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Why I’m Running The Lausanne Marathon

Before we get to today’s topic, here is a picture of our brunch date this morning. I mean really, how can you not smile when you see this face?

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Okay, so now back to the running talk. Two weeks ago, I was just finishing the ING Hartford Marathon. While it wasn’t exactly the marathon I’d hoped for it was still such a fun day with some wonderful ladies! 2013-10-12 13.22.12 HDRAs I was finishing, my immediate thought was that I never wanted to run another marathon. I think a lot of people have this during a tough marathon. But, during the train ride from Hartford to New York City I realized that the Lausanne Half Marathon, which I already had on my calendar, was only 2 weeks later. I started thinking about whether my body and mind were strong enough for a second marathon. Each year I’ve been tempted to run two marathons because there are so many wonderful East Coast marathons during the Fall. First it was whether I could do Marine Corps and New York City. Another year it was whether I could do Wine Glass and New York City. This year, I finally decided, after talking with Laura and Gia, that I wanted to give two marathons a try. When I made a pro/con list I had a hard time thinking of many cons. (photo source)

Pros:

  • Only 45 minutes away, via train
  • The town and surrounding area is supposed to be gorgeous
  • The entire course is along Lake Geneva
  • Out and back course means perfect opportunity to keep my mind occupied while watching people on their way back
  • Bo and other friends were already signed up for the half marathon or 10k which means friends cheering
  • Fall foliage along the vineyard hills should be gorgeous
  • First European marathon

Cons:

  • The course includes multiple rolling hills which will be challenging as I didn’t train on many hills
  • Only 288 women are signed up for the full marathon along with 1,000 men
  • Half marathon runners start at the turn around point 2 hours and 45 minutes after our start which means there will be faster runners passing me

I did not choose to run the Lausanne Marathon because I wanted redemption. After everything that I’ve gone through over the past few months, while I would love a marathon PR this year, I realize that it may not be in the cards. I am going into the marathon with no expectations or goals other than having a strong race and applying what I learned in Hartford. I want to enjoy myself and take in every single moment, appreciating the opportunities we can have while living abroad. I’m excited to have Bo on the sidelines cheering after his 10K race.

I didn’t share the decision to run the marathon with my family, friends or social media because I wanted to make sure my mind and body were in fact ready for the challenge. In fact, it wasn’t until we arrived at the expo yesterday that I committed 100% to the marathon. 2013-10-25 17.50.40-1I did the runs and rest days Gia prescribed for me over the past 10 days while eating healthy and cutting back on alcohol. I listened to my body and slept 8 hours more than 6 of the past 10 days. I’ve asked Laura for advice on a daily basis and read multiple marathon recaps from friends who have rocked hilly races, including Bobbi, Stephanie and  Meghann.  I gave myself the flexibility to make a last minute decision which also helped reduce the pressure. But, by the time we left the expo last night I couldn’t contain my excitement anymore. I am so excited for Sunday! 2013-10-25 17.48.492013-10-25 17.54.10We’ve enjoyed a low key day in Geneva, brunching with friends and picking up ingredients at the farmer’s market before going on a shake out run along Lake Geneva. 2013-10-26 11.40.08Now it’s time to hang out with my very Swiss 2XU compression socks and relax the rest of this evening with Bo, Ranald and Emily as we prepare for tomorrow! 2013-10-25 20.06.00

Any tips or words of wisdom for tomorrow’s race?

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Are You A Creature of Habit?

Good morning!

Did you all have a good evening? It’s a fabulous Friday as I’m currently on an Amtrak train heading up to Hartford, Connecticut!

IMG_3098Last night after landing I spent the evening relaxing with good friends and food. Theodora was so kind to host me last night so we spent the evening catching up, laughing, giving Bailey belly rubs and spending some time on the foam roller.

IMG_3081We went to a neighborhood favorite, Tappo, for a relaxed dinner. As luck would have it, we ran into Laura and Laura there! The four of us ended up sitting near each other so we spent dinner laughing as I heard stories from the past few months.

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By 9:30pm I had to go to bed as I could barely keep my eyes open. Luckily I slept through the night, only waking up one time, and woke up this morning feeling really good. My legs and back are a bit tight but hopefully it’s nothing I can’t stretch out with some yoga later.

This morning I referenced my post from last year to see what I ate the morning before the marathon. While I am not necessarily a creature of habit in my daily life, I definitely am when it comes to running. Once I find something that works, whether it’s clothing, hydration method, exercise, or food, I stick with it! Therefore, I decided that today I will do my best to have the exact same food I had last year. I had a great marathon last year and felt perfectly fueled the entire time.

I made a few stops in Penn Station in order to put together the same breakfast and snacks that I ate last year as we drove down to Philadelphia!

  • A fresh juice –  Detox (beet, carrots, celery, ginger, and lemon) juice  (Check out this article on the benefits of beets!)
  • Spinach Feta wrap and small latte from Starbucks
  • Banana
  • Water with NUUN

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I am so excited to arrive in Hartford around noon! Amy, who flew in for the weekend from Cincinnati, is picking me up at the train station! We both agreed to have a relaxing afternoon including lunch, picking up our bibs at the expo, a quick Lululemon shopping trip, and relaxing on the couch! We are lucky that her sister-in- law, Danielle, is one of the race organizers! Danielle is allowing us to stay at her home tonight and has been so wonderful coordinating everything! Staying in someone’s home is so much nicer than a sterile hotel!  While Amy is running the half tomorrow, instead of the full, I’m still excited to get to spend the weekend with her and know I’ll have a friendly face to jump in for the last few miles!

Have a great Friday and good luck to everyone running this weekend, especially those people hitting the asphalt in Chicago and Hartford! Luckily the weather looks perfect for both cities!

Your turn: Are you a creature of habit when it comes to running or workouts? Do you stick to the same fuel or same rituals before a race?

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Need Motivation? Try an "Inspiration List"

Hey gang! This week’s Marathons+Moderation guest post is from someone who loves running! She’s run over 200+ races yet is still so humble and willing to help others! I hope you all enjoy this guest post from Erica as much as I did!

One of the first things people learn about me is that I love running. I try not to be a “runnerd” (spewing splits, coaching advice and nutrition tips). I just love to run and am so energized about it that I have had many a friend or co-worker give it a try despite “not being a runner”. I have proudly helped many a friend train for and pace a first race (or first distance). I have many happy memories (and tons of friends) found on the run. I have also run 200+ races in the last 18 or so years. Last winter, I was selected for a "real runner" campaign by Fleet Feet Sports for their inaugural Women’s Half Marathon in June. They dubbed me "the Expert"! (I also got made up, put on cool posters and flyers, got free New Balance gear and shoes and 15 minutes of “fame”)

When Ashley asked for posts for her Marathons + Motivations segment, I was the first to volunteer! I just completed my 35th marathon last Sunday in Dallas at the MetroPCS Dallas Marathon. This was an interesting running year for me. I moved to Chicago in 2006. 2005 and 2006 were my fastest years with personal bests in the half marathon and marathon (and several other distances.) I was "unstoppable". I ran 15 – 20 races each of those years and did well in all of them. In late 2006, I experienced some leg pain and did what most red blooded runners do, I ignored it and kept on running. Well, I ran 4 marathons in 2007 and they got progressively slower and more painful. As did every other distance. My confidence was shot and my streak of injury-free running was over. By the time I went to the doctor and PT in 2008, the recovery was slow and painful. It seemed like one step forward, two steps back. The desire was there, but I could not seem to get my mojo back. I won’t bore you with the long, painful detail, but things kept on that way until 2010 when I had a big health scare (I had a blood clot in my leg that caused small clots in my lungs and major breathing issues.) I finally gave myself enough time off and followed doctor’s orders to the letter! In the beginning of 2010, I started running less and cross training more. Between the rest and cross training, I felt that I was regaining some of my form and speed. 2012 was a great year for me – especially for running. I entered a new age group at the end of 2011 and took it by storm! I wrote several posts on my running including: 15 Minutes of Fame and Other Fun Stuff, Binge Racing – 4 Races in 8 Days, Race Report from Lululemon’s Seawheeze Half!, Run with a Little Help from My Friends, Vanity Versus Joy (a post about race photos!) and Greetings from NYC – (No Marathon Sunday). I know this is supposed to be about marathons, so here goes…I trained extremely well for NYC 2012. I did my three 20 milers, speed work and even paced a friend in the Indianapolis Marathon. I was READY! It was not to be. It seemed like a no-brainer to capitalize on the training and run in the MetroPCS Dallas Marathon on December 9th instead. In the mean time, we took a two week vacation. The date also extended the marathon training period five LONG weeks. With two weeks to go, it seemed like a crazy idea — or maybe just an overzealous one. As I was trying to pump myself back up, remember how well I have trained, and how much I have enjoyed running this year, I was reminded of an article I read in Runner’s World years ago. Kristin Armstrong (one of my favorite bloggers) wrote a post about dedicating each mile to someone she loved. She called it a "prayer list" and said the only thing she did not like about the idea was that she "hadn’t thought of it herself." She said each person inspired her and the miles flew by. My friend, (and "engine") Marie, also mentioned doing a similar thing in the Steamtown Marathon in October.

I asked my readers to help me find this smiling calm mojo! I also saw this was first on the list of Self’s 20 Best Fitness Tips: Best Motivation: Make like Ironman world champion Chrissie Wellington and dedicate each mile you jog (or walk, bike, etc.) to an inspiring person in your life. You’ll never bonk midworkout again. "I’ll think of someone who reminds me that I can do more, like my mom, and I’ll push so much harder during that mile. When I get home, I’ll call or text all the people I thought of—and it turns into a productive workout and a lovefest." —Marissa Stephenson, SELF fitness editor I asked my friends, and readers, to nominate people who inspire them to "borrow" for my marathon. I compiled a list of 26.2 people to think of and honor in my run. These are people who have inspired me, or my friends, this year. I was not sure how well I would do with this exercise once I started running but I decided to give it a go! On race day, my friend L. and I decided to run together and keep each other in check (we both have a tendency to start fast). We chatted up the Clif Bar pacer, Chris. At age 41, he was running his 106th marathon. Makes me look like a slacker at #35!!

 

Chris, the pacer, was running his 106th marathon!!

Our goal was to aim for 8:00 minute/mile for the first half and we started well on that goal. The first mile was a bit of a cluster due to a large half marathon and relay segment. After mile one, we were pretty evenly paced (except for a 7:32 mile 4-oops!) I shared my list and stories with L. as we ran. (I wrote the names on a band and scotch taped it to keep it dry and taped it on- it worked! Not pretty but effective.) I enjoyed this exercise – no pun intended! At a few points, I read all of the names again to stay positive. It really helped me to stay focused and motivated. I finished in 3:36.36 (8:16 pace). I was shooting for 3:30-3:40 so I am pleased with the time. It is my best marathon since Boston in 2007. It caps off a great running comeback year for me. Dallas was fun and had good crowd support and other than the start being a cluster due to having a big half and relay, I would recommend it. (The new course is NOT downhill in the end though – I think the people are confused!) They also had nice finisher tech shirts from New Balance, a fun post party and L and I got hats for being in the top 100 women! I do think that this is a cool way to stay motivated during a marathon. I recommend giving it a try! (For my full recap with 26.2 inspiring stories, you can read my full post HERE) Some photos:

Top 100 finisher "Doublemint" twins at the finish- purely an accident but we worked it!

What do you think about this idea? Have you ever done something similar?

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