One Bad Ass Runner

On Sunday, I ran the Detroit Free Press International Marathon and boy what an experience.  It was frankly one of my favorite marathons.  What else can you say when a race takes you to Canada and back?  I really loved the race and would like to do the race again (the US Half Marathon course looks like fun, especially with all the beer on the course, as detailed below). :) As I had just run the Chicago Marathon and at a time I wasn't even expecting, I knew going into this race that I had to race it easy.  It's been a few years since I've done two marathons in two weeks, and it won't be the last time I do this, but I'm not getting any younger, ha. Chicago left my calves VERY sore, especially since I had three calf cramps during the race.  Although I was given the chance to run on Tuesday, I was like hell no, and rested.  By Wednesday, the 6 miles I ran felt awesome.  I had to take a rest day on Thursday for other reasons, and I had to cut my run...

I ran the Chicago Marathon this weekend (once again!) and had a lot of fun.  It was a hot race, as Chicago has been famous lately for, but I was still able to improve on my post knee surgery times and inching closer to my old times little by little.  Managed 4:58:51, an 11 minute post surgery "PR" and closer to my best times of 4:34, which I have not been even able to see in 2+ years.  I really didn't expect to see a 4 until later this year, if at all, so I was really happy to have managed to break 5 hours once again. As every year in the last five (5) years, I ran one of my favorite races in my favorite city.  The Chicago Marathon is an amazing race and I noticed that from the first time I ran the course (I DNFd that year) and every year since.  I am going for legacy status so that I can get guaranteed entry and I am one year short of it, so I hope to complete it next year (hoping they don't change the rules, ha). For those that don't know this, a...

On Saturday, I ran the Reykjavik Marathon (yes, in Iceland!!!!) and had a lot of fun on this trip and race.  Three weeks ago, I wasn't even sure if I could even start the race (see below), but more PT and a giant taper helped.  I ended up running a 21 minute post knee surgery PR and the fastest marathon in close to two years. It's been one heck of a month for me and my knee.  As I have mentioned, my recovery from meniscus surgery went really well and I did two marathons post surgery without any issues whatsoever.   Training for Iceland was going great and I had even restarted doing speedwork and hitting Orange Theory workouts with ease as well.  However, on peak week in preparation for this race, around three weeks ago, I was at Orange Theory doing a 12 minute distance run (trying to run straight for 12 minutes, haha, which I have covered).  When I stepped off their treadmill, my operated knee hurt around the patella.  I have never felt this kind ...

Last year, we had a lot of new states planned up for our quest of 50 states.  However, we had a very eventful year last year, and some of our planned races were missed. The next two marathons will make up for the same races last year we missed. Last year, I trained for the RnR Seattle and had everything planned, including my outfit and all.  Then, that Thursday, as I was trying to check us into the flight, I couldn't find the code for it.  Called the airline and they couldn't find us.  Found the charge on our credit card and SOMEONE (not me, but my other half) booked us for the wrong date (one month later).  So, after trying to switch the flights and figuring out it would cost us $1800 more to make it there that evening, we canceled and got a voucher for a trip to Chicago later that year.  At the time, we were kind of relieved.  We were tired, our cats had no nanny, and we were just happy to stay home.  The second missed marathon includes a b...

Last Sunday, the day had arrived.  My first marathon since knee surgery!  I have been patiently waiting and training for the day, but I also scared to see if my knee could do it.  To the point that I waited 16 weeks to run it, even though I could have run it earlier.  But I wanted to be as prepared as possible. This is how I looked on February 1, 2017, the day after the surgery: Six weeks of PT post surgery got me to the place of being able to run 50mpw every week again.  My surgeon did an excellent job fixing what a car accident broke.  Glad I went through surgery right after. The training went well. I was doing some speedwork, but I knew I would most likely not be able to run it at anything close to that MP since the training took only 11 weeks and coming out of knee surgery, but I wanted to do some speed workouts just to see how my knee would feel.  I also started going to Orange Theory once a week and, although I started on the bik...