Training, April 9-15

Monday: 6 miles at 10:03 pace on a local hilly trail
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: 6 miles at 9:33 pace with Kelly J. at a local forest preserve
Thursday: 6 miles at 9:27 with the FNRC, first mile with Kelly W.
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Rockdale Ramblin Run 10K, 44:52, 8:02 pace, 3rd in my age group!
Sunday: Rest

You can also follow me on DailyMile.

Total miles: 24.2

Thursday

Before the 10K

Obviously not running related but wanted to share another pic from Saturday night

Thoughts:

• I need to make strength training a part of my routine. Those rests days above? At least one of them should have been some kind of strength and/or core workout. This is the only part of my training that is not going as planned. I'm starting to get to a point in my running where my body is telling me I can't continue just on running alone. If I want to get faster and make 30+ weeks and 100+ mile months part of my routine, I need to be stronger overall. Especially with marathon training starting in less than two months. If anyone has any suggestions for runner-specific strength workouts, let me know. 
• With the exception of Monday, my paces this week were where I wanted them. Easy runs around 9:29 pace, if I did a tempo run this week, the tempo miles would have been around 8:03 and that was my pace for the 10K race. Although, if it had been a true tempo run, miles 1 and 6 would have been at my easy pace, but oh well, I'm competitive and it was a race. 
• I still need to get new shoes. But I also need to get new (non-running) pants. Hmm. Decisions. 

Redemption Run at Waterfall Glen

Many runners do redemption races. Maybe they did a race, and it didn't go so well ... so they set their sights on doing the race again the following year, and kicking ass at it. I'd like to eventually do that with the Palos Half Marathon, hopefully next year I won't have a wedding the night before.

Last fall, I ran Waterfall Glen for the first time with some other local runners. I had heard Waterfall Glen was tough, but I was surprised at how wiped out I was post-run, especially considering I ran it a little bit slower than my normal pace at that time. (It should be noted that it was also the day after Thanksgiving, so I was recovering from not only massive food and wine, but a 4 mile Turkey Trot race. Also, Waterfall Glen is hillier than my usual running routes.)

Amanda organized another group run for this morning at Waterfall Glen. Even though my office isn't closed on Good Fridays, I decided I could use a day off. I also decided this time I wasn't going to let Waterfall Glen get me down! Literally. I think last time I lounged around for most of the day and took a nap. Maybe I went to a Tribal Belly Dance Workshop that night, so I wasn't totally beat.

This morning's shiny, happy group ... who are these people?
No seriously. Thanks to social media, I have no idea who some of them are.
But who cares, they are runners, and therefore instant besties, right? 

Anyway, to prepare for today's run, I took a rest day yesterday, and packed port-run snacks to share. Bananas, peanut butter, pretzels, bagels, plus water and chocolate soy milk for me. I'm like a freaking soccer mom. I also planned to just focus on my heart rate and take it easy if I had too. Oh, and I definitely didn't run a 4 mile race or gorge on food and wine.

    

Last fall's run on the left, today on the right

BAM! The distance is around 9.4 miles. If you look at our moving time, we were about three minutes faster, but more importantly, my heart rate was lower. Not sure why the big difference in the elevation gain/loss, we ran the exact same route. I wonder if the GPS bounced off some trees or something. Based on the elevation charts, I think today's looked more accurate.

And post-run? I felt great! I haven't taken a nap but I could sure use some coffee. But I did get up around the same time I normally do and by now I would have had two cups of coffee.

Once I got home from the run, I took a cold water bath. I don't add ice, I just let the water run as cold as possible, get in the tub, close the drain and let it fill up and sit in it for about 15 minutes (or until I'm done with whatever Runners' World article I've started). I usually wear my running top while I'm in there just for extra warmth. Then I wait a bit (at least 15 minutes) before I take a shower. I know some people say ice baths do nothing, but I'll try any "natural" remedy that will help prevent injuries.

And now I have to take my cat to the vet to figure out why she likes to pee on the floor.

100. FINALLY.

First 100-mile month. And it feels great!

Actually, scratch that. 

I've been feeling like I'm getting sick.

I ran tonight and feel a little bit better, of course. 

And it's all "above the neck" so I'm not too worried. Just annoyed.

PS - Did you enter for a chance to win a free entry to 13.1 Chicago?

Also:

  

  

Note to self: If you're doing to be a dork and do the "arms up" as you finish, look UP and SMILE. 

Commit to being a dork! Don't just half-ass it. 

Also I like how in the bottom middle photo above, I'm floating.
WHILE stopping my Garmin. TALENT. 

Because usually when I try to stop my Garmin without looking, I hit "lap."
And when I try to hit "lap" without looking, I stop my time.

This picture would be great if they didn't put the ugly orange letters over us ... what the heck. 

 

In front of the port-o-johns? Really, event photographer?

Oh, and I finally decided my fanny pack is too dorky even for me.

So I broke down and bought a Spibelt. I took my dorkiness down a shade. 

June Half Marathons Training Plan

Check out this glorious picture of me
about to PR at the Oak Forest Fleadh 5K.
I don't know if I've ever taken such a nice race photo.
Notice that I'm floating. And I'm wearing a skirt.
I'm practically Super Woman.

So far this year, I haven't really been following a training plan for my races. Mostly because they have been short races (5K's and an 8K) and also because I haven't been planning to go all out and race the one longer race I'm doing (Sunday's half - even before I decided to pace my friend, I wasn't planning to run it super hard).

Basically my training for the year has just been "run whatever the group is running." I think 80 percent of my runs have been group runs. Which has been a lot of fun! And has definitely made me faster. And I have a nice solid base of miles and marathon training draws closer.

Now that the pressure is off for this Sunday's half (I found out it's my friend's first half marathon, so I'm just going to stick with her and have fun), my focus is on PR'ing the pants off of one of my June half marathons. Or both.

I'm going to try to follow a plan based on a personalized plan from the RunnersWorld.com Smart Coach. I know I'm not going to follow it exactly, but I'm going to use it as a starting point.

For now, my plan is:

Easy runs:
 2-3 days per week, 3-6 miles at a pace of 9:32, working down to 9:21.

Tempo or Track workout:
1 day per week
Tempo runs: 6-7 miles, with the tempo miles at a pace of 8:05, working down to 8:02 (which is just a few seconds slower than the HM goal pace)
Track workouts: 1600m repeats at a pace of 7:33 working down to 7:25 (my 5K PR pace is 7:30)

Longs runs: 
Saturdays. The RW plan has me doing 13 miles every weekend, using the same easy pace as my easy weekday runs. That seems excessive. I'll probably start with 8 and work my way up to 12.

Strength/core work: 
At least once a week. The Pilates and weights classes that I like at my gym conflict with my group runs (of course they do when you go to group runs regularly on four different days of the week). So I will have to skip a group run once per week. I'll probably rotate which day I skip.

Based on this plan, I should be able to run a half marathon at a 8:00 pace. That seems pretty ambitious to me - honestly I would be happy just to finish in under 2 hours for both races. But aim high (er, low), right? I'll see how I feel on race days, I'll probably follow my heart rate more than my pace and see where I end up. Plus it would be fun to PR two weekends in a row (I mean, why not try?) so I'll probably do the June 2 race a little bit easy to give myself some wiggle room to PR again on June 9. (And also so I have some gas left for June 9.) But I'll keep an eye on the weather and factor that in as well. (13.1 Chicago, my June 9 half, was cut short last year due to the heat.)

Currently, my half marathon PR is 2:22. SEE YA!

ALSO, speaking of half marathons, if you're doing the Chi-Town Half & 10K this weekend, meet-up with us before the race!

About that Half Marathon ...

Before I jump into my post, here's the pic with the Green Men at the Shamrock Shuffle:

Nicole, Amanda, Green Man, me, Green Man, Kelly. Thanks for the pic, Nicole!!

Thank you for all your comments on my last post (well, and every post!), especially all the encouragement for this weekend's half marathon and my ability to kill my PR. 

But, I don't think I'm going to race it.

I wasn't planning on doing the Chi-Town Half in the first place. I did want to do it, but I went back-and-forth, and decided not to register. (You know, to save money and stuff, also none of my usual running buddies were doing it.)

But then one of my college friends posted on Facebook that she registered for it. And I haven't seen much since college (she moved back downstate after graduating). That quickly changed my mind. I mulled over it for all of 24 hours before I went ahead and registered.

I was talking to that friend yesterday morning, and she asked if I was going go "fast" at the half. I told her I was thinking of doing a 9-minute pace, which would be a big PR, but that pace didn't totally scare me. But I could tell by her response that 9-minute miles were definitely "fast." She said she would try to keep up with me. Which I know is a recipe for disaster.

So once again, I had to make the decision - run my own race, or have fun with a friend?

I like lists, so here is a list ...

Why I should just have fun: 

• The only reason I signed up for this race is because she is doing it, and we don't see each other very often. If we stick together, that's 2 hours or so more than we've spent together in almost two years.
• I'm signed up for four other half marathons this year - I will have plenty of chances to PR. And PR again. 
• While I certainly feel like I could race this one, and PR, my running schedule for the past few months hasn't really been with this race in mind. I mean, I've definitely put in the miles, but I haven't been doing them intentionally for this race.
• Even if we stick to a 10-minute pace, or even 10:30, that would still be a PR for me, and I think those paces are more in line with her plans. 
• AND that would give me more room for yet another PR at one of the half marathons I am doing in June. Because you're supposed to PR every race, right? 
• [Edited to add] I don't want to wear/burn myself out on running/racing. I know that I've signed up for a lot of races this year, and I want to keep myself injury-free for marathon day. If this isn't a goal race, why push it? 

Why I should race:

• Because I'm a jerk with a giant ego.

So, there you go. Obviously I am one of those super happy friendly runners who loves running with friends and making everyone feel great about themselves. You can lump me with the pro-finishers-medal crowd, the pro-running-skirts crowd (but only if they sparkle and there is a theme involved), the pro-"you're a winner just for trying" crowd.

And I'm OK with that. Gold stars for everyone!!!!

Chicago Running Bloggers Meet-up

Given that I'm running the Shamrock Shuffle tomorrow (in green striped knee socks, a green sparkle skirt and a white shirt that says "I run with fast women" on the front and "magmilerunner.com" on the back - say hi if you see me!), today should have been a "day off" from running. A day I could have actually slept in! Except ... I helped organize a running bloggers meet-up for this morning. And Kelly was picking me up for it around 7:30am. Another Saturday morning of thinking "why do I do this to myself?" as my alarm goes off.

Answer: because I love running, and I love meeting other runners!

Olive "greeted" Kelly through the front window when she picked me up this morning (she said that's how she knew she had the right house ... which probably means my crazy cat lady status is official), and we were off to Chicago. Specially, $2 Chicago parking. As Kelly was turning down random streets in the south Loop, I had to ask "where are you taking me?" But what I was really thinking was "I told my husband/parents that I was meeting up with some people I meet on the internet in the Big City and you're taking me to some out-of-the-way 'parking lot' ... " Just kidding. Sort of.

We did make it to the mythical $2 parking lot that was actually $2, the only drawback is it was 1.5 miles from Millenium Park. Lesson = $2 parking is good if you are in running shoes/clothes, but I wouldn't recommend it for date night.

Anyway ... we made it to The Bean by 9am to meet up with our newest blue-clad running blogger besties. And there were pictures, duh.

Left to right: Katie - Live Half Full, Kim - Ilax Studio, Erin - Eri-thon,
Bobbi - Zero to 26.2, Kelly - Running Kellometers, me, Rachael - A Runner's Crave

After giggling our way through obligatory self-portraits in The Bean, we walked over to the Lakefront Path and started the running part of the meet-up. Even though Kelly and I are racing tomorrow, you can't meet up with a bunch of runners and not run. (Not that we wouldn't have had fun and/or have enough to talk about.)

By Oak Street Beach

We headed up to Oak Street Beach and back down to Navy Pier, which was just over 3 miles. At Navy Pier we headed to the Shamrock Shuffle expo for bib pick-up and to meet-up with more bloggers. We ended with lunch at the Navy Pier food court - not the most glamorous or tasty, especially being in the middle of the city, but when you're dressed like this and spend all your money on race fees and compression socks, you don't have many options: 

Left to right: Kim - Ilax Studio, Katie - Live Half Full, Sara - Run, Gingerfoxxx, Run, Kelsey - Ready Set Feast!,
Bobbi - Zero to 26.2, Kelly - Running Kellometers, Rachael - A Runner's Crave, me. 

After that, Kelly and I walked the 2.5 miles back to her car and headed back to my house to drop me off. And she got to meet my parents. I think that means we're going steady now. As running partners. 

Thursday Nights Rule!

I'm getting old. I love Thursday nights, but in a very different way than I did 10 years ago (when I was in college).

These days, Thursday nights means group runs with the F'N Runners, and it's the night that Kelly and Amanda come out! 

Me, Kristin, Amanda, Kelly, before the downpour

I usually don't see them at any of our other weekly runs. Kelly and I always run together when we are at the same group run. She pushes me to a "comfortably hard" pace, usually at the upper end of the heart rate I might target if I were running alone, so I look forward to feeling speedy. Plus, we always have pretty funny conversations. During part of our run tonight, we discussed this video, and maybe that prompted us to talk about some of our own bodily functions (while running). Kelly, I hope you don't mind, I shared some of our conversation with my husband.

It also poured on us during most of our run. But after the recent warm temps, the rain felt GREAT! Although now my shoes are stuffed with newspaper. Best way to dry them out. Just keeping shoving the newspaper in there. Luckily these aren't my only running shoes.

Tonight was also great because I won Kelly's recent charity raffle, and she brought my winnings!!! I told my husband I would share with him, but hands off any of the chocolate and peanut butter flavors. Which I want to eat together. Dear GU: why no chocolate + peanut butter flavor? 

If you're going to be at the Shamrock Shuffle expo tomorrow (Friday), between 10am - 2pm, stop by the Fort2Base Race booth and say hi! I'm an ambassador for that race. 

How to make your long commute suck less

I mentioned a couple months ago that my job was changing and my commute was getting longer. I'm surviving the commute but there's no getting around the monotony of driving the same 47 miles, twice a day, four times per week. (I work from home on Fridays.)

But I found a way to make it a little bit better! Stop for a run on my way home. Bonus: meet up with a fellow running blogger / friend, Kelly [the Culinarian].

Speaking of meeting up with running bloggers ... are you coming to the Chicago Running Bloggers meet-up on Saturday morning?

I realized a few weeks ago that my commute might make it convenient to meet up with Kelly for a post-work run, but yesterday was the first day we were able to meet. We had a lovely 5.75 mile run through the Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve, talking mostly about food (Girl Scout cookies, chocolate cake), work, graduate school (not that I've been) and other topics. We also complained about the bugs. Then we realized that complaining about bugs while running in the forest = first world problem.

I used my trunk as a tripod for this shot.
Note to self: take all future self portraits from this angle.
Hellooooooo legs. 

Also (because you care) I got to try out the shorts I bought for the marathon (yes, the one in October). I'm a fan. They didn't ride up in places where you don't want your shorts to ride. With a little Body Glide, I had no chaffing issues. Yaysies.

And I inadvertently discovered which nail polish I should wear for the marathon. Sidenote: I have a newfound nail polish addiction. Granted, I stick to the cheap stuff ($2-4), but it's definitely an addiction. I can't walk into Target, Jewel, Walgreens, etc these days without checking out their selection. By the way, I think this color is "Times Square" by New York Color.

This photo was awkward to take.

By the way, could my blog get any more interesting? I'm pretty sure when I took "Intro to Online Communication" during undergrad, we discussed blogging about your nail polish color. OK, maybe we only discussed blogs and chat rooms and our professor's BMW motorcycle, but still. This is riveting stuff, no? Actually I find it pretty humorous what "online communication" methods were worthy of classroom discussion in 2002. A lot has changed on the interwebs in 10 years. 

Why running by heart rate rules!

If you've been reading my blog for awhile (or if you ever run with me in person), you might have noticed that I am a BIG fan of running by heart rate vs. pace. I don't do every run by heart rate - generally if I'm at a group run (which has been most of my running for the past few months), I just keep up with the group, but I do monitor my heart rate just to see where I'm at. If I'm running alone or racing, I generally target a certain heart rate and not a certain pace.

I prefer this method for a few reasons:

No regrets. I never question if I could have ran a race faster, or if I should have run a training run faster (or slower). If I hit or stay within my heart rate targets, I know that whatever pace resulted was the best I could do for that run on that day.

No running out of steam. I've been monitoring my heart rate while running for about eight months now. I use this as a point of reference, but I've gotten a feel for what each zone feels like, and how long I can maintain it. I know I can maintain a heart rate of around 178-180 for a 5K. I know I can maintain a heart rate in the 160s for a half marathon. I'm nervous about my first marathon in October, but I know if I keep my heart rate low (probably in the 150s), unless something unforeseen happens, I should be fine.

No confusion. The last time I ran, it was a 5K in 32 degrees. Today I just wanted to do some easy miles ... but it's 82 degrees out. I don't have to stop and think about how to adjust my pace. I just set out and target the same heart rate I've been targeting for my easy runs.

This has nothing to do with heart rate, but awhile back, I mentioned that sometimes after I run, when I'm stretching out on the floor, my cat comes and sprawls out next to me. Today I had my camera nearby when that happened:

Also, in case you were wondering, the Juno bra by Moving Comfort (yes, the same exact bra in the banner on the right side of my blog ... I only run in that bra!) makes a really good water bottle holder. I hate holding anything in my hands while I run, and I don't have a water bottle belt. Honestly though ... sticking it in the back of my bra works out really well. I haven't chaffed from it yet. And it doesn't move while I'm running. And the straps of Moving Comfort bras are adjustable.

Not the most flattering angle, but I had to demonstrate

And yes, that black strap just barely sticking out from the bottom of my bra is my heart rate monitor.

And I skipped tonight's group run to run closer to home because I had a date with my niece tonight!

 

That's Macgyver on the left

Stage One: Denial. Stage Two: Acceptance.

Another pic from Saturday's 5K.
Accepting my 3rd place AG award.
Thanks, Amanda!

I'm making up stages for this process, but I need to accept the fact that I might possibly be injured. However minor, I shouldn't be stubbon and ignore this. If something doesn't feel right, then it probably isn't.

A couple weeks ago, I noticed my right ankle felt ... tender. Just the right one, so I suspected it wasn't just soreness, and I usually don't feel soreness in my ankles anyway. I noticed it the most when I was getting in and out of the driver's seat, because you have to put all your weight on your right foot while you do.

I tried wrapping it here and there, but I didn't change my training. The pain (although I don't know if it was truly painful) wasn't getting worse, but it was still noticeable, especially when I put weight on it. But I figured if it wasn't getting worse, I shouldn't worry.

I was talking to BFF Ultra Vera last week (while I had a meatloaf in the oven! I cooked!). She is actually injured. Like, for real, saw doctors and everything. I mentioned my ankle to her, and she told me to start with the R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compression, elevation) and not ignore it.

I had been doing the compression and some elevation, and resting or cross-training on my planned rest days (even when I wanted to run), but she told me to start icing. So I did. I've been icing on and off for the past few days (and still running), and the feeling isn't going away.

I raced a 5K yesterday and decided to skip doing a long run this weekend because of my ankle. But, dare I say, it might be getting just a touch painful. Maybe. Slightly. And while before it felt like it might be in the front of my ankle, or if might be the side, now it definitely feels like the outside, behind the ankle bone, and possibly traveling a little bit up my leg.

So ... perhaps it's time to add more R to the equation, meaning more rest. I don't like this idea. It means actually admitting that I might actually maybe possibly have an injury. And, of course, it means less running. Less running when the temps are supposed to get up into the 60-70s all week. And of course we just had the time change and now I have more daylight after work. #FirstWorldRunnerProblems

BUT, the alternative to not resting is that I make it worse, and that's not a good idea when I've already spent ... well I don't want to tell you how much I've spent on upcoming races in 2012. But it's probably more than I've spent on (non-running) clothes, shoes, accessories, etc. So I've replaced one bad spending habit with another it seems.

My next race is the Shamrock Shuffle in 12 days, and I have a half marathon in 19 days. Smart Maggie is telling me to stick to resting, swimming and biking this week, and hopefully my ankle will feel back to normal and I can race those races and resume running as usual.

So I guess I'll do that. I won't like it though.

(Seriously? When did I become the person who is upset that she can't go running? I sure have changed.)

Runner Tunnel Vision

Have you ever run in crazy weather conditions, and not really realized how crazy you are until you get home and realize other runners skipped last night, or took it inside?

Even though during the run you kept thinking "Wow it sure is windy!" "Wow that rain pelting my skin sure feels cold!" "Maybe I'll turn here and cut my run short ... nahhhh keep going."

I was already out there. May as well finish what I started. Besides, it was 57 degrees earlier in the day! What do you mean the temperature has dropped 15 degrees?

Sometimes you just really need to run. Last night was one of those nights. It was not a treadmill night. It was a pound-the-pavement-alone night. And pound it I did, fartlek style. Despite the wind, I actually put in some decent sprint paces.

Not last night, obviously,
but it rained during almost this entire half marathon

I figure I better get used to running in crappy weather, as I'm planning to do four races in March - April and weather in Chicagoland during early spring is pretty unpredictable. It could be 80 and humid or 30 and snowing. You really never know what to expect. I've seen snow in May.

Otherwise, why did I buy a Nike Vapor jacket on eBay last month?

What's the craziest weather you've run in, either during a race or training run? 

Progress: What a Difference a Year Makes

Today I ran 10 miles with the F'N Runners. I wasn't planning on doing 10.

This morning's group. I'm on the far right. In the front in gray is Jeni, and in yellow is Don.
And a bunch of non-bloggers. At least, not that I'm aware of. 

Some of us did eight miles (four out-and-back), and by the time we got back to our cars, almost everyone else had already finished or were good doing eight, but a couple were going to do another mile out-and-back for a total of 10. I was feeling good, so I figured, why not? My total time was 1:33 (I stopped my watch for a couple short breaks.) It was the first time I ran double digits in one day since my last half marathon on October 1. (I've been sticking to 7-8 miles for my long runs almost every weekend since.)

Last May, I ran the Soldier Field 10 mile race. I trained for it and busted my butt to a 1:48 finish. Today wasn't quite slow enough to be considered a truly "easy" pace (according to my heart rate) but it certainly wasn't race pace.

On Thursday night, I ran six miles with the F'N Runners. It was our first time meeting on a Thursday night. I wasn't sure what to expect.

Thursday night. A bunch of non-bloggers and Kelly is second from the right and Amanda is on the far right.
Actually Gen (in the blue) has a blog but I don't know if it's "public." She can comment with the link if it is :)

I ran with a couple friends, and our pace was 8:33. It definitely felt like a tempo for me (comfortably hard), but considering last June my 5K PR pace was 8:30, and I busted my butt for that one too (and it was the week after the Soldier Field 10 that I trained for), I was pretty proud of Thursday's run.

It's amazing what you can accomplish with some consistency.

DailyMile

I am SO EXCITED for my spring half marathons and seeing how far I've come in two years. (My first half was in May 2010 and my time was 2:48.)

And do you know how accomplished I feel to be done with 10 miles, showered, and ready for the rest of my day by 11am? (Keep in mind I drive 20 minutes each way for these group runs.) I've certainly changed in the past 10 years year. Before hooking up with my running club, if it wasn't race day, I very rarely got up early to run. And even then "early" was 8am. Yet another mark of progress!

Also last night I did some core work (class at the gym) and then "cross training" at Room To Move, my sis-in-law's studio: Hoop Dance Party Party.

She brought her own fans

It was hard to get good pictures in low light with everyone moving. Anyway, it's part of their $5 Fridays series, the third Friday is Hoop Dance Party Party. Basically come and do your thing. Fourth Friday is a Tribal Belly Dance workshop.

Don't forget! Every $5 you donate to the American Cancer Society = 1 entry in my "favorite things" raffle, including Sparkly Soul headbands, Bondi Bands, Clif Shot Bloks, Honey Stinger Waffles, Body Glide and a custom race t-shirt quilt. Learn more.

I'm Doing This For Me

Since I've started really getting into running, and thus talking more about running, one thing that's bugged me is the response from what I'll refer to as the "non-running peanut gallery."

I'm sure I'm not the only person who has encountered these folks. And I know they exist in the non-running world.

They are friends or "friends" who just don't "get" running. And they make comments about your running. Not necessarily criticisms, not quite judgement. But definitely opinions that seem to imply you, the runner, are somehow crazy or addicted. (In a bad way, not the good way that we like to think we are.) That there is something wrong with, or at the very least, questionable about what you are doing. Or, rather, how much you are doing it.

Since this is my blog, and therefore it's about me, I'm going to comment on it, and then (hopefully) I'll be over it.

So I run. A lot, by some people's standards. (But a little by others ... who cares, the only standard that matters is my own.) And I race. A lot. I do these things because I enjoy them.

I don't have kids.
I live with my parents.
I spend over 2 hours every workday commuting.

So those hours I'm not working, commuting or sleeping? I want to do something I enjoy. And I enjoy running. So that's what I'm going to do. It makes me happy. Right now running and my job are the only things making me happy.

So why would anyone question me doing something that makes me happy?

I'm an adult. I don't need the world to approve of my life. I only need to worry about making myself happy first, and then my loved ones, and then my boss/co-workers. In that order. (And then find a solution for world peace, right?) I don't need my friends to approve. But at the very least, it would be nice if, aside from my running friends, they were supportive. Or happy for me. Or at the very least, not judgmental.

I know friends tease each other, and give each other grief. That's part of "friendship," and I didn't earn the nickname Sarcastic Ass for nothing. (Although the older I get, the less proud I am of that nickname, so I am trying to tone it down.)

I won't go into detail about what I think is really behind these comments. (Insecurity.) Because that's an assumption, and maybe not a fair one, and this blog isn't about other people. (I don't mean that in a self-centered way, I mean that in the sense that with the exception of my Q&A posts, no one else gave me approval to talk about them in this space, so I try not to talk about other people in this blog, unless it's harmless and/or positive.)

At the end of the day, that is why I have this blog - it's an outlet to talk about running with people who "get" it. That's also why I love my running groups, and why I spend so much time running with them. They are supportive of my running goals, and they "get" it.

What do you think? How do you deal with the non-running peanut gallery?

I Run Because I Can / Museum of Science and Industry

While I was out for my run today, I ran past a man walking his dog. He started talking to me as I approached, so I stopped. He said he used to run - six miles a day, six days a week - until he started having strokes. I commented that at least he's still getting out to walk his dog (3 times a day for 20 minutes, he told me), and that's something.

It reminded me that one of the reasons many of us (including me) run is because we can. And we'll keep running, until like the man I met today, we are forced to stop. A few years ago, when I lived in a different town, my typical post-work running route would take me past a house where I would often see a man in a wheelchair in the driveway, watching his kids play. It was a frequent reminder that I am so lucky to have my health, I never want to take that for granted.

Now for something completely different ... yesterday I went to the Museum of Science and Industry for the first time in years. The Sailor and I went with a few friends, one of whom brought his son. It was fun to check out the new exhibits, as well as ones that have been there for a long time.

I'm happy to report that the baby chicks are still there.

Steam locomotive

Petroleum Planet exhibit

This was also part of the petroleum exhibit

The new Science Storms exhibit

Tornado

So if you ever get caught near a tornado, just run in laps around it?

Transportation Gallery

When I grow up ...

They've had the U-505 sub for years, but recently opened a new exhibit for it.

What's your favorite museum? I love the Museum of Science & Industry, since I love math and am fascinated by all of the applications for it. The Art Institute of Chicago my other favorite. My parents used to take me there a lot (for many of the special exhibits) but I don't go as much anymore.