Marathon #1:Twin Cities Marathon October 2008 (4:27:17)
- Training plan: Low Heart Rate, with one tempo a week
- Weather: 49 degrees and very heavy rain for first 8 miles, then temps/cloud cover ok, but I was frozen and injured.
- Goal: BQ (3:45). Felt that I was trained for it, but didn’t have the mental confidence to push through pain.
- Issues: Right foot to thigh issue about mile 7. Walked on and off through finish.
- What I Learned: That I CAN finish a marathon.
- F-bombs: On and off from mile 7 til Summit; Constant from Summit til finish.
Marathon #2: Grandma’s Marathon June 2009 (4:17:15)
- Training plan: Daniels A 18 week/65 mile max
- Weather: HOT (mid-60′s start – 80′s finish) and full sun
- Goal: BQ (3:45). On pace through about mile 14, but sun/heat killed me; I knew it would, but I wanted to try to hang on as long as I could.
- Issues: Developedright IT band issue about mile 15.5. Ended up walking a ton between mile 17 and end.
- What I Learned: That I’m not a quitter.
- F-Bombs: Pretty much constant, increasing as the temps rose!
Marathon #3: Twin Cities Marathon October 2009 (3:56:49)
- Training plan: Started Pfitz 12/70. After two weeks jumped into Daniels A 65 mile max
- Weather: Pretty much ideal. 42 and partly cloudy at start. Clouds throughout.
- Goal: BQ (3:45). On pace through about mile 17. Then calves cramped up.
- Issues: BOTH calves cramped up at mile 19. I think I didn’t fuel properly and was dehydrated. Calves and IT bands on both legs hurt for remainder.
- What I Learned: That I need to fuel properly and stay hydrated throughout the entire marathon.
- F-Bombs: From mile 17 til end, constant. So demoralized!
Marathon # 4: Illinois Marathon April 2010 (3:59:28)
- Training Plan: Pfitz 18/55 (modified to add an extra run; started it 17 weeks out)
- Weather: Uggg. HOT again! Low 60′s at start, mid-70′s and full sun at end.
- Goal: BQ (3:45). On pace through about mile 18, then started feeling the weather and slowing down, so backed off to a comfortable pace (I was planning on doing Grandma’s Marathon in 8 weeks, so wanted to save myself).
- Issues: No real issues, finally! Just wasn’t happening because of the heat.
- What I Learned: Sometimes its smarter to back off the pace and save the legs for a better day.
- F-Bombs: Just a few sprinkled in randomly in the last few miles, from general marathon pain.
Marathon #5: Twin Cities Marathon October 2010 (3:49:41) (BQ for 2012!)
- Training Plan: Pfitz 12/55 (modified to add an extra run)
- Weather: Pretty much ideal. 40 at start, high 50 something at finish.
- Goal: BQ (3:45 for 2011 or 3:50, since i would be 40 in 2012). On pace through about 20, then slowly started falling apart. Miles 21 -23 were way too slow. Realized at 23.5 that I could still qualify for 2012 so found a magic gear and kicked it in for last few miles. So fun!
- Issues: None, just tired and so slowed about mile 21 (plus there is evil hill mile 21 – 23)
- What I Learned: That there really is a magical gear that kicks in when it’s needed.
- F-Bombs: None!
Marathon #6 Little Rock Marathon 2011 (4:08:56)
- Training Plan: Pfitz 12/55 (modified to add an extra run; and with an extra week of training); Did hills each week too.
- Weather: A tiny bit chilly, but pretty ideal. 37 at start, mid 40’s at finish.
- Goal: 10 mintues faster than BQ, so 3:40. On my scheduled pace (which was to run slower for first 16) til about 17, then fell apart.
- Issues: Right inner, upper thigh/groin area felt tweaked on long steady downwhill at 17. Did me in for rest of race. Walked, cried and swore most miles til the end. Grrrr.
- What I Learned: That I HATE downhills. I hate what they do to me and I haven’t figured out how to run them correctly. So frustrating.
- F-Bombs: Nonstop from mile 17 – end.
Marathon #7 Grandma’s Marathon 2011 (4:14:42)
- Training Plan: Advanced Marathon Training Plan from Grandma’s website (loved it!); peak mileage 72 miles a week and LOTS of quality.
- Weather: ideal. 50 at start, 48 at finish. Overcast. 10 mph tailwind.
- Goal: 3:40 (10 minutes faster than BQ)
- Issues: right thigh/groin issue at mile 12 – end of race. Had to stop every mile or mile and a half to stretch. During mile 25 right IT band issue that made running pretty much impossible so I had to shuffle/walk it in. Ugggg.
- What I learned: That even when you fall off your goals, a marathon can be fun (at least until you are REALLY hurt, which then really really sucks)
- F-bombs: only 5 (surprising, given my time!)
- Training Plan: Coached by Coach MB at Lifetime. LOTS of quality, about 45 – 50 mpw)
- Weather: 48 at start, 70 at finish. Sunny. Too warm for second 1/2.
- Goal: 3:35
- Issues: Nothing major, just the weather slowed me down.
- What I Learned: I can have a great race when I mentally train myself in addition to the physical training. I AM a kick-ass runner!
- BQ for 2013 (and one that should FOR SURE get me in this time!)
- F-Bombs: NONE!
Marathon #9 Lansing Marathon 2012 (3:52:18)
- Training Plan: Coached by Coach MB at Lifetime, but mostly on my own, not with group because of life craziness.
- Weather: crazy windy! 33 at start, 46 at finish. But very windy (20 – 25mph).
- Goal: 3:35 (10 minutes faster than BQ)
- Issues: The wind was challenging and then I fell apart mentally. Right thigh felt off on the down hills, but I think that was just me looking for excuse to give up.
- What I learned: That running in wind, when there is no one to block it, sucks.
- F-bombs: about a dozen, from mile 20 through the end.
Marathon #10: Chicago Marathon 2012 (4:01:54)
- Training Plan: Coached by Coach MB at Lifetime, with modifications to increase max mileage to about 63, speedy stuff 2 times a week.
- Weather: Perfect! 38 at start, 45 at finish.
- Goal: 3:25 (20 minutes faster than BQ)
- What I Learned: Achieving a goal time isn’t everything. Sometimes just finishing is enough.
- F-Bombs: 10
Marathon #11: Phoenix Marathon 2013 (3:54:25)
- Training Plan: Coached with different type of training than I’ve done. More miles (65 max), more intensity, different type of intensity and LOTS of slow miles for all the non-quality miles.
- Weather: 50ish at the start, 70 at end. A bit too warm.
- Goal: 3:25 – 3:30.
- What I Learned: Sometimes the training is there, but it’s just not your day so it’s smarter to save yourself for bigger and better things.
- F-Bombs: About half a dozen – mostly at traffic cops and cars.
Marathon #12 Boston Marathon 2013 (4:11:57)
- Training Plan: Loosely followed Pfitz weeks between marathons plan
- Weather: 48 – 52ish throughout. Felt hot in the middle miles. Headwind later.
- Goal: have fun
- What I Learned: Sometimes running instead of racing is the way to go.
- F-Bombs: zero!
Marathon #13: Twin Cities Marathon 2014 (4:05:50)
- Training Plan: loosely followed LifeTime Run Club program; ease back in to running after tibial stress fractures
- Weather: 37 – 48ish though out. Perfect.
- Goal: Run another marathon.
- What I Learned: To be grateful. For running, love, family and friends.
- F-Bombs: zero!
Marathon #14: Blue Ridge Marathon 2016 (4:51:26)
- Training Plan: Pfitz 16 week, with cycling mixed in
- Weather: 41 at start, upper 50’s at finish; Sun; Perfect
- Goal: Enjoy it. After taking time off from marathons due to sfx, I just wanted to enjoy it and be challenged
- What I Learned: I can run hills (mountains)! Walking helps me finish strong.
- F-Bombs: zero!
Marathon #15 – Twin Cities Marathon 2016 (4:22:13)
- Training Plan: Pfitz 16 week up to 55 miles
- Weather: 38 at start, upper 50’s finish; Sun; Perfect
- Goal: negative split and end up around 4:05. FAIL.
- What I Learned: If I’m going to have a specific time goal, I need to run solo or be firm that I’m doing my own pacing; I ran with someone and didn’t stick to plan
- F-bombs: zero!
Marathon #16 – Minocqua Marathon 2018 (3:56:23)
- Training Plan: Pfitz 16 week up to 55 miles; Also did yoga 2 – 3 times a week
- Weather: 47 at start, 61 at finish; Perfect
- Goal: 3:51:00 (4 under BQ, so I could actually get in). Missed it.
- What I Learned: That positive self-talk and mantras actually DO help. I used them a lot and while I didn’t hit my goal, they got me through some tough parts.
- F-Bombs: one, when a bee stung me at mile 14.
Marathon #17 – Grandma’s Marathon 2019 (4:25:07)
- Training Plan: Random running; About 5 times a week 40-50 mpw; Also did yoga 2 – 3 times a week
- Weather: 50 at start, 58 at finish; tailwind; sunny; Gorgeous
- Goal: Enjoy the day and run easy so I can recover to train for Twin Cities
- What I Learned: To be thankful for being healthy and able to run!
- F-Bombs: zero!
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