For as long as I can remember I’ve had a love of books. I was always an avid reader. One of my fondest memories of early reading was reading Little Woman on the couch in our living room. Throughout the course of parenthood I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading to the boys and have passed that love of reading onto them. My time with Usborne Books & More led to us having more books than most in our home. And you know what, I wouldn’t change it for a moment. Being a reader opens so many doors. Being a reader builds curiosity and the desire to learn more, which in turn creates life long learners. I consider myself someone who is always learning new “tricks” so to speak. Whether it’s learning all I can about running, or children’s books or skills for being in the classroom- I’m up for the challenge.
I must share about a book that recently took my breath away! While subbing last week one of the books left for me to read was The Remember Balloons by Jessie Oliverso and Dana Wulfekotte. I honestly thought it was going to be this book about making memories…yeah I should have realized that there was going to be a deeper message in the book. I joke it’s like a Disney movie- appropriate for kids but deep with meaning that those who are able to will grasp.
Half way through the book I could feel my heart racing and moved my mask to the side to catch my breath. Spoiler alert- here’s how the plot unfolds. The little boy in the book notes that he has way more balloons than his little brother and you see them holding their balloons. But then he notes that his parents have even more balloons than him and then ultimately that Grandpa has the most balloons of everyone. The boy begins asking Grandpa about the different colored balloons and he shares the memories that “live” in each balloon, such as his wedding day, the day he scared Aunt Nelle’s cows and the shared memory that he and the boy share together in the silver balloon about their fishing/camping adventure.
It’s important to note in case you aren’t aware my father suffers from early onset Alzheimer’s. As I was reading the book, I suddenly realized where it was headed. Before you know it one of Grandpa’s balloons is getting caught in the tree and he’s repeating the same story over and over again. Then some of Grandpa’s balloons are getting loose and they are floating away. The climax of the story comes when the silver balloon goes floating away and the boy is so angry that the grandfather has “given” away the memory. The boy ultimately confronts his parents asking what is wrong with Grandpa and the mother informs him that this happens sometimes when people get older. Towards the end of the book the grandfather no longer has any balloons but the boy notes that his balloons have increased. He now has the responsibility of having those memories live on and sharing them with his younger brother and down the road his own family. The book closes with the boy sitting in the grandfather’s lap retelling the stories that the grandfather once told him. If you’re crying, I was and am now too. My youngest who is five years old asks the darnedest questions. On his last visit with my dad in 2020, he spent a lot of time talking to him about cactus. When I recently made my trip out to Arizona he was so concerned with whether or not Pop Pop remembered talking to him about the cactus or if he had forgotten. Needless to say this is a balloon memory. Regardless of whether my dad recalls the conversation, Carter will hold that memory close. It should come as no surprise that I have ordered this book for my boys. I can’t wait to read it with them, cry with them, and then create our remember balloons.
Trying to talk to kids about Alzheimer’s or death is a daunting task. They ask real and hard questions. As educators and parents we bring our own life experiences to the conversation. Some conversations are easier to have than others, but in all fairness we are also human and processing our own emotions surrounding death or a particular disease. Books help explain and offer tangible ways to have conversations. In some cases books offer a spring board to begin a difficult conversation. I’m forever searching for new tools to add to my tool chest and I am so glad to add The Remember Balloons. I’m sharing it today because perhaps it will be a helpful tool to use as well.
The Coronavirus pandemic has certainly altered travel, air travel in particular. While we were accustomed to flying frequently with our boys, even when they were young we’ve literally been grounded for a full year. With several members of our family living in Arizona this has been really sad and frustrating for the boys not to see some of their cousins, aunt, uncle and grandparents. I know that we aren’t alone in not being able to see family and travel, so this isn’t a boo hoo you can’t fly/travel post. Rather, it’s a post comparing travel during the same weekend one year apart. What a difference a year makes.
Let me take you back to March 14, 2020. This is the time when literally information was updating by the hour as to what you could and couldn’t do, what you should and shouldn’t do and anxieties were really high about making the right choices when in all honesty we didn’t really have all the information we needed. The plan had been for me to fly to Arizona with the boys (at the time 4 and 6) on Saturday, March 14 and return on Wednesday, March 18. I went from being nervous about flying with both boys by myself to concerned that air travel might get grounded while we were away. This wasn’t so out of the realm of possibility as international air travel had been halted. What to do? If you’ve read my other posts you know that my Dad suffers from Alzheimer’s. Between school schedules, crazy hot summer weather in Arizona, etc March is the ideal time for us to visit and generally when we do. We considered moving the trip to the summer. But in my gut, I knew that if we didn’t go in March I wasn’t quite sure when we would have the chance to get the boys out there to see him. Thank goodness we went, come June the metrics were off the charts in Arizona and there would have been no visit!
Backing up a little bit and to give a point of reference, I flew on October 11, 2001. Yes, literally one month after the tragic events of September 11th. The airports were eerily quiet. And there was still a great deal of uncertainty, new security measures were being introduced. It was a very different time in air travel. Now back to 2020. I was filled with nerves about traveling. We of course were not at this point wearing masks. And as we know, kids touch EVERYTHING. So I was like a drill sergeant in the airport. Some might say this isn’t much different from my normal approach in the airport. We were trying to sit as far away from people as possible. Wiping everything down with Clorox wipes, sanitizing the boys’ hands after the touched anything. On every TV were updates about Coronavirus that just added to my concern in taking the trip. The airport was significantly quieter than usual. Clearly people were staying home! While that made things easier for me, it also made me question what in the world I was thinking flying with the boys. With the concern that flights might be grounded I rented a car in Arizona for the day we were scheduled to return. I was planning ahead…you know in case I had to drive from Arizona to Maryland with my boys. While this sounds like a great adventure, can we think just for a moment what that would have been like?? Thirty six hours in the car…oh my!
Ok, so back to March 14, 2020. No masks. No new purifying systems on airplanes. No new sanitizing procedures. So I just wiped everything down when we got on the plane and literally hoped for the best. To be fair, at that time I really didn’t have a full appreciation for COVID, none of us could have predicted the tremendous impact that it would have on our lives or the number of lives that would be lost. We flew Southwest and so I flew three across with the boys. We were somewhat protected as we didn’t have anyone else in our row. Snack and drink service still happened. Fast forward to March 18- four days later. We are still not wearing masks. Trying to stay as far away from people as possible. Hand sanitizing and wiping things down like crazy people. Here’s the first change- no snack/drink service on the flight. Changes were afoot to keep social distance and safety while in the air. This is somewhat laughable considering how close together we all sit on an airplane but it was the first step. In hindsight I feel extremely fortunate that we made this trip. It was like the last hoorah so to speak before we would hunker down and be home for months on end.
For the last year, we have literally gone no where. I mean, not no where, but beyond our pod family we haven’t seen anyone inside without masks. But for going to school, we haven’t been going other places. I rarely go into a store. Online shopping is my jam. We are one extreme in regards to staying safe and stopping the spread. But it became time that I needed to make that trip to Arizona again. So it meant that I was going to have to fly. Cue all sorts of anxiety. I haven’t been that close to people other than my family in a year. And let’s be honest, I was never too excited sitting that close to people anyway. Fortunately, in my role as a substitute teacher had the opportunity to get vaccinated. So in essence, I know in my mind that I should be protected, but again I feel like we don’t really know about the vaccine and ability to transfer the virus, whether you can still get the virus and be without symptoms. I worried about bringing Covid home and giving it to my family. Needless to say, the weeks leading up to what would amount to less than two days on the ground in Arizona were stress filled with what ifs and concerns about flying. Of course this is Spring Break time and everyone is apparently ready to go on vacation.
My flight to Arizona was on Friday, March 12. Why is this significant? Literally one year ago that was the last time the boys were in school for that school year. The two weeks to flatten the curve that turned into home until August. There have been so many reflections on what the year has meant and how are lives have changed. I subbed like usual and then drove to the airport. You know, how I recently posted talking a good game about not having mom guilt about traveling. Yeah, I’m still working on that one. I was filled with mom guilt about leaving. Yes, I knew they would be fine and have fun with my husband! When I got to the parking garage I noticed how crowded it was, like “normal.” Ugh. I masked up and headed to the terminal. A pleasant surprise there was NO ONE in the security line. As in not another person. Amazing, maybe the airport won’t be so crowded I thought. One noted change in the year since I had flown- rather than had you ID to the TSA Agent you slide it into a card reader. An image then appears on the Agent’s computer. He asked me to remove my mask to compare the photos. I took my ID and I was on my way. Now to get something to eat. The tables in the food court area were more spread out. There were of course reminders to wear your mask and keep your distance. There were dots to stand on to order food in an attempt to keep people distanced. I’m not going to lie, some of this seemed silly to me. I 100% understand keeping distance, but seriously we are about to all sit on top of each other on an airplane. I quickly got my food and rather than sit at a table picked a bench further away from people so I could hurry up and eat. I had pre-packed snacks for the flight but stopped to get water and a soda for the flight. As I approached the gate areas I noticed it was VERY crowded. Lots and lots of people!! I detoured to get an “adult beverage” and sit away from the gate for a bit. FYI it’s against federal air regulations to consume your own alcohol on a flight. Before I knew it, it was time to board. My goal was to make myself seem undesirable to sit next too. I joke, but seriously, I really didn’t want that middle seat to be full. Jokes on me because it was a FULL flight. Out came my face shield. While it was definitely toasty in there, I felt like it was providing an extra level of protection that put me a little more at ease.
I must say that plane itself felt the cleanest I’ve seen a plane in a long time. With that said, I tried to touch as little as possible. I only removed the bare necessities from my bag to use during the flight. Some of this, I’m sure is just my personality. Others were completely comfortable with flying. There were even families with children. The flight crew were clear about expectations regarding wearing a mask and that means over your NOSE and MOUTH. The only food service provided was water and pretzels/brownie bites. I’m not going to lie, it was the longest five and a half hours of my life. I was ready to jump off the plane when it landed. Again, the jokes on me as they had trouble getting the cabin door open. It’s much funnier now, then it was at the time!
Sunday, March 14 time to fly home. This flight was at 1:20 PM Arizona time. I was curious to see what I would find in the airport at a “prime” flying time. While the airport was crowded, security again was light and quick. Unlike in Baltimore, I had to hand the TSA Agent my ID for him to examine. Mask down to confirm I was the person on the ID and then through security. The terminal was PACKED with people. Again, I grabbed a quick bite to eat and tried to get as far away from people as possible to eat. As luck would have it this flight was also FULL. I was feeling a little less anxious about it as I knew I was just over four hours away from home. Face shield on. Kindle out. Let’s do this. I must again commend the flight crew as they were diligent in making sure folks kept their masks on properly. The limited service of water and a snack were offered. No problems with the door when we landed to I hit the ground running to get out of there! Much to my surprise at 8:30 at night (which felt like midnight) the airport was hopping. The main security check line was LONG. I was truly surprised to see so many people in the airport.
I recognize that others have been flying for work and pleasure without having missed a beat over the last year. But for someone who has basically been no where but home this trip felt like flying for the first time all over again. I must admit that I’m curious to see what precautions stay in place going forward with air travel. I imagine that it will continue to get more and more back to “normal.” I’m just not certain what “normal” looks like in a post Covid world.
I’d love to hear, have you been traveling? How have you found the experience? Share in the comments below!
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!
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!
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.
My word of the year couldn’t seem more appropriate.
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.
Race for our Kids!
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.
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!
Did you run if you didn’t flat lay??
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.
Of course purple…#endalz
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!!
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!!
This is the last week of building miles before the taper. It’s hard to believe that last year the thought of running 34 miles in a week seemed impossible and I’ve run more than 30 miles a week for the last nine weeks! What is seeming impossible right now- a 20 mile training run. This is the last major long run before the marathon. While the training plan calls for 16 miles, it suggests that if this your first rodeo that you run 20. While this would make more sense if I wasn’t running my actual marathon virtually, I’m sticking with it and doing the 20 mile run.
Monday, September 28
How does never miss a Monday go on a Fasting holiday?? It goes nice and easy for two miles. I walked one mile on the treadmill and then did two miles nice and easy. I “cheated” and drank my normal “green cocktail” of Arbonne greens, Fizz, Skin Elixir and Digestion Plus. I can’t imagine a day without this combination. My thinking was also that I planned to run my twenty mile run on Tuesday when the boys were at school.
Tuesday, September 29
I was set to run 20 miles today. I laid everything out the night before. I had my Huma Gel nutrition packed. Water bottles filled. Plan was to drop the boys off at school and then hit the pavement. On the way home from school the text came about a teacher needing to go home could I come back to sub. Eek, I really wanted to run but I also wanted to sub. I got home and ran out the door to get two miles in before I showered and heading back to school. On the plus side my running streak continues and with a flexible training plan I don’t have to “feel bad” that I didn’t miss a schedule run because there is give and take in plan. Truth be told running 20 miles after a fasting day is a poor idea. Additionally, it was HUMID Tuesday morning and more than 70 degrees. It just wasn’t meant to be. The weather towards the end of the week looks much cooler and less humid. Long run will happen, just another day.
Wednesday, September 30
Last day of the month. Another sub day on the books. Translation early morning run on the treadmill while watching Bosch Amazon! While the overall mileage goal for the week is 34 miles and a 20 mile run is still in the wings I don’t need to do a lot of additional miles. That said I need a good run to start the day. The endorphins make me a much better person to be around. Just ask my kids or my husband! 😉 So it was up at 5:00 and on treadmill. To mix things up I utilized one of the programs. This allowed me to get a mixture of incline and a varied speed. I got a little bit of lifting in too so it was a successful morning!
Thursday, October 1
Today is the day…twenty miles here I come. The weather was much better than when I originally planned to run on Tuesday, however I would have loved for it to be a little bit cooler. Goals for this run: 1) practice nutrition using 2) work on hydration, 3) pace of 9:00-9:15 minutes per mile. The morning was busy so I didn’t start my run until after 10:00. This wasn’t all bad though because it allowed me to eat and digest before hitting the road.
I wore my Spibelt with my usual water bottles, but then added another water bottle in the pocket of my Zyia Active Hustle Shorts. While the shorts can more than handle the water bottle, it changes my gait so I ultimately ditched the water bottle at a friend’s house. Anyway, back to the run. I managed to keep the pace steady and within my goal range. I modified my route mid run so I experienced a different section of roads. This was actually a nice change of pace! My heart rate remained within range and I felt really good for the first 10 miles. I felt good for the next 5 miles and then I realized I needed more water. As in, I was already dehydrated. I made a stop at home around mile 18 and drank a lot of water. I likely should have called it a day there but I was determined to run the twenty. So I got the final two miles done. Wow- I ran 20 miles!!
So what did I learn: 1) I really need to use nutrition every 45 minutes. Had I used another Humagel I would have felt a little bit stronger for the final 5. 2) I’ll be wearing my Camelbak for the Virtual Marathon. I had a whole elaborate plan for stashing water bottles in friend’s mailboxes but I think I’d rather just wear the water and know that I have it with me. I will however, stash a couple of water bottles with my Phytosport Electrolyte mix to keep my electrolytes in balance. 3) I should slow down another 15 seconds or so per mile to make those last six miles a little more enjoyable. And most of all…I CAN AND I WILL COMPLETE THE VIRTUAL NYC MARATHON!
Big question I’m sure- how did I feel after the run? I was definitely dehydrated and my electrolytes were off. I was able to rectify that pretty quickly with water, Post Workout from Arbonne, shhh don’t tell but a Coke Zero for the caffeine and sodium and a bag of pretzels. I’m not going to lie, I had to rally to get in the car to get the boys from school. I thought parking and walking up would make the most sense so I could loosen up my legs. Longest walk…EVER. Oh, and my left knee was definitely not quite right. Sigh.
Friday, October 2
I had grand plans to continuing my running streak indefinitely. I truly thought I would be able to run the day after I ran 20 miles. I know, I know I’m laughing at myself too. But here’s the deal, my hips felt great, my calves and glutes felt great. I could have run, but for some really pesky left knee pain. I actually even tried. Got to the end of the driveway and called it. I really needed to reevaluate my expectations of my body. So instead I did some heavy arm work and walked the dog. I kept my body moving by didn’t over do it. I iced my knee and took some Advil. I adjusted my mind to the fact that I do not need to run every single day and listening to my body is more important. Every step of this process is important and will come in handy when racing returns and I really get to run a marathon. But until then I run and I learn how to do it better!
Crazy Friday night of snuggles and ice!
Saturday, October 3
The weather was perfection. My knee- still not quite right. But working/running has become a crucial part of each and every day. So I began my day like every other and got dressed into my workout gear and headed into the basement. I got my sweat on with Tracy Steen. A combination of HIIT and strength training for the win. But I couldn’t just leave it there. I did a slow and steady two miles on the treadmill as a “test.” I was “testing” to see if something was truly wrong with my knee of if I just tweaked it a little bit. Conclusion- I believe it’s just tweaked and I promise to take Sunday off from running.
Sunday- October 4
I haven’t taken a true rest day in several months. We took advantage of the beautiful weather to get pumpkins and mums to decorate for fall. It was also time to say see you later to training wheels for my oldest. So I didn’t do any formal exercise to start the day. The weather however was too nice to pass up. So I decided I would go for a 30-40 minute walk and that’s just what I did. I was so tempted to run a little but I kept my promise to myself that I would not run today. No running, but a 2.6 mile walk made me feel good!
Week in review:
I started the week lighter running to gear up for my twenty mile run. I ran twenty miles!! After running twenty miles it was necessary to show myself some grace and not to push myself to injury. While this week called for 34 miles- I finished the week with 30.3 miles. That said this was far from a typical week- 20 mile run, two sub days and a fasting holiday. So I’d call it a success.
Let the taper begin!! Less than two weeks to race day!
Less than a month until the Virtual NYC. Feeling good, but I also still can’t believe I’m really going to run 26.2 miles all by myself!!
Monday- September 21
My goal each week is to focus on my key effort for the week on Monday. That way I know that the rest of the week I can be flexible and make up the miles any way that suits my schedule. Now that I’ve added substitute teaching into the mix it’s even more important to get those key efforts done on days I know that I’m not subbing.
Monday morning after drop off I didn’t have enough time to get my run done before having to bring Ruby to the vet to get her stitches removed. So that meant I wasn’t going to get to run until closer to 11:00. Key effort for the week SPEED WORK. While speed work remains one of my less favorite things to do, it’s definitely growing on me. This week is 1 mile warm up, 800×8 at 8:00 per mile pace, 400 at 10:00 per mile pace in between and then another 1 mile cool down. Total number of miles run 8. While it was work, it felt like a huge accomplishment to start the week.
Tuesday-September 22
Remember when I said getting the key run done early in the week was important because I never know when I’m going to sub. Well, that’s good because I subbed today. Which mean I got up before the sun- ran three miles on the treadmill and managed to get 20 minutes of arms and core work done too. Again, the flexibility of the plan is key to get the word done around the time available. I’ve never had a lot of time to get my workouts in- but to do it before getting the boys to school and subbing means extra early mornings.
Wednesday-September 23
No subbing today so I’m running after I drop the boys off at school. That means no time pressure to get my run done and I can go longer and enjoy being outside. My Garmin struggled to find the GPS tower and was then all messed up when I was done. Basically, it suggested I had run for 24 hours. It was a mess. The run however was amazing. A friend called around mile three and I learned that I can run and talk on the phone at the same time. I have no idea what it really sounded like on her end (i.e. was there a lot of deep breathing?) but I didn’t look at my watch once and had some of my fastest splits because I was totally distracted. A great outdoor run for 5.6 miles.
Thursday-September 24
You’ll notice I’m always in a headband- this one is one of my favorites. Have you tried Sweaty Bands? Take a look in my favorite things for more on Sweaty Bands.
Planning ahead with today’s run…translation I’m subbing tomorrow so I need to run longer today to switch out the runs. I had originally planed to run three miles but instead made it five. I was also knee deep in holiday prep so I didn’t go to run until after 11:00. While overall it was a good run, it didn’t feel nearly as good as the day before. But you know what? Not every run is going to feel perfect. Each run and every mile is important. There are so many factors coming at us each and every day that can change how a run feels. No need to focus on the runs that don’t feel perfect- just be happy to get the run done!
Friday- September 25
It’s a subbing day! Which means I was up at 5:00 AM to get on the treadmill before heading out the door to school. Back to watching Bosch Amazon. I’m almost out of episodes!! Eeek. I’ll have to find something else to distract me on the treadmill until the next season is released. I cranked out the Rock n Roll Philadelphia 5K to start my day. Boom. Run steak is up to 126 days and counting!
Saturday-September 26
Rock n Roll 10K on the agenda for today. It’s warmer and definitely humid- yuck! I much rather run with a chill in the air. Half way through my run my stomach was not happy. I’m not particularly sure why but I had to make a decision with two miles left- head home and to the bathroom or push through the run. I opted to head home. I literally ran into the house. Boys “you’re back.” Me: “But I’m not done- heading back out!” After a quick visit at home I was back out to finish up my mileage and feeling much better. This is why I create crazy routes that allow me to never be more than a mile and a half from home.
Sunday-September 27
Rest day- right? Nice and easy two miles to finish up a little over the target of 32 miles for the week. Total distance on the week 33.1. Total distance for the year 932.7 miles on the year. I’m ahead of pace for my new target goal of 1255 miles and feeling good!
Week 10 of Marathon training is up next. Stay tuned as I tackle my longest training run to date 20 miles!!
It’s hard to believe that my virtual marathon is just a little over one month away!! So far, training has been going well. Other than some moderate hip pain I’m feeling good. I’m also still continuing my running streak that started way back at Memorial Day!!
Monday- September 14
Well, the boys are both back in school physically so I had a choice to make…do I continue getting up at 4:30/5:00 in the morning to run or do I run after I drop them off at school?? I’m not going to lie the extra early mornings for the last two weeks were definitely taking a toll. So I opted to run after I dropped them off. By running after drop off I can run outside vs. on the treadmill. Not that I mind the treadmill but with fall temperatures coming why not take advantage of running outside?? With my key run already done for the week over the weekend this week is filled with a number of 3-6 mile runs. Monday started out as a five mile run and I finished up closer to six. It felt good to be outside and to not have the time pressure of getting done and racing into the shower and out the door for school.
In a weird change of events my left hip is now feeling sore vs. my right hip. I’ll do a better job of stretching this week with my new found time. I also broke out a new pair of shoes. I realized I needed another pair in rotation or I was going to need a new pair right before the marathon. While I haven’t had to break in my New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v10 I still wouldn’t want to take them out of the box and run 26.2. That said they were perfection for today’s run, so I probably could take them out of the box and run a marathon!
Tuesday- September 15
Back outside for another great run. I wasn’t sure how far I was going to go when I went out the door anywhere from 3-5 miles. Finished up with a nice five mile run. I love the fact that the air is a little bit cooler. It adds pep to my running step!! Finished off the morning with a solid 35 minutes of lifting. Strength training is so important, especially as the miles continue to increase. Still have that moderate hip pain. I’m keeping an eye on it and making sure to add some stretching.
Wednesday, September 16
Oh my my hamstrings and hips are super tight. Rather than run first, I started with 30 minutes of Yoga for Runners to loosen everything up before heading out the door. By modifying my schedule to run after I drop the boys off for school I’ve truly been able to take advantage of the beautiful weather. To keep things fresh I mixed up the route again today. I’m continually amazed at how many different distance combinations I can get by altering the route just a bit from my house. Another solid five mile run.
Thursday, September 17
Thursdays mean I should run and strength train. But truth be told I tweaked something in my back on Wednesday so I kept it to just a run. A nice and easy 3.1 outside. A whole week of beautiful weather has lead to lots of extra outside time!
Friday, September 18
Early, early run this morning. After learning late Thursday night that I was subbing at school on Friday I knew I wanted to get my run done before school. Schedule called for 5 miles but based upon timing I completed 4. No big deal- that’s the beauty of a flexible schedule. At this point in the week I have 23 miles done and 7 miles to go to meet my 30 miles for the week. So I’ll just add a mile to Saturday or Sunday and I’m set. Back on the treadmills for a 5:00 AM run. But that also meant I was back with Bosch Amazon!! Watching Bosch on my iPad has been a game changer for my time on the treadmill. It seems to fly by.
Saturday, September 19
Truth be told on Friday after school I was a whole new level of tired. I wasn’t even sure going to bed early was going to do the trick to allow me to get my five miles in on Saturday morning. But ah the beauty of a good night’s sleep. I woke up feeling refreshed and ready to go! It was COLD. As in temperatures in the 40s in the morning. This is my sweet spot for temperature when I run. While it’s a little cold to get started once you warm up it’s perfection. I was feeling extra motivated because I got to wear my new Alzheimer’s Association Team shirt for my run. With four weeks to go before my virtual marathon- channeling my inner why is KEY!
Sunday, September 20
Sunday runs are nearly always my short runs. It’s my “rest” day after all. So a quick two miler to keep my running streak going. 121 days and counting!!
Week in review
Early in the week my hips were tight and bothering me. This is likely because of a 36 mile week last week, including a 14 mile run. I was careful to continued strength training but also stretching to help loosen up my hamstrings and hips. By the end of the week I was fortunately feeling relief. It’s hard to believe that the marathon is now less than a month away. Must stay healthy and avoid injury!! Looking ahead the week of September 21 brings more speed work as the key effort and the week of the 28th a 20 mile run!!
