Post Marathon life with a twist

Mike and Me! Go Blue!!

My own little rant....so life after the marathon! It's been an interesting life to say the least!! I ran it! It took me a week to accept that I ran, just because of how I did, but after that week I did finally accept that I am a Marathon Runner !! and ready to do another one! But as I was running it my post marathon life was already starting to move along. I am originally from Michigan and my husband and I had been talking if the right opportunity ever came about we would probably go back home. Well that opportunity presented itself just day before we left to go to Atlanta. So not only did I have the actually race in my head to worry about now I had this little thing lingering! Well on the Tuesday after the race, he flew to Michigan had the interview and returned on Thursday and was offered and accepted the position on Friday!! So as you can tell my post marathon life has been in a different sorts. It has now been a month post marathon, and life is anything but normal. I did take the week off from running, but my mind has not turned off.  I have read of people have post-marathon depression, just due to all the training and then it's over! I did have a bit of that but mainly it was everything going on in life!

Bo and Brady

Morgan

I am finally back into a running schedule, that has taken on a different twist since he has left. Oh, yay, he's been up in Michigan since 1st week of April and I am still in Alabama with my dogs & cat. And all the commitments that I had scheduled prior to this turn of events. Since the marathon the one thing that has been out of sorts is running with my running group! We usually have our long runs on Saturday's and Since the life change, I have only been able to make one of them just due to prior commitments that I had made on Saturday's. So I have been running on Sunday's, which has been a bit lonely, but in one sense better get used to it! Seeing that I am not sure where we will be living, not sure where any running groups will be at. All I know is that we might be living close to Mason, MI, so maybe Okemos. I really do hope I find some, because Detroit Marathon training starts soon! I really want to improve (alot) at this race!! I know that I have 1 Saturday open before I make the move! Which hopefully it will be a good run.
I do have one other fun thing scheduled before I leave...Dixie 200 Relay Race This I am looking forward to!! 200 miles, 24 hours, 2 vans, 12 people! My last little trip around the south before moving back north!!

So needless to say, my post marathon life has been unique! but I am ready to start the pre-marathon life again, the training!!

Running on weekend get-a-way

So this weekend I had the pleasure of going to Destin, FL. Such a beautiful location to spend a weekend get-a-way. This weekend has been planned for awhile. My dad (who lives in PA) has turned 70, and wanted to celebrate with all of his kids. So myself and husband (who flew in from MI, we're in a moving transition) drove down from Birmingham, Al. My sister and boyfriend flew down from DC, my other sister flew from Philly, and a brother came in from Seattle. Only 1 sister was missing. But this is the 1st time we have all been together since my wedding 10 years ago!! So an awesome family get together, that always is to long apart!!
But now that I have become a runner I always am on the look out for places to run when I go away somewhere! Yet another one of those things I said I would never do, run while on a vacation/get away! But now I enjoy it! It's a little break from everything! I didn't even plan out a route, I had no idea where I was going to go. But I knew I wanted to run between 8-10 miles. So at 6:15 on Saturday morning I headed out. And onto scenic 98 I went. I went down one way, to a dead end, so turned around and headed the other direction. It was perfect wether out the sun was not beating down, it was cloud covered due the storm coming in. But it was in the 60's low humidity with a breeze.
I was lost in my songs and the beauty of the gulf. That when I headed to the non-dead end way & I could see forever, with no dead ends in sight. So I just kept going straight, no side roads that I could get lost on. I turned my head once to see behind me, and that's when I noticed the sky getting darker, not lighter for the time of day. So I decided, it would be best to turn around and head back. No need to get caught in a storm, that would not make this a nice run! When I returned to the house it ended up being 9.5miles, in a nice easy pace. The other thing about this run, it was my longest solo run that I have in almost a year! Thank goodness for the scenery! Didnt even realize I was alone or how far I had been!
But after the run, I felt great and ready to start the day at the beach, even though we were stuck inside all day due to the rain! But still better to be at the beach when raining then at home or work. Especially when we were spending it with family!

When you go on vacation or weekend get away's, do you plan a run when there? Or vacation time just that a break from it all?

You know you are a runner if....

Earlier this week our running group posted in our facebook page You know you are a runner if.....
And we had a bunch of responses and lot of good ones. So made me think of how I know I am a runner.

1. Currently I am in the process of moving from Alabama to Michigan, and instead of looking for a job I have been more focused on finding running groups and running routes!
2. You know what a foam roller is or what the stick is. and know how much pain it causes!
3. You plan party's around your running schedule!
4. You plan weekend getaway's where ever the next race could be.
5. You have become a early bird dinner and sleeper because you are have to be up and ready to meet your running partner at 5 or 5:30am.
6.You know what GU is.
7. You spend more money on clothes and shoes for running then for everyday work or life.
8. You feel naked if your Garmin is not on your wrist during a run.
9.  You actually enjoy an ice bath after 15+miles.
10. You are always thinking of your next run or race!

I know that there are many more that can be added to this list!!

So why do you know you are a Runner??

Running Partners

If it wasn't for running partners, there are some mornings I know when I hear my 5am alarm I would turn it off and roll right over and go back to sleep!! 

When I trained for my 1st half marathon over a year ago now (wow still odd to say that!!) I did it all myself. I did not know anyone in the area who ran (later to find there were lots!). So i got my sleep butt out of bed 3 mornings a week and then on Sunday's to do my long runs. I was very close with my iPod. But over the past 9 months I have meet some great people who run. With them my relationship with my iPod has almost vanished. The other great thing about being able to run with others is the increase in speed. You have to keep up with some of these people, and they are there to keep you going. There have been runs where I had been alone, I know I would have quit, but with others I am to keep going.

Running patners are great, and next month my life will be changing. I will be moving from Alabama back to my home state of Michigan! Which is good thing, but will be a huge change now that found a place of comfort down here. I hope that when I get up there, I am able to find a group of runners, even though it will be hard to beat the great group of people I run with here.

Helena Endurance Running Group "HERG'S"