A Half Marathon a Month 2017?

During a long leisurely walk this past weekend, I started thinking of my race plan for 2017. Somewhere in the middle of that thought process I had the idea of a half marathon every month in 2017. Would that be insane? I asked myself. No slash maybe. Would that be expensive? I then asked myself... uh... probably. Definitely.

I already have half marathons planned for January, March, May, June, September and October. There would be a local-ish race in April I could add, as well as some Ortho race$$$ in the Twin Cities for July and August. Which would cause me to travel for November and December. Dallas half in December is always a good excuse to head down south to see the family. If Milwaukee stays in November, I'm already planning to head out there to see Renee and my other lovely Wisconsin runner friends.

Hmmmm......

Anyone want to sponsor a Jerbear to make this goal possible?!! [insert cry/laughing emoji here please]

But seriously if you have a local race in one of my "off" months and flights are magically cheap from Sioux Falls, I'll be planning to stay on your couch or spare bedroom. Thaaaaanks!

Auto PR Goal Race

When I was plotting out my training for the Aramco Houston Half Marathon, I checked the area running calendar for local races to consider. I found a Thanksgiving morning race that is low frills, no shirt, no timing chip, and the suggested race fee or hygiene package donation goes directly to The Banquet that serves individuals in my community that are in need. Win, win!

They have a 1 mile, 3 mile, and 6 mile course as well as a newly added bike course, so I decided a 6 mile race would be great: auto PR! But beyond that, it lets me spend a month focusing on speed work before I really start concentrating on the Houston Half.

My training program leading up to the 6 miler is fairly low in mileage since I'm still working on some form issues, and want to be sure that I don't get injured, but I also have some 800s in there! Whoa, long time no see!

I also think that focusing on this shorter race for a month will make the half training cycle not seem as long. Once this race is done, I have less than two months until the half! Oh, and it doesn't hurt that I've never raced a 6 miler, so this'll be an auto PR. Yay!

Marathon Schedule 2012

I’m a very type A person.  I like to have a plan.  And it always has to be the most efficient and well thought out plan.  So when my spring marathon plans somersaulted last week, I was in a tizzy.  Emails were sent to all running buddies to see what their plans were.  I like to optimize my marathon weekend fun by joining up with runner friends. 

My first plan was Grandma’s.  Kyle has been asking when I’m going to do it (presumably so he can have an excuse to go feeshing in Duluth) and I thought Krista was going to be doing it.  And since it’s so late, I could do a half marathon in May as part of my training…..say… in Brookings!  When Krista confirmed she wasn’t running it, I moved on. 

Lincoln?  Drivable distance for my parents (maybe) and I could probably wrangle Angie to do it.  But meh.  Wasn’t really too excited about it.

So then I landed back on Brookings.  But as the full.  It’s a very small course.  Like 400 for the full and half.  But it’d be cheap.  Just gas to get there and a cheap-o registration fee, and shacking up with Megan.  And the money for Mexican food and margs afterwards, obvs.  And I thought that surely my parents and Kyle could be spectator extraordinaires.  BINGO.

This is how I landed on the decision to do my first marathon in South Dakota.  Might as well be at home when I land my first marathon time that starts with a 3.  J

Naturally after deciding on spring 2012, my mind started to work toward fall 2012.  Since I’ll be doing things el cheap-o this spring, perhaps I could spend some $$ this fall.

Think BIG:  NYC.

I think I’m going to enter the NYC Marathon lottery.  I think I’ve convinced myself that the ideal time for me to run a marathon is in November/December, as it’s typically cooler, and I’m able to train for the majority of it during the fall when it’s cooler.  AKA I don’t drown from my sweat.  Visiting NYC is on my 101 in 1001 days list, and I’m sure I’ll need another Susan fix in a year.  J

If I don’t get in, I think my back up marathon will be Dallas White Rock.  I did the half in 2009, and it was a blast.  Plus I need to go down and visit the family, since I have a new niece arriving in 2 ½ weeks.  I secretly want her to be born at the same time I’m finishing Philly.  Is that too much to ask?  Naaaaaaaaw.

So that’s my plan for the next year.  Who’s joining me???

What's Next? + Happy Birthday Me

Going in to the Vegas Marathon, I had some possible races on the horizon for the spring.  I knew I wanted to run the Fargo Marathon in mid-May and that it would be my A Goal race for the season.  I also knew I wanted to run a half marathon PR during training (to avenge my craptastic half in September).

I had originally planned on doing the Earth Day HM in St. Cloud MN, but when a quick mapquest revealed that it was over 4 hours away I thought better of it.  Even if that means that I won't get to meet Marshall Eriksen's family and potentially get one of his 6'9" brothers to fall madly in love with me.  Drat!  In addition the course description of hills (said in hushed tones with accompanying shudders and chills), didn't really "have me at hello" if you know what I mean.

Magically, I found a small half marathon race 25 minutes from my parents, and in the same city as my BFFF Sheana.  Since the course will be along the river, there is a very good chance for hills (shudders) as well, at least I'll only have to drive an hour to experience them, and will get to do them with my fam and bestie running around town cheering for me.  River Rat Half Marathon, you are on my LIST!  (Uh yeah.... gross name right?)

I have been toying with the idea of running the LA Marathon in March as well.  Megan is running it, and one of my college friends who is out in San Diego is doing it as her first and wanted me to accompany her.  After Vegas, I decided LA was a no go.  And then I decided I would do it with my friend as a training run for Fargo.  And then I decided that I would race it as redemption for Vegas.  And then I actually thought about it (as if I hadn't thought about it enough....clearly) and realized that the smart decision was to scratch LA, take the next 8 weeks easy-ish, slowing building up my mileage and strengthening my hips and knees, and destroying my training for Fargo starting in mid-February.

Please tell me the rest of you runners all have this obsessive of a mind......right?

So that lets you know what's on my agenda for the next six months:

4/23/10 River Rat Half Marathon

5/21/10 Fargo Marathon

For a super fun day, I also plan to take on the Irishman Challenge (our city's version of the Goofy Challenge, apparently).  Since I'm a girl of green (and am more than a wee bit o' Irish) I take my St. Patty's Day celebrations very seriously.  They have a 5 mile, 5k, and 1 mile race.  I've done the 5 mile once, and the 5k twice.  By participating in all 3 you get a sweet Irishman Award.  YES PLEASE.  I'm also hoping I can wrangle Miss Alyssa in to attending because I just plain miss her face. :D

In keeping with the birthday/26.2 tradition (yes it's now a tradition because it's happened twice) I signed up for Fargo as my birthday gift to myself yesterday.  Marathon #3 here I come!

____________

I had a first the other day.  My mom asked me what I wanted for Christmas/birthday (clearly she doesn't read my blog) and I sent her a link to some new shoes I've been coveting.  Uh...hello lovers.....  The link was from the exact google shopping search to make the shopping easy peasy.  I explained to her that it should show all the online options so she could select the cheapest option available.

MamaBear:  So I just click on the shoe, make sure it says size 8 and give them my credit card number....and then they just send the shoes to me????
Jerbear:  Uh yeah.... what did you expect to do?

(Sidenote:  I actual refer to my parents as MamaBear and PapaBear in my head.... so very random.  Also, my friends used to make fun of me in high school because I referred to my mom as "Maaaaaw."  Pretty sure I still do that. :p)

Hi Mom, welcome to almost 2011...this is online shopping.  Given the fact that I only shop online I was pretty perplexed that there was someone left on the earth who wasn't familiar with the idea.  Apparently this apple fell miles and miles away from the tree.   Although it shouldn't surprise me too much, my parents still don't have a cell phone and got a DVD player (for the first time) 2 years ago and that was only because the local gas station that has movie rentals (yes I'm from the tiniest town ever) switched over from VHS to DVD and they had no choice. :p

I ran my first run as a 27 year old in them (along with a super cute almost all green outfit) yesterday and it was love.  I forgot my knee strap and had almost zero knee pain running in them.  Love love love!

2010 Race Schedule

I've been so excited/focused/tunnel-visioned about the BIG EVENT (aka Green Bay Marathon) for this spring, that I've kind of neglected to think beyond May in terms of running.  Tuesday night an old college friend sent me a facebook message that I should consider running marathon #2 in 2010 as well.  Huh?  TWO marathons this year?  Well.  Why not?  Her race suggestion solved all of my fall/winter racing issues that I had been having.  I'd like to consider it the missing piece to my running puzzle.

February 6th  Frostbite 2 & 4 Mile

But let's start at the beginning shall we?  I start marathon training on February 6th (or something like that) so I figured I could do this race I've said I was going to do every year since I started running but have yet to.  The name should say it all, really.  Since the primary reason I've wussed out on doing it EVERY YEAR is because it's painfully cold in February.  Duh!  But it'll give me something to keep me motivated until marathon training starts.  And maybe everyone else in my AG will be too wussy to run, and I'll get an auto AG award.

March 13th St. Patty's Day Mile, 5k, & 5 mile

I love St. Patrick's Day.  I love green.  I love to run.  What's not to love about a race that combines ALL THREE?!?!  Answer:  Nothing.  So why not.  I've done the 5k for 2 years, and might do that or the 5 mile, depending on what fits into my schedule the best.

May 16th Cellcom Green Bay Marathon

The big kahuna.  I'm sure you're sick of hearing about it, so I won't elaborate..... too much.  I've literally been planning on doing this race as my first since I learned that the course went a lap around the inside of Lambeau Field before the finish line (circa 2004 in case you cared).  As a HUGE Packers fan, this race will truly combine my two true loves.  Be shocked if there aren't crocodile-sized tears streaming down my face when I'm finishing (FYI:  These tears may even rival the ones that were shed when Brett retired time #1, #2, #3, and when he signed with the Vikes).

June 5th Pavilion Wellness 10 mile, 10k, & 5k

I did the 5k last year and it was the race that I awarded myself with my GARMIN for PR'ing in.  Go Jerbear!  I have no clue which distance I will attempt, because I have no idea how my legs will recover after the marathon.  I'm just excited to squeeze in as many shorter races as possible this summer, because sometimes a girl just likes to run faaaaast.

June 13th Swan Lake Half Marathon

(tentative)

Again this race probably stems from my recovery from the marathon, but after looking at my schedule I was sad that I only had one HM on it.  The 1/2 is probably my new favorite distance (sorry 5k, still love YOU!).  This race is close to my hometown, and is the kick off for their small town summer festival, so it'd be fun to get another HM in.

September 12th Sioux Falls Half Marathon

Oh the race that started it all.  This will be my 7th year running my city's big race, and this will be one of the races I train hard for.  Look for a MAJA PR next fall.  (hopefully).  They are actually starting a full marathon after taking 20+ years off from doing it.  I toyed with the idea of running it, but eventually all the pieces fell into place, and I was happy that I got to stick with the 1/2.

October 3rd Twin Cities 10 Mile

(if chosen by lottery)

I also toyed with running the Twin Cities Marathon as it is on my "list" of marathons to run.  After some advice from Glenn, I realized it probably wouldn't be smart to PR in a 1/2 and then presumably PR in another marathon 3 weeks later.  Thanks for being my voice of reason.  I've always said 10 miles is my favorite training run distance, so why not do a 10 miler?  I figure I'll get the experience of the cities in the fall (I loooooove the cities, I should just move. Hmph.) and experience the huge crowds and atmosphere, but only have to run 38% of the distance.

December 6th Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon

Which brings me to marathon #2 for 2010.  I had originally wanted to do Disney World 2011 in January with Melissa , but even after an unseasonably mild winter so far (yes, we had a HUGE blizzard, but we usually have had about 4-5 major snow storms by this time of year) I realized that most major training has to be done by mid-late November.  Which makes an early December race purrrrfect.  Plus I have a feeling I could maybe get the guy to attend that one.

_________________

Sidenote.  Funny convo about the Vegas Race......

Me:  Do you wanna come with me to Vegas in December?

N:  Are you trying to trick me into something?  :)

Me:  ????  Are you referring to me tricking you into running a race with me in Vegas or me tricking you into marrying me in Vegas?  I'm guessing either option is equally terrifying.  

Later while watching The Hangover....

Me:  If we do accidentally get hitched in Vegas we should get the high roller package and get our pic on trucker hats!!!

N:  You would like the coffee mugs more.

Me:  OMG SO TRUE!

The kid knows me well, no?  :)

________________________

K back from La La Land and back to the land of running....now is the time where you tell me that you're totally signing up for the same races as me and we plan sweet meet ups (unless you're a stalker in which case I'm a black belt in karate!).  Not included in the official schedule is about 4-6 5k's in the June to August months that have yet to be solidified.  I also wouldn't mind throwing in another relay because last years was oooooh sooooooo fuuuuuuuun.

Who else is excited about 2010?!?!?!?!??