Marathon Monday! ~ Mary

We all have reasons we run, reasons why we set out to do what is initially thought of as impossible.  Running can be an escape, a coping mechanism or some sort of instrument to prove that you are enough, that you can do things, that YOU are worth it.

We all set out on these self discovery journies and sometimes the reason we start running is not the reason we continue running.  Sometimes, the reason we start isn't enough to keep us going but the reason to keep going quickly becomes apparent.

Over time the reason why doesn't matter because there is a love for the run, for the road, for the feeling of fresh air that washes over you.  Then sometimes there is a love AND a reason.  A passion.

Meet Mary.  A runner who started to lose weight but now runs for a cause.  A runner who used running to prove herself and who found true love while doing what she was told she couldn't do.

Hi my name is Mary. I'm 32 and I live in CT. I started running about 10 years ago. I just wanted to lose weight but somehow I ended up loving running. I had, since I started to run, aspirations one day of running a marathon. Yet it never seemed  to happen.


About three years ago I was in a relationship and I discussed with my former boyfriend the desire to run a marathon. He seriously doubted the fact that I could do it. After a very upsetting and stressful break up I decided I needed to run that marathon to redeem myself and also yes to prove him wrong.


In running my first marathon I ended up

meeting my future husband he was running his third I was running my first our second date actually was the marathon. I have run 4 marathons since then including the New York City Marathon last November ( my dream race).


Shortly before I ran New  York my mother started experiencing some health issues. After encouraging her to go to the doctor we discovered that she had an aggressive form of uterine cancer. My mother had already battled cancer 12 years ago. She battled and won against stage four colon cancer and for 12 years with cancer free.


It was absolutely crushing the idea that this woman who had already suffered through a catastrophic disease was facing it yet again. I needed something positive to come from this upsetting and depressing news so I decided to run a marathon, not only to run a marathon but to raise money for cancer research. Though the amount that I'm raising is not in the millions I hope it will do some good. I have a purpose and what I am doing each and every run is dedicated to someone that I know who is giving me the name of a person that has died or is currently battling cancer every single mile is dedicated to beating cancer.


My mother amazes me every day with her graciousness and compassion, in spite of dealing with such an unfair disease.
Through her surgery and now subsequent chemotherapy she has always tried to keep a happy face though she freely admits there are days when she is scared. She relies on her faith and her children and her eight grandchildren to carry her through. At the end of my marathon my mother will be given my metal and my bib will have the name her grandchildren call her on it.

Just knowing that when I'm running my marathon my mom will be all done with

chemo it is an amazing thought. That she will have experienced such aggressive treatment and will be there meeting me at the finish line is something I look forward too.


Thank you for letting me share mine and my mother's story with all of you.  I hope that no one else has to experience this disease ever again.

If you would like to help Mary raise money for cancer research please visit  WWW.fredsteam.org and type in Mary Vallely.

Have you ever started running for one reason and then found another to keep running?  Have you ever proved to those who thought you couldn't that you CAN indeed?

Marathon Monday- Lessons from Michelle

It's Monday again and with it comes the second installment of this wonderful little motivation feature segment of Marathon stories.  Today we feature the ever lovely and inspiring Michelle who is over at Movin it with Michelle; Running, Recipes and Real Life Adventures, on Facebook and blogging it up at movinitwithmichelle.com.  

I was very thankful that this story came through my email when it did and grateful that Michelle decided to share.  I had a rough VERY rough first week of marathon triaining myself, so this was exactly what I needed.  Being a mama who also suffered and still has days where I feel like I am STILL suffereing from PPD I found such solace in this story.  If you need some inspiration and tips on staying with it, learning from your mistakes and making the best of YOUR marathon expierence then sit back, grab a cup of tea or coffee or even better some water (got to get in ALL the water!!!) and listen as Michelle tells it like it was for HER! 

My distance running journey came about in 2007.  Although I had been a short distance running since the age of 11 or 12, my dream of running a marathon had merely been that: a dream.

After giving birth to my second daughter, I suffered from pretty severe depression.  Life...well...happens, and I just couldn't get past the hole I had put myself in.  So one day, my girlfriend and I were talking and the San Antonio Rock n Roll half marathon came up.  She had run it before, and said I should run it with her.  This discussion happened in late September, and the race was in mid November.  Of course I could do it, right?  After only 7-8 weeks of training, I ran and completed my first half marathon, and I was hooked.  But it would take 5 more years until my first full marathon would come to fruition.

I retired from the Air Force in 2011, and moved to the Chicagoland area with my family.  I was so excited to be close to my family again, as my sister only lives about an hour from us.  We decided that my first full marathon would be the Chicago Marathon.  It was my sister's first full in 2010, and I thought how cool it would be to follow in her footsteps, AND have her run it with me.  She agreed!  We registered together, although trained separately.  We a couple runs together, and she ran the Fox Valley 20 miler with me as our last long run.  We finished strong, and I was ready, right?

Wrong. 

Lesson number one: You never know what race day will bring.  It was really cold and damp out that day, and I just couldn't find my groove.  My Garmin wouldn't catch a signal, and my breathing was all over the place.  But my sister and I were out there...together.  And despite having a difficult race, as my knee blew out at mile 17, my sister and I stuck together.  Every. Single. Step.

And I will be forever grateful for her, as she helped me achieve this life long goal.  We crossed that line hand in hand, and even to this day my eyes well with tears thinking about it.

Lesson number two: Don't forget to enjoy your race!  No matter what race day gives you, SMILE, thank the volunteers and spectators, and be thankful you CAN run.  So many aren't as fortunate.

Lesson number three: One bad race doesn't make you a bad runner. The following year, I decided I needed redemption, a do-over so to speak so I registered for the 2013 Fox Valley 4:I PR'd at , and I felt great nearly the entire race.
Marathon.  I trained smarter, taking out the mid week long run and replacing it with biking/cross training.  I ran less miles, but smarter miles.  I kept my long run progression the same, and despite several ailments and injuries, the running fairies were with me on race day and I was able to shave off 58 minutes of my Chicago Marathon time, and have negative splits for the half. 

I swore I'd never run another full marathon, because my knees just don't like this distance.  BUT...

Lesson number five: Never say never.  In June I will be running my hometown marathon, The Grandma's marathon in Duluth Minnesota, with my sister.  I grew up spectating this race, and it's been on my bucket list ever since.  We plan on having FUN for this race, with no goal other than to finish.

I can't wait!

Final thoughts:

Training for, and running a full marathon is life changing.  It takes dedication, time, effort, and a whole lot of passion.  But it's worth every single second spent preparing to cross that finish line knowing YOU did this....YOU finished.  YOU kept movin' forward.  <3

What do you think?  Have you learned some of these lessons too?  How many marathons have you sworn you wouldn't run?

If you liked reading about Michelle make sure that you head over to her blog and show her some support.  She is always ALWAYS supporting everyone.  

Week One

Week one is done and with it the start of the epic journey to being able to say that I have completed a marathon.  I really want to do my very best to document this so that I can truly see where I grew, when I changed and what lessons I have learned along the way.

This week was hard, super hard.  Our mild winter weather took a turn and became extremely cold at the start of the week.  Which meant my lovely little mild running days (yes two weeks ago I was still wearing shorts!) came to an abrupt halt and I was immediately thrown into layers, frozen eyelashes and globs of Vaseline.  

To make matters worse the cold also brought ice.  Ice brings slippery roads and slippery roads bring falls.  I wiped out hard on Wednesday's run.  I am OK or I was OK, just bruised and very sore with very limited mobility in my right arm.  I still ran Thursdays 3 miles and kept stretching to stay loose.  Then Friday afternoon, I fell again TWO more times.  This time in a driveway while carrying the baby in her car seat.  She is OK, she was just very very scared and startled.  I was again sore, but this time on my left side and mostly my leg.  

I still set out on my long run Saturday morning.  Not more than 5 steps in I knew it was going to be a hard long run.  My left quad was sore and I couldn't get into a good stride.  I decided to keep going to see if it got better with warming up.  It didn't.  I completed the 6 miles but walked a few times coming down the hills to give my quad some breaks.  It was starting to get super fatigued and very sore, hurting more during walking and much more during downhills.  At home I stretched, rolled and now have a slight limp.  I think I pulled something perhaps?  And will be taking a day or two off.  

So here it is the training recap:

I am doing a Hal Higdon plan for novice marathon runners.  It has me running 4 days a week.  To make things work with the kids and my husbands work schedule AND have as many opportunities as possible to run with a buddy I have chose to run Mondays. Wednesdays and Thursdays then do a long run on Saturday morning.  This schedule is nice because Mondays and Saturdays I have flexibility on what time I can get out there and leaves me only two days where I have to do late night running.  

Monday's run this week I actually ended up moving to Tuesday because buying a new car interfered with getting out there, but I am hoping to not have 3 days in a row again.  

The Miles:

Tuesday 3 miles

Wednesday 3 miles 

Thursday 3 miles

Saturday 6 miles

The Weather:

Temps ranged from windchill values of -26 to 5 degrees.

There was sun, clouds and ice and snow fall.

Winds were gusty and strong

Gear:

Layers were really important. 

Vaseline for exposed skin was a must.

Yak Traks have been considered!!!

Tried out an amphibian water belt.

Routes:

Made many small loops for the short runs.

Took on a tough hill route for the long run.

Lessons Learned:

I am bruised and I am battered but I am proud.  I have actually set out to do this and despite some big obstacles, schedules not working and weather being super intense I managed to complete all the runs I had scheduled and I am still excited for more.  I learned that ice and running are a dangerous combo and that Epsom salt needs to be on hand and available always.  I have also learned that my mom keeps Epsom salt and has the perfect soaking tub.  She also has
interest in spending time with my monsters so tub soaks over there are an option! Vaseline really helps protect exposed cheeks and any mental games you can play will keep your mind off the cold AND the miles.  Running with buddies is a welcome joy and makes stepping out into the cold easier if you know they are waiting for you.  The foam roller and I will probably end up having an affair some day over the love I have developed for it and I need to start experimenting with fueling.  I have never used any sort of fuel before and will need to test to see what works best.  

Are you training for something?  How did your training week go?  What fuel is your go to?

Dear Future Marathoner

Dear Future Marathoner,

They say that the person who starts the 26.2 is not the same person that finishes it.  Is that true?  Who were you when you started and who are you now? I can't
tell you who you are going to be when you cross that finish line in 18 weeks after completing a 26.2 mile run.  I am not even sure I can tell you who you are right now to be completely honest.  I know that you are not the person you were yesterday, and you made yourself better today and have plans for tomorrow.  I know that right this very minute you are scared, anxious, nervous and afraid of making a complete fool out of yourself.

You still let the fat girl in your head win sometimes.  You still let society and media make you feel like an inadequate runner.  You question your abilities and
your sanity.  You compare yourself to the real runners and the ones who actually look like a runner.  Yet get this, you have grown so much, so very much.  Because you are letting yourself believe that it is possible.  Right now you have no doubt that some how, some way you will get your body across that line in May.  You have a hope and faith in YOURSELF.  Running has done that to you.  It has given you a sparkle of self awareness.  You know that you have done this before. Sure you haven't run 26.2 miles before but you have been standing there never thinking it would be possible to run, or to run a 10k, or to run a half.  And each time you made a decision to do something that seemed impossible you have found that you can push the limits and accomplish your goal.

So, as your training journey is kicked off with sub zero temps and hard falls on ice you know that you can pick yourself up, warm yourself from within, put your

head down and push.  In 18 weeks you changed.  You changed so very much.  Your sparkle is bigger, you know you can go further and you have discovered more things about the person that YOU are supposed to be.  You are turning into YOURSELF more and more.  You are even learning that you have a love, a love for yourself.  And it is so fitting that this is the year that you have determined to Finally Love Yourself (FLY) and make it epic because I have a feeling that the person reading this in 18 weeks will have made some leaps into accomplishing these goals.

So Future Marathoner, please come back and visit me.  Visit the me I am right now.  The one sitting here bruised and sore from the fall while out on training run #2 today.  The one wearing your husband's oversized shirt, curled up in bed with the laptop and a wish for an ice cream sundae.  Visit me and give me a giant hug and let me know how much you appreciate me for signing up for the Maine Coast Marathon, for beginning what I am pretty sure is going to be one epic journey.  I can not wait to see what discoveries are made, what person emerges and how much love you can have for YOURSELF.



Sincerely,
The one scared shitless for setting you out on this journey in the first place.

Have you run a marathon?  How did it change you?  Any advice for me??

Marathon Monday

Marathon Monday, in just a few short months the ever popular and famous Boston Marathon will be kicked off.  The Boston Marathon is often a dream race, so many dreaming of getting a BQ or a charity bib in order to run the highly sought after 26.2 miles into Boston.  

This Monday I would like you to meet Meagan, who will get to live this dream and set out to complete her 26.2 on a very special Monday in April.  

Hello from New Hampshire!
Talk about the right winter to train for the Boston Marathon…so far! It’s still weird to even think about Boston, never mind the butterflies I get every time I get to say, “I’m running the 2015 Boston Marathon!” Before this year, I never stepped foot outside to run, once late fall showed up here in New Hampshire. I would jumped on the treadmill once in a while, but nothing serious, and certainly nothing outside in the cold and the snow…brrrr! But this year, things have changed!


I’ve never considered myself a runner. I played soccer growing up and even in college, but running then was always a “punishment". When we lost a game, when we didn’t practice hard enough, when it was the dreaded “fitness day” . I didn’t start running for “fun” until I graduated college. I remember feeling free- I could run when I wanted, how fast I wanted, and wherever I wanted. Man did it feel great. Not physically at first, that’s for sure, but mentally there was something almost euphoric about logging miles. I took on my first marathon in 2005, the December after I graduated from college. I wasn’t fast by any stretch, but I was hooked on running! (It didn’t hurt that at the finish line of that race, the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco, that a handsome man in a tuxedo gave me…ok, all finishers, haha…a Tiffany’s necklace instead of a finisher’s medal!)


Fast forward almost 10 years since those first steps training for my first race, I’ve come so

far. I’ve run many half marathons, a handful of 5k’s, and I even ran the Hartford (CT) Marathon in 2007. I got a job teaching 7th grade (which I still love…call me crazy!), I married the love of my life in 2009 and I’ve had two handsome (and energetic) boys (now 4 and almost 2 years old). Running has kept me busy…in a good way! It keeps me healthy, gives me the opportunity to run with my boys (though I think stroller running is the hardest thing ever!), and helps me set goals that I can work toward achieving. 

Which brings me to my 2015 goal…to successfully fundraise for an amazing organization and run the Boston Marathon!! I will be taking on the 26.2 miles of the 2015 Boston

Marathon to support the Greater Boston Chapter of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association. This amazing group does important work for many people in my community and beyond. First and foremost, they provide support from the moment of injury. They offer hope through one-on-one support, understanding, and guidance. No other entity provides this depth of support. The group works to RISE: Reach, Inspire, Support and Empower all those affected by a spinal cord injury through their nationally recognized Peer Visitation Program. Staff members and trained volunteers, who have successfully navigated post spinal cord injury life, serve as mentors to help the newly injured, and their families to better understand what happened, transition back into the community and meet their goals of leading a fulfilling life.

I have a fundraising goal of $4000 to support this amazing foundation. Whether you know someone directly affected by a spinal cord injury or not, I’m sure you’ll agree that this cause is a worthy one. If you’re willing to support my fundraising efforts, I'd be more than appreciative. Information on how to donate is listed below.


I truly appreciate you taking the time to read my story. I guess now, though it’s taken me 10 years…I consider or should consider myself a runner. I’ve learned that if you’re running 1 mile or 100 miles…a 6 minute pace or an 11 minute pace…you’re still a runner because you choose to run. I will continue to choose to run…today, tomorrow, and long after I cross the finish line at this year’s Boston Marathon (there are those butterflies again!).
Sincerely,
Maegan Koelker
Newmarket, NH


Donation checks in any amount can be made out to: Greater Boston Chapter-NSCIA and mailed to me (please email me for my mailing address Maegan.Koelker@gmail.com). There’s also an online link available for fundraising: http://sciboston.com/meet-boston-marathon-runners/
Visit that link and at the bottom of the page, click the blue box that says "click here to help raise funds for our runners!"...then fill in the form...please put Maegan Koelker in the "honor/memorial information" section at the bottom of the form.

Meet Our Boston Marathon Runners - Greater Boston Chapter of Spinal Cord Injury Association

sciboston.com

Click here to help raise funds for our runners!

It's all about the BITS?

Energybits that is.

Recently, I was given a fantastic opportunity to try out EnergyBits.  I was sent a sample and afterseeing ALL over social media the #poweredbybits posts I was anxious and excited to give them a try!
They arrived in the mail and I got to work researching what I was going to be consuming.  

I was thrilled to learn about the tiny algae bits.  The super nutritiously dense super food.  No GMOs, no caffeine, no sugar, no soy or gluten, NO CHEMICALS!!!! Just pure plant based goodness all in one tiny little 1 calorie per bit package.

Excitedly I tore open the package and was ready to give it a try.  Except, here is where my balloon of excitement began to deflate a bit.  Why?  Because a serving was 30, yes THIRTY of these little bits.  The directions read to take 30 bits before heading out for a long run or whatnot. And it specifically warned against chewing.  As I fought to get all thirty swallowed, I immediately understood the reason you wouldn't want to chew them at all.  Even just swallowing them I could taste the algae taste on my tongue and it wasn't that tasty.

I will say that I did manage to get them all swallowed which is sort of a big deal for me.  I have gag reflex issues that makes even swallowing a gel cap Tylenol almost impossible some days.  I felt great all day, and I felt fantastic on my run.  I really loved that fact that I was putting an energy dense super food into my body.ok, I can learn to get these down easier, and it will just become routine.  So I looked into purchasing some of my own little bits.  After all, I was def #poweredbybits on the days I tried them.  This is where my balloon became sort of flat.  I could not believe the cost. At $3.50 a SERVING I sadly realized that this would not be an option on the budget of a stay at home mama.  As much as I KNOW that they are GOOD for me, I just can't justify the cost when I know that I can make other choices in our meal planning in order to incorporate super foods for the WHOLE family to get.
 And I was having a natural reaction to this natural plant based product.  I started thinking

Overall, if price is not a factor for you and swallowing is easy then I say whole heartily GO FOR IT.  This product truly is super and amazing.  One day once the kids are through college maybe I can have an Energybit fund of my own :)

Have your tried the bits?  What are your thoughts?  Any other fuel that YOU love?

And the award goes to Stonyfield!!!!

In this house we eat.  We don't eat a certain way or follow a certain food plan.  We eat.  We eat local when we can, we eat organically for the dirty dozen and we try to eat clean but my kids also know what boxed Mac and Cheese tastes like.  Sometimes though, we become brand loyal and it sticks and there is never ever ever any going back.  This family happens to have developed a taste for Stonyfield yogurt (and milk!).

Awhile back, Stonyfield so graciously gave me some vouchers to try their New Organic Yogurt Pouches.  My kids love yogurt so of course I was happy to try.  Well, I ave created pouch MONSTERS.  Every day my almost 3 year old asks for a yogurt pouch.  In fact, I just shipped him
back to bed after I found him in the kitchen helping himself to a pouch.  He had come down hungry and wanted yogurt. (Darn! I should have snapped a picture of his cute little Jammie clad bum sticking out of the fridge while he was routing for the pouch!!!)

My almost 6 (she will be 6 on Saturday, time sure does fly!), asks for them for her school lunch.  It is an amazing product to pack in the lunch box! Easy and mess free and it has fruits AND vegetables (shhhh don't tell her she likes beets!).  And ever since my little NH Run Blogger Meet up back in September the whole entire family has been fighting over who gets the last of the Petite Cremes.  They are sooooo yummmy.  Smooth and rich and creamy.  I have definitely been cheating on Greek with them!

Want to know what makes it even better that the whole family enjoys such a healthy snack or lunch addition?  Well, first I am relieved that they are loving and grabbing something that is organic and made without the use of persistent pesticides and GMOs and second it is a LOCAL company for us! Right over the border in tax free NH (yes where I do all of my shopping) is the local farm that started
30 years ago as a non-profit organic farming school.  A company that was working for healthy food, healthy people and a healthy planet long before they even started making this delicious yogurt!

Seriously, give any of the products a whirl.  You may become a loyal Stonyfield buyer as well!

What do you think?  Have you tried Stonyfield?  Are you brand loyal to foods?