I have my reconstruction surgery date tentatively set for January 15th. I’m going to pester them to see if they’ll bump it up to the week before because I’m trying to do a little Florida trip with my older sister to visit my younger sister and her kids that weekend. I swear the nurse hates me because I’m always trying to get my restrictions lifted early and move the process along too faster. I already asked once, but after doing some calculations I don’t see why they denied letting me do it the week before unless she just didn’t have time on her schedule.

I’ve gone to my plastic surgeon three times now for fills and it’s weird EVERY time. She has a little metal detector thing and finds the port in my expander and gives me what feels like a shot and literally just fills them. (I can’t really feel much… I mostly feel pressure and what I know is a prick) You sit there and watch your boobs grow and then they are sore for a couple of days.

This week I wasn’t able to find help with Marshall so he came with. He sat on my lap and played with the saline bag. He was so intrigued by what she was doing to his mom that he actually kind of sat still. First time watching his mom get boob fills. Good stuff.

In my pre surgery post, I talked about the things I was nervous/scared about, including the drainage tubes, expanders & numbness:

– The drainage tubes were definitely as bad as I imagined and while mine stayed in longer than most, it really wasn’t all that long (2 weeks). And when it was time for them to come out- one of my best friends is an RN, so I had front door service. It’s love when your friend comes over and takes your drainage tubes out.

– Expanders are 10 times less weird than I thought they would be. The concept is weird, but since I’m not sore from surgery anymore, I often forget they are even there. Until I change my clothes. Or bump into something and my boobs are hard as a rock.

– The numbness sucks. I can’t really feel much and it’s freaking weird. Every time I need the band aides to come off after getting filled I make Glenn do it because I can’t stand to touch them. Freaks. me. out. This was something I anticipaed and I STILL REALLY don’t like it. I’m sure it will all get better though and it’s really not that big of a deal. But, no sugar coating, it sucks.

– And what was much harder than I anticipated was not being able to lift Marshall. I had a weight restriction of 3-5 lbs for the first two weeks. I obeyed that pretty much perfectly, with lot’s of amazing help from our families and friends. But then my weight restriction went to 10-15 lbs for the next four weeks and I started feeling like myself again. Marshall weighs around 22 lbs, so that lasted approximately one week. There is only so much time your family and friends can take off and help you lift your kid out of his crib. I’ve often said this time period would have been MUCH easier if I went to work Mon-Fri, but my full time job is chasing this crazy kid around and the most exhausting part was not being able lift him as much as you’d like. While I did break the rules, I tried to limit it, so I found myself on the floor more than usual, which is already a lot.

What’s going down now: 

After my first fill, my boobs were already larger than they’ve ever been (other than when I was breastfeeding) and it’s just weird, like I’m in that 13 year old awkward stage that I never actually went through at 13 like most girls. I felt self conscious at the gym for the first time this week after my most recent fill. When I was stretching, I kept looking in the mirror thinking this looks normal right? People can’t tell? I don’t know.

I’m only due for one more fill. I’m not a boob person. I like my small boob self, but I can’t justify going through all of this and NOT helping myself out a bit in the department. The runner in me is worried they’ll look weird when running in just a sports bra on the hot summer days. Just a little too perky? Why do those things look so hard? And GASP, what if i have to wear two sports bras? This A cup girl is used to getting by with a size small champion sports bra from target and that’s it.

So, that’s that. I’m thankful for my health and thankful I know that I have this gene and have been able to take charge. And now you know WAY MORE about my boobs than you really need or want to know. 

Here’s my running timeline pre and post reconstruction:

• Build base November 8th-January 14th. 

• Enjoy some time off while I recover January 15th-Febuary 12th

• Build base back up and get in at least one 20 miler February 13th-April 21st.

I’ll write about what my runs will actually consist of, but right now it’s just running pretty easy consistently 5-6 days a week with a hardish mile here and there. We met the Rusted Bear crew out at Morgan Monroe on Saturday and I had my longest run yet of 8 miles. (5 on the trail, 3 on the road) It felt good.

I’m excited to run the drumstick Dash on Thanksgiving with the stroller, although I’ve ran hundreds of miles with the stroller, I’ve never ran a race with it. I’m working on my training plan and will post some details soon! 

Ta Ta!

Running the Boston Marathon is a dream for most runners. People work for years to qualify. It’s a celebration race for many. Some don’t qualify and are running for something they strongly believe in, they work hard to raise money for worthy causes and dedicate each mile to that cause. They are running with just as much passion as those who qualify. Some people have overcome a lot just to get to the start line, let alone the finish line.

The finish line is where you know you’ve conquered a beast. The finish line is when you know your strong, where you feel invincible. Where you forget about the bad things in life. 

Yesterday morning I was glued to the race, live streaming it on my computer. We decided not to go this year, because we didn’t want to spend the money on the trip. We’ve both ran it now and decided it would be an every 5 year type of thing from now on. I tweeted in the morning “Just a little sad I’m not hanging out on Boylston st. watching the race like last year.” We’ve been to Boston for the marathon twice. In 2009, Glenn, my parents and friend Brooke were all posted up at the finish line waiting for my arrival. In 2012, I was 7 months pregnant posted up at the finish line with Glenn’s parents waiting for his arrival.

It’s the people who love the runner most out there cheering at their races. It was the people who LOVED the runners who were hurt and killed. It’s not fair. How can there be human beings out there with so much hate in their hearts. It’s pure evil and it makes me sick. These people were likely the moms and dads, brothers and sisters, kids, family and friends cheering for their loved ones to finish a race they probably worked really hard to get to.

I can’t stop thinking about the little boy who was killed. He was there to watch his father finish the Boston Marathon. All I can think is, had the dad ran by yet? Were they still waiting for him? Was he out at mile 24 when he heard what happened and got stopped and had no clue if his family was OK? How did these runners find their families if they were stopped out on the course miles away from the finish line? I can not fathom the panic and terror you would feel out there, knowing that your family or friends where waiting for you to finish and right where they were waiting was where it happened.

Today I ran my scheduled 7 miles. I felt weary and heavy and I had tears as I ran. I feel connected to this tragedy in a real way and all I can do is pray for the individuals effected from afar. I know I’m in the company of thousands of runners who feel the same way.

You just can’t make sense of what happened. It was senseless. My heart is heavy for every single person effected by yesterdays tragedy. I’m not sure I’ll ever go on a run again without thinking about Boston 2013.

I have thoughts of racing another marathon sooner than later, but then I remind myself that I need and really want a break. I’ve decided I’ll race one again in the fall. Sure, you can PR twice in one season, but in all reality, racing a marathon does take a lot out of you and if I want to race it to my full potential I should rest for a bit.

What now, what now. I took last week really easy and am left feeling like I need a plan. I’m not good at just winging it, I like to have some sort of schedule to follow. I think most people do. I’m ready for my sprint triathlon training plan. Ironman husband… get that together for me please?! And, although the long run makes me nervous week after week, and I’ve looked forward to not having to do one, I kind of think I don’t know how to not run long on the weekends.

Ever since I was cleared to run in early August, after having Marshall, I started training. At first it was just training (9 weeks post baby, 3 weeks of training) to build the distance for the Indy Women’s half and then (4 months post baby) the Monumental Marathon. I wanted to run those races to complete them in a time I felt was challenging but not real racing. I bounced right off Monumental to Rehoboth Beach in December, the goal was a negative split to get mentally strong for Shamrock.

The real race was Shamrock and right after Rehoboth was when the hard training began. There’s been no real break from the long run. My long run gets me excited about life and although sometimes leading up to it and while enduring it I want to be done, it fuels me to be a better person.

Beyond that, I want to keep in long run shape. I assume, for now, I’ll cap then around 15 miles, but will keep them closer to 10-12 consistently. Long, but not stressful. It’s much easier to start training for a marathon, when your base is already set. I like to keep a base year round really.

I started adding to this post all of my afterthoughts of Shamrock, but it was getting crazy long and I think it’s better to break it up. Tomorrow I’ll post a bit about my thoughts on the training plan I used and why I think it worked so well.

I’m super excited to virtually cheer for everyone at Boston this year and am hoping it’s great weather!

What course is your PR on?

Also…. Go Hoosiers!

Old School IU Windbreaker. Marshall has swagger.

OK, so this is a post of the year in pictures, and when I started typing the word January, I  realized I wasn’t even really sure January 2012 existed, because I honestly remember nothing from it and have no pictures. Then, I stumbled upon this gem: My best friends and I ringing in the New Year… see you later 2011.

A low key New Years Eve

There’s Glenn finishing his first sub 3 Marathon.

6 months pregnant, still running 3-7 miles regularly

Glenn on the homestretch on Boylston Street at the Boston Marathon

Glenn after his first Boston Marathon

Baby Shower for Marshall.

Everyone plays flippy cup at baby showers right?

36 weeks pregnant

Leaving for the hospital. Marshall arrived 3 hours later.

Day 2 of Marshall’s life.

Ironman training in full swing!

Sleep deprivation also in full swing

Meghan and Josh’s wedding! It’s normal to be in a wedding three weeks after giving birth right?

Celebrating 4 Year Anniversary and Marshall is 7 weeks.

Marshall’s second wedding at 8 weeks

Emily and Andy’s wedding

Glenn with his biggest fans. 5AM heading out on the buses to complete 140.6.

The Ironman. Time: 10:54:46

The 2nd Annual Back on My Feet 42K Relay. I went back to work at the end of September and project number one was the relay.

This pictures are sub par because I stole them from the race picture website. For some reason, we forgot to take even one picture on race morning. Afterwards, I was so cold and felt terrible… pictures were certainly not on my mind.

• Lindsey ran first post baby marathon (4 months post): 3:33:24.
• Glenn PR’ed in his half marathon: 1:18:24.

Rehoboth Beach Marathon. 1st negative split, 2nd fastest marathon.

First time running same marathon as sister.

Marshall’s turns 6 months- first Christmas together.

Coming off of the Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon last week I found myself with some extra time on my hands as I have entered a self imposed rest/recharge period that will take me through Thanksgiving and the end of November.

It is not that I necessarily feel fatigued or worn out but following a pretty intense 12 month cycle of various training plans for Miami 70.3, Mercedes Marathon, Boston Marathon, Indy Mini, having a son, Ironman Wisconsin, and finally the IMM Half last week I feel it is best to take some time off before that fatigue or burn out sets in.

With that extra time, I have put together the skeleton for my training plan for Carmel. I want to make a big jump with this race and with a big jump comes big sacrifice,commitment , and consistency. In my past couple of dedicated cycles for a marathon I have used a condensed schedule usually between 12-14 weeks. With a renewed focus on running I believe I will benefit greatly from a full 16 week cycle.

The basic outline is below. I use the Smart Coach function from Runner’s World to make all my plans. It is free, very accurate and detailed depending on what you want to do. I have been able to go from a 3:49 first marathon to a 2:56 using it…so it works if you work! The way that the week is structured and the pace suggestions it falls in line with a McMillan or Pfitzinger type plan…but for free.

On a side note, if you have never visited the McMillan Running Calculator Page I highly recommend it. All you do is enter your current race time (distance option exist) and it spits out your appropriate training paces. It covers everything from 100M sprints for 5K work all the way to Long Run pace for marathons. 

The only changes that I think I am going to make is at week 12 or 13 I am going to sub out the Saturday long run for the Hanson’s Running ‘Simulator’. The Simulator is a 26.2K workout at race pace. It is long enough to be a mental and physical test but not so long that it is like running the marathon before the marathon. The other change that I would like to make is turning 2 or 3 of the long runs into Progression Runs.

I guess the last thing that is up in the air right now around the plan is the taper length. It currently has me set for a three week taper…at first glance that seems a little long to me but it has been a long time since I have done a 16 week cycle (really the 1st time for the type of intensity I am bringing to it.) so we will just have to play the taper by ear and see how I feel towards the end.

My current plan like I said is to rest and recover up through Thanksgiving. I am working out 2-3 days a week. Nothing stressful or structured. Just sweating a little to keep the brain clear. Like today, I am playing basketball with a bunch of guys from work at lunch…stuff like that is the extent of my November.

Come December 1st, I am going to begin ramping up my mileage so I am ready physically to tackle the marathon plan. You don’t want to be building your mileage in the middle of training cycle. The time to add mileage to your body is in the month or two before the cycle starts. Now granted, I will hit one of my highest mileage weeks during this cycle but you don’t want to go from 0-60 in the first couple weeks of a plan. Build before. Optimize during.

I am excited to tackle this. It is an ambitious plan but one that I believe I am ready to own. I look forward to the challenge.

Come New Year’s Eve 2012 it’s on!

Question: Thoughts on my training plan? Do you guys see anything that is missing?

Glenn

BUT, during my last few long and longish runs, I gave the fancy watch a try. I have to admit, I loved looking down at my mile pace as each mile rolled over. It encouraged me to pick it up when I felt like I was slowing down for no good reason. 

Ever since Glenn became super competitive with his running and challenging himself more, he has decided to have an opinion about most things running related. He researches everything and has a reason for every workout. I get it, I like running fast and training to get faster too, but sometimes it’s too much for me.

My point, recently he likes to drop a line here or there about how if I want to get faster, I need to garmin it up so I can measure what I’m doing. Ok, I get that, but I’ve always loved just running based on how I feel and have had decent success at that.

Since 2008, I’ve ran nine marathons, they weren’t all fast. Four of the nine I went out for a fast time and or PR and three of the four I found success. The other five I ran purely for the fun of running with friends or just because.

Here are the four I went for a PR:

• San Diego- First Marathon
• Original Goal- break 4 hours, changed to a BQ goal night before race
• Success with a 3:39:52
• Boston
• Goal 3:30 
• Miserable fail, ran 3:54:37
• St. Louis
• Goal was to PR
• Success with a 3:34:34
• Piney Point
• Goal PR and go sub 3:30
• Success with a 3:24:05                    

For all of those races, the only one I followed a training plan to a T was the first- and by following it to a T, I mean distance…. kind of. I didn’t even think about pace, I just ran. In fact, I would run just based on time. We’d have a 20 miler scheduled and just go out and run three hours, assuming that we were doing around 20. Pretty simple right? And it worked, so why fix it if it’s not broken?

It might not have necessarily been broken, but Glenn thinks… and I suppose I do to…. that it could be so much better.

While Glenn went off and got all fancy on me with his watch and specific calculations about how to run this pace or that, I went off and got all pregnant and my body made me forgot about racing for awhile. While I grew a human, my husband taught himself how to really run. All the while I’m screaming, when’s it gonna be my turn again?

In the old days (you know, I was the one who got him into running…), I would have devised a training plan for him. I was always the “better” runner. I beat him in our first marathon by almost 10 minutes (he’ll never live that down) and I would always place higher for the females than he would for males. (that can be argued though, because it does seem that there are many more competitive males out there in general than females)

Aside from all that, seeing as how he has managed to take a 3:47 marathon down to a 2:56, I might be wise let him take charge and whip me into shape. I’ve always said, if you want to be a good runner and run fast times, you have to be willing to HURT when it gets hard. I’ve certainly gone there, there was nothing easy about the last 6 miles of running that 3:24, but I know I can go deeper. Why can’t I?

Alright husband- I wore your watch. I understand how it holds you accountable. I’m ready to be accountable and wear the stinking garmin. What do you have for me? I’m ready to rock a PR hugely in the spring- give me a plan. #bringiton                                                                                               

• The organization of the B.A.A…second to none with how they run this event…everything is first class.

• Race Spectators…I thought Chicago was amazing but Boston is a whole another level. It was incredible. They really get into it and without the kindness of the spectators handing out water, ice packs, sprays from the hose, oranges I really think the causalities on a race day would have been a lot worse.

• Fire House Water Spray stations

• Boston College…blew Wellesley away.

• Seeing Lindsey on Boylston.