New Year, New Me?

Happy 2016, Peeps!  This is the moment where, ten days into the new year, we are all deciding whether making those goals while under the influence of bad champagne and pork and sauerkraut was a stupid idea or just freaking brilliant.  I dunno.  I tend to make goals all the time, so I'm not going to say that the new year was vastly different for me.  Let's review last year's goals:

1.  Run at least 1,100 miles.  Result: Yes!  I think it was 1156.

2.  Run a sub-2-hour half marathon.  Result: No.  I did worse at the Akron Half Marathon this year than I did last year.  Ok, it was worse by about 20 seconds, AND the course was way tougher, but still.  Fail.

3. Race Blogging: I was shooting for Akron, Cleveland, and Hot Chocolate.  Akron never contacted me, and I decided not to do Hot Chocolate this year, but I did have some great bonuses.

Bonus #1: I blogged for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Race Series, and it was a fun experience.  Jim Chaney, race director of the series, is an incredible guy (read my post about him here), and I thank him for the opportunity to pick his brain about what goes on behind the scenes of a race.

Bonus #2: I was so happy to be a #RunCLE Ambassador this year.  I met some amazing people (who are also amazing runners), and I learned a lot from them.

PR shot at the VIP Reception for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon.  We clean up!

Our first meeting.  In a bar, of course.

Before the race.  We were already wilting in the heat.

This year, I am proud and excited to announce that I will again be #RunCLE Ambassador for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, AND I am lucky enough to be a part of their new race series.  As of right now, I have decided to run the 8k/Half Marathon series.  I would love for Cleveland to be the site of my first full marathon, but the training season for a spring race doesn't work out for me.  Stay tuned to my blog because every week one of the Ambassadors (including me) will be offering a race entry giveaway.  I will post links to each giveaway.  Better yet, follow them on their blogs or social media sites:

Official Ambassadors

• Emily Baumgartner - Blog; @emilyebaum
• Melissa Bixler - Blog; @MBIX66
• Melissa Carney - Blog; @koskim
• Christine Cassar - Blog; @ratherbsweating

• Joe Fell - Blog; @ClevelandJoe
• Jill Gruenwald - Blog; @Jill_Grun
• Andrew Hettinger - Blog; @andrewrunsalot 
• Stephani Itibrout - Blog; @itibrout 
• Jamie Johnston - Blog; Facebook 
• Stephanie Lesco - Blog; @StephPlusFour
• Debi Lantzer - Blog; @DebiL1611
• Jessica McCartney - Blog; @thetamburarunner
• Pam McGowan - Blog; @pam_mcgowan
• Rachel Frutkin - Blog; @running_onhappy
• Doug Picard - Blog; Facebook

4. Extending the long run to 15 miles.  Result:  I didn't do this, but I will have to this year because--Peeps:

2016 is the year of the marathon for Stephani!  

Yep.  I will be running away from trouble and running towards 26.2.  

I have plenty of ideas on how to get there, and I have lots of plans for improving my running and strength.  I won't share all of my plans with you now, but be prepared for some experimentation with doses of runner's high, sweat, and possibly some swear words.  Nothing you haven't seen/heard from me already, right?

My mom sent me this hat.  It lit up until I broke it.  I'm adorable, right?

Until then, run happy, Peeps!

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

Rage Is the Best Motivation

Today was a beautiful Ohio day--50 degrees, sunny.  I was aching to go outside and run, but my husband works on Saturdays, and I can't leave my kids alone if there is a possibility that I can't get back to them quickly.  So, I cleaned my house and I stewed and glanced longingly outside.

This is NOT how 50 degrees looks in Ohio, but for a runner, it's pretty damn close.

I decided to take my kids for haircuts to a modestly-priced, popular chain salon, where I watched a woman butcher my daughter's beautiful curly hair.  I wasn't able to stop her in time to fix the damage.

This is a haircut?  SMH.

I was so angry that I reverted to my very best suppression tactic:  the smile.  As we were waiting for my daughter to finish with the haircut, my son looked at me and said nervously, "Maman, please don't smile.  You're freaking me out."  He knows.

When I got home, I thought I was going to erupt, but I held it together, and thank God my husband came home early from work.  He is a smart man when he chooses to be, and after I told him about our afternoon and I showed him "the haircut," he wisely decided to take the kids out for shopping and dinner while I went for a run.  I do love that man; that is why I have allowed him to live this long.

I haven't been able to run on roads and sidewalks for a few months because the weather has been so treacherous, but today the snow had melted on most of the sidewalks, and I was excited to put my legs through their paces.  I have been running on trails on Sundays, and the massive amounts of snow and ice meant that my pace was usually around the 12-13 minute/mile.  What was particularly difficult for me was that I didn't absolutely know that it was because of the snow or if it was because I lost so much of my training when I was recovering from my broken foot.  Today I decided to push myself, and I'm so glad I did.

My 4.06-mile run today clocked in at 41 minutes, a 10:09 pace, and this included having to walk on occasion when there was ice on the sidewalk.  I am so happy!  I can still run, and I can push myself without snapping the foot in two!

When I came back, I was zoning in my runner's high, and two glasses of wine and some pizza later, I'm still glowing.

I am so lucky.

After all, it could have been my hair.

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

First 6 in 6!

Yesterday, I wined and dined with my husband at a FABULOUS restaurant, Thyme2.  We feasted on duck confit strudel, and we toasted our nineteen years of marriage with a nice Bordeaux.  While eating a pork chop the size of my head, I was contemplating my morning run.

Six miles.  Can I do it?

Weather:  Fresh snow.  25 degrees F, feels like 15 degrees F

Route:  Towpath.  Relatively flat.

Time:  7:30 am

Company:  Three lovely running peeps:  Debi, Deidre, and Amy

I was a little bit apprehensive because I obviously wasn't taking seriously my responsibility to the long run.  I know I should be eating healthfully, not drinking wine.  I know I should go to bed early.  I didn't do any of those things, and I have been having a difficult time getting back my stamina, so I wondered if I actually COULD do those miles.

Guess what?  Mission accomplished!  Not only did I run those miles, I ran them well, and I ran them without music.  A year ago I would not have thought this was a big deal, but after no running or aerobic activity for six months, I wasn't sure I would be able to go this far. . .but I did.  

#truth

I feel really good; the runner's high is back!  Click here to read about my experiences with runner's high.

After my post-run hot chocolate and shower, I taught my daughter to do the Legs-up-the-Wall yoga pose for recovery and relaxation.  Try it!

What do you do to recover from a long run?  If you have had to come back from an injury, how long did it take you to get back to your former fitness level?  Is anyone else craving margaritas, chips, and guacamole right now?  No?  Just me?

Reverse Running Route = Mind Blown!

In theory, I am excited and happy that I can run every day this week (without getting up at 4:30 am) because it is Spring Break.  In reality, I haven't been feeling great on my runs, and I keep thinking that I really HAVE lost my mojo.  I remember reading that switching up your running route can be as simple as running the route in reverse.  Challenge accepted.

This is NOT what I did; this is running in reverse.  I ran a reverse ROUTE.  Aren't you glad I cleared that up?

This morning I took my normal 4:30 am running loop and I ran it in reverse at 7:30.  I strapped on the Garmin and the iPod, but I wouldn't look at the time on the Garmin.  I decided to concentrate on the music (I have private videos that I have made in my head for each song--no, none of them involve porn) and on my breathing.  I still felt like my legs were made of lead, and I started wondering if I need to fuel before my short runs, too, which would REALLY make me feel defeated.  After all, I am not a petite, bird-like, graceful runner, and although I realize that I need to fuel before my long runs, I feel that I should be able to rock a 4-5 miler on just some water.

All of a sudden, the runner's high kicked in.  I straightened up, pulled back my shoulder blades, picked up my knees, and gave a long sigh.  Right away I heard a BEEP; I checked the Garmin and noticed I had hit the two-mile mark.  That's when it hit me:  how could I have forgotten that I usually feel like crap in the first two miles?  Why did I consider that a failure on my part?  I've even BLOGGED about this, for Pete's sake!  Do I not read my own blogs?  I did a quick check at my pace--about ten minutes.  There was a time when I would be ecstatic with this pace. . .but that time was a year ago.  Then it hit me again:  why couldn't I do one mile out of the four at a much faster pace?  Isn't that what intervals are all about?  Duh!  So, I kicked it up for mile three, and then I gave myself permission to slow it down in mile four.

The point is this:  I think running a reverse route gave me a different perspective on my form and strategy.  It made me see my neighborhood in a new way, and it reminded me of lessons I've forgotten from past runs.  Every relationship takes effort and reflection; this includes my relationship with running.

What do you do to renew your relationship with running?

I Love You, Man

Don't walk ahead of me; I may not follow.
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead.
Don't walk next to me either; just leave me the hell alone.


This pretty much sums me up.  The older I get, the more I dislike people.  The people who have known me since I was young are now wondering how it is possible that I can dislike people more than I used to.  I don't have that answer.

It may seem bizarre that I am sharing this with you when my last post was about the joys of running with a club, but stay with me here; I can explain.

For me, running is a continuous high.  The good feelings usually start around mile 3, and then I just keep getting happier and happier.  By the time I finish, I am like a blissed-out heroin junkie.  I try to hide these feelings, but inevitably something slips; I might start by saying, "We are so lucky to be running here!"  or "This is so beautiful!"  My running buddies look at me and usually grunt something in reply, and if I can, I put a lid on it.  Inevitably, if the miles are long enough, or if I'm in an exciting race (like the Akron Half Marathon, where I saw the blimp AND fireworks), I will get more sentimental.  In my head, I call this the Bud Light Syndrome.

I love you, Man.

When I did see the blimp surrounded by fireworks in the morning sky of the Akron Marathon, I turned (tears in my eyes) to my running buddies and said, "I am so happy to be here with you!  Thank you so much for running with me to get to this moment!"  I'm quite sure they were wondering who I was.

You can only imagine my reaction after a race, when I combine the Bud Light Syndrome with ACTUAL beer (well, if you count Michelob Ultra as real beer.  Normally, I don't, but that's what you get at races).   I am a high-fiving, sweaty-hugging, fellow-man-loving fool.  Take a picture of me then because chances are good that if you remind me of this later, I will bite you.