SCRMC 5k

Last week was a great week in many ways. I felt so good. The weather has taken a turn for the good bringing us a very pleasant fall. I enjoyed running in the cooler temps and adding a mile each week has been working out well. In the last few weeks, we both have been strong enough to win awards in the races we have participated in. That's always so nice and such a nice thing to experience.

We both ran in the South Central Regional Medical Center (SCRMC) 5k on Saturday. It was another gorgeous day with temps in the low 50's. The sun was out and the sky was so blue. There was no wind or rain and everything was perfect for racing. I had some apprehension regarding the race. I've not raced in Laurel before and I knew this one was going to be hilly. It will be my first to race on hills. But as it went, it wasn't as bad as I had thought it would be. Still nursing this groin pain some, I didn't push my limits as I want to continue to add mileage each week and not take a chance in being laid up on the couch for a while.

Happy to be running today.

Frank is so kind to take photos at the PineBelt Pacer events. He is greatly appreciated! Thanks for your time and skill. He received 2nd Place in his age group...congrats! Also, a big "Thank You" to Charles Jackson and Terry Lawhead for running the clock for us!! We know times were accurate because they were in charge!

Around the table checking out the results.

We both received awards and were very happy about that. Kent got 2nd place in his age group and I received the GrandMasters Trophy. I was so grateful as I had prepared as best I could to run the hills.

Tom & Kent (1st & 2nd respectively)

Me with my Grandmasters Trophy...it's so purdy!!

Others that ran with us (not sure if they are all Pacers or not) are: Karen Lott, Dennis & Renee Bisnette, Gary Thornton, Serina Williamson, and Sandra Wargel. Also, running were friends, Gary & Sherri Dykes. He placed in his a/g and Sherri had a PR (I think). My Tuesday running buddy, Catherine, and her cousin, Caroline, as well as Donna and Christina ran. (I hope I didn't leave anyone else out.) Unfortunately, Karen fell when she began the climb up the brick street. She had to walk some as she hurt her knee. It was swollen and one of her fingers was cut. I hope she is better now. All in all, it was a great day...

Bet This Hasn't Happened to You!

This morning we got up early to go run in the cool temps. It was so nice at 65 degrees. The funniest thing happened just before we began running. When I got out of the truck I looked down and saw something dark go underneath my leg as I was gearing up. The first thing I thought was that something fell out of the truck and the wind swooped it up and blew it under the truck. I was hoping I wouldn't need it because it was gone! Within a couple of seconds, I heard Kent yell out and throw open the driver's side of the door. There seemed to be something inside the truck; it was all happening so fast. All I could tell was that he was moving as fast as he could trying to get out. Then I saw something dark leave the truck. He said a bird flew inside the truck and was up against the window of the driver's side where he was sitting. To be honest, I don't know which was the most anxious: him trying to get the truck open or this small bird trying to get out! It was hilarious and we both had a good laugh over it...especially since neither he nor the little bird got hurt trying to get free.

Our runs were very good today. I had hoped to get in 8 miles like last week but I really wanted to increase it a mile. As of last night, I still wasn't sure whether I would feel like it or whether it would be too hot in the sun to run this extra mile. BUT...it rained a lot yesterday and brought in a cool front last night - a glorious, wonderful cool front. It was absolutely a beautiful, clear day with blue skies and warm sun.

When we finished we soaked in a hot jacuzzi...soooo relaxing. After we cleaned up, we went out for po-boys and a cold Barq's Root Beer and ate them on the patio outside. Kent had a sloppy roast beef and gravy po-boy and I had a shrimp. Yummm!!! It's been a perfect day...hope you had one, too.

Waiting for a Cure 5k

The race today was a great one! It started at 8:00 a.m. in pretty high humidity. The course took you through a very lovely, shady neighborhood. Did I say shady? I loved running through this area. There was even a little breeze to go along with the scenery. It was so nice. It wasn't as hot as it had been, but let me tell you, we're still having summer temps here.

Kent decided when we got there that he would change from running to walking. He's been nursing a pull in his hamstring for a couple of weeks or so. Though he ran in the race last week, he decided he needed to slow it down this time. I thought he did great. My plan today was to run as best I could without running hard. I'm still experiencing some pain in my left groin but am happy to say that it is getting better. I've finally found a good pair of shoes that I am loving. The pain I was experiencing in my right foot has gone away. I will be glad when my body starts cooperating again and I can start running like I use to...freely and painfree! Guess I can say that my year this year has been quite different than I had hoped. Maybe I just needed to go through challenges I've not had before.

Congratulations, Leonard, for winning first place and organizing a great race!! Out of the first 6 people that crossed the line, 3 of them were over 50! You can't keep us down...okay I said it, I'm over 50, too. I didn't get many pictures today but here are the few taken.

Jeanne getting her award


A couple of pictures of some really cute little girls and their awards

Kent receiving his 3rd Place RW Award

And, finally, Debra, me and Nancy (3rd, 2nd, and 1st)

Leonard and those helping him did a great job putting the race on. Run-n-Tri was a great sponsor, too (the race was held at their location). There was plenty of drinks and fruit (always a welcomed refreshment). There were even some door prizes. Congratulations to everyone that ran and, of course, to those that won an award.

For complete, race results, go here:

I'm so glad to go through the things I have this year and am so glad that I still love to run. You can never appreciate your health enough...God is so good!!

Bobcat 5k

Saturday (Sept. 18), we ran in the Jones County Jr. College Bobcat 5k Race. It was quite humid and warm. When we left the house, our gauge read 94% humidity. Though it's hot to me, it is difficult for Kent. There was a good turnout; this is their fourth year to have it.

The course was well marked and they had people posted on all corners. Many students participated, which is good and bad. I'm glad to see young adults out running but most don't take it serious and were kind of a hassel to race with. You were constantly dodging them after they sprinted ahead of you only to stop and walk until you passed them again...over and over again. But with all that said, it was a little better than last year. The race was mapped throughout the campus, to the President's home and along the streets ending with a lap in the stadium.

I had to take it easy in this race. Originally, we had signed up to walk it. But when we got there, I knew I had to change. If I wanted to run, then I would be disqualified if I had signed up to walk. But I could walk if I signed up to run. After I did that, Kent got to rethinking his decision and eventually changed his to running, also. I'm so glad I did. I had experienced some left goin pain earlier this week but was able to "baby" it. As it turned out, I felt well enough to run this little hilly race in its entirety. I didn't push it and just ran the best I could.

After Kent got rehydrated, we had good refreshments and enjoyed great fellowship with several friends. There were lots of wonderful fruit with drink which was soooo welcomed after such a hot race. Then there were cookies and crackers, too. We saw some with Smoothie King cups but never found the smoothies. Below is a group picture of Audrey, Ginny, me and Kent all absolutely drenched but brandishing huge smiles. It is so much fun to run with friends.


As it turned out there were many Pacers that won awards. Frank not only took pictures but was the recipient of an award, too; thanks! Congratulations to all the winners!

I was excited I had fully run the race. The results were wonderfully unexpected and paid off, too. I received the Grand Masters Award and all I wanted was to be able to run the whole race. What a surprise!!




For complete race results, you can go here.

Wonderful Cool Morning Surprise

All I can say is how great I feel today. I woke up to a 61 degree temp and a spring in my step. Soon we were headed out to do our morning run. I took off yesterday and was anxious (with the nice temp) to see what I could do. My run started off the same as Saturday with walking a half mile followed by a slow jog for a half mile; I did this for 3-4 miles all the time thinking I had put in about as much as I could. Then I caught up with a lady I'd seen last week and talked with her. She was walking and I was ending my walking. She is very nice and close to my age. Sylvia and I walked a little and then we began running slow. She does not run much (but I'm going to work on that). Before I knew it, we had gotten back to our vehicles and had put in a couple of miles or so. We exchanged phone numbers and I'm looking forward to doing this again. When I looked at my Garmin I was shocked to see that I had clocked in 7 miles even!! I hadn't even realized it. Most of it ended up being a good, slow run. First, I didn't think I would be able to run and second, it's been a while since I'd run that far. In all honesty, I really believe the weather had a lot to do with it; but who cares? It's done!! I'm now happy and sassy!!

Don't let anything stop you from doing something good for your body today...

Running is Never Boring...

I'll have to admit last week was unusual. I thought having certain "things" were down-pat but guess my running is making a change...for the positive! Being off from any exertion for a couple of days, I was about to go crazy. Funny, how you can talk yourself out of running and it's okay but when you're told to stop a few days, you're dying to get out again. Anyway, I thought...okay, I know that can be dangerous; but in this case it was a breakthrough. Why can't I just get out and do some walking. I mean, after all, walking a Walmart Superstore or a Lowe's is about 3 acres (maybe not that many) but by the time you go from one end to the other a time or two, you're bound to have walked a mile or so.

Friday came along and with that thought still bouncing around in my head, I decided to go with Kent and see what I could do. I was able to get in 4 easy miles with no running. I tried to add a little running but knew by the third step that was NOT the thing to do. On Saturday, we had a funeral to attend at 2:00 and waited to do our run/walk after then. This time, I was able to add a little bit of slow jogging throughout the 4 miles I got in then. I felt pretty good but did feel a "pull" and some pressure at that site. My running/walking total miles this week ended up with a tad over 20. I'm real excited about this as I wanted to maintain a weekly mileage of 20+. Maybe I'm learning how to listen and control my body better.

Each day brings a challenge of sort to all runners, whether it is to increase your speed or your mileage, whether it is to overcome heat and humidity or to brazen the cold and wind. Running is NEVER boring!!

Totally Tuesday

So much happened on this day. It started out with my regular run with two others at 5:00 a.m. It was not as cool as it was a day earlier. Although running this early did help keep the heat from being too bad, the humidity was VERY high. After running a mile, Catherine said she was not up to running any more. She had run 10 miles the previous day and I guess it had caught up with her. So we walked the rest of the way ending with 4.21 miles according to my Garmin. She walks fast so it was a good workout.

When I got home, Kent mentioned that he wanted to go run. I began thinking that "Yeah, I want to, too!". So off came the wet clothes replaced by some fresh, clean, dry ones and away we went. Within a short time, we were running. I decided to run on the treadmill because I wasn't sure how far I would feel like going since I had done 4 miles on the streets. BUT...I felt great!!

Right after I got started I realized that this was going to be a good run. So with about three miles in mind (this would give me 7 total), I increased my speed. As I got into my third lap, one of the personnel came up and told me that our lights were on in the car. This aggravated me because I was running so well. Now, how in the world am I going to register this with a break in the run. The treadmills cut off just seconds after stopping it; they don't pause long. So I ran outside real fast, hoping I could beat the time before it turned off but didn't make it. I had to start all over. So my total time is real close but not exact. Because of being in the middle of a lap my figuring ended up being a little weird, too.

Regardless I stayed focused; I felt so good, got back on and ran harder and faster than I did before getting off. Now, I've become quite a techy with my Garmin and recording my runs/times/paces/calories, etc., so when I began trying to figure when a good time to stop at the end of a mile would be, I'd add a lap, then say, no I need another 2 laps, then my figuring got off again, I added another lap...well, you see where this was going. I wanted to run and not spend mental energy on FIGURING!! So, when I thought I was at a decent length, I called it quits. The problem: I only needed a couple more laps to equal 10 miles for the day!!!! If only....BUT I'm so excited to record a total mileage of 9.5 miles. This is way more than I would have ever figured I could do without having "inched" up to that distance.

Though my day had ended as far as working out goes, it was just beginning with having to go have a minor procedure done in Jackson. This is done every 5 months and detains my running for 10-14 days. I know it takes about that long because I tried to run in a race 5 days afterward a while back and thought I would die. So, here I am writing my article and catching up on my blog. Feeling better than I ever have after this procedure, I'm thinking of going out to walk some today. Maybe this won't kill me and give me some endorphins to play around with.

Labor Your Legs 5k

We participated in the Labor Your Legs 5k at Cloverleaf Mall in Hattiesburg on Monday. The temp was great! Nice and cool compared to the sweltering heat we've been experiencing this summer. There was a great turnout and the ones that managed the race did an excellent job! There was plenty of water, drink and refreshments.

Here is a pre-race picture of Sonja, Ginny, me and Kent. This is a good picture but wish it was a little larger.


My goal was to run the best I could according to the way I felt. My running outside has been extremely limited and mostly been confined to treadmill workouts. So when I've run in races lately I've had the "challenge" of adjusting to the heat and humidity. And though my fall in the half marathon this year has been a while back, I was out of pocket so long that I lost my speed and gained some weight. Then summer came with a vengence and kept me inside. Even a few pounds can make a difference in your speed and how you feel. I still need to lose 5 pounds...these are the tough ones because they come and go so quickly and don't stay at the lower end of the scale for long. If you're not careful they will "stick" on the higher end. This has been a constant struggle for me. Believe it or not, I don't feel good inside when I have these 5 hanging on.

Today was an exception because everything seemed perfect for a change. Kyle and Myssey even came by to cheer us on. We've not had "an audience" before and was excited to see them. Well, I haven't. I've always been there for Kent throughout the years, but still this was different because our son and his wife was there. Thanks, guys!

I finished with a good time and now can't wait to get this back in order. Kent was able to run a better time than he had in quite a while. I received First Place in my age group. Many pictures can be found at Pat Mitchell Photography site and at Frank's page. If you have trouble connecting, please let me know and I'll get it fixed.

Here we are during the awards ceremony and lastly, me receiving my award.

Hat's Off to my Friends!

I am happy that I can say that I have been consistent with my running last week. Though it was a tough one physically, I pushed through. Even yesterday was a hard one. But in review, I am more than pleased that I put in as many miles as I did. This is the first time in a while I've put in a decent amount of mileage. And I am proud to report...30.57 miles!!! Woo-hoo!!

The week was filled with a lot of new things and adventures. It is the first time I've run on the streets in Laurel, first time to run on streets with some hills, first time to run so early in the morning, first time to run with 2 new friends, and first time to run this much when fighting the "I don't want to's".

I wasn't feel well nearly all week but couldn't put my finger on it. Then Monday, it came to me that I have been fighting sinus problems all week. Last Tuesday, a cool front came through and each year when these start, I suffer from sinus headaches and sore throats. I'd not taken much medication (I really put off doing this until I absolutely have to, except for race days) and I felt sluggish, draggy and all around slothful and whiny. I truly do not know how in the world I came out with 30 miles.

I am experiencing running differently than before. I know I can run now and even at a decent pace (for my age and experience), but now I'm entering a different level, the mental part. I guess this is the hardest part of running, except for dealing with injuries. I am so thankful that I have great running friends that encourage me and keep tabs on me. And with the posting of their runs, it has pulled me through last week's trials. With that said, my hat's off to you for being special to me! Be kind to one another, you never know who or how you affect others!!

Great Tuesday!

Today began with a great run with new friends. It also marked the first of several adventures for me. Let me start by saying that I have NOT run on the streets in Laurel before. Yeah, that's right. Call me a chicken but I didn't want to take a chance meeting up with an "unfriendly" dog. Being bit a couple of times in the past just brings back frightening memories. So I just don't go down that road any more...no pun intended!

With that being said...I met a nice lady last week at BodyWorks where I have been doing my treadmill runs this summer. She began at a pretty high speed increasing to an even faster pace. I was almost at the end of my run and she only put in two miles having us finish about the same time. Although I was interested in who she was and if she lived locally (I had been wanting to meet someone who ran in my area), my first interest was in her iPod armband. I'm always trying to find a better way to wear my iPod and I really liked hers. After briefly talking, it came out that she has run for a while and that she did live locally. Then she invited me to join her and another friend to run with them early Tuesday mornings. I was elated!! This has been a dream come true. But it wasn't just about meeting up with someone, other things fell right in place, too. I need the companionship of other lady runners of different levels (check), wanted to run the streets in Laurel (check), include a run with a little hill work (check), and running early in the morning (check). WOW!! What an accomplishment today; all in one. Though Lesley is an experienced runner Catherine is new at running. She began running in February. She's doing fantastic and is building her endurance by leaps and bounds. She ran 8 miles last Saturday!! Both of these ladies will never know how much it meant for me to share their run with them today. I can hardly wait until next Tuesday!!

Tonight we had our weekly Trek the Trace with our Pine Belt Pacers group. This time we met up with USM's Track Club and had our pictures taken with them. Our Trek the Trace run this week was a duo/couple 2 mile run. Some of them joined us. Each "couple" predicts the time it takes TWO of you to finish and you must come across the line together. Being a predicted run, it doesn't matter how fast you are. It's how close you come to guessing when you will finish. Kent and I ran together and I really like it. We never do this and tonight brought back memories of how much I enjoyed it last year. I'm not sure what our time was but I didn't care. There was great food and fellowship afterward with pizza and other things. It is so much fun and I wished we could do this more than one month a year. Even once a month would be great. Below are a few pictures taken by Frank...thanks!

USM Track Coach with team and Ben Hughes, Pine Belt Pacer, and other Pacers

Julian, a USM Track Club Member

Mitzie and Terry

Beside me are Raul and Ginny, good friends



Caught in action. Everyone seem to know what was about to happen, but me!

Oak Grove Awards

The awards for the Oak Grove 5k Race on Saturday were really cool. They looked like relay batons that relay teams use in their race. The top winners did not receive one so Kent made me one like his. Isn't he the sweetest hubby?? I love trophies that are unique and I was thrilled to have one. Aren't they creative and the neatest? Kudos to whoever came up with this idea and having them made!! What do you think?

Oak Grove 5k

Today we ran in the Oak Grove 5k Race in Hattiesburg. Though it started at 7:30, it was still VERY hot and humid by the time it was over. Guess that's because it's run out in the open with no shade. It is a double loop, meaning you repeat the course by running it twice, then enter the stadium and making a lap to the Finish Line.

My first mile was really good for me and I was (and am) thrilled to accept this time. It was the second best first mile pace I've had so far with only a few seconds difference. With mostly a 7:15-7:48 recorded pace (Garmin) and only a couple of times in the 8:00's, it ended me up with the 8:14 pace for the mile. My best was the last race I ran 3 weeks ago in Jackson. BUT when I reached the hill taking me into the second mile, it changed my pace for the rest of the race. I think a few thought the course to be pretty flat but with the grade and distance of the grade, I'd rank it a little more than flat...that's subjective, of course. Then add a huge dose of heat and humidity AND to repeat it a second time took some energy out of me.

Thankfully, I've been reading a little more in running books and am finding out that each race is different for every single person...that when things get tough your mode of competing may change. I had thought about this before starting because I remembered the course from last year and how that long grade played havoc with me. So, I refocused my efforts and instead of getting discouraged I ran the best I could run with no one or anything else on my mind.

My friends are faster than I and to put that in focus, I watched them race up the hill on the other side of where I was heading...thinking at first just how far ahead of me they had gotten when in the first mile (and for a while) we were not "that" far apart and this is only a 5k, right? But being thankful that I have running friends, I mentally cheered them on and because of that they won top awards...yeah, right!!

To sum it up as best as I can here are some of the results:
Terry Lawhead...First Male
Vicki Copeland...First Female
Ginny Dufrene...Masters (and second female)
Neil Solomon...Grand Masters
Me...Grand Masters
Kent...2nd in his age group
Philip Wedgworth...Placed in his age group
Mitzi Lawhead...PR (Way to go, congrats)

I hope I didn't leave someone out. If I do, I will make adjustments to this article. Congratulations on all because we are all winners today!!

I'm hoping my times will improve considering I'm still working out consistently on the treadmill. My next goal is to begin some hill work. I've never done this before and I hope to start Tuesday with a new friend.

Trek the Trace #2

We weren't able to make it to the first Trek the Trace the Pinebelt Pacers had but we got to the second one. The humidity and running so late in the day were key factors in a little hesitancy I had in going. Most everyone runs outside some and I hardly do and stay with treadmill running. BUT we wanted to meet up with our group again to visit and do what we love to do...run. Trek the Trace is only done the month of August so it's been a year since we've gotten with the group in a non-competing way.

Tonight the 2 mile run was a predicted run where you guess how long you think it will take you to run the 2 miles. You had to leave behind any method of timing to prevent cheating. The man and woman closest to their "guessed" time won a prize. We went back to last year's record and reviewed what we predicted and made modifications for the run tonight. I lowered mine 10 seconds and Kent made an adjustment to his (don't know the difference in his), signed our release forms and off we went! We both came in faster than our predicted times. I was 32 seconds faster and Kent was 2:25 faster! He was much better than he thought he would be. Congratulations, honey! This gave me an 8:34 pace which pleased me very much! Not having my iPod, it was hard listening to me breath...yeah, that's right, it's a different kind of noise and quite distracting if I may say. Chad D. came closest to his time and Crystal Stricker came in closest to her time.

Below are a few pictures taken from tonight's event.

Chad & Ginny

Nestor compiling the scores followed by the results.

(Sorry my foot is in the way but the page kept blowing the page up.)

Other random pictures:




(Aren't eating pictures always graceful, ha!) It was a lot of fun and everyone had a good time; we enjoyed the fellowship, a big plus for this Club. Water, drinks and chicken fingers were provided and many brought different things to compliment the chicken.
One of the 2 tables of food. Yum!!

And, finally a quick shot of us...
Thanks, Ginny, for getting our picture!

Summer Beach 5k

Leonard is the BEST in coordinating runs on the coast!! I don't know how he does it. The course is always accurate and well marked. There's always plenty of water and drink and refreshments to help you regain your strength. He is NOT lazy by any means and pitches in to do whatever it takes to make the race run smoothly, times are recorded right and people are satisfied. We, also, LOVE the way results are posted on the website quickly. And because of this, we love running in the Gulf Coast Running Club's races. Our hats are off to ya, Leonard...again!!

This race should have been a PR race if any could be due to it being so flat...BUT...boy, is running in the heat tough! All I can say is at least we're doing it. I have come to the conclusion (along with the confirmation from others all over) that running in the summer is left to those who are committed, crazy, persistent and want to be consistent in their running throughout the year. Did I say crazy?? Well, in the "heat" of running in it, that's what comes to my mind (this is my addition...runners won't admit that that's part of it, but hey, the truth is.....). Okay, back to the race. This is the first 5k I've had to get water along the way in a short race!! I rarely get something in a 10k but this was a hot day. So for now, getting a PR is out of the question and that helps me run the best I can instead of passing out trying to obtain one. I should have learned my lesson from running in last week's 5k but we can hardly resist running in the GCRC's races when we can. Last week 4 people demanded medical attention with one of those heading to the hospital due to the heat!! Can I repeat here...are we runners crazy or what??? With all of that said, I was VERY pleased to finish like I did. My time was 27:08 and I received 1st Place! I was more than happy with this and this award was definitely worked for.

First, second and third: me, Jo and Lynn. Jo and I have competed a lot but I do not know Lynn. Good job, ladies!

Here is a self portrait of Kent and I. Not too bad considering we were drenched from head to toe.

Below are pictures of other runners I know. I tried to get one with Bob C. but there was some discussion going on about one of the winners in his a/g and before I realized it their picture was taken and I missed it. Sorry, Bob!!

Congratulations, Janet (middle), on 1st Place!

Great job, Nancy (our great club president), on winning the Grandmasters. You so deserve it!!

You can see all race results here.

Outside Running

This is a short article as I will do a week write-up later on. Yesterday and today were pretty good outside running days for me. I'm so use to running on the TM inside where it is cool but this wasn't too bad. I decided at the last minute after my little biking trip to add a couple of miles running and was glad that I did. It is very different from just going out to run. The transition, of which I wasn't expecting, was a little hard; but I wanted to run a little before finishing for the day. Thankfully, we got this in before the terrible storm hit. It was terrific and blew so hard it rocked the camper. The wind caused rain to come in through a couple of the windows. Lightning was beautiful!! And scary because it was all over us. It passed after a couple of hours and rested well for the night.

This morning I ran a very nice 5 miler on the beach. The only thing is that I should have had a little more rest between running last night and early this morning but I took it slow and enjoyed it nevertheless. I love looking over the bay when I run; it is so relaxing and I never take its beauty for granted. The water was as smooth as glass!! And you couldn't see where it ended and the sky began. Though it is a little eerie when this happens it is very beautiful. A light breeze was blowing and it wasn't as hot as it has been. Humidity is still high but the heat was not near as bad. Getting wet from the humidity in the south is just a given.

My running hasn't added up to the miles I had planned to get in on a weekly basis but I'm pleased with the overall different workouts I've had. See you later this week.

Bruin Burn 5k

Boy, was I hesitant to run in this race! I've run outside twice in two weeks because of the heat and that was always close to 7 a.m. Now I'm entering a "race" to begin at 8:00 AND the temps are suppose to be higher than all the days before. It was forecasted for 102 and 103 Sunday with heat indices reaching 110!! Am I crazy?? All I have to base my ability on are the runs I've been doing on the treadmill in nice cool temperatures watching TV with my iPod going and going and going.

Well, to begin with I had a knot in my stomach and felt like it was the first race I'd ever done. With MUCH mental coaching, I talked myself into focusing on the speed that was comfortable for me and to do the best I could do. Winning was not an issue for me this time. I was more concerned about the temperature and doing a pace that would keep me from overheating. So with much "prepping" behind, I lined up at the starting line. For some reason, I didn't get as close to the start as I usually do. I think it is because Kent didn't run with me this time. He has been preparing himself for racewalking and this was his first time to try it. The 5k Racewalkers were to have a minute's delay after the 5k runners were off. Personally, I think this is great because many times they will mix into the crowd of runners and cause delays until you can get pass them. So it was kinda like having two races going on at the same time but without interference from one another.

We began running downhill which was great because it allowed you to run at a faster pace before you got too hot and have to slow down some. The only thing about this is that that doesn't really apply to me. I try to maintain a pace throughout my race and not sprint forward during a downhill and ultimately suffer for it going back up when I reach bottom. Therefore, my pace was comfortable and I felt great. I couldn't believe how much I had missed racing. First of all, I still am surprised that I'm a runner at times...and this day was one of them. Trying to maintain my pace decently I constantly checked my watch to see how I was doing. The first time or two I was shocked to find that my pace was so fast. I re-evaluated myself and realized that my breathing was comfortable and everything seem to be alright. Still thinking that I would catch up with myself and begin panting I monitored how I felt the first mile. Again, every time I checked, my pace was quite fast for me. Thinking back, I remember when I spent time on the TM that my road runs would be better and since I've increased my running in the last year, I was okay with it so far. It wasn't until toward the end of the run that I realized that we were going to make a loop and return the way we started. This was going to be very hard to finish. As I said earlier, it was downhill for at least a mile. Now I was going to have to face this "challenge" with an extra one to boot...the rising temperature!! And, it was rising fast. Running in the 90's has not really been something I looked forward to, but I thought since it was only a 5k I should be okay even if it was difficult. At least, I would be close to the finish line where an ambulance was waiting for all the idiots in this race to come in demanding their attention, ha!


Here I am crossing the line...tee-hee! Okay...I'm the one WITH the shirt!!

From the onset, I had no intentions of seeking an award for anything except to complete it without issues to deal with. I just wanted to do it. Therefore, I had not taken notice of anyone my age along the route that faced me going back to the finish line. I knew my pace dropped dramatically but I kept my focus on my little pep talk at the beginning. When I got to the top of the hill and made my final turn, I was able to pick up some speed to finish triumphantly (to me) and head straight for as much water as I could possible get down my throat as well as a couple of bananas to keep me from cramping should this become a problem. I looked up at the clock and realized that I was only seconds from my PR and was sooooo elated!!! So I ran faster and faster only to be a few seconds later than my record. If only I had realized that I was doing so well I would have tried to pick it up a little faster in order to have competed with my own record. All in all, I am very pleased with this "hard" but satisfying run.

After getting nourished, I got back to the sidelines to watch for Kent. It was hard to get pictures of him coming in but as it turned out, the Mississippi Track Club had a photographer taking tons of pictures. So we did get a couple of good ones. Kent did well and since it was his first racewalk he learned a lot. When I realized that we were going to have to return on the huge downhill we started off on, it worried me that he would have trouble with his foot. He had strained it a couple of days ago and had been nursing it; now he was going to have to tackle the stress of walking superfast up this last mile. But it all turned out okay. As soon as we could that night we got it iced down and he got off of it. Of course, it would be a while before he could do that because immediately after the award presentation we checked out of our motel and were headed to Germantown, TN, for a wedding later that afternoon.


Kent crossing the line with a lot of focusing going on in his head!

This was the St. Joe High School Bruin Burn Inaugural 5k Race. The Mississippi Track Club did all the race work and did an excellent job. There were so many categories to have to get in order...more than the usual. The School did a fantastic job providing much water and bananas...a race participant's important replenishing needs...and then there were turkey biscuits, ham biscuits, sausage dogs (just grilled), Gatorade, more iced bottled water, donuts, cookies, and much more. There was a great turnout and was way more than they had expected. The t-shirts were real cute; they looked like they had a race number pinned on the shirt with the year 2010 on it.

GOOD NEWS:
As it turned out, I won the Grand Masters Award and was absolutely elated!! I felt I had truly worked for it and this was such a cool surprise. Here is a picture of the nice overall trophies and of me receiving mine.




My time was 26:33 (my PR is 26:15) with a 7:59 pace for the first full mile. I've NEVER run that fast before and I had times of 7:07 in the 2nd mile and 7:43 in the last. If it had not been for that blame hill...oh, well...good training I say.

And here is Kent receiving his 1st Place Award. We were so happy with the turnout.


Phillip Wedgeworth ran in the 5k with us. It was so hot and he looked so exhausted after the race. He told me about 4 people that required medical assistance due to the heat. One lady was running along his side and almost passed out. Luckily for her a policeman was nearby and was able to get her the assistance she needed. One (I believe) had to be taken to the hospital. Anyway, he won 1st Place in his age group with a 21:23. Congratulations, Phillip!


One more tidbit. This is a first! We NEVER dress alike and for some reason we both brought the same color shirts, shorts and caps and all were Nike but the caps!!! This will never happen again, ha! [For all race results, go here.]

Great Days

Yesterday was one of the best running days I've had in a while. After a few days...yeah, I said DAYS...of out-of-sorts eating and little moving around, I was quite surprised that I felt like running as I did. I had the most wonderful weekend with new friends, fun food and making cards. But I'd gotten so out of the habit of eating like this that it was quite hard to get out and run as well as I'd gotten use to.

Actually, the run on the treadmill started out quite different. Being a little sluggish, I thought I'd just run as comfortable as I felt. Even at a mile and a half I was still not excited about this. But then "it" kicked in. I don't know what "it" is, but there is something that controls how well you workout and how much you enjoy it. Maybe it's adrenalin or maybe it's change of mind but whatever "it" is, I'm glad "it" happens. Then 3 miles turned into 5 happy ones, then 6, then before I knew it I was closing in on a solid 8 miles ecstatically. Is that a word?

The first 3 miles I ran comfortably at a 10:00 minute pace then I moved up the final 5 to a 9:40 pace. I felt great and had no idea how far I felt like going...much less whether I could do eight or not. It's been a long time since I've run that far.

So, today, I thought I'd just put in 3-4 slow miles to not overwork my legs. This time it was the first 3 miles that were pretty good keeping a 9:07 pace. This was followed by a mile of walking, then ending with a mile of slow jogging making a total of 5 miles for the day. Running after walking is almost impossible for me, especially of any distance like a mile. But not worrying, I wanted to do something non-stressful after a hard, long run yesterday.

Now, set your goal and Run 4 It!!

Woo-Hoo

I'm so excited about my run this morning. I ran outside on a fantastic bike-path. It wound through a wooded area and was wide enough to welcome runners and bikers easily. This is the first time I've run outside since July 1st. Where we have to run is totally in the open with lots of sunshine (another nice word for dreaded heat). This is a killer this time of year. But we had an opportunity to run on a very nice bike-path early this morning. I told Kent before we got out of the truck that I wasn't sure how long I was going to run since I'd not been outside in quite a while. But as I got going, my base mileage of 5 miles became a sure thing. I passed many people, some by themselves and some with others and some on bikes. It was so pleasant. I loved not knowing what each little turn in the path would reveal and where it would take me.

When I started out running, it felt sooooo good to be outside again and the shade was so welcoming! It boosted me tremendously. Before I knew it, I was on a steady pace of fast and faster. [Remember, this "fast" is for ME...not someone else.] I looked at my Garmin several times because I was excited with the readings it was picking up. Many times it was recording paces in the mid 7:00 minute range. I couldn't believe it! And I wasn't even huffing...at all! When I finished and downloaded my info, I found many recordings in the upper 7 minute pace as well as even a couple in the high 6 minutes. I'm sure the elevation played a part in my run but if you know how I run you'd understand that I try to keep a steady pace or foot strike whether I'm going up hills or down them. Therefore, this was cause for excitement. The only thing that played havoc with my overall pace was that there were a couple of times I had to come to a complete halt for traffic crossing but I'm still very excited! My average pace was 9:13 and I'm happy with that.

One "issue" I had to deal with: a large snake!! It was a rattler and must have been a minimum of 1.5 feet long. He saw me before I realized he was there and raised up as I approached him. Thankfully he had already crossed most of the path (though he was in my lane) and I could get around by going behind him. Ooooo...I'll have to say this scared me. All in all the run was kinda adventurous and I look forward do doing it again if time allows while we're here. Oh, I miss being outside!

A Week in Review

This week's workouts have been outstanding for me! I can't believe I did it...31 miles!! I surpassed my weekly goal of 25-30 miles per week. I never thought I'd get up that high unless I was preparing for a marathon or something! Now, seriously, my initial goal was to "try" to reach 25 miles. To even think about putting 30 miles in there seemed ridiculous to me when I first decided to set this one.

For the next couple of weeks, my "real" goal will be to reach the 25 miles. There will be a couple of times that I will be inside 2-3 days solid, close to midnight, with no opportunity to get out or have a treadmill available. But I will NOT give up and consider this a temporary time to get through (as far as running goes).

Let me be clear here. This is will be a fun time that will require me to sit for hours. I will be going to a Scrapping Crop for 3 days starting early in the morning going until midnight. As far as running goes, plans are to run as much as I possibly can knowing that this is not a lifestyle but a temporary break from running. If I meet the 25 miles, this will be a plus. So with a day's rest (today), I will begin another week's work tomorrow.

Here are my totals for last week:
Run/Walk.....31 miles 307:26 min
Bike.....11 miles 58:20 min
Wts/Core.....3 times

Let me leave this with you. Set your goals a little higher than you think you can achieve and go for it. Have a healthy, happy week!

Great Workout Day

I wasn't sure how today was going to go with a 7 mile run yesterday, but it was one of the best I've had in a long time. Kent is always trying to get me to slow my pace down and this is the hardest thing - besides walking - I've ever done. Don't know if I need someone to be with me to do this or if I just don't do a good job at it period.

My workout today consisted of:
5 easy miles on the TM
Hand weights for upper body
Ab and Core workout

My run seemed so easy but I didn't want to overdo my legs from yesterday's run. After all, I do want to run tomorrow, and Saturday, and Sunday. Oh, well, you get the idea.

I've discovered a new friend. No, it doesn't breathe. While I was on the TM, I looked around and saw this item I've not noticed before. It's an incline bench! Okay, I'm not a body builder NOR am I a workout-at-a-gym kinda girl; so this was new to me. I LOVED it! It is great for abs and I will seek this little item out every time I go now. Wanting to get to more and different ab/core muscles worked out, I added sit-ups on the floor and some planks to my w/o before leaving. It turned out to be the best I've done and I was able to go the longest I've gone, too.

I felt great today. And to top it off, I lost 2 pounds since last weighing in! So, WOO-HOO for a great workout, feel good kinda morning!! The rest of the day will now be a breeze..........

First Long Run in a While

This week has been pretty good so far. Though my runs have been on the treadmill at BodyWorks, I have been running. Because of going there, I've been doing a little biking, too. I don't think I'm a biker, but I've used that to cool down from my running and I feel that anything different from running is a plus.

Today I got in a long run. I've been getting a little antsy to get back outside so we were out and on the road a little after 7 a.m. We went to the Sportsplex (also where BodyWorks is located). The air was cooler but you could still "feel" the humidity. After getting in 5 miles, I decided to finish with 2 miles on the treadmill. I am pleased with the run, even if it was broken up with a 5 minute transition from outside to inside. And, boy, did I pour on the sweat inside. The difference from outside to inside really made my body react. But I felt good and really wanted to get in a 7 miler this week. Nothing was pressing time-wise and all-in-all it was a good run. Now for a HHOOOOOTTTT shower!!

A Boost For Me!

After running in the heat a few days last week, we cemented the fact that a gym was the best place to beat the heat and humidity for the rest of the summer and continue to get a good workout. Check out this horrible picture to understand why...


This was taken between 6:30 and 7:00 in the morning. Just look how drenched I was! Thankfully I usually wear black or dark shorts because these were soaking wet, too. And for those who think "so what" let me add here, I DON'T sweat much at all. Even my shirt gathered in the middle and made me look pudgey...yuk!!! (This is not belly btw.) I stay drained after a measely 3 mile run...and that's about all I can do. All our running seems to be in places where there is NO shade, such as parking lots, pavement and seawalls. These kind of places keep the ground underneath very hot as well as the air around us. But not even a breeze has even been blowing lately. So this has been a hard year for me so far.


Here is Kent trying to cool off on his bike. Though he looks "cool" I'll add that he stays wet from morning til night. Here he's already run and taken a dip in the pool and STILL trying to keep cool. He wears his hair back when he's hot and trying to cool down. Now, he IS a sweat-er so this year has been very hard on him.

Now, Back To The Future...
Let me just say that I have really kinda dreaded joining a gym for the summer thinking it would be a waste of money. But after going this morning for the first time I've got to say it was a real pleasure. I started out running on the treadmill (after all, I'm a runner and that's the main reason for joining-to get out of the heat and humidity). Starting with a somewhat hesitant mindset, I hopped on the TM and almost immediately loved it! Hey, I'm NOT a TM girl at all. But I'm wondering (and have been) if ours was callibrated right. Now, I can say - NOPE, it's not! It is tough doing a 10-minute mile on ours but within one minute of running on theirs, I was running a 9:18. This was so exciting. Then I got to wondering if I would give out sooner than what I had planned to do; then thought if I could make 3 miles at this pace, I'd be happy. Well, the 3 miles came and went pretty fast. Next thing I knew I was up to 4.5 pretty easy. I just couldn't believe it! Thinking about doing some speedwork since I was really finished with what I wanted to do, a decision was made to pop up the speed to an 8:15 pace. I did 3-400's with a 9:18 pace interval; then the last half mile or so I sped it up to a 7:52 pace at 2 (or 3 I forgot)-800's. This ended me with 6.25 miles total. Boy was I stoked!! This was NOT hard and it really gave me a boost (hence the title today).

My running was followed by 3 miles on their bike, floor work, weights and ab and core workouts. If I could have thought of something else to do, I believe I'd have done it...although Kent was kinda pacing by then to leave. Can't wait for tomorrow!! See you then...