welcome to the dark side of the moon (Lindsey)

Breathe.
Breathe, breathe in the air... look around and choose your own ground/ for long you live and high you fly.
This past weekend I took on my longest run to date - 15 miles.

On the Run.
Run, run rabbit run.
To be quite honest, the distance was a little overwhelming in the beginning. But just like the energizer bunny, this chic put one foot in front of the other to get it done.


Time.
Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain/ You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today/ And then one day you find ten years have got behind you/ No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.
Running long distance means you've got time. Time to think, agonize over little aches and pains, and play mental games with yourself so you can make it to the end.

Breathe.
When I come home coldened and tired/ It's good to warm my bones beside the fire.
There is nothing like walking through the front door after a long run. The seconds before you plop down on the couch...heavenly.

Money.
Money, get away.
The minutes, hours after the run, when I'm decompressing, are the simplest and purest of moments. I forget about my worries and relax... or maybe that's a runners high?

Us and Them.
Us and them/ and after all we're only ordinary men/ Me and you.
I really missed my running buddies this week. It was torture running that distance without my friends to help me along the way. Never again guys!

Brain Damage.
And if the cloud bursts, thunder in your ear/ You shout and no one seems to hear/ And if the band you're in starts playing different tunes/ I'll see you on the dark side of the moon.
The higher the mileage gets, the more I think I've lost my mind.

Eclipse.
All that is now/ All that is gone/ All that's come/ and everything under the sun is in tune/ But the sun is eclipsed by the moon./ There is no dark side on the moon really. 
but the heck with it, thank you runners high. You've made it easy for me to forget the mental and physical torment and take on the road again, next week. 


Song to pull me through the last minutes of my run when all I wanted to do was lay out on the sidewalk and take a nap - I Like It by Enrique Iglesias. 


For those of you not catching the reference... see Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd. 


54 days to go. 

Long time, No Blog (Heather)

It’s been a while…

Two whole months to be exact….

Oh blog, how I have missed thee.

These past several weeks have been incredibly busy at work. So busy, in fact, that it’s been a challenge to fit in my runs during the week. As Lindsey mentioned in a previous post, it gets dark so early now! It is funny- I’m sure that I noticed in past years of my life, but it’s only now that I immediately wonder how I will run in the dark when the sun starts to set at 4:30. A reflective belt is now a permanent part of my after work running attire. Becoming a runner has changed the way I look at a lot of things.

It has also changed my behavior. For example, I hate being cold. Moving from Georgia to Virginia took some getting used to for this southern girl.

{And no, I don’t think Virginia is the true South. I’ve had this conversation with a lot of people since moving here to this beautiful state, and it all depends on your perspective and home state. If you grew up in New York, I’m sure Virginia seems like a foreign country where no one- syllable words exist and girls secretly wish hoop skirts and petticoats were still in fashion. But for me, it’s not the South. I’m talking Deep South. Truth: If you can’t order sweet tea in every restaurant you visit, then it’s not the south. This is proven}

Anyway, back to the running. And my behavior change. And the cold. Yesterday was a chilly morning- around 8:00 a.m., I believe it was in the mid 30’s. Despite the warmth of my bed and a slumbering husband who sweetly said, “Hell, no, I’m not running out there,” I pulled on sweatpants, a long-sleeve shirt and a fleece. Even Austin looked at me and said, “I don’t think I’ll make it at 8:00.” (This statement was followed by the sound of her bedroom door shutting tight… smart girl, it keeps the warmth in)

Despite ALL of these intelligent people advising me otherwise, I laced up my new Brooks running shoes and headed outside in my neighborhood to run 10 miles. Let me just begin by saying that my neighborhood is entirely too full of hills. I’m not sure who put them there, but I really wish they’d come and take them back. I believe I’ve already stated my position on hills in a previous post, so I won’t go into that again. The reason I actually chose to run in my neighborhood is because Lindsey looked up the elevation in Austin and it seems like the first 8ish miles are pretty hilly. Sigh… So I guess it only makes sense that I put those pesky hills to use.

My plan was to run 5 miles straight away from our house so that at the end of them, I’d be forced to run (or crawl) 5 miles back. Even after three half-marathons, I still have to play mind games with myself. Especially on cold mornings and when I’m all by myself.

Bad thing about the run: The cold!! I ran with a pair of Old Navy fleece gloves, but my fingers were so  cold that they hurt. My solution was to pull my fleece sleeves over my gloves and continue running down the road looking like an idiot. I may try to get some hand warmers (which I saw in the hunting section at Dick’s… I was forced to stand in the hunting section with my husband on Saturday. Why we actually went into a store during the Christmas season is beyond me. Amazon, how I love thee… I’m feeling very Shakespearian today)

Good thing about the run: The new energy chews that Linds found! They are called Honey Stinger energy chews and taste almost just like Gummy Bears. I bought a box of the Cherry Blossom flavor and anticipate trying not to eat them for a snack when I’m just sitting around on the couch watching Bravo t.v.

I need to get some of those cold compression pants. Still not sure they’ll be comfortable to run in, but I’ve got to try something warmer than 5 year old sweat pants.

Currently (and shamelessly) listening to: Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas”

I’m planning to do a repeat of last week and then add 2 onto the long run:  4, 5, and 8 mile runs during the week and then 12 this weekend.

Now, off to make myself do those 4 miles….

-Heather

the last piece of pie... (Lindsey)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. As I write this I am enjoying familial laughter, the Simpson's, doggie fur, and one too many pieces of pie. I love the holidays. It's so nice to spend time with people who you are just comfortable with, who love you despite your quirks, and may share your healthy appetite for competition. I'm sure game night part 2 is about to start...

Well, we've reached the dark side of training, the untapped mileage is about to be tapped. I ate my pieces of pie without guilt this year because I'm about to embark on the impossible. Thankfully I have two great running buddies to share the blood, sweat, and tears. I also have one of the most supportive hubbies ever. Zach and I ran the Richmond half marathon a couple weeks ago and it turned out to be a motivating experience. The week before the race I was actually very fearful that I would have a difficult time, that I wouldn't feel good after the race and that would bring me down about my marathon training. However, it turned out to be quite the opposite. Zach ran the whole race with me (because he is super sweet) and I ended taking 13 minutes off my time! That was super motivating. But to top it off, I felt great after the race. Bonus! So in the very least I'm embarking on my impossible journey on the right foot.
Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend!

85 days to go!

man's best friend (Lindsey)

In case you didn't already know I'm kind of a crazy animal lover. Between my maniacal grooming and care taking of Mafazi, my ridiculous coddling of my fur babies, Harry and Tilly, and my unexplainable attachment to my crazy cat, it should probably be evident. But just in case you didn't know... This week's post goes out to my dogs. But to explain why, we should go back to last weekend...

I really don't remember much of last weeks training except for my long weekend run. I saved my long run for Sunday since Zach and I were attending the Montpelier Races on Saturday. Oh the races. If you haven't been and live in Charlottesville, you should check it out next year. It's probably one of mine and Zach's favorite days of the year. So I may have celebrated a little bit too much. oops. :-) I woke up Sunday morning refreshed, didn't feel any remnants from our festivities from the day before. However, my body said otherwise about halfway through my run. I ran the 10 miler course and added an extra loop to complete the full 12. I started my run pretty strong (9:30/10 min mile pace!) but once I hit the 9 mile marker I hit my wall. Nothing I did could make my steps go any faster. I felt like I had two heavy tree limbs for legs and was trying to run through a swamp. Ick! So that's when I realized... oops, I'm dehydrated. Way to go Linds. sigh. This is how we learn life lessons, right?

Which brings me to my dogs. This week's runs are a taper to prepare for my half marathon on Saturday. I was wicked sore from my Sunday run on Monday, so when Tuesday rolled around I was somewhat hesitant to put on my running shoes. I looked to my two dogs and thought "hmm... they could probably pull me around the neighborhood. Why not?" Tilly and Harry were up for the challenge and completed their 3 mile run on Tuesday with no problem.

It's funny, all day today at work I was excited to get home so me and the dogs could complete our 3 miler. I think I have some new running buddies. I mean honestly, doesn't Tilly look so cute in her red harness? 

In all seriousness though, it's go time. After this half marathon on Saturday I'm going to be running in uncharted territory. It's getting a little real and it's about time to put the shenanigans aside and get focused. gulp. 

Inspriational long run song of the week: Brittany Spears - Till the World Ends (because I'll be running until the world ends...)

100 days to go!!

"Whoaaa, we're halfway there..." (Austin)

So, I'm not sure if we are technically "halfway there", but distance wise, we've got 13.1 down!  The rock-n-roll half marathon in Savannah turned into 4 laps + some around a 3 mile park in Heather's and my hometown [Tara, one of our other bea-utiful sistas ran too].  I'm not going to lie...it was painful.  But we did get to celebrate with recovery fro-yo :) ....and I haven't stopped thinking about it since.  Good thing the new Sweet Frogs close to my parking lot hasn't opened yet!  

I got a glorious e-mail from Lindsey this weekend reminding Heather and I that we need to step up our elevation! Am I the only person that thought Texas was flat?  As much as that thought makes me cringe, I sucked it up and ran 7 miles of hills tonight.  

This time change is killer though!  I need to invest in reflective gear and a head lamp (gonna be hard to look any cooler than I already do with my water bottle fanny-pack!).  

So now I'm eating roasted brussel sprouts, carrots, and rice (nice cell phone shot, huh) and waiting for my MIA running partner, Heather, to come home. 

It's Malbec & Modern Family time!

 

Thanks for reading!  

Until next time I remember to blog... :)

PS:  I love her (and the rest of my precious family -- this is the only picture I took this weekend)

Dancing in the Dark (Lindsey)

Wow! It's been awhile since my last post. It's been busy around here! Our good friend Jess got married last weekend and it's been a whirlwind of festivities, work, and trying to fit in training. I was the photographer for Jess' wedding and was completely exhausted last Sunday so I moved my long run to Monday after work. Living on the east coast, it gets dark here fairly early these days so my 10 mile run ended in the dark. Creepy! Our neighborhood also does not provide good street lamp lighting. Let me tell you, it's quite strange running in the dark.  You can't really see where your feet are touching down on the pavement so your stride adjusts to over compensate. It's interesting... and a little glimpse into our future for our runs this winter. I'm going to invest in a reflective vest and head lamp this week so hopefully I don't get taken out by a motorist and so I can see better.

In honor of my "dance in the dark" this week, my inspirational long run song is: Dance in the Dark by my favorite - Lady Gaga!

111 Days to go!

L

A Monsoon Week (Lindsey)

Wow! What a week. Charlottesville had booku's of rain this week. I was so proud of myself because I actually got out and ran in it. There is nothing like running 5 miles in pouring rain, nothing. The only downfall was my shoes got soaked, which leads me to my picture below....

Yes those are new shoes! Heather and I went to Ragged Mountain Running Shop on the Corner this past Friday to get officially fitted into some new running shoes. In order to help them out I brought in my wet sneakers which at this point smelled like a dead cat. They didn't even flinch when they picked up my shoes to evaluate them. When I apologized for the stench, the guy helping me out didn't bat an eye and said, "you should see mine." And that is when I knew I was in good hands. Thanks Ragged Mountain for helping me find my new kicks. Can you tell I underpronate?! The really funny part of the story is that when Heather and I walked out of the store we realized we both bought the same pair of shoes. Nice! 

This week's long run was supposed to be 9miles, however I wasn't able to fit in my last short run of the week so I opted to run 10 with Heather. We ran the Charlottesville 10miler course this morning and finished at 1:50. Not too shabby. 

Song that got me through the last mile after hitting my "wall" at 9 miles - Katy Perry's Firework (yes super cheese but effective). 

125 Days to go!

Just how much bread CAN I eat? (Heather)

Greetings from Silver Spring, Maryland!  I am sitting in a hotel in downtown Silver Spring with a gray, rainy day outside the window. I actually changed up my running schedule this week because the weatherman predicted a 90% chance of rain today. I did 5 miles yesterday because I could NOT take doing longer than 3 miles on a treadmill (and I could barely stand that distance earlier this morning). So, yesterday while sitting in bed drinking some coffee, I did a little research on a good running spot in Silver Spring. 

{Side note: why, you ask, was I sitting in bed on a random Tuesday morning instead of sneaking in a blog post at work? Because I’m on vacation, that’s why! And why Silver Spring, Md for vaca? Because I’m moving to this area in June for a new job. Now… back to running}

I literally typed in “best running spots in Silver Spring, Md” into Google, and this eventually popped up:

http://home.comcast.net/~phyilla1/sstrails/altroute.html

This trail runs from Silver Spring, through Bethesda, and ends in Georgetown. The best part was that it literally starts right outside of my hotel. The funny part was that I spent 30 minutes poring over a Google map trying to figure out where it was in relation to my hotel, then walked outside and almost got smacked in the face by a sign stating “Silver Spring Trail.” Well, it would have smacked me in the face if I was 5 inches taller, but that phrase (“if I was 5 inches taller” not the face smacking part) is a part of my daily vocabulary. 

But I digress.

This run was overall beautiful. I will admit, there were some sketch parts that I had to run through, but some of that may just be the fact that I’m a small-town Georgia girl running in the city. And yes, to me, Silver Spring is a city. 

I’m starting to hit that part of training when the shorter runs start to feel easier. Overall, I prefer the long runs on the weekend. It’s probably because making myself run 3 days during the week after working all day is tough. As in, I whine to myself the whole time I’m tying my tennis shoes and trying to remember where I put my iPod. Because, let me tell you, I’m not running without my iPod. 

I’m also starting to hit that part of training where I think about food all the time. ALL. THE. TIME.  After reading Lindsey’s post about food, I immediately identified with her. I am a petite (albeit freakishly strong for my size… this must come from not having any brothers until about age 18) woman, but I have never been able to just eat whatever I want. My best friend and roommate from college used to eat Fritos and drink Coke on a daily basis, and I used to stare at her and wonder where she put it. (and no, by the way, it never caught up with her. She’s that lucky) I never had to wonder where I put it, let me assure you. I try very hard to eat an overall healthy diet and for the most part, I am pretty successful with thinking about what I eat before I put it in my mouth. Yes, I love carrots and hummus and grapes… but I also love French fries and Hershey’s milk chocolate. And peanut butter, oh my god, don’t even get me started on my love for that food. Over the past year or so, I’ve become very interested (read: obsessed with) in a few health/food blogs on the internet and as a result have tried a lot of new foods. I consider myself pretty educated when it comes to knowing how to eat a healthy, balanced diet (and it doesn’t hurt that my roommate is a dietetic intern!). However, I am at a loss when it comes to eating correctly while training for a marathon. I’m not good at all with estimating percentages of fat, carbs, or protein. My method has always been to fill my plate with at least ½ to 2/3 full of veggies and the rest with meat and starch. As a result, I feel like I really need to do some more research on what to eat while training… preferably some sources with pictures and examples!

10 miles this weekend with Lindsey! Other plans for the weekend include new running shoes (my current ones just developed a little hole in the big toe area of my right shoe) and downloading some new running music. I love fall running!

-Heather

Pre Run Sweet Frog (Lindsey)

This is going to be a short update because I'm sooo tired and yes I may be in bed before 8:30pm tonight. Last week was thankfully a step back week in training. My day job at CASA and (thankfully) my photography biz have been busy the past few weeks so it's been rough getting in my runs and getting everything else done. But I'm superwoman right? So to highlight what I learned in a few sentences...

1. Eventhough you aren't on the exact same schedule that old Hal has laid out, you MUST get the runs in. It makes a difference.
2. to do lists are vital to my well being
3. I may have a tendency to over extend myself... I need to work on this.
4. Sweet Frogs before even a short run is a bad idea...
5. Frozen yogurt is an ok treat according to Hal (woohoo!)

131 days to go
Most energizing long run song: Alice Donut - Millennium. Oldie but a goodie. :-)

Dodge ball & recovery (Austin)

Even if all this training doesn't pay off on race day...I will definitely be prepared for any sport that requires dodging objects or being quick on your feet.  On Wednesday, Heather and I ran 4 miles at Riverview.
Note to self...don't run Riverview between the hours of 5pm and 6:30 on a weekday.  I applaud all of the active families, however children learning to ride their bikes down hills + runners with Ipods in don't mix well.  And my puppy fever is now worse than ever....even when a St. Bernard sized dog almost knocked me over.
Our running pattern this week was 3, 4, 3 miles on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  Then yesterday morning we tackled the 9 mile long run in downtown Charlottesville.  The weather was gorgeous and we finished in about an hour and a half.  The hills were no fun but otherwise it was surprisingly an easy run.
We came home to omelets filled with broccoli, spinach, and white beans (I should have taken a picture!) made by my loving brother-in-law.  The protein from the eggs and the carbs from our toast/yogurt made for a great "recovery" meal.  The recovery didn't stop there though.
We met Lindsey, Jess, and Hillary at the downtown mall for brunch/mimosas at Siips and then couldn't leave without a little Sweet Frogs frozen yogurt! I had the cake batter + cheesecake topped with nothing healthy (and I didn't care)!
Now I'm going to spend my Sunday doing homework and being lazy.  According to Hal, I should be cross-training but I really haven't decided what that is yet.

Food Freedom (Lindsey)

2nd week of training under my belt! I just finished my 7 mile long run with Heather and Austin. Their training schedule had them running a 5 miler today so the last two miles of my run were pretty lonely. I pushed through though and finished with a 1:13 time. Not too shabby. I'm looking forward to completing our half marathons so we can transition into being on the same training plan. Long runs are so much better with running buddies!

Looking back on this week the thing I noticed most was my focus on nutrition. I have somewhat of a sordid past with food. Like most good Southern families, social activities were scheduled or included a large spread or meal. I spent most of my youth agonizing over what to eat and feeling guilty about the food I did eat. My passion for running actually stemmed from me wanting to be healthier. I'd like to think that the intensity of my eating/food obsession has subsided in the past few years yet some guilt and anxiety still remains.

However, this week I experienced "food freedom." Most of my thoughts about food were geared towards fueling my energy instead of obsessing over what I wanted to eat and then feeling guilty later. I've never thought about food this way. It's always been an enemy of mine, not an ally. This week food choices were based upon what was going to make me feel energized and not bogged down. This meant low fats and little to no sweets and trying to eat as much protein as possible. I've also been reading about nutrition and what to eat in Hal Higdon's Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide and he recommends 55% carbs, 30% fats, and 15% protein. That 55% carbs makes me so happy! I hope this mindset sticks after the 18 weeks I'll be training. It has been one of the most liberating feelings that I've felt in a long time.  

140 days to go
Today's most energizing song on my long run mix: Mc Solaar - La Belle et le Bad Boy

The little engine that could (Austin)

So, naturally I am the last of the three to share my running adventures with you all.  I have accepted the fact that I procrastinate and I will not try to hide it.  With that being said, I am not entirely sure how I developed my love for running.  I have been an avid runner from a young age, however, unlike most children and teenagers who grew up learning to run on a track or cross-country team, I just picked it up as a hobby.  I dabbled in softball, basketball, tennis, and even cheerleading (yikes!), but team sports were never my thing.  Running just....was.  I even attribute my career choice to my love for this healthy activity.  About 3 years ago I finally decided to find a purpose to all of this nonsense cardio.  I never ran more than a 5k when I decided I was going to sign up for a half marathon.  The ING half marathon was in Atlanta in March of 2009 and I jumped on the training bandwagon 3 months before.  I trained without missing a run up until the day of the race (which just so happened to be in the middle of my spring break), and I ended up not competing.  What was I thinking?! So here I was with all these miles under my nike-fanny-pack-water-bottle belt, and no half marathon t-shirt to show for it.  3 months later I was registered for a full marathon.  I put my heart, soul, time-management, knees, 2 pairs of Mizuno renegades, and too many wine-free college weekends, into training for 26.2 miles.  The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Marathon was without question one of the top 5 best experiences I've ever had!  I've never seen a community show more support than the residents of Jacksonville did that day.  I am not sure Austin will hold a candle to Jacksonville, but with two bona-fide training partners, it's about more than the race itself this time.  So I will do my best to suck it up over the hills of Virginia....I will be the little engine that could and focus on the feeling of accomplishment that comes with 26 miles 385 yards.  Bring it on Austin! :)

Pollyanna Principle (Lindsey)

Everyone loves to hate Ms. Pollyanna Whittier. Well maybe they don't hate her since she comes from a popular book series but be honest, she is kind of annoying with her uber positive outlook. Well after the week I've had, there isn't any other way I could have moved forward without a Pollyanna positive outlook. My first week of training and I was on the couch for 2 days with a nasty cold so my short runs didn't happen. Then Zach and I hit the road to go on vacation for a few days at Ocracoke Island. The weather was quite depressing, steady rainfall if not torrential 99% of the trip. The 1% that it wasn't raining was spent on my long run (6 miles). It was on the cusp of storming so the winds were brewing and there was humidity (my favorite). It was not a week to get you motivated to run your first marathon... however, this is what I thought of my week (with my rose colored glasses): Yes, I got sick. However, I ran the week before so I don't feel like I totally missed out. Maybe this also means I won't get sick later when the training really counts. My six mile run turned out ok. Zach ran with me and didn't make me feel like the slowest person on earth so that was nice. Plus I'm a big fan of head winds. Yes they blow into you and it makes it harder to run but when it's 100% humidity outside, they are heaven sent. Also, this weekend was a wake up call that said, "hey even though the weather is horrible, you still need to get out there and train lady!" So "hats off" to Pollyanna. I think I'll be relying on that positive mojo to get me through this... that and some good friends. :-)

144 days to go
L

Seven Slow Miles on a Sunday (Heather)

One of my favorite things to do on the weekend is to drink coffee in bed while watching Food Network. If I go to bed early enough, I will actually set my alarm to wake up so that I can do this. This is also how I know that I am old(er), because 5 years ago I would sleep until 10 or 11 every chance I could get. After spending so many hours over the past few years in the hospital, I relish the opportunity to stretch my legs and wiggle my toes against the sheets- beeper off, no one asking me to make a decision. It’s just me and my coffee cup watching Giada chop onions.

How does this relate to running? Well, because when you train for a half or whole marathon, your whole weekend revolves around getting your long run in. And this usually means less coffee/Food Network time for me, because the longer I stay in bed, the less likely those running shoes are getting laced up over my sheet-loving toes. Especially when I don’t have anyone waiting on me to run with early in the morning. This past weekend, I had a work obligation on Saturday so I had to put off my 7 mile run until Sunday. Austin ran on Saturday and Lindsey was at the beach. Which, by the way, I was so very happy NOT to be running on /at/near the beach. Along with that hill in my neighborhood, I also HATE running at the beach. This past April, 3 of my friends and I got the same vacation week off together (which was a miraculous feat in and of itself) and rented a house together in the Outer Banks. This also happened to be about 5ish weeks before the ½ marathon I ran with Lindsey and our friend J in Williamsburg. J was one of the friends with me in the OBX, and was the only reason I actually got any running done in that week. It was windy and hot and I was the biggest baby during all of our runs. “I hate this,” “I’m hot,” and “My feet hurt” were only a few of the things that I whined about during our runs. During our long run (which was 8 miles), we ran out of water and stopped at a roadside gas station and asked to drink water straight out of their bathroom faucet. For anyone that knows me, that means I really was about to die. Anyway, looking forward to your beach post, Lindsey J

So I managed to drag myself out of bed on Sunday morning and drove to one of the flatter places in C-ville to run. And I did my 7, although very slowly: 1 hour and 16 minutes. I am not, and likely never will be, a fast runner. I wish I could blame it on my height (I am short!), but one of my other sisters is an inch taller and about 2-2.5 minutes faster per mile. The speed gene I did not inherit… but persistence I did! And on that note- goodbye week 2!

-Heather

Week 2 (Heather)

When I first started running, I could not run further than a mile on a treadmill in the air-conditioning. In fact, I refused to run outside and could not imagine why other people would choose the hot Georgia sun and lack of bathrooms (not to mention the beating that pavement puts on your joints). I could easily be talked out of running… and very rarely was it to do some other type of physical exercise. Just the mention of chalupas and a margarita was enough for me to leave my running shoes at home. When I started residency at UVA, I expected my treadmill to become dusty from lack of use. During intern year, most of my running consisted of up and down the stairs at the hospital, usually trying hard not to let the various books, papers and my stethoscope fall out of my white coat. Chalupas and margaritas still had their hold over me, but so did enchiladas, red wine and the Bachelor. Not just because I am a reality TV addict (which, I’m ashamed to admit, I am), but also because of the group of women I got to know when we met weekly to watch this show. One of whom includes my friend, Lindsey. The “L” in Halmarathon, the lover of horses, the taker of breathtaking photos, and the keeper of more hobbies than I can count. Linds is one of the most interesting people that I know (she is also a saint for putting up with her husband, one of my co-workers, but we won’t get into that… heart you, Z!). The first time we ran together, I remember hoping that I wouldn’t embarrass myself by trying to run 4 consecutive miles in her presence. Well, many miles later, we ran the Marine Corp 10K together, and we’ve run even further than that since then! I’m lucky to have such a running buddy in Lindsey, one who runs the same pace and who prefers to listen to an iPod while running instead of talking (thank goodness, because I have a hard enough time breathing without chatting).

I also have a new, live-in running buddy: my beautiful sister Austin. Although, to be honest, most of the time it’s me watching Austin run ahead of me. You see, Austin is taller and much, much faster than me. Which is fine, because that means I can keep her in my sight (I am an older sister, after all). Right now we are in Week 2 of Hal Higdon’s Novice I, so we had to run 3 miles on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. We have a 1.5 mile loop in our neighborhood and there is one hill that we have to do twice that I HATE. Austin often runs this hill 3 times because she doubles back around to run with me since it’s often dusk when we run. She also runs slower so that we finish together. This means 2 things: (1) I slow her time down significantly and (2) she loves me.

The 3 of us haven’t been able to run together yet. I’m looking forward to Lindsey and I running behind Austin J As of the marathon Austin, I’m terrified. I’ve never run further than 13.1 miles in my entire life. The thought of running double that distance scares me! Here’s to hoping I can make it to the starting line. The next several months loom ahead of me and right now I’m not entirely sure how training will work out in the winter months. I am still a Georgia girl at heart and I can’t imagine actually running in the snow. We’ll see how this goes! In the meantime, I have 7 more miles to run this week… I’m pretty sure I can do that, right?

-Heather

and they're off!!

I've never been a "runner" despite running track in high school. It's always been a hobby of mine but I've never been competitive/serious about it until I met Heather (aka my running partner in crime). A couple of years ago we talked ourselves into running the Marine Corps 10k in Washington D.C. I had never run further than 3 or 4 miles and I believe Heather was in about the same boat. After that first 10k we were hooked. Our next hurdle was the Marine Corps Half Marathon in Fredricksburg and most recently a Half Marathon in Williamsburg this past spring. I remember walking away from the last half thinking, "I'm never going to run further than a half." To be fair that last half marathon was brutal. Even in March, Williamsburg is a humid mess aparently. It wasn't a good showing on my part and I didn't feel good about that race. However, a few months went by and Heather and I were having brunch one morning when she brought up wanting to run a full marathon. A full marathon has been a life goal of mine for quite some time and right then I decided that I wasn't getting any younger, it's about time to check this one off the list. Well it wasn't long after that that the stars aligned over the Austin Marathon. We both had time in our schedules that weekend, my little sister and my sister in law both live there so we have some lodging, Texas in February (glorious weather!)... it all just seemed to add up. A few days of contemplation and some words of encouragement, we were signed up. Heather's sister, Austin, joined in the fun as well. I mean honestly, how could you pass up running a race in a city that shares your name? Thankfully she has already run a full marathon so we have someone to ask for advice, etc.

We wanted to start this blog so family and friends could follow our journey of triumph and tears so please feel free to leave comments and/or send us some words of encouragement. We are going to need them!

Lindsey

154 days to go.