Respect: Indianapolis Monumental Marathon

I'm a firm believer that if you put your mind to something, and you want it bad enough, you'll get it. That's not to say that there won't be bumps in the road, setbacks, or a plan that will likely require some tweaking along the way. But if you can put your head down and keep that focus where it belongs, it'll come.

I ran my first marathon in the Spring of 2010. Only 2 weeks before I graduated from the University of Illinois. I found a way to enjoy my final semester of college with some lifelong friends while I trained for my first marathon. It wasn't easy. And I had one of my worst race days ever that day. But I made it.

Mile 1 - Illinois Marathon - Circa 2010

It's been just shy of 2 weeks since I crossed the finish line of my 11th marathon. And guess what? It wasn't any easier than when I first did it 6 years ago.  The marathon is a funny, awful, intriguing beast that I can't stop going back to. But Megan, you've done 4 Ironman's. How in the world could a marathon possibly be harder than an Ironman? Quite the opposite, my dear friends. Pull up a chair, let's chat.

Checked in and ready to run!

I rolled into Indianapolis for the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon on Friday afternoon with Rob and my brother. We checked into the hotel, dropped our bags, and made our way to the convention center to pick up my packet. I was entering some serious deja vu. Mark had raced this marathon last year. We stayed in the the same hotel. Our path to packet pickup was identical. I was just as un-impressed with the expo this year as I was last year. But who cares about the expo when you're there to run. I wasn't nervous. Not even a little. The entire time, I made sure to keep reminding myself, "Tomorrow's long run is going to be just a little longer but definitely more fun."

The 3 of us met up with Jess for dinner. She was running the half marathon the next day. Ian {running his first full marathon} and Lindsey agreed to meet up with us in the morning. We found our seat and the TVs in the bar were still showing highlights and interviews from the Chicago Cubs World Series win. Being a die hard Cubs fan like you wouldn't believe, I had just spent the last month watching some of the greatest baseball I've ever seen. I watched my dad and brother cleanse their souls as the Chicago Cubs slowly checked off the 11 wins it took to wipe away the 108 year curse. I had more adrenaline in my veins watching post-season baseball than I care to admit, and I had never been this motivated to succeed.

Mark tried to entertain us before bed time

I woke up 3 hours before the gun went off, thanks to multiple alarms and Nate {who works the graveyard shift and promised to blowup my phone until I responded}. Pre-race rituals are pretty non-existent to me. I require a cup of coffee and a banana at the bare minimum. The rest? Meh, give me my shoes and I'm good to go.

Rob, Mark, and I made our way to the corrals pretty early. Shortly after, Jess, Ian, Lindsey and Brittany found us. We hugged hello, I stripped my sweats, and we all hugged goodbye. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have some high expectations of myself for this race. I had run all of my long runs well under a BQ pace {Boston Qualifying pace ~ 3:35 marathon; 8:12min/mile pace}. I'm notorious for slumping earlier than most, usually around mile 17-18. And during this round of training, I had made it through my 16, 18, and 20 mile runs without any issues and ran them all under an 8 minute pace. But.. we all know that the marathon doesn't really start until mile 20.

The gun went off and it was time to execute. Step 1: Keep the first miles relaxed and easy. The plan was to run the first 2-3 miles just over an 8 minute pace. Don't get to caught up in the excitement. When my watch beeped and I saw 7:55 for mile 1, I definitely contemplated whether or not I should tell Ryan how fast I ran the first mile. However, it definitely could have been worse. I couldn't have felt better. By the time mile 2 came around, I spotted Mark on his bike. He found a way to cruise within 100 feet of me until mile 16 {when his phone died and he took off to claim his charger for the end of the race. Ugh, boys.}.  I approached the Monument Circle and the runners turned right while Mark pealed off to the left. Crowds were heavy and as I approached our hotel I heard Rob yell my name. I flashed my pearly whites, waved hello, and continued on.

Blurry pictures make me look fast :)

By mile 5, we entered an older neighborhood. Soon, Mark had some good news for me. Jess was only a few strides behind me! She inched her way closer and closer until soon we were running side by side. I welcomed her company with open arms and was so sad we only had a few miles together. Just before the split I told her she was on pace to run a sub - 1:45 half. Her jaw dropped. "Stay at this pace and you'll definitely see a 1:44." I told her. I was sad to see her peal off at the split.

Cruisin' and feelin' good!

The miles passed by 1 by 1 and they continued to feel effortless. I was feeling SO good that I promised myself after a super relaxed mile 12 {7:59, all miles had been between 7:52 and 7:59 at this point}, I was allowed a "fast" mile. Mile 13 clocked in at 7:37 and I kept the next 2 at 7:45. Alright, funs over. I settled back into my high 7:50 pace and was glad to have my brother by my side to keep me distracted. Until he wasn't there anymore. Somehow his phone went from 80% - 1% in minutes so he pealed off the course to venture back to our hotel and get his charger so he could use his phone at the end of the race.

The miles started to slow ever so slightly after mile 16. I dipped into the 8:00 mile range a few times {8:01 and 8:05} but still felt extremely relaxed. I didn't push the pace because I had to remind myself that I still had 10 miles to go. If I could stay in the 8:00-8:10 range for the last 10 miles I'd be the happiest girl alive.

Closing in on mile 20 I started to get nervous. The real test was about to start. Just after mile 20 I saw Rob on the side of the road. Unfortunately, this is also where my race started to fall apart. Somehow within a matter of 60 seconds I went from running on top of the world to feeling like I was running with the world on my shoulders. My stomach was in knots, my legs were heavier than lead, and I was struggling to find that motivation I once had. Mile 21 I did the best I could to stretch out my legs and my diaphragm, praying I would get some life back in my aching body. By mile 22 I was on the side of the road trying to find a way to get myself to puke. Definitely not ideal, but I knew I'd feel like a new woman if I could empty my stomach. I could even have a shot at finishing this race the way I started it, if only my body would cooperate.

In all honesty, the last few miles are a blur. Being passed by the 3:35 pace group at mile 23 was the icing on the cake. I knew I was capable of a 3:30 marathon and literally watching my chance at a BQ slip away at the very end stung pretty bad. I struggled to run for more than 3 minutes at a time. When I ran, I trudged. Somehow, I found a way to make it to the final turn. Shortly before the turn, Jess popped up on the course next to me and started to hug me. She was so excited to see me and I was in so much pain I could barely respond to her. I wanted to tell her that everything hurt and that I was worried about actually falling over, but even that was too much effort. She pealed off the course and left me to finish the race.

If this doesn't make you smile, I don't know what will..

So many feels for such a simple picture ❤❤

I crossed the finish line and the clock read 3:41. I missed my BQ by 6 minutes, but still walked away with a 19 minute PR. It had been almost 2 years since I ran an open marathon, 3 years since I'd PR'ed in the marathon, and today I proved that hard work and persistence pays off. I can't say that I'm not a little disappointed. I know what I'm capable of. My performance at the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon was by far my best marathon, but I'm still a little hungry for more.

This marathon distance, it's a beast. I could say the same for the Ironman distance, but there's something about 26.2 miles at a "race pace" that continues to absolutely break me down. This distance is something that demands respect. It can humble even the most egotistical of minds. Finishing it is an amazing accomplishment. Finishing it at an uncomfortable pace while keeping your body held together is an entirely different ball game. One that I haven't mastered quite yet. But don't worry, I'm not done.  I'm about to switch back into full blown triathlon mode here soon, but I'm a runner to my core. My running shoes will forever be packed in my bag and ready for me when I need them.

I mean, how lucky can 1 girl be?  I was able to lace my shoes and do what I love with my 2 favorite boys. {Let's get real, how often do I do any of this stuff without Mark or Rob, or both of them by my side? #marklovestobethethirdwheel} I shared the course with one of my best friends {who just so happened to run that 1:44 half marathon I mentioned earlier}. AND - I was able to support Ian as he crossed the finish line of his very first marathon. I wanted to cry I was so happy for him.

I literally almost fell this hurt so bad.

Maybe Ian and I are using each other for support, maybe we're not?

The 2016 season is just about over, but not without a holiday fun-run or 2. {Gotta earn those cookies and milk somehow!} This fall has been something my heart and soul needed. I took a step back and went back to roots. I lived a little more relaxed while I logged some fast miles on foot. Rob, Mark, and I were able to see my cousin's hard work pay off when Cam came to Chicago and kicked off her Burning House Tour. The Chicago Cubs won the World Series. I even ran away to the Smoky Mountains last weekend and caught up with my best friend/college roommate, her husband, and their newly adopted 8 week old pup. {sheppard/hound mix. Totes adorbs.} But it's time to get back on the saddle and start counting laps again. 2017 is right around the corner and I'll be damned if it isn't shaping up already. But let's not get ahead of ourselves here, Santa's coming soon 😉

Because I knew if I didn't show you a picture of the dog, you might stop reading my blog forever.

W

Sometimes after I cross the finish line, I wish I could bottle all of my thoughts for the moment I sit down to write about the race. The feelings are so fresh, the emotions so raw.

Tonight, I sat with my parents and watched history. And I'm feeling all the emotions. I walked in the door with only 20 minutes until game time so I scarfed down my dinner. As I cleaned up my plate my father says, "Megan sit down before the first pitch. Megan now. MEGAN HE'S IN HIS FUCKING WIND UP SIT DOWN!" And with that I took my seat. {Side note: I had at least 90 seconds until the wind up started, Jack was just a little on edge.}

We held our breath for every pitch. We screamed as Fowler bolted a home run to start off the game. Cringed as Baez made 2 errors crucial errors before the 4th inning. Sat in silence as we watched Cleveland tie the game in the 8th inning. And screamed our throats raw as Rizzo made the final out and snagged that game winning ball into his pocket. I've seen my father cry a small handful of times. And tonight, his tears brought such joy. We live and breath the Chicago Cubs in my family. And after (10) innings, (8) runs, and (108) years, we can finally say, we are the World Champions.

My father in all his pride and joy

I'm gonna keep this short and sweet, because it's closing in on the wee hours of the morning and I still have to adult tomorrow. I hope everyone has the chance to feel what I felt tonight. If you have a sport or a team that you love, I hope you get to experience the euphoria that comes with being a World Champion. Sports are a funny thing. So many life lessons can be learned on and off the 'field' {or whatever your sport is performed on} and yet in the long run, sports are simply an escape. Very few of us will ever make any money by playing in our recreation sports league or by signing up for ump-teen races a year. But we do it anyways because it's our escape from reality. And we can't get enough of it.

"All I want to do is see them win. And watch the celebration. And the presentation of the trophy. And go to bed with a smile on my face. I've had a million surgeries. I've had a heart attack. I've been in a pretty serious car accident. And I'm still here to see this. I've seen over 1000 games played at Wrigley Field, that's over 3 YEARS of my damn life at that stupid place! I'm ready to see it!" - Jack Hode around the 7th inning.

And I'll be damned if tonight wasn't a dream. Or was it? So the next time you think twice about signing up for that race because you shouldn't spend the $40, or you think twice about going to your favorite sporting event because you need to get up early for work the next day, I'm going to advise you to do so anyways. Because what I'm feeling right now, there ain't nothin' like it.

And now I have my own "World Series" to get ready for, which is the primary reason I'm not drunk on Clark Street at the moment. I have 48 hours until I toe the line of the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon with the chance to keep this ball rolling and turn November 2016 into a truly epic month for both me and my family.

Let's do this shit.

One.

Guys, it's been a year. An entire YEAR since I first sat down and started rambling my thoughts to nobody. Or technically, everybody? This is the interweb where freedom to do, read, and say as you please is everywhere. When I first started this blog, I had no idea how long it would last. "Who even cares about my racing life? No one will ever read this. I'm just wasting my time." It wasn't until I was stopped by a stranger at a race who told me, "You're Megan, right? Oh I read your blog!" That was all it took. That small moment warmed my heart like you wouldn't believe. 

                 

So here we are, one year later. Obviously my blog has recently undergone a birthday makeover, and I'm kinda diggin' it. I've added some new content. Make sure to check out the new tabs. I've added a little more about me, some of my all time favorites (Race related, food related, life related. You're welcome.), and (my personal favorite), MARK'S CORNER! Mark decided to dive into the blogging world and will be adding to his corner of thoughts periodically. I'll keep you in the loop when he decides to dust off his keyboard. 

And what a year it's been. I could rehash everything we've been through this year, but that's what the blog archive on the right hand side of the page is for, right? But what about all the stuff I left out? Like real life? I think it's safe to say, I like to tell it like it is. I'm a pretty real person. So I've decided to be a little bit more real about my life. Ya know, the happenings when I'm not training, eating, working, racing, or sleeping. Or how about some of the details that go into the hours of training? Here it is, the rest of the year that I left out.

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November 2015

Only a few weeks after crossing the finish line in Maryland, my brother tackled Step 3 of 140.6 miles; 26.2 miles. Indianapolis Monumental Marathon. Running is his necessary evil. He may have hated every step of the way, but he did it.

Just before the holidays were in full swing, I made my way to the United Center for a Chicago Bulls game with Lindsey. I'm not a fan of basketball at all. All I know about Chicago Bulls basketball is that Derrick Rose is (was?) kind of a big deal. However, the tickets were free, the company was great, and the beer was cold. Consider me a lucky girl. And lemme tell ya, the Madhouse on Madison is a lot different without ice.

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December 2015

Jess' birthday was just before Christmas and Mark and I agreed that she wasn't allowed to spend it on the couch. We kid-napped her at the last minute for some birthday shenanigans. Needless to say, she may or may not have been over served.

Post Car-bomb, pre word slurring

The holidays came and went. I ate my weight in sugar and had more than my share of Holiday cocktails. But that's what the holidays are all about, right?

We can clean up ;)

Ringing in the New Year!

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January 2016

As soon as the holidays were over, we laced up our running shoes again.. kinda. The S-NO-W Fun Run in Lake Geneva, WI isn't a race to be taken seriously. It's fun and relaxed and 100% about the post-race party at the Grand Geneva. We were able to have 2/3 of our LP Partee at the race and between the 6 of us, we have very little recollection of what went on that night.

Onsies were all the rage that night

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February 2016

Winter in Chicago is supposed to be the worst, right? This year, we got lucky. How lucky? This photo was taken on February 28th. It was 60 degrees and yes, Rob is wearing a t-shirt while he plays a little badminton with his sister in the backyard. {don't mind little Leo in the background, he finally surrendered that his Aunt and Uncle weren't going to let him play.} And yes, it snowed only 2 days later.

I also had the opportunity to head over to the Gatorade Sports Science Institute in February. They were looking for a lab rat. So I decided to let them hook me up to a bunch of machines, measure my heart rate and 02 count, all while they made me run on incline on a treadmill. The catch? I could only breath through a tiny little tube that was connected to another machine. The best part? I wasn't allowed to eat for 8 hours before the test. And I couldn't have caffeine. They actually almost turned me away because, "I'm sorry but your blood sugar is almost TO low." I wasn't about to let myself go 8 hours without food for NOTHING. This experience was so wonderful the first time around that I've decided to go back for round 2 in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned.

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March 2016

March was fairly uneventful. I was in full training mode for IMTX so time was limited. But, don't fear. I found a way to mix my social life with my training life. 

What better way to spend 4 hours on your bike on a snowy Sunday morning than with your friends? Thanks to Sammy's Bikes in St. Charles, Ryan was able to snag us a pretty sweet setup for a long computrainer ride with some of the RyBread Athletes. The best part? Watching Sammy brew fresh espresso in the shop while we were stuck on our bikes, pedaling nowhere. 

When the weather did cooperate during this awkward month, I was able to get a couple of long runs in on the pavement. Even if that meant running on a freshly salted/slippery street. Kicking up what felt like pounds of salt. At times, it would hit the back of my legs like little pebbles that were out for death. After one particular run on the March Madness Half Marathon course, I took my final steps towards my car and when I looked down at my shoes all I saw was this:

Bloody ankles

That's right. I kicked up so much salt that it eventually lodged itself in between my socks and my skin and caused me to bleed THROUGH my shoes without even feeling a thing. Until I stopped moving. It wasn't until then that I felt like my ankles were on fire. Every step I took was excruciating. And then, the shower. I, I just can't relive it. Lemme tell ya, this was only a preview of what my left ankle would look like in Texas after the monsoon of rain causing my timing chip to rub my left ankle raw on race day.

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April 2016

You think March was blah? Wait til you see what how exciting fun April was. I got home from work one day and shortly after, my brother walks through the door. But he looks as white as a ghost. And he tells me that he managed to hit his head on a rusted drain pipe on the outside of his building. Don't ask me how. Just know that it happened. After a quick examination by yours truly, I made him get right back into the car and I ushered him to immediate care to have a staple put into his head. "Sister, no! They are NOT going to staple my head!" Yea, ok Mark.

Right before he made me hold his hand

And just like that, put back together again

The BFG turned all shades of white and even insisted that the nurse waste a staple from her staple gun so he could see exactly happens before he allowed her to staple his head shut. What a baby.

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May 2016

May began my 3 month stint of "omg I don't know if I'll make it through the next 3 months without collapsing." Triathlon season officially kicked off for me during the month of May with Ironman Texas. May is also a special time in the Hode house. Baseball season is upon

us. My cousin Todd started playing baseball at the ripe old age of 4 in 1980 and my brother finished his baseball career in 2014. Meaning, our family went 34 continuous seasons of having a Hode on the baseball field. After a 2 year hiatus, we found our way back to the diamond. Todd's twins, Jonathon and Iva, debuted their baseball careers. They showcased their abilities in dirt kicking, nose picking, and the occasional tear over getting a little to dirty. 

Stella's Bar & Grill Bellevue, NE

After show casing my talents of not drowning at Ironman Texas, I found myself in Omaha, NE to visit my Aunt & Uncle. I showed up within hours after my uncle had yet another ankle surgery to repair damaged nerves. We spent the weekend laughing, reminiscing, and talking about our up and coming trip to Lake Placid, NY. Oh, we had some awesome grub too. Behold, the most amazing burger I've ever had. Served to me in a teeny tiny diner seen on "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" on a napkin. 

Coming off of Ironman Texas, I knew I wouldn't have to much time for rest and relaxations like I normally do. Ironman Lake Placid with the LP Partee was quickly approaching so I had to make the most of my 1 week of freedom before training got down & dirty again. And what better way than at Wrigley Field, right? Over the course of 10 days I had completed Ironman Texas, enjoyed a weekend in Omaha, NE and graced Wrigley Field with my presence, right before I had to get back on my bike for the summer. And in true Megan style, it rained on us.

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June 2016

In June I decided to race 3 of the 4 weekends. Sleeping hours got less and less, and training hours got more and more. And life went on. Friday nights were spent in a variety of places. The first Friday in June I was able to catch a 7pm movie with 2 of my best girls. That's not to say we didn't go with dripping wet hair fresh outta the pool and sneak dinner (Panera sandwiches/salads) in our oversized purses. Because that's exactly what happened. And we weren't even ashamed. 









The following Friday in June, Rob and I planned on having a nice relaxing evening at home. Maybe put a movie in? Wrong. After dinner cleanup was over we found ourselves at the vet with Josiee, who couldn't stop nipping at a cut on her paw, clearly making it infected. We did the waiting room game, the wait for the doctor game, and then entertained ourselves watching Josiee run into EVERYTHING in the house with her fresh cone head. It was such a romantic evening. 

The LP Partee was also able to get together (on a WEEKDAY!) for a group open water swim WHILE we celebrated Nate's birthday. He insisted he wanted to spend his birthday with us. So we got in some strokes and then demolished some pizza.  Of course we couldn't get a picture of all of us together. Missing on the left: BFG and Mrs. Speedy (Jacqui). 

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July 2016

July. IMLP month with the LP Partee. 10 days in the Adirondack mountains, breathing the fresh mountain air, and racing in one of America's hidden gems. Surely there was no time for anything else, considering all the heavy mileage leading up to the big day? HA! Over the 4th of July weekend I took a red eye flight out to Denver for a cousin's wedding. That weekend also happened to be one of the biggest training weekends to date, so I had to figure out a plan. OH! I know! Why not just rent a bike and ride through Steamboat Springs and climb an ungodly amount and call it a day?  Guys, this ride was no joke. 60 miles and 6,000 feet of climbing. Woof. And then, I danced the night away on top of a completely different mountain, all in the name of love.  

Photo op before I started the climb of death.

First dance with a special vocalist

And then I went to IMLP and raced my ass off and had the time of my life. When I returned, surely it was time to relax, right? Please, the fun was just beginning. Meet Beth. One of my college roommates and best friends. And Beth was getting married. And of course we had to send her off the right way. With a Wrigely Rooftop game. The first sip was taken before the PM hours and because we're not in college anymore, we were all in bed before the AM hours. But damn, what a great day it was. 

College roommates acting like we're still in college.

Clearly I did my job as a good bridesmaid should.

  

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August 2016

This wedding had fun props and Mark took it a little to far.

August arrived and showed little mercy. I wasn't quite done racing for the season and wedding season had only just begun. I found myself back in Steamboat Springs, Colorado for the Florida Pit Crew's wedding! Of course I was there with water and Gatorade in hand, just like they have been for me.  This time, I wasn't alone! Mark and I enjoyed a casual morning hike with our cousins and their 2 four year old twins, one of which knew more about the nature trivia signs than I did. And in the evening, we took off for the ranch and watched 2 families become 1, almost 30 years in the making.

At some point over the last year, Jess told me that she had never been to Wrigley Field. Better yet, she had never been to a baseball game. Instead of telling you how I may have overreacted to that, I'll let you rest easy knowing that Jess has now officially been to a baseball game at Wrigley Field. She even had a hot dog and chocolate malt cup to top it off. Consider it a win.

Of course the pup went with :)

With the highs come the lows. And during the month of August I also had to say goodbye to my best friend from high school. Her and her husband officially packed their bags and are now living abroad in Tel Aviv for the next 2 years. We've always been scattered across the country so we're used to the distance friendship. But this kind of distance is unknown territory and a little scary. And frankly, I couldn't be more excited for her.

Just before the end of the month, Rob's sister EB (short for Elizabeth) graduated from nursing school. She followed in her mom's footsteps and had quite the journey to walk across the stage. But she did it. With her dad and all of 9 of her siblings in the audience to watch. Two days later we celebrated with jello shot filled syringes and a bouncy castle for all the kids.

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September

BIRTHDAY MONTH! Only the best month of the year! AND! I'm lucky enough to share the glorious day of September 9th with Lauren, LP Partee member and RyBread Racing teammate. And this year, I was able to celebrate with her, Portillo's chocolate cake and all. PS - if you can guess why our candles add up to 36 you win the prize!

Photo by Lena Marie Photography

After Beth's bachelorette party shenanigans in July, she finally tied the knot in September. We had the whole college crew back together again. We sang and danced, drank and laughed. And in the morning, we woke up and all sat on the bed, piecing together the night before. Just like we used to. It was like nothing had ever changed.





As the summer came to an end, we had one last celebration to attend. My twin cousins, my Colorado hiking buddies, turned 5 years old. Five and full of personality, spunk, sass, and all that comes with it. They have opinions and they are sure to share them. They have contagious laughs and right now, they think I'm the coolest "Aunt" ever. They're no longer babies or toddlers. They're miniature people that bring so much joy to everyday.

Life is good at 5

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My life isn't the most exciting, I realize that. And the point of this was not to brag about "all I've done this year." But I've learned in this crazy sport that it is SO easy to be overtaken with swim/bike/run ALL THE TIME. Of course it's something I'm passionate about. And I have some goals that personally scare the crap out of me and require a disgusting amount of time and energy. But there's so much outside of this triathlon world. I think 'balance' is the word I'm looking for. There's more to me than Swim/Bike/Run. I'm currently wearing an adult Harry Potter themed t-shirt (I'll wear my Disney/Mickey Mouse themed t-shirt tomorrow), have plenty of Chicago Fire/PD/Med to catch up on, and can't wait to find some more time to dive into my Run Fast Eat Slow cookbook. I'm a closet Disney freak who always tries to steal a little cousin to go see the newest movie in theaters. I bleed Orange and Blue and will forever refuse to put "the" in front of Ohio State. Traveling to new places might give me as much joy as racing, and as a result I have a beautiful love affair with the mountains. I'm a pizza and beer snob like you wouldn't believe. (Dominos? Bud Light? Why bother?) I'm as awkward as they come when receiving a gift, but I'll give them all day long. I have an obsession with latte's that started to get out of control, so now I use them as a post-race motivation only. And most importantly, you'll never meet a bigger Cubs fan than me and my family. And right now, there isn't much you could do to ruin the mojo in my house. I guess you could say I'm a child trapped in an adult world, who happens to also be a triathlete. Thanks for reading along the past 365 days. I promise the next 365 will be just as fun because I already have a lot on tap. Cheers.