This will probably be my last post until I get back from California next week. I won't have my laptop but I can post information on my facebook page from my phone, so if you aren't my "friend" on facebook send me a request if you want to see how my race goes. With that said...I'm very, very excited for next weekend. I have been waiting for this half marathon for a while now and it will be nice to get back to sunny California for a few days as well! We are doing some other cool stuff like the Dearly Departed tour, a horse race, etc. but my mind is never far from running. How cool will it be to run around Anaheim, through the Angels ballfield and have Mickey Mouse himself cheering you on?!
I feel like I have gained back the endurance I lost from this summer's hammy issue and have had several good weeks of training so...now I am ready to run--hard. Race time is 6am, which is 9am here in NC, so keep a check on FB and I will post my finish as soon as I can.
This week will be low mileage and an extra off day but with travel time included, I'm hoping the taper madness I have experienced before will be at a minimum. I'm sure Will is hoping for the same thing! lol
The Fit-tastic group is going well at The Athlete's Foot too! I'm having a lot of fun getting to know the runners and hopefully being an encouragement to them. They are working hard and will see the fruit of their efforts come October 30. Consistency is the key!
Recap of mileage this week:
Tues: 6.53 miles
Wed: 5.32 miles
Thurs: 6 miles and core work
Fri: 4 miles
Sat: 7 miles
Sun: 3 miles and core work
Total: 31.85 miles
Have a great week! Today is the day to get off the couch and do something active...
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
Ode to my #1 fan!!
I have a little over a week until my 3rd half marathon. I remember well my first half. It was March 2010 in Charlotte. It was a good race and my #1 fan was there to cheer me on.
Let me tell you about him...Will (my husband, aka rach, loves to cook--like Rachael Ray-- he runs occasionally-well...kinda rare to see this actually but the thought sounds good to him, loves history, golf, and basketball) has always been so supportive. He is willing to listen to my endless talk of running and how much I ran that day and how I felt and why it was a good run or not. He doesn't always understand what I am saying with my "runner words" but he can tell if it is good or not. He even lets me tell my stories more than one time. He doesn't hold taper weeks or recovery weeks against me...and he allows me to indulge in my shoe fetish, which I don't really think is a fetish because each pair has a different purpose. He told me one time he thought running would be a cheap sport...lol-NOT! He gives me praise even when I don't deserve it and he thinks I am the best runner ever :0)--such a good hubby. He supports my new passion of working with beginner runners and encourages me to share my story. Now it might be time to pop his big head!
Seriously, I don't tell him enough but, I am so thankful for you Will and I hope to make you proud at Disney...and Myrtle Beach. Then maybe we can take a trip to Bawhstun in 2013...:0)
Let me tell you about him...Will (my husband, aka rach, loves to cook--like Rachael Ray-- he runs occasionally-well...kinda rare to see this actually but the thought sounds good to him, loves history, golf, and basketball) has always been so supportive. He is willing to listen to my endless talk of running and how much I ran that day and how I felt and why it was a good run or not. He doesn't always understand what I am saying with my "runner words" but he can tell if it is good or not. He even lets me tell my stories more than one time. He doesn't hold taper weeks or recovery weeks against me...and he allows me to indulge in my shoe fetish, which I don't really think is a fetish because each pair has a different purpose. He told me one time he thought running would be a cheap sport...lol-NOT! He gives me praise even when I don't deserve it and he thinks I am the best runner ever :0)--such a good hubby. He supports my new passion of working with beginner runners and encourages me to share my story. Now it might be time to pop his big head!
Seriously, I don't tell him enough but, I am so thankful for you Will and I hope to make you proud at Disney...and Myrtle Beach. Then maybe we can take a trip to Bawhstun in 2013...:0)
All-Star 5K in Raleigh
1st half marathon in Charlotte
THE marathon shoes (Mickey has yellow shoes too you know)
...wore these at Disney World full marathon
and will wear them at Disneyland half...then it's time for retirement
Disneyland here we come!!!
The half begins at 6am Calif time...
9am Raleigh time
Friday, August 19, 2011
Oh the things you see--and do--at marathons...
This posting is dedicated to some of the extremely interesting things I observed and was involved in at my first marathon in Orlando at DisneyWorld. It has been 7 months since that semi-chilly morning and when I think of some of the things I saw and did, I can't help but laugh. Being the planner that I am, I did a lot of research about the important things for a race such as, what kind of hydration was available, what time to arrive at my corral, what the weather was going to be like, and most important--where were the potties! Visiting the bathroom is a necessity for us all--even Queen Elizabeth has to go every day--but if you know me at all, you know that I need to visit more than most so, the thought of running 4 hours without going to the bathroom was very disturbing to me.
Okay, so you can see where I'm going with this posting...Upon arrival at the race start, which actually wasn't the start but a gathering of the thousands of people-it was like 4:30am I think-no biggie to me-I am up by this time anyway-I look around first for the potties. People are standing around, some even drinking coffee, waiting for the cattle drive to the starting area. I used the port-o-pot a couple times before we began the trek. Knowing I may have to take drastic measures to be able to pee one more time before the race began, I had stowed some toilet paper in my pack of stuff. I was seriously prepared to squat wherever I was and had even played a mental picture of doing just that in my mind many times during my training runs. Yes, I am an obsessive person about some things. When we got to the corral area and started dropping people off, I thought, I'm sure there will be a pottie at my corral. Umm...well...no there wasn't. Oh no, I still had 45 minutes till race start! Me and the other shivering bodies are standing around just waiting and waiting. I am pretending to listen to my iPod but am really watching the other people to see who goes where to use the "bathroom" and finally, there it is....
Okay, picture this-we are on the highway. One side is blocked off and our corral is blocked by those orange temporary barriers. There are people standing like "guards" on the other side of the orange barrier but regardless, I saw people pull down the barrier, hop over and trot over to the woods. Even though it is 4:45-5am, there is plenty of artificial light. So, yes, you guessed it, they were using the woods...only they didn't go into the woods. I look and there is a line of people, men and women, in their respective positions, doing the necessary thing. I stand there for a little while longer and then think to myself, oh well here goes. I too jump over the barrier and trot to the edge of the woods and took care of business. "Apparently, there is no shame in public urination before a race" I think to myself. I almost laughed out loud.
Back in line and ready to shed my "throw away clothes" there is still 20 minutes and you guessed it, I need to go again. Now maybe it's a mental thing but it must be done, so I saunter to the other side of the road to be with a different set of people (I didn't want people to wonder what I was doing haha) and really why should I have cared about what people think-I had just used the bathroom in front of thousands of people, yet I still feel the need to watch to make sure they are going to the woods over here on this side of the road. They are, so off I go. This time I go back into the woods a little...umm...big mistake. I realize I have gotten myself into a brier bush and also have little sticklers (I don't know what they are called) all over me. At this point they have started singing the national anthem and I was trying to hurry and ended pulling a branch up with my running skirt. I started pulling the sticklers off and hurry back to the corral. The wheelchair people are off and here I am still pulling those sticky things off. I did leave the branch in the woods too. At the end of the race, I still kept finding those things and even found a brier stuck in my leg though I never felt it during the race. Oh, this is getting too long....sorry.
To end this story, some other bathroom things I saw: less than a mile into the race, a man runs off to the side of the road to pee-I could have almost touched him he was so close to me. Every second counts I guess. And the guy in the yellow compression shorts who was wearing a pair of Depends. The first time I saw him it was yellow shorts, the next time I saw him, his shorts had turned brown...I ran past him and never saw him again. Gross...
I promise all of this is true and I have not embellished any of it! Serious! And, I am proud to say that I did not stop at all during the race for the bathroom, woods, side of the road, or anything else. And no, I didn't use it in my running skirt either! haha! I finished the race in 3:52:17 and couldn't wait to get back to my WCA buddies and tell them the funny story of bathroom goings on. They love my running stories! Or they act like they do anyway...Thank you for sticking with me on this one. It was kinda long but oh soo funny!!
My next race is very close...I will be running the half marathon at Disneyland over Labor Day and guess what will be in my pack? Yep, toilet paper. Cause remember...public urination is perfectly acceptable at races! Too funny!
You know you want to comment on this one! Take care!
Okay, so you can see where I'm going with this posting...Upon arrival at the race start, which actually wasn't the start but a gathering of the thousands of people-it was like 4:30am I think-no biggie to me-I am up by this time anyway-I look around first for the potties. People are standing around, some even drinking coffee, waiting for the cattle drive to the starting area. I used the port-o-pot a couple times before we began the trek. Knowing I may have to take drastic measures to be able to pee one more time before the race began, I had stowed some toilet paper in my pack of stuff. I was seriously prepared to squat wherever I was and had even played a mental picture of doing just that in my mind many times during my training runs. Yes, I am an obsessive person about some things. When we got to the corral area and started dropping people off, I thought, I'm sure there will be a pottie at my corral. Umm...well...no there wasn't. Oh no, I still had 45 minutes till race start! Me and the other shivering bodies are standing around just waiting and waiting. I am pretending to listen to my iPod but am really watching the other people to see who goes where to use the "bathroom" and finally, there it is....
Okay, picture this-we are on the highway. One side is blocked off and our corral is blocked by those orange temporary barriers. There are people standing like "guards" on the other side of the orange barrier but regardless, I saw people pull down the barrier, hop over and trot over to the woods. Even though it is 4:45-5am, there is plenty of artificial light. So, yes, you guessed it, they were using the woods...only they didn't go into the woods. I look and there is a line of people, men and women, in their respective positions, doing the necessary thing. I stand there for a little while longer and then think to myself, oh well here goes. I too jump over the barrier and trot to the edge of the woods and took care of business. "Apparently, there is no shame in public urination before a race" I think to myself. I almost laughed out loud.
Back in line and ready to shed my "throw away clothes" there is still 20 minutes and you guessed it, I need to go again. Now maybe it's a mental thing but it must be done, so I saunter to the other side of the road to be with a different set of people (I didn't want people to wonder what I was doing haha) and really why should I have cared about what people think-I had just used the bathroom in front of thousands of people, yet I still feel the need to watch to make sure they are going to the woods over here on this side of the road. They are, so off I go. This time I go back into the woods a little...umm...big mistake. I realize I have gotten myself into a brier bush and also have little sticklers (I don't know what they are called) all over me. At this point they have started singing the national anthem and I was trying to hurry and ended pulling a branch up with my running skirt. I started pulling the sticklers off and hurry back to the corral. The wheelchair people are off and here I am still pulling those sticky things off. I did leave the branch in the woods too. At the end of the race, I still kept finding those things and even found a brier stuck in my leg though I never felt it during the race. Oh, this is getting too long....sorry.
To end this story, some other bathroom things I saw: less than a mile into the race, a man runs off to the side of the road to pee-I could have almost touched him he was so close to me. Every second counts I guess. And the guy in the yellow compression shorts who was wearing a pair of Depends. The first time I saw him it was yellow shorts, the next time I saw him, his shorts had turned brown...I ran past him and never saw him again. Gross...
I promise all of this is true and I have not embellished any of it! Serious! And, I am proud to say that I did not stop at all during the race for the bathroom, woods, side of the road, or anything else. And no, I didn't use it in my running skirt either! haha! I finished the race in 3:52:17 and couldn't wait to get back to my WCA buddies and tell them the funny story of bathroom goings on. They love my running stories! Or they act like they do anyway...Thank you for sticking with me on this one. It was kinda long but oh soo funny!!
My next race is very close...I will be running the half marathon at Disneyland over Labor Day and guess what will be in my pack? Yep, toilet paper. Cause remember...public urination is perfectly acceptable at races! Too funny!
You know you want to comment on this one! Take care!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
August 1-7, 2011 recap
This has been a good week for running! I guess the fact that I was going to run regular mileage along with getting some things done at work caused my sleep patterns to be really off. Yes, I am usually awake at 4am but this week I woke up everyday between 3:00-3:40am. That was not so much fun when it got later in the day...but, I remember the days I would require many hours of sleep and now with regular exercise I don't require as much. I surely don't want to make 3am a new habit though lol!!
Mileage:
Monday-off
Tuesday- 5mi and Core
Wednesday-6mi
Thursday-5.22mi (speed work)
Friday-6mi and Core
Saturday-11mi
Sunday-3mi and Core
Total: 36.22mi
The Disneyland Half is in 27 days. I think I will be ready and am looking for a great race. How could it not be great? It's Mickey's race!
This week begins a new venture for me...I am going to help out with a group of beginner runners at TAF. We will meet together 2x a week and they will run the Monster Dash 5K on October 30-I think I will be running this race too. I am excited to get some experience coaching runners and look forward to working with the TAF coaches.
Later! And, Drew Buffaloe--no wise cracks about my bedtime!! Don't hide behind your anonymous comments haha! I knew it was either you or Billy.
Mileage:
Monday-off
Tuesday- 5mi and Core
Wednesday-6mi
Thursday-5.22mi (speed work)
Friday-6mi and Core
Saturday-11mi
Sunday-3mi and Core
Total: 36.22mi
The Disneyland Half is in 27 days. I think I will be ready and am looking for a great race. How could it not be great? It's Mickey's race!
This week begins a new venture for me...I am going to help out with a group of beginner runners at TAF. We will meet together 2x a week and they will run the Monster Dash 5K on October 30-I think I will be running this race too. I am excited to get some experience coaching runners and look forward to working with the TAF coaches.
Later! And, Drew Buffaloe--no wise cracks about my bedtime!! Don't hide behind your anonymous comments haha! I knew it was either you or Billy.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Yay for Speed Workout--Finally!
I am happy to say that tomorrow will be my first speed workout since the hammy issue. I am very excited about this! Part of my workout will include half marathon and 10K pacing. The Disneyland half marathon is in a few weeks so I need to work on my pacing to reach my goal time. I know what I would like to my finish time to be but not sure it is realistic since I had the hammy railroad for the last month. This race is not my ultimate goal-that is in February so, I'm not too concerned about it. Well, a little concerned I guess but I can't help it, I am a competitive, hard-headed person and like to accomplish/finish what I set as a goal.
For the last 2 weeks, my mileage has been low to make sure I was over my hammy problem. This week will be a little higher and so on. I am scheduled to run 8-11 miles on Saturday. I will shoot for 11 miles of course. Hello Timber and Aversboro Drive-I have missed you. If you want to see me-I am planning to run early, early, when the sun is coming up. Honk twice for "keep it up"
Monday was my scheduled off day and Tuesday I ran 5 miles in the gym. It was a great run--the best one in a while. I felt good...I could have gone longer. That's how it is with running-some days it is awesome and others it kicks my butt. The payoff is reaching that goal, not necessarily times in a race but other little things I set as well...could be anything really-so long as you stay motivated.
That's all for now...hope you can find time to get out and exercise this week...a little bit here and there can make a difference.
Don't forget to hydrate!!
And, visit TAF-The Athlete's Foot for all your running needs! www.theathletesfootrdu.com
For the last 2 weeks, my mileage has been low to make sure I was over my hammy problem. This week will be a little higher and so on. I am scheduled to run 8-11 miles on Saturday. I will shoot for 11 miles of course. Hello Timber and Aversboro Drive-I have missed you. If you want to see me-I am planning to run early, early, when the sun is coming up. Honk twice for "keep it up"
Monday was my scheduled off day and Tuesday I ran 5 miles in the gym. It was a great run--the best one in a while. I felt good...I could have gone longer. That's how it is with running-some days it is awesome and others it kicks my butt. The payoff is reaching that goal, not necessarily times in a race but other little things I set as well...could be anything really-so long as you stay motivated.
That's all for now...hope you can find time to get out and exercise this week...a little bit here and there can make a difference.
Don't forget to hydrate!!
And, visit TAF-The Athlete's Foot for all your running needs! www.theathletesfootrdu.com
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