Help!? Speed training & blue fingernails. Wha?

Yesterday I ran 4 miles with some other TFK alum. It was an easy 10/min/mile pace and a gorgeous morning on the bridle path. It felt great to be with TFK friends---we rehashed the marathon a bit and talked about new goals. On the way to the park we ran into an Ethiopian friend who is an elite runner. He was returning home from a workout, his face bearing the salt of his effort. I introduced him to the group. They were wowed to meet him.

This morning I met up with said Ethiopian friend for my first speed workout. We did fartleks (which means speed play in Swedish), also known as interval training. We ran fast and hard for 2 minutes and then recovered for a minute or so before doing it again 9 more times. That gave me 20 minutes of running fast and hard at around a 7:20ish avg pace (this is faster than I ran the 5th Ave mile a couple months ago). It was challenging and then felt really hard during the last 20 seconds of each 2 minute bit. After 10 of these we ran hard for 30 seconds and recovered for 30 seconds, and did this 5 times. Then we jogged about 1.5 miles to end. All in all, it felt great and I began to feel hopeful that I can get faster.

At home, I parked and eased my way out of the car, a little stiff, but feeling great. Then, in the shower, I noticed my nail beds were deep purple. I was puzzled. I didn't feel particularly cold. I kind of forgot about it until I sat down in front of the computer this afternoon. I googled blue fingernails and running. And I found this:
Exercising and Blue Fingernails on the LiveStrong website.

Um, what does this mean? Do I need to call a cardiologist tomorrow? I mean, I surely do not want to drop dead from farklets. Does anyone have any experience with this?

On top of this, my left booty cheek is super sore from running hard this morning.

A Robust Goal

I have already signed up to run with Team for Kids for the New York City marathon in 2012. I am so excited to run the marathon again!

And I've also decided to try to knock an hour off my overall time...bring it down from 4:52 to 3:52. Surely, I can do that in a year's time? Especially because I didn't feel like I ever really pushed myself---my 11 min/mile pace was very easy and comfortable.

Starting speed training soon. Yeah..

High 5

Baby girlfriend gives hi-fives at the marathon near mile 11.

Marathon Day Pics

On the Team for Kids bus (1 of 20), driving through Times Square with a police escort. Heading to the start. Nervous!


The sun has come up, driving over the Verrazano Bridge to Staten Island to the start village.


The Verrazano and runners heading to their corrals.


Finding my family at mile 11 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, our neighborhood. I was feeling great!


About to cross the finish, 26.2 miles! I'm just right of a stop light, wearing neon yellow and red. Arm raised.


Sitting down sure feels good. Basking in the glow with teammate Andrea. We did it!


And here's my running-mate Maren. It was so great to fly with her through all 5 boroughs of NYC. She was a big part of my success. Thank you, Maren!


Bearden and I on Central Park West in the family reunion area waiting on his brother who also ran.

One of most positive days of my life and an incredible journey!

Race Report: 2011 NYC Marathon

Crossing the finish at 4:52:23!

I had 47 voice mails downloaded to my ipod to listen to when I hit "the wall" at mile 20 or so!! Since I never had a point of struggle while running on Sunday I didn't listen to my ipod until the morning after. I was so moved by the messages...many hilarious and many touching....folks shared scriptures that were so uplifting and meaningful, as well as quotes related to running and success. There was even a quote from Snoopy and an appearance from a Dolly Parton look-a-like and music to groove to. Thank goodness I DIDN'T listen to these messages while running...I would have cried my eyes out. Instead, they were the perfect cherry on top the morning after and I'm going to save them forever. They are some of the best gifts I've ever received. Thank you, Thank you.

Sunday was pretty much a perfect day. The weather was on our side. I was nervous on the bus to Staten Island...tapering the past couple weeks is really freaky...I was tired of training and so ready to taper and rest, but then I began to feel like I was getting out of shape and I had doubts that I'd be able to do it. It's hard to imagine doing 26.2 when the longest you've run is 20, especially when that was a month ago. I was nervous, but I kept telling myself to trust the tried and true training/tapering process.

I took a cab from my house at 5:30, told my Dominican cab driver all about the race in Spanish (I have been working on my marathon vocab!). He wished me buena suerte and dropped me off at the 20 Team for Kids buses in midtown. It was dark when I boarded the bus and I didn't know a soul, except for the coach checking people in. We had a police escort through Times Square and down FDR Drive, through Brooklyn and over the Verrazano Bridge. I texted a couple friends and concentrated--telling myself "this is just another training run" and trying to ignore the spectacle of it all.


Ignoring the spectacle was hard to do at the Start Village. Throngs of people laying down on the grass, announcements on speakers in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, etc and helicopters hovering overhead. Team for Kids had our own private tent and private portapotties...to be shared by all 1500 of us. I found a couple friends, and we sat in the tent. I wrote my daughter's name on one quad and her Godmother's name on the other (she is an elite Ethiopian runner who cannot run right now due to a terrible accident. The marathon is her favorite event). We took our belongings to the UPS truck and then waited for the group warm up stretch. Making our way over to the start corrals I could see thousands of runners heading over the Verrazano...they were in waves before mine. I saw the Wheelchair winner cross the finish line on the jumbotron and the Elite runners racing down Brooklyn's 4th Ave (nice to have live TV at the start).

I used a last min. portapotty before we were herded into the corral. I was supposed to be in #58, but moved back to #66 to run with a friend. So glad I did! We heard the start cannon, and Sinatra's NY, NY as we began running across the bridge toward Brooklyn. European tourists with their faces painted like the French and Italian flags started doing crazy things like stopping to take pictures of the Statue of Liberty or climbing maintenance ladders on the bridge to get a better view.

I think I pretty much ran a perfect first marathon for someone like me. In spite of the fact I did not run quite as fast as I'd hoped (due to the crowds, but that was probably a blessing in disguise), I had an awesome experience. I ended up running quite conservatively (couldn't get around people...it was just so crowded! With over 47,000 runners I can't emphasize that enough!) at a pace of 11 mins a mile. I was aiming for 9:45-10 mins/mile...quite a difference. Actually, my Garmin died at mile 2...didn't charge properly the night before. I panicked a little but then just let go of my 4:29 goal and said "just be present, just enjoy the day." And that I did.

I ran with a teammate, Maren...it was her 30th birthday and she ran the whole way with a paper birthday hat on her head. It got lots of fun comments. On the Verrazano I saw Jay from last season's Biggest Loser. I wished him a great race (okay, full disclosure: Biggest Loser is a secret vice-I love that show!). He said thanks! Sadly, I checked the results and he dropped out with a 5k to go after about 6.5 hours of running. He was my only "celeb sighting."

Brooklyn was awesome. I passed my defunct Garmin (which weighs like 5 lbs) off to friend Roseanne on 4th Ave in Bklyn. She had the most awesome sign. Then I saw Farron a few blocks later, jumping up and down screaming--so fun. We turned off 4th and headed over to the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Ft Greene/Clinton Hill crowds were off the hook! So fun to see Mia, Laura and Jenny O. Thank goodness Mia reached out to me and said "Laura" as I was passing by, or I would have missed them because I was so tuned into the gospel choir they were standing beside! We turned onto Bedford Ave, heading toward my neighborhood. The Hasidic Jewish section was dead. It's controversial that the race even runs through there b/c of the short shorts and tank tops and it showed. There were very few spectators and only Jewish women and children out. But I knew as I rounded the corner I'd see my husband Bearden and gang just before mile 11. I saw Phil first b/c he's the tallest and I'll never forget Daniel going crazy with those blow up stick things and Natty G. jumping up and down like mad. I have a vague recollection of the Walkers and David S...it just went by so fast b/c I was trying to make a bee-line for Konjit and Bearden. I was surprised to see my sister in law and her friend...I'd forgotten they were meeting Bearden there (my brother in law came from Arkansas to run and he was just a few minutes behind me, but I didn't see him on the course). So so fun. Just a few blocks more and I saw Jordan, Caroline and Sarah looking chic on the Northside of Williamsburg.

We turned off Bedford and headed through Greenpoint where we saw two more friends who had some hearty jumps and cheers for us. Heading over the Pulaski bridge (our 2nd bridge in the race), I saw my neighbor Tony who works in the bridgehouse. Very fun. Whew! We'd made it to the 1/2 way point and to Queens. I thought to myself, "man, Brooklyn took forever" and I was ready to head into my negative split (run the 2nd 1/2 faster than the first, which I did)!

The Queensboro Bridge (our 3rd bridge and the biggest/hardest at mile 15) was pretty quiet, just like they say...no spectators allowed. A lot of people were walking by this point. We owned it. Our hill training was so worth it. We passed tons of people. And then my greatest disappointment of the day was heading onto 1st Ave. I'd been warned we'd be hit with a roar and a wall of noise after the quiet of the Queensboro--I anticipated being filled with emotion and having to break down and cry at the glory of it all and angels singing and Christ emerging from the clouds, but nope. sure enough the street was packed with people, but no one was cheering. It was so weird. And so quiet. I got a little miffed and started yelling, "Come on! Come on!" and waving my arms at the crowd. That elicited a few cheers from people, but it wasn't what I had been told about or read about. Oh well. Lame.

We'd made it to Manhattan, the 3rd borough on our journey. Heading north, 1st Ave greeted us with the sun beating down on our backs (I got sunburned) and volunteers handing out wet sponges. There was one point where I thought, "I've been running for 3 hours. Why I am running for 3 hours?" A moment of the surreal. The street was so wide. The bars were packed. Maren's boyfriend had climbed a light pole. We ran in the middle of the street, following the painted blue line that the Elite's follow because the streets are bowed...they are the most flat in the middle and very rounded on the sides...not good for running...making one leg shorter than the other. Every now and then Maren would say, "let's go get some love" and we run closer to the sides so people would call our names and wish her a happy birthday. Sadly, I missed seeing my favorite boss, Mary on 1st Ave. I completely blanked that she'd be there around mile 18.

Then we hit the Willis Ave bridge (4th of the 5) and we'd made it to the Boogie-down Bronx.

Mile 20. The WALL.

However, another unexpected: I never hit the fabled wall. I felt great the whole time. I even pulled a Jen Goodson and yelled, "whoo! we've got this" running over the bridge. A teammate we passed said, "Laura, you're on fire!" I was! Screw the wall!! :) I felt like we were flying. The fans in the Bronx were great. And there were awesome banners of Buzunesh (our Ethiopian friend who finished 2nd) on every corner.


You're only in the Bronx for a blip...then we were over the Madison Ave bridge (our last! & where I saw someone throwing up) and into Harlem. There I saw my two favorite Team for Kids coaches on the course. We ran around Marcus Garvey Park and I saw Coach Sid (age 72 and won the 5th Ave mile this year). He didn't see us, so I called "Sid! Sid!" He jumped in and ran with us, saying, "I knew it! Now run around that corner, get you some Gatoraid and then go get your medal!" It was incredible. We were still flying. We headed south on 5th Ave toward Central Park...a steady climb of a hill at mile 23 (I was so worried about this hill! We'd run it during our training run of the last 10 miles of the course a few weeks before) where we saw Roseanne (again! Holla!) and dear Frances blowing her horn.

Maren and I turned into Central Park. The crowd was raucous! We ran a bit and then she gave me the nod and I kicked it...I had gas in the tank and decided I was ready to get to the last .2 to see my mom, dad and Bearden who were waiting at the finish line in the bleachers (I "won" finish line seats via my fundraising). I felt like I was still flying. I was passing people left and right. It was awesome. I exited the park and turned right on to Central Park South. It was awesome--teeming with spectators and noise--and then I turned back into the park at Columbus Circle. I high fived one of my coaches who was waiting at the entrance on the way in, strangers were calling my name. I saw a sign that said 800 meters left. I almost choked up a couple times, but kept it together. Then I saw Bearden in his bright Ethiopian track jacket and my mom and dad waving from the bleachers. I waved back, full of energy and elated, smiled for the cameras, and crossed the finish with enough gas in my tank that I could have run 27.2 if they'd asked me to! I got my medal, said hi to some Ethiopian friends who work for Road Runners, got my picture taken, got my foil blanket, was interviewed for a few quotes by one of the Team for Kids staff, and then started to get a little cold/my legs started cramping up-but not too badly. I headed to the Team for Kids VIP section avoiding the 1 mile death march everyone else has to endure. Got my stuff (it was getting hard to bend over at that point) and met up with Bearden and Jami (sis in law) on Central Park West still feeling awesome.

The past 2 days my quads have been royaly sore. I've had to navigate my stairs backwards (thanks to Kim Swain for that advice!) Other than that my body feels totally normal. Didn't even get a blister. My final time was 4:52. I was surprised to find my name in the NY Times on Monday....I thought the cut off for that was 4:29 (my original goal). I had my medal engraved with my name and my time and I took it to Konjit's preschool for her to share during circle time. All the other 2 year olds had the chance to put it on. :)

a couple things I learned:

+ running is an examination of self. i am still processing the journey from running 1 block without stopping to running 26.2 miles without stopping. it is such a rich journey: it's hard, it hurts, there are set backs and negative thinking, you get stronger, you go further, you feel awesome. and the positives carry over into other areas of your life. it has changed me. Almost 40 is the new 18, right Darcey?!

+ run major races like 1/2 marathons and marathons with a buddy if you can. talking with Maren was a real help in terms of enjoyment and distraction. we could laugh together along the way about the things we saw, we supported each other checking in around how we were feeling and we worked together. she followed me, i followed her. we were in synch. it was cool. i may never see her again, but i'll remember her for the rest of my life!

+ i will not waste all the time and effort i have put into coming this far. i have a 4 mile race in late Nov and a 1/2 marathon in late Jan. and I'm looking into volunteering as a guide with the Achilles team as well as started a weekly running group at a women's shelter.

+ hill training works wonders for the body, the mind, and the butt.

+ a steady pace will get you to the finish in one piece. who needs a Garmin?!

+ I can hold my pee for 21 miles. Even with a last min. portapotty stop before the start, I had to pee around mile 5. I refused to stop. I couldn't bear to break my groove.

+ just run. even if it's 1/4 of a mile. do it. the next day you'll be able to go 1/2 mile. i promise.

+ new yorkers LOVE marathoners. i mean LOVE them. Wow. Run NY and feel like a rockstar. some out of towners on the subway assured me that nothing compares to running NY. Over 100 bands were along the route. I'll never forget the guy singing U2 in Bay Ridge Brooklyn. He looked like he might have been an overweight plumber, but he had a voice of gold, just like Bono. There were gospel choirs, rappers, accordian players...everything you could imagine. Strangers passed out Kleenex, bananas, candy all along the route. Everyone knew my name. The volunteers always had the Gatoraid and water ready and waiting. It was just the best. New York City rules.

That's way more than you wanted to know about my first marathon, huh? Obviously, I'm still living the dream! The secret to this wonderful day was training 2-3x a week with a team. I was cared for and mentored. It gave me confidence. I felt like I was flying the whole way through the marathon. I never had a pain or a negative thought. I never once said to myself, "I'm not sure I can do this." I was totally unfazed by the bridges and the many hills. I only walked when I had to drink b/c otherwise the water would go up my nose. I fueled right and hydrated right. I didn't push it, but stayed steady. I finished feeling great and like I could run more. Plus, our team raised more than 4 million dollars! I'm already looking forward to next year.

I'll be running the Miami 1/2 marathon at the end of January. There is plenty of time to train for it, if anyone would like to join me. :)

Thanks again for being such a big part of my journey.

Love, love, LOVE,

Laura

I am a butterfly and here comes the Hurricane

I finally run TODAY. 10:40 is my start time. And the good news is 31 MILLION dollars have been raised by all 210 charities participating in the race. That's incredible! That feels good!

In total I raised $3253.62. That's 65 kids who will be impacted by the ripple effect of running in the next year.

I often wonder if I am making enough of a difference in this world. My days go by quickly, mothering, wife-ing, working, running, writing my dissertation proposal. I say hi to the librarian and the security guard at the preschool. I try to be a good neighbor by waving to the barbers across the street. I try to turn off my lights when not using them to be a good steward. I'm just an average person. I'm a little lazy, I have no money, no political clout, no extensive network. Can I make a difference? Simply put, I want to know that my time here was not wasted.

These are the thoughts I have and then I stop myself and remember that through the NYC Marathon, I AM making a difference. RIGHT NOW! Today! with 47,000 runners, 2.5 million spectators,& $31 million charity dollars. That's damn big.

Through our Team for Kids journey we've met a few of the kids who benefit from the program. It's been good to hear from them for sure, but at times during this training I've forgotten about them. I've narcissistic, thinking about my running, my performance, can I get faster, can I go longer, will I finish?

This week I've have, of course, been thinking a lot about the race...the struggle, the hard work, the pacing, will I make it in under 4.5 hours so I can get my name in the NY Times? Me, me, me, me.

A couple nights ago I received a recorded voice mail from one of the kids Team for Kids supports. THE KIDS! I'm so thankful for that voice mail. It snapped me out of my plotting and planning and put me back in a place of "that's right, I'll see THE KIDS on the course. They'll cheer me on, they'll high five me, they'll give me the energy I need to finish and more importantly I'll remember that this is not about me!"

THEY BENEFIT from my running. Their lives are CHANGED because of this program. Many of them will find opportunity through running where there was no chance of opportunity without it. They will find their character, their integrity, their compassion and sportsmanship. They will grow and mature and become resilient in very real ways.

Who cares how I do on marathon day?! It's the kids (plural!) who are forever changed. 65 kids changed because of little ol' 1/2 assed, usually over committed, a lot of the time self-centered me. It's the butterfly effect people! The butterfly effect in spite of my weaknesses!

* A quick draw from Wikipedia: "In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions; where a small change at one place in a nonlinear system can result in large differences to a later state. The effect derives its name from the theoretical example of a hurricane's formation being contingent on whether or not a distant butterfly had flapped its wings several weeks before."

Not to sound overly confident, but I AM A BUTTERFLY. Maybe not as beautiful as a butterfly, but just as tiny in the scheme of things. It's like that mustard seed faith that can move mountains. We are BUTTERFLIES and just flapping our wings can CREATE A HURRICANE.

$3253.62 raised by me in this journey = 65 kids who get to run next year. 65 kids who will impact their friends and family. The ripples will go on and on and on.

31 Million Bucks raised by the 210 NYC Marathon charities.

The butterfly effect.

Marathon Eve

We had our team breakfast this morning at the finish line. The weather is gorgeous today. They're talking about course records being set tomorrow because the weather is so awesome. I felt emotional at our breakfast. Team for Kids is a stellar organization. They've made me feel important and cared for. If anyone has even the flicker of this thought: "maybe I could run a marathon?"-join Team for Kids. They will get you across the finish line and you'll feel good about the kids you've helped.

We heard from Grete Waitz's husband, Jack, this morning (um, yeah...had no idea who he was and I asked him if this was his first marathon. duh.) and from some of the kids. It was very inspiring.


Coach Asteria giving last minute tips with her usual passion and grace. It was great fun to walk in the Opening Ceremony Parade of Nations with her last night. Incredible to see all the folks who have flown from all over the world to run this race, the fireworks, and the elites like last year's champ Gebre Gebremariam and the Kenyan Mutai's run through the crowd (and to be on the race course in the middle of it all). This all feels once in a lifetime for me in terms of it's magnitude, even though I hope to do it again next year.


Fred Lebow's statue has been moved from the 90th Street entrance of the park to the finish. He started the New York Road Runners and the NYC marathon.

Well, I've tried on my duds for tomorrow, pinned my bib on my singlet and am heading to bed for nap. Tonight I'll set my clock back and ready my bag and then I'll be up and out the door at 5:30 in the morning. The Team for Kids buses will head to Staten Island at 6:30 and then I'll wait until my corral starts at 10:40. A long wait in the cold morning. It'll be fun.

See you at the finish line! And a very sincere heartfelt thanks for your support. As my friend Frances says: Live Large!

Out in a Glow of Glory

Last night was our last official Team for Kids practice in Central Park. I cannot believe how time has flown in the park since June. We celebrated our final group practice run with glow-sticks. Very fun!


A good group turned out last night complete with some folks from overseas: Poland & Australia. It's so cool that people all over the world run and fundraise with Team for Kids.

My only problem is that I don't know what I'll do with myself a week or so after the marathon when there are no more group runs. Sad!

The numbers, we might know the winner, & drop-outs.

(I took this picture at mile 11 in 2009)

Lots of marathon stuff in the news this week in NYC.

Here are some fun facts about this year's marathon from the New York Road Runners:

• 127: Number of runners who toed the line at the very first New York City Marathon, held in 1970. Only 55 actually finished.

• 47,000: Number of participants projected to race in this Sunday's marathon.

• 38: Percent of those racers who are women.

• 84: Age of Joy Johnson, the oldest female entrant this year.

• 3,538: Number of entrants from Italy, the country with the most participants outside of the U.S. France and Germany rank second and third for foreign entries.

• 8,000: Number of event volunteers during Sunday's race.

• 2.5 million: Expected spectators along the course.

• 74: Number of UPS trucks that will take participants' bags from the start in Staten Island to the finish in Manhattan's Central Park.

• 18,000: Cans of Coors Light ordered for the pre-marathon pasta dinner on Saturday night, which will host 15,000 runners and their families.

• 4,500: Pounds each of rigatoni pasta and elbow macaroni to be served at the pasta dinner.

• 17,000: Pounds of clothing discarded at the start line of the race and collected for local charities.

• 368: Number of portable toilets positioned throughout the course, at more than 35 locations including every mile.

• 62,370: Gallons of Poland Spring Natural Spring Water available to runners.

• 32,040: Gallons Gatorade G Series Pro Endurance Formula along the course.

• 2,300,000: Paper cups used during the race.

• 60,000: Number of PowerBar Gel packets for runners at mile 18.

• 130,000: Amount in dollars awarded to the male and female runner champion (amount increases to $200,000 if last year's winner wins again).


Speaking of the female champion, Buzunesh is a friend in the Ethiopian running community. She is slated as a very real contender for 1st place on Sunday. The NY Times wrote about her here. So excited for her! The picture at the very top of this post is one I took of her running the marathon in 2009. Go back and look at it. Doesn't it look like she's sleeping? Resting comfortably? Relaxed breath? She runs like it's nothing at all. She seriously floats. So cool to watch.

Conversely related to Buzunesh winner is the Wall Street Journal article this week on those who drop out of the race. They say there will be around 15,000 no shows. An interesting read here.

Speaking of no-shows, my charity, Team for Kids has 1500 runners. They estimate that about 200 won't show on the race from injuries, or missing a plane, or work calling them in. Hope I'm not one of them! Gotta make it to the start!

Inspiring Runner of the Week :: A Supermom & One Filthy Dirty Sock

...at mile 13 of Michelle's first full marathon.

This week's Inspiring Runner is another high school friend of mine. Michelle is a wife, mom to 3, and middle school teacher, in addition to having been an a$$ kicking runner since I knew her way back when. She's been running forever, but only tackled her first marathon last winter. I saw Michelle at our 20th Reunion and just loved that she was still running. How gorgeous and strong does she look in the photo above?! I want to look like that when I run!

So I asked Michelle a few questions about running and here's what she had to say...

At what age did you start running and what motivated you to get involved in the sport?

In 7th grade my class was required to run a mile for P.E. I ran that mile in 6:05 and finished before everyone else in my class (including all the boys). My P.E. coach was so impressed, he suggested that I start running road races. My mom signed me up for the local running club and I began running a 5k-10k race about once a month.

How has running changed your life?

Running gives me a sense of pride, strength, and accomplishment. It makes me feel good on so many levels... It makes me fit, reduces stress and clears my mind.

What do you get out of running? Why do it?

Running makes me feel powerful and gives me an overwhelming sense of freedom and accomplishment. I think it has made me stronger in all areas of my life.

What is your favorite race (distance) and what is your best Personal Record (PR)/ fastest time?

My favorite race is anything 10k or longer. My favorite race, to date, is the Music City Half Marathon (2011). I PR'd, felt great, and so enjoyed the scenic run through Shelby Park!

Where is your favorite place to train?

Percy Warner Park in Nashville. I love to train on the hills and its beautiful scenery.


In this photo... my high school best friend, Sasha Blum, me, and the best cross country coach in the world, Mike "Mouse" Holloway... he is now the head track coach at the University of Florida.

Do you have a favorite or most meaningful running experience (a race or a day when you pushed further than you thought you could go?)

In high school, my grandmother was able to attend our regional cross country meet in Tallahassee. In the first 100 yards of the two mile race, another runner's cleat caught the heel of my running shoe, pulling it off my foot. I had to continue the (very hilly golf course) race with only one shoe. I still managed to PR and finished in the top 10. My grandmother had the (very dirty) sock framed along with the newspaper clipping results from the race and surprised me with it for my birthday a couple months later. :)

Do you have a favorite song on your ipod to run to?

I train with a group (the Westnastiers :), so I rarely use an iPod. If I do, however, I love anything fast paced and upbeat.


Michelle finishing her first full marathon (December 2010)

What do you find most difficult about running and how do you overcome this difficulty?

Trying to keep going past that moment in the race when you think to yourself, "why am I doing this?" Maybe it's just because I run long distances. That doesn't happen to me in a 5k... :)

Do you have a race coming up? When and where?

Yes. I am running the St. Jude (Memphis) Marathon on December 3, 2011.

Do you have a favorite movie or book about running?

I enjoyed reading "Born to Run", but don't have a particular favorite book or movie about running.

Who is your favorite running hero?

Anyone who runs is a hero of mine!

Can you offer me any advice on how I can best train to get to the 2011 NYC marathon finish line?

Make sure you join a training group, running those long distances can get lonely with no one to talk to. And get friends/family to cheer for/encourage you during the marathon... particularly after mile 18 and beyond! :)

What's your best advice for fighting negative thinking when faced with a challenge like running 26. 2 miles?

Think about how you will feel when you cross the finish line and about what motivated you to begin this journey... It is such an amazing accomplishment!

Anything else you want to say about running?

You go girl! I am so excited for you. Following your updates and seeing your photos motivates and inspires me!

Thank You so much Michelle! I am inspired that you're tackling another marathon and hope I can do the same in the coming year...it's so awesome that you are able to train with a running group in the midst of mothering, teaching and being a wife! I want to be like you! (and I LOVE the sock story!)

New York City Subways are Ready

The 59th Street Station is Marathon Ready! The Asics Marathon Experience is set up in the corridor of the station. I especially liked this sign: Baptism by Boroughs. That's what I'm hoping for! Holy Spirit, don't pass me by!

Tonight after practice a bunch of us went there to check it out...particularly the wall of names...


I searched for my name, but it wasn't there. However, I did find my brother in law, Ryan Coleman...that's cool...he's coming all the way from Arkansas to run. Some of my teammates couldn't find their names either. Hmmmm...booo! we got cheated!


Here a larger view of the wall of names for the 2011 NYC Marathon.


I liked this sign too. Can't wait to be reborn!!!