I've been putting this off so that I could add race pics to my post...but the GO! St Louis site still doesn't have the pics up and I'm at work where I can't access my personal photos, so........you'll just have to wait for the pics. Sorry. ;)
Anyway, I DID IT!!!!! I RAN A HALF MARATHON!!!! WOOT!
I still have so much going through my mind, I don't even know if I can form complete sentences to describe the experience, so I think I'll just have to give the high(and low)lights:
**Standing at the starting line was one of the most overwhelming and exhilerating feelings I've ever felt in my life! There were 15,000 runners in this race and looking up and just seeing BLOCKS of mass people was just incredible. We were facing the Arch at the starting line and it was just such a surreal moment. Hearing the national anthem gave me goosebumbs and it is a moment I will never EVER forget!
**Right when the race started, they played Eye of the Tiger over the loud speakers, which totally made me LOL!
**I randomly saw a girl I went to high school with on my way to the starting line, which was odd since we were 6 hours away from our home town.
**It rained for the ENTIRE duration of the race. Luckily, it was in the 50's with no wind, so it wasn't cold...well, at least not until after the race was over. The 8 block walk back to the hotel afterwards was pretty miserable.
**The first few miles we were running near the interstate and all these cars and semis kept honking at us. That was really cool.
**There were porta potties at the starting line, but then not again until mile 4. We stopped to pee and since it was the first area along the race with bathrooms, the lines were HUGE. That added a good 10+ minutes to our time.
**The first 5 miles FLEW by! We saw our boys along the sidelines right around the 5th mile, so that made our day. They got some pics of us as we ran by.
**I saw a guy on my team at work in the crowd between mile 5 and 6.
**Mile 6 is where things started to get ugly. I had some power gel stuck in my throat that wanted to come up. I had to go behind a bush to make myself puke. We started to hit some hills that went on forever at this point.
**Between mile 9 and 10 we saw one of the Budweiser Clydesdales. It was so HUGE and pretty!
**At mile 10 they were giving out free GU.
**The crowds of people cheering everyone on was so amazing! Everyone was just so positive and full of energy - truly amazing!
**Right after the 10th mile, we all decided it was time to pull out our MP3 players....but none of them would play since they were all wet from the rain. :(
**After the MP3 player incident, we started to split up. One of the girls ran ahead, leaving just 2 of us.
**At mile 11 I had to drop an emergency shadoobie. Damn power gel... LOL
**At mile 12 I stopped and walked a bit with my girl friend as she was hurting really bad. That's when all the pain from my knees hit me - with full force! I gave her a pep talk and reminded her that we had only 1 mile to go and we needed to just power through.
**Just a few minutes later, we passed a guy on the side of the road with a boom box playing Eye of the Tiger - LOL again!
**At about 12 1/2 miles, there were 3 people along the course handing out cups of BEER - sa-weet!!! I grabbed me a beer and cracked up at the fact that I was running down the street in a damn marathon with a cup of beer! Hahahaha!!!!
**I spotted Randy in the crowd right before I crossed the finish line.
**I finished in under 3 hours, which I realize is a ridiculously slow time, but I did what I went there to do - FINISH! Official race time: 2:48:42.
**Did I mention that this was my first RACE ever?? Not just my first half marathon...but my first RACE! *unless you count "field day" in grade school* ;)
**I have a pretty medal that makes me feel like a bad ass.
So, there ya have it! In 5 weeks, I went from running 3 miles to running a half marathon. And I'm already thinking of what I want to run next.....BUT, I need to get back to my tri training first! I have just a little over 2 months until my tri and I've hardly swam at all lately.
Anyway, that's it for my first official race report. Pics to come soon!!! :)
Sunday, April 19, 2009: 13.1 mile run
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Friday Foto!
Okay, this is my first time participating in Foto Friday, so I picked a totally random pic, but it's one of my faves cuz it ALWAYS brings a smile to my face!
Background story: in October 2007, Rylie (who was 5 at the time) approached me and said, "Mom, I want to be a Dalmation Cheerleader for Halloween." This is typical Rylie - always coming up with off-the-wall ideas that are so creative, yet so random, that you often have to wonder where she comes up with this kind of stuff. Though I was caught off guard, I did not need to think it over one bit - the answer was immediately YES. I love Rylie's creativity and I will always encourage her to follow through with her ideas. And though combining 2 costumes into 1 could get costly, she already had a cheerleading uniform in her myriad of dress-up clothes, so all we needed to do was accessorize it with dalmation stuff.
So, we set out for the dalmation part of the costume, and you would be surprised at how difficult it was to find the dalmation ears, nose, and tail. Oh yeah, we had to get a collar too - it even had a little bone on it, LOL! After hitting up SEVEN costume shops, we FINALLY found the dalmation accessories. I also got some black & white make-up so we could do the spots on her face. Just when I thought the costume was complete, she said to me "But Mom, what about my paws??!!" Ugh...so I went and bought some white gloves from Wal-Mart and some black iron-on patches from the sewing section and cut out small "spots" and ironed them on the gloves. THIS:
Background story: in October 2007, Rylie (who was 5 at the time) approached me and said, "Mom, I want to be a Dalmation Cheerleader for Halloween." This is typical Rylie - always coming up with off-the-wall ideas that are so creative, yet so random, that you often have to wonder where she comes up with this kind of stuff. Though I was caught off guard, I did not need to think it over one bit - the answer was immediately YES. I love Rylie's creativity and I will always encourage her to follow through with her ideas. And though combining 2 costumes into 1 could get costly, she already had a cheerleading uniform in her myriad of dress-up clothes, so all we needed to do was accessorize it with dalmation stuff.
So, we set out for the dalmation part of the costume, and you would be surprised at how difficult it was to find the dalmation ears, nose, and tail. Oh yeah, we had to get a collar too - it even had a little bone on it, LOL! After hitting up SEVEN costume shops, we FINALLY found the dalmation accessories. I also got some black & white make-up so we could do the spots on her face. Just when I thought the costume was complete, she said to me "But Mom, what about my paws??!!" Ugh...so I went and bought some white gloves from Wal-Mart and some black iron-on patches from the sewing section and cut out small "spots" and ironed them on the gloves. THIS:
is what we came up with! Could she possibly be any cuter?!? And THAT, my friends, is my Friday Foto! :)
I'm Running a Half Marathon in 2 Days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow, can I say that it just hit me! I mean, it was barely a month ago (March 12th to be exact) that I ran 4 miles for the first time in my life! And in 2 days I'll be running 13.1 - wtf?!?! That's just insane!!
Today I'm feeling a mixture of emotions. We are leaving for St Louis at 6am tomorrow, so I have a lot going through my mind. I'm feeling a lot of anxiety (packing, getting up in time, getting enough sleep tonight, hoping I don't have nervous-stomach issues, there's rain/thunderstorms predicted for sunday - I've never ran in the rain, what if it gets cancelled/rescheduled, I'm having pain again...which i'm hoping will work itself out by then, I couldn't even run 2 miles yesterday, what if I have to "drop my kids off at the pool" during the race, what if we don't get there early enough, what if we don't get our packets on time or we can't find the place to get them, I'm leaving my kids AND I'm going to be 4 hours away from them - will I have separation anxiety, will they, what if they get sick or hurt, what if the guys go out Saturday night and come in late and wake us up and we can't get back to sleep, what if they are too hungover to drive us to the starting line...). Yeah, can you tell I worry too much??
In the end, I feel excited more than anything. I just hope my body cooperates. My last 2 long runs were AWESOME, so hopefully we can recreate that. I'm really hoping that addrenaline takes over and I just kick some ass. ;)
Today I'm feeling a mixture of emotions. We are leaving for St Louis at 6am tomorrow, so I have a lot going through my mind. I'm feeling a lot of anxiety (packing, getting up in time, getting enough sleep tonight, hoping I don't have nervous-stomach issues, there's rain/thunderstorms predicted for sunday - I've never ran in the rain, what if it gets cancelled/rescheduled, I'm having pain again...which i'm hoping will work itself out by then, I couldn't even run 2 miles yesterday, what if I have to "drop my kids off at the pool" during the race, what if we don't get there early enough, what if we don't get our packets on time or we can't find the place to get them, I'm leaving my kids AND I'm going to be 4 hours away from them - will I have separation anxiety, will they, what if they get sick or hurt, what if the guys go out Saturday night and come in late and wake us up and we can't get back to sleep, what if they are too hungover to drive us to the starting line...). Yeah, can you tell I worry too much??
In the end, I feel excited more than anything. I just hope my body cooperates. My last 2 long runs were AWESOME, so hopefully we can recreate that. I'm really hoping that addrenaline takes over and I just kick some ass. ;)
Thursday, April 16, 2009
My "run" tonight....
...if you can even call it that. :\ Let's just say it wasn't the best of runs.
I'm sure there's a lot to factor in here, but mainly I think it's the fact that I hadn't eaten since about 10:45am and then tried to run at like 5:30. Bad idea. I just had no energy. And I knew I needed to eat, but then I'd have to wait a bit and I just wanted to get the run over with before it got dark out. So yeah...
I went about 2 miles, but I probably only ran half of it, if that. :\ I was just tired. Plus, my calf and hamstring hurt (I had just gone to see Jesse at Quest Performance again) and I was a little tender. Throw in the wind, and you can see I had a lot going against me. Just not the best run ever. Oh well, you have good runs and you have bad runs. I'm confident that Sunday's HM will be a good run, so if I had to get a bad run out of my system, I'm glad it was today.
Thursday, April 16, 2009: muscle conditioning, 2 mile run
I'm sure there's a lot to factor in here, but mainly I think it's the fact that I hadn't eaten since about 10:45am and then tried to run at like 5:30. Bad idea. I just had no energy. And I knew I needed to eat, but then I'd have to wait a bit and I just wanted to get the run over with before it got dark out. So yeah...
I went about 2 miles, but I probably only ran half of it, if that. :\ I was just tired. Plus, my calf and hamstring hurt (I had just gone to see Jesse at Quest Performance again) and I was a little tender. Throw in the wind, and you can see I had a lot going against me. Just not the best run ever. Oh well, you have good runs and you have bad runs. I'm confident that Sunday's HM will be a good run, so if I had to get a bad run out of my system, I'm glad it was today.
Thursday, April 16, 2009: muscle conditioning, 2 mile run
Give Aways, Work Outs, and Randoms
Hey everyone, go check out Tall Mom On The Run's blog for an awesome give away!!
Update on the calf: I woke up this morning with pretty much no pain. Typically, it's tight in the morning, but loosens up throughout the day. This morning was the best it has felt first thing in quite awhile. I go back to Dr Jesse Walden again tonight and will hopefully go on my last run tonight before the HM - ONLY 3 DAYS AWAY!!!!
Last night I had every intention of hitting the pool for some laps (have I mentioned that April is half over and I have not swam this month AT ALL!?!?!?!), but it was a hectic night with Rylie having gymnastics and Randy trying to finish up our taxes, so I never made it there. I did, however, get in a nice little bike ride after work before Rylie got home from school. It was so beautiful out, so I got in a quick 8 miles before Ry's bus arrived. Now, I use the term "quick" loosely...cuz our neighborhood is so darn hilly that 8 miles took me a good 40 minutes. :\ So it was a good workout, even if it didn't involve that many miles.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009: muscle conditioning, 8 mile bike ride
Random question of the day: do you ever happen to think of something funny while you're out running (or cycling) alone and start laughing to yourself...and then wonder what passers-by must think when they see you running down the street laughing? This happens to me all the time...LOL.
Update on the calf: I woke up this morning with pretty much no pain. Typically, it's tight in the morning, but loosens up throughout the day. This morning was the best it has felt first thing in quite awhile. I go back to Dr Jesse Walden again tonight and will hopefully go on my last run tonight before the HM - ONLY 3 DAYS AWAY!!!!
Last night I had every intention of hitting the pool for some laps (have I mentioned that April is half over and I have not swam this month AT ALL!?!?!?!), but it was a hectic night with Rylie having gymnastics and Randy trying to finish up our taxes, so I never made it there. I did, however, get in a nice little bike ride after work before Rylie got home from school. It was so beautiful out, so I got in a quick 8 miles before Ry's bus arrived. Now, I use the term "quick" loosely...cuz our neighborhood is so darn hilly that 8 miles took me a good 40 minutes. :\ So it was a good workout, even if it didn't involve that many miles.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009: muscle conditioning, 8 mile bike ride
Random question of the day: do you ever happen to think of something funny while you're out running (or cycling) alone and start laughing to yourself...and then wonder what passers-by must think when they see you running down the street laughing? This happens to me all the time...LOL.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
It's a Miracle!
The pain in my calf is now pretty much 99% GONE! I can't even believe it! Here I've been limping on it for the past week, and it's been non-stop hurting for about 10 days...and now, it's almost back to normal! This is the best I have felt in WEEKS!!!! And it is seriously all thanks to Dr Jesse Walden at Quest Performance Center.
I went to my lunch time yoga class and on my way there, I realized I was walking pain-free and thought to myself "wow...this is crazy! I have no pain!" Then after yoga, I felt even BETTER! I cannot praise this guy enough! I can't even believe all the pain I went through and how quickly he got me all fixed up. I will SOOO be going to him with any sports related issues from now on. And I can't wait to go back tomorrow. St Louis, here I come!!!!
On a downer note...the forecast is calling for scattered thunderstorms in STL for Sunday. :\ I'm hoping that changes...
Random question of the day - are there any bluegrass fans out there? I always find myself giggling when, in the midst of all the hip hop/rock/pop music I have on my MP3 player, a Split Lip Rayfield song pops up and I totally rock out to it on my run. :) Just wondering if anyone else has Split Lip on their Ipods?? ;)
I went to my lunch time yoga class and on my way there, I realized I was walking pain-free and thought to myself "wow...this is crazy! I have no pain!" Then after yoga, I felt even BETTER! I cannot praise this guy enough! I can't even believe all the pain I went through and how quickly he got me all fixed up. I will SOOO be going to him with any sports related issues from now on. And I can't wait to go back tomorrow. St Louis, here I come!!!!
On a downer note...the forecast is calling for scattered thunderstorms in STL for Sunday. :\ I'm hoping that changes...
Random question of the day - are there any bluegrass fans out there? I always find myself giggling when, in the midst of all the hip hop/rock/pop music I have on my MP3 player, a Split Lip Rayfield song pops up and I totally rock out to it on my run. :) Just wondering if anyone else has Split Lip on their Ipods?? ;)
Good News!
I can run again!!!
At the advice of my coach, yesterday I went to see Dr Jesse Walden at Quest Performance Center. I highly encourage any runners in the KC Metro area to check this guy out. He's in Shawnee, KS and he's a chiropractor but also specializes in sports performance. He uses active release techniques as well as chiropractic. He spent a little over an hour with me and really worked on my left calf as well as my right knee, which I've been battling tendonitis with since October. He also said my IT band was over my quad, so he did some work to move it back into place. It was a little painful during the manipulation, but sooo worth it. I have no pain whatsoever in my knee today!
As for the calf, he spent a lot of time on it as well as my left foot and ankle. He advised that I go run on it for 20 minutes or so after my appointment, but to stop if the pain got worse or if I had shooting pain in it. It hurt a little, starting out, but I ran 2 miles of hills pretty easily and was so glad to be running again! I came home and did the stretches he showed me and I honestly don't feel that bad today. I'm still a little sore and achy, but I'm going back to see him again tomorrow and he said I should be fine to run the HM on Sunday - woohoo!!!!
So, after last night's quick 2 mile run, I ended up with 3 workouts for the day, LOL. Here they are:
Tuesday, April 14, 2009: 4 miles on elliptical, muscle conditioning, 2 mile run
At the advice of my coach, yesterday I went to see Dr Jesse Walden at Quest Performance Center. I highly encourage any runners in the KC Metro area to check this guy out. He's in Shawnee, KS and he's a chiropractor but also specializes in sports performance. He uses active release techniques as well as chiropractic. He spent a little over an hour with me and really worked on my left calf as well as my right knee, which I've been battling tendonitis with since October. He also said my IT band was over my quad, so he did some work to move it back into place. It was a little painful during the manipulation, but sooo worth it. I have no pain whatsoever in my knee today!
As for the calf, he spent a lot of time on it as well as my left foot and ankle. He advised that I go run on it for 20 minutes or so after my appointment, but to stop if the pain got worse or if I had shooting pain in it. It hurt a little, starting out, but I ran 2 miles of hills pretty easily and was so glad to be running again! I came home and did the stretches he showed me and I honestly don't feel that bad today. I'm still a little sore and achy, but I'm going back to see him again tomorrow and he said I should be fine to run the HM on Sunday - woohoo!!!!
So, after last night's quick 2 mile run, I ended up with 3 workouts for the day, LOL. Here they are:
Tuesday, April 14, 2009: 4 miles on elliptical, muscle conditioning, 2 mile run
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Nursing My Calf
NO, sillies - not THIS kind of calf:
THIS kind of calf:
*NOTE - this is not MY calf...just some random calf I found on the internet, LOL*
So I took the advice of Fair Weather Runner, The Self-Proclaimed Running DORK and decided to elliptical-it-up this morning, rather than run. Today is Day 6 of not running and the calf is still pretty tight. I'm too scared to run on it just yet...but I felt the elliptical would be a good way to get in a good workout without too much strain on the calf. Let me just say that I *heart* the elliptical! How sweet was she to say that I did 4 miles in 29:58?!?! I mean lets face it, had I actually been running, I would barely have hit 3 miles in that amount of time. Hey, I never said I was a fast runner, and that's the TRUTH!!!
Anyway, the calf feels loosened up and I'm able to walk on it a lot better now. But yesterday, the girl that teaches my yoga and muscle conditioning class mentioned that it could also be achilles tendonitis. She said this also causes pain around the calf as well. Great....the HM is 5 days away and I still can't run. Should I make an appt with my doctor? Can anything be done for tendonitis? Ugh....I don't know what to do. Any advice??
THIS kind of calf:
*NOTE - this is not MY calf...just some random calf I found on the internet, LOL*
So I took the advice of Fair Weather Runner, The Self-Proclaimed Running DORK and decided to elliptical-it-up this morning, rather than run. Today is Day 6 of not running and the calf is still pretty tight. I'm too scared to run on it just yet...but I felt the elliptical would be a good way to get in a good workout without too much strain on the calf. Let me just say that I *heart* the elliptical! How sweet was she to say that I did 4 miles in 29:58?!?! I mean lets face it, had I actually been running, I would barely have hit 3 miles in that amount of time. Hey, I never said I was a fast runner, and that's the TRUTH!!!
Anyway, the calf feels loosened up and I'm able to walk on it a lot better now. But yesterday, the girl that teaches my yoga and muscle conditioning class mentioned that it could also be achilles tendonitis. She said this also causes pain around the calf as well. Great....the HM is 5 days away and I still can't run. Should I make an appt with my doctor? Can anything be done for tendonitis? Ugh....I don't know what to do. Any advice??
I <3 My Followers!!!
Nothing brightens my day more than to come into work and read all of your sweet comments first thing in the morning. :) Thanks for getting my day off to a good start!
That is all. ;)
That is all. ;)
Monday, April 13, 2009
I Was Tagged!!
Preface: Sorry about the layout of this blog - I had some spacing issues and it's annoying...
4. What’s for dinner? Good question. Crap, I forgot to put something out to thaw... Most likely, some kind of meat on the grill (probably chicken or KC strip), a grilled veggie (prob peppers or asperagus...most likely asperagus cuz it's Rylie FAVE), and salad - a staple in our house. I cut up a huge salad every weekend and it lasts all week. We take it in lunches and have it with dinner almost every night. YUMMM!!
5. Say something to the person who tagged you: Her blog is very motivational and inspirational and she leaves comments on my blog that always brighten my day! :)
6. What is one item you could not live without? My cell phone. I don't even like talking on the phone that much, but it's my connection to the outside world. I'd be lost without texting!
7. Vacation spots you must visit before you die? Australia, Italy, Greece, Fiji
8. Three things to do before you die:
1 - Complete a Half Iron Man (getting mighty ambitious here)
1 - My Custom Van (and 50 other mind blowing essays that will blow your mind all over your face) by Michael Ian Black. If you ever watched "The State" on MTV during the 90's, Michael Ian Black was one of the comedians on this show - hilarious!
2 - Multiple Bles8ings by Jon & Kate Gosselin. If you watch Jon & Kate Plus Eight, then you are familiar with this family of 10. I am fascinated by their life and love watching their show with Rylie. My sister's boyfriend got me this book for Christmas and Rylie and I have been reading it together.
3 - Mr Playboy: Huge Hefner and the American Dream by Steven Watts. I'm also obsessed with Hugh Hefner and basically just fascinated by his lifestyle. I preordered this book MONTHS before it came out...and then it arrive right after Harper was born, so I've barely had time to get into it. I really hope by summer time I can pick up on reading again.
4 - Through the Storm by Lynne Spears. Okay, I'm busted. I love reading about drama and scandal. I don't have much exciting stuff in my own life...so I'm all over the celebrity scoop. I actually thought Lynne's book would be more exciting than it is, but she states in the beginning that it's not a "tell all." I'm about half way through it and it's actually a lot more boring than I was expecting. Meh...guess I'll just have to wait for Britney's book to come out. LOL
10. What is the last movie you saw and enjoyed? The last movie I saw in the theaters was Slumdog Millionaire - amazing film! The last movie I watched at all was Seven Pounds at home yesterday - extrordinary!!!!
11. What’s your guilty pleasure? Oh wow....FOOD (I love it all and don't know when to stop), chocolate, booze - I admit it, I love to drink!, celebrity gossip (perezhilton.com, us weekly, etc), and reality tv. Please don't judge me!
12. What’s your favorite smell? Oh gosh...my kids after a bath, fresh cut grass, lilacs...
13.If cost wasn't an issue and you could run any race in the world what would it be? I would love to run the Athens Marathon or do the LavaMan Iron Man in Hawaii.
14. Do you have a goal that you are trying accomplish before 2009 is over? I'm well on track with my '09 goals: my first half marathon (just 6 days away!!) and my first olympic tri (June 28th).
15. Describe one of your happiest moments. This is easy - the day I married Randy in Key Largo and the days my beautiful girls Rylie and Harper were born:
16. What was your best Halloween costume? Again, don't judge me! In '98, the girls I work with and I dressed as the Spice Girls for a costume contest. We got 1st place at the mall and 3rd place at the club we went to that night. In the end, we all spent WAAAAAY more on our costumes than what we won, but we had a great time. Oh, and I was SCARY SPICE!!! Do you know how much I had to TAN for that?? Hahahaha!
18. What do you do that you would be embarassed for others to know about? It's what I don't do that I'm embarrassed about.....but I'll admit it: I hardly EVER do the dishes! My sweet, wonderful husband does them pretty much EVER DAY. I *might* do them once every other month. Oops!!
20. Do you have a favorite training tip? Rest days are just as important as training days. Your body NEEDS them and without them, you are doing more harm than good. So don't forget to take AT LEAST one day off a week!!
21. (My added question) What's your most embarrassing moment? Randy and I were at a club one summer night back in '04. It was extremely hot and they had those huge turbo fans going that you often see at the gym. Well, there was one strategically placed on the floor and angled up. I was walking along in a skirt - a pleated skirt - and with a drink in each hand. Suddenly the fan caught my skirt and blew it STRAIGHT UP. There was nothing "Marilyn Monroe" about this. It was me in a tiny miniskirt that was literally blown straight up around my midsection as I stood there in shock while both hands were full with beverages and there was nothing I could do. LUCKILY I was smart enough to not wear a thong that night. I mean, I know myself and alcohol, so I figured I better play it safe (let's face it, I've seen all the celeb mess-ups and didn't want that to be ME). So there I was, in my lacy boy shorts completely exposed. I finally yelled at Randy, who was waaaay in front of me, to come help me out. He took one of the drinks and I got the skirt under control. I then casually walked up to the table of guys who were sitting in the nearby booth with their mouths gaping open, watching the entire thing. I proceeded to shake all of their hands and tell them I would be signing autographs momentarily. I mean, how else do you recover from that?? I have not worn a skirt to a bar/club since.
Ok, I tag:
Teacherwoman at Dare To Tri tagged me to fill out this survey and I've been working on it for a couple days now, so here goes:
The rules are:
1. Fill it out
2. Change one question with one of your own
3. Add an additional question
4. Send it to 3 people.
1. What are your current obsessions? Training for my upcoming half marathon (6 days away!!!), training for my upcoming triathlon, and blogging (I have 3 blogs: Journey To A Better Me where I track my training progress, Everyday Life... where I blog about my life outside of training *family, friends, work, etc*, and The Bung Blog where my bestie & I get a little silly. ;)
2. Which item from your closet are you wearing most often? I'm currently obsessed with my Champion running skirt - comfy AND equipped with a pocket for my keys, etc when I'm out and about. :)
2. Which item from your closet are you wearing most often? I'm currently obsessed with my Champion running skirt - comfy AND equipped with a pocket for my keys, etc when I'm out and about. :)
3. Last thing you bought for myself? I had a small shopping outing last weekend where I purchased a pair of running shorts from Target, some lotion from Bath & Body Works (thank you mail out coupons!), and a case of powerbars, a case of power gels, and a 6 pack of 5 Hour Energy from GNC (thanks to my 20% Gold Card discount).
4. What’s for dinner? Good question. Crap, I forgot to put something out to thaw... Most likely, some kind of meat on the grill (probably chicken or KC strip), a grilled veggie (prob peppers or asperagus...most likely asperagus cuz it's Rylie FAVE), and salad - a staple in our house. I cut up a huge salad every weekend and it lasts all week. We take it in lunches and have it with dinner almost every night. YUMMM!!
5. Say something to the person who tagged you: Her blog is very motivational and inspirational and she leaves comments on my blog that always brighten my day! :)
6. What is one item you could not live without? My cell phone. I don't even like talking on the phone that much, but it's my connection to the outside world. I'd be lost without texting!
7. Vacation spots you must visit before you die? Australia, Italy, Greece, Fiji
8. Three things to do before you die:
*This is tough...*
1 - Complete a Half Iron Man (getting mighty ambitious here)
2 - Complete a Full Marathon (dreaming BIG)
3 - Travel to at least ONE of the places mentioned in #7
9. What are you reading right now? LOL, I normally read a LOT...but ever since Harper was born (almost 8 months ago), I just haven't had much time. I'm currently in the middle of 4 books, lol.
9. What are you reading right now? LOL, I normally read a LOT...but ever since Harper was born (almost 8 months ago), I just haven't had much time. I'm currently in the middle of 4 books, lol.
1 - My Custom Van (and 50 other mind blowing essays that will blow your mind all over your face) by Michael Ian Black. If you ever watched "The State" on MTV during the 90's, Michael Ian Black was one of the comedians on this show - hilarious!
2 - Multiple Bles8ings by Jon & Kate Gosselin. If you watch Jon & Kate Plus Eight, then you are familiar with this family of 10. I am fascinated by their life and love watching their show with Rylie. My sister's boyfriend got me this book for Christmas and Rylie and I have been reading it together.
3 - Mr Playboy: Huge Hefner and the American Dream by Steven Watts. I'm also obsessed with Hugh Hefner and basically just fascinated by his lifestyle. I preordered this book MONTHS before it came out...and then it arrive right after Harper was born, so I've barely had time to get into it. I really hope by summer time I can pick up on reading again.
4 - Through the Storm by Lynne Spears. Okay, I'm busted. I love reading about drama and scandal. I don't have much exciting stuff in my own life...so I'm all over the celebrity scoop. I actually thought Lynne's book would be more exciting than it is, but she states in the beginning that it's not a "tell all." I'm about half way through it and it's actually a lot more boring than I was expecting. Meh...guess I'll just have to wait for Britney's book to come out. LOL
10. What is the last movie you saw and enjoyed? The last movie I saw in the theaters was Slumdog Millionaire - amazing film! The last movie I watched at all was Seven Pounds at home yesterday - extrordinary!!!!
11. What’s your guilty pleasure? Oh wow....FOOD (I love it all and don't know when to stop), chocolate, booze - I admit it, I love to drink!, celebrity gossip (perezhilton.com, us weekly, etc), and reality tv. Please don't judge me!
12. What’s your favorite smell? Oh gosh...my kids after a bath, fresh cut grass, lilacs...
13.If cost wasn't an issue and you could run any race in the world what would it be? I would love to run the Athens Marathon or do the LavaMan Iron Man in Hawaii.
14. Do you have a goal that you are trying accomplish before 2009 is over? I'm well on track with my '09 goals: my first half marathon (just 6 days away!!) and my first olympic tri (June 28th).
15. Describe one of your happiest moments. This is easy - the day I married Randy in Key Largo and the days my beautiful girls Rylie and Harper were born:
16. What was your best Halloween costume? Again, don't judge me! In '98, the girls I work with and I dressed as the Spice Girls for a costume contest. We got 1st place at the mall and 3rd place at the club we went to that night. In the end, we all spent WAAAAAY more on our costumes than what we won, but we had a great time. Oh, and I was SCARY SPICE!!! Do you know how much I had to TAN for that?? Hahahaha!
17. What do you have an addiction to? Chocolate. And wine.
18. What do you do that you would be embarassed for others to know about? It's what I don't do that I'm embarrassed about.....but I'll admit it: I hardly EVER do the dishes! My sweet, wonderful husband does them pretty much EVER DAY. I *might* do them once every other month. Oops!!
19. What is one totally irrational fear you have? I have MAJOR anxiety about bad things happening to my family. I worry that Rylie will get kidnapped or that they will get in wrecks. It's so bad that Randy no longer allows me to watch the news because it always ends up with me crying, losing sleep, and/or having to take a xanax. Srsly....
20. Do you have a favorite training tip? Rest days are just as important as training days. Your body NEEDS them and without them, you are doing more harm than good. So don't forget to take AT LEAST one day off a week!!
21. (My added question) What's your most embarrassing moment? Randy and I were at a club one summer night back in '04. It was extremely hot and they had those huge turbo fans going that you often see at the gym. Well, there was one strategically placed on the floor and angled up. I was walking along in a skirt - a pleated skirt - and with a drink in each hand. Suddenly the fan caught my skirt and blew it STRAIGHT UP. There was nothing "Marilyn Monroe" about this. It was me in a tiny miniskirt that was literally blown straight up around my midsection as I stood there in shock while both hands were full with beverages and there was nothing I could do. LUCKILY I was smart enough to not wear a thong that night. I mean, I know myself and alcohol, so I figured I better play it safe (let's face it, I've seen all the celeb mess-ups and didn't want that to be ME). So there I was, in my lacy boy shorts completely exposed. I finally yelled at Randy, who was waaaay in front of me, to come help me out. He took one of the drinks and I got the skirt under control. I then casually walked up to the table of guys who were sitting in the nearby booth with their mouths gaping open, watching the entire thing. I proceeded to shake all of their hands and tell them I would be signing autographs momentarily. I mean, how else do you recover from that?? I have not worn a skirt to a bar/club since.
Ok, I tag:
3. Melanie at 2nd Chances
Sunday, April 12, 2009
It's Been A Few Days...
Okay, so I haven't written much in the past few days. That's probably because I haven't done much in the past few days either. :\ After Wednesday's long run, I've been pretty sore. And by pretty sore, I mean barely able to walk. The left calf is strained, to say the least. So yes, I should have listened to those of you that said not to do the long run if I wasn't fully recovered from the previous long run. With that being said, it is getting better and I have no doubt that I'll be able to run the half marathon in one week from today. I haven't ran since Wednesday and I don't plan to run again until I'm feeling better. I'm hoping to get a couple 2 or 3 mile runs in this week...but it all depends on this calf.
My tri training this week has been on the back burner. No swimming again. :\ I swear, as soon as this half is over, I need to get my rear to the pool at least twice a week for awhile. I didn't go to muscle conditioning on Thursday because I could barely walk. Friday was a rest day as well. Yesterday I skipped tri practice too. It was a 20 mile bike ride, but it was over in the same area that we had the "mountainous" ride about a month ago...and my body just could not handle that right now. Plus, we had plans to take the girls to an Easter Egg Hunt yesterday morning anyway.
Well, later in the afternoon, it was in the 60's and I was itchin to take my bike out for a spin. I gathered up my gear and just as I was about to head out the door, Rylie asked if she could go too. Mind you, Rylie is 6 years old and just got her training wheels off about a month ago. I thought about it for a minute and figured it wouldn't be a rigorous ride for me, given the condition of my poor, aching muscles...so I figured why not? I loaded our bikes onto the bike rack and we headed for the downtown airport.
I have to tell you, I was soooo impressed with Ry! It was her first time to ride in an actual street with other vehicles (there's not that much traffic out there, and for the little traffic we did deal with, I explained how she needed to stay all the way over and let me get in front of her rather than beside her when cars were coming). She never crashed and she kept up and a pretty decent pace, considering she's only six and on a child's bike. Can you believe she rode 13 miles with me??!! And in fact, I finally had to call it a day when it was getting close to dinner time. SHE wanted to keep going! She's gonna grow up to be just like her mama, I tell you!
Here are some pics from the airport:
Here's a pic of the adorable Rylie - don't ya love the tassles on her bike? :) And a pic she took of me. Oh yeah, we have matching sunglasses. :)
Here's a pic of Rylie with the Broadway Bridge in the background and then a pic of downtown from the airport.
And here's a pic of the runway and a pic of some small planes. (The downtown airport is not a commercial airport, it's for small, private planes only. It's pretty teeny.)
Well, that sums up my "workouts" for the past few days. I will be back later today to post another blog. The adorable Teacherwoman at Dare To Tri tagged me, so I am excited and honored to fill out a little survey to post in a bit and tag 3 other readers. Hmmmm....who shall I tag?? ;)
Saturday, April 11, 2009: 13 mile bike ride
Thursday, April 9, 2009
The Strength Within Us is a Magical Thing
First off, have I mentioned how grateful I am of everyone's advice/comments?? Thanks again SO MUCH to everyone. Your encouraging words and advice mean more to me than you will ever know.
Yesterday was a crazy day. Mentally, I felt ready for the 11 mile run. Physically, I was still dealing with tight muscles from Friday's run...and I was also coming down with a bit of a sore throat. Then I went to yoga....(a few of you have asked about my lunch time classes -yoga & muscle conditioning- and they are offered here at my work - one of the perks of working for corporate America - we have a fitness center equipped with locker rooms, showers, etc right here at work)...and suddenly, for the first time in about a week, my left calf felt fine. 100% completely fine. It was a miracle, lol. I also stopped by the nurse's office (yes, we have a nurse too) to get some medicine for the drainage I was experiencing. 3:00 rolled around and I was feeling good...so off we went to the downtown airport for our run.
When we got there, I told the girls I was not going to do the full 11 miles. I planned to at least do the first loop, and then maybe the second, but that would probably be it. So we headed off for the first loop - 3.6 miles. During the first loop, we got told by airport personnel that they had construction going on and that they preferred that we did not go back between the baracades, so that altered our route a bit after the first loop. We stopped at 3.6 miles for a drink, stretch, and power gel and then headed off to run the east side and back. At 6.5 miles, we had a quick drink and stretch and I felt like I had a few more miles in me so we ran the other side of the loop and back. At our last fuel break, we were at 9 miles. At this point, I was just thinking "what's another 2 more miles?" So we set out for our final 2 miles.
Sooooo....11 miles: accomplished! And once again, NO WALKING. The run went really well and I really didn't have much pain during the run.
Today, however, is a different story. My left calf is definitely angry with me. Mainly, it just feels sore and fatigued. I'm moving very slowly today. My legs are tired and stiff...and I have another black toe. :( Ouch. I also still have some minor congestion that could turn into something, but I don't feel any worse than I felt yesterday. In fact, as far as that goes, I feel a bit better.
Not sure if I'll be making it to muscle conditioning today. I think my muscles need a break. I already rubbed aspercreme on them this morning and I'll be hitting up the icy hot when I get home. I iced my calves last night and stretched a TON and I've been taking naproxen, but I'm not sure if much can be done to aleviate the pain I'm feeling right now. But at least I have a break from long runs now until race day, which is 10 days away. All in all, I'm feeling pretty good about myself. I just wish I was recovering from a long run at home and not at work. Oh well...
Wednesday, April 8, 2009: yoga, 11.4 mile run
Yesterday was a crazy day. Mentally, I felt ready for the 11 mile run. Physically, I was still dealing with tight muscles from Friday's run...and I was also coming down with a bit of a sore throat. Then I went to yoga....(a few of you have asked about my lunch time classes -yoga & muscle conditioning- and they are offered here at my work - one of the perks of working for corporate America - we have a fitness center equipped with locker rooms, showers, etc right here at work)...and suddenly, for the first time in about a week, my left calf felt fine. 100% completely fine. It was a miracle, lol. I also stopped by the nurse's office (yes, we have a nurse too) to get some medicine for the drainage I was experiencing. 3:00 rolled around and I was feeling good...so off we went to the downtown airport for our run.
When we got there, I told the girls I was not going to do the full 11 miles. I planned to at least do the first loop, and then maybe the second, but that would probably be it. So we headed off for the first loop - 3.6 miles. During the first loop, we got told by airport personnel that they had construction going on and that they preferred that we did not go back between the baracades, so that altered our route a bit after the first loop. We stopped at 3.6 miles for a drink, stretch, and power gel and then headed off to run the east side and back. At 6.5 miles, we had a quick drink and stretch and I felt like I had a few more miles in me so we ran the other side of the loop and back. At our last fuel break, we were at 9 miles. At this point, I was just thinking "what's another 2 more miles?" So we set out for our final 2 miles.
Sooooo....11 miles: accomplished! And once again, NO WALKING. The run went really well and I really didn't have much pain during the run.
Today, however, is a different story. My left calf is definitely angry with me. Mainly, it just feels sore and fatigued. I'm moving very slowly today. My legs are tired and stiff...and I have another black toe. :( Ouch. I also still have some minor congestion that could turn into something, but I don't feel any worse than I felt yesterday. In fact, as far as that goes, I feel a bit better.
Not sure if I'll be making it to muscle conditioning today. I think my muscles need a break. I already rubbed aspercreme on them this morning and I'll be hitting up the icy hot when I get home. I iced my calves last night and stretched a TON and I've been taking naproxen, but I'm not sure if much can be done to aleviate the pain I'm feeling right now. But at least I have a break from long runs now until race day, which is 10 days away. All in all, I'm feeling pretty good about myself. I just wish I was recovering from a long run at home and not at work. Oh well...
Wednesday, April 8, 2009: yoga, 11.4 mile run
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Still On The Fence
First off, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone for your advice and comments!!! Being new to the running world, I am constantly looking to you more experienced runners for your thoughts and opinions. It truly helps to know that running a half is possible without having ran more than 10 miles prior to race day. I helps to know what I'm up against and it helps to know the difference between pushing and pushing too hard. So thank you to everyone for your in put.
As for today...I think I'm just going to have to feel it out. I was truly hoping to wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. But I'm still feeling the tension in my left calf pretty badly. I'm going to yoga on my lunch break and I'm hoping this will help a bit. Mentally, I feel prepared for this run. Physically...I'm just not sure.
My plan is to run the first loop (3.6 miles) and see how I feel after that. If I'm feeling good, I'll continue. If not, I'll call it a day. My other dilemma now is that my throat hurts just slightly...and I feel that I could be getting sick again. I know that if I push myself to do a long run tonight, I can pretty much guarantee killing my immune system and thus end up sick. That's what happened after my 8 mile run a few weeks ago.
I'm just gonna push the water & vitamins today and pray that I can make it through one more long run. If I can't, I can't...but I'm gonna give it my best try. That's all I can really do at this point.
Thanks again and I'll let you all know how it goes.
As for today...I think I'm just going to have to feel it out. I was truly hoping to wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. But I'm still feeling the tension in my left calf pretty badly. I'm going to yoga on my lunch break and I'm hoping this will help a bit. Mentally, I feel prepared for this run. Physically...I'm just not sure.
My plan is to run the first loop (3.6 miles) and see how I feel after that. If I'm feeling good, I'll continue. If not, I'll call it a day. My other dilemma now is that my throat hurts just slightly...and I feel that I could be getting sick again. I know that if I push myself to do a long run tonight, I can pretty much guarantee killing my immune system and thus end up sick. That's what happened after my 8 mile run a few weeks ago.
I'm just gonna push the water & vitamins today and pray that I can make it through one more long run. If I can't, I can't...but I'm gonna give it my best try. That's all I can really do at this point.
Thanks again and I'll let you all know how it goes.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Unsure Of What To Do...
Okay, so we normally do our long runs on Fridays. Well, the forcast is predicting a 90% chance of rain on Friday...and a 60% chance of rain on Thursday. So basically, the girls have decided to move our long run to TOMORROW. (We all have plans for the weekend with it being Easter, plus I have tri practice on Saturday, so the weekend is out.) Mind you that I didn't even do my 4 mile run yesterday because I still don't feel recovered from Friday's 10. On top of that, since this is our last long run before St Louis, one of the girls wants to run 12 instead of 11. I'm really starting to have reservations...
I was okay about it earlier today. I made arrangements for my oldest daughter to get picked up from the bus stop tomorrow so I can go run after work. I've had it in my mind all day that I'm running 11 miles tomorrow (we haven't made a for-sure decision yet about the 12).
Well, I went to the gym after work to do some training for my triathlon. I was going to have a light day of just 8 miles on the stationary bike, and 2 miles on the treadmill. I did my 8 miles on the bike, got over to the treadmill, and only made it through .6 mile of agony. My left calf and right hamstring are NOT feeling good at all. My knees are also not in the best shape. I quickly got off the TM and came home. I took some naproxen and I'm about to use some sports cream on my muscles....but I'm wondering if it's been enough time since my last long run to go ahead and jump into another long run.
Now, here's my dilemma: St Louis is in 12 days. The girls I'm running with are doing their final long run tomorrow, with or without me. I'm not sure I can handle a run this long by myself....so if I don't run tomorrow, I probably won't do an 11 mile run at all. And if I don't, will I truly be prepared for the half marathon having not ran further than 10 miles by race day?? What do I do? I'm afraid of pushing myself too hard and ending up injuring myself. But I'm also wondering if I'm just being a baby and psyching myself out? I'm so torn....
*EDIT* I just got off the phone with Kristen, one of my running partners. I think I'm just going to start pushing the water like crazy tonight and make sure to just stretch really well for the next few hours. I have yoga tomorrow too, so that will help. I'm going to make sure to eat really well tonight and tomorrow and make sure to take a naproxen in the morning and again right before the run. I'm also going to take some sports cream and just pray that I can make it through the 11 miles. If I can make it through, I get a 10 day break from long runs before the race. If, at any point tomorrow, I start to feel REALLY bad, like I just can't run anymore, I'll call it a day. But I feel like I have to try.
Oh, and I'm also nervous about having to get up at 4:45 the following morning to work rather than sleeping in and recovering. I will definitely have to figure out an outfit that does not involve HEELS for both Thursday and Friday. That will be tough since I pretty much only own dress shoes with heels and long dress pants intended to be worn with heels. In fact, I better go figure all of that out right now.
WISH ME LUCK!!! And if you have any advice on how to get through all of this without injury, please share!!!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009: muscle conditioning, 8 mile bike, .6 mile run <--lame :\
I was okay about it earlier today. I made arrangements for my oldest daughter to get picked up from the bus stop tomorrow so I can go run after work. I've had it in my mind all day that I'm running 11 miles tomorrow (we haven't made a for-sure decision yet about the 12).
Well, I went to the gym after work to do some training for my triathlon. I was going to have a light day of just 8 miles on the stationary bike, and 2 miles on the treadmill. I did my 8 miles on the bike, got over to the treadmill, and only made it through .6 mile of agony. My left calf and right hamstring are NOT feeling good at all. My knees are also not in the best shape. I quickly got off the TM and came home. I took some naproxen and I'm about to use some sports cream on my muscles....but I'm wondering if it's been enough time since my last long run to go ahead and jump into another long run.
Now, here's my dilemma: St Louis is in 12 days. The girls I'm running with are doing their final long run tomorrow, with or without me. I'm not sure I can handle a run this long by myself....so if I don't run tomorrow, I probably won't do an 11 mile run at all. And if I don't, will I truly be prepared for the half marathon having not ran further than 10 miles by race day?? What do I do? I'm afraid of pushing myself too hard and ending up injuring myself. But I'm also wondering if I'm just being a baby and psyching myself out? I'm so torn....
*EDIT* I just got off the phone with Kristen, one of my running partners. I think I'm just going to start pushing the water like crazy tonight and make sure to just stretch really well for the next few hours. I have yoga tomorrow too, so that will help. I'm going to make sure to eat really well tonight and tomorrow and make sure to take a naproxen in the morning and again right before the run. I'm also going to take some sports cream and just pray that I can make it through the 11 miles. If I can make it through, I get a 10 day break from long runs before the race. If, at any point tomorrow, I start to feel REALLY bad, like I just can't run anymore, I'll call it a day. But I feel like I have to try.
Oh, and I'm also nervous about having to get up at 4:45 the following morning to work rather than sleeping in and recovering. I will definitely have to figure out an outfit that does not involve HEELS for both Thursday and Friday. That will be tough since I pretty much only own dress shoes with heels and long dress pants intended to be worn with heels. In fact, I better go figure all of that out right now.
WISH ME LUCK!!! And if you have any advice on how to get through all of this without injury, please share!!!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009: muscle conditioning, 8 mile bike, .6 mile run <--lame :\
10690
That's my bib number for St Louis! Woot!!!!
On another note...I didn't run yesterday. I was just so tired yesterday and not feeling quite fully recovered from Friday's 10 miles. I still did yoga, but that's it. In my defense, I had an eye appt and after getting my eyes dilated, I was pretty much blind for the rest of the night. So that's that.
On today's agenda: muscle conditioning and either a cycle/run combo at the gym tonight or else some lap swimming at the pool....depends on my mood tonight. ;)
Monday, April 6, 2009: yoga
On another note...I didn't run yesterday. I was just so tired yesterday and not feeling quite fully recovered from Friday's 10 miles. I still did yoga, but that's it. In my defense, I had an eye appt and after getting my eyes dilated, I was pretty much blind for the rest of the night. So that's that.
On today's agenda: muscle conditioning and either a cycle/run combo at the gym tonight or else some lap swimming at the pool....depends on my mood tonight. ;)
Monday, April 6, 2009: yoga
Saturday, April 4, 2009
10 Miles - CHECK!!!
I am pleased to announce that not only did I survive yesterday's 10 mile run...but it was actually one of the best runs I think I've ever had! Thanks go out to the weather (warm with mild wind), the route (mostly flat), and the wonderful company (my 1/2 marathon partner Kristen).
Our time wasn't the greatest...and unfortunately we didn't have a garmin on us to give us the exact stats. But let me give you a little run down of how the run went:
We ran at the downtown airport again. Basically, there are no cars out there, just runners and cyclists. It's open and has just 2 tiny hills, the rest is flat. The loop is 3.6 miles around. We have a spot that we run to and back after the full loop to make it 4 miles. We did the first 4 mile loop sans ipods. We were having a good time talking and catching up and it made the loop go by relatively quickly. I remember telling Kristen at one point that my legs felt heavy and I felt like I was just shuffling along, but it's pretty typical for me to not really get into the run until after the first 3 miles.
After the first loop, we stopped back at the car to refuel. I downed a GU and some Powerade and we both stretched quite a bit. We had originally planned to grab our music for the next loop, but we were having such a good time talking, we decided against it. So we set off for our second 4 mile loop without our MP3 players.
We were running along, deep in coversation and well past the 5 mile mark when I turned to Kristen and blurted out "Oh my gosh, I just realized we haven't stopped to walk even ONCE!" Kristen looked a little surprised, as if she hadn't realized that yet either. Near about 7.5 miles, the arch in my right foot started to really tighten up. But I promised Kristen we would at least make it to 8 miles without stopping to walk.
After 8 miles, we were back at our cars for a quick drink and stretch before setting out for our final 2 miles. I was fatigued, but I felt like I still had 2 more miles in me. Mind you that prior to yesterday, 8 miles was the furthest I had ran. But I didn't feel near the exhaustion I felt after the 8 mile run 2 weeks ago.
At this point, we decided to head out for our final 2 miles without our MP3 players. We had come this far and didn't feel that they were necessary for this particular run. We kept digging for things to talk about to take our minds off the run. We got to the turn around point at 9 miles and headed back for our final mile. By then, my right arch was pretty tight, as was my left calf. But we were both determined to make the full 10 miles without walking....we had come so far. We finally got to where our cars were in sight - the finish line! And I am pleased to announce that not only did I survive a full 10 mile run without the aid of my MP3 player...but I also did it without WALKING!!!
Just one month ago, I hadn't ever ran more than 4 miles in my life....and actually no more than 3 miles in my adult life. Now I'm running 10 miles without walking and while carrying on a conversation the entire time! This completely blows my mind! All I have to say is that I feel pretty bad ass right now! ;) I can barely walk today....but I still feel pretty bad ass. :P
Friday, April 3, 2009: 10 mile run!!!
Our time wasn't the greatest...and unfortunately we didn't have a garmin on us to give us the exact stats. But let me give you a little run down of how the run went:
We ran at the downtown airport again. Basically, there are no cars out there, just runners and cyclists. It's open and has just 2 tiny hills, the rest is flat. The loop is 3.6 miles around. We have a spot that we run to and back after the full loop to make it 4 miles. We did the first 4 mile loop sans ipods. We were having a good time talking and catching up and it made the loop go by relatively quickly. I remember telling Kristen at one point that my legs felt heavy and I felt like I was just shuffling along, but it's pretty typical for me to not really get into the run until after the first 3 miles.
After the first loop, we stopped back at the car to refuel. I downed a GU and some Powerade and we both stretched quite a bit. We had originally planned to grab our music for the next loop, but we were having such a good time talking, we decided against it. So we set off for our second 4 mile loop without our MP3 players.
We were running along, deep in coversation and well past the 5 mile mark when I turned to Kristen and blurted out "Oh my gosh, I just realized we haven't stopped to walk even ONCE!" Kristen looked a little surprised, as if she hadn't realized that yet either. Near about 7.5 miles, the arch in my right foot started to really tighten up. But I promised Kristen we would at least make it to 8 miles without stopping to walk.
After 8 miles, we were back at our cars for a quick drink and stretch before setting out for our final 2 miles. I was fatigued, but I felt like I still had 2 more miles in me. Mind you that prior to yesterday, 8 miles was the furthest I had ran. But I didn't feel near the exhaustion I felt after the 8 mile run 2 weeks ago.
At this point, we decided to head out for our final 2 miles without our MP3 players. We had come this far and didn't feel that they were necessary for this particular run. We kept digging for things to talk about to take our minds off the run. We got to the turn around point at 9 miles and headed back for our final mile. By then, my right arch was pretty tight, as was my left calf. But we were both determined to make the full 10 miles without walking....we had come so far. We finally got to where our cars were in sight - the finish line! And I am pleased to announce that not only did I survive a full 10 mile run without the aid of my MP3 player...but I also did it without WALKING!!!
Just one month ago, I hadn't ever ran more than 4 miles in my life....and actually no more than 3 miles in my adult life. Now I'm running 10 miles without walking and while carrying on a conversation the entire time! This completely blows my mind! All I have to say is that I feel pretty bad ass right now! ;) I can barely walk today....but I still feel pretty bad ass. :P
Friday, April 3, 2009: 10 mile run!!!
Friday, April 3, 2009
Everything In Stride
Last night I attended a stride workshop given my Jack Cady. If you are looking to improve your running form, I highly suggest you check out his website: StrideMechanics. I really want to have a one-on-one stride analysis done with him. For $100, he video tapes you running and analyzes your run and helps you improve your form. You also get several goodies, including the video, his book, a t-shirt, etc. I have my 10 mile run tonight and I'm really hoping I can implement some of the tips I learned last night.
I'm excited/anxious about my run tonight. I'm sure it will be fine. I'm just a little tired and sore today. I've worked out pretty hard this week and I feel like I am permanently sore. I'm also sleepy and just ready for the weekend to be here. On the bright side, we're running at the downtown airport again, so at least the course will be relatively flat for the long run.
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Get out and enjoy the weather tomorrow....because Sunday it could snow again! Oh, and good luck to anyone running the Olathe Marathon (since it was cancelled last weekend due to the weather)!
Thursday, April 2, 2009: muscle conditioning
I'm excited/anxious about my run tonight. I'm sure it will be fine. I'm just a little tired and sore today. I've worked out pretty hard this week and I feel like I am permanently sore. I'm also sleepy and just ready for the weekend to be here. On the bright side, we're running at the downtown airport again, so at least the course will be relatively flat for the long run.
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Get out and enjoy the weather tomorrow....because Sunday it could snow again! Oh, and good luck to anyone running the Olathe Marathon (since it was cancelled last weekend due to the weather)!
Thursday, April 2, 2009: muscle conditioning
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Yesterday = Great Run!!!
Funny, I wasn't even in the mood to run yesterday. I was exhausted after work and really just wanted to take a nap. I'm not sure what go into me, but I ended up having one of the best runs ever. Maybe it was the 3 monster cookies I ate right before the run that fueled me, lol. Maybe it was the luck of some really great songs popping up during the shuffle on my MP3 player. Maybe it was the fact that even tho it was gray and dreary out, there was -for once- no wind. Maybe it was the fact that there were several other runners and walkers out in the neighborhood that smiled and waved and brightened my day. Regardless of what it was, it was simply a great run. Period.
I ran in my neighborhood, which as I've mentioned before, is extremely hilly. I really need to take some pics this weekend (*note to self*). I was kind of bored with my route I've been using lately, so I switched it up a bit. I was supposed to run 4 miles, but I knew I came up short. I was hoping it was at least 3.6 miles....but after I drove it, it ended up being only 3.3. :/ This is why I need a garmin!! Oh well, I'm still happy with the fact that I ran the entire thing with the exception of one GIANT hill. And actually, I ran said giant hill the FIRST time through...and just walked it on the second loop. I had a lot of energy and was just in a good mood yesterday, which made for a great run. So even though it was shorter than planned, I'm still happy with it. BUT....I have the normal aches and pains today (and even most of last night): right knee and left calf. I stretched a ton, but they're still bothering me. Hopefully I'll be feeling better tomorrow since tomorrow is the big 10 miler!!! My first run in the double digits - wish me luck!! :)
Tonight I'm going to a stride workshop, which I'm super excited about. For those of you new to my blog, I have never been a runner until recently. I never ran track. I never ran cross country. I have never even ran a 5K or any sort of race at all...EVER. So basically, I've never been coached on my run. I'm really looking forward to the presentation and tips on how to improve my run/stride/posture, etc. I know it's going to be super beneficial and it couldn't come at a better time, with my first 10 mile run being tomorrow. My friend Kristen, who is running St Louis with me, is going with me tonight too. I'm really excited to learn more about ways to improve my run.
Since I'm going to the workshop tonight, I won't be swimming - not enough time. But I'll still go to muscle conditioning. Here's yesterday's workout 411:
Wednesday, April 1, 2009: yoga, 3.3 mile run
I ran in my neighborhood, which as I've mentioned before, is extremely hilly. I really need to take some pics this weekend (*note to self*). I was kind of bored with my route I've been using lately, so I switched it up a bit. I was supposed to run 4 miles, but I knew I came up short. I was hoping it was at least 3.6 miles....but after I drove it, it ended up being only 3.3. :/ This is why I need a garmin!! Oh well, I'm still happy with the fact that I ran the entire thing with the exception of one GIANT hill. And actually, I ran said giant hill the FIRST time through...and just walked it on the second loop. I had a lot of energy and was just in a good mood yesterday, which made for a great run. So even though it was shorter than planned, I'm still happy with it. BUT....I have the normal aches and pains today (and even most of last night): right knee and left calf. I stretched a ton, but they're still bothering me. Hopefully I'll be feeling better tomorrow since tomorrow is the big 10 miler!!! My first run in the double digits - wish me luck!! :)
Tonight I'm going to a stride workshop, which I'm super excited about. For those of you new to my blog, I have never been a runner until recently. I never ran track. I never ran cross country. I have never even ran a 5K or any sort of race at all...EVER. So basically, I've never been coached on my run. I'm really looking forward to the presentation and tips on how to improve my run/stride/posture, etc. I know it's going to be super beneficial and it couldn't come at a better time, with my first 10 mile run being tomorrow. My friend Kristen, who is running St Louis with me, is going with me tonight too. I'm really excited to learn more about ways to improve my run.
Since I'm going to the workshop tonight, I won't be swimming - not enough time. But I'll still go to muscle conditioning. Here's yesterday's workout 411:
Wednesday, April 1, 2009: yoga, 3.3 mile run
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
March Totals
Cycle: 6 days of cycling, 73.6 miles total
Run: 7 days of running, 35.15 miles total
Swim: 4 days of swimming, 2 miles total
Weight Training: 7 days
Yoga: 7 days
Total days of cardio: 17
Total days worked out: 21
Not bad, considering I was recovering from a car wreck the first week of the month and I also struggled with bronchitis at the end of the month.
Here are my YTD totals:
Cycle: 10 days of cycling, 103.1 miles total
Run: 21 days of running, 65.4 miles total
Swim: 8 days of swimming, 3.9375 miles total
Weight Training: 21 days
Yoga: 16 days
Total days of cardio: 42
Total days worked out: 58
It's amazing to me to look back at January and see where I was only running a mile or a mile and a half. Now look at me - I'm running 10 miles on Friday and a half marathon in just over 2 weeks from now. What a great sense of accomplishment. :)
By the way, welcome all my new followers and THANK YOU to everyone for such positive and encouraging comments. You guys truly make my day!!!
Run: 7 days of running, 35.15 miles total
Swim: 4 days of swimming, 2 miles total
Weight Training: 7 days
Yoga: 7 days
Total days of cardio: 17
Total days worked out: 21
Not bad, considering I was recovering from a car wreck the first week of the month and I also struggled with bronchitis at the end of the month.
Here are my YTD totals:
Cycle: 10 days of cycling, 103.1 miles total
Run: 21 days of running, 65.4 miles total
Swim: 8 days of swimming, 3.9375 miles total
Weight Training: 21 days
Yoga: 16 days
Total days of cardio: 42
Total days worked out: 58
It's amazing to me to look back at January and see where I was only running a mile or a mile and a half. Now look at me - I'm running 10 miles on Friday and a half marathon in just over 2 weeks from now. What a great sense of accomplishment. :)
By the way, welcome all my new followers and THANK YOU to everyone for such positive and encouraging comments. You guys truly make my day!!!
Back in the pool...
I finally swam last night for the first time in 3 weeks. It definitely was not the best swim I've ever had....but it wasn't the worst either. I have taken note, however, that I need to not eat dinner within at least 2 hours before a swim. And once this half marathon is over, I really need to put more focus on my swimming. All along I've had it in my head that if I get too tired doing the crawl, I can take a break and side stroke for awhile. Last night it hit me....side stroke takes a lot of leg work. I need to save my legs for my cycle and run....so maybe side stroke isn't such a great idea afterall? Which means that I REALLY need to work on my crawl. Ugh.....why didn't I think of this before now?
My entire body is pretty much sore all over today. Between running and yoga on Monday and swimming and muscle conditioning yesterday, plus a visit to my chiropractor both Monday and yesterday, I feel like every single muscle in my body trying to repair itself. Today I have yoga and running again. I'll post my monthly and ytd totals here in a bit once I get them all gathered. Until then, here's yesterday's workout:
Tuesday, March 31, 2009: muscle conditioning, 1/2 mile swim
My entire body is pretty much sore all over today. Between running and yoga on Monday and swimming and muscle conditioning yesterday, plus a visit to my chiropractor both Monday and yesterday, I feel like every single muscle in my body trying to repair itself. Today I have yoga and running again. I'll post my monthly and ytd totals here in a bit once I get them all gathered. Until then, here's yesterday's workout:
Tuesday, March 31, 2009: muscle conditioning, 1/2 mile swim
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