Marathon Training - A Reflection

For my Country Music Marathon training, I used Hal Higdon's Intermediate I marathon training plan. I've used several different training plans in the past (like the Runner's World online smart coach and training plans from race websites) but I think that I have most enjoyed training with this Hal Higdon plan. He incorporates 5 runs per week - 3 Monday through Friday, 1 Saturday and 1 on Sunday. This worked very well with my schedule, and it was also easy to incorporate swimming, cycling and rest days.

As of this Saturday afternoon, I will have run 415 miles from January 13th through April 24th, which is roughly 100 miles per month. I know of some people who run 100 miles per week, which is crazy. I averaged about 27-30 miles per week, and that was perfect for me. I felt strong on all of my long runs (2 16 milers, 2 18 milers, 1 22 miler) and I tried to really make my shorter runs during the week count - I tried to incorporate speed work and hill work. Overall, I feel prepared. This week I have been trying to rest well, eat well, and think well! My mind is going crazy - but I keep telling myself 3 things:

1. This is not a big deal. Millions of people run marathons each weekend. Just go out and run with them.
2. You trained for this for 4 months - you are ready! All the miles and all the hours have brought you to this point.
3. This is going to be FUN! I will get to meet new people, explore a new city, and hopefully set a new marathon PR. Many people would love to have this opportunity - have fun and keep things in perspective.

That is pretty much what I am telling myself over and over and over. And it is working! I am super excited about the race and the weekend. I found out this week that two of my favorite marathoners, Ryan Hall and Josh Cox, are going to be at the expo on Friday. I really hope that I can meet them and get a picture with them! Ryan Hall just set the American course record at the Boston Marathon on Monday, and Josh Cox is the current 50K American record holder. It would be so cool to meet them!

Back to training, one thing that has greatly improved my training this spring has been my diet. I have really, really tried to be much more careful about what I eat. After listening to several Zen and the Art of Triathlon podcasts where Brett spoke about how much his raw diet was affecting his energy levels, I decided to dip my toes in the water. Now I don't think I can or would ever go to a full raw (or even vegan) diet, but being more mindful of what I am eating has made a huge difference! I have tried to incorporate way more fruits, veggies, and nuts into my diet. I always try to keep dried fruits and nuts, raw almonds, apples, and Larabars on hand in my desk drawer for a quick and easy snack.

I've also been keeping a comprehensive food log since March 15th. I've found that its best if I eat breakfast around 7:00am, have a snack at 10:00am, have lunch at 12:30pm, another snack at 3:00pm, and then dinner around 6:30pm. I've also found from my food log that my definite weakness and craving is SUGAR. When it comes to candy, cookies, cake, ice cream, etc - count me in. I think these things are OK in moderation and I am usually satisfied with one serving, but having the fresh fruit and Larabars on hand really help to curb my sweet tooth. I also like having something sweet after dinner, so I've been curbing my dessert craving with greek yogurt, low-fat Pop Tarts (still not the best, I know) or Kashi Honey Sunshine cereal. This has made a huge difference in my energy levels! One more thing - I try to drink a "green smoothie" with fruits and veggies at least 4 times a week. I usually blend up spinach, baby carrots and 8 oz. 1% milk (or Odwalla Superfood) with two fruits - like apples, strawberries, pears or bananas. I sip on this for a couple of hours each morning for sustained, all-natural energy!

I still have a long way to go with my eating, but I think I am on the right track! I have noticed an incredible difference in how I feel before, during and after a run. I used to crave double cheeseburgers after a long run, but now all I want is an apple and some chocolate milk. I also used to crave Taco Bell, McDonald's, Wendy's etc. all the time, but now I don't even really think about it. I guess my marathon time will show if the proof is in the pudding with my nutrition changes....non-fat pudding that is!

The third thing that has been super motivating during my training has been being a part of Team LIVESTRONG. Thank you all for helping me reach my fund-raising goal to secure my spot on the team. Running for something that is so much greater than myself has been awesome, and I am thankful for the opportunity.

Next post...meet the people who are going to help get me across the finish line! Stay tuned.

Lexington Half-Marathon Race Report

This past week was a fun training week. I'm in my taper now, but I was still able to get a good amount of miles in. It was also great getting to do some race-day simulation with the Lexington Half-Marathon yesterday!

On Saturday morning, I ran 10.25 miles with friends Sarah and Angela. They are both training for the Kentucky Derby Festival half-marathon in Louisville next month. This will be Sarah's second half-marathon, and Angela's first. They are doing AWESOME in their training, and I know they will be strong on race day. Our 10.25 mile run on Saturday was strong and steady, and I hope it was a confidence booster for them. They have logged a lot of miles over the past three months, and they are now entering into the taper phase. I wish I could be there to cheer them on in Louisville, but the race is the same day as the Country Music Marathon! I'll definitely be thinking of them during my race.

Saturday afternoon was absolutely beautiful - sunny and in the 60's. After picking up my half-marathon packet in Lexington, I sat outside in the sunshine and read for a few hours while Emma frolicked around in the backyard. This is our Saturday afternoon routine in the spring and summer and I love it! We had an early dinner of linguine with a spinach/marinara sauce and bread, and then headed into Wilmore to hang out with friends for a little bit. We got home early, and I was in bed at 8:45 pm.

On Sunday morning I was up at 4:15 making coffee and oatmeal. This has become my standard pre-long run/pre-race meal, and it has worked really well for me. I always have regular instant oatmeal with 1 tbsp. of peanut butter and a sliced banana. This is also a meal that will be easy to recreate in Nashville on race day. As I was eating breakfast, it was raining cats and dogs outside - not a good sign! I was hopeful that the storm would move through the area, though.

The race site was only 30 minutes away, and we arrived at 7:00am. It was cold and rainy, so we ventured out to the starting line at 7:15 in search of port-a-potties and shelter. Luckily we found both right at the starting line! An article in the Lexington Herald-Leader this morning stated that there were 2,400 people registered for the half-marathon, with 2,250 finishers, so it was a fairly small race. Pretty big for this area though! And especially since this was the first half-marathon in Lexington. The race was held at Fasig-Tipton, North America’s oldest Thoroughbred auction company. Some big name horses have come through Fasig-Tipton, including Seattle Slew, 2008 Derby winner Big Brown, and the 2009 Derby winner Mine That Bird. Needless to say, the grounds were beautiful!

The gun went off at 8:10, and off we went. The pack was pretty congested for the first few miles, but it was not too bad. It started raining again at mile 3 and gradually increased to hard, pelting sideways rain. Everyone was immediatley soaked to the bone! It wasn't all that bad though - it was kind of uncomfortable but not miserable. It was definitley motivation to run faster, though!

The course was a pretty simple out and back. We started at Fasig-Tipton, then followed Newtown Pike to Iron Works Pike, then looped through the Kentucky Horse Park, then returned to Fasig-Tipton via Iron Works and Newtown. It was really neat getting to run right in the heart of Lexington's horse farms. Race horses are a HUGE industry in central Kentucky, and Lexington is actually the "horse capital of the world." This was the race logo:

The logo reminded me of a picture that I took at a horse farm in Lexington last summer:

I felt pretty good during the race - my legs felt really good, despite having 10 miles on them from the day before. The only thing that give me issues was my lower back and shoulders. I know that I need to do more core work, and I think swimming more will also help with this as well.

Kelly set off on her own pace - she was seeking a PR and was really moving. We lost sight of her after the first few miles! Chris and I ran together - we both wanted to keep a nice, steady pace and would be happy with a sub-2:00 finish, but we figured we would finished sub-2:10. I didn't want to go all out for this race, so I wasn't seeking a PR. We did keep a nice steady pace, and I realized at about mile 8 that we were on track to finish right at 2:00.

Chris and I finished in 2:00 on the nose, a PR for me by 2 minutes! It felt great to be done. After getting my chip clipped off, I got some water and some wheat bread with honey - it was so good! Kelly smashed her previous half-marathon PR by 6 minutes, and Lindsay finished in 1:59. I think 2:00 was a PR for Chris as well. Overall, a GREAT day at the races!

After finishing, I immediatley began to freeze. I had a change of clothes in my car, so I booked it back to my car and quickly and discreetly changed from sopping wet clothes to nice warm dry clothes. It was a beautiful thing. After the race, I went to Calistoga Cafe with Kelly and her husband Tony. Tony was our one cheerleader out on the course - we saw him around mile 4 I think, standing in the rain and cheering runners on. What a sport! I really wish Chad could have been at the race, but he had commitments at church that he couldn't miss. I am so excited that he will be there with me in Nashville!

At Calistoga I got chicken noodle soup, half of a chipotle chicken panini, some hot tea and a huge cookie. It was all so good, and it pretty much included everything that I was craving at the moment. Once I got home, I took a shower and then a 20 minute nap. The skies had cleared, so I decided to take Emma for a walk to stretch out a bit. Once we got we got about 4 blocks away it started pouring! So we had to book it back to the house because Emma hates the rain. I just couldn't escape the rain yesterday!

Overall, the Lexington Half-Marathon was a great experience. Since it was the inaugural race, I expected there to be some kinks. There were a few minor ones (i.e. parking and post-race traffic were a little crazy) but overall it was very well organized. It is a small race in a fairly small town, so I didn't expect all of the hoopla of a big city race. It was actually nice to have a more low key setting!

This is a pretty long post so I'll wrap it up. Here are some pictures from the race, followed by some cute pictures of Emma. She's been cuddling with Chad a lot lately and it is just so precious that I had to capture it on film!

Chris, me, Kelly, and Lindsay (with daughter Annabella) in our spring colors

Tony and Kelly at lunch

me and Kelly at lunch

A cookie the size of a small hubcap

Emma resting her booty on daddy's arm pit

My two sweeties relaxing on a Sunday afternoon

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!

We Made It!

I'd like to say a huge, huge, huge thank you to everyone who donated to my fundraising efforts for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. With everyones help, I reached my goal - and I am actually $1.20 over my goal! A special thank you to my mom & dad who helped push me over the $500 mark with a second donation! Every dollar makes a difference, and I appreciate everyone's generosity.

This is going to be a big weekend! My sister Megan is doing The Pelican Challenge at the Seabrook Lucky Trails Marathon this weekend in Seabrook, TX. The Pelican Challenge consists of running a half marathon on Saturday, and then running another half marathon on Sunday. I know Megan and all of the Bay Area Crossfit folks will do awesome! Go Megan!

I've put in some easy miles this week in preparation for my big run tomorrow - 22 miles! Here is my training log for the week:

Monday: 3.37 miles/30:35/9:07 average pace

Tuesday AM: 4.36 miles/39:46/9:07 average pace
Tuesday PM: 11.6 mile ride/50:45/15.1 average mph

Wednesday: 5.06 miles/45:42/9:01 average pace

Thursday: 4.34 miles/39:19/9:03 average pace

Friday: rest


On Tuesday evening, I went on my first road ride of the spring! It felt so great to get back on the road, and I can tell that my hours on the trainer this winter helped to keep my in good cycling shape. I rode with my friends Cody and Chris, and Chris rode his wife's recumbent bike! It was pretty hilarious - you do not want to be on a recumbent bike when you are dealing with some of the hills around here!

Last night, we got together with our friends in Wilmore for a delicious home-cooked spaghetti meal to welcome our friends Adam and Dru and their son Israel back to town for a few days. They moved to Missouri this past summer, and it was so great to see them last night.

Tonight Chad and I are laying low (he is sick - poor thing!) and watching Miracle. I've been trying to be careful with what I've been eating this week, and I've kept a very detailed food log in a Google Docs spreadsheet. I feel rested and relaxed, and I am ready to hit the road in the morning! I will be running in Wilmore, so my plan is to run 6 on my own, meet up with friends for the next 10, and then finish with 6 more on my own. It will be great to mentally break the run up into three segments!

It's 8:30 now...I better get ready for bed!

6 Weeks

Six weeks until race day! I am still so pumped up about running the Country Music Marathon in April. My training has been so fun this past week as spring is finally here! I can finally run in shorts again! I've put the running tights up for good, I hope! We've had 50-60 degree temps each day and it has been heavenly. It's been kind of gray and cloudy the past few days, but I am so thankful that it is not bitterly cold anymore!

Training Log 03/08/10 - 03/14/10
Monday: scheduled rest day
Tuesday: 4.79 miles/44:16/9:14 average pace
Wednesday: 3.35 miles/30:39/9:08 average pace
Thursday: 4.34 miles/39:22/9:04 average pace
Friday: 45:00 on the trainer
Saturday: 1) 13.02 miles/1:59:16/9:08 average pace
Saturday: 2) Shamrock Shuffle 3k*/18:36/8:55 average pace
Sunday: rest day
*race report below

I've been having some soreness and pain in my right knee after runs and right at the beginning of some of my runs, so I started using a foam roller at night. My friend Lindsay let me borrow her foam roller and it is amazing! I've really been concentrating on my IT band (between my knee and hip) and my hips, and my knee pain is almost totally gone. Hallelujah! I've also found that taking Emma on a 30 minute walk after my long run really helps with my recovery. We don't walk very fast and she stops to sniff/pee/poop a lot, so it is a perfect way for me to cool down and Emma loves it, too!

I didn't plan on taking a rest day today but the time change threw me off, so I am taking my rest day today and will run some recovery miles tomorrow. I want to be smart about my training this week as it will culminate with the big enchilada...the 22 miler!! This will be my longest training run before I start to taper, and I want to make the most of it. My past few longer runs (16 and 18 miles) have gone very well, and I finished them feeling like I could run further. I will do the 22 miles in Wilmore which is super hilly, so the run will be physically and mentally challenging. I've heard that Nashville is hilly - bring on the hills! I actually really like hills.

When I run, I love listening to the Zen and the Art of Triathlon podcast and the Two Gomers Run a Marathon podcast. Zen and the Art of Triathlon is always interesting, and I look forward to each episode. I save the latest episode for my long run because hearing Brett's training experiences always keeps me motivated and inspired to train hard and push myself to the next level.

Two Gomers Run a Marathon is absolutely hilarious, and keeps me entertained for hours at a time during my long runs. While I don't agree with everything they do (I'm a little concerned with their approach to training!) it is interesting to hear about two guys training and preparing for the their first marathon. Oh, and one of them got hit by a Smart Car a few weeks ago, so it has been interesting to hear about his recovery.

Fund raising for the Lance Armstrong Foundation has been awesome this week! I raised over $150 in two days! Thank you so, so much to all who donated. And if you haven't donated yet, there is still time! To make your donation, please visit www.livestrong.org/teamls2010/meredithbrooks

On Saturday, I did a 13 mile run at 5:00am, followed by the Shamrock Shuffle 3k at 10:00am. It was an great morning! I finished the 13 miles and felt great - I had a ton of energy and was ready to head into Lexington for the 3k. I went to the race with my friends Kelly and Eve, and Eve's 3 year old daughter Claire. Eve had Claire in a stroller, so our plan was to start near the back and go as fast as we could, realizing that it would be difficult to navigate the crowd. The Shuffle is a very family friendly event with lots of dogs and strollers, and the whole race had a very relaxed sense to it which was nice. I mean its only 1.86 miles, folks!

Since I had done 13 miles and Kelly had run 5 miles earlier, we figured we would run at a nice, steady pace. What we didn't plan on was sprinting the whole race! But that is what we did, and it was so fun! Eve is a very fast runner and she really worked the crowd with the stroller. If she saw an opening, she went for it and she went for it fast! I was laughing so hard because we were dodging walkers, dogs, kids, stroller and just flying through the course. It was really fun! But I was definitely tired, and we all were wearing down at the end.

I didn't even wear a watch to the race, so I'm not sure what our official time is. It was chip timed, but the website results don't have the chip times, just the clock times. So, our time was officially 18:36, but I think it was more like 17:00 if we account for the time that was ticking before we actually crossed the starting line. Whatever our time, it was still a lot of fun! Here are some pictures from the morning:

Kelly, with a "Luck of the Irish" door hanger pinned to her back

Kelly helping Claire out with some glitter

Eve, Claire and me

Kelly, Eve and Claire

The whole gang

A LIVESTRONG Giveaway!

First, I'd like to thank you all for your prayers and thoughts for my grandmother Mimi. She went in for a second opinion on Monday morning and received a much better diagnosis. She still has to under-go some tests and procedures, but her prognosis is much better. Thank you again for your prayers - they were definitely answered!

Now for a LIVESTRONG fundraising update! I'd love to reach my goal of raising $500 by the end of this month - March 24th to be exact. This will be one month before the Country Music Marathon on April 24th. I've raised $275 so far, so I have only $225 to go. To spice up the fundraising a little but, I'd like to do a giveaway contest here on the blog!

Here are the details: for every $5 you donate, you get one entry for the giveaway.
So, $5 = 1 entry, $10 = 2 entries, $15 = 3 entries, but $20 will earn you 5 entries!

The giveaway package will include:

• Nike LIVESTRONG low-cut dri-fit socks (2 pairs)
  
• Nike LIVESTRONG stretchy headbands (set of 6)
• Nike LIVESTRONG yellow bracelets
• $20 Starbucks gift card
• $50 Omaha Steaks gift card

The package is worth over $100 in retail value, and it could be yours for only $5! The package may seem like a random assortment, but I tried to create something that all of my readers would enjoy. I know I have readers that run, readers that don't run, readers that like coffee, readers that may enjoy a nice steak package, and so on and so forth...so it is kind of a grab bag!

To make your donation, please visit www.livestrong.org/teamls2010/meredithbrooks

The contest will run for one week - from Friday March 5th through Friday March 12th. On Friday I will tally the entries, put them in a hat, and pick a lucky winner! The winner will be notified and announced on the 12th.

Its going to be wild around here over the next few days. I have an 18 mile run tomorrow morning, and then Chad and Emma will be bachelors for the weekend as I am heading to Virginia on Saturday with three friends to visit our friends Rob, Kat and Harper!

Weekly Run-Down
Monday 2/22
Scheduled rest day

Tuesday 2/23
Distance: 4.01
Time: 35:07
Average Pace: 8:45

Wednesday 2/24
Distance: 8.14
Time: 1:12:00
Average Pace: 8:50

Thursday 2/25
Rest

Friday 2/26
Rest

Saturday 2/27
Distance: 16.52
Time: 2:30:03
Average Pace: 9:04

Sunday 2/28
60:00 on trainer

I planned to run 4 miles on Thursday, but I woke up with an awful sinus headache. I've been dancing with a sinus infection for about a week, and Thursday and Friday brought the worst of it. I think it is gone for good now. I had a bad headache and just felt pretty "blah" on Thursday and Friday, so I used them both as rest days in order to be in good shape for Saturday 's long run.

Friday was a long day for both of us, so Chad and I decided to stay home, order pizza, and watch "Waiting for Guffman" which was in from Netflix. "Waiting for Guffman" is so funny, and is the 2nd (counting "Spinal Tap" as the first) of Christopher Guest's mock-umentary style movies. If you haven't seen it (or "A Mighty Wind" or "Best in Show") I highly recommend them!

I wasn't sure how my 16 mile run would go. Most of my running group was at a retreat, so I knew I would be alone for all of the run. But I was kind of looking forward to running alone, because I knew it would be great mental training for this week's 18 mile run. I am going out of town on Saturday with friends to visit the Raborns (yes!! I am so excited!!) so I am going to do my 18 mile run on Friday morning.

I headed out the door at 7:30 am to falling snow, which had blanketed streets and sidewalks. I immediately started thinking thoughts like "maybe this isn't safe, maybe I should only do 4 today and then do 16 tomorrow when its clear, my feet are going to get soaking wet, this is going to be miserable" and etc. I decided that I would do 4 miles, and then figure out what I was going to do. As I got going, I realized that it wasn't bad at all! The snow stopped after about thirty minutes, and the fresh snow on the sidewalks actually provided a nice soft layer that wasn't slick at all. I pushed aside thoughts of quitting and postponing the run, and I settled in for a two and a half hour run through the streets of Nicholasville.

I had a good idea of what an 8 mile loop would be, so I did that first and it ended up being 8.66 miles. For my second loop, I cut out one part of the first loop to try to get closer to 8 miles even, but then I realized I would be short on my second loop. I didn't want to get to my house and then have to keep running, so I added in a loop around Lake Mingo, a local park. This brought me to 7.86 miles for second loop, and a total of 16.52 miles for the run.

This run was great preparation for my 18 miler on Friday. I plan to do the 8.66 mile loop twice, and then add in a little at the end to bring me to 18 total. Mentally, it wasn't a challenging run at all. For the first 2 hours I listened to podcasts (Zen and the Art of Triathlon and the SimplyStu Triathlon Podcast) and then for the last 30 minutes I listened to my running playlist. I was also captivated by how beautiful it was outside. My first loop was really nice, because there wasn't much traffic out and the snow was fresh and clean. On my second loop, cars were spraying salt and dirty snow from the road up onto the sidewalks, so that wasn't quite as pretty.

One thing that was really funny was that I was able to see all kinds of different tracks in the snow. I saw bird tracks, raccoon tracks, cat and dog tracks, and even a shopping cart track. There is a man who walks up and down Main St. pushing a shopping cart, and he had paved the way before me. The funniest part was that he must have had an open bag of cheese popcorn in his cart, because there was a trail of cheese popcorn in between the shopping cart tracks for about a mile. I started thinking of Hansel and Gretel, but with Cheester Cheetah playing the part of Hansel.
The other interesting thing about doing two loops in the snow is that on my second loop I could see my footprints from my first loop. I tried to replicate my stride and land in my tracks, but I just couldn't do it. I could really tell that my legs were looser on the second loop and that my stride was longer. It was pretty interesting!

The streets and sidewalks were a little slushier on my second loop, and there were several times where one or both of my feet would be totally submerged in an icy puddle. My socks, Thorlo Experias, were absolutely amazing, and dried almost instantly. I thought that cold wet feet would be a major issue on this run, but these socks defied the odds and kept my feet warm and dry. They were totally worth the $13 I paid for them at Run Wild in Alexandria.

My knees bothered me a tiny bit during the run, but they were very sore afterwards. I need to start icing them after runs, which will hopefully help with some of the soreness. I felt great after finishing - I was tired, but I felt like I could easily run another 4 or 6 miles. I think having access to my trainer during this training season has really helped with my aerobic fitness, which has helped to improve my endurance. In March I am going to get back into the pool, so I think that will help as well. After the run, I drank a PB&J (1 tbsp. peanut butter, 1 frozen banana, strawberry yogurt, few ounces of 1% milk) recovery smoothie and ate an apple.

This morning my knees were still pretty sore, so I put in an hour of fairly easy spinning on the trainer. This really helped to alleviate some of the soreness. We've had a pretty quiet day - church this morning, then a trip to Goodwill to drop off a ton of donations (I've already got spring cleaning fever!) and now we are watching the Olympics and are going to make some potato soup later. A nice end to a quiet weekend!

On a non-training note, I would really appreciate your prayers for my grandmother. She is having some stomach/kidney issues, and is going to be getting a second opinion on her diagnosis tomorrow. Her name is Nell, but we all call her Mimi. She is my dad's mom, and one of the funniest people that I know. We all love her so much and I hate that she is in pain. If you are the praying type, I hope that you will send up an extra one today for Mimi.

Snow Pictures

Not too much going on this week! I think Chad and I are starting to find the rhythm of the new semester. It is kind of nice to have a quiet week, as March, April and May will be pretty busy months.

I went back to the dentist on Tuesday for my two fillings, so I'm glad that is out of the way! I always expect the worst at the dentist, but even the fillings were not that bad. I might have to go back, as I think one of the fillings may need to be filed down a little because it is affecting my bite. Or are you just supposed to get used to it? I'm not sure!

Here are some snowy pictures from the past few weeks, plus a few from the Super Bowl!

This was from one of our first "big" snows at the beginning of February

Emma loves playing outside, even in the snow!
Her green sweater has gotten a lot of use this month!

Emma, checking out the neighbor's yard.

And that big black streak on the tree? It was struck by lightning last spring!

My Saints brownies for the Super Bowl.
The squiggly things on the corners are supposed to be football laces,
but they looks more like hash marks!

Football inspired seven-layer dip, as suggested by my mom!

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!

Dental Report

Well, the dentist wasn't all that bad. I went in thinking I had 5-6 cavities, and would probably have to have a root canal for my horrible toothache. Turns out I only have two small cavities, and neither cavity is in the tooth that was hurting so bad! The dentist and hygienist both think the tooth pain I experienced in my upper left tooth was actually sinus pain. Whatever it was, I am glad it doesn't hurt anymore and that I don't have to pay to get it fixed!

The hygienist said that for not having my teeth professionally cleaned for five years, they really weren't all that bad. That makes me feel good about my oral hygiene. The cleaning was going so well and was relatively painless, until the hygienist began digging plaque rocks out of my gum line with a high powered WaterPik. That was pretty awful. I didn't even know that could happen! But apparantley, plaque build up can turn into calculus (...anyone remember MTV's "2Gether"?) which is a rock like substance. I will go back in about two weeks to get the cavities filled.

Tips for not accumulating rocks in your gums:
1. Floss at least once a day
2. Visit the dentist every 6 months for cleanings!

This past weekend my sister Megan competed in the CrossFit FX Texas Games Unleashed competition in Allen, TX (near Dallas). She did awesome in this absolutely insane physical competition - she came in 3rd overall female!

Visit her blog at www.texascrossfitter.blogspot.com to read all about the competition. I did a few CrossFit workouts with her when I was home for Christmas and they absolutely kicked my butt. I can't even imagine the physical strength it takes to do a day long competition! Megan is hoping to do well in the CrossFit Games qualifiers this year, so these local competitions really help with her training and preparation. Go Meggie!

My trainer rides seem down right wimpy compared to the workouts Megan is doing, but I've really grown to love the trainer for three main reasons:

1. Allows you to work on your form.
When you are riding on the road, there are all kinds of things that you have to pay attention to. You need to be looking forward paying attention to what the road ahead of you holds (traffic, turns, cliffs, hills, etc.)and watching the road below you to make sure that you don't get into any loose gravel or broken glass or other hazardous materials.

And there are probably a hundred other things that cyclists subconsciously are aware of when they are riding on the road. When you are on a trainer, you don't have to worry about any of it! You don't have to worry about traffic or road surfaces, or upcoming turns, hills, descents, etc. This allows you to work on your form - back straight and not hunched over, feet flat, hips to the back of the saddle, etc. - more so than you might be able to do out on the road.

2. Forces you to stay in constant motion.
As the Fat Cyclist pointed out in a recent post, it is easy to coast on a bike. You can coast as you are coming down a hill and you can coast on a flat section of road. One thing that "Coach" Cody told me last summer was "never stop pedaling." He said that he took all of the hills of Kentucky for granted and got used to coasting, but then he went cycling in Indiana (which is pretty flat) and found that he was exhausted from pedaling all of the time since there wasn't really any time to coast. That made sense to me, so I try to pedal all the time when I am on the roads, even if it means spinning out of even my biggest gears. The trainer really forces you to pedal constantly. If you're not pedaling, you're not doing anything. If you want to ride, you have to pedal!

3. No excuses allowed.
There is really no reason to skip a trainer workout. I love that I can wake up at 5:00am and be on the trainer at 5:05. It doesn't take near the preparation that running takes (at least for me, and I'm talking mostly about preparing to run in the cold) and it doesn't matter at all what the weather is like. The trainer has been especially useful this winter with all of the snow storms we have had. There have been days were it would have been impossible to run outside in the morning without breaking my neck on the ice, so I have substituted trainer rides for runs. Now I know that the two are not equal, but if I can't spend 50 minutes running, I'd rather spend 50 minutes riding on the trainer than 50 minutes sitting on the couch.

Workout info for the week:
The storms we got on Monday and Tuesday night have not been good for my running. It is Thursday night, and I have not run yet this week! I am planning on getting in 4-6 in the morning, and then doing 13 on Saturday. We'll see...

Monday 2/8/10
-Scheduled rest day

Tuesday 2/9/10
-45:00 minutes on trainer

Wednesday 2/10/10
-Rest day

Thursday 2/11/10
-45:00 minutes on trainer

Winter Gear Review

Here is a synopsis of my three runs so far this week:

Monday 2/1/10
Distance: 3.72
Time: 34:25
Average Pace: 9:15
Notes: COLD 15 degree morning! First run outside after a big snowstorm, so I had to be extra careful with my footing.

Tuesday 2/2/10
Distance: 4.33
Time: 40:12
Average Pace: 9:17
Notes: I ran in the evening instead of the morning, which felt very weird! I decided to give evening running a go, but just a few miles into my run I realized why I hate to run at night. I was hungry, tired, and there was so much traffic out. It is much more peaceful at 5:30 in the morning!

Wednesday 2/3/10
Distance: 7.10
Time: 1hr 5 minutes
Average Pace: 9:10
Notes: Ate two GU Chomps on the run (at mile 2 & mile 4), for a total of about 100 calories. I think I'll stick with Clif Shots or Clif ShotBlocks - they have a much better taste, and seem more filling.

Since that damn little groundhog saw his shadow, I thought it might be a good idea to do a "winter gear" review. I wear pretty much the same thing everyday for my winter runs, and everything is great. Even on 15 degree days, I am not cold. Over the past few Christmases I've accumulated some great winter gear from my family and Chad's family. This year was no exception, except that one of the products that I bought is no good at all. Without further ado, here are my top picks, from the head down, for winter running gear.

Brooks Vapor Dry 2 Racer Cap
This winter hat is black with two large neon yellow stripes - perfect for early morning runs in the dark! And, it keeps both my head and ears very warm without trapping in too much heat.

Brooks Motion Jacket
I found that this great jacket is actually too warm to run in, but it is great for walking Emma and running errands. I LOVE this jacket and have worn it everyday since we've been back in Kentucky after Christmas. It is soft, comfortable, and has a flattering fit. It's great for walking Emma because there are pockets inside where I can stash my keys and cell phone. Plus, it is "UK Blue" so I get lots of approving nods from neighbors and passing motorists.

New Balance Kaspian Jacket
Two years ago my parents bought me a New Balance Kaspian 1/2 zip jacket, and it is still probably my most used cold weather item. I just checked the New Balance website, and it looks like they no longer carry them. That's a shame, because it is a great jacket! It is pretty lightweight, but heavy enough to keep body heat in. On cold mornings I always wear a short sleeve t-shirt, then a long-sleeved technical shirt, then the New Balance jacket. I wear the jacket until we start having 45 degree mornings. Once it is 45 degrees or warmer, usually just a t-shirt and long sleeve tech shirt are enough.

Long-sleeve Technical Shirts
I have three long-sleeve shirts in my rotation: a NikePro shirt, a Hind shirt, and a Nike DriFit shirt. All three are great as mid-layers! The NikePro shirt is a little more fitted, the Hind shirt is a little looser, and the Nike DriFit shirt is more t-shirt like. I bought the Nike DriFit shirt at Academy with a gift card that my sister Megan gave me for Christmas. It is my favorite of the three - I've even found myself wearing it for casual use, as well!

Hind Gloves
I have a thin pair of Brooks gloves that I've used for the past two years, but this Christmas I decided to get a thicker pair of gloves with part of my gift certificate from Santa to Run Wild in Alexandria, Louisiana. At the store, I found some Hind gloves that seemed like they would be perfect. And luckily, they are! My fingers get so cold so easily, but these gloves are thick enough to keep heat in and to keep my blood flowing, but not too thick that my hands get too hot. That is the fine line with all winter running gear - it can't be too warm, yet it can't be too cold. That's a hard medium to find!

C9 Running Tights
Another staple is my C9 tights from Target. My mom and I found these on sale for $4, and they were worth every penny! I don't know where I would be without these running tights.

Mizuno Breath Thermo Socks
Unfortunately, this is the product that really doesn't work for me. Well...they may work too well, actually! The theory behind these fancy socks is that they convert body moisture to heat for additional warmth. Well, I tend to sweat profusely - even in frigid temps. After a few runs in these socks my feet were killing me - they were tender and blistery feeling. While the Mizuno socks were in the laundry, I wore some other socks and had no problem. After wearing the Mizuno socks again on Monday, it hit me. The socks were literally burning my feet! That's the only explanation I can think of. I've never had this problem with any other socks. Whatever the case, I'll be retiring the Mizunos and sticking with my trusted Brooks and Under Armour socks!

Weather Woes

First, training so far this week:

Sunday 1/24/10
Rest day

Monday 1/25/10
Distance: 3.3 miles
Time: 29:42
AP: 9:00

Tuesday 1/26/10
AM Run
Distance: 3.28
Time: 28:53
AP: 8:48

PM Trainer
45:00 minutes
5 minute intervals

Wednesday 1/27/10
Distance: 6.23
Time: 56:15
AP: 9:01

So, it was a brisk 24 degrees on my run this morning. But, it wasn't too bad. Surprisingly, I'm actually starting to enjoy the cold weather. Maybe because I know it will soon be gone? I really can't wait for 60/70/80 degree weather, but for now I have 20 degree weather so I may as well make the best of it.

In the most recent Zen and the Art of Triathlon podcast, Brett talks about accepting things as they are. For instance, if you are out on a training run and it is rainy, cold and windy and miserable, you can spend all of your time complaining about it and wishing it were dry and warm, but that won't change anything. It's better to just accept it, prepare for it, and enjoy it. I'm not into Zen thinking or Buddhism or anything like that (I'm a preacher's wife for goodness sake!!), but Brett does have a point here. I've been taking this mindset into my training runs this week and it has had a positive affect on my attitude and performance. I'm lucky enough to have an able body, able mind, and the time and resources to run, bike and swim on a weekly basis. Why waste any time complaining about something as arbitrary as the weather?

In other news, I'm thinking about maybe starting a podcast. Chad has all the necessary equipment, so that helps with a lot of the logistical issues. I'm thinking of calling it "Tales from the Trainer" and recording it during one of my weekly trainer rides. I love listening to podcasts about running and triathlon, and it might be kind of fun to throw my hat into the running/training podcast genre. I already have a few episodes mapped out! I actually "tried" podcasting yesterday evening while on the trainer and the time FLEW by. Anyone who has ever run with me knows that I love to talk while running. I guess I love to talk while spinning away on the trainer, too!

What do you think? Think anyone would listen?

What A Difference...

...a week makes! I am feeling back in the groove with work, running and life in general. The winter storm loosened its grip on Kentucky this week, allowing for sunshine, temps in the 40's and 50's and melting snow and ice. It has been wonderful being able to get in morning runs and evening walks with Emma.

My first week of marathon training went pretty well! Since I didn't run hardly at all last week, I cut back my mileage a little bit this week. Here is my "run"-down for the week (ha):

Mon 1/11/10

• Scheduled rest day

Tues 1/12/10

• 30 minutes of intervals on the trainer
• Then 15-10-5 (CF style, Megan!) of squats, sit-ups and push-ups

Wed 1/13/10

• Distance: 3.83 miles
• Time: 33:35
  
• AP: 8:46/mile
  

Thurs 1/14/10

• Distance: 2.57
  
• Time: 22:53
  
• AP: 8:54/mile
  

Fri 1/15/10

• Distance: 3.31
• Time: 29:28
• AP: 8:54.mile

Sat 1/16/10

• Distance: 6.13*
• Time: 59:01
• AP: *2.03 warm-up run with Sarah and Angela in Wilmore @ 10:30 pace, followed by 4.10 miles at 9:08 pace

Sun 1/17/10

• 4 miles scheduled

This morning's long run in Wilmore was great. My mileage for the week seems so low (will be 19.83 after tomorrow 4 miler), but I keep telling myself that this is the first week of 15 weeks of training. My total mileage will stay in the 20's for the next 3 weeks, then will jump into the 30's, then will peak in the 40's in March. In April I will begin my taper, and my mileage will trickle back down through the 30's and 20's.

I'm actually really excited about my training plan, and I feel like it will serve me well for the marathon and the summer triathlon season. The plan incorporates 5 days of running with 1-2 days of swimming and 3 days of riding. I'm going to try to incorporate three (modified) CrossFit style workouts in there, too.

I can't wait until March/April when I can pull the bike off the trainer and hit the roads again! But I actually really like the trainer! When I was home for Christmas, my sister gave me a CD by Girl Talk, a musician/DJ who specializes in mash-ups. His stuff is GREAT to run to, and I love listening to it while I am on the trainer. It makes me feel like I am in my own personal spinning class. Warning though, parental advisory is advised! I couldn't find his stuff on iTunes, but my sister gets his stuff through Napster. I highly recommend it for running.

One of my favorite things about a new year is getting organized for the year ahead. For me, this includes breaking in a new calendar/planner and establishing a system for recording my training for the year. Chad and I love Moleskine notebooks and calendars, and I've been using a Moleskine journal as my training journal since November. I planned to continue using it through 2010, but then I got the Runner's World 2010 Training Log in the mail and now I am torn between the two. I've decided to compromise and use the RW Training Log for recording my workouts, while continuing to use the Moleskine as a food journal.

I want to give a big shout-out and congratulations to my friend Kelly, who finished the Walt Disney World Marathon this past Sunday in 4:19! I am having coffee with her this afternoon to hear all about the experience. She was hoping to finish between 4:30 and 5:00 hours, so I am so glad that she blew her goal out of the water, coming in 20 minutes before her predicted time. And, she did it on a bum ankle! She actually fell down a flight of stairs (ha! what are the odds?) the week before the marathon! But she said her ankle never bothered her enough during the race to make her slow down or stop. Great job, Kelly! You are a marathoner!

New Year

Well, it is hard to believe it is now 2010. Chad, Emma and I had a great time in Louisiana and Texas with our family for the last two weeks of 2009. We love the life we have made for ourself in Kentucky, but I think we are both ready to set roots down in Louisiana and settle into less of a transitional time in our lives. We plan to be in Kentucky for another year and a half, but I have a feeling the time will fly by as fast, if not faster, than the past four years have.

I am really excited about my running and triathlon goals this year. My goal is to do one half-marathon, two marathons and at least one (but maybe two) triathlons.

Here is my planned schedule for major races in 2010:

• March - Lexington Half Marathon (3/28/10)
• April - Country Music Marathon (4/24/10)
• August - Lame Duck Triathlon (7/31/2010)
• November - NYC Marathon (11/7/2010)

I will add in local 5ks and 10ks as well, but the races above are what I really want to focus on. If I am able to add in another sprint distance triathlon in September, that would be great as well. We will have to see how the budget goes!

The first week back to real life after Christmas vacation was wild and disorienting. We left Louisiana in mid-30 degree weather, and as we drove north the temperature continued to fall, landing at 17 degrees when we pulled into our driveway. Brr. As like most of the country, things didn't get better this past week! It has been freezing and snowy here, which has put a big damper on my run. Also, the hot water at the gym went out, so there went my morning treadmill runs or swims. I went out for a 1 mile run on Wednesday morning to test the conditions (and some of my new winter running gear!) but it was too snowy and icy to be safe and/or get a quality run in.

Things were extremely hectic at work as we began classes for a new January term, and wrapped up all of the odds and ends of the fall semester. Between the weather and work, I have been exhausted each day. Chad, Emma and I spent each night at home bundled up and warm and eating gumbo. It was really great to have each evening to recharge before the next day.

Now that newness has shaken itself off of 2010 and I've found some familiarity with a routine again, I am ready to jump into marathon training. I started this morning with a 3 mile run on the treadmill at the gym. It felt great to get a run in, since I haven't run in the past two weeks! Yikes. But, it was a good break and I think that I needed it.

In other news, Chad got a huge tattoo on his arm this week! He has been wanting one for years, and he finally did it this week. It is a picture of the Agnus Dei image (google it) and it is on his left arm. It is way bigger than I could have ever imagined, but I am so happy for him because I know he loves it! It is pretty wild though!

Bittersweet Days

Training Log
Wednesday run
Distance: 3.87
Time: 33:50
Average Pace: 8:44 per mile

Thursday run
Distance: 4.18
Time: 36:01
Average Pace: 8:36 per mile

It has been really chilly these past few mornings - Wednesday morning was 19 degrees, and this morning was 20 degrees! I really was very warm after the first mile though. Running in cold weather really isn't bad if you dress appropriately. Other than my face feeling like it was going to fall off for the first mile, it wasn't too bad!

Today is really bittersweet, as our friends Rob and Kat (and daughter Harper) are moving today. Rob graduated from Asbury, and got a job as a counselor in Virginia. I am so happy for them to be starting a new life in a new place, but it is very sad to see them go.

Rob and Kat are truly one of a kind people. Kat is one of the sweetest and most faithful people I know. She is perpetually optimistic and encouraging. She is a great mom to Harper, and a great sister and daughter. Kat is just one of those people you want to be friends with! I've had a great time over the past three years working, running, hanging out and being in a small group with Kat.
And Rob - what can you say about Rob Raborn? He is simultaneously the most hilarious and sincere person I have ever met. (Megan, you are the most hilarious - but not quite the most sincere, ha ha!) When I was saying goodbye to Rob and Kat last night I burst into tears after seeing that Rob had tears in his eyes. Gets me every time. Rob is a great guy, and a great dad to little Harper. Rob and Kat are a one of a kind couple, and I know they are going to make fast friends in Virginia, because they just draw people to them. And I know lives will be changed in Farmville (their new town, not the Facebook game) because of Rob's contribution to the counseling profession.

Friendships can be odd here at seminary because you come into the school knowing that in a few years you will be leaving. Chad and I were very lucky to develop fast and close friendships with several people here in Kentucky. Our time at Asbury has been wonderful because of them - they have truly been our "family" away from family. But now, we are reaching our four year mark here at Asbury and our friends are starting to graduate and move away. This is a natural progression of graduate school - but it doesn't make it any less hard to say goodbye. We had to say goodbye to the Herons and Caldwells last year, and this year it will be the Raborns, Delattes, JD, and Strebecks. And maybe the Mostroms. Oh dear - my heart hurts at the thought of this exodus!

While I'm sad to see all of our friends go, I am also incredibly happy for them, as they are starting a new phase of life, which is (almost) always exciting. I think part of me is actually kind of jealous! I do long for the day when Chad and I know where we will go after seminary, the day we will know where we can put down roots. I know it will be in the south, though!

While it may be that time now for our friends, I know it is not our time just yet. So, for now we will stay here and continue to say goodbye. Depressing, I know! But not really, because I know our friendships with our seminary friends will continue through the years, across state lines.

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!

Lazy Sunday

Training Log
Distance: 3.05
Time: 28:08
Pace: 9:13 per mile

Today's run was slow and steady, but one of those runs where you feel like you could run forever. I hope I have a lot of runs like that in my training, because at the end of the April I know when I'm at mile 20 of 26.2, the 6.2 remaining miles will feel like forever.

I've decided to stop posting my food log here. It has served its purpose, and I now know the usefulness of keeping a food log. I will continue to keep a log, but I just won't post it here. Plus, it will probably get embarrassing as the holidays approach and cookies, brownies, cakes, pies, etc. are flowing in abundance. I will still maintain self-control, but I want to enjoy the time with family and friends and share in the treats that are only available once a year.

Chad and I saw The Blindside this afternoon. It was a really good movie, pretty funny actually, but it wasn't the tearjerker I imagined it to be. I teared up more in one of the previews with Brendan Fraser than I did during the whole movie! But, I give it two thumbs up and do recommend it.

Nike+ Product Reviews

This fall, I purchased two Nike+ running products. In my fall training, I have been able to go farther and faster than I once thought possible during my weekly base training runs. I think it is largely in part to these two products below.

I'm not being paid or compensated in any way, I just wanted to put out this review of the great running products I've been using this fall!

Nike Lunarglide+

I first read about the Lunarglides in the Runner's World fall 2009 shoe guide. Runner's World seemed to be pretty keen on them, and I saw ads with Kara Goucher and Serena Williams sporting them. I've actually never been a big fan of Nike running shoes in the past, but I knew that I wanted to get a Nike+ SportBand, and to make it work you pretty much have to have Nike+ shoes. So, the starts aligned and all signs seemed to point to the Lunarglides for me. I went to my local running store in late August, but they didn't have the Lunarglides. I also wanted to check out the Lunaracers, but they only had the men's version. I was pretty disappointed with their selection, so I went back across town to Dick's Sporting Goods. They had the Lunarglides in stock and in my size, so after trying them on and walking around a little bit, I decided they were the shoes for me and headed to the cash register.

The first thing I noticed about the Lunarglides is how light they are. I've been wearing Mizuno Wave Creations for the past few years and they weigh about 13oz. The Wave Creations are great stability shoes and they've gotten me through several miles, but it was just time to upgrade to a lighter shoe. Every thing about the shoe seems minimilistic, but they still provide a ton of support and cushioning. One thing I always take into account when buying shoes is how they will work with my high arches. The Lunarglides work just fine - providing plenty of support for my arches.

I've really only experienced two negative things with the shoes. One, I have gotten blisters on the inside of my foot, just down from my big toe. But, I only get these blisters (or aggrivate the existing blisters) when I am wearing my really thin Under Armour socks. As long as I wear a thicker sock, blisters aren't an issue.

The other downside is that the standard laces they come with do not stay tied. I could easily upgrade the laces, but for now I've just been double knotting the laces to ensure that they don't come untied during a run. I hate stopping to tie my shoe during the middle of a run! But, the double knotting has worked so far.

Overall, I give the Lunarglides a 4.5 out of 5 stars!
(I am just making this rating system up - taking mainly comfort and durability into account.)

Nike+ SportBand

My interest was piqued in the SportBand when I found out that it is only $60. I bought my SportBand from Dick's Sporting Goods, as well. The SportBand is fairly basic, in that it only caclulates four things: distance, pace, time, and calories. When not being used to track run stats, it functions as a digital watch.

There are several "pros" to the SportBand:

• Much cheaper than a Garmin or Suunto watch
  
• Slim, lightweight and comfortable design
  
• Has helped me with my training immensely
  
• Allows me to go "off-route" - I don't have to plan out specific routes before a run, and I can make spur of the moment variations on my standard routes while tracking my mileage as I go
• If I choose to deviate from one of my standard routes, I can go for mileage now, not just time
• Tracks mileage more accurately than a car or www.mapmyrun.com
• Holds a pretty good battery charge - I usually can go 5 days or so before I have to charge it
• The SportBand has really helped me with my training, having my "stats" so easily accessible pushes me farther and faster in my training
  

But there are also some "cons":

• No back lighting, so if you run in the dark, you have to be under a street light to check stats
• The NikePlus software and the Nike+ website are fairly unreliable and clunky
  
• The SportBand can only can be used with Nike+ shoes (unless you alter other shoes)
• Can only be used for running
  

I think the pros definitely outweigh the cons, as it is a $60 watch. For $60, I feel like it is pretty sophisticated. I could complain about it not being able to track swimming or biking, but let's be realisitic...it is a $60 watch. There are reasons that the Garmins and Suuntos are in the $300 to $400 range. I don't need all of that stuff, so the SportBand is a great item for me. It provides a lot more info than a plain digital watch can, and for not that much more money.

Overall, I give the SportBand 4 out of 5 stars!

Training Log
Scheduled rest day

Food Log
Breakfast: oatmeal with banana, almonds, 1 tbsp peanut butter, coffee
Snack: 1.5oz box of raisins
Lunch: 2 chicken tacos w/ chicken, black beans, kidney beans, corn, cheese, sour cream & guacamole
Snack: 1.69oz bag of M&M's
Dinner: Chicken quesadilla with chicken, cheese, black beans, kidney beans, corn
Dessert: 2 chocolate chip cookies

I forgot to mention this in my post yesterday, but we watched a really good movie on Saturday - Saint Ralph. It was so good I watched it twice in one day - once by myself while Chad was working a wedding, and then again later that night after dinner. I've read about this film in Runner's World and on different websites, and I finally got around to putting it on the Netflix queue.

It is about a 14-year old Catholic boy who is looking for a miracle to get his mom out of a coma. As the story unfolds, he realizes that winning the Boston marathon would take a miracle, so he sets his sights on winning the Boston marathon. It is a sweet movie about faith and believing in something bigger than yourself. It is really funny, but I was also sobbing during certain parts. I give it two thumbs up!