Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!!!! I love the holiday because I like to see everyone else dressed up but do not partake in the dress up activities myself. Like I said yesterday tonight was the annual Red Lion dinner. 5 years now we have been going. Usually with friends but tonight everyone wanted to stay home so it was just us. It is an old English pub that's claim to fame is their poltergeist. Unfortunately for the last 5 years the poltergeist chooses to hide on Halloween. No fish and chips for me tonight - decided to go with the Irish Stew. Mix things up a bit. Plus it came with a salad so I felt like that was the bit of a healthier option. No mind the Stella Artois, or 3... I know I shouldn't drink beer during the training but seriously no records are being broken by me and Stella, it's damn fine beer :)

Before the pub meal I had speed work on the schedule. And I am sore! 6 miles and a 2 x1600 at 8:03 with x800 jogging. My first 1600 - 7:49! What?!? I think the wind may have helped move me along. Or my mile wasn't quite a mile, that absolutely can't be right. The second 1600 - 8:01. Awesome. I felt like I was moving in slow motion. Everything was hurting on the second 1600 and I wasn't sure I was doing very good. Lungs, legs, everything just burning. But a good burn :) I'm really happy with my times for the first speed work session in awhile. Overall I wish I could feel like I did this afternoon on every run.

Also, tonight I tried out some more new Nike apparel. I now love Nike. Have for awhile. I used to think they were just an overpriced company with stuff you could get anywhere for way cheaper. Not so, not so. Their shirts are some of the best (there are exceptions). The shorts are average not always made for a big thigh girl like myself. However, I recently purchased a pair of their Nike dry fit cushioned running socks with the separate foot technology. They even put a little L and R on the bottom of the socks (as if you couldn't figure it out from the shape of the sock) Love them! They turned out to be even better than my Asic running socks. The perfect amount of cushioning so my foot doesn't get to warm but still feels cushioned. Now I want more. But I refuse to pay full price. The pair I bought was one of the last medium sizes at the outlet in Florida. boo...Maybe next time I am in Florida they will have restocked.

long day but a good run

I feel like it is much later in the week than Tuesday. Yesterday was a long day. Had the alarm set for 4 am to catch my 6:45 am flight. ugh. I had Monday's with early flights. Jacob and I had the debate if it is better to travel on Sunday versus waking up nearly 3 hours before the sunrise to fly the same day. I say no. And here is my reasoning - you take a 5pm flight to get you into Florida by 7:30pm. I would have to leave my house by 3pm to catch the flight and of course I didn't pack on a Saturday night so my day would be over at 1pm while I try to catch up on work I need to take with me, packing, and general getting ready to go. Your Sunday is then ruined. I complain about 4 am but it is a heck of a lot better than losing a Sunday to work travel. Now if I was headed to a beach...ah, for another day I suppose.

Anyways, woke up at 4am finally made it to the site around noon and left for the hotel around 5pm. I quickly changed to run a planned 5-7 mile easy treadmill run. The schedule called for 7 miles but I was tired! Some lady was walking on the mill so no dice. I stay in Hampton Inn's and there is only ever one treadmill if I'm lucky. I decided to go back upstairs and grab my phone, debit card, and ID (after marathon 1 I'll never leave home without some form of identification now!) and head outside. Now, I have traveled here several times and never ventured outside usually due to the extreme heat but the only path I know of is a concrete sidewalk. Yesterday was humid but not unbearable. I told myself I would go for as long as I could but no pressure. Then as I turned onto the main road I hit the headwind. A little over 2 miles I came to a gas station - Thank God! I got some water and stretched my calves. Very close to having a nasty charlie horse. That would not have been good. The run back went smoothly and I felt strong. I know the tailwind helped! I am not sure on time (left the running watch at home) or distance (maybe short of 5 miles).

No workout today because I am headed home. I have a local visit tomorrow (which should be interesting) then speed work is on the schedule. And it is Halloween so that means Jacob and I are headed out for our annual dinner at a haunted bar (the Red Lion). We have never seen the ghost but the costumes are always entertaining and the fish and chips are excellent!

First Long Run, round 2

Yesterday the new running clothes I ordered from Running Warehouse and Nike arrived! I love shopping!!! So of course I had to try something out on the run. Today I felt like a runner because I looked like a runner in my fancy new top :) I still run in the pair of shorts that I wear for all long runs and every race, I never change that. Although I probably should buy a second pair so I don't have to do the laundry as much. It felt weird to step into them this morning as it was the first time since marathon take 1. Anyways, I had 12 miles on the schedule and told myself if I wasn't feeling right I would only complete 10. I made it through all 12! It took exactly 2 hours. This is a little slower than I had been training before but exactly where I wanted to be today. I have to say it was a little lonely this morning - I actually miss seeing all the other training groups and having the path full with runners. It made me feel better that I wasn't the only crazy person out there training for a marathon. I know I'm not but it helped to actually see other people putting in the long miles right along with me even though we don't talk.

Starting out today I didn't have the initial heavy or rubber leg syndrome I have been having on the earlier runs since starting training all over. However the left hip started acting up around 4 miles which is much earlier in the run than in past trainings. I was still able to maintain my pace which was good. Just need to focus on my gait and do a better job of stretching that sucker. Then my left quad felt left out and wanted to let me know she wasn't too happy either. Hmm...that's a first in a long time. Probably still mad that I passed out and laid in a hospital bed for 36 hours without stretching after the 20 mile fun run :) Other than that my run was uneventful. I'm sore now maybe a little more than I should be after 12 miles but not so bad for the first time out in 2 weeks.

I will officially sign up for marathon part 1 take 2 after next week's long run. I want to make sure I am fully committed and able to complete 6 more weeks of training. Man, going into training back in April I fully expected to be done with this for now. Taking it easy and just running my 5k's and 10k's. Sure does a mental number on me to have to totally change my focus. 6 weeks, I can do this...

Waiting on others

Sitting here waiting on other's to get through their work so I can finish mine. Another report coming stating "CRA did not complete____ due to time constraints" when it is so not my fault. Moving at a snail's pace. Normally I wouldn't care but tight deadlines are coming and I would rather get it done now before the craziness is in full force. They don't seem to be too concerned. I try to explain it needs to get done and why it needs to get done. Again, no one seems to concerned.

I'm traveling home this evening so no workout for me today. I was able to complete 6 miles on the treadmill yesterday. It was meant to be a tempo workout of 6 miles with 4 miles @ 8:40. I am still trying to recuperate and lost a lot of my endurance (more than I realized!) so I did a mile warm-up, 1 mile at 8:50 pace, 1 mile 9:20, 1.5 miles at 8:50, 0.5 miles at 9:20, 1 mile cool-down. Not bad.

There happen to be a few races this weekend occurring where my long runs take place so now I'm worried when I'll get the run done. I am a creature of habit and don't like to alter my long run course too much, especially when all the mile markers are nicely displayed and water fountains are still running. We'll see maybe I can maneuver around the races somehow. I wanted to join in the Trick or Treat 5k or 10k but Jacob says I'm not allowed - too much too soon. He thinks I'll push too hard and hurt myself again. I think he is crazy but don't want to race with no support. I still have time to change his mind :)

Speedwork?!?!

Okay, so I need some help. I am lost when it comes to speedwork. Not that I'm all speedy or anything but I know working on it will improve my overall conditioning which is the main goal for me right now. Does anyone have any suggestions on programs or a schedule to follow for speedwork when training for longer distances? If so, could you leave me a comment or email me? (email link on my profile)

The Chicago Theatre Presents

Kathy Griffin - My life on the D list star. Love her! She rips on all celebrities equally yet strives to be one, freaking hilarious. Saturday night me, Beth, and Shea had a girls night to take in her stand-up show. Kathy did her stand-up for a little over 1 1/2 hours and it was awesome. Absolutely great Saturday night. Plus a great girls night.

If any of you out of towners ever get a chance to come to Chicago and see any type a show at the Chicago Theatre definitely jump on the chance. The theatre is gorgeous! And there's not a bad seat (I know I have been all over the upper balcony). I love going to shows there.

I ran again tonight! Around 7 miles. And it felt amazing. Tonight was my go out and just run in hopes to remember why I love to run. I have been too focused on not running and not being able to follow a schedule and it was stressing me out. I needed to go out and enjoy the act of running. It took me a long time to convince myself to actually move away from the computer and change then I remembered the Nike shirt that says something like - the time spent thinking about running you could already be done running. The inspiration has to come from somewhere and today it was a t-shirt. Whatever it takes...

And on a final note - Congratulations to everyone who had races today and finished! I'm so proud of all of you and very excited to read all the race reports.

That's one expensive marathon

Got the hospital bill in the mail today right before I headed out for my first run since the whole marathon/hospitalization debacle. For some reason they didn't have my insurance information even though I gave it to a dozen different people. Anyways, if I didn't have insurance I would be royally screwed. 1 ER visit, 1 night, a gazzillion blood draws, lab tests for the grand total of...any guesses???

$7,277.75!

Almost had that heart attack they expected me to have in the hospital right in my kitchen. Sitting on the couch listening to the bill Jacob plainly stated "That was one expensive marathon" Yes, yes it was...Definitely calling Monday to get insurance thing straightened out.

So I ran for the first time in two weeks!!! Yeah! Just went out for 31 minutes. I can't ever stop at 0 or a 5. I'm weird I know. Legs felt like a rubber chicken and my body wasn't really comprehending what was going on. I'm not sure if it was because I haven't run in 2 weeks or because I ate Mexican food and drank some margaritas. Yeah I wasn't expecting on running today. Plus it was my celebratory "I survived Chicago 07" dinner. The food I was supposed to have after I finished the marathon but couldn't! So I took my just over 3 mile jaunt easy today. I am hoping to start feeling like my old runner self in about a week. There are a lot of holiday 5k and 10k's going on these next couple weekends so I would like to run 1 or 2 of those before I attempt the marathon part 1 take 2. That's what I'm going to call it, marathon part 1 take 2.