Another Post Without Pictures

This week my runs were on Monday, Wednesday, and today (Friday). I brought my running clothes to work and did each run right after school ended. I'm really starting to like this routine, I get my runs in when it is still light out, I spend some more time with the family since I'm not sneaking away, and it seems easier to get it done then instead of waiting until 7:30 or 8:00pm when I have no desire to run.

I completed 5 miles on Monday on part of the marathon route. It was quite windy and cold because I forgot gloves and some sort of head covering. I didn't notice it after the first 1.5, but boy was it tough until then. I'm starting to know this part of the course quite well, which I am not sure if it will be to my benefit or not. There are a few houses I look forward to passing--one including the Wrigleyville sign on the porch. Those are hard to come by in Central Illinois, it seems as if everybody is a Cardinals fan.

Wednesday called for 9 miles. This is a pretty big mid-week run for me and this is the kind of week that has been one of the reasons it's taken me 29 years to even attempt a marathon. 9 miles had been my long runs on the weekends. Putting them midweek not only frightens me, but it also stresses me out trying to figure out when to get the run in. It is no surprise that I am not speedy, so an hour and a half run is a bit trickier now that we have 2 kids. I hit the road by 2:53, which put me back to my car at 4:23 with plenty of time to pick up the kids and not feel too guilty about it. The run took me to different parts of Champaign than one's I'm familiar with, so it made for some great scenery. I also felt fairly good after the first 4 miles even though I was a little hungry and probably less hydrated than what I should have been.

Today I did my 5 miles around school as well. This time I ran 3 miles and then met a colleague back at school who was wanting to run 2 miles. Despite the wind, I somehow was putting in closer to 9 minute miles, which is flying for me. It was nice to meet up with my friend for the last 2, even though we "ran" into a bunch of students on our loop around the school area. I'm sure it was quite the scene for them to see their teachers running. Quite shocking considering most of them think we live in the school.

Sunday will be a big one for me. I plan to hydrate as best as I can tomorrow so that I will be fresh for the 18 miles. I'll be carpooling with 3 others from the running group to run in Mahomet. Once again, I'm both anxious and excited. I hope this is a good one for me!

Full Week Report

I came off of a runner's high leading into my short week of running. Since the long run was on Sunday, I only had to run Tuesday and Thursday this week. It was a nice break, but I think that it negatively contributed to my long run on Saturday.

Tuesday was an easy 4 miles that I did right away after school. We were scheduled for more snow...yes...more snow. I was able to sneak the run in before any snow came and enjoyed myself.

Thursday was a busy day for me since Tony was leaving right away after work to head to Vermont for a wedding that he was in this weekend. I escaped school without anyone seeing me because I left before I was supposed to. Luckily our principal doesn't give us the evil eye even if she had seen me duck out early. I was dressed oddly because I hadn't fully intended to run outside, but it was so nice I couldn't pass it up---sorry no pic. Since I didn't pack my running jacket, I put a vest that I had worn all day on over my gear. I spent 4 of my 7 miles playing through a confrontation with an acquaintance that occurred this week. I won't go into the details, but needless to say I was not happy that I devoted over half of my run to a man I don't see eye to eye with on nearly anything. I stayed fairly close to school and was able to get in at least 2 miles of the actual marathon course.

When I picked up the kids from daycare our babysitter could tell I had just come from working out and that prompted my telling her that I was training for a marathon. She asked how far that was and later asked if it was a mini thing or a full. It baffles me that many people have absolutely no concept of what a marathon actually entails.

My parents were nice enough to come visit for the weekend while Tony was away. This also allowed me to run with the group on Saturday, something I don't always get to do since Tony works most Saturdays. The group was a big one (at least 50) and we looked pretty mighty when we first started out, but spread out quite a bit as the 12 miles went on. All in all it was a decent run (2:15 with one bathroom break and 3 water stops), but I didn't feel as fresh as I had the week before for an even longer run. Fortunately the others felt similarly, so that made me feel a bit better.

Some highlights from the morning included a reappearance of the yellow devil horns, the local news filming our group outside of the running store (I was about 2 feet too far to the left to make the frame), Del coining the race the "Stupid Ass Marathon," meeting some new runners--one who even knows my husband, and getting our group shirts (picture to come later).

Next week is going to be a tough one and to top that off, the run moves to 7am...ugh.

16 miles...A New Milestone

I was a good combination between nervous and excited for Sunday's run since it would be the longest I have ever run. I got a decent night's rest, only to be woken up around 4:30 by Tyler and the horrendous rain that was pounding outside. After feeding Tyler, I went back to bed and prayed that the rain would stop in time for my run. Thankfully the running gods listened.

I met the group just before 8am and used the most disgusting port-o-potty I think I have ever seen before we left. It was significantly colder than the 50 degree temps the forecast had shown, so I was pretty chilly in my capris and lighter jacket. Fortunately I threw in a headband for my ears.

The route was an 8 mile loop that covers a good portion of part of the marathon route. We had our usual group with both pace leaders, so I knew it would be an entertaining run. I noticed the wind right away and it really didn't let up until around mile 5, so that made the run colder and tougher.

We had great conversation throughout the run, so great that I only checked my watch once before we finished and that was at mile 13. I felt phenomenal. My knees and hips did ache a bit starting at about mile 10, but I think that is to be expected. The group took a short bathroom break and quick stops at the water station, but we were still able to come in just under my goal time with my watch reading 2:59.52.

I'm probably not pushing myself as hard as I could, but everyone keeps telling me with a first marathon, you should just put the miles in and enjoy it. I'll take that.

I felt pretty good the rest of the day and was even perky enough to chase M&M around the house by dinner time. I hope I feel this way in 2 weeks when I have my 18 miler.

Just a little Obsessed

As you can see, this little running thing has turned into a bit more than just running. I'm afraid I'm turning into my father. I've been increasing my miles on the road along with my list of blogs that I read regularly (some listed on the side) and books I'm currently reading. I've never been one to read more than one book at a time, but am currently finishing Run Like a Mother and have started Ultra Marathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner (and my students wonder why I haven't been reading the latest YA fiction).

I had been super excited about starting to read Run Like a Mother because of my current situation and the fact that the two authors keep a blog that I occasionally follow. It has some interesting stories, but overall, it's not as great as I had hoped it would be. They do include tidbits from over 100 female runners that they interviewed and those make for some great stories and insights.

As for Dean Karnazes, the Ultra Marathon Man, he is outright crazy. He's run 5o marathons in 50 consecutive days. I haven't gotten to that part of the book, he's only just finished his first 50 mile race and is training for the Western States Endurance 100 mile run. His stories are incredible and he makes my 16 mile feat from this weekend seem like a warm-up.

I'm afraid I've found a new passion. We'll see how long this lasts.

Midweek Run

8+ miles ran
7 massive puddles stepped in
6 waits at stop lights
5 zig zags across the road to avoid cars, snow, ice, and uncleared paths
4 cars that nearly hit me bringing me to full out stops
3 snow bank/ice piles I had to jump into to avoid cars and other obstructions
2 new blisters from running in wet socks
1 potty break at Panera

Overall time: 1:28 (not too bad in my opinion considering the obstacle course I went through)
Felt pretty good before and after

Dear Champaign,

I know I complained about not clearing snow from our streets and not having a snow removal mandate, but I think the lack of lighting is actually worse. I do not feel safe running long stretches without any street lights on roads that do not have sidewalks. I just might have to invest in a headlamp for my runs, that would be especially dorky. Please help your people out.

Thanks,
Jill

Warmer Weather

Finally the temperatures are starting to pick up and I only wore a short sleeved shirt with a lighter running jacket. I did an out and back through Parkland for the first part of my 9 miler today. This week was a step back week and I really appreciated the lighter load.

For whatever reason, the first leg was a bit emotional for me. I think it had something to do with the fact that 30 minutes before leaving for my afternoon run, I checked the mail. We received a postcard from a dear friend, who now lives in North Carolina. Her husband has been deployed once again and it just hit me hard for some reason. I thought a lot about him and other people in my life throughout the run. This left me teary eyed and struggling for my breath. While this wasn't where I thought my mind would be today, it was great.

I spent a lot of time thinking about everyone who has been in my life at some point or another. It reminded me how important my friends and family are to me, no matter how far away they might be or how little I may see them. Throughout this marathon process alone, I've had so many loved ones checking in on me through emails, texts, phone calls. It has been so encouraging to have everyone on my side and worried about what I am eating the night before, if I've been on my feet too long, or how I'm going to find time for my long run.

It was hard stopping back home for my Gu, when I saw Tony and M&M doing this...

It took all my will power to get back on the road and finish the last 5 miles. I have this bad habit of stressing out about all the things I have to do in my life and I have a tendency to freak out a bit. Fortunately Tony has learned to live with this. Every once in awhile I get a reality check and I remember that I really need to slow down and appreciate everything I have. I did continue out, even though I really wanted to stay and help build the rest of the snowman.

Nothing too exciting to report about the rest of the run, just that I'm glad I've finally decided to try this marathon thing out. I've still got a long way to go, but I'm confident that I can do this...there are so many other people doing way more out there, the least I can do is suck it up and run.

Holy Mother of Coldness

Needless to say the 3 degree temperature that felt like -7, combined with a fairly full stomach after eating out for dinner, were both less than desirable reasons for me to run tonight. Somehow I managed to suck it up and even dragged Ellie along with for the ride.

On our way home from dinner, I himmed and haaed over whether I should go to the gym or run outside. I consulted Tony, weighing my options, one of which was the fact that I really didn't think it was a good idea to run outside in the dark all by myself and I felt like it was too cold to take Ellie with me on my run. Being the concerned husband that he is, Tony's response was, "Do you really think some madman is going to be hanging out in these temperatures to assault a girl? That would be some dedication."

Little M&M stretching with her momma. Yes, I have 2 pairs of pants on and knee high PINK socks. I think those were the reason my toes were so cold...Smart Wool from now on.

The cold temperatures beat out the treadmill tonight because I knew in the long run it is actually quicker for me to just run outside than drive to the gym and back. It turns out it's not really the crazy men lurking outside I need to be concerned about. Instead I should be more worried about the horrendous 20something Parkland College drivers that have no regard for runners. In their defense, yes, the road curves around making it more difficult to see pedestrians, and there are portions of the road that are less lit, but COME ON PEOPLE! I most have dodged at least 5 cars while rescuing Ellie from an early death and had a few choice words for the young students that were either busy smoking or texting while driving.

My toes, fingers, and nose were all freezing during the first mile. I think even the tear drops in my eyes began to form icicles. I kept a quicker pace though and came back in around 40 minutes (which included multiple complete stops to make sure I was out of the way of the drivers who were going upwards of 40 mph in a 25 mph zone).

Ellie was eager to get back as her pace drastically slowed. She might have been affected by the frozen whiskers that covered her face.

All in all, a good run. Remind me to save night runs at Parkland for when it is light out.

Super Bowl Sunday run

This weekend was a busy one for me and I have very little mental power to put together a cohesive posting. I made it back to Champaign Saturday evening with little time to prep for the long run on Sunday.

Old Man Winter just couldn't get enough and decided to add 3 more inches of snow to Champaign on Saturday and remained in the forecast for all of Sunday. I wasn't sure how my new shoes would fend in the snow covered roads, but they worked out okay.

Before

My stomach seemed to be cooperating well Sunday morning despite the fact that I was not too mindful of my diet the day before. I met the group at a new location for a new route that had very few bathroom options (something that is on my mind a lot!). I was a little worried that the weather would keep people away, but both of my pace leaders were there so it was great.

We took it a little slower due to the snow and I was okay with that since I would be going a little further that day, 13 miles. Mike and Donna blocked the wind during part of the route and I jokingly asked if that was in the job description of the pace leaders.

Mike split off after 8 miles since he had done a race before, so that left me with Donna and occasionally Dan (a retired math professor who must really worry about his eyes because he wears massive ski goggles during all winter runs). Donna and I had a great visit and got to know each other a little better, which is to be expected since we were out there for so long.

I felt pretty good throughout the run, fueling with both jelly beans and the delicious chocolate Gu that I would gladly eat no matter when it is. I was eager to see the orange turn around spray paint, but it came soon enough. We made it back somewhere around 2:30...slow and steady I keep telling myself. I am trying to figure out how it was that I ran this time, but I guess that does include snow, 3 water stops, as well as a bathroom break (which included trying to figure out how to get out of the gas station...that is a whole other post!).

AFTER

My post-run snack was only part of my bagel this time since I neglected to buy some more chocolate milk. Hosting a Super Bowl party at our house kept my mind away from my sleepiness and aching shins. My shins (especially my left) have been bothering me the day of and after the long run this week and last. I hope to make it to yoga and will squeeze in some extra stretching and maybe some ice tonight.

I'm glad to have come out well from the run and am trying not too look to far ahead into the uncharted territory that is approaching. I've done 13.1 before, but nothing further. This should be interesting!

The Trusty Woodway

Due to the lovely weather, I had to run inside again yesterday. My schedule called for a 7 mile run, so I was dreading doing this on a treadmill. I had checked the health club's website frequently during the day to make sure they would still be open, unlike many other businesses. Fortunately, they were open and I was able to get there by about 5:45pm once Tony got home from work.

I typically choose to run on one of two treadmills, both being Woodways. These are a little nicer treadmills and have a feel more like running on the track. My first stint was on a the one that has the broken TV since someone had already snatched the other one. So, I spent the first 3.25 miles looking at my reflection in the TV. I gradually increased my speed finishing those miles in just over 33 minutes. Thankfully the gal next to me finished and I was able to hop over to the Woodway with the working TV. The second part of the run went even better and I was able to crank out the remaining 3.75 in 38 minutes.

I felt pretty good and it was not as horrible as I had expected it to be. It was nice to see the friendly faces of some friends who we just had over for dinner the other night. My new shoes seem to be working out nicely as well. I am considering using them for my 13 miler this weekend, but feel like it might be too soon to try them out. I'm open to opinions if you have any.

I've been quite consumed with this running stuff and spend a lot of time reading about running through other blogs (some listed here, but not all) and information I can find online. My students are giving me a hard time because it has been a couple months since I've actually read a book.

I came across this quotation that I will be keeping in mind this weekend, "As you grow older, you'll find the only things you regret are the things you didn't do." Zachary Scott

Some other food for thought is an article linked here that discusses the strain training for endurance sports can have on family.

That was somehwat unexpected

Another fartlek was scheduled for Monday and I was excited to try the workout again since I only had to run 4 miles. Unfortunately the freezing cold and rain forced me inside and waiting for after dinner when Tony was home from work.

I wasn't too worried about running after eating dinner because I used to do this all the time without problems. Well, guess there is a first for everything. The first mile and a half were great. The speed work wasn't bad, even on the dreaded treadmill. Unfortunately, by about mile 2, I felt like I was going to throw up my dinner at any second. I had to slow it down and really didn't get much of a workout in after that. I made myself complete 4 miles total, but the last 2 miles were a mix of jog and walk. I'm calling that a fartlek.

The Blizzard of '11 has left me house bound yesterday and today. I keep checking the gym website to make sure they are open today. I hope to make it to the gym tonight to crank out 7 miles on the treadmill...ugh.

On another note, after my run on Saturday I did buy new shoes. I tried to get ones that were as close to the model that I currently have. Fortunately they had my size in stock, were on sale, and gave me an "extra" discount. As a result, I decided to purchase a second pair to have after these new ones wear out and another pair of Smart Wool socks. I can't wait to try them out!

Success!

As you can guess from the title, I had a great run this morning. I am not sure what helped in this department and would make an awful scientist because I changed too many variables to know what made this happen. Here are the possible reasons:


1.) I chose to buy school lunch yesterday because it was slim pickings with everyone being sick this week. This could have been disastrous, but to my surprise, I had a delicious spaghetti with meat sauce and phenomenal bread stick. To top it off, we get two drinks so I chose a juice and a chocolate milk. I was ecstatic about the chocolate milk because this meant one less trip to the grocery store for my run. I saved the chocolate milk for a post-run drink.


2.) Because of the aforementioned "slim pickings" at our house, dinner was going to be a crap shoot. Tony suggested picking up pizza. I was open to this idea since 2 of my friends, who are very successful runners, swear by Chicago-style deep dish pizza that is loaded with sodium and heaviness the night before their races. While Little Caesars is no Chicago style pizza, I did try it anyway.


3.) I drank two cups of decaf coffee around 8:30pm in hopes that I can kickstart the digestion even possibly before going to bed. Success.


4.) Check out the temperature this morning:

5.) I altered the pre-run meal slightly. I chose less bagel and added peanut butter to it, followed by 3/4 of a banana. Success.

6.) Extra foam rolling before leaving for the run.

7.) New day and location for the run. Every other week the runs are on Saturdays with the half marathon training group. This doubled the turnout today and for the first 6 miles of my run my 11:00 minute pace group was 10. We actually maintained about a 10:20 pace, but I felt great.

We met at Body n' Sole, one or our sponsors and "the" running store in Central Illinois. This offered a warm place to meet and stretch before taking off, as well as a restroom...success.

The run consisted of a 6 mile "loop" that we did twice. This meandered through neighborhoods in Savoy, but is not part of the race route. I enjoyed the company of the pace leaders, Donna and Mike, as well as the 2 other marathon runners at my pace, Matt and Del. There were 4 girls with us from the half group, but I didn't catch their names, maybe next time. I took a quick rest after the first loop and fueled up with some remarkable Gu that tasted nearly as delicious as chocolate frosting right out of the can. Periodically in the last 4 miles, I snacked on some of the jelly beans since I was feeling light-headed and fatigued throughout much of this. I finished up with my watch reading: 2:08.37 for the 12 miles today.


I am thrilled that I finally had a long run that I can really feel proud of. That is, afterall, why I'm
running, right?!?


So, here goes nothing people, I'll be sending my change of registration Monday morning before the prices go up.

This is why I run

Okay, so I guess for those of you who know me, I eat these along with all other chocolates even if I'm not running or working out. Now, though, it is completely guilt-free. These, by the way, are the best invention ever--brownies with chocolate chips on top (see the back of a Betty Crocker brownie mix for the recipe).

Tonight I had a cold, windy, snowy, and ice-in-the-face kind of run. Ellie joined me for the first 4 miles and contributed to a quick twist of my ankle since she doesn't seem to understand that you really need to stay away from cars. In trying to pull her around to safe ground, I stepped on some uneven spots and got a little twist, but nothing serious.

I pumped out 6 miles to Lady Gaga, Beyonce, and Tom Petty predominantly and am finally getting a feel for the MP3 player. My route was a bit unconventional as I was trying to stay on fairly cleared roads (which as mentioned in a previous post is hard to come by in Champaign). I was surprised to see a few houses with Xmas lights still on, but who am I to judge considering we still have ours hanging from our house. Besides, I am the runner girl who waves around her hand because he "should have put a ring on it."

Besides my burning and very cold cheeks, I feel good right now. I am trying to stay upbeat about the upcoming long run. This time it will be on Saturday and the marathon group will be running with the half-marathon group so there should be a pretty large group out there.

Well, I'm off to enjoy my brownie-chocolate chip cookie thing...oh wait...I already ate it!

At least it was 32 degrees

I've had a rough last couple of days due to a household of sickies. I was not able to make it to yoga yesterday and instead spent at least 3 hours back and forth to the doctor and hospital for the little one's horrible croup cough and a blood test. Thankfully the test results came back clear and for the most part he handled it like a trooper, but boy was he miserable today.

To make a long story short, today consisted of me staying with TJ, while M&M went to daycare, and Tony ended up coming home from work because his illness is still lingering (he even slept through the Bears game on Sunday).

One positive of this set-up was that I was able to get out for a run in the afternoon AND it was even 32 degrees! It did take me at least 20 minutes to get ready because pretty much everything I needed was nowhere to be found--leash for dog, headphones, etc. I spilled my water all over my jacket and down the inside sleeve, not once, but twice. Once I finally got settled, I had a great 4 mile run. The roads are still a bit snowy/slushy, but my traction was decent and the temperature seemed amazing in comparison to what it has been.

I continue to LOVE my SmartWool socks and wish I had more pairs. A friend of mine even sent me a link yesterday for discounted socks from Sierra Trading Post, but with TJ's croup fiasco, I wasn't able to order any more in time.

My spirits are better after this weekends not-so-hot long run. I am going to assume that my body just needs time to adjust to this new endeavor.

Attraversiamo

As a result of the aftermath of my long run, I really am struggling with the concept of actually doing this race. I am enjoying the running and the running itself is going okay. I just can't deal with how my body is after the fact. It is horrendous. For whatever reason, my system just doesn't handle the jostling and what not that my body takes over the course of running for extended periods of time.

I am hopeful that over time my body will just suck it up and get used to this. It better.

In the mean time, I look to words of encouragement as I encounter them throughout my day. I also think about the obstacles so many people have overcome in their lives, and the inspirational stories that come from the people I know and even those whom I don't know that I'm becoming quite obsessive about.

My inspiration for the coming week is from the movie last night, attraversiamo...let's cross over. I'm hoping to cross over this journey into the unknown that I have dreamed about since I was a young girl who saw her dad run every week, but I'm just a little scared.

End of Week 3

On Friday I squeezed in my 3 mile run on the treadmill right away after work. I was a bit pressed for time so I tried to run as fast as I could. I saw my competitive side come through when a guy came on the treadmill next to me and I made sure I maintained a quicker pace than him. I was delighted to find my friend, Jen, at the gym, but unfortunately she was doing strength that day so I decided to give her random thumbs ups and big smiles periodically. I think I confused a few of the other people working out because they thought I was giving them the thumbs up.

Yesterday was a rest day, which consisted of just that. I did make it to the grocery store and picked up Eat, Pray, Love, which turned out to be a cute little number. I think even Tony would say that it wasn't too bad. I made myself some pasta and a salad in an attempt to make my stomach tolerable during the run for today.

Once again, I had another cold morning...

but I am starting to get the hang of dressing for the weather and don't seem to mind the bitter cold as much.

Breakfast today was a blueberry bagel with butter and some watered down Gatorade. That, of course, was enjoyed during a quick check on Facebook.

Here is a not so stealth picture I took in the parking lot to show you where I met the group for the run this morning. I was a little worried when I didn't see Del or Sue Ellyn, but did meet up with Mike, Donna, and Matt who maintained a 10:30-11 minute pace.

We did the same route as the other week, but were to add on as needed to make our mark. The run was pretty good, although around mile 8ish I got a little light-headed and dizzy so I made sure I refueled with some of the energy jelly beans I had in my pocket. My water bottle did end up freezing again at the top, but fortunately that happened a bit further along in the run.

There seemed to be more people running today, which was quite surprising considering how cold it was. The new people I met made the time go by and I truly felt pretty good...until mile 10 when I realized I really was not going to make it much further without using the bathroom.

Our pace must have been a little quicker than the 10:30-11 I was hoping for because my watch read 1:55 including two water stops, a jelly bean stop, as well as a stop at McDonald's. I made it home in time to use the bathroom, but felt pretty horrible for the following 4 hours. My muscles feel okay, but these long runs just aren't agreeing with my stomach. I am trying to do as much research about this as I can, but I am not having much luck. No matter what I seem to try, no change. Maybe I'll have to try the afternoon run again. We shall see.

This week I plan to head back to yoga on Monday and run on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

Midweek Report

I really need to come up with more creative titles, but I am just wiped. Yesterday I went back to yoga and did enjoy it. The class was moved to a different room, which happened to be occupied by an intense cardio class right before it. This left the room musty and HOT...I felt as if I was going to be taking one of those hot yoga classes, Hatha Yoga I believe. Fortunately after the fans started circulating some of the stinky air it finally seemed to go away.


The yoga provided a great stretch and a little time to relax, but I still have not gotten much out of the nature references and such. I think I'll continue to give it a go because it seems to help get my body readjusted after a long run.


Tonight I put in 6 miles on the dreaded treadmill. I used to never mind the treadmill, but now that I have been running more, it is like torture. I constantly check my speed and my time. I calculate in my head how much longer I have and it is unbearable. I didn't feel terrific tonight, but enjoyed some pieces of Top Chef and pushed through.


I find I really need my space as I got very irritated when I was joined on both sides of my treadmill by other people running. I start to get a little competitive and eye their distance and speed. Fortunately I significantly outlasted both runners and that actually gave me some motivation for the last part of the run.


I averaged 9:41 for the total run and periodically adjusted the incline to give a little resistance. Tomorrow is a rest day and then I have 3 on Friday and 11 on Sunday. I hope I find some more energy to finish out the week otherwise this is going to be rough.

I had Tony take a picture of me after my run, but somehow when I uploaded it, it seems to be nowhere to be found. Instead, I leave you with my outfit for today at school. This week is Spirit Week and the 2 gals and I really take it to the next level each year to make it as fun as possible for us and the kids. Today was Gold Rush (you were supposed to just where Black/Gold, our school colors), but this was our interpretation of the day. Maybe I'm putting a little too much energy into the day and that is affecting my runs. I'm sure I left a few sparkles on the treadmill today.

Fart What?

Last night I asked Tony if he had ever done a Fartlek. His response was, "Fart what?" I recall hearing my dad use this term ions ago and had heard runners talk about speed work, but I didn't know it was called a Fartlek. I'll have to do some research as to where the term actually comes from.

Today I had to do my first of many Fartlek workouts. It consisted of a one mile warm-up followed by another mile of 20 seconds fast running with a recovery jog/walk and continuing with a final one mile cool-down. I had asked someone in the running group about the best way to do this because if not given a set time for recovery, knowing myself, I would slack even more and convince myself, "Oh, you're not recovered yet." One gentleman in the group who happened to have frozen icicles on his beard (which made it very difficult to focus during our conversation) informed me to just pay attention to my heart rate monitor, needless to say, I don't have a heart rate monitor.

Instead, I just tried to listen to my body and used markers on the street to judge if I should speed up or slow down. That method seemed to work out okay. I think I may have done a little more than the 3 miles the plan calls for and finished in 32.11.

Ellie got to join me on this run and was quite surprised during the middle portion when I was actually running at a pace she enjoyed. She looked back at me as if to ask, "Wow, where did that come from?"

The workout was good and I think I can use Ellie as an indicator of the intensity because she has been lounging around the rest of the day. (Look at those heavy eyelids!)

I am going back to yoga tonight and I hope that it is truly the 60 minutes it is supposed to be because I really want some time to enjoy the rest of my day off (Thanks MLK). I have a 6 miler scheduled for Wednesday, 3 on Friday, and 11 with the running group on Sunday.

FYI...

Blogger hates me. It always deletes my paragraphs. I go back and edit them at least 10 times putting spaces in between and, inevitably, it doesn't work. I apologize in advance because this is one of my pet peeves when I read other people's blogs.

Sorry.

Long Run #2 Update

-Go confidently in the direction of your dreams...Henry David Thoreau

My training schedule calls for running every other day, so that puts my long runs on a Sunday one week and then a Saturday and continues to alternate. At first I thought this would be problematic since Tony works on Saturday mornings and I would therefore always have to run in the afternoon on those days or adjust the schedule. I am hesitant to adjust the schedule because I really like the idea of running every other day. It gives my body just enough time to recover and I believe I am avoiding injury as a result (I'm crossing my fingers).

Today was phenomenal. The afternoon run worked out perfect and alleviated some of the GI issues I had experienced last week and on previous runs. I was able to sleep a little longer (7:15...I know, the life of a mom of young children), enjoyed some coffee, and had 5 mini muffins. I was able to get ready at my leisure and this left me plenty of time to use the bathroom, etc. I also had plenty of fluids prior to the run, probably 32 oz. of water at least and had some more of my ghetto pasta around 11am because I figured that would be enough time to digest before running.

Stretching before my run...a must for me since I have ITband issues.

I love my smart wool socks!

When Tony returned from work, I started getting ready to go. I fed Tyler so both of us would be content during the run and I was able to make it out the door by about 1pm. I added a little Gatorade to my water bottle and set out for my first of two routes I planned.

My hydration for the run...the first water bottle I carried (mostly water with a splash of Gatorade), the 2nd and 3rd positioned near the door for refilling when I stopped by the house (the 3rd was straight Gatorade).

The temperature was a little warmer today, 26 degrees when I left the house, so I was dressed lighter than last week and it worked out perfect. Decked out, once again, in my yellow, devil-horned hat, I got myself pumped with Lady Gaga and did an out and back. Quite frankly I was running around like I was the coolest thing since sliced bread. I had a bit of a bounce in my stride and sang along to the tunes I shuffled through...note...Tony's selection is even worse than I originally thought, elevator music as well as the soothing tunes we use to put our children to bed were on the MP3 player.

I made the quick stop back at my house to refuel with the Gatorade, refill my water bottle, and I even took a bite of a protein bar that was surprisingly delicious--much better than Clif bars I've had in the past.

The second part of the run was just as pleasant. I do have a bone to pick with Champaign--plow your streets, not just the major ones! Fortunately I purposely selected a route that I thought would be plowed (I went around the community college near our house and the streets are cleared very nicely as well as the walking paths for the students).

I made it back from my 9 miles in around 1:40 which included my stop at the house and 2 stop lights that I had to wait at. I feel I should still factor those added times in because I intend to stop if I need to during the race.

Post run I felt much better than I did last week. I noticed being a little sleepy so I did squeeze in a 30 minute nap and found my muscles a little tight when I got out of bed, but things seem to be feeling good right now.

It is hard to speculate what made this run work out so well for me. I am wondering if it has to do with the afternoon running time as opposed to the morning. I also stayed better hydrated this time around--I drank two of the water bottles during the run, which is significantly more than my 2/3 I drank last week for a further run. The conditions were slightly better considering only a small amount of ice formed in my water bottle this week as opposed to the complete freeze last week (which is basically why I didn't drink as much during my run last week).

Sorry for the blow by blow, but I have multiple purposes for this blog. One is to keep family and friends informed, one is to document my journey, and another is to help me keep record of what works and what doesn't work so I am the most prepared I can be...I hope you can bare with me!

Weekly Update

The week went well for me. It seemed to be a light week, only a run on Tuesday and Thursday. Tuesday I put in 4 miles on the treadmill and Thursday I did 5. I averaged just under a 10 minute pace for both finishing in just under 4o minutes on Tuesday and just under 50 minutes on Thursday.

This should not have come as a surprise to me, but I struggled with my music on Thursday. Neither Tony or I are greatly into music, so we have never had an iPod or really gotten into iTunes (nor would I even know how to use either if given the opportunity). Tony did invest in a small MP3 player (at least I think that is what it is) at some point during one of his marathon trainings. Since we don't have quite the selection, he uploaded Matchbox Twenty, Dave Matthews, Beck, some Sarah McLaughlin (yes, Tony loves Sarah McLaughlin) and, wait for it, Christmas music.

As a result, I asked my sister to help us out in this department. She was nice enough to put together some songs she thought I might like and gave it as a Xmas present. We finally got them uploaded to the device and I tested it out on Thursday. Needless to say, there is no sort of rhyme or reason to the order, so I spent nearly 10 minutes just trying to find a song I actually liked because I had to get through the first 200+ that Tony had for him. I'm sure there is an easier way to do this, but as of now, we can't figure out how to create a playlist on the device that we have.

Despite the musical difficulties, the run was pretty good. I was able to find some tunes that I enjoyed for my cool down and Lady Gaga even got me through my longest held plank since having Tyler, 60 seconds.

Tomorrow I have my long run, which should be 9 miles. I am excited to get out there and see how I feel. I had an interesting dinner to load up for tomorrow. We typically do our grocery shopping on the weekend so right now it is slim pickings for dinner. I am getting better at planning meals out for the whole week, but assumed we had some pasta for tonight and you know what happens when you assume...you end up with ghetto pasta concoction of broken lasagna noodles, elbow macaroni, and tri-colored rotini. I hope it does the trick for tomorrow! I am not sure how the food will directly affect me because my run won't occur until the afternoon due to Tony's work schedule. I can only hope this will work!

A New Appreciation for Yoga

I tried out Yoga tonight at the gym in hopes to help stretch my body after the long run yesterday. I think I accomplished that goal. I can definitely feel the benefits of doing yoga after a long run and hope to do it again. I don't think I would choose to solely rely on Yoga for a means of working out, but my body feels great--probably just as good as it did after my massage I got after Xmas.

The class went a little longer than I had thought--I kept glancing at the clock and asking myself, "Is this class longer than 60 minutes? Shouldn't we be doing some sort of relaxation to cool down?" The instructor did comment afterwards that he kept us a little long...probably 80 minutes, but my body was thankful.

I'm no expert at any of the balancing poses, but I think I'll keep trying.

First Official Long Run

Today I completed my first long run for the marathon training program. I was a little nervous coming into the weekend because my long run last week was only 6 miles. Between October and December of 2010 my goal was to build up to 10 miles so that I would be ready for this long run if I decided to go the marathon route. I had successfully worked up to 9 miles, but then got sick on and off throughout December and didn't put in many miles.

I was mindful of what I ate last night, although pasta was not on our menu. We had a chicken burrito typed meal that I made. I did not overload and actually resisted any dessert. I also hydrated quite well yesterday. I went to bed early last night, but was woken quite a few times by Tyler. I also dreamed about running, but unfortunately in my dream I woke up late and was late for the group run.

When I woke up this morning, I made an english muffin and unpleasantly saw that it was a whopping 2 degrees. Thankfully I had set out 2 pairs of pants, 2 long sleeve shirts, my jacket, 2 pairs of gloves, and my new running hat, the devil horns.

Despite the fact that I got up with enough time and had everything prepared, I was running around like a crazy lady and didn't get out the door until 7:43. I drove to the designated parking lot which happens to be right next to the school I teach at, so it was quite convenient. There were at least 20 other crazies in the cold so I was glad to see I was not the only one.

After signing in, they started lining us up by pace. I was convinced I would be the only slow poke. Fortunately this was not the case. I didn't want to run with the 10 min pace group because I knew I was supposed to slow my pace down on the long runs. So I positioned myself just behind them and ran the first 4 miles with Del and Sue Ellyn. They made great company, but I picked it up a little bit after the aid station and made it with the 10 min group by about mile 6. I ran the last 4 miles with Bonnie, the 70 year old, who has run 46 marathons. I let her do the talking and really laughed at myself that I was struggling to keep up with this woman and she made a point to slow down to stay with me!

Overall, it was a good run. I felt great, even though my knees and hips started to really bother me the last 2 miles. I didn't wait around long afterwards and made it home in time to use the bathroom. Unfortunately for the 10 minutes that followed my bathroom stop, I felt HORRIBLE. I thought I was going to pass out, throw up, etc. I knew I was somewhat dehydrated since my water bottle froze at the top and I couldn't drink from it the last 4 miles. I wasn't hungry, but knew I was supposed to eat some within the first 30 minutes after the run (man, I've been reading too much). I also had a hard time of drinking my hot chocolate Tony had prepared for me that I had so looked forward to. Thankfully, I forced myself to eat a piece of bread and drink and feel pretty good now.

I'm still a little cold, even after a very hot shower, but I feel pretty good. Much better than I have after my long runs in November. I hope this is a good sign. Tomorrow I hope to try out yoga at the gym to start loosening my body up. We shall see how that goes!

Not sure how long it took me to finish, I accidentally messed my watch up at some point. I know I was probably somewhere between 10 and 11 minute miles.

Brrrrr...

I had a busy day today and knew I would not be looking forward to my 6 miler today. I wasn't able to get out until after 7pm and by that time it had been dark for a few hours, temperatures had dropped even lower (not too bad, 25ish), and I was less motivated than ever.

I decided to take Ellie with me for part of the run since, as you can see, my running gear features BLACK which is not the best choice for nighttime (I'll have to invest in some reflectives of some sort). Tony suggested I wear his bike reflectors that are for legs around my arm. I did, but we could only find one. I have also stolen Tony's devil horns hat and have been running with it lately. I told 2 of the girls I run with that I knew they would either be totally embarrassed or totally jealous--they were jealous!

I didn't have an actual route and was a little bit fearful after hearing a safety talk by the police officer at the kick-off meeting, so I did 3 completely random out and backs for around 2 miles. I did drop Ellie off and stopped inside after each to drink some water and go to the bathroom. As a result, it took me awhile, but I truly felt great, which is important. My hip has still been bothering me quite a bit so I did extra stretches afterwards and even used my roller.

Yesterday I made sure to start some sort of core workout routine and I added some random stretching as well as hip strenghtening excercises that I just made up as I went.

Day 1

--"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start" John J. Bingham

I had my first official training run yesterday after the kickoff meeting. I ran a whopping 3.25 on the treadmill. I gradually increased my speed from a 10:30/mile to a 9:05/mile with an average speed of 10:00/mile. I felt pretty good, but didn't get a good stretch in because it was getting late and I wanted to get home to bed. I can feel it in my hip today, so I stretched quite a bit tonight.

A 5-6 mile run is on my plate for tomorrow.

I guess it has been decided

Tonight I went to the Second Wind Running Club's Training Program kickoff. I actually signed up for the 1/2 marathon training program with them. After receiving confirmation, I emailed back and INQUIRED about the possibility of switching to the full marathon. I was informed to talk to the person in charge when I got to the meeting. So, I did. However, they had already switched me to the full training program. I guess this means I'm doing it.

They had a great speaker who is a police officer and he talked about runner safety. He had a lot of great stories that he added a comical twist to and it really made me think about some things that I had never considered. For example, he worked undercover at a race to try and catch a group of robbers who sought out races. They found the "hidden" keys to runners' cars and would go into the wallets that are usually "hidden" in the glove compartment at races. Instead of taking the wallet, they snatch the 3rd credit card (one you don't use often and wouldn't notice if it was gone) and charge it up the wazoo. Runners don't typically notice anything until they get their credit card statement a month later...wow!

I am feeling a little apprehensive about jumping into this endeavor, but I am glad that it seems like the decision was sort of made for me. I had been toying with it for so long and looking for someone to just say, "Jill, do the race." I think I found my answer.

Who is Teach and Why "Run for Pride"?

I'm Teach, aka, Jill. When I first started blogging, I used the pseudonym because I didn't want my students finding my personal blog and I have never changed it. I will be keeping this blog public, but will continue to share about my personal life on my private blog.

I have been athletic my whole life and participated in most sports as a child, but chose to focus on volleyball throughout high school and even into college. My dad has always been a runner so I have been around the running scene since as early as I can remember. He was nice enough to coach both the cross country and track teams during my junior high years and that is where the title comes from.

My passion was truly volleyball, but I participated in running to stay in shape and to have something in common with my dad. During one of my cross country meets, I was not running well (which may have been because I always chose volleyball practice over cross country practice) and seemed to be cramping and probably was one of the last runners on the course. My dad always cheered for me and during this particular race, he motivated by yelling out, "Run for Pride," to which I responded, "SHUT UP!" Looking back I can not believe I was so rude to my own father who was clearly supporting me, but now as a 7th grade teacher I justify this with the fact that most teenagers seem to be this way.

For whatever reason, the concept of running for pride has always stuck. No matter how bad I might be feeling while I run (because as you will find, running is not my forte), I can always do it for my own personal pride. I am not quite sure where this quest to a marathon will take me, but I know that no matter what, I will be making myself proud.

Bucket List

When I was in 8th grade, one of our Language Arts assignments was to create a list of 50 things we wanted to do in our life. Our teacher tried to encourage us to be as specific as possible and to not just state that we wanted to, for example, run a marathon. Instead, we were supposed to try and quantify our goal and qualify it in some way (this is probably how most goals should actually be written). While I do not have the actual assignment, there are a few items that stand out and I recall what I am supposed to be doing.

One item on my list of things to do was to run a marathon by the time I was ____. I remember it as being 30, but I think in reality it was actually by the time I was 25. 25 has come and gone and 30 is just around the corner. I have finally decided to bite the bullet and instead of using my favorite excuse, "Well, I've run two half marathons and two halves equal a whole," I plan to run the Illinois Marathon on Saturday April 30th.

I hope this blog can be a motivation for me, hold me accountable, and provide a record of my attempt at accomplishing one of the most difficult things I have ever tried.