Had tennis drills tonight so that will be my training for today. I run alot and sweat alot with these drills which last almost an hour. I sure hope Saturday will be cloudy like the 16 miler! I know I can do the 18 miles but going to a party that night...it's gonna be tuff getting to it, but once we are there we will feed off each others' energy. I hope some people who did not do the 18 miles on Saturday will be at the party...we will need THEIR energy to feed upon !

JUST 8 miles!

I love being able to say that. Got up at 4:30 this a.m. and wogged the mileage with Ann and Janet at 5:30 at the Rez. I am going to Pensacola this weekend so it was great to have someone to do the NSLSD (not so long slow distance) with. I took a COLD shower when I got home and so far I am not sore. Thanks Ann and Janet for letting me tag along...it was fun!

Report Card Time

Whew! My manager has been riding with me the last 2 days and I gladly sent him back to Birmingham today. I was a district manager for 6 years and grew tired of all the travel and "policing", so I took a rep position here a couple of years ago. I must admit it is more fun to be in the manager seat on these ride-a-longs than in the rep seat. They go into calls with you and listen to your presentation to each physician and critique you to death in the car afterwards. BUT, only 1 year 9 mos left before I retire from J&J...woo-hoo! There is a hiring freeze throughout this huge company sales force so that means there will be lay-offs again usually around Christmas time...has happened last 3 years after a implementing a hiring freeze. I have always escaped but I have this feeling that my division will be hit hard this time around. We have 2 drugs going off patent next year. I won't be heartbroken if it happens...I'll take the severance package and then figure out what I want to do next...running another marathon probably won't be in the mix. Now, don't get me wrong, this has been awesome so far and will only get better when we get to Chicago. BUT, I look forward to entering 5k's, 10k's, etc. and not spending so much of my Saturdays on pavement. Speaking of pavement, I have not been on any since Saturday at least in a walking or wogging mode. Tonight I spent 40 min. on the elliptical for XT. Tomorrow morning I will get 30 min. of wogging in before work . Since I will be out of town over the weekend I plan to meet up with Ann to do the 8 miles on Friday morning bright and early. My training schedule is all mixed up this week but managers do that to you! I had a good report card which translates into a base salary raise---I HOPE!

16 miles...what a great morning for running!

I was worried about today because of all the heat and humidity we have had lately...God smiled on us today and gave us clouds and cool breezes. This has been my best day yet. I felt like I could have easily gone longer. Sure hope I feel that way in a couple of weeks when we do the 18 miles. Kristy and I did intervals 1:2 almost the whole way and could have continued them but Kristy's legs started causing her a lot of pain so we walked the last mile or so. My right foot bothered me the most due to the metatarsalgia thing but that did not kick in until about mile 12. Otherwise, I would have an ache here or there and then it would disappear...all in all, a great day as far as stamina and VERY FEW aches and pains. I did learn that I will definitely apply some GLIDE next week. I had a painful problem post-run after the 15 miler, but I quickly forgot about it and did not get any GLIDE. I also have a couple of "raw" spots on my back that are caused by my running bra. Had those last time too, and am not sure what to do except apply GLIDE and maybe try to tape those rough edges on the bra. If anyone has a suggestion, let me know! I bought the same brand of running bras, just in different colors, so I hate to have to "chunk" them aside and buy new ones.

I know the marathon is 10.2 miles more than we did today, but I feel very confident that I can do it and will do it. I am beginning to really feel like a marathoner. I am starting to think of some other things I want to accomplish in my life, like become a swimmer. Not learn to swim, because I have had enough lessons, that I feel I could teach swimming. I have a head problem about deep water...guess it is called a phobia. I can swim as long as I can stand up when I am tired, therefore I can only stand to be in about 4 feet of water. My sister is the same way...we must have been traumatized together as children but neither of us can remember it. I don't know how to best overcome my phobia...counseling or more experience (yikes) in deep water. I may try swim lessons with the lady who is suppose to be able to teach anyone to swim. I read that either in our forum or in someone's blog. I will go back and find out who the lady is, I think.

Anyway, I was not wiped out all day today. I took a nap for a couple of hours and then got up, put on my face, and went out with my hubby and son. We had some errands to run and then went to eat Sushi at Nagoya. I decided to take a "warm" shower today instead of the "cold" one I have been taking to see if I could tell any difference in soreness. YES, there is a big difference. I am more sore after the warm shower, so COLD showers it will be after LSD's from now on. I still swear by that Endurox...a lot of calories, but I have energy which I did not have in my earlier LSD's without Endurox. I am rambling on so guess I need to hit the sack since we are going to 9:30 Church tomorrow. Guys and gals, we have come a long ways since January...we will endure, embrace, and establish ourselves as FINISHERS in the Chicago Marathon...yes, my endorphins are still pumpin'...but WE ARE MARATHONERS!

Muggy, Smuggy!

Oh, have I ever sweated this much?! I did intervals after work (should've gone in the early a.m.) and it was SO HOT. I did 2:2 but only lasted 45 min. instead of the 60 I had planned to do. I sure hope we finish up on Saturday before it gets too hot...Kristy, maybe we should try running the whole thing so we can get done before the heat hits...just kidding. I need to remember to push the water between now and Saturday. I feel very exhausted right now...but then I have "glistened" all day long today! Yea, tomorrow is our day off. See y'all Sat...I hope it rains!

Wednesday---XT day

I did 40 min. on the elliptical while watching TV...I need to do this more often for XT. I just finished going to the website recommended by Kayra on our forum. It is by a marathoner who gives tips for first time Chicago marathoners. He does a play by play throughout the whole course which was quite exciting. He also includes pictures of the marathon route which were also good. I could actually see myself crossing that big ole FINISH line...woo-hoo, a big woo-hoo! We are well on our way, MM'ers...stay the course!

AWOL

No, I didn't do the run on Saturday. I did nothing on Sunday. BUT, I am back in the groove now. On Monday I did 45 min. of hard tennis drills...which was running up, back, side to side, swinging my arms hitting the ball, etc. It was a great work-out and I did not stop sweating for another 45 min. afterwards. Tonight, I wogged 35 min. in the park. It felt good and I missed that good feeling. Tomorrow I have to be in Magee for an 8am breakfast so I don't think I can get up early enough to ellipticize before I leave at 6:40am. So, I shall go upstairs and do that as soon as I get home and before I do dinner. I have to stay on track the rest of this week since we are doing 16 MILES on Saturday...ugh....er-r-r-r-r, I mean WOW, looking so forward to it!!!!!

Bad girl, bad girl!

I can't explain it...the "why" I have done nothing in the way of training this week. I was behind on some reports for work, so I worked on those the beginning of the week after work, and finally am caught up. It has rained the rest of the week, BUT I have this fine elliptical deal upstairs in the rec room which I have not ventured upon. SO, I will be gettin' my butt out of bed early in the a.m. and pay for my sins in the way of an 8-mile run without having done anything since the previous Saturday run of 15 miles. Wish me luck. There is something to this no blog, no jog like Mark said many months ago. See y'all in the a.m.

Insanity reigns (rains) !

Yes, as I was pulling out of my driveway this morning, I laughed out loud and said out loud, "this is insane to get up at 4:00am to go run in the rain for 3+ hours"! Am I in a midlife crisis or what? Then as I turned onto the street going into Lakeshore Park and crept along the long line of cars, and then realized ALL these cars were turning into the park! Why, this traffic jam was made up of marathoners! Then I said we are all insane, but better than that, we are all COMMITTED. (not to Whitfield) It was an awesome sight to see all those headlights turning into the park...all for the same reason...to run in the rain. About running in the rain...I liked it! Far better than the sun beating down on us and sweat pouring off of us. Now, I don't think rain in Chicago is going to be the same...much colder I would guess. So, I'm praying for no rain there. Kristy and I finished the 15 miles...yea for us...but it was a huge struggle for Kristy because she was getting a migraine with all the symptoms that go with it, like nausea, visual disturbances, dizziness, etc. She pushed through it and finished. I am very proud of her. I feel good about having done the 15 miles...it wasn't too painful. But the one negative that I must mention to get it off my chest, is how in the heck am I going to add 11.2 miles to what I did today?! On the other hand, a couple of months ago it was hard to fathom how I would do 15 miles. So, I guess if I keep up the mid-week training, the ability to do it will somehow appear. I am trusting Mark Simpson!

Get 'r done

Got up and went to park before work again...yeah for me. I walked the first mile at my turtle pace of 17 min. Then I pushed myself today and ran the whole 2nd mile at a nice easy pace of 11:41 min. I have not run a whole mile in a decade and a half so I was delighted that I could do it. I did not feel too winded and actually could have gone longer but time was short today and I was doing my 30 min. day today since I did the hour yesterday. My ankles and calves were hurting at the end but not bad. I'll throw down some Motrin and keep going. Off to work I go...

Happy Fourth!

Clock went off at 5:40...nope, don't think so...this is not a work day...BUT it is going to be a HOT day...know I should get up and go to the park as planned...okay, I need to get used to the heat, so I will go around ten after I have had more sleep...I will sweat out all those toxins...hubby says, why did the clock go off...I mumble, it was a mistake...well, he is the type that once he is awake, he can't go back to sleep...sorry...back to my negotiations...it will be miserable at 10:00am so I'll just do my wog late this afternoon...no, wait a minute, we are going to a barbeque at 6pm...noise level picks up in the room with hubby NOT trying to be quiet since he was awakened before he was ready...I try to go back to sleep, but it ain't going to happen with hubby trying his best to make sure I do not have peace and quiet...reluctantly, I get up and I actually feel rested...guess I have had enough sleep with 6 1/2 hrs.
I go to the park and have a great wog day. I did 2.0/1.5 intervals for 45 min. after a 15 min. warm-up walk. No foot pain, calf pain, no pain anywhere. I decided to push myself a little more so I would be better prepared for Saturday. I did not do anything yesterday so I will XT tomorrow and I did Thursday's schedule today.
I was surprised to see so many people in the park...a strong commitment to fitness. I could not help but think about our guys and girls in far away places in less than desirable conditions committed to protecting our great country, I wogged in the park today without fear of terrorists, without fear of anything...our troops do not have that luxury. My heartfelt thanks and prayers go out to each and every individual in harm's way. As we celebrate the fourth today, let's all bow our heads in thanks for this GREAT U.S.A. !

Back on track

Whoa, I have been a slacker of late. No time for exercise at the sales meeting last week...kept us busy morning, noon, and night! I was so sleep deprived from the rigorous week, that my body was in protest and demanded I sleep in "a little bit" on Saturday. I was like a new person after the good rest. Then, of course, it was way too hot to get out and run. On Sunday, I played 2 hrs. of tennis from 1:30 to 3:30 which was EXTREMELY HOT but I made it without a heat stroke. Sad to say, I lost my 2nd match of the year. These guys are very tough to play against...some of them do not let up on their power strokes even though they are playing ladies...then, of course, we have some who are southern gentlemen...I just didn't get one of those as an opponent on Sunday. Can't blame the loss on the hubby, though, because I had a different male partner who was very good...I couldn't hold up my side of the court. Proud of myself that I did get up and wog before work today...did 1:2 intervals and it was not easy. My calves hurt, my thigh hurt, my foot hurt, but not all at one time. The hurt kept moving around and would come back, you know the routine. It was cool at first, but by the time I finished I was dripping with sweat...it was so-o humid! Gotta stick with it this week because that big 15 is creeping up on me. I can do it, I can do it.