Upcoming Race Ideas

This morning I completed run streak day 117 with four miles. I haven't really been training for anything but yet I find myself continuously increasing my mileage. It was nice to be able to race last Friday night but now I only have one more race planned for this year. I am beginning to get a little depressed about it.

I don't want to have too many races on the calendar that I feel as though I don't have any room to breathe but at the same time it doesn't seem normal to not have anymore after the 5k next month. I have a few in mind that I would like to do. Two out of the three I would have to travel so I know one that I would like to do before the other one.

If there are enough participants this year, I would like to the do the fourth of July 10k put on by the local rec center. Don't worry for this one I would be registering ahead of time to not run into issues like I did at the Full Moon 5k by registering last minute. I would also like to do the Middle Half again this year.

This particular race is very flat with maybe a few small hills and this would be the one I would like to attempt my sub two hour half marathon on. I would have to register for this one almost as soon as the registration opens because it sells out quickly.

The next race would be another half marathon but close to where my buddy lives. It would be so awesome to complete this with my my buddy there. I need to work out a few kinks though and the only downfall to this one is I would have to travel. I have never completed a race where I would travel more than an hour so this one would be the first. Plus both this one and the Middle Half are in October not far apart. I will need to think more about this one.

The last race would be in December and would benefit St. Jude's Children's Hospital. I have heard so many good things about this race and my friends Jennifer and Christy are thinking about doing it as well. We have started to look up hotel rooms. We are also contemplating being a hero. This means that we would commit to raise so much money to help the hospital. Depending on whether or not we decide to raise money, the registration openings vary.

So there are my race hopes and of course I would like to run Oak Barrel again next year and that registration opens again in October. So many things I would like to do but I feel as though I don't have the time with soccer and gymnastics. Although I love to run, spending time with my family is more important. So if I have to put aside some races to do that, I would in a heartbeat.

Do any of you have any races coming up or ones you would like to do? I would love to hear about them. So until next time

Full Moon 5k

The Full Moon 5k was put on by the local rec center and would be benefiting the soccer complex.  My son plays soccer so I wanted to help out.  I was a little apprehensive about this race but not as bad as I was with the CCC Relay race. This race was at night and I am not a fan of running in the dark. I was told it was a well lit course so I decided last minute that I would run and texted my friend Jennifer to see if she wanted to run it as well.  She agreed so we made out way up to the race site and got registered.  We hung around for about 30 minutes before the race started.

Right before we started I had a chance to talk to my friend Bethany a minute.  We got to talking about how our runs were going and she asked what pace I was running. I told her that my pace had been anywhere between 8:30-9:30 average pace.  I loved her answer when she said, "Wow! 8:30 is pretty ambitious." I told her she was welcome to run with me because I wasn't sure what I would be doing. I had already ran 5 miles that morning and decided last minute to run this one.  Little did I know that I was going to be pretty ambitious that night.

We were ready to take off now.  Got my Nike + app going and music.  Like I did at the Oak Barrel Half, I set a play list for about 28 minutes and goal was to cross the finish line before the play list was finished playing.  Finally we were off.  I kind of felt bad after I had a chance to think about it but I just took off.  Didn't say bye or anything.  I was holding a pretty steady pace of 6:30-7:30 or so for a good half a mile or so.  Then I started to slow down since there were no more people to weave in and out of. 

Crossed a bridge that went over the interstate around mile one and my pace was 8:08.  I was still going strong and made it to the first turn that we would be making.  I saw my friend Brad that would always come up and talk to me while I am running if I run inside.  He directed me in the direction I needed to go and I started making my way up some of the small hills along the course.  Since this was only a 5k, I opted out of taking water at the water stop.  I knew that I could make it the entire course without it.  When I am running I usually don't take a drink until after mile 3 so I knew that I wasn't making a mistake.

I then got to a curve that was a downhill that was not well lit at all.  It scared me to be honest but what was I to do?  Just stop and be done?  No thank you.  I continued on and as I approached the halfway point there was a firetruck with all it's lights on.  I am not complaining but it was almost too bright.  I was seeing spots as I was attempting to go up the next hill.  So naturally because of that, I was running a little slower. 

I finally made the last turn before I would meet Brad again and be on my way to the finish line. At this point, I had been struggling with a horrible side stitch that was becoming quite painful.  I finally was about a tenth of the mile from the finish line and as much as I didn't want to, I had to stop to try and stretch it out.  When I couldn't do it in less than a few seconds, I sucked it up and pressed on. Crossing the finish line at 26:55!!  My best 5k time at this point was 28:12 so this was huge PR for me.

I also tracked it on my Nike + app and with any other course, it was slightly longer than the distance it was suppose to be due to how wide you take turns or there was no way to make it that distance. So my phone said that I ran 3.23 miles in 27 minutes with an average pace of 8:20 a mile!!!  I was afraid after I took off that I started out too fast but I was able to push through and keep the mile splits at 8:31 for the second mile and 8:25 for the third.  

Normally I would like to have negative splits but I was extremely happy with how this worked out.  I watched several friends cross the finish line along with my friend Jennifer that I came with.  She did awesome.  While we ate and drank some, we waited for the awards.  Turns out that I placed 2nd in my age group but was not recognized.  Kind of surprised me considering that I have a hard time placing in 5k's but I am was beyond excited.  My friend Jennifer placed 3rd I believe.  Her first medal and I am so very proud of her.

Here we are with our medals!!  It feels so amazing to have goals and accomplish them. Ultimately I wanted to beat my best time, which I did.  I was actually sitting down the night before and writing down my goals.  I wanted to finish a 5k in 26:50 and I was only 5 seconds off from accomplishing this since I go by official race times.  My phone on the other hand said my 5k was 25:57!! Holy smokes I was flying.  

I don't have anymore races planned right now.  I do have several that I would like to do but registration hasn't opened yet. So I am finally all caught up on my race recaps.

I checked my official race results today and I placed 1st in my age group. Just wanted to update everyone on that. So until next time.

Oak Barrel Half Marathon 2016

It has been 2 years since I have run the Oak Barrel Half Marathon and honestly, I wasn't sure how it was going to go.  The longest run that I did was 9.33 miles at the Special Kids 15k in March.  I remembered that this particular race had a huge hill named Whiskey Hill among many other smaller hills.  Whiskey Hill was the hardest hill on this course with a gradual incline at the beginning and a steep incline for the last quarter of a mile or so.  This hill lasted for a mile. Many people that run this race usually walk this hill so that they are able to save their energy for the rest of the course.  With the way my schedule for this year was, I was fortunate enough to be able to run a preview run the week before. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to when they started the preview runs.  It was 7.50 miles and it seemed to have gone pretty good.  I felt strong running the course and my overall pace was 9:24.  I ran up half of Whiskey Hill and walked the rest.  I was very pleased.

This is also a race that is very close to my town so I didn't have to wake up super early to be able to make sure that I got to the start line on time.  Unlike 2 years ago, there were some issues with parking since it had rained pretty good a couple of days prior.  It didn't have a chance to dry before race day.  This made it difficult since parking was limited in some areas.  By the time we were able to get close to the race site, we had to walk about 10 minutes or more to get to close to the start line.  Like always, I had to use the restroom and met up with a some friends that were also running the race.

This is the only pic that I got with some of my friends due to the time that I got at the race and finished using the bathroom.  From left to right is my friend JD and his wife, Mary, myself and my friend Rick.  I look so short compared to Rick in this picture and just now realized it. lol Anyway, not long after this picture was taken we all headed to the start line.  I had a goal in mind that I would like to finish in so before I left the house I made a brand new play list that I had never listened to before.  My goal was to finish in 2:15 or less so the play list was 2:12 something.  My plan was to finish before the music stopped.  If I was able to do that, I knew I would have PR.

After the Special Kids 15k, I remembered talking to my husband about how I felt like I was holding myself back since I kept trying to slow myself down when my body wanted to run faster. So as I approached the start line with hundreds of other runners, I made the decision to run what my body was telling me to. If I needed to slow down, I knew that my body would let me know. So I got my music ready and my Nike + app ready.  As I listened to opening announcements for the race, I could hear my heart start to beat faster and eventually I am not sure what was said other than the singing of the National Anthem.  After that we were off.

I did exactly what my body was telling me so my first mile wasn't too fast nor was it too slow.  I stayed with a group of people for a while and then eventually began to move into a faster group. I was feeling confident and pleased with my run so far.  Right before we came to mile 2, there were some photographers waiting to take our pictures.

This is a screenshot of me right before we made it to the first hill on the course.  I joked with my friend Leslie who does my hair and told her that my hair blends in with the trees.  She just did my hair the day before the race.  After this picture was taken, I continued on until we got to the first hill.  I was prepared for this hill since I ran the preview run the weekend before.  I felt that I did good running up and wasn't using too much energy as I was making my way up.  I have learned through the years that I have been running that you need just look down and pump your arms as you make your way up.  I don't get psyched out as bad if I do that rather than looking up.  I am also not putting unnecessary strain on my neck either.

After this hill, I made it to the first water stop. One of the best things about this race to me is the fact that there is an option for Gatorade or water at every stop.  I believe that this is due to the race being put on by a local running club and that makes a huge difference to me.  I got my Gatorade and continued on down.  The sun was starting to shine more and warming up very quickly.  I was quite thankful that I didn't wear a long sleeve shirt to start the race in and then have to worry about getting rid of it as I got hot.

Then we came to Whiskey Hill.  As I stated earlier, this hill starts out as a slow incline and then gets very steep the last quarter of a mile.  I ran up about .60 miles of it.  Which is an improvement from my run last weekend and the last time I ran the half. After that, I had to walk.  I usually am a little harder on myself than I need to be when I have to walk.  I have learned that it is more important to listen to your body than it is to try and push it.  Ultimately ending an injury that would prevent you from running at all.

Here is a picture right before I made the last turn to go up.  As you can see, it is very steep and the next part wasn't much better.  After getting up, I got my Gatorade at the water stop at the top of the hill and continued on my way.  I met my friend Cindy around this time.  We chatted for a little bit and I was telling her how I excited that I was of being to be run 94 days in a row.  I know that some might not find that as exciting as I do but I had to share my enthusiasm with someone.  I am extremely thankful that she was willing to listen to me.  She is someone that I met through running.

We proceeded to head up the next hill which marked about mile 6 or a little more.  I struggled up this hill a little bit but I kept telling myself that it wasn't Whiskey Hill.  I even told Cindy I was struggling and she was very encouraging.  There was another water stop at the top of this hill and as I have at every other water stop, I stopped to get some Gatorade,  Then I continued on my way.

Cindy and I eventually parted ways and I was on my own.  I was doing good and still felling pretty strong at this point beside running the hill earlier.  I was relieved to come to the nice downhill portion of the race. I saw my friend Paul who cheered for me as I proceeded downhill. For miles 8 & 9, I had a steady 8:50 pace.  I knew while I was running that I was running faster than what I normally was but my body was telling me that it was good so I kept going.

After these two downhill miles, the race started to become a blur. I was letting myself get wrapped up too much into the race.  Especially since my longest run was 9.33 miles at the Special Kids Race and this race was 3.8 miles longer than that one was.  I was beginning to panic. Thinking that I couldn't do it. Eventually I had to tell myself to shut up.  Anyone else ever have to do that?  I also was starting to run for the songs.  I would tell myself to run for the duration of the song that was playing at the time.  Finally, I got to the point that I was telling myself to at least make it to the next water stop and then I could walk while I drank some Gatorade.

Right before I made it to the next water stop I met my friend Mark.  He was doing awesome.  We didn't talk very much since we both were keeping a good pace that was not very conversational.  It was fine though.  We made it to the next water stop and got something to drink.  I walked a little longer through this water stop than I did the other ones. After this water stop, we had about 1.1 miles left to go.  By the time I got to mile 12, I had to once again text my husband to let him know where I was so I could be sure to meet him at the finish line.

I went ahead of Mark.  I was beginning to really struggle around 12.5 miles that as bad as I didn't want to I had to walk a minute.  This continued two more times but I had a nice runner that gave me the encouragement that I needed to push through.  I was also thinking about my buddy and was trying so hard to make him proud along with my kids and husband.

This picture was taken a little bit before I hit mile 13 and saw my friend Becca that goes to the church I use to attend.  My face shows a lot of mixed emotions here.  I was happy that I was almost finished and I knew that I was going to PR. I didn't know how to process how my progress was but it almost didn't seem real.  Then I saw my Friend Becca. I can't begin to tell you how thankful I am that she took the time to cheer for me as I rounded that last corner.

I am one of those runners that likes to sprint to the finish line.  So as soon as I rounded the corner, I took the opportunity to squeeze on the left of another runner and I sprinted to the finish line.  I saw the clock and started to cry.  This was by far the best half marathon that I have ever run and it wouldn't be until later that I would find out how much of a PR I got.

As you can see, I was extremely emotional. After crossing the finish line, I met up with my husband where I immediately burst into tears.  I was beyond excited that I accomplished my goal.  It felt so good to work as hard as I have been and it pay off in the end. When I met up with some friends, I was still crying a little bit.  I had sworn off half marathons before I ran this race but once I crossed that finish line, I couldn't help but think about the next one that I would be doing. I already had my next goal to work towards. Finish a half marathon in under 2 hours.  We shall see how that goes.

Here I am with my finisher's medal and a grin that I don't think that you could smack off of my face.  Later that day I found out that my official time was 2:03:33 and I PR'd by 14 1/2 minutes from Zooma in November!! Something that I definitely was not expecting but nonetheless extremely grateful. I was extremely sore but so very thankful for the ability that God gave me to run.  He was with me during this race.  If you ever have the opportunity to run this race, I highly recommend that you do it.  It is a beautiful course and you will love it!!

So until next time.

Special Kids 15k

There is a race that is only about 40-45 minutes away that is very dear to my heart. The race is Special Kids. I enjoy doing this race because it is a very fun race and goes to a good cause. Special Kids is an organization that helps families with special needs. They have the option to run a 5k or 15k. I chose to do the 15k since I would be doing a half marathon two weeks after this race.

I know that I have talked about my I Run 4 buddy that has Down Syndrome. He is one of the sweetest little boys and just seeing the pics that his momma posts brightens my day so very much. His family has become like family to me and I honestly don't remember what it was like to run without having him as my buddy. (If you would like to have a buddy to run for, I will have the info listed at the end of this blog post.)

When I registered for this race, I contacted the race director to see if I could get one for him. I was so excited that he said yes. Now all I had to do was wait for March 19 to get here. It seemed to take forever. Race packet pickup was the Thursday and Friday before the race. Since we had plans on Friday, I got my race packet Thursday and went ahead and picked up my buddy's medal. 

After getting home from seeing a play at a church in our town, we got everyone in bed. Even thinking back now, I am still surprised that we made it in time for me to actually race. We were running so far behind that by the time we got to the race site and parked, we had like 5 minutes before the race started. On top of everything else, I had to pee and didn't have time to go. Talk about being a rough start to the race.

I met up with my friends Joyce and Lynn at the start line. We decided to take a pre-race selfie before we started. 

Not long after this pic was taken we were off.  Another thing I enjoy about this race is it is relatively flat. I didn't have a particular time that I wanted to finish in. I was there to enjoy the race. It probably took the first couple miles before it wasn't congested anymore and the runners were finally breaking up into their pace groups sort of speak.

Along the course, there were families of those that the organization helps. Not as many as in the past because it was chilly that morning. I always love seeing people lined up on the course. It is such a great motivation to keep going because it is all about the kids.

There was several times during the race when I looked at my phone and realized that I was going faster than what I was use to. I was starting to psych myself out. I eventually quit looking at my phone as often. 

Before I started I told my husband around what time I was going to finish. It was around mile 7 after we had gone through a neighborhood that had a few small hills that I would be finishing well above what I told him I would. So I ended up texting him while I was running and letting him know how many miles I had left. That was a sight to see andabout as hard as textingwhile driving.

I was beginning to struggle a little around mile 8 and I was thinking about my buddy. Then I saw a guy with arm crutches walking the 5k and he was only at mile 1. Just as happy as can be so I knew I had to finish strong for my buddy, my family and all those that would love to run but can't. 

The last song that I had come on was a song that I do in Zumba where you do a lot of squats. So turning that last corner I couldn't help but be thankful that I wasn't squatting. Lol I think it is funny how each individual person has their own way of getting through a run when it gets difficult.

Not exactly the best picture but I didn't know where he was and it was crowded when I crossed the finish line so this is the best pic I got. My official time was 1:26:33!! I 3 1/2 minute PR from Hot Chocolate. I was very pleased and had a great run. I would definitely recommend this race to everyone. 

As promised, here is the info to sign up to have a buddy like I do. You will need to go to http://www.whoirun4.com and use the drop down menu. Click I Run 4 Michael. There you will find all the info Tha you need to be matched with a buddy. Please feel free to pass this info along to other athletes and those with special needs that would like to have a buddy as well. 

So until next time.

CCC Relay

The CCC Relay was a local race that connected two cities in our county. You had the option to run the entire distance which would have been a half marathon or you could have a team with up to eight members. If you chose to have a team, each member would have to complete a leg or a certain number of legs of the race to cover the entire distance.

I joined a team with my friend Nicole. We have known each other for a while and we both were going to run the Oak Barrel Half Marathon in April so we didn't want to run the entire distance. I planned to run about 6-7 miles.

Since this race was local, it was nice to have the kids be able to come and cheer us on. So on the morning of March 12, we loaded everyone up in the car and made the drive to the next city over to get to the start line.

Met up with my teammate Nicole and took a few pictures. She was set to start the first few legs so I got a pic before she started and they were off.

We met them on the course and was able to cheer on some other runners as well as Nicole. Then we were off to find the spot where I was suppose to start. It was nice for once to be able to cheer on the other runners but I was anxious to be able to start running.

I jumped in a little early because I honestly couldn't find the leg I was suppose to start at. From the moment that I signed up for this race, I was a little apprehensive about running it and just a few minutes after starting, my worry was proven to be a valid reason to be apprehensive about this race.

I was running alongside my friend Larry and the way this race was mapped out you were to run with the flow of traffic. Something that runners have long be told not to do. Well we were running along and it was during the day with the sun shining. Bam we were almost hit. Scared me and unless this race is changed, I won't be running it again.

It warmed up quickly and I eventually took my tank top off to finish out the race. I only saw two water stops with one acting like a third when you made the turn around. With the weather warming up, there was definitely not enough water stops along the route.

Here is a pic my husband got after the race.

It was a nice experience to run a relay but there is definitely a few changes that need to happen before I will run this race again.

Until next time.

Hot Chocolate 15k

I am behind on posting my race recaps. So please be patient with me while I will be posting several posts about my past races. The very first one for this year was the Hot Chocolate 15k.

This race took place on February 13. It was extremely cold and to be honest, I seriously contemplated not running this race, even though I already paid for it. The temperatures were suppose to be in the 20s with a wind chill of 10 degrees! Yes you read that right. 10 degrees!  I must have lost my mind because I still went and picked up my race packet.

The above picture I am having a little fun with someone dressed up as an ear bud at the expo. One of the reasons I really wanted to do this race is because of the finisher's jacket that you received in place of a shirt and the unique finisher's medal.

After picking up my race packet, we headed to go eat and celebrate Valentine's Day. Then it was off to get home and prepare to wake up early to make the drive to the start line.

As the news predicted, it was extremely cold on race day. Since I can't run being bundled up alot from the waist down, I chose to wear one pair of long pants, a tank top, long sleeve shirt and a sweater. I also had on a hat, ear warmers and gloves. I also bought a face warmer to help keep my face warm and try to avoid wind burn. Now that I was already to go, we loaded up in the car and left.

We made the long walk to the start line from where we parked and let me tell you, I couldn't feel my legs and we still had about 30 minutes before the race even started. I tried my best to stay warm and waited for the signal to start.

I had a goal to finish this race in 1 hour and 30 minutes or less. Due to the temperature, I lined up at the start line with that goal already thrown out the window. Yes I have run in cold temperatures but not in below freezing temperatures.

So we were off. The first part of the race was a little rocky due to the fact that there were some runners that would stop dead in front of you. No joke and it would take everything that you had not to run them over. Once you got through that part, the race was fine.

A little hillier than I would have liked but for the fact that a majority of my training for this race has been on a treadmill, I really couldn't complain. I walked a couple of hols but for the most part kept a good pace. I was unable to keep the face warmer over my mouth and nose because it kept fogging up my glasses. I was able to keep it around my neck though.

I was coming up the last half mile or so and there was an unimaginable strong gust of wind that I had to run into. Like I told another runner next to me, this is insulting.  We pushed through though.

Much to my surprise, I approached the tunnel for the finish line close to the time I was hoping to finish in. I did, however, started a few minutes past the time that the clock started so I had to wait to get my official time.

My husband was able to snap this pic of me coming into the finish line tunnel. Normally at this point in the race, I am sprinting to the finish line to try and knock off a few seconds and finish strong. In this particular race, I just wanted to finish and get warm.

After crossing the finish line and receiving my race medal, I finally looked at my GPS watch. Much to my surprise, I did in fact reach my goal. My watch said I ran 9.54 miles but the official time was 1:30:03!! I most certainly will take it. It was freezing and I completed it. That in itself was an accomplishment and I am quite proud that I didn't quit. Even with the weather advisory plan in place from the race officials. Although there were times that I wanted to detour and run the 5k route. I quickly talked myself out of that.

Here is a pic of me at a photo opportunity after the race. I am sure as you can tell, I was about frozen and in pain. I later went to find a warm place to use the restroom and warm up a bit. I was so cold that I was numb from my waist down and my legs were blood red. It took quite some time for me to warm back up all the way.

Here is the finisher's jacket and medal. On race day, I vowed I wouldn't do this race again and even now it would take a lot for me to reconsider doing this race again. I enjoyed it despite the cold temperatures. So that is the only thing keeping me from doing this race again.

So until next time.

Only as old as you feel

I am sure that everyone has heard of the saying, "You're only as old as you feel." Well today I felt like I was close to 100 on my run. As most of you know, I am doing the 1,000 mile challenge in 2016 and training for several upcoming races. So for today, I had an 8 mile long run planned. On the treadmill of all places. Normally this is ok but I will be honest. It was nothing short of a miracle that I was able to finish running the miles I had planned to run.

I stopped every few minutes after the first mile and half because everything that could have gone wrong did. My sock was sliding in my shoe, my sock was starting to curl under my toes, I didn't like the song I was listening to, I needed a drink, etc. The list could go on and on. It was horrible but I got it finished. 

The picture above pretty much describes how I felt once I finished.  I dug down deep and fought hard to finish those miles. I also run for a little boy that has Down Syndrome that I met through a group on Facebook. He really pushes me to do better with my workouts and he definitely had a part in me finishing those 8 miles. If you are interested in having your own running buddy, visit www.whoirun4.com and register to get matched with buddy. Also dont forget to request to join the I Run 4 Michael Facebook group. Your life will be forever changed. I know mine has.

I was also reminded that a lot of working out is getting your body in shape but more getting your mind in shape. Even though I have been working out for almost 5 years, I still struggle with having my mind in shape. Every day that you work out the struggle may not exist or it takes everything that you have to dig deep and finish what you started. The important thing to remember is that everyone has those days and don't give up. 

Do exactly as this quote above says. Just keep moving. You got this. Remember everyone has to start somewhere and everyone struggles.

Upcoming Races

At the end of last year, I decided to do a 1,000 mile challenge for the year 2016.  I figured up that if I ran everyday and only ran the minimum amount that I needed to for the day, I would only need to run 2.7 miles every day. This isn't including my training runs for any upcoming races.  I have a 15K coming up next month.  This one is the Hot Chocolate one that I have been wanting to do. The next race is the Special Kids 15K in March and then the Oak Barrel Half Marathon.

So I will be getting in several runs in the next few months that will be a majority of the miles for this challenge.  I am planning on registering for the Middle Half when it opens up in June.  If I am able to run this race it will be 3 years since the last time that I ran this race.  I am almost wanting a redemption at this race.  I didn't have a good experience the first and only time that I ran this race. Around mile 7 or 8, my ankle needed to pop and I couldn't get it to pop for the life of me.  I was doing great and then this happened.  I was so disappointed. So I want to redeem myself and proof that I can do it.  Anyone else feel that way about certain races?

I have never did the Hot Chocolate 15K before so I am hoping that it is a good race.  The race medal is awesome looking and you also receive a pull over. One of the reasons that I am wanting to do this race.  It is all about the goodies that you can get. :) The Special Kids 15K race I did a few years ago and it was a really good race. This is a flat a course and at each mile marker they have a picture of a child that has a special need.  It hits home for me because I run for a little boy that has Down Syndrome and I want to run this race for him. I dedicate all my runs or workouts to him but to me this one will be extra special.

Oak Barrel Half has been one of the best half marathons that I have done.  Minus Whiskey Hill that is.  It is put on by the local running club that I do a weekly run with. They have Gatorade at each water stop. It is extremely well put together and I would recommend anyone that is looking for a good half marathon to consider doing this one.  Up until the Zooma Half Marathon that I did in November, this was my best half marathon.  We will see what this one will hold.  Hoping for good results at this one.

Is there any races that you are looking forward to doing? What was your experience at these?  Please share your experiences.  I would love to hear them.

Resolutions and Goals

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope that y'all had a great Christmas and New Year celebration with your friends and families. As most people do, I have sat back some today when I haven't been busy to think about 2015.

A lot has changed but for the better. My relationship with my husband which was pretty rocky last year for various reasons is doing 1,000 times better now. I had a pretty big scare in March with my kids but so very thankful that God spared them the heartache they could have experienced. I was going up and down in my weight and finally put my foot down and said enough is enough. Brad and I have found a lifestyle change that works for both of us. Ending the year, I lost 22 pounds from April when I got to be my heaviest since starting to workout and Brad lost 20 pounds.

Now with the new year upon us we have made a few New Year's resolutions or goals. I personally would rather say goals than resolutions but it is personal preference. Brad would like to continue losing weight and get closer to his goal weight. I have a few that are fitness related and several that are not. They are as follows:

1. I would like to get closer to God. I have lost my way in the last couple of years and I want to find my way back. We are going to start going to a young adult ministry at church.

2. I would like to be at my goal weight.  I only have 13 more pounds to go but those last few pounds are always the hardest to get off.

3. I would like to achieve a 2:15 or better half marathon. Right now I only have 1 half marathon on the books but a couple of 15k's and a 5k.

4. I want to be a better mother to my children. Something I know that I won't achieve in just one year and this will be a continuous goal for me.

5. I want to better wife to my husband. I have definitely slacked and Brad deserves so much better.  I know that with God's help I can accomplish this.

6. Last but not least, I would like to run 1,000 miles in 2016. I have figured this up and it will 2.7 miles if I run every day. Something I can't do because of my knees but I will complete this for my running buddy Henry.

I am sure as the year goes on that I will be adding more to these. It helps to keep me focused. This morning I started on one of my goals. I knocked off 5 miles with a group of people for a New Year's morning fun run. There was a 3 & 5 mile option. I will be beginning training for my 7th half marathon in April so I chose to do the 5 mile route. I ran with friends I haven't ran with in a while and friends that I run with at least once a month. It was nice to get together.

The picture below is a picture of the whole group. The picture is courtesy of my friend Joyce, her husband took this picture. We had about 40 people run and it was an awesome way to start off the New Year. What are your resolutions and/or goals for this year?

Running of the Turkeys

Every year after Thanksgiving, the local rec hosts a 5k/10k run/walk. I usually try to do this race every year, if I have nothing planned. This year I had planned to do the race with my son. He was wanting to earn his own shirt and he was going to do the 5k.

Unfortunately he changed his mind due to someone saying something to him about his pace. I kept trying to talk him into doing it because he was so excited in the beginning. I waited till the last day to register to be guaranteed a shirt and he still didn't want to do it. So I registered for the 10k and made him promise me that him and his sister would run across the finish line with me. This is one of the best things about local races.

As race day approached, I will admit that I was a little nervous. Which isn't uncommon for me but I think that it had more to do with my goal. Before every race, I always set a goal finish time. For this particular race, I wanted to finish it in less than an hour. This has been a goal of mine for a 10k for almost four years. Mainly because when I first started running it took me an hour to run five miles. While there is nothing wrong with that, I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. That I could work hard and cross that finish line in under an hour.

Race day was finally here and I was ready to go pick up my bib number to head to the start line. I had my husband with me camera in hand and my kids following a little bit behind us. Questioning everything that we did.

For this particular race, I chose to run without music for two reasons. One it was raining and I didn't want my phone to get wet since that is what I use for music and I have just gotten use to running without it. Two I just wanted to enjoy the run. Not worry about what song was on. Just simply enjoy myself.

I approached the start line and listened to the pre-race instructions. Then we were off. I will admit that I took off entirely too fast. My pace for at least a tenth of a mile or more was between 7:30-8:30 minute mile. A pace that I am not use to running for that long of a distance. It took a little bit but I was finally able to get my pace steady. When I came to the first water stop, I stayed there a little longer than I should have which added a little bit of time to my overall pace.

For a little bit, I ended up running next to a teenage girl that I would learn after the race to be 13. She is an amazing runner. A friend of hers told her that she was the second female overall for the 10k so she gave me one quick look and took off. After that, she was at least a minute maybe a little less ahead of me. By the time I came around to the water stop again, I didn't have to stop because I wouldn't have met my goal and I was so very close. My legs were starting to hurt and I remembered the quote below.

I set out to run a 10k in under an hour and I wasn't finished yet. So I kept on and before I knew it I had the finish line in sight. That same girl was still ahead of me and beat me by 50 seconds or so. That is ok but I soon realized that I was going to finally meet my goal. Plus my kids were going to run and meet me.

The picture above was right after the kids ran up to me. Yes I could have sprinted to that finish line and shaved a few more seconds. Although that idea is nice, this is what it is all about. Making memories and what is better than making memories with your kids.

This picture right here is one of my favorites. You can see the smile on my son's face but I hate that you can't see my daughter's face. To make sure that we got the timing right, I had a small "window" to run through and it blocked her. :( Considering the way that my son is smiling I will take it.

My official time was 59:34!! Every other 10k was over an hour so I got to PR and run across that finish line with the kids. Can't get much better than that. What is one of your favorite races and why?

Zooma Half Marathon

Here is my race recap from this morning's half marathon. I will be honest from the beginning.  I honestly was not sure how I was going to do at this half because I only went to 9 miles in training.  I had a goal in mind that I wanted to reach but I just didn't know if I was going to meet it but I am so extremely thankful for my friend Missi that helped me reach my goal.  She refused to let me give up but let me start from the beginning.

Yesterday was a busy day for us because we had things going on with the kids that we couldn't leave any earlier than 2.  We usually have our kids stay the night my in laws so that we can be there at the start and just spend some time away.  I don't feel comfortable with the kids going to Nashville because it is a big city. It makes me nervous and I like to be able to run carefree and not have to worry about how the kids are doing.

We got to Nashville and got to the expo to pick up my race packet.  From the beginning I was disappointed there.  Not many things to look at or anything like what I have seen in the past.  They did have this photo thing that you could do so I decided to do a pic with the pink flowered necklace and a blue and green one. 

 

This one was for my daughter.  Her favorite color is pink.

 

 

They didn't have just a green for my son so a blue and green for him.

 

We then checked into our hotel and just hung around the room until time to meet some friends that were running the next morning. We ate at a place called Amerigo.  It is an Italian restaurant and it was pretty good. I had spaghetti to carb load and Brad had a lasagna.  We then had to stop and get some cheesecake and then went back to the hotel to watch a little bit of TV before heading to bed.

 

I think that we finally went to bed around 10 but around 2 this morning I just couldn't sleep.  Took me forever to finally get back asleep. I was quite pleased with the hotel that we stayed.  Even though they were pricey, they did have an amazing complimentary breakfast and since the race didn't start until 8, we had time to eat.  I always do better when I eat eggs before I run.

 

We were then off to the start line.  We had a little bit of issues finding the start line but we had plenty of time.  Got there and did the normal potty before you run. Then we were off. I was excited and the start of the race was going good and the route was absolutely beautiful.  I was quite pleased with it.  At every water stop, they had the option of Gatorade and I learned at the Oak Barrel half last year that I always do better when I drink Gatorade instead of water.

 

I hit my wall after mile 9.  I struggled and honestly I was getting to where I didn't care what my goal was.  I just wanted to finish.  I had to dig down deep to find the strength to keep going.  I got through mile 10 ok until we started coming to some hills.  I didn't want to but I knew that if I didn't walk up those hills that I wasn't going to finish strong.  So Missi and I decided to walk but she wouldn't let me walk slow.  We still had to keep a good pace and we made it.  I didn't think that I had anymore left in me to make it to the finish line in a sprint but I found it.  She looked for me and I was gone.  My friend Mark took a pic of us approaching the finish line.

 

 

She still beat me to the finish line by 5 seconds but that is ok.  My goal for this half was to finish in 2:15 and no later than 2:20. I was unable to do 2:15 at this time.  I did, however, finish in 2:17 with a PR of almost 4 minutes from my best half time.  Here is one that I didn't even think about until my husband made the comment but the last time I was in Nashville was September 2014 for the last Women's Half Marathon that they did.  That race I finished in less than 3 hours so I believe that I have redeemed myself at this half by shaving off almost 45 minutes from that time.

 

 

Here's Missi and I with our medals.  I can't thank her enough for staying with me and not letting me give up.  For helping me with my breathing so that I didn't get too tired. She is absolutely awesome and I can't wait until we can run together at a half again.

 

 

Here is just me.  I used this pic to post to my buddy Henry that I run 4.  I am so incredibly proud of this medal because when my legs and lungs were about done, I ran with my heart.  I loved this race and this course.  I had the best time with friends. 

 

Until next time everyone.









More than just a run

Yesterday I finished the second to last long run.  I ran 9 miles and I do have to say that this is the best  training that I have done for a half marathon.  This is the sixth one that I will be doing and I honestly feel that I have grown quite a bit since the first half marathon that I did back in 2012.

I am no longer pushing to do a faster time or to beat anyone in particular.  The only person that I am competing with is myself.  I get more satisfaction out of achieving a personal best than I would if I beat someone.  I have learned that it is more enjoyable to embrace the run.  The good and bad runs.  Let's face it, not every run is going to be the same.  Do you run a 5K in the same amount of time every time you run one?  Of course not.  That is almost impossible to achieve.

As the training for this half is coming to a close in a couple of weeks, I can't help but find myself to be thankful.  Thankful to God for all that He has done for me.  For bringing me out of a dark place.  For allowing me the ability to still have my family despite everything that we have been through. He has used my running as a way of healing for all the bad things that have been going on in my life in  the last few months.  As I am running, it is so nice to see God's beautiful creation.  The quietness of your surroundings if you will just take the time to look.  He will also talk to you in the quietness if you are willing to listen to see what He has to say to you.

I ignored Him for so long but not anymore.  My runs have allowed me to connect with Him again and heal from all the things in my past. From this long run, I didn't learn that I could run 9 miles.  I learned to trust Him and be thankful for each day that He has given me.

Only 3 1/2 weeks away!!!

There is only 3 1/2 weeks left until my next half marathon.  I am starting to get a little nervous because I have been unable to train like I need to.  I got started and was 2 miles behind in training to begin with and then I got freaked out this past Saturday when I was meeting my running group for a run. I had a man that I have seen at our local rec center approach my vehicle and ask me for a ride.  I was grateful that at the time that I was on the phone with my husband at the time and he was respectful enough that when I told him no that he didn't bother me anymore.

I have watched several cop shows that I know better than to allow a stranger inside my vehicle voluntarily.  Let alone it is just plain common sense.  Nowadays you don't know how people are these days. After that I decided to try and run on the treadmill since it was raining and no one really showed up for the run. Unfortunately, the same man that asked for a ride was upstairs and I couldn't concentrate for anything.  I couldn't even concentrate at home so I just dismissed it as a bad run and went on. 

This is a whole new week and I am anxious to get back to training like I was before. I don't have very many training runs left so I have to make the last few runs count.  Tonight I plan to run with my son and get a jump start on training for his first 5K.  I am beyond excited that this is something that we can do together.  Do any of you run with your family?

Until next time.

Failure vs Success

It's been a while since I last blogged and to be honest, it feels awesome to be able to write y'all again. Over the last 1 1/2 years I have had so much personal things going on that although I hate to admit it, I chose failure over success.

I felt like I was failing at everything I did by the decisions that I had made and it took quite a bit of praying on my part and others that were so kind to pray for me even though I didn't want them to I was able to overcome my newest fear. The fear to succeed.

I had failed for so long that actually succeeding at something scared me to death. I'm currently training for my sixth half marathon and the thought of actually finishing scared me. I know I can run that distance because I have done it five times already. 

This time training is becoming so much more than just running to cross that 13.1 finish line. With each stride that I make, I'm slowly letting go of the guilt that I have been carrying for almost two years for the hurt I have caused others and the  disappointment that I have in myself.

So the next time that you choose failure over success ask yourself one question. What do you have to lose in succeeding?

Day 17 complete

I am happy to say that I have completed 17 days of my run streak.  This week has been an off week and today is the only day that I have ran more than one mile.  It couldn't have come at a better time either.  Have you ever just had one of those days that you knew that a run would have made it so much better?  Where the time didn't make a difference, it was about clearing your head and how you felt after you completed the run.

I started out this morning just getting on the treadmill to run my mile and after running my mile I decided that I was going to run 2, after I reached 2 I decided to run 3 and I am sure that you can see the pattern that is developing here. When I completed four miles, I felt so much better and I could continue my workout with lifting weights.  I do have say running today, even though it felt amazing afterwards, was probably the hardest run that I have ever done. 

I say this because of everything that was going on and really in reality I was probably just trying to "run" from my problems.  There was several times that I almost burst into tears and then there was times that I sprinted because I was mad.  I had so many emotions going on that at times I pretty much forgot that I was running on the treadmill.  Which is very weird coming from me.

I guess that for this post this is all that I have but I just wanted to update all of you on my run streak and sorry about the little extra part but that was part of my run for the day.  Will be running 5 tomorrow in training so I will be blogging soon about that.  Below is my recap from my run so until next time.

Does running relieve stress?

Does running relieve stress for you?  For me, it does.  That is one of the reasons that enjoy doing this run streak.  Due to the temperatures for my area, I have been running on the treadmill.  Normally I wouldn't like doing this but it has been quite beneficial to me.  Let me explain.  Normally when I take the time off toward the end of the year like I did last year, I usually always struggle with trying to get my breathing rhythm back.  Being on the treadmill I am able to do that.  I can keep the pace constant where as outside you are not able to.  So I have noticed a big difference in my breathing when I am able to go outside.  So the last time that I blogged I have completed 3 more runs. 

I just published a post in regards to my run today so there are still 3 more that I would like to share with you.  On Thursday I just felt like going out without having a set number of miles to run so I made my mind up to run at least a mile and anything after that would be fine.  I had a slight lapse in judgement when dressing for the gym that morning and I dressed in shorts. Which normally wouldn't be an issue but I forgot to put on chaffing cream.  How I managed to do this with my issues with chaffing in the past I don't know.  Anyway, I decided that I would run as far as I could.  So you can imagine the disappointment when I realized that I forgot the chaffing cream because I was really wanting to go further than a 5k that day but I still did my miles.  I can't complain there. 

Below is my 5k run.  It wasn't my best but at the time I was just excited to be able to run.  I have learned that it isn't all about the tim but about enjoying doing what you love.

 

Just like on Thursday, I went out on Friday and chose to run at least a mile. Then whatever I did after that I would be happy with.  So I hopped on the treadmill and just ran. Below is the result and I do ha

 

My next run was on Saturday with the Mach Tenn Running Club.  I have learned one thing from doing this run streak.  It has taken a lot out of me and I need more rest.  That is what I failed to do for my run Saturday and my performance suffered.  I just couldn't get my rhythm going and then I had knee issues for whatever reason but still even after all that.  I had a good run.  I am improving everytime I get out to run and on my long runs, I am still doing better than what I was doing when I was running my half marathons last year.  So far this year has been wonderful with my running and can't wait to see what else it has in store for me.

Nothing like spending time with family

Sometimes the best days are those that are unplanned.  I originally wanted to run 3 miles this morning before church but was unable to find someone to run with.  Since it would be before Sunday School, I would have to run at 6 and it is still dark at that time.  So I decided to run after church and make it a family event.  My son is currently training to participate in the Country Music Marathon in April.  He will run 25 miles leading up to the date of the race and then run the remaining 1.2 miles in Nashville and finish on the Titans football field, I believe.  He is beyond excited and has come a long way.

We ran together for the first time last week. I have been trying to work with him on pace so that he is not wearing himself out too quickly so the first time that he ran his mile was 12:58 which is awesome for a six year old and he did it without stopping so that was amazing to me.  Today we did have a few bumps in the road and had to stop but his mile this time was 11:03 which is almost a 2 minute difference in time.  He is doing amazing and I know that he will just continue to improve on his time.

My daughter also ran with us for the most part.  She is 3 years old and will turn 4 in March.  She isn't quite ready to be running like that but she is still doing awesome.  She ran probably about 3/10 of a mile before she was wondering where her Daddy was.  He doesn't run so we had to stop like this several times but we got it done.  They both did awesome.

I will definitely be keeping you up to date on how my son is doing in training and when he goes to complete his marathon.  I am also considering registering him to do a 5K in March.  I will be training for a half marathon and doing my run streak so it will be a great time to spend with him.

Below is our run.  Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and sharing in my journey.  So until next time.

Holy cow did I just do that?!?!?!

As I have stated in previous blog posts, I have started a challenge with myself for overall health and sanity reasons to run at least one mile a day for the year. After that we will just see where it goes from there.  Anyway, it is Jan 9 and I have not missed a run yet. Grant it, due to the cold weather where I live, I have done most of my runs inside.

The benefits of running inside for me are that I can get my breathing under control and keep track of my speedwork when I get ready to start. Normally this time of year I haven't even started back running. This is another reason I registered for the Oak Barrel half in April. I wanted to stay motivated throughout the year and I knew I would be doing at least one in the fall. Also, this one is a little closer to where I live and there would be no reason to stay in an overly expensive/cheap hotel. What I mean by this is the hotel I stayed at for the Women's half didn't even have a fridge or microwave and I paid over $200 to stay there. Talk about ridiculous.  So I am really looking forward to this one.

The hopes of making this resolution was to run at least a mile everyday was to keep me motivated in those months that I am not training for a half or any other race. I have, however, notice a big difference in my monthly mileage for this month versus other months where I just ran 3-4 times a week. I am sitting at my monthly mileage being a little over 24 miles!!! I am beyond excited but mostly shocked. Mainly because I started having knee problems when I was training for my first half marathon in 2012 and then last year I developed plantar fasciitis. Both of which were very painful and limited how often I could run plus the number of mileage I could run.

So to be able to run 24 miles in 9 days is a big deal to me. I plan to go for the full year and who knows maybe I will go further than that. I just had to share with yall how my progress is going with the run streak. Grant it my pace isn't the best but I have fun running and I am faster than what I use to be so there is no reason not to be happy.

Below is a screenshot of my monthly totals. Thanks for taking the time to see how my progress is going. How are your fitness goals going? So until next time.

5 miles done on day 5 of running streak

Today marks day 5 of my running streak.  I initially was only going to run a mile but a friend of mine texted me asked if I wanted to run this morning.  Of course I jumped at the opportunity to do so.  We are both the same and refuse to run in the dark by ourselves.  I for one think that I watch too many criminally based shows and that is why I can't do it.  I don't run with music so while running my mind has a tendency to play tricks on me.  I would be checking behind me for someone, thinking that I hear something when I don't or be suspicious of a random car that is just merely driving down the road.  So for my sanity and safety I choose not to run in the dark.

Anyway I am getting sidetracked as usually.  She asked if I wanted to run between 5 to 6 miles before church this morning.  So we agreed on a time to meet.  I, however, didn't get the proper amount of sleep so it was a little rough.  I had to walk 3 or 4 times and felt bad because my friend asked me to run.  Since I have started doing the running streak I haven't run that high amount (high to me right now anyway) back to back so I was quite pleased with my time.  It was only about 8 seconds difference per mile than my run yesterday and that really isn't bad at all. 

The only thing about this run that I have to share that was kinda frustrating was the wind.  It was blowing in gusts at times and was hard to run against.  We made it through though.  Now for tomorrow's run I am not sure if I will be moving it inside or running outside for just a mile because of the weather that we are suppose to get.  Mainly for the reason of not having any winter running gear and the wind chill is going to make the weather seem as though it is -9.  Not really much better than the actual high for tomorrow of 7.  7 degrees!!! That is absolutely crazy.  I will be running tomorrow one way or another and starting back on my weight lifting plan. 

So as I said in my previous post below is the screenshot of my run this morning.  Thanks for allowing me to share my running experiences through all of you.  I have another blog post coming either tonight or tomorrow that I hope that you will check out.  So until next time.

Training mode has officially commenced!! :)

As crazy as this may sound to some, I can not begin to describe how excited I am that I can officially say that I am training for my next half marathon.  The enjoyment that I get each time that I complete a run is beyond my ability to express into words.  My next half marathon is going to be the Oak Barrel Half on April 5.  This will be the first race that I have completed in the winter/early spring so I am not sure what to expect.  All 3 of my last half marathons have been in the fall.  In months where the weather is either hot or seems like it is too cold since you have been training in the heat anyway.

So with that being said, yesterday was my first official half marathon training run of 4 miles.  The run was great.  It was cold and for the first time ever, I have had to layer up to run.  Although I have run in colder weather, I do have to say that this particular run seemed colder than the 10K dam run that I did back in October.  I feel that this is because of the wind blowing so the wind chill made it seem colder. 

The training this time around seems to be different and more enjoyable.  Just for the simple fact that I have people to train with and get to know through the Mach Tenn Running Club.  I joined this group about half way through my training last year for the Women's Half and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I was pretty bummed that the training was over.  So needless to say, I was beyond thrilled that they would be doing group runs again.  What makes this race awesome is the fact that they are putting on the Oak Barrel Half Marathon.  I am excited/honored to be able to run a race that the club is putting on. 

I am also not that worried about my time as much as I was last year.  I feel that last year I was so wrapped up in doing a run in a certain amount of time that I lost the love of running that I had.  Then I finally was just like you know what it doesn't really matter.  God has given me this ability to run and I should just be thankful for that. I know that I said that several times last year but I feel that for once that I truly mean it this time.  Besides I am trying to do a running streak this year and if I get to wrapped up in my time then I am going to get burned out and not even want to run.

So here is to a successful, fun filled half marathon training and to my running streak.  I have also decided to share a snap shot of each run that I have completed and a description of how the run went.  Some of the posts will be short and some will be long.  In the end all that matters is that I completed another day when others have never had a chance to do one.  So until next time.