Run, Robyn, Run! (Part 6)

As I am nearing the finish, I put it into top speed and gave it all I got it.  Darn it, I was going to run across that finish line!  I even managed to pass a woman as I got closer.  Take that, speed walker!



Just after crossing the finish line.  I call this my "Tiger Woods" pose.

I did it in 6 hrs, 17 minutes, 10 seconds.  I was #10,128 out of 10,270 runners who finished the full marathon.  I am sure I could've done it faster.  But I am proud of what I did and I am super happy that I met my two original goals -- not to be last and not to be swept.  No, I wasn't last!   There were 142 people behind me.  :) 

During this marathon, 2 people died and 10 others were taken to the hospital. So I am very pleased that I was able to finish.  And I managed to complete another goal I had.  If there was anything left in me, I was going to run up the Art Museum steps a la Rocky.  And by G-d, I did just that!

This weekend was everything I wanted the experience to be.  It was challenging, exhausting, exciting and rewarding.  I loved it all!  I have no desire to do another marathon, but its funny that I've already got a list in my head on everything I would differently. They say you run your first one to finish, and the next one for time.  I am only doing this once.  But I have to think that there are plenty of areas that I could easily improve on and make that finishing time so much better. 

Major kudos to my husband for sticking by me through the last 7 months, encouraging me along the way, and letting me have an entire weekend be all about me....other than when he had to stop and get a cheese steak.  :)

Run, Robyn, Run! (Part 5)

It's funny, you set your alarm so that you don't oversleep, but you end up waking up every hour throughout the night in panic you have.  The alarm clock in the hotel room was set, a wake-up call was arranged through the hotel, and I still had one eyeball on the time watching the hours pass.

The nerves are in high gear at this point and my hands are literally shaking as I get dressed.  It is a very unsettling feeling and I am a basket case going back and forth between being ridiculously excited that we are finally doing this and ready to throw-up at the thought of what I am about to do. 

I had studied the course many, many times and knew that the first water stop would be at mile 2.2 and then pretty consistently every mile and a half after that.  I made a game-time decision to not use my Camelbak and run the marathon without carrying any kind of liquid on me.  I had my Spibelt and used it to carry everything I needed; cell phone, tissues, GU, and used the handy dandy cords to hold my bib.  This proved to be the best decision ever.  It actually felt great running without that extra weight on my back and the numerous water stops were plenty. 

My corral was blue, group #8.  This was the last of the bunch, which meant that it would be a good 28 minutes after the race officially started before Jen and I could cross the starting line.  The temps started to warm up (the high ended up being 64 degrees) and didn't need gloves, ear-warmer headband or even the extra layer of the jacket.  It was a beautiful day!


Jen and I minutes before starting. 
I posted on FB that I was more nervous now than when I
realized I was about to give birth to Ian and the epidural wasn't working. 


As I passed through the official starting point, I became overcome with emotion and was fighting the ugly cry from taking over my entire face.  It had been such a long journey getting to this point and it was finally here.  Seeing everyone on the sidelines cheering, holding up signs, making noise, made it all very real.  It took until about a full mile in before I buried deep these emotions and focused more on the race and wanting to get it done. 

The race is best told in two parts.  PART 1, which was the beginning to mile 13.  And PART 2, which was mile 14 to the end.

PART 1: The beginning to mile 13.

The first 9 miles really flew by.  I couldn't believe how quickly the race was going and before I knew it, almost 2 hours had been completed.  Around mile 9 is when the big, nasty hill happens and I was told in advance to expect it and know that EVERYONE walks it.  No problem, I could handle that!  But this hill was a toughie and even with walking it, my legs were now starting to feel the effects of what I was out there doing.

The crowd support was awesome!  I could actually feel my body moving faster and run lightly because of all the cheering, the music playing, and reading all the signs they were holding.  I absolutely loved it when complete strangers would read my name on my bib and say, "Go Robyn!"  "You got this Robyn!"   I mean, how can you even think of walking when passing all this?  I don't want to let the people down and disappoint.



Loved all the signs!
Had to stop and take a few pictures of some of my favorites.



There's the juggler!  He, among many, passed me.

Jen's cheering committee and mine divided and conquered.  I don't think this was intentional, but each group picked different areas to cheer us on as we ran by.  I thought this was the greatest thing ever and loved getting to see people I knew twice the amount of time rather than if they were all standing together.

Here's two pictures of me just before mile 6.

I am feeling GREAT!  At this point, I'm tracking a 5:25 marathon and couldn't be more pleased.  There are still tons of people around me, running with me and I feel like I am part of something really big.

Approximately half the people running are only doing the 1/2 marathon.  I know that soon I will be seeing them head to the right for their finish line and the full marathoners (that's me!) will veer to the left to keep going.  I didn't realize just how many people would be leaving the course. 

I got to see Jeff, Lori and Ben one last time around mile 13.5.  I knew that at this point, I won't see them again until I finish.  It was not logistically convenient to make it to any of the other cheer zones to see me.

PART 2:  Miles 14 to the end.

As I start the 2nd half, I know that the both the men and women top 10 have already finished the full marathon, gotten their medals and made their way to food and a shower.  Me, however, I am just getting my groove, that is with finding port-a-potties and pooping.  Yes, my tummy decided to either react from all the nerves or the full strength Gatorade (which I was not used to drinking) and I had to go 3 separate times during the race.  Yowzer!  It is what it is, but I will always wonder how much better my time would've been if I didn't need to stop so much.

As the hours passed, water stations were starting to break down.  They still handed out water/gatorade, but now it was only 1/2 table doing so, instead of 8 or 9 tables full.  In fact at one point, a guy was standing there with a jug in his hand offering to pour me a glass.  Yes, it is comical to look back on this now, but at the time, it was discouraging.  The real insult came when an officer let two cars cut in front of me on the course.  The cars were not a risk to my safety, but having to run behind their exhaust and fumes was like kicking a person when their down.  Come'on people...have some respect for those of us still out there.

As I was hitting mile 17, I could hear the "party" going on at mile 22.  WOWEE!!!  A big band was playing, there was dancing, cheering, lots of enthusiasm.  By the time I swung around to mile 22, no one was left.  The band left to go home, the people dancing left.  There wasn't anyone left cheering. 

When I had to go to the bathroom a 3rd time to poop (around mile 20), I actually left the course and found a Burrito restaurant and walked in and asked if their bathroom had toilet paper, because as I announced to everyone inside, "I could really use some right about now."   It was a nice, clean bathroom and well worth the extra time.

By mile 20, I had enough and was really ready for this to be over.  I had been out there for more than 4.5 hours and still had a way to go.  Unfortunately I wasn't getting any faster, only slower, much slower.

As the miles wore on, the crowd of participants got thinner around me.  There was starting to be huge stretches of space between me and the other runners.    One guy even asked me to stop and take his picture at the mile 25 marker. Ha!  What was I going to do, say no?  Sorry, buddy, but I really can't stop right now.  This extra 40 seconds might make all the difference in the world for my ending time.  I even waited to see if he liked the picture or wanted me to retake it.

Instead of texting every time I hit another 5 miles to let my group know where I was, I was now texting pretty much every mile from 20 to 26.  I couldn't wait for this marathon to be over.  I was going to blow through 6 hours and it wasn't going to pretty.  At this point, I just wanted to finish. 

Stay tuned...part 6:  The BIG finish!

Run, Robyn, Run! (Part 4)

We drove up to the Baltimore area on Saturday morning, dropped the kids off at my in-laws and then Jeff and I continued to Philadelphia.  Ever since I announced I wanted to do this marathon (7 months ago!), Jeff instantly went into action and figured out where he would get his Philly cheese steak fix.  It would either be at Pat's or Geno's.  Since Pat's is a Pepsi place and Geno's is not, the decision was a no-brainer.  Geno's it is.  I decided to do some of my own research and find a place I could get a gluten-free treat to reward myself with after the race.  I found this sweet little bakery called, "Sweet Freedom Bakery".  The whole entire place is baked this way --  Here is a label from their box.

Hard to believe, but without any of the above ingredients, the items I picked out were incredibly tasty.  I really don't think you'd be able to tell it was missing any of this stuff.  I picked out 2 different kinds of cupcakes, 2 types of cookies, 2 slices of banana nut bread, and a Cinnamon sugar crueler.  Yum-O!  And how nice to know that I had this waiting for me once I finished the 26.2.

So before we even got to the hotel, we drove by Geno's for a cheese steak and Sweet Freedom for my baked goods.  I have some pretty awesome pictures of Jeff enjoying his cheese steak (finished within 2 blocks of us pulling away), but I am under a gag order from including them.  Just know that he enjoyed it.  The look of satisfaction on his face is now his ID photo on my phone when he calls.  If nothing else, going to Philly was worth it for him for this cheese steak experience.

The rest of Saturday went like clock work.  We checked into the Embassy Suites on Benjamin Franklin Parkway-- closest hotel to the starting line.  I had no desire to walk any more than necessary come race day.   It would take about an hour to explain the story on how I got us reservations at this hotel.  A few months before registration to the race even opened, this hotel was already booked solid.  Let's just say I got very lucky and they found a room for me.  Great hotel!

Had a quick lunch with my sister, Ben (BIL) and some friends my sister hadn't seen in a long time.  The restaurant was called Singapore Chinese and was located near the convention center.  It was a completely vegetarian, Chinese, and kosher restaurant.  Throw in Gluten-free and you'd have a home-run.  The owner was very helpful on what I could and couldn't eat.  Got some pseudo-looking/tasting sweet & sour chicken.  Very yummy. 

Afterwards, we met up with Jen and got our race packet from the expo at the convention center.



I'm still freaking out on the inside. 
It is all too real that it is happening!


Dinner that night was at Maggiono's.  We had reservations for 5:30pm for the 9 of us. The place was PACKED!!!  Even the line to tell them we were there and had reservations was about 30 deep. You literally couldn't move in the lobby/bar of the restaurant.  Crazy!!!  The food was good and we had a nice time at dinner.



Jen's brother and sister-in-law came to cheer Jen on.
My sister had another friend join us that night at dinner.
I guess I should give some background info and say that Lori
used to live in Philly and still has some pretty good friends
in the area. 


Now it was time to go back to the hotel and get a good night of sleep. Tomorrow was the big day and the moment I had been waiting for, for a very long time. 

Stay tuned for part 5....race day!

Run, Robyn, Run! (Part 3)

HONEY, LET'S GET OUT THE BIG BAG:
Friday night, as I was packing, I justified bringing just about every single running gear-type thing I own.  I wasn't sure if the weather could take a turn for the cold and I'd want my longer capri running pants.  I didn't know if a long sleeve tech shirt would be better than a running windbreaker jacket and figured I should bring both. If it was raining, the water resistant windbreaker would be the way to go. Then I saw my heavier running jacket hanging in my closet and thought that could come in handy too while waiting at the start line. I had decided long in advance a back-up pair of running shorts might be necessary. And of course, I had my special short sleeve tech shirt I had ordered to wear on race day. Also, I knew that I'd need options on my head and packed both my ear-warmer headband if it was going to be cold and the sun visor in case it was warm and the sun was out in full force.  Throw in a pair of running gloves, two pairs of socks, and of course, my sneakers and I was all set.  This was just the stuff to wear.  I also had to bring my iPod, back-up iPod, Garmin, Camelbak, 6 packets of GU, body glide, Spibelt, SweatyBand to hold back my hair, Cliff bar, bananas and bottles of Powerade to round out all the gear needed.  As a precaution, I packed band-aids, neosporin and advil* too. Whoever said running was a low-maintenance sport has certainly not met me.  :)

But here's the thing, by packing so many items that performed various tasks depending on the weather conditions, it helped calm me.  I wasn't worried about having to second guess myself on if I choose the right things to bring.  I'd just bring it all!

The only good thing about the weather being a tad on the warmer side was that it helped make the decision easier on what to put on come the morning of the race.

THE ONE THING I KNEW I WANTED TO WEAR:

"You don't have go FAST, you just have to GO."

At one point during the marathon, I felt this couple coming up behind me
and moved to the left to get out of their way.  The woman said, "Your shirt
says WE should pass on the left."  I replied back, "Its been so long
since I've seen the back of my shirt, I forgot what it said."  :) 

FUNNY MOMENT ALERT:

*Turns out what I thought was Advil in my suitcase turned out to be Junior Strength Advil.  OMG!  I didn't find this out until 6:05am that morning when I went to go take two.  Yikes!  The label only went up to 70lbs.  I'd have to take more than 6 at a time and I am not even sure it would be as potent as the real thing.   Good thing I had Jen on speed dial and she was able to provide me some of the adult strength pills.


Stay tuned for part 4....getting there.

Run, Robyn, Run! (Part 2)

In light of it being Thanksgiving today, I want to reflect on all I am grateful for regarding this marathon. 

I seriously could not have done this without the love, support and encouragement from so many.  How lucky I am to be so rich in this area.  I hope I don't ever take it for granted and forget what a blessing it is to be surrounded by all of this.

I am so fortunate to have the BEST. FAMILY. EVER.  If I didn't have Jeff's unwavering love and support, I know it would've been a very uphill climb to get to the starting line.  He always had faith in me that I could do this.  Countless times over the past 7 months, he would look at me and say how proud of me he was. Without question he jumped in, took care of the kids, and gave me all the time I needed to get the training done. I am so thankful for the husband and best friend that he is.

As soon as my mom heard I was doing this, she made it a point to call me from her place of work every Saturday to check in on me after I ran.  She wasn't completely on board with what I was doing, but she was one of my biggest supporters.

I am fortunate to have family that wanted to be there.  Without hesitation, my sister Lori said her and Ben (BIL) would be there to cheer me on.  Ben designed these very cool and hilarious shirts for him, Lori and Jeff to wear the morning of the race.  It was an awesome surprise when they showed it to me right before I started running.

My in-laws graciously took the kids for the whole weekend.  We dropped them off on Saturday morning on our way to Philadelphia and picked them back up on the way home on Monday.  It was wonderful knowing they were in excellent care, having fun and one less thing for me to be stressed over.

Tons of other encouragement came from my dad, stepmother, my other sister Meghan, and my sister-in-law Elaine.  While it did little to calm my nerves, it was nice to hear the faith they had in me that I could do this.  Hearing my dad's enthusiasm in his voice when I would tell him I ran "X" amount of miles each weekend there was a particularly long training run was always very cool.

The friends that wished me well, decorated my car with signs before leaving, left me cards in my mailbox were amazing. I am thankful for every single one of the messages, texts, emails, phone calls, in-person hugs, high-fives and more that I received leading up to, during and after the marathon.  It really helped to motivate me to go one step further, one second faster.

I'd like to give a quick list of all the other things I am very grateful for:

-The hotel we stayed at was only a 1/2 mile from the start/finish line.

-The weather was beautiful.  When we woke up the next morning, it was raining.  This so could've easily been the case a few hours earlier on the 20th.

-I was feeling good.  Ridiculously nervous, but not sick with a fever, cold, sore throat, and my legs didn't have any aches or pains.  This is a bigger deal than you would imagine.  You can't live in a bubble waiting for race day.  I am around kids and germs all the time.  I always feel like I could be catching something and get sick. Actually now that the race is over, my throat is starting to hurt and I am blowing my nose.  hahahahahha.  See what I mean?  There was a ton of pressure to try to remain as healthy as possible and not get a twisted ankle or anything of the sort.  I am thankful that I was feeling as good as I ever could on the 20th.

-Maggiano's having gluten-free pasta.  It made it easy to carb-load at restaurant that I was familiar with and didn't worry about getting sick from eating non-gluten-free pasta by accident.

-I had some tummy issues and I am grateful there was always a bathroom close enough nearby. 

-My ipod and garmin worked perfectly.  I am thankful for that.

-I am most thankful that I found amazing socks that prevent blisters.

And last but not least, I am filled with gratitude that I was in overall good enough health to run and complete this.  Two men (only 21 and 40 years old in age) died during this exact marathon and 10 others were taken away to the hospital.  It makes you realize how fragile life is and I feel fortunate to have been able to accomplish my goal and get to the finish line in one piece and still standing.

I hope everyone reading this has a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and you too are surrounded by your own amazing friends and family.  I know I've got the best anyone could ask for.  And for that I am forever grateful.  Love makes the world go around.  :)

Stay tune for part 3....taking it all with me.

Run, Robyn, Run!

So I did it!  I survived, more than survived and can't wait to share all the details about the weekend. I'd like to apologize in advance for all that I am about to write.  I have no idea how many blog entries this story will span or if it will even end up in a coherent, logical narrative.  But I am filled with so many emotions and feel the need to get it all written.  For years to come, I want to have the ability to look back and remember all the moments vividly that made up this amazing journey. As my friend put it, the marathon is the reward for all the training you did.  If you aren't interested in hearing about all of this, you might want to take the next several days off from visiting my blog.  ;)

Where do I begin?  The nerves started kicking in the week leading up to the big day.  As we got closer and closer to race day, I got more nervous. Not sleeping soundly was the first to go.  My funniest nightmare was that a freak blizzard was in the forecast and a good majority of the runners dropped out due to the bad weather.  However, not one to give up, I trudged ahead and ran it anyway during the blizzard.  It took me 2 days to finish.  Needless to say, I was checking the 10 day forecast, then the 5 day forecast, then the weekend forecast, and lastly the 36 hour forecast 7 or 8 times each day.  Not once did it ever show anything but a gorgeous day, with only a 20% of precipitation. 

As the week crept on, I'd get either instant nauseousness or diarrhea just by thinking about what was to come.  By Thursday, I was a mental mess and completely freaked out.  What did I get myself into?  Was this going to be a complete disaster?  Would I be wasting my family's time by supporting me in this craziness?  Who did I think I was that I could pull this off?  And then there was the Jen factor.  She got into this herself because I came up with this wacky notion to run a marathon.  Due to many factors outside her control, Jen's training had been anything less than stellar and I was worried that she was going to really regret doing this.  It was a lot of pressure and all these doubts filled my every waking (and non-waking) thoughts.  And last but not least, the biggest thing I had going against me, was that I wanted to know I gave it my all.  That I did the best I could do.  I didn't care how long it took me to finish, but I had to be proud of me.  Have no regrets. Leave nothing behind.  My two big goals was to 1. Not be swept by the bus.  And 2. Not be last.  If I could do that and not look for a reason, any excuse to not give it all I got, then it would be a big success.  And, yes, I accomplished that.  And may I say, I did it with a smile all the way up until the very end.

Stay tuned for part 2....being thankful.

Saturday, November 12th

Weather - 31 degrees and sunny.  Perfect weather in my opinion.

Clothing - Black running compression shorts, short sleeve tech shirt (purple shirt), red windbreaker, running gloves, earwarmer headband and Camelbak.

Nutrition -   Ate a banana before the run. During the run:  1 gu at the 3.5 mile mark and approx. 25 oz powerade/water mix.

Route -  Started at the intersection of Oak Green and Burke Centre Parkway, went down Ox to Main Street and turned around.

Distance Completed:  7 miles

Time:  Started at 7:45am, took 1 hour, 29 minutes

LAST WEEKEND TRAINING RUN EVER!   Yay!  Mentally, this is where I am at:  I am so over the running part.  I know I'll be able to finish the marathon in the allotted time given and all I want at this point is for it to be over.  I am no longer concerned about the speed or pace.  Just getting through it. 

Anything I'd do different?  No, I liked have the windbreaker and being able to take it off after the first mile when I got warmed up.  The gloves I took off too at the first mile and then put them back on around mile 4 for the remainder of the run.  Wearing the shorts and having the short sleeve shirt was the way to go. 

Mid-week runs - I ran 5 miles on Tuesday and walked 1.5 miles on Thursday at the gym.  I didn't have enough time to do the whole 4 miles and the next thing you know, I lost any motivation to run any of it at all.  Oh my!  My 5 mile run on Tuesday was one of the best running times ever for me.

Saturday, November 5th

Weather - 34 degrees and sunny

Clothing - Black running capri pants, long sleeve tech shirt (pink shirt), and Camelbak

Nutrition -   Ate Cliff bar before the run. During the run:  approx. 25 oz powerade/water mix.

Route -  Started at the intersection of Oak Green and Burke Centre Parkway, went down Ox to University and turned around.

Distance Completed:  6 miles

Time:  Started at 7:20am, took 1 hour, 13 minutes

2nd to last weekend run before the big day.  Yay!  I was well on my way to run the 6 miles at a great pace and made the 5 mile mark well under the one hour mark, but the last mile just didn't have my heart in it and I walked a lot of it.  I am really over the running right now.  I can't wait for this marathon to happen.  It has been a long 7 months waiting for this day to come.

Anything I'd do different?  I would've added gloves and a hat to my head.  It was cold. 

Mid-week runs - I ran 5 miles on Tuesday and 4 miles on Thursday at the gym.  Both runs went well.

Saturday, October 29th

Weather - 33 degrees and raining

Clothing - Black running shorts and short sleeve cotton shirt

Nutrition - Clif bar before and 28 ounces of water. 

Route -  Treadmill at Gold's Gym

Distance Completed:  7 miles

Time:  Started at 7:45 am, took 1 hr, 21 minutes

Due to the rain, I took the run indoors and did it at Gold's Gym.  I mixed it up a bit and picked a treadmill in the cinema.  I got to watch 'The Adjustment Bureau".  Granted I saw the 2nd half before the first half, but it was great.  Made the time and miles go by faster.

Anything I'd do different?  No, it was great and a nice option to getting my run done without getting wet outside.

Mid-week runs - Took Tuesday off, ran 4 miles on Thursday.  Low mileage overall this week for me, but I am happy that my body feels good and is not in any pain lingering from last Saturday's 26 miler.

Yep, this is me!

Many thanks to Jennifer Guirguis for forwarding this to me.  Every time I look at it, I giggle.

My last long run

Written for Mommy Meltdown's Blog (10/24/11):

I've been wanting to update on how the marathon training is going for some time now. But, with each long training run looming ahead in the schedule, I get seriously freaked out and feel like I am better off not speaking too much about it.  Now that I've just completed my last long run, I feel like I can reflect on what this journey has been like getting me to race day.

7 months ago when I decided to sign up for a marathon, it felt so far away that anything was possible.  I could talk all the 'game' I wanted, but knew that I still had more than half a year before my foot had to actually cross the starting line.  As of today, I've got just 26 days to go  and the countdown is on!  We are in taper city and the mileage I have to log now is reasonable and not nearly as taxing as what has been recently done.

I have discovered a lot in these past 6 months of training.  The biggest thing I found out is that I am not cut out for long distance running.  I think after I get to mile 12, I get seriously bored and am ready for the next activity.  To keep going takes a huge amount of will power and determination.  I've always known that once I am committed to something, I'll see it through to the end and this marathon training had me displaying that type of mental strength over and over again.

Some other discoveries include:

• It doesn't matter how much I run, I will never get faster.  My pace stays consistently slow.  Friends can start out with me at the same pace, but somewhere along the way, they get faster and I get slower.
• I'm okay not wearing underwear under my running shorts or capri running pants if it means I don't get any kind of chafing.  I really thought I would be grossed out by this, but after the first long run trying it, it made a huge difference. (Sorry if this is TMI).
• Training for a marathon did nothing to help me lose weight.  Actually, just the opposite.  I've been gaining weight as the weeks and mileage progress.  I really don't think I am eating more and any different types of foods, but for some reason my body is in starvation mode and doesn't want to let go of my excess fat.  And believe me, I have enough excess to come off and not be needed.
• Running for hours on end in the months of July, August, and some of September really sucked.  That's all there is to it.  Me and heat still don't do well together.
• Going through the training process became a much more enjoyable experience when you have a friend or two to commiserate with.  I can't imagine not comparing notes or venting or doing any of this without J.W.   When you know you aren't in this alone, it becomes more bearable.

I am at the point now where I want this marathon to be over.  I am ready to get my life back and not think about the running I HAVE TO do each week.  Running is no longer something I enjoy.  It has become a chore.  One more thing on a long list of items I HAVE TO DO.  

I admire all those who make a career out of running marathons.  Those who do this year after year and of course the crazies who do multiple ones through out the year.  I can't even imagine what that involves. I said this before at the beginning and feel it now more than ever -- I am only doing this once. 

Don't get me wrong, I am so happy I decided to go for it.  To prove to myself I can do this.  Come November 20th,  I am not going to be the fastest, in the top 50%, or possibly even in the top 75% of finishers, but I will go out there and enjoy it and give it everything I've got.   The t-shirt I will be wearing will say, "You don't have to go fast.  You just have to go." 

The day after 26

Mentally, I could not be more pleased with how yesterday went.  I am so happy that I went for the 26 and finished in the allotted time they give you at the Philadelphia Marathon. Actually I finished an hour before the official end time.  I was super slow, but I got it done.  Plus, I have a benchmark to beat when I do this again on the official day.

I also was able to determine that I only need to refill my camelbak once duirng the run.  So if I hit the water stations, I should be okay in making the original 50 ounces of the fluid in the camelbak last.   And I know that 6 GUs are good for race day.  One at 4 miles, 8 miles, 12 miles, 16 miles, 20 miles and 24 miles worked nicely.

Waking up this morning, my legs were sore!  The area of leg that was in pain through out the whole run yesterday hurt more than ever.  Looking back, I probably should've have taken an ice bath when I got home.  As the day wore on, the pain has subsided some.  I am going to hold off running my 5 miles on Tuesday and really give my body a chance to recover.  I will for sure do the run on Thursday and so forth.

No blisters!  No rubbing!  No tummy issues!  All is good.  I may be slow, but I am ok with that.  I am just happy the long runs are over and I was able to stick to the training schedule. Yay!!

I can't believe I am about to write this, but I think I am ready.  :)

Saturday, October 22nd

Weather - Sun was starting to come out.  43 degrees when I started.  Sunny and 57 degrees when it was over. ended.  Humidity didn't exist!

Clothing - Black running capri pants, Short sleeve tech shirt (rockstar shirt),  and Camelbak. 

Nutrition -   Ate a banana and cliff bar before the run. During the run:  75+ oz powerade/water mix. A GU at mile 4, mile 8, mile 12, mile 16 and mile 21..

Route -  Started at the intersection of Burke Centre Parkway on Ox Road.  Went 2.16 miles towards Braddock Rd and turned around.  Then went 9 miles down Ox to the Occoquan bridge and turned around. Once I got back to Burke Centre Parkway, I turned right on the road and went 2 miles down to Roberts. Turned around and did one loop of Lake Barton.  Came out on Burke Centre Parkway and went to the Kohls shopping center. Turned around and went down Oak Leather Drive for approx. 1/2 mile. Then headed home for the last 1/2 mile. I was all over the place! 

Distance Completed:  26 miles

Time:  Started at 6:50am, took a little more than 6 hours (not including the 1 stop I made).  Overall time was 6 hours, 13 minutes.   When I got to the 23 mile point, I was 23 minutes ahead from my last (horrible!!) long run. Yay!

Our little group had decided that doing a 26 mile training run might be a bit too much for us and we should scale it down to 20 miles.  When I woke up this morning, I planned to turn that 20 miler into 22.  But somewhere along the run, I decided to go for the 26.  There were a few factors in my making this decision.  I missed out going with The Girl's for Spa Weekend in Berkeley Springs because of this training run.  If I was going to miss that, I wanted to know I did everything I could to follow the training schedule.  Also, the weather was delightful and I was really enjoying being outside.  Lastly, I wanted my body to know what 26 felt like, so the next time I did this mileage (the marathon!), it would be more comfortable with it.  I read somewhere that if you are running 26, you should train for 26.  I now know that mentally I can do this.  Plus, I've got a good benchmark in how long it took me and I can work towards beating this goal.

I ended up going out on my own.  J.W. and T. both had various problems keeping them from running this morning.  I walked lots more than I should've.  But at this point, I just wanted to do it.  I don't care how slow I am.  Plus, I had a pain in my lower right leg that was with me when I started.  I was hoping that after a few miles, the pain would go away, but it actually got worse.

Anything I'd do different?   No.  This run went as well as could've been expected.  I am super happy that I am ending my long run training on a high note.  It's nice to erase that memory of the horrible 23 miler and replace it with a better long run. 

All my preparation worked.  The advil, the funky socks, the body glide, the clothing I wore.  No bad rubbing/chafing, no blisters, and I was perfectly dressed for the temps.  Yay!

Mid-week runs - ran 5 miles on Wednesday, ran 4 miles on Thursday; both on the treadmill at the gym.  Both were great runs.

More time to take it all in!

My friend, Amy, forwarded me this article.  I love this!  I want to get a shirt for the marathon that says, "Even moving forward is a pace." - on the front.  And on the back -- "26.2 miles?  Hell, ya!"

A Marathon Run in the Slow Lane

After a 10-kilometer road race this summer, a friend apologized for missing me at the finish line. The truth was, she hadn’t lost me in the crowd. She just didn’t wait long enough.

I’m a slow runner. A really slow runner. In that field of 625, I finished in 619th place.

There was a time when I was embarrassed by my painfully slow pace, but not anymore. Since I began training for a marathon this spring, I’ve discovered that the view is a lot more interesting in the back of the pack.

During a five-mile run in Central Park last spring, I paced alongside a double amputee who was using crutches and a single metal leg to propel himself along the course.

At the 13.1-mile Philadelphia Distance Run this fall, I spent a good part of the race alongside an athlete who jumped rope the entire way. Later, I trotted with two women wearing pink feather boas. There was also a “joggler,” someone who juggles and runs at the same time. Nearby was 81-year-old Robert Welsh of Wallingford, Pa. (He won his age group.)

My shirt that day read, “Slow Is the New Fast.”

This weekend, I was again at the back of the pack of the estimated 43,000 who participated in the New York City Marathon, and I was thrilled to be there. About five months ago, I declared that I was going to transform myself from couch potato to runner and complete a fall marathon. I trained using a combination of running and walking, a method espoused by the Olympian distance runner Jeff Galloway and now used by hundreds of thousands of runners around the country.

During my marathon, I ran next to a man wearing an Eiffel Tower costume. Several women raising money for breast cancer drew cheers from the crowds for running in their decorated bras. I also spent time alongside several members of the Achilles Track Club, for athletes with disabilities.

My marathon included four stops to hug my daughter along the route, a quick jaunt into a deli in Queens to buy a banana, and countless high fives with kids along the course. I also spent about three miles talking and walking with Maureen Donohue, 68, of Long Island, who began running at age 56 and was taking part in her 10th marathon. To train, she run-walks a five mile course near her home, takes a coffee break and heads back out again for five more miles. I found her inspiring, and so did the crowd. As we passed by, onlookers shouted, “Go, Mo, go!”

Despite their pace, back-of-the-packers still struggle with leg cramps, blisters and back spasms, and so did I. I finished my first marathon in 6 hours 58 minutes 19 seconds. I know faster marathoners are bothered by so-called plodders. A recent front-page article in my own newspaper quoted a number of marathoners to that effect, saying we had ruined the race’s mystique.

It’s true that marathons around the country are getting slower, as more charity runners and run-walkers take part. In 1980 the average marathon time was about three and a half hours for men and about four hours for women, according to Running USA. Today, the averages are 4:16 for men and 4:43 for women. About 20 percent of the participants in the New York City Marathon take longer than five hours to finish.

But the legendary gold medalist Frank Shorter says the criticisms of slow runners are “snobbery.” “You never hear that from elite runners,” he told me. “Elite runners admire other people’s performance. I find it much better to welcome slow runners to the club than to vote them out.”

Greg Meyer, who in 1983 was the last American man to win the Boston Marathon, says that when he hears such complaints from average marathoners, he replies, “If it wasn’t for the run-walkers, you wouldn’t be finishing in front of anybody.”

The main benefit of the run-walk method is that it eases your body into exercise, makes marathon training less grueling and gives muscles time to recover, reducing the risk of injury. Walk breaks are an ideal way for new runners and older, less fit and overweight people to take part in a sport that would otherwise be off limits.

The downside is that just as you are out on the marathon course about 50 percent longer than the average runner, your training time is much longer, too — four and five hours a weekend for long runs.

About 10 days before the marathon, I began to doubt my ability to finish the race. A flulike illness had sidelined me for a few weeks, and I’d missed some important training runs. I questioned whether it would be worth the effort to straggle over the finish line long after most of the runners had left.

But then, during an easy run on a trail near my house, I spotted another slow runner ahead of me. It took a moment before I realized his off-kilter gait was due to the fact that he was running on a Cheetah foot, an artificial limb that uses a flexible blade for the foot. He was young and fit, and I wanted to know his story, but didn’t stop him to ask. Instead I just watched his rhythmic run, and felt my own worries about race day fade away. It didn’t matter how fast I finished, just that I was out there, enjoying the view from the back of the pack.

Saturday, October 15th

Weather - 49 degrees and sunny

Clothing - Black running capri pants, short sleeve tech shirt (rockstar), and Camelbak

Nutrition - banana before and approx. 40 ounces of powerade/water mix.  A gu at mile 4.

Route -  Starting at the Kohl's sign on Burke Centre Parkway to Roberts Road, made a right onto Roberts. Down Roberts to Braddock Road, made a left onto Braddock.  Took Braddock to Ox, made a right onto Ox.  Ox back to Burke Centre Parkway.  Made a right onto Burke Centre Parkway.

Distance Completed:  7 miles

Time:  Started at 7:30 am, took 1 hr, 23 minutes

Did this run on my own.  The weather was perfect and I felt good having chosen a hilly route to run. Definitely needed for my legs to get used to a hill or two.

Anything I'd do different?  No, everything clicked.  Could've worn shorts, but was okay wearing longer capri running pants.

Mid-week runs - ran 5 miles on Tuesday, ran 4 miles on Thursday; both on the treadmill at the gym.  My 4 mile run on Thursday happened at 4:30pm.  It was actually a great run and I was pleasantly surprised how well I did.  Both times I ran 3 miles before stopping for a walk break.

Saturday, October 8th

Weather - 49 degrees, sunny and humidity was nil.

Clothing - Black running capri pants, long sleeve tech shirt (pink shirt), and Camelbak

Nutrition -   Ate nothing before the run or during. During the run:  approx. 30 oz powerade/water mix.

Route -  Started at the intersection of Oak Green and Burke Centre Parkway, went down Ox to University and turned around.

Distance Completed:  6 miles

Time:  Started at 7:35am, took 1 hour, 8 minutes

I decided to run this on my own. Being that it is Yom Kippur today, I wasn't sure if I was going to run and fast or just run it tomorrow morning.  I really wanted to get the run over with and ran it and managed to fast the whole day after.  Yowzer! 

I've come to find out that I enjoy running on my own more than when I am with others.  It's just too much pressure to keep up or feel like I am slowing them down if we are trying to run together.

I am most pleased with how fast I ran this.  I did the 2:30/1 mix and I think it really helped me get my pace faster.  From all the other 6 mile runs I've done, I cut my time down by 4 minutes.  Woo-hoo!!  This is definitely helping me get over the discouraged feeling I have from last week's run. 

Anything I'd do different?  For the most part, this run clicked on every level.  I loved the cool air and I loved that I didn't walk any additional amounts.  The only thing I would've changed about this run was not wear a long sleeve shirt.  When will I learn!?!?!  I get warmed up way too quickly and don't need it very soon after I start.

Mid-week runs - I couldn't bring myself to run again on Tuesday.  So I purposely missed the 5 miler I normally do and picked up the running again on Thursday. Ran 4 miles on Thursday; on the treadmill at the gym

The day after 23

Pretty much all day yesterday I felt very discouraged on how horrible my "run" went yesterday.  However, I do need to focus on what when right. 

1. I didn't get any blisters or bad rubbing/chafing.  So I do feel good about my preparation on what I'm wearing, socks and shoes all working in my favor.

2. I wasn't overly sore.  My legs felt a little tight, but that was about it.  I didn't have any knee issues.

3. I didn't need to stop to use the bathroom once.  Not once in 5 hours, 33 minutes.  Again, another major accomplishment as I've been very nervous about having stomach issues during all my Saturday runs.

They say everyone is entitled to one bad run.  I guess this was mine yesterday.  Let's get it out of the way and move on.  No need to keep harping on how bad it was.  It was bad.  It sucked.  Now, let's start focusing on how great the practice 26 miler will be in 3 weeks and how awesome the actual marathon will be on November 20th.  There's only 48 more days to go.

I am ready for this to be over.  I think I've recognized the fact my body is not cut out for this and it is a small miracle I've made it this far in the training.  I'll never give up and will continue to keep chugging along until the very end.  Because crossing that finish line is going to be oh-so-sweet.  :)

Saturday, October 1st

Weather - Pitch black out, 50 degrees when we started.  Rainy, overcast and 51 degrees when we ended.  Humidity was not a problem.  The weather temp was perfect in my opinion.  It drizzled for 90% of the run.

Clothing - Black running capri pants, Short sleeve tech shirt (green courage shirt), Camelbak, and Headlamp (yep, it was necessary). 

Nutrition -   Ate a banana and cliff bar before the run. Also, took 2 advil before leaving the house.  During the run:  75+ oz powerade/water mix. A GU at mile 7, mile 14 and mile 20.5.

Route -  Started at the intersection of Lee Chapel Rd on Ox Road.  Went 7.5 miles down Ox past the University Blvd intersection and turned around.  Then went 4 miles down Ox near the Lorton Workhouse and turned around. 

Distance Completed:  23 miles

Time:  Started at 4:30am, took 5 hours, 33 minutes. 

T., J.W. and I met at 4:30 am to get the 23 miles done.  We hung together running for the first 2.5 miles.  And then I persuaded them to go on without me. I made only one stop and that was at mile 15 to refuel.

I bought a headlamp to use for this run and it was perfect.  The first 12 miles was in the dark.  Having the light was wonderful. 

It was interesting to see what happens when your Garmin interval timer goes through all 99 cycles.  It stops the intervals, but still keeps the timer/distance/pace counter going.

Anything I'd do different?   I am not sure. This was a very difficult run for me.  I am not sure you can even call it a run as I walked almost all of it.  I really struggled being out there.  The conditions were less than stellar and it rained off and on (mostly on) for practically the whole time I was out there.  Also, I think having a head cold didn't help the situation.  All I could think about was getting back home, taking a hot shower and climbing in bed.  And for some reason, my body just didn't want to run.  Could I be burned out from all the running? 

Mid-week runs - ran 5 miles on Monday, ran 4 miles on Wednesday; both on the treadmill at the gym. 

Saturday, September 25th

Weather - Before sunrise,  67 degrees and humidity = 100%  Seriously.  Ugh.

Clothing - Black running compression shorts, Short sleeve tech shirt (rockstar),  Camelbak

Nutrition -  ate a banana before and approx. 30 oz powerade/water mix

Route - Burke Centre Parkway: starting at Old Keene Mill Road and Lee Chapel.  Went all the way to Kohl's and back to starting point.

Distance Completed: 6  miles

Time:  Started at 6:00am, took 1 hr, 12 minutes

J.W. and I met to get this run done and over with.  Too much going on today.  I did ok and kept to pace, which is surprising given the humidity.  I did walk 2x for some of the steeper hills on Burke Centre Parkway.

Anything I'd do different?  No.  Everything was fine with the run;  I just can't move in this humidity.  It takes all my will power to keep going.  It's hard to breathe.  I can't wait for the cooler weather to kick in.  It's the end of September, it's about time.

Mid-week runs - ran 5 miles on Tuesday, ran 4 miles on Thursday; both on the treadmill at the gym.  It was good.  Did a 4.5 mile hike on the Billy Goat Trail on Sunday.  So my mileage was a bit higher than usual.

Saturday, September 17th

Weather - 54 degrees and humidity was a respectable 80%

Clothing - Black running capri pants, long sleeve tech shirt (pink), and Camelbak

Nutrition -   Ate a banana and cliff bar before the run. During the run:  approx. 25 oz powerade/water mix.

Route -  Started at the intersection of Burke Centre Parkway and Oak Green, ran down Ox toward University Blvd, turned around and ran back.

Distance Completed:  6 miles

Time:  Started at 7:15am, took 1 hour, 12 minutes

We decided we'd all run on our own this weekend.  Got to say, I love the idea of waking up naturally and going out for a run with no pressure to keep up with others.  At the mile 2.2 mark, I had to go to the bathroom very badly was lucky enough to be near the Giant at Braddock Road for me to go to.  Woo-hoo!!  I got back on the road and was pleasantly surprised to see my pace pick up.  Running in the cooler weather is the way to go!

Anything I'd do different?  Yes, I'd wear shorts and t-shirt instead.  Not cold enough yet to wear long pants or long sleeve shirt.

Mid-week runs - ran 5 miles on Tuesday, ran 4 miles on Thursday; both on the treadmill at the gym

The day after 20!

I survived!  The 20 mile run is now officially behind me.  All the tweaking I did and preparation paid off.  I believe the 2 Advil before the run was one of the best things ever.  Also, not wearing underwear proved to be incredibly successful.  From this point on, I am not going to wear the heart rate monitor strap.  I got a little bit of rubbing. Nothing major, but this can be easily prevented by not wearing it in the future.

My biggest injury?  On my right leg, behind the knee.  it wasn't that big of a deal, so I didn't ice it or take any additional Advil when I got home.  Next time I can do this and see if that helps.

When I woke up this morning, I had some soreness still only in one spot.  It is located behind my knee on the right leg.  Very weird, because I never felt anything like this before.  No actual pain, just a tightness/soreness.

Also, I changed my socks and found these. They are finger toe socks and each toe is individually wrapped. They are specifically for running and I chose the lightweight model.  I love them!  Not once did I feel like my toes were rubbing or I was at risk for getting blisters. 

It did take a little while to get used to, but once I put my feet in my shoes, I forgot I even had them on.  

Saturday, September 10th

Weather - Pitch black out, 67 degrees when we started.  Sunny and 74 degrees when we ended.  Humidity was 97% at the beginning of the run.  The humidity very slowly dropped towards the 4th hour of the run.

Clothing - Black running shorts (compression, biker style), Short sleeve tech shirt (green courage shirt),  and Camelbak.  Sans underwear!  Also, wore new socks.  Like them very much.  Will post another entry on what they look like.

Nutrition -   Ate a banana and cliff bar before the run. During the run:  75+ oz powerade/water mix. A GU at mile 5, mile 10 and mile 15.

Route -  Started at the intersection of Lee Chapel Rd on Ox Road.  Went 5 miles down Ox past  Burke Centre Parkway and turned around.  Then went 5 miles down Ox past the Occoquan bridge and turned around. 

Distance Completed:  20 miles

Time:  Started at 5:11am, took 4 hours, 18 minutes (not including the 3 stops I made).  Overall time was 4 hours, 40 minutes.  One fun fact, at the 17 mile mark, I was 5 minutes ahead of my time from when we did the 17 mile training run.  Yay!

T., J.W. and I met at 5:00 am to get the 20 miles done.  We hung together running for the first 5 miles.  Then I left the trail and went to the McDonald's (By Burke Centre Parkway and Ox) to pee.  It was finally starting to get light out, so that was good for the next 5 miles.

At the 10 mile mark. I stopped for about 4 minutes and refilled my camelbak and had a GU.

Also, I stopped at the gas station (at mile 12.62) to use the bathroom.  Again, I only peed, so I am very happy there were absolutely no stomach issues on this run.  Yay!

One big problem!  At mile 15 after turning around, we had approx. 3/4 mile completely uphill.  Oh my!  This was not expected and completely made me lose my mojo.  Had to walk all of it before attempting to run again.

Anything I'd do different?   Yes, 2 things.  I made a big-time rookie mistake and forgot to charge my Garmin last night.  I got the low battery message with 2+ hours still to go in the run.  I have no idea how it miraculously stayed charged enough for the entire run, but I got very lucky.  Also, I am not going to wear my green shirt again on long runs.  I think I need a little bit longer of a sleeve, as there was the beginning of some wierd rubbing on the left side, upper part of my arm.  Nothing too bad though.

Overall, I am very happy how well this run went. I tried to learn from my 17 miler and corrected a few things.  First thing I did was the lose the underwear.  I think this helped greatly.  I also used body glide in the area that had the bad rubbing before.  Even though I didn't get blisters during the last long run, I got new socks to try and I think they are wonderful.  Lastly, I took 2 Advil about 40 minutes prior.  To aid recovery, I came home and had a chocolate milk.   So far, so good on how I feel right now as I type this. 

Mid-week runs - ran 5 miles on Tuesday, ran 4 miles on Thursday; both on the treadmill at the gym.  Overall, this is the biggest mileage week I've ever had -- 29 miles.  Yowzer!!!

The Wronsky's are coming! The Wronsky's are coming!

I got an email today from my sister with her flight info.  Lori and her husband, Ben officially booked their plane tickets to watch me run the marathon on November 20th.  I was currently on the treadmill at the gym, checking email on my cell phone, when I saw her email.  I have to say, it made my 5 mile run a little bit easier and gave me a pep in my step to finish it. 

I am so excited they are coming.  I only hope I can finish the race on Sunday before their plane takes off on Monday afternoon. :)  It means the world to me that they will be there to witness this monumental event in my life.  I am only doing this once, so to have the support and my own personal cheer leading team is beyond fabulous!

Saturday, September 3rd

Weather - 67 degrees and humidity was 87%

Clothing - Black running shorts (biker style), Short sleeve tech shirt (green "courage" shirt),  and Camelbak

Nutrition -   Ate a cliff bar before the run. During the run:  50 oz powerade/water mix.

Route -  Started at the intersection of Oak Green and Burke Centre Parkway, went down Ox to University and turned around.

Distance Completed:  6 miles

Time:  Started at 6:30am, took 1 hour, 12 minutes.

T., J.W. and I met to do the 6 miles. I have come to the conclusion I can not run in humidity.  It makes my legs feel like big pieces of lead I am trying to move up and down.   I was very happy that we all ran at our own pace.  There was no pressure to try to keep up and it felt good to run as slow as I wanted.

Anything I'd do different?  No.

Mid-week runs - ran 5 miles on Tuesday (SUPER SLOW! Ran this in the evening -- not a good idea!), ran 4 miles on Thursday; both on the treadmill at the gym

Saturday, August 27th

Weather - 75 degrees and humidity was beyond nuts (93%)

Clothing - Black running shorts (compression, biker style), Short sleeve tech shirt (rockstar),  and Camelbak

Nutrition -   Ate a banana before the run. During the run:  50 oz powerade/water mix.

Route -  Started at the intersection of Lee Chapel Road and Old Keene Mill Road, by the Hallmark store.  Ran 2.5 miles down Burke Centre Parkway towards Kohl's, turned around and ran back. 

Distance Completed:  5 miles

Time:  Started at 7:15am, took 1 hour, 1 minute.

T., J.W. and I met to do the 5 miles.  The humidity sucked big-time.  It was very hard for me to breathe and I was sweating like crazy.  At one point it felt like I wasn't even moving, I was going so slow.  By doing Burke Centre Parkway, we had some hills and it made me go even slower.

Anything I'd do different?  No.

Mid-week runs - ran 5 miles on Tuesday, ran 4 miles on Thursday; both on the treadmill at the gym

The day after 17

It has now been 24 hours since I ran the 17 miles.  I can give a better assessment of how it went.  This is the first run I've done (since the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler two years ago when I passed out/threw-up) that I felt consequences from running a long distance.

For most of the day I felt like I was in a fog/haze. I  wasn't overly hungry or thirsty and went about my usual meals and hydration.  However, the drive home from the Mount Vernon Trail was a bit surreal.  I wasn't sure if I was going fast enough, too fast or going in the right direction.  It was a weird experience driving and I relied heavily on my GPS to get home.

After getting home and taking a shower, I realized I was in a bit of trouble.  My left knee was very sore.  Walking up and down steps proved troublesome. After putting ice on my knee, it helped greatly.  The other area that was even in worse shape was the very top of my leg, on the inside where my underwear rubbed the skin incredibly raw.  Fortunately, this was only on one side, the right leg.  As soon as I got a bandage on it, I felt relief. 

Once I had a good night of sleep and woke up the next morning, I felt great.  The pain in my knee has subsided and I hope the raw skin is healing  (too scared to pull the band-aid off).

Saturday, August 20th

Weather - Pitch black out, 70 degrees when we started. Sunny and 77 degrees when we ended.  Humidity was a ridiculous 90%.  Ugh! 

Clothing - Black running shorts (compression, biker style), Short sleeve tech shirt (rockstar),  and Camelbak

Nutrition -   Ate a banana and cliff bar before the run. During the run:  85+ oz powerade/water mix. A GU at mile 7 and another GU at mile 11.5.

Route -  Did the Mount Vernon Trail.  Parked at Dangerfield Island.  Went 4.5 miles in the direction of the airport, turned around.  Went 2.5 miles towards Mount Vernon, turned around.  Did the last 1.5 miles back towards the airport and turned around to finish the 17 miles.

Distance Completed:  17 miles

Time:  Started at 5:45am, took 3 hours, 39 minutes.

T., J.W.and I met for the run.  A. joined us for the last 11 miles. We started out together until it started getting light, then T. went at her own pace and ran ahead.  J.W. and I did a good job of running together until I desperately had to go to the bathroom.  This was at mile 6.5 and needed to walk until I got to the port-a-potty at Gravelly Point.

J.W. and I met up again at the car when we were refueling and ran together from mile 9 to mile 14.  At this point, I really needed to walk more and Jen went on ahead.  I found the temperature really stifling and hot.  It was hard to breathe and the lack of cool air was making it difficult to keep running.

Anything I'd do different?  Yes, I discovered I need to make sure I am wearing better underwear.  I believe I got a little chub rub under my right butt cheek.  Will use body glide on the next long run and see if that helps.

Also, I am happy to report that socks I wore didn't cause any blisters and will only wear my Thorlo socks for the long runs.

Mid-week runs - ran 5 miles on Tuesday, ran 4 miles on Thursday; both on the treadmill at the gym.

Saturday, August 13

Weather - 70 degrees and humidity was ridiculously high (84%)

Clothing - Black running shorts (compression, biker style), Short sleeve tech shirt (rockstar),  and Camelbak

Nutrition -   Ate a banana before the run. During the run:  50 oz powerade/water mix.

Route -  Started at the intersection of Oak Green and Burke Centre Parkway.  Made a right on to Ox Road.  Went 2.5 miles down Ox past Braddock Road intersection and turned around.

Distance Completed:  5 miles

Time:  Started at 7:00am, took 58:39 minutes.

J.W. and I met to do the 5 miles.  I have to say, at this point, the 5 should be a cinch, but it's all relative and the 5 to me was as hard as the 14 last week.  The humidity made it very hard to run.  Somewhere along the way, this is no longer fun and the running each weekend feels like a chore.  I'll be happy when November comes.  And, when the humidity finally goes away.

Anything I'd do different?  No. I am just happy it is over with.

Mid-week runs - ran 5 miles on Tuesday, ran 4 miles on Thursday; both on the treadmill at the gym

Saturday, August 6th

Weather - Pitch black out, in the high 60's when we started.  A little on the cloudy side and 75 degrees when we ended.  Humidity didn't seem to be a problem.

Clothing - Black running shorts (compression, biker style), Short sleeve tech shirt (rockstar),  and Camelbak (first time using it.  loved it!!)

Nutrition -   Ate a banana and cliff bar before the run. During the run:  75+ oz powerade/water mix. A GU at around 4.

Route -  Started at the intersection of Lee Chapel Rd on Ox Road.  Went 3.5 miles down Ox past Burke Lake Road and turned around.  Then went 3.5 miles down Ox towards Occoquan and turned around. 

Distance Completed:  14 miles

Time:  Started at 4:30am, took 2 hours, 49 minutes.

T.  and I met at 4:30am to get the 14 miles done.  A. met up with us for the last 9 miles. It was really weird running in complete darkness for more than an hour before we could start seeing in front of us.   I got close to 12 miles done before the sun was up and out.  I was happy to have run 11 miles before hitting the "wall" and needing to play mind games on trying to keep the running all running and not walking more than I should.  In the end, my last 3 miles were very, very slow and filled with walking.  Towards the last 3 miles, I was starting to feel soreness under my toes on my left foot.  I  have a feeling that my sock was bunched up for the first 7 miles and it may have started to cause blisters.  I can now see some blisters forming under some of the toes on the left food. 

At the 7 mile mark. I stopped for about 5 minutes and re-grouped.   Fixed my sock on my left foot, refilled my camelbak and used my frozen wash cloth.

Also, I stopped at the gas station (at mile 9.6) to use the bathroom.  So happy it was there when I had to go!

Anything I'd do different?  No.  I am very happy how well this run went.  Can't believe I just did more than 1/2 the marathon.  14 miles is nothing to make light of.  Yowzer!  Believe it or not, the weather was not a factor this morning.  It wasn't humid and or too hot. 

Mid-week runs - ran 5 miles on Tuesday, ran 4 miles on Thursday; both on the treadmill at the gym.

Saturday, July 30th

Weather - Sunny, 78 degrees and the humidity was ridiculously high. 

Clothing - Black running shorts (longer, biker style), Short sleeve tech shirt (rockstar),  fuel belt

Nutrition -   Ate a banana before. During the run:  (2) 8 oz powerade, (1) 8oz water

Route -  Went 2 miles down Roberts and 2 miles back.  Parked the car by the Walmart, near Burke Centre Parkway and Roberts.. 

Distance Completed: 4 miles

Time:  Started at 6:30am, took 47 minutes, 21 seconds

J.W., T, and I met at 6:30am to do the 4 miles we had scheduled.  We mixed it up a bit and did a hilly route to get used to running on something other than a flat surface.  Roberts is hilly!

Anything I'd do different?  No.  I have to say that given the extreme heat, this run went as well as could've been expected. While 4 miles doesn't seem like a lot, throw in a hills and heat and I was dying.  I am so looking forward to cooler weather. 

Mid-week runs - ran 5 miles on Tuesday, ran 4 miles on Thursday; both on the treadmill at the gym.  Was happy how I am managing to pick up my pace a little.

Saturday, July 23rd

Weather - Pitch black out, 79 degrees and in the middle of a big heat wave when we started.  Sunny and 83 degrees when we ended.  Humidity was high.

Clothing - Black running shorts (longer, biker style), Short sleeve tech shirt (rockstar),  fuel belt, spi belt with phone

Nutrition -   Ate a banana and cliff bar before the run. During the run:  (8) 8 oz powerade. A GU at around mile 5.6 and another GU at mile 8.8.

Route -  Started at the intersection of Lee Chapel Rd on Ox Road.  Went 2.5 miles down Ox past Burke Lake Road and turned around.  Then went 3.5 miles down Ox towards Occoquan and turned around. 

Distance Completed: 12  miles

Time:  Started at 5:00am, took 2 hours, 33 minutes.

J.W., T,  A, and I met at 5:00am to try to get in as much of the 12 miles as possible before the sun came out shining bright.  It worked. I got close to 10 miles done before I could feel the sun beating down on me.  I had no pain during this run and was pleasantly surprised how far I got before I needed to do some more walking. This kicked in around mile 10.

I came up with the idea to freeze a wet wash cloth and a bottle of water the night before. I put it in a cooler and placed it at the corner of Lee Chapel and Ox.  When we got done with the first 5 miles and was back at our starting point, it was really nice to have the wash cloth to wipe my face and put it on my neck to cool me off.  I could actually feel my body temperature lower.  Very refreshing!

Also, I stopped twice at the gas station (once at mile 7.6 and again on the way back at mile 9.4).  The first time I bought a bottle of Powerade and refilled my containers.  On the way back, I used the air conditioning indoors to cool off for a little before continuing.

Anything I'd do different?  No.  I have to say that given the extreme heat, this run went as well as could've been expected.  I am still in shock I've now run 12 miles.  WOW!

Mid-week runs - ran 5 miles on Tuesday, ran 4 miles on Thursday; both on the treadmill at the gym.