is today asshole day???

I hate it when I miss the memo. Did 3 miles on the bike path, going east for the first half to get the brutal winds over with.

Mile 1: Running on the sidewalk, minding my own business, 2 kids on bikes coming straight towards me. I run onto the grass, since I can see that they have no intention of moving. The one kid tries to run me over with his bicycle, screaming at me like a psycho. Well, I showed him. I called him an asshole and kept on running.

Mile 2: I'm now on the bike path, looking forward to a tranquil run along the power lines. Not so. A lady WHO LET HER DOGS OFF THEIR LEASHES (MAJOR pet peeve for me right there) is on the path... her little mutts started to chase me and nip at my heels. I paused my Garmin and asked her, no joke, what the fuck was wrong with her. Can she not read the sign she is currently standing right in front of that says "LEASH YOUR PETS"?

(My mother would say, of course she read it, she just chose to ignore it.)

I gave her my evilest stare, told her to call off her dogs, and kept on going.

Mile 3: I didn't see that lady on the way back, so I'm guessing I scared the bejeezus outta her. But as I'm crossing the street to head back to my subdivision, a clear street, mind you, the car coming from far away suddenly starts going like 50 mph, the driver laughing maniacally as he passes by. Yep, he was trying to run me over.

Luckily I was wearing my new Under Armour tights...

...they're great for outrunning assholes!

by the skin of my teeth

I just did the math on my March mileage. I literally have to run a block tomorrow to get to 100 for the month. Seriously. As of right now, I'm at 99.9 with a 3 miler planned for tomorrow (might go longer if the weather is nice).

I think my awesome math skills deserve a nap...

when the universe says no

I had every intention of going outside to run today. I planned on an afternoon run, counting on the abundant sunshine to guide me through an otherwise tedious run.

Alas, it was not to be.

I got dressed a little later than I had intended (got sucked into the VCU-Kansas game), but found a matching outfit, grabbed Garmin, and headed downstairs to find my shoes.

I turned Garmin on, he beeped Hello, and then... nothing. Blank screen.

Oh God, what is the problem? Is he dead again?

So I run back upstairs and quickly plug him into the charger. I guess when I unplugged the charger yesterday, still leaving Garmin attached, he turned on and drained his battery. Nice one, Maureen.

So I grabbed the Timex off my dresser (I guess I'll just run loops around my subdivision) and went looking for my hat and gloves. Found my new hat (from February's North Shore Love Run 10K) and put on my favorite gloves.

Gosh, what is that smell? It smells like... B.O. Oh God. It's my gloves. Gross.

Take them off, put on the black pair. See something that doesn't belong. Mud. Lots of it. Gross.

I guess when I stepped in the mud puddle on Friday, and went to investigate the damage, I must have smeared mud all over my gloves and not realized it.

Now, I wasn't about to go outside in 35 degree weather without gloves. I might be crazy, but I sure am not stupid. So I did what any rational person would do... I threw in the towel.

There must have been a reason why the universe didn't want me to run today. And I accept that. Universe, I'll give you this one.

Sometimes you just gotta roll with it. And tomorrow I'll be back, well-rested and ready to fly!

visit from the doubt monster

I'm in kind of a funk this week, I'll admit...

My week started off great. Sunday I ran a half marathon, finished with a great time, made some new friends, and generally had a ball. Monday was warm enough to wear shorts and my new race shirt from Sunday. Tuesday I escaped the pouring rain and got 3 easy miles in.

Then yesterday happened...

I had 5.5 miles on the schedule. I don't know why these longer midweek runs never fail to intimidate me. All day long at work (not helped by the depressing rain/snow/clouds out my office window), I knew I didn't want to run. I tried to force myself when I got home, per my 2011 mantra - The only runs I regret are the ones I never start - but misty sleet, wind, and cold temps provided the perfect excuse for me to sit on the couch and watch ESPN. So I registered for a couple of races, including the new Windy City Challenge, hoping that would motivate my butt to get out the door. But then the rain turned to snow, and I stayed indoors. I'm mad at myself for not going outside.

Today I woke up and went to work, all the while planning my workout outfit, hoping that the unexpected day off would give me new perspective and help me to attack that 5.5 miler.

It started off great. I wore my CARA Lakefront 10 Mile shirt and my RnR Vegas fleece. It was so much colder today, but the sun was shining and I wore my favorite hat. I ran the first .25 mile with no problem, arriving at the running path on top of the world.

Then I fell off the top.

I don't know what happened. My body just stopped cooperating. I stopped to stretch, made no difference. But mile 2, my legs felt like jello. I didn't want to continue. But I pressed on, stretching at the turnaround and heading back towards home. I should have been enjoying the sweet, nearly mile-long downhills, but I felt terrible. I was sneezing and sweating and wishing I was at home under the covers.

More stretching at 4. No difference. I tried to rein in my pace, but that was impossible. I really just wanted to go home. I finally got there, total running time 48:30, which is awesome, but it feels hollow. I showered, drank some delicious Gu Brew, and laid down in my bed to watch the Cubs game. As I was laying there, I wondered how I could be so exhausted throughout my run but wide awake and feeling like I accomplished nothing during the day. It's horrible.

Tomorrow I have 5 miles. I want them to go well. The doubt monster is starting to make me regret all these crazy races I've signed up for in 2011.

But then I remember...

The only runs I regret are the ones I don't start.

something cool happened to me...

Check this out! (It's kinda small so you might have to click on it to make it bigger!)



I found out that in the 5K I did last Sunday (where I took 2nd in my age group), I actually placed 10th overall for women! That's the first time I've ever done something like that!

My name was actually printed in Chicago Athlete magazine, April issue, page 55. It's official, I am famous.

Autographs after my run, please. ;)

march madness pikermi RR

This morning I ran the March Madness Pikermi in Cary, Illinois. This is a special one- each year, registration opens at 6am on New Year's Eve, and the race sells out in a couple of hours. Since I was in high school, I have always wanted to do this one, so at 6am on NYE, I was sitting in front of the computer signing up for it.

I must say, I was in no way disappointed.

I arrived kind of early, since I was warned via the website that the parking lot at the high school fills up very quickly. I got one of the last spots in the back of the lot, and headed inside to the gym to pick up my packet.

The race normally gives out hoodies, but I was pleasantly surprised to learn that we got long-sleeved tech shirts this year. They're an interesting burnt orange color, and they have 2 pockets- one on the front , and one in the back. So cute! And I even like the color!

We had been expecting iffy weather for this one. The weatherman claimed that there would be rain, but I had yet to see any as we lined up for the start of the race. It was windy, but I was perfectly comfortable in my Under Armour coldgear hoodie and capris. I was glad I didn't leave my gloves in the gear check bag- my hands would have been like ice cubes!

Exactly at 8:35am, we were OFF!

Mile 1: The rain started. It's just a drizzle, but man, that rain is COLD! I don't think I lined up in a good place at all- people around me are stopping to walk, and I find myself hopping curves to zoom zoom around them. But overall it's an uneventful mile, with only the slightest of hills. 8:25

Mile 2: A little bit of rolling hills, but no big deal so far. For a course that claims to be one of the most challenging in Illinois, I'm not getting it. If it continues like this the entire time, it's just like St Louis, and I rocked St Louis last April. This is definitely a good training run for that race, which is 3 weeks from today. 8:14

Mile 3: First turn, and I see someone in front of me with the cutest tech shirt, from the 2011 Surf City Marathon. I start chatting with her, and quickly discover that I know her from the Runner's World forums! What a small world! 8:15

Mile 4: I'm having a lot more fun. The miles are starting to fly by, and the rain that was present during mile 1 is long gone. Running with someone else is a great way to pass the time! It's something I'm SO not used to! 8:35

Mile 5: A pretty flat part of the course with a wicked downhill. I'm one of those people who's much more concerned about the downhills- the tendency to fly down them can cause some serious damage, so I'm taking care not to overextend myself on the easy parts- according to my new friend, the major hills are still miles away. 8:33

Mile 6 & 7: I don't know if it was because I was overly concerned reading the signs on the side of the road that actually NAME the hills or what, but I missed the mile marker for 6. All of a sudden, I glanced at my watch and discovered that we had been running the past mile for over 11 minutes. Since that was in no way possible, I figured that I zoned out and missed the marker. (Turns out I wasn't the only one, since when we got to 7, the girl in front of me was like, "7? Where was 6?") 17:39

Mile 8: Named hill #3 of 6, aka "Substantial Hill." I think it's pretty appropriately named, as I stopped off for my Gu break and let my new friends carry on. Now, as I'm struggling to catch up to them, I agree completely that it is a substantial hill. Even though I feel like I'm flying, my Gu break has put me over 9 minutes for the first time in a LONG time. 9:07

Mile 9: Nice, easy mile. Lots of downhills and plenty of time to catch my breath. There are 3 of us running together, and I can hardly believe that I only have a little over 4 to go! 8:01

Mile 10: Here's the big one. I imagine that this is the hills that makes this course so challenging. It's truly terrifying, this "10 Mile Hill." It kinda feels like it might go on for another 10 miles. I motivate myself internally by saying, "What goes up must come down." I figure, there HAS to be a sweet downhill after this. Then I get a terrible 70s song stuck in my head. But I conquer that hill, and start to enjoy the downslope directly after it. 8:52

Mile 11: Here comes the rain. It's been progressing for a couple of minutes now, but I'm still dry, so I barely noticed. But now it's coming down harder. And it's COLD. Luckily we don't have too much farther to go. My RW friend leaves me, and I sprint after the other person in our group. My IT band is not being very friendly at the moment, but I'll be done in less than 20 minutes, so I put my discomfort into another part of my brain and focus on finishing. 8:37

Mile 12: Last gigantic hill (meaning it has a name), before the few rollers that will take us to the finish line. I'm sad to think this race is almost over, and I will have to wait a whole year before I get to run it again. I've had a total blast so far! 8:27

Mile 13: Right as I hit mile marker 12, I hear the rumble of thunder and see a crack of lightning directly in front of me. I'm so terrified that the race organizers will overreact (see: 2010 Soldier Field 10 Mile) and pull me off the course that I start sprinting. I'll only be out here a few more minutes, I want to shout, please let me finish! I catch my other RW friend right before the mile marker, and I know at this point that I can set a 2011 PR, bettering my time from the indoor pikermi in January. 8:05

Mile 13.1: Ok, now it is POURING. Water is dripping off my hat and into my eyes. There are puddles everywhere, and I am powerless to avoid them. I duck my head and sprint to the finish, splish splashing away. Hey, my feet are already wet, what's a few more inches of water in my shoes? 0:49

Final time: 1:51:45 (YAY!)

As soon as I cross the finish line, I head inside for the nice warm gym to retrieve my gear bag and some dry clothes. I don't realize quite how wet I am until I hear my shoes squeaking on the floor and feel the squelch between my toes. I'm pretty sure I have a lake in my shoes. Thank GOD I remembered to bring a towel! And thank GOD for the gear check volunteers who provided plastic bags so that I had somewhere to store my wet clothes!

I ended up leaving soon after, not before I purchased a hoodie with the race logo on it. I couldn't resist. Is it time to register for 2012 yet???

FINAL TIME: 1:51:45
AVERAGE PACE: 8:32
MILESTONE REACHED: First time I've ever had to wring out my hair, and made a huge puddle, after a race.
NEXT PIKERMI: Lincoln Memorial Pikermi, 4.2.2011

train of thought

Today, for my 67 degree run (yes, it was THAT warm here in the Chi today... and humid... we're expecting rain), I wore...

Blue shorts which matched my socks which matched my long-sleeved tee which matched some logos on my Run Happy Houston shirt which matched my hat which matched the Gatorade I drank when I got home from said run.

I did 5 miles in 22 mph winds. And yes, having a cute running outfit made all the difference. :)

celebrating pi day & a change in the weather

You might remember from this entry last year that I do, in fact, celebrate Pi Day. And other math holidays, like running 9 miles on 9.9.09. (I would have done 10 miles on 10.10.10, but I ran the Chicago Marathon instead... so I did 10 + 16.2 :) ) In November, you bet I'll be out there running 11 miles on 11.11.11.

So this past Monday was no exception. Once I remembered that it was Pi Day, I quickly adjusted my training schedule to make it 3.14 miles instead of 3. (Big deal, right? Hah.)

Not gonna lie, I felt pretty damn awesome as I was going down the road. It was still cold out on Monday, and people were looking at me like I was nuts. I was DYING for someone to ask me how long I was running for, and I gladly would have told them about my personal Pi Day celebration, but nobody did. :(

Later on, long after I had finished my run, I reminded the bf that it was Pi Day. I also had to go to the grocery store. He said, "How about we get a pie to eat?" I was all for it... pie is, after all, a sweet. But the bf is a VERY picky pie eater. He doesn't like apple pie (!!!), so suggested a key lime with meringue topping. I don't know about you, but I'm a little suspect about grocery store pies. So we settled for Red Velvet cupcakes... it was a good decision.

And then TODAY... oh, let's talk about today. The weather here in the Chi has improved steadily... it hit 60 today! That meant I got to run outside in SHORTS! As warm as it was, there were still piles of snow everywhere on my usual running path. Weird. But I ran a good 5 miles. And there were so many people outside! It's seems like they've abandoned hibernation and embraced spring. All we have to hope for now is that it's here to stay!

long grove st paddy's day 5K RR

2 5Ks in a row! I must have been thinking crazy when I signed up for that one.

I got to the race site really early, because I wanted a primo parking spot and did not want to have to take the shuttle bus. Goal achieved! And lucky for me, the paper man arrived right before I left the house, so I had something to do while I waited. About 10 minutes before the start, I exited my vehicle and overhead one of the volunteers saying that awards would be determined on gun time, as there were no timing chips. Noted, I thought to myself, And I'm SO lining up in the front.

I lined up in about the 2nd row, which quickly became the 4th row, as more and more people piled into the front. I guess they had heard about the gun time thing too!

At 9am, with the sun shining in our eyes and a beautiful trail run ahead, we were off!

Mile 1: I started off this race feeling really BLAH. Was it because I raced yesterday? Was it the bitterly cold wind howling in my face? I think it was a little bit of both, as I was just not feeling a race today.

I just concentrated on listening to the tunes on my ipod and plugging along. In the first mile, SO MANY people zoomed around me, but I didn't chase them. I know that if I start out too fast I'll die at the end... better to catch people dying than be caught while doing the same.

Is that the mile marker already??? Time sure flies... 7:58

Mile 2: The guy who is winning this race is absolutely FLYING. I'm struggling to run over this patch of ice just before the turn, and he's practically floating on it... doesn't even faze him at all. Wayyy impressive. I catch the girl I've been pacing off of for the last mile or so, and I figure that if I keep it up and only let men pass me, I've got a real shot at some age group hardware. 8:02

Mile 3: Not gonna lie, I'm ready for this race to be done. It's cold, my butt hurts (lingering issue since I came back to running outside), and I really want to go home and sit on the couch eating donuts. But I keep chugging along. I catch 2 more people on the turn, and I figure I've got less than a half mile to go. There's a slight hill, which seems like a mountain... even though it's way smaller than the hill I flew over yesterday. But I press on and finally I can see the finish line. 8:12

Mile 3.1: I don't really have any energy to sprint, but I do my best, making sure nobody passes me, old-school cross country style. I cross the finish line and am pleasantly surprised with my time. It's not a PR by any means, but it was a fun race and I finished. 0:48

I decided to stick around and wait for the awards... it was a smallish race, so who knows, maybe I still had a shot to win something, even though I was almost a minute slower than yesterday.

I was SO EXCITED when they called my age group, announced that I had taken 2nd place, and presented me with this:
All in all, a tremendous way to start the day!

FINAL TIME: 25:02
AVERAGE PACE: 8:09
MILESTONE REACHED: Last year, I won 3 age group awards. As of today, I have already won 3. I hope I haven't reached my quota already!
NEXT 5K: Bunny Rock 5K, 4.23.2011

st paddy's day 5K (naperville) RR

Saturday, March 12th, 2011

I wasn't anticipating this race to be as entertaining and as awesome as it actually was. Not gonna lie, I was freaked out for a number of reasons... 1) It's March in Chicago and it's cold out, 2) The weatherman was predicting wind gusts of 40 mph+, 3) There was a parade in Naperville right after the race and I was concerned that somehow I would get stuck by the parade route and be unable to get home, and 4) There were over 2,000 people registered for the race!

I was a little disappointed when I picked up my packet, thought. I registered early for a Women's Medium Reebok race shirt. Instead I got a man's medium. It's humongous. Luckily it's also white, so we know there's no chance of me actually wearing it to run. It's become a nice, comfy pajama shirt (just like my Race to Wrigley 2009 shirt).

We waited until the very last minute to head to the start line (the wind was BRUTAL), and I left my cousin to head to the front. It's my personal theory that in a 5K this huge, it's always best to OVERestimate your pace. I guarantee everyone else is doing the same.

While lining up, I ran into my friend Nicole from Half Fanatics... it was nice to see a friendly face! At 8am, we were off! (Nicole is super-fast... right at the start line, I saw her blond ponytail running away from me :) ).

Mile 1: Right at the start, a HILL to get up! Ok now, I'm awake! There's not a whole lot of people around me, so I have free reign to go my own pace and run my own race. Not having to zoom zoom around walkers is a huge bonus.

I saw a sign for the half mile (weird, right?) and there was a guy calling out splits. (Also kinda weird, right?) I ignored him and continued down the road.

Somehow I missed the first mile marker, so I guess no splits today!

Mile 2: This course is basically 2 huge out-and-back loops. Heading back towards downtown Naperville, I see my cousin and shout and wave my arms at her. She doesn't see me. A couple of minutes later, I see Kari (who is not wearing green and is so easy to spot), who DOES see me and yells out, "Go Mo!"

I'm having a lot of fun. Yes, there are some slight hills, but that's what makes running these little 5Ks so interesting. I'm drawn to 5Ks solely because they have some sort of gimmick... but I come back because I like the course.

Mile 3: I can't believe I'm already almost done with this race. Time DOES fly when you're having fun! There are a lot of people out already for the parade, so they're cheering for us as we race through downtown. Another turnaround, and I spot Nicole and wave to her. She is FLYING.

Less than a half mile now, and I'm scanning the runners on the other side of the road, hoping to catch a glimpse of Jill or Kari before I make the final turns to the finish. I check out, mentally preparing myself to ease my way through the downhill at the end, and then I hear my cousin cheering for me.

Oh, and did I mention that this part of the race is straight into the wind? And it is BRUTAL. My eyes are leaking all over the place, and no doubt my face is bright red.

Mile 3.1: I take it easy down the hill, knowing that I have another 5K tomorrow, and not wanting to burn out. All of a sudden, bam, there's the finish line. I'm going to end up with an awesome time, and I'm SO excited!

Final time - 24:06!

This time last year, I was struggling to get under 27:00, and now I almost got under 24! In March! Whoa!

I met up with Nicole and we waited for my cousin and Kari to finish.

Jill ran so far she got out of my picture:

Kari was flying too:
We parted ways with Nicole and her friend, and headed out for some breakfast. It wasn't until I received a text message after downing half a plate of pancakes and bacon that it was revealed there was, in fact, a post-race party... complete with corned beef sandwiches and green beer! Too bad we didn't know about that! BUMMER!

New feature: Instead of the "Lessons Learned" blurb at the end of my race reports, for 2011 I have changed this to "Milestone Reached." All previous 2011 race reports have been updated to reflect the change.

FINAL TIME: 24:06
AVERAGE PACE: 7:46
MILESTONE REACHED: I took 8th in my age group. There were over 150 people there! Woo hoo single digits!
NEXT 5K: Long Grove St Paddy's Day 5K, 3.13.2011

normally i hate surprises...

But this was definitely a welcome one!

I got home from work today, checked the mailbox, and found a little package with a Wisconsin return address. What in the world is this, I wondered. I opened it and found...


(The letter says, "Dear Icebreaker Participant: Please find enclosed your medal for placing in your age group. Congrats!")

It's from the indoor half marathon that I did back in January. When I checked the results, I thought I was 4th or 5th or something, well out of the medals. Apparently not! I am now the proud owner of a 3rd place age group medal... from a half marathon, no less!

4 races down this year, and 2 age group medals. So far, I'm LOVING 2011 :)

dumb thing i did today...

Earlier in the week, I decided to retire my trusty New Balance 749s. We'd been through a lot- a 20 mile race, 3 marathons, and tons of training runs in between. Plus lots of time on the treadmill. They'd been making my heels ACHE for weeks, but I was in denial. As much as I love purchasing, and stockpiling, new pairs of shoes, it still hurts to let the old friends go.

So I switched to the NB 1063s. I wore the orange pair last winter... these are teal, and they just don't feel the same. I don't think we're meant to be together. But I digress...

I also decided today to get caught up with my RW training log, as I had not updated since the middle of last month (oops!). As I was putting the NB's last run in there, I said to myself, huh, that's weird, how do they only have 299.1 miles on them?

A few confusing minutes ensured... but then it dawned on me...

I thought they were a different pair of shoes. I've been tracking them wrong for MONTHS. So I went back and corrected the data entry. Over 400 miles on those bad boys. NO WONDER it was agony to put my heels on the ground a couple of weeks ago! It all makes sense!

And who says America doesn't make quality products? ;)

i quit the gym... and other random things

... it was only 29 degrees outside today. but i ran in it anyway. yes, i had tears streaming down my face for parts of it. and as of right now i'm pretty sure i have a wicked case of windburn. but it was better than yesterday, and loads better than being inside on monday.

... i love joe's new balance outlet. i love it even more when my total savings are greater than the total spent.

... 6 in a row for my beloved blackhawks. maybe this playoff thing isn't such a stretch after all...

... seriously top chef, what's the deal keeping tiffany for another week? you know she's gonna make the same crap in the finale that she's been making all season long. TEAM CARLA REPRESENT!

... my annoying co-worker that i cannot stand, who is the sole reason why i always keep a charged ipod in my purse, asked me for running advice today. like, "i've never run before, i'm grossly out of shape, and i want to start" kind of advice. but it took her 4 sentences to tell me that. ugh. i told her it doesn't matter if you run on grass or the sidewalk (both are still frozen in these parts), but i did refer her to her local running store for a good pair of shoes. someone else at work told me i was "kind of a bitch" for not helping her more. thoughts?

... baby steps to friday ...