Summer is nearly here!

Ok, I am not sure what day exactly hails the "start" of summer...but, really, for all intensive purposes summer is HERE! Today it was in the upper eighties here! Wonderful! I got two 4-mile runs in this week after work in the evenings (and some gym visits of course), which was great...the weather was perfect and it was SO nice to be able to take advantage of that.

So, after my race on April 11 (the half marathon that I wrote about!), I've ran in 2 additional events thus far this year...The Race to Wrigley ("just" a 5K) and The Lake Run (a 12K here in Bloomington). Awesome! I've had a great time at both. The Race to Wrigley was a tad underwhelming...it was hard to get a good run in, because the course was narrow; especially at the end when we had to run through the concourse of the ball field. There were soooo many people walking or taking it way easy, so it was actually somewhat dangerous at times to try to dodge people without hurting them or myself! All in all, though, it was a fun day. The Lake Run was also great...it was on May 2 and the weather was PERFECT! I actually drove up to Lake Bloomington, where the race was held, all by myself! I did end up seeing a few people I knew there (namely my boss, Kory, who was handing out water bottles at the end; he is a member of Kiwanis)...but for the most part I was by myself. I was fine, though, and had a really good time.

Here's my big news....I registered for the Chicago Marathon! Yup, believe it! Just 141 training days left, too! :) I am pretty pumped, but I am starting to get intermittently nervous :)

I hope to get in some other events this summer....we are registered to run the Bix together in July, and will probably run something on the 4th of July. That's all that we have planned for now, though :). I will probably try to get in another half marathon (at least) between now and October. We'll see! :)

Wish me luck! ;)

Thoughts...

So while I was running today I thought about the half marathon that I ran last Saturday....and about all of the surprising things about the whole experience. I mean, I guess the whole thing was really just one big surprising adventure, because it was something I had never done before! But, anyway, there were many things I felt like recording for myself...I bet someday down the road after I have run like 20 half marathons (or even marathons!), I will laugh at these things...so here we go!

1) I got emotional! When I saw the 11 mile marker and began running the 12th mile of the race, I teared up a bit. This completely caught me off guard and of course I kept myself in check and got rid of those almost-tears quickly ;). 11 miles is the most I'd ever run at one time prior to the half marathon last Saturday....so it was embarking on some uncharted territory at that point. It was pretty amazing, really....I was SO excited to be doing something that I had never done before. I didn't really get emotional at the end...just excited! Oh, and tired ;)

2) The bottoms of my feet didn't hurt. I had heard from more than one person that after completing races of that distance the bottoms of your feet typically hurt from the pounding. The right side (outside) of my right foot hurt a bit because I got a small blister, but other than that my feet were in really good shape. In fact, the pedicure that I got in early March before we went to AZ was actually still largely intact, believe it or not! Later that day when I went over to a friend's house for a party someone asked me, "Did you get a pedicure after the race today?" because apparently my toes looked more than decent. WEIRD! I think the whole thing was affected by the fact that I had gotten new shoes (Adidas Boost) the previous weekend and had just been running on them for one week. So, basically, they were perfectly broken in by the end of the race!

3) People throw away their clothes. I had talked to my sister a few days before the race about the weather (it was forcasted to be cold) and what to wear. Megan had done a half marathon in St. Louis a few years prior so I thought she would at least know what to do. She said that during that event, people wore layers and shed their layers as they ran. Basically, they must have worn things on the top layer(s) that they didn't really care about losing as much and just threw them off onto the road when they got a bit hot or uncomfortable. I didn't really believe this til I saw it with my own eyes. Indeed, during the race people were shedding long-sleeved shirts, jackets, gloves (even expensive-looking Nike gloves!), etc. WEIRD! I did wear a pair of inexpensive (maybe $3 at the very most) thin gloves that I did cast aside after the 3rd mile or so...and felt wasteful doing just that. I couldn't imagine throwing away a shirt or anything like that! As we passed many churches along the route I thought to myself that the churches should go around after the race and collect all of the cast-aside clothing items to donate to charities.

4) It was fun! Ok, I had a feeling I would have a great time and would think the experience was fun...or I wouldn't have signed up! However, I wasn't aware of just how much fun it would be! It was sooo festive, and just so exciting! I really can't wait til my next half marathon, or running event in general. I have definitely caught the running bug, if there is such a thing ;). The running community is fun...but of course it has its share of odd-balls as well! ;)

5) I CAN DO IT! I ran the ENTIRE 13.1 mile race WITHOUT stopping...no potty breaks (wow, pre-Celiac diagnosis I couldn't imagine such a luxury!!!), no walking...no giving up! I DID IT! It was really one of the proudest moments of my life. Ok, ok...I know it wasn't really THAT big of a deal. After all, lots of people run half marathons all of the time...heck, lots of people run marathons or even those crazy 200 mile super marathons. But, to me...this was a big deal.

Ok, that's all for now...I need to go to bed. I am TIRED!! I am sure I might have more to add to this later.

I am not sure how long I should let myself "rest" after a half marathon. The 25th we are running a 5k, the Race to Wrigley...so not a huge deal, but I don't want to be completely dead and not do at least decently at that event! On Sunday (the day after the half), I took it pretty easy...I just did 22 minutes on a recumbant bike at Jeremy's parents' house after Easter dinner. Monday I did 65 minutes on the eliptical, I took Tuesday (yesterday) off, and today I ran 4.5-5 miles outside (it was a BEAUTIFUL day!!!)....so I have stayed active for sure, but I haven't been working too hard. I am not really sure what the best thing to do is.

Anyway, bedtime for real now!

Bring on the 26.2! ;)

I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!

Me and my sister, Megan, before the Illinois Marathon (we both ran the half marathon) in Champaign, IL....
This was taken at 6:45 am, right when we arrived in one of the parking lots (you can see Assembly Hall in the background!) and met up with some high school friends of hers...she looks WAY too chipper for that early and for how COLD it was out there!!! :)

Afterwards....yeah, we were a little tired. ;)

...but we were SO proud of ourselves! This was my FIRST time running 13.1 miles and I did it in approx. one hour and 57 minutes. Not too shabby...I was pretty proud of myself! It was Megan's second time and she ran it in approximately one hour and 47 minutes. We stayed together for about 4.1 miles and then I slacked off ;). She ran a half in St. Louis approx 3 years ago.

And here we are again, looking all civilized-like this time around! ;)

I can't wait 'til the next one! AND, bring on the 26.2! I CAN DO IT!!!!!!

Well...

The moment of truth is ALMOST here! My first half marathon is just around the corner...Saturday!!! That means I have just TWO training days left. I ran 7 miles tonight and felt great. I hope that's a good sign :)

I am just hoping to finish without having to walk at all...and without dying ;).

Gettin' down to the wire!

We've been in AZ....even so, I've tried not to completely slack ;)
Fri: 3.9 miles (outside in Mesa)
Sat: 3.9 miles (outside in Mesa)
Sun: 3.1 miles (outside in Mesa)
Mon: 3.1 miles (outside in Mesa)
Tues: 5 miles (outside in Bloomington...unfortunately not as wonderful as Mesa; but still a very nice, warm day!)

Half marathon countdown....23 days to train left!!!

{eek!!!}

All talk and no action?!

Not anymore ;). I registered Jeremy and me for our first race of the year...a tame 5k (piece o' cake!)...the Race to Wrigley on April 25th!

Also...wait for it...I registered myself for the Illinois Marathon (just the HALF!) on April 11 at the University of Illinois in Champaign!!!!

What did I DO?!?!? ;)

Off to the gym!

58 degrees in Central IL today!

We had another lovely run outside today...Jeremy sent me a text today saying that it was 58 degrees so I should get home as soon as possible so we could go for a run! My 5-6pm appointment canceled for the day due to having the flu, so I got home around 5:30, which was nice! Of course I felt bad for the family (sounds like they all have the flu; their original appointment was actually Monday night, which they had canceled and rescheduled for tonight...and then had to cancel again :( yucky for them!!)...but it was nice to get home a bit earlier, too.
We had a lovely run together...I am so glad he runs with me! We had a great talk, too...nights like this make me feel so close to him. I am glad we had that chance to unwind together after a long day.