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!