Tag Archives: Why Do You Run

Chicago Marathon Pre-Race Inspiration

6 Oct
  1. Who’s ready for tomorrow? I am! I’m nervous, but I’m getting excited. I’ve got some steep goals: PR, don’t walk, run under 4 hours, and feel good after the race. These are in order of difficulty, in my eyes. :)
    Today I’m trying to stay off my feet (very difficult, I’m so antsy!), eat a bunch of small carb meals, hydrate, pack, and relax. I’m also debating my outfit for tomorrow. It’s going to be pretty chilly at the start of the race, so I think I’m going to wear carpris, a tank, and a throwaway long-sleeve. What are YOU wearing?
    Lastly, I’m trying to stay motivated. This is a big deal – it’s 26.2 miles. I’m trying to get my motivators in my mind now, so that every time the dreaded ‘c’ word comes to my mind, I have ammo to say I CAN DO THIS! Here’s my inspiration – mostly from Pinterest. :)

  2. Running
    Pinterest
    Fri, Oct 05 2012 15:04:43
  3. Running_Junkie
    “Run the first part with your head, the middle part with your personality, and the last part with your heart” ~ Mike Fanelli #ChiMarathon
    Running Quotes
    Fri, Oct 05 2012 15:56:21

  4. Running
    Pinterest
    Fri, Oct 05 2012 15:04:43

  5. Running
    Pinterest
    Fri, Oct 05 2012 22:05:43

  6. Running
    Pinterest
    Sat, Oct 06 2012 03:46:35
  7. brandiheinz
    Amazing… #chimarathon has 45K runners, 1.7M spectators, and 12K volunteers. So excited to be a part of it! #CM12
    Brandi Heinz Brown
    Fri, Oct 05 2012 13:40:15

  8. Running
    Pinterest
    Thu, Oct 04 2012 09:33:26
  9. sarahstanley
    Have fun @chimarathon runners! Enjoy spectator-filled streets cool weather- don’t forget to high five, smile & thank volunteers #CHImarathon
    Sarah Stanley
    Fri, Oct 05 2012 12:28:34

  10. Running
    Pinterest
    Thu, Oct 04 2012 09:33:55
  11. Can’t wait for the race signs – so fun. Here are a few from other races :)

  12. Running
    Pinterest
    Fri, Oct 05 2012 15:04:43

  13. Running
    Pinterest
    Thu, Oct 04 2012 09:33:26
  14. Good luck to all of my fellow Chicago Marathon runners!

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Happy National Running Day!

6 Jun I run...because I can!

It’s National Running Day…
How are you celebrating?

I needed some extra sleep this morning, and have a work dinner to attend tonight, so I am squeezing in a couple quick miles over the lunch hour!

Are you running today?
What’s your reason to run today?

I run...because I can!

A lot of days when I don’t feel like running, I tell myself to run simply because I can. This helps me to remember how lucky I am to be able to run, especially when I have to cut back due to injury, or when I think of all the other people out there who aren’t healthy enough to run.

My reason today is to give my legs a shakeout before the Ragnar Relay Chicago this weekend… More to come on that soon (like what the heck to pack for an overnight running relay race of 200 miles), so check back!

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#12x12Project, Goals, and My First Marathon

28 Feb My first marathon is also the CHEESIEST!

I never wanted to run a marathon. Even though I considered myself a runner, when people asked if I would run a marathon, I’d look at them like they were nuts. Of course I wouldn’t put my body through running 26.2 grueling miles. Are you crazy?

One running club and 6 months later, I made a goal to run my first marathon in 2012. Recently, I was lucky enough to hear Nita Kay LeMay speak. She is amazing! She has ran 123 marathons in all 50 States + D.C., all 13 Canadian Provinces + Territories, all of Australia’s States + Territories, and every CONTINENT (all 7 in 7 months, in fact)! She shared pictures of her trips, told stories, made recommendations of what her favorite marathons are, highly recommended Athens and Istanbul, and advised on which ones to avoid (Paris and the Egyptian Marathon if you’re a woman). Oh, and one thing I forgot to mention… she’s legally blind. Her message: always be setting goals, meeting new challenges, and run outside your comfort zone. Her goal right now is to run marathon 200 in Chicago at age 70. She needs to keep up at a pace of 5 marathons/year to achieve it. How can you not be inspired?

When I shared my own marathon goal on Twitter, Ultra Runner Sarah Stanley  asked which race I was planning on running. I told her I would be registering for the Chicago Marathon, but I’d like to get a marathon under my belt in the Spring

My first marathon is also the CHEESIEST!

That’s when she shared a project she was working on – the 12×12 Project. Sarah’s goal for 2012 is to help 12 people run 12 races for 12 causes. She pledged to register for the race (wherever it is), run from the start line to the finish line at whatever pace necessary, providing encouragement, high fives and stories along the way. In addition, she would share training tips, nutrition advice, race day tips and other helpful information.

I knew there had to be a catch. It was too good to be true… And, I was pleasantly surprised when I found out what it was: Each runner had to help someone else finish a race of a lesser distance AND support a cause they care deeply about. For me, that organization is Girls on the Run.

Friday, she featured me on her blog. I’m so excited - you can read more about the project here!

So what’s your latest running goal? I’ve revised mine a bit. This year, I run my first marathon AND my first state!
My first state - Wisconsin!

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… So I Don’t Scream

8 Feb

It’s been one of those days.

Er, one of those weeks.

You know how every once in a while, you’re just tired and groggy and grumpy, stomping walking into work on Monday morning? That was me. I thought, “Oh, it’s just another Monday.” Except none of those feelings ever wore off throughout the day. Then lots of people bugged me. So, I just figured, eh, it’s a Monday.

Except then Tuesday came and it was kind of the same. I guess I forgot to change my crabby pants. Boo.

Today, Wednesday. Better day. But then I realized I was filling forms out online with my age—23—when I realized that duh, I am 25 now. When did that happen? I feel like a kid all the time. And then—gasp—I realized the spaghetti sauce on the stove, which my boyfriend begged me to make, has been simmering for a good 30 minutes and I totally forgot about it and now part of it is cooked onto the bottom of the pot.

(Don’t tell my boyfriend. I mixed it up alllll good and he’ll never notice.)

And the fact that I could forget about something for 30 minutes on the stove probably reinforces that I’m still a kid.

But you know what makes any day better?

RUNNING.

Why do I run?

Some days—weeks—I do it just so I don’t scream!

But good news: Tomorrow is Thursday. Which means the day after that is Friday. Which means…WEEKEND. And one more week until the big race. [More details coming soon. You know you want to know...so be on the lookout.]

Why are you running this week?

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