Tag: Running

Unseasonably Warm

It’s December 28th and my run today happened in shorts and a tank top. Say what? Christmas day was in the 70’s and sunny. Boo hoo, I wanted clouds. 😦 Where is winter? I know I should stop complaining, it will be cold soon enough and I will probably complain about that too. I’m fickle like that 🙂 I passed one guy running in heavy black pants and full sweatshirt and hood followed by another 4 blocks later running only in shorts. I’m not sure which one seemed more out-of-place.

I did start out wearing a long-sleeved shirt but I lost it by mile 2. Ever have one of those runs where you felt like your stomach was leading you? I know I said that I wasn’t going to worry about December and maybe indulge a little, but I really shouldn’t have stepped on the scale this morning. Wah. And to continue the spiral, I ate a tri-tip sandwich while out shopping (Christmas returns) followed by a cinnamon roll at Panera. So counter-productive. But I think I have finally figured the new diet restrictions, so fingers crossed I level out soon. Plus my training plan starts Monday so bring on the calorie burn! Hopefully half marathon ready by February 15th 🙂

Today’s run was an easy 5.5 miles around the neighborhood. I normally don’t run after eating a lot of food because my stomach with its issue just doesn’t like it. But I am trying force myself to run through it. I usually don’t eat anything pre-race, even on half-marathon days. I know that I need to change that in the future. So like I said, I felt like my stomach was leading the way. That being said it was a pretty good run. Ran the first 3 in 30 minutes, with only a little walk break. As I rounded the top of a hill, I saw my mom and Zoey coming up it. I met up with them and walked with them for .5 mile. It added in another little hill but oh well, it had a big downhill. I took Zoey’s leash while we were walking but she must not have noticed, because about 3/10 of a mile in she looked up the leash and was very surprised to see me holding it. The look on her face was priceless. I left them at the downhill and ran on. I looped around and met back up with them at the school, water stop! I walked a bit more with them before running on to finish my run.

I love my new Garmin, and all its shiny new data. Even If I am still trying to figure it all out. I was able to send workouts to it but I have not made it to the track yet to test them out. Right now I all I know is that my pace is all over the place and my cadence is really low. More things to work on 🙂

I have one last guilty lunch with my family planned for tomorrow hopefully followed by a run. I also have boring errands and laundry to catch up on 😦

Anyone racing tomorrow? If you raced today, you rock!!!

Can you believe it’s almost 2014?!!

Turkey Trot and too much food

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone had good food and a good time.

I don’t say it enough but I am truly thankful for my family and friends. I don’t know where I would be without them. They put up with a lot of my crap 🙂

When my alarm went off this morning, I admit to questioning my sanity in running a race on Thanksgiving. Once I finally managed to drag myself out of bed, I was wishing that the race was a 5K and not a 10K. I was feeling ill so eating prior to the race was not an option. I got ready and then headed out to meet C and her husband. It was going to be her first 10K 🙂

The race was small as was expected. Could it have been better organized? Yes but they still did a good job. Start and finish was in actually in a supermarket parking lot, which was hopping. More people than I expected were out getting last minute items for Thanksgiving. We started on time and we were off. The race was an out and back along a back road. It was primarily flat with a fairly decent downhill around mile 2.3 until the turn around. Thing about that downhill? It was uphill on the way back. Ugh. But there have been way worse hills in other races, so I sucked it up and ran. I passed C and her husband on the way back up.

Mile 4, my stomach cramped and it never really went away. It made for an uncomfortable last 2 miles. Heading back towards the parking lot, I could see my family on the corner. It was a Thanksgiving miracle, my pops and brother were there with my mom as well.

I crossed the finish line at 56:21. I felt like I was slower than that so woo hoo! We were told our times at crossing and then had to report them to the registration table. There were only 3 age groups- Amateur (high school), Open (18-35), and Master (35-up). I was either 3rd in my age group or just 3rd to report in, not sure which. I then waited to see C and her husband come across. I think I will always try to get one these in our races (well until they become faster than me)-

The rest of the day was spent with my family, possibly eating too much food. But it was yummy. We watched some TV (Independence Day- we were holiday confused) and played with the puppy.

Tomorrow is Christmas Tree day 🙂 I will avoid all stores as much as possible. I plan to meet C and another friend for lunch and maybe hit the gym in the afternoon. Hopefully neither of those places will be too crowded. I really should do homework as well. Ha!

On the upside, today’s race pushed me 5 miles passed my Pile on the Miles challenge for November!! I followed through with something!!!! And I have 2 days to spare.

I hope that everyone had a truly wonderful Thanksgiving!

Almost Turkey Time!!!

Happy Thanksgiving Eve!!!!

Anyone racing tomorrow? Have to rationalize the calories someway right?

A puppy is tiring and she isn’t even mine. Just playing with her is exhausting. She passed her first vet check with flying colors. What is it about the vets office that makes all animals want to cuddle? She didn’t even have a frame of reference, but she was not happy. She also finally has a name. Meet Zoey–

Vacation brain has somewhat set in but I was able to get in a 5 mile run on Tuesday. It started out really sluggish but all in all it was a pretty good run. I never quite got up to speed but I felt good at the end. This run also put me within 1.1 miles of my Pile on the Miles goal! Woo hoo! I may succeed at a challenge!

Tomorrow’s Turkey Trot will be the final push needed to meet my goal. It should be a smaller race, there’s only race day registration available. But it’s also fairly cheap and it benefits the local high school wrestling team as well as the food bank. I am planning on meeting C and her husband there tomorrow morning. It’s close, so I can pretty much roll out of bed and head over there. (See- Slacker!!!!) I would not say that I am super prepared for this so my goal is just have fun. It will be more for the camaraderie than the pace. I say that now, we’ll see if I follow through or bolt at the starting line 🙂

I thought by this point of vacation, I would be going a little stir crazy. But, nope, just slacking it big time. I should be Christmas shopping, I have an advertising plan that I am woefully behind on. Actually forget Christmas, both my parents birthdays are next week. I need to register for classes, etc etc. I did manage to get my car to the dealer to fix the door locks and made it through a dentist appointment with flying colors. 🙂 I also met some friends for a yummy lunch today. We couldn’t decide where to go, so we hit the Irish pub. I had never been there before. Pretty sad considering it’s 2 blocks for where I used to work…for 5 years. We ate some of the largest salads I have ever seen. M’s made me laugh, it was called the “Man Salad”. It looked amazing though. We may have gone over their lunch a bit, oops.

Now its time to get some rest for tomorrows race and family fun to follow. Plus puppy time!

I hope anyone who’s traveling has safe journeys.

Anyone else running a “trot” tomorrow? Good luck!

Hello Cutie

Sundays for me alternate between track days and Slacker Sundays. And despite my best intentions to have yesterday be a track day, the Slacker in me won over. The time came to go run and well, a nap really sounded like a good idea at the time. I can’t even say that vacation brain kicked in because it was just me.

Today was the first real day of my vacation, and I admit I slept in, late. It was kind of awesome. I had plans to go to lunch with my mom, run some errands and hit the gym in the afternoon. Those plans were derailed in the cutest of ways.

My parents have been fencing their yard in preparation of getting a dog. It’s almost done but not quite so some thought the dog would be the beginning of next year. Surprise!!!! My dad was totally not prepared for us to show up with a dog. Neither, really was my mother, there was nothing for the puppy yet.

So the afternoon was spent taking care of this adorable fur ball (so hard I know 🙂 ) and running around getting stuff for her. She now has a collar and a leash, a bed and some toys, a squeaker frog! What she does not have is a name. The whole family is in on it now, but no one agrees. I said Marathon, my brother said Ammo, my dad said “not thought out”. My mother has shot everything down, I am currently calling her Misfire, but my mom hates that and it is her dog.

Every time she would bring up getting a dog, I would tell her that it had to be able to run. That way I could “borrow” her and train her to run with me. I have always wanted to run with a dog, instead of being attacked by them. She is an Aussie/ Lab mix and the lady said that she could totally be a runner. We would just have to start her early and slowly and she could do shorter runs. Woo hoo!

Even after I chased her around the yard all afternoon I knew I should get a run in. According to my Nike fuelband, chasing a puppy does not earn you many points. 😦 It was getting dark and I did not feel like going to the gym. So I changed into whatever was on the top of my running drawer and went for a quick run. Good lord, I was obnoxious.

Damn, that's bright! — Damn, that’s bright!

But, racing the darkness, I completed 3.8 miles. If I could have seen my phone to know how close I was to 4 I would have run more. But that’s for another day.

Anyone have any tips for puppy training?

Hope everyone had a good Monday!!!!

And some last cuteness-

Ch-Ch-Changes

Monday’s run was a successful 5 miles. I was wondering how far I would make it as I left work early to go to a dermatologist appointment. The first thing that comes to mind when I have to make an appointment is scalpels. Ouch! Seriously, people, wear your sunblock and wear hats. You can never have too much. Reapply often!! Or end up like me and have to check in every 6 months. Ok, off my soap box now.

Monday’s damage was the upper sides of my ribcage. Ouch, again. So when changing and heading to the gym, I was a little concerned how the sports bra might rub. I took it easy and walked 2 minutes of every mile on the treadmill. I managed to get my average pace to 10:26. While I was running, I was watching a cheesy Hallmark channel Christmas movie. I didn’t have sound but it was fairly easy to figure out the plot. I have to admit, I do love the cheesy Christmas movies that come on every year. I haven’t watched any this year but I’m sure I will at some point.

I really had planned on hitting the gym on Tuesday to get in a few miles, but a better offer came along. What was better? I got my hair done for the first time in 2 years!!!!!! I am cheap so I have been trimming my own hair and bangs for the last few years. If you have been reading with me for a while, you have probably seen my hair color changing in most of my pics. I am a natural blonde who went brunette in March. I have these urges at least once a year. My theory is that it’s just hair, color fades and it will grow back. I think I have had every natural hair color at some point (even black) and even some unnatural ones, oops.

I saw a picture of me crossing the finish line at my half marathon in March and thought yuck, my hair is freakishly blonde. So I went dark. Since March, I have been a variety of brunette shades and auburn. In mid-September I decided it was time to be myself again. Talk about an uphill battle. The blonde regrowth was making me look like I had a receding hairline. I finally threw in the towel and called for help. So I had a late night appointment to highlight the heck out of my hair to lighten it up. I also cut it all off. Got to get my money’s worth right?

October's Half- look at those roots!!! — October’s Half- look at those roots!!!

I cannot take a decent selfie (seriously Oxford?); I look like I was punched in every one. Since I was going for a drastic change I actually wanted to do a before and after shot. However, the before selfie looked like I was stoned. The 4 after that weren’t any better, so I gave up. Today we took pictures for our Christmas cards at work, which is how I had the picture above. Not the best image as I had to crop everyone else out-

Only slightly blurry — Not quite there but a heck of a lot closer

Pony tails are next to impossible now, I haven’t quite worked out how to pull it up for running. I will cross that bridge this weekend! Until then, no worries! 🙂 I am on track for my mileage for the week, so my next run should be Saturday. Provided I am not too distracted by Doctor Who, that is. Did I mention I was a nerd? But, seriously, I will get my run in 🙂

Today was a late one at work and it started with an early oil change, so this was a planned rest day. Tomorrow will be another rest day, but not because of school. Shhh, don’t tell the teacher! I am actually meeting up with my friends for a girl’s night out, woo hoo!!!! We’ve only been trying to make it happen since my birthday… In July. 🙂

How is everyone’s weeks going?

Any big plans or races this weekend?