My Husband Called It: Another Marathon. #10 in Minnesota!

Some BIG things coming up in life in the next few months! With moving, career, connecting to exciting opportunities, and a few fun races.  This time two months from now, we will probably be just leaving for our long road trip back to Oregon.  We'll hopefully have a house to move into, kids registered for schools (or ready to do so), and a whole gaggle of things lined up and ironed out.  I'm excited!  I've gone back and forth with my emotions in regards to leaving but I think I'm finally in a really great place where I'm ready to stop digging my heels in and instead throw my arms out, take the leap, and FLY!

And you know, it is freaking amazing what happens when we put ourselves into things whole heartedly.  Without fear.  Both feet in.  Opening doors.  Closing others.  Taking steps in the direction of our dreams and supporting those we love in making their dreams come true.  Big things start happening and it sure is exciting to see!

Just as exciting things are unfolding in our personal lives, there are some fun things coming up with my racing/running life.

After Boston, I had a mixed bag of feeling and thoughts.  Isn't this usually the case after a big race that we trained so long for?  On the way home from our Boston trip my husband mentioned something to the tune of:

"Well, hon, if my calculations are correct, you'll be registering for another marathon in oh...about a week."

Ha!  Okay, so he's right and he knows me well.  I've run 9 marathons and only trained through 5 full marathon training cycles.  Three of my marathons so far have been followed by another marathon within two months.  Here's how my Marathon Affair has gone:

2003 Napa Valley Marathon 3:22.  First in AG.  Say what??!  I qualified for Boston.  What's that?  Why would anyone go all the way to Boston for a marathon?? Oh, well when you put it that way...why not??!

2004 Boston Marathon.  87 degrees.  1 gel.  Still young and naive.  3:32.

Baby Making Days 2004-2009

2010 Training for Portland Marathon.  Big FAT FIRST INJURY from Tripping in the Forest.  BIG ugly complete tear of my hammy.  Did the splits, heard a rip, saw a bloody (from inside) leg.  S*&$! Went into a depression of sorts.  Funk.  Had just quit my job as a teacher to be home with my kids and needed something!! Was more determined than ever to run quickly and train hard!  Started a blog....RUNNINGHOOD!  Connected quickly with so many fantastic people from all over the world, made friends (2 of them now seriously like family to me...BFFS), wrote my heart out, learned so much about running, and opened doors to tons of experiences.

2011 June Newport Marathon.  Trained for what I thought was a 3:15 but clearly not. Or maybe but just needed a different strategy.  Hit the big fat wall from going out too fast.  Plus it was almost 80 degrees.  3:30:17. What's up with the heat Newport, Oregon??  Must be me.

2011 July 4th Foot Traffic Sauvie Island Marathon.  A month later: my redemption marathon.  Ran it with my husband.  Most fun I've ever ran in a marathon. Music, chatting with my hubby/best friend, strategy...just fun!  Felt great!!!  Oh, and it was his first marathon and he kind of just jumped in without training for a marathon (super fit though).  Amazing man!  3:24

2012 Boston Marathon.  90 Degrees.  HUH?  Kidding me.  All my marathons hot?  This was the death march for me.  I did have my dear friend AM run with me from mile 19 to 26.2 and I'm darn proud of breaking 4 hours this year when I felt like I was going to die at mile 5 from the heat.  3:58.

2012 July. Foot Traffic Sauvie Island again!  Two months to recover and come back so I could run another marathon and Boston qualify for 2013 (hey, I love Boston!).  Two days before the marathon got a severe Kidney infection and was given some awful antibiotics that never should have been given to marathon runner IMO.  Cipro.  Ran a 3:28 and happy with that.

2013 Napa Valley for the second time!  Felt so prepared leading up to this race.  But low iron is a bummer!!  And seemed to come at the perfect time. Always does, right?  Felt awful in this race!!!  3:40.  Oh, and we were just about to move to Asheville.  Super stressful time.  Pretty sure after both these last two marathons I said I would NEVER do a marathon again!!!!!

2013 Boston.  Ran for experience...not time.  Well, what a powerful year for many reasons.  A very strong race for me mentally.  Very beautiful and loving self talk during a difficult time in my life.  I started the race fearful and let my fear go, replaced it with love and healing and just had a mostly easy race effort wise.  3:35.  Then we all know what happened that day... it changed so much.

That brings me to my last race, Boston 2014.  Yes, I ran a race I was proud of.  Wasn't the time I wanted but with getting sick and considering my consistency for so much of the race, I was and am proud of my 3:28.  However, something within me just wants more and feels like I trained for more. And maybe clock time won't be much different.  But maybe it will.  No matter what, if my body allows, I'm excited to run another marathon in June!

And what a great marathon to be running!  One of the most talked about June Marathons I've heard of and one I've only heard GREAT things about:

"A World Class Event with Small Town Charm."

Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, MN!  I'm so excited to be entered into this race and to experience all that makes this such a talked about event!  Lots to say about the reasons I chose Grandma's but here are a few:

• Minnesota may have winters that nobody on earth envies but their early Junes are much cooler than say the south!  :) So give me Georgia or give me Minnesota for June marathon and you bet I'll choose Minnesota.  I've had enough with scorchers.   
• A point to point course.  I like these kinds of races.  
• World Class Event with Small Town Charm!  There's more than a marathon going on at this event...much more!  Check it out:  Grandma's Marathon.  
• A good PR course if one was to have the perfect kind of day!  Yes!  PR or no PR, I'm excited for this course.  
• I get to see a place I've never seen.  
• Grandma's is known to have some of the best speakers on race weekend!  I love to learn and be inspired. 
• Um, Kara Goucher was raised in Duluth!  That just makes Duluth cool right there, right?  
• Certainly not last...I get to spend the weekend with one of my best friends who lives in MN!  She's even going to stay in the college dorms with me.  What a trooper.  

If you're looking for a June Marathon for this year (maybe a redemption race? Oh, the stupid things we runners do.) or in the future, I haven't even been there yet and I can tell you that from what I do know, it's worth adding to your list.  

Training

I'm taking it slow in my build up here.  I'm making sure my body has had time to heal and then I'll go from there.  Maybe I can build up in a way that my running fitness is even better than it was before Boston!  I'm just excited to run right now.  Excited to race.  Excited to ENJOY this sport I love so stinking much!  

There is another race coming up for me on May 17th that I'm super excited to run with my husband. The Cradle to the Grave 30k.   One more thing to nail down before that's 100% official.  Fingers crossed because it's one of my all-time favorite races I've ever done and I'm excited to tell you all about it.  Can't think of a better way to wrap up this adventure in Western North Carolina before heading home to Oregon.  As far as trail races go, this one was my first but if you're in the area and looking for a beginners trail race (5k) or one that is more of a challenge (30k), this race has both and I'm pretty sure if you're quick to sign up, there might still be spots left.  Incredibly well run event and the trails through the Pisgah National Forest are absolutely beautiful! This was my blog from last year: First Trail Race 30k Cradle to the Grave. 

1.  Have you run back to back marathons? How did that go?  

2.  Have you run trail races?  If so, what's your favorite?  If not, do you want to someday?  

Amanda

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Runninghood

Instagram:  http://instagram.com/runninghood

Twitter:      https://twitter.com/Runninghood1