Double Secret Easter Egg: My Complicated Feelings about Akron

1. I started running because I live on the (old) Blue Line, and for years I would watch the runners come by as I sipped my coffee and hated myself. I started running so that I could run that exact stretch that went by my house.

This is EXACTLY how I look finally running that Blue Line!

2. The Akron Marathon was my first marathon, and it was a wonderful experience. You never forget your first, and I was lucky that the conditions were the best they could be.

Coming into the chute for my first marathon. Notice Andrew in the blue. He tried to hand me a beer, but I wasn't having it.

3. The first year I ran the Akron Marathon, the RD took away the iconic jackets, and I received a long sleeved tech tee. . . like every half marathoner. Not to be too dramatic, but I was devastated. I talked to a member of the race committee about it and tagged Akron Marathon on social media to discuss this issue. The Marathon ignored my tags, and the committee member told me that runners actually said they would PREFER A SHIRT TO A JACKET. I am calling shenanigans on that one.



4. Each year, the RD tweaks the race, which is to be expected; however, those tweaks tend to make the race less enjoyable for slower runners, like me. In addition, the RD has sent some tone-deaf social media posts that I (and other runners like me) found disheartening and insulting.  I recently listened to a podcast that featured the RD, and through his interview I realized that runners who are not elites or sub-elites are not really on his radar. It's not that he deliberately ignores or looks down on runners like me; we just aren't there in his mind. This is obviously my problem to get over, not his, as he is a successful RD, and I am. . .a successful teacher who runs a lot.



This is EXACTLY how I look as a successful teacher who runs a lot.



5. This year, the course started at Stan Hywet Hall, and it started a half hour later than normal. This meant that the beginning of the course would be in the West Akron neighborhoods (usually at the back end),in the shade with lots of crowd support, and the back part would be in full sun on the boardwalk part of the Towpath in East Akron. Runners were expected to take a shuttle from downtown Akron to Stan Hywet. These recent changes caused me to lose my freaking mind with worry over shuttles and bathrooms. A race that I had loved for years and years was now causing me undue panic and anxiety. I feared that my only alternative would be to drop the race, but that idea was hurtful as I had run the race for so many years. I signed up and tried to be positive about it, but if you know me, you know that my "positive" includes a lot of fretting.


Ok, you've read my background information. Wow! You are persistent!  The obvious thought most of you are having must be this:

Get over yourself. Seriously. If you have this much trouble with the race. . . don't run it. Just shut up and let it go.  Well . . .

I can't. I'm not wired that way.

Although I can name my demons, and I have daily conversations with them while I walk them about on leashes, I can't actually make them disappear.  It's one of my little "quirks" that my friends tolerate. You don't have to tolerate the demons; they are not in your head. I hope you tolerate the quirks.  Also, YOU are the one who opened this Easter egg! Why are you here if you don't enjoy my neuroses??????

This is. . .not exactly how my demons look. My demons are chubbier and far less artistic.

Carry on to the race review, Peeps.

Race Recap: Akron Marathon

It wasn't a PR. There. I said it. I've been brooding this weekend, and I've confessed it. The weather was PERFECT. The conditions were PERFECT.  I had TONS of support on the course. I didn't PR.


I took a personal day on Friday to go to the Expo. I know from experience that I should not be around anyone the day before a big race. I told my students right up front: I'll be crying and rocking in the fetal position for most of the day. You do NOT want to see this, so you will be happy to have a substitute teacher on that day. My students are wonderful kids, really, so they were very understanding about the whole thing. My own kids know the deal; they just made sure to steer clear of me that day.


I worked the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon booth at the Expo from 11-1ish. It was great to see all my friends and represent a race series that I love. I'm still mad that Ralph Staph, Race Director for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, didn't bring me a Frappuccino when I asked for it. Am I worth NOTHING????

Working it! #CleveMarathonAmbassador

I did get a prime picture with Zippy, the Akron Zips Mascot.

I also got my traditional 26.2 picture, courtesy of my friend Nick. You remember him; he was a pirate at the Burning River aid station.

And of course it isn't real until you see your name on the car outside the expo:

I spent the evening trying to relax, while eating everything in the house. Hey. I eat when I'm stressed. Actually, I eat when I'm not stressed, too.

The next morning was great! I got to say Good Luck to all my friends before getting in the corral.  We took lots of pictures.

Kelly, Me, Marta. We are excited because it is Kelly's first marathon.

I'm pretending that I'm not edgy or irritated or nervous. Or bloated.

The first 19 miles felt amazing, really. I was ahead of my desired pace by about 30 seconds per mile, and even though I told myself to slow down a bit, I really didn't want to, and I felt like I could handle it. I had started with the 4:40 pacer, and I left her because I didn't want to fight the crowd around her, and I felt so good.

You all know that this was a mistake, right?

I saw my friend Rob at the 16 mile marker, and I saw my friends Bees for Mary Relay Team at the various relay exchanges. I was still feeling great when I approached the designated meeting point to see The Kabyle Chef, Butterbean, and Punkin. I voice-texted Punkin, telling her that I had about two miles until the rendezvous, and then I realized that I miscalculated, and the rendezvous was straight ahead. Whoops.

This really bugged me, but I knew it was my own fault, and I tried to let go of the fact that I wouldn't see my family where I needed them. . . when I saw them! They had scrambled ahead, following the Blue Line until they could figure out how to intercept me!  What a great family.  I sobbed, of course.

Now, this is where I should have picked up the pace because I saw one friend after another, but I just couldn't do it. I was in so much pain, and for the first time ever, I could feel my quads seizing up.  I slowed down, and then I started walking. That is where I saw Pam and Steve. You know them; Pam is a Cleveland Marathon Ambassador, and Steve is a Pacer. They were riding their bikes, and they yelled to me to stop walking and go catch the 4:40 pacer (who had just left me in the dust). I shuffled along until I was suddenly attacked by a giant fox!!

OMG. WTF is that????

The Trail Sisters had stationed themselves at mile 22ish to cheer us on. They are amazing, right?

I passed Rob again going towards Heartbreak Hill. Just as I was contemplating walking the hill, I saw Kathy by the side of the road. I haven't seen her in at least 3 years! She told me that she came to that specific point to see me take the hill. I was so happy to see her that I remembered that I was supposed to make the hill my bitch. . .and so I did.

I was still going super-slowly, and I was in a lot of pain. When I made the turn onto Market Street, which is the start of the last 2 miles, I didn't even care. If the SAG wagon had approached me at that point,  I would have ditched the whole race. I sped up as much as I could on the downhill to make up for lost time, but then I started walking the uphill again when a young girl passed me, turned around and said, "Come on! You passed me on Heartbreak Hill, and you think you are gonna walk THIS?" She was right, so I started shuffling along again, and I managed to cut thirty seconds off that mile.

Coming into the stadium felt great, and I was able to give it a little kick, but I knew that it wasn't a PR, and I was pretty disappointed. I had time to stretch, rehydrate, refuel, collapse, and then find Marta. After taking post race pics with my friends, we moved the party to Lockview, where I ate all the grilled cheese and tater tots I could hold.

Me, Nick (the Pirate), and Marta. You be the judge: Am I laughing or crying here?

I had some time to process this race. I realize that I should have started more slowly than I did--15 more seconds per mile in the first 15 miles would have helped. I realize that I never lost the weight I intended to lose before the race (there is that number 15 again). Could I have controlled both of these factors? Yes. Did I ? No. But.  I trained really well with the right balance of miles, strength training, and swimming. I finished that baby, and though my time was not a PR, it was a course record for me--by 5 whole minutes! I think that I will take it.

I'm so grateful to all the volunteers at this race. They were always loud, cheerful, and fun. I'm also grateful to all of my friends who helped me through this long training cycle and my friends who cheered for me on the course. You all are wonderful; I love you.

As for you, Akron Marathon, next year I will conquer your hills and come back with a shiny, new PR!

Peeps, I hope that while I am hobbling along and soaking in Epsom Salts to recover, you will be running happy!

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

Starting My New (Old) Routine

It's back to school time! While parents around the United States are singing the "Hallelujah Chorus," I'm buying a phone jail for my classroom so that I don't have to compete with "Fortnite" in the classroom.

Hey, Teacher: Did you REALLY think I was gonna read that short story?

Part of my back-to-school routine is switching up my regular running times and routes. During the summer, I am able to run whenever I get up in the morning, and my distances can vary between 5 miles and 10 miles, depending on how I feel that day. Now that I'm back to school, I have to get in all my miles before 5:30 AM. This makes my marathon training a little more challenging but still doable. I just have to adjust my wake up time to 4:20 AM. Here is my typical school year running routine:

Monday: yoga and possibly 1-2 miles of walking to warm up. Possible 2.5-3 miles of brisk walking in the evening during kids' Taekwon Do classes.

Tuesday: 4-5 miles on roads. Possible 2.5-3 miles of brisk walking in the evening during kids' Taekwon Do classes.

Wednesday: 4-6 miles on roads (6 if I get out of the house early enough and I do intervals or a tempo run)

Thursday: 4 miles on roads; 5 trail miles with Crooked River Trail Runners in the evening

Friday: Strength training and possibly 1-2 miles of walking to warm up

Saturday: 4-6 miles on Sand Run after housecleaning. If I'm too exhausted, 4-6 miles of alternating running and walking on the treadmill while watching Parks and Rec.

Saturday Evening: Do something to potentially mess up your long run the next morning.

Marta and I get our boogie on at the Silent Disco at PorchRokr Festival

Sunday: Long run leading up to 20 miles.

This Sunday I ran 16 miles on the Towpath with Marta, Pam, Steve, and Kelly. I was worried that I would struggle through this run because it's been about 3 weeks since I've run more than 10 miles, but I really enjoyed it!

Kelly, Me, Pam, Marta

Routines are really important to me because they give me something to hold onto when my schedule gets crazy (and it will). It's reassuring to me to know that I can still be confident when I run that Blue Line for the Akron Marathon because I will be prepared.

How do you deal with your work schedule and your running? Do you have to change it up during the year?

However/whenever you run, I hope you run happy, Peeps!

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

20 Miles on the Blue Line

I did it! 20 Miles on the Blue Line--13 of them with Marta, Angie, and Jeanine, and the remaining 7 by myself. Without crying. Without music. I f--ing did it.

In the past two weeks I've gone back to school (officially--I actually started work two weeks before that), figured out my kids' schedules with school and marching band (hell, basically), continued my training in the best way I could, and lost a LOT of sleep.

This is EXACTLY how I look before teaching first period each day.

This getting up at 4:30 is for the birds.

Nevertheless, I persist, and slowly but surely I am starting to get back in the swing of things.

This Saturday was the big 20 miler before the Akron Marathon. It's called the Blue Line Run, and Vertical Runner and NEOFit sponsor it. About 300 runners meet at 7AM to run 20 miles of the marathon route or 12 miles of the half marathon route. It's a great event, and it's completely free.

This is a partial picture of the runners before the run. Do you see me?

Marta and I found each other right away and took a selfie while we were still alive and pretty.

The weather was perfect; it started in the 50's and by the time I finished it was about 70 degrees. It was definitely better than last year's run.

Marta and I ran with Angie and Jeanine, and I saw lots of peeps along the way. Everybody looked strong and happy.

Here we are looking strong and happy.

After 13 miles, Marta peeled off to finish on the trails, and I continued on alone because I was afraid I would lose my will to live. The run started in front of Canal Park, and the 12 mile water stop was in the starting place. From there I moved to W. Market St. and then down Merriman to look at the gorgeous houses. I was pretty much alone most of the time because I am not the swiftest distance runner, but I did run with a Kent State professor that everyone (except me) seemed to know. He was older than me, but he was kicking my ass all the way down Merriman.

On the way back to downtown Akron, I ran through a Pride parade in Highland Square and a Pokemon Go tournament around Cascade Plaza. How great is it that on a Saturday morning in late August there were three separate events going on to involve diverse interests? I am truly happy to live here.

The water stops were at miles 6.5, 12, and 17, and I was grateful for each one. Thank you to NEOFit and Vertical Runner for supplying water, Powerade, gels, and Swedish Fish!  At the mile 17 stop, I joked that I was hoping to get hit by a car so I wouldn't have to finish the run, but the fact is that I felt so much better at that stop than I had last year. I think much of it had to do with the weather, but I would like to believe that my training has paid off.  Last year I felt defeated after the Blue Line--like I would not be capable of running 6.2 more miles--but this time I was tired, but I knew I could do this. It may and probably will hurt, but I can finish.

Victory is mine! The end of the Blue Line and I am still alive.

I was pretty wrecked for the rest of the day because I had not slept much all week, so I recovered in the best way possible:

This is EXACTLY how I recover from the Blue Line!

I'm not gonna lie; there may have been some Pumking and pizza involved that day, too.

I'm pretty proud of myself. I finished this run without drama, and I feel good. I think my training has been very good so far, and now I just have to trust that I put in the miles and the hard work.

I have four weeks until the marathon, which is a little too long to taper. Next week I will run the Leave No Trace Half Marathon and the week after will be my last long run before the taper. Will we all survive the taper? Stay tuned to find out!

Will you join me at the Akron Marathon? How will you handle the extra week before taper? No matter what you do, I hope you run happy, Peeps!

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

Hills and More Hills

I had a dilemma:

I had 18 miles to cover on Sunday, and it looked like I was going to run them alone until. . . Rachel came along. Rachel is another Cleveland Marathon Ambassador; you can check her out here.

What a happy coincidence that Rachel had to run 18 miles, too. . . except she wanted to start at 7:00 AM.  In Chagrin Falls, which is 40 minutes away from my house.

This is EXACTLY how I feel when I realize I need to get up before 5 AM to be ready for a long run on my day off.

At first I said no, but after watching Moana with my kids, I decided to call it an early night, and I told Rachel I'd meet her in the wee hours of the morning.

We did two loops of 9 miles. I liked the idea of doing these loops because it wasn't the same loop, and I got to stop by my car to eat a banana and consider a wardrobe change (which I didn't need after all). The hard part (besides getting up so early) was that both loops were ALL HILLS.  SO. MANY. HILLS.

This is EXACTLY how the hills looked.  Maybe.

It was so pretty running through Hunting Valley, and we decided to take some pictures of the river.

My morning view

It's difficult to find a good running partner without too much adjustment. There is so much to think about: pace, personality, stamina, training needs. I was really lucky because Rachel and I seemed to mesh pretty well, and we stayed strong for the full 18 miles of freaking hills. I'm really glad I gave the 7 AM call a chance.

We look pretty good for being about 6 miles from the finish.

Because I was on Spring Break, I put in some good miles this week. I actually got a nine-miler in midweek by running part of the Blue Line in reverse. It was a great way to shake up the routine. I ran 40 miles, and I'm still alive and thriving.  Not bad at all. Maybe I'll be ok in this marathon after all.

Will you join me, Peeps?  Register here for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon.  I promise we will have fun! Until then, run happy, Peeps!

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

Blue Line 20 Miler!

The moment I have been dreading anticipating had finally arrived this morning: my first 20 mile training run.  I saved this moment for the Vertical Runner/NEOFit Blue Line Run, an annual tradition in Akron where about 300 runners follow a shortened version of the Akron Half or Full Marathon by running the Blue Line painted on the course.

It is literally a blue line painted throughout Akron.

It is really a wonderful event.  Vertical Runner raffles an entry to the Akron Marathon, and NEOFit mans the fluid stations on the course, and it's all free!

I was nervous about this run because the longest run I had done previous to it was 17 miles.  I thought I would feel confident after completing the Ragnar WV Trail Relay, but actually I felt worse because I was worried that I might have jacked up my foot on the trail.  Plus, I had the most exhausting week EVER: three open houses + my daughter's first football game in the marching band.  I didn't go to the game, but I waited up until she got home around midnight.  I don't think I got more than four hours of sleep on any given night this week.  All of these factors combined made for a very anxious Stephani this morning at 7:00.

Do you see me in this picture?  You shouldn't because somehow I missed the photo-opp.

I ran with Shelby and Sydney for the first ten miles.  We took it nice and slow, stopping to fuel at the first NEOFit aid station at 6.5 miles.  We kept up our predicted marathon pace for a while, and at mile 10 Sydney decided to drop back.

Honestly, I felt great up until mile 15; then I started aching, and I could feel a lot chafing in areas where you really don't want to feel anything at all.  It was hot, and the hills were starting.  Shelby could sense that I was shutting down, so she tried to distract me by talking about food, which normally works.  This time, though, I just couldn't concentrate enough to talk or even think about anything.  I needed to "go dark," which is my way of shutting down and concentrating on my breathing and my body.  I told Shelby what I was doing, and luckily she understood.  I just concentrated on making it to the mile 17 aid station, where I would allow myself to fuel and stretch.

One of my goals for the marathon is to only walk during fueling, and today I failed.  There were three short hills in miles 16, 18, and 19 where I just needed to walk a bit.  In mile 16 I needed to stretch my hamstrings, so I walked to take long strides. In miles 18 and 19 I was in a lot of pain and I needed to take some walking breaks.  None of them lasted more than a quarter mile, but there it is.

We finished twenty miles in 3:35:54.  Not bad, really.  I felt terrible when we finished--dizzy, lots of pain in my calves and my chafing areas.  Shelby and I stretched while I drank a protein shake, and then we celebrated with a selfie:

Post 20 miler on the Blue Line with Shelby. Everything hurts and I'm dying. @akronmarathon @verticalrunner03 #akrun

A photo posted by Stephani Itibrout (@itibrout) on Aug 27, 2016 at 9:28am PDT

I would like to say that this run gave me a lot of confidence for the marathon, but it really hasn't.  The whole day I've been wondering how I can possibly do SIX-POINT-TWO MORE MILES than I did today.  Shelby reminded me that the weather will be much better at the end of September, and it is true that my runs are pretty much bound by the weather.  The responses to my social media posts have also shown me that others (who are much more experienced than I am) were in just as much pain, so maybe it isn't just me, and maybe this is a typical experience.  If so, I hope it bodes well for the marathon.

I have spent the day alternating between moving around and resting:

Recovery from my first 20 miler with my @bondi_band compression socks. Want some of your own? Discount with my code TroubleRun.

A photo posted by Stephani Itibrout (@itibrout) on Aug 27, 2016 at 9:23am PDT

And I finished my day with a dirty martini:




I'd like to thank Vertical Runner and NEOFit for a great event.  The volunteers were so great, and the water was cold! Now I'm going to "go dark" and stop analyzing everything I do. I've got four weeks until the race, and I will continue to do my best to train for it.

Until then, run happy, Peeps!

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

Going Long

This week my long run was supposed to be 14 miles.  I was worried because I've already done 16, and there was no buffer zone in my training between that 16 and the 20 miler I have planned in three weeks.  This is because I'm running leg 7 of the Burning River relay (16.1 trail miles) this weekend and 3 sets of 10 trail miles for the Ragnar Trail Appalachians race the following week.

It was Shelby's week to plan, and she had the brilliant idea to run the back half of the Akron Marathon, since I have never run that part of the course. She told me that she added in a tiny bit so we could hit 14 miles, and I was really grateful. . .

Until we hit 14 miles. . .

And we were a LONG way from our cars.

WHAT?????

This is EXACTLY how I look when I realize we are far away from our cars.

Needless to say, I got my buffer zone. . . right in the ass.  We ran 17 miles when I was really only mentally prepared for 14 or so.  One part of me is pleased as punch because A) I ran more than 16 miles, as I originally wanted to do, and B) I was able to pull it out when I wasn't at my prime mentally.  Shelby is a big help with that; she is really good at shrugging her shoulders and sucking it up, and that is what we did.

Had I realized earlier on that we were going to run 17 miles, I would have fueled differently, and that would have made a big difference in my attitude, but guess what?  I DID IT ANYWAY.

This is EXACTLY how Shelby and I look after 17 miles in extremely hot, muggy weather.
We even still like each other here!

I gotta give a shout-out to BondiBand.  I wear their headbands for every run because I sweat like a pig (even though pigs don't sweat) even in the coldest weather.  This run would have been intolerable without a BondiBand to keep the sweat from my eyes.  If you want to order your own BondiBand products (think compression-wear, too), check out their website and use my code (TroubleRun) to get a 10% discount.

Until then, run happy, Peeps!

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

Running in the Snow. . . in Spring

It's the first day of Spring.

Yay Spring!

Oh, wait. . .

Yay. . .Spring?

That's right--it snowed just in time for my Spring Break, and the forecast isn't looking wonderful for this week.  As soon as I go back to work, it will be sunny and warm.  You're welcome.

Nevertheless, I ran ten miles with Shelby this morning.  We did the old Blue Line loop that I love so much.  We start in Sand Run Park for three miles, follow the Blue Line up Revere Rd. and around Route 18 to Wheaton Rd.  The line continues east towards Akron and then ends with 1 1/2 miles downhill on Merriman and Portage Path.  I love running past the beautiful mansions, including Stan Hywet Hall,  on Merriman Rd., but I can't help wondering who has to clean those houses?

This is my summer home.  Just kidding, it's really Stan Hywet Hall in Akron.

The training is going really well.  I have been sticking to my routine: one day of intervals, one day of tempo run, one long run, one day to run whatever I want, and a minimum of some walking time on the treadmill on Saturdays.  I was exhausted last week, but I think that had more to do with the time change and the week before Spring Break.  I hope to catch up on my sleep this week, although when I look at my to-do list,  I wonder when I'll be sleeping:

1. Get as far ahead as possible in the graduate course I've just started
2. Finish grading
3. Prepare for my daughter's birthday
4. Run MORE!

One last thing: Tomorrow is yoga day.  Wanna see my routine? This is EXACTLY how I look when I yoga:

Yoga for Bboys :D :D :D
Posted by Streetdance-Connection on Tuesday, March 15, 2016

What are your goals this week, Peeps?  We are getting close to the Cleveland Marathon, and the Challenge Series deadline has been extended.  Will you make that one of your goals?  Join me by registering here, and we'll do it together!  Until then, run happy, Peeps!

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

Training is Confusing

I am a bookworm and a geek.  I love learning stuff, and the first place I go when I want to learn is a book.  It makes sense, then, that when I decided to register for

My first marathon (!!!)

I borrowed a bunch of books from the library.

I'm a bit crazy driven and these books are confusing!

That's right, Peeps, I pulled the trigger and registered for the Akron Marathon.  Ever since the running bug bit me in the ankles after my first half marathon, I've always known that one day I would run a full marathon.  Although there was much pressure from my fellow Cleveland Marathon Ambassadors to make the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon my first, I know that I won't be able to handle the training at this time of year.  It breaks my heart that I can't do it then because I love Cleveland's course and support, but there is some poetic justice in making Akron my first since it was my first half marathon and I live on the Blue Line of the old course.

Before I move on, I just need to get something out of my system.  For years I have seen runners around my neighborhood sporting the snazzy jacket given for running the Akron full.  When I started running, I craved that jacket.  It is an object of envy; it tells everyone that you were able to go the distance.  

Look at the jackets.  I WANT THE JACKET, AKRON MARATHON!

Unfortunately, those of us who are making the leap to the full marathon will not have a jacket to show for it this year.  The organizers decided to give a long-sleeve tech tee this year.  Just like the half marathoners get every year.  When some friends and I questioned a rep on the Akron Marathon Facebook page, the answer was that in post-race surveys most runners said they prefer a long sleeve shirt to the jacket.  Really?  I call shenanigans.  Akron, get your act together.  We want the freakin' jacket as our swag.  I have enough shirts.

Ok, back to the books.

Don't they look cute on my UAkron blankie?

After reading and comparing them, I've decided that I'm DEFINITELY not doing the Hanson's Method.  That is some crazy stuff right there.  Just. No.

Beyond that, I'm not really certain which training program I'll use.  I found one online that I like, too. What I'm grateful for is that at least three of these books gave me consistent training and racing paces, so I suppose I can cobble together a plan for myself using pieces of the programs I like.  

My most important takeaway from all the books together (combined with my new heart rate monitor): I've got to stop running like a bat outta hell for every single run.  There is a time and a place, and recovery is just as important as speed.  I've applied this lesson using my heart rate monitor since Christmas, and I think it's going to do me some good.  If I don't smash the stupid thing first.

Anyway, my first main training goal will be for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon Series.  I'm running the 8k and the Half, and I'm going to train smart to do it.  Will you join me, Peeps?  Check out the #CLEMarathon Ambassadors for giveaways (mine will be in a month or so) or sign up now.  We'll have a beer together after the race.  Until then, run happy, Peeps!

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

Blue Line Training Run

After an exhausting week at school, I dragged my butt out of bed at 5 am on Saturday to prepare for the Blue Line Run, hosted by Vertical Runner.  This is an annual free event in which runners practice for the Akron Marathon and Half Marathon by running 12 or 20 miles.  The Blue Line is literally a blue line painted on the roads to show runners the route.  This year there were about 400 or so runners who showed up at 7 am for a fun morning of running and socializing.

Group shot (well, what the photographer could fit in).  Can you see me?  NO??
Photo Credit: Christy Wilmoth

TORN Peeps before the run.  Can you see me now?

We started our run by leaving downtown and crossing the Y-Bridge.  I'm sure the drivers were not pleased to see hundreds of runners crowding the bridge, sidewalks, and streets.

Coming across the Y-Bridge.
Photo Credit:  Jim Blake

The routes for the marathon and half-marathon are completely changed from last year.  I ran the half-marathon route, and I'm TORN (see what I did there?) about my feelings for it.  There are some hills, more like inclines, which are kind of nice to break up the run, especially since there are downhills after every hill.  I felt like I got through the course pretty quickly because I wasn't bored.  On the other hand, there isn't much to see in the first nine miles.  I hope there are bands in some of the more secluded areas because I don't think there will be much crowd support.  The full marathoners said that they liked the second half of the route because it was in residential areas, and our Akronites on the Blue Line know how to throw a PARTY.  I just wish I could see it.  Well, maybe next year when I train for the full. . .

There were photographers along the route--how nice is that?  For once I was able to see pictures of myself running.

Photo Credit: Christy Wilmoth

Me, Mandy, and Joy.  See the Blue Line?
Photo Credit:  Joseph Kiggans

I put the smack down on Mandy and Joy: I told them there would be NO sub-10 minute miles on this practice run.  I wanted to slow down, relax, and enjoy, and we did just that.  I saw so many of my friends:

Shelby and Elizabeth are training for the full.  It's Shelby's first road marathon!
Photo Credit: Christy Wilmoth

Debi Glinsek, who is my hero.  I don't know how many marathons and ultras she's run.
Photo Credit: Christy Wilmoth

Since our cold snap last week, I've rediscovered my pace and my endurance.  Last Tuesday morning it was in the 50s, and I was finally able to run sub 9:30 miles without wanting to die.  Thank God.  It was the heat and the humidity.  This week is supposed to be in the 90s and humid, but I'm not going to panic about it.  Now that I know I haven't lost my mojo, I'm just going to stay the course.  I may or may not PR this year, but I'm going to give it my best shot.

I've got two 5Ks to run before Akron: the Natatorium 5K, in which I will attempt a PR, and the Race with Grace, which I will NOT attempt to PR because I will run it with my husband.  That's right--I signed my husband up for his first 5K!  I'm so excited to run it with him!

This morning he and I ran an easy three miles after breakfast, and although he hasn't trained in over a month, I think he'll do fine.  By doing fine I mean that he will not stop running and he will not drop dead of a heart attack.  Please, God, I can't take any more heart attacks.

Were you on the Blue Line?  What did you think of the course?

Run Happy, Peeps!

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

Comeback?

So, I have been whining about my summer from hell.  In a nutshell, it involved an unwelcome guest in my house (for a month!), my father's heart transplant and death, my son's emergency appendectomy, my sickness (antibiotics!), and my son's sickness (no antibiotics, just worry).  There actually have been lots of good things that happened this summer (Boston vacation, welcome changes at work), but I have a difficult time being thankful for the good when I feel so overwhelmed with the bad.

Anyway.  This crap in my head has interfered big time with my training.  You know; you've read the posts.  I've done what I could to counteract the negativity in my life: I've set mini-goals in running, I've done some speed and hill work, I've eaten healthily, I've done the strength training and yoga.  These past two weeks I considered getting some outside help, so I saw two different holistic health practitioners.

The first session I had was reflexology, and I got it through Groupon.  Lately, many therapists have used the term to simply mean "foot massage," and while I LOVE a good foot massage, that isn't really what reflexology is supposed to be.

This is a typical "foot map" for a reflexology session.

I was pleasantly surprised that the session I had purchased was a true reflexology session combined with chakra balancing and tuning forks.  I didn't learn anything new--my heart chakra (and almost every other chakra) is blocked; welcome to my life--but if nothing else, the session was relaxing and full of affirmations.

The next week I went to a tuning fork and color therapist.





This therapist also told me that my heart chakra is blocked.  She gave me six different pairs of colored glasses to wear (since then I have learned that many practitioners use colored silks instead of glasses), and she waved tuning forks over me.  I had rushed to this session after work, and I was exhausted, so I kept nodding off and then jerking myself awake because I was in a sitting position.  The therapist told me that she had three images that came from me during the session, and she looked them up in a book, briefly explained each one, and said she would send me more information by email.  I didn't really feel relaxed or positive after this session (lack of sleep, antibiotics, still recovering from throat infection), and I never did receive that email.

Since then, the antibiotics are out of my system, I am no longer nursing a sick child, and the weather has cooled down in the mornings, making my runs a bit more pleasant.  I noticed that on Friday I finally had a run where I felt I could have continued beyond four miles without wanting to die.  My pace has quickened, but I'm definitely not where I used to be.  Today I ran ten miles with Mandy and Shelby, and I had a great time while running at an average pace of 10:20 without really struggling.

So, did anything work?  The answer is. . . I don't know.  There are so many factors involved here that it is difficult to pinpoint one thing that is helping me.

Here is one thing I know:  Visualization techniques are key to success for me.  When I have a goal, I visualize the achievement of that goal.  The reflexology session involved a lot of visualization combined with affirmations, and I liked that.  Sometimes it's good to sharpen your focus when you are going after a goal or dream.

I have some time until the Akron Half Marathon.  Next week is the Blue Line Practice Run, and I plan to enjoy it.  Then I will have three weeks until the race.  I know that last year at this time I was not feeling very positive about my chances of hitting a sub-2 half, and I came VERY CLOSE, so really, anything can happen at this point.  I have some supportive friends, and I am in good health.  This could be a great race!

How do you feel about your next race?  Do you have a time goal?

Until next week, run happy, Peeps!

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

Trust the Taper

This is taper time.  I'd like to say that I'm really embracing it, but the truth is that my week hasn't really been different than other weeks.  I ran two four-milers on Wednesday and Friday, and today I did a long run of ten miles.  I also ran in place for about fifteen minutes before lifting on Thursday, so I count that as a mile.  The only real change I made was to skip my Saturday run and/or walk, which usually was between four and six miles.  Maybe I'm not doing it correctly, but the 2015 Rite Aid Cleveland Half Marathon will be my seventh half marathon, and I've done it this way almost every time.

It's funny (maybe not funny haha) that I post each week about training when the reality probably is that I don't know what the hell I'm doing.  Am I running long enough during the week?  Is my speed run REALLY a speed run?  Are the weights heavy enough when I lift?  Should I be doing those sequences?  Who knows?  I see my esteemed fellow bloggers, and they all seem to have a plan.  My plan is always the same, and it is the mantra I recite while I fist bump whoever starts the race with me (if you are standing next to me in the corral, it might be you!):  No falling, no puking, no dying.  I used to say No Crying, but I think crying is now ok if it's because you are emotionally involved in getting to the finish line.

I do know, however, that I need to hold back this week, even if I feel like I want to run more.  Science says that tapering works, even though every runner I know secretly believes that it will weaken him/her and lead to a more difficult race.  Not true, Peeps.  My coach says the taper should make you feel like a horse, nervous to break out of the corral.  It does.  Oh, it does.

Today I gave myself a treat, and I ran my favorite ten mile loop.  It follows the fading blue line from the old Akron Marathon course through Sand Run Park, around the golf course, up to Highland Square, down Merriman past Stan Hywet Hall, and down, down, down hill back to Sand Run Parkway again.  The first four miles are pretty much uphill, so it is a challenge, but finding this on the path at Mile 1.5 lifted my spirits:

How cool is it to come upon a painting in a metropark?

I stopped long enough to take this picture and then scan the QR code to see what this is all about.  The code led me to Akron Art Museum's Inside/Out Tour.  If you follow the tour, you can find paintings like this all over Akron.  Here is the link to this particular painting.

It has been a long while since I've run this loop, and it gave me plenty to think about: lesson plans, this blog, my family, my career goals, and of course the race coming up this Sunday.  I also thought about how far I have come in strength and pace and overall physical fitness.  I even flashed back to my first blog post, which I composed while running this very loop.  As I ran downhill for the last mile, I felt like I was flying, and as I finished, the rain started.  Perfect timing!

This is EXACTLY how I look after running 10 miles in terrible humidity.  Oh wait. . .

THIS is EXACTLY how I look after running 10 miles in terrible humidity.

UPDATE:  We have a winner for the Gold Jacket 5k free entry!  Congratulations, Lyndsey H!  Check your email.

a Rafflecopter giveaway



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

What Got Me Started

On Thursday morning I did 45 minutes of  a Tae Bo DVD I had bought about eight years ago.  I was amazed at how good it made me feel--especially in the core area.  As I punched, kicked, and jumped, I asked myself why I haven't been doing more Tae Bo lately. . .and I didn't have an answer.

Oh, Billy, I can't quit you.

I remember clearly the day I called the number from the Tae Bo infomercial.  I had decided that enough was enough.  I was tired of being fat and inactive, and I was tired of fooling myself into believing that I "wasn't that big."  The day my new tapes arrived (yes, they were VHS), I sat down with the first video and a bag of fat-free potato chips and watched it.  On the couch.  No movement, except to put the chip to my mouth.  That's how pathetic I was.

But.

I had paid for these tapes, so I intended to use them, and I did.  Everyday.  At first I thought I would die during thirty minutes of exercise, but gradually I was able to increase my fitness and my skills.  Eventually, through exercise and tracking my food choices, I lost about forty pounds.

This is EXACTLY how I look when I do Tae Bo after losing about forty pounds.

Tae Bo was a gateway drug for me.  I moved on to other challenges:  biking, walking, Bhangra dancing.  I loved all of it, but what I really wanted to do was run.

For nine years, I watched runners on the Blue Line run by my house for the Akron Marathon.  Eventually I had two children, and together we would cheer on the runners going by our house.  Each time a runner passed, and there were SO MANY runners, I was envious.  I wanted to be that strong person who was running so far, so fast.

On the tenth year I decided to do something about my jealousy; I joined the Towpath Turtles.  My original goal was to run a three mile leg of the Akron Marathon, but my newfound running club buddies convinced me that I had what it takes to run the half marathon.  And they were right.

I intend to write about the powerful influence of a running club later; today I want to take it back to what got me started, or more precisely, WHO got me started.

It was you, Billy.  If I hadn't ordered those tapes, if I hadn't stopped eating chips so I could try a jump-kick, I would never have been able to run 8.5 miles for FUN this morning.  I would never have run five half marathons and a gazillion other distances since 2011.  I wouldn't be blogging for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, an opportunity that excites me since it combines three of my loves: running, Cleveland's funky neighborhoods, and writing.

I look forward to sharing my journey with you.  I promise you that while I may take a few stutter steps now and then, I will NEVER go back to being that person sitting on the couch eating chips and watching exercise videos.  I have gained so much; I intend to continue forward.

This is EXACTLY how I look when I vow to continue to move forward.

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

Blue Line Test Run

I voluntarily woke up at 4:45 am on a Saturday to run the Akron Blue Line with a couple hundred crazy runners.  The Blue Line Training Run is a free event sponsored by Vertical Runner where runners can check out part of the course for the Akron Marathon and Half Marathon.  Other contributors were Northeast Ohio Fit, the Towpath Turtles, YMCA Marathon 101, and New Balance.  Thanks to these sponsors, runners had aid stations with water, Gatorade, and PowerBar Gels along the mapped out 12- and 20-mile routes, as well as goody bags with PowerBars.  Some lucky ducks even got free socks!

Runners starting to gather for the start.  I am in the bottom left corner in the pink shorts.  Photo credit:  Vertical Runner

David and I meet up at the beginning. 

I didn't get to run this event last year because of my broken foot, but I did run the aid station for the Towpath Turtles, which you can read about here.  I was so excited to run with my peeps: Joy, Mandy, Carrie, and Renee.  Even the sucky weather (soooo hot and muggy) couldn't keep us from having a great time.

I'm not gonna lie:  it wasn't easy.  I thought I was going to have a leisurely run through Akron, but the  Badasses I run with had different ideas.  I was just happy to be able to hang with them (even though, as I reminded them, I am MUCH older than all of them).  I definitely dropped back in the last mile and a half, but I am ok with that.

PreRun Fuel:  Panera Blueberry Bagel and cream cheese, coffee with Thin Mint creamer, water

Fuel during Run:  Chocolate Outrage GU (1).  I probably should have taken a second around mile 9 or 10.  Lots of water.

Post Run Fuel:  1/2 cup milk with two tablespoons Carnation Instant Breakfast Drink, fried egg and cheese sandwich, 1/2 avocado, 1/2 tomato, spinach, 3 radishes.

Right now I am starving.

The Blue Line Training Run is one of the big events that make Akron such a great place to live.  I love that our local running stores are so involved in the community, and I especially love that we have such a large and supportive running community.  Everywhere I turned, I saw runners talking, laughing, and encouraging each other.  While it wasn't the easy run I envisioned, it was definitely a great time.  AND. . . I treated myself to this medal as a reward for last week's tempo run from hell and this week's test run.

Two tough twelve milers = 1 Tardis medal!

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