30 Lessons for 30 Years

I’m almost 30 – give me two days and I’ll say I am. I think I freaked out about this for a hot second, but really, it’s like, Alright, new decade. Time to get my life together and conquer what I want! I’ve got my eye on 18 different prizes and I feel like this is the time to start making things happen.

So here it is. 30 life lessons I’ve learned, primarily in the last seven years since stepping out into the "real world" post-grad school, and things I want to use to continue propelling myself forward as I tackle a new decade with these goals, plans, and dreams in mind.

1.      Own your mistakes. 

2.     Take care of your body.

3.     Take care of your mental health, too.

4.     Be present.

5.     People cannot read your mind.

6.     Give back.

7.       Keep your word. Do what you say you will.
8.       Travel. Go where you please!
9.       There’s something about turning pages of a book.
10.   Put down your phone.
11.   Set goals. Meet them.
12.   A rainy day fund isn’t just a suggestion.

13. Try new things.
14.   Do sometime that scares you regularly.
15.   Never stop learning.
16.   You don’t have to be friends forever and that’s okay.
17.   But hold on to the good ones.
18.   It’s okay to change your life plan.
19.   Go outside your comfort zone.

20. Sarcasm isn't always the answer.
21.   Criticism isn’t always bad.
22.   Live somewhere else.
23.   It’s okay to ask for help.
24.   Apologize when you should.
25.   Stand up for yourself.
26.   Find your thing- that thing that gets you fired up, excited, and inspired. 
27.   Indulging is okay! Treat yourself.
28.   Find a mentor in your field.
29.   Say thank you.
30.   Be kind.

I'll take a cupcake from you if you've got one!

What other wisdom do you have for someone wrapping up their 20s? 

Lessons in (Half) Marathons

I've run a half marathon or two... or five... or seventeen. As I've been pushing and working hard lately at maintaing training runs at race pace to ensure I'm racing my best and can achieve my goals, I've been thinking a lot about where I've come from when I first started running to where I'm at now.

Looking back at some old recaps, it's pretty mind-blowing to see how far I've come, from that first half all the way up until Fontana this past June. There's been a lot of miles, a lot of shoes, a lot of crying (that's not surprising), and a lot of things I've done that I never thought I would. I've posted before a list about things running teaches you in life, and after recapping so many of these races, it's amazing how many have come to fruition for real.

You can do anything you put your mind to.
I mean this, whole-heartedly, and it's truly not just about running. You want to ride a century? You want to hike the entire Pacific Crest Trail? You want to see all 50 states before you're 30? Go for it, put your mind to it, and you'll do it.

I set out to run a half. I set a time goal (2:20), but really just wanted to see that I could do it. I trained for about three months, got angry at Nike+ because it sucked and its distances were far from accurate, but I did it. Callaway Gardens was a gorgeous half marathon and I'm so glad I chose to do it - a small race, but it made my first big race all that much more exciting! I did it - with 8 seconds to spare. I put my mind to it, I did it.

Half marathoner!

Stubborness can pay off (sometimes). 
I'm stubborn. I acknowledge that fact. When I ran ZOOMA (#2), I ate asphalt at Mile 4. Especially since this was only my second half, this was particularly hard on my confidence. I got up, shook it off, because that's what I would have done as a soccer player too, in a past life. I was bleeding, and the road rash on my knee stung every time I moved, but damnit, I was going to do this.

At Mile 10, the paramedic asked if I wanted to stop, and I said there was no way, but that I'd see him at the finish to get cleaned up, and sure enough, I did. I wasn't going to let some road rash and bloody fingers stop me from getting to the end. To this date, there really hasn't been anything that has stopped me, and for that, I am grateful.

Note: Don't always do as I do. Sometimes, there are medical needs and times your body will make you stop. Listen to your body, know your body, and if it's appropriate and necessary to stop, stop.

Half #2, Georgia race #7.

Anything with friends makes the adventure worth it.
Sub-lesson: helping others achieve their goals is just as great as achieving your own.

Heather signed up for Wine and Dine (#5) as her first half, nearly six months in advance. For me, it was third in a streak of what turned into four halfs in a span of just 9 weeks. Her goal: finish. My goal: a) have fun and b) get Heather across that final timing mat. Both goals were achieved, Heather made it. Despite it being my worst half marathon time ever, helping my friend get to the end and see her goal come to life was beyond worth it. I'd never felt that sore the next morning, but every time I go back and look at my first (and currently, only) Disney race, I get this stupid big smile and remember what it was all about.

The double kicker to this was meeting a long-time online blogger friend, Alicia. On multiple blogging platforms since 2002, it was high time I got to meet her and run with her at the same time. An amazing weekend getting to meet a longtime friend!

Since then, adventures with friends have taken me to DC, Vegas, Phoenix, and in plenty of other non-half running adventures. It's not always about you, but about everyone else you get to run with!

Alicia, me, Buzz, Heather.

Sometimes you just need to run. 
Run for the sake of running. After a particularly horrible race and experience at Rock 'n Roll Las Vegas (#11), I wanted to run Arizona (#13) freely. No time, no pressure, no out-of-reach goals for the lack of training I'd had under my belt at that point. And I ran.

PF Chang's sponsors a team of runners to run as the dragon - you beat them, you get a prize. I saw them at Mile 5, passed them at Mile 6, and never saw them again. I still don't know what the prize is, but the sheer goofiness of the endeavor, the kick-ass-ness of their support tent at Mile 9, and the overall crowd support of the entire race, made me remember why I love racing and running. It's supposed to be freeing, it's supposed to be enjoyable, and sometimes you just need to have a race to remind you of that. Side note: I wore a 2:15 pace band, just for kicks. Finish time, 2:13. Ecstatic.

Desert Double Down done! 

It's not always going to go as planned. 
Fact. And like all lessons, this is far from just about running. My goal, race magic #10, was the inaugural Nike Women's DC race. Fast, flat course and in the height of my training with the Athens Road Runners. I was ready. This race was mine.

I was knocking the run out of the park - splits perfect, timing perfect, all up until Mile 7 when my shoes rubbed so hard on my ankle I couldn't take anymore and stopped for 90 seconds at the first aid tent to get wrapped up. 93 seconds is what I missed my goal time by, all for a bandaid. I was crushed. I hobbled to first aid because I didn't want to face anyone yet, waited for my sister to come to me, and at least reveled in my prett new Tiffany's necklace. And cried. And it took a long time to get over it, re-focus, celebrate a monster PR, and find the energy and motivation to move forward and find a new goal race.

At least the blue box will always cheer you up. 

You are so much more capable than you think.
I think this is one of the best things I've gotten out of running - goals have been missed, goals have been made, but ultimately it really teaches you so much more about seeing what you're made of. When I won an entry to the Allstate Atlanta 13.1, I hadn't run a half in almost six months, since that ego-crushing ZOOMA race. I was just a week into marathon training and had scheduled another half for just two weeks after, so wanted to go easy at this one and see what I could handle.

I remember about about Mile 10, I passed the 2:15 group, amazed an in awe, and realized that that was what I was made of. I never saw them again, and went on to PR by just over 6 minutes. I ran solid at that race, walking only once at Mile 12, and ran to push myself to see what I could do. (And then I PRed again two weeks later). It's when you allow yourself to get there that you'll see what you're made of - usually more than you think.

PR, FTW!

There are so many more things I know I've gotten from this sport - and I'd probably take another five posts to tell you, but I think these are the biggest. Now almost 17 half marathons in, I know I'm tougher than I think, more capable than I realize, and more determined than ever.

What lessons have half marathons taught you?

Running Teaches You About Life

Simple post today - not a lot of talk necessary on this awesome Marathon Monday!

I saw this on Thought Catalog today and just loved it. I'm in that mindset of coming up on two weeks until sub-2 goal race day, and I'm feeling a lot of these turning through my mind lately. Enjoy!

17 Things Running Teaches You About Life

By Kovie Biakolo

1. To be good at anything, you have to put in the time and effort no matter how talented you are.

2. Your abilities and someone else’s abilities are not the same. Do the best that YOU can do.

3. If winning is your objective, realize that you have to work 10 times harder than the next best person.

4. No matter how hard you work and how prepared you are, disappointments will happen.

5. The most gratifying experiences usually come as a result of enduring the most painful trials.

6. To be great at anything, you have to risk failing terribly at it.

7. A lot of people endure the same pains that you do.

8. If you focus on putting one foot in front of the other, you will eventually reach the finish line.

9. You cannot reach the finish line unless you start.

10. The mind is a very powerful thing. If you can train your mind to keep going even when your body wants to quit, you can achieve some incredible things.

11. Learning the difference between physically being unable to continue and giving up.

12. Accepting that every day is different — some days 5 miles is really easy, other days it feels like a cruel punishment.

13. Pace yourself.

14. You cannot give 100%, 100% of the time.

15. Sometimes you need a day off, a day off from everything.

16. The worst time, the slowest pace, the last person to finish the race is still better off than the person who refused to try.

17. Even if you fall, even if you cannot finish today, you can and should pick yourself up and try again tomorrow.

Any other thoughts on what running teaches you? What has it taught you (from this list or otherwise)? 

Track Tuesday 9

I'm pairing up with Denise at Run DMT to bring you a weekly thread where you can brag, show off, cry or celebrate your weekly  (or whenever it is) speed workout. Whether it's Monday, Tuesday, or never, you can link up (at the bottom) and tell us all about your session!

Official status!

My Track Tuesdays may become Speedwork Wednesdays (because Track Wednesdays just doesn't have a pretty ring to it).  You see, last weekend I become a member of the brand-new Athens Road Runners! In addition to group long runs on Saturdays and general camaraderie, we're also privileged to have speed workout sessions with a local running coach. Now, I know my speedwork is good - not great - but I also know that I'm capable of pushing a lot harder than I do, so you know I'm going to jump at the chance for a little free coaching time. Yes please! So, with that friends, you can now always expect Track Tuesdays to be on Wednesdays. :)

Early. So early.

This morning was our first opportunity to head out - Chandler was heading out with me (because nobody likes being the new kid by themselves). After an early, early wake up alarm, I was on campus and at Chandler's door by 5:15, and we were to the track with plenty of time - sessions are planned to start at 5:30 am (yowch!). After two warm up laps, we finally got brave enough to find out who Al was and hit the ground running - literally. He had us warm up for two more laps (full mile) and after the whole group was collected, it was go time.

Now mind you, some of these guys have been working with Al for three years, and there was another woman, Liz, who's been coming out for about a month. So I was thankful in that we were really all across the board in our history and abilities.

You know... it's dark at 5:30 am!

We set out for a series of 400s (he didn't tell us how many at first!) with 1-minute rests in-between. The first one I pushed... hard... and with 20+-mph winds, that wasn't easy. But check it out:

Splits: 1:39 / 1:37 / 1:43 / 1:52 / 1:52 / 1:54

I never.. ever... thought that was possible. But again, I said I knew I could push harder than I typically do when I do these on my own, so it was just a matter of being in the right setting. Having a rabbit helps, as I hate being the last one through - you might say I'm a little competitive. Okay, I'm a lot competitive. But after those splits, I know I can do this, and I've got room to grow too!



What do you do to get that extra push? Group runs, coaching clinics?

Make sure you link up! Happy Hump Day friends!

Track Tuesday 8

I'm pairing up with Denise at Run DMT to bring you a weekly thread where you can brag, show off, cry or celebrate your weekly  (or whenever it is) speed workout. Whether it's Monday, Tuesday, or never, you can link up (at the bottom) and tell us all about your session!

My Track Tuesday actually became Track Wednesday this week, and even then wasn't much of a track sesh. I was in no mental capacity to get in a 45 minute tempo run on Tuesday night after 10 hours at work and with lots to do around the house (namely unpacking from this weekend) and sucked it up and went home. At least I did get done what I had missed the gym for - unpacked, made my lunch, and was in bed at a decent hour. 

So today's post is more like Track Tuesday Lessons. Things I have picked up on over the last 18+ weeks since I've begun seriously committing participating in Track Tuesdays. I'm officially into my taper mode so I'm out of Track Tuesday opportunities for now. Don't you worry, I'll be back at it! But for now, I bring you these lessons.

• Speedwork works. Even if just helps shave some minutes here and there off your race time, you'll see the difference. I certainly have, given that I PRed my half at three of the four half marathons I ran October-December this past fall. 
• You need to commit. Sure, it works. You just need to make sure you're committing to doing it, in some form. My plans have alternated weeks - one week would be a tempo, the next week a speedwork session, then back to tempo. 
• Push yourself. Much like my first lesson from 2012, you're often more capable than you think. And track workouts are a great way to see just how much you can push!
• Emotionally-charged runs work well. Maybe that's just me. But that day that I was super aggravated with all things life and went and killed a 9x400 session? Awesome. Maybe it does really work... 
• Track (pun not intended) your progress. Keep track of your splits, your warm ups, your pace and total mileage. It makes it so much easier to see that progress -- and then you know your effort is worth the work.

Do you do regular speedwork as part of a training plan? Did you this week? Link it up! If you post on Twitter, don't forget to use #TrackTuesday too! Do you have any additional lessons or things to consider with speed work?


And feel free to add the button to your site and entry, too!

Lessons in Twenty-Twelve

2012 is what I called the year I became a runner - mostly due to the fact that I actually started running and racing, but also because I was realizing how much I was getting out of running. Sure, the stress relief and accomplishment is awesome, but there's some actual, real life lessons here. Check out some of what I'd consider the important lessons and values I took out of racing and running in 2012.

First half marathon | Callaway Gardens Half Marathon | January 29, 2012

  You're often more capable than you think.

I felt ready for that first half, or at least as ready as one thinks they can be for that first half. Mid-way through, I questioned what I was doing. Mile 11, I wanted to walk to the finish. But I knew I had come too far to give it up at that point. I made my time goal (2:20) by 8 seconds and realized that all along... I was more capable than I ever thought. You are more capable than you think.

Arizona 5K | February 25, 2012

 Running with friends is essential.

Though not every time, every race, making sure you have racing counterparts to share in the glory, and the frustration, of running is essential to finding the fun. I had plenty of races by myself, plenty with friends at the end or at the beginning, all of which stand out for different reasons. This one, in particular, kicked off one of my dearest friend's bachelorette weekends. Perfection.

 

ZOOMA Women's Half Marathon | April 22, 2012

 

It's all mental.

This also goes with the "You're more capable than you think."   ZOOMA Atlanta 2012 proved to be the ultimate mental game -- eating asphalt at mile 4 on a pretty rough up-and-down course and running the rest of the race with a bloody hand and road-rashed knee that burned every time you bend is a pretty rough mental game. I still can't recall the number of people that were shocked to see that I'd finished the race with a torn up hand. A friend had gotten into my head that day, who had just taken a major spill on a bike ride, who didn't let that stop her either. Game on.

Team Four Score & Seven Miles Ago | Ragnar DC | September 21-22, 2012

Ragnar is the best time you'll ever have.

Okay, maybe not a lesson. But something you need to know. The end.

Warrior Dash Georgia | May 19, 2012

 Allow yourself to have fun.

Sure, take those half marathons seriously. Try and BQ. But throw some fun in there - there are now so many opportunities to run for the hell of it and be goofy while you're at it. Warrior Dash and the Color Run were two of the most fun things I did this year, and so glad I got to run and be active... just for the sake of it. If it's not fun anymore, your heart's not in it.

Major half-marathon PR | Allstate ATL 13.1 | October 7, 2012

 You can surprise yourself.

Just when you don't think you're ready to give it all, or that your head's not in the right place, or that you're too tired after a 3:30 am wake up call before that half, you can make good things happen. Just have a little faith!

Operation Jack Half Marathon | December 26, 2012

Having a support system can go a long way.

Prior to the OpJack Half, I'd usually have races by myself or with friends, but I'd usually be the one cheering those friends in on at the end. OpJack was the first time my family or boyfriend had been able to be there  to cheer me on and be there for me at the end. Whether it's your family, or a friend, or even your dog, having someone can make a huge difference (just thinking of what it could have done for me at ZOOMA is a great example). So looking forward to having them at various point and the end of the full in February! Secondary lesson from OpJack: know your pre-race ways. Know that not being in your pre-race pattern can affect the race. And that's okay, just be aware of it!

What did you learn in 2012? About racing, running? 

 

Lessons from a Marathon (The Run): Guest Post!

Today's post features one of my favorite blogger friends, Gina from Noshing on Asphalt. Her blog is truthful, but witty and sarcastic - all things I like. Go check her out! Gina ran her first full marathon at MCM in October in honor of her brother who was killed in Iraq. She's also already in the works of training for her second full at RnR Nola in February! Freaking rockstar! I asked her to write up a post on lessons learned and tips for marathoning, especially for us first-timers. Being that mine is now only five and a half weeks away (!), I'm slowly starting lists and things of blogs I want to read, re-read and consider before I hit the home stretch! We'll start here!

 

Marathon Tips

Hi! I’m Gina (Twitter) and I blog over at Noshing on Asphalt. I’m so excited that Megan has allowed me to share a guest post with y’all (yes, I’m from the South) while she’s out gallivanting around. :)

This past October I got to cross a major ‘to-do’ off of bucket list....I ran my first marathon! Am I still basking in marathon glory? Yeah, maybe a little. It’ll wear off soon though...I think! I was fortunate enough to secure a spot in the 37th Marine Corps Marathon. Running the MCM as my first marathon was particularly important since I was running in memory of my brother, Ln Cpl Roger Deeds, who was killed in Iraq.

I had such a phenomenal experience and I learned lots of things that hopefully will make your 1st, 2nd or 15th marathon great.

1.) Make a list, check it twice!! This is especially true if you’re running an out of town race. At least two weeks prior to your race go ahead and do a mental inventory of what you will need for your marathon and then write it down. You will have WAY too much on your mind to try to rely on your memory for things.

2.) Lay out all of your race gear the night before. You’re going to sleep like crap no matter what the night before your race but at least this will be one less thing to add to your worries.

3.) Hydrate immediately. As soon as you wake up, start hydrating yourself. This way your body can absorb what it needs and you still have enough time to pee out the excess. TMI? Sorry. I’m going to leave fueling alone. Everyone has different ways of eating. Just be sure not to do anything different on race day in the food dept.

4.) Hit the Port-o-Potties. Use as many as you can before the start. If you have to use the john during the race, it’s ok. Just try to stop early in the race as opposed to later. The lines are shorter, they’re cleaner, and you stand a chance at still having toilet paper.

5.) Know your course. Study the course map and learn where the water/gatorade stops are, where the food stops are and where the first aid stops are. This is valuable information! Oh, and don't break the Golden Rule of trying something new during the race. Just because they offer donuts at mile 24 doesn't mean you should eat them. (I learned this lesson personally.)

6.) If running with someone: Keep a visual on them at all times!! I can’t stress how important this is. I was running the MCM with a dear friend and we got separated (at a water stop) for almost 12 miles. I was incredibly upset and worried about finishing without her and I missed a great deal of the race scenery because I was trying to find her.

7.) Smile!! Seriously, smile at every darn photographer you see. Even if you’re not sure they are an official race photographer, SMILE. You want at least one good picture to remember your first marathon.

8.) Pick a meeting spot. If you have family and friends who are going to be spectating, make sure to know what mile they are going to be at during the race. Seeing their faces will give you such a boost! Also, make sure they have a huge sign. This is fun for them to hold, but also makes spotting them so much easier. Make sure to have a designated meeting spot after the race and give them a rough ETA on what time they should expect you to finish.

9.) Know why you’re running. During the last few miles is where the race really starts and it’s great to have a reason why you’re running. A friend, family member, to prove to yourself that you can - whatever the reason, remind yourself of it when it gets difficult. Pick a mantra to remind yourself of and don’t be afraid to chant it aloud. Mine was RFR, “Run for Roger” since I was running in memory of my brother.

10.) Relax. You’ve put in the blood, sweat and tears during training; the race is just the icing on the cake. Yes, it’s going to get hard towards the end; you’ll question your sanity for ever having contemplated a marathon - you may even cuss yourself out- but as soon as you cross the finish line, you’ll know it was all worth it!

Any other tips and lessons you'd add for first time marathoners?

Gina 

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Thanks so much Gina! Can't wait to rock my first one in February, and am definitely taking into account all the things you mentioned! 

Lessons from a Marathon (The Training): Guest Post!

Guest post: What I learned from my first marathon Though I suppose a guest post merits an introduction first: hi! I’m Shannon!

That’s me on the right, with my fiancée on the left, following the Pittsburgh Half in May.

I keep most of my thoughts on a sorta-weekly basis here (or here if you prefer things in a more structured syntax), but Megan offered folks the opportunity for guest postings on her blog. I met Megan through the Ragnar Relay, both proud teammates of Four Score and Seven Miles Ago. She’s also friends with a bunch of my friends: awesome people knowing awesome people and such.

So! Today I am burdened with glorious purpose: I recently ran the Philadelphia Marathon (you can read my race report here, if you wish). I have five half-marathons under my belt already, having dropped my PR by almost 30 minutes; it’s become one of my favorite distances. But until this November I hadn’t run a full before.

If you’ve never run a full before, speculation doesn’t come close. Without further adieu, here are some things that I learned from the experience. This is geared towards folks who have never done a marathon before and would like to.

1. Give the marathon the respect it deserves. I can’t emphasize this point enough: stick to your training plan. There are reasons behind all the workouts and weekly mileages. Keep on-a-whim weekend races at an absolute minimum, unless they closely align with the mileage you need. The marathon is a beast, and it will mercilessly chew up anyone who casually turns his or her back to it. Once you have some experience with the beast, and you know how your body will handle the training, then you can take some liberties with the training. In the point below, I’ll go into some caveats with this point, but as a general heuristic: unless you have a good reason to deviate, stick to the plan.

2. The key is mileage. If you’re hitting your weekly mileages, that really is 75% of the battle. Kill those long runs. Push through those 20-milers. Those are the most important workouts of your marathon training. Speed and tempo runs are great; like any workout regimen, it’s good to shock the body so it doesn’t get stuck in a rut. But if you have to sacrifice workouts, make sure you’re keeping your long runs. My fiancée and I made a hard copy of our training schedule:

It doesn’t include the taper, as we ran out of room. Just in case anyone noticed.

You’ll notice there are some numbers that are circled. Those represent runs I skipped; only one of them is a long run (I twisted my ankle pretty badly a few days prior, and by that long run day I was only beginning to walk under my own power again). The rest were because of nagging muscle injuries or soreness, or generally wanting some extra downtime. Killing 1-2 easy runs here and there won’t set back your mileage. Still, be cautious here: scrap too many runs and you risk inviting the fury of #1. Further, I would put forward that maybe something is wrong and the timing isn’t right for a full marathon.

3. Log, log, log. Different strokes for different folks: Megan and I have blogs where we like to describe our running escapades, but Megan posts more frequently and in more detail than I do. (Megan's note: it holds me accountable! And I have a memory like no other, which makes it easy to tell you what exactly I ate at every other mile.) I have a Garmin GPS watch that I closely monitor through Garmin Connect, and I log all my runs on Fitocracy. My fiancée also has a running blog, but she mainly sticks to race reports with the occasional inter-race update, similar to my blogging strategy. She also has a Garmin GPS watch and uses Fitocracy, but she also keeps a daily written account of her running workouts, which I don’t. The point here is: find what works for you, but find some way of documenting your progress. When the going gets tough, it’s pretty freaking awesome to see just how much you’ve already accomplished.

It’s awfully inspiring to see your monthly progress.

 4. It’s ok to have bad weeks! Whereas point #1 is primarily geared towards folks who might try to do too much, this point addresses the other end of things: don’t worry if you have a bad week here and there! That’s part of running. If you have a stretch of really sucky weeks and are falling pretty far behind in your mileage, it may be a sign that you don’t quite have the mileage base for a full marathon. And that’s ok too! I waited two years after my first half marathon (and four more half marathons) to run a full. If you are having a bad week, take a deep breath and relax. Look at what you’ve already accomplished (#2), and focus on relaxing during your runs. If you need to pull back a bit, either on the mileage or the intensity in order to make it through the week, that’s ok. But know your limits; expecting to run an 18-mile long run after a week off may not be the best plan.

5. Have fun with it! 4 months of training is a long time. In one of my posts, I compared it to playing football. Again, this differs for everyone, but for me it was little things that really helped on a daily basis: a kickass track workout, or waking up an hour later on a day off, or adding a new song to my running playlist, or laughing at the number of calories I was burning on a weekly basis, or leveling up in Fitocracy, or getting excited about cutback weeks and what to do with the extra hour or more on the morning of the long run (in my particular case, I proposed, lolz).

What motivates you? What keeps you excited about running? Incorporate it! Feed off all those endorphins you’re generating from your workouts and channel it into making your next workout even more fun. And make sure you keep stretching, foam rolling, getting enough sleep, eating right…you know, that basic stuff.

I’ll be honest: my first full marathon didn’t go well. I crushed our two 20-mile long runs, but come race day I was dying by mile 15. There are a lot of reasons for this (detailed in my race report), but it illustrates one final point I want to make: everyone has off-days, and while we’d all love for our race days to be our best, sometimes a bad day just happens to coincide with a race. Don’t berate yourself for it, don’t second-guess your training, and absolutely don’t doubt yourself. Shake it off; mark it down as a bad day and try again later. I’m proud to say that I nonetheless finished the marathon, and I am looking forward to running another one and improve on my time.

Think of it this way: if you have a bad race day, you set yourself up for a nice PR the next time you run it!

 I hope this was somewhat helpful to those who may be considering a marathon, or who have already begun training for one. In keeping with the tradition on my own blog: a lolcat for your troubles. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season, celebrated wherever and with whomever is most meaningful! :)

 - Shannon

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Thanks Shannon!

Any other tips for the trials and tribulations of marathon training for first-timers? And look forward to my next guest post from Gina: Lessons from a Marathon (The Race). Exciting times ahead, people!

Surf City: Week 8

I rocked this week on a total high from that 14-miler last week. Isn't it amazing how one really great run/workout can carry you through a whole 'nother week? Yeah, I went for a ride off of that - looking forward to tackling more!

Monday: Rest
Rest
Monday started the slowest 3-day work week ever - students don't have classes but our offices are open. So we all kind of hang out, get caught up on email and life and other mindless things that we just let fall by the wayside during a regular work week when our students are around. Caught up on life, mmhmmm.

Tuesday: 9 x 400s
3.75 mi / 33:48 / 9:00 pace

Headed to the gym after work - after sitting at my desk all day (see Monday - it's slow this wek!), I needed to get up and move, so I was really excited to make it a good, all-out speed sesh. I was also really happy when I realized how empty the gym was because all the students are gone (!), which meant (mostly) having room to go all out as I pleased all over the track. After my 9x400s two weeks ago, I knew I could push it more than I had then, so I wanted to see just how much I could do and pushed myself pretty hard. Check it!

All my 400s are at 2:01 and less, when two weeks ago, the fastest was 2:03. I'm happy with the progress, and happier with how good I felt afterward!

Also, be sure you're joining me and Run DMT for Track Tuesdays (or whichever day of the week you prefer)! Check it out here!


Wednesday: 3-4 miles
3.29 mi / 32:09 / 9:46 pace
I really wanted to get up and get to the gym this morning before work - I think that right after a speedwork session on Tuesday night plus the fast that it was the Friday of the work week made for a really lazy morning. I almost regret it because the sunrise (from what I could see through my window) was absolutely stunning. You live, you learn.

[source]

Instead, I headed out on a lunchtime run - something I've never really done before, but have contemplated, especially as winter comes around, it'll make it easier to get a few miles in. I though it'd also be a good idea given that I'd be sitting at my desk all day (still catching up on life), and it would break up the day (and then kick off a 4-day weekend!). Woot! So I headed to the campus track and field complex, 1/2 mile from my office, did 2 miles, and then ran the 1/2 mile back - all in a good lunch break. Glad I got out there, for sure, even though the first half felt super sluggish, the second half was a lot better and felt a little more 'with it'.

Thursday: MDJ 10th Annual Gobble Jog 10K
TBD

I wanted to find some kind of race to do in Atlanta on Thanksgiving, and gosh knows there's plenty of them, from several 5Ks to the Atlanta Half to this guy, apparently a moderately big deal of a race that gets some good crowds. Heather and I signed up for this one last month, and I was excited to see how I could get down to work - I haven't done a 10K race since Peachtree, but have had a number of 10K-distanced PR runs, so I hoped I could make those count here. Well, obviously, if you read above, you can see... I did! Race report coming shortly - still catching up from this weekend!

Brandi, me and Heather at Gobble Jog!

Friday: Rest
Rest
Busy busy week, followed by an awesome 10K and a day of delicious fattyness.The best part was that it (sort of) continued into Friday, with our host making an amaaaazing breakfast (homemade biscuits, eggs, bacon, sausage!)... we eventually headed back to Heather's around 1 and headed out for Black Friday stuff and got to our first stop at 2. Glorious, being that all the crazies were back in bed at this point. Shopped for longer than anticipated, got a few good deals & passed out on the couches at midnight or so. Fabulous Black Friday!

Saturday: 15  miles
Rest
Unplanned rest day - I stayed at Heather's one more night and joined in for a UGA/GT watch party on the couch... Go Dawgs! Game over, went back to Heather's, and finally came home around 6:30, unpacked from the weekend and promptly did nothing else but watch the last games of Rivalry Week. I was okay with the rest day - wasn't feeling super hot, I think from some pretty significant dehydration over the course of the weekend. Probably for the better!

Sunday: Cross-train
9.01 mi / 1:34:18 / 10:27 pace

At least it was a gogeous day!

Being that Saturday turned into the rest day, I hoped to get in my 15 miles today instead of cross training. Last week I was nervous about the distance (14 miles), because it would be my longest run to date. This week I was nervous because I wanted to be sure I did as well as last week, plus that extra mile. Nothing like a little self-competitiveness to get you through a run, huh?

I got out to the course I had planned in my head, which was a huge 5 mile loop I do near my house. I figured I could run it at least twice and make up 4 miles elsewhere around my area. Around mile 4 I decided I didn't want to do the loop twice, and instead made my way towards another loop that I do instead. This was fine, until I remembered that part of my plan in doing the loops was that I could stop at the house for water and chomps at each 5 mile interval. I figured I'd get on without it and just see how it went. Mile 7 is where I really started to feel crappy and was home again at mile 8.3 - I took one loop around my apartment complex just to round out the 9 miles. Whew. Crappy.

Lessons learned on today's long run:

•  Don't change your pre-planned course mid-run unless you have to.
• If you do have to, pray that you have Gus/chomps/carbs in your hands to compensate.
• Appreciate the good runs even more! 
• Learn from the bad runs (I am, trust me)
• Acknowledge that bad runs will happen. I feel like marathon training has been going really well so far, so perhaps it was high time for a crappy one to bring me back down and remember that it's going to be work.

Total Week Miles: 22.25 miles
Total Cross Train: 0

How did you celebrate Thanksgiving this year, or what's your tradition?