Marathon Mom

It would be an understatement to say that April was a crazy month and not fun at times... The month started with my diagnosis of anemia  but at least I now know the reason for the lack of great running! A little update now that I am 1 month into iron supplement. The good news it is working but the bad news is  not as fast as it could if I was on a higher dose. Ferritin is now up to 19 from 5, yay! Still a ways to go but hoping to feel more normal before Grandmas in 6 weeks Other not so fun running news was missing my half marathon 2 weeks ago. I'm sure you have all seen the massive veggie recall going around, well guess who's salad lunches weren't a great idea 😠 . The only good news of this was finally realizing the cause since we were thinking it was related to the high doses of iron supplement. And now the non-running craziness... We are building a new house! It all happened super fast, within 4 days of deciding to not remodel our current home and build instead ...

These past 2 weeks after Grandma's Marathon have been exactly what I needed. 2 weeks of low running without expectations, the ability to skip a run if I wasn't feeling it, a complete transition away from my overly stressful job that was taking over my life and working to make myself and family a priority. We spend much of last weekend at the softball fields coaching O's team to a consolation bracket win! In true MN weather we were cold, bundled up in jackets and pants and even pulled out hand warmers for the Sunday morning games! All weekend I was wishing that this weather had been there the previous weekend for the marathon. Heading to the game! Is it really June?! This week I struggled with running, legs were heavy, I was tired, I just didn't have that push. I kept low miles, walked if needed and didn't look at pace, my body was asking for recovery. I even skipped my 4 miles midweek when O asked to join me, we did 2.25 miles run/walk averaging around 10:30 ...

Well, Grandma's was to be my replacement marathon for being sick right before Flying Pig and not being able to race. Coach Nichole and I decided to give it another shot since I was recovered quick after Pig and ready to race. I was lucky enough to find a last minute hotel and a friend wanting to share Friday night. After a week + pf tracking weather that looked perfect, tailwind, highs of 60, cloudy, it all changed! We got up early to ride to the start. Since Grandma's is a point to point course they bus to the start. I waited in a nice long porta-potty line as I drank my UCAN and shed my top layer of clothes. It was lightly sprinkling and a little cool, perfect! After dropping my bag I weaved my way through the crowds to get between the 3:35 and 3:25 pacers (no 3:30 pacer). The DJ played "Let's Go Crazy" and I had a great feeling, I was ready. That is my song, not only am I a huge Prince fan but on the bus to Boston the year I PR'd that song was playing. ...

Anyone else having a hard time believing that Christmas is in 1 week?! Seriously where did the time go and how will I get everything done? We hit the dep freeze here and had a day of light snow, then rain so now just cold and nasty! I’m sure everyone knows how much I hate cold weather so this is not making me happy, just reminding myself that in 1 month I will be enjoying sun, warmth and the beach J Source Started the weekend with a long, early run. I’m glad I have such crazy friends to convince me a 6am start will be fun on a December Saturday! 16 hilly miles done with great conversation at 8:26 avg pace! Then it the weekend was all about holiday fun: we saw the Nutcracker with friends, Saturday was Santa games at the gym and then Charlie Brown Christmas followed by finally decorating the tree. We are hosting Christmas Eve and doing an appetizer type dinner, my favorite! So far the plan for my vegan/gluten free/healthy meal is… vegan 7 layer tip hummus and ve...

What happened to the days when sleeping in meant 9 or 10am or even later? Not 5:45 like today, which truly is sleeping in for me. So here I am relaxing as much as one can while trying to get a 5 year old out the in the midst of a kitchen in the middle of installing new appliances, filled with boxes and tools! I sit here and think about what's been happening and the good of the week in the midst of chaos and frustrations... 1) Warm Weather! Okay so you southerners may not agree that the 40s we have now is warm but for us midwesterners this is tropical in December. I ran yesterday afternoon in shorts! Talk about a mental run and something I needed, smiling the entire time. We got in on the trails that are typically snow covered and closed long before now and Cooper experienced his first deer sighting. No Snow! 2) The New UCAN Cinnamon Swirl Bar! You all know I love UCAN and while I ate the PB Chocolate Bar and like it, I wouldn't rave about it because I am one of those we...

1) This weather is making me so much happier! 40s and sunny and the snow is melting rapidly, yay! I have not needed to run on the treadmill in over a week and am loving it, slushy ankle deep puddles and all. 2) My foot is better, I can still get some pain if I dig at it but it is all soft tissue pain. I had someone unofficially look at it and they agree it is likely the fat pad and we’re guessing it was just the sudden increase in outdoor miles and in a different pair of shoes. Oh the joys of being a runner, it can all drive you to think the worst! 3) Boston bib #s and wave/corral placements are out! 37 days and counting, wow! I think with this nasty winter it still seems so far away. Continuing with my pattern I’m in Wave 2 with a 10:25am start. Anyone joining me? 4) Look what I decided to do… Yes, the woman who needs more on her plate is now selling Thirty-One! I love my purse (and tote and wallet) that got me through a trip to Disney packed with all the essential: f...

Marathon Monday will be short this week and I am going to focus on my entire week ahead including meals since I was a little preoccupied running a marathon Sunday morning to think about meals but a 5 hour car ride made for plenty of time! My smart girl loves Target! Summer parades begin... Last week was race week and taper where I actually took it easy; no lifting, little running and plenty of walking. Monday:  3 mile morning walk & 3.5 mile afternoon run Tuesday:  Morning core/planks & Easy evening Run 4.5 miles Wednesday:  4.5 mile run for National Running Day and planks Thursday:  Morning 2 mile walk and Evening 4.5 mile run with MRTT group Friday:   3 mile walk and Core/planks Evening 2 mile walk to parade Saturday:  5 Miles with group (3.5 mile run + 1.5 mile walk) Sunday:  Marathon #5 of 2013 (Wet, cold, muddy run completed with GI issues L ) More on Wednesday! Check out that muddy course! This isn't even th...

Deep Breath... 2 days until my new goal race, let's try this again. Not sure if everything is going to be in my favor to reach the ultimate goal, but I am trying. Heck I think I may even be taking this taper a little too far! Running has been minimal the past few weeks thanks to the hamstring/piriformis rehab, I've actually taken days off to strictly walk puppy and do core work. The downfall of this is I have too much free time so what do I do? Bake! This week was my mom's birthday so the baking trend began with Pumpkin Spice Cake, then since I had to use the pumpkin I made granola bars and thanks to brown bananas we made berry banana bread yesterday. Carb loading, right?! As usual I have been stalking the  Weather since the 10 Day Forecast came out, it has been back and forth between dry and rain. But then this morning I see this... Let's hope that isolated means none! But seriously wind, ugh! Well I guess weather is the one thing a runner can't contr...

Week 15  meant the final week of “real training” and guess what, more SNOW! Seriously both May 1 st and 2 nd brought snow here. But finally today Spring is back, to stay I hope! This week looks nothing like my typical packed week, my allergies kicked my butt and I decided to be smart for a change and sleep in, skip spin, cut runs short that felt terrible and take it easy. Wow, did I just write that? Monday:  Hilly 12 mile run with friends Tuesday:  Weights with trainer/ 2 mile walk and 7.5 mile run with group Wednesday:  Sluggish Morning 5 mile Run (cut short and walked back) Thursday:   Afternoon weights/core Friday:  8 mile run including my 5 by the 5 th Saturday:  5.5 miles with group Sunday:  13.1 miles + 1 mile walk, I turned it into a training run after how I have felt (full report tomorrow). Hammy was only slightly sore but the foot was another story. No idea what this is about, it was mildly achy the last few mil...

Week 14  meant the first week of taper and almost race day! We had a tough week with illness for both O and I meaning easy workouts from Wednesday on. Guess what, spring is finally here and in full force, high 70s and sun this weekend was exactly what we all needed! Congrats to Ashley for finishing her marathon this weekend! Monday:  Easy 4.5 with puppy in morning and 7.5 mile   hills in afternoon Tuesday:  Weights with trainer and 7.5 mile run with group Wednesday:  Sluggish Morning 11.4 mile Run (this was when I knew I too was getting sick) Thursday:   Afternoon weights /core + 3 mile walk with puppy and O Friday:  Morning Spin and Afternoon easy 3.5 mile run to the park Saturday:  16.2 miles (so nice I finished in just shorts and a sports bra and pretty sure I blinded the cars with my winter white legs an belly!) and 1 mile walk to park Sunday:  5 mile recovery trail run and Afternoon core/strength 1st Trail Run of...

Pretty much sums things up... 2 weeks, that is it! When I began this crazy journey of a second round of grad school I thought it would never end but here I sit two weeks from the final day to submit all my clinical evaluations and cases. This also means I am 15 days from marathon #21, great planning…isn’t tapering bad enough, now add to that all that goes along with finishing grad school. Over the next few weeks my brain will be consumed with the following… Final Paper Not just any paper but one to basically wrap up the past year and the education courses I added to my doctoral program. 25-50 pages worth of writing and describing my experience as an educator, complete with my own philosophy and of course literature review. So far page 1 is started, good thing it is a compilation of four courses of work and I can pull from past papers. 72 hours to write this monstrosity of a paper! With the wonderful forecast of 70s this weekend I’m sure some of this writing will be done sit...

Warning: A little ranting below... Do you see these pictures? Yes, I took the first this morning on April 19th with a foot of snow on the ground, schools are closed and we have yet to even near 60 degrees for the year. The second was my drive yesterday (no I was not driving). I felt like I was in the middle of no where when in fact I was next to a freeway and near a major metro area! Can you even believe this? I know I keep saying it but I am done with this! Yesterday I seriously considered packing up and moving, what perfect timing as  I finish school and need to find a job. I did have a potential offer out of state already but I do have an in state offer too (yes, my interview last week was a success) but still debating this. The combination of weather, final weeks of school, a crazy 3 year old and stress of life are not making things smooth lately. I just want to sit outside with my morning coffee while O plays or get out for a run not requiring 15 minutes to layer on...

What month is it? Looking outside the past two days I would guess February or maybe March but not mid April. Come on Mother Nature you are killing me! We haven't seen the sun in days and I am suffering. Yesterday I ran in wind and sleet with frozen hands despite the mittens that should be more than adequate and spent the afternoon cuddled in a blanket next to the fire trying to warm up, my own naptime :) The morning view on Wednesday (gone pretty quick)  And this morning and more on the way :( I know we are not the only ones with this never ending winter but enough! The combination of allergies and winter is too much. I can't wait to wear shorts to run, enough of this 30 minutes to get all ready to go out for a run. Hats, mittens, jackets and tights have done enough and need a break. My poor kiddo keeps asking when we can go to the beach, sorry there is still ice on the lakes. The heat in our house has been on since October with no indication of being turned off a...

March is here and the craziness of Week 6 is behind me. I am almost done with 25 hours of class over 2 ½ days to review for my NP boards. I think my head is about to explode. Another not so smart thing to do after running 20 miles, sitting all day was awful hence the lunch runs to wake up. We finally got up to the 30s and some snow melted! I found some new trails near O’s pre-school to run, had a great 20 miler with a friend and NO treadmill miles! This week was hard leg strength workouts but my runs still felt fine. Monday:  Morning Easy run 7 miles + core workout Tuesday:  Morning 7 mile hilly run with friends, weights with trainer & Evening easy 5 mile run (coaching) Wednesday:  Morning run: 11 miles 1:28:26 (hilly route) & Easy 3 mile run/walk with mom’s running group in evening Thursday:  Morning Spin & Afternoon weights Friday:  Long run 20.2 miles about 2:53 (middle 14 miles with a friend at 7:45 pace). Hammer Perpetue...