Fall, Funeral, Fun

Okay...the only thing that relates to each other is the stupid word "fall". It all began when we left for a funeral for a dear friend, Bill Gasparrini. He had been battling cancer since September and he fought back hard. This was a sad thing to have to do. He touched our lives in ways we honestly can't explain. Guess it was all about his character, who he was, what he believed in and his strength, perservance and fervor for life. He seemed to be a quiet man and somehow you're drawn to love, admire and want what he was made of. We decided to go to the funeral kinda at the last minute. We knew we wouldn't know anyone there except for our running friends in the Gulf Coast Running Club, but that wasn't why we were going.

We woke up that morning and decided to go for a run since the funeral was close to lunch and we weren't far. After all, I could see Bill doing the same thing. I love the run and challenge the Biloxi/Ocean Springs Bridge gives me, so, off we went. Thuoght I'd go to the top and back again to the room to get ready. When I got to the peak I just couldn't not go all the way over. After all, all I could think about was what would Bill do? When I completed the bridge, over and back, I was back on the road to finish. I began to pick up the pace a little since I was running flat. As I got near the end with about .20 of a mile left, it happened. I was airborn and took a nasty fall. Oh, yeah, it was asphalt for breakfast. I had crossed the road and was stepping up onto the sidewalk again and my toe grabbed the curb and sent me flying. I'm a toe-runner and this is one of the disadvantages...or at least, it's mine. I hit the ground hard. Having on shorts and a short sleeve shirt exposed me to more man-made, unforgiving materials. While still on the ground the hurt began! Oh, my, even my left shoulder was hurting. I stood up and saw blood all over my left leg, knuckles and right hand and arm. It seems I fell on my knee, slid on my shin and falling onto my forearm all the way down to my shoulder. My right hand began to burn BAD. Looking at it, I knew I had left DNA all over the place. A little chunk of flesh was missing and there was a bad place on my elbow. Pain was all I could think and I wanted to cry REAL bad!! Thankfully, I was not in a race because I couldn't run any more and would have had to walk. I limped across the 4-lane to the hotel. This really messed up my good run for the morning. When I got into the shower, I was burning from shoulders to shin. Of course, I had NO bandaids, antibiotic creams or anything. Since we almost didn't even go, we came with the bare necessities. Putting ice on my knee and hand really helped until I could get to a drugstore to buy something I already had plenty of at home.

Shortly, we were on the way to the funeral except that I wasn't able to wear my black hose with my dress. I took a picture but couldn't bare to share it. I looked terrible! Thankfully, it wasn't about me or what I was wearing. The funeral was an honorable one. Many that were close to him, running with him for the last many weeks at his home every week, were there.

Now, on to the fun, right?? The next day was the Diversity Dash 5k [re-named from the Color Run]. I was so excited about this race as it was the first time I was going to get to run with my granddaughters. Shelby runs a mile at cheer practice but the other two had never run before. Either way, I knew it was going to be a challenge since I was still hurting a lot. At least, I knew we would walk some and I'd definitely not be running like I would be if I was really racing. Boy, was I glad that they've never raced! It was necessary to put a large bandage over my knee and palm to keep out the colored powder cause I knew I was going to be drenched. Knowing we were going to walk and run, we started in the back of the pack of over 500 to avoid anyone falling over us trying to pass.

Here are some of the photos taken at the Dash starting with me and my girls. Oh, yeah, the girls and I wore ribbons written in rainbow colored letters spelling "AWESOME" and that's what we were that special day!

All clean and ready to run: Bailey, Me, Shelby and Kyra

My bestest running buddies: Jan, Frank, Me, Deleica and Serina

Action shot BEFORE we got to the colored powders: Kyra, Me, Bailey

Shelby and Bailey coming in to the Finish Line

Me and Kyra taking the last few strides

Me, Serina and Deleica after the race

Me, Serina, Shelby, Bailey, Frank, Jan and Deleica in the very back. This was a lot of fun to do with all my running friends and granddaughters!

The girls and I all "colored" up. I am SO proud of them!! Remember, they've never run or raced before.

A final picture of all us girls.


And it wouldn't be complete without the photographers...Kent and Myssey. Thanks for everything!!

One final thing. After my minor procedure on Monday, I had the doctor to look at my boo-boos. I was still so very sore and continue to hurt a lot. Guess it was because the worse places were on bone. He had a question as to whether I had broken a bone in my hand. Said to keep an eye on it. Due to the procedure, I can't run for a few days. But this time, I'm working on walking in order to keep going during this time. So far, it's worked after 48 hours of healing. I'm fine...nothing's wrong; just something that has to be done 4-5 months. It's really hard to work through these times, being a runner and wanting to be on the road every day. So, as each beautiful day pass, I'm looking forward to when I can again

Run 4 It

Azalea Trail 10k

To run or not to run...that is the question! Since February 28th when I woke up with a B.A.D. sore throat, my running has taken a step back...a HUGE one! I'll try to bring you up to speed. My throat stayed VERY sore for a week knocking me out of running my first trail race!! VERY disappointed. The following day, I contracted a terrible cough. So much so that I was still unable to run and ended up at the doctor's office. An antibiotic, two meds and a shot later, I was back on the road to Gulf Shores again. Still no running.......more than a week later my cough had not gotten better and off I go to the Urgent Care in GS for more help. Leaving with another shot and more meds, I was hoping this would take care of it as I was still coughing my head off. Last week, I was feeling much better so I decided to do a "little" run. No coughing during the run but it came back afterwards. For 3 days I continued to get in VERY easy, slow runs. It felt so good to get out again.

The Azalea Trail 10k was Saturday and I wanted to do it sooooo bad. I always "try" to PR on this course (this is where my 10k PR is now). I really like this race. Being so apprehensive, I thought it through again and again. I certainly did NOT want to relapse with this terrible bronchitis! Then I thought about my friend Bill G. who is going through terrible times with cancer. His great running and encouragement to me in the last 18 months came to mind. I thought if he can get out and ride his bike with other runners or walk around the block as sick as he is, surely I can run this, slow as it may be. That's it: I'll do it honoring him!! So, with new direction and my coughing almost gone, I saw no other way but to dedicate this race to him. Being down doesn't always mean being out! So I aimed to do the best I could; just like he does-the best he can...no matter what!!

We arrived at the Civic Center the night before to pick up our race packets. There I ran into FB friends I'd not met yet and one I'd only met once at a race a year and half ago. I THOROUGHLY enjoyed the visiting. It's like close friends talking as fast as one can through out. It was such an exciting beginning to this year's race. Talking with MiHyang, La Von, Lee, Serina and her family was great. Here are a couple of pics. Love you, MiHyang!!

Is she not just the cutest little thing??? She squeezed me so tight I was hoping a few pounds would leak out. BTW, it didn't happen, ha!

La Von, me and Lee. I'm so excited to have met ya'll.


Nice pic with MiHyang, Kent and me at the Expo.

Let's start now by saying that my goal for this race was completely different from probably any I'd done before but I really, really, really wanted to do it. I had to re-focus if I wanted to attempt it. First, I wanted to do it! Yeah, that was a goal. Funny, huh? Second, I wanted to run it and not walk any of it.

It was really hot for me and Kent. We like it much cooler. Think it was in the low 70's at the start and very humid! Which takes you down a notch, too. Kent has contracted a really bad cold/allergy/or "something" attack. He's VERY congested. This kind of stuff we've had affects how or if you can breathe; therefore it affects any athletic ability to take in air. This was Kent's first 10k racewalk so it was a PR for him.

A couple of pre-race pics.

MiHyang, Gary T. and me.


My favorite pic of the day! We felt great and were so excited. Notice my race bib? It is attached to my bib/fuel belt. This is the second time I've used it and I love it! One reason? It stays put and doesn't move. It's not been used for fueling as I use a larger one with hydration bottles. But it has straps that will hold the gels in place along with the bib.

My time was 1:00:03. Dang it!!! Wish I had known a little ways back cause I really would have loved to have been under an hour. My PR for this race is 55:05 only a couple of years ago and I am soooo looking forward to breaking 55:00.

I believe there were more people that hung around after the race than I've ever seen before. Hey, there must have been a million...well, maybe not that many. I missed several I knew were there but saw most. Caught up with a couple. Boy, don't I look rough? At least, it was AFTER the race, ha!


Me, Deleica and Serina. This is for you, Bill...thumbs up, my friend!

We connected with several of our GCRC friends after the race. One had to withdraw after starting the race due to a pulled hamstring. :( Then there were three that weren't able to make it due to health reasons: Nancy with possible heart issues, Jessica for obvious ones (she's due April 4) and Mark (not pictured) with PF. Kent & I were included in the group pic this year and I'll post it if/when I get it. Hats off to Leonard V. for 2nd place in his age group of 119! Also, congratulations on the GCRC Teams! Both male and female teams won team awards.


Hope to see Nancy soon and next time I see Jessica I hope she'll be pushing one of those running strollers. They're both great runners and are missed by everyone.

All in all, it was one of the best Azalea Trail races I've participated in. I saw so many people I knew and was happy throughout this time. No, there wasn't a PR to be had by me but Kent got one. And, no, it was NOT my best run; but I ran it. I accomplished the two goals I had, which were realistic for the day. My race for the day was dedicated to a great runner and that made it special to me. Then I found out that I placed 9th out of 62 ladies in my 5-year age group!! I was totally shocked. Kent won 3rd place overall racewalker! Congrats, honey! I will post pictures when we receive them. This makes the 3rd time I've placed in this great race. This race was phenomenal to me this 2012. It really makes me want to do this race forever and ever.

And, I end with this. NEVER give up! You may have to alter your goals in light of the day's situation but running always wins over sitting on the couch. Now, get out there and...

Run 4 It

Got the Munchies?

I've read another great article for runners. This one is on munching...the right kind for runners. This one is from Runner's World. You can read it here. I hope this helps you with what to grab for those nagging hunger pains in-between meals. All I MUST say is watch your calories AND the amount you eat. To me, I'm a fiber girl. This helps me curb those appetities and this helps me decide just exactly what is best to reach for. Enjoy...

Signs of Overtraining

This is a good article to use as a healthy check. If you have a question as to if you are overtraining or not, see if you fit into any of these categories.

Go here for the article. Have a great mid-week run!

Attacked!

No, I've not quit running but for over a week I have not been able to. Welcome to allergy season!!! Yep, I've had one of the worst allergy attacks I've had in years! Or so the doctor says it's allergy. It's not actually felt like any attack I've had before. Can we say "in bed". And, oh my, what a sore throat! I've been VERY weak and have hardly been able to move around until after I went and got a shot and antibiotics. As a matter of fact, it totally knocked me out of my first trail race!! Soooo disappointed! But with all the rain, even during the race, I sadly withdrew to keep me from getting so much worse. It turned out to be the right decision.

Personally, I think this is part flu. I've not sneezed which is SOOOO normal for my allergy attacks and I've ached and ran low grade temps as though I had the flu. I lost 4 pounds in 4 days! Not the way you'd want and I'm sure they will return. Whatever...it's put me down. On top of that, I've contracted a terrible cough after a week of fighting the sore throat which had gotten better by this time. I can count on my hand how many times I've had a cough. It's so rare. Though I still have bouts of coughing I'm feeling better overall. Can't take deep breaths yet cause it stirs up this nagging cough again and sometimes it takes me quite a while to stop. Hoping I can walk a little today without encouraging more coughing.

Kids Need Heroes 5k

With the temp at 48 degrees and low humidity, the Kids Need Heroes 5k race was going to be a good one. This race benefited those children that could not afford to go to summer camp at the YMCA (which is who put this on) and learn how to live healthy along the way.

After lining up, the directors gave great instructions on racewalking, which is hardly ever done. This included instructing anyone who ran that was signed up for walking would be disqualified. Off we went and I was going pretty strong. Close to the one mile mark I noticed my pace was way too fast so early in a race. The course was nice and flat and there were course volunteers spread throughout cheering and directing course turns as well as mile markers where times were announced accurately. When we made the halfway mark we began to face some gusty headwinds. This made a difference in my running. But that wasn't all. I was running as well as I could and was losing ground on a good race.

Kent finished pretty strong. Everyone was so excited to see him coming and cross the line. I couldn't believe all cheering I heard for him and wished he could have, too. They had no idea I was his wife so this made it extra special. I snapped a quick picture as he crossed the line.

Also one of us.

There were more different kinds of food than I've seen at a 5k. There were three looooong tables. The first table had several different kinds of fruit, different kinds of mini muffins and Gogurts.

The second table had: bagels with three different kinds of cream cheese spreads, bananas, HOT pizzas from Mellow Mushroom and Krispy Kreme donuts. A little later a large chocolate sheet cake was brought out and put on this table.

The third table had very long sub sandwiches cut into pieces with lots of trimmings to add; you can barely see it waaaay down at the end. One thing we've not had before were these Team Realtree Outdoor Energy Low Carb drinks. They are in metal containers. I tried one and really liked it. It tastes like Cream Soda and I haven't had one of these in a very long time. The nutritional facts are: 10 calories, 0 fat, 3 g carb, 3 g sugars, 10 mg sodium and lots of B vitamins. FYI...I do NOT partake of "energy" drinks. The other drinks available by this company were not "low carb" and was high in calories, sodium, etc. I liked the fizz in it and I'm not ignorant to think it is the perfect new drink. But it seems to meet my piddly standards for now. I hope we can find more of these to keep on hand.

This was a low participated race. Not sure why because it was a great one unless it wasn't advertised much. I won First Place in my age group with one of the worst 5k times I've had since racing. I was really disappointed. You must understand I'm not disappointed in winning something but in my efforts and ability. I KNOW I can do much better. The lady that beat me I always beat; she even went around saying that to some. Even with the time she finished on this race, I should have beat that by about a minute!!! Not too good, huh? She and I have become friends and race almost every race together. She is very strong in longer runs but I usually win on the 5k's and 10k's. She's run for years and has run over 100 marathons; she's run the Marine Corps marathon for 25 years straight and many more than those! I feel honored to run alongside of her. My award was a gift certificate to the Nike outlet store.

Kent won 2nd Overall Racewalker. He did really good.

We had eaten greasy ribs the day before and that played a part in my pitiful race. Without sharing one of my worse times I'll just say that I knew better to eat like I did and did it anyway. All in all, I was not in racing shape. Shame on me!!! I am excited to do this race again but next time I'll be in better racing condition...I can and I will get back to shape. Not giving up, I'm gonna

Run 4 It

Tough is Good

Racquetball has always been one sport I've loved. Two problems exist: location and a partner. Seems if you have one you're lacking in the other. For several years now, I've not been able to play due to both problems. But the other day, I pulled my bootstraps up and headed out to a place I'd not been before to play around some. I know how easy it is to quickly get tired so I started out slow. No, there was no partner. But I wanted to play so bad. Therefore, me, my racquet and one ball from years ago decided to see what we could muster up.

After the first hit, I was hooked and it felt gooooood!! OMGosh, how I've missed it. Within minutes of stretching my body in so many directions I knew what was going to happen...can you spell S O R E!! I thought about it several times but I just couldn't get enough. Hitting most every ball served and chasing down the loose ones was a little difficult for one person. Kent showed up from his workout and told me "you know you're going to be sore". Next thing I knew he was inside wanting to bat around some. He's never got into sports that required a lot of fast stop and go.

I wondered how all my running was going to help out and I can't tell you just how much it did! Though I tired some, I lasted over an hour just by myself. Previously, when I would warm up waiting for my partner, I'd be tired and sweaty when we started. Not this time. Not to say that it wouldn't happen had there been a partner.

Fast forward to next day: a little sore. Two days after: I KNOW I worked out. Three days after: My butt and quads are sooooo sore and I now know I have butt muscles that have never been used before! Problem? I can't run...I could hardly get up out of the chair. Groaning and moaning didn't help with my body screaming obscenities at me all the time. But deep down inside, I loved every minute that caused these muscles to scream out. And, yeah, I'd do it again!

On Monday, four days later with NO exercise of any kind, I pushed myself out the door and went for a run...a VERY EASY one. I was still sore just not as bad and I was missing my running bad. Laying off any extra exercises that may use my gluteous maximus was necessary if I wanted to get back to normal with my running. I hoped for 4 or 5 slow miles but ended with 6.25 miles and 1 warm up walk...more than pleased. Today, I'm barely sore but wasn't sure I could eke out 5 miles after being "down" a lot in the last few days. Starting out with that in mind, the first 3 miles were torture. Due to the heavy humidity (98%), it was a killer for breathing. But I wanted to defy these "issues" and DO it. When I entered my 4th mile, I was feeling better. Five came up and all I could think about was I wanted to match my mileage from two days ago. That became easy...moving right on along. Next thing I knew I had eased up to 7.5 miles!! I ended with a one mile cool down and a lot of stretching as my muscles were a little sore.

No, I wouldn't say this one was for the books. But I will say that I overcame several obstacles and in the face of "quitting" or "walking" I pushed through. Listening to my Christian music made my run so pleasant...no push...just thinking, praying and talking with Jesus. I'm so glad that I had this run today. It was a blessing in disguise.

Regretful that I didn't reach 20 miles last week, I do know what the problem was and it wasn't from lack of exercise. So, I'm shooting for a better week this week. Don't sit around. If you're experiencing a little depression from being inside due to the weather, try to find a time you can hit the door for a little run. You won't regret it. There is no "poor" run/walk unless you do NOT do it.

Run 4 It

Sweetheart 5k

It's been quite a while since I've run a 5k as well as doing even a little bit of speedwork. So before I even got outside, I was challenged. The race started at 9:00 so we didn't need to leave too early. It was a lot cooler than when we went to bed. Temps are beginning to drop with the lowest being tonight. Thank goodness!! It could have come in one day earlier and we'd have frozen. As it was, we ran in 46 degrees and a little gusty wind with some sun. The Sweetheart Race was a 5k, 5k Walk and a 10k with a Fun Run at the end. All in all there were over 800 participants with most in the 5k.

I was not as prepared for this 5k as in the past. Since focusing more on longer races this last year, my speed has slowed and my speedwork has about gone to pot. So I was not as concerned this go around. Surprisingly, I didn't choose the 10k instead of the 5k. I usually do and was a little nervous in a different sense. The course was flat and an out-and-back. I loved it. Boy, I had not realized how much I'd missed running the shorter races...but I LOVE the longer ones. I'm just betwixt in my loves here. Oh well, this topic is for another post.

I felt strong my last mile. Though I didn't place this time, I'm well pleased with my 8:34 pace!! Highly unusual, there were 15 in my a/g and the worse part-there some really strong runners that showed up. On the other hand, I couldn't believe I had recuped my speed as well as I did, not having run in 5k's in a while. Kent did well and won the Senior GrandMaster Racewalker. There were over 150 walkers!! Here he is coming in.


After the race, we enjoyed scrumptious nachos. The best part...you could fix it yourself! Here's Kent's bowl with brownies.


I LOVE jalapenos!!! Soooo, I got mine and two other peoples...yay!! Of course, mine looked terrible but it tasted fantastic. The thing with mine is that you could not even tell there were colorful chips hiding underneath it all for ALL the trimmings I added. I like everything on them (ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, cheese sauce, sour cream and jalapenos), sooooo...my bowl is fuller than most! And, by the way, yeah I ate every bit of this mess...yummmm! I got a brownie but had to save it for later. Wonder why???


We ran up with Ginny and Chad while we were eating. Of course you never want others to know how MUCH you eat...well, we were caught grinning from ear to ear. Ginny won 1st place in her age group. She recently qualified for Boston next year...go, girl!! I'm so proud of her.

Until next time...keep your body moving and
Run 4 It

Double Bridge 15k

What a great weekend! Starting with the packet pick-up, we enjoyed the expo. As a matter of fact, more than we should have. A lady was selling a trail-mix of sort of which we got a sample and LOVED!! We rarely like them but fell in love with these. It has a concoction of almonds, walnuts, pecans, cranberries, honey, pumpkin seeds, roasted almond oil, unsweetened shredded coconut and a little sea salt. The honey make it cluster and it was so delish!! Yeah, we got some...not one bag, but two...and made sure we had her website addy to get more when we run out. Going to mix some Greek yogurt in with some to give us an all around good breakfast. A one ounce portion, though seems a little, has 7 grams of fiber in it and gave me all I needed. So that PointsPlus Value of 4 was okay with me. Here is a picture for your eyes to feast on.


Later we went and picked up our pre-race meal. It was a bowtie pasta with maranara sauce (no meat) and a chicken penne pasta. It was really quite good.

Upon check in, we both received blankets given to runners that were staying in host hotels. Yay! We'd decided to stay the night as I had to be up pretty early to catch the shuttle to the race start. The last one left at 6:00 making it a pretty early morning for me, like 4:15, as I needed to pack before leaving...I'm sure I was no different from the other runners. I definitely didn't want to get on the last bus in case it was running late or something weird like that causing me to be late in lining up.

It was a Point A to Point B kind of race. I had been excited to run this one for some time now. It was thrilling to know that we were going to run over two bridges. I love the "water" influence running on bridges. I feel so free and I love it all, even the tough runs. On top of that, I was excited to run over these bridges because they were hard ones...VERY steep. I love to run over the Ocean Springs Bridge and the Bay St. Louis Bridge; they give me a good workout, especially the OS one. But I love to get to the top and look out over the beauty of the water and how the light dances on the top. There's nothing like it! Don't get me wrong. Bridges, even flat ones, can be challenging. There's always wind, some days worse than others.

The race began at 7:00. I enjoy running in larger races as you enjoy running with runners of many different ability levels. I use to (and sometimes still do) feel like I'm the slowest runner and that no matter how hard I run I'm still at the end of the pack. It makes me real nervous and takes away from the love of racing it. But when there's a lot of people, it takes the "stress" out of it and helps keep my mind directed on MY run and pace and listen to my body. On the bus, I talked with a young lady sitting next to me. I was getting so nervous, even a tiny bit nauseous, for fear I'd not have the strength or ability to run across those huge bridges that seem to grow in my mind every time I thought about it. Thanks, Laurie, for taking my mind off of it and for listening to an old woman nervously babbling along. You are real sweet and I hope you did well.

We were in corrals due to the number of runners. I personally like that because I don't feel so alone. There were friends of ours from the Gulf Coast Running Club that came over to race and I think they were in the first coral. They are literally like lightning!! I'm glad they even speak to me, they are so above my level. Of course, I keep telling myself that I would be much better had I started running when I was younger instead of beginning at 51. I wish I had known how much fun it really was.

Excitement built as our corral neared the Starting Line. Then it was us. After we all "found our pace" it became more like a race. It takes a little longer to get to that state when there are so many people. But in a long one, to me, this is good cause I tend to go out way too fast...and I did...thankfully, not to my detriment this time. I love my Garmin for many reasons but pacing is great to keep me where I need to be and not "peter out" at the end when I want to run faster but have no energy left.

It was barely light when we looped around a block or so before getting on the beach road. It was exciting to see the water slowly glistening as the sun tried to come out. It was hid behind many clouds keeping the temp just right for running. It was in the mid 60's when we began and high humidity. I'd read to get water at all the 3 water stops, because it is a tough run, to help keep you from dehydrating, even if you weren't sweating. So I made it a point to do that. The last two stops was just before a bridge and I thought I'd need all the help I could get to climb them. Usually, I slowed down to drink them and this was working but it probably cost me in my time at the finish.

The first bridge is amazingly beautiful! You can see it from a long distance; the entire bridge. It's flat until you get to the "hump" and it flattens back out again. When we got to the base of it, excitement built. I was fixing to start running it. I don't know why, but I get a thrill out of running bridges. It's just a feeling I really love to experience. I don't care how hard it is, I just love it. Check out some of the pics...yeah, it was just about this dark when we were on it. This is the first bridge...don't know the people but wanted to share these amazing views.








This last one is looking back at the runners climbing the bridge. Oh, yeah, they got me!! I'm in red just over the right shoulder of the guy in the yellow with his left arm up.

Woo-hoo!!

We finally came up on the 5k start in Gulf Breeze. It was really exciting as the runners were lined up along the streets cheering you on. What a neat surprise...I loved it. Their race started at 8:30 and was 20 minutes or so away. Immediately after that, we had another little bridge, which was not even mentioned but would have been in another race, that rose steeply, curved around and back over the Interstate. Thankfully, it was short lived. I gathered my "stuff" again and kept going.

The final water stop was ahead which was located at the bottom of the "mega" bridge. The Sikes Bridge was just ahead and I knew I was about to face the giant. After the first 20 yards on the bridge, the elevation began. While I was getting close to the peak of the bridge I began to really feel it. My thoughts "here it goes" crossed my mind, my heart was in my throat, and the excitement began to build. It got harder as I got to the top and the wind showed no mercy. BUT, I loved it...every challenging moment! I love running bridges because it reveals to me what I have inside and how much it wants to come out. I find places within I never know I have until I'm pushed like this.

At the 8 mile mark we began to decend. You could see the bottom of the bridge and you knew it wouldn't be long. Usually I don't like downhills but I loved every minute of them in this race. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed getting to the Finish Line.

I had misplaced the knee strap I usually wear on longer runs but my knee gave me absolutely NO problem. Success all the way around. I got stronger and stronger though I didn't know exactly where the Finish Line was. My Garmin kept me informed. Then I turned a slight corner and saw the "shoot" knowing the clock was just ahead. People and finished runners were cheering you in. I get excited with goosebumps just thinking about it all again! I got my second win a third time and ran as hard as I could. I finished strong and am proud of my time. Chip time was 1:34:30. A PR seeing as how it was my first 15k but a good time for me nevertheless.

I lined up waiting for Kent to cross the line. He has been struggling with a lot of joint pain and I was concerned with him racewalking on that very steep bridge. When I saw him, he looked great...no pain in his face and was looking strong!! I am so proud of him. He continues to amaze me with his persistance and abilities.

After the race, there was red beans and rice with something that looked like a chicken mixture over rice. It was really good. I took a pic but blogger, for some reason, wouldn't post it. The post race party was at Hemmingway's on the beach and the day turned out beautiful with warm sun. I love Pensacola!!

Congrats to our friends: Leonard V. for receiving the GM, Mark K. 1st in his age group and Leah W. 1st in her age group. They are great runners and I'm proud of them. Can't wait until next year...yeah, I wanna do it again!!

A Reason To Stay Active...ALWAYS!

Here is an article I must share with my running friends and all friends. Never stop exercising! My Grandmother had muscular dystrophy and was bedridden for many years. She watched what she ate (took a low fat diet lifestyle) and exercised in bed by moving her legs up and down and in any way she could though she could not walk. She even told me one day that she exercised her eyes! Maybe that's where I get my interest in running/exercising. I only wish she had been alive to see the accomplishments I've made as I contribute most of them to her and her desire to live well. She never knew me as a runner. Please don't decide one day that it's time to set down stakes and "live" by sitting in front of a TV or read in your rocker. No one should have that mentality. The only one that can decide how to live at your age is YOU! Now we have proof of the good exercise is as we age...triathlete or runner. Take a moment to read this short article on muscle mass retention. It amazed me. [I couldn't get it to give me a link but copy and paste this into your address bar.] http://www.everymantri.com/everyman_triathlon/2012/01/at-74-years-oldthese-are-your-legs-on-triathlon-these-are-your-legs-without-triathlon.html#

Great Half!

The Pensacola Half was this weekend and I was hesistant/anxious for this race. I was really looking forward to a nice flat, long run but was slowly losing confidence in my "best". I continue to have a nagging left hip thing going on and 13 miles is nothing to snivvle at...it demands respect every time you do it. I like that part of distance running.

We decided to stay the night since the race began at 7:30 as we're not fans of driving a long way before racing. Not wanting to spend a lot of $$ for just a place to lay your head is just exactly what we got! A place to lay our heads. Okay, I'll spare you the details except for this. The door would close BUT there was a 1.5 inch space between the door and the door frame! It was going to be pretty cold and here we are in a room where we can watch a movie sitting on the other side of the door! Really...just look for yourself...here's a large towel stuffed in the door...EASILY! As a matter of fact, we had to open the door and close it on the towel to keep it in place!


Later, we went to Sidelines Restaurant to eat. Kent got a great Bacon Cheeseburger with fries and I got the Linguine with Maranara Sauce topped with two grilled chicken breasts and broccoli for the side. It was fantastic...soooo good. I will get that again. Of course, I couldn't eat it all; there was more than enough so I gave some to Kent.

After a poor night's rest from the old, creaky, lumpy bed and the band blasting outside our door, morning came early for us. Thankfully, the temps didn't drop as much as they had predicted. It was 40 and was suppose to be in the mid 30's. We stayed nice and warm, just no good rest. Now here I am going on hardly any sleep and fixing to run a half marathon.

I had about decided my "good" half marathon racing days had come and gone...that is, as well as I could do since I started my running career over age 50! Okay, I never said I was smart. Every half I ran last year was pitiful with the first one done while I was still suffering from the knee injury from the marathon and the second, months later, from cramps in BOTH feet! Both times I was crippled the last couple of miles of the race and had to walk some before crossing the line; something I'd never planned to do. From the very first half I'd trained to completely run them only.

Trying for a PR in each half I ran and not accomplishing it, it was decided to focus more on the details of finishing stronger this time around and not walking again. That part was kinda like a Failure Fairy whispering in my ears. With that being said, I had been training differently in my long runs. I could see that it was paying off at the Kaiser Half in November until I got cramps...totally not expecting THAT! I tend to cramp more in the winter but not when it's warm and it was warm that day. I was more mad than anything else. Until that point, my running had been strong and my pace much better. I was on my way to better times until I had to start walking.

But this time, I was ready for the cramps! I grabbed my bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar and stuffed it in the back pocket of my "big girl" pants ready to take 'em on. The ACV always make them disappear and I was gonna win this battle if it occurred again!

When we drove into the parking lot, the sun was beginning to rise. It was gorgeous!! I had Kent stop the truck so I could get a picture. And who do you think is the next person we see? A good friend and great race director, Leonard V. of the Gulf Coast Running Club. Glad we saw him because our paths didn't cross again. He had stiff competition this race but still won his age group. Congrats, LV!


I LOVE the course in this race. It is almost idential to the Gulf Coast Half Marathon done in April. Being very flat, it's a great one to shoot for faster times. Though I kept the cramps at bay, I began to run out of steam about the 11th mile. For two miles, seems I just plodded along. But in the last mile, my second wind kicked in and I was able to finish ahead of many that had been ahead of me for a while. I love to pass "anyone" just before going through the Finish Line. It just gives me that big ole push I need for my last "high" of the race. I finished strong and happy. I wore a long bodice running bra, a short sleeve shirt and a long sleeve shirt. Yeah, it was kinda chilly that morning. I took the long sleeve off the last 3 miles or so. My black shirt reads "In my dreams, I'm a Kenyan" and I love that saying cause only in my dreams would I be at that level. I thought about the saying a lot when it was visible for others to see and it help motivate me to run a little harder. Need to remember this...


As it turned out, I had MUCH MORE to be happy about than I realized when I crossed the line. We had timing chips but this recording was not available. I didn't start as close to the starting line as I usually do because of having the chip. Thankfully, my Garmin records everything! With that being said the stats showed the course to be 13.21 miles instead of the "certified" length of 13.1 which means my time was pretty good. My pace was my best for a half yet!! Yay! Their posted time was clock time and not by the chip that we wore. Mine's regulated with what the chip should have been. We passed over a couple of "chip mats" on the course. I don't care!! I believe my Garmin is closer to the correct reading. Regardless, going by my pace I still got a PR. I was really tired afterward...but happy!

My finishing medal...I love it!

The awards ceremony for the 5k was started when I came in. These ceremonies were staggered and that was good allowing each race to be announced quickly.

Kent got 3rd place in his age group...yay, Honey!! It's a cool dog tag and chain. The artwork is vibrant and beachy. I missed getting his picture as I wasn't with him when they were announced.

Receiving my award.

And, I got 3rd in my age group. Here's a close up view of it.

This has boosted my morale and I'm excited about doing the 15k in a couple of weeks. It will definitely be a tough and challenging race but I can hardly wait to run looking at the beautiful waters again! Until then...

Run 4 It

Happy New Year!

How are you doing with your goals for 2012?? Do you make them? Or do you "fly by the seat of your pants" from day to day or week to week? We all live differently. Some function better with goals and I honestly believe that we all do to some point. It gives us direction to where we are going. And, we ARE going somewhere whether we like it or not.

For this year, my goals are pretty much the same as last year's. I know...sounds boring, huh? But I feel that they were pretty good goals, generally speaking, and something to continue to do this year. One thing I want to do is to increase my yearly mileage to 1050 miles. That's an increase of about 15 miles. That doesn't sound like much but I want to stay healthy, uninjured, and start papercrafting more this year. My ultimate goal would be to reach 1100 miles. I, also, want to incorporate my walking miles. It was kinda pitiful last year.

Now that that's said, I'd like to say that there are a few things that I want to work on that I am not considering goals but better directions in order to achieve those goals. They are:

1. Workout/train smarter. Be careful if I exceed the 10% rule (cause I'm sure I will per track record).
2. Find balance in all areas of my life. I really love doing other things, too, and they have been put aside in the last year and half due to lack of balance. Running has preceded everything I do, not that that's bad, just not...well, balanced living.
3. Get off computer more and do something else. I'm an addict...okay, I've confessed.
4. Pay attention to what I eat and HOW it affects me in running.
5. Stretch more than the past. I am the most unlimber person alive!
6. Incorporate speed workouts, not inclusive of racing.

I've updated and moved around some things which you will notice on the right hand side of the page. I'm looking forward to this new year and all that it has to offer me as a runner and adventurer. It is exciting to do different things and to change your pattern (as a runner) and do something out of your comfort zone. I'll be doing my first trail race this year which will not be a race where I'm interested in my time. There are also a couple of races that time will be a difficult thing to aim for because of it's challenge. But, I can hardly wait to jump in and do these new and fun races. I did a few of these kind of races last year and though it may appear that I got "bad" times, in all actuality, they were really good ones due to the course layout/terrain. I'm proud of all of them regardless of "how" they may look to the naked eye.

I hope you've made your goals or are thinking of doing so. Remember, everyone has a direction cause unless you're dead you're NEVER standing still. Find yours and get going. For now...

Run 4 It

Year In Review

This year has been a great one! Very different than what it started out to be or planned to be. I wanted to start doing races different from the typical 5k's and 10k's or do them differently than before. So, my sights were changed from PRs to "other" types of races. First and foremost I accomplished something I never thought I would ever do EVER...I ran my first marathon!! I loved every minute of it! My left knee went out in the 23rd mile but even then all I kept saying was "when was the next one?" It was probably the most exciting thing I've ever done physically. I challenged myself, trained well, and did it. And, most of all, I was 55 years old!! My first marathon and I'm doing this thing at 55 years of age. Who does that?? This will always be something I will be proud of...always! Of course, I couldn't have done it without ALL the encouragement of my marathon friends and my running partners, Frank and Deleica.

Surprisingly and with my new IT strap, I was able to continue my running just not as hard as before. My pace had slowed down for the marathon and I wasn't up to par for shorter, harder run races for a while. This took the stress off of performance. My knee kept getting better and had very little pain any more using the band but when I didn't, like the Gulf Coast Half Marathon in April, I really paid for it. Lesson learned: wear the band in hard runs or distance races!!

Goals are interesting. Not all them were accomplished in 2011 but maybe I had not defined them well enough OR made them too difficult to reach. Goals that are meant to be maintained are the hardest and may need to be reworded or deleted altogether. For instance, my goal of "healthier eating habits" was poorly written. Just too vague and too difficult to do on a day-in, day-out basis. Too much daily pressure = failure.

Facing the facts of 2011:
1. 1 Full and 2 Half Marathons...good goals and achieved! On top of that, I received awards in both half's. Yay!! Well done...
2. 18-20 Miles Weekly...not bad and will probably bump this one up though there were weeks throughout the year that I did not reach that goal due to weather, allergies or pain. Still a good, well-written goal and measurable.
3. 8:30 Race Pace...on the surface this seems to be a good goal. But things I didn't take into account of is: weather, allergies (which were bad this year), knee pain (which came from the marathon at the first of the year) and most of all the course terrain of a race, like hills. This goal will be deleted in 2012.
4. Cross training once a week...good goal and achievable. It may take creativity when we are camping and the weather is bad but plan to keep this one.
5. Weekly weight workout...this should be achievable no matter where I am, the weather or allergy attacks.
6. Healthier eating habits...not measurable and will not be on the list next year.

Annual stats:
Running...1035 miles
Walking...83 miles
Biking...100 miles

19 Races:
1...2 Miler
11...5k's
1...8k
3...10k's
2...Half Marathons
1...Full Marathon

Placed in 16 races of 19:
4...GrandMasters
5...1st Place (age group)
2...2nd Place (age group)
4...3rd Place (age group)
1...5th Place (age group 10 deep)
(Placed in both half marathons = whoop, whoop)

Firsts:
1. I entered my first 2 mile race (PR) and received a state record, one which I still hold at the end of 2011 = Whoop, whoop!!
2. First 8k (PR) over the Ocean Springs Bridge. Not only is this thing a monster challenge but I placed in it, too.
3. I ran my first trail run (preparing for the MS50 20k race) AND got my first black toenail.

Things I've learned over the year:
1. Performance can kill enjoyment.
2. Run the best I can for the moment. Some days are better than others.
3. Success can be measured in simple things like running when you didn't want to.
4. Trust my inner decision to run harder in long runs and not go by my watch unless I'm training for a marathon.
5. Wear my IT strap on long races!
6. Running with my husband is worth more than any time EVER! I am grateful to be in great health and able to run unlike some of my great running friends.

This is my first complete year to keep a log through an online program and there were some runs/walks that were counted weird. I'm still not sure how to record w/u and c/d when the program records them as runs and I think they are walks. It's a little confusing. But next year I will decide on how I want to list them and start out fresh.

This year, I found I'm enjoying the "run" itself more, whether it's a race or a daily run. So to sum up, this year has been a VERY successful year and I look forward to a great 2012!

2011 has been an exciting year. Remember victory and success equals many small steps, not just trophies sitting on a shelf or medals dangling on a hook! It's your life, now...

Run 4 It

Trail Running

What a run! I never thought trail running would be so different. But it's another world altogether. I'd say you'd have to have a little adventureness in you in order to do one cause you never know what you will come up on. Well, no, my run did not involve that kind of venture but being my first there were a lot of things going on all around.

Frank B. and I decided to do a short run so I would see what the MS50 race would be like in March. I've never run a trail before and I wanted to get a taste of what I had gotten myself into. Having dressed in hunter's "protective" colors, excited anxiousness surrounded me. I wanted to run but knew I needed to make one sure step in front of another in order to make this a safe, fun run. With eyes on the ground, off we went.

It wasn't long before we came up on these really pretty mushrooms, some of the largest I've seen. They were very bright coral colored. So I had to take a picture. The color looks a little washed out but they were really pretty and vibrant.



It wasn't too long into the run that we came up on a puddle that could not be gone around. I plowed right through it but let out a squeal like a little girl. You need to know that I do NOT like to get dirty and never stomped in a mud puddle when I was small. So this was a new experience for me.

Not long running in my newly squishy shoes, filled with who knows what, we ran up on a huge spider web. Frank reached out to grab my arm to stop me but it was too late. I, obviously, didn't see it. AND there was this huge spider right in the center of it. Needless to say, I was engulfed in this new "natural" sweater fighting as hard as I could to get out of it. Then I felt something crawling up my leg and just about went crazy!! I knew it...it was on ME!! After a little dancing around, swatting at the air and scaring me and that thing slap to death, it finally fell off. I sure was hoping it didn't bite me. If it had any sense, it would throw itself out of that web next time he sees a human coming his way.

Now, I have friends that frequent these kind of trails and love them. But this is the first for me and I needed to know if I was willing to hang tough throughout...mentally and physically.

We did fine going from one tree to another following the signs UNTIL we reached a "T" and not a tree around held a single sign. The directions just stopped. Well, the little ole map that we had was totally useless as we come to find out at this point. We turned around and headed in a different direction where we did see a sign down the way. We ran it for a while and came up to a road. It was 4 miles there. We had talked about doing 4-6 miles. He seemed to think that instead of turning around and back tracking that we could go down the trail on the other side of the road and it would get us back to the start. Just making a loop of sort. So off we go across a road on another trail. Eventually we came up on a road. Looking both ways they looked the same...endless. We decided to take a left, confident that we had made the right decision...


...only to find that the road didn't seem to end or intersect. Sooooo, we turn around and head back to where the trail came to the road and go the opposite way from where we'd been. After a while, Frank remembers the Navigation program on our Garmins. We got it up and going (and it seemed to know what it was doing) only to find out that neither of us were good at looking at this small map on this watch face. Ahem...I DID tell him that I could see enough without my glasses to read the map that turned out to be a "not so good" map; therefore discounting what vision I could muster to read this tiny little map on a wrist. After following the arrow for a while, we noticed that the arrow changed and was pointing across a field, then the opposite direction as if we'd passed the "start". Not being able to cut across that area, we continued on down the road and there it was...a beautiful red Stop sign!! Yay...we were at least at a trafficked road.

What can I say?? It truly was an adventure and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. It was so much fun. And, we learned a new feature on our Garmins! When we got back to the truck, the watch had recorded a distance of exactly 13.1 miles! We did a half marathon!! I don't know how the trail will go on race day, but I'm confident we won't have to use any survival skills on it, ha! I hope you enjoyed reading my new escapade cause I've enjoyed sharing it with my readers.

It's That Time of the Year

Okay...in the south about all you can say for the first of the winter months is nothing less than it's soggy and windy accompanied with days of 75 degrees followed by days of 40 degrees all within 48 hours! Wind is usually an element to deal with on a consistent basis for now. It can just be miserable at times. And it's not until the cooler weather decides it wants to hang around for a couple of months that it becomes decent and stable; that is, to me. On top of that, there's all the travel and hecticness that kicks you out of getting in a decent run here and there with increased goodies of all kinds that you do NOT indulge in any other time of the year that adds to your misery. Yeah, all in all, it's kind of a miserable time of year. I admire all my running friends that brave the weather...REGARDLESS...of what it is. Let me tell you right now, you're an inspiration to me and PLEEEEASE keeping posting on FB or letting me know how and what you are doing. Treadmills become a closer friend during these not-so-friendly days but even those tend to be sparingly available some times.

So with all of that said...and maybe they're more excuses than anything or maybe I don't have the drive at this time or maybe I'm a sissy. Okay, everyone deserves a pity party once in a while especially when it comes around your birthday. But whatever it is, I've NOT stopped running yet. It has been interrupted some but not stopped.

I'm still so put out with my last half marathon I can hardly stand it!! To me, it's one of those "why me?" runs. And I have no idea why it happened and there's no way to prevent it from happening again. Being the last half before my birthday and for the year I really wanted it to be good. And, I had been running pretty good to have a strong outcome. But it just wasn't meant to be.

During the last couple of weeks, I've only gotten in one long run, 11 miles and at a good pace. But this week I hit the treadmill 3 times and had very good, but shorter, runs on it. I've had the incline set to 2 and 2.5 which gives me a harder workout and I'm trying to maintain my usual pace and/or speed intervals.

For now, whatever you do, do it the best you can. This is a tough part of the year to maintain a schedule of any kind but DON'T stop. It's only a short time to work through. Soon look back over the year and if you keep a log (and hopefully you do) look through it and see how far you've come from 2010, where you need to improve, and how much fun you've had. Think of all the new people you've met and now have as running buddies in some form or fashion. And, finally, start getting your thoughts together to make 2012 running goals. This IS really a good time of the year. I'll be writing a final post summarizing the great year I've had. So for now...just Run 4 It...there's not a better feeling!

Olympian Sightings...And Another Half

I was so excited when I heard that two Olympians were going to speak to the runners at the Kaiser Half Marathon packet pick up on Friday. Not being a runner for very long, I was only familiar with one of them. But Kent knew very well Johnny Gray because Kent has run for many years. He knew of Johnny's great 800 meter records and Olympian status while I was only familiar with Deena Kastor's records and Olympian status. Not trying to put them in "idol" status (and hope I don't anyone) these two athletes are great role models for runners. Johnny Gray still holds national records; he retired from running at age 40. He's now in his early 50's and is a coach at UCLA. He had some of the best sayings like: "If you give it up, you have to make it up"...speaking of not running as hard as you're able to at the beginning of a race you have to push harder at the end to make up the loss of time and it may be too late. I think of a negative split of sort. "Proper preparation prevents poor performance". "Impossible" means I'm possible...I love that one! He had several but these are all I recall right now. Deena said "You've got to believe it to achieve it". She also talked about if you want to be the best, then don't try to copy another. To try to improve in any way you can. I think of "be the best YOU can be" mindset. If you follow someone else's program you may reach the same level as they are; but if you want to be better than them, then you've got to figure out something different in order to beat them. Don't believe when someone tells you that you can't do something or try for something that seems impossible. It can be done! They had many good motivational messages that applies so well to running and life. After their talk, they had informational cards with all their stats on them that you could have with their autograph. I just happen to be first in line...what can I say, I was just standing there and wallah...the table opened up. Here's a picture of Johnny's card and autograph followed by my favorite, Deena's.



And, check this out...I'm soooo proud of this one!!


On to the race...I felt pretty good the morning of the race and felt I had everything ready to put on and go. I did this race last year and was really looking forward to it again this year. A friend of mine from Laurel, Deanna, and her family did it, too. This year she brought friends. It's a really nice course.

I've been running differently in the last month with really nice results. I had hope these changes would be applied effectively in my long races. With one long run down, I thought I'd give it a try in this race. As with all races, it is so easy to start out fast. Adrenaline flows like Niagra Falls, strong and somewhat uncontrollable! It was exciting to be doing another half. I reorganized my music, had a GU (though I've never used one in a half before) and felt prepared.

The first 3 miles were on the Backcountry Trail and I was running as I had planned. My pace was faster than expected and I was ahead of schedule. Mile 4 began on County Rd 2 going south to the Beach Rd. then east to Orange Beach where we went back onto the Trail System, to make a little over 2.5 miles...VERY windy miles! Man, it was strong. Oh, there wasn't a gust that I felt cause it was just wind. I almost got tickled thinking how in the world could wind withstand all the gorgeous sun and beautiful skies and views. It actually became a bit of a challenge. Many runners around me were talking about how tough it was. For me, I knew it wasn't going to last long because I've run this stretch of the highway several times before and turned around right at the trail head where we were headed. It was like I could hold my breath that long...well, not really...but you know what I mean. Glancing at my watch I was concerned that I was losing time with the headwind but, lordy be, I was maintaining the same good pace I had been. At the end of 4 miles, I was keeping a 9:38 pace, my best ever in a half marathon.

Back on the trail, I was feeling good still, but decided I better slow down a little because I was afraid I couldn't keep this pace up for 8 more miles. Oh, up to this time, I've had to get water at every aid station. This is rare for me. Usually, I have a sip or two twice in a half marathon but I couldn't seem to get enough water...and I drank a good bit each time. Coming up on Mile 10, my pace was back on track, 10 minute pace.

Then it happened!! I started getting cramps on the top of my left foot...slowly and not hard at first. I kept running hoping it would go away. At Mile 11 I loosened my shoe strings and it eased up some, but it wasn't long before it got more painful making me stop and stretch my foot in any way to get the thing out! I was getting so mad. I get cramps in strange places that make it so hard to get it stretched anyway and this place didn't surprise me. It wouldn't stop. I didn't know it yet but my running stride began to change to accomodate running with this cramping. I thought if I could walk a few steps I could get it eased and maybe pick back up running again. When I stopped, a guy came up beside me and said, "don't stop, you're pacing me!" Don't think I've ever paced anyone before and it made me feel good and I felt somewhat responsible to help him. He was a barefoot runner. We talked for a little bit and it helped me push harder. Then it hit...Mile 12!!! Immediately, I had to stop. My cramps got so bad and by now I was being plagued in both feet. I tried to ignore it and run...but that did NOT work at all. I pushed on more trees in one mile than any of these trees had ever seen! I was applying pressure in any way I could, and groaning became my close friend. I was hurting so bad. I kept up with my friend for a while, but he eventually went on. Another guy tried to encourage me but his words just didn't get through. So, with all of that, I decided to accept my plight and walk/run in. Another man caught up with me and I had seen him race in 5k's many times in this area. I had a very sharp cramp and he stopped to see if he could help thinking it was in my legs but no one could help my problem. He was mostly walking. As soon as I could, I would try to run. I'd pass him and have to stop and he'd catch up. This happened several times. One time I got so mad, I yelled out "I refuse to quit!!!" and didn't care who heard it. He was standing right there then. I'm sure he thought I was crazy.

I make one promise to myself and that is to run through the Finish Line of any race I'm running. And, that's what I did as you can see here. Whew, this thing is done!


I love running long runs and I shouldn't have had trouble with this one. It really came as a surprise. But I wasn't prepared either. First and foremost, I had not trained well enough. Having done a few half's already, I took it for granted that not having the miles in the last couple of weeks, I could whip this out easy. Distance running, friends, cannot be taken lightly. This is something you do well only if you treat your body correctly. Secondly, I'll find some way to carry some ACV with me in case of cramps again. That seems to help. And, finally, I had changed up the music on my iPod. Though I really like it, for a long run, it got really boring. I repeat several songs throughout to pick me up during my run but it got tough hearing them over and over and I couldn't stand to hear them another time-but this can be fixed!

Kent ran in the 5k instead of racewalking and received 3rd place in his age group. Deena presented him with his award but I didn't have the camera ready. We had no idea he was going to receive an award and on top of that getting it from her! Surprisingly, I got 2nd place and, no, there were more than three in my age group, ha! Oh, there were two more trophies...when I took my shoes off, I had a nice trophy (blisters) on both feet and a HUGE burn that my shirt rubbed under my arm! The worse I've ever had...it was so big and deep! Thankfully, these two things can be fixed in the future. Regardless of my trials, I still like this race course and would love to do it again. I am also pleased that I maintained and kept a little better pace for nearly all the race until the cramping set in. Therefore, I feel the race was a success on a gorgeous day!



Next week, is a new week and I plan to get my running back in order. Until next time...

Run 4 It!

Pensacola Turkey Trot 5k & Athlete Focus

Though last week's running did not go as intended, I tried to make up for it by doing a long run anyhow. With that being said, I only ran 3 times to keep from completely killing myself with going so far above the 10% rule. Boy, did I break it this week! I ran slow in the 11 miler to try to head off any possible injuries I may incur and it seemed to help. The last of the three runs was a 5k race. And, being a race, I used it as my speedwork for the week.

Saturday started out being quite a dreary, misty morning. Decisions came on us fast starting with what to wear. The temp gauge read one thing but it felt so much colder than that! I mean, I was hunkered down under a blanket going over there. By the time we got ready to embrace the Starting Line, I had changed shirts 3 times!! I'm so glad I ran with the one I did.

About the second mile, the rain began. My body had heated up and I could use what little bit of cool rain that found itself against my skin. It was so light and refreshing. It wasn't long before I touched my hair and knew I must have looked horrific...wet, wet, wet!! Not having my curly hair now, I could just imagine how I must have looked. Thankfully, I was over halfway finished. When I saw the Finish Line, I felt stronger than during the race and I was able to run faster and faster. I passed several people during the last mile and many toward the end. When finished, I went to the truck to get my camera and in hopes of catching Kent as he came within the block of finishing. The truck was parked in a lot between the last two racing streets. Being drenched, I grabbed the camera, trying to keep it dry, and headed to the nearby corner. I really wanted to get some real action shots of him. One thing I noticed is how much support everyone gave the participants, even the police officers. Here are some action shots of him at this point. Notice the support.





Here he is coming across the line. Check the race supporters clapping on the left. By the time he got there, he was completely drenched! There were the most racewalkers, I mean, FAST suckers, I've seen to date.

The post-race activities were fun. There were bagels, coffee, turkey chili, fruit and drinks. The warm coffee was quite welcoming as we cooled off pretty fast. Again, I was impressed with the encouragement everyone received that won awards. Whether they knew you or not, they whooped and yelled for everyone that won a medal, even the children. It was so much fun and you felt so much a part of everyone else. Here is a picture of us looking like wet rats. At least, we fit in with everyone! We were all rough looking characters at the end.


When the results came out, we were surprised to see we both had won something. There were 507 runners and 88 walkers- 2 races, 2 minutes apart!! A pretty good turnout considering the weather. He won 2nd place and I won 1st place. I hated I didn't get GM cause all the overall winners got turkeys and awards! But, there was no way...that girl was FAST and I'm carrying 13 pounds too many (that means a lot more wind resistance, ha)!!! Okay...that's another story.



There was a group of young men that "dressed" for the holiday: a pilgrim and several Indians. They woo, woo, woo, wooed throughout the whole race and the pilgrim kept his hat on the whole way. It was quite windy going east but thankfully, we didn't go that direction for long. It was fun to see and hear. On top of that, I think only one was wearing running shoes; the others were costume appropriate shoes. Don't know how they did it.


The next pictures are of two real sweet ladies. The first one is Inge. She had a very strong accent and had run several half marathons. She was real interesting to talk to. This picture is really not a good one. She was beautiful in the face; my photo skills are poor at best!! She's 65. They are headed to the Keys with racing all along the way heading to one there.


The next photo is of Gay. [Again my photo skills are terrible; she looks great.] She's 78 and lives in Pensacola. We've talked with her and her husband several times at different races we've run down there. They are amazing!! They're so active and seem so in love. I hope we'll be that way. She's a very kind lady, too.


I am amazed at the older ladies that run in the Pensacola area and are in really good shape. I'd venture to say that they are not on medication or very little. Folks, stay active. I'm blessed to have met several ladies that are strong beyond their years.

The Turkey Trot 5k course was great...fast and flat!! We LOVED it and hope we can put this on our schedule to do again next year. I hope you recall the great athletes I focus on from time to time, Inge and Gay this time. They should encourage you to keep going when you have those "down" days. Now, get off that couch and...

Run4It