runjodirun

Final February Challenge Check In and A March Challenge

2012-03-01T22:25:00.003-05:00

Today marked the 30th day of my February challenge. So how did it go?
I challenge myself to not eat any sweets for 30 days.
I did not eat ONE SINGLE sweet for 30 days
I challenge myself to not eat any potato chips for 30 days.
I did not eat ONE SINGLE chip for 30 days
I challenge myself to complete a 30 day fitness program in addition to my February running.
I did a core fitness workout EVERY SINGLE DAY for 30 days

In the end I am very pleased with my successful challenge. An added bonus to sticking to my February challenge was losing 5.4 pounds. I definitely can't argue that!

So what does March have in store for me? Well, I'm going to take a shot at this challenge!

Who wants to join me this month?

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you isnpire me!!

February in Review

2012-02-29T20:12:00.008-05:00

My very enjoyable 3 mile run in amazing spring-like weather on February 29, 2012 brought my February running to a close. I am very grateful that it has been a very mild winter so far and it has been a dream for runners, myself included.
February 2012 stats
85.1-- running miles
0-- bike miles
0-- pool workout
29-- core fitness workouts
85.1-- total miles
151.4-- weight as of February 29, 2012 (I attribute this 5.4 pound loss to completing a core workout every single day in February and eliminating sweets/chips for the month of February and choosing healthier foods.)

Current 2012 stats
185.2-- running miles
6-- bike miles
1-- pool workout
29-- core fitness workouts
191.2-- total miles
151.4-- current weight

2012 "to do list" February check-in
2012 Running Goals
1. My number one running goal is to run a sub-1:50 half marathon
-I am considering attempting my sub-1:50 at my April or May half marathon
2. Secondary to the goal of a sub-1:50, I would like to attempt to run another marathon PR (sub-4:10:11) with a stretch goal of running a sub-4:00:00
-I have had a few more thoughts in regards to this and I received a phone call from Mellisa yesterday and I am likely going to commit to training and running a fall marathon with her
2012 Mini Running Challenges
1. Run 100 miles per month
-85.1 miles run in February- I fell a bit short but life happened and I'm okay with it. There's always next month
2. Run a half marathon each month
-Last Chance For Bosotn on February 26, 2012 (1:58)
2012 Non-Running Mini Challenges
1. Increase the amount of cross-training/strength training I do on a monthly basis
-29 core workouts done in February--I'm very proud of this one
2. Focus on choosing and cooking healthier foods
-14 well-balanced meals prepared in February
3. Drink more water
-I did increase my water intake for February so I am moving in the right direction here
4. I promised a certain someone that if they ran a marathon with me I would learn to swim so I intend to make good on that promise this year.
-I didn't really do anything in regards to this challenge during February but I will get there

I have to say I am very pleased with my February overall. I am very proud of myself for sticking to my challenge every single day (of course since I decided to do it for 30 days, I will finish the challenge tomorrow).

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

21 Days To Form A Habit...

2012-02-21T21:32:00.002-05:00

They say it takes 21 days to form a habit and since today marks day 21 of my 30 day challenge I figured it would be a good time to do a check-in.

I challenge myself to not eat any sweets for 30 days.
As of February 21, 2012 I have eaten 0 sweets. I was really craving chocolate one day but I chose an apple with peanut butter instead and was quite content with that decision.
I challenge myself to not eat any potato chips for 30 days.
As of February 21, 2012 I have eaten 0 potato chips. This one has gotten much easier as the month has gone on. I have been eating almonds instead of potato chips which is working perfectly.
I challenge myself to complete a 30 day fitness program in addition to my February running.
As of February 21, 2012 I have completed my core fitness workout every single day. I have also continued with my running so I am quite pleased with my success in fitting in the additional workout. I have increased both the number of sets and number of reps I am doing over the course of the month.

With 9 days left in the challenge I am feeling confident that I will be 100% successful in my quest!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

Why Do We Do It?

2012-02-18T16:22:00.001-05:00

Ever wonder why we do what we do?
Why we spend hours training for races?
Why we run/swim/bike to raise money?
Why we run/swim/bike to honor someone's memory?
Why we run/swim/bike to honor someone's survival?

12am and I'm just leaving the office after a tough meet and a long trip. Why do we do it? We do it for the PR's. We do it for the team records (Charlotte Parent). We do it for the National cuts, and We do it for that .01 of second that means so much in our sport. I will never get rich doing what I do.... But I don't think I'd every have the chance to have worked with so many outstanding people in my life... That's why I do it- Eric Skelly, Head Swimming Coach at University of the Cumberlands

I think Eric hit the nail on the head here!

Why do YOU do what you do?

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

30 Day Challenge Check-In

2012-02-08T18:00:00.000-05:00

If you have been following along you know that back in January I decided to leap into a challenge starting February 1 and ending on March 1 (because there are only 29 days in February this year and I wanted it to be a full 30 days). Today is the one week mark so I thought I would check-in with my success so far.

I challenge myself to not eat any sweets for 30 days.
As of February 8, 2012 I have eaten 0 sweets. When I was making my daughter orange rolls on Sunday morning I almost ate the icing that ended up on my fingers but I caught myself and immediately washed my hands so the tempation was gone.

I challenge myself to not eat any potato chips for 30 days.
As of February 8, 2012 I have eaten 0 potato chips. Monday at dinner I was a bit challenged because I always eat chips when I have a sandwich for dinner. I am happy to say that I chose a banana and almonds instead.

I challenge myself to complete a 30 day fitness program in addition to my February running.
As of February 8, 2012 I have completed my core fitness workout every single day. I have also continued with my running so I am quite pleased with my success in fitting in the additional workout. I am looking forward to increasing the number of set and/or repetitions very soon.

I have really enjoyed the challenges so far. I also like following along with others who have decided to join me in this challenge. Take some time to visit their blogs, see how they are doing with the challenges, and show them some love.

Deb- my best friend who seriously needs to start a blog!!
Dave
Jenn
Amanda
Anna

If there are others that are participating in the challenge and I have left you out, please let me know so I can add your name and link to your blog.

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

January in Review

2012-01-31T16:00:00.003-05:00

My very early, peaceful, and enjoyable 3 mile run in spring-like temperatures on January 31, 2012 brought my January training to a close. Although it might be more accurate to say those 3 miles brought my January running to a close since I am not technically training for a specific event at the moment but at any rate I give you my final numbers!

January 2012 stats
100.1-- running miles
6-- bike miles
1-- pool workout
106.1-- total miles
156.8-- weight as of January 31, 2012

Current 2012 stats
100.1-- running miles
6-- bike miles
1-- pool workout
106.1-- total miles
156.8-- current weight

2012 "to do list" January check-in
2012 Running Goals
1. My number one running goal is to run a sub-1:50 half marathon
-No work has been done on this. I need to decide when I want to attempt my sub 1:50 and then follow a training plan to help me do so.
2. Secondary to the goal of a sub-1:50, I would like to attempt to run another marathon PR (sub-4:10:11) with a stretch goal of running a sub-4:00:00
-I have had a few thoughts in regards to when I want to run another marathon. I am thinking October...no other thoughts about this right now.
2012 Mini Running Challenges
1. Run 100 miles per month
-100.1 miles run in January
2. Run a half marathon each month
-Rock N' Roll Arizona 1/2 Marathon on January 15, 2012 (1:57:43)
2012 Non-Running Mini Challenges
1. Increase the amount of cross-training/strength training I do on a monthly basis
-2 cross-training/strength workouts done in January...baby steps
2. Focus on choosing and cooking healthier foods
-14 well-balanced meals prepared in January
3. Drink more water
-This remains a struggle for me. I am not happy with my water intake for January so I need to make a conscious effort to step it up.
4. I promised a certain someone that if they ran a marathon with me I would learn to swim so I intend to make good on that promise this year.
-Aside from looking at the swim lesson schedules a few times in January I haven't made any further progress on this challenge but I intend to.

I am very pleased with my January. Now I am looking ahead to February and I am very excited to start my February challenge tomorrow. There's still time to join me in my quest--simply click here to find out the details!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

Who's Ready to Leap Into a Challenge?

2012-01-28T15:37:00.000-05:00

Considering this year is a leap year I thought it would be fun to create a 30 day challenge for myself and anyone else who would like to join me.

source

Now I am fully aware that there are only 29 days in February this year so my plan is to finish the challenge on day 30 even though it will be March 1.

Starting on Wednesday, February 1, 2012 I will start the following 30 day challenges

source

I challenge myself to not eat any sweets for 30 days. Some of my staff has decided to participate in this part of the challenge with me but they have asked for an exemption on Valentine's Day considering there are 29 days in February this year. I granted them their exemption because they are willing to give it a try and I would say 28 days of no sweets is a good start. I however will not be granting myself the exemption.

source

I challenge myself to not eat any potato chips for 30 days.

source

I challenge myself to complete a 30 day fitness program in addition to my February running. I haven't confirmed which 30 day fitness challenge I am going to go with as of yet. I am looking into Jillian Michael's 30 day shred and a few other things. I will make the decision prior to Feburary 1 so that I will have everything I need to complete the challenge.

They say it takes 21 days to create a habit, just imagine what 30 days could do! I plan to do post on my progress with these challenges so stay tuned!

Okay, so who's with me? Who wants to leap into a challenge with both feet?

Rock N' Roll Arizona 1/2 Marathon Race Weekend

2012-01-19T21:18:00.002-05:00

Last Friday I was obsessively checking the airline website to make sure that my flight was still on time and in fact going to be leaving Cleveland for Phoenix. I was pleasantly surprised to board the plane right on time. We did spend quite a bit of time on the runway while our plane was de-iced. In the end it was a pretty uneventful flight and we arrived in Phoenix right on time. Once to the airport I headed to grab my rental car and then headed to Chandler to find Nikki's sister's house. Nikki's sister was kind enough to let us stay at her house as to not have to worry about hotel costs. I found her development with no problem which is impressive for me as I have a horrible sense of direction (there's a reason Deb always drives when we go places) however I was having a hard time seeing the addresses on the houses so I had to get out of the car and walk on the sidewalk to make sure I was in fact at the right place. I can't even imagine walking up to the wrong house and trying to open the door with the key. Shortly after getting settled in I decided to call it a night. Of course with the time change I woke up at 4:40 AM on Saturday morning but I managed to convince myself to try and go back to sleep and fortunately I was able to. Once I woke up for good I noticed how nice it was outside and knew I had to go out for a nice, slow run to take in the scenery.

My view during my 3 mile run

The entrance to Nikki's sister's development

After my run I got ready and headed out to grab some coffee, something to eat, and some food for race morning. Fortunately there was a Starbucks and a really good deli in the grocery store so I was able to take care of everything with one stop. With all of my purchases made I headed back to the house to wait for Nikki and her family to arrive. I decided to sit outside, in January, and read!

Poolside reading

Nikki and her family eventually made it to the house and then Nikki and I headed out to the expo to pick up our race packets. Several times during the drive to the expo we talked about the race and how weird it was not to have Deb with us. We certainly missed her!! I had emailed RNR Arizona and asked if I would be able to at least get Deb's shirt for her and they were more than happy to help me out so Deb at least has a part of the race now. I really like Deb's I-fitness belt that she runs with so I decided to go ahead and buy one at the expo. I am very happy that I did. It worked perfectly! Nikki and I grabbed a map before we left the expo so we could figure out parking for race morning and then headed back to the house to grab her family so we could go out to dinner. We grabbed dinner at Oregano's and then headed back to the house to get some much needed rest for the race. Sunday morning Nikki and I were up bright and early getting our race gear ready and getting on the road to Phoenix since we had a 30 minute drive. Nikki took care of the directions while I did the driving. Of course the exit we were supposed to take was backed up at least four miles so Nikki had me go to the next exit and we didn't run into any traffic at all and decided to make a pit stop at McDonald's as to not have to use the porta potties once we arrived at the race. The parking was perfect as it was right next to the finish line and it was free. We parked the car and made the walk to the start line.

Nikki and I at the start line

Once we were at the start line there was an announcement that the start would be delayed by ten minutes as some people were stuck in the traffic that Nikki and I managed to avoid. Of course I found it really funny that after they finally started the race, there were two more delays for "train crossing". Seriously? Who starts a race by running over train tracks? It definitely made for a good laugh! Our corral finally started the race at 8:00 AM. I really didn't have a plan going into the race and I mentioned to Nikki that I would be happy with a 2:07. My plan was to just run by feel and whatever happened I would be okay with. I saw all kinds of fun people during the 1/2 marathon.

-Around the 2 1/2 mile mark I came across Dan Evans from The Biggest Loser sporting an orange tutu to support the Kids Fit Foundation that he runs for.

- Just after the 5K mark I came across Dan's brother who was also running the race.

-At mile 6 I came across a lady wearing the same exact shirt that I had on. We joked that we must be on the same team.

-At mile 7 I came across a brother and sister running together who had run the Tough Mudder in Mesa on Saturday.

-Just before mile 9 I came across papa smurf and his smurf family complete with blue faces.

-At the 9 1/2 mile mark I passed the PF Chang's dragon. One of the people holding up the dragon tried to get me to hold it for awhile but I told her I was good.

-Just prior to mile 10 I came across a group of girls with shirts that said "running from the snow" on the back and I was almost positive I knew what the front of the shirts were going to say. Sure enough I was right...CHICAGO!

-After seeing the Chicago girls I saw the most beautiful scenery ever....mountains and catci all along the course!

-At mile 10 I saw my watch, yes you are reading that right. I looked down at my watch and saw my time (1:30) and realized that I had 30 minutes to run a sub-2 race so I kicked it up a notch and ran my fastest 5K of the entire race.

-At mile 12 I came across a group of girls wearing aqua leggings and rainbow knee socks. According to their shirts they "belonged to a drinking club with a running problem". Great shirts!!

-At mile 13.1 I saw the finish line and a fellow runner with some awesome socks!

Love these socks

I was very pleased to see my finish time of 1:57:43.

My race results...pretty consistent

After I made it through the maze that was the finish line I was able to get my Desert Double Down medal for running Vegas and Phoenix 6 weeks apart. After grabbing my medal I people watched while I waited for Nikki during which time I saw the three little pigs. It was quite comical to see 3 grown men in head to toe pink pig outfits. Once Nikki made her way to me we headed back to her sisters and decided to sit in the hot tub for a bit and it definitely helped with the leg muscles and I actually woke with zero leg pain on Monday morning. After we sat in the hot tub we all went out to grab a bite to eat and then I packed everything up in preparation for my return flight home on Monday morning.

Aside from the fact that we missed Deb, it was a good weekend.

With state #8 complete, we were planning to run DC in March but we realized it was sold out so Deb did some research and our next race will be in Louisville, Kentucky at the Kentucky Derby Festival 1/2 Marathon in April! Looking forward to another amazing trip with Deb and Nikki and anyone else that would like to join us!!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

Here Comes The Sun....

2012-01-12T21:26:00.000-05:00

I can't get this song out of my head ever since I watched my daughter take her ballet class on Wendesday and I found out it was the song for her classes' portion of the recital in June. As annoying as it is to have it stuck in my head, it is very approriate as I am heading to Phoenix tomorrow where I hope to find that sun! Of course I won't arrive until after sunset so I guess I will have to get my first dose of the sun on Saturday morning!

This weekend I will be running the Rock N' Roll Arizona 1/2 Marathon in Phoenix, Arizona.

State #8

While I am looking forward to running a 1/2 marathon in warmer weather and knocking out my 1/2 marathon for January I am very bummed because my best friend , Deb, won't be there with me. She called me last week and asked me to come and help her out with her kids because she was in severe pain. Long story short, she is sick and may need to have her gallbladder removed. She is having a test done tomorrow morning that will determine the next step in her journey to being fully recovered and back to "normal." Sadly, she is unable to fly or run 13.1 miles which means Arizona is no longer an option for her. I will miss her dearly but I will run the best race I can in her honor.

Deb and I in Vegas before seeing Garth Brooks

If you remember back to Rock N' Roll Vegas, Nikki was unable to join us and we decided we would have to go back to Vegas with her next year so she could check Nevada off the list in our quest to run a 1/2 marathon in all 50 states. Nikki will in fact be in Phoenix this weekend to tackle her next state. Of course when I talked with Deb we decided that we would have to do both Vegas and Phoenix again next year so Nikki can make up Nevada and Deb can make up Arizona. The other reason we have to do both again next year is so Deb and Nikki can qualify for the Desert Double Down Medal. After I cross the finish line on Sunday I will receive my Desert Double Down Medal but don't think for a minute that I won't be with both Deb and Nikki next year at both races!!

Double Down Medal

Deb, Nikki, and I at Rock N' Roll Philly

I don't really have any time goals for Sunday as I plan to play it by ear. I guess we will see what happens!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

So Far So Good

2012-01-07T22:01:00.002-05:00

I recently read a post that Amanda from Get to Goal (here) did and I really liked the format of it so I'm going to go ahead and snag part of her idea from her and use it today! Thanks Amanda for the inspiration! :)

Where to start? Um...how about let's start with how my goals (to-do list) for 2012 are going.

2012 Running Goals
1. My number one running goal is to run a sub-1:50 half marathon
2. Secondary to the goal of a sub-1:50, I would like to attempt to run another marathon PR (sub-4:10:11) with a stretch goal of running a sub-4:00:00-- No work has been done on these two goals as of yet. I will be running plenty of 1/2 marathons for #1 and I am thinking fall is a good time to shoot for #2.

2012 Mini Running Challenges
1. Run 100 miles per month- obviously this is a work in progress and I am currently at 17 miles and going strong.
2. Run a half marathon each month- will be running the Phoenix 1/2 marathon next Sunday...check January off the list!

2012 Non-Running Mini Challenges
1. Increase the amount of cross-training/strength training I do on a monthly basis- did my first pool workout today while the kids were swimming at the YMCA

No, this isn't our YMCA but it is a pool!!

2. Focus on choosing and cooking healthier foods- I made three well-balanced meals this week plus a fourth balanced meal using leftovers. I have stayed away from the sweets all week except for this afternoon when I did have frozen yogurt. I went with strawberry/banana topped with strawberries and raspberries...does that count as a healthy dessert?

One of the meals made this week

3. Drink more water- this one is always a challenge for me. I'm doing okay in this area but certainly need to be doing much more.
4. I promised a certain someone that if they ran a marathon with me I would learn to swim so I intend to make good on that promise this year.- I have looked at the YMCA swim lesson calendar and have thought about calling to see about private lessons but that is as far as I have gotten.

I realize it is only January 7th but I am very proud of myself for my success this week. Only 51 more weeks to go to achieve those goals and complete my to-do list!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

A Look Back on 2011 and A Look Ahead to 2012

2012-01-01T14:39:00.003-05:00

January 2011
*Training for the Cleveland Marathon began (there were many long runs where Jenn and I were sporting our ninja masks to get our run in during the crazy Cleveland winter)
*I spent many a morning running in circles on the indoor track at the YMCA
*Ran 104 miles

February 2011

*Traveled to Austin, TX with Deb and Nikki to knock out another state on our quest to run a 1/2 marathon in all 50 states

*Finally met Joe M. and many other dailymile runners while in Austin

*Traveled to Dublin, OH where I paced Dave to his first sub-2 hour 1/2 marathon

*Ran 100.09 miles

March 2011
*Ran my first 30K and finished dead last while getting first in my age group
*Said goodbye to my Grandma
*Ran my first 20 mile training run for the Cleveland Marathon
*Ran 136.4 miles

April 2011

*Placed first female overall at a local 5K

*Met Olympic Bronze Medalist Lynn Jennings

*Ran the Cleveland 10 Miler as part of a 20 mile training run with Dave and Jenn

*Met some more great running friends (Deb, Missi, Kim and Brigette) thanks to Dave

*Traveled to Nashville, TN with Deb and Nikki to run the RNR Nashville Country Music 1/2 Marathon in honor of Uncle Joe who was in the fight of his life, taking on esophogeal cancer.

*Met Kara Goucher and she autographed my book

*Ran 129.81 miles

May 2011

*Finally got to meet my admitted girl crush and several other bloggers

*Finished the Cleveland Marathon upright and with a smile on my face with A LOT of help from an amazing friend

*Was reminded to appreciate the love of the run

*Ran/walked my daughter's third 5K with her

*Committed to a sub-4:15 training plan, created by Joe, for the Columbus Marathon

*Ran 78.81 miles

June 2011

*Placed 3rd in my age group, with strep throat, at a local 5K

*Officially signed up for the Columbus Marathon

*Started training for the Columbus Marathon

*Ran 90.1 miles

July 2011
*Ran many miles in Myrtle Beach while on vacation
*Took a girls trip to Columbus with my best friend, Deb
*Said goodbye to Uncle Joe
*Ran 172.8 miles
*Set a new monthly mileage PR

August 2011
*Continued training for the Columbus Marathon
*Returned to work after enjoying the summer
*Ran 180.21 miles
*Set yet another monthly mileage PR

September 2011
*Ran my 1,000 mile for 2011
*Traveled to Philadelphia, PA with Deb and Nikki to take on the RNR Philly 1/2 Marathon
*Ran the "Rocky Steps" a couple times
*Met Jackie and Dan from the Biggest Loser
*Had an amazing final 20 mile training run for the Columbus Marathon
*Ran 115.29 miles

October 2011

*Traveled to Chicago to support Deb and Missi in their marathon

*Met Amanda while in Chicago

*Had the time of my life at the Columbus Marathon on October 16, 2011

*Crossed the finish line of the Columbus Marathon in 4:10:11 with the support of my amazing friends

*Ran all 26.2 miles of the Columbus Marathon in memory of Uncle Joe, he will always be our Superman

*Ran 83.2 miles

November 2011
*Just ran to run with no training plan
*Enjoyed a few beautiful runs in PA while visiting for Thanksgiving
*Ran 51.6 miles
*Least amount of miles run in a month in 2011

December 2011
*Traveled to Las Vegas, NV with Deb to run the RNR Vegas Strip at Night 1/2 Marathon
*Enjoyed an amzing girls weekend while in Vegas with my best friend
*Ran into Darlene on the course in a sea of 45,000 people
*Was told by my doctor that I was the picture of health (BP 110/62, weight 153 lbs, and BMI 22) and to keep running because it is working
*Ran 57.69 miles
*Ran my 1,300 mile on my basement treadmill on December 31, 2011

2011 was a great year overall. Although there was great sadness in saying goodbye to two amazing family members, there were many more tears of joy and accomplishment shed!

With a wrap on 2011, I give you my "to do list" for 2012

2012 Running Goals
1. My number one running goal is to run a sub-1:50 half marathon
2. Secondary to the goal of a sub-1:50, I would like to attempt to run another marathon PR (sub-4:10:11) with a stretch goal of running a sub-4:00:00

2012 Mini Running Challenges
1. Run 100 miles per month
2. Run a half marathon each month

2012 Non-Running Mini Challenges
1. Increase the amount of cross-training/strength training I do on a monthly basis
2. Focus on choosing and cooking healthier foods
3. Drink more water
4. I promised a certain someone that if they ran a marathon with me I would learn to swim so I intend to make good on that promise this year.

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

December in Review

2011-12-31T13:00:00.001-05:00

This morning's 4 mile run on the treadmill while watching Miss Congeniality brought my December training, as well as my 2011 training, to a close!

December 2011 Stats
57.69-- running miles
0-- elliptical miles
0-- bike miles
0-- spinning class miles
57.69-- total miles
0 minutes-- rope skipping
154.4-- weight as of December 31, 2011

Current 2011 Stats
1300-- running miles
17.8-- elliptical miles
15.86-- bike miles
55.8-- spinning class miles
1389.46-- total miles
1 hour and 55 minutes-- rope skipping

Overall, I am quite pleased with my December. I am very happy with my 2011 and will be back tomorrow with a full review of 2011 and my goals for 2012.

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

Reflections of 2011

2011-12-26T19:03:00.001-05:00

With less than a week left in 2011, I figured it would make sense to look back on the past year and see where I stand with the goals I set on January 1, 2011.

2011 Goals

1. Cross the finish line of the 2011 Cleveland Marathon upright and smiling with a little help from my friends-CHECK!!

With A LOT of help from an amazing friend

2. Run a minimum of two half marathons- CHECK- to the tune of 5 half marathons!

1/2 marathon number 1 took us to Austin, Texas in February where I finally had the chance to meet Coach Joe.

Austin Livestrong 1/2 Marathon
Austin, Texas
February 2011

Post Austin Livestrong 1/2 Marathon
February 2011

1/2 marathon number 2 took me to Dublin, Ohio where I paced Dave to his first sub-2 hour half.

Last Chance For Boston 1/2 Marathon
February 2011

1/2 marathon number 3 took us to Nashville, Tennessee where I ran 13.1 miles in honor of Uncle Joe who was in the fight of his life, taking on esphogeal cancer.

RNR Nashville Country Music 1/2 Marathon
April 2011

13.1 for Uncle Joe at the RNR Country Music 1/2 Marathon
April 2011

1/2 marathon number 4 took us to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where we had the pleasure of meeting Jackie and Dan from The Biggest Loser. We also got a chance to run the "Rocky Steps" while there.

Meeting Jackie and Dan
RNR Philadelphia 1/2 Marathon
September 2011

Rocky steps post RNR Philadelphia 1/2 Marathon
September 2011

1/2 marathon number 5 took us to Las Vegas, Nevada where we had the opportunity to run The Strip at Night.

RNR Vegas 1/2 Marathon Expo
December 2011

RNR Vegas 1/2 Marathon
December 2011

3. Cross train once a week-MISS, I did get some cross training done for 2011 but not on a weekly basis.
4. Do a jump rope work out once a week- MISS, I did do jump rope work outs for a month or so in 2011 but I backed off due to marathon training.

5. Run 1,500 miles-MISS. As of this morning I am sitting at 1281.41. With only 5 days left in 2011 I don't think I will be hitting this mileage goal. I pretty certain I won't be running 43+ miles per day over the next five days. There is a possibility that I can hit 1,300 miles by December 31st so I am going to try for that.

All in all a good year for running. One last goal that I had set late in the year was to run a sub-4:15 at The Columbus Marathon on October 16, 2011. I am thrilled to report that I crushed that goal crossing the line in 4:10:11.

I will be back soon with a December in review as well as my goals for 2012.

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

Vegas Rock 'N' Roll 1/2 Marathon Weekend

2011-12-07T17:54:00.003-05:00

A trip to Vegas this past weekend helped us to continue on our quest to achieve our goal of running a 1/2 marathon in all 50 states. The only thing missing was Nikki.*

The amazing weekend in Las Vegas started Friday evening as my best friend, Deb and I headed to the airport in the afternoon to catch our flight. Even with a small delay on the way to the airport we managed to breeze through security and make it to our gate with a few minutes to spare. During our flight we watched The Change Up. I highly recommend it as it was hilarious and helped the time pass quickly. Over the course of the flight we talked with another passenger from California and he mentioned to us that we certainly didn't look to be more than in our twenties. The plane would not be the last time that we would be told we looked young over the course of the weekend! Compliment graciously accepted, we landed in Vegas on time and headed to the Palazzo to check in. We were in awe of our free upgraded suite.

Our bathroom

Our suite

View from our hotel room

After we snapped a few pictures of the room we got ready to go and see PeepShow with Holly Madison. The show was absolutely amazing. The muscle definition in the dancers was just insane. I can't even begin to imagine how many hours a day they work out. It was a very tasteful show and Deb and I really enjoyed it and we were recommending it to others that we met over the weekend.

Deb and I before PeepShow

After the show we were starving due to the time change and the fact that we hadn't eaten too much during the day. We headed to PF Changs and grabbed a very late dinner. After dinner we decided we wanted to check out the Pussycat Dolls Burlesque Saloon so we started walking through the casino looking for the entrance and one of the guards picked us out and asked us if we were interested in going into the club. Of course we accepted and the guard said to the other guy checking ID's, "you better check those because they might be fakes." We decided that our trendy outfits got us in free. This was the second time Friday evening that we were told we looked young! There was a lot of people watching to be had in the Saloon. I really think some people forget to look in the mirror (read: white undergarments under a short black dress and nightclub lights don't really go together if you know what I mean). The dancers did a few shows in the club and we decided to call it a night after their last show. As we were going down the escalator our server from dinner and his friend were going towards the club. Our server shouted down to us, "where are you going, aren't you going to come have a drink with us." We laughed and said "we're old, we're going to bed" to which our server's friend said "I'm old too, I'm almost 30." Deb and I about died laughing. If they only knew how old we actually were. Three times in one evening to be told we look very young seems like a fantastic average to me!! It was a great note to end the evening on so we headed back to our room to get some much needed rest.

We managed to sleep in a bit Saturday morning which was quite nice. Our plan for the day involved food, the race expo, shopping, and Garth Brooks! After we were ready for the day we decided to go to Sugar Factory for Breakfast. I can't even begin to tell you how amazing the food was. Deb and I decided to share eggs benedict and a seasonal crepe with fresh berries. I am pretty sure it was the best eggs benedict I have ever eaten in my life which could be because instead of it being on an english muffin it was on a bed of scalloped potatoes! The crepe was just as delicious! Deb said it best when she said "OMG I might have to move here. The decor is like an adult version of an Americal Girl Store."

One of the many great signs at the Sugar Factory

One of the many sweet treats at Sugar Factory

We finished up our breakfast and did a bit of shopping on the store side of the Sugar Factory and then headed to the Expo to pick up our race packets. When we got to the expo it was insanely crowded so we didn't do a ton of shopping but we did stop at a few booths where Deb bought some really awesome shoes and some water bottles for her I-Fitness belt. I can tell you one thing, I am pretty sure a Las Vegas Expo is the only place you will encounter the following.

Deb and I with one of the Showgirls

We left the expo and headed back to our hotel and did some window shopping. I think we were experiencing sticker shock when we went into one of the shoe stores and saw a pair of shoes for a mere $6,500. Seriously?!?! I can't make this stuff up!! The most amazing thing to me was the number of people that were in there seriously shopping for shoes...crazy, I tell you!! We made a quick trip to will call to pick up our Garth Brooks tickets and eventually made it back to our room to get ready for dinner at Emeril LaGassi's restuarant Delmonico's. In the meantime I talked to my friend Darlene as she had arrived in Vegas Saturday afternoon and she would be running the full marathon. She and her husband met us in front of Delmonico's so we could say hello and wish each other luck on Sunday. It was nice to talk with them for a few minutes and Darlene was gracious enough to take our picture.

Deb and I before dinner

The food at Delmonico's was absolutely amazing and the staff was great about making sure there was no olive oil in my food. As we were enjoying dinner there were two tables next to us with large groups of people. It appeared that they were all together. Eventually I realized a member of their party was on the ground in obvious need of medical assistance. It was the strangest thing as all of the people in his party just sat there and continued to drink there wine and seemed completely unphased by it. I mentioned this to Deb and after security showed up she went over to check it out since she does have a medical background and it didn't appear that anyone was really helping him. When she got over there she was able to see that he was conscious. After what seemed like forever the paramedics arrived and wheeled him out on a gurney. A few of the people in his party followed the gurney out of the restaurant so we were under the impression that they were going to accompany him to the hospital. Imagine our surprise when a mere 5 minutes later all of the guys came back into the restaurant, sat back down at their table, and proceeded to eat dinner. All I can say is only in Vegas people!! Deb and I had a good laugh after she told me that she would have made sure I was okay and then joined me at the hospital after the Garth concert! After all of this we finished up our dinners and shared two delicious desserts and then headed out for the concert.

Deb and I excited for the concert

I can't even begin to tell you how awesome Garth's show was. I had no idea one guy with one acoustic guitar could fill an entire theater will such amazing sound. I can't even put into words how great of a show he put on. There was also the added bonus of Trisha Yearwood coming out on stage to join Garth for part of the show. Towards the end of the show Garth sang Piano Man and the girl next to me asked her boyfriend what it was. I looked at her and said "really? It's Piano Man". Her boyfriend got a good laugh and I still can't believe she didn't know the song. The ending of the concert was just awesome as the entire theater stood up and sang along with Garth to "Friends in Low Places". I could have sat there for hours on end just listening to him sing. I am so glad that Deb suggested we get tickets to his show!! Since we had complimentary entry to Tao nightclub in our swag bags from the Expo we decided to give it a try. It was a short-lived trip as we weren't very impressed with it at all. We decided pretty quickly to go ahead and head to a Piano Bar. We were under the impression that it would be very similar to the dueling pianos we had seen other places but these guys were just different and there sound was a bit odd. That being said we had one heck of a time watching a guy attempt to dance to the songs. We were laughing so hard we had tears running down our cheeks. I can't even do the description of what we saw justice in words. All I can say is "jump, jump". After the last song was played we headed back to our room to get some sleep. Deb and I were both thankful that the race wasn't taking place until 5:30 PM because we were able to sleep in on Sunday morning!

I woke up Sunday morning, got ready and printed our boarding passes for our flight home on Monday morning. Once Deb and I were both ready we decided to go to Serendipity for brunch. Once there we would wait over an hour for a table but it was definitely worth it. While we were waiting we decided to throw caution to the wind when ordering and not worry about how what we ate would affect our race later in the evening. We figured worst case scenario one of us would get sick on the course (which neither of us did by the way). As we were eating our brunch Deb and I agreed that this had been one of the best food vacations ever!

Frozen Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate, Hot Chocolate French Toast, Chorizo Quiche, and Sweet Potato Fries

After we finished brunch we decided to do a little more shopping and then we headed back to our room to get ready for the race. While getting ready for the race we also started packing for our inevitable return to Ohio. As we walked through the hotel to catch the shuttle to the start line we stopped for a picture.

Deb and I ready to Rock the Strip at Night

Imagine our surprise when we arrived at the shuttle and saw a neverending line of people. It was 3:45 and we were pretty certain we wouldn't be making it to the starting line in time. We just went with it because we were in Vegas afterall!!

Not too many people right??

We embraced the shuttle line for what it was and made some great new friends including:

Some superheros

And sisters running for an amazing cause

We eventually made it onto the shuttle and arrived to the starting line 30 minutes after the gun had gone off. As we were walking towards the starting line the volunteers were telling us to run because they needed to breakdown the starting line and set up the finish line as the lead marathon runners would be arriving soon as the marathon started at 4:00 PM. It was a mass sea of people everywhere. I knew after the first mile that it was just going to be a fun run as I was at least 2 plus minutes behind my usual pace but I went into the race knowing this could happen and I was perfectly okay with it. I decided to keep my eye out for Darlene since she had been running since 4:00 PM and there was a slim possibility that she would catch up to us. Imagine my surprise when just before mile 5 for me and mile 18 for her I look to my right and Darlene is next to me. We started running together and I asked her how she was feeling and she said she was feeling good but was frustrated with the traffic she encountered when she had to merge with the 1/2 marathon runners. At one point Darlene told me not to let her hold me back and I told her that I was in it for fun and certainly not for any time goals. Approximately 20 miles in Darlene "lost" me for a minute and when she found me again she said "oh, there you are". I told her not to worry about me and run her race to which she replied "I don't wnat to lose you". It turns out she could really use the company. We had a good time running the final 8 miles together. I shared some of my water with her and did my best to keep her going. As we approached the finish line we had to part ways as the marathon went to the left and the 1/2 went to the right but I made a point to run next to the barrier and run with Darlene and we crossed the finish together separated by a barrier. It was so great to be able to hug her the minute she crossed the finish line of her first marathon! I was so very proud of her. I still say everything happens for a reason and that justifies to me why the shuttle ran so late and why I was able to spot Darlene in a sea of 45,000 people! My time on Sunday may just be my slowest 1/2 marathon ever but I wouldn't change it for the world as I got to help a friend see it through to the finish line. Once we received our medals we were sent into Mandalay Bay to wait for our friends and family.

Darlene and I after the race

Awesome Medal

Darlene and I had a quick picture taken and then I reunited with Deb in the very lengthy cab line. Deb ran a great race and got to meet some really interesting people including Elvis SpongeBob and his entourage and a guy that was running his 60 marathon on Sunday!!

Elvis Spongebob

Spongebob's Entourage

60th Marathon for the guy on the right. The guy on the left is running a 55 mile ultra next week

While waiting in line for a cab we met a couple from Columbus, Ohio which was kind of cool. We ended up sharing a cab with them since you pay to sit in park when in a cab so it was more cost effective that way. I believe that we got in the cab line around 9:30 and we didn't get back to our hotel until around 11:40. Deb and I quickly took showers and finally had dinner around 12:30AM. The alarm went off all too soon on Monday morning and we were saying goodbye to Vegas and headed to the airport. In the end Deb took a bump with a deal she couldn't refuse and we flew home separately. In hindsight we should have signed me up for the bump as well. Live and learn, live and learn.

It was truly a wonderful weekend filled with lots of great food, continuous laughs, amazing shows, and unconditional friendship. Thank you Deb for a trip to remember and thank you for being my best friend!

Marathon in all 50 states status- #7 completed*

Bring on #8!!

*Nikki couldn't join us for state #7 so Deb and I will have to head back to Vegas with her when she runs it, oh darn!!

Post Photos: All provided compliments of Deb!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

Thumbs Up Thursday....Kelly

2011-12-01T07:00:00.001-05:00

This week's spotlight is on Kelly of Running (Kell)ometers (here). Kelly just recently started blogging so after you read her interview head on over to her blog and introduce yourself!!

Jodi: How long have you been running?
Kelly: Since I joined the high school track team when I was 14 years old.

Jodi: Why did you start running?
Kelly: I had family members that were into running and thought I would give it a try. This was high school, the big leagues! I wanted to give it a try. When I made the team and figured out I could go fast, I was hooked.

Jodi: How many years have you been racing?
Kelly: I ran the 400m race in high school but didn’t do any distances much farther than that. I ran my first 5k in 2006 and have been doing them ever since.

Jodi: What is your favorite distance to race and why?
Kelly: If you would have asked me this a year ago, I would have said the 5K, hands down. I love to run fast so a quick 3.1 mile run was perfect. However, since completing my first marathon in 2011, I’m much happier with a 5 mile, or 8-10k distance. But with how many half marathons I’m considering in 2012, that distance may change yet again!

Jodi: What is your favorite race memory?
Kelly: There are so many to choose from, it is hard to think of just one. Aside from finishing my first marathon (which is also my proudest moment), I’d have to pick the 2010 Shamrock Shuffle 8K. I always run this race with 2 of my friends. We drive there together, but most times we don’t run the race together. Based on the different paces and feelings that day, we’ve never finished the race together. That year, we had a lot of weddings and weren’t in the mode to go out fast and PR, so we decided to run the race together. For the entire 8K, we were 3 across (and probably annoyed others behind us trying to pass us). Two of us weren’t racing for time, just encouraging each other along the way. Our friend that was racing for time, PRed, and felt great afterwards. We crossed the finish line with our hands in the air, showing the sign language letter K (because all 3 of our names start with K… Kelly, Kate, Kate). It was a great memory that we all share, together.

Jodi: What is your least favorite race memory?
Kelly: Sitting in the medical tent at mile 15 of the Chicago Marathon. I threw up at mile 13 and knew I had to stop based on the heat, etc. I walked into the medical tent with no sweat (despite temperatures in the high 70’s) and immediately needed an IV. I know I made the right decision, but that didn’t make me feel like less of a failure at that time. However, I didn’t give up. I had to complete my marathon and Chicago just wasn’t my race. With the support of my husband, family, and running buddies, I signed up for Grand Rapids the very next weekend. I was determined to finish.

Jodi: What is your proudest running moment to date?
Kelly: This one is easy. Crossing the finish line of the Grand Rapids Marathon in 2011, completing my first marathon. I couldn't have done it without my outstanding support group. The race was 3 hours away, and despite the distance I had quite a crowd there to cheer me on. My husband was there along with his mom and 3 cousins. They made signs and t-shirts too! My friend Amanda, who I started with at the Chicago Marathon, also drove up and surprised me! (She completed the Chicago Marathon the week before!) She met up with me at a spot where I was really struggling and she helped me through to the end. I was disappointed with my time, but Amanda helped me to stay positive. I still completed a marathon, no matter what the clock said!

Jodi: What one item do you absolutely have to have with you on a training run?
Kelly: My Garmin (Forerunner 405). If I don’t keep track of the time, I feel lost. There is a sense of accountability and accomplishment when you have a diary or journal of the training runs and races you’ve completed.

Jodi: What is your favorite fuel during a race?
Kelly: For the longer runs, I couldn’t live without my Gu Roctane Pineapple. But during shorter runs, I really love the taste of plain lemon-lime Gatorade. Even after all the training and all the years, it is still my favorite flavor.

Jodi: What is your favorite post race snack?
Kelly: Banana, hands down! When a race doesn’t have them, it is like there is something missing.

Jodi: Do you have a favorite quote?
Kelly: “There will be a day when I can no longer do this. Today is not that day.”

Running an unexpected PR at the Hot Chocolate 5K

Kelly's running buddy

Jodi: Finish this statement: When I run a feel ____________.
Kelly: refreshed and inspired.

Jodi: Who do you admire most and why?
Kelly: The running community overall is very inspiring. I’ve met lots of folks through my Chicago Marathon training group, my friend’s Team in Training marathon training group, my local running group, and now the blogging community. There are so many folks out there rooting for you to do a good job and meet your goals. Runners, we are our own kind of animal and we understand each other. There is always support when you need it, whether you need to ask or not. It really is quite amazing.

Jodi: What is your current goal?
Kelly: I have two current goals. 1) to finish the Shamrock Shuffle 8K on March 25 in 40:00 or less (previous PR is 40:49 in 2009), 2) to complete the Southwest Bank Half Marathon on May 6 with a time around 1:45 (I completed a 10 mile race at 1:28 also in 2009)

Jodi: Please feel free to add anything that will motivate others to lace up their shoes and get out there and run!
Kelly: I feel like there is no “can’t” in running. If you want to, anything is possible. I took a year off from running in 2010 while I was planning my wedding. I could barely run 1 mile in January 2011 and completed a marathon in October 2011. Anything is possible if you put your mind to it! Getting out there and running 0.6 miles is still getting out there and running!!

Thanks again for the opportunity to give you a Thumbs Up Kelly! Bewst of luck achieving your current goals!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Kelly YOU inspire ME!!

November In Review

2011-11-30T09:44:00.002-05:00

Saturday's 7.1 mile afternoon run while visiting family in Pennsylvania brought my November training to a close. During the course of those 7.1 miles I got to experience the beautiful sights and sounds of the country in my hometown, including this beautiful sunset.

This month I wasn't following a training plan and I was just running to run and I rather enjoyed it. While I didn't run a ton of miles in November I did enjoy the run each and every single time I laced up my Brooks Addictions. I also believe this month was my lowest mileage month in 2011 but you know what? I am totally okay with it! I still got some quality workouts in and I got to spend time with family. I consider that a win-win in my book.

November 2011 Stats
51.6-- running miles
0-- elliptical miles
0-- bike miles
0-- spinning class miles
51.6-- total miles
0 minutes-- rope skipping
158-- weight as of November 30, 2011*
*reduced mileage and workouts combined with not so healthy eating habits resulted in a 2.4 lb gain this month.

Current 2011 Stats
1242.31-- running miles
17.8-- elliptical miles
15.86-- bike miles
55.8-- spinning class miles
1331.77-- total miles

1 hour and 55 minutes-- rope skipping

Looking ahead to December, Deb (my best friend) and I will be heading to Sin City on Friday evening for a girl's weekend which includes:

This

And This

It is going to be a fun-filled weekend packed full of great food, fun, and friendship! I'm sure you will all want to hear a complete report of the weekend but you must remember one thing:

"What Happens In Vegas......"

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

7.1 Miles In Photos

2011-11-26T19:31:00.001-05:00

This week we are in Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving and I have had the opportunity to run on the roads I grew up running on the past three days. I headed out for a run this afternoon and decided to document the run with photos!

Oh hill prior to mile 3, I certainly remember you

I'm coming after you hill

Take that hill prior to mile 3

Mile 4

Mile 5.5

Mile 5.5 take 2

Just prior to mile 6. I have seen this mailbox on every run this week!

Mile 6.5 as the sun is setting

Mile 7.1 and Done!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

Thumbs Up Thursday...Kim

2011-11-17T06:00:00.002-05:00

This week's spotlight is on Kim from Life in the Twin Lane (here). Once you read her interview head on over to her blog and introduce yourself!!

Jodi: How long have you been running?

Kim: I have been running off and on most of my life, but really starting getting into the crazy running world about four years ago.

Jodi: Why did you start running?
Kim: At first it was a way to help me manage the anxiety that came along with quitting smoking, and then I immediately liked the challenge of going faster and farther.

Jodi: How many years have you been racing?
Kim: My first race was May of 2007 - the Soleburner 5k in Appleton, WI. I now have a few 5ks and half marathons that I try to do every year, and love trying new races.

Jodi: What is your favorite distance to race and why?
Kim: I can't decide! For the past few years, I've said that I like half marathons, but I also love the thrill of the speed and the twenty something minutes of hell that comes with a 5k.

Kim receving a tropy at a Veteran's Day 5K in 2008

Jodi: What is your favorite race memory?
Kim: Ahh, this a tough one - there are so many great memories. In 2008, I ran the Oshkosh half marathon - my first. It was cold and sleeting, and there weren't many runners or spectators. I remember being about 11 miles on a beautiful trail through the park, grinning ear to ear and being so proud of myself for running that far. I felt on top of the world.

Jodi: What is your least favorite race memory?
Kim: Hands down - being at mile nine or ten of the Chicago Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon this summer. Every muscle in my legs burned and my stomach just started heaving. I broke out in a cold sweat and goosebumps, and it was the first time I ever thought about quitting a race. I later found out I was running on a femoral stress fracture, and I think that breakdown was my body's way of telling me to stop and go sit on the couch.

Kim and Rachel (Running in Real Life) after the 2011 Rock 'N Roll Chicago Half Marathon

Jodi: What is your proudest running moment to date?
Kim: Another tough question! This one's hard because while I have definitely had moments where I feel proud of myself, it's been so long since I've set a PR that I feel good about or run longer than I ever have that it's difficult to remember. I guess I'll say when I crossed the finish line at the Team Hailey 5k in April of 2010 - it was four weeks after I had my twins, and I was proud that I ran the whole thing - even though my newly giant boobs were absolutely killing me the entire time. :)

Jodi: What one item do you absolutely have to have with you on a training run?
Kim: Water. I never run without water, and it's got to be in my Camelbak handheld. When you squeeze it, this things shoots water at about a million miles per hour. It's awesome.

Jodi: What is your favorite fuel during a race?
Kim: Black Cherry Shot Bloks! I've been known to snack on them if I'm hungry and I find a half-eaten package in my car. Delightful.

Jodi: What is your favorite post race snack?
Kim: Vanilla almond milk with chocolate whey protein. I've Pavloved myself into craving it towards the end of every run.

Jodi: Do you have a favorite quote?
Kim: I do. "Face piles of trials with smiles, it riles them to believe that you perceive the web they weave. Keep on thinking free." It's from my favorite Moody Blues album, and it's been my favorite since I was a little girl.

Jodi: Finish this statement: When I run I feel _________.
Kim: Strong and accomplished. Driven.

Jodi: Who do you admire most and why?
Kim: My mom. Aside from being super smart and fun to be around, she started the Couch to 5k program at 58 years old, and just completed her second half marathon. She inspires so many people, but she'd never admit it.

Kim with her beautiful mother!!

Jodi: What is your current goal?
Kim: Ugh. Can you hear my giant sigh through the computer screen? My goal is to be smart and safe as I continue this rehab process so my femur heals stronger than ever. Then I'd like to remain injury free and just be able to run again. And... maybe set some new PRs. And run Ragnar. And maybe a marathon. :)

Jodi: Please feel free to add anything that will motivate others to lace up their shoes and get out there and run!
Kim: If you've been injured, you know how difficult it is emotionally and mentally to be taken out of running. Remember that fire that burns when all you want is to run, and get out there and enjoy feeling your heart pumping and the wind on your face. Be thankful for the gift your body is giving you.

Thanks again for the opportunity to give you a Thumbs Up Kim! Bewst of luck achieving your mainly goals and healing well!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Kim YOU inspire ME!!

The Battle Between The Snooze Alarm And My Running Shoes

2011-11-15T18:31:00.003-05:00

Every weeknight I set my alarm for 4:30 AM with every intention of getting out of bed to head out for a run. Truth be told I have chosen to hit snooze and stay in bed more often than not lately. I think I have lost a bit of my running mojo ever since my PR performance at the Columbus Marathon back in October. I have run in the afternoon and evening a few times since Columbus but I really prefer to run in the morning.

Last night, as I always do, I set my alarm for 4:30 AM and when it went off this morning I had a battle between that snooze button and my running shoes once again!
4:30 AM-Alarm goes off and I hit snooze.
4:37 AM-Alarm goes off again- snooze once again
4:44 AM-Alarm again-snooze again
4:51 AM-Alarm once more-snooze once more
4:58 AM-Alarm and snooze yet again
5:05 AM- Alarm and I decide to check the weather on my phone
5:12 AM- Alarm again and snooze once more
5:19 AM- Alarm and I turn it off and think to myself seriously Jodi it is 53 degrees on November 15th. Get your butt out of bed and go for a run. You don't have to run far and you will be done in 30 minutes or less.
5:21 AM- Out of bed! Thow on capris and a long sleeve shirt in November and head outside.
5:30 AM- Game on, run started
26 minutes and 44 seconds later I return home and am glad I let my running shoes win the battle today. The question is: what will happen tomorrow at 4:30 AM?

Do you battle your snooze alarm? How do you defeat it?

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!

Thumbs Up Thursday...Falon

2011-11-10T06:00:00.001-05:00

This week's spotlight is on Falon of Falon Does Marathon (here). Once you read her interview head on over to her blog and say hello.

Jodi: How long have you been running?
Falon: Since May 2010. I still remember my very first effort, I think it took a week to run a mile without stopping to walk. I started with a group of friends also hoping to get into running and I was the only one that fell in love and stuck with it.

Jodi: Why did you start running?
Falon: Well as a non-runner, it seemed RIDICULOUSLY hard. Then, as I started it was easy to measure progress and improve. Also, running is really a solo effort. Yes, crowds and friends help, but I love that I am the only one responsible for my successes and failures.

Jodi: How many years have you been racing?
Falon: My first race ever, a 5k, was July 4, 2010. It is addicting for sure.

Jodi: What is your favorite distance to race and why?
Falon: I love the half marathon, but truth be told I'm probably best in the 8-10k range. I can usually catch a pretty fierce 2nd wind around mile 4 and run my guts out to the finish.

Jodi: What is your favorite race memory?
Falon: Wow I have so many amazing memories from various races and few of them have to do with crossing the finish line. When I saw my mom and my husband at mile 16 in Chicago. Hi-fiving a cute baby in Chinatown. Feeling strong enough to encourage other runners on the course. The first racing milestone of breaking a 30 minute 5k.

Jodi: What is your least favorite race memory?
Falon: Anytime I have done a race where I expected to place and didn't. I hate competing in that way- it really sours the experience and it is a dumb way to run.

Jodi: What is your proudest running moment to date?
Falon: Finishing the Chicago freakin' Marathon. Not in the time or the temperature that I wanted, but I did it. I ran strong and took it all in and I didn't let myself down in any way.

Jodi: What one item do you absolutely have to have with you on a training run?
Falon: Just one? I have several essential items. Sunglasses (if there is a 1% chance of the sun appearing- I have to have them), Contact Lenses (who can run in eye glasses?), Moving Comfort "Fiona" Bra, Garmin Forerunner 305. I will not walk out the door without those items. I feel like running is hard enough... I have to have the things I love.

Jodi: What is your favorite fuel during a race?
Falon: I love Shot Blocks. Black Cherry and Strawberry have been my favorites so far. I also like the Double Espresso Cliff Shot when I can stomach the sweet. The caffeine always adds a nice zinnnngggg! Truth be told I wish race eating was not necessary because it is always SO unappealing at the time.

Jodi: What is your favorite post race snack?
Falon: Summer races- WATERMELON! Also, PIZZA and if that is wrong... I don't wanna be right.

Jodi: Do you have a favorite quote?
Falon: I don't really have a favorite running quote. I do have a mantra though. It was spray painted under a bridge along a trail I regularly ran. "More Action, More Passion" I try to repeat that to myself when times get tough.

Jodi: Finish this statement: When I run a feel ________.
Falon: untouchable and I believe that the world is still a place for dreams and possibilities.

Jodi: Who do you admire most and why?
Falon: Wowza. I don't really have one person I supremely admire. I admire all runners as they strive for faster times, stronger runs and bigger dreams. I also admire all the runner bloggers posting to help and motivate the entire running community! I admire my mother, she is such a kind hearted person that genuinely likes most people and she doesn't get bogged down in whiny crap very often.

Jodi: What is your current goal?
Falon: Great question, I am still trying to define my goals for 2012 as I look beyond the marathon. Do I want to improve speed or strive for distance? Yes, they usually come as a set, but where should my focus be? Hmmm right now all I know is that I'm going to dedicate the winter to improving overall strength, muscle tone and flexibility. I am hoping to become a more balanced athlete which will hopefully improve my running. I'd also like to become more regular with my mileage so I'm flirting with the 1,000 miles in 2012 goal. It scares and excites me, all at the same time.

Thanks again for the opportunity to give you a Thumbs Up Falon! Best of luck achieving all of your awesome goals!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Falon YOU inspire ME!!

Thumbs Up Thursday...Rachel

2011-11-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

This week's spotlight is on Rachel from Running In Real Life (here). Once you read her interview head on over to her blog and say hello!

Jodi: How long have you been running?

Rachel: 5 years

Jodi: Why did you start running?
Rachel: My friend Kim was getting into running and convinced me to sign up for a 5k. I'm not really sure why I agreed to do it, I thought running was awful! I started running with her and could barely make it a few blocks. I kept at it though and by the end of that first 5k I was hooked! I have always been drawn to things that are a challenge for me, and running is definitely a challenge! When I started I was so slow, but I loved competing with myself to improve at each race.

Jodi: How many years have you been racing?
Rachel: 5 Years - that first 5k got me started and I haven't stopped yet!

Jodi: What is your favorite distance to race and why?
Rachel: The Half Marathon. I love the challenge of that distance, yet I don't have to spend all my free time training. I am also much better at being slow and steady than running all out like a 5k requires.

Jodi: What is your favorite race memory?
Rachel: Finishing under 2 hours at the Chicago Rock n Roll Half marathon this summer. I wasn't even trying to do that! I was in the middle of marathon training and not really aiming for any particular time. My previous PR was 2:09 and I blew it away. I still get butterflies in my stomach thinking about it.

Jodi: What is your least favorite race memory?
Rachel: My very first half marathon. I had been very stressed out from both my husband and I changing jobs suddenly and moving to a new city. I was severely undertrained and didn't know how to fuel or pace myself. To top it off, it was cold, windy and sleeting the whole race. I was miserable by mile 3 and walked quite a bit. I still finished, but I hated every minute of it. Luckily, I am too stubborn to give up after a bad experience and have run many half marathons since then!

Jodi: What is your proudest running moment to date?
Rachel: Besides the sub-2 I talked about above it would be finishing my first marathon this fall. I trained through a hot and busy summer and made it to race day uninjured and excited to go. It wasn't as pretty as I had hoped it would be, but I did it! I also get an immense feeling of pride seeing my friends and other runners achieve a goal they had been working towards.

Jodi: What one item do you absolutely have to have with you on a training run?
Rachel: I don't have a Garmin and I go back and forth with listening to my iPod, so I would say a good pair of Saucony shoes. I like to keep it simple.

Jodi: What is your favorite fuel during a race?
Rachel: Strawberry Banana flavored GU.

Jodi: What is your favorite post race snack?
Rachel: Beer! Luckily I live in Wisconsin where many of the races have beer at the post-race celebrations. :) Bananas are good too.

Rachel with a celebratory beer

Jodi: Do you have a favorite quote?
Rachel: "If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run." - John Bingham

I like to remind myself of this quote whenever I am feeling not good enough. It doesn't matter if I am not as fast as I would like to be - I am still out there running and that is all that matters.

Jodi: Finish this statement: When I run I feel _________.
Rachel: alone - but a good alone. I can zone out and forget about the stress of everyday life. I like to take in all the scenery around me and not think about anything. If I ever get crabby my husband tells me to go for a run - he knows I will be in a much better mood once I get back.

Jodi: Who do you admire most and why?
Rachel: My dad. He has battled diabetes and epilepsy his entire life. While it affects his quality of life on a daily basis he doesn't let it bring him down. I get a lot of my stubbornness from him. I think being stubborn is good when you are a runner.

Rachel with her mom and dad post marathon

Jodi: What is your current goal?
Rachel: To keep up my fitness throughout the winter and try to improve my half marathon time once the spring comes. I would like to do another marathon next year as well.

Mile 10 stretch during the marathon

Thanks again for the opportunity to give you a Thumbs Up Rachel! Best of luck achieving your current goals!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Rachel YOU inspire ME!!

October in Review...Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T20:37:00.004-04:00

Yesterday's ten mile frosty run with Kim and Deb brought my October training to a close. Apparently the golfers couldn't handle the frost.

Of course the frost had nothing on us runners! We were already half way through our run when we encountered this sign! A little frost wasn't going to stop us from getting our run in!

October 2011 Stats
83.2-- running miles
0-- elliptical miles
0-- bike miles
0-- spinning class miles
83.2-- total miles
0 minutes-- rope skipping
155.6-- weight as of October 31, 2011

Current 2011 Stats
1190.71-- running miles
17.8-- elliptical miles
15.86-- bike miles
55.8-- spinning class miles
1280.17-- total miles
1 hour and 55 minutes-- rope skipping

I am very pleased with my October training and am still experiencing the "runner's high" from Columbus Marathon Experience.

For the first time in months I am not following a training plan. I am just running to run and I am enjoying it. I am looking forward to seeing what November has in store and I can't wait for our girls weekend to run the Rock 'N Roll Vegas 1/2 Marathon in December. "What Happens in Vegas..."

HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ALL!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

Thumbs Up Thursday...Dave P.

2011-10-27T06:00:00.001-04:00

This week's spotlight is on Dave P. of Six Degrees of MVNUSID (here). Once you read his interview head on over to his blog and say hello!

Jodi: Why did you start running?
Dave P: I’ve always managed to keep pretty active thanks in large part to working in the athletic department of a small college (Mount Vernon Nazarene University). I would typically play pick-up basketball or other team-oriented sports a couple times of week, so I felt like I was in fairly good shape. I suffered a wrist injury in intramural basketball last winter and that kept me from playing basketball. I started to notice that my pants were getting a little tight and I needed to do something about it. My wife had already run two half marathons at that point, so I thought I would give running a try. It was slow going at first, but as soon as I found a group of friends to run with it really took off. The rest is history. The story from when I started running is here and then the story on my first anniversary of running is here.

Jodi: How many years have you been racing?

Dave P: I ran my first race in August 2010. I was hooked! Races are the rewards for all the hard work you do in training. The running group that I'm in, the Mount Vernon Running Buddies, was born out of a group of friends that all ran that first race together. That group is the main reason why I'm still running! You can read about it here.

Dave P's very first race

Jodi: What is your favorite distance to race and why?
Dave P: I really like the half marathon distance. I’ve run four of them now and feel like I have a good plan in place when I set out to do one. It’s long enough that it’s a challenge for sure, but it’s short enough that you don’t have to totally re-arrange your life to train for it. Having just done my first full marathon two weeks ago, I’m looking forward to applying what I learned in a spring full and see how much I can improve. I also run a lot of shorter races, but I’m not a sprinter.

Jodi: What is your favorite race memory?
Dave P: My favorite race memory so far was running the Mount Vernon Nazarene University Homecoming 5K last November on my 39th birthday with my wife and two daughters. It was the first time that we had all done a race together and the first race of any kind for my two kids – Ashley (10) and Kylie (6). They did great and have since enjoyed running several races with me.

Dave P and his family at their first 5K race

Jodi: What is your least favorite race memory?
Dave P: My least favorite race memory is the final five miles of my first half marathon in Columbus last October. I started out WAY too fast and was pretty much out of it from mile eight on. I just wanted to crawl in a hole and die. I don’t remember much about the first 30 minutes after the race as I was definitely in a fog. However, that experience, which was my own fault, made me a better runner. I started running without music after that so that I could soak up all the energy on race day. I promised myself that my top priority from then on at races was to enjoy the experience, interact with the other runners, spectators, and volunteers, and be happy with the fact that I was going to finish. Time became a secondary consideration. Don’t get me wrong…I still want to do my best every time out. However, if you can’t enjoy the journey even when it might get painful, why bother to do it. This change in perspective really paid off when I had to walk a lot over the final six miles of my first marathon and helped me enjoy that part as much as the first 20 miles when I was on pace for a 3:29 finish. You can read about my first marathon journey here.
Jodi: What is your proudest running moment to date?
Dave P: My proudest moment so far has been the four-mile local fundraiser race when I was forced to walk it due to injuries, but I got to witness my six-year-old daughter sprinting to the finish to complete her longest race to date. I still get chills and a little teary-eyed thinking about it. Check it out here. For me, it honestly is watching others have success or reaching their goals.

Proud father

Jodi: What one item do you absolutely have to have with you on a training run?
Dave P: I hate to run without my Garmin. I’m a numbers-driven guy and that’s probably why I’ve gotten so addicted to running. My 305 watch allows me to run whenever and wherever I want and still have all kinds of data. It has really helped me to improve my times.

Jodi: What is your favorite fuel during a race?
Dave P: This is the area that I really still struggle with especially the farther that I run. I do a better than average job of drinking lots of water and hydrating, but fueling during my long runs is still a challenge. For half marathons, I’ve started taking two G1 pouches with me and drinking one right before the race and then just getting water at most of the water stops. My stomach hasn’t mastered the gels yet, but I’m going to keep trying them on my training runs because I know that’s an important piece of the race day puzzle. This is probably one area that I constantly look for advice on, but it really comes down to each individual person’s preference.

Jodi: What is your favorite post race snack?
Dave P: My motto is “I run to eat”, so I’m looking for food as soon as the race ends. Panera’s cinnamon crunch bagels and ice cold chocolate milk are a favorite, but really I will eat about anything. In fact, I managed to score a blueberry cake donut at mile 23 of my marathon to help fuel me to the finish. LOL Now, if I could just get Outback to have a hot, juicy steak waiting at the finish line, I would be all set. (Hint, hint). :)

Jodi: Do you have a favorite quote?
Dave P: “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13

Jodi: Finish this statement: When I run, I feel free ________________.
Dave P: I love having all the time to think, decompress, and solve all the world’s problems on a long run. It’s my physical and mental health break.

Jodi: Who do you admire most and why?
Dave P: First of all, I admire my wife, Carla, and appreciate all that she does for our family as a wife and mother all the while working full-time. She spends a lot of time as basically a single mom due to my crazy work schedule that eats up nights and weekends. I also admire my parents. My dad, who is 64, recently rode his bike across the state of Indiana in one day this summer and my mom, who is also 64, walks several miles every day. They, along with my 89-year-old grandma who goes to Curves three times a week, have shown me the benefits of staying active. Finally, I really appreciate the entire running community because they inspire and encourage me on a daily basis.

Dave P. and his dad at the Memorial Day 5K

Jodi: What is your current goal?
Dave P: Well, my main goal for 2012 is to run smarter and thus stay healthy. I pushed myself too hard this year and paid the price in the two months leading up to my marathon. I would love to work towards attempting to BQ in a marathon, but 3:15 is a pretty fast pace to try to run. I train with some great people and follow the advice of others, so I have no doubt that I can at least give it my best shot now that I have a little more experience and knowledge.

Jodi: Please feel free to add anything that will motivate others to lace up their shoes and get out there and run!
Dave P: I tell people all the time that taking the first steps is the hardest part of the running journey. Also, if you can find at least one other person to run with, you will be much more likely to make it a habit that sticks. Also, for people who think that running isn’t for you, I encourage you to go watch or even volunteer at a local race. You will be inspired and might just take up running after all. That’s how I got started! :)

Dave P. having a blast running a 10 mile race

Thanks again for the opportunity to give you a Thumbs Up Dave P! Best of luck achieving your current goals!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Dave P. YOU inspire ME!!

Blessed With A Beautiful Place To Run...

2011-10-24T21:03:00.000-04:00

As far back as June 2010 I have gone to the Cleveland Metroparks on Sunday to get in my long runs with some amazing running partners who have become great friends. Sometimes we need to stop and realize how lucky we are to have such a spectacular, breathtaking place to run "right in our backyard". On several occasions we have stopped mid-run to take in the scenery and snap a picture.

Yesterday we stopped just after we all owned the dreaded hill on the course and just took it all in.

The next time you head out for a long run take a minute to take it all in. Trust me, you won't regret it!!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

Thumbs Up Thursday...The Columbus Marathon Photographers

2011-10-20T06:00:00.001-04:00

This week's spotlight is on the Columbus Marathon Photographers. Just look at the outstanding work they do!!

Thank you for capturing my pain, pride, and perserverance on Sunday morning. You did an amazing job documenting me having the time of my life!!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Columubs Marathon Photographers YOUR work INSPIRES me!!

26.2 Reasons To Smile AKA My Columbus Marathon Race Report

2011-10-17T21:08:00.001-04:00

Saturday afternoon Deb (my best friend) and I headed to Columbus so I could head to the expo and pick up my race packet for my 3rd marathon attempt on Sunday. After a short stop on the way down for a tiny bite to eat and yet another bathroom break for me, we arrived at the expo. We entered the expo backwards and were doing a little shopping but I told Deb I would feel better if I had my bib number in hand and then we could finish shopping. She happily agreed and we headed over to the packet pickup area and I found my name and bib number on the wall. Headed to the appropriate line (which was the shortest line I might add, I guess I know how to pick them) and received my bib number and swag bag and then walked over to the other side of the pickup area to get my shirt. After this we continued shopping during which time I managed to walk out with only purchasing some 26.2 car magnets for myself and my friend Deb (no not the one I was with, the other one). I also stopped at the pace group booth and grabbed a 4:15 pace band (which by the way had splits to finish in 4:13:06) so I wouldn’t have to do math and run at the same time! Deb purchased a stick, an I-fitness belt which seemed really cool, and a sweet pair of Nike shoes. I did look at some Columbus Marathon gear on our way out but I was underwhelmed by it so I decided not to buy any.

After the expo we headed to Easton to check into our hotel. When I was checking in I asked for a late check out as I was running the marathon and the front desk lady said how about 12:00 to which I told her I was really hoping for 2:00 but I would settle for 1:00. She looked up at me and said no problem and then proceeded to ask me if I would like some bananas since I was running in the morning. I graciously accepted her offer. Once we got settled in we headed to California Pizza Kitchen for dinner. As we were waiting for a table there was plenty of people watching to be had. Deb and I were having a ball analyzing what people were wearing! Once we got seated we were looking over the menu and I was checking out the beer list to which our waitress said, “I see you are looking at the beer list. Just so you know we have Yuengling on draft.” I immediately said “done, I will take one” (what can I say; it’s the PA in me). Deb had a really yummy drink as well but of course I can’t remember the name of it at the moment. We decided to share a chop salad and we both ordered fish tacos. On our way back to the hotel we stopped at Trader Joe’s to buy a few things, namely electrolyte enhanced water for me for the race. We had talked with Dave earlier in the day and he was planning to crash on the couch of our suite so we left a key for him at the front desk since he wouldn’t be getting in until after midnight and we would certainly be asleep! After taking care of the key drop we headed upstairs and I got everything ready for the morning, read my Runner’s World for a bit, and called it a night. After all, I had a 4:30AM alarm to contend with along with a 4:45AM wake-up text from Deb and Missi who were in the middle of driving from Cleveland to Columbus to support me in the marathon. I slept pretty well and got up with the alarm with no problem. I walked out to the kitchen part of our suite and tried to be quiet as to not wake Dave but that didn’t exactly work so since he was up anyway I asked if he minded if I turned the light on. Fortunately he was fine with that and sitting on the table was a gift bag which said it all.

After starting a pot of coffee I opened the card and gift bag. The card had the perfect saying on it for the challenge I was about to face and the gifts were very thoughtful. They included a small balloon that said “It’s your day”, the running book "Staying The Course: A Runner's Toughest Race", Power Bar gummies, sample size bio-freeze, sample size Glide, and a cute stuffed monkey which of course my daughter confiscated when I got home last night. A few minutes later Deb came out to the kitchen and we all chatted. Shortly after I started on my first cup of coffee, Deb (the other one) and Missi who had been driving since 3:00AM arrived at the hotel. I was pretty calm while I drank my coffee, and ate my peanut butter bagel and banana. Everyone was asking me how I was feeling and if I was nervous to which I happily responded “I feel great and I’m not nervous at all”. With breakfast eaten, I got ready for the race, filled my fuel belt and handed additional items to everyone else just in case I needed them later in the race. We took a few pictures and we headed out for the start line.

Deb did an amazing job of navigating the spectating minivan. She skipped the exit that had a crazy long line and took the next one and got us pretty darn close to the start line in a very timely manner. Once we were parked and started heading toward the start line I told Deb that I needed a restroom so it would be awesome if she could locate one before I got to the start line and had to wait in the port-a-potty line. As we were walking Deb casually told me to go right and sure enough there was a hotel with clean, line free restrooms! Final bathroom break taken care of and we continued on to the start line. I thanked Deb again for finding the restroom when we got to the start line and the port-a-potty line was never ending! We took a few more pictures and shared a few hugs and then my spectators/race support sent me on my way to the start line with a promise of seeing me at mile 18 if not before (there had been discussion in the van of them being at mile 7).

I tried to make my way to Corral D but there were crowds of spectators and runners so I settled for Corral E which I got into by jumping a fence. We listened to the star spangled banner and the start horn sounded along with a fireworks display. It was pure awesome!

While waiting for my corral to go, I took a moment and touched my back bib and thought of Uncle Joe. I looked up to the sky and I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. This was my day and I knew he would carry me through.

Right before it was my turn to cross over the starting mat I sent a text message to Dave letting him know that I would be runner left so that they would be on the correct side of the street when I got to them.

Miles 1-5
The start was incredibly crowded but I managed to navigate my way through and get into a nice rhythm. Shortly after mile 1 I heard someone calling my name. I turned to my right and I saw one of my college friends, Elli. She told me she recognized my shirt and we ran together for a few minutes. I was happy to see her! I was feeling pretty good which is probably to be expected this early in the race. I remember wondering at the 5K mark why there wasn’t a timing mat since I knew my spectators/race support were tracking me and I was a little ahead of my anticipated race pace. I was feeling good, taking in water on the odd miles and sustain (my electrolyte drink of choice) on the even miles. I would go on to eat Power Bar Gummies at the 1 hour, 2 hour, and 3 hour marks. I noticed I had a pretty decent cushion on my pace band which made me smile.

Mile 1: 9:38
Mile 2: 9:17
Mile 3: 9:13
Mile 4: 9:17
Mile 5: 9:21

Miles 6-10
I was honestly having the time of my life running and taking in the scenery and all of the amazing spectators. I remember looking at my watch as I crossed the 10K mat and thinking I would be seeing my support crew soon as they had mentioned mile 7 in the van. I got to mile 7 and they were nowhere in sight but I was oddly okay with it because I knew I would see them at mile 18 when Missi and Deb (the other one) would join in and run with me. What I didn’t know is Deb (my best friend) was talking with everyone in the van and told them that she knew I was going to run faster than my intended pace so they should go with 9:00 miles to ensure they got to me in time. As I came up on mile 9 I could see Deb’s jacket and then I saw everyone else. I waved at them like crazy and gave them all a high-five as I rounded the corner and continued on. It was a very welcome surprise that put a little more pep in my step or stride as it may be! Come to find out later that it made more sense for them to walk to mile 9 from a few blocks away and that’s why they weren’t at 7.

Mile 6: 9:07
Mile 7: 9:25
Mile 8: 9:20
Mile 9: 9:13
Mile 10: 9:03

Miles 11-15
One of my co-workers had mentioned on Facebook prior to the race that she would be at the corner of Reinhard and Jaeger. I looked up the location of said intersection on the course map and noticed she would be between miles 10 and 11. As I was running along I kept an eye out for her and sure enough I saw her right before mile 11. I yelled her name a few times and then she finally realized it was me. It was nice to see a familiar face on the course again. Still feeling incredibly good at this point I was just taking it all in and enjoying the moment. Right around mile 12 I noticed a familiar ponytail swing and pink shirt. I knew instantly that it was my co-worker Kristin who was running her first half. I called out her name and said hello. She asked me if I was running the full and I said yes. She squeezed my hand and told me I was looking great and shouted good luck as I went by. I wished her luck as well and continued on my way. Imagine my surprise when I approached mile 12.5 and I saw none other than my support crew! I was beyond happy to see them as I was certain I wouldn’t see them again until mile 18. Once again I waved at them like crazy and gave another round of high-fives. This is the part of the race where you have to mentally prepare yourself as you essentially run past the finish line to continue on the marathon course. As the half marathon runners were making a left to the finish line we were going up a small hill towards mile 14. One of the volunteers looked me dead in the eye and said “you’re awesome, they suck (pointing to the runners turning left).” It totally cracked me up and it was just what I needed. Let me clarify before I go on, I have the utmost respect for half marathon runners in fact the half marathon is my favorite race. Her comment just happened to be the comic relief I needed at that moment to propel me up that hill. I happily hit the half marathon mat at 2:02:14. As I passed mile 14 there was a couple sitting on lawn chairs with a sign that read if you are running, we are drinking. I looked over at them and said “I’m running, why aren’t you drinking?” They immediately picked up their cups and took a drink. I was still feeling good as we approached a water stop. I was happy that I had my own water because the water stops were pretty crowded.

Mile 11: 9:07
Mile 12: 9:29
Mile 13: 9:15
Mile 14: 9:19
Mile 15: 9:29

Miles 16-20
I continued to feel good and had some nice memories of Uncle Joe at mile 16. I smiled knowing that he was watching over me. I thought of Uncle Joe a lot during mile 16 because of the significance of the number. During this stretch of the race we ran on The Ohio State University Campus. It was really neat to be able to see right into The Shoe. There were college students outside cheering for us and the campus water stop was by far the best water stop energy wise. The only thing I found odd about running on campus was that we turned around a cone in a parking lot to head back out onto the course. This was the only time that you were able to see the runners who were behind you. I knew after exiting the campus I would see my support crew again which also meant that I would be getting some much needed company on the course. I spotted my support crew from about a ¼ of a mile away and waved at them as I had done the previous two times I saw them. I got the best hugs ever from Deb (my best friend) and Dave and then Missi and Deb (the other one) jumped in with me. During the hugs my earphones got all tangled so I asked Missi to fix them for me. Once I was readjusted the girls asked me how I was feeling and I told them I was feeling really good and I was having fun. They told me I was looking great and that I had this. I was so happy to have their company at this point. I didn’t talk too much but I did tuck in behind Missi a lot to get out of some of the wind that had kicked up. Once we hit mile 20 I said “how about we run a 10K” to which Missi replied “you’ve got this, you’re doing awesome”. Moments after I made that comment the pain set in. I started saying my running mantra to myself, “Uncle Joe, Uncle Joe” and of course it helped. This race was just as much for him as it was for me.

Mile 16: 9:25
Mile 17: 9:26
Mile 18: 9:35
Mile 19: 9:59
Mile 20: 9:49

Miles 21-25
I knew we would be seeing Deb and Dave soon as Dave would be jumping in with us around mile 22 and mile 22 is when the pain really hit me. I wanted to walk so badly but I was terrified to do so in fear that I wouldn’t be able to start running again. After the fact Deb would tell me that she could see the pain written all over my face. Dave jumped in and that certainly lifted my spirits. Now I had three people supporting me when I needed it the most! Most of you know my previous two marathon stories but if you don’t you can read about them here and here. Mile 22 holds a very significant place in my head and my heart so it was only fitting that Dave asked me what the flag up ahead said to which I replied 22 with a smile. I realized how badly I was hurting and at mile 23 I told everyone that we were running on Uncle Joe reserves. Missi pointed up to the sky and said that’s right, don’t you worry, she’s got this. Deb also told me I was doing awesome at this point. I was seriously ready to be done and even said can we just get me to the finish line? I kept plugging along and throwing out expletives when the wind would grab me. Dave asked me what the flag said again at mile 23 and I said 23 and managed a smile. It was getting harder by the minute. Everything was hurting, I was tired, and I was ready to be done. My pace slowed a bit before we hit mile 24. I once again responded with a smile to Dave’s flag question! I was exhausted but I knew I was doing it and I knew I would have to really slow down to not make my goal time. As we rounded a corner there was course entertainment that was playing an awesome song (can’t think of the name of it for the life of me) and I threw my hands up in a fist pump. I was trying anything at this point to get me to the end. We approached the mile 25 flag (which is by far the most incredibly significant mile in my marathons) and Dave asked me one last time “what’s that flag say?” I pretty much screamed 25. He asked me no less than 3 more times to which I happily replied 25! At this point Missi looked at me and said “let’s finish this, enjoy these last 1.2 miles. This is what you trained for, this is YOUR day.” I told her she had to stop talking or she was going to make me cry. It was all I could do to hold it together. I am certain I took her advice as mile 25 was my slowest mile all day. I was taking it all in!

Mile 21: 9:36
Mile 22: 9:39
Mile 23: 9:43
Mile 24: 9:47
Mile 25: 10:13

The Finish
I can vividly remember the last water stop because one of the workers was holding a sign that said 1.2 to go. This water stop also stuck out in my mind because there was a young boy who looked at me and said “you’ve got this, you’ve got heart, you can do it.” Before I knew it I saw the ½ mile to go sign. Just before I hit the 26 mile flag Deb, Missi, and Dave gave me some last minute encouraging words and told me to finish it. The moment I ran past the 26 mile flag the tears started flowing. There was only .2 miles standing between me and the finish line of the Columbus Marathon. I gave it my all and owned that last .2 miles. As I crossed the mat and heard my name announced I threw my hands up in the air and that’s when the uncontrollable sobbing started. I had done it. I had finished MY marathon, I had beaten MY goal by 5 minutes, and I had done MY Uncle Joe proud. I bent over to collect my thoughts and one of the volunteers asked me if I was okay to which I responded “I’m great”. With full fledged tears still running down my cheeks I received my medal from a very nice looking military man. I stopped to have my finish picture taken and then I headed to the family reunion area.

Mile 26: 9:52
Final .2 (.42 according to my Garmin): 3:33
FINISH TIME: 4:10:11*
(Garmin says 4:10:24 however I didn’t stop it right away because I was too busy celebrating!)
*A PR of 1 hour and 43 minutes

Once I was in the family reunion area and had my water and chocolate milk I texted Coach Joe, who created my awesome training plan, my finish time. Thanks again for everything Joe! After I sent the text I walk past someone and she says “Jodi?” Sure enough it was April, a girl I went to high school with. I graduated with her husband Mark and he was running the marathon as well. It was crazy that we ran into each other. I shared a hug with both April and Mark and she decided she needed to take a picture of the high school classmates almost 20 years later. Really April, did you have to age us?

I congratulated Mark and then Dave called my phone and I was reunited with him, Deb, and Missi. Many tearful hugs were exchanged. Although I’m pretty sure I was the only one bawling like a baby! I immediately asked where Deb (my best friend) was and it turned out she was stuck in traffic trying to get to the finish line. We finally reunited with her and we shared a hug, she told me congratulations and said I'm sorry. She was really upset and felt bad that she wasn’t at the finish line but I told her having her on the course at miles 9, 12.5, 18, and 21.5 meant the world to me. I also told her the hugs at mile 18 totally trumped her not being at the finish line and no apology was necessary. I wouldn’t change it for the world.

The painful walk back to the car commenced and we made it back to the hotel where I felt human again after a nice hot shower. I am happy to report that I didn’t have one ounce of chafing and only a tiny blister on my pinky toe to speak of. After I showered I told them I had to run another one so I could break 4 hours. Deb (my best friend) said who are you kidding, you’re going to run until you qualify for Boston. Once everyone was cleaned up we headed to California Pizza Kitchen once again because I was starving and I really wanted fish tacos and a chop salad again. We enjoyed a nice lunch and then we said our goodbyes and headed home.

This post is not complete without my expression of gratitude to Deb (my best friend), Missi, Deb (the other one), Dave, and last but not certainly least my Uncle Joe for seeing me through to the end. Talk about friendship at its very best! Thank you will never be enough!

So, how am I feeling post marathon? I am fully aware of every single muscle in my body right now. I am still flying on my “runner’s high” and I am over the moon happy and can’t wipe the smile off my face. I can honestly say it was PERFECT!!

Final thoughts:

When’s the next one because I had the time of my life yesterday!!
Keep running, you’re simply the best, and you inspire me!!!

Columbus Marathon...As Ready As I Will Ever Be.....

2011-10-15T09:09:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow morning I will be toeing the line of my 3rd marathon.

It just so happens that exactly 3 month ago tomorrow Uncle Joe lost his battle with cancer. I am certain it isn't a coincidence that I am attempting my 3rd marathon tomorrow. Uncle Joe always had a way of gently pushing us to our fullest potential. As the saying goes, 3rd times a charm. I know for a fact that Uncle Joe will have my back for all 26.2 miles.

When the pain sets in, which inevitably it will, I will draw from the strength of one of the most amazing men I had the pleasure to be related to. My running mantra for tomorrow will be Uncle Joe, Uncle Joe. He fought the good fight, he never gave up. He will always be our superman!

I also have the privilege of having an amazing group of friends with me tomorrow on my journey! They are there to see me through to the finish and thank you will never be enough to express my gratitude for each of their friendships!

My best friend Deb who is always there for me win or lose no questions asked.

Deb and Missi who have spent countless hours providing therapy and support out on the trails!

Dave my guardian angel that got me through my second marathon attempt. He never gave up on me and he didn't let me give up on myself.

Joe my running coach and friend who will be running with me from afar as he takes on a 22 mile training run tomorrow morning.

Of course there are countless others who will be following me and supporting me via Facebook and Maptracker tomorrow.

There's nothing left but to JUST DO IT!!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

Thumbs Up Thursday...Greg

2011-10-13T07:00:00.002-04:00

This week's spotlight is on Greg of Predawn Runner (here). Once you read Greg's interview head on over to his blog and say hello. I promise you will be truly inspired. Did I mention he won a marathon this past Sunday?

Jodi: How long have you been running?
Greg: Well, it's been around 22 years "elapsed time" I guess, but there was a bit of on and off in that - so maybe 3 years in high school with track (specialized in the mile), maybe 5 in college and after I got married (my early road-race era), inexplicably took a few years off, 4 years in the early '00's (where I experimented in marathons, but didn't inhale), and now 3 years of the really serious stuff - so 15 "net" years.

Jodi: Why did you start running?
Greg: There was a girl on the high school track team I was interested in. We only dated briefly, but fortunately the running lasted a lot longer. In my first track meet, I ran the fastest 2-mile time of the year thus far for the team with just a week of training, so I guess my soccer background had given me a good fitness base to build off of, and I was hooked on running. I stuck with track even when the girl became less of a motivation (though, admittedly, there was another one...).

Jodi: How many years have you been racing?
Greg: I did my first road races in college, right around 1993 when I met my now-wife. The peak of this was my first half-marathon, the Buckeye Half down in Peninsula (I went to college at Case Western Reserve University, in Cleveland). I honestly don't remember my time but I think it was around 1:40. I had to walk out one side stitch but otherwise the race went well. I didn't really run to race then, it was more to lose the "freshman 15" and get some time away from the hard-core engineering / economics curriculum.

Jodi: What is your favorite distance to race and why?
Greg: I am heart and soul a marathon runner. I love the event because it is something you can build your whole season around, and in doing so you can still put in some solid half-marathon's, 10K's, even 5K's. I may someday make the leap to ultras, but I like the fact that marathons are more "comparable" - while courses may vary on hilliness, time of year (and thus temperature), etc., you don't have the wild variety of surface that you typically see in the ultras. Thus, you can focus on your PR and continue to drill it down for years - well into your 40's, for example, especially if you come late to running. I have done 9 of them now (4 Chicago, 1 Cincinnati, 1 Boston, 1 Cleveland, 1 Akron, 1 Towpath), and plan to continue at a 2-3 per year pace for the foreseeable future.

Jodi: What is your favorite race memory?
Greg: I'm going to focus on the 2nd favorite here because my favorite is also my proudest, below. This was my first Boston Qualifier (BQ) marathon at Chicago in 2002. It was my third overall marathon, I had trained pretty well but still didn't know if I had a BQ in me. I went out too fast, but managed to hold on until mile 25, at which point I had to pull off, under McCormick Center, to stretch out a hamstring strain. The 3:10 pacers (my BQ time) passed me at that point, so I got back out on the road and put in a 7:40 mile, even including the stretching, to finish in 3:09:08.

Jodi: What is your least favorite race memory?
Greg: I skipped my first Boston opportunity as it was a few months after our first son was born - we now have three boys, and I was stupid enough with the first to think that I could train through those early months. I then ran Boston 2004, after "tuning up" at Chicago 2003. One thing about the Boston course is that it has no forgiveness for fools, especially when the high temperature is 85 degrees as it was that day. I don't think my training was particularly strong ahead of that race, but I didn't let that stop me from blowing out the first few miles, on the early downhills. By mile 9, I was cooked. There was a lot of walking the rest of the course, though I did manage to run Heartbreak Hill (my heart was broken long before then anyway). My final time was 3:56, my worst-ever marathon performance. Now I recognize that there is nothing wrong with a sub-4:00 marathon, so I don't want to come across as arrogant, but when you are running Boston and had qualified with a time nearly 50 minutes faster, you can probably appreciate the sense of disappointment. And my wife had stayed home with our son, so there wasn't really a shoulder to cry on. Not that I cry but, well, you know what I mean.

Jodi: What is your proudest running moment to date?
Greg: This one is easy - this past weekend I enjoyed a completely unexpected win at the Towpath Marathon. I had a strong season of training, logging many 70+ mile weeks and some of the best tempo and interval runs I've ever done (though also some absolute flops due to the summer humidity - which made me stronger in the long run). I felt very confident in my 3:00 goal. But I had no thought ever of actually winning the marathon. Through a fortunate series of events, mostly involving all the leaders fading while I held a steady pace throughout, I moved from fifth place at mile 21 (which I was fully content with) to first by mile 25, and ended up winning by over three minutes. If anyone is interested in more details, I posted a full race report on my blog.

Jodi: What one item do you absolutely have to have with you on a training run?
Greg: I'm pretty minimalist about gear, I rarely take water unless it's over 15 miles (maybe 12 if it's humid out), and I rarely use my iPod. My must-have item is my Garmin Forerunner 405, as I am really big on metrics. However, I've taken to running all of my recovery-type runs with leaving the watch on time of day and not automatically showing splits, so that I'm running by feel but still get the final miles and pace to calibrate my "feel" on an ongoing basis. Since I don't really care about pace while I'm running such runs, there is no disappointment if it's slower than normal, but plenty of satisfaction when an "easy" run comes in surprisingly fast, as it did on one of my runs the week before the Towpath - thought I was running around 7:40, ended up at 7:05.

Jodi: What is your favorite fuel during a race?
Greg: Turns out Gatorade from the aid stations is all I really need. I've taken gels offered during past races, but missed the opportunity to do so at the Towpath and suffered no bonk whatsoever. I think the fact that I run 90% of my miles before breakfast, including 20 milers, has helped me develop a pretty good ability to utilize my glycogen efficiently.

Jodi: What is your favorite post race snack?
Greg: I'm not real picky about this either, and with most of my marathons being local these days due to family commitments (I had to miss the awards ceremony at the Towpath to coach my son's soccer game), we don't really go out to celebrate either. So it's generally whatever we make for dinner that night, which is typically kid-friendly. We did go to Morton's for a nice porterhouse (well, I don't think my wife had a porterhouse) after my first marathon in Chicago, but haven't really done anything like that since. I do tend to indulge in beer during my post-race recovery period, whereas I forgo it during the two months or so before the marathon.

Jodi: Do you have a favorite quote?
Greg: It may seem a bit of an odd quote, but my favorite comes from Jack Welch, former CEO of GE, where I spent the first 13 years of my career. I'm not sure if he got it from someone else, but he once stated, "yesterday's news warps today's fish". To me, life, and running, is about looking ahead, not looking back. This is true whether your past has been successful or, well, less than you hoped for. So celebrate your accomplishment, or lament a tragedy, but at some point you have to realize that you can only influence what happens from this point on, not what has already happened. It is pointless to waste energy over the latter.

Jodi: Finish this statement: When I run a feel _________.
Greg: empowered. What I love about running is that you control your own fate. Yes, natural ability comes into play, but you control how you take that ability and apply it towards setting and reaching your goals. Your race is rarely against others (though it is fun when that starts to happen), but it is against your own self - thus the quality of competition doesn't matter, the abilities of other "team members" doesn't matter. It is all about your own heart, discipline, desire, and intelligence (the latter comes into play in sorting out the approach to running and gear that is right for you).

Jodi: Who do you admire most and why?
Greg: I'm pretty humble about this I guess, as I would say it is my own father and my father-in-law. Both were hard workers, good fathers, and good role models for their family, and that is all I have aspired to be. Anything beyond that is gravy. Yes, I have dreams and goals, advancing in business, stretching towards ever-better running accomplishments. But I want to be remembered for what I did with and for my family, and if I fail at that, then I've failed at life.

Jodi: What is your current goal?
Greg: I assume we are still talking about running here (my other goals are as stated above). Since my goal was a sub-3:00 marathon, I guess I need to adjust it now. I'm pretty simplistic about this in general - at a high level, my goal is to see how much longer I can continue to improve my marathon time before my age starts to catch up with me. I suspect I have a good 5-7 years to go on this. So as a next step, I'd like to work towards a 2:50 marathon, maybe 2:45 in the long run.

Since we all know pictures make Thumbs Up Thursday even better, I give you Greg.

2011 River Run Half Marathon

2011 Towpath Ten 3-Way Race

Greg and his beautiful family

Thanks again for the opportunity to give you a Thumbs Up Greg! Best of luck achieving your new found goals.

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Greg YOU inspire ME!!

A Whole New Perspective on Why Everything Happens for a Reason AKA Spectating the Chicago Marathon

2011-10-12T07:00:00.006-04:00

If you have been reading my blog for the past few months you likely know that I spend a lot of time with my friends Deb and Missi on Sunday mornings. You see all three of us were training for a marathon so we ran our long runs together. Before I go on with this post I must remind you how the three of us met. Back in April Jenn and I were training for the 2011 Cleveland Marathon and we had a 20 miler on the schedule so we decided to run ten miles and then run the Cleveland 10 Miler to get to the mileage we needed for that weekend. Originally Dave ,who was also going to be running the Cleveland Marathon with us, was supposed to have the same 20 mile training run on his schedule however he ended up getting injured during a half marathon in February, that I just so happened to be pacing him at, so his altered training plan called for 10 miles that day. The plan that day was for Jenn and I to set out early and get our first 10 miles in and then meet Dave at the starting line and run the race together. While Jenn and I were running Dave came across four girls that were taking turns snapping pictures of each other so in typical Dave fashion he kindly offered to take pictures of all of them and before he knew it they had him in the pictures with them. By the end of the conversation Deb, Missi, Brigette, and Kim had told Dave that he had better have a Facebook account and that if he didn't he better get one so they could tag him in the photos and be friends with him on Facebook. Jenn and I met the girls after we finished the race and by later that evening we were all friends on Facebook. Fast forward to Jenn and I's final long run before Cleveland and wouldn't you know Jenn was running late and we had to change our original meeting time and sure enough this allowed Deb and Missi to be there at the same time as us so we all ran together.

During the past 18 weeks of running with Deb and Missi I knew I really wanted to be in Chicago to offer my support. Afterall they were a huge part of helping me find my love for running again after my very emotionally trying 2011 Cleveland Marathon. I figured there was no better way to say thank you! As it would work out Dave and I were able to make it to Chicago this past weekend to see them finish their journey.

Friday
The plan was for Dave to drive to my house from Columbus Friday morning and then drive my truck to Chicago as I am not a fan of driving long distances at all. After seeing Grant off to school we were on our way to the windy city! The drive turned a bit lengthy when we were trying to find a bookstore for Dave to purchase some books for the gift bags he had made for Deb and Missi. My Garmin pretty much sent us on a wild goose chase to get us back to the highway after the stop at the bookstore. It would tell us where to turn and then we would get there and we couldn't actually get back on the highway because it would be fenced off. Forty-five minutes later we finally made our way back to the highway thanks to the directions we received at a gas station. Of course the bookstore didn't have what we needed so we knew we would have to make another stop. Luckily we found a Barnes and Noble and they had the books we needed. Once we were back in the car Dave asked me if I would fix up the bags for Deb and Missi. I was more than happy to help out. We finally made it to Chicago around 4:30 in the afternoon. Once we got there we met up with Deb, Missi, and Mary Jo and took some time to relax. At this point Dave gave the girls their gift bags and I knew they would love them. There were a few tears sheds which was to be expected. We had a great dinner and experienced a bit of Chicago before calling it a night.

Saturday
First thing in the morning we headed to the West Egg Cafe to have some breakfast. I had the most delicious french toast made with raisin bread. Who would have thought that would be such a good combination! After breakfast we headed to the expo so that Deb and Missi could pick up their race packets.

After walking around for a bit we headed to the DetermiNation booth with Deb as she was running with ACS in memory of her mom. Deb took a few minutes to honor her mom's memory. As I watched her write her mom's name it was all I could do to hold back the tears. My heart was breaking for her.

I noticed Deb was crying at this point so I walked over and gave her a hug. She said it was all so real seeing it in writing. She also mentioned that all of it was so hard. One of the girls at the DetermiNation booth had watched Deb go through all of the emotions and asked if she could hug her. It was amazing to witness the instant bond Deb had with someone she had just met.

After we left the DetermiNation booth Deb and Missi wanted to do a little bit of shopping. As we were walking around the corner Missi noticed there was a sign for Hal Higdon's books and then she looked down and realized that Hal Higdon was actually sitting under the sign. Missi and Deb were both very excited to meet him as they had followed his training plan for the marathon.

Once we took pictures of the girls with Hal they decided they wanted to find a shirt from the marathon. While they were looking through their options Dave and I checked out the Nike wall to find their names listed.

Missi and Deb made their purchases and Dave texted Amanda from Get to Goal so we could try and meet up since she was running Chicago as her first marathon. We all went and grabbed a small bite to eat. The interesting thing about our meeting was that Deb and Missi thought Dave and I had known Amanda for a long time however we had just met her minutes before at the expo. She is a great person with an amazing personality! I look forward to seeing her again soon!

After we finished up with pictures we headed to the Navy Pier to make a few purchases and then we parted ways with Amanda with a promise of hopefully seeing her in the morning at the race. Before we headed back to get some rest we had to get a picture of the four of us at the Navy Pier.

We decided to just order pizza in since Deb and Missi wanted to get to bed early to be well rested for the morning. Once we finished eating Dave and I went downstairs to the lobby with the course map in hand to figure out our plan of attack for race day. Who knew spectating was such hard work!! Once we were confident we had everything figured out we decided to call it a night. The girls got up early and started preparing for the race. Once Deb had gotten her DetermiNation tank top on she asked me to pin her memory bib on her back.

Dave and I planned to walk Deb and Missi to the start. On our way we had to take advantage of the gorgeous skyline to take a picture of the girls! I swear this could be an add for the Chicago Marathon or a post card!

Dave and I wished the girls luck and left them prior to their arrival at the start line. They seemed confused as to why we were leaving them so soon. What they didn't know is that we had planned to stop at the store and buy them flowers for after the marathon. Plus we had also decided we were going to be around the 8 mile mark to cheer them on! Dave took control of the map which is a really good thing because I have absolutely no sense of direction. We managed to navigate the subway and arrive at our first stop prior to Deb and Missi's arrival. As luck would have it the girls were running on the opposite side of the street so we cheered them on from afar. I am pretty sure they heard us but I know they didn't actually see us. Now we had to get to mile 18 so that we could jump in with them as we had planned. We decided to get off the subway at mile 16.5. Once there we waited for an update on our phones to figure out when we should expect to see the girls. Shortly after arriving at mile 16.5 the text alerts came through and I instantly knew something was wrong when I saw that the girls were no longer together and they were at a much slower pace than what they had planned. We also were really worried about Amanda at this point as we hadn't gotten any text updates on her. Dave had her cell number so he decided he would text her and see if she would respond and sure enough she did. She was at mile 15. We knew Amanda was disappointed because many of the people that said they would be there to support her changed their plans at the last minute and weren't there. At this point Dave and I decided we would jump in with Amanda and run with her to mile 18 where we would pick up Deb and Missi. The best part was that Amanda had no idea we were planning to run with her. Once she got to us we shared a hug and a smile and then Dave and I jumped on the course and she said: "you're going to run with me?" and we simply said: "yes". Amanda was feeling pretty good and looked pretty awesome when we were running with her. As we approached the 18 mile marker we wished her luck and sent her on her way. I am so glad we had the chance to run with her and offer her some support! While we were waiting for Deb and Missi we cheered on the runners as they came past. A few of them stopped to take a picture of the mile 18 sign. Of course we offered to take a picture with them in it and a couple of people were very excited to have those pictures! Shortly after we took the last picture, Deb and Missi arrived. Missi mentioned that Deb was having a hard time breathing due to a cold that she was fighting. Deb asked for a gel and some tissues as we had extra supplies of both. Once Deb took a gel Missi said okay guys go ahead and jump in so we did. I could tell Deb was very disappointed and frustrated which I completely understood as I was in the same situation back in May at Cleveland. I asked Deb if she wanted me to talk or what she wanted me to do. She said she didn't want me to talk and she said she was sorry. I told her there was absolutely no reason for her to be apologizing. I was there to support her and I would do whatever she needed me to do no questions asked. As we were running Deb talked a little bit and said "this isn't how it's supposed to be, this sucks, I'm hot and I just want to be done." At this point I realized how appropriate it was for me to be with her. Afterall, I had said the exact same things during my marathon. I assured Deb that I could relate and we pressed on. Shortly before mile 20 Deb stopped to stretch out her back and the police officers on the course came over to ask her if she was okay to which she told them she was. After we went a few more steps Deb was starting to tear up. I moved her to the side of the course and gave her a big hug while she cried on my shoulder. I told her that we all truly cared about her and we were very proud of her and she needed to remember that. I also told her that we were in it together and we were going to finish it even if we had to crawl to which she responded not finishing isn't an option. Deb and I were rejoined by Missi and Dave shortly after this. Deb told Missi that she needed to go and run her race and that she would be fine because I was with her. Missi pretty much shot that down. The girls "argued" for a minute over Missi staying with Deb as Missi wasn't going anywhere and Deb was insisting she go. There was a bit of comic relief when Missi told Deb to stop it or they were going to throw down right there on the course! When we arrived at mile 21 Dave left the course as he has only been cleared to run short distances. I know he really wanted to stay with us but he had to do the right thing as to not injure himself again. He wished the girls luck and left for the finish line as promised. The next several miles were very quiet. I would give Deb tissues when requested and otherwise I would just run beside her and keep an eye on her to make sure she was doing okay physically. Once we had passed mile 24 Deb asked me how far it was until the next mile marker and I didn't respond to which she said can you just tell me please. Sadly I wasn't able to give her an exact distance as I hadn't started my Garmin on time. I gave her an estimate and we kept plugging along. She needed to walk again to which she apologized for and once again I told her I was there to do whatever she needed me to do so if she needed to walk we were walking. We got past the 25 mile marker and there was a group of DeterminNation coaches cheering for Deb like crazy. I am pretty sure she had a tiny smile but I could tell the emotions were at an all time high as she was certainly thinking of her mom. I knew I was going to be pulled from the course eventually but thought it would be at mile 26 as Dave had texted me and told me that is where they were pulling people. As it would turn out I was going to be pulled from the course with 800 meters to go. I told Missi I had to leave the course and she looked at Deb and said we got this. I gave Deb a pat on the back and told her to go ahead and finish this. I then told Missi that we would see them at the finish line. I came off the course and ran on the sidewalk beside them until they made the final turn at the 26 mile marker which is where I rejoined Dave. We didn't actually get to see them cross the finish line but we received the text alert that they had in fact finished the race side by side as was the plan for the past 18 weeks. The finish area wasn't set up well at all and it took us a long time to figure out what we were going to do. In the meantime Dave talked to Amanda and she joined us at the finish and we talked about her race for a bit which you can read about on her blog (afterall, it's her story to tell)! Dave and I finally decided we should head back to the hotel since we hadn't seen the girls. As luck would have it Amanda was walking back to her car she ran into Deb and Missi and called Dave and we were able to reunite with the girls and make our way back to the hotel. As we were walking back I realized I hadn't done a good job of keeping myself hydrated at all because I was keeping my eye on Deb and making sure she was hydrated. I told the girls to go ahead and I would join them shortly. I sat down and drank some water and then remembered I had my gummies so I ate those and that helped and Dave and I made it back to the hotel.

Deb had showered and was packing to get to the airport in time for their flight and she simply said thank you to which Dave and I said for what. Her response was simply everything and then she started to cry again. I walked over to her and gave her another hug and told her that I truly got it and I knew how she was feeling. She then mentioned that she obviously wasn't trained enough to which I pointed out that she was definitely trained. She hadn't missed one single workout in 18 weeks. It wasn't about being physically prepared it was about all of the emotions that she went through during the race that no one could predict would happen. Regardless of how Deb was feeling about the race I told her how proud I was of her because no matter how she got there she had finished a marathon. Deb and Missi gave us some of their stuff to take home since they wouldn't be able to take it on the airplane and then everyone finished packing up and we sent the girls on their way to the airport and Dave and I got ready for our long drive home. Shortly after we started our drive home I got a message of Facebook from Deb that said thank you for everything. I replied with just being a friend! So glad I was able to be there today! Thanks for allowing me to be a part of your journey. I'm incredibly proud of you and I know your mom is looking down with a huge smile on her face.

As we were driving Dave and I realized we had only eaten a bagel and peanut butter all day so we needed to stop for dinner. The only options on the turnpike were McDonald's and Dairy Queen so we kept driving until we found an exit that had an Olive Garden because we needed real food. We stopped at a few more rest stops to use the restroom and get out and stretch and we finally made it back to my house around 1:30 in the morning.

Monday morning I texted Deb to tell her I was very proud of her. Her response was I'm not. I feel like I don't even deserve to put the 26.2 sticker on my car. I once again told her I truly understood how she felt but in the end she finished a marathon. Later in the day Deb stopped by my office to pick up the items we had brought home for her and Missi. We talked a little bit and she mentioned that she was really hot by mile two and was wishing she had scissors to cut her pants off into shorts. It was all too familiar as I was right back to May when I was taking off layers at mile 2. Deb then saw my magnet on my car and told me that she needed the same one.

I told her once again that I completely understood how she was feeling. I also mentioned to her that it will take awhile but she will eventually get it. She will most likely never accept it but she will certainly get it. It took me a good week and a lot of tears to understand that no matter how you look at it I did complete a marathon just not in the manner that I had planned.

All this brings me back to the title of my post. I have never felt more strongly than I do now about the statement: Everything happens for a reason. You see if Dave hadn't gotten hurt we would have never met Deb and Missi and I wouldn't have been in Chicago at mile 18 where I needed to be to see them through to the finish line. It was my honor to pay it forward to my amazing friends.

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Deb your DeterminNation inspires me! Keep your chin up and be proud.

Thumbs Up Thursday...Runners

2011-10-06T06:00:00.002-04:00

Keep running, you're simply the best, and every single runner out there inspires me!!

September in Review

2011-09-30T16:50:00.000-04:00

My September training has officiallly come to a close. I had a lot of ups and downs during the month of September. At the end of August I started struggling with calf problems on my first 20 miler. Things started to look up a bit when I ran an unintentional half marathon and my 1,000th mile for the year here. The excitement was short lived as the calf pain returned during my second 20 miler on September 11. During this run I had to walk quite a few times and call it quits at 20 instead of the intended 21 that day. Fast forward to the Rock and Roll Philly 1/2 Marathon and things started to look up again. I managed to run a sub-2hr half and feel pretty good until mile 11.5 when I started having calf pain and a major chafing issue. All things considered it was a really good run and a great time with friends. You can read about it here. The week after Philly I only clocked 9 milers between Monday and Saturday and I went into last Sunday's run wanting my final 20 miler of the training cycle to be awesome. I am happy to report it was all I hoped for and more. See for yourself here.

September 2011 Stats
115.29-- running miles
0-- elliptical miles
0-- bike miles
0-- spinning class miles
115.29-- total miles
0 minutes-- rope skipping
156-- weight as of September 30, 2011

Current 2011 Stats
1107.51-- running miles
17.8-- elliptical miles
15.86-- bike miles
55.8-- spinning class miles
1196.97-- total miles
1 hour and 55 minutes-- rope skipping

All things considered September was successful. Two weeks from this Sunday I will be standing at the starting line of the 2011 Columbus Marathon with the goal of running sub-4:15. Hello my friend taper, I have missed you!!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

Thumbs Up Thursday...Lisa

2011-09-29T06:00:00.002-04:00

This week's spotlight is on Lisa. Once you read her interview head on over to dailymile and check out her training (here).

Warrior Dash

Jodi: How long have you been running?
Lisa: I have been running for 1 year.

Jodi: Why did you start running?
Lisa: I was in the market for a treadmill, because I had always walked for fitness. About this time I transferred to a new dept. at work and met Kris, one of the CNP's and she was talking about how she took up running and how "great" it was. I thought she was crazy when she said, "Oh, you can do it." So, I thought I'd give it a try, ha, I don't even think I made it a minute the first time. Well, as soon as she found out I was trying, she jumped on the bandwagon and wanted some of us to sign up for a 5K, I couldn't believe it, I told her now I know you are crazy !!! So, me being me, with this new idea in my head, I mapped out a 3 mile loop around my neighborhood and started training. I figured if I could make it somewhat ok, then I would sign-up. I thought it would just be something I could cross off my bucket list, little did I know that I would love it so much.

Jodi: How many years have you been racing?
Lisa: It will be a year in October.

Jodi: What is your favorite distacne to race and why?
Lisa: I have done more 5K's than any other distance.

Jodi: What is your favorite race memory?
Lisa: During that first 5K, Kris came and ran with me about the last 100 yards to the finish line. They were already done, but she was watching for me to come around the bend into the stadium and she pushed me to run to the finish when all I wanted to do was walk, that was a very special moment and it meant alot to me.

Lisa's 1st 5k--Amherst Skeleton Run

Jodi: What is your least favorite race memory?
Lisa: Well, it's really not that bad, since it was still a major accomplishment. My friends and I signed up to walk the 2011 Cleveland 1/2 Marathon, at the time, I was already bitten by the running bug, the weren't yet. I am happy to report they are now !! Anyway, I really missed not being able to run over the finish line, we had to walk the whole way. But, I will get my chance at the Towpath 1/2 in Oct. and we have already signed up for the 2012 Cleveland 1/2 .

Jodi: What is your proudest running moment to date?
Lisa: Finishing my 1st 5K.

Jodi: What one item do you absolutely have to have with you on a training run?
Lisa: My Ironman watch, I am too obsessed with time..lol.

Jodi: What is your favorite fuel during a race?
Lisa: I like the strawberry banana GU.

Jodi: What is your favorite post race snack?
Lisa: Banana and later on a beer.

Jodi: Do you have a favorite quote?
Lisa: It takes as much courage to have tried and failed as it does to have tried and succeeded.- Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Jodi: Finish this statement, when I run I feel _________.
Lisa: a great sense of achievement.

Jodi: Who do you admire most and why?
Lisa: I admire people that go out and pursue their dreams no matter how many people tell them it can't be done.

Jodi: What is your current goal?
Lisa: To finish the Towpath 1/2 in under 3 hours.

Jodi: Please feel free to add anything that will motivate others to lace up their shoes and get out there and run.
Lisa: I would tell someone that if I can do it, anyone can !!! I have met alot of great people,be it in person or over the computer, it is amazing how other runners welcome you into the fold, just like they have known you forever. They are always willing to help out us newbies. So, I say buy some good running shoes, set some goals, and get out there !!!

Of course there can never be too many pictures on Thumbs Up Thursday so I give you these as well!!

St. Malachi

Lisa with Kathy and Jean at the Kerstetter 5K

Thanks again for the opportunity to give you a Thumbs Up Lisa! Best of luck achieving your sub-3hr half marathon!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Lisa YOU inspire ME!!

20 Miles of Smiles

2011-09-26T22:11:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was the final 20 miler of my Columbus Marathon training schedule. Over the course of the past 15 weeks I have completed 2 other 20 milers as well as a 19 miler with many other distances mixed in. I ran the 19 miler back in August and my friend Bill joined Missi, Deb, and I on our run and I had an excellent run with a fantastic pace! One week later I had my first 20 miler on the schedule and I had calf cramping before we even made it to mile 5. It was a very long and frustrating run that ended with me doubting my ability to run a respectable 26.2 come October 16th. The second 20 miler took place on September 11th. I ran the first 12 miles with Deb and Missi and felt pretty good. After I got some more water and refueled I headed out for the intended last nine on my own (the training plan had called for a 21 miler). The wheels fell off at mile 17 with some calf pain and I had to walk a bit and called it a day at 20 and was once again incredibly frustrated and disappointed with my run. I exchanged a few messages with my friend Joe and he mentioned it sounded like dehyration and encouraged me to work on my hydration and nutrition on the rest of my long runs. Last Sunday I ran the Philly Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon and I was diligent about my nutrition and hydration and felt great for the first 11.5 miles and then I experienced some mild calf pain and major chafing from body glide application gone wrong. I did manage to run a sub 2-hr half last weekend so I was feeling really good about things. This past week I only clocked 9 miles between Monday and Saturday. I was trying to catch up on sleep and get the calf to heal as best I could for my 20 miler yesterday. I made a point to hydrate like crazy on Saturday. I ~~needed~~ wanted to have a good 20 miler so I was doing everything in my power to set myself up for success. Missi and Deb had 12 miles on their schedule for yesterday. In a few email exchanges I was asked when I thought I would need them most. I was certain it would be for the final 12 so with that said the plan was for me to do my first 8 prior to meeting Missi and Deb for their 12. I slept pretty well Saturday night and was up in plenty of time to have a cup of coffee, some peanut butter toast, and a banana before heading to the Metroparks for my first 8 solo miles. I also decided to put some biofreeze on my left calf which has been the one giving me the most trouble. I drank water on the odd miles and drank sustain (my electrolyte drink of choice) on the even miles. I also had some Power Bar Chews after the first hour. I was feeling great the first 8 miles and made it back to meet Missi and Deb just a few minutes after our planned meeting time. At this point I refilled my water bottles, grabbed my sample size biofreeze and threw it in my water belt and used the restroom before we headed out for the final 12. I continued to use the same fueling strategy throughout the run. Around mile 13 we decided we were going to stop at the Pro Shop and refuel, use the restroom, and Missi was going to see if she could get some socks in the Pro Shop as she had forgotten hers and she was developing blisters. While we were refilling our water bottles I took in some more Power Bar Chews. I also decided to apply my biofreeze to both calves at this point. Just after mile 14 we came across these very interesting mushrooms!

Missi found them very odd and really wanted to know what type of mushrooms they were so she got up close and personal with them!

Of course Missi ended up posting an article on facebook after the fact about 5 men getting sick from poisonous mushrooms. Can you guess what those mushrooms looked like? Yep, exactly like the ones above. As Missi said "good thing we didn't eat them (not that we would have)"! Oh wait, I'm supposed to be talking about my 20 mile run. Where was I? Oh yes, I was at mile 14. I continued to feel really good on the way back with no calf pain to speak of. Dave had mentioned that he may be in town on Sunday and he may run a few miles with us but he said he wasn't really sure. By mile 14 I figured he had decided not to join us however to my surprise he was on the trail waiting for us when we got to mile 17. It was so nice to see him. He jumped in with us and I was in the zone and just running and listening to my music. I must have really been zoned out because Dave ran up behind me and tapped me and scared the daylights out of me. As we ran a mile or so together he looked down at his watch and said 9:21 holy crap. I kind of laughed and mentioned that my watch had me closer to 9:35 pace. Sometime between miles 17-20 Missi yelled out "you're kicking a** today Jodi". It definitely made me chuckle. By mile 18 I was smiling from ear to ear because I was having such a great run. I decided to see what I could do for the final 2 miles. I finished up my final mile with an 8:59 pace. I was thrilled with my final time of 3:12:24 (9:37 pace) as my goal marathon pace is around 9:40. Yesterday's run was nothing short of perfect. Now if I can just bottle it up and bring it along for Columbus I will be one happy marathoner!!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

Thumbs Up Thursday....Fran

2011-09-22T07:22:00.000-04:00

This week's spotlight is on Fran.

Believe me when I tell you that you will be inspired by her reasons for running!

Jodi: How long have you been running?
Fran: I've been running since February 2003.

Jodi: Why did you start running?
Fran: I had a Forrest Gump moment of sorts. My Beloved Grandmother was mugged and beaten to death in Feb. 2003. The day after her funeral I sat in my house with a broken heart and severe anxiety. I remember it felt like there was an elephant on my chest. As hard as I tried I couldn't seem to catch my breath. I decided then & there I need air. I needed to get outside and try to fully inhale/exhale. It had just snowed the day before. I put on sweatpants, sweatshirt, knit hat, gloves, & and old pair of Nike sneakers. I stepped outside planning to walk around the block. Within a quarter mile it was so cold I started running. I just kept running. I ran and cried so hard for almost 3 miles. When I got to my doorstep I felt so relieved. I knew it was the release I needed during my mourning process. I decided to do it again the next day. Now I know this was a gift from my Grandmother. I always think of her when I run & say a little prayer to thank her for being my running angel!

Jodi: How many years have you been racing?
Fran: I ran my first race, the Salt Lake City Inaugural 5k, in May 2005. I've only been racing for six years.

Jodi: What is your favorite distance to race and why?
Fran: 10k is my favorite distance. I can't properly pace myself in a 5k. A 10k is not too short yet long enough to pace myself properly and strategize.

Jodi: What is your favorite race memory?
Fran: I can't choose just one! At the 2010 Philadelphia Marathon my daughter jumped in before the finish line, held my hand and ran to the finish with me. At the 2011 Poconos Run for the Red Marathon my closest friends surprised me by taking the 3+ hour drive up, placing signs for me along the course before the marathon and ultimately surprising me at the finish. I am so lucky to have wonderful friends & family!

Jodi: What is your least favorite race memory?
Fran: Running the Long Island Marathon 5/1/11. Unfortunately I got strep throat 4 days before and was still on antibiotics when I decided to run the marathon. Let's just say I left a calling card (vomit) from mile 13-19 but, I finished! Lesson learned!

Jodi: What is your proudest running moment to date?
Fran: Finishing New York City Marathon, my first marathon, with my family cheering me on at the finish.

Jodi: What one item do you absolutely have to have with you on a training run?
Fran: My Garmin!

Jodi: What is your favorite fuel during a race?
Fran: Clif Shot Blocks and my new fave FRS chews.

Jodi: What is your favorite post race snack?
Fran: Swedish Fish!!

Jodi: Do you have a favorite quote?
Fran: "There's going to be a day when you won't be able to do this. Today is not that day." ~Unknown

Jodi: Finish this statement: When I run a feel _________.
Fran: LIBERATED!!

Jodi: Who do you admire most and why?
Fran: I truly admire Amy Palmiero-Winters. Amy lost her left leg below the knee in a motorcyle accident 17 yrs ago. Since then she continues to run, compete in triathlons and most recently became the first female to finish Badwater Ultramarathon, a 135-mile race from Death Valley to Mount Whitney.

Jodi: What is your current goal?
Fran: To eventually qualify for Boston. When I started running it was never an option. As the years go on and I learn more about myself, in addition to missing a BQ by 3 minutes and 42 seconds, I know that if I work hard enough I can make it happen. After all, A dream is just a goal realized.

Jodi: Please feel free to add anything that will motivate others to lace up their shoes and get out there and run!
Fran: As a Personal Trainer I tell my clients to just do what YOU love. Whether it's running, biking, yoga, or swimming. Doing what you love guarantees success and happiness! When you're happy in what you're doing you will always succeed, motivate and have support!
Thanks for the opportunity to share my life as I have enjoyed reading about you and others as well!

Thanks again for the opportunity to give you a Thumbs Up Fran! Best of luck achieving your current goals!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Fran YOU inpsire ME!!

Rock and Roll Philly 1/2 Marathon

2011-09-20T14:15:00.002-04:00

This past weekend Deb, Nikki, and I completed state number six in our quest to run a half marathon in all 50 states. We flew into Philadelphia Friday morning for a nice girls weekend with a little bit of running thrown in! We quickly learned that the cab drivers in Philly are quite shady! They DO NOT like it when you want to pay with a credit card. We eventually learned that we had to warn them as soon as we got in that we would in fact be paying with credit! After our first encounter with the crazy cab drivers we headed to the Pennsylvania Convention Center to pick up our packets. The expo wasn't overly busy which was really nice. As we came around the corner I noticed a lady who I thought looked a lot like Jackie Evans from Biggest Loser. After talking with Deb and Nikki for a few minutes and then seeing Dan Evans it was confirmed that it was in fact them. We had our picture taken with them.

We also got to spend a lot of time talking with them about their experience on the Biggest Loser as well as the Rock N Roll 1/2's they have run. We had been discussing running Vegas and they told us to do it and run with their cause, Kids Fit Foundation (here). We are looking into the possibility! How fun would it be to run Vegas with them in the evening on the strip?

After we left the expo we decided to visit the Liberty Bell to take a few photos.

Once we finished there we stopped in the gift shop for a bit and then sat down to determine our plan of attack for the evening. Of course while we sat there we updated our facebook statuses and communicated with each other via facebook even though we were literally right next to each other. It made for some great laughs! Afterall, how can you not find humor in a very bad cross dresser? We finally got motivated and headed to dinner at Bobby Flay's Burger Palace and the food was quite yummy! We ended the night at a wine bar where we talked with the bartender to determine where we would be getting our Philly Cheesesteak on Saturday morning!

Saturday morning we enjoyed sleeping in and leisurely drinking our coffee (diet pepsi for Nikki) while chatting away. We headed out to Tony Luke's for those Philly Cheesesteaks! We took the bartender's advice from Friday night and ordered a philly cheesesteak as well as the pork sandwich and split it three ways. We also had the fries with cheese whiz. It was absolutely delicious however we all agreed that we preferred the cheesesteak to the pork sandwich. After lunch we decided the best way to see the city would be to take a tour so we headed on over to the sight seeing tour kiosk and purchased our tickets.

We made quick friends with the tour guide and convinced him to stop at the "Rocky Steps" for an extended period of time so we could get a picture!! It really was a great way to see the city and learn about the history and of course it was a fantastic way to get to do this!

We ended up having drinks and dinner at the Bleu Martini and once again the food did not disappoint! After finishing dinner we walked back to the hotel and got everything ready for our early morning wake up call! The cab driver that took us to the start line may have been the nicest cab driver we experienced the entire weekend! We got out a few blocks from the start line and ducked into one of the hotels to use the restroom and then we walked the rest of the way to the start line. We of course had to stop and have our picture taken before hand.

After the picture we headed to the start line to get into our corral. The day before the race I had received a text message from Coach Joe letting me know he would like me to shoot for :08/mile faster than my intended marathon pace in October. He also mentioned that he had a feeling I was going to crush that and do great. As we stood in our corral I switched my Ipod so it would play Eye of the Tiger as I crossed over the starting mat. I figured it was only fitting given we started by the "Rocky Steps". I headed out intending to run 9:32 pace. I did okay the first mile coming in around 9:20 or so. After that I seemed to increase my speed which I am thinking was a direct result of the course being flat and fast. I decided to run by feel and work on my hydration and fueling. I alternated between water and sports drink at each mile marker. I also took a gel before the start of the race and had gummies at mile 6 and mile 10. It seemed to work perfectly as I didn't have any calf issues until mile 11.5. The other problem I had was the fact that I missed an ever important spot with my body glide so by mile 7 I had raw skin going on. I considering stopping at medical but decided having something put on it would hurt more since it was an open sore at this point so I decided to just suck it up for the final 6.1 miles. I survived but I still have raw skin that is trying to heal. Lesson learned that you can never use enough body glide! I ended up finishing the race in 1:58:46. Not too bad considering I was shooting for about 2:05. It was a great tune up for the Columbus Marathon on October 16th! Once I received my finishers medal, some water, and a banana I headed over to the "Rocky Steps" to meet up with Nikki as she had called me when she was at mile 12 and we made a plan to meet there. Once I made my way to the steps I ran into Katye (here). We shared a hug and talked for a bit and then Nikki and I went to the finish line to cheer Deb in. She looked great finishing! She was all smiles and gave us a double thumbs up. We told her to grab her medal and goodies and meet us at the Rocky Steps. Deb mentioned that we had to run the Rocky Steps even if we had just run 13.1 miles. I was about to take my medal off and Deb told me I had to leave it on so I sucked it up and off we went!

Wow, we really ran up all of those steps! We were definitely rock stars on Sunday!! Once we finished our step run we headed back toward the hotel and ended up with one final crazy cab driver. We were really considering jumping out of the cab and getting a different one as it was that bad!! Once back at our hotel we got showered, packed up, and headed to the airport only to find out our flight had been delayed. We proceeded to go through security where my luggage ended up getting searched...good times. Once we landed in Pittsburgh we headed to the car for the two hour drive home. On the way home we talked about our weekend and how much fun we had. Deb also looked up some flight details for the Vegas Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon in December which we are hoping will cross off another state on our quest. Lots of laughs, great food, and many memories made with amazing friends! Looking foward to state #7!!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

Thumbs Up Thursday...Cindy

2011-09-15T05:30:00.000-04:00

This week's spotlight is on Cindy. Once you finish reading her interview head on over to dailymile and check out her training (here).

Jodi: How long have you been running?
Cindy: 27 years

Jodi: Why did you start running?
Cindy: At first to stay fit (very casual)...as I began to have babies...to get back into shape. Once I hit 40...to complete a marathon.

Jodi: How many years have you been racing?
Cindy: Only about 8

Jodi: What is your favorite distance to race & why?
Cindy: Half Marathon is the easiest for me because it’s manageable to train with little injury. I love the marathon though for the “mental” challenge.

Jodi: What is your favorite race memory?
Cindy: End of Columbus Marathon – just crossed finish line & a friend called me on my cell to tell me I’d qualified for Boston.

Jodi: What is your least favorite race memory?
Cindy: Steamtown Marathon....completely bonked after mile 19...brutal to finish...completely dehydrated & felt horrible at the end.

Jodi: What is your proudest running moment to date?
Cindy: Starting Boston & Finishing Boston...having the medal draped around my neck after the finish.

Jodi: What one item must you have with you on a training run?
Cindy: My Garmin

Jodi: What is your favorite fuel during a race?
Cindy: gatorade & gu

Jodi: What is your favorite post race snack?
Cindy: banana & chocolate milk

Jodi: Do you have a favorite quote?
Cindy: “It’s not about winning, it’s about finishing.”

Jodi: Finish this statement: When I run I feel ___________.
Cindy: exhilarated (when it’s a good run).

Jodi: Who do you admire most and why?
Cindy: Ryan Hall...besides being a phenomenal runner, he has deep faith & that’s what guides him.

Jodi: What is your current goal?
Cindy: To run New York City Marathon healthy & strong.

Thanks again for the opportunity to give you a Thumbs Up Cindy!

Best of luck at the New York City Marathon!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Cindy YOU inspire ME!!

Thumbs Up Thursday...Pam

2011-09-08T06:00:00.011-04:00

This week's spotlight is on Pam (here). I had the pleasure of meeting and running with Pam last year when I was pacing Jenn at the River Run 1/2 Marathon. Once you read her interview head on over to her training log and say hello.

Jodi: How long have you been running?

Pam: I have been running for 8 years now, that’s not including my years spent doing high school track.

Jodi: Why did you start running?
Pam: When my daughter started running C.Y.O Cross Country and Track, I asked the coach if they could use an extra hand and that’s where my second running life started. Once my daughter left the C.Y.O. Program I was on my own.

Jodi: How many years have you been racing?
Pam: About 6 years now. The most important person I race against is me. Each race I must run faster than the last and to never allow myself to be last.

Jodi: What is your favorite distance to race and why?
Pam: My favorite race to date is the half marathon. Each time I run a half I see my times improve. After words I analyze what I need to do differently. That helps me run better the next time.

Jodi: What is your favorite race memory?
Pam: I ran a 5-k this spring that I had no desire to do. Once I got to the race and saw all my running friends my attitude changed. I ended up placing within my Age Group.

Jodi: What is your least favorite race memory?
Pam: Running the 4 mile, Shot in the Dark. It was about 4 years ago and hotter than you could imagine. The race started late in the day and I threw my water bottle out before the race began. “Big Mistake” The only water I remember seeing was someone spraying us with a hose and at the finish.

Jodi: What is your proudest running moment to date?
Pam: That I have stuck with it. I have learned how to incorporate training into my daily life without letting it interfere with family responsibilities or my job.

Jodi: What one item do you absolutely have to have with you on a training run?
Pam: My water bottle. I’ve carried them so long that I can’t run without it.

Jodi: What is your favorite fuel during a race?
Pam: GU

Jodi: What is your favorite post race snack?
Pam: Chocolate Milk.

Jodi: Do you have a favorite quote?
Pam: “With God all things are possible.”

Jodi: Finish this statement: When I run a feel _________.
Pam: That this is my time.

Jodi: Who do you admire most and why?
Pam: I don’t admire one particular person. I have a large circle of running friends. They are the ones that have been with me since the start of my second running life. Most of us are in the 40 plus age group. They’ve all run some pretty amazing distances and times.

Jodi: What is your current goal?
Pam: To stay healthy. I’ve struggled with some injuries this year.

Jodi: Please feel free to add anything that will motivate others to lace up their shoes and get out there and run.
Pam: Getting out the door is the hardest part. Walk if you have to and than run some. It’s okay. You’ve taken the first steps. It eventually all comes together. You’re further ahead than the person who is sitting in front of the T.V. doing nothing.

Of course no Thumbs Up Thursday is complete without pictures!!

Towpath 1/2 Marathon

Hermes 10 Miler 2011

Chili Bowl 5K 2011

Thanks again for the opportunity to give you a Thumbs Up Pam! Best of luck staying healthy!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Pam YOU inspire ME!!

1,000 Miles and a 1/2 Marathon

2011-09-05T20:56:00.002-04:00

I knew going into Sunday's long run that I would in fact run my 1,000th mile in 2011. The plan was to meet Deb and Missi at 5:45AM so I could join them for the first 12 miles of their 19 mile run. I wasn't feeling it on Saturday so I decided to take a second rest day in the hopes that my calf muscle would benefit from a little extra rest. I pressed snooze I few times Sunday morning but felt pretty good overall when I woke up and fortunately the calf seemed to be happy with the extra rest. I met up with Deb and Missi and we headed out on our run. We ended up running on the road on the way out because the sun hadn't come up yet and the trail was very dark. Around mile three we were having a serious conversation and I said: "on a much lighter note I just ran my 1,000th mile in 2011." There was no fan fare, balloons, or parties. A simple good job and yeah from Deb and Missi and we kept on running! It was nice to be running with others when I hit the 1,000 milestone!

We eventually moved to the trail when the sun came up. Once we hit six miles we turned around so that Deb and Missi could drop me off after my 12 miles and they could head back out for their final 7 miles. I believe it was around mile 8 on my watch that I started questioning how far I would actually be running as I noticed we were by the golf course that is approximately 5 miles away from where we park. As we continued on and hit Hogsback hill (my hill repeat hill) I knew I would be running 13 miles. I told the girls I wasn't complaining but I would be running 13 miles. Missi mentioned that she had figured that out as well. Once we got back to the parking lot I was in fact at 13 miles. If your going to run 13 miles why not add the .1! So as I say what's another 1.1 miles in the grand scheme of things?! So I ran an unintentional 1/2 marathon on Sunday and felt great!!

With Sunday's long run complete we are one step closer to the Columbus Marathon!!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inpsire me!!

Thumbs Up Thursday...Nell

2011-09-01T05:00:00.000-04:00

This week's spotlight is on Nell. Once you read her interview head on over to dailymile and check out her training (here).

Jodi: How long have you been running?
Nell: It will be two years in October.

Jodi: Why did you start running?
Nell: Because I had been working out for a while and my boyfriend was a runner and introduced me to it - was ready for the challenge.

Jodi: How many years have you been racing?
Nell: Approximately a year and a half - my very first race was the Corktown in Detroit in 2010.

Jodi: What is your favorite distance to race and why?
Nell: My favorite distance race would probably be the half marathon. Long enough to make you feel it, but not as daunting a task as a full.

Jodi: What is your favorite race memory?
Nell: My favorite race memory would probably be my first 10-miler at the Crim last summer - couldn't believe I actually made it and felt great afterwards, plus I was given two free beers after that race. Good day!!

Jodi: What is your least favorite race memory?
Nell: When my ITB went out 23 miles into my full marathon and I had to walk the last three - the mental pain was worse than the physical.

Jodi: What is your proudest running moment to date?
Nell: Finishing the marathon even though I had to limp the last three miles.

Jodi: What one item do you absolutely have to have with you on a training run?
Nell: That's a tossup between my Ipod and hydration.

Jodi: What is your favorite fuel during a race?
Nell: GU (chocolate, to be exact).

Jodi: What is your favorite post race snack?
Nell: Any kind of breakfast pretty much. I also love cold watermelon after a hot race.

Jodi: Do you have a favorite quote?
Nell: "Whether you think you can or you can't, you're probably right". Henry Ford

Jodi: Finish this statement: When I run a feel ________.
Nell: empowered.

Jodi: Who do you admire most and why?
Nell: My boyfriend, Dave, because he took himself from an overweight couch potato to an Ironman/ultra runner.

Jodi: What is your current goal?
Nell: Finish another full marathon, but without having to walk the last three miles. Hopefully this will be in the beginning of November.

Jodi: Please feel free to add anything that will motivate others to lace up their shoes and get out there and run!
Nell: I never imagined myself a runner. I have bad knees (broke both kneecaps in a car accident as a child), bad back (twin pregnancy) and a plethora of other aches and pains. Never say never, folks. Once I started running and kept at it, I realized that my body is capable of far more than I give it credit for, and the activity actually helps with my aches and pains. It's such a feeling of accomplishment to run and you ALWAYS feel better after having done it. I have never regretted a run, but have regretted NOT going on a run. Also, it's so cleansing mentally - if you have something bothering you, a run will surely help you deal with it. And, like everyone says, the "runner's high" is such a fabulous feeling - it's like a burst of energy and happiness all at the same time after you've just pushed your body to the limits, almost a euphoric feeling.

Thanks for allowing me to be a part of your blog, Jodi! :o) RUN HAPPY!!!

No Thumbs Up Thursday is complete with out pictures!!

Thanks again for the opportunity to give you a Thumbs Up Nell! Best of luck achieving your current goals!

Keep runnning, you're simply the best, and Nell YOU inspire ME!!

August in Review

2011-08-31T17:57:00.001-04:00

Today's 6 mile run brought my August training to a close. August also brought my return to work so I am back to running before the sun rises daily. All of thsoe pre-dawn runs helped me set yet another monthly mileage PR---180.21 miles which puts me 7.78 miles away from 1,000 miles for the year.
August
180.21-- running miles
0-- elliptical miles
8-- bike miles
0-- spinning class miles
188.21-- total miles
0 minutes-- rope skipping
157.4-- weight as of August 31, 2011

Current 2011 Stats
992.22-- running miles
17.8-- elliptical miles
15.86-- bike miles
55.8-- spinning class miles
1081.68-- total miles
1 hour and 55 minutes-- rope skipping

August turned out the be a pretty good month overall. I had an outstanding 19 mile run one weekend. I felt strong the entire time and finished with a great pace. One week later I had a pretty unpleasant 20 mile run as the moment I realized I had forgotten my Garmin I pretty much set myself up mentally for a less than stellar run. In the end, I learned a valuable lesson.

Bring it on September!
Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

Thumbs Up Thursday...Ginny

2011-08-25T05:40:00.000-04:00

This week's spotlight is on Ginny of Neurosis of the Stay at Home Marathoner of 3 (Kids) here. Once you read her interview head on over to her blog and say hello. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Jodi: How long have you been running?

Ginny: I started running on April 22, 2008. Seems kinda specific, right? Yeah, I know. I think the fact that I noted the date is probably a testimony to what kind of OCD runner I was going to become.

Jodi: Why did you start running?
Ginny: Two reasons. 1 - to lose the baby weight. I mean, the baby was walking, talking in 3 word sentences feeding herself. It really just seemed like the baby weight needed to GO. The 2nd reason is a little stalker-ish sounding on paper. I met this woman who I just really connected with who was a marathoner. She kept insisting that I COULD DO THIS, after all, she'd only been doing it for a short time. I decided that in order to be friends with her, it was a good idea to be a runner too. Of course, that woman is my "running wife", TMB of Racing with Babes.

Jodi: How many years have you been racing?
Ginny: On April 26, 2008, four whole days after I took up running, I did my first 5K. It was brutal. I thought I would die. I had never run more than 2 miles in a row before, and that with walk breaks. Of course, training would have helped. These are the details that are important.

Jodi: What is your favorite distance to race and why?
Ginny: Tough to say. I really enjoyed the 10 miler I did last December, but it was one of THOSE DAYS. You know, where you wake up and own the race course, and all the other runners out there may as well just not show up because it's YOUR day? So if pressed, I might say that the 10 mile distance is my favorite. I also enjoy the 15K distance. Both of these distances require thought & strategy, but aren't so long that if I screw up I'm screwed.

Jodi: What is your favorite race memory?
Ginny: Two days before the Richmond Marathon I met Bart Yasso for the second time. It was a great evening with the team at the big MTT Pasta Party. Well, the guy I'd grabbed a ride with was chatting with his coach and I was stuck standing between my coach, Q, and Bart Yasso while we all sort of chatted and waited. I held the door ("I carried the water melon") for Bart on his way out of the building.

Flash forward to mile 16 or so of the Marathon. I came off the Lee Bridge running strong, and Bart Yasso was standing on the side of the course in a Red Runner's World shirt, and I yelled at the top of my lungs while pointing with both hands, "IT'S MY BEST FRIEND BART!". And he replied at the top of his lungs, "It's Green Plaid SOCK GIRL! Gotta get me a pair of those socks".

Bart's still one of my Runner's World BFFs.

Jodi: What is your least favorite race memory?
Ginny: That's so easy. In May of this year TMB and I raced a Muddy Buddy event. It was not a good day. The worst moment of my life was hearing, "We're taking Bib# xyz in the ambulance"... and I thought to myself, "hey that's my number... that's T...". I almost threw up on the spot. I had no idea what her status was, why they were bussing her out, or anything. I knew she'd wrecked the bike, and I imagined the worst. Thinking back on that moment now makes my stomach sour.

I always wondered, if I ever had to walk off a course, would I be able to do it? And of course, I learned on May 1, that walking off the course and taking the DNF is something I can do when the moment calls for it.

Jodi: What is your proudest running moment to date?
Ginny: That's tough for me. I am still proud of my Galactically Bada$$ marathon PR, because I totally trusted myself that day. I made a plan and executed it.

However, I am also proud of the first 5K I ran. It was scary, I had no friends doing it, and yet I lined up at the back of the running pack/in front of the walkers... I still wonder WHAT I was thinking.

Jodi: What one item do you absolutely have to have with you on a training run?
Ginny: I am very attached to my skirt/sock combo. I love my Runningskirts.com and lululemon skirts. Are they pricey? Yup. Are they worth it? Hellz to the yeah. I'm ~slightly~ obsessed.

Jodi: What is your favorite fuel during a race?
Ginny: I'll let you know when I nail that down.... I have a super sensitive stomach. Gu, Accel Gel, Clif blocks, Chomps, etc have all made me dry heave at some point. Next on the "list of things to dry heave after ingesting" is Honey Stingers. I'm planning to give them a go this week on a training run. On the above list, Chomps & Blocks are the least offensive to the stomach - but I think they smell like potpourri, then Accel Gel, then GU. Gu and I go way back, to the day I joined the Vom Squad for the first time on a run... ~ sigh~

Jodi: What is your favorite post race snack?
Ginny: CHOCOLATE MILK! Love that I can drink a serving without guilt. But I'm also into PB&J on really high quality whole grain bread.

Jodi: Do you have a favorite quote?
Ginny: I have two.

Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try ~ Yoda.

It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting. ~Paulo Coelho, (The Alchemist)

Jodi: Finish this statement: When I run a feel _________.
Ginny: empowered, rebellious, free, lifted, amazing, epic, freaktastic, strong, and hot. and sweaty.

Jodi: Who do you admire most and why?
Ginny: What makes a person the kind of person we should admire? A famous person? I know, and consider myself friendly, with quite a few famous people. An "elite" runner? I don't know any of those, but I know some better than epic sub 3 hour marathoers who are pretty amazing. But do I admire them for that? I don't know.

The people I admire aren't people that would make sense to anyone else. They're not "names", well, one of them is locally recognizable and one of them is fast on her way to being nationally recognizable. I admire people who balance selflessness with self.

For example, the runner I admire most is a person who knocks out 60+ miles a week, volunteers a million hours a year for our Richmond Road Runners Club, helps raise a daughter, and works a demanding "bread winning" full time job, and, yet, he always has time to answer my questions about running.

The mother I admire the most is raising confident daughters while wrangling an enviable training schedule and on her way to RULE THE WORLD....

So I guess it's fair to say, I admire normal people who are doing extraordinary things.

Jodi: What is your current goal?
Ginny: Rock a GBA PR 26.2 at Richmond this November. (GBA = Galactically Bada**)

Jodi: Please feel free to add anything that will motivate others to lace up their shoes and get out there and run!
Ginny: ~savor the run~.

Ginny: When my coach asked me "How're you doing?" at mile 23 of the 2010 Richmond Marathon, my response was, "Galactically Bada**." I nailed that PR because I made a race plan, and then trusted myself to race the plan to completion.

Ginny: My Posse - Post Race at the Autism 5K. We were epic that day, bringing home several first place AG finishes, a few 3rd place AG finishes, and oh yeah, most importantly, supporting my Autistic daughter, who raced in honor of herself that day.

Ginny: Tonia (TMB) & I at San Francisco Lululemon/Runners World shake out run, the day before my Half Marathon PR on the hilliest course I could ever imagine.

(Oh, and yeah, that's Bart Yasso in the background)

Thanks again for the opportunity to give you a Thumbs Up Ginny! Best of luck chasing your goal at Richmond!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Ginny YOU inspire ME!!

Thumbs Up Thursday...Zoe

2011-08-18T06:30:00.002-04:00

This week's spotlight is on Zoe of Run, Zoe, Run (here). Once you read her interview head on over to her blog and say hello!

Jodi: How long have you been running?

Zoe: I started running when I was in middle school at the age of 10. My first race was with my Uncle Doug at 11 in Cape Cod, MA, and it was so much fun. I remember feeling like a rockstar having people cheer me on at the finish line, and I was hooked. I've had a love/hate relationship with running since I started.

Jodi: Why did you start running?
Zoe: I started running because my Uncle was a runner and I admired him so much. My middle school had a x-country team and I enjoyed the longer distances and running around neighborhoods instead of just the track.

Jodi: How many years have you been racing?
Zoe: I was on the x-country team in middle school and high school, took a break from racing/running in college and then restarted racing back in 2008 when I realized I really missed it!

Jodi: What is your favorite distance to race and why?
Zoe: The 5K is a distance I enjoy because it's quick, but I'm a fan of the half marathon because I feel invincible afterward. It's the perfect distance!

Jodi: What is your favorite race memory?
Zoe: The last x-country meet my Mum attended, two days before my 16th birthday. It was a Friday night and she was yelling "Run, Zoe, run!" and "Long strides, Zoe!" from a picnic blanket with my sister and her friend. I PR'd the course that night, and was "kidnapped" by my friends for a surprise birthday dinner and football game. It was a great race day, and it holds a very special place in my heart as my Mum's last race with me.

Jodi: What is your least favorite race memory?
Zoe: Oh boy, the Torchlight 8K back in 2009. ARGH! I over-hydrated for the race because it was in the 80s and humid, and I ended up pretty much needing to pee and maybeevenpeeingmypantsalittle during the race. So mad! I need to get back at that race and kick its butt next year.

Jodi: What is your proudest running moment to date?
Zoe: Besides running while pregnant with my daughter, Goober, I would have to say completing my first marathon 7 months post-partum. Crap, it was TOUGH! It was a complete mental battle at the end, and I was in pain, but finishing it was the best feeling ever...and then seeing my husband and daughter at the finish line made it absolutely perfect.

Zoe, 8 months pregnant, at the Iron Girl 5K September 2010

Zoe and her family after the Rock N Roll Seattle Marathon June 2011

Jodi: What one item do you absolutely have to have with you on a training run?
Zoe: Oh boy, it's both my Garmin Forerunner "Gus" and my iPhone for music. Can't run without either.

Jodi: What is your favorite fuel during a race?
Zoe: I'm a huge fan of Clif Shot Bloks in Tropical Punch and Strawberry. So delicious! But GU Watermelon Chomps are pretty tasty too.

Jodi: What is your favorite post race snack?
Zoe: After a race I love a big, cold glass of chocolate milk. Mmmm.

Jodi: Who do you admire most and why?
Zoe: All the women/men I've met in the running blog world that balance careers, parenthood, training, family, etc. I think it's amazing. Oh, and I admire Ryan Reynolds' abs.

Jodi: Do you have a favorite quote?
Zoe: "Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." - Will Rogers

Jodi: Finish this statement, when I run I feel___________.
Zoe: ...like the world is my oyster...except then I remember that I don't like seafood...so it makes me feel like a million bucks (the monetary kind, not the male deer).

Jodi: What is your current goal?
Zoe: I would love to shatter some of my current PRs in the 5K, 8K and 10K races...maybe even a sub 1:55 half soon.

Thanks again for the opportunity to give you a Thumbs Up Zoe! Best of luck shattering those current PRs!!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Zoe YOU inspire ME!!

In Honor of Kaelynn's 9th Birthday...

2011-08-15T18:54:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was Kaelynn's 9th birthday and it also marked the 1/2 way point in my 18 weeks of training for the Columbus Marathon. One of the many reasons I run is to set an example for my children. I run to beam with pride when my daughter asks me to run a 5K with her. I run to laugh when Kaelynn tells people it took me almost six hours to run the Cleveland Marathon and she had to wait in the cold at the finish line! Rain or shine, slow or fast, she is my number one fan!

Kaelynn before her first 5K

Kaelynn finishing her first 5K

After Kaelynn's first 5K

Kaelynn's second 5K

Kaelynn after her second 5K

Kaelynn's third 5K

Kaelynn after her third 5K

So in honor of your birthday I ran all 12 of those miles for you yesterday! I hope you enjoyed your day! Happy birthday again sweet girl! I love you to the moon and back!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Kaelynn YOU inspire ME to run for FUN!!

Thumbs Up Thursday...Jess

2011-08-11T07:00:00.002-04:00

This week's spotlight is on Jess of Run with Jess (here). Once you read her interview, head on over to her blog and say hello!

Jodi: How long have you been running?
Jess: I've run on and off for 10 years. About 2 years ago I started up serious running to lose weight & haven't stopped since!

Jodi: Why did you start running?
Jess: Weight Loss! My second baby was 6mths old and I was at my highest weight ever! I started a walk/run program after watching a friend melt off the weight with running.

Jodi: How many years have you been racing?
Jess: About 2 years

Jodi: What is your favorite distance to race and why?
Jess: I love 13.1. It's the perfect distance for me... long enough that I need to train appropriately, but not completely consuming of my free time.

Jodi: What is your favorite race memory?
Jess: Finish Line of my second half marathon (Fox Cities Marathon). I trained hard and ran a great race. PR'ed by 28 minutes and was so shocked/proud of myself in the moment. Now my favorite moments are watching beginners cross that finish line for the first time. The sense of accomplishment just beams from their faces!

Jodi: What is your least favorite race memory?
Jess: Oshkosh Half Marathon this past spring. Started in rain, ended in freezing rain. I was freezing cold and wanted to quit the whole time... but somehow I managed to PR by a couple seconds!

Jodi: What is your proudest running moment to date?
Jess: Watching my daughters become runners! It's so important for me to be a good role model for them. So when I see them embracing the sport of running, it makes me super proud of the example I'm setting for them.

Jodi: What one item do you absolutely have to have with you on a training run?
Jess: Gum! I'm a simple gal... no Garmin here, but I do have a stopwatch and love my ipod shuffle.

Jodi: What is your favorite fuel during a race?
Jess: I like variety... GU gels are my go-to for long runs, but I also mix it up with jelly beans. And lately nuun in my water has made a big difference for me too.

Jodi: What is your favorite post race snack?
Jess: Bananas are a staple. Quick & easy is the name of my game.

Jodi: Do you have a favorite quote?
Jess: "I can better take care of my family when I first take care of myself." This one got me threw the early times running with a baby at home. I felt so guilty taking time out for me and being away from the kids to workout in the gym or go for a run. Even now, it reminds me that after a quick run, I'm a better mother, wife and person.

Jodi: Finish this statement, when I run I feel _________.
Jess: REFRESHED!!

Jodi: What is your current goal?
Jess: Finish my first marathon in September and race a sub-2 half-marathon before 2011 is over.

Jodi: Please feel free to add anything else you feel will help others lace up their shoes and get out there and run!!
Jess: Every year from January through May, I bake my little booty off with my Cupcakes4Cure fundraising program to fight breast cancer. Last year I raised almost $1100. I run the Komen Race for the Cure every year in Peoria, IL, hometown of Susan G. Komen. My grandmother died at an early age from breast cancer and my aunt is a survivor. So it's a cause near and dear to our family.

Thanks again for the opportunity to give you a Thumbs Up Jess! Best of luck finishing your first marathon and chasing your sub-2 half- marathon!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Jess YOU inspire ME!!

Thumbs Up Thursday...Kerrie

2011-08-04T07:00:00.001-04:00

This week's spotlight is on Kerrie of MOM VS MARATHON: HOW TO RUN A MARATHON AND A HOUSEHOLD WITHOUT LOSING YOUR MIND (here). Once you read her interview stop on over to her blog and say hello!

Jodi: How long have you been running?
Kerrie: This is hard for me to answer. You can break my running life up in two parts: high school and present day. In high school, and even before, I ran a lot. I ran to train for sports, like soccer and basketball, but I was also on the track and cross country teams. After high school, I occasionally ran around the campus or on the track at Washington State University, or I ran during intramural soccer games. After that, though, I didn’t run much at all (except for a few months before my wedding when I was losing weight). Typically, I would get the urge to run, it would last a few days, and then I’d get “too busy” to go anymore.

Kerrie in her sweet cross country uniform in high school

I didn’t know what busy meant. Now, I am way too busy, but I still fit running into my life. I started running “for real” on July 18, 2009, to get back into shape. So, if we are talking about present-day running, then
it’s been just over two years.
Jodi: Why did you start running?
Kerrie: I began running again in 2009 because I was overweight and out of shape – I gained about 60 pounds during my pregnancy and lost what little muscle I’d had. In my lower back, a bulging disc was causing me to be in pain 24x7, making everything difficult. I was also depressed. There was talk of
surgery, but it wasn’t a guarantee that the disc would not rupture again, so I opted to get healthy instead (the disc can usually heal itself if you give it time). A cortisone shot around my sciatic nerve – where the disc
was pushing up against – helped me get some relief in the short-term, then I began walking. During my walks, I would dream about running like I used to when I was younger. One day, I tentatively tried a few strides in my flip flops and it didn’t hurt. I went home, decided to train for a marathon (a dream I’d had when I was younger), and started a blog to keep myself motivated.

Kerrie a couple of weeks before she began running in 2009

Jodi: How many years have you been racing?
Kerrie: I raced in high school on the track (the mile, which I sucked at – it’s a sprint!) and the cross country team (which was much more my thing). If I remember correctly, our girls varsity cross country team, which I was on during my junior year, placed first in state that year. I wasn’t a top runner, but I was number 5 or something. I think my best 3-mile time was 21-something. My first race of my present-day running life was a 10K in October 2009. I signed up because a friend who inspires me was running it. My first half marathon, also inspired by her, was the following month.
Jodi: What is your favorite distance to race and why?
Kerrie: I really like the half marathon because it’s a challenge mentally and physically, but training doesn’t take away much time from family like a full marathon.
Jodi: What is your favorite race memory?
Kerrie: My favorite race memory is from my full marathon: My husband called me around Mile 19 to tell me that he and my son, who is 3, were there. My son wanted to talk to me. He said, “Hi, Mommy. Are you running the race?” in his little munchkin voice and my heart nearly exploded. I also loved rounding the south end of Qwest Field and seeing my son and my husband at Mile 26.

Kerrie, her hubs, and her son after the marathon

Jodi: What is your least favorite race memory?
Kerrie: Crossing the finish line of my first half marathon (Nov. 2009). I had told my husband to stay home with our son – he was about 30 months at the time. I’d thought it would be too stressful on them and me to fight the crowds to be there, but I really wish I’d had someone there. I was very sad when I crossed the finish line and was all alone, and I really had to pee!
Jodi: What is your proudest running moment to date?
Kerrie: Finishing my first full marathon with a friend, a huge smile on my face and energy left in the tank. It was a wonderful experience and I can’t wait to do it again!

Kerrie in the shorts running her first marathon with the first runner she met through blogging (Zoe of Run, Zoe, Run)

Jodi: What one item do you absolutely have to have with you on a training run?
Kerrie: My phone – it’s my blankie. I feel safer with it, plus it has my music on it.
Jodi: What is your favorite fuel during a race?
Kerrie: I ate a full peanut butter and jelly sandwich about 30 minutes before my last two races (full marathon and half marathon) and it was a success! During the full, I only needed to fuel with gels 5 times (I took one every hour and then one around Mile 24). I like Hammer Gels the best, then Power Bar Gels. GU is a little thick for my taste, but I can manage with it. During the half, I did not need to refuel at all. I experimented during my long runs recently: one full PB&J before a 10-miler and there were no gels needed; one half of a PB&J before an 11-miler and I need a gel BADLY around Mile 7. I also drink Nuun during my races and long runs – no plain water for me.
Jodi: What is your favorite post race snack?
Kerrie: After the North Olympic Discovery Half Marathon in 2010, they had croissants and Nutella. It was awesome. They also had Top Ramen, which scored high with me. But, the best thing I’ve found post-race is chocolate milk – thanks to it, I did not pass out after my first half.
Jodi: Who do you admire most and why?
Kerrie: I really admire people who have had to overcome some sort of physiologica barrier to running, be it weight, injuries, illnesses or body mechanics. So…pretty much every runner!
Jodi: Do you have a favorite quote?
Kerrie: Not really. I like quotes and find them inspirational, but I don’t really have a famous go-to quote. I do, however, say to myself often, “Don’t think about it, just do it.” This, obviously, should not be applied in all situations in life, but it works for me when it comes to something I’ve been putting off, whether it’s exercise or writing. I tend to overthink things and get weighed down by the thought of doing it before I’ve done anything at all. It can be paralyzing. I need to not think about it and just do it.
Jodi: Finish this statement, when I run I feel…
Kerrie: Free. I’m not a wife, a mom, a writer. I’m just a runner.
Jodi: What is your current goal?
Kerrie: Sub-2-hour half in September, baby! It’s mine! Also running the Hood to Coast Relay this month on a team sponsored by Nuun with a ton of other bloggers. :)

Jodi: Feel free to add anything else that you think will help others lace up their shoes and get out there and run.
Kerrie: I just want to add that having friends that are runners really helps me stay motivated and makes running so fun! So, my advice to new runners would be to find a local running club or a store that has a running group and join!

All friends Kerrie has met through blogging!

Thanks again for the opportunity to give you a Thumbs Up Kerrie! Best of luck achieving your current goals!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Kerrie YOU inspire ME!!

July in Review

2011-07-31T10:40:00.003-04:00

Today's 16 mile training run with Deb and Missi brought my July training to a close. This week's run was so much better than last week's "run through the rainforest". What a difference a week and less humidity make!! There were a few days where the weather played a key factor but I made it through and quite often with a little help from my friends! I also set a shiny new monthly mileage PR! 172.8 miles-- I'll take it!

July Stats

172.8-- running miles
0-- elliptical miles
7-- bike miles
0-- spinning class miles
179.8-- total miles
0 minutes-- rope skipping
158.2-- weight as of July 31, 2011 (slight increase here which is to be expected during marathon training)

Current 2011 Stats
812.01-- running miles
17.8-- elliptical miles
7.86-- bike miles
55.8-- spinning class miles
893.47-- total miles
1 hour and 55 minutes-- rope skipping

Overall I am very pleased with my July training and I'm looking forward to what August has to bring!!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

Thumbs Up Thursday...Chelsea

2011-07-28T07:00:00.000-04:00

This week's spotlight is on Chelsea of Will Run For Food (here). Once you read her interview head on over to her blog and give her a shout out!!

Jodi: How long have you been running?
Chelsea: I started running in March 2010 – in a Couch to 5k class. The week before the class, I tried to run a city block. I couldn’t. :\

Jodi: Why did you start running?
Chelsea: I haaaaaaated running growing up. ‘Running is stupid’, I would say. I was a bowler, goshdarnit. My sister signed up for a C25K class in January of 2010, and wanted me to sign up with her. I declined, using the ‘Running is stupid’ claim. A friend who was listening in on our conversation, basically said ‘Yeah, you wouldn’t stick with it anyways’.

Harsh…but so VERY true!

My entire family knows I’m very good at starting projects. Not so good at finishing them. I find a new hobby – be it exercise or dieting or cooking or crafts. I run out, buy all of the stuff, stick with it for about a week…then it fades away. Gets shoved into my closet. Gets donated to Goodwill.

So, doing the next cycle of the class – and sticking with the running – was like a dare to myself. I DARE you to get out there. DARE you to get out there when you really don’t feel like it. DARE you to do what you couldn’t do last week.

It then turned into a way to lose weight for the first time in my life. Wheee! (Plus, I get to run in some pretty awesome locations around my house)

Jodi: How many years have you been racing?
Chelsea: My first race was the Top Pot Doughnut Dash 5k in May 2010. I actually haven’t done many races, usually because I get hurt or forget to sign up for them. WHOOPS.

Jodi: What is your favorite distance to race and why?
Chelsea: Well. I’ve only done a 5k, 10k, and a Half. 5k’s are fun because you can go all-out and sprint and generally act like a bad-ass all day. “Yeah, I ran a 5k this morning. No biggie.”

Even though I’ve only run one, I really do love the half marathon. You get some ups, some downs, and some good stories to tell. Plus, depending on the course, you could get to see your course-support more than once. :)

I will say I think my favorite kind of race is a mud run. Beer? Getting dirty? AWWWW YEAH

Jodi: What is your favorite race memory?
Chelsea: Crossing the finish at my first 5k. I had been going back & forth with this older lady for most of the race. I saw her walking in the final chutes, grabbed her hand, and we ran to the finish. I could barely breathe, but damn if I didn’t just go 3.1 miles.

Jodi: What is your least favorite race memory?
Chelsea: That’s easy – my hip locking up during my Half Marathon a few weeks ago. I’ve been dealing with a nagging hip injury for almost two months now. I’m not 100%, but wanted to race anyways. It’s annoying because the only thing I can do for the hip is rest.

And forced rest is almost as painful as the injury itself!

I knew I just had to get to the finish of the race – I’d crawl if I needed to!

I’m kind of, in a sick, sad way, glad it happened. I was worried I wouldn’t have ‘it’ during the race. You know, the ‘race until you barf’ in me. Turns out I had it and then some. I’d take barfing over that pain any day.

Jodi: What is your proudest running moment to date?
Chelsea: This is a good one. Every minute I run I’m proud of myself. I’m going to have two moments.
1) I love being able to tell people that I ran 13 miles. 13 seems like such an unattainable number for many people, but it’s actually rather easy to get to if you train for it. When I started training for my first half, so many people at work saw me heading out for my lunchtime run that 5 people signed up for the race too and trained on their own – many of them admitting to me when they signed up that there was no way they could ever run 13 miles.

2) Running a half marathon during a training run by myself. I used my house as a water station and sang a song to some Canadian Geese near the end. The hardest part for running for me is the mental battle. Doing this run toughened me up like nothing else had to that point.

Jodi: What one item do you absolutely have to have with you on a training run?
Chelsea: My necklace I wear everyday. When I run, it’s in my right side skirt pocket. If I don’t have a skirt on, it’s tucked around into my left bra strap. There’s three charms on it – one from my mom, one from my sister, and one from me, with my dad’s birthday & day he passed away on it. It’s my family. They run with me.

Oh, and gum.

If I’m running at lunch? On the sunny waterfront? Cash and my ID, kthx.

Jodi: What is your favorite fuel during a race?
Chelsea: I’ve trained with a Gu before I run and Gu Chomps during. I’ve also had ¼ of a PB&J sandwich, and I really liked that. I’m an after-work runner, so I’m not running on empty like some of you morning runners! (My stomach hates me in the morning. When I do have to run in the mornings it’s a wee bit horrible.)

Jodi: What is your favorite post race snack?
Chelsea: If it’s a short run, Nuun and beer. Separately. :) And for food, shredded potatoes topped with 2 eggs over-easy – fried in 1 tbsp butter. NOM.

Long runs – nothing. This is bad. I can’t stomach food after long runs. It feels like my stomach and throat are closed for business. I can usually get down some plain, room-temperature water and maybe part of an apple. My lack of appetite continues through the rest of the day. :\ This is probably one of the bigger challenges I have while trying to balance life and running – it’s hard to run on ‘E’ for one full day a week.

Jodi: Who do you admire most and why?
Chelsea: I think near the top of my list are all of the running moms out there. I have a good number of friends I’ve met through blogging that are all mothers first, runners second. Yeah, my job keeps me pretty busy, but I couldn’t imagine having a kid (or kids), trying to train AND keeping everyone fed and clothed!

Jodi: Do you have a favorite quote?
Chelsea: No, actually. The thing that is always running in my head is ‘What goes around, comes around.’ It’s how I live my life and what I chant to myself when I’m getting knocked around.

Jodi: Finish this statement, when I run I feel___________.
Chelsea: Powerful. Humbled.

I’m reminded every run that there was a point in time where I couldn’t do what I am now doing. That I didn’t think I had it in me – mentally or physically.

Jodi: What is your current goal?
Chelsea: Racing – the Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco. The goal for that race is to not die and to better my time.

Running - …to run more. I’m admitting it out in the open. I’m a run/walker. I’ve never run more than a mile and a half without walking. So. Uh. I want to change that. :)

Thanks again for the opportunity to give you a Thumbs Up Chelsea! Best of luck achieving your current goals!!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Chelsea YOU inspire ME!!

Columbus Marathon Training...1/3 Complete

2011-07-25T10:37:00.000-04:00

Yesterday's 12 mile run in the "rainforest" with Deb and Missi concluded the sixth week of my Columbus Marathon Training which also translates into being 1/3 of the way done with my eighteen week training cycle!

Here's a breakdown of my progress so far:

Running miles
696.90 scheduled miles
204.40 miles completed
89 schedule running workouts
30 scheduled running workouts completed

Cycling/Strength Training
I have completed 62.8 cycling/spinning miles
I have completed several strength training workouts

Over the next twelve weeks I will run 492.50 miles during the course of 59 running workouts. There will also be more cycling and strength training taking place. The first six weeks have gone very well. Here's hoping the next twelve will be more of the same!!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

Thumbs Up Thursday...Nancy

2011-07-21T07:00:00.001-04:00

This week's spotlight is on Nancy of Living The Dream (here). Once you read her interview, head on over to her blog and say hello.

Jodi: How long have you been running?

Nancy: I have been running for 18 years....Wow saying that makes me feel a little old! It has been a journey with running for many different purposes. It began as a means to an ends and now has turned into a way of life! I really look at my running though sort of in three chapters, sports training, before baby, and after baby. I'm really loving this chapter the best I think! If only I had the energy and time from the first!!

Jodi: Why did you start running?
Nancy: I started running when I was a freshman in high school. My softball coach convinced me to try out for the soccer team, a sport which I had never played! I remember going to the captain's practices and running in the group. I used to almost hold my breathe because I didn't want the other girls to hear me breathing hard and think I was out of shape. Can we say silly?

Jodi: How many years have you been racing?
Nancy: My first race was a 5k in Providence, RI in 2000 and I finished in about 30 minutes. All I remember about the race was the last .1 was a HUGE uphill and I remember seeing my Dad at the bottom. He was so proud of me and cheering so loudly! My Mom was at the top ready to give me a big hug!

Jodi: What is your favorite distance to race and why?
Nancy: I waiver between a 5k and a Half marathon. The 5k is where you lay it all out on the line and take yourself just shy of throwing up....sounds like a blast right? No I just like how strong I feel at the end! The half is my new favorite. It is just the right distance to train for and is still a challenge of endurance and pace! Plus you can walk down the stairs the next day without wincing! I have logged 9 half marathons, mostly since I had my daughter!

Nancy with her 6 month old daughter at her first race post birth

Jodi: What is your favorite race memory?
Nancy: Oh wow! I have so many! The Boston Marathon has so many great memories attached to it. I remember seeing my hubby tear up because he was so proud of me. It meant so much to me since he endured the training with me! Oh and the feeling I got turning the corner and seeing the finish line and having someone yell, "Don't cry yet!" Those memories still choke me up!

Nancy and her husband after the Boston Marathon

Jodi: What is your least favorite race memory?
Nancy: A half marathon I ran in February of 2010 in Hyannis, MA. The race itself was great...good course and weather for February but I went out way too fast and was right on track for a sub 2 hour half but my body hit a wall at mile 11. It all went downhill from there. I actually cried on the course!

Jodi: What is your proudest running moment to date?
Nancy: Aside from finishing the Boston Marathon....wow I have quite a few! I would say right up there on the list is when I FINALLY broke the 2 hour barrier in my half marathon time! I ran it with my amazing friend Jill and it was so amazing to share that accomplishment with her!! My second proudest would have to be seeing my daughter run in a race and seeing her own pride spread across her face!

Nancy and her friend Jill after achieving her sub 2 hour half marathon

Nancy with her daughter at her daughter's first race

Jodi: What one item do you absolutely have to have with you on a training run?
Nancy: My Ipod when I am running alone. I need my tunes to help distract me! I'm not antisocial though and I leave it at home when I'm with a buddy!

Jodi: What is your favorite fuel during a race?
Nancy: I have a super cranky tummy and tend to not fuel during races....I know rule breaker! I do love GU though and admittedly eat it sometimes for dessert! Lol! I can't believe I told someone else that! When I was marathon training I ate sport jelly beans....can't stand the sight of them now!

Jodi: What is your favorite post race snack?
Nancy: I'm pretty basic....a water and banana or bagel. Some races, especially here in New England have the craziest things post race. Like who can eat clam chowder or fried haddock after racing 13.1 miles? I tend to take stuff home with me and enjoy it later!

Jodi: Who do you admire most and why?
Nancy: In running it's Kara Goucher for not only being a killer runner but for killing it in Boston just 7 months after having a baby! She rocks!! In life I admire my Mom the most. She is so amazingly supportive and loving through whatever life throws at her. Life hasn't dealt her the most fair hand but she never complains. Instead she gives all she has to those around her and praises God each day! I hope I can be an example like that with my daughter!

Jodi: Do you have a favorite quote?
Nancy: My Dad used to say to me, "Do your best and let God do the rest"! I need to remind myself of that from time to time. There are so many great ones out there that are so motivating! I love quotes about persevering and pushing yourself to the limit! Like you never know what you can do if you don't try type quotes!

Jodi: Finish this statement, when I run I feel___________.
Nancy: Driven

Jodi: What is your current goal?
Nancy: I'm a little goal crazy! I am currently shooting for 1500 miles this year, however I will be happy to beat last year's total of 1111 miles. For races I have a few, beat my 5k pr of 24 minutes, and break 1:50 for a half mary!

Jodi: Please feel free to add anything else you feel will help others lace up their shoes and get out there and run!!
Nancy: I would say the biggest revelation for me with running has been since I had my daughter 2 years ago and it's something I try to convey to anyone who is thinking about running. After I had my daughter, I thought running for me was over. I knew that I would still run but as far as racing, I thought I would never be able to reach my goals. Just the opposite has happened!! All of my current PRs have happened after I had her....and believe me I CRUSHED my prebaby PRs! The greatest thing that is holding so many of us back is ourselves! Nothing else is keeping us from reaching those goals. BELIEVE it can be done!

Thanks again for the opportunity to give you a Thumbs Up Nancy! Best of luck achieving your current goals!!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Nancy YOU inspire ME!!

Road ID- Better Safe Than Sorry

2011-07-20T09:25:00.000-04:00

As many of you know I collapsed at the 2010 Cleveland Marathon. What I may not have shared is that I did not have any form of identification with me. I didn't fill out the emergency information on the back of my race bib because "I live in Cleveland, it's not necessary." Little did I know how important taking those few minutes to fill out the bib would end up being. Luckily when I came to I knew who I was and where I was but that certainly doesn't make me invincible. Next time I may not be so lucky.

I have talked about getting a Road ID ever since I collapsed. My friend Joe recently ordered one and gave out a coupon code which I used to order my ID yesterday. Ever since my experience at Cleveland I have filled out the back of my bib, however I am comforted by the added safety my Road ID shoe tag will give me.

The kind people at Road ID gave me a coupon that I could pass along to all of you.
Coupon Number: ThanksJodi8156179
The coupon is good for $1 off any Road ID order placed by 08/20/2011.
To order, simply go to RoadID.com or click the link below:
http://www.RoadID.com/?CID=ThanksJodi8156179
If you prefer, you can call them at 800-345-6335.

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

RIP "Uncle" Joe Brindza

2011-07-16T11:04:00.000-04:00

You may remember that I ran the Nashville Country Music 1/2 Marathon back in April. I ran it in support and honor of my "Uncle" Joe who had been diagnosed with esophogeal cancer and was in the fight of his life.

He was feeling well enough to be at the finish line after my journey and I was able to give him a hug and tell him that all 13.1 of those miles had been for him.

"Uncle" Joe lost his battle with cancer this morning. He fought the good fight and he is no longer in pain. He was one of the most amazing men I have had the opportunity to be related to and know. I know he is already looking down on his entire family supporting us every step of the way.

You will be missed dearly "Uncle" Joe.

Keep running, you're simply the best, and "Uncle" Joe your memory and will to fight inspire me!!