Weekend Warrioring

First off, have you entered my giveaway?  Because you should – it ends tonight!

Secondly,  I just wanted to recap my adventurous weekend!  I forced myself to leave the safety of my troll bridge not once, but twice this weekend.  I met up with Bobbi to explore a new trail in Deer Grove.  I was impressed by how big it was, and pleased with the variety of terrain.  There were single track forest trails, as well as a giant paved bike path.  The transition was slightly awkward though, because you leave the cave-like safety of the trees very suddenly, and are spit onto a very open prairie like bike path.  It’s about as close to being on the Serengeti as I’m ever going to get (I think??)  We didn’t start out with a specific mileage in mind, but we ended up lost repeatedly, and made our way back to our cars almost 11 miles later.  I really think Bobbi and I should go on a road trip sometime, just to see what happens. 

So, Deer Grove is awesome, but bring a compass, or a trail of bread crumbs or something, because all the trail markers are labeled black.  That or I have gone color blind.

This map is useless.  They all say black.  Seriously.

Secondly, I bribed some of my friends to come all the way out to the suburbs for the All Night Flea Market!  I didn’t mention it on here, because I had never been, and I would hate to tell people to go do something and then it turns out to be horrible.  People would be like – don’t listen to Gingerfoxxx, she has the WORST ideas.  (wait a minute – people already say that!)

Luckily, it turned out to be awesome.  I mean, being drunk and haggling over fiestaware at two am while Hacksaw Jim Duggan signs autographs in the background, awesome.  I didn’t end up buying anything this time, but there is another one in October.  Plus, it’s a great excuse to get some use out of those headlamps that are stored away with our winter running gear!  (seriously, everyone was super prepared and wearing head lamps!

Matt met Chewbacca - look at the wonder in his eyes!

That was a lot of interaction for me for one day, so I spent most of Sunday binge-watching “Orange is the New Black” and it was divine.  Laura Prepon is a revelation.  And Kate Mulgrew ain’t bad either!

No seriously, it is.

I'm just really glad to have interacted with other human beings this weekend.  And to run with someone that isn't Matt or Waffles!  (no offense guys)  

Have you seen Orange is the New Black?

Runner's Reads

For me, "down time" is a rarity i have come to treasure.  I have subscriptions to Runners World, and Running Times, and honestly, they usually sit on my coffee table for weeks before i get the chance to read them.  During my total stress-fest last week, i took some time off from running to curl up on the couch with my laptop, and finish The Ultimate Beginner's Running Guide, by Ryan Roberts.  (a book about running.  Hey - i know what i like!)

Thats right, i don't have a kindle and had to use my 6 year old power book.  So sue me.  

Ryan actually contacted me as a fellow runner just to say, "Hey, i wrote a book - feel free to check it out as you sometimes claim to run on your blog"  (Well played, Ryan...)

Upon learning that he was living my dream life in Alaska, i had to check out what insights he might have for me.

To begin with, it is a beginning running guide - geared for people who might be considering their first race, who are maybe fit but haven't considered running, or people who have always wanted to run, but maybe not made the jump.  That said, I am a firm believer that as i (claim to) train for my 5th marathon, i am just as much a beginner as someone eyeing their first 5k.  I still make mistakes, and i still have a lot to learn.  I have learned some tips in the book that i will now take with on my runs, that i will get to in a second.

Primarily, the book is a confidence builder.  It breaks down the idea of running into a manageable task that any of us can do.  It even includes beginners training plans!  Granted, all running is is "left foot" "right foot" and repeat, but there is a lot of confidence-building, and instructional knowledge needed as well, and this is what the book provides.  In the book Ryan has multiple training plans according to fitness level, and i may or may not be blindsiding my mom with the over 50 plan in the near future.  The woman has always wanted to run, and always made excuses not to.  Honestly, the whole damn book could do her good now that i think about it!  

Some of my key takeaways as a clueless marathoner:

Take that, T-rex arm!!

• How to banish t-rex arm.  I am a repeat t-rex arm offender.  It's embarrassing, especially in race photos.  My favorite method is "pulling the gun from the holster"  You'll have to read about it, but there is a good chance there will be reports of a rogue cowgirl on the lakefront path.  (of course he explains the benefits, and there are many, of why running like a damn T-rex is less than ideal.)
• Visualize the success!  I actually learned this at my recent public speaking seminar, but as far as i can tell, visualizing yourself succeeding is a universal win!
• And lastly, did you know that in hot humid weather, you want to wipe the sweat off frequently to cool yourself?  I was under the impression that the sweat on my skin was cooling me, so i would just let it sit there all grossified.  There is a good chance that this misinformation contributed to my heatstroke collapse at the Rockford Marathon.  Luckily, i now stand corrected!

People who are very new to running, or wanting to start running will benefit the most from this book because of the focus on motivation, nutrition, weather, confidence, shoes, gait, and detailed but easy to follow training plans.  But i think the devil is in the details in that there are key nuggets of knowledge in there that benefit any runner - you never realize how much you don't know until you know it.

So check out Ryans book here:

http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Beginners-Running-Guide-ebook/dp/B0071G22AW

if you are interested, or know someone who might need a little motivation to take the plunge into the running world!

Most of you are probably way cooler than i and have kindles, but if not, there are free apps that can turn your old brick of mac into a large clunky kindle.   :)

And, i will end this with a question, and a popsicle joke.  Would you ever buy a beginners running book for a friend or family member? (without them directly asking for it)

As we all know, i have been having a terrible couple weeks, but i think this was my sign to  get back on that horse.  And also to stop eating so many popsicles in February....

3 day weekend?

My obvious absence from the interwebs yesterday was the direct result of taking a personal day.  Every once in a while, i just need to nap all day with the dog, and power through season one of Lost.  It is known.
So i did absolutely nothing yesterday, but here are some other notables from the weekend.

Waffles got to have her "Birthday Party" at Krisers.  Seriously, i recommend you register your dog's birthday.  She got a homemade PB cupcake and a huge packet of treat samples.  Sadly, she was so excited by everyone pampering her, that she got explosive diarrhea, and we had to return home in shame.  I also learned i am not ready to deal with children.  I hear they poop and vomit on things all the time.

Luckily, she rebounded quickly, and was soon able to eat her pupcake.

Matt and I also decided to go for a run.  It reminded me how fun Matt is to run with.  When neither of us is training for anything.  I hope he will run with me again soon (HINT HINT, I KNOW YOU READ MY BLOG!)

 I also tried out My Brooks PureCadence's.  It's too soon to know if they are the shoe for me, but I had no problems on the run.  And, Matt also runs in PureCadence, so we got to be "that couple"

 And Sunday, we indulged our OCD, and cleaned the apartment like there had been an Ebola outbreak.   The inside of the couch was vacuumed, the fridge was scrubbed, and every piece of furniture was moved and cleaned behind.  The only problem was, when Matt moved my 8 year old Ikea dresser so that we could sweep behind it, the whole freaking thing collapsed.   It was completely unsalvageable.  Oh well.  I suppose 8 years for Ikea furniture is really like 50 years.  You served me well, old friend.....

This dresser collapse forced Matt and I to go through all our clothes and consolidate. Needless to say, about half our wardrobe is en route to salvation army.  We managed to fit all our clothes into Matt's dresser, with the exception of one last Ikea drawer of running clothes, which Waffles managed to up-cycle into a new puppy bed for herself.  

I realized that this clean sweep was just another way for me to avoid dealing with the unavoidable approach of Christmas.  It's coming, and there is no amount of cleaning I can do to avoid it.  I should probably start my Christmas shopping.....

On a side note, i apologize that I have been completely alienating myself from all forms of social media lately.  I am seriously the grinchiest grinch that ever grinched.  I assure you, i will return to my booze-fueled, marathon running self in a couple weeks.  Until then, Bah Humbug.

A transformation

Historically, December has not been a good month for me.  While most people are going to parties, shopping, running jingle bell races, and enjoying the cold weather, i am usually working late, sitting in traffic, getting fat, not running, and isolating myself from the world.  It's still going to happen this year, but i at least made an effort to not sit in traffic, run, socialize with another human being, and be festive.

Last night i ran the Zion reindeer run 5k with Bobbi!  She lives up north, and i work up north, so she told be about this small weeknight race that would get me out of traffic, and be a small community race (no anxiety!  YAY!)  I don't know what it is about Bobbi, but she knew exactly what i needed.

I drove up and parked AT THE START LINE 15 minutes before the race.  I picked up my packet, which had a long sleeve tech, antlers, gloves, a hat, and few other things.  I went to the indoor bathroom that had no line, and then walked out to the start line.  I don't why this brings me so much joy, but it does.  I have actually only run one timed 5k in my life.  It was the 2011 Carrera de los Muertos, which i half walked/half ran with a friend.  My time was 36:11.  I was fairly certain that with Bobbi's guidance, i could beat that time.  

Bobbi and I before the race

Running the race, i was instantly reminded why i don't run 5k's.  Between the asthma and unwavering laziness, it really isn't a good fit for me.  Not that i am a great marathoner either, but it just comes much easier to me.  It was a chilly night, about 30 degrees, and of course i left my inhaler at home, so i wheezed along behind Bobbi the entire time.  Luckily, she is much wiser than I, and had a head lamp to  keep us safe (it was pretty dark, and there was some, albeit minimal, traffic) and a working garmin, so i just followed her.  And it worked.  I had no idea what my finishing time was, but based on the fact that i felt terrible, i just knew i beat that 36:11!

Fun fact: when looking through the photos from the night, Bobbi noticed that this guy in jeans beat me, and peed himself in the process of doing so.  I'm not judging, i'm impressed!  And, let he who has not peed themselves a little during a race cast the first stone.  (Spoiler: it won't be me.  Although i am normally running a marathon, and have never peed enough for it to be visible. for the record.)

Congratulations, you earned it.  I mean it.

Right after i finished, Santa gave me a candy cane, and we cheered for a few others finishing the race, and then went in to warm up.
They had snacks like pretzels, animal crackers, and bananas, and pizza was on the way!  We snagged some pizza, and they had a raffle while all the finishing times were being sorted out.  I won some fancy vitamins!

A whole evening of winning!

It turned out i ran the 5k in 26:18, which is a ten minute PR, and because my age group only contained 5 other girls, it landed me in 1st place for my age group!  THIS GIRL.  WON A MEDAL.  NOT FOR PARTICIPATION.  And Bobbi, who is the only reason i didn't just start walking half way through, won 2nd for her age group!

After the awards were given out

winners circle!

So, before the judgement starts to flow, i fully understand that 26:18 in not a competitive 5k time.  It was a really small race. Under 200 people.  I know most people can run significantly faster than that, so i want to personally thank all of you for not being there.  I really appreciate it.

Regardless of how small the field is, this marks a transition in my running.  I am no longer a "participant".  I am now a "competitor"  I totally understand why people work so hard to improve, because now i want another medal, and i want it bad.  Winning is awesome.  And, i have realized that 5k's aren't so terrible.  I mean, yeah, you consider vomiting the entire time, but it's over almost as soon as it begins.  So that's kind of fun.  

So, with that, the 2012 race season is over for me.  

I wore the medal all night.  And drank wine.

Maybe i should end my running career on this high note?

I'm just kidding.  I already am signed up for two marathons next year.  The crazy never stops, kids.

The Hardest Week.

23 days.  23 days.  23 days.

I knew this would be the hardest week of marathon training, but now that its here, i can confirm:

This is the hardest week of marathon training.

I don't know what it is, but it psychs me out.  I have been dreading it for a month now!  Every run seems so long, and arduous, and exhausting.  I just want to call in sick to work, and sleep all day long.  Everyone talks about how terrible taper madness is, but for me, this week (super high mileage week) is much worse.  BUT, surviving this week is good practice for surviving the marathon.  Provided i don't fall asleep in traffic or murder anyone at work.  It's like i need some kind of magic super woman energy drink....

It's not even that the mileage itself scares me - its the time involved in scheduling this much mileage into an already packed week!  This is always the week where i hate people who literally have nothing to do other than just run.  I also despise super fast people, because they finish their runs twice as fast as me, allowing them more time for laundry, dog-walking, and food preparation.  Why don't you share the wealth and come do some of MY laundry with all of your free time?? You suck, fast leisurely people.  

Obviously, i am totally kidding.  But i am really tired and "overwhelmed" feeling - like i am sure all of us are who plan on running the Chicago Marathon in 23 days. And i am reminding myself how much harder it would be with kids.  When i got home last night, i seriously gave waffles a chew toy and told her to leave me alone for the night (not that she did anyway) so i could catch up on domestic tasks.  I am 90% sure you can't do that with kids.  Although maybe you can.  Thank god i don't have kids....

In other news, i finally went and bought the oreos!

They are delicious, in case you were concerned.

I had to go to Target anyway because i had to pick up some baking ingredients, because some how, i am in charge of throwing a surprise bridal shower for our receptionist this week (why anyone would put me in charge of this task is beyond me).  I am making cupcakes tonight, and i made truffles last night...

i wish.

I love these little truffles, because they taste amazing, and are really easy to make - therefore making me look way more awesome and together than i am.  They are a must for when you get caught needing to provide treats during high mileage week.

In times of need, refined sugar will always be there for you.  Always.
Hang in there, everyone!

Technology update!

Well, i don't have an ipad. (whaaah whaaahhhhh) In the end it was determined that while i could suffice with an ipad, i would get annoyed with certain aspects, and i am such a grouch to begin with, the poor apple store guy thought it was a bad idea.  So, my darling Macbook pro is in the shop getting it's screen replaced.  It's kind of a gamble with a five year old laptop, but if i can get just one more year out of it, i will be happy.  I just don't have the money to blow right now with the upcoming trip!

So what have i been up to other than being the worlds worst blogger?

1. Cleaning!  The apartment is pretty impressive these days.  It turns out i have a lot of extra time when i don't spend an hour before work parked on the couch blogging every day.

2.  Hanging out with this jerk.

We started puppy classes again after putting them on hiatus when she had all her surgery complications.  Turns out, she forgot everything we taught her, and somehow learned how to be even more bad.  She actually was used by the instructor as a demo dog on how to do everything wrong.  My shame was unfathomable.  And, as we were leaving - carrying her out of petsmart because she was being SO bad, a woman walks up to her, gets in her face and says "a basenji!  she is so stressed out, i can see it in her eyes!"  No lady, I'M stressed out.  

3.  I ran with these awesome ladies (and awesome dude)

I'm definitely suffering from lack of motivation during high mileage weeks, and being around other people makes a world of difference.  I am also painfully aware of how unprepared i am for the Chicago Half Marathon.  It makes me sad.  Miracles can happen, right??

4. And lastly, some of this happened.  

Seriously, farmer John, you amaze me.  One of those carrots is as big as my forearm.  In a drought, no less.  I commend you.

Arlo & Me

I do not know where the heck this weekend went, all i know is that i am more tired than when the weekend started, and that i plan to be at HAPPY VILLAGE tonight drinking for a cure, so please stop by if your in the neighborhood!!

I actually managed to stay on track with running this weekend.  I couldn't deal with the thought of trying to park anywhere along the lakefront with the Air and Water show going on all weekend (I have so many talents, but parking is admittedly not one of them.) So instead, i skipped the CARA training run, and went and ran with the Zooma race series ambassadors!

It was the most perfect day for running, and i had a blast.  Even though Zooma did not choose me to be an ambassador *tiny violin playing* I can still tag along, and this is a super fun group to run with!  Plus we got to run in Busse woods - i have only run there once before, and it was when i had my complete breakdown at the Schaumburg Turkey Trot half marathon, so i had been too busy crying to notice they have real live elk there!!

Good times.

On Sunday, Rachel and I got to go to Ravinia on behalf of Team Run for HD!  Arlo Guthrie was playing for the Woody Guthrie centennial, and they let us set up a table and fundraise.

I know i have been extra grouchy lately about the whole fundraising thing.  And i think we all know how hard fundraising is.  And trying to direct a group of fundraisers is like herding cats.  But while we were out there, a woman came up and said her sister in law died of huntingtons disease, and that she had never known any one else with it, or how to access resources/information.  I told her i sympathized with what she had gone through, and she started tearing up, and telling me how awful it had been.  I just asked her if i could giver her a hug, and told her this is why we were here.

And then it hit me.  This is why we were there.  No matter how much the day to day logistics annoy me, it's important for me to be out there.  And i was really glad i was there.

And, as a bonus, Rachel and I got to meet Arlo Guthrie!!

He is the nicest guy ever, especially considering Rachel and I just walked onto his bus and said hello.  Unfortunately, no one under 50 knows who Arlo Guthrie is apparently, so my bragging isn't getting me very far at all.  

Anyone else have a celebrity sighting this weekend??

Goals and things.

First and foremost,

WHAT IS THAT??  I swear to god, last week the Chicago Marathon was 4 months away.  Obviously, one of you is screwing with my counter. 


But in all seriousness, my training for July can be summed up in one word:
FAIL.
The month just didn't go as planned.  Which is life i guess.  But i am going to try a different approach with august, and make a plan.  Not just for running, but for living.


1.  I need to dig myself out of my hole of alienation.  I really like running with people.  Why aren't i doing it?  I have friends that run that i can call, but i dont.  Maybe i wouldn't whine so much if i had people there distracting me.  I mean, i live with Matt for christ's sake, you would think we could find one day to run together?


2.  My little Waffles, i promise to take you to the dog park twice a week so that you can run around to your little hearts content.  I am sorry i have been sick and tired.  I understand that when you repeatedly bite me in the face while i am trying to take a nap that you are saying "please, i need exercise" and i acknowledge it.

3.  My skin and hair - what have i done to you???  I don't know what my deal is, but i have not been moisturizing, and as a result, my shins are peeling.  You read that right.  My shins.  are PEELING.  I vow to moisturize every night!  or at very least, almost every night!


4.  Defer.  I do all the cooking, because i assume that i can do it better.  Technically, i can, i am really good cook.  But Matt is a good student.  If i give him detailed instructions, he can totally handle making  dinner a couple nights a week.  I need to stop stressing myself out trying to do everything.


5. Drinking.  Bye bye, my love.  Summer is the worst because everyone wants to go have a beer.  Its easy to end up going out for a beer 4 or 5 nights a week!  The problem is, with all the running, two beers is enough to knock me on my ass and feel it the next morning.  It is definitely interfering with my running right now.  Sad face.

I shall return for you after the Dublin Marathon!

6.  5lbs.  I have been letting you hang around because you are cute, and the candy that sustains you is delicious.  But it is time for you to leave.  I have PR's to set and you are in the way.  Plus, you make my legs look flabby and it is ruining all my race photos.  I get a weekly veggie box, there is no reason for you to still be here.


7.  And lastly, running.  Actually, I'm not doing too bad with running.  For the most part, i am hitting all  my mileage numbers (with the exception of flu-gate 2012)  My pace has been slow and sad compared to my last training cycle, but it's summer and i need to deal with it.  Winter is coming......sweet, sweet winter.  So running is good, but strength?  cross-training?  yoga?  fail, FAIL, FAIL.  I vow to do strength with coach Matt twice a week, yoga once a week, and cross-training once a week.  (expect to hear many ponderings as to what can be considered cross-training over the next month.)


Was your July more successful than mine?  (I sure hope so!)
Any resolutions for August?
Do you know who switched my marathon countdown counter?

How not to prepare for a half marathon.

(or what will here on out be known as "Pulling a gingerfoxxx.")


Friday was my birthday, and the the start of my last year of being able to say i am in my twenties.  Single tear....


So i had managed to finagle a day off from work (by cramming about 50 hours of work into mon-thurs) and did what any other twenty-something girl would do.  

I drove up to Lake Geneva to drag my good friend Eric out on a 22 mile trail run and ruin his vacation. note: I am an awesome friend.  
There is a really awesome trail that runs around the entirety of lake geneva.  It's really awesome, because some parts are paved, some parts are gravel, some parts are dirt, and some parts are literally just running through peoples back yards.  (note: because the trail has always been there, the millionaires that live around the lake are obligated to allow you to run it.  It seems weird, like you are trespassing, but it is totally legal)  

Some Pros: The trail is awesome, because you won't get a chance to get bored.  You will experience about 30 different types of running surfaces, and the view is indescribable.  It is very quiet, but you will encounter a few other runners/walkers. It's a giant loop, so you don't have to deal with the mental fatigue of turning around and retracing your steps.  And because it keeps you on your toes, it makes 22 miles seem not so tedious.

Some Cons:   It's a 22 mile loop with very few spots to get water.  We had some major hydration issues.  It is hilly, and aside from all the hills, you will have to run up/down no fewer than 30 flights of stairs.  All those different running surfaces can be brutal on your ankles, especially the last few miles when you are tired. I definitely have some lingering pain in my right calf/ankle from this run.


I had a great time, but i think Eric had a significantly less great time.  It was cool and cloudy in the morning, so we brought our smallest water containers.  It heated up fast, and we found ourselves frequently out of water and very thirsty.  I had a bigger bottle, luckily, but Eric only brought a flask, and started to get heat exhaustion towards the end.  We definitely suffered the last few miles, and may have resorted to drinking lake water.  We survived though, and i would totally do it again, only with more water!


After the run, i had to rush back to the city, because my BFF Ray-Ray and I were heading the Champaign county fair for some country music!  It was a whirlwind trying to get there in time (along with picking up my RnR race packet!) and resulted in me having nothing to eat all day but half a protein shake up until 7pm.  We got to the fair, and consumed many beers, and got some tasty fair treats, like sweet potato fries!   We rocked out to Lee Brice, who was performing at the fair.  We then consumed more beers, rode the tilt-a-whirl, went to a country bar for - you guessed it - more beers, and lastly, headed home for a night cap of beer and COOKIE CAKE!  Talk about a day of great pre-race decisions!


Luckily, i had Saturday to recover, which involved driving back to Chicago, and running a bunch of errands.  By the time i was done, i was completely exhausted, and it was past dinnertime.  I tried to eat some pasta, but my stomach felt terrible from the all the beer and cookie cake.  I had a piece of pita bread, and went to sleep at 11pm for my 4:15 am wake-up call.


Predictably, Matt and I missed the pre-race blogger meet up.  We made it to the race with just enough time to check our bag, and find our corrals.  I was in corral 7, which was a total joke.  I seriously need to stop signing up for races in January and putting my expected finish time as 1:55 for a July race.  What. a. joke.  I should probably also stop carbo-loading with beer, and tapering with 22 mile trail runs.  I am seriously concerned that i am going to sign up for a fall race, put my expected finish time as 1:55, and have them respond, "You're a dirty liar, you have been about 10 minutes behind every single predicted time you have ever put down for a race.  You get corral Z."

But there is no corral Z!

As you may have heard, the race was hot, and humid, and unpleasant.  I had no intentions of pushing myself, and being tired, underfed, and having a sore calf from the trail run did nothing to sway these intentions.  I had no desire to race, (especially in pain) and was just going to focus on some of the problems i have when i do race - mainly, positive splits, and the mile 12 meltdown.  


I still didn't get a negative split, but i only slowed down by 15 seconds overall for the second half (which for me, is impressive.)  I also ran the entire time.  Not a single stop.  I slowed down once to refill my water bottle, and that was it.  No walking breaks during mile 12 for this girl!  I do regret not pushing myself at the end though.  Everyone was shouting "sprint to the finish!!" and was just like, "No, no, that's not going to happen."

The race was actually managed very well, and the crowd support was great.  I have no one to blame but myself for any misery experienced on this run.  But to be honest, it wasn't miserable, i just didn't bring my "A" game.  I didn't want to push myself because of the weather and my leg, and my time (2:06) reflects that.  My negative split goal was not met, but my anti-meltdown one was.  And i got to watch Matt eventually finish his first half marathon!  I think its a great race, especially for first-timers.  I'm not sure if i will do it again though, just because of the date.  It's July.  What did any of us really expect?  I would love to check out some other RnR events for sure though! 


We also got to have a sweaty blogger meet up after the race:

Maggie's friend, Nina, Maggie, Amanda, Zach, Cary, Marcia, Pete, and meeeee!

It was awesome to have so many CRB's at this event!  I think everyone agreed that it was a great race, but the weather was less than ideal, and made it difficult for any of us to meet our goals.  Also, i should probably start showing up earlier so that i can be photographed without looking like i am dying.


The end.

Survivorwoman.

It's another scorcher.  Even the homeless panhandlers are no where to be found in the heat of day.  I think something like 8 billion people were shot this weekend in Chicago.  The italian ice vendors are out of everything but lemon by evening.  Everyone is grouchy.  People are out walking their dog before 6am, not just me anymore.  And most importantly - hooligan cooling is in full force.

(if you have never lived in a somewhat less affluent urban area, you are missing out.  We know how to party when its hot. this hydrant was jam-packed with no less than 2 dozen people until well after midnight.)


And most importantly, Tom Skilling is predicting an extra hot summer to rival 1977.  (which apparently was the hottest on record? - i wouldn't know, i wasn't born yet.)  


I could list a bunch of great tips for summer running - always have water, don't run during the hottest part of the day, but we all know that.  I don't know what it is, but as soon as i hear "don't run during the hottest part of the day" i slip on my running shoes and run during the hottest part of the day.  


You might be thinking "but wait, didn't the rockford marathon kick your ass less then a month ago, leaving you a hollow dehydrated shell vowing to never race in the heat again?"  That is very true.  And i won't race in the heat again.  Especially not a marathon - that beast is hard enough in good conditions. But that doesn't mean i won't go on hot weather running adventures!  In a hot weather running adventure, you can stop and cool off if you feel too hot, you can change your course to run in the shade, or even to splash through some water, you can run as slow as you want, whatever distance you want, and you can enjoy the path all to yourself, because most likely, other crazy runners are few and far between.  


There is something about running in extreme conditions that appeals to me (despite my constant whining) - i like the challenge, and i like the feeling of conquering that challenge.  It's just as much a mental exercise as it is a physical exercise - almost like a meditation.  Yeah, it's crazy hot and uncomfortable, and the shortest, slowest run feels like an endurance event, but by the end you almost feel cleansed.  

97 degrees?  110% humidity? 150 mph winds??  In Chicago, we call that "running weather."

****Disclaimer: I always have either my ID or an emergency contact bracelet.  Or if i am really off the grid, i bring my phone.  I am a badass, but i am not stupid - prepare for the worst no matter how tough you are.

G-foxxx summer saviors

Despite the fact the summer is still "officially" like two weeks away, its hard not to feel like we're in the thick of it with so many 80 and 90 degree days already this year!  I just wanted to call out a couple things i have discovered this far that will be helping me survive the summer!


1.  I have always been a firm believer that anything over SPF 30 is basically a marketing gimmick.  That is, until i picked up this baby The Coppertone Sport Pro Series SPF 50-

I picked it up at Walgreens the night before the Rockford marathon because i forgot to bring sunblock to the 90 degree no shade marathon (who lets me pack my own bag??)  any way, i got this because i like the spray better than the lotion, and i figured that "Sport: PRO series" was obviously targeting me.  This stuff is awesome.  I was in full burning sun at rockford for like 6 hours, dumping water on my head and sweating like a whore in church, and i was STILL completely sunburn free, except for one little spot on my arm where i very obviously missed.  I used it again at Sunburst, (although only the second half was super sunny) but still - no burn.  This is a gingers best friend.


2.  Legends of my ability to both consume martinis and run marathons has spread far and wide.  The nice folks at Rebootizer sent some of the Sweat Pink ladies this to try, and i was a little afraid of it to be honest - it looks super hi-tech.  

But once i tried it, it was awesome.  Its basically like a super-duper vitamin detox drink.  So lets say I drank a few beers friday night and then had to run a half-marathon in the morning. You take one of these before bed, and wake up feeling fresh as a daisy.  Obviously, these are intended to be part of a healthy lifestyle and aren't miracle workers.  (you can't stay up all night taking tequila shots and then run a BQ in morning.  Well, maybe you can.  I can't.  Yet.)  I also took one every day after Rockford to help keep me from getting the post marathon sickies, because i knew i would have a revenge marathon in the following weeks.  You can get it online, but i just found out you can also get them at 7-11 too, so you can multi-task and just pick some up when you run in to pick up a case of Miller high life and a few bags of gummy bears (wait, am i the only one doing this at 7-11??)


3.  Salt Stick!  Oh how i love you salt stick.  

They actually have tons of salt replacement products available, and i am sure they all work fine.  I like the salt stick because you can buy a little pack of three at REI, and then just take the pack of three with you for a marathon.  I just wist the material of the little pack was more water resistant, because it always starts to disintegrate in my pocket.  They definitely have helped me with the heat though, and are much easier on my stomach than gatorade.


4.  Mission anti-chafe cream

I know a lot of people swear by body glide, but i like this better because it is thicker.  Its like vaseline only creamier and not so "globby"  I love this stuff, and it works.  I usually don't have many problems with chafing anyway, but in the summer when i start dumping water on myself sometimes things start to rub.  This is a summer staple for me!  I bought mine at Dicks Sporting Goods.  


I still haven't figured everything out- i have a handheld water bottle that i despise with a passion.  And i still am having trouble finding gel flavors that don't make me gag, so if anyone has some awesome summer staples, please feel free to contribute!!


Happy Summer Running!