New Training Begins!

After my run on Friday, I ended up taking Saturday off, knowing what is coming. I know i need to get ready for this. Today I hit the pool. I'm pretty excited. I got in a full mile today, and faster than I had the other night. I did 31 laps the other night in about an hour and a half. Today I did 36 laps in an hour even. VERY happy with that.

I've written out my training plans. Tomorrow is Halloween. I want to fly home from work before the kids are out. I want to get in a run while its still light out. Tuesday night I'm going to Pilates, then getting back to the pool after that. Wednesday is running again. And Thursday night is swimming. Then Friday off, Saturday I want to do a longer run.

Got the plan... now I need to stick to it and make this work! :)

2012 Here I Come!

Today I received a voice mail. I have been accepted onto the 2012 Team Eye and Ear! I am SO excited. I have so many things to start and things I need to think about. I'm excited and nervous all at once. And this time I actually know a bit of what to expect. This is going to be crazy!

Next week I want to call my doctor and start with physical therapy for my lower back. I don't want to deal with the injuries I had last year and I can still feel something after running. Figure if I'm proactive, it will make a difference. Hopefully anyway.

Starting to get back into the whole routine. Ran on Monday night. Tuesday I went to yoga. I wasn't feeling well on Wednesday and took the night off. Thursday night I was at the pool and swam laps, almost a mile. Then tonight after work I ran a couple miles. I felt really good with it.

I know i need to keep up with everything and keep up the routine and consistency of everything. Tomorrow morning I am going to a bootcamp class. Sunday I am swimming laps again. Then Monday back to running. I need to log my miles, watch what I am eating and keep a record of everything. Plus I think I need to buy new sneakers too.

I'm excited!

I have 3 goals this year.

1. To make it through training and to the marathon without any major injuries.

2. To raise over $7500 for fund raising.

3. To complete the marathon in under 4 1/2 hours.

Here's to success for 2012!

Boston 2012!

I just filled out my application for the 2012 Boston Marathon! I would LOVE to be part of Team Eye and Ear again. Last year was just an amazing experience.

I slacked with running for a while over the summer, but fall tends to be when I build up the most and have big success in running. The weather is just perfect for it. Last week was great at the track with the group, even being there in the dark.

Next weekend I'll be in CT for the ING 1/2 marathon supporting 2 friends who are running. I'll be running in the 5K with another friend. Nice Girls Weekend away. Who would have ever thought a few years ago that my idea of a girls weekend now is going away to run in a race! Talk about coming a long way!

My back was a little sore the past couple of weeks. I called a chiropractor closer to work to start treating again. I want to be a little pro-active this time around and not wait until I'm struggling to walk like last March. That was tough.

I really want to do Boston again and I really want to make my goal of 4 1/2 hours. I know I can do it, as long as I'm injury free. This will be exciting to do it again and this time have a better idea of what I'm expecting. I can't wait!

Long time!

Been forever since I've written here. Life has been busy. Between work, the running group, golf starting, summer being here and my new boyfriend... life has been crazy.

Session 1 of 2011 went great! We had a blast at their graduation run. I was so proud to see so many of them finish. It really was a huge success. I don't who's more proud, me or them! :)

Last Monday we started up session 2 of 2011. I have some returning faces but a whole new group of newbies with the Couch to 5K. They did great for week 1 and I was really proud to see them there. I'm looking forward to starting up week 2 on Monday night.

My back was bothering me again and I totally slacked on my own running. Not sure how this is going to sound, but.... after running in the Boston Marathon and crossing that finish line, what do I have to prove to anyone at this point? If I run or don't run, whatever! If I get in 2 miles here and there... wonderful!

This week I did decide to get back into it more, and basically for health purposes, as long as my back holds out. Since I started dating my boyfriend 2 months ago, I gained weight. Before vacation I was up 5 pounds, then when I was away over 4th of July week I gained another 3 pounds! Really... I was up 8 pounds in 2 months! Not happy with that.

This week I got back on track and starting really watching what I was eating and getting in a lot more exercise. The couch to 5K didn't really count, since I was running with the newbies, doing week 1. Monday morning I got in 2 miles and again on Thursday morning. Plus Monday and Wednesday night after our couch to 5K group, I was at my boyfriends house at his home gym and he REALLY worked me out then. WOW was I sore.

As of Thursday morning, I had lost the 3 from vacation plus a little more. Funny because I had gained an even 8 pounds. I haven't gotten on the scale since Thursday morning, but as of then I only had 3.2 left to get back to where I was mid May. I'm fine with where I am right now, but I just like to have those couple of extra pounds as wiggle room.

SO... back on course, even if I didn't end up getting in a run today. I cleaned and scrubbed my kitchen and bathroom instead and that took a couple of hours. I'll do a great ab workout at home today. As long as I do something, that should be ok.

But I do feel better when I'm running regularly. I liked doing 3-4 miles on Monday and Wednesday nights, 2 slow, easy miles on Tuesday nights, then maybe 4-5 miles on Saturdays. Those were good weeks.

I told some friends I'd do a 1/2 marathon in the fall. They are starting to find some to pick from now. Considering I'm only 2 miles here and there, I really need to get going on training soon! They are going to be kicking my butt. Hopefully Monday morning I can get up again and do another 2. Mornings just seem to be easier for me to get them in with everything else going on in my life.

I've been busy and sort of slacking on this I guess! :(

This was week 6 with the group. We've lost LOTS of members, some were sick, some had schedule changes and others just dropped out. We've been pretty consistent around 20 people at the track. My "core" group from last year has expanded by a few with a couple new runners added into the mix. And they are great too.

Just as last year, I know I'm making great friendships. I really just love this group!

They are doing an amazing job and we have a 5K on Sunday that I'm really looking forward to. Should be lots of fun. I've been really taking it easy the past month and a half with my own running. My back is MUCH better at this point which is GREAT but I haven't been running other than doing the same as the C25K. SO I'm a little nervous about the 5K. At least the weather will be good and I'm just going to go and have fun and see what happens.

Week 4 Day 2

Another night of light rain and another 20 of us showed up at the track. They did such an amazing job. I am so proud of all of them.

I took it slow, did the actual program tonight while chatting it up with a friend at the track. My back is doing ok, so that's good. I haven't really pushed anything so I'm not sure how I'll be doing when I try to get in a few miles at this point.

I love the fitness group and the life it has taken on. I'm just so proud of what it has become in less than 2 years. It has become such a huge part of my life and I LOVE it. I've made great friends through it as well as discovered new activities that I really enjoy.

The feedback I keep getting through the group is amazing & SO cool! I love that people love this and look forward to it. I know I'll continue to make new friends through this, which is so cool too. I'm just happy with how everything has gone. :)

week 3 day 3 and week 4 day 1

I was supposed to meet the group bright an early on Saturday morning but had some car issues (which luckily went away on their own, somehow!!) but I guess 6 or 7 people showed up at the track to run with the group. I was SO proud of them for that!!

Today was raining but 10-15 of us were there. I am really proud of them. They are doing amazingly well and I absolutely LOVE to see the progress with this. It is such a great group and I'm just so happy for all of them. :)

Things are just going well. Too bad I wore 4 inch heels to work today and messed up my back a little. The heating pad now is helping! But at least I got in a mile jog tonight.

Week 3 Day 2

Tonight was another great night at the track. We seem to be down to about 25 or so people but have had the same core group. They are doing such an amazing job! I am so proud of everyone!

After we finished tonight, one of our newer runners... she started her running with us on the first night... gave me high 5's when we were done. She was SO excited! She did the program tonight. Jog 1/2 a lap, walk 1/2 a lap, jog a lap, walk a lap then repeat that. Monday night she couldn't do a full lap of jogging but she did both of them tonight! She was SO proud of herself!! It was really cool to see.

That's why I do this. That's exactly what I love about this group. She did it! She finished the laps! I'm so proud of her and happy for her! I loved getting to remind her that 2 weeks ago she was having a hard time with the 60 seconds of jogging and now, only 2 weeks later, she jogged a full lap twice! That's amazing progress in just 2 weeks.

I can't wait to see how the runners do as we progress in the program. They all can do it. I know they can. I hope they all believe in themselves as much as I do! :)

Week 3 Day 1

I cannot say enough about how proud I am of this running group. They did such an amazing job last night at the track. Most people were nervous about having to "do a whole lap" but at the end I heard a few people say, "that was it? We're done?"

I love how much they are progressing and I love that they see it too! Already they are connecting and chatting and supporting each other. I LOVE it! This is everything I want it to be and more and I am so proud of everyone.

Next week is my favorite week. I cannot WAIT to see them then! :)

Marine Corp Honor Run

We lucked out with the weather which seems to be a theme for me! YAY! :) Sunny and warm and beautiful out. The rain didn't start until after 3:30 which was good.

We had a really good time today. My back did start to bother me a little bit, but I got in more running before I had to walk. I jogged a mile and a half, then walked a mile, then jogged the last bit from 2.5-3.1. At the 2 mile mark my time was 21:45 and considering I had walked a half mile, that's really good! I finished in 35:45 total. Not thrilled with my time overall, but a full mile was walking so that slowed down my pace big time.

Eventually the injuries will stop and I will be ok. I'm not worried about that. But it isn't worth pushing myself just to get a time I want. I don't want to make the injury worse. Finishing the marathon was one thing. Pushing it for a 5K time? Yeah, SO not the same level!

Today the "Mullet Marathon" runners were there. I got a few great pics to post from today. Otherwise, looking forward to yoga tomorrow morning then starting week 3 with the group on Monday night.


My Tshirt from the race.




Our group before the race.




The Mullet Marathon Group with a couple of us.




Me with 2 of the Mullet Marathon team members.

Marathon Pics

I finally figured out how to save pictures off of the photo site... only took about 2 weeks for me to figure it all out, but I have them now and needed to post the 3 I plan on ordering. I can't wait to get actual prints!



Crossing Mile 8 or so maybe?




Crossing the finish line




After getting my finishers medal

W2D2 Success!

Tonight was a bit rainy and ended up pouring when we finished up. We had many people cancel and about a dozen not show up, but still had 16 of us at the track tonight. They did GREAT!

I am SO proud of this group. I love it so much. I love seeing new runners push themselves and finish. I love seeing the pride on their faces at their successes. It is so great!

I'm really looking forward to 2 more weeks. Next week we switch from my stop watch and whistle to distance. Week 3 is jog 1/2 lap, walk 1/2 lap, jog 1 lap, walk 1 lap, repeat. I know they are nervous about a full lap, but I also know that they can ALL do it! All of them! :)

THEN my favorite week of every single one! Week 4. That's when they do Jog 1, walk 1/2, Jog 2, walk 1 and repeat. They get so nervous about having to jog 2 full laps twice and it freaks them out before we start. But they do it and they are so proud when I finish and succeed! THEN I add up the laps they jogged. 1 full + 2 full +1 full + 2 full= 6 full laps jogged, which is a mile and a half!

I love seeing that look come over each runner when they do the math themselves and realize that yeah, they just jogged a mile and a half! It is amazing to see the transformation come over them. They stand a little different. They have a different look in their eyes.

I think that's the day they start to really believe in themselves that they can do it. And I think that is the day that they start to think of themselves as runners. I love that day. That's my favorite one.

Only 2 more weeks.

But for now? I'm SO proud of them for showing up in the rain and getting that training in! They did it!

W2 D1

I'm really excited about how well the fitness group is doing. I can't believe that even with people leaving the group, we still have had membership go from 480 on April 1st to 512 today! That's just CRAZY! One a day? WOW!

And the facebook page is working too! Already 49 people like the page! YAY! Considering I just made the page on Thursday night? That's awesome!

Last night was the 3rd Couch to 5K event and we are maintaining 40-ish people which is amazing!

I think May is going to be a great month overall. I'm looking forward to seeing what else happens. :)

Week 2

Tonight I had another 40 people at the track to start week 2 of training. I'm SO proud of all of them! It is just SO cool that they keep coming back. I love doing it with a group.

Wednesday night is supposed to rain, so we'll see what happens instead. My back was bothering me at the end of the jogging tonight, which isn't good. Yesterday at the 5K it was pretty sore too... I had to walk a bit. I just wish these injuries would just GO AWAY!

Tomorrow night is swimming, so is Thursday night. It'll be a busy week, but I love that. And the track is already working its magic. I had a pretty rough day at work today and just the 1 hour at the track and I felt so much better.

W1 D2 C25K

Tonight was just as good as Monday! We had close to 40 people at the track on a warm and humid night. Everyone did SO well! The group is great and I LOVE it.

I love this group already. It is so hard to really get to know everyone and to even learn name! I'm not that good! It is just too many people too quickly.

But it went well. Everyone did a great job and they are turning out again and again and already looking forward to next week! I can't believe this is how all of this is turning out. The group has over 500 people in it! We have had almost 30 people join in just April alone. I'm just so happy with it.

I love the direction my life took with all of this. 2 years ago I was in such a different place and a completely different person. I was insecure, depressed, run down, and over weight. 2 years later, 40 pounds and a Boston Marathon later.. wow! Look at me now! Damn. I yell out to a group of 40 people at a track to encourage them to start the Couch to 5K!

The weirdest and funniest part... I keep hearing people tell me that I am an inspiration to them. How did that happen? How did I go from insecure, depressed, run down and over weight to being an inspiration for a large number of people?

The fitness group was a HUGE part of all of it. Getting out, meeting people and being active was a really big part of it all. Then being officially diagnosed with ADD and finally being treated, I think that was a huge part too. Having an ability to focus and get rid of the outside noise took away so much anxiety in my life and really helped with any mental and emotional things I was going through. It just made dealing with things so much easier.

And then, running. That was HUGE for me. Getting to the track and pounding it out, lap after lap. Having that runners high. Getting into the zone, the meditative part of it.. WOW. And the exercise, mile after mile, pound after pound.. all 40 of them.

I really have come a long way in the past 2 years. I'm not the same person. My friends are different, my life is different, even my home is different. Everything. There is very little from my life 2 years ago that remains the same at this point.

Can't wait to see what else happens?

And Couch to 5K begins!

Tonight was the first session of the new Couch to 5K with the fitness group. HOLY CRAP! I'm not exactly sure how many people didn't show up that rsvp'd. I'm not exactly sure how many people showed up who didn't rsvp. I think I had somewhere around 40+ at the track tonight.

WOW! Over 40 people showed up to do this running program! And there I am with the stop watch and whistle letting them all know when to switch from jogging to walking. It was incredible! So cool so see that many people show up and be excited to try this out together.

They laughed at me when I said in less than a month they will be looking forward to the nights at the track. I think letting them know that I met some of my closest friends through this group, doing this program, helped.

It was just a REALLY nice night. We had so much fun. Everyone did such a great job. I can't wait to see how this all evolves and how everyone does. I know we'll lose at least 15 people, but it would really nice if we kept a core group of 20-30 people doing this together! I'd LOVE it! :)

I'm just so excited to see how everyone does. Funny.... when did I become this person? Someone said I was a great coach tonight. Me? A coach? I guess organizing this, in a way, yeah.

I'm still considering becoming certified as a group fitness instructor and maybe a yoga instructor. I love the direction this group has brought me and the focus is has given me. I'm looking forward and thinking of new career possibilities as part of it and as a result of it and that is so amazing! I just can't believe HOW much my life has changed in 2 years. INSANE!

Do I keep this?

Now that the marathon passed and I crossed the finish line, do I keep this blog??

Originally I wasn't going to but I started thinking about it a little more. In two days, I start up a whole new session of the Couch to 5K training program with my meetup group. Someone changed their rsvp to a NO after I closed out the rsvp list for new people, so that bumped us down to 49 people.

Yes 49 people want to join the running group! How crazy is that! Last Tuesday alone, I approved 7 new people for the fitness group and so many of them joined just for the running group. We have tennis starting up and the 24 slots in the golf lessons filled up in less than 24 hours, with a wait list! This group is just taking off. :)

SO yes, I think I will keep this blog, but the focus on it will remain running and fitness in general.

On that note, today? I didn't really sleep last night and I've been up for hours. At noon, I am still in my pj's, on the sofa, doing nothing. No exercise, no stretching, no nothing. The weather is horrible, so I wouldn't really be doing outside running right now by choice, but I've just been lazy.

My back, which was amazing for the marathon, started bothering me a little bit yesterday. I have a feeling it might be from the kickboard at the pool. Just arching my back more to keep my head above water while I'm kicking might be putting more stress on my lower back. SO no more 45 minutes of kickboard for me. Sticking with just laps for the next month until the pool closes.

Hopefully when I start running again in 2 days, my back will be ok. I have most of what I need ready to go. I found the 2 stop watches I had with the whistles so I can let people know the 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking and when to switch.

I'm really looking forward to starting it up again. I love having out group this busy and seeing people this excited to get moving and try out fitness. I love watching people's faces when they realize their accomplishments and see the pride come over them! That's the best part!

I have an amazing team of assistant organizers who all have their own thing they are into... golf, tennis, dance lessons, exercise classes, hiking, walks, kayaking. Then me, with swimming, Couch to 5K and road races. Because of the team, we can offer so much to people. Plus the group is very low pressure and just FUN!

Even with today cold, rainy and raw, the warmer weather is coming. The days are getting longer and outdoor activities are starting back up. Everyone is happier in the summer and life is good! :)

I FINISHED!

With my back injury and horrible training over the past 6 weeks, I wasn't even sure if I was going to be able to start in the marathon! Last week my hips were finally aligned correctly and I was finally walking without a limp. But I still wasn't doing much running.

I got up at the crack of dawn on Monday and got ready. After taking the subway into town, I waited at the Boston Common for the parade of buses which came 25 at a time, one group of 25 after another, taking all the runners out to Hopkinton for the start. Once off the bus, as I started walking towards the Athletes Village, I wasn't sure where my Team Eye and Ear building was.... it was tough to figure out where I was on the map they gave me. But I found a bright red T-shirt with Team Eye and Ear greeting us! He directed me where to go.

Once at our building (with heat and BATHROOMS!) I grabbed a banana and wrote my name on my shirt. I did hit that bathroom a couple of times, posed for a few pictures with the team and got myself ready to go.

I headed out with another team member through Athletes Village and we tossed our bags to be checked into the INSANE number of buses lined up by bib #'s which were headed back to Boston, then we started our walk down the streets of Hopkinton. After another port-a-potty stop (26 miles is a LONG way, especially after about 24 ounces of Gatorade that morning!) we made our way to the starting corrals... corral #7 for us!

The starting gun for wave three went off around 10:40am and we were off through Hopkinton making our way along the route. I chatting with so many great people along the way from all over and supporting all different causes (the "qualified" runners were ahead in wave 1 or 2). The energy was absolutely AMAZING!!

SO many different experiences along the way.

Writing my name on my shirt was the best thing I could have done. 26 miles of hearing "GO JULIE" was so incredible!.

Ray Allen's mom ran (the day after he won the game with maybe 2 seconds left and an AMAZING SHOT!) People were calling for "Mama Allen" as she was running. I saw her early, maybe somewhere in mile 3-5.

My friends were spread out ALL along the route. What a great support I had! They were absolutely amazing, planning out their day to support me! I was touched so much more than I can express!!! And more tried to go but just couldn't. They had signs they made and everything! It was just the coolest thing to see them there for me!

I saw a bunch of people I knew who were there for other people, which was nice to have them see me and yell out to me! That was cool too! Someone I used to work with was there just to be there and I heard her yell out, "I KNOW HER!" which was cool! :)

What they say about Wellesley College is true. I heard it before I got there. The girls lined up along the route with signs, screaming and cheering NON STOP! The energy was amazing. I started running so much faster and had tears in my eyes just passing the school. It was absolutely incredible. When I finished passing the school, I remember turning to another runner near me and said, "That was just amazing." There is nothing else I could say. It was just amazing!

Team Eye and Ear had a cheering section at mile 18 which was a great support to see them all calling for me.

Just at the base of Heartbreak, they had another Team Eye and Ear supporter... the same from right when I got off the bus! He was at the base, ran up to me to give me a high 5 and started jogging next to me. He gave me a great little pep talk and let me know what to expect for the rest of the race. Then he turned back and waited for the next runner. That support was just incredible!

The support from the crowd was amazing too! 26 miles of people, people and more people! I got water and Gatorade from the thousands of volunteers at the aid stations at each mile along the route. Then people along the route had water too, and FOOD, oh MY did they have food! I must have had 2 or 3 oranges in total from the number of orange slices I grabbed along the way (ME! The germ-a-phobe! Grabbed sliced oranges out of strangers hands!) I took twizlers, Hersey kisses, a brownie by heartbreak, some Vaseline on a Popsicle stick around mile 15 when my arms were starting to chafe a little around my singlet. It was just amazing how many people were just giving out SO much.

I had great conversations with so many other runners along the route. I saw so many friendly faces really encouraging everyone and hoping the best for all. Restaurants, bars and businesses with microphones and speakers blaring out great music and calling out names of runners and teams they were supporting. Big signs with the Sox score and innings keeping runners updated.

Everything was just incredible. So many different memories. So many small stories. So many great people I met and smiling faces I saw. TOO many people who yelled out "GO JULIE" for me, mile after mile after mile. Those cheers, that real and genuine encouragement from people I didn't know just kept me going.

I would love to do another marathon again, but I honestly don't know if any would come close to comparing to this. I don't know how it could. The crowds were so amazing. I can't see how anywhere else could have that kind of support for 26 miles of roads. There was never a spot where I couldn't see someone along the side of the road, even in the area they warned me about in Brookline. There were STILL people next to that cemetery! Not a lot, but people were still there cheering for the runners.

Doing the Boston Marathon was an unbelievable experience that I will never ever forget. I still can't believe I finished... I walked the final 2+ miles with the only jogging just as I crossed the finish line, but dammit, I crossed that finish line!

My official time, 5:43:36. Originally, before my injury, before I had to basically STOP training, I was hoping for under 4:30, but considering I really didn't run for about 6 weeks and JUST recovered from my injury the week before the marathon? And not only did I finish, but in under 6 hours? DAMN! I'm proud of me! I did this!

I accomplished a goal I set for myself. I finished the Boston Marathon! And you know what? I want to do it again next year!

Marathon Monday

Today is the day! WOW! So nervous. I'm up, I'm awake. It is just after 5:30am. Coffee, shower, then breakfast. Will double check the bag I'm bringing, then head for the T to get to Boston. And I'm already late! The goal was to be up at 5 and out the door at 6. Here I am at 5:35, and still in bed with coffee.

SO scared, but we'll see. How will I do? How will today be? Will I finish? I'm just scared. But this is it. No turning back. Hopkinton to Boston, here I come!

24 hours!!!

I stayed in last night just watching TV and relaxing... and eating carbs! :) Right now it is 10:30am. 24 hours from now I will be in the starting line in Hopkinton. WOW! And in 23 hours and 50 minutes the wave three starting gun will go off and my wave will start the 26.2 mile trek to Boston. HOLY CRAP!

It is almost here. Marathon Monday is tomorrow! OH MY GOD! I am really doing this. I am absolutely terrified for tomorrow. I really don't think I have ever been this scared for anything in my entire life.

I don't know what to expect. I don't know if I am going to make it and I am so scared to fail. I know I am under trained and I don't know if my back is going to hold out. I'm so scared I am going to let so many people down who have been supporting and encouraging me all this time.

Hmm... I really think that's it. The biggest fear is letting other people down and not meeting THEIR expectations of this. What if I don't make it? That really scares me. Everyone has been so unbelievably supportive in this. People I don't know are cheering me on. People I haven't seen or talked to in years and years are encouraging me and wishing me good luck. What if I can't do it? What if I let them all down?

Right now my only goal is to finish. I know there is NO WAY I will be running 26.2 miles. I am so under trained its crazy. I have had such horrible back problems for the past month and a half I have barely gotten in any running at all. The few races I did just showed me how bad my back really was.

I'm scared. I have never been this nervous or scared or unsure about anything in my entire life. I have never tried to take on or tackle anything this big before. What the hell was I thinking?? And here I am, 24 hours from the start. 24 hours from crossing that start line. 24 hours from beginning that long long route to Boston.

24 hours away from many moments I will never ever forget. My first time being at the Boston Marathon, my first time IN the Boston Marathon, my first ever Marathon! Lots of first! And I have so many people coming to support me along the route, to encourage me to keep going and to get to Boston.

I need to think positive and just go forward.

I have a quote at my desk at work. I can't remember the exact wording or even who said it, but it goes something like this.

"Even if you fall flat on your face, you are still moving forward"

SO tomorrow, even if fall, I'm still heading to Boston! Whenever and however I get there... I will make it to Boston and I WILL cross that finish line!

Bib # is in hand!!!

We went into the Running Expo today where the official bib # and race packet pickup was located. Got my number, my packet, my new official runners jersey. While at the expo, I picked up a new jersey too (at the bottom). But I also stopped for a few pictures around the finish line... might be how I'm making across that line on Monday! :)


I even look like a runner!



My official number ready to go for Monday. They have an emergency contact section on the back of the bib #. Great idea!

Four Days??

WOW! How fast did the past 4 months go by? Four more days until Marathon Monday? Holy Cow!! I am really doing this? WOW! I'm SO nervous! But I'm SO excited!

I've gotten a few more donations and now I actually have made my goal of $7000!!! I never thought I would! WOW! This is nuts.

I'm really watching the weather reports. As always, it depends on which station, but most are saying high of 60-65 degrees that day. A little warmer than I wanted, so I'm not too sure. It was in the 60's this past Sunday and I got a minor sunburn on my shoulders. I have no idea what I am going to wear now!

When it was originally going to be a high of about 45 degrees, I was great! I knew EXACTLY what I was going to wear. Now? Not so much. I really need to figure this out. I have a rough idea, but I don't want to get too hot. I know my number is going on my leg because I'm pretty sure the top layers will be coming off.

Right now I am SO happy I took tomorrow off of work. I haven't been sleeping all that well this week. I know I will need to sleep in the next couple of days to make sure I am well rested and ready for this. I'm getting my bags ready to give to friends who are planning on being along the route. Just need to pick up a couple of more things to add. I got 4 bags of jelly beans last night. 38 grams of carbs for 15 jelly beans. Nice little snack that's easy to get down.

I'm nervous but whatever the day brings, I'm ready. I know it won't be what I originally wanted. I know I will struggle. My back will be an issue and the training I lost from this injury will be another issue, but at least I am feeling better now. I'll just see what I can do.

And yeah... of course I will have some pictures! :)

6 Days!

Wow has this come up quick! Six days? I can't believe it. I am SO nervous!! I have never been this nervous. I know I am under trained for this. I also know that I am still injured. Not the best way to tackle 26.2 miles, but I'll do what I can do.

Two weekends ago I had a 5K in NH. My back was SO sore after that race. I was limping back to the car for ice and Advil and spent so much time stretching. It was tough. I only ran less than 1 1/2 miles of the race and walked... more like limped, the rest of it. My time for that race was an even 42 minutes which might be my worst time ever for a 5K. My pace was 13:34.

That week I saw the chiropractor on Monday and Friday, swam laps Tuesday and Thursday and met friends at the track and walked on Wednesday. Plus I did SO much stretching and pulled out the foam roller too. I felt so much better over the weekend.

This past Sunday I did another 5K. My back was still sore during the race but not as bad as the weekend before in NH. I had a good pace and other than my back, I felt really good. But I started walking about 1/2 way through. Then I ran again the last 1/4 mile to the finish. I did some great stretching and took Advil right after the race too. My time this week was 35:25. So I cut 6 1/2 minutes with walking in there.

Monday I was back at the chiropractor. When I was on my stomach and he had my legs stretched out, it was the first time my leg length was even. My hips were actually aligned correctly the day after a race! WOW! Talk about an improvement!

I've been stretching this week but haven't done much else. I haven't been sleeping again which isn't good either. I canceled the track last night and tonight I didn't go to yoga. I just didn't have the energy tonight. I'm grateful I took Friday off so I can sleep in a bit and rest before the race. Then I'm heading into to town to get my # and whatnot and I have one more chiro appointment before the race. I want to get in a couple of yoga classes too to help my back a little more. I wish I hadn't been as tired as I was tonight and was able to make it to my yoga class. I just didn't have the energy.

SO at this point... I'm going to the marathon not as prepared as I want and not feeling as healthy as I want. But I'm doing it. I will walk and jog at intervals and get myself to Boston. It will be a day I will never ever forget and I am SO excited for it. Absolutely terrified but unbelievably excited!

I went swimming last night and today I could feel it in my back. That was a first. I don't usually feel swimming in my back. Tonight when I met friends at the track, after walking 2 laps I could already feel it, so I didn't even try to run. I walked for about 45 minutes to an hour and then did some great stretching. Now I'm home on a heating pad.

I'm pretty nervous about the marathon at this point. I don't know if I can do this. I don't know if trying to do this will cause a more serious longer term injury. I'm not sure what will happen.

As of now, I am getting my bib number next weekend. I'm taking the T into Boston to get a bus out to Hopkinton. I'm going to start and I'm going to try. And I am terrified! I could barely get to a mile on Sunday. How the hell am I going to 26 of those? I haven't been able to do the training I needed to do and running HURTS my back. How am I going to do this?

I'm going to try and do my best. I'll have advil and ask people to bring advil with them so I can take more on the route. And I'll walk if I have to walk 26 miles.

My back hasn't gotten any better with rest. Every time I try to run again, it is worse than it was the time before that. SO I don't know what I am going to do. I'm just really disappointed with this. I'm disappointed how this all turned out.

New Marathon Commercial

As nervous as I am about the marathon, this WBZ ad for their coverage of the 2011 Boston Marathon, this always gives me inspiration. Whenever this ad come on, I stop what I'm doing to watch.

(for some reason, links do NOT copy correctly into this, so cut and paste into the browers to view the YouTube video).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_se335HLkXU

Finished

Today was the 5K in NH. It was an early start, but a VERY well organized race. Once we got up there and got out of the car, we realized how windy it was. It was pretty chilly up that way! Layers are key and I'm glad I had an extra fleece to toss on. Yeah, it ended up tied around my waist, but I'm still glad I had it at the start.

After registration we were hanging out at the HS gym for a while. I did some great yoga postures and did my best to stretch out my back and loosen up everything. Then we dropped our stuff back at the car and headed up to the starting line. As we were walking, I could feel my back starting already. It wasn't pain, but I could feel it.

I started off great once the race began. I quickly lost my much faster friends but the start was pretty crowded. The 5K and 1/2 marathon started together and raced together for about 2 1/2 miles, then split. I was keeping a pretty steady pace for a bit and felt good. My legs were good, my breathing was great. I didn't feel like I was pushing myself and overall it was ok... except for my back.

I was so afraid I was going to push it too much and really injure it worse. I had to start walking after about 1 1/4- 1 1/2 miles and walked the rest of the way.. well, more like limped the rest of the way. It was pretty bad. My back was KILLING me.

My friend Kristin was VERY ahead of me in the 5K. She walked back and got me and walked back towards the finish with me. Then we headed up to the car for Advil, ice and clothes. I had a very strong limp to the car. It was obvious that my hip was out of alignment. I felt like an older overweight person waddling along with a pronounced limp. I was just walking uneven. It wasn't fun.

Sitting in the car with the ice packs on, after the Advil and then stretching for a while helped. When we got back to the center of town near the finish line, I sat at the restaurant with my legs all curled up in one of my favorite yoga poses to stretch out my right hip. I was leaning forward towards the table to stretch it more on my lower back too.

By the time Trevor finished the 1/2 marathon (taking over 20 minutes off his time from the 1/2 in February!), we grabbed some burgers for lunch, then walked back to the car at the HS. I was walking MUCH better by then. The ice wasn't all that frozen by then, being in the car, but I still put the packs back on my lower back for a little while on the ride home.

I'm a little sore right now. I took a great shower and now I have heat on my back. So we'll see how I feel tomorrow. VERY grateful I am seeing the chiropractor tomorrow. I need that appointment!

Overall I'm disappointed that I couldn't even make it to 2 miles running. My back just hurt so much and I don't want to make it worse. I have another race next weekend, so I hope I'll do better and I hope a couple more chiropractor appointments and more stretching continues to help work it out. I'm just nervous with only 2 weeks left. I don't know how this is going to go.

Funny though, I started off great, just going at my own pace, in my own little world, running along. After I started walking for a little bit, limping along, one of the pace runners came past me, holding up the pace flag.... the 9:30 mile pace! The whole group came running past me as I was walking along. Although having that many runners pass me as I was walking along was tough to take, it did make me feel good. My pace for my first mile plus was ahead of and faster than the 9:30 pace runner!

Even walking 1 1/2-1 3/4 miles or so of this race, I think I finished in around 40 minutes. I'm still waiting for the official times to be posted. And that wasn't even good walking, that was my limping/waddling along! So I'm ok with that for my time today.

VERY nervous about Boston, but I'll do the time I can do and not try to hurt myself too much. I'm scared and frustrated and upset with this injury, but as much as I want to be able to do this, I don't want to injure myself in a way that would impact me long term. Running Boston isn't worth that. And as bad as my back is, if I tried to really push myself, I know that is what would happen.

I'm grateful today that I can walk and put weight on my right leg. I'm in MUCH better shape than I was after the St. Patty's 5K. But I ran that whole race at a PB pace. And I walked more than 1/2 of today's. I'll have to figure out what's going to work with me for Boston and how to manage it.

Two weeks? Damn! This is going to be so hard!

Ok, so sometimes I can't do math, like yesterday. I wasn't $245 away from my goal, I was $255. But now I've gotten 2 more donations, so after DOUBLE CHECKING the math, I am $210 from goal! WOW! That's absolutely amazing.

I can't believe that I am really doing this in 2 weeks. I am so scared. I know there is no way I am ready. With my back problems and being sick, I have really had such a hard time training. The back issues were worse. March was so difficult.

Getting through 26.2 miles is going to be such a challenge. I am not ready to run that far. But I will cross that finish line, whatever it takes, however long it takes.

Today I have a 5K run up in NH that I doing with a couple of friends. Trying to get down my breakfast now... whole wheat mini bagel with peanut butter and banana slices. Today is the true test on my back. I have no expectations on my time, I just want to go easy, have fun and finish the race. Hopefully I won't have back issues. That would be a win for me! Either way, I have an appointment with the chiropractor tomorrow.

SO time to get ready and get going. Going to be a long, but very fun day! :)

16 Days and Counting

My back is continuing to get better. Tomorrow I will find out a lot after running for the first time in 3 weeks. This is just a 5K, but I will know if I am getting better or not. Well, I tried to run 2 weeks ago and go all of 1/4 mile in... ended up limping after that.

The day I did the 5K three weeks ago, I couldn't walk that night. I'm a little nervous about the race tomorrow. I plan on bringing up an ice pack to ice my back after the race is done. Hopefully that and a really good stretch and some Advil will make a big difference.

The Chiro appointments have helped so much, even though I have only had 2 so far. I have another one for Monday, which I am sure I'll need after the 5K on Sunday. Hopefully things work out well.

Fund raising has been amazing. I am SO absolutely blown away by the incredible generosity people have shown. Boston Athletic Association requires $5000 (or my credit card would be charged for anything less). Mass Eye and Ear requested $6000 for each running team member. I set my fund raising goal at $7000.

Honestly, I wasn't sure I could make the $5000. I was pretty nervous about it. I didn't really know if I could do it. As of right now, exactly where I am, if the only other check I get is my company's employee match, I will be at $6755. I am at $245 away from my goal! WOW! I never thought that would happen! I really never did.

I'm really hoping that I can pass the $7000 mark. As much as I didn't think it was possible, I would really love to make that goal and pass it. I would love it if I could saw I hit it. I'm close and I have 16 days, so it IS a possibility.

There are still a few people out there who have said they wanted to contribute, but just haven't yet. This is the challenge for me. Who do go back to? Who do remind? I don't know people's individual circumstances financially. I don't want to throw and push all of this on people again and again and again, but I have 16 days left.

I'll have to think about it. I just posted on Facebook that I am only $245 from my goal and thanked all who have contributed for their amazing generosity. I really am just so blown away. I knew I had great people in my life, but I am completely touched.

Back and Running and Hope

Tomorrow is another chiro appointment. I've been doing all my exercises this week. Lots of stretching and using a softball to kind of work out the muscles in my low back/ hip area. I'm feeling pretty good about it and REALLY looking forward to my appointment tomorrow.

Sunday I have a race up in NH. Originally I was going to do the 1/2 marathon, but with how poorly my training has been as well as my back starting to improve, I don't want to put that much stress on my body right now. I haven't registered yet, so I am pretty sure I am going to do the 5K instead. That's the plan as of now anyway. And I want to just go out, have fun and finish. Again, no pressure on time or pushing myself. Just running at a nice steady pace, having fun and finishing. That's what I did at the 5K a few weeks ago and I had a personal best. Looking forward to seeing how that goes with another 5K.

Then the following weekend I have a 10K I am registered for locally. That one I did sign up for and pick my race (the 5K or 10K). And I will have the same plan that day. Go out, have fun, run at a nice steady pace and finish. Nothing more, nothing less. That will be a good indicator of my back too.

I'm REALLY worried about the marathon. My training through out March has been so minimal and I am NO WHERE near where I should be for having the marathon in 18 days. HOLY CRAP... 18 days? I'm at the point that I can count in days? Really? WOW! That's even scarier!

As far as the fundraising goes, I've done better than I expected. People have been so incredibly generous with their support. I am waiting on a few more donations that people have said will be coming, plus my companies match. Right now, my online total is showing as $6050. Who would have thunk it? WOW!

And I know I have 2 more donations coming BEFORE my company match. With all of that, I should receive another $700-800 in donations! If those 2 donations don't end up coming in, I will still end up over $6700.

Even though I had set my fund raising goal at $7000, I honestly NEVER thought I would make it. I never did. I was a little uneasy about hitting the required $5000! And here I am, KNOWING I will be over $6700... less than $300 from my goal. That is absolutely nuts!

I'm really proud of that and I am just touched by the support I have received from everyone. I know that support, the kind words, the encouragement from everyone, that will all help carry me on as I make my way to Boston, IN 18 DAYS! WOW!

Hopefully tomorrow goes well. And hopefully Sunday's race goes well. And hopefully next week I can get in LOTS of running and more training. And hopefully the following weekend my 10K goes well.

I have a lot of hope for a lot of things. So here's to hoping!

Catching up

My first apppointment with the chiropractor was on Monday. I have a list of exercises and stretches to do, plus a new ice pack. Today after spending LOTS of time stretching out my back, it was a little tough to walk later. I did ice for a bit then got back on the heating pad. For some reason that helps more.

I miss running as much as I was. I'm scared about the marathon. March has SUCKED for training. It was March 2nd when I really threw out my back and since then I have pain every time I run and it happens faster and worse each time. I really hope this helps.

As of now, I still haven't signed up for the race this weekend. They have a 1/2 marathon and a 5K. I was undecided on which I was going to do. Kind of depends on how I'm feeling I guess, which is why I keep putting off my registration.

I'm thinking of taking a yoga class tomorrow night too, which hopefully will help my back too. There is a studio around the corner that has some classes. We'll see how I feel. It is RIGHT after work, so I'd be cutting it close to make it.

I've had lots going on in my personal life too. Lots of stress which isn't helping and lots on my mind which combined is making sleep something I wish for. I used to get these great full nights of sleep. Been a while since I've had one of those. Kind of miss it.

Staying positive with everything... my back, my personal life, my stress level. Things work out for the best with me, so I'm not too worried. I will be where I am supposed to be.

With my companies matching gift of matching all employee donations, I will be pushed over $6500 raised for Mass Eye and Ear. I still have a couple of people who haven't donated yet, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed I can push that up a little higher in the next 3 weeks. That in itself is really exciting.

Right now, I want to cross the finish line of the marathon. I'm not sure how my back will be handling all of this. I want to cross it healthy, without being in too much pain. Tonight I had a hard time walking. So we will see. I have tossed out everything with time and I just want to finish.

Without all of the exercise, with my stress level and all that entails (stomach issues and no appetite) I'm down a couple of more pounds. I'm not sure how I weighed 0.2 less tonight, fully dressed, than I did first thing this morning just before getting into the shower. But I'm at a point I do not want to be at.

I try to in a certain weight range. I have a favorite number and I go two above or 2 below for my range. I'm 2 below my low point. Not good. I've lost 2 pounds in a week. I need to really watch it and get myself back to where I was with my health, my back, my weight and everything else. I know I can do it, but it will be work. Like everything in life, the good things aren't easy. Just like the marathon.

Less than 3 weeks. I'm scared. I'm nervous. I heard a great quote the other day. What is, is. That's how I am feeling about this. I want to finish. I want to cross that line. I want this accomplishment. I am already injured. What is, is. What will happen, will.

April 18th is coming quick, but I will be at that starting line and I am really looking forward to that day. I'm not sure of the ups and downs of the day and what it will all bring, but I'm excited for the challenge.

I never thought I could raise $5000, let along over $6500! And here I am, 3 weeks away from the Boston Marathon. Anything in life is possible. Just believe.

Tonight I hit the pool. I didn't actually swim all that much, maybe only 8 or 10 laps. Then I did the kickboard. Jen and I did used the kickboard and talked for almost an hour! So much fun to hang out and talk, and glad some exercise was in there.

I can REALLY feel my back now though. I've been on the heating pad for about an hour. I'm kind of afraid to move because I know it will hurt when I get up. Hopefully a good night sleep and I will be ok tomorrow.

Right now I'm just looking forward to Monday with the appointment with the chiropractor. I really need to get this fixed and move forward.

Overall March has been nuts. Ups and downs, injuries, highs and lows in my personal life. All over the place. Trying to get it all back to an even pace.

But I do have to say, I am VERY happy and feel so lucky for having absolutely the best friends in the world. Old friends and new ones. I am just so lucky for them and their support. With all the ups and downs I have had lately, they have been there for the good and bad. Sometimes I'm just so surprised that I really do have so many incredible people in my life.

I tried to run last night at the track. My back really had been getting better. A few steps in, I felt it. I made one lap and that was it! Then I started walking and got in about a mile. I was limping to my car after that. Pretty bad.

Today I gave in. I have an appointment with a chiropractor on Monday. I really need something to help me and to hopefully fix my back! I'm sick of this and it is really getting old!

As far as fundraising, I'm super excited. I have a match coming which I found out about last week, then this morning I got an email that my company was going to match all employee donations! YAY! As of right now, that is at $585! I'm super excited. I didn't ask, I didn't search this out. They had already donated a pair of Red Sox tickets! And now they are donating more too! I'm just so excited about that.

Between the money that has been donated already, the money people have said they are sending, and what I am getting for matches, I am already over $5100. SO I'm pretty excited. And that's before I have another 8 people who have said they are going to donate and haven't yet. Plus I'm still putting it out there for more donations too.

Now I just need to get my back better so I can run more! I'm nervous about everything where I can't even get in lots of walking without hurting! I hope I can get myself across the finish line. I reall don't want to hurt myself doing this, and right now that's what I feel like I'm doing.

Just trying to stay focused. Sometimes that's hard with so many other things going on in my life. I'm trying to work out and get in all the running, cross training and weights, but it really is a challenge right now. Almost a month of this. I got on the scale this morning and I'm down again. I'm stuggling to keep the weight on right now. My pelvis is sicking out with my stomach as small as it is. And you can see my ribs and my collar bone sticking out too. Too bad my hips, butt and thighs wouldn't get the same treatment! :) But hey, got super defined abs right now!

Hoping to get to bed early tonight. Haven't slept well the past 2 nights. Both nights I was awake for about an hour during the night, then never really got good sleep after that.

But today was hump day.. only 2 more days until the weekend. Been a tough week for me. I'm hoping to get to the weekend and be ok.

Oh my aching back

After the 5K race last weekend, my back got petty bad. Last Sunday night, I couldn't even get around my own house without leaning on furniture to walk around. Walking was so painful. With switching off heat and ice and taking Advil it did get better, but I was limping around most of the week.

Last Monday night I did meet some friends at the track. I managed to walk and keep up with them for over an hour, but there was no hope of running that night. Walking was pretty painful still.

I haven't run at all this past week. I was just trying to rest up the back without making it worse. Yesterday I spent the day doing Spring cleaning at my house and by 7pm, I could feel my back starting to hurt again. It was a little better this morning, but I'm on the heating pad again, hoping to work out the tension and inflamation that keeps building.

Last night I had a dream about the marathon. It was race day and I was getting ready to go. Funny, because in the dream I didn't know what I was wearing, how I was getting to Hopkington, what I had for snacks, or who would be along the route. SO basically... I knew what I know now! :)

The marathon is 4 weeks from tomorrow. I'm nervous. With all of my health issues, the stomach bug, sinus infections, ear infection and lower back issues... my training has NOT been fun or productive for February or March. At this point, I'm tossing out all expectations, other than I want to finish. I just want to cross the finish line. I don't care how long it is going to take me. I don't care how much I have to walk it. I just want to cross the finish line.

So right now I am working on taking care of my injuries and making sure my body is in better shape and ready. I know it will be a mental challenge. But I know I can walk forever. I'm not worried about the total distance at all. I just wish I could run more.

But I do feel really really good about the 5K last weekend. Knowing I have improved that much makes me feel so much better. I love that I had a PB without pushing myself. I felt so good the whole race, other than feeling my lower back. At one point I was a little in my head. But I pulled out the mantra I came up with. "Run Strong. Finish Proud." That was all I needed. I knew I was going to run through and finish. And I did.

I'm bummed that I had to walk to the finish line because of the crowd. I can't imagine what my time would have been if the finish line & if the spots on the bike path weren't so congested. I could have done even better! That's a really cool thought for me!

I have a few more 5K's coming up, plus a 10K. I can't wait to see what my times are for those. It's exciting.

There is a race the first Sunday in April I haven't registered for yet. It is either a 5K or a 1/2 marathon. My friend Trevor is running the 1/2. He had done the last 1/2 with me. Because of my back and lack of training, I'm thinking of doing the 1/2, but I don't know if I want to push my back that much. Which is why I still haven't registered for that race yet. I know I'm going. I know I'm doing it. I just don't know which one yet.

The weekend after that, I have a 10K in Braintree. A bunch of my friends are running it too, but doing the 5K. It should be fun. My last 10K time was 1:09:35. I'd love to break that. I'd love to do a 5K under 30 minutes and a 10K under an hour. I'm a slow runner. I have always been a slow runner. But I've gotten stronger and I'm happy with that.

I can't wait until our Couch to 5K training starts up again. I have over 20 people signed up for my running group. It is just so much fun and so exciting to see people run. I love seeing them progress and I love seeing the pride on their faces when the realize what they are accomplishing. I can't wait for that.

That is how I got into running, doing the Couch to 5K with this fitness group. I have made amazing friends that I know will be in my life for a long time to come. This running group has truly changed my life. Funny to know and pin point one thing that made a huge difference and turned my life in a different direction. I can't imagine where I would be if I hadn't done the Couch to 5K program with this group.

SO now, I am focused on finishing the marathon, however I get there and whenever I get there. I'm still fundraising and have received donations from places and people I never expected.

The BAA requires $5000. Mass Eye and Ear asks for $6000 and I set my goal at $7000. As of now, with a matching amount I have $3760 raised. That is before mom and dad put in, 2 of my aunts and 3 more people at work who have said they would contribute. All of those (5 plus my parents), plus more from me will all be matched too. SO... $1240 left to hit the minimum required. Divided by 2 is $620. SO that's my magic number right now. I need $620 by next weekend, to be part of the match, then I hit the BAA's minimum. And I'll still have another month left to get what Mass Eye and Ear wants and/or what I wanted.

I had sent out letters to family too. I have a few aunts and uncles I haven't heard back from yet, which I'm a little surprised at. And a couple of friends too, which is more disappointing than anything else. People I don't know or don't know well are contributing through the fitness group. And people who have already donated have been SO generous and so much more generous than I have ever thought possible. I'm just surprised and a little disappointed at those who haven't. Those are the people I thought would support me, just because I'm doing the marathon. Nothing to do with Mass Eye and Ear, but just because it is me. And I'm surprised that they haven't. And disappointed and little hurt. But I don't know everyone's situation and I can't go there. I'm not begging people to donate. They all know what I'm doing and what I'm asking for. If they can and if they want to, they will contribute. I just with it was this week, so it could be added to what I can get matched!!! This week is my push!

Anyway... been sitting on my sofa for WAY too long. Almost 10am now. Cereal is gone and coffee cup is empty. I'm thinking I might hit the pool to get in laps before I go up to mom's house today. I pulled a muscle, sort of a charlie horse, yesterday morning in my right calf. I've done it before, one night swimming. OH MY did it hurt!! I stretched while still in bed and it felt like my muscle just snapped and split! WOW! But I think it would be ok swimming.

Time to think about moving and what I'm going to do today. Tomorrow might snow and I'm going to take a break until Tuesday night when I am FINALLY going to try to run again. I'm meeting a few friends at the track again to get some miles in and have the company. It'll be fun to see them all and get outside. But snow Monday and Wednesday. And today is the first day of Spring?

Happy Spring.. and here's to health and wealth and continued running!!!

Another 5K

Today was an Irish 5K in Somerville with close to 6000 runners. SO much fun and such amazing energy! The atmosphere was great. It took me just over 4 minutes to cross the start line from the gun, not that I heard it! But we had a blast.

After about a 1/2 mile I started to feel my lower back flare up but I wanted to run through it. After 2 miles I could REALLY feel it. Otherwise I felt great. I was doing a slow and steady pace, not really pushing myself, but just going along and having fun.

Unfortunately, since the race ended along a narrow-ish bike path, I had to walk a good 30 seconds to get to the finish line. I saw the big "FINISH" sign and pushed it. Then I hit a giant wall of people and there was no where to go but walk SLOWLY towards the finish line.

I'm pretty bummed about that. I had a personal best in my chip time by about 2 minutes and that even with walking across the finish. I would have loved to have seen how I could have done without that ending. Next time, next race, I'll see! I think it is only in a few weeks anyway.

But as soon as I finished the race, my back really started to hurt. I had some Advil with me and took it right away. I'm pretty sure that I need more or even something stronger. I'm thinking of calling my doctor tomorrow. Tuesday will be 2 full weeks of this. And it first started during the 1/2 marathon. I just want to make sure it isn't anything worse.

I was having trouble walking today after the race. We went to a bar up the street where I stood the whole time. I tried to move around and to keep stretching my back but by the time we left and went to cross the street for the T, I was limping again.

As soon as I got home I put some ice on my back. It helped a little but then it really got so much worse. Now I am getting the shooting pains again if I move the wrong way... which right now seems to be any time I move. I'm afraid to get up right now!

The rest of me feels good. My IT bands are good. My calf muscles are great. Everything is ok. All I can feel is the pulsing in my lower back.

I am a little nervous about it. The pain is basically just under my tail bone on my right side. It shoots out towards my right hip and just pulsing around that entire area. At one point during the race I could feel it in my hamstring and that really got me nervous. I don't want this to be a nerve thing or a disc thing.

Plus, something else on my mind with this is that if I am this bad right now after 3.1 miles, how the hell am I going to handle 26.2? I can't walk standing straight up right now. I haven't been able to put on pants without holding on to something for the past 2 weeks. Going up and down stairs is painful. Sneezing in bed shoots through my lower back. I'm not sleeping through the night because if I move it hurts so much that I wake up.

This isn't good. The marathon is coming quick and my training has been suffering HUGE the past few weeks. If I can't walk without feeling pain in my back, running isn't fun at all! I can't get in the mileage I need for this and I'm really scared.

I'm meeting friends tomorrow night at the track now that the time changed and the snow is finally gone. We are supposed to get in a run there. I'm not sure what I'll be doing after today. I know I need to grab the ice again and rest all night. Tomorrow at work will be hard too. I just hope this starts getting better. I can't decide if this is something I should call the doctor for or not.

Adjusting the Progress

My lower back issue from Tuesday is sticking around. It was REALLY bad yesterday. One of those things where if you move the wrong way, you just feel it shoot right through everything. It was tough to walk.

But I went to the gym anyway. I was determined to get in 1 full hour. I was flinching during the 5 minute walking warm up. Then I started to jog. I was almost in tears. My back hurt so much. I might have made it 90 seconds jogging. For a while I had to hold the treadmill handles to just walk. It was so painful! I did do 1 hour... for a whopping 3 miles. I can't believe I went that slow.

After the gym I did get a lower back massage which helped a lot. Tonight I was in the pool and took it easy with a 1/2 mile and lots of catching up with some friends. Right now I have a heating pad on my lower back. I'm hoping tomorrow it feels much better. The long run this weekend might be challenging. But I'll do what I can do.

Now... off to bed!

Back in the Game

February was a really tough month for me. I was sick more the half the month! It was so challenging with the training when I felt miserable. But today is a new month and a new beginning. I'm very happy to say good-bye to February!

So day one in March, hit the gym for a quick 3 miles on the treadmill. I struggled a bit for the last 1/2 mile. Something is up with my lower back. I tried my best to stretch it out. Just under my tailbone on my right side.

After leaving the gym, I went straight to the pool to meet some friends. It was a slow go with lots of chatting but it still felt really good. I got in just over a 1/2 a mile.

I feel really good with today's workout. I accomplished what I wanted to do and I'm happy with that. My back is VERY sore now... when I got out of my car after coming home I couldn't even stand up straight! NOT good. But I'm sure I'll be ok after I sleep.

Tomorrow straight from work I will be heading back to the gym. Instead of worrying about distance tomorrow, the plan is to run for 1 hour and just see how many miles I get in.

Thursday night I'll be back at the pool and I'll get in a full mile. I love swimming and plus I am always at the pool with friends too, so it is now a social thing. I just have fun while I'm there. That's one of the problems I have been having with the training overall. I lost the fun in it. Now I am trying to get that back. I'm hoping just putting a time limit on my run tomorrow will help with that.

I'm a little worried about my long run this weekend. Originally I was going to run with a friend of mine, but he hurt his knee so I think that's out. I'm going to try to ask and see if friends can meet me to help me get in some extra miles. Even if I do my 3 mile loop 3 times on my own, then have someone meet me so I can get through 9-12 with help. Who knows, I might need help 6-9 too!

But under 7 weeks left. I hope I can continue to push myself and I really am feeling better about March than what February was. Hopefully that will stick with me all month!

Half at the Hamptons

Yesterday I got the pictures I had ordered from the Half Marathon. I took a walking break towards the end and ended up with some great effort after that break to cross the finish line strong.

Yeah, I was a little bundled up with two pairs of pants, a tank top, long sleeved running shirt, fleece and then the jacket and my headband ear warmer with my Team Eye and Ear gloves.

In the end, got my medal for crossing the finish line!

Tough Training

I feel like for every step forward I take, it is followed by 2 steps back. So many things keep coming up against my training. Between the weather and my health this winter, it really has been a struggle.

A few weeks ago I had a chest cold and I was fighting a sinus thing. Last week my left ear was really bothering me, but I thought I was over it when I felt better last weekend. Then I this week I was out of work a day and a half with an ear infection. I forgot how much those hurt!!

I barely get sick! I haven't had an earache since I was a kid. It is just frustrating when I want to train and I keep getting sick. I think it was just one cold that I never fully got over for the past month. Being on medication now, hopefully I will be completely over it and I won't need to deal with this anymore.

But this week was hard for training again. After the half marathon I was knocked out and missed running on Monday. Tuesday night I did get in a mile at the pool but after I got home is when the ear infection got really bad. I didn't run on Wednesday. Thursday I stayed home from work but started to feel better around 2 or 3 in the afternoon. I went to the pool with a couple of friends to do the kickboard for an hour (no putting my head under water with the ear infection!).

Today I am heading to my parents house so I won't have time for a long run. I am putting it off until tomorrow. Yesterday rained and snowed and right now it is somewhere in the 20's. Running outside, with possible black ice, is a bit of a challenge. Tomorrow it is going to snow again too!

I've heard a lot about adding in walking breaks for my long runs and different ways to add them in. I am thinking about doing the rest of my training that way. Still not sure if I want to just run for as long as I can solid, then start the breaks or if I build them into the training and do a 30 second walking break every mile. If I do that, it will be like the marathon, when I take my water breaks at each mile marker water station.

But tomorrow is a 12 mile run. Either way, I'm running for over 2 hours tomorrow. That's a long time! I never thought training for a marathon would be easy and it isn't!

Now if I can just stay healthy for the next 2 months, that will be one more thing going my way and helping me have more success.

Still in Recovery

I couldn't believe how much that half kicked my butt! I slept 11 hours on Sunday night and I was still exhausted on Monday. I fell asleep on my sofa around 7pm!

Today was tough getting back into the swing of things with work. My body wasn't too sore, but I was just physically exhausted. I was thinking of taking a yoga class, but it would have been pushing it to get there right from work. I did get to the pool tonight and that was great. I got in a full mile and I feel really good.

I'm still super tired and drained, but the swim was good. I worked my muscles without the impact of running and it was a great way to get back into training. Tomorrow night I am hitting the gym right from work. I looked at my schedule and I had it down for 7 miles. Not sure if I can handle that tomorrow, but I will get in at least 5. I'm hoping for 7 though but I would be happy with 5.

Then Thursday is back at the pool, Friday off and Saturday is a long run day. I'm still nervous about the long runs. I need to figure out what works best for me. I know the little walking breaks help me mentally and give me the push to keep going.

The plan for Saturday on my schedule is a 12 mile run. So my 3 mile loop 4 times around! URGH! I have to see if any of my friends will be around to meet me and help me out with getting through it. It is a good loop with rolling hills. But I just struggle at it alone and I'm not confident enough to join in with the FitCorp long runs in Boston. I know I'm too slow and I'm not advanced enough. I know I'm behind where I should be.

That scares me too. I KNOW I'm not where I should be in training. I KNOW I should be running further and harder than I do. I could make excuses... that's easy. Some people are just nature runners. I am not. I had to do the Couch to 5K three times to run my first 5K all the way through without any walking! That was a big deal for me! I remember the first time I ran 5 miles at the track without stopping. I was SO excited!

So tomorrow... 5 miles on the treadmill would be fine. I know I can do that straight without stopping comfortably. I just have to figure out how to push that and continue with the long runs.

I'm still scared. I'm still nervous. And I'm still insecure about my running. But with each run, I get stronger and closer. I know it is mental. I need to get my mind in the right place. That's hard to do when you are insecure about what you are doing, but I'm trying. Slowly but surely, I will get there.

Finished the Half

What a day! It was 15 degrees this morning and WINDY! I wore layer after layer and wasn't sure until race time about what I would finally decide on.

I had on a running tank top, a long sleeved running shirt, a long sleeved fleec pull over, and a running jacket plus 2 pairs of pants! And nothing came off during the race except for the gloves. It was hard. I'm glad I did it and I'm glad I finished. But it was hard! For my first 1/2, I'm happy, especially given the conditions.

My final chip time was 2:42:06. Even though I tossed out expectations, I really did want to finish in under 2:30. I knew I wasn't, so being about 12 minutes over that isn't too bad.

I'm tired and I'm sore. I came home and showered and tossed on sweats. That's it for me! I'm beat! Struggling to keep my eyes open now, just after 4:30pm. I did some good stretching and took some Advil, but I know I should stretch some more. Sadly, I just don't have the energy to move right now! I'm surprised I'm even able to type.

One great story from today.... as the race was getting ready to start and the runners were lining up, I started chatting with a woman who was running, Claudette. She flew in from Texas just for this Half Marathon in NH. After checking her out on the race results (not too tough when she is the only person from Texas running in a race in NH!) she is 66 years old. Her time was 2:27:02.

She had set a goal for herself. Claudette runs in a different half marathon every month. Her goal? Run a half marathon in every state. Today was number 36! She's doing Alaska in July and Vermont in August.

What a great goal and an unbelievably amazing accomplishment! She travels all over the country seeing different areas with her husband and is in fantastic shape and health. I found her and her story so inspirational.

Claudette said that today's half marathon was the only state who had a half in February where she hadn't already run. I'm not sure she was thrilled to be in frigid temps knowing it was 70 and humid back home in Austin.

I haven't registered for the rest of the races I am supposed to do yet. The Great Bay Half Marathon is in April. I heard it is a hilly course. That might be good for me to do before Boston and I think it might help me mentally too to do another half marathon. If I see improvement and if my time is faster, I will feel that much better about going into the marathon.

As of now, I am nervous! I was slower than I wanted to be today and this race just kicked my butt! I ended up walking quite a bit more than I planned on and more than I had hoped to walk. I just lost all steam and all energy. Plus I was SO dehydrated. I wish they had more water stops on this race. There were only 4 and I really needed more. I was taking water double fisted. Stop one at 2.8 miles I only took one. At stop 2 at mile 6 I took a water and a gatorade. At mile 8.7 I took 3 waters! Then at mile 11 I took 2. I was done by that point. My legs were shot, my lower back was throbbing. I knew I was done. I tried my best to keep up a good walking pace. Considering I walked completely from mile 11-13, only being 12 minutes over what I wanted wasn't too bad.

But I need to keep up the training. This was a starting point. I have 8 weeks to go for Boston. I need to continue on the outside long runs and really push myself. If I can run longer and take fewer and shorter walking breaks, then I think I will be alright. I need to increase my overall distance too. Next weekend when I do a long run, I want to try for only 12 miles to build my confidence a little, but hopefully do those 12 miles solid. I am going to ask some friends for help to get me through. I'll see if some of them are around to run a 3 mile portion with me and then have someone waiting when we return do the next 3 miles with me. My fingers are crossed!

Now I am off for a nap or some mind numbing TV. Today was fun and it was an experience. I finished my first half marathon and I had fun with it. That was the overall goal and that was a success.

Starting time in 3 Hours

This is just WAY too early to be up on a Sunday. The alarm was set for 6am. After a few clicks of the snooze button, up and half way ready to leave for 7:15. Although coffee isn't the best choice for a run day, I have 2-3 cups every morning. I'd rather get down one cup and deal with that, than have to deal with the headache from no coffee!

I'm still nervous. I know it is very cold out and windy. This is going to be a little mroe challengeing than I had first expected but is there anyway that 13.1 miles wouldn't be challenging??

I have a bag packed with a couple of Zone Bars and Power Bar Energy Bites, along with some jelly beans... all with over 25 grams of carbs each. I already ate a banana. I should eat more, but that's all I can get down right now. Just too early for me to eat!

I have water, gloves, and my license packed up too. Smuttynose Beer is a sponsor, so I might need an ID for after the race. (ok wishful thinking, but I still get ID'd once and a while so I'm being optomistic!)

Just turned on the TV for the news. Channel 4 is showing that it is 16 degrees out right now. WOW! That's COLD! Hmm... I'm going to have to reconsider the layers this morning. But at least they just said the wind is gone.

Well... this is it. Leaving soon, frigid temps, and 13.1 miles. Am I absolutely crazy for doing this?

Under 22 1/2 hours!

Tomorrow is big day #1. I have the Half Marathon in Hampton, NH. Still haven't figured out the details with my friend Trevor who is running the race too about how we are getting up there.

The race starts at 10am and we'll need to park and get to registration for our numbers and all that, then stop back at the car to drop off the Tshirt and whatever else we get for running. I don't want to have to rush so I'd like to be there by 9am. It is going to take us over an hour to drive up there too. Per mapquest, it is 65 miles from my house and 1 hour and 27 minutes... but that's not me driving.

It will still be over an hour to get up that way, even on a quiet Sunday morning. I asked Trevor when to meet and how's 7:30. 7:30am on a Sunday morning! WOW! I'll have to leave my house for 7:15 to meet. That's after getting up, getting ready, eatting breakfast and getting my stuff together. I'll have to set the alarm for 6am. On a Sunday! WOW. Glad I didn't end up going to the 8:30am yoga class I was thinking of today and decided to sleep in (work up after 10am today!)

And I will need to go to bed early tonight too. Need all the rest I can get. Plus drink lots of water and carb up for dinner. Pasta it is! At least I know my breakfast. Mini whole wheat bagle with peanut butter and slices of banana. Completely fills me up, but will give me the energy I need. I'll bring up the Power Bar Energy Bites I have too (smaller than donut holes, but yummy and LOTS of energy. Maybe $1.25 for a bag with 2 servings at Target).

I am going to use this race as a prep for the marathon. I want to know what works for me. What works for breakfast? How do I handle the time for breakfast and spacing out the food? What about dinner the night before? And getting in enough fluids so I don't have to pee all day, but I have enough so I'm not dehydrated? And what do I feel comfortable running in? What pants, running top, socks work best for me? How comfortable do I feel after 2 1/2 + hours of running?

Yes, 2 1/2 hours for my 1/2 marathon. I am NOT expecting to finish before 12:30 tomorrow. Yeah, originally I wanted to, but I am not expecting anything from it. I know I am a slow runner. I have accepted that I can't hang with the 8 or 9 minute mile people. That's how I run being 5'2" with short legs. They don't go that fast, but they do get me there. So finishing is the goal with no expectations or cares on the time.

Ideally I do want to finish the marathon in under 4 1/2 hours, but I don't know how that will work out for me. SO again, I am going to toss out all expectations of time and everything else. I want to finish. I want to have fun.

For a few weeks I was struggling. I was nervous and overwhelmed and filled with doubt. I lost the fun and enjoyment in this and it was a chore. It became a responsibility. I want to have fun with it. This is something I may never again do in my life! Not only am I running in a marathon, I am running in The Boston Marathon! Not too many people run in any marathon and Boston is at the top of that list. This is a big thing. I want to make sure I enjoy this. Not just that day, but the whole process.

I had lost that. I had COMPLETELY lost that. I am starting to get it back. I want to have fun and enjoy this entire experience. Tomorrow will be a really big part of that. Yes, I am very nervous about tomorrow, but I am also excited and looking forward to it. I love the energy of races. Everyone is excited and people go out and have fun and run. I love that!

So tomorrow is going to be a really good day. I am going to put on my sneakers and do what I can. If I break 2 1/2 hours, great. If I don't, that's ok too. I want to finish this race. That's it. Run along the beach with the ocean air on a clear bright February day. That's all. Enjoy the day.

I have to share a funny expectation I had set for myself that I am still trying to let go of. I love the tv show The Biggest Loser. I love Jillian and Bob and I love seeing these people reach their goals and accomplish things they never thought possible.

Two different seasons I remember the marathons they had the contestants run. I especially remember Tara running and finishing strong. Then a season or 2 later, Ada (even with a porta potty break) beat Tara's time! I wanted to beat both of them. I wanted a time better than the 2 females winners from Biggest Loser. Tara finished in 4 hours and 55 minutes. Ada finished in 4 hours and 38 minutes. I have been hoping to finish in under 4 horus and 30 minutes to beat them both.

In my little daydream rehearsal I play over and over in my head, my finishing time has varied, but it is always somewhere from 4 hours and 20 minutes to 4 hours and 29 minutes. I always have no more than 29 minutes and seconds there. Never the 3. Never 30 minutes. I had set the expectation that I would finish in UNDER 4 hours and 30 minutes, even if my final time was 4 hours 29 minutes and 59 seconds! I wanted to be under 4:30.

I don't know if that is possible in reality. I don't want to stress out about it either. And I was. I set an expectation for myself that I didn't know if I could live up to. This is the first marathon I have ever done and it could be the ONLY marathon I ever do. I tossed out that 4:30 goal I set. I want to finish. I want to cross that finish line. I want people there to see me accomplish this. I don't care how long it takes for me to get there. I just want to get there. Who knows if I will be running, jogging, walking or even crawling... but I just want to get there! I want to cross the finish line of the Boston Marathon, however long it takes me.

So now, who cares how slow I run. Who cares if I take breaks and have to walk a little bit here and there? Who cares what the final time shows on the clock when I cross the finish line? I don't and no one else should either. I want to finish. I just want to cross that line and be able to say "I did this!" And I want to say it with pride.

I am going to enjoy the rest of this experience and treasure each painful moment of the training. Years from now I know I will be looking back at what I am doing RIGHT NOW. At the training I am doing and the committment I am making in my life January, February, March AND April. Not just that one day in April. I will remember the long runs along the way. The 1/2 marathon I am doing 8 weeks out. The time in the pool for cross training. The worst winter ever with snowy, icy, narrow streets. The time I am forced to spend at the gym to get in miles. I will remember all of it.

I don't want to look back and remember how miserable I was during those training months. I want to look back and remember that I had fun. I enjoyed what I was doing. I needed to change my mindset about this. So I did. I have. Tossing out the expectations was the first step. And now I can do this.

Tomorrow at 10am I will be on the start line on a cold February morning along a beach in NH about to run the furthest I have run so far with 1200 other runners. This will be a great day and I will have fun. I will enjoy the experience and savor the moment.

These are things I never thought possible in my life. I never thought I would be a runner. I never ever thought I could or would want to do a 13.1 mile race. But here I am. And I'm excited for it. I'm looking forward to what happens and in taking it all in.

I am going to keep living in the moment and more importantly having fun and enjoying each moment that comes my way.

Routines

It is really nice to get back into my routine. I missed it. Tuesday was yoga. Wednesday was the gym and a 5 mile run. Today was the pool and a 1/2 mile swim.

I feel good. I feel refreshed. I like being this active and feeling this good about it. I'm happy with the progress I have made and I am feeling much more secure in my ability to do this.

I am taking it easy with training the next 2 days. Friday is only a ballroom dancing lesson with a group of friends (and then a few drinks later!). Other than going to my mom's house, I'm not sure yet what I'm doing on Saturday.

Then on Sunday is the 1/2 marathon! 13.1 miles. Outside. At 10am. In NH. Along the ocean. With a high of 35 degrees. Did I mention it starts at 10am? I guess the good thing is that the wind is coming from the north west so it won't be off the ocean when we run miles 8-13 aouth, along the coast. And by then, since I'm so slow, it should have warmed up a bit too.

Tonight as we were leaving the pool, I told my friends I was going to need some help with my long runs. I know a 3 mile loop where we did the Thanksgiving Day 5K. Starting next weekend I want to start doing that for my long runs. I planned next weekend to be a 12 mile run... 4 laps. So I want to see if my friends will meet me for different loops. Run a loop with one person, then have another person run with me for lap 2 and so on and so forth.

Trevor will be continuing to train for another 1/2 marathon in April, so he can do 2 loops with me. And Jen said she'd do a loop. I want to ask Kristin tomorrow at the ballroom lesson too. I figure if my friends who run faster than me will run with me and help me keep my pace and encourage me to continue with the training, it will be that much easier to keep going with the long runs.

I also want to get out on the course and get in some runs. I especially want to run the hills. I figure after 20ish miles, it would be nice to know what I'm getting into with those. I would like to be a little prepared and know a little of what I should expect.

My cousin said him and his family would all be right at heartbreak with signs for me. And tonight my friends said we have to go out and party after the marathon. I really hope to see some familiar faces along the route.

In the video we saw at the teams kickoff party, I remember what one person said in an interview. She had put her name on the front of her running shirt. As she was running the course, people would see her name and cheer for her, calling out her name to support her. I love that idea. I am going to need all the encouragement I can get and if I can have random strangers yelling out "GO JULIE!" as I pass by... then I am going to have my name on my shirt!

I'm looking forward to continuing my training, especially now that I feel better about it. I know I'll continue to have mental challenges and blocks along the way. I know I will have insecurities and self doubt. But I will have to find my focus, find an inspiration and find a drive to keep me going.

I have great friends in my life and an amazing support system I have built up. I have so many people in my corner cheering for me. All I have to do is reach out to them and they will be there.

I don't always have the easiest time asking for help. I pride myself on my independence. I can do anything on my own and I don't need anyone else. So to ask for help... I struggle with that. But I have built up an amazing support with great people in my life. I know I can ask for help and ask for support in my training and they will be there. I'm lucky!

So now I'll keep up with the routine, get in my runs, my yoga, my swims and have my amazing friends to help me and encourage me along the way. :)