Seventeen weeks ago I signed up to run my second marathon.

Why? I’m not entirely sure. I guess you can call me crazy. After I ran the Big D last year, I thought my marathon running days were over. Running for five hours straight in ninety degree heat was not exactly my happy place. In fact, I remember telling myself after that race, I would only run short distances for the rest of my life. 
Well….time has a funny way of changing things. A couple of months after the Big D, Mr. B coaxed me into running the Prairie Fire Marathon in October. Clearly I was off my rocker. Our training went well for the first couple of weeks, but at the halfway point, Mr. B eventually acquired a made case of planters fasciitis. Needless to say he couldn’t complete his training. Without a running partner, I decided not to run the full. Phew. Instead, I ran the Aspen Golden Leaf Half Marathon again in September crushing my old race time by 30 minutes! Holla! 
After Aspen, running took a back seat. I was burnt out. I still continued to run, but even attempting three miles around Wash Park felt like I was pulling teeth in order to finish. I was not in a happy running place. So I took a break. I decided to snow ski, get back to lifting weights, and attend more body pump classes. It was the best decision I ever made. 
Even though I was burnt out and would have rather pounded dirt than run 16 miles, Listy and I started talking one night. She wanted to complete another marathon, but couldn’t decided on which one to run. In the back of my mind I always had a desire to run the Chicago Marathon, but never deemed it possible. When we lived in Chicago back in 2006, I was overweight and out of shape. I remember watching the race live and thinking these people are bonkers, and I could never run that far! 
Well, maybe it was fate or just good timing, but we both agreed to run Chicago together that night. No expectations. No judging. Just finish. After we agreed, I felt a huge sigh of relief. I knew this time around things would be different. My goal for the next 18 weeks is to take care of my body, relax, and the most important, have fun! 
Lookout Chicago! We’re coming for ya! 
***
Chicago Marathon training recap: Week One
Monday: 3 miles – Holy hot bananas! After work, I ran in Wash Park and about keeled over from the heat. Running at 4pm when it’s 90 degrees outside wasn’t the smartest decision I’ve ever made. The good news, my legs felt strong and I kept a pretty decent pace. 

Tuesday: 1 mile – Mr. B and I officially started our morning running routine. Mr. B is slowly coming back after dealing with planters fasciitis and right now we are keeping his mileage low to keep it from flaring up again. Our goal is to have him running 4 miles by the end of June! I had a blast on this run because Mr. B kept me entertained. 
Wednesday: 3 miles – This run was the exact opposite of Monday’s three mile excursion. Sore legs, but gorgeous weather. I was still getting used to waking up early and immediately exercising. Note to self: have patience. 

Thursday: 3 miles – One word to describe this run, sweaty. It had stormed the night before making it feel like a giant sauna outside. Even though I sweating buckets, I took my time on this run. The first 1.5 miles were nice and easy. I told myself to relax and enjoy the process of waking up. By the time I made it to the turn around point, I was feeling groovy. The next mile and a half zoomed by! 
Friday: Rest. 
Saturday: 6 miles – Listy and I met at Wash Park at 6:30am to beat the heat. This was our first official long run together. The first mile we chatted about expectations, pit stops, heart rates, and plans for the rest of our training. It was only after this quick discussion we realized we were both out of breath from talking and decided to run the next mile in silence. Our pace quickened by a whole minute! I can’t tell you how amazing it feels to have a running partner. 6 miles, check. 
Sunday: Cross Train. Does standing in your kitchen cooking for three hours count? Yes? Sa-sweet. 
Total Miles: 16 miles