A Maniac is Born

So I've decided to run the San Francisco Marathon in July. Well, more than decided...I've registered. And booked my hotel. And put in for the PTO at work. And started looking for a plane ticket. And did I mention I've also registered for the Omaha Marathon in September? Long story but that one will actually be a local race for me; a move from Denver to Omaha is rapidly approaching. Did I mention we are moving from Denver to Omaha?! Yeah, it's been that kind of month.

So, apparently I am going to continue the marathon madness, and maybe I'll scootch a June or August race in there and become a maniac along the way....

Made it To a Marathon

Well, more than a year after I first set out to run a marathon, I have finally, officially done it. 17 months, probably a thousand miles, one stress fracture, and countless peanut butter M&Ms later I can proudly say it: I AM A MARATHONER.

What a great feeling. What a great Mothers' Day. I got to spend it in the glorious Colorado mountains, in perfect weather, doing just what I love: running. And not just running, but running my first marathon! I have a full race report coming in the near future, but for now I will spare you the suspense and give you the quick-and-dirty version...

Miles 1-18 = glorious, fabulous, sexay mountain downhills, I rocked it
Miles 19=25 = cow and horse manure smell, quads started whining at mile 22
Mile 25-26.2 = ohmygod how good does chocolate milk sound right now?!

Final chip time: 4:35:49. Of course, as any marathoner knows, the time doesn't always tell the whole story. My secret [achievable] goal was to come in at 4:30--and basically, I did that. Had I not made a porta-potty stop, I would have been about a minute off of that. And had I walked less in miles 22-26.2, I would have smashed my goal and come in about 4:18. But the best part of the story is that I ran strong, felt great, and will definitely be doing more marathons in the future (ok, yes, so I am already registered for Denver in October, but now I am also considering a July or August showing, just to keep things fun...I never had the moment of "why in the hell did I ever think this was a good idea?!")

I really had a great, strong race and feel completely satisfied with my finish. And my favorite line by a runner was the Marathon Maniac at about mile 9 who, in chatting, mentioned that he had run 116 marathons. A couple of other first-timers with the little group running with me were incredoulous at that--they said, "my God, you are basically in marathon training 100% of the time!" and his response, "well, the really great thing about running a marathon every couple of weeks is that you never have to do that long boring training run on the weekends!" That got a good laugh out of all of us.

The grand finale to my Mothers' Day was that after we all got back home, we were on our way to walk to the park for a little while and Shortie2 flipped off the front of his little riding toy car, busted his chin wide open, and ended up at the urgent care with 6 stitches. Thank God I had a wonderfully-moisture-wicking tech shirt on in order to soak up all the dripping blood. Ah, Motherhood, indeed.

First-off, congratulations to all you runners who did the New York Marathon yesterday. I find it extremely humbling that Meb won the Marathon yesterday with a time that was faster than my last HALF marathon. Wow, it just amazes me to see the elites run that fast, for 26.2 miles. Simply amazing. My goal is to one day run ONE mile at that pace.

In my own running news, I am happy to report that I completed my first mile in nearly a month this weekend. Saturday I purchased my new Asics 2140s (pink and white--cute but they will be dirty quick in the winter muck) and then took them out for a spin at the track. FInished a mile and the foot felt fine. Felt fine the rest of the day, and weekend too. And, it STILL feels fine! Woo hoo! Now, my lungs on the other hand were a different story. I have been swiming some and walking and trying to stay moving in my running sabbatical; however, nothing compares to running for keeping me fit. After that single mile, I looked and felt like I had done 5. But, I know that it won't take long to be running 10 again with ease. And I look forward to it eagerly.

Though I am running again, I have completely resigned all hope of running a full marathon in 2009. BUT, early 2010 seems doable. I am scoping out alternatives for my marathon...Miami in January? New Orleans in February? Bataan Memorial Death March in March? (eh, maybe not...)

All New Luddites Marathon Training Plan

So, not that it is exactly news to me (or likely many others who know me AT ALL), but I have reconfirmed that not only am I not a math rockstar, evidently I am also a little fuzzy with a calendar. It all centers on my marathon training plan.

Now, I'd like to claim to be all scientific and hi-tek like Lam, and use something ingenious like The Grid. However, I am neither and so use less of a "Grid" and more of a "simple-chart-type system," which I lovingly call the Luddite's Marathon Training Plan, for my training. I am doing the Denver Marathon on October 17. I have a 16-week training plan. Hence, I need to subtract 16 weeks from the 17th and start on that date, and then do what the plan says each day. Easy, right?

Somehow, I either started on the wrong date, forgot what training week I was in, or both. When you "tweak" damn near every training run on the plan, this can tend to happen. So, my response was to take my original training plan, which was really just sort of a calendar-y table in MS Word, and slap it into Xcel to see what simpleton customization and basic math I could weasel out of it. Here is the result: The All New & Improved Luddites Marathon Training Plan...Now with Math! (for calculating* your over/under stats, guaranteed to make you feel like a rockstar or an utter failure...depending.)

As you'll notice, I could call the "Over/Under" column simply "Under" based
on my training habits. As a wise woman once told me, "Think of the training
plan as more of a guide than an exact plan." Those are obviously the words I live by.

And to answer the question I know you are all going to be asking...yes, the plan is available for purchase from me for the low, low price of $5.95 per spreadsheet* cell. You do the math on that my friends.
_________________________


*Validity and correctness of equations contained in training plan not guaranteed by seller.

No Time Like the Present

Well, I finally decided to suck it up and get blogging. After much lurking on many other blogs, hemming and hawing, and doubting that I have the time for this...I decided to just give it a go. I may not have the time to add this to my life, but hey--maybe no one will ever read it, therefore there will be no one to notice that I am too busy to write. Sweet: win-win!

So I decided in January that 2009 is the year that I am finally going to fulfill one of the items on my Things To Do Before I am 30* list: Run A Marathon. I have been a runner for oh about 15 years now--more if you count all my days playing soccer as a midfielder, which consisted mainly of running for an hour+ straight--but I have never really officially called myself a Runner. I really only a few did short races here and there--5 and 10Ks--but have let that slide a bit since having kids. Still do them occasionally, but now that the Shorties are old enough to (sort of) fend for themselves, or at least entertain themselves so Hubb doesn't go mad while I am out running for an hour or two, I have decided that I am ready to focus on the running again. Maybe be a Runner. And so, I realized I need a goal--a big, stretching, make-me-work-for-it-holy-bejeezus kind of goal--in the worst way right now. What better goal than a marathon? So, here I am...a couple of months into the training, working on getting my distance up, and loving it so far. I have to thank all the bloggy runners that came before me (see my list, at right) for motivating me and making me believe that I actually can do it, if I just decide to and train. Ready or not, here I come...


*Upon turning 30 a couple of years ago, has been amended to Things To Do Before I am 40. Still got a few years before I have to change to Things to Do Before I Die. At this point that is still to vague and far-offish sounding.

Why A Marathon?

1. I have always wanted to run a marathon. It's been on my list of life goals for about 15 years. Time to cross it off.

2. I need something positive to focus on; I am rather a high-strung, obsessive-ish, analytical-type person and I don't need to ruminate on all the negative stuff I keep hearing on the news. Therefore I will run to escape and not think about it.

3. I like running. A lot.

4. I feel better when I run: physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally

5. Colorado is beautiful, full of convenient trails, and what better excuse to spend a lot of useful time outside?

6. It sets a good example for my kids, shows them the importance I place on being physically active, fit, and healthy. Actions speak louder than words.

7. It might not stimulate the economy, but running with my husband is WAYYYY cheaper than going out to dinner or a movie. Or golf.

8. On second thought, me purchasing running gear just might stimulate the economy...better it be through running apparel than fast food or JCrew, no?

9. I'm an only child, I like to be alone, and running allows me my required weekly allotment of Alone Time.

10. I want a medal.

Why do you run?