Missing Cancun

Seriously I was so spoiled there, great weather, free food, free drinks, free fitness classes. Can't be beat. But alas I am back in the real world ;)

I have been crazy busy but the past two weeks of running have gone great. I wrote down two pfitzinger programs to train for Boston, both 12 weeks, one maxing out at 55 mpw and one at 70 and I am just going with the flow running key workouts and targeting a mileage somewhere in the middle. So far the first week was a bust but the past two weeks I have easily hit 60+ with a couple of good quality workouts thrown in for good measure. Not really sticking to the plan on recovery days and just doing what I feel like but hitting the tempo, long, and medium long run days and the mileage seems to work out on its own. After a rough tempo run a few weeks ago I had kind of given up on my fitness level and figured Cancun and the long break from any serious mileage had taken its toll. So I was pleasantly surprised last Sunday when I went out and did 20 miles faster than I ever have before. That was really a nice mental boost. This weeks tempo wasn't perfect but it was better so I am still sticking with the positive :)

Ending the year on Richmond was kind of sour so I think even though I know that the race didn't mean anything in terms of my fitness I was letting it get me down a bit. In 2007 even if JFK had gone poorly (thankfully it didn't) I ended the year with a 5K PR so I went out with a bang. So having not raced since Richmond and the Turkey Trot I was just doubting all of my hard work from last year and if it had really gotten me anywhere. New focus is to have fun with the training (as much as is possible in Cleveland in the winter) and we will just see how it lays out at Boston. I'm trying to take a more casual approach and not put so much into the finishing time at Boston. I've got a lot of fun events planned this year but right now I don't really have an "A" goal. Just want to get faster all around. I've focused on my diet a bit the past few weeks and cut out alcohol until after Boston so I am hoping to be lean and mean by April ;)

In the mean time I have been enjoying Thursday nights out with G and N for $2 burgers. I volunteered at the CTC indoor tri on valentines day and cheered at the Chili Bowl 5K. Hit up the Running the Sahara Premiere which was awesome (had a great interview with Charlie Engle this morning for OSF, what a nice guy!) and inspiring. Got out to the Cleveland Interclub social and the CTC kickoff meeting and am getting ready for the Youngstown half and our annual SERC banquet. On top of that have been cranking away at work and my first official article was published in OSF last month!

So all that to say I am here, I am busy, and I suck at keeping this updated! Look for what will hopefully be an exciting post about Running the Sahara soon!

Running the Sahara Premiere coming to Cleveland

Just passing along info about the Cleveland Premiere of Running the Sahara on February 18th at 7 pm. Details in flyer form and via text below. I am planning to go and hope to see some other locals there!

NEHST Studios is hosting a special premiere screening of the film "Running the Sahara" in Cleveland. "Running the Sahara" is a documentary narrated and produced by Oscar winner Matt Damon, directed by Oscar winner James Moll, and featuring music by Grammy winner Wyclef Jean. "Running the Sahara" follows three ultra-marathoners on their 111-day, 4,300-mile attempt to run across Africa's Sahara Desert. A special one-night benefit premiere of this feature documentary will take place at the Tower City Cinemas in Cleveland on Wednesday, February 18 at 7 p.m.

"Running the Sahara" focuses on three runners: Charlie Engle from Charlotte, North Carolina, Kevin Lin from Taipei, Taiwan, and Ray Zahab from Ontario, Canada – accompanied by a support team consisting of an MD, a physical therapist, and a logistics leader – as they attempt to become the first people to ever run across the Sahara Desert. This character-driven film delves into the life-changing experiences of the three runners as they tackle the physical and emotional obstacles in the Sahara Desert. The film delivers a message of hope and puts everyday challenges in perspective.

Tickets to the Cleveland event include admission,a gift bag valued at over $50, a cocktail reception with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and a Q&A with star of the film, ultra-marathoner Charlie Engle. Proceeds from the film benefit the Rodale Institute and H2O Africa.

You can purchase tickets at the door, or in advance on
http://www.nehst.com.

Surfacing for Air

I feel a bit like I have been drowning in everything lately. While Cancun was a nice break from reality it did not take away all of the stress of my real life back at home that I left behind for one week. This weekend was nuts as we spent the entire weekend outside of the house. Since having a spotless house for New Years everything at home seems to have fallen into disarray. The house is a mess, dishes need to be done, half of our electronics have broken. How any working woman keeps her house in order is beyond me. I have spent way more time than I care to admit on the phone with customer service over the past two months. In the meantime I am trying to keep it together at my job and have some semblance of a running life. My new position as the running editor of OSF has some light demands on my free time with deadlines for articles. My running club is in great need of getting out the annual newsletter informing about the banquet and nominations for end of the year positions. In general I just feel like there is no time which last week resulted in me falling way off the running wagon. End Rant.

This weekend we celebrated the end of a life well lived. At 94 David's grandfather passed away after getting pneumonia on the way to Florida for his annual winter vacation. Most of the family was able to fly in this weekend and it was so nice to see all the kids and family members who have moved away, in addition to finally meeting the newest addition to the family who is already 2! The funeral was very nice, a bit emotional, but mostly it just hit you that this wonderful man really lived his life to the fullest and left behind such a wonderful legacy. I was impressed by everything he was able to give back to his family and his community. As one cousin said it is amazing to see what has come from just two people meeting and falling in love. Such a large wonderful family all started somewhere small.

As I was waffling between giving up on any sort of training for Boston to catch back up around the house and work longer hours I thought about David's grandfather and realized that I can do it all. I just need to make the time and get it all done. I don't want to give any of the pieces of my life up. I enjoy writing for OSF, I enjoy owning a home, I enjoy organizing events for my running club, I enjoy having a job that pays the bills, and I enjoy beating the crap out of myself on a good hard tempo run. Goal is to make my life count. I know what kind of legacy I want to leave behind and it isn't one of a life spent sitting on the sidelines wondering what if.