my spring goal race is over - now what?

Hello friends! My big goal race of the first half of the year is over and I've finally written all of my posts recapping the experience. If you're interested it's the Illinois Marathon expo + pasta feed, Illinois 5k, and Illinois Marathon. I was extremely pleased with how I did at the marathon – I beat my main goal by over 3 minutes when I wasn't sure I'd even hit my goal during the first half of the race (it was very windy and I just had a lot of doubts rolling through the brain). 

I'm not even sure I've fully processed it yet, as it's been a whirlwind since. The day after I 'ran' another half marathon (with shin pain half way through I pretty much walked the second half... slowly I might add), took a week off, and then was back at it with a half marathon the next weekend, and then a few days later I flew out to California for runDisney Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend, where I spent a lot of time on my feet at the expo, parks, running all three races, and what seems like hours spent in line for everything (purchases at expo, corrals, security, to get into parks, and then waiting for all of the rides). I had some sore feet, let me tell you.

Anyway, I have three more weekends of races and then will have a bit of a break in the summer (it gets too hot here, and with humidity (I get sick in that kind of weather) I only do a few races throughout the months rather than every weekend haha).

Upcoming races include:
Chicago Spring Half Marathon on 5/21 (use code BRCHI17 for $10 off) 
Soldier Field 10 Mile on 5/27 (use code BibRaveSF1017 for a free water bottle)
Ridge Run 5k on 5/29
North Shore Classic Half Marathon on 6/4 (use code BibRaveNSC17 for a free water bottle)
Chicago Bears 5k on 6/24
Rock n Roll Chicago 5k on 7/15 
Rock n Roll Chicago Half Marathon on 7/16 (use code BIBRAVE15 for $15 off half valid until 7/9)
Burgers and Beer 5k on 7/17
BTN Big 10k on 7/23 (use code BibRaveBTN17 for a free water bottle)
Chicago Half Marathon on 9/24

Ok, so maybe more races than I let on haha, but it's not EVERY weekend like this past month has been so it seems like less to me.

Those races will be for fun. I never push too hard during RnR weekend because it's usually 90 degrees and 100% humidity. Ick. I'm supposed to be in recovery mode, and instead of short miles on the weekend, I'm running half marathons. So far my body is holding up, but I think not pushing too much is the key. Not running for PRs here, and for runDisney I ran with my mom and we stopped for photos.

So other than these fun races I'll be doing, what else is on the agenda? Well, my next big goal race is Chicago Marathon. I'd REALLY like to get under 6 hours. I'll have to shave off 6 minutes from my current PR, and about 16 minutes from last year's finish time. I think it's doable, but closer to race day I'll talk strategy and finish times with my coach and see what he thinks is realistic. Training should start up next month I think.

I wasn't great about keeping up with my hydration game during vacation (I mean, I can only buy so many bottles of $3 waters), so my goal for the rest of the month is to get back to where I was before the marathon and drinking at least 64oz of water a day. I should be drinking more based on my weight, however, getting to 64 is a big deal for me, as I used to probably only drink 20oz a day. Once I can hit 64 consistently, I'll try upping it. 

Another thing I need to start focusing on again is strength training. I haven't been doing a great job with that in a while, and I need to get back in the habit. Not only to strengthen the muscles I need for running and to stay injury-free, but I also would love to lose some body fat. Going along with this, I want to focus more on my nutrition. I need to get back in the habit of weighing and tracking all of my food to make sure I'm getting the nutrients I need and not too much sugar/unhealthy fats. This is tough for me, as I absolutely love unhealthy foods. I don't drink as much beer as I used to, but I certainly enjoy it so that can add up to. I hate tracking it all, but I know it's the best way to be conscious of what I'm putting in my body and how much of it.

Do you set different goals throughout the year or have a few that you maintain all year round? I tend to need to re-evalutate throughout the year to help keep me focused. What are you hoping to achieve the second half of 2017? I know we are still in May, but with my goal race over, it was time to look again and see what I wanted to do for the rest of the year (besides having fun, of course).

chicago marathon training 2016: week 9

Week 9 of Chicago Marathon Training
Monday, July 11: Rest/Stretch/Roll (travel day)
Tuesday, July 12: Rest/Stretch/Roll
Wednesday, July 13: 8 miles; 40/30 intervals; 1:54:28; 14:18 average pace
Thursday, July 14: 5 miles; 40/30 intervals; 1:09:42; 13:56 average pace
Friday, July 15: Rest/Stretch/Roll
Saturday, July 16: Rock 'n' Roll Chicago 5k (Garmin - 3 miles); 40/30 intervals; 38:54; 12:47 average pace
Sunday, July 17: Rock 'n' Roll Chicago 10k (Garmin - 6.3 miles); 40/30 intervals; 1:17:01; 12:18 average pace

Week Total Mileage: 22.3 
Marathon Training Mileage: 250.16

YTD: 676.48

Tough 8 miles after coming home from racecation.

This week was a bit tough – getting back to reality after a tiring vacation is not always fun. I ended up skipping strength training all together as I tried to get back into the swing of working, cleaning, unpacking, laundry, etc.

8 miles was supposed to be Tuesday, but pushed it to Wednesday as Tuesday was spent catching up on work/life. Those 8 miles were toooooough. My legs weren't having it – whether it be the heat and humidity or a bit of exhaustion post-vacation, or most likely both. Either way, I got through all of it outside, even though I was so very tempted to go on a treadmill at the gym to get out of the heat.

5 miles on Thursday on another brutal weather day. I was thankful for any breeze that blew threw and any bit of shade I could get into while running. 

5 miles in more heat and humidity. Sweaty!

Rock 'n' Roll expo was on Friday and then the 5k on Saturday morning. Weather wasn't too awful (actually in the mid-70s, sunny, 80% humidity)l, and I was pretty happy with our time. It was a new course this year, and I think it helped with some congestion issues (it used to be all on the path – this year started on the streets and eventually went onto the path). I ran this one with my mom.

RnR Chicago 5k!

Sunday I stuck with the 10k, as it cost WAY too much to upgrade to the half. The weather was actually ok - cloudy, which I like, and not nearly as hot as it's been the past two years (which was why I registered for the 10k instead of the half - it's usually 90 degrees and sunny with high humidity which meant by the end of the race I was miserable). I decided to run this on my own, doing the intervals I felt would work best for me. I ended up getting a new PR, which was really exciting. It was still warm and humid, and I got a side stitch around mile 5 that slowed me down some that last mile, but I pushed pretty hard and was very pleased with my results. It's nice to see the hard work paying off. 

After the race I met up with my friend Tom for some photos and chit chat, and then shortly after saying goodbye to him, it started to pour, so we walked back to the car parked at Soldier Field. Of course we were drenched with squishy shoes by then, but it felt kind of nice to get a mini-shower in haha.

RnR Chicago 10k. Received the Remix Challenge medal for running 5k and 10k.

I was planning on getting in more miles when I got home after eating some lunch and digesting, but a family issue came up that I had to deal with (nothing bad, just something time consuming and exhausting), so ended up with just the 6.2. Womp womp.

I'd like to point out that the plan I'm using is specifically tailored for me – my abilities, preferences, and goals. Each and everyone of us is different and trains differently, so I wouldn't suggest trying to copy my plan, but tailoring one to your own needs/goals. Or even better, using a coach like I do because they know what they are doing... I don't haha. 

I love Sweat Tracker and would recommend them to anyone interested in using a coach. And don't go thinking that coaches are only for the elite or fast. As you can see by my pace, I am anything but, and at first was intimidated by the thought of using a coach, but I really have benefited from it and lost all self consciousness. They are there to help improve YOU, not anyone else. No judgements, only encouragement. It's honestly one of the best decisions I've made in my running 'career' so to speak — using a coach. I wouldn't be where I am now if it weren't for them.

rock 'n' roll expo and 5k recap

I was on the fence about running at the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon, as the weather is usually pretty miserable in July (sooo hot and humid), but since we were having a fairly tame summer, I decided to register. Another thing that helped make my decision is that they added in a 5k for Saturday in order to receive an extra medal Sunday (for completing both the 5k and half marathon). I have a hard time saying no to more medals! I only registered about a month prior to the race. Generally, I register much sooner to get the cheaper rates... and by earlier, lets say that I'm often registered a year in advance haha.

If you want a short version, check out my BibRave.com review here.

The Rock 'n' Roll Health and Fitness Expo was held on July 17 (12:30–7 pm) and 18 (9:30 am–5pm) at McCormick Place, Hall D1. It seemed like a well run event, though I got there at about 6pm on Friday night and didn't have much time to wander the exhibitors like I had planned. It took such a long time to get there from the bus I hopped on at Michigan Avenue... I was pretty bummed about this. You needed to know your bib number to know what line to jump in. 

I had only received one waiver via email to bring in (that had my half marathon bib number), so was hoping maybe the people participating in the festival were all grouped together and would get both bibs in the same location. False. I ended up needing to go to the solutions desk and get another waiver and have them look up my bib number (I couldn't find it anywhere on the lists they had posted), then hit up the 5k line.

The Course.

After receiving our bibs, we went over to the t-shirt line. I had ordered the half marathon women's shirt up a size, since they suggested it (said sizes ran small and was best to order up). I'm really glad I did – fit perfect! I really liked the blue color, too. Unfortunately, the 5k shirt was HUGE! So disappointing. I had ordered medium, and the smallest size was a small, so I swapped the medium out for that. My mom's registration said she had requested an XS, but again, they didn't come in that size. Weird. I wish they were available. When I took it home, I held it up with one of my husband's large shirts, and it was BIGGER than that. Bananas. They were nice shirts, and made by Brooks, so I really wish the 5k shirt fit better. I do love the half marathon shirt, though, and wear it often.

Inside the expo.

Blurry, but this was the bib pickup area.

Before heading out to check out the other exhibitors, they had some samples for everyone to grab. I got some sunscreen and a few other things. Then, it was to the Brooks Rock 'n' Roll area - lots of great stuff! I ended up getting a tank, a shirt, and the obligatory pint glass. Between my mom and I, we had enough to split it up so we'd both get the VIP bathroom pass for the half (which, I have to say, was AWESOME... I'll elaborate more when I write that recap). 

After paying for our fun Rock 'n' Roll gear, we headed out to the rest of the vendors. Unfortunately, by this time, we only had about 10 minutes left. I was sad because I had a list of vendors I wanted to stop by to purchase product or check it out (curiosity). With the time I had, I was able to try out 'The Stick' roller and purchase two bottles of Tri-Berry Nuun (I also got a Nuun water bottle that was Rock 'n' Roll themed - pretty cool!). Unfortunately at this point, they were making announcements that everyone had to leave. It was the quickest expo evacuation and shut down that I've ever seen. For such a large race (and the addition of the 5k on Saturday), I found it odd that it would close at 7pm. It's not an easy place to get to, whether you are driving in from the burbs or taking public transit from the city. I was shocked at how long it took to get there, and then we barely had any time to enjoy the great expo! I would have loved an 8 or 9pm closing time.

Sculptures in the park by the Art Institute of Chicago.

The morning of the 5k was beautiful - sunny, and upper 60s. The race was set to start at 8am, and mom and I got there around 7:15ish. We hit up the port-o-lets, as usual, which had a bit of a line. Oddly, it was just one long line for a set of maybe 10–15 bathrooms. Usually there's atleast 1 line per set of 2 toilets. They had hand washing stations (yay water and soap!).

I'm really not sure how accurate this course map is.
I don't remember doing that square shape at all. I feel
like it's a bit off - pretty sure that from the start weran down
the sidewalk and did a small half turn down near
the museum campus and then ran the rest of the way back
on the lakefront trail down by the water... ?

The race began on time, and it seemed like they just let everyone go. I don't recall seeing a pace line-up, but we started at the back and passed people along the way. Nothing too spectacular about the course, it was a usual up and back by the lakefront, though coming back it did go down by the lake rather than up on the sidewalk (by lake shore drive). It was mostly flat with one short hill. It's a beautiful view, even if I do see it often during races, I don't really get too tired of it ;)

Beautiful day in the city!

At the start line.

A band on the course.

Great day for a run by the lake!

I like to smile.

After finishing, we received our 5k medal, which I really liked, along with a banana, pretzels, water, and a bagel. We sat by the lake enjoying our post-race snacks and then worked our way to check out the after party. While walking by the start/finish line, I got a glimpse of a blonde ponytail - it was Shalane Flanagan! I took some candid photos and we mosied on our way. While walking to the party, Shalane passed us on a golf cart and stopped at a tent that had a line. I realized she was headed to a meet and greet or autograph signing, so we hurried over to get in line.

Enjoying my post-race bagel.

The goodies!

Awesome medal received in an awesome city ;)

Hey! It's Shalane!!

The start/finish line.

Off to the festival.

Rock 'n' Roll Chicago 5k medals.

Now, I don't know if I just missed something, but I don't remember receiving any info regarding her doing a signing. I knew she would be at the expo Saturday and racing over the weekend, but I would have headed over sooner for her autograph if I knew about it. The line moved fairly quickly, even though she was talking with everyone, signing medals and bibs, and taking photos. It was pretty hot waiting in line – the sun was beating down on us and there was no shade. I honestly was trying to hide in the shade of people's shadows. I could tell my skin was getting burnt... no good. When it was my turn, I told her what a big fan I was and how inspirational she was. It's a bit of a blur – I was just so excited! She was sweet as can be (and super adorable!). When my mom told her she was doing the half the next day as well, she told her how impressive that was. I think that made my mom feel pretty good, as it should.

Ahhhh - one of the greatest moments in my running life!

Super excited.

The festival grounds.

After mom and I got photos with Shalane and she signed our ribbons, we headed on home. I was giddy with excitement from the 2 minute interaction haha. It was time to rest up for the half marathon the next day, where I was sure it was going to be hot hot hot.

week in review; july 14–20

Monday, July 14: 3.22 miles (Burgers and Beer 5k)

Tuesday, July 15: 1.31 miles

Wednesday, July 16: 3.51 miles

Thursday, July 17: 1.02 miles + strength train (full body)

Friday, July 18: 1.05 miles

Saturday, July 19: 3.14 miles (Rock 'n' Roll 5k)

Sunday, July 20: 13.9 miles (Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon)

Look at that! The streak is STILL alive :) 56 days as of yesterday. I'm not sure how much longer I'll keep it up, but it's been fun so far. I'm thinking maybe 66 days would be a good number...

Delicious eats and treats at the Burgers and Beer 5k after party!

It was a busy race week. Monday night was the awesome Burgers and Beer 5k, and the weekend was the Rock 'n' Roll Festival with the 5k on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday. I will have race recaps eventually for the races, sorry I'm a bit behind on these. I need to block some time off so I can just sit down and crank them all out. Monday and Saturday races went fairly well, but Sunday was tough for me. I wasn't feeling great, and had a bit of knee pain for a few of the miles, but I powered through to finish (which is always my main goal). I'll describe more in the recaps.

After the RnR Chicago Half Marathon on July 20.

Tuesday was the ridiculous runDisney Princess Weekend registration. The horror! It took me almost 2 hours to get registered, and I had filled out the dang form at least a dozen times just for it to give me errors. Sometimes I would get the error, other times it told me there was a data error when I got to the payment page. Also, a few times it put me into a line, and then when I was at the front of the line, I would fill out the form, and get an error again. By the time I was able to get registered, the Glass Slipper Challenge was already 95% full. Bananas. I almost gave up because I was so stressed and frustrated, and wondered if it was really worth it (I'm sure I'll forget all about it come race time, when I am so excited and happy I am there). 

I know most people were having a hard time, but there were also plenty of people getting in (obviously, if it was at 95% by the time I got in), I didn't understand why I was having issues if they weren't. It was also frustrating, because I was ready to go at 11:30 for the 12:00 start, and the idea of not being able to get in even though I was prepared really irked me. I sure hope Active has it's act together for the runDisney registrations in the future. I mean, they know they are going to get bombarded with traffic, and other sites are able to keep their stuff together during popular race registration times, so not sure what was going on. So there's my rant. I'm happy I got in, but still a little peeved at the whole situation haha. I do my best to stay upbeat on this blog, but I have to be real about how I was feeling during registration. Anyway, I digress...

The training week called for 45 minutes on Tuesday and Thursday, and then 3 miles on Saturday. The days were moved around, since I had the 5k Monday night, and of course there was the added 13.9 miles on Sunday.

Overall, I was happy with the week's runs, though disappointed in my lack of strength and cross training. I'm proud of myself for continuing the streak, along with sticking to my training schedule, though. The motivation has been strong, so I hope it keeps up through January :) This week's training calls for the same 45 minutes two days and then 5.5 miles on Saturday. I actually have a 10k on Thursday evening, so that will be my '45' minutes, though it will definitely take me longer than that haha.

How was your week? Any races or long runs this weekend? Did you register for any races over Princess Weekend? Have issues? Any tips for how to keep motivation alive when it starts to dwindle? I'm hoping it keeps up, but always nice to get some feedback and tips from others that I can stow away for a rainy day :)

Have a great week, all!