One Year Later.

A year ago at this time I wasn't running. At all. I had run all summer, and then quit mid-August. I missed the beautiful, cool fall days that were perfect for a run. I also set aside my goal of finishing a half-marathon (or at that time, a full marathon), at least for a bit.

But yesterday was the day. I was able to check that one off of the bucket list. 13.1 miles, conquered.

I had my doubts. Going into yesterday's race, I had not run since the previous Sunday, when I had a horrible run. It was so bad that I had to call Chris to pick me up around mile 7, four miles shorter than what I was hoping to do. I spent the week limping. Tight calves and shin splints. I declared it a week of rest, and spent my nights stretching, icing, and taking a painkiller or two. I got a massage on Tuesday, which helped some, but didn't take away all of the pain. It certainly didn't give me confidence that I'd finish the race. That was my only goal - just to finish.

How I spent the night before the race.

When the alarm went off at 5:00 am, I was already awake. I was in and out of sleep all night, and thanks to a playful but incredibly annoying cat, I woke up at 3:00 am, and couldn't fall back asleep. I put on my gear, ate a little breakfast, and packed up my stuff, and walked out the front door at 5:15. I wanted to get in some slow jogging up and down the block, just to get a sense of whether my legs were on board for the road ahead.

Chris was a trooper and drove me to Miller Park at 5:40 am. A time that neither of us regularly see. We parked, I stretched, went to the bathroom three separate times, and then lined up. My bib said "Corral K," which wasn't even a true corral. Just the back. Like "Hey slow people, find somewhere to stand behind Corral J. And don't get in the way of the people in front of you." Sounds good.

And then it started. And I ran. I ran down Canal Street and past the casino, where it was super smelly, btw. And then over to the Iron Horse Hotel, and back for a loop around the Harley Davidson Museum. And then around the rest of the city, past Miller Brewery, and through some neighborhoods, and then back to Miller Park.

It was a pretty scenic run - although I only half paid attention. I was mainly focused on keeping going. One mile at a time, most faster than my average training run. As I would cross a mile marker, I'd recite my mantra. "Alright Mile 9. All in on Mile 9." No idea where that came from, but it helped. Other times I counted backwards from 100. Over and over. Boring, but it kept me from stopping and giving up. And it also helped me to ignore the various pains in my legs and feet, and an icky stomach feeling that came and went throughout the race. I knew that I'd be looking at some huge blisters when my shoes came off.

Beauts, aren't they?
Popping blisters has become my sad post-race ritual.

At mile 11, I walked. I powered through all of the other hills and up the start of the on ramp, but I eventually met a hill that I couldn't take.  So I let myself walk to the top of the hill, and then picked it back up. It helped that there were folks with signs, cheering along the way. "Pain now, beer later." Best one by far. Am I right?!

Mile 13 brought me into the stadium. It was totally surreal to run through and see all of the families and friends that were in the stands cheering. And then to look up and see that we were on the huge screen, woah. I wanted to speed up through the stadium and finish strong, but I also had the urge to slow down and take it in.

As I ran the final portion of the race and through the finish line, it hit me. Not the pain, but the overwhelming feeling that comes with accomplishing a major goal. One for me that was really hard, and not without set backs. And somehow, I managed to sort of rock it. And blew my own expectations for what I could do.

I just wanted to finish, and yet, I did way better than I thought I ever could!

I know for some people, 13.1 is nothing. And I am in total awe of everyone I know who has completed a full marathon. Because as soon as I finished, the first thing that came to mind was "Oh hell no. No way that I could do what I just did, but twice." In fact, as I found my sister and Chris at the end, and started to cry, all I could say was "I can't believe I finished! I don't want to do a full one."

Finisher!

I promise that giant wet spot is from dumping water over myself.
Not all sweat. I think...

Maybe that goal will come back around later in life. Maybe. But for now, I am pretty proud of checking this off of my list. And I think I'll focus on recovering for a little bit. Because right now I'm walking like  an 80 year old. And just want to sleep on my couch.

Give me a week or two.

Didn't get it done before 30, but getting it done within 30 was pretty great too.

Yeah, I Run.

I have run two races in the last month and am still walking. : )

Last year Chris and I ran the Rock n' Sole 5K together in celebration of his birthday. This year, I decided to push myself to get ready for the quarter marathon. Approx. 6.55 miles.

This year's race was nothing like last year. We woke up in the morning to gloomy skies and rain. We drove down to the lakefront, and my goal was to stay as dry as a I could for as long as I could. Unfortunately, my shoes were wet almost immediately.  It wasn't warm, but also not exactly cold. Kinda sticky. I also had a gross feeling in my stomach that I was hoping would go away by race time. It didn't. Not how you want to start a race. I started out with long sleeves on, but had to stop about halfway through to take off the top layer.

The Rock n' Sole goes up and over the Hoan Bridge. I don't know if others get excited about this. It's alright. Sort of one giant hill. Honestly, it was one of those ugly races that you just want to finish and get out of my soggy shoes as soon as possible. And I did! All things considered, I was pretty proud of my time. I think if they fall the same day next year and if I'm ready, I might choose The Lighthouse Run instead.

Fast forward to this week. I started off the Fourth running the Firecracker Four - a four-mile race through the neighborhoods of Hales Corners. Completely opposite day. Warm and very sunny. With so many cool days lately, it was a pleasant surprise. But of course, I am the idiot that left the sunscreen in the car. Thankfully I didn't get too red. I started this race quite a bit faster, and had a pretty great time again - 38:28. It felt really good to finish. I would definitely do that one again.

I have been having such a different running year than last summer. We have really only had a few hot days so far. I anticipate I'll have quite a few more hot runs moving forward, but it's been nice to actually be able to get outside.

Up until now, I have been creating my own running plan. From here on out, it's official half training for the Brewers Mini Marathon!

Next up: Another fun run, followed by a 10K. Wish me luck!

Race No. 3: The Lombardi Walk/Run for Cancer 5K

One of my goals for 2013 is to complete 13 races. I have started training for the Brewers Half-Marathon in September, and so I've planned in a bunch of earlier races of a variety of lengths.

Yesterday was race number three - the Lombardi Walk/Run for Cancer, which raises money for the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation. I was really excited about it for a number of reasons. First, the cause is something near and dear to me. Then, there is the fact that the race route went through the zoo. Who doesn't love running with animals? I also was pumped because I have been running much more frequently lately, and the weather was nice and cool - a great day for a race.

After an intro program with Bart Starr and a number of other current and former Packers players, the race kicked off. The course went twice around the perimeter of the zoo, which included a major hill to climb. I forgot about the incline on those zoo paths!

I ran at a much faster pace than usual with surprising ease. I actually ended with my best time yet - 30:35. Under ten minute miles - 9:51! I couldn't believe it when I pulled up the results today and discovered that I finished 52/151 in my age group and 204/508 among the women. I suppose it helps that I jumped to the higher age bracket in the last year and my age bracket is all people older than me rather than younger, but I'm pretty proud. I don't think I'll ever be in it to win it, but it is nice to feel like I am accomplishing new things as I continue to run more.

On that note, today I'll be attempting 6 miles again. With the Rock n' Sole Quarter Marathon just a week away, I need to get in at least one six-mile run first. Wish me luck! 

Two Training Plans - Part One

I'm the one with the purple elbow.

This past weekend, I had an awesome time running The Color Run 5K in Racine. It felt so good to get in my second 5K, and I have even more big races ahead. I am officially signed up to do the Brewers Half Marathon in September!

My running has been what you might call intermittent lately. As has my writing. I did best last spring/summer, when I stuck to a running plan with a prescribed schedule. I am thinking that will help me, not only for running, but writing as well. So here is my plan to make significant progress in both areas of my life, in two parts. Running first.

My initial goal was to be ready to do the Lighthouse 10 Mile Run by June 15th. When that didn't seem possible anymore, I signed up for the Rock N Sole Quarter Marathon. That gives me just a few weeks to get back to 6.5 miles. I also went through and registered for all of the races that I plan to do this summer. Committing to that payment makes it a lot less likely that I am going to back out.  

Running Schedule

Week of May 21
Run 1: 2 miles
Run 2: 3 miles
Run 3: The Color Run Racine 5K
Run 4: 5 miles

Week of May 20
Run 1: 3 miles
Run 2: 3 miles
Run 3: 2 miles
Run 4: 6 miles

Week of June 3
Run 1: 2 miles
Run 2: 3 miles
Run 3: 3 miles
Run 4: 4 miles

Week of June 10
Run 1: 2 miles
Run 2: 3 miles
Run 3: 2 miles
Run 4: Rock n' Sole Quarter Marathon - 6.5 miles

I am a few weeks (okay, months) behind where I would like to be at this point, but I am committed to sticking to this and making time for running.

Hope to see you out on the road. Let me know if you'd like to do a race together.

 

13 Races and 13.1 in 2013

Remember when I ran a lot? I'd like to do that again.

One of my main goals for this year is to get back into a regular running schedule, and to check off that half marathon goal. 13.1 in 2013? Yes, please. I really miss running. While I wasn't fast, it was amazing stress relief, and something I can do that is just for me.

And what I found last year, is that I really liked the opportunity to do those shorter races. They were way more fun than my plain old training runs. So why not aim to complete 13 races this year?! 

So here is my schedule for what I'd like to do this spring/summer to get started:

1. Saturday, March 23 - Bunny Rock Run 5K
2. Saturday, April 27 - Either the Deer Run 10K (which I did last year) or the Crazylegs Classic 8K
3. Saturday, May 11 - The Cupcake Run 5K (c'mon, does this not have my name all over it?)
4. Saturday, May 25 - The Color Run Racine (this is more of a fun one)
5. Saturday, June 8 - The Lombardi Run
6. Wednesday, June 12 - SuperRun 5K
7. Saturday, June 15 - Either the Lighthouse Run 10 miler in Racine, or the Rock N' Sole Quarter Marathon (I participated in both races last year and am bummed that they fall on the same day!)
8. Wednesday, July 4 - The Firecracker 4
9. Thursday, July 11 - Storm the Bastille 5K
10. Thursday, July 18 - Festa 5K (no info yet)
11. Saturday, July 20 - Sausage Racers 5K

As for the half marathon, I have a few options:

• The Madison Mini Marathon on August 17th
• The Badgerland Striders Half on August 24th
• The Brewers Half on September 28th

I am hoping to decide fairly soon. I'm leaning towards the Brewer's Half because it gives me a little more time, and will likely not be blazing hot like it was in August last year.

Does this sound like fun to you? Run with me! I'd love a buddy.

Don't live by me? That's okay. We can run together virtually.  A blog running group if you will. Share a race that you might like to do in the comments section, and I'll cheer for ya from here!

Never run before? That's okay. I started totally from scratch last year. And I'll basically be starting over again now. I used a Couch to 5K program, which was a great tool to help me start slow and build steady progress along the way. I totally recommend it.

Running MKE

You might remember that back in July, I posted about running through the city of Milwaukee. I did this as part of participation in a blogging project, hosted at A Good Run. One of my colleagues, Steve, has a different person run their city each week, and share the experience through a blog post.

My post went up today! I am so excited to share the run that Becca and I did of Milwaukee. We had so much fun, and I can honestly say that throughout my training experience, it was probably my best run. Maybe because there wasn't really a lot of pressure, it was just fun. It was a beautiful day to explore the city.

Definitely check out my post there, and all of the other awesome city tours that others have done. You might just find a new way to explore the next city that you visit!

Hitting the Pavement

The last time that I ran was 53 days ago. That changed today.

After weeks of hesitation and thinking about running, today I just decided to get out and actually do it. I've missed it. A lot more than I expected, actually. This weekend is the Lakefront Marathon, and although I won't be running it this year, I still have hopes that I'll be able to do it someday. Which meant that it was time to get back out on the road.

Running is one of those things you are not just supposed to quit cold turkey, but that's kind of what I did. I got so overwhelmed by being sick, work, and being injured, that I gave up. I just couldn't make the mental space to try to work through it, and I didn't want to put the time into running if it hurt too much. Not the best recovery strategy, friends.

Today was okay. My feet felt a little wonky for parts of the run, but that was to be expected with so much time off. I think they were sort of in shock, so I took it slow. I am definitely not in my best shape, but I will get back there. This time maybe with a smaller goal.

The saddest part is that I think I just missed the best month of running weather. I suppose I'll take advantage of the cool October temps before the snow starts.

Bucket Of Yuck

 

That's how I've been feeling lately. What seemed to be allergies last week has turned into a vicious summer cold this week. We are talking snot everywhere, people. It's not pretty.

A few observations on being sick:

• Red, chapped nose is not sexy. Vaseline is essential.
• When your head is totally fuzzy, you start to think crazy things - like maybe leggings COULD be pants. Call for help!
• Robitussin is still the only cough syrup that I trust. Hoping it doesn't look too shady that I have a bottle in my purse. Probably looks more shady that I tend to drink it out of the bottle. But who wants to clean those tiny little cups? 
• Snot bubbles at 29 are totally embarrassing. Yeah.
• Having a guest room is a very good thing when you have a hacking cough at 3 am. I can at least lock myself away and keep from waking everyone else up.
• There comes a point with a cold where your head becomes more clear because all your snot has drained down to your chest. Which means your cough becomes more awful sounding and way more painful. That is my least favorite part. 
• I don't know about you, but I am even more awkward when sick. Nice to meet you - let me totally forget that I just coughed for 10 minutes and then offer to shake your hand. Aww crap.
• Nothing is better than sweatpants and blankets when sick. Until five minutes later when that fever kicks it into high gear...
• Nobody likes to be around sick people. I get it. I am usually a huge germaphobe myself when I am not sick. Avoid me like the plague.  

Isn't being sick the worst?

A Change in the Game

Running is hard, especially when you cannot breathe.

I am starting to cry again as I write this post. I'm honestly heartbroken. I haven't kept count, but probably the fifth or sixth time that I have cried this weekend. Pity party, table of one.

These last few weeks have been full of highs and lows. Lately, mostly lows. And most of those related to running.

Last week's long run did not go well. It was incredibly hot, and although I was hopeful, I was not able to finish the run, and walked a good chunk of the 14 miles, hurting most of the way and unable to get my breathing in right due to my allergy-induced asthma. It felt like one thing was going wrong after the next. And all I could hope for was a better run this week when it was time to tackle 16 miles.

The week was rough. My allergies have been on overdrive due to the high ragweed count, and I was only able to get in one short run on Tuesday. I actually ended up staying home sick on Friday, and had to head into the doctor for a breathing treatment to help open up my lungs. At the end of my appointment, I asked if I could attempt running on Saturday. The doctor said it was okay for me to try.

Saturday was a beautiful day. For mid-August, I couldn't ask for better weather. Nice and cool, with most of my run in the shade. Although I didn't feel awesome when I woke up, I decided it was worth a shot. I did not want to miss one of the few cool days that we have had this summer. The first 8 miles went quite smoothly. Only a little bit of walking. Then on miles 9-10, my knee started to hurt. I found myself doing lots of stopping and starting. Attempts at running, accompanied by a need to stop fairly quickly. And by the end of mile eleven, I just had to stop completely at the water stop and catch a ride back. The last five miles I was going to be totally on my own, headed down the bike path back to my car. I wasn't sure if I was even going to be able to walk it, and didn't want to get stranded.

When I got back, I talked to the PT doctor. He thought that my knee problems were probably with my IT Bands, one of the most common running injuries. He did have some concern that I have a stress fracture, and told me to come in and get an x-ray this week to figure out if I should keep pounding the pavement.

This is the point at which I drove home and had a serious meltdown. We are talking straight out of Toddlers and Tiaras. Big old crocodile tears. Ridiculous for a 29 year-old? Probably. But I was just overcome with frustration, disappointment, embarrassment - you name it, I was feeling it. Do you ever have one of those moments? My very own Jessie Spano breakdown. Sad panda.

I do not want to quit. Even with how badly it has been going. Because I want more than anything else to prove to myself that I can do it. I had the chance to catch up with one of my best friends a few weeks ago. She told me how proud she was of me, but also that she was surprised I had made it this far. You see, I have a history of picking things up, and not sticking with them. Especially when it comes to health and fitness. I have received so much encouragement along the way, that thinking about stopping has overwhelmed me. This would be just one more thing that I failed to actually do.

But I also need to listen to my body. And my knees have hurt so much over these past few runs that I have then taken more time than I should have to recover. Which just made the next long run even harder. I need the recovery time, but I also need to squeeze in my runs. Where do you go with that?

Balancing running and life has become a challenge. Finding time for my runs has turned me into a ball of stress especially as I look ahead to the next six weeks. I have already been in a battle of the hours, choosing between sleep, dissertation, work, life, and running. And the problem is that when I choose not to run over those other things, I am basically asking to get hurt. I have learned the hard way that you cannot skip the short runs and think the long ones will go okay. I need to be able to work harder at this. And right now, I just don't know that I can. Especially when it hurts to even walk right now, not to mention breathe.

I am not giving up on this. Just putting it on hold for right now and perhaps setting a more reasonable challenge. I want to make sure that I can make the time for training and that I am not trying to manage too many major things at the same time. I may try to start with a half marathon first and do a little more base building. Hopefully if I can get in more running generally, building up the distance will be more doable. Maybe a marathon was not a realistic goal this time around. But it was worth giving it a shot.

Thanks to all of you for your support along the way. Especially to Chris and my family, who have planned around my running schedule, come to support me at races, and put other things on hold. I appreciate everyone who has cheered for me, provided words of encouragement or running advice, and

Running is something that makes me feel very vulnerable. That is what I like about it. I do not have any natural talent at running and I may run slowly, but I run. Throughout this journey, I have put it out there for the world to read - ringworm, blisters, ice packs, and all. Something that makes me feel even more vulnerable. I may be disappointed right now, but I am very proud that I have run 5Ks, a 10K, and a 10-mile race as part of this process. I have muscles I have never had before. I actually like working out - which is perhaps the craziest part.

It does not look like I am going to get to 26.2 this time. But I will try again.

A City Adventure

I have never been so excited about a surprise water stop!

I am thinking that today is going to be a two-post day. I wanted to share a bit about my weekend adventures, but Saturday and Sunday were so absolutely different, that I do not think I can make them fit in one post. One at a time.

So let's start with Saturday. Our running group didn't have a training run scheduled for this weekend, because they were hosting a 10-mile race on Sunday. Since I would not be able to participate in the race, I made other arrangements for a Saturday run, unlike the rest.

You may recall that awhile back I mentioned that I had signed up to run Milwaukee as part of the blog, A Good Run. I am not actually posting until November, but decided to get the actual run in a bit early, as the distance we were looking at fit well with the current training schedule.

I didn't run alone. willrun4cookies7338 ran with me! She is an experienced marathoner, and has been a great coach for me throughout my training so far. I appreciate all of her motivation and expertise, especially when I ask dumb questions like, "What socks should I wear" and "Should my foot look like this?"

So Saturday morning, we hit seven different hotspots during our run through the city. Any guesses what they were?

I will save the details for my November post on A Good Run, but will say that it was a really fun adventure, that involved a little bit of freestyling, some surprise trail running when we got a bit off course, and a bonus stop towards the beginning of our journey. We discovered new, fun parts of the city that we didn't know existed along the way. Plus, we found some of the city's cleaner porta-potties. An important thing to know when doing long runs.

One of the best parts of the day was when we ran through the end of an organized 5K that we did not know was happening that day. I do not know that I have ever been so excited for a water stop. My bottle had been empty for a little while, and I was starting to get whiny. Since the race had already gone through, and the volunteer was tearing it down, he was nice enough to let us steal some water, even though we were not signed up for the race. Thank you good sir!

Even better, we completed 13.3 miles! It was hard to believe it, but I actually completed a distance further than a half marathon! We made pretty good time, considering that we were stopping to take pictures, and did some walking too. We finished in 02:53:39. Not bad! I was amazed at how good that I felt throughout the run, which I attribute that to the beautiful weather. I definitely still feel on track with our training program, and am reading for the 14-mile run this weekend.

I do not know if I ever would have said this before, but I honestly think that running is one of the best ways to see a city, which is why I am so excited about Steve's blog. You should definitely check it out and consider signing up yourself if you enjoy running. I believe there are still some spots left!

What would you highlight in your city?

Recovery

Ice for the knees. Ice for the soles.
Don't tell Chris, that's his pillow that's doing the propping...

I ran 12 miles today (in 2:20:37). No big deal.

Yeah, just kidding. It feels like a really big deal. Because it basically sucked, and while I finished, I was not totally sure it was going to happen. Which makes me nervous for the additional two miles that will be coming for the next several weeks. Yikes!

I also don't think I realized quite how hot it actually was until I had to stop to use the porta-potty on mile 10. While trapped in that stinky plastic death trap, it became clear exactly how much heat that my body was radiating at the time. That was also the moment that I thought, "really...I'm doing this on purpose?"

I am not a fast runner. At all. I am averaging between 10-12:30 per mile, depending on how much I stop to walk, take breaks, etc. Or today, dodge through a 5K walk that happened to merge with our route (where most people were walking 6-8 deep...rude). Today was one of those days that I wished I was faster, because then I would have been done much sooner.

Not to mention, if I was faster, then maybe the 5K walker wouldn't have taunted me because I was pretty much the last one in the group trudging along, well behind everyone else. Having someone yell, "Catch up, catch up," was not exactly well received. In hindsight, I, of course, applaud the individual for also getting outside and exercising as well. "We each gotta do our own thing, at our own pace - you walk your 3.2 miles, I'll run my 12. Yeah us." What I really wanted to yell back was, "I'm on mile 9, how about you, jerk?!" But I'm doing this for me, not for anyone else. And I do not really anticipate going much faster, so I'll stick to my place by myself in the back. Slow trotting it is.

Anyway, I am currently in the midst of my post-run routine, also known as recovery. This is where, after stretching, showering, and peeling off any blisters, I wrap myself in ice packs, prop my knees, and lay in my bed watching internet tv. Usually with both a coffee and a Gatorade, maybe some chips. Dramatic? Maybe. But it's necessary. Because I'm not quite sure I could walk right now. My feet want to cry every time I stand up. And I am conserving all of the energy that I have got left so that I do not fall asleep at Batman. Chris would be so disappointed.

So this is running...

This Skin I'm In

It has taken me 29 years to finally start taking care of my skin. Oops.

I have never been very good about getting into a regular skin care routine, nor did I find a product that I liked. I guess when you start approaching 30, it is time to jump on board with things like anti-aging, eye cream, etc. I don't see Botox or plastic surgery in my future, but I would certainly like to stay looking as youthful as I can, right?

I am currently using the Rodan + Fields line, with a combo of the Unblemish and Reverse treatments. The Unblemish will hopefully address my summer breakouts, which have been made worse by all of the sweating I'm doing. The Reverse treatment, is supposed to lighten the sun damage already done. I'll eventually switch out of that to the Anti-Age. I have only been using it for a few months, but it is amazing the difference that washing/treating my face twice a day can make.

And sunscreen? We are new BFFs. I previously loved the idea of being tan, especially during the summer, and put significant time, money and energy into browning my pasty skin (both outside and inside), often resulting in some serious sunburns along the way. I just cannot imagine continuing to damage my skin and risk the more serious consequences that could come down the road. Does anyone else have serious tanning regret? Maybe it's just me. Pale is the new tan, friends.

What are your skin care secrets?

Storming the Bastille

So I totally feel like the Defarges in A Tale of Two Cities right now. Yeah, French Revolution! Okay, not really at all, but I did run Storm the Bastille 5K, as part of Bastille Days on Thursday. The race started at 9 pm and went through downtown Milwaukee. It was so much fun!

I got to run with Rachel, one of my coworkers!

I would definitely do this race again. Although it is super crowded, there was some great people watching. I loved the people wearing costumes during the race. There were a lot of people wearing berets, striped shirts, etc. and running carrying baguettes, which made me laugh. I'd be all about running with a Cafe Au Lait and a beignet. Perhaps a glass of wine. Definitely a good fun run!

On a semi-related note (because it's French of course, although post-French Revolution), who is excited for the new Les Miserables movie? It comes out December 14, 2012 - get ready! It's a musical version, unlike the 1998 version with Liam Neeson, Uma Thurman, and Claire Danes. Check out the trailer here:



So excited that it stars Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried, and Sasha Baron Cohen. Not excited that Anne Hathaway will be playing Fantine. I really can't stand her. And she will be singing "I Dreamed a Dream," one of my favorite Les Mis songs, as shown in the trailer. I sang that during voice lessons back in the day. I will definitely still go see it. Can't wait! Between that and the new Great Gatsby, I think it is going to be an excellent movie season.

A Little Incentive

Image borrowed from here

As I was browsing on Pinterest awhile back, I saw a cool idea to create a little motivation/incentive for working out.

For each workout that you complete, you put $1 in a jar. When the jar gets to $100, you reward yourself with something nice. The example given was jeans, since hopefully by 100 workouts in, you might be ready for a new, smaller pair.

I loved this idea, and have been doing the same, although rather than an actual dollar, I have been moving the money from my checking account to my savings at the end of each month. Much easier, since I rarely carry cash. With 58 in, I am past the halfway mark, and working towards that $100 reward, which will hopefully come by the end of the summer. Right now I'm thinking a new pair of jeans would be a perfect reward, but perhaps new shoes, or maybe more new jewelry. : )

What do you use as workout motivation?

Don't forget about my second blog giveaway, the Cupcake Decorating Kit. Check out this post for more details. I'll pick a winner on Monday. Are cupcakes good workout motivation? Haha. 

The Fungus Among Us

Name the band with that album name.

So it's about to get real personal. Slash maybe a little gross. If this is your first time reading this blog, I apologize...

I have been running a lot. Therefore, also sweating a lot. Because it's hot, you know.

Sweat = moisture. Moisture = breeding ground for fungus. That's right. My name is Kirstin, and I have a fungus.

More specifically, I was diagnosed with ringworm today. Ringworm is not a parasite. It is a fungus. And it can create a distinct circular pattern, like so:

Oh hey, that's my love handle...

It also goes by the names of Athlete's Foot and Jock Itch. Yuck. I fortunately only have it on my stomach and back, most likely from my sports bra and running tank. The nurse practitioner said they see a lot of it around this time of the year, especially among active people. So that is one official con of physical activity. Score: Fungus = 1, Kirstin = 0.

So I will be hanging out with my anti-fungal cream, washing every clothing item, towel, and bedsheet, and avoiding coming into any skin-to-skin contact with others for a little bit. Including the cats - they can get ringworm too. And in cats, it can create circular bald patches. The last thing I want is a funny looking cat.

You might be thinking "Kirstin, that's nasty." Yes, in fact it is. According to the sheet I got from the doctor, as well as the Mayo Clinic web site, here are some things you can do to avoid ringworm yourself:

• Shower immediately after working out. Don't hang out in your sweaty gym clothes watching tv for a few hours. Basically practice good personal hygiene. Mmmk?
• Avoid excessive sweating. Good luck this time of year.
• Don't share towels, clothes, etc. - Um, yuck.
• Avoid skin-to-skin contact with others with ringworm. That just sounds dirty. 
• Wash your clothes/towels regularly and make sure they are dry.
• If you participate in contact sports (football, rugby, wrestling), you are taking a big risk...
• The same is true if you live in a warm, humid climate. Sorry Florida. You sound like trouble. 
• Don't wear your hair in a wet ponytail all the time. Oops.
• Don't share hats, combs, brushes. Also important for avoiding head lice. 
• Avoid tight shoes/underwear that rub/irritate your skin. Wear cotton underwear and socks.
• Carefully dry your feet after bathing/swimming. "Apply antiperspirant to your feet if they perspire excessively." This feels weird. 
• If your pet is missing patches of fur, it probably needs to go to the vet. Oh, and maybe don't touch the pet or their bald patches...

Okay, that is enough advice. Sorry if I grossed you out. I am kind of disgusted with myself right now. And I'm pretty sure that Chris was making a gagging noise when he asked me if it was contagious. Grown up cooties. But hey, at least now you know how to identify ringworm. Right?

On a happier note, don't forget about my second blog giveaway, the Cupcake Decorating Kit. Check out this post for more details, and get your entries in today! If there is one thing to take your mind off skin conditions, it's cupcakes. Am I right?!

Did you get the band name? Answer = Incubus

For He's a Jolly Good Fellow

Yesterday we celebrated Chris' birthday. I won't tell you which one, but will say that it was a big one.

We started out our day running the Rock n' Sole 5K. The race took us up and over the Hoan bridge, and back through the Summerfest grounds. It was an early morning - we started running at 7:20 am. It took awhile to get started actually running, because of the large crowd walking at the front. I finished in 33:24, and ran around really fast to get pictures of Chris finishing.

Check out the birthday boy!

Afterwards, we were able to enjoy some music and refreshments at the grounds. So fun. Plus, we got a free ticket to Summerfest for participating. And every finished got a medal - check us out!

We tried to see Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter after lunch. I say tried, because the movie ended up being cancelled due to "technical difficulties." As in, they went to play the movie and there was sound, but no video. They did give us a refund, and a free pass for a future movie. So we ended up wandering the mall instead.

Our celebration was small, but still very fun. I had initially planned a quick weekend trip to celebrate Chris' birthday, but am saving it for the fall, since I had troubles getting hotel reservations. For right now, his main gift was an Andrew Luck Colts shirt. We will save the adventures for another time.

Happy Birthday to Chris! He is a wonderful friend and partner, and my favorite roommate!

The Lighthouse Run

So what did you do on Saturday? Me? I ran ten miles.

Woo hoo!

After spending the night at my grandma's house in Racine, I got up bright and early on Saturday, and headed down to the Racine Family YMCA, who sponsors the race.

The race went much better than I expected, despite the fact that I had never really run on hills before, and there were a lot. During the first mile of the race, we ran through the zoo. At first I thought that would be really cool, but I only saw one weird looking bird. And the zoo smells were a little much. We had a lot of scenic views of the lake, which was fun. I was so focused on running, that I didn't even notice when we went past the Wind Point Light House, which is the whole point of the race. Oops.

Mostly, I enjoyed all of the people who came out to their front yards and sprayed us with their hoses and sprinklers. Although it wasn't as hot I as they initially predicted, I definitely took advantage of everything I could do to stay cool. I did make a point to walk through a few of the water stops, which helped me to pause for a minute and then keep going. And the energy beans made a big difference too. There was only one time when I felt like I had to walk, and it was just for a minute or two on mile three while I worked through a side stitch.  

My official time, according to the web site was 1:49:35. Almost exactly an 11 minute pace, which I am happy with considering this is the longest distance that I have ever run, and that I was not able to finish the ten miles a few weeks ago. In my division F25-29, I was 34th of 38. I placed 647th overall, out of 725 finishers.

My mom, Chris, and our friend Ry, who was visiting, met me at the finish line. As we were leaving the race, we ran into the people from O&H Bakery, with their mascot, Ohlaf. My mom ran over, insisting that we get a picture with him. While standing with him, my mom said "Olhaf, we love you. We have your Christmas ornaments!" Haha. The girl inside the costume said thanks. 

I am very happy to have completed the race, especially now that I have had some time to relax and recover this weekend. I can't rest for too long though, because this week's schedule is:

Run 1: 3 miles
Run 2: 2 miles
Run 3: 5K
Run 4: 11 miles

Time to rest up!

Training Time: Part Three

So late last week, we got our training schedule for the end of June up until the marathon. Well, not the whole schedule, just the long runs. It looks like this:

June 30: 6 miles

July 7: 8 miles
July 14: 10 miles
July 21: 12 miles
July 29: 10 miles

August 4: 14 miles
August 11: 16 miles
August 18: 18 miles
August 25: 13.1 - Half Marathon

September 1: 20 miles
September 8: 12 miles
September 16: 22 miles
September 22: 14 miles
September 29: 8 miles

October 7: 26.2 - The Marathon

I knew that the numbers would obviously have to get up there, but yikes. It really threw me for a loop. Especially wrapping my head around the amount of time that training is going to take over the next few months.

My training runs over the weekend did not go very well. I couldn't get my full ten miles during the previous weekend, just seven and a half, and struggled to even hit my six this past Sunday, stopping at three and a half. I was just off. All up in my head. I couldn't get past the heat, and just kept thinking, if it is this hard now, how is August going to go? Or the ten mile race that I am running this weekend?

Ten miles. On a 90-degree day. When I picked up my packet on Monday, I was told, "If you can run seven, you will be totally fine running ten." I ran seven, eight and nine, but it definitely wasn't feeling like ten would be a piece of cake.

I went and got a new water bottler, as well as an assortment of energy gels, jelly beans, etc. After reading up on glycogen and understanding the science of it, it finally made sense why my body was shutting down. I hadn't been using anything on my long runs, because I had no idea that I needed to do anything.  How dumb. I immediately noticed a difference when I attempted my long run again. I actually used one of the energy strips - just like a breath strip. Weird stuff.

I ended up deciding to go back and watch Spirit of the Marathon, a documentary of six different individuals training for the Chicago marathon. It was shared by a colleague, and was very inspirational. I needed that moment to see why it is worth putting the time and work into training. And that it is doable for someone like me. At least I hope so.

One run at a time.

Oh Hey, That's Me!

If you have a moment, hop on over to A Good Run. You might notice that my face is included in a recent post.

The concept of Steve's blog is a really cool concept. Each week features a different runner sharing a run in their city, stopping at different hot spots along the way. Steve also asks the runners to thank someone at each stop, and to raise money/make a donation to a charity of their choice. I have enjoyed reading the posts from other runners so far, and learning about different cities that would be fun to visit.  

I had the chance to meet Steve last February at a work-related conference, and we talked a bit about running and my goal to run a marathon. He gave me some great tips, as a more experienced runner, and told me about his  After checking out the blog, I decided to sign up, and will be doing a run of Milwaukee, which will post on November 12. I am really excited, and have already been brainstorming which Milwaukee locations I would like to highlight. I would never have considered myself a runner a few months ago, and so it is pretty cool to do something like this.

Steve is looking for runners to fill 52 weeks, and still has a number of spots left. If you like to run, consider signing up.

In the meantime, I am off to look into some new running shoes. I do not think that my current pair are going to make the cut, as my runs get longer. Too many blisters.

Wipeout

Oh running.

I knew that it would come with some road injuries along the way. However I was not prepared for the major face plant that happened yesterday morning. 

That'll teach me to watch the cracks in the sidewalk rather than drifting off. 

I was doing my slow trot along Lake Drive, when I suddenly tripped and dove face first into the sidewalk. I was totally startled, and struggled to pick myself up. My first thought was to grab my chin because I have split it open twice before, both times requiring a nice row of stitches. I had scraped my knee, palms, and hit my chin and cheek hard enough that my glasses flew off. Thankfully there wasn't any gushing blood this time around. Just required quite a few bandaids.

I am very thankful to the woman who was also running, who stopped to make sure that I was okay. I was in such shock at the time that I didn't really even think about it. It wasn't until I started walking home that I burst into tears, out of both embarrassment and pain. My bruised pride was probably worse than my actual injuries. Although I definitely discovered some additional areas that lost the war with the sidewalk - my shoulder and hip have seen better days. 

Who wants to be the 29 year old with a bandaid on her face? I'm that girl. At least my chin is looking a lot better than yesterday. 

Oh well. Won't keep me from getting back out there on Sunday. Well, I'll probably run...