Savannah Marathon ~ 26.4 miles/ 4:52:00

Savannah Rock'N'Roll Marathon
Nov 3, 2012
 

Marla, Angie, Me, and Amanda

After twenty-two months of running...two 5Ks, a 10K, and six half marathons...I am finally able to add a marathon to my list of races that have been completed!!  Woohoo!!  And after four months of hard work and dedication, the day finally arrived.

So thankful that I got to experience this with my besties who were crazy enough to make this commitment with me.

Had a fabulous time shopping at the Expo! The RNR Expos know how to do it right. And this one was extremely organized!  We got our 26.2 stickers, and some shopped like it was going out of style.  :)

We had a wonderful dinner that night at Corleone's Italian Restaurant.  Mmm...mmm...Went back to the hotel and chilled.  I don't think any of us got any sleep that night.  I'm not gonna lie...The nerves had started to set in a little that day, for a couple of us. I wasn't worried about the distance, but was more worried about running a race that I could be proud of...and have no regrets later. After unexpectedly setting a new sub2:00 PR at Talladega just a few weeks before, my original plan to "just finish" was no longer my only goal.  I started doing a lot of calculating to see what kind of pace would get me under 5:00 and to possibly a 4:30 even.

Start line before daylight

So on race morning, we're standing in the corral waiting to start, and I look over at my girlfriends and say, "Are we really doing this?!" It was so surreal. I was so giddy to finally experience what I had been training for! The only thing I was worried about was controlling my pace so I could make it to the finish line. I knew my friend Marla and Angie had trained at a much faster pace. They have both been running for 25 years!  And I really wanted to run this with them.  But I also knew I had to run my own race, and had prepared myself to split off from them, if necessary.

At the star

I started out running with Angie and Marla, which was so much fun. Took a very quick potty break at 9.5 miles. We ended up running the first 12 miles together, keeping about a 9:45/ pace, which was way fast for me for a marathon. Once we split off from the half marathoners, we hit the freeway and Marla and Angie sped up. I started to get my pace under control and slacked off a little. I looked ahead and saw an endless freeway, so I made the choice to put my earbuds in and get my music going to get me through this part. The freeway was the most desolate and hot part of the entire run, and I felt very alone out there.  No water stations, no spectators, nothing!

Around mile 17, I got a little choked up and had to really fight back the emotions. I had been warned of this beforehand. The spectactors were absolutely AMAZING in Savannah! I have never high-fived so many people in my life. I zigzagged all over the course returning the love and high-fiving little kids. The spectators were all so happy to be there and really showed the love to us runners. And it started getting to me at that point. I was also thinking ahead of how sweet it was going to be to cross that finish line....and I had to stop all the daydreaming. It just wasn't helping me keep my emotions in check.

Self-encouragement along the course!

Started getting a stitch in my side at mile 19. Had to walk that off for a minute, so I made friends with a Marine who was struggling with cramping. It was his first marathon. He had run two halfs and had been running for 18 yrs. We shared our stories quick-like, and then I picked the pace back up and moved on.  From mile 19 on, I was really counting it down. Keep in mind, I had only trained up to 20.  So 21 and on was a new distance for me. Woot!

At mile 23, the pain set in...from the waist down. I started getting really sore.  But I never had any problems mentally. I was getting really excited to finish and kept telling myself "only 3 more miles...that's your neighborhood, Michelle! You've got this!"  The farther the distance, the more excited I got.

Mile 25, my playlist decided I should hear "Hurts So Good," which I thought was pretty appropriate. And then I started seeing tons of cameramen. I hope they got good pictures because I was beaming and acting crazy!  Really hogged the camera, so I apologize for any other runners around me. :)  And finally, I caught a glimpse of all the spectators at the finish line, and I was living that moment I have waited on for so long.  I puffed my chest out a little and those tired legs I thought I had wanted to go a little faster. The crowd was really cheering me on as I ran past and across the finish line. And there was my bestie, Marla, who grabbed my medal from the volunteer and placed it around my neck and gave me the biggest hug ever. And then I cried.  :)

Here are the results: 

• Overall:
  1724 out of 2793
• Division:
  168 out of 293
• Gender:
  754 out of 1414 
  5K ~ 30:13  10K ~ 1:01:08  10 miles ~ 1:41:20  13.1 miles ~ 2:13:46  20 miles ~  3:34:32 Finished ~ 04:52:00
  
  

 
Kudos to RNR Savannah for a well organized race and expo. I was really impressed. I can't thank everyone enough (on DM, FB, Twitter, family/friends in my life) for all the love and support through this. I was overwhelmed with texts and messages the night before and day of. And when I crossed the finished line and saw all the congrats, it got me a little choked up. So thanks!! This was an experience of a lifetime. Am I crazy enough to do it again? You better believe it! Because I enjoyed every bit of training and the marathon itself. And I am already getting messages from friends telling me how I have inspired them to run their first half or full. And knowing I have inspired someone like that is just indescribable. :)

The proof!!

Oh, and it wasn't until the ride home the next day that I realized the course was a little long.  So where do I find a 26.4 sticker?!

20 miler ~ New distance! 03:45/ 11:15 pace

Today was the big day...my 20 miler! It was hot and humid, but I got it done. Woohoo!! So thankful my friend Amanda kept me company today. She had planned to run about 10, but I think the heat and humidity got her around mile 4. We had planned on her biking the last 10, so she ended up heading back to the truck to get my mountain bike to finish out the 20 miles with me. So glad she rode the rest because it was so good to have the company!

Here are my splits. If I calculated this right, that's an average of 11:00/. I'm only showing miles 5-20 to get an idea on the pace I ran.
(5-10) 11:04, 11:14, 10:44, 11:01, 11:15, 11:03
(11-15) 10:34, 10:26, 11:07, 10:40, 10:59
(16-20) 11:27, 11:15, 11:51, 11:44, 12:26

Love how #20 looks on the Garmin! A new number for me.

  
I ran pretty slow today, but I was trying to find a comfortable pace that I knew I could finish out the 20 with. You can see where I am really feeling it around mile 18 on. Feet and hips were getting tired. I took a couple of walk breaks for a few feet on those last 2.5 to 3 miles just to give myself some peace of mind. 20 miles is a long way, and when I finished I was feeling it. The weather today made it so much more difficult than the 18 miler I did in the rain two weeks ago. Today was tough, but it was good training. Feels good to have it done. Kinda tired, but enjoyed every bit of it. Loving marathon training. Now the taper begins!!

Oak Mtn Bike Trails ~ 12.16 mi/ 01:58

Another great day of mountain biking! I had planned to run, but just felt like this was what I needed today. Wanted to end on a good note before my 20 miler on Sunday. This was definitely the way to go!! There is just something about mountain biking that is good for the soul.

Glad the vampires weren't out today because I left some DNA out on the trail. :) Crashed and burned one good time. Not really sure how it happened. Apparently my confidence had built up a little too much around mile 10, and I went over a really rooty area with a little too much speed. It's a weird feeling to go sailing over the handlebars and hit the ground. No injuries...just a little blood today. So much fun though! Whooty-whoo!! (That one is for you KB. Hope I spelled it right!)

Not my crash site, but the only warning sign I encountered

There was a lot going on in the woods today! Saw a doe running along side of me in the woods at one point. Stopped and watched her for a bit. Had a hawk that flew out of a tree and startled me. I even met some other bikers on the trail a few times and didn't cause any crashes. I call that a successful ride!

Wishing everyone good luck on any races or runs this weekend!! See you guys after 20 on Sunday.

Mountain Biking at Oak Mtn ~ 9.77 mi/ 01:39

I think I just fell in love!!! Just met Jenifer C. out at Oak Mtn and had THE...BEST...TIME...EVER! This was my first time biking the trails, so I was really excited to have someone to go with. Lots of rocks and roots and trees on the single trail. Really got to plan your path. We hollered and laughed and cut up the entire ride. It was girls gone wild this morning at OM. Woohooo!! I only ran into one tree. And to my defense, it was in the middle of the trail and it was more like a twig. Found the bar on my bike one time. :/ We biked some pretty challenging places, so it was a blast. Oh, and even met a couple of bikers on the path and didn't run into them. :)

I love running the trails, but biking them is really something else entirely. If there is a such thing as a biker's high, I've got it! Awesome ride! So much fun with Jenifer today.

Montgomery Half Marathon ~ 13.29 mi/ 2:00:39

So one year ago, I ran my first half marathon in Montgomery in 2:16:07. This morning, my goal was to crush last year's time and hopefully run another sub 2:00. This was half #6 for me. Very exciting! Nerves weren't too bad this morning. This was gun start and a chip finish, so I got in the front of the pack so as not to lose any time on the clock. Started out WAY too strong. Half a mile in my legs were feeling way too tired. Looked down and saw I was running a 7:45 pace...and this was all on the first incline. Knew I needed to slow it down a bit. Kinda hot and humid out today. Course was a little hillier than I remembered it being.

Around mile 7.75, I started feeling a stitch in my side and thought, Oh, no....not now!! Just needed to hang on to the pace for...several more miles. :) I knew the big hill was coming at mile 10, and pulled it very nicely. Last year I walked it...never again! Adam G. joined me around mile 12, after rockin' his 5K, and paced me to the finish. It was so good to have the company and have someone talk me through the rest of the race. Around mile 12.5, I was losing quite a bit of steam. I knew the course was long and saw I wasn't going to make the sub 2:00. Adam pushed me pretty hard, which is exactly what I needed at that point, because I was mentally and physically whipped. Finally made it around into the stadium and to the finish.

Official time was 2:00:39. Not a new PR on time because of the extra distance; however, new PR on a half pace. 9:05/ pace on 13.29 miles today vs. 9:13/ pace on 13:03 miles at Talladega (1:59:58 finish). So I'm very proud to have run two halfs very strong and consistently back to back. And I beat last year's time by a long shot! Woohooo!!

Splits were (1-6) 8:20, 9:02, 8:46, 9:00, 8:56, 9:04, (7-13) 9:12, 9:34, 9:50, 9:30, 9:49, 9:07, 8:14, 8:02 (1/4 mile)

Place: 237 / 756
Sex Place: 64 / 351
Age Grp Place: 15 / 76

A Year's Time...

Carbing, hydrating, and mentally preparing for Saturday's race. I'm really excited about this race because a year ago Saturday, I ran my first half marathon and finished in 2:16:07. That was *the day* I fell in love with running. I will never forget the emotions when I crossed the finish line.

A lot has happened in a year's time. I have been after a new PR ever since. In the middle of training for the Mercedes, I developed an issue with my ITB and had to stop training. But I ran it anyway because I was determined not to quit.  Pretty decent time, but not a PR.  My third half was the Country Music Half in Nashville in April, and I missed a new PR by 18 seconds!  The route was hilly and crowded and the course was long.  It was a huge disappointment, but I gave it my all and ran it hard.  Had terrible pain in my right shin after that. Came home and ran a couple of trails and decided to sign up for the XTERRA Half.  Ran the XTERRA Half in May, which was my first trail half, with leg pain. Cortisone shot helped that one day...Woohoo!  Finally found out the pain was from a varicose vein and had leg surgery in June.  Decided I wanted the "marathoner" title, so marathon training began in July. Finally I was injury free and decided at the last minute to run Talladega three weeks ago. Unexpectedly, I came home with that new PR I've been after all this time...1:59:58!!  I wanted a new PR, but never in a million years would I have thought I was capable of a sub 2:00.

So will I PR again at MGM this weekend?  Who knows. But I know one thing, I plan to lay it all out on the table this Saturday.  \m/\m/  Hope everyone has a great weekend of running!!

My SPIbelt has arrived!!

This little baby arrived in the mail just in time for my 18 miler...in the rain!!  You probably wouldn't believe that I was able to fit a set of car keys, a Droid phone, and a package of Chomps in this.  It sat nice and snug on my waist for 3 1/2 hours and kept everything completely dry...in the pouring rain.  Worth the money!!  This is the water resistant version.

Fourmile area...in the rain!! 18.01 mi/ 03:25/ 11:21 pace

My first 18 miler!! Woohooooo!! And every bit of it was in the pouring rain. But I have learned to love my rainy day runs. It was actually very pleasant. Running in the rain is so much nicer than running in the summertime heat.

Really happy with this new area I am running in. I did an 8-mile loop and then hooked up with Amanda C. for a 10-mile loop to finish it off. So glad she decided to join me on today's run because it helped keep my mind off the craziness.

I really could have kept running today. I was in that place where it felt so good to hit that new distance...and I didn't want to stop. Once I stopped, my legs immediately felt like I had run 18 miles. It took my breath away for a minute. Walked in the door and hopped right into an epsom salt bath. :) All is well now....and I am beaming! Love marathon training!!!

New Shoes!!

New shoes...and new color! I think they even glow in the dark! Time to work a new pair in before marathon. Woohoo!!

This is my second pair of Brooks Pure Cadence.  Best shoes I've ever had!  The pink is going to take some getting used to.

3 + 3 = 16 miles....3 mi/ 11:20 pace

So after finishing the Talladega Half and setting a new PR I started back around the track for the other 3 miles I had to get in. Took it nice and slow. There were still half marathoners running...and a few others getting in extra miles...so I was in good company. After I finished and met up with Stephanie we headed to the Winners Circle for pictures. My legs started getting sore and throbbing while standing in line. I could tell I had run it HARD today because I am not usually sore are LD like that. And then I was a little nauseous....still not feeling 100%.

But...what a great run today! It felt amazing to run like that, knowing I could potentially bring home a sub 2:00. And when I got my official time, I felt like I had won a million bucks! New PR on a half and a new distance record of 16 miles!!! I am flying high today! Sat in an ice bath when I got home and ate brownies that the kids brought me. Life is good! Now it's time to catch up on sleep.

Talladega Half ~ 13.1 mi/ 1:59:58

Well, 4 am came very early this morning. I was so anxious last night that I got ZERO sleep. But I hit the ground running this morning. Met Stephanie at 5 am, and we got on the road headed to Dega! We were both soooo nervous. Drove thru the tunnel into the infield which was WAY cool! I've never been to the Talladega Superspeedway before. It's HUGE!! Ran into a couple of runners I know. :)

Got started and my legs were feeling good. I had no goal except to crush 2:16 so the pressure was really on. 2 of my 4 halfs I have run uninjured have been 2:16 finish times. I managed to get into a nice pace that felt comfortable but one I could do something with. I looked down and was holding it just below 9:00/ and thought WOW. I maintained a 9:00/ pace up until mile 6-7, when we headed back up the ramp and around the track again. I slipped to about a 9:10/. I was gave myself a nice little peptalk and told myself that it was actually possible that I could come in under 2 hours....that I just needed to keep hanging on to that pace. And I questioned myself the rest of the race. Can I actually hang on to this pace for 6 more miles...5 more...4 more... Dropped down to about a 9:12-9:14 and got a little disapointed. Knew that I would come in with a new PR, but I had my eyes on something else at that point. :)

So around mile 12, I did some calculating and realized if I continued running it HARD I would make the sub 2:00 mark. And that I did! I found a new energy and finished strong! 1:59:58 I wanted to beat the 2:16 so bad, but did not realize that I had way more in me until after I started. I can't even begin to describe what that felt like to finish and be totally stunned.

One thing I love about running halfs is encouraging others on the race course. It's so fun to run up by someone who is having a weak moment and motivate them to "come on and let's do this"! They are usually grateful and pick back up with their running after that. I love that! And it helps me as well. Needless to say, I made new friends along the way. :)

The rest of my race is continued in another post. I had an extra 3 miles to run today!

Chelsea Park Loop ~ 7 mi

Another run in the rain this week. I am starting to see a pattern here! Headed out with Amanda this morning and ran the back of Chelsea Park. I split off from her at mile 3.5 and ran the second half at a 10:10 pace. Saw a muscadine laying out in the trail so I stopped and picked enough to fill up half my G2 bottle. Just what I needed to get me back home. A little snack. :)

So...Saturday is my big day!! I'll be setting a new distance record with 14 miles!! I'm super stoked...but a little nervous. Praying I don't have to run it solo. I'm taking tomorrow off. Hope everyone has great a great weekend!!

Loop 2, Columbiana ~ 4.01 mi/ 10:12 pace

Ran the loop again solo to get some good miles in for the day. I'm going to start stepping up my short weekday runs a bit. It was still raining. Got soaked to the bone!! Cold ride back home since I didn't realize it was supposed to rain this morning. But so much fun splashing around in the rain. I'm sure people thought I was crazy!

So 7.6 miles today felt pretty good!

Loop 1, Columbiana ~ 3.59 mi/ 12:23 pace

Well, wouldn't you know...it starts pouring the second I drop kids off and head out for a run. I'm starting to see a pattern. It's a good thing I LIKE running in the rain! Met Amanda C. this morning. She probably thought I was crazy to want to run in the rain, but I think she ended up liking it. So much more pleasant than the heat and sun. Great time with her!! (cont'd)

Cycling @ Anytime Fitness ~ 17 mi/ 17.3 mph

Got my sweat on at Anytime Fitness today. Kilimanjaro at level 4, while reading a gripping ebook and listening to Z100! Good times...and great workout! Looking forward to running tomorrow. \m/\m/

Recovery run @ Anytime ~ 4 mi/ 10:56 pace

I had planned to cross train tonight, but just had to get a run in after being in the car a good portion of the day. Great recovery run on the TM at 1% incline. That puts me at running 30 miles this week. Shoot! One more mile and it would have been a new record on weekly distance. Oh, well...Week 4 MT is now COMPLETE! Moving on...

Ole Miss campus ~10 mi/ 9:51 pace

So this weekend I travelled to Oxford, MS, to visit family. Was really excited about this run that we had planned. And woke up Saturday morning to...RAIN!! But...defintely not a show stopper!!

My sister-in-law ran the first 5 miles with me while my father-in-law biked with us. Really enjoyed this part of the run. Did a lot of puddle jumping...ended up with squishy shoes after about mile 2. Ran Fraternity Row, Sorority Row, Rowan Oak...Splits were 9:40, 9:13, 9:32, 9:29, 9:53. This was a much faster pace than I usually start long distance off with, but it felt great! Then back to the truck to get my sister-in-law's bike and to put my trail running shoes on for the second half.

Second half I ran solo with the two bikers. This was more fun than I expected. Ran by part of the campus again and then to Whirlpool Trails. I have run a few trails recently, but never in the mud. It made it more...interesting. We stopped and watched a doe standing in the middle of the trail on the way in. Splits were 9:55, 10:14, 10:31, 10:11, 10:01. Overall average of 9:51 on 10 miles. Not bad at all! Extremely pleased with that.

So this was THE BEST long distance run I have done (not counting races). So thankful I had my support system that stuck with me in the pouring rain and mud. We talked, laughed and cut up the entire time. It poured rain almost the entire run. Not just a mist, but a good hard rain. Made it more fun and definitely more memorable!

Run #2 ~ Hwy 438 ~ 3.02 mi/ 9:37 pace

Good solid run. Pretty happy with the pace. Shaved some time off on a couple of hills. Good stuff!!! I'm going to try really hard to take tomorrow off and rest. Looking forward to running in Oxford, MS, this weekend. Woohoo!!

Hope everyone has a great day of running! I'll be cheering you on on the sidelines!

Run #1, Columbiana ~ 3.66 mi/ 12:37 pace

Great run with Amanda C. this morning! And I am so stoked that she has signed up to go to Savannah with me!! Always have a fun time with her. Nice weather to be running this morning. Loving the cooler temps.

Anytime ~ 4 mi/ 10:45 pace

It's been a great day so far! After a 1 hr massage, it was time to hit the gym. Ran this on a 1% incline (just so you know, Shane Higgins). Pretty solid run today which is exactly what I needed.

Cycling at Anytime ~ 9 mi/ 33 mins/ 16.4 mph

Great day of cross training at the gym. Got my Body Pump on with the 18 lb body bar. Good workout today!

Columbiana ~ 5 mi/ 10:12 pace

And so Week 4 begins! Good run after dropping the kiddos off this morning. The weather was much more pleasant today. 71 degrees...yay! Had a sensitive nose this morning. I think if a bird had pooted nearby, I would have smelled it. I think I smelled everything but the good freshcut lawns and rain this morning...you know, the good ones?

I actually ran into a good friend of mine, Jen ( R Shane R. ), while she was walking her dog. She is like a ray of sunshine....just what I needed to start my run off today. :)

Tired legs today, but a pretty good run.

Chelsea Park 7.2 mi/ 8.0mph pace

Got a nice ride in with my boys this evening in Chelsea Park. Slade pulled the hills very nicely!! I was really impressed. So no day off today for me afterall...(happy dance!) Great way to end Week 3.

Oh, and we stopped on top of the bridge and watched the train under us. Very cool, but I forgot to stop the Garmin. #shameonme

Chelsea Park Clock Tower ~ 12 mi/ 11:52 pace

Had a thunderstorm come through just as I was about to head out the door this morning, so my run got delayed a bit. I was so looking forward to Amanda C. keeping me company for a few miles today, but because of the delay she didn't get to make it this time.

The hills in Chelsea Park were such a mental and physical struggle for me today! Right after I ran out the door, the sun came out and it was hot...and the only thing I could think of was "where in the world is the cold front James Spann has been talking about?!" Finishing up a 12 miler at noon is too late right now. I got a little overheated. Did what I had to do to finish, which included walking portions of some hills. #ashamed Like I said, it was a struggle. I was just worn slap out. But...Week 3 is COMPLETE and I am moving on!

Oh, I weighed 4 lbs lighter when I got back. :)

Rode Anytime ~ 16 mi/ 16.6mph pace

Cross-training day! Hills on the bike at level 4-5. A few leg presses and #plankaday. Made for a great workout! Ready to run 12 miles tomorrow!!

Loop 2 Columbiana ~ 3.6 mi/ 10:35 pace

Ran the Columbiana loop again by myself after Amanda and I finished up this morning. Set a comfortable pace and just went with it, not looking at the Garmin. Looking forward to some cooler weather because I love running outside. I love the cute little houses and shaded streets in Columbiana.

Tomorrow is cross training and then 12 miles on Saturday. Woohoo!!

Loop 1 Columbiana ~ 3.61 mi/ 13:19 pace

Hello, routine! School started back today, and I got to get a run in with my bestie, Amanda C.! She went to Nashville with me for her first half, but hasn't been able to run much since because of an issue with her knee. So glad to have her back out on the streets. We had a lot of catching up to do!

CR 438 ~ Short run 3 mi/ 9:21 pace

Got a short run in tonight. It was extremely humid outside, but still a great run. School starts tomorrow...YAY!!...so I have plans to run in the morning with my bestie who ran Nashville with me. Looking forward to running with her again.

Quit making excuses...

This is the way I think!!

CR 438 ~ Recovery Run 3.01 mi - 9:18 pace

I did a bad thing today. You know that Little Caesars commercial that advertises their deep dish pizza? Well, that's what I had for lunch today, and it was oh so good! So I had to get out and punish myself tonight.

Had a GREAT run tonight!! Legs were feeling really good after 12 miles last night. I was able to get this run in just before it got too dark. Ran down and back...and pulled a couple of long hills so gracefully that I actually gained pace on the way back. You're capable of more than you think when it's getting dark and you don't want to get run over. And I saw the cutest bunny rabbit on the side of the road.

Fun run tonight! Feeling good and so happy to be in Week 3!!

Week 2 MT ~ COMPLETE!! 12 mi - 11:20 pace

I had 10 miles on the schedule for this weekend. But since I have been staying just a little ahead of schedule and ran 10 last weekend, I went for 12 tonight. And it felt REALLY good!! Week 2 is now complete! Woohooo!

Rode The Hills of Chelsea Park - 7.5 mi/ 38 mins

Today was overcast and actually made for a pleasant ride! Made a stupid, stupid mistake...my foot came off the pedal and tore my shin up! Great ride though! :) Looking forward to my long run on Sunday. Woohoooo!

Run #2 - 3 mi/ 11:20 pace

And here's the second half of the run. 6 miles total...just had to get it in where I could today. Great miles today. Looking forward to this weekend's long run, which will have to be planned around a volleyball tourny this weekend. Hope everyone has had a great day!

Run #1 - 3 mi/ 11:15 pace

Today's thunderstorm FORCED me to run on the TM today. :) No complaints here though! Just ran out of time and had to press pause for a while. Today's run continues on in another post...

Biked Chelsea Park - 7 mi/ 35 mins

Strong headwind + hills = nausea! Had a thunderstorm threatening to reign on my parade, but I went on to get my ride in today. Fought a really strong headwind the first half of the ride. Once I stopped, I felt a little nauseous. You know you've done all you can do when that happens. :) Nothing a nice recovery drink won't cure!

Basement TM - 4 mi/ 10:26 pace

I decided to go for the flat run tonight, instead of cross-training. You know, running on the TM really isn't that bad! :) Jammed out and zoned out! \m/\m/ As of last night, I am down 7.4 lbs. STOKED!!

Double ~ New partner - 2.3 mi/ 12:01 pace

Today was a double. Our 11 yr old daughter got some new shoes today, so she wanted to run with me when I got back from my regular run. She did a 5K last spring and did really well, but hasn't run much since.

She did really well tonight. We ran/wallked the 2.3 miles. It was hot and humid outside, but she did a great job! She's got such long legs, I had to hold her back in the beginning because she was wanting to take off and leave me. Fun way to have mother-daughter time tonight!

Lakewood ~ Week 2, short run - 3 mi/ 8:52 pace

I really don't know how I ran this pace...or why, for that matter. But when you start off at a pretty decent pace and you look down and see that, then you start thinking: It would be so cool if I could finish with that!! I had an 8:38 pace going for the first 2 miles, but then I slowed it down on the last mile of hills. I was getting tired at that point, and knew I had plans to run again with my daughter. :) Good run!

Rode Chelsea Park - 8.18 mi/ 41 mins

Great ride in Chelsea Park this evening! Legs were feeling awesome after my 10 miles yesterday. :) I'm ready for more!!

Week 1 COMPLETE - 10 mi/11:30 pace

Met Heather B at the gym early this morning, and we got our long distance run in for the week. Week 1 is now COMPLETE! Woohooo! The schedule called for 8, but I had some free time this morning and did a little extra. Got a lot of reading done. :)

I've been trying to train myself "nice and slow" when it comes to pace for marathon training, so I have slowed it down quite a bit lately. That is the one piece of advice everyone has given me so I am taking it.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Lakewood 3 mi/9:55 pace

I literally felt like I was running in hell today! WAY too hot for comfort. Accuweather says it feels about 105 degrees, and that feels...about right! :) My friends that run during lunch...I don't know how you do it in this heat. My shoulders were heavy and fatigued, and there was no fresh air because of the repaving going on in our neighborhood. Could not control my pace today...too wide open. You would think I would be able to run slow in the heat! Duh! I need a do-over for today. LOL! But the positive is, it's over, I didn't pass out, and I had a good sweat going!Hope everyone is having a great day!

Bike & Weights - 10 mi/33 mins

Great spin at the gym tonight. I love cross-training!

I am sooooo ready for school to start so I can get back in my routine. It's been tough getting workouts in this summer.

Love this quote

Mary R. Wittenberg, president, New York Road Runners Club:

"A marathoner is a marathoner regardless of time. Virtually everyone who tries the marathon has put in training over months, and it is that exercise and that commitment, physical and mental, that gives meaning to the medal, not just the day’s effort, be it fast or slow.  It's all in conquering the challenge."

Basement TM - 4 mi/11:30 pace

Nice and slow, but worked up a good sweat while reading a new ebook. I love multi-tasking!! Week 1, Run #1...felt good to scratch through that on the training schedule. Many more runs to go, but I plan to enjoy every one. It's all part of the experience! :)

Week 1 begins! Biked 9 mi/33 mins

Today officially starts Week 1 of my (first) marathon training. Woohoo!! Since I ran 8 last night, I did some cross training tonight. Got some miles in on the bike and then did some good weight training. Muscles were on fiya! Looking forward to running again tomorrow.

Savannah Marathon Schedule 2012

Savannah Marathon Schedule 2012

Week 1  - July 30th – August 4th
Run #1 – 3 or 4 miles
Run #2 – 3 or 4 miles
Long Run -  8 miles

Week 2 - August 6th – 11th
Run #1 – 3 or 4 miles
Run #2 – 3 or 4 miles
Long Run – 10 miles

Week 3 - August 13th – 18th
Run #1 – 3 or 4 miles
Run #2 –  3 or 4 miles
Long Run -  12 miles

Week 4 - August 20th – 25th
Run #1 – 3 or 4 miles
Run #2 –  3 or 4 miles
Long Run -  10 miles

Week 5 -  August 27th – Sept 1st
Run #1 – 3 or 4 miles
Run #2 – 3 or 4 miles
Long Run -  14 miles

Week 6 - Sept 3rd – 8th
Run #1 – 3 or 4 miles
Run #2 – 3 or 4 miles
Long Run -  10-12 miles

Week 7 -  Sept 10th – 15th
Run #1 – 3 or 4 miles
Run #2 –  3 or 4 miles
Long Run - 16 miles

Week 8 - Sept 17th – 22nd
Run #1 – 3 or 4 miles
Run #2 –  3 or 4 miles
Long Run - 10-12 miles

Week 9 -  Sept 24th – 29th  
Run #1 – 3 or 4 miles
Run #2 – 3 or 4 miles
Long Run - 18 miles

Week 10 - Oct 1st – 6th
Run #1 – 3 or 4 miles
Run #2 – 3 or 4 miles
Long Run - 10-12 miles

Week 11 - Oct 8th – 13th
Run #1 – 3 or 4 miles
Run #2 –  3 or 4 miles
Long Run -  20 miles

Week 12 - Oct 15th – 20th
Run #1 – 3 or 4 miles
Run #2 –  3 or 4 miles
Long Run -  10-12 miles

Week 13 -Oct 22nd - 27th
Run #1 – 3 or 4 miles
Run #2 – 3 or 4 miles
Long Run -  7 or 8 miles

Week 14 - Oct 29th – Nov 3rd
Run #1 – 3 easy
Run #2 – None or 2 miles easy
Long Run -  RACE

Anytime Fitness - 8 mi/10:33 pace

After taking the past two days off, I had to go hit the gym tonight when we got back into town. I had planned to bike, but ended up running 8 miles! Thanks to the great company I had around me tonight. Enjoyed talking to fellow runners about marathon training and different races. The time flew by!! See, I can get SOOO much more done at the gym than I can on my treadmill at home. Either way, I am thankful for treadmills in this summertime heat!! :)

Marathon training officially begins THIS WEEK!! I am STOKED!!

TM at the gym - 9 mi/11:53 pace

Today's plan was to set a nice and easy pace and go the distance. I told myself I would be happy with 8, but the closer I got to that, it just didn't seem good enough. I could have gone farther tonight, but I sorta felt guilty taking up a TM for that length of time with them all being taken. I haven't run over 6-7 miles since the XTERRA in May, so I'm very excited! My leg is feeling great these days. :)

Johnson's Mtn/Jekyll & Hyde Trails - 6 mi/01:24/13:56 pace

Took my husband on his first trail run this morning, and he was SUCH a sport. He hasn't run in I don't know how long, but he was such a trooper to do what we ended up doing today. I don't think either of us realized what we had signed up for. The first 4 miles were all uphill (we gained 450 ft elevation) and it about killed us. I had not ran these trails before, so we quickly discovered we were going the WRONG direction. It wouldn't have been so bad if we had been running it downhill. It was a good run though. Clint enjoyed it and that was my goal for today...to give him a little taste of trail running. So 6 miles of strenuous running today...and feeling good to be showered and have the running shoes kicked off for now.

Hope everyone is having a great Saturday!!

Crater Lake ~ Colorado 11 mi/05:08

Clint and I hiked a very strenuous 11 miles. We set out to hike a few miles today, but did not intend to go this distance. Elevation went from 10,752 to 11,690. It was tough, but what a beautiful view today. Once we left Crater Lake, we ran a good bit of the way back to the bottom. Clint got a little taste of the trail running today. The best part was the recovery drink on the way back to Durango...chocolate milk!! :)

Durango, CO, Hwy 250 - 3 mi/9:52 pace

Woke up this morning and couldn't go back to sleep. My leg was a little sore, so I decided to run it out. What a beautiful day! I just love this route. The Animas River is gorgeous! No one on the road except for me and nature. Good for the soul!

After half a mile the soreness was gone. :) I have been following the doctor's orders, I promise.

Off to see the Four Corners today! :)

Elbert Creek Trail, Durango, CO - 5.4 mi/03:45

Hiked a VERY strenuous trail with the family. It was interesting with an 8 yr old and 11 yr old. They did great though. Elevation went from 8802 to 10444 at the peak. Beautiful view!! About 3/4 of the way up there is an old cabin. We stopped there and had lunch and then went on up to the top. Lot of Aspen trees and critters around. About four years ago my husband and I hiked this same trail, and it snowed on us at the top. Today it was hot but windy. Sitting on the edge of the cliff almost made me feel woozy. It was high up!!!!! Fun trip.

Logged the miles today. This makes about 8.5 miles today, and my leg is feeling GREAT!!!

Durango, CO, Hwy 250 - 3.16 mi/9:30 pace

I'm back in my happy place!!! :) I could not think of a better place to celebrate my first run after surgery than Durango, CO. What a gorgeous view I had this morning!! Stopped at the bridge over the Animas River and took it all in. Leg felt great. I had forgotten what it was like to run without pain. I have been dealing with this for 6-8 weeks. And running at 6700 elevation wasn't too bad. Very happy with a 9:32 pace today!! Now we are off to go hiking. Logging the miles this week...oh, yeah! :)

Durango, CO - 4 mi

Just took my bodyguard to scout out tomorrow's route, and we got a great walk in. Beautiful backroad that runs along the Animas River. I ran 1 mile of the 4 we did, and it never felt so good!!!!! Even at 7,000 ft elevation. My leg felt brand new!! I had so much energy and was so excited...I was like a hyper little dog jumping at his owner wanting to play. I can't wait for tomorrow to get here because this girl is ready to run!!

South Fork, CO - 3 mi

I got a good walk in CO tonight. Only 2 more days until I can break free and try my new leg out. Woohooo!!!

Dodge City, KS - 3 mi

Day 4 post-op walk in Dodge City, KS. It's very windy and dry here. Leg has been a little sore this afternoon and my ankle is a bit swollen. Maybe from being in a vehicle. Other than that it's feeling pretty good. It certainly feels better than it did before surgery. :)

Emporia, KS - 4.5 mi

Today is Day 3 post-op, the day they said would be the most painful, and I am happy to report no pain today. Yay!! Having some sort of reaction to the shots or something because my leg is itching...But no pain!!
Already feeling relief from the surgery. I'm not having that instant pain as soon as I hit the floor in the mornings. That is gone. :)
Got a good walk in today. Can't wait to start running again!!

Day 2 post-op - 1 mi

Road Trip!! Today is Day 2 post-op, and I spent most of the day in a vehicle. In West Plains, MO, headed to CO. Leg is a little stiff when I am off of it for a while, so it felt good to get a short walk in tonight. No pain yet, but it itches!! I have to admit, on our walk tonight part of me REALLY wanted to break out in a run, but I am following the doctor's orders. I will be ready to throw down on Wednesday...the day my restrictions are lifted. :)

Post-Surgery Walk - 1.6 mi

Surgery went well this morning. My whole leg is bandaged until in the morning. Have some swelling, but it feels fine right now. Was told the pain would come Friday. No running for 7 days. I've been walking around all day, but finally put the Garmin on and clocked some distance. :) Looking forward to taking the bandage off tomorrow.

Out of surgery!

I'm done!! Everything went well. They ran a catheter from my shin somewhere, all the way up to my groin...and numbed right above the area as they were pushing that up the vein. Then they lasered through that I think. After that was over they made a couple of slits and removed the part of the vein that was visible. I watched that...it was gross. :) My whole leg is bandaged right now. It's been a conversation piece already. :)

Thanks for all the kind words. I have such great friends and wouldn't trade that for anything!!

TM plus Weights - 3 mi/10:00 pace

Well, I just couldn't help myself. I had planned to bike today but really wanted to get one good run in before tomorrow. And after last night's attempt on the treadmill, I could not resist giving it another try. It felt sooooooo good to run today!! The pain eased up after half a mile and I was able to get my minimum miles in. Rocked out to some good music with a big goofy grin on my face. Now I'm ready for tomorrow. :) It'll be no running for 5-7 days, but after that's it's game on!!

Great weight workout today. Legs and upper body.

Tomorrow is the big day!!

Hoping to leave my shin pain on the table in the morning and walk out pain-free. Surgery is scheduled for 8:30 am.

Thanks for all the prayers. I am feeling the love with all the texts and calls I have gotten today. :)

Treadmill - 1 mi

Leg hurts BAD, so 1 mile is all I had in me tonight. I know I'm dealing with an injury, but I HATE not being able to finish something I start. It drives me crazy! I am dying to get out there and run pain-free. I have forgotten what that feels like!! :) Ready to get some more long distance running in. Well, 36 more hours and I hope to be a new woman!! Surgery on my leg is scheduled for Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. Woohoo!!

Love this!

May have to get one of these! 

XTERRA Oak Mtn Trail Half -12.27 mi/02:25/11:49 pace

I FINISHED!! And it was freakin' AWESOME! This was my 4th half marathon, but my 1st trail race. It was by far the easiest run I have ever done...and quite possibly the most enjoyable race ever. I love nature and running with the beautiful surroundings...in the shade with the tree canopy above you. It is definitely a different kind of running. You have to keep your eyes on the ground at all times and strategize where to step, but so much more entertaining than beating the pavement.

I made several friends along the route. One guy who was 66 yrs old ran behind me a good bit of the second half of the course. He fell three times so I doubled back and helped him up. I was so afraid he was going to break something! We talked and had a good time. Saw several people fall. Thankfully I stayed on my feet the entire run! Shin felt pretty good today. :) Heather B did an awesome job! So glad she signed up to go do this with me! Ran into Olivia O. from DM. Nice girl!

Beautiful course. And it was well organized. Everyone was so friendly...the runners and volunteers. Enjoyed it so much I could have kept running. I was very giddy the entire run...and surprisingly not nervous a bit this morning. So exciting to branch out and do something different and challenging like that. Because when you finish, it is such a great accomplishment!! If you have never tried trail running, now is the time to try something new!

Overall: 152/275
Females: 47/111
Division: 8/18

RockNRoll Nashville Half - 13.26 mi/10:17 pace

My third half marathon. My first half with this many runners...35,000! It was organized, but crowded and crazy. I started off in corral 18, at the very front of the corral. Caught up to the back of corral 17 in under half a mile. From then on it was pure craziness. Wouldn't have mattered what corral I was in. All I could see forever was runners. It never got spread out to where you had much room. I ran the whole race constantly passing people. Ran the left side mostly and hopped up on the sidewalk several times when it got really crowded, which worked out pretty well. The only thing that really frustrated me was the water stations. Every one I stopped at was backed up at least 5 people deep waiting for the cup to be dipped and handed out. I am appreciative to all the volunteers, but it really affects time when you have to stand in line waiting.

I started out really strong. Ran the 2-3 miles with a sub 9:00. Then decided I'd better pace myself. I stayed way under my 10:10 mark I had on the Garmin until around mile 11. After that I stayed under the mandatory 10:18 pace to get at least a 2:15. But here's the kicker. My Garmin reads 13.26 miles instead of 13.1. That's why I had given myself some cushion room on my pace, but the last couple of miles I fell behind that and was running a steady 10:17. I sprinted the last half mile...almost having to nudge people out of my way it had gotten so tight. I almost hyperventilated after crossing the finish line. Just couldn't not catch my breath

So I finished in 2:16:25 and my time to beat was 2:16:07! Can you believe that???? I wanted to set a new record on this race so badly. But I trained hard and I know I did my best out there today. It was a tough course with the crowd and the hills, but I ran it strong. I've got to accept the fact that my PR was made on a nice, flat course. There'll be another time to break that record!

Had a fun, fun time with Amanda and Linda this weekend!! So proud of my girls on their first half marathon! They did an amazing job! I hope they're hooked now because I am ready to plan out the next road trip!!

Warrior Dash Mississippi 2012 - 3.4 mi/13:51 pace

All I can say is the Warrior Dash ROCKS! We met up with my sister-in-law and a coworker of Clint's who brought friends...and had a blast! It was cold! Don't think it got out of the 50s all day. Once we got started we warmed up. Had some great obstacles!! I ran the whole race but the obstacles really slow you down, especially when you have to wait on people to get out of the way. I felt well prepared. No problem with any obstacles. Saw some injured on recourse. Thankful it wasn't me. Had to swim through water where I couldn't touch. There was plenty of mud on the course. Lots of climbing, army crawling, jumping over fire, etc. Lot of crazy costumes today. It was a throw-down party, for sure. Laughed my butt off today. Now I'm ready for Tough Mudders !! I finished in 47:06. :) Fun time!!!!

Chelsea Park - 5.0 mi / 11:11 pace

Amanda and I got our long-distance run in before the weather got here this morning. My legs were exhausted for some reason. Maybe they haven't recuperated from last weekend. We pushed through, and it felt so good to finish. Fun run!

Let the training begin...AGAIN! 3.01 mi/ 11:09 pace

Training for the Nashville Country Music Half Marathon has officially begun! So excited to be able to train with a friend on this one. This will be her first half! We had a great run in the neighborhood this morning. Looking forward to some longer distance this weekend. Woohoo!!

Mercedes Half Marathon!! 2:34:20

Yay!!!! I finished!! Pretty happy with my time of 2:34:20, considering I haven't been able to run more than 4 miles in over 6 weeks. (My other half was 2:16:07.)

It was 21 degrees this morning!! When we started you could see jackets and layers of clothing being thrown everywhere. The crowd was pumpe. Had a ton of people hollering for me along the way "Go, Sparkley Skirt!" I was pretty numb from the waist down so no IT Band trouble, thankfully. Just tired.

Seeing the 10 mile mark really pumped me up. I knew I was in the home stretch then. It's such an amazing feeling to encourage and be encouraged by complete strangers along the way. And it felt so good to finish!!!!!

Last run before Mercedes Half! 3.01 mi / 10:57 pace

I had a great run today with a new running partner...a neighbor friend of mine who is training for her first half. I did my stretches and then walked half a mile to her house. I think that let my IT Band loosen up a little before we got started.

Looking forward to Sunday's run. I'm a little nervous because I'm not in the shape I expected to be in for it, but I am excited and determined to finish it...whatever pace that may be. :)