Mom. Runner. Coach. Writer.
To quote my friend Dwight, sometimes you’re the bug, and sometimes you’re the windshield. I got to be the windshield three weeks ago at the IronGirl half marathon, but Saturday, I was the bug. And that’s ok. So many factors went into the St. Michael’s half not being a good one for me. To begin with, I think my training wasn’t quite right for the [...]
My training lately has had far more quality miles in it than what I have done in the past. I’m adjusting to this change, though, and I look at that as progress. If you break down my week, you’ll see that I am either running a particular prescribed pace–usually tempo or marathonish pace–or I’m going easy. What am I not doing? Running in that murky [...]
If you’ve been reading long enough you know I run with a group of friends several times each week. We’ve been meeting at dark o’thirty for several years now, and the group definitely enhances my running and my life. The upside to running with others is the camaraderie, without question. You’ve got pals with whom you can chat away the long miles on the weekends [...]
Running can be a fickle friend. A week ago Saturday, I had a terrible 22-miler. My legs felt bad from the start and then when I attempted a few miles at marathon pace? It was a complete struggle. I finished off the final miles shuffling like I was at the end of a marathon. Ugh. A run like that can be so discouraging, leaving you [...]
As much as I am enjoying my training and racing right now, I do have one little complaint. I’m allowed that, no? Here it is: I can’t seem to get up to speed this year. It has been really frustrating to me, I’ll admit. And humbling. And confounding. I’ve been back from injury since last November. It would seem that nine months is enough time [...]
A simple, seven-letter word that I have such a hard time with. We’ve all heard it said that running is 90 percent mental. And I concur. Many, many times it was my mental strength that got me through a race or a tough workout. When I have confidence in my ability, I perform at my best. But it’s getting to that point of confidence that [...]
When I was injured (working on saying WAS), I would have given my eyeteeth just to run a slow mile. I’d have made deals with the devil to get back out there. “I’ll never run another race if you’ll just let me run.” “I’ll give up running with my friends if you’ll give me the chance to run.” Etc. Flash forward four measly runs on [...]
1. Thou shall take a moment to be proud, even if you aren’t happy with your time2. In the first week post-marathon, thou shall not run with friends who did not run the marathon–their pace will be more than you need right now. In fact, not running at all for one week is a good idea!3. Thou shall hit snooze if that’s what you feel [...]
I salute you. I know that I am spoiled by having many running partners to pound the pavement with. Today I couldn’t make our regular Tues. speedwork session, which meant hitting the track on my own after the kids got off to school. Let me tell you–doing track by yourself is not easy. I still hit all my intended splits. But was it mentally much [...]
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