(Okay, so it was mostly his idea, but I went along with it.)

We had a conversation about how marathon training really is months and months of preparation and hard training and physical agony all for just one race — really, just a few hours. (Of course, I immediately reminded him that this is the New York City Marathon we’re talking about, and IT. IS. COMPLETELY. AND. 100. PERCENT. WORTH. IT.)

Long story short, we decided, “hey, wouldn’t it be cool to get the most out of our training by running a second marathon this season?”

At first I thought the idea was batcrap crazy, but I know that lots of you guys have done it and lived to tell the tale. Plus, I knew that NYCM is my goal race, and that any second marathon could be run as a “for fun, let’s see how well I can do,” kind of thing.

So, ladies and gentlemen, we’ve decided to run the Anthem Richmond Marathon on Nov. 14.

Photo credit: www.sportsbackers.com

The deciding factor? Todd casually pointed out that if we ran Richmond, we could extend our Wine and Dine Half Marathon trip in Disney this November an extra day or two and then, you know, take in a quick marathon on the way home.

…Sold.

Yeah, like I’m really gonna turn down extra time to wine and dine.

So, we registered and it’s official, and I thought it was time to finally announce it here. I’ve already lined up (and, theoretically, have trained for!) my 7th marathon. Even before I’ve completed my 6th.

But, hey, I ran the Dopey Challenge as my very first marathon, so I figured I’ve done even crazier things than this before, no?

Anyway, the Richmond Marathon is supposed to be a great course (with lots of fall foliage!) and a TON of spectator support, and it’s a race we’ve both talked about running someday. Also, there are junk food stops along the course, and pizza at the finish line. And since it’s in mid-November, we can expect chilly, running-friendly temperatures. Need I say more?!

Photo credit: www.richmondmarathon.com

But, of course, we have other marathons that fall into the category of SUPER IMPORTANT, MUST-DO RACES (i.e. Chicago Marathon, Marine Corps Marathon, etc.), so neither of us minds the fact that this marathon may not be our best performance (duh).

After all, we’re running NYCM on Nov. 1, and then leaving for Disney the following Friday for what is now a six-night (!!!) Disney World trip to run a half marathon and walk the parks for days on end. Then we’re flying to Richmond on Thursday night so we can catch the expo on Friday, run the marathon on Saturday, and rent a car to drive the 5-6 hours home on Sunday.

Good. Times.

I’m pretty stoked. Was I a teensy bit nervous about the idea of running a marathon followed by a half marathon followed by another full marathon? Um, yeah. But since our training has gone really well this time around, I’m feeling pretty confident that I can handle this.

At the end of the day, this will be yet another new challenge for me, and an opportunity to explore a new city. Super excited!

Photo credit: www.richmondmarathon.com

Okay, so who can give me some words of wisdom on running two marathons in the same month?

Have any of you guys run the Richmond Marathon? What’d ya think?

What are some of your best recovery tips and tricks? I’m gonna need ‘em!

So, last weekend we tackled the big kahuna in any marathon training plan. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen…

THE 20-MILER IS COMPLETE.

We just think we’re so clever, lol.

Honestly, it wasn’t our best long run. Granted, it definitely wasn’t the WORST either. We tackled the 20 miles in my old stomping ground of Kenilworth/Cranford, which I loved because there are so many parks and there were tons of people out and about because the weather was BEAUTIFUL.

However, with spring-like temperatures finally here, I could tell right from the beginning that the warmer weather was going to take its toll on my performance. It was only in the 60s, but given the fact that we’ve been training in the 20s, 30s, and 40s all this time, it felt like a HUGE temperature difference. And ya’ll know how I feel about running once it starts getting warmer.

As for Todd, I know he struggled a bit at the end with sore legs, feet, back (okay, sore EVERYTHING), and for some reason, both of my feet were ridiculously sore and achy and ON FIRE for most of second half of the run, which definitely had an impact on our overall pace.

But given that our finish time was only about 30 minutes longer than our 18-miler, I’m hopeful that the (*fingers crossed*) cooler temps at the start of a 7:30am marathon and the fact that our legs and feet will be good and rested will help us do better on marathon day.

But now that I’m in full taper mode, I’m struggling a little bit. See, the thing is, I am definitely NOT one of those runners who suffers from “taper crazies” or that undying need to run even though I’m supposed to be resting and gearing up for the race.

Quite frankly, I’m freakin’ exhausted, and I very, very much look forward to the taper. Is it wrong that it’s kind of my favorite part of the training plan?

TAPER TIME IS HERE!!!

However, the “beginner” plan from Competitor that we’ve been following all this time still has a whole lot of stuff going on this week and next. I’ve stuck with the plan pretty closely for the most part, but this week I was supposed to run a 3-miler, 8-miler, and 5-miler — and I only did the 3 and the 5, with a couple of Taekwondo classes tossed into the mix.

This weekend is a final longish run, a 12-miler, which I’m totally cool with…but then next week there’s another 3-miler, 8-miler, and 4-miler on deck.

Yeeeeeeeeah, I don’t think so.

So, my question to you all is what are YOUR taper strategies? Honestly, I’ve learned from experience that I have yet to struggle from anything other than heavy, exhausted legs and tight muscles on marathon day (don’t we all?), and I’m thinking that a little extra rest in the days leading up to the big race might be what I need to finish strong next Sunday.

This week’s longest run — a 5-miler — and temperatures in the upper-60′s are already feeling WAY too hot for me, haha

But then, even though I know it’s ridiculous, I feel “guilty” for not getting in all of my runs this close to the big day…even though this plan is definitely unlike others I’ve followed that had much lower mileage in the final weeks. I know enough to scale back on the karate next week (duh), but when it comes to how much I should be running, I sort of feel like a newb. I’ve made so many mistakes in my previous rounds of marathon training, and I paid for it on race day…and I really want our experience at the New Jersey Marathon to be AWESOME.

Honestly, I’m more anxious about this race than any of my previous marathons. Okay, fine, except the Dopey Challenge. It really feels like the first time that I trained and planned and genuinely busted my butt to significantly improve my finish time, and I do feel READY. But at the same time, I’m sure you can all understand the feeling of wanting all that hard work to pay off on race day!

How often/long do you run in the final week or two before a goal race?

Any other taper tips/strategies for me?!

Not only can they make excellent costume accessories, but my love for my PRO Compression marathon socks goes much deeper than that. I swear!

When I first started running, I had all kinds of issues with my lower extremities, from frequent blisters to tendonitis to pretty severe calf pain and tightness. My first course of action was getting properly fitted at a running store (of course), but my second step was to re-evaluate my sock situation. As runners, we have an ENDLESS array of options, and I ended up trying lots (and lots…and lots…) of different socks.

But I have to tell you that the first time I ran in PRO Compression socks, I knew I had found my one true love(s)!

And these are just the ones that happen to be clean right now, lol

I’m not gonna lie — I invested in my first pair just because I thought they’d look sort of like the black boots that Mrs. Incredible wears as I assembled my costume for a local superhero-themed half marathon, haha. That day, the weather was rainy and miserable, the course was BY FAR the hilliest and most challenging I had encountered in my young running career, my legs and feet were shot…and I struggled BIG TIME.

So you can imagine my complete and utter shock when I woke up the next morning and felt as though I had done nothing the previous day but lounge around on the couch watching Gilmore Girls reruns (among my favorite rest day activities, BTW). My feet felt completely fine, my calves were hardly sore at all…and I even felt fresh enough to run that day. (Not that I did…I’m just saying I COULD have run that day…)

Since then, I very rarely run without compression socks,  and I NEVER race without them!

I wouldn’t dream of tackling a long run in anything but my PRO Compression socks, and I even got Todd hooked on them, too. Fortunately for him, our feet are practically the same size, lol.

Some runners prefer to just use them for recovery, which is clearly a major benefit. I often change into a clean pair of compression socks after long races to help keep the blood flowing (and, you know, ensure that I can walk the next day), and I never, ever get on an airplane without them. I get some strange looks at security sometimes, though, haha.

But for me, running in them has helped make all of my early issues with pain, discomfort, and tightness in my legs and feet virtually disappear…and that’s why I pretty much consider them to be magic socks.

Since I just love taking on all of these back-to-back race runDisney challenges (the Dopey, the Goofy, the Glass Slipper, the Dumbo), I’ve even been known to sleep in them to help my legs feel as refreshed as possible for the next morning’s race. I am CONVINCED that they are what save my legs during a 48.6-mile challenge like the Dopey, especially since I always go ahead and spend the entire rest of the day walking around the Disney parks after each race!

So, how do they work? First, allow me to to directly quote from their website:

The science is complex, but the results are simple: recover faster and feel better sooner.

Compression socks help improve your circulation, which can reduce inflammation and help your body to recover more quickly. Which, of course, is of the UTMOST importance when you’re making your way through a half or full marathon training plan. It’s kind of hard to log 3, 4, or 5 runs per week when your legs and feet are still practically dead from the previous day’s miles.

I’ve only tried the marathon socks so far, but PRO Compression has all sorts of other options — calf sleeves, ankle socks, etc. I’ve already collected almost all of the solid colors, and now I’m making my way through their various patterned socks.

They have designs for pretty much any holiday-themed race you may want to run, from shamrocks to these patriotic socks they sent me. Guess I’ve got the finishing touch for my 4th of July race costume!

Can they be pricey? Sure. But, to me, they are SO worth it. Besides, there are almost always special coupon codes — use BLG15 for 40% off socks and sleeves! — and they also offer a “Sock of the Month” e-mail list with new product announcements and other special coupons and deals. You can sign-up via their website here, or check out their wide array of socks and other goodies here.

To learn more about PRO Compression, like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter!

Okay, here it is! If you’ve ever wanted to try these awesome socks (or add to your collection!) please enter the giveaway below. The contest will run through the end of the day on St. Patrick’s Day (do YOU feel lucky?!) and the winner will be randomly chosen via Rafflecopter and announced right here on the blog on Wednesday, the 18th. I will contact the winning reader to get your sock size and address, and the folks at PRO Compression will send you a complimentary pair of their marathon socks! GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: PRO Compression kindly sent me a pair of socks to add to my enormous collection, but I received no other compensation for this post. All opinions are very much my own!

Back in 2013 (which seems SO long ago), Princess was my very first half marathon. And there are no words that could ever even begin to describe the feeling of crossing that finish line.

It really was the race that started at all. Dozens of half marathons and four full marathons later, who knows where I’d be right now if I hadn’t had the courage to randomly sign up for a 13.1-mile race in 2012. It was one of the first times in my life that I had taken such a giant leap of faith…and good lord was I TERRIFIED that I wouldn’t be able to do it! Seems crazy to think about now.

This race will always hold a special place in my heart. But in honor of my fellow princesses, I thought I’d share some other reasons why I think this particular race weekend ROCKS! And if you’re running this weekend…have a magical race!

The Girlishness

The Princess Half Marathon may share the same course as, say, the Walt Disney World Half Marathon…but, to me, the experience feels completely different.

It starts from the moment you walk into the “Fit for a Princess” expo and see nothing but rows and rows of sparkly skirts and headbands and jewelry and all sorts of other girly things.

Then there’s the middle of the race, when you see countless mothers and daughters, sisters, and friends running together, many in matching sparkly costumes.

Afterwards, you hear nothing but “congratulations” all day from your fellow runner ladies in the parks — most of whom are still wearing their tiaras and tutus, just like you.

It’s just…a special race. I don’t know how else to say it.

The Costumes

Of course, you’ll see people in costume for any of the runDisney races. But I find it especially cool that so many women channel their favorite princess during this race experience.

All weekend, everyone is decked out in flouncy tutus and sparkly tiaras, and racing in costumes inspired by the female heroines from classics like Cinderella all the way up to Disney’s newest princesses.

The Royal Treatment

At the Princess Half Marathon, you really are made to feel like royalty. You might even be escorted into the expo by these fine gentlemen.

Everyone calls you “princess” all weekend long. Plus, it’s kind of hard not to feel royal when you’re wearing a tiara.

The Photo Opps

Again, all runDisney races have the BEST photo opportunities. But where else can you get a picture with a group of these handsome fellows?

The Princess Half Marathon shares a lot of the same characters as the other races, but it’s the only race weekend when you’re likely to score a picture with the Fairy Godmother, or Mickey and Minnie in their royal costumes.

Plus, if you’re dressed as your favorite princess, you might just spot her after the finish line! (Totally worth the 45+ minute wait.)

The Medals

Need I say more?

What girl doesn’t like a little extra *BLING*?

 The Girl Power

Yeah, so, it may be cheesy to say…but I LOVE how this race weekend really is the perfect opportunity for women to prove that we can be girly and feminine but also strong and athletic. You can’t help but feel like a total badass…yes, even in costume.

It’s always especially fun to see so many women taking on their first 5K, 10K, or half marathon during the Princess…and kicking ass on the race course.

If anyone is running this weekend and interested in checking out some recaps from 2013 and 2014, here are mine!

Glass Slipper Challenge 2014

Enchanted 10K 2014

“Fit for a Princess” Expo 2014

Princess Half Marathon 2013 (part one, part two)

“Fit for a Princess” Expo 2013

 My First Half Marathon

Have you/would you run the Princess Half Marathon?

What was your first half marathon?

What’s your favorite runDisney race?

And, that I completed the Goofy Challenge!

I finished the half in 3:15 — slightly faster than my usual Disney half marathon race time of 3:30, haha. I’d mainly attribute that to the fact that there didn’t seem to be quite as many character stops (more on that later).

I’m not gonna lie, the marathon took us quite some time to finish (over 7 hours). But, we stopped for about a ZILLION photos…honestly, we got pictures with almost every single character, plus stopped for a ton of other photo opps along the way.

It. was. AMAZING.

As an added bonus, the weather worked out beautifully for both races. In fact, it was pretty cold (in the 40s-50s!) for the half marathon, which was PERFECT for me. It was exactly the kind of weather I’m used to running in here in New Jersey…and it seemed only appropriate, given the fact that I was dressed like a certain snowman.

The morning of the marathon was a little warmer (60s-70s), but the weather gods smiled upon me and it stayed pretty cloudy throughout the race — and it even rained a little bit, which felt like heaven as the temperatures were rising and we were fighting our way through those last 10 miles or so.

As per usual, all of my usual self-doubt was for nothing. I did just fine. I’m not saying it was easy — and I definitely performed better during last year’s Dopey Challenge, believe it or not — but when you tackle something like a marathon (or a Goofy or a Dopey, for that matter) it’s impossible not to acknowledge to yourself just how strong you really are.

To me, there’s NOTHING like running through Disney. And I know that has a lot to do with that little extra boost of motivation when I felt myself hitting the usual marathon wall in those final miles. But, at the same time, I don’t know how many marathons I have to run before I let myself admit that I’m strong enough to fight my way through ANYTHING.

Plus, I’m super proud of Todd — he ran the Philadelphia Marathon just a few short weeks ago, and then took on yet another 26.2 with me this weekend.

Of course, I took all kinds of photos, and I’ll be posting full recaps of our trip, the expo, and the races over the next couple of days. In the meantime, I look forward to hearing/reading all about your experiences!

Did you race this weekend?! How’d you do?!

Before we get on the plane to my most favorite place in the world — WALT DISNEY WORLD! — I wanted to share this weekend’s costumes! Which, of course, were once again made by Todd’s mom. (Hi, Nancy!)

She puts up with a lot of my nonsense when it comes to making my race costume visions a reality, and I am SO happy with how they turned out!

For the half, I decided to continue my Frozen obsession and go as Olaf. Which is quite possibly the easiest costume ever — once you have the appropriate headwear, of course. Gotta love Amazon.

I’m far more excited about my marathon costume. Since it’s the first time Todd and I will be running the Walt Disney World Marathon together, I had to go with an extra special costume.

As many of you know, I am obsessed with The Little Mermaid. I ran my first ever half marathon (Princess 2013!) as Ariel. So I found it only appropriate to return as my favorite princess yet again. But, this time, I’ll be “land” Ariel, and Todd kindly agreed to run as Prince Eric.

(And, yes, we will somehow be running with Ariel’s favorite sidekicks. I figured I already ran 26.2 miles carrying a freakin’ torch, so what’s a silly little stuffed animal?)

Meanwhile, it’s supposed to be nice and cool all week EXCEPT the day of the marathon — of course — so I’ll probably drop dead from heat exhaustion from the felt corset. But it’s all for a good cause.

As far as, you know, the actual RUNNING of the races…well…I guess we’ll see what happens. As terrified as I was to run Dopey last year, I KNEW I was trained for it, and that I had done everything I could possibly do. But, still, I doubted myself up until the very second I crossed that final finish line. There was a part of me that was convinced that I couldn’t do it.

Am I under-trained this time around? Yes. Am I little concerned about the physical agony I’ll likely be in this weekend? You bet.

But what’s cool about going into the Goofy Challenge this time around is the confidence of knowing that I can do this. It’s a really amazing feeling to finally — FINALLY — have some semblance of confidence in myself. And if running 39.3 or 48.6 miles in a weekend is what it takes to get me to this point, then so be it.

So, if you see me/us, PLEASE say “hi!” I hope to get the chance to meet some of you guys this weekend!

Okay, who else is running this weekend?! And please share costumes so I can be sure to look for you!

So even though the race is over, I’m still prancing around in my NYCM marathon jacket and tech shirts (and, um, the limited-edition Brooks NYCM sneakers that I may or may not have purchased from a local running store…). I’m still reveling in the accomplishment and enjoying reading everyone else’s recaps.

But in the days after the race, I’ve also done a LOT of thinking. As most of you already know, my race-day performance didn’t exactly turn out the way I hoped. Not only did I miss my time goal of a sub-five hour marathon by about 15 minutes, but I also struggled a heck of a lot more than I thought I would.

I think I learned a LOT on the race course that morning. Quite possibly more than I’ve learned while training for and running my previous two marathons combined: the Walt Disney World Marathon and the Rock ‘n’ Roll USA Marathon.

So I thought I’d take this opportunity to share the top 10 lessons I learned after conquering marathon number 3.

10.) Sometimes, things just don’t go according to plan.

You can train as hard as you possibly can for a race. You can log all the miles and subject yourself to god-awful long runs weekend after weekend. You can obsess over every morsel of food that goes into your mouth and put yourself to bed at 10pm and hydrate until the cows come home. And, yes, your hard work will likely get you across that finish line on race day.

But that doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy. And it DEFINITELY doesn’t mean that everything is going to go according to plan.

My training wasn’t perfect (is it ever?) but based upon my performance in the majority of my long runs and my average paces in even 70+ degree temperatures, I thought for sure that a 4:45ish marathon was well within my reach. And maybe, technically, it was.

But I didn’t train on the rolling hills of New York City. I didn’t train in 30 MPH winds. And for whatever reason, my body just didn’t want to cooperate on November 2nd.

Sometimes, that’s just the way it is, and there’s really nothing you can do about it. We’re not robots, and no matter how much we prepare for any given race, your body may not always want to cooperate on race day.

Whooooooo’s in pain?!

9.) There’s always going to be another marathon.

As I was beating myself up in those final miles when I knew I didn’t reach my goal of a sub-five hour marathon, I let a crappy, negative attitude get in the way of what was supposed to be this triumphant moment of personal accomplishment.

But in the days after the race, honestly, I couldn’t really care less about my finish time. I don’t wear my NYCM “marathoner” shirt or look at my race medal and think, “if only I could have finished 15 minutes sooner.” Instead, I think…I DID IT. I think about what an amazing experience it was, and how it’s something I will never, ever forget.

And I think about how I will take what I’ve learned and apply it to the next marathon. I’m not an elite runner. I will never be an elite runner. And, hell, even Meb and Kara have their “off” days. So I need to accept that I’m GOING to make mistakes in my training and on race day, and all I can do is learn from it and try to do better next time.

Because let’s be honest…for most of us, there’s ALWAYS going to be a “next time.” I’m pretty sure I said “NEVER AGAIN” at least 3-4 times as I fought my way through the second half of the marathon. But the second I crossed that finish line, all I could think was “I can’t wait to do it again!”

8.) You MUST pace yourself.

I know this was one of my downfalls in this race. And most races. When I’m at the starting line and it’s time to go, I am filled with this surge of energy and excitement and adrenaline and, as much as I try, it’s SO hard for me to reel it all in and start out with a conservative pace.

For this race, I read all of the countless articles and books and fellow blogger recaps that warn not to let yourself get swept up in the crowds and the cheering and the excitement. I read all of the advice that the spectator support at the NYCM marathon can be overwhelming, and cause anyone to make the mistake of going out too fast.

Well, surprise, surprise. That is EXACTLY what I did, and by the halfway point, I feared that I didn’t have enough left in the tank to get me to that finish line. I know it’s a big part of the reason why I struggled in the second half of the race, and I’m fairly confident that if I had been more strategic when it came to my pace, then I probably would have met my goal.

7.) Expect the unexpected.

I was hoping, praying, and keeping my fingers crossed for cool temperatures on race morning. I told myself I would run in ANYTHING — rain, snow, whatever — as long as we didn’t end up with one of those 70-degree November afternoons.

Well, I got my wish. It never broke 50 degrees that day, and the wind chills made it feel like it was in the 30′s. But what I couldn’t have planned or prepared for was the wind.

Some runners don’t seem as bothered by weather conditions as I am, but feeling the force of the wind against me for the majority of those 26.2 miles really took its toll. Mentally, I hated that what was already a challenge was made that much harder. And, physically, it was my upper body (shoulders, neck, back) that ached the most in the days after the race!

I never expected to have to deal with this particular factor on race day, and I learned that sometimes you’re going to be thrown for a loop…and all you can do is the best you can in those circumstances.

6.) Every race is different.

One of the things that frustrated me most about my performance was that I kept thinking about how I ran the Dopey Challenge without any major issues. I know it sounds crazy, but I fared SO much better in my first marathon, and that was after already completing a 5K, 10K, and half marathon in the three days prior to the race!

I’m guessing it’s probably because I frickin’ love Disney SO much that I literally don’t even feel pain when I’m running through the parks. But I let my finish in the Walt Disney World Marathon — and, to an extent, the fairly comfortable Rock ‘n’ Roll USA marathon I ran two months afterwards — cloud my better judgement when it came to taking on the NYCM.

What I neglected to consider was that every marathon experience is going to be different — and in this case, there were so many factors that ended up affecting my performance, from the stress of getting myself from New Jersey to Staten Island at 4am to the NOT flat course to climbing over bridges to having to sit on the ground in the cold for 4 hours prior to the race. Next time, I will take a hard look at the course and make sure that I am trained as best as I can be to the specific conditions.

5.) Keep things in perspective.

When I started to struggle, all I could think about was how disappointed I was going to be with my finish time. Boohoo, woe is me, I’m going to have a “5″ in front of my finish time instead of a “4.” Wah.

That’s all I could think about in those final miles, and I tried so hard to stop beating myself up so I could savor the moment.

For most of us, we’re not always going to meet that time goal. But when you cross that finish line, something else far more important takes over. And I wish I had kept things in perspective a bit better during the race.

After the fact, all I could think about was that I was now a three-time marathoner. This girl who once couldn’t climb a flight of stairs and whose only source of personal satisfaction in life came from tearing through a bag of Doritos just crossed the finish line of yet another marathon.

This girl just ran a marathon. ‘Nuf said.

Now, why on god’s green Earth should I feel anything but satisfaction for the sheer ACCOMPLISHMENT of the race, whether I finish it in 4:30 or 5:30? Why should any of us EVER lose that perspective? Not every runner had a sad little weight problem or “former fat girl” mentality like me, but we ALL have our stories. We all have our reasons for why we subject our bodies to the demands of marathon training over and over again. And, at the end of the day, that reason is all that really matters.

4.) Respect the distance.

Okay, I have to admit something. I thought this marathon was going to be a piece of cake. Not that running 26.2 miles is easy or anything, but I just kept saying to myself, “eh, I’ve already done this twice, I’m pretty well trained, I got in my long runs…what more do I need?” My final 20-mile training run went swimmingly, and my performance in the Hershey Half Marathon just two weeks prior to the race — which we ran at a very comfortable, easy pace on a pretty hilly course in around 2:20 — just added to my confidence.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t be confident going into a marathon, but I think I may have forgotten to respect the distance. A marathon is not a half marathon (duh). It isn’t a 20-mile training run. It is unlike anything you will ever experience, and it’s basically like riding a rollercoaster of emotions while you subject your body to the rigors of nonstop running for several hours.

I let myself forget that, and I ended up getting a very rude awakening that day.

3.) Karate and running don’t mix…and…YOU MUST LET YOUR BODY REST!

Another lesson I learned the hard way. As you may recall, in the months leading up to the marathon, I earned my blue belt in Taekwondo and tested for my black belt in Thai kickboxing.

After I got my blue belt, I was so excited that I was finally gaining some momentum in my martial arts training. I could make a lot more of the classes each week because they were later in the evening. So I did.

And for Thai, I started attending 2-3 classes a week again, which I had pretty much stopped doing ever since running took over my life. There were weeks when I was squeezing in extra sparring practice sessions, taking the candidate classes, squeezing in at least 1-2 Thai and Taekwondo classes each, AND logging my 25-30+ weekly miles on top of it all.

(For the record, I NEVER did this much karate while training for my first two marathons. Not even close.)

Meanwhile…rest days? What are those? Most weeks, I was lucky to have one complete rest day. In many cases, I was either running or taking a karate class all 7 days of the week. I definitely didn’t take the importance of the rest day seriously.

Needless to say, I started to have all kinds of physical ailments. Not serious, mind you…but I was coming home at night with a sore lower back, my knees were constantly aching, my legs were ALWAYS in agony from all of the kicking and running. And, stupidly, I thought it was only making my legs “stronger.” Meanwhile, I suffered through a lot of training runs with tight, sore, heavy legs, and I started to feel twinges in parts of my body that never bothered me before.

On race day, my back was probably my biggest problem. I’ve never had an issue with back pain before, but it hit me somewhere around mile 12 and didn’t go away. I’m going to karate classes and feeling pain and tightness in my lower back every single time now. Methinks I might have injured myself due to the karate/running combo (this wouldn’t be the first time), and I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that I more than likely sabotaged my performance on race day with all of the brutality I inflicted upon my legs in those extra karate classes.

Probably not the smartest thing to be doing before a marathon…

I love them both. I’m not giving up on karate. But, next time, I need to learn how to strike a better balance, and possibly focus on ONE at a time. Karate is NOT the ideal form of cross-training for a marathon, and I know now that it ended up doing my body more harm than good.

When you’re training for a marathon, I learned that giving your body the rest it needs is sometimes just as important as the running itself.

2.) Enjoy the experience.

I know there are some people who look at me like I’m some kind of psycho for wearing costumes during races. Surely, some of you read that I carried a plastic torch or fought with a crown on a windy morning for 26.2 miles and thought, “WTF?”

For me, the EXPERIENCE of running a marathon is just as important as the race itself. It’s why I love runDisney, and it’s why I thoroughly enjoy wearing silly race costumes. It’s why I stop for so many pictures along the course. And I know it’s definitely why Todd and I enjoy planning “race-cations” so much.

I like to set and reach time goals as much as the next person. But, at the same time, I know there are some runners who focus a lot more on their performance than I ever will. For me, I can’t possibly allow myself to be disappointed in how I performed on race day because, no matter what, I got to experience the New York City Marathon, from the expo to the spectators to, yes, even shivering in the cold at the starting village.

For me, a race will never be just about the miles I cover or the time on the clock at the finish line. This race helped me remember that the experience is ALWAYS going to be more important than my performance, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Just like we all have our reasons for running, we all have our reasons to travel all over the country (and the world) to participate in certain races.

Yeah…this is normal…

And for me, it’s just as much about the experience of seeing a new city or shopping at the expo or planning a fun costume as it is the race itself. Could I have shaved a few minutes off my finish time just by not stopping for photos along the way? Of course. But having this photo is more important to me than seeing a 5:05 or 5:10 next to my name on some results list.

And, the number one most important lesson I will be taking into my next marathon…

1.) Running 26.2 miles is just as much mental as it is physical. Period.

I hate to be the one to admit it, but I KNOW that the biggest reason I struggled during the marathon is because I let my self-doubt take over.

I like to think that the “old me” is a thing of the past, but in many ways, I know I will always carry her around with me. And, sadly, I let that girl who used to just love to doubt herself and tear herself down take over on race day. My body started to fail me, and my first thought was “I can’t do this,” “what am I doing here,” “I’ll never make it to the finish line,” etc. etc. etc.

I let the mental overcome the physical, and I think that’s where things started to go horribly wrong.

We’ve all seen those quotes about “mind over matter” or “running with your heart” and as your body starts to fail you in the epic distance that is a marathon, you really do have to keep your head on straight. Getting to that finish line is just as much about your mind as it is your body, I don’t care who you are or how fast you run. I let my negative attitude get the best of me that day, and I paid for it.

It’s funny how I walked away from what felt like such a “painful” race with no injuries or lingering physical issues of any kind, and it’s funny how once I reached Central Park and KNEW I was going to finish the race, magically, I suddenly wasn’t hurting as much.

Above all, I learned that there’s NO place in a marathon for self-doubt…and that a little bit of confidence can go a long way.

Now it’s your turn…what are some lessons you’ve learned while training/running a half or full marathon?!

Let’s start from the beginning. I woke up at the asscrack of dawn (3:30am) to get ready. Todd, being the fabulous man that he is, was going to drive me the 45 minutes to catch the bus at the Meadowlands, which would transport me directly to the starting line.

I got dressed in the day’s “costume” — I won’t tell you how long it took to pin my crown into my hair, lol — and bundled up in about 12 layers of zip-up hoodies and sweatpants and gloves and scarves to help me brave the cold and wind for the next 4+ hours.

We were out the door around 4:30am, and had no troubles getting there. Todd let me out of the car and I proceeded directly to a line to get onto the next bus. Standing there for just 3 or 4 minutes waiting to board, I was hit with GUSTS of wind and bitter cold like I can’t even tell you. I knew the weather conditions were going to make for an interesting race experience. I just didn’t yet know exactly how interesting it would be.

I sat on the warmth of the bus and tried to keep my composure. All around me, fellow runners were chit-chatting and laughing and eating bananas and bagels, and I just sat in silence. I was so, so excited for this moment, and I couldn’t believe it was already here. Of course, my calmness was interrupted a bit when our driver kept making WRONG TURNS and was about to take us to through the friggin’ Lincoln Tunnel. Everyone in the front of the bus started yelling at him (as politely as possible, of course) and telling him which way to go. Frankly, I didn’t even care if we got lost for a little while, because I knew the only thing waiting for me in Staten Island was the cold ground to sit on for the next 3-4 hours.

Our bus driver did eventually get his bearings and we succesfully made it to the starting village. I was wanded (nobody said anything about the torch I was carrying to complete my ensemble — I was afraid security might try to take it away) and headed to the orange village. First things first — I had to get in line for my Dunkin’ Donuts coffee, and I grabbed myself a bagel and found a nice piece of grass to plant myself on near the bridge.

I ate and read some books and magazines (running-related, of course) along with my $3 used copy of A Race Like No Other. I also fatted it up with some hot chocolate (which was HEAVENLY in the cold) and Belvita as it got closer to my starting time. And, of course, I made sure to spend some time in the porta-potties to avoid any mid-race issues. As disgusting as they were, it was nice and warm in there, and I was almost tempted to hang out for a while.

Honestly, the temperatures themselves didn’t feel THAT cold, but when the wind would gust it was absolutely brutal. Everyone was sitting around shaking, huddled up in everything from blankets to garbage bags. I wrapped my scarves around my face and tried to remain as calm (and warm!) as possible.

The 3.5 hours flew by a lot faster than I anticipated. Before I knew it, they were calling wave 3! I made my way to the corrals — not before getting one more picture of myself dressed like a homeless person, of course — and waited for them to let us into the starting area.

Because I pretty much waited until the last second to get in line for my corral (they were to close at 10:10, and if you weren’t there, then you had to wait until the next wave), I was among the last people to be let into the starting line area before they shut the gates. I started ditching my throwaway clothes, tying my shoes, adjusting my iFitness belt and finishing the rest of my water bottle, and by the time I made it to the starting line, it occurred to me that most of my corral had already started!

I figured, eh, what was the rush? I HAD to get a picture in front of the bridge, and a nice runner offered to take one for me when he saw me struggling to do a “selfie,” haha.

By the time I made sure my torch was in place through a loop on my belt, and adjusted my crown one final time, it was time to officially cross the starting line of my third 26.2-mile journey.

Running across the Verrazano Bridge was QUITE the experience. Thing is, another corral had been released on the other side of the median, so there were a ton of runners to my right. But since my corral had pretty much left me in their dust, it was just me and a handful of other runners making our way across the bridge.

That meant I had nobody to hide behind. It was just me and these 40+ MPH gusts of cold wind. Throwaway clothes that had been left on the bridge were flying everywhere, people were losing their hats, and I was holding onto my crown and torch for dear life as I tried to make my way up the incline of the bridge.

But then I saw THE VIEW, and for a second, I didn’t even notice that I was being blown over. I honestly wasn’t planning to take pictures along the course because I really wanted to focus on my finish time…but that lasted all of 30 seconds. I just had to stop. I may never have this opportunity again, and I wanted to capture it.

I started out at a pretty comfortable pace, and the incline wasn’t bothering me too much. What was bothering me was the fact that I felt like I had to hunch my shoulders and head and expel all of my energy just to keep moving forward against the wind.

Even though I pretty much cemented my crown to my head and my torch had been securely fastened into my belt, I was so afraid they were going to fly off and take out some poor unsuspecting runner. So I held onto my head and clutched my torch and continued trying to make my way across the bridge. (In case anyone was wondering…yes, I did, in fact carry a ridiculous plastic torch the entire race. It was really light so it actually never bothered me! And, no, I refused to let the weather forecast keep me from wearing my crown, LOL.)

I chatted with a couple of fellow runners and enjoyed the moment, and before I knew it, I was on the streets of New York and met by this wall of crowds like I never could have imagined.

It was everything I had hoped it would be.

For the first couple of miles, I felt FANTASTIC. I tried to keep a close eye on my Garmin because I knew I was going a little faster than I should (I was hovering right around a 10-minute mile, but no faster than a 9:45). But I felt freakin’ amazing, and EVERYONE was cheering, and I had the world’s goofiest grin on my face, and I didn’t care. I was having a blast. Pacing? Couldn’t have cared less at that moment. I WAS RUNNING THE NEW YORK CITY MARATHON!

There were bands playing and so many people and SO much excitement and I loved it. I kept telling myself, “I can’t wait to tell Todd, we HAVE to do this race together, I’m putting my name in the lottery every year for the rest of my life,” and so on.

And, my favorite part — everyone was cheering out for “LADY LIBERTY!” I have to say, I would NEVER run a big race like this without a costume, EVER. The personalized attention I got all morning totally helped, whether it was “STATUE OF LIBERTY!” or “LADY LIBERTY JEN!”

I was loving every minute of it.

The first few miles flew by. I remember seeing the 8-mile marker and thinking, “already?!” I was still keeping a pretty steady pace somewhere in the 10-10:30/mile range, and stopping only to walk through water stops and dilute Gatorade with water, as per my usual race-day plan. I was also taking a Honey Stinger every 5-6 miles, as needed, and as I went along, took a whole lot of things from random kind strangers, from bananas to pretzels to tissues.

I felt AWESOME. Seeing so many different people out on the streets, and experiencing the boroughs of New York in a way I never had, was giving me a runner’s high that I can’t even put into words. It seemed every corner you turned, the crowds just got bigger and louder and more excited. I gave more high-fives than I could count that morning.

In fact, I never even listened to my iPod! I normally can’t run without it, but I kept turning it off (and eventually put it away entirely) because I didn’t want to miss a single moment of this experience. My only issue in the early miles was finding a port-a-potty without a line — I had to go (damn coffee!), but didn’t want to waste precious minutes standing around. I eventually gave in and waited in line for one around the 10-mile mark.

Then I hit the halfway point. I finished the first half marathon pretty quickly, around a 2:20.

But, suddenly, I didn’t feel so amazing anymore.

My feet started to feel like they were on fire. I don’t remember them EVER hurting this much, with the exception of right after I crossed the finish line of the WDW Marathon after completing the Dopey Challenge. It was so strange to go from feeling so great to feeling the death all over the span of just a couple of miles. I never would have expected this, and with the exception of probably going out a little bit too fast (my usual mistake in just about EVERY race I’ve ever run), I really didn’t know where I had gone wrong.

My lower back? KILLING me. It’s felt sore at various points throughout my training, but usually during karate classes…very rarely while running. My legs were still feeling okay, but it felt like everything else HURT. I downed another gel, made my walk breaks through the water stations slightly longer, but every step started to feel harder than the last. I tried to soak up the energy from the spectators, and enjoy some of the incredible views.

Meanwhile, the wind was bad enough…but had I known just how challenging this course would be, hill-wise, I would have lowered my expectations right from the beginning. It felt like we were never really running on flat ground at any given time, and when I started to struggle, the sight of runners climbing the next rolling hill was enough to crush my spirits right then and there. It was as if we kept climbing up, but without the reward of getting to make up for lost time on the downhill. I knew then that I DEFINITELY didn’t train for hills the way I should have, and I ended up paying for it.

And then I was met with the challenge that is the Queensboro Bridge. Honestly, I felt like this one-mile stretch of road was the hardest of all the 26.2 miles I would cover that day. There were some fantabulous views, don’t get me wrong…but the crowds are gone, it was yet another long stretch of hill/incline, and there’s nothing to do but listen to the footfalls and breathing of fellow runners. A lot of runners were stopping to walk, but I couldn’t allow myself to do that — “only at water stations” is my rule, and always has been. So I kept running. Slowly, mind you…but I kept running.

One or two runners tapped me on the shoulder to tell me I was doing great and to keep it up, so I must have looked like I was struggling. I spotted a few runners taking pictures on the side of the bridge, and for a moment, I argued with myself about stopping — I was already slowing down and seeing my time goal slip from my reach, but once again, that feeling of “who knows if/when I’ll ever have this opportunity again?” came over me.

Another friendly runner took one of my favorite pictures of the entire race. I wasn’t sorry at all for stopping.

After I survived the bridge, I knew I had a LOT of excitement awaiting me on First Avenue. And the crowds didn’t disappoint. I felt a little better and tried to soak in all in. It was AWESOME. Running this race makes you feel like an absolute ROCK STAR, there’s no question about it.

But, unfortunately, the excitement I felt turning onto First Avenue was short-lived. By mile 16, I was in tears. I didn’t think there was ANY possible way I had 10 more miles left in me. It was the first time I really, honestly thought I might not finish a race, and that terrified me. This was something I felt SO ready for, and I worked SO hard for…and here I was wanting to quit. I knew there was nothing that was going to keep me from that finish line, but at the same time, I was afraid I may not have it in me.

Those cheers I just LOVED in the first half of the race? Now I wanted everyone to leave me alone. They were still cheering for “STATUE OF LIBERTY” but it was at this point I started to hear my name a lot more. People were yelling “Go Jen!” and “Go Lady Liberty Jen, you’re awesome!” But I felt anything but awesome at that moment. I wanted to curl up into a ball and just die. I’ve had more than my fair share of difficult races before, but I’ve never, ever felt this bad. I didn’t know why my body felt like it was falling apart. I trained so hard for this, and I really did feel like I was more than prepared for this race.

I didn’t know it was the wind or the hills or starting out too fast or if there was something I did wrong in training (too much karate, perhaps?)…but things just weren’t going my way.

By mile 18, I felt like I was on the verge of some sort of panic attack. I stopped for water and let myself tear up like a little baby some more, hoping that would help me feel better. But I started to feel even more panicky, so I tried to cut it out. Mind you, I am NOT typically a very emotional person, and definitely not somebody who cries in public. Ever.

People were still cheering for “STATUE OF LIBERTY!” and I tried to muster a half-hearted smile and a quiet “thank you” in return, because I really did appreciate their encouragement. But I felt absolutely horrible that I was struggling so much.

I promised myself I wouldn’t let the weather get me down — because, hey, at least it wasn’t HOT — but when I was already struggling just to put one foot in front of the other and every couple of minutes a gust of wind would come and make me feel as if I were being blown backwards…well, it really wasn’t helping. My upper body was tense and my form was terrible as I waited for the next gust of wind…and I just kept doing everything I could to keep moving forward.

After an eternity passed and I saw that 20-mile marker, for a moment, I felt better. I thought, okay — I know this is going to be hard, but it’s “only a 10K.” I felt myself perk up just a little bit for the next two miles. My pace had slowed quite a bit, but I was trying everything I could to keep it to under a 12-minute mile. I had “marathon brain” so I had no idea how to calculate my finish time, but at that point, I thought if I could somehow force myself to speed up for these last few miles, I might still meet my goal of breaking five hours.

And then I crossed the mile 22 marker, and I was crying again. This was getting ridiculous now, and I was PISSED. I had trained HARD for this. For MONTHS. And here I was falling apart. I knew I likely wouldn’t meet my time goal, and I hated how I was getting such a crappy attitude about it and letting it ruin my experience.

My walk breaks at the water stations were getting longer and longer, and my feet officially felt like someone had taken a match and lit them on fire. I didn’t know what I had done to deserve that kind of agony. To top it all off, my back was completely stiff and my legs were tightening, and my efforts to stop and stretch did absolutely nothing to alleviate my discomfort.

Miles 23 and 24 were a blur. I just kept telling myself — out loud, no less — to focus on putting one foot in front of the other. I told myself I would be fine, I was almost there, I’ve come so far. It was somewhere in those final miles when a few runners approached me to congratulate me, and some even told me I was an inspiration. I didn’t even know what they were talking about, but then I remembered the back of my shirt.

And for a moment, I remembered WHY I was doing this in the first place. This wasn’t about time goals. This wasn’t about medals. This was about celebrating the person I am now, and remembering just how far I’ve really come.

I remembered how, in the past, I had been a MISERABLE person, and in far worse emotional agony than I could ever experience during a marathon. I remembered that I was so very lucky to be physically capable of taking on this enormous challenge. I remembered that I am healthy and strong and fit, and needed to stop throwing myself a pity party about some stupid time on a clock and realize what this race was really all about.

If I could have stopped to kiss the handful of runners who said something about the back of my shirt on the course, I would have. I SO needed that reminder of why I was subjecting myself to this in the first place.

It took forever, but finally — FINALLY — I saw Central Park. With just about a 5K to go, I couldn’t WAIT to stop running, and I couldn’t WAIT to cross that finish line. My spirits perked up and I really knew that I was going to DO this.

By that point, I knew my five-hour goal had passed me by, and frankly, I didn’t care about anything but getting to that finish line. I wanted to finish this race. I wanted to prove that no matter how much I doubted myself along that course, I was about to finish THE EFFIN’ NEW YORK CITY MARATHON. I would be running over the same finish line that these incredible, elite athletes had crossed that day (albeit, hours and hours ago, haha). This was a BIG deal, and I’d better suck it up and savor the moment.

So I did.

I still struggled a bit through mile 24, but when I saw that beautiful mile 25 marker, my pain started to subside. I picked up my pace as much as I possibly could, tried to ignore my aching back and the pain in my feet and legs, and before I knew it I was passing that glorious 26 mile marker.

I saw that sweet, wonderful finish line in the background — and scanned the bleachers for a sighting of my sweet, wonderful man, holding up a sign just for me (because, yes, he actually does call me “JenNelson,” lol). I’ve never been happier to see him. He has been my “race manager” for all of these months, and all joking aside, I don’t know if I could have done any of this without his support. I can’t wait to return the favor when he runs the Philadelphia Marathon in a couple of weeks!

I was overwhelmed with emotion, and when I finally crossed that finish line, I remembered exactly why I put my body through the months of training it takes to run a marathon. It was so, SO worth it.

Nothing will ever top running my first marathon in Walt Disney World this year, but I have to say…this was a pretty close second.

I was handed a medal and a volunteer wrapped me up like a baked potato, and all of my pain (okay, well, SOME of it) faded away.

I was still disappointed by my finish time, which I knew was something around a 5:15…but I was just oh, so happy to be a FINISHER. And then, as per my usual MO after a big race, the enormity of what I had just done hit me like a ton of bricks and I started sobbing like an infant. To the point where several volunteers asked me if I was okay, and runners patted my arm to soothe me and tell me I did a great job. (Have I mentioned that runners are, like, the absolute BEST people ever?! And so are race volunteers!)

I gathered myself and began our slow death march out of the finish line area. Remember how I said the Queensboro Bridge was tough? No, THIS was the hardest part of the day. When you’ve finished your race and your body temperature has plummeted and you’re freezing cold and all you want to do is sit, but you can’t…you have to walk and walk and walk what felt like 26 more miles to get out of the finish line area.

A lovely volunteer draped that warm poncho over me, and I kept walking (okay, hobbling) to find Todd in the family reunion area.

We walked around just a bit longer (to scope out the official finisher merch, not gonna lie), and then headed to dinner. I made reservations for Joanne Trattoria because they were part of the NYRR “Run the City” deals, and offered 10 percent off to runners. After enjoying some delicious wine and chicken parm and spaghetti (which I thought was also very reasonably-priced for NYC, I might add!), I was feeling much better.

I got changed into my marathon shirt and the jacket I couldn’t wait to wear, and paraded around Manhattan in my NYCM marathon gear and medal like I was just the greatest thing since sliced bread.

We had also booked the NYRR discount tickets to see Rock of Ages, which was awesome. It was the perfect show to watch after running a marathon — it was loud and lively and with a pretty basic storyline so I didn’t have to do a lot of thinking to follow the plot. Plus, I got to SIT DOWN for 3 hours. Heaven.

And then we caught the train back to New Jersey, and found a special surprise from Todd’s parents waiting for me. They’re the best! A missed time goal and a tough race? Who cares — at the end of the day, I really did feel like I was #1.

Honestly, I still have SO much to say about this race, but I’ll save it for my next post! (If you’ve stuck with me this far…BLESS YOU).

I’ve done a lot of thinking about this particular race experience and what went wrong and how disappointed I was not to meet my goal…but in the couple of the days since then (as I recovered by sitting on the couch and pretty much doing nothing), I’ve realized that no matter what, the experience of running any race is always going to trump my finish time. Period.

I mean, I ran this marathon dressed like the Statue of Liberty…and carried a TORCH, for crying out loud!

And it was an experience I will NEVER, EVER forget.

Mon., Aug. 11: 9 miles (counted in last week’s totals)

Tue., Aug. 12: Thai kickboxing class

Wed., Aug. 13: 4 miles

Thur., Aug. 14: Rest

Fri., Aug. 15: 4 miles and Taekwondo class

Sat., Aug 16: Rest

Sun., Aug. 17: 14 miles

Total weekly mileage: 22 miles

I missed one 7-mile run last week because I pushed back my 9-miler due to birthday festivities, but other than that, I got all my runs in…and, more importantly, am feeling about a MILLION times better than I was in the first couple weeks of training.

It’s still hot and humid and GROSS most days, but waking up at the buttcrack of dawn on weekends for long runs and/or waiting until the sun is setting on weeknights for my 3- and 4-milers has made a big difference. Plus, it feels like my body is finally adapting to running longer distances again. I guess there’s something to be said for this whole marathon training concept…?

Once again, I was blessed with some FANTABULOUS long-run weather this past weekend. I started my 14-miler on a cloudy, cool, drizzly morning in the upper 60′s — which felt heavenly — but then even when the sun came out in the later miles, there was still a nice breeze and it never broke 80 degrees. Todd joined me for the last 8 miles of my run, since he’s officially in training for the Philadelphia Marathon now! (Sucks for him that I’ll be enjoying my taper when he’s suffering through his 19- and 20-milers, HA).

I was enjoying the park and felt pretty strong up until the last mile or two, which seemed to drag on and on and ON…but I guess that’s how it’s supposed to be, right? I seem to be averaging an 11-minute/mile, tops, for pretty much my entire long run as of late…and in 75-80+ degree temperatures, I am MORE than happy with that!

I’ve also got some new stuff that’s helping me along the way. One lifesaver these past couple of weeks? Todd got me a new Nathan hydration belt with 4 bottles for my birthday! (What can I say, the man knows what I like, LOL). Also, I think he was getting tired of me complaining that I was constantly running out of water on longer runs (I’ve been using a two-bottle belt).

Also, last weekend Todd and I went to replace our sneakers — I’ve been running in the same pair since the Princess Half Marathon way back in February, and that is clearly just NOT acceptable. In the last couple of weeks, I’ve had mysterious knee pain and back pain and calf pain and foot pain and basically every other kind of lower-body pain you can imagine, and I know it was related to my poor, sad, beaten-up shoes.

I was fitted at a local running store, Westfield Running Company, before I began training for my first half marathon, and since then I’ve exclusively bought the same pair of sneakers over and over again. I have a wide foot (and I’m a size 10, for cryin’ out loud) so I can’t really fit in women’s shoes. I have to run in men’s models — and, for me, it’s Brooks Glycerin all the way.

The guy at the store showed me the same model in a women’s and tried to get me to try on the women’s pair — and, mind you, it was tempting because the women’s sneakers are SO much prettier — but am I the only one who’s weird and won’t even CONSIDER switching sneakers? Like, EVER? These bad boys got me through every single race thus far, including the Dopey Challenge. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? Fortunately for me, though, the latest model came in colors that aren’t QUITE as masculine, so I’m loving my new sneakers.

(Also, does it make me a super huge dork that I’m excited that these are the shoes I’ll be running the New York City Marathon in?!)

Have you ever switched your running sneaker brand/model?

What’s been your must-have running gear this summer?

And my birthday weekend!

Mon., Aug. 4: Strength training

Tue., Aug. 5: 3 miles

Wed., Aug. 6: 3 miles and strength training

Thur., Aug. 7: 6 miles

Fri., Aug. 8: Taekwondo class

Sat., Aug 9: My birthday! (Walking the boardwalk — and consuming various frozen treats — totally counts as cross-training, right?)

Sun., Aug 10: Rest

Mon., Aug. 11: 9 miles

Total weekly mileage: 21 miles

You may have noticed that I’m including 8 days as part of this week’s list, and that’s just because I had to push my long run from Sunday to Monday. Call me a cheater, but I still managed to get all my runs in for week 6 of training, haha.

Last Saturday I celebrated my 29th (gulp) birthday. Todd and I spent the weekend “down the shore.” Surprise, surprise.

After lounging on the beach and walking on the boardwalk in Wilwood, we headed back up to Atlantic City to spend the night before driving home the following afternoon.

I ate whole lots of my favorite not-so-good-for-you foods (Cuba Libre? Deliciousness).

Chocolate torte = TO DIE FOR

I spent Sunday evening partying it up with my family and gorging myself on enchiladas and sangria.

…and eating lots and lots of mint chocolate chip ice cream cake.

And I didn’t do any running at all. I felt my body deserved a little break, so I took it. It was a scale-back week on my plan, anyway, so I figured it wasn’t a huge deal to delay my 9-miler a day or two.

There’s something about birthdays that forces personal reflection…especially when I’m thisclose to a pretty big age milestone. I’m not exactly thrilled about turning the big 3-0 next year. But I have to say, the prospect of officially leaving my 20′s behind has me a lot less terrified than it has in the last couple of years. Now that I’m embarking upon my final year as a twenty-something, I have to be honest with myself and admit that I like where I am right now…and the idea of leaving behind my 20′s isn’t SO terrifying anymore.

And, maybe, I might even be just a little proud of myself. It’s hard to admit, but, there…I said it. I’m not perfect and I’ve made a TON of mistakes and I still have a whole lot of growing up to do, but I can honestly say that I’m happy with my life and I’m proud of the person I’ve become over the last decade.

My life has changed A LOT this past year, that’s for sure! In a lot of ways, I’ve really been through the ringer, especially in the last couple of years. The end of an almost 12-year relationship and the prospect of truly being “on my own” for the first time could have crushed me. But it didn’t. Trying to live in an apartment I technically couldn’t afford completely drained what little savings I had, and for the first time in my life, I have debt…and I hate it. That DEFINITELY could have crushed me. But it didn’t.

A lot of amazing things have happened since my last birthday that never would have been possible had I not had the courage to pick up the pieces and move forward, and even though there’s still a whole lot of mess I have to clean up (literally and figuratively, HA), I’ve been happier in this past year than I’ve been in a long, long time.

And, of course, the fact that I began my weight loss journey shortly after I entered my 20′s, and am now finishing the decade in the same-size pants — and as a two-time marathoner, for crying out loud — makes it real, real hard to continue hating myself (and my body) the way I once did. I never thought I’d run a marathon, and I definitely never thought I’d be able to accept my body enough to walk around at the beach half naked (I used to wear sweatshirts, no joke) or worse, post pictures of myself in a bathing suit on-line for all the world to see. I guess it all comes with being “old” now, right?

It’s nice to finally accept who I am — flaws and all — so if there’s one thing I’ll be taking with me into my 30′s next year, it’s that there’s not a whole heck of a lot that I can’t handle…and come out stronger on the other side.

But, let’s be honest…no matter what my age… I’ll always be a kid trapped in a grown woman’s body.

Is there birthday milestone you’re dreading?

What’s your favorite way to celebrate your birthday?