Dirty Kanza Race Report

This is going to be a bit of a different post. I am going to enlighten you to an event called the Dirty Kanza. My husband, whom we call Mister, raced this event this past weekend and this is my race report given as a SAG crew and supporter.
One thing that you should know about me is that my greatest achievements do not come in the form of personal athleticism. I get my joy from supporting my husband in his events. From the moment that we started dating almost 15 years ago, I was at every race, cheering and supporting him from the sidelines. This is what I am good at. This is where I shine. I have had cold water (and usually beer) at the finish lines of motocross races. I have had a strong arm to hold him up after triathlons. I have carefully attended to his hurt ego and pride after races that didnt go well. I have held fire extinguishers during pit stops at road races. I have wrapped and unwrapped road racing tires. I am the epitome of a race wife. And I love it.
The chance to ride Dirty Kanza is one that is hard to pass up. It is the ultimate endurance gravel road race in the country, maybe even the world. The 206 mile race through the Flint Hills of Kansas beckoned for Mister's attention. He put his name in the lottery and was chosen, along with a couple thousand other riders, to make the journey to Kansas. The last 4 months have been focused solely on this adventure. But for the first time ever, I was not Mister's support. He purchased the SAG For Hire, which gave him all access food, drink, and mechanic support for the entire race. I instead was SAG for a couple of friends, the Trotts. The Trotts needed a SAG (which is mandatory at DK) and I was available.
We left for Emporia Kansas Thursday after work. The camper was packed and ready to go as soon as I got home. We drove across Indiana, all the way through Illinois and made our way into Missouri before we pulled off for the evening. We made our camp in the parking lot of a truck stop in Bevier, Missouri. As the morning sun popped up, we hit the road again with just about 4 hours left until Emporia. Once in town, we set up camp and relaxed for a few minutes. In the afternoon, we made our way into town for check in. With everything all set for the big day, we made our way back to the camper and tried to get some sleep.
Our wake up call was at 0400 Saturday morning. With any type of event that occurs outside, the one thing that cannot be controlled is the weather. Wouldnt you know it, a severe storm was rolling through when we woke up. Indiana has some pretty gnarly storms and they typically dont bother me. However, watching The Wizard of Oz will make you look at a Kansas storm from a different angle. I would have sworn up and down that a tornado was going to pop out of the clouds and blow us all into a dreamy land far far away. It didnt. But it did postpone the race start 30 minutes.

The start, located in downtown Emporia, was a really cool sight to see!

Once the 200 milers took off, every SAG crew hurried to their vehicles and made their way to the first check point, located at the Madison High School. From here, the story is pretty boring. As a SAG, you hurry up and wait. It took about 3 hours for Mister and the Trotts to make it into CP1. Making good time and in good spirits, the gravel roads of Kansas were apparently playing nice. I refilled water bottles, had food and tools ready, gave pats on the back and words of encouragement and sent them on their way. 

Steve and Lydia are feeling good!

Mister coming through CP1!

Check Point 2 was at the Eureka High School. I set up shop and waited. The Kansas sun must have a little more power than the Indiana sun. I ended up with a terrible sunburn! Its my fault; I didnt have any sunscreen on. Mister came in feeling good. He replenished his drinks, ate a sandwich and some snacks, drank some pickle juice and headed out! Steve and Lydia sat down and had lunch, and recharged their batteries a bit. I did my SAG duties and made sure that their waters were refilled and ready to go. Off for the third leg of the race and off to CP3! (I didnt get a photo of the Trotts at CP2... I suck)

Mister wiping off the dirt at CP2.

I made my sunburnt way to CP3, located in downtown Madison. Luckily the direction that I was parked allowed for a tiny bit of shade where I hid for the majority of the time. This was a long leg. From CP2 to CP3, it was about a 5 hour wait. I honestly started to worry that Mister pulled out of the race. It was hot and the sun was relentless.  Lydia wrote me when they were about 5 miles out from the CP. I set up the chairs and food in preparation for them. Mister texted me and told me that he had made in into the CP also! I was so relieved! The Trotts were feeling a little less enthusiastic, if you will, at this point. There may or may not have been some tears from Lydia when they pulled in and got off the bike. I sat them down, fed them, watered them and encouraged them. At this point, there were only 44 miles left of the race. As far as that sounds, in the grand scheme of a 206 mile race, they were almost done! (no photos of Mister this time around..)

Maybe a couple of tears...

So excited to get to the finish line!

Mister came through CP3 with a new found friend, Gene. Both Mister and Gene were on the struggle bus, but some encouraging words and a hug, they were off for the final leg of the race. The next time that I would see any of them would be at the finish! 

The finish of the Dirty Kanza is something that is hard to explain. I have been at a million finish lines, but this one takes the cake. The streets of Emporia were lined with hundreds of people, cheering for every single racer who came in. Cowbells and whistling filled the air until the wee hours of the morning. Every racer has his or her name called when they cross the line. The race director hugs the majority of them. The DK finish line is enough to bring even the strongest men to tears. It is truly a moving experience, even for the supporters.

The crowd at the finish line is amazing!

Just after the 17 hour mark, Steve and Lydia made their way through the chute and across the finish line. I ran up to them and gave them big hugs! 

A moment they will never forget!

Mister came in just moments after them! 

He did it!

I could go on and on and tell the stories from these amazing racers, but it wouldnt do them justice. I am sure that there will be plenty of race reports emerging in the next week. The thing that you should take away from this is that 2700 racers took to the mean gravel roads of Kansas and overcame an epic event. (there were some DNF's and probably some DQ's) To just show up to the starting line takes an amount of courage that I cannot fathom. To show up with 20+ mph winds, with mud and heat, is something beyond special. These men and women killed it and inspired everyone who was a part of this day. 

Here are some photos from the finish that I was lucky enough to snap.

Mister and Gene! 

Kiel, Lydia and Mister

Dan and Kiel

Dear Patrick

Dear Patrick,

Two years ago I signed up to run a marathon in your honor. I wanted to show you that I stand with you in your fight with Type 1 diabetes. I wanted you to see that you are not alone. I wanted to raise money and awareness for the disease.

Fifteen years ago, you were diagnosed with a disease that runs in our family. I remember the day that you told me. I cried because as a medic in the military, I understood what you were up against. My medical training crossed paths with diabetic Sailors and Marines who were struggling to keep their insulin levels in check. I gave them shots. I showed them how to give the shots to themselves. Fifteen years ago you told me that you were T1 and I knew the struggles that you would endure. I heard your wife talk about your seizures in the middle of the night. She would have to get your insulin pen and inject you to regulate your blood sugar. I heard you talk about counting carbohydrates. I was so amazed at how simply you calculated how many beers you could drink. I loved that you figured that into your sugar counts. I love that you still do everything better than me, even though you are the "sick" one. You run faster than me. You are smarter than me. You are far wittier than I will ever be.

For 35 years, you have been my big brother. You were annoyed with me when we were in school. You kind of liked me when I came back from the military. Now we are as thick as thieves. I married your best friend. I have always squished our faces together to prove to people that we look almost identical. We are basically twins born 13 months apart. I would murder someone for you. I am dedicating my biggest physical feats to you.

See? We really do look like twins! 

Running and I haven't always gotten along. I have ran multiple half marathons and always dreamed of a full marathon. But let's be honest. I don't have that in my legs. Not right now, anyway. After some long thinking and talking with Mister, I have decided to forego my place in the Marine Corps Marathon. Here are my reasons:

1- I suck at running. Maybe some day I can actually get back into long distance shape, but I have too much stuff on my plate to dedicate the proper amount of time to training.
2- I would be traveling alone. I have never been to DC and traveling alone to a new city terrifies me.
3- I would be crossing the finish line alone. What a terrible feeling to cross the biggest finish line of my life and not have Mister there to congratulate me! I cannot imagine that.

I started this journey almost two years ago. I created a pretty cool hashtag. I had shirts made up. I promised people, you in particular, that I would cross the finish line of a marathon. I am not going to turn that into a lie. Or a broken promise. I am going to honor you in some way or another. It just isn't going to be the Marine Corps Marathon. Here is my plan:

1- Keep rockin' the #imrunningforpat and cross the finish line of Rock n Roll Chicago half marathon. (I am totally capable of half-marathon distance with minimal training. I've done it twice before.)
2- Cross the finish line of a long distance bike ride. I have some ideas for which ride, but I need to do some more research before announcing it. A 6 hour run could cover 26.2 miles. A 6 hour bike ride could cover almost 100 miles. More miles = More work =  More dedication
3- Continue raising money and awareness for Type 1 diabetes.

Maybe I can even talk you into coming on a bike ride with me. How cool would that be? Maybe we can get Joey, our other brother, to join too! Make it a Baker Sibling Bike Ride to raise awareness for T1 diabetes.

Either way, I hope you aren't disappointed in me for dropping out of the marathon. I am going to do something epic in your honor. I just need to find the right event for me. I love ya, big brother.

Laura

Donations and Ho-Hum Moods

Im not feeling super creative today, so I think this post will be short and to the point. Im actually a little, I dont know, ho-hum? Either way, let's just recap the last few weeks.
I am officially partnered with Team Type 1 and have my online platform set up and accepting donations. I am starting with a small goal of $250. A good portion of my friends donated to Diabetes Action when I was up and running with them, so I don't expect people to make multiple donations.
The people over at TT1 have been amazing and I am so excited to partner with them for this race. You really should go check them out.
www.teamtype1.org

Please go donate! I, in no way, benefit from any donations. I am simply spreading the good word about this amazing charity. Link below to my personal fundraising page!

https://secure.qgiv.com/event/account/622184

I took a couple of weeks off of training in order to get through the last couple of weeks of school. I am one of those adults who thinks it is a good idea to go back to school. Well, that new found knowledge, I ended up putting myself in a pickle with time management. I had the busiest month at work mixed in with the busiest month in school. Something had to give, and that was running or training of any kind. Official half marathon training started last week and I have done okay with my runs. I hit two during the week and my long run on Sunday. I call that a score. I did have a very action packed weekend with mountain biking, yoga, running and hiking. My run today was less than stellar.

I am done with school this week and will find myself with plenty of time to train. And maybe even hit my $250 goal! (hint hint...) I had these cool shirts made up to train in. I mentioned it on my Instagram post, but I don't really think my butt is that big. I think I have a funky angle with my phone.


I am really excited to get training and make my way to MCM18. I am nervous and there are days that I think that the goal of a full marathon is dumb. The scary part is that I am not even a quarter of the way there yet, mileage wise. The journey is just beginning. If you live in the Lafayette area, come run with me! Ride your bike next to me while I run. Meet me at the bar for a beer afterwards. Send me positive text messages randomly. Do something to cheer me up because there are going to be really bad times in this journey. Most importantly, go donate to TT1.
See, the thing is this.. You know someone who is diabetic. I promise! You might not know it, but you absolutely interact with these people all the time. Do you know my brother Pat? Have you ever heard him talk about his disease? No! The only time he talks about it with me is when I ask him questions.
T1 diabetes is cruel. It hits little kids who are absolutely going to struggle with shots and blood sugar checks and learning the math behind carbohydrates turning to sugar. It hit Pat when he was 23! Swings of low blood sugar and high blood sugar can have detrimental effects on the body.
Go donate some money to teach people how to manage this disease. Go donate some money to support young diabetic athletes. Go donate some money to get medical supplies to other countries. Go donate some money so that we can find a cure and never have to worry about this again! So that I won't have to run a full friggin marathon in honor of my diabetic brother.. Because geez guys, 26.2 miles is far!

TNN and TT1

After my last post, I did some thinking about running for a charity. With Diabetes Action pulling out of Marine Corps, I needed to find another charity to raise funds for. Not only do I want to honor Pat by running the marathon, but I also want to get everyone else involved in the fight against diabetes.
Back in 2014, Mister and I rented a camper and followed the Tour of California bike race around for a week. Just like people at the Tour de France. We lived in a camper and drove around the bay area for a week. It really was such an amazing trip!
At the first stage of the race, the California sun was scorching my face. So I went off on a mission to find a hat. I could have easily bought a hat from one of the big teams, but there was one team that instantly touched my heart. Team Novo Nordisk.

Atop Mt. Diablo rockin' my TNN hat!

Now let me tell you about Team Novo Noridsk. In the years since 2014, I've followed this team. I've done my small amount of research on them. And I have concluded that they are the best cycling team out there. For the only reason that in order to be on the team, you MUST be diabetic. This team's sole purpose is to let you know that diabetes is not a reason to stop living life. Diabetics are just as able-bodied as everyone else. It is a matter of education! You really should check out this awesome team.
https://www.teamnovonordisk.com/about/

When I needed to find a new charity to run for, Team Novo immediately came to mind. I reached out to them and was directed to another non-profit that works hand in hand with Team Novo. I will officially be fundraising for Team Type 1.
http://teamtype1.org/

Now don't go sending me money just yet. TT1 is currently launching a new online platform for donations, which we will be using once it is up and running, which should be about 2 weeks. Do some research on this organization, save your pennies and support my journey to 26.2. I know most of you reading this are cyclists. Most of my friends ride bikes! You can relate to Team Novo Nordisk simply through your love of bicycles. I mean, they are a professional cycling team! And they work side by side with Team Type 1.
Type 1 diabetes, for those of your who are not familiar, is the kind of diabetes that you are born with. It is genetic. It is also called juvenile diabetes, because people are usually diagnosed in their young years. Patrick was diagnosed at 23. There is absolutely nothing that he can do to cure his disease. He can only manage it, which he does with a Novo Nordisk continuous insulin pump. Money raised goes directly to education, research and support. TT1 offers scholarships for young athletes who fight this disease. How cool is that?!
Ok, now that I have done my solicitation for the day, let me tell you about the race this past weekend. I ended up dropping from ten miles to seven miles and I killed it! Mother Nature has been a little bipolar this Spring and the weather was 24 degrees at the race start. I was the first runner on the team and started right at 0900 in the stupidly cold weather. The first three miles were a little uncomfortable. I couldn't get my clothes to stay put and things were moving around too much. After I finally got my clothing situation under control, I knocked out the next four miles without much fuss. I actually ran more than what I would have guessed, close to 90% of the entire seven miles. Once my leg was done, it was a waiting game. As a team, we crossed the finish line just under 5 hours for a marathon. We all killed it!

7.2 miles done! Check out those cool AF sunnies on my face, too. Goodr is a brand of running sunnies that are designed to stay put while you are on the move. I can't say enough good(r) things about them! 

https://www.playgoodr.com/

Looking ahead, I have about three months until my next race. Rock N Rock Chicago half marathon on July 22. After that, its another three months until Marine Corps Marathon!! Training is going to start getting heavy, so if you see me outside of here, tell me a joke to keep my spirits high. Come run with me! Join me for a ride (which is going to be my cross-training activity). Buy me a beer. Or some tacos. Or better yet, donate to Team Type 1! More info to come once the platform is ready to go...
#imrunningforpat
#mcm18

Pat-A-Ricky and Handles

What an interesting turn of events. I mean, my entire life is an interesting turn of events, but this one relates directly to the Marine Corps Marathon.
As you know, I was originally registered for the 2017 marathon, but due to injury and lack of proper training, I deferred to 2018. When I registered in 2017, I agreed to run for a charity, Diabetes Action. I had a certain amount of money that had to be raised before I was "official", which I raised within a month of registering. I assumed that by deferring my bib to 2018, I would still be running with Diabetes Action. It turns out that Diabetes Action is NOT a charity partner of the MCM this year and I will not be running for them.
Since I had already paid my fees and raised my money, my bib is still valid for the 2018 marathon. I am signed up and ready to get to training. But I wont be running for a charity. Which is kind of the entire purpose of me running, right? #imrunningforpat.... Now, Im not saying that my cool # is gone for good. This just means that I have some researching to do and I may end up just running for Pat on my own, no help of a charity. I would love to find another diabetes charity to fund raise for, so please dont think that your wallets are safe. More info to come on that.
I guess this could be seen as a good thing. A silver lining type of deal. I am no longer forced to wear a terrible fitting team shirt on race day. I can make my own super cool #imrunningforpat shirt that fits me and that I feel good running in. Ah yes, my creative side is already sketching doodles of # ideas!
Either way, I will still be running this marathon for Patty, Pete, Patrick, Pat, Bro, Bubby, Pat-a-ricky, or any other name that he has been called that relates to Patrick. He still has T1 diabetes and he is still my really cool big brother. Does that ever go away? Is there an age where you stop thinking your big brothers are cool? I just cant see that happening...
I was really lucky to get to hang out with Pat again recently. In true Big Brother- Little Sister fashion, we took a picture.

Dont mind the beverage in my hand..

I ran my further distance this year the day after that photo. 5 big ole miles. It was actually the best run that I had in a long time. I felt at peace the entire time, just like I was supposed to be running. I have a couple of short runs this week and then my first big race of the year on Saturday. The Circular Logic Marathon relay with a few of my best girl friends. I have 7 miles on my agenda for that race. I will then be pounding the pavement the next day at a local 5k that my work is hosting. I expect nothing from the 5k and will probably do some walking along the route. 

Once I cross the finish line of the 5k, and I indulge in a beer or three, marathon training begins. I have to start getting serious. I am only 8 months-ish out from MCM18.. But first I think I need to find a new charity to fundraise for!! 

#imrunningforpat

#mcm18

You should probably follow me on Instagram as well. There is even more to my journey that I post on there. 

@lauralou644

Facebook isnt as fun as my Insta account, but if you want, you can find me there too.

@laura.bakerfritz

And while we are at it, Im also on Snapchat. Now, I will warn you. I dont know shit about Snapchat. My posts are ridiculous and few and far between. But, hey, who am I to say what you like?

@lauralou644    (idk how to link my snap here..sorry. not a techie person)

Brain Digestion and Zombies

I promise I'm still here! I haven't forgotten about you! Things went a little off track the last couple of weeks. But I am finally back on track and making some good progress.
After my last post, I ended up with the flu. That took a good week off my life.. I mean, off my training. I had a week after that where my body was still recovering and then BAM!! I ended up with a gnarly head cold that yet again took a week off my lif.. training. While I am still fighting some congestion and inability to breath out of my nose while running, I am also perfecting my farmer blow.. Win-Win, right?
I've had a good week of runs, knocking out three in the last seven days. Tomorrow is a rest day from running and then I will be back for Wednesday and Thursday and a long run on either Saturday or Sunday.
We are just shy of five weeks out from my first race of the season. The Circular Logic Marathon is a really cool, very unique race. (www.circularlogicmarathon.com) It is a marathon (or relay) on a one mile loop. Some may say "How the heck do you run 26 loops and not go insane?" while others say "It's nice running on a contained, exact loop". Me? I'm indifferent. I've ran this race as a relay in the past and really enjoyed it. Every mile you get a cheer zone! I do train on the course often and typically hate it.
I am running with three gal pals as SEAL Team Four. (SEAL= Sarah, Erica, Amy, Laura. Pretty freaking clever if you ask me. Two of us work in ROTC units with active duty military guys) I originally wanted a large chunk of the miles. As it is right now, I will be running ten miles. The other sixteen will be broken up between the other three runners. Where I am right now, ten miles is going to be testing. Honestly, I don't know if it is possible. But, I am going to try my damnedest to get there. Five weeks. Five weeks. Five weeks. If I run four times a week, multiplied by five weeks, that's twenty runs. I think I can get to eight miles in ten runs. The last two will be pure grit.
My run today was just shy of three miles. I took one walk break in the middle to adjust my headphones and pull my shirt back down. Does anyone else struggle with shirts that ride up?

The wind was whipping around like crazy today and even though the temperature was in the 40's, it was cold! I started listening to Zombies, Run again to make the runs a little more fun. Instead of making it fun, I think it's making me nervous. Ha! I find myself looking over my shoulder alot, which really isn't great running form.
Sometimes though, I just need to run. Without distractions from pedestrians (I typically run on a Big 10 college campus), traffic or other runners. Today was one of those days. I was frustrated with work, and full of angst. I needed to run alone, with my zombies and my thoughts. It felt amazing. I picked up the pace at the end of the run (yea, the wind was pushing me a bit) and ended with nothing but peace. I am truly a lone wolf when it comes to running. I need to digest and process my thoughts and move on. That is what running does for me. It is my brain digestion. 
I know that I will need to rely on other people to help get me through some of my long runs on my journey to Marine Corps. I will need the distraction from the pain, the encouragement. But for today, I just needed to be inside my head.
Five weeks until Circular Logic Marathon (relay)
July 22, 2018- Rock N Rock Chicago Half Marathon
October 28, 2018- Marine Corps Marathon in honor of my big brother, Patrick
#imrunningforpat
My Instagram story for this hashtag is growing! You should check it out! Use the hashtag yourself. You personally know people with diabetes. Run for them, and use my cool #... Let's document our love and support for everyone suffering from this stupid disease.
P.S. Thanks to AMY for the $35 donation to Diabetes Action, as my 35th birthday gift. (Oh shoot, I just gave away my age)
P.S.S Look out for a new shoe review in my next post! I still need a few more runs in them before I can fully decided what I think.

No More Wimps!

It's hard to believe that it is almost February. I feel like this year is flying by and I'm not sure that I like it. This year is a big birthday for me and I don't think I am handling it very well.
Thirty-FIVE...
Thirty-FIVE?!? I remember thirty. And twenty-five. And twenty.
I don't feel thirty five. I guess sometimes my body doesn't perform as well as I want it to, or expect it to. I'm slowly noticing more and more gray hair. I enjoy going to bed before 10pm.
The beginning of the year is always tough for me, since my birthday is in February. Once it passes though, I move on and embrace my new age. By summertime, I will be rocking thirty five like no other! And I have alot to look forward to during this year. Thirty five, while I'm fighting it, is going to be a pretty monumental year for me.
I will run my first full marathon at the age of thirty five! I will be running my fourth half marathon. I have some pretty fun little vacations planned. And according to my horoscope, I will have some success at work.
I am finally coming to terms with running again. I think we have made peace with my long time away and I don't fight it so much. I am slowly getting my consistency back and remembering how to suffer through the spots of bother. Four years ago, I could go on a 7 mile run without taking a walk break. My brain was much stronger than right now. Yesterday I forced myself into an outdoor run in 29 degrees, windy and snowing. This is my way of reclaiming my bad ass runner chick mojo. No longer are the days of being a wimp and finding any excuse to not run.

Proof that I actually went outside yesterday. It was cold!

In the moments of suck, I think of the finish line at Marine Corp. I think of my PR that I am going to get at Rock N Roll. I think of the calories that are burning off my jiggle thighs and the muscle that is growing. I find comfort in the solitude. I listen to my stupid thoughts. I listen to my smart thoughts. Sometimes I cry. Sometimes I laugh. Sometimes I have to stop in the middle of the road and dance to the killer beat that just came through my headphones. Of course, then I run faster in case anyone saw me.
But what really gets me through the spots of bother is Patrick. Pat is capable of anything. I can promise that if him and I had a footrace right now, he would smoke me. Type 1 diabetic and all. Dude is just as able-bodied as anyone! I am not running this marathon because he can't. I am running this marathon because he has to live with a stupid disease, a disease that kills people, a disease that dramatically changes lives. And I want to show him that I am right there with him. I don't have diabetes, but I am going to struggle like him. I am going to have to sacrifice, like him. I am going to push myself to my limits to show him that I love him. And that, even though I don't have the disease, I am fighting too.

And for those of you who read my last post, Patrick and Brittany are having a.........  BOY!!!!!
#imrunningforpat

Jiggle Thighs and Baby News

Week One- Phase One. How did it go?
I ended up missing two runs. 50%. See? Typical Laura Lou strikes again. To be fair, the first run was missed due to grocery shopping with Mister. (have I introduced y'all to Mister?) I worked until 4, then shopping for food. It would have been 8pm before I could run and that is just unheard of. I missed another run, too, but I don't remember why. Must have been a great reason. :)
I did hit two of my runs though, and they were wonderful. I am certainly ready for running outside weather though. I struggle on the treadmill. Things I like about running on the treadmill:
-I get to watch tv
-Climate control
-Wearing little booty shorts that I would never be caught dead in inside

Here's the thing. I have jiggly thighs. They are chubby and squishy and not toned at all. And I don't care. Well, I do care. But I also love the fact that my jiggle thighs carry me through life. They have been put through the wringer. Xterra triathlons, half marathons, hikes, 52 mile bike rides. And they never let me down. They don't get mad that I suck at training and then hit big runs/bikes. They don't get mad that I eat pizza and expect them to perform highly. They just keep on truckin' along.
But I still don't want to run in public in tiny shorts. Not yet. Maybe this summer I will have enough courage to let the flab fly.
Today's run was pretty sucky. I planned on 20 minutes, but only hit 10. My brain just wasn't in it. Again, I blame the treadmill. I was supposed to meet E at the gym to run together, but the weather had other plans. Indiana doesn't understand what "plow" means, and I have yet to see one go by today.
**Legit- As I typed that, a plow just went by!
As the weeks go by, I promise I will be more consistent with my runs. Come March, I will be running outside, pushing my jiggle thighs up hills and around rivers, ticking off mile after mile. Maybe, if you live close, you can join me for a few of those miles!
Side Note- Today I find out if my brother Patrick and his wife are having a boy or girl! They are pregnant with Baby Baker #2, due in May. Baby Baker #1 turned out to be sweet Baby Girl Baker and I am keeping my fingers crossed for Baby Boy Baker this time around. Yay to nieces and nephews!!

And So It Begins

Monday kicked off Day 1 of marathon training. I have my plan broken into three phases. Phase One is really just a base building phase that will lead into Phase Two- Half Marathon. I have been pretty inconsistent with running for a few years and I have great intentions of actually having a base before Phase Three rolls around.
My current "race" schedule is:
April 7 2018- Circular Logic Marathon Relay (10 miles for me)
July 22 2018- Rock N Roll Half Marathon Chicago
October 28 2018- Marine Corps Marathon
I'm sure there will be a few 5k's and 10's thrown in there for good measure, but those won't be planned out.
Day 1 of Phase One, luckily for me, was a rest day! Every Monday is a rest day on my plan. Day 2 was a 2 mile run. I had plans to run with a friend, but she got held up at work. I ended up with 20 minutes on the treadmill at home, which I'm happy with. I had a little walk break around the 5 minute mark, and then again around the 11 minute mark. Other than that, it was a nice little run. I had a minor blistering issue, but not as bad as it usually is. My new Altra shoes are fantastic! I imagine that I will need to invest in at least one more pair of good shoes, if not two. That doesn't really hurt my feelings. I love buying shoes.
I also have good intentions to maintain a strength program throughout training. I have notoriously weak hips, so staying strong throughout training is going to be key. I have many at home workout videos that can keep me honest. The worst part of strength training though, is the first couple of weeks when your hamstrings feel every dead lift and squat. Ouchie!
Today is a three mile run and I'm actually excited for it. Its been a long time since I've went into a training plan feeling ready. I'm ready to tackle this 10 mile run on April 7th. And then 13.1 on July 22nd. And then 26.2 on October 28th.
Follow along, track my progress and donate (info coming later) to Diabetes Action! After all, I'm running this marathon in honor of my brother, who was diagnosed Type 1 when he was 23! #imrunningforpat