Marathon Eve

It's finally here- marathon eve.

When I first got injured, I thought that I would want to be as far away as possible from Richmond this weekend. But I changed my mind. I decided that instead of hiding from this weekend, I would embrace it.

Today, I'm focusing on what I CAN do this weekend instead of what I CAN'T do.

I can go help my buddy Greg with his carb loading by meeting him for lunch at Noodles & Co.

I can be a good ambassador for Richmond and a smiling face at the race expo this afternoon, where I'll be handing out bib numbers.

I can go see the Chihuly exhibit and get dinner with Teka tonight.

I can hand out medals (or possibly blankets, but I hope medals) at the finish line tomorrow while wearing this ridiculous hat:



Bad self portraits FTW.

I can wish all of my running buddies (both in real life and in blog life) who are running Richmond the best of luck: Marcey, Caitlin, Greg, Jessica, Katie (Marathon Winer), Christine (These Happy Miles), Allison (Runner In Progress), and anyone that I forgot. You will all rock it and I am so proud of all of you!

I can take my bad mojo away and provide gorgeous weather. If I was running tomorrow, I can guarantee the forecast would not be as perfect as it is.

I can look forward to next year, when I'm determined to rock this marathon myself.

If you are running tomorrow, look for me at the finish. I would honored to give you your medal (or in worst case scenario... your blanket that you won't need because it will be warm).

Also look for me at the Expo today, somewhere in the race bib distribution area.

I'll be tweeting what I'm up to all weekend, follow me @firedancerk8

Return to the Run

Yesterday, I completed a physical-therapist sanctioned and observed RUN.

Yes, you heard me right. For the first time in 72 days, I ran.

It wasn't anything stellar - 10 minutes of 1 minute intervals of walking and running. But it was running and I was so excited that even Steve was smiling ear to ear. He observed me for my first two running intervals and said, "It looks great Kathryn! I can't even tell which one was broken!"

My foot didn't hurt at all but the bad news is that my old ankle pain was back - and with a vengeance. It hurt more during those 5 minutes of running than it has in months. Being a good patient, I told Steve about it and he did some manipulating and icing of the area and encouraged me to start doing my ankle exercises again. Likely it just weakened thanks to disuse and the fact that my left calf has been so tight lately it feels like it's popping off of my leg.

Despite the ankle pain, Steve gave me the go ahead to perform this fun little "run" 3 times in the next week - every other day only and up to 15 minutes if I do not experience foot pain.

THEN he said that at my next appointment (next Thursday), he will give me a return to running plan.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was so excited when I left physical therapy that I went to the gym immiately and zipped through 35 minutes on the stationary bike. The whole time on the bike I was trying to figure out how I wanted to celebrate my return to running.

Wine or cupcakes? Cupcakes or wine?

Hard decision, but in the end:

Resolution Check In

Running - Goal: Run at least 500 miles this year; run at least 1 half marathon
[Seeing as how I broke my foot and all, I'm going to include miles biked in brackets.]

Through October 31

January: 47 miles
February: 72 miles
March: 80 miles
April: 69.5 miles
May: 76 miles
June: 81 miles
July: 67 miles
August: 108 miles
September: 14 miles [44 miles]
October: [112 miles]

Total for the year: 614.5 miles [770.5 miles]

Reading - Goal: Read at least one book per month

January Books
Riggs, Ransom - Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Bray, Libba - A Great and Terrible Beauty

February Books
Moran, Michelle - Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution

March Books
Massie, Robert K. - Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman
Sussman, Ellen - French Lessons
Gilbert, Elizabeth - Committed: A Love Story

April Books
Clark, Colin - My Week with Marilyn
Morgenstern, Erin - The Night Circus

May Books
Raybourn, Deanna - Dark Road to Darjeeling
James, P. D. - Death Comes to Pemberley

June Books
Martin, George R.R. - A Song of Ice and Fire Book 3: A Storm of Swords
James, E.L. - 50 Shades of Gray (for the record, I hated this book)

July Books
Martin, George R.R. - A Song of Ice and Fire Book 4: A Feast for Crows
Bronte, Charlotte - Jane Eyre
Mantel, Hillary - Wolf Hall

August Books
Dunant, Sarah - The Birth of Venus

September Books
Worked on Anna Karenina... didn't finish it.

October Books
Gabaldon, Diana - Outlander
Flynn, Gillian - Gone Girl
Irving, Washington - The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (short story)

Currently reading:  
Tolstoy, Leo - Anna Karenina

Movies (no resolution; just to keep track)
The Artist
Underworld: Awakening
The Hunger Games
Wrath of the Titans
The Avengers
Mirror Mirror
Men in Black 3 
Magic Mike
The Dark Knight Rises