Next Race: Seacoast Half Marathon! November 14th

So I did it! I pulled out my credit card and signed up for the Seacoast Half-Marathon today.

And yet another a few months pass...

...without writing on my blog. I realize having a more mobile baby makes it hard to type when she wants to "play" with mommy's toy (the laptop).

I also haven't written much because I haven't run much. I looked at the calendar and realized that Reach the Beach is just a month away! Yikes! I better up my mileage if I am to run the race and live to tell about it.

This past week is the first week that I have been somewhat consistent with running. I really got discouraged a couple weeks ago when I could barely do a four mile loop - I even had to stop and walk a couple times - with my friend. I decided after a bout of self-pity that I just needed to get out more even if that means having to wait until after dinner, bathing the little Z, and putting her to bed at 8PM. Or getting up a little earlier in the morning (somehow that doesn't seem to work out as well). Fortunately, the big Z is very supportive and can usually handle the bedtime routine while I head out the door.

Today I did 5+ miles with some serious hills without stopping or walking. I forgot just how great a really good run can feel. It was so freeing just to be a runner for that hour that I was on the road.

Now, I am looking for next half marathon to run this fall...

The reason why I haven't blogged in a while...

This is my daughter, little Z, who was born on September 30, 2009. As you can tell, she is enjoying the finisher's medal from the Great Bay Half Marathon.

Although I tried to keep up with running while I was pregnant, I gave up somewhere around the middle of second trimester. Not that couldn't do it, I just got frustrated because I would get winded from going a couple of blocks. So I kept in shape by walking and doing yoga.

Alas, I was itching to run about 4 weeks after she was born. It's been a slow progression back into running since then. The question is no longer how long I will run today but if I can even fit a run in today.

While I was still on leave in December, I decided to sign up for Great Bay Half Marathon in April. I was feeling pretty good at the time and managed to fit a run in most days either before the big Z went to work or when he came home. I thought I could handle a half by April. I forgot to factor in one big component into my schedule : WORK. I returned to work in January and lost the ability to "sleep when the baby sleeps". So by the time I got home, I would be exhausted and be in no mood to run. She was still not sleeping through the night so the days were just one endless cycle of getting up, going to work, getting home, nursing her, eating dinner, nursing her again, getting her to sleep, throwing in a load of laundry, going to sleep, waking up a few hours later, nursing her, getting her to sleep, going to sleep, and getting up again for the morning. Throw in a few night meetings on a top of that, it became next to impossible. Finally, we got into a better rhythm, she started sleeping longer, and I was able to get out a couple times a week plus fit in a semi-long run on the weekend.

I still felt ill-prepared as the race date neared but I knew I could do it. I kept the following quote as my mantra from Dean Karnazes' book, Ultramarathon Man :

Run when you can
Walk if you have to
Crawl if you must
Just never give up.

Except for crawling, I did exactly that and made it to the finish. I purposely didn't time myself because my goal was just to finish. Although not the best race time-wise, it was certainly one of the most rewarding :-)

Off to a good start...

This morning Z and I headed out early this morning to go over to our good friend and former TNT Coach D's house for a group run. To prove you can't keep an old man down, D is running a marathon a month this year (well, he actually started in September last year). So just about every Sat. morning, he coordinates a group run out of his house in Amherst or T's house in Hooksett. It's been a real motivator for us to get out of bed knowing that there is someone waiting to meet us.

Today was definitely a lot warmer (warm meaning about 20 degrees) than New Year's Day. I did about 8 miles over the rolling hills in Amherst. I am hoping that I keep this motivation up for the coming year.

Happy New Year's

It's been a while... I've been bit busy getting married and honeymooning but now my sights are set for the upcoming year of races and other fun ventures.

I kicked off the New Year by completing the Peanut Chip Chase 5K in the small town of Temple, NH. This was the third time that Z and I have done this race and it's become a tradition for us. It was blustery 8 degrees out but that didn't stop us or the other running fools that showed up. It was definitely tough to breathe and I was also recovering from a cold (which was better than last year when I was recovering from some New Year's Eve revelry). Again it's one of these fun NH races where they like to put the hill at the last 2/10's mile of the race. Considering all this, I pulled 28:14 better than the previous two years although not my best 5K. As always, the homemade soup and cookies made it all worth it.

Next up is the Hyannis Half Marathon... and most likely the Whidbey Island Marathon

Now, I am baking Deena Kastor's pumpkin lasagna for dinner. I have made this a few times before... very yummy.

I broke the 2 hour 1/2 marathon mark!

Z and I did the Hampton Rockfest 1/2 Marathon on Sunday. I started off diligently obeying my heart rate monitor, keeping it at the 80% level but got tired of hearing it beep and having everyone pass me at about mile 4. I turned off the alarm and started to pick up the pace. I was able to catch up to the 9 min/mile pacer and had him in sight for most of the way. At the water stop at mile 10, I actually passed him. That moment didn't last long, as I heard the tromping footsteps of the pace group right behind me and they proceeded to pass me. I still kept the man in the yellow hat in sight, but he started become more and more on distant horizon. As I approached mile 11, I looked at my watch at recognized that even if I slowed to 10min/mile pace, I would still make under 2 hours. So I relaxed a bit but I was starting the feel the stress on my body and I was cursing the fact that I decided on the long-sleeve instead of the short-sleeve shirt. When I saw the finish line, I dug deep and pushed myself to the end even though I felt like collapsing. Then I saw the clock at 1:58 something and I knew made it. Actual chip time was 1:58:49. Z came in at an impressive 1:41:53, a PR for him.

As predicted, we didn't stick around long enough for the band but opted to go to Portsmouth for lunch where I satisfied my craving for a grilled cheese sandwich and fries :-)

Another Hot One for Chicago

The Chicago Marathon has been on my to-do list for a while. I am glad that I didn't make it this year either although it was a little better than the debacle from last year.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/13/sports/othersports/13marathon.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin