South Shore Half Marathon 2011

Although cold, ugly, misty and crowded…it was an ok race.



I got up at 5:45 because I needed to shave my legs….didn’t want to be mistaken for one of the dudes from the waist down. After the deed was done I drug the boys out of bed and we hit the road. My GPS in my car had a few different ideas on how to get there and kept changing it’s mind but we did finally make it and ran into Lori and Mike almost as soon as we walked into the park. I kept waiting for the race day jitters but they just weren’t there….and never did turn up. Maybe because I kept telling and telling myself that this was NOT a race…but a training run with a few hundred of my closest friends..or at least other people that were running.

I texted Katie as soon as I got there and she turned up not long after I picked up my bib and rad gloves. This is a VERY low key race. No medals, no chip time..I don’t think. There’s barely even a course and much too small of one for the turn out they have. This is clusterfuck walltowall racing at it’s finest folks..and it never really let up until maybe mile 10.

Let me stop here though and say how amazing it was to meet Katie. I have whined to that girl…read everything she’s ever put in a blog. It’s unusual for me to take a real shine to someone. Usually I know someone for years before I really ever give a shit about them one way or another. But this little nymph…because that’s what she looks like…a little red headed wood nymph…has wormed her way into a very special little group of people that live in my head heart. It was the first time I’ve ever met her in person....and it was just normal…and I’m all about shit that don’t feel weird.


Anywaysssss…we started…and eventually even crossed the start line. Katie was going to run the first 3 miles with me and turn around giving herself 6 miles for the day..cool. It was congested…like I said..it’s a bike path and just not big enough…but whatever. We just ran…didn’t yap tons…didn’t need to. Coming up on mile 3 we said our quick goodbyes and she jetted. I have never run a chunk of a race with anyone but V..and this was very cool..and man did the time fly by.


I popped in my earphones and just went. I tried to maintain a steady pace. I really wasn’t racing…just trying to keep my pace below 10:25’s or so…and I did overall. But pulling up my splits….I am just ALL OVER THE DAMN PLACE! I can’t hold steady worth a damn and I’m thinking unless I can get that under control there is NO way I’m going to be able to do that for the marathon. So does my goal change to just finishing…nope. I’m going to try to learn in 27 days to maintain a steady pace…and race day will be the test of that…God willing.

V and Me

Now I told Vincent to meet me at mile 11 and finish with me…but somehow…when I gave him and Dominic money when we got ready to start and told him when to start walking to meet me I just knew that wasn’t going to happen. So I wasn’t at all surprised when I rolled up on mile 11 and he wasn’t there. And I also wasn’t at all surprised when he was sitting at mile 12…with a big dopey grin on his face. “Lets go Mama. These people look like they’re dying and you look strong.” Sweet words and a mile late…little shit. I can’t explain how it feels to run with your child…this life that you’ve tossed into the universe. But it’s incredible. He’s so positive and just believes in me…even if it’s for just then.


So it’s done. My finish time by my Garmin was 2:14:13…..over 2 minutes faster then my last half..although the course did measure long at 13.2 miles. I’m happy with it…I did what I said I was going to do and it’s one more race under my belt. And I won’t go into my marathon having not stepped onto a race course in 8 months!!!

27 days

Thought on Half-Marathon Eve

I remember last year around this time…like probably this day to be exact…I was sitting here having a freakin litter of kittens because I was going to run my first half marathon tomorrow. Now I’m sitting here…eating grapes…thinking I need to pull out race stuff and wondering if my running shoes have lots of gunk on them. And I’m running the exact same race that my bloggybuddybroad Katie ran for HER first half last year…and we’re running some of this one together. What a difference a year makes. Love.That.Girl.



So both boys want to come with me. This is monumental for two reasons. 1. They are voluntarily asking to spend time with me. And 2. They are voluntarily waking up at like 6:30 in the morning to spend time with me. I love my boys…and am so completely proud of them for such completely different reasons that my heart comes into my throat and just kind of hangs out there when I give myself a minute to think about it. So I usually don’t. It would totally ruin my badass image to walk around looking like my eyes are about to float all the time.


They both have specific jobs for this race…besides staying out of trouble. V and I are doing a trial run for my marathon next month. I’m going to have him hop on with me at mile 10 or 11 and pace/drag me into the finish. And Dom wants to pace Lori in and show her his new shoes…and she better not read this tonight because it will ruin his surprise.


It was such a wonderful experience running the end of a race with Vincent that when I decided to do the marathon I recruited him to help me finish. I figure he’d be just the trick around mile 24 or so to get me to the finish line….especially if I’m having a rough day. And what a memory for him to have to be able to do that? To see the end result of all those hours..all those miles..that he knows I did. I want to teach these guys something about commitment….about saying you’re going to do something…and then putting your nose to the grind and getting it done. And about humility…there’s no ego in running….at least not for me. And most of all I want them to see me hang that medal around my father’s neck…and thank him….for helping me learn to walk so I could learn to run.


So that’s it…all I’ve got. See ya on the flipside of what I hope to be a 13.1 mile marathon pace run….started with friends…finished with family.


28 days

38 Days and an Unwonked Foot

I don’t feel like blogging. I also don’t feel like cleaning, driving, taking care of my family or working. I think I’m going to give all these things up for the remainder of lent. I’m not Catholic…can I still do lent?


I ran a whopping 10 miles over the course of this weekend. And I felt pretty ok. I could still feel my foot..and although it didn’t hurt at all…it felt different from the other one. So I waited again…and ran 3 miles today…and they felt incredible….and I’m fairly sure I’m fixed. I have a 15 miler on Thursday and that will be the true test…but in my gut…I feel that it’s going to be ok. Tomorrow night I have a running clinic thingy that is being put on by the PT department from my work and medical director for my marathon…and I’m going to sit down with the good Doctor…who seeing as he is the medical director of my marathon…has a moral obligation to get me to the starting line injury free and awesome. He’s also the dude that got me back up and going after blowing my knee out two summers ago…he’s a runner...and he’s pretty adorable. They are also speaking on barefoot running…and I am very curious to see what they have to say about it. The one who is speaking on that is an Athletic trainer and fellow runner…his name is Kevin…and I will look at him in a whole new light if he speaks favorably. And if he does not..I know what he drives and will slash his tires..:).

My second half marathon is a little over a week away. I’m not particularly excited about it as I am treating it as a marathon pace run. I think I’ve convinced Skip to stay home because the more attention that is paid to this race the more likely I am to blow it and hurt myself. I’m good for that kind of dumb shit. I’m hoping to get a little better idea of a finishing time for my marathon. I’m been taking it real easy on my training runs so I’m not 100 percent that I’ll be able to hit and keep that pace going for 26 miles. This will help me know if I can do it for at least half. We’ll see.

And on a final note..I ‘think’ I may have found my latest running conquest. I’m not going to say anything else about it right now because I don’t want to jinx it…but there it is.


Hope everyone is having a great week!


38 days

3 Years Post Gastric Bypass, New Drugs and Another Race

So I decided to incorporate a mid week semi long run on my step back weeks…since I have the time on Tuesdays and it won’t take any additional time away from my family. I did 8 miles on Tuesday…and 8 for my long run again today. My pace is picking up…I don’t want to jinx it so that’s all I have to say about that.



In other news…I had my 3 year post gastric bypass appointment with my surgeon today. The long and short of it is I am up 3 pounds from last year…don’t care..I’m in marathon training…I hear this happens. And my thyroid is finally wacked out enough that they want to treat me for hypothyroidism. I’ve always run on the high end of normal…now I’m just high...or low..depending on how you look at it. So he gave me a script for a months worth of Synthroid and told me to have my labs retested in 3.5 weeks and see where we’re at.


I tried to talk him out of it…gave him my whole thing about always being a little high…and he responded with “then don’t you think it’s about time we fix that?”. So I’ll take it and see what happens..I mean..what’s one more damn pill in the big scheme of things? I already take mutli vitamins, calcium, b12, sleeping pills....what’s one more? The funny thing is…I don’t feel bad…I read about all the crazy thyroid bullshit and I’m just not there..unless the hairloss is from that..which I suppose it could be. But I’m not sluggish, tired…my weight is up but not much…blah…whatever.

I also signed up for my next race….The South Shore Half Marathon. It’s a month before my full and I’m using it as a training run to gauge my fitness…not to mention that my long run for that week is 14 miles…how’s that for perfect? I’m also hoping to run at least part of it with Katie!!!!! My virtual training partner for both of our first half marathons last year. I am so completely excited about this I could bust. We’ve never met in person and I can’t WAIT to finally meet her!!!!


That’s it…all I’ve got on a quiet Thursday night. All my children are off school tomorrow so all the cleaning I did today will be shot down the tubes shortly. Have a great week!!

Lil T parties like a rockstar..and a great post.

Great Post!  Love love love what this guy has to say all the time but today especially.

And other news.  Tinky has been celebrating her birthday since Saturday morning...and it's actually tomorrow.  Yesterday we started with a bowling party with some little friends and today was the family party.  Eighteen people in my 1000 sq. foot house...too damn many!  But, she had a wonderful time....both days and I'll suck it up for my last baby turning 5.  She also has her party at pre-school tomorrow....she gets to wear the crown....lol.

In running news, Brian and I had a nice interval run to the tune of 5.5 miles in 55 minutes.  The sun actually showed itself for the first time in weeks and it was WINDY!!  Most of the snow has melted and the beaver lodge is completely visible.  I really needed a run like today's....it was beautiful out...40 degrees and in spite of the wind...which continues to howl....it felt perfect.  Milage for the week was 28.1...or something like that. 

I feel pretty prepared for the half.  I've got time either way.  I'd like to get a number of runs in that exceed the race distance..and I have the time to do those.  What I don't get...is that when I read half-marathon training plans...they often don't have you running the actual distance of the race...or if they do..it's like one time.  How is that preparing someone at all?  Isn't that leaving alot up to race day adrenaline?  I know a gal that completely tanked on her half...had to walk a number of miles...and when she showed me the training plan she used.....I don't 'think' they ever even had her do race distance.  I think plans like this are shit and shouldn't be out there...but then again...wtf do I know?

Anyways....I'm off to snuggle my babygirl on her last night as a 4-year-old.  I can't believe she's turning 5...how can that possibly be when she was just born like a minute ago?

13.25 miles and Chicken and Dumplings

Tired from the first...stuffed from the second.  Gave Chicken and Dumplings a shot for the first time and it was a big family success...really not complicated at all.  Thanks Funkygirl.

So I went out to my moms to drop V off and just left my car there and did my long run.  I really didn't have a distance in mind....I know if I run for 2 hours I go at least 10 miles....so that's my minimum for a long run.  I was feeling pretty good so I stayed out longer.  It was cloudy and overcast....but...it's January in Wisconsin...this is to be expected...lol.  It ended up being 13.25 miles and took me 2 hours 38 minutes.

Sign entering Carol Beach

Room with a view..just a random house I snapped.

Ugly dirty ice

Mini Iceburg...lol

This is my friend Sams house growing up. 

You can see across Lake Michigan

from that top room.

My parents house.

And the Hiding Tree.  We spent a ton of time up that tree growing up.

At Halloween we used to climb way up it and swing a homemade

Ghost out in front of cars.

So there's my long run and a little trip down memory lane.  It was cool to run out there...I almost never get to.  It was also crazy good to run the half marathon distance.  I hadn't done that since early fall.  My legs feel pretty good and the rest of me is even better.  I have a date with D and lil T for a movie night....Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Monsters vs Aliens....good stuff.

~In the words of HH....rockin it 28th Avenue Style~