Category: Marathon

Week 17 – Powered by Mucinex

~ Monica ~ Leave a comment

We run to undo the damage we’ve done to body and spirit. We run to find some part of ourselves yet undiscovered.” ~ John Bingham

As I’m starting this blog post I’ve completed the first two runs of this week and they did not feel good, but they did feel doable. I googled if I should run while sick – google is uncertain. Have I been to the doctor? Sort of. I gave teladoc a try – they very helpfully said, ‘Oh you don’t sound good, but we can’t help you. Try urgent care.’ Will I do that? We’ll see. I’m not anti-doctor or anti-medicine, but I am pro be sure you need an antibiotic before you take one. So for now I’ll continue to manage symptoms and if there is no improvement in the next few days I’ll head to urgent care. Oh, I did try to get into my doctor, but with my symptoms they said I needed a virtual appt and the first one available is a week out. If I’m not improving by then I’ll give urgent care a try.

And now I’ve finished all the runs for this week. I did have some improvement going into the weekend – I would say I was at 50% for my long run. Thankfully, my long run was only 3.5 miles – so not so long.

I am a little nervous going into week 18. I officially start my marathon block and it feels like that comes with a bit of an escalation. Up until this point I have been running 3 days a week, strength training 2 days a week, and resting 2 days a week. I will be adding another day of running and a day of cross training. I’ll also be adding strength training to my running days. It feels like a lot and I had gotten a bit in my head about it. But when I really think about it, it’s not really an increase in mileage since I have been walking on my rest days. I just need to increase intensity so one of those walks becomes a run, but I think I can do that slowly. My upcoming long run is 6 miles – almost twice what I did this week, but I did a 10k earlier this month so I know I can do it. I’ve convinced myself I can do this, and I think that is half the battle.

Not feeling great, but doing it anyway.

Down With the Sickness

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You can’t get much done in life if you only work on days when you feel good.” ~ Jerry West

Woke up Wednesday morning feeling ick. Super ick. I had a 2 mile run programmed and I had a little internal debate about getting up and doing it or turning back over and going back to sleep. I opted for sleep – telling myself I’d do it on Thursday. Thursday morning came around and it was a repeat of Wednesday. Back to sleep I went. Friday is currently strength day so I got that done and added in a walk just to get some miles in. Today was a comfortable 5k. I got up and did it. Still not feeling great, but feeling somewhat better. I was super slow and that was okay.

I find that I have to keep reminding myself of my goal – finishing a marathon. I’ve got no goals around time. I’m not worried about my pace. I just want to cross that finish line. Do I think I’ll have improvements between now and run day? I sure hope so, but I can’t let that distract me. My only focus over the next few months is building mileage and the mental strength to get it done.

Didn’t want to, but did it anyway.

Week 15 – In the Books

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It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” ~ Confuscius

Wrapped up this week by running the Freedom Fest 2025 10k. My goal was to run it – not race it. How’d I do? Sorta okay, but also, it was a 10k PR for me. My Garmin reported I PRd my 1K, 1 Mile, 5K and 10k. I did know I was pushing it, but I was also feeling okay so I went with it. And when I was done my Garmin told me I needed 50 hours to recover.

For this run I gave SaltStick FastChews Electrolyte Tablets a go. I was a fan of these. I also tried a Krono Nutrition Maple & Raspberry Energy Gel and it was a definite nope. I had a package opening malfunction and ended up wearing most of it so I only got to try a little bit of it, but it coated my tongue for a long while. It was also super sweet.

This run also proved to me I can run a marathon. I have read several times that when you train for a marathon you are really training for the first 20 miles and the last 6.2 are no man’s land. So I have now decided that the 6.2 I ran today proves I can do the last 6.2 – and I just need to train the first 20 miles now. That makes sense, right? Of course it does.

There are a few other things I’ve read recently that I put into practice today. One of them is that wearing sunglasses can reduce your Rate of Perceived Exertion. Sunglasses are challenging because I can’t just pick up a cute pair. I need them to be prescription. I have a pair for everyday wear, but they are not great for running. There is a lot of pushing them up my nose. So I ordered myself a pair of Zunnies. I’m a fan. The other thing I read is that smiling while you run improves your run. And the article specified a real smile.

Maybe I need to work on the real smile, but not bad for mile 6.

14 Weeks Done and Dusted

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Jogging is very beneficial. It’s good for your legs and your feet. It’s also very good for the ground. It makes it feel needed.” – Charles Schulz

I struggled a little with last week’s long run. It just felt hard. This week’s long run was longer than last week’s so I wasn’t looking forward to it, but I knew I had to get it done. I’ve been trying to figure out the nutrition stuff – I know that is part of my problem. I’ve always found exercising on a full stomach a bit nauseating, but I also don’t care for the idea of getting up earlier than I already do. So it’s a struggle – what to do? what to do?

This week I opted to try out a Vanilla Honey Stinger Energy Waffle (super yummy). I had it waiting in the bathroom so I could wash my face, brush my teeth and then eat something before I did anything else. I’m a slow getter readier so it was another hour or so before I’d done all the things I needed to do (get dressed, stretch, do the dishes, the normal running prep stuff) and was out the door for my run. I then topped up with a gel at the half way mark. The gel was Glukos Lemon-Lime. I was not a fan of this. Texture wise it was good. Flavor wise it gave serious colonoscopy prep vibes. It is sold out on their website, so someone must like it. I did notice a difference in how I felt though, in a good way. It definitely was encouraging.

I’ve also found my way to #runnertok. I love the tips people give – sharing their running challenges and strategies. I’m a little terrified by those that honestly share their need-a-bathroom-but-there-isn’t-one-near stories – so far I’ve been able to plan routes where I know in advance the location of porta-potties and public restrooms. Maybe I’ll do all my training on these routes.

Where am I in my training plan? I’ve got a 10k scheduled this weekend. I figure if I’m gonna run the distance I might as well get the medal. Next week I officially start my marathon block. I have registered for a 1/2 marathon this fall. There just happens to be a half marathon in the Springs the weekend I am scheduled to do 14 miles. So why not?

Porta Potties at the 3 mile mark

Racing and Pacing and Plotting the Course

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What exactly do I think about when I’m running? I don’t have a clue.” ~  Haruki Murakami

Saturday’s are long run days and I’ve just gotten to the point where the time feels like it’s beginning to get long(ish), however… the distance is not so distant. This is probably where I should begin to think about fueling and hydrating during my run. I tried my first gel this past Saturday. Went with Ucan’s Orange Mango Edge Energy Gel (because I ordered some samples from them) at mile 2 of my 5 mile run. I have no complaints. I could definitely see this one in my rotation (once I need a rotation). Currently using Nathan’s ExoDraw 2.0 Handheld 18oz water bottle. I’m contemplating a running vest, but that’s as far as I’ve gotten. I don’t think I’ll need it during the race so waiting to see if it will be beneficial during training before I spend the money.

And… I signed up for this marathon fully intending that it would be my only marathon. But #runnertok is making me think I should probably do one more. From what I can tell there will be none of the fun marathon hoopla for this race and I think I want hoopla. But I should probably get through number one before I start planning number two.

Long-ish run #1 in the books.

Another Ask

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We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop. ~ Mother Teresa

I was really uncomfortable starting this fundraising thing. I didn’t have much confidence that it would go anywhere. I sorta figured I’d ask and then the post would get lost out there in the interwebs and we wouldn’t talk about it again. But people did donate and I discovered something interesting. When people donated to a cause that I believe in and they were also showing support for a challenge I’m tackling it felt really personal. Like I now have a team behind me. So I set a goal to do a monthly ask and see if I could continue to grow my team.

Today I’m 6 months out from marathon day. In the past 2 months I have run/walked/hiked 132.5 miles. My toe is better. It’s still swollen and a little tender to the touch, but I can run on it without pain. I completed a 5k, set a PR, and have the medal to show for it. I’ve gotten the programmed strength training done and I’m having fun. The mornings are getting warmer, but I’m still wearing long sleeves for most runs. That will change soon. Truth be told I enjoy the process.

Now a fundraising update. I’m raising money for Compassion International, specifically to go towards providing vulnerable children living in poverty access to clean and safe drinking water—preventing life-threatening diseases and allowing them to stay in school and focus their energy on overcoming poverty. My goal is set for $1500. I’m currently at $950. I’m pretty pleased with that. I’d love it if you would consider joining team #luxuriouslyhard (yes, I do hope that becomes a thing, because I think it’s super funny. If you want to know what it means you can read about it here.) If you’d like to donate follow this link And maybe you could share it with a friend or two.

Running the Runway

~ Monica ~ 1 Comment

Some of us have great runways already built for us. If you have one, take off.” ~ Amelia Earhart

Today’s programmed run was a 5k. So I signed up for a 5k – The Centennial Airport Runway 5k. Other than an early morning wake up I had no idea what to expect.

The FBI & the DEA both had a booth. The police and their drug dog were there along with the bomb squad. The fire department was present. There were all kinds of planes on display. Blue Bell was giving out Ice Cream – I peeped Cookie Cake, but the line was so long. I now regret not waiting. Nothing Bundt Cakes was giving out legit personal size cakes. There was a brewery giving out beer. I did the age check so I could get one, but the line convinced me 9:45a was sorta early for beer. No regrets there.

But how was the race itself? We for real ran on a runway. A real live runway. It was pretty close to flat. There was a lot of asphalt. There was no shade. My time wasn’t impressive, but I did set a post heart-failure diagnosis PB. Which has me wondering how do we measure PBs? (PB = Personal Best)

I have most definitely been faster. But that was at a lower altitude, a younger age, and a healthier heart. I feel like the heart thing is a metric I should consider. Like it’s outside the norm of aging and location. And maybe it’s not an actual PB. It’s some kind of different category than PB. It’s an improvement for sure, but it doesn’t compare with what I was able to do “back in the day”. And is it a measurement I should even be worried about?

What really matters?

Those are working propellers.
On the runway!!

Never Ending Journey

~ Monica ~ Leave a comment

Never stop just because you feel defeated. The journey to the other side is attainable only after great suffering.” ~ Santosh Kalwar

I started my fitness journey the year I turned 40. I was ready for a change, but not because I was worried about what I looked like or what people thought of me. I was focused on my health. Motivation is huge when it comes to big changes and my motivation was I wanted to be as strong as I needed to be at 40 and also for the rest of my life. And I ended up with a result that was never the goal. I lost 100 lbs.

I 100% know I did that work. I started with a couch to 5k. I discovered CrossFit. I counted calories and then I moved to Paleo and eventually settled into just eating how I ate, mostly making good choices, but with some wiggle room for splurges. I found people who believed in me and encouraged me. I found community. And I discovered that when you have a community of like minded people who are invested in you as much as you are invested in them the work isn’t so hard. It really didn’t even feel like work. And for many years that was the norm.

But things changed. We moved back to America and I realized how unique that community was. It wasn’t something that could be duplicated. Even though I tried. I tried several gyms – Globo gyms, CrossFit gyms, and online programs. I tried to get friends to be that community, but that’s not how it works (or at least not how I could get it to work). I was going to have to do this on my own.

Doing it on my own is hard. It’s been full of fits and starts. I have had some periods of success, but there have also been some pretty big fall backs. There have been medical things and life things that have derailed me and I’ve allowed them to become excuses. I’ve gained some weight and lost some weight. I’ve lost some strength and gained some strength. Currently I’m in a place of gained some weight and lost some strength. I’ve been further off the rails, but I don’t want to get there. I want to get back on track or rather I want to be back on track, but I’m having a really hard time actually wanting to do the work to get there. For the most part I’m talking nutrition. I have been able to maintain the fitness side of things.

Marathon training will most likely contribute to some strength loss. I do not have the capacity to do both and I’m okay with that. But marathon training and weight gain are not expected. So I’m trying to dial in my nutrition. Clean it up some. Find what works for me at this stage of my life and I’m finding that challenging. But I can do challenging. I know I can.

Breakfast Salad

Too Soon?

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When it’s right it’s never too late, when it’s wrong it’s always too soon” ~ Sara Donati

Yesterday I completed stage one of my BMP (Bespoke Marathon Plan). Which was basically a 5 week 5k plan and starting week 3 of that plan I had to to substitute anything but running in for the running. I did turn my most recent few running workouts into walking workouts – just to test out how my toe is doing. It’s still swollen, it’s still very painful to the touch, and it doesn’t like being squeezed close to the other toes.

It hurts in the square, but it REALLY hurts where the arrow is pointing.

Probably that means I should keep resting and adapting and not running, but… I don’t want to. So I started stage two of my BMP by adding running back in. On declines it seemed okay. Flat surfaces were not too bad. Inclines were not so good. But the good news, I think, is that it doesn’t hurt any more this afternoon than it did before I ran. So maybe it’s okay.

Stage 2 is a 10k running plan. In two weeks I’ll be running the Centennial Airport Runway 5k. 8 weeks after that I’m hoping to get a 10k run in and then sometime around the 1st of November I’m thinking maybe a 1/2 marathon will fit in my programming. Might as well earn some medals while I train.

Uncomfortably Hard

~ Monica ~ 1 Comment

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give. ~ Winston Churchill

My toe? It’s not broken. It’s still causing me problems, but it’s getting better and while running isn’t currently happening I am keeping on keeping on with the bike and the rower. Just getting that out of the way so I can get to the uncomfortably hard thing this post is about.

I was sharing my marathon journey with a co-worker, because are you really training for a marathon if you aren’t telling EVERYONE about it?? And he mentioned he was getting ready to run a marathon relay and fundraising for Compassion International. I had no idea there was a Team Compassion out there running and fundraising. A little background…

Michael worked for Compassion for 16 years. His job is how we ended up in Thailand. I currently work for Compassion and I recently celebrated my 8 year work-a-versary and before either of us worked for Compassion we sponsored kids. This year marks our 20th anniversary as sponsors and during that time we have supported seven children in four different countries. We have had the joy of visiting several of the children and have seen the incredible changes that are possible when a local church comes alongside a family in poverty.

I found the fundraising thing intriguing. And also scary. I don’t like asking people for things. And I really, really don’t like asking people for things that involve their money. It’s uncomfortable – a different kind of uncomfortable than running a marathon. I figure since I’m taking on hard things, why not do this and get uncomfortable? So here goes…

Globally, 800 children die daily from water-born disease from unsafe water. The funds you donate will provide vulnerable children living in poverty access to clean and safe drinking water—preventing life-threatening diseases and allowing them to stay in school and focus their energy on overcoming poverty. Your donations will provide essential water infrastructure such as wells, rainwater harvesting systems, and water storage and filtration, in addition to vital hygiene education. 

If you would be interested in donating to support me in this effort follow this link to my fundraising page.