Iris vs. 26.2

I did it. I finished. I'm tired. More to come later...

26.2 Miles Later

She did it!!!! Iris is officially a marathon-survivor! See her story in photos to the right... videos below:

Iris at the 21-mile mark:


Iris getting medal after completing marathon:

Taper madness?

Hmmmm...so it does exist. In my situation, it's been a serious case of anxiety, inability to concentrate on anything, phantom injuries, insomnia, and general selfishness. Friday night, a few people from my running group got together to watch the movie "Touching the Void." The general idea was to gain motivation by watching two men live through the impossible. I'm not sure it motivated me to run a marathon, but it sure motivated me to NEVER become a mountain climber. We did have really good food (thanks Kristina) and conversation. Amazing that we've known each other six months. It's gone by so fast. Saturday night, another friend cooked a few of us a wonderful curry dinner (thanks Marisa). Sunday, Steve and I finally got to spend some time together shopping and going to Ted's for bison burgers. YUM!!! I feel spoiled on good food and company.

Another positive - ART worked wonders for me. I've got my flexibility back, and relieved fears about my foot. I was worried about a stress fracture but with a little work on a tendon, things are looking up!

We leave for Miami early Friday morning, so I'm off to fret over what to pack!!! For those planning to send positive thoughts my way, the official start to the marathon is Sunday morning, 6:00 am, EST. A big thank you for all of the encouraging emails and phone calls I've received this week. Your support during the last six months means a whole lot, and I can't wait to share a recap of marathon weekend. See you back here next week!

A little fixin' up...

During last week's maintenance runs, I felt a little off. Although Saturday's 8 mile run was fine, and it felt good to be out running a regular pace, my right knee and foot seemed to be out of alignment. My right glute and hamstring had been tight off and on throughout the training program, but after the long runs, they seem to have gotten worse.

Today, thanks to the MLK holiday, I was able to see a chiropractor who specializes in Active Release Technique (A.R.T.). Instead of just "cracking everything back into place," (a reflection of my past chiropractic experience) it was more like manipulating tight spots to loosen things up. Several spots were "OOOWWWWWWW, I actually stopped breathing" painful; others were not. For the first time, I felt like someone was actually listening and understanding the problem, not just saying "people should not run." The experience also reminded me of how flexible I used to be and how many years it's actually been since I took a dance class. I'll keep you posted on how this goes...

The excitement of the week? I got my AIDS Marathon race singlet in the mail!!! Seeing it made me think again about why we are out doing this crazy stuff, about the huge number of people who will benefit and about those who have helped make it a reality (you, of course).

12 days until the marathon!!! Be hoping for cooler temps for us in Miami. Either way, I'm confident in our training and our ability to finish. So, let the taper madness begin...

Too many words, yet I'm speechless.

I've been sitting here trying to formulate words to describe the 23 mile run. I can't seem to do it. Here are my random thoughts from Saturday's run.

Miles 1 – 10
23 miles. I can do this…

Is that a twinge in my calf? Nope. OK, good, just checking.

I’m so glad I took those 7 days off.

I need some food. GU is just not cutting it today.

Drink some salt and Gatorade. Mmmmmm…

Can we go any slower? I could walk this fast. (Dannie tried it and yes, she can walk that fast).

Mile 11 – 15
We’ve got to pick up the pace or we’re going to be running until tomorrow.

Does this trail ever end?

We’re in Maryland. Maryland!

So glad my team members have gossip.

It’s 30 degrees and I’m hot. How am I going to run in Miami?

Beaches? Who needs beaches?

Where is the darn water stop? I need some food!

Seriously, we’ve got to go a little faster.

Miles 15 – 23
Yay, we’re running. (Four of us decided to pick up the pace).

Buffalo burger. Ted’s Montana Grill. Buffalo burger.

I’m so hungry. Does anyone have food? The monster is coming out.

Thank you Kristina, thank you. Luna Bar.

I think I might need some Tylenol after this.

Holy cow! We’re going to run 23 miles!!!!

Finish
Wow…23 miles. I ran to Bethesda. Are you kidding me?

I’m so impressed with the human body.

Oh, nice, Phil is there to cheer us in!! (Group member who is injured).

Oh, really nice. AIDS Marathon Training medals.

FOOD!!!!!!

And, there it is. 23 miles finished. Nothing can describe it. I am soooo pumped for the marathon!

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a wonderful (and safe) holiday season. It's back to work for me tomorrow, so I thought I'd better get something posted!

The last week was a little tense for me in regards to the marathon. I seemed to have developed a calf strain during the last 20 mile run. On the 23rd, before I got on the plane, I got up at 6:00 am (on a day off - see how important this endeavor has become?) to get in my 8 miles. Obviously, I didn't think this one through very well. Run 8 miles, then get on a cramped NORTHWEST flight? If anyone flies Northwest, you'll know what I'm talking about. It was also not my brightest moment, because halfway through the run I realized my calf was NOT better, yet I kept on going...

So...with blessings from my coach, I actually took 7 days off from running. And, I did not go insane, did not bite anyone's head off, did not gain the dreaded holiday pounds, and did not really lose much in way of my fitness level. Taking a week off, eating what I wanted, sleeping, spending quality time with my family without thinking of how many miles I should get in, in general taking care of myself, was really beneficial both physically and mentally. Sunday, I enjoyed some warmer VA temperatures, and ran an easy 3 miles outside. My calf did not hurt and I was really happy to be out there again. Definitely, a valuable lesson learned.

Today, due to rain, I did 3 miles on the dreadmill. Another lesson learned. No amount of rain, snow, sun, humidity, etc. is going to keep me from being outside! Anything has to be better than me in a hot, stinky, boring gym.

The countdown is on...only 27 days until the actual marathon! This Saturday, the AIDS Marathon staff will be setting the course up similar to the marathon for our 23 mile training run. Please send some positive vibes our way. Even though we are running for a great cause, I have a feeling this run is going to be a little painful :). See you after that!