HO

December brought snow & sent most of my miles INDOORS ~ all but 7 runs were on the stinking treadmill.  ~ 9 of those were single mile runs before swimming.  I progressively increased my speed on those & ran my last one in 7:32.  Pretty pumped that my speed is coming back.  So I've been swimming.  20 to 30 minutes twice a week.  Some days I swim 20 laps. Some days I swim 24 laps.  Some days I swim 30 laps.  Positives about swimming ~ I think it's been helping my breathing for running.  I think it's toning my upper body.  I think it's helping my leg recovery.  Everything just feels better after a swim.  Negatives about swimming ~ It occurs at 5:15 am.  It's really cold in the locker room after swimming.  The chlorine is KILLING my hair.  My previously black swimsuit is currently a light gray.  My skin smells like chlorine for 2 days after a swim.  I get water in my ear.  The pros still outweigh the negatives...for now.  (until I'm BALD from all the hair loss)

So, back to the single miles ~ the run streak died on December 20...  I didn't feel good at 5:00 am on Monday, but I went for my run and swim.  By lunchtime I was chilled to the bone & for like the second time ever, I went home halfway through a work day.  I crawled into bet and stayed there ~ freezing, coughing and achy.  I moved myself to the couch for December 20.  And laid there all day.  Dead run streak.  Didn't run on Wednesday either...but eased back into it after that.  My December run calendar look sad with those two blank spaces.  It makes me sad, because I like to complete things & this feels like a fail.  But sometimes that's how it works.  And there are bigger problems in the world.  

Christmas Break started with the staff party at Joey's.  We were the last to leave & the boys had some fun.  I love this picture because John looks a little nervous between these two.  They crack me up.

December also brought our first trip to the BOE fitness room.  It's REALLY nice.  I started my strength training this past week & it is my NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION to continue strength training.  The 'plan' is Sunday's in the weight room and Tuesday/Thursday in our wrestling room ~ with some type of abs daily.  That's the plan.  I think I need to make myself a sticker chart and reward myself after so many stickers. (with a new pair of LuLa Roe leggings...or a new pair of Tom's)

Another December Story:  Had to go to Elyria for the calling hours of a co-worker's father.  After we left the funeral home, we decided to stop at a bar and grill for a drink and some food before we drove all the way back to Lake County.  I pull up Google Maps and type in Bar and Grill.  Bugsy's Speakeasy is the first option.  Right around the corner from Elyria town square.  Cute, right?  HA.  Luckily it wasn't open, for as we pulled close to it, we see that it is CLEARLY a strip club.   And judging from the reviews...it's a pretty sleazy strip club at that.  Would have made a good story tho!

Christmas.  The boys came home (JB in a snow storm & ended up in a ditch with $900 worth of damage to his car)  

We cut down our own Christmas tree in two feet of snow, so we couldn't tell it had spina bifida.  But we got it up and it was the perfect height.  Fonzi thought he was a gift, so he laid under it everyday.  Christmas morning Mike and I went for a run & the boys got up around 9:30...Christmas was fun.  It was good to have the boys home.  Patrick left today for a New Year's Party in Columbus, but will be back before the 15th, so he can start work.  Jacob is here for another week or so ~ and that's awesome.  It feels right when everyone is home.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

December Run Log:

December Totals:

121.27 miles for the month ~ met my goal of a 100 mile month (even with 2 sick days)
1434 miles for the year 

2011: 564.5 miles

2012: 656 miles 

2013: 1217 miles 

2014: 1191 miles 

2015: 1406 miles

245.51 miles in my Gortex Ghosts ~ used them once this month.

356.29 miles in my old pink Brooks Glycerin 13 

213.87 miles in my new pink Brooks Glycerin 13 

244.32 miles in my teal Brooks Glycerin 13 ~ long run shoes!

Training for:  Hall of Fame Marathon April 30, 2017 

Podcasts I'm listening to: Marathon Training Academy, Dear Sugar, Story Corp & Reply All & Undone

My WEIGHT: Started the holiday season at 142.  Today I weighed in at 139.  Really happy with that ~ I probably should mention that was right after my 13.26 mile run today.  

Some interesting facts:

Longest run this month:   13.26 ~ working our way up again.

What hurts?: So my back is tender because I'm doing some ab work.  Hoping to strengthen my core so that it all gets stronger.  My left calf is also being slightly weird feeling with another weird feeling in my shin.  It moves around a little so I'm not overly worried.  Being done with the run streak will help that, I'm sure.

Highest  weekly mileage this month:  33.8 miles December 25 - December 31.

Favorite place to run this month: Ashtabula Greenway ~ in the snow ~ first outside winter run and the trail really provided a wind break and it was beautiful.  We were the first footprints on the trail.

Monthly mileage record: 156.69 ~ March 2015 {purposely ran 8 (on a treadmill) on March 30 to beat the August 2013 record}
Highest mileage ever-at-one-time:  26.78, October 30, 2016, Marine Corps Marathon, Washington DC

PR's:
5K: 22:30 (Run For the Grapes 9/28/14}
10K: 50:13 {Run for the Hills 6/22/14 & TIED the time Run for the Hills 6/21/15)
10-miler: 1:21:29 (Hermes Cleveland 10-miler 4/28/12)
half-marathon: 1:44:42 (Northern Ohio Half Marathon 10/4/15)
marathon: 3:57:31 (The Cleveland Marathon 5/17/15)

November Run Log & running stuff 5 days late

 November has been a pretty warm month ~ This first picture of the lake was taken November 18.  On the left is the beach glass I collected that day.

On November 19, we had our first snow.  It wasn't much, but it went from 75 degrees to 32 pretty much overnight.  

Dinner with Amy for taking care of the dogs in October.

Dinner before pedicures with the girls.

Dogs being dogs.  They were so cute laying next to each other ~ and Fonzi "hiding" under the table because he didn't want to go outside.

Running in November was pretty strange.  Low mileage ~ but never really easy.  I made it my goal to run sub-9:00 during the week.  And I did.  I made it my goal to add some cross-training.  And I started swimming.  And went back to class on Wednesday nights.  And started some very basic weight training.
I haven't negotiated working the resting into the mix ~ and I think I'm paying for it not ~ {did something to my back}

One sad running story ~ that illustrates my fear of swimming in Lake Erie ~
Went to Lake Erie Bluffs last week {I knew it would be one of the last chances to run in a skirt & t-shirt outside for a while}.  As I finished, headed down to the beach to look for beach glass as my cool-down, I saw a woman sitting on the bench.  She was gone when I came back up...but I saw her walking toward me as I turned to head to the parking lot.  She asks if I can help her...
her: "I'm from Akron and I'm kinda lost.  How do I get back to the observation tower?"
me: "Just keep going that way (I point) on the path."
her: "Thank you.  My husband drowned in the lake three weeks ago and the Coast Guard is looking for his body out here, so I thought I'd come and look."
Heart break.  Seriously.  How SAD!
her: "The lake is so beautiful (as we look out at the lake), but I'm so angry with it right now."
Like ~ yeah.  I don't even know what to say.  Tears in my eyes as she's just mater-of-factly stating all this.

Thanksgiving Turkey Day 5k.  The whole family ran!  Jacob won for the family, followed by Mike, then me, then Patrick who met his goal of running the whole way.
I ran my slowest 5k to date...but I felt good about it, because I wasn't dying like I was in all the other 5k's I ran this past race season.  I still placed third in my age group!

First place in Age Group in NERC grand prix

November Running Log:

November Totals:

87.64 for the month 
1312.73 miles for the year 

242.32 miles in my Gortex Ghosts ~no Gortex runs this month

472.37 miles in my Old gray Brooks Glycerin 13 My Camp Stig Shoes 

341.09 miles in my old  pink Brooks Glycerin 13 

188.87 miles in my new pink Brooks Glycerin 13 

166.44 miles in my teal/blue Brooks Glycerin 13 

Training for:     Hall of Fame Marathon in April, 2017 

Podcasts I'm listening to: Marathon Training Academy, Dear Sugar, Story Corp & Reply All & Undone

My WEIGHT: 141

Some interesting facts:

Longest run this month:   13.07 ~ recovery month

What hurts?: NOTHING in November, but just this past week I tweaked my back...UGH

Highest  weekly mileage this month:  34.47 November 20 - 27

Favorite place to run this month: Lake Erie Bluffs.  Love the peacefulness there.

Monthly mileage record: 156.69 ~ March 2015 {purposely ran 8 (on a treadmill) on March 30 to beat the August 2013 record}
Highest mileage ever-at-one-time:  26.78, October 30, 2016, Marine Corps Marathon, Washington DC

PR's:
5K: 22:30 (Run For the Grapes 9/28/14)
10K:  49:40 (Greenway 10k 3/20/16)
10-miler: 1:21:29 (Hermes Cleveland 10-miler 4/28/12)

20-miler: 2:45:15 (20 mile Drop 4/10/16)
half-marathon: 1:44:42 (Northern Ohio Half Marathon 10/4/15)
marathon: 3:57:31 (The Cleveland Marathon 5/17/15)

strange things from our run

Saturday started out like any other.  Mike and I got up, read the paper, drank our coffee & went for our run.  Just a little 9 miler a week from MCM.  We kinda thought the sun rose at 7:30...and it didn't until 8:03, so it was a little dark as we started down Middle Ridge.  About a half mile from home we see a Coors Light cardboard box thrown to the side of the road.  Next to the road were two Coors Light cans.  I look down, and kinda see that they are not open.  I figure I just saw that wrong, so I didn't say anything.
About this time a car comes from behind us and slows WAY down.  This always makes me nervous.  The pickup actually stops and the driver says, "I'm a detective."  (I think he's going to yell at us for being on the road when we really should have waited another 10 minutes)  But he continues, "Have you seen a truck pulling a skid-steer?"  We answer no and off he goes.  Crime busting at its finest.
We continue running with our eyes peeled for a truck pulling a skid-steer.
And we see another Coors Light cardboard box on the side of the road with more beer cans.  I look more closely and they are NOT OPENED.
A little further up, ANOTHER Coors Light box with unopened beer laying next to it.  In all there were 5 boxes and 7 unopened beers.
Mike's nice deed of the day was to pick up the litter on the side of the road.

MCM

Friday, October 28 we left for Washington DC.  Mike became our "special friend" and we're really glad he didn't get shot on the trip.  We were all pretty excited & nervous & really had no idea how we were going to navigate all we needed to do.  Luckily we had Trisha with us ~ because she is the most navigationally knowledgeable person (and the nicest).  Other than Dodd missing one REALLY OBVIOUS left hand turn...we made good time, got on a shuttle to the expo & got our bibs.  REALLY exciting.

We had some fun at the Expo ~ First we got our picture taken with a Marine.  Then, after waiting in a very long line to buy Brooks products, we wandered the booths, Mike bought a hat & we all got free stuff.  Mike and Dodd had fun pretending to be badasses in a military 4-wheeler.

 After checking into the hotel and meeting up with Dodd's parents we had an amazing steak dinner.  Then we found a DQ to have "good luck" ice cream.    We went back to the hotel & watched the Indians win game 4 of the World Series against the Cubs.  Exciting time to be a Clevelander ~ side story ~ was talking to a guy at the runner's village on race morning.  He asked where I was from.  I said, "Cleveland."  His reply, "Oh, the City of Champions."  You got that right!

The next day we had breakfast (biscuits and gravy) and took the metro into the city.  We were 6 novices & I'm pretty sure we'd still be there if Trisha hadn't been with us.  She figured it all out & got us to where we wanted to go.  

Had to take a Selfie at the White House.  The Secret Service had the road blocked & it looked like the President may have been getting ready to leave.  It never happened (in the 10 minutes we were there) so we started walking toward The Vietnam Wall.  Got stopped in our travels by another blocked road on the south side of the White House.  The Secret Service make no secret about the amount of weapons they carry.  It's not as unnerving as you would think ~ but seeing a dude in full gear, flack vest & all is a tad unsettling.  You certainly don't see that in Madison, OH.

Made it to the monuments.  And the plan to see stuff that we don't see on the 8th grade trip was out the window!  I did enjoy being leisurely and not herding 60 kids around.  Dodd does listen to the tour guides, as he was able to tell just about every fact he knew about what we saw.  I love this picture of Mike and I at WWII with my favorite Washington Monument in the background.    We took the Metro back to Alexandria and had BBQ for a very late lunch.  Then we relaxed, had a light dinner and fell asleep before the Indians game was over (woke up to find they had won putting the series at 3-1)  

Four o'clock in the morning came on Sunday & we were getting ready to race.  It was in the 60's on October 30...with high predicted to be 80.  And they were.  But it wasn't humid & Mike convinced me I shouldn't worry about it.  So I didn't (much).  The best part about the forecast, was race outfit was a no brainer ~ skirt and tank at the end of October!

Took our pre-race selfie in the hotel and off we went in the hotel shuttle.  We had to have the driver drop us in a different location (thankfully this was the one time the shuttle worked in our favor & he took us to the MCM official shuttle spot)  We boarded the bus & were dropped off at the Pentagon.  Easy trip through security (always easy when you are early arrivers like we are)  We waited in 'runner's village' (a big parking lot) where we sat on the big garbage bags I was smart enough to bring.  They also had the port-o-pots set up very well.  Groups of 5, back to back.  So the lines were for the group of 5...not random lines for a random number of port-o-pots.

It finally becomes time to walk the half mile on the highway to the start.  I went to the bathroom behind a building...and then saw the line of port-o-pots... (oops)  We hear the national anthem, we watch the two fly overs, we hear the shot for the start...and stand there.  We start to move, a little.  We walk a little further.  Still walking.  See a row of port-o-pots and decide to go again.  That was a great call!  Joined the crowd and finally started running 8 minutes after the start (I really didn't think that was bad, considering we went to the bathroom!)

And we run and weave and run and weave.  It's hard to stay together because there are SO MANY people.  But we do.  The first 6 miles are pretty hilly ~ beautiful running through a park & tree lined streets.  Lots of peeing in the woods (Mike was really impressed by the young lady who just moved her shorts over & peed like a boy)  We were running well.  Passed two older Marines running and singing their running chants.  That was very cool as everybody joined in.  

Lots of Team Beef members running by & Lots of shout-outs for Mike's Team Beef jersey.  

The blue mile was so moving.  Pictures of fallen Marines lined the road, followed by families of fallen Marines holding big American flags.  Cheering for us.  I just kept saying "Thank you" over and over.  They were thanking US.  Freedom is NOT free.

Mike started to not feel well ~ and at mile 17 he said, "I need to walk soon."  Dodd asked, "Next water stop?"  Mike answered, "Next Marine"  and stop he did about 20 feet later as the next Marine.  This was the start of the end for him.  At mile 24 he puked for 10 minutes...and I thought we weren't going to finish.  I was rather worried that he might not make it...but make it he did.  We turned up the hill at mile 26.1 (which was really 26.6 on my watch) and saw a guy go down...feet from the finish.  Dodd turn to Mike, full in his face, and screams, "You DO NOT go down now."  Mike responded with, "Then get out of my way."  And finish we did if you look at this video, you can see us at the 2:00 minute mark (Mike even gets a shout out)

We walked ran the last 9 miles, but it was worth it to finish together & make sure Mike made it.  It was the first marathon where I never hit the wall.  I finished strong & CAN NOT WAIT to run the next one.

The one on the left was taken in April, the day before the MCM lottery opened.  The one on the right was after 5:03:26 on October 30, 2016.  

Now we're preparing for game 6 of the World Series ~ against my Chicago Cubs.  But GO TRIBE!  What a great time to be a Cleveland sports fan!

October Running Log:

October Totals:

131.71 for the month 
1225.09 miles for the year 

242.32 miles in my Gortex Ghosts ~no Gortex runs this month

472.37 miles in my Old gray Brooks Glycerin 13 My Camp Stig Shoes 

329.87 miles in my old defective pink Brooks Glycerin 13 

168.53 miles in my NEW PINK Brooks Glycerin 13 ~ That continue to have the same defect as the old pair. Still running in them.

110.36 miles in my NEW teal/blue Brooks Glycerin 13 ~ These are my long run shoes ~ great to race in!

Training for:     Hall of Fame Marathon in April, 2017 ~ the only race on the books.  Need to sign up for the Turkey Day 5k!

Podcasts I'm listening to: Marathon Training Academy, Dear Sugar, Story Corp & Reply All

My WEIGHT: 142.8 ~ oops that was a good Marathon Training Gain.  I entered a lose/maintain challenge at work.  So...I'm going to get back into the 130's and get rid of the marathon thigh/tummy pudge.

Some interesting facts:

Longest run this month:   26.78 ~ Lots of weaving at the Marine Corps Marathon

What hurts?: NOTHING!!! (two run logs in a row)  Hamstrings and quads are tight & tired, but not HURT!!

Highest  weekly mileage this month:  46.26 October 2 to October 9

Favorite place to run this month: Lake Erie Bluffs.  Love the peacefulness there.

Monthly mileage record: 156.69 ~ March 2015 {purposely ran 8 (on a treadmill) on March 30 to beat the August 2013 record}
Highest mileage ever-at-one-time:  26.78, October 30, 2016, Marine Corps Marathon, Washington DC

PR's:
5K: 22:30 (Run For the Grapes 9/28/14)
10K:  49:40 (Greenway 10k 3/20/16)
10-miler: 1:21:29 (Hermes Cleveland 10-miler 4/28/12)

20-miler: 2:45:15 (20 mile Drop 4/10/16)
half-marathon: 1:44:42 (Northern Ohio Half Marathon 10/4/15)
marathon: 3:57:31 (The Cleveland Marathon 5/17/15)

CBus

Trisha Dodd ran her first half marathon today & we surprised her by showing up to cheer.  The morning started REALLY early ~ left Madison just after 4 am ~ just before 6 we stopped for breakfast & I had to take a picture of the small McDonald's coffee.  It doesn't even fit in Mike's hand.  {When did the small shrink?}  We had great directions to follow the course from a master course follower ~ Jen Ayala has chased her husband around this course for years...and her expertise paid off for us.  We got to our spot just past mile 4 & found a giant and clean port-a-pot ~ which probably saved the day.  I watched the start from someone's live Facebook feed & could feel that energy.  I need to pause here, and reiterate my Columbus Half Marathon Recap ~ this race has the BEST start ever.  Thunderstruck, fireworks, Born to Run.  It's just a rush of adrenaline and energy.  Someday I will run this full.

We watched the first wheelchair racer and then (much later) the second & that was all of the wheelchair racers I saw.  Maybe they all took a short cut, because I have a hard time believing there were only 2.  The Dodd boys had signs

And so did I.  This sounds very braggy to say, but I'm pretty proud of my signs.  This was my first one, that I held at mile 4.  Dodd lent me his hat, so I had the sign and an outstretched ball cap.  And people smiled and laughed.  That was my goal.  I wanted to give people a reason to smile.  Sometimes, when your running, you just need a reason to chuckle.  I didn't, however, get any donations.  Not even a gu.  Cheep marathon runners!  :)

Mike held this sign. Which really makes him laugh...because it's funny.

I held this sign at mile 9 and there were many people who said, "Thank you, I needed that."  One lady held her fist to her heart and tapped it there for me.  I know that when you're at your lowest, you just need to know that it won't last...that you have what it takes deep inside to do this crazy thing.    So I think that my signs encouraged people today & that makes me feel like I was successful.

So, there we were, at mile 4.a little bit, waiting for Trisha, Leslie, and Pat. We saw the elite runners go by...blistering speeds...and then the people just behind them...working so very hard...{and I got a little scared.  These people were pushing and hurting at mile 4 ~ I don't want that to be me in 2 weeks ~ they still had a LOOOOONNNNGGG way to go}  We saw many NERC people and cheered for many many strangers.  Lots of sparkle skirts and tutu's out there as well as two dudes dressed in Spartan Costumes.  

We were race tracking Trisha, Leslie & Pat.  When they got to 4 we really started looking for them.  Then it said, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 & we got really nervous that we had missed them.  So we just started yelling, "Go Pat!"  "Go Leslie!"  "Go Trisha!"  Finally we spotted them.  I think Trisha was surprised and pleased to see us there ~ and I got to take their coats ~ which is a small repayment for all the times I've thrown articles of clothing at her during a race!

So off we went to mile 9, by the hospital and a water stop.  Crowded ~ but we found them again.  Then to the finish & as Jen said, it's hard to find a legal parking spot.  We parked in a gravel lot that had a closed sign...but there were about 40 other cars doing the same thing, so we figured they couldn't tow us all.  We were able to get to the finish and see them come through.  It was pretty awesome being the cheering crew for someone's first half.

at mile 9

waiting at the finish

all done

Then we went to meet Patrick and Maggie for lunch at Red Robin (YUM).  Very good to see them & hear how they are doing.  Jacob was home for fall break this weekend, too, so it was a great one.

Northern Ohio

The Northern Ohio is a special race for me.  In it's very first year, 2013,  it was my very first marathon.  That year it started and ended in Fairport Harbor.  In 2014 it also started in Fairport & I ran the half.  I remember how excited I was to only be running the half.  I was not near as tried passing the 22 mile marker as I was when I passed it the year before.

Then in 2015 they changed the start/finish to Mentor Headlands.  That is my PR 1/2 marathon.  It was a great day; I was fast; everything fell into place.  I remember Leslie passing me around mile 6 & Dodd holding me back as I started to take off after her.  He said, "We'll get her."  And we did.  Funny how so much can change in a year.

I've been so slow.  I've struggled to breathe.  I've quit running 5k's ~ so I'm getting zero speed training.  The fastest I've run up until this week has been 9:15...and that was pushing it.  A calf cramp woke me up in the middle of the night...and I worked all morning just to get it to stop hurting ~  at the start I meet up with Leslie ~ who has become my "frienemy" this past year ~ and she says that she's going to keep 9:15/mile pace.  I haven't discussed it with anyone, but I really really want to run sub-9:00 for the race ~ with no idea if I can actually maintain.  I figure if I can't go under 9, I'd enjoy

Leslie's company.  We start together with lots of, "If you need to go ahead, please don't let me hold you back"  We ran 8:26 for the first mile & pushed each other most of the race.  I could not have maintained sub 9 without Leslie there.  It was a gift to be running with her.  At 10.5 she ran ahead, but I kept her in sight & finished just 30 seconds or so behind her.    At mile 12 I got a little emotional.  I did it.  I ran sub 9 ~ and it didn't kill me.  I haven't felt that accomplished in a very long time.  I'm a runner again.

And we end up in the same post-race shirt. 

It was POURING rain at 6:30 when we drove into the parking lot at Headlands.  The rain stopped around 7:08...Just time enough to hit the port-a-pot (where there wasn't a line) and get a little warm up in.  Then we started.  Dodd had an amazing run & was first in line for a massage when I finished.  I got in line for one too...loved Al's magic fingers.  We were not good with a pre-race in the rain selfie so I took this one as we were waiting for Mike to finish his full.

And we waited as the sun came out and it got a little hot.  Then this huge storm rolled in over the lake & with Mike in his last 2.5 miles...it down-poured.  He finished with a smile on his face & very wet clothes.  The man is a beast and he's talking about joining our 20 mile training run next week.  

A great day & I'll be back!

Run log

September ~ 

My birthday month and the first month I didn't make a single post in this blog ~ 

Getting used to being without children.

School is in full swing.

Cross Country takes my afternoons.

Marathon training gets squeezed in.

Got our Team Beef Ohio swag this month.  Totally love my backpack/coaching bag.  It's got all the pockets I could ever want, a place for shoes in the front & a place for a water bottle on the side.  We also received gloves & a visor & a check for $300 in race reimbursements {sending in the race receipts was a little shocking ~ seeing what we spent in races last year}   And this week we got STEAKS ~ and tonight we ate the filet mignon.  Best steak I've eaten.,

We went to Mount Union to see Jacob in his first collegiate tennis match ~ he played exhibition doubles ~ we missed the match due to me having to be in CPI training ~ but he won & we got to watch the varsity play & then take JB to Applebees for dinner.  It was great to see him & see him happy at Mount.  Sitting at the tennis courts, looking around at campus, I realized that none of the buildings I could see were there when I was a student.  The tennis courts are new, the two dorms are new, the athletic facility is new.  The only thing that was there was the football field & even that has been redone.  Sad in a way...but not bad.

Mike and Dodd ran the Run for the Grapes 5k over Grape Jamboree weekend.  I chickened out...ran 11 miles to the race, 2 miles during, cheering them on & 3 home to make my 16 for the day.  I had a great time running & cheering.  However, my husband seems to think I'm slightly obnoxious with my cheering.  I think I embarassed him.  Doing a little research, no one seemed to think you could cheer too loudly and told me to keep up the cheering.  So I will cheer for all except for Mike...who will get a dismissing pffft and flick of the hand. {maybe...I probably won't be able to stop myself from cheering}  Back to the chickened out part...Just not ready to race a 5k and run a 26...27 minute 5k.  I've gotten so SLOW.  My legs finally feel ready to go faster.  Maybe it's been the cooler temps this week.  I certainly hope so.  I miss being able to easily run 8:30 -8:40 minute pace.  9:00 minute pace has not been an easy pace recently...and I'm sad about it.

September ~ my birthday recap.  I came downstairs for the first time as a 48 year old to balloons ~ Happy Birthday Princess, no less ~ a breakfast & my lunch ready to be packed.  And a new Garmin

watch! I love it.  It has activity tracking so I'm rather obsessed with my daily step count.  It also has sleep monitoring...but I've yet to wear it to bed.  I really don't think I want to know how little sleep I get per night.  However, to continue my amazing 48th birthday story...school was fun and Couch gave me a tiara ~ which I wore, of course, until it started to hurt my head.  Then I came home after practice and my run {with my new watch..."new record, fastest mile"  "new record, longest distance" new record, fastest 5k"...gotta love a new watch} and Mike and Dodd were preparing a dinner of steak, shrimp and crab legs.  The Dodd boys told me they were my birthday surprise.  It was a great birthday!  Wish my boys could have been here ~ but I got sweet birthday messages from both of them.

Friday was twin day at school.  Couch and I needed to wear our tiaras ~ so we donned matching shirts & were cowgirl princesses.  So much fun to work with these peeps!



Running for the month.  Lots of segmented runs...some with the team and then a few more miles after practice.   Some early morning runs.  {every early morning run, I've run into other runners.  Pretty cool.}  The long runs have all been done... some with people and some alone {we figured we better practice running alone so it wouldn't be a total shock in the marathon}  It's gotten better.  I've started to inch my pace to sub-9 minute miles.  Some of it is lack of practice, but most of it is lack of confidence.  My body broke once while running...I don't want that to happen again.
Cross Country is going very well.  Today we hosted our U Wanna Come Back invitational.  Only one middle school team signed up & I'm so glad they did.  The kids ran VERY well & I didn't screw it up.  Art is in Denver ~ so I was in charge...and I don't do well under pressure.  The only goofy thing I did was hitting the wrong button on the start of the boys race.  Luckily Mike was my back up timer so I knew I was 3 seconds off by the time I got it going.  I had to add 3 to all the times...but it wasn't a problem.  Hopefully more the high school teams come back next year & bring the middle schoolers.  It's a good course ~ even if it's not very spectator friendly.

The marathon is less than a month away.  Mike is running Northern Ohio Full tomorrow as his last long training run.  Dodd and I are doing the half. Next week will be our final long run and then a three week taper.
I'm starting to get less anxious and more excited. starting...

September Running Log:

September Totals:

141.26 for the month 
1093.38 miles for the year 

242.32 miles in my Gortex Ghosts ~no Gortex runs this month

469.15 miles in my Old gray Brooks Glycerin 13 My Camp Stig Shoes 

321.74 miles in my old defective pink Brooks Glycerin 13 

115.19 miles in my NEW PINK Brooks Glycerin 13 ~ and guess what...they are pulling away from the soles just like the other pink ones.  Must be a pink thing.  I'm not going to complain.  I'm just going to run in them.

43.34 miles in my NEW teal/blue Brooks Glycerin 13 ~ funny to have two new pairs of shoes.  I'm rotating them like crazy.  I shouldn't need new shoes until late spring.

Training for:     MARINE CORP MARATHON, October 31, 2016! and along the way ~ Northern Ohio Half Marathon, October 2.

Podcasts I'm listening to: Marathon Training Academy, Dear Sugar, Story Corp & Reply All

My WEIGHT: 140.2 on September 30.  Not bad considering all the eating I'm doing!

Some interesting facts:

Longest run this month:   20  Went much better than the 18 I did in August.  Still hot and humid...but we got it done and done well.

What hurts?: NOTHING!

Highest  weekly mileage this month:  52.11 miles from September 4 to September 11

Favorite place to run this month: Geneva Bike Path.  Ran there between rain storms on Thursday.  The Lake was angry, the sky was blue, gray, black and full of big clouds.  Very cool run.

Monthly mileage record: 156.69 ~ March 2015 {purposely ran 8 (on a treadmill) on March 30 to beat the August 2013 record}
Highest mileage ever-at-one-time:  26.36 ~ May 17, 2015 The Cleveland Marathon

PR's:
5K: 22:30 (Run For the Grapes 9/28/14)
10K:  49:40 (Greenway 10k 3/20/16)
10-miler: 1:21:29 (Hermes Cleveland 10-miler 4/28/12)

20-miler: 2:45:15 (20 mile Drop 4/10/16)
half-marathon: 1:44:42 (Northern Ohio Half Marathon 10/4/15)
marathon: 3:57:31 (The Cleveland Marathon 5/17/15)