Rocked the Rock n' Roll

Another one under our belts! Three years ago, for my first half marathon, I wasn't sure if I'd ever convince myself to do one again. But somewhere along the way, I got hit by the crazy stick and signed up for a full marathon. While I'd like to run another full sometime in my lifetime, I've realized that half marathons are a little more reasonable for everyday life - less of a time commitment and fewer sacrifices.

For this half - life got in the way (I'll blame it on this) and my training suffered a bit, but I didn't let it stress me out too much and got in runs when I could. I thought this would bite me in the butt at about mile 8, but boy was I wrong. We surprised ourselves with a solid run! Even sprinting up the last hill to cross the finish line. Sure, it wasn't my best time, but better than the Skagit Flats, for sure.

So my lessons learned: Don't stress yourself out if you don't get in a few of your weekday runs. Two hours of pain is worth feeling proud of your performance. A 13.1 mile piggy back from Maddie works wonders :)

Dash & Dine

To make running a little more fun, Maddie, Autumn and I sometimes plan something fun after a run - it makes us look forward to it a bit more. Last night, we decided to dash and dine. Go for a quick run along Lake Union, then warm up with some tomato soup and a sammie.

So if a runner's high isn't enough for you, you should try a turkey and prosciutto sandwich with white cheddar, arugula and lemon mayo. I guarantee you'll want to go running every night. 

Thanks for dinner, Mads!

Putting my running shoes back on.

It's that time of year again: training time. My running buddies and I have committed to another half marathon in June, so I've been lacing up my shoes and hitting the pavement. I'm not to the point where I think, "wait, the run is already over?!" but I'm getting back into the groove and that's what matters. My perpetual runner's high is just around the corner (I hope!).

P.S. I'm a little nervous that I still have to do another marathon in the next year and a half. My list has already committed me to it!

P.P.S. Picture from the Leavenworth Half Marathon.

A Hand-in-Hand Tradition

This is how we finish all of our races. We're that cool. Even though it was tough, I can see the sense of accomplishment in those raised arms. Thanks to Stephanie for sharing!

Ok, this will be the last Skagit Flats race post, I promise.

Half Effort for a Half Marathon

Yes, we're half crazy for doing this race. We have always told ourselves that we run races for the training, not for the actual race. The fact that half marathons and marathons take months of sweat and sacrifice to get into shape and our bodies love us for it - that's what inspires us. The Skagit Flats Half Marathon, well, that's another story. We started off on a good note, prioritizing runs over the summer fun that would happen around us. Then four weeks prior to the race (the most critical weeks of training), we fell off the wagon. I think I did maybe 6 runs in that last stretch, sprinkled with some nights at the gym. So it appears that now we were racing for the shiny medal at the end, not the training.

Was the race painful? Let's just say it wasn't pleasant.
Was my time really that much worse than normal? Umm, yeah. A good 30 minutes slower.
Do I regret choosing summer fun over running? Heck no!
Am I proud of this race? You betcha, I am. I still ran 13.1 frickin' miles!

So the morale of the story: Train for races. Don't do early fall races because they take away from summer fun. And most importantly, always ensure that you have race fans - they will literally be a jolt of energy to get you across that far, far-away finish line. Thanks to my Mom, Dad, Joe, Stephanie and Greg for cheering us on!

Half marathon, you say?

These lovely ladies and I are running the Skagit Flats Half Marathon on Sunday. I'm not going to lie to you, our training efforts have been (much) less than perfect. We only missed one long training run, but the weekday runs have been fairly scarce. Yeah, sure, I went to the gym instead, but gliding on the elliptical still does not prepare you for 13.1 miles of pounding on the pavement.

But it's weird - when you have a few halfs and a full marathon under your belt, you begin to have this lackadaisical view on training. The warm summer evening picnics, happy hours with friends and even sailing adventures ALWAYS trump running.

So I'm ready for a little running hiatus, which will happen the moment I cross that finish line. Gym, yoga, hip hop? I'm excited for a change. Wish me luck!

(picture from SeaFair race in July)

They call them a six, but I'd call them a ten

Get it, Asics? A six? :) But really, my new Asics Gel-3030 running shoes are a 10! (It helps that I got them for 25% off too.)

Nearly two years ago, I bought these new running shoes. I loved them. Fast forward a half marathon, a full marathon, hundreds of training miles and a sprinkle of 5ks, my shoes were on their last leg (and perhaps a little stinky?). Since I was a little out of running shape when we first got back on the training bandwagon, I blamed every bad run on my, well, out-of-running-shapeness.

But now I realize that it may have also been due to the complete lack of support that my shoes had. I felt like every step forward created a jolt of pain in the ball of my foot and heel. While I really want to embrace this minimalist, barefoot running craze that everyone claims to say is "natural and the way humans were built", I think I am a product of evolution and like the support that running shoes provide. Plus, there's nothing natural about the concrete that we all run on anyway.

So, I caved and got a new pair of running shoes this weekend. And now I feel like I'm running on fluffy clouds of cotton candy that are laid upon a giant trampoline, making each stride a giant leap into the next! (That might be stretching it, but they are com-FY!)

Back in the groove of things

But I must admit, it hasn't been easy. The long runs feel long, even if they are half the length of my training runs last year. But, I guess that's why they call it training. Less than two months until my next half marathon!

via/Pinterest

Another marathon teaser

Someone I know - let's say his name rhymes with Moe - made me this rad sign for the marathon. Look familiar? Quite the artist if I do say so myself. (Although in looking at it now, it appears I'm having some major foot problems, but I still love it.)

Petes sure did run. And she's addicted to it. The Burke or Green Lake loop is already calling her name. Hal's post-marathon schedule is whispering sweet nothings into her ear.