Slang's Place

Hearts

2012-01-19T14:12:00.001-05:00

The past week has been a mixed bag of full on fan-hitting shit and wonderful recovery.

About a week ago, Bill's dad was admitted into the hospital due to some irregularities with his heart rhythm. Because he is so active, we all thought he would be going in for a quick pacemaker and then be out for the weekend. After some tests, the doctors determined that the heart flutters weren't caused by a failing SA node, rather they were due to 3 significant blockages in his arteries. The recommended treatment: coronary bypass surgery.

Once we got that news, things happened rather quickly. Bill was out of town on business. Luckily, he was due back Friday night anyway. His two sisters made arrangements to fly in from Canada as well. His Dad stayed in the hospital for the weekend in preparation for his surgery early Monday.

We woke at 3:45 am on Monday to get to the hospital by 5am. His surgery was scheduled for 7:30. They took him off just before 7:30 and sent us to a separate (and private) waiting room. The waiting room was quite accommodating with lots of seating (including sofas for naps) and even a private bath. No other families were permitted in it. We waited and waited and waited and waited. I actually expected to wait even more than we did. It only took about 3 hours to perform 3 bypasses. Pretty amazing, if you ask me. It would be another 5 or 6 hours before we would get to see him and talk to him again though.

So, although it started out with some pretty terrifying news, the past week has been life-saving for Bill's dad.

Running deer

2012-01-11T15:28:00.000-05:00

OH dear! I saw 4 or 5 small deer while I was running yesterday morning! Pretty cool, huh?

Actually, it was kind of scary. I run in the early morning, when it's still dark and the only light is from car headlights or the moon. In this case, it was the moon. I had on my headphones and I was just listening to my audio french lessons and I heard (or thought I heard) something in the woods. I looked, but didn't see anything. That freaked me out a little bit, but I kept on running. I always wonder what's lurking in the woods when I'm running. If I think about it too much, I get scared. What if there is an escaped convict out there just waiting for me to pass by? Or what if there is a bear or a panther or some other animal with similar ferocity?

When my mind wanders in such a direction, I try to think of how I would escape an ambush. If it's an escaped convict, I will outrun them. Easy enough. I'm already out there running, I would just pick up the pace. I can easily outrun an escapee, especially if he/she still has on the ankle cuffs. If it's a wild animal, I'll go for the eyes. Or the balls. I'm pretty sure a wild animal would win and eat me for breakfast, but they would probably be blinded and unable to reproduce. That's comfort enough for me.

So, I was out there running and I heard a very loud something in the woods. There was no mistake this time. There was definitely something out there. I looked up and saw 4 or 5 small deers scampering off. I clapped loudly so that they would keep running away from me. The last thing I need is to be gored by an angry deer.

After they ran off, I realized it was pretty cool that I saw them at all. When it's dark and shadowy, the last thing a person wants to hear is something rustling in the woods. It was a relief to find out that it was only deer. Now, I wish I hadn't scared them off. I wish they had just nodded to me as I passed by. Instead, Bambi scared the bejeesus out of me. Thank goodness I was alone. The embarrassment of getting scared shitless by a herd of deer would be too much to bear.

Hopefully that will be the scariest thing I ever encounter out there!

Winter?

2012-01-09T09:10:00.000-05:00

I know I live in the South and I know it is generally warmer here than in many other parts of the country, but it's supposed to be Winter and we have barely seen a dip in the temperatures. Having grown up in upstate NY, I'm all too familiar with the long, tortuous winters that drop into that area around Halloween and often stay until well after Easter. Down here, Winter usually means cooler temps too. Thankfully, we are usually spared the snow, but the temperatures often drop below freezing at night. This year though, we have seen exactly 2 days of winter-like weather. Last week we had two consecutive days where the temperature dipped into the 20s at night and got only into the low-50s during the day.

If I were conversing with someone from my hometown, this would normally be where they would stop me and say something like, "low-50s?!? That's not cold! That's a beautiful spring day up here!" I know, I know. But even they are having a pretty mild winter. Last year was a brutal winter for them, but this year they have seen very little snow and unusually higher-than-normal temperatures.

The thing is: I kind of like it cold. At least for a little while. I don't have any desire to go back to a 6 month winter, but I like to break out my sweaters and heavy coat for a few weeks every year. This morning, when I went for my run, I wore shorts and a short sleeved shirt. That's how warm it is!

I probably shouldn't be complaining about this. We've still got a couple months left of Winter and a lot can happen in a that time. Last year we had snow on Valentines day in Savannah! Maybe Winter decided to be fashionably late this year. I'm keeping a lookout for it.

Resolutions - 2012

2012-01-02T16:02:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a splendid new year. We made our annual trek to Jacksonville to spend New Year's Eve with some friends, singing karaoke and ringing in the new year with good friends and lots of fun.

Last year, around this time, I made some resolutions. How many did I manage to keep in 2011? Let's see:

Volunteer: Well, this one didn't work out so well. I always resolve to volunteer somewhere, and I never seem to do it.
Continue learning French: I did keep up with this. I am now on Pimsleur French 3. I still don't feel very fluent though. More about that later.
Run another Marathon: Check! November 5, 2011, I finished my second marathon! I spent a good portion of the summer training. I managed to improve on my previous marathon by about 15 minutes. I was VERY proud. Very.

Not too shabby. As they say, two out of three ain't bad. Now for this year's resolutions:

Family Tree. I want to really get my family tree in order. I have a subscription to Ancestry.com, and I've made a bit of progress, but I really would like to get my mother's side of the thing looking half-way decent.
Sew more. I want to make at least one item per month. I'm not saying it has to be a big item. It can be something as simple as a pillow or a bag, but I want to make stuff and sewing is one way to do that.
French fluency. I've put in a bit of groundwork on this one for the past two years. This year I want to actually speak to people in French.
P90X. Last year, I ran a marathon. This year I want to complete the P90X series. It looks really hard. I don't know if I'm going to keep up with the diet portion of the program. I already eat pretty well. My focus will be on the exercise portion.
Ukulele. I got a uke for Christmas this year. I've been practicing, and want to learn about 1-2 new chords per month.
Certification. I would like to get at least one IT certification. I've been working in IT for more than 12 years and don't have any certs. This year I want to change that.
Read. I also got a Kindle for Christmas. So far I love it. I want to read more. I used to read so much. Now, I rarely do. I think 1-2 books per month is a reasonable amount.

I've more than doubled the number of resolutions this year, but I think they are all reasonably achievable. Happy New Year!

Holidays

2011-12-28T16:35:00.000-05:00

I love Christmas. I do. I'm also glad it only comes once a year! I wonder if people felt the stress of the holiday season 50 years ago? It seems to get worse every year.

Our Thanksgiving was so wonderful and went so smoothly that I hoped for a similarly smooth Christmas. It wasn't horrific or anything, but I feel like a lot of the "fun" of the holiday has been lost. Now, it's about obligations:

Whose family are we going to spend Christmas with?
Did I buy the right presents?
Did I buy enough presents?
Did I get the cards out in time?

I'm not saying I had a horrible holiday. I just wish things weren't so wonky this year. Compared to some, our holiday was a breeze. We were able to spend time with our families and the presents were flowing. One year, when I've become wealthy, I would like to whisk our families off to some island or some cruise ship and just hang out. No presents. No obligations. Now, I just have to find a way to become wealthy enough to do that! I guess that will be one of my New Years Resolutions!

Outrunning the rain.

2011-12-23T09:01:00.000-05:00

The timing could not have been worse. I went for my run this morning and just as I reached the point that is farthest away from my house, I felt something. A drop of water hit my arm. At first, I thought it was a bead of sweat that was flung from my head and landed on my arm. Alas, it was not. It was the rain. As I was turning around and heading back to my house, it started raining harder. I started running faster. I hate running in the rain. Not just because getting soaked to the bone in a rainstorm sucks, but because I'm afraid my ipod nano would not survive the drenching. (Note to self: get a waterproof armband for the nano)

I ran and I ran. If a slow song came on my ipod, I changed it. I run faster with "up tempo" tunes. When I was a mile from my home, the rain was gone. I had outrun the rain. That's how fast I am. Either that or the rain shower was over. I like to think it was the former. I'm pretty sure I can outrun the rain now.

Birthday Weekend

2011-12-19T16:44:00.001-05:00

Well, my "birthday weekend" has come to a close. I had a good run. This is the first year that I celebrated a "birthday weekend." The concept was introduced to me in November by my friend Sarah when she came to visit for the marathon. She was celebrating her "birthday weekend" at that time. When she mentioned the idea of it, I initially hated it. It made me think of drunk 20-something girls in bars who celebrate their "birthday week" and throw a hissy fit if the amount of attention they get doesn't equal or surpass the amount of attention they THINK they should get. However, after mulling it over, I decided that a birthday weekend would suit me fine. Actually, since my actual birthday fell on a Wednesday, I just felt like celebrating on the weekend, instead of a work night. I admit that I milked the situation a little bit, but not much. I feel like I navigated my first "birthday weekend" with dignity.

Really, the only thing exciting we did over the weekend was go to dinner at a semi-fancy restaurant. I had a lovely French dinner of chicken livers, beet salad, oxtail and crème brulee. By the end of the evening, I was stuffed! We managed to stop at a bar for a post-dinner cocktail. We still made it home by 9:30 and I was in bed by 10pm. As you can tell, I'm a real party animal during my birthday weekend.

The rest of the weekend was so dull that it doesn't even bear mentioning. By Sunday evening my birthday weekend had morphed into a regular weekend complete with laundry and housework. Oh, the life of a 39 year old!

39

2011-12-15T09:11:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I begin my journey into the final year of my third decade. OY!

So far, 39 has been pretty good. I had to work yesterday, so that kind of sucked. On the upside, Bill got me a Kindle Touch, so that didn't suck. I've named it Kindell. I've already downloaded a book. Ok, it was a free book, but I had to see what it looked like. I have, at my disposal, The Count of Monte Cristo. It took all of 20 seconds to download. Sometime, in the near future, I will be making a trip to the library to get (or renew) my library card. Our library system has e-book lending for the kindle now, so I'm going to make full use of it!

Later, Bill and I are met a couple friends for drinkypoos downtown. I knew I had to work today, so it wasn't a complete bender, but it was fun to be out on a school night for cocktails and conversation. I was hoping to find a pumpkiny cocktail or something kind of gingery, and I did. I had a ginger cocktail. They called it a ginger martini, but it wasn't really a martini. I'm a purist in that regard. Just because you put something in a martini glass, doesn't make it a martini. Anyway, regardless of its vessel, the drink was delicious!

All in all, it was a great birthday. Next year, my age will end in a zero. Yikes!

It starts...

2011-12-12T10:56:00.000-05:00

The holiday season is certainly in full swing now. From now until the new year, things will be much more hectic.

This weekend was certainly hectic. I started Saturday morning with an 8-mile run. Surprisingly, I was really tired by the end of it. I know 8 miles is nothing to scoff at, but during my marathon training, I could run twice that and then go on about my day. Not so on Saturday. It was a cold, gray, damp day, so I'm sure that played a factor in my exhaustion, too. After the run, I stopped off for a coffee, grabbed a couple things from the farmer's market and went home.

I did manage to finish decorating the place for Christmas and then I crashed. Normally, I make fun of Bill for his "weekend naps." Every Saturday and Sunday, you can expect to find Bill heading to the bedroom at around 2pm for an afternoon nap. This weekend, I might have zonked out, as well. I pushed back in the recliner and the next thing I knew it was 3:30! It wasn't a light sleep, either. It was the kind of sleep where you wake up wondering where you are! I admit, it felt great.

Saturday night was also our company Christmas party. A couple hours before I had to leave for the party, I had an huge craving for ginger cookies. So, I decided to whip up a batch. Then I ate a few. Then I got ready for the party.

The party was nice. It was nice to get all dressed up in my suit. The open bar doesn't hurt either!

Sunday was filled with errands. Grocery shopping, house cleaning, and the dreaded Christmas cards. Normally, I have my cards ready and send before now, but this year it got away from me. So, I spent time updating my address labels and then getting the cards ready for mailing. I think sending Christmas cards is falling by the wayside, but I enjoy it. I like getting cards and I like sending them. Some people on my Christmas card list I haven't seen in years. It's nice to think about them though, even if it's just for the sake of a card.

In a nutshell, that was the weekend. Nothing to exciting, but it felt hectic. This coming week is going to be more of the same.

Savannah Bridge Run 10K

2011-12-05T11:00:00.000-05:00

Well, I managed to run the 10K without injury and without any pain! This is the farthest I've gone since running the marathon. Believe it or not, I was kind of worried about running the 6.2 miles. I don't get it either. A few weeks ago, I ran 26.2 miles and had more confidence in finishing that than I did in finishing this bridge run.

I have run the 5K bridge run every year since I started running. This is my first year running the 10K. Be it 5K or 10K, one thing you can always count on for the Savannah bridge run: cold weather. This year was no exception. It was in the mid-30s when I woke up. If I were running the 5K, I would have frozen my ass off! That race starts at 8am, which would have meant getting out into the elements around 7am. It was still freezing cold at that hour. However, the 10K race didn't start until 9am! It was chilly at the start, but as the race went on, it was actually pretty warm. I even took off my gloves midway through the race!

The 10k course starts in downtown Savannah, then goes across the bridge, circles around and then comes back over it, ending at the civic center. The bridge was more daunting than I remembered. The first incline seemed REALLY steep. It was difficult making it up, but I managed. Going down the other side was a breeze. I just let gravity do its thing and tried to keep up. Then we looped around and headed back up the other side of the bridge. Surprisingly, the 2nd trip over the bridge was easier than the first! I expected it to be far more difficult, but it wasn't. It was still challenging, but not as bad as the first. Once I hit the 4 mile mark and I didn't have any knee pain, I felt pretty good. I have been working on stretching my IT bands out and that work seemed to have paid off. I had absolutely no pain. I even finished with a respectable time of 50:12. Not too shabby!

One of the great things about the bridge run is the party afterward. There is a band, free beer and free Brunswick stew! I enjoyed them all very much, for the short time I stuck around. I really need to find some runner friends. I probably would have stayed longer and enjoyed the band if I knew someone there.

In any case, I still had a great time and now feel confident to increase my mileage again.

Happy Holidays

2011-12-01T15:09:00.000-05:00

When I wish you Happy Holiday, I'm wishing you happiness....during the holiday season. I'm not pissing your mouth. I'm not taking a dump on your best suit. I'm not even wishing ill will.

Wishing happiness to another person used to be a nice thing to do. It used to be received with gratitude and perhaps a return of the same sentiment. In the past few years, it seems that people get upset even when GOOD THINGS are being wished upon them! Two times in the past week I have heard someone complaining about being wished Happy Holidays. They were of the opinion that only Merry Christmas should ever be uttered and it should be assumed that all people celebrate the same holiday.

I don't like to assume that everyone celebrates the same holiday. There are several holidays that all fall in the November/December/January time frame. I'm not so arrogant to think that people are only celebrating the same things I am. So, I choose to say Happy Holidays. I say it a lot. It's not a slight. Or an insult. It's warm wishes, take it as such.

In fact, I will even eschew my atheist tendencies and not get upset when you say you want to "keep the Christ in Christmas" if you agree to let me keep the "happy" in "Happy Holidays"

Giving Thanks

2011-11-28T11:06:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. When I was a kid, I loved Christmas but as I've gotten older, I really love Thanksgiving. It combines some of my favorite things all together:

Cooking
Eating
Friends and Family.

Many years ago, Bill, our friend Janice, and I would all go to Orlando for Thanksgiving. We'd spend time at Disney or Universal and drink beer and have fun. That was when we all lived in the same town. Since we moved to Savannah, going to Orlando isn't so easy, however we still always get together. We alternate each year: one year she'll come to Savannah, the next we'll go to Pensacola.

This year was her turn to come to Savannah. She got in on Wednesday afternoon before I got home from work. By the time I got home, she had already gotten into the beer, so I, of course, had some catching up to do. We spent the night drinking and laughing and having fun. She even gave us our Christmas presents early. I got a ukulele! I've been wanting one, so this was a wonderful surprise. By the time we went to bed, none of us were feeling much pain.

The pain did come. Thanksgiving morning, my head felt like it was in a vice. I took a couple aspirin and a LOT of water and got started on the Thanksgiving meal. I made apple pie, pumpkin pie, turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, corn, green bean casserole, cranberry relish, cranberry sauce, turnips and gravy. I made enough for an army. By the time dinner rolled around, my headache was gone, but I was exhausted. The In-laws came over for dinner and we all had a wonderful time pigging out and giving thanks.

After dinner I was so ready to crash. I slept until about 8am and then got up to do some Black Friday shopping. I didn't feel like fighting the crowds that go out at midnight or 4am. I just went out at a decent hour and it paid off. My first stop was Target. It was empty. Apparently, everyone got there at midnight, bought what they wanted and got out. By the time I got there at 8:30, it was like a ghost town. There were almost as many store employees as there were shoppers. It was awesome. The still had plenty of merchandise, so I was able to get the item I wanted and get out. The whole thing took less than 15 minutes. I hit a few other stores afterward, as well. It worked out perfectly.

Friday night, Bill and Janice and I went downtown for some bar hopping. Nothing terribly exciting, but still lots of fun.

Saturday Janice and I broke out the karaoke machine. We drank beer and pina coladas and sang our heads off. Then we went out for Mexican food and came home and crashed.

Sunday, Janice had to get her things packed and ready to go, so we were kind of lazy. We did manage to get out and go bowling, but that was about it.

It was a great weekend. Next year, Thanksgiving is in Pensacola. I've got a year to practice the uke and get my liver back in fighting shape!

Turkey Trot Weekend

2011-11-21T10:13:00.000-05:00

Guess who ran a 5K on Saturday and came in first place in his age group. Me!

This was a new race for me. It was the 10th annual race, but I don't ever recall seeing it advertised in previous years. I didn't plan on actually racing the event so much as just running it. I wanted (and needed) to run and a 5K seemed like a nice distance given the fact that the marathon was 2 weeks ago and the 10K bridge run in 2 weeks from now. The plan was to just run it. I wasn't going to worry about finishing with a good time, just run for fun and enjoy the scenery.

The scenery was lovely. I have never been to Isle of Hope before. It's just a suburb of Savannah, but it's a pretty one. Part of the race was along Bluff Drive. I had no idea that road even existed, but I will definitely be back. It was stunning, especially at that hour of the morning.

I ran harder than I planned to, but I wasn't racing. I finished in 23:40, which is not my best 5K time at all, but I was happy with it. I was even happier when I found out that I placed first in my age group!

The rest of the weekend was spent running errands and sprawling on the couch. We're getting ready for Thanksgiving. Our friend Janice is coming to town for the long weekend and we plan to eat and drink and sing like mad. The karaoke machine is fired up and ready. The turkey is thawing in the fridge. I'll make a beer run before Wed and we'll be all set. I've missed my karaoke buddy and can't wait to belt out of a few songs while we're belting back a few drinks!

Another race?

2011-11-18T21:35:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow, I'm running my first "race" since the marathon. It's a Turkey Trot 5K. 3.1 miles. Easy peasy. Well, it would be easy peasy if my legs were feeling a bit better. Also, I'm not really racing. I'm just going to run it and see what happens. I'm not going to push it to race pace yet.

My hamstrings are still troublesome. They don't hurt nearly as much as they did last week, but they are a bit sore.

I've run several times this week, but never more than 3 miles. I'll be pleased when I can get back to a normal running routine.

In other news...
- my parents visited last week. Their visit was nice, but I always feel like they are bored when they're here. My mother has hip problems so we can't walk a lot. Neither one of them drinks anymore, so that also leaves out much of what Savannah is known for. We went out for dinner a few times and went shopping, but I never know what to do when the visit.

- This weekend is the only weekend this month we don't have visitors. Lots of rest. And maybe a cocktail.

- I'm getting a massage on Saturday. I can't wait.

- I'm looking forward to the short work week next week. Thanksgiving can't get here quick enough!

Recovery is hard.

2011-11-14T15:37:00.001-05:00

Recovery is hard. I ran the marathon more than a week ago and I still can't manage more than two miles without feeling pain in my right leg. So, that kind of sucks.

I tried my first post-race run on Friday: a short and easy 2-mile run. I intentionally ran slow. By the time I finished, my legs were wobbly and hurting. My quads, which were unbelievably weak after the marathon, were struggling to perform and my right hamstring and IT band were screaming at me. It wasn't pretty.

My parents came in for the weekend, so I knew I wouldn't be running Saturday or Sunday. I planned it that way. I knew I would have to ease my body back into running, but I didn't realize how long it would take. When I ran my only other marathon a few years ago, I just took about 6 weeks off. That's kind of a long time to not run. It took me a while to even want to get back into it. This time, though, I WANT to run, but I can't.

This morning, I ran again. I intended to run 3 miles, but almost as soon as I started running I knew it would be only 2. My quads fared better this time around, but my hamstrings were screaming again. I'm going to try some stretching tonight. Hopefully it will put these hamstrings back in line so I can run again!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 125 - RACE DAY!

2011-11-10T20:46:00.003-05:00

Day 125

26.2 Miles

The big day!

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/57388628"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon (11/05/2011)&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/?location=Savannah, GA"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Find more Runs in Savannah, GA&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

I woke up at 4am. We didn't know what to expect as far as parking, so we wanted to get down there early. The race didn't start until 7:30, but I certainly didn't want to miss it on account of parking. This was the first of several things that went VERY right. We left the house just after 5am and found a parking spot on the street! I was expecting that we would, at the very least, be parking in a garage. Not only did we get an awesome spot on the street, but we didn't have to pay for it!

So, we were a little early. Ok, a lot early. We sat in the car and listened to the radio for a while. Then we moved to my office building, which was just steps from the starting line. We took advantage of the heat and indoor plumbing until just after 7am. Then we ventured out. This thing was really happening!

Outside it was a sea of people! 23000 people all ready to run. With a race this size, they have corrals for runners based on their estimated finish time. I was in corral #7. My friend, Sarah, was in #15. I found my way to my corral and wished Sarah luck. It was pretty cold while we waited. Thankfully there were enough people around to make it bearable. The time passed pretty quickly, which was surprising. There were some announcements being made and then the national anthem was sung. At exactly 7:30am, the first corral of people were released and the race was on!

This was my first experience with a wave start. I must say, I liked it a lot. It only took a few minutes for my corral to get to the start and there was a lot less stumbling and bumping into others. It was a wonderful way to start the race. The energy was fantastic and I felt good.

The first few miles were absolutely perfect. When the race course was announced a few months ago, I thought the first few miles of the race were going to be horrible. It is a "less desirable" part of town, even by the city's admission. Needless, upon first inspection, I thought it was a horrible way to start the race. However, I couldn't have been more wrong! Once I was running it, I loved it. The people in that area were so nice! So many came out and sat by the roadside to cheer us on. Cheers of: "Don't stop!," "You look great!", "Keep going!" filled the air. I loved waving to everyone and giving "high fives." It was really touching and inspiring.

Things calmed down for a bit and before you knew it I was coming upon mile 8, which ran through the downtown area. As I approached, I could hear cheering. The closer I got, the louder it got. As I turned on to Liberty Street, there was a wave of cheering that was palpable. The crowd was so think and the cheering so loud that I could feel it in my chest! It was great! The rest of our gang was there, too, cheering us on! It was great to see so many people out there, but it was even better to see friends and family there!

Things were going along pretty well, until we split. The half marathon runners went one way, while those of us running the full marathon veered off in another direction to run the other half of the race. There were 23000 people running that morning and less than 5000 were running the full marathon. It was a little strange to see so many people leaving the course to finish their half-marathon, while I was heading off to run more than 13 miles farther! It played with my mind a bit.

I felt really good until mile 19. I started to really feel some pain in my legs at that point. At the 20 mile marker, I was still making good time, but I knew I wouldn't be able to sustain it. I was in a lot of pain by that point. The IT band in my right leg was flaring up and it was excruciating. I thought I might have to drop out. I did some stretching and kept going though.

Mile 23. What can I say about this beast? When I ran the other marathon a few years ago, mile 23 is where I hit the wall. Hard. I was determined to NOT let it get me this time. I forced myself to run the entire mile. Most of the time as I was running, I was saying, "Fuck 23, fuck 23, fuck 23" I wasn't quiet about it either. I wasn't screaming it, but I wasn't silent either. I conquered mile 23. I ran the whole thing. Mile 24 is a different story though.

I walked most of Mile 24. I didn't hit the wall, per se, but I was in a lot of pain. By this time I had been running for almost 4 hours. That's a long time. I was tired and hurting. I don't feel bad about walking at all. I did what I needed to do.

The end of the race was very exciting. The spectators really helped get me to the finish line. By the time I reached mile 25, I knew it was going to be more mentally challenging than physical. The cheering crowd made it so much easier. It's amazing what a bunch of screaming strangers can do for a runner! I ran across the finish with gusto. 4 hours, 28 minutes, 23 seconds. More than 15 minutes better than my other marathon! As soon as I finished I was wobbly and sore, but I was also elated and almost in tears. It was very emotional.

I found Bill and was surprised to see another friend had come out to congratulate me as well. I fought back tears, but just barely. I immediately, collapsed in the sun and laid in the grass for a while. I didn't realize how weak my legs actually had become. I needed help getting up. I literally couldn't lift myself because my quads were so weak.

I made my way back to the spectator area so that I could watch Sarah finish. Although we didn't run the race side by side, it was wonderful to have someone here running with me. I have known Sarah since about the 1st grade. She was my prom date in high school. We've gone to a wedding together. We've toured NYC together. And now, we've run a marathon together. Pretty cool, huh?

I have to admit. We were both pretty miserable after the race. 26.2 miles is a long way to run, but we conquered it!

Final thoughts:

I am super happy and proud to have finished this thing! The whole race was great with one exception: miles 21-24.

Miles 21-24 were horrible. They were run on a stretch of highway that is made of concrete. Concrete is horrible to run on normally, at the end of a full marathon, it is torture! There were also no spectators out there. The last part of the marathon is when cheerleaders are needed MOST. Putting us on a desolate stretch of highway with cold wind blasting us in the face was cruel. I hope they change this part of the course before next year's race.

Other than that, this was one of the best races I've run ever! I haven't decided whether to do the 1/2 or the full next year, but I will definitley be running!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 124

2011-11-07T10:39:00.001-05:00

Day 124

2 Miles

I didn't want to risk further injury. So I didn't run. I did, however, walk all over hell's half-acre. Also, I was a little hung over (which was probably not the best preparation for a marathon.)

My friends from NY arrived safely yesterday and I took them on a little sightseeing tour. We stopped off at Bonaventure Cemetery first. We wandered around there for a while and then went out for lunch.

After lunch, we took the ferry to the convention center to pick up our race packets. The expo was really nice and we got there at the perfect time. We didn't have to wait long for the ferry and once we arrived, the lines were minimal. It was a little crowded, but not too bad at all.

When we returned on the ferry, the line to get to the Expo had grown tremendously. It was probably 1/4 mile long! We were so lucky to have gotten there when we did. We wandered around River St for a bit and then went back to the car. Even though I didn't run this morning, I felt like I walked enough to make up for it!

My legs actually felt pretty good. I drank a lot of water so I was hydrating well. We all went back to my house where I cooked 3 lbs of spaghetti. We carbo loaded, relaxed and hit the hay early.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 123

2011-11-03T09:46:00.000-05:00

Day 123

Rest

There are only two days left and I'm going insane with anticipation!!

The city is bustling with excitement. There are barricades along the sides of the roads in preparation for the event. There are banners hanging from the light posts welcoming runners to Savannah. There is a HUGE 18- wheeled Rock n Roll Marathon truck outside my office building. The race is so close!

If that wasn't enough, my friends from NY are arriving in mere hours! I really can't wait. Bill and I spent a good part of last night giving the house a good final cleaning. I'll leave work around noon, head home and tidy up a bit more. I'm going to get a cheese plate and some prosecco ready as well. Oh, and bake some bread.

I feel like I used to feel on Christmas eve as a child: all excited and not sure what to do with myself!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 122

2011-11-02T12:59:00.001-05:00

Day 122

Rest

Ahhhh. Rest! As if I haven't been essentially resting all week!

My leg is actually feeling almost normal again. I still experience occasional twinges of pain, but for the most part it feels pretty good. I'm still stretching and taking aspirin, but I've stopped icing (mainly because I forget about it)

Tomorrow my friends arrive from NY. I've known 2 of them since first grade. Pretty amazing, huh? One will be running the marathon with me, and the other two are coming along for support. It's going to be fun regardless of our finish times. I'm looking forward to hanging out with them more than running the race.

I have so much to do before they arrive though! I scrubbed the floors last night. Tonight I'm going to do laundry and vacuum and dust and clean the patio and mix a batch of Yellow Bird cocktails and fill the beer fridge.

Tomorrow at 2pm the fun begins!!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 121

2011-11-01T20:08:00.000-05:00

Day 121
3 Miles

I'm still taking it easy. No running until at least Friday.

On a brighter note, I scrubbed the floors today.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 120

2011-10-31T14:39:00.000-05:00

Day 120

4 Miles

4 miles was on the training plan, but it wasn't meant to be. I've decided to take the rest of the week off. I may run on Friday, for a couple miles, but if my leg is even the least bit tender, I'll scrap that too. There is a possibility that my next run will be a 26.2 miler!

I went out today and bought some sports tape and some inserts for my work shoes. I don't have much support in them, and figured I ought to do what I can to make my little piggies as comfy as possible between now and Saturday. I bought the sports tape just in case I have to tape my leg up for the race. Better safe, than sorry. I don't want to be scrambling on race morning!

Much of the rest of my week will be spent stretching and icing my leg. Come hell or high water, I will finish the race.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 119

2011-10-30T17:55:00.000-05:00

Day 119
Cross Train

My leg is jacked up. Actually, I think I jacked it up myself.

Yesterday after my run, I did some stretches and my leg felt pretty good. Then I started poking at it, and "massaging" it. I think I may have overdone it. Right now, it hurts more than ever. I should know better by now: if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

So, now I will rest. I may not run again until the race. I'm scheduled to run 4 miles tomorrow and I'm pretty sure that isn't going to happen. The next day is supposed to be a 3 miler. I'll play that one by ear, but I'm fairly certain I'll be staying off my feet as much as possible between now and Saturday.

I'm not too worried about it, actually. Based on everything I've read, I could have taken the past two weeks off completely and it would not have much impact on my race performance. However, running while injured is sure to worsen the condition. I'll stretch and ice and do whatever I have to do to help this leg heal.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 118

2011-10-30T17:47:00.001-05:00

Day 118
8 Miles

The day started out shitty. I woke up in a decent enough mood. Once I stepped outside to head downtown for my run, things went downhill. It was raining. Crap! I did NOT want to run this last long run on a treadmill. I needed to run outside. I dashed back inside and pulled up the weather map on the internet. It looked like it was on its way out. I figured that by the time I could make it downtown, the rain would likely be stopped.

In my haste to get out the door, I left my gatorade on the counter top. I realized this about a mile down the road, so I was able to stop at the convenience store and grab a bottle. Once I finally made it downtown, it had stopped raining. Woo hoo!

So I ran 8 miles. My leg was a little tender to start, but a few miles in, it was fine. Actually, the last few miles flew by! With the exception of the first 2 miles, which were still a bit sprinkly, the rest of the run was excellent.

I decided to dress exactly as I plan to for the race, which included my camera. I took a couple pics of the sights:

The next week will consist of lots of rest, lots of carbs and plenty of ice for my leg.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 117

2011-10-28T15:15:00.001-05:00

Day 117

3 Miles

3 miles??? What's up with that? I had planned on running 4 miles, but when I looked at the training guide, I was only scheduled for 3. It worked out well, of course.

My leg hurt a bit, so I was glad to run easy for 3 miles. As I was finishing, the pain in my leg started to dissipate, so I was pleased with that. We'll see if the same thing happens during tomorrow's 8-miler.

I really can't believe the big day is almost here! 8 days from right now, I will have finished a marathon! The last time I ran a full marathon I swore it would be my last. Yet, here I am. I'm also already registered for my next race: a 10K. After my last marathon, I was kind of down in the dumps after finishing. Don't get me wrong, I was immensely proud to have finished, but I didn't have anything to train for afterward, so I fell into a bit of a slump. This year, I have registered for a 10K bridge run in December. It's almost a month after this race so it will give me time to recover and it provides me with a new goal.

Plus, with the holidays coming, I will need as much running as possible in order to keep my boyish figure!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 116

2011-10-27T11:11:00.000-05:00

Day 116

Rest

My real rest day.

I didn't sleep well last night. I couldn't get comfortable. Bill was restless too and got up with the chickens because of work which caused the dog to become restless, which caused me to wake up at 5:15. Needless to say, I was not pleased. I tried to go back to sleep and just as I was getting to sleep, something else would happen that woke me up. The good thing about a poor night's sleep is that it makes it so much easier to do nothing the next day. The bad thing about a poor night's sleep is that I'm basically a zombie at work all day. And I look like shit.

I'm pleased to report that my leg is feeling MUCH better. It's still a little tender, but I am planning on running very easy on it tomorrow. If all goes well, the 8 miles on Saturday should be a breeze. I plan on testing out my marathon attire on Saturday, too. I will try to match race day conditions as best I can, so I'm going to run as if it were the marathon, except that I'll stop after 8 miles.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 115

2011-10-26T11:06:00.000-05:00

Day 115

4 Miles

Well, I was supposed to run 4 miles today. It didn't happen. As a matter of fact, I didn't run at all.

As I mentioned in previous posts, my right leg has been aching. When the alarm went off this morning, I assessed the situation: would the benefit of running 4 miles today outweigh the benefit of allowing more time for my leg to heal. The answer was, no. I decided to throw an extra rest day in this week to see if the pain in my leg lessens. It was the right decision.

As great as this training plan has been for me, it isn't the "be all, end all." Listening to my body is just as important, especially during the taper. I want my body to make it through the race as safely as possible and without injury. I would rather take an extra day or two off now than risk serious injury during the race.

Also, it was nice to sleep in a bit :-)

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 114

2011-10-25T09:46:00.001-05:00

Day 114

5 Miles

Only 11 more days until race day!

Today was my last 5 mile run before the race. I'm thrilled, because I hate 5 mile runs.

It was not a pleasant run. My right leg was hurting again, just above the ankle. My inner thigh was also hurting at the beginning of the run, but it faded as the run progressed. I put a compression bandage on my ankle this morning after the run and will wear it all day to see if it helps. I may take an extra rest day or two, if it doesn't improve.

Last night, I found a great hamstring stretch and spent a good part of the evening stretching it out. It felt great this morning. I will try to find the right stretch for my inner thigh as well. I know it just needs to be stretched out, but finding the right one is the problem. None of my regular stretches is hitting the affected muscle, so I will have to research it a bit.

I'm so excited about next week! Friends are coming in from NY for the race and I can't wait to see them. I also can't wait to get this race over and get back to a normal life!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 113

2011-10-24T19:07:00.000-05:00

Day 113
4 Miles

My poor Garmin!

I got up the morning "bright eyed and bushy tailed" and ready to run. Sadly, my Garmin was not feeling it. I've had my Garmin Forerunner 305 for a LONG time. It has tracked almost every run I've been on since Christmas 2007. I wore it when I ran my last marathon. I feel naked on a run when I don't wear it. Needless to say, I was crushed when I put it on this morning and it wouldn't power up. I pressed the Power button. I pressed it again. Nothing. Not even a blip.

I was certain this was the end. I've known my dear Garmin has been in failing health. A few months ago, I had to perform surgery on it to repair a fracture of the watch casing. A little gasket cement, a toothpick, some electrical tape gave the ol' Garmin a new lease on life. It was almost as good as new, until this morning.

So, I went out into the cool Georgia morning and ran 4 miles without my GPS. Luckily, before I started training for this marathon, my normal morning run would be 4 miles. I could almost run it with my eyes closed. So, I didn't need the GPS to tell me when to turn around this morning.

When I got back, I decided that I had to try once more to revive the Garmin. I pulled up a youtube video that explains how to reset the watch. I followed the directions and let out a squeal when it came back to life! My Garmin has been to the edge, looked over into the abyss and came back. I was thrilled.

Tomorrow's 5 mile run will be so much better with my GPS!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 112

2011-10-23T19:28:00.001-05:00

Day 112
Cross Train

I slept so well last night. I woke up this morning feeling great! I did a bit of stretching (not much really) and enjoyed the morning: coffee, newspaper, lounge chair.

I took the dog for his Sunday walk and ran some errands. Then I spent the day in the kitchen.

I made bread...

...and I made mozzarella cheese

...and I made chicken pot pie.

I also got a haircut and pulled weeds in the front garden. It was one of the best Sunday's I've had in a while.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 111

2011-10-23T06:35:00.002-05:00

Day 111
12 Miles

Marathon Training - 12 Miles (10/22/2011)

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I ran 12 miles in cool, cool weather. In fact it was almost cold.

I ran the same 12 mile route that I did during one of my earlier 12 mile runs in the summer. The last time I ran this route, I nearly passed out from heat exhaustion. It was such a pleasure to run it without feeling lightheaded and weak. It also seemed much quicker this time around.

The last time I ran this route it was 102 degrees outside. This time, it was 45. That's quite a difference! I recalled where things started to go downhill during the last run. It was right around mile 8. This time around, the last 4 miles were uneventful. In fact, on several occasions, I had to force myself to slow down.

Oh, one weird thing that happened on this run. I was followed. A man on a bike was following me for about a mile. I don't know if he was following me, or if he was just a REALLY slow biker, but it was weird. It didn't stop me from singing along with my ipod though. Maybe he was following me because he liked my singing. Maybe he thought I was the weirdo!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 110

2011-10-21T20:42:00.001-05:00

Day 110

4 Miles

Brrrrrrrr! It was chilly this morning. 43 degrees according to my thermometer. It was actually kind of nice to come back from a run and not be covered in sweat. I find temperatures in the mid-40s, to be perfect for running. It's cool, but not cold and I just feel better. It is certainly better than the 100+ degree runs I was doing in the summer!

Bad news about my dumb leg. It still hurts, but I think I found the problem: bad form. I was running all hunched over. Once I straightened up, my leg no longer hurt. Amazing, right? I've been running so long, I sometimes feel like I know enough. Apparently, I don't know enough to keep good form though! As soon as I lifted my frame, my whole body fell into alignment and the pain went away. I'm glad I figured out the problem, but I felt like an idiot!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 109

2011-10-20T20:12:00.000-05:00

Day 109
Rest

Ahhhhhh! I love my rest days!

Although I didn't get to sleep in, I slept hard. I woke up at 5:30. Initially, I was pissed because it was so early, but then I realized that I was rested, so I stopped being pissed and just got up.

It was a rough day at work, but I made it through. When I got home, I took advantage of our cool, cool weather and made some leek and potato soup. I LOVE potato soup! It's so simple to make and soooooo delicious. I intended to add some watercress to it, but when I pulled the watercress out of the fridge, it was all gross and spoiled. The soup was still delicious without it. It was also perfect for the weather we're experiencing right now.

My legs are feeling a lot better today too. The pain in my thigh is completely gone and the pain in my ankle is barely there. Hopefully, tomorrow's run will be pain-free and pleasant.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 108

2011-10-19T09:59:00.001-05:00

Day 108

5 Miles

What a crappy run I had today! Pure crap. I finished it, but I was grouchy almost the entire time.

I woke up cranky. At 5:14, I was in the deepest, most restful sleep ever. At 5:15, my alarm went off and startled me out of an awesome dream. I don't remember anything about the dream at this point, but I know it was really good. I came within a hair's breadth of just going back to sleep. Instead I got up and got ready for my run.

I stepped outside and the ground was wet. No problem, it didn't look like it was raining, so I went out. It turns out it was raining very lightly; almost a mist. At least that's how it started out. Within 2 minutes, it started coming down even harder. At that point, I just turned around and came back home. I ran a whopping .3 miles.

Once home, I hopped in the car and drove to the amenity center to get on the treadmill. By now, I probably couldn't have been any crankier. In addition to the rain, my right leg was hurting pretty bad. My outer calf and my upper thigh. I just can't seem to shake it either. Ever since my last 20 mile run, that leg has been bothering me. Thank goodness tomorrow is a rest day. Some rest and some ice will do it good.

Anyway...I got on the treadmill and slogged through 4.7 miles. It was boring and painful. My leg hurt for the first 3 miles or so. After that, it wasn't quite as painful, but it was still noticeable. Once I hit 4.7 miles, I turned the treadmill off, stretched and went home. I have never been happier to finish a run. I just wasn't in it today.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 107

2011-10-18T14:29:00.001-05:00

Day 107

6 Miles

Fog! It was REALLY foggy this morning. Really foggy. In another lifetime, I worked as a long-distance operator. When I would finish work for the night, around 11pm, it would often be really foggy. Every night, like clockwork, a woman who, by all appearances, had been working there since 1966, would come out and say, "It's like PEA SOUP out here! Pea soup!" Every night. That phrase is forever ingrained in my consciousness. When I walked outside this morning, I said to myself, "It's like PEA SOUP out here! Pea soup!"

There are a couple reasons why I don't like running in the fog:

1. It's foggy! It's really difficult to see out there in the foggy fogginess. So I'm not a fan of that. It's already dark at that hour, which limits my vision considerably as it is. Add fog to that and it's nearly impossible to see anything. Worse, it's nearly impossible for anyone to see me! I like running, but I'm not willing to get plowed down by a car in the dark, foggy morning for it!

2. It's humid. The cool air this morning was nice, but the humidity was not. Granted, if one HAS to run while it's that humid, better to do it when it's cool, rather than when it's hot. Though, even when it's cool, it is still a struggle.

With all the different types of weather I have run in while training for this marathon, I should be ready for anything on race day!!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 106

2011-10-17T14:57:00.000-05:00

Day 106

5 Miles

There was a chill in the air this morning! I didn't check the temp before I left the house, but it was cooler than it has been in a while. It made getting started a little more difficult, but once I got going things were fine.

I'm still a bit sore from Saturday's 20-mile run. I felt it for the better part of this morning's run, but it eased off toward the end. I spent a bit more time after the run stretching. My legs are incredibly tight since Saturday and I really want to get them stretched out over the next 3 weeks.

When I ran my first (and only) marathon in 2008, my legs seized up around mile 23. It was tremendously painful and it's not a memory I want to re-live during this marathon. I have trained so much better this time around. My long runs have been faster; I haven't cramped yet (though I've come very close); and overall I just feel better. I don't want to ruin all the hard work I've put into this thing due to something that I can control. So, I plan on stretching twice a day until the marathon: once in the morning and once at night. I refuse to hit the wall this time around!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 105

2011-10-16T17:31:00.000-05:00

Day 105
Cross Train

After yesterday's 20-mile run, a real rest day would have been nice. Instead, I was scheduled for cross-training. Lets face it, lately my cross training has consisted mostly of rest anyway. Even though it would have felt GREAT to rest today, I needed to get some blood flowing to my legs.

When I went to bed last night, my legs were hurting a lot. Apparently they hurt so much that I was moaning in pain while I was asleep, according to Bill. I don't recall doing it, but based on how I felt when I went to bed, it doesn't surprise me.

I knew I would, at the very least, have to do some stretches today. So, I did. I woke up early and did some yoga, which helped considerably. Then, I took the dog for a walk. Off and on, throughout the rest of the day, I just stretched. My legs feel much better today, thank goodness.

Tomorrow, will be the real test. Let's hope my legs are up for tomorrow's 5-mile run.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 104

2011-10-15T19:16:00.001-05:00

Day 104
20 Miles

Marathon Training - 20 Miles (10/15/2011)

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Let the taper begin! I finished my last 20 mile run of this training program. From now, until race day, I will be running fewer and fewer miles. Thank goodness. I don't know if I could run another 20 miler before the marathon.

Today's run was surprisingly more difficult than the 20-mile run two weeks ago. I ran the same route, but today my legs hurt when I finished. Two weeks ago, I felt really good after the 20 miler. Today, I just felt tired and sore.

I think part of the reason is that the temperature was a bit warmer today. Last time it was very cool and stayed that way. Today it started off cool, but got pretty warm by the time I finished. It wasn't uncomfortable by any means, but it still might have affected the run.

Also, it was my 2nd 20 mile run. My body just ran 20 miles a couple weeks ago, so it was still recovering from that when I ran this one.

Don't get me wrong, the run wasn't horrible or anything, just more challenging. The next three weeks will be spent recovering from this run and preparing the the final big run: 26.2 miles.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 103

2011-10-14T13:09:00.001-05:00

Day 103

5 Miles

What a great morning for a run! It was cool and comfortable and the moon was enormous! It was wonderful to run with the moonlight. So often when I'm running, it's pitch dark and I can barely see 3 feet ahead of me. It was nice to be able to see beyond that, even if it was only a little!

The beginning of the run started off rough though. I was stiff and sore. Luckily, things were back to normal at about the 1/2 mile mark. Normally I just hate the 5 mile runs, but I didn't mind it so much this morning: it's Friday and I was in a good mood. The 5 miles didn't seem so bad today. Maybe I'm just getting used to them. I felt wonderful after today's run!

Surprisingly, I'm not the least bit worried about tomorrow's 20 mile run. I guess that's a good thing. I find a little odd that I wouldn't be at least a little concerned. 20 miles is a long way to run! But, for some reason, I feel really good about it. I guess that means this training is working out well for me!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 102

2011-10-13T18:40:00.000-05:00

Day 102

Rest

My favorite thing about rest days is sleeping until 6:30. I know 6:30 doesn't sound like a sleeping in to most people, but when you're used to the alarm clock going off at 4:45 or 5:15, 6:30am is a treat!

So, I slept in this morning. The rest of the day was pretty normal. Work, dinner, etc.

I am going to do some stretches this evening. My quads and hamstrings are tight lately and I want to stretch them out a bit before the big run on Saturday. I don't want anything to keep my from finishing my last big training run before the marathon. Saturday's 20-mile run will be the last REALLY long run before I start tapering. The taper part of training seems a little counter-intuitive, but so far this training program has not led me astray, so I will continue to do just as it prescribes. Besides, it will be nice to run a little bit less for a while.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 101

2011-10-12T20:52:00.000-05:00

Day 101
5 Miles

It was sooooooo foggy this morning! Running in the darkness and fog has its challenges. First, it's dark. That's nothing new really, but the addition of the fog makes it seem even darker.

It's also humid and damp. Luckily it was fairly cool this morning, so it wasn't terribly uncomfortable. I was a sweaty mess when I finished but I wasn't overheated or anything. So, I had that going for me.

It's interesting the things one sees in the darker darkness. As I was running along, I thought I saw a covered wagon on the side of the road. I couldn't figure out why such a thing would be left on the side of the road. It turns out as I got closer, I was able to see that it was really a big city truck. I also was sure I saw a man just standing along the roadside. I was a little nervous as I approached him because it was so dark and he was just standing there in a creepy way. It turned out to be an overgrown weed.

Maybe it's time to get my eyes checked.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 100

2011-10-11T13:57:00.000-05:00

Day 100

8 Miles

100 days! Holy crap! I can't believe it has been 100 days! I'm very ready for this race to get here, but I've still got 25 days to go.

On to today's run. The good news is, I finished my last 8-mile mid-week training run. From this point forward, my training runs will be less than 8 miles! I will no longer have to wake up at 4:45am to train. For that, I am thankful.

The bad news is that it rained again this morning, as expected. So, I ran my last 8-mile mid-week training run on a stupid treadmill. It was exhausting. I was incredibly tired when I woke up this morning, and then having to run in place for more than an hour was like being hit in the face with a bag of marbles. The first 4 miles were the worst. Usually it's the opposite. The first few miles go by quickly and then the last miles drag, but today was different. Today, the first half was so boring and slow. The last half seemed to go by more quickly.

I also experienced some knee pain for the first time in this training. It's a pain different from any other I've ever had. It was on the inside of my knee and it was sporadic. It was a sharp pain that lasted only a split second and then went away. It came and went several times during the last mile or so of the run. I finished the run, but am going to keep an eye on my knee. Hopefully, it isn't an injury that will stick around.

I'm hoping the rain is gone for the rest of the week. Originally, the forecast called for rain through Wednesday, but it looks like today may be the end of it. I hope so. I may be running outside again tomorrow! Woo hoo!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 99

2011-10-10T12:37:00.001-05:00

Day 99

5 Miles

Ugh. This is not going to be a good training week. The forecast calls for rain through Wednesday, which means I will be on a treadmill most of the week. Stupid rain! Stupid treadmill!

I didn't sleep well at all last night, so I woke up crabby. Then my mood worsened when I heard the rain pounding against the roof. Running 5 miles on a treadmill, at 5:30 in the morning, after a near-sleepless night, did not sound appealing in the least. In fact, were it not for the fact that I'm scheduled to run 20 miles on Saturday, I would probably have just skipped this morning's run altogether. I don't want to risk not finishing the 20 on Saturday though, so I want to make sure I get every workout in this week, as prescribed. So, I ran....in place.

It was a long, tedious run. I know part of the reason it was so tedious is that I was so tired. The restless sleep from last night made every step of this run a chore. I can't count the number of times I looked at the treadmill display thinking I had gone a mile, only to find out that I hadn't even gone 1/4 of one! TE-DI-OUS!

I'm also certain my mood was not lifted with the knowledge that the forecast calls for rain for the next 2-3 days. Knowing that today's treadmill workout would be followed by another tomorrow (an 8-miler, no less!,) which would be followed by ANOTHER treadmill workout, was a definite mood killer.

Even with my foul mood, I still managed to make it though. I imagine I will make it through the rest of this week's treadmill runs, too. But I won't be happy about it.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 98

2011-10-09T20:03:00.001-05:00

Day 98
Cross Train

Today, my cross training consisted of walking. I planned on doing some yoga this morning, but instead, I slept in a bit. I slept until almost 7am! Usually when I do yoga, I try to do it before my partner wakes up. I do it in the middle of our living room, so it's just easier if I do it either when he is out of the house or when he's in bed. This morning, he got up shortly after I did, so yoga was a no-go. Instead, I walked the dog.

Walking the dog allowed me to stretch out my legs a bit, so that was nice. I think the yoga would have been more beneficial, but the walk was nice, and the dog enjoyed it too.

Next Sunday, I will surely be doing some yoga to recover from my 20 mile run on Saturday!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 97

2011-10-08T18:11:00.001-05:00

Day 97
12 Miles

Marathon Training - 12 Miles (10/08/2011)

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I had an awesome run today! Fairly cool temperature, a nice breeze, and best of all, no nipple drama! The humidity was on the high side, but that was minor.

The first couple of miles were odd. I couldn't find the right pace, and my form was all wonky. I don't know why. I just couldn't make my body to move the way I wanted. It was a bit frustrating. Once I got past the first couple miles, everything fell into place and the rest of the run was wonderful.

I ran around Bonaventure Cemetery. I've run past it in the past, but I have never actually ran around inside it. There are some spectacular views from there. I'll definitely be running this route again (maybe next week for part of my 20 mile run.)

After the run, my partner and I went to Fleet Feet. He needed some new walking shoes and I needed some Body Glide. As luck would have it, my partner's shoes were Brooks brand. Brooks is running a promotion: if you spend $100 on Brooks products, they give you a VIP restroom pass for the Rock & Roll Marathon. So, guess who will be not standing in line and NOT using a port-a-potty? I'll have the distinct pleasure of being a VIP when it comes to using the john during the race. I will be peeing with creme de la creme; hob nobbing with only the best society has to offer....in the bathroom.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 96

2011-10-07T15:24:00.001-05:00

Day 96

8 Miles

8 miles again. In the pitch dark. It was a fairly easy run until the last mile. For some reason, that last mile was a doozy. I couldn't seem to catch my breath. Maybe the humidity was up a bit. Who knows. The first 7 miles were pleasant,

One thing I wish I would have remembered: band-aids for the nips. I can run a 5 miler with no issues, but pretty much anything more than that and I have to put band-aids on my nipples or suffer the consequence of chaffing. There is nothing like completing a nice long run feeling like you're on top of the world and then stepping into the shower and immediately wincing in pain as you find out that where there used to be nipple skin is now a rosy red chaffed wound. Ouch! I can endure the pain of a 26 mile, 385 yard race, but don't mess with the nips!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 95

2011-10-06T19:20:00.000-05:00

Day 95
Rest

Not much to report. I rested. The end.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 94

2011-10-05T19:34:00.000-05:00

Day 94
5 Miles

5 Miles AGAIN today.

I so did NOT want to run this morning. I just was not feeling it. The dreaded 5 miles. First of all, I was jolted out of bed by my alarm. For some reason, the alarm was particularly alarming this morning. So, I was in foul mood.

Once I got outside and started running, my ankle started hurting. In fact, at one point very early in the run, I stopped and started walking back home. I didn't want to risk injury (and a painful ankle was a great excuse to cut my run short.) Then I decided that my lack of motivation, NOT my ankle, was the main reason for turning back, so I started running again. Mysteriously, the ankle no longer hurt!

So, I pumped out 5 miles.

I'm going to rest the hell out of tomorrow.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 93

2011-10-04T18:35:00.000-05:00

Day 93
5 Miles

I think 5 miles is my least favorite distance. I don't know why, but I just hate it. I can run 4 miles with no problem. I would even prefer to run 8 miles. There is just something about 5 miles that I just don't like. For some reason, it just seems to take forever. I know running 8 miles obviously takes longer, but I tolerate it much better. I can't explain it.

This morning was another 5. I knocked it out without much ado. I got to use my arm sleeves for the first time this season, so that was kind of exciting. Other than that, not a very exciting run.

There is barely a month before the race and I'm on the hunt for something "rockin" to wear. I didn't figure it would be so difficult though! The Rock & Roll Marathon series isn't new. Surely some company would have the sense to create running shirts (i.e., no cotton) with flames, or with Elvis on the back, or with skulls. I want something cool to wear, but I can't find anything.

The hunt continues!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 92

2011-10-03T19:24:00.000-05:00

Day 92
5 Miles

It was actually chilly this morning! I walked outside in shorts and a short sleeved shirt and felt quite a chill. I figured I could just tough it out and deal with it. I did deal with it, but I probably should have worn a long sleeved shirt or at least worn my short sleeved shirt along with my arm sleeves. Needless to say, I was a little cold throughout the whole run.

I passed a couple other people this morning, which is a bit unusual. Both of them were bundled up. They probably thought I was a fool for running in short sleeves. I can't say I disagree!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 91

2011-10-02T16:31:00.001-05:00

Day 91
Cross Train

Cross training, shmoss training.

After yesterday's marvelous 20 mile run, I celebrated Octoberfest on River St. It's not really much of an Octoberfest. There is a "first Saturday" festival every month on River St and this one is in October, so they call it Octoberfest. They do sell some sausages and one tent had a German beer. In my mind an Octoberfest should be all German, all the time. This was an Octoberfest-lite: watered down for the masses, just like a light beer. Even so, I love beer and sausages, so down we went.

I may have had more than my share of beer. I may have gone to bed at 8:30pm last night, as a result.

This morning, I woke up at 2:30. Going to be at 8:30 will do that to a person. I got up for a few hours and then went back to bed until about 7:30am. I'm not going to lie, I just didn't feel like doing any yoga today. I have no excuses. It just wasn't in the cards today.

Tomorrow will be better.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 90

2011-10-02T15:57:00.003-05:00

Day 90
20 Miles

Marathon Training - 20 Miles (10/01/2011)

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20. Freaking. Miles. It has been a LONG time since I've run 20 miles. I admit this 20 miler was much easier than the last. I think I'm training better this time around. The Hal Higdon plan really seems to be the perfect fit for me.

So, I set the alarm for 4:45am. Yes, 4:45. I had to get an early start because I had an 11:15AM appointment with the veterinarian. Actually, my pets had the appointment, but I am the chauffeur. So, I had to be finished with my run by 10am at the very latest. I was downtown and running by 6am. That gave me 4 hours to finish my 20 miles.

Running downtown Savannah at that hour was a little weird. It was dark and very quiet. The darkness was actually kind of creepy. Once the sun started to come up, the creepy factor went away, and it was interesting to watch the city wake up. I watched the sun rise and I watched people trickle into the streets.

I broke my run into 4 5-mile mini-runs. It's far easier for me mentally to tackle 4 smaller goals than one monstrous one. So, every 5 miles I took a small break: water, electrolyte pills, energy gels. I actually didn't have a problem finishing and felt GREAT afterward, surprisingly. I mean, I was tired and a little sore, but that's not unexpected. The last time I trained for a marathon, the 20 mile training run was torture. I had horrible muscle cramps and felt terrible afterward. This time, it was completely different: no cramps, no misery.

I gave myself 4 hours to finish. I finished in just over 3. I had enough time to grab a coffee at the Bean before heading home. It was a really nice morning.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 89

2011-09-30T15:46:00.000-05:00

Day 89

5 Miles

When I woke this morning, I felt pretty good. It was 5:15, so I felt as good as a person can feel at that hour. When I stepped outside to run I was greeted with cooler temperatures and lower humidity again. Woo-hoo!

I ran 5 miles with no problems this morning. The time went by very quickly and I had a good time. Sometimes it just works out that way. There are days when I run that I really just am not feeling into it. Other days, like today, I get out there and feel exhilarated. The weather has a huge impact on that, it seems. When the air is heavy and the temps are hot, my mood is less enthusiastic. When it's cool and crisp, I feel great.

Tomorrow is supposed to be even cooler. My 20-miler may work out well, after all!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 88

2011-09-29T15:26:00.001-05:00

Day 88

Rest

I had an doctor's appointment this morning, so I was able to sleep in. I slept until after 7am!! It was wonderful! Although I probably could have slept for at least another hour. It's strange: during the week, when I have to get up for work, I feel like I could sleep in for hours. On the weekend, when I have the opportunity to sleep in, I am wide awake at 6am.

It's amazing what a good night's sleep provides. My body feels better, my mind feels better. Hopefully, I will be able to sleep in again on Sunday morning. After all, I have a 20 mile run on Saturday. So, a Sunday morning snoozefest would seem appropriate. Fingers crossed!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 87

2011-09-28T08:45:00.001-05:00

Day 87

5 Miles

Last night I slept like a dead person! I was so deeply asleep that when my alarm went off at 5:15am, I didn't immediately know where I was!

It was slightly cooler this morning than it has been, which was a bit of a relief. It was still pretty humid, but the cooler temperature helped make it comfortable. I was a little stiff when I started, but after the first mile or so, I was ok. I did notice the pain in the ball of my right foot has decided to re-visit. It was just a twinge, but it was noticeable. I'll nurse it for the next couple days and hopefully it will go away. It certainly doesn't hurt like it did when it showed up the first time, several weeks ago, and I want to keep it that way. Foot pads, ice, massage: whatever it takes.

I also encountered some wildlife this morning and had to change my running route slightly. Since I live in a fairly newly developed part of town, there are lots of wooded areas that I run past. It's not unusual for me to see an armadillo or a raccoon or even the occasional fox. This morning though, I saw a deer running across the street as I was nearing a cul-de-sac where I usually turn around. The street was deserted otherwise, but that deer was running pretty fast. I decided to turn around early, just in case there was some other animal chasing it. I didn't want to become breakfast for a bear, bobcat, coyote, or whatever it was that had that deer spooked.

So, I turned around and headed back. I added a lap around my neighborhood to make up for my lost mileage. It all worked out well: the deer made it across the street, and I made it home intact as well.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 86

2011-09-27T14:00:00.000-05:00

Day 86

8 Miles

I'm tired. I was awakened at 4am by my cat. I went back to sleep but my alarm sounded at 4:45 because I had an 8-mile run scheduled for today. UGH! I love running. I really do. But, I'm tired. I'm tired of the muscle aches, the rashes, the black toe nails, and most of all, I'm tired of being tired all the time.

I checked the training guide this morning and I have only two more 8-mile mid-week runs before the marathon. I'm glad because those are the ones that just kill me. I have to wake up so early for them that it often makes me a zombie for the rest of the day. I trudged through the run today with a scowl on my face. I almost just ditched the run altogether but decided that I needed to run it in order to properly prepare for this weekend's 20 mile run.

Surprisingly, I'm not as worried about the 20 miler now. I feel very confident that I'll finish. It's these mid-week 8-mile runs that do me in. I'm actually looking forward to a 20 mile long run, believe it or not. I use long runs to just let everything go. Goddess willing, I'll be able to run out these frustrations. Otherwise, it's going to be a long 39 days.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 85

2011-09-26T18:31:00.001-05:00

Day 85
5 Miles

I rolled out of bed at 5:15 this morning and looked out the window. I saw flashes of lightning in the distance. Crap. I immediately checked the weather forecast and saw that the rain appeared to be moving out of the area. By the time I actually got out the door at 5:15 or so, there was no more rain and no more lightning. Thank goodness! I did NOT want to get on the damned treadmill again!

The roads were still wet and the sky was still pretty cloudy when I left. The wet roads made everything seem so much darker. It was a little creepy. There aren't many streetlights in some of the areas that I run, so that made it feel even darker. As I was running past one particularly dark area, I heard something rustling in the woods. It was probably an armadillo or a rabbit or something small like that, but because it was so dark and scary, my mind immediately thought of bobcats or panthers. I clapped my hands loudly and heard it (whatever it was) scamper off. My pace picked up considerably for a few minutes after that.

Even with the panther scare, it was nice to be outside running. Hopefully tomorrow's weather is the same. I have to run 8 miles tomorrow and the thought of doing it on a treadmill is sickening. I'd almost rather be eaten by a panther.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 84

2011-09-25T08:21:00.000-05:00

Day 84
Cross Train

The past two "cross train" Sundays were really just rest days for me. On one of them I was boarding a cruise ship, on the other I was debarking. There was no time or place to really cross train. So, I didn't do anything. Today, I returned to a normal routine of morning stretching and yoga.

This morning, I slept in until almost 6:15! Woo-hoo! Once I got up, I fired up the Tivo and exercised along with Power Yoga. Today's episode focused on the hips and spine. It was not terribly difficult, but it made me realize that I'm not as flexible as I like to think I am. I felt really good afterward though.

I think after this race is over I will still continue mixing a little yoga in now and then. I find it relaxing and I almost always feel good afterward.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 83

2011-09-24T15:59:00.001-05:00

Day 83
13 Miles

Well, the break in temperatures was short lived. It was hot and humid again this morning.

I made it downtown around 7:15. I wanted to get down there earlier, but yesterday's bout of exhaustion meant that I was sleeping in until a 5:45am. Yes, I set the alarm for 5:45 on a Saturday. I like to run, but I'm ready for this marathon to get here. I'd like to catch up on my sleep. Of course, the marathon is at the beginning of November. We have guests coming into town for it. Two weeks later we have guests coming in for Thanksgiving. Then my birthday. Then Christmas. I'll sleep again next year, I guess.

Anyway, it was in the low 80s when I started running. It was also humid beyond belief. Luckily, it didn't really get too much warmer throughout the morning. I still found it difficult to run in though. 18 miles last week was easier physically than 13 miles was this week. Mentally, this week was a walk in the park compared to last week's 3-hour treadmillfest.

I finished in just under 2 hours which means my pace was near perfect. That was a bit of a surprise. I figured I would be a bit slower since I haven't run on the road in a while (almost 2 weeks) so I was glad to be on track.

Next week is my first 20 miler (of two.) I a little terrified about it. I ran 18 miles last week with no problem, so I should be fine, but I'm still worried about it.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 82

2011-09-23T13:10:00.001-05:00

Day 82

8 Miles

4am is early, especially when my alarm was set for 4:45. Yes, I woke at 4am. I drifted in and out of sleep until 4:45, but it was certainly not restful. I don't know what made me wake up at 4. I didn't have any cool dreams of Tom Hanks or dead uncles. I don't even remember dreaming. I certainly remember waking though. At 4 freaking o'clock.

I stayed in bed until my alarm went off at 4:45 and got up. I looked out the window to see wet sidewalks and rain. Nooooo!!!! I was not pleased. I was going to have to run 8 miles in my tired state and I was going to have to run it on a treadmill! The stupid treadmill has become a torture device. I know I ran 18 miles last week and 8 miles should seem like a breeze, but it didn't. I was tired and cranky and not at all in a mood to run in place for more than an hour. Still, I did it. I ran 6 1/2 miles, then I stopped to pee; then, I ran the other 1 1/2 miles.

Nothing exciting happened on the run. I stared at myself in the window for an hour and 15 minutes, then I stretched. Boring. Oh, another resident came into the amenity center for about 10 minutes to lift weights, but then he left. That's as exciting as it got for me this morning.

I pray that it's not raining tomorrow morning. I have 13 miles to run and REALLY want to get outside. Really.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 81

2011-09-22T14:13:00.000-05:00

Day 81

Rest

Rest. I slept in a bit this morning (until 6:20am) and enjoyed some wild and weird dreams. Tom Hanks played a prominent role in one of them. He started out as Tom Hanks and then turned into my dead uncle. It was kind of nice seeing my uncle again, even if only in a dream. Like I said, it was weird.

No running for me today. Thursday is my day of rest. It was even a pretty easy day at work, which is always nice.

I'm making a nice beef and barley soup for dinner tonight. Bill had some on the ship last week and loved it. For some reason, I thought he hated anything with barley in it. I love it, but I've been avoiding it for years because I thought he hated it! I'll be adding it to everything. It's perfect for fall/winter meals.

After dinner I will be stretching out in front of the television. And I do mean STRETCH. My legs need a good stretching. Running on the cruise last week was nice but there wasn't much room to stretch in the ship's gym. I did what I could, but it wasn't much. My hamstrings are super TIGHT! I need to get a good stretch in before this weekend's long run. I would hate to incur an injury so late in the training.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 80

2011-09-21T10:50:00.001-05:00

Day 80

5 Miles

Another 5-miler! The training is mercifully light this week. I guess after Saturday's 18-miler, it's to be expected.

This morning I woke up to rain. Lots of steady rain. Crap. I had to get on the stupid treadmill again. I really didn't want to get on the treadmill, even for just 5 miles. Nevertheless, I made my way to the amenity center and started running. The first 2 miles went by surprisingly fast. I'm not sure why, but I didn't care. Unfortunately, the last 3 miles were the opposite: slow as Christmas! Those last 3 miles put me in a funk that lasted the better part of the morning. We desperately needed the rain though, so a bout of ennui is not a horrible price to pay, all things considered.

Tomorrow it can rain all day and night for all I care. Tomorrow, I rest!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 79

2011-09-20T08:08:00.000-05:00

Day 79

5 Miles

I managed to drag my tired, skinny, sick, lily white ass out of bed this morning and run 5 miles. Barely. Actually, I'm feeling significantly better. I'm not fully recovered yet, but I'm getting there.

My alarm went off at 5:15am. I heard it, turned it off, and promptly went back to sleep. I don't know what happened. I barely even remember it. The next thing I knew I was jolted awake by my own dream or something. I looked at the clock and it was 5:40am! Yikes! If I rushed, I could still squeeze in a run before work. So I did.

I first checked the weather, and saw that it looked like a big rain band was headed our way. I REALLY wanted to run outside. I was on a treadmill for every single training run last week and was desperate to feel the earth under my feet again. I wanted to control my own pace. I wanted to breathe fresh air (or what constitutes fresh air nowadays.) I went back and forth in my mind: treadmill or outside? I finally decided to throw caution to the wind and hit the road.

The first 1/2 mile was surprisingly rough! I guess the combination of the high humidity, my head cold, and the fact that I haven't run on a hard surface in over a week made the first 1/2 mile a bit of a chore. After that though,everything went very well. I even managed to beat the rain. Barely! Just as I finished my cooldown and stretching, it started to sprinkle. By the time I left for work, about 30 minutes later, it was a steady rain.

I'm glad that was able to get back on the road today and get this short run in. I feel like I'm back on track, even with a head cold.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 78

2011-09-19T15:26:00.001-05:00

Day 78

5 Miles

I believe I mentioned yesterday that I caught a cold on the last day of our cruise. Since I am still feeling under the weather, I decided not to risk running this morning. I set the alarm for 5:15am and knew the moment it sounded that I would NOT be running. My head hurt, my sinuses were clogged and I was exhausted. The scheduled run was only a 5-miler, but I just wasn't up to it. I would rather wait and let my immune system take care of things than prolong the illness because I refused to listen to my body. So, I listened to my weary bones and went back to sleep.

I'm already feeling much better. I'm still stuffy in the head and my eyes are a little watery, but I feel like I should be able to make it out for tomorrow's run.

Fingers crossed.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 70-Day 77

2011-09-18T19:22:00.001-05:00

Day 70 - Cross Train
Day 71 - 5 Miles
Day 72 - 8 Miles
Day 73 - 5 Miles
Day 74 - Rest
Day 75 - 8 Miles
Day 76 - 18 Miles
Day 77 - Cross Train

I'm back. The reason for the delay is that I was on vacation! I was on a cruise ship for the past week! It was a wonderful trip and I still managed to keep my training in check. I will not bore you with a day-by-day breakdown, mainly because every bit of training was done on a treadmill in the ship's gym. One of the many great things about cruising is that ships today are equipped with conveniences like gyms...and massage therapists.

I'll admit my "cross train" days were essentially rest days. My first cross train day was my first day on the ship, so I took full advantage of it and indulged a bit. My other "cross train" day was today and I spent it driving home, with a head cold. Yes, I caught a cold during the last day on the ship. Such is life when one travels with a ship full of rednecks who don't wash their hands after they pee. But, that's a story for another time.

The mid-week training went well, for the most part. Training on a treadmill is boring, but at least when I'm at sea, I don't have to follow up a boring run with a day at work. I could, instead, find a comfortable deck chair and read.

The 18-mile run, though, was just about the most boring thing I have ever experienced. I was almost 3 hours of tedium. Surprisingly, I had no trouble PHYSICALLY completing the miles. Yes, my legs were sore afterward, but when one is sailing, one can take advantage of the sauna after a particularly long run. No, the trouble I had was mental. Running 18 miles without ever leaving the same spot goes beyond the definition of boring.

I decided to tackle the 18-miles by breaking down into 3 6-mile runs. Between each run, I would eat an energy gel pack and drink a ton of water. Of course, I drank plenty during each leg, too. The first 6 miles went by relatively well. I was running 5-8 miles all week on the treadmill, so 6 miles wasn't anything I couldn't handle. It was just boring. After the 2nd 6 miles I almost threw in the towel. I didn't think I could take another hour of running in place, but I did it. As I said, my legs were sore, but not too sore. If I were running outside, I probably could have gone a few more miles. When I finished the last 6-miler, I was amazed with my own perseverance. I ran in place for almost 3 hours. 3 hours at a constant pace of 6.6 miles per hour. I am either an idiot or dedicated. Maybe both.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 69

2011-09-11T08:54:00.001-05:00

Day 69
17 Miles

This was a brutal run. Brutal.

One would think the 17 miles alone would be brutal, but it wasn't the miles that did it. No, it was my body. My stupid stomach and my stupid bladder were relentless.

I peed before I left the house. Then I peed again when I got downtown, just before I started running. Then I had to pee again at mile 2. I had to dash into a hotel to pee! Again at mile 11 and 15.

Around mile 9 I started feeling grumby in my guts. I had originally planned to run to Daffin park, but altered my route to make sure I was always near a restroom. That meant running around Forsyth park over and over again: a total of 7 times. I will spare you the details, but I am VERY glad I made that decision.

I made it through the 17 miles, no thanks to my guts.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 68

2011-09-09T08:38:00.000-05:00

Day 68

8 Miles

I am loving the change in weather! Seemingly overnight, we've gone from unbearable heat and humidity to near-perfect weather. It makes such a difference in my run, too. I've had to adjust my pace yet again because of the change though. With the change in weather, I am running faster again. I have to dial it back a little to make sure I'm keeping a 9 minute mile.

This morning I put in 8 miles. While I was running, I realized that this mid-week run of 8 miles is the same distance as my very first "long run" of this training program. Week 1 had me running just 8 miles for a long run. My how things have changed since then! It's amazing to think that tomorrow I will be running 17 miles! It has been a few years since I trained for a marathon, so my memory is a bit hazy, but I think I feel better and more self-assured physically this time. I think this training program suits me better than the one I used last time. I just feel better overall.

Today's run was kind of weird. It seems the earlier I get out, the more people I see. If I leave the house at 6am, I rarely see another living soul during my run. Today I was out the door by 5:15 and saw 5 people! The first guy gave me the heebie jeebies a bit. I was passing the clubhouse for another subdivision and heard what I thought was people talking. It turns out it was a guy talking to himself....and carrying an enormous boombox...and playing music. I just kept on running. Then around mile 5 I saw a guy on a skateboard. It was strange because it was so early in the morning and because we were in a bit of an isolated area. I wondered why he would be out skateboarding at that hour. He probably wondered why I was out running. The other people I saw were also runners. It was nice to see people out running, but it was a bit of a shock since I so rarely see ANYONE at all.

I guess the weather is bringing everyone out of the house....even at 5:30 in the morning!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 67

2011-09-08T19:51:00.000-05:00

Day67

Rest

Well, I didn't get up early and stretch as I had planned. I did get up early, but it was mostly because I had to pee and not because I felt a need to stretch my legs out. I probably SHOULD stretch them out, but it just wasn't in the cards this morning. Instead, I played on the internet, downloaded some music from iTunes, daydreamed and got ready for work.

The rest of the day was spent in complete exhaustion. I don't know why I was so tired, but I could barely keep my head upright for the better part of the day. I was ok in the morning, but once I ate lunch I was a goner. Strangely, I feel more tired on my rest days than on my running days. It doesn't make any sense, but that's how it is. I can get up before 5am, run 8 miles and have more energy than if I sleep in and don't run at all.

If I didn't have to work today, this "rest" day really would have been restful. I spent a good part of the day wishing I was at home asleep.

I'm sure I'll feel more energetic tomorrow. I have to run 8 miles.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 66

2011-09-07T19:20:00.000-05:00

Day 66
4 Miles

Wow! What a difference from yesterday! This morning it was in the low 60s and almost no humidity. It was heaven!

When I checked the thermometer at 5:30am, I thought it was broken because it was so low. We went from a low of 80 degrees yesterday to a low of 62 degrees today. Weather is so weird.

Weird or not, I'm glad it was cooler this morning. It made my 4-mile run pleasant. The air was so crisp! It was nice to actually run before breaking a sweat instead of just walking out the front door and being drenched before I even get going. I hope the rest of my training is this nice.

The run itself was uneventful. I had a couple twinges of pain in my knee but they dissipated as I progressed. I made sure to really stretch after this run to keep those kinds of pains at bay. I may work in some additional stretches tomorrow on my "rest day," too. I don't want to incur any injuries when I'm so close to the end! I've got some REALLY long runs coming up and I want to make sure I'm in tip-top shape for them.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 65

2011-09-06T19:04:00.000-05:00

Day 65
8 Miles

Jeez Louise! The weather is crazy these days! I woke up at 4:50am and it was 80 degrees with 80% humidity. I walked outside to run and decided to just hit the treadmill. I had to run 8 miles this morning and I didn't want to get 4 miles away from the house, crap out and then have to walk back. I didn't want to deal with the heat, or more importantly, the humidity. It was just awful. I would rather run in a climate controlled room even if it meant being bored out of my mind.

I got to the gym at about 5:15 and just started. After what seemed like a half hour, I looked down at the treadmill to find that I had run for only about 5 minutes. At that point I knew it was going to be a BORING run. I had my ipod, thank god, but even that can only do so much to alleviate the boredom. By the time I finished 4 miles I was ready to get off the damned thing, but I didn't. I kept going. I did finally finish, but it was really rough going. As boring as it was, it would have been far worse running in the heat and humidity. I'm sure of that.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 64

2011-09-05T18:17:00.001-05:00

Day 64
4 Miles

Happy Labor Day! I celebrated my labor day holiday with a 4 mile run and a cool down in the rain. Yes. It rained on my head this morning!

I slept in this morning until 6:30am. I would have preferred to sleep in longer, but such is life. 6:30 is now considered sleeping in for me. I was outside and running by 7am. It was quite humid and not very cool. I persevered though. Although the heat and humidity sucked ass, it was nice to run after a good night's sleep. It was nice to NOT be jolted out of bed by an alarm at some ungodly hour before dragging my tired, cranky ass out for a run. I felt awesome, all things considered.

It was only a 4 mile run this morning, so I finished pretty quickly and went to the park near our house to stretch and cool down. During the week, when I run in my own neighborhood, I usually end my run at the park and do my cooldown there. I almost always have the whole park to myself and this morning was no exception. I did a few stretches and walked around a bit. Just as I was beginning to start on my hamstrings, it started sprinkling. Almost immediately after I noticed the first drop, the sky opened up on my head.

I took off like a "bat out of hell" and ran home. I was pretty wet by the time I made it home, but it felt pretty good. It cooled me down nicely.

Tomorrow, begins the 8-mile mid-week runs. This is the farthest I will run mid-week during this training program. My weekend long runs will continue to increase, but my mid-week runs will top out at 8 miles. That means setting the alarm for 4:50 am. Remember what I said about how nice it was to run well rested? That won't be the case tomorrow.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 63

2011-09-04T18:22:00.000-05:00

Day 63
Cross Train

Holy Hip Stretches, Batman! Today's Power Yoga episode focused was entitled, "Hips." It was perfect for me this week! My hips were a little tight after yesterday's long run and stretching them out this morning felt wonderful, for the most part.

One of the yoga poses was particularly stretchy, and a bit painful, but otherwise it was a great.

The rest of the day was restful. I ran some errands, worked in the yard a bit and even took a nap. The next couple weeks really bump up my mileage, so this was a nice way to prepare for it.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 62

2011-09-03T18:05:00.001-05:00

Day 62
13.1 Miles

Marathon Training - 13.1 Miles (09/03/2011)

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I celebrated the "half-way point" in my training plan with a half-marathon. After last week's 15 miler, I thought 13.1 miles would be easy, and it was.

The weather has really been beautiful lately and that makes all the difference, in my opinion. Now that the humidity is lifting, I can really focus on endurance without worrying that I'm going to keel over from heat exhaustion. I still carry plenty of fluids, but its so much nicer NOT having to replenish them 3 or 4 times during a long run!

Not everything was cotton candy and rainbows though. Last night I got almost everything ready for my run. Almost.

This morning when I woke, I went to get my running shorts and realized that I hadn't washed them. Ugh. I have plenty of shorts, but I have a pair of RaceReady shorts that I like to wear for my long runs. They have little storage pockets for my gels and side pockets for keys. I improvised, but I wasn't happy about it.

When I got downtown, I put on my fuelbelt and ipod. When I tried to start a playlist on the ipod, I found that all of my music had been mysteriously erased! I'm not sure how it happened, but the ipod was completely wiped. On a side note, I hate this ipod nano. Its the newest generation and it sucks. They have discarded everything that made the nano great and replaced it with a touchscreen. Touchscreens are great for some things, but it's a pain dealing with one when running. You have to look at the screen to make any changes, with the previous models, you could just reach over and press a button to advance a song; not so with a touchscreen. My advice steer clear of 6th gen ipod nano! Anyway, back to my predicament: I had no music stored on the thing, but it does have a built in FM radio. Thank god! Running 13 miles without music would have been torture.

All in all it was a pleasant run. My pace was a little faster than 9 minutes/mile, but it was pretty close. I was very happy with the outcome and am ready and eager to start the 2nd half of my training!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 61

2011-09-02T16:56:00.000-05:00

Day 61
Rest

Not much to report. Today was basically a repeat of yesterday, with the added bonus of being Friday. Not just any Friday, but a Friday before a holiday weekend.

Tonight I will get everything ready for my long run tomorrow. I'll need to buy a couple gel packs on my way downtown tomorrow, but otherwise, everything will be ready tonight. If the weather tomorrow is anything like it has been for the past two days, I should have a beautiful run. I'm still planning on getting out very early, just to be safe.

After two days of rest, I'm ready to run!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 60

2011-09-01T18:37:00.000-05:00

Day 60
Rest

60 days! It's been 60 days since I started training! I still have another 2 months of training to go, but I'm sure it will go by quickly. This time of year usually does.

I spent today training in much the same way that I trained on day one. I did a whole lot of nothing! Well, I went to work and did work stuff, which by the way, sucked. There was no real training though.

It's kind of a shame that I wasn't running today. The weather was beautiful this morning. It was cooler than it has been and far less humid. I would have loved to run in it, but it wasn't in the plan. I'm sure this won't be the last of the beautiful weather.

Tomorrow is more of the same. Rest, rest, rest! I can't remember the last time I didn't run two days in a row. Even before started officially training for this thing, I was still running 5 days a week. It's like a mini-vacation right at the half-way point of the training plan. Suits me just fine.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 59

2011-08-31T20:18:00.001-05:00

Day 59
4 Miles

Thank goodness today was not a repeat performance of yesterday! Yes, it was muggy, but it wasn't crippling.

The training plan called for 4 miles today but since I couldn't even eek out 5 miles yesterday I decided to extend my mileage a bit today. I didn't run a full 5, but almost. I'm sure I COULD have run 5, but I miscalculated my turn-around point and only got 4.77 in. Close enough.

Tomorrow and Friday are both rest days. I'm supposed to run a half-marathon race on Saturday, according to the training plan. Unfortunately, I can't find a race in the area so I will just be racing myself. I have a feeling that I'll come in first place. I will run it at race pace and should finish in just under 2 hours. I ran a half-marathon in February and finished in 1:45, but this one will take a bit longer because I'm running at my 9:00/mile marathon pace. Anyway, because this weekend's long run is supposed to be a race, the next two days are rest days. I guess this week has been a bit of a taper in preparation. Whatever it is, I'm going to take advantage of the next two days and rest my face off.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 58

2011-08-30T12:02:00.000-05:00

Day 58

5 Miles

I'm sorry to say that I wasn't able to complete 5 miles this morning. The humidity and the smoke conspired against me and made it nearly impossible to run. As soon as I stepped outside, I knew it was going to be a difficult run, but I had no idea that I wouldn't be able to finish what I expected to be an easy run.

When I stepped outside I could feel the air. It was so heavy. I don't know what the humidity was, but I'm sure it was well into the 90s. I actually would have preferred to run in the rain. I think it would have been more comfortable. Couple the humidity with the smoke from the nearby wildfires and it was downright miserable.

I wasn't even able to complete 3 miles before I had to walk. My legs were willing, but my lungs were not. Shortly after I passed the 2-mile mark, I found it difficult to get enough air into my lungs and had to slow down and eventually walk. I ended up putting in just 3.45 of the planned 5 miles.

I will try to make up for it tomorrow. Technically, I'm supposed to run 4 miles tomorrow, but I may add an extra mile for good measure.

After tomorrow, I have 2 rest days! Woo hoo!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 57

2011-08-29T20:13:00.000-05:00

Day 57
4 Miles

Sheesh! I only had 4 little miles to run this morning and I struggled to complete them!

I had horrible night's sleep last night. I had trouble falling asleep. Then, our dog decided to puke on the bed at about 1:30am. That's always fun. Then Bill had to get up around 4am because he had a flight to catch, so I woke up for that. Once his alarm went off, I had trouble falling back to sleep again. When my alarm went off at 5:30am, I was already exhausted!

Then I stepped outside. There must be more wildfires around here again. Not only was it muggy as hell, it was also smoky. Running when it's like that outside is NOT the easiest thing in the world.

I managed to finish the 4 miles, but I felt horrible doing it.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 56

2011-08-28T20:30:00.000-05:00

Day 56
Cross Train

I've been Tivo-ing an exercise program on television called "Power Yoga." Prior to finding this program on TV, I relied on the internet for yoga instruction. There are plenty of resources on the internet, but watching them on a laptop is a little lacking. Now that I can watch it on TV, I'm much happier...even if the yoga is more difficult.

This week's episode was particularly difficult and particularly helpful. The title of the episode was, "Legs" and parts of it were killer. Some parts of my legs are quite flexible, but others are painfully tight. It felt REALLY nice to stretch everything out, but it was painful. After yesterday's 15 mile run, the stretching was definitely needed. In fact, I think I will be incorporating some of the poses into my post-run stretching everyday.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 55

2011-08-27T17:44:00.004-05:00

Day 55
15 Miles

Marathon Training - 15 Miles(08/27/2011)

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Wow! It's been a LONG time since I've run 15 miles!

I spent part of last night getting all of my equipment ready. I didn't want to forget my gelpacks again, like last week, so I put everything aside to make for an easy exit in the morning. I was also a little worried about running 15 miles after last week's 14-mile sweat-fest. I'm happy to report I was worried about nothing!

First, I was out the door EARLY. As every other Saturday, I ran downtown. I made it down there before 7am. I'm sure that helped.

Second, the weather was WONDERFUL. It was warm but there was a nice breeze. The humidity was the best it has been in AGES! It was a pleasure to run in that kind of weather. Honestly, it was easier to run 15 miles this week than it was to run 12 miles a few weeks ago.

I also mentally broke down the distance into 3 smaller distances. Every 5 miles I would stop for fluids, gels, electrolytes, etc. Turning a 15 mile run into 3 smaller runs helped me considerably from a mental perspective. I'm going to employ this technique for all long runs going forward.

I really enjoyed this run. It has been a long, hot summer and it was nice to end a long run without feeling like I was going to die. When I finished I felt tired and a little sore, but I was not completely wiped out. It was wonderful!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 54

2011-08-27T17:29:00.000-05:00

Day 54
7 Miles

I'm a day late posting this. Kill me.

Yesterday's 7 miler was ok. It wasn't spectacular and it wasn't great. I woke up before 5am; WAY before. Actually, I had a touch of insomnia and woke up at 4:08am but stayed in bed until about 4:50. Once I got my ass out of bed, I just went out and hit the road. It was more like "this is something I have to do, so I might as well just do it" than anything else. Sometimes that's just how training goes.

I will say the headlights at that hour are becoming an issue. I don't know if I will be able to find a way around it other than hitting the treadmill. The lights are so blinding that I can't see the ground in front of me, even if I tilt my head down. I'm afraid I will trip on something and get hurt. I know the cars definitely need to have headlights on, so I may have to try a different route or something. There are just so few areas to run out here in the burbs that I may have to endure the dreaded treadmill, or risk injury and just deal with the lights.

Aside from the headlights, the run was fine. Like I said, it was just something I had to do.

I finished it and went on about my day.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 53

2011-08-25T10:28:00.001-05:00

Day 53

Rest

Since today is a rest day, I decided to be a little naughty last night. We had the in-laws over for dinner. I made Portuguese Style Mussels over Fettuccine for me, Bill and his dad. His step-mom is "mostly vegan" now so I made a simple (but really good) tomato sauce for her. Everything turned out perfect! The pasta was al dente; the mussels were tender and flavorful; the sauce was spectacular. It's a perfect meal for a dinner party because it comes together so quickly. From start to finish, it took only about an hour to get everything on the table. That included: all the prep work (cleaning the mussels, dicing tomatoes, etc), making a salad, and cooking everything. I will almost certainly be making this again!

We broke out a bottle of Chardonnay to go along with dinner. I figured since I wouldn't be running the next day, I'd indulge. Indulge, I did! I had a few glasses of wine and then a couple "Jameson and gingers." By the time the evening ended, I was feeling pretty good.

This morning, however, I was most definitely NOT feeling pretty good. I slept like a log, but woke up with a slight headache and feeling a bit dehydrated. It actually wasn't too bad, but I hate going to work with even the slightest hangover. I did manage to get my ass out of bed and make it to work, but I wasn't happy about it. I was, however, happy about the fact that I didn't have to run in that condition!

I have run with a hangover in the past and it's not fun. Last year we went to Pensacola to celebrate Thanksgiving with our friend Janice. I was in the midst of training for a half-marathon and needed to get a 9 mile run in. We were there for only a short time and I had to catch up with a few people. We went out on Friday night for drinks and I stayed out until the bars closed. I had a GREAT time, but knew that running the next day was going to be torture. Still, I figured I put myself in that situation and my training needed to continue on regardless. It was horrible. Every time my foot hit the ground, I felt it in my head. It was NOT fun.

I will spend the rest of today re-hydrating and getting my body ready for tomorrow's 7-mile run followed by a 15 miler on Saturday, but it was nice to indulge a little and not focus on training for a night.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 52

2011-08-24T12:43:00.000-05:00

Day 52

4 Miles

Thank goodness the plan only called for 4 miles this morning. It was all I could do just to get out of bed! I'm tired all the time lately. It seems I just can't get rested. Tomorrow is a rest day though, so I plan to fill this evening with a high carb meal and a couple glasses of wine. Hopefully that will be the prescription to put me into a good stupor. I need rest!

So, this morning I opened the door and was again greeted with humidity that even the fish would complain about. Almost immediately I was covered in sweat. Breathing while standing still is difficult in that humidity, never mind while running. It was the kind of humidity where it feels like you can chew the air.

I was also so tired that I couldn't seem to find my pace this morning. Normally by the end of mile 1 I find my groove and am fine for the rest of the run. Today though, it was not so. I was just so tired that I felt like I couldn't lift my feet up enough to run. Couple that with the humidity and it was just miserable. I long for Autumn so that I can write a post about how much I ENJOYED my run, rather than bitching about how miserable it was. It's August in Savannah, though, and that means "Hot and Humid" almost every day. September is just around the corner, though!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 51

2011-08-23T14:41:00.000-05:00

Day 51

7 Miles

It's amazing how many people are out on the roads in my neighborhood at 5:30 in the morning! I didn't count the number of cars that zipped past me this morning, but it was a lot.

When we moved to this area 6 years ago, we were one of the first families in the area. The main road was only partially complete, there were no streetlights and there were no houses on either side of us or behind us.. There weren't even sidewalks yet! I could go for a run at 7:00 in the morning and sometimes not see a single car.

Now, I have cars passing me all over the place. I notice it more at that hour for a couple reasons. First, I'm amazed THAT many people are out and about. I'm assuming they are going to work which means they have get up even earlier than me to take a shower and get ready! I get up REALLY early, but I have the luxury of being able to roll out of bed and throw on some running clothes and be on my merry way.

The second reason I've noticed the traffic at that hour is that the freaking HIGHBEAM headlights hurt my eyes! I know that a few areas along the road are sparsely lit and the high beams may be necessary, but I don't have to like them. When someone is driving toward me with their high beams on, I am temporarily blinded until they pass me. I can barely see the sidewalk in front of me. This morning it was particularly bad.

Still, running into headlights is better than running on a treadmill any day!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 50

2011-08-22T19:47:00.001-05:00

Day 50
4 Miles

I was having such wonderfully strange dreams when my alarm went off this morning. At one point I was carting a wagon full of potatoes through a parking lot. I also had to shoot a bad guy. Then the alarm went off and I had to get up and run.

For a few days last week, I thought the heat and humidity were beginning to wane. I was wrong. This morning it was hot and it was humid. VERY humid. When I stepped outside I felt like I could barely catch my breath. Once I got moving though, I started feeling better. After 1 mile I found my groove.

I'll be so glad when this humidity lifts. If it weren't for the humidity, the temperatures would be bearable. I don't think it's going to change anytime soon though. We have a hurricane headed our way, too. According to this morning's prediction, it would be hitting fairly close and would be making landfall between Friday night and Saturday morning. If that's the case, then my 15 mile run is going to be rough. If I can't run outside I'll have to do it on a treadmill. Yuck. Even worse would be that we lose power and I wouldn't be able to run at all.

I've been through several hurricanes in the past and one thing is always certain. The predicted route ALWAYS changes, especially when it's 4-5 days away from landfall. I feel pretty confident that the thing will end up someplace other than here. If Irene (that's it's name) does decide to visit the low country, I hope she can hold off until Saturday night.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 49

2011-08-21T17:05:00.001-05:00

Day 49
Cross Train

Well, I didn't take my own advice. We went out last night. I was a good boy...mostly. We went to see Leslie Jordan at Club One and had a blast. I had a few drinks, but not enough to cause a repeat performance of last week's hangover. I had a really nice evening and woke up this morning only slightly dehydrated. Unfortunately, I woke at 530am. We got home after midnight. Needless to say I was tired.

Even in my tired state, I stretched out my hips with some power yoga. My hips are sooooooooooo tight. I didn't realize just how tight until I did some stretches that targeted them this morning. I will have to make a point to do some additional hip stretches this week.

My foot seems to be on the mend. It still hurts a bit when I'm walking on a hard surface (like our tile floor) without shoes, but it's fine when I where soft cushiony shoes. So I just wear shoes. Easy fix.

I have a good feeling about this coming week.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 48

2011-08-20T13:58:00.000-05:00

Day 48
14 Miles

The good news is I finished 14 miles. It was ugly and slow, but I finished.

The other good news is that my foot barely hurt at all. It was tender at a few points during the run, but for the most part it felt good. It's strange: it doesn't hurt when I run, but hurts when I walk. I don't know what happened to make it start hurting and I don't know what happened to make it STOP hurting, but I'm sure glad it did stop.

So about the run...it was very humid today. VERY humid. It wasn't quite as hot as it has been, but the humidity was killer. It made the end of the run more difficult than I expected. I ended up walking quite a bit toward the end. Part of the reason for the walking was that I got lost a few times. You see, I tried out a feature on my Garmin that I had never used before. I've had this thing for more than 3 years and I've never used the feature that allows one to map out a course beforehand and then run along with it.

Well, I wish I had tested it out on a much shorter run. What an ordeal it was! I mapped out my intended course last night, uploaded it to my watch and was all ready to go. Well the first few miles were ok, but then I missed a turn. Granted, this was my fault. But I didn't realize it until I was WAY off course. I guess I was so lost in thought that I just didn't realize it. I ended up doubling back, losing time and screwing up the course distance that I mapped out the night before.

Once I got back on course everything seemed fine until I had to turn. The watch gave me several wrong turns which caused me to get off course several times. I should have just followed my instincts, but I figured the watch couldn't possibly be THAT wrong. It was. I finally back on track and just ran...and walked.

I also forgot my energy gels. I was in such a rush to get out the door early to beat the heat, I forgot them. I really missed them today. By about mile 12, I just felt completely depleted. If I had the gels, I think that wouldn't have been such an issue.

Next week I will be packing everything the night before so that I have less chance of forgetting the important things.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 47

2011-08-19T19:25:00.000-05:00

Day 47
7 Miles

Today was what the kids today call "an epic fail." I ran a whopping 0.3 miles of an intended 7. Yes, that's right. Three tenths of a mile.

Yesterday afternoon I started feeling a bit of pain in my foot. It was on the pad of my foot right right where the 2nd toe connects to the rest of the foot. By the time I got home, it went from a "bit of pain" to a LOT of pain. I limped through the rest of the night and popped a couple tylenol. I have no idea what happened or how it became injured. Yesterday was a rest day, for Pete's sake! I do much of anything.

Anyway, this morning I thought I would try to get in my 7 miles. I hate missing a training run so I thought I could just run through the pain. It turns out that I couldn't. I take that back. I probably COULD have, but if I had I know I wouldn't be able to run 14 miles tomorrow. I know that long runs are the most important parts of marathon training and I would rather miss a 7 miler if it meant I had a chance at running 14 the next day. I didn't even make it out of my subdivision before I decided to turn around. 0.3 miles total.

My foot is still kind of achy. I've been icing it for 15 minutes at a time since I got home today. It does feel better than yesterday, but it's still tender. I even bought some Dr Scholl's Foot Pads for Ladies. I'm assuming men can use them too. It's just a cushiony piece of gel that takes pressure off the part of the foot that's hurting. I'm not sure why the Dr Scholl's marketing department decided that only ladies need foot pads. Anyway, if worse comes to worse, I'll be seeking relief in women's foot pads.

Maybe it won't come to that. Maybe all of this icing will magically cure it. If not, I'll have to go to the doctor next week.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 46

2011-08-18T09:18:00.000-05:00

Day 46

Rest

Well, my allergies (or whatever is causing this) have let up slightly. I woke up this morning with scratchy eyes and a stuffy nose, but not nearly as bad as when I went to sleep last night. So, that's good.

Also good? Rest days. I am really thankful that today is a rest day. The thought of running while dealing with these allergies is not appealing in the least. Honestly, I don't know if it's allergies or not. I checked the pollen count and everything is really low or even non-existent. Whatever it is, I'm glad it seems to be waning.

In celebration of my rest day, I thought I'd try something new for dinner. Indian food. Well Indian-ish. I've made Indian food in the past, but usually only when Bill is traveling for work. I'm toning down the spices a bit for him tonight. I'm making a very mild grilled chicken, some apricot/orange chutney and rice. Fingers crossed!

I'm pretty nervous about this weekend's long run. 14 miles. This will be the first time since my last marathon (which was also my first marathon) that I've run more than 13.1 miles. I did a half in February and haven't run farther than that since then. Once I get passed this hurdle, I think I will be in much better shape mentally.

Today is a rest day though, so I will try to think happy thoughts and not worry so much about 14 mile runs.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 45

2011-08-17T20:19:00.001-05:00

Day 45
4 Miles

Something is in the air. I think it's pollen. I've been sniffling and sneezing since I woke up this morning. It happens twice a year: once in the Spring and again in the Fall. Well, Fall is almost here and my sinuses are suffering.

Surprisingly, I had a bit of relief when I went for my run this morning. I don't know why or how running opened my sinuses, but it was nice to be able to breathe for 36 minutes this morning.

Hopefully this passes quickly. Sneezing my way through the day is not my idea of a good time.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 44

2011-08-16T14:15:00.000-05:00

Day 44

7 Miles

More precisely 6.94 miles. I tried to do 7, but my stomach was having none of it. Warning: parts of this post deal with a frank and somewhat disgusting subject. Proceed at your own risk.

I have heard of runners who have an affliction often referred to as "runner's trots." I've never really experienced it before....until today.

Today was the first 7-mile mid-week run I've done on this training program and I was actually looking forward to it. I've trained really well so far and felt like 7 miles would be no problem. I woke up at 5am and was out the door by 5:25. Everything was perfect: I had a nice pace going, my legs felt light, it was cooler than it has been in ages, and the moon was shining bright. I was enjoying the heck out of the run until exactly half-way through the run. It also happened to be the point at which I was the FARTHEST away from my house.

It started with a little grumble. Then it became more.....what's the word....URGENT. By mile 5, my pace picked up significantly, trying to get back to my house before the urgency got the better of me. By mile 6, I was eyeing the bushes and trying to find a spot that looked safe and would be well hidden. There were none. As I made my way back into my subdivision, I decided to forego my usual post run stretching in the park and head straight for my house. Thankfully I made it, but just barely.

I don't know what made this day different from all the others, but I hope it's an anomaly. I do not want to add this affliction to my training plan.

I have another 7-miler on Friday. Fingers crossed and butt cheeks clenched that it's not a repeat performance of today.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 43

2011-08-15T13:11:00.000-05:00

Day 43

4 Miles

I just couldn't make it out the door on time today. I woke up at my normal time, but I got sucked into an internet time vortex or something because before I knew it, it was past 6am. I managed to make it out by 6:10 and once I was out there, I felt great. That's so often the case. Sometimes I just don't feel like going out for a run, but once I get moving all of those feelings drift away and I enjoy the run.

Today was my first run in my new running shoes. I have been running in Brooks Dyads for almost as long as I've been running. They have never given me any problems. I've never had any serious running injuries. I know the minimalist shoes are all the rage now, but I hate to move to something else when I know my Brooks Dyads work so well for me. Besides, it would be foolish to change to anything different in the middle of marathon training. I admit that I'm intrigued by the Bikram phenomenon, but I am too cheap to spend the money on a pair for fear that I'll hate them (and they look ridiculous.)

Running in my new shoes was wonderful. I guess it was time to get them because I noticed a difference immediately. I can't wait to try them out on this week's long run (14 miles.)

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 42

2011-08-14T19:56:00.001-05:00

Day 42
Cross Train

Yesterday evening, we went downtown for a few drinks. A few drinks turned into a few more. Needless to say when I woke up this morning, I wasn't in the best mood or in the best shape to do any type of cross training. Did I mention that I woke at 5am again? So, in addition to being hungover I was also dead tired.

I putzed around on the internet for about an hour and then turned on the television. In my channel surfing, I found a Power Yoga program. I figured it was a sign from the goddess so I got my dehydrated, hungover ass off the couch and followed along with the television. It was pretty difficult, but when I finished I felt a bit better, especially in my hips. I was still VERY tired, but my legs were nicely stretched.

By about 2pm, I was tired beyond belief and starting to get cranky, so I turned on the Food Network and napped on the couch for more than an hour. It was blissful. I slept so deeply that when I finally woke up, I wasn't sure whether it was day or night. It was wonderful.

I probably won't be going out for drinks like that again for quite some time, at least not until after the marathon. Or maybe next weekend.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 41

2011-08-13T12:18:00.000-05:00

Day 41
9 Miles
<p>&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; &amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/45908126"&amp;gt;Marathon Training - 9 Miles (08/13/2011)&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; &amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/?location=Savannah, GA"&amp;gt;Find more Runs in Savannah, GA&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; </p>

What a difference 20 degrees makes!

I woke up at 5:30am so that I could get motivated and make my way downtown by 6:30am to run. Although I'm not wild about waking up at 5:30 on a Saturday morning, it sure beats dying from heat stroke!

The run started easy enough. It was even pleasant. Compared to last week, it was a walk in the park! I looked down at my GPS after what seemed like only a few minutes to find that I was already half way finished! It's amazing what one can do when death isn't eminent. When I finished running it was still in the 70s. Granted, it was 79, but it was still in the 70s, and I felt great. I wasn't queasy; I wasn't weak; I wasn't light-headed. It was wonderful.

I was "approached" by 3 weirdos during my run.

Weirdo #1: Ok, not really a weirdo. Just a homeless guy. He gave me the old "Can I talk to you for a minute?" routine. I don't carry any change or cash with me when I run, so I didn't even respond. It's not outside the realm of possibility to be approached by a homeless person when you're wandering the streets of Savannah, but I think it was the first time someone tried to stop me mid-run.
Weirdo #2: This guy was definitely on something or mentally ill. He was dressed very nicely in a blue suit. He was seated on a park bench and I was approaching it. He was very unassuming. As I neared him, he started screaming and flailing his arms at me. As soon as he started that, I took off down a side street.
Weirdo #3: I was finished with my run and heading into the health food store a young man approached me. He said "hi" to me and I returned the greeting. I thought he was just being nice. Then it came: "Do you believe in Christ?" I replied, "Science is my Jesus." His eye got large and he wandered away.

Running early is more interesting on many levels!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 40

2011-08-12T12:28:00.000-05:00

Day 40

6 Miles

Well, my 1 night of restful sleep was nice while it lasted. Last night was certainly not very restful. The dog woke us up around 1:30 because he was getting sick and needed to go outside. Actually, he woke Bill up. I didn't wake until they came back inside. Then, for the rest of the night I was tossing and turning with strange dreams. They weren't the good kind of strange dreams, either. They were work dreams! Is there anything worse than dreaming about work??? As if I didn't have to think about work enough during the day! Now I'm dreaming about it at night! ICK! When my alarm went off at 5:00am, I was certainly not ready to wake. But I had miles to run.

Despite my sleepiness, the 6 miles felt really good. I got into a nice rhythm and was able to keep a decent pace. I was hoping to see a few falling stars this morning since the Perseid shower is peaking, but I didn't see any. There were probably too many lights obstructing my view.

Tomorrow, my long run is only 9 miles. I'm determined to get out VERY early so that I do repeat last week's heat related wooziness. Last week's run was also 3 miles longer than this week's, so I'm sure that will also work in my favor. I will check the hourly forecast when I wake tomorrow. If it looks anything like last week, I will just hit the treadmill (though, I pray it doesn't come to that!) The treadmill is preferred over heat stroke, but not by much.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 39

2011-08-11T14:31:00.000-05:00

Day 39

Rest

I rested! Woo-hoo! When I say I rested, I actually mean that I overslept. I know I should feel bad about it, but I don't really. I had to rush around like a madman this morning, and I forgot to take anything out of the freezer for dinner, and and I was a few minutes late for work, but it was well worth it. I feel like a new man today!

The rest of the day was spent running around at work, so I am tired again, but at least I'm not completely exhausted! At least I don't feel like a zombie . I don't feel like my eyelids weigh 8000 lbs. I feel the way I should feel after a days work.

I haven't decided yet whether we should go out for dinner or if I should whip something up. I planned on making New Orleans style BBQ shrimp, but as I said, I forgot to take them out of the freezer this morning, so we'll probably end up going out somewhere.

Sleeping in and going out for dinner. There are worse fates.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 38

2011-08-10T09:38:00.000-05:00

Day 38

3 Miles

I just can't get rested. This week is a "recovery" week, with slightly fewer miles, and I'm completely wiped out. I'm not achy or sore. My muscles ar a little tight, but it's nothing that shouldn't be expected when training for a marathon. I just can't seem to get rested, though. I go to bed at a decent hour. I eat well (most of the time.) All I want to do, though, is sleep. Thank goodness tomorrow is a real rest day!

3 miles came and went this morning. I barely remember it. I felt kind of like a zombie out there today. One thing that was nice was the lower temperature. It was in the mid 70s. It has been so hot here lately that mid-70s at 6am seems like a crisp Fall morning! It wasn't much of a temperature change, but it was noticeable. I can't wait for the temps to fall even more. I'm sure the heat is contributing to my tiredness, so some fall-like temperatures would be welcomed!

Tonight for dinner I'm making Croque Monsieur. It's one of my favorites. It's basically a glorified grilled ham and cheese sandwich, but I love it. It's not the healthiest thing in the world, for sure, but I need some comfort food and cheese comforts me. I'm going to offset the unhealthiness of the sandwich with a carrot salad. Easy and delicious...and veryFrench. I should buy some wine to go with it. A nice croque monsieur and carrot salad with some wine should put me in a restful mood, yes? Let's hope so!

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 37

2011-08-09T13:57:00.000-05:00

Day 37

5 Miles

I'm exhausted. I'm glad this is a recovery week, although it doesn't feel much like one. I'm not ready to give up or anything, but I sure would like a nap. A 24 hour nap.

I woke up abruptly this morning at 5am. I was dreaming away about something. I don't remember the dream much, but I know I was wearing an orange shirt. I almost wore my orange shirt to work today because of it but opted against it because orange would have highlighted the enormous pimple that has erupted on my face. Anyway, I was perfectly happy in my dream, orange shirt and all. The alarm that pulled me out of it was most unwelcomed!

The bulk of my run was spent thinking about how tired I was. It was a bit of a downer. My heart just wasn't in it this morning. I finished the 5 miles, without a problem, but in my mind I was thinking about how nice it would be to be back in bed.

One highlight: a shooting star! It's still dark when I run in the morning so seeing the moon and the stars is not uncommon. Seeing a shooting star though, is a real treat! The heavens must have sensed that I was down in the dumps and decided to brighten my morning with a shooting star.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 36

2011-08-08T21:02:00.001-05:00

Day 36
3 Miles

This is the last 3-mile Monday in a while. Starting next week, my Monday runs become 4-milers.

This week is a recovery week. My mileage is decreasing slightly to allow my muscles to recover a bit from the hellacious pounding I took on Saturday.

Today's 3 miler was quick and pleasant. Today was the first day of school for Savannah, so as my run ended, I passed a gaggle of kids waiting at their bus stop. One of them said something to me, I think. I'm not entirely sure. Anyway, I ignored it. Running is my thing. Kids are not.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 35

2011-08-07T19:39:00.000-05:00

Day 35
Cross Train

I needed to stretch today. My legs were pretty sore from yesterday's run. I actually felt good immediately after the run, but several hours later, they started to get tight and achy. By the time I hit the hay, I had to take some Tylenol. Even with the Tylenol, I still didn't sleep very well.

I woke several times during the night. Between my sore legs and strange dreams, I didn't get much sleep at all; certainly not much restful sleep. After tossing and turning, I finally got up around 5:30am and puttered around a bit. I made coffee, surfed the internet, played with the cat, etc.

I searched YouTube and found something called "Yoga for Runners," so I gave it a whirl. It was just ok. I don't know how much of a workout it was but it did stretch my legs and hips out a bit. I think I would have preferred something a bit more fast paced, though. The power yoga I've been doing for the past few Sundays was also found on the internet (youtube and hulu) but they all had more poses and a bit better instruction. Still, I got my cross training in and went on with my day.

Savannah Rock n Roll Marathon Training - Day 34

2011-08-06T14:27:00.003-05:00

Day 34
12 Miles

12 Miles (08/06/2011)

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Holy shit! I thought last week's run was hot. It was a walk in the park compared to this week.

Admittedly, I got started later than I wanted, by about 30 minutes. I started at 730 am and by the time I finished I was probably in the beginning stages of heat exhaustion. It was one of the most un-enjoyable runs I've had in a long time.

It started out fine. Yes, it was warm when I started, but it wasn't anything that I couldn't deal with. I carried plenty of water (or so I thought) and a couple of gel packs for energy during the run.

By mile 2 I was already soaking wet from my own sweat. At mile 4 I intentionally depleted 2 of the 4 bottles of water in my Fuelbelt and refilled them at a drinking fountain. I figured I would be set for the rest of the run.

Mile 8 came more quickly than I expected but I was starting to feel the effects of the heat. Miles 9-11 included a fair amount of walking. I was rationing water as best I could, but the heat was so unbearable that i had to drink more water and I had to talk walk breaks. Had I not, I'm convinced I would be in a hospital right now. Yes, it was that hot.

I did manage to run most of the last mile but when I finished I was lightheaded and weak. I rushed over to a drinking fountain in the park only to find it out of service. I found a park bench in the shade and sat there until I felt comfortable enough to walk again (about 30 minutes)

I made my way to another drinking fountain. Thank god this one was working! I drank some water and made my way to the car where I had cold water and Gatorade waiting for me. I checked my phone to see what the temperature was and found that with the heat index it was 102 degrees! No wonder I felt so bad!

Once I was well enough and dry enough I went to the coffee shop for an iced coffee. Ahhh! Air conditioning!! I didn't truly start to feel like myself again until I finished my coffee 30 minutes later.

So, I learned a lesson. If I can't get out earlier on days like today, I will just go to the treadmill. 12 miles on a treadmill would be boring as hell, but the fear of dropping dead from heatstroke is nil.