Tuesday, September 11, 2012

25 days...


With only 25 days until the marathon I checked on the fundraising progress of team RMHC.  As a team we have raised $321,000. 

Wow!  That is impressive but those hard earned dollars are contributed by thousands of generous people.  We are just mere runners asking for donations :)


During my last visit with Madison I thought about how many little girls, just like her, are benefiting from all the generous donations. 


But with 25 days until the marathon, team RMHC still has over $200,000 to raise and I have over $4,000 to contribute. 

To all who have already donated, THANK YOU again!  To anyone who has not yet had the chance, I promise it only takes a few minutes to donate.  Isn't it worth a few minutes of your time to contribute now?  Your donation makes a difference!



 



Your friend Newbie and her favorite baby Madison,

 

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Monday, September 10, 2012

2012 Chicago Half Marathon Part 2


I was much more determined to meet a time goal at this race than I ever have been before.  The Marathon is less than 4 weeks away and it's time to get serious!

When I mentioned I was getting more serious to my chiropractor (who is an Ultra Marathon runner) he laughed.  He said "I can tell from watching the videos of your runs and the photos you take while running that you are getting much more serious" :)

Well...I did not take a single photo or video on this run so I really am getting more serious...OK only slightly more serious...

My attitude toward running HAS changed...at first I was apprehensive about IF I really could run these long distances and over 30 miles per week.  But my initial apprehension and fear has turned into excitement and nervous anticipation.

After running my most recent Half Marathon in almost record time, I know I CAN run the Marathon.  Don't get me wrong, I still can't believe I will actually run it but I know I CAN and I WILL :)





Right after crossing finish.  Silly photo holding my medal :)


PS.  Congrats to Canadian Jen (aka Run it my way blogger) on finishing her first marathon and becoming a MARATHONER!

PSS..  Overcome  my shin splints but now I have heel pain.  Guess my cute shoes with high heels will have to wait until after the marathon. :)  Not sure all the sacrifices are worth it...on second thought...yes they are!




Your friend Newbie,

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Sunday, September 9, 2012

13 seconds!

Ran the Chicago half marathon today and I missed my personal best by 13 seconds...So close!! 

  But the good news is I ran 13.1 miles at an 11:03 average.  If I can keep this pace at the marathon I will easily hit my 4:55 goal.  But the marathon is DOUBLE a Half...hence the name :)

I ran by myself and the weather was almost perfect!  Cool and overcast would have been perfect but I am NOT complaining about the weather today.

Unfortunately my good friend and running buddy is injured and struggled today.  But being the strong and determined woman she is, she still finished.  I am hoping she heals quickly...sharing victories is much better.  Get well soon Jan!!!

My good friend Sharlene came out to cheer me on again today.  She meet me at the 2 mile mark and came back to meet me at the finish line.  It was awesome to see a friendly face at the finish line.  Thanks Shar!!!

And congrats to my new friend Sheila who ran  her first Half marathon today!

This is the first time I have run the same race twice.  Last years' time was 2:52 but this year I ran the same race in 2:25.  With a positive attitude to give it another try, I proved to myself that despite the odds one can do better.

20 mile run next week and the marathon is 4 weeks from today.  Yikes and double yikes!!! :)

More tomorrow after I buy a laptop...

Please donate

Your friend newbie

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Wednesday, September 5, 2012

I don't know what the future holds....

Well...as I've said before...I don't know what the future holds :)

I was looking forward to a run in the rain this morning (per my last blog), but by the time I returned from an appointment, the sun came out and the cool morning turned into a sunny and HUMID afternoon.  I said I have to stop commenting and complaining about the weather so I should not give any further details...but it was about 80 degress and 60% humidity by run start time!

I really don't dread running in the rain but I do dread running in the heat and humidity...and at mid-day!  Something I have managed to avoid until today.  But, "It's only weather"  and "the weather should not effect my legs".  So I decided to brave it :)

Decided I would try a new route so I parked at my local coffee hangout and ran in the surrounding neighborhood.  It was hot but I decided I had to be ready for any weather conditions and this was good training.

If I were really tough...I would run in the full sun the entire 6 miles and not run from side to side of the street searching for a small patch of shade :)

The moral of this story is...it didn't kill me :)  I wish I had a pool to jump into after my run...but it didn't kill me :)  And...the second moral is GO FOR IT :)  Whatever your "IT" may be...  You can do "IT" :)

Just a short run on Friday morning and then the Chicago Half Marathon on Sunday.  It's funny when I think that a HALF marathon is considered a "cut back" week.  I will write it here so I will be more accountable...I hope to set a personal Half Marathon record on Sunday.  My personal best was my first Half a little over one year ago.  I need to beat 2:25!

I know I am getting redundant with my posts so please feel free to find a more interesting blog to read.  Remember I am a newbiemarathoner and a newbie blogger :)

A mere 31 days left to Marathon and blog farewell

Your friend Newbie

PS.  I need to invest in a PC...I am a newbie IPAD user too...and still need to figure things out....I don't seem to be able to see and correct my entire post...so forgive typos and anything that doesn't seem to make sense :)




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Its raining...it''s pouring...this newbiemarathoner is not snoring :)

I love a good storm!

I woke up this morning at 5:15 to get in my scheduled run before taking Bree to school this morning. I was all dressed and ready to go when I noticed the sky darkening and lightening.  Yikes!  I can't go in this weather....

Then I thought...what is a little rain...I'm not made of sugar :) (something I say to Bree when she complains about the rain)

During my training I've run in many unpleasant conditions

Blazing sun and heat

Humidity that makes you feel like you are running through pudding

Hilly and buggy terrain

OK...I should stop whining...I did have a few decent days too :)

Like my friend Susan said to me long ago when I was complaining about bad weather....it's only weather...  Labelling it bad or good is just a mindset :)

And as my coach has told me many times...'stop commenting on the weather!  Your legs can run the same no matter what the weather!  It might be more uncomfortable for you...but your legs still work the same'

So true!

I love hearing other people POV on things and I ususally ponder them and decide if I agree...in this case I do.

Not really related but reminds me of something Bree once said to me. "Those who mind don't matter...and those who matter don't mind."  Very deep for a 15 year old!  I know she heard it somewhere but that she retained it and made it part of her mindset is amazing.  And...the fact that she needed to remind her mother of that is...well I'm not sure what that says about me...I guess we all need a little positive motivation sometimes...

So with all this in mind, I decided today I will run in the rain :)  I will put on my LuLulemon raincoat and don my trusty hat and be off.  I'm sure I will be soaked by the time I return home but I have to adapt to all conditions to run a marathon.

Just like life, you never know what the day will bring...

I don't know what the future will bring..

I don't know what the weather will be like on Marathon Day :)

Your friend Newbie

PS.  I am writing this post for the first time using my ipad and my wireless keyboard.  Forgive any typos.  I need to figure out how to use this set up and I don't time today :)


With that in mind (
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Monday, September 3, 2012

"Stuff you should know"


I am not referring to stuff you should know about me...you already know too much :) I am referring to my favorite (and only Podcast) I listen to. My son Will introduced me to "Stuff you should know" about 2 years ago so I thought I would introduce it to you.

Did you know there is a 10,000 year clock currently being built in a secluded mountain location?

The podcasts are quite random and feature such interesting topics such as :

  • Are stupid people happier? (I haven't finished this one yet...)

  • Have all the good ideas already been discovered?

  • How a nuclear meltdown works

  • A Podcast to remember (I remember this one...it was on memory...I think :))



Had to skip my 18 mile run this weekend because I was not 100% by Monday.  If I ran it later in the week it would be too close to the Chicago Half Marathon on Sunday Sept 9th.  I was able to run 10 miles on  Monday and in record time. :)

Maybe it was my cool new compression running socks that gave me the added speed :)


A silly photo to show off my nerdy socks


Jan said I looked like a complete dork.  She was right but I didn't care.  Only a good friend would tell you the truth :)



Watching the sunrise was inspiring!


Your friend Newbie,
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Sunday, September 2, 2012

A marathon "fish story"

I'm sure most of you already heard the story about Paul Ryan and his marathon time. 

First let me state, this is not a political blog and I don't care if you are a democrat or a republican.  But I do know as a runner, which Ryan claims he still is, every runner remembers their marathon time.

For those of you who didn't hear the story, he stated in an interview that he ran a marathon in under 3 hours. 

As a New Yorker article states, (I'm paraphrasing here) a runner always knows their marathon time.  They think about it  before the race, talk about it for years after the race, and try to improve it on their next race.

He actually ran the marathon at 20 years old at a time of 4:01.  Not slow by any means but not even close to the 2:50 sometime he originally claimed. 


When did he start telling the story as a 2:50 something marathon instead of a 4:01????


He probably has convinced himself it was the truth and when asked...didn't even flinch re-telling a lie...to the public... and to most importantly to himself...



There are things you don't forget...

Days you never forget...

And events that will always live in your memory...



Running a Marathon is one of them.  I'm sure I will NEVER FORGET my Marathon time...and if I ever run for public office...I will have to tell the true to myself and to the public :)

As I said at the start of this post, this is not a political blog...and we all tell white lies...but for some reason I find this lie particularly offense.

If I finish the marathon in 5:01 instead of 4:50 something (which is my goal), I will not be happy about it but I will give my accurate time to anyone who asks.   The saddest thing is to lie to yourself...



What does this have to do with fundrasing for RMHC???  Nothing :)   So, back to the most important topic in this blog... PLEASE donate today :)







Your friend Newbie,



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