Chicago Marathon 2012

"Please don't ever let me run a marathon again!" -- These are the words I told my husband and friends after I finished the 2012 Chicago Marathon two days ago on October 7.
I often compare the experience to childbirth.  Afterwards, you swear you'll never do it again. The pain and misery can be so intense. But, your brain has a funny way of forgetting about the pain and only remembering the joy.  The joy of finishing, the joy of the fans cheering for you, the simple joy of saying "I did it!"
So, yes, I am already looking ahead to marathon #3. I want to conquer my time goal, which is 4 hours and 15 minutes. I don't know when or where, but I'll make it happen, or at least give it all I've got!

Here's a breakdown of my Chicago Marathon experience:
The weather at the start was quite chilly! I knew once I got going I'd be fine, but waiting around outside for over an hour before the start led me to have my doubts.  I was so happy to run into my friends Chris and Sarah Huffman from Watervale shortly after I arrived at my start corral. Sarah and I have been communicating via Facebook about our journey to marathon #2.

The race started off great. It is unbelievable how many spectators came out to cheer on the runners! It was like a huge tailgate party. They lined the entire marathon route!  I told myself that maybe I was going too fast, but it felt so easy. I had a great pace going for the first 13 miles, despite pain in my left knee from about miles 4 to 17.  I had this pain earlier this summer, but it went away when I got new shoes over a month ago.  I had high hopes of finishing around 4:15.  I definitely wanted to beat my first marathon time of 4:27, but now I was worried and had my doubts as to whether or not I'd be able to finish.

Luckily the pain went away, but by about mile 19, I hit a wall. Every mile got harder and harder.  By mile 22, I seriously thought that there was no way I was going to be able to finish. I really wanted to see my personal cheer team (Neil & the kids and our good friends Scott & JoAnn & their kids).  I'd seen them once a bit earlier (dressed in their colorfully decorated neon yellow shirts), but unfortunately I didn't see them again.  My pace slowed tremendously and I had to walk at times, especially through the water stations. Waves of nausea washed over me at times...I really hoped I wouldn't throw up.

Finally, mile 25 came.  OK.  1 more mile. I can do this...maybe.  The turn into the finish was upon me, finally. An uphill finish...UGH! Please let this be over! I crossed the finish line and managed a smile for the cameras.  I hobbled my way through mile 27...the long walk through water, gatorade, medals, and refreshments. I was nearly in tears. I just wanted to stop moving!! I wanted to see my family. I wanted it all over. I grabbed a Heatsheet to wrap around me and struggled my way to the reunite area.  We'd meet at "O".  Why did my last name have to be toward the end of the alphabet, toward the back of the reunite area. Finally I saw the group of yellow t-shirts that made up my cheering team. The marathon was over. I finished in 4:24:06.  A new personal record and my Garmin says I ran 26.48 miles.

The cold really set in on my sweaty body. I was freezing, shivering, and just wanted to get warm.  I was purely exhausted.  After walking what seemed like an eternity to our car and saying goodbye to our friends, I collapsed into the car and we began our 4 hour drive home.

Here I am, 2 days later.  I feel a bit stiff and my hamstrings are sore. I managed to come down with a cold on the way home. Neil says it is because I destroyed my immune system running 26 miles. I'm taking advantage of not working and spending as much time as possible "doing nothing". In the back of my mind is that part of me that says, "You're a runner. You're a marathoner.  You can do another one."  Sure, I'll listen to the voices in my head...even the crazy ones.

Mile by Mile Pace
Mile 1 -- 8:37/mile
Mile 2 -- 10:23/mile
Mile 3 -- 9:51/mile
Mile 4 -- 9:28/mile
Mile 5 -- 9:03/mile
Mile 6 -- 9:17/mile
Mile 7 -- 9:01/mile
Mile 8 -- 8:54/mile
Mile 9 -- 9:26/mile
Mile 10 -- 9:12/mile
Mile 11 -- 9:08/mile
Mile 12 -- 9:06/mile
Mile 13 -- 9:52/mile
Mile 14 -- 9:21/mile
Mile 15 -- 9:50/mile
Mile 16 -- 9:24/mile
Mile 17 -- 9:52/mile
Mile 18 -- 9:49/mile
Mile 19 -- 10:22/mile
Mile 20 -- 10:51/mile
Mile 21 -- 11:41/mile
Mile 22 -- 10:54/mile
Mile 23 -- 12:00/mile
Mile 24 -- 11:40/mile
Mile 25 -- 11:39/mile
Mile 26 -- 10:40/mile
Last .48 -- 10:01/mile

The Highs and Lows of the Last 6 Months

It's been almost 6 months since I last updated my blog. A lot has happened in that time.
Here are the highlights and lowlights:

May
May 1: On the eve of my dad's 83rd birthday, he was diagnosed with brain cancer. The mass was the size of 2 golf balls and inoperable. He rested comfortably in the local local long term care unit under hospice care. I spent as much time as possible "up north" with him.

June
June 2: Dad passed away this evening. All of his children and grandchildren were able to see him during his last month. My mom spent time with him every day. He never lacked in the visitor department. The man knew EVERYONE!
June 3: After a bottle of wine, many tears, being comforted by a dear friend and Neil, I managed to squeeze in a few hours of sleep, before running the Dexter-Ann Arbor 1/2 Marathon.  I decorated my race shirt in his memory. He would have wanted me to run the race, so I did, and set a PR in the process: 1:53:44
June 17: Ran the inaugural Ann Arbor 1/2 Marathon in 1:55:02.

July
This month, I really focused on increasing my mileage in preparation for the Chicago Marathon.
On July 31 we held my dad's memorial service at Watervale. It was a wonderful service and I was surrounded by so many friends and family.

August
August 4: Peter, Rachel, and I walk/ran the Onekama Days 5K. Peter finished the run with a time of 31:30 (and that was after accidentally running th 1 mile fun run).  Rachel walked it and finished in 51:58. I am so proud of them, especially Peter! As for me, I set a new PR with a time of 24:43.  I came in 1st in my age group! Our good friend Frank managed to win the whole darn race!
August 6: The kids and I again participated in the annual Baldython at Watervale.  I ran a new PR here too -- 37:36 (it's approximately 3.5 miles). In the woods, I tripped on a tree root and fell down hard on my left side. My friend Brad said he wondered what that THUMP was! I was only down a few seconds and the pain didn't set in until later. I went in for X-rays, convinced I'd broken a rib, but the results were negative. I couldn't run for about 4 days. It took about 3 weeks to feel healed.

Well, that brings us to September.  Today I ran 18 miles. Ribs don't hurt much (a bit stiff after the run), my left knee feels better (NEW SHOES! - it's been bothering me a bit the last month or so), and my recurring back pain subsided enough to get the run in.  I miss training with others. Running alone has its benefits, but as the mileage piles up, I sure miss my Team in Traning partners.

What have I learned these last 6 months? Running is my "ME TIME".  Some people may have thought I was crazy to run the day after my dad died. He'd have wanted me to run. He knew how important it was to me. It's my "THERAPY". I am a much happier person when I can run. I get all sorts of aggression out, daydream, think, and appreciate all that is around me.

'Til next time. Hopefully sooner that 6 months.

Personal Record!

Yesterday I ran the Shamrocks and Shenanigans 5K in downtown Ann Arbor. My right hip was a little tight and sore from the 9 miler I ran the day before. What a gorgeous later Winter/early Spring morning for a run. It was a slow start (lots of participants), but 3.1 miles later I crossed the finish line with a new personal record!25:17
11th out of 160 for my age group (glad to enter a new age category this year)
314th out of 2113 overall
Yeah, me!

Chicago Marathon - October 2012

I am super excited to have just registered for the Chicago Marathon! It'll be my 2nd full marathon and I've heard it is a great race.  It's in Chicago...of course it will be fun!

http://www.chicagomarathon.com/

I had the registration date entered on just about every calendar I own - digital, virtual, paper.  I didn't want to forget. Registration for last year's race sold out in 29 days.

I look forward to training for this awesome race. Any and all of my Chicagoland friends are welcome to come cheer me on!

Every Damn Day

31 days and 83 miles.  Next up...February!

Race #1

Last night I registered for my first race of 2012. It's the Shamrocks and Shenanigans 5K in Downtown Ann Arbor. You can't beat a race that, at the end, hands out beer glasses to then be filled with beer!

                          

So far, my 2012 race itinerary looks like this:
March: Shamrocks & Shenanigans 5K, Ann Arbor
April: Big House Big Heart 5K, Ann Arbor
June: Dexter-Ann Arbor 1/2 Marathon
          Ann Arbor 1/2 Marathon
          Would love to do a 1/2 Marathon while on vacation in Germany/Europe...
                probably not going to happen
August: Baldathon, Watervale, MI (hoping to do the .2 mile swim, not just the 3.5 mile
               trail/beach run)
October: Chicago Marathon!!
December: Holiday Hustle 5K, Dexter

I'm sure a few other 5Ks or 10ks will be added to the list. But these are the ones I am definately going to do.

Peter (age 9 on race day) is going to join me for the Big House Big Heart and of course both kids will do the run portion of the Baldathon. It'll be his first official race.

I look forward to running, racing, and maybe even setting a few PRs!

God Love Ya!

While out for a 3.6 mile run yesterday, I passed a woman taking in her garbage cans. She shook her head at me and said, "God love ya!".  Well...it was a bit cold out. About 20 degrees, and at that point I was heading straight into the wind. Ugh. I really don't mind cold weather running, but I can do without the wind. Her saying that gave me an extra boost!

The other day I answered a poll on Active.com that asked if you'd rather exercise in extreme heat or extreme cold. I chose cold.  The only thing I enjoy doing in extreme heat is hanging out in or near the water with an ice cold beer.

Really...running in the cold isn't that bad.  After spending most of last Winter (the Winter that never ended) training outdoors for my first full marathon, I got pretty used to the cold.  We ran in all kinds of weather (except good) - rain, snow, sleet, wind, more snow, more rain, more wind. On one occasion, training was cancelled due to wind chills (it was about 10 degrees without the wind chill). But 3 of us met anyway and ran 12 miles.  It was COLD.  But afterwards, the sense of accomplishment was wonderful.

Today's temps ranged from 5 degrees this morning, to the teens this afternoon.  While I don't mind the cold, I have to say, I'm not going to put up a fight about it being a "rest" day.

Stay warm runners! Before you know it, we'll all be complaining, '"It's soooo hot!".

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow!!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

C'mon sing it with me. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go...
Yes, I know it is January 14, but it's finally snowing!  We only got a couple inches, but it sure is pretty!
I enjoy running in the snow. To me it is very peaceful. By snow, I mean the fluffy white flakes, not blizzard-like conditions with gale-force winds.
Today, I ran 6 miles with my TNT participants. I could have gone even farther, but that was all that was scheduled for the day. Upon returning home, I did something else most people don't enjoy--shovelling the driveway.  My husband is lucky to have me since he'd rather not be the one shovelling.
I look forward to logging more miles in this "Winter Wonderland".
Run carefully friends, and enjoy it while you can!

2012 Running Streak

I am a goal oriented person, so when I saw a Facebook event titled 2012 Running Streak, I had to check it out.  It's simple. Run at least a mile every day starting January 1 and ending December 31. I'm in!

On January 1, I managed to walk a mile, which counts. I would have run, but I am at the tail end of week 3 of a disastrous back injury. Today, on day 2 I ran/walked 3 miles. It felt great to be running again! 3 weeks of  "rest and recuperation" was 3 weeks too many. Those who know me know that I am not one to sit still.

I hope I can keep it up. On cross training days, sick days, even injury days, I plan on at least walking a mile.

Here's to 2012! May it be filled with miles and miles and miles, laughter, health, and fun.