Where Have I Been?!!?

Hmmm...let's see. I've written about five posts in my mind during runs but they haven't made it from my brain, through my fingers to blogger. A combination of a lot of running, five half days of substitute teaching, and editing half of a book. Not to mention stuff with the kids, etc.

So it is now just a week and a half until the Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon. I'm feeling pretty laid back about the whole thing. I would love to break four hours but I'm not sure I've got the speed this year. Other than that, I don't think I really have a goal, except to finish. I guess I feel like it is the least of my worries right now.

Historically, for me at least, the second time I've run a race, I've actually done worse than the first year. I finished my first marathon, the 2006 Chicago Marathon, in 4:39:49 (yeah, I still remember the seconds, it was the first one). The next year, was the marathon in a heatwave, the now famous 2007 Chicago Marathon where I ran the first 19 miles and walked the last 7.2 because the race was canceled thanks to the extreme heat that day. I finished one hour later than my goal at 5 hours, 29 minutes.

The same thing happened with the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon. The first year I ran it, I finished in 2:06. The second year, I ended up walking it with my husband and sister-in-law and finished in around 3 hours and 30 minutes.

So, this is all in the back of my mind. I'm also fighting some sort of cold that caused me to run just 4 miles Monday instead of the prescribed 8 and I managed to pull a muscle in my lower back yesterday afternoon lifting an ancient computer monitor. Thankfully, I did get a spinning class in before I did it and today is a rest day. I'm trying to take it easy and am fine as long as I don't move to a certain way. I just need to figure out which way that is. We'll see how I'm feeling Thursday. I'm supposed to run 10, my last double digit run. Cross your fingers.

Now, if all this sounds negative, I don't mean it to be. The positive thing is that I've kicked butt in the third year I have run a particular distance. I have that to look forward to :-)

So, I'm here. Taking it easy. Moving slowly and making friends with the ibuprofen.

On an interesting note, tune into the Runner's Round Table this Thursday at 4 pm. I'll be sitting at the table with fellow moms on the run Drusy, Susan, Donna, Lois, and special guest Runner's World columnist Kristin Armstrong. If you can't listen tomorrow, you can always download the podcast at the Runner's Round Table website.

It's off to get ready to sub for a kindergarten class this afternoon. Have a great day!