My goal was to make 2016 Epic... we are well on our way!

Ok a few weeks ago a mentioned on Facebook of a big announcement!  After a few delays, I am happy to say that I was selected as one of the Brand Ambassador Captains for Skirt Sports!  To say that I am extremely excited is putting it mildly! a few months ago, on a whim,  I filled out the Ambassador application.  I figured why not!  After several weeks of waiting, I received an email telling me that I had made the cut and was one of the new Ambassador Captains for Skirt Sports!

Yes, I read... and REREAD that email 5 times, waiting for it to really sink in!

This is too cool!!!!

Most of you know that I love my running skirts and I generally don't head to a race without one.  Well, that love has now landed me a fabulous opportunity with this awesome company that is working to empower and motivate women and young girls into making health and fitness a priority, despite any obstacles they may be facing.  Real Women doing Real things to make this world a better place!

The company was founded by one woman who decided that she was a woman and wanted to feel pretty when she was running (training for IronMan Wisconsin to be exact!)  She wanted to feel inspired and help others to the same.  This skirt that she wore during her Iron Man WI event was what launched this company!

Now you are probably thinking, oh ok, just another running apparel company.  But these skirt are more than just something pretty!  They are also extremely functional!  

Over the years they have not only helped women feel beautiful when they run, but they have helped provide inspiration, motivation and compassion thru several different programs and events to keep women moving!  The more I learn about this amazing company, the more excited that I am to be able to team up with them to do my part in inspiring women to get out there, get active and healthy!

The best part for you?  I get the share my discount with you!  Use the code "SKIRTLOVE20" and save 20% off your order!  So click on the link below to do some shopping, look cute when you are out running or at the gym and fall in love with these products just as I have!

Now excuse me, I have some shopping... and running to do!

No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth, I've just been running all over it!

Wow!  Where has the last 7 months gone!

Apparently life has completely gotten away from me and I have been neglecting my blog!  When I was just sitting here this morning reading back through a few of my posts, I realized how much I really have missed writing these updates!  That needs to change!  Writing these posts was a fabulous way for me to reflect back on adventures, keep a log of these adventures and keep in touch with all of you!

I know that there is no way that I will be able to completely recap everything from the last 7 months (I can't believe that the last post I did was from my Birthday Ragnar adventure last June!) s instead of tryign to go back and recreate posts for each adventure, here is a snapshot of the second half of 2015... a photo journey of the many adventures and a brief synopsis!  Over the next week I will then go back and get caught up on the adventures thus far in 2016.  My goal after that is to get out here and most at least once a week for you!  Whether it be a recipe, a recap on one of the crazy adventures planned for this year or who knows what else!

We spent A LOT of time at the ballpark!  Thanks to the Host Family program with the Green Bay Bullfrogs, we were able to host their Radio Broadcaster for the Summer.  Parker was with us from the end of May thru the middle of August.  Between his crazy schedule at the ballpark and traveling with the team, the only time we really saw him was at the ballpark, but it was still an awesome experience for all of us.  We watched more baseball in those few months than I think we ever have, but it was so worth it!  I am excited to say that we will be hosting again this year and, at this time, it sounds like it will be on of the summer interns.  

We headed north for a night to spent the night on a Bed & Breakfast train!  After a dinner on the moving train, we relaxed with a few drink and new friends on the train and then retreated to our own room in the sleeper car.  Of course, while the rest of the train slept in, I headed out for a morning run!  90% humidity, but I didn't care!  Afterwards, it was a warm breakfast before we headed off the train and had to drive home!

On one of our trips up north, I got to reconnect with a few friends from high school, take a hike up Silver Mountain and spent the evening catching up and laughing the day away!  Thanks for the memories ladies!  Until next summer when we can do it again!

Who says you have to do a virtual run solo?  Not with my awesome friends!  We ended up starting the morning later than planned because of a nasty storm that rolled through early in the morning.  In the end, our group was smaller than originally planned but we got in those 4 miles... and the best part?  Before this fun morning, every one of my friends that was there, met at least 1 new person that day!  I love when I can introduce my running friends to each other!

July meant the return of one of my favorite races of the summer!  The Cliffrunner 10k trail run.  6 miles of hills, rocks, dirt, cliffs and everything in between!  I was determined to beat my time from last year and thanks to my new friend Melissa that I met on the course, we pushed each other and ran an amazing race!  PR by almost 15 minutes over last year!  That's going to be tough to beat in 2016, but you know I'm going to try!

Meet Snickerdoodle!
In August we met this little sweetheart and a few weeks later she became part of the family!  Full of spunk and energy... and yes a lot of sass, the house is no longer quiet!

Over the summer, I rediscovered my love for yoga.  Last winter I took some Hot Yoga classes and realized that I did NOT like hot yoga... however, yoga outside on the city deck downtown?  That's a whole difference story!  Now I look forward to those days that I can squeeze in a yoga class into my schedule!

3 years on a row!  Warrior Dash WI!  John  went with me again this year, as did Darrin and my dear friend Lisa!  We spent the morning climbing, crawling and swimming through tunnels, mud, ponds and more!  I think we found mud in places that should never see mud but we didn't care!  After all that fun, we headed home, took showers, relaxed for a bit and headed to the next adventure of the day...

As if running warrior dash wasn't enough for one day, Lisa and I finished off our day by running the Packers Training Camp 5k in and around Lambeau Field!  While we were there we ran into Lori and a few other friends who all said we were completely nuts for running both race in one day, but that was part of the fun!  2 races + 240 miles =  lots of mud and laughs.  

Sound like a perfect day to me!

Over the summer, I also discovered this amazing pond, just a short run from my house!  How did I not even know this was here until now?  This quickly became one of my favorite places to run, especially in the early morning!  I would often leave the house before dawn, just so I could get here in time for sunrise over the water!

After running the Chicago Ragnar earlier in the year, I jumped at the chance to work the Great River Ragnar for Bondi Band.  Lots of driving, 2 long crazy days, scorching heat but loads of fun hanging out with some other awesome vendors and crazy runners!  Never again will I look at a frozen fruit bar the same again!  I gave up trying to keep track of how many I ate... it's a good thing Chris from FrioFrio was keeping track for me!

Finally the weekend that we were all waiting for arrived!  Girls Weekend 2015 brought us to Minneapolis for Women Rock!  Last year's girls weekend was 3 of us... this year it was 7!  Everyone seems to want to join us on our adventures, and I don't blame them!  With the exception of Lisa, our official cheerleader, the other 6 of us all met at the gym over the last 2 years and have continued to do things together now that several of us have switched gyms.  We will do what we can to find fun and laughs wherever we go!  The weekend was filled with running, laughs, hot guys, amazing food, lots of walking and everything in between.

A last minute add to my race calendar!  I scored a free race registration to the Lake Country Half Marathon in Oconomowoc (Near Milwaukee) Labor Day weekend!  The course was one of the prettiest courses I've run and I was completely enjoying the day... until the sun and humility took over!  When I started out the day, I was feeling good, had a great pace and was loving the day.  Unfortunately, at about the halfway point, Mother Nature decided that was enough.   I will say that this was the first race I've run in a LONG time that I actually felt like quitting.  I didn't.  I kept moving, even if it was just walking.  In the end I really didn't finish that far off my usual pace.  One of these years, I will go back and re-run this course so I can see what I can really do!  Besides, the scenery was amazing!

How to do pull off a PR for a 5k?  Find a run at an airport - on the runway!  No hills to worry about!  Oh yeah... and it helps when you have a friend running on your heels that you are determined to NOT let her beat you!  Lisa, Emily and I all set new 5k PR's on this warm afternoon and had fun doing it!  

For the 3rd year in a row, we got the crew from work together to run the Fox Cities Marathon Relay!  It's always a fun filled day, with no pressure of how fast you have to run.  It's about spending the day together, doing what we enjoy!  The highlight of this year's race for me?  By complete change, my dear friend Tracie passed through the exchange point just minutes before I started my leg, while she was running her Full Marathon!  I ran hard for that 1st mile to catch up to her and was able to run the rests of my 6.3 miles with her!  This girls is such an inspiration and one day, I will be able to keep up with her for more than 6 miles  :)

Last big race of the summer!  The Inaugural Bellin Women's Half Marathon right here in Green Bay!  We got the girls together for a fun weekend of shopping at the expo, dinner and the race!  The weather was perfect and the course was beautiful, and how many people can say they had their race bling handed to them by Katherine Switzer?!?!  Can't wait to run this one again net year! 

Hope you enjoyed this stroll through some of the highlights of 2015.  I know I missed a few, and will probably make mention of them over the next few weeks in follow up posts.  It was a fun filled year of adventures and 2016 is starting off to be more of the same!  Stick around and follow the adventures!  Or better yet, if you live in the area, come join me on some of my upcoming adventures!

2015 was awesome, lets make 2016 EPIC!

I really didn't fall off the face of the earth!

Ok, it's been a while since my last post... and posts have been scarce in the last few month.

I really didn't fall off the face of the earth!  Just a short post today to keep you all in the loop on the crazy last month!

But don't worry, I have not been just sitting around!  Over the last few months, I took a step back and gave myself a break from running.  After the beating that I put myself through last summer, I needed scale things back a bit.  Time to focus on some strength training for a while Not to mention all of the craziness of the holidays that we all have!  

 I am still at the gym 4-5 days a week, if not more (yes you may have seen Facebook posts or Tweets about these or  snippets on Instagram.  I may not be putting in the miles, but these workouts make up for that!

 We spent New Years Eve with awesome friends, both new and old! This was the first time in several years that we were able to host NYE at our house.  Unfortunately several friends had to miss the fun due to the beloved flu bug that was going through the area.

I have made amends with the dreadmill and although I still don't LIKE it,  I know that I have learned to tolerate it! So far, I have managed to pull off a 4 mile dreadmill run, but I am sure that more are to come.

We even headed up north for a weekend filled with hockey at the two schools that my husband and I each went to!  Was fun to be back in both arenas watching both teams play!  It was a lot of driving and several late nights, but it was worth being able to introduce my son to the two hockey teams that I spent my high school years watching!

 I have also done more tweaking on my nutrition and started making a few more small changes. Each weekend, a portion of my time is spent prepping my breakfasts and lunches for the week.  I have managed to only have to go out for lunch once so far this month!

Then it was off for a quick trip to Chicago to meet part of the crew that I am running the Chicago Ragnar with this summer!  Yes, I have joined forces with a crew (thanks to my Twitter Friend Jenn), mostly from the Chicago area, to run from Madison to Chicago this summer - on my Birthday!  Although I have only met part of the team, this already promises to be a weekend to remember!

So now, we are 3 weeks into January, Half marathon training is underway and it's time to start putting on some miles.  Just one last hurdle in the way before that can happen though...  I found out last month that I need to have sinus surgery to correct a severely deviated and also tilted septum.  That all happens on Thursday.  Yes, little nervous about the surgery, but in the end if it helps be breathe better, I'm not going to complain!  Also very curious on how this plays into the whole breathing while I am running concept!

The 7-10 days post surgery are going to be rough - no work, no running, no gym... EEEEK!  But on the bright side - time to catch up on a bunch of those movies that I have been wanting to watch but have not had the time!  My Netflix cue will be my new best friend for the week. 

2015 is off to a fun start, with awesome family, great friends and plans to be made!   Lets make it great!

What are you doing to make this a year to remember?

Am I really crazy? I guess it depends on who you ask!

I am the first to admit that over the last few years I have become more that just a casual runner.  What started out as a few casual 5k's over several years has turned into something much bigger. 5 years ago, I was overweight, tired and could barely run a 5k.  This year I will have run over 700 miles and 6 half marathon, as well as countless other races and relays, still have a few pounds to lose, but the scale is no longer my focus.  Getting health is.  I am the first to admit that what I do is not what "normal" people do... but then again, I don't think I could really ever be called normal!

I have lost track of how many times I have been asked why I do all of the running that I do, if I am completely nuts or how I can have that much energy to do everything that I do.  My husband has commented to of several of our friends that if someone ever wants to know where I am, it is usually one of 3 places... Running, the Gym or working (ok, maybe 4 - home either trying to catch some sleep or relaxing with a glass of wine)!  If you say one of these places, you are probably right!  The response is usually "Why" or  "You're nuts", "You really RUN 13 miles... at once... for fun?" Honestly, I don't expect most people to understand.  Hours each week at the gym, miles on my feet running hitting the pavement (or Dreadmill on some of those extreme weather days), early morning alarms to get to the gym or to meet a friend to run... these are just some of the crazy things that I have been doing over the last few years. In fact there are times I have questioned why I do it all. However, it is a choice that I made and it has been one of the best things that I could have done!

Yes, I have lost track of the number of times that I have turned down plans with friends because I have an early run the next morning.  Or the nights that we have gone out with friends and instead of ordering a beer, I have stuck with water or some other beverage because I had a race coming up.  I don't need to have a beer in my hand to have fun - I just need my friends!  Running, as well as all of the strength training, has taught me so much about myself and what I am capable of and how strong I really can be.  

Is it worth it?

Absolutely!

The idea of challenging myself to do something that only a small percentage of the population does is beyond exciting.  Each time I cross the finish line at any race, it is a true feeling of accomplishment, knowing that all of the hard work I have been doing is paying off.

But it is more than just what running has proven to me that I can personally accomplish!  Between all of the running and working out at Fitness Renegades, I have made some great friends who help to keep me motivated (and I cannot forget the friends that I have met via social media - we may have never met, but sometimes that does not matter)!  We are all in this fitness adventure together, sharing workout ideas, training together (I will never look at a tubing hill or a pile of car tires the same again!), sharing healthy meal ideas and everything in between.  We all may not be runners, but the fitness mentality is there!  Together, we understand what the other is going through, the aches and pains of running or lifting, what to eat (or not eat) before a long run or tough workout, the pains of foam rollers (or even what one is), proper hydration... the list goes on.  Unless you are a runner,  are married to one or are a fitness junkie, you probably don't get it - and I don't' expect you to.  It is a truly unique lifestyle that one chooses.

I started doing this as something for me, but it has turned into something more.  Hearing that someone has started running because of me, or they started a new workout program because I somehow inspired them, or that they are working on improving their eating habits as a result of watching what I have been doing... well, that is still something that is taking me some getting accustomed to!  It also encourages me to keep going!  My son has started running 5k and 10k events with myTEAM TRIUMPH, has improved is race times and has even started coming to the gym with me once in a while!  Heck, my husband has even started walking some 5k's now!  I know that he will never be a runner, but just the fact that he is out there walking, I am super proud of him!  Everyone has to start somewhere and if I can help someone with that start, it makes all of this worthwhile!

I know that I am still a work in progress.  I know that with continued hard work, I will eventually get where I want to be - even if that end point changes from time to time! I also love the fact that I am helping other people make healthy changes, no matter how small, in their life!  I am also forever grateful for my husband who has put up with my crazy schedule, countless "vacations" that are somehow related to a race I want to run or my 2 hour trips to the grocery store(s) to find everything that I need for the next week's meals!  Without him, I know that I would not be able to do everything that I do!  Thank you John, for everything you do for me!

Then I originally started this blog, my thought was that if I could encourage ONE person to make a small change to improve their life, it was worth it.  In the end it is helping me to continue to make healthy changes in my life, and I am continuously grateful for those that I am meeting along the way that 

Yes I probably am crazy, but that's just who I am!  It is just an honor to know that I have done something to encourage positive changes in others!

Oh, and technically I am only HALF crazy... maybe one day I will run a full marathon and be completely crazy, but right now, half is my limit!

So for all of you out that that keep me going, Thank you!

... and now time to pack and get ready to head to Chicago!  Women Rock Half Marathon, here we come!

Ty's Weekend Warrior Insanity Sessions - I won't let them kill me!

Yes, these workouts are crazy, some even say insane, but I keep going back for more!  They push me to do things that I never thought I could do... and probably would never have tried! Ty, this post is just for you!  You come up with some crazy workouts, push us to do some crazy things, but in the end, I really do look forward to the weekends that I can actually get in to the gym and see you!

People have often asked what these crazy workouts consist of, so I cam going to try and post some of them out here when I have a chance (especially the really "Special" i.e insane ones!)

Some of us joke with him every weekend that he is trying to kill us! (we all cringe is we see him walking around the gym with a deck of cards - but we will save that for another day!)  Hence the headbands that I got for Darci and I!   However... even if we think he is trying to kill us, we are the ones that keep going back week after week!  We are a special kind of crazy and I wouldn't have it any other way!

This past weekend, was not different!  Well, maybe it was a little different... I was originally going to head in for the 9am class, getting in my workout, heading home to shower and then hit the road for a weekend of camping.  at 5:30am Saturday morning, I was wide awake.  So, I decided to just get up and got for a run INSTEAD of waiting to go to the gym.  I headed out and did a 3 mile tempo run through the neighborhood and was back home relaxing on my deck by 7am.

Now I was faced with a dilemma... what was I going to do now... everyone else was still sleeping.  I posted the above pic on FB and Ty was the first one to comment... "Class at 8,9 and 10?"  Hmmm...  I could make the 8am class and we would still be able to hit the road for the camper at decent time.  I shot a quick message off to Lisa to tell her I was thinking about hitting the 8am class instead if there was still room.  Before I could change my mind, she replied back that she was in.  There were 4 slots left for the 8am class (well, 3 since she already changed herself from the 9am to the 8am class).  Time to put the shoes back on and head out the door!  I got to they gym just as Ty was getting there and his first words were "hope you are ready for some fun today!"...  So in other words, I might be dreading that I hit the gym AFTER that run...  

Here goes nothing... It was total body challenge Saturday! 

 Yes, you read that right... 100 of EACH exercise listed in the orange.  The 3 listed on the left were to be done after you finished with everything else.  Yes that meant a total of 940 reps once all is said and done!   All within the 40 minute time limit!

Time to get busy.  We were allowed to break up our workout any way that we wanted, we just had to make sure that we completed all 100 of each exercise.  Lisa and I decided to divide it into 4 sections and do 25 of each (4 rounds total).  Granted, doing 100 squats at once is doable, but there is no way that I was going to attempt 100 push-ups in one go!

I was not going to let this workout get the best of me!  I pushed it with everything I had.  I was not going to let Ty's Crazy Insanity workout take me down!

In the end, I ended up finishing in 25:46!

Post workout... not dead yet!

He may have tried to kill me again today, but he has not succeeded yet!  Knowing I made it through that, after my 3 mile tempo run, was going to make a weekend of camping even that much more enjoyable!

Until next time... keep pushing it!  You will be glad that you did!

Energybits Product Review!

A about a week ago I was having a casual conversation via twitter with fellow runner @crystalduff about energy and what we use to keep us moving.  She mentioned that her go to is Energybits.  This was a new product that I had seen a few other posts about, but never really looked into them further.  I was intrigued!

From their website:

Need more ENERGY? We're your answer!

ENERGYbits® are tiny algae tabs so nutritionally dense, they eliminate fatigue and hunger instantly. Want a healthy, natural way to fuel your game or fire up your brain? ENERGYbits® are for you! NO caffeine, sugar, chemicals, gluten or soy, just pure, plant based nutrition, all for just ONE calorie per tab.

Need better HEALTH? We're your choice!

ENERGYbits® have just ONE ingredient - organically grown NON GMO spirulina algae – a super food endorsed by the United Nations and NASA as the most nutritionally dense food in the world. Spirulina has been a favorite of gold medalists for decades. Now it’s your turn. Be powered by BITS™

A rep from the company offered to send me a sample of the product to try!  WooHoo!!!  I was not going to pass up that opportunity to try a new, all natural way to fuel my long runs and crazy days at the gym!

When I received my bits, it was Saturday afternoon, after I already finished my long run, so I had to wait for another good run to come up so that I could try them out... One of the cats tried to get into them before me, but at least she didn't get them open!  Just a few holes poked in the bag from her teeth, so my bits were safe!  They ended up sitting there for a few days before I finally got to tear open one of the packages.  That was a long 4 days!

In the meantime, I had some time to do some reading up on these little gems.  From the information I received with my sample:

Trial 1 - Wednesday nights have turned into a fitness frenzy of sorts!  This week was no different!  My Wednesday evening was going to consist of:

~ 1 hour class at the gym

~ 2-4 mile training run

~potential yoga class to follow

Seemed like a great night to give these bits a try!  Before heading to the gym I tore open that little plastic bag that has been staring at me since Saturday! Honestly, I was expecting something that looked like small jelly or gummy type bits, not a bag full of small tablets... and now I had to swallow all of these?  Since this was the first try with these and not knowing how they might affect me, I opted to only take half of the bag before the gym and then take the other half between the gym and my run... just in case...

The workout at the gym was intense but when I finished, I was feeling good and ready for more!  So we left the gym and headed for the training run.  After meeting up with the rest of the crew (and finishing off the rest of the bag of Energybits), it was time to hit the streets!  I was feeling good and was determined to make the best of this run.  We did decide to only do the short loop for the training run, as the workout at the gym was a lot of leg work again... probably best to not push the knee any further today! It ended up being a fast 2 miles!

Trial one with Energybits complete... ok, not really!  I will have to say I felt great when I finished my run.  We opted out of yoga for the evening as we were all hungry!  Food trumps Yoga on days like today!  So we headed home to make dinner.  I will have to say that my first experience with Energybits was better than expected... not only did they carry me through my workout and run, but they also kept me going once I got home.  I was busy doing stuff around the house and I actually had to make my self stop and go to bed!  I could have kept going, but when the alarm goes off at 4:30am, sleep is a good thing!

Fast forward to today...
I received the ok from from PT for a 10 mile run this weekend!  Energybits don't' fail me now!  I grabbed a protein bar for breakfast and headed out the door to pick up Matt and we arrived at the school to meet up with everyone for the training run.  This was the first time Matt and I were actually are running together since Thanksgiving - hope I can still keep up with his long legs!  I popped my Energybits, and before long we were off.  Our mission was to finish our 10 miles before the rain!

The weather was perfect, I was out on the trail with good friends and I was feeling awesome!  It was not until we turned around at the 5 mile point that I realized one HUGE thing... ok, 2 things... 1st, my knee seemed to be holding up well, not pain so far! and 2nd, usually be this time I am on my second  GU pack!  So far, I had not even thought about grabbing one!

We turned around and started on the second half of our run, back to the Middle School.  So far, the rain was holding off (although the skies were not looking very promising!)  We were feeling good and I was really enjoying just going out there in the crisp spring air.  Before we knew it, we were at 9 miles!  Now at this point, I did notice that my knee was starting to flare up a bit, but it was less than a mile - I had this!

We ended up finishing 10.1 miles in 1:54:07.  Just over 11 minute miles - I'll take it!  and we beat the rain!!  I felt great for the entire run and never felt like I was running out of steam.  I just wanted to run! If it was not for my knee and making sure I didn't push that too far, I probably would have run more!

That run was all Energybits!  All of the rest of the fuel I had with me was still in my pockets!   What an amazing feeling!

Final comments for my review...
1.  The cost per serving might be a bit more than GU or any other race fuel I have tried, but in the end, if I can get through a 10+ mile run with 1 serving of Energybits instead of 2-3 GU packs, that is a win in my book!

2.  Yes, they do taste a little funky when you are swallowing them, but that is a minor detail that I can look past!

3.  With the changes that I have been making in my diet over the last 6 months, if I can use real food to fuel my runs instead of uber processed fuel with 20+ ingredients in them, I know when I would prefer!

4.  No sugar high or sugar crash

5.  There may not be any caffeine in these bits, but they sure can keep me going!

Overall, I am loving what I has seen from Energybits!  The natural fuel that I think I need to make part of my routine!

Thank you Energybits for offering to send me a sample of these little treasures!  Now I just need to get my own supply ordered!

No Excuses!

The end of March has crept up on us way too fast!  It seems like it was just yesterday that we were dealing with sub zero temperatures, snow storms and making final preparations for out Spring Training Vacation.

Now it is the end of March, vacation is over and we are finally having warmer days!  Granted it will probably be July before we see green grass and can head to the beach - but it's a start!!

As I sit here and look back on the last month, it was definitely a roller coaster of a month.  I had some great runs, so not so great runs, shared a fabulous vacation with my
husband and some great friends... and had to face the fact that I needed to slow down and deal with an injury.

The statement above has really helped to keep me focused this month.  There were days that I had serious doubts about what I could do, questioned why I ever decided to sign up for a full marathon and was ready to just give up.  Then a statement like the one above would show up on my Facebook page or on my Twitter feed and remind me why set out on this journey.

For those of you that follow me on Facebook an/or twitter, you have seen me post about having to deal with this injury.  Any runner is prone to injury (and usually all deal with one at some time or another) and we all dread the words, "no running"... and hearing IT band is never a good thing to combine with that statement.  This was not a new injury to me.  I actually had IT band issues after the Fox Cities Half Marathon in 2012. With this race, my IT band issues were probably a direct result of trying to do too much, too fast.  I tried increasing my miles faster than I should have and thought could finish a half marathon without a lot of training - after all, I was planning on just walking most of it!  Wrong answer!  It actually took me over 7 months to feel comfortable running again. 

For those of you that are nor familiar with the IT band, yes you have one too!  In simple terms, it is a band that runs basically from your hip to your knee. It is key to helping stabilize the knee when running, biking, hiking and even weight lifting.  There are many factors that can contribute to IT band syndrome and at some point many runners end up dealing with either pain or injury that is IT band related.  

Icing my knee after my 17k in AZ

Now, 2 1/2 years later I started facing similar pain.  At first it just some minor pain after I would hit after running 8-10 miles.  I didn't think anything of it at first and just contributed it to the slow increase in miles during my marathon training schedule.  However, when the pain would creep up on my at the gym (some days squats got the best of me) I started looking at options.  I have some awesome trainers at the gym that started doing what they could to help me with additional strength training and modifying some things to try and keep me from aggravating it even more.  After doing a few long runs and spending time with ice packs all afternoon following a long run, and having to cut a 12 mile training run short because I started feeling the pain within the first few miles (I still pushed thru and finished 6 miles) I knew I need to do something.  

Thanks to the recommendation from a trusted fellow runner and his connections, I was connected with a fabulous Physical Therapist (who is also a runner!) to help me with a treatment plan and we are starting on the road to a better me, and a future will still see me as a runner.  Over the last few weeks I have learned that my pain this time is a result of not having all of my muscles working together like they should be.  All of my muscles in my legs are strong, except my glutes.  In the words of my Physical Therapist, all of the muscles in my legs are doing all the work and my glutes are just going along for the ride.  We need to wake them up and invite them to the party!  They need to start contributing to the effort!  We have a plan and with some hard work and dedication to this training plan, I know that I can come out on the other side, pain free and a stronger runner than I am today.

In the mean time, I have had to make some modifications to my training.  One of the hardest things that I have had to do in a long time was back out of running the Dick Lytie Half Marathon last weekend out at UWGB and only run the 5k.  Yes, I was bummed that I would not run the "big" miles, but I decided that I was going to go out there and make the best of the day. No Excuses!  It ended up being a mild and sunny day.  After the long cold winter that we dealt with, it was a fabulous day to get out and run. The 5k course was a fairly flat course so the elevation change (or lack thereof) was going to be refreshing!  I knew that I didn't want to push it too hard but still wanted to see what I could do.  I started out at a nice pace and fell into a refreshing rhythm.  When I hit the 1 mile marker I was feeling good.  It turned into a great feeling when I realized I just ran a 9 minute mile.  I kept up with the comfortable pace that I found and just rolled with it!  Before I knew it, the finish line was just ahead and it was on!  I kicked it in for that final push for the finish.

Official time = 28:37

In the end, I missed my 5k PR by only 8 seconds!  I could not believe I just did that!  It was an amazing feeling to know that I just ran one of my best 5k's EVER!  This amazing morning has truly given me the confidence that I can get through this injury and come out stronger in the end!  It will be some hard work, but I can do it!  I have a fabulous support team of my  amazing family,  fabulous trainers at the gym, my new Physical Therapist, plus many awesome friends that continue to help me grow as a runner, keep my in check so that I don't push myself too hard or too far and continue to encourage me to be the best that I can be.

Here is to a great 2014 and all of the adventures that will continue to come my way!  Be strong my friends!

Marathon training is officially underway!

Last weekend marked the official start of training for the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon.

The night before the opening training run, Green Bay was blessed with an ice storm.  Freezing rain started early Friday evening and continued well into the night.  By the time Saturday morning showed up, there was a glaring sheet of ice several inches thick through out the entire city!  I opted to skip the Prevea Saturday Morning run and wait until Sunday to put in my miles.

And I am so glad that I did!  Even though Sunday afternoon was not much warmer, the extra day allowed time for some of the ice to melt on the streets... I however did have to do the "penguin walk" for 4 blocks when I left the house before I found streets that were not covered in sheets of ice.  But once I found that point, I was off.

 The last few weeks were spend on the Dreadmill, putting in some needed miles, hiding in the basement.  UGH.  I would rather run outside in ran, cold or snow than inside, but Mother Nature seems to have come down with a twisted sense of humor and has blessed us with some very extreme weather that has made running outside nearly impossible.  When temps drop to -15 or below, the last thing that I want to do is try and run outside.  So I dealt with what I had to!  But getting outside was awesome!

Overall, it was a great first run outside of the season! As long as I kept to the more well traveled streets and payed attention to which side of the road saw more sunlight, it was fairly smooth running.  Before long, I had my 5 miles in!  and as if on cue, as soon as I hit my 5 miles point, John and Darrin were heading home from errands and passed where I was at... just about to start my 4 block penguin walk home!

Fast forward  to today.  I gave myself a challenge that many people told me was crazy... I was going to head out for the Prevea Training run at 7am and then hit the gym for the 9am circuit class.  It was officially the coldest run of the year (or that I think I have ever done!) so far, a balmy -4 when I started!  Despite the cold, it still felt great do get outside and run.  After a month of treadmill running, the cold was refreshing and actually awakening!

just a little cold out there this morning!

Running with a few hundred people this morning also gave me a sense of renewal... the 2014 running season has officially started and I was surrounded by people who share the same "insanity" as me. We run.  Why?  Everyone has their own reason, but whatever that reason is, it is what keeps us going, keeps us getting up at all hours of the morning, it various (often inconceivable) running conditions.  Most of all, for many of us, no matter what the ultimate why is, we have also grown to love running.

After my run, a quick stop in the Distillery to warm up a bit was in order.  I can officially say this is the first time that I can remember going out for a run and actually coming back covered in frost!  Someone actually told me I looked very Eskimo-ish!  Not my preferred look, but it's days like this that we will remember when we are complaining about running in the summer heat!

Then it was off to the gym for a dose of insanity from Ty.  Insanity was it!  It was a full cardio core circuit!   After 6 miles, it was going to be tough, but I was determined to make it through.  A few of the stations were a challenge, but I was not going to let this workout get the best of me.  I pushed through and came out smiling on the other end.  After we finished our workout, I told Ty that although I may make faces at him and look like I am scowling, I will never complain about a tough workout!  Today, I proved to myself that after that 6 mile training run, getting through his circuit workout proved that I still had more left after the run!

What challenges us, only makes us stronger!  Here is to continually finding things to keep challenging me!

Next weekend... 7 miles plus a visit to the gym after for more from Ty!

The close of 2013, opens the doors to another amazing year...

Reflections and visions.

As I sit here tonight, 2013 is quickly coming to a close... and what a year it as been!  If one year ago, someone would have told me that I would have experienced, endured and accomplished everything that I did in the last 12 months, I would have told them that they were crazy.  It still feels surreal that this year was filled with as much as it was!

To recap 2013...
* 118 miles run during events, with a total of 308 miles when you figure in training runs between early May and the end of December.  I am not sure how many miles I actually ran in the first 4 and a half months of 2013.
*  16 5k races between Michigan and Wisconsin
* 2 10k events, one in Green Bay, one in Chicago
* 2 5 Mile runs, one one one of the warmest days of June and the other the coldest day in November!
* Part of a full-marathon relay team.
* 3 Half Marathons
* Made a solo trip to Chicago to meet up with a friend for a run.  Managed to not get lost and spent about 24 hours in an amazing city!
* Biked the trails around Munising with Darrin and also found some awesome new waterfalls

What started out as running the St Patrick's Day Run in Appleton in March, turned into running events almost every weekend for the rest of 2013!  Several of these weekends included John joining the fun and walking some of the events!  Very proud of him for what he accomplished this summer and joining in the fun!  I have been blessed with an wonderful family and amazing friends that keep me going, inspire me and continually encourage me to keep moving forward.  Each and every run, I challenged myself to run a little further or faster, push a little harder and make it a better run than the last one.  Many of these runs where just as much of a mental challenge, as they were physical.  Many days I wanted to quit.  But thanks to the awesome support system that I have, I was always encouraged and pushed to do my best and I will be forever grateful for this.

I can only speculate what is to come in 2014!  I know that the adventures will continue.  So far, the only things that I know for sure about this next year are:

* I have signed up to run the Cellcom Marathon in May, which will be my first full marathon!
* Running an 18K race in Phoenix in March
* Want to to more with myTEAM TRIUMPH, to include at least a few races
* Running Mileage goal of 750 miles, which averages out to just over 2 miles each day
* Spend as much time as I can with my amazing family and friends

I know that there will be more, and this is just the start!  I can't want to see what we will accomplish this year and am excited to have each and every one of you out there to keep me going!

Bring on 2014!  It's going to be another amazing year!

I have officially committed myself...

Yesterday was the first day of my new fitness adventures at Fitness Renegades, but we will get to more on that in a different post.

Today was the big day.... Registration for the 15th annual Cellcom Green Bay Marathon events opened at 10am.  Last year was the first year that I missed this event in 5 years.  This was the first 5k that I ever did and was one that I always looked forward to each year.  After 3 years of running the 5k, I took the challenge and registered for the Half Marathon.  Deb and I completed the course despite some nasty cold winds.  Due to an injury, I only registered for the 5k in 2012 and was glad that I did, as 2012 was the year of the extreme heat that closed the course early.

Last year we were in Michigan for a wedding, so I had to miss all the events.  I spent the morning, as we were traveling back to Green Bay, getting race updates via text on Matt's progress on his first ever half marathon.  It was during this time that I realized that I really wished that I was out there running with him.  Even though I had just completed the Journey's Half Marathon the weekend before, I wanted to be out there. I wanted to be running.  The realization hit me...  I had somehow, over the last few months truly become a runner.  Which of course, if you have been following my blog over the last 6 months, started a running craze that has covered 3 states now!

After completing 3 half marathons, a few 10K and 5 miles races and countless 5k's, I starting thinking what was next. Where was my next challenge?  Yes, I wanted to continue to improve my 5K and half marathon times, but was there more?  The idea of running a full marathon was a thought that occasionally crossed my mind. I had several friends that started asking me when I was going to run a full marathon.  Could I really handle the distance?  What about all the training time?  Is is more than I can handle? After many long conversations with myself and encouragement from some great friends (and my extremely supportive husband) I decided that I knew what I wanted to do...

and to day I made it official.  I committed myself to my biggest challenge yet...

Shortly after registration opened this morning, I registered for my first FULL MARATHON!  Call me crazy, call my insane, but I am ready for this challenge and know that I have a amazing support team behind me. I decided that if I was going to do a full marathon, the Cellcom marathon was the place to start.  I could train (practically) in my backyard on the course, the amazing company that I work for is the key sponsor and I love running the streets of Green Bay.  Training starts in January and the adventure will begin!