Wordless Wednesday

Cellcom Marathon - May 15th

I am a marathoner!!!  Finishing my first marathon through Lambeau Field was incredible!


On Friday, I drove from Iowa to Green Bay.  We had been house hunting all week.  Saturday, my mom, my sister, a good friend, and I visited the expo and picked up our packets.

We also stopped at a local sporting goods store.

Me, Mom, and Sister with Cheese on our heads.

A free pasta dinner came with our race fee ... inside Lambeau!

The temperature was around 45 deg on the morning of the marathon.  For me, it was nice ... for my mom and sister, it was freezing.  You can tell by how much warmer they are dressed.

We had matching shirts made for our first marathon.

I had name bibs and grace bands made from Races to Remember

The name bibs were sweet.  Spectators were yelling our names and cheering us on.

We also wore a grace band.

Every mile, we prayed for a different intention




I decided to wear my Camelbak Octane XCT with Nuun in the bladder.  I had used it on all my long training runs and didn't want to chance an upset stomach with the Gatorade.

The first half of the marathon went well except for the five minute bathroom break at mile 5.  Our half marathon split was 2:36:48 (11:58)

The second half was very windy ... 30 mph with 40-50 mph gusts and it was coming straight at ya.  Mom started to have a lot of problems with her knees so we walked more.

Running through Lambeau was the best last mile of the race that I have ever experienced.

Running around Lambeau field

Finish time:  5:38:06 - 12:53 pace

Thank you Mom and Little Sister for the memories of a lifetime!

Friends are such a blessing!

Temperatures have been cold lately.  I have a very difficult time mentally running on a treadmill.  The goal this weekend was to run 6-7 miles ... a recovery week.  So funny to hear me say 'only' 6-7 miles.  Saturday's weather was -2 deg F with a windchill of -15 deg F.


Fortunately, I have found a dear woman who enjoys running outside in all kinds of weather.  Thanks Sandy for joining this crazy lady this morning.  The 6.5 miles flew by and the temperature seemed warmer in your company.

Winter Running - What to wear?

This morning's long run was a bit slow.  Running through freshly fallen snow of over 1 1/2 inches is a bit of a challenge.  The temperature was 13 deg F with a windchill of 0 deg F.

So, what does a person wear?

Here's my outfit from this morning:

 Head:
     Smartwool Headband
     Smartwool Balaclava

Tops:
     Athleta Sierra Long Sleeve top with thumbholes and fold over ends
     Athleta Cascada Vest
     Ascis Storm Shelter Jacket (to block the wind)

Hands:
     Smartwool glove liners
     Asics running mitts


Bottoms:
     Nike running pants with fleece on the inside (in talls!)
     Asics storm shelter pants (to block the wind)


If my hands start to get too warm, the running mitts can fold over. 

The openings on my jacket are adjustable (see the two zippers in the middle).  When the running against the wind, I keep them closed.  When the wind is at my back, I tend to warm up.

Last winter, I ran with YakTrax Pro on the bottom of my shoes.  They worked well, but only lasted one season.  This year, I opted to try sheet metal screws.  Work just as well and really nice on the budget.  A how-to guide is here.

I also wear a Road ID on every run.  On my early morning runs, I wear a Black Diamond Sprinter headlamp.

"And I'm back in the game!"

"And I'm back in the game!" is one of our favorite quotes from the movie, "Ten Things I Hate About You"

That's how I felt after my two mile test run on Friday.  I wanted to go further, but I listened to my head and only ran two.  So funny to hear myself say that when a little over a year ago I couldn't even run a mile.

I am so excited.  Friday's run was great.  I do need to get out my Yak Trax for Monday's run.  We've had over a 13 inches of snow this weekend.  Monday looks cold too ... 1 deg F for the low.


Monday's goal:  2 miles with a 5 to 1 run/walk ratio

Blow me off the Bike Path

This morning, I stepped outside to 30 mph winds with gusts from 50-60 mph.  In store for me was a 4.5 mile tempo run.  The temperature was 42 degrees and falling.

My training plan calls for a 5 mile tempo run, but the bike path ends at 2.25 miles from my house.  Since I've been addicted to out-and-backs lately, I can not seem to change the route.  That will change soon as I'm sure the city will not plow the snow that will pile up on the bike path.

With my headlamp on low, I warmed up as Gunner (my Garmin) was getting reacquainted with the satellites.  With running early in the morning, a headlamp is necessary to see and to be seen.  I set my headlamp on low until I get further out onto the bike path, then I turn it up to high.  It also has a red blinking light on the back.

On the way out, I ran into the wind.  The strong gusts made it seem like I was to be carried away.  I laughingly told myself that that wouldn't be the case last November, when I was 40 pounds heavier.

When I reached the turn around point, the wind was at my back and pushed me home.  One of the reasons why I do like the out-and-backs is that the return trip seems shorter.  I've found that I need to play mental games to keep me running.  During my half marathons, I focus on getting to the next aid station.

Later today, I discovered that the winds that I experienced were the same conditions that shipwrecked the Edmund Fitzgerald, one of the most mysterious and controversial shipwreck tales on the Great Lakes.  She's second to the Titantic.  There's even a song about it, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald", which is played on the radio stations around here.

"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"
by Gordon Lightfoot

The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
When the skies of November turn gloomy.

With a load of iron ore - 26,000 tons more
Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty
That good ship and true was a bone to be chewed
When the gales of November came early

The ship was the pride of the American side
Coming back from some mill in Wisconsin
As the big freighters go it was bigger than most
With a crew and the Captain well seasoned.

Concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms
When they left fully loaded for Cleveland
And later that night when the ships bell rang
Could it be the North Wind they'd been feeling.

The wind in the wires made a tattletale sound
And a wave broke over the railing
And every man knew, as the Captain did, too,
T'was the witch of November come stealing.

The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait
When the gales of November came slashing
When afternoon came it was freezing rain
In the face of a hurricane West Wind

When supper time came the old cook came on deck
Saying fellows it's too rough to feed ya
At 7PM a main hatchway caved in
He said fellas it's been good to know ya.

The Captain wired in he had water coming in
And the good ship and crew was in peril
And later that night when his lights went out of sight
Came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Does anyone know where the love of God goes
When the waves turn the minutes to hours
The searchers all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay
If they'd put fifteen more miles behind her.

They might have split up or they might have capsized
They may have broke deep and took water
And all that remains is the faces and the names
Of the wives and the sons and the daughters.

Lake Huron rolls, Superior sings
In the ruins of her ice water mansion
Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams,
The islands and bays are for sportsmen.

And farther below Lake Ontario
Takes in what Lake Erie can send her
And the iron boats go as the mariners all know
With the gales of November remembered.

In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed
In the Maritime Sailors' Cathedral
The church bell chimed, 'til it rang 29 times
For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald.

The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
Superior, they say, never gives up her dead
When the gales of November come early