Winter weather has finally arrived in WI, I should be grateful that it just arrive considering its mid-november. However, the reality of WI is still hard to swallow.
Last week we celebrated daylight savings by accepting the sky being pitch black at 5:00pm, I busted out the reflectors and drove around for a good 20 minutes looking for a safe place to run. My area is lacking a few essentials: 1) sidewalks 2) street lights. I finally settled on an old stand by Rawson ave. its pretty hilly and not quite 2.5 miles, but it was the only area with a decent sidewalk and street lights. I got home from work seriously de-motivated. The heat was malfunctioning at work so our offices were 85 degrees... I was drained, but knew I had to get in my miles. I ate a quick dinner (since it was already dark out no need to rush out to beat the sunset!) and headed out. I wanted to vomit the entire time and came pretty close on a few occasions. Fortunately I made it out and back without any problems.
Later this week I did the "endless" loop around my apartment, its quite boring but there were streetlights and its not highly traveled. Not a bad day out, pretty average.
SUNDAY RUNDAY: 12 miles. I headed out excited to hit a new personal best. I wasn't even sure if my iPod mile counter went that high!! (It did.) The wind was cold and blowing strong, I went through an entire pack of tissues before I finished. The NEHOD almost got the best of me again. But in the end I finished the 12 miles. Around the half way point Coach Tim started to run with me, and of course the run went better when he did. Its so funny to see my Nike+ pace chart after the run:
----^---vvv---v__v(Tim arrives)-------------------------v(mini NEHOD)-----v(NEHOD)------------12miles!
At the first mini NEHOD my breathing stopped again like the last big run. Tim suggested we cut it short. I was not having that idea! I think I even stomped my foot! "No!! I gotta finish this 12 miles!!" "Alright!" and off we went up the evil NEHOD. Coach Anne met up with up, my guess is the other runners were wondering where I was! So me, Coach Anne and Coach Tim trudged up the hill. We were talking about mantras or "self talk"-for all you counselors out there. I have several, "I've made it this far only _ to go." "I think I can!" "Keep moving" and now my new favorite "Wheat Monkey" a local brew that is soooo tasty! Like a horse and carrot. So as we finished up I started saying "wheat monkey" out loud. Helped me not to focus on the pain and focus on the deliciousness of the beer chilling in the fridge!
After the run, Lisa and I headed to some shops to pick up even more running gear (as if that is even possible, I swear we have everything one could possibly imagine). The cold air definitely impacts my lungs, I was looking for some "turtle" thing Tim told me about that essentially covers the mouth and sheilds the neck from the blowing air. We both needed additional reflectors since it is so dark out. And an essential supply for the big race- a non-fanny pack-fanny-pack :) Please don't judge, we are both a little sensitive on this topic. But how else are we going to capture all the glorious (and not so glorious) moments of the big day? I need my camera. I have decided not to take my phone, I don't want to be "that guy" on my phone/texting during one of the most exciting days of my life. You will all hear about it afterwards. You wouldn't text during your wedding would you? I certainly hope not!
Ok, but back to the shopping experience. I know my body was rejecting the torture I just put myself through and Lisa is dealing with shin problems. We looked like a trainwreck... here is what we looked like:
Day after the marathon- You Tube
And on that note:
Dreams are often challenging, but challenges are what we live for.
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