This post has been a long time coming! I'm so happy to say I finally, finally, finally was able to run a race with my little guy in the running stroller. 

It took me way longer to get to this milestone than I ever expected it would. 

When I was pregnant, I had big dreams of getting back to running quickly, and either running with the little man or having him be at the finish line of my races. After so many unfortunate setbacks, I finally got to have that moment over the weekend. 

We were in Rehoboth for the Seawitch Festival, and the Seashore Striders put on a race every year to coincide with the festival. 

I had planned to walk this with the running stroller last year, but the baby ended up melting down, and so I just walked it myself. 

But this year, we were both ready to run. 

It was a chilly morning, so he got plenty bundled in the stroller, and I wished I hadn't forgotten to pack my ear warmer since there was a pretty steady breeze. 

We did packet pick up in the morning, let the little guy run around the playground until about 10 minutes before the race start and then we lined up and took off. 

Having never run a race with the stroller before, I started a bit toward the back of the pack. I was trying to be respectful of the other runners and didn't want them to get stuck behind me. Running with the stroller slows my pace down big time.

I didn't have any time goals for this race. I just wanted to enjoy the experience of finally getting to do a race together.

I stuck to the sides of the road where I could and made sure to not get too close to anyone since I didn't want to accidentally nip them in the heel with a stroller tire. 

The first mile of the race was a little bit congested, but I still had plenty of room to maneuver even with the big stroller.  

I felt mostly good through out the race. It's definitely harder to run with the stroller, but I was just so happy to be out racing again. 

It was fun to run along the ocean. We got some really nice views before turning back into some of the neighborhoods to wind our way to the finish. 

Little man seemed pretty chill the whole time. In fact, for a while I think he might have fallen asleep. 

With just about a half mile to go in the race, I was definitely feel the effort of running with the stroller. 

I tried to pick up the pace a tiny bit as the finish line came into view, but a final kick with a big stroller is definitely different than a final kick without. 

We crossed the finish line in 32:21, which was good enough for 9th place in my age group. 

I was getting a little emotional toward the end of the race. It felt like such a big milestone and accomplishment to finally make it to this day. I'm healthy, he's healthy, and I'm finally back to doing something that I love. 

I'm glad I got to share running and racing with my little buddy. I hope to be able to do a lot more of that together in the future.

It's been a long time since I've run a race. I'm pretty sure my last time racing was the Hot Chocolate 15K back in the beginning of December.


Since then I've been enjoying the off-season, taking it easy on my runs and mixing things up with cycling and swimming.

But this weekend I'm signed up to do a 5K with some of my friends and I'm super pumped about it.

It's a Valentine's themed race, so my original plan was to wear every bit of pink running gear that I owned.


But then I checked the temperature and realized the real feel temp at the start of the race is only going to be 10 degrees. (Thanks for that, wind chill factor.)

So my plan to dress like Cupid puked pink on me is going out the window in an attempt to dress warm enough so that I don't suffer hypothermia while waiting for the race to start.

I honestly don't think I've ever run in weather quite that cold so figuring out what to wear is going to be a fun experiment.

As far as time goals, I have none.

I know I'm not going to PR and I'm totally OK with that.

I just want to go out and have fun with my friends.

I'm pretty sure it's my friend Abe's first race ever and the last time I ran with Ryan was way back at the 9/11 Memorial 5K in September. I think Ryan will probably destroy his time from our last race this weekend.


And after the race we're going to warm up and celebrate Ryan's new PR with a delicious brunch. I really can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday morning!

I'm still bummed about my less-than-stellar race performance on Sunday, but I'm trying not to dwell on it.

Instead I'm distracting myself with other things.

Retail Therapy:
My mom and I hit the outlets to do some shopping yesterday. This served two purposes. First, it got us out of the house and got our legs moving and the blood flowing to loosen everything up. Second, shopping usually cheers me up. I was on the hunt for a new sweater dress, but had no luck finding one that I loved. If you've got any suggestions on where to look, let me know.

A Massage:
I'm getting my first massage in ages today. It's going to be one of those hurts-so-good massages where I ask the therapist to work out every little kink in my IT bands and quads, but I'm also going to use the massage as a chance to relax a bit. I have one hour to think about nothing. It's been way too long since I've had time to just turn off my mind and it will be a nice treat.

Dinner with Friends:
One of the perks of being back in PA this week is that I have extra time to catch up with my friends from high school. A few of us are getting together for dinner tonight and I'm so looking forward to seeing anyone. It will be the first time in more than a year that we've all been together at once. Hanging out with non-runner friends means we'll get to talk about everything but running.

Thinking About My Next Race:
Having another race on the calendar is helpful, since I know I won't have to end my race season on such a sour note. I'm running the Hot Chocolate 15K in two weeks. I've never run a 15K before so it's an automatic PR, and it's a race I'm running just for fun, so no pressure about performance. Plus there's free chocolate at the end of the race. It's pretty much guaranteed to be a great way to end race season.

Remember my cousin Laura who got married last month?


Well she's running her very first race this weekend!

I'm really excited because Laura and I have been trying to run a race together for the last two years.

Our planned first race, a five miler in Baltimore, got snowed out.

Then life got in the way. Laura was busy with work and wedding planning and I was focusing on running longer races.

We talked about squeezing in a short race in the spring before the wedding, but it was just too much to try to jam into Laura's already packed schedule.

When Laura emailed me after the wedding asking about doing a race in the fall, I pulled together a list of great local options, everything from a 5K to a 15K. She picked a couple that sounded fun and we planned on a fall race.

I was super surprised when she emailed me a few days later asking about a 5K that was three weeks out. It was an all-women's race close to her house on a loop she was familiar with. She wanted to know if I thought she could be ready for it with the small running base she had established.

It sounded like the perfect first race: All women, low key, on a familiar course.

Obviously I told Laura I definitely thought she could be ready and that if she wanted, I'd love to run it with her.

So Sunday morning, we'll line up at the start together. We won't be racing for time, just to finish.

And hopefully by the time we're done Laura will have been bitten by the running bug and there will be lots of cousin races in the future!

(Sometimes Laura drops by the blog, so feel free to leave her good luck wishes in the comments!)

The Frederick Half Marathon is only five days away, which means I'm officially in taper mode and busy working out the last minute details in my race plans.

With several half marathons under my belt, my plan for the most part doesn't change too much from race to race:

• I eat a PBJ on the way to the race
• Use the porta-potties three times
• Take a Gu once every four-ish miles
• Carry my own Gatorade

The only thing that really changes is what I wear.

Everyone knows you're not supposed to try anything new on race day, so the past few weeks I've been experimenting with different outfits to nail down exactly what I want to wear on race morning.

I've narrowed down my choices considerably based on the weather and how different outfits performed on runs. I've got about two or three choices I'm still kicking around, and I plan to use all of them during taper runs this week to hopefully help me make a final decision.

At this point though, I'm pretty much ready to race. That nervous/excited pre-race feeling is kicking in and I'm ready for it to be race morning. Here's hoping this week flies by.

Not long after I crossed the finish line of the Philadelphia Marathon last year, I knew I would be back to do the half marathon this year.


It's a great course in a great city and the entire event is extremely well organized.

Plus the race is in mid-November, when temperatures are ideal for racing. Not too hot, not too cold. And the mostly flat course makes it the perfect place to PR.


The big question mark in my mind is whether or not to run this race as part of the Runner's World Challenge.

By running with the Runner's World Challenge I'd get:

• A training plan designed by Bart Yasso
• Weekly e-mails from Bart explaining the workouts for the week ahead
• Access to a private website for runners taking the Challenge
• A trial of RW's Personal Trainer online training tool
• A copy of "Going Long", the "Runner's World Guide to Road Racing", or "The Runner's Field Manual" (your choice)
• A technical t-shirt with the Runner's World Challenge logo
• A race entry
• Access to VIP areas near the start and finish lines (private bathrooms!)
• Race-day packet pickup
• Free postrace massage
• A special baggage-check area
• An opportunity to hang out with Bart Yasso, and the editors of Runner's World

That's a long list, but the most important thing to me on there is the training plan designed to help you reach your goals, although the private bathrooms would be nice too. The lines last year were ridic.

Anyway, I think it would be fun to run with the editors and have Bart Yasso put together a plan based on my goals.

Here's the catch. The cost of the Runner's World Challenge is $199. The cost of the Philly half is either $75, $85 or $100 depending when I register.

I know I can successfully run a half marathon without help. I've done it countless times. So I'm trying to decide if the extra $100 is worth it knowing that there are many other races I want to run in the fall that have their own set of expensive entry fees. At the same time though, the RW Challenge could be the extra something I need to help break the two hour mark.

I posed the question on Twitter and got some good feedback.





But I'm still unsure.

So blogging friends, what do you think? Is the Runner's World Challenge worth the extra $100 or should I do this one on my own?

My coworker Emily is running her first half marathon this weekend down in Virginia Beach at the Shamrock Half.

So in honor of her first race, I thought I'd share some of the best advice I've gotten about racing over the years.

1. Trust your training.

You've put in months and months of training, and you're prepared for this race. Even if you didn't follow your original training plan perfectly, you have a strong base of running and you'll do just fine on race day.

2. Don't try anything new on race day.

Race expos are full of vendors selling new, fun products. While it's OK to pick up some new things, you definitely don't want to experiment with them on race morning. Stick to what worked during your training or you could end up with all sorts of problems come race day.

3. Get to the start early.

Depending on the race, parking could be tight. There could be long lines for porta-potties. The last thing you want to do is get stuck searching for a parking space and miss the start of the race. Leave yourself plenty of time and you'll be less stressed out.

4. Don't go out too fast.

Race mornings can make a lot of runners a giant bundle of nerves, no matter how many races you've run. Some of those nerves may push you out of the gate a little too quickly, which could lead you to crash and burn later in the race. Remember you are running your own race and try not to get swept up too much by the excitement of the crowds around you.

5. Don't stop your watch immediately at the finish line.

Or else your finisher's photo will be of the top of your head looking down, instead of your smiling face beaming with pride.

6. Have fun.

Most of all, have fun. Whether you are slow or fast, having your best race, or struggling to get from mile to mile, remember to enjoy the experience. Not everyone can be out there running. You got through your training and to the start line without any major set backs or injuries and that's something to celebrate over the course of the run.

Please feel free to share your own tips for first-time racers in the comments!

And good luck to everyone else who is racing this weekend!

It's funny how minutes after I cross the finish line of a race, I'm already thinking about what race is next.

Part of me is so ready to dive back into training with an increased vigor and part of me is looking forward to relaxing.

But 100% of me is ready to pick out a new race.

There are two local races in May that look like good possibilities for a spring race.

One is the Frederick Half Marathon on May 7th. I ran Frederick last year and set a PR on the course even though there were some hills. Last year it was an abnormally hot day of the year, but I still had a really great time doing the race. Plus this year I have a few friends who are thinking about doing it too.

The other race I'm looking at is the Maryland Half Marathon which is about five minutes from Matt's house. It's a race I've never done before, but the course doesn't look that thrilling. But still, I don't know if I'll ever have the possibility of a race this close to home again.

The races are a week apart and I'm actually kicking around the idea of doing them both.

Stupid or totally awesome? You tell me.

I haven't registered for either yet, and I still have some time to decide, but Frederick's prices increase at the end of February so I'd like to make a decision sort of soon.

So Frederick, Maryland or both? What do you think?

Matt and I safely made it home late last night after an interesting travel day. TSA searched my luggage because they thought the Stick was some sort of weapon. Matt got body scanned, and our pilot got a round of applause after landing the plane safely in 40 mph wind gusts.

Suffice it to say, I'm happy to be home and happy to be looking back on a great race.

I think part of the reason I had such a great race in New Orleans is because of how well the race was run.

For a race that's only in its second year, I have very few complaints and tons of good things to say.

The Good:

The expo: Matt and I went to the expo on Friday and were happy to find it fairly empty. We got to take time without being rushed or waiting in long lines.


Brooks gait analysis: At the expo, Brooks had treadmills set up with cameras on the back to record you running. Matt and I both tried it out and got some interesting insight into our running bio-mechanics. I think this feature will be at other Rock N Roll events during the year.

Plenty of porta-potties: Lines were long, but they moved at the race start. I also noticed tons of porta-potties on the course.

Well-stocked aid stations: Tons of volunteers and more than enough water and Cytomax at each one. Also very well spaced on the course.

Awesome organization: The race director had his act together. The start moved smoothly and quickly. No delay getting corrals across the start line. Mile markers were well marked and the split for the full and the half was too.

The course: Flat as a pancake.

Crowd control: Even though there were thousands and thousands of people running this race, the corrals did their job and prevented people from bunching. I always had plenty of room to run even when the roads narrowed a bit on parts of the course.

The Not So Good:

Street conditions: People say PA has bad streets but they haven't seen a thing if they haven't seen the streets in NOLA. Lots of patched potholes and cracked roads made for some rocky footing at times.

Crowd support: It was very, very minimal in some areas and most of the crowds were quiet except at the finish line. This didn't bother me a ton, but I know for some people lack of crowd support is a big deal, so I wanted to at least note it.

Mile one: This was my least favorite mile of the course. You go through a really ugly industrial area with not much to look at. It was just really blah compared to the rest of the course.

This was one of my favorite races to run and I would definitely do it again if it wasn't quite so far from home. The street conditions were definitely annoying, but I didn't have any major issues other than having to pay closer attention to where I was stepping. This race gets my ringing endorsement. If you're looking for something fast and flat, with moderate temperatures, this is your race.

Giveaway winner:

 The winner of the Stonyfield yogurt and organic make up set is Jason. Please send me an e-mail (jess@jessruns.com) by Wednesday afternoon with the address you'd like your prize shipped to.

I've traveled to several races over the course of my running career, but none that have required air travel.

When I drive to a race, I can just throw stuff in a duffel bag in the trunk of my car and hit the road. Flying to New Orleans this week is going to be a whole different beast and will require a higher level of planning.

Here are my tips for make packing a little less stressful and to ensure I don't end up in NOLA without my sneakers.

Make a list.
This might seem a little obvious, but when I'm racing there are a ton of things I need, from Garmin to my iFtiness belt to socks and a sports bra. I'd rather not leave Garmin sitting on the charger in D.C., so making a list of all the items I need both for racing and for the trip in general makes sure they all end up in my bag.


Pack your sneakers in your carry-on.
If you're flying to a race, I recommend using nothing but a carry-on, but I know that can be unrealistic if you're going on a longer trip. At a minimum, you should make sure all the stuff you need for race day is in your carry-on. That way if the airline loses your regular luggage, you're not scrambling at the race site to buy new shoes and an entirely new race outfit.


Print out any confirmation papers at home.
Lots of races these days require you to bring some sort of confirmation sheet to the expo to pick up your bib and race number. Print this off at home and pack it in your carry on. Keep it with other important papers you need for the trip, like your hotel confirmation, your boarding passes, etc.


Remember the liquids rule.
TSA will only let you carry a small amount of liquid onto the plane, and since "gel-like-substances" count as liquids, you'll want to make sure to pack any gels or other race day fuel in the clear plastic bag you're allowed to have in your carry-on. I once had a TSA agent tell me I couldn't carry a pudding through security so I will be interested to see whether or not they allow my GUs. If the TSA takes them, gels are easily replaceable at the expo.


Don't stress out as much as me.
Flying and all the logistics involved stress me out. Getting to the airport super early, dealing with security lines and body scans and what can and can't be in your luggage, it all gives me a headache. But I'm trying to not stress out about it too much. If I can attempt to mellow out, you can too! Remember you're about to go on a fun vacation, run a fun race and have a good time. Focus on that and not the airport headaches.

What are your best tips for flying to a race?

We're already half way through January and I still haven't put together a race calendar. After the New Orleans half in February, my schedule is commitment free.

This is strange for me. Usually by mid-December I know exactly which races I want to run the following year. I have them planned out, I'm registered for the spring ones and I'm dreaming of putting together training plans.

But this year, I'm just not feeling it.

Yes, I want to race, but there just aren't any races that are capturing my attention and begging me to sign up like in previous years.

In addition, I've really been enjoying my enhanced focus on cross-training and just taking things one day at a time. While this doesn't bode well for a great race in New Orleans, it's just what I've needed mentally and physically lately.

So for once, I'm not sure what my plan is.

Maybe I'll wait until March, when we're through the worst of winter and reassess the race situation then. I'm hoping the nicer weather and longer days will rekindle my burning desire to be racing all the time.

In the meantime, I'm still keeping my eye out for fun races that might catch my interest. If you know of any good ones, feel free to share.

I love to travel and explore new places. It's fun to get away from the daily grind every once in a while and running a race in a new place is the perfect excuse to plan a vacation. With great races held all over the world, you can most likely find a race to run in any place you'd like to go.

I just registered for the Rock N Roll Half Marathon in New Orleans as an excuse to take a vacation to a place I've never been.



But since race entry fees and travel start to add up, I'm definitely planning this vacation on a shoestring budget. Here's how I did it:

Coupons for entry fee discounts. 
Several races offer coupon codes for $10 to $15 dollars off registration fees. I tend to target those races. Since I ran the Philly RnR Half, the race directors mailed me a $10 code for either the Las Vegas race or the New Orleans race. It's not a huge savings, but it's better than paying full price.

Consider smaller, more local races. 
Local races in general tend to be cheaper than big race events. So if you don't mind missing out on the fan-fare of a big event, a local race might be the way to go.

Pick a city that's walkable. 
It will save money on cab fees, renting a car or paying to park your car anytime you drive somewhere. Since I'm not 25 and neither is the BF, renting a car would cost us a ton of money because of extra fees. But I picked a place where we could walk to just about everything other than the airport.

If you're flying, hit up the discount airlines or cheapair.com. 
Cheapair.com is a great tool that pulls price data from several airlines and lets you select the lowest prices. So you could fly to your destination on Delta but fly back on US Air. There is a processing fee if you buy your tickets through them, so I usually research there and then book through the airline.
 
Fly on less popular days. 
Plane tickets on the weekends tend to be more expensive. If you can swing it, fly out on a Thursday and spend some time in the city and then fly back the following Monday. And look for flights at off-peak hours. The 10 a.m. flight might be cheaper than a 6 a.m. flight.

Check Hotwire for bargain hotels. 
I've used Hotwire numerous times in numerous cities and it has never let me down. I've paid Super 8 prices for Marriot-quality hotels. The catch with Hotwire is that you don't know exactly which hotel you'll be in until after you pay. They'll tell you the general area, the number of stars and what amenities it has, but you can't the hotel name and address until after you book. Once you pay, the stay is non-refundable. It's a gamble, but I've never had a bad experience, and I've saved tons of money. For New Orleans, I have a four-star hotel for $89 per night, way cheaper than the hotel discounts offered through the race.

Using all the tips above, I was able to plan a five day trip to New Orleans for less than $350 per person. (That price doesn't include my race fee, which was about $87.)

What's your best tip for traveling to a race on a budget? Where would you love to go on a run-cation?

After much research, thinking and consideration of logistics, I present my summer/fall 2010 racing calendar!

6/12: Crofton 10K
8/28: Patrick Henry Half Marathon*
8/29: Annapolis 10 Mile*
9/19: Philly Rock n Roll Half Marathon
9/26: Dogfish Dash (most likely the 10K, unless I opt to do the 5K with the BF)
10/16: Baltimore Marathon/Half Marathon (TBD)
11/21: Philadelphia Marathon/Half Marathon**

I didn't do too much searching for 5Ks, 10Ks or other shorter events in the fall, other than the Dogfish Dash. Dogfish makes the BF's favorite beer and this race is held at the brewery in Delaware. The BF was pretty pumped when I told him you get good free beer afterward. Not that gross stuff they give out after half marathons.

I'm sure I'll add some more shorter distances to the calendar later, but they can be more spur of the moment decisions. I really just wanted to get the bigger races hammered out.

More details:

* I obviously won't be doing both of these races as they are one day apart in completely different states. The half marathon is in Virginia, near some of the BF's cousins, maybe two or three hours from me. The 10 Miler is in Maryland, like an hour from my house. My birthday is the 28th and I really, really want to do a race on my birthday, but I might be willing to settle for the day after in exchange for easier logistics. That decision is still up in the air. If you know of any other awesome races on either of those dates, let me know in the comments!

** This race is very, very tentative. I'm not sure if I want to run Philly twice in one season since I'm pretty sure the courses are fairly similar. However, if I decide I want to do a full marathon this fall and I'm not ready for Baltimore, I might opt for the Philly one instead.

Is anyone else planning to do any of these races? I love a good blogger meet-up!

Sometimes all it takes to find your motivation is to hear about an awesome upcoming race.

Yesterday, through a comment on a friend's Facebook page, I learned about the Crofton 10K.

Last year I used to ramble on and on about how the Crofton Parkway was exactly 3.1 miles and I was shocked they didn't host a race around the parkway. It'd be the perfect 5K.

Well imagine how excited I was when I heard about this 10K. It starts and ends on the parkway with some turning down side streets to get the entire 6.2 miles.

That race is so happening.

The parkway is so pretty to run around. There's minimal traffic and sidewalks almost all the way around. Plus you run past the golf course and some many super cute little homes. And it's tree-lined, which means lots of shade for a hot summer race.


It's a smaller race. The entry fee is only $20, a steal for races these days, and I know the course. This one pretty much seemed like a no-brainer.

This will be the first race to kick off my summer/fall racing schedule. I'm hoping to have a complete schedule by tomorrow.

Happy hump day lovelies!

We're half way through the week and that's always good news!

Thank you so much to everyone who shared their opinion on whether I should register for the Baltimore Marathon or the Marine Corp Marathon. I haven't made a definite decision one way or the other yet, but you all gave me a lot to think about.

But I did decide to register for the Frederick Half Marathon yesterday.


With training going so well for the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler in a couple of weeks, I figured I was ready to get my first half marathon of the season on my calendar.

The Frederick race is on May 2 and I am so excited for it.

I am not however, excited for the 6:30 a.m. start time. Yikes! That means I'll probably need to leave my house at 4:30 a.m. to get there, find parking, find the porta-potties and be ready to go.

Have you ever run a race that started so early? What is your advice on getting up and out the door on time?

Morning everyone!

I woke up this morning thinking it was Wednesday. Why is it that short weeks always seem to take longer than normal ones?

The Great Race Debate





I have a huge race dilemma weighing on me and I'm just not sure what to do. I have two very good friends that want me to train to run a marathon with them in the fall.

Friend #1 wants me to do Marine Corp with him.

Friend #2 wants me to do Baltimore.

These races are only weeks apart from each other, so doing both is kind of out of the question with my track record for injuries. Heck I'm still trying to decide running a marathon is a good idea at all for me.

But let's assume for just a minute that I'll be able to do one marathon this fall.

Which one do I pick?

Baltimore:
Pros:

• Race doesn't immediately sell out so I can train longer and see where my body is before shelling out the cash
• I've done Baltimore before. It's a great, well-organized race.
• Will be a true test of how much my running has improved since the course will be mostly the same.
• I could do the Maryland Double (Frederick Half Marathon in May, and either Baltimore half or full) and get three medals!

Cons:

• I've done Baltimore before. Maybe I want to do something different.
• Hills!

Marine Corp:
Pros:

• It's a hugely popular race and one I want to do while I'm a local in DC.
• Metro accessible, means not having to worry about a parking nightmare.
• Flat!
• Men in uniform assisting on the course and handing out medals at the end.

Cons:

• Registration is only open in one day. That day is in about two weeks. Yes running is going well now, but what happens if I get hurt.

That con for the Marine Corp is really where my biggest hold up is. I'm so nervous about registering for a race this far out and then worrying about getting injured and not being able to race. Yes Marine Corp offers deferral to the next year, but will I want to do it that following year without my friend?

Or could I do both? Or is that just stupid?

Right now I'm leaning toward doing Baltimore, but I'm torn. Really, really torn.

Which race would you pick?

Man I feel like I haven't had a second to catch my breath since this weekend. I've been filling in for one of my co-workers at work who's out for a family emergency and I've been trying to finish up all of my work that I need to finish by my last day on Friday.

To my beloved turquoise Mizunos,

You have been so good to me for the past six months, getting me through a half marathon, my knee rehab and my return to running. Sadly you are old and worn out and now I must let you go. I'm sad for us to part ways and I will miss our time spent together on the road. I apologize for replacing you with a new flashier (and way cleaner) version. It must be hard for you to know that your twin is going to be going with me on my long runs, tempo runs, short runs, all my runs from now on and you will be demoted to my cross-training shoes. It was a tough decision, but I promise, it's not you, it's me.

-- Jess

----

Last night I picked up my new Mizunos and they are all kinds of bright colors. I've been running in the Wave Inspire for a long time and I've had blues, oranges, yellows, but none of them as electric as the blue/purple comb on my new ones. I know you're supposed to break in your shoes before races, but I'm breaking that cardinal rule. I've got a 5K on Sunday and probably won't be able to get a run in before then.

I also finally registered for the Celtic Solstice 5 Miler in Baltimore in December. I'm really looking forward to it.

And I put together a marathon training schedule last night. I haven't registered yet, but I've got the schedule. It starts in earnest on Nov. 17th. So from now until then I'm not going to follow anything really, just going to do some runs when I can.

Nothing too exciting to report in the way of running. My calves were really really tight after Friday's 8 miler so I took the rest of the weekend off. It was darker than I realized when I got home from work tonight so poor planning on my part led to no run. I might try to hit the gym after work tomorrow. I'd go before but I'm going to be busy waiting in line to vote. (I think the running gods will forgive me for missing my morning work out to vote.)

I've been putting off this post for a few days now because I know it's going to be a bit rambly and long. It's also a big look into my mindset and I was a little nervous about sharing that with the world. (Don't say I didn't warn you)

After my awesome 5K last weekend, I got all excited to register for races again. So I started looking for anything of any distance.

I put together this list:

GW Equal Justice Foundation's 5K Race for Justice (Nov. 9) -- My friend's a GW Law student and wants me to do this one. Plus I could potentially use it as my smooth time for the challenge.
Celtic Solstice Five Miler (Dec. 20) -- This comes highly recommended from a girl I work with and apparently the race jacket is sweet.
National Marathon (Mar. 21) -- We'll discuss this in more detail below.
Frederick Half Marathon -- (May 3) I want to do the Maryland Double (The Frederick Running Festival and the Baltimore Running Festival)
ZOOMA Annapolis Half Marathon (May 31) -- Annapolis is a beautiful city, I think it'd be sweet to run a race there.
Baltimore 10-Miler (Mid-June) I DNS'd this last year because I hurt my knee and I'd like to go after it again.

I love my entire potential schedule (I don't however love the dent it will leave in my wallet, but whatever, I'll deal.)

Except thoughts of the marathon are almost making me sick to my stomach. I have five million questions running through my head about it.

Here's what's going on inside my brain:

I want to do another full.
But do I want to dedicate all the time to training?
Do I have a reason not to dedicate the time?
Football season and tailgates will be over and won't get in the way of Saturday long runs. Therefore I have no real excuse not to run.
Running in the winter sucks because days are shorter and forces many runs to be done on a treadmill.
It sucks running in the cold, but it also sucks running in the middle of summer heat.
Do I want to commit to it?
If I don't will I feel like a slacker for doing the half when a bunch of other people are doing the full?

Training for marathons makes me really selfish.
I have to block out large chunks of time to do training runs.
It puts a strain on all my friendships and other relationships.
Do I want to do that?

I'm also worried about my travel schedule.
My friends want me to visit on the weekends and I love doing it.
Will they love it when I have to get up and run and someone has to give me a key or wait for me to get back to their places before they can start their days?
Will I or my friends by happy with the alternative of me not going to visit?

But really why am I so worried?
My friends were nothing but supportive last time.
They made me signs and cheered for me.
My roommate bragged about me to all her friends.
They thought it was so cool I was running a marathon.

But for some reason this one feels different and I don't know why. But it's got me worried. I want to do 26.2 again. I read somewhere once that your brain had to forget the pain of last marathon before the body let you train for another. I think I'm there. I think I'm ready.

My times have been improving, my running in general has been improving. I've come a really long way in 2.5 years of running and I know I can improve my marathon times if I were to tackle another one.

So why the hell do I have all these reservations? What is holding me back from being as spontaneous as I was sophomore year of college. When I signed up for that marathon, I sat down at my computer, pulled out my credit card, punched in the number and hit submit. At the point it was done and I was in training. Why can't I do that now.

I've studied the race course, I've read everything on the Web site numerous times. I've sat on the registration page and then hit the X.

Sometimes I wish I could be more like Frayed Laces. Seriously that girl is like my running hero. Somehow she manages to be a 20-something running superstar and balance her social life and her PhD program and her training. The girl is dedicated and motivated, and isn't afraid to put her running above other stuff. I used to be like that when I was marathon training, but somewhere along the line I think it started to fade. I'm not sure where or why or how, all I know is I need to get it back if I want to do this marathon. (P.S. Frayed if you can bottle that up and send it my way that'd be awesome LOL!)

I guess that's my rant. Apologies for the length and thanks bunches if you stuck through it to the end.