Way to Go, Chiro!

I love my chiropractor. 3 visits, and I am pain free! I seriously feel SOOOO much better. I went from not being able to walk, to moving around quite easily again! There is such a difference in my mood. The pain was really wearing me down, and now I feel like myself again. In addition, he told me to be as active as I can. Hmm....I told him that may not be the right thing to say to me, but he told me to do whatever I feel like and listen to my body. 2 days last week, I walked Nikko around the block. Today, 3 weeks after stopping, I woke up feeling completely normal (minus the big belly and 23 additional lbs in my stomach, so I ran 3 miles on the treadmill. I went at 6.0 speed (10 min miles). I stopped at 15 minutes, and again at 25 minutes, but I ran the whole thing relatively pain free. My hips are a little achy, but my back feels just fine. Hopefully, this wasn't a stupid move, but I guess only time will tell. I feel so much better about myself, so as of now, I don't regret it one bit. 3 miles at 37 weeks is an accomplishment! I am just going to play it by year, and not set any mileage goals, but just listen to the chiropractor and stay as active as I can in the last few weeks. For now, I am on cloud 9!!

No More Running

I have been dreading writing this post. I am officially done running until after I give birth. I made it to 34 weeks and 1 day. I ran 5 miles December 5th, and now I can't walk without pain (for the last 2 weeks). I am super bummed because I fully intended to run up to the day I give birth, but my body has other plans. I am currently limping around like an old lady. I went to the doctor this week, and he wasn't sympathetic at all. He told me it happens when you are pregnant, and will go away once I give birth. Yesterday, I went to a chiropractor, and he told me that it isn't sciatica pain. He said that is the commonly used term whenever pregnant women have lower back pain. Mine is only on the right side, down near my butt. He said it is most likely inflamed vertibrate. It is a painful condition, but not serious at all. He adjusted me and did some ART on the area, and said he should be able to get me better, but I won't be 100% until after I give birth. I really don't feel any better, but I have another appointment on Monday. I feel better being proactive rather than just sitting around in pain.

It took me this long to come to terms with this. I know I am lucky to have made it this long, but I can't help but feel disappointed. I keep thinking about the fitness I am losing, and the extra weight I am going to gain. Luckily, all my extra weight (23 lbs of it) is in my stomach. I'm really not as big as I thought I would get, but I have always been body conscious, and running helps me feel better about myself. Now, I am resigned to the couch! I work all day (which is exhausting and painful), then I come home and just lay on the couch until it is time to go to bed. I have been incredibly blessed with an easy pregnancy, so if this is the worst I have to put up with, I am lucky (at least that is what I keep telling myself).

On a positive note, the nursery is just about finished! I still need to organize the baby stuff, but I feel pretty good about our progress. I am still hoping the baby comes a little early....1/11/11 perhaps! I have 3 more days of work, then I am off til Jan 3rd. I am planning on installing the carseats, sterilizing all the bottles and pacifiers, and getting the clothes put away (I have been washing things here and there). Here are some pics of our nursery.

Pregnancy Update

I am almost 33 weeks and much has changed since my last post! I definitely look pregnant now. Actually, I am pretty fortunate and am not huge, but my belly is definitely noticeable. I finally caved and started wearing maternity pants at 30 weeks. I still occasionally wear my regular pants with the belly band, since I only have 3 pairs of maternity (and am not buying more), but for the most part, I wear the maternity. I am now going to the doctor's every two weeks and everything, thankfully, looks perfect. My weight gain is fine (+17lbs so far!), baby is measuring right on and appears to be head down (for now), blood pressure is still low (100/60), and all my lab work came back fine.

Now for the running news....I am still going strong! I actually gave up running outside about 2 weeks ago. My parents were on my case, plus, I was starting not to trust myself on the sidewalks. Many of them were covered with leaves and chestnuts, so I was afraid I would take a spill. Now, I am resigned to the treadmill for the remainder of my pregnancy. I am currently running 5 miles 5 days per week. This is pretty much the same that I have been doing the entire pregnancy. My pace has slowed way down (about 9:15 per mile), plus I stop about 2 times per run to recover. I just figure that I am still running decent mileage and every mile counts! Once November is over, I may need to reevaluate. 5 miles is getting really tough! I did buy a Gabrialla support band and that has been a lifesaver for my back.

Our new nursery and bathroom is starting to come together. Poor Aaron has been working like a madman to get everything finished. The room is now carpeted and the furniture is assembled. He still needs to put in the closet organization system, and put the vanity and toilet in the bathroom. Then, we can start decorating and putting the baby stuff away. I had a fabulous shower and got pretty much everything on our registry. This is one lucky baby boy! It's hard to believe that he'll be here in less than 2 months. I have a feeling that he is going to come a little early even though every keeps telling me that first babies come late. 1/11/11 is a pretty neat birthday to me!

It's a boy!

OK, so I am a really bad blogger! I announce my pregnancy and then don't blog for 10 weeks! All is well with me. I continue to feel great and am still running 25 miles per week with relative ease. Baby Boy is measuring perfectly and is kicking up a storm. I truly believe that staying so fit is helping me have a healthy pregnancy. I haven't gained much weight and am still wearing my regular pants (with a belly band). I am wearing loose fitting tops with some maternity thrown in there, mainly because I think I look like I put on a few pounds rather than pregnant. I can definitely still hide the pregnancy, but I am getting to the point where I'd like to have a bit more of a bump! I'm sure it is coming in the next few weeks as the baby continues to pack on the pounds.

I miss running! I went to the Steamtown Marathon yesterday to cheer on my uncle and it was hard to stand on the sidelines. The ironic thing is that I was so burnt out after Boston that I wouldn't have ran Steamtown even if I was pregnant! Running has just become such a big part of my life that it's hard to sit back and watch, even though I am super excited for the next stage in our lives. I think I am going to register for the Lehigh Valley Half Marathon on May 1st as my "comeback" race. It won't be a PR performance, but it will get me back out there and in shape. I am pretty confident that I will be able to finish, even though it won't be pretty. This will set me up perfectly to train for a fall 2011 marathon! By having a goal, it keeps me motivated and reminds me that I can have a running life post baby! I may be getting up at 5 AM to run, but that is the price I will have to pay.

Our house is a mess. Everyone keeps asking me about a nursery and I have to laugh because it's not even close. We have an enclosed finished porch/room on the second floor of our house that we pretty much used for storage. It runs the length of our two spare bedrooms, so we decided to install a jack and jill bathroom with a walk-in closet for each bedroom. After that is finished, we will work on the nursery. My goal is to have the nursery finished by the end of November. Aaron has been busting his butt trying to get the latest project finished and the dry wall is being hung this week, so hopefully, we will meet our deadline. When there is a little more progress, I will post some pictures.

That's all for now. I promise I will update more often!

The REAL reason I haven't been racing

Well, some people have noticed that I haven't run a race since my heat exhaustion incident on May 2nd. And, no, I haven't given up running. In fact, I ran 114 miles in July, which isn't bad considering I went on vacation to the Caribbean and spent a long weekend in D.C. My running philosophy is that when I race I want to see results. I don't like to just go out there and say I ran a race. Every time I hit the starting line, I expect and like to see a PR. Well lately my priorities with running (and the rest of my life) have changed. And the reason is.....


I am pregnant! Yep, 16 weeks to be exact! I figured that it is time to come out to to the rest of the world, although those close to us have known since we came back from vacation on July 18th. I found out on May 8th (Mother's Day). Aaron and I had the plan that we would start trying for a baby after the Boston Marathon in April. Well, let's just say that this is a Boston Marathon Baby as I conceived about a week after it. Our baby is due January 18th and so far, everything has been great.

People often say that I am a lucky person, and honestly, I have been extremely blessed with this pregnancy. I am sure many women out there will hate me, but I have not felt different at all since finding out. I never had nausea, fatigue, heart burn, bloating, etc, although my face is broken out like I am 12! I feel perfectly normal. I often forget that I am actually pregnant. I could say it is because I am in such good shape, but I know that isn't always the case. I know many fit women that had very hard first trimesters. In my first trimester, I actually lost half a pound (maybe I wore different shoes or something that day!). I had genetic testing, 3 ultrasounds, and everything looks good so far. I went for my 16 week appointment today, and I gained 2 lbs and the baby was so active they had a hard time finding the heartbeat. They would find it for 5 seconds, then lose it, then repeat! It's amazing because I can't yet feel a thing. I think I still look perfectly normal. I can still button my pants, and if you didn't know, I don't think you can tell. The nurse told me today that because I have good muscle tone in my abs that I may not really look pregnant til 20-22 weeks. I hope I am that lucky!

Yes, I have still been running. I am trying to get in 25-28 miles per week and have no trouble doing so. My doctor encourages exercise and as long as I feel up to it, I can continue. On hot days, I hit the treadmill and I now always carry a water bottle with me. I have been stopping halfway through each run just to make sure my heart rate isn't too high, and it's usually around 140-150, which isn't that high. I actually lent my Garmin to my father-in-law because I don't want to run by pace anymore. I have just been running by feel and taking it easy. I imagine I am running about 9:30-10 min miles (ok, 9:00 on the treadmill). Obviously, if I need to stop for medical reasons, i will, but as long as I and the baby are healthy, I plan to run the entire pregnancy. I have done extensive research on the topic (If interested, there is a great book by Dr. Clapp called Exercising Through Your Pregnancy), and there are many benefits for a baby whose mother exercises, so I am pretty determined. I know this is controversial, but I am confident in my decision and would never put our baby's health at risk. I am glad that times have changed and that it is now encouraged to stay active thoughout pregnancy.


I still hope to keep this blog running related, but the focus will obviously shift. If you read this for the training, there won't be much on the topic! This blog will now be a combination of running and pregnancy (baby). So let this new journey for Aaron and me begin!

June Mileage

I haven't been blogging much because there is nothing really new and exciting as far as my running goes. I have been holding steading at around 28 miles per week. For June, I ran 119 miles, which I think is pretty good since I'm not training for anything. It has been nice to just run for run and not worry about pace or hitting a specific mileage goal.

On another note, my sister got married on Saturday. Her wedding was gorgeous and everything went perfectly. I'll post a picture of me and the beautiful bride below. I was the matron of honor.

July is going to be a very busy month for us. This weekend we are going to DC to visit Aaron's sister. We will see some sights and go to the mall for the fireworks. It should be a good time! Next week, we are going on our cruise! We leave out of Tampa and are going to Cozumel, Cayman, Honduras and Belize. It's my 15th cruise and I am finally a Platinum Member on Carnival, so VIP status for us...yay! It's actually not that big of a deal because my parents have been VIPs for years, so when we travel with them, we get the perks. This vacation is just Aaron and I so it's nice to attain it ourselves. I hate running on the ship because I have to use a treadmill (no way am I counting laps on the deck outside..it's like 8 times around is a mile). They have a 30 minute time limit which doesn't allow me much mileage. I then cover up the time and hope noone says anything. I hate being "one of those people," but not enough to follow the rules!

Happy 4th!

I've been boring lately

It has been awhile since I blogged because my running has not been that great. After my last race, I took about a week off before I attempted to run again. Since then, I have been trying to run between 25-30 miles per week and keep my long run between 8 and 10. I figure that this should maintain my base and allow me to race various distances this summer. I have my eye on the inaugural Wilkes-Barre Half Marathon on Labor Day, but that is it. I skipped my town’s Memorial Day 5-miler because the heat has really been bothering me and it was 88 that day. Plus, I feel like my speed isn’t up to par. I haven’t been doing any quality workouts, just easy runs, so I didn’t feel “race ready.” It killed me to miss it, but it was the right move.

I have been very careful since my “incident.” On very hot days, I have been running inside. However, that does not help me get acclimated to the warm temperatures. I ran 4 miles on the levee last Friday, and I really thought I was going to die! It was about 85 and sunny. I was aiming for 6, but it didn't happen, which is rare because I barely ever cut my runs short. When I reread my old posts, I really am a whiner....I complain in the winter about the cold, and now I am complaining about the heat. Now that I am off from work, I can get up early and get my runs in, which will be nice.

I think that taking it easy for a month will have a positive effect on my running. My body feels good and it is nice to not “have” to run every day (although I am trying to run 5 days per week). I was trying to talk Aaron into running the big 4th of July 3-miler and he agreed! I told him that we could run it together and I won’t burn him! He can probably run about a 24 minute 3 mile without training, so I agreed. Last year, I had a great race, but it will be nice to run together for fun. I wish he enjoyed running, so this may be a start.

Also...I have finished my 7th year of teaching! Time flies!

Crash and Burn

Well, I do have a story to tell. I am embarrassed about what happened, but since I always blog about the awesome runs I have and PRs that I set, I have to "keep it real" and blog about the bad as well. Plus, if anyone can learn from my experiences, then it will make the event a positive thing.

Post-Boston
After Boston I took off 8 days. I was going to take off two weeks, but I felt I had a really easy recovery. My legs were never that sore and by 4 days post marathon, I only felt a few knots in my hamstrings and quads. After 6 days, I felt completely normal. So 8 days post marathon, I went for a 2 mile jog on my treadmill. I felt the knot return, so I stopped after 2 miles. That night, I rolled my muscles out really good and took another day off. 10 days post marathon, I ran 4 miles outside slowly with no watch. I felt okay. Not great, but not terrible. The next day, I ran 4 more and felt much better. I didn't wear a watch, but I felt I was running my usual easy run pace.

Here is where the stupidity comes in. My local running club has a "Triple Crown" racing series. I ran the first leg in March, and that left me in 6th place. The 2nd leg was on May 2nd. It was a 5 mile race. I started thinking that I could just run the race for fun, and with some luck, leave myself in decent standings for the last leg. I knew deep down, I should never run a race that soon after a marathon, but I was so hyped up after Boston, I felt like I was invincible. Here's what went down.

Sunday, May 2nd Cherry Blossom 5-miler
I woke up on Sunday and went to register for the race. It was about 85 degrees and the humidity was high, so I decided to carry my handheld water bottle with me. I knew I wasn't acclimated to the warm weather, so I decided it was worth carrying during the race (even though it was "only" 5 miles). My parents wanted to go, even though I told them it wasn't necessary. Aaron was playing paintball with his friends, and I guess they wanted someone to be there. I have gone to races by myself and my uncle is usually there anyway. Regardless, they insisted on going.

After I registered, I ran into my uncle and my parents. I did my warm-up and was already sweating. I complained to my uncle and a friend from work (who was there with her children) about how warm I was. We went to line up, and I put myself towards the front of the women. The gun went off, and it was a really crowded start. We were on top of the levee in Kirby Park (which I run often), so it wasn't a huge path. I took off to distance myself from the crowd. Well guess who ran a 6:45 first mile...not smart. I saw my parents at mile 1 (because we did a loop in the park) and I yelled to them that I went out too fast. My dad yelled to take it easy. I am way too competitive for that. I kept pushing.

By mile 2, I didn't feel right. My stomach didn't feel nauseaus, but just didn't feel quite right. I knew I should probably stop and take a DNF, but my pride wouldn't let me do that. I knew my parents were there, plus several students that I have taught, so I kept pushing, saying to myself that it is only 3 more miles. Well at mile 3, I had to stop to walk. I walked for about 10 seconds, then started running again. At mile 4, I had to stop again. Some guy stopped in front of me, so I stopped with him. I told him I felt dizzy and he told me he felt the same. The whole time I kept making myself drink my water.

At mile 4.25, I had nothing left. Two women passed me, and there wasn't a thing I could do about it. Now...here comes the big finish.

First off, I don't recall finishing. I remember stopping to walk about 50 yards from the finish. Then my dad tells me I started running to the end. My dad tells me I was zig zagging all over. He thought I had a cramp because of the way my left leg was running. As soon as I crossed the line, my dad was waiting next to the chute (it was a small race...200 people). I told him I was dizzy. The race officials told me to just go under the tape, but I told them I wanted my time recorded. They told me it was and my dad took me to sit down (actually right under the official clock). He said my lips were grey and I was bone dry. Not an ounce of sweat on me. At this point, I remember what happened. I sat down and started throwing up. I kept complaining that this was a repeat of the NJ marathon and how could this happen to me again. I then got sooo hot. I started dumping water over my head to cool down. My mom got me a bunch of water and I kept dumping them over my head. At this point, I started to get dizzy. I layed down and really felt like I was going to pass out. My mom brought me gatorade and I tried to keep that down, but I kept vomiting. Every time I would sit up, I would get dizzy and feel like I was going to pass out. My friend from work Tracy came over, and I asked her if any of our kids from school saw this, and she said yes, they all did.....great! At this point, I was okay, just very nauseaus (I hate this word...for some reason, I just can't spell it and I am too lazy to spell check).

I then decided that I just wanted to go home, so my mom was going to drive my car home and my dad was going to drive me in his car. As I started walking, I collapsed. I couldn't get up. I started crying hysterically. My mom kept telling me that it was only a race and who cares how I did. I wasn't crying over that, I just had no control over my emotions at that point. I have no idea why I was crying. I felt ok to walk, so I tried again with my dad supporting me, and I collapsed again. At this point, my dad said my eyes started rolling around. All I remember is that I couldn't think. My dad would ask me questions, I couldn't respond. I remember him saying, "Tell me right now what day it is, or I am calling an ambulance." I immediately answered "Sunday." Now keep in mind, my parents owned an ambulance company for 20 years, so they are medical people. My mother is a nurse and my father an EMT. He said that he was very worried at this point. They got me under a tree where there was a breeze and just poured water over my head. Of course, the race directors and many people were extememly concerned, but my dad told them that he had it.

Finally, I felt like I could walk to his truck. All I remember was concentrating on putting once foot in front of the other. I was so dizzy, I could barely see. I made it to his truck and just kind of slumped there.

At this point, he was afraid to take me to my house, so he took me to his. I started to feel better on the drive there (it's only about 2 miles away). I made it into my parent's house and sat on the couch. My mom got me a coke (my uncle's suggestion) and I drank that. Very shortly, I started to feel much better. After a half hour, I took a shower and ate some soup. I was then able to drive home.

The whole rest of the day, I felt terrible. I was very nauseated and couldn't keep anything but ginger ale down. Around 8, I ate some toast and kept that down. I woke up the next morning and felt alright so I went to work.

3 days later, I still don't feel back to normal. I just feel "off" and tired. I promised my mother that I would take another week off, which I also think is a good idea. I am trying to figure out what happened and I think it was a combination of several things. First, I wasn't recovered from Boston. I know darn well that you shouldn't race for 26 days after a marathon, but my ego got the best of me. I felt like Superwoman and that I could do anything. While I may have felt ok, my body must have still been out of whack. Second, I don't think I hydrated enough before the race. While I drank 20 oz during the race, I think it was too late. Third, my body isn't acclimated to the warm weather and I pushed it too hard. I looked up the symptoms of heat exhaustion, and I had almost every one. All of these things are stupid mistakes, but I guess we live and learn.

The ironic thing is that this is exactly one year to the day that I did this to myself at the NJ marathon...weird.

As for the race, it wasn't as bad as you would think. I got third in my age group and a 39:29 time. While it wasn't my best, it was still under 8:00 pace. I also moved up into 4th for the Triple Crown. Several people from the first race didn't show up for this one, and only one girl who was behind me beat me. So my plan actually worked out, but it definitely wasn't worth it. I hope I can run my hometown race on Memorial Day. It is around my neighborhood and I run the course at least once a week. For now, I am going to take it easy and ease my way back into training.

Also, I am definitely NOT running a fall marathon. I am giving my body a much needed break. I ran 4 marathon in 1.5 years, and despite this last disaster, i am going to slow down and relax a bit!

Boston Recap

For those who don't want to read the entire post: I ran a 3:35:59...a PR by a minute and 9 seconds!

Prior to Leaving
The week before I left, I battled a terrible cold. I barely ran and had so much pressure in my chest, I had to get a Z-pack. I gradually started feeling better, and by Monday, I was pretty much back to normal. We left for Boston immediately after work on Friday, but little did I know what my school had in store for me before I left!

Everyone at work is always supportive about my running. They always ask questions and seem legitimately interested in my training. On Friday, I showed up for work, and all the ladies had on green. I was wondering if I missed the memo, and then they told me that they wore green for good luck in my honor! I thought that was so thoughtful. Then, on our morning show, they wished me luck and did all Boston Marathon fun facts. Of course, all the kids in my classes wanted to know about the race, so I spent some time telling them about it. 7th period came around, and four girls (good kids) never showed up for class. My other students told me they were called to the office, so I didn't do anything for awhile. About a half hour into class, I noticed my class staring at the clock and whispering to each other, so I thought something might be up, so I didn't call them on it.

With about 20 minutes left in the day, the principal came in and told my students to drop their pencils, and get out of there. They all ran off, and he told me to come with him. As he walked me downstairs, I noticed that there was noone in any of the classrooms. I told him I was getting very nervous, and he told me I should be. As we walked closer to the downstairs, I started to hear screaming and the band. I then realized that they were doing this for me. I immediately felt my face get red, and I told him that I couldn't go down there. He walked me downstairs to the entire 7th grade cheering for me with signs. The band was playing and everything. The one girl in my homeroom was standing in the middle of the lobby with a microphone and then handed me a framed copy of the Runner's Prayer. I almost lost it, but then she started reading the history of the Boston Marathon so I was able to compose myself. The principal then said some words about how proud they were of me, and gave me some Gatorade. The ladies I work with gave me a gift card to a spa as well! Apparently, the kids in my homeroom came up with this idea, and everyone helped them pull it off. I was and still am so touched and I couldn't believe that they did this for me running a race. I am so lucky to work with such great people and kids.

Boston Trip
We arrived at our hotel around 11 PM on Friday night and immediately went to bed. Saturday morning we woke up and went to the Race Expo. It was crazy! There were so many people and vendors. I bought some merchandise, got my bib and packet, then we left for our duck tour. The weather was terrible. It was cold and rainy, and while I booked the Duck Tour almost a month ago, we really weren't looking forward to it when we saw the weather. Lucky for us, it was covered! It was an enjoyable tour, and we were able to familiarize ourselves with Boston. After the tour, we went to see the finish area, which was pretty neat. We then went back to our hotel to change, and our friend, Kevin, who lives in Boston picked us up. Kevin took us to Downtown Boston and showed us the sights. He then took us to Cambridge to show us Harvard. We went to a great Mexican restaurant and had some great food and margaritas. After dinner, Kevin got us tickets to see Martin Sexton at the House of Blues. It was a great show. For someone I never heard of, he was really good! After the show, Peg and I went back to the hotel, and Aaron went out with Kevin for some guy time.
At the Expo


Finish Line


On Sunday, we took our time getting moving in the morning. We took the T into Boston and walked around Quincy Market. We ate lunch at a cute Irish pub before going to the Red Sox game. Again, the weather was terrible. Fenway was very neat to see, and luckily, our seats were under cover. The Sox lost, but we had a good time at the game. After the game, we met up with Kevin and went to the North End for some Italian food. Our dinner was fabulous! That is such a cute section of Boston. After dinner, we went back to the hotel and I was in bed by 9:30. I actually slept pretty well.

Quincy Market


Fenway




Race Day
I woke up around 5:30 on Monday morning. I got all my stuff together and Aaron walked me to the T. I took the train to downtown Boston and just followed the crowd of runners to Boston Common. The line for the buses was HUGE. I made friends with people I was standing in line with and we finally got our bus around 7:45. The ride to Hopkinton took forver. We were on the bus for about an hour and a half. When we got to the Athlete's Village, I immediately got in line for the Porta Potty. By the time I got out, I only had enough time to get dressed and pin my gels to my shorts. We saw the jets fly over at the start of the first wave which was pretty cool! I immediately went to check my bag, and followed the crowd to the start of Wave 2. It was a .7 mile walk. I felt like we were walking forever. I got to the corrals with 7 minutes to the gun, and I was at corral 27. I was in corral 15, which was closer to the start line. Wave 2 featured corrals 14-27, so mine was towards the front closer to the start. The problem was there were people everywhere. I saw people with lower bibs running across lawns to bypass the crowds, so I followed suit. I got to my corral with about 3 minutes to gun time slightly out of breath. For someone who is always early, this made me flustered. They were really strict about letting people into my corral. You had to show your bib, or you weren't getting in. The nice thing about the corral system is that everyone in my corral had close to the same qualifying time as me. So we were all pretty much the same level runner.

The gun went off, and it took me about 2 minutes to cross the start...not bad! I felt pretty good, but got hot immediately. It pained me, but I threw away my nice pink tech long sleeve shirt. I didn't want to carry it the entire race, so I ditched it around mile 2. At least it will be donated to charity. My corral went out kinda fast, so I hoped I didn't regret it. I'll post my splits later, but it was faster than i anticipated. The crowds were absolutely amazing. There were people the entire course. The first half of the course was pretty easy, some downhill with some slight rollers.

I carried a water bottle (disposable), which held me over til about mile 8 when I took my first gel. Right after I took my gel, my legs started to feel a little heavy. I kept my pace up, but I had a feeling that the race was not going to go well. Everytime I doubted myself, I thought of all the people who were tracking me and I didn't want to disappoint. I tried to slow myself down to around 8:20, but I just kept plugging along the 8:00-8:10 range. When we got to the half, I was around 1:46, which was a half PR for me. This was also the section of Wellesley College. It was awesome. All the girls had signs that read "Kiss me, I'm Polish" or "Kiss me, I'm Italian" or "Kiss me, I'm a Senior." Many of the guys stopped for kisses. I ran though and high fived a bunch of them! I took my second (and last) gel around mile 14.

After the half, I started anticipating the Newton Hills. I wasn't sure when they were coming, but I knew it was soon. I didn't look over the course profile too much before the race because I didn't want to anticipate the hills, but I did anyway, and wished I knew exactly when they were coming. We hit some downhills after the half, so I coasted them. My legs felt tight and heavy, and I worked to keep my pace up. I honestly kept waiting to crash and burn, so I thought if I could bank enough time, I could still have a good overall marathon (which is a terrible racing strategy). I started stopping at almost every water station for Gatorade. I could feel the salt on my face from the sweat which made me nervous about my electrolytes and sodium. I kept thinking about my disasterous NJ Marathon, and didn't want a repeat. I would grab a cup and jump off the course so I didn't get in the way of anyone to chug it down. It didn't take me long at all, and I almost immediately caught up to the people I was running with (not really with, but at the same time). One lady kept trying to talk to me, but I wasn't having it. I wasn't being rude, but I was running a marathon, not making friends!

We reached the Newton hills around Mile 16 and they really sucked. The crowds were great, but they were steeper than I thought. Everyone told me that they were overrated, but I disagree. They are quality hills. By the time Heartbreak Hill came around mile 20.5, I really wanted to cry. It wasn't that Hearbreak was that steep..it was just ANOTHER hill to run up. My legs were dead at that point, but I ran every step. Many people walked, but I refused. After Heartbreak was the Boston College section, which was awesome. Those kids know how to party. They were all hammered, but they were great cheerleaders. One guy pointed right at me and said "15220, You are a champion." That really got me moving! What disappointed me was that they said the course was all downhill after Heartbreak, and that was a lie. There were some rollers. Finally around mile 24, I could see the Citgo sign, which I knew was the mile to go sign. The crowds at this point were absolutely amazing. I wished I could enjoy them more, but it took everything I had to keep moving. I never even took my last gel because I was afraid if I stopped, I would cramp up and not be able to get moving again. I skipped all the water stations too, just so I could get to the finish line quicker. We ran past Fenway, and I finally reached the Citgo sign. I tried to focus on all the people and I kept repeating to myself "If it was easy, everyone would do it." I kept thinking of the send off my school gave me, and it really gave me strength, when I thought I couldn't run another step. I started looking for Aaron, who told me he was by the Hynes Convention Center, near the finish, but I wasn't sure how close that was. Every time we rounded a corner, I was hoping to see the finish only to be disappointed. Finally, we rounded a corner (Boylston St.), I saw the finish and my family at the same time. They were right up in front, and I managed a wave. I kept moving with everything I had towards the finish. I knew I was going to PR, but I wasn't sure by how much. Right at the end, there were two chutes, one for Wave 1 and one for Wave 2, so my finishing pic will have close to the right time! Every clock on the course annoyed me because they all started timing with wave 1, so I had to subtract a half hour...thank goodness for Garmin. At the end, I saw a guy raise his hands, so I tried to do the same. I hope the finishing pic comes out good!

Immediately after finishing, I felt like collapsing. Some people did and were in wheelchairs. For one minute, I thought I was going to pass because I saw stars. I just held on to a railing, and the feeling passed. I immediately started drinking water, and was then given Gatorade. I got my mylar blanket, and started freezing. I was so hot on the course, but as soon as I stopped, I felt the wind. They gave us our medals and a bag of food. The chute was probably a block long. Then I was directed to get my bag. The bus with my bag was the LAST bus. So I had to walk and walk and walk. I got my bag, called Aaron, who told me they were at the family meeting area at the "M." Of course, the M was the LAST Sign. It was around the block. I started to get tears in my eyes because I was so frustrated, and I felt like I couldn't walk another step. One lady must have noticed, because she told me congratulations and that I should be proud of myself. I finally saw the M and Aaron, Peg, and Kevin were all there ready to give me hugs. Aaron got me some flower, and Peg was holding my signs. Aaron helped me put on my Boston Jacket (which I refused to wear until I finished). I thought we were going to have to walk to a T then back to the hotel, but luckily we found a cab.

Overall it was a great experience. I feel such pride knowing that I accomplished this amazing feat. Many people work years to get there, and I feel like I had it easier than most. I managed to PR on a difficult course and couldn't be happer. I am definitely taking some time off from running to let my body heal. This summer, I am going to focus on some shorter distances and hope to love running again. While I wouldn't trade this experience for the world, I am done marathoning for awhile!

Here are my splits from my Garmin:
1 8:04
2 8:02
3 7:58
4 7:47
5 8:09 (I tried to slow down after mile 4)
6 8:01
7 8:03
8 8:08
9 8:09
10 8:09
11 8:14
12 8:01
13 8:08
14 8:02
15 8:12
16 7:56 (downhill before the hills)
17 8:24
18 8:21
19 8:03
20 8:18
21 8:39 (Heartbreak Hill)
22 8:07
23 8:14
24 8:21
25 8:26
26 8:29
.2 3:43 (not totally accurate as Garmin says I ran 26.47 miles)
Overall pace: 8:15

Here are some finishing pics

On the Road

I am leaving for Boston today! It was a crappy week of "training." I had/have a terrible chest cold. I took three days off running, and ran some slow miles later in the week. I am feeling better, but not 100%. Lucky for me, I still have 2 more days to recover. The weather doesn't look great for our weekend in Boston. All I have to say, is if I have to run another marathon in the rain, I will not be happy. My bib is 15220 if anyone wants to track me on the bostonmarathon.com web site. I will post a full report when I get back! Wish me luck!!!

April 19th can't come soon enough

March mileage: 181 miles. Almost a mileage high, but last Sept. I ran 182...I knew I should have skipped that 5 miler in Week 14!

I am sick of running. I get this way every training cycle, but I seriously have no motivation right now. It took alot to get out there for 12 on Saturday. Thank goodness, I only have short runs left. I am slightly nervous because I feel I am putting forth alot of effort to run my usual paces. Last cycle, I felt awesome at this point. Every time I would look down at my watch, I surprised myself with how fast I was going...not this time. I was seriously wondering if my garmin was working properly when I looked down and saw 9:15 today on a 4-miler. I felt like I was going much quicker! Of course, this makes me question my marathon. I know I need to trust the taper, and it's only taper madness, but the mind can be a hard thing to control.

My aunt, uncle, and cousin got me an awesome basket in honor of my running Boston. It has a Boston visor, coffee mug, pin, gatorade, powerade, coke, GU, protein bars, bandaids, biofreeze, etc. They are a running family, so they "get" it. My uncle has run Boston several times and is an amazing runner, so he has really been an inspiration and support throughout this journey! I have been feeling down about myself lately, so this helped me see the support that I do have.

I also ordered my Boston jacket. I was undecided about ordering one. It is bright teal and yellow and very flashy! I tend to be a modest person and really couldn't see myself wearing this jacket...especially to local races because I feel that I'm not "that" good to prance around in a jacket like that. After talking to my uncle, he convinced me to buy it. I know I earned it, so I splurged and spent the bucks on it. Once it comes, it will stay unworn until I finish the race. Then, I need to work up the courage to wear it. It looks like a good running jacket anyway.

Our trip is shaping up too. Aaron and my mother-in-law will be joining me for the big weekend. My parents can't come because my sister's bridal shower is the following weekend, so they have to get ready for that. We are driving to Boston immediately after work (my work) on Friday the 16th. I figure if we leave around 3:30/4:00, we should get there by 11 (hopefully). Saturday, we plan to hit the expo first thing in the morning and do the Ride the Ducks Tour at 1. Aaron wasn't sure what this was until he watched Undercover Boss, now he is ready to kill me, but I really enjoyed it in Philly. I would also like to hit Quincy Market and walk part of the Freedom Trail. Sunday, I am going to try to take it easy. We got Red Sox tickets, so I will be sitting for most of the day. I am not sure what else we will do, except have a nice Italian dinner possibly in the North End. Aaron's good friend lives in Boston, so hopefully we will meet up with him and he can give us some suggestions. We are leaving right after the race on Monday, so we won't get home until late. I already took Tuesday off to recover! I can't believe it is here already. In fact, 2 weeks from this moment, it will be over and we will be driving home. Wow!

Week 17 Schedule
Monday- 4 miles
Tuesday- 6 miles
Wednesday- 30 min tempo (4 miles)
Friday- 4 miles
Long Run of 8 miles.....Monday the 12th! I want to get on track for a Monday marathon.

Total: 26 miles...yay!

Taper time!

I just capped off a 55 mile week and I feel awesome! Friday....10 mile pace run at 8:19 and Saturday 20 mile long run at 8:58...enough said! I am right where I want to be and I have been running really well. You can never predict what is going to happen during a marathon because so many things are out of your control, but I have had a great, pretty healthy training cycle. Granted, I still feel exhausted over 24 hours after my 20 yesterday, but it is now taper time.

Of course, I couldn't have good weather for my 20-miler. It was 20 degrees when I woke up, so i dressed for winter. I headed up to the levee since isn't supposed to be gusty, and it was fine. I ran my levee route and headed to Wilkes Barre. I decided to head down Riverside Drive to see the nice houses, which coincidentally is a block away from where I lived during my college years. Low and behold, I spotted an opening to the levee. I started running, and it was a whole new levee that I never experienced! It was a great scenic run. I never realized that there was a paved levee on that part of the river. I ran all the way to the end which ended up being 11 miles into my run. I was a little nervous because there was literally noone around and it was a very desolate area, but that is just me being paranoid. On my way back, I stopped at Wilkes U's student union building to use the bathroom and fill up my handheld. I figured between the tuition I paid for my bachelor's and master's, they owed me a pit stop!

On my way back, I struggled a little. 20 miles is a long way no matter the shape that you are in. As I was running through Kirby Park, I watched a Ultimate Frisbee tournament, and I was so engrossed, that I ran off the path. Haha.... I don't think anyone noticed.

So here I am, 3 weeks from Boston. I think my goal is going to be to beat my Steamtown time of 3:37. If I don't, I really don't care. I want to enjoy the race and take it all in. I am super excited to go and experience all that Boston has to offer. I want to do all the touristy things and have a good time. I just need to stay injury free for the next three weeks, which hopefully, won't be a problem.

On another note...my new shoes suck! They have been okay on the shorter runs, but after my 20, I have a big blister on my pinkie toe. Also, several of my toenails hurt. I have yet to lose a toenail through 4 training cycles, and I don't intend to start now. I think I may be wearing my old shoes for the actual marathon, once I get them cleaned up a bit.

Here is Week 16 Schedule:

Monday: 5 miles
Tuesday: 8 miles
Wednesday: 6 x hill or 5 miles depending on my mood. I may move this run to Thursday since we have a happy hour after work on Wed. and I am off for Easter Break on Thursday.
Friday: 4 mile pace
Saturday: 12 miles
Total: 34 miles

Ups and Downs

Well last week was interesting to say the least. As I wrote on Monday, I skipped Monday’s run and then ran Tues-Friday. I only ran a total of 29 miles! When I went to run on Tuesday, I just didn’t feel right. My legs were still feeling fatigued from last Saturday’s 20. Then for the rest of the week I had some calf pain. This made me extremely nervous because it happens to be every cycle. Last cycle, I was seeing a chiropractor, so she helped work out the knots. All last week, I foam rolled and used the stick religiously. I did my long run of 12 on Friday because I wanted a day of rest in case I decided to race on Sunday (which I did!).

I wore new shoes for my long run: Mizuno Wave Nirvana 6s. These are a newer model than my last ones, and I called the company to ask about fit. They told me that they would fit and wear the same. Well, I wore them on my run and they felt terrible! The side of my foot was killing me and it rubbed my pinkie toe. I had that pain on the side of my foot all day on Saturday. Since I ran in them, they can’t be returned and they were $120. I am going to test them out on some shorter runs to see if I get used to them. I hope my issues are in my head. Otherwise, I will be wearing my old shoes for the rest of this cycle.

That brings me to: RACE DAY! Many people advised me against it, but I just couldn’t resist. I ran the Winter’s End 4.5 miler for the last two years, and I wanted to see where my speed is compared to last year. I wasn’t sure of my expectations because I am a little run down from the training and I wasn’t sure how my calves were going to feel. I got there early, registered, and warmed up a little. It was a record turnout: about 170 runners. I thought my age group was 20-29, and I saw a really good local triathlete who is about 22 there. I knew she would beat me, but I was hoping for 2nd. Usually at the Strider’s races they only give out awards for the top 2 in each age group. There were a lot of unfamiliar faces who were dressed like they were seasoned runners.

I lined up towards the front. I used to feel self-conscious about lining up towards the front, but I can hold my own and I am sick of dodging and weaving at the beginning of the race. When the gun went off, I took off just to get out of the crowd. I hit mile 1 at 6:15….wayyyy too fast for me! I was running with some of the leaders (women…not the eventual winner though…she smoked everyone right from the beginning). Many of these women beat me at all of the races, so I let them go ahead a bit. My legs were burning and I still had 3.5 miles to go!
This race isn’t as easy as it looks. While there are no big hills, there are some rollers and I definitely felt them. It is an out and back course and towards the turnaround, the course is on a dirt surface. It isn’t even and there was some gravel, so I was extremely careful with my footing. The thought of falling entered my mind, so I pretty much ran looking at the ground. At the turnaround, I saw that I was the 6th female. I was pretty far ahead of the 7th place girl and the top 5 were pretty far ahead of me. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to catch them, and I was pretty sure I could hold off the rest of the competition. And that was pretty much what happened. I was the 6th female in 32:08 (7:09 pace). Last year, I ran 33:30 so this is a big improvement. I felt good and am pleased with this time. I wasn’t sure if I was going to place in my age group, since I knew the one girl beat me, and I didn’t know how old the 2nd place girl was. It turned out that they split the age group, so in the 25-29 group, I got 1st! I would have had 2nd if they didn’t split it. Plus, they gave out 3rd place awards too. I guess because of the record field. So all in all, it was a good race.

This week marks my final “Peak” week. Here’s the schedule:
Sunday: I am counting the race as 5 with the warm-up.
Monday: 5 recovery
Tuesday: 10
Wednesday: Supposed to do 8x800, but I may just do 5, since I just did some speed.
Friday: 10 pace
Saturday: 20, but I may do 21 since I did that for Steamtown and it worked for me.
Total mileage: 56 miles

skipped run

I skipped my run today and I feel good about it. I honestly just didn't feel it. I had a dentist appt after work, then dinner at my parents, and now that I am home, I just don't feel like hopping on the treadmill for five miles. It's only five miles, it's a cutback week, and I am still a little run down from Saturday's run from hell. So I ate some leftover birthday cake and I am quite happy to sit on my rear end for the rest of the evening!

Running with a Parachute

The title sums up my 20-miler today. It was the worst, most difficult run I think I have ever run. It reminded me so much of the NJ marathon. The forecast was terrible: rain and high winds. The weather guy said the rain will be horizontal rain! The forecast said the rain will be heavier in the afternoon so I wanted to be out the door kinda early.

First off, I did 10 miles at 8:22 yesterday which I am super excited about. I ran up on the levee and it was very windy and drizzling a little. I worked hard and kept the pace up. I probably should have stuck to the streets as it is always windy down by the river, but I got spoiled running up there this week. It is nice not to worry about cars for a change! Also, there are some little hills to run up and down. I went to bed around 10 last night because I was tired from the tough workout and I wanted to get up early to get the 20 over with this morning.

It was around 40 degrees so I wore a tech shirt and breathable pants (from Target!). I then threw on one of Aaron's old windbreakers from around 1995! It was an extra large, but it had a hood and seemed water proof. I wore a baseball hat (which I hate running with!) and put my ipod shuffle in a ziplock bag so it wouldn't get ruined. When I headed out, it wasn't even raining! The windbreaker wasn't breathable, so I got pretty sweaty right away. It was a terrible feeling keeping all that heat in, but I knew I would appreciate the jacket later. The direction I started running was so windy! My heart rate was up after one mile, so I decided right then and there not to worry about pace, just get the miles in. Around mile 2, I switched directions and ran all the way down Wyoming Ave...from Denison to the Gateway, and it wasn't bad for about 4miles. It started to rain a bit, but never really hard.

It is very difficult to get 20 miles in, so I ventured over to Wilkes Barre before I headed towards West Pittston. I ran through my college campus, but it was desolate. Everyone was on spring break. The campus is looking good, and even though I live pretty close to it, I don't check it out too often. Around 8 miles in (semi windy), I had to turn around.

Oh the wind! I ran into a headwind for 8 straight miles! It was so hard. I really felt like I had a parachute on. It reminded me of my old track days when we did resistance training with an actual parachute strapped to our backs. I was running as hard as I could and was just not moving! I honestly felt like crying numerous times. I was just so miserable and drained. I got to West Pittston shopping center, and turned around. It was like a switch was turned. Immediately, there was no wind! It made me question my sanity because I honestly couldn't even tell it was blowing. It was just in that one direction. I looked at my pace, and for about two miles, it was right where it should be (9:00ish). Then, for the last 3 miles, my legs were dead, my energy was gone, and I shuffled home. I think I ruined my shoes though. They are black from dirt! I have over 500 miles on them anyway, so I am going to order a fresh pair for the marathon. On a positive note, I wasn't all that wet. The heavy rain held off!

It was super scared to check the pace, and when I looked, I actually am kinda happy with it: 9:17 per mile. I thought it was going to be MUCH worse. It was such a hard 20-miler, I am thankful I only have one more left in two weeks. When I came home, I took a shower and went back to bed for 2 hours. I haven't done a darn thing all day but lay around. OK, I did go to McDonald's for a Shamrock shake...I earned one! My legs currently feel tired and slightly stiff and sore. I am walking normally and can go up and down stairs without a problem, but my calves feel like rocks! I just hope I don't get any muscle spasms tonight.

I also need to decide if I am going to run that 4.5 miler next weekend. I am leaning towards it, but will probably decide for sure on Thursday. If I decide, I will run 5 days straight and do my long run on Friday so I can rest on Saturday and have fresh legs on Sunday. We'll see.

Personally, I had a great birthday. So many people made a big deal out of my birthday, I feel so blessed. I had one of my friends at work make me brownies, and another make me cupcakes. Several of my classes made me cards (kinda a big deal for 7th graders to make the effort). Aaron made me breakfast and dinner! On Friday, my homeroom girls from last year got me a little cake. We also went out for dinner with my best bud Stacey and her husband. Today, we are going out with my family for hibachi. I also got tons of cards, texts, calls, and facebook posts. I'm a lucky girl!

My computer got a virus, so I haven't been able to update. Last week was a great running week! I actually made it outside 4 times. I only did my intervals on the treadmill. This week, unfortunately, is not fun! It is my second peak week and running 50 miles is not fun. So far, the weather has been glorious this week! Yesterday, I actually ran 5 miles in shorts. I saw something I haven't seen in months...other runners! It is nice to see people out and about again. It makes me feel like I'm not running alone all the time.

I have been keeping an eye on the forecast, and it is supposed to pour rain Friday and Saturday. This is great since I have to run 10 miles on Friday and 20 on Saturday. I am definitely running the 20 outside, so if it is pouring, I am going to get wet and probably chafe and get blisters! I will live though.

I am debating running a race on the 21st. It is a 4.5 miler and I run it every year. I don't necessarily like racing when I am training because I don't feel like I am fast. It is before my last peak week, so I am afraid racing all out for 4.5 miles will make my legs tired all week. Plus, there is alot of pressure on me because I have placed in my age group for the last two years. I just realized that this is my last year in my age group...20-29. Next year, I have to move up! This is good in some ways because a really good local runner is a year ahead of me, so I usually place second in my age group to her, so she should be moving up this year. If there is a 30-39 age group next year, I will be in trouble. There are some really good runners in the 35-36 range. Oh well, why stress about it now!

Here's the schedule this week Peak Week #2
Monday: 5 miles outside
Tuesday: 10 miles outside
Wednesday: 7x hill on treadmill...the hills are going to kick my butt at Boston. I'm resigned to this.
Friday: 10 miles
Saturday: 20 miles

On a personal note: Thursday is my 29th birthday. I am going out for dinner on Friday night with friends and on Saturday night with my family. It is a good thing I am running so much this week since I will be stuffing my face. St. Patty's Day is really big in our area with the Scranton parade. People go to the bar and drink their faces off all day on Saturday. We may go to a local bar for a little bit since my sister-in-law from DC will be there with her friends, but I want to wait to see how I am feeling after a wet 20. It should be a fun week (minus the running!).

20-miler on my treadmill

Well i did it this morning....20 miles on my treadmill. Aaron, Nikko and I went for a walk last night and the sidewalks were a mess. Aaron almost fell just walking! The ones that were shoveled had a slight layer of new snow on them with ice underneath. Plus, there were mounds of snow on all the intersections. I decided that I was going to have to run on the TM. I woke up this morning, and we had about 3 more inches! I am not a trail runner. I am a baby when it comes to bad weather, so to the TM I went! I ordered a movie on PPV...The Box. I watched it for about an hour and I had to stop, it was so bad! I then found some stuff on TV and kept myself occupied. I even watched 90210! I ate a bag of sweedish fish, drank about 28 oz of water and 15 oz of G2. I was sweating so badly I am afraid to weigh myself right now. I had to have lost about 2 lbs of water weight! Aaron came in from snow blowing (for the 3rd time in two days), found the camera and snapped some pics (since he thought I was crazy). At the end, I decided I need to document this feat with a picture! See below (the first pic is actually 171 minutes...the timer starts over after 100 minutes! My new set-up in the basement is great! It is so nice to watch tv and not have to turn my head!

Cutback Week next week (and I need it!)
Monday: 5 mi
Tuesday: 6 mi
Wednesday: 7 x 800 prob. 5.5-6 miles
Thursday: 6 mi pace (Nikko has a vet appt on Friday, so i am switching days)
Saturday: 12 miles
Total: 34.5 miles

Sick of this Weather

For as great as the weather was last week, it is that bad this week! I have run 30 miles on the treadmill so far, and I have no clue how I am going to run my 20-miler tomorrow morning outside. We got about a foot of snow and the sidewalks and roads are terrible. I am SO ANNOYED! 20-milers are the most important part of training (in my opinion). My plan as of right now is to go for a walk tonight and see how the sidewalks are on part of my running route. My fear is that all of the intersections are going to be mountains of snow. I will try to decide if waiting til Sunday would be a better option (although I don't think it will). If not, then off to the movie store to pick up some DVDs for 3 hours on the treadmill! UHHH!!! Update tomorrow!

19 miler update

Well, running 19 miles definitely takes a toll on my body. The verdict is....major chafing and some bruised toes! I am annoyed because I used Body Glide and I still chafed underneath my sports bra. I didn't even realize it until I took a shower, which if you ever chafed there, you know the pain I felt! So now, I am using neosporin in hopes that it clears up before some of my longer runs this week. As for the toes, this is usual for me. I have yet to lose a toe nail, but they often get bruised despite buying my shoes a half size larger.

The rest of my body was more tired than sore this morning, and now, I feel pretty much back to normal. This is important because I ran that long run kinda fast, so I need to pay attention to my recovery time. The fact that I have no lingering soreness is a good sign of my fitness! It is a relief! Normally, I take an ice bath after a hard long run, but not in February!

And, I must say...I am dreading this week. No matter how many times I run 20-milers, they still scare me. I keep telling myself "3 more hard weeks." It's hard to believe, but with the cutback weeks and taper, that is all that is left. The foam roller will be my best friend in the meantime!

Confidence Booster

It was 33 degrees this morning and it felt tropical! Finally, some decent running weather has happened in the last few days. I made it outside three times this week, and I must say, I feel pretty good about my running. In most areas of my life, I am a pretty confident person. That is not always the case in running. I think because I spend so much time running alone, so many thoughts are always going through my head (negative usually). I always think of the people who are better than me, or how everyone will be disappointed in me if I run a bad race. I tend to focus on every little pain I might feel and wonder if it's going to develop into an injury. If I look at my Garmin, and my pace is slow, I get pissed at myself and condemn myself to a bad race at Boston. I am just so sick of the mind games I play with myself. Finally, I feel awesome about my last two runs!

Yesterday, I did 9 miles at marathon pace. I am aiming for 8:20 and I did them in 8:23. This is pretty good for me. I always have a hard time hitting pace outside. Of course, I could so this same workout on the treadmill at 8:00 pace no problem, but since my race isn't on a treadmill, I never really count it the same way. To run 9 miles outside just about on pace is a great accomplishment for me! In past training cycles, I usually give up on pace runs as the mileage increases, or I do them on the treadmill (what I consider the easy way out for me). While I might have been slightly off, 8:23 is pretty darn close! I don't like to make excuses because come marathon day, anything could happen, but I ran a little bit by the river and it was WINDY! One mile was way off pace, so I am glad I hit 8:23!

That brings us to the 19 I ran this morning. The purpose of the pace run the day before the long run is to run long on tired legs. This way, come marathon day, your legs will be rested and feel really fresh. I woke up this morning, and I just did not want to run. Aaron really helped by telling me to bag the run. He told me that noone is making me do this, so if I don't want to, then don't do it. Uhh...Thanks Aaron! Way to be supportive.

Well, I was definitely running the 19 miles whether I felt like it or not. I never give up on a run. I felt like crap at first. My legs were a little tired from yesterday, and my lower back was hurting (had this problem last cycle...not good!). I felt slightly nauseous which was my own fault since I ate a banana before my run. They sometimes don't sit well in my stomach before a run, but I wanted the potassium. After a few miles, I settled into pace and felt okay. My back bothered me until the very end of the run.

I took a GU around mile 12. This is the first GU I had since the horrific NJ Marathon experience. I have been using PowerBar Gel, but when I went to get some at Dick's, they only had the 2x caffeine ones, and I like to save those for actual races, so I can feel the kick. I decided it was time to try some GU again, so I took a vanilla one and had no issues! I knew all along that my vomiting episode at NJ wasn't GUs fault, but I just use PB Gel in case. I also at 7 big sweedish fish for a total of 200 calories. I am now very careful not to let my body get depleted. I also stopped at a Turkey Hill to buy a water to refill my handheld. I probably drank around 32 oz on the run.

I ran pretty consistent miles, but I must say, the last mile really sucked. I was in pain! I could barely lift my legs up the curbs at intersections. My lower back hurt on both sides and my toes were hurting. Stupid me, shaved off a callus this week because Aaron made fun of my big toe, and I felt it today. They are there for a reason! I was about .8 away from my house and I ran by my mother-in-law's house, and I must admit, I almost stopped and asked her to drive me home! I then told myself to suck it up and get back on pace. I kept telling myself that it was mind over matter. So of course, I did it!

Now for my pace.......9:03! 19 miles at 9:03! That is a big accomplishment for me. Keep in mind that this is after my 9 at MP last night! I did all of this in the span of 18 hours. This gives me a lot of confidence going into my peak weeks.

Here is Week 11 (Peak Week 1 of 3)
Monday: 5 miles (recovery)
Tuesday: 10 miles
Wednesday: 45 tempo (probably 6ish)
Friday: 10 (not pace)
Saturday: 20
Total: 51 miles

Naked Run

Here is a pic of me after my 12-miler. Of course, Nikko was at my side. It was about 20 degrees, so I had on cold gear, tec shirt, fleece on top and cold gear and wind pants on the bottom! You can alse see a sneak peak at the basement. Aaron doesn't want me to post pictures until all the finishing touches are completed, but you can see a glimpse of it!


As for the title....Get your heads out of the gutter! I ran without my Garmin today. Definitely not by choice though. I went to fire it up, and it started flashing "low battery." Was i annoyed! I had it charging since last night. I am not sure if I just didn't have it in the charger correctly, or if it is really dying. It was so weird to run without it. I ran my West Pittston route, and I think I was pretty close to 12 miles. I tried to remember where exactly to turn around at the 6 mile mark, but I may have been slightly off. In fact, I hope I ran longer, because if not, my time really sucked. It took be about 1 hour and 50 minutes. Granted, I was jumping around snow piles and icy spots, but that is SLOW for me! Oh well, it was kind of nice not to stress about pace. I capped off a 39 mile week, and now the REALLY hard stuff starts!

My knees bothered me a little bit today too. First, I felt my left IT band, then towards the end of the run, my right IT band started to hurt. I am not sure if it is in my head or not. I am analyzing every little thing my body feels. I am just so worried about getting injured this close to Boston. I have a tough week of running ahead of me, so if it continues to hurt, off to the chiropractor for ART I go!

Aaron wants to go skiing tomorrow, and I really don't want to. Again, I am afraid of getting hurt. It is so easy to tweak a knee while skiing, I just don't want to take the chance. It would be one thing, if we could just go and ski leisurely, but with Aaron, that definitely won't happen. He is a free-style skier, and loves to drag me along with him, despite my lack of skills. I can hold my own, but I am no match for him! I guess we will see.

Here is my week 10 schedule:
Monday: 4 miles (last week of 4s)
Tuesday: 9 miles
Wednesday: 6 x hill (probably 4.5-5 miles)
Friday: 9 miles pace
Saturday: 19 (Yikes!)
Total: 46 miles

Week 9

Monday: 4 miles
Tuesday: 9 miles outside at 8:48 pace
Wednesday: 6 x 800 at 8.7 speed 1% incline on the treadmill 2:30 recovery in between for a total of 5 miles
Friday: 9 mile pace
Saturday: 12 miles (Cutback week!)
Total: 39 miles

I am almost afraid to say it, but training has been going really well. I have been running very strongly and my paces are quicker than last cycle without any more effort. I find myself being paranoid about every little pain. The thought of an injury scares me half to death! Lately, I have noticed my lower back getting sore. This happened last training cycle and I spent a week limping around because my back hurt so badly. This cycle, I have not been seeing a chiropractor, and I am hoping that I don't need to start. I guess I just need to keep an eye on it.

Running 8/9 miles after work is a pain in the butt! I don't mind 6 or 7 milers, but for 8 or 9 (soon to be 10), it is hard to get everything done that needs to get done. I have been using my crockpot and cooking dinner before I leave for work, and that has been helping. We have been so busy with this basement and moving things from upstairs to downstairs, that I haven't had much free time.

We hired movers to move my treadmill, and they wouldn't touch it! THey measured our stairs and said it would have to be taken apart to fit down the stairs, but they didn't want to be the ones to take it apart. I am kinda glad because it is my most prized possession and I don't want people just screwing around with it! I have been thinking about getting it serviced soon anyway, since I never have, and it has tons of miles on it. Aaron seems to think he can take it apart, so I guess we will see.

After this week, I am halfway finished with training! Unfortunately, it is the most difficult part of training! I really only have 6 more weeks until the taper and I am counting down the weeks! I wasn't thrilled to start training, so the last nine weeks have flown by and my attitude is much better. I am still not sure what my goal is going to be at Boston because I really don't know if I can PR. I can't believe I ran a 3:37 at Steamtown and I don't want to be disappointed if I don't do better. I want to enjoy the experience and take it all in.

That's all for today...I am off to enjoy my day off and have fun in the snow with Nikko!

Diamonds Finishing Pic

They finally posted the pictures from my Thanksgiving Diamonds race.

Distance PR

Today I ran 16 miles on my treadmill. Previously, the furthest I ever ran on a treadmill was 14 miles, so this is a PR!

I watched the forecast all week and I knew the weather was not looking good for my weekend runs. Because of this, I ran my Tuesday 8-miler outside, in case I didn't get outside on Friday (I try to run at least 2 times per week outside.). This was a smart move because yesterday after work, it was FREEZING! I had to do a coat of paint on the baseboard and I usually run quicker on the treadmill, so I did my 8-mile pace run inside. I had it on 7.5 speed 1 % incline( 8 min. mile) for about 6 miles, then dropped it down to about 7.3 for the last two. I started to feel a little lightheaded, so I thought I better move it down a notch. I have to remember that as I increase my mileage, I need to increase my calories.

I woke up this morning, and it was 5 degrees! I learned my lesson after my last long run in 12 degrees, so I knew it was going to be a treadmill run. I would have been ok if i was only heading out for an hour, but for 2.5, it would have been stupid to run outside. I would have been miserable the whole time. Plus, my body would have had to work even harder to keep warm, I knew I would get a better quality workout on my treadmill (can you tell I am justifying it to myself!).

I got my G2 gatorade, water, and sweedish fish (When I am running that far, I need to think about fuel, or I will get lightheaded, but I don't like to do GU or Powerbar Gel until I get to 19 or 20...I have no logic for this other than mental reasons.). I rented Julie and Julia, so I was occupied for the first two hours. It was an ok movie, but nothing great. The run was uneventful until Dewey (my mother-in-law's Gordon Setter, whom we are dogsitting) decided to try to jump on the treadmill with me. Well, he freaked out and got scared, as did I. As if once wasn't enough, he tried it again! He's very loveable, but I do question his intelligence at times!

After the movie was over, I still had two miles. I found Platinum Weddings on TV and watched that for a bit. I kept the treadmill at 7.0 speed with 1 % incline for 14 miles, then cranked it up to 7.3 2% incline for the last two just to tire my legs out a bit. I usually like to run the last few miles of my long runs faster, so my legs learn to respond when they are tired. I felt great and don't even feel that tired now!

One problem that I always have and no matter what I try, I just can't solve, is my hair. No matter what I do, it is always a tangled mess when I finish my long runs. It hasn't been bad lately because I don't sweat that much when it is cold, but today, I was reminded of my problem. I can't wear it in a regular ponytail because of the bouncing, it gets tangled as it swings back and forth. I braid it, but my hair is on the thin side, so it falls out of a braid rather easily. Today I pulled it into a pony tail and put a pony tail holder towards the bottom and that second elastic fell out as I was running. The problem is that I sweat from the crown of my head where my pony tail elastic is. Then, the thick clump of hair at the top of my ponytail gets matted and the knots work their way downward, if that makes sense. I have tried everything! Buns, loops, braids, and sweatbands all don't work. I have to spend my shower wrestling with the knots in my hair! So if anyone has any more ideas, please share because it is beyond frustrating!

On a personal note...my cousin, Amy had her baby on Wednesday! She had a hell of a labor, and ended up having a C-section. The baby looks beautiful, and they named her Abby. I can't wait to meet her in person! I also hope Amy has a quick recovery because I know she is dying to get back into shape and get running!

Also...carpeting for the basement is coming on Monday. Then, our new furniture is coming on Thursday. We are having a few people over for Super Bowl Sunday to enjoy it. I can't wait because this has been consuming our lives forever! Poor Aaron has been working his butt off. He has always worked alot for his job, but for the last few months, he has been working in our basement until 10:00 at night after work. Some times, he gets up at 6 and works for an hour and a half before he goes to actual work. I can't wait to get my husband back and be able to do things together again! Plus, I will have help around the house because I have been doing all of the cooking and cleaning myself. I will post pictues as soon as I can!

Week 8 Schedule
Monday: 4 miles
Tuesday: 8 miles
Wednesday: 40 min. tempo. 5 min. warm up, 30 minutes at 7:40 pace, and 5 min. cool down. This will probably be about 5 miles.
Friday: 8 miles (not pace)
Saturday: 17 miles
Total: 42 miles

Also...I hit 150 miles for January!

Here is my Week 8 Schedule

Week 7

I don't have time for a long post, but I wanted to post the mileage for this week. This is what I considered the "hard" part of training! 8-miles after work is a pain, and this week they start!

Schedule
Monday: 4 miles
Tuesday: 8 miles
Wednesday: 5 x hill (at least 4 miles)
Friday: 8 miles
Saturday: 16 miles
Total: 40 miles...it's been awhile since I ran that much in one week!

They are saying it might be a mess on Saturday morning: snow, sleet, freezing rain. I really hope they are wrong (they usually are). I REALLY don't want to run 16 miles on the treadmill or in the ice. \

Last week, the running was fine. I did my long run of 10 at 8:53 and my pace run of 7 at 8:12. My legs were tired on Sunday, which is odd for a cutback week! I need to make sure I don't run too fast, as I don't want to burn myself out. This week is going to be extremely busy. The carpet is being installed in the basement next Monday, and there is still alot of painting to finish up. So this is my plan for the week: work, run, paint. Sounds fun!

A Family Affair

I had two amazing runs in the last two day! Yesterday, I didn't have work. It was a make-up snow day that we didn't use yet, so we had it off (stupid, I know, it's only january!). I headed out for a 7-miler. It wasn't a pace run, just an easy run. The sun was out, it was about 35 degrees and I finished in an hour! It ended up being 8:33 pace...almost MP! I ran to the other side of the Market St. Bridge and back.

Today, I had 14 on the schedule. It was about 35 degrees at the start, so I wore my Under Armour shirt (not cold gear) and a tech shirt with my vest. On my legs, I wore my Nike tights. I also wore my gloves and a headband. It was the perfect outfit! I probably could have lost the gloves and headband towards the end, but for the most part, I was fine. The run was great. I felt really strong and ran a quick pace without even trying. I ended up back at my house with 3 miles to go, so I just pretty much ran around Forty Fort to finish. No matter how hard I try to stretch the run out, unless I go the Wyoming/West Pittston route, I have a really hard time getting miles in. I ran through Wilkes and my old apartment, plus I did the whole square thing. I even hit the Pierce St. Bridge and Rutter Ave (which I had been avoiding lately, since I was sick of it). I did a lap in Kirby Park, including the levee, and I still ended up at 11 miles! This is how I don't know how people run without a Garmin. It is so nice to just run wherever the mood strikes, instead of a planned route! The run ended up being 8:48 pace...yikes! That is too fast for a long run, unless my paces are getting quicker. I am going to have to see how recovery goes (I feel just fine now). The last thing I was is an injury! And...I hit 35 miles for the week...the most since the week I ran Steamtown in October! I brought Sport Beans, as I am getting into the long runs that I need to think about fuel, but I didn't need them. I drank about 20 oz from my handheld and it was perfect. I stick to water on my runs, until I get to the 20s, then I mix in some Gatorade.

As I was running, I was feeling sorry for myself that I don't have a running partner. It seems that on the message boards that I frequent everyone has a running partner. I would love to have someone to run long with on the weekends! This got me to thinking what an athletic extended family I have, hence the title of this post. Once I started thinking of it, I am so proud of us! Not many families have accomplished what we have.

I guess my Uncle Ron leads all of us. I am not sure of his official number, but he has probably run 30 marathons. He is the only family member that is local, but he is too good for me to run with! Next (and just as, if not more impressive) is his son, my cousin, Ronnie. He is an Ironman I don't know how many times over, including Kona. I have lost touch with him a bit in recent years, but he definitely amazes me with his ability and dedication. In that same family, is my cousin, Amy, and her husband, Chad. Amy has one marathon under her belt, and I know she will do more once she gives birth and recovers! Chad is a half Ironman and two-time marathoner! How's that for an athletic core family!

On the other side of my family, my cousin, Tony, is a triathlete and he and his wife, Sara, will complete their first marathon in April. I am pretty sure that Sara is moving on the triathlons after that! My sister-in-law, Lexi, is a two-time marathoner, and her husband, Greg, completed his first (and last, so he says) marathon this fall. Then, of course, there is me. I have 3 marathons under my belt and will run my 4th, Boston, in April. So I have all these people that are hard core athletes in my family, but still no running partner! Too bad that they all live far away from me. At least, I have some people to run races with!

Here is my schedule for next week:

Monday: 7 miles (I am switching Mon and Tues due to my work schedule)
Tuesday: 3 miles (last week of 3s...boo!)
Wednesday: 5 x 800 meters
Friday: 7 miles pace
Saturday: 10 (cutback week)

What I learned today...

I just posted this as my facebook status, but today I learned that I have nothing to prove to anyone (mostly myself). Just being able to run 13 miles is hardcore. Running it outside in 12 degree weather when you have a perfectly good treadmill in a nice warm spare bedroom is just stupid and all the expensive gear in the world won't stop you from freezing your butt off!

Obviously, my long run sucked. Running-wise it was fine, but I really am a baby when it comes to cold weather. To those people who run in those sub zero temps, I honestly think you are crazy! I woke up and got all my layers on: under armour cold gear (tights and shirt), my nike cold weather turtle neck, reebok wind pants, and Aaron's old Lafayette baseball jacket as a windbreaker (size XL, so yeah, I was a sight to see). I also wore my balaclava and underarmour gloves and carried my 20 oz handheld water bottle. I even heated up the water ahead of time because I didn't want to drink cold water. My legs were still sore from Wednesday's hill workout and my pace run yesterday. I am actually happy about that. It takes alot for me to get sore legs!

The run actually started off ok, and i felt good for most of it. Around the 11-mile mark, I started to get cold. REALLY COLD! I think the wind was picking up and the temperature was dropping, despite the nice, sunny day (at least that's what Tom Clark said this morning). I think if I was only out there for about an hour, I would have felt great. 2 hours (actually 1:53) was too long in these temps. I can only imagine what the wind chill was. By the time I was finished, the water in my water bottle was frozen despite starting with warm water. My braid was frozen solid from the sweat (and it was tucked into my balaclava) and my nostrils were actually starting to freeze! My nose wouldn't stop running and the tissue I had with me (stupid me only brought one tissue) was frozen solid, so I was blowing my nose into a hard clump of paper, hence the frozen nostrils!

I should have ran half the mileage outside and then moved it indoors. For some reason, I feel like I'm not a "hardcore" runner for running indoors. I feel I need to prove that I am a real runner by torturing myself. Honestly, it was just stupid. My balaclava worked well with keeping my face warm, but despite the good reviews, it does get damp from breathing into it. I hate the feeling of dampness on my skin. Uhh...it is the worst feeling! Somehow I ended up at 9:03 pace, which is perfect, if not a little fast, for a long run. I felt like I was working so hard and still going so slow. Every time I would look at my pace, it was fine, but I just felt like I was going so slow. I felt like I was barely lifting up my legs my last two miles and I know I saw a 9:30 in there! I just noticed that this is the exact pace I ran two weeks ago for my 11-miler...very weird!

Yesterday, I was so thrilled with my under armour cold gear. It was about 25 degrees out and snowing, and I was nice and toasty warm! It was a 6-mile pace run and I felt great. I average 8:28 which isn't my marathon pace goal, but with the conditions, it is right where I should be. Yesterday, it snowed in the morning and there was still some icy patches on the sidewalks, so I had to be really careful. Plus, I forgot to turn on the auto-pause on my garmin, so the clock was running even when I was stopped for traffic lights. I didn't wear the balaclava, only a knit hat and it was perfect. I only wore the cold gear and wind pants and a nike half zip cold weather shirt, and like I said, I felt great!

I ended up with 31 miles, which is the highest mileage I have run since November. I am actually looking forward to cranking up the mileage. I am paying attention to my weight this time around because I think I actually gain a pound or two when I am running high mileage, so I want to see if that is true.

Week 5 is finally starting to get a little hard. Here is the schedule:

Monday: 3 miles (I am going to be sad when I lose these 3-milers)
Tuesday: 7 miles
Wednesday: 35 min. tempo (prob 4.5/5 miles)
Friday: 7 miles (not pace)
Saturday: 14 miles

Week 4

I realized I slacked on posting Week 4!

Monday: 3 miles (OUTSIDE!)
Tuesday: 6 miles (treadmill at 7.3 speed and 1% incline)
Wednesday: 4 x hill (at least 3 miles, probably more) I run for 3 minutes on 9% incline, 7.2 speed then slow down with no incline for 3 minutes and repeat)
Friday: 6 miles
Satuday: 13 miles....longest run since Steamtown!

This week I decided that I need to suck it up and run outside. I see many people running on Wyoming Ave, and I am just being a baby about the cold. Yesterday, I wore my new Under Armour Cold Gear and my new face mask. I was nice and toasty warm! In fact, half a mile in, I had to pull the face mask off (ok, so it was about 25 degrees, which isn't that cold, but I wanted to try it out!). I was shocked at how warm I felt. I was actually sweating when I got home! I wanted to run outside today, but I also wanted to bake chicken in the oven, and don't feel comfortable leaving the house with the oven on, so I hopped on the treadmill and watched Law and Order. It was a good run.

I am still very slightly feeling my left knee (IT BAND!). It doesn't hurt, but I can feel it. My chiro always asked me to evaluate my pain on a scale from 1-10, so I guess this is a 1. I have to start using my foam roller more religiously. I also need to start doing more core work. I have been slacking!

On the basement front...I painted all the trim (crown molding and all the doors). Anyone who knows Aaron knows how anal he is. We take NO shortcuts in this house! I spent my Christmas break sanding, patching, priming, and painting. Aaron actually said I did better job than he would have! This is very impressive. Perhaps, he just wants to keep encouraging me so I will keep working. We also picked out our carpeting, which is different that I envisioned. We are going very dark. The carpet guy talked us into it considering out other color choices. I think it will look really good.