Day 53C--8 miles

Today was the 8 mile run. The weather was perfect; a bit cold to begin, but then the running made us warmer. We ran at an 11:24 pace, which is close enough to 11:30 for all of us to be happy. Actually, the pace includes a bathroom break of 2 minutes and a Gatorade/water stop of another minute, so our running was even faster. Either way, I am happy that we finished and finished strong.

Our entire group of seven women finished together as a group, despite ankle issues and way too much chafing. The ankle issues belonged to Jenn and the chafing was all mine. I will be looking into other ways of defending against this. It's like a skinned knee, but after you've hurt it, you continue to rub it repeatedly for more hours. It's not super painful, but it's also not pleasant. I also have a black toe, which I got last week on the 7 mile run, and will probably have the rest of the training. It hurts like a bruise right now, but I'm scared that it will hurt worse when the nail starts to fall off.

Even with all of that, I am so happy that I finished my run. It is the longest I've ever run at a stretch and I felt so good when it was over, that I even did some yoga to stretch out my muscles. I'm now off for a ton of walking. It's summer festival time and I'll be walking to and from the festival and all over for a few hours.

Day 52C--Running

I got in my run today and it really felt good. I hope that the weather is just like this on Saturday so I can handle the 8 miles. I had a hard time with the 7 miles in the heat last Saturday and am a bit worried about the extra mile this week. I'm only slightly worried because the run/walk intervals mean one extra mile is only two intervals. The weather looks like it will be sort of cooperative for Saturday; cool, but raining.

I do know that I have to take 30 minutes this weekend to get my bike up and running so I can start biking to work. I really feel like I need the extra cardio to help me with the running. I also think I need it to increase my weight loss. Not that my weight is my primary concern. It's secondary to finishing my marathon training and being successful in October.

Day 51C--Heat

It's been really hot all week, which has sapped my energy. That and it feels like my B-12 levels are low, too. I wish that I could test my B-12 as easily as diabetics test their blood sugar. I feel sluggish, but not sure if that's lack of sleep, the heat, low B-12 or something else. I am taking B-12 tablets every day and the pills are way more than my daily needs, but still feeling sluggish. Unfortunately, there is no home test for B-12, so I'll have to get back to the doctor for testing. I think I'll also have them test for Celiac disease, too. I don't think I have it, but it can cause B-12 deficiencies and I'd like to eliminate that as a reason. If I do end up having it, it will be nice to know and deal with it and maybe feel more energetic.


I did try running on Monday and got in a little over a mile run. Most of that was speed work on the track. I also tried another energy booster during the run to see how it worked and tasted. Yuck. I couldn't finish because it was so gross. It tasted like bitter orange mix without enough water. I'm sure some people might like it, but I have vetoed it from my training.




On another food note, I have tried the pre-training food shown at left. They're about 50 calories a nugget and come 4 to a package. They taste like a yummy candy bar. I may see if these work during a run. They're mostly carb, so they should work and I don't dislike them, which is good.

Day 50C--One Month In

It's been a few days more than a month since I started training, so I thought I'd update my measurements and report any changes from that date.

I currently weight 141.5 pounds, 1/2 pound heavier than when I started., which makes my BMI 25.08. That puts my BMI within the "overweight" range, but just over the edge from "Normal".

Other than the slight increase in my weight, none of my measurements have changed over the month. I was hoping for more changes and in a positive direction. I think that the final arrival of summer will aid in moving these numbers in a positive direction. The weather in May was not as conducive to running as I really wanted and my mid-week runs were missed or shortened due to cold and rain. I do also plan on getting my bike out on the road this week, too. That should help with my cardio for the running and really work on these numbers.

Day 49C--7 Miles

I survived, which may not sound that impressive, but actually is. While I was running 7 miles, there was a half marathon on the south side of Chicago that was being called because of the heat. Sadly, there is a report of one of the runner's death. Survival is good.

Other than surviving, I don't have any greatness to report. I was really, really hot for the entire time. I didn't really feel all that great at all. At about 5 1/2 miles in, I told the rest of my pace group that I was spent and running on fumes. Finally, the stubbornness that I've had my entire life was going to really help me out. That stubbornness was what got me through the last 1 1/2 miles.

I really need to get my bike back on the road. My muscles aren't struggling with the increased mileage, but my cardio is clearly lacking. I felt like I was panting from very, very early in today's run. Since I'm only supposed to run twice during the week, I need another way of increasing my cardio capacity.

I did try the Clif Shot gel today. It tasted like really squishy fudge. Flavor was good, but the consistency was a bit hard to deal with while I was panting. I did get it down, and didn't really hate it, which was my worry. I have other mid-run foods ready for future runs. Hopefully, I'll have found one that I really like before October.

Day 48C--Training

My cross-training on Wednesday was softball practice. Some sprinting, lots of throwing and batting. I don't know if that's enough to qualify as cross-training, but it takes up most of the evening, so that's all that gets done.

Yesterday, I ran just over 3 miles. My time was a bit faster than my normal pacing, but I think that's because I ran 1 1/2 miles, took a break, and then ran the other 1 1/2 miles. It made running faster than normal pretty easy.

Tomorrow I run 7 miles, which is the longest I've ever run in one stretch in my life. I'm really excited to start setting new personal records (PR). Almost every Saturday going forward is going to be a PR. I do need to get to a health food/sporting goods store today to buy some race fuel for tomorrow. Time to start trying some different kinds. Also need to get used to Gatorade.

Day 47C--my running

I walked over 4 miles on Monday for my cross-training. It wasn't as much training as I probably should have gotten, but it was nice to walk to the beach and around the neighborhood on Memorial Day.

Yesterday was my mid-week run day and I ran 4.22 miles, even though it was hot and sticky. I thought the run was sucking, but my pace was right at 11:39. Yesterday was also one month into my marathon training. I should have taken measurements, but forgot. I will get them tonight and be sure to share if my weight or measurements have changed at all over the month.

I signed up for a 5K that happens at the end of July. It's in Green Bay and ends with a lap around Lambeau Field. Even cooler than that is that it's only $25 for the race. That's one of the lowest costs I've ever seen for a chip-timed 5K. The Soldier Field race was $65. Yes, I'll have to pay for a hotel room, but this is still a way cooler race than any other I've run. Better than running through the concourse at Wrigley.