Lots A Running

Last week we did a lot of running. At least, for me. Here is a snapshot of my daily workouts:

Sunday: Biked 4 miles
Monday: Ran 5 miles
Tues: Ran 5 miles
Wed: Ran 6.1 miles
Thurs: Ran 4.1 miles
Fri: Rest
Sat: Ran 6.2 miles

The entire time we were in Pensacola, the weather was beautiful but the wind was strong. We ran anyhow. After running my first half marathon, I realized training "elements" are good for you though you don't know it at the time. Several times I had to run in gusty winds. When time came to run the half, it was then I realized the previous running was great preparation. Winds were 25-30 mph throughout the entire race with temps in the 30's making me wear layers and layers of clothing!! A record breaker for the race. It was beautiful, but these things were a challenge to say the least.

At the race Saturday, the Gulf Coast Classic, I thought I was ready for beach wind. But when we drove up, I told Kent that my stomach wasn't feeling well. This annoyed me and I chalked it up to pre-race nerves. For some reason, I get the jitters before a 10k but no other race, even half marathons! Go figure...it makes no sense. The last run I had done (on Thursday) was a series of fartleks. I had hoped with this and the running I had done this week it would prepare me for a great race time. The weather was gorgeous, temps were perfect, breeze (not wind) was fantastic and the course was flat. Perfect criteria for a PR.

BUT...at the first half mile I realized this was not going to be the case for me. My stomach was getting upset. There should be absolutely NO reason for this. I take great care in eating correctly the night before a longer race to fuel my body for what it needs. I kept going but at a much slower pace. When I would increase my speed, my body told me "NO WAY", so back to a slower pace I went. This went back and forth adding to this the thought of even walking part of it; but I didn't have to.

I was so disappointed as I felt so ready for a great run. I saw the clock as I neared the Finish Line and instead of the usual push at the end, I kept my slow pace and eased in. My Garmin read 57:59!! Awwww!! This is horrid to say the least! So I figured the official time would be a second slower as I looked up exactly when I crossed the line. But there was an error somewhere as they recorded 58:18...that is just not right. You can't be off that much. So in lieu of this discrepancy, I will maintain my Garmin reading as the correct one. It's never off more than 2 seconds from the clock. This is close to 3 minutes off my usual 10k time! All I could think about was finding a bathroom to go get sick. And that I did. I was so glad this was over. Though I'm smiling here, I'm sick as a dog!


Kent had a great time. His racing times have really changed in the past couple of years but this day it was better.


Here are a few pictures of the park and a beautiful memorial to those that lost their lives in Hurricane Katrina.





When we got back to the camper, I curled up and went to bed. After a good nap, I felt so much better. By the following day, I felt like the "bug" or whatever had run it's course. Whew! I was afraid I had contracted something. Now, to focus on the next 10k!!

What a Great Day in Pensacola

Fun, fun, fun! What a beautiful day it was today! This morning Kent and I ran in the Pensacola "Run for Their Lives" 5k. This is a benefit for those who have been sexual abused. What a great reason to run! There was a light beach wind and the temp was in the low 60's. The course was fast and flat. Perfect!!


The run started and I felt great. Before I knew it, my pace had gotten much faster than in past races (at least since I've gotten my Garmin). This watch has become my best running friend and I can hardly go a half mile without consulting it; it helps me maintain my pace. I LOVE IT!!!

Back to the run...I began running in the 7:00 time frame for the first mile. I couldn't believe it..and only with a little push in my breathing. I knew I had to slow down in order to maintain a decent pace to the end. When the race leveled out and everyone was at their pace, I found that there was another lady that seemed to be running my pace. We passed each other a few times; then I decided to let her keep the lead. She stayed close to me and I thought I might have a chance to pass her later on. This was so good for me as it helped me run my best. Our pace was the same. As we neared the end, I got my second win and made for it. I felt so good today. When I got close to the time clock, I got so excited. I actually saw (which I do not see well in the distance) the reading: 25:49. No way! This gave me another push...that is, to beat my previous best time. It was then as I began surveying this thought that I realized I was really going to have to run hard to reach a PR. This is so much fun!! As I ran harder, the spectators began cheering and that pumped me, too. Of course, I'm so ignorant to racing to know that more than likely the lady I had passed was still close behind; but there was no way anyone was going to pass me at this point. I reached the clock where it read 26:14! I could hardly stand it! I wanted to jump up and cheer and laugh and cry. It has been a long time since I had achieved a new PR.

But the realization came when the awards began. The lady I ran with and beat at the end was eligible for the Grand Masters award, too! Can I tell you how happy I was that I got that extra adrenalin and push at the end?? I don't think so...this was one award that was the most competitive I've gotten. Boy, did I need this! I think I can "feel" like I can compete again.

Kent improved his time a lot. He was under 29 minutes...he had not run this time for over a year. I'm so proud of him! He received First Place in his age group. Here we are receiving our awards:




They had great refreshments afterward and music. The band that played donated their time for the cause after having pulled an all-nighter the night before and to do it again Saturday night. There were many sponsors and great door prizes. Kent won one to a local restaurant. We had so much fun. It was perfect in every way.

Azalea Trail Race & Week of Runs

This past week has been a good running week for me as you can see in my Weekly Running Log above. I put in more miles this week preparing for the Azalea Trail 10k than I have since my injury in the Mardi Gras Half Marathon. It was the first time I could run without pain (or little pain). I ran slow easy paces so that I could run the ATR and not walk.

My plan was to run 3 miles on Thursday at a competitive speed; but that didn't work out. It was VERY humid and hard to breathe so I got 3 miles any way I could hoping it would be enough for the 10k in a couple of days. My goal had been to run, not walk, and with little or no pain. Now that I was feeling better, my competitive part of me wanted to aim for speed and forget the fact that I had hardly run since my injury. With the 3 mile run ending my runs for the week until the race, I settled on accepting a 10 minute mile pace for the 10k.

ON TO THE AZALEA TRAIL:
Saturday came and I felt really good. I had experienced no recent pains with the exception of one here and there to remind me that it could still have control of me when it wants to. But it was waning in intensity and regularity so I was hoping my body was getting control again. Having babied my cracked rib for a while now, my thinking was that it was healing well. Although...it had been a month since the fall! I mean, how long can a runner wait??? Right??

The temp was in the mid forty's and the weather was clear. Everything was great for a Spring 10k. The air was filled with excitement and people were beginning to gather everywhere you looked. This year the ATR added a 5k which many participated in. I think it was a great idea. Also, new this year was a chipped bib. I was excited about this thinking my "real" time would be the recorded result and I could compare it with my Garmin. Although I take the Garmin over any other type of recording since it is satellite regulated.

My plan was to shoot for a 10 minute pace. Competing against my time last year, which was my best 10k to date, was out of the question as I didn't want to damage any healing I had received over the month. BUT, as with all races, once the gun is fired, the legs and feet have only one goal...run as fast as you can. I "tried" not to do this but it is absolutely the most exciting time of the race with entering the shoot a close second. Everyone is so hyped up and no one is tired, hurt, or sick at this point. This is sooo much fun!

I constantly looked at my watch to see my pace and, of course, it was faster than I had intended on running. But I thought after the first mile, I'd slow down just from the fact that I hadn't run like this in quite a while. The second mile marker appeared and I was still keeping the faster pace with ease. I just knew that I would be pooped by the 5th mile if I didn't take it easier. Then I did a little evaluating. How am I feeling? Am I breathing too hard? How is my rib feeling? Are my legs or feet hurting? And, honestly, I must say "No" to all of these questions. So.....I kept running.

Before I knew it, the 5k'ers were entering the race with us at the 5 mile mark. BIG problem here...Although I was excited about having a 5k and even at the same time, the funnelling in with the longer race runners was almost a disaster. You begin to see that the walkers from the 5k were taking the entire road. Now, your mission for the race has changed from achieving a good time to avoiding obstacles...like baby carriages side by side and talkers strolling in the middle of the road and small children everywhere!! This caused a lot of slowing down and weaving and bobbing killing precious time. And this was at the 5 mile mark...basically the end when you're pushing a little harder for a better time!! I did my best in pushing my way through them and finished with a great time but wondered how I would have done without the extra "issues" we had to encounter. Hopefully, they will rethink how to bring the two races together for a smooter transition for next year.

As mentioned earlier, my goal was a 10 minute mile pace. My Garmin results were: 55:41 with a 8:53 pace!! I was sooooo excited. And comparing with last year's results, that was only 28 seconds off! I couldn't believe it. Now, I really can't wait until next year's race! Kent ran a good race, too. He beat the 30 minutes he had wanted to do in the 5k. We are off to a great year of racing!!

A FINAL NOTE: The thing I like about races is that size and shape make no difference! Anyone can do it and should. If you can't tackle a 10k you should be able to do a 5k. I mean, really...a woman can walk miles shopping, even one or two getting groceries in Wal-Mart alone! So what's the excuse? You CAN do it!!

Eagle 5k Race

Saturday was the Eagle 5k Race. It started at 9:30 with the Fun Run preceding the 5k. There were so many sweet children in the Fun Run and I enjoyed watching them run. Since I didn't want to run a race until the Azalea Trail, I was on the sidelines watching everyone. This has been so hard for me but I didn't want to mess up next weekend. The police had to make last minute changes to the race course for the 5k due to five other conflicts and being spread out all over. So the race was basically run in two halves with the midway turn-around being at the beginning of the course. I'm sure this pleased Leonard, the Race Director, greatly. The humidity was high but it didn't rain.

Three seconds into the race. Check out my Joe Cool here!


At the turn around.


Coming in after a hard-to-breathe kinda race!


Some fellow Gulf Coast Club Racers. Our fearless leader, Leonard. Sorry the clock wasn't in view to capture the time.


Bob C. crossing the line.


Nancy P. coming in. I know she enjoyed running for a change.


Sausage, red beans and rice were served afterward along with bananas and drinks. Finally, a quick snapshot of me ... I know you've been waiting for this one ...

Medical Update

Got the results of my MRI and everything seems clear. I am now told that I have a cracked rib. I am thankful that that is all there is to it and it will heal on its own. I am feeling much better today and am running a little more each time, which is every other day right now. My run today was the fastest I've run since the injury and almost up to my norm. Wanting to run as best as I can, my runs will not be paced as fast as I usually run since I want to run medium to well at the Azalea Trail 10k Race in a week. Hopefully, it won't be long and I'll be good as new.

I am so blessed to be in good shape and thankful that I have a real yearning to take care of myself. And, best of all, to have a husband and friends that love this sport I'm falling deeper in love with all the time!

St. Patrick's Day 5k

The 5k Race Saturday was great! Though I couldn't...and didn't...run, I felt better than I had since the half marathon accident two weeks ago. It was a beautiful, yet windy, day! I gladly cheered Kent on. It was a great race for him! He has continued to have problems with his feet but today he ran well and did better than he expected.

Being thankful that I wasn't in pain for the first time in many days, I resorted to enjoying the beautiful sunshine until Kent came in. Then minutes before the race began, Leonard V. came to me and asked if I would take pictures at the beginning of the race. I was so excited that I had something "running-related" to do AND as a GCRC member, too! I felt useful! He'll never know how much I appreciated helping out. Thanks, Leonard!!!!! I was about to bust to run and this helped me so much.

Kent came in almost TWO minutes better than he was expecting even in the face of strong head winds on the return coming in at 29:43!! Fantastic job, Honey!!


My hero...


Winners! Can you tell Bob is excited?? (I think it was the weather, you think!) Kent received 3rd place...


The course was a flat, fast one...one I really looked forward to. There were many participants; the race was an overall success. There were all kinds of drinks available as well as oranges, bananas and pineapples. Now, I have next year to shoot for. I will work harder than ever for 2011!

A few candid pictures...

Prayers

For those that pray, I would ask for your prayers. I am really down. The fall I recently experienced has caused so many problems that seem to pop up. An MRI is scheduled tomorrow for my left side. Not sure what is going on. Am afraid of more trauma. Can't do much and yet there is so much planned to do. Thank you for your prayers!!

It's Now Been Confirmed!

I decided to go out for an easy 3 miler yesterday since my accident on Sunday. It was beautiful and I wanted to get out so bad. Nothing seem to hurt, so I thought I'd give it a try. I started out well then the pain took control! During my first mile, a sharp, burning pain shot through my left side. At first, I thought this was going to be a single incident so I ran another few steps; but it happened again and continued. What was this? I had not experienced this yet. I had felt a soreness and dull ache in this area right after the fall and for a couple of days but it seemed to have gotten better. The pain was so sharp that I stopped suddenly and grabbed my chest. Immediately I knew I could not run another step without intense pain. I began walking back to the truck and realized it stopped hurting and decided to complete my 3 miles with a walk. If I walked too fast, a dull pain would nudge me to remind me that it was still there but was being gracious to this stubborn runner.

By the time I got home, the pain returned and stayed with me. I could hardly stand it. I called the Sports Medicine Clinic in Hattiesburg and explained to them the events leading up to today's pain and they insisted on seeing me this morning. I was glad to oblige. The pain scared me as I wasn't sure that maybe I had a torn muscle from the fall and the running irritated it. Since the pain was so sharp and intense, I wanted to find out just exactly what was going on.

This morning I saw the doctor and after examination, she determined that I had a strained, torn muscle at the breastbone. She gave me some meds, some of which I can't wait to take (at night) for relief. Said that muscle relaxers would help me a lot in healing and to lay off running until next weekend (not tomomrrow). Ugh!!! I want to run outside so bad.

Though I have 3 races planned for the next three weekends (not tomorrow), the one I want to be sure I can do is the third one, the Azalea Trail 10k Run. So, I will be a good girl, do what the doc says, and wait this thing out; even if I have to miss the first two races.

But New Orleans hasn't heard the last of me yet. I WILL return next year. I will NOT let the New Orleans streets beat me...I'm coming back!!!!!!!

Mardi Gras 1/2 Marathon

There's so much to share on this post. This was an Inaugural Race and had always been called the Mardi Gras 1/2 Marathon and Marathon Race until this year when it was renamed to the Rock 'n Roll Mardi Gras 1/2 Marathon and Marathon Race. It is now included in the Rock 'n Roll Series of races held throughout the country.

So, let's begin with how beautiful the day was. The sun was out and warm with no wind! Perfect...even the temp was perfect. We all lined up in our assigned Corrals (mine was #7). Each group was released according to each one's expected finish time with the first one being the fastest. There were twenty something corrals! Time was spaced between each corral release so as not to bottle-neck with so many runners participating. It was announced that there were 15,000 runners.

Excitement filled the air and people lined the streets to give us a great send-off. Less than a couple of years ago, I was one of them and now I'm proud to say that I'm now one of the ones being cheered on. It is a GREAT feeling!! Bands were stationed approximately every mile or so playing their hearts out for us as we passed. I believe there were about 20 in all.

The race seemed to fly by! Before I knew it we were at the first mile, then the second, then the 5k mark. I couldn't believe how fast the race was progressing with such ease. Guess it was because there was so much to see and hear. My iPod was off more than it was on during the race. Just before I got to the 7th mile, I called Kent to let him know that I was now into the last half of the race and that I was feeling great. My main concern had been my right hip as I've been experiencing some pain for the last 3 weeks but there had been NO pain so far. I had done very well in pacing myself and had decided to increase my speed when I got to the 10-11 mile marker.

Then, all of a sudden, things changed! Everything about me was weird as I felt myself airborne and suddenly FLAT on the ground!! If my hands had not caught me I would have kissed it! All I knew was that I was in a LOT of pain. Blood was everywhere, my whole right side was killing me. It seemed surreal as I felt myself hit the ground hard; first my hand, then my knee, followed by my right breast (sorry, but it was like I was in slow motion and pain hit each area specifically). My right knee was hurting bad. I was in agony and didn't know what had just happened. I never saw it coming. As I got up, I realized that my Garmin watch had been torn off my left wrist...torn off! I had fallen almost straight down and my left side got it, too. That hand was scratched up and the palm peeled back with skin hanging off. My right hand received the blunt of the fall. I hobbled over to the side to gather my senses and regain composure. I didn't know whether to cry or what, I was in shock trying to figure out what happened. Several people stopped to see if they could help and one sweet lady assisted me off the ground and asked if she could stay with me; but I told her no that I was fine. I could hardly speak at this time; I was stunned...I never saw it coming. But literally within seconds, I was on my way again...slowly at first, until I could overpower the pain in my right leg. Without walking any, I continued my running.

Then, out of the blue, I got mad! How could I have been so clumsy! As a matter of fact, I kept my eyes on the ground most of the time to prevent what had just happened. As I began to put the pieces together, I recalled looking up and the sun's rays caught my eye and blinded me for an nth of a second. It was then that I was personally introduced to New Orleans' fine street repairwork. My foot caught a "patched" place and it sent me flying through the air.

My right hand had torn open and flesh and blood was everywhere. Oh, the pain! I watched to see if it would coagulate and it did; therefore, I did not stop for first aid. The next couple of miles do not register with me. I do not remember them at all. Knowing the pain was going to stay with me until I got it looked at and bandaged, I focused on the race again. Surprisingly, I was doing well as far as running goes. Though I never increased my speed as I had hoped, I did regain the pace I was at before the fall. A First Aid station was inside the runner's shoot and I all but ran over there for assistance. I was still hurting and wanted to get this hand covered. Unfortunately, they couldn't give me anything for the pain; so we didn't stay long afterwards.

Later that day, when I was undressing, I saw bloody scratches on my left knee and my left arm all the way down my left side is so sore. My right knee is still swollen and deeply bruised as is my right hand. I do not bruise easy but let me tell you, if either of these two places are touched right now, I will probably scream! I am soooo very thankful that nothing was broken and that all of this will be nothing but a memory before long. It could have been so much worse.

Coming in to the Finish Line (I'm in black)


My prized medal...literally!!! It has gold gemstones all over it and must weigh 3 pounds!


Here are some pictures of my wounds that were taken a day and a half AFTER the race. Believe me when I tell you these wounds are almost healed now. This looks great! There is a large, deep bruise and still some swelling underneath the scratch on my right knee. It can hardly be touched even now.


You can see some bruising with great healing action going on here. Soreness is going away on this hand.


And the worse one...there is heavy trauma still going on with my right hand. It is still swollen quite bad and extremely tender to touch. The bruise is VERY deep but looks a ton better than it did when it happened. It is still an open wound. There are NO meds on it in this picture. And thanks to Tylenol, I'm gonna make it, ha!


All in all I really enjoyed the race...and don't be so critical when I say...I'd like to do this one again. It was flat and the course was very pretty. Let's just say I'm a determined kinda gal! I want to CONQUER these streets!!!

Below is a short slide that I made of a few Pacers that we met up with at the end of the half.

Today's Run & More Pics

Today's run "should" have been more fun than it was. Though it was a little chilly, it's a beautiful day. I am "learning" to like colder weather...there's a different attitude happening and thoughts of embracing uncomfortable weather is getting better. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not sure I'll EVER love (or even like) wind, especially cold wind; but dressing properly is definitely the key to continuing and enjoying winter running. Today, I am experiencing some pain in my right hip. It has been a little painful and sore since Saturday. Not sure what's going on. Maybe I strained it on the hills, especially the final one, in the race the other day. Ice and drugs are definitely on the list today.

Below are a few more pics from the Gimme Shelter 5k.

Me and Frank at the beginning of the race.

Check out this hunk!! I'll take him home! Love you, Honey!

Good running

Me, Ginny, Donna and Audrey after the race

Thanks Nestor for taking precious time away from your run to take all of these!!! You're priceless to the Club!!

Gimme Shelter 5k

Though the day started out quite cold...28 degrees by my gauge at home...it ended up a gorgeous warmer one!!! As we got ready to go to Hattiesburg to participate in the Gimme Shelter 5k, I tried to talk myself out of going because of the cold. I rarely run in cold weather and when it is, I wait until the warmer part of the day to do it. But when it is a race, you are locked in to the time. So I jumped in my running clothes (all 3 layers of 'em) and hesitantly headed to the truck shivering all the way. I knew once I got that far, there would be no turning back. And I knew that once I met up with fellow runners the cold would NOT be the main topic of conversation. The race was held at University Baptist Church where a fellow pacer, Bro. Phillip Reynolds, is pastor. The proceeds from the run went to benefit the homeless in a town in Mexico. Great reason to run, huh?

It seemed so long since we've gotten together for a race. The last one was January 1st for the Steam Whistle 12k, practically 8 weeks ago! I missed every one of my PBPers. When we pulled into the parking lot, I immediately saw Audrey. Now, don't get me wrong, she is a regular gal and neither the way she looked nor what she wore grabbed my attention...BUT her dancing around to keep warm with this huge smile drew me in. I could hardly wait to get with the group. Now, on to the pictures...

This first one I had to share. This was the youngest runner for the 5k!! That's right, I said 5k, 3.1 miles! This picture is not of a child running in a Fun Run. Isn't he just precious!! Look at how earnest he is with that little tongue out and in running mode! The way his little blonde hair is swirled around on top of his head looks like a little halo, don't it? Now....there's no excuse....get out and do SOMETHING!! Recall this picture if it helps to get you motivated.

The next several are action pictures. First up are of Kent and me.



There were so many taken I only posted a few. You can see all of them here. Audrey, Ginny, Frank and Nestor are shown below. Nestor ran ahead of me, stopped took my picture, ran more, stopped and took more, all throughout the race!! He has the sweetest attitude in doing this and a great runner to boot. I'm glad someone got his picture. Thanks, Nestor!





We both received awards. Kent got 3rd place in his age group and I received the Grand Masters award with a gift certificate to Soccer Locker.



With all of this said, I will gladly leave you with a picture of how we all felt when we got to the finish line UPHILL!!

Up and Going

This past weekend was great! Though I was tied up from 9:00 to midnight every night and was unable to get out and run (mostly due to the weather AND time limitations), I'm glad to be home so we can get back to normal...running again! I sure do miss it when we're out-of-whack.

I ran this afternoon for the first time in almost a week. It was great. The weather was beautiful and the sun was shining. With a coolness in the air, it made running good. Got in five miles though I had planned for four.

So I leave you with a beautiful, healthy day. Don't be discouraged...get up and do "something"!! You will thank yourself for it later.

Run 4 It

Yeah, that's what I'm doing. Yesterday I got in 11 miles. It really felt nice. I was a bit sore when I finished but it worked out within a couple of hours. As I'm thinking to myself I'm wondering why in the world I stopped running long distances last year after I completed my first half marathon. Now, I'm looking to the future in hopes of running longer distances (double digit mileage) on a regular basis. Surely I can do this.

I seem to have noticed something different with my longer running. I'm discovering that my new "good" mile is the 7th one. The last couple of weeks of running longer, the seventh mile was a great one and I really felt good. There was no struggle and an ease of running during that mile. The eighth wasn't bad either but the seventh was "consistently" good.

As I work toward my upcoming (second) half marathon in New Orleans, my eyes are already looking to doing another half. Have I lost my mind or what am I thinking?? Now, I'm wondering where these eyes and derranged thoughts are coming from. I remember when achieving a 10k at a competitor's pace was something to aim for, which wasn't too long ago. Don't get me wrong my goal for a half is still the same as it was last time: to run its entirety with no walking. But I seem to get excited when I see another half being advertised.

Since I've set a new achievement to run 13 halfs in 13 different cities, it has inspired me to work a little harder. I can hardly wait to start marking these off! Yep, guess I have flipped, but it's a healthy flip and you can't go wrong with that!

Great Run...Kinda!

Kent and I went to the Sportsplex yesterday to do our regular run. In training for my half marathon, I'm increasing my distance, stamina and endurance by adding an extra mile each week until I'm at my HM readiness. After viewing the weather forecast, realization hit that doing a longer run toward the end of the week was not looking good. So with that in mind, I decided to shoot for the extra mile yesterday. This week is to be my 9th mile.

I began my run and was doing well. Then I noticed that I was too fast initially...thank goodness for my new Garmin! So I "tried" to slow down keeping in mind that my goal is not speed but endurance. After running a few miles with a close watch on my pace it got better and better. As I entered my seventh mile, I was feeling real good. As a matter of fact, I felt great...I had experienced a burst of energy. (I think that has a name but don't remember what it's called.) It was then that I thought I will go ahead and add TWO extra miles instead of the planned one. Kent followed me around (he is wonderful!!) to offer me water when I needed it...but mostly because a couple of wild looking stray dogs came out of nowhere barking and charging at me. This happened in the 8th mile and caused me to stop running and walk until I could get past them safely. I was soooo angry! I am afraid of dogs and do not care for them at all!!! I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that I was bitten by one when I was walking home from high school one day minding my own business!!

Now with the confidence that I had my "protector" with me and my water available when I needed it, I relaxed and began running again feeling safe. Even as I entered my 9th mile, I thought that I could still run the "extra" 10th mile. All was well and then it happened.........I crashed!! What was this?? I've never experienced this before and didn't know what to do. I was at the end of my run for the day and REFUSED to quit now. So I shuffled on to the finish. Still I'm not sure what happened. I slowly walked to the car, drank my water and did slow, easy stretches to prevent any cramping. (I have always been a "huge" cramper anyway.)

So my first thought now was let me get to my Apple Cider Vinegar, swig some down, change clothes and hit the couch for some much needed rest! As it turned out, when I got home, I was feeling fine again. Got out the vinegar, downloaded my Garmin, made our Smoothie (soooo good and refreshing), took my shower and felt rejuvenated again. I even cooked supper later on and wasn't sure initially whether we were going to have to go grab something or not. Thankfully, there's no soreness, aches or pains!! I'm still kinda new at this running thing and this has not happened to me before so I guess I'll just have to chalk it up to weird experience...dunno!

As I write this, the morning after, I still feel fine with no aches or pains nor any cramping last night. And when I made my daily coffee this morning I noticed that the vinegar was still sitting on the counter. I had not even taken any! For those of you that could use this acute cure...when experiencing leg and feet cramps, take a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar followed by a glass of hot tap water. If cramps do not subside within 5 mintes, repeat the ACV and water. This is the ONLY thing that has ever helped me and it is SUPER fast acting and cheap to boot!!

My plans are to do 3-4 miles today whether outside or on the treadmill. Rain is suppose to start this afternoon and I have errands to do this morning. I welcome any comments or e-mails if you have anything you could share regarding my run yesterday!

Happy Trails to You!!

Grin And Bear It!!

I am soooo ready for some warmer weather!! My little ole southern bones are not use to a "real" winter and that's what we are experiencing this year. Usually we have a couple of days here and there of colder weather throughout the winter but NOT a month or two solid! Lately our days have been very pretty and so inviting; but once I step outside everything inside me tries to jump out of my skin and head back inside where it is warm...crying, begging, kicking and screaming wondering why I'm doing this insane thing of exposing this body to the cold. Seeing as how most of the time I'm heading out to run, I force my body inside the car and try to brainwash my brain into thinking it's not as bad as it seems and once I get going it will be alright. But the honest truth is "it IS cold" and I dont' want to be outside. No comment from you, Ginny, lover of ice!!

But the thing that is keeping me going is that I'm training for my second half marathon in a month. Not a fan of the treadmill and with the distance needed for training, there's no other choice but to head outside and hit the roads. Thankfully, it is good to occasionally see someone else running or walking, too. It is always good to see Frank because, like Kent, they are steadfast and consistent. Thank you, guys, it is because of YOU and your smiles that keep me going. Somehow I think that the "smiles" are deceptive and even wonder if they are frozen on their faces. But whatever, it helps motivate me. There's nothing like meeting others with smiles on their faces.

So I will leave you with a smile on my face and my body prepped for a run and I will see you again after I'm thawed out! Happy Health to You!

Pics from Winter 10k Classic

Finally getting some pictures in from the Winter 10k Classic. The first one is with Leonard V. and me receiving our GrandMasters awards and the second is of Nancy P. (new Gulf Coast Running Club Pres.) and Phillip W.

Good Sources of Fiber

How many of you find yourselves not getting enough fiber in your diet? Below are some good food sources for fiber.

Avocado, ½ cup—8 g
[Careful though: 17 g fat and 192 calories *4.0 (4.5)]
Blackberries and Raspberries, 1 cup—8 g
Strawberries, 1½ cup whole—4.5 g
Orange, 1 large—4 g
Artichoke, 1 globe—6.5 g
Pumpkin, canned, ½ cup—5 g
Baked potato or Sweet potato with skin, 1 medium—4 g
Thomas' Light English Muffin, 1—8 g
Spaghetti, whole-wheat, 1 cup cooked—6 g
Fiber One, ½ cup—14 g
Bran Flakes, ¾ cup—5 g
Oatmeal, 1 cup, cooked—4 g
Beans—Navy, Kidney, Lentils, Pinto, etc, ½ cup cooked—6-9.5 g

Copied from Dotti's Newsletter, Issue 86
Resource: ~~The Complete Idiot's Guide to Total Nutrition by Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N

YMCA Winter Classic

We ran in the YMCA Winter 10k Classic last weekend in Ocean Springs. It was a beautiful day but was VERY windy with some challenging hills...thank goodness they were short ones. The run takes you along the beach where the wind was, shall I say, a nice "breezy resistance"? The sun was warm and so pretty glancing off the cool, clean water of the Gulf. It looked like sparkling diamonds...and, you know, women LOVE diamonds! This was the largest turnout they had ever had. Running seems to be making a comeback since the big running phase in the 80's.

I've been waiting to post so I could show some pictures of the awards but haven't got any yet. So for now, the link to the results are here and an article here. I was a little surprised to receive the Grand Masters Female award. But I think the best part of that was having my picture taken with Leonard Vergunst who is one of the top Grand Masters runners in the nation!!! Shoot...where are those pictures!!! I'm sure this will NEVER happen again, so I'll gloat as much as I want to or as long as I want to (may be forever!!).

Now on to prepare for my second half marathon. I've decided to participate in the Mardi Gras Half Marathon and have a lot of training to do. As with my first one last year, my goal is to NOT walk but run the entire race. I'll worry about time when I get the distance down on a more regular basis. Anyway, I hear it is a fun one to do and am looking forward to jumping right in with the rest. Hope to see you there!

13 in 13

My husband and I were talking the other day and since I am wanting to participate in more half marathons, we thought we'd try to go to different cities to do them. I know there are those who run marathons in 50 or even 25 states, but that would be impossible for us to do. So in order to make this a goal, a health achievement AND have some fun, too, we came up with "13 in 13". That means doing 13 miles in 13 different cities...actually 13.1 miles (half marathon). Since I've only done one so far and it is within a year's time, I'm going to start with that one.

A column on the right will be updated as each half marathon is done with location and stats. It would be great to see how many would like to do it, too. There are no time limits since this is quite an accomplishment for some of us. Join me and have a good time!

What A Day!

Yesterday posed to be a fantastic working out day for me. It was also the first day I have run outside since the last race I participated in. Okay...pansy, sissy, wimp, soft...whatever you want to call me, that's okay...in this case it's probably the truth! But the weather was perfect even at 3:00 in the afternoon!!! I told my hubby that I didn't know how long or how far I was going to run...I was just going to run until I was through. So with the sunshine and warmer air, I began running. After 6 miles I was happy and called it quits for the day.

But running wasn't the beginning of my workouts for the day. I did the Stretch Max with Cathe F. on FitTV earlier. I need to make myself do more of this as I am so stiff and unflexible. By the time I got out to run, I was already feeling the workout I had done previously. The funny thing is, I could hardly do them...thank goodness! If I could have bent and moved like one was suppose to, I'd probably be REAL sore.

Then at 6:00 p.m. Core Max with Cathe F. on FitTV came on. I'm a huge fan of Cathe although I rarely do her stuff. The difficult things she does with a breeze is amazing to watch. But she is one of my inspirations to keep healthy. So, out came my large ball and smaller 5 lb. weighted ball to do deep core exercises with her. I thought this couldn't be too bad as I work on my core on a somewhat regular basis anyhow. And though it wasn't too hard, it was still a good workout. Don't get me wrong, I still couldn't follow through on all the repetitions but I did do some.

All in all, it was a good workout day and I hope to increase my mileage on a gradual basis as I want to participate in the Mardi Gras Half Marathon. By participate, I mean run it all. Don't want to have to walk any but will if I have to. There's still too much time between now and then to not be prepared.

So, this morning I'm happy to announce that I feel great. There is a little soreness in my back (I'm sure from the stretching) but everything is well. I'll be going for 3 miles shortly, then I'll be finished for the day. With rain forecasted for tomorrow, not sure I'll be able to get outside. So off I go and now it's time for you to do the same and "Run 4 It" (your life)!!

Ta Ta ...

One Week Plus Down!

I never thought I'd feel like this but I'm glad that there's a little over a week behind me on the 100 Day Fitness Challenge. I didn't realize how much I DIDN'T workout...whew!! All this time I patted myself on the back and was proud to run 3-5 days a week. Man, that's nothing compared to seven. It helped me be aware of having a better mindset on my health and fitness on a daily basis. Every day you can do something, do!! Of course, there might be some days that it is impossible. But what I'm finding out is that usually there is something you can do for at least 30 minutes every day. You do not have to run your heart out but do something. And, yeah, you can. So if you want a surprise, try this and then come back and tell me just how "easy" it was for you. It has to be constantly on your mind or you'll feel like me and say, "it's raining" or "it's too cold" or "it's too windy" or whatever your excuse might be to get out of doing a workout. What I found is that there is always something you can do each and every day and you'll never end by saying, "I wish I hadn't done that". Give it a try...and see for yourself. Keep up the good work and don't stop moving!!!

Running Log: 01-01-10 to 01-09-10

Jan. 1...1:06:39 for a PR*..Steam Whistle 12k Race-7.45 Miles
Jan. 5...30:06...TM: 2.28 Miles
Jan. 6...77:08...TM: 5.5 Miles; Abs, wts, core wkout
Jan. 7...79:06...TM: 6 Miles; Abs, wts, core wkout
Jan. 8...69:11...TM: 5 Miles; Abs, wts, core wkout
Jan. 9...43:10...TM: 4 Miles; Abs & core wkout
Total............30.7 Miles (rounded up)

*PR = Personal Record; the best for me

Beginning next week I will be posting my log once a week. Since it is the first of the year, I began with the first workout/race up to today.

2010 Fitness Goals & 100-Day Challenge

I love this quote: If you don't know where you want to go, it's impossible to get there.

In light of this, I have decided to set some health goals for 2010.

MY FITNESS/HEALTH GOALS:

Below are 5 goals I want to achieve in 12 months. This is just a beginning.

1. Run 2 half marathons
2. Exercise 4-5 days a week after the 100-Day Challenge
3. Maintain a better eating plan by evaluating it each week
4. Achieve an 8:30 mile pace
5. Make a new goal when one has been fulfilled

100-DAY CHALLENGE:

On the Pine Belt Pacers forum is a challenge to exercise and/or run for 100 days. I am sorry that I went to the site a week late. But I want to participate and will commit to the 100 day challenge beginning with Tuesday, January 5th. Once a week I will report my working out by day.

Sharing these with you is for me to be more accountable. I welcome any advice you may have. Please e-mail me with anything you want to share. Thanks!!

Happy New Year!

And "happy" it was. New Year's Day begins the year with a great race. The Steam Whistle 12k is put on by the Pine Belt Pacers (Hattiesburg Running Club) each year and keeps getting better. This year the turnout was the best yet. I ran my best 12k so far and was the recipient of 2nd place in my age category.

Though it was a cold day, it was a beautiful one. So, hats off for a wonderful, healthy new you this year!!

Here is my age group awards.


Nancy P. (1st), Me (2nd), Alice H. (3rd)

Many more pictures can be found here.
The race results can be found here.

Tips To Get You Motivated To Run

This is an excellent article for motivating you to run. I wanted to share it with you especially those that need an extra boost. Click here to read.

Pass to Bay 10k Race

Saturday, December 19th, Kent and I ran in the Pass to Bay 10k Race. It is from the Park in Pass Christian, over the bridge, and to Subway in Bay St. Louis. The bridge is 2 miles long and uphill! The day was just gorgeous but we faced head winds which were a little challenging with the uphill on the bridge. I thoroughly enjoyed it. We had Subway sandwiches, donuts, cookies, water and drinks at the end of the race. Last year was not as nice; it was foggy, damp and warm. What a difference this year was!

As a matter of fact, I decided to run the bridge again on Monday which was another beautiful day; this time from red light to red light which made it 4.70 miles total. I love looking out on the bay when I'm running. It doesn't seem as hard and I can take this time to really think on things.

Phillip W. took pictures at the end of the race. Several Pine Belt Pacers were present this year. I won 3rd place in my age group and was very proud of it. Several new ladies came this year that had not come before and they were super good. Winning IS good...but...it is always wonderful to be able to run!!

New Club

With only a little thinking, we decided to join the Gulf Coast Running Club in Gulfport. Not being too far away, we've found ourselves participating in some of their runs throughout this year and decided that we would join for 2010. Leonard does an outstanding job putting on these races and it makes it worthwhile to attend. We are looking forward to more races in the future.

Finally a Run!

Well, here goes AGAIN! Blogger lost the post I just wrote. Anyway ... I am so happy that I did a run this morning. It was on the treadmill because it is literally raining cats and dogs (whatever that is suppose to mean) outside, but that beats nothing! It was also the longest I've run on the TM. The run was a slow 6 mile followed by an ab, weight, and core workout. I feel so much better. Now, why can't I do this without pulling my hair out??

Goal Setting

I found a great tool for goal setting. It explains exactly what one is and helps you to put in your own words goals for you to reach. Hope you enjoy this. Click here for the site.

Not Doing So Well

Okay...time for some reflection here. There's been nothing but one thing after another. I don't know how I did it last year preparing for my half marathon, but I can tell you it certainly wasn't the way it's being done this year. My eating has been soooo out of whack...BY CHOICE! I've gained 5-7 pounds in 2 weeks...YIKES!! I've been so down about all of this; but my husband (the encourager that he is) tells me that I'm not completely off my running schedule. I sooooo feel like it. First, there was the procedure that knocked me back a week, then there was a terrible cold (and thankfully didn't last long but was intense while it lasted), then there was the traveling with daily rain leading to the now cold weather...and today we're getting the grandchildren this weekend (oh, I LOVE this but just another reason for detainment (is that a word??)) and snow is predicted for tomorrow! Now, let me see...are there any other excuses I can use here??? What's wrong with my thinking. Am I searching for excuses?? I need balance and NOW!!! Anyone that can offer any suggestions or uplifting words, I need you!! Please e-mail me ASAP before it's too late for help!!