Day 27C--Official Start

Yesterday was the official start to my marathon training. No running, but lots and lots of information. This also seemed like a really good time to get some baseline measurements. These will be the numbers to which I compare my measurements in October.

I currently weight 140.9 pounds, which makes my BMI 24.96. That puts my BMI within the "healthy weight" range, but on the higher end of it. A BMI of 25 is considered "overweight" I would like my BMI to be closer to 21, which makes my goal weight about 119 pounds.

Waist: 32 inches
Hips: 40 inches

My waist to hip ratio is .80, which puts me in the healthy range. That means I'm not at an increased risk for heart disease and diabetes.


Calf: 13
Thigh: 22
Wrist: 6

I found a site that allows you to determine you body fat percentage without any specialized tests. It just uses the measurements here to calculate. I have 30% body fat. 42.3 Pounds of fat and 98.7 Pounds of lean (muscle, bone, body water). Again, it's in the healthy range, but on the higher end.

Day 26C--Water

I haven't been running in almost two weeks, but I have been working on my water intake. I am diligently making sure that I drink tons of liquid during the day. I have a reusable, BPA free bottle that has a reusable built-in ice pack next to the straw. It holds about 50 ounces and I try to drink a full bottle every day at work. The other 10-20 ounces that I should get during the day come from the milk in my cereal, tea and water with dinner. I really want to make the hydration habitual before I start training so it's one less thing that I have to worry about.

One thing I don't have to worry about any more is fund raising. I have raised enough to guarantee my spot in the marathon. Thank you to all who have donated. You rock. If you haven't donated already, please do. The money still goes to a great organization. My personal fund raising goal was $1,500, so I would love if I could hit that amount, but I'm not worrying about that.

Inspiring Person #18

Cliff Young. He was an ultra-marathoner who set a record in the Westfield Sydney to Melbourne Ultra Marathon at age 61, despite the skepticism of his much younger, higher tech competitors. He maintained a 4 mph pace over 5 1/2 days straight. His shuffle style of running has been adopted by Ultra-marathoners and is dubbed the Young Shuffle.

Inspiring Person #17

Sam Robson. He ran his first ever marathon in London on April 17th of this year. He finished in 3:45, which works out to about 7 mph. After that was done, he ran the 99 miles to his house. His overall average for the entire 125 mile journey was 4.6 mph. He did all this to raise $5,000 for the UK Epilepsy Society.

Day 25C--Missed goals

I didn't run at all this weekend. It's been over a week since my last run. Not good. I just found out my official schedule for my marathon training and I still think I'm ok, even without last week's run. The schedule wants me to run 30-45 minutes on the 2nd & 4th of May and then run 3 miles on the 7th. I can do that without issues. I'm supposed to do some non-impact cross-training on the 1st, 3rd & 5th of May. My options for those non-running days are weight lifting, cycling, rowing and yoga. I think I'll be able to handle that, too. I should really add some yoga or even pilates to my workout to strengthen my core and improve my flexibility. I'm sure that will help with my running.

Inspiring Person #16

Doris Schertz. She won the F70-74 at Boston this week. Her time was 4:28:23. This is the 2nd consecutive year the 72-year-old won her age category in the famous race. This after having knee surgery in December.

Inspiring Person #15

Tammy Duckworth lost the lower part of both legs from injuries sustained on November 12, 2004, when the Black Hawk helicopter she was co-piloting was hit by a rocket propelled grenade. The explosion almost completely destroyed her right arm, breaking it in three places and tearing tissue from the back side of it. In 2008 and 2009, she completed the Chicago Marathon. Her time in 2008 was 2:26.

Day 24C--Weather and changed goals.

I had planned on running on Monday, but it was too cold. It was too cold on Tuesday, Wednesday and today, too. I bowl tomorrow, so I will try to fit in my run on Saturday. That's the first day the weather is supposed to get into the mid-50s. Since I'm not trying to fit it in from work to home, I think I'll aim for 8 miles. I just set up my route. Just realized that if I maintain a 12:00 pace, I'll be running for 96 minutes. I can't wait until I can improve my pace on my runs. I know that the more I run, the better my time will get. I will run more once the weather turns to spring and stops freezing. I will let you all know how the run goes. This will probably be my last long run before my official training begins on the 30th. I'm sure that I will run more starting in May.

Inspiring Person #14

Madonna Buder. Also known as the "Iron Nun" She has run over 325 triathlons over the last 29 years and is still running them at the age of 81. They're not just the sprint versions of triathlons, either. She's still doing full Ironman lengths. (26.2 mile run, 3.86 km swim and 180 km bike) She's done a total of 40 Ironman races. On 4/18/11, she ran the Boston Marathon. Every race is also a fund raiser for charity.

Inspiring Person #13

Pam Newman. At first glance, she may not look like she'd be inspiring, but she shows that ANYONE can get up and move more. She's lost more than 100 pounds over 11 months, and that's without really walking. She still exercises, though. She's lost the weight with the changes in diet and exercise, not via surgery.

Day 23C--New run goal

I plan on running home from work today, but taking the lake path instead of city streets. That adds about .8 miles to the run. Instead of 6.5 miles, it's 7.3 miles. It's also colder & windier. Most of my training runs will be on the lakefront, so I really need to stop being a wimp and just run regardless of the weather. I did bring a sweatshirt, running pants, gloves and a headband for my ears, so I think I will be able to handle the cold. I will run with my GPS on because the map I used to calculate the 7.3 miles uses the road and not the running path. If I remember from when I used to bike this way, it's closer to 7.5 or 7.6 miles.

Update: My goal remains the same, but I'm going to tackle the run on Thursday. The weather is supposed to be a bit warmer and less chance of rain.

Inspiring Person #12

Eddie Izzard. Yes, the genius behind the Death Star Canteen bit is also an inspiration for runners. He ran 43 marathons in 51 days to raise £200,000 for Sport Relief. Izzard clocked up more than 27 miles – further than a marathon – every day, six days a week, since he started. He trained for only five weeks before his Herculean effort. When he started, he was completing the daily distance in around ten hours. By the time he had finished he had halved his time to a little over five.

Day 22C--Race Results

I finished the 5K in 31:59. It wasn't as fast as I was running last summer, but a better pace than I've been running this year. The weather was the worst I've run in. It was cold, windy and raining. By the time the run was over, I just wanted to get inside and peel off my sogginess. Other than feeling super cold, the run went well. I didn't walk during the race at all and I didn't feel fully spent when it was over. I probably should have pushed myself harder during the race and tried to shave some time off. All in all, I guess I feel ok about the race, but not as good as I could.

Day 21C--Lack of Running

I haven't run since Monday. It was a super busy week, and I was sadly unable to fit in more than one run. I will be running again tomorrow, though. I am signed up for the Race to Wrigley. It's my first 5K of the year. I've been so concerned with ramping up my distance for the marathon, that I haven't really paid attention to my 5K pacing at all. I don't have any goals for tomorrow at all, which is just fine. I promise that I will share my race results with all of you after the race.

Inspiring Person #11

Stefaan Engels. He ran a marathon a day, every day, for an entire year. "if I could run a marathon a day for an entire year, that anyone could run or bike a little each day or do something about their weight problem."

Inspiring Person #10

Oscar Pistorius. He was born in 1986 with no fibula in either leg. When he was 11 months old, his legs were amputated halfway between his knees and ankles. He played rugby, water polo and tennis during school. In addition, Pistorius took part in club Olympic wrestling. After a serious rugby knee injury, he was introduced to running in January 2004 while undergoing rehabilitation, and "never looked back". He holds the Paralympic World Records in the 100, 200 & 400 meter races and just missed qualifying for the Beijing Olympics.

Inspiring Person #9

Toby Tanser-In 1999, this elite marathoner was attacked by two men armed with a machete and a homemade club while he was running along a beach in Zanzibar. He lost close to 25 percent of his blood and has plates in his head as a result of the incident. He went on to run the NYC marathon in 2000. He also is the founder of Shoe4Africa He's the long-haired guy in the back next to Hugh Jackman.

Day 20C--Another Goal Reached

I ran the full 6.56 miles home from work in less than 80 minutes. My pace was 11:53 per mile. That's a better pace than I set on my long run last week. I really thought the longer run would cause my pace to slow, but I was mistaken. Perhaps I'm just becoming a better runner. My muscles are a bit tight today, but nothing needing medicine, ice or rest. I'd probably be best served by doing some serious stretching. The Body Glide did help a lot. I think I need to put it on everywhere my bra MIGHT rub, instead of where it HAS rubbed, though.
I am starting to realize that I prefer longer distances to shorter distances. I'm running a 5K this weekend, but may sign up for a 10K this summer. It makes for a longer race, but against a much smaller field.
Every time I increase my distance, I have a fear that it's "too far, too fast" or simply just "too far". As I've been able to meet each distance and finish at or above my current pace, I am excited, shocked and proud. I must have pointed out how far I ran at least five times last night. Just sitting watching TV and I'd say, out of nowhere, "I ran over six miles today" I did the same thing for the month of February, but that was, "The Packers won the Super Bowl" I don't know when it will sink in that I am a runner. I'm not just some person who tries to run on occasion. I. Am. A. Runner.

Day 19C--Today's Run Goal

I wanted to set my goal at six miles today, but to do that as a run home from work, I'd end up taking the train one stop, or a bus 1/2 mile and then beginning the run home. After walking to the stop and waiting for the CTA, it's just easier to add that short distance to my run. Since I plan on doing a run/walk the entire time, I'm not worried about the larger jump in distance compared to last week's big run. Now that I've explained the reasoning, let me give you the actual goal for today: 6.54 miles. Here's the map of the run. My time goal is 80 minutes, which is 12:13 per mile. It's a bit slower than last week, but it's a much longer run, with many more stop lights. I'm sure I could get a better pace if I took the lakefront path, but that adds a mile to my route. I'll consider that for next week, or the week after that.
I know the 10% rule, but want to assure everyone reading this that I will listen to my body and stop if I have ANY issues. I bought Body Glide, so that should eliminate the chafing issue I've been having. I make sure to bring my wallet & phone with me, so I can bail out of my run and catch a bus at any point.

Inspiring person #8

Wilma Rudolph. Born prematurely, afflicted with polio, wore a brace on her leg and still went on to running legend. She won her first Olympic medal at the ripe old age of 16.

Day 18C--Accomplishments

Part of me feels like I've bit off more than I can chew. Trying to raise at least $1,000 for charity and training to run 26.2 miles. Luckily, that's only part of me. Most of me thinks that I'm already making really good progress on these goals. I'm trying to listen to the optimistic parts, not the pessimistic thoughts.
I've already raised $680, so I'm 2/3 of the way to succeeding and I've only been at that for three weeks. I still have three months left to raise another $320. I'd like to raise more than $1,000, but will be happy to just secure my spot in the marathon. If I look at the figures I just laid out, I feel confident that I will have no problems hitting the bare minimum in plenty of time.
I've already increased my maximum run from 3.1 miles to 4 miles and then to 4.8 miles. I've been ignoring the 10% rule, but have been leaving plenty of time for rest between my runs and have been paying attention to every ache. The aches have not been bad at all and usually only occur the day after the long run as some muscle tightness. My official marathon training doesn't start for another three weeks and I'm already enjoying the long, outdoor runs. I feel like I'm already ahead of the point that is expected of me by the coaches. They've even said as much in some online messages.
It's much easier to listen to the negative voices, but it's getting easier to believe the positive ones. I need to remind myself that the negativity is BS and serves no purpose.

Inspiring Person #7

Ray Ewry. Another person struck with polio and wheelchair bound who managed to succeed in track and field. He is one the most successful Olympians of all times and by a weird technicality, still holds an Olympic record.

Day 17C--Run completed

I ran my 4.77 miles yesterday and it was ok. It was actually better than ok. Other than the first mile which sucked because I was really, really cold, the run was great. Miles 2-4 were glorious. They were easier than the first mile and easier than the last 3/4 mile. I didn't run as quickly as I had hoped, but I did finish in 58:19, which is just over 12:02 a mile.
This was the longest I've ever run in my entire life. As I keep extending my runs, I will get to say this all the time. It feels really good to say that. It also feels really good to run that. I felt really triumphant at the completion of the run and my goals for this run.
I'm really enjoying the longer runs. This is not something I expected. I thought that the longer runs would be boring, but they're not. I can't really remember the landmarks of my run or the actual moments of the run. I won't go so far as to say that the run was transcendent, but it was meditative.

Day 16C--Today's Run Goals

I hope to get a long run in this afternoon. My plan is to take the train most of the way home and then run the rest of the way. Most may be an exaggeration, though. The route I've planned is 4.79 miles of running and I live about 7 miles from work. I really hope the weather will hold out so I'm not running in the rain. This will be the longest run of my life, so I'm expecting to do a decent amount of walking in between bursts of running. As for time, I'm hoping to finish in 65 minutes or less. That's a 13:40 mile or under 4 1/2 mph. When I state it that way, I want to change my goal to under 60 minutes for a 12:00 mile, 5 mph, instead. It would be great if I could finish in 55 minutes, and maintain the 11 minute mile that I've been running. I will aim for that time, but be ok if I get the 60-65 minutes.

Inspiring Person #6

Flea. Yes, the same Flea in the picture.

On March 2oth, Flea ran in the Honda L.A. Marathon to raise money for his music school, the Silverlake Conservatory of Music. He finished in just under 4 hours.

Here's an interview with Runner's World about his efforts.

Inspiring Person #5

Walter "Buddy" Davis. He had polio as a child, yet went on to win a medal at the Olympics and play in the NBA.

Day 15C--Goals

I ran a little over a mile on the treadmill today. I finished the mile in a little over ten minutes. I didn't go into my run with a goal, and that was a mistake. With no goal, I didn't know if I should try for a "slow and steady" run or try to run quickly. Instead, I ended up running too fast for multiple miles, but not as quickly as I would like for one mile. That is a lesson that I won't soon forget. Every run will be preceded with a blog post stating my goal for that run.
I bought new run accessories this weekend. I broke my old sunglasses and had been relying on a pair of baby sunglasses, which are just ridiculous. I also bought some new shorts. I wanted some women's shorts, but none of them have pockets and they're all $15 or so. I ended up buying boys basketball shorts for $6 each instead. I wish someone would start putting pockets in women's clothing. I don't ever carry a purse and I've never seen anyone carrying a purse while exercising.

Inspiring Person #4

Glenn Cunningham. Cunningham's legs were very badly burned in a schoolhouse fire when he was eight. The doctors predicted he might never walk normally again. He had lost all the flesh on his knees and shins and all the toes on his left foot. You can see the damage in the photo.

In the 1932 Olympics he took 4th place in the 1500 m.
In the 1936 Berlin Olympics, he took silver in the 1500 meters.
In 1934, he set the world record for the mile at 4:06.8, which stood for three years.
In 1938, he set a world record in the indoor mile run of 4:04.4.

Day 14C--Outdoor running

I went running along the lakefront this morning with Frontrunners. The route started and ended at the Totem Pole in Lincoln Park. I tried to keep pace with my friends Kate and Dawn, but wasn't able. They ended up waiting for me on the turn to make sure I didn't get lost. Dawn's book helped motivate me to get back into running this year. If you're looking for a good read, please buy it and read it yourself. :) Kate helped push me in my running last year, and I think last year's running is helping with this year, even with the months-long gap.
My pace was 11:04 per mile and the run was 3.6 miles. That's a bit slower than my treadmill run on Monday, but this was outside on the lakefront with weather. No snow or rain, but there was cold and wind. It wasn't super windy, but it was a cold wind, so it was kicking my butt. My heart rate stayed high in the fat-burning zone.
I will try to get some "before" measurements and a picture up on here tomorrow. I know it's not really before, but I got caught up in the running and fund raising and forgot to get the measurements first. Plus, my weight is higher than it was last year at this time and I was kind of hoping it would come down a bit before I'd have to admit what it is.

Day 13C--Running

I ran one mile yesterday, then walked a bit to cool down. I ran my mile in 9:57, which is right at the goal I set. I didn't run farther than that because I have a three mile run scheduled for Saturday morning. That will be my longest outside run this year. I will be running with a group of runners, which should help push me farther than the treadmill does.
I also figured out my resting heart rate yesterday, so I'll be updating that blog post with the new numbers.
My fund raising is still moving; received a donation online today and one offline. If anyone wants to send in a check as a donation, let me know and I can get you the details on how to do that.