Fox Cities Marathon

Peg Coover wrote:4 a year is a lot....I think one a year is plenty, considering 18 weeks of training and I like to do shorter races too. With 4 you are always training and never re-grouping! But some people want/need/crave that....

Yeah, many of the people I run with are 50 staters (one is finishing his 50 up for the 3rd time now) so I think I just hear that running marathons every couple of months or more often is really normal but if you're trying to really train hard for it is does take more out of you and I don't think I'm capable of too many good marathons a year.

dot520 wrote:Like I mentioned in your blog and others have also said, the stars have to all line up for a perfect marathon. It didn't happen on 'that' day, but you still are way ahead of the game. Summer wasn't wasted training, you now are in the best shape ever and after you rest those knees, you're going to come back refreshed and just nail your time when the opportunity arises. Consider Fox Cities just another long, miserable training run. It's over and behind you, onward!

Thanks Dot, you're right, I am moving onward.

Jack_Scaff wrote:Sorry for the bad outcome. All I can say is "Been there, done that"...far to many times to be proud of. You stuck it out, which I do also, and that is something to hang your hat on. Recover well for the next one.

Thanks Jack.

Randy E wrote:Well Julie, way to hang in there and get it done. I guess you are tougher than you thought. This marathon will make you mentally stronger for future races. Congrats.

Thanks Randy, oh I bragged about you to one of the other runners, about your ironman. And on the way home we were next to a car with a sticker that read 140.6. You have at least 1 kindred spirit in Wisconsin, it looks like.

Dave Bussard wrote:Sorry things didn't go well...it happens to all of us. But to help with your sleep the night before, try earplugs. I put them in every night and I sleep very well, no matter what is going on in the rest of the world.

Good idea, Dave! One of my friends suggested that after I got back, too, and I felt kind of stupid for not thinking of it. I used to wear them then the ear plugs themselves bothered my ears. I also still have a 2 yr old who wakes up a few times a night so I am usually listening for her, too.

Still resting, probably take the jogging stroller out today for an easy run. Thanks all for the encouragement!

Look at all of these people that believe in you and know that you are a rockstar!! It is just such a great feeling to see our running community come together

This is a great group! I look forward to cheering all of you on in the next few weeks and months, too!!

Oh Julie, I am sorry to read that this was such a challenging day for you. I'm a newbie and inexperienced so I cannot offer any words of wisdom, but I have learned a lot from you and I appreciate you sharing this challenge with us. You ARE inspiring and a runner I definitely look up to!

Julie, congratulations on finishing a very tough marathon, and checking off another state. Chances are you'll never have some many things stacked up against you. I hope you can get the knee back to 100%. That's going to be crucial.
Your photos are awesome, especially your daughter in the finishing blanket...that's a keeper!

Thanks Stephanie,
I wanted to cry when the massage therapist girl said I was an inspiration bc I was feeling so low but I've probably said this several times before, but I was not fit at all fall of 2004 when I was told to start running to help "put color back into my world" in other words get me out of a big long mess of depression I had been in. It was another state and it was tough but I'm so glad I have running in my life now.

Thanks Seth,
Ear plugs are definitely on my packing list from now on!! And I'm going to be careful to take rest days when I feel the beginning of any thing much more carefully than I was this time.
Jocelyn loved my finishing blanket. Do you know how fun that sound is for a 2 yr old (and her kitten)?

Trying to take things easy now and rest and heal up the knee. I still think I'll try the same training program next time around but probably find some good cross training, too.