Shuffling in the Snow

It's been awhile since my last post. I appoligize I'm lazy. So to give you a quick update on evertyhing that's been happening for my training for U of I and Team in Training....

• I bought new shoes...again. I moved to Saucony Hurricanes cause they will give me more support to my feet. Plus I was getting shin splints.
• I recived a Garmin Forerunner for my birthday. I love it. Best tool for a runner. According to it my pace is up!?!?
• For my training for U of I, I only ran up to 18. Life has been getting in the way.
• It's snowing in Chicago and I'm running the Shamrock Shuffle. I thought it was spring.
• Marathon Team has good dedicated people. Can't wait to meet the whole team in May
• I'm offically fundrasing for the Chicago Triathlon Triple Challenge for the LLS.

Wish me luck today I'm off in the wintery bliss!!!!!!

Last Vision Quest Coaching Session For Now... Time for the marathon!

Yesterday I participated in my last Vision Quest Coaching session for the winter. In December my threshold wattage was gauged at 263 watts. Yesterday I  was gaged at 277 watts. I'm very proud of myself that I improved. I want to do Vision Quest again when I start training for my triathlons this summer. Hopefully I'll be able to do El Tour de Tucson again this year and finish under 6 hours. I'll be shooting for under 5 hours but if I'm under 6 hours I would be happy.

If you don't know already I'm running the Illinois Marathon on April 11. Last week I had a 10 mile run. It was so cold outside I ran at the Indoor Bally's track in Morton Grove.  A lap is a sixth of a mile at Bally's in Morton Grove. Yep that means I ran around the track 60 times! Thank goodness I had my iPod to keep me sain.

I took training easy this week in prep for my VQ test. Today I'm going to hit the tread mill for a nice easy run this do some speed work out this week. I'll go out for a 10 to 12 mile run next Saturday. 

Slogans

When ever I go running, swimming, biking, what ever I always think of the following things for inspiration

1. "Do or Do Not There is No Try" - Yoda, from the Empire Strikes Back
2. "Rock and or Roll"  - Revrand Love Joy, from the Simpsons
3. "You can be happy or your can miserable either way the distance is the same" - Kegan Grant. a little boy who lost his battle with cancer.
4. "How many people drive 26.2 miles in a day?"
5. "Pain is temporay, pride is forever" - Steve Prefontane

There are more but I can't think of them at the moment. Be Sure I'll be thinking about them this Saturday in Tucson. 

Election Day Don't Forget to Vote

Election Day! Don't forget to vote. I'll be at my polling place at 6 am. I want Barack Obama to win but please vote for who ever you think is the best for the United States. 

Last night I turned in 25 cell phones that will move me closer to my goal raising $4,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. If you want to make a small tax deductible donation go to my fundraising website at http://etools.teamintraining.org/Etools/?ProgramGroup=tnt. 

Today I might go running for 45 minutes instead of going to Spin Class in Schaumbing. Instead of Spin Class I might go the Obama Rally in Chicago. I don't have a ticket to get into the main area but it's a great way to celebrate the greatest nation in the world. 

Weekend of Nov 1st, 2008 Bike Ride

 I rode my bike 77.5 miles in Naperville with Team in Training on Saturday November 1st. My ride time was 5:10. I crashed twice. Once at a stop were I didn't clip out fast enough and another where I avoided crashing into another rider I was coming into fast. Other wise I feel good. I can't wait for the 80 mile next Saturday in Arlington, Heights. 

On November 2nd I ran from my house to Nickol Knoll Park. It was good hill training. I did a goof 1:02 run. For me that was a 6 to 7 mile run. 

Afterwards I asked for donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in front of Jewel/Osco in Elmhurst, IL. 

After El Tour De Tucson, I plan on running Illinois Marathon and doing the St. Anthony's Triathlon in April. Tour De Tucson is a 109 mile bike ride that happens November 22.