Boo!

I am SO happy it's Friday!! After this week, I only have one full week of work left between now and the new year. I love short work weeks!!

This was my last big week of mileage before my taper starts next week and things went pretty well. I ended up taking off Tuesday for my birthday but I'll make up that 5 miler on Sunday. Last night I ran 8 miles with the middle six around marathon pace (8:20). I ran the first 4 miles at 8:15 and the last 2 miles at 8:10. This run wasn't as easy as the previous weeks and I actually thought the mid 6 miles felt down right hard at times. I kept reminding myself that I held around a 7:50 for the Philly Distance Run (half marathon) and that felt easy. I'm really hoping the excitement of race day, and being well rested from the taper, will make this 8:20 pace feel easy. But even though I was feeling a little beat up and tired last night, I still found myself speeding up. When I struggle to keep pace, it's never that I slow down. Instead I speed up!! This has me a little worried that I'll get caught up on race day and go out too fast. But knowing I do it, I'll have to make sure I keep it in check.

After the 8 miler last night, I was up and at it less than 12 hours later with a 5 miler this morning. I did it on my new treadmill and let me tell you...staring at a cement wall for 5 miles is not very exciting. And to make matters worse, it didn't help that I was still tired from the effort last night. But I got through it and now I have the whole day to rest up before my last 20 miler of the training season. I might be meeting up with Natalie tomorrow for the run. My first blogger meet up!!What should I wear? Will she like me? Oh, the pressure!! :-)

Hope everyone has a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Another Year in the Books (and Final Results)

I turned 33 yesterday. Another year in the books. Dare I say that each year is better than the one before it? I hope I didn't just jinx myself, but it's true. Looking back over the past 10 years, it just keeps getting better. I'm excited to see what this year brings me especially since a lot of the stressful things we've been dealing with for a few years are behind us. My running really took off last year...I ran my first marathon and my first Ultra. And I'm hoping to have a repeat of last year, with some significant improvements!! Anyway, as I blew out my candle last night, I decided that I'm going to spend this year focusing on me and my health. Spiritually, mentally, physically. From here on out, as I get older, I'm also going to get healthier. Here's to another good year...and thankfully, I'm not in my "mid" thirties yet. I still round down to 30!!

The competition ended yesterday. We lost a lot of people along the way but from the emails I got from the last few people still in it, it seemed to keep a lot of you on track. Congrats to everyone for sticking with it.

27-Oct
Ace - 2 %
Amanda - 3.4 %
Denise - 0.32 %
Hoodie - 3.3 %
Janice - 9 %
Jeanette - 0.95 %
Katelyn - 2.2 %
Laura - 2.8 %
Lisa - 1.6 %
Marci - 5.8 %
Natalie - 1.3 %

Janice, since you won, you get first pick of prizes. Up for grabs is a gift certificate (1) to Mix My Granola or a gift package (2) from Dr. Kracker. Winners, email me at dclaffey76@yahoo.com so I can get your address to give to the gracious hosts of the competition.

I'm heading into my last week before the taper starts. I can't believe it's that time already. Last year I felt like I was ready for it and I physically felt like needed it. This year, though, I feel great. I think it definitely goes to show there is a way to train smart, balancing out the hard and easy workouts. Last year I know I did way more hard workouts because I thought I constantly had to run hard and fast. While I'll be cutting back on total mileage starting next week, my sharpening runs will continue. I gotta get that 8:20 pace nailed down!!

In other news, I made a little purchase today. My sister wasn't using her treadmill since she belongs to a gym so she sold it to me. This is the treadmill I used 2 weeks ago for my 20 miler and I was really happy with it. One nice thing was that it doesn't stop after 60 minutes like the ones at the gym and when you stop and restart your mileage is never lost. I've been strictly running outside since last April and plan to continue doing so. But this is a nice little back up for those early morning runs when I just don't want to head out into the pitch black. And it will definitely come in handy when the ice storms come this winter.

Here she is, begging for some attention. Our little gym in the basement isn't the most welcoming space, but at least I have a tv, dvd player and a radio. Oooh, I just heard Andy tell his Dad he might have to check it out...I'll make a runner out of him one of these days!




Here's my schedule for the week:
Mon - 5 mi
Tues - 8 mi, with middle 6 at 8:20
Wed - 5 mi
Thurs - 8 mi, with last mile at 8:20
Fri - 5 mi
Sat - 20 mi
Sun - off

Relationships and Running

Do any of you ever get comments about how running must affect your relationship? I've gotten quite a few, actually and they all blow my mind.

The other day I was talking someone about my running goals for 2010 and they said, "poor Andy." I've heard similar comments before and it got me thinking…"poor Andy, what???" Why would anyone feel bad for Andy because I run?? I'm not a drug addict. I'm not an alcoholic. I'm a runner. Being a little bothered by it, I wanted to make sure Andy wasn't sitting at home sulking that he lost the most wonderful person in the world to running. So, I asked him how he felt about it. He looked at me confused, assured me there's no issue at all, and told me that he supports anything that makes me happy. And for the record, that goes both ways with us. Because after all, isn't that what a partnership is about?

Then the other day, while talking about marathons, I overheard someone say they wouldn't run a marathon because they wouldn't want their marriage to end in divorce (or something along those lines). Seriously? My first thought is that if a marriage falls apart because someone takes a few hours a week to go for a run that there is something FAR worse wrong with the marriage. Personally, I think it's good to take some time for ourselves. Not every waking second has to be spent with our partners, does it? And I bet there are a lot of people out there that wish their partners would go for a run and give them some alone time!!

I'm wondering if I missed something. When did marriage/relationships mean you lose your individuality and goals and dreams? Shouldn't you still be living these out? Only difference is now you have the love and support of your partner which makes every achievement more special because you have someone to share it with. I know that I love seeing Andy accomplish his goals. And apparently he feels the same way about me. I went to the dentist the other day and all she told me was how Andy bragged about me running the Ultra when he was in a few weeks ago. :-)

Yes, training is a time commitment, but that doesn't mean you can't have a healthy, loving relationship. I wake up at the crack of dawn on Saturday to do my long run so we can spend the whole day together. I plan my runs around Michigan football so we can watch the games together. I come into work early so I can get home and run so we can eat dinner together. It's called compromising. And there is no "poor" Andy or falling apart marriage. But there is an incredibly strong bond between two people who support each other's goals and love the heck out of each other.

I love every second I spend with Andy…and I'll spend those seconds with him just as soon as I get back from my run!

One Week Left

My 20 miler on the treadmill is such a blur, feels like it didn't happen. Oh wait, what's that piece of skin stuck to my shirt...riiiight, the chafing on my back that I keep ripping open each day when I run. Never mind, I remember the sweaty treadmill fun now. I think the next time I decide to do a long run on a treadmill I might just run naked. I've been feeling great since the run though and all my runs since have been fabulous!! This is my schedule for the week:

Mon - 7 mi, w/ last mile at 8:20
Tues - 5 mi
Wed - 7 mi, w/ mid 5 miles at 8:15
Thurs - 5 mi
Fri - 17 mi, ladder
Sat - 5 mi
Sun - off

Only one more weigh in left, people. Remember, there are prizes for the top 3 losers, so don't give up yet!! And I'm happy to say that I finally decided to join the competition...Janice better watch out!! ;-)

20-Oct
Ace - 1.1 %
Amanda - 2.96 %
Denise - 0.32 %
Hoodie - 2.63 %
Janice - 8.3 %
Jeanette - 0.95 %
Katelyn - 2.2 %
Laura - 2.8 %
Lisa - 1.6 %
Marci - 6.1 %
Natalie - +.12 %

20 on the Treadmill

I just ran my first 20 miler since the Ultra. Since it's pretty miserable out, raining and cold, I decided to go to my sisters house and run on her treadmill. I'm usually not such a sissy about the weather but we're leaving town in an hour for the weekend and I didn't want to feel icky. Sometimes it takes me a day or two to warm up after a really chilly run! Anyway, I haven't run on a treadmill since last April and it took a little bit of getting used to. First off, my pace felt quicker than it actually was but I quickly settled in to where I needed to be. I decided to break it up by getting off the treadmill every 5 miles which worked out well because it turned out I had to use the bathroom right about then anyway. One nice thing about running on a treadmill, I didn't have to worry about pooping in the woods. Since I was running inside, I was sweating so much more than normal. I was literally drenched, down to my undies! Running in soaking wet clothes really sucks and leads to some insane chafing. I just got out of THE MOST PAINFUL shower I've ever taken. I rarely, if ever, chafe but today was terrible. From the band of my shorts, my back, under my ta-tas, under my arms, my chest and my collar bone nubbins...ugh. All the red marks should look pretty in the dresses I'll be wearing this weekend. So despite all this complaining...first 20 miler of the training season in the books. I'm sporting my recovery socks and feeling great. Not tired or sore and ready for a great weekend!!

Pumpkin got married today so we're heading down to Cape May to celebrate. We'll be going to dinner tonight with her family and then the reception is tomorrow. I'll catch up on blogs when we get back to town. Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Dropping Like Flies

What happened to all my contestants?? We started with so many and now we're down to only a few. I think Janice has everyone scared...

There's only 2 more weeks left. If you want to win one of the 3 prizes, I gotta hear from you for both the last weigh ins.

13-Oct
Ace -
Amanda - 2.6 %
Dana - 1.4 %
Denise - 0 %
Erin C -
Hoodie - 1.98 %
Janice - 8.3 %
Jeanette - 0.95 %
Katelyn -
Laura - 2.5 %
Lisa - 1.5 %
Marci - 4.5 %
Marlene -
Natalie - 0 %

Times Have Changed

With Philly marathon right around the corner, I went back and read my race report from the marathon last year. I can't believe how much has changed since last November!! This is what I was thinking the day after..

"So, I did it!! Last night I wasn't sure I'd run another one. Today, I'm feeling a little different. I think, actually know, I will. BUT, I don't think I'll ever put the pressure on myself to qualify for Boston. I ran my first marathon in under 4 hours. I know that is an incredible achievement. I want to make sure I always enjoy this and have fun, I don't want the added pressure of qualifying. And as long as I'm in this age group, I don't think I'll get the 3:40 for Boston anyway!"

WOW! Complete 180 over here. Little did I know that not only would I be going for Boston this year but I never in a million years would have thought I would have run an Ultra, too! I can't believe how much has changed over the past year...for the better, of course. The best part of reading that little blip from last year is that training for my BQ so far has been anything but stressful. Yes, there's some added pressure that I've been putting on myself because I want this so badly, but not once have I thought this wasn't fun. If anything, I'm enjoying the training this year even more.

I ran 8 miles tonight with the middle 4 at marathon pace - 8:20. Every time I checked my Garmin I was dead on for pace. It's really starting to get comfortable and I can feel when I speed up/slow down. I spent the whole run thinking about the marathon and picturing the last 6 mile stretch, which I know will be tough. But every time I thought of finishing, my pace quickened and I smiled. I can't wait to see what the day has in store for me.

Here's my schedule for this week:
Mon - 8 mi w/ 4 mi at 8:20
Tue - 5 mi
Wed - 7 mi w/ last mile at 8:20
Thurs - 5 mi
Fri - 20 mi
Sat - 5 mi
Sun - Off

Pace Group

I registered with the 3:40 pace group yesterday for the Philly marathon. It really made me wonder what I was thinking when I registered with the 3:50 group last year. With it being my first marathon and the fact that I just followed any old schedule which didn't include any speed work, I probably shouldn't have set such a lofty goal. I'm glad the first one turned out ok because if I had flamed out, I'm not sure I'd have the confidence to shoot for my BQ this year.

This week at work has been nuts and I've been working really long hours, but I managed to get my runs in with the exception of last night. By the time I got home, it was almost dark and since I only had 5 miles on the schedule, I decided I'd rather relax a little. I did get my two 7 milers in this week, though. One of them I ran the middle 3 miles at 8:15, the other I ran the last mile at 8:20. It's really important that I get comfortable at this pace considering I'm going to run 26.2 miles at it!! When I hit this pace during my runs, I feel good. The leg turnover is comfortable, my breathing is normal, etc. But I worry that keeping this pace for the whole marathon will be so hard. I think a lot of us forget how important the mental training is for running, I know I do at least. So I'm really going to start working on some visualization and positive thinking. If I don't qualify, it's going to be because something physically happens, not because my crazy head got in the way.

Speaking of crazy head...I wasn't going to say anything cause I feel like I'm always bitching about this, but what the heck is up with me not being able to drop a single freaking pound? I'm up about 10 lbs from the marathon last November. I went back and read some of my food journals and nothing has changed. I'm still eating the same things and I'm still running my butt off. What gives?? I'm starting to feel like I'm losing my mind people. Am I in denial? Am I eating and not even realizing it? Could it really be that peanut butter I eat a few times a week? I'm sorry but I'm so frustrated. I eat incredibly well and it's not like I shove my face with junk. My frustration has hit the point where I want to really cut back and restrict myself like the old days but I know I can't do that. I just wish I could accept things for how they are and shut off my brain..but unfortunately, I can't do either.

This was my schedule for the week:
Mon - 7 mi (mid 3 at 8:15)
Tues - 5 mi
Wed - 7 mi (last mile at 8:20)
Thurs - 5 mi (skipped...will do it on Sunday as an easy recovery run)
Fri - 5 mi
Sat - 17 mi
Sun - off

NuttZo and Results!

Since it's weight loss results day, I thought I'd tell you about another yummy treat I found. I know Natalie has tried it but have the rest of you?? I'm talking about NuttZo, people. One of the best nut butters I have tried. I have to be honest and say that a lot of the nut butters are in the same class, but NuttZo stood out for me. Maybe it was the fun packaging, the fact NuttZo is a supporter of Project Left Behind, or the crunchy little flax seeds...regardless, I loved it. NuttZo is an organic, omega 3 multi nut butter made of Valencia peanuts, cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds and flax seed. There's nothing else to this deliciousness but I swear I thought it had sugar in it (which it doesn't). It's the perfect combination of nuts and has a sweetness to it that I loved. A lot of times nut butters are a little bland for me because they lack the sweetness I crave. The flax seeds aren't ground either so there's a crunch to the butter which is unique and tasty!! The only downside of the butter is it's price. It goes for about $11 a jar. Which would be fine if I had any control whatsoever around it. But since I can't keep my spoon out of the jar, it's a pricey little treat. Because I love the concept behind this product (the founder created it after adopting 2 malnourished boys), its support of a great cause, and the fact that it was deeelicious, I'm giving NuttZo 7 biscuits.

Below are the weight loss results for this week. I was going to say, "can someone please tell me why I'm sucking at my own competition?" but then I looked at what I wrote above...maybe I need to steer clear of the nut butters. Only 3 more weeks left...I don't think I stand a chance of catching Janice!

6-Oct
Ace - 1.34 %
Amanda -
Dana - 2.8 %
Denise - 0 %
Erin C -
Hoodie - 2.5 %
Janice - 7.7 %
Jeanette - 1.25 %
Katelyn - 2.2 %
Laura - 2.5 %
Lisa
Marci - 5.1 %
Marlene -
Natalie - 1.3 %

Heartbreak Hill Lookalike

Yesterday I ran 18 miles with Coach Jack. We headed to Valley Forge park which has a 5 mile loop consisting of rolling hills. Apparently, one of the hills is pretty similar to the famous "Heartbreak Hill" at the Boston Marathon. Our plan for this run was to run the first 6 miles around 9:45, then step it up to 9:00 minute miles for the next 6 miles, then finish up the remaining 6 miles at 8:45. Here's how it went:

Miles 1-6: 9:40/9:28/9:17/9:37/9:35/9:33

Miles 7-12: 9:08/9:06/9:17/9:02/9:07/8:53

Miles 13-18: 8:40/8:44/8:38/9:11/9:06/8:58

I was feeling great for the first 2 loops but the last loop got tough when we picked up the pace. I really felt it when we climbed the Heartbreak Hill lookalike for the third time. Running that hill at an 8:45 wasn't easy and it definitely took a lot out of me. After that climb, I was having a hard time concentrating and was feeling a little "funny". At mile 15 we stopped at the car to refill water and at that point I had to admit to Coach that I was dizzy. So for the last 3 miles, Coach told me I wasn't allowed to look at my Garmin and he let me set the pace based on how I felt. I'm surprised to see the stats above because I thought we were crawling and was sure I dropped us down to about a 10 minute mile. It's nice to know that even when I was tired I still kept us at a decent pace. As we were finishing the run Coach said to me, "No one said it was easy getting to Boston." Honestly, Coach, I'm glad. I wouldn't want this if it was easy.

Oh, and something I tried on this run...I'm planning on using the margarita shot bloks for the marathon and have used them on my last few long runs. On this run though, instead of eating 3 at a time throughout the run, I had one blok every 2.5 miles. I tried this at the suggestion of Coach and thought it worked pretty well. I usually get a stomach ache when I eat a few of them at once and they sit in my stomach like a brick. It also messes up my breathing trying to chew them on the go. Eating one at at time didn't bother my stomach at all and it was easier to eat just one. It was also like a little treat to look forward to throughout the run.

Love the Long Runs

Where did the week go! I can't believe it's Friday...I never even got around to posting my running schedule for the week. Well, it looked like this:

Mon - 3 mi
Tues - 6 mi (sharpening)
Wed - 4 mi
Thurs - 6 mi (6 x 100 strides)
Fri - 4 mi
Sat - 18 mi
Sun - off

For my Tuesday run, I was suppose to run 2 miles at 9:15, pick it up to marathon pace for miles 3 and 4, then finish off with the last two at 9:15. Starting off, the 9:15 pace was hard to hit and I ended up being slightly over. I was worried that it wasn't going to be a good run, but I nailed miles 3 and 4. I ran those miles right around 8:20 and felt really good. I'm still questioning holding that pace for 26.2 miles, but I know it's early on in training and I have lots of chances to build up my confidence. For the final 2 miles, it was damn near impossible to keep myself around a 9:15...all I wanted to do was run faster since I was in my groove at that point. I'm running my 18 miler tomorrow with Coach Jack. The plan is to run the first 6 miles at 9:30, the next 6 at 9:00 and the final 6 at 8:45. We're running a hilly course so this should be a great workout!!

Lately I can't stop thinking about how much I love this time of year and marathon training. I'm back at that point where I'm super excited for my long runs on Saturday and actually look forward to them all week. I remember feeling like this last year when I was training for the marathon. Except last year, the long runs scared me a bit. There was always a bit of anxiety mixed in with the excitement. I didn't know what to expect, how I would feel and if I could even handle it. This time around, things are totally different. I'm not nervous or scared and the distance doesn't seem intimidating at all. I think I have the Ultra to thank for that, it really changed my outlook and definition of the "long" run.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Good luck to all those running marathons!!