The rest of January.

I left you hanging. I apologize. My husband went to Canada for a ski trip for TEN days, leaving me to solo parent our three girls. It went well, though. I got all of my runs in despite his absence. We welcomed him home with our two-year-old puking all night the first night, our 4-year-old the second night, and the 6-year-old for the next 4 days. Good times.

I did, in fact, end up doing my long run on January 12. (2 degrees with a -14 windchill. Wow.) I used Yaktrax for the first time, and they were wonderful. My calves burned like crazy on that run! We cut it back to 13.1 miles - I just didn't have the full 15 miles in me. My eyelashes were frozen and very beautiful. So proud that I got the run in outdoors - it gave me the appreciation of 20 degree weather that I didn't possess before. Special thanks to Coach Scott for not wimping out on me that morning.

Because I cut that run short, I accomplished my 2nd long run the next morning (equally cold) at the gym. 17 miles on the indoor track. 170 laps. Not bad at all, and I actually had quite a bit of fun doing it. (Surprise, surprise. Me, having fun?)

I had four runs on the treadmill while my husband was gone. I like to avoid the treadmill. It couldn't be avoided, and I learned to love it. It was a great tool to have and it allowed me to get done what I needed to get done while also not leaving my children at home by themselves. I'm such a good Mommy...

25 miles were on schedule for Saturday, January 22. Coach Scott and his wife (Jenn, who is also a dear friend of mine) stayed at my house on Friday night, along with their son. Jenn was on kid duty Saturday morning starting at 5am, and Coach Scott and I accomplished our 25 miles. (My 2nd long run on Sunday was very short, and only called for 5 miles. Yahoo!)  Thank you, Jenn and Scott!

Normal miles this week, though I did run on Friday (my usual rest day). It was 70 degrees in Kansas! Saturday called for 10 miles. It was hot and I had no water. I had good company in the Fair Weather Runner, The Running Lawyer, Shelley, and Aaron. Sunday's run was back to being freaking cold, and Jenn and I got our 20 miles in (fine. Technically 20.5 - I never round up). Our friend Lauren joined us for 10 miles, and it was her first double-digit day! So fun!

Very exciting tidbit: January was my very first 200 mile month. And it has been a year since I started running! I'm so happy and thankful. Such an awesome thing we're all able to do. I couldn't have done it without the help and support of my husband, my three little girls, Coach Scott, and each and every one of my running buddies. I'm thankful for their support and love!

February is starting off cold. And windy. And snowy. Today I'll be on the treadmill, probably tomorrow and Thursday on the treadmill as well. This weekend I've got 25 Saturday and 20 Sunday...no way am I staying on the treadmill for those runs!

Have a fantastic week.

Ultra Training, so far.

I am a psycho planner. I asked Coach Scott to plan out all of my weekend runs from now through the Heartland 100...in October. He reluctantly agreed, but made me promise to adjust as necessary, and to take it one month at a time. Since some of you asked about my training, here's a look.

So far, so good in January:

1st/2nd - 15/10
8th/9th - 20/10

During the week, I runTuesday (4-5 miles), Wednesday (in January 6 miles, building back to 10 miles starting in February), and Thursday (4-6 miles).

The plan includes strength training on Monday and Wednesday.

I'm really feeling pretty great. The 20 miles on Saturday went well, minus me keeping hydrated. The 10 miles yesterday was done in the hills of the Heartland 100 course. (It is really nice to have the course relatively close - about an hour away.) I took my new Saucony trail shoes for a spin at the Heartland course, and really liked them. Bonus: the price was quite awesome as far as running shoes go.

Driving home from Heartland. Cows blocked the course.
Notice the look of terror in my Coach's eyes in the rearview mirror.
The cows know he eats their kind...

I was sore yesterday, but I am feeling great today. This week my schedule is a little off, as I'm moving my Saturday/Sunday runs to Wednesday (15) and Thursday (15). Wednesday's low is -3 degrees. Without windchill. Brrrr.

All in all, everything is going really, really well. Hope you enjoy a wonderful (and warm) week!

2011: Here I come!

I started this blog on January 22, 2010.  I was training for my very first (and only) marathon and raising money for Team in Training. I had never run more than 7 miles...and that was 10 years prior. I named the blog "More than a Marathon" to honor the fact that my first marathon meant more to me than running it as a goal for myself (marathon before age 30). I had other goals happening with Team in Training at the same time. And that I was doing it in Clayton's honor.

I started reading blogs. I noticed all of these 'Tall Mom 1000+' logos. "Wow. There are a lot of tall runners who blog!" I finally figured out that Tall Mom is a person, not a description of the stature of the runners in the club. And that the 1000+ is the number of miles they planned for 2010. "Crazy. All crazy. That is a ton of miles" I thought.

Fast forward to May 2010, where I had already planned 5 marathons before the end of the year...without having ever run my first. I finished off the year doing 6 marathons...in just under 6 months. And, without even meaning to, making it into Tall Mom's 1000+ club. So wild where I've gone in just a year! And the most exciting part of 2010...Clayton officially being cancer-free! It truly was a life changing year, in more ways than I ever thought possible.

That said, the fact that I'm a planner has not changed. I can't help it. I just am. Maybe I should consider "planning" to update my blog layout. I am pretty sure San Diego and Seattle are finished...

2011 has been planned:

February 26: Post Oak Challenge 25k Trail Run (Tulsa, OK)
February 27: Post Oak Challenge Full Marathon (Tulsa, OK)

March 20: A2A Marathon Full (Ardmore, OK)
March 27: Rock 'n Roll Dallas 1/2 Marathon (Dallas, TX)

April 3: Brew to Brew 44 Mile Ultra (Kansas City to Lawrence, KS)

May 1: BMO Vancouver Full (Vancouver, BC) With Team in Training! Yay!

June 4: Hospital Hill 1/2 Marathon (Kansas City, KS)
June 11: Marathon to Marathon Full (Storm Lake to Marathon, IA)
June 12: Swan Lake Marathon Full (Viborg, SD)

July 15: Lunar Trek 40 Mile Ultra (Scandia, KS)

August 20: Pike's Peak Ascent 1/2 Marathon (Colorado Springs, CO)

October: Heartland Spirit of the Prairie 100 Mile Ultra (Cassoday, KS)

That's right...2011 is the year of the Ultra. I am beyond excited. My training schedule is intimidating. I'll have multiple training runs where I run more than a marathon (foreshadowing, anyone, with the name of my blog? Who knew?!). With no medal at the end. I'll be back to the land of the mileage PR. I'm pumped. I miss those days of running where each step you take is another step into the unknown, and further than you've ever been. This will be fun. It's like an anniversary!

The training so far is a-ok. I'm getting comfortable logging miles on my own. I mostly don't want to run on my own for safety, but I'm realizing that I am capable of it. I did a solo 15 miles (slightly hungover) on New Year's Day...and realized that I am boring. I am so thankful to have a large group of people to run with most of the time. They're amazing. Given the number of miles I'll be logging the next 10 months, I am even more grateful for the fact that I have so much support from so many people. It is a very cool feeling. Warm fuzzies. Add to that the support I have from my husband (totally amazing) and my family and my non-running friends, and my Coach, and fellow bloggers...and I feel like the luckiest woman alive.

Here's to 2011!

Fun with Meb in Vegas.

Meb and I "completed the heart" together. Awwwww. He's a good sport. 

Vegas, Baby. (Race Report)

Oh, Vegas. I had been planning months in advance for this day. Not only was it the final event in meeting my goal of running my first 6 marathons in 6 months (and earning a second star in the Marathon Maniacs), I was also aiming to crush my previous PR of 4:36:something. Forget a little PR, I wanted a 4:15.

The week leading up to Vegas, I panicked about having to use a port-a-potty during the run. I decided that Coach Scott (my pacer) needed to know I couldn't run a 4:15 pace. I needed some padding. He suggested 4:10 pace. Then I was silly and decided that I wanted in the single-digits, and that I wouldn't be happy with a PR unless it was below 4:10. I plugged in a 4:07:30 on the McMillan Running Calculator, and it showed a 9:27 pace. I knew it was a sign, as Coach Scott had just killed his 100 miler at a 9:27 pace. He disagreed, and told me I was stupid. (This is normal behavior. No harm done.)

The morning was beautiful. We stayed at Mandalay Bay, which was totally awesome. So nice to be right where the race started and finished. Good call on our part.

My Scott, myself, Coach Scott, and Jenn

Because I was actually trying to run at a faster pace than normal, I was not allowed to take pictures during the race. So sad. However, my friend Nickki was along and running the 1/2 with My Scott, and she was able to get some good pictures.

Having fun! 

We got in trouble for running and holding hands.
Apparently our pacer doesn't find that behavior
 to be conducive to running a PR.

Everything was great the first 1/2. Running in Vegas is very fun! I couldn't believe how quickly you can get down the strip when you're not in a cab and/or walking on a sidewalk full of people. There was, however, a lot of dodging in and out of people. We definitely needed to be in a different corral. It was exhausting.

The 1/2 marathon spilt at around 12 miles, and Coach Scott, Jenn and I continued on in our journey. Coach Scott was happy to hear that I wasn't as thrilled with marathoning as usual given my quicker pace. I stuck with Coach Scott and Jenn until around mile 14. I was having a hard time keeping pace, and I was getting concerned about needing to pee, so I went ahead. It was depressing. After I left them, I regretted it. I was lonely! Also, Coach Scott was less like a pacer and more like a butler. He was so nice (for once) and told us he'd get whatever we needed at water stops*, etc. It was very nice. I was missing that service he provided, too. He was totally awesome.

*Side note - I did not have my water bottle. I always carry my water bottle. I made a last minute decision that I did not need the bottle, given the number of water stops along the way. Stupid. At three water stops in a row, I did not get nearly enough fluid. Not good. Another difference this time around was not having my electrolyte tabs taped onto my gels. In fact, I didn't even plan to take any. I think I got two down, and gave up because it was too much of a pain to take them. Also not good. 

My spirits lifted when I saw Tall Mom and Amanda on one of the out-and-back sections. (The entire second half of the race was pretty much nothing but a series of out-and-back sections. It felt like it, anyway.) Just seeing familiar faces was just what I needed. So happy! Then I got sad again because I knew I'd never catch up with them. So lonely. I never ever thought I'd feel lonely in a marathon. Ever. For some reason, I really did in Vegas.

I can't remember what mile it was, but an angel came into my life in the form of a runner. She was keeping right with me, so I decided I'd make a new friend. Her name was Ann, from Portland. She was in town doing her very first marathon with several friends. She was coming back from an injury - she broke her back! She told me it was nearly the 1 year anniversary. We connected over how cool this marathon was for both of us - big goals on both ends. And, I looooooove first time marathoners. Love. It takes me back to my first, and that was such a special day.

At one point, I have no idea where, we did end up catching up to Tall Mom and Amanda. Seeing them again was fabulous. I remember Tall Mom saying "Nice ass!" to me. In response, I spanked myself for her. As if I could go an entire marathon without doing something silly.

We were keeping a pretty good clip. Around mile 22, I remember looking down at my legs...thought it through, and didn't know how on earth I could keep running for another 40 minutes. Or 45 if the wheels really started falling off the bus. Then I looked at Ann, and got myself together, and just kept going. I wasn't happy about it. My legs were tired. The out-and-back sections were getting to me, as everyone I saw were miles ahead. I believe it was my first time "hitting the wall" - sort of awesome experience, as I thought it was a big fallacy that people were over-dramatic about. Now I know it exists, and I get it, and can appreciate it.

I made a decision to take another gel at mile 24 (I had been taking them every 5 miles). Best idea ever. 20 minutes of running didn't seem so bad. My spirits lifted. I knew I was going to finish this bad boy, and meet all of my goals. The rest of the run was great! Finishing felt amazing.

Myself, and my Angel. Finished! 

And, I made that PR goal. My finishing time was 4:07:13. Sweet!

Coach Scott and Jenn were not far behind, and I met up with them for our official finishing picture. Jenn also crushed her previous PR. Way to go, Jenn!

I love running buddies.

My husband finished his first 1/2 Marathon - and is already signed up for another in March! I'm so glad he had Nickki to run with.

Way to go, My Scott and Nickki! 

All in all, it was a very fun day. Sadly, things went downhill afterward, and I started throwing up. So sick. Not fun. I felt bad enough that I wasn't sure how I'd ever do another marathon, as the thought of sucking down a gel ever again in my life wasn't anything I wanted to do. I'll spare you all the details, but I was hurting. Might have had something to do with my heart rate average for the marathon being 190. Or that I caught something. Or that I wasn't hydrated. Or not enough salt. Regardless, it wasn't fun. It took several days for me to feel better.

I am, however, better! And I have my entire next year + planned out. I'll spare you having to read any more...and I'll actually post a non-race report very soon. Thank you all for your support and kindness and love and encouragement. I DID IT!

RNR Denver Marathon (Recap)

Yes...Rock 'n Roll Denver was forever ago.

I've had a difficult time figuring out what exactly to say about Denver. My friends Michele, Eric #2 and I left late Friday night and drove overnight to get to Denver. Eric #2 needed to puke in Denver. Not cool.

We finally made it out of Denver once Eric #2 was feeling better. Our hotel was generously given to us, compliments of my awesome friends Desi and Ross - on account of Ross being a frequent gambler. The drive was an hour out of Denver, in Blackhawk, and it was absolutely gorgeous. Once we made it there, Michele and I showered (we arrived around 6am) and got ready for the day (note: no sleep whatsoever). Eric #2 opted to stay and sleep at the hotel, while Michele and I were determined to make the most of our time in Denver.

Nothing says "road trip" like a side of the road self-portrait!

We met up with a college buddy of mine for breakfast at a really awesome breakfast place. I cannot, for the life of me, remember the name...but I highly recommend whatever it was.

Double latte to make up for no sleep? Yes, please!

We made our way to the expo and fell in love with the area. We picked up our packets, checked out the gear, and walked around like zombies. The lack of sleep was starting to set in. However, we had a famous blogger sighting that perked us up for a bit! I believe her husband was tipsy while taking our photo...

Me,  Mrs. Shut Up and Run, and Michele

I don't really remember the rest of the afternoon. Eventually, we made our way back to Blackhawk, where we met up with Ross, Desi, Nickki, and Eric #2. Thankfully, Ross was afraid of me driving anymore (yay!) so we were able to ride back into Denver for dinner with everyone else. Of course finding a restaurant was chaos, but we eventually enjoyed our pre-marathon dinner. 

Eric #2, Me, Michele, Nickki, Desi

Race morning was so fun and exciting. Denver was marathon #5 for me, #2 for Michele, and Nickki, Desi, and Eric #2 were all first-timers. I had butterflies for them! That first one is just...so special.

Nickki's sister lived 3 blocks from the start (score!) so we had awesome parking, and a nice warm place to hang out before making our way to the start. And a clean bathroom! 

We had a billion "Go Green Team" and heard "Go Kansas!" over and over. The spectators in Denver were incredible. The course was very beautiful. I loved it. 

Here's where things get difficult to recap. Michele went from ok, to not ok at all. It ended with her in an ambulance around mile 15. We were all so worried, and it absolutely broke my heart to see my best running buddy not ok. Just awful. Still tough to think about. 

We were stopped around 20 minutes, and once we knew she was in good hands, we continued on our journey. The rest of the race was bittersweet, truly. There were good and wonderful moments. Absolutely. The first timers held it together so well. Desi and Nickki were both in pain, but carrying on. Eric #2 was doing great until about mile 21, where he started to get dehydrated, and to not look good. At once point we all agreed he would finish the marathon, but would go to the medic tent immediately afterward. 

Running, Running, Running

Sometimes, when you're running...you have to jump.

Happy to be near the end!

Group hug. 

Of course we held hands. Why wouldn't we? 

We wondered what happened with mile 23...it took forever. Turns out it was actually long, and everyone had their times adjusted a few days later. Official finishing time: 5:15:54

Such a bittersweet day. Still tough to think about. Awesome and awful, is all I can come up with. 

As an update, Michele met us at the end - and it was a huge relief to see her. Eric #2 wasn't ok at all, but  he has since recovered. Nickki and Desi are both doing well, and while they have some lingering pain, they're happy to be in the "marathon" club. 

Marathon #6 for me is in Las Vegas on Sunday. I'm very excited, and admittedly nervous, as well. I plan to get a big PR, and to enjoy the final race in my big goal of doing my first six marathons within six months. There's a blogger meet-up in the works, and I guarantee there will be pictures. Coach Scott will hopefully be up for pacing me, but something about running 100 miles in 15:46 a few weeks prior might cause an issue. My awesome friend Jennifer will be along as well, and she's aiming for a PR as well. My husband is running his first half-marathon, just a few months after his back surgery. Should be a fun weekend!

Have a great week! 

Prairie Fire Marathon (Race Report)

What a fun weekend! The Prairie Fire Wichita Marathon was a definite success, and I highly recommend it. Not terrible at all for its inaugural year - they did a great job. Even more fun was running it on 10/10/10.

The most important thing, first.  How cute is this picture? I was so thrilled to give Clayton my medal post-marathon. He deserved it!

Clayton and I.
He's done with treatment and Cancer-free! Awesome!

Saturday evening was the Team in Training Inspiration Dinner. It was a very fun evening, and nice time to bond with my fellow teammates.

My husband and I pre-Inspiration Dinner.

Sunday morning I met up with my friends. Most of them were doing the 1/2 marathon, in preparation for our full marathon in Denver. We chatted, took pictures, and generally enjoyed the excitement of the event. We were all able to run together for the first 5 miles, before the 1/2 marathoners split. They continued on and kicked butt on their training run (with a medal at the end).

Here is where the race recaps get difficult for me. So many fun things happened.

* I received a phone call at mile 5 from my awesome friend, the Fair Weather Runner. She was busting a move in Chicago, and we enjoyed running "together" for a little bit. (Congrats on your run, my darling!)

* A little boy rode up to us on his bike, stared us down, and said, "I could beat you like this." We all agreed that yes, he could beat us.

* Lacy said hello to me, even though she was booking it on for a sub-3:20 marathon! She's awesome.

* I got to see my husband and our three daughters three times during the race. He is super-Dad!

* My friend Jennifer almost ran through the biggest road kill I've ever seen. Nasty.

* Running through Cowtown. What an awesome place!

* "Officially" meeting a Facebook friend/local runner. During the race. It was awesome and hilarious - I'm so happy she had people cheering with a sign that had her name on it, or I totally would have missed out on making the connection.

* "The Guy With the Cowbell"  He was everywhere. We saw him no less than 8 times, and he was so encouraging and great every time. Even more awesome, I found out that he is the husband of my Facebook friend that I met on the course. Love it!

* Jumping. Lots and lots of jumping.

Why? I don't know. 

What can I say? Running gives me wings...

The course was awesome. The spectators were awesome. I genuinely felt great the entire time. I felt like I completed the marathon wisely, given that Denver was on the horizon one week later. Official time was 4:36:32 -  a PR by over 11 minutes. Not terrible. Average heart rate was still high (179 - down from 184 in Colorado Springs), but I'm just accepting that as part of my fate.

Post-race was a blast.

So thankful for Michele.
Best running buddy in the universe!

Nickki, Dane Rauschenberg and I.
We all enjoyed getting to know him - great guy.

Group shot.
(And, I am extremely short.)

The victory celebration with Team in Training was a good time, too. It was such a fun ending to a fun weekend. Even better, with all of the Facebook pictures floating around the celebration continued all week long. Just in time to get me ready to leave for Denver tonight for marathon #5!

About that race in Denver...I'm dedicating it to Rick. I was so saddened to hear of his death. He had been such a wonderful running blogger buddy, a constant source of support, and he was so excited for me and the training for my first marathons. I'm thankful to have connected with him, and I am wishing his family peace. He was such a great guy and friend to many.

Looking forward to bringing back lots of pictures and a great race report from Denver. Michele is running her second marathon, and my friends Eric, Desi, and Nickki are all on their very first. I have no doubts this weekend will be amazing.

Have a great weekend! Make sure to smile and be thankful for life.