It Begins....Again

25 weeks and 3 Days until 20 in 24….

Maggie shared this training schedule on our Facebook Lone ranger page…

At first glance I thought ‘YOU ARE CRAZY!’ taking note of the back to back long runs every weekend. Also 11 weeks that the long run is 25 miles or over… Thinking what kind of nut does this?!

Well, I decided let’s just take this as I do with mostly all things…One Day at a Time.

According to the schedule I think I have another couple days..I don’t know for sure though because it starts at Week 2 and ends on Week 26.. Anyway I ran this morning for the first time since Disney!

3 Miles, about 34 minutes, and I feel ready to start this training. I AM NOT ATTEMPTING TO RUN 100 MILES, let me repeat I AM NOT ATTEMPTING TO RUN 100 MILES!! However I am trying to run 75 and I think taking this schedule and dialing it down a smidge could very much help me do it!

Classes started last night and man is it going to be a tough one! Two sciences, so 4 lectures and 2 Labs every week til May. I was planning on following the schedule and it has Tuesday as 4 miles so during the day I kept saying ‘After class, I’ll hit the gym (since I am paying for it and have only been there 3 times the past 3 months).’ My teacher kept us until the very last minute (8:50p…3hrs 20mins of reviewing the syllabus) I was drained. My walk home (1.4 miles- thanks Mapmyrun) seemed like eternity. It’s very rare that I just want to stop walking, close my eyes, and be home but last night was one of those nights. It wasn’t even freezing cold or horrible out and I wasn’t in any physical pain but I was just exhausted!

On the walk I came to the realization that this was only Day 1 of the next 4 months and if there is any chance I am going to get through this…successfully…I am going to have to get back to a more productive Routine. Waking up early enough to run, that has to happen because there is no chance I will be going to the gym after nights like last night. I know I won’t have Lab every night but if I wait until the evening I have less chance of not running.

The next thing I have fallen out of doing is meditating in the morning. Just sitting silent for 8-10 minutes, breathing deep, and asking God to come in to my day and guide me. If you are not familiar with meditation or you think I’m a weirdo, I dare you to give it a test run. At least 3 days…it makes all the difference.

This morning I even got someone to send me a wake up text, because I know that later when he asks me if I actually got up or I rolled over and went back to sleep I’d want to tell him I got up..and I ran 3 miles! I was in the shower around 7:30 and dressed, ready to meditate at 7:52…Got 8 minutes in and hopped the bus for work shortly after. I feel a lot better, not just because of this morning but because I can say that I am training again!

Reprint* well I need to update: I just now was thinking about my Summer Break and I'm a jerk for saying it wasn't important!
I went to New England and watch Dannielle and Kenny get married! I got to see Amanda, Keegan, Lexi, and the Cape Codders. I saw Robbie, Casas, Feist, and everyone from the Sawmills crew at the wedding too! Total jerk for not putting that in there. So for that I'm sorry.

How I Spent My Winter Vacation

Remember in grade school when you would come back in the Fall and the teacher would ask you what you

did on your Summer Vacation?

Well I didn’t really get a Summer Vacation, because I’m a working adult and I also took 3 classes over the Summer. Fall I took 2 classes and now I am trying to remember what if anything I did with my break. It’s not important…. What’s important is I absolutely have something to write on How I Spent my Winter Vacation! I am now in my last 5 days of vacation and even though I am sad to see my weeknights gone and my weekends fill with studying, I am happy to report I got a lot in these past few weeks.

Got to see some friends I haven’t seen in awhile in Jersey.

Me, Matt Hawk, and Colleen

Made it up to Springfield, MA to hang out with some great people for New Years.

Andy, Dave, and Nick

Ran a Marathon and got to see Sean! (See one million pics on the last 5 + entries)


Hit a Sixer's Game with Patrick. They are doing Awesomely, scored over 100 points so we all got a free Big Mac!!

And get ready for this…last night I made dinner! Yep I, Katie Chance, made a lasgna! My mom walked me through it on Christmas, she let me make a mini one and she made a bigger one. But I went to Trader Joe’s (on a budget) and got the different ingredients. Ran to Rite Aid twice while mixing the contents because…I don’t cook ever and I forgot some things. It turned out pretty good I must say. I even made some cookies, Walnut Chocolate Chip!

Meatless Spinach Lasagna : p

I managed to cram in some pretty awesome things during my Winter Vacation and I am glad I did. Because for the next 4 months of my life…The only thing I will be seeing is highlighters, textbooks, and notecards. Hopefully some early morning pavement once I get back into my running routine too.

More pics!

Thumbs Up

You are right I am definitely thanking God for getting me to the end

Best Finish Ever!

Team Disney

We did it! Team Disney had a Dose of Palm Beach, A touch of the Nation's Capital, and some Brotherly Love :) So Happy I met these people!

Miles and Miles

I kind of hate adding pictures on here, they never go in order the way I want! Anyway this is taking WAY longer than it should. Samantha took pictures at Miles 5,10,15,20, and 25 so here they go...

Samantha, Katy, Tommy, & Me

Katy, Me, Samantha, & Tommy

West Palm Beach, DC, & Philly = Team Disney

Me, Katy, Samantha, Frank, & Tommy

F L O R I D A Sunshine

Alright, I was going to wait until Wednesday but I have some time tonight to update, so here goes...

My Florida Vacation...

I arrived Thursday Night into Orlando and went back to my brother, Sean's house in Melbourne (Indialantic to be specific). I got to get some cuddle time in with Margo and just relax for the night.

MARGO

Friday I went to the beach for an hour or so. It was 78 and Sunny. I was surprised to see other people out, but the kids are still off from school so I think that was why.

My Giant Footprint

That is a pelican in the middle of the fishing rods

After the beach I went back and lounged some more until Sean and his roommate, Boggs got home from work. We made some dinner and decided to go bowling.

This was Game 2 of 4. I wanted to post my HIgh Score and of course one of the games I won

Me & Sean

Sean, Me, & Boggs

Saturday we hit the road to...

Where we hit the Marathon Expo first. See a couple posts ago, were I posted the pic of us, super excited!

After the Expo we went to the hotel, where it really felt like a vacation..

Me & Boggs, poolside at the Seralago Hotel

Beautiful

Sunday Morning 3am- Wake up! We hit the road around 3:40am and I was able to find Laurie before the start. She was in a different corral though so I started alone. A couple people made a comment about the weather being cold (it was about 50 degrees) and I started talking to them. They were from West Palm Beach and Team in Training too but I didnt know because they had layers on over their purple. They told me that they do a 5 min run 1 min walk interval and I asked if I could start the first few miles with them.

Goofy, Mickey, and Donald Counted us down to the start..

I was worried that the run would be too fast or too long for me since I have only been 2 or 3 mins running for the past few months, but it was great. I can't tell you exactly which parks and in which order we went, but definitly hit the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, MGM (Hollywood Studios), and Animal Kingdom

I think Magic Kingdom was my favorite

Samantha, Katy, and Frank were the Palm Beach runners and we met Tommy from DC about a mile or two in who joined us too. Frank was doing Goofy for the 3rd time, 5th time for the Disney Marathon and has done a couple Ironmans, it was Samantha's 3rd Marathon, Katy's 1st, and Tommy's 7th marathon and 2nd Goofy. Tommy just did Philly in November too and he finished around the same time I did. I was so happy to have met these guys.

Splash Mountain

I saw Laurie and her sister a couple times during the race and she said to run with Palm Beach because I started with them. They ended up finishing ahead of us I believe and it was amazing. They both, Laurie and her sister, were Goofy this year but you couldnt tell at all. I feel like I would be visibly falling apart had I ran the Half the day before.

The weather creeped to near 80 and Sunny. I tried not to think about anything really. About 20 miles in my feet hurt, my entire body ached, and I wanted to be done. But having the others with me, I didnt say that out loud. I needed to stay positive because I knew that complaining certainly would not help anything. Running with people is one million times better than running solo. I dont know what my time would have been had I run alone, but I do know that I would have let my mind ruin the moment for me. The longer I am aone, the more my brain regresses and focuses on the pain, but having others there and trying to be positive changes it all.

Animal Kingdom- I think this is the Tree of Life or it should be called that..

We crossed the finish line altogether, holding hands. I can't wait to see the pics of that. Mickey sure does look great in my cabinet with the other medals. My body is slowly starting to forgive me for putting it through yesterday. Oh I forgot I said I would talk about what I forgot....body glide. I wore the skort again and forgot to apply it before. The course was well stocked with Medical Tents that had vaseline, icy hot or whichever brand they used, among many other things you could need.

I took the vaseline about 5 miles in and it seemed to hurt more then it helped. My legs did not look too horrible but they felt sooo so bad. I refrained from more vaseline until mile 18 or 19. When I got back to the hotel and in the shower....I cried. Today's shower was not bad at all but like I said, my boday has started to forgive me.

I am looking forward to taking a week or two off before I start training for 20in24. I know that Maggie and the others have already started training but I would like a break for a bit. School is also starting next Tuesday and I know that will be keeping me busy. I will try to keep this updated, because I like to and I am happy to report there are actually people reading! Before the New Year I wanted to break 1,000 page views and today we are over 1300, so thank you to whoever is reading, I hope to keep you all entertained!

2012 Mickey Medal

"Marathoning is like cutting yourself unexpectedly. You dip into the pain so gradually that the damage is done before you are aware of it. Unfortunately, when awareness comes, it is excruciating."

~John Farrington, Australian marathoner

""You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can't know what's coming."

~Frank Shorter

I agree with both of the above quotes...If I remember the pain I feel today when I go to run again I will hesitate. Yet when I remember the feeling of accomplishment and nothing else, I am ready for the next feat.

Mickey Mouse is Mine

I will write a long entry this week but I wanted to post my finisher pic. It was great, my body hates me, but I'm still smiling. I ran with Team in Training runners from Palm Beach and DC the whole time! We even finished holding hands! It was a great day! I'm vegging in the hotel room for probably the rest of the night and flying home tomorrow.
All in all this trip was great! Great weather, great race, great hotel, and of course it's always great to see my brother Sean and his roommate Boggs. I even got a little color on my pale winter skin.
More to come including the break down of the race and what product I forgot to apply before the start which will be the cause of my waddling the next few days...

Bed time 8pm

Tomorrow I plan to wake up at 3, leave the hotel at 3:30 and meet Laurie around 4:30. Start is 5:30am soooo early.... The good news is I got a full nights rest, Wednesday, Thursday, and last night so I should be ready to run.

I was thinking of my 2011 races and it was a very productive year, starting with the Disney Half Marathon a year ago.

2011 Recap
Jan- Disney World Half Marathon
May- Broad St Run ten Miler
July- 20in24 (61miles total)
Sept- Philly Half Marathon
Nov- Philadelphia Full Marathon

2012 will be less but tomorrow will be one of at least 3 races this year...

Where Dreams Come True

Bib in hand....14 hrs til to go time