Vida

It's been warmer than usual around here for the past month.  Don't get me wrong, we like it.  We made it without air conditioning until Mike's family visited for Memorial Day.  Although, my Chicago brain still gets a little weary when I see a week of 90+ temperatures.  But then I sit out on our back porch all day and it's actually pretty comfortable. This morning I was ready for the loop run around Forest Park.  I rolled out of bed earlier than normal, especially considering today I have a comp day for working over the weekend, and laced up my shoes.  My legs, honestly, felt a bit achy, but I told myself to give it a try and I would take breaks if needed.   We had a well rounded dinner last night.  I made this while Mike mowed the grass.  We use one of these because it's really all we need.  In the summer I usually keep meals pretty easy, but last night it felt like we needed something more substantive.  As soon as I ...

Over the weekend I ran my third half marathon.  Friends, it did not go well. These pictures were taken after the race when I decided I was not dead. My stomach was upset pretty much the whole run, but especially the first half and I have a cold.  (Summer colds, eh?) I still did it though.  I ran the whole thing and crossed the finish line. Feel free to read on if you're interested. It took me forever to settle in, pretty much half the run.  It usually only takes me 3 miles to settle in during a marathon.  So that was annoying.  The stomach issues were likely the cause.  I really thought cheese and I were becoming better friends, but that does not seem to be the case.   yep, even better after we sat on the ground for a half hour and with a drink in hand Around mile six, when I started to settle in, my body was like, 'oh hey, you've been neglecting me for six miles.  now you're going to be in pain.' So I was in pain the rest...

In a couple weeks I'm running another half marathon.  I've done very little training, which terrifies me a bit.  A few days ago I decided I needed to at least get in a 10 mile run to prove to myself I can do it. To run the 606 from our place, running there, running the whole thing, running home totals a bit over 6 miles.  That's about as far as I've run this season.   As I passed the midway point, I remembered why running has always been my therapy.  I started feeling really annoyed about things.  Then around miles 6-7-8 I was fighting back tears.  By mile 9 I felt great.  Clarity.  Perspective.   I know I can do it now.  

Guys, we went on our first outdoor run of 2017 over the weekend and it was amazing. Yes, it was challenging.  Turns out my body just doesn't stay in running shape when I force myself to run 2 miles on the treadmill every once in awhile in the winter.   Outside is my jam. I promised Mike we'd go slow and not too far.  We did both.  We probably ended up around 4-5 miles.  Nothing crazy.  We're going to work our way into this.  It was a bit chilly but I still got home happy! And we stopped for pie on the way home.  Balance.

We moved to Logan Square almost three months ago and I've been adjusting and getting more comfortable with my new neighborhood's running options. When I'm heading out for a short run, I'll run Logan Boulevard and swoop up to Diversey and back down making loops.  It's quite nice how few stoplights there are so I can keep going even though I am on city streets.  It's also really nice that the Boulevard has such wide sidewalks. All the other days I head down California to the 606 and I can adjust my distance from there.  I won't exaggerate, I still don't love the 606.  And I really haven't run it when it's busiest because I'll typically run down there on my lunch break.  I'm trying to let it grow on me. I still miss the convenience of the Lakefront Path I had for so long, but I've made my way over a couple times for a special treat.  And now, with the weather changing, I rode my bike down to the lakefront and that wind...!  I don...

Yes, I ran a half-marathon, but Karen pointed out I did not to do a race recap.  She keeps me on track. Karen, my friend, Molly, and Mike's friend, Cara, cheered us on en route.  As they tried to figure out when I was coming. Cara:  What's her usual pace?  (Her husband, Brad, is a pretty serious runner.) Karen:  I don't even know, she usually just runs marathons. Well, turns out my body doesn't really speed up with the shorter distance.  Same average mile as marathons, between 8:00-8:30 per minute mile.  Oh well.  I ended up coming in at 1 hour 51 minutes.  Brad came in at 1 hour 46 minutes and Mike 1 hour 53 minutes.  Pretty solid if you ask me. I did learn from this run and my past marathon, I have to do some speed work.  I'll have a much better run that way.  I just don't like it.   P.S. Marathon #1 - It was Chicago '08, but I didn't have a blog then :) Marathon #2 Half-Marathon #1 Marathon #3 Marathon...

I was able to get a solid run in this week for the first time this year.  While I was running and thinking about how hard it was because I'm quite out of running shape right now.   To the girl who doesn't run all winter because she can't take the cold.  (Me!)  It's a good thing spring is so refreshing to run in and I miss running so much because getting back out there is hard. So while I gasped for air, making my way down the lakefront path, I had a flashback to my fifth marathon, in St. Louis. My parents were waiting around mile 25 and they were starting to get worried because it was taking me forever!  So they started talking to the guy next to them who was super involved in the St. Louis running scene and was hanging out to cheer on some of his friends. My parents may have expected me to come by smiling and wave and keep on running.  This did not happen.  I came over to them probably hoping they'd carry me the rest of the way and wanted to q...

One of the best (brief) descriptions I've read on how to approach running for the first time. Do you have any words of advice for people who would love to incorporate running into their lives but (like me) have trouble making it more than a few blocks at a time? Yes! I do. (A full run-down is here !) My advice is to start with just those few blocks at a time and nothing more. Do that every day for a couple of weeks until you can do ten blocks at a time. And then fifteen, and then twenty! Running is really, really hard when you’re out of practice and if you push yourself to the point where it’s completely miserable you won’t go back and do it again the next day. So go easy on yourself — and make consistency your only priority. As long as you’re getting out there and sticking with a routine the distance and speed will come eventually. ( via ) Honestly, I've essentially taken a break from running this year.  I am going to run a very unofficial, low-key half marathon in a few we...

After running a marathon yesterday in St. Louis, my main piece of advice:  if you run a marathon that's 80% hills, may I recommend maybe incorporating some hills in your training.   I did not do this. This is definitely the hardest course I've run. The race had every combination you can think of.  Marathon, half-marathon, 5K and relay half-marathon. I decided to run the marathon & my sister, Karen, ran the half-marathon. I am so proud of Karen.  Before this training she hadn't run over a 5K and she did the training and finished her 13.1 super solid! start line:  6am And the hills didn't seem to stop.  I can't tell you how many times in the last 2 miles some spectator said it's all downhill from here and then I saw another hill to run up.  (At least four times.)  I stopped believing them.  (I know they were just helping with the mind games we were all playing with ourselves at that point.  I don't blame them.) Once I g...

Sunday morning I went for a quick run with my brother and we ended up chatting about our running woes. He said a positive note on having muscle pain vs. joint pain is that muscle pain usually corrects itself after rest.  And I said, "Why does mine seem to come back?" The conversation continued until he happened to mention potassium from bananas helping to reduce cramping muscles. POTASSIUM I haven't had hardly any bananas this summer!!! Needless to say I'm eating a banana everyday this week in preparation for this weekend's marathon. Overly hopeful?   I'll try anything.

I really need to stop dating runners! One guy I dated I see every single long run and other runs sprinkled in there.  I do not acknowledge him (of course not).  He does not acknowledge me.  But I see him at least once a week. Another one I just started seeing on the path within the last few weeks, but I've started seeing him at least once a week too.  Nope, don't acknowledge him either. And both these guys pulled the disappearing act, which I think is the absolute worst way to end, even if you're just dating. Saturday on my 20 miler I saw them BOTH!  I'm assuming they're both training for marathons again. So clearly I should stop dating people who have common interests because then I have to see them while we are both doing our common interest.... ugh.  We'll see how that works for me ;) (not to worry, I'm kidding.  I know common interests are a good thing to share with someone you're dating...maybe just not running.) I really ne...

Saturday I completed one 20 miler for my marathon training.  (I'm trying to get in another next weekend.  I know I know, not how you're supposed to do it according to training plans, but you gotta do what you gotta do.) This was one of those runs where I was on my way to the running path and had to reject the suggestion to just go sit at my favorite coffee shop and get a scone.  This was a mental one, I just had to get in the miles. Most importantly, my knee didn't start screaming until mile 19.  Yes, then it became very difficult to run, but that's the latest it's flared up in this training cycle.  And, yes, a marathon is 26.2 miles, but I still have high hopes. This is partly why: #1 It is getting better.   #2 Heading south I was ok in my shorts and T, but coming back north against the wind (already pretty tired), I was not focusing on my knee at all.  I was cold.  My muscles started tightening.  The last thing I was doing was che...

And I sort-of hate my IT Band. At least it's mutual? I dunno. What I do know is I was feeling pretty great on my 17 miler Saturday, until about mile 11 when my knee started locking up.  I kept stopping and trying to massage out the IT band and got 15 miles in before I had to stop.   Then Sunday I got back out and it took one mile for it to lock up. I was completely freaked out and worried (and angry). So I got home and did a bunch of research before hopping on my flight for Nashville.  And basically I should not have run today because my IT Band was inflamed.  I did not realize that.  In fact, I thought I just needed to roll it out and everything would be ok.  Nope. So allow me to help all of you so you don't make the same mistake I did.  First, use that foam roller and don't forget.   Rather than rolling up and down where it hurts, try to roll up and down the center.of your thigh.  You are just loosening up the surrounding mu...

This was one of those weeks that seemed to last forever.  Maybe it is the multiple projects I'm juggling at work?  Maybe it was the changing weather (it felt like fall this week)?  Regardless, I felt tired. This week: *I dropped so much money at crate & barrel for a wedding.  Le sigh. *Picnic at the lake with Janie Rubes! *2 lunch dates, which always make me happy! Karen was downtown for an appointment so she had lunch with me. Then today we had a buddy lunch!  Usually when you start at my company you get a buddy and you have lunch together.  Maggie just started Monday and my boss thought it would be fun for her to have 3 buddies:  Justine, Toni (my buddy), and I.  Well...Maggie canceled on us, but non of us brought our lunches so we went out the three of us.  We killed it :)  (Hannah's Bretzel) we went back by the office to eat *Phone catch-up with a couple lovely friends.   I got to catch-up with Hilary ...

1.  It's official, I'm signed up for my 5th marathon . St. Louis October 19th.  Let the training commence. The course scares me because I am so used to driving this area that running it seems impossible... Anyone else running it?  They also have a half going on. 2.  I went to my first real run club  Monday and it was pretty great.  Totally a fun run & totally at fun run pace and it was fun.  I met a few people and actually ended up running with someone for about 4 of the 5 miles.  (We didn't start talking until mile 1.) For some reason I was really nervous to go, but used the first time yoga guy from my class Sunday as mental encouragement. 3.  At said run club they had free injury screenings  Monday.  I've had knee issues off and on for about 2 years now so I figured I might as well see what they can tell me.   The physical therapist found I have a minor IT band injury.  Which of course I have heard of ...

Most runners probably mapped out their race schedule for 2014 months ago.  I haven't really started adding on the miles until lately so I was definitely not in that frame of mind.   I just read a journal entry from Memorial Day when I ran 8 miles and said, "I'm so out of shape."  Which I still am, but I continue to add on the miles and be patient with myself.  So I took last year off from racing, but I think I'm ready to get my 5th marathon under my belt and I've been thinking for awhile about doing that marathon in St. Louis .  With Chicago entry rules a bit annoying now and the fact that it may or may not always conflict with my nephew's birthday, St. Louis (a couple weeks later) is a safer option.  I know there will be hills, which I can't train with and it will be very different than Chicago.  But it's time to try something new. October 19 $115 (about half the cost of Chicago!) *please note, I have not registered yet so this is n...

I went for a run on the path Saturday morning (before the latest cold front came through) and it was definitely getting busier!  We sure do love our lakefront path here in Chicago.   How appropriate that the Red Eye 's cover story was about just that today:   Safety First .  They focused on the safety of the path, but really it just got me more and more excited! "Right about now, Chicagoans are stir-crazy, eager to get outside without a puffy coat and enjoy the few warm months the city offers between winters." Yep! "'Unfortunately, there's only so much real estate and it's really like the Kennedy [expressway] during rush hour in the summer,' said Julie Hochstadter, direct of The Chainlink, an online networking site for cyclists in Chicago." Yep.  Also true.  During my run Saturday, while I noticed the increased number of people (I should note it was 37 degrees), I kept reminding myself how crazy things are going to get...very soon. ...

Have you heard about the changes in registering for this year's Chicago Marathon?   Read an article here . This year they are adding a lottery system, rather than the typical first-come-first-serve system they've used for years.  They are now changing it to NYC style.  I read the article and felt a bit upset.  Then I felt happy that I've had the opportunity to run it a few times.   If you want to give it a shot, the lottery begins March 5 and closes April 7.  Good luck to you. And now here are some of my feelings: I don't qualify for any of the spot guarantees, although I am close to a couple: Running at least 5 Chicago marathons in the past 10 years.  (I've run 3.) Running a previous marathon at 3:45 or faster. The one guarantee everyone seems to be talking about is the charity one.  If you run with a charity, you're in.  This of course involves raising hundreds of dollars to do so.  I think this will be great...

So Sunday is the Chicago marathon and I have mixed feelings.  This is the first time I've been in Chicago during the marathon and not run it since 2007.  2008 I ran it.   2009 I was in Mexico and ran one there.   2010 it was my grandma's 80th bday in Missouri.   2011 ran it.   2012 ran it. I think I'm feeling a mixture of jealousy, guilt, and excitement.  Weird mixture?  Yeah, I guess.  I will explain. Jealousy  I love running.  And odd as it may sound, I love running marathons.  Don't ever ask me around mile 22, but if you asked me at 26.3, I'd say yes.  I want to be out there too.  When people bring up the marathon, I almost don't want to hear/talk about it.  (That's not ok.  I should want to listen, bounce ideas around, and get excited for the runner, the same way I appreciate when I'm running.) Guilt  And I guess a bit lazy.  I basically trained for it.  I ran my 20 mil...

If I've learned anything about running, it's that things don't always go as planned. Sunday I went for a 19 mile run.  It was one of those runs where the first half I battled my mind and the second half, I battled my body.  It happens.  Not fun, but it happens. The first half I had to deal with the voices in my head: I don't want to do this. You don't have to do this. Just see how you feel, you can turn around early if you want. You have to do this. You can clear your head. That's a lot of voices.  It's overwhelming and hard to control. The second half, my body had enough.  I know I spent Saturday day and evening out at a street festival drinking, eating, and hanging out with a friend.  (Not the best set-up for a 19 mile run.) I started getting chills and I was so dehydrated.  I stopped for more water than ever before (it really wasn't that hot!) and I had to walk some.   It was rather disappointing, but also pretty aw...