I know it has been a while since I have posted. This weather is not of the motivating, "Let's get out and RUN!" kind. It has been crappy, crappy, crappy - one more time CRAPPY!. I suppose it is a good thing since my ankle was "causing problems" - runner lingo for injured. So I needed to take a week of to rest it and then gradually build back up. The weather helped with the gradual part. The silver lining is that it would really have sucked if I had to not run during a week of beautiful weather. Yes, my ankle seems to be doing better. I have an appointment with PT, but keep on delaying it to see if I really need it. The pain has subsided, but I still soak it in a cold bucket of water after each run. I think it was caused by running with my dog. His pulling caused my gait to change, thus putting more stress on my ankle. Needless to say, He is NOT happy about not running anymore. Everyday when I return from my morning run he lies on his bed and gives me the silent guilt trip.

Today was a tough run. I ran 11.5 yesterday and normally I wouldn't run today, but with the weather I have been a bit short on weekly mileage. So the pace was much, much slower than normal. And throughout it I was thinking, "Maybe 3 will be fine today, maybe I will cut it off here, maybe I will cut it off here, maybe I will cut it off here." But I made it through and by the end, although I was still running slow, my body didn't feel like it was going to grumble down and collapse.

I wish I had a funny some funny video to share, but no such luck. Hopefully with the racing season some new ones will come out.

Thoughts during a Marathon

This video is so good! Although I have to say my "crazy" stages were not quite as happy, more along the lines of psycho killer than goof ball.

2011 the year of running?

It looks like 2011 and part of 2012 will be the year of running for me.

I have committed (kinda) to running a half marathon each month starting in May. AND I just registered for the 2010 Disney Goofy Challenge (half marathon and marathon back to back).

I took a quick peek at Jeff Galloway's training plan for the Goofy. I saw a 26 mile run!!!! Good thing there is not a Un DO!!!! button on the registration.

Today I goofed and set my alarm wrong which met Christy had to run by herself. I could say I did set it right, but my alarm felt the world wide grief experienced by all Badger fans when Bucky failed to win his game last night and decided to be kind to at least me and change my wake up time from 4:30 to 6:30. I was punished by the fact that I had to to my entire long run by myself. And of course after not running for 3 days due to weather and work, my body felt like H*ll for the first 4 miles. There was no one to distract me from my misery, so consider me punished!

Are you curious what half marathons I have planned? Here they are... I am still looking for one in December.

May – Green Bay Cellcom

June 5 – Minneapolis Half Marathon

July 16 – Karner Blue Half Marathon – Black River Falls

August 21 – Madison Mini Half Marathon

Sept 11 - Elroy Tunnel Trails Half Marathon

Oct 29 – Summit Credit Union Haunted Hustle Marathon http://www.capitolviewevents.com/hauntedhustle.html

Nov 6 – Rails to Trails, NorwalkWI

December – Sparta Half Marathon??? (for some reason there are no half marathons in MN, IL, IA or WI in December)

January 2012 – Disney

February 12 – Sandbox indoor half (new Richmond) or Rochester Lace up against Breast Cancer

March 26 - Dick Lytie Spring Classic Half Marathon Green Bay

April 15 – Reedsburg Medical Center Vet Fest Half Marathon

Adolescent Humor - NRR

Warning - This is not running related (NRR).

Jim and I frequent a local Chinese Buffet restaurant (slim pickings in a small town) and when we do, we indulge in a little adolescent humor when reading our fortune cookies. This little game was taught to me by my good friend, Peter Schill, when I was in grade school. A group of families including Peter's were in Milwaukee to see the musical Annie. The families had gathered at a Chinese restaurant and the kids were allowed to all sit at a table together. Peter told us that when we read our fortunes out loud we should add "in bed" to the end. Now, I should point out that I was one of the youngest at this table of about 10 kids so many were were young teenagers. Needless to say, the adolescent humor was abundant. I remember being slightly aghast/embarrassed by adding such a sexual thing to my cookie's fortune. I wish children today had that same innocence. Anyway... I digress.

Needless to say, the addition of those two simple words caused much belly laughter and tears. It was so funny, that from that day forward whenever I read my cookie's fortune I would add "in bed". Of course when the other people I was dining with have not heard of this game, I will explain it (somewhat embarrassingly) and it never fails to elicit laughter.

So, today Jim and I got quite a kick out of the combination of ours:

His: "You will always get what you want through your charm and personality (in bed)."
Mine: "Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst (in bed)."

Oy! A month

I see I have not posted in over a month! Yikes! You would think with the spring weather running would be on my mind constantly and I would have much to post about. Hmmmm. Not the case.

Although I have been wondering when will be the first day we can wear shorts. I was thinking that on January 1 each year we should start a betting pool to see can guess the right day. However, with the group I run with there would have to be copious rules to prevent cheating. I would put it past Mike to wear shorts on a -17 day just to get a free donut. Such challenges!

My ice cleats are still sitting on the floor of my car. The other day I thought I about moving them to storage, but I just don't want to take the chance of jinxing an early spring. So, I think I will let them sit there for another month to make sure we don't get any snow in April. In case you didn't know, my actions control the weather. Just like where Christy sits during a Green Bay Packer game determines if they win or lose.

I saw that the Boston Marathon has tightened their qualification times. Sigh....

Spring is flying by (and it is only the 2nd day!)! Those of the group that is marathon training has been saying how fast (and easy) their training has been. They think they are fooling us veteran runners in the hopes of making us regret not training for another marathon. HA! We are on to you! We all know that marathon training NEVER and I mean NEVER goes fast AND easy!!! You think you are soooooooo sly!

Well, that is it for the rambling. Hopefully I will be posting more than once a month in the future.

New Shoes

I have been searching for a pair of running shoes that fits my personality and I have finally found them! The bonus is that they are Asics!

Looking Good!

Below is another great find from Running is Funny. I particularly like: #6 and #19. Little do they know that at mile 19 is not sweat, it is actual tears! And they must have gotten #25 from my brainwaves because for me there is no comparison to the eternal hell of the last 1.2 miles of a marathon!

I love the fact that the forbidden, "Looking Good!" is the first one!

Marathoners are eternally grateful for the motivation and support of their friends as they endure the tribulations of covering 26.2 miles. Geoffrey Lussier’s friends, however, went the extra mile, so to speak.

At each mile of the Houston Marathon, Lussier was greeted with a large poster of his face, along with some comedic or motivational words.

“I did not know until I came over the bridge at Mile 1 and saw my face,” he said. “At first I wondered how many they had put up, then I kept on seeing them. Around Mile 6 or 7, I couldn’t wait to see the next one.”

The Houston Chronicle kindly posted the contents of each mile marker to accompany its story. Here they are:

• 1. • Lookin’ good! (So far. …)

• 2. • Adrenaline got you this far. All guts from here!

• 3. • Seriously, who fartleked?

• 4. • It’s all uphill from here.

• 5. • Runner X-ing

• 6. • You’re not slow, you’re enjoying the course.

• 7. • Relax. You’re not going to win.

• 8. • I love the smell of 22,000 runners in the morning.

• 9. • 26.2, because 26.3 would be CRAZY!

• 10. • When Chuck Norris hits walls, they fall down.

• 11. • Johnny Knoxville wouldn’t even do this to himself.

• 12. • Only 5.3 miles to finish! (if you take the most direct route)

• 13. • You’re already a winner. You won the lottery to get here.

• 14. • Nobody to blame but yourself.

• 15. • Toenails were made to fall off.

• 16. • If you were a Kenyan, you’d be done by now.

• 17. • Shirt, how do thou chafe me? Let me count the ways. …

• 18. • You paid $115 for this?

• 19. • Sweating = fat cells crying.

• 20. • Your training runs ended here.

• 21. • At this point, it will hurt just as much to walk.

• 22. • Humpty Dumpty fell off the wall you just hit.

• 23. • Graveyard ahead. Look alive.

• 24. • Give me a high five!

• 25. • If pain is temporary, why does this feel like an eternity?

• 26. • Congratulations!!!! Almost. …

Have No Fears

For those of you who have been worried about the things that the Morning Running Group will make you do once you join us, and I am not talking about running a half or full marathon, have no fears, what happened below will NOT happen to you on one of our morning runs. Thankfully Mike has not yet perfected his ability to put people into a break dancing trance. I can't speak for Tom though since we have not seen him for many, many months..

See more funny videos and TBT at Todays Big Thing.

The future?

I need to share something. I have had a vision. I have seen what the Sparta Morning Running Group is going to be like in the future (probably within 5 years). Through an amazing breakthrough in technology, I was able to digitally record my vision in order to share it with the world.

Here it is. Prepare yourself.

Scary People

I guess the Sparta Running Group are scary people once you get to know us and for some we are just scary to begin with.

I came to the conclusion that we are 'scary once you get to know us' since Dean Martin (no, not this Dean Martin. He is dead after all and even though getting up to run at 5:00 am is quite amazing, we are not THAT amazing) has been a NO SHOW not once, but twice! We can excuse it once, after all we all have those mornings where we realize we forgot to set the alarm. But TWICE????? We are forgiving folk, but come on. Even Katie knew since when I mentioned Dean's lack of reliability she started singing, "He's going to be in the blog! He's going to be in the blog!". Her rendition took me back to my youthful playground days which I needed considering how my body was feeling running in the mushy snow pack. We had even gotten him talking about running his first marathon this spring. Oh, wait - maybe THAT is what scared him away.

Now, I also know we are scary before you get to know us, because there are several people on our running e-mail distribution list who have yet to show for a morning run. We are patiently waiting for you........ I am sure that distribution list keeps their finger in shape from clicking the delete button, but 2011 is all about "the WHOLE body" not the clicker finger. So, come on people! We are not that scary, or fast!

Needless to say Dean did not miss much this morning. Another miserable run with mushy snow pack on the road and more coming down. The only good thing was there wasn't a lot of the new stuff, unfortunately there will be for tomorrow morning. It ALMOST makes the treadmill appealing.

Before you were a runner

Thanks to Running is Funny for most of this, but I added a few of my own. You will have to guess which ones.

Before you were a runner there is no way you would have paid $90 for a pair of sneakers–every six months.

Before you were a runner you never did the "sniff test" before deciding to wear clothes a second (or third or fourth) time before washing.

Before you were a runner you thought 'Body Glide' was something you bought in an Adult Store.

Before you were a runner you thought people who were running just before a race were insane.

Before you were a runner you thought people who ran before dawn were insane.

Before you were a runner you thought people who ran after sunset were insane.

Before you were a runner you would have spit out the sugar water that you now drink every 10 minutes.

Before you were a runner you thought that Gu was a kids toy and Gel was for your hair.

Before you were a runner you thought women runners were too skinny.

Before you were a runner you would have called tapering “wearing out.”

Before you were a runner you had no idea how far 10K was.

Before you were a runner you never would have thought a weekend of "fun" would include running a marathon.

Before you were a runner you could have thought of a lot better ways of spending $90 to have the privilege of running 26.2 miles.

Before you were a runner you would not have told people you had foot blisters, black toenails and chafing in sensitive areas.

Before you were a runner you were afraid to go outside before dawn.

Before you were a runner you thought Keflezighi was a rare tropical disease.

Before you were a runner you made fun of people in tights or short shorts.

Before you were a runner you thought nutrition that came out of a squeeze tube was for astronauts.

Before you were a runner you didn’t how ketones smelled.

Before you were a runner you would have laughed hysterically at people doing lunges, strides or butt kicks.

Before you were a runner you never watched running on TV.

Before you were a runner your favorite website wasn’t Running Is Funny, it was this.

Welcome Dapperdame

I see I have a new "official" follower - Dapperdame. Yes, I know there are more than 4 people who follow this blog, but only four have signed up to "follow" me. You can do this if you have a Google, Twitter or Yahoo account just by clicking on the 'Follow" button above "followers". Hey, if my old, retired boss (I Love ya Tim!) can do it, so can you!

Talk is beginning about the 2011 season. Lots of newbies saying they are going to give the Green Bay Cellcom MARATHON a try! Gets me nervous (I was going to say excited, but I know where some of your minds will go) just thinking about it. And admittedly, a bit envious. The social butterfly in me just wants to burst out of my marathon boycott cocoon and flit along with them. My boycott of marathons until Disney in 2012 is self induced and I know in my hearts of hearts (and my feet, ankles and knees) that it is the right thing for me to do. But for some reason I get the marathon itch when I listen to nervous and excited (rightly so!) newbies talk about it. Although I also know what a good feeling it is to only have to run 1.5 hours when they are running 3! Not that I would ever rub it in!

What races are YOU thinking about running in 2011?

House of a runner

You know you are in a house of a runner when:

1. Body Glide is sitting out on the bathroom vanity, not hidden away in a cupboard

2. The charger to their Garmin is sitting right next to their cellphone charger.

3. They have a clothes drying rack set up permanently in their room/bathroom so running clothes can dry before going into the hamper or (having passed the smell test) are worn again ;-)

4. There are at least two pairs of running shoes sitting out.

5. A training plan for a half or full marathon is prominently displayed on their refrigerator.

6. A Running World magazine sits next to the toilet.

7. In case of world wide epidemic, Gu (or equivalent) can be found some where in the house.

8. A dresser drawer (maybe 2) is dedicated to just running clothes.

9. A reflective vest hangs on a hook by the door and in winter a pair of ice cleats s or Y aktrax.

10. Weather Channel is a favorite web page and Time & Temp is on speed dial.

New Year

I hope that how 2011 blew in is not a sign of the year to come!

I enjoyed a great 6 mile New Year's Day run with Kwik Trip gal. It would have been easy to cancel since the wind is just HOWLING outside and it is about 30 degrees colder than the balmy 36 degrees I ran in on Thursday! Ah - the whims of Wisconsin winters.

Runner's World magazine came at a perfect time yesterday. In it was an article about 3 friends running in cold sleet and ice. So, when I considered not going just because of wind, I felt quite wimpy. However, in the same edition they feature a Weather Channel guy who said he doesn't run outside if it is below 45 degrees! (He lives in Atlanta) If he does, he pulls out all the cold weather gear! Give me a break! Let's talk about running in -17!

I did pass my previous yearly mileage record of 1326.38 set in 2009! I ran 1356.52 in 2010! Not bad considering I only ran one marathon last year as compared to two in 2009. Since I don't plan on running any marathons in 2011, I doubt I will top my 2010 mileage, but you never know!

Happy New Years Everyone!