Damn.

Julie Says:

Week three was better, although it was a cutback. I felt that the runs were decent enough and the weather held up considering its February in Chicago. I tried desperately to find some Mojo in week four and I’m proud and ashamed to share that the best I felt was when I passed a guy on my mid-week long run, He looked about my age and was huffing down the street near my block. I chugged passed him at a decent enough pace, but I was by no means flying. I gloated to myself, and then felt bad. I should not belittle anyone’s running.
The long run at the end of the week perfectly spanned winter and spring. On the front half, I felt that I dressed too warm and though about ditching my jacket. . . until I passed the flagpoles south of Belmont Harbor. Those flags were straight and stressed in the wind and I realized then why the run felt easier than it should. When I turned around at 5.5 miles, the weather seemes to drop 15 degrees and I braced myself against a formidable wind all the way back home.
I foolishly wore a headband instead of a hat and could not shake a chill for the rest of the afternoon. Fortunately, I got over it. Lesson learned about a cold wind and beating sun. That sounds like the makings of a country song. . .

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Weak 2

Julie says:

So, week one of marathon training was essentially a wash, save my 9.5 mile long run on Saturday. I was feeling a bit out of it and decided to take it easy (i.e. not run) rather than sideline myself in the weeks to come.

This week, I put in a respectable mileage during the weekdays (coming up a bit short) and plowed through 10.4 (plan called for 9) today to make up for it. It felt pretty good. I took my iPod because I needed a distraction. This time of year, the lakefront is a bit sparce, though I’m not complaining! Hoards of training groups and rude racing cyclists are replaced by chill runners, the Boston bound, the peeps from Loyola, and cyclists that don’t wish me dead because I happen to be running with earphones (ones that let me hear you coming, thank you very much.)

I ran too fast for marathon training, but I’m not sorry for it. My last marathon was fantastic. Despite a chilly start, it ended up a perfect brisk fall day and I landed a PR. Since then, I’ve done little but the occasional 5 miler and a Hash or two (still no nickname.) I haven’t trained for a marathon in cool weather since 2006, when I got injured. Colder weather makes me want to go faster than I should. I need to emulate aforementioned “chill” runners.

 

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“This is how we do it” – Montell Jordan

Kevin Says:

If there’s anything I have a split opinion of in running it has to be speed work. I love the benefit, and I love the immediate feeling of being worked over when your finished. I hate the feeling about 5 minutes after you finish when you’re not quite sure if you’re exhausted or getting sick. I do it once per week, on Mondays, since Mondays suck anyway.

I did 25 minutes of speed work today. I started out doing 200 meter “sprints” uphill (about 8/10 on effort) and then walking into a gradual jog back to the starting line, then right back up. I did that for 10 minutes, then I did a 1.3 mile loop alternating street corners fast and slow. Slow was barely jogging, fast was about 5:00 per mile. Most of these sections were standard city block size, so I had to alternate often.

When I finished this workout I felt worse then when I did my nine miler on Saturday. 25 minutes of speed work was worse than 1:23:00 of standard, LSD. I get a badass runner’s high, unfortunately you don’t quite reach that doing speed work. Still, I will keep at it. Feb – May will bring a new surprise to people that know me, so stay tuned.

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Marathon Training Eve

Tomorrow marks the first “official” training day – which calls for an anti-climactic 3 mile run. By some miracle, this Chicago winter has been pretty mile and I’ve been able to get outdoors every now and again for a lakefront trot that doesn’t involve hopping through knee-high snowdrifts to actually reach the lakefront path or risk of frostbite. Today, I’m heading out for a few miles while the weather remains cooperative.

It seems fortuitous that training begins on the first day of the lunar new year. Gong Xi Fa Ca!

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Catching Up, Ramping Up

JULIE says:

When we last left our heroes, she and the brother completed the 2010 Chicago marathon. After a few weeks rest and some well deserved beers, she was back on her feet and ran the Hot Chocolate 15K in November just for giggles. The she was back scouring the internets for more races.
2011 brought with it new racing flats, some funky weather conditions, and PRs for 10mi, half-marathon, as well as a PR at the Marine Corps Marathon. Now its near time to start another training program and deffinately time to peel her holiday-sized butt off the couch and get the wheels greased up for go time.
This will be a second attempt at a spring marathon. The first failed miserably in 2006, as she ran with the Team in Training in the hope of getting through my first marathon. An IT band injury took her down three weeks before race day deferring the innagural race from Nashville to Chicago. Armed with a foam roller, thermal tights, and more experience, she hopes that Madison 2012 will be several shades of awesome.

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To Begin. . .

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Done & Done

JULIE says:

Over at last.

Given the hot weather, I’m glad I finished. Am I happy? Not really. I was very excited to run this year — that I would finally get to run a marathon day in decent weather and prove I can finish according to my training.

I know that unpredictability is part of the experience. However, having run in unseasonably hot weather in 2007 & 2008, I really wanted this year to be different. I didn’t want to take walk breaks. I didn’t want to stop 1/2 a dozen times for bathroom breaks and water bottle refills.

In that heat, I did need to slow down like it or not. I started feeling nauseous near 35th St. I pulled over and put my hands on my knees. A few minutes later, I got back on the course and ran over the bridge. And then needed another walk break and thought about continuing on. And about quitting.

Would I pass out? Would I be fine? Should I try running some more? What if I just stopped? What difference would it make? Who really cares if I finish? I’m probably over five hours anyway. That’s craziness. I spent months training. I have three miles to go. I didn’t come this far to give up. F’ it! I’m finishing this damn thing. More water on head, please!

Chicago 2010: 4:50:01

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