Heart o' the country

Ahhh...the country; fresh air, rolling hills, fields of green, and blistering heat. That pretty much describes my run this weekend in my hometown of Milan, Illinois. Not to be confused with the fashion mecca of Milan, Italy. Although I did see some great fashions, like shirtless men in overalls. I was back visiting my parents and headed out early Sunday morning to try (unsuccessfully) to beat the heat. At least I had some nice scenery as I was boiling, well, what I could see of it. I had a contact lens malfunction that morning and was running with only one lens in. It's a miracle that I didn't roll down a gravel hillside since my depth perception was way off.

I often forget how quiet things are in the morning once you get out of the city. I could almost hear my sweat hitting the pavement. (By the way, I think there is a certain point when you are just so sweaty, that even slathering yourself with Body Glide won't prevent chafing. Curse you sports bra!) And the people you pass along the way are so friendly, always ready with a wave and basically veer off into the oncoming lane of "traffic" (I use that word loosely) to give you running space.

Another thing that I miss out on living in a city apartment is the ability to hose yourself off after a sweltering run. There are no garden hoses at my apartment, but at my parent's house on the farm, there is always a hose hooked up and I was grateful for that as I doused myself with it after my run. Well, after that first shot of hot water from the part of the hose that had been sitting in the sun ran off.

Of course, there are perks to running in the city, like plentiful water fountains, public restrooms in case of emergencies, and shady tree lined sidewalks. There are pros and cons to both city and country running, but a change of scenery is always a pro in my opinion. Especially when it looks like this.

Summer Running...

Had me a blast... Summer running.... happened so fast. For some reason that brings to mind the tune to Summer Nights from Grease. Although, admittedly, I'm not having a blast, and this summer running is certainly not fast. After a 12 mile run on Saturday morning in the Chicago summer heat, I was nothing but slow and miserable. I had forgotten the importance of hydrating before a run on a hot summer morning, since I really haven't run in any super hot temperatures yet this year. But I was brutally reminded immediately after finishing when I felt like a train was barreling through my head. Heck, I'm just now starting to feel normal again 2 days later.

I'm already dreading those 20 milers coming up this summer as I prepare for Chicago's Bank of America Marathon in October. Although, somehow, a 197-mile relay in Oregon has been incorporated as part of my training. How the heck did that happen? And more importantly, how am I going to train in Chicago for a mountainous run from Mt. Hood to the Pacific coast? I did have a nice rolling hill run in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan last weekend, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to do more than one set of rolling hills to have even a slight chance at not keeling over during the Hood to Coast Relay. If any of you have ideas on where I can find some hills in the Chicago-land area, let me know.

So my mantra this summer...hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. And try to drag my arse out of bed earlier than 10 a.m. to beat some of the intense heat. Of course, I could follow the lead of Bob, owner of Bob-San Sushi (which is delicious, by the way) and run at 3 a.m. after strategically hiding bottles of water throughout my pre-mapped course. I'll be looking for his ponytail during the Chicago Marathon and maybe if I look tired and pathetic enough I can get some post-race sake out of him. Sake counts has hydration, doesn't it?

Running Free

On Monday, July 4th, I ran the Red White and Boom! Half Marathon through the streets of Minneapolis. What a day! The atmosphere was festive and a lot of runners were dressed for the occasion, some in red, white and blue outfits and others in costumes - and others yet in red, white and blue costumes!

The weather was pretty hot so I didn't push myself to run too fast. I fell into an easy pace and enjoyed the crowd. I met a friendly older man who was a race walker wearing a red t-shirt that said "Ask me about Race Walking." So I did. He helped me get through 2 hilly miles with his stories about race walking events he'd participated in. His goal is to secure the world record in the 50K (which, by the way, is longer than the marathon) for the 95+ age category, a category that currently has no contenders. Sir, you'll probably never read this, but I wish you luck and hope to read one day that you've reached that goal! Then, at mile 12, I ran into my new friends Beth and Julie Elliott, dressed in matching red and blue tutus. Seeing them made me smile! We finished the last mile together and celebrated our accomplishment.

My next big race is the Hood to Coast with Kristine, Mark, and Betty, as well as 8 other friends. As a relay team, we'll run 197 miles from Mount Hood through Portland to the Pacific coast of Oregon. It is only 7 weeks away! I'm thrilled to be running it in support of American Cancer Society as part of ACS's DetermiNation athlete fund raising program!

As you might know, I'm raising money for ACS in honor of my Aunt Susie, who was a tireless advocate and fundraiser for ACS until she sadly lost her battle with cancer. In addition to continuing the legacy that Aunt Susie started with her support of ACS, here's another reason why I hope you'll consider making a donation to ACS using this link: I passed a store today that caught my attention because it had a big pink neon ribbon in its window. The store, called Underneath It All, specializes in fitting post-mastectomy breast cancer survivors with bras, swimwear, sleepwear and tops. On the homepage of the store's website is this inspiring poem:

"Our wish for you...
Comfort on difficult days,
Smiles when sadness intrudes,
Rainbows to follow the clouds,
Laughter to kiss your lips,
Sunsets to warm your heart,
Gentle hugs when spirits sag."

I hope my efforts will help ACS find a cure, or at least help bring more comfort, smiles, rainbows, laughter, sunsets and gentle hugs to those who need it while we continue the fight for a cure. I would be honored if you would consider making a donation to ACS, whether in memory of Aunt Susie or someone else you know whose life has been touched by cancer.

Oh Happy Day!

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that I am not only a huge fan of the Girls on the Run program that helps set girls on the path to a "lifetime of self respect and healthy living", but also a volunteer and coach with GOTR's Manhattan chapter. Making a donation to GOTR or becoming a GOTR SoleMate athlete fundraiser (like me) is a huge help in ensuring that GOTR has the means to bring its curriculum to girls around the country. But volunteering with GOTR is also a fulfilling way to support GOTR - with the benefit of seeing the girls grow self confidence and excitement for running throughout the season.

After such a great experience with GOTR Manhattan, you can imagine my disappointment when I discovered that there was no GOTR chapter in the Twin Cities. So I am THRILLED to report that GOTR is launching a Twin Cities chapter starting with the upcoming fall season! Welcome to the Twin Cities, GOTR!

On August 4, from 6:00 - 9:00 pm, there will be a GOTR Twin Cities Kick-Off Event at Summit Brewing Company. Summit beer, root beer and local foods will be served while attendees mingle and share experiences, ask questions and get to know fellow GOTR supporters. I can't wait! And if you're a TC reader who is interested in volunteering with GOTR, I hope you will join me there on August 4!

Minnesota Nice

If you’ve been following this blog, you know that I am running around the country raising funds for the American Cancer Society in memory and in honor of my amazing, inspirational Aunt Susie, a tireless advocate for ACS. Despite battling cancer and working more hours per week than most in order to cover treatment expenses, Susie was always smiling and always willing to support others who were affected by cancer. As of this morning, I am only $41 away from having raised $1,000 for ACS since the start of the year. Thank you so much to all who have supported ACS so far! If you haven’t yet made a donation, and would like to do so, I would be so grateful for your help in ensuring that Susie’s efforts on behalf of ACS continue on.

As always, I’m also supporting Girls on the Run. I think GOTR is a much-needed organization that helps young girls develop into strong women. As a shy kid growing up, I am thankful that I had a family that encouraged my creativity and curiosity. With that support, I discovered a love of running, which gave me the confidence to be more outgoing. I know those of you who know me personally are saying, “You, shy?” For me, running was a catalyst, so I think GOTR’s 12-week bi-annual curriculum that aims to teach young girls inner strength and confidence through running is an invaluable program.

As summer gets underway – and boy is it underway, with the past two days rising above 100 degrees in the Twin Cities – I am getting really excited about my first summer in Minnesota and my upcoming Red, White and Boom! Half Marathon. I’ve gotten to know some amazing new friends, coworkers and neighbors. And the Twin Cities feel so much more alive and happening now that people have emerged from winter hibernation. In recognition of my new hometown and my Minnesota RUS run, I’d like to tell you about two local organizations that I’ve discovered.

As I’m finishing furnishing my new apartment, I realized that I have some furniture that I don’t need or want to keep. So I’m donating it to Serenity Village, run by my coworker Monica and her husband Jeff. Not satisfied with anything short of total success, Serenity Village runs a group of “Wholeway Houses,” where men overcoming addiction can receive housing and assistance in kicking the habit for good, and in return, they provide outreach and ministry services in their local communities. If you are in the Twin Cities area and have unwanted furniture in good condition, consider donating it to Serenity Village! You can contact them here.

If you’re a northern Minnesotan, Clearwaters Life Center, has a similar program for aiding young adults and adults who are struggling with addiction and other difficulties. Clearwaters Life Center is run by my cousins Larry and Becky Dorman. They’ve dedicated their lives to helping others, and I’m sure they’d be grateful for any donations offered by readers of this blog. They also would appreciate volunteers for their various programs – whatever your talent, they will put it to good use!

Finally, if you’d like to join me in the Red, White and Boom! Half Marathon, I’d LOVE your company! :)

Updated Map!

If you're wondering where you can find Kristine, Mark and me on the roads in the coming months, our RUS Map linked on the right column of this blog has been updated so you can track our progress as we zig zag around the country from state to state.

Some of the upcoming races include:

Minnesota's Red, White and Boom! Half Marathon, which Miri will run on July 4th.

Oregon's Hood to Coast Relay, a 197-mile, 12-person-team relay from Mount Hood through Portland to the Pacific Coast. Mark, Kristine and I are running the Hood to Coast on August 26-27 in support of the American Cancer Society as part of ACS's DetermiNation athlete fundraising program. You can support us using the link in the top right of this blog!

Illinois's Chicago Marathon, which Miri, Kristine and Mark will run on October 9.

Georgia's Savannah Rock-n-Roll Marathon on November 5th, 2012. Clearly Kristine is a fan of the Rock-n-Roll marathon series - this will be her 4th Rock-n-Roll run!

Tennessee's Nashville Country Music Marathon (Kristine) and Half Marathon (Miri) on April 28, 2012.

North Dakota's Fargo Marathon (Kristine) and Half Marathon (Miri) on May 18-19, 2012.

We hope to see you all on the road in one - or all - of these upcoming races!

Running Angry

I've apparently become what some might call the fifth Beatle of RUS. The forgotten one. I mean, Kristine and Miri are world famous now after appearing in Fitness magazine. I'm not jealous or anything. It was a great article and certainly brought needed attention to our group and the charities we support. But I didn't get mentioned at all in the article. I know, I know, it's a women's fitness magazine and I'm not, well, a woman. Still, they could have said something like "we'd be lost without Mark's inspiration!" It wouldn't be true, of couse, but c'mon girls, humor me next time! ;-)

Anyways, I spent the past month or so recovering from the Cincy marathon. Damn hills did a number on my calves and one of my knees. Recovering meant lots of beer and whatever unhealthy foods I was in the mood to eat. Afterall, one of the benefits of running is that I can eat and drink pretty much whatever I want. (I should also give a big thank you to my parents for the good genetics because my cholesterol is still off the charts good.) But I can't be couch potato forever, so last week I started training again for some races I'm doing later this year.

Aug 14 - An Ironman 70.3 triathlon in Benton Harbor, MI. 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run. Then two weeks later....

Aug 27-28 - The Hood to Coast Relay in Oregon. The mother of all relay races. 197 miles. Then six weeks later....

Oct 9 - The Chicago Marathon.

The kicker and the thing that surely will make training this summer totally stink is I'm going to try to run fast enough at the Chicago Marathon to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I've always thought the organizers of the Boston Marathon purposely set the qualifying times to be just out of my reach. Ten or so years ago I ran some marathon times that were within a couple of minutes of qualifying for Boston, but alas, I was never quite fast enough at the end of the races. (I did run Boston in 2001 using a friend's name and qualifying time, with his blessing, but it wasn't the same. It was also likely illegal, but let's not focus on that technicality.) As I've gotten older, my Boston qualifying time has gotten higher, but inexplicably, I've gotten slower. I don't know how or when it happened, but I'm just slower. To qualify for Boston these days, I've got to run a 3:30 which is an 8 minute per mile pace. I used to be able to run 8 minute miles all day. That was a slow jog back then. I can still run 8 minute miles well enough, but 26 of them in a row....That's the hard part.

Running faster means doing speed training, and speed training, well, it hurts! My heart and lungs feel like they are on fire and my legs get wobbly. And that's after running just a few 1/4 or 1/2 mile sprints and there's still seven or eight sprints to go. My so-called "speed coach" (who's just my buddy Dave in NYC) says that to maintain my pace at the end of the marathon when I'm tired means I've got to get stronger too. So this year I'll be doing sets of squats, lunges and burpees in between sprints. Doesn't sound fun. Dave says it will train me to run angry. I'm not sure what that means exactly. I suspect I'm mostly going to be angry when I'm training because I won't be relaxing on the couch with a beer in one hand and the remote in the other.

Peace out!

Hospitals for Humanity...and for running

HFH has been bit by the running bug! Some volunteers and staff have chosen to participate in the Chicago Marathon this October along with other RUS runners, Miri, Mark, myself, and I suspect a few of you blog followers. Unfortunately, they missed the registration cutoff, so in order to participate, they've paired up with OE Runners, an official charity of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. I am honored and humbled that the Race Within US has inspired these volunteers and staff members to take on the challenge of a marathon, and personally intend to support them in their training as much as I can, and I hope that some of you fellow runners will share your training tips and encouragement with these runners as they tackle their first marathon. A great way to do this is to join our google group to start discussions on your favorite races and training tips. I encourage the HFH team and any other blog fans to join by emailing theracewithinus@gmail.com to be added to the group. Joining the group will also get you automatic emails of our blog postings, and seriously, who would want to miss out on that? You can also join our facebook group and share your tips and words of encouragement that way (just enter The Race within US in your facebook search bar and we should pop up).

In addition to needing your support and encouragement during training, these first time marathoners will also need your fundraising support. As part of the OE Runners team, they are required to raise a certain amount to participate, and, of course, the main reason they're doing this is to raise money for the HFH cause. You can help the out by doing the following: 1) Go to the HFH website, http://www.hospitalsforhumanity.org/; 2) Click on the Donate button; 3) Enter your super duper top secret confidential payment information (it's a secure site); 4) Enter the name of your fav HFH runner or just "Chicago Marathon" in the memo section before you submit your payment; and then 5) Submit your donation. Weeee! Doesn't that all sound like fun?

So my first tip to the HFH team, should you happen to be reading this, is to find a good training program. I've used Hal Higdon's in the past, but some people swear by Jeff Galloway. (Sorry if I screwed up the spelling on those). The Galloway method is less daunting to some because it lets you walk a bit. Sometimes it's less scary if you aren't thinking you've gotta run the whole darn thing. Oh, and if you think those hydration belts are as uncomfortable and dorky as I do, let me know. For those of you training in Chicago, I've got some routes mapped out that allow you to hit drinking fountians throughout the city. And I know of a good washroom pit stop here and there as well (those will come in handy on those longer runs).

Good luck and welcome to the unique group of people crazy enough to run 26.2 miles on purpose even when no one is chasing you!

For the animal lovers....

This one is for you fitness and animal enthusiasts.... During this downtime of my training, I figured I would take the opportunity to remind you all of another charity I'm running for, Don't Bully My Breed. This one is near and dear to my heart, as my sister has adopted two of the most loveable dogs from DBMB, Bruce and Lexus. They have definitely become part of the family and they both seem to love the newest member of the family, my niece, Gabriele, as you can clearly see in these pictures.

The founder of DBMB, Catherine, is certainly an inspiration to me and I can only assume to so many others by dedicating so much of her time to helping those breeds of dogs who have gotten a bad rap, mainly because of the irresponsible people who have chosen to own these breeds for often illegal purposes. My sister's dog, Lexus, is proof that even dogs who have been abused and neglected (we were told she was used as a fighting dog) can be rehabilitated to be loving family members. Lexus went from being very afraid and nervous of other dogs, then finally being able to be around my little pooch, 8lb Dean, to eventually living happily with her "brother", the gentle giant, Bruce. So thank you Catherine for rescuing two of my favorite dogs and placing them in a happy home!

DBMB doesn't just help the dogs of the world, but they also have helped many horses and cats that have been neglected. But caring for these animals is often very expensive, as there is always vet care that is unanticipated and costly.

And now is a great time to donate, because DBMB has a generous donor who is willing to match all amounts donated up to $1,000. Please visit this link to read about the good things they are currently doing and to make your donation today. Remember, even that $20 you donate, becomes $40 if you donate now!

http://dontbullymybreed.chipin.com/you-can-make-double-the-difference-for-homeless-animals

Red, White and BOOM!

The June issue of Fitness Magazine is out on newsstands! Kristine and I are so grateful to Fitness for giving a shout out to our blog and our efforts to raise money for our favorite charities through running.

If you haven't seen the article, go buy the issue! And if you are a Fitness reader, welcome to our blog!

Now it's time to get a new race on the calendar. And what better state to complete than my new adopted state, Minnesota! I'm going to join in with a couple of new friends, Melissa and Beth, to run the Red, White & Boom! Half Marathon. Appropriately named, the Red, White & Boom! will take place on July 4th.

The course winds first through the part of Minneapolis that sits on the east side of the Mississippi River, areas known as St Anthony Main and the East Bank. When I moved here, I was under the impression that Minneapolis was located only on the west side of the Mississippi River and that the east side of the river was the start of St Paul. I'm glad to learn I was wrong - with historical buildings, cobble stone streets and a lovely park alongside the Mississippi River, St Anthony Main is one of the most charming spots in Minneapolis that I've discovered so far! After running most of the 13.1 miles to the east of the river, the race course then crosses to the west side of the river to finish up in the Warehouse District of downtown Minneapolis, near the Stone Arch Bridge.

Midwesterners, why don't you join in the fun? If you aren't quite ready for 13.1 miles, the Red, White & Boom! allows runners to run in teams of 2, 5, or 10, so grab some friends and share the fun together!

As always, I'm running to support two charities that are near and dear to my heart. The first is the American Cancer Society. I am supporting ACS in honor of and in memory of my Aunt Susie, who lost her battle with breast cancer last year. For nine years, despite the ups and downs in her health because of her disease, her spirits always remained upbeat. She was always smiling and always willing to be a shoulder and an ear for anyone she met who was also battling cancer. She wasn't just my Aunt Susie; she was everyone's Aunt Susie. And I can think of no better way to honor her than to continue what she started in raising funds for American Cancer Society so that we can eventually live in a world where cancer is 100% beatable. I hope you'll consider making a donation, using the link above, in her honor!

Aunt Susie and I, above right, at the 2010 ACS Relay For Life at Citi Field. Aunt Susie was the featured speaker at the Closing Ceremony!

My second charity is Girls on the Run. As a GOTR coach for two years in Harlem, New York City, I saw firsthand the significant impact the GOTR curriculum had on the girls who participated in the program. GOTR is a 12-week program that teaches girls ages 8 - 13 healthy habits, teamwork and goal-setting and -achieving techniques while training for a 5K fun run. The program helps girls overcome the challenges and peer pressures that they face by focusing them on healthy activities that develop their self-confidence. This is important for all girls, but especially for girls in major cities, like NYC, where the peer pressures they face include the pressure to engage in sex or drug use. GOTR gives them the confidence to "just say no" and a safe place to ask questions or turn for support. You can read about some of my favorite GOTR experiences here, here, here and here. If you'd like to support GOTR with a donation, you can do so with the link above!

A collage, left, of photos from the Spring 2010 GOTR 5K Fun Run!

I hope to see you all out on the road sometime!

Exciting updates!

Since moving from NY to Minneapolis, I've had a rocky relationship with running. First, I missed a lot of training runs during the weeks that I was packing up my apartment in NY. Then I missed a lot of training runs while I was unpacking in Minneapolis. Sub-zero temperatures in the Twin Cities kept me off the roads during the harshest of winter months. Finally, the weather has thawed, and, being more settled into my new surroundingns, I have gotten back to a (sort of) regular running schedule. During the last few weeks, the inconsistency of my training has frustrated me nearly to the point of feeling unsure of my RUS goals.

Thankfully, Kristine's run last week at the Cincinnati Flying Pigs Marathon helped me get my enthusiasm and confidence back. For one thing, I'm always in awe of Kristine's seemingly limitless energy and ability to run marathons so frequently. How does she do it!? For me, the marathon is, at best, an annual goal that I work hard to be ready for in the Fall, knowing that I'll earn the right to be a little bit lazier during the cold winter. Her dedication to the marathon distance is inspiring!

In addition to Kristine, another Cincinnati Flying Pigs Marathon runner has jumpstarted my excitment about our upcoming RUS events - Women's 1st Place Winner Amy McDonaugh. Amy is a legally-blind mother of three. As a stay-at-home mom, she felt she needed to "get out of the house" and do something. So she took up running. And WON the 4th marathon she had ever run. If that doesn't make you feel like you can achieve any goal you set for yourself, I don't know what does.

So what's the exciting news? Kristine and I will be seen in Fitness Magazine's June issue! As part of a feature about sharing fitness goals with a friend, significant other or relative, Kristine and I spoke to the magazine about our goal of running in all 50 states for our favorite charities. Back in March, we got together in Chicago for a photo shoot to accompany the article (the three photos here are from the photo shoot). Though it was a frigid March day, we dressed for June. We shivered as we ran through the local parks smiling for the camera. Thankfully, our photog Todd kept us laughing throughout the day. You can see more of his work on his website. Thanks Todd!

We hope that you will all pick up a copy of the Fitness issue, out on newsstands next week, and read more about how Kristine and I work together to reach our running goals! And if you'd like to support our charities in our honor, we would truly be grateful. Our charities are visible on the top right side of this blog.

I'd totally run Cincinnati again....when pigs fly!

(I had to edit this post, once the back of the medal was brought to my attention...love it!)

Oh my! This was one hog of a course. Who new Cincinnati and parts of Northern Kentucky were so hilly? Certainly not me. I expected one big climb for a mile or so, but I was not prepared for the rolling hills. Uphill, downhill, uphill, downhill...over and over and over. I longed for a stretch that would be flat like a slice of bacon. Hell, I longed for a slice of bacon.

Speaking of pork, I had my pre-race meal at a gastropub in the downtown area, Nicholson's. I ordered a 9-hour braised pork shank that just fell off the bone. Need I say more? They had a really great looking menu and was sad that I didn't get a chance to try the fried pickles. They also have a serious selection of scotch and beers if that stuff fits your fancy. I did try this delicious Breckenridge Vanilla Porter. Apparently they make this thing called an Oreo Cookie that is a mix of the vanilla porter and Young's Double Chocolate Stout. Sadly, two pints of beer might have been too much before a race, so I didn't get to try it. But if an Oreo Cookie and some scotch isn't enough of a reason to get you in there next time you're in Cinci, the waiters also wear kilts.

I arrived Saturday in Cincinnati and the weather was perfect. Sunny, warm. The downtown area was busier than I had anticipated, probably because of the race and I think there was a Reds game that evening. At night, in Fountain Square outside my hotel, there were big screens on the side of business that were broadcasting the game. Lots of fans there in Cincinnati just hanging around the glowing fountain watching the game.

Sunday, the weather was a different story. The race started in darkness at 6:30 a.m. in front of the Paul Brown Stadium. It was raining, although the temperature was warm. Warm rain isn't so bad...until your shoes get soaked and you can feel your feet getting pruny and blistery. The rain did let up, but not before my feet were wet!

Aside from the rolling hills, the course was pretty nice. It was well organized with plenty of aid stations. Early in the course, we ran into Kentucky, through Newport and Covington. When I saw the sign that said "Welcome to Kentucky" my first thought was, hmmm....can I count this as Kentucky and Ohio? But considering only a few miles were spent there, I figured it wouldn't be fair to count Kentucky. We headed back into Cincinnati and through some of the surrounding 'burbs, like Fairfax and Mariemont. The big climb I anticipted was mostly through Eden Park. It was a pretty scenic part of the race, and I was disappointed that I didn't have time to stop and enjoy the Butterflies of Brazil exhibit at the conservatory. I was also disappointed we didn't run past the zoo so I could steal my new little penguin pet, already named Pip by my roommate. We ran through all parts of the city, from nice areas to not-so-nice areas. But there were spectators , aka "Squealers," along almost every part of the course, even despite the rain. Unfortunately, the last stretch of the race was on a not-so-scenic part of the course. And by this time, I was in a whole heck of a lot of pain. Those downhills sure do a number on the ol' knees! I don't really remember being in that much pain since my first marathon. I was squealing like a pig those last couple of miles. But somehow, once I saw that Finish Swine (yes, that is what they call the finish line), and was running through the lane with all the Squealers cheering, I was able to pick up some speed and fly like a pig that last mile to finish with a respectable 4:11:05. Not my best, but certainly not my worst. And considering it was so porking difficult, I'm more than happy with my finish. Plus, I love my awesome piggy medal. Check out the back of this medal!

So if you fellow runners are looking for a challenging marathon, the Flying Pig Marathon is for you. Oddly, this one was listed by Runner's World as one of the 10 best marathons for first-timers. www.active.com/running/Articles/10-Best-Marathons-for-First-Timers.htm. To be quite frank, if this were my first marathon, I don't know if I would run another ever again! Yesterday, I was almost ready to say eight is enough!

My co-runner (who barely beat me) and I celebrated with a post race beer at the Hofbrauhaus in Newport, Kentucky. This is apparently an offical Munich Hofbrauhaus sanctioned establishment, not to be confused with those other imposter Hofbrauhauses around the world. Pretzels with bier cheese, brauts, kraut and mashed pototaes did a good job of replenshing all those nutrients lost during the race. Again, fried pickles on the menu that I did not get to try. Note to self, dine with people in the future that like fried pickles.

I am also running in the Cincinnati "Flying Pig" Marathon this weekend. Unfortunately, the charity I wanted to raise money for through RUS went kaplooey. Yep. Jamal Place. I've worked with Jamal Place on and off for years. For 18 years JP was a foster home for troubled boys on the near westside of Chicago. By every measure, JP was a success. But those successes were never enough to keep it properly funded so JP always struggled to make ends meet. Nevertheless, the incomparable Ann Deuel, JP's founder, always found a way to keep the doors open and a roof over the boys' heads. Every dollar donated was warmly appreciated and put to good use. But the state's budget crisis resulted in even deeper cuts to JP's funding and it was forced to close last month. It's an incredibly sad and frustrating situation for all.

I don't want to run in Cincy charity-less so I'm encouraging everyone I know to donate to Hospitals for Humanity, which Kristine discusses in her post below. I've had some contact with their staff recently and they are a dedicated and motivated group helping literally thousands of people around the world receive life-saving health care. I know times are tough and money is tight, but if you can hold off a month on getting that new iPhone, Northface jacket or botox, how about a donation to HFH so they can help those really in need? Any amount you can donate would be awesome!

Finally, I'm not looking to set a new PR this weekend. My running the last couple of months has been bad and slow. I tried to train through a cold which made it worse and last weeks longer. I haven't put in nearly the amount of time and miles necessary to run well this weekend. My goal is to finish and have fun.

Flying Pigs and Traveling Hospitals

I'm getting ready to take on Marathon #8 in Ohio this weekend, the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon. I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing some runners dressed up as pigs, although I won't be joining them in these festivities. A curly tail has never been a good look for me.

I realize that while I've been building momentum in my motiviation to run more races (I've got 3 more scheduled this fall), one of the more important reasons for doing all these races, to raise money and awareness for some great charities, has been losing steam. So I want to take this opportunity to let you all know the great things that one of these charities, Hospitals for Humanity has been up to.

I spoke recently with the CEO and founder, Segun Ajayi, about what HFH has been up too. They finished off 2010 with monthly trips to Haiti and have shifted their focus to Nigeria for 2011. They have already completed a medical mission in Nigeria just last month in March, and plan to return with missions in August and December. Also on the calendar are missions to the Phillipines in June and Jamaica in September. Part of their missions, in addition to treating those in need, is to assist with education and training of the health care providers in those areas as well as educating the people on preventative care. And these missions seem to be working. With the help of local officials, one of the cities in Nigeria they had previously visited saw a drop in patients from 20,000 to 3,000! This means that more people are getting care from their local providers and are not relying on these medical missions as their source of health care. To me, those numbers are amazing.

One of their latest initiatives is to raise funds for the purchase of mobile healthcare vans. These would, in essence, be mobile clinics that would travel to various parts of Africa providing specialized care, such as OB/gyn, pediatrics, opthalmalogy and some vans would even have surgical suites to do minor surgeries on site. The plan is to purchase three of these vans to start, and they range in cost from $80,000 to $100,000. As you can see with these hefty price tags, this won't happen without help from people like us.

In additon to these great missions and intiatives, they have created a specialized department, the Special Medical Services Department, to focus on individual cases that cannot be addressed by these medical missions. For example, they are currently working with the mother of a small girl in Africa who is in need of a hearing aid. HFH is partnering with a hearing aid company to provide the girl, and others, with these much needed devices and also have plans to send personnel over to fit and adjust the hearing aids. They are also working with Atlanta Medical Center to get a man in east Africa much needed open heart surgery and have found a surgeon who is willing to do the surgery for a fraction of the cost. But they can't accomplish these things without your donations!

Please visit my updated link on the HFH website to make a donation and/or to post some encouraging words for me and the rest of the Race Within US team! www.hospitalsforhumanity.org/index.php/the-race-within-us/

Thanks again for all your support! Look for my all-about-pigs blog post next week!

Minnesota, Here I Am!

Last week, I had a great run with my friend Betty at the 4 mile Run for the Parks in Central Park, NY. Betty even earned herself a new, faster bib with the New York Road Runners. Way to go, Betty!

This week, I signed up for my very first Minnesota road race, the Y Run 5K at Lake Calhoun (pictured left). Lake Calhoun is about a mile from my apartment and I have been running there frequently since moving to Minneapolis. I was excited for the chance to race around the lake with fellow road runners!

The event included a 5K and a 10K, but I made my Minnesotan road race debut in the 5K. Though the weather was near freezing and windy, I had a great run, finishing in 25:51 - 50th place out of 350 and 3rd in my age group (though no age group awards were given). It was a motivating start to my mid-western running schedule! Next up, I'm running a 10K this coming weekend in Rochester, Minnesota and I'll be looking for a local half marathon to run after that. Anyone want to join me?

Comfort Route

This weekend I'm heading back to New York from Minnesota. The last time I was in NY, six weeks ago, I had a fantastic run through Queens with my friend and run buddy, Betty.

Since then, the snow in Minneapolis melted and I've found my groove for local running. In the past few weeks, I have run the trails around several of Minnesota's 10,000 Lakes... maybe one day I'll conquer all of them! I discovered some local run clubs to train with. And I have spent an afternoon running aimlessly, exploring, getting lost, and ultimately finding my way home.

But this weekend I'm excited to be back in NY running the 4 mile Run for the Parks in Central Park. I have missed running in Central Park with the New York Road Runners! It always inspired me that on any given weekend that the NYRR hosts a run, I'd be at the start line with 5,000 other early-rising runners. I've run so many races in Central Park, I know the hills and flats and turns and transverses by memory. For those of you who are less familiar with running in Central Park, NYC, this map is available for download on the park's website. If you care to get out at 8am Sunday morning for a nice 4 mile loop of the park, give me a shout out while we're on the course!

Hello Midwest!

I moved to the Midwest. Yes, it's true! In January, I packed up my NYC apartment, traded my Subway Metrocard for a Subaru Forester, and moved 1,200 miles to the suburbs of Minneapolis. I started a new job, moved into a new apartment, and started learning my way around a new city.

And you know what has been the most daunting for me through all of this newness? Not knowing where to run! I mean, I've learned about certain popular run routes, mostly paths around local lakes, but I haven't been able to get comfortable with running solo through suburban streets or on trails meandering around a lake. I'm used to running on urban sidewalks or in parks that are always populated with other runners and where aid services, if needed, are within steps. That's not necessarily the case in my new neighborhood... not if I want to get out for the distance that I usually cover on my evening and weekend runs.

I'm signed up for the Office Max Hood to Coast, a 197-mile relay in Portland, Oregon in August, along with RUSers Kristine and Mark, as well as the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in October. I could use all the support and motivation I can get while I train in my new city for these races, and others that I'll add into the calendar in the coming months. If you are a regular reader of this blog, you probably already know about my involvement with Girls on the Run. I've also added a new charity to our charity section on the upper right box of this blog - the American Cancer Society. The ACS is a charity partner of the Hood to Coast and I'm raising money for it in honor of my Aunt Susie, who was a tireless advocate and fundraiser for ACS until she sadly lost her battle with cancer. Though partnering with the Hood to Coast ACS DetermiNation fundraising program is just the start to many years to come in supporting ACS, I hope my efforts help even a fraction as much as Aunt Susie's did. So if you haven't yet, and would like to, please give your support to one or both of my favorite nonprofit organizations as a charitable way to cheer me on!

And, if you know any runners in the Minneapolis area, please let me know!

Nice and easy in the Big Easy

Well, that is what I intended to do after running hard in Arizona, but looks like I ended up running my second fastest race yet. Maybe it was keeping pace with this random guy for at least 5 or 6 miles, maybe more. We ran together for this entire time, without either of us saying a word to each other. If one if us got behind at an aide station we just caught up with the other. We seemed to have an unspoken mutual understanding to run together. We didn't speak until he decided to slow down and said "Excuse me, thanks for the pace." I said the same and continued on my way. I saw him later, as we were running in the opposite direction of the other runners, and he was walking. Poor guy....I guess I wore him out. I did lose steam at the end as the last 4 miles were directly into the wind. Nothing like a little wind resistance when your legs feel like jello. But somehow I finished with a time of 4:10:30.

The course was pretty scenic and also flat, although many of the streets were fairly uneven which made the run a little painful on the ankles. We ran through the Garden District, which has amazing, huge homes. The course also went through the Warehouse District and a tiny bit of the French Quarter. It took me through Audubon Park, where I felt like I was running through a tunnel of Spanish moss at times. I tried to take a photo, but I apparently didn't slow down enough because it ended up being a blur. The course ended by running along Lake Pontchartrain and finishing in the enormous City Park. I will say the crowd support was lacking a bit compared to some other races I've done, but over all, a fun race. If you're ever in NOLA during February, sign up for this one. Plus the medal is glittery and hangs on Mardi Gras beads.

Now for the travel part. I didn't do too much site seeing as I had been to NOLA 2 years prior. I arrived the day before the race and basically just wandered around the Central Business District and the French Quarter. I had lunch at Pierre Maspero's at the recommendation of my friend Mary. I ordered the Cochon de Lait Po'boy, which was pork tenderloin stuffed with garlic and jalapeno. It was freaking delicious. I did some more wandering around after lunch and walked past this place with a pretty cool garden which was surrounded by a brick wall. But I noticed there was an entrance open on the side via some driveway, and wandered in. I think it may have been someone's private garden, but I went in anyway. No one chased me out, so that was good. By the way, if anyone knows what all the broken shards of glass on the top of brick fences is all about, please clue me in.

I had dinner pre-race night at a place called Bouche. It had a nice vibe and a wine cellar area which looked cool, but I just sat at the bar. The food was decent, but the gnocchi I ordered was a little mushy. I was later joined at the bar by a sugar-daddy-type guy named Earl, and his friend who I'll call Lou because I can't remember his name and he looks like a Lou. Lou was a former bail bondsman (and he looked like it; he was huge!) but now owns an Italian clothing store. Earl did most of the talking until a friend of his who appeared even younger than me arrived and then Lou moved down next to me. I think he felt compelled to make conversation for some reason, so we had some strained conversation while both pretending to be interested in the Bulls vs. Hornets game on t.v. He eventually left to go back to the clothing store and shortly after that the young girl left, upon which Earl tried to convince me to stay and have a drink with him. Sorry, Earl, but I play second choice to no man, not even to a potential sugar daddy! I told him I had an early morning and needed to get going but he gave me his card so I could call him after the race since he planned on going to the park to hear the bands. Sure thing Earl.

The weather on Sunday was perfect so post race I stopped for lunch at Pink Berry (yes I consider frozen yogurt lunch) and walked to the river front to sit and eat it in the sun. I did spend most of my afternoon in my hotel room relaxing since my legs and back were pretty sore. Sadly, my hotel's jacuzzi was closed for cleaning so I had to settle for a hot shower. I had an early dinner at a great place in the French Quarter called Sylvain, and had this awesome shaved Brussels sprout salad with pecorino cheese, hazelnuts, apples and white balsamic dressing, followed by some braised beef cheeks on a bed of pureed potatoes. I selected the beef cheeks on the recommendation of the waitress, and they nearly melted in my mouth. I decided to have a drink at the bar after dinner and was lucky enough to observe the unique drink-shaking skilz of P.J. the bartender/mixologist. Apparently he is obsessed with sports medicine and has shunned the traditional shaking method as it puts too much strain on the shoulder and elbows . I wish I could put into words a description of this, but I'll just say it nearly involved the shaking of all of P.J.'s body. After that, I headed back to my hotel to watch the Grammy's, which made me just want to kill Justin Beiber (obviously) . I decided I was still hungry, since I hadn't eaten much (just Pink Berry and 1 meal) so I ordered basically a $20 miniature pizza from room service. The woman who brought it told me that if I didn't want to pay so much, I could just walk down to the restaurant next time and order it. I told her, that would be great, but it would involve me having to walk downstairs, and isn't the point of room service to not leave your room? If I hadn't burned so many calories that day, I might have felt like a fat ass ordering a pizza after I already had dinner, but I didn't care. Judge me if you must, but I will not be ashamed!

But I'll admit I'm feeling the effects today of having run 2 marathons in a month, running them both pretty hard, for me at least. Time to rest for a few weeks before I start up again to take on the Flying Pig Marathon May 1st in Cincinnati, OH.

So far I've got 7 states checked off the list. I only hope that one of the main reasons I started doing this, to raise awareness and money from some great charities, is being accomplished. My legs hurt too much for it not to. So please don't forget to visit the Don't Bully My Breed website to make a donation, http://dontbullymybreed.chipin.com/50-state-marathon, or Hospitals for Humanity to make a contribution or just find out about the great things they are accomplishing.

Thanks for reading and thanks for your support everyone! I plan on covering a lot of miles in 2011!

Arizona...downhill from here?

Arizona, a state of gorgeous sunsets, warm winters, and flat, fast race courses. This race was a lot of fun, mainly because I finally reached my goal of finishing a marathon under 4 hours. 3:59:15 was my official time! Jen also had a personal best in the half-marathon, and blew her initial 3 hour goal out of the water, finishing in 2:39:51. Awesome job Jen! We are attributing our success to our matching cute Lululemon shirts, $5 Wal-Mart sunglasses and head bands (made by Jen.) Or maybe it was my good luck hoodie, a $5 Miley Cyrus pink one from Wal-Mart, purchased the night before (along with our awesome sporty sunglasses), which kept me warm both before and after the race. (Anyone ever go to Wal-Mart on a Saturday night? Well, don't)

Of course it didn't hurt that the course was flat as Kate Hudson's chest. And maybe it didn't hurt that I had been training like Rocky in the dead of winter like he did in the one where he beats that Russian guy. Funny how much faster you can run when you're not slipping on snow and ice. But now Jen and I both face the question of whether our finish times go downhill from here when we run courses that maybe aren't so flat.

Not probably one of the most scenic courses, but this one still wasn't too bad. Although, from comparing notes with Jen, I think the marathon course was probably more scenic than the 1/2 marathon course. The marathon course took us by Camelback Mountain, and through the Old Town area of Scottsdale. Both courses started downtown Phoenix and ended up on ASU's campus in Tempe. This being a Rock-n-Roll series marathon, there were several bands along the route, and it seems that every high school cheerleading or spirit squad came out to cheer the runners along, all dressed to various themes of course. One of my favorites were the rocked out Appetite for Destruction girls. Over all, it was well organized, with lots of aid stations, and there were very few spots on the course that were void of spectators. Even the homeless people were cheering us on (and picking up discarded t-shirts and sweatshirts).

And of course, the weather conditions were absolutely perfect. Remind me again why I live in Chicago? This race also had a pretty cool medal, with a sparkly cactus and everything. Although it doesn't top the great card I got from Mackenzie, who came out with her mom and brother Jack to congratulate me on my finish. (Sorry Nicole I didn't get to spend more than a few minutes with you! Thank you SO much for coming out, though, you're awesome!) Jen and I are trying to complete 3 Rock-n-Roll marathons this year, so we can be in the "Heavy Medal Club" and score ourselves a Triple Crown medal. I'm already signed up for the Rock-n-Roll New Orleans marathon next month, I think Jen's shooting for San Diego in June, and we both are hoping to do the Rock-n-Roll in Savannah, GA in November. That medal is all but ours!

To be honest, though, I'm not sure how I ended up doing so well. I skipped a 20 mile run during my training, I haven't been running fast, and I feel like my motivation to train has been minimal this winter. But, to get a little sentimental here... For those of you who are close to me, you know that over the past year, my self-esteem and confidence have taken a few hits. Maybe one of the things that keeps me running is that when I finish a race or a long run, I can feel good about myself for accomplishing that, despite what other crap is going on in my life. I remember at one point of this race seeing a sign made by some cute cheerleading squad, among the other "You Rock" and "Go Runners" signs; one that simply said, "You are amazing." It made me think to myself, "You know, I am amazing." So forget all those other factors that have me doubting myself. I can finish this race, and darn it, I will finish it under 4 hours, no matter how much it hurts. So what if my legs are tired? I can sit down when I'm done, and the sooner I'm done, the sooner I can sit down!

And sit down I did. Jen and I enjoyed a nice soak in the hot tub at the resort where her mom works. Thank you Jane and your employer for all your hospitality! I hope Murphy has recovered from being terrorized by the 3 little monsters, Dean, Kash and Kaya. Yes, Dean joined me for this trip as well. He had a chance to run outside in the warm sun with his sister Kaya and her adopted brother Kash! He is still tired from all the activity!

So, with Arizona done, I've only got 44 more to go. 44...wait a minute, that sounds like a lot. What have I gotten myself into?

Old Man Winter....

Oh how I hate thee...let me count the ways. I've had my fill of long winter runs. But in theory, don't they sound nice? A quiet run, with snow softly falling, and that winter silence except for the sound of your feet crunching on the snow and ice. In reality, it's windy, slippery, and that falling snow eventually soaks you to the bone. The winter weather has deterred me from only one long weekend run so far, which was last weekend when the "feels like" temperature was 2 degrees. Sorry, I just can't do that. But I've been pretty impressed with myself that I've actually been out there in snow, several inches deep, trying to stay in training mode for my next couple of races. Of course, I do not train and suffer in silence. I complain about it every chance I get! Like now, for example.

So tomorrow, I hope to take on my last long winter run before the Rock-n-Roll Marathon in Phoenix, AZ next Sunday. And boy am I excited to run in the sun...a high of 71 race day! I'm going to be that crazy person in Arizona who's sitting by the pool, while the locals are wearing sweaters and wool coats. I can't wait! (If you want to track me, sign up at www.competitorwireless.com for text messages updates.)

But after that, it's back to running in the snow since I have to keep up the ole' endurance for my next race in New Orleans on Feb. 13th. Summer can't come soon enough. Of course then, I'll complain about how hot it is. ; )

To remind you all why I'm doing this, it's to raise awareness for some great charities, Don't Bully My Breed and Hospitals for Humanity. DBMB is in need of donations to help shelter those dogs that have been rescued from the cold. And HFH has a full year of medical missions to help those around the world that don't get the most basic medical care. Please join the Don't Bully My Breed page on facebook to keep up to date on what great things they are doing for our four-legged friends, and check out the RUS page on www.hospitalsforhumanity.org.

Thanks and Happy 2011!