Guest Post: Catherine's Running Craziness and Taper Secrets

I’ve known Colleen since freshman year of high school.  We had a lot of classes together, but more importantly, we were on the track team together (and cross-country team junior and senior year when Colleen came to her senses and realized running was way cooler than tennis).  It was through running that Colleen and I became best friends and truly embraced each others craziness.  And let me just tell you, running together year round can bring out a whole lot of craziness!  For instance… 

• We ran together all summer talking about saving money for mini iPods, Kenny Chesney, and how it weirdly always smelled like donuts (I finally spotted the Dunkin Donuts during one of our last runs that summer).
•  We ran for literally hours at a time in the halls of Res when it was too cold or icy to run outside during winter track.
• We would go entire runs speaking only in Spanish to practice for the AP Spanish Exam (ahora, pon en marcha…)
• We became obsessed with all things York and Elmhurst.
• We also became obsessed with tigers and discussed tigers body slamming runners on the track (hence the “tiger” shorts in the Bandit Turkey Tigers.
• We know to always do an equal number of crunches so we don’t get stomach bulges (thanks Coach Mickey!)
• We ran the former CDC together as our first half marathon, where we met John “the Penguin” Bingham and received the coolest deck ofcards that are still in mint condition.
• And most importantly, we stayed crazy enough to keep running and train for half marathons and marathons.
• Unfortunately, due to real life and work schedules, Colleen and I don’t get to run together nearly as often as we would like.  But, we still talk about running constantly and share the crazy things that happen while we run…

• After having my water bottle stolen during multiple track workouts at Olympia Park, I finally took measures into my own hands: 

• I was just running along in the early morning hours, minding my own business, lost in my thoughts, and then bam, my shoulder hits a car’s side mirror. Sadly, this happened more times than I care to admit to the World Wide Web.
• I made friends with a construction worker in Norwood Circle.  It a little over a mile around, which was perfect for my paced and tempo runs, so I ran there every Friday.  They’ve been fixing the sewers there since May so one worker started to recognize me and would count my laps as I passed each week.
• We began running so far that 12 mile step back weeks seemed short
• Colleen had some adventures with crazy exercise contraptions. 

So as you can see, marathon training gets kind of crazy, but the marathon taper can make you even crazier.  Since I just finished my taper for the Fox Valley Marathon I figured I would share some tips to help stay calm, stay focused, and reduce the crazy in the weeks leading up to a big race. 

•  Test out your race day attire.
• Test out your race day fueling.

(Props to Colin Meyer for coming up with the best way to carry gu on your shorts – comfortable and easy removal!)

• Get lots of rest, drink lots of fluid, make sure your salt and electrolytes stay in balance (you’ll especially want to do this if temperatures are going to be in the 90s…trust me :/)
•  Have confidence in your training and yourself.
•  Stay positive and keep reminding yourself why you run.  You might question yourself during the later miles of the race, so remember that not only did you choose to do the marathon, but you actually paid money to experience this pain.
• Remember to have fun and enjoy the race!  You trained all summer for this!

In looking back at my race day experience, I think what made the biggest difference this year compared to my other marathons was my mental preparation.  Although the last few miles were extremely difficult and pretty much everything was hurting, I did not let that pain get into my head.  Instead, I kept reminding myself that this is how I am supposed to feel and if I wasn’t in pain, I wouldn’t be running fast enough.  During the taper, I repeatedly focused on why I love running, how blessed I am to be able to run, how I am ready for the marathon, and that I can handle the pain.  So then, when that unavoidable pain set in during the race, I was able to recall these positive thoughts and remind myself that it is supposed to hurt.  The mental game continues even when the race is over. You spend months and months preparing for this one day, and then just like that, it’s over!  Remember that a marathon is a journey, not a destination, and we keep running even after we cross the finish line.   And so I leave you with one of my favorite quotes; it is applicable to all walks (or “runs”) of life and is perfectly suited for the marathon.

"It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great."

(Tom Hanks, A League of Their Own)

Guest Post: Erin's "17 Things About Colleen"

Today I have a special treat for you - a guest post written my by lovely cousin Erin.  We are like peas and carrots.  She is the one who got me into blog reading and encouraged me to start my own.  And now that I have been working hard on this blog and just yesterday finished my "About Me" page, Erin decided she would like to give my readers a little more insight...

Hey there! My name is Erin, and I am Colleen’s cousin. I am also a 20-something living, working, and working out in Chicago…I just don’t run insane distances like CSmith. I graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2012, and the only other real things you need to know about me are that I am obsessed with Christmas, the Cubs, and the number 217. The last one usually needs a little explanation, and it’s pretty simple: I was born on February 17.

In light of the fact that today is 817 (aka halfway to 217!), I figured today would be an optimal day to write 17 things about Colleen that you cannot learn from her About Me page. I could probably come up with a full 217 list items seeing as I have known Colleen since the very first 217 that I celebrated, but I think that’d be a little much for you to read. So here goes!

1. Colleen and I once bought a sign at a craft fair that said “Forget the dog, beware of Colleen.” We hung it up on the door of her room. I think she still has it.
2. Pennellwood Resort is Colleen’s (and my) favorite vacation spot. I know she already posted about it, but it’s so important that it deserves its own list item here, too. There are plans in the works to perhaps open up our own Pennellwood one day.

3. Colleen loves Christmas almost as much as I do, and we both love Christmas music. I start listening to it on October 17 (aka 1017) each year and force her to do so also. Our favorite Christmas song is “Joy to the World,” by Neil Diamond. We – along with our cousin Katie – made up a dance to that song and filmed it in 2002. We all wore our matching pink North Face fleeces in the dance.
4. Colleen ran the 2010 Columbus Marathon all by herself and with no spectators. Most importantly, she was number 217 for this race.

5. Colleen loves bread, specifically Pennellwood bread. Pennellwood bread is just what you’d expect it to be – bread that Pennellwood Resort baked each and every morning. It was fresh and delicious, but no one loved it more than Colleen.
6. Plaid skirts are always in style on Christmas, and Colleen and I (accidentally) coordinated our Christmas Eve outfits one year to keep with the trend. Great minds think alike.

7. Colleen, our cousin Katie, and I have dubbed one night each year “D-Day.” We use this night to annoy Colleen’s dad, Don, and it falls during the week of Thanksgiving. Examples of past annoyances include putting post-it notes all over the kitchen walls, turning on every single light in the house, and filling his car with random objects so that it’s nearly impossible for him to get in let alone drive. They are harmless pranks, but they are fun. And he gets annoyed, which is the point.
8. Tubing on our uncle’s boat (we call him Captain Ron) is one of our favorite memories and things to do. Sometimes we both tube at the same time and then execute a mid-ride tube switch.

9. Nesquik is not called Nesquik when conversing with Colleen. It is referred to as “the Q,” because she used to drink so much of it that it was essentially her drug.
10. Colleen and I once made a commercial for Juicy Fruit gum when we were about 13 and 11 respectively. It had something to do with Avril Lavigne’s “Sk8er Boi” as the background music I think.
11. Usually, for our birthdays, Grandma and Grandpa Smith give each of us cousins a bag of chocolate chip cookies as part of our gift. Going along with number 5, Colleen instead receives a bag of rolls for her birthday.

12. G-chat is where Colleen and I spend our time conversing every single day. We also text very pointless messages to one another, which occasionally include random Forrest Gump quotes.
13. Pizza Hut used to be a huge food staple in Colleen’s life. We spent many a Friday night sleeping over at her house and ordering from “the hut.” Their breadsticks are divine.
14. For about four years in a row (maybe more?), Colleen was a parrot for Halloween.

15. Acronyms are used far too frequently in our conversations. A few commonly used examples include: DTJ (“do the job” or “did the job”), BOG/GOG (“be on G-chat”/”get on G-chat”), YATWL (you are the weakest link”), CCC (“Colmone Country Club), LNPTDID (“Let’s not put the ‘duh’ in ‘dumb’.’’), and HIHACLY (“Happiness is having a cousin like you.”). That last one is a phrase we saw on a plaque at one of the Arlington Racetrack Craft Shows we attended.
16. The 4th of July is a big day for Colleen, although we typically call it “the FOJ” (gotta keep the acronym theme alive). A lot of our family members come to Niles to watch the Niles Parade, since it is pretty great. Colleen’s favorite part of that parade is the Little People.

17. Colleen and I enjoy making lists, and our best one was “CAEUSTDL 2010,” which was “Colleen and Erin’s Ultimate Summer To Do List.” It included a number of things that we never accomplished, but obviously we still have it and will cross everything off eventually. I hope you’ve enjoyed this list and keep coming back to CSmith Run to do just that!