Our part of Minnesota is in a heatwave. My Saturday morning run started about 7:15 AM. The temperature was already 78 degrees and it was sunny. The entire weekend has been unseasonably hot. I enjoyed Missee's post about running through sprinklers during her run. Great idea, Missee! Although I didn't find any sprinklers, I did enjoy reading the sign at this church. What a great message! While I had my phone out, I took a look at my shadow and wondered what it would be like to have these long legs. :) Happy Memorial Day to all! Today is a great day to remember all of our veterans who have bravely fought for all of the freedoms that we enjoy today. Thank you! Happy Memorial Day! -Stephanie
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Have you ever done something, not necessarily wrong, but that you didn't really want anyone to see? Well, today's long run was getting warmer and warmer. When we passed 10 miles, the temperature was already 75. We were getting pretty shiny with sweat and Deb was taking little detours along the bike path to try to grab any little pieces of shade she could find when we saw it... A local business had their lawn sprinklers going. I asked Deb, "Are you going for it?" She said yes and away we went. It was glorious! Once we'd made our way through about six sprinkler heads and back out onto the bike path, the Frito Lay driver came around the roundabout, noticed us in the water and honked and waved! We were totally busted taking whimsical measures to stay cool for our last couple of miles. Oh well, we didn't do anything wrong, but how embarrassing would it be to meet someone in a store or at church who would say, "Hey, weren't you and your friend running through the sprinklers on Saturday?" Why yes, yes we were...and we ran 13 miles and had a great time doing it. Speaking of busted, I'll also "out" my lovely children who gave me a wonderful Mother's Day gift--they worked hard cleaning up and redoing the landscaping around our house in preparation for David's grad party. They pulled out some old plants including the stumps and roots, put down new fabric, planted new flowers and replaced the mulch. Thanks, kids! I wish I had before photos, but who wants to take pics of something yucky. The pictures don't do their work much justice, but it looks great. Keep cool if it's warm in your neighborhood this weekend--if you find a sprinkler, feel free to take a quick pass through it and happy running! Missee
.After a winter that just WOULD NOT END, it's nice to have some warmer weather. Only a month ago people were pledging to throw their winter jackets in the trash if it ever got nice enough to stop wearing them. Now we are looking at a weekend forecast of multiple days in the 90+ temperature range. Here comes summer! There are things I love about summer. One of those being our summer vacation at the lake. We have vacationed on the same lake for the last 17 summers and were worried we wouldn't find a place to rent for this year, but a teacher at my school found us a great spot on VRBO.com. I'd never used a site like that before, but it looks like a great place and was pet friendly as well. Charlie is all set to go: This photo was from his grooming today, but he does love to go out in the boat with the guys and wears his life jacket--not because he can't swim, but it has a handle on the back so if he fell out, we could grab it to get him back inside. When the kids were little, it was the rule that they wear a hat and sunglasses when they went fishing to protect everyone's eyes and face from tackle. I guess Charlie will get to go fishing! I also love to read by the lake and soak up the sun or at least the warm air as too much sun isn't good for me. Some people get really nervous about how they will look in their swimsuit. I try not to get too worked up about that and I hope you don't either. My running keeps me in reasonable beach shape, plus I like to wear a tankini with a swim skirt. I find that to be the right balance of beachy fun and modesty. Now that I've got summer vacation plans, time to get used to the idea of running in shorts and warm weather instead of debating whether or not I can skip the mittens or hat. Extreme heat is not a friend of mine. Over the last year, I have been running once a week in the afternoons at our staff running group (still 2 of us!) and I think that helps me get used to warmer weather and helps my stomach learn to run with a little food in it. Last week it was over 80 degrees and while our runs are in the 3-4 mile range, it went very well. Saturday, Deb and I are planning to try 5:30 am to beat the heat as much as we can. The overnight lows are supposed to be around 65, so it will be warmer than we are used to, and that's ok. Welcome, SUMMER! Keep cool, drink lots of water and happy running--Missee
I ran the Fargo Marathon on Saturday. As I may have mentioned before, I am a teacher. My students were so sweet to wish me luck before the race. On Monday, I was asked several times, "Did you win the marathon?" I would smile and tell them no, I didn't win but I was really glad to finish. A strong race and a finishers medal is a win to me. I don't think the students understood how many people were in the race. The final count of finishers was 1,461. I was #644. This is a photo from the Inforum website. The link to the photo and website is here. Here are some things that non runners may not know about marathons. 1. You need to eat while you run. I ate a peanut butter sandwich an hour before start time and a GU gel packet every five miles during the race. 2. Runners stop at port-a-potties during the race. 3. Safe from chafe can be a runners best friend. Clothing can rub, especially under the arms for me, and cause sores that are painful. A little balm in places where you might chafe before a run can prevent chaffing. 4. Runners support one another. We truly want other runners to do well. Unless you are in the front of the pack, we are all just trying to accomplish a personal goal. 5. Training programs for a marathon are about three months in duration and we rarely run beyond 20 miles in a long run. By the time it is race day, we have been "in training" for months. Most training programs do not contain long runs for over 20 miles. The first time we try 26.2 is race day. I am really glad that my marathon is done. All throughout the training, I said that this would be my last marathon. I had such a great time that I will say that it might have been my last one.
Happy Running! -Stephanie I finished!!!! I am very happy to report that I finished the Fargo Marathon on Saturday with a time of 4:08:01. The weather was perfectly cool. There was a strong north wind that was a challenge for the last six miles, but temps in the 40s is a marathoner's dream! We started and finished the marathon in the Fargodome. What a treat it was to have a comfortable place to sit while we waited and a fabulous place for our families to view the finish. My husband brought me to a shuttle bus only one mile from our hotel at 5:00 AM. Our bus arrived to the Fargodome and we were some of the first people to enter the building. I found a seat and ate a pre-race breakfast of a peanut butter sandwich with a special Diet Coke that my mom had found for me. The marathoners lined up a few minutes before the start time and were greeted by the marathon director, a representative from Sanford Health, and the governor of North Dakota. A pastor lead us in a pre-race prayer, the Canadian national anthem was sung followed by the Star Spangled Banner, and we started running promptly at 7:00 AM. The course was great. We ran through neighborhoods, on paved trails, and through two college campuses. There were plenty of spectators and an occasional band playing. The atmosphere was upbeat and fun. I ran part of the race near a guy were a poop emoji costume. He was pretty funny. That definitely kept my in a positive mood. I had forgotten that little adapter that goes between my iPhone and my earphones. My husband went out an purchased a new adapter on Saturday morning, but he was unable to find me on the course. Although that was a bummer, I appreciated the sounds of the bands and fans even more. 26.2 miles is a long way to be alone with your thoughts. I really can't complain about my results. I felt like I did as well I could have done. I ran the whole thing (with exception of water stops and two bathroom breaks). That was a great feeling. We battled a 20 mph headwind for the last six miles. During that stretch I decided that my goal was to keep running and I was able to do that. I will give you an update on my race strategy of a conservative beginning in another post. Here is my race swag. The sweatshirt is awesome! It was a fun marathon. I highly recommend this race. Happy Running! -Stephanie
The Fargo Marathon is now in two more sleeps! Best of luck to Stephanie and all the other runners who will participate in all the races in Fargo this weekend. The weather has been pretty warm the past few days, but it looks like Saturday will be a little more mild and hopefully not rainy until later in the day. If it does rain, the racers will be glad for that indoor finish! When I thought of the question, Are You Ready?, it made me think of one of Blake's favorite shows as a toddler. The show was called the Big Comfy Couch and the theme song asks, "Are you ready?, Get ready to clown around." The star of the show was Loonette the clown and her doll, Molly, who hang out on a big, comfy couch. It was a great show. Loonette and Molly had all sorts of friends like the Dust Bunnies who lived under the couch and Major Bedhead the unicycle courier. They always had a fabulous time on the couch until Loonette realized that there was a big mess. She'd ask, "Who made this big mess?!?" Then she'd admit it was her and that if she made the mess it was only fair for her to pick it up during her "10 Second Tidy." I wish I could clean like that! She'd also perform the "Clock Stretch" to limber up each episode. Just as good as yoga...LOL. Hopefully, my little trip down memory lane makes you remember something from your own or your child's early years that makes you smile. If you need a pick-me-up, look up some old clips from The Big Comfy Couch on the internet. The Belly Button song was always one of our favorites.
I'll be anxiously waiting for results from Fargo on Saturday. In the meantime, I'll be doing a long run as the marathon starts and then I'll be watching Stephanie's progress on the race's app. If you are also following her progress, don't worry when it looks like she's out a little slower than her expected overall pace...remember, she is planning to run slower at the beginning with the hopes of having plenty of energy to power in the last 5K. Best of luck and happy running! Missee The Fargo Marathon is only five sleeps away. When my kids were younger, we used to count how many sleeps (nights) before we would go to Grandma and Grandpa's house. A trip to the grandparents' farm is so much fun that they still really look forward to those visits in their teen years. Happy Belated Mother's Day to our mom!! She is a wonderful mom and grandmother! I ran my last long run of marathon training on Saturday. It was eight miles and went well. I've been trying to figure out if I like to time my run on my Apple watch or on my old Garmin. I decided to try both watches simultaneously. Is it cool to wear two watches at once? Probably not... The main workout app on my Apple watch only gives me an overall average pace and not individual mile times until I finish the workout. However, my apple watch can get phone calls and text messages which I like for safety. It also controls the volume of my audio book or music. The Garmin gives me mile splits, but it is extremely slow in locating a satellite. I decided to download a new GPS app on my Apple Watch called Strava. This app allows me to see my average pace and will tell me how fast I ran the last mile. Now I can wear one watch and get all the features I need.
I hope your week is off to a great start! Happy Running! -Stephanie I just took a peak at the Fargo Marathon website. The race countdown is now less than one week--6 days, 23 hours and change. When Stephanie announced that she would run Fargo this year, I promised to share my experience from 2010. In all honesty, Fargo is a well done race. I love how they embrace the Midwestern phrase Uff da--which old farmers say when they get a little winded; after a marathon, everyone should say Uff da! I believe the course has been changed a few times in the past few years, but being in Eastern North Dakota, the only real hills are on highway overpasses. I hope the weather is mild and not too windy. The year I ran Fargo, it was in the 70's which was a little warm. However, that is not what I--or my family--will remember about that marathon. My experience in Fargo was my first marathon since 1994. I'd run lots of half marathons in the meantime, but anything past 20 miles is a whole other animal. Apparently, my very touchy digestive system has a very distinct way of dealing with the full marathon. Once my full 26.2 is in the books, my belly revolts. With a little practice, I have learned that I need to eat and drink a little something, throw up once and then proceed to refuel with more food and drinks. I know that sounds disgusting, but it works. Since Fargo was my first marathon in many years, I was not fully aware of this need to just get it over with. Also, one of Fargo's biggest claims to fame is that the race ends inside the FargoDome. Most people find this idea delightful...unless this urge to vomit hits at a bad time. I had found my family inside the dome, gathered some snacks, medal and my extra clothing. We were headed for the van and had made it to the concourse around the stadium when it hit. Unfortunately the trash can that I found was one of those that has a lid and you push open a flap to put trash in. No way to stick my head in there and ended up throwing up on the floor right next to it. Many apologies to whoever had to mop it up! To make matters worse, the sound of someone throwing up sometimes causes a chain reaction. None of my family succumbed to the urge, but they noticed other runners suddenly joining in. In celebration of Mother's Day, almost everyone's mom has asked, if everyone else was jumping off a bridge, would you do it, too? Well, if you see someone throwing up at your next race, will you do it, too?
Stephanie seems to recover beautifully following her marathons and she know about my one vomit habit, so I wasn't afraid to make her nervous with my tale from Fargo 2010. I love her race plan in the previous blog to go out slower than goal pace and gradually pick up the pace throughout the race. I also have heard a lot about negative split running and think it has a lot of potential. From the the number of track races I have watched, I know it's way more fun to watch the runner who finds another gear in the second half of a race and picks up the pace passing runners all the way to the finish. The crowd really feels the pain with the runners who take off too fast and really struggle through the end. When my husband ran at SJU, they would award the runner who looked like they were pulling the biggest trailer at the end of the race the Winnebago Award. It was not a coveted prize, but it gives a good visual to think about pulling a trailer rather than sprinting to the finish. Happy Mother's Day to our Mom, who is our biggest blog commenter, Stephanie and all the mom runners out there. I hope your family does the dishes on Sunday so you can get an extra run or walk. Happy running! Missee We are a track family. Last night Mom met me at my daughter's track meet while Dad and Missee were at her son's meet. I'm always grateful when my mom or dad comes to a meet with me because they take pictures of my daughter running. While my children are participating, I am only a cheerleader. I wish I could do two things at once. It was cold, but a good temperature for running. My daughter ran her best time of the season. Fun night! I have one more training run before the marathon. The nerves are building. Missee and I had a conversation about pacing strategies for the race. (She is my running advisor.) I told her how I have been reading that running negative splits, running a faster second half of the race, is the way to go. There is a great article on Runners Connect here. In this link, there is a free tool (pictured below) that helps you determine how fast you should run each group of miles to meet your goal. I put in a goal of 4:15 and this is what information it gave. My problem lies in determining my goal. I know that I will be significantly slower than my last marathon (4:03) in 2006. Pacing is tricky business. Proper pacing can make a race and going out too fast can really hinder your performance. The Fargo Marathon is a week away. There is a half marathon and 10K on the same day. The registration closes on Sunday, May 13. It's not too late to join the race. A link to the Fargo Marathon website is here.
Happy Running! -Stephanie Happy National Share A Coke Day! What an awesome holiday to celebrate such a delicious beverage. To be honest, I actually prefer Diet Coke, but I'm sure that the special day applies to all varieties. I almost certainly drink more Diet Coke than would be recommended by anyone besides the Coca Cola company, but I'm in good company. Stephanie and most of our family are also a little hooked on the silver can.
I very much enjoy the summer promotion that Coke has been running for the past few years to Share a Diet Coke with...followed by a name. I will admit that I purchase way more bottled soda in convenience stores during the promotion and will dig to the back to find the name of someone close to me, or if I can't find that, someone I've ever crossed paths with. When I find someone's name, I like to snap a pic of it and send it to the person to let them know we are sharing a Diet Coke although I will be drinking 100% of it. I guess the part we are "sharing" is the good wish. This year, Coke has a fun little jingle about how "I love to share a Coke with you." Now you may ask, what does sharing a Coke have to do with running? Well, it's actually connected. Just last weekend, I was talking with Blake about running the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon next month. He'd mentioned that it tastes so good to have a red Coke (regular variety) after a long run. I told Blake that the volunteers will give him a ticket at the finish to get a bottle of Coke in the finishing area, but that it will take me a while to get there, so he may want to bring a few dollars in case he wants a second one! I know I'll be grabbing a Coke as soon as I'm done, maybe regular and maybe diet depending on how I'm feeling. Either one would be tasty and what I love most about a Coke after a long run is that it seems to clear my mouth of that icky pasty feeling that sometimes builds up. Yum, yum! Marathon season is definitely in full swing in Minnesota. The Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon is this weekend. Stephanie will be running in the Fargo Marathon next weekend...it's technically in North Dakota, but it does cross over into Minnesota and back. Grandma's Marathon in Duluth will be coming up in about a month. David will be participating in the 5K the night before Blake and I participate in the half at Grandma's. That's lots of happy running going on all over the state. Share a Coke with someone you love and happy running! Missee |
AuthorMissee and Stephanie are two Minnesota sisters and moms who love to run. We are not experts in running, parenting or anything else, but we do have years of experiences that may be helpful or entertaining to others. Archives
May 2020
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