The Why’s… July 25, 2008

Two days ago while driving back from the gym, I told Nick that I felt so far from our goal and that at this point it seemed like I was reaching for the impossible. He then looked at me and asked me why I am doing this training. I told him a few reasons, and he suggested that I write them down and at moments of feeling discouraged, go back and read them. Well what better place to do it then here on our blog. He told me a few of his friends wrote a page about why they were enrolling in medical school so in moments of uncertainty they could remind them self of why…

I realized in that moment I had not taken enough time to think about the whys…aside from the obvious love I have for food. So I am writing my why, and will use this as motivation for myself. I am running this marathon to satisfy a personal goal. In a sense I want to learn how to train my mind, because I think having power over your mind is a powerful tool to use in all aspects of life. I have always struggled with the fact that many times in my life I have given up on things when they got too hard; but now I am ready to push myself in a way I don’t think I ever have. I am running this marathon to feel good physically and mentally; starting the day with a run, for me, is the most fulfilling. I am happier when I run and stay active. I am running this marathon for the reaction I get from others and the fact that I have always wanted to say I ran a marathon. If a 65 year old man can run one a year after a heart attack, a 24 year old can push her body to the same level. I running this because I am a goal setter and I cannot wait for the satisfaction I will feel of fulfilling and reaching a goal of mine. I am running this for all the cliches I have written about…this is for me…this is something I can call my own, and that I am finishing by myself, even though I running this with two awesome people. I am running this marathon for Meghan and Silvia, because if I somehow keep you all going the way you keep me going, I can’t back down…

So thank you for anyone who reads this, because seeing that someone else cares about this marathon makes it easier to push through the hard days.

Twenty Six…point two July 25, 2008

Have you ever really and truly thought about how far 26.2 miles would take you? Yesterday, while driving from Lexington up to Cleveland with Nick’s family, I not only witnessed what 26.2 miles looks like, mile post by mile post, I drove the entire distance in the car. I told Nick as we exited onto 271 that from this point to our exit in Shaker would be the distance of our marahon. Thanks to the nicely green posted mile markers, I watched each mile tick by until we reached the 26 mile marker. I felt so many emotions all in that 30 minutes of driving (yes, 30 minutes in the car, which you can only imagine it at a runners speed!); I felt motivated thinking about the feeling we will have after completing the run. I felt completely overwhemled and questioned myself and the probability of finshining. I have still not decided whether or not it was smart to sit there and take in the true distance; I mean sure on a tredmill you really arn’t able to comprehend the total distance, but driving it put it all in my mind. I ran 4 miles on Wednesday, and it was O.K. and yesterday Nick and I woke up early before the drive and I ran my 3 miles. We got to see Meghan for lunch on our way to Cleveland and it was nice seeing her and reminding myself even though I feel alone in the moments I am running and pushing through the challeneges, we are all in fact in this together. Meghan is without a doubt more ready for this training than I feel, but I will carry on. I think Meg had a good idea to hold our training at this week, and not one near the middle that is far more intense. I love my gym by the way!! I am so excited to find some classes I love and go on my off days to strength train. yay!!! Where you are you guys by the way? I am sending you both a little motivation in the mail, so look for it within the next few weeks!

6 miles-Kirsten July 22, 2008

Yesterday I woke up so excited to go to the gym. It has been over a year since I belonged to one. So Nick and I woke up around 9:00 and I had my mind set on 6 miles on the tredmill. I felt I failed on Sunday; walked 3, ran 3. So I needed to prove to myself I could do it. After running the 5 miler race I thought 6 might not be TOO bad, but it was hard second attempt around. I did it; I stopped running for a minute to get a drink (I can’t run and drink, I will look like a fool!) and otherwise totaled 6.1 miles. However, it was hard!!! The whole time I wanted to just stop and at least get on a different machine. I looked around, and not only was I the only one running, everyone who started on the tredmill when I did had long cleared out. It got me to thinking…am I crazy? Is there a reason why I am the only one running, sweating, being tortured? Well, the after feeling of running 6 miles was great. I felt good and strong, and can honestly say you forget the pain. You forget feeling heavy, you forget the desire to stop, you forget the dripping sweat and red face. While running I told myself, just one foot in front of the other…

So I feel I sort of redeemed myself but doing 6 miles on Monday. Today is my rest day, and while I am tempted to go the gym, I think I might actually just take the day off and rest. Maybe I will go in the evening…right now I am just so content staying in my PJS and eating a bowl of icecream…ok I will hold off on the icecream until a more decent hour. This training is going to be HARD…I mean I realize that just because I ran 5 miles two weeks ago with ease (ok, not ease, but it wasn’t torture) doesn’t mean my 6 mile run will be any easier. I wonder if in three weeks 6 miles might feel easy? Nick has started running a mile a day; and he says he has no idea how I run 6, let alone 26. Which I of course added in that it is 26.2, can’t forget that .2 PEOPLE!!!! I really think the last 6 are just going to kill us in the race. What if I hit the wall before the 20 mile mark like they say? So many things I won’t know until I get to that day, in that moment. And while everything will be spinning around me, I will remember one foot in front of the other…it’s the only way! I miss you guys…I wish we were training closer, but we are going to do this!!!

July 10, 2008 Kirsten and Silvia July 10, 2008

July 10, 2008

Do you love food? Would you run a marathon just to eat a cheeseburger? Well, we would. And we are. That’s why we run. To eat. To drink. It makes us merry. This blog will document the trials and tribulations of two teachers training for their first marathon.

We taught summer school together and discovered a mutual passion for food and distaste for running. We put our love-hate relationship to good use and decided to run in our first marathon, the PF Chang’s rock and Roll Marathon in Phoenix, AZ, January 2009. Let the countdown begin.

Welcome to hell. Hell is the commitment we made to running in order to prepare ourselves for a marathon. We concocted this idea of running a marathon in a freak moment of insanity.  One afternoon, while snacking after a day of teaching summer school, we lamented over the fact that we can’t eat what we want without seeing it on our thighs. We both run. Sort of. (If you call an occasional 3 miles at about a 10-11 minute pace, running – and we bring our dogs with us because they have to stop to poop and that means we get a  break). We run, not because we love running but because we love eating. Running is a necessary evil.

So we came up with a brilliant idea…let’s train for a marathon so we can eat what we want! Brilliant. We read that you get to eat 2000 calories plus 100 for every mile you run. Per DAY! So that’s what we will do. Eat and run. Run and eat. This blog will document the journey of two ordinary teachers in pursuit of the ultimate goal of eating a cheeseburger and fries at the finish line.

Silvia is 41 and teaches middle school in Cleveland, OH. She is 5′6″ and weighs 160 pounds. She is married to Richard and they have a border collie named Barclay. Silvia has an eighteen year old son, Alex, who will be a Sun Devil in the fall and will be cheering her on on Phoenix. Kirsten, 24, teaches Kindergarten in Lexington, KY. She is 5′8″ and weighs 147 pounds. Her significant other is Nick. She has two dogs, Bauer and Daisy.