Boston ... Stronger.

Hello Sole Sister readers -- it has been a long time! Pardon me while I dust off this blog, but I do so with urgency because as of right now, Sole Sister M and I are less than ONE WEEK from running in the 118th Boston Marathon. 

This was a good mailbox day. 

I'm finding it hard to find adequate words to describe how excited, nervous, proud, and patriotic I'm feeling. Quite frankly, even though I'm currently elbows deep in packing lists and public transit schedules and itinerary timing, a large part of me still does not quite believe that we soon will be getting on a plane and flying to Boston. I'm not even quite sure that it will hit me once we get on the ground -- it could take standing on Boylston Street to realize that nearly two years of planning and hard work, both by us and our loved ones, has finally led to the culmination of a quiet little dream that was hatched at a Fricker's restaurant in Perrysburg.

It was a tough, snowy training cycle this time around for many runners, Sole Sisters included. 

In our northwest Ohio neck of the woods, spring is finally unfurling after what was the harshest winter in about 35 years. (Though today's forecast calls for an inch and a half of snow -- no, I'm not joking.) With every sunny day, people and plants are stretching toward the warming orb with the joy of a lazy sunning tabby cat.  Seriously folks, if you live someplace where you didn't chatter through the sub-zero temps brought by a succession of polar vortices or fill your snow shovels with hundreds of feet of snow, you can count yourself blessed (and let me know if you have room for a family of four). For M and me, a lot of our training was done indoors this year, until we absolutely had to get out and gut through longer runs in the (fill-in-the-blank) snow, slush, wind, hail, rain, etc. Our Christmas exchange gifts this year? For me -- YaxTrax. For her -- knee-high thermal running socks. To this winter, we say "sno-thank you." 

How cold was it? M's Salted Caramel GU froze mid-run during a 15-miler at Wildwood. 

My running attire could have doubled as bank-robber gear. 

I am a firm believer, however, that until you know the bad times, you can't fully appreciate the good times. That is what makes the promise of this particular spring so tantalizing. Spring is a time of renewal, rebirth. After the year that the city of Boston has had, dealing with the shock of the bombings at the marathon finish line, the tragic loss of life, and the gut-wrenching recoveries that the bombing victims have had to endure and still do endure, I'd like to think that part of the renewal process will be furthered by the return of runners to the nation's oldest annual marathon. 

This will be our very first Boston Marathon. This will be my first time in the city of Boston, period. When we made it our goal in March 2013 to qualify for Boston 2014, we had no way of knowing that when we did qualify, we'd be coming to run the 118th race as part of what is Boston's road to recovery.

 I want this race to be a giant victory parade for the city of Boston. I want this race to symbolize that in the heart of each of the 36,000 runners beats the cadence, "You will not take this from me." I want 26.2 miles of relentless footfalls to deliver the message, "You messed with the wrong people." I want the all of the spectators' cheers and joyful tears, the elites' blazing-fast victories (go Shalane!) and the back-of-the-packers's personal bests to herald the fact that this city is not only Boston Strong, but has grown Boston Stronger. 

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We are heading out on Friday, and the race is this Monday, April 21. If you'd like to track our progress, you can do so in a couple of ways. 

• For cell phone updates, text our bib numbers (Victoria) 18396 and (McKenzie) 16787 to  345678 
• Get updates via email by registering for AT&T Athlete Alert 

Thanks so much for your kind words and encouragement -- it's really helped us to bring our dreams to life and knowing that we have such a great support net back home really keeps us moving through the tough times. You guys are great!! 

Be kind to yourself. Be kind to each other.  -- V.

Change is a Good Thing -- Welcome Back

Wobble, wobble, wobble, WACK!! KaBLAM. POW!!! Stumble-tumble-roll, roll, roll. Owie owie owie OUCH! 

What was THAT, you ask? Well, that was me. Falling off the fitness wagon. I won't say I've been totally unhealthy, I haven't, but I have been slowly backsliding from where I think my potential fit level is. I've gained a little weight (no one would really notice but me), my fast doesn't come as easily, and I'm strong, but not as strong as I could be. Do you know what the awesome thing about this is, though? These are all things that are within my control, and I can choose to get back up to the level where I want to be. 

Summer really can be a tough time to train, with vacation time, kids being out of school, hotter days, and general fun things to do that pop up. Who'd rather do a long run than attend a family barbecue? Well, not this girl. This is one reason that I generally do not like fall marathons -- I just have such a hard time consistently training for them. Strange as it might sound, I'd much rather wake up early in January and knock out a 14 miler when it's 14 degrees out than run outside in the summer. 

This is in full view from my treadmill. Helps keep the mental meanies out of my way.

Falling off the wagon doesn't just have a physical effect on me -- it also wreaks havoc with my mental game. And even when I'm at my fittest, my biggest challenge is always shutting up the voices of self-doubt that can creep up on me during a run -- most especially during a race. These voices generally say, "Why are you doing this?" "This is stupid; you aren't really a runner." "Remember when you dropped out of that 800-meter race in high school? You're still not an athlete." "I can hear your heart beating. And, you just got passed. Ugh." And so on. If that's what I'm facing when I logically know I'm physically able to conquer anything, you can believe the chorus thrums louder when I start to skip workouts. 

Yes, Virginia, there really are fit girl problems. That sounds like fodder for another blog post. 

So, this is my rededication to running, my commit to fit. While our kids are over just part-time during the week, having them back in school provides more of a routine for me that I can take advantage of.  (Sidebar: I commend all of you caregivers who are working your healthy routines while doing parenting 100% of the time, day in, day out. You are my heroes and are setting a great example for your kids. Kudos.) Also, I had nothing to prepare for during the summer. There was no greater cause for me to be disciplined. Well, I am going to do at least a half in October, if not the full. I'm planning to register for the inaugural Northern Ohio marathon, which is Oct. 13 in Lake County, Ohio, home to the lovely family of Coach B. Lesson learned: Be working toward something. Set goals and don't meander aimlessly. Focus your energy, be it in the gym, on the road, at work. Know what you are working toward, otherwise you'll go in a circle and not upward. 

The swag for the Northern Ohio marathon includes a Brooks Essential half-zip pullover. I'm IN.  

As a springboard,  I'm somewhat crazily doing a half marathon this Saturday in Bowling Green. I'm not as prepared as I'd necessarily like to be, but M and I both agreed we're viewing this not so much as a "race" as it is a "run." :-) I passed the tests I'd set for myself to see if tackling this half was feasible. I wanted to run 5 on Tuesday, then 10 on Thursday. I did both of those, but on a treadmill. In air-conditioning. I'll rest Friday, and try to focus on miles and not time on Saturday morning. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes. 

As far as the blog goes, I've got to be honest: The RW Streak challenge had me b-u-r-n-e-d out. The collages. The mileage. The entries ("I ran. I ran again. I ran alone. I ran with M. I ran, it hurt. I ran, it felt good.).  It just got to be too much. SO: I pledge to write once a week at minimum, on a thought-out topic. I'm not intending my portion of the blog to be a workout diary, but I'll include a little bit of what I'm up to, just to stay accountable. I know M is dedicated to her fitness and her running, and she's an Advocare rep now, too, so if you need the supplement hookup and other amazing products, she is your woman! Link to M's Advocare Site

M is so dedicated that even disgusting dive-bombing bugs wouldn't keep her from completing a muggy night run. I took the treadmill route. I'm a bug-fearing wuss. M is not. 

If you have questions, comments, suggestions, our email inbox is always open (solesisters2014@gmail.com) and we would love to hear from you and what you are up to, and what your goals are! Keep in touch!!! 

Be kind to yourself. Be kind to each other.  -- V.   

The Rundown -- Thoughts on The 39-Day Streak

Hello all! V here again. Well, we did it. M and I made it through 39 days straight of running -- through heat, wind, rain, chill, on treadmills, separately, together, with a bear, through refinery fumes, one port-a-potty stop, one time after a margarita, early in the morning, sometimes at night, sometimes right before midnight, on vacations, through the woods, during 5K personal-best times, during legs-like-lead times, and even as part of a 3,000-mile cross country relay.

I'm reflecting on completing the 39 days, and I realize that there were positives and negatives to undertaking the endeavor. On the pro side, this was a great way to build up a solid mileage base. Obviously, it forced me to be consistent. I also am a lot better about just getting outside and getting a run done -- the streak made me cut back on procrastination in that I learned to be ALWAYS ready to run. My gear was always ready, and running every day helped ensure I didn't misplace the things I need to get out the door (headphones, gum, armband, shoes, socks, CLEAN running clothes). I can also take photos while "on the run," which I'm sure will be a valuable skill someday -- say if I'm being chased by a giraffe while on safari somewhere. I also am glad to have run so often because it gave me a chance to explore new areas in which to run, rather than just doing the same-old, same-old path. A new location definitely keeps me engaged while running.

Negatively, I didn't really have time to actually "work" on things I wanted to. Speed work and hill work pretty much went out the window because I didn't have adequate time to recover from them. Those are two key elements to getting faster in a 5K, and while my 5K time improved, it didn't go down by that much from the Memorial Day race (21:59) to the July 4 race (21:38). I'm not complaining about going deeper into the 21's though, mind you! It was also hard to deal with injury and soreness that arose. The metatarsal pain I experienced about midway through the streak finally did go away, but I really had to baby my foot and discontinue wearing any kind of heeled shoe (I still haven't worn heels since June 12) and I used a foot pad for a week or so. Not streaking might have fixed that sooner, but it did give me an opportunity to be more OK with running through pain. I learned that I have to maintain my muscles better between runs, as well. The Stick became my friend -- otherwise my calves were like rocks for the first 2 miles of every outing.

The summer run streak was a great learning experience, and I'm really glad to have taken it on and accomplished it. That being said, I'm really looking forward to my 14-week marathon training program, which has both massage and rest days built in! I'm also looking forward to NOT making a collage every. single. day. Thank you for bearing with us through this streak, and here's to more fun runs and interesting blog posts to share with you to come!

On Day 40, I rested with a whole-wheat English muffin, Biscoff spread (jars of it were given away at Day 39's Starr Spangled 5K,) and watched "Million Dollar Baby." I'm back on the run tomorrow!

I Am Out Running

Hi friends, V here.

I looked at the note that I had left for Coach B on the kitchen counter this morning:

"I am out running."

Pretty simple; it's a note I leave a lot. But then I looked at it again and thought, "yes, I am  out running."

I am outrunning my stress. I am outrunning poor health. I am outrunning negative body-image thoughts. I am outrunning headaches and heartbreaks. I am outrunning fears of inadequacies. I am outrunning my worries and hurries. I am outrunning things I can't change. I am outrunning poor future choices. I am out, running.

###

 I will say that the streak has been outrunning me, though! I promise we've both been faithfully logging the miles. M and I will be celebrating the streak's official end with a 5k race on the Fourth! Here's a recap, in collage form:

Day 31: Day after One Run For Boston relay. One quick mile before my tattoo session...

Day 32: Little over 5K, with right arm wrapped in Saran Wrap and an arm sleeve after tattoo session #2.

Day 33: M and I ran at Pearson, I topped 1,000K on Nike+, and we saw a bear.

Day 34: One mile on Wabash Cannonball Trail, then biking with Coach B.

Checking out Perrysburg history on Day 35.

Day 36: July is chilly; only 66 degress, but great running weather!

Great run for Day 37: Like cruising through a mist tent at Lollapalooza.

Can't believe that this 39-day endeavor is coming to an end! Now the question is do we continue, or do we rest ...?

Have a great holiday! Be kind to yourself. Be kind to each other.   -- V

You Take the Good, You Take the Bad: Catching up with the RW Summer Run Streak

Hey all, V here. Well, we've been VERY GOOD about keeping up with the streak. We've been NOT VERY GOOD in consistently writing about it! So, here is a SUPER CATCH-UP POST to let you know we're streakers, not slackers. When last we left you, we were embarking on Day 26 of the streak. Welcome to the first day of summer! This run reminded me about all the reasons why I LOOOOVEEE ... to run in cold temperatures and train for SPRING marathons, not FALL marathons.

When I get hot, I get crabby. And when I'm crabby, it's really difficult to fight the mental demons that can plague any run. What can I say: the heat frizzles my brain and really makes me dive into the well of self-doubt. Pair that with the crampiness that seems to be from streak-induced muscle stress, and it's just the recipe for a physical and mental meltdown. On days like this, I am happy to get THROUGH a run! So, bless the streak for keeping me out there, working hard, even though I'd rather be sitting eating grapes and being fanned by a giant palm frond.

But, being optimistic, I have to believe there is a good for every bad. The very next day, my run felt fantastic; better than it's been in awhile. Coach B, who unfairly bears the brunt of my road neuroses and crankiness but somehow loves me anyway, flat-out told me: "You need to rediscover why you love to run. You should slow it down, especially in the heat. Not every run is a race. Even world-class marathoners do their 'junk' miles at a 10 minute pace sometimes to recharge." 

Sidecut Metropark is a great place to recharge your running batteries.

 Well, I listened. Day 27 was a great run. I did slow down, I stayed in the shade when I could, and I worked on being a positive runner and only worrying about running a pace that made me feel good about what I was doing out there. I got 6 miles in total on a day that was in the 90-degree range and I reached the 600-mile mark on my Nike+. I felt strong and unstoppable, like I could accomplish anything: THAT feeling is what I love about running. While when things go wrong, I always look at what went wrong and list out the problems. I've decided that when things go RIGHT, I need to also list what was good about the experience, what led to it being good, that way I can try to replicate those things in hopes of having another good day. Every day is different, though; sometimes doing all the right things still doesn't elevate your run and sometimes you can have a great run even if you didn't expect to. But, it can't hurt to keep track of what works and what doesn't, on any given outing.

Day 27 was a breakthrough day for me. I reached 600 miles run while using my Nike+ tracker, I drew inspiration from having watched Shalane Flanagan's outstanding 10,000-meter run at the USATF championships (T.L.S. = Tough Like Shalane), and I slowed it down, stayed cool physically and mentally, and remembered why I love to run.

I was only intending to do about 5 miles. But then as soon as I sat down and saw my Nike+ data, I realized that I was only 0.4 miles away from notching mile 600. Apparently, I am an OCD runner, because I was off like a shot to get that milestone. 

With such a great Day 27, I was hoping to catch lightning in a bottle again on Day 28. Pretty close! I had to be up early to get ready for a late Father's Day family cookout, but took most of the steps I had for the Day 27 run (bagel thin, banana, Gatorade Prime energy chews, stretched the calves, rolled them with The Stick). I set a goal of 4.5 miles, which would get me to 30 for the week. The run was pretty solid! I had some calf crampiness because I didn't roll them out as long as I had the previous day, but lesson learned. Taking the time to do maintenance on my muscles is a MUST for me -- it's not the heat or lack of potassium or salt; I need to roll them. Glad to find the common denominator (as a mathphobe, I have to just assume I'm using that term correctly...).

Goal met! Got the run done early, and then had a great cookout with family.

 Day 29 was my "rest day" of just one mile. This is because Day 30 will be part of the One Run For Boston cross country relay. I am so excited AND nervous. As of this writing, the relay is about an HOUR behind. This means I'll have to adjust when we leave, and be in contact with the local P.D. to keep them updated on the progress. But, wow: What an opportunity. I promise to post about it sooner rather than later!

One treadmill mile while watching tape-delay of the U.S. Track and Field Championships, followed by some fresh blackberries. I picked up some pepper spray ("Making grown men cry since 1975") to carry with me to put my family's mind at ease when I run alone. Will be testing it with (not on) Sole Child Nick this week ...

One last thing before I go: I hope some of you were able to catch some of the USATF championships in Des Moines, Iowa, this past weekend. There were some outstanding performances turned in, and I was inspired just watching them. I was also thinking that there was no way in hell I'd ever be able to run that fast -- but then I realized that as long as I run MY race in a good headspace, I'm doing pretty well. Some of the athletes had great things to say following their events (when they weren't gasping for air during the interview -- come ON, reporters; give them a minute, wouldja??). One of my favorites came from Natasha Hastings: 

True dat. Thanks for hanging in there through this loooooong update. Be kind to yourself. Be kind to each other. -- V.


Hey all!! Thanks for putting up with our (mainly mine) procrastination!  We are FAR FROM slackers but totally remaining true to our streaking and once again I will say that I am in disbelief that we have ran for 29 consecutive days!  The insanity of it!! 




You could definitely tell that Day 26 was the first day of summer.  Mother Nature made it known.  I think it may have been "her time" of the month because, yikes, it was HOTTT!  I was pressed for time on Friday and didn't get a chance to run outside, so it was off to the YMCA for me after work.  Just as well since I didn't feel like running in the sweltering heat.  This was my first run in my new Saucony Kinvara 4's.  They are super comfy!!

(I didn't really like the color scheme of them at first, but they are slowly growing on me.  They are SUPER bright!)

My treadmill run at the Y wasn't so bad, to be honest.  I got a good three miles in and then a great song came on my iPod, so I ended up with just over three and a half!  Not complaining!  

 (A little photo-bomb action from Sole Child Lucy as we waited in line for our tacos!)

Day 27 wasn't any better on the heat scale.  It was nasty and humid.  I didn't have much of a choice but to run during the hottest point of the day out at my mom's house (so she could watch the kids) where there is zero shade.  It was BRUTAL!!  I took her dog, Billy, with me for one mile... I don't think he could have handled much more than that, dropped him off and went for another two miles.  Let me tell you, I felt like I was running through cement.  That is how heavy and sluggish my legs felt.  I am totally with V on this one.  I HATE running in the heat.  Give me cold and snow any day to run in.  Okay, enough complaining...  I got a good three miles in despite the heat and felt good once it was done!!

(Just look at that handsome dog!  What a hunk!  My mom said if I said "heel", he wouldn't pull on the leash.  She lied.)

Yesterday, Day 28, was a great run.  It was hot (summer time, duh) and I ran in the middle of the day again.  This time I did the route that V refers to as the "Urban Jungle" route.  We just did it last week and it takes you through an old cemetery, past refineries, a loop through a local park and then back home.  It's a nice route to do early morning or afternoon.  I wouldn't quite feel safe doing this route in the evening... Little too scary for me.  Despite the heat, I managed to hold steady at an 8:20 pace.  

When I got home from my run, my friend Lisa had the kids out back with the garden hose hooked up to the slide on the swingset.  We like to call this the "Redneck Waterslide"  As you can see, we strategically place a tarp at the bottom, so your booty slides pretty dang fast when you come flying down.  The kids also decided to not only wet the tarp, but to add dish soap.  It was good, clean fun!

I can't believe this, but today is Day 29!  Holy cow!  That seems unreal to me.  Only ten days of this streak left!  Today I took it easy.  Had a long day at work and then did some car shopping (stay tuned).  By the time I got home, got a bite to eat and got myself situated, it was 10 p.m.  I knew I needed to take it easy since we have the One Run for Boston tomorrow.  I got an easy two miles in and I feel good!!

Good thing I got Day 29 out of the way when I did because it is currently pouring outside!  Hopefully it cools things down a bit!

Well folks, the next time you hear from us Sole Sisters will be after we have completed our leg of the cross country relay for Boston tomorrow!  Keep us in your thoughts in the morning hours! We hope to do you proud!  V and I cannot wait to share the experience with you all!!   

 

Streaking Solo and with a Friend -- There's Strength in Numbers on Day 24 & 25

Would you rather run alone or with others?  For me, it depends on the day.  I can assure you though that no matter what I am feeling, that when it comes to runs with Sister V, I would always much rather run with her than alone.  The conversations, the camaraderie, that extra push, the laughs ... Those don't happen when you run alone.  I am lucky enough to have forged a friendship that extends beyond girly gossip and your typical chick stuff.  I have a friendship that is based on common interests, goals, competitiveness, positivity, sweat, insecurities, lifting each other up, holding each other back (if needed), laughter, fears ... It's as real as it gets and I am lucky. 

When you run with someone, you get to know the REAL person that stands in front of you.  The nitty-gritty... When you train with someone, you can't hide who you really are. When you are on an 18 mile run and you hurt, want to stop, have to poop, feel dehydrated, are running positive splits and just don't think you can make it... You CAN'T fake that or hide it.  That is what I LOVE about my friendship with Sister V.  It's REAL.  We have learned so much about each other in the short time that we have known each other because when you train together, you are forced to get to know one another.  I couldn't have asked for a better training partner.  She is my sister!

(Love You Like A Sister)

Day 24 -- This was a post-work run and it was beautiful and sunny out.  I wanted to run immediately after work, but had a mishap in scheduling due to Josie (my youngest) peeing her pants at the library.  I had to run new shorts to her instead of heading to the park.  After delivering new shorts, I headed home, changed clothes and got out the door.  I was happy to be running before dark, so I couldn't complain about the minor hiccup in my plans.  I got a solid five miles in, with all miles under an 8 minute pace.  Aside from a semi turning into a parking lot in front of me, the run was awesome.  I even got honked at a couple of times.  I am sure it was the skirt!

I was super happy to have ran and gotten home before the sun set.  I got to throw some chicken on the grill and play with the kids for awhile.  It was nice.  I am definitely going to try and do this more often.  Night runs are fun and all, but going right after work was a nice treat.

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Aww: Ditto, and L.Y.L.A.S. right back atcha, Sister M!  Let me say right now how lucky any of you out there would be to have such a partner in crime. Through the good and the bad of running, it is beyond awesome to know that you have a supportive companion who will have your back through both tough headwinds and gross roadkill downwinds, and will keep you laughing so hard that you actually get ab cramps while running. My half-sisters are a lot younger than me, and we grew up far away, so this sisterly bond forged through the miles is just a total gift to me, and I feel super lucky as well! You know you have a true friend when she not only doesn't complain when you've just GOT to stop at a port-a-john at mile 3.5 of a 6-mile run, but also is there waiting with a camera to catch your expression when you step out of it, too. But more about Day 25 later ... 

Day 24 was super-unbelievably-CRAZY busy for me. But, I'm never too busy to get in one measly mile, right? Coach B and I got up early (for us), deputized the Sole Children to start some mega-weed pulling (my general mantra this year has been "yard work is for suckas," so things where getting pretty junglelike out there), and then we joined them. Four huge lawn bags full of weeds later, I was an achy puppy, BUT had to go food shopping for (drumroll please) Sole Child Nick's 13th birthday party! Woot! Got back, decorated for a luau like a dervish, marinated the chicken, made fruit salad, husked corn, untinned the baked beans, chilled the Malibu Blue Hawaiian, downed a sugar-free Red Bull, cut kebob ingredients, soaked skewers, blah blah blah blah blah blah ... And then I laced up my Virratas and zoomed out the door for one mile before everyone arrived. And, saw everyone in a car heading toward my house about a quarter mile in, lol. So I waved and thought, "Well, see you in six minutes!" It was a great little bash, and we are now blessed with not one, but two teens in the house. You may see a bump in my weekly mileage. (JUST KIDDING! CALM DOWN, KIDS -- LOVE YOU BOTH.) 

That may very well be one of my most favorite pictures of Sole Child Nick.
And I swear, I only had ONE Blue Hawaiian, just don't ask about the size of the glass.

I woke up on Day 25 of the streak ready to rock it with M! We had thought about getting in a 10-mile run in,  but ended up scaling it back to about 6. Which was fine by me, as I 'm still working out some calf crampy issues -- the foot feels GREAT though. We explored some new concrete-jungle paths, breathed in some toulene fumes from the refineries ringing the area, saw some really neat old gravestones in a (new to us) cemetery, and even visited Navarre Park (I even explored its port-a-john -- there was a lot of food at the birthday luau, what can I say). 

Mmmmm: Fume-y.  This scene makes me hum "My City Was Gone" for some reason.

M runs this city.

And, two slightly demented runner chicks. 

The best part of Day 25, though, was finishing and getting to play with M's Sole Children! These are two great girls, and their friend, too. I think we were happy to have an excuse to use the swing set and also play with sidewalk chalk while drinking our post-run java.

Hey there, happy campers!  

Look out, girls! Mom's gonna get you both in one swing!

Whee! Thanks, Lu, for showing me how to do this!  

Love You Like A Sister

Chalk outlines, courtesy of Lu and Mia.

Fun, fun, fun summer  morning. It was like being a kid again, but with coffee. And then, we went off to our grown-up jobs, but kept a smile in our hearts for the rest of the day. :-) 

I hope that you all find that kind of joy doing what you love, too.

P.S. We are LESS THAN A WEEK from the One Run For Boston cross-country relay! I got a call from the Reynoldsburg Police Department that they want to support us, and are giving us a motorcycle escort during our 7.5 mile relay leg! How cool is that? We can't wait to document it and bring you the sights and sounds of this inspiring event.