It's the official kick-off to summer, school is wrapping up, pools are opening,
and we prepare to spend our days outside until it's dark!
Here's what we've been up to!
Friday- Savannah and I headed over to a friends house... Sara's parents and my parents have been friends for years, some of my fondest childhood memories are with their family! My sister and Sara's sister would all play together and although there were 6 years between Sara (as the oldest) and myself (as the youngest) we were so good at being creative together!
We went to Sara's house Friday because she homeschools her 3 girls. Although her girls are much older than Savannah, I definitely look up to her as a homeschooling mom! This summer I am going to transform our bonus room into Savannah's school room and the more I thought about the transformation the more overwhelmed I found myself. What do I need and what do I want?! I immediately thought of Sara and knew she'd have some great insight for me as I prepare myself and Savannah for these first years of homeschooling!
Her daughters- Claire, Evelyn, and Audrey- are so sweet! They immediately took Savannah under their wings and planned out an exciting afternoon for her! Savannah was a little shy at first but once we walked into their school room and was introduced to their mice, snake, dog, and homemade terrarium, I knew Savannah was in good hands ;) Before I knew it, the girls had Savannah rounding up chickens, hanging out with baby bunnies, running through their backyard, creating, building, and using every ounce of her imagination possible.
And if you know Savannah, you know she was in heaven!
I had a pretty amazing childhood. We lived next to a corn field, woods behind us, and a safe neighborhood. We would go creek stomping, build forts in the woods, roll down hills, ride our bikes until dusk, and explore what seemed to be such a big world. I want Savannah to experience that freedom that I did as a kid. To explore the endless and mysterious woods next door! To dig in the dirt, play with worms, frogs, and collect insects. To be covered in grass stains from rolling down hills and have to soak in a warm bath to get the grass stains off her knees.
That is why I love our home in Maineville. Although we aren't necessarily in the country, we have property and we are surrounded by farm land to explore! Our backyard is a crawling science experiment and I don't want her to miss out on those adventures! And she doesn't miss an opportunity for outside adventures!
Saturday- Chad and I logged 8 miles early Saturday morning! It was our longest distance since the Marathon and boy did it feel good. Chad and I hadn't ran together since the marathon so it was so nice to catch up on the last 3 weeks, talk about the Akron Marathon (that's our next marathon, Sept. 28), and as always, the miles were filled with laughter! I am doing the Hal Higdon 4 week post race training program that starts with a zero week and then slowly brings you up in distance again so you are less likely to get an injury. It's a great program, I used it after the Chicago Marathon and although I am ITCHING to log longer distances I know following this program is the smartest thing to do!
After logging some miles, we headed to my parents house because they were watching my nieces, Annabelle and Selah while my sister and brother-in-law were in Columbus!
While my mom and dad took Savannah and Annabelle outside to explore....
Meet Charlotte... the toad :) She was worried Charlotte was lost from her family.
I stayed inside and cuddled up with the ADORABLE Selah and got some baby time :)
Sunday- We had a cook-out at my in-laws! We love time with Allan's parents, they live a few minutes from our church, so it's nice to be able to swing by and spend the afternoon with them after church! They have a beautiful back yard that Savannah loves playing and exploring in!
Allan's dad is a total goof ball! He loves photo bombing us ;)
Speaking of church... Sunday, before heading to Allan's parents we finished up the REMNANT Youth Room! We have been so blessed by our congregation and volunteers who have made our room so awesome! There are a lot of renovations going on within the church right now, so everything is pretty dusty BUT for the most part... our room is 95% finished! We have a work day Saturday, June 1st since we go to TWO services and will be having REMNANT now on Sunday mornings @ 10:40 am AND Thursdays @ 7pm! I am very excited and would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous! Sunday morning Youth Services are intimidating... I've never had the opportunity to lead Sunday morning Youth Services and I feel so blessed, honored, and somewhat undeserving! It's completely in the Lord's hands and I just thank Him for how He is moving and making things happen... not just within Remnant but with our church!
Monday I got up and logged a little over 5 miles at an 8:50 pace! It felt awesome! I was pretty pumped during my run because I knew what a fun day we were going to have!
My first stop Monday- Kim and BJ's house to get fitted for my ROAD BIKE! I am beyond excited and feel so blessed by Kim and BJ! BJ is my other running buddy BUT he is a cyclist at heart! His wife has a road bike she doesn't use anymore so he adjusted it a bit so I can start training for my next race, June 30th! The Tri-Umphant Triathlon!
I'm sure if you lived in BJ's neighborhood and saw me on this bike you were cracking up... It's A LOT different from a regular bike! I ended up in the grass and almost wrecking because BJ was telling me to shift gears and was riding really close to me! Haha. It's SO MUCH FUN! I'm really pumped to start logging miles on this bike!
Monday afternoon we headed to my parents house for a cook-out! It was such a beautiful day with perfect weather! We had a blast!
Shakeology
I have successfully completed 2 weeks of the Shakeology Challenge and still have a few more weeks to go! So far, I'm really enjoying the product, have seen positive results, and can see the benefit of using it on a daily basis. I cannot complain... I'm pretty impressed with the product!
My biggest struggle is that afternoon crash... 2pm-5pm! I drink my shake for lunch and it has helped pull me through that crash! It has worked well with my running and current training program and has been great accountability for me. I am also seeing changes in my body, which is always encouraging!
Well, it wasn't the Mother's Day weekend I was hoping it would be...
After 14 months of great health, late Thursday night/Early Friday morning I was hit with the stomach flu! Hard core stomach flu... I'll spare you the details ;)
Poor Allan and Savannah... Allan works 3rd shift so the fact that I was crawling back to bed around the time he was hoping to go to bed but had to stay awake to take care of Savannah just wasn't a great way to start our weekend!
As silly as this sounds, one of my FAVORITE things about Fridays is that it's my "errand day"... meaning, Allan has a day with Savannah and I go run all the errands... ALONE! I go to the bank, grab a coffee, grocery shop, and pop into any store I want and look around or buy things that we need! So all I could think about was how I wasn't going to have my "errand day", that I was going to be locked in our bedroom, sicker than sick!
Allan did a great job with Savannah but she just didn't understand. She wanted to lay in bed with me, stay in the bathroom, and be with me while I was sick. It truly is a testament to why we call her "sweet Savannah" because she truly has such a sweet and gentle spirit. She prayed over me and refused to leave my side... that was until daddy offered to take her to dinner at Chipotle and then go to Jungle Jims that she left my side... I mean, who could resist that combination?!
I finally was able to keep water down by late afternoon and just laid lifeless in our bed... praying no one else caught this awfulness. I woke up around 3 am Saturday morning and poor Savannah had been throwing up since 11 pm! Allan had taken care of her so I could sleep and get rest. Risking his own health, he didn't wake me up but let me sleep! What a great dad!
After throwing all of her sick things in the laundry, I got her set up in my room. After several hours of not being able to keep water down, Savannah finally stopped throwing up around 4 am Saturday morning. It was a rough night. Poor Savannah was exhausted. We fell asleep and unfortunately, I had to wake up ready to clean!
Saturday morning, instead of resting... I opened every window and lysol-ed the crap out of my house! I used lysol in the form of liquid, wipes, and spray! Everything, I mean EVERYTHING was dripping with it. I don't care if the chemicals are bad, I NEVER want to experience that again! Although I wasn't 100%, once your kid is sick you really don't matter anymore. As a mom I had to suck it up and start taking care of my kid.
I didn't want Allan to get sick so I let him sleep and just cleaned around him. Thankfully, even though he took care of myself and Savannah, he missed the sickness!
Saturday we missed two of our friends First Birthday Parties :( We were heartbroken! But I wasn't about to be the one responsible for spreading this nastiness! Saturday evening Savannah and shared my bed...
Sidebar- Parents who co-sleep with toddlers. Bless.your.hearts! Seriously, I have no clue how you do it. Savannah's heels, knees, head were in my back all night long. I do not think I could do that every night of the week. It didn't matter WHERE in the bed I was, she found me! I'd move her, within minutes she was on me again! How does that happen?!
Sunday we made it to church but barely... Happy Mother's Day :) I'm so thankful for my family and absolutely LOVE being Savannah's mommy!
We headed to my parents in the late afternoon with my mom & dad, granny, sister and her family, and my aunt Janet and her family. I was feeling a lot better but definitely not 100%.
Dad and I logged 5.33 miles before eating and our Mother's Day Celebrations started! I cannot tell you how great it felt logging miles... and it's always awesome logging miles with my dad!
While we run, I always push my dad to have conversation with me. He cannot stand it ;) Deanna, Chad, and BJ have taught me a lot about running and one of those key things is to be able to have conversation while running.
Many of you know my father is a heart-attack survivor. Easter weekend, 2007 my father suffered a massive heart-attack and it is only by the grace of God that he is still here with us. His cardiologist tells us he is the "poster-child" for heart-attack victims because he totally has changed his life and is all about a healthy life style!
Here's his before picture:
Dad- March, 2006 May, 2013
Dad ran his first 5k with me about a month ago, it was his first time running with a group and feeling that energy of a race. He liked it :) While we were running yesterday he told me he would like to take on his first half marathon and possibly even a full marathon next year and asked me to help! I happily responded and said I'd help him train, prepare, and keep pace with him! I'm really looking forward to taking this year and doing some new races for myself then turning the focus on my dad and helping him reach his goals! What an exciting time training with him will be!
Post Marathon/ZERO WEEK - this past week was my zero week after the marathon. Post-marathon my body felt great! I was tight and sore in my hips but overall felt really great! I had a wonderful recovery week but honestly couldn't WAIT to get back on the road and log some miles.
Wednesday evening was beautiful, Savannah and I jogged a mile then biked a mile. It felt awesome!
Shakeology Adventure - heard of it?! Well, my awesome friend Emily has challenged me to 30 days of Shakeology! She swears by it, sells it, and is a coach! Her results have been extremely impressive so I'm excited to see what it does for me and my training! I just started my 30-day challenge this week and am pretty excited to experience first hand what she's talking about!
What an exciting day Sunday was! To all my friends and family who sent encouraging texts, phone messages, and FB messages... THANK YOU! All of your prayers and support is felt during the miles!
Saturday Chad and I went to the expo to pick up our bags! I like going to the expo because you see so many of the runners, upcoming events that are close by, and all kinds of awesome things to buy! We left the expo and met up with Allan, BJ and his wife Kim for an early dinner at a local Italian hot spot in Mason. It was my first time going to Pitrelli's and it was great! Not heavy at all and it couldn't have been more perfect! We got home early and I was able to fall asleep by 10 pm!
Sunday morning my alarm was scheduled to go off at 3:30 am... I woke up at 3:26 am ready to go! I was very excited. There weren't a lot of nerves this time around, I knew I had busted my tail in training so it was mainly about getting into my corral and starting the race! I was filled with anticipation!
For breakfast I ate 2 pieces of whole wheat toast with grape preserves, 2 bananas, 4 oz. of orange juice, and 8 oz. of gatorade. I was feeling good! I grabbed my bags that I packed Saturday and was on my way!
As I drove downtown, I was able to spend some good quiet time in the car with the Lord. Praying for protection over the event, praying for specific friends who I knew would be running as well, for the rain would hold off (as little rain drops beat my windshield), for strength, protection from injury, and that I would remember to slow down and soak it all up... thanking Him, praising Him, and using my time in running as an act of worship.
I mentioned in earlier posts that this marathon would be different for several reasons. One of them being that I was completely alone for the entire 26.2 miles. I did not have a running buddy this race because Chad was ahead trying to PR, BJ was running the 3rd leg of the relay, and Erin was behind me.
For some reason, in all of my preparation, the Lord continually reminded me that I would be alone in this. That I would have to solely rely on Him to lead me through my lows and rely 100% on him for the Flying Pig.
Starting Corral:
I found a parking spot and headed to my corral. I was trying to find a port-a-potty because I needed to take a "nervous pee", if you've ever ran any kind of a race, you know what I'm talking about. Your bladder could be 100% empty but the moment you step in your corral you have to "nervous pee". I was looking everywhere and there wasn't a port-a-potty anywhere close to me! WHAT! So I go up into the corral ahead of me and the line was INSANE long... it's 6:24am at this point, the gun was getting ready to go off! What was I suppose to do?
Sidebar - My thought process on going to the bathroom during any race/run- I do NOT stop for bathroom breaks, I refuse stop AT ALL! I have trained my body to go before hand, that way I don't have to stop at all. As a runner, I know that if I stop, it will throw my pace off and I will not be able to get back into my zone. It's just something that works for me.
Before taking on 26.2 miles, I wasn't about to NOT use the bathroom. So I waited... and waited... and waited... EVERY SINGLE runner and walker had crossed over the start line and there I was waiting to use a flipping port-a-potty! UGH!
My anxiety kicked in and I thought...
"Welp, there goes my plan for negative splits!"
I finally got to pee and as I was walking towards the start line, I noticed the clean up crew around me... they'd already started cleaning up, I was completely at the end of the pack! It was 7am... THIRTY MINUTES AFTER THE RACE STARTED!
Mile 1: There I was, a single runner with not a soul around me... At one point, I didn't even know if I was taking the correct route! I was looking for the signs that said; "official route" so I knew I was right. As I hit the half mile mark I saw some walkers... that was great! Here I am, crossing over mile one and there's already 45 minutes on the clock! Ugh! Thankfully, your official time doesn't start until you cross the start line, so I had to deduct a half hour in my head off the clock so I knew what my time would be. I had started my run keeper, so that was helping me keep track of everything, too!
It was in that panic of starting ALONE... seriously, I was expecting a tumbleweed to blow by... the Lord gently reminded me, "Remember it's just me and you today!"
Mile 2: I finally caught up with the back pack of the runner/walker group. Here I passed a group of amazing men and women walking with handicap students. Their shirts read "FIRST TIME MARATHONER" and their aids were walking with them, encouraging them, speaking verbal affirmation over them, and supporting them by holding their hands. It was such a sweet moment to see.
Mile 3: I've never been a runner that says "on your left" because I never pass people. Unfortunately, I was dodging, weaving in and out of walkers every 15 seconds or so and trying to politely say; "On your left!" Squeezing through middle sections of people, going up onto the sidewalk, and doing my best to catch up with the 5 hour finishing group!
Mile 4: As we headed back into Cincinnati, I took my first GU. I knew this would be important as I prepared myself for the hills. It was in this mile I had to regroup, refocus, and ask the Lord to calm my nerves. I was a mess! I was behind! I didn't even know what my pace was...
Batman was on the corner, so I ran over and got a high five from him.
Mile 5: We came to 7th Street and I noticed a woman pushing a stroller... It was a BIG running stroller! I thought to myself, that's insane, I can't believe she's pushing a baby for a full marathon! As I came up beside her and looked in her stroller, I noticed she was pushing her 12 year old handicap son. He was clearly overwhelmed with excitement, joy and, bliss! His hands were in fists, he had them raised high over his head, clapping, and shouting "HORRAY! HORRAY!" I looked in the back of her stroller and noticed all of his breathing equipment, medications, cords, and then saw her. A mom who couldn't have been more excited to be giving this gift to her son!
Tears pouring down my cheeks, I put my hand on her shoulder and said; "Thank you! What a blessing you are... you are an inspiration!" and had to take off. I couldn't breathe, I was so overwhelmed with emotions and still cry thinking about what selflessness I saw in her.
After allowing myself to soak that in, it was time to take on the hill climb.
Mile 6: And the climb began! This is when those dreaded hills I was warned about begin... the ones I trained so hard for. The ones that were going to kill my legs, burn so badly I would never want to run the race again, and be a total mental beating. As I climbed up Gilbert Ave, I had controlled breathing, steady pace, and felt so good. I was in my groove.
I looked to my side, and there was my sweet friend, Jen! We were going to meet up before the start to pray and wish each other good luck but my bathroom incident didn't let that happen. It was perfect timing! It was such a great encouragement to see her, get some conversation in, get my mind off the hills, and climb with a friend!
Mile 7: As I passed Krohn Conservatory I realized the hills were over... I realized I wasn't out of breath, I realized my legs were NOT shot, I realized I hadn't broken my pace! I had conquered those hills, all those Saturdays and Sundays of hill training paid off! I felt GREAT as we headed in Eden Park and got a fabulous shot of the city!
Jen was running the half, so I went ahead of her and wished her the best!
Mile 8: It hit me, the bad hills are done. Only rolling hills are left! Enjoy this... soak it up! As we headed to Woodburn Ave. the half marathoners were splitting from the full marathoners. It was then I saw just how many half marathoners I had been running with. The majority of the people around me were no longer there. It got a little quiet.
Then I heard a cow bell and someone yelling my name... it was my cousin Ericka and her family! Oh what a sweet, sweet surprise!
Mile 9: As I began to climb a slow hill on Madison Rd. I realized how quiet things had gotten. There wasn't much around me. The small, completely random rain drops were becoming more frequent and the spectators were starting to thin out.
I remember Jen telling me how exciting and awesome the crowds in Hyde Park Square are so I was really excited about getting into that part of town. But as we ran Madison, I tried to be still and soak it all in.
I got my first High Five from the "Free High Five Guy" and there was another guy this year "Fist bump guy" with him. I felt honored to have gotten a high five from such a famous spectator!
Mile 10: The homes were just beautiful as we prepared to enter Hyde Park Square. I looked to my left and saw a Catholic Hospital with an elderly man, all bundled up, who had his nurses wheel him out in his bed all stationed nicely on the side of the road in the grass. His head and little hand were the only thing uncovered... but he was cheering the best he could, nurses by his side, holding signs and cheering as well.
Talk about a humbling race so far...
Mile 11: Just as Jen had said, Hyde Park Square was full of hipster friends cheering us on! Great music, good support, and lots of dogs! I wouldn't expect anything less from that community of people! It was welcoming and warm! A lot of energy was felt and was a great boost to get me to my half-marathon distance!
Mile 12: A big shout out and thank you to the guys in the middle of Marburg Ave. who had cut up orange slices and were handing them out! Seriously, THANK YOU! That made mile 12 memorable! An orange never tasted so good!
Mile 13: We followed Erie Ave. where I clocked in at 2:09 for my half marathon time. My body felt great! I was 100% in my groove and felt awesome physically but mentally I was really hoping to see a familiar face. Although I was halfway done, I still had 13.1 miles and I really just wanted to see a friend. Not that I didn't appreciate all of the people who came out to support me but I was just wanting someone on the sidelines who I knew, who I loved, and could get some encouragement from.
Mile 14: As I prepared to enter into Mariemont, I was excited... this was another area I head awesome things about! I could hear the crowd cheering but mile 14 was lonely. I didn't have a lot of people around me and I couldn't figure out where my friend Erin was.
As I mentioned, I started in the VERY BACK of the race... I knew what she was wearing but couldn't find her. Was she ahead of me? So mile 14, not going to lie, I started feeling sorry for myself. HA. I just couldn't figure out how I missed running past Erin!
Mile 15: We entered into the back of Mariemont where the crowd was just awesome! I grabbed a water bottle from a group, I was desperate. Although it wasn't terribly hot, it was humid and the light sprinkle was much more steady.
I passed this AMAZING house that had an awesome party going! They were all dressed in their PJ's and wearing pink! Pink balloons and streamers, even pig balloons in their yard! It was so over-the-top! Awesome!
Mile 15 was a spot that I was anticipating seeing some friends who live in the area, I wasn't sure if they would be there but I was really hoping I would see a face that would help kick me to mile 20! But no luck... I was bummed.
Mile 16: Just as I turned into Mile 16, I saw a friend of our family, Sandy! I yelled her name and she gave me a big smile and wave! Oh that's just what I needed...
Then I saw another family friend, so I yelled out; "Dr. Lehenbauer!" And he gave me a big smile, wave and yelled; "Hillary, I'm so proud of you!"
Ahhhh, tears... Thank you, Lord! When all I needed was just one face to encourage me, He blessed me with 2 great family friends to bring me out of that ho-hum slump!
The last part of mile 16 was on a bike trail, the Cincinnati SWAT team was up on a hill and they were cheering and waving their guns in the air; "Go Hillary, Go Hillary!" (btw: my name was on my shirt) It made me feel safe and nervous laugh... good to know they've got my back ;)
Sidebar - speaking of security - They had the route jam packed with security. Although I was never once worried about my safety. There was no fear, no anxiety, no worry whatsoever about safety. I felt 100% safe.
Mile 17: We came out into a neighborhood off the bike trail and went up a pretty decent size hill before turning onto Wooster Pike. It was somewhat discombobulating but when I saw BIG BOY, I knew exactly where I was at!
And the rain became steady...
Mile 18: Columbia Parkway... oooohhhh... how dreary, lonely, and depressing you were. It was at mile 18 I officially hit my wall. The rain was coming down, my knees locked up, and I took my 2 extra strength tylenol. Mile 18 felt like 3 miles... sadly, it was only one mile.
Mile 19: As we took the ramp off Columbia Pkwy onto Eastern Ave. I started praying, the cramping in my right knee was so bad. My socks started feeling mushy from the rain and I was alone. There were a handful of runners around me but not many. I was pacing well, hadn't lost much time and thought about walking but instead just asked the Lord to remove the cramp and carry me through this last 10k distance.
I was about to enter the homestretch... I was not going to stop or give up!
Mile 20: Mentally the most difficult of the race. This mile was the hardest. My mind was saying stop but my body refused. I continued asking the Lord to help me finish the distance. I began praying over my knee, for the cramp to disappear.
Mile 21: As the knee cramping started to go away I started feeling the miles in my ankles. Ugh. I was overwhelmed with defeat and in that moment my song switched over to "I Belong to You" by Jesus Culture.
Within the first verses "With just a simple thought of who You are. Let Your light shine in the darkest parts"
Instead of praying for Him to remove the uncomfortable cramping and pain, I began praising Him for how wonderful our journey had been so far! Rejoicing over getting ready to finish another marathon and the blessings of sending friends on the sidelines to encourage and bless me!
Mile 22: The last part of the race, Riverside Dr. This is the road that would take me to the finish line! I was almost there! My legs and ankles went numb and I entered my zone.
Mile 23: I heard people yelling; "HILLARY!" It was Erin's entire family, who are just amazing!! There they were in the pouring rain, cheering, shouting, and encouraging me to push to the finish line.
Here are the pictures Erin's husband, Mark was able to snap of me... you can see how happy I was to see them!
They reminded me I was just 3.2 miles away from the finish line! To push, dig deep, and head home!
Mile 24: I honestly don't remember much about this mile, I believe I had entered a zone and was so focused on finishing it just went by so fast... I forced myself to keep the same pace, to not back down.
Mile 25: Still focused on finishing... my body had given out and quit but the Lord had taken over and was in control. I kept repeating Psalm 73:26
Mile 26: There is was, the most glorious sign I'd ever seen MILE 26... and then a sign soon after that said .2 miles left!
Finish: and there it was, the Finish Swine! I have no idea what happened but my body clicked over and I had no control over my speed. I got hit with a HUGE burst of energy, my legs and arms stared moving so fast... like I wasn't in my body! In my head I was yelling, "you're going to fall, slow down, slow down, SLOW DOWN!" and as I crossed over the finish line the announcer leaned in, patted my shoulder, and said; "Nice sprint to the finish!
I still have no clue what happened to my body! haha!
As I looked at the clock, I had not only accomplished my first goal of successfully completing the Flying Pig Marathon BUT I beat my Chicago time... by 27 MINUTES!
What a sweet victory it was as I grabbed my medal and began processing, crying, and soaking in that moment! On my way through the finishing area I found Chad and BJ, it was so great to celebrate with my friends!
After the race with my running buddies - Chad and BJ!
So proud of them and happy to celebrate!
With my "sole sister" Erin! She is not only a FIRST TIME MARATHONER but beat her goal and finished in 5 hours 11 minutes! So very proud of this girl!
Celebrated my victory with Blue ice cream from Whipty-Do!
Couldn't think of a better celebratory treat ;)
This race was definitely different from Chicago! This Marathon was way more mental for me than I ever could have anticipated...plus the steady rain for the last 10 miles! I am so happy I ran it, accomplished another marathon and was able to PR. God is so good and I love that He allows me to experience His strength and joy through running!
A BIG thank you to my running buddies: Chad, BJ, Erin, and Deanna! They have pushed me far beyond what I could have ever imagined!
So this week is a "zero week" where I rest and allow my muscles and body to rest. Then tri-athlon training starts for the mini-tri on June 30th! I'll keep you posted in my cycling skills ;) It should be an interesting training!
"I can do ALL things through Christ, who strengthens me!"
The Flying Pig is the ONE marathon I told myself I would NOT run... and here I am, 2.5 days away from running it! The level of difficultly in training has been a tough journey; choosing the hilly route over the flat route, 5:45 am brutal winter runs, rain, wind... it's been a tough training program, but what an accomplishment the Flying Pig will be. I committed to this marathon and in a couple days I'll be standing in my home town of Cincinnati, in a corral with thousands of runners, looking 26.2 miles in the face, ready to take on my second marathon.
This Saturday, I log my final distance (2 miles) before Sunday's race. It's definitely a weird feeling, only running 2 miles... my body is like, whoa... what are you doing?! But I can feel my muscles resting and preparing for Sunday and that is a very good thing!
Where's my head at?!
Several friends and family have asked where my head is at for this marathon. I don't know if those "nerves" and feelings before a race ever go away... that feeling of OH MY GOODNESS, WHAT HAVE I DONE?! It still doesn't seem real and probably won't until I hit the expo Saturday! Good thing is, I know what's coming, I'm prepared, I'm trained, I'm fueled... and now, it's all about mental preparation and good food choices.
This race will definitely be different... I don't have a running buddy next to me this time for the entire 26.2 miles! My awesome sister-in-law, who I ran Chicago with sent me this FABULOUS "Flying Pig" and note to encourage me...
Running this marathon will not be the same without her! I know she will be there in spirit, cheering me on!
My awesome running buddies that I train with unfortunately will not be by my side:
-Chad is going for a PR, so he will be way ahead of me.
-BJ is running the relay (hopefully I will see him somewhere on the road)
-Erin is running her first marathon and is a few minutes behind me.
It's just me and the Lord on this one and I keep giving myself pep talks... seriously!
Looking in the mirror, telling myself - You can do this! Your legs are strong! Your mind is strong! You will not give up! You will not walk! You will push, sacrifice, sweat, cry, and feel an ache that burns but it will be a glorious finish, where God will be honored and glorified.
There's a lot of prayer, but that's been going on the entire training. Thanking Him for protecting me from injury, for good health, for matching my stride, being my strength, and allowing me to have the endurance to push through and finish every milestone.
It's true, there is no way I could ever do this in my own strength.
I read a lot of inspirational running quotes and one of them said break your marathon into 3rds -
"Run the first part run with your head
The middle part run with your personality
The last part run with your heart."
That's definitely great advice... the last part of the race can be so very difficult. After taking on hills for the first half- I'm prepared for my legs to be shot. Thankfully, it's not my strength but His that will pull me across that finish line!
So this is what I'm thinking... my game plan for the marathon!
-Negative splits: because the first half of the marathon is extremely hilly and difficult, I'm going to slow my pace down big time! I'm going to run the first half of the marathon at a jog, about a 10:30/10:45 min pace. That way when I get to the hills, I will have saved energy and have strength to take them on without my legs feeling completely shot for the rest of the distance. Even if I am unable to complete the negative splits, if I keep steady at a 10:30/10:45 even 11 minute pace, I will still hit my goal.
-GU: I plan on using my first GU at mile 4.5- right before the hills start so there is some energy to complete the hills at a comfortable pace without feeling exhausted. And then just listening to my body on when to use the rest of them.
-Water/Gatorade stops: I plan on drinking at almost every water stop but running through them. I will not walk.
-Half Marker- once I hit the half mile marker, I will hopefully have the strength to change pace as I feel comfortable.
GOAL - I am definitely not trying to PR or be super woman!
When trying to think of a goal, I wanted something that would challenge me but also didn't want to set myself up for failure. As I said before, these marathons are completely different!
So here are my goals:
1) Finish the Flying Pig :)
and if possible...
2) Beat my Chicago Marathon time of 4:53:26 (11:11 minute pace)
I realize goal #2 may not happen and I am fine with that. I just want to successfully cross that finish line! I have to remember this is a different race and I want to enjoy it as much as I did Chicago!
But there is a side of me that thinks - If Chicago was one of the easier marathons and the Flying Pig one of the most difficult- beating my Chicago time would be such a victory ;)
My play list:
A lot of people ask what music I listen to when I run... funny because it's a total mash up of things.
To help control my pace, since I'll be so excited at the start, I'm going to have slower music for the first half of the marathon, then around mile 14 speed it up a bit, and by mile 17/18 (when I typically hit my wall) throw in some "GET YOUR BUTT IN GEAR" music that will pump me up...
-Bon Iver
-City And Color
-Ryan Adams
-Hillsong United
-As Tall as Lions
-Band of Horses
-Ray Lamontagne
-Manchester Orchestra
-Kings of Convenience
-Expolsions In The Sky
-James Blake
-Lydia
-All Sons & Daughters
-Kim Walker
-Jesus Culture
-Bethel Worship
-Daylight Worship
-Death Cab for Cutie
-Elevation Worship
-John Mayer
-Kari Jobe
-Mumford & Sons
-Josh Garrels
-MGMT
-Phillip Phillips
-New Life Worship
-Family Force 5
-Mutrix
-Kelly Clarkson
-Needtobreathe
-Skrillex
-Third Eye Blind
-Katy Perry
It's quite a mix.
What's next for 2013?!
Don't worry, I will still be running and training for a marathon this fall but I'm going to change my training a bit because I am attempting my FIRST mini-tri on June 30th.
The Mason Tri-Umphant Tri-athlon- A 400 meter pool swim, followed by a 20k bike, and closing with a 5k run. Don't worry, my fearless running buddies, Chad and BJ will be leading the way, as this won't be their first mini-tri ;)
Yes, I am so thankful for the years of friendship with these guys! They are great and I'm thankful that they are so much better than me. They challenge, push, and encourage me to reach goals I never thought were possible.
Allan isn't quite sure what to think of all of these races and training programs. He often says; "I don't even know you anymore!" HA! He is my #1 supporter and believes in me! He is amazing... standing for hours at races, getting up early to get me to races, and supporting that my love for high fashion clothing has turned into a love for new running clothes and running shoes! I wouldn't be where I'm at in training, with my health, and as an athlete if it weren't for him!
Transformation-
For the last 17 months I've not just been busting my butt in training, running 5 days a week, but in the kitchen as well! My entire view on food has changed. Food is now fuel to keep me going, it gives me strength for endurance, and I have a completely different understanding of what I put into my body!
Don't get me wrong, I still love my sweets but it's in moderation!
On the right: my heaviest point (August 2010 - 188 lbs.)
On the left at the healthiest I've ever been (April 2013 - 146 lbs.)
04/13 08/10
Although my weight loss and running journey didn't begin until January 2012, I carried the weight of 180-188lbs with me up until I made the decision to get healthy in January 2012.
Weight wise, I am 100% where I need to be and it feels so great! Now, it's time to focus on becoming stronger and muscle definition.
So...
Here's to an amazing marathon weekend in Cincinnati, Ohio! Thank you to all my friends and family who are praying, encouraging, and lifting me up this weekend! I am so thankful for your support and love!
I stayed inside and cuddled up with the ADORABLE Selah and got some baby time :)
