Today, we celebrate Earth Day, but really every day should be treated like it’s Earth Day. Thinking about your carbon footprint shouldn’t just happen one day. Instead, do something every day to help keep the planet beautiful.
However, this Music Monday post is more than a friendly reminder to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Today is also one week after the Boston Marathon bombing. My friends, Andrea and Marcia, were only a half mile from the finish line when the explosion ignited last week. Their friends and family anxiously watched Facebook feeds for updates and prayed for their safety. As the world watched the events unfold, we learned that the Boston Marathon came to a halt as did their dream of crossing the finish. Our hearts ached for them, but we were grateful for the safety of our all-star athlete friends.
Marcia and Andrea have vowed to return to Boston next year and they have the entire running community behind them. Some of our other mutual running friends are determined to qualify for next year’s marathon. Others, like me, have made Boston Marathon a goal, even if it takes a lifetime to get there.
Several people have asked me if what happened in Boston changes things for me. Yes, it changes everything. I will run even harder. Prior to last Monday’s events, I would have never thought about trying to qualify for Boston, but now it’s on my running bucket list. What happened at Boston won’t stop me from applying for the New York City Marathon for the third year in a row this Thursday. I can’t live my life in fear.
And so, I dare you. I dare you to move for Boston. Don’t say, “I can’t run. I’m not a runner”. Just get out there and try. Start small. Run a block and then walk. Pick a loop in your neighborhood and run. Aim for 3 times a week and build up your endurance. Eventually, you will find yourself walking less and less. That’s exactly how I started 6 years ago.
Be strong. Be Boston Strong. Run Boston strong.
I dare you to move.
And pick up some litter while you’re at it.
For Music Mondays, I’m now teaming up with my good friend and fellow Marathon Mama, Chrissy.
When I wrote my Clearwater Marathon Recap, I had originally omitted this section of the story. It was a funny little anecdote, but not essential to the retelling of the events that helped me make it to the finish line.
During last Sunday’s Clearwater Marathon, a fellow lady marathoner continued to drop a clip-on pouch throughout the course. Along the way, random runners would pick it up and return it to her. When my running partners (Larisa, Chrissy, Marie) and I ran past it once more, I volunteered to be the one to return it to her this time. After all, I was just trying to do good in the ‘hood and put good runner karma out there in the universe, ya know. I clipped the pouch to my fuel belt and proceeded to carry it for about 15 miles throughout the race, but we never crossed paths again.
Once I crossed the finish line, received my medal, hugged my friends, cried and collected my thoughts, they noticed I still had the pouch clipped to my fuel belt. I scanned the post-race party to find the random runner missing her compact running pouch. Then, a cloud of guilt loomed over me during the post-race celebration moment. Sadly, I never found her. I would never be the hero heroine that saved the marathon by reuniting a fellow runner with her lost item.
I felt terrible that I never saw her again to return the pouch to her. Later that evening at home, I decided to find out what was in this woman’s pouch. What precious cargo did I carry for another runner? Lip balm? A driver’s license? Money? As I unzipped the little black pouch and peeked at its contents, I begin to laugh hysterically.
I carried FOUR TAMPONS for a total stranger.
On the upside, all four of us would have been protected had Aunt Flo arrived on the scene. That’s me. I’m ALWAYS trying to find the positive side to feminine products.
Simply striving to qualify for Bronze Level Marathon Maniacs, Chrissy, Larisa, Marie and I had no real strategy or finish time in mind for the Clearwater Marathon. After completing the Disney Marathon a week earlier, we anticipated taking many walking breaks throughout the course. With three large bridges in the first half of the course, we already planned to walk those.
At the start, the four of us all felt pretty good and no one was sore from last week’s marathon. We started out slow and around mile one, we began our trek across the Clearwater Causeway (the first bridge) into Clearwater Beach. We ran slowly over the incline and considered walking down, but we all felt as though we could run, so we kept a slow 10:30 pace down the bridge.
Around mile 3, we stopped for a stretching break since our legs were all nicely warmed up and then walked through the first water stop. After a few photos and a quick restroom break, everyone felt refreshed enough to continue running through Clearwater Beach.
Then, we reached the Sandy Key Bridge and it was time for another forced walking break.
View of Clearwater Causeway from Sand Key Bridge
Once we reached the bottom of the bridge, we started running again, especially since we knew our Suncoast Striders family would be cheering for us outside Sand Key Park. As we approached the 4.5 water station, Maribel and Daffodil cheered the loudest. Obviously, we stopped for drinks, orange slices and a few photos.
To our surprise, our friend, Carrie, ran with us through Sand Key Park. It was so much fun to catch up with her for that quick mile through the park.
Back at the entrance, the Striders cheered and hollered for us once more. With close to 60 people managing one water station, the Strider power and energy was invigorating. It was just what we needed for the next nine miles along Gulf Boulevard.
Those were the longest nine miles ever. Apart for the water stations, we didn’t see a soul for miles. No spectators. No cowbells (and I gotta have more cowbell). Nothing. Despite being surrounded by beautiful beach condos and gorgeous homes, not one beach dweller cheered for us. It was just the four of us and thank God we had each other to get through it.
Unfortunately, this was the point that my Achilles began to ache and I started to fall behind from my friends. I needed to stay right at 10:30 mm to avoid any pain.
At mile 10, we met the Largo United Soccer League. Next to the Striders, this was my favorite water stop. These girls lifted our spirits with an impromptu performance of You’re Gonna MissMe by Lulu and the Lampshades. I honestly wanted to hang out with them a little longer just to learn their cup rhythm. Instead, the tune played over and over in my head for the next 16.2 miles.
Eventually, we caught up with our Strider friends Cindy and Clark. Cindy.was running her first marathon at 60 years young.
Just past the halfway point, we turned onto Park Boulevard (the third bridge) for our return journey along the Pinellas Trail. We remembered this bridge all too well from the Holiday Halfathon. We walked it then too. Funny, it was gray and yucky that day too.
At mile 15, I took a quick potty break and realized my knees were beginning to hurt so I took three ibuprofen. Larisa waited for me outside the bathroom and we ran together for a bit until we caught up with Marie and Chrissy at the base of the first Pinellas Trail overpass, which we all walked.
See, although there are only 3 bridges along the said “flat” course, there also three trail overpass which as are just as difficult to run over as the previous bridges.
Mile 16 wound us through the same park we ran through for the Holiday Half. We were rewarded for our efforts with water posing as beer.
Around this point, I was really struggling with pain. Although I expected to experience Charley horses or issues with my heels, I was feeling pain in my knees. To avoid any further pain, I now needed to slow down my pace to around 11:00-12:00 which caused me to fall even further behind from my friends. As long as I could see them, I was fine.
Around mile 20, I caught up to my friends at the water station just as Daffodil phoned me to get a full race report and our anticipated finish time. “I’m in a lot of pain,” I reported. “But we should finish in about an hour.”
To everyone’s surprise, Chrissy and Marie informed us at mile 20 that they’d like to PR. “I can’t do it,” I reply. “But you should definitely go for it!” With that, Chrissy, Marie and Larisa take off to PR the marathon.
For the next two miles, I was in a really ugly place in my head. What was I thinking?! Why am I doing this?! We were supposed to stay together! I hate these stupid Clearwater races and their dumb ass bridges! Why is Land O Lakes so flat? Why am I the only in pain?
Those are some of the PG-rated thoughts that boomed through my head. I found myself walking more than before and I cussed every overpass. I really hated myself and my legs for hurting so much. I hated the long stretches along the trail. A few random cyclists passed me and I felt very alone for the next couple of miles. If it wasn’t for the water stations and the police manning the intersections, I don’t think I would have seen anyone. Flashbacks of Space Coast flooded my mind.
At the base of the third overpass, I reached mile 22. I stopped for another potty break. (I was drinking a lot of Gatorade and water throughout the race.) I took three more ibuprofen. It was time to focus. I needed to shake the horrible thoughts happening in my head and finish the race. “C’mon there’s only four more miles. That’s nothing. You got this!”
Although I ran around an 11:00 mm, those were probably my strongest miles. Somehow, I overcame the mental and physical hurdles and I felt great again. Maybe it was all the ibuprofen (I’m sure my liver is failing and I need dialysis.), but for whatever reason, my whole outlook changed. I then began to catch up to other runners.
At mile 25, I wouldn’t allow myself to hit that same wall I faced at Disney. I clicked through my MP3 player for the right tunes to help me finish the race. “Pitbull, take me home!” I hollered. “Don’t stop the paaaarrrty!”
The next mile led us through a gorgeous residential neighborhood. Thank goodness for the orange cones which I followed like breadcrumbs, because I’m sure I would have been lost with all the turns.
The last 0.25 mile of the race was the most ridiculous. As much as I wanted to be finished, I stopped to take a photo of this part of the course: a spiral pedestrian path leading back to Coachman Park. I thought my ankles would snap.
At the bottom of the spiral path, I was so disoriented and confused. I didn’t know which way to go. Once again, the orange cones showed me the way.
As I approached the finish line, my friends ran to my side and the Marathon Mamas ran across the finish line with me.
Of course, I cried.
I did it.
Division Place 24/31
Overall Place 244/282
Gun Time 5:35:25
Chip Time 5:34:42
Half Split 2:46:45
Ave Pace 12:48
We did it. These crazy-ass determined Marathon Mamas earned a spot in the Marathon Maniacs without crawling across the finish line and lived to tell about it.
As for Chrissy and Marie, they beat their Disney time by nine minutes. First-time marathoner, Cindy, finished strong too and we were all there to cheer for her.
At the post-race party in the park, we celebrated two marathons in one week and still walking with ice cold beer (not water posing as beer).
*Big THANK YOU to my friends, David, Aaron and Larisa, for sharing their wonderful photos with me!*
When you spend long hours together for eighteen Saturdays in a row, you learn a lot about your running partners; probably more than you care to know. (I’ll leave you to speculate on that.) In attempt to keep it classy, these are some of the valuable lessons I learned from my small running group.
Marie shared how to make a marriage last for over 26 years.
Larisa gave me the gift of regular ol’ gummy bears, which make FABULOUS running fuel.
Chrissy taught me how to find balance and to stay strong.
Maribel showed me how to find laughter in even the most mundane things, although that’s not really a stretch for me. Actually, I learned that there IS someone out there with the same sense of humor as me.
Daffodil taught me how to see the positive side to everything. Daffodil radiates beauty, much like her flower namesake. She demonstrated to us how to be better people and even better athletes.
Not only did Daffodil order our Sandy Hook bibs, but she went another step farther by making 26 hearts for each of Sand Hook victims and dropped one at each mile marker in the Disney Marathon. She shared that journey with a video of those “26.2 Magical Miles for 26 Courageous Lives” and I would love to share her creation with you.
The song is Hall of Fame by The Script. When we heard this song at the mile 7 water station, we knew Daffodil was sending her beautiful, positive energy our way.
Yes, Larisa, Marie, Chrissy and I went the distance. Although Chrissy and Marie PR’d, I wasn’t necessarily going for speed and a few times, I was alone, alone in my time of need, but I crossed the finish line with my running group by my side and by completing two marathons within 7 days, we earned a spot in the Marathon Maniacs.
Throughout this Marathon Maniac journey, these ladies taught me that anything is possible when you surround yourself with crazy, beautiful, funny, strong, life-loving women.
Stay tuned for a full race recap! In the meantime, link up and share the music that moves you. What tunes help you go the distance?
Honestly, I went into the Disney Marathon with no expectations other than just finishing it and trying to keep up with my running partners. I anticipated finishing somewhere around 6 hours like I did 4 years ago and if I could beat that time, than that would be just mouserific.
First, I had to change corrals. I’m not sure how or why but I was placed in Corral G when all my running partners (Marie, Daffodil, Chrissy, Larisa and Maribel) had been placed in Corral C. Rumor had it that participants could move corrals easily if they brought documentation with previous race times to make the change.
Even with a printout of my Gasparilla marathon, I was told that I needed a 4:15 or better or a half time of 2:06 for Corral C. In a bit of a panic, I searched my blog for race times, but I was instructed to visit the computer kiosk for an official printout. Not exactly the stress I wanted to deal with before a race, but I located a satisfactory time and printed it so that the corral correction could be made. Thank goodness! Now, I could start the race with my running partners!
The night before the race, we carb loaded with pasta at the cafeteria in the All Stars Music Resort. I also prepared for the race by wearing my Features! PF sleeves to bed and popping three ibuprofen to prevent any swelling. In the morning, I took three more ibuprofen.
As with any Disney race, the attire is critical. There are certain races you dress in costume for and costumes are a must for any Disney race. My girlfriends and I decided to wear the red mini dot athletic skirt form Running Skirts and black Zensah compression socks. The extra large pockets in my Running Skirt held my two mocha Cliff Shots, gummy bears, MP3 player and lip balm. My black Gracie Gear pocket tank held my phone. Our running partner, Daffodil, had also ordered bibs for us that benefited the victims of Sandy Hook.
Since Disney races are a first class operation, no fuel belt is ever necessary. There are water stations every couple of miles and first aid stations just as frequent. With the weather unusually and expectedly warm for January in Florida, we took advantage of every water station. I drank water and Powerade at every stop, though I rarely ever drink Powerade or Gatorade during my training runs. I also found myself needing more Vaseline than usual to prevent chaffing from all the sweat.
This year, the race officials changed the course. Instead of running the usual overpasses or “Disney hills” as I like to call them, we ran through the Walt Disney Speedway and Wide World of Sports. The slant of the race track added a bit of stress on my knees and ankles, so Chrissy and I slowed our pace, stopped for a few photos and even walked some of it.
The change of terrain in the Wide World of Sports challenged our tired legs. As we ran along sidewalks and loose gravel in the baseball field, we slowed our pace once again.
I actually liked the course changes, except that we entered the Magic Kingdom before sunrise. Of course, a gorgeous glowing castle is more aesthetically pleasing and the dark morning sky offered a beautiful backdrop to Cinderella’s twinkling castle, but it didn’t make for the best light for photographs.
Chrissy and I also stopped for our first potty break in Tomorrowland. The bathroom was hot, but at least there was running water and a mirror to check and adjust our Minnie attire.
Though our photos may say otherwise, Chrissy and I made very few stops for photos. In previous Disney races, I made numerous stops because I didn’t want miss any photo opportunities (Unofficial Goofy and Princess Half). This time, we agreed to just stop for the big things, like the landmarks in each park.
Around mile 15, I hit a small mental wall, but I managed to shake it off easily. During my Space Coast Marathon in 2011, my plantar fasciitis began to bother me at mile 15. This time, I wouldn’t allow my mind to start thinking about the pain that could happen because I felt great! Though, just as a precaution, I decided to take two Tylenol at the first aid station. I also popped a few more Tylenol at the next couple of stations.
Around mile 20, Chrissy and I spotted the 5:00 pace group and we felt pretty good about our progress. We even caught up with Marie a few times. Only another hour left to go! However, that last hour was definitely toughest and the hottest. My calves began to spasm with Charlie horses, but thankfully my Zensah compression sleeves kept me from collapsing.
Though most of the last miles are a blur, Chrissy and I kept trotting on along through the heat. The spectators’ signs kept our spirits up and we even chuckled at a few of them to forget about what we were doing. “Is that a Cliff Shot in your pocket or are you happy to see me?” “Go random, stranger! Go!”
Many of the spectators were guests waiting to start their Disney magic and park exploration. Instead, they happily cheered for us along the sidelines.
Throughout the course, other runners congratulated Chrissy and I on our efforts. At first, I thought everyone was being so kind and supportive, but I had forgotten about the Sandy Hook bibs on our backs. We were simply running “26.2 magical miles for 26 courageous lives”. I learned after the race that Daffodil dropped a heart labeled with a victim’s name at each mile marker.
Chrissy and I entered Epcot with only a mile left to go and then, I hit my wall. I couldn’t run anymore and pools of tears filled my eyes. Between the heat and the smell of coffee and funnel cake in Epcot, I lost my mojo and I thought I would vomit. I needed to pull it together to finish.
We walked most of the World Showcase and picked up the pace once we reached the bridge past Mexico. Then, we stopped for one last photo in front of Spaceship Earth and ran the last quarter mile as hard as we could. We were ready to be finished.
Chrissy and I crossed the finish line together (her first and my fourth).
Bib Number 12458
Overall Place 9917/20679
Div Place 700/1740
Gender Place 4146/10618
5 Mile Split 55:32
10 Mile Split 1:59:26
Half Split 2:36:14
20 Mile Split 4:09:00
Clock Time 5:48:44
Chip Time 5:31:46
Despite being my fourth, I’ve never crossed the finish line of a marathon with a friend by my side. I will always treasure sharing that moment with Chrissy. No matter the marathon, I often become emotional once crossing the finish line and this race was no exception. A wave of emotion overtook me, but I held back the tears until a Mickey medal was placed around my neck. Then, I cried five and half hours worth of tears.
We did it. Every step of the way, we have been there for each other and we finished the journey together.
But that journey could never have been completed without the wonderful support of our families and especially our cheerleaders, Tanya and Faith. Thank you for chaperoning us and driving our tired legs all over town! xox
I did it. I ran the Disney Marathon and I redeemed my Space Coast time. I even redeemed my original Disney Marathon time from 4 years ago. I didn’t expect to beat my previous Disney Marathon time, but I did. Had the weather been in my favor, I may have finished closer to my Gasparilla time, but there’s always another marathon, like this Sunday.
That’s right. I’m running another marathon a week later although running might not be the best term. I may be crawling through these 26.2 miles.
Since I am putting so much stress on body in such short amount of time, I will be mostly resting this week, except for walking the track while assisting at my kids’ running club. No cardio or anything high-impact for me, just lots of stretching and sporting my new compression sleeves.
I wore these Zensah sleeves during the marathon (which I purchased at Suncoast Running) and they ROCKED. Around mile 20 I experienced some charley horses. The sleeves prevented my calves from spasms which normally cause me to stumble or fall over. I will definitely wear them again this Sunday.
As for the rest of my attire, I’m not really sure what I’ll wear for Sunday’s marathon. The weather has been all over the thermometer this winter. It’s been a very warm winter so far and it looks like this Sunday will be another warm day.
Here’s something pretty cool. Run DMT was selected as one of the Top 100 Health and Fitness Sites for 2013! But I need your votes to stay in the top ten! So, vote for Run DMT!
And while we’re spreading the love, I have to give a big THANK YOU to Skirt Fairy of Running Skirts for holding a Mini Dot Athletic Skirt at the Disney Expo for me. Thanks to her accommodating me, I was able to save on shipping, try the skirt on for the right fit and have it for the race the next day.
I know what you’re thinking, “You’re not supposed to wear anything new for a race. That’s a beginner’s mistake.” Well, you’re not supposed to do marathon a week apart either, but that’s how I roll. I’m a mother runner living on the edge. I throw caution, running skirts and compression sleeves into the wind.
After a marathon, I always experience pain in the weirdest places. I mean, I have the usual pain in my quads, my Achilles and my knees, but now, I can add a pulled muscle in my neck to the unusual post-marathon pains. Amazingly enough, I have no plantar fasciitis pain! (Thanks to my Feetures! PF sleeves no doubt!) A friend recommended a massage. I think that is a great idea. Walking up and down the stairs is killing me, but today seems less painful than yesterday.
I know you are anxiously waiting for my recap and you can expect that tomorrow. So, stay tuned!
Did you race this weekend? What races are in your near future? Are you resting this week or are you sprinting? Link up and tell Meghan of runMeganrun and me all about your running adventures, speedwork and workouts.
Chrissy and I finished the Disney Marathon under 6 hours (5:31:46).
It was brutally hot and the last mile was the worst. I hit my wall at mile 25, but I wiped away the tears and pushed through it. Of course, not before we stopped for one last photo in front of Spaceship Earth with only a quarter mile left to run.
We started this journey together and we finished together.
And we’ll do it all again next Sunday at the Clear water Marathon to join the ranks of Marathon Maniacs.
And I’ll be ready for two more big ass bottles of champagne.
(Stay tuned for a full Disney marathonrace recap later this week.)
If I look tired in this vlog, it’s because I recorded it on Monday morning after an evening of binge drinking. I was definitely feeling a bit rough.
Three days later, after drinking lots of water and omitting alcoholic beverages out of my diet this week, I feel much better and lighter. I feel refreshed and ready for the Disney marathon on Sunday!
Psssst….While you’re here, don’t pass up on a chance to win three pairs of Feetures! socks! Contest ends tonight at midnight. Enter here.
This Sunday, my running partners (Chrissy, Maribel, Marie, Daffodil, Larisa) and I face the moment we’re trained for over months. We’ve had our share ups and downs. We’ve juggled jobs, families, illness, allergies, asthma, and injuries. Now we put our bodies physically and mentally to the test.
A few of us are running 26.2 miles just for fun.
Others are running for a PR.
Me?
I’m running 26.2 miles purely due to peer pressure. I don’t want to miss out on all the fun and photo opportunities.
I can’t wait. That’s right. I can’t wait to run 5 hours just to pose with Mickey, Minnie and all the princesses. I’ve done it before and that’s another reason why I’m willing to do it again. It’s a magical experience from start to finish.
And if I could be totally honest, the 20th anniversary edition of the Walt Disney Marathon is really cool.
Some prefer to sit on the couch or in a movie theater for 12 hours watching a marathon on the big screen or television.
Thirteen years ago, I was teaching at an elementary school is a migrant community. After the Columbine shooting, my school district put lockdown drills into place. We practiced those drills along with fire drills and tornado drills.
Sometime after that, the lockdown drill became a reality when a person ran through our school’s soccer field wielding a gun and shots were fired. We (the teachers) had to turn off our lights and hide with our students in our classrooms. We had to be brave for our students. We had to protect them and these students came from horrible homes and probably saw this type of thing regularly. School was their safe place, but not that day.
As an educator, I can’t even imagine how the teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School felt that fateful Friday last week. I can’t even imagine what went through their minds as they tried to be brave and protect their students who thought school was their safe place. As parent, I just want to hold my babies and never let go.
God bless the teachers, the survivors and the families as they deal with their loss. Hopefully, schools can be safe places again and maybe the powers that be will make common sense gun control as common place as lockdowns.
Also thirteen years ago, I married my best friend. It’s been a crazy, mad wild ride but I wouldn’t change one day of it, especially since my husband still has a few surprises up his sleeve. He bought me this mirror from IKEA that I’d been eyeing for the longest time and wrote a message on it that says, “Denise, Happy Anniversary. You are beautiful and I love you. xxxx ♥ ♥”
His present is…er…um….on backorder. Yep, that’s it!
Speaking of surprises, my husband pulled a doozy on me yesterday. He high jacked my email and contacted Joe of 10 News to ask if he would to announce our anniversary on the air during our Moms Squad segment. Watch it here and check out my totally surprised expression at the end.
On the subject of the Mom Squad, Joe has asked Marisa, Jenny and me to be his regular team every week, so we are officially The Mom Squad, which of course means we need our own coffee mugs since we’re part talk show television. Plus, if I was holding a coffee mug, it would keep me from speaking with my hands. Here’s last week segment.
I’m really struggling mentally with my marathon training. I’m just so tired lately and as a result, my training is suffering. Then, the Holiday Half didn’t go so well, but at least I beat my time from 3 years ago which shouldn’t been hard to do since I was pregnant then. (More about the Holiday Half tomorrow!)
I had a really tough time recovering after the half marathon. On Sunday I woke up with this horrible Charlie horse in my thigh I know it’s a direct result from not fueling properly after the race. Other than a few beers, I didn’t drink any of my usual recovery drinks such as chocolate milk or coconut and I didn’t eat for hours after the race. Stupid move, I know and I definitely paid for it in the middle of the night.
Since my Mondays are Mom Squad days, I’ve also had to readjust my whole marathon training schedule. But given the whole Charlie horse episode, I also decided against speedwork last week and just went for an easy 3 mile run.
3.1 miles
Time 31:25
Ave Pace 10:08
Max Pace 8:08
And that was the last time I ran last week, except for my 20 miler on Saturday. Again, not my proudest marathon training moment, but it happens. Last week was a really tough week for me emotionally and my training suffered. I honestly considered postponing my 20 miler until the following week, but my running partners talked me into it. Sometimes peer pressure does have its benefits.
So, I ran I went into my 20 miler with only 3 miles recorded that week and I was dreading it. I feared the worst and I warned my running partners that I would be all piss and vinegar and cussing up a storm.
After 5 miles, I had this weird pain in the top of my foot, like my shoelaces were too tight. I tried to loosen them but things still hurt. Overall it wasn’t my best, but we finished just under 4 hours and I could walk afterwards. 20 miles in the books! And even with all those weird foot pains, I found the energy to do a 5-10-15-20 dance with my running partners.
20 miles Time 3:56: 35 Ave Pace 11:50 Max Pace 8:07
Today, I decided against speedwork but elected to do a 4 mile tempo run. I even threw some sprints in at the end.
4.25 miles Time 40:46 Ave Pace 9:36 Max Pace 6:47 (0.25 sprint – 7:33)
According to variety of plans I’m following to make up my hybrid plan, this week is a step-back week to 12. I like the sound of that distance.
What’s you running plans for the week? Got some sprints to share? What other work-outs are you doing?
I am excited to announce a new Track Tuesday co-host! Meghan of runMeganrun will be joining me on the track for weekly speedwork. The “rules” are still the same, so link up and play along with us.
To join our Track Tuesday linky party, do your speed work (at least 4 quarter mile sprints) on Tuesday or any day you that works best for you, blog about your times and remember to add our cool Track Tuesday button to your post. Then, link up your post at either runMeganrun or Run DMT to share Track Tuesday Speed Work Sessions. To show support for our other virtual running partners on the Track Tuesday Team, be sure to visit the other blogs listed in the linky party. Give them a virtual high-five and leave some comment love too.
When I wrote my 
At the base of the third overpass, I reached mile 22. I stopped for another potty break. (I was drinking a lot of Gatorade and water throughout the race.) I took three more ibuprofen. It was time to focus. I needed to shake the horrible thoughts happening in my head and finish the race. “C’mon there’s only four more miles. That’s nothing. You got this!”
I wore these Zensah sleeves during the marathon (which I purchased at 
If I look tired in this vlog, it’s because I recorded it on Monday morning after an evening of binge drinking. I was definitely feeling a bit rough.
