Victory was Mine!

Success! This past week was very successful for me in terms of training. I think my body has finally adjusted to my new schedule and I didn't spend the week exhausted. So finally, I was able to fit in a regular schedule of workouts. 

I kickstarted the week Monday with a short run with my roommate who is recovering from a stress fracture and finally back on the running path! Tuesday was gorgeous weather and I took a nice long bike ride to Navy Pier and back. Wednesday is a long day for me at work, so I decided that could be my off day this week. I was back running on Thursday and followed that up with a bike ride to the bar for a couple drinks and home again. Friday I biked all the way up to Evanston for my classes. I was definitely biking faster in the morning, and found my legs a little less willing to perform on the ride home. 

But the legs were back and ready to work again Saturday morning. I didn't go run with the T2EA group since my pacegroup partner was out of town. Instead I mapped out a route through a different part of Lincoln Park that took me down to the local farmer's market. The market is my favorite mid-run stop, especially if I can find free maple syrup samples to give me a little extra boost for the run home. When I left the market I decided to weave through and along the new Nature Boardwalk. They really did a great job on this, and I'm not always a fan of the native plant look. So after a nice jog through this area, I decided to take a jaunt through the zoo where I caught the lions passed out in the sun... just like large housecats. How lucky am I to be able to jog through the zoo, just for fun!

Like I said... it was a successful week. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for this next week. Happy 4th of July!

Insatiable

Calories! My body is craving calories! It's like my body woke up a couple days ago, and it's starving. It seems like the swimming makes me hungrier than running ever did. Yesterday was a perfect example. The only time I wasn't hungry, was the 5 min following each meal. I woke up at 7, ate a large bowl of mini-wheats at 8. By 1030 I was starving and ate a roast beef sandwich. I pushed off eating until 3, when I ate a bowl of chicken curry soup. I finished the evening with an italian sub at 7. I came home 2 hours later and I was still hungry. How am I supposed to lose weight, if I replace all of the calories I burn?

This morning I wasn't sure what to do for food. I wanted to run before school, so I set my alarm for 6, expecting to be out the door by 615. This left me trying to decide whether or not I should eat before the run. For my long runs, I give myself extra time to factor in food and bowels. But, not this morning. I ended up going out the door without food. Needless to say, the energy wasn't there for my run and I had trouble getting through the 30 minutes. Argh!

Hopefully I'll get this eating thing figured out soon. But until then, I'd keep an eye on your small dogs.... mmmmmm.

Running for a Better Life

I guess I better get this blog going now that T2EA Marathon training has officially begun. I will also be swimming/biking and running the Chicago Triathlon, but I'll write more about that in a later blog.

First, I'd like to share something very personal with you. Not too long ago, my 55 yr old uncle, Dr. David Yanase, passed his physical with a clean bill of health. Then just a couple weekends ago, he was feeling tired and decided to go for a run as he often did. Unfortunately, he didn't return home from that run. While running, he suffered a heart attack and died. The autopsy indicated he had 100% blockage in his artery. There were no indications that he had any heart problems. 

For me, this is further reinforcement that when it's your time to go it's your time to go and there's nothing you can do to stop it. With this in mind, I've thought about why it is so important to me to train for a marathon and the triathlon. I train for fitness, not because I care about prolonging my life, but because I want to be able to live every day to the fullest with the most energy, comfort and strength possible.

In addition, no matter what your beliefs are about life after death, the fact is, we are all here for a limited time. This is why I try and do/see/experience as much as possible. I don't want to be laid up in a nursing home thinking about the things I wish I had done, or places I wish I had seen but can't anymore. I also don't want to lay there thinking wishing I had done more to make life more enjoyable, or better for other people. But, one thing I hadn't really thought about, was the thing my uncle did best. He made sure that every person in his life knew his love for them. He left nothing unsaid.

So while I was pushing myself to run my timed 3 miler a little faster on Saturday, I thought about my uncle. I don't know how far he planned to run, or how fast he ran, or even his route, but I know he died running. Note to self: don't think of sad things while running. Getting choked up, doesn't help your breathing. So I quickly dismissed these thoughts, and instead thought of how this was the beginning of my journey towards improving my fitness for all the reasons I listed above. 

I checked my blog from last year and found out I completed the 3 mile run with about a 13:00 min pace. This year, I finished with a little less than a 12:00 min pace. I'm still not breaking any land speed records, but Hot Damn! I'm proud of myself. So, I'll keep on running, biking and swimming.... and I think it's time to cut back on the french fries and save my arteries.

What the Phở!

Running season is once again upon us. There is no magical date that marks the beginning of this running season, just magical events.

16 Feb - I was online and ready to register for the 8k Shamrock Shuffle, but decided to wait until my roommate got home to make sure we both registered. 4 hours later, registration for the Shamrock Shuffle Closed.

23 Feb - Team 2 End AIDS - My Britney Spears Moment - I received a call last week from last year's marathon coach, and he had a 'Deal' for me. If I signed up to run the Chicago Marathon right then and there, they would waive the $100 registration fee. What a DEAL! Truthfully, I was already planning to run the Chicago Marathon. However, I was still trying to decide if I would run it with TFKATAMTPNKAT2EA (the Team Formerly Known As The AIDS Marathon Training Program Now Known As Team 2 End AIDS.) The fundraising commitment is worrisome since last year I didn't meet my fundraising goal and this year I can't afford not to meet it. But the benefits of running for a cause and running with a great training group and program seem to outweigh my financial concerns. I signed up. (Oops I did it again!)

1 Mar - I get a call that my roommate and I have both received free entry into the Shamrock Shuffle from Team 2 End AIDS - Running Season Begins!

To mark the beginning of running season, Amanda and I took a 2.5 mile run up to Tank Noodle where we celebrated with a round of water and a couple orders of Phở. Running season has officially begun!

AIDS Run Walk 5K

The weekend I returned from my Hawaiian vacation, I ran the AIDS Run Walk. Because we participated in the AIDS Marathon Training Program, we were automatically signed up for the event. It was awesome to be able to run with members of our pace group one last time. The Chicago marathoners used this event as a warm-up for the marathon their marathon the following weekend. I used this run as a chance to check my running progress. 

The AIDS Run Walk was the very first 5K race I've ever run entirely from start to finish. I felt ecstatic afterwards. Out of approximately 1100 runners, I came in #903 with an overall time of 37:49. That's a little over a 12 minute mile pace. I'm still not breaking any land speed records, but I don't care! I have a recorded 5K time that I can work to improve over the winter, and I have a new long sleeve t-shirt to prove it.

2, Maybe 3, Posts in 1

23 Miles!!! That was 6 hrs and 20 mins of running (including potty breaks). Here's what I found interesting. My body didn't need/want to stop after 20 miles, it was my mind. You see, by the time you reach that sort of distance, the body will just as soon keep moving because it becomes so painful to stop, slow down, or even walk. But the mind (at least my mind) needs stimulation. Yes, the lakeshore path was crowded with people, especially on a beautiful 65 deg day in August, but even seeing the Flirty Girl Fitness pole dancer at the beach, wasn't enough to overcome the boredom. It's like watching the same infomercial for 6 hours. Eventually, I have to change the channel. Finally, as we neared the finish, the channel changed. Two of my friends ran in the last quarter mile with us (in flip-flops) and the AIDS Marathon training staff greeted us with finishing medals, leis and Mai Tai's!

3 hours later, I was sitting on a plane to the Gulf Shores of Alabama to spend a week with my family soothing my sore muscles in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. 

The weekends following the 23 mile run consisted of a 10 mile run, (I missed because I was still at the beach) a 6 mile run that was supposed to be 10, (shortened because of a pace group member's knee injury) and an 8 mile run. 

And now here I sit having just completed my last 30 min run before the marathon. Because there is so many random thoughts going through my mind right now, I'll list them as bullet points.

• I've lost some weight since the beginning, not as much as I wanted, but my body composition has definitely improved and I'm happy about that
• Will I keep running regularly after the marathon, and what do I need to do to keep from backtracking?
• All of our training runs have been in cooler weather, so I hope it's not too warm during the marathon
• I'm very humbled by not only the number of donations I received, but also by the people who made them
• I thought it would be easier to raise the required amount, and I wonder if people will continue to donate even after the marathon
• The bag of garbage that's near me on the back porch right now, really stinks!
• I'm moving 3 days after I return from Hawaii
• I hope I can find a decent paying M-F job
• I need health insurance
• Do I have time to get a pedicure today?
• Will I stay healthy through the entire run and finish?
• I've made a detailed packing list, so I hope I don't forget anything
• etc...etc...etc...

Overall, this has been a great experience. I'm really glad I decided to do this because it has changed my lifestyle. I've never liked running, and I've never done it regularly. Admittedly, since the 23 mile run I've had difficulty motivating myself during the week, but it's become easier to push myself out the door. I don't dread running anymore, at all. It's just become something I do. And if I don't go for a run, my reasons have more to do with the time, or the temperature, or the weather, than they have to do with energy exertion. My confidence has also changed. I look better, I feel better and I feel confident projecting it. 

Thanks to everyone who encouraged me along the way. Sunday is the day of reckoning followed by a week of vacation. I'll let you know how it goes... when I get back! 

Read Something

Now that I'm getting closer to the real deal, I thought it would prudent to really learn how I'm supposed to be eating. While I was perusing books, I found this one, The Nonrunner's Marathon Guide for Women: Get off your butt and on with your training by Dawn Dais. It's pretty funny and written almost like a good travel journal. I've already gleaned most of the information from other books I've read, but I'm still considering reading it. It'd be like reading A Walk in the Woods after having already hiked the Appalachian Trail. Anyway, I definitely recommend it for any ladies out there who are thinking about, or are already tackling the marathon. 

Metaphorically Speaking

I've heard people say that running a marathon is a metaphor for life, or that completing a marathon let's you know you can accomplish anything. Really?!?! I don't get it. Granted I never thought I'd complete a marathon. Here I am, less than 2 months out, having run 20 miles, and confident that I'll be able to complete a marathon. But let's be honest here. I can say with confidence that I'll never climb Mt. Everest.... or will I? Hmmmm. 

I ran a sprint triathlon last Fall with the other women in my family and even though I completed it, I don't consider myself a triathlete. My training consisted of biking a few miles to the train station a couple times a week, running 4 or 5 times total, and swimming a couple laps in a farm pond about a month prior to the race. It took me 2 hours to finish. I pretty much walked the entire run portion and didn't feel in any better shape after the race, than I did 6 months prior. Because I know myself, I was concerned that I would apply the same (in)diligent training technique to the marathon and would find myself completing 26.2 miles and still not feeling like a marathoner. I am no longer concerned about this. 

I can complete a dozen 5Ks in a summer and never consider myself a runner. Or a half dozen sprint tris and never consider myself a triathlete. But I can complete one marathon and consider myself a marathoner. It seems to be all about the training. 

Up until last Thursday I was dreading the thought of running 20 miles. Then I read an article about how much of a difference a positive vs. negative mental attitude can have on running performance. Because I couldn't quite figure out how to be positive about 20 miles, I chose instead to block out the negative thoughts and just focus on preparation. I ate well throughout the week, I carb loaded Thursday night, stayed away from too much booze and drank a lot of water. Saturday morning I continued to go through the motions. While everyone else was talking about their 20 mile jitters, I was feeling calm and slightly removed from the situation. 

View the 20 mile route we ran here.   

http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=312344

The run itself was long, but the change of scenery kept my interest. For training purposes, and to avoid injury, they also had us slow our pace by 2 min per mile and change our run:walk intervals to 2:2. So we ran 20 miles at a 15:30 mile pace. Although it was difficult to keep such a slow pace at the beginning, walking more and running less helped us stay slower. I think the run:walk ratio was key to our success. Around the 15 mile mark my left knee began to ache, but it was relieved by the walking. However, for the last couple miles the walking started to hurt my joints more than the running. I read a little bit today about shuffling instead, so I might try that too. 

Finally, we made it to the end. I still had enough energy left over that I was able to sprint in the last 10th of a mile. It was actually a relief to let my legs stretch and it felt great. 

This is getting pretty long, so I want to sum it up with some quick notes:

• Running with new shoes helped tremendously
• I felt better after 20 than I did after 17!
• I have switched exclusively to the Luna Moon shaped energy chews and try to eat an entire package every hour (I split half every 30 min)
• I watched Spirit of the Marathon last night and am inspired to run multiple marathons and hope to someday run the Chicago Marathon
• I need to book my flight to Hawaii soon!
• A week ago I wasn't so sure I could complete 26.2 miles, but after completing 20 miles, I'm sure that all I have to do is keep running and walking and running and walking. 

Less than 2 months to go - please donate if you haven't already!!!!

Recovery and Preparation

I noticed a lot of pain in my left knee after the 17 miler. Besides running for a ridiculously long time, the only other reason seemed to be connected to my running shoes. The treads were really getting thin in areas. So I took them to the running store last week. The salesperson checked the treads to make sure they were wearing evenly, then had me try on a few other pairs to make sure I had the right shoe. In the end I bought a new pair of the same running shoes. 

The new shoes are part of my recovery and preparation leading into the upcoming 20 mile run. I'll be honest, after running 17 miles I don't want to run 20 miles! Just the thought of it makes my legs ache and scream in pain. However, in order to prepare our bodies to make it 26.2 we need to get some of these longer distances in there. Ugh!

In the meantime, the last 2 weekends we only had 8 mile runs scheduled. My body feels fully rested and ready to take on 20 miles. I'm also trying to make sure that I'm eating well and drinking enough water so that my body has enough fuel to get it through the entire run. Of course I'll also need to stock up on the energy chews (Luna is my preference.) I think I'll need at least 6 or 7 packets for the 5 hour run.

5 hours! Let's pray for cool weather!

17 Luxurious Miles... and Counting

I apologize for taking so long to write this latest post. After my last post, some of you were probably thinking that I wasn't able to continue training. Thankfully I was able to continue training and fundraising. I've made the commitment to myself to train for and finish this marathon, I've made the commitment to all those supporting me not to give up, and I've made the commitment to the AIDS Foundation to meet my fundraising goal to help the people who really need our help. To fulfill the last part of this commitment, and to secure my entry into the Maui Marathon, I had to guarantee the funds with my personal funds. And, even though I truly believe in the AIDS Foundation, I'm unemployed and $1,700 is a huge personal donation. So, for everyone out there reading this, if you haven't donated yet and you have the means, PLEASE DONATE NOW!

Speaking of now, we are now up to 17 miles in our training. 17 miles! That's 5 miles south, past the old Coast Guard station, over the animal bridge and almost to the Jackson Park Yacht Club, before turning around and running north back to 31st Street Beach and continuing another 3.5 miles north past the aquarium, the planetarium, Soldier Field, the Buckingham Fountain and the Chicago Yacht Club, then turning around one more time and continuing back south to 31st Street Beach. There's a lot to see and keep us interested along the way. But even running past the Firefighter's Memorial and Police Memorial can't take away the beating pain that running for 4 and a half hours thrusts on your joints. 

So I tried pushing myself a little further by considering the people who don't have the luxury of fitness. I pass these people every day while running through the parks. They sleep on benches, eat at soup kitchens, beg for change, and rarely have the luxury of a shower. I have so few possessions when I run, but those few things are still more than what many of the homeless in Chicago have when they are fully clothed. In addition, I have the luxury of fitness. I am beyond merely surviving. Much of the work that the AIDS Foundation funds is to assist people in these circumstances who also have HIV/AIDS. Now when I run, I try to appreciate this simple luxury instead of treating it as another chore to fit into my days. But after 17 miles - the pain was still there and it still took everything I had to continue pushing forward and running. 

As we neared the end of the run, our group had begun to spread apart. Our fearless leader was eyeing the finish line and continued to plod along, while I struggled to stay within 10 yards of her. At the same time, the other 2 runners in our group were really struggling and lagging back another 50 yards. I was exhausted, but I knew we needed to finish together. So I called Amanda back to me and we waited for the other two. Then with all of the fervor and gusto we could muster, we hooted and hollered all the way across the finish line. And for that last quarter mile, I didn't notice the pain I'd been feeling for the previous 5 miles, because I was so proud that we all were able to pull each other along and finish together. 

In the end: We were barely able to walk to our cars; I was starving; I realized I need a new pair of running shoes; and I took a much needed nap and motrin. 

14 For Naught?

This isn't getting easier! But I'm still going!

Saturday I ran further than I've ever run in one week, let alone a single day. We began our 14 miles around 7:30 AM as usual and finished 3.5 hours later! It was a long morning of running. The first 7 miles I was plagued with pain in my right knee, presumably because of my IT band. And the last 7 miles I was plagued with pain in my left knee, and then pretty much from the waist down, presumably because I was literally pounding the pavement for 3 and a half hours. 

Unfortunately, lack of support from family and friends may end my marathon training. 

I have only 10 days left to raise nearly $2,700, and I'm running out of options. 

I've been pleasantly surprised by the support I've received from people I least expected to donate. At the same time, I've been disappointed by the lack of support I've received from people I really expected to donate. 

Let me clarify the situation. 

• I am training to run a marathon. 26.2 miles. A distance that takes most people 30-60 minutes to drive. 
  
• Training without a team decreases my chances of successful completion 10-fold. 
• If I do not raise $3,500 I will not be allowed to continue training with the AIDS Foundation Training Program.
• Funding for HIV/AIDS services are being reduced at an alarming rate as States struggle to balance their budgets this year, making donations to organizations like the AIDS Foundation more important than ever!

I've set a goal for myself. I'm training as hard as I can for my health, while raising money for the AIDS Foundation. And I'm asking for your support. If you believe in what I am doing, then please let me know by making a donation. No donation will go unnoticed, or unappreciated. 

Follow this link to donate:

 http://afc.aidschicago.org/netcommunity/gabbiruns

Don't let my hardwork and training be for naught...

Feed Me!

I know I've mentioned this before, but it's still true. I need to eat properly! Not paying attention to my nutrition while training is definitely starting to affect my ability to run longer distances and recover. 

Ideally, I will wake up early enough on the morning of the long runs to eat a bowl of cereal, a couple of hard-boiled eggs and drink a glass of OJ before getting dressed. On the way to the run site, I can then eat a banana. I've been good about... getting up in the morning. 

Before our 10 mile run, I only had a banana. Before our 12 mile run, I undercooked the eggs. This past week, we only ran 6 miles. The eggs were perfect, I didn't have any OJ and I forgot to grab a granola bar on the way out the door. All of this adds up to me not having enough fuel for my muscles and I completely run out of energy EARLY. 

So the past 3 weeks I've been completely relying on energy supplements (chewables) to get me through. And, I'm learning a few things about them along the way. First of all, ShotBlocks are so big that I have a hard time eating one, let alone the recommended three per 45 minutes. Also, when it's pouring rain, the last thing I want to do is fumble around and try to find a ShotBlock to eat. 

I've found the moon shaped blocks to be a tad bit smaller and therefore easier to consume. Although I really enjoy the Jelly Belly Sports Beans, they recommend you eat an entire package every 45 minutes. That's a lot. So, I'll head to the running store again today and sort through the options. The one thing I haven't tried is the gels, and I'm not sure I'm ready to make that leap quite yet. 

As I write this, my stomach is grumbling in competition with the thunder outside because it's well past lunchtime. But, I swear I am trying to eat better during the week as well.

14 miles, here I come! 

**Thanks for reading my blog. Please take the time TODAY to support my fundraising efforts by following the link in the upper right hand corner of the page. 

Drip drip drop

Rain. Rain. Rain. Interspersed with short periods of sunshine. Followed by rain. That pretty much sums up the weather in Chicago over the past couple weeks. 

Last Tuesday was a short period of sunshine so I decided to go for a run with a couple of friends. I was a little weary when they suggested 45 minutes instead of the 30 that I've been running during the week. But I agreed. As we ran I realized a couple things about marathon training. Around 2.5 miles (3o min) I was ready to hurl. *Don't run after overstuffing yourself for dinner. I was tired at this point, but we kept going. We ran up one street and down another. Along busy streets and then down a nice quiet tree-lined street. BAM! I fell flat on my face. *When you're body is still exhausted from the long run, don't push it. And pick up your feet when you're running on the sidewalk. It's not quite as smooth and forgiving as the lakefront path. About an hour and 4.25 miles later we finished. Too long for a weekday run.

Thursday was another day marked by cold, wind and rain. I really wished I had some sort of rain jacket for running. Not to stay dry as much as to stay warm. Either way, I still had to run and running in the rain is actually somewhat meditative. Or so I thought. 

All of this was in preparation for our longest run yet. 12 miles. When we started, it was a little cool with a light breeze. A good day for running. Our course was 3 miles north to the Buckingham Fountain then 6 miles south and 3 miles north again to the start point. It was an easy first 6 miles. At the halfway point we all stopped for a potty break before continuing on south. That's when it began. The rain. At first it was a cool steady rain, but it didn't stop. It just got colder and heavier. As we got closer to the lake the winds picked up and it was miserable. Running in the rain is not always somewhat meditative!

After a nice hot shower at home, brunch and a nap, I awoke to that short period of sunshine. I got dressed, grabbed a beer and walked down the street to enjoy a fantastic evening at the Midsommerfest. 

Now it's time to put on the running clothes and start all over again. 

Going Bananas

10 miles was not easy. When I ran 7 miles through Lincoln Park alone, I knew I could run 26.2 around scenic Maui. When I ran 8 miles for almost 2 hours, I knew I could run a marathon for 6 hours. Every few minutes of this 10 mile run, I questioned whether I would finish the run with the pace group. Two hours and fifteen minutes later, I questioned whether I could finish two and a half times the distance. 

Needless to say, I'm dreading the 12 miles coming up this next weekend. But I'm willing to attribute my struggles this past Saturday to barely running last week because of a bad cold. Now I'm feeling much better and I guarantee I'll do both of my maintenance runs if it kills me. Hopefully it won't. 

I can probably also blame my run on a lack of breakfast. I keep forgetting to calculate breakfast into my wake-up time. Once again, I grabbed only a banana and ran out the door. 

Sidebar: It's taken me a concerted effort to learn to eat bananas without gagging. I don't mind the taste, but I hate the texture. To overcome this problem, there was a period of time when I would buy one banana a month and force myself to eat it. Now I can eat them more often as long as the outside is still slightly green and there are no bruises (somewhere between 4 and 5 on the chart.)

Of course this would be the day that my mind decided half way through the banana that it didn't like the texture and I started gagging. As a result, I started my run with half a banana in my belly. Damn the banana!

Piecing it all together

Last week, I was busy packing in preparation for my move and only managed to run once during the week. This left me feeling very nervous about the upcoming 8 mile run. It turned out the nerves were for nothing, because it was a rather uneventful run. 

I think I mentioned before that my entire group (14 min) defected to other groups. I migrated to the 13:30 group and everyone else joined the 14:30 group. Now seems like a good time to introduce my pace group - Ryan Hall. I like to think of us as one happy patchwork quilt - connected by a common goal.

Amanda - pace group leader, and my close friend. She leads the pack, sets the pace and keeps track of our run:walk intervals. Raising her hand, she gives us the final 5 second count of each interval. Choosing not to do this, once, led to an overwhelming uproar among the group. This past run, she also provided energy bean/block samples for the group. 

"Speedy" - veteran H.S. sprinter. She likes to get in a comfortable stride with Amanda at the front of the group and then they're off! Thankfully, she wears a florescent pink jacket that can be seen a mile away, so we always know where to find her. 

"Cheeks" - runs with Cameron during the week, (4-6 miles x 3 times!) She's also a proud mother of a 13 yr old boy and can be identified by her prominent cheeks. 

"Legs" - the lone male of our group. He's all legs. Running along side him, I literally take 2 steps for every one of his. Unfortunately, knee pain has been slowing him down. 

"Dreads" - she's still running in long baggy lightweight cargo pants... and possibly Birkenstocks. She was the first to take the plunge into cutting off the sleeves of the AIDS Marathon training shirt. Unfortunately, she's also being plagued by knee pain. 

Neesha - proud mother of a 3 yr old boy, she doesn't talk much, but appears to effortlessly keep plodding along. 

Kathy - our oldest pace group member. She's in her 50s and works for the Lutheran Church. We spent a lot of time talking this past week about a book I'm reading, and landscape architecture.

Me - the designated driver. I keep track of our time for each mile and make sure we stay at a conversational pace by keeping the conversation going... because I have the Gift of Gab. I also make sure nobody gets lost at the back of the pack and yell when our fearless leader gets going just a little too fast. 

So far, we've kept our group together on every run. Sometimes we run a little slower than pace, but most importantly we're covering the distance. And finishing as a unit. 

To Market. To Market

Missing a group run is not something I'd like to make a habit. But Saturday, I had a few perceived obstacles. First, our run site was changed to the North side. I thought this was because Bike the Drive was that day. In turn, I told my running partner, Amanda, that Lakeshore Drive would be closed that morning for the event and it would be difficult for her to make it to the run site. So, when my alarm went off at 6 am, and I knew Amanda wasn't on her way to meet me for the run, I promptly rolled over and went back to sleep. 

A short while later, I decided to check USATF and figure out what a 7 mile loop through Lincoln Park would entail. It was then that I remembered the Green City Market was open! "Maybe I won't run at all today," I thought, "Maybe I'll just walk down to the market instead!" 

"But no," I thought, "I need to run at least 30/45 minutes this morning so I'm don't lose progress." And that's when the answer came to me. I would run south for 30/45 minutes and then walk the rest of the way to the Green City Market, shop a little, then walk home. 

After a few relapses back into bed I finally made it out the door and began my run. 

Usually, I turn around after 15 minutes to complete a 30 minute loop, but this time I kept running. Past the harbor, past the blue wave playground, under Lakeshore drive and past the driving range. There were so many people out running along the path, and I kept running past places I have been, but along a path I'd never travelled. 

48 minutes later, I arrived at the Green City Market, ready for an energy boost. I was immediately energized by the people and activities going on around me... and a sample of maple syrup. Making my way through the patchouli soaked strollers, I tasted my way around the market. however, it wasn't long before I decided it was time to run home. 

And I did. I couldn't hide my smile as I approached Belmont Harbor, knowing that I was close to completing a 7 mile run. Alone. Under my own power and will. An accomplishment that 2 hours earlier I didn't think was possible.

7 miles in 96 minutes, with the knowledge that I can run the Maui Marathon. What an amazing Spring day in Chicago!

Crackle... Fizzle...

A couple nights ago, I was laying down and my knee was a little achey. Sometimes when it feels like this, I grab the kneecap and bend my leg back and forth until my knee pops. But this time when I tried that technique, my knee didn't pop. Instead, I felt and heard an awful crackling noise. Yuck! So I did what any prudent athlete would do... I popped a Tylenol and went to bed. 

Speaking of sleep. I've been sleeping great lately. But not late. For some reason, since I started this garden center job, my internal clock has been set to wake me up around 6:30 every morning. There's absolutely no need for this since the earliest I have to be at work is 9:30. So these early wake-ups, combined with all of this physical activity, has left me exhausted. I'm starting to fizzle. Today I took a day off and I'm hoping this helps. 

Before our long-run this past weekend, the coaches talked to us about using energy gels. From what I've read, you are supposed to slurp/eat one every 45 minutes. Of course nobody in our pace group had energy gels and after about an hour of running, we simultaneously began to run out of energy. It was the first run that became challenging to finish. However, we did finish. 6 miles and 1 hr 24 minutes. This week I'll be trying a PowerBar gel packet. I'll let you know how it goes. 

Swinging High

I feel like I either have nothing to say here, or too much. When it rains... it pours. 

First I want to tell you what I'm doing during the week to keep building my fitness level. Right now I work at a garden center. This means that I squat, bend and lift trays of plants while walking/standing on concrete for at least 8 hours. If it's cold I catch the bus to/from work. Catching the bus entails a 10 min walk each way. When it's nice out I bike to work - about 3 times per week. It takes about 20 minutes of continuous peddling on my mountain bike (not made for urban commuting) to cover the 3.5 miles each way. 

In addition to this cross-training I also run twice per week for 30/45 minutes. My friend Sara is training to run the Chicago Triathlon, so we've been trying to run together at least once a week. I never thought I'd consider running as a way to catch up with friends, but it's nice. In fact, I've never enjoyed running with anyone before. But I'm a talker, and having someone there to talk to keeps me from embarrassing myself by singing cadences.

Secondly, let's talk foot/heel pain. I've been icing my heels and taking Alieve for the past couple of nights after work. After a little bit of online research, I think I've narrowed the condition down to Retrocalcaneal Bursitis. (Really, between the pharmacist and the internet, who needs a doctor?) Basically, the bursa where the achilles tendon attaches to the heel bone is inflamed.

Although it's painful when I'm standing, walking and even resting, the pain wasn't evident at all when I was running. Thank goodness! Based on this evaluation I decided it was time to replace my old Merrells that took me across Europe in 2004. I am now wearing a comfy pair of Keens. If my toes were longer I'd cross them hoping that this works, because rest... is not an option.

Lastly, this morning I got up early to run. It was cold, windy and rainy. I tried to walk for 5 minutes as a warm-up, but after 2 minutes decided I was cooling down instead, so began my 3:1 run:walk. The first part of the run I mostly thought about the cold, the wind, the rain and how long I was running, and where/when I should turn around. Then I turned around and began running with the wind at my back. All of a sudden I noticed the sailboats rocking back and forth in the harbor and thought about owning one of my own someday. Next I saw the crabapple trees in bloom and wondered about the invasiveness of the species. A little further along the path I jogged past the boat park (I'll post a picture someday) and wondered... would swinging be a beneficial cross-training exercise? 

When all was said and done, I covered about 2.5 miles in 32 minutes. You can see most of my route on USATF America's Running Routes (of course the beginning and end have been omitted for privacy.) Training for this on the lakefront in Chicago is truly amazing!

Who Benefits From Your Donations?

Picture having spent most of your life bouncing from one living situation to the next, having lost 15 years to your drug of choice, being excommunicated from your family, and on top of that trying to maintain your health against one of the deadliest diseases in history. And then going to a place that helps you take control, pull yourself up, and eventually sign your first lease. This is what happens at Bonaventure House.

Alexian Brothers, Bonaventure House ($5.000)

Their Chicago facility is a 35 room transitional living recovery home, which offers adult men and women with HIV/AIDS -- who were homeless or at-risk of homelessness - a chance to rebuild and reclaim their lives. Nearly 1,000 men and women have called Bonaventure House their home. With a wide array of on-site supportive services -- case management, occupational therapy, recover, and spiritual care - most residents are able to return to independent life in the community within a 24-month

If the Jeans Fit

Wednesday morning I pulled on the pair of jeans I bought for work about 3 weeks ago. After buttoning them up, I realized that I could literally fit 2 hands comfortably in the waist band. So then I tried on the second pair that I bought the same day to see if they fit the same. They did. Then I decided I would try on the pair of jeans that's been sitting on my shelf for the past 6 months, in hopes that I would someday fit into them again. I thought it would be interesting to see how close I was to fitting into them comfortably again. To my surprise, they fit! 

I was in such disbelief that I went on and tried on every pair of pants in my wardrobe. I wanted to make sure it wasn't a fluke. Sure enough, a lot of pants and shorts fit much better than they did last summer!

To celebrate I went down the street and had a steak and egg skillet. Yummm! For my East Coast fans who may have never heard of a skillet, it's a plate of hashbrowns topped with melted cheese, topped with cut steak and green peppers, topped with 2 eggs over easy and a large dollop of guacamole. It probably isn't the healthiest meal, but if the jeans fit, why not celebrate?!?