Philly Photos and Update

My lack of blogging the last few days pretty much matches my lack of inspiration to do much of anything. Right now I have an intense sore throat and I have taken Cepacol, NeoCitran, Aspirin and Cough syrup. Don't worry, it wasn't all at once, but if this post seem loopy (well more loopy than normal) bear with me.

Our group having a pre-race celebration dinner.


Expo

Liberty Bell




Touring Philadelphia -beautiful architecture!


City of Brotherly Love.. Hubs and I are thinking of making X-mas cards out of this picture. We also have a mushier version with us kissing, but I spared you the gushy gushy!



Done!



On the course. I looked like a bumblebee!




Hubs doing a Rocky pose on the Rocky Step (Museum of Art)


Hubs running up the steps after the marathon.


Hubs and I on the Rocky steps (post marathon) with Philadelphia cityscape in the background. I was shivering cold!



Today I was supposed to run 30K with Christy, but since I was so sick, Hubs ran with her instead. They totally kicked butt and ran 35K!! Way to go Christy, Disney is yours now!

So I have spent the past week looking at what marathon is next. I almost signed up for Vegas and even e-mailed the CIM race director to gain entry to that full marathon. Even though he offered me two spots, I have decided to wait until February (most likely) to run another marathon. I think the week I took off was needed since I never get sick, my body just needed to rest and repair.

I do have one last race planned for 2008. The Hamilton Harrier Boxing Day 10 mile run. Any bloggers interested in joining? I have never ran a 10 mile race before, so it should be fun. I signed up for this race at the Niagara Expo for only $25, so I couldn't resist!

Anyway, I plan on getting to bed early, but I hope all my American blogger friends had a restful Thanksgiving and enjoyed time with family and friends. Thanks for reading!

Marathon Maniac?!?

Well my quads are still feeling slightly sore from Niagara, but here I am plotting my next adventure. I have already signed up for the Philadelphia Marathon on November23rd, and I can't wait to run it.

Having four weeks between now and then, it would be ideal to have another long run this weekend and then the usual three week taper. Hubs is running the Hamilton Marathon this weekend, and it is his third in a row. He belongs to the same Marathon Maniac club that Laura does.

Sooooo... since I would likely be running a 30+K (20 mile) run this weekend anyway, maybe I could run Hamilton as well and qualify for the Maniac club. Of course this idea does have the following

Concerns

1) I don't want to burn out for Philly. It is my main goal race for the fall running season, so I want to still be fresh and hungry for the race!

2) I don't want to get injured

3) My friends B-day is this weekend which could mean a late night Saturday.

Positives

1) I would have a long training run and complete my 10th marathon. I think it would be great prep for Philly.

2) I am curious to see how my body reacts to back to back marathons

3) I would become a Maniac!

So I need your help. What should I do? I am going to run tomorrow night to test the "post race" waters. If I do run Hamilton, I will likely aim for a slower race (4:30 ish), but then again you never know, so I should be prepared to stay out as long as needed. The body is capable of great things sometimes.

In the meantime, I have been making sure that I fully nourish my body with what it needs after a marathon for a proper recovery.

(And I don't really like beer either!)

Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks for reading.

Jay's Peak Mountain Marathon: My next "race"

The next event that I signed up for is the Jay's Peak Mountain Marathon at Jay's Peak in the state of Vermont. Now this event provides an extremely challenging and ambitious goal. In fact the race website includes the following warning from the race director:

Racer Director's Warning: The Marathon, (33.0 miles), is considered by our own participants to be the hardest marathon ever put together for it’s distance; This is a trail marathon, and using the word trail is stretching it. One section is actually a bushwhack from flagging tape to flagging tape, and another section will take you on a deer trail leading to a mountain brook. You will run in the brook for about 3 miles. At mile 20 you will cross a 50-foot wide river in order to reach aid station # 6. Only the adventurous, experienced trail runners and fit athletes should sign up for this race. You will get wet and very muddy, and you are likely to end up with scratches on your legs.

I'm not crazy.

Really. I'm not.

Obviously this is not a race where you expect a PR, so I kinda of like a marathon where speed is not part of the equation - rather finishing is the main objective. Last year the winning times were well over 5 hours, and they tell people to double or even triple their marathon times to estimate expected finishing times. I want to run a marathon in every state and province, so this will knock Vermont off of the list. There is a group of runners going that Hubs and I know, so that should make it really fun. And of course, why not run it? :) Hubs is of course good to go!

Here is a video about Jay's Peak I found on You Tube:





This marathon is taking place on July 26th, in less than two months, so my plan is hit to the trails for my runs two or three times a week, including my LSD run on Sunday. I will also run 30K back to back in a few week to prepare as this event is more of an ultra than a marathon. I suppose I should also do some hill training :). I can't wait to knock this one off. I've heard the view at the top of the mountain is awesome! Thanks for reading!