Training plan & Toes

I have finally decided on the training plan that I am going to follow for the upcoming Portland Marathon. I wanted to step it up a bit since my leg held up well to my last training plan. I am a huge fan of any Hal Higdon plan, but Julie sent me a great plan that Sarah Bowen Shea of Run Like a Mother is doing. I was drawn to it because it is challenging, it fits my upcoming race schedule (she is doing the Eugene Women's half & has it written into the plan) & there is something fun about knowing that another local mom is out there pounding the pavement too. That said, I am going to follow it as closely as I can with my training happening during my husbands busiest travel time of the year. I am sure I will even have to do several runs on a treadmill. I am determined to get babysitters for my long runs and take my kids to the track with me for sprints. So, I followed it loosely last week and started today with a 90 minute hill run at Rocky Butte (suggestion courtesy of Sarah!) with Julie.


Julie & I at the top of Rocky Butte (thank you for our sweet hubbies who got up with the kiddos!)

So so far this week:
Tuesday: 5 miles on treadmill 43:06 - need to get the foot pod for my Garmin so I can know my ACTUAL pace on the treadmill.
Wednesday: 90 minutes = 10 miles about 3 being uphill at Rocky Butte - nice change of scenery!!

On to the TOES!! Oh my word - if you don't like yucky feet pictures then skip this part. I keep promising Julie that I will post pictures of my nasty blister after the Seattle Rock n' Roll Marathon. Here it is....



I knew something was a little sore on my foot when I was running - but I was in the zone and just forgot about it & then later is was a much less worry than my medic tent visit. By the time we got back to the hotel and my sweet husband had me lay down and he took off my shoes and socks - I told him to be careful because my toe was sore. The look on his face was pure fear and disgust, he said " I am not sure what it is but you have SOMETHING on your toe." It was so funny. It ended up getting bigger so we popped it later - so Gross and kind of fun if you are someone who kind of gets a thrill out of that sort of thing - I know - I am disturbed.

I also found that I have acquired lovely black toenail over the course of my training....


Oh the joys of running! I know, I know - I certainly do not have the cutest feet to start with - but this certainly doesn't help in the middle of summer! Was already in a half size bigger shoe - jumped up another half size to see if that helps. I will just have to keep getting pedicures - if I don't lose them as well. And black nails are SO last year - haha!!

Recovery & Reflection

It has been a bit since I have posted but I think I needed to let sort through everything about my marathon experience before I committed to how I was truly feeling. And I have had SO MANY thoughts about my marathon experience and have been so up & down about it that I figured I would spare you all - what my husband would call "Cybil" moments (remember the old movie about the woman with all the different personalities??). Anyway, to sound ridiculously cliche - ONWARD & UPWARD - LIVE & LEARN!!

The Seattle Rock n Roll may not be what I hoped to claim as my first marathon - but non-the-less - IT WAS! My focus has turned from the what went wrong to what went right. (Even though I think I am going to go to a sports medicine clinic to get some testing done on my sodium levels when I run so I can be better prepared - more about that another time).
I count myself blessed that I was able to complete 4 months of marathon training while shuttling my two kiddos to two different schools, being room mom, wife, sister, friend, daughter, - still managed to play with my kids, see some of my friends (though they were a little neglected - LOVE YOU), have time with my hubby (even if it was TIRED time) try a few new recipes, deliver a few meals for our church, be a part of a mom's group, go to family gatherings, wish I could claim keeping my house in stellar condition - but that would never be the case and so on.....
And most of all, through the training and through my not so dreamy finish (in the medic tent) - I was able to be an example to my kids. That you do your best and even when things do not turn out as we hoped - we don't give up. It is ok to shed some tears but we move on and look for the GOOD God has given us. My husband always says "that when things get hard is when we see who people really are". My sweet girl was walking behind me the other day with her friend and she said - "everyone has been talking about my mom's run - yeah - she runs a marathon!" She said it with such excitement and didn't add the "Well, I only got through 25 that I have been explaining to most".....in her mind - I did it & she is proud of what mommy did and so am I.
I do have to say that the first time I put my Garmin watch on after the race to go on a run and it said I still had 1.2 miles to complete my goal (it still being set for the marathon) - I had to cry a little ......a then I RAN!!
So ......
I have officially registered for the Portland Marathon 10-10-10 - here we come. It will be so fun to have a race in my home town & see my sweet kiddos faces at the finish line & even more family & friends than Seattle.
Hope to see some of you there - or even better - run with you there. Thank you to everyone for all of your support the last few weeks - I have felt truly loved and encouraged.