My best buds

To call this a brutal week would be a vast understatement. Myself and my family are all dog people. There are five dogs in my immediate family at the moment, two with me, two with my parents and one with my sister. But the pack is going to shrink. 

I've grown up with Katie Dog. I hated her at first (I was a teenager), because she wasn't Misha, the german shephard we had previously who I loved way back when. 

We don't know how old Katie is, but she's old, at least 12. For the past year every time I said goodbye to her I knew there was a chance I wouldn't see her again. When my dad called last week and told me that her time was very short, it wasn't much of a surprise. 

But then I found out about Gigi. This was a total shock. 

Gigi is the older of my two greyhounds (Lizzie is only 6 months younger). I'd noticed a little bit of swelling in her lymph nodes before, but last week they ballooned, so we went to the vet last Friday. After a few tests they confirmed the worst -- she has lymphoma. I don't know how much longer I have with her now, but I'm trying to make the best of it. 

Gigi was the first dog to be completely mine, she and I have been through so much together. She's been my contant through a lot of moves and life changes in my early adulthood. She's a very sweet, kind, loving girl -- doesn't even bark at the mailman. 

Miss Lizzie is my other hound. I got her a year after I brought Gigi home. Gigi was going a little nuts with my unpredictable work schedule and needed a friend. I fell in love with Lizzie while volunteering at the greyhound kennel up in Maine. 

Lizzie is obnoxious, loud, defiant and bossy and I love her dearly. Somehow, despite Gigi's timid and sensitive personality, they make a good team. She's a lot more independent than Gigi. 

I'm starting to run with her again. We may even compete in the Licking County Pet-A-Palooza 5K in September together. 

Rounding out the pack are Brandy (left) and Mimi (right), the babies of the group. Brandy belongs to my sister, Mimi belongs to my parents. 

July: Lucky numbers

I ran 111 miles in July. Isn't it supposed to be good luck when all the numbers are the same? (I also biked 15).

Couldn't get the whole month on one screen, so here's daily mileage July 4-31:

Weekly mileage, the 6th week of the year to current:

And monthly mileage!

Passing the halfway point

This week in training.

It's kind of fun to look back at my posts from the same point of training in the spring. Today was the first 14-miler. Last session I replaced it with the CRRC Winter Run in Granville. That was a really good run for me. Today could not have been more different.

The weather was worse than last week. We met at 6:30 and the temperature was tolerable, but the humidity was worse than last week. I was completely soaked by the halfway point.

It took me awhile to get into the groove, miles 1-2 were really difficult but miles 3-10 were pleasant. I wore my compression socks so my shins didn't hurt. My heart rate was a bit higher than last week throughout.

After we turned around to come back I really started struggling. I got some awful side stitches the last two miles. I slowed it down on Mile 13 but picked it back up on Mile 14 because I really just wanted to be done.

I'm going to cross train Mondays and Fridays until I make it through this heat (and I'll be at your spin class Thursday Jamie, no worries!) This Monday was my first time on the bike and it was a lot of fun. I covered 15. Next week I'm going to shoot for 20.

Next week's long run is a fallback, so 10 miles. Monday I'll ride 20, Tuesday I have 6, Wednesday is 4 -- I'll shoot for hills, Thursday and Friday are both 3 but I may try to swim or ride Friday.

I want a running skirt...

Totally unrelated, I'm back on my Rilo Kiley kick. Here's my song of the day:

Nostalgia

Our run Feb. 5.

Today was the first 12-mile run of the season. It started to rain/snow toward the end and I could literally feel bits of ice bouncing off my face...


Oh wait... that's just what I was longing for... weather like that on Feb. 5 when we were in the same point in our training for our spring marathons. Seems like forever ago!


Today was a far different story. Accuweather had a giant heat advisory for the entire day. The started us out early, at 6:30 (which put my wake-up call at 4:45), and even then the humidity was around 90 percent.


I've never done well in the heat. Thanks to the MIT coaches, though, I was prepared for today. They sent us emails all week about dealing with the humidity. Here are some of the things I did:

• Drank lots and lots and lots of water yesterday and this morning 
• Brought extra nutrition (for 12 miles I used a Gu and a pack of Sport beans)
• I've been eating bananas all week
• Extra carbs and salt yesterday
• I made sure to stand outside to get acclimated before running
• Wore my monitor and kept an eye on my heart rate the entire time
• Dumped cups of water on myself at the water stops.

I survived! The first two miles were the toughest (and also uphill), but then I settled in on the shady trail. I've been struggling with shin splits lately, they hurt the first two but then eased off. After I changed I wrung my clothes out in the sink! Grossness! 

This was one of those days I definitely couldn't have survived without MIT and the 10:30 pace team. I know 12 miles was where I broke down trying to run on my own so for some reason I always get nervous before this run. 


(Why is this in a different font. Arg. Whatever, it's nap time, I'll fix it later.)

I registered for Columbus, no turning back!

"Dear Jessica Alaimo:
Congratulations, you've made the COMMITMENT to take part in the 2011 Nationwide Insurance Columbus Marathon & 1/2 Marathon! We are pleased to have you joining us for what promises to be a great event!

"Keep Up-To-Date
Right up to race day, October 16, 2011, we will post information and updates on our Facebook page, so sign up and become a Fan of the Columbus Marathon & 1/2 Marathon! Our website, www.columbusmarathon.com, is another great source of information, so check in often!
And save this note for the links to switch events or transfer your entry to another person. (this information is also available at www.columbusmarathon.com, under Registration Information).

"Race Change & Transfer Policy
Our new registration system will allow you to update your information, including switching between the Marathon and 1/2 Marathon and transfering your entry to another person. Please note that these transfers will only be permitted through August 30, 2011, or until the event in which you wish to participate sells out, whichever comes first. There is a $10 fee to switch race (plus the difference if upgrading), and a $20 fee to transfer your entry to another person.
To change from one race to another, click here:

https://secure.marathonguide.com/register/columbusmarathon/changerace.cfm
To transfer your entry to another person, click here:

https://secure.MarathonGuide.com/register/ColumbusMarathon/MakeTransfer.cfm

"Run For Charity
Want to run or walk for one of our official charities or have a cause you want to support? We want to raise $1 million for charity in 2011! Visit www.crowdrise.com/columbusmarathon and help make a difference!

Best wishes in your TRAINING!
The Nationwide Insurance Columbus Marathon & 1/2 Marathon Team"

Race Report: Greenswell Triathlon -- MOJO DOMINATION :-)

Manic Mojos after the race!

The Manic Mojos are looking to the future. 

Myself and superstar reporters Abbey Roy and Anna Sudar joined forces to compete in the Greenswell Triathlon as a relay team July 17 (Sunday) at Alum Creek beach in Lewis Center. Anna swam, Abbey rode and I ran. We rocked it, we did the sprint distance in 1:26:38, second place of all relay teams! Full results here. Results for all Greenswell events that weekend here.

My part of it was a 5K that I did in 26:36 with awesome splits. I finally learned my lesson about not starting out too fast!

Timing chip on Anna's foot.

The race started at 8, we were there at 6:30 and the place was packed. Good thing, there was a lot of preparation on Anna and Abbey's part! There weren't that many relays so we had to figure out the transitions for ourselves, which wasn't bad. Our "baton" was an ankle timing chip that we passed off.

Anna in the water.

When they called Anna's wave, she dominated! She was out ahead of the pack and dove into the water! We figured she'd be about 25 minutes, my plan was to run a warmup and come back to wait for her. I get my gear together and run a slow mile. What do I see when I'm getting back? A blue bathing suit jumping out of the water and running through the sand into transition. Miss Anna did the .45-mile swim in 17:25 and was one of the first out of the water! (Continued after the jump.)

Slowing down for summer

There's a reason why I felt at home in Maine. I can't do in July what I did in December. I've now learned that lesson for the third week in a row.

Today was the first 10-mile run of the season with MIT. The first 3 miles with the 10:30s were absolutely horrid. I was achy, exhausted and the pace seemed much harder than usual. After the first water stop I decided to move back two pace groups and continued with the 11:30s. I felt like I was putting forth the same amount of effort that I usually do at 10:30.

That made all the difference. The aches and pains ceased almost instantly. The exhaustion was still there but not as bad.

This winter I survived subzero temperatures, ice storms and pouring rain, so I can say definitively that I'd take any of those above 90 degree weather!

Running at 11:30 was unbearable at first, after pushing a pace close to 9 for the past few weeks. I almost took off to rejoin my old group, but was stuck in the middle of the pack without a quiet way out. I grew acclimated to the pace and finished the 10 miles comfortably. (Continued after the jump.)

Dog days of summer: Lull time for running!

Life has been a little crazy lately, hence the lack of updates, but in all reality there hasn't been a lot to report. It's icky outside. No fun to be out and about. Still I did two races in two weeks.

The results kind of made me want to stick my tail between my legs, hide in a corner and sulk, not because the times were necessarily bad, but because I ran the races so poorly.


Cinco de Julio Cuatro Miler July 9: I signed up for this one simply because it involved tequila and I got in for free. To clarify: The tequila came after the run.

It was 90 degrees out and brutal! There was no mercy on the course, either, the run went a mile plus on Broad Street, a short distance through a shady park and then back through the unforgiving heat!

I met up with my MIT buddies Jessica and Brandon and we did a two mile warmup to meet our six for the day. The event was at The Bluestone, a fancy bar in Columbus inside an old church. The race started at 6 and the heat was by no means dying down. We basked in the air conditioning to stretch and then it was back outside for the run itself. (continued after the jump)