new adventures

I've decided to expand my blog beyond the running stuff. The reality is that running, while important, is only one of many interests to me. I think that's why my posts are so far and few between lately. I like it. It's a part of me. But there are a lot of other parts too. I had a moment of clarity during my run this morning (which often happens in the cool quiet of the early morning) that I've grown a lot as a person this last almost 2 years and that includes the big things like accepting myself and nurturing good relationships and the smaller things like running and making really awesome martinis. So, while I'm not going to stray completely from training talk, I'm going to share other things too.

In that spirit, I wanted to share what I did last night! Pete and I have gotten into the habit of eating dinner at the dining room table to dedicate some real "face time" to each other every night. I've also gotten in the habit of having a cocktail with dinner a few nights a week. The combination makes our meals feel special even if we're sitting in our sweats. Anyway, I created (I'm sure it's been done before but it was the first time that I made a cocktail without a recipe.) a rosemary martini that I've dubbed a Holy Rosemary!. It was inspired by the Herbed Goat Cheese and Pine Nut Crusted Salmon we made from one of my favorite food blogs, Cara's Cravings. I wanted to use up the rest of the rosemary in a timely manner since there aren't too many things I use it in the summer.

Anyway, the smell of rosemary reminded me of the smell of Bombay Sapphire. I'm usually more of a vodka fan, but gin seemed like a more natural fit. We had very little gin left, so I had to use half gin and half vodka. I added muddled rosemary, lime juice and sugar which I shook and strained into a martini glass that I rinsed with dry vermouth (you get a hint of the flavor without adding it to the cocktail). I finished by garnishing with a rosemary sprig.

Pete, who's not really a martini guy, thought it was very smooth and tasty. It also complemented the salmon well. Overall, I was very pleased with this meal. It was incredibly easy, but looked and tasted like it took so much longer. I'm very proud of how far I've come in my cooking. It seems like just yesterday I was cooking ramen every night...

venison in the morning

I’m really getting tired of almost being killed daily. It’s not even because people aren’t being considerate of runners. They simply break traffic rules and are surprised to see me right in front of their hood, looking like a deer in… well, you know the expression.

Yesterday, a woman zoomed up to the intersection with total disregard to where the crosswalk was. There was a bush very close to the intersection which blocks a driver’s vision until the last second. You must stop at the crosswalk and creep forward or wait for the light to change. If I had taken one or two longer strides, I would have gotten hit. I mean, I was right at her window when she hastily pulled away.
I also had another driver (during the same run) decide to try to make a left turn even though the left turn arrow had disappeared and the walk sign had come on. I was midway through the intersection before his tires almost met my toes.

I admit that I’m no saint. I don’t always following the drivers’ manual exactly, but I don’t push limits to where it’s dangerous for those around me. Maybe I do that because I am a pedestrian more times than most. I always wonder if they drive like that all the time or if that was their first offense. Life is too precious to compromise those around you (and yourself). I hope the next time that they’re irritated about a runner crossing their path and slowing them down, they will put themselves in my shoes – or better yet, their own pair of running shoes and try life on the slower side.

the poser

I’m such a running poser. I realize that as soon as I open my Runner’s World every month. Don’t get me wrong. I try to eat healthily and workout regularly, and most of the time I’m successful. BUT I read these articles about people that eat these perfectly portioned meals (30/20/30 – which numbers represent carbs, protein or fat I can never remember) and fartlek and strength train every week without fail make it very apparent that I’m not in that league.

I terribly want to be, but waking up in the mornings to fit in a run seems to be a triumph in and of itself most days (I’m not a morning person – I HATE mornings – but I have to in order to fit it into my day). I also seem to fail every time I plan to cut back on sugars (I can’t resist ice cream in the summer… or winter… ok, I just can’t resist it!) or try to increase the days I strength train (honestly, those days are getting to be farther and farther in between). Not that I was fooling anyone but myself. I have these secret dreams of qualifying for Boston and running marathons all over the globe. And while I still secretly hope they come true, I have come to accept that I’m not the best runner, nor am I near the top of the mediocre runners. But that’s ok.

I run because I love it. I love the healthy glow I get afterward and the feeling of exhaustion and accomplishment. I’m stronger (inside and out) because of it. While I tend to be a perfectionist in the rest of my life (well, excluding this blog which I neglect updating and proofreading), this is the one area where it’s ok for me to not be the best. My only competition is with myself. I don’t have anyone else to beat, nor do I want that responsibility. I run because it’s free and freeing. What can be better than that?

How my puppy jumpstarted my training

So, there haven’t been many blog updates because, in short, I’ve been a slacker. I’ve mostly used the weather as my excuse. I have gotten in a few runs and began taking Pilates, but it’s hard to convince your body it’s a good idea to run when it’s 7 degrees... or freezing rain is falling... or when no one within a 3 mile radius has shoveled their sidewalks, leaving you to dodge salt trucks in the road.

Anyway, this has caused me to begin worrying more and more about my performance in the upcoming Pittsburgh marathon. I needed to get back on track, despite the gloomy Pittsburgh winter.

The solution came in a pretty little spunky package - the sweetest little puppy in the entire world named Daisy. Surprisingly, she would be the key to kicking my butt back into full training gear.

How my Daisy has begun training me:

No matter how cold it is at 6 a.m., it’s always warmer than it was at 2 a.m. when I took the dog outside in just my robe and slippers.

A puppy means that I can no longer hit the snooze 10 times before actually waking up. After getting out of bed, feeding and walking the dog, why bother going back to bed? It’s easier to just start my day.

In order to feed her breakfast, I wake up early enough to eat breakfast myself.

Running in the morning means that I have the huge reward of snuggling with my puppy after work. She greets me as if to say, “You did good today!” and I get to enjoy her puppy kisses all evening.

Went with the novice plan

I couldn't justify possibly injuring myself just to follow the Intermediate plan again, so I find myself a novice for my second marathon. The good news is that I didn't have to run yesterday, but I will today. I am waiting until after work since it will be about 10 degrees warmer then (hopefully!). I'm crossing my fingers that I can stave off injuries this time...

Last night, Pete and I made Salmon Provençal with Zucchini and rice. Yum! Definitely a new favorite. Plus, it happens to be an amazing dish for a runner. I could eat this once a week!

Fudge! I'm already behind?!?!

So, a lovely little elf bought me a Garmin Forerunner 305 for Christmas. :) I think I spent the last 3 days reading the manual from beginning to end. Apparently, all the drooling I did over it in Chicago did not go unnoticed! Hehe. It was totally unexpected, and I'm so excited to begin training for Pittsburgh with it! Which brings me to the title of my post...

Holy crap! Pittsburgh's in 18 weeks! For some reason, I thought I'd have 2 more weeks until I needed to start training for the Pittsburgh Marathon. I just printed out the training schedule today, and sure enough, I have to start... TODAY! Aack! Now, my dilemma is whether to go with the Hal Higdon Intermediate I plan that I used for Chicago and served me well, or scale back a bit and use one of the novice programs. I struggled a lot with my knees (ITBS in both legs) before, during and after Chicago, so I've not done much more than stretch, some PT and walking. I don't want to re-injure myself by adding miles too quickly. I only have a few hours to decide, since I need to start after work!

Chicago :)

Finally... the recap.

First, I need to thank everyone who supported me during my training and this rough time in my life. I know that I would not have kept my focus without all of you cheering me on.

I did really well for the first half of the race. As you know, I had knee problems for the 2 or 3 weeks prior to the race, and tried to error on the side of rest leading up to it. However, around mile 2, I got a familiar stabbing pain in my right knee. I was about to cry because I knew if the pain continued like that, there was no way I would be able to finish even if I just walked. So, I said a quick prayer, took some elongated strides in an effort to stretch out the tendon and it went away for the most part. I had a dull pain for the next 11 miles, but right around the halfway point, the stabbing pain came back with a vengeance. At 13.1 miles, my time was about 2:06.

Again, I tried to take longer strides, but the pain was much more intense this time. I stopped and stretched for a minute and managed to make it to around mile 17 where I was at the point of half-running/half-limping. Fortunately, at mile 18 there was a medical tent. I iced both knees briefly, had my right knee wrapped and took ibuprofen. While it was wise to stop, it took somewhere between 10-15 minutes because someone on the course collapsed right after I arrived and much of the medical team went to help them. I was disappointed in “wasting” that much time, but I know I couldn’t have run more if they hadn’t wrapped my knee. I felt much better until mile 21. Even with the wrap, the pain was getting worse. It was at that point that I decided to finish even if I walked the remaining 5.2 miles! I was a rather pathetic sight kind of running/kind of hopping, but I finished! My official time was 4:56:25. That was a full hour more than I anticipated finishing in, but again, I finished. And that’s what this was all about. :)

The most amazing thing about the race was how aware I became of others. I saw a father pushing his mentally disabled child in a jogging stroller (he passed me); a cancer survivor that also was bleeding down her legs due to chaffing, but running with the biggest smile on her face; kids cheering on their mom, dad, grandparent; and others just there to feel alive. It reminded me that while I have challenges, so do others. In the end, we're all out there just trying to overcome. It was a very humbling, beautiful experience. The people of Chicago also were gracious in welcoming such a large crowd. There was great support from the aid stations to people offering high fives and encouragement to struggling runners.

Again, I cannot stress how much it meant to receive all the texts after the race and emails and messages from everyone. Thank you for your support through this process. I really feel like Sunday marked a new beginning for me.

My race day support - Pete. :)

Leaving tomorrow!

"Chicago is/One town that wont let you down/It's my kind of town..."

-Frank Sinatra

I leave for Chicago bright and early tomorrow morning! I honestly cannot believe the race is this weekend. It's surreal. I'm so excited to actually be running the marathon, but the knee is still a concern. I can only do what I can do at this point -- stretch, ice, medicate and repeat.

I'm staying at the Amalfi Hotel Chicago. It looks amazing. They even offer a free cocktail hour in the evening. I'm super excited to have some pampering time for myself!

If you're interested in tracking my progress, you can sign up to receive real-time updates via e-mail or text message throughout the race. Updates will be received as I cross the 10K, halfway (13.1 miles) and 30K checkpoints, as well as the finish line. Click here to sign up for Online Runner Tracking.

Weather.com is calling for a high of 75° F with a 20% chance of rain. Sounds like pretty good running conditions to me. :)

BIB #

I received my confirmation email today. I have a bib number! Which means that I'm definitely registered! I'm running a freaking marathon! In a week! YAY!!!

10 days?!?!?!

And still a gimp. I know I'll be ok letting it rest a day or so more, but all I want to do is run! LET ME RUN!!! WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

nearing the end

I'm about to experience a few milestones in the near future -- my first marathon, my divorce and starting over again after the "fairy tale" ending. Yesterday, I shared with many people that my divorce will be final the day after I return from Chicago. I said that it's apropos that this goal (the marathon) will be complete at the same time as my divorce. I've been using training as a release from this chaos, and it's fitting that they will both be over simultaneously.

There's a point where you've worked and worked and all you can do is sit back and wait. There's no more work to do, the pain is no longer quite as intense... you just sit and wait. I know the emotions will continue long after both events, but at this point, there's almost a numbness. Thanks to everyone that continues to be of great encouragement and support. I don't think you know how important you've been to me. I know that I couldn't have made it this far in either journey without all of you.

still a gimp

So, the gimp knees are still gimpy. I ran my 4 miles on Saturday and took yesterday off. The IT band in my right leg is still a bit tight making walking uncomfortable. I hope taking off between runs will enable me to rest enough and still get workouts in. I’m going to attempt 12 miles after work today. Not fun since the Steelers are playing Monday Night Football. I’ll get home just in time to shower before kickoff. I guess I’ll ice my legs through the first quarter and see where I stand the rest of the week.

I can’t believe it’s down to less than 2 weeks! I’m not freaking out because I’m in full-on denial mode. As far as my brain is concerned, I’m going to Chicago for the pizza and to try a Gibson martini at its supposed birthplace, Gibsons Bar and Steakhouse.

YUM...

Fun info.

Runner's World online recently added a Chicago Marathon section to their website. It's pretty cool, and a testament to how big this race is. I can't believe I'll be in the same race as Olympic runners. Obviously, I'm not on their level, but it's cool how runners of all levels will be running the same course.

They also featured an article on tapering yesterday. I like how they also have a "Mental Prep" for each week. Especially with these longer distances, so much is mental. It's funny how antsy I've become already with the decreased mileage. I am taking an extra day off this week because of what I assume is IBS, but it stinks. My legs want to be moving...

Name That Injury!

I'm changing the name of my blog to "Name That Injury!" It seems more fitting since I discover a new pain on what seems to be a daily basis. Today's pain has bothered me since my second 20-miler. I don't think my knee cap was displaced anymore. I think it's my stupid IT band because I'm getting pain in the exact same place (outside of knee and down leg) in my right leg. Yay... I made it a mile on my morning run before I cried "Uncle" and walked/limped home. Yup, a lousy mile later...

I did a little online research because I was curious why I was able to keep running on Saturday after the initial "stabbing" sensation. Web MD says that one of the symptoms of IT band symdrome is "pain that generally disappears as the band is stretched out and becomes more flexible." I guess that makes sense because I was able to run, albeit not well, after a few stretches. The website also says a few of the other IT band syndrome symptoms include:

1. Pain on the outside of the knee or hip. Check!
2. Snapping hip pain as the iliotibial band snaps back and forth over the point of the hip (greater trochanter). Check!
3. Pain that improves with rest. Check!

Ok, so I know that I'm no doctor, but all these seem to point to a big, fat "rest before you can't run the actual marathon, dummy!" Not what I want to hear or do, but I'm going to take today and tomorrow off and see what happens.

As for the rest of the marathon prep, I saved $300 on my Chicago hotel yesterday, so that's awesome! The hotel priced matched Expedia.com's 24-hour sale price. How nice is that??? It's a pretty pimp downtown hotel. Should be fun times!

P.S. Wearing heels when you have this kind of injury is not fun and quite painful. Not sure what I was thinking while getting ready for work this morning...

Let the tapering begin...

I realized that I haven't posted an update on the hip/possible stress fracture issue. It turns out that I don't have a stress fracture because through a little rest, lots of ice and some physical therapy exercises, the pain in my hip is almost nonexistent. Yay! That was a huge concern because it obviously could have signaled the end to all this training, so I am relieved to have that injury behind me.

I ran the second of the two 20 mile runs this past Saturday with a fellow marathoner, Abbey. She's running Baltimore, which happens to be the same weekend as Chicago. I have to say that she is super fast, and I appreciate her toning done her awesome running skills to let me run alongside her. :) We ran North Park which contains a few hills. Nothing huge, but more of a grade increase than I'm used to. Why don't I train more with hills? Because hills suck. I must say that I secretly wondered if I could actually finish 20 miles of consistent ups and downs, but running with her took my mind off of the different terrain (almost).

We finished in almost exactly 3 hours, just like my previous 20 miler. I had a knee issue around mile 14 when we stopped at a fountain to get water and refuel with energy gummies (Love them! Definitely using for the race!). Once we started back up, it felt like someone had stabbed me in the side of my left knee. I literally almost fell over. Abbey thought it had popped out of place and that was my conclusion as well. I did a few stretches and got it into a position where I could run (See, this is where crazy running brain comes into play. It doesn't register that maybe you should just stop...). I didn't stop again until we were done. I limped to the car and made it home. Fortunately, it doesn't seem like it was an actual injury because I felt ok again on Monday (minus the aching and general soreness all over my body).

So, I'm tooting my own horn once again. Another 20 down. The odd thing is that I'm not sure if running 20 miles again has given me more confidence in my abilities or simply scared me to death. Now that I've felt the wall twice, I'm not looking forward to running for an HOUR more. However, for the sake of not abandoning my goals, I'm going to pretend that the other 6.2 miles don't phase me. Wall? What wall?

My longest run for the next three weeks is *only* 12 miles. How exciting is it that I can say *only* when talking about running 12 miles?! I couldn't finish a mile in college... it's just really cool to see how far I've come. :)

Fun running article

In honor of my new iPod, here is an article about my two addictions - music and running.

Running, The Lyric of Love
By Brian D. Sabin

20 miles! Woot!

I ran my first 20 miler this past Sunday, and it felt AWESOME! I got a little cocky around mile 14 and actually had the nerve to think to myself, "Wall? What wall?" Three miles later, I met the wall, and it's one tough mother. It felt like my legs were suddenly tied to lead weights. My sides hurt. I was really thirsty. But I'm proud to say that I persevered and sprinted the last half mile. It was painful. I think both my legs went numb and my toes felt like they had fallen off, but I did it! In about 3 hours! I averaged 9 minute miles, which is faster than I have been running during the week. I guess it's time to step it up!

I tried the energy gummies, and they definitely helped keep me going. As did my iPod shuffle. :) I took an ice bath when I got home, and it really did work miracles. I made sure to stretch lots that afternoon and attended yoga the following day to stretch things out even further. After 20 miles, my 5 mile run last night was a piece of cake! I can feel my legs getting stronger. I feel like I could conquer the world at the moment.

Running investments

Whoever said you just need a pair of running shoes to run is LYING. I went all out to prepare for the first of two 20 mile runs on my training schedule. I bought new shoes to break in before the race and just about every energy bar/gel/gummy/gu available at the running store. I hadn't experimented with those yet and knew that I would need some kind of energy assistance during the race. I also bought one of those water bottle holders that go around your waist. Holding a water bottle for 2 plus hours is no longer fun.

I broke down and bought an iPOD shuffle too. My iPod mini's battery is finally losing its steam, and I knew I was not motivated enough to simply enjoy the sounds of nature for the three hours it would take me to run 20 miles. (I would love to say I'm the zen-type of runner who does it for the joy of being one with nature... but I'm not. I curse the ground I run on every day. Running is a pain in the you-know-where. Don't let the veterans tell you otherwise. It's their cruel initiation joke.) I absolutely LOVE the shuffle! I don't know why I didn't buy it sooner. It's so tiny and lightweight, and I can clip it just about anywhere on my person! I also love that I'm not tempted to fiddle with playlists because I have to preset my list before I leave the house. I thought maybe that would be annoying to not be able to search by artist or title or whatever, but who wants to be that distracted when they feel like their legs are about to fall off?

Isn't she pretty?

and two more...

What an idiot I am! After taking two weeks off from this stupid sickness and my ill-fated run, I ran 16 miles on Sunday. A fellow marathoner (from Chicago) was in town and a mutual friend thought it would be a great idea for us to run together. That was a brilliant idea. Susie was so nice to chat with for the 2 1/2 hours we were out there. What wasn't a brilliant idea? Me deciding I could run 16 miles after almost 2 weeks of nothing. It did prove, that while I wasn't exactly on my schedule anymore (I was supposed to run 18 miles that day), I still have "it" and the time off didn't completely kill my training. However, it also hurt me.

It started with the knee pain I felt around mile 12. That's semi-normal for me, and I didn't really cringe when we finished. Ok, ice this baby up and stretch it out, and I'll be good. The next morning, I got up to pee and my freaking hip hurt like a mother! It was intense. So intense, I began visably limping the entire day. The next day at work, I asked people to come to my desk. It hurt too much to get up. I had never experienced hip pain before. It was probably overcompensating for my moronic knee.

Yesterday, the pain was too noticeable to ignore. I called the sports medicine center and was fortunate to score an appointment for today. So, the orthopedic surgeon said that I MAY have a stress fracture in my hip bone. Since I have pain when I walk, pain when I sleep and failed the fulcrum test (a procedure used to check for a stress fracture), it's a possibility. However, a small fracture won't normally show up on an x-ray (it didn't on mine) and there's another small chance of it showing up on an MRI. Basically, he left it up to me as to whether I wanted an MRI. I said no. I'm going to have some PT and incorporate other cardio into my routine, so that I can slightly cut back running until I (fingers crossed) feel relief and keep up with my miles. I'm definitely supposed to go back to the doctor if it gets worse. If not, I just have to follow up after the marathon. Overall, the orthopedic surgeon seemed sympathetic to the fact I want to actually run the race and made suggestions that would enable me to do it (as long as the pain doesn't get worse). So, the news wasn't bad, but I'm cautiously optimistic.

little black dresses

I love the fact that despite moves and life changes, I can still count on my girls and vice versa. I'm amazed how 4 strangers -- all different in personality, career tracks, idiosycrasies -- clicked one fateful college semester to make up this awesome group. We've been through some great times and some really sucky ones. The most recent event that brought us together was one of the valleys -- the passing of Leanne's dad.


Cancer took him from his family on August 14, 2008. Through pure chance, all of us were in town and able to offer Leanne our love and comfort on the day of his memorial service. Earlier that day, I had worn a black dress to share in Leanne's grief, and now we had all doned little black dresses to celebrate life. We gathered at Houlihan's, shared stories and tasted each other's mini martinis. We gave Lea a big bottle of Jack, laughed until we cried, hugged to make up for the months apart and joyed in the fact that we could be there for one of us that was hurting.

As I drove home tonight, I realized how lucky I am. When I announced my divorce to these same amazing girls, they all responded within a New York minute. I had an offer for a hug within the hour. The great thing is, I knew she would drop everything because she truly meant it. I also knew if I were at the ledge, the others would hop a plane, a bus, whatever, to be there as well.


Life is unpredictable. The bumps in the road seem to always appear when we least expect them. I'm very fortunate to have friends that can inspire a smile by just a look and make me feel like I can conquer the world, because I know they would support me if I tried. This is the love that we all need in the good and the bad times.

I love you ladies. Cheers to the next four years...