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!!!

My Friend, Food – Silvia July 18, 2008

Did you ever have one of those days? Well I had one of those weeks. It’s not been a picnic and my answer to stress and anxiety is to call on Food.

Food has always been there for me. Friends come and go, but not Food. He’s always ready, waiting and willing to fulfill my heart’s desire. I celebrate with Food, cry with Food, get angry with Food, complain with Food. Food is always there to calm me down and make me feel happy. The problem with Food is that he has a trusty sidekick Blubber. The Lone Ranger had Tonto, Batman had Robin, and Gumby had Pokey. Whenever Food aids me through a crisis, adds to the joy of celebration or relieves me of my boredom, Blubber has to be there. He’s so annoying, Blubber. Food is long gone. But Blubber keeps hanging around. I mean Food is great; he comes; he goes. It was fun while he was around. Blubber never goes away. He’s like a guest that overstays his welcome; he’s so hard to get rid of – a free loader.

So, I have to come to terms with my relationship with Food. I can keep him as my best friend or just use him for survival. You know, eat when I’m hungry not when I’m needy. There’s a novel thought, eh? And just eat good Food. Not be influenced by bad Food. Why is it that women always go after the bad boys?

My run today was hard. The 3 miles went on and on. I watched the mileage numbers tick by, 2.34, 2.35, 2.36…It was like watching the clock on the last day of school before summer vacation. Pure torture. The Ipod didn’t help. Knowing that I am carrying 4 ten pound bowling balls didn’t help. Having the urge to go at mile 2.44 didn’t help. I realized that this will be a slow and difficult process. There will be good days and bad days. It is such a mental sport, this running business. I want it to be over already, but it’s just the beginning.

Hard day for me too! – Meghan July 16, 2008

Those who run together, struggle together! I also had one of the toughest runs in awhile, mostly because of the heat. For the past few months I have been running in the air conditioned gym at my apartment complex on the treadmill. Today, I decided to try going for a run outside. Smart idea on one of the hottest days of the summer thus far, especially at 3 pm when the sun is at its peak! I survived, but barely. The best moments of a run for me are obviously the end, but also those few few minutes when you’re legs are fresh and you feel light on your feet. I had that feeling before my run and I think I ran a bit too fast in the beginning making the end really tough. On the plus side, I ran through a very nice neighborhood and had fun imagining my life in the future with a nice house, a big yard for a couple of huskies and a few kids to play in

On another note, does anyone know anything about mileage trackers for runners? I have looked at two different kinds. One type has a foot pad which sends a signal to a receiver that you wear on your wrist (e.g Nike+ sport band). The other type is a device that contains GPS (e.g. Garmin 205). I am looking for something that is accurate in terms of mileage and the foot pad types seem to be less reliable based on reviews I have read. The GPS seems better for this but is more expensive. Any runners out there have any experience with either? Is is worth spending $100-150 for accurate mileage? Is there a foot pad type out there that is reliable? Thanks for any input anyone might have!

Exhausted-Kirsten July 16, 2008

Have you ever had one of those runs where even before you started you knew it was going to be a struggle the entire run? I knew the minute I woke up that todays run was not going to be fun. Well my mental prediction fell nother short of my physical state. I ran in the worst heat I have ever run in. I came home almost as wet as I did after running 5 miles in the rain. It was a struggle the entire run. I think today (or maybe I am just hoping) that I am just all around exhausted, and thus my running wasn’t the best it can be. I realize in this training you will have good runs and bad, you will love it and then hate it, you will feel you are progressing and then the next day you feel struggle. The bottom line is, you keep going no matter what, because the end will be worth it all.

I also realized I am not giving my body enough of the right energy it needs for my running. So I am really going to make more of an effort to be aware of what I am eating. The last run I felt sick because of the salad I ate (which while salad is healthy, it is not easy for the body to digest) and today I ate a hotdog and chips and my body was rejecting that food too. I am asking a lot of my body; in return I need to give it the right things.

Well, it’s over and I finished it. You just never know what a run will bring…it is so dependent on your mood, your environment, the day you had, the weather, the food you ate, the song you are listening to, the distance you have until the finish line, the elevation…the list could go on.

Sick and Tired – Silvia July 16, 2008

I can’t believe that I am ready to give up after one week. Not really. But I had one of those days. I was tired, as in sleepy tired. My upper back was sore and I had stomach pain…all I wanted to do was have a ten hour massage and sip Cosmos – not teach summer school, not run 3 miles and not grout the stairs.

I went to the gym anyway and I just wanted to walk. Walking counts doesn’t it? It seems so silly that I would be too exhausted to run a measly three miles, but I was and I was hurting. I weighed myself hoping that a pound lost would boost my spirits…nada. I weighed the same. Bummer. Why bother? Because I want to run a marathon. It’s not about the weight; it’s not even about the cheeseburger. It’s about fulfilling a lifelong dream and about pushing myself above and beyond what I mentally I think I can do. Frederick Douglass said that there is power in the struggle. Every time we do something that is out of comfort zone makes us stronger…even though we may be kicking and screaming all the way.

I turned on my Ipod and the Beatles filled my ear. I heaved myself onto the treadmill and walked a few minutes to warm up. Then I cranked up the speed to 7.0 and put one foot and front of the other over and over again. It’s that simple. But it isn’t.