Muscles for Mike

Oh hey internet. It's been a while huh? I know, I know I'm a blog slacker. Lots has happened in the past six months, I wont bore you with all the details.

However, I did decided to run the Chicago Marathon again this year!!! If you don't already know, Chicago decided to switch to a lottery system for registration this year. I was pretty nervous about the prospect of getting selected, but I went ahead with it anyways. I have often thought about running for charity, but that seems very overwhelming to me. Where do I start? What charity do I pick? How to I raise money? Just thinking about it gives me anxiety. 

Remember my running partner Amy, whom I ran the marathon with last year? Well, she invited me to join her charity group team for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Amy's older brother has muscular dystrophy, and has an amazing story. Mike has beat all kinds of odds, and is happily married with a young son and a full time job. When Amy told me about the team she was starting I couldn't be more proud to join and raise money for such a great organization. Our team is Muscles for Mike, look what a good looking group we are!

Our team has now grown to 9 members! Did you miss your chance to sign up for the Chicago Marathon? Lucky you! There is still time to join the MDA team and get entrance to the Chicago Marathon! 

http://www2.mda.org/site/TR?fr_id=8474&pg=entry

Here is a link to join the MDA team, upon registration, click the "join a team" tab and join the Muscles for Mike team!

Not ready to run a marathon just yet? No worries! You can donate to our team! Any little bit will help us reach our goals. 

Here is a link to donate to my personal page.

 http://www2.mda.org/site/TR/EnduranceEvent/NationalEnduranceCenter?px=2171774&pg=personal&fr_id=8474

I'm super stoked for another marathon training season. Watch my journey here!

xoxo

Beth

Remember that time I ran a marathon?

I did it. It happened. I ran a marathon. Twenty Six Point Two miles.

Somehow I deleted my 20miler post so I'll revisit that another day. I still have my runners high from Sunday so I'm just going to give a race re-cap. 

I was scheduled to meet everyone from my CARA group at the Hilton on Michigan Ave where we had a private gear check. I got there pretty early just because I was nervous. I had found a few people and I was sitting on the floor digging through my bag trying to figure out what I was brining with me. All of a sudden someone placed a silver token in the palm of my hand. I looked up and it was Janet, my group leader from the past 18 weeks. I stood up and gave her a hug. The little silver token said "If not now, when?" on one side and the other side was a simple question mark. She said to me "You got this." I put the token in my pocket and planned to have it with me for the race. Shortly after that my running buddy Amy arrived and we chatted and got ready for the race. We took a group photo, and Amy and I went to the bathroom one last time before walking over to Grant Park for the start. The whole time we were excited and giddy and nervous. Once we arrived, I had to pee, again! She agreed to stand in line with me, and the corals closed. Everyone is assigned a letter as to where you are supposed to stand in line. If you don't get to your spot in time, you are forced to start all the way in the back. No biggie, we'd still get to race. The only downfall is that we would have to pass a lot of people in the beginning. 

Finally at 8:00 our wave was starting (the elite wave started at 7:30). One by one the corals were sent through and around 8:25 we were crossing the start line! I started my Garmin and my GymBoss and we were off! 

First mile went by super fast, then before I knew it I saw my cheer crew! My Mom Peggy, my brother Mike, boyfriend Martin, friend Gretchen and my mom's friends Gail and Kathleen (I've known them my whole life!). They were all on the State Street bridge and I was so excited to see them!

Shortly after Amy saw her coworkers outside of the Gap where she works. Before we knew it we were headed up north. Gretchen and Martin split off from the rest of the crew and I knew I'd see them around Addison. Turning onto Addison from Lakeshore was exciting, the energy was starting to pick up as we were approaching Wrigleyville/Boystown. I almost missed Gretchen and Martin and I almost lost Amy in the process. I was excited to see my friend Meg had joined the group as well. Amy found some friends in Boystown as well and it was really fun to see her find familiar faces and take photos. 

I was told to put my name on my shirt, and I'm so glad that I did. Spectators everywhere would shot out my name along the course and it was such a boost of positive energy. I would shout out thank you's and wave to the people calling my name. Throughout the race we saw Emily (one of our group leaders) cheering on the sidelines. We also passed Molly, Carolyn, Marissa, Angie and Carlos on the course. Before we knew it we had passed the half way mark. We had just ran half of the marathon and we were keeping on amazing pace. I felt great and I knew I would complete the marathon in my goal time. Then I saw my cheer crew again. This series of photos is my favorite. Amy managed to capture me hugging my mom on the side of the road.

Shortly after that Amy's friend Erin met us on the course and ran with us. She had orange slices (which were amazing!) She kept our spirits up and was shouting out our names as we ran.

Now, there is an unspoken rule when running with a buddy. If at any time one of you wants to slow down or keep going, you just let it happen. After all this is YOUR race. Around mile 17 Amy was walking behind me. I just knew I needed to keep pushing forward. I was still feeling good and I couldn't slow down. I wanted more than anything to stay with her, and it broke my heart to leave. I didn't even get to say good bye or anything. When I was on my walk, I tried to find her behind me and she was just gone. Around mile 20 I was feeling very alone. The spectators had thinned out, I really didn't know where I was in the city at this point. The sun was directly in my face and I was hot, feeling dizzy. I came to a bridge and I walked up the whole bridge. When I reached the top I thought to myself "Ok, you can run downhill and just keep running" I swear like a mirage I saw my family and friends again. I really wasn't expecting them again till Chinatown, and they were just what I needed to see. I briefly stopped had a sip of water and I was off again. I shouted back "Only 6 more miles! I got this!"

The last six miles were tough. I started walking more than I needed to be. But I kept telling myself that I wasn't going to hit "the wall". Mile 22 I passed a water/aid station and there were port-o-potties. I really had to pee, but I really didn't want to stop. Four more miles to go. At mile 23 there was no going on with out taking a bathroom break. I went, and felt much better. Miles 24-25 were super slow, but I knew I was so close so I kept pushing myself. Right before mile 26 I saw my crew again. This time I just smiled big and waved as they cheered me on. Then at mile 26 I saw Janet. She has all access to the race so she was able to run me in. I swear, this was just what I needed. We turned a corner and saw a sign "800 meters to go" then there was that dreaded hill everyone talks about. Why in gods name there is a freaking hill at the end of the marathon is just cruel! I heard my gymboss beep alerting me that it was time for me to walk. Perfect timing with the hill and all, but I just wanted to finish. Then it beeped again after the minute was over telling me to run again. Janet asked me if I wanted to walk and I said "Nope, we just ran through my walk. I'm running to the end." The hill was over, we turned one last corner. "300 meters to finish". Then I saw the finish line. I was there, it was almost over. I slowly started to gain speed. I ran, faster and faster. Behind me Janet cheered "You go girl, pass all those people up! I'll see you at the finish!" And pass people I did, I weaved in and out of the crowd like my life depended on it. Crossing that finish line was one of the proudest moments of my life.

18 weeks of training. Working till midnight on Friday nights just to wake up at 5:30 on Saturday morning to run 10, 13, or 18 miles followed by another late night at work. Skipping late nights of drinking and fun with friends to wake up early and run. Every moment of pain and exhaustion was worth it to cross that finish line proud. I may be slow, but I have just as much as heart and dedication that runners faster than me. My goal was to finish the marathon in under 6 hours. I finished in 05:55:53 and I am damed proud of that. I used to be embarrassed to tell people my times, but I'm not anymore. Running a marathon has been something that I have thought of doing for many years. I used to say that I only ever wanted to run one, just to say that I did it. Now that I've done one, I want to do more.  

A quick thanks to everyone in my CARA group. Especially Amy and Janet. Miles 1-17 wouldn't have been as much fun with out Amy and the last point two were that much better with Janet at my side. Thank you to my AMAZING cheer crew!!!!!! Mom, Mike, Martin, Gretchen, Kathleen, Gail and Meg. Thanks to Nicole and Mike (sorry I missed ya on the course!) Thanks to all the amazing volunteers!!!!! We couldn't do it with out them. And thank you to the million spectators cheering us on! 

Want to see what took me almost 6 hours in 7 and 1/2 minutes? Watch this

http://youtu.be/p2UhBqtE2r4

I am now a marathon runner!!! #makeitcount #chimarathon #ownchicago #allthewaylahay

Last run before Sunday!!! #ABeautifulMess #runhappy #marathontraining #chicagomarathon

ZOOMA

I had heard of the ZOOMA Race series from my marathon training packet. It had serious appeal, the milage fit into my training program, it was a women's race, the race was right by my house, and you got a necklace instead of a medal. Sign. Me. Up. Which I did. I even convinced my friend Gretchen to do it with me. This was a really small race, and every now and again you need something like that. It started very close to where my CARA run group meets so I was familiar with the trail. It was also nice to have the race NOT be at Grant Park. Believe me, I love me some Grant Park, but the majority of races in Chicago start and end there. We ran along the lake front on a beautiful morning. Gretchen was very pleased to have a new course and to be along Chicago's beautiful lakefront path. 

Chicago lakefront before the race

Gretchen and Beth before the ZOOMA 10K!

Go Gretchen!

Much deserved post race drinks at brunch!

I would do this race again for sure. They necklace was a cute runner girl with the date and name of race on the back. 

Hi again

So it's been a hot second since I updated you little blog. It has been a fun, yet challenging month and a half. Fitting in fitness with every day life is challenging, for EVERYONE. Fitting in marathon training with every day life is even more challenging. I am happy to report that I have only missed one (and a half) long runs since we last spoke. My midweek runs haven't been happening as frequently as they were in the beginning sadly. Its been an exciting summer however! I'll share some highlights now.

Lollapalooza happened!!! For those of you that aren't in the loop, Lollapalooza is a three day music festival held in Grant Park in Chicago founded by Perry Ferrel of the band Janes Addiction.I have been a lover of music and concerts for-ev-er. I went to my first Lollapalooza last year for one day only (how I waited that long? I have no idea)  I immediately knew I wanted to go all three days next year. Tickets aren't cheap, and they sell out like super fast. Well, if you are a Chicago resident, you can volunteer! I love volunteering for stuff, and I only had to work 3-4 hours a day and I got to enjoy the rest of the festival for free! Super awesome, I got a cool free shirt, free water, and some free food. Not to mention free music! All three days were great. I heard some great bands, had great food and got some great free swag. The fest was Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the first weekend in August. My long runs are on Saturday mornings. Dilemma right? You know what? I actually got up for my group run on Saturday morning and ran. Now, did I do the full 13 miles I was supposed to? No, I didn't. BUT!!!! Someone really rude named "Aunt Flo" decided that in the middle of my run that it was a good time to pay a visit. As soon as I could find a bathroom I did, then immediately told my group I had to leave (before my lower half started to look like a crime scene) What I learned from that unfortunate experience, bring reinforcements around that time of the month "just in case". Runner problems for realz. On that note, here are some fun photos of Lolla weekend! 

Lolla we are ready!!!

Free PBR hat!!!!!!!!

Buckingham Fountain and my cool beer coozie

Nine Inch Nails

What a view, Chicago skyline and music

Three days of Lolla, so worth it 

, 

Not every run is going to be stellar. Sometimes they are going to be harder than others, sometimes your body will give out when your brain wants to keep going. This is something that I will and every runner will have to face from time to time.

Saturday was not a good run. I woke up not wanting to run at all. I got up, thought about going back to sleep. Then I changed into my running clothes and I even considered climbing back into bed. I was tired from working the night before, and I was also worried about working a 8 hour shift later in the day. I paced around my apartment for a few minutes, and eventually I got in my car and drove to my running spot. I knew that I would feel super guilty if I didn't go, and I also knew that running 12 miles on my own would be that much harder to make up by myself so running with my group would be best. Our CARA group meets at Montrose Beach at 6:30 am on Saturdays. The weather was PERFECT running weather, low 70's (very unseasonably cool for July). When I found my pace group I immediately felt better. I was chatting with the new friends I making and I knew that committing to the run was a good idea. We started running and I felt great! I'm doing the run/walk program and we do a 5:1 ratio (run five minutes and walk one minute). The five minutes of running were going by so smoothly, I was easily chatting with my groupies.  We were talking about the marathon and I mentioned that I'd be happy in finishing under 6 hours. Janet, my pace leader, assured me that I could do it in 5:30! That sure gave me a boost of confidence. Then around mile 8 I felt a tiny pain in my knee. I decided to drop to the back of my pack and take it a little slower. I told my group my knee was bothering my and that I'd catch up. I never caught up, it only got worse. I felt a horrible pain in the side of my knee and also in my hip. I knew it was my IT Band. I decided to tough it out and continue "running" at a snails pace. At one point my foot hit the ground and a spike of pain ran through my whole knee that made tears fill my eyes. I hobbled over to the side of the path and I felt like crying. I wanted to cry because it hurt and I wanted to cry because I felt defeated. A girl in my group passed me and asked if I was ok and if she should send someone after me. My pride told her no and that I'd be ok. I pushed myself to finish. When I could I ran, but I walked a lot of the last three miles. I wanted to give up, but I had to get to my car anyways, so what choice did I have? When I finally finished, the girls in my group cheered for me and that felt really good. Janet asked me what was going on and I explained where the pain was. She reassured me that it was fixable. Ice and foam rolling and I'd be as good as new. My night at work wasn't as easy. Walking up and down stairs was unbearable, and I hobbled around work most of the night. I got home from work, foam rolled again and went to sleep early. At the end of the day was I glad I went for that run? Yes and no. I was glad it was over, but I wasn't glad I was hurting all day. I did have a mental battle in my head most of the day. Am I ready to run a marathon? What if this happens race day? All I can do is continue to train and trust my body and not let one bad training run get me down. Next run will be better. 

I'm really, really, really bad at stretching. Before and after workouts, doesn't matter, I usually just don't. This is something I'm trying to work on. I bought a foam roller a couple of weeks ago, and I just kinda stared at it for a while not really knowing what to do with it. Several youtube videos later, I decided to give it a try. Um, it hurts. Like a lot. But, I guess that means it's working. So, my new short term goal is to foam roll after my long runs if nothing else. Hopefully it will help out with my IT band issues. Oh, and yoga. I need to start going back to that. 

In unrelated news, Mike and Jessie (my brother and sister-in-law) found out the sex of their baby on Wednesday. I had the pleasure of going to the ultrasound appointment. I'm going to have a nephew! Yay!

Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon

This was my second year running the Rock 'n' Roll Chicago half marathon, and my third Rock 'n' Roll race. This race series is so much fun. From the expo, to the race, to the after party, they put on a good show. Marin and I went to the race expo at McCormick place on Friday. We got to take some fun photos!

The PAWS kitty and I

And we left with a bunch of goodies.

This years race was so much nicer than last years weather wise. It was still hot, but not in the 90's like last year! All the bands were fun and the spectators really make this race. Some of my favorites were a group of girls dressed up crazy doing to harlem shake, a little boy holding a minion sign, and by far the lululemon group on Michigan Avenue. That was they best little push I needed for the last five miles, for realz I almost cried running by them. At the expo Martin signed up at the Humana Vitality tent to send me a little inspiration. They had this giant screen with notes to the runners. My message was "Beth, you are a rockstar" It was really cool to see that. Right after that was one of the best parts of the race, volunteers hand out cold sponges to the runners, man did that feel good! Between miles 10 and 13 I was slowing down for sure. My knee has been feeling great throughout my marathon training, but at the race it sure was hurting. I took it slow for the last stretch, but once I saw the finish line I picked up the pace and the last .1 mile I ran as fast as my legs would take me. That is the best feeling in the world, you feel like everyone is cheering just for you, then you cross the finish line and it's done. All those miles were worth it and its a huge feeling of accomplishment. This is why I do this, and for fancy medals too. 

Gretchen and I before the race

Gretchen and I after the race (and Martin's thumb)

My phone did die minutes after the race. I like running with my Nike+ app, but it drains my battery. I was running the gymboss app at the same time and that really killed it. I did manage to say hi to some of the girls in my CARA run group after the race. Promptly after Gretchen and I met up with Martin and my Dad and stepmom Cathy too. We had a beer in the park then headed to Stout for brunch. I had another epic bloody mary from stout! Delish, it was a good day!

Map of the course! 

Hot, hot, heat

It has been a HOT week! And a good week! My Lollapalooza tickets came in the mail, had a beach day on Monday, then work and training the rest of the week. WIth mid 90 degree temps most of the week my training has been a little rough. Tuesday was ok, Wednesday I cut my 5 mile run short, and Thursday I even resorted to a run 2 min walk 1 min ratio because it was SO hot. 

I get to end the week with the Rock'N'Roll 1/2 marathon on Sunday! The expo on Friday was super fun, photos from that to follow. Good luck to all the racers this Sunday!

Run Happy

I had to buy new running shoes (again). So I was being cheap which I realize is dumb concerning footwear. I mean, shoes are like my favorite thing so why wouldn't I want to buy new running shoes all the time? Anywho, I've been running with Brooks Adrenaline 11 for a while now and I have had no complaints. When I stumbled across the 12 on clearance in my size I excitedly bought a pair without even trying them on. I mean, they were the same shoe just a newer model than my current pair so they should fit the same, right? Wrong. They were way too small, like I could feel my toe on my left foot hitting the top when just walking. I've ran a good 35 miles in them anyways, but no more. I headed to Road Runner Sports and decided to get a running analysis done considering it's been a while  since I've had one done. The staff was super friendly and they helped me find the perfect pair of shoes. I was told that I no longer need a stability shoe and I went with a neutral shoe. If you've never been fitted properly for running shoes, do it. Like no joke, most places do it for free and it makes a difference. I have had friends do it and little aches and pains they previously had went away, myself included. After my fitting, I tried on a bunch but I went with the Brooks Ghost 6. I really wanted this slick looking Nike's which were my second choice, but I actually went with what felt better over fashion. However, I may still buy the Nike's I've heard it's not a bad idea to rotate between two pairs of running shoes. 

How cool are these? I'm obsessed with this weird orange neon color, it's seriously all over my closet. And not to mention I am quite partial to Nike running apparel. They are one of my favs. You will be mine pretty shoes.

OH! CARA members, you get 10% off every purchase at Road Runner Sports and if you join their VIP program it's another 10% off, all the time. I love me some saving and 20% every time I shop is asking me for trouble. Needless to say, one pick up shift at work and I'm getting these shoes. 

My new Brooks are pretty too, and they made my feet happy on my 5 miler today. 

Go Cubs Go

Yesterday I missed training run. I was planning on doing one after work, but I got stuck late and I had tickets to a Cubs game. So I don't feel sooo bad. I plan on making it up on Friday, pinkie swear. 

This was Martin's first Cubs game so I was super excited to take him. I think he was even more excited, seriously all wide eyed like a kid. It was great. 

It was really, really hot and humid but nothing a nice cold Old Style couldn't cure. The stale weather also made it great for home runs! We got to see four, three from the Cubs and one from the Angels. It also made for a Cubs win so I'd say it was a great first game for Martin. 

Work, run, work, run, YOGA!

It's been a crazy couple of weeks. Since my return from Denver June 23rd I worked 11 straight days. I somehow managed to still get all of my runs in. (Yay me!)

First day off was Friday, had a lovely brunch with the BF, shopping then dinner for my sister-in-laws birthday. My second CARA run was on Saturday for our long run of 9 miles. They didn't have a 12:00min mile run/walk pacer so most of us just joined the 11:30min mile pacers. I kept up with the group till the turn around point. Then. . .I. . got. . .very. . .slow. I was really proud of myself for pushing through however. When I started to fall behind I turned on my new Gymboss interval app (it's free! and great for run/walkers) and just slowed my pace down. I did pretty well with the run 5min/walk 1min for a while. A few other girls and I were kinda on the same pace so we stuck together for the last three miles. I can't say how happy I am that I joined this group. It's so nice being able to run with people of my same ability. 

Today I went to a yoga class! There is this little yoga studio right down the street from me and I've been meaning to go since I moved in and just haven't yet. I had researched it before and found out that they have a yoga for runners class, then I found a groupon for the class too! Score! I went to my first class today and I was a little nervous. I've never taken a yoga class at a yoga studio before. I've done some videos in the past and my Wii yoga (which hardly counts). The instructor had us go around the room and say our name and any injuries we may have. Lots of the people in the class were also training for the Chicago Marathon so that was cool. I now am realizing that I probably should have mentioned that I am new to yoga, because there were times that I didn't know what the poses were. I'm going to give one of their beginning classes a try this week. Over all, I really liked it. Note to self, bring a towel and water next class!

CARA

This morning my alarm goes off at 5:00am. It feels like I just went to sleep, which in reality I practically did. I didn't get home from work till after midnight and trying to go to sleep right away was a challenge. I hit snooze several times and debated just rolling over and going back to sleep. After the third snooze I grudgingly got out of bed. Brushed my teeth, and put on my running clothes. I started walking over to Montrose Beach with a belly full of nerves. I was going to my long run with the CARA group I joined. Wednesday still had me feeling uneasy and I didn't want to be bringing up the last in the pack on a five mile run. Once I arrived to the meeting spot my nerves had subsided. It was a cool foggy morning and there were TONS of people, there was music playing, and all the pace groups were clearly marked. I stood over by the 12 min milers and patiently waited. There were two separate groups for 12 min mile paces, 12 min milers and 12 min run/walkers. I decided to join the 12 min run/walkers to feel more comfortable. Some announcements were made and we were off! There were only five ladies (including myself) in the run/walk group but at least I wasn't alone and we had a pacer to keep us on track. I felt as if I could have run a little faster at times but I kept with the group. It was a comfortable enough pace to where we could chat. At the turn around there was a water and gatorade station and it hadn't even felt like we had just completed 2.5 miles. At the end I got to chat with the girls a little more and got put on the email list. I left feeling great and very positive about the rest of my marathon training. I'm so glad I didn't get discouraged and that I tried again. I can't wait for the rest of my journey!

Marathon Training

So last night I did my first run with CARA (Chicago Area Runner's Association). I signed up for their summer marathon training program to help me train for my first marathon. The group started a couple of weeks ago but with training for a new job and being out of town I haven't been able to make it to a run yet. I was terrified to go honestly. I'm really slow and I was just hoping I could keep up. But, our training book said they'd have pacers all the way up to 12:00 min miles so I figured I could at least do that. I realized that the meet up was a little farther away on the lake shore path than I expected so I ended up running a 1/2 mile to get there. Only about 12 people ended up showing up, and they asked us what paces we all were. The slowest person aside from me was at a 10:30 pace. I lied and said I was around 11:00min mile, when in reality I'm more of 11:30 to 12:00. The leader explained where we were going and where we should turn around. I run the lake shore path daily so I was very familiar with where we were going. The guy that said he was a 10:30 pace said he would run slower with me and I knew I was in trouble. The three 10:00 min girls were only a few strides ahead of us and I kept up for about a mile. The lovely city of Chicago has water fountains along the path so when we reached the first one I had to stop for water. It was hot and I was running far too fast for my comfort level. My lungs were burning and my legs felt like they wanted to give out.  Part of me wanted to turn around and go home right there, but I didn't I continued on. For the most part. Instead of running to where we met up, I ran home. I figured it was around the same distance and I was slightly embarrassed of my poor performance. Not to mention I didn't think anybody would be there waiting for me anyways.  

I'm proud of myself for going out of my comfort zone and joining a running group. However, I can't help but think that I'm making a big mistake. Maybe I'm not ready for this, or maybe I'm just not built to run a marathon. Keeping a 10:00 min mile pace is a goal of mine. Maybe not for this year but eventually. I'm hoping this weekends long run goes better. I'm hoping they have slower runners in my pace. I'm just hoping I can keep up with them. 15 more weeks to go. 

Soldier Field 10 mile run

This was my second year running the Soldier Field 10 mile run. For anyone whom is a Chicago Bears fan this is the ultimate race. It is always held over Memorial Day Weekend (hence the name of the Bears Stadium). The tag line for this race is "finish on the 50" and my friend, that is exactly what you do. The race is designed to start right by Soldier Field, then you literally end on the 50 yard line in Soldier Field. How cool is that? Friends and Family are allowed to sit in the stands and watch the runners cross the finish line. They even have the cameras on so you can see yourself on the jumbo screen as you cross the finish line. It truly is amazing. 

Race recap: This really was a great race for me. I had the chance to run with some new and old running buddies. My friend Kat bought a bib off a friend last minute, we live close by so we traveled to Soldier Field together. Then we met up with our friend's Gretchen and Jen. Kat was in a closer up coral than I (and she had to leave right after the race for dodgeball tournament) and Jen and Gretchen were behind me. Our friend Chris was also in a faster coral so we made plans to meet up with him later. I didn't actually get to run with anybody, but I knew that I'd get to see everybody at the after party. This race loops back on itself so I managed to see Kat pass me up on the turn, then I saw Jen and Gretchen on the turn when I passed them. That part is always fun, looking for your friends during the race. During the race I was feeling pretty good! I thought I was staying on pace to beat my time from last year (sadly it didn't happen) but I did stop to take this photo so I'll blame that for my poor time :)

Yup, I bought some Nike Bears running shorts just for the race. 

The end of this race is truly spectacular. I'm watching the mile markers as usual, then you see the stadium pop up and you know you are close. You make a loop around the Stadium, then this is when the magic happens. All the runners get to run through the players tunnel on to the field where you end at the 50 yard line. Through the tunnel I was taking it kinda slow, then when I saw the field I got a power boost of energy and took off! Just being on the same field that Walter Payton, Mike Ditka, and Brian Urlacher once were was pretty epic. The field does look much smaller actually being on it than it does on TV, or even being a fan watching a game in the stadium. Once in a lifetime experience for sure! 

Me on Soldier Field post race

photo courtesy of Gretchen Timosan 

This was the 10th year of the race so we got some pretty great bling. This was the first race I had run since the bombings at the Boston Marathon, and security was heightened. All bags were checked at gear check and before entering the after party zone. It was appreciated, but a little weird at the same time. After I entered the after party I had the chance to meet up with an old coworker and friend Jim. Jim and his wife and I started running around the same time, completely unrelated. We are facebook friends and since have noticed that we have been running a lot of the same races. The night before this race Jim and I exchanged numbers and made plans to meet up. I was so happy that it worked out and we got to see each other! We have a few other races that it looks like we are running together and we are all running our first Chicago Marathons!

Jim and I with celebratory beers!

Myself, Chris and Gretchen

Victory!

Shamrock Shuffle 8k

This was my third year running the Shamrock Shuffle and it has become one of my favorite races. Every year 40,000 gather for an 8k throughout Chicago. Bank of America is the sponsor (same as the Chicago Marathon!) and it is the largest 8k road race in the world! The shuffle has a 34 year history and is the kickoff to racing season. It is now held in April due to Chicago's unpredictable March weather, but this doesn't stop people from getting all decked out in St. Patricks Day gear. 

My running buddy Lauren was unable to attend this year and she was missed. I did get a chance to run with my coworker and friend Chris. Chris and I met at the Weber Grill Restaurant where we work before the race. Weber was in the middle of breakfast service and the breakfast servers were telling me that there was a jumper on the State Street bridge and there were a bunch of cops and fireman trying to talk him down. That just so happened to be along the path we were supposed to run in an hour! The race ended up getting re-routed last minute as a result. That was kinda a bummer, because the original path was supposed to run right in front of Weber and some of my coworkers said they'd come out to cheer myself and Chris on. My boyfriend Martin did come out to support me though. This was the first time that anybody ever made me a sign and cheer me on at a race. He had texted me earlier to let me know where he'd be standing. As I made the turn to where he said he'd  be and I saw his homemade sign I was so excited I ran right over to him and gave him a big kiss. That really made my race special. 

Free beer at the post race party at Grant Park was much needed. Then Chris, Martin and I went to brunch at Stout where they had amazing build your own Bloddy Mary's!