I've Got A Feeling...

I've been told that I have great instincts. Intuition? Dumb luck? I usually have a second sense for things.

Not always, but for the most part, things pretty much seem to work out for me. I like to fly by the seat of my pants. You know my motto: trust the gut. And I do. Because when I don't...doh!

Today's Wednesday Word is visceral, and yep, I've got a feeling about this post...

This or That....Juxtaposition in Running

For the past year or so, I've been participating in a weekly blog prompt hosted by Deb Runs. Every week for the Wednesday Word link up, she gives us a word to write about. Because I write a running blog, I am tasked with the challenge of using the prompt to write about something running related. Some words are easier than others. Last week's word, delirious, was a bit of a challenge for me but I made it happen.

This week's word? Juxtaposition. Does anyone use this word in everyday conversation? And how do I tie it in with running? Well, never one to back away from a challenge, I wracked my brain to come up with a post for this one.

What Makes You Happy? Deliriously Happy?

What makes you happy?

Not just happy...but so happy you feel delirious? High? Euphoric? Living a dream?

I can think of a few things.

Ben and Jerry's Karamel Sutra.

Kayaking with my son this past weekend. Listening to music on my car stereo that my oldest son installed. Actually anything with my sons at this point!

Sunshine and a warm breeze. Time on the water. Toes in the sand.

An unexpected thoughtful gesture from my husband.

Petting the fur of my new little pup.

And a great run. In a beautiful place.

Although I've had a lot of runs that felt easy and joyful, my most memorable runs, the ones that have brought me that feeling of joy, that runner's high, have been after crossing the finish line of a marathon or a half marathon. There's something about running hard for a long period of time that makes me feel so complete.

Most recently, my most joyful race was that Big Sur Marathon. I know I keep referring to it, but Big Sur was THE marathon for me. It was a lifelong bucket list race. I fought so hard through my training--dealing with plantar fasciitis--to get to that start line. When Kristina and I crossed the finish line I was overcome by emotion. I didn't feel that euphoria immediately. It wasn't until later in the day after my husband took me out for lunch and a yummy victory beer that I started to realize what I had accomplished. That amazing feeling of savoring my accomplishment lasted for a long time after the race. I still smile when I think about the whole experience. In fact, today someone just asked me about Big Sur and it was like I was transported back to that day.

Pretty sure I was one of the happiest people there.

Ahhhh. The euphoria washes over me just writing about this. It's not like I ran fast or won the thing. But I sure felt like I did.

How often do we get to feel like this? Getting to live a dream come true?

This feeling of delirium, as it relates to running, feels almost like falling in love.

We do fall in love with running, don't we? Not the training so much, although I look back on all my marathon training journeys with fondness. There's such a sense of accomplishment to working so hard for 12-20 weeks, culminating in a big race.

What sticks with us, though, is the feeling of crossing the finish line.

Although I've run quite a few half marathons, some very memorably, crossing the finish line of a marathon is a feeling unmatched by almost everything in life.

Not only Big Sur but after crossing the finish line of last fall's Chicago Marathon, I walked around the marathon village in a daze. A happy, euphoric daze. I felt somewhat delirious. Sure, I just ran 26.2 miles in the heat. But that wasn't what made me feel delirious. I chalk it up to beating down those negative naysayers in my head that told me to quit.

Sometimes finishing is winning. And having your teenage son come to your race? That's winning too.

I can't ever get enough of this moment.

It feels amazingly good to have those races under my belt.

At this point, I am satisfied with my accomplishments. I am happy.

Deliriously happy.

What makes you feel happy? Have you ever done anything that has brought you that feeling of "deliriousness"? If that is even a word...

I'm linking up with Deb Runs for Wednesday Word, which is delirious! This was a tough one!

Also Wild Workout Wednesday! With Annmarie, Nicole, Jen, and Michelle!

And Coaches Corner! With Debbie, Rachel, Lora, and Susie!

Music to Get Lost by

Anyone who reads my blog knows that I love to run to music. Actually, music makes everything better.  I have a heinous commute to my job and music makes the drive tolerable. Recently, my oldest son updated my car stereo to a Bluetooth (no more tickets for talking on the phone while driving!). I've always listened to music in the car, but now with my new system listening to my favorite tunes is a special kind of pleasure. Road tripping takes on a whole new meaning when you have the right songs to pass the time.

The same thing goes for the run. With the right song playing through my earbuds, I feel as if I can fly. I have playlists for normal runs and for speedwork. For a big race, I make special playlists full of my current favorites. There are certain songs that just make me want to set the pace on cruise control. Those are my LSD* songs. Running slow is a challenge for me. The right music helps me pace myself on those long runs.

My only prerequisite for my long run songs is that they have to be familiar to me. I like to sing along sometimes. I also like to mix it up with new music--so if it has a good beat and I can run to it? Sure, why not?  Eclectic much?

Yep, I'm that runner.



Caveat: It's important to stay alert, especially if you are running alone. But there is nothing better than the right song to move you down the road or trail. If you're hurting, there's nothing better than singing to help the pain go away.

Plus you can ponder the lyrics.

Scaramouche, scaramouche, can you do the fandango?

I didn't name this blog Taking the Long Way Home for the fun of it. I like to get lost on the run.

What are your favorite songs to get lost to? Do you like to sing along to songs on the run? What do you think scaramouche means? What was Queen thinking?

By the way, I had the 45 RPM of this song when I was in 4th grade. Let that soak in...

If you want to check out this playlist, follow me on Spotify!

*LSD=long slow distance. What did you think I was talking about?

I'm linking this post up with Deb Runs, who hosts Wednesday Word! Today's word is lost. See what everyone else says..

I'm also linking up with the ladies at Wild Workout Wednesday! Annmarie, Nicole, Jen, and Michelle host this fun gathering of bloggers!

And Coaches' Corner! Do you think the coaches let their trainees run with tunes? Ask Debbie, Susie, Lora, and Rachel!

Sh** or Get Off of the Portapotty

Oh no.

You're the runner who arrives late to the race. The corrals are getting ready to close and ignoring the call of nature, you squeeze into whatever corral is open. Even if it's not the one you are assigned to.

Maybe you signed up at the last minute for the race. Got in under the wire. Picked up your bib on race morning. You're feeling the pressure, trying to get ready to run the race.

Or maybe you signed up for the race that morning.

You get in line for the portapotties. All the lines around you are moving forward except for yours. And it's last call for the start.

What to do? Do you ignore the thunder from down under? Rolling the dice and risking a code brown on the race course? Or do you heed the warning signs and risk missing the start of the race?

Sorry for the crude title to this post. But have you ever done this? I think most of you know what I'm talking about here.

There has to be nothing more panic-inducing for a runner than not being able to take care of business prior to a race. Can't get out the door in time? Stuck in traffic? Late to a race?

Imodium, anyone? It doesn't always work.

It might surprise a lot of you that in general, I'm somewhat of a procrastinator. As type A as I can be, I'm not great about planning ahead. I often sign up last minute for a race. I've run a lot of races but I still can't get it together on race morning.

I put the "pro" in procrastination.

Even though I may be a procrastinator I am good at prioritizing. One of my priorities is making sure that I don't have any unexpected surprises along the race course.

Sh** happens. Especially to long distance runners. No one wants to talk about it. It's one of those unpleasantries we have to deal with. And if it hasn't happened to you, you've run up behind a runner who has.

Don't you wonder what the elites do about this? Does Shalane have potty problems?

Even though I may wait until the last minute to sign up for a race, I make sure I give myself plenty of prep time on race morning to make sure--ahem--that there are no unexpected surprises. Which includes getting to the race with plenty of time to spare. There have been a few races that I've gotten to the start late. It's not a good feeling to cross the start line with unfinished business rumbling in your tummy.

Pretty sure you catch my drift. Well, actually, I hope you don't. Ahem.

While I can't control everything, I do the best I can by:

The week before a race: My diet is bland. Boring. No salads. Nothing green. No corn. No beef. Lots of cheese, chicken, bread, and low fiber foods. Foods that are easy to digest. My family complains.

The night before a race: Thin crust cheese pizza. A glass or 2 of wine. Tried and true. I had a friend who had shrimp scampi the night before a race. Garlic and butter were not a recipe for success. I also review the race course and check out the location of the aid stations. Knowledge is power.

The morning of the race: Coffee for motility and energy. Cereal for a blood sugar boost. Orange juice and vitamins. A few trips to the bathroom before I leave the house with plenty of time to spare. I make sure to have extra wipes in my waist pack. Just in case.

Before the race: While in line for the portapotty, I sip on my secret weapon. I take 8-12 ounces of Tailwind Nutrition to keep my blood sugar up and to hydrate. After using the portapotty, I get back in line again for insurance.

During the race: I take frequent sips of Tailwind. I try to time my sips with every song on my playlist, which usually turns out to be about every 4 minutes or so. The goal is 24 ounces of Tailwind every hour.

This plan of action has worked really well for me the last couple of years. Sometimes it's a little warm and I need to drink extra water at the aid stations. Sometimes it's a little cool and I have to stop to pee. One time I left my Tailwind bottle in the car and you can bet that I sprinted back to grab it. With no time to spare to start the race, I even gave up one of my prized portapotty trips.

No matter what fueling plan you have, make sure you test it out before you race. My final advice here is "nothing new on race day." Unless you are a gambler.

All in the name of success. All with a little planning ahead.

Are you a procrastinator? How do you plan for the unexpected on race morning? Any horror stories to share? What fuel works for you?

Have you entered my giveaway? Check out the featured post on the sidebar and enter to win a pair of SKINS DNAmic compression gear!

I'm linking up with DebRuns for Wednesday Word. Today's word is procrastination. Of course, I'm writing this post at the last minute....

I'm also linking up with the ladies of Coaches' Corner! Debbie, Lora, Rachel, and Susie all have great info for all of us!

And Wild Workout Wednesday! Annmarie, Nicole, Jen, and Michelle are the hosts!

Steady As She Goes: Pacing Yourself to a Strong Finish

I think one of the hardest things for me to do in a race or even during a training run is to run a consistent pace. I'm usually all hopped up on adrenaline and nerves at the beginning of a race, and the one thing I am consistent at is going out too fast. Initially, I think to myself that I can do it. That I feel good going this fast. And then the inevitable happens.

Fatigue. Boom. Slowing down. Crash and burn. Sometimes I even have to walk. Sometimes I've hit the wall way early than I should have. Burned up all my fuel stores. 'Cause that's how I roll.

Oops, I did it again. Stop the madness!

Are you guilty of this? When will I learn? Actually, this doesn't happen as often as it used to. I have learned a few things about pacing myself during a race. Since this week's Wednesday Word is consistency, I thought this would be a good week to share my secrets.

Truthfully, my secrets aren't so secret. Ask any running coach or running expert and they will tell you that the key to successful pacing is consistency in your training. Of course, you need a little bit of patience as well, because it's really hard to hold back when you want to go. Don't hold back too much, though. We runners all talk about negative splits but the real trick is to run consistently. All the experts agree that running a consistent pace is much easier and as effective as trying to run negative splits. Actually, we should eliminate the term "negative split" from our runner's vocabulary and just concentrate on pacing.

It's easier said than done. I'm no expert but I've been running a really long time with consistent results. So what has worked for me?

Learn to run by feel. What does this mean? I like to run fast but that need for speed has gotten me into trouble in the past. So with the help of my coach Becky, I learned to run fast, but pacing consistently by doing speedwork. Not just any speedwork, but mile repeats, 2-mile repeats, and yes, 3-mile (or 5k) repeats. To be able to hold a pace, running fast, for that length of time takes discipline and control. By doing this kind of speedwork week after week during my marathon training, I learned what it felt like to run a fast pace consistently.

Train with a heart rate monitor. I don't do this often, but I have used my heart rate monitor to help me learn how hard to push myself, especially in the heat. Heart rate training also helped me to learn to run by feel. By keeping track of my heart rate, I knew at what point I needed to hold back.

Just to clarify, some runners do MAF training with a heart rate monitor but that's not what I'm talking about here.

Use your music to your advantage. Have you ever run to music when that ONE song comes on that just kicks your feet into gear? There are apps that you can use to find music that fits your pace. Rock My Run is one that seems to be really popular, and after checking it out, I can see why! Dimity and Sarah, the original badass mother runners, really like this app and offer free mixes on their website. In the app itself, you can pick from 1000s of mixes set to the pace you want. Or you can let the app adjust the music to your pace. I've never used Rock My Run, but I totally get the concept behind it. The app is free but there are upcharges for subscriptions services. You know I love to run to music. If you don't like to run with music, I don't understand you, but you can still take advantage of running to a steady beat by using a metronome app.

When I run with music.
source: giphy.gif

Train at the pace you want to race at. During marathon training, Becky has me do at least 1-2 runs at race pace per week. Running at race pace also trains you to run by feel. It's like running on cruise control and it really makes sense. By consistently running at a certain pace, your legs and your heart will dial into that pace on race day. How do you calculate your race pace? There are plenty of race pace calculators available that will help you figure out your predicted finish time and pace you need to get you there. Runner's World has a few calculators to help you plan your training as well as your predicted finish time. You can even print out a pace band to keep you on track.

Run your own race. How many times have we heard this saying? I work just as hard on my mental fitness as I do on my physical fitness. One area where I've really grown is being patient at the beginning of a race. I'm sure a lot of that has to do with years of running experience as well. I've learned to be patients at the beginning of a race and not let myself get caught up in the crowd racing out of the corral. It really takes a lot of self-control to hold back, but the reward is in a strong finish. Just let them pass you up. Yep. Wave buh-bye. You got this. And wave buh-bye again when you pass them later in the race because they've run out of gas.

For me, this is always a work in progress. There are so many factors that we runners can't control. Fueling, the weather, or just having an off day can affect our ability to stay consistent on race day. But you just might surprise yourself. Learning to run by feel can only come with practice. That's the key.

Do you do training runs at race pace? What tricks have you found help you with pacing? 

I'm linking this post with DebRuns and Wednesday Word. Head on over to see what everyone else says about consistency!

I'm also linking up with Coaches Corner. I'm not a coach, just a seasoned runner with a little advice to give...Debbie, Lora, Rachel, and Susie are the coaches! They've always got good info to share.

Empowered By The Miles: Global Running Day 2016

Today is Global Running Day, a day to celebrate running around the world. You many remember this day from the past as National Running Day, which started about 7 years ago as an informal day to celebrate all things running. The "day" has caught fire and is now a global holiday. This year, organizers want everyone to drop everything and go for a run. And if you aren't a runner, what better time to start than on a day that celebrates running?

I know, it seems like there's a day to celebrate everything, right? In case you were wondering, June 1 is also National Heimlich Maneuver Day. Not that we are all going to go around practicing the Heimlich Maneuver on Wednesday, but it is a good skill. You never know when it may come in handy. What if you come upon another runner choking on a gel--it could happen-- or a banana? Ask yourself this: would you be able or willing to help them?

June 1 is also National Say Something Nice Day. Don't be that runner who won't acknowledge another runner. You know who you are--I saw a few of you on the path on my bike ride this past weekend. Really, is it that hard to say hi or at least nod? Today's holiday is the perfect excuse to wish all your fellow runners a Happy Global Running Day--even if we are riding a bike! Although in my book, every day should be National Say Something Nice Day.

It's also National Go Barefoot Day. If you are so inclined, you can take your run sans shoes, killing two birds with one stone. Barefoot running was a thing a few years ago, remember?

Believe it or not, I'm not running today. Crazy, right? But I've got a sore paw from my race Sunday and I'm really trying to take it easy on my feet so that I can keep on running. Today I am doing yoga, which is a recovery activity for me. In the spirit of the holiday, I am linking this post with Kristen of Jonesin' for a Run, who is hosting a Global Running Day blog link up. She sent us a list of questions and I think it will be fun to read the answers everyone posts!

Why do you run? I started running 25 years ago as a way to manage stress and anxiety which were threatening to take over my life. That probably is still the #1 reason I run. But after all this time, running has become part of who I am. I can't imagine my life without running. Running centers me, running keeps me calm, running empowers me.

How do you plan to celebrate National Running Day? Although I don't have plans to run today, I plan on spreading the word about running as so many of us runners do. Realistically, do runners ever not talk about running? Today we have a legitimate excuse. I'm also publishing this blog post and sharing my passion for this life-changing activity via social media.

How many miles have you run so far this year? Do you have a mileage goal for the year? So far this year, I've run 385 miles. On the road, that is. I'm not sure how many miles I logged in the pool this spring with my "aqua jogging". I've had to take a lot of time off for injury, including during training for the Big Sur Marathon. I don't have a mileage goal for this year. Instead, my goal is to stay healthy enough to keep running. If that means low mileage, I'm ok with that.

What big events do you have on the race calendar so far this year? I had 2 bucket list races on my calendar for the spring, which I am happy to have completed in spite of injury. I ran the Sarasota Half Marathon in March, a race that I had to defer from 2015 due to family issues. I'm not a runner who takes a DNS very well, so I was thrilled to be able to finally get to run that race. I ran the Big Sur Marathon in April, which was a lifetime bucket list race. It's hard to find anything to get excited about after that, but I'm trying! I'm looking at a few halfs for the rest of the year: RockNRoll Chicago, which I haven't yet signed up for; an October half TBD; and the Panama City Beach Half Marathon in December, which will be run with several other bloggers. I'm really excited for that one.

Before I leave for a run I must have: For any run, I always bring my phone. I carry it in a SpiBelt and I like to have it for safety reasons. I also listen to music and take pictures, so there's that. You know, if you don't put it on social media, it didn't happen, right? On long runs, I bring fuel. I use Tailwind Nutrition in a handheld water bottle. I also bring wipes because you don't always know what's going to happen on the run. Just sayin'.

Do you track your runs? If so what do you use? I always track my runs. Even though right now I say I'm running "free", I still track my runs. I use a Garmin Forerunner 10. It's nothing fancy, but it gives me that stats I want: pace, splits, and distance. I like the Garmin Connect app, which shows me my route and elevation. I don't really need anything more than that.

Who is your favorite running partner? I don't run with a partner, although at Big Sur, I ran with my friend Kristina, who I met through her FB page, Live Laugh Love Run. We really got to know each other virtually, and when we met, it was like we knew each other forever. Big Sur is a great race to do with a friend because it's so hard, and you need someone to keep you going. It's also an amazing experience, and it was great to have someone to share that with.

If you have to give someone one piece of advice about running, what would it be? I always tell new runners to be patient. Start out slow. There is no shame in walking when you get tired. Pacing yourself comes with time and experience. And be realistic. Don't set lofty goals for yourself. Be content with finishing a race, no matter what your finish time is. Have fun. Running is fun.

Describe your relationship with running in one word: Empowering. This past weekend, I ran a 10k and achieved a PR, which is pretty amazing to me after 25 years of running. It was hard to maintain the pace I was at and I wanted to quit. But I shut down those voices in my head that told me to slow down and pushed hard to the finish. This willingness to push through the pain and outside of my comfort zone has spread to all areas of my life. I truly believe that running and chasing and achieving goals has made me stronger as a person. That's empowering.

A tough race, a PR
Relief at being finished

"You've always had the power, my dear. You just had to learn it for yourself." -Glenda the Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz

What are you doing to celebrate Global Running Day? Answer one of the questions in the comments below!

Besides Kristen's link up, I'm linking up with DebRuns for Wednesday Word. Today's word is Empower.

Running Free

How do you feel about running when you aren't training for anything?

After being on a training plan for 2 marathons in 6 months--that means I've been running on a structured plan for almost a year--I won't lie. I feel a little lost. With a training plan, I have a schedule to follow. There's speedwork, marathon paced runs, and long slow distance runs. Of course, with my Big Sur training, there was that point where I wasn't doing a lot of running due to injury. But I still had workouts to complete--pool running and cycling--to help me meet my goals. Now that Big Sur is history, the dust has settled. I've recovered fully and I'm back on the road again. But with no training plan in place, I feel a little aimless. 

No time goals? No paces to hit? No distances to cover? Nothing to train for?

Why run at all? What's my motivation?

Because sometimes it feels good to just run free.

Back in the day, when I was just running for fitness and mental health, I didn't train for anything. Sure, I ran a few 5ks and 10ks, but mostly I ran for me. My favorite distance to run back then, and it still is, was 6 miles. I mostly ran 4-5 days/week, but I didn't do speedwork or anything like that. I still remember the day that I ran 7 miles. Pushing my mileage limits, I was out of my comfort zone for sure. I felt exhilarated and scared at the same time. All of a sudden, I had this realization that the sky was really the limit for me. Kind of like when Becky had me swinging on those rings this week. 

I liked those runs because I felt free. I've never been very good at managing stress or pressure in my life and those runs were the one time where I could just go and do my thing. Alone. Just me and my thoughts. Can you imagine what it was like for me to give those runs up when I started training for half marathons and then fulls?

Luckily when she's devised my training plans, Becky has been really good about leaving me at least one or two "free" runs per week that I could do at any pace I wanted. She knew I needed them and she was right. Those were my favorite runs, my free runs, where I could lose myself in my music and just go. Sure, I wear my Garmin on all my runs to track my distance, but when I'm running free, I don't pay much attention to my pace.

Lately, I've seen more and more postings on social media about "running free". For some runners, running free means free of all electronic gadgets. No Garmin, no heart rate monitor, no music. For others, it means running without a goal in mind. Just lacing up the shoes and heading out the door.

Who doesn't love the idea of doing that?

Don't get me wrong, I do set out on a run with a mileage goal in mind. It's kind of a loose goal, though. If a run is going well, I might go farther. And if I'm struggling, I might cut it short. But the whole point of running free is to go with the flow, so to speak. To not worry about pace. To enjoy the run. To "take the long way home".

So now you know where I got the name for my blog.

As I write this, just the idea of running free makes me want to go for a run. I look forward to putting on my shoes and my music and heading out the door. Running free takes me back to the beginning, to why I started running in the first place.

What does running free mean to you? Do you like to run free? Or do you always have a structured plan in place? 

I'm linking up with DebRuns for Wednesday Word, which is freedom. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone else's take on this word!

I'm also linking up with Coaches Corner: Susie, Debbie, Rachael, and Lora host this one!

And with Wild Workout Wednesday! Annmarie, Nicole, and Michelle host the party!

How to Encourage Yourself to Push Through a Tough Race

We've all been there.

No matter what the distance, no matter how many races you've run, we've all had at least one race where we've hit "the wall".  Some of us more than one.

Physically exhausted, mentally beat up, it would be easy to call it quits. Right? 

But there's no glory in quitting. So what is a runner to do? How can you encourage yourself to get back on track and finish the race?

Been there, done that! I've run a few races...and I've battled those mental demons more than I care to admit. If you've been reading the blog for any length of time, you know how much work I've done on mental fitness along with my race training. Since today's Wednesday Word is encourage, I thought I'd share some of my favorite strategies that I've used to encourage myself to get to the finish line.

You've got to have friends...Yes. I've run plenty of races where my friends have been running too. But I've run only one race with a friend by my side. Big Sur was so special to me in so many ways but mostly for having Kristina run with me. When I signed up I didn't even think about how hard this race would be. I could never have predicted that I'd be running on minimal training and battling plantar fasciitis. I gave Kristina plenty of opportunities to back out, even when we were running the actual race. But she stuck by my side, and we finished, hand in hand.

I don't think I'll ever get enough of looking at this. What a magical experience!

It's all about the bling-bling... Have you ever run a race for the bling? Plenty of people I know run those Disney races just for all the medals. If you don't finish, you don't get bling. End of story. That should be enough encouragement to keep you moving. It works for me.

I did run this one for the bling. What an awesome medal. My husband treated me to beer...

There's beer at the finish... To me, there is nothing that tastes better than that post race beer. Most of the time, that is. If they are serving Michelob light or some other similar swill, I'll wait until I can get to the bar. But if there's a tasty craft beer at the finish, that knowledge gives me an extra kick in my step! My first Chicago Marathon was so hard and I felt so sick that I wasn't able to partake in the yummy Goose Island 312 that they were serving at the finish. Talk about regrets...

Dance to the music... I don't always race with music but when I do, I make sure that I have some kick ass tunes on my playlist. I need stuff that will push me down the road. For me, that's heavy metal/rock and rap. Whatever it takes, right? Sometimes I even sing--out loud! Current faves include California Love by 2 Pac (an oldie but a goodie because I'm still in California mode), My Way by Limp Bizkit (another oldie), and Kiss This by The Struts. Boom.

Just breathe... Truly my favorite mantra, I wear this on my wrist every day. As I like to say, if you can't breathe, you can't do anything. Sometimes when I'm running, I need to remind myself of this.

Trust the training... When the going gets tough, remind yourself of all the hard work you did to get to this point. When Kristina and I were pushing up those hills of Big Sur, I'm sure she was rolling her eyes as I kept chanting "drive, drive". That's what Becky kept telling me during my training when she had me pulling the sled, and I won't lie, those hills felt exactly like pulling the sled. That coach of mine knows what she's doing, and it felt great to remind myself of that during my goal race.

Smile... Smiling's my favorite. Truly. What is is about smiling that lightens the load? Smiling relaxes your facial muscles. Smiling helps release endorphins and serotonin, those feel-good hormones. And if you don't feel like smiling, thank a volunteer. The volunteer will smile at you and we all know that smiling is contagious. Don't forget to smile at the photographers, no matter how bad you feel! Bad race photos just remind us of the pain...

Worst race photo ever. I was feeling bad, and yep, it showed! If only I had smiled..
Wisconsin Half Marathon 2011

Phone a friend... Desperate times call for desperate measures, and when I ran my first Chicago Marathon, I hit the wall hard at mile 17-18. I called my husband crying to come and pick me up. He told me no way would he do that. "Walk the rest of the way if you have to. Just finish, " he told me. And he was right. Could I have lived with myself if I DNF'd? It was bad enough that I fell apart. That phone call got me to the finish. While I wasn't happy with my results, I finished. Which is more than 99.9% of the population can say!

What do you do to encourage yourself during a tough race or run? 

I'm linking up with DebRuns for WednesdayWord! Today's word is encourage!

Also linking up with Running Coaches' Corner! Check out Susie, Debbie, Rachel, and Lora Marie!

It's a Dilemma: What's a runner to do after she finishes a goal race?

What to do, what to do?

Do you ever feel lost after a big race or achieving a big goal?

No sooner did I cross the finish line at Big Sur did I receive a text from my coach Becky. "Send me your goals so I can work on a training plan for our upcoming sessions." Ok, it was the next day but still! I felt more anxious reading that than I did lining up for my race! Prior to Big Sur, I hadn't given my post-race plans much thought. After all, this was my lifetime running bucket list item, the race I always wanted to run. What kind of goal do you come up with after realizing a dream?

It's somewhat of a dilemma for this very goal-oriented runner.

So 2 1/2 weeks later after that text from Becky, I'm still thinking about my goals for the rest of the year. I'm feeling pretty tired after training for 2 marathons in 6 months. I don't know how you back to back marathoners do it! But I won't lie. I have to admit that I still have Boston on my mind. I'd love to run it to make my marathon total an even 5. That can't happen, though, because in order to qualify, I have to run another marathon! Unless someone takes pity on me and gives me a free, completely legit entry!

I may have to...

Ok. I'm thinking about that for the future. I don't plan on running another marathon this year. I want to give my PF a little more time to go away as I ease back into running. What I do plan on is running a few more half marathons! The half is still my favorite distance. Here's what I'm looking at:

Rock N Roll Chicago July 17. There aren't a lot of half marathons in Illinois or Wisconsin this time of year. It's usually as hot as hades in July in Chicago, which has kept this race off my list for a long time. But I need to work on my heat tolerance, and what better way to do that than to run a half in July? My friend Marcia is an ambassador, and I'd love to join her at this fun event. My goal for this race would be sub-2, which is something I've never done for a half in the summer or Florida.

Crystal Lake Half Marathon or Naperville Trails Half Marathon September 11. September and October offers a lot of choices for races around here. I had hoped to run the NorthFace Endurance Challenge half marathon in Kettle Moraine (Wisconsin) state park but the date doesn't work out for me. I'll make up my mind which race to run as the date approaches. If any of you local peeps are running either one of these, let me know.

Panama City Beach (Florida) half marathon December 3. Another destination race to add to my list, I'm going to run this race with a few blogging friends! This race offers me another opportunity to head back to the sugar sands of those Florida Gulf Coast beaches. It could be warm, though! No matter, though, this one's for fun.

While I filled her in on my running plans, Becky won't be training me for these races. Instead, I gave her some strength goals that I want to work on. She was pretty excited when I mentioned these:

• Handstand unassisted. Looking at all those handstands on IG is giving me major FOMO. I'm strong and I know I can do it. I just have to get over my fear of falling. The New York Times feels my pain, publishing this article about this phenomenon just last week! One woman quoted in the article said that being able to handstand has made her "more confident, fearless and focused". It's like they know what I'm looking for. Becky wants to take it one step further and have me do a handstand push up. Ummm, sure. 
• Climbing the rope. Hanging from the ceiling at CrossFit is a long, thick rope. When I first started working with Becky, she had me try to climb up, but I lacked the strength and confidence, much less the skills. I'm ready to tackle that bad boy again. 
• Pull ups/chin ups. Traditionally, women struggle to do even one pull up. We just don't have the upper body strength compared to our male counterparts. But with the help of my coach, I'm going to try to defeat that stereotype. 

There's nothing earthshattering here. As much as I'd love to have another mind-blowing goal or dream to chase, going back to "normal" running and workouts feels good. Our goals don't always have to be big, right? They just have to be achievable. And fun. If it isn't fun, it isn't worth doing. That's always the goal.

Dilemma? I don't think so. 

Have you ever had trouble setting goals after accomplishing a dream? Do you always feel that you have to set goals?

I'm linking up with DebRuns for Wednesday Word. This week's word is dilemma.

Lessons Learned: Big Sur Marathon

After every marathon I've run, I like to evaluate my performance and my training. What went right? What went wrong? What did I learn?

Do you do this?

This marathon was particularly challenging for me. I knew going into the Big Sur Marathon that I would need to prepare myself for hills. Lots of hills, uphills and downhills. Living in the Chicago area, there just isn't a lot of opportunity for hill training. With my coach Becky, we worked on a solid training plan that would get me ready.

And then a major flare up of plantar fasciitis. So painful, I couldn't walk, much less run. I was forced to alter my training plan significantly. Along with my mileage, my confidence took a nose dive. Was I going to have to DNS this bucket list race? And if I was able to get there, would I have to DNF? I had to dig deep to get myself to the start line. Could I put my fears aside and run? Would my desire, determination, and past experience with the distance be enough?

You all know the outcome of my marathon. If you haven't read my recap, you can read that here. Still feeling so grateful, I've started easing into running again while I continue to recover. I've had plenty of time to reflect on this training cycle and my race. I'm proud that I didn't shy away from the challenge ahead of me. It would have been so much easier to DNS than it was to continue to train through injury. But I don't give up easily. Fortunately this was an injury I could train with. I was determined to run this thing, even if it meant training with time off the road and in the pool. Putting all my doubts and fears aside, I crossed the finish line triumphantly.

What did I learn from this experience? I learned that all those mantras we lean on have a lot of significance.

It's not about finish times, it's about finish lines.

Technically, Big Sur is a tough course. That's why you don't see any world elites here--there won't be any world records set at Big Sur! Believe it or not, this course is a Boston qualifier. For me, this isn't the course I'd want to push for a BQ. Besides the technical difficulty of this very hilly course and the famed headwinds, there is the beauty of running in one of the most amazing places on earth. Who wants to breeze by all that is Big Sur? In addition, I was running this marathon on sub-optimal training. I was just happy to be there and wanted to savor every moment of my bucket list race.

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

I do 99% of my training solo. Races too. This was the first time I ran a race with a friend. When Kristina and I decided to run together, we knew we were going to make lots of stops for pictures and to take it all in. When my PF flared, she told me she'd carry me across the finish line on her back if I needed it. Thankfully I didn't need that, but she gave me the emotional support I did need in those tough middle miles.

If your dreams don't scare you, they aren't big enough. 

Pre-dawn pre-race

In my recap, I wrote about that pre-race panic attack I had in the middle of the night. I always have a little pre-race anxiety but I've had nothing like that since my first Chicago marathon. I could have skipped the race, right? And let Kristina down? Let my husband down? And me? I talked myself down. I reminded myself of how badly I wanted this dream to come true and how bad I'd feel if I bailed. When it was go time, I put on my big girl panties and got on that bus to the start line.

Step outside of your comfort zone. Nothing good ever happens there.

This is hill training when you have no hills to train on...

Once injury struck, I was determined to get to the start line. My revised training plan was so outside of my comfort zone that I just figured I had nothing to lose. After I was forced to take time off the road, I had to get comfortable training in the pool. I felt really foolish when I first started "jogging" around the diving well, so much so that I had to explain to the lifeguards what I was doing. When I crashed my bike on a training ride, I sucked it up and got right back on the horse, because what else could I do? It's not like I could run, right? After a couple of weeks, my foot felt better and I was able to try running, slowly, and was pleasantly surprised how much fitness I had retained through my cross training. This helped my confidence going into the final weeks of marathon prep. I learned that you can prepare for a marathon without a lot of running, but it isn't something I'd recommend.

Never limit where running can take you.

Or yoga. Warrior 2 on the rocks of Big Sur.

Destination races present a whole new set of challenges for the runner. There's all the travel logistics, getting there, where to stay, and navigating an unfamiliar locale. But to me, the rewards of running in a new place far outweigh the challenges. That's really the beauty of running. You just put on your shoes and run.

I can do hard things.

This was the most technically challenging race I've ever run. Let's just say it. It was really hard. But thanks to Becky's ingenious training, I was much better prepared for the hills than I realized. For me, dealing with that nausea in the middle of the race was tougher than any of the physical challenges this race presented. Mentally, I had to dig deep to push through those miles while feeling sick. Even though I entertained the idea of quitting, I would never have done that. What would be the point? So I kept moving forward. I can draw on this experience in the future, both on and off the road.

I like to think that running the Big Sur Marathon has made me a little more fearless. Every race I run makes me stronger. I never want to go through life afraid of a challenge. I don't want my life to be limited by my fears. I want to be strong. I want to be brave. I want to be confident.

I can do hard things.

It's a work in progress. I still need to figure out that middle of the marathon nausea thing..

What lessons have you learned from a race? Do you think running makes you more fearless?

I'm linking up with DebRuns for Wednesday Word. Today's word is fearless. Check out what makes all the other bloggers fearless!

Also linking up with Coaches' Corner! When the Suz asks, you don't say no! Check out posts hosted by Suzlyfe, Coach Debbie Runs, Running on Happy, and Crazy Running Girl!