maiden voyage...

Today I took these sweet shoes out for a spin... the Brooks Pure Project PureGrit.

The verdict? I'm in love.

Ok, so I only ran 2 miles. But I immediately felt amazing in these shoes. They're super light, but with really durable soles... they just... FIT.

As you know, I've been struggling with a nasty case of PF for the better part of the last 3 months. To be honest, most days after running, when I take my shoes off, I'm unable to put my heel on the ground for the rest of the evening... that's how bad it is.

But today everything changed.

I came home after my 2 miles, feeling like I finally understand what the minimalists believe. I get it now. I guess I'm a minimalist at heart. While I'll never fully commit to the barefoot thing (SO not practical in suburbia), I can still wear a shoe and run correctly. I'm so excited about running tomorrow, because I get to put on my sweet new shoes.

And the pain? Nonexistent. I've had my heel on the ground all evening, and it feels tremendous.

The PureGrits, IMHO, are worth every single penny (all 10,000 of them). Try them! They might change your life too!

i got beat by a bumblebee (chicago monster dash RR)

I had a wonderful little Saturday downtown on Saturday... it was the Chicago Monster Dash Pikermi, and also my cousin's first time at the distance.

We arrived early for cheap parking in the Soldier Field garage. Our friend Kari came with to be our pack mule and take photos of the event.

(Note: Photos in this blog are from Kari, and my Half Fanatic friends Dave Mari and Kirk Taylor. As usual, I traveled sans camera.)

We headed to the start line just in time for the Half Fanatics picture:

Informal shot:

Goofy pics:



Me and my cousin before the start:

We are probably laughing at the hairy Captain America we saw:

About 15 minutes before the *scheduled* start of the race, we headed to the start line... and waited... and waited. The race FINALLY started, about 15 minutes later than scheduled, and we were OFF!

Pic of the start line that Kari took:


Mile 1: Since this race is run entirely on the lakefront paths, it's CROWDED. I knew that going into it. My only goal for today is to have fun... and go under 1:55 again. So I guess I have 2 goals. I just need to start out conservatively, and if I feel good after 10 miles, than I'll go for it. But I'm not expecting miracles today! 8:54

Mile 2: It's a GORGEOUS day outside. Crisp and cool, the sun is shining... I couldn't have imagined a more perfect running weather day. Where was this 3 weeks ago, I would LOVE to know. 8:24

Mile 3, 4, 5: Running by the boats and Navy Pier, then on the bridge over the river... oh, and did I mention that the path is open to other users? I just passed a lady with a giant wheelie suitcase... something tells me she's not running in the race!

As I'm looking around for mile marker 3, I see this guy laying on a stretcher in the middle of the path, puddle of blood next to him... later, I would find out that he was on a bike and hit one of the runners. He lost, and had to go to the hospital.

Of course, the one day I remember to turn the auto lap off ahead of time, there are no mile markers. I hate when races don't provide them! I like splits! With actual accurate numbers! Ahhh finally, after passing a flag football game where the participants stopped to cheer for us, I see a mile marker for the first time in ages! 25:51

Mile 6: In this mile, I discovered that my leg has been hurting for a few miles. I also passed a sperm and an egg. Halloween races are fun. 8:12

Mile 7,8: Almost to the turnaround! I can't believe how quickly this race is going. I'm having a lot of fun people-watching. And oh look, I just passed a guy dressed like a shower. Yes, a shower. Complete with pipes and a shower head. 18:36

Mile 9, 10, 11: The skyline looks so small, but as I keep putting one foot in front of the other, the buildings get larger and I know that I'll be done soon. Honestly, I can't wait to be done. But so far, I'm proud of the smart race I'm running. I'm not trying to chase anyone, or keep up with anyone. I'm running my own, consistent race. And even though my leg hates me and my toes keep going to sleep and my heel will be screaming as soon as I finish, I am happy with today...

...except for more missing mile markers! GRRRR! 24:39

Mile 12: I feel like ever since we passed Navy Pier and the harbor, we were just hit with a WALL of wind. I think that I'm running as fast as I possible can, but that I'm moving backwards. And my split from this mile certainly confirms this view! 9:05

Mile 13.1: Ok, so my leg is killing me. I know that I only have 1.1 miles left, but that feels like an eternity. I smile for the official race photogs, and then grimace as soon as I pass them by. This is a challenge.

This girl in front of me is in a bumblebee costume. And her bf, or husband, or whoever, is on a bike, like 2 feet in front of her. And he keeps snapping pics over his shoulder, like a crazy paparazzo... I really just want to hit him. I sprint around her just before the tunnel, because I'm tired of being in this person's pictures.

I know the finish line is right up ahead, up a small hill and down through the start corrals back to the start line. I see Kari on the side of the path. I'm practically having to pick up my leg and make it move to the finish. I don't sprint, because I'm sure that my leg will fall off, but instead pick up the pace a little and head to the finish. The bumblebee beats me. She had a nice kick. And now she's going to be in my finisher photo, since she ran in front of me. Bummer man.

FINAL TIME: 1:52:50... 1 minute faster than Sunday!
AVERAGE PACE: 8:33
MILESTONE REACHED: 14th half marathon of 2011.
NEXT PIKERMI: Aurora Half Marathon, 11.6.2011

After I finished the race, I got my awesome (stained glass) medal and my snack bag and met up with Kari. I was beat. My foot hurt. But after I got some salt in me and drank some water, I was able to get off my butt and head about a half mile from the finish to wait for my cousin.

We waited for a few minutes, and then we saw Jill and her bright orange smiley face shirt at the top of the hill. I jumped in with her and ran her in to the finish line.

Dave, who finished a few minutes ahead of Jill, jumped in as well and took these awesome pics of the home stretch:




Here she goes, straight to the finish:

I'm so unbelievably proud of my awesome cousin for finishing her first half marathon! Next stop - Half Fanatics :)

rock n roll st louis pikermi RR

Finally I am getting around to writing my race report from Sunday! I had a fantastic weekend in St Louis with my Ragnar ladies, and can't wait to do it all again at RnRNOLA in March.

I took the choo choo all the way to St Louis by myself... can I just say, I had a great experience on the Amtrak. I got to read my Kindle, eat donuts, and space out until I got to St Louis. Also, I didn't have to drive. And it was cheap. Win time 10.

Proof of my mode of transportation:
Saturday we (me, Renee, Kelsey, Jenn) went to the expo, then headed to our hotel to freshen up. I picked the hotel with the free happy hour, which meant free booze - you betcha we hit that one up! Then Jenn, who is a St Louis local, took us to a FANTASTIC little Italian place for dinner. I was stuffed with yummy food (and Schlafly beer - a MUST when visiting StL). Then we went to a little cocktail bar for one more pre-race drink.

Renee and I were keeping tabs on the big game (Yeah Spartans!):
We woke up the next morning with every intention of hitting up the Half Fanatics group picture... but the damn finisher zone was in the way and we couldn't get to the other side of the street! So instead we watched the picture being taken and then headed to the start line.

Start line:
Me and Renee before the race:

After a 5 minute delay (the announcer blamed it on the Cardinals game and NOT on the Spartans AMAZING Hail Mary), we were OFF!

Mile 1: Renee and I planned to run together. My leg is still acting weird, and she wanted to run a 1:55. I can run a 1:55 with no problem, so I was going to pace her.

My leg hurt. Crap. I feared this was going to be a long race, but the first mile, with its views of Busch Stadium where the ucky Cardinals play, went by soooo quickly! 8:34

Mile 2: A little fast for the first mile, but I just want to ruuuuun! Going through downtown, and passing lots of stuff we drove/walked by yesterday was really, really fun. 8:38

Mile 3: Renee and I decided to pass the time by seeing how different teams' NFL gear would be represented by spectators. We saw a lot more college gear, but it was still fun to pick out the NFL teams.

(Since you asked, we saw stuff from the: Rams, Bears, Packers, Chiefs, Steelers, Browns, Titans, & Dolphins. No Tim Tebow jerseys, thank God.) 8:38

Mile 4: Pace is steady and only single digits to go! Man, that was fast! 8:52

Mile 5: This is the first of many times that I will mention how glad I am to only be running a half marathon today. I just like them soooo much better :) 8:49

Mile 6: This course is a lot different from GO St Louis... seeing different parts of the city is really fun. We're running through the university now and it's really a nice area. I can't smell the smoke from Pappy's, which is more than a little disappointing. 8:19

Mile 7: Slowing down a little bit, as the hills are starting to kill me. I am from the flat-ass part of Illinois. We don't have hills.

(Funny thing - as I was standing in the finisher zone waiting for Renee, this guy says to his friend, "Y'all need to flatten out this town! Tough hills!" He speaks the truth.) 8:50

Mile 8: On the last turn, I swore I saw someone with a Half Fanatics shirt a little bit in front of me. As we straightened out, I realized that it's Kirk and Lindsay, friends of mine from Illinois. So I say to Renee, let's catch them! So we do. Renee is qualifying for Half Fanatics today, as is Kelsey. I am so happy for them, so I share the news with fellow Fanatics. Today is awesomesauce. 8:59

Mile 9: Kirk and Lindsay pass us at the water station and compliment us on our shorts. Because they are matching. We bought the same shorts on Nike.com without knowing it. Then we realized we have 2 of the same pairs of shorts. Dressing alike is so nerdy, yet so much fun. 8:58

Mile 10: More hills, blah. Renee is right behind me but fading a bit. I keep her in my periphery and hope that I can will her to make me chase her. (Does that sentence make sense? Because I feel like it doesn't.) 9:09

Mile 11: Renee is fading fast. I try to pull her with me, but it's just not her day. She tells me to take off and I do. All I want to do is cross the finish line so that I can sit down and drink my free beer. My legs and feet hurt. I want this to be over! 8:46

Mile 12: I crank my tunes and just GO! I can see the city skyline and a little smidgen of the Mississippi River. I know that we'll get a couple of downhills. I know that the finish is the same as it is for GO, so it will be uphill. Just get there... 8:24

Mile 13: Sooo close now. I give it absolutely everything, even though I practically have to lift my leg up to get it up that last hill. Stupid thing stopped working again. I can't feel my toes. But less than a mile and I can sit down, I tell myself. You've done this before, piece of cake. And I just kick the shit out of this mile and finish with the fastest one I've run in a half marathon since mid-September. 7:59

Mile 13.1: I can see the finish line, so I just sprint. As I near the line, the announcer says my name and town! And I got under 1:55! YAY! 0:47

FINAL TIME: 1:53:55
AVERAGE PACE: 8:34
MILESTONE REACHED: 2nd RnR race of 2011, bring on the bling!
NEXT PIKERMI: Monster Dash, 10.29.2011

Eventually I found Renee in the finisher zone, and we headed to gear check and the beer tent.

Pic of us in our matching shorts:


Then we caught up with Kelsey and headed back to the hotel for some hot showers before a post-race bash at Jenn's friend's place. Yay for pulled pork sammies and more Schlafly!

Dinner was at the hotel happy hour (HOT DOGS!!!), and then we went to the casino for some penny slot awesomeness. I only lost $5, and we played for a couple of hours, so I will consider that a win.

Monday we played tourist in StL, which is not complete without a trip to the top of the Gateway Arch! Now, I am not one for heights or closed-in spaces, but once I got over that part, the views from the top were incredible!

It's THIS tall:


Kelsey, me, Renee:

The Great State of Illinois, as seen from the top:


Helicopter landing:

Busch Stadium:

Edward Jones Dome, where the Rams play:


Some dumb lady on the Amtrak loudly told everyone around her that this was the state capitol building of Missouri... dumbass... everyone knows the capital of Missouri is Jefferson City!

Cool view for a sunny day:

This is what takes you to the top:

There are 5 people in these! Close quarters, eh?

Jenn was a terrific host, and I had an absolute BLAST at this race, despite the hills and my leg acting weird. I can't wait to do it again in 2012!

3 things thursday

1. Monday I took advantage of the AWESOME coupon offered by Rock n Roll races for the Mardi Gras one in March 2012... it only cost $35 for the half marathon! Count me in! Lots of my Ragnar ladies, as well as tons of Maniacs/Fanatics, are in as well... it's gonna be a great time.

2. I'm sorry, but The Office is not so funny anymore. And Robert California is kinda creepy. I think if it's Thursday, and you're looking for something funny, I recommend Parks & Recreation and Whitney. And then flip to FX for The League, which is wildly inappropriate but HILARIOUS.

3. My Brooks Pure Project shoes arrived on Wednesday! Can't wait to try them out next week :)

wordless wednesday

This is me, in the middle of the photo, red shorts and bright yellow Maniac tank, running down State St in the Chicago Marathon, before everything went to shit.

3 things thursday

1. Saturday morning I'm taking the big, bad Amtrak to St Louis all by myself. (I'm a grownup now, this is what we do.) I'm heading down to the Rock n Roll St Louis Pikermi, and meeting some of my favorite people, Ragnar teammates Jenn, Kelsey, and Renee. It's going to be epic. Renee and I are going to shout at one another during the football game (GO SPARTANS!). Hopefully there will be beer drinking and slot machine playing on the agenda. OH! And running! :)

My foot/leg nastiness has been much better this week. Drastically reducing my mileage seems to have done the trick. I'm actually running better than I have in months. All I want to do on Sunday is finish with a smile on my face. This is all the new plan requires of me, and I am MORE than ok with that!

2. I got an email this morning that my Brooks PureProject shoes shipped! I literally cannot wait until they get here. I got the PureGrit, the trail ones inspired by Scott Jurek. They are arriving just in time, as the Ghosts will be retired in 20 miles or so...

3. Currently listening to the new Jake Owen CD, Barefoot Blue Jean Night. It is, in a word, terrific.

wordless wednesday, world series edition

This is how I feel about the St Louis Cardinals in general... now that they're in the World Series, it's times a bazillion.

beautiful autumn day!

Today I...

*slept late,
*ate 3 donuts for breakfast,
*watched the Redzone channel for all the early NFL games,
*ran 6 miles at 8:31 pace with NO PAIN and felt like I could have run forever,
*jumped in a big pile of leaves,
*stopped at a little kid lemonade stand,
*saw a guy wearing a CM11 shirt and high-fived him.

Operation Running Is Supposed To Be Fun is working out very well so far :)

GO BEARS!!!

starting over... in a sense

I began my new training program this week, created after last weekend's epic fail. So far, so good. All my limbs are still attached. No more pain. My positive attitude is back, and I'm not beating myself up about not finishing Chicago. There will be other races. I have the whole rest of my life ahead of me.

As my mom said, "On your bad day, you still ran 13 miles. That's pretty darn impressive." Guess that means I can still wear the t-shirt. And the hat and jacket that I bought at the expo :)

New goals:
1. A year off marathons. Halfs are much more fun anyway. And you don't have to run crazy distances over the weekend to keep up with training. I'll get my revenge on Chicago in 2012, and hopefully I can break 4 hours by the time I turn 30.
2. Don't worry about pace. Run with your gut. This means leaving Garmin at home sometimes.
3. For the winter months, concentrate on time on my feet instead of mileage. I'm going to have numbers that aren't round, which is terrifying, but I'll get over it eventually.
4. Do more fun things on my training runs, like, take pictures of funny signs, run on roads I've never been down before "just because," or stop for a donut break.
5. Don't wimp out in the cold weather. Related: buy running tights.

Adapting to my new lifestyle, today I didn't run, because I didn't want to. Also, it was windy. I don't like running in 30 mph wind gusts. Tomorrow I'll be running 6 miles, and definitely stopping for that donut break. :)

3 things thursday

1. My thoughts on Hank Williams Jr getting fired from ESPN: You deserved what you got. I don't know when Americans thought that disrespecting the President and calling him despicable names became "free speech." It's disgusting. I don't have to like the person in charge, but I sure as hell have to respect him, since he represents me. In the olden days, they didn't put up with this shit. It was called treason, and people were beheaded for that. Just sayin'.

2. I have nothing to do this weekend. There's a 5K like, less than a mile from my house, but I've ordered myself to not run it. If you read a race report here on Monday morning, you all have permission to throw tomatoes at my house.

3. My favorite show, Parks & Recreation, is on tonight! And so are the Blackhawks! I love Thursdays :)

wordless wednesday

The bf found "Be Your Favorite Tiger" cutouts from the Detroit Free Press to get ready for the game. So my stuffed lion, Orton, is Jim Leyland. You should see my poor teddy bear, he is Jose Valverde.

the awesomely bad marathon that wasn't (RR)

I was so looking forward to yesterday... I've been training for months, been focused for weeks, and prepped perfectly this past week. I went to the expo Friday, so that I could have all day Saturday to do nothing. I ate pasta. I drank water.

And then it all went to shit...

Bf and I took the early Metra train in from the suburbs, where I got to use an INDOOR toilet before walking the rest of the way to Grant Park (SCORE!). My train was a few minutes late, so I missed the Maniac group picture, but I still made it in plenty of time to check my bag and chill in the start corral. I made a very nice man on the walk there, a fellow Maniac, who is also the race director for the Chicago Monster Dash I'm running at the end of the month. Small world.

I was so excited to hear Jim Cornelison, the singer for the Blackhawks and of this gem from 9.11, sing the anthem for the race. The man can lift an entire city, and he impressed the hell out of the tourists. Dear Marathon organizers, book this guy EVERY year!

Then it was GO TIME, to the tune of "Born to Run" by Springsteen and "Right Now" by Van Halen.

I was ready. I was pumped. I felt great. I came here to break 4 hours, and here I am. Let's DO this!

Mile 1: Saw my favorite sign right before we went into the tunnel - it was a picture of Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons and said, "Worst. Parade. Ever." What a way to start the race!

I wanted to start off conservatively, and not run very fast in the beginning, figuring I'd save any speed for the middle/Chinatown part of the race. Also, Garmin said that I was running at 3:19 pace, so I was doing this blind for a little bit... stupid tunnels. 8:57

Mile 2: It's still really crowded on these narrow streets, but I'm settling into my pace nicely and I feel great. Cross the river, see the majestic Chicago Theatre, the legendary Macy's, and right at the 2 mile marker is the bf! I'm so happy to see him! 8:51

Mile 3: Now, people have cheered for me in races, clapped politely, looked at me incredulously... but never HECKLED me. Guess that's what happens when you run past the Chicago Board of Trade during the Occupy protests while running a marathon put on by a bank. It's the only time I've wished for easy access to tomatoes. I have great aim. 8:40

Mile 4: I passed a pregnant lady running on her due date. SO glad it wasn't the other way around! (Her passing me, and also the pregnant thing. Kids are lame.)

I'm settling into my pace nicely and I feel great. Can't wait to see what the rest of the race brings! 8:50

Mile 5: Smells like poo, must be the zoo! 8:37

Mile 6: Ok guys, I just can't hold it anymore. Right when we turn by the nature museum at Diversey Harbor, I duck into a smelly poo house to take care of business. Lost an extra minute because apparently I suck at pulling up my underpants. True story. 10:39

Mile 7: It's still nice and shady, and it doesn't feel too hot outside. I'm glad I wore a tank top and a white hat. I'm going to wait another mile before I eat my Gu. We're onto Inner LSD now, with pretty lake views and people beeping their horns at us. Marathon day is so special in Chicago, and when you get a view like this, you can see why it's so popular. 8:31

Mile 8: Into Boystown, where the streets narrow a bit. Something feels off. I'm running a little funny and I don't feel as good as I did at the zoo. I have no idea what just happened. Maybe a Gu will help. I grab some water and eat some Mint Chocolate Gu. It tastes like frosting and I perk up a bit. 9:06

Mile 9: Ok, something is wrong. Like REALLY wrong. I can't feel my toes again. I have this shooting pain from my left buttcheek all the way to the tip of my toe. This is making me almost HOP my way down the street. I don't care where I am. I don't look at signs. I can't believe I have to do this for 17 more miles! 9:45

Mile 10: I'm frantically searching the cheering faces for the bf. I have no idea where he's meeting me next. I don't think I can do this. My leg HURTS where I can feel it. Just get to the halfway point and then reassess, I tell myself. You can do this. 9:36

Mile 11: I crank the music up and keep moving. But I can still hear someone moaning. How annoying! I weave in and out and all around, but I'M STILL HEARING IT. Where is this moaning coming from??? Oh right. It's coming from me. Because I am in PAIN. This is not going to continue. Just get to downtown. 10:01

Mile 12.95: I'm done. My leg hurts way too much to continue. I know that if I keep going, not only will it take me practically forever to finish, but I will hate myself. My body will hate me even more than it does now, if that's even possible. I'm so out of this race already that I don't even notice mile marker 11. Best to get out now before I do any further damage.

I cross to the left side of the street, push through the spectators on the sidewalk, take off my bib number, and calmly hobble down Adams to Grant Park, where my bag is checked (and my phone is, grrr). The tears don't come until I talk to my mom as I'm walking to meet the bf. I'm happy that I started, but it just wasn't my day. I'm proud of myself for listening to my body before any further damage was done. There will be other races. 17:29

FINAL TIME (For 12.95 mi): 1:59:06
AVERAGE PACE: 9:12
MILESTONE REACHED: 3rd DNF (out of 7) Chicago Marathons :(
NEXT MARATHON: Chicago 2012, if I make it all the way.

I learned a few things about myself in those 12.95 miles:

*My body screams loudly and basically shuts down when it's in pain.
*I pay attention when it's in pain.
*I like half marathons way more.
*I don't need to prove anything to anyone, especially myself. I'm a Maniac forever, whether I run 1 more or 1,000 more. I'm thinking a minimalist approach is key.
*I didn't have any fun out there on Sunday. If it's not fun, then what's the point. More fun, less pain from here on out.
*24 hours ago, I wanted to go on vacation every year for the marathon, so that I wouldn't be tempted to run it. Now I want redemption. I think once I break 4 hours on my home turf, I'm done for good. I don't know how many attempts that will take me, but I guess we'll find out.
*I've got nothing but time. There will be other races.

Stay tuned for my new and improved training program ;)

ready to OWN CHICAGO!

OMG I can't believe it's in a few hours! I have been nervous for 4 days, but as of about 20 minutes ago, I'm EXCITED! I can't contain myself! My 5th Chicago Marathon is tomorrow!

Yes, it's going to be a tad too warm for my taste - but I will just "Keep Calm & Carry On." I have done this before, piece of cake. I'm getting up tomorrow long before the sun, taking the Metra in, and then running a marathon. Yikes. I need to go to sleep soon!

Before I retire, some pics from the weekend thus far:

Took the bus to the expo on Friday with my Ragnar friend Jenn and some of her other friends:


I found my name on the giant wall! Not an easy task, with a generic last name like mine:

Meeting up with some more people at the expo:

My race outfit for tomorrow, look for me on TV!

bucktown 5K

I must admit, this is one of my favorite race in the whole city. Yep, it's really crowded (it helps to qualify for seeded corrals :) ) My goal was the same as yesterday - do some speedwork in my marathon shoes, go under 24:30, don't die. Piece of cake!

Mile 1: This is my 4th consecutive year doing this race. (Not gonna lie, I just do it for the nice stuff in the goodie bag. This year we got a track jacket.) It's crowded, and there's a lot of potholes on the neighborhood streets, but it's just so much FUN!

Confession time: I was running with my cell phone in the back pocket of my capris. When I started running, my pants started falling down. Had to take the phone out and hold it, so as not to moon the participants behind me. Guess I've lost weight since this time last year! Nice, even pace, and I'm very happy with how this mile went (despite almost showing off my rear end). 7:49

Mile 2: My legs are tiiiiiiired. Guess I should have stretched after yesterday's 5K! Oh well, they'll hurt, and then it'll be over. That's my mantra. I'm just rolling with it and hoping for the best from here on out! 7:45

Mile 3: I'm going to negative split the shit out of this race. Because I am awesome. This is pretty fun! Another long boring stretch of road, eventually leading to the finish (see: yesterday). I kick it in when I'm about .25 away, ready to sub-24 this... 7:43

Mile 3.1: I race 2 people on either side of me, beat one, let the other pass me by. I glance at Garmin - 24:01. Crap. Check the race results later - they have me back that extra second. 24:00! Woo hoo! 0:43

FINAL TIME: 24:00
AVERAGE PACE: 7:37
MILESTONE REACHED: 4th consecutive finish at this race, my longest *running* streak of any race to date.
NEXT 5K: Paul's Run for Epilepsy, 10.16.2011 (maybe, depends on how I feel after Chicago)

Well, ok... since you asked... other race streaks I currently have going:
*Edison Park Turkey Trot (I power-walk with Pops) - 9
*Bucktown 5K - 4
*Rock n Roll Chicago Pikermi - 3
*Soldier Field 10 Mile - 3

NEXT UP - THE MARATHON!!!!

itasca oktoberFAST 5K RR

Warning: The following race reports are from last weekend. I've been a little behind, being sick this week and freaking out about the #CM11 weather.

You might remember that I did this race last year. It was fun. We ate brats. I won some bling. It was cold. Fun was had.

I arrived early to pick up my packet. It was cold, AGAIN. I didn't care - I was going to wear shorts regardless. Look around - the Dick Pond tent is being set up. Crap. The fast people are here. Oh well, bling was fun while it lasted!

My plan for today was to wear my new shoes and see how they handled fast running. (If they didn't, I was going to burn them, cry, and then break in a new pair in 8 days. Seriously. I swear I'm not deranged.) Also, with there being a huge hill in the first mile, I wanted to go out conservatively and then burn it at the end.

We lined up at the start line, which was different from last year, and super weird... just a sign stuck in the ground that said Start. No timing mats, even though we were wearing chips. Oh I see, mass start, individual finishes. Way to half-ass it, race people.

Mile 1: I started off by sprinting ahead of all the people who don't know how to line themselves up. Walkers, little kids, people who are gleefully exclaiming to one another, "Gosh I haven't run a mile since high school! In 1978!" Hoo boy.

I focused on keeping a consistent pace and not letting my form go to shit. It worked! 7:37

Based on the timeline of the photos, I think this was taken somewhere in the first mile (I'm in the pink hat!):


Mile 2: This mile is super-boring. Just a long, straight road that eventually leads to the next mile marker. I'm not kidding. That is literally what it's like. At least my hands aren't cold anymore! The sun feels nice on my face. I glance down at Garmin, and it says I'm running at 6:56 pace. How freaking awesome is that?! 7:29

Mile 3.1: Heading to the finish now. I know a PR is out of the question, but my goal coming into today was just to break 24:30. Since I'm running 2 5Ks this weekend, the goal is the same for both. I feel great, so I sprint down the street. I can see the turn, and I pass an Ironwoman on my way around the corner (secret goal). Now for the downhill finish... 8:21

FINAL TIME: 23:28 (5 seconds slower than last year... DANGIT!)
AVERAGE PACE: 7:26
MILESTONE REACHED: 1st cold race in shorts since Chicago Marathon 2009.
NEXT 5K: Bucktown 5K, 10.2.2011

I went back on the course to look for my cousin and her husband... Roger came in around 27:00, and we both waited for Jill, who came FLYING down the road with a shiny course PR :)

3 things thursday

1. Sunday is the big day. I have my clothes already laid out, just waiting for some blank bibs to write my name and Maniac/Fanatic deets on, will safety pin them to my singlet after the expo tomorrow. Yep, I'm avoiding the rush (I hate crowds... weird that I run the Chicago Marathon with 45K others each year) and hitting the expo with my awesome Ragnar friend Jenn tomorrow. SO EXCITED. The weather is going to be warm, which I do not like, but I will just remember to wear sunscreen and a white hat. Wish me luck!

2. Confession: I stole this from Krittabug. She posted today all about The Hunger Games trilogy, which I love to pieces. There's actually a site where you can find out what District you belong in. I am in the "Power" district... sounds like me, right? ;)


3. I bought a pair of the Brooks Pure Project shoes earlier this week, but they are backordered until October 19th. I got the more rugged trail shoes, designed by Scott Jurek. CANNOT WAIT for them to come and be on my feet!

wordless wednesday

I cut my hair this afternoon! Took off 7 inches, but it's still long enough for my ponytail for the marathon :)


Bonus pic: Jill, Roger, Kari, & Me in our matching shirts at the DeKalb Corn Classic :)