Short and Sweet

We've got three weeks until the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, Peeps!  How is your training?

I've had a busy, busy weekend, and with two essays in the bag and one to go for grad school (due by Wednesday--gulp!), I'm gonna make this short and sweet.

1.  Friday I taught for a half day and then spent the afternoon as part of the entourage for Becky Higgins, President of the Ohio Education Association.  I took pictures and tweeted and Facebooked all afternoon.  If I were capable of using my thumbs on my phone, they would have been quite sore.  Luckily, I use my index finger for everything.  That's right: one. character. at. a. time.  What?

2.  Saturday was my daughter's confirmation.  It is the first time in a long time that she wore a dress and makeup instead of a Supernatural hoodie and combat boots.  I hardly recognized her.  PLUS, the heavens didn't rain down fire upon us as she received the bishop's blessing.  Maybe she isn't possessed after all.  hmmm.

3.  Sunday was my son's birthday.  He is nine, and he is still a stinker.  We spoiled him rotten, and in return, he spiked a fever.  Now he's home from school.  sigh.

4.  Sunday morning I ran 12 miles with Shelby.  The weather was gorgeous.  My company was fabulous.  What happens on the long run stays on the long run, but I will share this: my last mile was at a 9:03.  I owe it all to this fabulous woman:

Shelby and I took a selfie in Giant Eagle while looking for protein shakes.  We got a few looks. Of envy.

I've got one more long run next Sunday, and then I'm going to attempt to taper.  Hmmm. . .The taper is something I'm not good at, but I intend to run my best at the 8k on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday, so recovery is very important.

Will you join me either by registering to run or to volunteer?  Tell me I'll see you there.

Until then, run happy, Peeps!

Like what you read?  Follow me on Twitter @itibrout!

Medina Half Marathon Test Run

Today I ran 10 miles of the Medina Half Marathon course.  The sun was shining; the temps were perfect.  Heather and I had time for a pre-run selfie:

While we are still happy and refreshed.

 We also took a picture with the whole group:

The dark side of the gazebo.  Can you see me?  NOOO???

Heather and I both share the same problem: we go out too fast.  I told her that I am trying to mend my ways, and I'm trying to keep a deliberately slow pace on the long runs. She listened and totally agreed with me. . .and we still ran the first three miles at a 9:30 pace and under.  It's difficult to see a bunch of people pass you and let them go, especially when you know you CAN HANG WITH THESE RUNNERS.  Just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD.


In mile 4, we caught up with a gentleman named Dick who said he'd like to stick with our pace.  As we ran, he told us his story: Dick started running when he was 69 because his wife thought it would be a nice thing to do with their kids and grandkids.  They all raced together for Dick and his wife's fiftieth (!!!!) wedding anniversary, and then she decided she didn't need to run anymore.  Dick isn't finished.  He is 73, and he is going strong! When I grow up, I want to be like Dick.

Heather and Dick post-run stretch at the Square

Dick is a great example of how running can keep you strong physically and mentally.  That man looks so much younger than his years, and he kept right with us the whole time.  Thanks for talking to us today, Dick.  You inspire us.

All in all, this was a great run.  Heather and I had great conversation, and it was easy to run with her.  All long runs should be so easy!

Pretty soon I'll be tapering for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon Race Series.  I'm running the 8k on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday.  Will you join me by clicking here to register or volunteer?  I'm looking forward to seeing you!

Until then, run happy, Peeps!

Like what you see?  Follow me on Twitter @itibrout!

And the Winner Is. . .

Thanks so much for your comments on the blog and on Twitter this week, Peeps!  I'm so grateful to you for reading my posts each week and following me on my journey, and I'm so grateful to the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon for allowing me to be a Cleveland Marathon Ambassador.  Check further in the post for the winner of this week's giveaway.

After a lot of thought about what happened to me at the race last week, I decided that I was just going to monitor my situation. . . literally.  I poured through pages of data from my heart monitor to find the last time I had a similar episode, and I realized that it was in the middle of a trail run and I was lacking fuel. I think that this time I went out way too fast, and that is what triggered my reaction.  I am going to wear the heart rate monitor for my next race, which is probably going to be the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon 8k.  If all goes well, I'm good to go for the half marathon the next day.

Looking forward to that 13.1!

Today I went running with Mandy.  We did the Covered Bridge Loop in the Valley.  It was soooo cold, but I really enjoyed the run.  Mandy is coming back from shin splints, so we took it nice and easy.  The route has a few hills in the middle miles, and then it is nice and flat.  In the middle of it, we encountered the Mother Runners, who were doing 40k or something crazy like that.

I call this shot "Oh, Mandy." 

Mandy finished after eight miles, and I kept going for two more.  Ten miles really makes it a good day for me.

Tonight my family is taking me out for dinner for my birthday (which is on Tuesday), and they are being extra nice to me.  I figure I can milk this for about a week since we can't actually celebrate on my birthday.  What did my husband get me?  Stay tuned to find out.

Well, here it is, the great reveal.  The winner of one race entry for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon is


Nina D!

Congratulations, Nina!  I will contact you through email, and when you respond I will send you the entry code.

Didn't get lucky this week?  No worry, there is still one more week left in Cleveland Marathon Ambassador Giveaway.  Check here for the list of Ambassadors.  Of course, you still have plenty of time to register for your favorite race, OR you can click here to share in the fun by volunteering.

Join me, Peeps!  I'm looking to have tons of fun!  Until then, run happy, Peeps!

Like what you read? Follow me on Twitter @itibrout!

Ambassador of the Week!

Next week is my birthday! How old, you ask?  I'm 98.  Thanks for asking.

This is EXACTLY how I look on my birthday.

Just kidding. This is ACTUALLY how I look.  Just not on my birthday.

To celebrate, I want to give YOU something, Peeps.  The Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon has made it possible for me to give away an entry for any one race in the series. This means you can choose from the 5k, 8k, 10k, Half Marathon, and Marathon. Pay attention to this next part, Peeps: If you already bought a race entry, I can't reimburse you, and I can't give you an entry into the whole series, just one race. Details for entry are at the bottom of this post.

I originally was going to post some bio info about me, since there may be some new readers this week, but something happened to me, and I want to know if it ever happened to you, too.

Saturday I ran my first race of the year, the Hop for Hope 10k in Peninsula.  I LOVE 10Ks.  The year I ran the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon was freakin' SWEET(Click here to read about it).  I hadn't signed up for any races before Cleveland, yet I've been in real training for the half in May.   This is a first for me as I usually just run a lot, as fast as I can.  Hey, I do yoga and strength training, too.  Ok, I know I'm not smart.  Anyway, I've been putting in more miles and doing concentrated speed work by the book, and I wanted to know if it would pay off.

The weather was perfect for my running today--40-ish but feeling like 30-ish.  I run faster in colder weather.  The race was in my 'hood, so I could get more rest before leaving the house.  I watched my diet and my hydration. . . yadda yadda yadda.  This was supposed to be my race.

This is EXACTLY how I thought I would look in the race.

This is EXACTLY how I looked in the race.

The siren went off, along with some fireworks (!), and I took off like a shot.  It took me about half a mile to calm down to what I thought was a reasonable pace.  Suddenly, in mile 2, I started feeling faint and nauseous, and my vision was blurrier than usual.  My heart was palpitating, and I had trouble breathing.  Now, I wasn't wearing my heart monitor, but the last time this happened to me was during a training run, and later I checked the data and noticed that at that moment my heart rate had shot up to 245 bpm.  WTF.  I knew what I had to do, but I was disappointed.  I had to switch to running for two minutes and walking for one, something I have NEVER done in my life.  I have never resorted to walking during a road race (except occasionally through the water line, but if I'm being serious at the race, I don't stop for the water).

Ok, I'm not a sloth, but you'll notice my time is about the same as the sloth's.

I was able to come back in the last two miles, but at that point my race was over. I had the WORST. FINISH TIME. EVER.  I just don't get it: I did everything I was supposed to do, and yet I had a sucky race.

I have always thought that a "sucky race" meant that I didn't make my goal time.  I've never had this experience where, for no apparent reason, I feel like I can't even finish the race.  Has this ever happened to you?  Did you cut back on training (my husband's stupid suggestion) or did you just keep on keeping on?  I'm curious to know, Peeps.

Well, I'm also curious to know who is going to win this giveaway!  To enter, click the Rafflecopter and follow the instructions.  May the luckiest runner win!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Don't feel like taking your chances in the drawing?  No worries, you can register right here.  Don't want to run, but you want to share the fun and excitement?  Click here to be a volunteer!  We LOVE volunteers--they are the icing on our cake.  Our runner's cake.  Of pain. Ummm. . . That didn't come out the way I intended.  Until you join me in Cleveland, run happy, Peeps!

Like what you read?  Follow me on Twitter @itibrout!