I run for many, many reasons...

And tonight I ran for Boston.

Yesterday went from terrific to tragic in the blink of an eye. I had run out for lunch, and I was reading up on the top finishers for the Boston Marathon - awed at the fact that they can run a full marathon faster than I can run a half. I did a quick check of the weather there - looked like it was sunny and in the mid-to-upper 50s...and I thought "wow...it's a perfect day for them".

I had been back at my desk for a little bit when a coworker called me. She had received a breaking news report on her cell about the explosions at the finish line. To say I was shocked is an understatement. The t.v. was on in our lunch room, and I caught a brief bit of what was going on. Trying to focus the rest of the afternoon was a huge issue, but I plugged along. It was a relief to get home and hug my boys.

My heart was breaking for all of the runners. Their incredible journey, all the training they've done, only to have it marred by this unimaginable act of terror. Then I thought of the spectators, who really bore the worst of the bombs. And I cried....cried thinking about how spectators cheering on us crazy runners when they probably don't understand why the heck we'd choose to run long distances, but they are there, yelling their encouragement to every.single.runner. It doesn't matter if they know them - they keep us moving forward with their funny signs, their excitement, and their enthusiasm. They make the race an amazing experience, and I know I would have struggled to finish my two half marathons without them spurring me on.

So today I wore my Shamrock Shuffle race shirt to work. I'm sure some people were wondering what the heck I was doing, but it was important to me to show that the terror won't win. The running community is such a supportive group, and I know there were many others like me out there today.

I ended my day by honoring those affected, injured or killed by the blasts yesterday. I was sad I couldn't join the Dick Pond group, but I think the solo run helped me think and clear my head. It started to rain as soon as I started out, and it rained the first 2.62 miles - fitting, isn't it? I restarted my app and finished the run back to the church to pick up my younger two boys from choir. As I went along, I came up to a beautiful sight:

Seeing the flowers blooming brought some comfort to me, along with the miles under my feet. I ended up with a total of 4.09 miles. The time on the finish line clock when the explosions occurred was 4:09 and some seconds.

On a final note - I've had many people ask me if I still plan to run the Chicago Marathon this October. If anything, this tragic event makes me want to run it more...to run it for those who lost their lives, suffered serious injuries, and for those runners who didn't get to cross their finish line in Boston. I will cross it for them, and they will all be on my heart during my 26.2 miles.

Fat Tuesday - doing it up right!

Whew....I took "Fat Tuesday" a little bit to literally today! One of my coworkers brought in paczki to the office today, and I indulged in one. I actually couldn't even eat all of it, which was a slight blessing. And wow - it was good!!! But this fried dough (filled with chocolate...and topped with chocolate....) pretty much capped off about 10 days of poor diet choices.

It started with the Super Bowl. We had fried chicken, mashed potatoes, veggies and yummy yeast rolls. Not exactly typical football-watching fare, but still pretty darn good. Then Chad kept baking cookies and brownies. Of course I don't want to be rude, so I had to eat them...and lots of them. Oh - this was all rounded out by the three boxes of Girl Scout cookies. Sadly the boys don't really like them, so that left it to me to eat them up. Yeah....they're all gone now.

On top of the bad eating, I just haven't been active at all recently. I can't even entirely blame it on the weather, since we didn't get slammed with 2+ feet of snow like the East Coast. I tweaked my ankle Friday night, so I missed out on running with some friends. Then I jacked up my tailbone when I went sledding with the boys on Saturday. It rained all day Sunday, and I spent that day plus Monday icing my ass....good times. Luckily it feels less painful today, so I'm going to make myself go out tomorrow for at least a couple of miles.

I decided that I'm giving up chocolate for Lent, plus re-committing to eating healthy and exercising. I stopped at the store tonight and picked up apples, bananas, clementines (one of my favorites!), green and red peppers, and mushrooms. I made an omelet-to-go recipe I found on Pinterest, and loaded it up with diced veggies and a tiny sprinkle of cheese. It made a dozen, so hopefully they taste okay! Now I really have no excuse to grab crap - which, luckily, isn't a problem in the mornings - and will get my veggies in early in the day.

So now I refocus...I have big plans for this spring, summer and fall with running, so I need to set a good healthy base now. I can't guarantee I won't indulge every now and then, but at least I have the tools and drive to get back on track.

Goodbye 2012...Hello 2013!

I know I say this every year, but I can't believe how quickly this year has flown by. I have to say that 2012 was a pretty good year for our whole family. Chad started a new job earlier this year, and luckily it's been very busy and steady for him. I put in my first full year as an Inside Sales Representative with the Education Group at Scholastic, and hit my goal! This sales year has been off to a strong start, as well. Thomas started high school this year (YIKES!), and loves it so far. He's at the high school I graduated from, so it's a neat connection. Matt is in his last year of elementary school, and Nathan is doing great in 4th grade. We've stayed very busy with life in general, which is good...and bad. Luckily we had a wonderful beach vacation in North Carolina in June!

It's also been over a year since I hit my Weight Watcher lifetime goal! I've managed to stay within a couple of pounds of my goal weight, although with the way I've eaten the last couple of weeks it's a shock I'm still there - haha! I do try to go to meetings at least once a month, for the accountability. But if I have a run planned with friends or a race on the books, those come first.

January 15, 2013 will mark my second "runniversary". What a wild and crazy ride it's been! I actually think I ran more races in 2011, but 2012 marked some big firsts for me. I set some PRs, ran a few 10K and a 15K races, and to top it off - I completed not one but TWO Half Marathons!!!

The first one I got to enjoy with my great friend Michelle. It was in early June, along the lakefront in Chicago. That time of year should be a fairly comfortable time to run weather-wise. Little did we know that was just the start of an incredibly HOT and HUMID summer! It was about 90 degrees when I finished...limping and shuffling the last couple of miles due to bad calf cramps. Oy....those were brutal! But seeing Michelle at the finish kept me moving, and I earned that darn medal.

The second Half was the Fox Valley Marathon Races Half. It started and finished in my hometown of St. Charles, IL, and it. was. incredible!!!!! I've run on the paths that the course took many, many times, so it felt like being home. Plus the race is so well organized, and the support along the course was fabulous. I felt great through the whole race - although I won't lie...the final loop through Mount St. Mary Park was rough lol! Right as I was coming up on the 13 mile mark I saw my friend Sue. Let me tell you...that hug she gave me was exactly what I needed at that point! I pretty much cried my way through the finish, and then got to stay to cheer on the rest of my friends.

Sadly, though, my running has suffered some this year. I admit that I got a little burned out early in the summer, and between vacation and a business trip I had several weeks where I didn't run much at all. I was also dealing with some hip/glute issues, so I had to take some time off to rest it. I can tell now how much that's helped, as I've started running 2-3 times a week this past month or so.

2013 will start off with me running a 5K on 1/1/13 with my friend Sue! It's supposed to be about 15 degrees, so this might be where I start my speed workouts...hahaha! I have some big goals for this year. I'm planning on running at least 3 half marathons, and I also will sign up for the Chicago Marathon. I'm planning on running to support Team Ronald McDonald House Charities, so the miles will bring funds their way. I'd like to improve my times, as well. I'm pretty proud of how far I've come in two years, and can't wait to see what year 3 brings for me!

Amazing inspiration!

Today I had the honor of getting to cheer on Michelle, Kyla and Bobbi at the Chicago Marathon. It was a beautiful day for the runners, and not too shabby for those of use watching. Luckily my good friend Christine is an expert on where to go, and how to figure out when we'd see our runners at the different spots. We did a good amount of walking, but nothing even remotely close to what the runners went through.

To say I was impressed is a HUGE understatement! I loved the runners who had their names on their shirts so I could cheer them on by name. I received so many "thank you's" and high fives from the people I was yelling for, and even some emotional tears (especially around mile 20). The determination in all of them was amazing.

So I'm putting this out here now that I WILL run the Chicago Marathon next year, as a charity runner for Ronald McDonald House Charities. That is such a meaningful charity, and while I've never had to stay at one of their homes, I know friends who have. I figure if I'm going to give my blood, sweat and tears over for this I can also raise money for them at the same time.

So now on to training for Chicago Marathon - 2013!!!!

13.1 miles - a recap of the incredible Fox Valley Half Marathon

Today was my second half marathon, and it couldn't have gone better! Okay, maybe I could have run faster, but overall it was such an incredible experience.

My day started off early...woke up about 4:45, and ate my protein bar and a banana, plus chugged down some water. I got ready to head out, and left the house a little bit before 6:00 am. It was dark and pretty chilly, so I was glad I had thrown on a long-sleeve t-shirt to keep on until close to the start. I had no problem parking, and made my way over to the Race Village. This was the view that greeted me on my way there:

I met up with my great friend Michelle and her awesome sister Bobbi, after getting my gear bag dropped off at Gear Check. That's one of the wonderful things about this race...lots of local friends to keep each other company as we shake off the pre-race jitters. It was so exciting to see all the racers there, getting warmed up and ready to rock!

As we got closer to the start, I ran into Lesley and crew, then Jen found me in the pace lineups. We also saw Pat and Jill, and exchanged "good luck" hugs. It really helped to settle my nerves to see all of them.

The race started at 7:00, but since we were towards the back of the pace groups. Jen and I finally crossed the starting line about 7:17 (not that I was counting...lol). I was able to settle into a great pace as we spread out on Route 31, and felt awesome! I think I started around a 12:30 or 12:45 min/mile, but around mile 2 I fell into a great groove, even through the hills at the Kane County Government Center.

We hit the Fabyan Villa Museum, where we got to get our miles in on the Fox River Trail. This was about mile 4.25, and my husband Chad and the three boys were all there to cheer me on...it's amazing how that support puts an extra boost in your step. I was so happy to see them :-).

At this point I was still running strong, and apparently was just a hair under 12:00 min/mile for that first 5 miles. I still felt great, and kept on running. Around mile 6 or so I did take a short walk break to eat a couple of Shot Bloks, and refuel. It was still a comfortable temperature, so I actually wasn't that thirsty, but those Shot Bloks are awfully gooey haha!

The rest of the miles continued to fly by. There were tons of spectators and incredible volunteers, plus aid stations all along the course. It was the best staffed race I've ever been part of, and while I didn't need them it was comforting to see medical aide in several spots as well. I did slow down some around mile 11, and that last loop through Mount St. Mary's was tough. Not physically, but more mentally - it's hard doing that when you know you are this.close to the finish. The shade was nice at that point, though!

Right about mile 13 I saw Sue (who made the best aid captain EVER!!!!), and we exchanged a hug that seriously gave me that last little bit of energy I needed to finish. I think we were both in tears, so I was kind of crying/grinning/laughing the last 0.1 miles. I also saw my oldest son and brother, and they cheered me on. Let me tell you - this was such an awesome finish!!! I heard them announce my name, and welcome me back. The smiling volunteers at the finish congratulated me, and handed over my medal (or as I call it - my "statement" necklace). I saw Tom with the committee and Dave as well, and I'm pretty sure my grin was splitting my face. My official time is 2:47:07...over 6 minutes faster than my first half!

I reconnected with my family, and loved getting hugs from all of them. Oh, and the ever important chocolate milk...I seriously swear by that for recovery after a long run. And the steak was fabulous, too. I also ran back into Lesley, and we got a picture together:

Now I'm ready to rest the legs for a few days, but my running days are definitely not over! We have the Hot Chocolate 15K coming up in about 7 weeks, so I'll need to get back out there soon. Thank you to everyone for all of your support, and putting up with me going on and on (and on....) about this race, and running in general. It means more to me than you can ever know!

Second Half Marathon coming up

I just realized that I haven't blogged at all since right after running surviving my first half marathon. I could say it was because I've been incredibly busy all summer (pretty much true), or that I didn't have anything exciting to blog about (sort of true). But the main reason is that I was embarrassed...ashamed...mad at myself. I completely fell off the healthy wagon, and I fell HARD.

We took a quick trip to Kansas after the half, and came back home just long enough for me to tie up some loose ends at work and head back out of town for a beach vacation in North Carolina. Healthy eating and exercise pretty much went out the window. Looking back, I'm sure I was a lot better than I would have been two years ago. But it was still bad, for me. Luckily I only put on about 1 lb after that! Unfortunately we came back to kick off the hottest summer I've ever been through.

That heat translated to me turning into a sloth. The only time it was really cool enough to run was about 5:00 a..m., and anyone who knows me will tell you that I am NOT a morning person. Even running in the gym was brutal. #1 - I hate the treadmill with a passion; and #2 - it was nearly as hot in the gym. I probably took a good 6 weeks before I finally got back into the running groove I had worked so hard to maintain. I went from running at least 2-3 times a week to barely moving.

But I knew I had the Fox Valley Marathon Half to train for. I so want to cross the finish line under the time of my first, which was about 2 hr 53 min. So I dusted off the running shoes once I got back from my business trip in mid-July (which was incredible!), and started logging the miles again. I'm slower than I was 3 months ago, but my times are getting a bit better each week. I also finally got an inhaler since my allergies have been awful. That's made a world of difference!

I had a great 10 mile run with my friend Jen and her incredible friend Draga a couple of weeks ago, and it felt  so good to have that under my belt. Last weekend I did a 10K with my friend Lesley and her awesome friends. Without them to support me at the end (since they are all way faster than me!), I would have walked it in.

Now we're down to the final days of training for the half. I am so, so excited to run this one! I have so many great friends running it as well, and my friends Michelle and Kyla will be doing the 20 miler to get ready for the Chicago Marathon. Normally after a race we head back out pretty soon after the finish. But this year I plan to live it up, and really celebrate with all of those who have supported me and spurred me on to do more.

13.1 miles doesn't sound THAT bad!

I really should be sleeping now, after the exhausting day I had. But I wanted to go ahead and put my thoughts down before I wake up tomorrow.

First off - I have to thank my incredible friend Michelle for encouraging me to actually sign up for the Allstate 13.1 Chicago Half Marathon. I was disappointed I wasn't ready to run the Great Western Half Marathon in May, and I missed the cut-off for the Schaumburg Half a few weeks ago. I knew with having to leave for a wedding in Iowa around 1:00 it was going to require some extra planning, but I say "what the heck - sign me up!".

I was feeling okay with the training I had under my belt, although I hadn't run in well over a week before today's Half. But really my goal was just to finish - and hopefully in less than 3 hours.

I was up before dawn (3:50, to be exact) to eat a little something, get my gear on, and wait for Michelle so I could drive us down there. We had to be at the Museum of Science and Industry by 5:45 so we could make the 6:00 shuttle. Luckily we made it with a little time to spare, and got to enjoy the beautiful sunrise over Lake Michigan and Chicago.

Unfortunately Michelle and I had to split up at the corrals, but we gave each other big hugs and I wished her good luck, as she did to me. I actually wasn't too nervous. It was a hot day, so I kept my expectations fairly minimal (basically - finish and don't die).

I finally started about 34 minutes after the first runners took off. There was a great crowd of spectators to send us off, and we were on our way. I kept a pretty steady pace for the first 6 or 7 miles, and that's when the heat started to kick my butt. At least at that point I was about halfway there, so I just kept telling myself to put one foot in front of the other, and sucking down Gatorade and water at the stations set up every mile.

Once I hit mile 10 I was pretty much toast, but the beautiful views and knowing that I was nearly there kept me going. And I knew that Michelle had already completed her race (and did AMAZING!!), so she would be waiting for me at the finish.

Around mile 11, my right calf was NOT happy with me, and so I would run a bit and then it would just sort of die on me. I'm sure I was an interesting sight ;). But I was nearly there, so I just kept plugging along.

FINALLY I could see the South Shore Cultural Center where the race started and finished. I nearly cried, knowing I was almost there. I ran/walked/limped until I hit the 13 mile sign, and then I just took off. Luckily my calf cooperated, and as I crossed the finish line I heard them announce my name. I admit - I did get a little choked up. If someone had told me a year or so ago that I would complete a Half marathon, I would have never believed it.

It was so wonderful seeing Michelle at the finish line!! She got a great picture (which I'm totally going to have to steal so I can put it up here) as I crossed the finish line, and then we hugged once she could get through to where I was grabbing all the food and drink I could manage. We flew back home right away, and I managed to make myself look halfway decent in about 20 minutes for Lauren's wedding - no small feat, I tell you!

All in all, today was an incredible day. Exhausting, exhilarating and painful at time, but it was incredible. And with that last note, I'm going to go collapsed into bed!