In a little over 2 weeks, I'm going to be running my second marathon, so I took a walk down memory lane this morning and decided to share it with you.
My kids ran the finish with me :)
My friend Judi gave me my medal and lots of hugs while we both cried.
This race made me a marathoner.
You can read my full race report here. There's even some video of me running and crossing the finish line, which was kind of interesting to watch (hello straight robot legs!). It makes me wonder what I look like now as I run since I think my running style has changed a lot over the past 3 years. I know I'm faster - at least most days :)
I'm going to miss having that escort down the finishing shoot in Detroit.
What are you remembering today?
ps-congrats to Corey, Nicole and Ginger who won some cool Breast Cancer Awareness headbands and sweatbands in my giveaway! Check your emails, ladies :)
Sometimes you really don't want to go out and do your long run. Maybe you're worried that your PT is pushing you harder than you are capable. Maybe you're scared of getting re-injured. Maybe you just don't like pain.
But you get out there because you are an athlete with goals. You suck it up. If you're lucky, you are rewarded with views like this.
I ran 7.25 miles of the Grand Rapids Marathon course on Saturday. Was it bittersweet to cross over the mile 16 and 17 mile markers? Yes. But I think choosing this route was a good idea. It gave me a little extra motivation to get healthy again.
So, the past week and 2 days have been really *weird* for me. You see, I ran this little marathon on 10/16/10 and since then I've felt totally lost. I've only worked out twice (both times using Nike Training Club and doing strength work) and each workout literally kicked my ass. I felt so incredibly out of shape that it was sad. Granted, I really slacked on the strength work near the end of training anyway, so I totally got what I deserved in that respect. I also did a 4 mile walk on Saturday that left my shins more sore than the marathon - go figure. Clearly I need to stick to running? I feel like I have no direction because I don't have any workouts mapped out on my calendar. My next big race, the Tinker Bell Half Marathon, is in 96 days. I have plenty of time to train and since I don't plan on running this race for *time* per se, the pressure is off a bit maybe too much. Also, as Kirsten pointed out, my longest training run for this will be a piece of cake after marathon training. I'm hoping to do an 8k in November (depending on where we are for Thanksgiving) and a 5k in December (likely in TONS of snow - also NOT a PR type of race). I haven't run since the marathon, and frankly, I'm a little scared that it won't go well or something. It sounds completely stupid when I type it out, but there you go.
My eating has been shit and I said I wouldn't step on the scale for at least a couple weeks after the marathon. Well, I stepped on the scale on Saturday and was pleasantly surprised to see a number a couple pounds less than my "danger zone" weight. Now, with all the shit I ate and drank over the weekend, I'm probably back up over the danger zone, but whatever. The main thing is needing to get my eating and this marathon gluttony in check.
My emotions are also all over the place. I'm better this week, but still feel like I could burst into tears at any moment. Work was VERY hard last week, with some extremely challenging students and stressful parent meetings, and I even cried in front of another teacher. Now he keeps asking me if everything is okay. F*CK. I so did not want to go there. KWIM?
I'm sure a lot of what I'm feeling is post-marathon blues. You train and train and have a goal for 4 months and then *poof* in less than 5 1/2 hours, it's over. I know I just need to snap out of it, but it's hard. At least it is for me.
Have you ever experienced post-race blues? What did you do to get over it?
This week has been a bit of a let-down after finishing the Grand Rapids Marathon last Sunday. (You can read my race report and see video here. If you want to see my official race photos, you can check them out here.) I've been trying to lay low and make sure I'm fully recovered before I jump back into training. Anyhoo....here's a peek at my week.
Monday
10-17-11
Loving my Grand Rapids Marathon bling!
Tuesday
10-18-11
The van got some new bling, too!
Wednesday
10-19-11
A much needed trip to the chiropractor.
Thursday
10-20-11
First post-marathon workout with my Chocolate Milk Refuel swag. This just in - marathons hurt your abs too, even if you don't realize it at first.
Friday
10-21-11
SQUEEEE
Saturday
10-22-11
Today was the "Run the Hood" virtual 5k and 10k hosted by The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans. I didn't sign up (not knowing what condition I'd be in this week) but decided to walk it as a "bandit" with Mel. We had a great time and finished our walk at Bell's Brewery. Win-Win!
Sunday
10-23-11
Today was the first concert of the 2011-2012 season for the concert band M performs with. They put on a great show today.
I had some rough emotions last week, coming off the marathon and coupled with a very stressful work week. Do you ever have the blues after finishing a major race? How do you cope?
For the past 4 months or so, I've been preparing to tackle my toughest run to date: the Grand Rapids Marathon. I completed that goal this past Sunday and could not be more proud of myself. You can read my race report here (lots of pictures & even some video!). I even feel pretty much back to "normal" physically (mentally is a subject for another post).
I've talked a lot about how my online community of friends (along with my friends and family here) have been so incredibly supportive of me in this journey. During the race, I had my phone with me but had turned off the notifications for Twitter and Facebook. I figured a few people would be encouraging me as I ran and I didn't want it to distract me from the task at hand, which was "left foot, right foot, lather, rinse, repeat". I tweeted a couple times late in the race and saw lots of mentions but I didn't read them at the time. When I finished the race and sent a tweet that I was finished and officially a marathoner, I was shocked to see how many mentions I had.
146 mentions during the course of the race. That, my friends, is support. I don't have a clue what the total number was by the end of the day or how many comments I had through Facebook, but it was huge. This is what having an online community of friends is all about. Support. Love. Encouragement. For this, I thank you. MWAH
Oh my goodness, where do I even begin to describe/recap my first full marathon?!?! This is something I've been training for since June, but really, all the running I've done in the past 5 years or so (when I said I'd NEVER run a marathon) have led up to this moment.
The day started out like most race mornings. The alarm going off WAY too freaking early and me trying to down some food and fluids. I got all dolled up in my My Race Ragz custom t-shirt and purple Team Sparkle skirt. I may not feel great running this marathon, but you better believe I'll be adorable doing it!
We left the house a little after 6 with the goal to be downtown around 6:30 so I could find Pete and Megan (never did find Keith or Steve), use the bathrooms 465 times, and relax a bit. The weather driving downtown was abysmal.
My hubby, Mike, and dad came down to see me off. Dad gave me a kiss and then ended up waiting in the car because the weather was still a bit rainy, but Mike was there and video'd my start. Thankfully, the real rain had stopped and we just had some sprinkles for the start of the race.
Miles 1-4 take us through a loop around the downtown Grand Rapids area. At the beginning of the race, I started chatting with a girl named Jessica who was also doing her first marathon. She wanted to try and maintain a 12 m/m pace and that's what I was hoping to start out with. We chatted and kept trying to reign each other in. Around mile 2, I saw my friends Angie (who BQ'd at the Chicago Marathon last weekend - ROCKSTAR!!!) and Joe with a sign that said, "If it was easy, everyone would do it". So totally awesome!. We made it through town and headed south toward the outer reaches of the course. Thankfully, the rain had stopped and we had cloudy skies with just a little bit of wind. (Splits: 11:36, 11:37, 11:47, 11:41)
Miles 5-10 head us out into the reaches of the Grand Rapids park system. We ran through Butterworth Park (known to some as the Serengeti) and I took a potty break at about mile 6.5. I rounded the corner at mile 7 and was shocked to see Mike, Joe and Angie here! It was a great boost (Angie's sign said "You know you want me" with a picture of the marathon medal - um YEP, I did!) and I gave everyone quick hugs and kept on my way. There's a pretty steady climb from miles 5 to 7 and again from 8 to 9 and my legs were starting to feel the pain. At mile 10, we headed into Millennium Park. (Splits: 11:36, 11:41, 12:19 (potty break!), 11:05 (extra energy from seeing friends & fam?), 11:39, 11:25)
Miles 11-13 are run around the lake in Millennium Park and then along the north side of the Grand River. At this point I was starting to walk some and my legs were feeling really tired. I was pretty much abandoning my original time goal (which in all honesty, was too ambitious to begin with). I've never run the trails here and it was absolutely beautiful. I go to that beach in the summer, but had never seen it from the other side before!
Just before mile 12, at the top of the steepest hill on the course, was my friend Mel, with a sign that read "Run Hooker Run" (inside joke). She made me run up that hill to give her a hug!
I came out of Millennium Park and headed toward Veteran's Memorial Parkway (which is part road/part trail system). As I came upon the aide station just past mile 12 I heard "Mrs. F!!!!!" It was two of my students who happened to be working the station! OMG these two girls absolutely made my day when they screamed my name and ran up to give me a hug. One of their moms was there too and I got a giant hug and a "get moving" from her. This was one of the biggest highlights of my race. When I hit the 1/2 way point and saw my time was around 2:35, I knew, feeling as tired as I was, that I was not going to finish in under 5 hours. Seeing the girls just before this and remembering Kirsten's advice to "enjoy the miles" helped me relax and not stress about the time anymore. I knew it was going to be hard, but I'd finish the race. (Splits: 13:14, 11:32, 11:32)
Miles 14-20 are essentially an out and back portion run on the Kent Trails system. Just before mile 14 you cross the river and begin running along the south bank. I'm familiar with the roads from doing so many training runs (plus the River Bank Run uses this too) so I was looking forward to this part of the course. Also, because it's an out and back, I was able to see many of the speedy runners and saw my friend Pete for a few seconds. Right around mile 15, I also saw Angie, Joe, and Mike again (oh, and Murphy the dog was with them too!). I grabbed some pickle juice, got hugs and kisses, and kept on my way. To date, my longest race was the RBR 25k (15.5 miles). This section was very tough mentally. I was still running quite a bit, but my legs were really starting to hurt. All the runners coming the other direction motivated me to keep moving, and that's what I did. At about 17.5 you loop around and head back the way you came. I was tired and walking a lot. I came back to the pickle juice station and there was Angie. I started to cry and she told me to STOP and keep moving and ran with me. She said you don't get to mile 18 in a marathon and give up. At this point, run-walk-crawl-finish. She was headed to her son's basketball game but would talk to me later. I kept plugging along, definitely walking a lot more than I wanted to (my legs were starting to cramp up, but the pickle juice seemed to be helping). I hit the mile 20 sign and realized I was headed into uncharted territory but I really didn't feel that bad. I tweeted: "20 mile warm up complete. Time to run (using that term loosely) a 10k. I've done tons of those. Right? Also, can't wait to read your tweets." When I tweeted at miles 15, 18 and 20, I saw how many mentions I had from my friends all around the country (world even) supporting me and it lifted me in ways you guys will never know. (Splits: 12:03, 12:28, 13:11, 12:39, 12:37, 14:39, 12:58).
Miles 21-23 were very tough for me mentally and physically. I hit the mat at 21 and then looped back around and back across the river onto Veteran's. There weren't many people out here and it was pretty lonely. I worked to run at least a 1/4 mile at a time, but even this was getting tough. I kept looking at the wristbands I was wearing, with so many of my supporters/friends names written on them. I could do this. At mile 23 I tweeted "23 done. Just over a 5k to go. And the sun is out!" I called my daughter to let her know where I was. Just past mile 23 I saw Angie. Here I thought she had gone to her son's game, but no. She was going to get me to that finish line no matter what. (Splits: 13:28, 12:42, 13:09)
Miles 24-26.2 Angie and I headed back into the Serengeti and this time it was up hill. Angie encouraged me to run by pointing out targets: an aide station - where I saw my friend Mark from church & got a hug, an American flag, a runner to pass. You get the idea. We snapped some photos.
24.5 photo courtesy of Mark
The sun had come out and it was getting warm. But I only had a mile to go! The wind was also picking up, but thank goodness it wasn't like Saturday's 30 mph winds! Angie ran with me until we could see the finish line about 1/2 a mile in the distance. She told me she'd see me on the other side and was gone. In the last 1/2 mile, I saw Mel again. She ran out and gave me a big hug. Then, with less than a 1/4 mile to go, my kids joined me. They gave me high-fives and said they wanted to run with me to the end.
I crossed the finish line with my children on each side of me (actually beating my track star daughter!). My dad, Mike, Joe and Angie were yelling for me at the fence. The announcer read my name. At the finish line, I saw my friend Judi (who is on staff with the Grand Rapids Marathon).
I held onto Judi and we cried. Then I got a hug from race director Don Kern (he hugs EVERYBODY who crosses!). It was so awesome to have her there at the end because she was one of the first people who really encouraged me to go outside my comfort zone and sign up for this marathon. She even got a medal from a volunteer and hung my medal around my neck. I Am A Marathoner. Cue more tears.
I wish I could remember what songs were playing through my earbuds at different points because so many times, the song that shuffled in was exactly what I needed at that moment. I know I had "Firework" at the 5k mark and "Lose Yourself" as I entered Millennium Park. "Don't Stop Believing" played 3 times during the race (3 different versions - 2 Glee plus the original). I tried to remember what some of the random signs were along the course, but other than the ones my friends made, I really can't remember any. What I remember most is the feeling on accomplishment when I crossed that finish line. That, and knowing I had so many friends and family cheering me on, both IRL and through twitter and facebook. I couldn't have done this without all of your love, support and encouragement.
(Final splits: 14:10, 12:46, 13:52, and a 9:57 *holy crap* for the last 1/4 mile or so - my Garmen ran a little long)
I love cooking in our antique Griswold cast iron skillets. Chili & corn bread - YUM
Tuesday
10-11-11
Watched D & K's marching band take a Division I (like an A) rating at Marching Band Festival.
Wednesday
10-12-11
Trying to eat healthy this week!
Thursday
10-13-11
OK, so maybe not THAT healthy. I only had one three.
Friday
10-14-11
Carb loading - Friday Night Lights style
Saturday
10-15-11
All gear'd up for tomorrow!
Sunday
10-16-11
I'm a Marathoner!!!!!
Obviously, finishing my first marathon on Sunday was the highlight of my week (although those pretzel things were pretty darn good!). Full race report will be coming this week - hopefully sooner rather than later. If you want to check out the abridged version on DailyMile, you can go here.
I know there were a ton of people racing this weekend. Did you race (or have a training run)? Let me know and send me the link if you posted about it. Pretty please?
As I head into Grand Rapids Marathon weekend, I'm looking for a little extra motivation. I received some in my email this morning from race director Don Kern who wrote:
"The Time Has Come!
The awesomeness meter is about to go off the scale! And it's all YOUR FAULT!! You're ready. You've trained. You're totally up for this!
Looking forward to seeing all of you.
Remember to have FUN out there!
See you at Finish Line.
and the adventure continues....
Don Kern
Race Director, Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon"
I'm also planning to wear some motivation:
Everyone who has committed to "running" a mile with me will have their names written on one of those bracelets sharing space with my RoadID. Here's who is running with me so far:
Mile 1 - The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans
Mile 2 - Elaine
Mile 3 - Meg (dancindeac) & Tirah
Mile 4 - Brooke
Mile 5 - Beki (running her 5th 1/2 marathon of the year) & Melissa
Mile 6 - Angie
Mile 7 - Jen B
Mile 8 - my kids and hubby
Mile 9 - Jaime & McLittle & Barb R
Mile 10 - Thea (who will be running her first 1/2 marathon on Sunday!)
Mile 11 - Lani (armytbonegirl)
Mile 12 - Mel (who will also physically BE at mile 12 cheering!!!)
Mile 13 - Erin
Mile 14 - Andrea and Mendie
Mile 15 - Kim
Mile 16 - Ashley
Mile 17 - Laura P
Mile 18 - Ann G
Mile 19 - JenIRL
Mile 20 - Lisa M & Colleen
Mile 21 - My Race Ragz
Mile 22 - Roo
Mile 23 - Ben
Mile 24 - Megan (who is running her first 1/2 marathon - at Grand Rapids too!)
Mile 25 - Kirsten
Mile 26.2 - All Mine
As you can see, there are a few miles left unclaimed. Go ahead and take one! If your favorite number is already taken - no problem. The miles are long (especially all those after the 1/2 way point!) so if you want to share, I'm cool with that. Just leave a comment and claim your spot :-)
Watch twitter Sunday morning - I've signed up for the on-course tweets of my progress. Don't be surprised if I don't tweet back until I'm finished though. The weather looks a bit dicey, so my phone will probably stay safely sealed in a ziplock until after the race. Who know, though. I might feel compelled to tweet a photo or two. You know me. I loves me some twitter!
Thank you again to everyone who has helped me get this far. Next time I post, I'll be a Marathoner!
I have been blessed to have so many friends supporting me as I run my first marathon in just 3 short days *gulp*! I'm still missing a few miles - so let me know if you'd like to run with me on Sunday! My thought is to write everyone's names/miles either on my arm (but my arms are pretty short and that's A LOT of names) or on a few rubber sport bracelets. In any case, I know all of you will help me get across that finish line on Sunday. Check out the course map and see where you'll be running with me!
Click here for the interactive course map. Image courtesy of the Grand Rapids Marathon.
Here are my awesome running partners/sponsors:
Mile 1 - The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans
Mile 2 -
Mile 3 -
Mile 4 - Brooke
Mile 5 - Beki (running her 5th 1/2 marathon of the year) & Melissa
Mile 6 - Angie
Mile 7 - Jen B
Mile 8 - my kids and hubby
Mile 9 -
Mile 10 - Thea (who will be running her first 1/2 marathon on Sunday!)
Mile 11 -
Mile 12 - Mel (who will physically BE at mile 12 !!!)
Mile 13 - Erin
Mile 14 - Andrea and Mendie
Mile 15 -
Mile 16 - Ashley
Mile 17 -
Mile 18 - Ann G
Mile 19 - JenIRL
Mile 20 - Lisa
Mile 21 - My Race Ragz
Mile 22 - Roo
Mile 23 - Ben
Mile 24 - Megan (who is running her first 1/2 marathon - at Grand Rapids too!)
Mile 25 - Kirsten
Mile 26.2 - All Mine
As you can see, there are a few miles left unclaimed. Seriously, writing them all out like this - wow, that's a lot of miles! Feel free to claim an open mile by leaving me a comment of which one you'd like!
I am so very thankful for everyone who has supported me, encouraged me, yelled at me to get my runs in when I didn't want to go, told me to listen to my body when I was sick, etc, etc. I really wouldn't be doing this without all of you. MWAH!
We are now into the SINGLE DIGIT countdown to the Grand Rapids Marathon!!!! 9 days, baby!
A few random thoughts about "taper madness"
You become completely germ-obsessed: since I've been sick for the past almost 2 weeks now, apparently I wasn't germ-obsessed enough.
You become a self-proclaimed meteorologist: I seriously need to stay away from all sites weather-related. As a bonus, the long-term forecast for Sunday, October 16th is partly cloudy with a high of 58* and a low of 44*. Winds at 11 mph and only a 20% chance of precipitation. Now, understand this is Michigan and as they say, "If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes and it will change" so who freaking knows what it will REALLY be like race morning.
You feel every little twinge and sore spot on your body. Today, it's my left ankle, right knee, both calves, and my the breathing issues are coming back (which makes me think the breathing crap is TOTALLY anxiety).
You make 52 trips to the running store in 24 hours: side bonus - you are supporting the local economy and this will also help you keep your Foursquare "mayor" status.
You question every missed workout and every workout that didn't go as planned. Then, you realize they were all learning experiences and you write a blog post about all the miles you've banked while training for this marathon.
You decide to cut out alcohol until after the race, but then you drink 1/2 a bottle of wine because you're stressed out and start chatting with your friends on twitter about entering Tough Mudder Indiana in 2012. (Don't worry, I came to my senses - it'll be too freaking COLD in March and I have no upper body strength to get thru the first obstacle.)
Today marks the 10 day point. 10 days until the Grand Rapids Marathon: a race I officially started training for on June 11th, but that I've really been training for since I first laced up some running shoes back in the spring of 2006. Although at the time I would have said you were on crack if you'd suggested I'd be running a marathon 5 years later!
Since June, I have banked 353.11 miles of running. I didn't add up biking or walking miles in there, but there were a few of those too. Over the next 10 days, I'll do one more "long" run of 10 miles plus probably a 2 mile and a 3 mile run. Add those last 15 miles in and you get 368.11 miles. That's a lot of mileage deposited into "the bank". I'll be withdrawing on those miles for many hours on October 16th. When my legs feel like lead and I'm shaking and tired, I need to remember:
remember the days I got up at the crack of dawn (or before) to get in a run before the heat of summer hit,
remember hitting the wall during my last 20 mile training run and recognize what that feels like so it DOESN'T happen again,
remember what it was like to run with some of my best friends during the course this training and how they pushed me to go farther and faster than I ever dreamed possible.
In 10 short days, I will push my body to do something I never thought I would consider doing - run a marathon. I wouldn't be here without those 360-some miles of training. I certainly wouldn't be here without you all encouraging me.
The miles are in the bank and it's almost time to start collecting.
My first marathon is now just 11 days away. EEEKK!!! How am I feeling?
• The sleepless nights have already started - stupid dreams about forgetting stuff, things like that.
• I'm still sniffling, sneezing & coughing.
• I'm trying not to panic too much about missing last weekend's long run because I was sick.
• I have an 8 miler today & a 10 miler next weekend in which to bring back some confidence.
• I'm worried about running too fast, if you can believe that.
• The antibiotic I've been taking to ward off a massive sinus infection has turned my stomach (among other places) to poo. You're welcome.
• I'm really doing this. In less than 2 weeks I'm planning to run for 26.2 miles (well, mostly - there will be some walking for sure). I have some ideas about how long it might take me & I'm ok with the eternity I'll be on the road. The Grand Rapids Marathon FAQ's page says, "We’d really like it if you finish on some day ending in a “Y” Stay perpendicular and cross the FINISH LINE. We’ll save you a beer." I'm looking forward to that beer!
Did you see?!? The Grand Rapids Marathon made this month's issue of Runner's World magazine for its pickle juice!!! What's the weirdest food/drink you've ever encountered on a race course?
Also - Have you entered my giveaway for a custom-designed tech shirt from My Race Ragz? Get to it!
Today I'm giving thanks for some cooler running temperatures (although this morning was a bit too cold for my taste). This was the temp last night:
While I didn't get to run last night, it definitely shows the mercury headed in the right direction. We won't talk about how I had the heat on in the car though, cuz that would just be silly.
In addition, I'm thankful for some pretty awesome friends that have also been generous enough to sponsor me in my marathon!
Megan, from Running Toward The Prize, is becoming an awesome runner herself. She ran her first 10k this year (in 1:03!!!) and is planning to run the Princess Half Marathon at Disney World in February. I'm hoping she decides to run the Grand Rapids Half too, because then we'd get to run the first 8 miles or so together (although, I'd probably have a tough time keeping up - this chick is pretty speedy!). I was also lucky to win the necklace Megan just gave away on her blog last week! Megan just rocks and I'm proud to call her a friend. You can find her on twitter here and if you ever want any help planning a Disney vacation, she's your girl!
Isn't it perfect :-)
My dear friend, Mendie, from Little Ladybug that Could also took some time out from her busy schedule snuggling her 3 month old beauty to send me some sponsor love as well. Mendie is one of the first girls I connected with when I started tweeting and blogging. I love this girl with all my heart and cannot wait to get back to visit her again so I can give her a hug and snuggle her beautiful little girl.
Thank you so much Megan and Mendie! MWAH!
Would you like to join my sponsors Ben, Erin, Andrea, Lisa, Ann, the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans, Melissa, Kirsten, Mel, MyRaceRagz, Roo, Megan and Mendie in supporting me as I train to finish my first full marathon, the Grand Rapids Marathon? I have set up a sponsorship page in which you can help me reach my goal of crossing the finish line (sponsorship will help pay for race fees, nutrition/hydration, shoes, etc). You can click HERE, or click on the tab above. I would love and appreciate any support you can give me. Bloggy and linky love will follow, as well as the ability to sponsor individual miles and run "with" me on October 16th. I cherish all the love and support my readers have given me this year. I wouldn't be attempting this race without you.
Today I'm thankful for my Grand Rapids Marathon friends. I was able to run the Grand Rapids Marathon Beer Run Tuesday night and I started the run with my friends Keith and Pete. They slowed down a bit for me so I could keep up for a mile but still pushed me. That mile was at a 10 m/m pace, which is a FAST first mile for me. Then, they took off like the speed demons they are, but I maintained and even sped up my pace. A couple other friends were running about the same pace as me, and Julie commented on how much faster I've gotten. I ended our 5 mile run with the fastest pace I've ever maintained for that distance.
Do you see that????? That's a 9:55 minute/mile pace, people! I even felt like I could keep going. I've gotta say, all this marathon training has really helped me speed up my shorter distances. I'm loving that!
I'm also thankful for my newest 26.2 sponsor! Mel is running "with" me at mile 12. She lives near me and I'm so happy we connected and have become IRL friends as well. Someday, I hope to run with her, too, but so far when we go out it's usually to share yummy food and beer :) Mel blogs here and you can find her on twitter here. Thanks Mel! I love you, girl!
Would you like to join my sponsors Ben, Erin, Andrea, Lisa, Ann, the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans, Melissa, Kirsten, and Mel in supporting me as I train to finish my first full marathon, the Grand Rapids Marathon? I have set up a sponsorship page in which you can help me reach my goal of crossing the finish line (sponsorship will help pay for race fees, nutrition/hydration, shoes, etc). You can click HERE, or click on the tab above. I would love and appreciate any support you can give me. Bloggy and linky love will follow, as well as the ability to sponsor individual miles and run "with" me on October 16th. I cherish all the love and support my readers have given me this year. I wouldn't be attempting this race without you.
I am so thrilled to highlight my newest 26.2 sponsor. Running mile 25 with me (because I wouldn't let her have 26.2!) is Kirsten from Living in a Girl's World! Kirsten is mom to 3 awesome little girls and is one truly bad ass runner. She blogs about her running over here and you can find her on twitter here!
Kirsten was one of the first girls who really connected with me when I started following Shrinking Jeans and getting into twitter (and now I have over 30,000 tweets and she's up over 40,000 - the chick can TWEET!). She's also been one of my biggest running supporters since I started running again. Luckily for me, I've gotten to hang with Kirsten quite a bit in the past year or so (although, if you ask me, we never have enough time together).
We met IRL for the first time in Chicago in June 2010 and we were able to run together along Lake Michigan. At the time, I would "only" run 3 miles with her. Now, with Kirsten's encouragement I'm training for my first Marathon!
We were also able to run together in Baltimore at Fitbloggin 11...
We ran at my house this summer (and got inked!) when she made a stop on her insaneroadtrip....
And ran again at her house when I visited her a few weeks ago (my first run at elevation!).
I think it's pretty obvious Kirsten absolutely ROCKS. Kirsten trains like there's no tomorrow and she's going all out and running Tough Mudder Northern California in something like 12 days! Way more bad ass than I'll ever be! (Hello?!? Obstacles, mud, electric shock? NO THANKS!) So, go give Kirsten a shout out and let her know how awesome she is. Thank you so much Kirsten, for believing in me, encouraging me, and talking me off my ledge when I think I've gone completely nuts. I love you, girl!
Would you like to join my sponsors Ben, Erin, Andrea, Lisa, Ann, the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans, Melissa and now Kirsten in supporting me as I train to finish my first full marathon, the Grand Rapids Marathon? I have set up a sponsorship page in which you can help me reach my goal of crossing the finish line (sponsorship will help pay for race fees, nutrition/hydration, shoes, etc). You can click HERE, or click on the tab above. I would love and appreciate any support you can give me. Bloggy and linky love will follow, as well as the ability to sponsor individual miles and run "with" me on October 16th. I cherish all the love and support my readers have given me this year. I wouldn't be attempting this race without you.
Today is Wednesday (obviously) and it's supposed to be check-in day over at The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans. As you read this, I am sitting in my second day of inservices for the start of another school year. My first day was 11 hours long. I know I shouldn't complain, since I really have a most blessed schedule and I love what I do, but 11 hours on your first day back? That's just freaking cruel. I'm tired. My knee is all messed up from sitting cross-legged all day (today I'm making a vow to NOT cross my legs at my knees - please tweet at me and remind me, m'kay?).
Since I've really fizzled on this challenge, let's just call this check-in a wash, shall we? I'm trying to breathe when stressed and did a great job yesterday when tech fails occurred multiple times. Not only work tech fails, but personal tech fails, too. Insult to injury, KWIM?
Tomorrow, I plan to attempt my first before-work run. I have to get in 5 miles, which means I'll need to be up and running before the sun. Frankly, this scares the crap out of me and is the one time I wish I owned a dog, but I'll get it done. I'll make sure to run a well-lit and populated route to be as safe as I can be. I'm also thankful that this week is a step-down week again in miles, although 15 on the weekend still seems like and awful lot!
So, there's my check-in. How did you do this week? Does the start of the school year improve or wreak havoc on your schedule?
Yesterday I introduced you to my newest 26.2 sponsor, Melissa. Would you like to join my sponsors Ben, Erin, Andrea, Lisa, Ann, the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans and now Melissa in supporting me as I train to finish my first full marathon, the Grand Rapids Marathon? I have set up a sponsorship page in which you can help me reach my goal of crossing the finish line (sponsorship will help pay for race fees, nutrition/hydration, shoes, etc). You can click HERE, or click on the tab above. I would love and appreciate any support you can give me. Bloggy and linky love will follow, as well as the ability to sponsor individual miles and run "with" me on October 16th. I cherish all the love and support my readers have given me this year. I wouldn't be attempting this race without you.
Today, Grand Rapids Marathon training got real. I ran my first 18 mile run and I killed it! This first 18 mile run represented the fact that I was really going to do this thing. Maybe that's crazy, but it's how I feel. When you start talking about 18 mile runs, there's no hiding that you are training for a marathon!
I am beyond thrilled with how today's run felt. Was it easy? Hellz No! But it kicked my 17's butt from 2 weeks ago. I'm sure my attitude, weather, time of day, nutrition/hydration and the lack of hills made a huge difference in how I performed today. In any case, this is definitely a run I am proud to have "banked".
After my run, I came home to all sorts of kudos from my friends on twitter. Those "way to go" and "good job" and "rockstar"s really made my day. I also gained another 26.2 sponsor! Huge thanks and big squishy hugs go out to The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans for sponsoring mile number 1!!!! Christy (and the rest of the sisters and brothers) have been so supportive of me as I've started on this journey to becoming a runner. I think it was a bunch of them training as part of Team in Training last year that really got me thinking about pushing the envelop. I ran a virtual 5k with them 2 years ago and a 10k last year (since I was training for my first 1/2 marathon and needed to run a few more miles). Now they are gearing up for their 3rd annual virtual race! You, too, can Run the 'Hood in 2011 and run a 5k or 10k with your sisters and brothers at Shrinking Jeans! I strongly recommend you sign up and run with the Sisterhood! If you think you can't run or walk 3.1 miles, you couldn't be more wrong. A few years ago, do you think I would have thought I could run 18??? No. And a few years ago, I also thought running 3 miles was crazy impossible. We all start somewhere. Today is your chance. Take it.
Would you like to join Ben, Erin, Andrea, Lisa, Ann and the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans in supporting me as I train to finish my first full marathon, the Grand Rapids Marathon? I have set up a sponsorship page in which you can help me reach my goal of crossing the finish line (sponsorship will help pay for race fees, nutrition/hydration, shoes, etc). You can click HERE, or click on the tab above. I would love and appreciate any support you can give me. Bloggy and linky love will follow, as well as the ability to sponsor individual miles and run "with" me on October 16th. I cherish all the love and support my readers have given me this year. I wouldn't be attempting this race without you.
Tomorrow, I will attempt my longest marathon training run EVER.
18 miles.
I have my route mapped out.
The husband is going to bike with me while I run.
I'm thankful for that.
It will take me over 4 hours.
Some of the areas are a bit scary.
Some are downright gorgeous.
I have a plan (sorta) for nutrition and hydration.
I'm ready.
I hope.
Would you like to join Ben, Erin, Andrea, Lisa, and Ann in supporting me as I train to finish my first full marathon, the Grand Rapids Marathon? I have set up a sponsorship page in which you can help me reach my goal of crossing the finish line (sponsorship will help pay for race fees, nutrition/hydration, shoes, etc). You can click HERE, or click on the tab above. I would love and appreciate any support you can give me. Bloggy and linky love will follow, as well as the ability to sponsor individual miles and run "with" me on October 16th. I cherish all the love and support my readers have given me this year. I wouldn't be attempting this race without you.
If you've been reading my blog at all over the past year or so, you know that running has become a huge part of my life. Heck, when I renamed my blog back in December, "Run" ended up in the title! For the past couple of months, I've been training to run my first full marathon, the Grand Rapids Marathon. On October 16, 2011, I'll be taking on the ginormous task of running 26.2 miles of crazy around the beautiful city and trail system in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
I would LOVE your help in getting across that finish line. I have set up a sponsorship page in which you can help me reach my goal of crossing that finish line. You can click HERE, or click on the tab above. I would love and appreciate any support you can give me. Bloggy and linky love will follow, as well as the chance to sponsor individual miles and run "with" me on October 16th. I cherish all the love and support my readers have given me this year. I wouldn't be attempting this race without you.
