Race Recap: 2019 Philadelphia Marathon

I am so excited to be typing up this recap for the Philadelphia Marathon this past Sunday because to be quite honest, I'm shocked I made it to the finish line. For those of you who didn't know, I ran the Philadelphia Marathon this weekend with minimal training considering I won the entry just a few short weeks ago. You can read all about that here if you'd like!

So like I said, I went into this marathon with very little training. For the other 3 marathons I've done, I put in 18 weeks of training with long runs going up to 20 miles. Because this was a last minute decision, I followed a half marathon training schedule up until the Hershey Half at the end of October. After that I ran a 17-miler, 12-miler, and 8-miler as far as long runs. I actually felt good going into marathon weekend. I'm sure I would've been fine if the weather hadn't been less than ideal. My best running friend, Rachel, and John braved the cold and came with me to cheer me on! Anywho, onto the recap which just a bit of a warning, probably will just be a jumbled mess of my thoughts so bear with me! It was quite a day...

The expo was fun, as always!

The forecast called for rain most of Sunday morning so I tried my best to dress accordingly. I wore capris and a tank with a long sleeve tech shirt over top. I started the race with a light jacket over top but more about that later. When I woke up that morning, it was lightly drizzling out. Once we got over to Philly and parked, it has started to let up. At that point I made the decision to wear the light jacket over my long sleeve shirt and a pair of throw away gloves. The coat is sort of water resistant so I figured it would work well. Unfortunately, it had rained all night so there were a lot of puddles everywhere and my feet were already getting wet on the walk over. We got through security fairly quickly. I made the decision to use one of the first port-a-potties I found and honestly, it was the BEST decision because the ones closer to the corrals had ridiculously long lines. I went a bit earlier than usual but I probably wouldn't have even gotten the opportunity to go if I didn't stop earlier.

John and Rachel stood with me for a bit near my corral until the first corrals were starting to leave. They moved towards the start at that point so they could cheer me on as I crossed the start line. As usual, I was in the last corral (#teamturtle) so I didn't end up starting until about 25 minutes after the first corral. Like almost every big race, the start is crowded so I spent the first mile or so darting around people so I could fall into a comfortable pace.

Within the first 3 miles I started to get an odd feeling on the inside of my right foot. It felt like the sock was bunched up so when I stopped to use a port-a-potty at the first group of them where the line wasn't ridiculously long (I think around mile 3?), I tried fixing it. Once I started back up running, it still felt funny so this time I stopped and actually took my shoe off. At that moment, I found the last thing I wanted to see this early in a race: a huge blister forming.... I quickly got out my phone and called John to see if there was any possible way he could get to me before mile 14 (it was planned for them to see me at the start, around halfway, and the finish) with moleskin, bandaids, or any other stuff that could help me. He looked at the map and sadly could not figure out a way to get to a drug store and make it to where I was in a timely manner but he'd get something for me to put on at mile 14. I was bummed until a lightbulb went off and I remembered I had a spare piece of KT tape in my hydration backpack that I kept there for emergencies. I ended up wrapping it around where the blister was forming in hopes it would protect it and stop the pain. While it was a great idea, unfortunately it helped very little. I also ended up having a second blister form on the inside of my left foot.

This looked prettier in person...

I focused most of my attention on the pain the blisters were causing as I cruised through the earlier miles. Normally the hills between miles 7 and 10 would absolutely kill me but I couldn't even think about them. I honestly don't even remember if it rained again at all. I was so excited to see John and Rachel around mile 14. I made the decision not to put any of the bandaids on that John had gotten in fear that if I took my shoes off, I'd never want to put them back on. Instead I handed off my light jacket and gloves as I was getting pretty warm. 

BIG. MISTAKE.

Once I left John and Rachel, it started to rain again. Like, freezing cold rain that was permeating everything I was wearing, making me feel frozen to the core. The rain was angled so it was going right in my face. At this point in the race, we were running along the Schuylkill River so the winds were much stronger and frequent. I tried my best to focus on the sights (I absolutely LOVE Boathouse Row) and all the spectators. I was honestly surprised at how many people still came out the spectate even with the weather. 

So glad John captures this wonderful picture of me as I ran up to him haha I must’ve looked miserable the whole time. 

As I headed towards Manayunk, around mile 18ish, I was starting to lose my motivation. I began thinking about how I'd feel if I just gave up at this point. I knew that quitting this late in the race would just be silly since I had less than 8 miles left to go. I would be lying if I said the thought didn't cross my mind a couple more times before I finished...

Manayunk pumped me up like always! It's like one big party as you cruise down the main street towards the turn around. And then the party keeps going until you leave the town. Once I left Manayunk, the spectators started to die down and so did my drive. The frustrating part is that for the back of the packers, like me, you see a lot of spectators cheering on those between miles 23-25 while you're still around mile 16 because of the way the course is. Those people also cheer for those on the other side of the course which I mentioned above that I saw. But once you get to that area like an hour later, there aren't many people left. This usually is my least part of the race and it was again this year. Spectators are what keep me going at this point and without them, I was left to my own thoughts.

The new mural going into Manayunk is so nice! I just had to stop on my way out to snap a picture. 

The last few miles or so were brutal. I was absolutely soaked. Even the one dry spot on my back that was covered by my hydration pack was wet at this point. I kept getting chills, my teeth were chattering, and the only thought going through my head was "I have no clue if I'll ever warm up after this!" Since my hands were frozen, I hadn't eaten a Gu since at least mile 16 and I struggled to even hold the mouthpiece on my hydration pack so I could drink some water. Millions of thoughts were running through my head. One that kept returning was that thought that I'm not sure I've ever ran a race that was this brutal before. I've ran the marathon distance 3 other times, ran a half marathon in the snow, ran a 10-miler and a half marathon in the rain, and yet this was truly the toughest of them all! I was getting pretty out of it at this point. I've heard of people starting to get a bit crazed at this point in the race and for the first time, I was. I honestly couldn't even keep track of my mile markers and my body just kept shaking with cold.

Once I hit mile 26 on my watch, I knew I only had less than a half mile to go. My watch was off by about .20 throughout most of the race. At this point I just wanted to be done so I put the pedal to the medal and pushed myself to that finish. I knew John and Rachel were somewhere towards the finish line so I scoured the sidelines for them. I heard them yelling my name before I even saw them. At that same time I heard them announce my name over the intercom along with all the other runners who were finishing at this point. That was all I needed to fly right through the finish line. I literally stopped running as soon as I crossed the line because I was DONE. Usually I'll go a bit longer to stop anybody from running right into me but I didn't even care. I was close to tears as I got my medal and heat sheet. I couldn't believe I actually did it! For a race I was considering giving up on as early as 3 miles in, I couldn't believe that I was able to push myself to that finish line!

I’m just smiling because I could see the finish line... oh, and I love running!

I probably looked like a hot mess as I tried to collect my snacks in the tent after the finish line. A pretzel and a banana dangled from my frozen fingers as I tried to also hold a cup of warm chicken broth. Not going to lie, I thought about that warm chicken broth for at least the last 10 miles. I stood there shivering and drink the broth when I finally saw John and Rachel walking up. They had thought to bring me my jacket from the car and oh my goodness I could've cried! They hugged me and all that fun stuff before we made our way to a less crowded spot to take pictures. I looked like a drowned rat and I couldn't hold my medal too well so those pictures turned out just wonderful... From there we went to the car so I could start to defrost. It probably wasn't until we got home and I removed every piece of wet clothing and put on sweatpants and a sweatshirt that I finally started to feel some sort of warmth.

There is probably so much more I could've added to this recap or even took out, but this jumbled mess represents how I felt during the whole race. Never have I felt so defeated during a race. I thought to myself many times that I should've just used that free entry for the half marathon but in a way I am glad I did the marathon. It was a chance to prove to myself that I can do hard things if I set my mind to it. I am strong!

Marathon recovery = chai tea and fuzzy socks!

Marathon #4, Here I Come!

In case you haven't heard the news yet {I haven't been too vocal about it}, I am running the Philadelphia Marathon this Sunday! Yes, the marathon that is FOUR days away! I know, I know. You're probably thinking I am nuts since there has been no talk of marathon training and that is because there really hasn't been any real marathon training going on... Okay, I really need to explain myself!

WINNER WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER!

Back in the spring, I acknowledged the fact that running a fall marathon was pretty much off the table with everything going on this summer. Between wedding planning, the actual wedding, and my honeymoon, I knew getting in my runs would be impossible. After some thinking, though, I came up with the idea that maybe, just maybe, I could attempt to train for Philly and if I felt like it was possible come October, I'd sign up. I pushed myself to run a lot leading up to the wedding and continued on that streak after my 2 week hiatus while I was busy getting hitched and honeymoonin'. 

Fun fact: my sister had to really convince me to run my first marathon. I told her that I’d get “26.2 tattooed across my but when I crossed the finished” which never happened. She still talks about that and even included it in her maid of honor speech at my wedding haha. 

The idea of marathon got put on the backburner when my sister convinced me to train with her for the Hershey Half at the end of October. I was okay with that because I really focused on the training, hit all my long runs, and even incorporated strength in more than ever before. Sometime throughout the month of October I entered a contest through Michelob Ultra to win a Philadelphia Marathon Weekend entry. Something in me felt like I'd win, so after Hershey, I kept up with my running schedule.

I trained for and ran my second marathon solo and it was actually really awesome!

On November 1st, I got the email that I had won an entry into any of the Philadelphia Marathon Weekend races {8k, 13.1, or 26.2}. All day at work I went back and forth between two thoughts. 1. I run the half marathon in hopes of possibly getting a PR and 2. I go all the way for the full! In order to make this decision, I decided I'd run a long run that weekend and if I could do more than 15 miles, then I'd choose the full. Up until this moment, the longest run I had done in the past few months was 13.1 miles but I knew my body and what it was capable of.

That weekend I laced up, filled up my hydration pack, and hit the road. Surprisingly enough, I was able to crank out 17 pain-free miles! I probably could've went even farther but John had gotten home from work and I wanted to spend some time with him. I gave myself one more day to see how my body felt and sure enough, I felt great the next day so the decision was made. I'd be running the full marathon just like I had wanted! And the best part? It was all free of charge thanks to Michelob Ultra!

I ran marathon #3 with my best friend when she was running her first marathon! It was such a great experience!

Since that 17 mile run, I have jumped head first into maintaining a marathon training schedule complete with another long run last weekend and an 8 mile run this past Sunday. For such little training, I actually feel prepared! Most people are probably reading this think "man, you are CRAZY!" and to be honest, I know! For some reason I just feel like I've got this and am excited to see what I can do! I am fully expecting to run this very slowly with a little bit of walking. There is a small part of me that feels like I might actually pull off a good pace but that will be a huge surprise if it happens! Now yes, I am aware that running a marathon on a minimal training schedule is risky but I am aware of those risks and am fully prepared to drop out if I feel it is necessary. Let's just hope it doesn't come to that ;) I mean, I ran my first marathon with tendonitis in my ankle and I survived!

How to Annoy a Runner Part 2

Since my Part 1 of How to Annoy a Runner was such a big hit, and I had an abundance of ideas for it, I now present you with Part 2! Most of these were part of my original list, but some were added after I got some input from Part 1. I hope you enjoy and maybe you can even relate for a few {or all!} of these.


I ran a 5k marathon once. Hmm, I don't think you did but okay.

Haven't you heard about the guy who died from running or the woman who was attacked on a run? Yes and yes. I've done my research and I do what I can to stay safe during a run.

Are you one of those joggers? How dare you use the "J" word!

I wish I could run like you. You could if you tried!

Don't you get bored? Actually, I don't! It's my time to think, listen to podcasts, people-watch, and honestly get some peace and quiet!

I wish I had the time to run, but I'm so busy! Are you implying that I am not busy? I actually am, I just make sure to make time for something that is important to me. Everyone has different priorities.

You can eat whatever you want, you're a runner! If only that was the case...

When are you running another marathon? Just because someone runs a marathon, doesn't mean they will start running one every weekend. Let them focus on this accomplishment first!

Do you have to run today? I mean, I don't have to, but I want to.

Question of the Day: Have you ever been asked any of these questions? 
Is there something you've been asked that I didn't mention here?

My Top 5 Favorite Races

Over the past few years I have ran my fair share of races ranging from “OMG I’ll never do this again” to “I could run this each year and never get tired!” While this was a tough task, I took the time to pick out my top 5 favorite races and wrote about why I chose them. I hope this list may encourage you to try out a new race or two :)

1. Philadelphia Marathon (Philadelphia, PA/Typically the Sunday before Thanksgiving)
This probably doesn’t come as a surprise that this is one of my top 5 favorite race and it  has a special place in my heart for many reasons! Number one being this was my first marathon. I’ve also spent my whole life living super close to Philly, so there are a lot of memories tied in with the city. If we’re gdtging technical, though, this race is great because it’s a primarily flat course with great scenery. You run all throughout the city of Philadelphia, and the sights are definitely worth seeing, from University City to Old City to Manayunk. This marathon can be comparable to one big party as the music and spectators are plentiful! If you’re looking for a perfect first marathon, look no further because Philadelphia Marathon is your race!

2. Hershey Half Marathon (Hershey, PA/Late October)
This was my first half marathon and what a perfect first it was! There are so many amazing perks to this race. For one, you get two free tickets into the park (they have to be used either race weekend or the following weekend, if it's still the same) which makes for a very eventful weekend! Second, the area around Hershey is beautiful so the course is just great. Third, you get chocolate before, during, AND after the race! They typically throw some candy in your bag at packet pick up, they had out mini Hershey bars on the course around mile 11 or 12, and then at the end, you get a whole reusable lunch bag full of snacks and candy! I'm all about the post-race snacks so the bag at the end is perfect. If you're looking for a fun race weekend and maybe even a racecation, this is it!

3. Garden Spot Village Half Marathon (Garden Spot, PA/April)
Most people would probably be shocked that I'm putting this in my top 5 because the course is hills for days and the year I ran it, it snowed... in April! Not gonna lie, the snow made it so much fun and added to the experience. My main reason for choosing this race is because the the overall hospitality of the race directors and other people who help run it. From sign up to crossing the finish line, this race was phenomenal! The swag is incredible. They give you not only one, but TWO race shirts. "One for running in (tech shirt) and one for running around in (regular t-shirt that comes in men AND women's fit)" is how they explain why. The non-tech shirts are always so nice and have cute sayings. I actually went back a year I wasn't running it and purchased one of the shirts because I thought it was awesome. And this comes by no surprise, but the post-race food is spot on! Oatmeal, soup, chocolate milkshakes, and more. They have so much, I honestly can't remember it all. I could go on for days but I'll end with this: if you run this half along with the Bird in Hand half (a close contender when it came to making my list) in the same calendar year, you'll get the Road Apple Award. Wondering what that is? It's literally a plaque with petrified horse poop on it. I know it sounds strange, but it's so cool!

4. Rock N Roll Half Marathon/5K (Philadelphia, PA or anywhere else the Rock N Roll series takes place)
I wish I had all the money in the world to be able to travel and run all of the Rock N Roll series races! I've had the opportunity to run the Philly twice and the 5K twice. Both were awesome races with cool swag and great music along the course! The courses are similar to many Philadelphia races but I can't complain because it's the coolest route in my personal opinion. Like many Philly races, it has a cool expo! I wish I had more to say but it's hard for me to explain just how fun and awesome the Rock N Roll races are.

5. Broad Street 10-Miler (Philadelphia, PA/First weekend in May)
This was my first long distance race and what a great race it is! Everything from the expo to the finish line area is amazing! The course is pretty much just 10 downhill miles of parties. Seriously, everyone comes out to cheer on runners and the vibes are phenomenal! I'm totally motivated by people cheering me on so I have no problem at any point during this race. This is the perfect race for anyone who wants to run something longer than a 10K but isn't quite ready to go for the half marathon. Broad Street is the race I have to thank for getting me into running longer distance. I had so much fun running for more than just a 5K and it made me realize I could definitely run a half marathon (and even longer!).

Question of the Day: What is your favorite race?

Philadelphia Marathon 2018 Recap

Now that I've had a few days to think about the marathon on Sunday and gather my thoughts, I figured I'd put together a little recap of my race! Like always, I had a ton of emotions all day and it took me some time to sort those out and put the days events into words.

I'll start with the expo! Since my friend, Rachel, was coming down for the weekend to run the marathon with me (her FIRST marathon!!), I waited for her to go to the expo on Saturday. John and my little brother decided to tag along with us because they love the free stuff (at least they're honest, right?!). My brother was actually supposed to run the marathon but after getting injured right before our 20 miler, he opted out due to not feeling prepared. He still picked up his race shirt so maybe I'll end up with two shirts?!

We got to the expo around 1 or 2 pm and it wasn't over until 7 pm so we expected it still to be pretty crowded. I was honestly shocked that it wasn't too crowded and there didn't seem to be as many booths as there had been in the past. It was still a good time, though! We ended up enjoying looking at the display of previous years shirts and medals. The evolution of medal designs from 25 years ago until now was really interesting! I'm bummed I forgot to get some photos of that display and other parts of the expo but I was focusing on enjoying the moment.

Did you even go to the expo if you didn't get a bib picture?!

Now on to race day! We had a nice and early wake-up call at 4:30 am. Surprisingly I jumped out of bed feeling pretty awake so that felt good. Our goal was to leave for Philly by 5:15 am which we were able to do. Once arriving in the city, we parked at the same lot we have in the past which is only a few blocks from the Art Museum (where the start and finish is). Since it was pretty cold out, both Rachel and I decided to wear our sweatshirts to the start and then give them to John to hold in a backpack before we got in our corrals. We also wore some cheap gloves we picked up at the expo with the plan of tossing them sometime after the start (we ended up just putting them in the backpack with our jackets because we didn't feel like we needed them at the start).

The security guard who checked my hydration pack entering the starting area gave me hand warmers because he could tell I was cold. So sweet!

We got through security a lot quicker than we anticipated, which left us with a good amount of free time. I didn't want to use the bathrooms too close to starting in fear that I'd still have to go again (spoiler alert: this idea comes into play later in the day...). We pretty much just walked around until deciding to get in the port-o-potty lines. There weren't as many port-o-potties as usual so we waited a lot longer than we thought we would. Luckily we still were able to make it to our corrals by 7 am!

Once in the corral, we stood around for awhile until it was our corral's turn to start. I honestly don't remember there being as much time between each corral in the past. We didn't cross the start until sometime after 7:30 am.

I was so thankful I decided to wear an ear warmer headband for the first few miles! My ears always get SO cold!

The first half of the marathon was a good one for me! I did feel like I was going a little too fast at times but I did feel strong. It was nice to have Rachel to run with and have someone to talk to. There were some parts of the route that seemed different from last year, like we totally ran on a cobblestone street in the first few miles. I also missed the cool drummers that were outside the zoo in years past. The spectators that were out cheering were phenomenal, though! I love reading all their signs. Between miles 7 and 10 were where the hills kicked in. By this point, my legs were already a bit heavy so I tried going easy up them to conserve some energy.

The second half was where things started to go downhill for me. We saw John and Dale around mile 14 which gave me some extra energy to keep pushing until my stomach started hurting. I knew it meant I had to stop and pee so I was on the lookout for a port-o-potty (curse my super hydration and small bladder...). The location of the port-o-potties were a bit inconsistent this year so I didn't know when we would find one. I finally found one after mile 15 and rushed over to it. I told Rachel to go ahead so I wouldn't hold her back. 

I was in and out of the port-o-potty (surprisingly) within seconds and finally felt MUCH better. I could pretty much see Rachel for the next few miles. With tired legs, hills that came out of nowhere, and my motivation drifting away, it was pretty much impossible for me to catch up to her. The crowd support kept me going, though. I passed her just a minute or so before I got to the turn around so that gave me some motivation!

The rest of the race was a total mental game for me. Once I left the party that is called Manayunk, crowd support started to dwindle and so did my motivation to get to the finish line. Each mile seemed to last forever and I had to give myself many pep talks to keep my head in the game (I may have also Face timed my nephew for some extra support...). After passing the marker for mile 24, I knew I wasn't going to finish in under 5 hours unless I really picked up my pace. As much as I tried, it felt impossible. My legs were heavy, my body was tired, and the finish line felt too far away. 

I crossed the finish in 5:02:51! As much as I was disappointed in that moment that it wasn't sub-5, I'm still super proud of my 53 minute PR and being pretty darn close to under 5. I've been thinking a lot since Sunday and #RealTalkTime I acknowledge that I'm a slower runner and I'm okay with that. I don't run a marathon to beat anyone or win, I run them to prove to myself that I CAN do this. I'm only trying to get faster for myself. The fact that I finished my THIRD marathon when I over four years ago I couldn't even imagine running one is amazing to me.

Did I mention it was this girls FIRST marathon?! She rocked it!

In summary, the Philadelphia Marathon will always hold a special place in my heart. It was my first marathon in 2015 and the marathon I keep going back to. I felt stronger than years past going into this race and my time reflected that. It may not have been the performance I planned, but I was thankful to not have any random pains like I've had in the past and ran good paces for a majority of the distance! I was pretty surprised there wasn't much added to the weekend to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Philadelphia Marathon and a lot felt different than previous years, but it was still an amazing weekend!

Third time marathoner right here :)

Marathon Training: Week 18

W18D1: REST DAY

W18D2: Easy Treadmill Miles

W18D3: REST DAY

W18D4: REST DAY

W18D5: Easy Run

W18D6: REST DAY

W18D7: PHILADELPHIA MARATHON DAY!
Finished in 5:02:51!

Total Weekly Mileage: 31.2 miles
Well, that’s a wrap! After 18 long training weeks, the big day has come and gone! I had a blast and even if I missed my goal time by less than 3 minutes, I’m still super proud of my time. I still had a PR of close to 53 minutes! That’s a win in my book :) I’ll post more about the race later in the week. For now, it’s time to relax!

Friday Five: 5 Thoughts Going Into Marathon Weekend

Welp, it's finally here! Both Friday AND marathon weekend! To be honest, I wasn't sure if it would ever get here and I wasn't sure how I felt about that. I think it's safe to say that I'm super excited for marathon weekend for a number of reasons! I'm running this with one of my best friends, we are going to have such a fun weekend, I feel like I am very prepared, and more. I'm switching things up this week. Instead of my usual Friday Five, I'm sharing 5 thoughts I have going into marathon weekend. Read on! And if you're racing this weekend, whether it be Philadelphia or anywhere else, good luck!

1. This is going to be such a fun experience!
Everything about this weekend will be fun. The expo, being in Philly, spending time with friends, running my favorite distance, the post-marathon meal, etc...

2. I am so pumped to share this experience with one of my best friends.
Those who have ran a marathon in the past would agree that the marathon, from training to crossing the finish line, is a unique experience non-marathoners wouldn't understand. I can't wait to share that!

3. A PR is very likely as long as I keep a positive mindset.
I don't care if I wake up on race day and it's torrential down-pouring with wind gusts that could blow me across the Delaware River. This WILL be a good race! A positive mindset will go a long way for me.

4. Trust the training!
My training may have been rocky at times, but I worked my butt off. I need to trust that what I did prepared me for a great race.

5. USE THE BATHROOM!
The line for the port-o-potty could be 30 people deep before the start but I still have to use it to avoid what happened last year. I didn't think I really had to go and thought I could just wait until later in the race. WRONG! I spent a good 15 minutes around mile 3 waiting in line for a bathroom. Then I thought it was a fabulous idea to sprint ahead after to try and catch up with the pace group I was with. This really set the tone for my race... Whatever I do before the start, the bathroom between be top on that list!

Marathon Day Essentials

I can hardly believe that this weekend is finally the Philadelphia Marathon! With this being my 3rd year running it, I have high expectations for a fun weekend. This will be my friend’s FIRST marathon and I am super pumped to be able to share the experience with her! As the day approaches, I am certainly in a whirlwind of getting everything together so race day goes flawless. There is no way I could do this smoothly without a list, of course! Today I'm sharing with you my marathon (and other distance races) day essentials that I am personally setting aside now so that way I'm not scrambling around, looking for my socks, at 5 am! :) If I'm missing anything, let me know!

Before you read on, I just want to remind you of the one golden rule of racing: do NOT try anything new on race day!!! Whether it's clothing, fuel, or any other product, it is highly recommended to not try anything new due to the fact that you do not know how you will react to the new item. I just wanted to state this now instead of repeating it after every item on this list!

Weather appropriate outfit that was already tested - Try your best to wear an outfit you've trained in and know is comfortable! I ran all my long runs in the same clothes, depending on the weather, and those will be the clothes I have set out for Sunday morning. I'll make my decision that morning between shorts vs. capris :) I suggest doing a "flat you" days leading up to the race as both a cute Instagram post AND a way to see that you have every part of your outfit! Your running shoes should go along with this!

Your bib and/or any other tracking device- If it helps, pin the bib to your shirt ahead of time! Some races give you a shoe tag as well (Philadelphia Marathon does NOT), so remember to attach that in advance.

Sunglasses- I typically put these in my hydration pack for when the sun actually comes out.

Hydration belt or pack- I fill mine up the night before and have it ready to go on race morning.

GPS watch- Make sure whatever device you are using the track your run is fully charged and ready to go!

Phone- Whether it's for music (remember your headphones!), tracking your run, or calling someone at the finish, make sure it's fully charged and ready to go! When it comes to using headphones for music, be sure to check your specific race's rules to see if headphones are banned or not.While the Philly Marathon does not ban headphones, they are highly discouraged for your safety!

A good tried and true breakfast- Hopefully during training you found a breakfast that fuels you right! You will most likely be getting up earlier than usual and have a good amount of time between waking up and the race starting so take this into consideration when eating your breakfast. I try to wait awhile to eat after waking up because I know we have awhile until we even get to the race start and I do not want a rumbly tummy before the gun even goes off!

Fuel of choice (extras if possible!)- Whether you use gels, gummy's, sports drink, or any other form of fuel, be sure to have enough with you to last 26.2 miles! Depending on what kind of belt or pack you carry, pack extras if possible! You never know if you'll need more and the last thing you want is to be at mile 22, needing fuel, and not having any.

Water- This is for before, during, and after the race! Keep hydrated!

Body Glide- I actually keep a mini version of Body Glide in my hydration pack just in case the need arises during the race.

KT Tape- I put mine on the night before so it has time to set and also saves time in the morning!

Throw away gear- If it's cold the morning of your race, you may want to wear something old that you don't mind getting rid of so that you can ditch it at the start. Many races, such as the Philadelphia Marathon, collect the clothes left along the sidelines and donate them.

Post-race outfit- Depending on your plans after the race, you may want some clothes to change into. I suggest something warm and comfortable!

Recovery shoes- If you own any recovery sandals, pack them for afterwards! If you don't own any (like me), you might want to pack other shoes to change into after the race in case your shoes are wet or hurting your feet. Remember extra socks!

Money- It's always good to keep a couple bucks on you just in case!

Positive attitude- Last year, when I woke up the morning of the Philly Marathon, it was down pouring. I was a little discouraged but still kept a smile on my face because this was the day I had been working my butt off for! No matter what the situation is, go into race day with a positive attitude and you'll have a great time! Luckily for me, the rain stopped right before the start :)

Marathon Training: Week 17

W17D1: REST DAY

W17D2: REST DAY

W17D3: Easy Run

W17D4: REST DAY

W17D5: Easy Run
My brother has been resting his ankle for awhile now so he used today to see how he felt with running. It didn’t go as well as we planned so the run was cut (very) short so he could get back and ice and rest. I wasn’t complaining since it was freezing and raining haha.

W17D6: REST DAY
Does walking ALL over Philly in heeled boots count as a workout?! Being in Philly really got me pumped for next weekend considering we were around most of the areas we will be running through!

W17D7: 8 mile long run

Total Weekly Mileage: 11.4 miles
Is week 17 of marathon training REALLY over?! I'm pretty sure this training cycle flew by for me and I'm not really sure how. This week wasn’t my best week of training but I’m pretty confident that my previous 16 weeks of training have properly prepared me for next weekend :) Tapering is tough for me because I feel like I should just sleep all the time. Or eat. Both are good for me!

Marathon Training: Week 16

W16D1: REST DAY

W16D2: Easy Run
 3 after work tired miles.

W16D3: REST DAY

W16D4: REST DAY

W16D5: Easy Run + Strength Training + Cross Training
3 early morning miles.
20 minutes strength training
2 miles on the rowing machine.

W16D6: REST DAY

W16D7: 10 mile long run

Total Weekly Mileage: 16 miles
Tapering is always so weird for me! I enjoy the lower mileage and having more time for other things (like rest!!) but then I feel like I’m not doing anything to prepare for the marathon. I know rest is best but it’s a mental game over here for me. I’m feeling really good about my training right now, though. I had an overall pace of 9:53 for my 10 miles and I felt great the whole time! I can’t belive we’re already 2 weeks out from the marathon?! This time will fly!

Marathon Training: Week 15

W15D1: REST DAY

W15D2: Easy Run
I really thought I felt good enough to go do a speed run but that obviously didn’t happen... 2 miles in and I was DONE!

W15D3: REST DAY

W15D4: REST DAY

W15D5: Easy Run
My schedule was a bit messed up this week, which lead me to a 3 mile treadmill run on a Friday night. I usually try to avoid the treadmill so any run over a mile is a huge accomplishment to me!

W15D6: REST DAY

W15D7: 13.1 mile long run

Total Weekly Mileage: 18.1 miles
I may have focused on recovery a little bit too much this week... I felt completely fine after Sunday’s 20 miles but I still started the week out with a not so strong run. This cold definitely has turned me into a whimp lately! I ended the week strong with a half marathon PR! 13.1 miles at a 10:15 pace (2:14:16) which is about 5 WHOLE MINUTES faster than my previous record. Needless to say, it ended up being a good week!

Marathon Training: Week 14

W14D1: REST DAY

W14D2: Speed Workout (2:07 interval goal pace)
Half mile warm up, 10 x 400 (2:10, 1:59, 2:07, 1:56, 2:08, 2:02, 1:58, 2:03, 2:03, 2:02), .1 mile cool down (just so I could run a total of 3.1 miles and get a 5k PR)

W14D3: REST DAY

W14D4: REST DAY

W14D5: Easy Run
I planned an easy run with my brother to shake out for Sunday and he ended up having a lot of leg pain. The run was cut short at .45 miles so he could get back and ice his leg.

W14D6: REST DAY

W14D7: 20 mile long run

Total Weekly Mileage: 23.55 miles
I started out the week with a strong speedwork, surprising myself with my interval paces. The rest of my week somehow ended up being super lazy up until my 20 miler. The rest paid off and let me run a 10:48 average pace! Time to really put in some work for the next 4 weeks to get me even more ready for race day!

Lessons I've Learned During Marathon Training

Happy Hump Day, everyone! And for anyone training for the Philadelphia Marathon, can you believe we are less than 6 weeks away from the big day?! Even though this will be my third marathon, I'm still learning a lot of new things during this round of training! I was definitely busy during the other 2 rounds, but for some reason this round has just been rougher. Throughout all this, I have learned a couple things that have changed the way I continue with my training.

Rolling my legs right before I fall sleep because it's the only down time I get some days!

Be flexible. Up until September, my training schedule went exactly as planned. I ran the exact miles on the exact day I had planned. Now that I've added in my work schedule, my runs aren't happening exactly as I planned. I'm learning to just be flexible and fit in the runs when I can. This has resulted in running super early in the morning or later in the evening, running some miles on the treadmill, splitting a longer distance up into shorter distances through out the day, running two days in a row, having a gap of 3 days between runs, and so much more. Basically, I've just made it work!

Epsom salt baths +  catching up on This Is Us = perfect "me" time!

Give myself more "me time" other than when I'm running. I love running enough that I see it as "relaxing" and "me time." I look forward to getting lost in thought as I pound the pavement. That relaxes me. It can also wear me down though without any other forms of relaxation. Due to my limited free time, I've had to sacrifice a lot of my "me time" in order to squeeze in my runs. While I love that time, I also need to give myself time to recover since I'm constantly on the go. I've been trying my hardest to take some time each night to either relax in the bath or just chill on the couch but I definitely need to find some more time. 

First step for me is to make sure I have a good breakfast each morning to start my day right!

Fuel myself better. Usually food is no problem with me. I love to eat and I love to eat foods that are good for my active lifestyle. Lately I've been struggling with eating enough to keep me full. On a lot of my runs lately I've been finding myself getting hungry very early on. I'm chalking that up to not taking the time to eat a full meal. More often than not, my lunches consist of a salad without protein because I've been too lazy to make chicken, veggies, and fruit. Sounds great, right? It's healthy for sure but definitely needs to be amped up with protein! My goal for the rest of training is to make sure all my lunches have a good amount of protein in order to keep me going throughout the day.

Sometimes I feel like I'm falling apart with the amount of pain relief items on my night stand...

Listen to my body. This wasn't too hard to figure out but I tend to ignore what my body is saying for the sake of my training schedule. Lately I've been evaluating how my body feels (more importantly, how my right ankle feels) and decide from there if my workout that day is appropriate or not. I have changed so many speed runs into easy runs and have even altered a couple distances. In years past I would've just pushed through the pain but that has only resulted in injury. This year I'm learning and listening to my body so that I can go into my third marathon uninjured and feeling great! 

Question of the Day: What are some lessons you have learned through any kind of race training?

Marathon Training: Week 12

W12D1: REST DAY

W12D2: 3.5 easy miles + 20 minutes strength training
In-home circuit using kettle bells and resistance bands

W12D3: REST DAY

W12D4: Marathon Pace Tempo Run (10:30 pace goal) 
6 miles @ 10:10 average pace

W12D5: Strength Training 
45 minutes strength training

W12D6: REST DAY 

W10D7: 18 mile long run + 2 mile hike

Total Weekly Mileage: 27.5 miles
I felt so much more motivated this week and it felt great! I can’t believe the marathon is less than 6 weeks away! It’s really going to fly by! I’m hoping I can feel as strong as I felt this week for the rest of this training.

Marathon Training: Week 11

W11D1: Speed Intervals Easy 3 miles
This started as a speed workout. After I nailed my first 1600 I could feel pain creeping into my ankle so I switched to an easy pace. Can't risk injury this far into training!

W11D2: REST DAY

W11D3: REST DAY 

W11D4: Mid Tempo Run (9:39 pace goal) 4 easy miles
If you couldn't tell, I'm beginning to give up on a pace goal...

W11D5: REST DAY 

W11D6:  REST DAY 

W11D7: 16 mile long run

Total Weekly Mileage: 23 miles
Don't be fooled by all those "rest days." Most of those days were spent moving more stuff and lifting more than I probably would have if I'd actually made it to the gym. I'm pretty sure between work and house stuff, I was busier than the week we actually moved in. Anywho, I still got some good mileage in and ran my 16 miler this week faster than last week's 16 miler! Like I've said before, I've pretty much thrown my pace goal out the window and am now focusing on getting through this training cycle alive and uninjured! I'll try to do a marathon training/life update this week to keep everyone up to speed as to what my life has been like these past few weeks!

Marathon Training: Week 10

W10D1: Speed Intervals Easy 3 miles
I used this run as an opportunity to explore my new neighborhood!

W10D2: REST DAY

W10D3: Strength Training 
Blogilates Toned Arms & Sexy Shoulders Workout video

W10D4: Short Tempo Run (9:24 pace goal) 6 easy miles

W10D5: Strength Training 
45 minutes strength training

W10D6: 16 mile long run 

W10D7: REST DAY

Total Weekly Mileage: 25 miles
I threw my pace goals out the window this week and focused on just getting the mileage in. It was a rough week since my body was not used to all this running but it felt good to get back out there! It's hard to believe that in less than a month I'll be completing my 20 mile run and then in less than 2 months it'll be marathon time!!

Marathon Training: Week 6

W6D1: Speed Intervals (5:24  goal pace)
Warm up, 5x 1000 (5:37, 5:31, 5:36, 5:39, 5:27), cool down
*I just could not keep up with my goal pace! This heat needs to get out of here ASAP!*

W6D2: REST DAY

W6D3: Mid-Tempo Run (9:39 pace goal) 
1 mile warm up, 4 miles (9:35, 9:41, 9:34, 9:45), 1 mile cool down

W6D4: REST DAY

W6D5: 10 mile long run + Strength Training
45 minutes strength training

W6D6: REST DAY

W6D7: REST DAY 

Total Weekly Mileage: 21 miles 
This was another hot, exhausting week, but I got the workouts done! My pace hasn’t been the best but I know I’m a few short weeks it’ll pick up in the cooler weather. Busy weekends have been forcing me to alter my schedule, which is exhausting. I can’t wait to be able to space my runs out more after Labor Day weekend!

Marathon Training: Week 5

W5D1: Speed Intervals + Strength Training
Warm up, 1200, 1000, 800, 600, 400, cool down
15 minutes of strength training

W5D2: REST DAY

W5D3: Tempo Run (9:24 pace goal) 
1 mile warm up, 2 miles (9:21, 9:27)
*This was supposed to be a 5 mile tempo run with a warm up and cool down but it ended up being just a 2 mile tempo run. On Monday I got a root canal, making it tough to sleep the last couple nights. I started this workout late and struggled so much that I just listened to my body, calling it a day. I planned to finish the run later in the day but decided to use this time as a chance to rest before Friday's long run.*
1.5 mile walk

W5D4: REST DAY

W5D5: 12 mile long run @ MP +45 (11:15 pace goal)
Average pace: 11:50

W5D6: REST DAY
Local Fine Arts Festival = lots of walking!

W5D7: REST DAY 
Flea Market trip = even more walking!

Total Weekly Mileage: 18.5 miles
I’m so glad I listened to my body Wednesday and focused on resting. After a nice soak in an epsom salt bath Wednesday night, I was good as new for my long run on Friday. A busy weekend called for little exercise but I’m just trying to squeeze in as much as I can during this last bit of summer! I will hopefully make up for the lack of strength training this week!

Marathon Training: Week 4

W4D1: Speed Intervals (4:18 interval goal)
This run ended up turning into a 1.5 mile easy run after I realized how hot it was out at 6 in the morning... I also had to drive to Delaware shortly after this run so I figured shortening the mileage was fine.

W4D2: REST DAY
1 mile walk with Tommy in his wagon

W4D3: Tempo Run (10:30 pace goal) + Cross Training
1 mile warm up, 5 miles @ MP (10:24, 10:29, 10:26, 10:28, 10:29), 1 mile cool down
1 hour yoga class

W4D4: REST DAY

W4D5: 11 mile long run @ MP +45 (11:15 pace goal)
Average pace: 11:44
* I haven’t been too concerned about my pace on long runs because the heat has been unbearable and I’m just happy I could run that far in it. I’d prefer it to get back to my pace goal but one step at a time.*

W4D6: REST DAY
Knoebels trip with my family! Over 8 miles of walking!

W4D7: Easy Run 
I love to run when I’m on vacation just to explore a bit. I managed to run a quick mile around our campground before we headed into the park!

Total Weekly Mileage: 20.5 miles
This wasn’t my best week, but I got through it so all is good! I did my long run on a Friday since I’d be away all weekend which may be happening the next couple Fridays as well. Saturday and Sunday consisted of a ton of walking so I definitely got my workout this week. I slacked off in the strength training area because of being busy so hopefully that changes this coming week!

Marathon Training: Week 3

W3D1: Speed Intervals (8:51 interval goal)
Warm up, 3x1600 (8:43, 8:49, 8:51) with 400m recovery, cool down

W3D2: REST DAY
2 walks around the neighborhood

W3D3: Cross Training
1 hour yoga class

W3D4: Short Tempo Run (9:24 pace goal)
2 mile warm up, 2 miles (9:23, 9:13), 2 mile cool down

W3D5: Strength Training + Cross Training
20 minutes strength training
25 minutes cycling

W3D6: 10 mile long run @ MP +45 (11:15 pace goal)
Average pace: 11:44
*I ran 5 solo miles and then met up with my brother to run the last 5 miles. I struggled through most of these miles so I am not even worried about the pace! The humidity was rough but I enjoyed the bit of rain we got towards the end.*

W3D7: REST DAY

Total Weekly Mileage: 20.5 miles
I really had to push myself this week with the heat and humidity but I really nailed my workouts in the beginning of the week. My long run? Not so much. But that’s a story for another day. Here’s to three weeks of marathon training DONE!