Intervals Day 2

Swimming has been cutting into my posting time, so I am a bit behind. Yesterday we Jenny, Wendy and I ran intervals. Well, I should say they ran intervals and I ran behind them. Katie and Kristy were very patient with me running ahead of them and then falling behind them - 8 times! It definitely gets the heart pumping. It was a struggle at the start and at the end! I know I worked harder because swimming afterwards was a bit harder than usual. I do enjoy swimming in the morning. The water is the right temperature and it is so peaceful at that time of morning.

Today was a whole new group of people, the cousins and Kwik Trip Gal. KTG has been saying she wants to run intervals, so I did her bidding today - despite all the grousing from the cousins - one in particular and you know who that is! It actually felt easier today. It does feel good when you are done - really! It does! Of course, Mike wouldn't know, since he just ran fast enough to keep up with us. A lot of chit chatting going on for someone who was supposed to be running fast!

Blogging in the summertime

Well, I am afraid that I have not been blogging much. I have been swimming after running which meas swimming is taking over the time that I normally blogged. Plus, I just haven't been able to find anything humorous to share with all of you! I don't think it is my funny bone being broken - I think it is just the world enjoying summer and not having time for posting things.

What are the odds of that?
However, I must say that it is thrilling to get 2 new runners who also happen to continue the 'e' ending requirement - Kristy and Katie - which now brings us to to 7 morning runners whose name end with the 'eee' sound and two more (one alumni and one newbie (hopefully)) whose name end in 'e' but not the 'eeee' sound. And as usual there are the two who are always standouts - me and Jill. She and I might have to start our own running group!

Lastly, in case you hadn't noticed, a long overdue new quote is featured above.

Back from Esat Glacier!

Always a nice way to return from vacation - go on a 1.5 hour run! You would think after a week off that your body would be all ready to run - not. It still is on vacation! Of course, it doesn't help to run with speed demons Wendy and Jenny either! It was a fantastically beautiful morning. I felt sorry for all those people sleeping and missing it. At least that is what I am telling myself now! Looking forward to getting into the weekly routine again.

Strong Women!

Quite a group of women running this morning. Made me wonder what happened to all those men runners who were talking so big during marathon training! We (us women) knew that the real grit is shown post marathon by being one of those who continue to run! It is an amazing feeling to see all of us women out there running together! (but we always like when the boys join us too!).

Wendy and I did a little over 10 miles. It was a beautiful morning, but I was thankful when the sun was hidden behind the clouds. It would have been pretty steamy otherwise.

Well, we are off on vacation and I won't have computer access... so talk to you in a week!

New Runner

The group welcomed a new runner this morning - Kristi M! Yeah! Welcome! Unfortunately I didn't get to know her since it is now official. I have recovered from the marathon. I know this because today I decided to do a little speed work. Despite my organized nature it was very ;by the seat of my pants" but thankfully Wendy was willing to go along with it. It essentially entailed running fast (not sprinting! I am not that insane) for about a quarter mile then slowing it down until I felt capable enough to do it again. Of course, I was running with Wendy who has a faster 'normal' pace than me. So really, the whole run was a speed workout!

I have been meaning to do this for two reasons. One - to get my normal pace faster after it slowing down during marathon training. Two - like anything, your body adjusts to activities you do on a regular basis. So although you still get the same benefits, you don't tend to burn as many calories - or something like that. So, in addition to a slower pace, the other thing marathon training gave me was a few extra pounds. I am also trying to get rid of those!

Maybe Wendy and I can get the rest of the group to join us once in a while.

Looking forward to seeing Kristi on Thursday. She says she will be there!

Oklahoma

Oh, what a beautiful mornin', Oh, what a beautiful day, I got a beautiful feelin' Ev'rything's goin' my way. Oh, what a beautiful day.

That was the song going through my head this morning. (I admit I had to look up where it came from - the play Oklahoma). Wow! So gorgeous! Yes, a little warm for a run. But so much different from rain. The Stampede should have a good turn out. Good Luck to Wade who is running his first race!

I snuck in a 4 mile run. I tried to do some "farklets" - sprinting a block then slowing down. It was weird to do it without my 'peeps'. I can't remember the last time I ran alone in Sparta!

Loss of a loved one

It finally happened this weekend. After a long and hard fought battle after a serious injury my beloved toenail fell off. Well, it didn't actually fall off, but you get the idea. No pain involved. I think what happens is a blister forms under the nail on a long run such as a marathon. Eventually the fluid goes away and then there is just an empty void. Okay, I could go on but I know some of you are already cringing. I could search the Internet for a good lost toenail photo, but it is Monday morning and I know you are all hating being back at work after a beautiful weekend, so I will be kind.

GREAT run with Christy and Mike. Mike was feeling a little rebellious so we created a new route on the fly. I am finally starting to feel back to normal... hills might be in our future soon!

Beautiful Saturday

In ways it feels like I haven't done a Saturday run in a long time or maybe it is a Saturday run where I could run in shorts and t-shirt COMFORTABLY. So, although I was not eager to get up at 6:00, I was glad I did at the end - as is always the way. Sandy and I had a wonderful 6.9 mile run. We did the old General loop (road not military). We hadn't done it in a while. The conversation was flowing and all in all it was a good time!

Milking It

No. I am not milking cows (yes, we are in Wisconsin). I am milking the post marathon recovery. I just can't get my body moving. Luckily, I can say - with honesty - that I am still in marathon recovery mode. I have been struggling to run both in physically and mentally - not that I have ever jumped out of bed at 4:30 and said "I CAN' WAIT TO RUN!" Of course when you are struggling physically, struggling mentally comes quickly behind. Oh well, not time to worry about it yet. Check in with me at the end of June....

Today is Jim and my 10th anniversary. He is still sleeping, I ran 5 miles before 6:00. Needless to say, we would not have said this is what our 10th anniversary day would look like if you had asked us on our wedding day. Even more so, the going to bed at 9:00 to get up and run at 6:30 on Saturday. Is this is what maturity looks like?

On the trail again

Jim and I took the kids to the bike trail for a 5 mile bike - for them and a 5 mile run for us. Two neighborhood kids joined us. In my 8 years of parenting I have finally learned the positive power of peer pressure forever after known as PPPP. Compared to my adventure a week ago it was a breeze. Not one bit of whining. Only one "You Budged!" Not one "Can we take a break?" Oh, to be honest there was one "I want to go back". But it was very short lived.

However, for us runners the trail seemed to go on FOREVER! 2.5 miles never seemed so LONG! To make up for it, the weather was near perfect. Slightly cool, but not too cool. Slightly warm, but not too warm. Slightly breezy, but only at the right times.

AND the kids actually said they had FUN! Wow! We will see if they sing the same tune during the Stampede. Any bets?

Back at it

First run after Green Bay today. It didn't help that it was cold and blustery. I am thinking I am not going to run tomorrow morning, maybe Wed night with the club. Just a lot of stiffness, creaking and groaning. I am not sure if the groaning is coming from my mouth or muscles.

However, on a more positive note: I can tell that Butterfest is drawing nearer - Christy's pace is a big peppier than normal.

Second Marathon - Done!

Yes, I know you have been waiting for the Post Race Blog. I just needed to wait a few days and get some energy.

I did reach my goal which was simply to have a better experience than my first marathon. Although I just realized I did it 6 months earlier then I intended. When I wrote the goal on my blog page I referenced Chicago, not Green Bay! My time was almost exactly the same, but it was such much better experience during and in recovery!

I was a little worried the first half because I wasn't feeling that great. It took a while to get into a rhythm and I never felt the surge of energy that I did during my first half. At the halfway mark I decided to take advantage of the wind at my back and pick up the pace a little bit. During my first half I was already playing the "if I run to the stop sign then I can walk until the next one". At about mile 16.5 we turn North and headed down the Fox River. The wind was pretty much in our face, but trail gave us some protection. I didn't let it get me frustrated. I just kept my legs moving at the same rate and didn't fight it. My pace slowed by about 30 seconds/mile, but I was okay with that since I was feeling so much better than the first marathon. We had the wind for a little over 6 miles, so I was happy when I finally saw people running across the a bridge (there were a lot of bridges before that teasing me!) I felt good until about mile 23 and then I started to struggle. I was still able to maintain a run, with very short walks at water stops. I was getting frustrated that I wasn't seeing the stadium and I was once again NOT happy that I had to run through it. Luckily, I got a boost of energy when I saw Christy cheering us on and telling us that she was at mile 25! Then I finally saw the Lambeau Field and even more important my 3 college friends cheering me on. So, I was able to pick up my pace and run through the stadium and to the finish line with a smile on my face - quite a contrast to my first marathon!

I was a little fearful that this marathon might make the upcoming Chicago Marathon an event that I dreaded, but now I am looking forward to it.

The rest of the runners in the Sparta Group did great too! Our two "newbies" finished well under 4 hours- a little light headed but still standing. They unfortunately did not get a grandma hug like I did at the end of my first marathon. Wendy met her goal of ridding herself of the 4 hour monkey on her back. Jenny was just happy to stop at the right timing mat this time. No last minute 50 yard sprints. Sandy and Jill finished with smiles on their faces and not looking like they had just ran 26.2 miles!

Things to remember:

1. The lady (or was it a man) in all in pink.
2. The new motivational ABC game - except for Wendy.
3. A reminder to teach newbies race etiquette such as not shoving through two people running together!
4. Pace people don't really run at pace the whole race (why is the 3:40 guy behind the 4:00 guy?)
5. Al should run the full so he doesn't drink all the beer before the marathoner's get in.
6. Wine, beer and crackers with the crew are an essential part of the race (Jill!)

Good job to everyone! We all FINISHED! A huge achievement for all of us!

Running with Kids

Ah the joys of trying to have a fun family fitness outing! Actually, I got caught at work today so I couldn't run with the kids were in school. I could have had our high school neighbor come up and watch them, but nah - I thought the kids would have fun. They did for the first 1.5 mile which was all down hill. Of course during that time there were a few "He's going the wrong way!" "Get on the side of the road!" MOM!

1.5 was the turning point. That was the first call for a break. I felt like I was on a long run with Jill (just kidding). Shortly there after it was "My legs are tired" which I found hard to believe since 2 seconds later the complainer was racing his sibling while crying "He budged"! From there on out the conversation consisted of:

"My legs are tired"
Wah! Wah!
MOM!
Wah! Wah!
He budged!
Wah! Wah!
MOM! He budged!
Wah! Wah!
Mom! WAAAAIIITTT!
Wah! Wah!

The crying is no exaggeration. Thanks to my GPS I can report that Ben wailed (no exaggeration) from miles 2.8 to 3.9. With intermittent episodes from 1.5 to 2.8.

Rest assured that this experience will not happen again. Even if I feel inspired to do it again, when I ask the 3 little Hellmans if they want to ride their bikes along with me while I run the answer will be "NO!".

Ad for Sparta Newspaper

This ad will appear in next Monday's Sparta Herald:

ATTENTION and WARNING

for

Friends and Mere Acquaintances

of the

Morning Running Group

You are hereby warned that on any given morning between 5:00 am and 6:00 am you may hear a knock on your door. However, knocking will only occur if you don't lock your door. The expectation is that you will answer and allow (with a smile on your face) the person (usually a male member of the morning running group) to use your "facilities". No payment will be given - just a smile and an unpleasant odor.

Thank You for Your Cooperation.