Cat dont feel foolish at all. We were all there.

Note to self: if it is a bad idea to go grocery shopping hungry, it is a phenomenally monumentally horrendous idea to go grocery shopping after running 19. My shopping list had chicken for dinner tonight, it took ALL my willpower not to buy chicken AND steak AND shrimp. And just about every other item in the store.

I think the only thing that saved me is I am too damn tired to cook it all!

You are still doing it. I am to the point where I just dread going because it seems like it is going to be another failure. You rock!

And if I am any example, we all will be again, for one reason or another. Two mile run this morning with the jogging stroller. DD & I made it the first mile to the walk break (mostly down hill), then turned around and got the second mile (mostly up hill) in two shots. I'm pretty pleased given I had the stroller. Then there was about another 1-1.5 miles of walking.

Then I took DD to the park, chased her around the splash area for almost and hour and the slide for another half hour after that. Then I came home and DD & DH went to sleep and I got to chase around the house for another hour picking up all their trash to get ready for company tonight, who I think are going to cancel on us anyway. I think I will sleep well tonight.

Anne

This is true...I should say I have been there at least 8 or 10 times!

I forgot to post yesterday -- ran 3 miles with the cross country team in the hot hot sun. My husband had us running at race pace, then easy, then tempo pace, and it wore me out! The kids did well, though. Afterward, he had them do hill sprints up a ridiculously steep hill. I didn't do that with them!!

I'm hoping for a 10 mile run tomorrow -- we'll see how I feel!

Cat - you are doing everything right... it can feel daunting for us 'newbies', but do what I do - think about what you COULDN'T do six weeks ago - three months ago - SIX months ago... haven't we come a LONG WAY? you betcha!

onthetee - you can DO this, I KNOW you can. Hang in there, and don't dread it... maybe switch it up with something else to rebuild that confidence. For example, I walked four and a half miles yesterday as fast as I could (which was 4mph) and it made me feel great without being as wearing as the running. Worth a shot? Swimming, cycling, dancing nekkid 'round the house (preferably alone)??

Heather

Aaargh I am having a shoe timing issue! I bought 2 pairs in 2 brands that have both worked for me in the past and they were supposed to both be well broken in for the marathon. Well then as my mileage increased I realized that the brooks are great shoes....for under 10 miles...really under 7.

So then I realized my Asics were going to be shot for the marathon and bought a new pair...but with getting sick I didnt have a chance to start breaking them in before Hood-to-Coast and now I have very few short runs to break them in on. I'd like 100 miles on them before the marathon, but right now I would settle for a good 75 with at least one long run on them.

I wore them last week for a 6 and an 8 and both times my feet hurt all day so they are not ready. ACK. I'm wearing them to walk around town now to hopefully get them ready to do some serious running. Meanwhile my one broken in pair I was trying to save for the marathon just in case, but I can't run 20 miles on either of my other pairs, so I think they will be toast in another week or two.

I injured myself once running too far on shoes that were too new and I dont want to do that again.

Well, I didn't do my planned 10 miles today, because I desperately needed to sleep in, but I managed to get a 6 mile run in this evening. It was tough -- my legs felt extra heavy and tired -- but I managed to push it a little and do around a 10:45 mile pace on average. I'm pretty tired now, though -- I guess I'm still sort of recovering from last Sunday's half.

I won't be running tomorrow because I have to skip cross country practice. We have a parent/teacher night, and I can't meet parents all sweaty from running (though many of them have seen me like that already!)

I spent much of my run tonight thanking my legs for carrying me along and apologizing for saying bad things about them. As I posted in the 100lb. club, I'm pretty depressed after seeing my pictures on the site for my half. I look bigger than I thought I was, and you can see the extra skin on my inner thighs. It's pretty depressing, after all the miles I've run. But then I felt bad for complaining, considering how far these legs have taken me!

I feel that way about half the time too. But when I finished my first half, I cried like a baby, I was so proud of myself. Nothing can take that feeling away ever. We are all so proud of you.

Anne

Hi everyone - checking in with a race report from my half marathon. It was a beautiful day here, perfect weather for running. 12,500 runners in this event - it was somewhat of a mob scene at the beginning (and the end) - I can't even imagine what the Chicago marathon is like, it's 3 times the size! (Makes me grateful I'm doing my first marathon in Portland, which will be smaller than the half I did today).

I finished in 2:18 which is 20 minutes faster than my time in the first half marathon I ran in June, so I'm very pleased. I felt pretty good the entire race - except for the moment when we were starting north on Lake Shore Drive (about mile 5), and saw the lead runners already headed back in the south bound lanes, they had already made it to mile 10 or so!

So, I have one more long run next weekend, then it's time to taper, yipee! I'm glad I'm doing the marathon, but training for it surely is time consuming.

Excellent!

Anne

Wooohooo Rachel!

Oh that is so funny about your time! I almost told you last week that a close friend of mine was running chicago, but I didnt see the point because in 12,500 runners its not like you would see her. But you guys finished really close together (I think she was about a minute or so behind you) so you probably passed eachother at some point or did that back and forth thing that I always do with people at around my pace!

I am so ready for portland to be here too. I am at that point where it is dictating everything. Do I dare go on a bike ride when I havent ridden a bike in months? My immune system is depressed so I have given up alcohol for the duration. And caffeine. And cut back on sugar. Crap.

Lisa - dont underestimate how long it takes to recover from a half. That mile/day rule isnt crap! It takes a good week or two to recover from a half and be back to your old self. And race photos just plain suck. I never like mine. You have done an amazing thing!

Thanks ladies! Ennay, that is funny about your friend being so close to me - I bet you're right, we were probably in the same pack for a good chunk of the race. I was definitely trading spots with some shirts that became very familiar by the end of the race. Can't believe you've given up alcohol, caffeine and sugar - I think that would be harder than running 26 miles!

Lisa, just wanted to chime in on the race photos - I think the only photos I liked from my first race were the photos my brother took - he was far enough away that the skin flaws didn't seem to show up, so I looked (almost) good. But the professional photos - ugh! Maybe it's those super sharp lenses they use. So, don't let them get you down - the fact that you've done the race is simply amazing, and you should be proud of that.

I don't know whether this will work outside the UK but here goes...

Clicky here to see the team I'm running the GNR (half marathon) with on Granada Reports (about 20 minutes in) (warning - the link might only work until it's replaced with tomorrow's edition).

[shameless plug]And if that inspires you to donate go to this page and add a note to say you're sponsoring me.[/shameless plug]

I did 8.8 this evening. I was aiming for about 10, but I ran out of steam midway up a hill after about 6 and decided to cut it a bit short. I think I'm still a bit tired from my 22 miler on Saturday.

Oh my gosh, my legs are SO sore from running 5K outside yesterday - I blame the hills!

Limped through the park with the dog today... might take tomorrow off and lick my shins - errr, wounds...

Heather