Posted on Jun 28, 2009 under Great Running Day, Motivation, Running Buddies, TNT |
The season is in full swing and it’s going very well so far. Training has been a lot of fun, I’ve found a great running buddy (Erin, our Mission Captain) and we’re working on our pacing with the goal of finishing the Marine Corps Marathon in 5 hours 30 minutes or less. She’s really good at keeping me to a slower pace when we’re together, when I run on my own I have a tendency to go too fast and then I wear myself out after only a few miles. I need to work on that.
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Posted on Jun 06, 2009 under Motivation, TNT |
This morning we had our Team In Training Fall 2009 Kick-Off in Bethesda. It was an awesome time, and I’ve found that as I meet more and more TNT people who come back season after season, it’s really wonderful to see them walk into the room at a TNT event. I spent a good 25 minutes running around hugging and saying hello to past teammates and it really energized and inspired me for this upcoming season! There’s something special about people who all share the same devotion to a cause, and then when you throw in training for and completing an endurance event (something that not even 1% of people will ever attempt), well it doesn’t matter how you’re different, that bond will exist forever.
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Posted on May 17, 2009 under Miscellaneous |
I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth since the Shamrock Marathon. I completed the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon in Fredericksburg, VA this morning. It rained almost the entire time, at times REALLY hard, but it was a great time. I didn’t train nearly as much as I should have, and there were a LOT of hills, so my time wasn’t great but I was under 3 hours and there were more than 1100 people behind me (out of 5100) so I’m very happy. I got my medal and my finisher’s coin. 
Posted on Mar 26, 2009 under Races |
Here’s the link to my official race pictures! I hope to be able to post the full-size pics next week after I get paid and can order the downloads.
http://www.brightroom.com/go.asp?51279371
Enjoy!
Posted on Mar 25, 2009 under Aches and Pains, Awesomest Running Day EVER!, Motivation, Races, TNT |
I hit Mile 13.1 feeling pretty good all things considered. The half marathoners and the first marathon finishers were heading towards their finish lines, and it was fun to cheer for them knowing that I was now more than halfway done. A man and a woman were running behind Mike and me, and the man was obviously having trouble. They were walking, and the woman was berating the man, saying that his training runs must not have gone as well as he said they had. And she wasn’t saying it in a joking manner either. She was downright nasty to him and he fired back at her that he HAD run 20 miles but he was having difficulty today. A little while later I heard them again, and at this point the man was saying he didn’t think his legs would be able to get running again. He probably had time to finish even if he walked the rest of the way, but that’s an agonizing way to complete a marathon. I’ve been there. The woman was (very nastily) telling him that if his legs were tired now he was never going to finish, and he replied that he didn’t think he could make it. I felt bad for him, but more than that it made me SO glad for all of our wonderful TNT Coaches who try to encourage us to work through our injuries and difficult moments rather than berate us for being human.
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Posted on Mar 24, 2009 under Awesomest Running Day EVER!, Races, Running Gear, TNT |
So I’ve finally found the time and energy to write my race report from Sunday’s race. I arrived in Virginia Beach on Friday around noon, after an amazingly traffic-free drive. It didn’t even take me 3 1/2 hours to get there! I met Shari at her house and after she finished sending off an e-mail we headed out to PF Chang’s for lunch. Shari had never been there before so she got to experience the wonder that is the Lettuce Wraps and Banana Spring Rolls for the first time. We had a great lunch and then headed back to Shari’s house where I waited until Caitlin was home from work. Shari and I had a wonderful chat while we waited for Caitlin’s call and it was very nice to spend time with her!
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Posted on Mar 24, 2009 under Races |
I am going to hopefully get a full race report posted tonight, but for those of you who are wondering, yes, I crossed the finish line of the Shamrock Marathon on Sunday. My time was 1 minute over my Marine Corps Marathon time, which I am VERY happy with. Stay tuned for all the gory details!
Posted on Mar 15, 2009 under Races, TNT, Taper Madness |
In one week, barring any unforeseen circumstances, I will have completed my third full marathon in 359 days. I’ve been thinking a lot about that lately, and I really can’t believe it. How the heck I’ve gotten this far is a big mystery to me. Actually that’s not true. I’ve gotten this far with the support and encouragement of my Team In Training Coaches, Captains, and Teammates, and all of those people who have donated to my fundraising efforts. And also with a healthy dose of the same from my non-TNT BRFs, and of course at the top of that list is Betsy.
I’m going to try to write a longer entry detailing the events of my Taper Madness period later this week, but I have a busy week and I leave for Virginia Beach on Friday morning. Either way, I’ll be back with a race report early next week! Wish me luck!!
Posted on Feb 15, 2009 under Aches and Pains, Great Running Day, My Running Route, TNT |
So yesterday was 18-mile day. We met at the W&OD Trail in Reston, VA, and after some announcements it was time to head out. Those of us doing 18 would run from mile 17 to 12 on the trail, then back past 17, on to 21, and back to 17 again. I was dressed in my wonderful new jacket, matching tights, socks, and shoes. It was chilly but not too cold, and not rainy. They had been calling for rain but fortunately they were wrong.
As I started, I was thrilled that I wasn’t feeling any of the injuries that have plagued me all season. But as runners know, your body will throw a lot of stuff at you during a long run. So, I started out with no hamstring, IT Band, or blister issues. But it was a long day.
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Posted on Feb 13, 2009 under Aches and Pains, TNT |
So, I can’t believe it’s already here, but tomorrow morning I’ll be running 18 miles. Which means there are only 5 weeks until race day. 
We’ll be running on the W&OD Trail starting in Reston, VA, which is one of my favorite trails.
I haven’t done nearly as much running as I should this season, but I think maybe that’s good. I have new shoes and I feel pretty strong, unlike last Spring season when my problems started with my 16-mile run and it was all downhill from there. I had a lot of physical issues at the start of the season (first a sore hamstring, then blister issues due to needing new shoes, and then I got sick) so I’ve had to rest a lot more than I had planned, but if I can have a strong 18-miler tomorrow and then another strong run for my 20-miler in 2 weeks I’ll be feeling great going into race day.
And after tomorrow morning’s run, I get to come home and take a glorious ice bath! Wish me luck!!
