You know you're a real runner when...

Your toenails die. Duh!

Ever since I trained for my first marathon five years ago, one of the toenails on my left foot has never been the same. I notice the toe during long runs, and it often feels sore afterward. By the time I race, it has turned purple and part of the nail has come off.

After last weekend's 14-miler, my toenail had become a real pain...in my foot. On Tuesday, I tried clipping it to relieve pressure. I must have punctured a blister, because it started draining fluid. Blisters under the toenail aren't uncommon in runners.

Despite poking the blister, I still felt pressure under my nail. I did some research and considered puncturing my nail with a hot paper clip or needle to properly drain the blister. My brother-in-law even offered to do it! But, with a 15-miler planned for this weekend, I thought I should wait.

That is, until last night. I was about to go to sleep but I couldn't stop thinking about my toe. I got out the clipper, and I started cutting away. Slowly, and with little pain, the toe nail came off. It was dead anyway.

Both Ben and my mom expressed some concern, so I mentioned the "surgery" I performed on my toe during my annual physical today. The physician's assistant said it looked good, and I have no need for antibiotics. Yay!

I feel like a true road warrior, with one less toenail.

My Rave Run

I've been in my rural Minnesota hometown (population 2,500 and getting smaller) since July 20, and I will be here until Monday. I have several motivations for my lengthy stay at home. My mom was hospitalized for and diagnosed with seizures last month, and I wanted to accompany her to her follow-up doctor appointments. I also have upcoming family gatherings -- a reunion on Saturday and my grandma's 80th birthday party on Sunday.

Before loading up my Jeep a week and a half ago, I looked at my Chicago Marathon training schedule; my long runs consisted of 9-, 14- and 15-milers. I've previously run marathons, so the distance didn't scare me. Long runs are my friend. But the location in which I'd be doing these long runs frightened me.

I recalled running from my hometown of Tracy to Walnut Grove and back (7 miles each way) five years ago while training for my first marathon. I begged my sister, who hadn't been training for anything, to run with me. We shared a CamelBak. Between the rolling hills and sharing U.S. Highway 14 with cars and semi-trucks, I never wanted to cover that route again on only my feet. Yet, while I was home visiting two summers ago and training for the Twin Cities Marathon again, I decided to not only run that route, but also to run around my hometown first. I had a 20-miler on the schedule and, even though I was home, I intended to run it. This time my sister accompanied me on a bike. I was about 15 miles into the run when I slowed down and became almost delirious. I was exposed on the treeless highway, and I had started out too late. I was hot. And I was done. We called my father-in-law who picked us up. Thank God for my sister and her cell phone.

Despite those dreadful runs, I love Tracy and the thousands of acres of unharvested corn and soybean fields that currently surround it. Though, you won't ever see my town featured as a rave run in Runner's World. It has less than two miles of running/walking paths on the town's edge, near a small man-made lake pond. A run around town is about four miles long. Tracy's edges are mostly treeless and leave runners exposed to the often unforgiving wind and sun. And to run any serious distance means traveling, unless you want to run laps around town.
 
For this weekend's 14-miler, I drove to the Lake Shetek area which has a 6-mile paved trail. It's about 13 miles south of my  hometown. There, I encountered hills, wild flowers, prairie grass, men fishing, deer, rabbits, and, of course, the lake. While I had to run around the nearby town of Currie (population: 225) to make up additional miles, I loved this run. I had biked and run the path before, but I didn't appreciate its beauty until this past weekend.

I plan to return Saturday for my 15-miler. It may not be considered a rave run to the well-traveled runner, but it's a gem hidden in the cornfields of rural Minnesota. It's my rave run.

Brooke makes news at Bavarian Blast

Over night, it seems my sister has morphed into a super athlete. According to the New Ulm Journal,. Brooke was the top female finisher in the Bavarian Blast 10k Saturday. Congratulations Brooke!

Not so fast.

She ran the New Ulm Bavarian Blast 5k Saturday. She originally signed up for the 10k but the small field intimidated her. She found safety in numbers and ran the shorter distance with friends, with the OK from race organizers. She finished in approximately 31 minutes, an admirable time for a beginning runner.

The data was wrong, and the reporter failed to double-check it. He could have easily called Brooke for a quote (he got one from the top male finisher).

Brooke thought the article was funny but also annoying. She lives in a small town, and her clients and friends likely will ask her about her spectacular race! I, too, think there's humor here. But as a former newspaper reporter, this article requires a correction.

Whether Brooke is the top finisher or middle-of-the-pack runner, she's a winner in my book. I'm so proud that she's out running and racing.

I lost the battle, but I still got a watch!

I may have lost the custody battle, but I'm now the proud owner of a new Garmin Forerunner 305 watch. I convinced Ben that a.) it would be a good investment, b.) even when we live in the same zip code, we don't always run together and c.) we have only raced together once. Basically, we couldn't share his watch.

He was tired of hearing about the watch accepted my well-crafted proposal for a new watch, and he suggested I buy one as soon as possible. I got a heck of a deal on it from Walmart, and I ordered it July 5. It arrived either Friday or Saturday while I was out of town.

Thanks to the watch, I'm able to track distance, current pace, average pace and time. I have the option of using a heart rate monitor. I can connect the watch to my computer to download data from runs. Curious? Learn more here.

I wore it today on a run (5.25 miles, to be exact), but I failed to take a picture. I will model it soon. Until then, here's a photo of the watch, sans me.

Why I Run

This week I entered a short essay contest here on why I run. I couldn't come up with a single reason. Instead, I came up with several. This is what I submitted:

Why do I run? It can’t be confined to a single reason.


I run to escape. I run when I need to think, relieve stress, and be alone. I run to be with friends or make new ones on the lakefront path. I run for its discipline and sense of accomplishment. I run for my health and to kick cancer’s ass. I run because I wasn’t an athlete in high school; now I am.


I run to eat. So I can indulge in a slice of ginger peach apple pie or a pear scone without the added ingredient of guilt.


I run because it’s my antidepressant. The simple act of lacing up my shoes and running makes me instantly happy. Whether my run is sluggish or fast, I’m able to start the day on the right foot or end on a positive note.


When I’m not running, sharing my love for the sport makes me happy. I’ve supported friends who want to get off the couch and get moving. I’ve encouraged them to run their first 5k. I’ve toed the line with them at their first marathon.


I’ve been running for six years. This winter I had my first injury. I hated being stuck on a stationary bike and mourned the loss of my feet on the pavement. Post-recovery, I cherish every step and look forward to every mile ahead.

Be Magnificent.

While in Estes Park this weekend, I picked up a bookmark to remember my brief trip to such an awesome place filled with beautiful people and scenery.

I love the phrases on the bookmark, and I wanted to share because I find such inspiration in them. I hope you do, too.

Advice from an Elk
--by Ilan Shamir --
Don't Get Stuck in a Rut
Cherish Wide Open Spaces
Appreciate Life's High Points
Be at Home in the Woods
Make Your Voice Heard
Know When to Make Tracs
Be Magnificent

Father's Day

Today is Father's Day, and I spent most of the time on the road, behind the wheel. I feel most connected to my dad when I'm driving alone. He was a Justin Boots sales representative, so he spent several weeks out of the year on the road visiting stores. Maybe that's why, of all places, I feel the closest to him on a long stretch of asphalt.

Returning from Omaha, Neb., where I visited Ben for the weekend, I considered what my dad would think about my sister and I running the Chicago Marathon, spreading awareness about multiple myleoma and raising money to support important research.

Although 15 years have passed since he died, I still get upset -- more so now than ever -- that more couldn't have been done to save his life. That's why Brooke and I are running for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. This is an organization that is having an impact and the research it's funded has already resulted in new treatments for myleoma patients.

I know my dad would be proud. I know he'd be happy that Brooke and I are doing our part to prevent other families from being hurt by such a horrible disease. I believe our decision to run the marathon for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation is the best Father's Day gift we could ever give him.