The Second Half of My Marathon

If I run two Half-Marathons, it's almost like running a Full, right?

Ha, I know that is so not true.

This weekend Jer and I venture up to Sarasota to run the Sarasota Half Marathon which will be my second Half Marathon to date. The race got great reviews last year and is supposed to be a beautiful course, so it should be a good time.I am excited to not only run the race but also do it with Jeremy. It will be the first race we have run side-by-side since the Race for the Cure back in 2000.

Mostly though, I am just looking forward to getting out of Miami for a few days. Sometimes, life is hectic here. Going back to my parent's house is always relaxing and Sarasota/Bradenton is just so much more laid back than Miami. We just need to get away for a bit.

So my last few runs have been pretty good. I am still having trouble getting out of bed at 6am to go lift at the gym, but I do manage to get in at least 3 runs a week, pretty honorable if you ask me.

Last week I ran another PR for my 3.2 mile course around campus. I ran it by myself and logged in at 28:04. That was a great feeling.

Saturday, Jeremy and I slept in untill 8am and then went for a nice 9 mile run through Coconut Grove. Even though we slept in, the weather was still perfect. Sunny, in the 70's and low, low, low humidity. It was awesome. The perfect day for a long run.

Here's my recent activity:
2/21 - 3.2 miles - 28:04
2/24 - 9.03 miles - 1:30:04 (a little over a minute per mile faster than my training pace for the Miami Half)
2/25 - Gym - Lift/Abs/ 30 minutes, Elliptical
2/26 - 5.6 miles - 54:33 (humid again)

I am going to do one more slow 3 mile run tomorrow morning to get loosened up and then that's it before Sunday. Since my last time was 2:24, my goal for this one is around 2:15. I think if the we start out slow and the weather cooperates (they are predicting a high of 68 and partly cloudy) I should be ok...hopefully. If not, as long as I come in around 2:20 I will be satisfied. But running with Jeremy pushes me a little harder, so hopefully I'll do myself proud.

Oh, and we signed up for another race tonight. The Celebrity 5k on March 25th. Apparenty, there is a red carpet invloved somehow. Miami is a funny place.

Life After the Race

Good news, I didn’t lose my toenail. It only came off a little bit, but since the nail is small, it barely made a difference. The pain is gone too. Can’t say the same about Jeremy’s though. His big toe is a hot mess ever since the marathon. Poor guy.

So, we pretty much have our whole year planned as far as running is concerned. Since the training and race experience for the Miami Half was such a success, I have decided to sign up for the Sarasota Half Marathon, which is actually in two weeks. It is in my hometown and where my parents live now, so it will be nice to run in such a beautiful course that I know so well.

We have also already signed up for not one but TWO full marathons this year. My first will be the Columbus Marathon, October 21st. I love Columbus, Ohio so much and since it is where Jeremy and I met, it will be really special for me to do my first full there. He is even going to slow down and run it with me. I can’t wait to go back, see the leaves turning colors, go to an Ohio State football game and hang out at all our favorite places again. We are also going with our friends Kevin and Marissa. Kevin went to Ohio State, so he is excited to go back as well.

Then we signed up during the registration blitz for the Miami Full for next January. If you signed up before a certain date, you got a percentage off, so I got in for around $40. Not too bad. That way, Jeremy can run it with his normal group and I can train with my Footworks group again.

I have been doing pretty well keeping up the running since the marathon. The only problem is thatmy appetite is out of control. I can’t seem to eat enough. Also, since it has been cooler the last few weeks, it has made it really difficult for us to get motivated to get out of bed in the mornings to run. I know this is stupid, since all I do is complain about the heat and humidity down here, but when it’s in the 40’s and the windows are open and you are under all the blankets snuggled between a warm husband and a purring cat, running just doesn’t sound like so much fun.

However, we haven’t given up completely. We have been running at least 3-4 times a week still and even manage to get to the gym every now and then for a lift session. Soon, we will be on a more regular schedule every week which should include lifting 2 times, two regular runs, one long run and a leg session/ hour-long cardio day at the gym. We just haven’t been able to get into that motivated place yet. Also, since Jeremy has been training for marathons non-stop pretty much for the past year and a half, I think he is getting a bit burned out.

To mix it up a bit, we have been finding new places for our Saturday morning long runs. Two weeks ago we ran up South Beach. We started at Smith and Wollensky’s and ran to the Eden Roc Hotel and back for a nice 8 mile run. The weather was beautiful and my new running sunglasses worked like a charm.

Last Saturday we woke up a bit later since it was nice and cool out and drove out to Key Biscayne. We did a 10-mile run through Crandon Park and back over the Rickebacker Causeway and bridge. It was a great day for a run, sunny and cool until we got to the bridge, where is suddenly got windy and bitter. But we finished strong and I ran it at the fastest pace I had ever run that distance. Then on Monday of this week, we braved the cold (low 40’s, freezing for Miami) to go on our golf course loop. I ended up with a PR for the course at 52:24 /5.6 miles, so that was pretty exciting. Amazing what cold weather and no humidity can do for your running. Here is a rundown of my last few runs:

2/5/07 - 5.6 miles / 53:33
2/9/07 – 5.6 miles / 53:00 (PR)
2/10/07 – 8.1 miles / 1:20:09
2/15/07 – 5.6 miles / 53:31
2/17/07 – 10.74 miles / 1:43:09
2/19/07 – 5.6 miles / 52.24 (PR)

All in all, pretty good, not too much slacking in there. Even got a couple of PR’s for the golf course route. Running with Jeremy has really been helping out my speed. Well, that and the weather.

Of course, it will be in the 80’s again by Saturday, so I will have something new to bitch about.

More Marathon Pics

Here are some more fun shots from the ING Miami Marathon courtesy of Action Sports International.

Me. This is the very best picture on there, and it's rough.


Jeremy, hot husband.


Tracy and Lesley, my running buddies throughout training and the race.


Andy and Glenna, so cute.


Kevin and Marissa. He ran the last mile in with her after running his marathon so he could cross the finish with her for her first marathon.


Good times.

So today was my first run back since the race and the feaking weather is killing me. I ran 6 miles with Jeremy at 8am and it was in the upper seventies with about 80% humidity. What a difference it makes starting at 8am as opposed to 6am. I wont be making that mistake again.

Other than that the run was ok. My legs are a bit heavy still, but not too bad. We ran at roughly a 9:30 pace which is 1:30 faster than my Half Marathon time, which may have been another reason for feeling so rough today.

Also, I think my toenail is coming off. I am afraid to take off the dark nailpolish to look at it. It is killing me though. At least it's not the big toe. Stupid wet shoes.