DONE!

All right dudes, yesterday I ran the marathon! It was great! I honestly didn't even feel super tired! I had asked the pacer who I should run with and they suggest I run with the 4:30 finishing the group. My final the was 4 hours 26 min because I left the group in the last two miles. Last week I had squeezed in another 20 mile run on Wednesday before getting violently ill with a stomach flu for a few days.  This week I only got a four mile in on Wednesday.

I am ecstatic that I did it! I teared up a little crossing the finish line because I was so happy. :) I ran with two different people during the race, a woman who was in the Army Reserves and a man who worked for the military for his whole life.  My pacer has run over 200 marathons! The crowds were really fun, handing out water, candy,  fruit, paper towels, and even balloons!  I have so many memories and not enough time to write about them all!  I saw a blind runner with her helpers, I learned how to eat while running, listened to a talk by Hal Higdon (the person who wrote my training program), got a really cute headband for running, and so much more!  I also used the app called "Glympse" so that my friends and family could watch me finish.

Some cute headbands that were only $5 at the running expo.

Running past my family at mile 3.

 Running up to the finish!

 My family watching me finish using the tracker.

 Being sassy after the race!

 My boyfriend watched the second half of the race and meet me at the finish!

Thursday & Today

I did my run on Thursday. My Wednesday morning run just didn't happen.... :(. My run today was kind of a fail too. I asked my boyfriend to bike with me so that I could run through some of the "not so safe" neighborhoods. However, he had to use my bike (because his has a flat tire) and was miserable the whole time. I felt really bad that I had dragged him out to run with me, so after 11 miles, we went home. It was terribly windy but otherwise the weather was fairly nice. I have my 24 mile rescheduled for Wednesday and I think it will actually happen because after Monday, my schedule frees up quite a bit. So I can at least finish my training strong. I think if I do another marathon, I will find a training buddy with whom I can do my long runs. I would be much more disappointed in myself, but I know I could have finished my run today. Mostly it just sucks because everyone is asking me how my run went today, so I keep having to re-explain it.

Traveling

Last week I ran on Tuesday  and Thursday. I ran the correct distance each day. Wednesday and Sunday l didn't get a chance to because I was traveling. I ran yesterday but probably won't get a chance to today. I wanted to go this morning but couldn't get myself out of bed.  :(  Saturday it's my last long run! I'm getting a little disappointed in my current track record  so it's good that my training is almost over. I've learned that the middle of the week runs are much more likely to happen. I have missed very few Tuesday & Thursday runs. So next year I will try to plan my workouts for the middle of the day.

this past week

Sorry that I haven't been posting! I actually did 3/4 runs this week I just didn't write about them yet. So here is the recap.
 Tuesday: 5 miles  and weights.
 Wednesday: l was a lazy bum and ate ice cream.
 Thursday: 5 miles + an exercise class that had me run another mile.
 Friday/Saturday: rest days
 Sunday: 20 mile run!

 My run yesterday was out into the country. I've gotten into a bad habit of stopping every few miles to stretch or adjust clothing. I know it isn't a big deal but I think it has made my mental endurance weaker.  I'm going to break the habit by not letting myself stop on my mid-week runs at all.  Also my allergies ore acting up a little. I think the farmers are plowing right now so it makes me very mucous-y (blech).  But all in all I am happy that I only have one more long an until the race!

frosty fourteen

I just came back from my 14 mile run. It was a little chilly but I've been using this: link website to help me properly dress and it has been surprisingly accurate. Also, I found a pair of underwear that doesn't make me chafe! My body wasn't really happy about going running today so many of my joints are complaining. I'm going try and lose a little weight these next few weeks because I think that will help my joints. I'm sleepy now, but I can tell I could have run further which is very good.

Like a dog chasing the mailman.

Today I ran 5 miles outside in beautiful weather and enjoyed every minute of it! At one point I was running behind a mail truck and catching him every time he stopped at a mailbox. It was a little awkward but also gave me a fun challenge! I ran faster than usually and can really feel the endorphins, but my stomach isn't too pleased...

Running short on time (pun intended)

I was supposed to run nine miles yesterday but ran out of time because I needed to go to a ceremony. So I only ran 7, but I'm not too upset about that. I wasn't feeling too great regardless.

New shoes!

 This morning, we went to the local athletic shoe store and I got a new pair of minimalist runny shoe. Now, I can run at the gym without being smelly or bloody. The shoes I have been wearing to the gym cut the back of my heel until I bleed.The new shoes are bright colors, which I don't very like, but they feel good so it is  worth it. I ran 5 miles in them today at less than 10 min /mile.The man who helped me pick them out commended on my foot/toe strength and said that l must train my feet well. Awesome!

18 whole miles!!!

 Today I ran 18 miles outside in the sun. It was nice because I was listening to music and enjoying the great weather. I did realize that I need to carry water or at least plan to drink some from a fountain because I was feeling a little weak at mile 14. I stopped at a Jimmy Johns and they let me have some. Also, I ate a fruit leather and it was crazy delicious! But I read online that eating or long runs is not actually necessary unless you pass out (which I don't). For fun I drank an espresso before my run and it was quite pleasant. I ran 10 min/mile which isn't too bad. Next week is only 14 so that should be pretty chill.  Also I'm writing this with my new tablet which I am still getting used to I so my writing sounds a little choppy.

Le workout fail

Today my body was like.... no. It wasn't because I of my injuries. It just really wasn't feeling it. So I ran 1 mile on the treadmill, 1 mile on the elliptical, and roughly half a mile on the track. Pathetic. But I have been biking everywhere today so I guess that helps. I think I didn't get enough rest between my run last night and my run today. Tomorrow I hope to do a fun exercise class and then this weekend I have a big scary run!!!

9 miles at 9

I went to the gym late on Wednesday because I was busy all day. But thanks to the help from my boyfriend, we mustered up the motivation to go to the gym at 9ish pm. After, I could barely sleep but at least I finished my run!

Side note, my body continues to be angry. In addition to my foot and knee, my right hip hurts and I get crazy blisters. I switched to a different type of shoe for the gym (because my other ones smell too gross) and I don't think they are any good for me at all. However, I really don't want to drop $100 on a pair of shoes right now. gah. I am hoping that the weather is good enough that I can just run outside, and then there won't be any issues!

I have been lazy about posting :/ Sorry.

Tuesday I ran 4 miles outside. It was warm. It was beautiful. I also accidentally ran about 20 ft behind a random girl for 2 miles before I decided to pass her (oops). I was running much faster than usual. I may have run through some cow poop because I ran through the farms on the edge of campus. Meh, it was worth it! :)

12 miles outside!

I ran 12 miles outside today! It was nice weather and really not that tough. It is amazing how much easier the second 6 miles is compared to the first. I also did a Body Combat class yesterday and a yoga class today. I probably won't have time to do anything tomorrow because I have an exam on Tuesday. But for the rest of the week I will kick EXERCISE'S BUTT.

P.s. Thursday afternoon I also did elliptical, biking, and a climber. To replace the four miles I was supposed to do.

eight miles outside

I didn't run Tuesday because I was freaking out about my exam on Wednesday. I didn't run on Wednesday because I decided to drink wine and hang out with my friends. So... this morning I did my eight mile run that I was supposed to do yesterday. The weather is finally conducive to running! I did slip a little but it felt great to be outside.

16 miles

Sunday was not my day. Today really isn't my day either, but that is besides the point. On Sunday I forgot my wallet so I had to drive back to grab it and promptly realized that I had also forgotten my headphones. But because I was already sacrificing precious study time for the exam I had today, I decided to just suck it up and run for 3.5 hours without headphones. It was pretty boring. I mixed it up by changing treadmills every four miles. I did the last four miles on the track and actually was running faster than my treadmill pace. Anywho. Tomorrow I need to run four again.

P.s. Knee and ankle hurt but I don't care.
P.s.s. I am missing a broomball game because I don't want to break my leg in the middle of training for this marathon. It makes me sad that I am missing the game because broomball lets me vent all my aggression and fall on my butt.
P.s.s.s They usually sell headphones at the gym (and I asked) but were out.
P.s.s.s.s I actually found headphones on one of the three treadmills that someone had forgotten, but they were so terrible that the crackling gave me a headache and even with the volume turned up all the way I couldn't hear anything. So I didn't use them.

super late post for last thursday

I ran my four miles last Thursday and forgot to post about it. I had extra time after so I did some arm weights.... and I am still sore today! (5 days later) So... yeah. I am a weakling in my arms.

elliptical

I did four miles on the elliptical to give my foot more of a break yesterday. I did high resistance and was going at a pretty decent pace. My foot still hurts but the degree of pain fluctuates. I don't even know if the elliptical was better for it or not. I'm still not sure if it is a stress fracture in the making or if it is a pulled tendon. I have been icing it but the icing doesn't actually make it feel any better. It never hurts so bad that I NEED to stop running or walking but just enough to make me concerned.

15 mile run

I completed my 15 mile run today. It was a struggle at the end but I got it done. My foot does hurt me a little but it didn't stop me from running. My knee was twinging but it was all completely manageable. Now I just need to ice-ice-ice until it is all better. I have never run this far in one go, so I'm pretty happy about that.

Le break.

So... as my previous post mentioned, my foot is concerning me. I decided to compromise. I  biked 14 miles instead of running 7. The recumbent bicycle didn't put any body weight not my foot but is still a form of exercise. I feel like I cheated but I'm also happy I did it. Today I won't have an opportunity to exercise so my next run might be the 15 mile run on Saturday.

frustration

I went to gym intending to do my 7 mile run but due to some *ahem* digestive problems from eating at Panda Express, I decided to stop at 3.3 miles. It is safe to say I will not be eating there again anytime soon. Also, my foot hurts again but in a different sport. This time it feels like it is inside my foot and I am worried that it is a stress fracture. I have had it on and off and didn't think too much of it. I never realized how much of training for a marathon was making sure I don't fall apart. I am icing my foot right now but I'm not sure if I should run today. I feel like I'm wimping out but stress fractures is not something to mess around with. Arg. I don't even know if it's a stress fracture but I have gotten many of them in the past and I can't afford to get one now. I have a 15 mile run on Saturday that I can't afford to miss.

boring ten miles

I ran ten miles yesterday on the treadmill. Luckily UP was playing on one of the tv channels so that was pretty fun to watch. Also, the treadmill gods helped me and someone left hair-clips on the treadmill that I could use. I had forgotten mine so they were super convenient. My knee was twinging a little but nothing compare to how bad it hurt after yoga on Friday. Yoga was really painful this week. So next week I'm going to tell the teacher what all my problems are and hopefully he can help me. This week it will be challenging to get all my runs in because I am out of town Wednesday through Friday.

Outside at last!

Yesterday I finally was able to run outside! It was pretty icy still but it was kinda fun jumping over ice patches and dodging icicles. I ran with my friend so we were able talk about school, life, and stuff. The last couple of days I've been getting up early and drinking macha powder (a green tea concentrate) and I think it is really good for me! I am going to a party on Saturday so I will probably do my long run on that day to build in a few spare calories. Today I am going to go to yoga again.
Happy Valentines Day! :)

Treadmilling it up!

I knocked out my seven miles on the treadmill. It was dull. I miss running outside. I might try running outside tomorrow. I also saw a bunch of people I know at the gym today but all of them were busy and didn't see me (because they had their music in).

A break in the old routine

Yesterday I decided to use the elliptical instead of the treadmill for a variety of reasons.
A) I had just taken a shower and didn't want to get sweaty enough that I would need to take another.
B) I wanted work on an incline without bothering my ankle
C) I am getting pretty bored of the treadmills.

I ran my 3 miles and set it to a pretty high resistance hill workout. I also learned you can buy hair-ties at the ARC if you forgot one! That was super useful.

I like watching the food channel when I run because it is just simple enough that I can follow along when I am tired. Yesterday the theme was chocolate so I have been craving chocolate ever since! Thank goodness that post-valentines day chocolate sales are coming up!

Half Marathon

I ran 13.2 miles this morning on the treadmill! I wasn't even that exhausted! I'm half done with my training program!

Three + squats

I ran my three miles on Thursday and just didn't get around to writing a post about it. I also made myself a binder of exercises for when I have extra time before class. I got them from my running magazine. I tried a few of them and oh my goodness am I sore. Ouch is an understatement. The best one I tried were jumping lunges. I hope I can run my 13 miles tomorrow.

Angry Woman on a rampage

Today I am very angry for lots of reasons. I was also running late for a meeting while I was running. This meant that I ran much faster than usual the whole 6 miles and ended up running my last half a mile at 7 min/mile pace. My clothes were not cooperating so I kept having to pull my shorts down while I was running. Also I forgot to mention that I lifted some weights on Monday because the yoga class I wanted to go to was full. I am still angry and not the least bit tired. I think I need to do some sprinting next time.

3 miles

I ran my 3 miles between classes yesterday. I almost wasn't able to because I couldn't find my wallet. But then I found it. Crisis averted.

12 miles!!

I successfully ran 12 miles on the treadmill this morning! Yesterday morning my ankle was a little sore. So iced my ankle for a very long time and this morning it was fine! It might have been from the yoga class I took on Friday or the incline on my 6 mile run. Netflix wasn't working at the gym so I just listened to music and watched some of the tvs on the walls. I also saw a service dog running on the track! I tried eating breakfast this morning and was fine during the run; but after I had finished running, my stomach revolted. Overall I'm very happy that I finished my 12 mile run!

Successful 3 miles

I did not forget my shoes today and ran a simple 3 miles. Also, I forgot to say that yesterday I ran all 6 miles with an average of a 2% incline. I want to retrain myself for not flat ground before I start running outside again. My between class shuffle went very well today because none of my stuff got wet during my shower, I was able to use a big locker in the locker room, and the treadmill I wanted to use was not being used. I even was 15 min early to class! I am probably going to buy a fitness pass so that I actually do some cross training on the days that I'm supposed to. But it costs money....... So we shall see.

6 miles

Yesterday I ran 6 miles at the gym. I was all ready to run 3 miles on Tuesday but realized I had forgotten my shoes (fail). The 6 mile run was fun; I ran the first mile with my boyfriend who is beginning to suffer from shin splints (ouch). So from now on we are going to do shin strengthening exercises! Does anyone have any favorites?

I ran my 10 miles!

I successfully finished my 10 mile run. I ran 1.6 with my boyfriend on the track and the remaining 8.4 on the treadmill. I watched movie "The Aristocats" on Netflix on my phone while I was running to help pass the time. I was running a little under 10 min/mile and finished fairly easily. Now I have a break until Monday but I might do an exercise class or something to work on my muscle tone (and burn some calories). I also got some new running pants today!!! Which I'm very excited to try on Tuesday!!!

Locker Room Woes

Today I tried a new plan I have of squeezing in my running between two of my classes. I have an awkward 1.5 hour break between two classes across from the gym on Tuesdays and Thursday. On those days I have my short runs (3 or 4 miles). So today I packed all my running gear and shower supplies and ran my three miles in the afternoon. When I went to take a shower in the gym I realized how small the shower stalls are and how much stuff I actually had to carry! Once I started taking the shower I noticed that the floor was totally flooded and was soaking my backpack!!! Frantically I rescued everything and dried my shoes with the hand dryer. I have decided to by my own lock so I can use one of the day lockers and avoid any water damage in the future. I'm just glad that nothing got ruined!

Half Half Run

This post is for yesterday (Wednesday). My boyfriend is training for a 5k (after my *cough cough* subtle *cough cough* encouragement). I ran my first two miles with him on the track and then ran the last three miles on the treadmill. I was running on one of the cool treadmills that lets you pick a professionally filmed path that it displays while you run. So I ran all over Germany in 30 minutes (I must have broken some kind of records). Anyways, I'm glad I finished that run.

Failure :(

I have been procrastinating on writing this post because it makes me sad. I tried running 10 miles on Monday with a biking buddy but after 2.5 terrible miles I decided it wasn't worth it. I was completely exhausted and it was a horrible struggle getting my legs to even move. My entire body felt like lead and I wasn't enjoying it at all. It felt like I was trying to go for a run after an all-nighter. I think I really just needed a rest day. I felt really horribly terribly enormously awful but it just wasn't worth it.
:( So I failed. :(
I took a rest day on Tuesday to make sure I didn't have any excuses on Wednesday. If my body needed a rest then I wanted to give it a real rest.

BUT I AM GOING TO KICK 10 miles' BUTT THIS SATURDAY! I will even run all ten stinking miles on the treadmill if the weather is too bad.

 RAWR! A determined Zita is on the loose.

Boom Boom Beat

I just finished running my three miles for today. I really cranked my music up so that I couldn't hear myself breathing and it helped me ignore the other students on the overcrowded track. All the students are back in town for the start of the semester on Tuesday. I still don't think I ran very fast because I ate quite a bit of food today and my stomach didn't hurt as much as it should have if I had really exerted myself. I was tsk-tsk-ing myself when I started running because I knew I should have eaten healthier/less today. With the students back, my insecurities are coming back full force. All the girls with their fancy gym clothes make me a little jealous, so it feels twice as good when I pass them on the track. I might be wearing t-shirts from high school and shorts with holes in them but going to the gym isn't about what you wear, its about how hard you work.

P.S. I think when I post from the blogger phone app it doesn't send the emails to the people who are subscribed. So I won't do that from now on.

Five musical miles

Today I ran five miles at the gym (with a short break to blow my nose). It was uneventful but I was happy to have found a way to make my headphones stay in while I run. I adjusted my calendar at the top to present what my modified plan is for this week. I'm also happy because my boyfriend can bike the ten miles with me in Monday! Now let's just hope the weather cooperates!

Returning after a short hiatus

This post is for yesterday. I ran three miles with my roommate at a conversational pace. It is amazing how much easier it is to run with someone else. It astounds me every single time. I guess I should explain that this week I had an interview and was traveling. Therefore running got put on the back burner. But I'm trying to make up the mileage!

Surprisingly uneventful yet slippery 9.3 miles

I ran 9.3 miles this morning outside. I was only able to do this because on Friday I went to the doctor and they gave me some antibiotics that actually seem to be helping! Also, the weather was considerably warmer than it has been recently. My friend biked next to me which helped to provide me with the "kick in the butt" to actually do my run. The sidewalks are mostly clear now but they aren't safe because most have nearly invisible layers of ice from the daily thaw-freeze cycle. So I choose to run on the road because I didn't want to break my ankle and I hoped the bike would add visibility. It is always interesting to see the way people respond to me running. I often get a jesting "I should be running with you!" or "Wait for me!". But what irritates me are the drivers who take it upon themselves to "teach me a lesson" about running in the street. They drive past very fast and honk at me from behind; they sometimes don't even change lanes. Which is absurd when there are multiple lanes and often I am even running in the bike lane. Though they don't know that the sidewalk is icy, it is rude to purposefully put a person in danger due to their belief that they have been inconvenienced. Enough of my ranting. I want to give a quick shout-out to randomly located portable toilets and bid you adieu!

Troubled tummy and competition

I ran four miles yesterday after dinner and convinced my dad to come with me. The problem with going to the gym after dinner is that my stomach always hurts while I run (because I eat chocolate and cheese and other unhealthy foods). I decided to run on the track because I get really bored in the treadmills. However, I also tend to get competitive when I run on the track. For example, yesterday I was basically racing this guy for almost a mile. Every time I almost passed him he would speed up. By the time he finally gave up and let me pass him, my stomach hurt so bad I was worried I would throw up on the track. So I ran the next half mile with my dad to give my body a break. I really should just not eat before I run, but I guess I still haven't learned my lesson.

minimal motivation

So, I ran the three miles today I was supposed to run yesterday. I'm honestly struggling to keep up with my runs. The only reason I was able to convince myself to go to the gym at all today was because a neighbor/acquaintance came with me. Tomorrow I am going with my dad so I will definitely go. I am not looking forward to the 9 mile run on Saturday though.... ug.

Why are gyms so awkward?

I ran five miles on the treadmill with music. It was boring.

I kept accidentally making eye contact with people running on the track. That was awkward.
I kept accidentally running in rhythm with the people next to me. That was awkward too.
Sometimes I zone out and it looks like I'm starting at people's butts. That is always awkward.

I didn't eat too much before I ran. That was pretty cool.
My knee doesn't hurt too much anymore. Which is really awesome.
I keep running 10 min miles. That is kinda slow.
But I ran five miles. So that's pretty cool.

Murphy's Law

So, this post is for Thursday. My training feels like it is following Murphy's Law. On Thursday morning one of my alarms went off REALLY loud at 4:30 am in my sister's apartment while I was in the bathroom. I wanted to turn it off as quickly as possible because cranky sister = the Kraken. And nobody wants to wake the Kraken. In running across the apartment to turn off the alarm, I accidentally slide sideways on their floor and injured my knee. Even just running from the car to the gym I felt a sharp pain on the left side of my left knee. I was torn between sticking with my training and listening to my body. My internal monologue was as follows:

Body: "Zita, you are training for a marathon, and if that means taking one day off, so be it."
Brain: "But all the millions and billions of people who read my blog will be disappointed!"
Body: "Well, you can't help it that you are a celebrity, your health needs to be first priority. Besides, weren't you worried about running making you more sick anyways?"
Brain:"Yeah I guess. But can I at least do elliptical?"
Body: "Hmmmmmm.... let's see if it hurts you. Maybe."

It turns out that it didn't hurt too bad so I did four miles on the elliptical. But even if you do the elliptical the same distance and pace as running, it is much much easier. However I am please with my compromise because I can't afford to have a bum knee once I start running higher mileage.

New year, old struggles

I didn't go running yesterday but I promise I will fit in all the runs this week. Right now I'm in Chicago visiting my sister. I ran three miles at her gym today and I made the same mistake I often make, I ate food before I went running. Also, I'm still feeling pretty sick so my running wasn't very fast. I'm not sure that running isn't preventing me from getting better. On a tangent, I am growing to detest treadmills; the one I was using today had a very inconveniently placed emergency button which I accidentally hit with my hand while running. The program erased my progress and I didn't have anyway to know how far I had run before I hit the button. But I just estimated my distance based on the time I started running. I am hoping to feel better soon.