Be Positive

Today was one of those days when I looked at my Holiday Shred Workout and thought... yea I'll do that later. I was tired from the weekend. I wasn't feeling like anything was going my way. Then a chat from a coworker who said to me its a short weeks so lets kick this weeks butt. I sometimes forget to remind myself to just think positive and keep going. We often forget how hard it is to just be positive and believe good things are coming.

I decided to just push through the hard day and then hit the gym later on. The day ended up finishing with a pretty good amount of success and so toward the end of the day when my friend Tim asked me to meet him at the gym I thought wow this has been a great day.

I am not sure how excited Tim was to do Holiday Shred 2013 with me. He is a good friend though and I told him it would be a tough circuit and something different so he was on board.
Today was Week 2 Day 1 workout.
5 Rounds
10 Push ups, 10 Jump Squats, 10 tricep dips, 10 mountain climbers, 10 sit ups, 10 Frog Jumps


Tim and I killed it... we hit the treadmill for an easy 5K and called it a day. The run felt easy compared to the circuit but it makes me appreciate the run so much more. It is amazing how hard the strength or cross training can be. The good thing is that it helps you be a better runner. Running using every shred of your body. From your head to your feet and every where in between. So these tough workouts help me prepare for mental and physical toughness that some races put me through.

Another great workout and another day accomplished. Think positive and I promise positive things always happen. 

Training Continues

As the cold weather has come into Northwest Indiana I find there are still some runners who are willing to run. Yesterday as I was working my shift at the Extra Mile a man looked at me pretty funny when I told him I ran outside. Lets face it you are either willing to brave the weather or you aren't.


Today I went out and ran with some pretty awesome peeps! Before we got going everyone was saying why are we out here. During the run I mentioned to fellow runner Doug that we were starting to get some funny looks. For me there are days that I don't brave the run. I'm not willing to go outside when it is dangerously cold. However today was not one of those days. I find it so interesting what some are willing to do when it comes to the weather. My friend Sara and I have had this conversation many times. Sara prefers a really cold day over a really hot day. Jason however prefers the heat. It says he has a harder time breathing in the winter.

Training continues. Sometimes runners will say they aren't training for a particular race but they are still running. I am currently training for the next race up. Yesterday I officially committed to another marathon.

Am I crazy? Well yes, in fact I am Marathon Maniac # 7985. My friends Sue, Tim, Jeromy and I registered for a free entry to the Knoxville marathon while in Indianapolis. I said if one of you guys win I will sign up. Sure enjoy the luck Sue won! We did get a $10 off and so I got a fairly good deal on the race. So the next race is currently on my mind and there will be many many more days like today of me running and braving the run... So let me ask you this do you brave the run?

Rock & Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon Recap

When Jason and I booked our Las Vegas Vacation I did not plan on doing a race. It never even crossed my mind. Then when he suggested we run the half I was thrilled. I so appreciate that he supports my love of running. His idea of running is getting to the beer at the end. He only does the running for his health. Which I totally respect. There are so many different types of runners out there. Jason just isn't crazy like some of us. I told him once he started training and comitted to doing it that I would pace him to the finish. I know how much it has meant to me to have so many runners support me over the years so I was more than happy to help him. 

We arrived in Vegas on Wednesday and were able to enjoy the day. Thursday we also didn't really have much we had to do. Friday was packet pickup at the convention center. We wanted to get there early and get out. It was about a 3 mile walk from our hotel to the convetion center so we stopped about half way and ate breakfast. Then walked in. It was packed We picked up bibs, snaped a photo and even got a free gait analysis from Brooks. It was a relativly small expo. I say this because I have been the one in Chicago and its huge. This one had nothing on Chicago. 

The race was not until Sunday but the race provided some pre-race fun. Some of which we took advantage of somoe of which we did not. Sunday rolled around and we did what we normally do and decided to watch football. We had a great time in the Excalibur Sports bet area being able to watch all the games on all of their TVs. Since the race didn't start until 4:30 Jason and I both felt out of routine with what to eat. We ordered some pizza and ate that early so that we wouldn't be too hungry or too full by the time race rolled around. Around 2:30 we went up to our hotel to change clothes and prepare for the race. I ate a cliff bar and the race provided free pre-race bananas. Jason and I did get one but I think they were short. This always disapoints me. They provided a pre-race band so we listened to that for a bit and then hit the port a potties. They then had us head to our corrals. 

Jason and I were in the 19th corral and it was a delayed start per corral so it seemed to take forever to get up there. The corrals were very crowded. The photos above I took as we were waiting to get going. Once we hit the start line it was go time and SLOOOOOOOOW. The race starts by going south on Las Vegas Blvd. The streets are wide but it was really tough to get around the slower runners. I was so frustrated by the walkers and slow runners we were unable to dodge. All I tried to do was keep Jason focused on going. I missed the mile 1 marker but somwhere between 1 and 2 we turned around to head back north on Las Vegas Blvd. Around mile 2 I looked a my pace bracelet and we were exactly on track for the pace we wanted. After 2 miles I started to think maybe the crowd would thin out a bit... Boy was I wrong. As we were running north there was amazing crowd support and since it took about 30 minutes for our corral to get started it was already dark and all the lights of the city were on. Just around the 5K marker the path was smaller and so the crowd quickly picked back up. I was still trying to make it as much fun as possible. I would smile at Jason every time we met eyes and I made sure to talk to as many runners as possible and high five as many people on the streets. The next couple miles went by quickly but it slowed our pace because there were just so many runners to dodge. We passed by where the finish line was on the other side of Las Vegas Blvd and we caught a glimps of the half marthon winner coming in. 

Around mile 6 Jason said he was getting worried. That he had never made it past 7 miles without a break. I told him I was there with him no matter what but to just keep focused on staying with me as long as he could. At this point we were started to head into downtown Las Vegas. Around mile 8 he was really started to get worried. This is also when we started to make the detour through the residental streets and Jason had warned me that the race reviews said it would get dark. I had no idea how dark. I started to actually worry about not being able to see. If I ever run this again I would bring a light with me. This section does get very dark. Then we hit Fremont Street and it was much more well lit again. Around mile 9 Jason was started to really struggle so we slowed down. At mile 10 he needed a walk break so we walked. I just kept trying to tell him how great he was doing. I had  never paced anyone before but was really happy to be pacing him. Again at mile 11 we took a quick break. At one point Jason accidently drank gatorade instead of water and it really messed him up. So then we hit mile 12 and there was one more water stop. I thought I lost him but finally saw him behind me walkiing with his water. So I picked it up and pulled him into the finish. I grabbed his hand and pulled him into that finish. 2:04:26 he finished. 

When I say there are not enough words to say how proud of Jason I am there really aren't. Running is not his thing but he has always supported me and been there to see me finish. It was a very crowded race and I could tell all the dodging and weaving we had to do really wore on him late in the race. There was never a moment where we were not really dodging slower runners and walkers. I honestly feel so proud of Jason though. Running is not something that is easy or exactly fun for him but he does it. I have always had pride for myself as a runner but nothing beats being proud of someone you love so much. Overall my opinion of this race? The Good is that its a fun exprience you cannot get in small town Indiana, exciting, flat, easy course, great crowd support and a glow in the dark medal! The bad is that you need to try to get an early corral unless you plan to do what Jason and I had to do and dodge slow runners the entire time, its not cheap by any means, and the water stops seemed unorganized. There are many runners who read my blog and some of you know some of the top runners here in Northwest Indiana where I live. They would love this race most likely. Get a front or elite corral and go PR. Its a super easy and flat course. Overall I am so glad I was able to do this race and really truly enjoy it!

So Now What...

Since completing my 2013 goals I have been asked a lot over the last several days... So now what?

 For the first time in 2013 I feel relaxed to say... "Just a few races." This of course is laughable to my non runner friends. How can you cap off another amazing year? A year in which you set your mind to accomplish even higher heights and things you felt unimaginable...

50K-

Air Force Marathon with PR-

Indianapolis Marathon-

Indianapolis Monumental Marathon with better time than 2011-

Marathon Maniac-  

Maniac #7895

Inspire others Giving myself a check feels right because I hope it is true. Then I start to think about how my boss always talks about setting the bar even higher. I honestly never want this not to be my goal. I can only hope even if just one person makes the decision to go after their goals I've done something but really I know there is always more and I can keep going to get more and more!

In reality my next short term goal is the Rock N Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon. This will be the first time I ever run a race this distance to help someone else achieve a goal. I have run many half marathons since my running journey began. This will be the first time though I help someone else from start to finish. Of course lately I am starting to wonder weather I can keep up... So my goal is totally enjoy this race. I may even take my friend Tim theory of counting how many high-fives I can get in one race. I know there are runners whom I fully respect shaking their head at this theory... why because they are extremely awesome and competitive runners. I'm just not one of those. So I plan to fully enjoy this race and take in every single moment of it.

When I return from Las Vegas I will continue to prep myself for my spot on my Huff relay team. I am coaching some of those are totally awesome an want to tackle the entire 50K. As much as that sounds like an amazing experience this girl's body just needs a break.


Its almost the end of the year so I am also setting goals for 2013. Although my running circle tends to feel bigger and bigger every day I am still very loyal to a small group. I love them and enjoy the small circle I have with them inside my huge circle of running friends. I am thinking Michigan in the spring will be my next major goal. I have been telling myself since the end of 2012 that I want to attempt or try something new every year so I guess I better start figuring out what 2014 is really going to bring to me. In the mean time I am pretty happy that all of my 2013 goals have been accomplished.... at least so far.

Indy Monumental Marathon Recap

Earlier this year I set myself up for a very lofty goal... Become a Marathon Maniac in 2013. All I had to do to cap off my qualification was cross the finish line at the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon. 

Friday I left town with some of favorite runners to make our way to Indy. We went to the Expo with a solid plan, pick up our packets, walk around for a few minutes and leave. We didn't want to spend a lot of time on our feet. Packets were picked up and we made our way to Bucca Di Beppo for dinner. Some laughs, hydrating, pasta and mental prep work were starting to be put into place. I was excited to talk to my friend Lisa because she was going to be pacing the 4 hour 15 minute group at the race. She said all the pacers were meeting in the Westin Lobby and then lining up from there. We set out to our hotel to get some sleep and get our gear ready.

Saturday morning we got up and started our normal runners routines. Since we decided on saving money by staying just north of Indy we had to drive about 20 minutes to get to the start line. 

We parked right by the finish so that we wouldn't have a far walk. We hit the restrooms inside the Westin Lobby which proved to be genius. We saw a few fellow runners and snapped a few pictures in our very laughable keep warm gear.

Then Sue and I went to find our girl Lisa and the 4:15 pace group. As we got there we saw Jeromy and my friend Matt from Cincinnati were already lined up. We didn't have to wait long at all and we were moving toward the start line. Then we were off. Making our way through the streets of Indy. Lots of cheers but the race was very crowded. It was somewhat difficult to keep up with the pace group. I quickly couldn't find Sue and Jeromy who I really wanted to run with. Matt was still in my sights and I was able to get right behind the pacers. The miles were quickly going by. I barely have a memory of the first 3 miles. I knew the crowd would thin out around mile 7 once the half marathon group split off. I was growing impatient with the crowd. Many elbows and I was getting pushed around a lot. Around mile 3 or so I ditched my gloves to some very happy teenagers. After around mile 4 I was even warm enough to pull my arm warmers down around my wrists. I was reunited with Sue and Jeromy at some point and they were saying they wish they had worn a singlet because they were warm. I was very happy to have one on. 

What seemed like awhile we finally hit mile the break point and the half marathoners turned off course. I thought the crowd would thin out but I was wrong. Matt's running friend was only running half, so Matt joined me and we were running great just chatting away. There were a lot of full marathon runners though so it was pretty tight. Around mile 10 my shoe came untied. I had to stop. As I got back up to take off again I was by Sue. She didn't look happy or say much. I was worried but I thought if I just pushed she would follow. I caught back up with Matt because he turned around to check on me. The next few miles flew by. We hit the half way point and I was really just enjoying the race. Lisa was doing a great job keeping everyone motivated. The main thing she discussed was that the first part of the race was easy, then the next part you have to run with your legs and the final section with your heart. I keep repeating to myself I could do it. 

Then we hit Butler and the spectators were great. Really encouraging. Then as we pulled out of Butler and toward the museum I was happy to know there shouldn't be more up hills and mostly downs. The museum was also full of lots of spectators and really nice people. Just after the museum I was starting to really feel the race. At the next water stop I grabbed some pretzels to try to see if some food would give me some more energy. Lisa did ask me how I was doing, I told her I am starting to feel it. She was so great telling me you got this! Jason a marathon maniac was the best part of our pack. He was so positive. It was a pleasure to meet him. We then headed down the highway ramp and into some shade along a street. My body needed the shade the sun was starting to get to me. Around mile 20 I got ahead of the group and Lisa said you going to go... I said no I'm here with you or may even have to drop back. The group forced to me stay the course. I was trying to hold on as long as I possibly good. At mile 21.5 I was starting to really truly feel the race. I took a gel slowly until we hit the water stop. The pace group passed me. I was right there with them until about 22 or so. I needed to stop for a second because my stomach was turning I though maybe I would throw up... I couldn't. 

So I regained realizing the pace group was not the far ahead. Then I had to stop again because I felt sick again. The pace group then was just too far ahead. Around 23 I just keep saying go as far as you can go. I would run, then walk. Run then walk. Between 23 and 24 Matt caught me. He was hurting also. I would pass him then he would pass me. Then we caught Jason. I was shocked to see him. He was hurting also. Those last 3 miles were brutal. I ran about a half mile then would give myself a break. The sun was beating on me but I could feel that finishing pulling me. 

Every time I would get tired I would remember my sister Jenna who I knew I wanted to run this race for. I had written her name on my wrist although it faded I just kept thinking and saying her name in my mind. I played tag with Jason and Matt through the last couple of miles. I hit mile 25 and I though ok 1 mile you got this. So I ran to mile 25.6 and took a quick break. Then I saw the lines of people waiting to cheer for me. I picked up my feet and just took off. I pushed and pushed. Mile 26... then I really just pushed as hard as my body would let me push it. 

FINISH! 4 hours 19 minutes and 27 seconds.

 Slightly off from my original goal. I waited just a few seconds so I could see Matt finish and he did. We grabbed a medals and took a few quick pictures. Then I saw Lisa. She was so encouraging again telling me how awesome I did. I talked to Lisa's husband Ron for a few minutes and he also had a rough day. I turned my phone back on and some of my friends times were coming across. I saw my friend Tim missed his goal. Then I saw my friend Doug's time... OMG first marathon... OMG he did awesome. I was so excited to see him. Next thing I know there he is. I quickly forgot about my race because I was so happy to see how well Doug did. Sue and Jeromy came in about 15 and 20 minutes after me. Jeromy had a PR. It may not have been the time he wanted but he had a PR so I was so happy for him. Overall a great day weather wise. I didn't hit my time goal totally but I PR'd on the course by about a minute and a half. I am officially a marathon maniac so overall my year long goal was accomplished!!! A great time with great friends.... As my friend Sue would say... A marathon is really far... yet we keep doing it over and over again!

So maybe I didn't run my best ever race for my sister but I did it and this one is for her because I LOVE  RUNNING! Nothing can bring me down just like nothing will ever bring her down... 

Romans 5:3-4

3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.