One Bad Ass Runner

This weekend, I ran my 18th marathon, the 8th one for the year in my quest for another star on the Marathon Maniacs club.  This was planned as a fun run and it was that, especially after the Chicago DNF.  I considered earlier in the week to go for a PR but due to my lingering issues (explained in the  Chicago DNF RR ), I decided just to have fun and if I felt I could push, to do so, but not to concentrate on it at this time. Mr. Docket is training for his first HM and we have done most of his runs together.  In preparation for his HM, I registered him for the MCM 10K as a training run and a test of his progress.  That was before he got a bad case of shin splints after his test 5K in July.  He had his ups and downs during the Summer but he is up to 8 miles now with his first 9 miler in just a few days.  So, the 10K would be a nice fun run for him as well. Since we are taking a few days off for the NYCM this weekend, we arrived in DC late F...

I did not write an RR immediately after Chicago because I was not sure what to say. I didn't know the cause of my issue and I didn't have anything to say except to say I was disappointed but that I knew it was the right decision to make. Now that I have more answers, I can write this and confirm that the DNF was the right choice at the time. This was to be my goal race for the Fall and it would be my only chance of a PR, especially since I have 5 more marathons before the year ends and multiple marathons and PRs are sometimes impossible to do at the same time. My coach prepared a great training plan and since my asthma has been going great all year, he went crazy and did a very challenging plan. I gotta say that he knows me better than anyone and I loved every minute of the plan. This time around, I peaked at 75 miles, with a plan average of 56mpw. 90% of my LRs were paced runs with fast miles. I ended up missing two long runs (made it to 14 miles and 12 miles on each ...

Yesterday, I DNFd the Chicago Marathon at Mile 11.  It was one of those days where nothing goes right, everything goes wrong, and you either stop and live to fight another day or push through and get injured.  I know I chose well and lived to fight another day. I don't know what happened, except to say that by Mile 3, I started having more than usual psoas and ITB soreness, which turned to pain by Mile 8.  During those 5 miles, I debated whether to start walking and call it an easy marathon or just stop.  After noticing I was not having fun, I couldn't hit my pace, and I was in pain, I decided to stop.  I came to a full stop, got my iPhone out and called my husband to arrange a pick up place.  He thought I was kidding. I understand why he would.  I've done 17 marathons, one after having an anaphylactic asthma attack at mile 9 and finishing the next 17 miles at a walk.  I've done marathons where everything has gone wrong and where everythi...

I am very sorry I have not posted in quite some time, but life is sometimes too busy to engage in certain pleasures.  I cannot believe half of 2013 is gone already!  And what a half it has been! If you remember, I ended 2012 by running a 5K and having an asthma attack.  That day I made a goal of making 2013 an attack and albuterol free year, and the asthma has been so much better this year, I made 7 months albuterol free...and counting. This year has been surprising in more ways than one.  My husband surprised me with his desire to run again and he even ran two 5Ks, one in San Francisco and one in Weston.  He has been sidelined with shin splints but the fact is that he cannot wait to get back into it and that makes me very happy. Like I said, my asthma is much better this year and my races and training have gone well.  I was able to finish 7 marathons in the first half of 2013, including one that was almost a PR and a full PR one.  All wit...

Today, Mr. Docket and I ran the Weston 4th of July 5K in Weston, FL.  It was a nice and sunny, but hot and humid day, we had tons of fun, one ran her strongest 5K in the Summer, and the other one PRd. Training : This is Week 1 of marathon training for me.  I am training for Chicago and my coach created an awesome training plan for me.  I gotta be honest that when I read the plan, I skipped a heart beat and I gulped.  It will be challenging nonetheless but I'm up for it.  Having said that, the weather down here has been horrible.  Not the heat as much as the humidity.  I don't think I have run in anything less than 75 dewpoint at all and one of the runs was in 78 dewpoint.  All of my runs this week have been slow and painful.  But who cares about speed if you can perform on race day, right?  Which is why today's race was very important. We had a nice dinner and some drinks, went to bed at 11am and woke up at 5:30am.  Or at...

On Sunday, I finished the San Francisco Marathon and my husband ran the San Francisco 5K, his first.  We had tons of fun visiting the city and we came out with a nice stomach virus that has us still in bed for the last two days.  Yay. This was my 7th marathon of 2013 and my 10th this season.  This marathon is part of my quest of a third star on the Maniac and I can say I am more than halfway done already. San Francisco: We arrived in SF on Thursday night.  We opened our eyes on Friday morning at 6am and DH wanted to wake up and I told him, don't wake me up unless you want to go out to run.  Next thing I know, I opened one eye and DH is all dressed up to run, so I had to get up as well.  We did a nice 2 miler down the waterfront.  He was surprised that he could keep the pace we were keeping and I reminded him about the 50F  and 40DP difference, which makes it all different.  We discussed his strategy for the race and he didn't belie...

Today, I ran the Lou Gherig's Disease 10K to benefit the ALS Foundation.  I have done this race five times and it has always a big race for a good cause.  It includes a 10K, a 5K run and a 5K walk.  It is always hot, humid, and hilly, and today was no exception. This was going to be my first 10K without albuterol and the last race distance I had to conquer without it.  With the last two 5Ks done without albuterol, I knew there was a great chance to race this without medication.  It was also my first 10K since this race last year where I had two asthma attacks during the race at miles 2 and 4.  So, it was clear I had to race one without medication on this course to see that I could. Since I ran the marathon in Puerto Rico last week, I knew my legs were not ready to push a good pace.  It was also going to be mid 80s and humid, and this course is tough.  There is no way to explain why the course is tough.  Yes, it has rolling hills but...