't continue. Thursday was better, and I ran 7 easy miles with a friend.

Then came Friday. I was all set to go running right after school got out before meeting up with friends for dinner. But, other things came up and my run didn't end up happening, so it ended up being an unplanned rest day. Saturday my legs felt great and ran well. Today, my run was okay, but I felt sluggish throughout the entire thing due to improper fueling.

What went well: I successfully completed my track workout, and had a great run on Sunday.

Goals for week 3: Complete all runs according to schedule. Run slower on Sunday.

* * * * * * * *

I cannot believe there are only 18 weeks until the Illinois marathon. I am looking forward to it. Another runner from my running group ran a marathon this weekend and qualified for Boston. This will sound mean, but I was shocked. She occasionally ran in my track group this summer and I was ahead of her. On tempo and long runs, I was also ahead of her. If she can BQ, then I know I can do it. But, that is not the way I want to be thinking.

The mind is powerful. I have run races where I believed I could truly run a certain time and have succeeded. I have run numerous races where I told myself I could do it, but not actually believed in myself and my ability. For each of those runs, I came up short of my goal.

When I ran my last race, the Hot Chocolate 15k, I truly believed I could run a sub-1:09. What happened? I have 1:08:27. There were some other motivating factors for me to run well, but my mind truly believed I could do it.

As 2011 comes to an end and 2012 is just around the corner, I am starting to realize that my mind is holding me back. I feel proud of what I accomplished this year, and know next year will be even better.

Does your mind hold you back? Or, have you mastered that area?

Reflecting

2011-12-12T22:22:00.000-06:00

Tonight I was going through old blog posts, re-reading them to remember what my life was like last year at this time. The winter is always hard - cold temperatures for the most part - although this year thus far has been abnormally warm - little sunlight, a lot of darkness, wind, and many gloomy days in Chicagoland. I am a person who is always cold, so when the weather turns cold, it is more of a challenge to me than most people.

However, the coldness of winter is not what this post is about. I was reflecting on how different I am today than I was one year ago today.

Last year at this time I:

Was still trying to build up my iron
Was sick with a cold
Went out to bars on weeknights
Went to bars on the weekends
Was skiing in Wisconsin
Thought 10 miles outside in winter was a long distance to run
Thought I knew what my race schedule would be for 2011

I can say I am a far different person than the person above. It almost amazes me how much I have changed in just one year. When I turned 26 last year, I was in a post-college-wish-I-would-have-enjoyed-college-more mindset. Every weekend was consumed by staying out late at the bars with friends. Although I grew out of this behavior after only a few months, I think it taught me a lot. In college, all I did was study. I spent more time at the library than 99.9% of people. I studied, and then studied some more. I can probably count the number of times I was in a bar in college on my two hands. My college experience was very different than the typical person, which is why my phase of life last year was necessary. I'm just glad I grew out of it rather quickly.

Last year I also had all of these dreams about getting certain times in races (see: half marathon goal of 2011), but failed at nearly every one. In the past month I've realized that when I concern myself purely with time, and not with enjoyment, running becomes a chore that must get done rather than my favorite thing to do. And I don't like chores....at all.

What have I learned in my 26th year to make me wiser going into year 27?

Running with friends is better than running alone.
Some races will go far better than you ever anticipate. Others will be a complete disaster. Learn from each one and take that knowledge with you to the next one.
Confidence is impossible if you beat yourself up for not being perfect.
Being patient is hard, but it is necessary for success.
Never be ashamed of how you did at a race. If you gave your best effort, that is all that matters.
Sometimes what we want and what happens in life are not the same. Take time to adjust and then move on. Life goes on and some people/things don't need to be a part of it.

Although life has taken many strange twists and turns the past year or two, I am ready for the year ahead. I am excited to see what it will bring.

What did you learn this past year?

Reviewing Week 1 of Illinois Marathon Training

2011-12-11T20:09:00.000-06:00

Most marathon training plans take 18 weeks to complete. Depending on how many you have actually competed, or your goals, they may differ. I am confident that none of the plans say run 17 miles in week one just for the fun of it. Although, Tuesday's 17 miler was wonderful.

Below you can see what I was actually supposed to do this week (in black), and what ended up getting done (in purple).

What went well: I felt great on both Thursday and Friday during my runs. Although Thursday's average was a 7:52 pace, the first mile was done in 8:43, with all of the others between 7:29 and 7:45. Friday I felt so great while running and didn't realize how fast I was going, therefore, it became an unintentional tempo run.

What needs to be done better: Pace. Pace. Pace. I need to retrain my body to run at training run speed, not race speed, for all runs. I did better on my 11 mile run today, but the average was still 8:26. I need them to be around 9:00 pace instead. Also, I want to do my track workout every week. Yes, the unconventional 17 miler on Tuesday was rather sporadic and nice, but track will help me become a better runner, which is what I want.

Goal for week 2: Complete Tuesday track work and run slower on Sunday.

For this marathon, I am going to keep track of everything, including workout types for track and pace. Although I kept track of my mileage during Chicago Marathon training, I did not note my pace. From what I know and have read and learned, pace plays an important role in preparation for the marathon.

On a side note, I have once again managed to get almost no Christmas shopping done yet. I have 1 gift for my mom. Other than that...nothing. I'm going out of town next weekend so no shopping will be done. I guess that leaves the few days before Christmas, just as in years past.

Are you a person that procrastinates shopping for Christmas presents, or do you shop early....like the day after Thanksgiving? I have never shopped on Thanksgiving weekend (Friday - Sunday after the holiday) and plan to keep it that way.

Rethinking the Plan on Day 2

2011-12-06T20:39:00.000-06:00

This weekend I made myself a plan that I thought I could stick to while training for the Illinois Marathon. I based it off of what I knew worked for my body and what I learned from running the Chicago Marathon.

I am only on day 2, and as far as my success rate goes, I am at 0%. I ran 10 miles on Sunday, the day before my training plan officially started, and decided to run an easy 2 mile recovery run before biking and lifting.

And then there was today. Track Tuesday turned into a 17 mile training run with a friend. That would be 10 more miles than I was supposed to run. Although we ran slow, about a 10:00 average, I am hoping it doesn't alter my plans for the rest of the week too much. I feel great right now, about an hour post-run, so I'm hoping recovery will go well. It kind-of amazes me that my body remembered running that many miles from marathon training this summer/fall, even though it has been over a month and a half since I ran that distance. It gives me hope for this upcoming training plan.

Will I complete my track workout this week? I'm thinking it will either be on Friday or else I will have to end up skipping it. I'll make the call later in the week and analyzing how I feel.

I do not want to make running this many miles on a weekday a regular occurrence. We were running close to 3 hours, which is a lot of time to devote to running on a weekday night. But, I'm glad I did it for my friend. Sometimes it is hard to motivate yourself to run that many miles and having another person to hold you accountable and just run the miles with you really helps.

Do you make training plans for yourself and stick to them? When I trained for half marathons in the past, I always had "mental training plans" that I completed. It is different with marathon training, as it requires so many more details than a half marathon.

Spring Marathon

2011-11-30T23:45:00.001-06:00

Since running the Chicago Marathon, and then deciding not to run the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, I knew I wanted to try a spring marathon. I learned so much training for Chicago that I feel can benefit me to reach my goals in the future. The decision became not if I was going to run one, but which marathon I was going to run.

The marathons I was considering were....

Flying Pig in Cincinnati
Rockford (Rockford, IL)
Chicagoland Spring Marathon
Carmel Marathon (Carmel, Indiana)
Illinois Marathon (Champaign-Urbana, Illinois)

And the winner is....

I signed up for the Illinois Marathon for a few reasons:

It is flat (Flying Pig is too hilly to train for in Chicago)
It is at the right time of year (I wanted to give my legs enough time to recover before running the Madison to Chicago Ragnar Relay as part of an ultra team)
You get to finish at the 50-year line in the football stadium and watch yourself on TV doing so
I can most likely talk some of my friends into running it as well

Illinois Marathon....here I come!

Funny Things at Thanksgiving

2011-11-28T21:58:00.000-06:00

On most holidays I get to see some members of my extended family. This past weekend, I got to see members of both my mom's side and my dad's side on different days. Since my brother moved to Colorado, going back to visit my childhood city is different. There is no one to bug to go on a tempo run with, but that doesn't mean the trip isn't wonderful.

As most people do, I love my family. My mom's extended family is much bigger than my dad's, and is comprised of 23 people. On Thanksgiving day, my mom's brother and sister came to visit, along with my aunt and 4 cousins. Some of the following topics/comments were made on Thanksgiving:

One of my cousins in finishing her student teaching right now. We had a funny conversation about names. What would you call this name? La-a. It's La(dash)a. Another variation is La-ia. Although, it was sad to me when my cousin told me she had a student name Shithead, pronounced
"Shitheed." Would could possibly name a child that? That is awful.
Many comments made from my Grandma about how windy the weather is. My dad also informed me that Chicago is not named the Windy City for the actual wind. Apparently it had something to do with politics, which I never knew.
My uncle said that the book "Run less, Run Faster" is a phenomenal book. He's a big believer in it and thinks the training plan can get him to BQ this year. We might run the same marathon in the spring. I learned so much from training for the Chicago Marathon and know what I need to change this time. I am not going to follow that plan, but will be making my own and starting in the next few weeks. I'm excited for it to begin again.

Other things were discussed that had us laughing for many minutes, however, they all seem to escape me now. The name comments were the ones that really stuck out, though.

On Saturday night my dad's parents and my aunt that lives in Chicago came to our house for dinner. You must understand that my grandpa is EXTREMELY cheap. He grew up in the Depression, which I think impacts his cheapness a great deal. My favorite comment is below:

My aunt came back to my parent's house later that night to visit some more. After discussing various things with my dad (nursing homes, traveling, cooking, and the like), I came in to talk to them. My aunt told one of the best stories ever.

A few years ago, my grandpa asked my aunt if she wanted a burial plot for her birthday present that year. My aunt, as she was re-telling the story, goes "Nothing says happy birthday more than a burial plot." I just have to laugh.

I love my family and all their uniqueness.

What is the weirdest birthday present you've ever received?

Hill Training in Iowa

2011-11-27T22:03:00.000-06:00

On Wednesday, I packed my bags and headed west to Iowa for a long Thanksgiving weekend. In addition to visiting family, I wanted to accomplish a few other tasks:

Run the hills
Sleep in every day
Not eat my weight in cookies

Task #1: Run the hills
I ran 2 days while I was in Iowa...6 miles each day. I ran the same route both days and ran it much faster the second day. When many people think of Iowa, they think of flat, corn, and farms. However, some cities located along the Mississippi River are very hilly. I don't run with my camera/phone, but I wish I could have taken a picture of the massive hill I ran up. Instead, here the elevation chart:

In case you can't tell, that would be a 350 ft+ incline from miles 3 to 4.5. It was like running up a small mountain. I live near Chicago, where there are no hills. Contrary to what many believe, it is actually hard to run down an incline that severe as well.

Task #2: Sleep in every day.
The only morning I got up early was Sunday (today) so I could pack and get ready to go to brunch with my grandparents. Otherwise, I got a quality 10 or more hours of sleep every night. I also learned that when I was a baby I slept a ton. Some things never change.

Task #3: Not eat my weight in cookies.
I love my mom's sugar cookies. I did my best at only eat a few every day. This is a vast improvement...usually I just eat whatever I want. I don't know the total amount of cookies consumed, but it was less than in past years which is a major success.

Some quality conversations were also had...and a lot of funny comments were made. I'll share those tomorrow. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

Do you like to run hills? This year, I am going to love hills. In the past, I've always hated them.

Geriatric Unit? No, noon at the gym.

2011-11-21T22:40:00.000-06:00

I almost always work out at my gym in the late afternoon or early evening. I can count on one hand the number of times I was at the gym before 10 AM in the past 3 years. Given the fact that I go to the gym at the same time (more or less) every single day, I see the same people. They include:

Ultra bike guy that ran the Chicago Marathon last year who always comments on me running it this year.
Girl who is on the elliptical for over 2 hours every single day. One word for her: why?
Stinky man who only walks on the treadmill and wears Nike shorts from the 1980s.
Young guy who can't figure out what college he likes, as I've seem him wear Stanford, South Carolina, Cincinnati, and Florida State gear.
My friend's mom who always says hi
Man that bikes and wears black spandex and a neon pink shirt
My favorite guy who ran his first half marathon this year and always runs the Shamrock Shuffle

I honestly wonder if people think about what they wear before they go to the gym.

Today, though, I went to the gym at noon. We had early out at school and then conferences late afternoon through the evening, so I knew if I was going to run, it had to be around noon. What did I notice today?

It felt like I was in the geriatric unit.
I was the youngest by about 50 years.
I've never seen so many people working out in bedazzled sweaters and black stretchy pants in my life.
99% of the people had white hair.
I was the only person running on the treadmill. Everyone else was walking.

Although the differences were evident, it was good to see different people. I saw a cute old guy that I sometimes see at school at the gym. He addresses me always as "here's that wonderful 5th grade teacher" even though he has never seen me teach. He's just a genuinely nice man.

It was nice for a change, but I think I think my normal group of people better.

What is the weirdest outfit you've seen someone working out in before? The bedazzled holiday sweater takes the cake for me.

10, take 2

2011-11-20T20:24:00.000-06:00

Back in the summer, I posted 10 random things about myself. I thought it might be interesting if I did it again. So, here are 10 more interesting things about yours truly.

I can name all 50 states in alphabetical order. We had to learn a song when I was in 5th grade for a musical that listed all the states in order and I can still recite it. Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut....
There are two types of people: those that have a ton of somewhat close friends, and those that have a small group of really close friends. The second applies to me.
My favorite meal by far is breakfast.
When I lived in Ohio, my friend K encouraged me to start a blog. She had one of her own. First, I started to read a few blogs, then, with her help one night, my blog came to be. I am so glad she encouraged me to do so, too.
My favorite kind of Gatorade is blue. My least favorite is fruit punch. I like grape better than lemon-lime.
In the summer I made a list of goals for myself to accomplish in 1-2 years, 5 years, and 10 years. So far, I have completed 1.5/15 for my 1-2 year goals.
It takes me 50 minutes to get ready in the morning. My morning routine includes: showering, getting dressed, packing my lunch, packing my gym bag(s), eating breakfast and checking my email.
In high school, I was a varsity letter-winner 3 years for basketball. In the past 3 years, I have touched a basketball 3 times.
I have glasses and contacts, but wear my contacts every day.
People often tell me that I look 5 or more years younger than my actual age.

What is something interesting about you? Do we have anything in common?

It's Been Too Long

2011-11-20T10:41:00.000-06:00

I had not run with my running club on a Sunday morning run since before the Chicago Marathon - over a month and a half ago. It had been way too long. I've missed seeing my friends running on the trail.

Why did I not go for 6+ weeks? Sleep. Although marathon training runs started at 6:30, and post-marathon Sunday runs start at 8, I still could not mange to get out of bed. I live 30 minutes from where we meet, which means if I don't drag myself out of bed by 7 AM I won't make it. Today I was determined to make it. I wanted to get in a quality run with my fellow club members.

I wasn't sure how far I wanted to run, or even what pace. When we set out, I thought 6 sounded good. 8:30 pace felt good. Then, I got talked into running 10 miles at a progressive pace, having our average be 8:15 at the end, with a mile or two under 8:00/mile pace.

The run seemed hard to me, but I think that is beacuse I'm not used to running in the morning. I do 95% of my runs in the mid or late afternoon/early evening and 8 AM is far different. But, I am so glad I got to run with the group. It was not the group I trained with for Chicago, and I didn't know a few of the guys, but it was a good time none the less.

Could I have started my Sunday any better? I don't think so.

Three Things Thursday

2011-11-17T22:15:00.000-06:00

1. It went from being incredibly nice outside to bone-chilling cold in a few days. Tuesday I ran 10 miles with shorts and a long sleeve shirt on. Today? 6 miles in my winter running tights, long sleeve shirt, jacket, and gloves and was still cold. I need to get used to this cold weather...it doesn't appear to be going anywhere as winter is just around the corner.

2. I've made up my mind...I am going to run a spring marathon. I am not sure what month I want to target or even what race or where I want to run, but I am doing it.

3. I'm trying to formulate my goals for the 2012 season. I have many, but I need to really focus on a few, otherwise none will get accomplished well. I need to think some more about them...so many choices. So many things I'd like to try.

Random Thoughts on and about WDD

2011-11-14T21:35:00.000-06:00

Today is World Diabetes Day. Many people celebrate this day, or the day they were diagnosed. I don't celebrate either. It is just another day in my life. In a recent card, I was encouraged to take part in the Big Blue Test.

I had to go to the website to see exactly what they wanted me to do. I knew it related to exercising and testing my blood sugar, but that was all I knew.

The premise of the test is to test, exercise for 14-20 minutes, and then test again. Theoretically, my blood sugar should be lower because I exercised.

Here's what they don't know or get: I really don't like it when my blood sugar drops when I exercise. Also, I don't know the last time I exercised for only 14-20 minutes. Don't get me wrong...I think that is a great goal when you start exercising. But, for me, I feel like I am beyond that in my exercise routine.

Anyway, I did complete the Big Blue Test. Please note that my meter is still set an hour ahead...I have not changed it yet for Daylight Savings Time.

Before running blood sugar:

Before running snack:

Chocolate Chip Clif Bar (no bolus)

A little less than one hour (7 miles) of glorious running outside on a trail later...

I wore blue for World Diabetes Day when I was running.

Post-run blood sugar

I really, really wanted to keep running, but it was almost dark, and I do not run outside on a trail when it is dark by myself. It is just not safe.

I drove to my gym to do some more cardio, which included:

1 mile running on the treadmill (8 miles total for the day)
1 mile on the elliptical
1 mile on the stair master
8 miles on the stationary bike

My post-cardio gym blood sugar was:

Other stuff....

Can someone please explain to me why people are not honest?
I am extremely disappointed in person/people (see above) for not being honest.
These are not people/a person who I interact with on a daily basis (thankfully).
People who are not honest and kind are people who I don't want to interact with.
Now that I learn more, things are starting to make more sense.
It is their loss more than mine.

I think it is only fitting to close this section with a saying that my dad and I joke about: I am wonderful...if I do say so myself. One must say it with her nose in the air, though, and in the snottiest tone possible. And then "uh, huh" after done speaking the words.

Back to today....

I did tell my homeroom students that it was World Diabetes Day, and that they all were celebrating it because they were wearing blue, which is part of their uniforms. I, on the other hand, was wearing purple. They liked it more when I told them about National Cookie Monster Day.

A student then told me the following: "A friend of mine told me that he heard that if you play 3 hours straight of Wii you'll get diabetes." To which I replied, "you friend misinformed you."

At least tomorrow is Tuesday, and Tuesday is always better than Monday.

In the mail...

2011-11-11T21:00:00.000-06:00

The old way of communicating via letter in the mail has rapidly decreased since the Internet was born. Why would someone hand-write a letter when typing an email and sending it to the recipient immediately is so much more convenient?

My mom loves "real mail." So much that when my siblings and I went to college she hand-wrote a letter to each of us every single week for 4 years. After college, when I moved to Ohio, my mom continued to write me, just not as often. Then, when I moved to Illinois, she reverted back to her old ways and sends me something in the mail at least once a week. Some weeks, I'll get a two things.

I once asked her why she enjoyed "real mail" so much. Her response was that it showed how much someone appreciated you because they gave up their time to do something for you, for nothing in return. Plus, most mail is boring or bills, so having something nice come is wonderful.

I am one of the few people in the world that still write letters to people. Although it does not happen that often, I always enjoy doing it.

This week I was delighted to receive a letter back from the person who got my World Diabetes Day postcard. Her note was so nice.

In addition to sending her my postcard, I also wrote her a note. The person I got is the president/owner/person in charge of a female diabetes exercise organization. I was so happy to get to send something to a person who values exercise as much as me. Getting real mail does brighten my day!

Do you enjoy "real mail?" Do you send any out, or are you an email-only person?

Reflections

2011-11-10T21:35:00.000-06:00

Do you ever go back at old blog posts an re-read what you wrote? I do it occasionally, but not as much as I would like.

This week I feel like I've had a lot of time to think about my running, and races, in 2011. I've pretty much taken the entire week off of running (only logged 13 miles since Sunday) due to being sick and my leg hurting. I'm hoping it is nothing major and just magically goes away on its own.

Last December I wrote a post about some goals I wanted to accomplish in 2011. They were:

1. Run a marathon.
2. Run 2 half marathons, including the Quad Cities Half.
3. PR - in the 10k, ideally the 5k, and half marathon

Reflections...

1. Run a marathon.
Training for a marathon takes a lot of dedication. The marathon is tough, though. You train for months for one day. Things can go great, or they can fall apart. For the most part, I had a wonderful experience. I wouldn't trade the Chicago Marathon this year for anything in the world. I've wanted to run a marathon for the past 4 years. I am glad I got to accomplish that goal in 2011. I'm looking forward to perhaps another or 2 in 2012. We'll see....

2. Run 2 half marathons, including the Quad Cities Half
I ran 3 half marathons (Sam Costa - 1:40:14 in March; Rockford in May - 1:40:43; and Benefit Classic - 1:43:31 in September). I didn't end up running the Quad Cities because of its proximity to the Chicago Marathon. Unfortunately, I got slower with each half.

3. PR in the 10k, ideally in the 5k and half marathon
This was the year where I set a PR in virtually every race distance: 5k, 4 mile, 15k, half marathon and full marathon. Although, 2 - the 4 mile and marathon - were given PRs as I had not competed in any other races those distances before. I also automatically PR'd in my 2 duathlons this year. I think what I am most proud of is not that I set a PR, but by how much it was set. I took 2:20 off my 5k time, 3:37 off my 15k time, and 2:53 off my half marathon PR (previously set in 2009). I didn't end up running any 10ks this year. It is not a distance that I particularly enjoy.

* * * * *

Last year, I could have never predicted that I would run like this in 2011. I exceeded what I thought I could achieve. If you were to tell me last year that I could run a 5k in 20:12...I would have just smiled at you and thanked you for the compliment, but not have believed it. Belief in oneself is critical in running. Part of my problem with racing is that I don't fully believe I can run at the pace I want to (see: half marathons x3 this year).

What happened when I was told by someone else in September that they believed I could run a 20-minute 5k based on my track workouts? It happened. Someone else believed in me, which transferred to me believing in myself.

What happened when I ran to prove something to someone? I told myself multiple times the pace I was going to run - and ran it, almost to the T.

What happens when I line up for a race and want something, and hope that my training was enough? Self-doubt creeps in. I don't run very well. I don't PR.

Starting to pick up on the pattern?

Going into 2012, I need to believe in myself more. I need to trust my training more.

I don't know what 2012 will bring, but I'm looking forward to another running and racing year with new challenges and races.

Do you know a single factor that dictates your success or failure in races?

22 years of diabetes....and counting

2011-11-08T20:37:00.000-06:00

I was diagnosed with diabetes on Halloween, a fairly comical holiday to be diagnosed on. This year, my diabetes turned 22. In some ways it is hard to imagine that I have had it so many years. Other days I wish it would disappear, if only for a run, or a full day, or weekend to see how my life would be different. Unfortunately, that is not happening in the near future. Over the past 22 years, diabetes has taught me some great life lessons.

1. Nothing is impossible.
My parents told me that when I was diagnosed with diabetes the doctors were skeptical of participating in organized sports. So, what did they do? Let their daughter, who loved sports, play every single one. Over the course of my lifetime, I've played soccer (7 years), softball (5 years), volleyball (2 years), basketball (10 years total; 4 years AAU), track (4 years), and cross-country (3 years). I've been "competitively" running for the past 4 years, including my most recent accomplishment of conquering the marathon. I am excited to find out what lays ahead for me next year, and those to come. If I want to achieve it, I'll make it happen one way or another.

2. Life is hard and not always fair.
Growing up, I always asked why I had diabetes and not my parents or my brother or sister. I hated the fact that I had to have it and deal with it every day. It took me a long time to accept the fact that it is not going away anytime soon, even thought I was diagnosed with it at such a young age. Is it fair that I have this disease? No. But, fair is just a 4-letter word.

3. Life is also entertaining and fun.
I've had my fair share of low blood sugars. Growing up, I was low much more often than high. Although I've had some scary lows, some lows are just ridiculous. It is in these times where I look back and just laugh about them. For example, I was trying very hard (while low) to explain where a store was located. It was near a restaurant called "Cheeseburger in Paradise." Instead of saying the actual name of the restaurant, I kept referring to it as "Cheesecake in Paradise." At least I was close, right?!? Just as sometimes I can laugh at my lows, it is important to have fun in life. I know when I am stressed out it does bad things to my blood sugars. A balanced life is important.

4. Attitude is my choice.
I could be pessimistic that I have a disease that there is no cure for. I could be upset that the general public thinks of diabetics as overweight people (type 2). I could be frustrated that diabetes often flies under the public radar and doesn't get enough funding. However, I choose not to harbor those feelings and have that attitude. I've accepted that diabetes is a part of me. It does not define me. I can live my life the way I want, or I can let the disease control me. I choose the former.

5. Habits are important for success.
Every Monday through Friday, I wake up at the same time. I eat more or less the same breakfast and lunch. I work out at the same time everyday. I consider my body a fine-tuned machine. Daylight savings time causes me to go crazy, and my body is still adjusting to setting back the clocks last week, but it knows what to expect. The more you do something, the easier it becomes. While training for the marathon, I ate the same thing before every long run and my intake during long runs was pretty much the same. Every Sunday for over 4 months, my body got used to the same routine and habit. And guess what? On marathon day, my blood sugar couldn't have been even better. It was quite a success.

6. Motivation comes from within.
The past year I've been working hard to make my A1C (average blood sugar over 4 months) higher. In the spring, I decided I wanted to make this a reality for myself. I knew that if I had higher blood sugars than my training would be better. My goal was to raise it from the low 5's (5.3) to the high 5's. I knew that I could run better, which was my main motivation for wanting it higher. In October, my A1C had climbed to 5.8. I couldn't have been happier. Now, I am motivated for it to stay there.

7. It is OK to fail.
Diabetes can take its toll on you if you let it. Some days are easy to manage, where blood sugar numbers will be in the 100s with very little effort. Some days, it takes all of my might to raise my blood sugar, and then lower it from the excessive carbs to raise it. To the uneducated person, it would appear that I fail at diabetes those days. They are not pleasant, but they are days that I learn more about my body and my attitude. The good thing is that the sun always rises and I get to start tomorrow over.

8. Diabetes and people are unique.
My diabetes is far different from a lot of other people's diabetes. If you are an athlete, the condition is far different from the non-athletes. Even within the athletic diabetes community our conditions and treatments vary. This summer I went to Washington and ran in a relay with 11 other diabetics. One thing that shocked me was the food they consumed (quantity and quality). Their food choices do not work with my diabetes management or my diabetes, in general. After that trip this summer, I realized just how differently people treat their diabetes.

9. Do what you want. Make the most of life.
I cannot tell you how many times I've gone to eat a cookie and someone has said, "oh, she can't have it because she is diabetic." My typical response is, "actually, I can." I like to eat cookies. It is the junk food item that I love (I don't like a lot of other desserts). If cookies are available to eat, and I want one, then I am going to do what I want and eat one. I do what I want, not what others tell me.

They've come such a long way with diabetes technology in 22 years. I can remember when I was first diagnosed my meter was huge - a small book - and I had to take the strip out halfway though, wipe it, and then re-insert it back in the machine for the final reading 2 minutes later (I think). Diabetes is easier to manage now, but I'm still waiting on that cure.

I was searching for some picture to put on this post and came across this. I thought it was pretty funny. Maybe I'll wear it on November 14, for World Diabetes Day.

What has diabetes taught you? Or, if you are not diabetic, how do you think you would overcome diabetes?

Hot Chocolate 15k Race Report

2011-11-06T08:18:00.000-06:00

"He is able who thinks he is able."

-Buddha

Official Time: 1:08:27

Pace: 7:21/mile

Overall Place: 595/13,359

Age Group: 32/999

I had one goal for the Hot Chocolate Race yesterday: to run to prove something. The time leading up to the race was not ideal, as we hit traffic going into the city and then couldn't find a parking spot. I got out of the car at 8:05 just so I could make it into my starting corral on time.

The 5k race, which started at 7:40, was still starting. Many runners had not crossed the start line when I got to the starting area. Apparently, they had to re-route the 5k course which took some time and caused delays.

Soon after all the 5kers left, the 15k runners got in their spots. Runners were supposed to line up on the street, but since I got there late I didn't and just jumped the fence. I was in good company, as I saw a few other runners going the same thing.

I got to start in Corral A based on my running times from this year, which made a huge difference. It only took my about 20 seconds to get to the start once the gun went off and although the first 1/2 mile was a little congested, I had no other issues the entire race.

My goal was to run between 7:20 and 7:25 miles for the race. I thought this was a rather ambitious goal, given my lack of speed training the past month, but knew with my motivation, it was possible. I decided to run with my music this race, too. I haven't been running with my music but thought it would be nice. I am glad I had it as there were not many people out on the course for the middle 7 miles.

The first 5k went by and I was feeling great. I ran it in 22:10. At that point, I knew I should slow down a little bit so I would not die at the end. We were going into a headwind that wasn't pleasant, too. However, Foster the People and Pitbull provided me some motivation to stay strong.

I crossed the 4 mile mark at 28:58 and my pace started to catch up with me. One thought of self-doubt crept into my head, but then I refocused mentally, reminding myself of all the miles I put in this year and why I wanted a major PR. Thinking to myself...imagining someone else telling me..."you are not a good enough runner"....made me run faster.

Before I knew it the race was 2/3 of the way over. I crossed the 10k mark at 45:19. The end was close. By mile 8.5, I knew I could break 1:10. Pitbull came back on my ipod and my goal was to finish the race while he was still playing. I was so happy when I crossed the finish line and saw 1:08. I met my goal. I ended my running season on a good note.

Once again, this race has provided me with the confidence I need going into the winter (off-season). Next year I will come back a stronger runner. I've been on a remarkable journey this year, and am excited to see what next year's races will bring for me.

It also helps to have extra motivation to run. This race was purely fueled by someone else's decision/words. Although I really wouldn't recommend running a race motivated by someone else, it worked for me. Running is a gift that people give to themselves. So although I ran because of a comment and not for myself, I am glad the end result worked out the way it did.

Lots of Random Stuff

2011-11-01T20:57:00.000-05:00

This post will take bullet-point form because there is too much stuff going on inside my head to write a coherent paragraph or two.

My mileage for October was:

Running - 147 miles
Biking - 108 miles
Walking - 6 miles
Elliptical - 2.8 miles
Stair Master - 3 miles
Weights - 7 times

My favorite race of October was the only one I did - the Chicago Marathon. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.
Today I did my last long run before Saturday's Hot Chocolate Race. It was an 8 mile run.
I am rather pissed off with a recent event (see also: motivation to PR like there's no tomorrow on Saturday). This 8-mile run was supposed to be done at an 8:30ish pace, but I did it with an 8:00 average.
Running always makes me feel better. However, after today's run, I was just as pissed off as when I started it.
I rarely get pissed off. Especially for more than a minute or two.
Last night I was so pissed off I couldn't sleep through the night and woke up multiple times. Let me remind you that I am a person who needs a lot of sleep.
One of my friend's gave me some good advice that helped me.
November is National Diabetes Month. If you don't follow any diabetes blogs, you most likely don't know this. I don't do much at all to celebrate it. In essence, I celebrate it by living my life the way I want to live everyday.
I plan on tapering for the race starting tomorrow.
Tomorrow I think I'll run 4 miles, and 3 or 4 on Thursday. Friday I'm not running at all.
My mom is coming for the weekend. Sometimes only mom's can make the world right again.

On a more positive note, at least the sun was shining today.

Hope your week is going better than mine.

Motivation

2011-10-31T21:34:00.000-05:00

On Saturday I signed up for a 15k in Chicago. I did the race last year and surprised myself at how well I did. Last week I signed up again for the 15k. It is such an odd distance, one that I find difficult to train for. I am not scared at the distance - I know I can run 9.3 miles. I am more concerned with my pace. I have not done speed work in over 1 month, although I did have a nice 7:16 average minute/mile 5 mile run last week. I didn't do a long run this weekend...unless you count 6 miles as long. I thought about doing a nice 8-10 miler today, but was at the gym and the power went out so that didn't happen.

The biggest difference between last year and this year is my motivation to run. Due to a recent event that has provided me with motivation to PR at everything, I am ready to go out and dominate the run (for me). My motivation has never been stronger. The fuel has been added to the fire and it is burning high and is out of control.

Watch out...here comes a PR.

More Shoes

2011-10-30T22:27:00.001-05:00

I love shoes, almost as much as I love running shorts. Although my love for shoes is not limited to the running variety, those are the ones that get purchased the most. When Saucony came out with a new shoe not so long ago, I wanted to try it out. It seemed like the perfect shoe - lightweight but supportive so it could be used in longer races. On Saturday, I got my new pair of Cortana's.

I was fascinated by the tongue of the shoe. One direct it says "Saucony" while the other direction says "Cortana." None of my other shoes do that.

Since I got my new shoes, there was only one thing I was dying to do - go test them out.

I need to take a photography class immediately.

I did an easy 3 miles in them and they felt great. Usually I find that shoes are rather stiff when I first get them, but when I was running in these it was like they were already broken in.

What else did I do this weekend? See if you can figure it out based on the pictures.

Will this be yours?

Happy Halloween tomorrow! Halloween is when I was diagnose with diabetes...22 years ago.

Questions...Answered

2011-10-29T10:48:00.000-05:00

It has been a while, but here are my answers to some very interesting questions.

Big Daddy Diesel asked:

Would you ever consider a multi-sport event? Triathlon? Duathlon? Aquabike?
This spring I decided to try my first-ever multi-sport event, a duathlon. I really liked the first duathlon I competed in and decided to sign up for another one in the early summer. I hope to race in a few duathlons next year as well.

I love running, and am getting better at biking, but I cannot swim. I hate swimming, so a triathlon would be challenging for me. I took swimming lessons when I was a kid, but don't know how to properly do the swimming strokes. Plus, I am afraid of the water. If I did decide to sign up for a triathlon, I would have to get a swim coach. I do want to conquer this fear and compete in at least one triathlon. I just don't know when that will be.

As far as the aquabike is concerned, I don't think I would compete fast enough to finish a race. I'm a slow biker and right now cannot even swim properly. It would be pretty entertaining to watch.

If you could meet one person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Harriet Tubman. Her life fascinates me. She was such a strong and courageous woman.

What childhood memory that, back when you were a kid, you didn't like doing, but now, you wished you enjoyed it better because you really miss it?

My family (all 5 of us) used to go to a tree farm every December and walk up and down the trails, searching for that perfect Christmas tree to adorn our living room. Of course, my sister, brother and I always thought that our tree was the best tree. Ultimately, I think my dad decided on the tree, while my mom was there to console the children who didn't get their favorite tree picked. My dad would then cut it down with the saw that they gave us and we would haul it back to the little hut to pay for it while sipping on hot chocolate to regain feeling from being outside for so long.

Now, my parents still cut down their Christmas tree, but do it in December when none of the kids are home. I miss going to the farm to do so, even though I didn't like it a whole lot when I was younger.

One unique tradition my family has is that my parents always wait to decorate the main tree until all of the kids are home. The past 5 or so years, we have decorated the tree on Christmas Eve. My mom sets up a fake tree in another room, which she decorates earlier in December.
Do penguins have knees?

I had to laugh at this question. My first thought was, "No, they don't." But then I started thinking about it some more and got curious. As it turns out, according to the Internet, penguins do have knees. Who knew? Not me!

Scully asked:

What are your future running plans?

I am only doing one more race for 2011, which I'll be blogging about this week. But, after that, I am going into retirement for the rest of the year. For the month of December, I plan on running with no plan. I'll log the miles, and run the distance and speed I desire. In January I'll resume training. I did the same thing last year and it worked out well, so I'm hoping for the same this year.

I am not sure what 2012 will bring. It depends on how I'm feeling. I would have never predicted at this time last year that I would race so much in 2011. I know I'll be racing, though. Much of it depends on another factor that I cannot and do not want to discuss.

What are your hobbies outside of pounding the pavement?
I am a teacher and teach at what I would describe as a "high school prep" private grade school that caters to wealthier families. I teach 10 different classes, so preparation and grading for each subject is time-consuming. Besides trying to become a better teacher, running/working out and sleeping, I like to read, shop, learn, and occasionally draw/sketch pictures. Another aspect of my life that I have never talked about is my faith, which also consumes some of my time.

Did you know that penguins have knees?

Free

2011-10-25T22:14:00.000-05:00

Sometimes life gets busy. Priorities shift, stuff happens, and life changes from what you thought was going to happen.

I had full intentions to run the Monumental Marathon in 11 days. I trained for it after the Chicago Marathon. And then last week, stuff happened. My time and energy got devote to other things. I missed a planned 20-mile training run on Sunday. Yesterday (Monday), I set out to do complete my second attempt at a 20-miler. I made it 11 and then quit.

I quit.

I stopped running...and I felt free. It felt as if a huge burden had been lifted. I decided on my second loop of a 5.5 mile trail that I wasn't going to complete all 20 miles. I wasn't going to sign up for and run the marathon. I was going to start to run the distance I wanted, not what a schedule told me. I need to run less so my legs are not as tired.

I am not a quitter. I am stubborn and a perfectionist, so the fact that I quit this run is not typical for me. But, my mind just couldn't do it. I put a lot of pressure on myself to succeed. I feel like my expectations are attainable, but get discouraged if I don't meet and exceed them.

I've been feeling pretty crappy about my running lately. My legs are tired and my miles are slow. It amazes me that I was able to run a 20:12 5k last month. Where did that go? I think it disappeared...along with my running confidence.

I have been reminding myself that I didn't fail during the Chicago Marathon. Some days it is easier to believe than others.

I might run 1 more race this year, in early November. I ran it last year - The Hot Chocolate Race - but I'm still not sure. It will sell out soon so if I'm going to run I need to register soon. This race gave me so much confidence last year. Maybe that will happen again this year?

In the meantime, I'll enjoy doing what I want to do. I'll run how many miles I want to run, not because a plan tells me to. And I'll enjoy every single one so much more because of it.

Ask Away - Questions Welcome

2011-10-18T20:45:00.001-05:00

Awhile back, one of my favorite bloggers did a "Choose Your Own Adventure" post, allowing people to ask her whatever they wanted. It was really neat seeing what people asked, an then reading her answers. Some of my other favorites have one similar posts as well, like this guy.

Here is your chance to ask me questions. What do you want to know about yours truly? I hope you want to know something, otherwise the follow-up post to this post will be incredibly short. So start thinking of a question, or two.

Please submit/post your questions by Sunday.

Surprises

2011-10-17T22:16:00.001-05:00

Surprises are fun. This could be a surprise run well-done, or perhaps a gift. A few days an "anonymous" person left me a gift on my desk. It was so kind and thoughtful. Although I knew who left it, even though they did not sign their name, my mind instantly went to the back of an old Starbucks cup.

The cup said something to the effect that a person paid for the drink in the car behind them in the Starbucks line, and then that car paid for the car after them and so on.

I love to give gifts, so I got a gift for another teacher which I plan to leave anonymously tomorrow.

Hopefully it will make her day as much as my gift brightened mine :)

A Week Off

2011-10-16T15:18:00.000-05:00

Training for a marathon takes a lot of time, dedication, and planning. I was happy to have a week where my daily runs were not a predetermined mileage to run this week. I went on how I felt. For the most part, except for Thursday, I ran the speed my body wanted to run. It was glorious.

So, what did I actually do this week?

Monday
3 mile walk

Tuesday
3 mile run at 9:28 average pace
9 miles biking

Wednesday
5.5 mile run at 8:12 average pace
5 miles biking
weights

Thursday
6 mile run
11 miles biking

Friday
off

Saturday
4 mile run at 7:54 pace

Sunday
10 mile run at 8:20 pace
5 miles biking
weights

Total Running Miles: 28.5
Total Biking Miles: 30
Walking Miles: 3
Weights: 2 days

Now the question becomes....

Do I want to run the Monumental Marathon on November 5?

I am going to see how I feel this week, and then make my decision next Sunday. It is hard to prepare for something for 4 months and not do as well as you anticipated.

Three Things Thursday

2011-10-13T23:18:00.000-05:00

I am a sensitive person, and I know it. I also have a good memory, and can remember what people talk about and comments they make to me and how they act quite vividly. Tonight I went to my running club. As I was driving there, my goal was to run 5 or 6 easy miles, nothing faster than a 8:30 pace. I show up, thinking that the majority of people I typically run with on Thursdays will be there as well, only to find 5 others. None of my friends came, most likely because they just ran the marathon.

Mentally, I was upset with myself for not talking to them beforehand, but just assuming they'd be there. The 5 people there were 4 guys who run their marathons in less than 3 hours and a girl who just ran a 3:20 at Chicago. And me. I should have stopped beating myself up for being there. I went their with the right intentions - to run. Since there is a "no drop" rule in the club, I immediately felt bad for the rest. Although they were doing recovery miles, our pace gradually increased each mile. We took a new route tonight so I couldn't even turn around on my own because I didn't exactly know where I was. I was having more and more negative thoughts.

I was with the group for the first 5 miles, each of which were getting faster. My legs were tired by then and I wanted to slow down. By that point, I decided that I just didn't care. I wanted to go slow and was going to. So be it if one of them had to slow down to run with me. I was not racing, nor should have I been on that run. My last mile was 7:35. I hope my legs will forgive me tomorrow.

Part of the reason why I had such bad thoughts during my run tonight was because I do not like to be last. I don't like being thought of as slow. I especially hate it when I doubt myself. During my marathon, I was shown that the mind is powerful. If you believe you are defeated, you are. If you think you are running well, you most likely are. I need to remember that I run for me. It is something that I like and makes me feel more alive. I should not have these thoughts, but that is easier said than done.

I'm so glad tomorrow is Friday. I need the weekend to get here.

Chicago Marathon 2011 Race Recap

2011-10-11T22:35:00.000-05:00

Please get a cup of coffee or tea, perhaps a glass of water, and be prepared to read a very long post. This post is more like a mini-novel. I've created bold heading for everything I deem as important. The bold headings/chapters are as follows:

1. Race Stats
2. The Night Before
3. The Ride into the City
4. Pre-Race
5. Start Corral Chaos
6. The Race Starts - the first 10k
7. 10k - Half Marathon
8. Half Marathon - 20 Miles
9. 20 Miles - 25 Miles
10. Miles 25 - 26.2
11. Cape, Medal, Water
12. Post Race: Meeting My Parents
13. Blood Sugar/Diabetes Management
14. Post Race: Meeting with Friends
15. Post Race: Hotel Meet-Up
16. Post Race: Niketown
17. Day After: Walking and Stairs
18. Race Uplifting Moment
19. Snotty Day-After Comment
20. Medal Engraving
21. Tuesday at School
22. Overall Thoughts
23. What's to Come in November
24. What's to Come in 2012

1. Race Stats

Official Time: 3:43:35
Overall Place: 5,083/35,670 (14%)
Gender Place: 980/15,414 (6%)
Age Group Place: 261/3,686 (7%)

2. The Night Before
I've heard a lot about the night before the marathon. "You won't sleep at all." "You'll be up every hour." "You'll have a thousand and one thoughts going through your mind." I went to bed around 9, got up at midnight, and then was sound asleep until 4:15 AM. I sleep like a champion. My alarm was set to go off at 4:30. After hitting snooze once, I decided I had to get out of bed to get everything organized for the race. I left all of my packing, outfit picking-outing, food-eating things until the morning. In some ways, I like having a plan. On race day, I never know what outfit I will feel like wearing. I couldn't even decide that morning and had to bring a few different options with me.

3. The Ride into the City
My parents were my chauffeurs. They picked me up at 5:15, which really turned into 5:23 because I wasn't ready in time. On the way to the city, I ate my usual breakfast and was fairly calm. I was excited to run. I had made a playlist to listen to on my ipod, but didn't end up listening to it. I was talking to my parents instead. They were re-telling the story of when they were in Chicago to watch my brother run his first marathon. Our experiences, and their experience, was really different.

4. Pre-Race
We got into Chicago at 6:15. After finding parking, I walked to a hotel. My running club had reserved a room at a hotel for people to use. After seeing a few people, I got in line to use the bathroom. The line was moving incredibly slow. By the time it was 6:45, I was getting nervous. I still hadn't made it to the bathroom yet, and knew I wanted to go before the start of the race. I was finally done at 6:55. I still had to change into what tank top I was going to run in at this point (pink or black). Black was the first one I pulled out of my bag, and, because I was rushed for time, is the one I wore. I also had on black socks, and my compression sleeves (also black), and black sunglasses. Perhaps it was black overkill. After changing and putting on my race bib, I rushed down to the street.

5. Start Corral Chaos
I didn't know that the start corrals closed early, and barely made it there on time. If you are running Chicago, know that they close at 7:15 AM. I made it to the corral gate at 7:13, with two minutes to spare. The lines were awful. I started in Corral C, and I didn't get into the corral until 7:25. I miraculously moved up to find the 3:40 pacer. Side Note: I don't think I would ever run the Chicago Marathon if I was not able to get a corral start. There were so many runners. I looked back at open and the line just kept going...and going...and going...and going.

6. The Race Starts - The first 10k
The race started and it took a little under 4 minutes for me to get to the start line. During the first 10k, I felt good. My Garmin, however, got really messed up with the tunnels. According to it, I ran my first mile in 6:14. Actually, it was 8:20. It was off the entire race, which was discouraging. But, I figured out how much it was off by and did the math in my head to compensate. The first 10k were good. The crowd support was awesome. My running club was working the second aid station and I saw a few of them. I was so happy to see them. Even though I didn't take water at that station, I still yelled "hi" at a few.

7. 10k - Half Marathon
I was feeling really good at the 10k mark and decided to pick up the pace a little bit. I ran ahead of the pacer and ran based on feel alone. I had my first GU at mile 6.5, and it went well. I took water or Gatorade at the majority of the aide stations. There were a group of people handing out water bottles right before I took my first GU. I took one and it helped me get the GU down. I ran by an Elvis impersonator, who I knew would be on the course. It was neat to run by all of the tall buildings and look at the city. I really was having a great time.

8. Half Marathon - 20 Miles
After I crossed the half mat, I was still feeling pretty good. It was getting warm so I continued to drink water and Gatorade at most aid stations. I had my second GU at mile 14 after I was given another bottle of water. At mile 18, I started to get tired. My legs didn't have as much energy as before. I knew it was mental at this point. I kept thinking, over and over in my head, how much this one race meant to me. I trained for it for over 4 months. I ran over 661 miles in preparation for it. That meant that for every mile of the marathon, i ran a marathon for it (more or less).

9. 20 Miles - 25 Miles
The last 10k was rough. My hips hurt a ton, which is very bizarre because they never have hurt before. My legs were starting to feel heavy and I was sick of seeing the sun. The crowds were a lot less and there weren't any tall building to look at. Honestly, I thought the neighborhoods were boring. I saw my friends at mile 23 and was so happy. They made me a sign which totally brightened that spot in the race. Once again, I just kept telling myself, over and over and over again, how hard I had worked for this race. It was sad to see the 3:40 pace group run by me near mile 24, but I was not disappointed. Miraculously, I focused on the positive. I thought about my goal, and realized that it was ambitious for me to be able to run that my first marathon. I thought back to my first half marathon and how much I knew then compared to how much I know now.

10. Miles 25 - 26.2
At mile 25, I ran by a lady I run with in my track group. She was moving slow because she had started to cramp. I ran by her for a little bit, but then she had to stop and walk due to the cramps. I knew I could finish the race and kept thinking "only 10 minutes...only 10 minutes....only 10 more minutes." I saw another lady I run track with about 0.5 miles away from the finish and heard her cheer for me. I was so happy at that point that the finish line was in sight. At that point, it was more like "I've got this...only 2 times around a track and then I'm done....now only one time more around the track." When I crossed the finish line, I wanted to stop moving immediately. I was so tired.

11. Cape, Medal, Water
After finishing, I literally walked to the side and just stood for a minute. My legs were hurting a lot. I was next to the medical people. The guy I was standing next to was really nice to me. He asked if I was okay, to which I responded yes, I just need to stand more a minute. He then asked if my blood sugar was okay because he noticed my pump. I said I felt fine. He congratulated me again. I saw the lady I run track with shortly thereafter and we walked through the medal/cape/water stations together, talking about our races. She was moving a lot better than me at that point. I felt like a 90-year-old woman. My hips were killing me. I was also thirsty and was so happy to get some water.

12. Post-Race: Meeting my Parents
As I continued to walk to the area where my parents said they would meet me, which seemed like miles, I thought about what a journey this whole experience has been. I would not have traded it for anything. Two years ago I didn't know if I would ever be able to run a marathon due to injuries. I know I exaggerate things, but that thought was a reality in my mind for quite some time. I am so glad that I was able to run the race. As I continued what seemed like a never-ending walk, I finally saw my dad. I was so happy to see him that I shed a tear. I sat down on the curb and immediately took off my shoes. It felt so good to sit down. My mom was telling me about the texts she received for tracking me. She had forwarded them to my uncle and brother. My uncle called as I was sitting down. My uncle and I have a game going...he is currently faster than me at the half marathon distance. I now have him beat for the marathon distance. We talked about the course, the weather, the crowds, upcoming races, etc.

13. Blood Sugar/Diabetes Management
During the race, I consumed 3 GUs, numerous cups of Gatorade (which was not my original plan) and did not test my blood sugar. I am not a doctor, so what I do is what works for me. I trained 100% based on feel. I ran the race without changing my insulin settings (basal) and did not take any insulin (bolus) when I consumed carbs. This method worked in training, and in the race, because when I tested post-race I had a blood sugar of 130.

14. Post-Race: Meeting with Friends
One of my friends also ran the marathon. He wanted to break 3:35 and did. I met up with him and some of our other friends that came to cheer for us. We got some pictures together. It was nice to see my friends.

15. Post-Race: Hotel Meet-Up
After meeting with my friends, I went back to the hotel that my running club was stationed at. It was neat to talk to some of my friends about their race, and hear all of the other stories from the people who worked the aide station. One of my friends missed BQ'ing by 48 seconds. We were tlaking to our track coach, who also ran the marathon, about it. She was saying how she wanted to run another marathon to qualify. I want to run another marathon because I feel like I can do a lot better. We got to talking. Ideas started flying around. Read further down the page for what is coming....

16. Post-Race: Niketown
What was I obsessed with getting? That's right...a shirt that said "FINISHER" on it. I wasn't leaving Chicago until I had my hand on one...or two...items that said stated that I finished the race.

17. Day-After: Walking and Stairs
I feel like I am walking relatively normal, but stairs, how I loathe them. Going up is not nearly as bad as attempting to go down them. I have to hobble down, which makes me think I need to invest in a cane if I plan on running any more of these races. Also, normal things like standing up and sitting down are now considered a workout for me. You could say that my quad muscles are tight.

18. Race Uplifting Moment
At mile 22 or 23, I was running behind a guy that had a shirt on for one of the diabetes organizations. He was a charity runner. I went by him and said that I appreciated that he was running for diabetes, because I have type 1 diabetes. He then said, "That means I am runnign for you, then. You're doing great." He then patted me on the back and I ran on. It was really uplifting at that point in the race.

19. Snotty Day-After Comment
Today I took a 3-mile walk around my neighborhood to stretch my muscles. Walking fast is not really an option for me right now because I am still really sore. I was walking at a leisurely pace, and an old man says to me "don't strain yourself by walking too fast, now." I just smiled and walked on, but wanted to shout at him, "I just ran a marathon! What did you do yesterday?" But didn't.

20. Medal Engraving
A local running store offered free medal engraving yesterday. I took my medal in and got my name, place, and time on it. I have a rather long name, and it just fit on the medal.

21. Tuesday at School
All of my students knew I was running the marathon. It was neat to have them come into class today, hearing that they tracked me online. I got a lot of compliments today, which was really nice of everyone that I work with and the students. They all wanted to know whose time was closest to my actual time. One girl was only 4 seconds off - she predicted I would run a 3:43:39. Impressive!

22. Overall Thoughts
I wouldn't trade this for the world. I'm not sure if I'll run Chicago again, but there are definitely more in my future.

23. What's To Come in November
I mentioned above that a lady I run track with was less than a minute from BQ'ing and really wanted to. We were talking to our track coach after the race. I want to run another marathon now because I know I can do better. I now know what to expect, what miles will be hard and what they will feel like. I want to run in the cool weather. So...this Sunday I plan on running 10 miles. If all goes well, then I'm signing up for the Monumental Marathon in Indianapolis on November 5th. If my legs are not feeling great, I won't sign up and will run the Hot Chocolate Race in Chicago (15k) instead that weekend.

24. What's To Come in 2012
Another great adventure I'll be training for and running is an ultra marathon relay. I'm running the Madison to Chicago Ragnar Relay on a 6-person (all female) ultra relay team with other members of my running club.

I am impressed if you've made it this far into the post. That takes some real dedication on your part. It was my longest post ever, but is only fitting because it is the race that has meant the most to me. Thanks for all the support along the way. It has helped tremendously.

I Finished

2011-10-09T16:52:00.000-05:00

It was warm out today, but that didn't make it less special.

I'm still wrapping my mind around the experience.

I ran a 3:43:35.

More to follow in the next few days.

Chicago Marathon Poem

2011-10-07T20:07:00.001-05:00

A little poem dedicated to the Chicago Marathon, by yours truly.

Back in February, eight months ago,
I registered for the marathon when everywhere there was snow.

Through the spring I trained,
in sun and snow and sleet and rain.

I ran some a few duathlons,
a 5k and some half marathons,
but knew that my dream was still a few months later on.

In June I officially started to train.
I started to see some results
and got excited in my brain.

A few more races and PRs later,
my confidence grew and ran in races with a
view of the lead Gator.

My biggest confidence-booster races
were the Madison to Chicago Relay
as well as the Park Ridge Charity Classic 5k.

Since June I've run 661 miles.
Some were hard,
while others were all fun and smiles.

I walked, ran, elliplitcal'd, lifted weights and biked,
and now....the marathon is (almost) here and I am psyched.

Tomorrow I will go to the expo,
with my dad and mom in tow.

I will pick up some samples and my shirt,
but restrain from eating dessert.

There is nothing more to do but wait.
Soon, I will run the marathon and learn my hard work's fate.

And Then There Were Three

2011-10-06T22:13:00.000-05:00

I think it is official: I am going crazy.

The cause: tapering.

Tomorrow is going to be rough. We have an institute day tomorrow for school. To say the least, the topic is incredibly boring. Trust me - if I were to tell you the topic, you would agree with me. Most of the time I look forward to going to institute days, as they pertain to classroom management or the subjects I teach. This one, however, does not apply to either things listed above.

I know my legs will be going crazy, full of energy. Mentally, I won't be present at all. Physically, yes, I'll be there. My mind will be elsewhere. At least I'll get some quality time to think about the race and other things. That is something I always welcome.

I can't believe the race is almost here. A dream is about to become a reality in only 3 days.

Chicago Marathon Goals

2011-10-05T21:32:00.000-05:00

As I start to type this post, the Chicago Marathon is 3 days, 10 hours, 21 minutes, and 2 seconds away. After yesterday's meltdown, I am feeling much better today. Thanks for the positive comments BDD and Scully.

Random, Useless Fact:

After consulting the internet, I found out that the average time for a woman to complete a marathon is 5 hours and 10 minutes. The average time for a man is 4 hours and 30 minutes. (Did you know I love weird and useless information?)

I've talked to a lot of people recently, and the majority have all said the same thing: don't have any time goal when racing your first marathon. I can remember back to the days leading up to my first half marathon. My goals were simple: have fun and to run the entire distance. However, that was a little over 5 years ago, and my running has changed since then. Sometimes I think it is better to just go out and run and not have time goals, but there is so much fulfillment in setting, meeting, and even exceding a goal.

People also told me to follow the beginner training program for the marathon. This makes sense for a person whoh is a beginner runner, but I did not think I fell into that category. For my training, I followed the intermediate and advanced plans every week. I would typically run the advanced day scheduled distance 4 days and the intermediate distance 3 days. Things worked out pretty well for me.

Without further talking, below you can find my goals for the marathon. They took many hours (done while running) to create.

Chicago Marathon 2011 Goals

I get to start in Corral C. In that corral, I plan on finding the 3:40 pacer and attaching myself to his/her side for the first 21 miles of the race.

Goal: Run the first 21 miles with the 3:40 pacer.

Pick up the pace for the last 5+ miles of the race. There is some contradicting debate on this: some say run with a faster pacer and if you fall off at the end, so be it. Other say run at a more comfortable pace and pick it up at the end.

Goal: Finish the marthon strong.
Goal: Finish under 3:40.

Take in the sights and sounds of the city. Although I live about 30 miles from Chicago, I rarely go into the city because I hate driving.

Goal: Enjoy the city.

I have decided to not drink Endurance, the Gatorade-like drink that will be served on the marathon course. I tried it a few weeks ago and hated it. I am going to consume GU on my own.

Goal: Take 1 GU every 5-6 miles (6, 11, 16, 21)

Believe in myself and all of the time I have spent training for this one event. I plan on writing something inspirational on my hand. I need to see written encouragement when I run, and this will help.

Goal: Believe I can do this.

I realize there are some things that are out of my control:

Weather - it is supposed to be hotter than normal
Pacer issues - going too fast or too slow
Nerves/nervousness

The biggest thing is believing in myself.

"Running is 90% mental."

Chicago, I am ready for the challenge. I am ready to run.

Marathon Freak-Out

2011-10-04T19:53:00.000-05:00

Today as I was driving home from a running meet-up with two people I typically run track with I had a panic attack which surrounded the marathon.

Can I really run a full marathon?

Can I meet my goals?

Today, 6 miles seemed like a struggle at some points. How will I run 20 more successfully?

Why is it going to be hot?

Did I hurt my knee? Why did it mysteriously start hurting today at mile 2?

What shoes should I wear? The shoes that have 350+ miles on them? My speed work shoes, that I ran my most recent half in, but never farther? Or a new pair that have 30 miles logged on them?

Ah....I figured I would have at least one panic attack before the marathon. Here it is.

I need to think about all the hard work I've done in the past 4 months to get me to where I am today. There is nothing more I can do to prepare myself. Doing more right now will actually hurt me come race day. I need to focus on the positive.

Maybe I'll post my goals tomorrow...after my panic-attack is over.

Students' Predictions for my Marathon

2011-10-03T20:06:00.000-05:00

Every day I get to welcome 29 students in my classroom. Over the course of the year, I spend more time with them than their parents. I know some before they are in my class because I've taught a sibling or know them from being in 4th grade. Others, I have never seen before.

Each Monday we have what I like to call "Weekend Round-Up." It is something I started last year and allows the students to share what they deem as important events that happened to them the previous weekend. Most of the time it revolves around how they did in their athletic events. Surprisingly, the football team actually won a few games this year. Last year, they did not win a single game. :( I also take part...most of the time sharing if I ran a race. My students all know that I run and that I'm doing the marathon this weekend.

I have a 30-minute time block with my homeroom students every morning. Typically, we have a literature enrichment class that I started last year. However, the good thing is that it is flexible. Today, the kids had to complete 26.2 questions about the marathon. It was math-based and they had to calculate mile times and paces and compare stats.

The students wanted to have a contest and see who could guess my marathon time. So, the final question (.2) was to guess my time. The answers were....indescribable. See for yourself.

Question .2: How fast will your teacher run the marathon?

Answers:

5 hours, 48 minutes, 2 seconds
4 hours, 44 minutes, 4 seconds
5 hours, 2 minutes, 8 seconds
2 hours, 52 minutes, 16 seconds
2 hours, 33 minutes, 44 seconds
3 hours 44 minutes, 32 seconds
3 hours, 42 minutes, 25 seconds

There were obviously more since I have 29 students, but those were a nice sampling.

Holy fast! I could never dream of running a 2:33. I also think I would be filled with disappointment if I crossed the finish line in 5:48.

Tomorrow you'll get to read my actual goals for the race.

Until then, you can laugh at my students' predictions.

From 0 to 26.2....A Review of 4+ Months of Training

2011-10-02T19:35:00.000-05:00

In less than a week, I will have hopefully crossed the finish line at the Chicago Marathon. I feel like I am a broken record and keep saying this, but I cannot believe that the marathon is Sunday, although I feel like I've been training for it forever. I started training for it back in June. Below you can find all of the things from 0 to 26 that I did or happened to me during my training.

0. Number of times I have regretted signing up for the Chicago Marathon.

Number of glucose container holders (10 per bottle) that I carry with me while I run
Number of 20+ mile runs completed
Number of PRs set during training
Number of pairs of shoes that were used during training
5k...possibly my new favorite race (the verdict is still out, though)
6:30 AM - the time that all of my long runs started on Sunday morning
Number of races competed in during training
Number of months it has been since I registered for the Chicago Marathon
Number of half marathons I have completed (#9 was during the training session)
Average number of people in my running group on Sunday morning
Number of miles I'll be running this week....not including the marathon
Number of speed work days during training
The day I was born on...I couldn't think of anything else for this one
Number of times a day I think about my goals for the marathon
15 x 44 = miles run in the past 4 months of training (660)
Longest run during the week
Number of runs that were 10 or more miles
18:30 (military time) when I met up with friends to run on Thursday nights
Number of times a day that I am grateful that I am healthy and not injured
Number of minutes it took me to run my fastest 5k...and some seconds
Age you have to be to consume alcohol...and 0 is the number of times I did it while training
Most number of miles I ran at one time
230 + 42 = number of total pages in The Greatest: The Haile Gebrselassie Story I read for inspiration
Hours in a day...although I wish there were more so I could sleep more
Number of days that I did not run during training (a lot more than I thought!)
My age on race day

Chicago can't come soon enough. My legs have been feeling strong and ready to run. Mentally, I am ready to go. Can you please press the fast forward button for me?

Reviewing September

2011-10-01T10:47:00.000-05:00

The months are really starting to fly by. I cannot believe it is already October. Time really needs to slow down!

September Running/Work Out Stats

Running: 163 miles

Biking: 89 miles

Elliptical: 11.5 miles

Walking: 2 miles

Weights: 6 times

* * * * *

Book of the Month: The Greatest: The Haile Gebrselassie Story. It was an inspirational read. He has lived quite a life so far.

Song of the Month: This was a tough one, but All That You Are by the Goo Goo Dolls wins the prize.

Drink of the Month: Pumpkin Spice Latte, oh how I love thee. I think I could drink one every day of the year, but try to limit my consumption to fall and only 1 per week.

Current Wish List: Nice weather with no rain. I've seen enough rain the past 10 days to last the remainder of the year. Sunshine, please!

Triumph of the Month: Running 20:12 last weekend for the Park Ridge Charity Classic 5k run. It has been quite a confidence builder heading into the marathon.

Current Bane of my Existence: The alarm clock. I am a person who loves to sleep, and hearing my alarm clock every morning at 5:41 is just not pleasant.

Current Blessing: Being injury-free.

Current Excitement: The Chicago Marathon is 8 days away!

Goal for October: Have a wonderful marathon.

How was your September?

Stress and Running

2011-09-27T20:34:00.000-05:00

To say the least, I've had a stressful week. Life cannot always go according to plan, or just how you envision, but I have had a few things this week happen where I seriously thought they would never happen.

It in times where I am super stressed that I need to run the most. I need to calm all of the emotions that have built up inside of me and just take a moment to breathe. Running helps me think about things that have happened or process other events. It also allows me to dream about things that i want to happen and think about ways in which to accomplish them.

Who needs to see a doctor to talk about their problems? The road is my therapist, and a mighty good one.

Favorite Quote

2011-09-26T22:19:00.001-05:00

I'm sure you have a Facebook account. As a matter of fact, I'm quite sure the majority of Americans have Facebook, except my parents. I've always said that the day my parents get Facebook is the day I stop using it.

Facebook has, along with many other websites, a place where you can put your favorite quote. Some people go the funny route: "I'm a manbeast extraordinaire." (I saw this on one of my friend's profiles the other day and just thought it was funny.) Some list the entire bible out, or so it seems. Others, like myself but not many others, list just their favorite quote, whatever that might be.

My favorite quote is:

"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift." - Prefontaine

I've loved this quote since the moment i heard it, back in high school. It has stuck with me and motivated me on days where it would be easier to run slower/less distance. I am a big believer in using your talents and gifts to the best of your ability. If I give anything less than my best, than I am essentially wasting my talents and gifts.

As I've been thinking about the races I've run this year, I know I tried my hardest and did my best, whatever it was on that particular day. Some races were awesome, while others were utter disappointment and learning experiences. My biggest race is just a few days away - 12 to be exact. It could not come any sooner. And you can count on the fact that I'll be using every ounce of talent i have to do well.

These Legs Ran Fast - 5k Race Report

2011-09-24T22:21:00.000-05:00

Park Ridge Charity Classic 5k

Time: 20:12

Overall Place: 98/476

Female: 20/198

Age Group: 7/23

When I got convinced to run the Park Ridge Charity Classic 5k at my speed workout on Tuesday, I didn't know how well I'd do. I know that I am in the best shape of my life right now, and even though people were guessing my race time at running club on Thursday, I wasn't sure what I was capable of achieving. I had a few goals in mind, most notably number 3.

As I posted, here, my goals were:

Have fun!
PR
Run 20:59 or faster
Properly warm-up and cool down
Do not have a low blood sugar

What actually happened:

Yes, the race was great. I had a lot of fun.
Yes, I PR'd by a minute.
I ran 20:12, so that was accomplished.
I did a mile and a half warm-up, but didn't cool down, unless shivering counts.
No lows were had today.

As I was making the 45-minute commute at 6:15 this morning, I decided that I was going to treat this more of a track workout as opposed to a race. I tend to over analyze things when it comes to racing, so not thinking much about it was good. I knew that I needed to run around 6:50/mile pace to achieve a sub-21 5k time...but that is all the thought that went into this race. Honestly, I think that might be the reason why I ran so well.

For the first time, I ran based on how I felt. I knew the course was fast based on what other people had told me, and many elites come for the race. When I pulled up, I could tell they were right. The majority of people had matching race singlets to accompany their shorts and shoes. The Fast Track racing team was there, all decked out in their neon orange attire and were hard to miss. Then, there were people like me. Shorts and a t-shirt...just there to run.

My first mile felt great - 6:26 pace. The second was going well, too, and had a cone turn-around. I clocked a 6:34 according to my Garmin for that mile. At that point, I was trying to decide if I could achieve a sub-20. I ran as fast as my legs could go, and mile 3 was another 6:26. I tried as hard as I could, and ended up crossing the line in 20:12, which is a PR by exactly one minute.

I am happy with my time, although it makes me want to sign up for another 5k to see if I can break 20 minutes. Maybe after the marathon I'll run another. But, right now, my focus is the marathon. It is hard to believe that in 14 days it'll be here. Where has the time gone?

Does running well in a race tempt you to sign up for more to see how well you can do?

Racing a Run

2011-09-22T21:15:00.001-05:00

First, and maybe most importantly, I got the coveted Pukie Award given out by Big Daddy Diesel for my near-puke, I-want-to-puke 8k race in August. Thank you BDD!

* * * * *

I love the conversations that happen during my Tuesday night track sessions. They are some of the best running conversations. Also on Tuesday we were talking about racing runs.

Racing a run means that you are running a training run at your goal pace for your race. I have a lot of knowledge on this topic. I used to do it until I started to train for the marathon. When I was training for my half marathons in the spring, every long run I did was done at goal race pace. Now, I realize, how bad this was for me. It was essentially like I was racing every weekend, which is not good.

The topic of racing runs came up when a man who was running the 9-minute pace group with one of the other women completing the track workout with me came down to the track saying his legs were hurting from "leaving it all out on the trail during the 22 mile training run." It is true - he was sprinting the last few miles and huffing and puffing to get it accomplished.

Racing a training run, especially one for a marathon, is not good for your legs. I couldn't imagine racing my 22-mile run on Sunday and being able to recover enough to run well during the week. I don't know all the scientific background and theories, but I do know a person should not run that fast. Staying aerobic is a-okay! There are other opportunities to run at race pace, as in speed work and tempo runs. These are not nearly as long as the race but still give your legs the opportunity to move at goal race pace.

I wish I would have learned this lesson earlier, but I am glad I realized it before I started marathon training. Runs would be hard every week if they were raced, instead of enjoyable. I would never want to take the fun and calmness out of running. Running helps me stay relaxed and focused in my everyday life, and I would never want to lose that for a long period of time.

Do you race runs? Or, do you like to train at an easier pace than your race goal time?

5k Goals and Tapering

2011-09-21T21:20:00.000-05:00

Tapering for the Chicago Marthon has started, as well as my tapering for my 5k on Saturday. I find it both nice and challenging to taper. I like to run a lot of miles, so running a lot less is a drastic change to my work-out routine everyday. However, my legs always enjoy it.

I don't think taping has officially set in with me yet, as yesterday I did an 8+ mile day, consisting of 6 1-mile repeats at the track (which went awesome....sub 7 for my last one = great feeling). Today I was supposed to run 5 miles, but decided only to run 4 because I was battling a low blood sugar all day. Running while low is extrememly exhausting. I am glad I stopped when I did.

Tomorrow I am supposed to run 8 miles and then 12 on Sunday, which will seem incredibly short after 22 last week. However, I plan on doing things a little bit different because that is how I work:

Thursday: 9 or 10 miles, depending on how I feel plus biking, ellipticle and weights
Friday: off
Saturday: 5k race in Park Ridge where I am hoping to PR big time
Sunday: 12 or 14 miles, depending on how I feel

* * * * *

It is interesting to taper for a race within training for a race. I've run a few races while training for the marathon, and my taper has been rather non-exisistent. Considering that I've had a lot of PRs, I only imagine tha I'm in pretty good shape. What if I ran on well-rested legs?

Tapering in marathon training mode, for me, means taking a day off. I run 6 days a week, although my training plan calls for running 5 days per week. I have learned to run easy some days, a concept I would have never baught into in my previous training cycles. I'm learning to love the easy miles.

I guarentee that my 5k on Saturday will be my last race before the marathon. Originally, I was going to run a half marathon on Sunday, but I decided to forego that option because I would have ended up racing it and want to make sure I am 100% ready for the marathon. I have some big goals which I'll be posting about closer to day of the marathon.

For Saturday, my 5k goals are:

Have fun!
PR
Run 20:59 or faster
Properly warm-up and cool down
Do not have a low blood sugar

I'm thinking this race is going to be awesome. I used to hate 5ks, thinking they were so short and pointless. Now, I'm starting to love them. They are so short, it seems like you don't even have to run. You are done in the blink of an eye. I think the main reason why I love them so much is all the work I have done on the track this summer and fall. I never did traditional speed work before, and now I can definitely see the benefit of it. It has helped a lot.

Here's to the last race of the marathon training cycle...and a new PR!

The Running Debate: Pacers

2011-09-20T21:16:00.000-05:00

As I was doing my track workout tonight with 2 other women in the group, we were discussing pacing and pacers for races. We mostly agree on the topic, but it was first mentioned because other people in our running group do not hold the same opinions as us. A little background...

A pacer is a person in a distance race - typically half and full marathons - that carries a stick that has the goal time on it. For example, a pacer may carry the 4:00 sign for a marathon. That pacer should run 9:06/mile splits and theoretically cross the finish line at 3:59:59.

There is a lot of stress put on a pacer. Many people depend on them to meet their goal times. They need to be excellent at pacing. If they go to fast, they will have people drop out of their group because they will not be able to keep up with that speed. Those people will get mad, especially if they worked hard and really want to achieve that specific goal time (read: me in the Rockford half marathon). They also cannot go too slow because then they will not cross the finish line at the designated time.

Most likely, people sign up to be pacers for a group that is much slower than their normal time. In addition to running even splits, they also encourage the runners to keep going and tell them how wonderful they are running during the race. In essence, they are also the on-course cheerleader.

A few people from my running club signed up to be pacers at a marathon last weekend. One lady, who has paced many marathons, crossed the line 12 seconds ahead of her time (4:30). I was impressed! Another was close to his time as well. Then, the debate comes in...

One girl from the group paced the 3:55 group for the marathon but ended up dropping out due to a hamstring issue. (Side note: I'm not sure if I believe her, as she was a speed work tonight running hills with the other track group...if it was that serious, I wouldn't be running, let alone hills.) She was the only pacer for that group, so the group was left on its own after she dropped out.

I feel like pacing 3:55 is a really important job; more so than other pace times. Many people want to break that 4-hour barrier so running with 3:55 is a reasonable thing to do. The girl that signed up to be the pacer isn't that fast...I honestly don't know if she could run that on her own right now. I realize that sounded like a snotty comment, but it is just honest. I'm actually a nice person...I swear!

I personally believe that a pacer should never pace a group where the pace is too fast or even causes them to breathe a smidgen hard. They should be anaerobic the entire race and be able to easily converse with those in the group to provide motivation for all 26.2 miles. I would not understand why you would sign up to pace at a pace that you could not do...it is selfish and very self-centered. Think about everyone else relying on you to get them across the finish line.

It makes me sad that some people cannot think about others' goals before their own. I have no desire to sign up for a pacer right now, but if I did, I would do it at least 1:30+ my average time for that race. For example, if I were to pace a half marathon, I would pace a 9:30 or 10:00 group.

What do you think about pacers? How important is their role? Would you drop out of a race?

In other news, I signed up to run a 5k on Saturday. I'm excited for it.

A Successful 22

2011-09-19T20:28:00.001-05:00

Can you believe there are only 20 days until the Chicago Marathon?

It seems like I've been training forever, and the end has come....except I have to wait another 20 days. I am more than excited and ready to run Chicago. I'm ready to run, both physically and mentally. Bring on the 26.2 adventure!

Yesterday was my last long run before the marathon - a great 22-mile run at an average of 8:31/mile pace. It was cool, with the temperature in the 50s and it was raining lightly the majority of the time. It was awesome...one of those days that you wish you could capture and replay for a race.

One unique thing that my running club did was the had a race simulation yesterday. They always have Gatorade set up for us on a table every 3-4 miles during our training runs, but yesterday they had people "working the aid stations." The Gatorade cups were filled and volunteers were handing them out to us, just like in a race. They had Gu at a few of the tables as well, just like there will be in the race. There was even a race photographer. The pictures were put up on Facebook and it is interesting to see all the different reactions to the photographer. He was at a few different spots on the run....just like in a real race.

Perhaps the most beneficial thing about yesterday was that they filled the Gatorade cups with Endurance Gatorade, which is what will be used during the actual marathon. Typically we just have regular Gatorade, but there is a huge difference between the two drinks.

I like Gatorade. It does not upset my stomach, and although blue is my favorite, I don't mind lemon-lime or grape and I'll tolerate fruit punch.

The first drink I took of Endurance I wanted to spit it back out. It is soooo sweet! Even for a person who consumes Gatorade regularly, this stuff was hard to stomach. I'm not sure of the carbohydrates per glass, but judging by the sweetness I'd say it would have to be a lot.

My original plan during the marathon was to take 3 Gu's during the race and Gatorade halfway between the Gu's. I'd drink water to wash the Gu down. Now, my plan is changing. I still haven't finalized what I'll specifically be doing, but it won't involving drinking a cup of Endurance.

If you are running Chicago and never tasted Endurance before, I would strongly suggest doing so.

This makes me even more thankful that my running club did the simulation marathon. I would have been out of luck during the actual race.

Guess what came in the mail for me today?

My confirmation ticket...and the all-important details,.

Back of the ticket. It bothers me, but just a little bit, that there are only old, white men pictured above. How about a little diversity? I do think the man in purple resembles Santa, though.

Three Things Thursday

2011-09-15T21:32:00.000-05:00

It has been a busy week to say the least. I feel like my head would've fallen off if had not been attached this week (quote stolen from a very good friend). If you see one rolling around, please pick it back up for me. That would be helpful, very helpful.

1. I'm trying to get mentally ready to run 22 miles on Sunday. If I can prepare mentally, I know it will go well. Physically, I am there. It is all mental with me. It is the last long run before the actual marathon, which is both exciting and terrifying at the same time. How come time moves so quickly?!?

2. I was trying to explain to my students that running 26.2 miles takes hours to do, not minutes. I attempted to explain that the distance was close to running from the suburb where I teach into downtown Chicago. I think that helped a little.

3. Tonight was Parent Orientation at school. There is nothing like repeating my little speech 3 times in a row. Luckily, the parents were cooperative and listened. Sometimes they act worse than the students. They were supportive and asked quality questions. They actually gave me compliments. Hopefully it is going to be a good year.

Are you as tired this week as I am?

The Ladder Workout: Going Up and Down

2011-09-13T22:12:00.001-05:00

I firmly begins that running is mental. Although tonight's track workout called for a ladder, I was excited to do. Ladder workout's are challenging and teach you how to race, but I was up for and think I conquered that challenge tonight.

There are a couple variations of the ladder workout, but mine consisted of: 400, 800, 1600, mile, mile, 1600, 800, 400. I was supposed to run my 400s at 5k pace, 800s and 10k pace, 1600s between 800s and half marathon pace, and mile between half marathon and marathon pace. I was fast on all of them. My splits were:

***Warm-up - 1.1 miles - 9:12 - 8:24/mile pace
400 - (0.26 miles) - 1:28 - 5:48/mile pace
800 - (0.51 miles) - 3:11 - 6:14/mile pace
1200 - (0.77 miles) - 5:06 - 6:36/mile pace
mile - (1.02) - 7:02 - 6:53/mile pace
mile - (1.03) - 6:49 - 6:39/mile pace
1200 - (0.78) - 5:04 - 6:28/mile pace
800 - (0.51) - 3:12 - 6:15/mile pace
400 (0.26) - 1:29 - 5:50/mile pace
***Cool down - 1.1 miles - 10:31 - 9:33 pace

Did you catch all that data? My times would not have been accurate if I went solely on the given distance, as each time I ran farther. Each step counts in speed work and in races!

When I look at that data, I can only think of how far I've come as a runner in the past year. I am proud of my accomplishments....the races I've competed in and the workouts I've done.

One thing I've learned is that track is challenging. I have to focus hard in order to run well, but it makes me so happy. Almost all of my paces, except my first mile, were done faster than my current 5k pace. Although speed work is beneficial, it cannot predict everything.

But, after running tonight, I just want to go out and run a 5k for the fun of it. Maybe next weekend? It might be nice to get in one more race before the marathon.

Have you ever completed a ladder workout? Did you enjoy it? I've done a wide variety of workouts this summer. One of the best aspects of the ladder is that it is not boring - the different distances of the ladder make it interesting. Here's to the last ladder of the outdoor track season!

Trust

2011-09-12T20:57:00.002-05:00

How much trust do you put in doctors or others in the medical field?

I constantly wonder how much of my trust I should give to my doctors. It doesn't really matter what kind of doctor they are, although the ones I typically see are my endocrinologist and, unfortunately, sports medicine doctor. They talk to you for a few minutes and are somehow certified to give you a diagnosis or tell you exactly what adjustments to make so everything will be better. I want to ask them if they know the old saying about walking a mile in my shoes before judging me (or, more appropriately, diagnosing me)?

Contrary to what you might be thinking from the above paragraph, I actually trust my sports medicine and endocrinologist a lot.

Recently, my right leg has been hurting. It is not every run, but it was definitely become more frequent. It hurt during speed work and during a few races and felt okay on most easy runs. Although, the pain was starting to occur when I was not running. Therefore, given the fact that the Chicago Marathon is less than a month away, I made a safe decision and called up my sport medicine doctor and saw him today.

My diagnosis? Strained calf muscle.

The first words out of my mouth were: "I am so glad it is that and not something else!"
Translation: "I think I can run with a strained muscle! Because I'll do anything in order to run this marathon."

I think he actually laughed out loud after I said that.

He told me that I could keep on running but I should really work hard to improve my relatively non-existent stretching routine. And....go to physical therapy. Nooo (cue baby crying)!!!! Really, I don't want to go back there.

If you remember, I had to go to physical therapy last fall for a weird knee injury in my left leg. It eventually healed.

I was going to do some biking at my gym tonight and decided to stop by the physical therapy place because it is on the way to the gym.

Long story short:

I came out of the physical therapy office rather mad. It takes a lot to get me mad.

I was lucky enough to get an "initial consult" today when I went in, only to talk to the same PT that I had last year. He felt my legs to see where the problem area was and then made me walk back-and-forth in a variety of ways.

Then, he proceeded to tell me the following:

1. I probably don't do enough cross training
2. I don't lift weights enough
3. My form is most likely wrong given how many injuries I've had in the past 2+ years

Here is what I think about that:

1. I feel like I cross train a lot. I told him that I do a good job of cross-training and keep a detailed spreadsheet where I record everything. I would be happy to bring it in for him next time. Translation: eat your words.

2. I lift weights enough for me. I will never lift weights 15 times a month (every other day) because I don't like it that much. I know it is good to do, so I do it. I think lifting weights 6, 7, or 8 times a month is enough for me.

3. I have had 4 injuries in the past year. They were:
           a. Stress Fracture, right leg, May 2009. The cause was the fact that I didn't take rest days. This would be called an overuse injury, not one dealing with running form.
           b. Knee injury, left leg, Fall 2010. This could have been a form injury, so I'll give him that.
          c. Achilles tendinitis, Winter 2011. This was due to the fact that I increased both speed work and mileage at the same time, and too quickly, not from running form.
          d. Calf strain, right leg. I have not done enough research on it, but plan to start soon to figure out the cause. Perhaps it is poor running form...or maybe it is something dealing with speed work, since that it is when it hurts the most. Not sure yet.

Conclusion: I trust doctors, but not my current physical therapist.

I know my calf is in fairly bad shape. I know I need to get better. I want to run a great marathon and think I have the potential to run well. If that means tolerating physical therapy, I'll do so. Right now I just don't believe a thing that he says. I would type some other words that my friend Scully might write, but I will refrain.

Take Two: "I Never Thought THIS Would Happen to ME During Marathon Training"

2011-09-11T19:51:00.000-05:00

I'm learning that I used to think that I was invincible. Normal rules that applied to everyone else simply did not apply to me because...well, that is just the way it is. However, I am, albeit slowly, realizing that I cannot do everything. I'm also learning that it is okay not to do everything. Small steps!

Last week I learned that I would not complete my marathon training cycle without missing a long run.

This week? I will gain weight during marathon training.

I read a lot of articles, none of which I can find right now (how convenient), that said the majority of people who are training for a marathon gain weight. I thought, "how crazy are those people? how is that even possible?!?"

Fact: You gain muscle when you run all of those miles. Muscle weighs more than fat. Therefore, you will most likely gain weight.

I noticed back in August that I gained a pound, but didn't think much of it. I figured that since I was drinking a copious amount of water that it was just water weight and I would sweat it out another day while running. Except, that never happened.

Although I have only gained 1...or 2 pounds, depending on the day, I think it is mentally taking a toll on me. When you are lighter, you can run faster. During my recent half marathon, it crossed my mind that it was like I was carrying a 2-pound weight for the entire race.

I am confident that the weight I gained is, in fact, muscle because my clothes fit the same. They are not any tighter than they were before, which is encouraging.

Now....will the weight go away after the marathon? Or, will I keep this weight on forever...as long as I run? Hm...

The Missed Long Run

2011-09-08T21:54:00.000-05:00

I've read and heard about a thousand times....everyone missed a long run during marathon training. It is going to happen, and you are not supposed to dwell on the fact that you missed it.

I had high hopes on Monday to do a 1 mile warm-up, 13 mile half marathon race, and then an additional 7 miles after the race. I completed the 1 mile warm-up and the race, for a total of 14, but couldn't finish the remaining 7 miles. I considered this a big fail.

You have to understand - I like schedules. If the schedule says to run 21 miles, I will run 21 miles. If it says do 5, I will run 5. I know how important 20+ mile runs are in marathon training, and missing one was not something I wanted to do.

Originally, I thought that I would do a 21 mile run tonight (Thursday), but after talking with another runner decided that probably wasn't the best option. My training calls for 12 on Sunday, and he thought that running 14 Monday, 21 Thursday and then 12 Sunday would not give my legs adequate rest. The compromise? Try 15 instead.

The most I've ever run on a weekday night is 9 miles. Tonight I set out early to get in 8 before my running group met and thought I could do 8 more with them. The first 8 felt amazing. I was listening to my music which I haven't done in a long time while running and it was a great form of distraction. I ended up running these miles too fast, though. For my second 8 I was with one of my friends. It was nice to talk to him for 8 miles on the path. Our pace was around a 9:15 average and felt good. I did, however, get extremely tired at the end. I know I didn't eat enough today to fuel for that many miles. Live and learn, right?

My legs are super tired right now. Running 16 miles and running for over 2 hours on a weekday is hard. I'm hoping that I'm able to get out of bed tomorrow morning!

What is the farthest you've ever run on a weekday?

Labor Day Half Marathon

2011-09-06T21:33:00.000-05:00

I've spent quite a few hours thinking about my race yesterday. In the past 5 years, I have run over 27 races. They have each been memorable for various reasons, but this race was, by far and without a doubt, the most special race I've ever run.

I had high hopes going into the race, hoping to break the 1:40 barrier. I was 100% mentally ready for the race. Sometimes mental preparation is exceeded by physical ability or other issues. With that being said, I did not PR. Although it would have been nice, it does not change how special the race was for me.

After getting to the start and starting warming up for a mile, I felt good. My brother and I started the race, running 7:30 miles or under for the first five. We passed and ran with a few people my brother knew. It was interesting because it seemed like people were surprised he was running that pace. He told everyone he was pacing me. We had a nice conversation with another runner about my upcoming marathon. Things were going relatively well.

However, at mile 6, things turned ugly for me. The previous night I had been up multiple times with stomach issues. Although a nice dose of Pepto Bismal provided some relief during the first 5 miles, the stomach issues came back. To say I was struggling at mile 6 might be an understatement. I looked and felt awful.

At mile 7 there is a huge hill that goes up into a park. In the park (miles 8 and 9), there are a few more rolling hills. Through my struggles, which included running up the mile 7 hill at a pace that was in the 11's for the majority of the mile, my brother kept encouraging me. As a person who is a perfectionist and easily gets disappointed, this helped a lot.

I took a Gu in the park and walked when I did so. I needed a break, as did my stomach. That helped a little and I was able to regain some speed in the park. We passed some people that had passed us going up the hills and I was thrilled to be leaving the park on a nice, long downhill. We then had a few miles left on city streets before finishing. The last mile seemed to go on forever and although I tried to muster up a sprint at the end, I had nothing left in me. As we approached the finishing area, the announcer said, "here comes ultra marathoner (brother's name), who runs 100 mile races." He let me go across the finish line first, being the kind person that he is.

What else made this race so special? I've tried to think of an analogy to compare it to, and the only one that came to mind was the following. Imagine that you are running like a pauper, but being treated like a prince(ss). Some little things that my brother did for me that made a big difference...

Block the wind for me at all times - and it was a windy day.
Let me run the inside corners, while he took the outside every time.
At all water stations, asked me if I wanted water.
Would pour some of the water out of the cup for me because they were full. Then, took the cup back after I had my sip.
Constantly offered me encouragement, multiple times per mile.
Put the race in perspective - it is a hard course. He told me his times running it and other people's experiences on it. It was a great training run for Chicago.
Commented on my mom's enthusiasm that we were running the race together. She took a few pictures and her and my dad cheered every time we ran by. My mom would always yell "Go team (our last name)!" That made us both laugh.
Reminded me to stay loose while running...I often get really tight.
Had a conversation with me during the race, although he was the one that had to do all the talking, with very few comments from me.

I think part of the reason this race was special to me is that my brother is moving to another state soon. I won't be able to see him as much. However, I do plan to visit him this summer and do another race with him. And that race will be awesome.

If you are wondering about the stats from this race:

Official Time: 1:43:31

Place: 37/135

Age Group Place: 1st

Females: 6/66

One Word

2011-09-05T20:49:00.000-05:00

I'm still trying to wrap my head around half marathon #9, which I ran this morning. When I figure everything out, I'll do a post. Until then, here is

Concept: Use only one word to describe the items listed below.
My Interpretation: Use one word where applicable, two words where necessary.
Important Detail: Nothing has to be explained.

Yourself: determined

your boyfriend/girlfriend (husband, whatever): runner

your hair: untameable

your mother: giving

your dog: will never have one

your favorite item: watch(es)

your dream last night: never remembered

your favorite drink: coffee or water

your dream car: my own

the room you are in: dining

your fear: animals

what you want to be in ten years: happy

who you hung out with last night: family

what you're not: outgoing

muffin: blueberry

one of your wish items: plane ticket

time: 8:38 p.m.

the last thing you did: ate

what you are wearing: running clothes/North Face

your favorite weather: today's

your favorite book: Still Alice

the last thing you ate: Peanut Butter Panda Puffs

your life: routine

your mood: content

your best friend: T

what you are thinking about right now: running recovery

your car: blueish-gray

what you are doing at the moment: blogging

your summer: too fast
what is on your TV: nothing

what is the weather like: cool

when is the last time you laughed: today

Details, Details, Details

2011-09-01T21:39:00.000-05:00

One thing I've done differently with my training this year is actually keep track of how many miles I am running, biking, etc. I have found it incredibly beneficial, too. My workout log is simple, where I just input what I accomplished everyday. Some days will have zeros in every box, while other days will be rather intense. It is neat to see how much I've done since January 1st.

Perhaps the most beneficial thing for me has been the ability to go back and look to see how many miles I was running earlier in the year and how I tapered for my races this year. For my first 6 half marathons, I followed the same tapering plan. It was:

4 or 5 Days Before: 10 Miles
3 Days Before: 5 miles
2 Days Before: 3 miles
1 Day Before: 1 mile
Race Day - 13.1 miles

As I'm sure you've noticed, it was not much of a taper.

For half #7 (in March), I changed some things around:

Instead of doing 1 10 mile long run, I completed 2. My taper looked like this:

5 Days Before: 10 miles
4 Days Before: 0 miles
3 Days Before: 3 miles
2 Days Before: 3 miles
1 Day Before: rest
Race Day - 14 miles (I decided to warm up)

I once again changed things up in hope for success in half #8 (in May):

5 10+ mile training runs
7 Days Before: 11 miles
6 Days Before: rest
5 Days Before: 4 miles
4 Days Before: 4 miles
3 Days Before: 2 miles
2 Days Before: rest
1 Day Before: rest
Race Day: 13.5 miles (a short warm-up)

For my upcoming half #9, once again things have changed. Are you starting to notice a pattern?

8 runs of 12 or more miles since July 1

My tentative taper schedule looks like this:

8 Days Before: 12 Miles
7 Days Before: Rest
6 Days Before: 5 Miles with 3 at half marathon pace and practicing on hills
5 Days Before: 2 Miles
4 Days Before: 4 Miles
3 Days Before: 3 Miles
2 Days Before: 2 or 3 Miles
1 Day Before: Rest
Race Day: 13.1 mile race + 1 mile warm-up very slowly + 7 miles after at marathon training pace

My legs have felt pretty good all week, and I'm hoping that they'll feel even better come Monday morning. Today's run, 4 miles, went well given the super hot conditions (over 100 heat index = hot).

As each day passes and Labor Day draws near, I am getting more and more excited. This race is going to be special for me.

How do you taper for half marathons?

August Recap

2011-08-31T20:25:00.000-05:00

Where, oh where, did August go? If you know, please tell me. Although I'm enjoying my new class, I greatly miss sleeping in every morning. August was a good month, but I'm thinking September will be even better.

August Running/Work Out Stats:

Running Miles: 172 *Most of the year

Biking Miles: 73

Walking Miles: 18

Elliptical Miles: 23.9

Stair Master Miles: 0.8

Weights: 6 days

* * * * *

Book of the Month: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. This was my favorite Hunger Games book by far - I loved it.

Song of the Month: Falling In by Lifehouse

Drink of the Month: Coffee. I need a warm drink to consume in the morning because I am always so cold, no matter what the temperature is outside.

Current Wish List: To be miraculously cured of my awful cold before Monday morning when I race. But, I also want a hook to hang all of my medals on.

Triumph of the Month: I think I've had a few triumphs, including my first 20-mile training run for Chicago and PR in both the 5k and 8k distance.

Current Bane of my Existence: Other teachers not doing their job correctly and having to do their work for them because they don't know how or are clueless.

Current Blessing: Being injury-free during marathon training.

Current Excitement: I am running in a hilly half marathon on Labor Day with my brother, who has offered to pace me. My legs are feeling the best they've felt in a long time and I am excited to run the race. My parents ran the same race when they were engaged. My dad ran the whole race, but my mom had to stop to walk up one of the hills around mile 8, which my brother and I always give her a hard time for. They ran in the very first half marathon; this year it will be year 34. Unfortunately my parents don't remember their times...although I would be really interested in finding out.

Current Indulgence: Peanut Butter Panda Puffs Cereal. I am not a cereal person, but randomly bought this cereal at Whole Foods last week and love it. So good!

Goal for September: I am starting to feel like a broken record....run in the 1:30s for my upcoming half marathon.

How was your August? Do you love any cereal? Growing up I didn't like eating cereal for breakfast, and still rarely eat it. However, Panda Puffs at night is great.

What Works for Me Might Not Work for You: Diabetes and Marathon Training

2011-08-30T21:11:00.000-05:00

There is no doubt about it: training for a marathon takes lots of time, dedication, and is hard. However, it is also incredibly gratifying and exciting. I can't wait until the Chicago Marathon. It will be exciting to run a new type of race.

One thing I've thought a lot about in my training for the marathon is how people train. What work for me might not work for you. This can be implemented on the running front and when talking about diabetes.

I know that I am not the best diabetic out there. Yes, I test my blood sugar quite frequently, but that is about it. How I prepare for long runs and races and what I do during them would cause many people to condemn my methods. However, it works for me. I think that is both the greatest challenge: there is not formula. Even if something works for me one day, that does not guarantee it will work for me tomorrow.

Since I started training for the marathon, I have done things differently.

I do not set temp basal rates, ever. It does not matter how fast or slow I am going or how many miles I'll be doing, I leave my basal at 100% all the time.
On my long runs (12+ miles/1 time a week), I have been eating a Gu or two and giving myself a very, very small bolus for it. I've noticed that if I don't bolus at least a little for it, I'll be incredibly high post-run.
In addition to eating my normal breakfast prior to my long runs, I have an additional granola bar before the start. I don't believe in the "carb-loading" philosophy the day/night before, but I need extra calories to have energy to complete the long run. This has helped.
My running club provides Gatorade every 3 miles on long training runs. I typically drink a cup at each station. I do not drink Gatorade when I have my Gu, though. Then, I'll opt for water instead.
My body has become extra sensitive to insulin and carbs recently. I've always been sensitive, but now it is even more so. This has been rather frustrating.

I don't do things like the typical diabetic runner, if there is such a person. However, it does not really bother me. I'm comfortable with what I do and have pretty good luck with it during this training session. Maybe next time it will be different, but this time it has worked, something for which I am very thankful.

The Importance of Sleep

2011-08-29T20:02:00.000-05:00

I like to sleep, a lot. This summer was wonderful on the sleep-front. I got a glorious 8 or more hours every single night. And then school started last week, and I got a mere 6 or 6.5 hours of sleep.

Then, I woke up with cold-like symptoms on Sunday morning, which made for an extremely hard 12-mile cut-back week run. Not the type of run I really wanted to have prior to my upcoming half marathon on Labor Day. However, it is what it is. I've got a good feeling about my upcoming half, but know that I need to be healthy on race day to achieve my goals.

This means, I need to get more sleep. Resting more will help me overcome whatever ailment my body is currently fighting quicker. Plus, I'm extremely tired. I didn't get to sleep in one day this weekend, although it was my own choice (racing a 5k on Saturday and marathon training on Sunday).

Although it is 8:02 right now, I can honestly say that I am tired. And I'm going to bed.

A Nightmare of a 5k Race Report

2011-08-28T11:24:00.000-05:00

I do my best to keep things honest on my blog. Some runs and races go well, others do not. If you live with diabetes, you (most likely) know that some days will be great, and others will be less than stellar.

SMG 5k Race Details:

Time: 21:12 ) *1 second PR

Pace: 6:50/mile

Overall: 17/187

Female: 5/89

Age Group: 1/7

The short version of the SMG 5k race report:

My legs felt heavy when I was doing my mile warm-up so I tested and was 47. I took 4 glucose tablets and attempted to open a miniature Gatorade I keep in my car, unsuccessfully.

The first mile of the race I felt pretty good. The second I started to get tired and knew my blood sugar was doing down. The third mile was awful and I wanted to stop. I knew I was low, and all I wanted to do was finish.

I ended up finishing with a blood sugar of 50 and feeling disappointed that I had such a bad race because of my blood sugars. I hate it when diabetes gets in the way of my running. I am happy that I PR'd under unideal conditions. It makes me wonder what I could do even more now.

SMG Long Version Race Report

I still wasn't sure if I was going to run this race on Friday morning, but after school got out decided to run it. I wasn't tapered at all. I didn't run on Friday, but did 8+ miles on Thursday. I got to the race later than I wanted to considering I had to register that morning. I arrived at 7:30 and got back to my car to put the bag in there a few minutes later.

I was going to do a mile warm-up, but decided to stop at 0.7 because I was feeling so sluggish. I went back to my car to test my blood sugar, thinking it was around 80 or so. It was 47. I took 4 glucose tablets and wanted to drink some Gatorade, but couldn't get the lid off of it. I am a person who gets frustrated incredibly quickly when I am low, so I was upset about it. I thought that the glucose tabs would be enough. My blood sugar is very sensitive in the morning.

I walked to the starting area and stretched out a little bit and attempted to calm myself down. A PR was still attainable, even if my blood sugar was not ideal for starting the race. Quickly, the gun went off and the race started.

The first mile went well. I felt strong and just kept thinking about a new PR. I was near the front. I kept telling myself that all I had to do was run hard for 20 minutes, and then it would be done. Running a 5k vs. half marathon and beyond requires me to have a different mentality.

At mile 2 I started to feel tired. There was a long incline that seemed to take a lot out of me. I realized that I was low based on how I felt and how I was running. When I am low, I tend to think only negative thoughts and beat myself up. I contemplated stopping, but then realized that it is only a 5k. If I stop, my time would be ruined. At this point, a PR was still a possibility. I decided to keep running as fast as my body could go.

During mile 2 to 3, I really just wanted to be done. My legs felt like they had bricks attached to them while my brain was elsewhere, out in "low land." It definitely was not focused on the task at hand. I was so happy when I could see the finish line. After looking at my watch, I knew I would be close to the time I ran at my 5k PR race in March. I attempted to sprint in to the finish and ended up PRing by 1 second.

I kept thinking about the race throughout the day yesterday. I did PR, so I should feel good. But, I wanted to run in the 20s, not 21s. When I think about my performance and the conditions that my body was under, I think a 20-minute 5k is attainable for me. Naturally, a person runs slower when they have a low blood sugar. I think I could have gotten it if my blood sugar was higher. But, that didn't happen.

It is times like these that really makes me frustrated. I ate my normal breakfast, took even less insulin that normally, and was low. How did that happen? Sometimes I do not understand my body. There was no explanation for what happened.

But here is the thing: it is only a race. There are 5ks all the time. I could run one in a few weeks and PR if everything goes well. One crappy blood-sugar wise race does not define me as a runner. It motivates me to work even harder to prove myself that I am more than my disease.

Racing in trainers vs. minimalist shoes

2011-08-25T21:47:00.000-05:00

Decision, decisions, decisions.

I'm currently contemplating running a 5k on Saturday morning for time. I know I'm in better shape than I was in March when I PR'd (21:13) and want to see what I'm capable of running. But, I'm totally not tapered for it at all. Tonight I ran 8+ miles. I could take tomorrow off. Ah, what to do. The benefit of the 5k is that it is small and chip timed. I can sign up the morning of the race, which is what I'll have to do if I run it. What would you do?

* * * * *

Today's topic: racing shoes. I currently train in 3 pairs of shoes.

I have minimalist shoes that I wear for my weekly Tuesday speed workouts: Saucony Kinvara 2.

One pair of gold Saucony Triumph 8s that I do all my other runs in.

Finally, a pair of blue Saucony Triumph 8s that I do all of my cross-training in.

Although I've done all of my speed work in my Kinvara's, the most I've ever run in them is 9 miles, which included a warm-up and cool-down mile. I've raced in them a few times - my 8k in early August and then my first leg of Ragnar NW passage, which was a 10k. My feet have felt fine during both.

On Labor Day, I'll be racing a hilly half marathon. I am going to PR - getting that 1:3X time. I'll be tapering for it starting after my long run on Sunday and I can't wait.

There is just one thing I can't decide - which shoes to wear - my gold Triumph's or my Kinvara's? Is it healthy to run a half in minimalist shoes? I know Kinvara's are supportive minimalist shoes and nothing like the Five Fingers shoes, but still. Ah, what to do?!?!

Do you have any advice for me about what shoes to wear? Would you do a 5k on Saturday just to PR?

First Day of School

2011-08-24T21:44:00.000-05:00

Today was the first day of my 5th year of teaching, which makes me feel old. I know I look like I'm in high school still, but today I felt old. I was 16 when my students were born in 2000 and 2001. When I started teaching, I was in 6th grade when they were born. Honestly, though, the past 5 years have gone by extremely fast.

Although today was not a "teaching" day, I still had to be at school bright and early at 7:30. Meet the Teacher started at 8, where students had the opportunity to come and see which homeroom they are in for the upcoming year and meet their teacher. It is always an interesting day, filled with some quality comments.

Before I get to the best comment of the day, I need to admit again that I hate the morning. Me and mornings just don't get along. I like to sleep. A lot. I ~~like~~ need to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night or I'm tired and highly cranky. Yes, I am similar to a baby in that way. I also throw a fit when I'm hungry and don't get to eat. Just kidding (sometimes). It is a really hard adjustment for me getting up at 5:43 in the morning, as opposed to my lovely "I don't set an alarm clock" summer mode. Hopefully I'll be less tired and more acclimated to not quite as much sleep next week.

The best comment of the day is actually a funny one. Here is the conversation:

Parent: You know, my daughter really didn't want you for a homeroom teacher.

Me: In 5th grade they spend about 60% of their time in homeroom and 40% in the other classroom.

Parent: My daughter really wanted the other teacher for homeroom.

Me: (thinking: is she really telling me this?) hm....

Parent: But I told my daughter that they probably put her in your room because you are best for her, even if she doesn't want to be in here.

Me: I'm sure they did it in the best interest of your daughter.

Parent: I hope so, but she was just hoping to be put in the other homeroom.

* * * * *

Yes, I understand your daughter wishes she was in the other homeroom, but she is not. I think those comments would have really bothered me my first couple years of teaching, but now I can just laugh them off. I know I am a pretty good teacher. I expect a lot out of my students and hold them accountable both academically and behaviorally. They can't get away with things. Their actions determine how many fun things we can do. if they cannot show me they can handle doing fun things, they they cannot do them.

Last year, I had the best class ever. I loved my homeroom students. It was so nice to see that about half of them came back to say hi to me today. Some even asked about certain projects and if my new students were going to do them (like building miniature catapults - my homeroom kids loved that). I hope so.

I am hoping for a great year. I've decided that although there is a fair amount of stress at the school, I will be living in my own happy homeroom bubble.

What grade in elementary school was your favorite? Why? I really like 4th grade because of my teacher. She was so nice and fun. I can remember in math class when we were learning about fractions she brought in a cookie pan and taught us about fractions from the cookie.

A Tough 20

2011-08-21T12:48:00.000-05:00

A new day, a new distance conquered on the way to 26.2.

My Sunday started off bright and early, with my alarm clock gong off at 5:14. I never set my clock to go off on numbers that end in 5 or 0...weird, right? I was already feeling tired, but thought after some breakfast and water I'd be in the mood to run 18 or 19 miles.

When I met up with my running club, it was apparent that most people in my pace group were doing either 18 or 20, which was perfect. Our typical pacer, R, is out of town for the next 3 weeks so I got promoted to pace with M. I've gotten to know M quite well this summer, having completed the majority of my long runs with him.

The first few miles felt good, and then they started to feel harder. The 8:22-8:28 pace that we were running felt harder. At mile 7, I took a Gu. I think I'm getting better at taking them. This one went down fairly easily. My current problem is that I cannot get the package open. Seriously. Last week and this week I've had to have other people open them for me. I think I need to practice to get the hang of it. It also doesn't help that I don't want to bite the package, which was what M suggested.

Mile 14 came and our group divided, with the 18s going back to our starting point and the 20s continuing on. However, there were only 4 of us that continued on. M and I ran together for miles 14 - 16, but they were faster than I wanted. We were running 8:05 pace, so I told him to go ahead and I'd run the last few with the 2 others that were behind us.

I waited for the 2 others at a water stop and ran with them. They were going much slower, a 9:00/mile pace. It was interesting because I slowed down to that pace as well and it felt tough. I know running is mostly mental, so I decided to continue on without them for the last 2 and was closer to an 8:30/mile pace.

I ran a total of 20 miles and am pretty happy. Last weeks run went better and I felt better, but not all runs can be great. After looking at my Garmin, I realized I averaged exactly an 8:30/mile pace.

I came. I ran. I conquered my longest distance of 20 miles. Now, I will rest.

Do you have trouble opening Gu? Do you have any suggestions?

Flowers and Books

2011-08-20T09:56:00.000-05:00

This is the last weekend of summer for me. As always, I am wondering where it went? Summer always goes by so quickly. Although the first day of school is not until Thursday, we have mandatory meetings Monday and Tuesday and then "Meet the Teacher" on Wednesday, where I'll get to meet all of my new students for the next year. I've heard wonderful things about them and am excited for a new year of teaching.

The past week I've been trying to fit in all of the things that I wanted to do this summer that never got done. I went to the Chicago Botanic Gardens and greatly enjoyed it. It was beautiful. A few of my favorite pictures were:

While at the Gardens I was able to read some of Mockingjay, the third book in the Hunger Games series. I finished Catching Fire last week.

Loved Catching Fire. It was by far my favorite book in the series.

I thought Mockingjay would be even better than Catching Fire, however, I was disappointed. It was really slow and my least favorite. The end was really rushed, too.

I really didn't enjoy reading for pleasure until after I was done with college and grad school. The summer I got my stress fracture (2009), I really started to read and decided to keep a book journal. Another person I know had started one and I thought it sounded like a good idea, especially if you read a lot of books. Each entry has the title of the book, author, a small caption and if I liked it or not. It is neat to look back and read what I thought of certain books. Everything is also dated by month and year.

Page 1 of my book journal. I always think it is funny that the first book I recorded in it is People are Idiots and I Can Prove it. Mockingjay was book #72 for me.

What am I currently reading? I've read a lot of fiction this summer and wanted to read something a little different. My current book is...

The Greatest: The Hail Gebrselassie Story by Jim Denison.

I thought the book would give me some inspiration for running leading up to the Chicago Marathon.

Have you read The Hunger Games? Which book was your favorite?

Do you have an all-time favorite book? My favorite book is Still Alice. It is so sad, but changed the way I think about things.

Cravings

2011-08-18T21:24:00.000-05:00

One thing I've noticed, and found rather bizarre, during my marathon training is that I am craving certain foods. I feel like I've run enough in the past that I would have experienced something similar, but no.

What am I craving? Salty foods. Pretty much anything with salt sounds good. Also, cheese. Anything with cheese on it makes it taste that much better.

I eat more or less the same food every day. I don't buy things that are "bad for you" because I like to eat healthy. This means that I really don't have anything salty around when my salt craving kicks in. Therefore, it never gets satisfied and the craving continues on, and on, and on... Maybe I should just cave in and buy something extra salty. Or, is this my body saying "you need more salt." I'm not really sure, or how I would find out. Is there a "salt test"?

The cheese craving is better than the salt, because I actually buy cheese to put on vegetables. However, instead of the normal amount I have been putting on extra just to satisfy the craving. But, then the craving goes away...until the following day post-run.

I don't really know if this is normal or not, but it is what is happening. Training is all about learning, and that I have done a lot of recently.

Do you get cravings during your training sessions? What food was it for?

6 Year Streak...Ended!

2011-08-17T22:34:00.000-05:00

After 6 years of being a vegetarian, I can officially announce that the streak has come to an end. If I was a good blogger, I would have pulled out my camera to take a picture of the meat I consumed. However, that did not happen.

The food that ended my vegetarianism?

A turkey sandwich from Panera.

* * * * *

Back in January, I made it one of my New Year's Goals to stop being a vegetarian. Out of my friends, I am the only one who doesn't eat meat. It wasn't really an issue if we were to go out to a restaurant, since most places have salads where the meat can be left off. The issue came into play when I would go to people's houses for dinner. I don't like it when people feel like they need to do something special for me - being a vegetarian or diabetic (which, as all the diabetics know, is false since we can eat anything).

It took me a long time - 8+ months - to get the courage to try meat again. Also, it had to be at the right time. I would never eat meat before I ran because I didn't know how it was effect my stomach. Then there was always the issue of eating where I live. I don't buy meat for myself (obviously), and I really don't like eating out, so therefore I'd never eat meat. However, tonight everything just happened to fall into place. I didn't wake up thinking "this is the day I will eat meat." It just kind-of happened.

As I pondered the menu, I thought I should try meat. If you know me in real life, you might say that I'm rather picky. The two kinds of meat that I ate before becoming a vegetarian were chicken and turkey. I never really liked anything else. Turkey seemed safe, so I ordered it.

It was rather weird to be eating meat again. I had to distract myself to not think about where it came from (the reason why I became a vegetarian in the first place). It tasted okay...not awful, not brilliant. The good news is that my stomach wasn't upset, which pleasantly surprised me.

Will I go back to being a vegetarian, or be a meat eater?

I don't really know. I like vegetarian foods a lot, but I think meat is necessary for me now. I'm training a lot and need it. I'll probably just get it when I go out to eat to start.

Who knows? Maybe in a month I'll start cooking with it. I take that back. I've never done a post about my culinary abilities. You'd be laughing right now if you knew them. I'll save that for another day.

Have you ever been a vegetarian, if even for a short period of time? What was the reason? Do you think you could ever be one? I never thought I would be one.

Running The Numbers

2011-08-16T10:08:00.000-05:00

I'm a math person. I like numbers, solving equations, and always have. Growing up my favorite class was always math, and now that I'm a teacher, it is by far my favorite class to teach. I found this article, posted on Runners World, interesting because it is all about numbers. Here are some numbers of my own.

* * * * *

Races in 2006: 2

Races in 2007: 1

Races in 2008: 1

Races in 2009: 3

Races in 2010: 7

Races so far in 2011: 10

Miles Run in 2011: 1,076.32

# of Races onlineraceresults.com thinks I've done: 6

# of Races athlinks.com thinks I've done: 14

# of States I've Raced in: 7 (IA, WI, IL, MN, OH, IN, WA)

# of Shoes I'm currently training in: 3

Percent of people in my immediate family who've run a half marathon: 80%

# of Race Medals/Trophies: 21

# of Times I've Run on the Treadmill after June 1, 2011: 0

# of Times I Ran Outside Prior to June 1, 2011: 50 at most

Year I Became a "serious runner": 2009

# of Currently Bruised Toenails: 1

# of Running Shorts I Own: 28

# of Marathons I've Done: 0

# of Times I Hear "I'm so surprised you've never run a marathon before" when people find out that I have not run one: Hundreds

# of Days until the Chicago Marathon: 53

# of Weeks I've been training for the Chicago Marathon: 10.5

# of Weeks left to train for Chicago: 7.5

Experience of training for my first marathon: Priceless

18 Golorious Miles with Gu

2011-08-14T14:00:00.000-05:00

When I woke up this morning for my scheduled 17 mile run, I felt both nervous and excited. How would my body react to a new, farther distance? I thought it was going to be a good run given the fact that it was the coolest it has been in a very long times - in the low 60s. It. Felt. Amazing.

This week I decided to try a new kind of Gu, based on the comments from my last experience.

My friend joined me at the running group today as well. It was nice to run with him. He's also doing the Chicago Marathon, but doing a different training plan. My running group today was small - only 8 people started and by the end we were down to 4.

Originally, I was going to run 17 miles, given the plan I'm following. However, my friend only did 14 and I really wanted to run with people today. The others were doing 18 or 19, so I decided to join them. I was feeling great and thought 1 mile wouldn't be too big of a difference.

The miles went by quickly and fairly effortlessly. Before I knew it, the run was over.

Run start time: 6:40 a.m.

Time: 2 hours, 32 minutes, 34 seconds

Pace: 8:22/mile

Distance: 18.24 miles

I took my Gu at mile 12.5, which was a little late. I should have taken it earlier - perhaps at mile 7 or 8. Good thing training is all about learning. I had to mentally prepare myself for it. The people in my group found it funny, since they all take Gu regularly. My friend was laughing at me. I decided that the faster it could go down, the better it would be. I finished almost the entire pack and then had a heaping amount of water to wash it down. I hope to be able to eat them without too much pain in time for the marathon. I'm going to stick with this kind of Gu since it is the kind that is offered at the marathon.

I'm so happy with my run today. It makes me excited for next weeks long run. Next week I decided I'll be taking 2 Gus on the run. I can honestly say that I thought it helped me and gave me more energy to complete the run. I know I'll definitely need that energy for the marathon.

Happy Sunday!

When Manners Don't Matter

2011-08-12T09:37:00.000-05:00

This story still has me laughing as I type it out.

Yesterday, when I was lacking the motivation to run but went because my running group was running, I ran with friends. There were 5 of us running together - me, S - who I've run with a few times before and is really nice, A - a bit quirky, J - makes me laugh every time I see him, and G - an old guy who talks incredibly loud while running - truly, quite amazing!

Out of the group mentioned above, J is the one I am closest with. To give you a picture, he is talkative, not serious at all, and has only been running a few years. He's not very competitive, but just likes to have a good time. We've debated many times who eats more peanut butter in one week. I think I win the prize, but he claims he eats more.

So our little group of 5 is running along and we get to mile 3 or so, still going out on the path. At this point in the path, there are quite a few side streets to cross. There are not usually cars, so we don't have to stop. As we finish crossing one of the streets, J lets out the biggest fart I've ever heard. I kid you not - it was loud.

The quality element of this story was his reaction. After it happened, he looks to his right - where A and G were running. They continued on with their conversation. He then does this little look over his should at me, as I was directly behind him and S was to the right of me. When he looked at me, I couldn't help but burst out laughing. He then proceeded to come run next to me, saying that didn't think anyone would notice.

Needless to say, it provided our group with a good laugh for the next few miles. It also lead us to converse about how random topics come up while running, especially when doing high mileage runs. I've never run more than 15 miles, but according to them, when you are running 18 or more, you just reach a point where you say whatever is on your mind and just don't care.

Sunday will be my longest run - 17 miles. I'm excited to run it. I am taking a different Gu with me, and hope that I'll be able to tolerate it.

What do you talk about on runs? Do you have any fun or funny stories?

Motivation

2011-08-11T22:25:00.000-05:00

I feel like 98% of the time, whatever my training tells me to run, I run, and run it happily. I do love to run. It is that other 2% of the time where I feel like I need a little extra motivation to get the miles in. Tonight, my run was one of "those other 2%" types of runs.

Tuesday I completed a Yasso 800 workout in which I ran over 9 total miles. Wednesday I did 4, which were supposed to be at a recovery-type pace, but ended up being sub-8:00 miles. If my legs could talk, they probably would have yelled "what were you thinking?" at me when I looked at my plan that said "Thursday: 8 miles."

After having a busy day, the last thing I really wanted to do tonight was go out and run 8 miles. However, my running club meets on Thursday nights for group runs. Seriously, the only thing that got me to the path where we run was the fact that I wanted to run with some of my friends. I knew I wanted to run slow - 9:00-9:30 pace, which is what they typically run. Running 8 miles with friends is so much better than running 8 miles by myself.

The miles ended up going by quickly and it turns out that I averaged exactly 9:00 mile pace for the run. I cannot count how many times I have thought about my running life before my club and after. It has made a world of difference. It has given me some extra motivation when I am lacking in that department.

Have you ever struggled to get the miles on your training plan accomplished? What has motivated you to complete them?

Yasso 800s

2011-08-09T23:02:00.000-05:00

I was thrilled driving to my weekly track workout today because my car only said it was 84 degrees outside. It felt so cool compared to the heat we've been having. I feel like I've been struggling a lot lately, but today I told myself that it was going to stop and I was going to have a phenomenal workout. Running is mostly mental, right? On tap tonight was 10 Yasso 800s with 400 recovery in between.

Yasso 800s are great for marathon training. The idea is if you want to run a 4:00 marathon, then you would run your 800s at 4:00 pace. If you goal is 3:45, then your 800s are done at 3:45. Simple math. I'm the only one in my track group that has never run a marathon before. I haven't thought it through yet as to what my specific goal time is. All I know is that I want to run a sub 4-hour marathon. Other than that, not quite sure.

I decided to start and just run and see how I felt. I stuck by the girls that I normally am around, and the first 800 felt good. The majority of the guys were running sub-3:00 pace for their 800s, so it was obvious that the 3 girls who were there were going to do the workout on their own due to the fact that we needed rest time and would not get any if we went with the guys. After 6, one of the girls stopped so it was just me and another. We ran all of them together, and there was a group of guys that ran the last one with us because they had finished their 10.

The last 800 was the toughest, but the fastest (see results below). We clocked 3-flat for 800 #9, and one of the guys told us we should aim for a sub 3:00 for #10 and that he would run with us. As it turned out, there were 5 guys that ran with us. We started off blazing fast (for me), and by the 600 mark I wanted to die. I did end up getting a sub 3 though, which felt good, especially after doing 9 previous 800s.

My splits were:

1 - 3:17
2 - 3:08
3 - 3:15
4 - 3:12
5 - 3:15
6 - 3:04
7 - 3:08
8 - 3:10
9 - 3:00
10 - 2:56

I'm so happy to finally have a good workout. However, I realize that these were not run in true Yasso form because I know I don't have a 3:17 marathon time in me. I overheard someone once say that "they" say Yasso 800s are the best indicator of what your marathon time will be. Hm... I'll just think that I had a good day on the track.

Do you run Yasso 800s for marathon training? Do you think they are a good predictor of what you'll run for your marathon time?

8k Race Report

2011-08-07T21:09:00.000-05:00

Uh....what a race. I can honestly say that this was the first race where I thought and really wanted to quit running in the middle of the race. I've struggled before in races, most notably in miles 10+ of half marathons, but never anything as big as this in shorter races.

8k Race Results

Time: 36:55

Pace: 7:25/mile

Overall: 18/68

Female: 2/32

Age Group: 1/???

Race day morning started off like every other....with my alarm going off three hours before the race to eat some breakfast. After eating and deciding what I was going to wear, which took far too long, I left for the race. The race was in Iowa, about 20 or so miles from my parents house, so my mom took me and was my race photographer. It was so nice!

I knew it was going to be a rough morning when I got to the race and only ran 1/2 mile for a warm-up and was drenched in sweat. It was incredibly humid and hot. The race started at 8:00 from a high school and was very, very small. There were only 68 people who ran the 8k, and 101 that ran the 2 mile, which started at the same time. After much thought, I decided to run with my music because the race was so small. Even though I've been running without my music this summer for the majority of my runs, I thought I would need it, given the conditions.

The start of the race...so small! Can you spot me?

I felt pretty good for the first two miles of the race, but then at mile 3 the wheels came off. I knew, after looking at mile splits from last year, that mile 3 was incredibly hilly, and 4 is just about the same. At mile 3.5, I started to feel sick. I got really hot and thought I was going to puke. I thought about how I might possibly earn a "Pukie Award", even though this race was a running race and not a triathlon. (Can you get a Pukie Award if you think you are going to puke, but don't actually puke? Perhaps a 2nd place Pukie Award? Or a "I want to be part of the Pukie club but just didn't quite make it" award?) It provided me with some distraction for a good 1/2 mile or so.

At mile 4.3, I saw my mom, cheering for me. I knew I had one more small loop to do which was all uphill and then just finish. As I saw my mom, I told her that I felt awful. Being the kind person that she is, she went back to her SUV and got my water bottle to give me right after I finished, in case they weren't handing out cold water. They were giving out water, which I drank in about 3 minutes. Perhaps I was a little dehydrated....

I compared last years results with this years, and it appears that everyone ran slower. The girl that won the race last year and this year ran faster last year. The fastest men's time this year was also slower than last years time.

The good thing about running is that there is always next race or next year to do better. A PR is still a PR, even though I'm not very happy about it. I'll chalk this one up to a learning experience and know that I need to hydrate better. Next race....a half marathon on Labor Day where I'll be attempting for the 3rd time to get into the 1:30s. Third times a charm, right?

Have you ever earned a Pukie award? What do you think the award for a person who thinks they will puke but doesn't actually do it be called?

Medal and race number...the race was so small that they didn't have chip timing.

8k Goals

2011-08-04T21:17:00.000-05:00

On Saturday I'll be running my second-ever 8k road race, back in Iowa. To refresh my memory, I reread my post about the race last year. This is one reason why I like to blog about races - I'll never forget them. My time last year was 40:21, but this year I think i can run much faster.

My goals for the hilly 8k (5 mile) race are:

Goal A: Run a 35-something race. Everything goes right and I feel great. The temperature is good, not too hot or humid like it has been.

Goal B: Run a 36-something race.

Goal C: Run 37 or 38-something.

To be honest, any time above 38 minutes will be a complete let down for me. I want to run well. And, I feel like I need to run well to prove to myself that I am still a decent runner. Let me explain....

I don't know if this is normal or not, but ever since I stopped training for half marathons and started to train for the full Chicago marathon, I have felt incredibly slow. My long runs are done at an 8:30 pace, and I am doing tempo runs and speed work throughout the week, but I feel like I have lost a lot of my speed that I had in the spring. Did it disappear? I am not sure, but many days I feel like it has. I know that I am hard on myself and am a perfectionist and I need to take into account the heat and humidity that we have had this summer, but it still sucks. When I run fast, I feel better about myself and my ability. When I run slow, i lack confidence in myself and start on a never-ending path of self-doubt, which is not healthy.

I have a lot riding on this race for my own running confidence. I need to run well to prove it to myself that I have retained some of my spring speed. With saying that, I realize that I have set the expectation bar incredibly high. Hopefully I'll run super well and hit my A goal. That would be amazing.

Did you feel like you lost speed when you trained for a marathon?

The Interesting People Who Find My Blog

2011-08-03T22:45:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure about you, but I really enjoy the search terms that find this blog. I've had a few interesting ones this week, including:

"I am unique not tanned" - why, yes you are! Being pale is awesome....you are less likely to get wrinkles and skin cancer.

"how to keep a farmer's tan" Are you a farmer? I have kept mine by continuing to run outside...that does the trick.

"creative tan lines" I would have to say that mine are rather creative. It is a bit bizarre wearing shorts and sandals given my tan lines.

"insulin pump shirt" Do you want a shirt that has an insulin pump on it? Or, a place to put an insulin pump in your shirt? Not quite sure...I don't have either.

"graffiti piece letters" hm...I don't know graffiti. Sorry, you are just out of luck.

"do golf compression sleeves work?" I'm not sure...I only wear the running ones. I didn't know they had some for golf.

What unique phrases bring people to your blog?

Worst Workout Ever

2011-08-02T21:53:00.000-05:00

I went into my Tuesday workout with high hopes. As I've talked about before, there are two groups for Tuesday Track - a faster one that caters to the more serious runners, and a slower run, for everyone else. I realize that that sounds harsh, but it is reality. I run with the fast group, which is much more structured as well.

Today my group was doing a hard ladder, while the other group was dong hills. I signed up for a half marathon on Labor Day, where my brother is pacing me, and it is super hilly. I need to get in a lot of hill work, so I decided to run with the slower, less structured group today.

It was a lot different, and even though I was doing the workout with other people, I felt like I was doing it by myself. Let me explain. In my typical group, we do the warm-up and then another two laps to get our legs loosened up - together. Our coach brings a clock and sets it on a table so we are able to see our spits. Before we begin, he tells us what our recovery time or pace should be. Lately, we have been splitting in half - a super fast group (all guys) and then a slower fast group (all the girls plus a few guys). Our coach encourages us to work together, and it works. I've had some phenomenal workouts that I didn't think I was capable of doing because of this.

The slower group does things much, much different. The workout was 8 long hills. After the warm-up, people just jogged over to the hill and started going up them. There was no instruction given, although the coach was there, standing at the bottom of the hill. He said "good job" a few times as I came down the hill on my recovery part of the run, but didn't encourage us to work together up the hill (0.23m/+55 ft. elevation gain).

When I look at the stats for the hill (0.23mi/+55 ft), I don't think it should have been as tough as it was for me. I ran slowwwwwwwwwww. Much, much slower than normal. My average pace was 8:38/mile for my 12 repeats. I realize that I didn't just time the up hill laps, so it is an average, but still. It is not exactly a confidence booster going into my hilly 8k race on Saturday and half marathon in a little over a month.

So...what went wrong?

I was not running with anyone.
I did more hills than everyone else. Most people stopped at 8, one other guy that runs with me on Sundays stopped at 10, and then I did 2 more on my own when everyone else went to cool down.
I need to attack the hill and visualize going up them faster. Love the hills, don't hate the hills.
There was no clock. I'm a big believer in doing things according to time. I only had my Garmin to rely on, which is good, but it is nice to see a bigger clock when I cross a line.
This was my first hill workout ever.
My legs were still tired from my 15 mile run on Sunday.

Now that I feel like I adequately complained enough about the workout, there were some positives:

I got to run with other people that I don't know. It is always nice to see different people.
I was the fastest person in the group.
The people in this group are really encouraging. The people in my normal group are encouraging, but these people are just not as serious. I was told "nice job" by some of my friends in the group as well as some of the other people that I don't even know.
One of my friends did his hill workout a little earlier, and had finished his cool down when I stopped to take a drink after hill #5. I was hot..it was over 90 degrees today. He had a full water bottle and squirted me multiple times with it, which felt so good. He's a pretty funny guy, so talking to him after 5 hills was a good break for me. We also debated the best way to mark your Gatorade cup so no one else uses it. He thinks the teeth method is good, based on college parties. I personally like to just flip it over and put it next to my keys. I did end up making a nice teeth pattern in the cup for him.

The good thing about today is that although it was my worst workout ever, I still have 4 weeks to conquer the hills in my half. It was a good learning experience.

Have you ever had a terrible workout? How did you gain your confidence back after it?

Reviewing July

2011-08-01T19:39:00.000-05:00

Thanks for all the comments on my gu/gel experience. I'm going to try Clif gu on my next long run, but next freezing it first. Perhaps gu in its normal state will go down easier, like Jess suggested. I do find the consistency odd, and thought is was too thick. Hopefully I'll have better luck next time around.

* * * * *

I think I just blinked and July was over. It was so fast!

July Running Stats

Total Miles: 253.9
Running Miles: 157 <-- highest mileage month of the year
Walking Miles: 29
Biking Miles: 39 <-- epic fail!
Elliptical Miles: 27
Stair Master Miles: 1.9
Weights: 7 days

* * * * *

Book of the Month: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Awesome!! I read it in Washington. I'll be starting Mocking Jay soon.

Song of the Month: Give Me Everything by Pitbull

Obsession of the Month: Getting enough sleep every single night. I'm a person who needs a ton of sleep to not only function, but also run well. I've been in bed early many nights, including Saturday nights because Sunday is my long run day at 6:30 a.m., which is early for me.

Drink of the Month: Greater Than Lemon Lime coconut water.

Current Wish List: To run well and be injury-free.

Triumph of the Month: Completing my second Ragnar Relay in as many months. These races are hard on my body. Also, completing my first 15-mile training run of marathon training alone and in awful heat.

Current Bane of my Existence: Gross toenails. I've got two that are really nasty right now.

Current Blessing: Being injury-free and my running group.

Current Excitement: I'm running in an 8k race in Iowa on Saturday and hoping to do really well. I ran in it last year and the course is fairly challenging, with lots of little rolling hills, but I'm hoping to do much better.

Funny Story of the Month: My principal asking me what I've been doing all summer, and me responding by saying training a lot. She then informs me that I should think about giving up running because "Person A" has had to have 2 hip replacements because of running and "Person B" ruined her knees and ankles from running. This coming from a 60-something year-old lady who doesn't run or exercise.

How was your July?

First Gel

2011-07-31T20:31:00.000-05:00

I can honestly say that now I feel like I am a true distance runner because today I consumed my first Gel. I know many people have these in half and full marathons and triathlons and like them a lot. They come in lots of flavors so everyone should be happy, right?

After a weekend in Michigan for a wedding, I got back to Chicagoland and knew that my 15 mile run today was going to be solo, and hot. As I was driving to my normal starting point, my car said it was 93 degrees outside. Lovely. I knew that I needed to carry my handheld water bottle with me given the heat and distance I was covering, and the fact that I was running alone. I also thought it would be a good idea to have a Gel halfway through the run given the distance I was doing.

At mile 6.5, I decided it was time for my first gel. This gel was put in a race goody bag and kept for a few months, but had not expired. I really thought the flavor was going to be great because I love berries.

I stopped at a water fountain, knowing that I would most likely need quite a bit of liquid to wash my gel down. I opened up the pack and took a swallow of it and about died. I could not get any more down because the consistency was awful. I know people swear by them, but I just want to know how they consume them. The taste wasn't that bad, but the consistency is just horrendous. Knowing that I might have this problem, I read that sometimes it was helpful to freeze gel before you consume them make them easier to eat. Even though mine was frozen, it still didn't help.

I know I need to consume something during 15+ mile runs. My body was tired and needed fuel and by mile 10, I was feeling the effect of not having any. I know Gatorade is offered at aid stations for half and full marathons, but people have told me that the lines are long at Chicago. I don't want to waste precious minutes in a line for Gatorade.

I have other flavors of Gu, like strawberry, so maybe since it is a different brand and flavor it might be better? Is there a difference in consistency between gel and gu? I feel like I have so much to learn in regard to nutrition during the race..and training runs.

Do you like gu or gel? Do you have any advice as to how to eat/slurp them so they are easier to consume? What is your favorite flavor?

Running Time Calculators

2011-07-29T12:51:00.001-05:00

Have you ever plugged a race time into a running calculator website? After a recent discussion with members of my running club, I decided to do this. We were talking about goal marathon times vs. projected marathon times. Theoretically, the running calculator works best when you have recent results to put into the "machine" to calculate. This worked out well for me, since the majority of my PRs have come within the past five months or so.

From these predictions, I can make a few assumptions:

Either all the stars were aligned when I ran my 5k PR and have not been able to do anything that great since, or I am not running to my full potential given that PR
My 10k PR should be faster. This makes sense, since the time I plugged in was from Ragnar and not an actual race. I did not taper for Ragnar, so I can assume if I taper then the time will decrease.
I think my marathon times are a little ambitious...I have never ran a marathon before and complete my first one in those times would be a near miracle in my mind.
This is just a computer, giving me feedback, and does not take into account a lot of other running variables, such as weather, preparation, determination, sleep, injury, and so on.

The bottom line is that this website is just a guide for how it thinks you should be running. Sometimes guides are right, and other times they are wrong. Sometimes you have good races, and other times you have not very good races. I just find the whole thing rather fascinating.

Have you ever put a race time in a running calculator to see what you "should" run for a different distance? Was it accurate?

10

2011-07-27T21:46:00.000-05:00

Today I listened to my body and decided I needed a day without running. I'm hoping my legs will feel refreshed tomorrow because of it. Since I mainly blog about running, and sometimes diabetes, but not much because I can't find a whole lot to say about it, here are 10 random things you most likely didn't know about me.

I never thought I would live where I currently live. I always thought I would live in Iowa, but would not trade my current life for anything.
I have a sister, but we are completely different. She is a journalist and lives in L.A.
I drive the speed limit, which annoys many other drivers. If the speed limit is 35, I will drive 35.
My middle name is my mom's maiden name. My siblings have normal middle names.
I have donated my hair 4 times to Locks of Love.
I am very quiet, until I get to know you. But even then, I am still pretty quiet. I rarely talk when I'm in a group of people.
I do not like ketchup. I will not eat anything that has its flavor, either, like pasta sauce. Although, I love mustard.
I like to listen to people talk and how they say certain words. For example, my grandpa say "bat tree" as in tree full of bats instead of battery. I smile every time I hear him say the word.
I've never been out of the country.
I've run 23 races since May of 2006.

What is something interesting about you?

Personal Pacer

2011-07-26T22:07:00.000-05:00

After I landed in Seattle on Thursday, my dad called me to make sure I got there safely. I think I'm still stuck as a child in his eyes, and will be forever. Besides asking me how the flight was, the airport, the landscape, our conversation quickly turned to the annual Labor Day race in the city where my parents live.

The Labor Day race features both a 5k and a half marathon. The past two years I have run the 5k, but decided earlier in the summer that I was not going to run it. The race is on Labor Day, and with training for the Chicago Marathon I thought it would just be better to stay in the Chicago suburbs for the weekend. Then, I heard some surprising news.

My dad's company has sponsored the run the last few years, which gives him 2 free race entries. It is a nice bonus for me...how many races do you get to run for free? My brother, who has helped organize the event in the past, was talking to my dad about sponsoring it again. In that conversation, my brother said that one race entry could go to me, and the other to him. My dad then shared with him that I did not plan on running the race. My brother said that he would pace me in the half marathon so I could finish in 1:39:xx. If you've been reading my blog, you know that this has been my goal since the spring.

I immediately decided that I would run the half marathon with my brother. The fact that he even offered to pace me was so kind. He typically runs half marathons in the low 1:20s, so running my goal time will be like a walk in the park for him. Thinking of me was so thoughtful.

With a renewed sense of determination and goal in mind, I went out and had a pretty good track workout. Eight 400s at sub 5k pace (1:32-1:37 pace) and then a 4-mile tempo run at 7:30 pace left me feeling good about PRing at the Labor Day race.

Has anyone offered to be your personal pacer at a race? Or, would you rather always run on your own?

NW Passage Ragnar Relay Race Recap

2011-07-25T12:04:00.000-05:00

Ragnar Slogan: Run. Eat. Sleep? Repeat.

My experience: Fly. Eat. Sleep? Eat. Run. Eat. Run. Sleep. Run. Sleeeepppp. Eat. Sleep. Fly.

The Pacific Northwest is gorgeous. The beauty there is far superior to what we have in the Midwest. It almost made me want to move out there, but the fact that I had to wear some of my winter clothing in mid-July helped me decide that Illinois is better for me.

I know I could write a lot about this trip. Half of Ragnar is running, but the other part is being in a van with the same people for a long time. Due to a variety of reasons, I am only going to write about my runs.

This was my first experience in Van #1 for Ragnar. I like being in Van #2 soooo much better.

As the race organizers were calling teams to the start line, the only song that I had going through my head was "Number 1" by Nelly because I was runner #1. I am number 1....

Run #1: 6.3 miles/7:20 pace
This was the start of Ragnar and I was a little nervous about there not being many people to run with. I made up in my mind that I wanted to race this leg as a 10k race, and kind-of did that. I would have PR'd by over 5 minutes if it was a real race. This leg was on one road and pretty boring. There were only trees to look at. I wish I had my music, but decided to leave it in the van beforehand. I think there were 15 teams that started the same time we did, and I came into the transition in 3rd, but the first girl.

Run #2: 4.4 miles/7:21 pace
My second run was great. I still had a lot of energy and knew that I would need it for the hill in the middle of the run. I had a lot of road kills on this leg and that felt good, especially after not having any the first leg. There was a monster hill in the middle of my leg, 1/3 of a mile and +200 feet elevation. I was nervous, but it was not as bad as it seemed.

Run #3: 7.8 miles/??? pace
My Garmin stopped working after mile 5 on this run. It was having problems and kept switching screens, going to the GPS screen. I will now use the lock screen on my long runs. After 5 miles, my pace was 8:21. Considering the elevation, and that this was my third leg, I was pleased. I didn't try to run too hard. It was dark, but I ran by the water and could hear it. It was so peaceful and calming.

After I returned home on Sunday I was talking to some friends. After hearing what I said, they asked if I was glad I decided to do the race. I am always happy to run a race. It was a good experience. Were there things that I wish were different? Of course, but life isn't perfect. Were there things that were great? Yes, and I wouldn't want those to change.

Have you ever participated in a Ragnar? Or, would you want to participate in a Ragnar?

Leaving on Jet Plane...

2011-07-20T20:59:00.000-05:00

Even though I'm leaving to go to Seattle tomorrow for the NW Passage Ragnar Relay, I do know when I'll be back again.

Today was busy cleaning, packing, organizing, re-packing, and running. It was hot once again. Apparently the heat index was close to 110 degrees. My car only thought it was 100, though.

I ran 7 miles alone. It took some motivation to get me out of the door due to the extreme heat, but I was glad that I did. I love running.

When I got back, I continued to pack. The comical thing is that here it is above 100, but one of the recommend things to bring for the race was hand warmers (gloves). This just does not seem right.

Various gloves to run in...and throw-away if need be. And my extra warm mittens. I get cold really easily and think I might need them, especially at night. You can also see the Runner's Stick...something I've taken with me for my previous 2 Ragnars. Don't leave home without it!

My various jackets...rain, light running, and my warm fleece North Face. I <3 North Face.

I still have a few things left to pack and then I need to get to bed. I have to leave by 4:50 to get to the airport on time. I haven't gotten up that early since....???

Are you a cold person? I'm almost always cold. I have been known to wear sweatshirts when it is 80 degrees outside. My grandma once nicknamed me "freeze cat" because I'm always cold.

Running is a Mental Sport

2011-07-19T20:58:00.000-05:00

I went to my endocrinologist today. I've written before, and will write again, about how much I like him as my doctor. He understands me which is really important. We discussed marathon training and testing while running (something I do not do), and how I could work that into my training. My A1C was 5.3.

* * * * *

You have a choice. You can throw in the towel, or you can use it to wipe the sweat off of your face.

- Gatorade

In case you've been living under a rock and haven't heard, it is blazing hot outside. It reached the upper 90s in Chicago today, with heat indexes above that, which, of course, makes for "wonderful" running weather. Who doesn't love to go run outside in sauna-like conditions and complete a track workout on their own?

My running club has two track groups. One is for faster runners and one is for slower runners. The mentality of the two groups are very different, with the faster runners (my group) much more focused than the other. Today, my group was doing 12 hill repeats while the other group did 3 sets of stairs. Considering I have Ragnar in just a few days (and cannot wait!), I decided that doing hills or stairs would not be beneficial. I'll get enough during my runs. I decided that I would do my own workout instead.

I thought 800s would be a good workout for me today. I'm not really sure why I thought so, there really was no reason, but it is what I wanted. As I started my 1 mile warm-up solo, I realized this was going to be a hard workout. Physically, I knew I could do it: 5 800s with a 400 recovery is almost like nothing compared to what I had been doing on Track Tuesdays. The toughest part was being on the track by myself.

As I completed my first 800, I seriously considered doing a few 400s and then calling it a day. The track seemed to be radiating heat. However, as I ran my 400 recovery, I convinced myself that I am stronger than that. I don't back away from things. I have clear goals and have achieved some of them and am determined to achieve the rest. I remined myself that running is almost all mental. I could do it. Yes, it was going to be harder, but it was still doable.

After giving myself a pep talk, I proceeded to run 3 more 800s before calling stopping. When I stopped, some of the other runners were down on the track getting Gatorade after their workout. It was nice to talk to them after completing my abbreviated workout. Some of the runners that knew I was doing Ragnar wished me luck and told me to have a good time. I completed my cool down and realized that running is indeed a mental sport.

Did you ever try to talk yourself out of a workout?

My Favorite Things of the Summer...so far

2011-07-17T19:03:00.000-05:00

I was going to post about a different topic tonight, but decided that I wanted to focus on some positive things. Every now and then I have to remind myself what a good life I have. I am lucky to live in the United States and have food, clean water, and medication available. I am able to run, which I consider one of the greatest gifts.

Summer is a little more than halfway over for those of us in the teaching world. My school starts near the end of the August. Every year I am amazed about how quickly the summer goes. I feel like it just started. This summer has been incredibly enjoyable. I hope in remains to be so.

So far, my favorite things of summer have been....

Joining a running group. I didn't know how much it would change aspects of my running. I'm going to elaborate in another post sometime.
Madison to Chicago Ragnar - two great runs and another decent one = Ragnar success.
Sleeping in. I need to sleep, a lot, and love not having to set an alarm clock every morning.
Reading for enjoyment. I read a ton last summer (17 books), but didn't read hardly at all during the school year. I'm currently reading Salem Falls by Jodi Piccoult, but am going to start the Hunger Games series after it because I've heard wonderful things about them from my students, friends, and aunt.
Setting up my classroom. One of my goals for this summer was to get my school classroom ready in the month of July. It is coming along nicely; a little more work to do, but I think I'll make my goal.

What I'm looking forward to:

My mom is coming to visit me tomorrow. I love it when she comes.
I'm going to the state of Washington for the Ragnar NW Passage Relay in 4 days!

What has been the best part of your summer so far?

How I Got My Unique Tan

2011-07-13T22:24:00.000-05:00

As witnessed by Lindsay in my ice bath post, I have a rather...unique...tan. Now, I am a person that has to be out in the sun for days before I actually get tan. So the fact that I am tan at all is nearly a miracle, but it does not bother me a whole lot.

Back in June, I was riding my bike a lot (for me). I completed a metric century ride and then a duathlon and trained a fair amount. On my metric century I got a lovely bike tan that is yet to disappear. Now, you would assume that all of my legs would be tan since I have done all of my running outside this summer. Although I have a sock line that is somewhat noticeable, my ~~legs are not that tan~~ left leg is not tan, but my right leg is. The reason?

I run with a compression sleeve on my left leg. Recently, some people have asked me why I wear them, and specifically, why on only one leg.

Back in February I had Achilles tendinitis. It was not a bad case, and when I iced my left leg after running it felt so much better. I don't know if it ever went 100% away or not, but when I was training for my half marathons this spring I started to cramp up on my runs. There was never a set pattern to my cramping. The distances, speed, terrain (outside vs. treadmill) varied when the cramping occurred.

During that time, a friend told me he wore compression socks when he ran because it helped him cramp less. At that point in my training cycle, I wanted the cramping to stop. It had caused me to cut short some of my longer runs. I went to a local running store and opted to buy compression sleeves because, well, the socks are ~~not fashionable and rather ugly for wearing out in public~~ not my style. I thought if the sleeve could do the same thing as the sock, I'd opt for the sleeve. Ever since wearing the compression sleeve, I've only had 1 cramp.

Has my cramping problem healed, and I no longer need to wear the sleeve while running? I don't know. Some part of me is nervous to run without it on. However, another part of me wants to try it. Right now I'm doing all that I can to stay healthy for Chicago. If that means wearing a sleeve, I'll wear a sleeve.

In addition to my compression sleeve tan line, I also have the infamous runner watch line.

It doesn't look that noticeable in the picture, but it is!

Do you have any unique tan lines?

Marathon Training Update

2011-07-12T22:06:00.000-05:00

I'm currently in week 6 of marathon training, with only 12 more weeks to go. I can't believe there are less than 90 days until the marathon. In one sense, it seems like a long ways aways, but on the other hand, I know it will be here before I know it.

My marathon training looks like this:

Monday: Rest day - always

Tuesday: Track work - different every week. Today was 16 x 400 with 200 recoveries, with the 400s at 5k pace or faster (mine were about 5 seconds faster and felt good...my last one was at 1:22, the slowest was 1:36)

Wednesday: Short run at a slower pace - typically 3 or 4 miles

Thursday: 6 or so miles at 7:45 or 8:00 pace

Friday: Supposed to be off, but I run 3 - 5 miles

Saturday: Supposed to be 6 miles, but I run 3

Sunday: Long run...last week was 12, but this week is step-back week, so only 9 at 8:20 pace typically. I think I want to run slower - like 8:30s - and will need to in the upcoming weeks.

* * * * *
A few random thoughts....

I run with my running club on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays and do the rest on my own.

My running group has three plans: one for novice marathoner, one for the previous marathoner, and one for the "I want to PR marathoner." I decided to follow the previous marathoner training plan, even though I've never run a marathon before. I thought given my running experience and passion. Was this a good move?

I do not run the recommended amount on Saturdays. I understand why they recommend that distance, but I think my body does better with a lower mileage the day before a longer run. I'm not sure if this will hurt me when I run the marathon, but it works for me, and I think that is the most important thing.

In addition to running 6 days a week, I also cross-train 6 days a week. I typically walk, bike, and do the elliptical every day and try to lift weights at least 2 times a week.

I don't know why, but my least favorite days are Thursdays.

Only 9 more days until NW Passage Ragnar. I cannot believe it.

Help! My long run the week of Ragnar is 14 miles. If I wanted to complete it, I would need to run it on my own, on Sunday night after I fly back to Chicago from Seattle. I know my legs would be tired from 3 runs in about 24 hours. Someone told me to skip the run altogether, and just focus on the long run the following week. What would you do? Would you skip the long run altogether? Or, run it Sunday night? Help, please!

Tuesday track workouts always leave me tired, which is a good thing because that means I gave 100%. Off to bed!

A Lifetime Goal and Marathon Thoughts

2011-07-11T21:27:00.000-05:00

After I ran my first half marathon at the age of 21, I set a goal for myself. It was simple, yet achievable. I gave myself plenty of time to achieve it and knew that I could, in time. I'm not really sure how I came up with this goal. I guess it was a combination of wanting more out of running, wanting to become a better runner, and wanting to push myself.

The goal I set for myself was to run 10 half marathons and 1 full marathon by the time I turn 30.

This is something that has stuck in my mind ever since I wanted to achieve it. Every time I sign up for a half marathon, I think.."okay, this will be #8. Only 2 more to go before I reach my goal." Every race is special for its own reasons - a PR, who I signed up or ran with, where it was, who went with me, just to name a few. But for each of the 8 halves I have run, the training has been about the same. I've trained on the treadmill, PR'd in all but 2, and cut my time by over 37 minutes. However, now I feel like I'm playing a different game.
There are currently less than 90 days until the 2011 Chicago Marathon. It seems like it is so far in the distance, yet so close at the same time. Marathon training is time consuming. I know part of this is because I put a lot of pressure on myself to run well. I absolutely will not stay out late the night before a training run because I need a lot of sleep in order to run well. I try to eat tons of fruits and vegetables and a lot less cookies, although, sometimes they are necessary (see my last post).

I am not sure how people that have families manage to train for marathons. I can only imagine how hard it must be to balance running and family and not go insane. I might do more than the average marathon because I do a fair amount of cross-training as well...I'm not sure. Right now I feel like marathon training in and of itself is a full-time job. Is that normal?

Running a marathon is something I've wanted to do for the last 5 years, but more specifically the last 2. I've thought about and often wondered what it would be like and how I would do. I've already learned a lot about myself as a runner from 6 weeks of marathon training. I can only imagine what I will learn during the next 12.
Did you ever set a goal for yourself where you gave yourself many years to achieve it?