Time to get Serious: Reviews

Quantity has the edge over quality." Hal Koerner

There has been a method to my madness. I had picked 3 marathons to run between the winter and the summer to keep me conditioned to transition into my ultra training.

January:

Disney Goofy Challenge; Half marathon followed by a full marathon.

The Goal was to have fun, run a moderate marathon and knock this off my bucket list! You can tell by my times I was having a lot of fun!

Half Marathon: 2:06

Marathon Time: 4:04:28

April:

Martian Marathon

The Goal to pace Joan for her first marathon at a faster pace. To try a new marathon

Marathon Time: 3:50:24

May:

Cleveland Marathon

The Goal to qualify for Boston. To run a marathon in a new state.

Marathon Time: 3:41:54

Truth be told I am scared to death to run the Cloudsplitter 100k. I have gone back and forth on it. I have come up with a million excuses why it is just not a good idea.

However; I have one reason why I should.

Because I am so scared.

Well now it is time to start grinding my training out. Only one problem, I have a pain in my butt. LITERALLY.

I took this whole week off after Cleveland marathon hoping I would feel like the bionic woman.  

My first official run was this morning.

We were in Mt. Pleasant for my kids basketball tournament. I drove up separately. Andy was watching my oldest son play and I was watching my youngest son in different locations. I asked our hotel for a late checkout and after a disappointing loss Alec and I returned back to the hotel.

I dressed quickly, legs twitching and heart racing with anticipation. I wanted to see if my body forgave me. I wanted to feel the warm sun wrap its rays around me. I was most excited to run somewhere new, I was going to explore Central Michigan campus.

RUNDOWN

Distance: 4.5

Pace: 8:24

It was a beautiful run. My legs forgave me, my calf snuck in a couple reminders at mile 3. But everything felt good.

The problem wasn't running, it was sitting.

The 2 hour drive home was a real PAIN IN THE BUTT. My right butt cheek tightened up and I almost lost my footage getting out of my truck.

I was still dressed in my running clothes. It was just too lovely out to go home and do laundry. I got back in the truck and picked Lacey up for a second run at Holdridge.

I thought I would try and romance Lacey into running Woodstock in September with a nice trail run.

We took it super easy. I giggled looking back on the trails. She was so focused with a very serious look as she tip toed around the roots and rocks. We laughed at how our brains hurt more than our legs from thinking so hard trying not to fall.

It was so fun but my butt!

RUNDOWN

Distance: 4.7miles

Pace: 13.04

I purchased this outfit for Cleveland. Too BAD Mother Nature punished us with rain, sleet and hail and I never took the tags off the shorts.

THE HAT however, LOVE LOVE. The bill collaspes and folds perfectly around my head. Unfortunely I have a smurf head and I still had to safety pin the back of it to fit snuggly around my head.

Washington DC was planned before my marathon. With all the miles I would be walking I HAD to have good walking shoes.

I just didn't think I was going to get away with another pair of shoes. The hubby actually took a picture of all my running shoes a few months ago and my CC runners joke around how I have a new pair all the time.

I went into REDFOX OUTFITTERS in FENTON. The guys that own it are awesome. They actually gave me 20% off for coaching! The new location of their business is very hip. The store is a MUST see.

I purchased The Cloud. These are shoes I have never owned before. I wanted to look semi fashionable and still have good functionality. My foot fell in LOVE the moment it entered these shoes. I never had any problems with my feet in Washington DC and we walked almost 25 miles in 3 days.

MOTHERS Day, Andy must have felt really bad not being able to go to church or brunch. He spoiled me with a new Garmin Forerunner 230. I LOVE it.

• 8hr battery life
• receives text,emails phone call and other alerts from my phone.
• Alerts me to help find my phone!
• tracks my steps, sleep.

And a multitude of other fun things!

When it comes to shopping I love shopping on POSHMARK. Today, Lacey had the CUTEST capris on with an attached skirt. She nonchalantly mentions she purchased them on POSHMARK. I said "NOOO!" WE are the same size and now will be competing for items!

She had a great find, that could have been mine!

So from this day forward I need to get my head in the game. My number of fears outweigh my faith in my abilities. The best way to conquer fear is to be prepared.

However, if anyone wants to go to Kentucky the beginning of October and run 100k with me let me know!

Anita