Now what are we going to do???

This week has been a much better running week then last, for both of us. Although Chris is dealing with a head cold, he has fought the desire to run too fast (but he is no longer at my snail pace at least) although he feels like he could.

I had a really bad run on Monday (pretty sure it was mostly my fault for running too fast), but I have seriously made up for it with two great runs so far. I also think my slow pace range is changing since I find it hard to stay above 10 minute miles (yes you read the right....I'm the beginner OK, LOL). For me this is a real breakthrough.

As I type Chris is sitting across from me putting the final touches on his Boston marathon training plan. All I can say is that he has read the Hudson training book from front to back, and I am pretty sure he is looking at peaking over 70 miles per week, eeekkk!

As for me this week started what I am calling my 30 Miles Per Week Build-up Plan. I ended my half marathon training peaking at 26 miles (I had four weeks at that). I've decided (or Coach Chris has suggested) that to get me to the next level I will need to get my mileage to a steady 30 miles a week, and then work on more quality runs (i.e. hill sprints, tempo runs). I have never focused on running certain runs at certain paces, and I think this introduction along with the modest mileage increase will help me a ton for my spring goal half marathon (Either Capital City Half Marathon, or the Indy Mini-Marathon).

Sunday the last big fall marathon will be taking place in New York City. Ryan Hall and Paula Radcliff (my two favorite runners to watch) look to be in top form, and ready to inspire thousands of young runners. I also want to give a big old GOOD LUCK COLLEEN at Ironman in Florida next weekend. She trains so hard, and sooooo long I am just in awwwww of her dedication. Colleen, Chris and I will be watching for you to cross next Saturday night and sending you tons of well wishes all day long (seriously she will be running, swimming and biking for well over 10 hours).

On the Road to Recovery

This week has been all about getting our legs to move up and down stairs (seriously we learned that walking down sideways or backwards helped), and then learning to run again.

Surprisingly my shins, nor my calves hurt at all this week. The quads and hamstrings were on revolt. Chris has felt the most ache in his knees, but both of us had most of our issues with our right leg. On our first day back to running my pace wasn't that bad, but I did look like I was a pirate with a peg leg. Chris, on the other hand, had the slowest run I think he has ever experienced, around a 10 minute mile.

On Thursday evening we met up with a group of runners from the Columbus Running Company for a Dead Mans run. It was a 3.1 mile fun run through a cemetery, and then we cooked out afterwords. Never in my life will I ever be able to say that I beat Chris at anything running related, but Thursday was just my day. As the main group went ahead (none of them had just completed a marathon 4 days before), Chris ran with me. As we went along Chris's legs were moving better than the day before, but mine where doing even better. We played follow the leader for the 3.1 mile fun run and I am happy to report I was the leader.

Today Chris had his revenge and was able to take off ahead of me on our Saturday group run. Ironically, my legs were great. My stomach was just not wanting to be bounced around. I feel fine now so no worries of illness, but maybe next time I should have something to eat (even if it is a short run). Next week we both start ramping up the mileage, and I will start my 3 month build up to 30 miles per week (yes call it conservative, but it's a living plan and can always evolve). More on what both of us are going to be running over the holidays at the beginning of the week. Till then, this is our recovery miles for week 1 post marathon (and half):

Mon: Rest
Tue: Rest
Wed: 2 (Stevi) 4 (Chris)
Thur: 3 (Both)
Fri: Rest
Sat: 6 (S) 7 (C)
Sun: ? maybe

A few pics from race day:

Running with my pal Lou.

Part Two: Mrs. Honaker's Columbus Half Race Report- The really LONG Report

Columbus Half Marathon 2009
Official Time: 2:08:32
Overall place: 3544 out of 6910
Gender place: 1660 out of 4113
BACKGROUND:
In case you have not heard this before I use to, in the very recent past, hate running. I was never that good at it (except sprints in school), and normally had too many aches and pains that I would just give up. When Chris (the husband) went from running for fitness, too running in races I knew I was in trouble. I decided that since I no longer was dancing, or doing any physical activity (if you don’t count walking the shopping malls), that now would be the time to get my butt moving and try running AGAIN. Once again a few weeks into picking up a pair of shoes at the sports store, and going out for some runs (not having a clue how far or how fast I was running) I got pains in my shins. The shin splints persisted through last fall (this time last year I couldn’t run two miles without pain), and I asked Chris if I could go to a doctor to have it checked out. He agreed and after several failed attempts I was finally successful with Active Release Therapy. In December of 2008 I had several weeks of treatment, and began running in January of 2009 (and I haven’t stopped).
RACE:
Chris was running his second full marathon, and was going to try for a 3:10 (his Boston qualifying time), so the nerves in the Honaker house where high. We got up at 3 a.m. and I had toast, peanut butter, and honey with my half a cup of coffee. I also sipped on some water that morning….and I will later learn that I should have stopped earlier in the morning (more on that later). After getting dressed and layering up with throw away clothes for the COLD morning we had, 30 some degrees that morning, we were in the car by 5:45 a.m. and headed to the race start.
Parking was uneventful, but as we were driving down to the race I had that feeling in my stomach that said I better hit the porta-potties FAST (ummm I thought by getting up so dang earlier I would avoid this exact issue). We got to the start before the masses, and had an easy time getting a potty (I had a fresh one which was nice if you had to use one at all). That was over and I met up with a friend that was also running the half marathon and my other special best buddy that came to the start to wish Chris and I luck. A little after 7:00 a.m. We said good bye to Chris because we could see people pooling into the 3:10 pace area, and I didn’t want him to fight for a spot. I then handed my phone and camera to my friend’s parents to hold so I would have easy access to them after the race, and then went to check my race bag of clothes that we wanted for after. This is when drama event ONE happened….my recent nightmare almost came true. I already had my bag tagged with name and Bib number so I just handed to the attendant and they tossed in the mass of other bags. Not 5 seconds after I turned around I realized I had left my water bottle handheld that contained my shot blocks in the bag. I darted through a mass of people and yelled at the attendant something I doubt she understood other than knowing I needed my bag. As I started looking through the mass of Black bags I panicked when I couldn’t find mine right on top….seriously it had only been 5 seconds since they tossed it into the truck it had to be there. What felt like 10 minutes of searching I am sure was just a few seconds, but I found the bag and said WOW hope I got the worst over with. My nightmare of being out on the race course and no one giving me my shot bloks was NOT going to come true.
After that heart pumping adventure I had to pee, and badly. It was not 15 minutes till start and with friend and her family in tow I went in search of a porta potty. We waited way to long for one, and getting in an out I had about 4 minutes till the start. Drama event number TWO coming right up. Now with 4 minutes to the start and the number of people in line still or not even in line was just baffling to me. I had spent a good amount of time trying to figure out what pace group area I wanted to start with, and I was determined to get lined up with them. Now I am only 5’4” and so I bent over and screamed “excuse me” and “opps sorry” as I weaved in and out of people just hanging out. The start line had fences along the side that I knew would be easier to jump over then come through the back which was bottlenecked with 5k walkers and runners that started 30 minutes after us. As I make my way just about to the fence and I see the 4:30 pace group (for the marathon) I feel this tug on the back of my neck. I try to move forward, but someone has grabbed me. I turn around and this 6’2” plus guy has a hold on my hoodie and my hair. I ask him and not so nice words what he thinks he is doing, and he said I would need to wait my turn like the rest of the people. OK dude first off you have NO right to put your hands on me, secondly you were not even a runner , but a spectator, thirdly this wasn’t some single filed line waiting for a bathroom or something….I was trying to get to my race start. I responded with I am just trying to get to my race spot, and get your hands off of me. At that point he still had my hair for the 10 seconds that this craziness took, and the crowed was so bad I really couldn’t give him a swift kick like I wanted too, so yes I resorted to violence and took a swing at his stomach. It was very much a girly swing, but hey I needed him to let go, and the other people around asking him what he thought he was doing didn’t make him let go so I just did what I thought I needed to do. Now that my heart was really racing….I dashed to the fence and begged for a spot to crawl into. I another gentlemen kindly let me in so I took a deep breath and told myself that everything was fine…the worst of the day was over.
About 5 minutes after what sounded like the start my area began to move along. People started dashing across the start line and my number one goal was to not get caught up in the excitement…FAILED (please not the splits I list are from my garmin, which I questioned several times while out there)

Mile 1: 8:42 I actually saw this on my watch, but my effort level didn’t not seem to match up. I mean this is my 5k pace I am trying to get. I have the 4:20 pace group behind me, but right behind me. I ask them what pace he is trying to hit and he said 10:15ish. I decided to just keep going and just make sure I don’t get too far ahead of the 4:30 pace group.

Mile 2: 10:04 much better.

Mile 3: 9:49 About this point I am still dealing with people either speeding past me, or I am speeding past them. I can’t seem to find anyone looking to run and even 10 minute mile, and I can feel it is taxing me. I had been watching some multi-colored balloons in front of me a ways for awhile and wondered what that was all about. The pace groups did not have a 10 minute mile pacer, which I heard a lot were asking for, and it made me wonder if someone was doing it unofficially. Over the next mile I decided to find out.

Mile 4: 10:08 Between 3-4 I caught up to a group from a local marathon training club I knew about (my doc that cured my shin splints was their club doc, and a great marathoner too) from the area. I asked one of the men about the balloons, and he gives me the best news of the day. I don’t know her name, but she was the unofficial 10 min mile pacer and was guaranteeing that pace for the first 13 miles. I smiled real big and said that was all I needed, and joined the club.

Mile 5: 9:41

Mile 6: 9:42 I hit my local running stores water stop and took this time to refill my hand held water bottle. I lost the pace group, but was determined to catch up. Nerves made me dash after them too fast and I fought a side stitch for a few minutes, but luckily it went away. I also took three cliff shot bloks at this point.

Mile 7: 9:55 During the time I was running with the group I was always looking around having a blast yelling back at the crowd, and looking for my buddy Lou. I knew Lou was shooting for a PR and 2:10 time, and I really had hoped I would find him and be able to run with him just like my recent training runs. About mile 7 I look over to the side and right there in front of my eyes was Lou. This was the second blessing of the day. Lou and I met up, and I told him the 10 min mile pacer was behind us, and we never looked back (or saw the pace group again).

Mile 8: 10:03 Got rid of the ipod altogether. Never used it the whole race.

Mile 9: 9:43 This was when I knew that I had to keep the 10 min mile group well behind me and work to stay under this if I had any chance of getting my “secret” goal. Lou and I talked some on and off, but we both settled really well into a great rhythm.

Mile 10: 9:41 I never felt so close, but so far away. We were headed to an area I knew well, but I kept thinking how far it was even in a car. We also passed the worst music on the course…someone was signing Unforgettable. I was done nicely, but I wanted to yell this is mile TEN and we need a pick me up…..not snooze music. Even my 70 some year old pal Lou snarked at it…..he was looking for something to push him along.

Mile 11: 9:53 We were coming out of the beautiful course and getting ready to hit the straight away to the end. Wish I would have paid better attention to this time, but we slowed for a over head picture through the park and dodged some cramped water stops (oh I had to stop and refill too).

Mile 12: 9:35 The only discomfort I was feeling was by lower back. I had been an issue since mile 8ish, and it just felt like I was wearing a water belt. I could feel I was pushing Lou now, and I also knew that I had more still left in me (which was exactly how I wanted my first race to feel). We powered through the first of a few up climbs, and I felt great getting over it. Right before we hit it Lou gave me the go ahead to take off. I knew he wasn’t slowing off pace I was just going faster, and had more left to do.

Mile 13: 8:49 WOW I really had something left. I just kept passing one after another (and I was checking to make sure they were half runners, full runners didn’t count). I had the second up climb to take and I just kept powering pass groups of people saying “so sorry” a lot. I also worked hard to run the tangent and move towards the curb since the half made a sharp left to the finish. I didn’t want to waste road by taking it wide.

What I did forget about was up climb THREE, I kept thinking I just had to power up that last up climb then I had the fast downward finish to the end…..opps it climbed a bit more AFTER the turn too. No biggie though I powered that too, and actually was mad that the people in front of me on the downward finish were going so slow. I kept thinking of the power finish was I dreaming of having, but the mass of people in front of me just would not move. I actually went outside of the cones that were set up dividing the half and full marathon ( I knew the full was not coming through yet), and made my dash that way.

Crossing the line with arms in the air I cried, and then got a really silly picture. The mass of people being ushered in was crazy, and even more motivation to get faster for my next one. My back was really feel ing that swift finish now. I bit more of an issue finding my friends parents after the race, so I had no phone or camera to take pictures. When we figured out that I better get a spot to watch for Chris to finish we head back to the masses. I really love the finish area, but the organization is the worst to get around and we had to sneak through gates just to get up to the finish line. With about 15 minutes to spare we stand on some bleachers and wait. I think at this point I was cursing not having my phone to see his splits updated on TweetMyTime, but it also makes everything so much more exciting. I had a really bad view and knew that I was not going to see him till he was right under me….I also was trying to think of him and give him strength to finish strong. One after another runners race by, and I look at the clock wondering how long it took for him to get across the finish…..then she says it my much taller friend said there and YES there he was tattoos, arm pantyhose and all. With a big old smile on his face and one of the strongest finishes I have seen from him.

I’m screaming like a mad woman, and the tears start to fall. Again we dash through the gates (no one was stopping me) and I crash into him before he even got his medal. He is smiling from ear to ear and all we can say is “I did it”…”I Boston Qualified”. I am jumping around STILL and then we run into our doctor (mentioned earlier), and I start screaming he did it, he did it. At this point I don’t think he even recognized us. We both had hats on, and with me looking like a lunatic……ohhhhh he must have been scared (sadly I have an appointment to see him tomorrow, do I admit it was me and apologize).

The excitement didn't end there. A good old pal, friends from Runners World, and Columbus Running Company all continued the celebration at our house. This race for me and Chris was exactly what should happen when a runners dedicates themselves to their training. So many times outside influences we have no control over, take hold. No matter how much you worked it’s just not your day. Today we conquered that old myth, and on this race day it was our day.

Next we plan our trip to Boston, and I am going to work on building my miles to a steady weekly mileage of 30 miles per week (I’m at 26 now), before I start training at the first of the year for my spring half marathon. Right now I have a time goal I am thinking I just might be able to TRY and shoot for. I think I may wait until the training is under way before sharing with the public.

Part One: Mr. Honaker's Columbus Marathon Race Report

BACKGROUND:

The Columbus marathon was my second ever marathon. I ran my first marathon in the spring of this year (Flying Pig) and finished with a 3:38. I was on track to finish in 3:30, but cramps slowed me up in the last 10k because of my low mileage (average 35mpw using SmartCoach). In the middle of my training I figured out that my mileage was too low. Although I tried to ramp up at the last minute, there wasn't much I could do at that point and tried to run a good race with what I had. I suffered in the last 10k and vowed I would do better next time. My goal when I started this cycle was a 3:20.

Over the summer I started training with the Pfitz 18/55 plan. I went from 4 days per week on SmartCoach to the 5 days on Pfitz and added an extra recovery 5-6 miles to make it 6 days per week. After recovering from my last marathon I jumped directly into 50mpw and started the 18/55 (18/65) plan there. I also added a couple of miles here and there when I could and overall averaged about 55 mpw.

I ran a few tune-up races in the last couple of months and was cranking out huge PRs from the added mileage. My 10k dropped by two minutes, my 5k by a minute, and my half marathon dropped by 7 minutes. I started reconsidering my goals for the marathon because I had smashed my goals in all other distances. In my half, I put up a 1:27:59 and then thought that 3:15 or even 3:10 was possible. I was torn because 3:10 was my BQ, but I also wanted to finish strong. I was right there for a 3:10 but wasn't sure if I would make it and could possibly have another huge fade at the end.

I had a few nagging injuries over the last couple of months of training, most recently hip flexor and IT band issues that flared up after I started adding the speed workouts in the late stages. I spent a lot of time with the foam roller and doing a lot of stretch exercises. Luckily I was able to keep the IT band problems at bay and had no problems when I started my taper. I followed the 18/70 plan taper since I was running the extra mileage througout the plan.

The week leading up to the race I was feeling great. No pains anywhere and I had tons of energy. After the Chicago folks had such great races I started comparing my training and race times to some of the other MRT folks and decided that I would just go for 3:10. I might not make it, but I thought I would come close enough that I wouldn't crash hard at the end.

RACE:

Breakfast consisted of the usual wheat bread toast with PB and banana and a bottle of Gatorade (same stuff on the course). I was carrying four servings of clif bloks with me and a bottle of water when we lined up. I also had a mini bagel in the car on the way there. I stop drinking any liquids two hours before the race starts to keep me from hitting the porta-johns twenty times before the race starts. I wore my singlet, shorts, arm warmers, hat, and gloves. The temps at 7am were hovering around 30 degrees. I noticed that people were lining up early, so I hit the porta john and got lined up (DW was running the half as well, so we said our good lucks).

Race starts and I am cramped in a sea of people in the 3:10 pace group. There were so many people jockeying for position that I wasn't sure if I could take it. I tried running a bit ahead but had to keep dialing back, so I tried to run behind the group. I had the Garmin on auto lap and tried to calibrate every so often, so splits are a bit off.


Mile 1 - 7:35 Great, I wanted to start slow and get up to pace. In the middle of this mile, some girl makes a dead stop to take her throw-away pants off in the middle of the pace group. I saw her at the last second and she almost got tackled from behind.

Mile 2 - 7:08
Mile 3 - 7:08
Mile 4 - 7:15

Water stops were terrible...couldn't get over in time and it was impossible to see ahead of me (I am 5'6). People were stepping all over each other and I am not a patient man.

Mile 5 - 7:00

Ran ahead of the pace group here to get a breather. I almost shoulder-checked a kid who kept zagging in front of me and making me dodge him. I was trying to be friendly with everyone but those people were focused and not really concerned about anyone else around them.

Mile 6 - 7:07
Mile 7 - 7:19 Took clif bloks
Mile 8 - 7:18

The IT band starts rearing its ugly head. I can feel some pain in the knee increasing and we are running on a street that is a bit cracked. Every time I would step wrong pain would go shooting up to my hip. I made the call to keep going and hope it works out.

Mile 9 - 7:16
Mile 10 - 7:01
Mile 11 - 7:03
Mile 12 - 7:08
Mile 13 - 7:02

I notice at this point that the leg pain went away while I wasn't paying attention. System check shows everything is ok again. Half people cut off so I hoped the group would thin out a bit. No chance. At this point I thought I only have to do that again, and I might have a chance at 3:10.

Mile 14 - 7:19 Took clif bloks
Mile 15 - 7:27
Mile 16 - 7:20

We started getting into some turns and uphill portions here. I remember thinking to myself that I was getting tired, but I still had plenty in the tank.

Mile 17 - 7:01
Mile 18 - 7:04
Mile 19 - 7:11
Mile 20 - 6:56 Took clif bloks

Pacer says we are doing great on time and want us to give him two good miles. There are some downhill portions on the course here and we are going to take advantage of them. I had lost some ground and used this opportunity to catch up with him.

Mile 21 - 6:58
Mile 22 - 6:56

At this point the pace group has thinned out entirely. The pacer is going to drop back down to 7:15 pace. I felt like I still had enough to go on, so I tried to hold it the best I could. I left the group and started passing people one after another.

Mile 23 - 6:58

One of my friends that was working a water stop at mile 6 on my running team jumps on the course here and paces me for the last few miles. I wasn't expecting him to jump in and it was a relief. I felt good, at first...

Mile 24 - 7:05

Full on GI issues. I'm getting used to this in races and I can never figure out what it is. No matter the distance, no matter what I eat, I always have issues towards the end of the race. Luckily, I'm getting so close that I think I can ignore it. My friend is pointing out people he wants me to pick off.

Mile 25 - 7:12
Mile 26 - 7:18

My friend jumps off the course and I give everything I have left. I don't have the .2 split because I forgot to stop my watch (as always).

TIME:

Official time is 3:08:53. I Boston Qualified and got a 31 minute PR. If it weren't for the support of my friends in the Runners World 3:20 group, I don't know that I would have made it. They are a great group of folks and I am glad to call them my friends. Thanks also to the Columbus Running Company folks for the support and friendship the past couple of months.

Brought Home A BQ & Two New PR's-Columbus Marathon Results

I wanted to do a quick update (longer race report to come tomorrow)on the Honaker's C-bus Marathon results.

We have a BOSTON QUALIFIER in the house, HECK YAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! Chris brought home a 3:07:52, which included a 31 minute PR. I have nearly no voice and I am pretty sure my crying and screaming scared a lot of spectators and racers.

As for my first half experience.....I crossed in 2:07:31 Woooohooooo!!!!! It was far beyond what I was ever capable of doing my first time out. I made sure to stay on pace or above, and didn't feel the struggle till the last few miles. I had plenty in the tank to have a great sprint to the finish (which better mean a kick butt finish photo).

Thank you all for your support and I have a really LONG race report to post later (sadly with not enough photos).

Half & Full Marathon Eve

I few weeks ago I ran 13 miles in my training run while running with a local running group, Columbus Running Company. It was an awesome feeling, and one I had hope to have on my actual race morning. I ended up beating my original race time goal on the training run, and just had a smile that never ended on my face. With this being my first half marathon I am trying to stay away from setting any real time goal that may leave me anything, but happy with my first half marathon experience. So sadly I will not be sharing (until after the race) how I think I did as far as race time goes.

So the last time I had regularly updated this blog I couldn't even get through running two miles without stopping. Tomorrow I will complete 13.1 miles non-stop, and I couldn't be happier with how my running experience has progressed. Tomorrow I look forward to stepping in line with thousands of other runners and know that we each bring our own experience (or lack thereof), training miles, and purpose for setting the goal in front of us. As for Chris, he will be stepping into the same pace group he was in last year when he ran the half marathon. This year he will be shooting to complete that same pace for the full 26.2 miles.

So all that is left is for us to attach the beast of the marathon (or the half). Tomorrow calls for great weather, and both of us have stayed dedicated to our training programs, and must now just trust the hard work we have put in.
The race clothes are set out, and the carbo-loading is complete. Tomorrow we will get up at a dreadful time in the AM to be at the starting line by 6:30 in the morning. Thank you to all of our family and friends that tell us every day how crazy we are for running (we know you love and support us). Also to CRC running buddies and the Runners World forum runners that have been an endless source of information and encouragement, thank you.

The Most Important Meal for a Marathoner

Two days before the big race Chris and I had a lot to get accomplished. Expo, set out race clothes, clean the house (for the Dead Legs Party we are hosting ), and then prepare a big carb loading dinner.



We will close the evening watching Spirit of the Marathon, and then a good night sleep before we get up tomorrow for our pre-race run in the morning.

Check back tomorrow....when it will be Marathon Eve.

Power Pink & Blazen Red.....

Over the weekend we had a small marathon shoe crisis, so I thought I would devout this post to what we will be relying on to fly us to the finish, our running shoes.

My race shoes have a special name that I have given them. I call them my Power Pink shoes:


I have been training in the Nike Vomero 3's since I was able to start running in January. Prior to finding the Vomero's I had tried four different shoes. Mostly do to my prior shin splint problems I really had some issues, and once I found the Vomero's I haven't wanted to change. I am hoping my Power Pink Vomero's give me an extra burst across the half marathon finish.

The real exciting shoes are the red blazing kicks....Nike Lunar Trainers.


Sadly this shoe is discontinued, and thus why we had a bit of a crisis. First a lesson in racing.....the lighter the shoe the faster you can run (if you are an efficient runner, which is not the case for me, YET). Since Chris is moving to a new level in his racing he has been playing around with different race shoes then what he trains in everyday. After a 13 mile run this past weekend in a very light race shoe, he began a slight panic because he knew the shoe was not going to carry him 26.2 miles. After realizing that the Nike Lunar Trainers would be perfect if only his toes didn't rub the edge of the shoe, we went out hunting. We ventured to our local running store, Columbus Running Company. Our local store did not have the half a size up Chris needed....so they called another of their locations. Fingers crossed I was ready to drive anywhere to ensure that this crisis was put to rest before Monday. Luck was on our side and the only size the store happened to have was the size 11 Chris needed.

A quick drive across town and a spin in the Nike Lunar Trainers a half size bigger....crisis averted. Now I am just hoping to get a picture on race day of flames coming out the back of these shoes as Chris crosses the finish.

What's been going on....

Better late then never, but I am going to try and bring some life back to this old blog I started last year.

Since I last left off in December of last year I was trying to get rid of shin splints, and Chris was preparing for his first marathon. I have since successfully conquered the shin splints and started running at the first of the year. Chris had a great first marathon at the Flying Pig (why he picked the hilly marathon for his first you will have to ask him), and finished in 3:38. I was able to run my first 5k race (and actually RUN the whole thing as fast as my lungs would let me) at the Flying Pig too. Overall it was a great experience and we learned a ton. Chris walked away knowing he needed to run more miles, and I found out how painful 5k races really were. We also met some fellow Runners World fourmites and had a blast cheering for each other with them.







Since the spring we have both ramped up our running to new levels. For me it was just about building base miles. I ended May with a peak mileage of 15 miles a week. Now I have hit 26 miles a week and ran 98 miles in the month of August. Chris set out to complete the 18/55 pfitzinger marathon training program, but in his over achiever style he turned it into something more like 18/65ish. In addition to the increase mileage, Chris sought out to break some of his previous race times over the summer, and WOW did he. He has ended the summer smashing his 10k time, half marathon, and getting his 5k goal of sub 20 minutes.

This week is MARATHON week in the Honaker house. No one is pulling their hair out (yet), and we are both confident in the hard work and preperation that has gone into this training cycle. For me this is my first distance race, and my No. 1 goal is to sprint across the finish with a BIG SMILE on my face (it better be a great finish photo). I have already completed the full 13.1 miles in my training so I know I can do it. Now it's just about going out there and really having a blast and taking in every mile. I hope to have many more races ahead of me to set time goals. Chris is truly a gifted runner and has been one of the most dedicated runners I have ever met. Running has done so much for him, and Sunday should be a day that all his dedication pays off. Stay tuned for our race reports.....the marathon is a beast and you never know what will happen.

It's been such a long time...

I blame Facebook. Ever since joining Facebook I haven't been updating this blog, and I apologize. Chris is in the process of making us a real one which will follow both of our running (a slow new runner and a fast newish runner).

Stay tuned for more details. In the mean time here are a few pics from over the last year.