Big Stuff!

It's been about two weeks since my last blog - and well, as usual, much has happened.
There are things that I have been meaning to write, but just didn't have the time, energy, etc.

1) We booked our rooms for the Philadelphia 1/2 marathon 11/20 - there is absolutely NO turning back at this point.
2) I'm on a new "program" per the coach - details below...
3) As of 5/16 I'm down 15.2 lbs (since 4/4)!
4) We leave for Aruba in less than a week and I couldn't be more excited
5) I've scheduled an appointment with a leader in the fertility world at John's Hopkins for a second opinion and perhaps a new plan of attack starting in 2012
6) The overwhelming notes, e-mails and words of encouragement just keep coming. Truly, the greatest motivator and so so humbling.
7) as of 5/5 this was my status update according to sister-coach: 
45 runs, 74.81 miles, 25 miles in month of April

See - big stuff!  

After the Out & Back I knew that I would be pushing past 4 miles fairly quickly, I knew that given our time frame, I needed to. That didn't mean that I was necessarily looking forward to it - nor was I prepared for the exhausting new "program" Janelle was proposing. Here's what I got by e-mail:

Workout Plan May-June

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Run 4 miles or 50 minutes (stretch)	Rest (stretch/yoga)	Run 2 miles or 30 minutes (stretch)	Run 4 miles or 50 minutes (stretch)	Walk or ride bike  for 1 hour (stretch/yoga)	Run 5-6 miles or 80 minutes (stretch)	Rest (stretch/yoga)

Total Mileage Per Week:15-16 miles

Workout Plan July-August

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Run 5 miles or 60 minutes (stretch)	Rest (stretch/yoga)	Run 3 miles or 45 minutes (stretch)	Run 4 miles or 50 minutes (stretch)	Walk or ride bike  for 30 minutes (stretch/yoga)	Run 7-8 miles or 100 minutes (stretch)	Rest (stretch/yoga)

Total Mileage Per Week:19-20 miles

Workout Plan September-October

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Run 5 miles or 60 minutes (stretch)	Rest (stretch/yoga)	Run 4 miles or 50 minutes (stretch)	Run 4 miles or 50 minutes (stretch)	Rest (stretch/yoga)	Run 9-10 miles or 120 minutes (stretch)	Rest (stretch/yoga)

Total Mileage Per Week:22-23 miles

Workout Plan November

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Run 5 miles or 60 minutes (stretch)	Rest (stretch/yoga)	Run 4 miles or 50minutes (stretch)	Run 4 miles or 50 minutes (stretch)	Rest (stretch/yoga)	Run 10-12 miles or 2.5 hours (stretch)	Rest (stretch/yoga)

Total Mileage Per Week:23-25 miles

Now, she mentioned that we could adjust as needed...but I was dumbfounded after looking at this thing. How could I possibly do this?! That weekend  we did agree to switch out the Monday/Wednesday routines - I mean, I like NEVER ran on a Monday, a short run is really the best I could do.

Last week I attacked this program - for reals.

Monday 5/9 - 2.27 miles in 30 min.(a record)...not bad, even though I had a dentist appointment, full work day, evening dermatologist appointment and a grocery store visit in store, my butt still made it to the track and did the Monday-runday thing.

Tuesday 5/10 - I walked 3.44 miles in 1:11:36 w/D-Dana - then we bbq-d and sipped skinnygirl margaritas on her deck as a reward :)

Wednesday 5/11 - 4 miles in 52:07 and if you're keeping track - that too is a record! Oh and might I add that I had to pause, run backwards, and again remind "Miss Daisy" that the running lanes are 1 & 2...grrr, you would think that given the sunshine, my imposing shadow, and heavy panting, she might want to slide on over as I nip at her heels, nah. If I'm ever arrested for elder abuse - it really isn't what you think...she had it coming! I kid :)

Thursday 5/12 - I straight up COULD NOT do it. I had the clothes laid out the night before and the best of intentions but this girl's a$$ was dragging...

Friday 5/13 - 1hr on the elliptical at Gold's (705.3 cals burned) w/Lori followed by wings & beer and I'm not sorry. Nope.

Saturday 5/14 - I knew this was the day I had to face the 5 miler. Rarely do I wear my glasses or lug the purse when I go to Suburban to run on the track. It's 2 min. from my house, if that - I put on my clothes, grab my spare car key and go. This proved a bit tricky on Saturday, however. I got to the track around 8:30 a.m. and wouldn't you know - a track meet. Drat!

So I then head over to Penn State York in search of a track to run on - no dice. I make the choice to drive over to York College - coincidentally enough, the site of my first ever mile walk/run all those many months ago. My vision isn't terrible without my glasses - but navigation proved a bit tricky as I made my way across Rathton Rd. and realized that it was commencement day....and there were many cones and campus security/rent a cop guys all over the roadway. I made it to the track though and was probably spared a ticket for parking in the faculty lot due to the fact that there were cars from near and far parked anywhere and everywhere for the graduation.

The track was harder than I remembered. Felt like road running only on a flatter surface. It was overcast and every once in a while some mist would fall from the sky. Truth be told - it felt freakin' amazing at about the 3 mile mark. It was sticky and humid and I felt every step. It was not an easy run by any means. I don't know if I had psyched myself out or the jump from 4 to 5 miles is supposed to suck that bad, but when it was over, I was happy....and sore.

This week the rain has thus far kept me sidelined (which is ok - since I'm still recovering), if all goes as planned though, I'll be back at the track tomorrow morning. I'll say this in advance, however,  at this point  I'm making NO promises for Aruba, this girl needs some R & R!

Out & Back Weekend - Philadelphia, PA



New Gear pre-race at the no-tel, motel, Holiday Inn

What a weekend!
I apologize for the delay in the post-run blog post, but I feel like I'm only just beginning to recover!
I need to clarify, the race wasn't bad - but you combine the 3-4 miles walking around downtown Philly prior to the run, then the race, then the after party, then the after-after party @ Geno's, then an up early road trip to AC followed by a late dinner @ Cuba Libre, another mile walk to Max Brenner for sinful deliciousness, up early for departure after a stop @ Honey's Sit & Eat (HIGHLY recommend), the drive home, the unpacking, laundry, whew!
This crew can pack a weekend, fo sho.

Friday the 29th was perfect road trip weather. We were in Philadelphia in a matter of hours. This girl got to sleep in and catch the highlights of the Royal hubbub before we departed York. We made it to the hotel a couple of hours before the Killian's (which would later prove problematic), had lunch, got changed and hit the city. A perfect Spring afternoon with only a few sprinkles threatening the cool, sunny, race conditions. I felt really good - well rested, calm, cool, relaxed. I felt that even if I began to tire during the run that I could convince myself to keep going because I KNEW that I could and had already run this distance several times.



Officially Official - yes I'm running, yes I want to be timed!



After my run in at the Under Armour outlet with the sales guy clarifying that the running gear that I was shopping for was actually for me I had convinced myself that I was just being "sensitive". The lady at the race day registration table was way more offending, however. Shawn had decided that in order to partake in the after party awesomeness he would buy a race day bib, get the bracelet and watch from the sidelines. I had already picked up my goods and met him at the registration table when the lady taking his payment looked at me and asked if I was running. I said yes. She then asked if I knew that I was being timed (my bib was different than Shawn's). I again replied, yes. She said "oh". If there was any doubt that I was being "sensitive" at that point, that theory went out the window...especially since the hubby could now corroborate the story. Sheesh! Shawn & I decided that at that moment the best thing that we (meaning I of course) could do was prove them wrong. Which I did.



Michele & I pre-race

I ran the whole four miles, and I wasn't dragging, dying, gasping or anything - well not that I could hear over my blaring music, anyway. Michele and an old friend from high school had passed me on my way "out" and their way "back" and both commented how comfortable and relaxed I looked. I felt that way too! I felt super official when I grabbed a cup of water, took a sip, and threw it down on the ground at the turnaround - you know, how they do on TV?! Michele finished in under 39 minutes then ran back to join me in my last 1/2 mile - super nice of her, especially since we royally pissed them off by leaving the hotel and wandering aimlessly around Ben Franklin Pkwy pre-race. She reminded me to keep my head up, which would help with my breathing. plus "you want to look ahead at where you are going, not back to where you been". I do love that crazy lady and look forward to cheering her on at the Marine Corps Marathon this October.

My adorable hubby was waiting, waiving, and carrying on when I crested the final & only hill at the end of the race (so cruel that they do that), I knew that I was ahead of my best time thanks to my RunKeeper app and I knew that I must have been doing really well for him to be so excited and encouraging. I crossed the finish line in 52:19. That's over two minutes that I knocked off my previous "best" four miles. It was a great feeling! You know what else was a great feeling? Beer bubbles tickling my throat at the Lemon Hill Mansion afterwards! It's still a long way to 13.1...
PS - I'm down 8 lbs even AFTER last weekend!

At the finish line...my face matching the color of my shirt!