My First Marathon

I am a marathoner!

2009-10-14T06:49:00.000-07:00

Well, I did it! Woo hoo! Reality is still setting in, but I am starting to realize now (as the pain in my legs wears off) the accomplishment that I achieved. I ran 26 miles, and I met my goal of under 4:15 minutes. My time? 4:14:11.

Overall, I think the time went much faster that I thought - you start to get in to a groove, there are tons of people running with you, and even more lining the streets to watch, and all of a sudden, you're done! The first half of the race went especially quickly - I remember looking at a clock when I was running up LaSalle Street and the clock said 8:15am, and it seemed only about a half hour later that I saw another clock saying it was 9:53. Time just flew by!

The morning started out very cold. Up until this point I think I had been pretty relaxed, but the morning of the race, I was doing my typical "bounce between twelve emotions within the span of 30 minutes" thing, which I'm sure was a pain for Doug. He's so great to put up with me. The day before at the Health and Fitness Expo I purchased a copy of the movie "The Spirit of the Marathon", which was a great distraction during my morning prep. I wasn't able to just sit and think while I prepared, it gave me something to watch and focus on that had to do with running. I got pretty emotional watching all the athletes cross the finish line, I could only imagine what I might do when I finished.

When we got to Grant Park, it was still dark, but there were hints of light on the horizon, which gave an erie calm to the whole situation. There were people everywhere, but it seemed like everyone was walking silently, mentally preparing themselves for the task ahead. I found the porta-potties and got one of my "nervous pees" out of the way right away. After that, it was time to stretch and do a little warm-up jog. The warm-up jog was just as much to keep my toes from going numb as it was for preparing my body for the race - it was only about 35 degrees out! I had bundled up for the travel to the starting line, but as the sun rose and the minutes ticked by, I had to start getting out of my comfy sweats and in to race mode. This fact prompted me to get in line again for "nervous pee #2". I kissed Doug and gave Terry a hug, and told them I'd see them at the finish line, and it was time for the final minutes.

By the time I got out of the porta-potty the second time, the start corrals were full! I had to run almost all the way to the back to get a spot, as they weren't letting runners in at the original spot I had planned. After getting all settled and doing some jumping jacks in line, I was ready to run! The pack of racers moved relatively quickly up to the starting point, but it made it really anti-climactic since it wasn't really a "mass start," but rather a bunch of people slowly shuffling their way across the timing mats and then picking up the pace. Nevertheless, the journey was on!

The first few miles were a bit rough, as I was in the middle of thousands of people, was trying to get the feeling back in my extremities, and was trying to calm my nerves. After a few miles though, I settled in and started looking around at all the other runners and the great scenery. That's one thing I love about Chicago races, there is a ton to look at, and the sheer number of people helps you normalize what it is you're doing. If everyone around you is running, you feel like you should be running, too! The toughest part about the first six miles was that I was in a pack of so many people, I was losing time every mile. I ended up about twenty seconds behind each mile, so once things thinned out a bit, it got a lot easier. The toughest part was running through the Lincoln Park zoo, where we slowed to a shuffle, literally, since the path was not very long. Add an aid station in there, and it was chaos. I just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible!

I started to really get in to a groove once we got to Boys Town/Lakeview. That's also where I saw Doug and Mike again, and their cheering totally energized me - I think I was even smiling and waving! I also started to pick up speed again, and the subtle urge I had in the back of my mind that I had to go to the bathroom also faded around this point. There was no way I was stopping to go potty again. Running through Lincoln Park and Lakeview was definitely the prettiest part of the race - beautiful houses, trees, views of the lake, and a large amount of stores to keep me occupied. I could hardly believe it when I got to the point where I had crossed the bridge into the loop again and it was the halfway point! I had a moment where I thought - wow, if this were a half, I'd be done already! Piece of cake.

The worst part of the race motivation-wise came next. I wasn't a huge fan of going out west for a few miles, there wasn't much to see, and the crowd support was a little thinner. Out at the end past the United Center, there was almost no one, which made me really pick up my speed to look for the point where we would turn around and head back towards downtown. That was about mile 16, and once again, I saw Doug and Mike. They were so pumped up for me, it gave me a huge boost of energy and urged me on towards the southern part of the race. This was also the point where I finally was able to get rid of my jacket that I had been wearing for the first half of the race, as the sun had come out and it was warm enough to run in my short-sleeved shirt instead.

This is the part of the race where I realized I was crazy - I saw mile 16, passed it, and then realized "Hey! I only have 10 miles left!" I tried not to think about that statement too much, but knowing I still had 10 miles to go would have been a lot worse to think about. Once I hit mile 17 (and saw Terry, which was a nice surprise), I realized now I only had nine miles left, I was in the single digits! I believe now that you have to think crazy thoughts like this in order to succeed in endurance sports, otherwise you end up laughing at your insane sense of logic.

The longest miles were definitely miles 18 and 19. It seemed to take forever for those ones to get by. The nice part is that we were running through the UIC campus area, which was very nice. I'd never seen it before, but there were tons of cute shops and it looked like a very nice place to go to school. I never felt happier than when I saw mile 20...only six miles left! That's just a mere 10k! It was a great feeling that lasted me about a mile before my left knee started hurting. I wanted to quit running at this point and just walk for a bit, but I forced myself to keep going until I saw Doug and Mike in Chinatown. That was at mile 22 - I had to be able to make it another two miles.

Running in to Chinatown was an awesome feeling, and it came up so suddenly I couldn't believe I was already there! There was a huge sign that said "Welcome to Chinatown" and an oriental-style bridge, along with tons of screaming spectators! The best part? Doug was right there in the front row, so I high-fived him and smiled as I went past. I walked for a bit there just so I could let my knee have a break, and then once I finished my gatorade, I started right back up again. It's funny when you've been going for that long, because when you start going, it doesn't even feel like you ever stopped. Your legs almost WANT to continue running because that's the motion they've been going in for so long. It definitely makes it easier - that's a hint I'll remember on long runs in the future.

The next set of miles were easier, but still not pleasant. Miles 22-24 were along the Dan Ryan expressway, so not the most scenic of places. There was a Nike cheer zone there though, which had loud music and more crowds (I tell you, these crowds help SO much on race day, it's incredible). It wasn't too long before we were crossing a bridge over the expressway over to the other side - where we got to TURN BACK NORTH! That's when it started to hit me, I'm almost done! I stopped to walk for a minute at mile 24 for my last sip of gatorade to help wash down my Luna moons, and then I wasn't stopping until mile 26.2!

At mile 25, that's when I saw Doug for the final time. He told me to heed the words I'd written on my hands that morning - Dig Deep, Stay Strong. He would then run up a ways, and then wait until I got there to smile and cheer, and then ran again. We did that about three times, and then it was time for the final turn into Grant Park! Of course, there was the only "big" hill on the course, a whopping 24 feet elevation (which doesn't even really count). I couldn't have cared less - that mini speedbump was not stopping me from reaching the finish line! At this point I picked up my speed, I really wanted to make my goal, and it looked like I was going to do it! The hill leveled off, and it was a slight downhill and then straightaway to the finish.

I could SEE the finish line, I could hear the roaring crowd and the pounding of footsteps and whoops of glee from my fellow competitors. I threw my hands into the air, did a big fist pump and shouted out "YES! I DID IT!" and ran across the finish line. At that point, I didn't care how much I hurt, how I couldn't lift my legs, how salty my face was. I had run a marathon, and had a darn good time doing it. The finish line volunteers were amazing - they kept telling us how awesome we were and congratulating us, and it made me feel so happy and so proud. The next best part was reuniting with Doug, Mike, and Terry.

I stood wrapped in my foil "warming blanket" and felt the warm sun on my face and Doug's arms around me. It was the best feeling in the world. I did it! All those months of training, starting in a small workout room in Morgantown on January 18th, and it had all paid off. Running the marathon was a truly rewarding and fun experience, and I definitely plan on running again someday.

Home Stretch!

2009-10-07T13:06:00.000-07:00

Race week is finally here. Even as I type those words, I just got a little nervous. I've been okay for the last few days, but inevitably as the weekend approaches, I start to realize what I am going to do on Sunday.

Some noteable developments:

I've started to notice knee pain that without a doubt is IT band tightness. I've had it enough to know - but there's not much you can do about it. All I have to say, is that I think this is a tribute to how well I've been training so far, since I usually get IT band problems much earlier in race season. I've been doing my best to stretch it, but I think the best thing to do after Sunday is to take a long hiatus from running. I'll do some light stuff, but mostly eliptical, spinning, and swimming. It's best to listen to your body when it starts to yell at you - especially when the yelling is stinging pain (which also hurts your butt muscles too!).
The weather has been C-R-A-P. I know there's nothing that can be done about weather conditions, but I've been putting in extra praying time with hopes that the weather is at least tolerable. The Event Alert System is set at Yellow right now, but moving towards Green. The last time it was set at Yellow, it snowed and slushed all the way through the morning of the Shamrock Shuffle. Dear God - please don't let that happen again. I'm planning on bringing my entire running wardrobe and just seeing what happens on race morning.
Last weekend I ran seven miles on Saturday and ten on Sunday. Those were my last long runs, and I was hoping to get some of the "mileage effects" with long runs back to back. I definitely had some soreness, but not a lot - good sign for race day!
This week, I ran four miles yesterday and I'll run five tomorrow. Then it's rest until Sunday! I realized that I've been training since January 18 - almost 10 months of preparation. It's going to feel good to get out there and show the world (and myself) that I can do it.

Doug has been awesome, he's helping me put together more motivational songs for my running mix. I'll need it, there are certain songs on this playlist that have the ability to keep me moving when I feel like giving up (for example: My Time by Fabolous). I can't wait to see what he comes up with!

Finally, I've been making a list of what I'm running for. I think it's awesome when people run for charities and other causes, if I do another marathon, I'm definitely going to run to benefit something or someone. So, when I feel like giving up, I started to make a list of what I'm running for (in no particular order):

Sally - my friend going through chemo for Hodgkins Lymphoma. She is a runner too, and now she's fighting her way through cancer. She was always one of my best cheerleaders during high school and college, and her encouragement means so much to me.
My mom - she's been sick for three months now with various random illnesses. She can't come to Chicago to watch me, but she is always my biggest cheerleader. I'm going to run since she can't.
God - God has helped me stay injury free, provided me with inspiration, and kept me healthy enough to run. He also gave me the gift to be able to run long distances and the willpower to train for the race. I know he'll be with me, and I want to glorify him with my marathon.
Wisconsin sports - I just love my state - Go Badgers and Packers! We don't need no stinkin' Favre.
My husband - he is my best friend and my training partner, coach, and rehab expert. He has been so supportive and I want to make sure he knows that I'm crossing the finish line because of his love and help.
My friend Kalan - Kalan has always encouraged my running and my spirit. She lived with us for awhile this summer, and has been checking up on me since leaving for culinary school. She gave me an important phrase that I'm sure I'll use during miles 16-24 - "The more I walk, the longer it will be until I'm done."

That's the list so far...I think I have to stop now before I get too fired up (and nervous too). The next time I write - I'll proudly have my 26.2 sticker on my bumper!

Long Runs - Done!

2009-09-21T08:14:00.000-07:00

I did it! I did it!

I have now officially run a 15 mile course, and an 18 mile course! This week I have another 15 miler and then the long runs are over...until the marathon, that is.

I ran my 15 miler last Saturday. I was hoping to do it in the morning, but due to scheduling conflicts, I had to start it at 5pm instead. The sun is still pretty warm by then, but it cooled off quickly that day, so that's good. I realized that you hit several walls while running long distances, but if you just focus on something else and keep moving, you can make it. Doug was awesome - he put out water bottles at miles 6 and 12, along with a few nice notes to keep me motivated. He is the best marathon-husband ever. The hardest stretch was probably between miles 8-10. When I was training for the half marathon, it seemed to be miles 6-8. Therefore, I think it's whichever miles are in the middle - you're about halfway there, but you still seem to focus on what's left to finish rather than how far you've come. I'm going to try and remember that during the marathon.

This past weekend, I ran 18 miles. I decided to do this one in the morning, and downtown since I was running out of places to run in Verona after 15 miles! This run did not go as well as the 15 miler the weekend before. Someone (or several someones) stole my bottles I had placed out on the course! I had no gatorade, so I had to go to stores and ask for water. This was much less ideal than having gatorade, as I had no way to replenish a lot of my electrolytes. My Luna moons (which I carried with me, thank goodness), did a bit of good, but I was still feeling pretty exhausted after mile 13. I was able to finish, but it didn't inspire a lot of confidence in being able to run eight more on race day. When I got home, I felt pretty bad, but forced myself to drink some gatorade with extra salt and electrolytes. It tasted gross, but did the trick. Darn vagrants or hungover college kids.

Gross Determination

2009-09-01T08:09:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I had to run 13 miles. I didn't feel like getting up at least an hour before sunrise to start running (and then have a full day of work ahead of me, gross!), so I ran seven before work, and then six after. Sounds a lot easier, right? Well, I felt gross all day. We're smack dab in the middle of a cold streak here in Madison, so the weather was not ideal Friday morning. It actually ended up okay, since it wasn't too hot, but it misted most of the time, and no one wants to run when it's gray and depressing.

After my run, I showered and had a nice breakfast before work. Something just didn't feel right though - I was very flushed and red, and couldn't shake the feeling of exhaustion and dizziness. Nevertheless though, since I was sick the Friday before, I didn't want to be sick again (people might think I was faking), so I went to work. I'm very fortunate that Fridays don't require much thought at work - it was pretty much just moving from one meeting to the next, which allowed me to stay in my somewhat distant state.

Around 4:15, I knew that if I didn't do something, I wouldn't be able to finish the last six miles after work. So, in a waking coma, I wandered home and fell right asleep on the couch. Doug woke me up around 6pm when he got home. I still didn't feel awesome, but the nap helped a bit.

So, I grudgingly changed in to my running clothes. At this point, another problem presented itself: bloating. No idea why, but my stomach looked like I was approximately five months pregnant (in my mind anyway). That made for an enjoyable run...I'm sure people saw me and thought "Oh, look at that pregnant lady running - good for her!"

I didn't start feeling better until about four miles in, and at that point I was already thinking how close I was to being done. I finished, and was very proud that I forced myself to finish what I'd started. I still wonder how useful it was to split the long run, but when you work full time, I'm learning that you just have to get the miles in however you can. I have a 15 mile run this week before I leave on vacation, and I'm going to try to do it all at once. Hopefully I won't have a gas baby this time.

Keep on Keepin' On

2009-08-27T07:02:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

I finally got my new shoes, and the first time I wore them was for a sprint triathlon I did a few weeks ago. The race went okay, I felt good about the run, but I had a whole new appreciation for triathlons. Since I haven't really been swimming or biking, those events did not go so well. The one crummy thing? The website never actually posted searchable results, so I have no idea how I did in comparison with others in my age group.

Since then, I've been doing more mid-distance running, but my allergies have somewhat sidelined me. I was out sick on Friday and didn't get out of bed all day. Luckily, I got the needed dose of steroids that my doc prescribed me (don't worry, it's a low dose and only for a week!) which allowed me to go for a seven miler with Doug on Saturday. We felt pretty tired after that, since we waited until 3pm to run - the hottest part of the day.

This week I've done some runs in the mornings, which are just beautiful. Hans accompanies me most of the time, even though he usually stops every run at least once to go to the bathroom. I swear it is helping me train - I used to have a hard time starting back up after stopping, and I've gotten much better at that now. Tomorrow I have to run 13 miles, so I have no choice but to break it up into two runs - seven in the morning and six in the afternoon. Then on Saturday I'm running the Mama Goose 5K in honor of my friend's mom who passed away this winter from cancer. Go Mama Goose!

A Few Good Runs

2009-08-14T08:23:00.000-07:00

The weather is finally getting summery out (it's about time - it's August for Pete's sake!). It's a good thing and a bad thing though - the mornings are beautiful, but the afternoons are humid, hot, and sunny. I've been forcing myself to get up and start running in the morning more often. It really starts my day off right, it gets Hans some exercise, and it gets me in the feel of what it will be like running early on the day of the race.

The runs have been going very well lately, I feel comfortable and can push myself a bit more than I used to be able to. As scary as it sounds, I find myself looking forward to runs! I'm trying to focus on running longer distances at a steady pace and pushing myself for small periods of time so that I can be prepared for long runs.

Last weekend, I was going to run 10 miles downtown to the Farmer's Market with my friend, but the morning was full of thunderstorms. We ended up running next to each other on treadmills instead - a far cry from outdoor running on a shaded path. The last three miles of the run were painful - there were only infomericals on TV, and you can only see so many of those before you're trying to run away. Nevertheless, I finished it and felt pretty good.

When I've trained for long races in the past, I've always gotten injured around this point, so I'm trying very hard to listen to my body, and have made stretching a REQUIRED part of training. The only thing that hurts right now is my shins, which might be because I've been running outside so much. I might start incorporating running indoors once a week just to make sure I'm not doing high impact running all the time. I need to get a new pair of shoes though, my shoes are starting to give me blisters and they hurt a bit more after runs. The seasoned marathon vets I've talked to said it's a good idea to get new shoes about two months before the race so you can break them in and still have a good amount of support. I'm headed to Fleet Feet tonight to get a new pair - this is really getting serious!

This weekend I'm supposed to run 11 miles, but I'm doing a sprint triathlon instead. I know it's not exactly the same, but I think it's still a good test of endurance, and between the running and biking, I'm sure it evens out to somewhere around 8 miles. Sometimes you've gotta change it up to not get bored with training. Wish me luck!

Soooo close...

2009-08-05T12:50:00.000-07:00

Hi friends,

Well, Sunday went almost as well as I could have hoped. My goal was 2 hours or under, and my time was 2:00:51. So close! The course was amazing and there were fans everywhere. Even the weather cooperated! However, I got thrown off my losing my Gu packet, and had to stop at mile 10 to ingest it and get some water. It also meant I had to stop for a few seconds each at miles 5 and 7 to get some Cytomax to carry me through the tough miles. I wasn't planning on stopping then, so I think those brief stops are what killed me and those last 51 seconds. I tried not to be upset or disappointed - after all, it went very well, I felt great and didn't stop running for any other reason than to take fuel. I improved my time by ten minutes over my last half marathon.

The best thing though? It gave me hope that if I try pretty hard and push myself a bit, I can break four hours in the marathon in October. I checked my watch every mile, and I was spot on at nine minute miles for the first seven miles. When I hit my wall around then though, I started to slip a bit. I think the next month will be crucial for my training, as I increase the distance and force myself to keep pace during those tough miles. I found that once I passed mile 9 though, I was able to start cruising again.

The race was very well organized, and the post-race area was amazing - there were sprinklers for runners to stand under, and cold towels to put around your neck. They even had popsicles! I also went with my old standby - orange slices...so delicious.

Doug was great, he was there all day and cheered me on at mile 5 and then right before the end. I really needed it too, the end was an uphill finish and then a straightaway...those jerks.

I left Chicago feeling motivated and a bit hungry (not just for a red hot) - the next time I'm back here, I'm going all out.

Runnin' in the Rain

2009-07-31T08:38:00.000-07:00

Hey there - last run before the half marathon was yesterday morning. I ran six miles, all of it in the midst of a semi-heavy rainstorm! It was actually very envigorating, and prepared me for what may lie ahead on Sunday. I felt a lot better than I have the rest of this week and last week, so hopefully that means I'm ready for Sunday.

On a side note, last Thursday I ran in the rain too...I'm having bad luck lately. I have to admit though, it makes it much more refreshing and I don't overheat at all! One necessary item? A good hat to cover your eyes from the raindrops. I should get a hat for Hans so when he comes with me he can cover his eyes too. :)

Wish me luck this weekend!

Here comes the distance...

2009-07-27T08:23:00.000-07:00

Hi friends,

Well, the mileage is starting to increase! Last weekend I ran 10 miles, which is the longest I've run in nearly two years! The situation was pretty ideal - it was mostly overcast and cooler, which made for great running weather, albeit a poor excuse for a summer day. I wasn't feeling particularly spry, but the first six miles went okay. I did my normal six mile route which includes the Verona Triathlon course and back to my house.

Then, I picked up Hans and went for another four miles. I probably should have taken him with me for the first part and not the second part, as I was quite a bit grumpier since I'd already run. He, of course, was happy and full of puppy-energy, which made it harder to go a consistent pace. What was even more discouraging was that after four miles, Hans was still ready to play! Maybe I should enter him in a doggy marathon...

All in all, it was an okay run. It was a bit frustrating to not just keep going for ten miles straight, but I think it still counts. My pace was slower than I wanted, about 9:30 miles, and I'm striving for 9s. I didn't feel that great the entire time though, so I felt the slowness that was evident in my time. I'm hoping that it was just "one of those days" and that I'll do better this weekend at the half marathon!

This week I'm planning on running eight miles one day so I can gear up for the long run, maybe on Wednesday. Here's my plan:

Monday - rest/light cardio workout (not running)
Tuesday - 4 or 5 miles
Wednesday - eliptical or bike
Thursday - 8 miles
Friday - eliptical
Saturday - rest and travel to Chicago (possibly go to the running expo and buy something cool)
Sunday - Rock'n'Roll half marathon!

Yikes, I'm excited but also nervous. I have to get under two hours to qualify for a starting corral. We'll see how it goes!

Back in Madtown

2009-07-17T06:48:00.000-07:00

Well, I made it back from go-live. It was a stressful time, and I was pretty tired for about five days afterward. I had to do an eight mile run the day after I got back, but I broke it in to two runs: 4.5 miles in the morning and 3.5 in the afternoon.

This week I went for a few shorter runs, and I'm trying to force myself to start running in the morning so I'm used to the feel of running within a few hours of waking up. It really helps that it's light and warm out in the morning, and by the time I'm about a mile in, it's actually pretty peaceful and pleasant.

This weekend is a ten mile run, so we'll see how that goes. I'll feel much more confident about running the half marathon on August 2nd after completing a ten mile run. If you can run ten, you can run 13. Wow, this is really happening!

Success in the Mile High City

2009-07-05T16:42:00.000-07:00

I finally felt like I had a good run today. This morning I was feeling pretty tired, but I dragged myself out of bed to go running. I found that as soon as I put my running clothes on, I found the motivation I needed. I went running along Cherry Creek in downtown Denver, which was awesome! The weather was slightly overcast, and the run was nice and flat, slightly shaded, and full of scenery. I went for almost 5 miles, and even though I felt tired a lot of the time (out of breath), I was glad that I did it. There's something about running in a big city that is energizing.

Only a few more days left, and I think I'll head there again tomorrow.

Workin' on a Night Train

2009-07-04T01:52:00.000-07:00

So I'm working night shifts out here in Denver for a week. The mile high city is kicking my butt! I've gone running a few times out here trying to keep up on my training, and it's pretty depressing. I feel out of breath the entire time I'm running. The other day, thankfully my shoe came untied so I had to stop to tie it - which allowed me to catch my breath.

Besides the altitude, it's been hard trying to get normal runs in when I'm working nights. My schedule is 5pm-5am, so usually I am asleep by 6am, and wake up around 2pm. I end up working out around 3:30pm, but I still feel somewhat groggy and unrested. I'll be glad to get back to a normal schedule...and I definitely don't think I'll be ready to run 8 miles this week.

Week Three

2009-06-24T19:08:00.000-07:00

A few notes from this week so far:

1. I've gotten up early to run since it's too darn hot outside (almost 100 with 70% humidity, ick) after 7am and I'm forcing myself to make it a routine. That might be the only way I'll survive the summer training.

2. I was a wimp though, and even though I was up early, I went to run at the gym. Even at the gym I sweated profusely. It was somewhat embarrassing.

3. I'm doing pretty good with keeping up on the workouts. I'm trying hard to listen to my body, and if my knees hurt, I'm doing an eliptical for at least part of the workout the next day.

4. My speed workout today felt awesome. I did three miles and then four intervals of 20 seconds at my fastest speed. I felt fast when I did it too, somewhat jock-like. :)

The Basics

2009-06-24T18:51:00.000-07:00

In my opinion, you can't run a marathon without some type of plan. There are tons of plans out there, but you should at least pick one so you don't injure yourself. It's pretty overwhelming looking at everything that's out there, so when I was looking back in November, I started with a plan that was recommended to me by a friend before her first marathon. It was from marathontraining.com and included a mileage buildup schedule in addition to an 18 week plan. I figured that would be a good starting point since I hadn't run longer than a 10k since Ironman.

The plan started on January 18, almost nine months before the marathon. I knew it would be tough to keep up on my training, especially because when I started the plan, I was ending a project with a customer at work - meaning 14 hour days for a few weeks. Luckily, the runs were only 3-4 miles. The only problem with this plan was that it had me running five days a week. My knees can't take that, I've discovered. I had to modify the plan so I was running only three days a week, and doing an eliptical machine or biking the other two. I also had to combine weightlifting twice a week, which was easy at first, but got harder as the runs started getting longer.

The training was going pretty well, but when my husband and I decided to get a puppy, the training suffered some. Hans, our German Shepherd, is our practice child. It was tough at first, because you can't leave him alone for very long and he required lots of energy and time. It's kind of our first foray in to thinking of someone other than ourselves. No longer can we just pick up and leave for the weekend, or just go for a two hour run. We have to think of the dog and how his needs will be met. It's a good lesson to learn early - our future kids will thank him and I already do.

Now, Hans is older (about six months) and is starting to become my running partner. It's pretty neat, as my runs get longer, he grows enough to be able to hang with me. I was pretty hesitant to running with him at first. I'm somewhat picky about running - I don't like to run with others, mostly because I like to set my own pace, and I don't like to think about anything else except my run when I'm running. Hans is awesome though - he stays right by my side and follows my directions with the leash well. He also gets me to lighten up a bit and just run for the sake of running instead of running for pace, time, or speed.

My official training began the week of June 7, which worked out perfectly, as my husband and I were in Greece for two weeks before that. It was sort of the beginning of the end - now the summer is being taken up with weddings, family gatherings, and of course, running. I decided to switch plans too - my new plan is from a Women's Running magazine I read (www.womensrunningmag.com) and was one of two plans created by Matt Fitzgerald. I chose the beginner option, because even though I did an Ironman, I'm still a beginner. This one is pretty cool, it involves more cross training, and also includes some speed and hill workouts. While the elevation change at the Chicago Marathon is only 24 feet total (woo hoo! flat as a pancake), it's nice to get some variety in training. Maybe it will improve my overall running ability!

UW Tri and Beyond

2009-06-24T18:41:00.000-07:00

When I last wrote, I had just finished telling you about how I joined the UW Triathlon Team and began training for triathlons. It wasn't easy, I'll tell you that much! I didn't know how to swim (I was always in the "bad" group in gym class), and I had only biked for fun. My first workout with the team was a Friday "Fun Run" so I figured I could hang and it would be nice and relaxed. I was sadly mistaken. I was behind the pack the entire time, but I ran the entire time. I told myself that no matter what, I would never stop running.

The team was an awesome experience, and I'm so glad I got the courage to try it (or tri it, haha). I made lots of friends and was able to complete my first Ironman on September 11, 2005. It was about 95 degrees that day, but once again, I refused to give up, and finished in 14 hours and 47 minutes.

I graduated from UW the following spring, and since then, I've stuck to mostly sprint and Olympic distance races. I've missed the endurance training and something to focus on, but the real world does not usually afford you the time to train for long periods of time. Especially not my job - I'm a project manager and I travel all over the country on a weekly basis.

That brings me to now (with many life events and other details left out, but that's not the main point of this blog). I watched my uncle complete yet ANOTHER Ironman this past fall, and I decided it was time to train for something long again. No matter what, I would find the time and complete something of significance.

I might have said this before, but I'm not one to just jump in and say 'Hey, I'm going to do Ironman next fall.' I need to work my way up. That's how I decided on the marathon. It was a good way to work my way back in to endurance sports and training for something big, and the nice thing is that you can run almost anywhere. Since I live in Wisconsin, where it is cold for at least six months out of the year (and wet for another two), I wanted to run a fall marathon so I could train when it was warm. I'm sort of coming to regret that, but I'll discuss that later.

After looking up a bunch of races, I decided that I needed a race where it wouldn't be too warm or too cold, and one that was close so I could have my family come and watch (I love having a cheering section, it motivates me). It was down to two races, Chicago or the Twin Cities. They are one week apart in early October. Twin Cities was smaller by about 75%, but Chicago was world-class and I love Chicago. I also found out another family member of mine is doing the race, so that settled it.

October 11, 2009 - I'm running 26.2 miles.

How did I even get in to this stuff?

2009-06-18T07:54:00.000-07:00

It's probably a good idea to share a little background info on how I ended up in this position in the first place. One thing you should know is that I'm not one of those crazy people who just decide one day that they're going to run 26.2 miles for the heck of it. The story of how I got here is one that I did "my way": in an organized fashion with miniature goals along the way. It's pretty much how I live out every aspect of my life, like it or not.

The early years:
I did not have a background in running. I did martial arts and kickboxing for 10 years, and that took up the majority of my time for sports, although I did lift weights regularly and rode my bike sometimes.

The beginning of endurance sports:
One day after school, I was taking my dog for a walk, and he refused to slow down. After trying to slow him down several times, I decided 'Why not, let's just jog and see what happens.' I was wearing pajama pants, a sweatshirt, and snow boots, but we made it the rest of the way home. I was beet red, gasping for air, and the sweatiest I'd ever been. I had never been this tired, but I felt amazing. Both my dog and I took a long nap on the couch. I started to do this every day when I got home from school, followed by a long nap. Every day I felt exhausted, but amazed at what I had just accomplished.

When I finally decided to figure out how long my neighborhood loop actually was, I drove around the neighborhood and found out it was only .9 miles. While I was slightly disheartened, I figured I should set a goal for myself - to run a 5K by the summer. I started to gradually increase my running distance 10% every week, and was able to run the Race for the Cure that summer.

Time to Tri:
I left for college that fall, and was looking for a replacement activity for martial arts. Ten years was a long time, and I was ready to try something new. The second weekend of college, the very first Ironman Wisconsin was held in downtown Madison. My uncle had done several of these races before, but I had just dismissed it as 'Wow, he's amazing and crazy.' However, after following him around all day and seeing him finish, I was hooked. He had worked out for almost 12 hours in a row! He had swam 2.4 miles, then biked 112 miles, then ran a marathon! It seemed nearly impossible that anyone could accomplish such a feat.

Later that evening, I dragged a friend with me to come back and watch more of the finishers cross the finish line. The race ended at midnight, and there would be people crossing until that time (after starting along with everyone else, bright and early at 7am). There were old people, young people, people missing a leg or arm, and even overweight people, all becoming Ironmen and women. It was then that I uttered the phrase without thinking, with goosebumps bursting up and down my arms and legs:

"I think I'm going to finish one of these someday."

My friend turned to me, and then told me that he didn't think it would be possible. That was all I needed to decide that I would indeed finish an Ironman. I could already run a 5k, that had to be a start, right?

The next day, I joined the UW Triathlon Team. I didn't know how to swim, I had only ridden a bike for fun on bike trails, and I could run no more than 3 miles at a time. However, there were many others that had been inspired by Ironman to do something they never thought possible. I wasn't alone, and it was this group that allowed me to begin training for a sport that I now love.

Introduction

2009-06-18T07:48:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

I've never been a fan of blogging. Maybe I just didn't get it, maybe I didn't have enough time, or maybe I didn't understand why anyone would find my life that interesting. However, I've always wanted to keep a journal to chronicle a certain journey or stage in my life, so when I signed up for the Chicago Marathon, I figured it would be nice to journal my successes, challenges, and humorous events along the way. A blog seemed to be the perfect way to do - and voila - My First Marathon was born.

Along the way, I hope to share with you my story, and also maybe inspire you to try a marathon someday. Like I've always said in regards to my endeavors into endurance sports - if I can do it, then anyone can do it!