Book

As crazy as it may sound, I've decided that I want to write a book about running. The direction I'm thinking is a training guide for college students. There are several running books out there geared towards the elite, Boston qualifiers and middle aged runners, but not so many aimed at the younger population. Since I ran my first half marathon at 18 and full at 19, I think I would be able to help train and motivate other college students to tackle 26.2.

Possible title...

Midterms and Marathons: The long distance training guide for college students.

Wish me luck.

Do's and Do Not's of Racing

Over the past two years I have run quite a few races and at each of these races I see a lot of first timers making MANY mistakes. So I have compiled a list of racing do's and do not's.

1.) If you run at an 11-minute pace, don't start up with the 7-minute milers. Everyone will hate you for being in the way and you will just feel bad about yourself for not being able to keep up.

2.) If you run at a 7-minute pace don't start with the 12's and then wonder why everyone is "in your way"

3.) At the start line, if you are in the right pace group BE PATIENT. Don't try to push your way up. Everyone will cross the start line eventually.

4.) BRING TOILET PAPER. I cannot express the importance of this one enough. At a race with 40,000 runners toilet paper can be a scarce resource in port-o-potties, bring your own and avoid some very unpleasant experiences later.

5.) Along with the port-o-potty theme. Hand sanitizer. Enough said.

6.) Hydrate. Just because you feel great now doesn't mean you will feel great later. If you wait until you are thirsty to drink some water, it's too late.

7.) If you are running with friends, please try to be aware of other runners. If you have 4 people in your group all running next to each other, it is extremely difficult for other runners to conveniently get around you.

8.) Just because you are cold while waiting for the race to start does not mean that you will be cold while running.

9.) Please do not just stop in the middle of the road to stretch, tie your shoe, blow your nose, whatever...someone will run into you, and it will hurt.

10.) Last but not least, have fun! It's your first race, you shouldn't be obsessed with finishing time or beating your friends. You should just focus on finishing and enjoying yourself.

Hot Chocolate 15K

This past Saturday was the Hot Chocolate 5/15K in Grant Park. I ran the 15K in 1:31:30 which I am very happy about.

I must say, this race is the ideal post-marathon race for many reasons.
1.) It's a race.
2.) The race is long enough so that you don't let yourself completely stop running after the marathon.
3.) The race is short enough so you don't feel pressured to "train" for it. Just a few runs to keep yourself moving is all that is needed.
4.) A chance for redemption. If you happen to not have a super fantastic marathon. This race will help you sort of redeem yourself.


Overall, this was a really great race and I highly recommend it =)

www.hotchocolate15k.com

Chicago Marathon 10-10-10

This past weekend I finished marathon #2 =) Last year I ran with my dad, but this year I ran it with my mom.

My goal for this year was to sneak under 4:30, but about 2 miles into it I knew that because of the heat tha

t just wasn't going to happen. So I decided to back off the pace and just enjoy the race with my mom.

It was yet another amazing race and I can't wait to run another. I signed up for the Hot Chocolate 15K on November 6th and my dad and I are going to try and do another marathon sometime in December or January. I just need to decide if I still want to hammer out the fulls or if I want to work on my speed with the half. I guess we will just have to

see =)

Rock 'n Roll Chicago

This past Sunday I ran the Rock 'n Roll Chicago Half Marathon and had a blast! I ran most of it with Kelly (one of my running buddies). We were on track to break 2:10 up until about mile 9 when I had to slow down a smidge. I ended up finishing in 2:12:27 which is yet another PR for me =)

Before the race I was worried about if I would be able to set a new PR or not when Kelly's husband Steve said "Elisa, nowadays you set a PR going from your bed to the kitchen." Which is true! I feel like every training run and every race I am getting faster and faster. It's an amazing feeling, definitely makes my goal of Boston-by-25 look more and more realistic!

Also, at the expo, I got to meet Kara Goucher! I got a picture with her and she signed my bib =)

Chi-2010 Training

Well, I have officially started my training for the Chicago Marathon. This year I am shooting for 4:30:00 (maybe faster...we'll see) which would knock about a half hour off of last years time.

What I decided to do is combine a few of Hal Higdon's training programs into one that I think will work pretty well for me. I'm taking the long runs from the intermediate program, the speed workouts from the advanced and the number of times running per week from the novice. I am also going to do core workout/upper body strength 2-3 times a week. So hopefully this custom program will help me reach my goal =)

It's amazing how addicted I have become to running. I used to hate it with a passion and now I just wish I was fast enough to hang with the elite crowd =P It's funny how that happens...you start running just to prove that you can do it. You don't care how slow or how fast you cross that finish line, just that you do. Then you start to think "Well I can go faster than that." and then it becomes a competition with yourself. You train harder, faster and you run more miles per week just to feed your addiction. It's pretty incredible.

Dexter/A2 Half Marathon

On June 6th I ran the Dexter/A2 Half Marathon and set a new PR! 2:15:07 which beats my previous PR (set during the first half of Chicago) by 13 minutes!

The race went really well, I felt strong the whole time and finished with a sprint. It's amazing what speed training can do. Just in the past few months I have knocked 1-2 minutes over my mile pace =)

PAWS Chicago

Alright, so the first time around I ran the marathon for me. This time I am running it for someone else =)

As many people probably know, my dog passed away recently. So I have decided to run this year's Chicago Marathon on behalf of PAWS Chicago. PAWS is an anti-cruelty organization that supports no animal should be destroyed simply because it is homeless.

My fund-raising goal is $600, I would greatly appreciate it if anyone could donate to my cause. Even if it is only a couple of dollars. Every little bit helps!

Here is my fund-raising website https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=342429&supId=293566907

Thank you!

Racing Time!

OK, so I've signed up for 2 half marathons. Dexter-Ann Arbor and Rock 'n Roll Chicago. Dexter is on June 6th and Chicago is on August 1st. As of right now I am set to break my previous half marathon PR by at least 20 minutes. I'm pretty excited at how much I have improved over the past year. Also, if I keep up the pace I've been going I will break my marathon time by 20 minutes =D

Boston 2016?

Well, I am getting faster and faster as my training progresses. Today I ran a 44:28 5-miler and this past weekend I ran a 1:58:04 12-miler. This is significantly faster than I am used to running. It is definitely a great feeling when you look down at your watch expecting to see 22 minutes at mile 2 and you actually see 18.

Today was also the Boston Marathon, I know a few people who ran this year and have run in the past. My dad has run Boston twice in the past. (He was my inspiration to start running in the first place). Over the next 5 years or so I hope to get my pace down to BQ time, which for a female my age is 3:40:59. That may seem nearly impossible considering my marathon time is currently 4:57:38, but I disagree. Through my speed training I have gotten exponentially faster over the past few months. I am hoping that a combination of intensive speed work, my long legs and my young age will be enough for me to qualify by the time I am 25. Quite a goal, and it's a goal that I fully intend on meeting.

Wait..what?

So the other day I went out for a 5-miler and ran it in 46:30...wait...what? Yeah, I was pretty impressed with myself. Initially I thought I left half a mile out somewhere. Alas I did not. Normally that run would take me about 50-55 minutes, so that's pretty awesome. It's great to see that my speed training has actually been paying off. I can't wait to set some new PR's over the next few months =D

Chi-2010!

Well, today I signed up for the 2010 Chicago Marathon. It is on 10/10/10 and I think I am going to try and make it my 10th long distance race. We will see =P

I'm really excited to be running my 2nd marathon. It's kind of funny, even though I have run multiple half marathons and one full, I still don't really consider myself to be a runner...strange.

My mom also signed up for the race and I'm pretty sure my dad is going to as well. It is going to be an awesome race and I cannot wait!

Pounding the Pavement....Again.

I haven't really been running much since the marathon, so I've decided that it's time to sign up for another race to get my motivation going again. I am going to run the Martian Half Marathon in Novi Michigan on April 11. I am very excited, this is a race that I have been wanting to run for quite some time now. I am also very happy to actually have a race to look forward to, now I feel like my running has purpose again.

I have also decided that I want to get faster, so I have upgraded to an intermediate training schedule with a lot more speed training. So hopefully in April I will kick some butt!