More High Mileage...it's getting real

Another high -mileage week is in the books.

Would anyone believe me if I confessed that I'm feeling a tad bit fatigued? This marathon training, though fun (at times), is not for sissies.

Mondays have become my favorite (training) day on the schedule because they are just easy miles. No paces/splits/speed work. Just good old-fashioned running. Barb and I have started calling them "5 at 5" (and I have coined the hashtag #5at5AM).

I love my easy Monday runs! Five easy miles always feel so good!

Tuesday was a pleasantly warm and sunny day. I expected a light load at work, so I allowed a little extra snoozing in the morning, and did my run in the afternoon. Hill repeats...back and forth...five times total. Just my luck, the (hilly) county road I use is right by the golf course, and there were some guys working on the greens. No cat calls, but they probably wondered what my problem was going back and forth numerous times.

Post-hills...feeling accomplished

Wednesdays are typically an active recovery day, with no scheduled running on the agenda. However, I am not allowed to lounge on the couch, eating bon bons. Instead, I took it to the stairs, 100 flights up (and down)...some double-steps, and some triple-steps. With a side of planking.

stairs and planking...my two favorite forms of cross-training

It done got chilly overnight, and there was frost on the ground in some places on Thursday morning. Yikes. I do not mind winter, but I certainly am NOT in a hurry for it to get here. So, yes, this was my first layered-up-with-a-stocking-hat run for the season.

Although it was a mere 30-degrees, it actually felt great!

Friday was another active recovery day, prepping for my weekend. Also, Friday is #Fridayfashion on  .my Instagram page......

The IMT Des Moines Marathon (and all subsequent activities) kicked off on Friday with the expo. I headed over to get my race packets and check out the vendors and festivities. A highlight of the expo was listening to a local friend, Susie Duke. She was one of the featured speakers, having won the women's half marathon in 2014! She also qualified for the Olympic Trials this past spring (for the marathon distance).

With Susie

Saturday morning was the first racing event, the Mercy Live Up Loop. This was the inaugural year for this 5-mile race. I have done a lot of 5-mile runs, but not many races of that distance. We had moderate temps (low 60's), clouds, and some wind. Somehow, I pulled off a 5th place AG finish...crossing the finish line in 45:08 (recap coming...#staytuned).

After finishing the 5-miler (on the left), and after finishing the 13.1 (on the right)

Sunday, I ran the Half Marathon. I had to treat this as a training run (and not a race) to honor my training plan (which I sort of, inadvertently, violated with my faster-than-prescribed race the day prior). All went remarkably well considering the heat and extreme humidity (and a few nasty hills)...giving me my second fastest 13.1 finish time this year (2:12:45) and a substantial negative split (that race recap is also in the works...#staytuned). I also had an extra five miles to run (to hit my long run goal of 18 miles for the day), so I did a 2-mile warm-up and finished the remaining three miles a short while after the finish line.

This is the second year that they have medals that are magnetized for the full marathoners and half marathoners who do the Combo challenge (the Saturday race and one of the Sunday distance races). Aren't they pretty? 

So, this week ended with 40 miles logged. I think that's another weekly mileage PR. And, this weekend, I am finally starting to feel the effects of all this crazy (though necessary) mileage. My feet are achy, my back is cranky, and my entire body is ready for a good nights sleep. Other than that, things are just peachy!

In other news, we became grandparents to a little fur baby this weekend! Our daughter (in Pennsylvania) adopted a sweet little Shih Tzu, named Lola. Life is, indeed, quite good!

Speaking of family dogs...our little Max loves his dental sticks!

Have you ever done a series of races all on the same weekend? What''s your weekly mileage PR? Have you had frost on the ground yet?

As usual, I'm linking with my gals Holly  and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap. I highly encourage you to check out their awesome blogs, as well as the numerous linked blogs.

Running in the (wee) Dark Hours

With the quickly diminishing daylight, most of my runs are happening in the dark, pre-sunrise hours.

It's crazy how fast the shorter days/longer nights crept up on me. It wasn't that long ago (it seems like a couple weeks ago, but it's been a bit longer) when I was leaving the house in the dark and returning with a beautiful sunrise behind me. Those beautiful sunrises are now happening 90 minutes later, as I leave for work, which means I'm spending more time in the dark (than in the daylight hours) logging my miles.

That's not all bad.

I live in a somewhat small Iowa town (population is just over 10,000). Although I'm comfortable running in the dark, there are numerous things I do to ensure I'm safe. I respect that everyone has their own level of comfort when it comes to personal safety, and not everyone lives in an area as conducive to being outside in the dark as I do.

While these tips are not all-inclusive, they are working for me as I continue with my training for the Route 66 Marathon:

1- Be seen. High-viz colored clothing (white, yellow, lime green, etc.) are ideal. Some clothing has reflector strips, and most running shoes have them as well.

There's a plethora of accessories available to use as well... Knuckle Lights, ViziBelt, clip-on head lamps, etc.

Knuckle Lights in my hand, ViziBelt on my waist

2- Watch where you're going. Sidewalks may seem safer than the road, but there are a lot more cracks, bumps, and debris to encounter. If you run on the street, it's safest to run on the left side of the road (facing the on-coming traffic). That said, depending on the time of morning (or night), running in the middle of the street might be something to consider...the surface will be smoother (from the wear and tear of vehicles) and should be relatively flat (no side sloping, as you may encounter on the shoulder).

3- Run a familiar route. I have several routes of varying distances, but I try to stay fairly close to home when it's dark outside. Also, I try to utilize well-lit streets. I live a few blocks from our college's main campus...and there are street lights almost every 20 feet. The central campus sits on a span of several blocks, and it's an approximate mile in distance around the circumference...often times, I just do several laps around this area.

4- Mix up your routine (once in awhile). Although I have my familiar routes, I seldom ever run them in the same sequence. I run the route(s) clockwise one day, and counter-clockwise the next time. Sometimes, I run the big loop in a figure-8 pattern. I also try to head out at different times. I doubt there's anyone casing my route, but (on the off-chance there is) varying my routine will keep them guessing.

5- If you can, do bring a friend! Occasionally, I can persuade my friend, Barb, to join me. Trust me, the two of us are quite a sight with our blinking lights and belts in the wee dark hours!

Other things to consider:
***Have a phone with you (for emergencies)
***If you listen to music (like I do), have the volume low, so you're able to hear your surroundings
***A subtle way to "be aware" without looking scared is to watch the road for shadows. Ironically, the more street lights, the more shadows you will see (in every direction)
***If running in the dark is just not your gig, then stay inside. It's not worth the anxiety.

Are you a run-in-the-dark runner? Any favorite tips you'd like to share?

I'm linking up with the DC gals (Mar and Courtney and Cynthia), for their grand finale on their awesome Friday Five link-up. Please head over and check out their blogs, as well as all the other linked blogs.

Irritable? (not really)

Did you know I'm training for a marathon?

I know, I know. I really don't talk about it much (#eyeroll #sarcasm).

This is not my first marathon...but I may be acting like it is

Like most marathoners-in-training, I probably talk more about it than most people want to hear (runners and non-runners alike). Anyone who has ever trained for a marathon knows how it sort of takes over your life....extra running, increased eating, more blisters, constant weather-stalking, and many earlier-than-desired wake-up calls. Is it any wonder we can get a little irritable?

Surprisingly, I'm not feeling the 26.2-training irritability this go-round.

I remember training for my first marathon (Quad Cities Marathon ), three years ago. I followed a Hal Higdon plan for intermediate runners. Although the training runs went well, it was a whole new ball game for me. I had confidence in my ability, but I still had a great deal of trepidation as to what would happen on race day. Also, I trained entirely on my own. I had lots of support from well-meaning friends and family (and tons of virtual cheerleaders from many online friends who also were embarking on their first marathons as well). Having never run (or trained for) a race of that magnitude was exciting, but a bit unnerving as well.

Quad Cities Marathon...Sept. 22, 2013

For my second marathon (IMT Des Moines Marathon), I basically followed the same training plan but tweaked it as needed (if there were scheduling conflicts). I also ran most of my long runs with a friend, so I had to learn how to run and talk at the same time...which actually enhanced my endurance tremendously. It seemed like I had constant aches and pains (and issues with shoes), especially towards the end of the training cycle (when the mileage was at its highest).

IMT Des Moines Marathon...Oct. 19, 2014

My third marathon...ugh (Grandma's Marathon). The race itself went pretty well, but the training? Not so much. There was a myriad of ongoing obstacles, due mainly to the time of year (prom committee commitments, dance recital stress, our son's high school graduation....just to name a few). Also, there were a few unexpected twists thrown into the mix (my mother-in-law's sudden passing, a spontaneous surprise party for my sister-in-law, and Plantar Fasciitis!).

Grandma's Marathon...June 20, 2015

I also have done two ultra's, both of which had less-than-ideal training as well. The first one (Christmas in July 6-hour Ultra) was a month after Grandma's Marathon, so the training was basically done simultaneously.

Christmas in July 6-Hour....July 18, 2015

The second ultra (Christmas in July 12-hour Ultra) was just a few months ago, also in the midst of another visit from PF (this time in the other foot) and a crazy hamstring/glute/piriformis flare-up (perfect timing, not).

Christmas in July 12-Hour...July 16, 2016

Granted, all of these events had very happy endings. But, there was a little bit of stress and lots of irritability in getting to the start lines.

Fast forward to right now.....I'm less than 6-weeks out from Route 66 Marathon (Nov. 20 in Tulsa, OK). I'm smack dab in the middle of the high-mileage part of the training, with only a few weeks until I hit the taper! And, knock on wood, I have nothing to be irritable about. I'm running the highest mileage I've ever done...weekly and monthly. My aches and pains have been at the absolute minimum. And, I'm doing the most speed work ever attempted...and I'm kind of enjoying the challenge of it. What's happening to me?!?!?!

I think I had solid training plans for all of these previous marathons, but there were a lot of outside forces that did not play to my advantage. There were some missed long runs (due to last-minute travel), scaled-back mileage (to give the aches and pains some down time), and not much speed work (for fear of aggravating the existing aches and pains).

What's different this time? First and foremost, I believe, is the addition of a coach. There are many things I'm doing that I've never done before (extra mileage, consistent speed work, and daily PT)...and I'm surviving! I have been blessed with near-perfect weather for most of my training runs...I've done one run on the 'mill, and it was more as an experiment than necessity. Also, I'm doing most of my runs in the early morning hours....which means they are getting done (and not procrastinated, dreaded, or forgotten). I still need to work on my sleep, but that is a constant work-in-progress (not just during training).

So, should I feel guilty for the lack of irritability? Or just enjoy the ride?

Have you ever had a rough & tough training cycle, and were pleasantly surprised on race day?

I'm linking with Deb for the Wednesday Word link-up....and today's word? Irritability (you probably saw that one coming). Also, I'm linking with Susie, Debbie, Rachel and Lora for the Running Coaches Corner link-up. Lots of great blogs and lots of great reading await you!

More Miles? Sure, why not!

...and another crazy mileage week is done. This week's mileage came in at 36 miles...What the What???

Seriously, I'm shaking my head at what's been happening in my running shoes recently. Don't get me wrong, I'm in NO way bragging. I realize these high mileage weeks are the norm for many people, even those who aren't necessarily training for marathons. I'm just not a high-mileage gal (but am kind of becoming one). Tacking on the 15 miles from last weekend, I'm already at 51 total miles for October....and it's only gonna get bigger (and better?) as I'm nearing the end of my training for my marathon. Did you just hear me gulp (loudly)? I have a few more weeks of long runs, and then I'll be tapering.....

Anyways, here's the down and dirty of what happened this week:

Monday, like all of my Mondays thus far in 2016, started with a #nevermissaMonday run. Prior to my 26.2 training, the majority of these Monday miles were the bare minimum, usually a single mile (sometimes, two). My official training for Route 66 began in mid-August...and the Monday runs changed to moderate-mileage runs. Currently, I'm knocking out 50-minute runs, at an easy pace (approximately five miles).

Another early morning #nevermissaMonday

The temps were forecasted to be nice, and upon waking to the 4:58 AM alarm, I elected to postpone Tuesday's run until after work. Since I have been doing so many of my runs in the wee (dark) hours, I thought it would be a welcome change to do a run in the daylight. Instead, I did some arm work in the morning.

suns out, guns out

 Tuesday's run turned out to be quite the adventure. The recap of that crazy idea is HERE, but let me summarize it to say that I drastically underestimated the distance, and overshot my desired speed. Whoops.

What was supposed to have been 6 miles morphed into 7.2 miles...and a major sweat fest

Wednesday, I not only was assigned an easy day of cross-training, I sort of needed some rest and recovery following my Tuesday excursion. Surprisingly, my body felt fine in the morning, but I still played it cool and kept things on the down-low. I did my planking, PT, and stretched like a good girl, and also did some cardio on the stairway (100 flights, up and down). And I slept like a baby that night.

Approximately 22 minutes of cardio on the stairway had me ready for bed...

Thursday was another day of early morning running. The temps were in the mid-60's and felt perfect! I was out the door before 5:30, successfully hit all of my splits, and was back to the house in less than an hour. Six miles done, and I felt great!

#awarewithpink

As mentioned last week, I'm starting a new thing and posting a #Fridayfashion post each week (on Instagram). Overnight, the late summer temps came to an abrupt halt, so I needed warmth!  Our high school's homecoming game was Friday night, so I chose to wear the school colors. Go Tigers!

I'm also a knitter geek...and love the warmth of this hand-made poncho 

And there was some more planking!

I challenge YOU to get down on the floor, assume the position, and plank!

Saturday. There were several things on tap for the day, starting with my long run. I had 16 miles to do, and Barb wanted to run those 16 miles as well. She drove to my house and we were on the road just after 5:30AM. The temps were chilly (hello...39-degrees #brrrr), the air was crisp, and the sky was dark.

That's right...full tights, fleece headbands, and gloves

Similar to the 14-miler I ran last weekend, I broke up this run as well. First, we ran a 5-mile route, stopped back at the house for a potty break and re-fueled. Next, we headed out on an (almost) 7-mile out-and-back trail....with a couple of big hills. Our thinking was that the hills wouldn't be as ominous in the dark, except by the time we got to the turn-around, we had daylight. And, we had a full-on sunrise in our faces for the jaunt back to my house. Seriously, how do you peeps who run without sunglasses do it? (#Ugh) We made it back to the house, took another quick potty break and re-fueled, and headed back out to finish the remaining 4.5 miles (with our sunglasses).   All went well, and our 16 miles were done!

That was just the start of my day. Our local Optimist Club hosts an annual Fly-In Breakfast at our small airport. My husband is one of the main organizers of the event, and it's always fun seeing the airplanes (and their pilots) who fly in as well as much of the community who come out and support the event. This was immediately after my 16-mile run.

Next, we jumped in the car, and headed to our son's swim meet at his college, a couple hours away. He is in his second year of school and this is his second year on the swim team (as a walk-on). He's a distance swimmer, and usually swims the 500, 1000, 1650 (one mile), and sometimes, the 200. At this meet, he swam the 1650...and then the 200, a mere 10 minutes later. Needless to say, he was dragging tail fin in the 200...but a strong performance, none the less.

No, the day did not end there. We drove back home, and arrived in time to get some pics of the youngest daughter and her gal pals before they headed out to partake in the Homecoming festivities. If you look closely, you can see the hat is part of my outfit (from the swim meet) and is hiding the (still) unwashed hair (I know...#eewwww).

So, after 1)-being up since 4:45AM, 2)-running 16 miles, 3)-sitting in a car for a 4-1/2 hour round trip, and 4)-hanging out pool side for a couple hours (in a steamy in-door facility)....my body and mind were a tiny bit exhausted. We got a pizza, watched some television with a friend, and I was down for the count by 9:00PM. Even though I had showered (quickly) after my long run, I didn't have time to wash my hair...and at that point in the evening I didn't care.

Sunday morning, I felt a bit stiff, but nothing major. I had slept with compression socks, so I think that helped relieve any potential DOMS. I ran an easy 1-mile shakeout run and felt great. I don't know what surprised me more...the easiness (and effortless speed) with which I ran that mile, or how quick my body seems to have already acclimated to the cooler temps (it was 41-degrees, and I was comfortable in shorts and a two light layers on top).

post-Sunday's shakeout run in the sun

That's my week....in other news:

I gave Max a bath earlier in the week, little did I know he'd wet the carpet an hour or so later.

Don't let the cute face fool you.....

The sedum plants in my yard are absolutely beautiful right now!

And, new shoes were welcomed into the family! I really didn't need a new pair, but I got a great deal on them (and free 2-day shipping).

Is it weird to welcome the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 16's with a kiss?

How was your week? Are the autumn temps getting cooler or do you still have a bit of summer lingering?  What's the longest you have gone without washing your hair?

As usual, I'm linking up with Holly and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap. Do check out their blogs, and all the other awesome blogs on the link-up!

#badazz quotient: Fulfilled

Sometimes, one tough run is just enough to fulfill that #badazz quotient.

Case in point, yesterday's "power surge" run (that's my technical name for it). I was assigned an easy warm-up mile, then 50 minutes (approximately 5 miles for this gal) of power surges. I would compare these to short little bursts of mojo, as if you're just needing to pass someone in a race...not necessarily sprinting ahead of them, but merely just needing to get around them on a crowded course. Similar to a Fartlek drill, but with not as much "sprinting" (also, the surges are not done in an equal 1:1 pattern as with Fartleks).

Let me set the scene...

I have been doing the majority of my training runs in the wee (dark) early hours (the past couple months or so). When I woke up yesterday (15 minutes before the alarm, none the less), I had a revelation. I knew the weather was going to be nice, and I was anticipating a slow day at the  office...why not wait to do this run in the daylight hours?  After all, I've been getting a little bored with all of my "light and bright high-viz" clothing (and craving some darker colors...as well as the feel of my sunglasses back on my face).

I ask you, "why not?"

So, there you have it. A perfect plan (on paper). My work day didn't go quite as expected,but it still was manageable. I finished up by 4:30, and had arranged to meet my friend, Barb, around 5:00.

A recent pic with Barb

Barb and I do a lot of our long runs together (as well as a lot of our races). She's gotten to be a lot faster than myself. She is close in height, but has shorter legs (I have l-o-n-g legs), so when we run, her foot-strikes sound even faster than she's already going because she takes more frequent steps than I do. Occasionally, I find myself running faster than I realize because her "fast" foot-strikes (subconsciously) propel me to match her cadence.

We met up at our usual spot (about a mile from each of our houses). She's not following the training plan I'm using (we're both training for the Route 66 Marathon, in November), she but was interested in running with me anyways. One of the routes in my repertoire is a 2-mile loop, and my initial plan was to run that loop twice (after the warm-up), then run back home. We started out, and a short while later did our first "surge." Mind you, I could tell almost immediately we were going too fast (for our pace and for the surges).

I should also mention, that the temps were warm (high 70's), and we had a decent breeze coming out of the southeast. So, in other words, we felt this breeze every time we were headed south and east (yes, we fought the breeze for at least half of our running time).

We continued on this loop, and decided to run two extra blocks before turning to make our way around the back side (and back to where we'd started). I didn't think about the additional two blocks we'd tacked on (which actually netted us four blocks of extra distance, since we also had to run them on the return trip). We finished the first loop, and I was already feeling pretty beat up and weary.

As we began the second loop, I admitted that I was running the surges too fast, and also that I would need to slow down my overall pace as well. The second loop went better, but still was a tough challenge, both physically and mentally.  Thankfully, I never felt my energy depleting...but I could tell my legs were getting fatigued. The surges did get easier, though, probably because we had scaled back on the "speed" of them.

By the time we were finishing the second loop (putting my total distance somewhere near 5 or 5-1/2 miles), I suggested we cut the third loop short (forgetting that we'd pretty much done the "required" distance already #oops). We ran about half of the third loop, then headed back to our meet-up spot. We both agreed this run had been both tough, but also fulfilling. My legs were tired, and I could tell my hip flexors were not happy. I did some easy run/walk intervals for the final leg back to my house.

Do I look as exhausted (or sweaty) as I felt?

I estimated that I'd gone maybe 6-1/2 miles, which was a little further than I'd planned. My GPS watch is currently out of commission and Barb's watch was not cooperating for us either, so we didn't have an exact mileage count.. I decided to hop in the car and do a quick drive and map the route. Imagine my surprise to see it was actually 7.2 miles from my driveway (and back). ((gulp)) ((sorry, Coach Suz))

Needless to say, I spent the better part of my evening foam rolling and stretching. My body felt like it had been through a major workout. My total "running" time (from when I left my house and then returned) was about 75 minutes....and that included the run/walk intervals in the last 3/4 mile or so. But, I also felt like a #badazz extraordinaire for having done such a crazy thing in the heat and wind.

So, although I accidentally ventured off my training plan, I did gain a little more confidence in my abilities. I have said it before... "I can do tough things." This training run certainly proved that to me. I am also realizing, more and more, that I'm much more disciplined about doing tough runs when I have a coach telling me to do them (thanks, Coach Suz).

Have you ever underestimated a route for distance? Have you done tough workouts that left you wiped out.... and still felt like a #badazz when you finished? How do you feel about speed work?

I'm linking up with Deb for the Wednesday Word link-up...today's word is Fulfill. I'm also linking with Susie and Rachel and Debbie and Lora for the Running Coaches Corner link-up. Head over and check all these blogs, as well as the many other linked blogs!

Holy High Mileage!

Yikes, can you say, "High Mileage???"

With my half marathon last Sunday, and my long training run this Saturday (six days later), I finished the week with 39 miles, thank you very much. 39 frickin' miles! I'm pretty sure that's a PR. That is major high mileage, especially for this "moderate mileage" gal. Yikes (again).

Here's some of the details on what went down....

Monday, still riding the endorphins from the Quad Cities half marathon, I did a very brief 1-miler before my day started. I have that #nevermissaMonday thing that will drive me bonkers if I do not oblige my commitment.

Never miss a Monday...in my new Quad Cities Marathon shirt

Tuesday, I was able to persuade my friend, Barb, to rise and shine (prior to any trace of sunshine) to join me for some early morning miles. We knocked out five miles in the dark, meeting up at 5:00AM (which required a 4:30AM wake-up). The temps were cool and crisp...it certainly feels like summer has packed up and vacated the area.

No yawning! The last trace of the waning crescent moon lit our way

Wednesday, was pretty low-key. Even though it's an active recovery day for me (with no running on the roster), I was moving in a bit of a slow-mo pace most of the day. I've been doing the 22 daily push-ups challenge, as well as my own daily planking, so I didn't drag my feet the entire day.

Yes, that's a flannel scarf....it got cold in Iowa this week!

Thursday called for another early morning adventure in the running shoes. I had a "caterpillar run" on the calendar...ever done such a thing? Basically, it's a moderate run (I did a total of 6 miles, including warm-up) with periodic surges of speed (every 1/4 mile or so). It certainly made the run go quickly!

Another brisk early morning run with the Knuckle Lights and gloves

Friday was another day of moderate rest and recovery and prep for the long run (happening the following morning). A new thing I've started doing is posting an outfit of the day on Instagram (#ootd, #Fridayfashion)....not because I'm trying to break into the fashion industry, but because I like mixing it up (with my non-running clothes). I seldom ever wear the same exact outfit more than once....I'm always changing the accessories and color combos with what I already have, creating "new" outfits without adding/buying new stuff. It's a fun challenge! Care to join me? (should I make that our October challenge???)

So what if I'm wearing sandals with a bulky sweater? Fashion before function, and don't forget the lipstick!

Saturday, long run day! I had 14 miles on the roster. Although I have run 14 miles (and much farther on different occasions), I was not too excited for this little adventure. I was a bit apprehensive how my calf muscles would do (remember the nasty cramping at the race on Sunday?), nor had I planned out a good route. Thankfully, Barb (who is also training for Route 66) was eager to get some miles done, so we met up around 5:00AM (which translates to a 4:15AM wake-up) and ran two loops of the 5-mile route (that we had run on Tuesday). We did a potty stop at the 5-mile mark before running the second loop. She had to head home after that, but I continued on and finished the remaining four miles on my own. Amazing how, even after 11+ years of running, I forget the simple "trick" of breaking up the long run into smaller segments (so my brain can take a chill). Mission accomplished!

My longest run in the hydration vest and Vizi belt!

And, last of all, Sunday. It was a pretty meek and mild day. My hip flexors felt a bit achy, so I did a short mile to work out the kinks and felt better when I returned home. I have found that short recovery runs (at a very conservative pace) do my body good. Granted, it's only a mile or so, and the distance is nothing spectacular, but the ease of movement helps with some of the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). An added bonus? This was my first run in the sunshine since the race last weekend, since all of my other runs had been done in the pre-dawn hours. That's a win-win!!

Ahhhh, the sunshine on my face felt heavenly...

 With September coming to a close, I looked over my logged stats (disclaimer...these are probably missing a few random numbers because I wasn't too diligent on writing all of these down immediately after completing the tasks). My planking, an everyday occurrence, came in with 132 (possibly more) minutes, and my push-ups were at 489 (that's an approximation as well). I started out the month squatting everyday, but sadly that kind of went to the wayside. I still did numerous squats, just not daily (nor did I take accurate notes on those either). Oh well. I'm not gonna sweat the (missed) details.

But my mileage in the running shoes? I hit the 95 mile mark for my September miles (gulp), and so far everything feels pretty good. The last time I had a similar (high) number like that was back in May, when I cranked out 100 miles...and, subsequently, welcomed in a brief gig of Plantar Fasciitis. I am working with a coach this time around, and she has me doing a myriad of daily stretches, PT, and warm-up routines to combat all the wear and tear of marathon training. So far, so good. And, no, I did not feel the need to lace up and polish off an additional five miles to hit the century mark. The bragging rights are not worth the potential consequences.

And the latest? I caught a glimpse of some of my pics from the Quad Cities (half) Marathon....and, again, I am at a total crossroads on purchasing any. My husband captured some good ones (of myself and the relay team), and those cost me ZERO dollars. Some of the professional pics are nice, and they show the race course....but, Holy Crazy Cash Droppage, Batman!

to buy or not to buy? 

How did your September play out? Any great races or training runs? Any early morning miles? How do you feel about race pics?

I'm linking up with the lovely Holly and Tricia  for their awesome Weekly Wrap linkup. This little linkup has grown to become a major big deal. Head over and check out all the blogs!