Showing posts with label chicago marathon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chicago marathon. Show all posts

Saturday, October 19, 2024

Getting Lost

I wanted to title this post 'Getting Lost in the Midst of Chaos', but that seemed kind of dramatic. Life has been overwhelming lately and things have escalated since last week's post. Regarding my parents, it feels as if my sister opened Pandora's box, although I suppose it had to happen. My parents are resistant to the Care Manager my sister brought in and we are struggling with that. Clearly, they need constant help, but they don't see it. I don't even know if the care manager will be enough. In addition, we've been sorting out our roles in light of having the care manager and trying to determine if she's the right person for our family. It's involved a lot of back-and-forth via emails and texts. It's been a lot.

The other issue is my husband's health. We saw the spine surgeon on Thursday and surgery is scheduled for December 4. It will be an outpatient procedure at Rush Medical Center in Chicago. He will have a 'clean-out' of 3 lumbar vertebrae to release pressure on the spinal cord. It amazes me that this can be done outpatient! But before then, he has to see a knee specialist to determine if that needs to be fixed first. 

With all that is going on, I leaned on running to help keep me sane. It's been my go-to for years. The heavy strength training we're doing at CrossFit was also a great outlet for me.

Sunday, October 15, 2023

Wrapping up the Week in Banff

Buckle up, pour yourself a drink, get a snack, because I'm recapping not only my experience spectating the Chicago Marathon, but also the first part of my weekend in Banff. My sister and I traveled to Canada for our 11th annual sister trip. It's hard to keep topping our previous trips, but our long weekend in Banff may have been our best trip yet. I have so many photos and it was hard to pick just a few to share here. Oh, and I had a big run on the Ice Age Trail in there too! And did I mention I met Des Linden?

What a week!

Saturday, October 7, 2023

Big Weekend

It's marathon weekend in Chicago and even though I'm not running the marathon, it's still a big weekend! So many RHT members are running Chicago this year as well as a lot of local friends. I've got my marathon tracking app loaded up and I don't remember ever having as many runners listed as in years past. It's so much fun! I ran the 5k on Saturday--see below--and on Monday, I'm going to a meet and greet with Des Linden. My friend Kristin came to town to spectate with me! 

Thursday, January 26, 2023

January Runfessions

Here we are at the first Runfessions of 2023! Do you runfess? Every month, Marcia opens the runfessional to allow us all to cleanse our souls and soles. Oddly enough, I always have things to runfess. So let's get to it and let the absolution begin!

Sunday, October 10, 2021

Can I Start Running Again?

That was the question on my mind this week. It's been over 3 months since my injury and I've been feeling pretty good as I continue to increase my activity towards my usual level. The only thing that I'm not doing is running. Do I dare start easing back into running again?

I know there are readers who are shaking their heads, maybe even shouting NO! at the screen. Hear me out. I used the word ease when I talk about running again and that is exactly what I intend to do. No way am I planning on jeopardizing the healing process nor am I looking at developing a compensatory injury from overdoing it. Remember, my ortho didn't tell me I couldn't run when I last saw him but he did caution me that too much activity can delay healing. For the past month, I've put running on the back burner again. I'm feeling good. So I figured, why not try?


Monday, July 12, 2021

12 Things I Learned From My Worst Race

This is an updated version of a post published previously. With so many marathons taking place this fall and everyone training for them, I thought republishing this post would be helpful!

I can say without hesitation that my worst race ever was my first Chicago Marathon. I ran that race in 2011. That first marathon was SO BAD that I was ashamed to even tell anyone that I ran it. I was so disappointed in myself that I didn't feel like a real marathoner after I finished, even though I have the medal to prove that I crossed the finish line.

It took me 3 years to get up the courage to line up again and run the race I knew I had in me. I've run 3 marathons and many more half marathons since, but I still draw on my experience from that particular race to drive me through my training and races. In addition, the mental toughness I've developed since then has helped me push through my battle with RA, which is like an ultramarathon that won't quit. 

Since a lot of runners are gearing up to start training for fall marathons, I wanted to share some of the wisdom and experience I gained from that ill-fated marathon and my races since then. 

Dementia set in early on!

Thursday, October 17, 2019

14 Things You'll See When Spectating a Marathon

Last Sunday, I spectated the Chicago Marathon with Marcia at in the Bloggers' Press Box at mile 13.5. Even if you're not a runner or you've never run a marathon, watching a marathon is an exciting experience! We were tracking a list of our running friends but only saw one. I actually got dizzy scanning the throngs of runners as they went by. We were there for 4 hours and saw every group of runners from the elites to the back of the packers.

There was a lot to take in! Even though we didn't see our runners, we still saw a lot! A marathon is so much more than just running.



Intensity
The elites were focused, eyes on the road ahead, not acknowledging cheers from the crowds.

Joy
Many of the runners in the middle of the pack were running with smiles on their faces, waving to spectators cheering them on.

Tears
We saw runners, walking with their heads down and tears streaming down their faces. Injury? Disappointment? Been there, done that.

Inspiration
The Achilles runners leading the disabled runners. Oh.my.heart.

Source

Chafing
One woman was walking sideways, alternating from side to side, trying not to let her thighs touch.

Limping
There were runners hobbling, stopping and starting, favoring one extremity. From our vantage point at mile 13.5, they had a long way to go to the finish line. Would they make it?

Costumes
Not as many as you'd think! Lots of superheroes. We also saw a king! And Forest Gump.

Run Forest, Run!

Cramping
Runners were stopping to stretch their calves on the curb. One actually laid down on the sidewalk to stretch out his legs. I heard comments from several runners that the cold wind was making them cramp up.

Misplaced runners
Participants wearing bibs that didn't match up with the runners around them. Corral K running up towards the front with the B corral runners? Corral C in the back of the pack? How does this happen?

Random objects
A banana tossed to the side of the road by a runner landed at our feet. Gel packs everywhere. Items of clothing littered the street.

Clothing
In spite of the chilly temperatures and strong wind, there were a lot of runners in tanks and shorts. Brrrr! I was dressed in my down coat with a hat and gloves.

Patriotism
The international runners wear the colors of their homeland with the name of their countries on their shirts.

source
Safety 
Homeland security officers walked behind us, guns strapped to their waists, while local police manned the intersections. Helicopters were buzzing overhead.

Support 
Family members on the sidelines, awaiting their runners. The runners spotting their loved ones, dashing over to the curb for hugs and then back on the course.

Renee did find us in the bloggers' press box!
The marathon is such an exciting and inspiring event! But did the experience of spectating the Chicago Marathon make me want to run another one? Such a tough question! Put it this way: would I like to run Chicago again? Yes. Could I run Chicago again? Probably not. At this point, I can't envision committing the time to the training nor the physical toll that it would take on my body. I'm content to spectate. I'll see you all next year!

Have you ever spectated a marathon? Tell me something you saw!


Spectating the Chicago Marathon gave me all the feels! /via @oldrunningmom @chimarathon #runchat #running #chicagomarathon

I'm linking up with Fridays with Fairytales and Fitness.






Tuesday, November 6, 2018

The 8 Worst Racing Mistakes I've Ever Made

Disclaimer: This is a republication of a previous post.

Racing mistakes? I've made them. We all have. I truly believe that the best lessons are ones learned the hard way. They say experience is the best teacher and after almost 30 years of running, you'd think I'd have a Ph.D. in running. Instead, I consider myself to be a life student at the college of hard knocks. Running just keeps handing out lessons!

Here are some of the more stupid things I've done at a race. Maybe there's something to be gained from this...



Friday, October 26, 2018

Runfessions: October

Time flies when you're having fun and this has been a really fun month! The next thing you know, it's the end of October, the Visa bill is due, and it's time to runfess. Let's head to the runfessional and cleanse our soles. Thankfully, it's pretty painless.



Tuesday, October 16, 2018

8 of Best Things I've Seen at a Race

I've run a lot of races and they are all memorable, not just for my own experiences but for what I've seen during the race. I've been passed by lots of superheroes and costumed runners. I saw Dr Dribble, a guy known for dribbling a basketball for entire marathons. I always push the power button on those signs and I high five all the little kids. These spectacles and sightings help keep things light and take my mind off my own misery, especially during a marathon.

Since a marathon is 26.2 miles, runners have plenty of time to take in the sights. If you've never run a big city marathon, it's an experience unlike any other. Besides the running, the entire experience is entertaining. I've run all the distances, but for some reason, it's my marathon experiences that stay with me the most.

Today I'm sharing some of the best things I've seen while running races. Thanks to Tuesdays on the Run for this great writing prompt that gave me a fun ride down memory lane.



Friday, June 22, 2018

TGIF! 5 Random Things That Will Make You Smile

Let's face it. There's been a lot of heavy stuff on everyone's minds this week. I've been sitting in front of this blank template trying to prepare my Friday 5 post and I just can't seem to settle on a topic. It's pouring rain and I've already done a weather whining post this week. In fact, I've written 2 of them. This is a running blog and I don't want to do politics here, although can I just say: Whoa. It's been a week. I've had some personal stuff to deal with too, but I'm going to keep it just that, personal.

My goal for my Friday 5 posts is usually to keep them light and breezy. So for today, I'm going to share 5 random things that made me smile. They're even sort of running related! No matter what is happening around us, no matter how bad it might make you feel, laughter is still the best medicine. This nurse practitioner is prescribing a dose of humor.



Wednesday, November 16, 2016

What's All the Fuss About?

This week's Wednesday Word is hullabaloo and I promised myself not to go for the obvious. It's as if Debbie looked into her crystal ball and knew we needed this word for this particular point in time. Sorry. Nope, I'm not going to even mention any current events. It would have made for an easy blog post, but we all are sooooo tired of it.

Ok, I'll go there, briefly...

The Rock was named "Sexiest Man Alive" by People Magazine. He's sweet! He exfoliates! But does he run?

Really, why all the hullabaloo? Hullabaloo is a million dollar word, worthy of something big. Hullabaloo is an onomatopoeia! Which means I don't even have to define it. What's worthy of a hullabaloo from the running perspective? What do runners like to make a fuss about? How's that for a segue? You tell me what you think...

Taking the Long Way Home


Sunday, October 9, 2016

Chicago Marathon Weekend: Perspective from the Sidelines

You know how I have that tagline at the top of my blog? The one that says "because sitting on the sidelines is no fun"? After this past weekend, I may need to issue a retraction. Because this weekend, being on the sidelines was a blast!

Last spring, I made the difficult (for me) decision not to enter the lottery for the Chicago Marathon. With Big Sur ahead of me at the time and my struggles with plantar fasciitis, I didn't want to get a spot and have to give it up due to injury. I thought it would be a good idea to take some time off and let my foot calm down.

Marcia and I made plans to spectate the marathon and the experience didn't disappoint. I may have to be a sideline sitter more often!



Sunday, January 3, 2016

It's a wrap!

It's the end of the year as we know it...

It's time to take down all the holiday decorations and get back to my regularly scheduled life. But first, I've got a few loose ends to tie up here on the blog. The Weekly Wrap, hosted by Tricia and Holly, is the perfect place to do it! You may want to check out what everyone else is posting and while you are there, wish Tricia and Holly good luck on the WDW Marathon, happening next weekend!



So let's get this party started! First things first, a few leftovers from 2015:

I did a data dump with my Garmin and found all kinds of fun statistics. I'm kind of a numbers geek. My Forerunner 10 gave me a surprisingly large amount of interesting (at least to me) data. I've summed it all up in this fun infographic:


This week I received a few reminders of some awesome events I participated in this fall.

My official Chicago Marathon participation certificate arrived:

In case there was any doubt.
I also received some photos from the Underground Polar Express run that I participated in a few weeks ago. A fun day with friends, it was a great event for a good cause. I'll be back. So fun.

Me, Marcia, and Sara

Never one to miss a photog! But check out the shirtless guy behind us. Really? In December? At a Santa run?
This past week, I hit my final goal for 2015, that #RunThisYear goal of 2015 kms/1252 miles that I set for myself one year ago. That is my highest yearly mileage ever, and this was my first year ever that I didn't miss any time on the road for injury. I am thrilled with that, and I need to give credit to my coach Becky, who has worked hard with me to strengthen and balance my glutes, hips, and hamstrings. She also developed a marathon training plan for me which was tough, but effective. Low miles, lots of cross training, and plenty of mental toughness sprinkled in.


As promised, after this run, I hung up my running shoes to devote some time to recovery. Hoping my hiatus will be brief. But I need to get this PF under control. My love/hate relationship with my faux Strassburg sock continues. Got heel lifts? Downward dogs? Compression sleeve? Foot strengthening? Did you even know this was a thing? According to this article, it is THE thing for PF.

So yes, I'm doing those heel lifts. What else can I do?

The first thing I did was treat my feet to a pedicure on New Year's Eve. Afterwards, I slipped on my new Oofos sandals, which I won from Kim at Kooky Runner. I think I'm in love. Let's just say these flip flops are my new favorite thing! Have you tried them yet?

It's all about the pretty toes...and the super comfy shoes!
I also went to see Becky for my weekly workout--she had me doing more cleans, front squats, and deadlifts. Since she's a corrective exercise specialist as well as an endurance coach, I asked her for any advice she could give me that I wasn't yet doing for my foot. She talked with me about doing some arch rolling on the lacrosse ball as soon as I get up in the morning, before I even stand up.

Since Becky was on board with my plan to take some time off running, I was able to leave the CrossFit box with a bike trainer to use for the winter. Can you say win?

Thanks to YouTube, I rode for an hour on Saturday through the Italian countryside and on Sunday, I rode along the beach and up a mountain. I'll be sharing more about indoor bike training in a separate post, but let's just say it is a worthy successor to the treadmill. Equally as boring and tough. I wore my heart rate monitor to make sure I was getting a decent workout, and I stayed in "the zone". Oooh, the pain! The sweat! My husband had to turn on the ceiling fan. I chugged my Nuun hydration throughout.


Completely non-running related but worth a mention: I went to see the movie Sisters with my sister Lisa. We had heard that the movie had received mixed reviews. But it's Tina Fey and Amy Pohler! We both thought it was hilarious. In fact, we laughed so hard we cried. If you liked Bridesmaids, you'll like this one. There are so many one-liners that I can't remember them all.

We decided that we need to up our dance game. Not that we ever had one...

What did you do this week? Ready to go back to reality? Seen any good movies (besides Star Wars?)