Traci - Lifeline

We are getting into the mileage now that it is really hard to always have water. Cori told me when she started this whole thing that she's either going to have to get a water belt or a Camelbak. Genius, I tell ya. If we start running long runs on trails, we won't be able to drive around first and drop water every 1.5 - 2 miles like we are used to. So, I went shopping. I personally didn't think I could do the water belt. I had it on empty and it just felt so heavy, bulky and in my way. I was going to get a water belt and a reflector vest. However, that combination was going to cost me about $70 (at Dick's, not online). Then I saw the Camelbaks. Low and behold they had one that held 50 oz. of water and had reflectors on it. All for only $38 (by the way, you can get it online for $25). Sold. Well, I was sold until I got home and started freaking out about actually using it. What if it felt to heavy on my back? What if it made me way too hot? What if my arms rubbed on it and caused chafing? I was scared to death to take the tags off. But 10 minutes before our run last night I decided I needed to try something, because I refused to carry a water bottle in my hand anymore.

My overall rating is 4 out of 5 stars. The only reason I would knock it a star is because I ran out of water around mile 7 or 8. But, I learned that I just need to wet my throat a few less times and to try harder to fill it all the way before the run. I probably didn't start with 50 oz. At first my back felt really hot with it on. But that went away after about the first mile, when the rest of me was equally as hot and it didn't stand out. It was really light weight and comfortable. I also like that it has a pocket for keys, gu, etc. I think next time I'm going to stick a Capri Sun or two in there too. I'm really pleased with my purchase, but I still need to figure out how to have enough water to make it through 12-20 miles. Any thoughts?

Traci - Week #5

I have to say that this is a weird week for me. I am actually desperately looking forward to our L11 tomorrow night. My glass is always half empty when it comes to long runs. I don't love them. However, this has been such a stressful week that I'm ready to sweat it all out, gab it all out, and RUN it all out! Talk to me tomorrow night and I'll probably have some different thoughts, but for now, I'm ready.

Once again I did not do my recovery run... and I didn't cross train at all this week. The closest I got was today. I was going to swim 1000m again and I jumped in the pool, got 3/4 of the way down the lane, and they blew the whistles because of the storms. So instead I sat in the super, duper, HOT, very mentholy steam room. I feel like I have a chest cold and surely this wouldn't hurt matters. Other than the fact that I get slightly claustrophobic and can't breath in there, it was quite nice. :)

Overall, it was a pretty quiet week for training. We ran 5 Tuesday night and I felt great. Hope I feel like that tomorrow night!

And, last, but not least, I was down to 137.2 lbs this morning!! It's about freaking time that scale moves!

Cori --- Where's all my soul sisters?

Okay, all of the posts from my whimsical/gangsta friends' music collections are really making me giggle. Mainly because I have an iPod disease, also.
I would never hand my iPod over to a stranger, because these are the thoughts that I imagine would run through their heads upon listening to it:

"Really, white suburban mommy?"

"Who wants to tell the 35 year-old chick that it is no longer 1993?"

"Even in 1988, this song was not cool."

It's like I am scared that they can see into my head. But Nickie conveyed my feelings very well. When I'm in my car, my music choices are K-Love (Christian) and Country. But throw me in some running shorts, and it's like I change personas. I am no longer the wife/mommy/nurse/lovely Christian woman.
I am a bad ass.
I do the "Wazzup?" nod at people who run by me. I am Tough. I am ....cracking myself up.
In other words, I pretend that I'm not running home to ice my legs and then nuke chicken nuggets for my kids' lunch.

Here. Now you can laugh at me:

Mama Said Knock You Out. (You should hear my "Don't call it a comeback...")

Glamorous Life. (Oh, there are just no excuses for the love I have for this song.)

St. Elmo's Fire. (Doesn't everyone have a song that makes them tear up on the last mile? Best line..."Burnin' Up, Don't know just how far that I can go. Soon be home, Only just a few miles down the road." Oh, never mind.)

Right Now. (Because what is exercise without an 80s hair band song?)

Stronger. (I HATE that I like a Kanye West song.)

Get Back Up Again. (Finally, a song from K-Love. This is one of those life anthem songs. Love some Toby Mac.)

Let's Go Crazy. (If you know me, there is no need to explain. It's Prince.)

Lady Marmalade. (Soul sister....girl power....(sigh)...more embarrassment.)

I'm Free. (Because no cheesy collection is really complete until you throw in Kenny Loggins.)

And now, I have embarrassed myself (and my husband) enough.

By the way, let the record show that my kids are thoroughly enjoying these tunes. That's right, I broke them.

Cori --- Struck Down but not Destroyed.

Week 4---Not my favorite week...

Friday: Ride n Run
Saturday: Off
Sunday : SL5
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Weights
Wednesday: R4
Thursday: L10

Measurements:
Hip: 39.25 (Down .75")
Waist: 30 (Down 1")
Calf: 14.5 (Up .25")
Bust: 37 (Same)
Thigh: 22 (Down .5")
Arm: 11.5 (Down .5")

Wt: 145 (Up 1.5 from last week)

Rough week. I am having a lot of trouble staying motivated to eat less food. I am still eating healthily 90% of the time, but as soon as my mileage increased, so did my appetite. I crave meat and salt. My weight inching up, even a little, really bothers me. My measurements going down offset the depression a little, but I need to recommit to giving 100%. Maybe some of the weight is muscle/fluid? Who knows...
L10 was not good today either. To make a long story short, my right IT Band shut me down today. I ran about 3.5mi, started having pain, and then stupidly insisted on pushing myself when I probably should have gone home and tried it another day. I made it until 8.5mi, and then I knew I had entered the "do I want to be seriously injured" zone. I walked the last 1.5mi.
I have come up with a plan to deal with my minor irritation----not willing to call it a setback yet.

Contributing Factors:
1. We ran a very hilly 6 miles to start out. It wasn't intentional, we just live around some decent inclines. Ironically enough, it is the exact same location that I got hurt last time. I told Traci that I am NEVER running that stretch again. It was only the 2nd time I have ever run it, and so far I'm two for two.
2. I ran 4 miles yesterday, at a 10min/mile pace. I don't usually run back to back days. I also don't usually run that fast---not since last fall.
3. I haven't been ice-ing or using my foam roller the last two weeks. I felt so good that I just didn't bother.

How To Recover:
1. Ice 4 - 5 times a day.
2. Ibuprofen every 6 -8 hrs for 3 days.
3. Taking a break until Monday morning.
4. If I still am having issues after that, I will just be in the pool for a couple of weeks: aqua jogging, lap swimming.....as long as the time in the pool matches the time I would have spent running, it will still keep me in line with my training.
5. Pray.
I am not happy, but not freaked out either. It is what it is. I hate to jinx myself, but I think I'll be fine. I just need to get back in the game mentally.

Traci - Week #4

I'm so confused on what week I'm on. I like to end my weeks with my long run (usually around Friday). So, I guess I finished week #4 today with a 10 mile run. It's so crazy to me that I have only ran 10 miles one other time and 13.1 miles one time and THIS 10 miles I just ran barely even puts a dent in our training schedule. On a good note though, I just accomplished the halfway mark of our maximum training (20 miles). Could I do double what I did this morning at 5am? Only time will tell. Right now I feel like there is no way in hell. But, each time I run, I am somehow able to pull it out. Someone asked me today if I feel good when I run or if I hurt the whole time. I definitely don't feel good at any point in time, but I don't hurt the entire time either. Let's just say I struggle to be comfortable.

Here's how my week played out:
Sunday - 5 miles
Monday & Tuesday - off (had great intentions of doing our L10 Tuesday night, but the lightning never let down).
Wednesday - mowed my lawn and considered it crosstraining (see below)
Thursday - 10 miles
Friday (plan) - swim 1000m

Dork alert! I wore my Garmin watch last night while I mowed the lawn. Hey, I wanted to see how far I actually walk. Back and forth, back and forth. And... it was a grand total of 1.76 miles and 46 minutes of pushing a mower, drenched in sweat. Yes, I do consider that crosstraining! :)

I'm at work right now, so I'll have to measure myself when I get home. But, I am happy to say that I am down about 3/4 of a pound since we started this thing. To many, that is absolutely nothing. However, since I have either been gaining weight or staying the same for the last 4 weeks, I WILL TAKE IT!

Jen- Music Moves the Soul

Started the day with butterflies in my stomach knowing that I was planning on doing my 10 miles today, on the treadmill..ALONE! As I drove to the Y I was scared considering last weeks 8 miler was hell and left me with a bad ATTITUDE. I needed a confidence booster in a big way. Playing out all the scenarios on what I would do to fill my 2 hours of time, talk with friends, listen to music, text my husband and watch TV. All of that planning and I only needed one today..ah music. I usually don't run with my I-Pod but today it was an awesome running partner, it motivated me through my entire workout and I want to share some of those songs that helped me along the way.

The run felt great finished in an hour and 47 mins. Mile 1-5 awesome but as the 2nd half started so did the sore legs but this song came across my play list, it reminds me of my dad. He was one of the reasons I ran my first marathon more on that later

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_-lh8GoGQs

Mile 7 feeling it but managed to run the next two miles at 9:45 pace thanks to these great songs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aTYp8-O96M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh239PTyuYE

Done! I did it I was so happy and proud of myself that I actually cried in the YMCA haha and then finally
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bawPIjdGCKo

I am so grateful for this journey! I was so happy that I marched myself to McDee's and rewarded myself with a big mac..oh happy days :)

Cori --- Feeling Philosophical...and I Can't Sleep Either...

So I had an epiphany tonight.
I have felt surprise lately, because I think that on some level I expected training to get easier.
Not that I expected our long runs to ever feel easy, but I think that I did expect the recovery runs and the semi-long runs to feel easier just because they were less mileage. I didn't expect to have that "I want to quit" sensation at mile 3 on an SL5.
So I thought a lot about this today, and I have found a solution. My motto in life has always (unconsciously) been: If you can't change your circumstances, change your feelings about them. Well, I want to do this run. So I am just going to quit expecting it to get easier.
It's hard because it is, and nothing will change that.
And I need to just expect to wake up feeling like an 80 year-old woman everyday, wondering what hurts, where I can rub my biofreeze, and how much ibuprofen I can safely take without giving myself an ulcer.
It is what it is.
And deep down I really love this or I wouldn't be doing it.
That's what I will be telling myself when I run L10 with a heat index of 110 this week.
Blecch.

Cori - Ending Week 3 and Feeling Feisty, So BACK OFF.

This is going to be a bitchy, complaining post, so skip it if you want.

Fri -- L7
Sat -- Off
Sun --SL4
Mon -- Off
Tues -- EFX 40 min, weights 20 min
Wed -- L8 (Had to get a jump on week 4 for scheduling reasons)
Thurs -- Off

Weight: 143.

The runs were all hard this week, solely due to fatigue caused by the heat and humidity. I cannot emphasize enough how hard a run can feel when it is this hot and humid out. But I don't want to run on the treadmill. I hate the treadmill so much that I would rather tough out the heat. I have a really hard time keeping a good running form on the treadmill, and if I don't watch my form closely, my ITBs act up. However, I did find a Y with an indoor, suspended track, and if it gets any hotter I may just have to go. Here's the problem: 1 mile = 12 laps. Yeah. So next week I would be looking at 120 laps. Anyone else see the problem here? I would feel like a hamster on a wheel.
Now that I have griped about the heat and humidity, let me be a hypocrite for a minute. I am SICK to death of people telling me that it is too dangerous to run, or that we are foolish for running.
Really? And you know this because you work out how often? I have yet to be lectured by anyone who works out on a regular basis.
I am a mother. I have three little children who need me home every single night. Do you think I would endanger myself at their expense for my little hobby? I am also a nurse. Do you think I cannot recognize when I am dehydrated and/or getting overheated? Or is it that I am just too foolish, and you will show me the light?
The assumptions that we are too stupid to know when to quit are offensive, and it is pissing me off. Heaven help the next person who goes there.
And to the instructor at the Y this morning who was so worried about Jen and I because we were running slow and our faces were beet red.... We turn red because we don't sweat much. We are pale and freckley girls. And we're slow because we DO know our limits, and up that incredible hill (twice), in the sun, when it's 85*, was a bit much. But chick, we are serious, we have endurance, and we could run forever if we had to.
So, worry about someone else. We are tougher than we look.

Traci - Week #3

Week three was much better than week 2. Kind of. It started out with a L7, which I felt great the entire time. However, it ended with a L8... on the hottest and most humid day of summer. Yes. But, even though it was one of the harder things I've done in life, it was really kind of rewarding. I kinda feel like if we can run 8 miles in those conditions, we can surely triple that mileage when it is 30 degrees cooler and on a flat road. That's the plan right now anyway. I have to remember to keep invisioning myself succeeding. It is really easy to get caught up in the trap of negativity. My mind goes into "I'll never be able to do this" mode each and every time I run. But, so far, every time I've said that, I've been able to do it.

I did a little bit of weights for crosstraining this week and really focused on at least 80 ounces of water a day. Tomorrow I'm going to swim for 30 minutes in lieu of my R3. Then I'm off to the lake for the weekend, which does not bring good things my way in the shape of exercise. Or weight loss. But, soon enough, summer will be over and I'll be wishin' I was lazily sitting at the lake gaining weight. So, off I go, with hourly glimpses of the L10 next week. Oh, good times.

Oh yeah, and even though the weight loss is slow (actually non-existent), I have managed to lose 1 1/4 inches (now 31 3/4) under my belly button, and 1/2 and inch (now 30) around my waist. I'll take it... for now. :)

Jen Week 3

Whew I made it another week! My body is mad, pissed, annoyed that I am treating it so badly, my legs are screaming at me after last nights 8 miler. It was a hard run for me, my legs felt like lead around mile 5 and really didn't think I could make it but... I did. I get so discouraged at my body for not being able to push through at times and the amount of time it takes me to recover. However, I am trying to be kind and forgiving for the healthy body I do have, considering I have already completed one (Amelia) marathon this year.

Sat/Sun OFF
Monday Swim 1500
Tuesday Weights
Weds 8 mile
Thurs OFF
Friday Ride and Run

Cori --- Hello Heat Advisory....

Tonight was a humbling experience.
It was possibly the hottest, most humid day we have had all summer.....and it was time for L8. Crap.
We waited until almost 9pm. I am not going to lie. It was MISERABLE. We all had a "I want to quit" moment. Luckily, not at the same time. That's the beauty of running in a group---there is usually one voice of reason, or insanity, depending on how you look at it.
But we did it. And I am really, really proud of us.
It took us 1:36, a 12 min/mile. But we walked a couple of times, so considering that, I am okay with that time. The heat was oppressive. Matter of fact, we tried to reschedule, but nothing else was working out. So we just decided to suck it up and give it a go, and if we couldn't do it, oh well!
I have NO idea how we are going to pull off 26.2 miles. None. I get scared if I think about it too much, so I don't. But I have found that pocket, deep down in my soul, that can always find a little more to give when I want to quit, and I think that's where the secret lies. And I have to admit, if I were doing this alone it would be sooo tempting to quit. But peer pressure can be a good thing sometimes. The problem with that pocket is that right now I am having to reach down into it at 5, 6, and 7 miles.......I don't think it's deep enough yet. That's what training is for, right? Can you believe that next week our schedule already jumps to L10? Where in the heck did that come from? 10 miles? Are you kidding me?
On the pollyanna side, I am seriously grateful to be doing this. My legs are holding up. I did not know if this would even be possible. Thank you, God, for a healthy body. It's a gift. And no matter how much whining I do, I never forget that it's a gift. And it makes me feel really good to push my limits.

Cori --- A Piece to the Puzzle

I have an answer to the ever illusive, "Why do my IT Bands hurt some days for no real reason?" question.
This was frustrating me because it doesn't matter how much I stretch, or how far we run, or even how hilly/flat the run is.
The one thing I had noticed is that the better hydrated I am, the less likely it is to happen.
Tonight I figured it out. It's the humidity.
When the weather is humid, my legs swell just a tad, but it's enough to aggravate those ITBs.
This is good news. I don't think Chicago will be too humid in October.
But bad news for training in Kansas during July and August.
Hmmm.
Good times, this training.......good times.

Cori --- Fragile! Handle with Care.

Jen and I have invented a disease, and we both have it.
It's called Glass Mommy syndrome. We are scared of "breaking".
We have discovered that since we started training, we are scared to death of getting hurt while doing anything but running.
Wrestling with the kids? Negative, Mommy might pull a muscle.
Bouncing up and down on a stationery bike at Ride 'n' Run class? Negative, Mommy might bruise her tailbone.
And now, I have to banish my favorite pseudo-crocs. (I can wear crocs without being a dork because I am in health care.) I have this fake pair that are navy blue, and I love them. But I almost slipped, not once, but three times this weekend. And by almost, I mean I skidded and caught myself before I hit the ground. I am an accident waiting to happen.
Goodbye fake crocs. I will only be wearing shoes with really good tread for the next 90 days.
I am not putting myself through ALL OF THIS, just so I can slip on the cement at Quik Trip and end up with a broken ankle.....

Jen Week 2

Fri 6 miles
Saturday & Sunday Off
Mon 4 miles on the EFX
Tues Ran 3
Weds Ride and Run
Thurs Off
Friday L7

No change with weight/measurements but feeling stronger. Looking forward to treating myself this week to a new pair of shoes at Garry's, whoo hoo!

Traci - Denial Week (Week 2)

So this past week has been pretty rough as far as training goes. I am not down any weight, nor measurements, but could I really expect to be? I have been eating like crap, not drinking 100 ounces of water a day (but still doing pretty good), not getting much sleep, not crosstraining, stressed at work, and oh yeah, through a holiday in there. I even missed the SL4. However, I have hopes that I am just getting this all out of my system now, while in week 2. Bring it week 3 and your 7 mile run tomorrow night!

Cori --- Week Two Summary

Two weeks down and I am still walking---woo hoo!

Weight: 144 - Down 1 pound.

Training Log:
Friday -- L6
Saturday -- Off
Sunday -- Off
Monday -- EFX for 4 miles (Had a run scheduled, but it got rained out. And I DESPISE the treadmill lately. Cannot even force myself to do it.) Also did Strength Training on upper body.
Tuesday -- R3
Wednesday -- Ride 'n' Run (Biked about 10.6 miles, then ran, then did some strength training. Could hardly walk 2 hours after class. Decided resting the legs was mandatory before Friday.)
Thursday -- Off

Thoughts: No real issues to report, praise God. Feeling good, IT Bands not bothering me right now, and still having fun.
I need to work a pair of new shoes into my budget in the next month. I did notice that on L6 my pinky toe was rubbing, and it will probably blister once I up my mileage. (That will not feel too good when the really long runs start!) When you start going long distances, your feet often swell, and your arch also starts to flatten. A lot of runners lose their toenails. (Gulp.) I think I either need a shoe a 1/2 size bigger, or just one with a wider toe. Or maybe more cushiony socks? Hmm. I may be consulting the professionals after L7. We'll see...

Cori --- New Toys

Last week my husband bought me a gadget. Unlike Nickie's last post, I am not a gadget girl at all. I like to be as unencumbered as possible. I barely like my iPod touching me. When Johnny approached me about getting a garmin watch, I was like, "No thanks, if I need to know how fast I'm going I'll just ask one of my friends. They all have watches." This really bugged him for some reason. I think he felt I was depriving myself, but I really and truly did not care.

Until I met my Garmin.

I am now in....not love......but serious, serious like.

I might love it if I could finish the instruction manual. The local running store offers a class on how to operate this watch, if that tells you anything.

My favorite part? I love to know my heart rate. I feel like the Garmin is my friend, watching out for me, telling me my heart rate, worrying about me.....it just makes me all warm and fuzzy thinking about it.

I think I will be naming it.

Oh, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention my other new gadget. (Didn't I just claim to hate gadgets? Yes. This was another husband purchase.)

I am a walking billboard for RoadID's Supernova.

You clip it onto your clothes when you run at night, and it flashes so brightly that it can cause seizures in passers-by. Not really, but it is obnoxiously bright. Apparently my true love is concerned that I am going to get hit by a car, and since I refused to wear his fluorescent trooper vest, he found a cute little alternative.

I bet my protective helmet is coming in the mail any day now.

Traci - Too Much Water?

So, my body has never had this much water. Ever. In an average week my body is used to getting about 30 ounces. Now I have bumped the intake to 80-100 ounces a day. Overload for this girl. I have been feeling lightheaded and dizzy all week and this is the only thing I can attibute it to. And what do you know? Dr. Google suggests water intoxication. Here's what I found: "The bottom line is this: it's possible to drink too much water, but unless you are running a marathon or an infant, water intoxication is a very uncommon condition." Well, I'm not an infant... but I am training for a marathon! So, the main suggestion I read is to make sure I'm not only drinking water, but also sports drinks. The bod needs some electolites. I can handle that!

Cori --- Visions of Grandeur

I have quickly discovered my very favorite thing about having such a large running group. No matter how crazy our schedules, someone can always meet up to run. I love this! I can run alone, excuse me, with my iPod, but I'd rather not. And the five of us have very odd schedules, and children that still require childcare, so we're also dependent on our spouses' schedules. I'm married to someone in law enforcement, Nic is married to a firefighter---no nine-to-fivers there. But so far, we have kept in touch through texting, email, phone, and facebook, and no one is getting left behind.
This morning I had to wake up at 4:45am to meet Nickie and Holly for our L6 (See codes at sidebar). This is a big deal. I do not get up at 4:45am. I have only done it when someone I gave birth to needed to nurse, and .......no, that's about it. Like all night owls, I have set my alarm many, many times, with good intentions, but I can find the snooze button without even opening my eyes.
Our run was nothing short of glorious. Seriously. We ran at a BEAUTIFUL lake, with trails, wildlife, and everything. We saw a little snake, a deer, a frog, and a rabbit. We got to watch the sun rise. And the temperature! It was so cool that I was chilly before we started moving. My knees behaved, too. It just doen't get any better than that.
Now here's my confession that will probably get me kicked out of my group. When I was running, and so blissfully happy, I started thinking things like, 'This will be our FIRST marathon.....the first of many.......maybe we'll run that Goofy marathon at DisneyWorld, 26.2 miles the first day, and 13.1 the second......or maybe we'll just try to run one or two marathons a year to start out.....". I am nothing if not enthusiastic.
When we were running over this very picturesque bridge, Nickie cut in and said, "Isn't God good?" Yes, He is. I felt so blessed this morning; for my health, for my friends, for my family, and just for this moment in time.
Now, we can all refer back to this "honeymoon" post in a few weeks when I'm crying and whining because our mileage has increased.
Love y'all.

Traci - Week #1

Week 1 really isn't over for me until I get through the 6-miler tomorrow night, but I'm going to do my updates on (roughly) Thursdays.

Monday: Ran 5 miles
Tuesday: Went to the gym with good intentions to crosstrain, and ended up laying by the pool.
Wednesday: Ran 3 miles
Thursday: Weights

I haven't lost any weight, but that doesn't suprise me too much. However, I can't figure out these stupid measurements. I tried to be detailed in my description of where I measured, but I can't seem to get the same places. I'm going to report my measurements I did today, only because maybe next week I'll measure in the same place?

Thigh (thickest part): 23 1/2 inches (up 1/4 inch)
Calf (thickest part): 14 3/4 inches
Butt: 39 inches (I missed keyed last week with the 33. I wish!)
Under my belly button: 33 (down 3/4 inch)
Waist: 30 1/2 inches (down 1/2 inch)
Bust: 36 inches
Bulging bicep: 11 1/4 inches

Now I know it's highly unlikely that I lost any inches this week, but I want a good starting point for next week and I'll try to measure in the same spot.

As for my diet this week, I think I have done pretty well. I have been drinking 80-115 oz of water a day. I have a Slimfast for breakfast and half a pita sandwich for lunch. I have been stuffing the pita with lettuce, avocado, cucumber, tomato... but no meat or cheese. And they are so good! For dinner I've been eating what is put in front of me. Dusty has been cooking this week so Monday we had tacos, Tuesday I had 2 corndogs (on the way to t-ball), Wednesday I had a homemade Philly Cheesteak, and tonight I had chicken breast and potatoes on the grill. I'm not going to change my "during the week" dinners too much. I figure eating at home instead of fastfood is good enough. I will have to change my weekend diet though.

Cori --- Week One, Check!

Log:

Friday----5 mile run

Saturday-Off.

Sunday---Off.

Monday---5 mile run. (This was supposed to be the SL4, but Trace needed a partner, and I figured it was only one more mile?)

Tuesday---Stationary Bike: 8.5miles/40 min.

Wednesday---3 mile run.

Thursday---Swam 30 min. at the Y. (And then spent the day at Schlitterbahn, but I don't think that counts.)

Thoughts: Week one felt good. My IT Bands have been testy, but not really troublesome. Ibuprofen and Ice are my best friends. I'm drinking between 2 and 3 liters of water a day. I still do diet soda, too, though. Nutrition is decent. I am taking a calcium supplement:

I am not taking in enough calcium with my diet, and I don't want to end up with a stress fracture, so I'm trying to up my calcium with Viactiv. I take 1000mg a day. I bought the chocolate flavor---not too bad. I hear the caramel is better, and WalMart was out of them, so I believe it.

During our 3 mile run yesterday, I kept thinking, 'Why am I doing this? This sucks.' 26 miles never sounds like a lot when I talk about it, but somewhere between mile 2 and 3 reality sets in. 26 miles is a lot. I'm nervous.

Things to Work On: Flexibility. I need to be stretching daily. Right now, I tend to only stretch before running and a quick stretch at bedtime, max 5 min. More would be better. This is also the first week in almost 3 months that I haven't done any strength-training. I couldn't figure out how to work it in. I'm getting back to that next week. I missed it.

Weight: Down one pound--145. When I started pre-training, I weighed 158. This is the highest my weight has been if I wasn't pregnant. I was not happy with it, but I am pretty muscular right now, and I have been working out for a good 18 months, so I didn't feel motivated to get it off. Then I read an article, (because I am the self-proclaimed Research Queen), and it talked about the extra pounding that your knees take with any extra body weight. That was all I needed to hear. I seriously fear/respect my knees. I made a pledge to get down to 148 by training day, and somehow I did it. My next goal is to be down to 135 before we're running our 20 mile long run in practice. Because.....20 miles? These knees need all of the help they can get.

Inspirational Quote for the Week: "The marathon's about being in contention over the last 10K. That's when it's about what you have in your core. You have run all the strength, all the superficial fitness out of yourself, and it really comes down to what's left inside you. To be able to draw deep and pull something out of yourself is one of the most tremendous things about the marathon."---Rob de Castella