Happy Valentines!

If you love Valentines or hate it, I hope everyone had a wonderful day today! Personally, it is pretty commercial, but I have to say I love the red everywhere. I love walking into the stores and being visually assaulted with red everywhere. It may be a silly reason to like a holiday, but it works for me!
I ran a 4 mile relay race with a friend this morning and while I was dreading it simply because I had not run in forever, I had a blast. I was really thinking that I would end up having to walk just because of the whole not running since.....December....wow.....but anyways, I did it. And not only did I run the whole time, (ok there was those 10 steps, but I quickly got back on track) but I had a blast! Isn't is funny how a race can totally put you in a good mood and motivate you to do even more? Love those endorphins! Have a great day everyone!

My Family is Full of Turkeys

I really wanted to run in a a Turkey Trot this year however my hometown does not offer one and the closest one to me is about an hour away and has a $30 entry fee most importantly...I was not going to get a shirt out of it. So I had almost given up on the idea when I realized that my parents live on a very hilly but secluded 2.5 mile loop and I have a huge family. The combination of these two things has created the Frist Annual My Family is Full of Turkeys Fun Run. I am also mapping out a 1 mile route for the non-exercisers that still want to join in on the fun. Now, there is a possibility that every family member I just sent this email to just opened it, rolled their eyes and hit the delete button, but I think there is a good chance that I can at least get 4 other people out there with me. And the best part.....I am working on the design for the T-shirt right now and I am going to print it off on to transfer paper and then iron it on to shirts!

Slow and Steady

I ran in a 5K race yesterday and for the first time ever, managed not to stop and walk part of it. What blows my mind that even though I kept running, I ran my slowest 5K ever. I mean, I am always slow and that is fine, but wow. I looked back at my times for a 5 mile race I did back in July where I walked at least half of the course and per mile, I was only 8 seconds faster at this 5K. So, while I am proud I stuck through and kept moving, I am slightly disgusted at my times. If I am honest with myself though, I do have to admit that I have been a slacker when it comes to running lately. And by lately, I mean always. I would just rather be on my bike but that is just going to have to change so I am going to focus on getting several runs a week in even when I would much rather be riding and see what I can do to build up my endurance and my speed.

After the race I was supposed to meet up with a friend to ride but it started to rain so we bailed on that and rescheduled for today. It was still pretty wet out, but we decided to go ahead and go and it was really pretty nice...until we hit the turn around and got the full effect of the wind in our faces. It was pretty miserable, but I was able to get a good workout in by fighting that wind uphill. I think we only got in about 20 miles, but it felt like so many more!

It is still pretty dreary an rainy outside so I have spent the afternoon being a bum and am currently wishing I had more to write about so I could put off cleaning the house just a little bit longer!

Hot Dam 2008

Well I did survive the run. It was not pretty and and it was not overly enjoyable, but I did finish. Dead last. That was a huge blow to my ego, but in a way it does make me want to work at it more.
To start from the beginning, I knew I was in trouble from the start. Actually from before the start as I was watching everyone line up. I was surrounded by real runners. You know the types. The kind of people that were obviously jackrabbits in another life. I did manage to get in with a group of similarly shaped people only to find out that they were just doing the 2 mile run. I was very tempted at the one mile turn around to just do the two mile, but I knew I would be disappointed in myself if I did that so I plodded on. The course had more hills than I expected but it was a pretty run around a small lake. A lake that I contemplated swimming across after the 2.5 mile turn around thinking it would be fast to swim across than continue running. I figured it would be frowned upon by the officials and that I really had no idea what kind of muck was in there.
I kept the person ahead of me in sight but barely. I tried desperately to keep up, but the second half was a lot of walking and I just had no more go. What was really bad was when one of race officials came driving up behind me and asked if I needed help. Mortified, I told him that I planned on continuing on my own steam even if it was very slow steam. None the less, a car followed me the rest of the way in which I suppose is the usual protocol, but still frustrating to me.
I averaged 12 minutes a mile which is pretty darn slow and I am embarrassed to type it, but I am doing it anyways because everything from here is going to be faster. MUCH faster. And really, I am semi relieved it was that fast considering the amount of walking I did.

After the race was over, I escaped pretty quickly and stopped and got a drink and two bags of ice. Climbing out of the car after sitting for awhile was pretty painful and I was glad I got the ice. I went to make an ice bath but apparently I was a little more brain dead than I though because when I turned the water on, I turned it all the way to hot instead of cold. I did realize the error pretty quickly but the bath ended up not quite as cold as it should have been. I think it still helped a lot though because I am not nearly as sore as I thought I would be today.

I still don't think this was fun at all, but it was very educational. Mostly because it did enlighten me to that fact I am going to have to really get it in gear and start working on speed work. But, I did finish and that is what matters. And now, I know that if I can do a 5 mile, I can do a 10k. Which is my next goal...and hopefully do it a little faster!! Thanks for all of your support and great suggestions! I appreciate all of you!

Positive thinking down the tubes

You know how I wrote all of those positive things yesterday about running? I would like to send myself a message from reality.

TTTHHHHBBBBBBTTTTTTTT.

I have a feeling Saturday is going to be a nice 5 mile stroll. Possibly with a pimp cane if my stupid calf does not settle down. Booty.

Read the Fine Print

So I went running yesterday in preparation for a 5K I signed up to do this weekend. I ran about 2 1/2 miles and was thinking to myself that I was going to get through this run so much easier than my last one that I did not train for at all.

Then I actually read the entry form.

And realized it was a 5 mile run, not a 5K.

For most of you, this would not be a big deal. But for me, every single yard is difficult. Adding 1.9 miles to the plan is devastating in my mind. I briefly considered dropping down to the 2 mile run, but that would not be a challenge. I am going to do the 5 miles and recognize that while it is going to be painful and I am not really prepared for it, it is going to put me a lot closer to that 10K goal I have. Which then in turn will get me closer to that half marathon. Even though my mind is screaming at me that I can't do this, I know in my heart that I am tough and can get through this although it may be slower than I wanted. So, instead of approaching this with dread, I am going to be excited because this will be the furthest I have ever run!

First 5K

I have my first 5K tomorrow night. This is just a very fun local run with no placings or times really given which eases my apprehension some. AND it is at 10pm so in theory, even if I am gasping along or lying on the side of the road, people should not be able to recognize me. I have ocnsidered a million ways to back out, but in the long run this is the right thing to do. I have a feeling this may be the slap in the face that I need to get my butt in gear and take this running thing seriously. And if I look at this from the positive outlook.....this will be the slap in the face to realize that these events can really be a lot of fun and to chill out and enjoy myself!

Catching Up

I have not been very good about blogging lately, mostly due to the lack of interesting things to write about. I have been running although somewhat grudgingly as after the first few euphoric runs parts of my body started to HURT. I was very indignant over the whole thing but apparently when you first start running it happens. Who knew. So I have cut back the lengths a little and then will build back up. There is a "Lunar Lope" next Wednesday that is a 5K that I am considering doing but I know there is no way I can run the whole way. Do they frown upon walkers? I really think doing this 5K will help motivate me to continue training and get me kind of excited about it, but you hate to be the last one plodding in at a walk. There is actually a 1 mile course that I know I could run the whole thing. Any thoughts? Advice?

Yesterday I found a scrap of paper with all of the bike races I had planned on doing this year. I was sad to see I had already missed two of them. Biking has always been my favorite sport but now it has been thrown to the wayside as I tried to strengthen my weaker events. Now I am realizing I really need to start training seriously because the one bike ride that started it all is in two months, the Hotter N' Hell 100. ( http://hh100.org ) I love this ride. If you have ever talked to anyone about it, they will say it is a religious experience and they would be right. There is something about lining up with 12,000 other cyclists of all ages and abilites and having one massive start with jets flying overhead before the cannon goes off that just gets into your blood.. If you don't get chill bumps, you must be dead. Anyways, the point is, it is time to get serious!! That ride is not for the weak as the temperatures usually do soar into the 100's which is a great motivator to get done quickly. So now begins the hot weather training. Egads.