1. Taper madness is making me crazy. Literally. All I do is eat. Or think about food. Or talk about food. It's pretty disgusting.
2. I get to see my cousin this weekend!!!!! It's been way too long... DeKalb Corn Classic, I think? We are doing a 5K together on Saturday. (I'm in it for the beer and brats afterwards!)
3. I can't believe how close it is to Rock n Roll St Louis! I already have my bib number and bought my train ticket, so I think I'm in pretty good shape. Can't wait to see my Ragnar teammates and cause trouble in St Louis :)
(Also, I need to get an MSU Spartans shirt before the trip... they are playing Wisconsin, and my friend Renee is a Wisconsin alum. It's fun to have rivalries sometimes.)
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
where i've been
Wow, I haven't posted in a really long time... lots to tell.
I didn't run my marathon last Sunday. I'd rather not say why. But I made up every single one of those miles before I started the rest of my training this week. I did them all at race pace. Cumulative time - 3:44:35. And I feel completely justified in wearing my race shirt, since my one from last year does not fit at all. I think I'm well on my way to the goal of "3:59:59 or BUST" in 2011.
Today I ran 16 miles, for my last long run before Chicago in 2 weeks. I ran in old shoes (dumb) but surprisingly all of my limbs are still attached. It also didn't rain, which is awesome. I ran mile #15 in 8:25. My butt hurt SO BAD when I got done, but after a hot shower and some stretching, I'm ready to conquer this next week of training.
I ran 50 miles this past week, taking Thursday as a rest day, because I was exhausted and wanted to take a nap.
I'm still struggling for life balance. I figure eventually it'll happen.
My next-door neighbors started a band, which we hear constantly. We had to move the 52" TV downstairs, because the walls were shaking from the bass and the noise was becoming hard to deal with. That was an interesting night.
I spent all day today watching football. Some thoughts - 1. the Lions are for real, but I'm still not convinced about the Bills, 2. Jay Cutler is a ginormous turd, 3. WHY DON'T THE BEARS RUN ANYMORE??? and 4. my fantasy team is kicking MAJOR ass so far this season. It's awesome.
Hope you all had a good week! I promise to check in more often, since I'm tapering and will no doubt be looking for things to do ;)
I didn't run my marathon last Sunday. I'd rather not say why. But I made up every single one of those miles before I started the rest of my training this week. I did them all at race pace. Cumulative time - 3:44:35. And I feel completely justified in wearing my race shirt, since my one from last year does not fit at all. I think I'm well on my way to the goal of "3:59:59 or BUST" in 2011.
Today I ran 16 miles, for my last long run before Chicago in 2 weeks. I ran in old shoes (dumb) but surprisingly all of my limbs are still attached. It also didn't rain, which is awesome. I ran mile #15 in 8:25. My butt hurt SO BAD when I got done, but after a hot shower and some stretching, I'm ready to conquer this next week of training.
I ran 50 miles this past week, taking Thursday as a rest day, because I was exhausted and wanted to take a nap.
I'm still struggling for life balance. I figure eventually it'll happen.
My next-door neighbors started a band, which we hear constantly. We had to move the 52" TV downstairs, because the walls were shaking from the bass and the noise was becoming hard to deal with. That was an interesting night.
I spent all day today watching football. Some thoughts - 1. the Lions are for real, but I'm still not convinced about the Bills, 2. Jay Cutler is a ginormous turd, 3. WHY DON'T THE BEARS RUN ANYMORE??? and 4. my fantasy team is kicking MAJOR ass so far this season. It's awesome.
Hope you all had a good week! I promise to check in more often, since I'm tapering and will no doubt be looking for things to do ;)
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
wordless wednesday
The ONLY decent race photo from Sunday... sad my feet are on the ground though :/
Monday, September 12, 2011
chicago half marathon RR
I just want to state for the record, this is one of my favorite races in the entire world. It's the biggest pain in the butthole to get to, since the expo is at Navy Pier ((shudder)) and the race starts/finishes in the number streets, but I LOVE IT. There's a reason why I return every year - great shirts and medals, flat and fast course, and gorgeous views of our pretty city.
(In case you were wondering, other races that qualify for favorite status, as in, I will move heaven and earth to attend them, are: North Shore Half Marathon, Woodstock Challenge, Madison Mini Marathon.)
Because this race took place on 9/11, all participants were encouraged to wear red, white, and blue. I was going to do it anyway, since I do it for all holidays. But it was cool to see a sea of patriotism at the start!
Also, they brought an FDNY truck that was present at Ground Zero on 9/11 to lead as the pace car for the first few miles. Sadly, none of the members of the truck made it home. But it is now being reconstructed as a mobile memorial. You can check it out -->here<---
(Fun fact: According to my dad, the guy at his mechanics that painted his truck also did the repainting on the FDNY truck. Small world.)
Pics of the truck:
Of course I sat in the truck:
(Some pics in this blog courtesy of my awesome Half Fanatic friends Michael Hoyt and Dave Mari.)
Hanging out at the start line with some fellow Fanatics/Maniacs:
Group shot in front of the truck:
After a really nice rendition of the national anthem by some members of the USO, and a kickoff speech from the alderman (alderwoman?), we were OFF!
Mile 1: They implemented a wave start this year, and for that I am beyond grateful. My only gripe from recent years was the HORRIBLY crowded first 3 miles! And I forgot to apply for a seeded corral! Good thing it's smooth sailing from the beginning... 8:00
Mile 2: Crap. I only wanted to run 8:20s today. But I still feel good, no, I feel the best I've felt in months. Must have been those rest days by the pool in Vegas! I'm gonna roll with it. 8:01
Mile 3: "Roll With It" by Easton Corbin comes onto my ipod at this exact moment. I guess that means I made a good decision. 8:01
Mile 4: Now onto LSD for a few miles. It's completely CLOSED. We have unobstructed views of the beautiful Chicago skyline. It's gorgeous outside. THIS is when running is awesome. 8:07
Mile 5: I'd bet you any amount of money that there are actually people tailgating right now. It's not even 8am, but kickoff at Soldier Field is at noon. 8:31
Mile 6: I stopped at the aid station for a bit. It's a thirsty day with the sun beating down on my back... it's going to be right in my face on the way back, so a little extra hydration now won't hurt me any. 8:09
Mile 7: I have no idea where this came from. Fastest mile in the middle, WHAT?! 7:57
Mile 8: I don't know where this mile came from... did I run #7 too fast? Was it all the sprinklers and aid stations I went through? Alls I know is that I'm hot and sweaty but still determined to run fast! 8:40
Mile 9: Hit the turnaround, and now we're heading to the finish. I can't believe how this race is totally flying by me. I don't even feel like I've been running this long! 8:15
Mile 10: Haha just spotted the smelly poo house location from last year where I had to take an EMERGENCY break and missed a PR by a minute. Not this year, my friend. 8:16
Mile 11: Crap on a cracker, the weirdest thing just happened to me... my freaking leg fell asleep! I just noticed now that I can't feel anything on my left side from my hip all the way to the tip of my toe. So I stop and stretch my quad for a bit. Feels better. 8:22
Mile 12: I lied, I do not feel better. When I regain feeling, every few strides I have a nervous twitch in my quad. This is super annoying. I immediately start to panic, and realize that even though I'm running the race of my life right now, I have to phone it in or else I won't be able to run on Sunday. This sucks. 8:32
Mile 13.1: When you get to the museum, it's only a mile to the finish. There are spectators lining every part of the course from here on out, waving American flags and screaming their heads off. It's so awesome. The cheering at this race, year after year, rivals the full marathon. Yeah, I said it. I can't feel my toes, and I'm not going to get a PR, so I just finish the race with a smile on my face. 3rd best time ever, woo hoo! 9:24
FINAL TIME: 1:48:22
AVERAGE PACE: 8:17
MILESTONE REACHED: Another course PR! Woo hoo!
NEXT PIKERMI: Rock n Roll St Louis, 10.23.2011
After the race, I picked up my medals. Yes, with an S. I got an extra medal for completing the Windy City Challenge, and running 13.1 Chicago back in June.
LOVE the ribbon from today's race medal :)
(In case you were wondering, other races that qualify for favorite status, as in, I will move heaven and earth to attend them, are: North Shore Half Marathon, Woodstock Challenge, Madison Mini Marathon.)
Because this race took place on 9/11, all participants were encouraged to wear red, white, and blue. I was going to do it anyway, since I do it for all holidays. But it was cool to see a sea of patriotism at the start!
Also, they brought an FDNY truck that was present at Ground Zero on 9/11 to lead as the pace car for the first few miles. Sadly, none of the members of the truck made it home. But it is now being reconstructed as a mobile memorial. You can check it out -->here<---
(Fun fact: According to my dad, the guy at his mechanics that painted his truck also did the repainting on the FDNY truck. Small world.)
Pics of the truck:
Of course I sat in the truck:
(Some pics in this blog courtesy of my awesome Half Fanatic friends Michael Hoyt and Dave Mari.)
Hanging out at the start line with some fellow Fanatics/Maniacs:
Group shot in front of the truck:
After a really nice rendition of the national anthem by some members of the USO, and a kickoff speech from the alderman (alderwoman?), we were OFF!
Mile 1: They implemented a wave start this year, and for that I am beyond grateful. My only gripe from recent years was the HORRIBLY crowded first 3 miles! And I forgot to apply for a seeded corral! Good thing it's smooth sailing from the beginning... 8:00
Mile 2: Crap. I only wanted to run 8:20s today. But I still feel good, no, I feel the best I've felt in months. Must have been those rest days by the pool in Vegas! I'm gonna roll with it. 8:01
Mile 3: "Roll With It" by Easton Corbin comes onto my ipod at this exact moment. I guess that means I made a good decision. 8:01
Mile 4: Now onto LSD for a few miles. It's completely CLOSED. We have unobstructed views of the beautiful Chicago skyline. It's gorgeous outside. THIS is when running is awesome. 8:07
Mile 5: I'd bet you any amount of money that there are actually people tailgating right now. It's not even 8am, but kickoff at Soldier Field is at noon. 8:31
Mile 6: I stopped at the aid station for a bit. It's a thirsty day with the sun beating down on my back... it's going to be right in my face on the way back, so a little extra hydration now won't hurt me any. 8:09
Mile 7: I have no idea where this came from. Fastest mile in the middle, WHAT?! 7:57
Mile 8: I don't know where this mile came from... did I run #7 too fast? Was it all the sprinklers and aid stations I went through? Alls I know is that I'm hot and sweaty but still determined to run fast! 8:40
Mile 9: Hit the turnaround, and now we're heading to the finish. I can't believe how this race is totally flying by me. I don't even feel like I've been running this long! 8:15
Mile 10: Haha just spotted the smelly poo house location from last year where I had to take an EMERGENCY break and missed a PR by a minute. Not this year, my friend. 8:16
Mile 11: Crap on a cracker, the weirdest thing just happened to me... my freaking leg fell asleep! I just noticed now that I can't feel anything on my left side from my hip all the way to the tip of my toe. So I stop and stretch my quad for a bit. Feels better. 8:22
Mile 12: I lied, I do not feel better. When I regain feeling, every few strides I have a nervous twitch in my quad. This is super annoying. I immediately start to panic, and realize that even though I'm running the race of my life right now, I have to phone it in or else I won't be able to run on Sunday. This sucks. 8:32
Mile 13.1: When you get to the museum, it's only a mile to the finish. There are spectators lining every part of the course from here on out, waving American flags and screaming their heads off. It's so awesome. The cheering at this race, year after year, rivals the full marathon. Yeah, I said it. I can't feel my toes, and I'm not going to get a PR, so I just finish the race with a smile on my face. 3rd best time ever, woo hoo! 9:24
FINAL TIME: 1:48:22
AVERAGE PACE: 8:17
MILESTONE REACHED: Another course PR! Woo hoo!
NEXT PIKERMI: Rock n Roll St Louis, 10.23.2011
After the race, I picked up my medals. Yes, with an S. I got an extra medal for completing the Windy City Challenge, and running 13.1 Chicago back in June.
LOVE the ribbon from today's race medal :)
crackpot theories
My legs HURT. Scratch that, my entire BODY hurts. Like every muscle and every joint. Yesterday during the race (recap coming), my entire leg fell asleep during mile 10, when I was on 1:45 pace. Spoiler alert, I finished in 1:48:22.
It's times like these, when I'm popping Aleve like it's candy and icing my feet while watching ESPN that I ask myself, what would my Dad say about this?
He's the best advice-giver in the world... sometimes. I could just call him, and he would probably say something wise and profound, but it's more fun to tell this story.
One night at the parentals house, it was either a family gathering or they just had friends over, and the conversation drifted over to my fanatical running.
Dad's take on it:
"I believe that your legs are programmed to only handle so many miles in your lifetime. Maybe you're starting to use yours up."
It's insane... but it sticks with me, and motivates me even more to get out there and knock some miles off the lifetime tally ((rolls eyes))
Did I mention I'm running a marathon on Sunday? And that I have a nasty case of PF in my right foot? And my leg fell asleep while racing yesterday? I'm a mess. But I'm going out there anyway. I've been planning for this since the end of January. No dropping down to the 20 miler. Yes, I'm attending a football game the day before at Soldier Field, which will involve lots of walking (loosens the heel up maybe?).
The kicker?
My shoes have 195 miles on them. I ditched the Sauconys, since I'm pretty sure they are the PF flare-up culprit. I don't have enough miles to run this week to break in a new pair. So I'm running my longest distance since January in old(er) shoes.
I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the crackpot tree...
It's times like these, when I'm popping Aleve like it's candy and icing my feet while watching ESPN that I ask myself, what would my Dad say about this?
He's the best advice-giver in the world... sometimes. I could just call him, and he would probably say something wise and profound, but it's more fun to tell this story.
One night at the parentals house, it was either a family gathering or they just had friends over, and the conversation drifted over to my fanatical running.
Dad's take on it:
"I believe that your legs are programmed to only handle so many miles in your lifetime. Maybe you're starting to use yours up."
It's insane... but it sticks with me, and motivates me even more to get out there and knock some miles off the lifetime tally ((rolls eyes))
Did I mention I'm running a marathon on Sunday? And that I have a nasty case of PF in my right foot? And my leg fell asleep while racing yesterday? I'm a mess. But I'm going out there anyway. I've been planning for this since the end of January. No dropping down to the 20 miler. Yes, I'm attending a football game the day before at Soldier Field, which will involve lots of walking (loosens the heel up maybe?).
The kicker?
My shoes have 195 miles on them. I ditched the Sauconys, since I'm pretty sure they are the PF flare-up culprit. I don't have enough miles to run this week to break in a new pair. So I'm running my longest distance since January in old(er) shoes.
I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the crackpot tree...
Sunday, September 11, 2011
things i did in vegas (and yes, I RAN!)
Well, I'm back in one piece... somewhat poorer, but that was to be expected. The bf and I had a ton of fun, and I cannot wait to return. Vegas is my happy place. We had a lot of adventures... but some of them are staying in Vegas :)
Arriving at the airport:
For the first 2 nights, we stayed at Aria in the City Center. It's by far my most favorite hotel. (Probably because it's new, ultra-modern, and smells really nice.)
View of The Cosmopolitan from our room:
View of Paris/PH/Cosmo from our room:
Sunday morning, we ate at the Planet Hollywood buffet. Since we checked in on Foursquare, we were able to redeem a coupon for $$$ off... ended up paying only $40 for the 2 of us for brunch with unlimited champagne, score!
Of course I nearly ate my weight in cannolis:
Labor Day we brunched at Aria (yes, that's edible GOLD on my dessert):
Monday we moved to MGM Grand for the rest of the week. Bf worked his magic, and we got upgraded to a suite. Orton liked it:
He even got his own sofa:
Tuesday we went to Happy Hour at The Pub in Monte Carlo, one of the regular places we visit. They had these cute little $1 burgers:
We ate at the Cafe at the Hotel, part of Mandalay Bay. I thought we were NEVER going to find the place... we must have walked circles around the resort multiple times before we Googled it and found it. The bf had this bloody mary made with whiskey (and yes, that IS bacon in the glass):
Before we got on our plane to Chicago, we just HAD to try Hash House A Go-Go. It was on Rachael Ray, and Man v Food went there! So did Neil Patrick Harris and Martha Stewart. Yeah, I checked out the wall of fame while waiting for our table.
The bf got chicken pot pie:
I had their famous chicken and waffles:
Sadly, I did not win the jackpot and still have to go back to work tomorrow. Orton, however, made it rain:
Arriving at the airport:
For the first 2 nights, we stayed at Aria in the City Center. It's by far my most favorite hotel. (Probably because it's new, ultra-modern, and smells really nice.)
View of The Cosmopolitan from our room:
View of Paris/PH/Cosmo from our room:
Sunday morning, we ate at the Planet Hollywood buffet. Since we checked in on Foursquare, we were able to redeem a coupon for $$$ off... ended up paying only $40 for the 2 of us for brunch with unlimited champagne, score!
Of course I nearly ate my weight in cannolis:
Labor Day we brunched at Aria (yes, that's edible GOLD on my dessert):
Monday we moved to MGM Grand for the rest of the week. Bf worked his magic, and we got upgraded to a suite. Orton liked it:
He even got his own sofa:
Tuesday we went to Happy Hour at The Pub in Monte Carlo, one of the regular places we visit. They had these cute little $1 burgers:
We ate at the Cafe at the Hotel, part of Mandalay Bay. I thought we were NEVER going to find the place... we must have walked circles around the resort multiple times before we Googled it and found it. The bf had this bloody mary made with whiskey (and yes, that IS bacon in the glass):
Before we got on our plane to Chicago, we just HAD to try Hash House A Go-Go. It was on Rachael Ray, and Man v Food went there! So did Neil Patrick Harris and Martha Stewart. Yeah, I checked out the wall of fame while waiting for our table.
The bf got chicken pot pie:
I had their famous chicken and waffles:
Sadly, I did not win the jackpot and still have to go back to work tomorrow. Orton, however, made it rain:
Thursday, September 1, 2011
3 things thursday
1. It was so hot outside today that when I got back from my run, I bent down to get a can of Diet Coke from the fridge, and sweat dripped off my face and onto the floor. It landed with a "Splat!" sound. I made a puddle. On the kitchen floor. Gross.
2. I'm going to VEGAS on Saturday! Soooo excited! Plus my bro is driving up from Arizona and staying with his friends who are locals, so I'll get to see them all. I CANNOT WAIT.
Me and the bro in Vegas last year:
(Everyone thinks we're twins... can you see why???)
3. Tonight before the Bears game, I watched the episode of The Office where Michael gives his deposition... and it cracks me up every single time.
Best line is from Kelly: "Were your parents first cousins who were also bad at ping pong?"
2. I'm going to VEGAS on Saturday! Soooo excited! Plus my bro is driving up from Arizona and staying with his friends who are locals, so I'll get to see them all. I CANNOT WAIT.
Me and the bro in Vegas last year:
(Everyone thinks we're twins... can you see why???)
3. Tonight before the Bears game, I watched the episode of The Office where Michael gives his deposition... and it cracks me up every single time.
Best line is from Kelly: "Were your parents first cousins who were also bad at ping pong?"
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