Kelly – Page 6 – Run Read Repeat

MBF/MBFA versus 9 Week Control Freak

In full disclosure I am not a Beachbody coach (But, I know an amazing one if you are looking. Check out Kristi if you are looking for a coach). I am a runner who loves Beachbody. Any runner worth their salt knows that cross and strength training are critical. Prior to Covid I was working with a trainer twice a week for 30 minutes and running 3-4 days a week. Why do I mention this?? Well, because now I’m strength training anywhere from 4-5 days a week and running every day. We all cope with a pandemic in different ways, right??

Once Covid meant that all my workouts were happening at home I was doing a combination of this and that in regards to strength training with no real consistency. Translation, every couple of weeks I would go “oh yeah, I should really be strength training instead of running all of the time.” I noticed that a friend who I “met” in an online networking group was killing it with her Beachbody workouts and seeing serious results. I say “met” because I’ve never met her in “real life” but I know she’s “my people.” Her positive personality was contagious and I totally felt like I was missing out by not trying something new. I’m telling you check out Kristi Allen!! She shares consistently and helps people see results. But more importantly she creates a community where regardless of where you are on your fitness journey that you feel welcome and encouraged. Kristi did a sample week where we could try a variety of programs.

After my sample week I was hooked!! More importantly I was super eager to start MBF. Muscle Burns Fat. I wanted to add consistent weight training to my running routine. During the sample week I saw the trainer Megan Davies in action. Her quick pace, not a lot of extra talking was just my style. If I was going to combine at least a three mile run and a workout before leaving the house for school at 7:30 AM it needed to be quick and worth my while. While MBF and MBFA (Muscle Burns Fat Advanced) are related programs they are broken down into two three week blocks. When you are trying something new it would be overwhelming to think about committing to much more than three weeks. While I have been able to routinely follow a training schedule, it always had a great deal of flexibility, which was helpful with a busy mom/sub schedule. This was the first time I was going to commit to a you need to spend x amount of time on this day to finish the program. MBF is a seven day a week program. Five days a week are strength training, two days a week are Core/Cardio days and the last day is a recovery/active stretch kind of day.

From the beginning I was challenged by MBF but continually got stronger and could feel changes based upon the weights I was using for my workouts. Two days a week there are As Many Rounds as Possible (AMRAP) incorporated into the workout. My seven year old became my cheerleader and each week pushed me harder and harder to beat my score. In case you haven’t noticed I LOVED MBF. Without hesitation I moved directly from MBF when it concluded to MBFA. Holy cow, I thought I was ready and I was able to do it, but it kicked my butt!! Each and every day I was pushing myself to the max to crush the workouts. I woke up every morning energized to see what Megan had in store. In regards to equipment MBF/MBFA were easy. The only thing beyond dumbbells that you need are Bod Ropes. That’s a fancy way to say cordless jumprope. While I went with the Bod Ropes directly from Beachbody, you can pick up a pair inexpensively from Amazon.

As I was preparing to finish MBFA, so six weeks of continuous program, I was already thinking about what was next. In my mind I was simply going to go back and start MBF all over again. But, Kristi started talking about a new program that was coming out 9 Week Control Freak. It’s with one of the top Beachbody trainers Autumn Calabrese. I went back and forth as to whether or not I was going to do it. I liked MBF so much and I wasn’t sure how I would feel about switching trainers. But I’m not going to lie I had serious fear of missing out! Here’s the thing with 9 Week Control Freak though, it requires a good deal of extra equipment. I’m not going to lie the extra equipment made me nervous and was part of the reason I hesitated to sign up. The door mounted control track really had me worried. But guess what, as long as you have a standard door that opens away from you it’s super easy to mount and the workout you get from the track is well worth it!! (And there’s now an off the track version of the program) Next you need a core ball and a step. Don’t forget you also need a variety of dumbbells. So as I type this it doesn’t seem overwhelming, but before I started it seemed like a lot of stuff. I’m not going to lie the control track is no one of my most favorite things and will likely stay on our basement door forever.

So how did the workouts compare?? The style and set up of 9 Week Control Freak was incredibly different from MBF. First there was no actual music. Granted there was a Spotify playlist that I could have listened to but it seemed weird to me that there was no actual music in the workout. The workouts were broken down in a warm up, 12 minute as many reps as possible, 4 minute lifting in time with the trainer and then 4 minutes of Tabata. One day a week there was an entire session of Tabata. A lot of fit for a program has to do with trainer personality. 9 Week Control Freak definitely had a lot more talking and seemed to be at a slower pace. I’m a less talking more moving kind of person so this was an adjustment for me. But there were also lots of golden nuggets shared about fitness journeys that were worth the talking.

I found that I was quickly replacing the Tabata days with longer runs in order to maintain my running schedule. Unlike, MBF/MBFA 9 Week Control Freak was five days a week. The nine weeks are broken down into three three week chunks so to speak. Truth be told the first block was not overly challenging. Clearly, I had gotten much stronger during my MBF/MBFA programs. It wasn’t until about half way through the second phase that I really felt the intensity pick up a bit. If I’m being honest, I had to push myself to keep going and not go back to MBF. Even my boys asked “What happened to Megan?” That said, I still finished the 9 weeks. I wanted to see the program through so that I could get a real sense of it from beginning to end. I cried the last day with a sense of accomplishment for completing a 9 week program. But, I didn’t for a moment think let’s do that again.

Wha am I doing now?? I’m back to MBF and then I’ll continue onto MBFA. Last time I did the program I literally did every single workout. I’m a little crazy like that. I didn’t think I could miss one and still fully appreciate the program. What have I learned? You can take a little bit from here and a little bit from there to make a program that works best for you. My plan is to replace the Core Cardio days on Tuesday and Thursday with longer runs. But I’ll also add 10 minute core from 9 Week Control Freak on those days so I’m still getting a core workout. There are five days of lifting with MBF/MBFA and I will certainly do all of the lifting days. I’ll take some flexibility with the other days to allow time to get all my miles done too.

Needless to say I feel blessed to have Kristi as a coach. I know she’s always cheering me on to do my very best! I’m inspired to follow her journey and energy! I also feel fortunate to have the flexibility to work out every day from home. Beachbody has truly changed the way I exercise and has made me a stronger and better runner!

Have an inspired and active day!

You’ve got this- #sharethespark

For those of you who don’t know I’m the product of a small business owner. I often say that my work ethic comes from my Dad who worked tirelessly, six to seven days a week in a business that his father created. In the food industry, skilled as a butcher he had the ability to be kind when others weren’t and to work more hours in one week that many don’t even work in two. And you know what, I’m not sure I ever heard him complain. He just got up and did what had to be done and did it again the next day.

So that was a long introduction into why small businesses are near and dear to my heart. And while I’m partial to small business, not all are created equal. Some go above and beyond. Over the last several years I’ve become acquainted with Momentum Jewelry. Founder, Amy Cochrane while holding a plank one day looked down at her wrist and had a lightbulb moment. Your wrist, while you are running, working out, “momming” (yes it’s a verb) or simply just living life is the perfect place for a motivational message.

I’ve mentioned before that I LOVE words, quotes and phrases. So you had me at motivational message and personalized jewelry. But Momentum is so much more than jewelry. It’s this amazing community of employees who do everything from hand stamp the motivational messages to making sure when USPS loses yet another package that you get your items replaced. (and everything in between). And I know that I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ll say it again, when I reached out regarding a fundraiser for my quest to run the NYC Marathon. (It will happen…I just don’t know when.). The Momentum staff responded so generously and warmly to my request that I really couldn’t believe it. It was one of those renew your faith in humanity kind of moments. So they walk the walk and talk the talk. They are truly cheering everyone on!!

So that’s one amazing part of the community- but then here’s the amazing group of people- those who also love Momentum Jewelry. I love reading their inspiring messages, sayings that are important to them and see how they are pushing themselves along in life.

Let’s be real- life has its ups and downs in good times. Throw in a pandemic and holy cow if you don’t need a positive community cheering you on now I don’t know when else you possible could.

Each year Momentum Jewelry has a week of focusing on #sharethespark. I couldn’t be more excited to be selected as an Ambassador this year. In case you didn’t notice I already love them and what they stand for so I’m certainly happy to share that love. As an ambassador I was lucky enough to get my kit of goodies in advance of the big week. Included were two new sayings. Yay! Added bonus I get to share one of the motivational wraps with a friend/family member. I’ll be bringing one along to Arizona with me next weekend for my sister. As we navigate what it means to have a Dad with Alzheimer’s we constantly need a positive reminder and what better than a Motivational Wrap.

Shall we take a look at what was included in the kit?

Let’s start with the Foot Note. This little beauty fits perfectly on the lace of your shoes. As a runner, there’s no better place for the reminder to STAY STRONG. With that said, this would be a great reminder at times other than running. I’m wearing these next weekend when I travel as a reminder to STAY STRONG.

Then there were three motivational wraps. The new messages really spoke to my soul!!

YES! you can– Well if this doesn’t apply to just about anything I don’t know what does. Too tired to get up and get your workout in before work, school, the kids get up- yes! you can! Feeling defeated by your day or unable to get something accomplished YES! you can. Need some time to yourself to think and just be YES! you can take the time. I could go on and on. This is perfection!

Simply said- JUST SHOW UP. Show up for yourself. Show up for others. When it’s easy, when it’s hard JUST SHOW UP. Does this resonate with you??

Don’t look back. Again, a simple yet powerful message. Why you aren’t heading that way. You learned what you could from the past keep moving forward. You aren’t necessarily the same person today as you were yesterday or years ago. Is that good, bad or just right where you are supposed to be? So- YES! you can, just show up and don’t look back are the perfect combination of new additions to add to the Motivational Wrap collection. So tell me- which is your favorite new saying?

As you can see there’s a lot of meaning packed into something so small. Not only that you can decide how the words connect to you for the extra motivation that you need to get that run done, tackle the day and make the most of each and every day!!

I can’t wait to #sharethespark this week with Momentum Jewelry, but you know I’ll be sharing the spark well beyond this week! Tell me in the comments below which new saying speaks to you!

Life reflections at 40- find what brings you joy!

In January I hit a birthday milestone….the big 4…0. I wasn’t bothered by turning 40 but rather took it as an opportunity to truly reflect on life over the last decade. Ten years is a VERY long time. This exercise of course made me think of all the changes in the preceding decades. So let’s take a trip down memory lane, shall we??

At the age of 20 I found myself a sophomore in College. Living alone for nearly two years on my own. Making the way to do well in college so I could subsequently complete my life goal of becoming a lawyer and go to law school. Still young, enjoying life. But still an old soul in many ways.

Now let’s look at what happened in my life between 20-30. So much it even makes my head spin, and this is just the stuff I’m thinking about off the top of my head.

Met my now husband of 14 years
Graduated College
Attended and graduated Law School
Got my first “real” job as a law clerk during law school that that became my first job as a Criminal Prosecutor that I had for 8 years.
Got engaged
Got married
Traveled A LOT
Lost my mother-in-law to cancer shortly before my 30th birthday

So now let’s take a look at 30-40 shall we?

At 32 became a mom for the first time.
Left my dream job of being a prosecutor to fulfill my new dream role as a Mom.
Learned my Dad had early onset Alzheimer’s.
Welcomed our second child at 34.
Traveled A LOT…even with kids!
Started a variety of businesses that I could work from home to fulfill my desire to get my brain working again.
Threw myself into volunteering, especially at the boys’ school.
Started running again. Ran races in 4 states. Distances include 5K, 10K, 12 miles, Half Marathon and Marathon.
Became a substitute teacher.

When I was less than ten, I knew that I wanted to be a lawyer. I have no idea why, it’s not like I even knew any lawyers. I was the first in my family to go to college and I had this clear goal of going to law school. That goal then became to become a prosecutor. Hands down, being a prosecutor was the VERY BEST JOB IN THE WORLD. I loved the fact that I was in court multiple days a week. I loved trying cases and I tell you that there’s nothing like waiting for a jury verdict to be returned after trying the very best case possible. But you’ll notice I made a distinction between JOB and ROLE with motherhood. While many think Motherhood is the very best job in the world, I don’t necessarily believe it’s a job but rather the very best ROLE that we can ever be given. We have the opportunity to shape the lives of human beings, of the next generation. To hopefully give them the tools and skills to succeed. To teach them to be kind, respectful and to show gratitude.

When we learned that we were going to become parents we made the choice that I was going to stay home, leave the practice of law. Now don’t get me wrong there are many, many woman who successfully balance both being a mother and the practice of law or any number of other professions. And I recognize that many would like the opportunity to be at home rather than having to go to work. So my disclaimer (because I still think like a lawyer) is this: everyone has to do what works best for their family and for them professionally. We did what worked for us. No judgments either way. Because, yes, I’ve heard it… “you went to school for all of those years, just to say home and be a mom?” Harsh right? Who are we to judge others and the choices they make. And PS there’s nothing wrong with being “just a mom.” Quite honestly, it’s the most important damn thing you can do if you are blessed with children. Being present and providing for your children whether financially or mentally or both is of critical importance to raising good human beings!

I’ve talked a lot in my various online communities about having passion and joy for what you do. Trust me, I’m not all sunshine and rainbows. You could have the very best job, a job that you love and it can be stressful and hard and you might not feel too passionate about it day in and day out. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t the right job…or it might mean you need to find passion in a hobby or somewhere else to balance out the stress. I had passion for the law like no one’s business. And it’s still in there. But right now I have passion for parenting like it’s my job. So for me that means finding professional passion in different arenas to maintain my mental stamina while “Momming” the way that I want.

I know a lot of shade is thrown at various work from home businesses that get called dirty things like “pyramid schemes” or are said to prey on mothers and take all their money. I’m here again to say…stop the judging!! My first foray with an at home business was Usborne books. I’m an avid reader and always have been. I was the mom to two small boys, and I was looking for an outlet 1) to meet other moms, 2) make a few dollars and 3) get some awesome books for my boys. Guess what, we couldn’t have two kids who are more into books. As in we still have books in every room in our house and in the car. Whether they got that from the fact that they grew up with me talking about and sharing books with others or it was innate we will never really know. But what I do know, is that if they got nothing more from my time with Usborne Books I would be happy. Because a love of reading can take you so many different places.

Why do I share this interlude? Well, until both the boys were in school full time I worked and still do a variety of businesses from home. Basically, I would find really awesome products that I loved like accessories and skincare (Stella & Dot/Ever) and it would bring me joy to share those products with others. It would also fulfill a need to go out and do parties to socialize with other adults when I was otherwise at home with the boys. Then came Zyia Active. Why Zyia Active?? Let’s be real, I was running all the miles and needed all the gear so if I was buying it all I might has well share it with others. Seriously, it became an opportunity to share why I loved the products for running, while making some of the very best friends who “live in my computer.” Next up, when I learned that drinking soda and eating cheddar cheese goldfish was not a good life eating plan I began making better eating choices. I’m joking a little bit, but seriously my diet needed an overall. Not in an attempt to lose weight but rather, to eat better and ultimately to be a better example for my boys. So along came Arbonne.

My friend Suzy always likes to joke about whether I expected to be selling leggings when I was in law school. The answer is a big fat NO. But I did always expect to be working hard and setting a good example for my children. Let’s be real parenting can and is a full time job. For real. I needed more without the grind of working outside the home so that I could still be fully available to the boys. I like to say that you have to find passion and joy along the way and the things/activities/hobbies/employment that bring you joy can change. There are different stages of our life and what works during one stage may not work during another. For example, when I was a prosecutor I was one of the first in the office and one of the last to leave. That’s my personality. All in 110%. Knowing I couldn’t do that and Mother the way I wanted to meant that I had to make a change. So I put 110% into raising our tiny humans. That was a stage of life that required my full attention. As they got a little bit older, I still give them 100% but then used that other 10% to find areas that interested me and brought me joy. In come the various home business opportunities. Then came the opportunity to do a professional job remotely in reviewing college applications. This was a game changer for me and allowed me to use my background in admissions to work from home. It also got me thinking about what other opportunities there would be in the educational realm as the boys got older.

Now I’m at a new stage. My boys are both in school full time. Woah nelly, there were tears. I mean my own because they couldn’t have been happier and truly LOVE school. So there were about 4 days that I was home before I started subbing at school. That was long enough. Definitely no moss growing on me. Always on the move. I’ve been regularly subbing every week since and guess what it brings me joy in ways I never thought possible. 1) I’m present at school and get to see my kiddos for a passing hug, while it’s still cool to hug some at school (may they always think it’s cool) 2) I love to learn and to teach. In many ways, trying a case was “teaching” the jury what happened. Would you believe that’s how I look at a lesson plan? Average class size of about 12. You’re talking to a jury each and every day. It’s not necessarily a jury of your peers but it’s a group that you need to break down information and share it to in a way that’s easily comprehended and retained. Boom, who knew law school was really teaching me to be an educator. 3) Watching the lightbulb go on as children learn something for the first time or you help them with something is truly fulfilling. I’m loving this new stage so very much. It feels like a balance between “Momming so hard” and having a professional version of myself that I lacked for along time.

So, when I was 10 or even 20 for that matter I wouldn’t have necessarily mapped out this life plan. But I’ve learned a serious lesson over the last decade- you don’t have to be one thing in life. For many the era of having one job at the same employer for thirty years is gone. I don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing because you have the opportunity to recreate yourself at the various stages. Furthermore, tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. Don’t put off until tomorrow hat you can do today. Live each day to its fullest. Find joy in what you do. And live your life with passion!

Another life lesson from the time of Covid 19

A year ago this past weekend I was in Orlando, Florida for the Run Disney Princess Weekend races. I looked forward to going for over a year. My first big trip for a race weekend and I was planning to run back to back days a 10K and a Half Marathon. But as the weekend approached the mom guilt hit big. I’m talking huge. I felt badly about going alone. I felt badly about leaving my family for a long weekend. I know my husband, who is super supportive is also more than capable of caring for our children. Yes, I know I’m allowed to go places without my children, but it’s so rare even before Covid that I traveled anywhere without them that I felt all sorts of guilt. In this Covid world if I’m gone for a few hours it’s like I’ve been gone for days.

Fast forward a year and here’s what I would’ve told myself as I was feeling guilty:

ENJOY every minute of quality alone time you get! No really, while I enjoyed the time in Orlando and even took a nap with those 2:30 AM wake up calls, that guilt still nagged me a bit and sucked a little bit of the fun from the experience. Quality alone time is hard to come by- so if you get it- revel in it. Enjoy the time. Make the minutes matter!
Get over the damn mom guilt already. Let me say that again for those of you in the back….GET OVER THE MOM GUILT. Ok, truth be told I’m saying it for myself. I struggle with this big time. So I have to remind myself that being a good mom doesn’t mean spending every minute of every day with your kids. Being a good mom means making your kids and family a priority while still carving out the time to do the things that bring you joy. Being a good mom is setting an example for your children.
Refilling your cup will make you better in the end. We’ve all heard the expression that you can’t pour from an empty cup. Well COVID has certainly drained our cups and made the day to day harder because let’s be real it’s been like Groundhog Day for nearly a year! When all this madness ends- take the time. Refill your cup. Reward yourself for being strong and maintaining some sense of normal for you and your family! Feeling guilty about thinking about refilling your cup?? See number two above.
Go to new places!! I basically never travel alone. I have no reason to. It’s not that I’m not able to do it. Heck, I traveled plenty by myself before kids, but once you have kids if you are like me your alone travel time diminishes. Running has afforded me the “excuse” to try new things and go new places. Granted this can be as a family as well, it doesn’t have to fall into the get away alone category. COVID certainly put the brakes on the travel and the racing component but eventually it will come back. And you know what? I’m going to pick on race a year to travel to. Not necessarily far and hopefully to coordinate with visiting family and friends, but I’m going new places!
Don’t take things for granted! It’s safe to say that pre-Covid we in general took a lot for granted. I’m not saying we weren’t grateful or didn’t appreciate different opportunities. But, I’m not sure I ever envisioned the uncertainty of in person racing. I certainly took for granted the fact that I could toe the starting line after training hard and run with a group of people for the amazing experience of running a race and finishing with your family cheering you on! I took for granted the ease of travel. Even with kids we traveled frequently around their school schedule. To basically been grounded for a year has been incredibly difficult. We keep adding to our post Covid list of places that we want to visit. I could go on and on- but I would also add- don’t go back to “normal.” If normal was crazy, busy, and making you unfulfilled then don’t go back to that place. Use the lessons learned from this Covid period to be selective in those activities that you continue to pursue. Be careful with your time. Keep doing the things that bring you joy!

The long and short of it- do what brings you joy and live for today because tomorrow isn’t guaranteed!

I’ve created a monster

Or have I? You’ve seen me say from time to time that the boys are always watching. Ironically enough, I started my running and fitness journey for me. As so time to myself. It has evolved over time to become a family affair. As hard as I try to get up earlier than they do during the week to get my workout done, somehow they are still up in time. At first, I was bummed, I just wanted a little quiet time to start my day and to binge my latest show on Amazon Prime as I ran, but I realized, as with everything else…they are always watching.

We are in the cold days of winter here in Maryland. With snow and ice on the ground it’s really not ideal for running outside. So I’ve been running indoors for the last several weeks. With lots of extra energy, I suggested that the boys could also run on the treadmill today. As is pretty typical, my five year old did his thing for about 5-7 minutes and then was ready for a break. My seven year old on the other hand diligently ran a mile. Upon finishing retrieved his school iPad, snapped a selfie and then proceeded to decorate the picture to share with his friends when he gets back to school.

This left me thinking….1) they see me take a lot of sweaty selfies to share on IG on a regular basis. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? I don’t do the workout to take a picture. I do the workout because I’m committed to the program and enjoy it. But why do I share my pictures?? Well, because it’s nice to be part of a community. Especially in 2020 we need to feel part of a community even more than ever. We are checking in on each other and our goals. We are supporting each other through the tough workouts and the miles. 2) It’s OK to want to share. It’s ok to be proud of our accomplishments no matter how big or small and want to share it with our friends. As long as it’s done in a humble and kind fashion, share away. You never know who you might be motivating in the process. 3) Leading a healthy lifestyle is something I want the boys to emulate. In order for them to do so, they need to see me doing it, not just hear about it when I’m done. Over the last few weeks I’ve added Beachbody #mbf and #mbfa into my fitness routine. It’s HARD. Not going to lie some days are easier than others but a lot of days are hard. They have seen me struggle and push through. Take a break when I needed to and then continue. They’ve questioned whether I should stop and we’ve talked about the importance of safely pushing our bodies in order to grow and get stronger. But they have also seen me get better at the various exercises and stronger in the process. We’ve laughed at me in the process, but the number of life lessons in a 30-40 minute workout are actually pretty profound.

One last funny story. This week I began #mbfa. By the end of #mbf I actually felt like I was holding my own and could do it, therefore I thought making the transition to #mbfa would be manageable. Day 1- Leg day…it was WORK. Oh my goodness. Today was Day 2. Core/Cardio day. The pace is way faster and the moves more complicated. Core/Cardio days also include As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP) at the end. In #MBF it was four minutes at the end of the workout. Over the last few weeks, J has been my tallier at the end of each round. He cheers me on- pushes me to get as many done in the appointed time. Today’s core workout was fierce. I was spent by the time we got to AMRAP. J is all ready with the board and to do the tallying for me. Keep in mind that’s supposed to be the time when you catch your breath and get a drink of water. But he’s convinced if he does the tallies then I can get more rounds done. This is not a bad theory for four minutes. But wait for it. He’s all set, ready to begin and what does Megan Davies say…AMRAP is for 6 minutes. Hold the phone. Two extra minutes might not seem like a long time but it’s like an actual lifetime at the end of a workout and when you are trying to do as many rounds as possible. So I’m like hold up in my head thinking no one said anything about 6 minutes, when my 7 year old comes out with “Holy cow mom did she just say 6 minutes? Think of how many extra rounds you can do with two extra minutes.” Yes, son if I don’t die. But the moral of the story is I didn’t die. I pushed through. I crushed the AMRAP and he cheered me on. But he’s a tough cookies. He’s going to expect me to beat this week’s score next week!

All this to say- our children are watching. It’s important for them to see us try hard things. It’s important for them to see that it doesn’t always come easily- that with hard work, consistency, grit and determination you can get things done. That leading an active lifestyle is a choice worth making to be the best version of yourself! And if sharing it with your community makes you feel good- share away!!

Until next time- have an inspired day!

Finishing the year strong

Well, hello there long time no see. I seriously believed I blinked and November was over! Then I’ve been trying to finish this post for about a week. The lack of writing was not from a lack of activity, but rather an absolute lack of time! But the running has continued as has the thinking about and reflecting on 2020. So there are two ways to look at 2020- a total dumpster fire and can’t wait for it to be over or a year with blessings that isn’t over yet so there’s still time to maximize the year!

I won’t lie- 2020 has been HARD. I mean really, the total uncertainty surrounding COVID has been mentally and physically exhausting. The transition to virtual school last spring that lasted through the beginning of this year was a major adjustment for everyone. Racing basically being canceled the year I decided to run a marathon. Not being able to travel or visit family. I mean, really the list could go on and on.

But you know what else 2020 was??? A BLESSING! 2020 served as an opportunity to slow life down a bit and be reminded of the those things that we are most fortunate to have in our lives. The extra time with the boys, while exhausting was truly a blessing. We got to watch them learn and grow in a way that we normally would not have the opportunity. We had extra time for family walks and playing outside. We had more time for snuggles and reading. We had less meetings. More time to just be. This is not to say our days were quiet and restful- but they were busy in a different, healthier way.

While it didn’t look the way I imagined the marathon did happen. I in fact became a marathoner in a pandemic. There should be a special medal for that accomplishment! You know what else, both of my kids were back in the same school for the first time in years. And for the first time ever they were both in school full time!! I waited a whole day before find a way to fill that extra time in my day. So the fall was not only full of marathon training but also transitioning into working outside the home again (for the first time in more than 7 years!!) as a substitute. What was originally in my mind going to be maybe one-two days a week, quickly became 3-4. I’m not going to lie while it made for long days, extra early mornings to exercise and tired evenings I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It was the perfect opportunity at the perfect time!

Which goes back to the idea of finishing the year strong. We have 24 days left in 2020. 24 days to make the most. 24 days to try something new. 24 days to finish one of those 2020 goals. There’s no need to wait until 2021 to get motivated. For example, part of the craziness that made November fly by was trying a sample week of Beachbody programs. After the marathon, I wasn’t really quite sure what to do with myself. I knew I had the opportunity to try something different without the fear of being sore or straining a muscle that would require me to cut back on my miles. So you know what that translated to starting #mbf a 21 day program on November 30th. Pushing hard to finish 2020 strong by adding a 5K a day for at least 12 days. The combination of the #mbf and the 5Ks was tough this first week. But by Sunday, I was in the groove and instead of a 5K, I ran a 10K to make the number of 5Ks match the day I was on for #mbf. Yup, I’m crazy like that.

While we are talking about finishing up 2020 strong, that doesn’t mean we can’t start planning for 2021. Now is the time of year that I always start thinking about my word of the year for the next year. The time when I start setting goals for year ahead. I’m kind of at a loss. This is the first time I’m trying to project without truly knowing what the landscape is going to look like in a month, six weeks or 6 months from now. Truth be told though, many goals can continue happening despite what is going on around us.

Let’s start with a running goal. This past year my goal was 1000 miles. This seemed like a reach goal at the time because I ran 578 miles in 2019. I’ve since blown past 1000 miles and crossed 1200 yesterday. Once I saw that 1000 was going to happen easily I upped my goal to 1250 miles. In the last six weeks I decided, what the heck let’s go for 1300. When I stop to think about adding 300 miles to my original goal, it’s crazy!! Which leads me to struggle with how far do I think I can run in 2021. Hmm. Let’s go with 1500 miles. But are you thinking what I’m thinking?? If I run 1578 then I can run 1000 miles more than what I ran in 2019. So let’s say 1500 miles with a reach goal of 1578.

What is the future or racing in 2021?? No idea. Absolutely, none! My gut tells me that I will not be running the NYC Marathon in 2021. But you know what, I’m already mentally prepared for that to be the case. But the question remains, do I still want to run a marathon in 2021? Am I now an annual marathon runner? Let’s go with yes! While I have no idea what marathon I will run, I will run another marathon in 2021!!

Let’s talk about books. Another blessing of 2020 was having way more time to read. Not only to read to the boys. I mean we did read the first four Harry Potter books this summer! But, I personally had more time to commit to reading. I always set a goal of reading 12 books a year and have yet to do it. This year I’ve already read thirteen (not counting the many books I’ve read to the boys!). With a little over three weeks left in the month I can easily read another 2-3 books! I’d love to hear what you are reading. Feel free to share in the comments below. As for a reading goal for next year, I’m going to big. Go big or go home, right?? So for 2021- I’m going to strive to read 21 books!

Now to the word of the year? I love quotes. I love words with meaning. I love having something to focus on for the year ahead. I started the tradition of a word of the year in 2019. My words so far have been: 2019 Inspire. Because I wanted to inspire those around me, but I also wanted to be inspired in everything that I did. 2020 Determined. I was determined to stick with my running and training plans. I was determined to run a marathon. And let’s be real, once 2020 got underway I was determined to keep life as normal as possible for my boys while we navigated through Covid 19. Normally my word just kind of comes to me. I’ve been toying with the word flourish- and then there was perspective. But then it hit me- my word is Passion! Why passion? Shouldn’t we have strong emotion and feeling towards the things that we are doing? Shouldn’t we dive deep into those things that are our passion? Parenting, running, exercising, reading- you name the passion! So in 2021, I will not only live with passion, but dive deep into those passions that I love!

Stay tuned as I unveil my planner for 2021. Keeping track of my running in a written space is important to me. A goal for 2021 is to be better at meal planning for the entire week ahead. Having everything together in one place will be super helpful. I’ve explored different planners throughout the year. I know, I know who needed a planner in 2020? Well, there are still things the keep track of- even if life isn’t quite back to “normal.”

Until next time, stay well, get moving and be inspired!

Life after the Marathon

I ran a marathon, now what?? There was so much anticipation and build up to the big day. Many weeks of training, tweaking nutrition and hydration. My family was all in with me and super supportive along the way. Before the marathon I really had no idea how I would physically feel in the days after. While I knew it was just part of my running journey, I also wondering what was next.

Pre-Marathon my plan was to take off the week following the marathon. Makes sense, right? My body would need to recover. When you have basically gone from training cycle to training cycle you seemingly lose the ability to take a week off.

The day after

Truth be told the day after I was exhausted. Just flat out tired. But let’s be real for a moment- we are living in a pandemic, that in and of itself is both mentally and physically exhausting. Add to that at the height of my mileage and training I started subbing at school anywhere from 2-3 days a week. Translation- I had to get up even earlier to make sure I got my runs done. I’m not complaining, I’m simply pointing out that there should be absolutely no surprise that I was exhausted. So how did I take it easy on Sunday morning??? My oldest had religious school with parent participation via Zoom. No biggie. Just meant being up, showered, and presentable. Up next going to the farm at school to pick vegetables for the Maryland Food Bank. We were assigned to pick pumpkins. Super fun- and the farthest point on the farm. Surprisingly I was only mildly sore- specifically my hamstrings were super tight and my left knee was sore. However, the weather was beautiful and the boys were so excited to be there. It was a sense of “normal,” in these otherwise not normal times. After the farm we had lunch and I decided a movie was in order! Some quiet time on the couch was good and everyone got to take a breather for a bit. But then, I felt like I needed to get moving. Remember those pesky rings on my Apple Watch that I’m obsessed with closing. They were just staring at me. So I got on the treadmill and started walking. Not a brisk pace but I solid pace. Before I knew it I had walked four miles. Rings were closed and I felt good.

I’ll pause here for a moment. Back in May I ran a half marathon as a virtual race- the day after I couldn’t think about walking. That’s the last day I didn’t close my rings. That is now more than 180 days ago. Yet, the day after running a MARATHON, I was walking four miles on the treadmill?? What had changed in 5 months. Well, in April I ran my first 100 mile month. In order to get there I had pushed hard that last week in April. I ran way more than I normally would leading up to a half marathon race effort. Meaning, there had been no taper and my legs were TIRED!! Heck my whole body was tired! It was just beginning to get used to higher mileage. From May to October I’ve been consistently running 130 miles a month. My body both mentally and physically has gotten more accustomed to longer efforts. What I think about as a long run has mentally changed. Ok, this isn’t to say that running a marathon wasn’t CRAZY hard. It was hard, but when race day came around I knew it was going to be more mentally challenging than physically challenging. I had the confidence in my training plan and body that I was physically capable of going the distance. Remaining committed to following the plan- the minimal effective dose that Suzy of Run Lift Mom Pod recommends is what gave me that confidence. Lastly, as with anything the more you do something the easier it gets, right?? I’m constantly reminded of the quote: “What seems impossible today will one day be your warmup!”

So, my plan to take the week “off” wasn’t really going to happen. Yet, I knew I had to truly allow my body some rest from such a major effort. But I also knew that I could have a somewhat active recovery- walking, stretching and some continued strength training seemed reasonable. Mentally I was thinking that by Wednesday I would like to try to run a little bit. So how’d the week shape up??

Monday- 2 mile walk. Feeling good, still taking it easy.
Tuesday- 30 minutes of strength training- kettle bell lifting
Wednesday- 3.1 mile run outside. Which means I ran faster than intended. But I felt good. Still a little tight.
Thursday- Because the struggle is real for me to run every day I planned to run again today. Fortunately, I got called into sub bright and early. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to still get 30 minutes of movement in during the day. I packed my sneakers (yes, I call them sneakers, not tennis shoes because I’m not playing tennis in them) in the car. On one of my breaks, in my dress I power walked around campus in the crazy humidity. It wasn’t pretty. My glasses were fogged nearly the entire time and my hair was a hot mess when I got back to the classroom, but I got moving!
Friday- Four mile treadmill run. I’ve started to really enjoy playing with the programs. I was for a while so concerned with the time that I would just run the same pace, same incline (uh I mean no incline) all of the time. But now I enjoy the ability to use the incline and run at different paces. Every run isn’t a race!!
Saturday- Back outside for a solid four miles. Feeling remarkable good and reflecting back on the fact that just one week ago I was running my first marathon. PS the weather this Saturday was nearly 20 degrees warmer and crazy humid. I couldn’t be happier that I ran last week!!
Sunday- Well, 8 days post marathon seems like a good time to run a virtual 10K, right?? Each year we participate in Race for Our Kids. It’s become a family affair. So bright and early I ran my 10K at what I’m fairly certain was a PR 50:16. I was chasing sub 50 because, why not but I was more than happy with 50:16. The boys then each did a mile run/walk as well and were so proud to earn their medals.

So that’s how the week broke down in regards to the activity and how I was feeling physically. But mentally, there was so much to process. I had actually done it!! I was super proud of being physically able to go the distance. I was feeling grateful for having the ability to run. Each run is truly a blessing (yes, even the bad ones!). Lately, I’ve also been reflecting on the larger impact that running has had not only for me but for my family. I see the pride that my husband and boys have for me and my accomplishments. They are the first to brag about me and my efforts. My boys will tell anyone who listens that Mommy ran a marathon.

But it’s more than that. The boys have the bug to get involved in running/walking too. Many if not all races offer the opportunity to discuss philanthropy and the importance of doing for others. For example, the NYC Marathon has become so much more than running five bridges and five Burroughs. It became the way to talk about Alzheimer’s with the boys in an age appropriate way. But also for me to raise awareness and funds. So it also became the tool to talk about raising money for a cause with the boys. . They know that we give of our time to the organizations that are important to us, but this was a way to talk about how giving financially and encouraging others to give is also important.

Personally, running has truly become an outlet. Sure there is the physical component of getting moving each day which is important and I desire every day. But it also allows me the time in my head to think and be in a way that I haven’t done in a long time. Of late, especially through the course of marathon training- each hard effort was more than about me. Was it physically hard, yes! But am I blessed to be physically and mentally able to run? Also, yes. Negotiating the emotions of having a parent with Alzheimer’s are no joke. When I made the mental shift that the marathon was all about my Dad, it became so much more than running 26.2 miles. Dare I say, it seems less important now to actually run in NY. That’s not to say I’m not eager to do so, but I set out to do what I wanted to do. I fundraised for the Alzheimer’s Association. I trained. I ran a marathon. I included my family in the effort. We all grew along the way. But I’m not done. We aren’t done. We will continue to raise awareness regarding Alzheimer’s. This is just the beginning of the journey.

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Top Picks in Marathon Gear

What to wear in general can be a struggle. What to wear when you are planning to run a race and know the weather/temperature is going to change throughout the run can be extra difficult. I had promised a follow up to my Marathon recap talking about what I wore and why.

In case you missed it this wasn’t your typically race environment. I had a great deal of flexibility in selecting what I was going to wear because I knew I was running a route that would enable me to stop home if necessary to change or lose a layer. If you are looking for ideas of what to wear at various temperatures when exercising outside- I wrote a post about this last year and you can take a read here.

Back to race day clothing logistics. The weather was calling for it to be dry, moderately windy and in the upper 30s to start. Some would shudder at the thought of upper 30s. I was elated. The anticipated temperature for when I finished was the upper 40s to low 50s. When selecting what to wear for running outside you really need to factor in at least 10-15 degrees warmer than the actual temperature to be properly dressed. So what was I thinking when I was making my choices?? 1) I wanted to be warm enough but not too warm, 2) Chafe free and 3) easy to change as the temperatures and I warmed up.

On top: I knew I wanted long sleeves. Unlike many of my other cooler weather runs this wasn’t just an out and back so if I got sweaty it was okay. I needed to keep my body temperature regulated without being too overheated or too cold. This called for the purple long sleeve Chill. The beauty of the Chill is that it is completely perforated providing ventilation. But it’s also long sleeves so it’s giving you a layer of protection. I know that by mile two my body normally warms up so this was going to be perfect! PS it is purple my favorite color and the color associated with the Alzheimer’s Association so it’s perfect on a number of levels. Not to mention it’s made from recycled materials so it’s even great for the environment.

For nearly ALL of my long runs- I’m talking anything over 7-8 miles you’ll find me in my Pewter All Star RC Bra. Don’t get me wrong I love all my All Star bras. But there is something about the recycled materials in this particular bra that make it hands down my favorite. Absolutely no rubbing, chafing or need to readjust. Put it on and run. (By the way all the other All Stars are the same in no chafing or readjusting, I think it’s just the fact that the Pewter is a touch softer that makes me gravitate to it.) Who wants to spend their run readjusting their bra??

As for the bottoms I started my run in 20 inch pocket light n tights. I totally prefer to run in light n tights for the pocket feature. While I also wore my Spibelt (more to come below) I would much rather have my phone in my pocket for easy access. Why these particular light n tights?? Again, the recycled component of these legging make them my favorite. No chafing, no adjusting and the bonus phone sized pockets on both legs. Also, on my 5’6 frame they hit me mid calf. It’s like pants but not quite. Again my thinking was being warm enough without being too warm.

Now, I certainly could have worn the light n tights the entire distance, but I knew that I was going to want to change my top about half way. Ultimately, when I stopped at home right after mile 7 I opted to change into a Havana tank and 8 inch Light n Tight Hustle Shorts. In hind sight I should have probably just changed my top but running into the house I felt so warm I opted to change both. Changing the bottoms was literally a game time decision. Overall I don’t think that it made a big difference either way. Each time I left the house I had to readjust to the temperature but ultimately I wasn’t too cold.

Why the Havana tank? Why Zyia Active discountinued my most beloved mesh tank I had to find an alternative that didn’t chafe my arm and was breathable. The Havana tank fits that bill. (PS so does the Copper Charge but it’s not as breathable and doesn’t come in purple.) There is nothing worse than chafing during a run. I’ve only had it happen once when I wore something that didn’t fit quite right. But my arm was RAW. No one wants that. The Havana Tank has been one of my steady go to tanks for running and didn’t disappoint on marathon day!!

So if you are wondering if the 8 inch Light n Tight Hustle shorts are just like Light n Tights…they are in fact. So basically I just took off one pair of Light n Tights for a shorter version. Still had the two great pockets on each leg and the compression that I love.

That concludes the “clothing portion” of the gear I used for my marathon. But indulge me for a moment and I’ll share the other items that got me through:

Spibelt : I cannot think of a long run/race that I’ve done without one of my Spibelts. I’ll let you in on a little secret- I don’t really like wearing a waist pack. But it’s a necessity. I tried MANY! Ultimately, Spibelt is the best for not moving around and holding everything I want it to on a run. Now I have several in different sizes, depending on whether I’m also carrying water bottles/gels.
Fitletic Water Bottles: Shhh don’t tell Spibelt but I like the Fitletic water bottles better. They have their own little “holsters” if you will that you put on your belt. So much easier for putting the water bottles back on the belt without having to take a lot of time and effort.
Balega Ultra Glide socks: Balega has a lot of different sock choices for runners. Like any good runner I tried them all. All kidding aside there are several Balega styles that I wear regularly but the Ultra Glide are my favorite!
New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v10: While I highly recommend going to a local running shop and being properly fitted for shoes, I’ll say these are my favorite. Ever since I started running again, nearly two years ago I’ve been wearing the 1080s. I saw them through the various changes and they are still good to my feet so I keep wearing them.
Aftershokz have been life changing. I can hear my podcast, book or music and still hear what’s going on around me at the same time. It’s the best of all worlds. Plus they are super comfortable and stay in place, even with glasses!
Road ID: While this isn’t technically gear, it’s kind of a necessity. I’m not trying to be a negative nelly- but lots of things can happen out on a run. So I feel more comfortable knowing that if something does happen, those who find me will be able to contact my family.
Momentum Jewelry: Also not technical gear but a motivational must. I’m obsessed with these wrap bracelets and wear them all of the time!
Sweaty Bands: If you’ve seen any of my sweaty selfies then you’ve seen me in a Sweaty Bands headband. I wear one on ALL of my runs (even under a hat). They help hold my hair in place and when it’s not long enough to pull back help to keep it off my neck. I love the variety of patterns. For the Marathon, the NYC Skyline seemed like the best pick!

And there you have it, what I wore, why I wore it and the products I love!!

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Officially a Marathoner

Marathon week is here!! Or shall I say virtual marathon week is here. The reality is I had big plans of running the NYC Marathon this year. I registered the week before Covid shut down major races for the foreseeable future. I had two choices 1) pout and feel sorry for myself or 2) lace up- keep training and fundraising and run the race virtually.

Many people say that you should be really intentional with your first marathon. A course that is desirable. A course with amazing fan support to keep you going. Well friends- I had a course that was around my very hilly neighborhood mapped out and my crowd support included some deer, a squirrel and a few dogs along the way. So this wasn’t quite the ideal marathon situation. But it was the best I could do for 2020 and I was determined to make the most of it!

In the days leading up to “race” day I stalked the weather like any runner to make sure it was going to be dry. And by days before I mean as soon as I could get the 10 day out forecast for Saturday, October 17 I was checking it a few times a day. Now, this is a completely silly practice as the weather changed multiple times during the week. At one point there was a threat of rain. But the weather ultimately would look perfect dry and cool, almost cold. My sweet spot for running!

The Day Before

I swore up and down that I wouldn’t sub the day before the race because I wanted to hydrate and rest. But part of me also knew that if I was home all day I’d be obsessing about running and maybe that wouldn’t be good either. Plus I was the mystery reader in my oldest son’s class. I’m guessing you can see how this went…I definitely wasn’t home twiddling my thumbs the day before race day. I was the sub for the librarian and ran around to make sure I was also available to read to my son’s class. His teacher inquired- are you really running a marathon tomorrow?? Yes, yes I am. At which time my son made sure to educate his classmates that a marathon is 26.2 miles. Got to love that boy being so proud of his Mommy!!

My big concern was making sure I got enough water in during the day. While I didn’t drink quite as much as I wanted to during the day, I made up for it when I got home. Hydration begins in the days leading up to a run/race!

Next big question- what’s for dinner?? I knew I wanted to have pasta for dinner. So I made a meat sauce on Thursday afternoon to keep it simple when I got home from school with the boys. Protein, carbs, water- good to go! Bread and pasta the night before seemed like the right combination!! Early to bed!

Race Morning

I got up early and enjoyed the quiet of the house. This is a rarity!! I wanted enough time to drink my “Green’s Cocktail,” eat, and drop off my hydration at the various friend’s houses along the route. I was a ball of emotions. If my nerves and emotions were this high for a virtual run, I can’t even imagine the “real” thing!! I sat and thought about how I got to this day. I’ve truly only been running again (for the first time since high school) for about 20 months. Running has truly become an outlet, especially during the pandemic. It was one sense of calm and norm. It was something I could control. Having a training cycle kept me focused. The marathon dream became my way of honoring my dad every time I lace up my shoes. When someone you love gets diagnosed with Alzheimer’s you feel completely helpless. There’s literally nothing you can do to make it better. Nothing you can do to change the outcome. You have no control. Running gave me a focus to work on fundraising for the Alzheimer’s Association- to focus my worry and energy on something positive. Needless to say, race day took on a whole new meaning when it stopped being about me but rather about Dad.

As promised the weather was cold and dry. I thrive in cold weather runs. It was close to 30 degrees colder than the day I ran my 20 miles. Crazy, right?? In my mind an absolute blessing!! I couldn’t be happier for the cooler temperatures. I keep saying how much I learned during that 20 miler and I intended to use it to my advantage for the marathon. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Never in my life have I felt the way I did after the 20 miler. My body was clearly depleted when I finished so I knew two things 1) I didn’t want to feel like that again and 2) if I was going to add the additional six miles I needed to hydrate and use nutrition effectively!

While I had originally planned to wear my Camelbak I changed it up and went with my Spibelt and waist water bottles since I knew I had water/electrolytes every five miles. Huma Gel has been life changing. I struggled to find a gel/chew that didn’t cause digestive issues. I have had ZERO issues with Huma Gel, which is a HUGE relief! Stay tuned for a separate post where I’ll break down what I wore, when and why (yes there was quick change of gear at one of my rest stops)!

On your mark, get set, go

It’s go time! I look out the front door and I notice that the tree service company is here to take down two trees. Well, that’s an added obstacle to coming up and down the driveway. I put on New York, New York by Frank Sinatra and sang with the boys. Then I hit the road. I literally was teary eyed as I started because I truly couldn’t believe after all the prep this was really going to happen. This was literally the culmination of months of running, not just the last ten weeks of the training cycle. My why makes me emotional too. And this was providing some closure to 2020 racing.

I’m not going to lie, earlier this year there were tears shed about the marathon being canceled. I had to regroup mentally and figure out what it meant for me and my quest to run a marathon before my 40th birthday in January. With races being canceled the only real choice was to go virtual. But, let’s just for a moment stop and think about what this means. Less that .5% of Americans will run a marathon in their lifetime. 26.2 miles is FAR and I was determined to do it solo. I must definitely be crazy!!

While I love the cooler temperatures, I knew that it would imperative that I keep an eye on my pace. Cooler temperatures for me, generally means that I run faster. Faster isn’t better when you need to go the distance. A brief word on this topic. Since we’ve already covered the fact that I must be a little crazy to attempt a solo marathon let’s talk about pace and goals for completion. My most respected friend and running coach extraordinaire, Suzy’s advice for a first marathon is to have the goal to finish. Boom. Just focus on finishing. Now, this sounds good and if Suzy says to do it I’m going to do it. But, there was this piece of me that was chasing 4 hours. This just verifies that I am in fact crazy. A four hour, first marathon with zero crowd support. Sure. Anyway, when I ran the 20 miler training run I maintained a pace of 9:00-9:15 minutes per mile. I felt fine until around mile 18 when I clearly had tapped out. Many marathoners say they feel good until mile 18 and then hit the wall. This is generally an indication of a pace that’s not sustainable. But the way I was feeling during the 20 was for a variety of reasons- temperature, humidity, poor nutrition and hydration. For race day I had better temperature/humidity and a much better handle on nutrition and hydration. So I intended to try to maintain that pace.

Between the adrenaline and the cooler temperatures my first two miles were as you would imagine a little bit faster than my target pace. By mile three I settled into my goal pace and I was feeling good. Remember I was so concerned about staying hydrated?? Well, I was clearly hydrated because by mile four I was modifying my route because I knew I as going to need to stop home to go to the bathroom. No biggie. After months and months of running routes in and around my house I tagged on an extra mini loop so that when I hit my house I would have a little over 7 miles done. I called from the road please 1) open the garage and 2) unlock your car so I can get all the stuff I thought I was going to get at mile 10.

I went zipping into the house- that’s after I negotiated the tree workers in the yard. Decided to change to a Havana tank and light n tight hustle shorts out of my Chill shirt and Light n Tight leggings. I also ditched my hat. Refilled my water bottles. Drank some Phytosport and I was back out the door. Now to do the “right” side of my loop. At this point I was feeling really good. I was maintaining my pace and didn’t really have any complaints. Heck, I was even checking in live on Instagram.

That second loop was closer to six miles so when I reached the house again I was just pasted the half way point. Half a marathon down, half a marathon to go. I loved the mile markers that NYRR provided. It was fun to think about where along the “real” route I would be. So welcome to Queens.

Another stop at home. This time just to refill water, drink some Phytosport and to go to the bathroom. Oh, and I snagged a banana as well. As far as nutrition I was using the Huma Gel with x2 the electrolytes every five miles. My calves were cramping a little bit by the 13 mile mark so I though the potassium from the banana would help. Out the door again to do the first 7ish mile loop. The hills on this loop are pretty intense but with the more moderate pace totally doable. I had a few miles in this section that were closer to 9:40 per minute and some that approached 10 minutes a mile. But you know what, the goal was to finish. The mental challenge was to just keep going even when it got hard. That pesky left knee started to hurt and I started to get worried that it would prevent me from finishing. Just in case I haven’t said it recently running is just as much mental as it is physical.

So what was I doing to pass the time as I was running??? Well, I had finished the podcast that got me through my twenty so I decided to listen to a book. Yes, a book. And yes, every time I’ve told people that this is what I did I get a raised eyebrow. Listening to a book helps me to maintain my pace for longer distances and not go out too fast. Music gets me hyped up and then I run to fast and with this many miles I couldn’t risk running too fast. So I got through half of Edge of Evil by J.A. Jance. Little secret, I’ve never actually listened to an audio book. But it was perfect. I did listen to music for the last 3 miles or so because at that point I certainly needed to get hyped up!!

The next stop at home came at mile 21. This was very intentional. I added an extra little loop to make it 21 whenI hit the house instead of 20 because 5 miles to go after the stop seemed much more mentally possible than six. Yes, this was an actual conversation in my head. So at this point I had already run further than I had ever run before. I was feeling much better than my twenty miler. But I was starting to hit the wall. My hamstrings and calves were tight, which was causing that knee pain. Mile 21 pit stop included 2 Advil, some cheddar cheese goldfish (sodium!) electrolytes and back out the door.

As I made my way down the street yet again I had a surprise visit from some friends who live over an hour away. They made the trip just to cheer me on on those late miles. Cue the waterworks. For the last five I was keeping the course as flat as humanly possible. That meant running kind of in circles. But I have a solid 3-4 mile loop that’s as flat as I can find and just added another straight away. Finally, one mile out. Time for the call. This has become a ritual towards the end of a race to let my husband know I’m heading into the final stretch. At this point I was exhausted but the end was so close I could taste it. I was rocking to my music- picked up the pace and headed for home.

Part of my anxiety was making sure I ran far enough for Strava to count my run as a marathon. In order to earn my NYC Virtual Marathon medal I needed to prove that I had run 26.2 in one continuous effort. OK, I know it’s not all about the medal. I would know I did it, but come on it’s a marathon I wanted to make sure I earned the damn medal! Since GPS tracking does weird things I decided that running 26.5 would make more sense to have a cushion. I imagined that the final “extra” .3 would feel awful. But I was pumped. I knew my family and friends were waiting for me, and while I was no Sarah Hall in London I sprinted to the finish- crashing through the family made finish line. Total distance run 26.52. Total running time 4:07:29. Total elapsed time (including all those bathroom stops) 4:26.27.

So how did I feel when I was done?? Proud doesn’t even begin to describe it. My word of the year for 2020 was DETERMINED! When the year started I could have never imagined how determined I would have to be to accomplish this goal. While, running a marathon around my neighborhood was not quite what I had envisioned I don’t think it could have been any better! I had the flexibility to stop at home and change my clothes, use the restroom, refill my water bottles. I got to finish with a route I designed and controlled so that those last few miles were as “easy” as possible. Having my family be there at the end being equally as proud of me was what it was all about.

Remember your why and soar! Did I want to run in NYC? Heck yes. Will I get a chance in a future year. Most definitely. But, why did I want to run a marathon? To fundraise/raise awareness for the Alzheimer’s Association and to honor my Dad. 2020 couldn’t take that away from me. I was still able to fundraise. I was still able to run a marathon. There are so many variables in life that we cannot control. However, there are times when we can take back control of the situation and do it on our terms. So I will continue to run for those who can’t and to #endalz!!

Marathon Training-Week 11

Well, this week of training looks a little bit different for a few reasons. Reason number one- it’s TAPER time. Time to rest those legs a little bit so they are fresh for “race” day. Truth- I stink at taper. I’m not great at dialing it back when I’m all revved up and ready to go. BUT, since I tweaked my knee a little bit during my twenty mile run I’m seemingly forced to take it easy and properly taper. Amazing how that works, isn’t it?? I made the executive decision not to do the speed work that my training schedule identifies as the key effort this week. Speed work doesn’t allow me to “baby” my knee a little. Mileage goal is twenty-six miles. My plan is to get the twenty-six miles in during the week but honestly will be pleased if I get a few solid five plus mile runs in without any serious pain.

Monday, October 5

It was a buys morning- errands, flu shot, etc. My knee while feeling better is still not completely “normal.” I decided to keep it to the treadmill so I could control pace and not have the severity of the pavement. Started with a one mile while to warm up and test the waters so to speak. Then I moved into a very controlled, nice and easy three mile run. I was less concerned with pace and more concerned with overall how I was feeling. Knee felt good- I wouldn’t say great. But I’ll take it.

Tuesday, October 6

Another busy morning! Parent’s Association Meeting at 9:00 and subbing starting at 11:30 meant that I had to get my workout in BEFORE dropping the boys off at school. I started with a half hour of strength training, focusing on my upper body and finished it up with a two mile walk. While it’s not quite the same as getting my run in, I still felt accomplished before truly starting my day and getting the boys off to school!

Wednesday, October 7

Geez, this is a busy week. Today I have a much overdue eye exam!! You know what that means another early morning of getting up and getting it done before taking the boys to school! That also meant getting on the treadmill. I’m so thankful for our Covid treadmill purchase. The upgrade to a newer machine has been much appreciated. Decided to focus on distance today and see if I could get up to five comfortable miles on my knee. Winner, winner, chicken dinner. They weren’t fast but they felt good. T-10 days to the marathon…this is really going to happen!!

Thursday, October 8

In case you missed the common theme of the week….it was busy!! Another morning PA meeting meant either getting up at the crack of dawn to run or waiting until after my meetings to run. I opted for the later because I wanted to run outside rather than on the treadmill. I didn’t really have a definite distance planned. The goal was 3-5. 5 miles done! Felt good. Pace was good. Single digits to race day!

Friday, October 9

Sub day! 5:00 wake up to hit the treadmill. I like to mix it up with a program every now and then so it isn’t just straight running so that’s what I did today. Four quality miles before heading to school. Feeling like I’ll really going to be ready next week for 26.2. It still seems completely crazy to run a marathon solo- but you know what- let’s do it!

Saturday, October 10

The weather was perfection. The calendar suggested 5 miles and that’s what I had planned to run when I left the house. But I felt good. Pace was good. Weather was good. That meant I called home mid-run to say I’ll be a little bit longer. Rock n Roll was doing a Remix Challenge this weekend of a 5K and a 12K. The 5K was more than covered yesterday so I figured if I was thinking about five I may as well run 7.5 to complete the challenge. Mentally, I knew that having one more longer run in before having a light taper week would be reassuring that I was feeling good. So 7.55 it was and it felt GREAT!!

Sunday, October 11

Sunday- family fun day!! Today we headed to Lums Pond State Park as a family to meet up with a friend for a socially distanced outside outing. The boys loved it and I enjoyed it much more since I wasn’t trying to run over tree branches!! By the time we got home it was mid-afternoon and the rain had started falling. I had just under two miles left to complete my weekly mileage goal so I hit the pavement with the light rain falling. Nice and easy two miles to complete the week! Looks like I have another running streak going…day 5!

So the last week of training is coming. I’m physically and mentally prepared (I think) to crush my 26.2 on Saturday. My family has been super supportive the entire time and the boys are now really excited to create the perfect “finish line.” While it will certainly not be NYC stay tuned for next weeks re-cap when I will (fingers crossed) be a marathoner!!

I run for those who can’t. #endalz