Training Necessities

Many days, Amanda and I train individually -- on those days, my passenger seat is filled with the bare necessities of a marathon runner in training.... at least two bottles of ICE COLD water, the ipod shuffle (charged), a banana.... (possibly a CLIFF Bar, depending on length of the run... my journal (just in case), credit card and cash (just in case), my kubotan (just in case), and a face towel and beach towel to mop up post-run sweat.....
I have forgotten at least one of these things much of the time.... but I'm getting better about pre-training run prep when I run in the park. (I figured if I wrote it all down here, it would extra solidify in my brain).
Today, I had it all.... a lovely 7 miler round Glenwood Gardens -- stay tuned for photos of the lotus pond in full bloom - stunning!

Meet Sandy Sidekick :-0

Running has its place, and I did my 6 miles (I think, in some hallucinogenic beach scenario)... and went on about my day.... which involved hooking up with my trusty new fund raising sidekick, Sandy, at an especially orange Panera... we plotted, planned & schemed... be ready. ;-) And I love you, Sidekick Sandy.... thank you for the gift of your gifts.... more to come...

Got in 4.5 Miles yesterday at Sharon Woods. Had to fight through the crazy heat and some pretty bad cramps, but having the iPod in and the goal of the marathon in mind I got it done. And then got back in the air conditioning...

Compromising with Hope

There's a comforting rhythm and ritual evolving in this training process. Following a day of rest (which just so happened to be the coolest, least humid, most perfect running-weather day we've had since we began - hmph), I wake to early light knowing today is easy to moderate 4.5 miler. Hope dog follows me into the walk-in closet with her question-mark eyes - "Which drawer will she open? Are those running clothes? Are you taking me with you this time?" - her eyes ask... no, plead. As I reach for my shoes, my voice assures her that today she gets to come along, too. Her tail laughs happily as she eagerly watches me stretch. Stretching is becoming a truly spiritual practice - I swear I hear the angels sing as those muscles and tendons ease - I am thankful for the miracle that is a functioning body.
Short purple leash - the running leash- clicks, front door opens, and out we go into the fresh, sacred morning. Hope is hopeless, I'm afraid, when it comes to a training run - she pulls and stops, sniffs and yanks in spurts and fits and bolts like a frightened bunny along the entire street where the train goes by (whether the train is chug-whistling down the tracks or not). Yes, she's a bit of a freak on the leash, but she just loves it - it is the highlight of her doggy days. So.... on these easy/moderate training days, the ritual has become for her to join me round our block, putting in the 1st 1.5 miles. Then, I drop her off, feed her ice cubes, guzzle water, stretch a bit more and head back out for the remaining mileage, which today was 3 - and, after the random tug-o-war run from which I just returned, this self-directed, smooth, even-paced running is delightful.... well, except for the hills - going up hill hurts.
Which is why I come home, lean into the massive strength and beauty of my giant oak and s-t-r-e-t-c-h some more....

lipstick cramps cooler toes

Today, we found that the folks who travel the Loveland Trail on Sunday morning are friendly ones.... so many "hellos" and "good mornings" and non-obligatory nods. Today, we ran 3 miles, 4 times, traversing the same path four times.... deer crossed the same part of the path each time, making for 8 deer sitings in all.... two yellow chick-a-dees followed us a few miles.... we saw a lady biking with her kitty in a cart, and I got a very-necessary i-Pod tutorial... figuring out how to make a playlist with not a single female voice keep me on track....
Bladder and uterus intact - what more can a marathon-trainee ask for? Lipstick? Yes... I had that, too!

And so it begins...

Monday, July 5 - I'm out for a low-key morning run in Glendale, around the block, coming up Albion Lane: a thought - "Chicago - Manda wants to do a college visit to University of Chicago - hey, maybe we could run the marathon and schedule a college visit this fall!"

I run home and forget all about it, until....

Two days later, Amanda's in her room and I'm thinking "in a year we'll be prepping her for college and.... Oh yeah, what about the Chicago Marathon idea?" And I hurry to explain the concept. Manda's eyes shine, "Yeah, let's DO IT!"

Eager for info, we get online. Registration is closed. Boo.
Unless.... you run for a charity.

Manda's eyes light up again, "Yeah! We'll raise money for cancer - for leukemia! We can do it, Mom! What if we have that concert with your friends?"

And an hour later, we're registered with Fred's Team to raise $2000 each. (Yup, $4000. Yup, my husband is freaked.) What we didn't realize was that we hadn't officially registered for the Chicago Marathon. But since we believe we are, we live life around the online Nike Training Schedule - running, running, running.

The Mama in me starts worrying whether Manda is really ready for this. She's had health issues, after all --- we should probably check with her doctors first.  Doubt and worry, worry and doubt.

And then.... Email from Fred's Team: Thanks for registering with us, but you're not registered for the marathon. Still need to fill out more forms, pay more money.... hmmm.... maybe this is our chance to back out.... definitely want doctors' approval before we submit official reg forms, but that takes time - and the deadline is tomorrow. I call and request an extension. Agreed - two weeks.

We get appointments, stay on training track. Run our long 10 mile endurance run on Loveland trail - longest run of Manda's life; longest run for me in six years. Manda clocks us at 91.5 minutes. Accomplishment.

Two doctor appointments, two thumbs up - just be sure to add stretching and strengthening to that schedule. Just be sure we're running for the right reasons. Run, stretch, run, stretch, sweat sweat sweat.

As of yesterday, we are officially registered! (And psyched!)

Let the fund raising begin! Stay tuned for Making Music, Raising Money Fundraiser for Leukemia details soon....

Manda and Mama have started this blog to document our journey. Hopefully, there will be songs, videos, photos and updates from both of us on all things marathon-related between now and then....