Goodbye 2007!

For the last run of the year, the skies were darkening, the wind was blowing and I was loving a quick little jaunt over Flintridge!


Total Time: 41:51 Avg HR: 177 Avg Pace: 9:34

Mile 1: 9:51
2: 9:21
3: 9:39
4: 9:41
.37: 8:49 pace

Edited to add: Total miles for Dec was 103! This was the highest mileage month for me all year. 2nd was November with 69 miles. I realize that many others who run can do 100 miles in a week, but I am still happy with my numbers for the month.

Also, I began 2007 at 140 lbs. I end it today at 125.

Total Miles for 2007: 494 (If I was a bit more insane, I would consider running 6 more before midnight to make it an even 500.)

I had set a goal of 600 for the year, having no idea what I was doing. Considering how many times I was on the sidelines for various injuries, I am proud of how close I came to my goal.

And, it's 400 more miles than I ran in 2006!!

I wish a Happy, Healthy, and Wonderful 2008 to you all!

10 miles 40 Degrees

Brrrrrrr....

Total Time: 1:42:37 Avg HR 174 Avg Pace 10:20

Mile 1: 10:37
2: 9:19
3: 9:14
4: 9:29
5: 10:29
6: 9:53
7: 11:04
8: 11:46
9: 10:46
.92: 10:36 pace

I ran the first four with Pete, no walking. I had to slow things down a bit as much as I wish I could keep that pace, I knew that I would not last the whole 10 miles. Pete looks great and should do very well at the marathon.

I walked a minute at 4, then at 6, then every mile after that. I got colder at mile 7 and my hips seemed to get stiffer the longer I ran. Not sure if the cold caused that, but it seems so.

Enjoyed a nice breakfast at Skeeters afterwards and even better conversation. Listening to everyone's experiences is a real treat!

And Unto Us a Savior is Born!

Rejoice!



Merry Christmas! We will see you in 2008!

A 21 mile lesson

Each long run that I have taken part in has given me deeper insight into the inner-workings of my mind and soul.

Yesterday's run was no exception. On Friday morning, I was quite positive that I would be able to handle the 21 miles without any difficulty. I felt so great last weekend, there really wasn't any reason to think otherwise.

However, something happened to my state of mind at about 7 pm Friday night. I began to become filled with anxiety about the run. 21 miles is a long way! How could I possibly finish without being in immense discomfort afterwards? Did I really want to put myself through this?

I prepared my gear bag and laid out my clothes as I normally do and then made it a point to get to bed by 11. I would be waking at 4 am to allow myself the time I needed to eat, hydrate, and stretch.

I awoke at 3:45 before the alarm, a usual occurrence for me. I began my morning ritual and the anxiety hit again. I questioned even going. I re-thought everything. I knew I had to get out the door before I changed my mind. I re-packed my gear, grabbed the bag and headed out the door. When I arrived at our start location, more fear crept in. I was the only one there and began to think that I had made a mistake about the time and/or the location of the run. One call to Bill confirmed that I was in the right spot, and that others would be arriving shortly. Sure enough, Jon arrived and was ready to go. It was then that I realized I had forgotten my hat with my lamp. I guess I'm becoming ritualistic in some ways, because the idea of running without the hat was unfathomable. I then couldn't find my bag with extra Gu and my inhaler. There was no way I could do the run without that so I let Jon know that I would need to head back to the house to retrieve these items.

I returned home to find only my hat and lamp. Now the hunt was on for the Gu bag. I dumped out my gear bag and found it, right where I placed it of course, in a separate pocket of the bag. Now I knew that my nerves were getting the best of me.

On the drive back to our start location, I beat myself up for being so disorganized. Thankfully I was only a few minutes from home, what would have happened if this was Marathon Day? I had to quickly put these thoughts to bay because I really needed to focus on the day's run.

When I arrived, Bill was there and I asked him to hold onto my items. Thankfully he did and refueled me along the course. (Thanks, Bill!)

I ran back to the car to throw my jacket into the car and Jon and I left off for our run. I didn't realize that my phone and my mp3 player were still in the jacket until I began running and I didn't want to ask if we could go back to get it. I knew that this was all happening for a reason and that the real challenge this day was going to be my own mind.

When I first began with Woodlands Fit, I ran many runs by myself. I hated it. I thought it was unsafe and not very much fun. Slowly, I learned to enjoy the experience of running mostly alone figuring that the marathon would be a solo run anyway. I found that I was able to enjoy the runs more once I accepted this.

The day I pulled my groin, however, changed my mind again. I was in bad shape, by myself, and had to walk 2 miles to the end. There was no one else out there that I could call on to help me. I decided that no matter what, I would never run alone again.

Yesterday's run was well-planned. Jon and I would run together and Bill would be checking on us from time to time. When Jon told me to go ahead of him, two thoughts went through my mind. First, I didn't want to leave someone else out on the course alone. It just isn't safe. But I knew that Bill would be checking on us both, so I convinced myself that it would be ok.

Secondly, I didn't want to run alone. What if I hurt myself again? What if I became dizzy like I did in Kingwood? I thought perhaps I'd call Mark and see if he wanted to meet me somewhere and ride the bike alongside me. No phone. Then I thought, I'll have Bill call him next time I see him. I didn't see him till the finish. God had this perfectly planned. I didn't even have music to distract me! I started the negative thinking for about 2 minutes and then I let it go.

I assessed the situation. I felt great. I had plenty of fluids. I had plenty of Gu. It was a beautiful day. If something happened, I was close to my home so I could end my run there. I could even just sit on the side of the road and wait for Bill to come and get me.

Mind games. It's an ironic thing that I have to overcome my own brain since I am a brain-trainer! God has a very funny sense of humor, doesn't He?

I ran well. I continued to feel good. At about mile 16, I started my rosary. Mile 18, the Divine Mercy. Before I knew it I had one mile to go. I still felt good. I came up to Market street with 20.55 miles, so I tacked on a bit more to make it an even 21. My body was ready for it so I didn't want it to be anything less than that!

Seeing Bill, Denise, and the others at Luke's waiting for me made my whole day. What a blessing to have caring folks supporting me the whole way.

The greatest lesson of this run was learning to conquer my biggest fears. It was the hardest lesson I have had to date, but I had been well-prepared for it by all of my previous "lessons".

Another lesson of sorts I learned is that I have been very blessed. After my groin inury, I was out of active training for 8 weeks. There is no reason that I should be able to run this marathon. I have been so fortunate to have Coach Bill alongside me helping me to return after my injury. His faith in me has given me faith in myself.

I have met some wonderful people who have all helped me to continue training, not really knowing if I'd be able to run. Pete, Jon, Rick, Kim, Liz, Denise, just to name a few. I've been truly blessed with a wonderful family that supports me even when I'm being a pain in the hiney. For my friends that cheer me on in spirit and pray for me. This means more to me than you'll ever know.

I pray that each of you have a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

21 miles!

I had the pleasure of running with Jon for the first half of the run today. It was great to get to know him better and enjoy the sites along the paths. Thanks, Jon!

Total Time: 3:49:02 Avg HR 167 Avg Pace 10:54

Mile 1:10:43
2: 11:07
3: 11:27
4: 11:24
5: 11:14
6: 11:29
7: 11:15
8: 11:15
9: 11:17
10: 10:52
11: 10:41
12: 9:43
13: 10:26
14: 10:33
15: 10:27
16: 10:31
17: 10:36
18: 11:08
19: 10:58
20: 11:03
21: 10:41

3 week Taper on the schedule. Have a Merry Christmas everyone!

Now I KNOW I can finish that dang marathon!

My last student before the holidays has just left and he was kind enough to point out to me that I have been pregnant A LOT! Yes, I have.

He then went on to figure out that I have been pregnant for 54 months, roughly 4.5 years of my adult life. Couple that with 12 years of nursing, (2 years average per child, no pace available unfortunately) and I now realize that I can do anything!

Bring on Houston! You can't scare me, I have 6 kids!

It must be Thursday

How can I tell? Well my first give away is that I am not able to see clearly. Seriously, is that a 6 or an 8? Thursdays are bad about this stuff. I just can't see. I guess glasses are on the horizon. Worse is the number of times I have to hit backspace while typing because of the number of errors in spelling I make, not because I can't type, but because I can't see if I've typed a letter or not.

2nd clue that it is Thursday? Sucky run. Yes, that's a technical term. The run that wasn't. I ran about 1.5 miles and realized I was wheezing. Not just a little bit either. I forgot the inhaler so I had to walk it back. I feel fine now and should be fine for Saturday's planned 21 miler.

I am looking forward to this run, as long as I can see...

I'm Runnin' in the Rain, Just Runnin' in the Rain

I had prepared myself for a cold run this morning, donning my tights and older shoes in preparation for the wet street and puddles that I was sure to run through in the dark.

As I began to eat my breakfast (a new thing for me, especially before a run) I realized that it was 70 degrees outside! Skip the tights. I changed to my shorts and new shoes because the awaited front had not come through. I left the nerdy-looking parka on the kitchen chair (which cinched the deal) and headed out the door.

This run was going to be a test of sorts. I was rehearsing a few things today. Nothing really new, just changed a couple of things like hydrating more this week, more food this morning before the run, and taking gels more often (every 3 miles). It really seemed to help to do these things. The only issue I had was that I felt very full and heavy the first few miles. I didn't feel sick to my stomach, so I think I'll continue to eat a bit in the morning to keep myself properly fueled.

About 10 minutes into the run, the skies opened up, the wind kicked up, and the fun really began! (why did I leave my parka at home??) There were a few hints of lightening, but none that got close to us, thank goodness. My new shoes got broken in very well. Honestly, the rain felt great. I couldn't help but think about last Saturday. The humidity was unbearable and yet here it was today, down-pouring and it felt wonderful!

I wasn't sure how far I would be running today, 12, 14, or 16 miles. Coach Bill said he'd meet me at Flintridge. I ran the entire time never knowing when I'd be through until the very last moment. The Woodlands Fit ran 21 miles today, I am running 21 next week. I met up with Bill at 15.4 miles. I really felt like I could have finished the 21 off, but I let Bill be my guide and he told me to end while I felt good and then grab the 21 next week.


Total Miles: 15.43 miles
Total Time: 2:42:28
Avg. HR: 173
Avg Pace: 10:31

Mile 1: 9:49
Mile 2: 10:29
Mile 3: 10:40
Mile 4: 10:32
Mile 5: 10:50
Mile 6: 10:42
Mile 7: 10:52
Mile 8: 10:25
Mile 9: 10:08
Mile 10: 10:49
Mile 11: 10:31
Mile 12: 10:31
Mile 13: 10:40
Mile 14: 10:36
Mile 15: 10:19
.43: 4:29/10:15 pace

I stuck with the run/walk plan until mile 11. I felt well enough to complete the run without the walks breaks, but I didn't see any drop in time. The last 3 -4 miles were on hills, so I suppose that eats up more time as well.

Recovery Week

This week was a week of slower, easier runs which allowed my body to heal from last Saturday.

I got out for a brief jog/run last Sunday, in an attempt to move around the lactic acid.

I rested on Monday and headed out on Tuesday for another slow run.

Thursday was a bit better, having Mark ride his bike alongside me, although my asthma seemed to show up unannounced.

Today's run was nothing to get too excited about either. I was happy to finish the run and tried to focus on anything other than the run itself. The humidity was pretty nasty and the temperatures were quite warm. I kept thinking of the folks running Sunmart today and prayed that it was a bit more pleasant for them.

The first 5 miles of the run today were pretty tough. Nothing felt like it was working the way it should be. After 5.5 miles, I finally felt somewhat normal. My legs were good, but the breathing was hard. I suppose the thick air had a lot to do with that.


Total Miles: 9.33 miles (11 mile route came up short and I didn't have it in me to add more on)
Total Time: 1:40:14
Avg. HR: 169
Avg Pace: 10:44

Mile 1: 10:33
Mile 2: 10:19
Mile 3: 11:04
Mile 4: 11:14
Mile 5: 10:59
Mile 6: 10:52
Mile 7: 11:00
Mile 8: 10:50
Mile 9: 10:01
.33: 3:18/9:55 pace

I have managed to put on about 5 pounds which I intend to get rid of before the marathon. Sugar is out again. It will not be easy with the holidays upon us, but I am really feeling the extra weight especially when running.

18 miles - Done!

Total Time: 3:10:55 Total Mileage: 18.35 Avg. Pace: 10:24 Avg HR: 175

We ran in Kingwood today with the Kingwood Fit group. It was a beautiful run and I met some really nice folks from Kingwood. There was a breath-taking sunrise that met us as we crossed over Lake Houston. What a site to see as we headed out on our run.

Pete ran with me today and I am every so thankful. I don't know if I could have made it through the last 3 miles without him. We followed the run/walk pattern walking a minute after each mile. A few of the miles at the end I had to take longer walks (about 2 mins). At one point I had to walk for about 5 mins. I got pretty dizzy and felt like I was going to fall over. After about 2 miles of that, I felt better and was able to finish fairly strong.

I felt good physically the whole run, but the dizziness was hard to get through. I ran completely out of fluids at 17.
The massage therapist at the end of the run was awesome! (Thanks, Bill!) He stretched me out really well and I am hardly sore at this moment. I know tomorrow will be a different story.

Mile 1: 10:33
Mile 2: 10:13
Mile 3: 9:52
Mile 4: 9:51
Mile 5: 9:53
Mile 6: 10:10
Mile 7: 10:13
Mile 8: 10:10
Mile 9: 9:46
Mile 10: 10:03
Mile 11: 10:15
Mile 12: 10:17
Mile 13: 10:12
Mile 14: 10:41
Mile 15: 10:04
Mile 16: 10:32
Mile 17: 11:21
Mile 18: 12:58
.35: avg. pace: 10:32

Thanks to Bill and Pete for your support today! You guys are awesome!

Why are Thursday Runs so Hard?

I don't know what it is, but it seems Thursday runs are the hardest for me. Perhaps it's because it's the end of the week and I am more tired? I really can't figure it out.

Tonight, Bean rode her bike alongside me while I ran. I really liked having her there with me. It was a pretty late run, but I knew I needed to get it in. I hope she will come along again! It helped brighten up the whole night!

Total Miles: 4.47 Total Time: 46:27 Avg Pace: 10:23 Avg HR: 169

Mile 1: 10:53
Mile 2: 10:18
Mile 3: 10:22
Mile 4: 9:44
mile .47: 10:55 pace

Quick Steps

Only time for a quick trip to the track tonight because I had to pick the kids up from Church.

2.13 miles; 10:08 avg. pace; 163 Avg HR

Mile 1: 10:26
Mile 2: 9:56
.13: 9:24 pace

Coach Bill gave me the go-ahead on running the 18 miles on Saturday. I am so excited and yet nervous. My longest distance thus far is just shy of 12 miles. God-willing, I will tackle this challenge to the best of my ability.

Monday night run

I just had to post this great picture of two of my favorite guys! These two do so much for our running community and all because of their love of running. They are not in it for the glory only for the love of the sport.

All day today, I told myself I wasn't going to run. I planned to take an extra day to rest since I have been fighting this cold. But something happened at 8:15 tonight. My body said, "GO!" So I went. I felt great during and after the run, so I believe I made the right choice.

Total Miles: 4.07 Total Time: 41:57 Avg Pace: 10:18 Avg HR: 169

Mile 1: 10:31
Mile 2: 10:03
Mile 3: 10:10
Mile 4: 10:27
mile .07: 10:29 pace

Nice and easy pace. Aaron Shust keeping me focused on the task at hand. The best part of my running of late is that I have not had to use my inhaler! Gearing up for some heavier mileage this weekend, possibly as much as 18 miles.

Yucky

I was doing great until yesterday afternoon and then I could feel it coming on. Running nose, fatigue, just plain blah. My "running" body feels fine, no aches or pains to speak of, aside from this cold I seem to have picked up.

I don't know if this is a result of running three races in a row or just bad timing. Either way, I am taking my supplements, resting as much as I can and praying I'll be good to go tomorrow so I can stay on track with my training.

Here's a picture to cheer me up...


Picture taken by Debbie Tripp; shamelessly stolen from the Montgomery Country Triple Blog.

Montgomery County Triple

It is finished! My body is finally warming up after the slight chill that was in the air this morning. A shower, a power nap, some Shipley's, and some decaf helped to nurse me back to 98.6.

It was a very wet, 43 degrees as Lem and I headed for RTW this morning. There were even some rumbles of thunder, yet, we ignored the ominous start to the day because we were on a mission. A pine cone mission.

As I pulled up to the start, I noticed Missy! She was there with Coach Bill. It was only 7:10 when I got there, so I knew she must have been plagued with pine cone fever as well!

Lem and I retrieved the awards from the back of my car and placed them on the table in their position of honor.

Waiting for the run to begin, I realized how great it has been to run this series. I ran with some folks that I've known for awhile, but didn't really know. The MoCo Triple gave me the opportunity to get to know them even more. I am so blessed to be a small part of such a great community of people. They don't care how fast or how far I can go, only that I achieve my personal goals.

Mark made sure that I take along a parka today to keep myself dry. What's worse, he put Lem in charge of making sure I wore it! She was his spy, and if I didn't wear it, I would be in BIG trouble! (at least I let him think so...)

I was opposed to wearing it because I thought it looked ridiculous. So when I arrived to see everyone else wearing theirs, I pulled mine out and put it on. I was very grateful to have it as the rain drove continually through the run. The gloves were nice to have as well. My hands still got wet, but they were warm for most of the run.

I started out with Liz Berry. I thought maybe I could run with her and keep my time under 28 mins. However before I had even rounded the parking lot for the second loop, I found out that she had just finished a 6 mile run and was much warmer than I was. We were running close to an 8 min pace so I told her that I was never going to be able to keep up because my legs were cold and stiff. I don't know how you warm up in weather like this.

I ran with Debbie Tripp for a little bit as well. She was a bit tired from the last few days, so she slowed down and I kept on. I kept trying to catch Liz, but no such luck. She was quicker than yesterday! Later I told her how quick she was and she said that she really felt great. It showed!

The run went by very quickly. I wish I could have been a bit faster, but don't I always?

After the run, the awards were handed out. Unfortunately, my camera was dead, so I wasn't able to take any pictures. If I come across some, I'll be sure to post them later.

Dana-Sue Crews and her family were present and had two of her books given away as prizes. Additionally, there were two race entries given away, The Davy Crockett Bear Chase and the Huntsville Half! I need to figure out which of these I'll be able to run.

Lem was also given an award for running two 1-milers and then volunteering today. She was a real trooper! Never one complaint though I know she was cold, very cold, and really didn't want to get up so early. But she did and she lit up my whole day. Thank you, Lem! I love you!

Total Time: 29:42 Total Mileage: 3.14 Avg. Pace: 9:28 Avg. HR: 171

Mile 1: 9:32
Mile 2: 9:46
Mile 3: 9:19
.14: 7:43 pace

Be sure to keep abreast of the upcoming Spring Montgomery County Triple by checking out the blog from time to time.

And we're off!

Here we are at the start of the Conroe Turkey Trot this morning! We didn't stay together too long, but it is nice to have this shot of the group of us, though we were missing a certain "dirt" guy...

Total Time: 29:48 Total Distance: 3.15 miles Avg Pace: 9:27/mile
Avg HR: 173

Mile 1: 9:37
Mile 2: 9:44
Mile 3: 9:03
mile .15: 8:57 pace

I was much colder today than I was yesterday. My hands were freezing for the first 2 miles and I couldn't think of much else. Once they warmed up, I was able to relax and enjoy the run a bit more. Afterwards, I went and picked up some gloves at Luke's. Even if I only use them once or twice a year, they will be worth the cost.



Lem was the only runner in the family walk/run. She was afraid to go by herself so I started out with her, but she quickly left me in the dust. I picked her up again to run the rest of the mile with her. Of course, I was running behind her!

Two down, one to go! Forecast for tomorrow, 90% precipitation; HIGH of 46. Might be just right for my new gloves!

Run Thru the Woods

What a absolutely beautiful morning for a Thanksgiving Day Run!

Lem, Andy, and I left the house at 6:45 am. The temps were about 40 degrees. Someone turned on the cold weather last night. Since it was 81 here yesterday, we were all a bit chilled this morning.

Lem ran the 1 mile and did great. She came in at 10:05. We were all so proud of her. There were some pretty quick kiddos out there, many of them coming in at 6 and 7 min paces. Amazing!

Andy and I lined up to start our run. We saw several folks we knew and even more we didn't. It was a sea of people, but the more the better. Body heat can be a good thing sometimes.

The run was lots of fun, well organized, and just an all-around great community event. It is a nice way to start off the day that we choose to show our thankfulness as it is quite difficult to deny our blessings as we look around us.

I stayed with Andy for the first 2.5 miles. He was doing a great job hanging in there, but I knew he was going to need to slow it down a bit and I felt too good to dial back.

He did an awesome job of finishing especially considering it's been a very long time since he has run and he did not train at all for this 5 miler. I don't know how people do that. I don't think I ever could.

The very best part of the day was nearing the finish line. I saw Mark's face and then Lem's. It was so awesome! The day was made perfect in that moment!

Total Miles: 5.12 per Garmin Total time: 46:40 per Garmin
Avg HR: 174 Weight 125

Mile 1: 9:55
Mile 2: 9:22
Mile 3: 9:09
Mile 4: 8:48
Mile 5: 8:28
mile .12: 6:59 pace

The official results has me at 50th for my age group. I think I was 1:33 behind gun time leaving my official pace at 9:22/mile.

I was very happy with my run today. I wasn't running to race, just to run.

Compared to last year, which I had only been running about 6 weeks when I ran it...

Avg HR 190!!
Total Time: 51:10
Avg Pace 9:50
Weight: 145.00

I only remember that I felt like I was going to die several times in that 5 miles. Rick was running with me, so he was able to push me when I needed it. The way I felt at the end of today...I could go another 5 if not more. What a difference some training can make.

I plan to run the Conroe run tomorrow, then the RTW on Saturday. Saturday could get ugly with a 80% chance of rain and a HIGH of 49... maybe we'll have a lower turn out for the RTW?

Off to make some turkey! May you all have a truly blessed Thanksgiving day! Thank you for being a part of my life.

5.5 for Ryan Shay

We ran the first 5.5 for Ryan Shay this morning. It was a great way to really put running into it's proper perspective.

After hearing coach Bill talk about Ryan and what we were setting out to do, one lady commented that he really shouldn't send us out on such a negative thought. I was appalled, honestly. I mean seriously, how's this for a positive thought... you can run today. You can kiss your family today. But I suppose in this world of "let's all feel good ALL the time!", it is difficult to count ones blessings.

Coach Rich started us with a moment of silence and then we were off to run the 5.5 Memorial Run for Ryan.

I was so grateful to be running today. The air was a bit chilly, well at least for the first 15 mins or so. I was able to run the 11 mile route with Pete who was so kind to stick it out with me and walk every mile marker for my one minute walk. I know I was holding him back, but he was more than happy to stay with me.

I saw that Rebecca, another Yellow Fever runner, was back today and looked great! She had been recovering from the same injury that I have been. It was wonderful to see her coming back.

After the run, we were treated to a cold weather clothing clinic by Andrew Perry and a sweet gal, but her name escapes me. I was blessed with winning a nice tech shirt that I have always admired from afar.

I noticed that my arm was quite sore after the run and realized that I had chaffed it. This happened last week also on my leg, so I picked up some Body Glide. I also picked out a pair of Terrasoles. Ever since the chiro told me to quit wearing shoes without backs on them, I've been looking for a comfy, easy to slip on pair. These definitely fit the bill.

Luke's was kind enough to also let us pick up our race packets for the Thanksgiving Day Race. I retrieved mine and Lem's. She is so excited. She will be running the 1 miler on Thursday, then the Conroe Turkey Trot 1 miler on Friday. She will also either skate the 5K on Saturday or volunteer at it. She really loves the whole running thing and I am happy to have someone in the family that likes to run with me. I just need to spend more time doing it with her. These years will fly by and she will be out of the house before I know it.


Total Miles: 10.84 miles
Total Time: 1:48:02
Avg. HR: 186
Avg Pace: 9:58 (what an improvement from last week's 11:04 pace!!)

Mile 1: 9:50
Mile 2: 9:36
Mile 3: 9:41
Mile 4: 9:54
Mile 5: 10:13
Mile 6: 10:04
Mile 7: 10:16
Mile 8: 10:31
Mile 9: 10:00
Mile 10: 9:49
.84: 8:03/9:37 pace

I felt great most of the run. Obviously I was slowing down a bit in the middle, but overall, I am very happy with my run today. I know that running with Peter really helped me pick up the pace a bit. I did take walk breaks at every mile for 1 min.

I am looking forward the upcoming Montgomery County Triple. If you are up for the challenge, come join me! I double-dog dare ya!

97%

97% Humidity. Yuck. At least it wasn't 95 degrees!

31 mins; 2.71 miles

11:41 pace; yep, slower than molasses!

175 HR

Praying for cooler weather and less stickiness!

10 miles, almost

OK, who turned the heat back on??! Overall a very nice run today. The last 30 mins or so was a bit warm, but not anything like the runs from just a few weeks ago.

I ran with Denise today who is coming back from a fractured foot! We ran for 6 miles together and then she took the shorter way back. She was struggling today and I was a bit concerned, but when I saw her at the end, she was doing fine. Way to hang in there Denise!


Total Miles: 9.2 miles (I think I turned into the wrong entrance at Market Street)
Total Time: 1:41:41
Avg. HR: 178
Avg Pace: 11:04

Mile 1: 10:26
Mile 2: 11:05
Mile 3: 11:14
Mile 4: 11:43
Mile 5: 11:49
Mile 6: 11:31
Mile 7: 10:00 (I headed off without Denise for the last few miles)
Mile 8: 11:26 (dropped one of my bottles AGAIN and had to go back for it, it was the only one with water!)
Mile 9: 10:39
Mile .20 10:39 pace

I felt pretty tight after the run today. I made a quick stop to the chiropractor and she was able to fix me up pretty well. I am pretty sore tonight because I then went to help at the Children's Festival and stood for 3.5 hours. My legs started screaming at me!

I am looking at this hydration belt. I am going to put it on my list for Santa. (size M, Santa!) I have a hard time getting my bottles to stay put on the Amphipod belt I am using now. I lose a bottle just about every run! It is quite frustrating and it is slowing me down on the road. If I am not having to stop to pick one up, I am having to slow down to make sure it is popped in correctly or I have to use two hands to get the bottle out of the holder. It didn't always seem to be giving me this much trouble, but I suppose the longer the mileage gets for me, the more the little things can irritate me.

I was also able to start to break in my new pair of shoes. They felt great! Also, I tried out my new socks and am happy to report that my toe is much happier. Ahhhh, what a good day!

Theft!

I stole it. Yes I did. But I had to! How could I not? This is THE picture of the year! (thanks, Coach Bill! I'll send royalties your way!)

Fish has had a pretty rough night. I was up worrying and mothering most of the night, so I didn't get my run in this morning. I am going to try to get it in tonight, but it really depends on how he is doing. I took him into the doctor today and found out that he has pneumonia! He hasn't even been very sick; just a slight runny nose. Last night his temps spiked to 104 and we couldn't get it to come down.

Please say a quick prayer that he recovers soon. Thanks!

What to do on Turkey Day...

Why not join some of us for the 2nd annual Montgomery County Triple Fall Edition?

The challenge consists of running the Run Thru the Woods 5 Miler on Thanksgiving followed by running the Conroe Turkey Trot 5K on Friday, finishing with the Run The Woodlands 5K on Saturday.

This blog was created by the MoCo3 creators. Be sure to check it out for the history and more information.

Hope to see you there!

Next Year

I came upon this race 4 days too late for this year, but I am going to be there next year!

How often do you get to mix the sport you love with a cause you admire and the faith you couldn't live with out??

Ran yesterday for 30 mins. Avg. pace 12:15 7/1 run/walk method.


Ran today for 45 mins. Avg Pace 11:24 7/1 run/walk method.

Nothing too fancy the past few days. Slow, easy, active recovery pace. Still following the run/walk method.

8 miles

I was able to make it to the run yesterday morning and complete the 8 mile run. I am still in 'active recovery' which includes me running 5 mins, then walking 1. I didn't want to, but I know I need to follow this plan if I intend on making it to the start line in January. My goal was to run each mile at about a 10:30 pace.

I felt great. No pain. My body felt like it was mine again. The past few runs, I have felt as if I was in a borrowed body. It was very strange.


Total Miles: 8.24
Total Time: 1:27:40
Avg. HR: 183
Avg Pace: 10:38

Mile 1: 10:48
Mile 2: 10:32
Mile 3: 10:32
Mile 4: 10:01
Mile 5: 10:39
Mile 6: 10:47
Mile 7: 10:24
Mile 8: 10:54
Mile .24: 2:57/ 12:06 pace

It was great to see Dirt and Jon hitting the road as well! Of course I couldn't even dream of keeping up with them, but soon, very soon...

In the afternoon, Lem and I visited Luke's to see Dirt. I picked up my second pair of Kayano 13s! I also picked up a package of SOLE socks to see if it can help with my toe issue.

Looking forward to getting back to some real running in the next few weeks!

Active Recovery

That's what Coach Bill is prescribing for me at this point. For the next two weeks, I am to take my runs easy and remember that I am still recovering.

I ran 2 miles tonight at about a 10 min pace. Better than last week, but I just didn't feel in sync with my own body. I was stiff and had little endurance.

I'll run again on Thursday and then 8 on Saturday.

Two fer Tuesday

Yesterday I woke up at 5 to go for a run but the rain started and it sounded pretty heavy. I fell back to sleep until 6... still raining. Slept till 7, still raining. I forced myself to get up and realized how horrible I felt. The allergies were making their presence known and they were working themselves into my chest for my usual bout of bronchitis.

I tried to ignore it, but the lack of voice and coughing fits were sealing the deal for me. I dressed and headed to the Y for a 30 min. run on the dreadmill. Pace was slow but steady.

Today I headed into the Chiropractor and presented my situation to him. He said he might be able to help me. At this point I am willing to try anything just to avoid being sick and missing more running.

He did some adjusting and some kinesiology then gave me some powerful immunity vitamin/herbal boosters to take today. By the time I left his office I could breathe. Tonight, I was able to run 2 miles on the track at about a 10:30 pace. Not much to some people, but to me, this was a miracle. I have been plagued with rounds of bronchitis for 16 years. I get it at least twice a year, sometimes more. Never, never, never, have I ever been able to get over this on my own. I always need antibiotics and inhalers, sometimes even steroids. It stinks. Really, it does.

Tonight I have a bit of sniffle and a slight cough, but the heavy feeling in my chest is gone. The body aches are gone. And not one tiny dose of antibiotics. I am amazed.

We'll see how I feel in the morning, but I am just about sold on this Chiropractic stuff!

Mood Stabilizer

Yes, that is what running is for me, I suppose. I feel much better now. I decided to run with the half marathon group this morning instead of the full to be on the safe side. I ended up running an extra mile at the end for a 7 mile run instead of 8. Overall pace was 11:11. Not the fastest I've ever run, but it felt good just to be out there.

I won a nice bag from USA Fit. Looks like it could come in handy some day. Lots of nifty pockets and zippers to fill.

What a beautiful morning for a run. The weather was perfect. Jeff Wells spoke at our half-way there party which was catered by The Egg and I. I stayed away from the bacon and sausage and enjoyed the fruit, potatoes and eggs. I'll be watching my snacks today to be careful not to eat the Halloween candy that is floating around the house right now...

Bad, bad, bad

I haven't run since last Saturday, not because I didn't want to, but because the hip started acting up again on Monday AFTER I went to the chiro. I think I wasn't adjusted properly and spent the rest of the week back and forth with them trying to get it right. Tonight, I feel pretty good hip-wise, so I'll take a stab at the 8 miler.

Bad - my diet. Why is it when I can't run I eat more crap?! I feel like a lump!

bad - my water intake. I have slacked off on my water consumption and it is showing. I have dry lips and hands and I am soooo thirsty. It's a simple fix, but one that I forget to do, drink water. Why is that so hard to remember?

bad - my mood. Considering the above three items, my mood is awful. I hit my breaking point today and took it out on the family. Not a nice mommy. Thank goodness they still love me.

Update to 10 for Texas

Official Results


847th runner out of 1112 runners; 398th runner within gender

First 5 Miles: 53:03.8 Pace: 10:46/mile

Second 5 Miles: 54:38.6 Pace: 10:56/mile

Chip Time: 1:47:42.4

Gun Time: 1:49:40.4

10 For Texas

The day started last night for us. Lem was going to be helping at the finish line, so she needed to get her clothes laid out and get to bed early, just like mom. I had all of my attire laid out, my bag packed and my water bottles filled.

Neither of us slept well. I had visions of forgetting something, thoughts of getting hurt, worries of not making it and needing to call for help, would I even wake up on time?

She worried about not being able to wake up on time. Her sister is away on retreat so that meant she was sleeping in her room alone, something she doesn't like to do very often.

At 5 am, the alarm chimed and after a night of restless sleep and numerous trips to the restroom, (I took the "Hydrate" advice very seriously, apparently!), I reluctantly moved from the comfy bed to the cool morning air. Then it hit me. I'm chilly! This is a good thing, I say to myself. A great day for a run!

I spend a few minutes getting myself together and then head into Lem's room to wake her. She looked so sweet and peaceful; I hated to wake her. But if I didn't she would never have forgiven me and I would have missed seeing her beautiful face at the finish line... if I made it that far.

It was a glorious 58 degrees as we headed out the door this morning. We had to travel the race route to get to Market street. All of the mile markers were up and the road barricades were in place. This was really happening.

Being in Market Street at 6 am was quite a surreal experience. 1200 runners and who knows how many volunteers and supporters filled the streets. Still dark, Lem and I managed to find TWRC tent. Coach Bill was already there, smiling and wishing everyone well while organizing and delegating, encouraging, and advising. He assured me that Lem would be in good hands with Tara from Luke's while I was running. She would be at the finish helping to remove the timing chips as the runners crossed over.

At about 7 am, The Woodlands Fit group got together to take a picture. It was so nice to see so many of us out there. Sarah, whom I haven't seen in weeks was there. Great to see her. I also saw Holden who looked ready to go! Missy was also out there (homeschooling moms unite!)

It was about this time that I noticed that Gal Garmin was not functioning. It had a low battery which was hard to believe because I had just charged it on Thursday. Perhaps I put it away and forgot to turn it off? I think this was a good thing because if I could have seen my pace on a constant basis, I might have tried to "race" instead of run. Coming off this injury, I had to commit to not racing today, instead, I needed to treat today as a slow, easy run. My plan for the run was:

1. To have fun
2. To not overdo it
3. To run as far as I could without re-injuring myself.
4. If I felt good, I would keep my pace slower than my last 10 mile run (10:02) from a few weeks ago.
5. If I thought I could finish, to stay just under two hours.

I headed to the start line and got to the back. It took a few moments to cross the start line, but the energy was high and the mood was good. The bodies were chilly, so the movement helped keep us warm.

I felt great as I headed out. Leaving Market Street, heading to Woodlands Parkway, the air was crisp and clean. Fall was in the air!

At mile one, coach Bill was calling out times (12:54) and encouraged us to have fun and be safe. There were so many great volunteers on the course, from the mile markers to the aid stations. The Sheriff's Department had many officers out on the course keeping us safe. There were many cyclists out there as well checking on us runners. And of course the many Community Association folks, the Luke's staff, who put on an awesome race for us all. The best part was seeing the regular folks out on the streets with signs and cheers, and even a few cheerleaders with Pom Poms.

For me, I had the great fortune of seeing Fish and Mark at Echo Bend, right about mile 7. It was such an energizer for me! I knew I was going to make it to the finish.

At each mile, I listened for the time and I believe I was able to stay between 10 and 11 min miles. Mile 8 was tough for me for some reason. But once I saw the mile 9 marker, I felt like I was floating and picked up the pace just a tad.

Crossing the finish line, my sweet Lem was waiting patiently, cutting off chips for the runners. I couldn't wait to give her a big hug! I believe my finish time was 1:48:30. I will double check when the official results are posted.

The after-party was very nice. Great food, great music, and great company.

Thank you to all of the people who made the race possible. It was a wonderful experience that I will always remember. Thank you to the families who came out to cheer us on; you'll never know what it meant to a weary runner at mile 6, 7, and 8.

A very special thank you to my family. For allowing me the time to do this stuff. For feeding me good foods. For letting me rest. For cheering me on. You guys are the best! I love you so much!

To Rick and Bill, you guys have helped me so much by answering so many of my questions, encouraging me to hang in there always, and keeping me positive. I really appreciate everything you do.

And of course, to the Father of us all. Thank you for allowing me the opportunities to do what I try to do. Even though I am unworthy, you continue to bless me, over and over again.

Finished!

I was able to finish the 10 for Texas today! Time was about 1:48:30. More to follow. Thanks for all of the happy thoughts and prayers!

WOW

65 degrees! That's right, it's 10:20 in the morning and only 65 degrees! Pass around the sweaters! Fall is here and the 10 for Texas is tomorrow. It is going to be a great day!


I hope to see many of the TIR folks there!

Progress not perfection

Over the last few days, I've been very slowly, very cautiously, trying to put a few steps on the road. Before today, I had run about a mile each day for the last 4 days. Tuesday I was able to maintain a consistent pace of 12:00 with little discomfort.

This morning, I had to take advantage of this beautiful weather and head out for a bit longer, albeit slow jog.

I was able to complete 2.37 miles with energy to run longer. I made the distance decision before I left and did not veer from it. I was able to keep my pace slow and steady at the start, increasing a bit mid-run, and then slowing down to cool down.

I did have little twinges in the right foot and in the left hamstring/groin that needed to be worked out. I turned up Chris Tomlin's version of How Great is our God and felt the twinges fade away. Thank you, Lord!

Saturday is the 10 for Texas. I am planning to run it as a training run, not a race. If I come in dead last, that will be fine by me. If I only get a few miles in, that is okay too. The point is that it will be a great day to be out there and I want to enjoy whatever I can of it.

Chicago Marathon Recap

Holden's recap is an amazing story. Be sure to check it out. Seems to me that if the officials spent the same amount of energy they spent telling everyone the race was called on getting more water into the course, things might not have gotten so bad.

The next best thing

I woke at my typical 4:30 or so today. As I laid there wondering how I can get my body to cooperate with my mind's desire to run, I remembered an old love. Spinning class. I got out of bed, dressed and was ready for the 5:30 class.

A new schedule started today which included a 15 mins. core workout after the cycling. Perfect. It was nice to be on the bike again.

The leg felt great so I thought I'd try a run on the Dreadmill. I was able to get a mile in before I felt the "twinge" returning. Progress.

Last night I took a quick spin around the block and followed the 5/1 run/walk method. My right foot started aching pretty bad in the arch, something new.

Overall, I know I am feeling better. I don't know that I'll be ready to run 10 on Saturday, but you never know!

Some days are worse than others

My poor husband!
We woke up to a puddle from the dog, gross! When cleaning this up, the phone lines became disconnected. The sink then began to back up. He tried fixing this only to have the main line back up into the entire kitchen, chunks of rotten food and all. Then the washer began to back up into the sink. Every towel in the house is in use. We all need showers and can't run the water. As we sit here, waiting for a plumber on a Sunday afternoon, our daughter just came down to tell us that the air conditioner is backed up again and leaking into her bedroom, again.

What does this have to do with running? Nothing. Except I want to run away...

Update: Thank you Mr. Rooter! These guys came out quickly and fixed the problem. They didn't charge us extra for a weekend call either. Thank goodness! Now we need to wash and dry all the towels so that we can all take showers. Tomorrow will be a better day.

HE DID IT!

Dirt Runner finished the AT 100! No time yet, but apparently he finished 10th overall! WAY TO GO RICK!

The Almost Run

He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the mirky bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. Psalm 40:2


I felt a twinge of something this morning and for a moment thought I would just go back to bed. But I decided to go through the motions and perhaps I would still be able to run, at least a little bit.

When I arrived at the Y, Coach Bill was there and this always brightens my day! Not too long after I arrived, we noticed the bit of lightening and thunder. The run was almost called, but at the last second, we decided to head out. Well, some of us did.

I actually ran about a half block or so and had to make the decision to not run. The twinge wasn't going away and one thing I have learned that past three weeks is that I must listen to my body.

Yes, I was disappointed, but I know that pushing the body at this point will only end in more injury.

I hung around to talk with Bill and some of the other runners. They really are a great bunch of people. I also had a chance to briefly speak with Jon before his run in Central Park. He sounded so excited to be there! Of course we all had good thoughts for Rick in Arkansas today.

I had a 9 am appointment with my chiropractor, so I decided to take things up with him. Once there, they did a quick assessment of my situation, adjusted me and I felt much better. Both of my hips were out of whack which would explain the pulling twinge I was feeling.

I took a slow jog around the block and while it didn't feel bad, it didn't feel too good either. So I will give it another day or two before I try again.

As much as I have realized that the goal of running the marathon is very important to me, I also realize that I need to let it go. No, I am not giving up on the training, but I am giving up "what I want." If things work out so that I can run, I will. If my body isn't ready, that's okay too. I know that He will lead me to where I am supposed to be. My will or His... always His.

Jitters

I can't believe that I am nervous about running tomorrow. I have been waiting to feel well enough to run again, and now, I am a bit scared about running. I am afraid that I will be re-injured. I am nervous that if I do get re-injured, will it be to the point that I can't run the marathon? I hate to have such negative thoughts, but there they are.

I will get up in the morning and head out to the run and pray that I can run. I will take it slow and not expect too much. And I will pray that all goes well.

Through all of this, I have realized that this goal that I have set for myself (running a marathon) means more to me than I ever thought.

Races

Lots of races this weekend. Keep Dirt Runner in your thoughts tomorrow as he begins his 100 mile trek in Arkansas.

Tuesday Night Shuffle

I was able to walk the track tonight for a mile. I then did a slow jog, more like a shuffle for a 200. Then walk 200. Jogged another 200. Walked 200. Jogged a 400. Walked 400.

All in all, it felt good to be out there, but I am still not ready for running. I'll take the slow progress. I can't complain. God has been very good to me.

Tick tock, tick tock

Has anyone else ever noticed that there are certain points in a runner's life that crawl by:

1. When you are injured and CAN'T run and you are waiting for the body to heal so that you can run again.

2. When you are running and can't figure out how exactly you are going to make that last mile so you can stop running.

Well, I'm still stuck on #1, praying I can get to #2 by the end of the week so I can run the 10 for Texas on the 13th. 13... great. Not such a lucky number. Maybe the 10 overrides the 13?

See what happens when I can't run? Crazy. Like the bread. That's what I become. What the heck did I do with myself before running? I drove my husband crazy. Did I mention he can't wait for me to be able to run as well?

That would be why he didn't kill me when I signed a contract with a chiropractor that would have bought me that bike I am wanting...

I am feeling better. I can walk normally as of last night. I am still not pain free, but it's bearable. The doctor said that I could walk a half mile to test things out. I did that on Saturday. I did a mile tonight. So compliant. I'll walk some more tomorrow night, with a few little jogs thrown in if it feels right. I don't want to jeopardize the progress I've made so far.

tick tock, tick tock, tick tock....

Recovery

Still trying to recover from this injury that won't go away. I've started seeing a chiropractor to help me get through it as it appears that while I am resting it, it has been getting worse instead of better.

This morning I thought for sure I'd be giving up my Marathon hopes because of the lack of training, however after my visit with him today, I feel more optimistic.

I can walk fairly normally, only a slight limp. I can sit without extreme pain and I was even able to drive the manual car today without alot of discomfort.

I am going to remain positive that I will be able to run the 10 for Texas as well.

By the way, if you haven't registered for the Chevron Houston Marathon, you better do so now. It is over 90% full!

The Run that wasn't

No run today. No runs all week. The leg is still hurting and I'm afraid to make it worse by ignoring the pain.

So I slept in today and boy, did it feel good! I think it would have felt better to run though...

Praying that next week I'll be able to get back to at least a modified running schedule.

Tuesday Track

Not for me, but for Lem. We headed out to the Track so that she could get in a bit of running tonight. She has a touch of a cold, so she wasn't really her perky self. But true to her form, she didn't complain.

It was interesting being out there and watching from the sidelines. I wasn't the only injured person hanging around. Another gal, Denise, was there nursing a foot fracture. She came out for the same reason I did. To be around some runners. Some others who understand who desperately we wanted to be pushing ourselves to our personal limits. Funny how that is a common thread among the runners I've met along the way.

After track, we made a quick stop at Academy to purchase some new running shoes for Lem. I had planned to bring her to Luke's this past weekend, but that didn't happen and she really needed the shoes. Her ankles were bothering her and I wanted to be sure that we stopped that asap!

The best news is that my "Stick" seems to have come through again! I was still walking as though I was in my final days of pregnancy today. It was getting quite annoying honestly. I used the stick for a good 15 mins and was amazed that afterwards, I felt 100 percent better. No goofy walk, no pain.

I'm not going to push the envelope just yet. I'll be sure to take tomorrow off and perhaps try a gentle, short jog on Thursday morning.

Now the real question is, why can't I sleep?

Monday Run

NOT!
No run today. I probably will take the whole week off to rest the groin and hamstring. It's feeling much better but still not right. I continue to have a very "unique" gait which is quite comical to some.

Sooo, I'm looking at bikes. After all, that's how I came to begin running. I promised myself if I could run for 6 months, I'd treat myself to a bike. Well, on Weds., it will be an official year of running, so technically, I guess I can get 2 bikes!!

I have no clue what to buy, how to fit, what I want, etc. I just want to have a means to cross train with, have fun with. I will continue to run as I feel that running is my true passion now, but cycling is a close second. Secretly, I'd love to do a dualthon, but I have to learn how to ride a bike first. Yes, that's right, I don't know how to ride a bike.

Ok, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, I know how to pedal and stay upright, but I have no clue about gear shifting and the like. I have a cheap Huffy that I bought at Target 16 years ago for 99.00. It has a 20 year old baby seat on the back. It makes weird noises when I try to shift gears, and I don't even know why I shift the gears. Is it to go faster, to pedal harder, to pedal less?

I am taking any advice that is offered, so feel free to contribute.

I'll head out to the track tomorrow night so that Lem can run. She is having a great time at the track on Tuesdays. It also provides us a short bit of 'mom and me' time. Something hard to come by around this place.

You have to be kidding me!

77 degrees and 51% humidity?? And I can't even walk, let alone think about running... uugghhh!



Sadly, I did not make it to Fish's first game, but my son, Foo, took lots of pictures and video for me. Fish had a great time and seemed to actually understand the game!


Fish is in the white shirt in the middle

Still pretty sore today. I'm wondering if I didn't get both the groin and the hamstring. One thing is for sure, I'll get all that laundry put away! LOL

Thanks for all of the well wishes. This is nothing compared to what other people deal with. I came upon this story yesterday and quickly counted my blessings and gave up the self-pity.

This guy's blog is great, but this story is unbelievable.

Enjoy this beautiful day, everyone.

Thinkin'

Thinkin' I am so mad at myself right now! I can't believe how stupid I was today! A few factors have played into this injury and after reading through Kim's talk today, (thanks, Bill!) I know I needed to hear every word she had to say.

1. I have had a stomach thing going on for a few days, but still got up and ran on Thursday and again today.
2. I slept about 2 hours last night. I had no business running today, but I didn't feel tired and figured I could take a nap later in the day if I needed to.
3. I felt a slight twinge early in the run which I chose to ignore and thought I could run through. If fact, I did think I ran through it because it didn't bother me at all after the 2nd mile until I got off the hills at 7 miles.

So, I probably could have prevented this mess if I had only listened to my body. But I didn't. And now, who knows if this muscle pain is a big injury or a little one that will only need a few days of rest. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

Another thing I was thinking about... How many of us that are running on either the Battling Bloggers team or the Texian Road Warriors are going to be running the Ten for Texas? I am betting there will be several of us and perhaps we can all get together for a quick hello either before or after the race. Any takers?

Off to practice some more RICE...

Woodlands Fit - Eleventh Week

I am sitting on the couch with an ice pack strategically placed where no woman (or man for that matter) would honestly like to have one placed. The last mile, I felt a pull on the left inside (groin) and it got bad fast. I had to walk immediately and if I tried to run, the pain shot down the leg to the knee and to the back. Crap. The run was going so well. I was able to run my favorite route, Flintridge, with the hills. I love running those hills, but I must have done something wrong either run them too fast or something, I'm just not sure. I cut the route a bit short and limped in the last mile.

I am afraid to stretch it right now as it feels like I could make it worse.

The really stinky part is that I was really, really looking forward to hearing Kim Hager's talk today. She is such an inspiration and I was hoping to glean any information that I could from her. I hope I can get a chance to hear her again.

The other stinky thing is that Fish has his first basketball game today and I hope I can walk. It was an interesting ride home trying to step on the clutch with my leg in the shape it is in right now.

Say a prayer that this is short-lived. I've been doing so well for 11 weeks, I don't want to sit on the sidelines.


Total Miles: 7.90
Total Time: 1:26:20
Avg. HR: 172

Avg Pace: 10:57 (even with walking in the last mile)

Mile 1: 10:06
Mile 2: 9:46
Mile 3: 10:11
Mile 4: 10:53
Mile 5: 10:18
Mile 6: 9:50
Mile 7: 10:39
Mile 8: 15:07 (walking)


Total Miles for the Week: 17.5 miles

Weight 124.0

Thrusday's Tempo Run

Ok, it's official, I am NOT a fan of the tempo run. I've tried, really I have, I've tried to like it. Even just a little bit, but to no avail. I don't. Perhaps if I could find someone to run it with I'd enjoy it more, but for now... Yuck.

For some reason, each time I get out to run on Thursdays, I feel like my legs are attached incorrectly. I can barely feel a good stride at a slow pace, never mind 15 - 20 mins straight of a tempo pace. And I am still not convinced that I have the correct tempo pace for me. According to my last 5K and runner's world calculator, my pace should be 9:30. Sometimes this feels way to fast, other times way to slow. All in all, I am sure all of this inconsistency and self-doubting is from lack of experience. Maybe by the time I hit 50 I'll have it figured out, or not.

Yesterday's run was going to be tough because I am battling some stomach thing again. Not sure where it's coming from, but I've had enough of it.

I decided that I would run slow for 10 mins, then tempo for 15, then cool down for 10. That would hit my 35 min. run. The first 10 mins felt like 30. My legs were made of lead and my stamina was nil. I felt better picking the pace up a bit, but could not hold it for a steady 15 mins. I decided to break the 15 mins into 3 intervals of tempo pace followed by 90 secs. of recovery.

Here's what it looked like. I'm not sure that this qualifies as a tempo run, but it's what I did...

Warm up: 10 mins/11:22 pace
5:40/9:12 pace
90 sec recovery
4:51/9:29 pace
90 sec recovery
4:50/9:28 pace
Cool down: 10 mins/10:29 pace

AVG HR 83% (zone 3, but it felt like much higher)

There, see. I stink. It's no secret. I just don't have what it takes YET to put together 15 mins of tempo. Soon, though...I hope!

Runner's Toe

Thank you for the hearty welcome to the "official runner" world! LOL I have read quite a bit about the subject and can confirm two things...

1. My shoes are already a half-size larger
2. My nails were trimmed to less than short before this happened

So, I need to find out what caused this to prevent it in the future, though it may not be possible to figure it out. According to Jeff Galloway's article, just the mere pressure applied to the toe when running fast can cause the bruising. Also running in the heat and/or an increase in mileage can cause the same thing. I have experienced all of these things of late so who knows which caused it.

Honestly, it isn't so bad tonight. I'm kind of proud of it actually...LOL!

Though my vanity will probably win out and I'll paint the nails before too long. Something about ugly looking toes, I just can't handle it!

Howard! What kind of rest program does TENNIS fall under?!?! My goodness, I hope you heal quickly. Let's find another activity for you, hmmm, any ideas anyone?

I haven't really been able to catch the weather reports so if there is torrential rains in the morning, my run might have to be moved to a treadmill at the Y. Otherwise, I'll enjoy a cool, wet run at 5 am. Better get off to bed so I can wake up in time!

Tuesday Track

After a brief warm up of about a mile, I ventured into my first real track workout. I thought it felt great!

Coach Bill is always so kind to explain things to me, and tonight was no exception. I may not completely understand everything, but I know he does, and he'll guide me the right way.

I wasn't sure how to log tonight's workout, so I thought I would just hit the lap feature for every 200 I did.

The goal was 8 X 200. I made the 8 and felt pretty good at the end. I forgot to hit the lap for the first 3 - 200's, so my total time for those, including my slower 100's was 4:48.

The next 5 were as follows:

#4 - 6:59 pace
#5 - 7:00 pace
#6 - 7:30 pace
#7 - 7:12 pace
#8 - 7:00 pace

My avg. HR was 193 (zone 5 - so I was over the suggested zone 4 by a few points)

Coach Bill instructed us to keep our pace a bit slower than what our time trials came out to be last week. My pace was 8:00, so I should have run a bit slower, I suppose. But I honestly felt great at this pace. I don't know if I could have held that pace for 800's though.

One really neat surprise was that I saw a former neighbor who came out to the track with the TNT group. His wife passed away about 2 years ago from Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, leaving 3 beautiful little girls and an adoring husband. Amber was very young. I don't think she was even 30. She was a fitness fanatic and just glowed with life. Seeing Brad out there tonight in honor of her was truly inspirational. I hope to see him more often.

One not so nice surprise was the purple toe I discovered once I removed my shoes tonight! Ouch! It has been hurting the last 2 or 3 runs, but now it has an actual bruise under the nail. I guess I need to read up on how that happens and how I can prevent it in the future. I have the most sensitive feet and toes. Oh, and I am a big baby when it comes to pain. waa, waa, waa....

Monday Morning

After dreaming about running most of the night and seeming to wake up every few minutes to see if it was time to go run, I finally got up and headed out the door at 5:20 or so. Humidity was about 90% or so.

Total Mileage: 3.75 miles
Total Time: 41:07
Avg Pace: 10:58
Avg HR: 159 (70% -stayed in my zone for recovery!)

Nice easy run to start the week. Beautiful starry sky out there this morning.

Woodlands Fit - Tenth Week

I had a pretty cruddy week as far as trying to get my runs in. Putting tile in the house ourselves (I am not doing anything, Mark's doing the work) through me off on Monday. Tuesday we did a track work out which was great, but lacking in mileage. Thursday, I didn't finish up my work day until after 7:30 and I was completely exhausted. I attempted a run Friday morning, knowing I had to keep it easy, and it was a hard run to do. The humidity seemed extremely high and my lungs weren't loving it at all.

Today's run felt pretty good, but by mile 6.5, I was feeling it. I pressed on and was at about mile 8 when I started to feel energy again. I almost ran out of hydration, but thankfully, was able to find a water station to grab a few drops.

Everyone seemed to think today's run was a bit extreme, so I felt better that it wasn't just me. I keep telling myself that cooler weather will come soon and I will be happy that I have put myself through this training.

I did monitor my RHR this week. One reason I skipped the Monday run was because the RHR was at 70. My normal is 54. I thought it best to take another day off to help keep the RHR in check.

By Tuesday, it was down to 54, so obviously, my efforts paid off, but the down side was that I missed a day of running. I'm not sure that I can miss too many runs without ill effects on the rest of my training.

My plan for this week will have me getting my runs in before 7 am. This way, I can't let the day's activities get in the way of my training. I am also hoping to begin some weight training this week, but that may be a bit too ambitious right now. I am doing some basic isotonic/isometric exercises at home, but it isn't enough. I just hate going to the gym.

By the way, Howard, I missed seeing you today, but you are doing the right thing taking this time to heal. You can start training again once that calf heals. Cindy told me that you may try to run the 10 for Texas. I'll look forward to seeing you then!

Total Miles: 10.06
Total Time: 1:40:59
Avg. HR: 175

Avg Pace: 10:02

Had a Gu before I started out.

Mile 1: 9:54
Mile 2: 9:24
Mile 3: 9:37 Had a gu
Mile 4: 10:20
Mile 5: 10:21
Mile 6: 10:31 Another gu, walk break, I was really feeling the run at this point.
Mile 7: 10:39
Mile 8: 9:51
Mile 9: 10:06 Should have had a gu, but forgot to bring another one.
Mile 10+: 9:41


Total Miles for the Week: 14 miles (much less than I had planned, only 67% of my goal.)

Weight 125.0

First Track Workout

Lem asked if she could go with me tonight as I headed out the door for my first track workout. I had no idea what to expect, but with Coach Bill at the helm, I knew it would be a great experience.

I won't pretend to understand what we did, but I did run hard for 6 mins. This translated to setting my speed workout pace at 8:00.

Lem was so cute running right behind me. Her pace came in at 8:25. I enjoyed having her there. I hope the other runners don't mind her tagging along. She really wants to run more, but it's been so hot and she is so little.

She has already told me that she wants to run the 1/2 marathon in 2009. She is amazing! I wonder if they'd let a 10 year old run it.

I look forward to seeing how all of this translates into my training. So much to learn, so much to improve upon. But for now...sleep.

HR Zones

Barbara asked if I could post my zone percentages. I received these last week at Woodlands Fit from Kim Hager who is sponsored by Timex. There are some major differences here, Barbara. This bears further investigation.

Here are Barbara's zones:

Zone 1: 60-70%
Zone 2: 71- 80%
Zone 3: 81-85%
Zone 4: 86-90%
Zone 5: 91-100%

Here are the ones Kim/Timex suggest:

Zone 1: 50 - 60% (light exercise)
Zone 2: 60-70% (recovery run)
Zone 3: 70-80% (long run)
Zone 4: 80-90% (tempo run)
Zone 5: 90-100% (long interval pace)

Using the Timex zones, I am usually in Zone 4 or 5 most of the time. Today, running as slowly as I did, I still managed to spend a majority of the run at 78% of my HR which would be officially in Zone 3, yet my Garmin shows only 13 mins in Zone 3, the rest in Zone 4. And referring to Barbara's zones I'd be in Zone 2.

Going on perceived exertion, I would say that I felt fine for today's run and really expected to see a lower HR.

I am totally confused! Of to do some more research...

Woodlands Fit Week Nine

Today is Fish's birthday. He is 6! And let me tell you, he is very excited about being 6!!

We ran from Skeeter's today. They talked about how these were real nature trails, so I got very excited about finding real trails close to home. I debated about whether or not to wear my regular shoes or my trail shoes. I finally made the decision and donned my trail shoes.

One of my socks was bugging me before I even left the house, so I turned it inside out. The other one felt fine so I left it alone.

I ate a Gu (triple berry) before leaving the house. I noticed today that this one had caffeine. I don't do caffeine because I am a lunatic when it is in my system. But, I took it anyway because I didn't have any other choices and I figured I'd run the stuff out of my system pretty quick.

We started the run after a talk from Rich about slowing our pace down and remembering what we had learned about HR training. I had already decided that I was slowing way down today. I need to slow these long runs down. As we headed out, the usual crew was running their usual 8 something pace. So much for the talk. I did get a bit frustrated because I knew if I was going to run properly, I would be running alone. I didn't join this group to run these long runs alone, not so much because I want to talk with someone, but more for safety. It's dark when we start and I don't know the routes, not to mention, it's not safe to be running these trails alone. If I am going to run the marathon at a 9:30 or so pace, I would think my slow runs would need to be a bit slower than that. maybe 10:00 or 10:30 according to what I've been reading. Not too mention the HR thing. Slow runs should be run in Zone 3 and most of mine have been in Zone 5. These other folks are running quicker than a 9 min pace on the slow runs which is great for them, but they probably aren't really a yellow group runner. I think this is why so many yellows moved down to the red group.

So I dug in and decided that I would just run the best I could, if I got lost or nervous about being on the trails alone, I would head to the street and just run the familiar paths. I'll be running the marathon alone, so I need to get used to that.

I ate another Gu at mile 3 and then ran into Ruth. She had run a 20 miler on Tuesday and was having a rough run. I walked with her and realized that she really didn't know where she was going either. I figured between the two of us, we could handle these trails together. We finally found the trail and wouldn't you know it, it wasn't a dirt nature trail, it was a concrete path just like all of the others I run on around here. So much for the trail shoes. What a dork! It was a pretty secluded trail and very pretty, but I could have easily gotten lost if not for the map.

Ruth needed to walk quite a bit, so I stayed with her. She told me to go on ahead, but I couldn't. To me, safety is more important than my pace. Besides, if I left her alone, I'd be alone too and these trails could hide a weirdo just about anywhere.

We hung in there and at mile 6 or so I ate my final Gu. We came close to the finish but it wasn't quite 9 miles, so I continued on and ended up tacking on .44 miles etc.

It was a nice run. My HR was in Zone 3 longer than usual, but I did hit Zone 4 for most of the run. I think this is because did the first 3 much faster than I wanted to.

And the sock situation? Well, the one that was turned inside out felt great. The one I didn't turn has a rubbed area on the toe. I guess I'll be turning my socks for my longer runs now.

I felt great at the end of the run. I actually think I could have run the 2 miles home. Probably to do with the Gu and caffeine.


Ruth also told me about Surfside Marathon which I know Barbara ran last year. I may consider running this. We'll see about dates and how it will fit in with preparing for TIR.

Total Miles: 9.44
Total Time: 1:40:30
Avg. HR: 169

Avg Pace: 10:45

Ate a Gu

Mile 1: 9:53
Mile 2: 9:54
Mile 3: 12:54 (Ate a Gu and then met up with Ruth and walked with her. She had run a 20 miler this week and was having trouble. I am a firm believer in not leaving someone behind, especially a woman)
Mile 4: 10:16
Mile 5: 11:55 (walked with Ruth some more)
Mile 6: 12:13 (same as above, plus we were trying not to get lost! Ate another Gu.)
Mile 7: 11:22
Mile 8: 10:26
Mile 9: 9:26 (Was able to run ahead of Ruth since we were on the main road again and there were others around)
Mile .44: 9:04

Total Miles for the Week: 20.8 miles

Weight 124.0

Quck Tempo Run

Literally. I decided to down a GU, (surprisingly, I am getting used to them and they aren't so bad now), then grabbed the dog and headed out the door tonight. I felt myself take off like a rocket (well, for me a rocket, for Rick, molasses) and kept telling myself, slow down, you're too fast. But I couldn't help it. I felt great. No hip click, no calf pain, just feeling good.

Total Miles: 3.7
Total Time: 36:43
Avg HR 181 (yeah, totally wrong, but hey, it was a tempo run...)
Avg Pace 9:50

Mile 1: 9:48
Mile 2: 10:17 (forced myself to slow down)
Mile 3: 9:55
Mile .7: 5:40/9:05 pace

Boy that was some GU!

Weds Morning Virtual Hills

No real hills today, but some huge personal hills. Getting up for a run on only 3 hours of sleep was the first hill.

Deciding to not use my inhaler was the 2nd hill.

Deciding that I needed to actually USE my inhaler was hill #3 (at mile 3).

I thought that trying to run without using my inhaler might help with the whole HR thing. During my run, I felt like I was working harder than usual. The humidity seemed to be smothering me as I ran. I kept checking the HR and found that I WAS in fact working harder. My pace was slower, but my heart was working harder. At mile 3, I began to think that perhaps I should go ahead and use the inhaler to see if my heart rate would come down a bit. As it happens, it did. And I didn't feel like I was working so hard.

So my theory about the inhaler increasing my HR is true, but it doesn't increase it as much as not using it. Now, how to train properly using the HR method. I think I need more guidance with this.

Total Miles: 3.75
Total Time: 40:18
Avg Pace: 10:43
Avg Heart Rate; 170 - 77% (Zone 4)

Mile 1: 10:31
Mile 2: 11:17
Mile 3: 10:44 (inhaler used)
Mile .76: 7:46/10:12 pace (inhaler made a difference)

Barbara, the dogs, all 3 of them, live in the backyard at night. I'm not sure about during the day as I don't hear too much from them. I just can't believe that the family doesn't hear their own dogs. If mine starts even for a moment, I correct her immediately. It's not the dogs' fault that the owners are ignorant. Not too mention inconsiderate. These dogs are older puppies, not quite a year yet. And why anyone would get three at one time only to have them stay in the back yard I will never understand...

***Edited to add this in***

I forgot to mention the other reason my HR jumped up today. As I was running the paths this morning, (concrete paths), I saw the weirdest stick. I spied the stick and thought to myself, "Boy, that stick could pass for a snake!" Then I realized, IT WAS A SNAKE! I think it was a Kingsnake, but I can't say for sure. When I screamed, the snake jumped back showing me that I scared it more than it scared me. After I realized how loud I screamed, I had to look around to see if anyone saw me. Thankfully, no one did. But I suppose it doesn't matter now, since I've just shared this with the whole world.

Monday Morning Run

I was able to make it out the door this morning, thanks to the neighbor's doggies...again at 4:30 am! This could get ugly before too long. I am a dog lover, but I do not like dogs barking constantly.

I went out for an easy 40 min. run with the specific goal of staying within the correct HR zone. I took Hannah with me to slow me down a bit. Added in some slower, more reflective music, thanks to Aaron Shust, and I was able to avg a HR of 164. That is the lowest it has been in some time! Unfortunately, it is still in Zone 3, but I've been running every run in Zone 4 or 5!

I do think that my HR is higher than it would be normally because I use my inhaler before each run. I know that this increases the rate. I've thought about trying to run without it, but I am worried that I could have a problem. I may try it on my next easy run and just carry the inhaler with me for an emergency.

Total Time: 42:27

Total Miles: 3.95 (I tried to run the last bit to hit 4, but as I ran past the house, the dog put her brakes on and wouldn't budge! It was very funny!)

Avg Pace: 10:46

Avg HR: 164

Mile 1: 11:11
Mile 2: 10:31
Mile 3: 10:35
Mile 4 (almost) 10:47

Coach Bill posted a wonderful post on his blog. Take a moment to check it out.

One More Thing

Coach Bill shared with me today a thought that he has been having about our upcoming TIR battle. While all in good fun, trash talking has it's place. However, he and I both agreed that we should be supportive of one another, cheering each other on in all of our running endeavors!

There is so much negativity in the world, we come to running to escape the yuck and embrace the great feelings.

I think Coach Bill has a great philosophy, and I hope he doesn't mind me jumping the gun and posting his wisdom before he had a chance to.

Run on my friends, run on!

Woodlands Fit - Week Eight

***edited to add picture courtesy of Coach Bill. Thank you!****


Total Miles: 5.91
Total Time: 58:37
Avg. HR: 179

Avg Pace: 9:55

Mile 1: 9:38
Mile 2: 9:37 (30 sec walk break)
Mile 3: 10:00
Mile 4: 10:42 (ate gu, 45 sec walk break, dropped mp3!!)
Mile 5: 10:25
Mile .91: 8:12/ 9:03 pace

I think I should have eaten the Gu earlier because I definately felt it kick in about 10 mins after I ate it. Next time I'll try it at mile 3. Or maybe I should eat one before I start and then one at half way. Not sure what would be best.

We had a great talk given by Kimberly Hager on Heart Rate Training. This is something that I have been interested in since beginning to run. As many of you know, my mother died of heart disease two years ago at the young age of 62. She suffered for many years before that. Watching her walk that long and painful journey was the catalyst for my commitment to fitness. As well, during my last pregnancy, I developed a strange problem with my heart. It would rise to 225 just by walking around. I had many tests and several doctors watching over me, but the cause was never determined. The final analysis was that my hormones were causing the problem. (just what every woman loves to hear!) After Boo was born, my HR normalized and I was able to come off of the medications that I was on during my pregnancy.

There is a ton of information on the internet, in books, etc. I enjoyed hearing Kimberly's opinion on Heart Rate training and agree with her that it should be used more by us all as a tool to determine if we are working ourselves too hard and not allowing for enough recovery.

With Kimberly's information in hand, I looked over my last few months of workouts and realized that I am WAY overtraining. Most of my runs have been between 75% and 85%. According to Kim, my Tuesday and Thursday runs should be in zone 4. Mine have been notoriously in zone 5. My long runs have been in zone 4-5 as well and they should be in zone 3. I must admit I have been feeling the "pressure" to keep up with my group, but having seen this information, I have decided to scale it back a bit and take the HR training more seriously. I know that this will be a real mental challenge for me. I will not like slowing down, but I believe that this is the healthiest way to go.

Remind me of this, Hrunner, when I am running too fast!!

To be more exact, my goal for long runs should be to have a hr of no more than 164 bpm. That is quite a difference from my usual 179ish.

Another goal this week is to review my resting HR. Last time I measured it was 18 months ago. I'd like to see if it has dropped from 54.

I met 90% of my training goal this week, missing Thursday because of a stomach bug.

Total Miles for the Week: 13.5 miles

Weight 124.0 (blame it on the stomach bug)

Tummy Trouble

I think I'm fighting a bit of a stomach bug. No run today as a result. Perhaps tomorrow I'll be able to fit a short run in depending on how the day unfolds.

I'm ahead of the plan for the week already, but I really don't like the idea of missing a run.

Tuesday Hills

I headed out for the hills tonight and actually was able to meet up with the Woodlands Fit gang! It was nice to see some familiar faces and run with them.

It was great to see Howard back out there. He looked great in spite of that troublesome calf. We ran about 15 mins together and I continued on for another 5 mins on my own. Coming back in, my calf started acting up a bit. It started cramping some and so I walked a bit at 2 miles and 2.5 miles. It seemed to get worse with walking. I don't know if that is possible. So I ran the rest of the way at a slower pace and then stretched and iced it. It's still a bit sore tonight, but I think tomorrow's rest day will help a lot.

Total Time: 36:49
Total Miles: 3.5
Avg Pace: 10:39

Mile 1: 10:16
Mile 2: 10:22
Mile 3: 11:45 2 walk breaks.
Mile .5 pace: 9:43

It was more humid tonight compared to last night. But the company was better. And no stick was required!

Run softly

And carry a big stick! I headed out this evening for a run through the woods at a nearby park. I had never run there before and couldn't find anyone to go with me, so I tackled the trails alone. Not real smart, but believe me, with my mental state today, it was necessary.

So, as I ran through the unfamiliar trails, I got a creepy feeling when I saw a guy in a truck kind of eyeing me and then parking. Looked like he was waiting for something. So I picked up a big, big stick. And I envisioned whacking the heck out of him or anyone else that even tried to mess with me and disturb my run. Just the thought of doing damage to someone trying to hurt me somehow brought peace to my mind. I know that sounds really bad, but a girl has to think like that sometimes to stay safe.

After awhile, I dropped the stick and held my car key in my hand ready to be used in anyway necessary to protect myself. All of this was for nothing. No one bothered me, unless you count the three wild hogs I saw crossing my path. When I saw them, I turned around and headed back in. I've heard they are no fun to fight off.

The run was supposed to be an easy 25 mins. But it was so awesome out there tonight. The humidity seemed low and my legs just kept going. I thought of you, Barbara, not being able to run today, so I ran for you!

Total Time: 41:53
Total Mileage: 4.1
Avg Pace: 10:15
Mile 1: 10:20
Mile 2: 10:03
Mile 3: 10:05
Mile 4: 10:33
leftovers: 10:25 pace

I liked the run out there, but I would rather be a bit safer next time.