THE MARATHON - St. Jude Country Music Marathon, April 28 2012, Nashville TN

Saturday April 28, 2012.

5:45am... the girls all met in the hotel lobby and headed to the start line of the Country Music Marathon.  Alison and I were READY with our matching tops!!

Alison and I

We got into our starting positions in Coral 17 and slowly walked our way up to the front in waves.  The other girls all held their emotions in check quite well so I couldn't really tell what they were feeling but me - I was ready.  I wasn't nervous or emotional... just ready to run and loving every moment of it. 

I said to Alison - soon we'll be one of them! One of the 1% of the population that has run a full marathon!! Iona quickly said that's about the same percentage as those who have joined the mile-high club... and maybe we shoulda trained for THAT instead.  LOL!! 

Our significant others had already mapped out a route of where they'd be spectating, and I could have sworn I heard them say they were going to be at Mile 4, Mile 11, Mile 17, and the finish, but once the gun went off my mind went numb and I really couldn't remember much of anything.  I spent the first five miles being conscious of not going too far to one side of the road or the other - just in case I spotted Greg.  I was looking for his red Buffalo Bills hat as my marker.  Thank goodness I had that to occupy my mind because MY GOODNESS those hills in the beginning were horrendous!! Keeping my eyes peeled for red and keeping a good form juuuuust in case he spotted me first was a great mental challenge to keep my mind off the burning in the legs. 

At mile 8 I passed two of my friends that had stopped to pee.  They are super fast though so I knew I'd see them again!  A little while later one of them did pass me, letting me know the other was in a bathroom line and I'd be seeing her soon!

At mile 9 I ran up on this girl with a gorgeous running top! it was a halter but the back had a string of ruffles from the neck to the middle of the back, it was pink and frilly - I just had to compliment the girl! Come to find out her name is Moe and she's a transplant from Lansing to Nashville. It was her 2nd time running the Country Music Half Marathon and this time she had a specific mission: count the inclines.  Apparently the first time she ran the intense 13.1 she had trouble describing just how hilly the course was, so this time she counted.

BY MILE 9.3 SHE HAD COUNTED 14 INCLINES.

I couldn't help but think - oh boy what have I gotten myself into...

Now its mile 10 and I'm back to looking for a red hat.  Nothing in sight.  I come to find out later that at mile 11 Greg saw me, and he even ran up a hill to try and catch me! But it was no use... Speedy Brandy was gone :)

Right around mile 11 is where the half-ers peeled off to finish on their own.... it was an interesting feeling because 3 times now I've run races with full and half marathoners on the same course and I was always on the half-er side of life.... peeling off to the finish thinking "wow-those other runners are amazing - they're just halfway!" ..... and now, here I was one of those "wow" runners.  It felt damn good.

Somewhere just past the halfway point the heat really started to get to me.  Pouring water on my head didn't seem to be enough and my long shorts had now been pulled up to daisy dukes.  I have no idea what possessed me to, but of all the people on the sidelines one older guy sitting on his cooler caught my eye.  I ran up towards him asking if he had ice in his cooler, and if I could grab a handful.  He was more than accommodating - if he ever reads this - THANK YOU.  I threw a small handful of ice cubes down my sports bra.  It was the first time in hours that I felt like I was cooling down for more than just a few seconds.  The ice-in-the-sports-bra routine would continue throughout the course.

At right around mile 15 I got a tap on my shoulder... it was Iona!!! (one of the speedy ones that had stopped to pee).  She said she was content running my pace for a while so we headed off to tackle the next set of miles together.  She had asked me if I had seen the guys and I told her I hadn't seen a soul that I knew.  She said they would be just up ahead at mile 17 so I should finally get to see Greg - who was holding cereal bars and gummies for me.

Iona and I running together

Somewhere near mile 16 we were on a street in a part of the course that had runners crossing paths.  Iona and I started to look for Alison and hoping like hell that somehow out of 30,000 runners, in this little spot in which to see runners that are at a different pace than you, that we would spot her.  To my amazement there she was! It was a 4 lane road with a grassy median.  Alison and I ran towards eachother and hugged on the grass.  Fans on the sidelines reacted with "awwww's" and cheering and applause.  Ali and I wished eachother well and kept on our separate ways.

At the 17 mile mark Iona and I found our guys.  And to my shock there was Greg - holding a huge sign with a picture of Ethan and the words "GO MOM GO" - there was more on there but I just couldn't process the whole thing.  He knew how much those kinds of signs got me emotional so when I saw him he hugged me and kissed me and after asking if I needed my cereal bars or gummies he said "Don't Cry and Have Fun!" .... I yelled back at him that if there was any way he could - I needed more ice after the 20 mile mark. 

I found out after the race that my mom and Greg had hatched a plan and mom and Ethan made the sign for Greg to hold at the race.  Man oh man it means the world to me that my family thought THAT much of me to make me a sign and hold it for me!

Shortly after that, Iona and I came up on Aymee and we ran the better part of 5 miles together the three of us.  We saw a running juggler, two guys running in matching white suits, and plenty of zany race signs.  Somewhere between 15-20 miles we also ran through the frat-house area of Vanderbilt University.  Man were those kids a HOOT!! they had awesome music blaring - so awesome that I was doing some crazy dance-running, and they were SO supportive yelling CMONNNN ROOKIE!!!

Somewhere in there is when the heat and hills really got to us as well.  We walked through the water stations and started power-walking any steep inclines.  I watched a woman get weary and almost fall right in front of me, and that was enough to keep me in the mindset of having fun and being SAFE, not overdoing anything and risking injury or worse.  So many great fans and volunteers offered fruit and beer, and there were also plenty of hoses and sprinklers to run through! We stopped at every one of them to take a moment and cool off.

When we got to mile 20 I knew we had one thing left to do.... "run to the park and back".  I remembered from watching the race video that the last leg of the race had us running to a park, then running through it and then coming back to the finish line.  I also remembered this part of the video being the flattest and the most shaded of the entire race.  I was feeling good and having a fantastic time and I was very lucky not be alone.  Iona offered me a Jolly Rancher - and I tell ya as soon as I put it in my mouth it took me right back to my youth... I just kept thinking to myself "imagine running like when you were a kid".

At this point though the run started to take a bit of a toll on my body.  For the first time in my running career my ankles started to ache.  They felt as though I had been on ice skates for way too long.  Although it wasn't unbearable it certainly wasn't comfortable!

At 23 miles Aymee picked up the pace and quickly put distance between her and us.  Congrats to her for finishing strong! Iona and I hung back together, continuing to run-walk as we needed to.

As we came out of the park and headed towards the finish line - at mile 25ish there we were again, for a short time passing those runners just entering the park.  I hoped there was a chance to see Alison again to encourage her and wish her well on her last bit - and BAM  there she was!! We hugged again - she said she was tired but she looked good and was taking care of herself and going the safe pace she needed to.  I was so proud of her and of us because we were THIS CLOSE to accomplishing our goal!!

The spectators at the end knew just what to say.... for the last few miles I kept hearing "only 3 more miles and you won't be a rookie anymore" and "only 2 more miles..." They were SO motivating and I swore at that moment that the only way I'd run another full is with another top that would garner that kind of response!

At mile 26 there was Greg again - I just kept saying to him "baby I'm doing it!!!" He was apologetic for not getting to me sooner or having ice, but I made out just fine! Just knowing he was there for me meant everything to me.  I may have been out there for hours but I TRAINED FOR THIS! He was a trooper that day!

Iona and I finished side by side.

FINISH TIME: 5:07:51

Training for my First Marathon: Week 14

I'M LOVING THIS TAPER SCHEDULE!!

Only 27 miles this past week... I'm spending more time planning the rest of my Nashville vacation than I am out on the pavement - and its been a looooong time since I could say something like that!

I have been focusing I have my packing list done, my race day list done, have been focusing on hydrating, had my tattoo consultation to commemorate my first marathon, and am already planning my post-marathon races.   

Thank goodness we have vacation planning and packing to think of this week, because if I was running a local race and didn't have all those other "to-do"s I think I would go bonkers with nervous excitement.

All there is left to do is run it.... and memorize the elevation chart... which looks like THIS:

One word to describe this chart... EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!

It will take everything in me this Sunday to NOT over-train on the hills.  It is my last hills run and because of the pent up energy (on account of the tapering) all I want to do is pour my guts into the hills to 'prepare'.  But my mind knows better...

Pour my guts all over Nashville - not Windsor Ontario.

I still have never forgotten my dear friend Aymee's comment at the beginning of this training: "just wait till the end of the schedule when you're SO HAPPY your long run is ONLY 13 miles"!!  I thought she was nuts - but she was certainly right! 


This weekend its just a simple 10k followed by 5 miles on the hills.  I am only running one day next week and resting my legs after that.  With the race in 8 days, the last thing I want to do is wear myself out.


For the first time I feel like I'm at a loss for words... I am ready.  I am comfortable.  I am getting my race shirt (and Alison's too) printed with MARATHON ROOKIE this weekend.  All plans are set and all details ironed out.  I won't bother posting a blog next week and will instead provide you with as detailed a blog as I can the following week - chronicling my adventures during my very first full.


Thank you to EVERYONE that has emailed, facebooked, tweeted, and commented on here wishing me well.  Thanks for the feedback and the advice - I have truly taken it all in.  It will be very interesting when this is all said and done to go back and read this blog from week one - see me "scared" to run 15 miles.  Those feelings were - and always will be - valid.  Now they just seem like a lifetime ago.


After this marathon I will likely take a break from blogging for a couple of weeks but not TOO long because I have yet another challenge ahead of me... 

First thing's first though... 

Country Music Marathon

Run Rock N Roll Nasvhille 

7Days 15Hours 32Min 53Sec

Training for my First Marathon: Week 7

Oy!!! I made it to halfway through my training!!!!

This week had a few challenges, first on Tuesday evening the weather was brutal- so I opted for the free admission I had left for a gym. I figured it was the best possible scenario for a treadmill run because I could at least watch my favorite show - The Biggest Loser!

I hopped on the treadmill with the intention of completing 9 miles... By mile 2 I didn't care WHAT was on tv I just wanted to be done. It was nice to see my show don't get me wrong, but oh man was it ever hot in there!! I managed to complete 7 miles before I decided enough was enough.

My Thursday run moved up to Wednesday so that Greg and I could get to the Red Wings game - and it was great that my Thursday running partner agreed to meet me a day early! We had a slow and steady 5 miler which worked just fine for me!

Overall I was happy with my week of training and nutrition and was actually looking FORWARD to the challenge of a 16 miler Saturday.

That Saturday run was BRUTAL. the weather was cold and very windy, but all that was irrelevant when I started mile 8 with a splitting headache. I have never run with a headache before and at mile 12 I keeled over and broke down in tears because I just couldn't take the constant pain and pounding. Thank god my mom was there with me otherwise I would have panicked for sure! The only thing really getting me to the end was knowing my poor best friend was waaaaayyyyy ahead of us not knowing at all what was unfolding with me. She had to have been freezing in that car waiting for us with the key.

Needless to say it was Advil and a LONG nap afterwards just to recover. After all - I still had hills to run Sunday!!

Just goes to show ya.... Training will prepare you for SO MUCH MORE than just the distance of the run.

I read a quote that I loved: "if you want to win something run 100 meters. If you want to experience something run a marathon"... I would like to change that a bit... If you want to experience something- TRAIN FOR A MARATHON!!

Happy and healthy running!

Training for my First Marathon: Week 3

Training week 2: 27 miles run

Week 3 was NOT fun. I somehow logged 25 miles but it sure wasn't pretty!! It started with the chills and a horrible cough and turned out to be 3 days with a fever, and some bouts of vertigo. I did everything I could to get runs in but thankfully I have amazing running friends that strongly suggested I rest and not risk injury or prolonged illness.

For the first time in training I missed a run. I had a horrible feeling about it but also knowing that my weekend run was to be 12 miles I simply HAD to relax.

My long run was on a horribly windy day. It's days like this I'm so thankful to have running partners like my mom to help me push through.

My pace suffered as expected but I'm glad to have gotten out on the pavement and get any mileage in at all.
As the week progressed I noticed many of my running mates suffering from viruses so here's a friendly reminder for us all: get healthy FIRST for the sake of quality training!! And if you're determined to get out there, Steph and I realized Thursday that whether you're on the couch or on the road, you still feel just as sick so ya might as well try to sweat some of it out if you can!

On a weight loss note, I'm feeling the excess few pounds from the holidays finally starting to melt - so for anyone that wants a killer workout 'just in time for bikini season' - TRAIN FOR A MARATHON!!

Happy running :)

A loss is a loss is a loss... Right?!

Well after a less than stellar week of nutrition I managed to rid myself of half a pound in the scale this week. My weight now is 162.5. Last week was one of those weeks, a week that all us busy working parents can relate to; where what can go wrong WILL go wrong, and the world feels as though it's crashing around you. When you can hardly sleep how do you work out right?? And if you're like me and you're an emotional eater how do you curb it??

I put my 'operation black skirt' on hold for part of the week and just focused on getting through life. Once things calmed down I convinced myself to get back on the healthy train. I couldn't do it alone. I really wonder if anyone can! Thank goodness I have a planned run date each and every Saturday and this week, the run turned out to be a half marathon alongside my amazing mom.

It was just what I needed because I know no matter what life brings me I will always run.

My suggestion to you is to find ONE activity you love and stick with it, use it as your outlet. It will make your head better AND your jeans looser! It even acts as a safety net to work off the extra calories and stress that have been built up as well.

I learned this week that it IS ok to put the weightloss goal on the back burner when 'life' happens, so long as I go back to it when life sort of settles down.

This week I'm hoping for the ability to focus on losing the pounds but if life takes over, I know that running may save my weight as well as my sanity.

How was everyone else's week??

OPERATION BLACK SKIRT week one: semi successful

Well I am very happy to report first and foremost that my first blog of the season was well received! I truly appreciate all the feedback, as it helps me provide a better note for you all to read the next time around :)

My first week back at counting calories went ok. I had one 'kind of' high calorie day and one day that I fell of the wagon completely, but all in all I was happy with my first week's transition. The biggest part of my success this week was taking the time Sunday to prepare my lunches and snacks for the week. I simply purchased large freezer bags, labeled them for each day, and portioned out my snacks for each day. That way I only had to worry about making a quick sandwich or salad in the morning and I was all set for the day!

As for my 'fall off the wagon' Saturday it was date night and unfortunately I just couldn't help myself to beer and some greasy food. I did impress myself though and proved to myself that counting calories and fessing up publicly on here means I can't just have a bad calorie day without attempting to counter act it... So what did I do? Brought my slightly hungover behind out to Malden park and completed 5+ miles of hill training. It wasn't pretty but boy was it effective!!

I weighed in this morning and am happy to report that I am down TWO POUNDS from last week!!

The feeling of seeing a loss on the scale is SO MUCH more rewarding than the feeling of the greasy food!!! (someone remind me I said this lol).

So now here I sit at 163lbs and am getting comfortable with my daily calorie limits. And the Malden hills will always be my punishment lol.

This week I will be focusing on finding EASY weeknight healthy recipes and I'll share anything yummy!!!

Be healthy!!

Ps- add any recipe suggestions you have do me to try :)

Operation Black Skirt

Ok. Here we go again. After an amazingly fun summer where I've found the love of my life, and my dream job; my nutrition and fitness took a bit of a back seat.

Don't get me wrong though, I didn't lose complete focus. I ran personal bests in both the 10k and half marathon distances this fall.

Call it a runners high - but now I'm gearing up to run my first full marathon in the spring of 2012.

If you have read my blogs in the past then you know that I digress....

OPERATION BLACK SKIRT

So in the summer of 2010 I bought the lowest size I have purchased as an adult. A black pencil skirt in a size SEVEN!! Shortly after I moved into my new home and that black skirt with the golden size tag went missing. A year later I'm cleaning out my closet (no pun intended) and low and behold there she is. I decided then that this will be my new focus. I will still weigh in each week and still discuss healthier choices and interesting workouts but my focus is that black skirt. I tried it on today and took a picture. It wasn't pretty.

I will keep that photo locked away until I can show you one hell of a before and after photo!!!

TOOLS FOR SUCCESS

I will be using FREE iPhone apps to manage my exercise and nutrition. There are many to choose from but I have decided to go with MyFitnessPal and miCoach apps.

Starting weight: 165lbs

Can't wait to once again have this journey with incredible support from all of you!

Brandy