Any runners?

[radwife]

I've taken running up as a hobby to keep me busy while the hubby is doing his thing. I just signed up for a fall marathon. My first marathon! Just wanted to see if there were any other runners out there!

No marathons here. I've been running again and run about half of my 3.5 mile route. I think I could do most of it but I'm trying to learn from past mistakes and be careful about adding mileage to avoid injury. I need to replace my shoes for the same reason. I'm not letting myself go until I do and I'm finally to a point where I am craving going for a run.

[radwife]

I only first started running when we moved 2,400 miles away from home for med school. I started with and still use the run/walk method. I'm incredibly slow, I shouldn't even call it running, but I've loved signing up for races and the sense of accomplishment when I cross the finish line! We now just moved another 700 miles for residency, still 1,700 miles away from home, I am again turning to running for company while I deal with the stresses of starting a new job, making friends, etc.

You could pace me! I run 12 minute miles, maybe slower.

[radwife]

With my run/walk method I average 11 min miles. I tell myself that it's better to go slower because you burn more fat calories that way

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I've run 3 marathons in the last 3 years and countless half marathons and triathlons. Given how much I work, I wasn't really getting any "me" time or exercise so I combined the two and manage to carve out time before work almost every day.

Let me know if you've got any questions (though I'm far from the expert).

Which one are you running if you don't mind me asking?

[radwife]

wow! Triathalons!?!? I'm impressed!! I've run 5 half-marathons, but have never run more than 13.1 miles, so I'm pretty nervous. I'm training for the Twin Cities marathon in the fall. I'm only in wk 2 of my training program, but I've found that its a really nice way to explore a new city...by foot!

[bokelley]

I love to run. I have a knee problem, so sometimes I have to take long breaks. It is very relaxing though, nothing better than an early morning run.

Maybe Kelly will post in here. I was supposed to do the half Twin Cities when she did the full many many years ago. See above about avoiding injury.

[MarissaNicole]

Jog is the more appropriate word... some would even call it a bobbing walk... I am quite slow!

[rainbabies]

Kelly?
Didn't annie do a half marathon with janet?

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

wow! Triathalons!?!? I'm impressed!! I've run 5 half-marathons, but have never run more than 13.1 miles, so I'm pretty nervous. I'm training for the Twin Cities marathon in the fall. I'm only in wk 2 of my training program, but I've found that its a really nice way to explore a new city...by foot!

Good for you! That's supposed to be a relatively flat one I think. Don't be nervous, as long as you put the training in, you can definitely do it. All my training was much easier for my first than I anticipated. My first marathon was Chicago in 2007 at 94 degrees - they canceled the race 21 miles in and I cried for like an hour because I felt so awful and still had to walk the rest of the course. It's all been downhill since then!

Totally agree on exploring a new place on foot. Try the Gmap Pedometer website or mapmyrun.com if you want to measure your distance. Mapmyrun actually shows you routes in your area. I learned about many trails in our area this way and how to avoid traffic.

[houseelf]

Radwife:

I've run the Twin Cities marathon twice, Grandma's once, and about 15 half marathons in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

I loooooooove the TC Marathon. (Although this is much debated in the Northern climes, I think the TC Marathon kicks Grandma's butt. All you do at Grandma's is look at Lake Superior for the first twenty miles). I need the love, people! I need the rock and roll!

At the TCM, there are spectators every single step of the way. It is like being a rock star. Kids line up to give you high fives and there is rock and roll blaring. Honestly, the 20 mile training run will be much harder than the actual marathon because it will be all drudgery and no adoring fans.

There are tons of halves and ten milers and twenty mile races scheduled at appropriate intervals before the marathon. They are a ton of fun and a great way to meet people. I can't recommend them enough. Sometime in July, there is a great rural run out in Stillwater for their Lumberjack days festival. Also you can watch that weird lumberjacking stuff they do.

If there is something I miss about Minnesota, it is the running community. It is totally fabu. You should join one of the several running groups.

Have a ball!

Kelly

[radwife]

Kelly!

Thanks so much for your comments. I'm pumped for the TC marathon now. I've only been here for a couple months and I am absolutely in love with the chain of lakes. I live within running distance of them, so all of my training runs thus far have been around lakes. This weekend I'm signed up for the Lake Harriet Independence Day 10K. I just googled the Lumberjack festival, that looks so fun! I'm totally going to do it! Thanks for the recommendation. DH is not pumped about all the $$ I'm paying to sign up for these races, but it's such a great way to explore the area!

I love how outdoorsy MN is. I already want to get a bike and some rollerblades. Winter might bring a different opinion, but I'm definitely going to be embracing these summer days!

Melissa

[houseelf]

DH is not pumped about all the $$ I'm paying to sign up for these races, but it's such a great way to explore the area!

This is going to sound bitter, but you will pay money out hand-over-fist for licensing, DEA numbers, AOA dues, professional dues, books, exams, fellowship interviews, clogs, blah/blah/blah, that if running is your true passion, it is a cheap endeavor indeed. (Sorry, I *just* paid $544 for DH's DEA number and he is licensed in three states now and I'm beyond burn out on training).

Also, consider joining MDRA: http://www.runmdra.org/. They will send you a written calendar of all TC races and they offer three free training races (with time splits) for about $20.

Kelly