Quote. Unquote.

"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life, as the obstacles which [one] has overcome while trying to succeed."
- Booker T. Washington

Quick Catch Up...

I hope that everyone had a super fabulous holiday weekend! Ours was filled with couch riding, relaxation and even a few workouts.

There's a lot that I could write right now, but truthfully...I'm really tired and a bit behind on blogging...so I'll just give you the quick and dirrrrty run down from the past few days.

Here's what you missed on the workout front...

Friday...
4 mile run at 48:51 (12:07 pace)...fabulous run! Beautiful morning! Really felt great coming off of Thursday night's JP Morgan Challenge.
40 minute swim for 1200 yards (3m 20s/100 yards)...a nice, healthy mix of kickboard drills, breast stroke, back stroke and freestyle.

Saturday...
Woke up and it was pouring...soooo...we bailed. Oops!

Sunday...
Terrible, terrible bike ride. 15.79 miles in 1:52:56...a measely 8.39 mph. Seriously. It was awful. I must learn to loosen up and dance with my bike...or else every ride is going to turn into a miserable sufferfest. And that just can't happen...especially if I'm going to be seriously considering a 70.3 next year...which, for the record...I am considering one. But the bike could be the determining factor that makes me not want to do anything above an olympic distance tri. We'll just have to see. ...as I type this right now, I think Mike is signing me up for another triathlon up in Waukegan.

Monday...
Who needs to workout when you can ride the couch, shop, and go to the cubs game and stuff your face silly with food that's reaaaaaaaaaaally bad for you!?

Tuesday...
Running with Coach Leah & Jason!! 6 fabulous miles in 1h12m (12:00 pace) followed by 10x100 strides on the track. Total distance of 7.25. The best news though? I was able to run 4.5 miles straight without stopping to walk or deal with some nagging pain (this is HUGE people...really really really huge!!!!!) so after a quick minute walk and answering nature's call and I was back to finish the last 1.5 strong. Love, love, loooooooooove the new running shoes. They're super awesome. The strides weren't as bad tonight as they were before.

For now, it's off to bed I go...time to curl up with my latest inspirational read, courtesy of my hubby...today he surprised me with the Brook's visor I had been eyeing and the book, Becoming and Ironman.

So with that....farewell and goodnight!

Thoughtless Thoughts

"In the slipstream, of thoughtless thoughts

The light of all that's good, the light of all that's true..."

- Smashing Pumpkins, Porcelina of the Vast Ocean

It's not often that I actually think about life when I run. Sure...I think...but I think in the way you remember old camp songs to sing to yourself as you plop one foot in front of the other, or misc. movie trivia...or trying to recite the alphabet backwards. See...when I run, I run not to think about the things that trouble me...I spend enough time and energy worrying about stuff during my non-running hours, I'm not about to let those issues creep into my "me" time.

So when Thursday night's JP Morgan Corporate Challenge (3.5 mile race) came, I did my usual...found my rhythm both in my feet and in my head...however, I can't remember for the life of me what song I was singing. Whatever it was, it was quickly swiped away about a mile into the race when I read the back of royal blue a t-shirt with a goofy space-like cartoon character...

...In memory of Myke Minbiole...

...it read prominately across the back.

Now as a charity runner, I've come to appreciate the notion of running in memory or in honor of someone. And usually, when I see a shirt such as this, I smile at what the runner is accomplishing and give a mental shout out to their honoree...

...except this shirt caught me off guard.

See...I know Myke's wife, Julie. Less than a month ago the pair were victims of a hit and run car crash a few blocks away from our home. Julie survived. Myke unfortunately passed away. In a few days they would be celebrating their one year wedding anniversary.

While running, my heart simply broke for her.

I sped up to run with the men in royal blue shirts and introduced myself to one of them. We briefly exchanged words...and they shared a heart-touching story about a about Myke and a project they had recently worked on. The impact that Myke had on so many was evident. His spirit was encaptured in their smiles and fond memories. I could go on...but it'd get really heavy...and we all know that I'm not one to be heavy...

After another mile or so, as I went on to finish the run, I thought. Not the usual thoughtless thoughts about movie quotes or the latest top 40 hit or what I was going to have for dinner....but really thought. Thankful for air in my lungs, the most amazing greatest family anyone could ever ask for, my husband who is my rock and my best friend, a job that pays even though it can frustrate the hell outta me, and all the little things that make my life, my life. I ran and counted my blessings with each step.

The details and numbers of the race are pretty much irrelevant in comparison to the events that took place during the run, so I'm not even going to share them with you. Let's just say that I did well. Surprisingly well for me. I chalk it up to being inspired by the guys in the royal blue shirts...but mostly inspired by Myke.

On a lighter note, yesterday I had off at work, so I woke up early (namely because of Phog) and went for a 4 mile run at just over a relaxed 12:00 pace (while singing "Bad Moon Rising" over and over and over in my head)...followed by 40 minutes in the pool for 1200 yards.

And this week's running highlight? ...I finally got new running shoes. I have still been running in my marathon shoes from last year. 'Bout time I upgraded, right? Hopefully my beautiful new Mizuno Wave Nirvana 3's will be good fortune and less shin splints...and hopefully they will be named within the next few days...the Big Bird shoes are going to be retired right along side my Dave Grohl shoes...maybe I'll even recycle Dave, though I have a hard time letting go of shoes that have been so good to me.

This morning we had 8 miles on the schedule. When we woke up...it was in the lower 50's and pouring down rain. Totally craptacular weather...and we made the executive decision that we needed to just sleep in with the understanding that tomorrow we're doing a brick workout. I was okay with this...and welcomed the nice day off!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful and well-deserved holiday weekend...till' next time, campers...keep on running!

Stupid Things We Do...also known as...Why Barb is Brilliant!

Let's just not talk about how freakin' awful tonight's run was. Okay? It was 6 miles done in 1:13:09. Seriously. It doesn't get much worse than that. No details needed. At the end I think I said something to the effect of "I hate running and running hates me." --I made it a whole 1.25 miles of consecutive LT run before I had to totally crap out and rehydrate (dude, it was hot out there!). And LT runs...they totally suck. I think I said something about them being fun...but I'm retracting that statement. Now I just need to decide which is worse....LT or strides, which, for the record, are both the devil's workouts.

But yes...let's not focus on how craptacular it was. Instead, let's talk about how stupid it is to run with a really, really, really bad sunburn. First, you've got the general irritation of your shirt on your neck. Wisely, I opted for a tagless shirt...but alas, that really didn't matter. Because you see...I, a girl, wear a sports bra. And sports bras are apparently the evil invention of men who really want to piss off athletic girls with sunburnt chests. You have nooo idea how painful the chaffing was. When I got home from the run, my neck and chest were covered in these little itty bitty bubbles....which led to me freaking out...

And now...I am officially peeling.

And it officially sucks.

And there is no amount of aloe or lotion or oatmeal baths that can subside the pain.

...yet another testament to my complete and total brilliance.

...and let's not even talk about how pms is totally making me the world's most fabulous person right now.

So now...here I am...in bed...slowly feeling the effects of the Tylenol PM I took about 10 minutes ago. My skin is pissed off at me. My body is aching a little bit. My abs are still feeling it from yesterday's pilates workout. And the cramps are starting to come in waves.

...perhaps I should upgrade to vicodin?

Or perhaps...I should just...close...my...eyes..........

Night of the Living Dead.

I'm not a big fan of horror flicks...in fact...anyone who knows me, knows just how much I loathe them. A scary movie must be watched under my terms...usually in broad daylight, lights on, windows up, with a pillow within quick grasp so that I can cover my eyes.

I mean...it's bad people...really bad...

You know that annoying girl in the theater who shrieked every time the bad guy's music came booming over the loud speakers? Yeah. That was me. And the obnoxious audience member who threw her popcorn in the air and hit under the seat when the killer jumped out from behind the bushes? That was me, too. And the one that had to sprint out of the theatre? And stayed up all night having horrible nightmares? And had to watch Disney movies for three weeks straight to get the image of Kevin Bacon being stabbed from underneath the bed out of her head? That's aaaaaaaaaaaaaall me, baby.

And most of you...even though you may not know me personally...know my name...Barbara.

And what context does "Barbara" fit within the scary movie realm?

Oh yeah...that's right...

"THEY'RE COMING FOR YOU BAAAAAARBARA....THEY'RE COMING TO GET YOU, BAAAAAAAAAAAAAARBARA......."

I'll admit. I've never seen the flick. Nor do I have plans to. And there is no amount of alcohol on this little green globe that I could consume to convince myself that it would be a bright idea. But ever since I knew where the phrase came from...it has scared the living skeevies outta me. And that's an understatement.

Back in high school I had a group of friends that loved the scary movie drama. I'd humor them and sit there while they watched a movie...I'd just try to sleep...or go over my cheerleading routine in my head...or think about upcoming exams...or try to make out with a cute guy...or...well...you get the picture. So anyways...we had just finished watching some scary movie, of name is of no importance...and said group of friends begin the "let's freak barb out" mantra of....THEY'RE COMING FOR YOU BAAAARBARA...

And in true Barb fashion...I got all drama queen pissy pants and up and left, all the while they kept chanting. Since it was a scary movie night, I literally bolted to my car...you know, to avoid the scary, masked, killer with a chainsaw lurking in the bushes awaiting me, his cute, sweet and innocent prey.

However...this one night in particular...there was no scary killer...but rather...a peculiar little beatty little red eyed beast...

I was attacked by a cicada...and it was a malicious attack at that...and it has seriously scarred me for life...

To this very day these things seriously scare the shit outta me. They're gross. They're ugly. They're persistent. They're crunchy. And they're obnoxious as hell.

And as luck would have it...Chicago's card has come up for the next visit of these lil' effers (due to take over the city in the next 36 hours).

And of course, I'm over here freaking out...because the cicadas are coming to get me...

I may just hide behind closed doors until those ugly lil' effers are gone and the new 17 year countdown can begin until their next visit. Should make workouts for the next few weeks interesting, right?

In other news...the sunburns here in the Jayhawk/OOSG household...stil bright red. The back of my neck is in bad shape still, but no peeling or blistering just yet. Mike, on the other hand, isn't so fortunate. He's in a lot of pain and the blisters are-a-plenty. I hit Walgreens up earlier to pick up a bunch of stuff in hopes of finding something that would relieve the pain. Lotions and such are working well for me...but if anyone has any brilliant remedies that I can share with Mike, it'd be greatly appreciated.

While getting into a heavily-chlorinated pool is out of the question until my skin clears up (cause lets face it, it'd dry the hell outta me), I was hoping to get on the bike tonight...which didn't happen because by the time we finished up dinner it was starting to get dark outside. So I ended up doing 30 minutes of pilates focusing on my abs, buns and thighs...my core is-a-quiverin'. It has been a while since I've done any type of pilates workout, and I forgot just how much it can burn. I'm hoping to get it incorporated back into the mix.

Okay...all this talk of scary movies has gotten me all freaked out and paranoid again. So I'm off to go toss in Aladdin or Lion King or something as equally "it's a small world." 'cuase in my bubble of full-length feature animation films with upbeat songs and happy endings, there are no scary masked killers lurking in the bushes...and there certainly are no cicadas.

Inspiration

Let me preface by saying that spectating is a sport not to be taken lightly!

I had so much fun at the Galena Triathlon this past weekend cheering on the 1400 athletes including my husband. Mike did an incredible job and I'm so proud to have a husband I can call a triathlete. He has definitely inspired me.

Now, for those of you keeping score, I was signed up to participate. And a few weeks ago, after much consideration, I dropped to the du for fear of combining all three disciplines (when in reality the swim isn't a problem for me...the bike is my weakness). Clearly, I didn't even toe the line in the end...but that's probably a good thing. Driving the bike course on Friday night from Apple Canyon Lake (note the key word there--CANYON) to set up Mike in T2 all I could think was "Oh shit, these hills would have been the death of me." There is no way I could have survived that course. It was seriously ridiculous. After each hill, a bigger, steeper, crazier one awaited you. These weren't even real hills...I'd argue mini mountains...or hills on steroids and crack. There wouldn't have been any walking the bike up the hill...if I had participated, I probably would've rode my bike off the side of a hill to merely end the insanity. Anyone who was able to complete that course is a rockstar in my book.

So the morning of the race I dropped Mike off at the start line and headed back to T2. I wasn't able to stay at the Lake to cheer on the first leg of the tri because I would've been stuck there until at least 10:30. Once I got back to T2, I went and set up Mike's transition area for the run and made friends with a few other "cheerleaders."

I had a blast cheering for everyone...included the first guy to reach T2, which ended up being the son of one of the ladies I was cheering with (he went on to place 6th overall and first in his age group). In the process, ended up getting burnt to a crisp (and I'm in so much pain right now) and basically exhausted myself from being a cheerleader extraordinaire!

Rather than go into a lot of details with minimal context, here's a few photos from the day...

This homemade good luck picture was drawn by a small boy and girl for their father who was participating in the Tri and placed by his T2 stuff as a surprise...the pair, along with their mom, were decked out with matching "Team Dad" t-shirts. Too precious!

The beginning of the run was a straight up incline of a few hundred feet.

Mike dismounting his bike in T2...

Preparing for the run in T2. This dad was too cute as he picked up his little girl in the finish chute!

...about to officially earn the title of triathlete!
Assessing the sunburn damage. It's a lot worse than it looks here. I'm just waiting for it to start peeling. The prospect of sun screen never once crossed our minds. Oops.

Today I was so inspired from watching the yesterday's tri, I decided to make myself get on the bike this afternoon and practice the art of clipping in and out of my pedals. Lucky for me, I wasn't too difficult! I was out there for about 30 minutes and really got the hang of it. I haven't fallen yet, but I know my time will come. It was quite cold out today (like 30-40 degrees chillier than yesterday), so I bundled up in a sweatshirt and my biking shorts and headed to an empty parking lot. Mike joined me for two reasons--one, to make sure that if I fell, I had someone there to help me...and two, to make sure that if I fell, I had someone there to point and laugh.

If that's not love, I don't know what is :)

But the bike? It's not so scary. And...judging from today's performance, I might just be good in the saddle.

What a fun run!

...and if by fun you mean awful and wet and all around tough...then why yes! It was a fun run. (In retrospect, it sucked at the time, but now I can honestly say it was fun.)

Tonight’s “easy” 6 miles was anything but easy. The weather, when paired with my blah mindset, made for a tough run. When it got to the point I was ringing liters of water out my shirt after a half mile, I started questioning the sanity of our little Tuesday night running group. I wanted to turn back at the North Avenue bridge and just cut it short...a 5k seemed like a brilliant idea given the weather conditions. But I didn’t. I pushed through the crappy weather...and in due time, the rain let up a little bit.

I went from dodging puddles to saying ‘the hell with it’ and started running right through them. What was the point? My shoes were already beyond squishy with water...my toes were waterlogged...and I couldn’t possibly get any colder. And after a while, I got over being pissed off at the fact I was running in the rain...and tried to have fun with it. I splashed around...I tried to scare the geese (which, by the way...plot their revenge by strategically leaving their droppings in murky puddles for unsuspecting runners)...and I even came up with my own lyrics to “Singin’ in the Rain,” which of course turned into “Runnin’ in the Rain.”

The plan was for 6 miles...but our designated turn around point came up a little short. For you crazy numbers people, here is what my splits looked like: 11:12, 11:39, 11:21, 11:51, 11:27 and an 11:20ish pace for the last half mile. I averaged 11:34 for 5.6 miles--not shabby given the weather. But not great either.

Obviously, I’m still having issues pacing myself. I was supposed to fall between 11:58 and 12:28 for tonight’s easy run. I’m not sure if it’s a good thing that I’m coming in under the paces we’ve determined for me with my respective marathon time goal. Then again, I’m not sure if I’ll really know until we’re deeper in the official training when the longer distances creep up.

After finishing off the run along the lake, I headed to the track to meet up with Jason, Leah & Mike for our first stride workout. They were nearly done when I arrived.

OH.MY.GAWD.

Strides? They’re so awful it’s funny. After I did my first two I really just wanted to throw a toddler-sized hissy fit and go home. Different and new muscles ached. Thighs burned. And my lungs breathed fire. I know they’ll get easier in due time. But I was soooo not feeling them last night. And still, I still managed to squeak out 8x100m on the track, stride the straight/walk the curve. I didn’t time them (namely because I didn’t feel it was necessary to), but I may just do it in the future for comparison reasons...I’m one of those people who likes to look at two different sets and actually see the improvement unravel before my eyes. In fact, sometimes I think I need that to convince myself that I should continue to run.

I’ve concluded that there is a special place in hell for the person who originally discovered the benefits of doing strides. Dare I say I like the thought of LT runs more than strides? We’ll see if that holds true in the future.

This morning I’m a bit sore in some new places. And dead tired. And really hungry. The one good thing about last night’s workout...I’ve learned that I apparently have good running form according to Coach Leah. So at least I’ve got that working for me. :)

Until next time, campers...

Run on...

Stuck.

Uhmm yeah....guess who is stuck in an elevator!? (For all you short bus kids out there, that'd be me, Mike, Leah & Jason.)

Awesome. And by awesome I mean a claustrophobic terrifying nightmare. Did i mention we all smell like homeless people? Still haven't showered from this evening's run. It must be a GMR preview. Tragically Awesome? I think so.

Editor's Note: After 15 minutes and some sketchy crow-bar type rod that pryed the door open, we were finally free. Thankfully no one cut the cheese. Although visions of the elevator drop scene in Speed were dancing in our heads. After driving Leah & Jason home after the madness, we realized that we managed to lock ourselves out of the condo. I'm telling you...we're brilliant. Apparently getting stuck in sucky situations is my bag, and I'm bringing everyone down with me.

Flipping the switch.

After two and a half years of "running," I think I've finally figured it out. Sometime within the past three months I flipped a switch without even realizing it. No longer am I walking every couple hundred yards between intermittent bursts of running. I'm putting one foot in front of the other for far longer stretches than in the past. Somehow, I think I've managed to shut the "I can't do this" voice up...and hopefully for good.



We all know I've never considered myself a runner. But now, something is different.

I've finally noticed how much better I am...Mike has noticed...my TNT coaches and teammates have noticed...hell, some of you have noticed. I feel stronger when I run. I find I don't always want to stop. I find myself not wanting to after a few hundred yards. I'm not afraid to push myself like I have been in the past. And finally...I am consistently looking forward to running and love pounding the pavement.



Yesterday's six miler went exceptionally well. I kept an 11:17 pace with each split ticking by at 11:01, 11:07, 10:59, 12:26, 11:54, and 10:15. Miles 4 and 5 were interrupted by a water/stretch break and Taylor's shoe coming untied.

It felt great. Very comfortable. Very easy.

In the back of my head I kept thinking to myself "slow down, Barb...you know you should be trying to average around a 12:00 pace..." but I just couldn't.

Let's take a quick look at yesterday's 6 miler versus a 5 miler from February...really...do I really need to say anything more?

I realize there's room for improvement...and I know I'm not as fast and as dedicated and as super runner extraordinaire as some...make that most of you out there...but damnit, I'm on my way.

So WATCH OUT...cause I'm right on your heels...and if you're not paying attention, I'm gunna pass you one of these days.

For the kids,

Reason number 572 why i hate new york...because i'm locked out of my room twice in 1 day...but now they have to unhinge the door. At 2. In the morning. I'm not happy considering i have to in wake up in 4 hours. Seriously, this shit only happens to me! No, i dont want a new room. I want that room with all my shit in it! Argh. I'm officially cranky.

Guess who's in times square...too bad its all business.

Lactic Acid...not the kind of acid you wanna drop.

So the plan was to go out and run five...keeping a 11:58-12:58 pace on all miles but the LT mile, which should be done at 10:25-10:55. And if Coach Leah says do it...by golly, I'll get 'ir done. It took some focus and getting myself in a mind numbing zone, but I did it all.

You know...it's a lot harder than it sounds. I tried to hold back and slow down to keep me right between the goal pace...and then I went too fast during the LT mile. And well...it's just confusing. And frustrating. And I found myself obsessing over the Garmin at times. Overall, I averaged an 11:29 pace (which ironically...is basically my goal marathon pace...oh shit, I shouldn't have said that...retraction!). Finding my groove around 12:00 was a bit challenging in the beginning...everytime I checked my Garmin it was saying 10-something or 11-something. And it just feels wrong to hold yourself back, though I know it's done with the right intentions.

So here's how the fun, acidic madness went down...
Mile 1: 11:53 Took me a little bit to find my groove...
Mile 2: 9:20 LT mile...it wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. Got a little brutual around .6 and all i could think about was...how the hell am I going to do 5+ of these suckers consecutively?!? I seriously wanted to cry. And then it was over...and in retrospect, wasn't so bad.
Mile 3: 12:38 I rewarded myself with a nice brisk walk after the evil LT mile.
Mile 4: 12:29 A short water and stretch stop and then we're back in business.
Mile 5: 11:01 ...almost back at LT pace. Very comfortably so, too.

That last mile I decided that Coach Leah and I may have a love/hate relationship this summer. It'll be fun to see it all unfold. But no serious damage was done. Just a small lil' blister rearing its head on my big toe. And I'm slightly sore. Mentally? I feel quite renewed after my craptastic day. Still not 110%...but I'm getting there.

And with that...I'm off to bed. I have to wake up at the ass crack o' dawn to catch the first flight out to NYC.

Fun times, kids. Fun times. Have a good week and keep on running...

bloody brilliant.

Today? Not so much a good day. It is...by and far...an utterly craptacular day.

For starters, I'm super pms-y. Which, of course, in true girl fashion, means even the most miniscule of issues is blown up to the size of Mt. Everest.

To make a really long story short...my job is now likely at risk because of another person's major fuck up. I'm so upset over it right now, I can't even get into it all for fear of losing composure at work. I know, I know...shit happens. Life happens. Accidents happen. But when you're dealing with a project of this caliber, there is absolutely, postivitely, no room for error. And with this type of screw up, they have to point a finger at somebody. This is the type of mistake people get fired over. I know I've got the support of a few key individuals, and hopefully they will be my saving grace. I just hope this all pans out in my favor because this is giving me a major headache.
I know I need to run. Just pound out every ounce of frustration on the pavement, each step giving me a little more clarity with a chance to sort it all out. I know this will help. But I'm just not in the mood to run right now. I almost always feel better afterward.

Fortunately, last night Mike and I schlepped ourselves to the pool. I was able to drop a cool 1000 meters into the bank. An easy going mix of freestyle and breast stroke. Felt good. I wasn't tired by the end of it and certainly could've gone another 1000 meters.

Tonight we've got 5 miles with 1 at LT pace (let's hope I make it through this) with Leah and Jason. After dinner and some American Idol, I have to pack, shower and hit the hay relatively early....this little Jayhawk is headed to the big apple for a few days.

...if only I actually liked New York. Blah.

Hopefully work starts to get a little less stressful for me...and soon. And let's hope that no one gets put on the chopping block.

/end rant.

Hangover Five

So this weekend I learned just how miserable running five miles with a hangover can be (though it had the potential to be much worse).

I felt like crap when I woke up, thanks to all the wine and beer I consumed the night before with friends. I felt a little bit better with some water and pre-run food. Had a headache on the way to the meet up point. Then naturally I was a bit iffy during the run. Plagued with side stitches, I wanted to just throw in the towel. Luckily, I was running with Taylor and we were able to push each other pretty well. But somewhere along the way...the misery turned into enjoyment and I found myself no longer hungover by about mile 2.

Twas interesting.

And then I got to thinking...could a brisk morning jaunt be the perfect remedy for a rough evening the night before rather than a taste of the hair of the dog? Perhaps it's too soon to tell...I just hope I won't be experimenting too much with Friday night drinking before any more runs. I'll be cutting back the social drinking this season, but definitely not cutting out. :)

Oh...and I invested in the Garmin 205 thanks to the AmEx gift checks I received at work a few months ago for outstanding performance (I didn't have to pay a dime--WOO!). So it was my first run with my beautiful new toy. I kept an average pace of 11:47 for the five miles after incorporating the momentary water stop with Taylor and a few walking breaks. If you look at the graph, I'm consistently running between 10:20 and 11:10, which is very exciting for me. Although, according to McMillan my long runs should be between 11:58 and 12:58 for my goal time.

Maybe this means I should rethink my goals? ....or simply, just slow down. Or give it some time and figure it all out later...

At any rate...congrats to everyone who rocked the Flying Pig and Indy Mini this weekend! Way to go you guys!

Glamour shots, by Brent D. & Rae...

This post needs no words...

All photos taken by Brent & Rae...

A sigh of relief...

I guess it was expected, but I didn't sleep well last night. And as a result, I'm totally falling asleep at my desk right now. I have got to get to sleep earlier tonight. Or maybe find a corner to nap in during lunch. But at any rate, I went in for the series of tests on my boob this morning...

After the ultrasound, the doctor wasn't convinced that she needed to pump a healthy 20-something full of radiation. So she cancelled the mammogram. Once again, the ultrasound didn't show much of anything...although she did feel the area in question. The thought is...asymetrical glandular tissue. And apparently nothing to be overly-alarmed about. Apparently some gals just have lumpy boobs.

Phew...a nice big sigh of relief. And in honor of not having to get squished by the big bad mammogram machine, Mike and I celebrated with breakfast at West Egg before I headed into work.

Coach Leah & Jason came over last night for a run and some Idol. It was the perfect distraction to keep my mind off of this morning's tests. After someone forgetting his shoes (and later forgetting his jacket and hat), we picked up a new pair at Fleet Feet and headed to the lake front path. A 30-something minute run was all the time Leah needed to devise a plan to make Mike and I fast as lightning for the Chicago Marathon. We'll be following the Pfitz plan...or at least a modified Pfitz plan...which will either be brilliant...or end in disaster. Eep! Hopefully we can keep up with the mileage.

I'll admit. I'm pretty excited. But scared sh*tless nonetheless. The goal times we discussed are slightly intimidating in my book when I look at the numbers (although for all of you it'd be a breeze). So I'm not publicly stating any goal times for the Chicago Marathon just yet...partly because I cannot go psyching myself out before training truly begins and partly because I want to see how I fair at the Chicago Distance Classic in August. But just trust that it'll be a doozie for me. It seems like Leah's determined to run the whimpiness right out of me.

But last night's run felt good. Mike and I took it nice and slow and increased speed when it felt right...walked when I needed to...and at one point we were holding at an 8:30ish pace for a little bit (I was shocked to say the least). Not sure what our distance was, probably just under three miles. But it was a good post-race run.

Tonight...we'll hopefully hit the pool.

Party on, campers.