It turns out that I suffered a migraine while running the marathon (who knew?), which explains the headache and maybe the dizziness. The chest pains, luckily, have nothing to do with my heart…just my lungs, for which I’m on asthma medication. I don’t necessarily like being pill-dependent, but I also don’t like NOT breathing. So, the choice for now is obvious–like it or not!

The timing of it all turned out to be perfect, with just enough time between starting medication and my 6-hour ultra to pull through when a DNS (Did Not Start?) seemed like a better and smarter choice in the days leading up to my 3rd ever ultra run.

Of course, being the Type-A runner that I am…plus, the fact that I had already paid my entry fee…coupled with the fact that I’ve run double marathons while battling bronchitis, I’d say that you stood a better chance of seeing me at the start line…regardless!

So on to the race report…

I spent the night before the race at Hotel Sierra in Green Bay, where I ate a delicious (and surprisingly low-cost) dinner of vegetable alfredo before tucking myself into bed at 9:30 p.m.  As is usually the case before marathon and ultra distance events, I didn’t really get a good, sound sleep…just a nice, long rest…which, trust me, does the trick (or at least tricks the body into believing that it has received the same benefit…of a good, sound sleep, I mean )

In the morning, I put my ‘crew’ bag together and realized that I had forgotten my energy gel. Rather than stress about it, I devised an alternate plan, which consisted of starting out with Hammer Heed (an electrolyte powder) in my water bottle, then taking Hammer Perpetuam at the ‘crew’ station and Endurolytes at 2-mile aid station beginning with my second lap (the course was a 4.1 loop course that I eventually lapped 8 times for a total of 32.8 miles).

START: The start was 7 a.m. at the University of Wisconsin’s Green Bay campus (Shorewood Golf Course) in perfectly cool temperatures.  It wasn’t until later in the day…particularly between laps 6 and 8 that the temperatures soared and the air became uncomfortably heavy.  Until then, my pace had been pretty good…not at all strained as it had been just a couple of days prior.  As the air became heavier, I found it more and more difficult to breathe normally, which reduced me to walking (and coughing) much more than I had earlier in the day.

COURSE: The course, though, was absolutely wonderful and kept me in good spirits as it winded around the golf course and through the UW campus. Partially paved and partially mulched, the trail gave my legs periodic breaks…although sliding around in the mulch had the downside of producing a post-race blister!  While the terrain was wonderfully varied, there were no major hills to conquer on this course

SUPPORT: I can’t say enough about the support for this event…it was absolutely fantastic! The stations were stocked with plenty of food, water, Gatorade, and cold, wet, towels.  It was a BYOB event, but runners had the option of carrying their bottles with them or leaving them at the aid stations.  I opted to carry mine, which gave me the freedom to eat and drink as needed.

NUTRITION: I started out with two full bottles of Heed-enhanced water, after which I switched to plain water.  If I could have a do-over, it would have been to continue with the Heed throughout the event instead of switching to water.  No matter, it turned out to be an amazingly great day with no stomach distress whatsoever!  Alternating Perptuam with Endurolytes was a really good move on my part, and with no stomach distress, I was able to enjoy some real food for a change…everything from chocolate chip cookies to strawberries to slushy freeze pops!  Looking back, my best runs have not only been ultra distance runs, but they’ve been ones in which I ate more real food and consumed less (or in this case, no) energy gels.

OVERALL: I had no major issues during this event…and not many minor ones either.  Other than my breathing becoming a bit more restrictive as the day warmed and the air got heavy, I still had the best run (breathing-wise) that I’ve had all year.  And although my legs experienced their usual amount of angst–and my minded wandered some–as I ticked off the miles, I did not hit a physically or a mental ‘wall’ during this event. It was just an all-around, super-great run…again, probably the best run I’ve had all year, no matter the distance.

NEXT UP: Jesse Parker 10K on 7/2/11, followed by Deseret News Marathon on 7/25/11

For me, it mean’t getting rid of or reducing the distractors that take away from our family’s “together time”. And the biggest money and time-waster in our family? The television!

We exercised a rule during the school year that there would be no TV on school nights, so along with it came more family time, a greater focus on activities that build rather than dissolve character, and less…would you believe it…stress!

But, we soon found ourselves paying a lot of money for (instead of attention to) the TV. It was a price we felt that we could no longer justify, especially at summer’s front door.

So, we unplugged…sort of.

The TV, while still plugged in, is without the paid TV programming that it’s come to rely on this digital day and age. So, now if we get a hankering for TV, we must rely on our library of DVD’s that we seem to never watch because we take the “zone out quick approach” and head for the easiest to find, kid-friendly shows offered by paid TV.

So, really, it’s a win-win! We save money by not subscribing to paid TV and also justify the money spent on now-dusty DVD’s!

Oh, yeah, and there’s the oodles of family time that is shared from our reduced emphasis on TV and our greater focus on the things that really (really) matter most…QTSWK

Quality
Time
Spent
With
Kids

If you haven’t given it try, unplug for just one night (or one night a week) and see if it makes a difference. I bet it will…and your family will love you for it!

Friday’s 5K went exceptionally well. I ran at a comfortable pace (25:22) and placed 6th out of 368 women in my age group. Imagine if I had raced it instead of saving myself for Saturday’s marathon! Although it was a rainy and cool day, the rain let up just in time for the 6:30 p.m. start, which made close to 7,000 people very, very happy!

Saturday’s marathon started well enough…in the 60′s (temp-wise) and overcast, but with no rain. I felt pretty secure with my training base, and finally felt out of the woods with my SI joint dysfunction, so decided to start with the 4-hour pace group. Once the marathon was underway, I eased into an extremely comfortable pace just ahead of the pace group. At 6.2 miles (10K), I was right where I wanted to be at 56 minutes flat. Three miles later, it was a different story altogether.

Between 9 and 10 miles, I got hit–and I mean, hit–with a dizzy, light-headed spell, nearly feeling like I was going to pass out. I went through my mental checklist of things that runners think about when stuff like this happens: hydration–check, electrolytes–check, nutrition–check. I couldn’t think of anything that I had missed or messed up on. I dropped an electrolyte tab in my water, just in case (it was nearly time for that anyway), and kept running.

But, then, the headache came on…one of the worst I’ve ever experienced. Beginning at the temple (left side of my head), the pressure was something I would describe as “crushing”…literally. I could feel pressure build up behind my left eye and spread all the way across the left side of my face.

One mile, two miles, three miles down the road, I couldn’t seem to shake the dizzi-lightheaded-ness…or the headache…and started to get really concerned. I decided to start taking walk breaks and at least get to the half-way point. My thought was that if I could at least finish it as a half marathon, they might still give me a medal. My strategy at that point was “run until I got too dizzy–like I was going to pass out–walk it out, then repeat”.

It was a pretty good strategy, but in my mind I just kept thinking DNF…DNF…DNF. That’s how bad I was feeling, and the first time I’ve ever (ever) considered dropping out of a marathon.

Long story short, I made it to the half-marathon mats. Stopping at the next aid station, I actually asked the folks there about dropping out. They just looked at me all crazy-like and said, “yeah, right!” So, here I am (just picture it) trying to express how serious I was and bawling like a baby. Their only response was something akin to, “Well, you just missed the paramedic, so you might as well keep going!”

What happened next is why I love ultra running…because ultra runners are wonderfully supportive and caring people! Out of the blue, a girl stops to assist me. She happens to be an ultra runner and starts having me take deep breaths, pours cold water down down my back, and giving me words of encouragement. Although worried that I might not be able to push through it, I get back on course and continue my run/walk strategy.

Of course, I felt a bit like I was eating crow when the 4-hour pace group passed me…then the 4:15…then the 4:30. It’s always a hard pill to swallow when things go wrong in a race and you have to defer your goals for another event. In a way, it’s a good motivator to keep running marathons–and working toward your goals (a lesson I learned while running my very first marathon).

Although I never did shake the dizzi-lightheaded-ness or the headache, I resolved to not drop out at the two medical drop-out tents I passed. I finished my 23rd marathon (without passing out) in 4:36:44. Thank you, Ultra Running Girl.

Post-marathon: I felt incredibly weak and continued to feel dizzy and light-headed for the rest of the day, despite eating and later napping in the hotel room for 4 hours (something I never, ever do after a marathon). A visit to the doctor on Tuesday and an EKG later, I still don’t have any answers. However, a visit to my chiropractor on Wednesday revealed some alignment issues (left side of my neck) and produced quite a plausible discussion about migraines.

Recalling an eye issue that I experienced during the Deadwood-Mickelson Marathon (two years ago), in which I lost nearly all of the dilation in my pupils, I’m inclined to think that my chiropractor may be right. I’ve learned to trust my chiropractor above all other people, as he has really pulled me through my SI joint dysfunction…and allergies issues (I hardly have them anymore)…and just about anything else I happen to bring up. I’m amazed my all the “issues” that can be fixed by a simple adjustment. Thank you, Chiropractor Guy.

If you’re not Ultra Running Girl or Chiropractor Guy, but feel you’ve contributed (or would like to contribute) significantly to my past or future marathon success, please let me know so I can give you credit

Run strong…Run long…Run on!

But, like most moms out there, I do my fair share of “bad” counting…you know, the kind leading to a time-out, or worse yet, a mom “walk-out” (not to be confused with a strike that you can negotiate your way out of).  So, for all of these special kind of moments that you’d rather forget, I’ve devised a counting strategy based on the duration, intensity, and nature of the “crime”.  Oh, and free to chime in with your own strategy for keeping calm under pressure!

Just to clarify–Although we practice 1-2-3 Magic in our house, the kind of counting I’m talking about here is the kind that causes you to deploy your “mom walk-out” procedures.  In other words, the kind of counting you do before you take action on something more than a minor offense (or after a day full of lots and lots and lots of minor offenses).

>>>Oh, and by minor offense, I mean little everyday things like not listening or minding, talking back, interrupting, arguing, continuing to pick on brother after brother says, “stop, please!”<<<

So, here we go…beginning with 5 count offenses:

I COUNT TO 5 WHEN–

–I have to count to 3 (again) before or during an already earned time-out (nothing like earning another time-out while going to time-out, eh?)

–I get the “uglies” (an eye roll, a smirk, or a tongue sticking out) after asking them to do something…or stop doing something not yet counted for.

I COUNT TO 10 WHEN–

–Toys and other miscellaneous objects get thrown down the heat duct or toilet and we can’t get the out.

–It takes a half-hour to do what should have been done in 10 minutes if they hadn’t been messing around.

–It’s time to say prayer at dinner time (in our house, we don’t start the prayer until we have silence at the table for 10 seconds).

I COUNT TO 25 WHEN–

–I get called something ugly, like “Bad Mama”, “Poopie Head,” or told, “I Hate You, Mommy!”

–I get a blatant “No!” when I ask them to do something.

I COUNT TO 50 WHEN–

–Potty (or poop) gets put (purposely) anywhere outside of the toilet

–Plants get pulled up from the roots

I COUNT TO 100 WHEN–

–I get hit, kicked, or spit on

–Belongings (theirs or mine) get ripped to shreds, destroyed, or tossed through the air with an intent to destroy or injure.

As I go through my day–or encounter a scenario for which I might have to count, I’ll add to this list.  If you want me to add any of yours, just comment to this post and I will.  I love sharing the joy with moms who have had those “been there, done that” kind of days!

I made the lottery cut this year (on my second try) so it’s “official” official. I’m really super excited about it…but a little shocked. Mostly I’m shocked because I assumed– like a lot of other runners– that I would follow the “3 strikes and you’re in” route (after being denied entry three times–3 years in a row–you get guaranteed entry the fourth year).

I’m also a little shell-shocked at the thought of me running–somewhat claustaphobically through the streets of New York. Anyone who knows me know that I’m a small marathon kind of a girl. The less support, the fewer spectators, the better. I remember thinking that Chicago Marathon was way, way (way) out of my league. So, I can just imagine what New York will be like.

But, for a once in a lifetime opportunity? It’s like Boston Marathon in my book. I’ll probably never get there again, so it’s a “grab your shoes and run” kind of moment that I either live or die for (metaphorically speaking). Plus, it puts another state on my “done” list for the 50 states club!

So, while I’m apprehensive, nervous, scared, I’m also overjoyed, optimistic, and (I admit) a little giddy with excitement–the good kind.

With three more marathons officially lined up–Fargo (ND), Eisenbahn (WI), and now New York (NY), I daresay it’s going to be an insanely good year for running! I’d like to sneak one more state in the mix if at all possibly, but logistically speaking we’ll see.

NYC Marathon, here I come!

My latest “eat” comes straight from Nancy Clark’s Food Guide For Marathoners–this very yummy Honey Crisp Energy Bar recipe:

INGREDIENTS

1/4 c. Canola oil
1/4 c. Honey
5 oz. Marshmallows (1/2 of a 10 oz. bag)
2 c. Uncooked oatmeal
2 c. Toasted rice cereal
1/2 t. Salt (if desired)

Optional: 1 c. Chopped almonds or other nuts, 1 c. Dried fruit of your choice (raisins, braising, chopped apricots, dried blueberries, dried cherries, etc.)

DIRECTIONS

1–In large saucepan, combine oil, honey, and marshmallows and heat over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until marshmallows are melted.

2–Mix in the oats and toasted rice cereal and other optional ingredients, as desired. Mix well.

3–Pour into a greased 8″x8″ pan. Using greased hands or spatula, spread the mixture evenly into pan.

4–Allow mixture to cool. Cut into squares, as desired.

NUTRITION Info (no optional ingredients)

Servings: 8-10
Total calories: 2,100

Per serving:
Calories: 210
Carbohydrates: 35g
Proteins: 2g
Fat: 7g

Enjoy! Drop me a line and let me know what creative energy bar “options” you come up with!

When you do good things for other people, you fill their bucket (and ultimately yours) with happiness. 

When you do other-than-good things to people, you dip into their bucket and take the happiness out. 

After a particularly rough weekend with the boys, I had an “aha!” moment in which I remembered the bucket idea.  Armed with the biggest buckets I could find (figuratively speaking), I set out to help the boys understand how what we do and say affect the way other people feel. 

My 4 yo immediately grasped the concept and has been trying really, super hard to fill up everyone’s buckets.  All I have to do now is ask him if he just filled or dipped into a bucket and I see the attitude change. 

My 3 yo is getting there…slowly!  He seems to understand the bucket concept, but still thinks it might be just a bit more fun to empty the buckets rather than fill them.  I haven’t lost hope yet, as I caught him talking to his brother about keeping his bucket full (when he didn’t know that I was listening, of course!)!

If you’ve got any “bucket dippers” out there, I highly recommend Fill a Bucket, as well as the sequel, Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids by author Carol McCloud.

And truth be told, with five weeks between the Sandbox and MCF marathons, I didn’t have all that much training to do, which made it a “no stop now” event in my marathon book. 

Organization: For an official “unofficial” marathon, it had just the right amount of organization and support.  Of course, I’m the kind of runner who does just fine without spectator and other kinds of support.  With only a handful of aid stations along the route, we were advised to carry our own water bottles, which I did…although I may have been able to do without the extra weight had I trained under those conditions.

Route: The route was the same as the Fox Cities Marathon route.  We simply ran it backwards (in a forward direction, mind you).  The route winds in and out of various residential areas throughout the Fox Cities, save for the spectacularly scenic portion along the Fox River. 

At the start, we were given “route wheels” (plastic ID card holders attached to a retractable lanyard) with the route directions on it for the first half of the marathon.  At the half-way point, we traded it in for directions to the second half.  Mentally, it was joyous occasion because the second route wheel only had directions printed on one side (thus, giving the illusion that it was shorter than the first half :p).  I admit that was a little worried about getting lost, but I didn’t need to be.  The only wrong turn I took was very early on while I was running with a group!  On my own, I did just fine. 

***Okay, so I did trip and fall on the sidewalk once while trying to run and look at route directions at the same time (I don’t recommend this, by the way).***

Some people might feel “lost” without having mile markers along the route, but I absolutely loved it.  I had forgotten to wear a watch, so it was a very “unknown” experience for me.  Mentally, though, it was better for me not to “know”, so it never bothered me…and always surprised me (in a good way) when I learned where we were at on the course.

***I also forgot my running shoes at home and had to settle for “discards” (shoes that I had previously run in, but had discarded—turned into casual run-around shoes—due to wear).  I’ll digress more in another post.***

Aid Stations: All the aid stations (5 total + a couple extra ones via the “timing clock guy”) offered a choice of Gatorade and water, and all had a little something extra…tootsie rolls, M&M’s, glucose tabs, etc. 

Although I probably could have gotten by without carrying a water bottle, I did find some comfort in having it along and not relying so much on aid stations to pull me through the marathon.

***My stomach did not take too kindly to the Easter M&M’s, which appear to have a slightly different coating on them than the regular kind, or to adding a little bit of Gatorade to my water at mile 20…no fault of the aid stations, though!*** 

Finish: The marathon finish at UW-Fox Valley was pretty low-key: no big air-filled archways, no blaring music, no announcements over the loudspeaker.  However, all of the necessities were covered and I was just fine with that.  I mean, really, what more do you need outside of a timing clock, a person to record times and give runners their medals (the first 30 to sign up received medals), a couple of boxes to turn in route wheels and pick up discarded clothes, etc., and a table of goodies for the finishers???

I really enjoyed the informal, ultra-like experience of this marathon.  I recommend it to runner not needing a lot of support.  I think every marathoner should run a marathon like this at least once in their lives.  The experience alone makes you realize how much you can do on your own.  And nothing—I think—beats that!!

Oh, and the greatest part? Registration for the inaugural event was by donation only to fund track and field scholarships for rising high school running stars!

———————–

Since the logistics of running marathons in all 50 states is getting more complicated (and costly), I’ve settled for a alternate goal of simply completing 50 marathons by age 50.  That way, I can take advantage of some really awesome marathons in my own home state without feeling overwhelmed by the guilt :p  I still want to run the 50 states, but I’ll settle for a happy—if not slower—pace in terms of reaching that goal. 

Red cabbage cake with cream cheese icing

Yield 12 servings

2¼ c. all-purpose flour

1¾ c. sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

¼ tsp. kosher salt

3 eggs

¾ c. buttermilk

1 c. canola oil

3 tsp. vanilla extract

½ c. shredded carrots.

¾ c. shredded (like for coleslaw) red cabbage then rough chop

¼ sun maid raisins

¾ c. pecans + ¼ c. for topping.

1 c. Breakstone’s sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare three nine-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, sugar baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, and set aside. Using a stand mixture bowl set on medium speed armed with the whisk attachment (if you do not have one, use a separate bowl and a hand mixture), mix together eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. When it is mixed well, add the dry flour mixture to your wet. Start mixer on low then scrap sides and beat on medium high until creamy, about 30-60 seconds, then add the sour cream and mix until creamy about 20-40 seconds on medium high. Next, by hand mix in carrots, cabbage, and ¾ cups chopped pecans and raisins. Mix well. Pour into three round nine-inch cake pans and bake for 25-35 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand in pans for about 10 minutes then turn out on cooling racks allow cooling completely. Ice and decorate with the remaining ¼ cup pecans.

Cream cheese icing:

2 (8 oz) package cream cheese (softened at room temperature)

¾ c. butter (room temperature)

2 T. whipping cream or whole milk

1½ T. vanilla extract

7 c. confectioners’ sugar

In a clean standing mixer bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter until light and creamy, about three minutes. Add whipping cream mix on high for about 30-60 seconds then lower speed to low. Add vanilla while mixing and slowly add confectioners’ sugar; when blended, turn mixer to high and mix until creamy and spreadable about 45-60 seconds.