Being an aunt...

Last weekend we had Christmas #1 in Cedar Falls, with my dad and stepmom. We enjoyed a good meal and a lot of fun opening presents. While I was looking forward to the Christmas family time on Friday, I was especially looking forward to Saturday.



Let me preface this with the fact that it's been a year in the making. Last Christmas, I gave my niece, Kayla, a new Build-A-Bear outfit. It was the ice skating outfit she begged for. Needless to say, she was thrilled. In that moment, I thought it would be fun to promise her and Madison that we would go ice skating together sometime.

Kayla & Me - with her Build-A-Cat

I fully intended to keep this promise, but we all know how difficult it is for everyone's schedules to come together. So, here I am nearly a year later (after hearing the girls ask me if we were still going), and we've GONE!


I called them a few weeks ago, to invite them. They were on speaker phone. I said, "Hey, do you girls think it would be ok if your mom and I took you ice skating on Saturday?" Before I could finish, I heard screams of "YESSSSSSSSSS!!!"


This is what I love about being an aunt. I love these kids so ridiculously much and I love seeing them try new things. This would be their very first time skating. And, while that may not be a big deal to anyone else, it was to me.


On the way to Young Arena, the girls and I sang and jammed to Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift. Then they decided who would skate with whom first. After some "rock, paper, scissors," they had a decision. Kayla would go with mom (Kamie) and Madison would go with me. Once we were on the ice, they were both fearless! I didn't ice skate until I was nearly an adult. I doubt I'd have done as well as they did. They are 8 and almost 6!

Madison & Kayla

First time skating - DONE!

Of course, we held their hands, but still, I was impressed. They used the railing for some support, but both were also good in the middle of the ice.


We took breaks and switched partners and I think we skated for over an hour. I asked Kayla what her favorite part of ice skating was. She wasn't sure. Then she said, "My least favorite part is the falling." I can't disagree with her there!


Let's not forget about little Rylan, the 4 year old. I asked him what "special" activity he and I could do, since the girls were going skating with me. He narrowed it down to Burger King play area and playing Playstation Star Wars. He chose Playstation. Who knew THAT'S all it would take? I played Star Wars with him (getting killed a billion times) before we went skating.

Rylan & Me, after making the decision to play Star Wars

I am SO blessed to have these experiences with the kids. Whether they even remember them doesn't matter to me. What matters is that these experiences and the memories of them put a smile on my face. They have enriched my life in a way they'll never fully know. I couldn't have chosen better nieces and a nephew if I'd had my pick!

2009 Wrap Up

OK, yet again, it's been a while since I've posted. I guess I must be pretty boring, because I can't regularly think of things to post! Here is a little recap...

My last post was about my post marathon running and not much has changed there. I absolutely LOVED the crisp weather in November, but have not enjoyed the shift to snow. Don't worry snow, I'll be getting bundled up and running through you very soon! You don't scare me!

I travelled to NYC with my aunt in late October and had a fantastic trip. I love that city and all it has to offer! We saw three Broadway shows - "Bye Bye Birdie," "Billy Elliot," & "The Lion King." All were great, but "Billy Elliot" was my favorite. My dream job is to get paid to sing, so watching these performers on Broadway had me grinning ear to ear. I also had the opportunity to run in Central Park three times...loved it!

A fabulous run in Central Park

Aunt Rose & Me - just before seeing John Stamos & Gina Gershon in "Bye Bye Birdie"

My friends (Carrie & Denton) joined me for a group Halloween costume this year. We were the Funkes, a family from "Arrested Development." If you know the show, then you'll appreciate our creativity. If not, well, that's your loss.

Lindsey (Carrie), Maeby (Me), & Tobias (Denton) Funke

A good friend of mine got married in the Twin Cities in November, so I was able to crash at Jen's house...again! My niece, Madison, turned 8 in November - we had so much fun celebrating with her.

Jen & I went for a cool morning run in Saint Paul - wonderful!

Madison & Me - best buds!

I hosted Thanksgiving dinner for the second year in a row - and all in attendance survived! I must say, I'm pretty proud that I've now pulled this meal off twice in a row. I consider myself a baker, not really a cook. I look forward to doing it again next year!


I'm looking forward to Christmas with the family this week, especially the kiddos!

To run or not to run...

Some of you didn't think I could do it...some of you being my friend Jen.

After every marathon, I usually take the first week off and do absolutely nothing. Now, this takes no convincing. I am fully happy to do ZERO physical activity for a week. Usually, by week two, I'm ready to go for a few short runs and maybe a step class at the gym. Before you know it, I'm back into my routine.

THIS time, I made an off hand remark to Jen that I'd be taking two FULL weeks off after the marathon. She replied, "Yah right, that'll never happen. I'll bet you $20." The nerve!!! To be honest, she had reason to feel she'd get that $20, based on my history.

Week 1: I did nothing in the way of exercise and it was glorious! I came home after a hard day of work and sat down on the couch. It was quite incredible, actually! I had this thing that I wasn't sure what to do with, what was it? Oh yah, TIME!

I didn't pack a gym bag and lug it (along with my laptop and lunch) to my car. I didn't drive somewhere to change before running on the trail. Let's face it...I just didn't DO anything.

Week 2: By now, of course I'm not at all sore and could easily go on a run or do something! And, the weather was pretty much PERFECT for running. I'd catch myself saying, "Today would be a good day for a run." Ten minutes later, I'm in my house, sitting on the couch enjoying Oreos.

So, week 2 came and went with NO WORKOUT. Did you catch that, Jen? NO WORKOUT! I'll collect my $20 when I come to visit you in November.

As I was driving home last night, I was really hoping to go for a run today. I called my friend Carrie and we made a running date for this morning. My hope was that we could just go for a short one, maybe 4-5 miles, and catch up.

Well, we tend to be Chatty Cathys on our runs, so before I knew it, we'd almost gone out 3 miles. We ended up running a great 6 miler. My legs felt great and it was SO nice to run with Carrie!

While I'm not planning on a Spring marathon, I am glad to be back in the swing!

I've always had fears about taking more than a week off from running/exercise (regardless if it's after a marathon or anything). Here is what I learned:

1) I will not blow up and gain 35 pounds in the 2 weeks I'm not working out.
(this is my biggest fear!)

2) I actually DO eat less when I'm not running 35-40 miles per week. I've always thought of myself as a really good eater (meaning I can eat a lot), but the appetite isn't as insane when the activity level is NIL.

3) It is OK to take a break and let yourself ENJOY relaxing a little. You've earned it! I don't feel the least bit guilty for taking a longer break. And...I dare say I'll be better off for it in the future.

I am absolutely positive that I will have some great runs this week, as they will all be in Central Park in NYC! I'm headed there for vacation on Wednesday and can't wait to enjoy that beautiful park and city!

Twin Cities Marathon

Marathon #6 is complete! While I didn't break 4 hours, I can honestly say I felt great about the race and the whole weekend.

My friend Jen was kind enough to host me for the weekend. I hadn't seen her for a while, so it was great to see her house and hang out. We ventured to the Mall of America (my request) and it was insane. Honestly, I can't remember the last time I was there, but it is ridiculous. The crowds are unreal, there is a wait for a dressing room or cash register at every dang store!

After a little shopping, it was time to pick up my race packet. We spent a little time at the expo before heading to Macaroni Grill for a tasty pre-race meal.

I was up at 4:39am on race day. This was not by choice...apparently my bladder was super pumped! I laid in bed until 5am and then I got moving. I got dressed, ate some cereal, got my GUs poured into my flask, and packed up my bag. Jen snapped this super flattering pic of me before we left the house.

Jen dropped me at the hotel, where I met Carrie, Denton, Nyna, and Jess. We quickly loaded onto the bus, headed for Minneapolis.

The weather was PERFECT! I'd say it was in the upper 40's to lower 50's all morning. While that was chilly to stand in, it was the best to run in. I love it!

The five of us hung out for a while and then did a warm-up jog. After that, it was time to get into the chute. Now, in 2007, I made the mistake of waiting too long to get in the chute. I ended up starting with the 5:30 marathoners. This race has over 11,000 runners, so it's really not fun to start that far back and fight your way forward. THIS time, I immediately lined up with the 3:50 pace group. My goal was to start with them and try to stay in between them and the 4:00 pace group.

The race started - it was GO time! I felt ready to go and had a great mental attitude. The first few miles were spent getting through the crowds and trying to stay near the 3:50 group. For me, this race is so packed that I don't feel like I'm NOT crowded until around mile 10. I had no trouble running with the 3:50 group and I was feeling good.

Many of you may remember that I had some back issues at mile 6 of my last marathon (Illinois). So, when I reached mile 10, still feeling good, I was excited! Around mile 11, I lost the 3:50 group at a water stop. I usually walk through the water stops so I make sure to actually drink the water/Powerade they are providing. I looked up and the balloons for 3:50 were long gone. Where'd they go?

While I was still feeling good, I didn't feel a sprint to catch up to them would be wise. I decided to keep going on my own. We had been running 8:35s and I was now running 8:45s. I knew I was well ahead of the 4:00 group, so I just focused on moving forward.

Jen told me she'd be at mile 15, so that kept me motivated past the halfway point. To be honest, I was tempted to walk around mile 15, but the thought of Jen seeing me walk...I couldn't take it! I didn't see her and was feeling a little disappointed, when, I just happened to turn back and see her. I yelled, "Jen!" and she yelled, "Mariah!" That was that. She biked up another mile and spotted me again, which gave me another boost.

I continued on, still feeling pretty good. At this point, my back pain was creeping in. Many of you know that I tend to have conversations with my body. Here's how this one went.

My back: "Seriously, this hurts, can we stop now?"
Me: "Um, no. You really ticked me off at the last marathon. Payback sucks!"
My back: "But at least the pain didn't kick in at mile 6 this time?"
Me: "Yah, really, that's not helping your case. Our goal is to have a good race today and for me to enjoy it. So get on board!"

After that, while my back was a little achy, it was nothing I couldn't handle (unlike Illinois).

Around mile 19, the mental toughness was fading. I had slowed to 9:10s or slower at that point, but was still feeling alright. My left hip was aching and my right quad was throbbing. Given that combination, I'm sure my stride looked fabulous. So, yes, I walked a few minutes. But, usually, when I walk, I'll walk more than a few minutes, then run again. This time, I told myself I could walk 2 minutes and then I'd have to pick it back up.

I still hadn't seen the 4:00 group, so I was optimistic. I hit the 20 mile mark at 3:02:34, so, in theory, I may have still been able to break 4:00. But, it would have been tight. Honestly, I was enjoying the race and the day so much, that nothing could have disappointed me. I knew at that point that even if I didn't break 4:00, I wasn't going to have the crap races I'd had in Des Moines and Illinois.

I continued onward, letting myself walk a bit every few miles. Yes, I know, had I not walked, maybe my time would have been a few minutes faster or I might have broken 4:00. But, if you've run a marathon, you know how hard those last 6.2 miles can be.

As I came into the final stretch, I knew I was just about to complete my 6th marathon in a little over 3 years. I saw/heard Jen on my right and smiled into the finish! My time: 4:08:39, just a few minutes slower than my previous PR of 4:05:47.

I had a horrible experience at the Twin Cities Marathon in 2007 (a bit hot), so I'm thrilled that I came back and ran it again and had a wonderful experience in 2009. The course was beautiful and the spectators were UNBELIEVABLE! Honestly, you could barely take a step without seeing throngs of people cheering you on. Their support was HUGE!

One of the other positives? My friends Denton & Carrie (hubby & wife) and I started marathoning in October of 2006, running our first one together in Ashland, WI (Whistlestop). This is the 2nd one I've run with Denton and the 3rd with Carrie. Our training has been a blessing to our friendship - I'm so grateful! (They both ran fantastic races, too!)

Here are some more pics from the day:

Here I am in the final stretch, almost there!

One final wave!

Carrie & I after the race - lifetime running buddies!

Carrie, Denton, & Me

My hostess (and photographer), Jen!

I'm looking forward to some well earned time off. I don't have any plans for a Spring marathon, but hope to run some half marathons. My next marathon is the 35th Marine Corps Marathon next Halloween - I can't wait!!!

Marathon #6 - Am I ready?

Well, this Sunday I will be running my 6th marathon. The last time I ran the Twin Cities Marathon was in 2007. Many of you might remember that it was a bit hot that day. My friends and I finished, but it wasn't the most fun day. Incidentally, I think I probably sweat off about 10 pounds of fluid, so I guess there's a positive.

I feel really good about my training this time around and I do think I'm ready. My 20 milers were probably the best I've had during any training, so I hope that's a good sign. The weather is absolutely gorgeous right now! I love the crisp, fall weather and can only pray we get the same on race day!

My goal has always been to break 4 hours. The closest I've come is 4:05 in Green Bay last year. I remember feeling great that day and just being happy to PR. I know 4 hours is attainable, I just need to believe I can DO IT!

I have several friends also running the race and there will be others cheering me on. That will help a ton! Overall, I'm looking forward to a fun weekend with friends. Thanks to Jen for hosting me!

Good luck to all who are running Twin Cities this weekend!

Reinvigorated...

Whoa, I can't believe it's been nearly 2 months since my last entry...I'm sure you've all missed me! HA!

So, I'm still deep into training for marathon #6, Twin Cities on October 4. For the most part, training has been going well. But, there were a few weeks recently that had me nervous. I typically have trouble with the highest mileage weeks. Usually, I'll skip one of the half long runs altogether and then have a horrible long run that weekend (lots of walking and being mad).

THIS time, I wanted to do my best to make it through those tough weeks and prove to myself that I could do it. Well, the good news is that I did complete those high mileage weeks. The bad news is that they weren't all that pretty.

Both weeks were very busy for me outside of work and then the weekends were jam packed with out of town trips and family stuff. There was a horrible downpour on the day of my 17 miler, so I ran 17 miles on the treadmill - blech!

The following week I had an 18 mile run and it was downright terrible. I am helping a friend train for her first half marathon. So, I told her I'd run the first 10 and she could meet me for the last 8. It was particularly humid/muggy that morning and I tried to keep a good attitude. But, as I began my run, my Garmin wouldn't show anything other than a 9:15 pace. I'm not knocking a 9:15 pace, but it's a bit frustrating to see that when you FEEL like you're running 8:40 pace. No matter what I did, that was the best I could do. Needless to say, my poor friend was waiting on me and a bit worried. By the time I had taken a GU and some Gatorade, I wasn't too interested in running 8 more. The next 8 miles consisted of running slow, then walking, then running, then walking...you get the idea. I felt bad that my friend wasn't getting a good run, but I also knew that I had to do whatever I needed to do to just get these miles IN!

So, for those few weeks and the week after the 18 miler, every run felt a bit like torture. They felt long (even if they were 4-5 miles) and they felt grueling. It's not fun to feel like that for 5 miles, let alone 18 miles. These are the moments when you doubt yourself. You start thinking, "Ooh, maybe I'm done with the whole marathon thing...maybe I can't do it another time?"

You can imagine I wasn't sure how my 13 miler would go last weekend. I was honestly just hoping to be able to do it, no matter what the pace. As soon as we began the run, I felt great! I felt exhilarated and light on my feet. The weather was gorgeous and I had 3 great friends with me. What a change! This was JUST what I needed!

This past week was more of the same. I did more treadmill runs due to the rainy weather, but felt strong. I had a 20 miler to run on Saturday. In the past, 20 milers have been the bain of my existence (and I'm sure several other marathoners). I ran the first 9 miles with a few friends and then broke off. I felt strong, even after 10 miles! That doesn't always happen for me. Honestly, I've had many 18-20 mile runs where I couldn't wait for them to end. This was for various reasons: fatigue, boredom, hunger, boredom...seeing a theme here? But, this time, before I knew it, 20 miles was DONE!

This wasn't my fastest 20, but it was right on pace with my goal time for a PR. Better yet, I felt strong at the finish and I know I could have kept going, if I needed to. I think I've had to stop and walk at least once, probably more than that, in almost every 20 I've run. I never once felt like walking this time, so that is huge! It's T minus 5 weeks until Twin Cities and I'm feeling good!

It just goes to show you that no matter how long you've been a runner, you can have highs and lows. It's all part of the deal you make when you sign the contract. It's in the fine print, I didn't read it before I signed, now I'm stuck... Either way, I'm in this for better or worse, but I'd prefer it to be "better" the majority of the time.

Happy running!

Woohoo!

First of all...Happy 4th of July! Thank you to all our soldiers who are fighting for our freedom that we are so blessed to have!


Days like today are the reason I keep running. I ran the annual Alliant Energy 8K race this morning and it went well. This was my 6th time running this particular race AND the fastest I've ever run it or any other 8K! Let me give you my history at this race...


2004: First time running it, 45:56. I probably would have run under 45, but I got a horrible blister on my heel in the FIRST mile. It was very painful and I was glad to finish.
2005: Ran a good race in 43:34, was happy about it.
2006: Wanted to BEAT that 43:34 time. Guess what? I didn't beat it, I just got EXACTLY the same time AGAIN! I was not happy! I mean, couldn't I have run it in 43:32 at least?
2007: Ran it in 42:39 and was over the moon! I was so pumped to have broken 43 minutes!
2008: I had just run a 40:38 at a previous 8K, so I wanted to run somewhere close to that time. I ran a 40:55 and was happy with it...considering I had run an 18 miler the day before. (But, that's not much of an excuse, considering my friend Carrie had also run 18 miles and rocked a great race!)
2009: I wanted to break 40 minutes. If that meant crossing the finish line in 39:59, I would have been overjoyed. I ran it in 39:24! It was the best feeling seeing the clock and knowing I was going to bust through 40 minutes.


I went to bed ready for a good race... I woke up to rainy, depressing weather. Yuck! Now, I know there are many of you who just LOVE running in the rain. While the temperature was good for running, I am NOT a fan of being wet and running around in sloshy shoes. Also, if you've met me, you know I have about 10 pounds of hair on my head. Imagine running with 10 pounds of WET hair, no fun!


As I approached the start line, I was still hoping to break 40, but I'll admit, I was ready with my excuses if I didn't... "I ran 12 miles yesterday," "I'm tired," "It was rainy..." Blah, blah, blah!


I took off at what felt like the right pace. I hit mile 1 just over 8 minutes. Mile 2 must have been fast as the clock showed 15 something. Mile 3 in this race is difficult as you are headed uphill and then around the curve in a park. As you exit the park, it's uphill and you are just waiting for the long downhill. I kept my focus and tried to run strong. I hit 4 miles in just under 32 minutes, so I knew it was still possible to break 40 minutes.


But, I'd have to really bust out this last mile. It's a long straight away and I was tired. I was really tired... I started telling myself it would be ok if I hit around 40, I'd still PR.


As I passed a guy holding an "800 meters to go" sign, I thought, "I can do this!" Once I could see the clock and that there were no 4's on it, I kicked in as much as I could. Woohoo!


So, back to my point, about days like today being why I keep running. I love meeting goals and seeing improvement! Two of my running goals this year were to break 25:00 in the 5K and break 40:00 in the 8K. My new 5K PR is 24:25 and for the 8K, 39:24!


If you had told me 5 years ago that I'd be running sub 8:00s in ANY distance, I would have laughed you out of the room! It's not that I wasn't confident, it's that I thought I knew my pace and that that was it. Our bodies are amazing and running proves it!


I realize sub-8:00s is not break-neck speed for many people, but it IS for me. If I can be faster 5 years later, what will I be able to do in 5 more years? You never know! Maybe breaking 40 minutes in the 8K is good luck for me to break 4 HOURS in my next marathon? Here's hoping!