One word...pacers!

I finally chose the marathon I want to run Feb. 19th and the winner is...the IMS Marathon in Goodyear, AZ!  It came down to one thing they had the other race didn't...PACERS.  Let me be clear, I have never used pacers before.  I try to do my own thing and it hasn't served me well in the past.  I make the classic mistake of going out too fast only to hit the wall at mile 20 in every marathon.  My goal is to beat 4:30 and with the help of a pacer I'm sure I can meet that goal.  The Lost Dutchman race is more scenic and a little more expensive, but they do not offer pacers (I even emailed the race director to be sure).  Since I have a running buddy doing the IMS with me, I won't have to go it alone.  Even though he is WAY faster than me, I like to ride down to the race with someone to get through the pre-race jitters and then have someone waiting for me at the finish to rehash our experiences.  It should be noted I'm not one of those people who can go to movies alone either ~ I hate being alone ~ I am a social creature and like the sense of community running provides.  At any rate, I am in week 9 of my training and all is going well.  My pace seems on track so I just need to play with hydration and nutrition as I mentioned in previous posts.  Wish me luck!

Merry Christmas Running Moms!

It's that time of year again.  Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or nothing at all there's a feeling in the air.  New season, new running gear ~ YAY!  I'm still training for my "non" marathon since I yet to sign up for either race I am contemplating.  I have until December 30th and am taking my time.  The training has been going well ~ no injuries.  This is a new approach for me, waiting until the last minute to sign up for a marathon but I'm glad I've waited.  It's given me a whole new mindset which is what I'd hoped would be the case.  I'm not putting any unnecessary pressure on myself and am in week 8 of my 16 week training program.  I did my first 17 miler a couple days ago and the first 12 miles was fine but I'm trying new hydration/nutrition methods and needless to say I had some tummy troubles the last 5 miles!  My buddy, John Vaupel (mentioned in previous posts) has given me some wonderful advice on how to play with the science of my own body and figure out what I need when I need it.  Not an easy feat let me tell ya.  On top of everything going on with the holidays, I've just been offered a part time job!  I'm thrilled because I've been a stay-at-home mom for nearly 12 years and feel completely out of touch with the work force.  This will not only enable me to earn a little extra income, but to get out of the house and mingle with grown-ups too.  The downside, of course is how much more difficult that makes it to find time to run.  Plenty of you moms find the time with FULL time jobs so I am not complaining :-)  Either way, I'm looking forward to this new chapter in my life and actually using my brain during the day instead of attempting to reason with my 3 year old since that's pointless!  Have a wonderful and safe holiday season and we'll catch you in 2012!

Marathon season is here!

I'm still on the fence about which marathon to do.  Both are on Feb. 19th, are very small, are local but the courses are VERY different.  One is scenic and hilly the other is flat and boring.  Basically, since these races are small and don't fill up quickly I am taking my time to see how my training goes.  If I find I'm plagued with injuries and struggling, I plan to do the flat, boring race.  If I feel strong and remain injury-free, I plan to do the other race.  Tina and I have managed to continue to do our long runs together even though her race (Carlsbad Marathon - Jan.22nd) is a month earlier than mine.  Most of the time, her runs are about 3 miles longer than mine at this point so she will run 3 then meet up with me to do the rest.  I'm running faster and stronger lately so I hope it continues.  I'm working with John Vaupel (my 100 miler buddy mentioned in my previous posts) on my hydration and nutrition.  We agree my problem in past marathons when I hit the wall at mile 20 is from my lack of proper nutrition.  I was religiously taking in one GU every 45 minutes and drinking water only.  This time around, I may take a GU every 30 minutes and supplement my regular water with NUUN tablets.  This will hopefully keep my electrolytes where they need to be to help me finish stronger.  I'll keep you posted on how it's going.  Until then, enjoy marathon season (or just racing season ~ no matter the distance)!