Holy hill workout.....kind of......

So I had an 8 miler this weekend......and I had no clue when I would fit it in....and just as I suspected, it was impossible, BUT considering that I probably went up and down 2 flights of stairs almost 100 times this weekend carrying anywhere from 5-20 lbs each time I think I will be ok.

We officially live in the new place!!!! Its less than organized right now but I'm hoping Dave can take care of that tomorrow while he's off and I'm at work!! I'm sure I'll return to find everything in its rightful place...heh heh. My legs are exhausted, which I'm convinced means that I lifted things correctly yesterday, and my hands smell oddly like a combo of lysol and fantastik, but it's all good! I spent literally like 6 hours cleaning my old place today and it's officially void of any remnant of me.....as a side note Mr. Clean magic erasers....seriously magic....my kitchen floor looked like a warzone AFTER swiffering and lysoling, then I thought what the heck I'll try the eraser, looks just like brand new now!

The race is less than a week away....wow how did it creep up so fast! I fly to NY for work tomorrow, just for the day thankfully and I'm praying that I don't get stuck sitting next some sneezing, sniffling sicko - I CANNOT get sick! Well back to the kitchen to commence tidying up - and actually going to bed soon seeing as how I'm getting up at literally the crack of dawn - worky work busy bee!

Looking back....and forward

It's been a busy and stressful week. Work. Run. Pack. Repeat. Also sleep if there is time. Thankfully since it's taper my runs were only 4-5-4 this week. Tonight would have been my last run on the lake front path from my apt......but it was raining.....so I had to go to the gym. And I know I will still be running on the trail from our new place, it's just it won't be just across the street. And I won't know the exact spots my garmin claims the miles are at. I'm so excited to start the next chapter with Dave, but I'm also a little sad to leave my first apt in the city. So I'm feeling a little sentimental - although tomorrow morning at 5 when the alarm clock nazi is going off I will be reminded of why I'm so happy to leave! Change is good. Moving on to bigger and better things with Dave, even better! And we'll only be like a mile away so we can still hit up all the favorite spots.....and find some new ones!

Taper is the life!

The race is getting so close I can feel it....although I can also feel the bajillion boxes sitting in my apt waiting to be moved on Sat - can't wait! Less than 2 weeks til the Pig, and I feel more ready than ever!

Last week was a smooth 5-6-5 week, nothing too terribly exciting, although I've been running considerably faster than normal. And when I say normal I think I really mean than I used to. I have a sneaking suspicion that I've been cheating myself by thinking I can't run faster.......perhaps running 2 marathons in one year does have payoffs!

Saturday I thought about running, I also thought about packing, then Dave kicked my butt into gear and forced me to pack. This ended up being a great option as Sunday brought sunshine to the lakefront! I set out for an interesting 12 miler......

Around 3.5 miles I was still keeping a steady pace at about 7:40 (have I mentioned I think perhaps my Garmin is now lying to me, I just can't believe this) that's when the first "event" happened. As I cruised around the curve I saw a man pushing what appeared to be a woman in a contraption similar to a wheelchair. But on closer inspection it was not a woman at all.......it was a mannequin....no really. Then at about 9 miles, I had dropped to about an 8:20ish pace at this point, I saw the "crazy old cat lady" weird clothes, huge old sunglasses and the biggest bag ever with yes, you guessed it, a cat sticking out of it. Then to cap off a great run (under BQ time!) as I'm walking it off and heading to the apt a man and women put their small dog down and the poor thing is dyed PINK!!!!!!! That's the glory of the big city...you just never know what you're going to get.....

It's a pretty easy week. I'm not even sure what I will do with myself!! I'm getting pretty excited but I'm trying to keep it in perspective. Cincy is not a flat course, I train on relatively flat terrain, there is a chance this could be my worst marathon showing yet - although I think it's doubtful, but I'd hate to go in expecting another PR. I won't lie though, I tracked Boston runners today....and I was jealous......someday.....

It's all downhill from here....

And thank goodness!! My 20 miler today can be summed up in a 4 letter word (no not that one) and I'd like to repeat it several times as well. WIND WIND WIND WIND So after giving Mother Nature a hard time she accomodated me by keeping the weather clear of rain, she did not however keep it clear of a strong a steady wind.

I left A-town around 9, rolled into Chicago, parked ate all the good stuff. I left the apt around 1:45. I really really really didn't want to have to go as far South as I went for my 18 miler so I decided to head North for 2.5 miles. I haven't run North on the trail in probably a year. It's still under construction, and the newly paved part looks like it will rock when they finally open it. I immediately noticed the wind, then the wind was actually causing me breathing problems - I'm thinking how fun the next 18 miles will be. As a side note I saw a kite surfer, just a guess, but I'm thinking Lake Michigan is hella cold right now....

So I turned around after 2.5 to head South, it was great, the wind at my back, I was cruisin'! BUT the whole time I had a little devil in the back of my head telling me how bad it was going to suck when I had to turn around and head back home. BOY was that little devil right. My final 7.5 miles was brutal, face to the wind, stick your chin out and barrel through it brutal. At one point my steady pace dropped to a 10:15 mile because the wind was so strong, thankfully this was only for about half a mile.

Overall I felt pretty strong. I wanted to finish at or under 3 hours and I came in at 2:51:03, this is actally only about 4 min off BQ time and if the dang wind wouldn't have kicked my butt I may have been able to cut it - SWEET! I'm feeling really good about a possible sub-4, but only if the weather cooperates and the hills aren't my enemy.

I'm crazy tired now though and my legs are a little less than thrilled. Perhaps tomorrow cross-training will only involve light lifting....

Is that snow?

Halfway into my drive up to WI steady rain turned into....sludgy muck, then sleet, then I started to see cars with all out SNOW on them, like real snow on the top of the car. I almost turned my car around and said screw it.

I've actaully had a stellarly productive day, met a fantastic photographer, tried on dresses (so fun!), hit up the mall and found a new suit, who knew you could get so much done if you actually get up before 11 on Saturday!

I'm not looking forward to my 20 tomorrow, mainly because it will probably be raining. I swear, if it rains in Cincy for the marathon Mother Nature and I will never talk again...

Off to load up on water.....had a few too many margaritas...thanks mom and dad....

Thank you traffic.....

It has been an all around CRAPTASTIC week of commuting, there are not even Cubs games and cars are showing up out of no where and getting in my way! Also, since when did everyone forget how to drive in the rain......we've been driving in snow and ice and crap for 4 months, a little rain never hurt no one!

Anywho....

Got 8 miles in yesterday on the treadmill and with the success of my Monday run I did 4 miles at my normal 8:30 pace and then continually upped it until I ran my last half at mile around a 7 min pace. Felt ok, the calfs were burnin' a bit, but the good burn. I planned on a 5 tonight, but since I didn't get home until 7.....see above.....I canned it. It can wait until tomorrow.

I am not however excited for the weather this weekend. I have my 20, which I totally am ready to tackle.....just not in 40 degrees and snowing. MOTHER NATURE WHY DO YOU HATE ME!? I'm heading up to WI on Sat for wedding stuff with the Mama and I think the forecast in WI is better on Sun than it's going to be in Chi-town, perhaps I'll get crazy and run it in A-town. The thing is I really don't want to carry water on my 20, it's such a pain and Chicago wouldn't require that, we'll see what happens.

Hurray for the new Office tonight, Friday tomorrow and my first whole box packed for the move!

I didn't know I had it in me....

It was a crappy Monday.....it was a long day, traffic was a nightmare, I fed a parking meter that didn't need to be fed, I wanted to watch the game but I knew I had to get a run in. I was all around miserable to talk to - no really, just ask Dave. In an angry rage I threw on my running shoes and slipped out the door for my FIRST after-work OUTDOOR run this year.

Got the the trail and hit the ground running (haha so funny)

Glanced at my Garmin, 7:00/mile pace, yea right like I can keep that up......a mile in 7:30/mile......2 miles in 7:30/mile and I'm thinking, this has got to stop, I can't run this fast, it's not going to happen.

Low and behold I apparently have reserves I didn't even know about, I kept somewhere between a 7:30 and 7:40 min pace the whole 5 miles, it's been years since I've run 5 miles under 40 min. I felt like one hell of a BAMF

The season of shorts!

Spring has sprung!!! (And now because I've said that, it's likely we'll get 5 inches of snow this week)

The rest of my week included 2 5 milers on the treadmill and I added in some quarter mile hill intervals, nothing crazy, but enough to get me winded.

Saturday however was a dream...a gift...just what I needed to keep pushing forward! I had to get up at the break of dawn, 7am, to move my car - I CANNOT wait to live in a permit area! This did however provide a sneak peek at what the weather would be like for my run - b-e-a-utiful! So I knew I could wear shorts, I grappled with the t-shirt idea and opted for long sleeves that were easily pulls up. Within a mile I yanked those sleeves up, it was just gorgeous out. And it also appears Sat was the last run I'll be carrying my camelbak on, the bubblers are working again!!!!!! This was such great news, I practically turned around and dropped the camelbak at home...well not really but you get my drift.

Although the weather was stellar the run wasn't my best, I ran pretty much on pace for sub-4 but I just wasn't feeling great. Then when I was cruising around the Shedd a biker gave me a nasty comment and shook his head at me. I wanted to put a foot out on his wheel but instead I opted for just saying whatever. Hate to break it to ya, but this is a running/biking/walking/general whateverness trail and we all have to share. Even though it wasn't my best run the weather totally made up for it - running outside in gorgeous weather has officially begun!

This week is my final week of big miles, ending with a 20 on the weekend. And I'm going to WI for wedding stuff and apparently it might only be 35 in WI.....I might save the run for when I come back home.....I'm getting more and more excited for the race - 4 weeks to go!

Enjoy the weather everyone!

What happens in Vegas.........

Doesn't stay there when you fry up like it's your part time job, and yes A-train it's happened before, but I'm going to keep on blaming Dooner.....mainly because that's just fun! HA!

So between a trip to Vegas (did I mention it was like 75 the whole time), work, planning wedding stuff, and thinking about moving I'm fairly proud of the runs I've gotten in. I've been one busy bee! I won't bore you with the gory details of my 15 or so runs but I will say I'm boycotting running outside until it gets warm here. I'm tired of my under armor, mittens, hat, gloves, 80 million other layers. I even opted to do a 13 miler, by choice mind you, on the treadmill rather than run in the cold! WHO AM I!? Lucky for me it might climb all the way to the 40s this weekend, hurray for small miracles!

Vegas week however cramped my training style (although really I'm not complaining) I got in 2 of my week runs before I left on Wed and planned to do the 3rd in Vegas, hahahahahaha silly Heidi, people don't exercise in Vegas! I even packed running clothes which is amusing, such good intentions. We got back with plenty of time to get a run in on Sunday, but the run I was supposed to do was 20. Again, laughter ensues here, 20 miles....really....after I've just partied in Vegas for about 4 days straight??? I have 2 20s worked into this training so I'm not concerned I skipped it, I got 11 in and frankly that's amazing all on it's own.

But I'm back in the saddle this week! The marathon is about 4.5 weeks away, YIKES! I wanted to make up a little mileage, yes yes, I know that's not necessary but honestly I added one extra mile. So instead of 5 tonight I upped it to 6, I'm such a rebel. I got a good treadmill in the back and everything was butterflies and sunshine until about 5.25 miles. That's when what I can only refer to as "stinkman" showed up on the treadmill next to me. Let's be honest, no one smells great at the gym, but I don't walk into the place smelly already, I have the courtesy to throw some deodorant on so as not to kill the people in my general area. I seriously wanted to die, if there had been more than a mile left I don't think I would have made it. What I don't get is.......seriously........I know when I smell bad......how does this guy not know!? YIKES. Perhaps the only good that came out of "stinkman" is he forced me to finish faster.......ew