Monthly Archives: October 2009

First post-marathon workout: a Halloween fun run

Halloween is my favorite holiday. It’s in October, clearly the best month of the year. It involves candy and mischief. It involves none of the passive aggression present during other holidays regarding what one is expected to do to celebrate … Continue reading

3 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

A positive spin

All week, I’ve been riding on a post-marathon high, viewing my miserable Marine Corps Marathon experience through the lens of inspiration rather than disappointment. That is, until my second post-marathon workout, a 45-minute spin on the stationary bike yesterday, when … Continue reading

7 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

What comes next

I used to be terrified of sharing my goals before races, fearing I’d put unnecessary pressure on myself to perform at some arbitrary level. After detailing my training for the National Half Marathon last March, though, I learned how gratifying … Continue reading

8 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Race report: Marine Corps Marathon (what motivated me to finish)

I won’t bury the lede: I finished the Marine Corps Marathon in 4:39. This was 40 minutes behind the goal time I knew I could accomplish on a good day. It was also four minutes slower than my first marathon … Continue reading

61 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Running from deployment: one runner’s Marine Corps Marathon motivation

Something funny happened at the Marine Corps Marathon expo yesterday. When I went to pick up my bib, I took out not my driver’s license, but my military ID, which I usually bury in the back of my wallet until … Continue reading

17 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Marine Corps Marathon: mantras, motivations and more

Back in July, I was trying to figure out how to keep my head in a good place as I resumed running after struggling with a flareup of an old hip injury. I was also working on two stories that … Continue reading

7 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Marine Corps Marathon: race-day logistics replace taper madness

Whew! That’s better! I had a rough time there Tuesday, dealing with some pre-race taper tantrums. True to their toddler-esque name, taper tantrums led me to not only get cranky, but to act out in rebellion, staying up past midnight … Continue reading

5 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Taper tantrums hit

So I’ve been raving about how much I looove my taper, and how my body needs the rest, and how I was silly to get all taper-crazy in the past. I even wrote a post yesterday called How to avoid … Continue reading

5 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

How to avoid Marine Corps Marathon taper tantrums

I usually hate to taper. This week, though, I’m having a blast. Yesterday’s cross-training workout consisted of 30 easy minutes on the stationary bike. That’s all! I usually save the day’s newspaper for my stationary bike dates, and bring a … Continue reading

5 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Motivation Monday: Marine Corps Marathon edition

There’s a little tag on my keychain that looks from afar like any grocery-store or bookstore discount card. I first clipped it on in July, to remind myself there was a reason I was suffering through hour-long core- and hip-strengthening … Continue reading

5 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized