I Run These Towns

Before you get too excited, I'm doing a running streak. Fully clothed. Runner's World is challenging its readers to run their first ever summer running streak - running every day for a 38 days between Memorial Day and the 4th of July. I'll be honest - as much as I love running, I'm kind of a baby. I'll run a half marathon and take two days off to rest my IT band (which, let's be honest, kind of needs it). I'll run 3-4 days a week and think that's enough. When I saw the Runner's World streak, I saw an opportunity to challenge myself this summer. Who doesn't love Will Ferrell's infamous scene in OLD SCHOOL? I'm four days in, and I'll admit that if it weren't for pushing myself to do this streak, I would've begged off running a few days this week. It was on Tuesday. I was tired this morning. There are all kinds of excuses, and completing the streak is not letting me give in to any of them. The streak will also help push me...

It's no secret that Chicago and I are having a torrid love affair. I visited her again this weekend with my sister and niece. It was their first visit, and I had to warn my sister that I would say, "I love it here" about 100,000 times. And I did. It still remains my favorite city, and I continue to marvel with every visit about how Chicago really gets it right - probably more than any other place I've ever been to it. Yes, we're definitely still in love. We had a short, whirlwind visit filled mostly with touristy things that I actually had never done. We stayed at the Congress Plaza hotel on Michigan Avenue. I stayed at the Congress Plaza last fall for the first time, and it's now my go to spot in Chicago. It's in a great location, has very reasonable prices, and I am just a fan of an old historic hotel. I also found out (inadvertently and much to my 7-year-old niece's worry) that the Congress Plaza is allegedly haunted. As a matter of fact it's...

I admit it - I'm a little antsy these days. I'm anxious about running in the right number of races this summer. What is the right number? I have no idea. But I'm still anxious about it. I'm anxious about traveling this summer. Our dream trip to visit my BFF overseas got derailed due to some major life events happening in the near(ish) future so I am anxious about having a "good" vacation. If I can't have a trip to Africa then I want a fabulous domestic getaway. We'll be visiting Maine for the first time this summer. It's no secret that I can be a little particular about planning my life. (This is the part where my husband rolls his eyes and mutters, "You think?") Having Crohn's has helped me readjust and realize that I can't plan every detail of my life, but that doesn't mean I'm not itching to try.  When you're growing up you think your life will happen a certain way. You'll go to college, meet someone, get ...

On Sunday I ran (well mostly ran) the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon . The race was extremely well organized, and yet it was my most disappointing race ever. I guess I need to start at the beginning for this all to make sense. We got a late start driving to Green Bay and rolled into town around 1:15 (central time) Saturday morning. We stayed at the Cambria Suites just across the street from Lambeau Field. The hotel is new and beautiful with great staff. It was the perfect place to stay in Green Bay. On Saturday morning we headed to the race expo at the Lambeau Field Atrium. As soon as we walked out of the hotel we were surprised by how hot the temperature was. The sky was clear, and the sun was brutal. Although we could have easily walked, we drove to the expo so we could explore Green Bay after. In the expo parking lot I saw people in the bed of a truck drinking beer. Tailgating for packet pick-up? Definitely a new one. Lambeau Field Atrim where the race expo was held The race ...

I admit it - I am a TOTAL taper hypochondriac. These last few glorious weeks when the tough marathon training is over should be a time of relaxation. Instead I am stressed that maybe I'm not running enough, and every single twinge or pain is a new one that will affect my ability to run a marathon. I realize it's all in my mind, but that doesn't make it any easier. Before my first marathon in 2010 I was very injured. My recurring IT band problem was at its worst, and I was terrified that I'd have to permanently abandon the idea of doing a marathon altogether.  I went to see my sports medicine doctor about a week and a half before the race. My knee was causing so much pain that I was terrified of doing irreparable harm. It had to be something else - there's no way my IT band was hurting this much. My sports medicine doctor on the right. Yes- he's the MSU basketball team doctor. He's awesome. My doctor is a runner, and his advice was exactly what I wan...

Unlike Stewart Smalley (of SNL skit fame) I don't do a daily affirmation, but maybe I should. Who knows - maybe we all should. I have a lot of blessings in my life, but that doesn't mean that there aren't things I wouldn't change. Like many women, I suspect, I have body image issues. I know - hear me out. When I say that I get a few things. One is "No way - you look great". While I appreciate the vote of confidence, it doesn't mean I see myself that way. The other thing I hear (generally from women who weigh more than me) is: "If you feel like you're fat what do you think about me." What they don't realize is my view of myself has absolutely nothing to do with them and absolutely everything to do with my image of myself. I remember being 12 years old, the summer of 1991. I ordered this fabulous lime green ruffled bikini from JCPenney (the catalog - long before internet). It arrived, and as I excitedly tried it on I remember thinking, ...

Playmakers is our local running store, and they host most of the area's running events (at least most of the ones I participate in). This year is the 11th year in which they've hosted a local race series . If you compete in 7 out of the 13 races you get a long-sleeved tech shirt. I decided, after talking about it for several years, that this year is the year for me to complete at least 7 races in the race series. I started on Friday night at the Mason State Bank 5k in Mason, MI. The Ingham County Courthouse and Playmakers flag. Mason is the county seat of Ingham County (where Lansing is located). I've only been there a couple of times in the six years I've lived here - mainly to visit the cool antique stores in town. The race was on a Friday night, which was somewhat unusual, but we headed out after work to downtown Mason. Downtown Mason has tons of cute shops and restaurants. Lansing has lots of eateries (mostly catering to the legislative/state employee ...