22.45 miles DONE

My long run went GREAT on Saturday morning! It was all I could hope for and more. Here's how it all went down!

Stats -
Distance: 22.45 miles
Time: 3:34:00
Average Pace: 9:31 minutes per mile

On Friday night, my goal was to relax and rest. I ate an early dinner at 5:30pm of whole wheat pasta tossed with marinara sauce and sauteed zucchini and spinach, accompanied by a piece of bread and a glass of water. Chad has been pretty sick all week, and his throat has been really bothering him. Dairy Queen blizzards sounded good to both of us, so we got them and then settled in to watch Miracle, the story of the 1980 USA Olympic hockey team. I've seen it a few times before, so I knew it would be very inspirational!

I actually stayed up until 10:00 watching the movie, which is so late for me! But I was resting on the couch under a blanket with a sleepy dachshund, so I didn't feel guilty for staying up late. I stayed awake for 99% of the movie - the 1% I missed was the final minutes in the 3rd period of the game against the Soviets....argh! That is like the "miracle" part!

I moved to the bed, and slept like a baby until my alarm went off at 4:15am. I hopped out of bed - I was so excited for the run! I got the coffee going and made some oatmeal with 1 tbsp. peanut butter and 1 banana mixed in. I drank a cup of coffee and some water, filled two water bottles (1 was just water, 1 was a water/Gatorade mix), got my ShotBlocks ready and prepared some post-run snacks. Then I got dressed, made some final bathroom visits, and then headed to Wilmore at 5:45am.

Somehow my bladder managed to fill to capacity during the 10 minute drive, but after a quick port-o-potty stop I was ready to hit the roads. I ran 5.8 miles from 6:10-7:00am, and then I met up with friends Sarah, Angela and Lindsay. We ran 10.2 miles together, which put me at 16. Sarah and Angela are training for a half-marathon, and they are doing so great! They will kick butt at the half-marathon in April.

Lindsay is training for a marathon and was feeling good during the 10 miles, so she decided to do another 6 with me. Lindsay is tiny and fast so I was a little concerned about being able to keep up with her for my final 6 miles. But she held back and slowed down a little for me, all the while pushing me to go faster than I would have if I was on my own, which was great!

During the run, I never felt like I needed to slow down or walk. We park and keep all of our water in the police station parking lot which is right in the middle of town, so we looped back by there about 3 times to get water. I ate ShotBlocks every 3 miles, and I never felt like I was on the verge of "bonking" or wearing out. The weather was perfect - sunny, clear and in the 50's - so it wasn't too hot or too chilly.

Towards the end I started to feel pretty fatigued in my back and shoulders, but my legs and lungs felt great during the run. Running with friends makes all of the difference - we kept a nice steady pace, and talked the entire time. This made the time fly by. We actually were at 22.45 when we were about 5 blocks from the police station, so I decided to stop my watch there and walk the rest of the way to stretch out a little before driving home.

I packed an apple, pretzels, chips and a Clif Bar to eat on the way home, but all I wanted was the apple. That was the best apple I have ever eaten! When I got home I drank chocolate milk and ate a few pretzels, and then took Emma on a 30 minute walk to stretch out. I really think this is key - taking a long, slow walk after a long run always helps me to feel much better the next day.

I could not believe how good I felt after the run. I had to run a few errands around Lexington shortly after the run and I didn't feel sore or tired at all! It was crazy! I had planned on laying in the fetal position all day and eating Taco Bell.

Chad and I actually went to Springfield, Kentucky on Saturday night with some friends, and we got home at 11:00pm. 11:00pm! Now that is late for me on a normal day, but after running 22 miles? But I actually was able to stay up that late. Running really gives me so much energy!

I did go straight to bed when we got home though, and I woke up on Sunday with no soreness. My legs felt a little fatigued, like I ran a hard 5k, but it was nothing like I expected. I attribute this to 4 things:

1. Diet
2. Training plan
3. Diet
4. Diet

Yes - your diet really does matter! I was very careful about what I ate all last week - making sure to get in lots of fruits and veggies, and cutting out the junk that I tend to eat like Taco Bell and cookies. I know that baked goods are definitely my weakness - I have such a sweet tooth! So I keep a stash of almonds, apples and Larabars at my desk now to satisfy my sweet cravings. I am 100% convinced that my diet this past week helped with my long run, and I am going to continue introducing more and more raw foods into my diet.

I am really, really looking forward to the marathon! My goal is 4:30, and I know I can meet this if I am able to keep a steady 9:30 pace. I am now in the tapering phase, so I know that my diet and nutrition will play a key role in these next few weeks.

Next up, the Lexington Half-Marathon next Sunday morning!

Nine Weeks to Go!

This past Thursday, the LIVESTRONG blog featured a few runners who completed the Austin Marathon last weekend as part of Team LIVESTRONG. Here are a few of their comments:

Brother and sister Will and Molly Blake tackled the race together, it being Will’s first (and Molly’s fifth!). Will says, “I decided to run with Team LIVESTRONG and raise funds for them to make the experience that much more meaningful and personal. I have personally been affected by cancer, losing a friend and having a survivor as a friend. It’s a great feeling knowing that you contributed in some way to making the world a better and safer place.”

Sandy George, also completing her first marathon, had this to say: “There were a few 5 a.m. mornings when I woke up and thought, ‘Why am I forcing myself to run 20 miles in the freezing cold rain?’ I have to remember that I am truly lucky to be healthy enough to get up and run. I have been reminded that, ‘I am capable of running this race in honor of those who can’t right now.’”
-excerpt from 2/18/10 post on livestrongblog.org

That's what this is all about - running a race for something more than a PR. I am blessed with the ability to be able to go out and run 26.2 miles...for fun! I think of my little friend Athan, who does not suffer from cancer, but does struggle with physical limitations. A lot of times when I run, I think of him and how he is so much more determined and strong than I will ever be. I can't wait to do fundraising for the organizations here in Kentucky that have helped the Strebeck family, but I am saving that for when I do something in the next few years that is much bigger and better than a marathon!

But right now, I am proud to be raising funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation and navigating the racing/fundraising waters for the first time. With a check that I received this week, I am now almost half way to my goal of raising $500 by April 24th.

I would love to see more $10, $15, or $20 gifts come in. To me, this is not about a few people making big donations, but rather it's about several people coming together with small donations to make one big impact together. And plus, everyone who donates will get a free LIVESTRONG bracelet. = )

If you are interested in donating, please visit www.livestrong.org/teamls2010/meredithbrooks

Training is going well and I am pumped up for the Country Music Marathon. I've been having a blast with my training, especially my Saturday morning group runs in Wilmore. We were hit by two snow storms earlier this week on Monday and Tuesday, but the rest of the week wasn't too bad. The weather warmed up this weekend and today was a sunny, beautiful 60 degree day. It is supposed to get cold and snowy again this week, but I am grateful for the little glimpse of spring that we got today.

The marathon is in 9 weeks, and I've got a few key training moments coming up in March and early April. On the 5th of March, I'll do 18 miles. I'll have a step-back week on the 14th, and then on the 20th, my long run training will peak at 22 miles. I'll do a half-marathon at marathon pace on the 28th, and then I will do my final 20 miler on April 3rd followed by a three week taper. March will be a busy month!

Here is my training wrap-up for the week:

Mon 2/15
Scheduled rest day

Tues 2/16
45:00 on trainer

Wed 2/17
40:00 on trainer

Thurs 2/18
Distance: 4.61
Time: 41:46
Average Pace: 9:03
Notes: evening run

Fri 2/19
Distance: 5.33
Time: 48:16
Average Pace: 9:03
Notes:

Sat 2/20
Distance: 12.01
Time: 1:57:00
Average Pace: 9:44
Notes: Last 5 miles were super hilly! Great for boosting mental strength. (Thanks for pushing me, Kelly!)

Sun 2/21
Distance: 5.03
Time: 45:35
Average Pace: 9:03*
Notes: Beautiful and warm (45 degrees!) mid-morning recovery run

Weekly mileage total: 26.98 miles
*It looks like 9:03 is my sweet spot! I would love to be able to sustain a 9:30 pace throughout the marathon, so a consistent 9:03 on my shorter runs is encouraging!

One World Against Cancer

Due to some technical difficulties with some photos I want to post, I will have my regularly scheduled Saturday post up tomorrow. But, today I wanted to post this chilling video about the global fight against cancer that was posted on the LIVESTRONG blog today.



Please help LIVESTRONG in the global fight against cancer by making a donation to my Team LIVESTRONG page here.

Team LIVESTRONG 2010

When I saw that LIVESTRONG was going to have a team at the 2010 Country Music Marathon, I immediately knew that I wanted to be a part of it. My sister Megan has been a huge Lance Armstrong fan for years, and I remember watching the Tour de France with her in 2003 and being absolutely amazed by Lance's story. I knew he was an incredible cyclist, but I didn't know about his passion for fighting cancer. After reading two of his books, It's Not About the Bike and Every Second Counts, I able to wrap my mind around the steeps odds that Lance overcame with his diagnosis, and why he has made LIVESTRONG his life's work.

You may be asking "well, what exactly is LIVESTRONG?"

"LIVESTRONG unites people through programs and experiences to empower cancer survivors to live life on their own terms and to raise awareness and funds for the fight against cancer. LIVESTRONG focuses on cancer prevention, access to screening and care, research and quality of life for cancer survivors. Founded in 1997 by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong, our organization has raised more than $285 million for the fight against cancer." -taken from www.livestrong.org

I was lucky enough to be selected as a member of Team LIVESTRONG for the 2010 Country Music Marathon. I have committed to raising $500 for this great organization, and I hope that you will help me. I am asking for 26 donations of $20, which will equal a donation for each mile of the marathon.

As I am running the marathon on April 24th, I know that my training should be enough to carry me physically through each mile. But, I want this marathon to be about more than just finishing a 26.2 mile run. I want to run 26.2 miles to honor and support those who have recently been diagnosed with cancer, those who are currently fighting cancer, those who have survived cancer and those who have succumbed to cancer.

My family and I are incredibly fortunate in that we have only had two family members who have fought with cancer. My father-in-law is a skin cancer survivor, and my Grandma Jo was a breast cancer survivor. But, I know that cancer is a far-reaching disease that strikes at will, not caring who it ensnares next. Since 2006, LIVESTRONG has raised more than 10 million dollars through their marathon fund raising program.

If you would like to make a donation (any amount is greatly appreciated), please click here:
www.livestrong.org/teamls2010/meredithbrooks.

Let's help LIVESTRONG raise $500 more as they work to empower survivors further cancer research!

Update

Training Log
Friday 12/4/09
Distance: 4.21
Time: 37:46
Pace: 8:58 per mile

Saturday 12/5/09
Rest day

I got an e-mail on Thursday afternoon that I have a spot with Team LIVESTRONG! I've registered for the marathon and made hotel arrangements for the weekend, and I am really excited. Chad is really excited about the trip, because our hotel is within walking distance of Gruhn Guitars!

Since we have been married, we have not taken an actual vacation with each other! We choose to spend all our traveling and vacation time seeing family, since we live so far away. I absolutely love this, and I wouldn't want to spend my vacation time doing anything else! But, it will be nice to have a "weekend getaway" with just the two of us, to a city that neither of us have spent much time in. The marathon weekend will be just one month shy of our five year anniversary!

So, I am really excited about the marathon and about being part of Team LIVESTRONG. I had the option of picking what my fundraising goal will be, and admittedly, I chose the lowest at $500. This isn't because I don't want to raise funds for LIVESTRONG, but because this is my first foray into doing fundraising like this. Since I'm not quite sure how this will go, I would much rather exceed a low goal, then come in way under a high goal.

LIVESTRONG will set me up with a fundraising website soon, and I will be sharing that link here when it is available. I figure that if I can get 20 people to donate $26.20 ($1 per mile), then I will meet my $500 goal!

My sister Michelle ran her first 5k yesterday morning in 43:46 - way to go Michelle! She is already planning to run her second one on December 19th! I am trying to organize a family 5k for when I am home at Christmas. My sister Megan is really into Crossfit, and plans to take me to some Crossfit workouts. I envision myself being tossed around the place like a ragdoll!

One really cool thing her Crossfit affiliate, Bay Area Crossfit, did yesterday was the Lumberjack WOD a fundraiser and WOD (workout of the day) to honor the people who lost their lives at the Ft. Hood shooting. Four members of the Lumberjack Crossfit affiliate lost their lives in the shooting that day.

On a lighter note, my friend Kelly is training for the Walt Disney marathon in January, and has her first 20 mile run scheduled today. I am going to meet up with her this afternoon to run with her for the first 10 miles. This will be Kelly's first full marathon, and I know she will do awesome! It is really great to be with a friend as they are staring right in the face of a huge, seemingly insurmountable goal, and to see them slowly start to realize that yes, they can do it! And they will do it. No matter what obstacles may come up, it is important to keep pressing onwards towards the goal laid out in front of you! As much as a marathon is a physical feat, it is also a big mental and emotional feat. I am glad I can run with Kelly on a few of her training runs as she continues to press on towards 26.2!

Fingers Crossed!

I've decided to do the Nashville Country Music Marathon.

I'm hoping to run my second marathon not for myself, but for others. Team LIVESTRONG will be at the Country Music Marathon, and I hope I am lucky enough to be a part of the 2010 team...


2010 Team LIVESTRONG Application Confirmation

Thank you for applying to fund raise on behalf of the LAF in one of our Team LIVESTRONG endurance events! We have received your application and will be reviewing all submissions in the coming days. Once we have chosen the recipients of our guaranteed spots, we will notify you right away.

...I've got my fingers crossed, hoping for a spot!