Well, I registered for a race today with my sorority "mom". We are going to be running the Rock N Roll Chicago Half Marathon on Aug 14th. I am psyched. Although I was hoping for a full, I think that a half will be awesome. I was so burnt out after I ran the DSM marathon that I didn't run for over a month afterward! I have heard that it is not uncommon to be back to running after a week of a half marathon. I am hoping to do a better job of maintaining my training habits this time around!!!
Progress: Yesterday was my best workout in a while. I have a Y membership now, so I have been lifting (some), swimming/treading water (some) and running (mostly). Last night I ran 3.5 mi in 25 mins. I think that's a pretty good pace, though I did walk some of it. I also biked 4.5 mi in 25 min. Was a good day! It is so much easier to stay on track when you have TV and games to distract you! I am so happy it is getting warm outside. It was a great day at work, too- I ate lunch from a campfire, fished, walked trails, etc and got PAID for it. Love my job... It is so true that seasonal jobs are the best jobs around. The only downfall is that they are seasonal!
I am going to go to the Y while I am still motivated. I hope to get a 5 mi run in by the end of the week, so I guess it will need to be today or tom (as I have a busy weekend planned at work). I will let you know how it is going! In other news, after 4 wks of concentrated diet/exercise effort, I am down about 6 lbs. Hard to say for sure, I have a crappy scale (not digital) but I definitely look and feel thinner. Off to the gym!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
This just in
I am signed up for another marathon. (In my head, anyway.)
Although I know it will be hard to train for on my own, not knowing the trails, working crazy hours, etc., I now know I can do it (after completing the DSM IMT in about 1:45:00 almost 3 years ago). I have promised my sorority “mom” that I would run the 2011 Chicago marathon with her, so I am committed to making it happen. Here is a copy of my workout schedule. I will not be able to follow it to a “T” because of my crazy job (outdoor ed at a NE state park), but it will give me some guidelines. I will typically have Mon and Tues off and weekends are super busy at work, so I made my long day Sunday so I can recover on Mon and have Sat off.
I didn’t realize how close we live to sketchy neighborhoods until I started running and reached a turn-around spot quickly! I’m sure I would be fine, but I don’t want to run there in the dark… Sad- I prefer to run in the evenings, especially when it’s warm out. We live in a pocket neighborhood that is pretty nice, but technically rural route. Thus, we don’t have a lot of sidewalks, and we aren’t far from the interstate. I think I will need to drive somewhere for my long runs, or possibly do a couple loops at work…. Although I dread doing that because it is super hilly! (Maybe if I run hills, I can knock a few miles off my goal for the day?) I plan on bringing my bike to work and using it from time to time, especially if I have a split-schedule day.
Today I ran with Rudy, my Chihuahua x rat terrier (?) mutt. Needless to say, we didn’t get too far, and the stop:start ratio was ridic. Of course, he wants to smell/pee on everything. (I hope he gets better, but it really wasn’t that bad for his 3rd time running with me. He’s like a little kid: sprint, jog, and stop on a dime. Repeat ad infinitum.) I stepped in a pot hole on the way out the door, so I was sore before we even left the parking lot. :/ I got a really bad ankle sprain in HS playing tennis one summer, which eventually turned to tendonitis after taking a few weeks off to recover and quickly trying to train for cross country. As a result, my left ankle is about half the size and strength of my right, so it buckles all the time. I tried to do some rehab on it when I was on the rowing team at Iowa, but got caught up in the busy life of a student-athlete and didn’t make much headway.
One other barrier I will have to deal with is my asthma. Just when I think I am rid of it, over it, “sayonara wheezing,” it comes back with a vengeance. I haven’t used my inhaler in months, and suddenly last night, the night before I planned to start my workout regime, it’s back, and bad. As much as I love spring, it has never agreed with my little lungs. Freaking humidity. If it would just rain, or not rain, I would be fine. It’s the inconsistency that messes me up.
Ryan and I are also on a new eating plan. He went to Complete Nutrition (like a local GNC) and came home excited. We’ve only been doing it for a week now (though Easter was pretty much a bust) but we’ve both lost some weight, I think. It’s hard to say much about it so far, but I’m not that hungry on the diet, and I feel good. We have to be better off. We are supposed to have a protein and carb for breakfast, a protein, carb, and veggie for lunch, a protein for a snack, and a protein and veggie for supper. We haven’t been following it perfectly, but it’s definitely an improvement! We pretty much ate whatever sounded good before this. We’re also taking supplements. I am hoping to lose about 25 lbs. Of course I know that weight is a terrible way to measure health, so I’m not stuck on numbers. I would like to beat my marathon time, though! The numbers I am focusing on right now are 3 and 26.2. My goal is to run at least 3x/wk up until my marathon (Oct), which is 26.2 miles, as all marathons are.
We are planning on getting a Y membership, so that will help out on rainy/scorching days. I really want a treadmill, but… only have like 600 sq ft to work with. Meh. Someday!
Now accepting applications for a running buddy! *
With Love,
Me
*Ryan and Rudy, you have no choice. You’re in.
~~~~~~
Scratch that, the Chicago is full. But I will be running something, somewhere this fall. Ponder...
Oh, and I obviously got the dog I wanted. :) I wanted a giant pooch, but not having a giant yard, apt, or bunny, I figured that a mini was better. He's awesome. But someday, I will have a big fluffer!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Back in Black
What's up, kids?
A lot has happened since I wrote in January. This summer I had the best job ever... I worked at a state park in NE doing Outdoor Ed. (I was so thrilled to leave retail. I am sad that I don't get to see the little kids I was working with at my job at an after school program. Sadly, funding ran out and the program no longer operates at the district I worked with.) I am still working on weekends at the state park, but I only have two weekends left :( I hope to work there again this summer. BEST JOB EVER. I'd do it everyday if they'd let me.
I finished up with my classes and am about halfway done with my 14 week/70 day student teaching placement. I am hoping to be done on Valentine's Day... But the odds of making it that long without a snow day- slim to none. The only other news I really have is that we have moved back to IA. This was only a move of about 15 miles, but the new place is cheaper and nicer, so its a win-win. The only things I don't like are the office hours- which are worse than banker hours and I don't know their email- and I miss living on the main floor. We have a deck instead of a patio so it seems more closed in and we are also not allowed to use our gas grill. :(
Aside from school, the only things I have been doing lately are gingerly driving/fixing my car (with varying degrees of efficacy), and trying to convince Ryan that we need a puppy. As I write this, the rabbit has jumped on the ottoman and eaten the tortilla chip crumbs I left in a bowl. He's cute, but not a cuddler, and would not walk on a leash. I want a pet that will motivate me to be active, act as my personal space heater, and give me confidence when walking in the evenings. Ethan is hilarious and fun. But he's lonely. (He just sprinted through his cat tunnel and down the hall.) He just has a funny way of showing it. ;)
Upcoming plans:
Dec/Jan- I have over a week off for Xmas break, so I need to find some things to occupy my time. My bro is a firefighter so he has a weird schedule and my sister-in-law teaches, so I will probably go home and hang out with the few people I know that are likely to have similar days off... not the least of which are my 3 adorable nephews. I hope there is enough snow for sledding but not enough that the 4.5 hr drive (min) is worsened/lengthened.
June/July- ALASKA TRIP... details yet undecided... Juneau for sure. Not more than two weeks. Beyond that, sky's the limit.
October- Chicago Marathon! I am running this with a friend from my sorority. Maybe with a few friends. Excitement unfolds... Part of me wants to buy a used treadmill, but really I need to save up for the AK trip- and the whole "not working" thing. I can't sub until I finish student teaching and my license is approved. Hopefully I will be getting paid to teach by March!
Other Happenings:
My mom is giving me her old sewing machine. I am pretty bad right now, but hemming pants by hand sucks. Anything would be better than that. The worst part about it is finding a place for it! We have a pretty small apt. Ah, things to ponder. In other news, she is making me a quilt. Yay, Mom!
Ordered business cards. I made them kind of like a resume, since I don't have a full-time job title right now. I'm pretty stoked about them because they are multi-purpose. They have my degree, majors, certification, and endorsements on there, plus other things, like "bilingual" and "tutoring services." I made them at vistaprint.com , which I recommend. I am eagerly awaiting their arrival. I plan on putting them in some of my Xmas cards and taking them to job fairs.
I want to make a website that is like my online version of a business card. I'm not sure how to go about it because I don't want to pay a fee or have a ton of trashy advertising. I also don't want to list all of my contact info in cyberspace. Suggestions?
I guess that's enough for now- I can't believe it is so late! I have to teach chem tomorrow! Better get the bunny to bed soon.
Love & Stuff,
Peachy Keen
A lot has happened since I wrote in January. This summer I had the best job ever... I worked at a state park in NE doing Outdoor Ed. (I was so thrilled to leave retail. I am sad that I don't get to see the little kids I was working with at my job at an after school program. Sadly, funding ran out and the program no longer operates at the district I worked with.) I am still working on weekends at the state park, but I only have two weekends left :( I hope to work there again this summer. BEST JOB EVER. I'd do it everyday if they'd let me.
I finished up with my classes and am about halfway done with my 14 week/70 day student teaching placement. I am hoping to be done on Valentine's Day... But the odds of making it that long without a snow day- slim to none. The only other news I really have is that we have moved back to IA. This was only a move of about 15 miles, but the new place is cheaper and nicer, so its a win-win. The only things I don't like are the office hours- which are worse than banker hours and I don't know their email- and I miss living on the main floor. We have a deck instead of a patio so it seems more closed in and we are also not allowed to use our gas grill. :(
Aside from school, the only things I have been doing lately are gingerly driving/fixing my car (with varying degrees of efficacy), and trying to convince Ryan that we need a puppy. As I write this, the rabbit has jumped on the ottoman and eaten the tortilla chip crumbs I left in a bowl. He's cute, but not a cuddler, and would not walk on a leash. I want a pet that will motivate me to be active, act as my personal space heater, and give me confidence when walking in the evenings. Ethan is hilarious and fun. But he's lonely. (He just sprinted through his cat tunnel and down the hall.) He just has a funny way of showing it. ;)
Upcoming plans:
Dec/Jan- I have over a week off for Xmas break, so I need to find some things to occupy my time. My bro is a firefighter so he has a weird schedule and my sister-in-law teaches, so I will probably go home and hang out with the few people I know that are likely to have similar days off... not the least of which are my 3 adorable nephews. I hope there is enough snow for sledding but not enough that the 4.5 hr drive (min) is worsened/lengthened.
June/July- ALASKA TRIP... details yet undecided... Juneau for sure. Not more than two weeks. Beyond that, sky's the limit.
October- Chicago Marathon! I am running this with a friend from my sorority. Maybe with a few friends. Excitement unfolds... Part of me wants to buy a used treadmill, but really I need to save up for the AK trip- and the whole "not working" thing. I can't sub until I finish student teaching and my license is approved. Hopefully I will be getting paid to teach by March!
Other Happenings:
My mom is giving me her old sewing machine. I am pretty bad right now, but hemming pants by hand sucks. Anything would be better than that. The worst part about it is finding a place for it! We have a pretty small apt. Ah, things to ponder. In other news, she is making me a quilt. Yay, Mom!
Ordered business cards. I made them kind of like a resume, since I don't have a full-time job title right now. I'm pretty stoked about them because they are multi-purpose. They have my degree, majors, certification, and endorsements on there, plus other things, like "bilingual" and "tutoring services." I made them at vistaprint.com , which I recommend. I am eagerly awaiting their arrival. I plan on putting them in some of my Xmas cards and taking them to job fairs.
I want to make a website that is like my online version of a business card. I'm not sure how to go about it because I don't want to pay a fee or have a ton of trashy advertising. I also don't want to list all of my contact info in cyberspace. Suggestions?
I guess that's enough for now- I can't believe it is so late! I have to teach chem tomorrow! Better get the bunny to bed soon.
Love & Stuff,
Peachy Keen
Monday, January 25, 2010
Term 3
Well, I did start taking classes, and am just at the beginning of my 3rd term. I hope to be student teaching in October. When I am done, I will be certified in grades 5-12 Spanish, chemistry, and biology. And that is just by taking the requirements to be a teacher! I am so happy that my seemingly useless (and uber-hated) years of chem courses will actually be rewarded and recognized on my certificate. I hope that my difficulties in understanding chem when I was starting out will provide me with the appropriate perspective and strategies to helping others get what was lost on me for so long. It is amazing how much one tutor, one teacher can help/hinder your ability as a student to move forward in your understanding. This is something I will never forget.
I have a 4.0 right now and must say that the classes I am taking are cake. I can't say that I am complaining, per say, because I am a working adult with a busy life, but I am amazed to think that anyone could earn college credit for taking such cruise control courses. They might as well just give me the credit for showing up and dispense with the "gimme" tests and assignments. As a functioning member of society and a college graduate, I feel that it can be taken for granted that I have what it takes to pass the courses. Let's just move forward and start with the classroom responsibilities! I am ready to get this show on the road. If I could take more classes at once, I would, but since I am attending such a small school, you can only take two courses at a time, and that is if they are courses relevant to your program.
I am stuck in a hard spot now, because I have to take a summer course, but since we operate on quarters rather than semesters, I have to take two courses in order to qualify for financial aid. I don't want to take a class I don't need, don't want to postpone taking the course and thus push back my graduation, and also do not want to have to pay it out of pocket. My school simply does not offer anything that is beneficial for me to take... Not without driving 90 minutes to the next closest satellite campus. Ug. What to do?
I really want to get certified to coach but those courses are not offered during those terms at my school. I'm not sure how financial aid will work out if I went to another school for those... I hope I don't have to fwd my transcripts on to the state to be certified, because I already have attending six (yes, SIX) different colleges. I know this seems like a lot, but I was a transfer student, participated in an exchange, took summer/winterim courses at community colleges, and am now returning as a non-trad post-bacc teaching cert only. That being said, I am essentially going to be treated as a quad-mjr at the end of all this. Hallelujah, GIVE ME A JOB.
That's all I have to say about that. -Gump
I have a 4.0 right now and must say that the classes I am taking are cake. I can't say that I am complaining, per say, because I am a working adult with a busy life, but I am amazed to think that anyone could earn college credit for taking such cruise control courses. They might as well just give me the credit for showing up and dispense with the "gimme" tests and assignments. As a functioning member of society and a college graduate, I feel that it can be taken for granted that I have what it takes to pass the courses. Let's just move forward and start with the classroom responsibilities! I am ready to get this show on the road. If I could take more classes at once, I would, but since I am attending such a small school, you can only take two courses at a time, and that is if they are courses relevant to your program.
I am stuck in a hard spot now, because I have to take a summer course, but since we operate on quarters rather than semesters, I have to take two courses in order to qualify for financial aid. I don't want to take a class I don't need, don't want to postpone taking the course and thus push back my graduation, and also do not want to have to pay it out of pocket. My school simply does not offer anything that is beneficial for me to take... Not without driving 90 minutes to the next closest satellite campus. Ug. What to do?
I really want to get certified to coach but those courses are not offered during those terms at my school. I'm not sure how financial aid will work out if I went to another school for those... I hope I don't have to fwd my transcripts on to the state to be certified, because I already have attending six (yes, SIX) different colleges. I know this seems like a lot, but I was a transfer student, participated in an exchange, took summer/winterim courses at community colleges, and am now returning as a non-trad post-bacc teaching cert only. That being said, I am essentially going to be treated as a quad-mjr at the end of all this. Hallelujah, GIVE ME A JOB.
That's all I have to say about that. -Gump
Thursday, August 20, 2009
My life
To be honest, I forgot I had a blog... I mean, somewhere out there in cyberspace I knew I had at least one, but let's be honest. No one read it, really. No one I knew anyway. Not that it's about that, but I think it is a healthy thing to write. I have always been a writer. Poems, songs, lyrics, lists, novellas, notes, letters, you name it. Thoughts to paper. That's me.
So here I go- I have realized that the busier I get, the more likely I am to keep a blog/journal, and I think maybe it is simply that it helps me keep my thoughts in order when I so desperately need clarity.
I guess I will start at the beginning. The introduction. No pressure...
I am a practical optimist from Iowa. I would say I am a pretty representative picture of what an Iowan embodies, whatever that may be.
I have big dreams. I aspire to someday earn a living wage from just one job- but it's gotta be an awesome one. I am a pretty laid-back person, so as long as it has to do with Spanish, kids, or biology, I will be stoked. My ideal job includes all three. This is a tall order, especially right now, so I am going to be going "back" to school to get my teaching certificate. At least, I'm going to start the classes. If something else comes up, I plan on jumping in with both feet. Not because I don't think I would adore being a teacher, but because I believe that one thing leads to another. I wouldn't say I believe in fate necessarily, because I have definitely chosen the path I wanted to follow, but of course I have been the victim (and benefactor) of chance in so many instances. Since I am an optimistic person, I can't say I have made any wrong choices, really. I like where I am in life, I see possibility ahead, and basically every decision I have ever made I think i would do the same way based on the information I had at the time. Besides, what does regret get me besides a feeling of emptiness and remorse? Nothing good.
This is more for me than for anyone else I suppose, but here are some of my goals for the next five years. (How exciting, it's just like a time capsule!)
Buy a house.
Maintain a healthy weight and an active lifestyle (work out 3x/wk).
Get a full-time job somewhere I can establish myself happily and with stability.
Write a book.
So I guess that's where I'm at right now. There are other things I could list, but I want these to be real and measurable goals I might actually attain. I mean, I have 5 years, you'd think I could complete these things in that amount of time, right? It's the maintaining that I am most worried about at this point! If I were more comfortable with this city, I would be a lot more likely to get my exercise in. But not knowing the streets, not having running buddies, and being scared of the winos downtown doesn't make it easy.
Here goes!
So here I go- I have realized that the busier I get, the more likely I am to keep a blog/journal, and I think maybe it is simply that it helps me keep my thoughts in order when I so desperately need clarity.
I guess I will start at the beginning. The introduction. No pressure...
I am a practical optimist from Iowa. I would say I am a pretty representative picture of what an Iowan embodies, whatever that may be.
I have big dreams. I aspire to someday earn a living wage from just one job- but it's gotta be an awesome one. I am a pretty laid-back person, so as long as it has to do with Spanish, kids, or biology, I will be stoked. My ideal job includes all three. This is a tall order, especially right now, so I am going to be going "back" to school to get my teaching certificate. At least, I'm going to start the classes. If something else comes up, I plan on jumping in with both feet. Not because I don't think I would adore being a teacher, but because I believe that one thing leads to another. I wouldn't say I believe in fate necessarily, because I have definitely chosen the path I wanted to follow, but of course I have been the victim (and benefactor) of chance in so many instances. Since I am an optimistic person, I can't say I have made any wrong choices, really. I like where I am in life, I see possibility ahead, and basically every decision I have ever made I think i would do the same way based on the information I had at the time. Besides, what does regret get me besides a feeling of emptiness and remorse? Nothing good.
This is more for me than for anyone else I suppose, but here are some of my goals for the next five years. (How exciting, it's just like a time capsule!)
Buy a house.
Maintain a healthy weight and an active lifestyle (work out 3x/wk).
Get a full-time job somewhere I can establish myself happily and with stability.
Write a book.
So I guess that's where I'm at right now. There are other things I could list, but I want these to be real and measurable goals I might actually attain. I mean, I have 5 years, you'd think I could complete these things in that amount of time, right? It's the maintaining that I am most worried about at this point! If I were more comfortable with this city, I would be a lot more likely to get my exercise in. But not knowing the streets, not having running buddies, and being scared of the winos downtown doesn't make it easy.
Here goes!
Friday, October 31, 2008
THE BIG DAY
I have completed a marathon!
I am very proud to be able to say that! I finished in 5:36:56. My goal was under 6 hours and I realized from the start that I was probably going to be able to beat that. I was running with the 5:30 pace guy for several miles but I kept wavering back and forth, running faster for the most part, but taking more time at the water stops and I finally dropped back a bit when I had to stretch in the Waterworks Park.
Play-by-play of the weekend:
Saturday:
This morning I slept in and ran errands, packed, etc. When Ryan got off work, we headed to Des Moines for the race expo thing. I had to stop by to pick up my race bib, tshirt, and a timing chip. We checked out a bunch of displays and I bought a cheap shirt for $5. We checked into the hotel (crappy, btw), and looked through all the random samples we were given at the expo. I set out all my gear so I would be ready for the next day. Then I went down to the team's spaghetti dinner. It was great to learn how much we earned (between like 15-20 people)... $50,000!!!! It is amazing what we accomplished. $2,000 was really not that hard for me to raise, but it is awesome to realize how fast it adds up when it is compounded like that. We heard several people speak, but the people I was most interested in were the honored patients. It was very touching but also very humbling. $2,000 is really not going to do that much; there is so much to be done. When I got back to the room, Ryan was eating Tasty Tacos, so I had some homemade guacamole and chips, took a long bath to prepare for the race, watched part of the Red Sox game (Ryan fell asleep), and then went to bed.
Race day:
I got up about 6 am and put on all my gear, headed down to breakfast, and then met the team in the lobby. We walked to the starting line and stretched, used the bathroom, etc. and lined up from the fastest to slowest (generally). It was really weird, when they fired the gun, we literally just stood there for over 2 minutes. By the time we crossed the starting line and were able to jog, the announcer stated that we were 2:30 into the race and the leading half-marathoners were already around the half-mile mark. Again, a very humbling experience, but also kind of funny. It's not like I was running to break records or anything. It was just a good excuse to make exercising a priority. We had a timing chip on our shoes anyway, so "our" time didn't start until we crossed the starting line.
Miles 1-13ish:
I was feeling really good and running with my friend Jen. We were having fun, talking, running downtown, listening to bands, taking it easy, meeting people... Unfortunately, right before we got to Drake stadium-- about halfway, she got a migraine. I felt that I was not going to be able to finish if I stopped/slowed down (I was getting really tired and I tend to have asthma attacks/cramps if I stop frequently), so we parted ways. I did see her later at Waterworks Park, though, so I was glad for that! I fell in step with the 5:30 pacer and tried to stay with him for several miles.
All the miles run together now up until Waterworks Park. I'm not sure where we entered the park, but it was only fun running there for about 2-3 miles. Then we left the forested area and went by the water. It was really windy and since the loop was so big, it didn't feel like I was making much progress. The water stops got further and further apart (literally) and that didn't help because I was needing to eat my energy gels and drink Gatorade more often. By this time, I had burned off a ridiculous amount of calories, and was only able to replace them at a rate of about 100 calories every 2-3 miles... so I had a large deficit! I was getting really hungry and dizzy but kept plodding along. At first, I was discouraged by all the people walking in front of me. I was wondering how they got ahead of me when I had been running almost the entire time... but then I realized that the walkers started a full hour earlier than the runners, so that made me feel a lot better.
Miles 22-26.2:
I got to the 22 mile marker and ate a Gu, I was so hungry. I was getting sunburned, but I could tell my face was drained from the lack of food. Seeing the photos that were taken the last few miles of the race, I realize I looked worse than I felt...! I took some extra time at this stop. I was getting really exhausted and began walking when I guess you could say I hit my wall. I was contemplating walking the rest of the way, but thought "the faster I run/walk, the faster I am done." I had an asthma attack and had to use my inhaler a few times. I just crouched down and took some water, walked a while. I started "yogging" again (like in Anchorman) and got to Gray's Lake. It was super windy and I was getting bitter, wondering why the planners didn't have the runners run the opposite way. It was very difficult the last few miles because there was little access for supporters to get to the location, so I really felt I was out there alone. The already sparse water stops were also running out and shutting down, so that was very annoying. I think it would have been easier to finish downtown than out in the boonies like that.
Anyway, I struggled through the last few miles run-walking (mostly running!) and just thinking about Ryan and my teammates waiting for me at the end. We came to the last mile and there were some junior high of JV (young) cheerleaders. The guy in front of me asked if they were out of juice as they seemed pretty out of it. They said they were tired and that thought alone got me through the next half mile or so. How ironic. They did cheer for us though and it was greatly appreciated! I made the last turn at (I'm guessing) the 26 mile mark with 4 blocks to go. I could see the finish line. I am so glad I turned when I did and not 30 seconds later, because I'm pretty sure I would have had to wait for a train (ridiculous... I think they should subtract time from those who had to wait). The Eastern Iowa coach ran with me a little and let me know where I was and that I should have a photo finish. I always try to finish a run at a sprint so I can have no regrets about how the race ended. I was able to sprint (well, at least it felt like a sprint and the crowd got excited) across the finish line, so I was very excited about that. I had my photo taken and had to figure out how to get off the course, which took several minutes because there were ;people everywhere and I was pretty out of it. I was walking so slow. Ryan walked along beside me on the other side of the fence and gave me directions because he somehow figured out what I needed to do.
I checked it at the TNT booth, tried to get a massage and was turned away for coming in so late :( and ate a ton of food that was shoved my way. Ryan collected my things and we got the car, went to his parents' to clean up, and went to Hessen Haus with the team for dinner. Ryan drove home and we were super lazy all day Monday, watching movies, eating junk food, and enjoying a day off to bask in the glow of success...
Thanks for supporting me through all of this. It is crazy to think that when I started training in June, I wasn't running regularly at all and in 3 1/2 months, I trained myself to able to run 26+ consecutive miles. The human body is amazing. Honestly, I wasn't even running 4 days a week most weeks! I haven't run since the marathon, but now that I am done with my DNR job, I will have more time to dedicate. I did do my video, though, so that is something.
Photos of the race at the following website:
http://www.marathonfoto.com/order_my_photos.cfm?RaceOID=18922008F1&LastName=CANNON&BibNumber=1478&Language=en&Mailing=17782&BFI=a4jrrhtsfl&Frames=true&Flash
I am very proud to be able to say that! I finished in 5:36:56. My goal was under 6 hours and I realized from the start that I was probably going to be able to beat that. I was running with the 5:30 pace guy for several miles but I kept wavering back and forth, running faster for the most part, but taking more time at the water stops and I finally dropped back a bit when I had to stretch in the Waterworks Park.
Play-by-play of the weekend:
Saturday:
This morning I slept in and ran errands, packed, etc. When Ryan got off work, we headed to Des Moines for the race expo thing. I had to stop by to pick up my race bib, tshirt, and a timing chip. We checked out a bunch of displays and I bought a cheap shirt for $5. We checked into the hotel (crappy, btw), and looked through all the random samples we were given at the expo. I set out all my gear so I would be ready for the next day. Then I went down to the team's spaghetti dinner. It was great to learn how much we earned (between like 15-20 people)... $50,000!!!! It is amazing what we accomplished. $2,000 was really not that hard for me to raise, but it is awesome to realize how fast it adds up when it is compounded like that. We heard several people speak, but the people I was most interested in were the honored patients. It was very touching but also very humbling. $2,000 is really not going to do that much; there is so much to be done. When I got back to the room, Ryan was eating Tasty Tacos, so I had some homemade guacamole and chips, took a long bath to prepare for the race, watched part of the Red Sox game (Ryan fell asleep), and then went to bed.
Race day:
I got up about 6 am and put on all my gear, headed down to breakfast, and then met the team in the lobby. We walked to the starting line and stretched, used the bathroom, etc. and lined up from the fastest to slowest (generally). It was really weird, when they fired the gun, we literally just stood there for over 2 minutes. By the time we crossed the starting line and were able to jog, the announcer stated that we were 2:30 into the race and the leading half-marathoners were already around the half-mile mark. Again, a very humbling experience, but also kind of funny. It's not like I was running to break records or anything. It was just a good excuse to make exercising a priority. We had a timing chip on our shoes anyway, so "our" time didn't start until we crossed the starting line.
Miles 1-13ish:
I was feeling really good and running with my friend Jen. We were having fun, talking, running downtown, listening to bands, taking it easy, meeting people... Unfortunately, right before we got to Drake stadium-- about halfway, she got a migraine. I felt that I was not going to be able to finish if I stopped/slowed down (I was getting really tired and I tend to have asthma attacks/cramps if I stop frequently), so we parted ways. I did see her later at Waterworks Park, though, so I was glad for that! I fell in step with the 5:30 pacer and tried to stay with him for several miles.
All the miles run together now up until Waterworks Park. I'm not sure where we entered the park, but it was only fun running there for about 2-3 miles. Then we left the forested area and went by the water. It was really windy and since the loop was so big, it didn't feel like I was making much progress. The water stops got further and further apart (literally) and that didn't help because I was needing to eat my energy gels and drink Gatorade more often. By this time, I had burned off a ridiculous amount of calories, and was only able to replace them at a rate of about 100 calories every 2-3 miles... so I had a large deficit! I was getting really hungry and dizzy but kept plodding along. At first, I was discouraged by all the people walking in front of me. I was wondering how they got ahead of me when I had been running almost the entire time... but then I realized that the walkers started a full hour earlier than the runners, so that made me feel a lot better.
Miles 22-26.2:
I got to the 22 mile marker and ate a Gu, I was so hungry. I was getting sunburned, but I could tell my face was drained from the lack of food. Seeing the photos that were taken the last few miles of the race, I realize I looked worse than I felt...! I took some extra time at this stop. I was getting really exhausted and began walking when I guess you could say I hit my wall. I was contemplating walking the rest of the way, but thought "the faster I run/walk, the faster I am done." I had an asthma attack and had to use my inhaler a few times. I just crouched down and took some water, walked a while. I started "yogging" again (like in Anchorman) and got to Gray's Lake. It was super windy and I was getting bitter, wondering why the planners didn't have the runners run the opposite way. It was very difficult the last few miles because there was little access for supporters to get to the location, so I really felt I was out there alone. The already sparse water stops were also running out and shutting down, so that was very annoying. I think it would have been easier to finish downtown than out in the boonies like that.
Anyway, I struggled through the last few miles run-walking (mostly running!) and just thinking about Ryan and my teammates waiting for me at the end. We came to the last mile and there were some junior high of JV (young) cheerleaders. The guy in front of me asked if they were out of juice as they seemed pretty out of it. They said they were tired and that thought alone got me through the next half mile or so. How ironic. They did cheer for us though and it was greatly appreciated! I made the last turn at (I'm guessing) the 26 mile mark with 4 blocks to go. I could see the finish line. I am so glad I turned when I did and not 30 seconds later, because I'm pretty sure I would have had to wait for a train (ridiculous... I think they should subtract time from those who had to wait). The Eastern Iowa coach ran with me a little and let me know where I was and that I should have a photo finish. I always try to finish a run at a sprint so I can have no regrets about how the race ended. I was able to sprint (well, at least it felt like a sprint and the crowd got excited) across the finish line, so I was very excited about that. I had my photo taken and had to figure out how to get off the course, which took several minutes because there were ;people everywhere and I was pretty out of it. I was walking so slow. Ryan walked along beside me on the other side of the fence and gave me directions because he somehow figured out what I needed to do.
I checked it at the TNT booth, tried to get a massage and was turned away for coming in so late :( and ate a ton of food that was shoved my way. Ryan collected my things and we got the car, went to his parents' to clean up, and went to Hessen Haus with the team for dinner. Ryan drove home and we were super lazy all day Monday, watching movies, eating junk food, and enjoying a day off to bask in the glow of success...
Thanks for supporting me through all of this. It is crazy to think that when I started training in June, I wasn't running regularly at all and in 3 1/2 months, I trained myself to able to run 26+ consecutive miles. The human body is amazing. Honestly, I wasn't even running 4 days a week most weeks! I haven't run since the marathon, but now that I am done with my DNR job, I will have more time to dedicate. I did do my video, though, so that is something.
Photos of the race at the following website:
http://www.marathonfoto.com/order_my_photos.cfm?RaceOID=18922008F1&LastName=CANNON&BibNumber=1478&Language=en&Mailing=17782&BFI=a4jrrhtsfl&Frames=true&Flash
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
I HAVE MET MY FUNDRAISING GoAL!
YAY!!!
I have now raised over $2,080 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!
I have also completed my 20-mile run! My race is coming up this Sunday and I am very excited for the event. Ryan bought me some new shoes and I have stocked up on energy gels, PowerBars, and a disposable camera.
I am really happy I did this, it has kept me going through some difficult times and has given focus and direction to my life the past few months. Ryan accepted a job in Sioux City (northwestern IA), so we will be moving up there in December. I don't know if I will be able to participate in TNT Iowa, but we will be just across the Missouri from Nebraska and South Dakota, so maybe I will be able to participate there. Anyway, TNT has given me the motivation and made me accountable for my own fitness and well-being. I knew that this change had to be made in my life because of ongoing health problems (asthma) and the threat of others to come (diabetes).
After the race, I plan on focusing more on nutrition and possibly vegetarianism... or at least cutting back on meat. This decision has been made for health reasons as well as economic and environmental reasons... and that says nothing about cruelty, though I do believe humans are designed to eat meat and I do not believe that eating meat is inherently wrong or cruel, but that the methods are unnecessarily unnatural... and thus probably unhealthy for consumers as well. If nothing else, my delving (or at least insense dabbling) into the healthy/organic/veggie lifestyle will force me to be a more creative chef.
I like a challenge.
See you on the flip side--- When I write again, I will have completed my marathon!!! Photos will be posted.
Thanks to everyone who donated.... And remember, you can still donate to the cause. Just go to my fundraising website or cut a check to the LLS. It is tax-deductible.
Peace and Love,
-A
I have now raised over $2,080 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!
I have also completed my 20-mile run! My race is coming up this Sunday and I am very excited for the event. Ryan bought me some new shoes and I have stocked up on energy gels, PowerBars, and a disposable camera.
I am really happy I did this, it has kept me going through some difficult times and has given focus and direction to my life the past few months. Ryan accepted a job in Sioux City (northwestern IA), so we will be moving up there in December. I don't know if I will be able to participate in TNT Iowa, but we will be just across the Missouri from Nebraska and South Dakota, so maybe I will be able to participate there. Anyway, TNT has given me the motivation and made me accountable for my own fitness and well-being. I knew that this change had to be made in my life because of ongoing health problems (asthma) and the threat of others to come (diabetes).
After the race, I plan on focusing more on nutrition and possibly vegetarianism... or at least cutting back on meat. This decision has been made for health reasons as well as economic and environmental reasons... and that says nothing about cruelty, though I do believe humans are designed to eat meat and I do not believe that eating meat is inherently wrong or cruel, but that the methods are unnecessarily unnatural... and thus probably unhealthy for consumers as well. If nothing else, my delving (or at least insense dabbling) into the healthy/organic/veggie lifestyle will force me to be a more creative chef.
I like a challenge.
See you on the flip side--- When I write again, I will have completed my marathon!!! Photos will be posted.
Thanks to everyone who donated.... And remember, you can still donate to the cause. Just go to my fundraising website or cut a check to the LLS. It is tax-deductible.
Peace and Love,
-A
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