Team Monkey

I haven't had this much fun and this many friends to run with on a Saturday run since...ever. I did my longer training run on Friday morning (wouldn't recommend running 12 miles before a full day of work, bytheway) so that I could enjoy a nice 4 mile run with friends in the Ovarian Cancer Run & Walk on Saturday morning. Some of us ran, some walked - but we all went together and had a blast.

We were Team Monkey in support of Andrea's organization, Two Little Monkeys, benefiting Philadelphia Shriners Hospital and raising awareness about obstetrical brachial plexus injuries from which her daughter, Ally, suffers.

Here we are bright and early before we head downtown. Thanks to Jay and Matt for sending us off with such excitement! :)

me, Christie, Nan, Andrea, Stephanie and Elise

It's all down hill from here!

Having Lynn home was so great!

We did our "warm-up run" on Wednesday, had girl night on Thursday with friends, and embarked on our longest training run together on Friday. So many of my early-running days jogs were spent with Lynn. When we lived together on Meridian at the Buckingham, we'd do little jogs downtown. And when we lived together on Kenwood, we'd regularly do our "Butler Loop" with Christie and go for longer Saturday runs on occasion. Lynn is motivating, competitive, talkative and a good listener...all the things in a perfect running buddy.

Our 20 mile run was no different. Instead of heading north on the monon for 10 miles and then back like we originally planned, we decided to do a "Tour de Indy" since this would be Lynn's last long run in Nap Town before her big move. I took a personal day from work, she met early at my house that morning...and we prepared for the longest run of our lives!!!

Fuel Belt: check. Watch: check. Spandex: check. Body Glide: check. Gu Chomps: check. Running Shoes: check. Sunglasses: check...AND WE'RE OFF!
We headed downtown and made our way to the canal where Lynn had some of her wedding photos taken near the canal fountain...
and at our half way point, we stopped at The Taylor's to re-fuel our belts, stretch, and give Mrs. T and ole' smell of our shweaty bodies (ewwww)...
Heading back north we ran past The Stutz Building, where I worked for 4 years and also had my wedding reception last August...
And back up Meridian we ran past The Buckingham, where Lynn and I lived with her sister Julie for a year...
Heading towards Butler we had to fly by our beloved Kenwood home where we lived together for 2 years and made more memories than we can count...
And finally, after the Butler/Broad Ripple canal, we made it back home where our good friend Nan was waiting to join us for a post-run burrito (and mock our nerdy fuel-belts)... :)
AND WE'RE SPENT...but we have 20 miles under our belt and our mileage only goes down from here until our marathon in just 3 weeks!!!!

Back Home Again In Indiana

My husband, Mike, and I found out in July, that we will be moving to Japan in November. I wanted to make sure that I got to see all of my favorite people before I go. So last week I went home to Indianapolis for a visit. In addition to visiting with friends and family, I was able to run with my training partner, Jenny!!

We had planned to do our longest run on Friday, but decided to meet on Wednesday for an 8 mile warmup run. We met at her house and ran south on the Monon, something that Jenny is not allowed to do without company. It was the first time in all of my training that I had someone to talk to while running! I realized all too soon that it is much harder to run while chatting! But I also know that Jenny is a great running partner. She is easy to talk to and understands when I say, "I... can't... talk... right... now..."

In addition to having Jenny by my side, it was AWESOME to run in lovely Indiana weather! There was no humidity, cooler temperatures, plenty of shade, and more forgiving rays of sun. This run with Jenny made me soooooo excited for the marathon! We have less than a month until the big day and I am looking forward to the finish line!!

Dear Lynn,

Do we have a marathon goal time? Everyone keeps asking me.

Love,
Jenny

I Am a Little Sick

After my long run this morning, there are a few reasons why I am a little sick...

This week we only had to run 13 miles for our long run. After 19 last weekend, 13 sounded like a breeze! I'm a little sick if I think that running 13 miles is easy!!

I ran on base, something I haven't done in several weeks. Out of embarrassment, I didn't wear my awesome hydration belt. In fact, I met one of my neighbors a few weeks ago. When a mutual friend mentioned that I was training for a marathon and that she might see me on base, the new neighbor said, "Oh yeah! You're the girl with the crazy belt!! My husband and I saw you last week and couldn't figure out what you were doing!" I'm a little sick if I let fashion get in the way of hydration!

As I was running this morning, I kept thinking, "It's really cool today!" Of course, it was 82 degrees, feeling like 88. I'm a little sick if I think that anything less than 90 degrees is cool!

Finally, I wore my "big" ipod today. My shuffle was dead so I strapped the arm band on with the 30 GB ipod, turned on my old workout mix and took off. I couldn't believe how much I missed such classics as Buttons by Pussy Cat Dolls, Wind It Up by Gwen Stefani, Bet That by Trick Daddy, My Humps by Fergie, and last but certainly not least, a little DPH - Dem Player Haters! Now THAT IS SICK!!

Dear Jenny,

We broke the 500 mile mark!! YIPPIE!!

I added 13 miles today. You do the same tomorrow?

Lynn

Cool & Cloudy

Now THAT'S the perfect 18-miler running weather in my book!

I, too, completed the longest run of my life this past Saturday with 18.4 under my belt in 3 hours. My Indy training buddy, Cease, did it with me. With a mix of the weather listed above, a good night's rest, an even fuel belt mix of water and light purple Gatorade (my favorite), Gu Chomps and Jelly Belly Sport Beans...it was surprisingly a great run. As per usual, I craved my homemade breakfast burrito the entire run, which Katie (Kaschak) Harrison, my good friend in town from VA, made for me when I got home. Thanks, Katie! :) Can you tell that's a "1" and an "8"? :)

And Cease ran 16 miles (see the "1" and the "6") - her longest since she did the NY Marathon 15 months ago!