Road to Disney 2015 Marathon

This is a record of our journey to the Disney World 2015 Dopey and Goofy Challenge.

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Jayne and Bruce at the Preeclampsia 5k in honor of our friend's sister. Aaron and I were walking somewhere behind them. Love it!

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Chase Corporate Challenge with Julie, Cindy, and Sonja. Great time!

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Chase Corporate Challenge

Yesterday was the CCC in Chicago. I did so well! 3.93 miles in 44 minutes. I've discovered that if I run while listening to comedians I am amused and not as bored. Good stuff. Although I'm sure that Louis C.K. would be shocked to know him talking about gorging on a Cinnabon at an airport got me through the 3rd mile.

(clearly progress. Just looked and in week one I was at 38 minutes for just under 3 miles. so 44 minutes for nearly four is awesome)! I'm not looking to go 11 minute miles, weirdly. I probably need to slow down and pace, but still. Happy times when you can SEE progress.

I wish we had called this blog the accidental runner, because more and more that's how I feel. I've  been running three times a week at the gym and then on the weekends and I definitely am getting stronger and a little faster. My goal, though, is to just get stronger so that I increase my endurance. This week is a 5.5 mile run tomorrow and I'm a little nervous about that. But I will get it DONE. Kathleen Madigan is good for longer runs. She is hilarious :-)

I will update more regularly. In the meantime, keep at it. It's a marathon, not a sprint. One step at a time!

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Week 2, Day 1

It is rainy and 72 and one of those days where I want to curl into a ball and sleep or read or do anything but run. But I got up and did it. I'm doing a hybrid of Jeff Galloway and Hal Higdon because last time I trained I did Hal Higdon and it was too intense, but I feel like I can take less than 32 weeks to prepare. Watching the results of the Boston Marathon today I'm not so sure, but I've registered, my fundraising goal is set, and I'm off.

My running days are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, with a long day on Saturday. I want to run a full 26 before I run the marathon but that probably won't happen. That, increasingly, makes me less nervous than it did, say, last week.

I ran 2 and change on the treadmill in the gym last week each of those days (Jeff Galloway prescribes 30 minute training sessions and then a long run), my "Long" run this weekend was 2.94 miles.

30 minutes gets me about 2.14 - 2.25 miles, My "long" run took me about 37 minutes, with 12:40 splits. I'm pretty excited about that. I don't intend on finishing the full with those times, but if I can finish the half with anything like a 13 minute mile I'll be in seventh heaven - and I will be nowhere near the last corral. Totally a goal of mine.

We'll talk about balloon ladies sometime, but for now, just know that on this very dreary, yucky, book kind of a day, I got up and ran.

Because in October, and definitely January, every mile will count.

See you out there!

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Oh my goodness, I'm running a marathon ...

A few years ago, way back in 2010, after the birth of our son Aaron, my husband started running. And I said I would never run. I hated to run. In high school I was one of the girls walking it - and we took so long we had to re walk it to get credit. But after he ran for a while, I started seeing how good he felt and how lousy I felt. And then I started seeing how I could walk with the baby jogger at these 5ks he was doing.

The people at races early on a Saturday morning are really awesome, and it became truly addicting. But I was sure I would never do more than walk a 5k. A funny thing happens when you start being able to run. Your body feels better. You can decide to get up and just run. It's freeing. And awesome.

So I ran / walked.

My first half marathon it was unexpectedly warm for Chicago. It was 80 and I had been running in 40 degree weather. I had the onset of the flu. My husband was just getting over it. We ran. I got halfway through and couldn't finish. He was the last one done.

The next half was the Disney Half in January 2013. I signed up and again felt sick, but I was determined. 3:30 later I had completed the run / walk. I found out upon our return that I was pregnant with our daughter. In January 2014 she was four months old and I completed the half in about the same amount of time.

Now I want to run. I have three kids. An 11 year old step son, a 3 1/2 year old, and a 7 month old, and I'm ready to take on the challenges I've set for myself. A marathon in October, and a marathon and a half in January 2015. After that who knows? One thing at a time!

This year our daughter will turn one, our sons 12 and 4, and the rest of life will continue. As I write this, Easter morning and video games, baby drool, and little boy questions surround me. I am excited. I am scared. I am 9 miles into my official training.

I am determined.

Happy Easter. And welcome to our journey. He is risen!

Thanks for joining us!

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Races on the way to the Dopey and Goofy ... Dark green is Kat, Blue is Bruce. Purple (Dopey), is Bruce, Dark Green, still Kat!

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