Weather  (and I can’t control this one, grr…except by having 3-4 different running outfits prepared based on the final temp.  And some throwaway clothes to wear to the start line if needed.)

     Playlist  (have I revised and added and subtracted and come up with the perfect playlist?  What if, OH MY GOD, my Nano kicks it the day of the race???  Better charge up the old shuffle as a backup.)

     Outfit  (Is it cute?  Yes, I am seriously worried about cuteness.  What can I say?  If it’s not cute, is it at least eye-poppingly bright so that people can see me coming a mile away?)

    Food  (What in the world do I eat for dinner the night before?  Is my breakfast good?  What flavor PowerBar and Gus should I get?  Should I drink the Gatorade or stick to water?  What should I eat all week?)

     Transport  (How will I get there?  How will I get home?  How will my family and friends get around?     How much money am I going to spend on parking this weekend???  Please don’t answer that, I’d rather not know yet.)

     Race Day  (What time should we get up?  Eat?  Leave?   Will I even be able to sleep?  How long will I have to stand in the start corral?  How do you stay warmed up while standing around in 45/rainy weather?  Will I see my family/friends along the route?  How many times will I have to stop to use a porto-potty and how much time will that add to my final time—wouldn’t it be nice if you could   just stop time while you go?  Etc, etc.)

      Other random worries: the Expo, my alarm clock, catching my daughter’s cold, traffic, sunglasses, gloves, finisher picture, last minute injuries, being late, tripping, stretching, smell factor, pacing, socks,…)

I guess the good thing here is that I’m not really questioning whether I can finish the marathon.  I know I can.  There are always crazy factors that can impact that, but everything that I can control, I will.  I’ve done the training the right way and my body is ready.  All I need to do is my best and have tons of fun while doing it.  (And not work myself into an ulcer before Sunday!)

On The Playlist:         Right Round (Flo Rida)

Tomorrow:                 3 miles, 6 x 200m pickups

Pros

Lots of crowd support, lots of bands, cheerleaders, Elvis impersonators, etc.

Hot air balloons blown up all over the route—very cool!

Multiple Gu stations at appropriate mileage (hear that Chicago Marathon???)

Under 4, 500 runners (including marathoners, half-marathoners and 5-k’ers)

Neat course that goes through the four Quad cities, across the Mississippi twice.

Relatively flat, hills mostly in first few miles of race.

Variety of healthy and junk food at end for runners.

They called out my name over the loudspeaker as I came down to the finish line—awesome!

Tech shirt instead of cotton T

Cons

Water stations too small, not enough volunteers handing out water.

No corrals, so spent first 20 minutes dodging people and doing a lot of weaving.

One T shirt and medal for marathoners and half-marathoners, so mine both say “Marathon”, too bad I didn’t run a marathon.

Packet Pick-up/Expo very cramped—in hallways instead of a room.

Not enough Porto-Potties and too far apart—had to wait from about mile 2 (passed those) until mile 7.5 before we passed another few.

Overall it was a great experience, although Mike and I did discover that we have vastly different running styles (particularly in races).  He was running with me (I’m the slower one) and he tends to start at faster pace and keep it there the whole time.  I tend to start slow and gradually increase my speed over the run.  But we finished together—with the realization that if either of us were running a “serious” race for time, we’d probably be better off waving to each other at the start line and heading off solo.  My goal was to run at or slightly below 9-minute miles for this race and I think I came in at about 8:57 minutes/mile (not counting my long awaited potty break), so that was great.  I still felt really energized at 12 miles, which was a good sign.  Slow it down for the marathon and I’m hoping I’ll be all good. 

Being at this race reminded me how much extra energy you gain from it—the crowds, the cheering, the excitement, the nerves, the music, the scenery.  I’ve flipped from being really nervous and sort of excited about the Marathon, to really excited and sort of nervous.  I am concerned about the sheer number of people running—is it going to affect my pacing, will I have to continually dodge people (or worse: get dodged?), will I get ‘slimed’ (ever had a super sweaty runner brush against you as they run past?  Ugh.  Though I’m sure I’ve never slimed anyone, ha ha.  Pot-Kettle.)  I’m in the Open Corral, so who knows how long it will take to get to the starting line and for people to thin out enough that it’s comfortable to run and I can hit and keep my pace.  Guess I’ll find out soon enough…

On The Playlist:         Rise Against (anything from them on my 26.2 playlist)

Tomorrow:                 Cross Training (Friday 10/2)

Okay, let me qualify that.  My legs felt like lead, my gluts were on fire and my Achilles were so tight that I actually yelled “OUCH!” out loud when I went to stretch them, but mentally I felt really good.  And I knew that I could have kept going…and I knew then that I could run 26.2.  That was a huge mental barrier that I passed.  And now?  Now I’m excited about the marathon.  Nervous, too, but instead of dreading it, I am looking forward to it.  And I think the same key factors will hold true in running it successfully: weather (no control over that I’m afraid), good breakfast, lots of hydration and nutrition and, most importantly, pacing.

There are usually two challenges in maintaining a pace for me, particularly (I would guess) in a race this size.  (1) Too Fast: the excitement of the race, the faster runners around you, the adrenaline and realization that it’s finally time all can cause me to go out too fast.  Before I know it, I am merrily running along way faster than I should and by the end I am done and limping.  In a run this long, you can’t just push your way through it if you are running faster than you trained for (see: 18-mile run).  (2) Too Slow: Huge masses of people trying to make their way down the streets.  I can only imagine that until there is time to thin the crowd a bit, it will be very difficult to run at pace in this marathon.  It’s been my experience in races that people do not tend to line up accurately according to their actual pace.  People don’t want to be at the end of the line, so they start further up, but unfortunately this slows down runners who legitimately run at a specific pace.  However, starting too slow is always preferable (for me) than too fast, because if I’ve still got steam at the end of the race, I can pick it up and make up some of the difference, but if I use it all at the beginning I’ve got nothing left to finish strong or even maintain my pace.

Two weeks and counting…wow.  It seemed so far away and now it’s almost here.  I’m not sure what I’ll do with myself when it’s done—it’s been such a large part of my life.  Determining my sleeping patterns, eating patterns, running/workout schedule, just being in my head for so long…I can see why people jump right into training for the next event, because right now it feels like I’ll be missing an important part of my life once I cross that finish line.  On the other hand, maybe I’ll feel free and ecstatic that I’m done!  Guess I’ll have to wait and see…

On the Playlist:              Boom Boom Pow [Black Eyed Peas]

Sunday:                          Quad Cities Half Marathon (switching my running day from Saturday to do this race.  Smaller, but well supported.  Flat, but interesting.)

You Went to Peoria and All I Got Was This?

Still, it was good to go, with the added bonus of returning with enough pens from the Trade Show to last me through an entire year (though I believe I owe some of them to my friend Charlie–he’s stoked about that, I’m sure!)  The challenge this week was maintaining my workout schedule. Runs on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, with cross-training on Wednesday.  I don’t know Peoria that well, but I do know that the area we stayed in was surrounded by less safe areas. My usual Peoria running partner Jessica was unable to attend and I did not feel like heading out by myself—I could either run in iffy areas or do endless loops of the five-block downtown area. Ugh.

Unfortunately, the workout room at our hotel (and this would be the one that is listed as “renovated” on their website) was, how shall I put this? A dark, dank, stinky hole in the wall. Yeah, that might do it. One ancient treadmill, three decrepit stairclimbers, a rack of rusty free weights and a total body workout station with attachments that didn’t actually attach. And it was stuck down in the basement. Without ventillation.  Not so good. And yet, you do what you have to do. So I (and also Colette, who is from Marklund, running the marathon and on the same training program as me) hit that lovely “renovated” (in 1985) workout room each day. Thank god the runs weren’t too long this week.

What has really consumed most of my week is the dreaded looming 20-mile run that is set for this Saturday. I’m very nervous about it, given the quality (read: horrific experience that I never want to repeat) of my 18-mile run.  That run made me doubt my ability to run a full marathon, so this 20-mile run feels like a make or break situation…

On The Playlist:         Dreamer (K’naan)

Tomorrow:                  20 miles

I decided to do my 18-miler at Springbrook in Naperville.  It’s a 5.5 mile loop, dirt/crushed gravel path, with some elevations.  The weather was supposed to hit a high of around 73 by noon, and I figured if I started at 9, I’d be fine.  Three plus laps, done and done.  Uh huh. 

Beautiful day—not a cloud in the sky.  Grr.  Weather?  Got up to 80 degrees.  Wind?  Gusty now and then.  Sounds great, huh?  Great if you are out for a nice stroll.  On the other hand, if you are running (and running and running and running…) it’s not exactly ideal.  (Ideal: 45-50 and overcast.)  I had a feeling I just might be in trouble when I hit mile 8 and thought, “Wow, I’m really tired.  Already.  And gee, I have 10 miles left to run.”  In most runs, when you hit the halfway mark, it’s a good feeling.  When you hit 9 and still have 9 to go, it’s not quite as exciting.  It’s kind of more like, (pant, gasp) “Ahhhhh, heck no.  Seriously?” (pant, gasp). 

I did learn several things from this run.  Such as, it would be much better to stop and refill your water bottle instead of just trying to soldier through without stopping when it is 80 degrees, because you think if you stop, you might never start again.  (Hint: if you don’t get enough water you may also collapse and never start again.)  Also, even if you knock your iPod off due to wildly flailing arms, it goes flying, the holder busts open and the iPod hits the dirt (twice), it will still work.  It will not work, however, if you snap it into the plastic holder upside down and block access to the dial.  And sadly, you will also not be able to pry that holder back open and flip the iPod around, while staggering through your last half mile, so you might as well just deal with no music and not cry like a baby about it (okay, I didn’t actually cry, but that might be because I was completely wrung dry of any extra water and my body was just not giving it up for mere tears–I’m fairly certain there was some feeble whimpering though).  Also, eating a Powerbar pre-run and then adding on Clif Shot Bloks and a Gu energy gel during the run will not make your stomach feel good. Especially without enough water to dilute them.  Maybe mixing three different brands of “exercise fuel” is not the best idea.

On Saturday I learned what it felt like to hit the wall and be convinced you can’t go one more step and somehow keep going.  I’ve never wanted to stop running so much in my life (well, okay, by that time it was more one of those painful plodding jogging shuffles instead of running) and yet I kept going.  Somehow.  Could I have gone further than 18 miles?  I don’t think so.  Not on that day.  But even though my pace tanked and I sort of felt like I might die, puke or pass out (perhaps all three), I did it.  I didn’t feel particularly proud about it after the run, because it just felt so awful, but in running you have the good days, the bad days, and the “I never ever want to do this insane running thing again” days.  But you get through them and keep going, and you pray that the marathon will be one of the good days. 

On the plus side, I ran a five miler last night, which was quite pleasant, and an 8.75 mile interval run this morning, which was not quite as pleasant, but still far, far better than my 18 miler.  In two weeks I have a 20 mile run coming up (the longest of the training program before we start tapering).  I’m fairly apprehensive about it, but I’ll be smarter about this one.  Good breakfast, plenty of water, running earlier in the day to avoid the heat…cakewalk, right?  I mean, what’s another two miles?  Heh. 

On The Playlist:       No You Girls (Franz Ferdinand) / Blood On My Hands (The Used)

Tomorrow:                 Crosstraining

Mike, Wendy and Eric Post-Race

Wow, it’s been a long time since I’ve written—sorry about that!  It got crazy at work, plus my daughter started Kindergarten (and that is a topic for a whole different blog) and I just lost all of my free time.  Luckily, although I have not been writing, I have still been running!  To get back into the swing of things, I’m going to just do some short recaps of what I’ve been up to for the past month or so.

Where's Wendy???

The Bix 7 2009…had a great time!  Improved my speed from last year by almost four minutes, which was awesome (who knew this marathon training thing actually worked?)  Inspiring to run in a race with world-class elite runners (Meb Keflezighi was the winner, finishing in roughly half the time I did.  Heh.)  How often do you get to run with (or rather far, far behind) Olympians and World Record Holders?  At the post-party I did pass on the beer (at 9 a.m.) in favor of popsicles (and I will not tell you how many I ate, but they were ice cold and delicious!)

Interval Training…Although the interval training has been hard, I have seen a big effect on my pacing.  Before I started training for the marathon, I vehemently (and grumpily) denied that I could run at a pace faster than a 10 minute mile.  Being forced to run fast intervals has shown me I can, in fact, run faster (yes Mike, you told me so and you were right).  My overall pace has increased and now I’m not happy if I don’t hit at around an 8:40 or better for shorter runs (by shorter I mean anything less than about 8 or 10 miles).  My long runs I’m still hitting in the low to mid 9’s which is fine. 

Injury Update…my right glut still hurts.  It just doesn’t go away.  I’m not sure it ever will.  But again, it doesn’t seem to be getting any worse or affecting my overall ability to run, although it is a bit weaker than my left leg.  One bonus of the 16-mile run?  Finally both legs hurt.  Weird but true: it was reassuring to feel pain in my left leg, too, and know it wasn’t just the injury kicking up!  ‘Normal’ pain, who knew it was such a great thing?  Earlier this week the bottom of my right foot started hurting abruptly in the middle of a cardio workout.  However, it seems to have pretty much subisded and hopefully by tomorrow it will be completely gone.  If not, I may switch my long run to Sunday to give it an extra day to heal up.  

Marathon Update…only 36 days left.  Wow.  All of a sudden it’s almost here.  Kind of scary.  Kind of very scary.  And now that my training is kicking into full gear, it’s time to ramp up the other responsibility of this race: fundraising for Marklund.  I’m running this race as a charity runner for my workplace, a great organization that supports individuals with developmental disabilities.  Please check out our website (www.marklund.org ), and if you feel moved to help this wonderful organization, please consider sponsoring me for the marathon.  You can donate on-line (http://www.marklund.org/getting_involved/chicago_marathon_wberk.htm) or via mail (the checks, ahem, should be made out to Marklund, not to Wendy…).  I really appreciate your support and help and so do our Clients—your contribution can add so much to their lives!  Thanks so much for your support.  For every donation I promise to write an extra long blog entry.  Ha ha, just kidding…maybe I should offer to not write such long entries instead!  I might get a much better response. 

On The Playlist:       Collapse (Post America) [Rise Against] / Rolling [Soul Coughing]

Tomorrow:               18 miles (that’s kind of crazy)

Sunday was a rest day and I kind of ate and ate and ate all day long, topping it off with a Cheesy Beef (the Cheef) from Rosati’s and a slice of cake with ice cream.  Isn’t that on the ‘marathon’ diet?  Monday was a 4.5 mile run, which went well.

Today—well, I had to do some switching of my scheduled runs this week because my husband, my friend Eric, and I (see 6/22 post for pic) are running the Bix 7 in Davenport, Iowa this Saturday (http://www.bix7.com/2009).  It’s an amazing race—huge, with international runners, lots of fanfare, people lining every inch of the course cheering, playing music and handing out beer (hey, carbs are carbs, right?).  And then there are the hills.  I’m not quite sure how a course seems to be all uphill when it is an out-and-back course, but somehow the Bix manages.  I remember the first year we went out and my mom (who lives in Bettendorf and introduced us to this race) pointed out some of the hills we’d be running.  First I laughed, then I realized she was serious, and then I panicked!  It is a very challenging course, particularly for us Chicago Burbians who think our driveways are hills.  But tons of fun!  So I swapped my Saturday long run (12 miles) with today’s scheduled 7-miler (didn’t that work out well?)

Of course, that meant I had to get up at 4:15 a.m. this morning to start warming up and stretching, etc, to run my 12 miles before coming in to work.  Yeesh.  However, I actually really enjoyed the run today.  Everything felt great (well, besides the right knee, and the left knee, and oh yeah, the right hamstring, glut and Achilles, my left foot…I’ll stop now.)  But I even had enough kick to pick up my final mile and finish the run with a nice sprint (okay, okay, it was a jog, but it was a quick jog!)  So that’s my biggest run since the half marathon I did 2 years ago and it left me feeling much more optimistic about this whole crazy marathon thing.  (See how I am not concentrating on how I’ll have to run 2.6 times as far for the marathon?  I’m totally not fixated on that.  At all.  Maybe just a bit.)  Now if only work had nap time like my daughter’s daycare…

On The Playlist:       The Beautiful People (Marilyn Manson) / Womanizer (Britney Spears—yes, I admit it!!!!) / Chop Suey (System of a Down)

Tomorrow:               Cross-Training/Strength Training

Yeah, so, definitely a problem.  By mile 3 I seriously was considering sneaking into someone’s backyard to stick my head under their water spigot.  By mile 4 I was contemplating the wonders of walking and cursing the evils of running.  By mile 5 I was fantasizing about a big, icy Sprite—I could actually taste it.  Truly.  By mile 5.5 I was eyeing a neighborhood lemonade stand and considering a grab and run (or rather a grab and slow, painful jog).  By mile 5.8 I was literally counting steps until I was done.  And at mile 6 as I stopped (hallelujah), I seriously considered throwing up, managed to rein that in, and headed home.

I stepped into the house, pulled off my shoes and socks, and started walking down the hallway—until I realized I was leaving perfect, wet imprints of my feet all over the wood floor.  This was serious sweat.  Not polite, genteel, feminine perspiration.  Sweat, actually pouring down my body.  Ugh.  I had to stand on a towel to stretch.  Hailey ran and hid behind Mike in fear I would try to hug her.  The cats wanted to lick me (don’t ask.)  I looked like I had jumped, fully clothed, into a hot tub, lounged in the sauna for a while and then spent an hour in the steam room to cap it off.  Not pretty. 

Monday night I headed to the gym to do my run INDOORS, in the nice AIR CONDITIONING.  So I get up to the exercise floor and there are NO TOWELS to be had.  Gross.  And so unlike my gym that I figure it must be some sort of sweat conspiracy this week.  So as I used the weight machines, I was mingling my sweat (more the genteel variety this night) with whoever else had sat there last.  [I’m trying not to think about that too much.  You do what you have to do.]  When I used a mat to do my core work, I left a slick of sweat on it for the next person to enjoy.  And by the way, try doing plank as your arms are sliding out from underneath you—face planting into your own little pool of sweat is so not fun.  As I ran on the treadmill, drips of sweat flew off, sprinkling the machine and any unfortunate soul who happened by too closely.  Sorry dude.

This morning?  Doing the recumbent bike, feeling the sweat drip down and yes, running right over my bug bites (an accumulation gathered during outside exercise and the No Doubt concert Saturday night at Tinley).  Said bug bites then began to itch unbearable, so I spent the remainder of the ride scratching (and sweating more).  Bad Wendy!  (Bad sweat.)  But I am happy to report that at this very moment, I am in fact sweat-free.  Though it will not stay that way since I am heading out to help grill lunch for some co-workers in a few minutes.  81 degrees plus huge charcoal grill = sweat.  But worth it for the delicious grilled shrimp (thanks Diana)!

On The Playlist:            “Dirrty” (Christina Aguilera, featuring Redman) [lots of sweat in this song, too]

Tomorrow:                     4.5 miles, second half faster than first

Because early this morning my brand new shiny happy phone became the object of my own malevolent fury.  It was 5 a.m.  It was still dark.  I had stayed up late to watch Lost (my husband and I are a full season behind…17 episodes just sitting on our DVR…no spoilers please!)  I had set my new phone alarm to play a song to wake me (“Daylight” by the Judybats).  It would be cheerful (I thought) and pleasant and ease me into the day.  No, not so much.  Not pleasant.  More like grating.  How can anything be that upbeat that early???  As I staggered out of bed, I eyed my phone with evil thoughts lurking (sledge hammers, cliffs, toilets…you get the picture), but restrained myself and simply turned off the alarm with a sigh.  Bad phone, bad, bad phone.  I fought a little mental battle while gazing longingly at the dent in my pillow where my head would fit oh-so-sweetly while I happily snoozed until it truly was daylight, but won (that is actually up for debate) and headed downstairs to work out. 

Today was a cross training day, and I (slowly) pedaled my way through 40 minutes on the bike, struggled my way through some lackluster pushups (does only going halfway down count?), did some (half-hearted) curls and tricep dips, and then wearily worked my way through a 30-minute Yoga DVD.  The phone may have won the battle to wake me up, but it couldn’t make me enjoy this workout!  Hah, take that!  While the rest of my training has been good this week, today was definitely a challenge.  Hopefully tomorrow I will have more energy for my 6-mile run (thank goodness for a ‘short’ long run this week.)   [Note to self: do not stay up until all hours tonight watching Lost.]  By the way, my new Mizuno’s seemed to have solved the arch issue—I’ll take some pics and post them this weekend!

Terrific Tracking Tool: there’s a great website called dailymile (www.dailymile.com) that allows you to track your exercise (all types, not just running) and connect up with friends that are doing the same.  I’d love to add some friends—just search for me under “Wendy” and look for the picture of the Good Little Witch!

On The Playlist:               Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D List

Tomorrow:                      6-mile ‘easy’ run

And so he set to work.  The iPod was carefully placed into a sandwich bag.  A slit was cut out for the iPod clip to slide through.  The bag was sealed and wrapped around the device.  Tape was then applied all over to keep the plastic secure and waterproof.  Triumphantly he handed it to me!  Ooops…forgot to plug in the headphones, but do not fear, with a steady hand and a sharp scalpel (paring knife), Mike carefully cut a small hole for the headphone wire to slide through and plug in.  Success!  Wait, the iPod was set on my “Mellow” playlist which is not conducive to running, particularly in the rain!  Covered by plastic, the iPod seemed impossible to manipulate into changing playlists, but Mike persevered and (voila!) it was set to my 26.2 playlist and handed to me for my run.  So there went my last excuse… 

I put on my (plastic swaddled) iPod, my (waterproof) GPS watch, my sunglasses (to keep the rain drops out of my eyes), my old Mizuno’s (bye bye New Balances), my sun block (yes, I was mocked), my hair band (got to keep those strays away from my face) and headed out.  The iPod worked beautifully! 

However, about 1.5 miles into the run I knew I was in trouble.  Because, well, I had to, uh, use the facilities, if you know what I mean.  And there are not many facilities out there just waiting for my usage.  Can’t exactly jog up to a stranger’s house and ask to use their bathroom.  But, at mile 3 I passed a school and (hallelujah!) there it was, a beautiful (stinky) Port-o-Potty.  Waiting there just for me. Sigh.  It was like fate.  And thank goodness because five more miles with my bladder bouncing around would not have ended pretty!

The run itself?  Actually very nice.  I enjoyed the sprinkles of rain, cool temp and the overcast sky—in fact not a bad way to run at all.  It didn’t pour, I didn’t get fried by lightening, and my iPod ran without a hitch…  Now I only need to run that distance 3.275 times in a row for the marathon.  Ha ha ha ha ha ha.  Ha.  Seriously folks, I laugh so that I do not cry!

On The Playlist:                  Miami (Will Smith)

Tomorrow:                          Rest Day; Monday 4.5 miles + full body strength training