Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Bad omen?

This past weekend I ran with the Churro Dog- it was our first run together since his surgery about 2 months ago.


We ran 7 miles and it was one of the most enjoyable runs I've had all year. He seemed to enjoy the run a lot too!


If this is winter in Chicago, sign me up!


My ITB got tight by the end of the run, but the Crankle felt fine. I really was bummed because I thought the ITB was actually getting better with the strength training I've been doing. 2 steps forward, 1.5 steps back...


I am starting "pre marathon" training without a goal race this week. Basically I'll start gradually Increasing my mileage until I've got a month or 2 of solid running under my feet. Then ill do 12ish weeks of dedicated marathon training.



After some research this weekend I was thinking of the Illinois marathon as my spring 26.2. BUT after looking online yesterday I am rethinking the whole spring marathon idea.

I couldn't find one available hotel room for marathon weekend close to Champaign. What the hell!?! Thank goodness I haven't registered for anything yet! (I also wasn't 100% sold on this race)

So I'm left thinking this is a bad omen.

I'll go back to the spreadsheet I made and choose another spring 26.2 to pencil in my schedule should I be able to start marathon training healthy in 2-3 months. But I'll also consider focusing on half marathons and shorter races until the time is right for another go at 26.2


Goal for this 1st week of "pre marathon training" is to break 20 total miles. Something I haven't done in months. And continue on with strength training.



- xaar

19 comments:

  1. Maybe it is an omen! :-) Good idea to focus on <= half marathons right now. You can always jump into proper marathon training once your ITB feels better. Take the mileage up very slowly and see how you do. Here's hoping the ITB only gets better as you run more and build strength!

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    1. Add on top of weather and travel for these races, that my L wouldn't be able to go to most of them
      Due to conferences. So I'd be going all by myself unless I could get my Daad to come visit again. Might just be better to focus on shorter speedier distances. and tonight I ran 4 miles and felt fantastic. Maybe running slow hurts the ITB more? Haha

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  2. You can do it, lady! Everything happens for a reason, right??? :) Love your pics, btw!

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  3. You take the best pics!!! Love the last one!!!! We feel head over hills for Chicago when we visited this fall!

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    1. So glad you enjoyed Chicagoland! It's grown a lot on me over the past 2 years. :)

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  4. Your photos are beautiful! You'll have to frame them, they're awesome.

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    1. Thank you :) I usually make Blurb books out of the photos, but might have to start decorating the walls...

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  5. I absolutely love your photos in this post and that first one is precious! Glad you and the Churro dog are back running together!

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  6. Those photos are gorgeous!

    I've heard that about the hotel rooms for the Illinois Marathon, that they book up early. Which is weird ... what do they do during graduation weekend? I have to think more people come into town for that than the marathon.

    I only did the half, but I really enjoyed the Sunburst Half Marathon in early June in South Bend. There is a full marathon at the same time (actually starts an hour and a half earlier than the half). We booked a room in a hotel literally next to the start line (the DoubleTree). I checked my emails, and I booked our room at the end of January. Sarah (Gingerfoxxx) did the full if you want to ask her about it or check her race report.

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    1. Thank you! iPhone 4.. My "camera" hehe

      Wow. I had no idea they hold graduation the same weekend. That is nuts and explains a lot.

      I'll have to look more into sunburst, although I'm concerned it will be too hot in June. But it's Chicagoland so it could be cold.

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    2. Actually, being a UIllinois alum, graduation usually takes place in mid-May. Not sure why hotel rooms are so scarce the weekend of the Illinois Marathon, other than for the race itself? But see my comment below about Erin's parents' place. =D

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    3. Wow! I totally read that wrong :) that's what I get for mainly using my iPhone.

      While I'm all down for a fun blogger event, I just wouldn't be able to do it for a goal marathon. I would want everything to be under my control as much as possible for the weekend- especially sleeping/eating. Plus... My Daad would probably come up to cheer me on since L has conferences during most of the spring races. I'm reconsidering the whole spring marathon thing anyways. :)

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    4. Maybe if we do a blogger weekend around the Illinois Marathon, you could come and run the half or 10K?

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  7. Love these pictures! Sorry your it band is acting up. I hope that behaves soon.
    Yay for your pooch getting to run too!

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  8. That's a bummer about the hotel rooms for the Illinois Marathon. But if we're doing a blogger weekend getaway, you'd be able to stay at Erin's parents' house in Champaign that weekend!!!!! So I don't think the lack of hotel rooms is a bad omen - I think it's a sign that it would be a fantastic blogger weekend getaway with our local connection!!!! =D

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  9. Chicago looks so beautiful- I really want to visit someday. Glad you looked into a hotel before you registered for the marathon. That is crazy that there are no hotel rooms left. Maybe it is a sign.

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  10. Aww, so happy CB could go out for a run and you two had a good time (despite the two who did not - ITB and Crankle).

    I am anxious to hear what you decide about the full! Although, I think it's fun to train for one then pick one when you feel like it. Maybe not such a good method though.

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  11. Glad that you ran with CB, but bummer about the IT band. I would keep hammering strength training, and hopefully that helps to keep it at bay. Cool pics as usual!

    Weird on the no hotel room thing, maybe something else is going on in that city that weekend? Maybe that's a sign you should find another race lol. Though I guess you could always train up to it and run a half instead?

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  12. Aww, I love the picture of your dog checking out the skyline! That's so cool he can run so far too, mine both tire out after a few miles (not unlike me, actually).

    I'm doing a leg of the relay marathon in Champaign in April, and the bad news is that hotel rooms have been booked up for that for months now - apparently that one fills up really fast!

    Hope your ITB starts feeling better, that's definitely no fun :(

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