Marathon Madness

It is probably not surprising that I am a bit anxious about Saturday. I've tried to stay as focused as possible, but I feel like I have a lot to get done between now and Saturday. One thing that I need to pay attention to is what I am eating, especially starting tomorrow.

I've done a lot of reading throughout this process and have tried to figure out what works for me. I still don't have the answer. What I do know is that I need to fill my body with healthy items. So, today I made it to the grocery store and cut up a bunch of fruit for the next few days and made a pasta salad for my lunches the next few days. Now I still need to figure out what we will be eating for dinner. I do plan to cut out dairy starting now until after the race when I will consume my post-race chocolate milk:)

I always had heard that you want to carbo-load the night before, but I came to understand that the process really starts three days out. Eating carbs has never been a problem for me, so I really don't have to change that too much. My true challenge will be cutting back on the Easter goodies, which should be a bit more problematic.

You Know You're a Runner When...

A few months back, I came across this list of truths for runners. Sadly, nearly all of them now apply to me. Here are some of my thoughts:

You know you're a runner when...

Your first thought when you look at the weekly weather forecast is, "When can I fit in my runs?"

You have more running clothes than regular clothes in your laundry pile. I recently went on a shopping spree and intended to buy a whole bunch of new clothes for me...I walked away with a new pair of running socks, SmartWool of Course.

You've lost a toenail. And you tell people, "It's not that bad." Currently I am without two toenails.

You smirk when non-runners ask you, "So how long is this marathon?" This actually makes me angry.

You have a drawer full of medals and other race souvenirs that you're not sure what to do with. Can't relate, yet:)

You go into Starbucks more often to use the bathroom than to actually buy coffee. Not limited to Starbucks, add gas stations in general.

You no longer make fun of fanny packs because your running belt looks very similar (although cooler) to one. I actually considered wearing a fanny pack as an alternative.

You've used an old race T-shirt to wash your car, dust furniture, or clean something else. Okay, maybe.

Your treadmill has more miles on it than your car. Don't own a treadmill and have actually grown to loathe them.

You get an invitation to a wedding and you automatically think about what race the date will conflict with. Not necessarily true, but have been planning my summer schedule around possible races.

You have dreams about showing up to a race late or not wearing any clothes. Thankfully, no.

You're not embarrassed to wear spandex. True, but that is thanks to my years of playing volleyball.

The salespeople at your local running shop know you by name. True, but that is because I run with them too!

You're always hungry. True!

You know how to take a cup of water from a water stop without choking on it or spilling it all over yourself. I think this is true.

At least one of your web site usernames or email addresses has the word "run" or "runner" in it. Thankfully this is not true.

You know where your illiotibial band is located. Yep.

You no longer hate port-a-johns. In fact, there have been times when you've been very happy to see one. OMG...I can tell you where every one is located in Central Illinois.

You wear your running watch even when you're not running. ("It matches, right?") Yes

You've had your running shoes for three months and you know it's already time to replace them. Just switched them out in prep for the marathon.

You spend more time researching running routes than local restaurants when traveling to a new city. So, so true.

Your physical therapist's receptionist knows you by the sound of your voice on the phone. Nope


You know where exactly one mile from your front door is (in any direction). Of course.

You know how to correctly spell and pronounce plantar fasciitis. I believe so, although I've heard it pronounced two ways and both times people claim their way is right. I can tell you it is part of your heel...I think?!?

You own more pairs of running socks than dress socks. SmartWool, of course.

You get jealous when you're driving in your car and pass runners. Not only that, I wonder how long they're going, what they're training for, and how they're feeling.

You spent more timing researching a running watch than you did your car. Plan to...next purchase, Garmin.

You're excited for your next birthday because it means you'll be in a new age group at road races. I guess so.

You spend more money on running clothes than work or casual clothes.
True

You frequently get asked, "When's your next race?" Not necessarily.

When you hear PR, you automatically think "personal record", not "public relations". True.

You pack more running clothes than bathing suits when going on a beach vacation. False...I love beachwear and have too much of it.

You have running clothes and an extra pair of running shoes in your car, "just in case." Now that is just crazy.

Your holiday wish list can be fulfilled at any running or sporting goods store. Becoming true.

You have several drawers dedicated to running shirts. Kind of, more so dedicated to athletic shirts (volleyball ones)


You get excited when the new Runner's World comes in the mail.


Your Facebook or Twitter updates frequently involve running. Check.

Your only recent photos of you alone are race photos. Yep.

You always have your next race on the calendar. Uh huh.

Your runs are sometimes longer than your commute to work or school. And sometimes I even run to work:)

Your running partners know more about your bodily functions than your significant other. Wish this wasn't the case..."What happens with running buddies, stays with running buddies."

Just a few days to go

This morning I set out early to get 4 miles in before work. It was quite nice to get it done before my day and there was no traffic. My hamstring was a bit tight the first mile and a half, but loosened and I felt more in my groove. I am slightly concerned about that for the actual marathon, but there isn't much I can do about it now.

I have two more runs before the race, 7 for Wednesday and 2 for Friday (which I haven't decided if I will do or not). I can hardly believe that the race is really here. The weather will be questionable according to the forecast, but Jennifer Ketchmark (our local weathergirl) assured viewers tonight that the rain will hold off until Saturday evening. We shall see.

Last 9 miler for this training

I took advantage of my day off and ran in the morning without worrying about rushing to work. I met Mary for a 9 miler around 6:30. We did a small portion of the marathon route, but it did include the gentle incline that appears around mile 24. It felt a lot better this time than when we did it for our 20 miler. The flowers are now fully in bloom, so the scenery is also even better than last time.

We JUST beat the ran, as it started pouring the instant I stepped in the house. Our timing has been phenomenal the last few runs, so I'm hoping we are good luck for missing the rain on marathon day. The current 10 day forecast has it in the picture, but I'm not fretting yet since it is still a bit out.

The run was great, although I noticed my hamstring bothering me the rest of the day. This happened after Tuesday's run too. I'm hoping it isn't anything too serious.

Early Morning Run

I set-up a running date with Mary for an early run on Tuesday. I know that I need to start running more in the morning since the weather will be getting hot in the summer. I am likely to make excuses if it is just me running in the morning, but if I arrange to meet someone, I can't back out.

We planned to get out by 5:25 so I could be back in time to shower and leave for work. I didn't sleep that well because it stormed the entire night. I kept wondering when it was going to stop and thinking, oh man, I don't know if I can run in that!

I texted Mary in the morning to see if we were still on and her witty response was, "I still plan to go, but I won't judge you if you want to take a RAIN check." I replied and said I was in, but I was a bit reluctant. It POURED until 5:20 and then miraculously stopped at 5:25.

We cranked out 5 miles in 46:13, which is fast for me. I think we were both motivated by the chilly temps as well as the pending return of the rain. I enjoyed the morning run and hope to do it again.

Last Long Run with the Group

I met the Second Wind Running Group Sunday morning at the start site for the race. As I drove there, I was freaking out. I had butterflies in my stomach and felt like hurling. It occurred to me that the marathon was only two weeks away and that it is practically go time. The next time I would be driving that way would be the morning of the race...YIKES!

It was a bit colder than we've been getting used to lately. So, I bundled up and made the group pose for a shot before heading out.

L to R--Matt, Donna, Mike, Sue Ellen, Del, me

We ran the half marathon route. I felt decent throughout the run, although my stomach, once again, started to give me trouble around mile 8. This was on my mind the rest of the run, but I tried to pretend everything was okay. I was a little caught off guard by the two gentle inclines that I noticed between mile 8 and 9.5. I really thought the whole course was fairly flat except for around mile 25 when there is a nice, long gentle incline. I guess I'm glad I know, so I will be prepared on race day. Conversation was great, as always. I enjoyed the time with the group and really appreciate all the support.

We came back in finishing at 2:23 including a restroom stop and one or two water breaks. I beelined for the port-o-potty as soon as it was in sight.

The group visited afterwards and headed over to Houlihan's for a celebratory breakfast. The service was less than desirable, but we still had a good time. I had brought snacks to share with the group as a thank you and they came in handy while we waited FOREVER for our food to come. I don't think I'll be visiting Houlihan's again any time soon.

I also made some cards using Wordle for each of my running mates. I've really had a blast throughout this process and hope I can get my mind straight by April 30th.

My Run with Dean Karnazes

A few months back, I started reading a book, Ultra Man, and learned a lot about a crazy runner named Dean Karnazes. I recalled seeing a clip about him and was amazed by his athletic ability and pure dedication. On a whim, the man ran 30 miles on his 30th birthday after an entire day's celebration. He hadn't run in 15 years and decided to head out in gardening shoes and his boxers. After finishing this book, I read another of his and began following him online. Shortly thereafter, he launched his latest endeavor, Running Across America with Regis and Kelly.

It didn't take me long to figure out that he would be passing through my "area" and I would potentially have an opportunity to run with him. I kept the idea in the back of my mind for a few months, but as April approached and I had read more about his journey, I realized that this was something else I just had to do.

Dean was scheduled to go through Altamont, IL (about 1.5 hours southwest of Champaign) today and will be in Indianapolis (about 1.5 hours east of Champaign) on Saturday. Since Tony works Saturdays, logistically it was actually easier for me to take a day off of work to meet him today. I also knew I would have a better chance of being closer to him if I went to a small town, as opposed to trying in a larger city. I had mentioned this opportunity to my friend, Mary, when we were running on Sunday and she jumped at the chance to go.

Here we are shortly after arriving to Altamont. We are a bit giddy and were a little star struck (even though most people have no idea who Dean Karnazes is).

Dean has been running across the US since mid February and today marks his 49th consecutive day of running at least 40 miles. He has a few scheduled events, like the one today, where he runs with the community. Prior to the run, he addresses the crowd each time and today was no different.

There were a lot of students from the Altamont schools, but only a few of them actually ran the whole 5k. This gave us plenty of time to run near Dean and he was nice enough to entertain our questions.

Mary initiated conversation first and asked him what advice he would give to first time marathoners. He noted that it was going to hurt and to not pay attention to the mile markers. Mary was nice enough to introduce me to Dean and he even called me by name then. I told him I was a big fan and asked him what was next for him. He joked and remarked that he would be trying 50 marathons in 50 states with 50 pizzas. Then he provided his real answer of running a marathon in every country. We gave other fans some face time and tried to avoid running into small children who don't know race etiquette, but snuck in a few more questions later on. Mary asked who he looked up to. He stated that he really admires Ann Treson (sp?) and told us a little bit about her success as a phenomenal ultra runner who beats out everyone, including males.

We made it into the group shot, which should appear on his running blog at Regis and Kelly's website. It was a great time and I'm glad I did it.