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 3^rd 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.

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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!