Hotel

Well not a running update, but news about the marathon. I was able to score a hotel, relatively close to Grant Park which is the start of the marathon.

I was actually worried due to the fact that every hotel within Chicago city limits is booked. The closet thing I found were hotels near the airports, O'hare and Midway, which would have sucked given that they both take about 40 mins to get into town.

My stay came from cancellations through the actual Bank Of America Chicago Marathon site, putting me up at Hotel 71. I had originally planned for 4 nights of complete relaxation leading up to marathon, but I booked three as it was kinda pricey and 4 days being alot of time to be alone and staying in a hotel.

All that needs to be booked now is my plane ticket. This to has also changed from original plan, which was to drive there, to have transportation. Upon finding that parking at the hotel was $50 a day, the decision was easy to make.

38 days until the big day....

Monday

So what does one think about whilst running? Many things actually, but the funny thing is that after a couple of steps your mind wonders off to another idea, thought, or problem. Kinda like looking at clouds, you stare and your mind creates an image and then wonders off slightly and when it comes back your image has morphed into something else. You would think that it would serve as a purpose to meditate or problem solve while I'm sure for some, it does not for me.

Todays run went fairly well, considering I failed to go run the past three days in the morning. My only cualm is running too fast, for me, at about 8 minutes per mile. My concern is that I want to finish the race without stopping and do not want to run out of energy. I plan on one more long run, hopefully 18 here in another week and use that as measuring stick. Till manana.

Saturday Mid Day Run

So I failed to wake up this morning and yesterday as well, so to "make up" we did a speed run for 3 miles. Finishing run temperature was 86 with heat index of 93. We finished the run with time of 22:48, give or take 20 seconds because my finger accidentally hit stop after a mile.

No pain was felt and ankle feels fine, hopefully it will heal by Monday's run. I am going to start a new thing with refueling besides what I have been doing of flavored water. Going to try sports drinks, mainly powerade. My research is telling me that I should be drinking those before hydration sets in to give me energy when needed, not when it runs out.

When I ran my 26 last year, I drank a big bottle of Smartwater during my run, only drinking about a cup after every 7 miles, and felt great in regards to hydration. My only concern with sports drinks is that they tend to make me more thirsty. We shall see...

Morning Chill

So nice running weather for a change, a start temperature of 64 and a finishing temperature of 65. Weird how all summer long I've wished for cold temperatures and I finally get them and I notice the chill.

The run went really well with no discomfort and only displeasure being my running app not starting with my run. I believe I would have come in at right under an?hour for 7.24 miles based on my starting time of 6:50 AM and finishing time of 7:50 AM.

Kinda cool sitting here on my bench and seeing steam coming off my body, kinda like the football players during a cold game. I wonder where all this sweat is coming from? I mean, I've neve been one to sweat much, even during wrestling in high school, or even last year when I ran my 26 at the gym. It's kinda gross, I even wrung a shirt out once with sweat, prob half a cups worth. Sucks because I have to being an extra shirt on my runs to change into for my commute home.

So till tommorrow.

August 20, 2012

Another good day on the trail, especially after the weather cast was calling for rain showers. No major pains to report, actually ankle feels significantely better, as do shoulders.

Its about a month and a half left until the marathon and I can't say I'm more excited about it. I need to start finalizing my playlist for the one I have now is too short, I believe comin in at 1:45. I have found that pop, fap, and heavy metal provide the best motivation and others tend to slow me down mentally. Nothing like Pitbull and Metallica blasting through the Shures.

My equipment needs replacing soon also as I have had my running shoes for about 3 months and put some nice road on them. Will def be getting the same pair Nike Free Run 3, in neon blue of course. Till manana.

Sense Of Accomplishment

Well today was quite a success in so many ways. After really not wanting to get out if bed, I managed to get out and about rather late, 6:30 AM. Today seemed like a day in which I just wanted to get the run over with but turned put to be a hassle free, almost painfree run. I don't know if it was the running club that was also running out today, and me wanting to compete or whatever, but it was great. Maybe the temperature??? I wish every run from here on out was the same.

Sleep, I do know that my body does not do well with excess sleep, which by my body standards is more than 4/5 hours. For some reason I feel super tired if I sleep more than 5 hours, which is totally against everything you've been told about in regards to getting 8 hous of sleep a night. Maybe I have found the keys to my success.

Food, well yesterday what we had to eat was 1 grilled chicken quesaadilla with rice for lunch and 1 grilled steak quesadilla with rice for dinner. I have found that dairy does not sit well with my body after let's say 5 PM. I guess it needs more time to digest and well we don't want accidents during a race.

Rain Day

Well weather didn't permit me to run this AM, as it was not just raining but lightening, so I guess well have to run manana then skip a day.