Monday, November 23, 2009

>I finished standing...

>Is about all I could say after my 5k race yesterday.
To say it was easy would be a lie. It was tough. The course was much harder in some spots than I imagined it would be. My hubby and I scoped out the course Saturday when we were out and about and at first I thought, "I can do this. It will be okay." And even when we got there I was fine.

But holy moly it was really tougher than it looked. There were some pretty steep hills UP and not quite as many down. It started off up hill and finished up hill. Finishing up hill was not great for me. I had it set in my mind that I would sprint the last little bit to the finish line because that would help me gain some lost time. Well, I couldn't gain any momentum going up that hill.

I was pretty disappointed after the race. Actually I was disappointed headed to the finish line. When I saw the clock and saw that it was over 38 minutes I was upset with myself. I kept thinking, "I should have pushed myself a lot harder. I should not have made excuses during certain parts and slowed down." But once I got home and thought about the fact that a year ago I was by no means a runner, I was proud. This was my third 5K for just this year.

I won't say that going into it I didn't have high expectations for myself. I did. But that was until I had sat around most of the morning thinking about it and got myself a wee bit nervous. It was raining all morning and cold. I had never ran (a race) in the rain or really the cold. So, that got me just a little on edge. When we got there and registered I was glad there was a timing chip. Sometimes at smaller race events you won't get a timing chip. I like to have one so I can get a more accurate time!

Anyway, my hubby finished at around 31-32 minutes and was waiting on me and at the finish. He said the clock looked like it was about 39 minutes but under 40. I got an unofficial time from someone and was told 40:05 was my time. While I am still a little disappointed in my time I am still happy that I did finish standing and I was not the very last person (who still finished, too!!!) across the finish line. I am hoping that I can get some official results and photos soon.

I am thankful that my hubby and friend ran this race with me too. We were so tired when we got home last night. We were both very sore too. My guess is that it was all the darn hills! I had thought about doing another run locally in a few weeks BUT after this one I have decided that I want to forgo any competitive running (if I can even call it that, it is a race after all) for now and stick with running because it's good for me. My goals until the end of the year are to work harder to better myself as far as running goes and to become stronger. I also want to step up the strength training workouts in hopes to tone some of the areas I have neglected the last several months.



Hubby and myself, pre-race. 

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

>Gobble, Gobble

>
I have another 5k race coming up this weekend.
I am going to be running the Turkey Trot. 
I had originally said that I want to make it in about 35 minutes. The reason for that is because my race in October I finished in 38:59. Well, I would just like to say that as long as the clock reads anything under 38 minutes when I cross the finish line I will be quite happy. :)
For the Komen 5k we had timing chips. That will not be the case for this weekend's race. I am a little nervous about that. Hubby told me that as long as I hit my watch right when I cross the start I should get an accurate reading. I know he is right, BUT at the Komen race someone bumped my arm and my watch stopped timing me (or at least I thought it stopped timing me. I won't worry too much. maybe. I just want to feel like I am successful. I am happy to say that my hubby and my friend, Toni, are running with me.
I love the feeling of having someone I am close to with me for something like this. I am sure both of them will whizz right by me but that's okay. They will be there with me when I start and when I finish.

Running
As far as running goes this week I did 4.82 miles last night at 12:05 pace. Not too bad considering I had to take a potty break (which never happens) at around mile 2.75. 
Tonight I am going to meet my friend, Toni and hubby is going to write us up a kettle bell workout with either some sprints or agility drills or some kind of running. We did a kettle bell workout together last week that I thought was going to kill us both. ha ha We made it through though. AND she wants to workout with me again so I didn't completely run her off. Whew.

The Scale
It hasn't really been moving in the downward slope like I want it to lately. I am not going to let it bother me (very much) because I kow I am working hard (at least in the gym). I know I need to step up my eating plan a little or at least devise a better plan. 
I was trying to record my food into Spark People and still plan to use that but I am not sure what I am doing is really working to my advantage. I would love to hear any hints from you guys as far as eating/diets go. 

As always, I will keep ya posted!  

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

>I could have ran forever....

>or I felt that way.

Last night at the gym I was doing my usual run. I noticed to my left the thin, blonde trainer lady that I find to be a little intimidating. I glanced over, smiled and went about my running. I noticed she got on an elliptical a machine over from the treadmill I was on. She finished her workout and I was still running.

The next thing I know she was walking towards my machine. And you know how weird that can be. I found myself wondering for a half second whether I should stop my music, slow down or what. She came right over to me and the conversation (all 53 seconds of it) went like this:

svelt trainer lady: "I just wanted to tell you that you are a great runner."
Me (um yes, ME!!): "Thank you, that's so nice."
stl: smiled at me
Me: "I rarely feel that way, so thank you for that, it means a lot!"
STL: "You really look great. Keep up the great work."

WOW! I was speechless, but let me tell you I felt like from that moment on I could have kept on running forever. It was definitely the boost I needed to get my big ol' booty through that 5K loop I set the treadmill to in the 37:50.... my pace was 11:47 per mile. I actually ran 3.21 miles last night.

So, with that proud moment I just want to say, "Thank you, sweet trainer lady that works at my gym!!! You totally my made night!"

And now I need to find out her name so that I can quit calling her trainer lady! ha ha

Monday, November 9, 2009

>And I was worried about men in bushes...

>Do you remember Thursday when I said I was kinda scared about running the park in the evening alone?
Well, I went. I noticed as I pulled into the lot across the street to park that there was a new bride and her groom in the park. I also noted the photographers and what appeared to be family members and a small wedding party.
NO big deal, right!?!
I started my run off in the opposite direction of the little gathering. I thought that surely by the time I got the first mile done and came back around they would be done. I was so wrong. I couldn't cross the bridge to go to the other side of the park at all. Again, no big deal. I told myself, "I'm a big girl. I have my Blackberry on me in case I need to make an emergency phone call should one of those men in the bushes jump out at me. So, I will just take the road around to the other end of the trail." I was doing so good and felt great. My time was okay, or it seemed it was. I wasn't really timing myself just kind of going with the flow of my music. That was all fine and good until I crossed the street. A mud hole found my shoe.
My run was doomed from there on out and all I could think was, "who in the heck gets married on a Thursday!?!?!?"  My shoe. The entire rest of my run was me being ill about my shoe. I swear (and you can see) that it looked like a large infant had a bad case of diahrea on my beloved runners. I was miserable.
I finished my run. I got in my car and dialed up my hubby. I gave him an earful (like it was his fault.. lol). He assured me that my shoes would be fine. He could get them clean. I had little to no hope in what he was telling me.
But, he was right. He is the sweetest. He cleaned my shoe with a toothbrush! It was sparkly and shiny and new again. :) I was again a happy runner.
And to think it was men hiding in bushes waiting to jump out and get me that I was so worried about. It never occurred to me that mud could be just as dangerous!

Friday, November 6, 2009

>Weight Update

>I haven't posted a weight update in a while. I thought now would be a good time to do so. Eating has gone okay lately. I have been using a combo of JM and SparkPeople logging what I eat everyday. It seems to be working well. I would really like to be at my first goal of 185 by Christmas. That would leave about 10 pounds to lose between now and then. Which means today I weighed  in at ....

195.6

Not too bad! However, I have a dreaded visitor here for a few days and she has already began to cause me issues today! Ha ha I admit to having had ONE Lofthouse frosted cookie. But I did limit myself to one so that's a good thing, right?

Tomorrow is a new day!

Thursday, November 5, 2009

>I'm kinda skeered

>That's country for scared! ha ha

My sweet hubby is picking my kids up from school today and going home. This means I won't have to do any running around (the errand sort of running) when I get off. SO, I thought I would go ahead and get my real running (the exercise sort) done for the day.

I have two choices:

#1 - the lovely treadmill at my beloved gym

or

#2- the park!

Now, I am leaning towards the park for numerous reasons. Like, I need to run outside and get my lungs adjusted to the cooler temps. It's a beautiful day here. I hate going to the gym when it is so crowded and it will be crowded around 5pm. So, see I have good reasons for wanting to go to the park. But here is what is holding me back...

Don't laugh, please.

I have this silly fear that someone will jump out of the bush and get me. I know, crazy right!!?!
Someone tell me I will be fine. There will be other runners, walkers and bikers there. The park will be full of families and bouncing children.

No one will get me, right!?! ha ha

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

>Running feels good...

>and I got proof of that last night!

I haven't posted in a while. I have been in a slump all around...blogging, dieting, running... you name it and I have slumped at it!

Last night was the first time I hit the gym in several days. Booo! I made the excuse that I was just so tired. I know that usually even if I am tired if I go to the gym and get started I will feel better. Well, that's how I felt last night. I have been so busy with working, taking care of the family and all the other things I have going on (like Girl Scout troop leader and all those crazy meetings! ha) that I just made excuses not to go to the gym. Last night I went.

I seriously was SO very proud of myself. I have a goal. You all know I have a goal. I want to run my next 5k in about 35 minutes. That would be about 3 minutes or so off my last 5k time of 38:59 which I just did on October 24th.  Well, last night I hopped on the treadmill and put a podcast on that had 5 and 8 minute running and walking intervals. I went into it thinking I would listen to the girl chime in and do the workout to slowly build myself back up before my next race since I hadn't ran in several days I thought that was a good way to think. Let me tell you!

I didn't listen to that girl. When she said slow down and walk, I did NOT slow down and walk. Nope. I kept going! I ran my first mile last night in 12:10!! That is by far my quickest time! I completed the entire 5k (3.1 miles)  in 37:05! Best time yet! I felt sooooooo very good afterwards. I jumped in the car after I left the gym and called my hubby because I was so excited.

Motivation to keep going! If I can run one mile in 12:10 then I should be able to run my next 5k in 36:30... BUT that means working really hard! I plan to do just that! Work hard.

One last thing....I wanted to share this quote that was emailed to me by a fellow runner and blogger Soul From My Soles.

  “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall”. 
~Confuscius 

I won't fail. NO way NO how.