Tag: chicago marathon

Six years later

In many ways, I find it hard to believe that it has been 6 years since I ran my first and only marathon, the amazing Chicago Marathon.

Each year the desire to even run that far again fades a little more. I developed tendonitis during training and my doctor told me this was a “one and done” situation, and I was grateful for it. I ran a great race and had a wonderful time meeting the original people I first followed on here, including my dear @two-o-nine  . I had trained well, felt great, and was at a perfect racing weight. I finished in 5:33:03 and was pleased. That’s a long time to run, but it didn’t matter, I did it! I finished a marathon! I took myself on a running tour of the city and I loved it.

When I crossed the finish line, I got my picture taken with my hard earned medal, found some snacks and a spot on the ground to rest, and called my mom and immediately burst into tears. The girl who was made fun of for being fat, who couldn’t run a mile in middle school or high school, was now the girl who found the strength to lose 150 pounds and run countless races including 12 half marathons and now a full. It was an incredible feeling.

So, to everyone racing this weekend, have so much fun! It is an incredible experience.

I’m having a hard time not panicking here…

I’m up about 5-7 pounds. I realize this isn’t a huge deal, but for someone who has struggled with her weight most of her adult life this has induced in me a panic. I’m currently training for the Chicago Marathon this fall. I know that weight gain during Marathon training is normal. But I’m still freaking out. I hit my goal weight of losing 150 pounds last October and have maintained ever since then. But i can’t seem to shake these 5-7 pounds.

I weigh myself everyday. I have ever since I started losing weight back in 2005. Its how i keep myself accountable. Don’t judge. So i notice any gain. I know its not that much but i feel it. My clothes are a little tighter and i don’t like that.

So i guess I’m asking for a little advice. Anybody? Anything? Help! I’m freaking out here!

And today…she rested.

Let me interrupt your regularly scheduled training for an injury! Like I said yesterday, I believe a combination of Saturday’s Warrior Dash, my 10 mile bike ride with LOTS of hills on Sunday, and my 2 mile run (it was supposed to be 3 miles) on Tuesday, I have tweaked a muscle in my thigh. I don’t think its a big deal. My mother the RN doesn’t seem to think its more than a strain. So that’s a blessing. But the fact that it hurts (kind of a cramping-type feeling) when I stand up or sit down using that leg, or hurts when I go up stairs and during runs leads me to believe I should take a few days to let it heal. As much as it pains me.

I’m not good at resting. In fact, I kind of suck at it. I think its because its so much harder for me to start back up again, than to just keep going, ya know? But its ok. Because I planned for this. I’m going to Colorado this weekend for a friend’s wedding, and staying a couple of extra days and I knew I wouldn’t be able to fit all of my runs in while I was gone, so I added some cushion time into my Chicago Marathon Training schedule. So I’m good. I’ve got this.

Will someone please remind me of this when I’m freaking out?! 🙂

If the leg feels better, you know I’m going to try and fit a run in tomorrow before I leave tomorrow night! 🙂

Have a great day friends! 🙂

Hotel for Chicago is Booked!!!

I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders!

I’m going out there with Lindsay and she booked our flights last week. Its been my job to book the room for Lindsay, Becky, Bailee and I. I have a friend that works for the Holiday Inns so he gets a discounted rate…So we are booked! And I managed to save us a fairly significant amount of money!

Life is good!

Have a great day friends

“I want to ride my bicycle…”

I want to ride my bike! I haven’t ridden a bike in YEARS. Like 15 years. I had all kinds of excuses. It hurt my butt, I didn’t like it. Etc.

But I began training for the Chicago Marathon last week and my schedule said that I should cross train on Sundays. And I decided that I would get out the ol’ bike and head out for some miles.

I have no idea why I waited so long to “get back on the bike!” I had such a good time! I went 10.2 miles in just over 58 minutes. I felt like I was flying! My fastest pace was 18.1 miles per hour. What an amazing feeling!

I feel a little guilty that instead of my 3 running miles that I have on the schedule for tomorrow, I really want to get the bike out again! I kind of feel like I’m having an affair with my bike. Like I’m cheating on running!

Me after my ride on Sunday. It was great!

Have a good week friends!

“Dreams are necessary to life.” -Anais Nin

So I signed up for Chicago. It’s going to be my first full marathon. After I clicked submit I had a little buyer’s remorse. What had I done? What was I was thinking? Could I really train for and run 26.2 miles? The thought of it all suddenly overwhelmed me and I wasn’t sure what I had just done with my life.

And then, then I remembered this quote. I saw it last week, somewhere, on someone’s blog. I liked it. It stuck with me and it made me think. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I needed a new dream. And I think Chicago is it.

I have come so far in my life; I’ve lost 150 pounds, I’ve become a runner. I’ve done 5k’s, 10k’s, a half marathon, and am training for my 2nd half-marathon, and now will train for my first full marathon. I have changed my life. Now its time for my dreams to change.

But doing a full marathon? This scares the heck out of me. I’m terrified that I won’t be able to do it. That I won’t finish. That I will get hurt. That I won’t be able to push past the mental barriers that I set for myself. But I know I can and I will. Because, deep down I knew this was my dream. And its time to make my dreams come true!