Winner winner, chicken dinner

Well, not really.. But just go with it.

So, when I moved here I had all my running medals in a plastic baggy and decided I need somewhere to display them, so I asked my dad for something simple and pretty

This is what we came up with

It has a ledge so that the back of the ribbons don't interfere with the wall

It's very simple and functional.

I love it, what do you think? Do you hang up your medals for everyone to see?

Marathon #9: recap

So, marathon #9.. What can I say..

You were hot, you were miserable and you were.. Fun?!

Yeah this marathon was just about having fun and enjoying the experience. 

We walked most of it for fear of over heating, in which my mom and I have have both been through and it is not fun. My dr had also told me that if I did not drink enough wart I could have contractions and well that didn't sound like fun either.

In total I probably drank 10 liters (yup 5 of those 2L bottles of soda) and went to the bathroom over 12x, that is not an exaggeration. 

My hands even swelled up to the point I couldn't bend them.. But hey I finished.

Ate some mcdonalds and my hands immediately went down, probably from high intake of water without the salt intake.

All in all, we finished.. That's what matters.

Here are the photos we took along the way

 (I can't figure out how to arrange them on my ipad, so deal with it)

Marathon #9

Yup, I can not believe this is MARATHON #9.. geez.

Here are my thoughts, emotions, and words on the matter. 

(Here's a recap of last years race, in case you missed it.)

(source)

Listen up, mother marathon .. I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU!

Did I get your attention? Good, its about time.

Yup, its taken me over 10 years and 9 of these things to get the guts to say that.

Well, the thing is that this race is strictly for fun.

Yeah, I have always said that but this time it is for real.

This baby and I are not going to PR, we are not aiming for a magic time, I don't really care about the weather.. that much, and you know the time change. Yeah, well I won't sleep anyways.

I am out there to finish smiling and have fun. That's it

marathon: #8

While I was in LA last week, besides reminiscing about my past I was running a marathon

So, lets preface with I did not train, I was wrong and it hurt.

Ok, so we got that out of the way.
(You can find race recaps and old  times here)

The course began at dodger stadium and ended at santa monica beach.

The course started with hills (or if your a midwesterner or me they felt like mountains)

I split the race in 3: downtown LA, Hollywood and the beach

You ran through downtown LA

Passing the opera house (that we use to frequent) and the disney concert hall

Than off to hollywood where people were lined down the streets being energetic and just a good time. 

My best friend was in hollywood waiting for me.

That and her song call me maybe pretty much made that section.

Leaving hollywood to get to the beach, we passed West hollywood where "The Queens" were hanging out in the masses. Probably one of my favorite parts because of the effort and they looked so good.

After this point in the race I fell apart and just wanted it to be over.
I eventually picked my self back up thanks to my sister and kept it going.
It was hard, but you know I finished it running.
My official time was 6:13. Not my best or my worst.

My medal was the best part, that and totally vegging out on inn n out with my mom after.
(sorry I have no other pictures, the official ones I can no longer use and there pretty bad too)

Any goals or runs you have completed recently?

The big 8

So, I don't know the exact time or day. 

What I do know was that I was still in a funk and it was January. 

The weather was unusually nice and I had the brilliant idea of thinking of running my 8th marathon. 

I don't know what possessed me to do it, but I remember it changing everything. 

That was roughly 6 weeks and 65 miles ago.

So, you guessed it. I am running my 8th marathon in 6 days. 

I am undertrained and overweight, but sometimes that the best combination for things.

I am not scarred, or worried, or freaked out.

I just am.

I know its suppose to be 90+ degrees and sunny.

OH WELL! 

I can't change it, so I will just live with it.

Kinda my motto at this point.

Any crazy things you have done lately?

P.S. I'll let you know how it goes. I am actually very excited for this course I have not ran yet.

My weekend in pictures

well, part of it at least.

This was our before picture for the crazy K

(a mud run)

Starting to line up

towards the end up a mud hill

ready to keep going, end in sight

group photo sitting in the mud

from behind

the end!

It was a ton of fun and i strongly encourage you to get a team together and go do a mud run and enjoy some beers.

This weekend we also helped at a derby bout

my husband in his $4 prom dress acting silly

and went to a football party where we went shooting.

It was an awsome weekend.

Running: the essentials

I told you not to hold your breath, but I have been planning this post for awhile.

I have been runnign since I was four. I have found it enjoyable since than. I don't know if it was time to spend with my dad or because I liked it. I know what you are thinking, I am crazy. 

I already know this, thanks for your unwanted comments.

Anyways, this past april I ran my 7th marathon as talked about here

I wouldn't say I am an expert but this is what I know.

I was not sponsored, perked or paid to promote these items and 100% of all views are my mine.

I came up with a list of my five running essentials.

1. Vibram five finger shoes (KSO's)

I have been running in these shoes for two years now and I have not had a single problem and my knees feel great. In case you didn't know I have had 2 surgeries on my left knee miniscus and it feels awsome. Also, as a bonus my calves and feet are super strong now.

2. Socks (for the above mentioned shoes)

Socks are very important while running. Not only do they protect your feet but if you are wearing the proper socks you can prevent blisters. Yes, there is a world out there where no blisters exist. I know because I am currently living in it. When I don't wear my socks I get nasty blood blisters, but with this new found intvention (haha, thats my joke. its lame I know) I haven't had a problem and the shoes are not to snug with them either.

3. Body glide

body glide is a god scent. I am not a HUGE women, but I am not a stick either (contrary to popular belief). I use body glide everywhere because if you have chafed you know it hurts and it is unpleasent. To be honest this is the only product I know that works for me and I swear by it.

4&5. Watch and Ipod

These two go together because my watch has a do hickey (see picture) that attached to my old ipod that allows the watch to control the ipod. I hate running without music and theres no way I can do without. My watch not only connects t the ipod but it has an interval timer that allows me to walk and run accordingly. I run for 5 mins and walk 1 min usually during usual races but I will talk about that later in this series.

I hope you found this interesting and can relate. What are your 5 running essentials?

I was not sponsored, perked or paid to promote these items and 100% of all views are my mine.

Lucky or unlucky #7

Saturday was the big day for my friend Steph and I. 

It was a long time coming and I was more nervous than my first, second, third, fourth and fifth combined.  

Don't ask me why I just was. 

Once you have run one marathon it is never the same

There are so many factors out there that go into a "good run"

If you don't recall I posted about my past marathons here

My times in the past have been 

(granted its not about the time you get but that you finish, but time is good)

1. 2003: 5:33

2. 2004: 6:38

3. 2005: 5:41

4. 2007: 5:56

5. 2008:6:31

6: 2009: 5:29

                                                 

This race was kinda perfect. 

(race re-cap)

1. There were only about 10,000 people out on the course and only about 2,500 doing the marathon. The part that sucked was when you split up with these people at 12.1 miles you just started running by yourself. 

The good thing is that there were not as many spectators so if you were having a hard time it was ok cause no one saw you either. 

2. The weather turns out, was perfect. It was about 50 degrees and over cast all morning.

At one point it started to sprinkle but no rain and little wind. I ran in shorts and a long sleeve, it was quite perfect (coming from someone that gets really hot).

3. WE were running super fast for the first half of the race (oops!), but it was good because the second half we slowed down tremendously. Around mile 5 my calves started to hurt, which was weird but oh well you just keep running, but at mile 15 my quads started to feel like they were on fire. but I kept going. It was at this point that I dropped down from run 5 mins and walk 1 min to run 3 mins and walk 2 mins. At mile 20, my friend Steph could no longer walk (the run and walk we were doing), so she went ahead and I kept going slow and steady. I called my husband in so much pain and he gave me the boost to keep going, but later on I called my mom and she too just said keep moving and I did. At mile 24 I ran past Steph who was stretching on the sidelines and in a lot of pain. She caught up to me and we ran the last few miles in together. My P met up with us a little after mile 25 and ran us home. We raced it out on the finish line chute. She beat me by milliseconds but we have the same time. 

Distance	MAR
Clock Time	5:41:30
Chip Time	5:26:22
Overall Place	1730 / 1890
Gender Place	662 / 744
Division Place	122 / 133
10K	1:06:52
13 1	2:27:41
20Mi	3:56:38
Divtotal	133
Sextotal	740
Pace	12:28

woo hoo! thats me! 

I am so glad that I did it and I will share more details later. 

I am really happy with my time even if I was hoping to break 5 hours there is always next time. 

My legs are a little less sore today, but thats ok. 

The medal isn't too shabby either, its interactive.

The "I" for the Illini (our university here) spins, I think its pretty cool. 

Did you run this weekend? Did you have fun? Did you watch? Were you inspired?

Truth be told, maybe I can't walk without limping now, but i would love to do #8 

Girls from work who participated in the marathon festivities this weekend.



T- 5 days

We will be running the full marathon in our little town

Yes we are FULLY CRAZY and Yes we need all the support we can get

We are two peas in a pod and its going to be a great time.

If you live in the C-U you should come out and support.

Its going to be a good time.