Saturday, January 21, 2012
A Reason To Stay Active...ALWAYS!
Here is an article I must share with my running friends and all friends. Never stop exercising! My Grandmother had muscular dystrophy and was bedridden for many years. She watched what she ate (took a low fat diet lifestyle) and exercised in bed by moving her legs up and down and in any way she could though she could not walk. She even told me one day that she exercised her eyes! Maybe that's where I get my interest in running/exercising. I only wish she had been alive to see the accomplishments I've made as I contribute most of them to her and her desire to live well. She never knew me as a runner. Please don't decide one day that it's time to set down stakes and "live" by sitting in front of a TV or read in your rocker. No one should have that mentality. The only one that can decide how to live at your age is YOU! Now we have proof of the good exercise is as we age...triathlete or runner. Take a moment to read this short article on muscle mass retention. It amazed me. [I couldn't get it to give me a link but copy and paste this into your address bar.] http://www.everymantri.com/everyman_triathlon/2012/01/at-74-years-oldthese-are-your-legs-on-triathlon-these-are-your-legs-without-triathlon.html#
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Great Half!
The Pensacola Half was this weekend and I was hesistant/anxious for this race. I was really looking forward to a nice flat, long run but was slowly losing confidence in my "best". I continue to have a nagging left hip thing going on and 13 miles is nothing to snivvle at...it demands respect every time you do it. I like that part of distance running.
We decided to stay the night since the race began at 7:30 as we're not fans of driving a long way before racing. Not wanting to spend a lot of $$ for just a place to lay your head is just exactly what we got! A place to lay our heads. Okay, I'll spare you the details except for this. The door would close BUT there was a 1.5 inch space between the door and the door frame! It was going to be pretty cold and here we are in a room where we can watch a movie sitting on the other side of the door! Really...just look for yourself...here's a large towel stuffed in the door...EASILY! As a matter of fact, we had to open the door and close it on the towel to keep it in place!
Later, we went to Sidelines Restaurant to eat. Kent got a great Bacon Cheeseburger with fries and I got the Linguine with Maranara Sauce topped with two grilled chicken breasts and broccoli for the side. It was fantastic...soooo good. I will get that again. Of course, I couldn't eat it all; there was more than enough so I gave some to Kent.
After a poor night's rest from the old, creaky, lumpy bed and the band blasting outside our door, morning came early for us. Thankfully, the temps didn't drop as much as they had predicted. It was 40 and was suppose to be in the mid 30's. We stayed nice and warm, just no good rest. Now here I am going on hardly any sleep and fixing to run a half marathon.
I had about decided my "good" half marathon racing days had come and gone...that is, as well as I could do since I started my running career over age 50! Okay, I never said I was smart. Every half I ran last year was pitiful with the first one done while I was still suffering from the knee injury from the marathon and the second, months later, from cramps in BOTH feet! Both times I was crippled the last couple of miles of the race and had to walk some before crossing the line; something I'd never planned to do. From the very first half I'd trained to completely run them only.
Trying for a PR in each half I ran and not accomplishing it, it was decided to focus more on the details of finishing stronger this time around and not walking again. That part was kinda like a Failure Fairy whispering in my ears. With that being said, I had been training differently in my long runs. I could see that it was paying off at the Kaiser Half in November until I got cramps...totally not expecting THAT! I tend to cramp more in the winter but not when it's warm and it was warm that day. I was more mad than anything else. Until that point, my running had been strong and my pace much better. I was on my way to better times until I had to start walking.
But this time, I was ready for the cramps! I grabbed my bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar and stuffed it in the back pocket of my "big girl" pants ready to take 'em on. The ACV always make them disappear and I was gonna win this battle if it occurred again!
When we drove into the parking lot, the sun was beginning to rise. It was gorgeous!! I had Kent stop the truck so I could get a picture. And who do you think is the next person we see? A good friend and great race director, Leonard V. of the Gulf Coast Running Club. Glad we saw him because our paths didn't cross again. He had stiff competition this race but still won his age group. Congrats, LV!
I LOVE the course in this race. It is almost idential to the Gulf Coast Half Marathon done in April. Being very flat, it's a great one to shoot for faster times. Though I kept the cramps at bay, I began to run out of steam about the 11th mile. For two miles, seems I just plodded along. But in the last mile, my second wind kicked in and I was able to finish ahead of many that had been ahead of me for a while. I love to pass "anyone" just before going through the Finish Line. It just gives me that big ole push I need for my last "high" of the race. I finished strong and happy. I wore a long bodice running bra, a short sleeve shirt and a long sleeve shirt. Yeah, it was kinda chilly that morning. I took the long sleeve off the last 3 miles or so. My black shirt reads "In my dreams, I'm a Kenyan" and I love that saying cause only in my dreams would I be at that level. I thought about the saying a lot when it was visible for others to see and it help motivate me to run a little harder. Need to remember this...
As it turned out, I had MUCH MORE to be happy about than I realized when I crossed the line. We had timing chips but this recording was not available. I didn't start as close to the starting line as I usually do because of having the chip. Thankfully, my Garmin records everything! With that being said the stats showed the course to be 13.21 miles instead of the "certified" length of 13.1 which means my time was pretty good. My pace was my best for a half yet!! Yay! Their posted time was clock time and not by the chip that we wore. Mine's regulated with what the chip should have been. We passed over a couple of "chip mats" on the course. I don't care!! I believe my Garmin is closer to the correct reading. Regardless, going by my pace I still got a PR. I was really tired afterward...but happy!
My finishing medal...I love it!
The awards ceremony for the 5k was started when I came in. These ceremonies were staggered and that was good allowing each race to be announced quickly.
Kent got 3rd place in his age group...yay, Honey!! It's a cool dog tag and chain. The artwork is vibrant and beachy. I missed getting his picture as I wasn't with him when they were announced.
Receiving my award.
And, I got 3rd in my age group. Here's a close up view of it.
This has boosted my morale and I'm excited about doing the 15k in a couple of weeks. It will definitely be a tough and challenging race but I can hardly wait to run looking at the beautiful waters again! Until then...
Run 4 It
We decided to stay the night since the race began at 7:30 as we're not fans of driving a long way before racing. Not wanting to spend a lot of $$ for just a place to lay your head is just exactly what we got! A place to lay our heads. Okay, I'll spare you the details except for this. The door would close BUT there was a 1.5 inch space between the door and the door frame! It was going to be pretty cold and here we are in a room where we can watch a movie sitting on the other side of the door! Really...just look for yourself...here's a large towel stuffed in the door...EASILY! As a matter of fact, we had to open the door and close it on the towel to keep it in place!
Later, we went to Sidelines Restaurant to eat. Kent got a great Bacon Cheeseburger with fries and I got the Linguine with Maranara Sauce topped with two grilled chicken breasts and broccoli for the side. It was fantastic...soooo good. I will get that again. Of course, I couldn't eat it all; there was more than enough so I gave some to Kent.
After a poor night's rest from the old, creaky, lumpy bed and the band blasting outside our door, morning came early for us. Thankfully, the temps didn't drop as much as they had predicted. It was 40 and was suppose to be in the mid 30's. We stayed nice and warm, just no good rest. Now here I am going on hardly any sleep and fixing to run a half marathon.
I had about decided my "good" half marathon racing days had come and gone...that is, as well as I could do since I started my running career over age 50! Okay, I never said I was smart. Every half I ran last year was pitiful with the first one done while I was still suffering from the knee injury from the marathon and the second, months later, from cramps in BOTH feet! Both times I was crippled the last couple of miles of the race and had to walk some before crossing the line; something I'd never planned to do. From the very first half I'd trained to completely run them only.
Trying for a PR in each half I ran and not accomplishing it, it was decided to focus more on the details of finishing stronger this time around and not walking again. That part was kinda like a Failure Fairy whispering in my ears. With that being said, I had been training differently in my long runs. I could see that it was paying off at the Kaiser Half in November until I got cramps...totally not expecting THAT! I tend to cramp more in the winter but not when it's warm and it was warm that day. I was more mad than anything else. Until that point, my running had been strong and my pace much better. I was on my way to better times until I had to start walking.
But this time, I was ready for the cramps! I grabbed my bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar and stuffed it in the back pocket of my "big girl" pants ready to take 'em on. The ACV always make them disappear and I was gonna win this battle if it occurred again!
When we drove into the parking lot, the sun was beginning to rise. It was gorgeous!! I had Kent stop the truck so I could get a picture. And who do you think is the next person we see? A good friend and great race director, Leonard V. of the Gulf Coast Running Club. Glad we saw him because our paths didn't cross again. He had stiff competition this race but still won his age group. Congrats, LV!
I LOVE the course in this race. It is almost idential to the Gulf Coast Half Marathon done in April. Being very flat, it's a great one to shoot for faster times. Though I kept the cramps at bay, I began to run out of steam about the 11th mile. For two miles, seems I just plodded along. But in the last mile, my second wind kicked in and I was able to finish ahead of many that had been ahead of me for a while. I love to pass "anyone" just before going through the Finish Line. It just gives me that big ole push I need for my last "high" of the race. I finished strong and happy. I wore a long bodice running bra, a short sleeve shirt and a long sleeve shirt. Yeah, it was kinda chilly that morning. I took the long sleeve off the last 3 miles or so. My black shirt reads "In my dreams, I'm a Kenyan" and I love that saying cause only in my dreams would I be at that level. I thought about the saying a lot when it was visible for others to see and it help motivate me to run a little harder. Need to remember this...
As it turned out, I had MUCH MORE to be happy about than I realized when I crossed the line. We had timing chips but this recording was not available. I didn't start as close to the starting line as I usually do because of having the chip. Thankfully, my Garmin records everything! With that being said the stats showed the course to be 13.21 miles instead of the "certified" length of 13.1 which means my time was pretty good. My pace was my best for a half yet!! Yay! Their posted time was clock time and not by the chip that we wore. Mine's regulated with what the chip should have been. We passed over a couple of "chip mats" on the course. I don't care!! I believe my Garmin is closer to the correct reading. Regardless, going by my pace I still got a PR. I was really tired afterward...but happy!
My finishing medal...I love it! The awards ceremony for the 5k was started when I came in. These ceremonies were staggered and that was good allowing each race to be announced quickly.
Kent got 3rd place in his age group...yay, Honey!! It's a cool dog tag and chain. The artwork is vibrant and beachy. I missed getting his picture as I wasn't with him when they were announced. 
Receiving my award.
And, I got 3rd in my age group. Here's a close up view of it. This has boosted my morale and I'm excited about doing the 15k in a couple of weeks. It will definitely be a tough and challenging race but I can hardly wait to run looking at the beautiful waters again! Until then...
Run 4 It
Friday, January 6, 2012
Happy New Year!
How are you doing with your goals for 2012?? Do you make them? Or do you "fly by the seat of your pants" from day to day or week to week? We all live differently. Some function better with goals and I honestly believe that we all do to some point. It gives us direction to where we are going. And, we ARE going somewhere whether we like it or not.
For this year, my goals are pretty much the same as last year's. I know...sounds boring, huh? But I feel that they were pretty good goals, generally speaking, and something to continue to do this year. One thing I want to do is to increase my yearly mileage to 1050 miles. That's an increase of about 15 miles. That doesn't sound like much but I want to stay healthy, uninjured, and start papercrafting more this year. My ultimate goal would be to reach 1100 miles. I, also, want to incorporate my walking miles. It was kinda pitiful last year.
Now that that's said, I'd like to say that there are a few things that I want to work on that I am not considering goals but better directions in order to achieve those goals. They are:
1. Workout/train smarter. Be careful if I exceed the 10% rule (cause I'm sure I will per track record).
2. Find balance in all areas of my life. I really love doing other things, too, and they have been put aside in the last year and half due to lack of balance. Running has preceded everything I do, not that that's bad, just not...well, balanced living.
3. Get off computer more and do something else. I'm an addict...okay, I've confessed.
4. Pay attention to what I eat and HOW it affects me in running.
5. Stretch more than the past. I am the most unlimber person alive!
6. Incorporate speed workouts, not inclusive of racing.
I've updated and moved around some things which you will notice on the right hand side of the page. I'm looking forward to this new year and all that it has to offer me as a runner and adventurer. It is exciting to do different things and to change your pattern (as a runner) and do something out of your comfort zone. I'll be doing my first trail race this year which will not be a race where I'm interested in my time. There are also a couple of races that time will be a difficult thing to aim for because of it's challenge. But, I can hardly wait to jump in and do these new and fun races. I did a few of these kind of races last year and though it may appear that I got "bad" times, in all actuality, they were really good ones due to the course layout/terrain. I'm proud of all of them regardless of "how" they may look to the naked eye.
I hope you've made your goals or are thinking of doing so. Remember, everyone has a direction cause unless you're dead you're NEVER standing still. Find yours and get going. For now...
Run 4 It
For this year, my goals are pretty much the same as last year's. I know...sounds boring, huh? But I feel that they were pretty good goals, generally speaking, and something to continue to do this year. One thing I want to do is to increase my yearly mileage to 1050 miles. That's an increase of about 15 miles. That doesn't sound like much but I want to stay healthy, uninjured, and start papercrafting more this year. My ultimate goal would be to reach 1100 miles. I, also, want to incorporate my walking miles. It was kinda pitiful last year.
Now that that's said, I'd like to say that there are a few things that I want to work on that I am not considering goals but better directions in order to achieve those goals. They are:
1. Workout/train smarter. Be careful if I exceed the 10% rule (cause I'm sure I will per track record).
2. Find balance in all areas of my life. I really love doing other things, too, and they have been put aside in the last year and half due to lack of balance. Running has preceded everything I do, not that that's bad, just not...well, balanced living.
3. Get off computer more and do something else. I'm an addict...okay, I've confessed.
4. Pay attention to what I eat and HOW it affects me in running.
5. Stretch more than the past. I am the most unlimber person alive!
6. Incorporate speed workouts, not inclusive of racing.
I've updated and moved around some things which you will notice on the right hand side of the page. I'm looking forward to this new year and all that it has to offer me as a runner and adventurer. It is exciting to do different things and to change your pattern (as a runner) and do something out of your comfort zone. I'll be doing my first trail race this year which will not be a race where I'm interested in my time. There are also a couple of races that time will be a difficult thing to aim for because of it's challenge. But, I can hardly wait to jump in and do these new and fun races. I did a few of these kind of races last year and though it may appear that I got "bad" times, in all actuality, they were really good ones due to the course layout/terrain. I'm proud of all of them regardless of "how" they may look to the naked eye.
I hope you've made your goals or are thinking of doing so. Remember, everyone has a direction cause unless you're dead you're NEVER standing still. Find yours and get going. For now...
Run 4 It
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