Yoga, running in the rain, and the Time Traveler's Wife

You all are probably wondering what in the heck is up with this title? Well, let me tell you...
You see in Yoga there are times when the instuctor tells you to be in the present. You see she wants you to clear your mind, and focus on being right there in that moment. Not the past, not the future, but in the here and now. I will admit that I have a tiny little problem with clearing my mind during yoga. I have too much running through, like 'am I doing this right', 'who smells', 'oh, I hope it is not me that smells.' You know just thoughts. And, even when we are supposed to be meditating in shivasna (have no idea if that is the correct spelling) I sometimes find myself thinking of shopping lists, dinner, work.
But, last night while running in the rain, I had a mini-revelation while thinking about the book 'The Time Traveler's Wife.' Of course the basis of the book is a time traveler who travels to the past and future, he doesn't have much control over his traveling, and he travels more during stressful times in his life. The reason the book even came to me is I was thinking about a scene in the book where the Time Traveler's soon to be wife is worried because it is raining on her wedding day, and she is wondering if he will be able to get out and run. Of course, since he is a hard core runner, like yours truly, he gets out in the pouring rain and runs. He runs because that is what helps him stay in the present. For some reason running grounds him, and he doesn't do as much traveling. Maybe that is because Mr. Time Traveler, like me, doesn't have much trouble focusing on his breath, the sound of his feet, and letting his mind go blank when he runs. I find it to be a tremendous stress reliever, also. Obviously, during this time I was thinking about this, I wasn't letting my mind go! But, I do know that some of the best runs that I have are the times when I get out there and the miles just seem to tick off, the time passes, and I am lolled into a meditative state. It is one of those few times I get what the yoga teacher is trying to tell us about being present in the moment. Maybe this is what some call the 'Runners' High.' But, I think it is just having a high state of being in the present, and in touch with your body. And, I know that during those times the stress simply melts out of my body, and I only focus on my breath, and the powerful feeling of only being present in that moment.

Run Hard

"The other girls in your age category aren't taking it easy today."-quote from Andy and Brian any day that one of us girls says we are going to take it easy today.
This always cracks me up for some reason. I even used it this weekend on my aunt at Race for the Cure!
Race for the Cure
I rode my bike down from Veterans' Park to arrive just in time for the timed 5k. My aunt and I decided to stick together (with my uncle always just appearing behind us here and there.) So as she started to get tired during the last mile of the race, I pulled out that quote on her. I don't believe that she found it as motivating as I did. So I used a new tactic, I found people I thought we should beat, and pointed them out to her. Like this, see the man with the fanny pack, he can't beat us, or see the guy with the crazy a** headband, there is no way we are letting him beat us. But, all in all we had a solid finish of 28:30, not quite a PR for my aunt.
After the timed 5k was over we started looking for my Mee-Naw and her friend. They were both survivors who were coming out to do the 5k walk. They turned out to be fairly easy to spot because they were both wearing pink hats! We got all lined up, and we walked the 5k with them. My grandma's friend Jean was so cute, she even jogged a bit. We had a lot of fun, and the ladies seemed to be so suprised by how many people came out for this event. So it was a really neat experience to be there with them, especially to see their delight in getting the pink carnation at the end of the walk! And, just in case anyone is wondering they are 79 and 80 respectively.
That evening was the Ladies First 5k. I had hopes for this 5k, I thought I would get close to my PR of 25:30. But, no luck, I came in at 27:30. My aunt won her age group, and my uncle won 2nd in his age group! So that was at least exciting.
So next on my agenda is running the Tulsa Run with my family. My cousin and I have decided to aim for a 1:25. So we will see!

IT Band

I have been in a little funk lately. My IT band has been bothering me, I haven’t been sleeping as well, I have been sore…you name it, I feel like I have complained about it. So of course, I have decided that instead of actually resting my IT band, I needed an immediate cure! Bring on yoga (which I go to on a regular basis anyways), the foam roller, ice, ibuprofen, elevating, and the worst of all an IT band brace. I mean seriously, who wears those things…well, me apparently.
So I have started back to running, but due to the fact that my pain seems to sneak up at mile 3 or 4, I have decided that I would do the treadmill. You see, I am optimistic. If I go out running, I would go on the 6 mile loop just because I think that I can do it. Then what would happen is I would have to limp back to my car. I have no boundaries, so I had to do the treadmill in order to avoid the painful 2-3 mile walk back to my car. So let me tell you that the treadmill is boring, especially if you can’t figure out how to use the TV. At our gym the TV is turned on when you plug in your headphones…it will not work if you don’t plug in the headphones…Seriously. I was so mad…I told the guy working the gym that day, well, what if I want to watch TV and listen to my ipod. He just shook his head and walked away. So instead of listening to his advice, I continued to push the button on the tv, just in case I could trick the system. Which does not work, and leads you to having to take your headphones off many times just to explain to people that yes, you are aware of how the contraption works, and you just don’t like it.
So I finally ventured out to run outside with my friends. It was okay, of course it hurt, and I felt like there were old ladies in walkers passing me. But, I was able to get in about 5 miles, only having to walk back 1 mile, whoo-hoo! Saturday found me at a group run with Runners’ World. So the marathon group was supposed to do 14, and my friend asked if I would be running 14 miles. And, I started laughing hysterically, because the thought of running 14 miles seemed like the equivalent of me becoming a brain surgeon. NOT EVER GOING TO HAPPEN! But, I just replied that I thought I would hang out with my half marathon runners on their 7 mile run. Which may have been optimistic, but since they kept a slower pace, I was able to hang in there with them until we stopped at the last water. Then I had to walk off the tightness that formed during our stop, but I was able to begin running again, and finish out the 7!
But, now if anyone has any suggestions on how to get over my paranoia about running with others I would appreciate it! I am worried I will have to walk back, or being going too slow for them.

A marathon is like life with its ups and downs, but once you've done it you feel that you can do anything. -Anonymous

This was just a quick side note! But, over the last few days everyone has asked me 'Why do you run marathons?' There really isn't a simple answer...but, I love that for that 4 to 5 hours you are out there by yourself proving that you can push your body, mind, and spirit. The feeling that you get when everything that you have put in the last few months, the early mornings, the agonizing hill work, the blisters, the pain, sweat and tears come together for those few hours to give you the most beautiful moment of acomplishment that you finished what you set out to do. For me at least, that is why I run the marathon!

Be Original

"We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something run 100 meters. If you want to experience something run a marathon." -Emil Zatopek

"The difference between a runner and a jogger is an entry blank." -George Sheehan

The San Francisco Marathon 2009-Be Original

I have been talking about running the San Francisco Marathon for a looong time! I hadn't even run a half marathon before I had decided I would run SFM 2009. Did I know their motto was 'Be Original' at the time...no. But, to me it makes perfect sense, I wanted to run SFM because it was one of those opportunities to do something different...something original?

July 26, 2009 finally arrived, and I found myself out in the chilly weather on Embarcadero in San Francisco surrounded by my family and friend (yeah Rebeka!) My husband had even gotten up at the hour of 5 a.m. to accompany us down to the starting line. My sister Allison, aunt Susie, uncle Butch, and cousin Lindsay had even decided to embark on the craziness of running the half marathon-I can be a little persausive!

Miles 1-4-Embarcadero street is the starting location, and as we wave good-bye to Rebeka (she was in a later wave.) We head out towards Fisherman's Wharf, and I must admit I was a little nervous! But, San Francisco is absolutely gorgeous, the weather is mild and misty, with a heavy fog giving the pier an otherwordly look. At that moment, I decide that I don't care about my time, I just want to let go. I am just going to run with my family, and enjoy the race. So we set off to conquer the first four miles! Let me tell you a little secret about the first four miles...they are mostly flat. So we run by Fisherman's Wharf, Ghiradelli Square, and Pier 39. So I spend the first four miles mostly cheerleading my family.

Miles 4-5-So of course we had to pay for those stolen moments of delightfulness in thinking that it really wasn't going to be that hilly. We hit the next couple of miles of hills. Now I have heard people describe the marathon as rolling hills. To me there was nothing rolling about the first steep hill we encountered. I just said a little prayer to Mr. Dave for making me run those hill repeats and set to getting up the hill. The next hill lead up to the Golden Gate Bridge, it was the one I had been expecting. On this hill Lindsay, and I lost our other running family members and set out to get onto the bridge as quickly as possible.

Miles 6-9-Beautiful, magical, awesome. We were on the Golden Gate Bridge...I think we may have both been speechless for a little bit. There is nothing like running on the Golden Gate Bridge, it was one of those moments where you though oh, I get why we are here. Even wrapped in fog it was unbelievable experience. Of course, even beauty has it price, the bridge itself is a hill. The bridge is long, it is 1 1/2 miles long, so what happens is you run accross the bridge, then hit a little turn around point called Vista Point (which I am sure would have given a great view if there wasn't so much fog), then head back accross the bridge.

Miles 10-11-Hills. What more can I say...Actually, we get off the bridge go up a hill, then go up another hill. I comment to Lindsay that Susan is probably mad by this point!

Mile 12-This area is more wooded. And, as I start to see the point that Lindsay has to leave to go to her finish line, I notice the world's best husband standing over on the side of the road! So I wish Lindsay good luck, then head over to say hello to my husband, who has managed to get himself from the starting line of the race to the Golden Gate Park (which is where we were) in a strange city, where public transportation is hardly running due to the marathon! It was a very happy moment, and something I needed to keep my mind off the fact that I had just lost my running buddy.

Miles 13-18-Can you smell the eucalyptus? The Golden Gate Park is like this little oasis in the middle of the city. We were running on a path surrounded by large eucalyptus trees that smelled fabulous. By this time, I decided to start talking to whomever would listen. So I met a man from Michigan, a lady from Georgia, and two SF locals. I quickly discovered that Eduardo was destined to be my new running buddy. Eduardo being a SF local had trained on the course, so he would give me little peaks at what to expect. Like, here in a minute we are going to run around a beautiful little lake, waterfall or hurd of buffalo. Which made me laugh because he asked me if the buffalo made me feel at home! So we had started to make up some time at this point, as we cruised through the rolling hills of the Golden Gate Park. Not to say that there weren't hills in the park, it was just that I was way to entertained to notice!

Miles 19-21-So the beauty of the Golden Gate Park gives way to the craziness of the Haight Ashbury. I loved the Haight! We got out of the park and on to Haight street to the sounds of The Joker aka Space Cowboy by the Steve Miller Band. And, that is when it hit me that I was really having a great time! The people that lined Haight street were so supportive, I have never heard my name shouted out so many times. I loved the people driving on their bikes with radios blaring music, the crazy shops, and the people. The people, I had heard that the locals didn't come out to support the marathon, but if you had been in the Haight Ashbury on the morning of July 26th you would have thought differently. I laughed, danced in the streets, and took in the craziness that is the Haight Ashbury.

Another of my favorite moments was knocking down 'the wall.' In marathoners language 'the wall' is typically mile 20 in a marathon. So SF had a neat little take on this, you ran under a sign that said you 'knocked down the wall.'

I got diverted to 'the wiggles.' I still don't really understand what 'the wiggles' is, but on parts of the course they divert you due to traffic. My diversion was to a street called Waller I believe, but the locals call it the Wiggles. And, since I wasn't sure that I understood this correctly, Stuart and I even went back, and sure enough there is a sign that says 'the wiggles.'

Miles 22-26-I lost Eduardo at mile 21 when we went by his house. He wanted to stop to say hello to some friends, but I was flying way too high at that point to stop. So I told him good-bye, and set out on my own. At this point, I couldn't believe that I was so close to the end! I started thanking all the Hells' Angels (they were volunteers), and all the police force that was out. I gave every last item I had in my pocket (minus my ipod) out to strangers. My electrolytes out to a guy doubled over with leg cramps (I had been there before), my gu out to a guy desperate to find an aid station, a pat on the back, and promise to notify the next volunteer to a guy that was dry heaving on the side of the road. This was forty minutes of my life that I felt on top of the world. When I started to see the ocean peeking out, I knew that I was there, that I had made it!

That moment of seeing my family on the side of the street cheering me on was the greatest! And, I did it guys (or as Eduardo kept trying to get me to say I did it ya'll!), I finished my second marathon in 4:45!

Becasue I am loving, every horrible, wonderful minute of this!

I am a run leader!
I signed up to be a run leader for the Runners' World Tulsa Beginner Half Marathon group. As my friend Pat (who recently moved from Tulsa to Iraq)said 'You are taking over, I can feel it.' Actually, Pat did say that only after saying it scared him a little to know that I am in charge of a group of people! The picture is actually of me holding a sign for my friend Kelly's group. But, this is the picture that went our on a Runners' World email. Isn't it cute? My husband has teased me to no end about this pic. My group is named 'On The Run.' So if anyone has ever had a burning desire to run a half marathon now is the time!

Training for San Francisco
Well, I have found out that there are three other runners from our running group going out to SF. So we have joined up to run our long runs together! This is such a relief to say the least. I am not dreading the long runs as much now. I have also been doing a fair amount of yoga. So cute story...we are sitting on the grass after we finished a group run on Saturday. Some of the guys are doing some streches, and some how I get in a conversattion with them about the names of the streches. All of the streches that they are doing are yoga poses. So it was really fun to teach them that they were doing pigeon or goddess' pose.

THE GARMIN....
So I have went back and forth for awhile about if I wanted a Garmin Forerunner (think GPS in the form of a watch.) Well, I finally conviced Stuart to get me one as an early birthday present. But, only after him asking me which model all of these famous (and mostly dead) past runners' had. Like Jim Thorpe...
He is still getting a big kick out of it. He enjoys this to no end, I got a text the other day with just a name on it. It was a runner from the 70s, he thinks this is so funny. The other thing is he called me at work to tease me about the picutre with the sign, because it was the first picture on the email that went out from Runners' World. He asked me for my autograph, and petty much laughed for the entire conversation. But, all in all he is a good guy. I mean he got me the Garmin, and he is pretty tolerant of my training schedule. He does tease me about going to bed early!

Things I have noticed/learned/heard while running lately...
Of course I am sure everyone's favorite part is either things I have learned or noticed!
1) People at Riverparks' in full exercise gear smoking as they walk the trails...is this an Oklahoman thing?
2) Yoga must finally be paying off for me because I have not tripped, fallen or otherwise embarassed myself lately.
3) Running by a guy walking with a McDonalds bag in his hand told me 'Girl, I think you need this hamburger more than I do.' He started chuckling to himself as he walked away!
4) Being told by the Riverpark patrol that 'I was a really fast runner.' Keep in mind this was on a hot day after being out for 8 miles, and I think the only running he saw me doing is the sprinting I was doing trying to get in front of a 5 year old at the water fountain.
5) Thinking people are looking at me because I am in such great shape, just to get in the car look in the mirror and find out they are probably wondering if they need to call someone due to the fact that there is a lady with some crazy looking hair, dripping in sweat with a bright red face running around.
6) Deciding that however tempting the sprinklers in people's front yards look, that I probably should not go run through them. I don't want police calling Stuart in the early hours of a Sunday morning to come pick his wife up due to the fact that she is the only participant in a wet t-shirt contest in some CEO's yard.
7) My favorite thing I have heard so far! My grandmother telling the waitress at the restaurant we were eating that I had ran 12 miles that morning! It was so great to hear her sound proud of me (at least I think she was proud, she could have just been explaining that she thought I was nuts!)

Full Moon 5K

Just a little background on our Saturday...Kelly and I had ran 8 miles at 6 a.m. Stuart and I spent the rest of the day in Perry, OK. And, we almost got into a car wreck on the way home (someone ran a red light, and hit the people behind us.) So it had been a crazy day, and I really wasn't expecting much in terms of time for this race.
Saturday in the Park...
I think it was the day I got a PR (personal record)! We arrived to the park, after only a couple of mishaps involving directions, and my friend Ashleigh Smith. The Full Moon is a fun run, they serve beer, pizza, and have a lot of activities. After the race they also have a live band. As we are lining up to start the race, I mention to Kelly that I had been having so much fun with all my friends, that I had kind of forgotten that we were there to run. We had also ran into our friend Glen, so we talked to him for a few minutes before the gun went off. I also mention to Kelly that maybe the 8 mile run, wasn't such a good plan. But, then we were off!
25:42-Are you kidding me?
I do have to mention right now, that my watch said 25:30. But, who is going to argue over a few lousy seconds-that is the fastest I have ever run in my whole entire life! And, just so you all understand the impressiveness of it all, I had run 8 miles, yes 8 whole miles, before running at this superhuman speed! And, just because I am this impressed with myself, I will tell you that I was the in the top three of the women in the 29 age group. I was 20/111 of my entire age group. So I feel like I have a reason to brag!
So afterwards, I am headed for my free beer, pretty much the only reason I sign up for this race. And, April and I run into some of the older Runners' World guys, who ask us how medical school is going. Yes, you read that correctly-me+medical school. After I stopped laughing hysterically, I informed him that he was misinformed, I was not in medical school. Other things to note:
1) We saw an either very intoxicated, or very confident lady dancing wildly to the band. Can't even begin to give you all a good picture, but Stuart and I enjoyed the show she provided!
2) Stuart and Jay challenging April and I to a race next year. They think they can beat us. Of course, this is before I ran like a Kenyan:)
3) I hardly ever drink, but mention free beer in the park, and look out! I am always in favor of free beer!

OKC Memorial Marathon

4/26/09 5:30 a.m.
I am standing in front of my friend Kelly's hotel, thinking to myself, it is so crazy that I am warm enough in just a tank top and skirt! This should have been a premonition, with some kind of theatrical music playing in the background. But, no I was just thankful that everyone would get to see my cute outfit.

Back up to the week and weekend leading up to the marathon!
I had been to the doctor early in the week to treat a horrible sinus infection. So I had spent the week feeling tired and weak. But, on the plus side they gave me a cortisone shot, which I was convinced would give me an edge.
Stuart and I had a pretty hectic weekend planned. It involved going to Denton, TX on Friday night to attend weekend festivities for a friend's wedding. So on Saturday evening around 8:30 p.m. I found myself headed north on I-35 towards OKC. I arrived in OKC around 11:15 p.m. I was so wired, that I found it hard to sleep! So my alarm went off at 4:40 a.m. after a night of about 4 hours of sleep, and a whirlwind weekend of wedding festivities! Cue the music anyone?

4/26/09 5:30 a.m.-6:30 a.m. Cloudy, 70s, humid, and windy!
Kelly and I arrive down by the race, and head over to the free pancakes at the Frist Methodist Church. We are admiring each other's outfits! I am outfitted in a red skirt with white polka dots paired with a black tank top, and Kelly is wearing a pink skirt with a white tank top. We look cute! We quickly get some pancakes, head outside for a quick photo op with Runners' World Tulsa and head over to the starting line. We headed over the starting line, and it was packed. We are lucky we are both little people, becasue we ended up squeezing between some bars to get into the starting corral. So we are in line, and I am noticing that I am already sweating. Not a good sign!
So the gun goes off, and we get started while trying to keep the 4:30 pace leader in view. There are a lot of people, and it is very crowded. So for the first few miles all I can do is focus on not bumping into other people. I comment to Kelly that I am sweating profusely. I mean my ponytail was soaked by mile 5. Kelly and I avoided some of the first water stops because they were so crowded. But, we had to start going through them around mile 5. I tried to take pretzels, and powerade to keep my electrolytes and energy up. I was feeling pretty good for the first 10 miles. Kelly and I stopped to take a quick break about mile 10. By this time the half-marathoners had turned to go back, so the course wasn't quite as packed. Then when we hit Lake Hefner (mile 14 & 15), I just couldn't keep up the pace. I told Kelly to go on ahead of me. We were holding pretty steady, and were set for a finish of about 4:30 at this point. But, I just started feeling bad. So I cranked up the ipod, and set out against the 30 mile per hour winds. So just to recap, I had been sweating heavily with the wind at my back, then all of the sudden I had the 30 mile per hour wind in my face. So of course, I started to shiver and get the shakes after a few miles. Around mile 17, I met up with a man named Larry. He was running my same pace, so we joined up for a few miles. I am sure that we made quite a sight! He was an over six foot, 250 pound black man jamming out to loud hip hop music (you could hear it through his headphones.) Larry turned out to be a married 28-year-old insurance salesman from Dallas, TX. He was an absolute sweetheart! We chatted about OSU (he was a big fan) Dallas, running, etc. But, Larry was a little concerned that I was still having the shivers. He encouraged me to stop at a medic. I told him I would stop when we were done, or if he was really concerned he could carry me on his back. Unfortunately, a medic on a bike pulled up, and started talking to us. He thought it might be a good idea if I came to his tent and grabbed a quick banana. So I left Larry, telling him I would catch up later, and went with the medic (aka running cop) to his tent. Well, he was out of bananas, but he had powerade. He gave it to me, and I asked 'I can have the whole thing?' I didn't even wait for him to say yes before I had drank the entire thing. I was crazy thirsty! So he let me go with the understanding that I would take a walk break, and check in down at the next mile marker. So I headed off to take a walk break, and was about in tears. I stopped at some point to adjust my shoes, and when I was leaning down I noticed some man staring at me. I told him in my most pitiful voice, that he had no idea how much pain I was in. He replied, 'you signed up for it.' Just what I needed!
My savior arrived!
Just when I was at my lowest point, my savior arrived in the form of a cute bubbly blond named Stacy. I heard 'hey Runners' World girl, you are doing great!' I looked up through my tears and there was Stacy smiling! So I joined up with her for the last few miles, just in time for my powerade to kick in. I was so far off my time, I had leg cramps like nothing I had ever experienced in my life, and I had to take a walk break that I didn't think anything could get me out of my funk. But, lo and behold, Stacy arrived scooped me up in her sunshiney personality. She told every volunteer, and spectator thank you. She cheered on every person we passed on the course. She was unbelieveable. And, between all of this she encouraged me to keep pushing. She danced in the road to the crazy music people were playing, and talked to all the spectators! She made me remember why I was there, not to get some stupid time, but to accomplish what few people ever do, Run a Marathon! I actually started to enjoy myself, and started to laugh. I joked with one of the guys in a wheelchair (who had a good sense of humor) that I would give anything to hop a ride on his lap for a little bit! We even passed Larry again. Once, I got relaxed with Stacy we even had times we were running 9:30 minute miles. At mile 24 1/2 we found my family waiting in someone's yard. My aunt and uncle ran out to see what had happened, apparently they had signed up for text message alerts, and I had been set to finish in 4:30 for the first half of the marathon, and then things got crazy. So my uncle went to call Stuart, and my aunt decided to run the mile in with us. Of course, she was all rested up and running fast! I had to remind her 'hey fast lady, the rest of us have been running for 25 miles, and we are a little tired!' But, I got my second wind arriving at the finish line for a finish of 5:16.

So close!

Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon is next weekend!
Wow, back in December when I signed up for the training with Runner's World, I guess I never fully expected to get to this point. I am going to run for 26.2 miles this coming Sunday morning. This from a girl that a year and half ago thought that people who ran were crazy, crazy people. And, now I am not only running the marathon, but I also have a goal time of 4:30!
Interesting things I have learned:
1) New running terminology: PR (personal record), tapering (cutting down your weekly mileage in anticipation of the marathon), FARTLEK (I honestly really don't know what this means, but I think it is funny!), kilometers (which we all know I still haven't caught on to quite yet), splits (which I know what this means, but I have no idea how to explain it!)
2) You can get up, run early in the morning, and still go to work afterwards. I have started running at 6 a.m. two or three mornings a week-which is going to suprise a lot of people. Which means I have to get up at about 5:20 a.m. I consider 5:20 a.m. the middle of the night. So the fact that is my new wake up time is very suprising to me! And, for all you non believers out there, the sunrise is beautiful, and you really do have more energy for your day after working out in the morning.
3) Don't try to explain complicated theories you don't really understand to your husband who is super smart (he may make fun of you.) I have started taking yoga a few months ago, and had really been enjoying the benefits it has added to my running. So I am trying to explain to Stuart how it is kind of like a law of science, the one that says 'for every action, there is a opposite reaction.' Or, however that crazy saying goes. Anyways, Stuart starts asking me really hard questions like 'Who's law is that?' and 'What number law is that?' So it is Newton's first law of physics. Finally, I got fed up and explained it in my terms, yoga is the opposite of running. So they complement each other very well. And, my lovely husband replies (while laughing) that he is going to write a blog about me. Well, I beat him to it!
So I am ready to run a marathon. I am tapering right now, preparing to load up on carbs over the next week, and most important have a brand new running outfit all picked out to wear.
Oh, before I forget http://tracking.theendresultco.com/2009/okcmm/index.php
that is the web address you can register to recieve text message or email update of my porgress of my marathon if you would like to track me as I run this Sunday...
So I don't have much more to add, other than I will give you all a full report of the marathon next week!

Baby, I was born to run (in the rain, snow, sleet?)!

Saturday, March 28, 2009 6:00 a.m.-Not a drop of rain!
So the weatherman had been prediciting maybe a few inches of snow on Saturday morning, so I was up early to monitor the weather since our 20 mile run was scheduled to begin at 7:00 a.m. Since there wasn't a drop of rain outside, I thought I would stop procrastinating and head out.
6:55 a.m.-Pouring rain and thunder (what the heck was I thinking!?)
So at this point I am in my car next to April, when Kelly hops in my car. We are all debating about if they are having the run or not. Everyone is there sitting in their cars. Finally, Kelly makes a move suggesting we just go get started.
7:30 a.m.-We are jogging at a nice pace in the rain. It is about 38 degrees. Which sounds cold, but when you are running you produce a lot of heat!
Kelly and I are running directly in front of some boys that have to be either in high school or college. This is providing endless amusement for us, as they feel free to discuss all sorts of colorful topics! One of which being tights.
End of first 5 mile lap-Kathy is there waiting for us with snacks and water. We don't spend much time there. Instead we spend a good 5-10 minutes in the restrooms trying to dry out our gloves!
By this time it has went from sleet to snow. The sleet was misrable, as it hit you in the face (my only exposed surface) it hurt! So it is obviously getting colder outside. But, we smile our big girl smiles, and get back out there. We actually have a very scenic 5 mile loop, the snow is beautiful. And, it is not getting us nearly as wet as the rain, so this loop seems to go by very fast.
End of our second 5 mile lap-Kathy has bailed-lucky dog! Only a few runners are left. Kelly and I hit the road hoping that this experience will be worth it in the end! This lap turned bad very fast! The snow was coming down a lot heavier, making some of the surfaces very slick! And, the temperature has dropped a lot. We really don't even talk for most of the loop. Which if you know me (and I would assume if you are reading this you do, is very unusual for me!) At some point Kelly and I discuss the possiblity that this was a little crazy, but we both just decide that we are very dedicated. There is a very thin line between dedication, and frost bite appearently!
End of the 3rd loop (so 15 miles completed) I am starting to have second thoughts. I can't feel my toes, and my hands hurt. I had two pairs of gloves, but both are soaking wet by this point. But, we start out on the final loop. It appears that all the other runners have went home. The snow is heavy, and I am seriously worried about my toes. I think I may need them-don't they help with balance? And, since I am not all that graceful, I am pretty sure that losing one might effect my running!
When we arrive at the 11th street bridge I really notice how much snow has accumulated. Crud, I still have to drive back to Owasso. I am really conflicted at this point, I have come too far to quit is what my mind is saying, but I am also thinking none of this is going to matter if I get into a car accident. My mind is going back and forth over all of these thougths! Plus, running is sort of like the military, you don't leave a fellow runner behind. So I tell Kelly, that I think we need to go back. But, Kelly is determined to see the 20 miles through-plus, she lives within walking distance (if that was necessary) of the loop. So we part ways. I head back to my car feeling defeated, frustrated, and sad that I left Kelly! I look accoss the river for her as I am running on the other side, but the snow is too thick to see the other bank. I am so lonely at this point (so I can't imagine how Kelly felt finishing the final 4 miles). So I decided to pick up the pace, and just get back! So I end up with a little over 17 miles for the day.
Follow up to that day: Kelly finished her 20 miles, we both arrived home safely, and Owasso ended up with approximately 10 inches of snow.
Sunday, March 29, 2009-4:00 p.m.-Beautiful, sunny and 60 degrees!
I head out to Riverside thinking that I will run 3 miles just to say that I completed 20 miles. I really wasn't in the best of moods, because this felt like cheating! But, all is not lost, I ended up running 6 miles, and ran into a ton of people with Runners' World out finishing their mileage from the day before!
So 23 miles later the weekend was thankfully over!

Little Rock Half-Marathon!

Megan and I started our day off early at the La Quinta Inn in Little Rock, AR. After only a few short hours of sleep due to some drag racing (not us, but on the street outside our room), and a loud a/c unit, we were excited to be around all the other runners.
We got in the elevator on the way to go to the trolley, and some 'older' runners were already in the elevator. They made comments about our ipods. In the form of, 'you do know that ipods are illegal in the race.' Well, of course we know that ipods are 'considered' illegal, but most race officals just turn their heads. But, I started joking with the guy that I wasn't too worried about getting DQed. I was joking 'Yeah, if I get DQed they may take away my prize money.' Then he went into a long explanation of different certifications of courses, etc. Mostly I just nodded my head thinking-wow, is my ipod really worth this lecture?
Luckily, we got off the elevator, and the atmospere was contagious! We were soon riding the adrenaline rush as we waiting in line to get on the trolley.
As we arrived down to the starting line I then realized that this was going to be a big race! We met a few friends, Brenda, April, and Glen. Had a few minor snags as we waiting to get started, Brenda realized she left her timing chip at the hotel (her husband brought it down), I walked in on a guy in the bathroom (use the lock!), and I thought that the air sprays in the potta potties were hand sanitizers. But, we got through the craziness, and lined up!
The Race!
We started lining up in the 'corrals.' Yes, I did say corrals, like cattle. I kept joking with Megan, that if they had cattle prods, I bet we would all run a lot faster!
Mile 1 & 2-These miles were rough due to the amount of people. There were a lot of people entered as 'walker' and it was tough going to try to get through the people. Lots of weaving back and forth, and that is tough.
I hate to see them leave, but I love to watch them go...
Megan and I came upon a photographer, and we began smiling, until we noticed he was actually facing the other direction (like he was taking pictures of the back of the runners.) We both, being typical women, start freaking out! We didn't want him taking pics of our backsides. Then we realized that he was actually taking pics of the wheelchair 5K participants coming from the other direction. Ooops!
Mile 2 & 3-My own personal cheerleader. Megan had thought she would run with me for the first few miles, then want to slow down. I swear it was the other way. She was so great-she knew I had a time I wanted to make, and she was going to make me get that time no matter what!
Mile 4 & 5-Megan is riding her own personal running high. I am struggling-I now fully am understanding the effects of not doing a very good taper. A taper is when you don't run as much the week before a race, so that you are fresh the day of the race. I decided that I was superwoman, and ran just as much as I normally do. And, we are keeping a faster pace than we would normally for a long run, as well as trying to play catch up from our slow start.
Other notable mentions from these few miles, Little Rock is a marathon town! The entire way has spectators cheering you on. At one point there is a house handing out beer-which we did see a girl take a quick swig as she ran by! We also ran by the mayor of Little Rock.
Mile 6 & 7-We begin to slow a little bit, we had been running a fairly quick pace for about 4 miles, and are both beginning to hurt. But, just when I am thinking that this is getting too hard, we encounter the 'Methodist Mile.' Which I have to say was the coolest thing ever to me for some reason! The entire choir from the church is standing outside singing, and there are a bunch of people outside cheering. I loved that moment, and it is one that has stayed with me.
Mile 8 & 9-Wow, what to say...not much at this point! We run by a lady yelling at all the runners, comments vary..'you are not tired'...'you keep going girl'....'you can do this'...'you better pick up the pace'...'you run up that hill, baby'...'you better stop slowing down!' This cracked us up! Also, around this point we run by the governor's mansion. Kind of neat.
Mile 10 & 11-Okay, we are getting close. All I needed to see was that Mile 10 marker. I pick up the pace-Megan mentions that I now 'have a little pep in my step.' I remember this so well! Thank you Megan! Also want to mention at this point, we have our names on our race numbers. I took my long sleeve shirt where mine was pinned at about 1/2 mile! But, Megan still had hers on, and people have been saying 'Go, Roper(her last name)' for the entire race. But, she is just now noticing that people are calling out her name!
We also pass another church that has a ton of kids standing out front with their hands out for high fives. I have to stop to give them all high fives-I figured that a better time, was not worth not giving these kids that were out on a Sunday morning to cheer us on a quick high five. Another highlight of the race for me!
Mile 12 & 13-So we pass the mile marker for mile 12 twice. It appears that since the marathoners veer off course for about 1/2 mile, their mile 12 comes a little before the half marathoners mile 12. What the h***! Are you serious! I was seriously excited when we saw the first mile 12 marker, because I thought Megan and I were about 5 minutes ahead of our goal. Then when they told us that was only for the marahoners-I was a little ticked off. Oh, well off and running! We hit mile 12 with energy. Megan stops for a drink yelling she would catch up, but I just keep going. At mile 12.75 there is a L'oreal lipstick stop which was pretty funny! But, Megan has caught up, and we are really going by this point. We cross the finish line, and I am in awe because we are so close to my goal time! Which would mean I took 10 minutes off my Route 66 time. We go get our metals, and they are offering those funny foil blankets again. So I line up telling the guy 'Wrap me up, please!' Megan finds this so funny that I finally was willing to get wrapped up in the blanket. We grab our snack packs and head off to get our picture taken.
Megan is riding the high from finishing her first half marathon! She had thought she would finish in 2:30, instead our 'official time' is 2:12! We are both excited, and both agree if we wouldn't have had to weave so much in the first couple of miles, we would have hit 2:10.
Things I learned:
1) A friend that is willing to make sure you get your goal time is one of the best friends you will ever have!
2) Never ever, ever believe the people who tell you things such as 'It's all down hill from here' or 'the hills aren't that bad.' They are never true! A bunch of people in Little Rock have shirts saying either 'What Hills?' or 'Got Hills?' Funny, huh? Just wait until you are the one running!
3) Tapering is a serious thing-I will take tapering very seriously from now on!
4) Some older gentlemen runners do not find it amusing when you bump their hand on accident, then joke 'sorry, I just just trying to hold your hand.' Just ask Megan! This guy had no sense of humor.
5) Hey as long as you are not planning on winning, or trying to qualify for Boston, blow off the rules! We both ran with our ipod the entire race (neither one of us turned them on), but hey some rules are made to be broken!
6) Body Glide, or Vaseline can save your hide! I had to use some in a sensitive area where my skirt tag rubs (my backside!) But, it literally saved my butt.
7) Last but not least, those foil blankets are lifesavers. They really keep you warm as your body cools down. Plus, it makes me laugh to watch everyone look like baked potatoes that are about to go in the oven.
Oh, and I want to thank Little Rock Marathon organizers for my new obsession with Little Debbie treats. Those things are awesome!

Jack Rector Beacon 25K-2/28/09

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtjI5_K4qEU

I completed the Jack Rector Beacon 25K in OKC on 2/28/09. And, just so you don't have to complete the math, 25K=15.5 miles. This was my longest run to date!

Above is a link to me running the last half mile of the run, thanks to my friend Glen! Now before we get to the last half mile, I better start from the beginning of the day. The morning of the race brings 30-40 mph wind, and wind chills in the teens. It took some major urging that it wasn't going to be that bad to get my Aunt Susie out of the door on time. But, we were running late! When we arrived at the race, she let me out and said that she would go park my car, so that I could attempt to make the 9:00 a.m. start. Susie was going to run the 5K, but it didn't start until 9:20 a.m. So I get out of the car with approximately 5 minutes to get my chip and get lined up. So I take off running accross the park. Now, we know I am not exactly the most graceful. So I am sure we all know what is coming next, I manage not to see a wire rope in between two posts, and of course catch my foot as I am running. So I fall over the rope to the ground! Some guy comes running over asking me if I am okay, do I need to go see the medic? I let him know that I am fine, just embarrassed. So I continue on with my pride, and my knee hurting before I am even started! I get in line, and I am trying to put my chip (it records your time) on my shoe when the gun goes off. So we are off and running. The race takes place at Lake Hefner which has no wind protection, so I am bouncing around like a rag doll. But, the only thing I can think about is where is the bathroom?
Mile 1-Where is the bathroom??
Mile 2-Where is the bathroom??
Mile 3-Where is that guy going? Oh my goodness, is that a bathroom I spy? Hurry guy hurry!
Mile 4-This is about when I realize I haven't turned on my Ipod. So I start listening to my music. I also see that I am really at the back of the pack, never a good feeling.
Mile 5-6-I am just battling the wind, and praying that it will eventually be at my back.
Mile 7-8-This is when I am starting to contemplate that I don't really know exactly how the course is laid out. I am thinking that we have to run around the lake twice, but that seems way too long. Then people start coming at me, and I realize that we must have a turn around somewhere.
Mile 8-13-I picked up a new friend. She (Mary) was going to quit, but I talked her into finishing the race with me. I was kind of excited at this point, we had made the turn around, and I was realizing that we weren't going to have to run the lake twice! I was a strong woman! If I could do this in the wind-I could do anything. The marathon is going to seem easy. This is no problem, I have it. Who knows where all these crazy thoughts came from, dehydration, exhaustion.
Mile 14-15-I am pumped up! Mary tells me to go ahead, she can see that I have the energy to push hard for the final two miles. So I run hard in the wind for those miles. I can't wipe the smile off my face!
Mile 15-15.5-Who in the hell designed a course where you run by the finish line, then have to continue running a loop before you can actually go back and cross the line? But, I spy Glen and the video camera at this point, and for some reason that gives me motivation to keep going strong!
I finally cross the finish line at about 2 hours and 50 minutes. Way longer than I ever expected it to take me. But, I reason that I was practically running backwards for 75% of the race, so it was a really good time.
My aunts are waiting for me, and I am so excited to get into my warm car. But, guess what, someone accidently left the lights on (I am not naming any names), and we have to jump the car! But, all in all it was a pretty good day.
And, for anyone who is curious, yes, I have several bruises on my leg, and a scrape.

Marathon Training 2/14/09

So here you all go-another installment of the marathon training! So I have a 25K (15.5 miles-my math skills are improving!) coming up at the end of Feb. Then a half marathon in Little Rock, who's motto is 'Got hills?' What the heck was I thinking! OKC Marathon in April, then the biggest daddy of them all San Francisco in July.

So the marathon is starting to feel real! I have officially completed my longest run to date of 14 miles. It was rough; it involved getting up in what I classify as the middle of the night (5 a.m.) on a Saturday morning in the cold to go run for several hours. Wow-I may need to rethink of what I classifly as fun!

As you all know from the last email I have been running with a group. But, I mainly run with three girls. It is kind of unusual for us all to run together, but I almost always run with on of them. One of the girls I have run with from the beginning set up a new acquaintance of hers, and me up on a ‘running date.’ Hence, I am meeting some girl in a parking lot that I have never met to go run together. She turns out to be super runner! She has been challenging me to run faster. Of course the first time, I thought I might pass out from lack of breath, because I was too embarrassed to tell her that I could not run at super human speeds. But, we have become good running buddies, and have recently had a couple of notable runs together.

1) We were running on a rather new trail, and ran by a little girl on her bike. She called out ‘hey runner girls!’ It was rather cute. My new running buddy swears she has not had as much attention from passer bys as she has had running with our little group. Just proof of what a great looking group of girls we are!

2) We went out running with a group of older gentlemen one unseasonably warm night. We decided to run a little extra (a couple of miles). We got more history on the houses in Tulsa than I have ever heard in my entire life (we ran by someone from Hee-Haw's house)! Plus, I should note that I was super impressed/disappointed that we were running with these men that had probably a good 30 years on us.

The other notable run I have had recently was a run with one of the other girls. We were scheduled to run 10 miles. But, we had discovered that it was an out and back, that could be made into a loop if you ran an extra 1 ½. We had both agreed at the beginning that we didn’t want to be over achievers, so we were only going to run the 10 miles. Well, that all changed after we ran down the ‘steep mountain’ in Turkey Mountain. When it became clear that there was no way in the world that we would be able to make it back up the sucker, we signed ourselves up for the extra 1 ½ no problem!

These girls do tease me about always trying to get out of running hills. The big question-how am I going to run SF??

Of course, we have met a lot of characters along the way, the man who does not drink milk because it creates extra mucus, but continues to smoke so that he has something to do with his brother in law. The man that promotes running with ‘your flow.’

Anyways, I just want to thank all of the girls for helping me along the way! I could not have made it this far in the program with out them.

Oh, and I just want to share that I saw a man wearing some sort of flame colored tights this weekend, so don’t forget to keep passing on the word about men and tights.

Marathon Training 1/09/09

Well, it has been awhile since I last emailed everyone! The main reason is that during December I didn't run very much-I know, I know-this is bad. Here is the main reason is was bad for me, I GAINED FIVE POUNDS IN A MONTH! It is a really simple equation for me...eat good+run=maintain weight, so when I eat everything in sight+not run too much=gain 5 pounds. So for the last few weeks, I have been really following my program, and what do you know, the weight is going right back to normal. I am sure this doesn't interst most of you, but it has been a big issue in my life for the last few weeks:)
Anyways, back to marathon training update. I just want to inform everyone of how many people we have recruited to run in San Francisco!
5K racers-Susan Clifton (my aunt), Allison and Tony Greco (my sister and brother-in-law)
1/2 Marathon racers-Ryan Clifton (now please understand his wife commited him to running, he didn't actually say he would do it!)
Marathon racers-Me, Lindsay (my cousin), and possibly my friend Erin
My husband is also kind of up in the air, he may do the 5K also. So if anyone has a New Year's goal, feel free to join us for the big race!
So Lindsay is preparing to run her half marathon in a couple of weeks, and I am scheduled to do a 20K (12.5 miles) at the end of the month, so remember if you see us, please give us a lot of encouragement!
So I am sure you all are wondering if I have had many funny experiences in the last couple of months. Well, let's see...I have still been getting a lot of honks. I continue to believe that it is due to me looking really good (I mean who doesn't look good in a stocking hat, gloves, and a coat) but, it may be becasue I have been running on the roads and they are really saying 'Get off the road crazy lady!' I have also gotten a new shirt that says 'I know I run like a girl, so try to keep up' so maybe people think that is funny.
I have recently witnessed a couple having a very private moment close to the pedestrian bridge in Tulsa. I was by myself that day, and tried to be very quiet as I ran by, becasue I didn't want to disturb them. That was diffently a different experience!
I recently had a discussion with some of my family members over the proper undergarmets to wear when you are running-not a conversation I could have ever pictured having in a million years! This seemed to some how include speedos and some other interesting topics that I will not include in this email! Let your imagination run wild, and I promise you still will not probably even be close to imagining what was discussed!
Oh and of course going along with the above comment, I was running with my running group the other night, I was kind of by myself, so I thought I would use that moment to adjust my pants. Of course, right then this guy came out of no where running behind me. As he passed me, he started to laugh, of course I would have turned bright red if I wasn't already so red from running so hard!
And, last but not least, I ran the other day when it was really windy. I was running hard, but at some point the gusts were so bad that I felt like the wind was just knocking me backwards. I noticed a couple walking towards me (so the wind was at their backs-lucky people!) and they were cracking up. I am sure I looked like a cartoon character. I was really running no where at this point, by the time I was done with that run I had wind burn on my face.
Oh, and I don't know how the word got out, but I haven't been seeing as many men in colored tights lately! So thank you all for speading the word.
Other than that, I have not fell, I have been running faster than ever, and I feel like anything under 5 miles is a short run. So I think I am on track!
Allison and I have been tossing around ideas to name our 'team' of runners for SFM. We are thinking the Cundith Cancer Crusade (Cundith is our grandparents last name, and we are still planning on raising money for cancer.) What do you all think?

Marathon Training Update 12/05/08

Last night I signed up for Marathon Training with Runner’s World Tulsa. Why did I sign up you might ask? Well, for starters it is FREE!! But, also my dad has pointed out I might need to work on my running form. Apparently, looking like a crazy duck while running is not considered ‘proper form.’ Who says that just because you love something you have to be wonderful at it! I mean look at that poor Jessica Simpson, she can’t sing to save her life, but we all love her because she is so darn dumb!

So I should mention, that my dad (who is a great guy, and only wants to help), is not a runner, but I value his advice and opinions. So I decided to sign up for Pilates, which focuses on core strength. I have been told by some ‘serious runners’ that core strength is the key to proper posture, and distance running. So I get my lovely (& newly toned!) bootie out of bed on Saturday mornings to go twist my poor body into various poses. So I should mention that apparently twisting your body around, may cause you to expel excess gas, and it is considered normal in Pilates. Well, I was at my class the other morning, and was located by an older gentleman (I won’t disclose what I mean by older for all the age challenged out there.) He was tooting up a storm, and apparently not in the least bit embarrassed. Now I might add that I don’t know if anyone but me noticed. But, you see my maturity level is apparently not high enough for me to not find this hilarious! I should also mention that Runner’s World online, also had a discussion about excess gas while running. I won’t go into details, but I found this rather interesting as well. Maybe it makes you faster, like of like a rocket boost? Thoughts to ponder…

And, last but not least. Men in tights…what can I say. I have been noticing a lot of men running in tights. Now, I am not opposed to the tights, it is the colors. When I see a man in purple, or lime green tights, I laugh. Then I feel bad, because I realize that no one has ever told you how funny you look! Now, I know there are very serious runners out there who don’t care what they look like, but I find it funny, so just passing it along!

Route 66 Half-Marathon 11/17/08

Well, I have been encouraged to write some more anecdotes from my running. I am sure there are many of you sighing out there saying, you have to be kidding me, is she really sending me another email about running…
So I just wanted to clear up some things about the last email that have been questioned. Yes, I really did fall on the treadmill. You see, there are these big signs in my gym that say no cell phone use. I just assumed it meant no cell phones because it disturbs other people (and apparently, I didn't care about that). But, no it means no cell phone use because no one is talented enough to run on the treadmill and talk on the phone. So yes, I did fall, in front of an entire gym full of people, and scrape my elbow.
Half-Marthon highlights
1) Always double check your online registration before you hit send. If not you could end up in a bind like me. I recieved my email confirmation, and noticed that it listed me as a male. I thought I had this fixed, until I got to the Expo to pick up my race packet. I noticed that they still had me listed as a male, which caused a lot of laughing, I am assuming because I was dressed in high heels, a pencil skirt, and cute little sweater. But, all the volunteers had to come over to laugh at me, while they called me a transgender, after they finally stopped laughing I was sent over to a table to fix this issue. Well, the form I had to fill out had Old listed on one side, New listed on the other, so you guessed it, I had to put old gender male, new gender female. So this caused great laughter over there at my expense as well. Then the jerky Fleet Feet guy had to see what the comotion was all about. And, he pointed out that I in fact filled out the online registration myself, so I obviously listed myself as a male. Jerk!!
2) Well, I thought I would tell everyone that my husband is very smart! He not only explained K's to me. It turns out K's are a measurement of distance, they actually equal 1000 meters. How this helps me or relates to miles, I have no idea. He also expained splits to me this weekend. Splits are a very technical running term. You pretty much have to be a math genius to figure them out. It is where you take the total time you ran divide by how many miles, then you get how many minutes it took you to run each mile. Unfortunately, I didn't have him on the race with me, and I couldn't quite figure out this concept on my own. This is way beyond the math that I learned at SHS.
3) Foil blankets. At the end of the run, they try to wrap you up in a foil blanket. I had no idea what they were for, and I was a little hesitant. So when the lady tried to wrap me up in one, I just looked at her and said "No thanks, I am not a baked potato." She kind of gave me that look that says 'whatever crazy lady.' I guess that the foil blankets are meant to keep you warm after the race. Keep you warm, I was sweating like crazy!
4) Runner's High. Now this is not something you get from smoking illegal substances before you go running. This is what happens to runners as their bodies release endorphins, and give them a temporary sense of ephoria (can you believe I know all that science?). Now I don't want to cause a massive stampede as you all run out the door to get your natural high, becasue I also got the Runners lows this race. When I was struggling up the mamoth mountain in Woodward park trying not to cry, and this 75 year old man runs by me, telling me I could do it (should this have been reversed?)! Once I managed to catch my breath, I asked him how many half marathons he has completed, this was his sixth! I am pretty sure he beat me!
So all in all it was a lot of fun! I finished in 2:20, which was five minutes shy of my 2:15 goal. But, there is always next time!

Marathon Training 11/10/08

I don’t know who all knows this, but I have lost my mind, and in the process decided to train for a half marathon, Route 66 11/16/08 (13.1 miles), and a full marathon San Francisco Marathon (26.2 miles) 7/26/09. And, in the process of deciding to do these crazy events, I have enlisted Lindsay (her half marathon is the P.F. Chang’s Rock and Roll in Jan. 2009) to do the same training! So now I am responsible for mine and my cousin’s sanity for the next few months! So I thought I would give everyone an update, and just a few anecdotes along the way.
So you may ask, when, and where does this event take place where I will pay someone for the privilege to run 26.2 miles? Well, since Allison has moved to Fairfield, CA, we have decided to run the San Francisco Marathon July 26, 2009.
Why are you running-are you crazy? Yes, I think I might be crazy, see the first paragraph. But, I have discovered that you can sign up to raise funds for the California Breast Cancer Awareness Fund. And, decided that it would feel really good to be running for such a good cause (because trust me it is going to take something more than love for running to get me that far)! But, more details to follow on that.
So here are some things I have learned along the way….
1) Running will improve your math skills. Yes, you may still spend a lot of time asking your husband if you ran this far in this amount of time, what was your average time per mile, but you will learn that 5 K=3.1 miles. You will embrace K’s, because even though you have no idea what they are or how far they are, you know that you see them more often than the mile signs! Plus, you will figure out really fast how to calculate distance on Riverside, or else you could go out for a 7 mile run and end up running an extra mile, because you started at 56th St., and couldn’t quite grasp the concept of trying to figure out the half mile thing.
2) Night running is fun! A group of us ran the Full Moon 5K (even my Uncle Butch, who kicked my butt) in May of this year. They had free beer afterwards, which ranks up there with me on being even better than getting a free t-shirt!
3) You may develop unusual tastes in music. ‘Drop it on Me’ by Ricky Martin seems to be my favorite motivation song right now. Is this embarrassing to admit? Yes, very embarrassing, but am I going to remove it from my ipod-heck no, how do you think I am going to make it to that finish line?
4) You will start to be upset on your training runs, when you realize that there isn’t a finish line, a big clock, and fans cheering you on (or free beer for that matter)!
5) You will embrace you inner spandex loving self. You will start to believe you look really good in spandex! You will receive honks while you are running, on mile two you will think “Jerk.” On mile 9, you will think “that’s right I look good.” Now I do not advocate wearing spandex all the time or anything, but it works for running.
6) You may start to run at LaFortune Park, because you rationalize that when you need drugs and IV fluids it is really good to be that close to a hospital!
7) Oh, and last but not least, you can fall off a treadmill. I should know, I almost bit the dust the other night. Bad news, luckily only ended up in a scraped elbow.
So anyone that has an aspirations of running a marathon, this is the time to start training so that you can meet me and Lindsay in San Francisco next July and have the once in a lifetime experience of running across the San Francisco Bridge!