7 mos to an injury-free marathon

Just quickly but my friend discharged to home today! So excited for him. Still hoping he can run again.

I'm all on track for my donation. Had my big physical with chest x ray and EKG and all looked good. I don't know how much running I'll be doing after Thurs when I start the Filgrastim.

Running has been fine. The roads have been dry. I hope to run 15 mi tomorrow.

Official training for Lincoln starts in January. Registration opens Jan 3 at 3 a.m. not sure if I should set my alarm since I work that day and doubt it will fill up in 3 hrs.

Glad that your friend is going home.  And I'm ESPECIALLY glad for his caregivers that had to be up there with him.

As far as the donation, I wanted to do that, but the opportunity didn't present itself until I was too old to donate.  I'm curious to know how the experience is.  I've donated blood, platelets, or plasma for over 30 years and marrow seemed like the next logical step.  I hope the donation process is transparent to the donor.

ounce wrote:Glad that your friend is going home.  And I'm ESPECIALLY glad for his caregivers that had to be up there with him.

As far as the donation, I wanted to do that, but the opportunity didn't present itself until I was too old to donate.  I'm curious to know how the experience is.  I've donated blood, platelets, or plasma for over 30 years and marrow seemed like the next logical step.  I hope the donation process is transparent to the donor.

Thanks! Yeah, they have given me a lot of information and have been very careful to make sure I'm healthy enough and that they've given thorough informed consent. 

I just ran 13 mi yesterday and 4 today. I start the filgrastim Thurs plus we're supposed to get snow so we'll see how this week and next week go.

Done with the donation. It ended up taking 2 days because they didn't collect quite enough cells the first day but I'm feeling a ton better. I work tomorrow but plan to get back to running Sunday. My headaches and then back and hip pain ended up pretty intense and also I had no energy so I've just had some time off. Maybe it was good for my knee anyway.

Marathon sign up is Jan 3rd. Back from Christmas vacation at my parents and the med center. Good time and didn't get too off track on my food thanks to most of the food having gluten in it! Haha. Still working on my weight goal but pretty optimistic.

Hit a new low weight since very early in my pregnancy. The babies are 17 mos old so it's not like it's not time but I officially have 2 more lbs to lose. I'm really happy, overall, though. I'll have to put some Christmas pics up.

Your kids are very cute -- and they're getting so big!

Also, props to you for the donation, and for your weight loss successes! Congrats!

Great pictures, Julie!  Gratz on the weight, but the tough part is maintaining.

I hope the recipient gets all the benefit and health.

A week ago Mon we got a few inches of snow and it's been bitterly cold since. We've had 1 day that it's gotten above freezing but mostly single digits with -20 windchill. Not good for running outside. So I've been on the treadmill or doing my 30 day shred. Lost another lb....what else...oh registered for Lincoln Marathon. It opened at 3 a.m., I didn't want to set an alarm since I still wake up a few times with the babies so I just registered a little before 4 a.m. It sold out in about 7 hrs, I think. So, first Sun of May I'll be running that. I am loosely following Intermediate training plan of Hal's though once it gets nicer will be adding miles, trying to run 10 every other Wednesday, 6 most week days and then the long run as prescribed. I really dislike the treadmill so I haven't made it over 5 miles which is fine because the plan starts out pretty easy.

Been a bit absent from here, but I wanted to let you know that the pictures from Christmas of your family are beautiful.  Cannot believe how big the boys are already!

Any target time for Lincoln?

ounce wrote:Any target time for Lincoln?

I'm not sure...I don't know if I should or not. I think I'll see how the next month or two go. I'd love to do at least average for me, definitely not set on a PR or anything. One of my goals is to keep losing weight and see if that helps. How is that for vague? It will also depend on how bad our winter is, I think, but I'd like to at least do my best.

Thanks Michele!

Tomorrow I hope to run outside for the first time in almost 2 weeks. It'll be single digits so I plan to dress warmly, but I'm eager to see my friends.

Julie wrote:

ounce wrote:Any target time for Lincoln?

I'm not sure...I don't know if I should or not. I think I'll see how the next month or two go. I'd love to do at least average for me, definitely not set on a PR or anything. One of my goals is to keep losing weight and see if that helps. How is that for vague?

A political life is in your FUTURE!!!!

ounce wrote:

Julie wrote:

ounce wrote:Any target time for Lincoln?

I'm not sure...I don't know if I should or not. I think I'll see how the next month or two go. I'd love to do at least average for me, definitely not set on a PR or anything. One of my goals is to keep losing weight and see if that helps. How is that for vague?

A political life is in your FUTURE!!!!

oh please, no! Ask my 5 yr old to recite the Preamble or Bill of Rights, though. She could sing the presidents since age 3, too. 

I just don't know how to gauge how fast I'll be since I ran the 50K but that was a 50K....and before that, my marathon was pre-pregnancy and I don't know how well I've come back just yet. I'm usually pretty steady and good at finding a good pace for me, though.

It'll all shake out, Julie.  Safe and injury-free training!

Thanks. I haven't been updating because my training has been really boring, and frankly the long runs seem so short after 50K training. I also haven't had the computer on much. But anyway, following the plan. I did have last weekend go badly just with weather and work and illnesses but overall I've been on track.  Hope to run 15 miles tomorrow evening before it snows Sat. Anyone else ready for spring?  And I'm not even on the East Coast, I feel for you all getting dumped by snow time after time. We got 17" 2 weeks ago.

Jocelyn is helping her brothers potty train, which has nothing to do with running but she just ran up to me to tell me that her brothers were both dry and put "quite a bit of urine in the baby potty." Fun times.

Julie wrote:Thanks. I haven't been updating because my training has been really boring, and frankly the long runs seem so short after 50K training. I also haven't had the computer on much. But anyway, following the plan. I did have last weekend go badly just with weather and work and illnesses but overall I've been on track.  Hope to run 15 miles tomorrow evening before it snows Sat. Anyone else ready for spring?  And I'm not even on the East Coast, I feel for you all getting dumped by snow time after time. We got 17" 2 weeks ago.

Jocelyn is helping her brothers potty train, which has nothing to do with running but she just ran up to me to tell me that her brothers were both dry and put "quite a bit of urine in the baby potty." Fun times.

Good times in the house training department!  Your cold front on Saturday arrives in Houston before noon on Sunday.  That's pretty durn fast for a front.

Keep up the plan, young lady.

How cute that Jocelyn is taking on that role - love it!

Things have been ok. Lots of viruses in my family this month. I have had a bad cough over 3 weeks and finally on Wednesday cracked a rib from it which is painful, but I can still run as long as I hold my ribs for coughing. So fun. I took a full 8 days off with sickness but am doing better, had a 16 and 12 miler this past week. Weight is pretty stagnant, need to keep working on it.

I am completely in awe of one of my local running friends who just finished her first 100 miler this morning. I was tracking her and that was exciting. I'm eager to hear her report. It makes me want to run another ultra, but her only child is in high school and I have 3 little kids so just a different time of life.

5 weeks till my marathon. I feel like between the illnesses and sleep deprivation this won't be a good race, but I guess that's ok, too.

Sounds like training and life in general have been pretty tough.  I'm impressed that you still keep at it.  You've got lots of valid excuses.  Didn't you say earlier that your nick name was the Energizer Bunny...quite fitting I guess.

Thanks Nancy! Not trying to be all doom and gloom. All my kids are growing really fast. Noah is talking up a storm and Jocelyn has become a nearly independent reader in a very short time! Josiah is his normal happy self and not quite as verbal as Noah but he's a sweetie and is playing with my marathon medals as I type.

Spring came! Here are some pics.

Wow, they're getting so big! Time really flies, doesn't it?

Don't be too hard on yourself. With so much on your plate and so many curveballs coming at you, it's probably best to take what you can get from running. Just keep at it, and things will work better once the pressure starts to lift.

I think you planned very well when you waited till Jocelyn was old enough to help before having the twins.  I've had my 2 1/2 yr old grandson the last few days...I'd forgotten how tiring they are!

Mark - man, it does fly! I've been really thinking the last few weeks of priorities and how I want to spend these next few years, as far as I can control, just to really invest in my family. 

Nancy- Jocelyn is a big helper, for sure! I can't say it was in my plans, at all, to have them spaced the way they were, but they're all sweet blessings and I love them so much. 

Another week, another virus. Seriously. So tired of having colds, hoping to sleep well tonight (hahah!) for my 20 miler tomorrow. THen taper...then marathon first Sun of May. Then who knows what for fall because the local races are going to be hot, probably, and I don't want to travel with little kids...and I don't want to leave them yet! Other than that, homeschool has been pretty great and the weather is getting nice, made it for a 3 mile walk with the kids today. J walked 1.5 miles then rode in the jogging stroller the way back while I wore Noah.

Ah, but there's taper time coming to the rescue to get you all healed up!

Yep! I ran my 20 miles yesterday, sniffles and all. Began rethinking my fueling strategy since I had awful GI issues with the raisins. I wonder if it's too much fructose. Thinking about salted potatoes and s caps for the marathon. My parents and husband and kids will be along the route so I can have them hold stuff for me and I have my spi belt.

My left knee hurt a little the last mile yesterday as well as my 5 miles today. Taper cures all except anxiety, right?

Thinking of all you Boston bound.