Beautiful!

Second run in the new shoes. Still some breaking in to do, but the pain (if that's the right word...) in my right foot along the outside was less. I think it will just take a few more runs to get used to the Superfeet inserts. I went 3 miles again. Asthma only got angry twice! Yay! It was windy as all get out, though, and my throat was getting dry which seems to irritate it. Hopefully tomorrow's run will be even better!

Thursday, I've agreed to run the yearly Atlanta Track Club Resolution Run with some friends. There are 5k and 10k options, but I think I'll go for the 5k. Knowing the track club, the 10K is probably a double loop. I hate those kinds of routes because you get to the finish line, yet are only half way there! Kind of discouraging, really. We'll get to go to lunch and catch up afterwards, too. I'm looking forward to it! 5k is definitely doable at the moment! Plus, it's a great way to start out the new year. I missed running on New Year's Day this year, and maybe that's why I didn't have such a great year, running-wise. Either way, I'll be starting out 2009 running! :)

Oh, and I meant to add... Guess what I finally got to wear for the first time today! Yay! It fit perfectly, too! Didn't ride up at all and wasn't too loose or long.

Hey! I put my new shoes on!

After a week delay due to illness ($#%#!!!!!) I was able to get out today for 3 miles on the new shoes. I didn't want to push it for several reasons- new shoes (need to break in), cautious in case the knee pain thingy was still lingering, and because it'd been a while! My asthma was not happy with the strong head wind, either. I had to stop once to use the inhaler (yum!) and a couple of times in the first 2 miles to catch my breath (I hate the inhaler so I was resisting). By mile 3, I was feeling much better! The breathing was steady. I had turned around earlier than the planned 1.5 point (approximately 1.4?) just because I wasn't feeling it in mile 2. I was starting to think I'd been too ambitious! By the time I got back to the normal corner stopping point, my nike+ ipod lady announced "400 meters to go." *Sigh* Doesn't she know I can never stop once I hear that? I have to finish!!

So, I ended up finishing the 3 miles after all, running right to my building to finish. I really could have gone farther by that point. I will save it for the run I hope to get in tomorrow before the thunder storms come in. It's going to be 70 degrees tomorrow! I can't let that pass me by.

Best part? The new shoes (Mizuno Inspire 5s)! I also put in some blue Superfeet we got free through the running store. I figured I'd try them out with the new shoes to see how they treat me running. So far, they were fine. Supportive in the arch, but not annoying like most products can be. To be honest, they didn't feel much different than I'm used to with the custom orthotics. This is good since Superfeet are only about $20 vs. $300 for custom ones! I'll keep you posted as I put more miles on both the shoes and the superfeet.

Finally!!

I'm completely cross-posting this photo from my 365 blog. But here they are! Yea!! If only I weren't freaking sick. I really can't believe it. Stupid timing! I've got some new nike running capris to try out with them, too. As soon as my head stops sloshing and my nose dripping...

Yippee!

I got word today from my coworker at Fleet Feet that my shoes have come in at the Lawrenceville store! She is going to bring them over to our store tomorrow for me. Sadly, I can't even go pick them up till likely Friday. Stupid tutoring! Taking all my time after school. At least they have come in time for me to get a nice warm run in on Friday. It's forecast to be 70 degrees!!! Is it really December and just a week away from Christmas? Welcome to Georgia!

Still waiting on my new shoes...

I hope they will be in tomorrow (likely). Will hit the pavement after work for 3 miles if so. :)

Thanksgiving Atlanta Half Marathon, Nov. 27, 2008

I will start this race report by saying, I probably should NOT have done this run! I did not train anywhere near the way I should have. In fact, I didn't even get a chance to run for about six weeks prior to the race. Oops! However, I'd paid for the damn thing! I debated a while about whether or not to even try running. As soon as I talked to a friend who was also doing this race (her first half, along with her husband), I figured, maybe I could do it. Couldn't hurt that badly right? I've run a half marathon before. So, I knew what I was getting into. Plus, I'm not *completely* out of shape (like if I'd not run in a year or something....) So, I figured I'd give it a go.

So, I worked it out with my friends that since it's a point-to-point race, they would park their car at a friend's house at the finish and I would drive us in the morning to the start. Here are Beth C. and I before the start. Please keep in mind that approximately 60 minutes earlier, I was sleeping! Plus, it was below freezing. I know I look like total carp.

We walked the half mile or so up to the start (along with Beth's husband). We squeezed into our numbers' corral and tried to keep warm! They started the race in two waves. Ours started at 7:12 or so. By this time, the sun had started to come up thankfully. Once we got to the starting line, I immediately lost sight of Beth and Ian. There were lots of people and I was just trying not to get stampeded. That was fine, since I knew they would be going a little faster than I was, and I wanted to just zone out a little and get into my groove.

The first mile went ok. I had some asthma crap, which I took an inhaler puff for. In fact, the second mile was ok, as well. By the third mile, I had to start doing some walking. I was able to run a mile or so and walk a bit (a few minutes- not sure how far really). I tried to stop and stretch along the way, as well. I could feel my hips getting tight. By mile 7, my knees started aching. I knew this was my typical "shoes are completely shot" ache. Unfortunately, I still had 6 more miles to go! Due to this, I walked much more than I would have normally. My breathing, etc, was fine, but I wasn't going to injure myself to the point where I wouldn't be able to run for a while.

There were lots and lots of hills in those final miles. Normally they wouldn't have been more than a challenge really, but I definitely was walking the hills.... I was happy to make the final turn and see the finish line! Of course, in the final minute, I was passed by the men's marathon winner. That was a bit depressing! Oh well, either way I was finishing!!! At that point, that was all I cared about. I made my way over to the food tent and then found Beth and Ian where we'd planned to meet. We walked over to the car and they drove me back to my car.

Unfortunately, in all that, I didn't do my normal post-race stretching and could feel myself getting stiffer and stiffer as the minutes passed! By the time I had to walk up the stairs to my apartment, it was almost impossible! Coming back down them a couple of hours later to go spend Thanksgiving with my parents was also fun. I found that if I was moving, it wasn't as bad. Only after I'd been sitting a while did it get tough to stand again. This lasted through Saturday!

I was able to get out for 2.75 miles on Sunday, though! At exactly 2.5 miles, the knees starting aching again. I finished up the last bit, but iced them when I got back home. I went out again on Tuesday. Same ache right at 2.5 miles (luckily that was the end of my run!!) I definitely know I need replacement shoes, so I haven't run since then, while waiting on them to show up at the running shop. Let's hope they are there tomorrow!!! If so, then my next run will be Tuesday. I have one hour of tutoring to do, but after that can run. Or I might run straight after work. I haven't told him that we can reschedule to 4:15 so I may take advantage of that to run in the warm sun. Might be able to pull it off.

So, lesson learned? Proper training is a good thing, but that I'm not entirely incapable of getting though it if necessary! Next up is the Georgia ING half. That's March 29th, so I have plenty of time to train now. NO slacking!

So I signed up..

And it wasn't even a drunk registration! I signed up for the Atlanta Half. It's on Thanksgiving day. Last year it poured rain (I heard it from inside my covers in my nice warm, dry bed!) I needed to do something to force me to commit a little more to my training (which has been total shit lately). I know that I'm stretched way too thin these days, but I need to keep this for myself. Plus if I want to have a decent race at what will be my Spring goal race (ING) in March, then I need to keep training.... I'll figure it out somehow. I usually do.

So things are just super...

I'm so busy that even running early morning has gone out the window. I am so sick of this non-stop schedule, especially since it's mainly school stuff lately. Parents who just don't let up and want my full attention at every moment (despite having 120 students! Grf!) I was able to get 3 miles in Tuesday morning, though. Yesterday I was off of work for a doctor's appointment (and maybe a little Thrashers' practice action!!) and planned on doing the 7 miles I didn't get in this weekend. Sadly, it was pouring rain when I woke up at 6:45 and didn't let up till last night. I was going going going all day, though, so that was my only opportunity. It was raining again this morning, as well!

Plan for tomorrow is 5.5 after work. I have a teachers' workday/conference day, so I should be able to get away with leaving at 3:30 or so. I'm going to the Thrasher's season opening game tomorrow (vs. Caps! Woot!), but I think I will have time to get a run in, then shower quickly....

Mandy wants me to do the Zooma Women's 5K with her in November. I was originally going to use that as my goal HM, but then the training just wasn't going like I'd hoped due to everything else going on this summer. Well, I looked at my current training schedule and I have a 13 miler scheduled that day... should I do my LR the day before and still run the 5k with her or should I run the HM and treat it like a LR? I don't have to decide right away, but I will be thinking about it as I see how training continues....

Second day

So I got up early again today! Yea!! I was so tired and really dragged myself out of bed to get ready. I definitely have to build in an extra 20 minutes or so of wake up time once I'm up.

I've started a routine of:

• getting up
  
• taking my first inhaler dose
  
• getting something to drink
  
• taking the second inhaler dose
  
• playing on the computer (of course!)
  
• then getting coffee ready
  
• getting dressed
  
• taking the other inhaler doses
  
• more computer ;)
• doing my hair routine of all those dang barrettes!
• getting the ipod and hat
• getting out the door

I've been hooked on my London playlist since I've started running early mornings. I usually start with Paolo Nutini's "Rewind". I like that it's so early because I can sing aloud (quietly of course! Don't want to wake anyone) as I walk up to the street corner. It's such a perfect walk since it's just about 3 1/2 minutes long- just enough for a warm up song!

It's a pain to get across the street with the short (5 seconds or so) light. Which is not enough to cross about 7 lanes. Today, I passed a couple of (girl) runners coming at me on the sidewalk in front of Publix just as I had started out. I didn't see anyone else (running at least) the entire time. It wasn't as humid as yesterday, but still a bit breezy. I was fighting some asthma today and stopped again at the top of the hill at Kroger (no gas lines today, though!)

I only did the planned 3 miles (well a tad more just to get to the end of the sidewalk!) and I was glad. However, by the end, I felt I could have gone farther. Tomorrow, the plan calls for 4. They will be tricky to do before work (getting up about 15 mins earlier! Yikes! 4:45???) I think I will go straight on State Bridge and tackle that next hill! Will be a breeze going down, but the reverse leg will be extra fun. I've got the Maroon 5 concert tomorrow night, which means I will NOT be getting up early on Thursday to run! Just being realistic! :)

I did it

Yea!! I got up this morning and ran! :) I did 3.25 humid miles. It was a bit breezy, and approximately 64 degrees. The run wasn't too bad. Had to stop at the top of the big hill past Kroger and then after I turned around at the halfway on Jones Bridge.

I knew I'd be a bit huffy and puffy due to not running for two and a half weeks. However, it wasn't as bad as I'd anticipated. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's run.

Just a small side note about something I saw this morning. The gas stations everywhere around here have been empty for weeks now. Sometimes stations will get a delivery and people just seem to turn up and wait in line for gas! It's really been unreal! Apparently the QuikTrip at the top of the hill next to Kroger on Jones Bridge/State Bridge was filled with a huge long queue down the street. Here's a shot of it this afternoon in the same way! On the left, you can see the sidewalk I run on in the mornings.

Adjusting

Well, it's been a while since I've updated here. I was pretty sick for over a week. Now that I'm well, I've started the new job at the running shop and more tutoring on the other days. It's a bit crazy, but it will all be worth it. Of course, what has been sacrificed?? Running. :( I needed to adjust to the new hours, etc, which I think I am finally doing. Now I need my motivation back- a nice kick in the ass actually!! I am ready mentally to go back out, so tomorrow I WILL run! No excuses. I am also going to start back with my early morning routine. I will have a few difficult days due to the concerts (will likely be quite knackered by Thursday afternoon!!) but I'll work it out. Something is better than nothing. I think the key is to rework my training schedule to align with my new training goal race! Silver Comet trail is out for sure!

On a semi-related running note, I ran into my old friend Ruthie at the running shop today! I haven't seen her in at least 10 years! She is a teacher at Wesleyan and living in Duluth nearby! She has started running (this May!) and is training for her first marathon in November (Chicamauga). We exchanged phone numbers and are planning to run together soon! :) That was a nice surprise actually.

Ok, so goals for this weekend: re-do the training schedule and to run tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Sick :(

Well, after having to skip my run yesterday morning due to too much carp for school, I ended up skipping this morning's run, as well. Probably wouldn't have worked out anyway since it was pouring this morning (and dark!), but I started getting sick yesterday afternoon. I really hope this goes away quickly. All I really want to do is put my head down and sleep. I've heard that it's pretty much a 36 hour thing, so hopefully I will be better tomorrow and can get a run in (at least one!) this weekend.

Yea!

I had a fantastic run this morning. I was dripping from the humidity yet again, but it went well. I wished I could have gone farther but I was out of time for the morning (despite getting up earlier!!) I did the Old Milton route to Jones Bridge Road. I've been having to walk at the very top of the hill (asthma, etc). However, today I was able to keep going. My brain was in overdrive, especially for the return portion. I hardly noticed I was going up the lesser hill going up towards Kimball Bridge in the 3rd mile. Was nice to just *go*. I will attempt to get up even earlier on Fri to get in 4-4.5 miles. This means at least 15 minutes earlier. I'll live.... ;)

Unfortunately, I won't be able to run tomorrow morning, since grades are due at school and I need to go in early to finish them and also give a whole bunch of make up quizzes and a detention! I've got my interview at Fleet Feet in the afternoon! Crossing fingers that I get the job and that it pays well! Gotta start really building the London savings funds!

So it seems...

I've been able to get back into my pre-school morning run routine (say that 3 times fast). I've run Monday (of course it was Labor Day so I had the day off already.. sorta doesn't count maybe?), Tuesday and Thursday mornings so far this week! I do plan on going again tomorrow morning. Yea!! I definitely think that setting the alarm a little earlier helped get me out sooner. Of course, I was still a few minutes late to school today. I'm doing my best. I ran along Old Milton this morning instead of around to Webb Bridge Rd. I had forgotten that I was running there on the dark mornings since there are street lamps along it. Only issue is crossing Kimball Bridge Rd. I never seem to catch the light right. I don't like having to stop during a run, but feel stupid running back and forth along the sidewalk waiting!

This morning's run in particular was really nice! It was several degrees cooler than it has been lately (about 63-64 instead of upper 60s to mid 70s even!) and lower humidity. What a difference!!!! My breathing was good and my pace was comfortable. I think it's a combination of my recent consistency and the better weather. I am certainly looking forward to tomorrow's run now! :) Plus it's Friday! Woot!!

So, goals for this month?
-Continue my early morning consistency (despite it getting lighter later and later...)
-Follow my training plan for the HM (Zooma here in Atlanta on Nov 16th)
-Not miss any of my long runs!
-Continue eating right to lose weight....
-increase my walking bits after the long runs

So I lied (just a little)...

I didn't run the 4 planned miles on Saturday morning. I slept in. And didn't even change out of my pj's all day while cleaning and watching movies and playing on the computer in general. I think it was what you could call a mental health day (even this early in the school year!) However, I did feel more energetic on Sunday and went out for what was supposed to be 5 miles in the afternoon. Um, yeah. It was way too hot and humid for any of that mess. I got about 2.25 (painfully mind- could hardly breathe with my stupid heat-aggravated asthma) then I turned around and walked back. I was already planning on walking 2 miles after the run (I'm doing that whenever I have the time), so that was fine. I was pissed I couldn't run farther, however.

I wanted to run 3 miles Monday morning before work, but woke up all night long with a terrible headache and ended up sleeping in instead. Tuesday, I was finally able to get up and went 3 miles. It was 68 degrees or so and I was feeling fast again! Felt great! Today, I was up a little earlier and squeezed in an extra half mile. I wasn't quite as fast as yesterday, but it was about 72 degrees and much more humid. Plan is to run the next two mornings as well. I need to experiment with getting up about 30 minutes earlier, though, since I have been late to work the past two mornings (OOPS!) We'll see how this goes......

Early morning run!

So I finally got my butt out of bed this morning at 5:30- actually woke up at 5 before the alarm and just laid there waiting. Got out the door at 6:15 just as I'd planned. Oops. Something I hadn't considered- it was still dark! Well, I was going either way. Luckily I know every single inch of the sidewalk, so I actually was just fine. I was going "fast" for me (about 10:20-10:30). It felt great. It was 68 degrees and 75% humidity (which the weather guy said was "dry air"??!!!) but overall it wasn't bad considering the normal daytime temps for August and it can often be closer to 80s even in the morning.

It was really nice to be out running. I'd missed it these past couple of weeks. Definitely beginning the schedule for the Silver Comet HM now. Feels good! :)

Tomorrow morning: 4 miles!

This weekend: Pt 3.

This is a great article!

Just thought I'd share this link here: Runners live longer, stay healthier.

Very interesting overall! I especially like the last part that says

The study also showed that people cannot use the risk of injury as an excuse not to run — the runners had fewer injuries of all kinds, including to their knees.

Good news!

Running through Europe, Part deux- Spain, Paris and Dublin

[again- please note all this is for my own sake, which I guess that's the point of a blog anyway, eh?]
We (the students and I) spent about 2 days together in Italy, then they returned home from Milano the next morning. Unfortunately, the place we were staying at (up on top of a mountain basically, with no place to run) and the schedule (arriving late and leaving too early) did not allow for any runs. I spent another day in Milan on my own and left the next morning to Firenze. Firenze was marvelous and has many many nice places for running (through the main squares and along the river around the bridges...) but they were a bit of a hike from my hotel room which was outside of town. I regret not at least trying to get a run in there- sunrise along the Arno river would have been amazing, I am sure. But- I will be returning next year (!) and will definitely make sure to stay closer to town and make the effort!

Due to travel complications (long story ;) ) getting from Pisa to Barcelona, and then a late night "good bye party" for one of Johana's sister's friends (where I stayed in Barcelona) we did not get up in time for any running. Sadly, I didn't do much of anything while in Barcelona due to time restraints. The following day, we had half a morning in the city before I had to board a train for Alicante to see Elke.

I had 3 very nice runs in Spain. The first one was from the teeny tiny town of Busot where Elke lives. We ran down the windy road that had no shoulder, intermittently dodging the huge delivery trucks that passed by! We went down for about a mile and a quarter when we stopped for a little stretching, then ran back up. I had to complete 3 miles minimum, so when we got back and it was only 2.75, I ran up and down the main (?!) street in Busot to make up the difference! I was surprised at how easy this run was compared to what I was expecting (I don't normally like hills!) and given the heat/sun.

Later that day, we went to the shore where there is a very nice promenade. I immediately knew this is where I had to do my next run!! I was even able to convince Elke that we should run there together! So Saturday morning, we got up early and headed out to the beach promenade, bringing our bathing suits along as well so we could swim afterwards. We did approximately 3.5 miles. The sun was getting stronger and there was no shade so it was a very sweaty run!! Best part was the amazing breakfast we had at the seaside cafe! We were still in our running clothes, but luckily no one seemed to mind!

I wanted to get at least one more run in by the shore, so I told Elke we had to go again. She wimped out this time, but I got in another run while she lounged along the water. I went for 4 miles. We slept in since we'd gone out to dinner late the night before, so it was already well past 10am by the time I started. The temperature must have been at least 80 degrees. It was a bit humid even. However, the view of the sea made up for all of that. I enjoyed looking at everything as I passed by- the cafes, people going to enjoy their day at the beach, cars randomly parked on the sidewalks... The best part was when I finally got back to the spot where Elke was and just taking off my shoes, ipod, hat, etc and running straight into the water! It felt so amazing at that point! I'm sure people were wondering what the heck I was doing but I didn't care a bit at that moment!! If only every hot run could end with running into the Mediterranean sea!!!

That night I took the train to Madrid (and sort of attempted to sleep in the airport) and took a 5:30 am flight to Paris. I was going to see Virginie!!! Due to the odd schedule, I obviously didn't get a run in that day (Monday), but I woke up nice and early and headed over to Les Tuileries. I got off at Hotel de Ville (it was direct from my youth hostel). I crossed the bridge walking to warm up and then started off. What a beautiful morning! Nice sun, low/no humidity and probably in the 60s. I ran to the park along the Seine, crossing back over to the north side (I can never remember which is right or left back since to me, you can't have left and right when the river flows east-west!!!) The park was full of other runners, people walking to work, workers cleaning and maintaining areas of the park, or just folks sitting on one of the benches scattered around the park. I have been wanting to run through Les Tuileries since Feb 2006 when I was there with my sister in the cold rain, watching all the runners (and runnin' runnin' and runnin' runnin' ;) ) I have several photos I took with the disposible camera that I haven't developed yet. Once I do, I will insert them here! :)

The last part of this post is Dublin. I went to Dublin after just two days in Paris, since I had only come back to visit Virginie. I stayed with friends who I had met through Kick in Philly last November. When I told them I was coming to Europe the following summer, they invited me to come visit! Uh, ok! It was a great time, too. The first night I was there, we all went for a run along the river front (near where they lived in the dockland area). We ran along the river then crossed at a bridge that led to a famous sculpture in remembrance of the great famine. We also came across a replica of a Viking ship from centuries ago that had been made and then sailed to Dublin. We paused for a bit to watch the owners fiddling about with stuff on the boat, then continued on. We crossed back over at the far end of river (towards the sea) and wound our way through the canals and docks. We passed by U2's studios, as well! (AWESOME!!) Of course, I came back here the following night and ended up hanging out for four hours, listening to them do some recording while I was there!!!!! We finished up the run racing each other to the doors of their apartment. Liam won, though, despite my best efforts (he was already ahead of us and had a head start!!) Probably ended up with about 3 miles total. This was not really a training run, but more for the company of friends and to do a little sight-seeing. Hopefully next time, I will be able to stay longer and do some runs at the Phoenix Park, which is the largest park in a city in all of Europe! There's also Steven's Green. I didn't even have a chance to just visit either of these spots. It will all be there waiting for me next year, though!

Next up.. Nottingham and London! :)

My European running adventures: Part I- France!

[I should note that all of this rambling below is for me! I want to be able to remember what a great time I had this summer.]

I spent the entire month of June (and a little of July) far away from home. I had the great fortune to visit 5 countries in that time and run in 4 of them (Seriously, who could run in Italy??) I had been fighting some low motivation for several months, but the thought of running in some of my favorite places on earth got me out early mornings at home, so I’d be ready to really enjoy the runs. I had planned to do a half marathon with a group of friends in Madison, WI the weekend before I left. Due to some mysterious knee pains, I couldn’t train for a few crucial weeks before hand and ended up dropping down to what they called a quarter marathon (basically a little longer than a 10k). I had dreamt of running my favorite routes in Paris and London since I’d been there the year before. The thought of pushing myself too much and not being able to run in Europe was enough to convince me that changing races was the right thing to do.

The trip started off in Paris. We arrived on a Tuesday morning and had a fabulous day visiting Notre Dame and other sites of the city. I was eager to get out for my first run in Paris!! We were staying next to the Parc de la Villette. Sadly “parc” was a slight overstatement. It was mainly a concrete area with some modern art scattered around. Wednesday morning, I set off for about 3 miles around 5 am (it was already light, though!) I ran through the park area and discovered there were canals right behind the hotel. I ran along till they ended, turned around and ran to the other end of the path. I was still quite short and turned to run up into the streets above the canals. I got several confused looks as I did so, but it didn’t matter. I was running! In PARIS!!! It was a very easy, comfortable run. I loved every minute of it.



The next morning, I headed to my favoritist park in all the world- Jardin du Luxembourg. It was a beautiful morning! Nice sun, light breeze.. and I was in major luck- today was the local fire station’s training at the park day! :D For the first time ever, I was happy to be running slower as they lapped me several times doing what seemed to be hill repeats. Niiiiiiiiiice! Oh and they finished first, so there was some stretching along the wall, as well. Hehe. I mean, the uh, natural beauty of the park was stunning!

Unfortunately, I had something bad at lunch that day (I suspect it was an undercooked egg on my crepes) so I was sick the next couple of days, literally only having hot tea for every meal. I wasn’t able to run for the next few days in Paris. Saturday we took the train early early for Nice, so I wasn’t able to run that morning.

Sunday morning, however, it was drizzly and grey. There was some lightning in the distance over the water, too. But I had a great run. I went out for 5 miles along the Promenade des Anglais, the major walkway along the beach in Nice. Despite the rain, I was not alone! Lots of runners, early morning sanitation workers, a few people who I suspect spent the night out there…. An interesting mix of sights while running.

Here’s a photo of the Promenade the next day in sunnier weather:



And this is the view of the sea I had as I did the outbound leg:



I was able to do one more run along this promenade on Tuesday morning as well. This was our last day in France before we got in the coach to go to Italy. I was glad I got that run in, because it turned out it was the last one for the next week! But really.. who could run in Italy??? ;)

Watch this space..

I'm currently uploading all nearly 1000 photos from the trip to Europe. I am working on a little summary of the running (and one race!) I got to do over there and will be posting it as soon as it's done. Suffice it to say for now that I had a great time and I really really really miss the nice weather and locales from over there!!

Cooper River Bridge Run, April 5, 2008

Well, I've let this weekend simmer for several weeks now. It's definitely time to go ahead and post a dang recap and race report!

I got out of school one hour early (bargain with my assistant principal for a BIG FAVOR she needed from me! Woot!) and immediately got on the road to SC. I still got stuck in some traffic getting to I-20. Boooo. Luckily it only slowed me down 20 mins. or so. Rest of the ride was uneventful. Boring, even. However, I was really looking forward to getting to Charleston and seeing Ann again!! I knew she had some fun stuff planned for us and I was ready for my spring break to officially begin!

I arrived around 8 and Ann was still coming home from work. We stopped at Moe's for dinner and then headed to her apartment nearby. With all the chatting and catching up, we still didn't get to bed until about midnight! Oops! Looooooonnnnnng day for me!

Sat. morning, 5 am. I was awake. Didn't sleep well due to nerves and general crappy sleeping lately. It was ok. I knew I'd have the adrenaline pushing me along once we got running. We were out the door about 5:45 and headed for downtown. Got down there in plenty of time and joined the LONNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGG line for the buses to take us to the other side of the river for the start in Mount Pleasant. I was yawning, but anticipation was building.

We had to wait about 20 minutes for the race to start. We heard several different renditions of the Star Spangled Banner as we found our place in line. About 2 minutes from the start time, something like 8 people wearing race car outfits (like the size of box cars, painted with random drivers’ logos, etc- including car #69 painted with a Viagra logo!!) started to squeeze by us. Um, no. I don’t think so. We moved up ahead of them so as not to get caught in their mess. Cute idea, but bulky and annoying in the huge crowd that was already there.

Start went off. We slowly walked towards the mat and then set off. Ann likes to do a lot of weaving through the crowds. We wound our way through many many folks. Probably a 10:45 pace or so?? As we got to the bridge, there was a bit of a traffic jam since we had previously been running on a road about 6 lanes wide, to squeezing into 3 lanes or so. This is where it really started to feel humid, too. I was sweating! It was overcast and very windy. As we started up the bridge, the wind felt great (but I almost lost my hat a few times). It was the only relief from the crazy humidity. I’m sure that by this point, we had slowed down some. But I really really didn’t want to have to stop. Unfortunately, my lungs had other plans. We stopped briefly (a minute or so?) near the crest of the bridge so I could take a couple of puffs on the inhaler and catch my breath. This *was* the longest and only run I’d done in almost 2 weeks at that point, so I wasn’t too surprised. I just hate having to stop during races. It feels like cheating or something to me. Once my breathing calmed down, Ann and I got back to running. Had a couple of other brief stops farther along, but we finished strong. Final time was s-l-o-w! 1:10 or something? I haven’t received my official results card yet, so I’m not sure. We were way off the clock time due to the huge start.

Ann and I headed to the big table near the square where people were throwing out oranges and giving out bagels and muffins and grabbed a water. We headed over to a nice spot under a tree and dug in. Those oranges were so delicious! They definitely hit the spot after running! We didn’t feel like hanging around too long and went on back to her car to grab some money. We met some friends of Ann’s at a bar nearby (they had been there a while, though, and left soon after….) We had a nice lunch and a post-race beer. 



The rest of the weekend was fabulous. We spent a beautiful day going out to the fort near Isle of Palms (I forget the other island’s name) and driving around the area. I wish I could buy one of those great little beach houses right on Isle of Palms!!! Still my favorite place in SC. That evening after a little nap, we met up with her other friend Beth and hit the town. Started with dinner in a brew pub, then drinks at a hip (too hip: read loud and crowded) wine bar, then a final stop at a perfect little bar. We chatted up several different folks and ended the night with a couple of Army helicopter instructors from FL. What a blast! We ended up giving them a ride back to their hotel and dropped Beth off at her place.

Sunday, Ann took me to a really yummy place known for its brunch called Marina, I think. We looked right out over the water the whole time. Delicious food! She then took me on a foot tour of the Battlement and the neighborhoods in the area (owner of Piggly Wiggly lives there, she pointed out). Beautiful. It was a perfect day.





She was called in to cover for someone at work for an hour so we headed downtown at that point.



I went to the Market and bought a cool handmade glass necklace while she worked. We then walked a little more around town as we headed slowly back to her car and back to her place. I thought about staying another night in a hotel and driving back the next day (I didn’t want to leave!) but the priceline hotels just weren’t cheap enough for me.

The drive home was rather uneventful as I replayed some of the best moments of the weekend. I had a great time with my friend. We already made plans for her to come visit this summer (Braves’ game!) and to run the Isle of Palms Connector run (10K) in October together. I can’t wait!

Charleston, here I come........

So. Tomorrow. I'll be on the road around 3 o'clock if everything works as planned (pending assistant principal approval! ;) ) I'm really really looking forward to the weekend. I will be visiting my friend Ann! I went out there last year and ran the Cooper River Bridge Run with her last year (it's a 10K for those who might be interested). She suggested a few months ago that we make a weekend of it this year. She called tonight and we've got plans for the entire weekend! Nice girls' weekend out. This is exactly what I need at this point, after the hectic past couple of months. I'm rather unprepared for this race, but I think I'll do alright. I'm sure I'll be nervous once it hits me what I'm going to be doing at 7 am in possible thunderstorms (d'oh!) At this point, I need to get to sleep so I can drag myself up early enough tomorrow to finish packing the toiletries. More later.....

How many 5 year old could you take in a fight? ;)

I could take on 18.

ING was not to be...

Oh well. No ING for me this year. I waited too long and couldn't get in. Just as well, judging by the yucky weather. I got to sleep 11 hours last night instead! (I even forgot about/missed my last opportunity to go to a Thrashers' practice today! Sad) I didn't even make it down there to cheer all the KRs on.

Yesterday was a lot of fun, though. I got to the expo about 8:45am and reported for duty! Got all signed in and got my volunteer orange shirt (kinda threw a wrench in the whole "I'll be wearing my KR shirt to help stand out!" plan) Started at the registration/packet pick up tables. Yea!! Fun! Then someone came and and asked me to go to the children's area to help monitor the kids in the play zone! WHAT?? But, I didn't get up at 6:30 this morning to go babysit! Grf! I was promised a replacement soon... Took about an hour or so (an hour too long), but I finally got to go back to the registration table. I stopped at the Nike+ area and chatted with the woman for a good 30 minutes or so and told her all of the issues/ideas I had for nike+!! Finally! I could remember them at the right moment. She even videotaped me giving some of my suggestions! Pretty cool! Now when all those things come to the site, you can thank me personally! ;) I told her about needing a way to put in runs manually. I said they don't have to count for challenges, but it would be nice to have a back up when something goes wrong with the sensor/ipod (low battery, etc...) I also (finally!) remembered to suggest that the online run graphs include all of the information you hear on the ipod during the runs (time at that point, etc....) She told me about her suggestion of adding in a monthly calendar type function where you could chart out your planned runs. She also told me that others had thought of adding a projected weekly mileage function that would show under your my runs area. The bar would then turn green as you met the goal and show clear if you didn't. Nice! I look forward to seeing some of these improvements!!

Anyway, the rest of the volunteering went well. I was with 2 really nice folks. One was from the Cayman Islands originally and even knew an old college friend of mine, Annie Briggs! Small world! (Ala)Michelle came by and we caught up a bit. She couldn't make the dinner later, due to staying with friends (and needing to visit with them instead). Still great to see her! One of the parents of a student I took to France last year came by as well. She recognized my name from my name tag! Random! Chatted with some Chilean runners, South Africans, a nice guy from Guinée (he seemed pleased I could speak French! :) ), a guy from Brighton, UK and many more. I loved seeing the excitement and anticipation in everyone's faces. I will definitely do this again next year!! Perhaps next year I will actually register on time myself, and run the darn thing, too!!

After my shift, I played around at the expo- did a cool Mizuno foot analysis thingy. Pretty much told me everything I knew, but I got a print out of my feet! :D Listened to Grete Weitz speak. Very very cool! Finally found Tithers/Sherry at her Tri booth. Chatted a bit with her, then got back on the Marta (in the rain) and headed back to Lindbergh- the dinner meet up spot. I was a good hour early, so I hung out at Taco Mac for a bit. Sherry got there first and we went over to the Chili's and waited for the rest of the group. All in all it was a great dinner. Got to meet Aimee (luckylily) and her husband and the twins!!!! I'm definitely in love with the boys! Such cute sweeties! I also met Lloyd (Roots), Becca and Brian (Snooze and Toejam) and Sarah (Stitcher) who drove in all the way from Auburn, AL! Beth/Crazyfrog and Heather/QN were also present!

It was long, exhausting day, but well worth it. Now it's time to focus on next Saturday's 10K in Charleston, SC (Cooper River Bridge Run). I will be running after work tomorrow for sure. Stay tuned. I will also upload some photos from Saturday here, once I've dumped them from my camera!

Due to popular demand....

I will start double posting here so that my loyal fans can post comments to me here! I'm just scared I might lose access again and that would make me sad. :( So, I will start copying and pasting my posts here and keep the Windows Live blog as my back up. :) HOw's that?

New Route! Sorta!

Went out for 4 miles this afternoon. I probably would have gone longer but I had a last minute tutoring request that I couldn't turn down! I was a little sore from Sunday (that's what happens when you take "breaks" for several days! Oops!) but it wasn't too bad. It was chilly and a little windy as I set out. I was wondering if I should have gone for the long sleeve shirt, despite the bright sun and pure blue sky. The first mile was still chilly, but I definitely warmed up as I started hitting the hills. I ran towards Fleet Feet on Old Milton. I normally run to the Kroger and turn left to stay on the relatively flat section and avoid the HUGE hill that comes after that intersection when you go straight. It's about a 3.5 mile round trip when I go that way. However, I felt up for a challenge today and kept going. I'm happy to report that despite having to play a few head games along the way, I made it up all the hills! I will admit stopping for water/breath at the top of those hills, but I didn't let myself wimp out. :)

I want to note that my last two runs seemed timeless. I didn't feel any dread of how much longer. They went by quickly. In fact, I was sad to have to stop today! I know that my extended break was part lack of time to run/schedule and partly motivation. I wanted to run in my heart and head, but just couldn't always get out the door. After these past couple of really great runs, I think it will be easier to convince myself to make the first step.

Inspired by my friend Martin, I am going to start noting the playlist I use each run (as long as I remember!) This was a new playlist I compiled from songs posted on the Thrashers' forum as being played during the games. I didn't recognize a whole lot of them (they must be just in snippets during the games??) but WOW! What a great playlist. I randomly chose 22 of the songs I'd downloaded (there are like 100 total). I did a good job! :D

So...

PLAYLIST USED: Thrashers' 1 (I only have one at this point, but I have a feeling I will be creating others!)

Back to the egg

So, looks like blog spot figured out that I am, in fact, not a crazy spammer. I'll figure out what I want to do with this page. Perhaps archive the posts on the other blog and link to them here as well? I'm afraid of it happening again.

What's your rockstar name?

something silly and quick to play with if you're bored! :)

Your Rockstar Name Is...

Vanilla Danger

What's Your Rockstar Name?

Harder to breathe!

Heidy ho! I'm still here. Just haven't had a moment to myself lately. Next week will be equally as crazy. I am seriously counting down till spring break!! Tomorrow I will be going to the gym and starting up my weight training routine again. I will also be running on the greenway. Planning 4 miles. Yep. I know that my schedule says otherwise, but unfortunately, I am way behind on that. :( I miss running, but at some point, I have to sleep. Between school/work, tutoring, and hockey I've not had the time. I know that I chose to put some other things before running at times, I don't feel quite as bad as I might if I had simply been sitting around on my couch.

I'm still looking forward to Madison HM in May. It is now approximately 12 weeks away. Perfect timing for a solid training round. I'm still gunning for a new HM PR!! :)

For now, I will just do the best I can!

So.................

It's been another busy busy week, with no chance of it letting up any time in the next few weeks. I got a nice run in on Monday (almost 4 miles) but since then haven't been home enough to get out there. The plan is to run today. I am just trying to recover a bit from the birthday party I went to last night! (Oops!)

ING is about 5 weeks away now. I am not gunning for anything more than finishing it for the experience, but I am doing a couple of 10Ks over the next 2 weeks. It's going to be challenging to work in my runs. I think I will have to start running at the gym in the mornings again since I am tutoring after school most days. It's hard to feel motivated to run at 8 pm after working 12 hours and not even have eaten dinner or whatever. I really wish some days were longer than 24 hours just so I could fit more in and still sleep/eat etc!! I will think on the plan and get back later.........

Oh, and here's a cool ass picture of me meeting Eric Perrin Tuesday night!!! :D

Wow, how accurate.

Probably explains why I hate the short days where I don't get to enjoy this time of day.

In theory.........

I'm going to run 13.1 miles in less than 9 hours from now! D'oh! Had a great day at the Expo, hanging out with the gang (Tiff, Bob, Tim R, and Chris) all day, watching the 5K (photos to come later...), eating at Cracker Barrel, and driving part of the race course tomorrow. We saw the hill that is at mile 5-6 (mentioned yesterday). Yoiks. But not as bad as it looked on paper. I will go as much and as far as I can....

We had a great pasta dinner (alfredo angel hair with mushrooms and a cup of minestrone soup) with everyone and also Jared (Flemdawg). I think it was at a place called Petrucelli's. Pretty good! :)

Just about to tuck into bed now (10:30 my time, 9:30 Alabama time). Alarm is set for 4:45!! Sheet!

In Alabama......

So, I drove here to Birmingham right after work. Hellish drive- first 29 miles took an hour and a half! It was terrible. Got here and went straight to Taziki's Greek restaurant across from the hotel where I met up with Tim(r1), Tiff, Maples and Bob. Enjoyed a nice dinner and good convo, then headed back to the hotel.

I haven't run since Monday really, so Sunday will be interesting. I have confidence I can do it, despite seeing the elevation chart tonight (thanks, Bob!) showing the extreme uphill from mile 5-6 then 9-10 or so.. Luckily it goes straight down for the last 3 miles so I should be able to recover some time there.... Fingers crossed. I feel ready. Looking forward to the expo tomorrow. Tim is also going to drive us over the course so we can all get a firsthand look at it!

Night!

I made it!

So, I got in 10 miles. Actually, 10.2! That was thanks to a kick from the sports beans I ate at mile 7! They kicked in around mile 9 like magic. I love those things!! I took several breaks- mainly at intersections (necessary unless I wanted to be flat like a pancake!) and twice going up/down the stairs to the trail. I went from the apt. down Old Milton to the trail. Ran out just past mile marker 2.5 (30 mins or so from the bridge) and back past the bridge past the 5 mile marker and then back to the stairs and up - UP- Old Milton again. I had to go a little farther (down to the dentist's office) to finish up the miles due to the encroaching darkness on the trail. No problems! :) I am definitely stiff now and will likely feel this tomorrow. Not sure what the plan is yet tomorrow. Thinking now to go for 2-3 after work/before hockey. I'll play it by ear depending on how I feel after work..... I think I'm gonna make it for Sunday, though! Already getting excited! :)

Hills hills and more hills!

Since I had so much to do today, I ended up switching tomorrow's 4 miles for today's 10. I opted for a hilly route, though, as penance for not doing the 10 as planned. Just straight down Old Milton and back. I've always avoided running that way because of the hills, but the Mercedes is going to be hilly so I should get at least a little used to it now. I still was gasping at the top of each one, though. I am definitely going to start running this route more often to get some hill training in!

It was sunset when I got out the door (about 6). Dark clouds were looming and it was sprinkling a little. I was just hoping for about 45 more minutes of dry weather!! I got about 40.... Last half miles it started raining and a cold wind was blowing. I'm pretty sure I sped up a little that last bit. I made it, though!!!

Now, just to get those 10 in tomorrow... gonna be tough after work, but I think that the combination of good weather and hopefully well restedness (hehe, is that a word? I'm making it one!) will carry me through! Plus a little stupidity will help. ;)

Let's see if I can get the route to post...

Success!

Ran 7 miles on the Greenway today. Got out there around 11:45 am. Had a hair appointment at 2:30 on the other side of town so I had to get a head start (no pun intended!) I ran from the YMCA parking lot so I went the 2 miles to the Kimball Bridge intersection, where I walked across to give my lungs a little rest. I ran another 1.5 out/back (3 total) to Kimball and walked again across the road. I ran the remaining 2.25 (approx) which got me all the way to the car. My lungs weren't dying. I didn't need to use my inhaler once! :) I felt really good, especially after the first 2 miles. If I had had the time, I might have gone ahead and done 10 miles and saved the 7 miler for tomorrow.

The mental boost I've got from this run is amazing! I'm really feeling confident that I can make the HM next week and for it not to be too far off my normal time. The key will be to stay consistent with my planned runs this week. There's always so much to do that it's easy to get exhausted. I will need to be diligent with bedtime and get to sleep by 9:30 or so! This will allow me to actually drag myself out of bed on the mornings I need to get the run in at the gym. Or at least so I'm not so tired by the end of the day after work that I just crash out on the couch at home (like Friday). I think that self-discipline is the most important thing to successful running. I may not be fast, but I can at least be the best I am capable of being. All I can do, I suppose!

TM run.. will it ever end?????????

So I got in 5 miles on the TM today. It felt like 25. Whoa. Is that thing boring!! However, I have to get used to it for the next few weeks to get through this crazy windy/cold/rainy weather. We keep getting random nice weather days (when it gets to the 50s/60s). Fortunately they are happening on the weekends mainly so I can take advantage!

Getting back to HM shape after a month off is not so much fun. My lungs still burn a little from the run today. I think I will be able to do it, but it is really challenging my determination/motivation right now! Amazing how quickly daily habits can be forgotten..... I've officially registered for the Birmingham HM so that is extra motivation at this point!!!

Oh well. I'm already looking forward to the ING GA HM on Mar 30th and the Madison, WI HM on May 25th. After that, it will be some shorter races (5/10ks) over in Europe during the month of June and then the Peachtree Road Race on July 4th one day after I return home from Europe! I'm hoping the décalage horaire will work in my favor since technically it will feel like noon when the race starts!! Notice the Madison HM map I've embedded to the right of this post underneath my running schedule! :) COol, huh??

Early morning

Plan is to get up super early and get in 5-6 on the TM at the gym. I wish I'd have time to get a weight workout in, too. I miss weight training! I can't wait till winter is over and I am not so freaking exhausted after work. By the time I may wake up from a quick nap, it's already dark. Plus, something is causing me not to sleep well. I woke up at least 4 times last night. Looking forward to a great run on the TM tomorrow! (If I say it to myself enough, I'll believe it, right???????????)

I did it!

I finished 8 miles today. It wasn't pretty. Well, I planned to run a mile, walk a minute, run a mile, walk, etc... There were times I considered cutting it short at 6 or 7 miles (before the turn around) but I'm glad I continued. I think mentally it was important for me to do 8 today. I'm pleased with my effort considering I've hardly run 3 miles in the past 6 weeks! This will likely be my strategy in Birmingham.

I went on the Greenway and the weather was about 50 degrees and sunny. Very beautiful day for a run. I am considering doing the missed 5 miles there tomorrow. We'll see how I feel after work and if I'm sore from today.....

Getting in gear

So, I did not do my 5 miles these past couple of days. *Sigh* I hate missing runs, but this is the way life has been ! I'm so out of the habit, too, that rearranging my schedule again to fit runs in is difficult. I am now waiting out the cold morning on my couch with a cup of coffee. It is going to be in the 50s this afternoon, so my LR will be outside (WOOHOO! Down with the TM!) Hard to believe that 2 weeks from today, I will be in AL and DONE with the HM! Wow.

My challenge this week will be to get up early and hit the TM for the runs. Afternoons just aren't working with my after school obligations/tutoring. The other half of that is getting in bed by 9 or 9:30 so I'm not exhausted all day or even too tired to just get out of bed. I enjoy running in the morning, but the key is to get out of bed to do it!

1 down, 12 to go...

Well, I made it out of bed yesterday morning and to the gym. It was blazing hot in there and I'd overdressed in my capri tights and long sleeve tech shirt. Even with the sleeves rolled up, I felt like it was a steam room! Ended up with about 3.6 on the TM with a stop at 1.8 for water. I just couldn't take it anymore. I felt pretty good physically, but the TM is so boring it was all I could do not to let out a huge scream of frustration! I kept trying to concentrate on my music and the TV captioning in front of me, but it didn't work. I wanted to do 4 miles, but had to call it early out of boredom.

I didn't make it up this morning for the gym, but checked the weather and it's supposed to be sunny and upper 40s this afternoon. I think I will easily be able to do my planned 4.5 outside. I'd rather be a little chilly than over hot.

When does Spring start again?????!!!

Yoiks!

Planning on getting up at 5am tomorrow and get serious on my plan for Mercedes (Feb 10th). Got some catching up to do, but I think I can get to a decent place before then! Just pray I can actually get my booty outta bed!

A Snowy day in Georgia

Saturday, January 19, 2008

I woke up Saturday morning to a full-blown blizzard outside my window! Okay, well maybe not a true blizzard, but it's Georgia! We haven't seen snow like this around here in several years. I was excited and got out of bed immediately!

I continued to watch the snow accumulate and my anxiousness grew at the thought of finally getting out for a run in snow for the first time ever. My main concern was traction in the snow or slush and avoiding ice patches. I did NOT want to end up with another new scar on my knees. This was going to be my first legitimate run since November 24, 2007. It's been the longest funk I can remember while running seriously. I was finally ready. The snow was my moment to get back out there!

Got ready (which is a whole process I had nearly forgotten) and made my way out the door. Walking to the road was a great feeling. The music in my ipod slowly prepping me for the run! I love the familiar sounds of my favorite running music!! I did a few test steps before running, just to make sure the slush wasn't going to be dangerous. Everything looked good to go!

I pressed the center button and heard the reassuring words "beginning workout" from the ipod lady. I couldn't help but smile as I ran through the snow showers! I'm sure the drivers going by thought I was crazy! I noticed many people watching me as they went by in their nice warm cars. After the first half mile or so, I was able to relax and not worry too much about my steps or falling. The air was cold in my lungs and I could feel a burning in my chest. I realized that I had forgotten my rescue inhaler and would just have to run through the asthma.

I ran to the stop sign at Webb Bridge Road and Park Bridge, then turned around. I had to come to a full stop so I didn't slip. The thought occurred to me that this was the farthest I had run in six weeks! I was very happy and feeling good (in spite of the asthma.) I ran back, even singing aloud at times. I hadn't seen a soul out the entire time. Just then a boy on a bike came riding by from the opposite direction. I said "hi" but he just whizzed by me. When I got to the corner of the school, I had to stop and walk about 100 feet to allow my lungs to calm down.

I ran the rest of the way home, enjoying the solitude and quiet and beauty of the fresh snow. The muted grey and white was so peaceful. It was a wonderful relief to be running again. The familiarity of the movement was relaxing. I didn't notice the cold at all. If I had had the endurance, I might have run double the distance. As it was, 3.16 miles was just perfect. The walk from the corner back to my apartment was great! I was definitely on a runner's high. Finished it off with a little stretching on my apartment stairs and hot chocolate inside. I wish it snowed like this more often here.

Here's a photo I took of the snow outside my building. You can see my footsteps in the snow in between the pavers.