Tag: Running

My (Morning) Process

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Morning is my favorite time to workout – just not first thing out of bed in the morning. Ideally, I like to wake up about an hour before I want to workout. So, if I want to start at 6 a.m., I will get up at 5 a.m., maybe 5:15 a.m. Why? Because I need to go through what I call “my process.” My husband John thinks I’m nuts. Last week as I was going through “my process,” he commented, “I don’t get it. How can you just sit there, relaxed, and not go?” I laughed and replied, “I need …

I’ve got a cranky tendon

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My foot started with a dull ache on Thursday afternoon (Thanksgiving) as I was preparing food to bring to my brother’s house. It felt “tight,” so I tried some stretches. But, the pain lingered. And lingered. And then did some more lingering. It was lingering and lounging on the top of my foot, as indicated in this picture. (Notice, also, the use of dark nail polish to hide the black toenails underneath.) If you read my blog regularly, then you already know I have a deep-seated paranoia about *stress fractures*. (Shhhh, say the word in your quiet voice…) So, I …

Atlantic City Half Marathon 2009: Two thumbs up and a fist bump

Last night around 7:00 p.m. or so, I decided I would run the Atlantic City half marathon. I debated whether to run the race because John and I are already signed up to run the Philadelphia Marathon next Sunday (November 22). Technically, I’m in the “taper” part of my training plan, which means reduced volume. However, contrary to what some may suggest, taper does not mean reduced intensity. Granted, it’s not typical to race a half marathon the week before a full marathon, but it’s not unheard of to do so. Some people run a marathon (or more) every week. So, …

Three dogs, one beautiful morning, and 14 miles of flow

 Shady, one of my three dogs, woke me at 5:30 a.m. She was whining because she needed to use the doggie restroom, a.k.a., outside. She was ahead of my alarm clock’s schedule, which wasn’t set to go off until 6 a.m.    As I shuffled to put on some warmer clothes to take them outside, my dogs clustered around me. Mag’s tail banged loudly against the wall as he waited (impatiently) for me to be ready to take them outside and feed them. One of Mag’s nicknames is Mag-the-Wag because we are hard-pressed to find a time when that tail …

Treating a sore ankle with angst and ice: 6 tips

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I woke up one morning about 3 weeks before I was to run the Philadelphia Marathon with a sore ankle. Damn. I had just completed a 21 mile run a few days prior, and despite a few rough patches, the run went well. But, when I woke up two days later, the ankle was officially sore, and I was officially in a terrible mood. An injury or pain that keeps me from running–even for just a day–is enough to turn on the wicked witch switch. I had plans to do about 7 miles of speedwork on Sunday. But, my ankle hurt just …

Dreams, courage, and guts

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There is no telling how many miles you will have to run while chasing a dream.  ~Author Unknown I rolled over and looked at the clock. It read 4:15. The alarm hadn’t gone off yet because I had set it for 4:30 a.m. John was sleeping, so I tried to be as quiet as possible as I headed to the bathroom to start getting ready for the day. I looked out the hotel window: rain. As I brushed my teeth in the darkness, I thought about what was in store for us that day: John would be running his first ultramarathon: …

He’s Going the Distance

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Tomorrow morning, John and I will wake up at 4:30 a.m., and John will prepare to run his first ultramarathon: The Vermont 50 Miler. He’s been training specifically for this event for months: getting up in the darkness to embark on 4 and 5 hour training runs, heading to the bridges of Southern New Jersey to run up and down, and up and down, and up and down, to simulate hill training (almost 9,000 feet of elevation change for tomorrow’s race), icing his feet, knees, and calves to reduce soreness and speed recovery. He hired a coach to help him …

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Marathon Season!

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As the weather gets cooler, the distances get longer. That’s right, people: it’s marathon season. While you can find a marathon during any time of this year, the fall season has a many, many options. And, there are also plentiful options for other racing distances: half marathons, 10 miles, 10K, 5k – and for those who really love endurance – ultras (50K or more). Recently, I was tweeting with a fellow runner (runningtops) who asked for tips for first time marathon runners. I offered her some of the tips that I thought worked well for me. Then, it occurred to me: perhaps …

Training connections

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I’m going to come right out and say it: My family is awesome. Some of you might be rolling your eyes right now thinking this post is going to be some fake Beaver Cleaver nonsense. I can understand that: not everything about family is awesome. There are fights, misunderstandings, and other unpleasantness. Yet, since I started training for marathons and triathlons, and writing about this training on my blog, a series of events has reminded me of this simple idea: My family is awesome. Of course, my family was great before I started training, but pushing the limits of my body has …

Storms, treadmills, and perseverance

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I woke up to 20-30 mph sustained winds with 40 mph gusts and torrents of rain. My backyard had been transformed into a pond, and the streets were strewn with tree limbs, puddles and downed power lines. This situation did not square well with the workout listed in my training plan: a 20 mile run. A run of this length is difficult enough. Add tropical storm force winds, rains, and live power lines and the challenge increases greatly. I’ve run in the rain, snow, ice and wind before. I’m not a fair-weather only kind of runner by any means. So, I …