20 Mile run done for the weekend!

We came up to Crown Point for Glenn's dads 60th birthday this weekend and didn't want to have to deal with the 20 miles we were scheduled to do while we were here, so Friday afternoon/early evening we got it done. Glenn took a half day so he could get started at 1:30, I took off from work at 2:00 and we both got the run in seperatley. When I started my 20, Glenn only had 12 miles to go.... was I jealous? Yes!

Although we were running different routes, we managed to run into eachother when I was on mile 3.5 and he was on mile 15. I felt hopeless. 16.5 miles to go? My feet already hurt, how am I going to pull this off? I get on the toe path at mile 5ish and the path is snow covered so I have to focus on my steps and also turn off my ipod, because it is deserted and I want to be aware of what's going on around me. The change of ground and no music made that stretch go by fast and then I'm off the next next stretch of the run.

For me, I always have to think of my long runs in sections or stretches. For every neighborhood area or different type of ground or whatever, if I think about it pieces, it breaks down the 20 and makes it seem managable. If I think about the entirety of the run, from where I start to where I finish, I am in big trouble. Let's be honest, 20 miles is an insanley long distance to run, if you let your mind go to that place where you think of the whole thing you are doomed for a terrible mind battle.

At mile 13 I was feeling pretty good and decided to pick it up for two reasons:

1. At that stretch I was on the monon from 86th down to 49th (that's a 5 mile stretch) and it was pretty deserted so I wanted to get off it.

2. I wanted to try to run the 2nd half of the run faster than the first, because ideally that is what I want to do in the marathon. (I think my fastest 2nd half was in St. Louis last year and it was still 13 minutes slower than the first.)

I wasn't really timing myself, but I am sure I ran the 2nd half faster.... I actually think the last 3 I ran the fastest. It feels so good to finish strong.

So the loop that I ran was a 17 mile loop, so as I hopped off the monon at 49th, I had to run right past Guilford, look at my house, think about Glenn and Cadence chillin on the couch, all showered and rested waiting for me to get back.... and keep running for 3 more miles. I ran our usual 3.2 mile loop we call the meridian kessler loop to get the final 3 miles in. It is so funny how that 3.2 miles can seem like it takes forever when I go out to just get a quick run in. When you add it to the end of a 17 mile run, it could really do two things:

1. seem really short, which thankfully it did... I can't believe that measly little loop is an actual "run" to us on easy, non marathon training days.

2. If you are having a bad 20 mile run, that last 3.2 could seem like an eternty and you could dwell on the fact that sometimes that loop is all you do, without the 17 miles in front of it... how can you possibly run it now?

So, I went into the run yesterday with a bad attitude for sure... I had worked only 6 hours that day, but still it was Friday and Friday's after work are tough to get motivated to run. 7 miles into the run though things got better and I mentally and physically conquered what I had been dreading all week. What is so strange is that everytime I have to do a 20 mile run, I get nervous and a bit anxious, like what if I can't complete it? Although I have ran 6 marathons and probably done at least 25 - 20 mile runs in my life, I still get nervous. I really need to work on not dreading the run. Why should I chose to do something on such a regular basis that I actually dread? That makes no sense. Sometimes, yes it can be miserably hard. Last weeks 18 on the treadmill was terribly boring and painful, and when I finished I couldn't think of any reason I do this to myself. BUT, after yesterday's 20, I felt so empowered. It was hard to get started and it was lingering in the back of my mind all day like a weight, but the feeling after the run was worth every bit of work I had to put into it. Anytime my mind when to a negative place, I just kept repeating, "you are a strong, powerful, fast runner" and it worked.

Now it's Saturday morning and I can't tell you how happy I am that I can just relax and the only workout I'm doing today is an easy 30 minute exercise T.V. workout. No 3 hour Saturday run for me!

Legacy Mini Marathon Team

Today was the first day I met the kids from Tech high school that I will be training for the 2011 Mini Marathon.

This is a plan that has been in the works for a year now. We have a team of 26 kids from Tech, 8 Seniors from my center and 8 teachers and community residents who are part of this team. The kids on the team are kids who want make a healthy lifestyle change. Teachers chose the kids based on the circumstance that they would benefit from joining a team like Team Legacy. (Who wouldn't benefit though really?)

I started running in high school when I was 15 and it had permanent positive impact on my life. I can only hope this team will do that to at least one of the kids. Today when we were going over the basics and introducing the program to the kids I couldn't help but wonder where this program was going to lead these kids. Sometimes at work I shut down and get a little cold to my seniors. The social work aspect of my job wears on me and I feel the need for space and in order to get that, I close myself off. At this meeting I decided I needed to make a decision to build relationships with these kids and also try to improve the relationships I have with my seniors.

We start practice next Thursday. The seniors are not completing the 13.1 miles, they are walking in the 5K which is the same day. I did the 13.1 with 5 of my seniors in 09 and let's just say it was a little too much... they did it, but we've decided there is nothing wrong with a 75 year old walking 3.1 miles rather than 13.1. It is going to be a really cool experience for the seniors and the kids though, because they will be working together. When they kids have really long training walks, the seniors are going to set up at a mile marker and pass out water and nutrition if needed.

I have a separate blog that is specifically for the Legacy mini marathon team. I will be posting stories we encounter along the way, pictures and videos. If you are interested in checking it out, follow us at:

Hmmm.... for some reason I can't get the link to work.... but it's at legacyminimarathonteamblogspot.com

Nine with Glenn and Cadence

So Monday Cadence and I ended up waiting for Glenn to get home and run with him... that run was much faster than I had originally planned.... but felt good and was a definite confidence booster.

Yesterday Glenn and I did a medium paced 9 miles. We were originally going to do mile repeats, but decided against it when we realized the track was completley snow covered. We had Cadence with us and were just planning on letting her run around the fenced in track area while we did our repeats. So much for that plan! (Mile repeats will be today now.... on the treadmill for me, on the monon for Glenn)

It was nice for me though to run with Glenn again for the second day in a row with no music and at a decent tempo. It's a much quieter way to run, compared to the treadmill at LA Fitness with a million people around and my music blaring in my ears. I didn't really think we would see many people on the monon because it was freezing and dark, but suprisingly enough I would say we ran by at least 25 people. We saw one group north of 75th street and I think they were probably in the early weeks of training for the mini. We will start to see a lot of those groups our running now until May 7th.

There is something about running outside when it's cold out that is refreshing and something about running outside in the cold and dark that is peaceful. It's hard to get started in those conditions, but every time I do, I feel renewed and let's be honest pretty legit.

Currently mentally preparing for those mile repeats.

9 with Big C.

Monday.... about to go home and run 9 miles with Cadence. Looking foward to a nice, slow run with my Cadence girl. I'm kind of excited about that new playlist I forgot to sync for Saturday's run also.

18 on the Treadmill.... Oh boy.

On Saturday our training schedule called for 18 miles. It was 7 degrees outside. As much as I couldn't stand the thought of running the 18 on the treadmill, I couldn't stand the thought of 7 degrees even more.

So at 10:30 I made my way over to LA Fitness and camped out on a treadmill for 2 hours and 40 minutes. I had made a new playlist in the morning, so I hoped that would motivate me to run strong and fight boredom. As as I am driving to the gym I realize I forgot to sync my ipod. Boo! There was no way I was going back home to sync it, that would only delay the time for when I would be done.

It was a long, boring, and pretty hard 18 miles.... especially the last 5. Usually when I finish a long or hard run I feel great and think "I'm really glad I just did that", but on Saturday I was kind of thinking Why the heck do I put myself through this? Most people would be very satisfied with a good 3 mile run on a Saturday. I have built up this idea in my mind though that Saturday mornings are reserved for 8 miles or more. I would say 80% of the time I feel great and really happy I put the time in on my feet, but this Saturday I just wasn't feeling it.

We are going to Crown Point this weekend for Glenn's dad's 60th birthday. I think we are going to try to squeeze in the 20 on Friday so we can just enjoy the weekend with the family, without the commitment to running 20.

Back to the treadmill though.....How does one possibly manage to run that far on a treadmill without going crazy?

Here are my strategies:

•  Always have a good playlist and change it up!
•  Bring a shirt to cover the treadmill
• Bring a magazine to put over the shirt
• Open the magazine to an article and read one paragraph at a time, taking breaks between paragraphs... you want to really stretch the article out so that it takes a long time to read. This is a tough one though because some people say they could not possible run and read at the same time. If I am doing a tempo or speed workout, no I can't read, but if I am running 8:30 minute miles or slower, (that's 7.2 speed or less) then it's not problem. Obviously the slower you go the easier it is to read.
• People watch (although this can be annoying sometimes)
• DO NOT look at the treadmill time or distance... that is murder to your motivation. One look if you have more than 6 miles to go and you are mentally screwed.
• Count songs. I like to count songs and say "after 5 songs I will read another article" or "After 23 songs I will check my progress.
• If the person beside you is running fast and you feel motivated to speed up because of them... remember you are running 18 miles... and they are more than likely running 
• Picture yourself walking out the the gym feeling accomplished.
• Like in any long run or race... just KEEP MOVING.

Race Report from October- Chicago Marathon

I never gave a race report from Chicago. Chicago was my 6th marathon and Glenn's 7th. My mom and sister also ran it, and it was both of their 2nd marathons.

This marathon was exactly one week after Glenn and I returned from a week long bike trip to New York City. Glenn rode 900 and I rode 450 miles in a week... in the mountains. (that's a whole other story!) We knew we wouldn't be fresh for Chicago, but had NO idea how incredibly painful it would actually be.

We ran together for the first 1/2 mile.... literally that was it. I shooed him off and told him to go be fast like he has been lately. So the 26.2 mile journey began. I had all those happy, feel good feelings miles 5 through 9 once I was all warmed up, but at approximately mile 10 I started to feel heavy. Oh my, that was a little too early to start hurting! At the half way point I was in front of the 3:30 pace group thanks to those fast, feel good miles I pumped out at 5-9. (I knew this wouldn't last long!) I kind of did that, knowing that no matter how slow or fast I ran the first half, the second was going to be painful.

It's all kind of a blur now, but I ended up running a 3:54.... and considering where I was at the halfway point, that calculates out to be a very slow second half. Miles 20-24, I only remember shuffling my feet, just trying to move forward. There were definitely tears, and my legs have never felt so awful in my life. (although I know I have said that before.... Boston 2009 when I was not at all prepared for the downhills) I was able to pick up my shuffle and turn it into a jog for the last 2 miles, but it was not easy. I also can't fail to mention that it was super hot and sunny that day!

At the finish, of course there's Glenn waiting for me like usual. He ran a 3:24, which is pretty darn fast, but he said he also felt terrible nearly the whole run. I'm thinking, if he felt as awful as I did that day and still ran a 3:24, then a Boston Qualifying time for him is in reach sooner than later.

My mom ended up beating the time from her first marathon by a huge amount... and she broke 5 hours by a good 15 minutes! I was so proud of her. She gets it done that's for sure. Ericka had a bad day....but redeemed herself at the Marine Corps Marathon only two weeks later with a 10 minute PR from the Marine Corps last year... down to a 4:22.

Now we just have to get Dad and Shelby on the marathon bandwagon. Dad has ran a few half marathons, including dances with dirt, which I have ran and I think that counts for more like 20 miles than 13 considering the hills and mud. Shelby is going to run the mini in May.... so we will see what happens from there.

We are running the Virginia Beach marathon in the middle of March. I am hoping to break 3:30 and Glenn is hoping to qualify for Boston with a 3:10. I am so excited to see what we can do. I think the whole race I will just be wondering how Glenn is doing and how close he is to hitting his time. Can't wait!! Also, looking for an April or May marathon.

Stay Tuned.