Search Results for: blog marathon vacations

Marathon Party

When I ran my first marathon I skipped the traditional pre-race pasta party. Rather, my cousin and I held our own quiet carbo-loading shindig in the corner of a quaint Italian restaurant just off of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. I was too nervous to surround myself with elite racers and other marathon veterans. Plus, I really didn’t have much of an appetite. I ended up forcing myself to eat my Penne a la Vodka while listening to my cousin wax poetic about the impending 26.2-mile run. Fast forward to my second marathon a few years later and I was more than … Continue reading →

Marathon Runners Can Rock and Roll Again

While training for my first marathon (way) back in 1999, the one thing I never left home without was my Walkman. I’m not sure if I could have pushed myself to run 50 plus miles per week for nearly three months without Sarah McLachlan, Bono, Sting, Hootie, and company helping me pace myself along those lonely Wisconsin back roads. I turned to them again on race day and they didn’t falter. In fact, their performance was more consistent than my own. Of course, I wasn’t the only runner getting assistance from their favorite singers the day of the marathon. Thousands … Continue reading →

The Best Part of Marathon Training: Tapering

With just over a week to go until the Honolulu Marathon, several of my close friends are entering my favorite part of marathon training—-tapering. In just a few short days my childhood friends will join about 25,000 other runners from around the world to participate in one of the largest marathons in the universe. To prepare for the 26.2-mile trek my friends have been diligently training for months and today marks the last of their major workouts. Let the tapering begin. Studies show that it is now too late for any of them to build up more endurance or speed. … Continue reading →

Should You Run a Marathon While Pregnant?

In the current issue of Runner’s World magazine there’s a very short piece on a woman who ran a marathon while she was 8 months pregnant with her son. Now her son is a teenager and is preparing to run alongside his mom in an upcoming 26.2-mile race. Wow! I read that blurb nearly two weeks ago and I still shake my head in utter amazement when I think about what that mom accomplished. I’ve run a few marathons (and am currently training to run another next spring), but I was far from pregnant while completing any of them. Think … Continue reading →

Winter Vacations in Chicago

If you like your winters cold then Chicago is your kind of town. I happen to love the Windy City (no matter what season), but I realize there are many travelers who would prefer a week in Hawaii to seven days in a chilly midwestern metropolis. Those people don’t know what they are missing. Of course, the beauty of so many people having that mindset is that traffic is lighter, lines at attractions are shorter, you don’t have to wait for a seat at area restaurants, shops are not packed and area hotels offer incredible winter deals those willing to … Continue reading →

Katie Holmes vs. the New York City Marathon

Suri’s mommy finished a marathon. And you can forget about the obligatory medal and Mylar blanket, Katie Holmes cashed in on a bigger prize when she crossed the New York City Marathon finish line today—a congratulatory smooch from her loyal husband Tom Cruise. Couch jumper and super sweet Suri spent more than five hours waiting for Mama Katie to complete the 26.2-mile race that weaved through the streets of Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan. Holmes’ official finish time: 5:29:58. As a marathon runner myself I found myself drawn to this story for a number of reasons. First … Continue reading →

Lance Armstong vs. The New York Marathon: The Results

Lance, Lance, Lance, if I had access to your cellphone number I would have called and told you myself… 26.2-miles is no walk in the park. Even after others warned you—you still didn’t follow their advice. Now, you feel like dying. I don’t blame you. I’ve been there myself. If you haven’t already heard, Lance Armstrong crossed the finish line at today’s New York Marathon in less than “peak” condition. In fact, news reports are saying that the seven-time Tour de France champion has categorized the marathon as “without a doubt the hardest physical thing I have ever done.” The … Continue reading →

Lance Armstrong vs. The New York City Marathon

In this corner… seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong… and in this corner… one of the most prestigious running events in the world—the New York City Marathon. Ding. Ding. Let the games begin. Okay, I’m sure the start of the race won’t include a public introduction of Armstrong tomorrow, but it is his first race (without a bike) since winning his seventh Tour victory more than a year ago. Armstrong is certainly not the first celebrity to take part in the 26.2-mile race (and he certainly won’t be the last). In fact, the world-renown cyclist will getting a little … Continue reading →

Marathon Vacations

When I ran my first marathon in 1999, I was single and not really looking for a “better half.” But, as I passed mile marker after mile marker I found myself staring at the throngs of mothers and fathers standing on the sidelines with kids in hand waving signs and cheering for their respective spouses and parents. It tugged at my heart and I envisioned a day that my own spouse would be standing at mile 16 with our child on his shoulders shouting words of encouragement as I raced towards the finish line. That was seven years ago and … Continue reading →

Ways to Stay Motivated

In my last fitness blog, “What Impacts Your Motivation to Exercise?” I talked about how the weather impacts my drive to exercise or not to. Since its spring most of us can expect there to be up and down days, as far as temperatures and rain. But as we are looking toward the constant days of warmth and good weather, we should be thinking more about what we can do to motivate ourselves. The way you go into a fitness plan can make all the difference as far as your drive and determination. For instance, set realistic goals and expectations. … Continue reading →