I've been sitting around most of the day reading & restless...
Being that it was just over 7 yrs ago that I had my right baby toe flattened, I really didn't remember too much about the recovery time other than I wore the boot about a week & was running in just a few weeks. The numbness decided to wear off last night. Little bit of ouchiness to it but not enough to take anything. Since, I'm thinking yoga will only irritate it when I am in balancing poses, I decided not to try it. Especially since we'll be heading downtown tomorrow, Dec 30th for the Music City Bowl after all. (some big time walking) I snagged 2 tickets under face value in sec 139 near the tunnel. I hope we're near the "Pride of the Southland" band. (Turns out we may have a little "relay" reunion in parking lot N with Kim, Michael, Michele, Ronnie, Pam, & Marc.) :-)
I'm over half way through GW's book, we saw "Black Swan" yesterday, & I'm hoping the fitness wave dude finally calls us back to come in.....remember how I won 2 certficates at a benefit last December for $30 but worth $200!? I won two & we've not used them yet! So, sitting & waiting is driving me a bit nuts.
As for my opinion on "Black Swan"....it was good but I left there needing a good laugh. Gesh, incredibly disturbing. I was drawn to it over the hype I had heard, plus the fact that Portman is pregnant & engaged to her costar in it. Little bit over the top for us but I do see what the buzz was about. Truthfully, it was NO "Blind Side" but movies like that just don't get made every year. So, now I can't wait to see the "Little Fockers" just so I can laugh. That looks really funny! Can't go wrong with Ben Stiller most of the time. "The Dilemma" with Vince Vaughn looks funny, too. So, heck...we may head to the movies tonight again. Who knows... wrapping up the toe/foot & moving along....
I
Goal: Get Faster!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
ok, so we're going...
Just did my bills for the end of the month & then got on stubhub.
We're going to the Music City Bowl after all. GO VOLS!!!!
We're going to the Music City Bowl after all. GO VOLS!!!!
Closing down a frustrating December
First of all, the social security system is jacked up. A perfectly good copy of my marriage certificate wasn't good enough to get my name changed on the damn card. The original was in Nashville, I'm in Tullahoma today, hoping to get shit done. NOT going to happen. At this point my name can remain Smith forever for all I care. I'm not getting anything changed until the social security card can be changed. Why bother...
I did however get my left baby toe flattened yesterday by Dr. Bell & was in & out in less than hour with a boot on my foot & the toe wrapped up. At least somebody is efficient this week. ha! Absolutely no pain right now. The worst of it was the shots to numb to the toe. Ouch! Next Monday, the stitches come out & I'll probably be running in another 2-3 weeks. Sweet! We have errands in Nashville later today but we hope to come back here for New Years.
I went to John's (Patti's super cool boyfriend) Lifetime Fitness gym Dec 23rd for 2 hours in Rochester. GREAT gym! If I could move a bed in there, I could live there. A cafe, hot tubs, indoor/outdoor pools, LARGE cardio/weight areas, exercise rooms, tennis, basketball, you name it.... If Nashville had one, I'd join in a New York minute. I jogged/walked 2.6 miles for 30 mins on a treadmill, 10 mins on stair machine, 20 mins elliptical, some weight machines, & time in the hot tub & sauna. Felt great & relaxing!
Dec 24th, Patti, John, & I attempted to run outside. That lasted just about a mile. Too many icy spots. I just couldn't take the risk of falling & going to the ER.
Dec 27th, ran 5 super slow miles in the village with Joe. My body was tired from lack of sleep, lack of proper hydration, being in the car for 9+ hours on the 26th, & just overall low energy level. Let's just say that it was a 9:59 pace with about 4 short walk breaks in there. (at least we kept it under 10!)
Today, provided the wrapped toe/foot will allow me, I'm attempting some yoga. I need it for sanity.
Christmas in Michigan was good...(All pics on facebook, don't care to load any here on the unhidden blog anymore) :-P Got the gifts I asked for & more. (cash is always a good thing too!) Crissy made a GREAT wedding pic frame, Joe's mom made up a wedding album from Vegas for us. I got two prs of CEP compression socks, & G.W.'s new book. LOVE IT! I find myself laughing out loud. I've always liked his sense of humor & it's all over this book. Whether you hate him or love him, it's a VERY interesting read. I cried through the chapter on 9/11 (like I thought I would) but by the next chapter I was chuckling again. Call me a geek, but I love the fact that he's a runner. One of the comments that made me laugh out loud was something about him running past the church his parents were walking out of during the Houston marathon. His dad, ever the calm, quiet, dude, said something like, "Good job, son." Barbara, however, screamed at the top of her lungs, "George, get going, there are a lot of fat people ahead of you!" She's a damn hoot! I dived right into this book on the way home so Meb's book will have to wait till I finish this one.
We thought about going to the Music City bowl but most likely won't...no real big plans for New Years at this point & that's ok. I'm tired of running all over the place. It's time for some down time. I'm truly GLAD the holidays are over. (There is something to be said about staying home in your own bed during the holidays that's for sure.)
As for 2010, it's a been a pickle to say the least. I'm praying 2011 will bring us some loose strings attached, good health, etc...
As for training for anything, if you have been reading this blog, you know Joe & I are automatically in the NYC marathon for 2011. If that's the ONLY race I do next year then I'll be a happy woman, seriously. If I do any local races they'll be ones I've never done before. I totally enjoyed the "Run chicken run" in the boro this year. It was my first "come back" race. I exceeded my expectations for it that's for sure. That may be the only race I duplicate this year, who knows...
Joe's training for his first CMM Full. (His parents got him a garmin, thank goodness) I tweaked a very conservative plan for him since it's his first. I DO NOT WANT HIM INJURED BEFORE WE TRAIN FOR NYC. Who knows how his schedule will be while training but if it doesn't go well, he can always downgrade to the half. John & Patti plan to make a QUICK visit for the half, also.
Here's to some happy running in 2011. Cheers!!!
I did however get my left baby toe flattened yesterday by Dr. Bell & was in & out in less than hour with a boot on my foot & the toe wrapped up. At least somebody is efficient this week. ha! Absolutely no pain right now. The worst of it was the shots to numb to the toe. Ouch! Next Monday, the stitches come out & I'll probably be running in another 2-3 weeks. Sweet! We have errands in Nashville later today but we hope to come back here for New Years.
I went to John's (Patti's super cool boyfriend) Lifetime Fitness gym Dec 23rd for 2 hours in Rochester. GREAT gym! If I could move a bed in there, I could live there. A cafe, hot tubs, indoor/outdoor pools, LARGE cardio/weight areas, exercise rooms, tennis, basketball, you name it.... If Nashville had one, I'd join in a New York minute. I jogged/walked 2.6 miles for 30 mins on a treadmill, 10 mins on stair machine, 20 mins elliptical, some weight machines, & time in the hot tub & sauna. Felt great & relaxing!
Dec 24th, Patti, John, & I attempted to run outside. That lasted just about a mile. Too many icy spots. I just couldn't take the risk of falling & going to the ER.
Dec 27th, ran 5 super slow miles in the village with Joe. My body was tired from lack of sleep, lack of proper hydration, being in the car for 9+ hours on the 26th, & just overall low energy level. Let's just say that it was a 9:59 pace with about 4 short walk breaks in there. (at least we kept it under 10!)
Today, provided the wrapped toe/foot will allow me, I'm attempting some yoga. I need it for sanity.
Christmas in Michigan was good...(All pics on facebook, don't care to load any here on the unhidden blog anymore) :-P Got the gifts I asked for & more. (cash is always a good thing too!) Crissy made a GREAT wedding pic frame, Joe's mom made up a wedding album from Vegas for us. I got two prs of CEP compression socks, & G.W.'s new book. LOVE IT! I find myself laughing out loud. I've always liked his sense of humor & it's all over this book. Whether you hate him or love him, it's a VERY interesting read. I cried through the chapter on 9/11 (like I thought I would) but by the next chapter I was chuckling again. Call me a geek, but I love the fact that he's a runner. One of the comments that made me laugh out loud was something about him running past the church his parents were walking out of during the Houston marathon. His dad, ever the calm, quiet, dude, said something like, "Good job, son." Barbara, however, screamed at the top of her lungs, "George, get going, there are a lot of fat people ahead of you!" She's a damn hoot! I dived right into this book on the way home so Meb's book will have to wait till I finish this one.
We thought about going to the Music City bowl but most likely won't...no real big plans for New Years at this point & that's ok. I'm tired of running all over the place. It's time for some down time. I'm truly GLAD the holidays are over. (There is something to be said about staying home in your own bed during the holidays that's for sure.)
As for 2010, it's a been a pickle to say the least. I'm praying 2011 will bring us some loose strings attached, good health, etc...
As for training for anything, if you have been reading this blog, you know Joe & I are automatically in the NYC marathon for 2011. If that's the ONLY race I do next year then I'll be a happy woman, seriously. If I do any local races they'll be ones I've never done before. I totally enjoyed the "Run chicken run" in the boro this year. It was my first "come back" race. I exceeded my expectations for it that's for sure. That may be the only race I duplicate this year, who knows...
Joe's training for his first CMM Full. (His parents got him a garmin, thank goodness) I tweaked a very conservative plan for him since it's his first. I DO NOT WANT HIM INJURED BEFORE WE TRAIN FOR NYC. Who knows how his schedule will be while training but if it doesn't go well, he can always downgrade to the half. John & Patti plan to make a QUICK visit for the half, also.
Here's to some happy running in 2011. Cheers!!!
Sunday, December 19, 2010
29 - 32 degree weather running is where it's at...
Saturday:
7.57 miles 9:11 pace with some hills...yep, I'm slower lately but I've been BUSY. (Gave me a little less guilt for eating today at least.) 29 degrees during this run & I managed a good sweat.
Sunday:
5.25 miles 9:39 pace (tried to keep it easy), mostly flat with a dog following us for 4 miles of it. He had NO ID on him but did have an electric fence collar. Gesh, you spend $$ on an electric fence but don't get the $2 ID for your dog. Doesn't make sense. He smiled & ran with us while we screamed at him to get out of the road all the way out of Macon down & around Tara & to East. I loaded the goof ball in my car & took him back to Macon Manor. I sure hope he lived somewhere over there. Sweet dog! Blonde lab & full of energy. 32-33 degrees on this run & the sun was out.
I did manage 30+ minutes of yoga today & I sure needed it. The next 3 days I won't get a workout in due to early to work, an appointment on Tuesday, & 9 hours in the car on Wednesday. I hope to hit up Patti's gym on Thursday & maybe get out to run on Friday. Back from Michigan later in the day next Sunday.
7.57 miles 9:11 pace with some hills...yep, I'm slower lately but I've been BUSY. (Gave me a little less guilt for eating today at least.) 29 degrees during this run & I managed a good sweat.
Sunday:
5.25 miles 9:39 pace (tried to keep it easy), mostly flat with a dog following us for 4 miles of it. He had NO ID on him but did have an electric fence collar. Gesh, you spend $$ on an electric fence but don't get the $2 ID for your dog. Doesn't make sense. He smiled & ran with us while we screamed at him to get out of the road all the way out of Macon down & around Tara & to East. I loaded the goof ball in my car & took him back to Macon Manor. I sure hope he lived somewhere over there. Sweet dog! Blonde lab & full of energy. 32-33 degrees on this run & the sun was out.
I did manage 30+ minutes of yoga today & I sure needed it. The next 3 days I won't get a workout in due to early to work, an appointment on Tuesday, & 9 hours in the car on Wednesday. I hope to hit up Patti's gym on Thursday & maybe get out to run on Friday. Back from Michigan later in the day next Sunday.
Friday, December 17, 2010
I’m dreaming of a smooth haired fox terrier (mixed even)…..
As if my life isn’t busy & complicated enough, I’m thinking that I want a puppy, maybe…I’ve already said that 2011 will be a year of serious changes & why not add another family member to the mix? So, who knows…We’re thinking about it. After all it is an added expense, you get attached, they chew, they need house training, attention, etc…But I can’t help thinking how much I’ve missed my dog! This breed is super smart, so loyal, & loving. Nothing gets past them either. My foxxie alerted me to a peeping tom once while I was on the phone back when I lived in Texas. She was awesome. I agree with my friend, Elaine, on this statement. “I love & trust animals so much more than humans. Unconditional love with no strings attached.” So, we’ll see…this may be a January thing that I have on my agenda. I REALLY want a smooth haired fox terrier. When I see my aunt’s new dog soon, I know I’ll REALLY want to explore this idea even more. (my very first email was foxxydidit@ficom.net …ex husband didn’t realize I spelled her name, foxxie.)
If I said things had calmed down a bit this week, I’d be lying. Ha!
It’s been interesting…weather SUCKED! When I have to be out on the roads, I absolutely HATE this type of weather. Snow, ice, sleet mix, you name it. Then low & behold I wake up Thursday morning to 45-50 degree weather. I should have got my butt out to run but that temp didn't last long.
Sunday:
30 min Jillian Michael’s yoga & her 30 min ab dvd.
Good Lord, on Monday, I felt like someone had kicked me in my sides.
Monday:
I did about 30 minutes of yoga
Did Jillian’s harder version of abs, which is also 30 mins long. Gesh!
Tuesday:
Nothing in the morning due to early morning at work.
Headed to Nashville after work for an early Wed morning appt.
A no "work out" kinda day.
Wednesday:
Nothing in the morning due to early morning at work.
1 hr spinerval dvd after work
Thursday:
Nothing in the morning due to early morning at work.
30 mins of weight machines , some ab work, & 3 miles on deadmill at gym. (10:00 pace which felt awful on the dang thing. Hate treadmills!)
Friday:
Nothing, early morning at work, errands after work…Tired.
Saturday:
Hoping for at least a 5-6 mile run before making some awesome sausage stars for Trisha & Clint’s (cousin in the 'boro) mid-afternoon Christmas party.
The countdown to Christmas-New Years vacation begins…
Next Wed, we’ll be heading to Michigan. I hope the week after Christmas brings me some “sleep in” mornings & don’t think that baby toe surgery is going to keep me from getting in some exercise. It won’t!
I will, however, wind down on the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum series of books before Jan 1st. I’ll be done with book 15 (next to the last book) by this weekend. They’ve been a great escape during my lunch hours. I’ll most likely read the Meb Keflezighi book after Janet’s book 16.
If I said things had calmed down a bit this week, I’d be lying. Ha!
It’s been interesting…weather SUCKED! When I have to be out on the roads, I absolutely HATE this type of weather. Snow, ice, sleet mix, you name it. Then low & behold I wake up Thursday morning to 45-50 degree weather. I should have got my butt out to run but that temp didn't last long.
Sunday:
30 min Jillian Michael’s yoga & her 30 min ab dvd.
Good Lord, on Monday, I felt like someone had kicked me in my sides.
Monday:
I did about 30 minutes of yoga
Did Jillian’s harder version of abs, which is also 30 mins long. Gesh!
Tuesday:
Nothing in the morning due to early morning at work.
Headed to Nashville after work for an early Wed morning appt.
A no "work out" kinda day.
Wednesday:
Nothing in the morning due to early morning at work.
1 hr spinerval dvd after work
Thursday:
Nothing in the morning due to early morning at work.
30 mins of weight machines , some ab work, & 3 miles on deadmill at gym. (10:00 pace which felt awful on the dang thing. Hate treadmills!)
Friday:
Nothing, early morning at work, errands after work…Tired.
Saturday:
Hoping for at least a 5-6 mile run before making some awesome sausage stars for Trisha & Clint’s (cousin in the 'boro) mid-afternoon Christmas party.
The countdown to Christmas-New Years vacation begins…
Next Wed, we’ll be heading to Michigan. I hope the week after Christmas brings me some “sleep in” mornings & don’t think that baby toe surgery is going to keep me from getting in some exercise. It won’t!
I will, however, wind down on the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum series of books before Jan 1st. I’ll be done with book 15 (next to the last book) by this weekend. They’ve been a great escape during my lunch hours. I’ll most likely read the Meb Keflezighi book after Janet’s book 16.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
4 days of no exercise makes me cranky!
I finally had time & energy for a run this morning. 7.3 miles at a 9:25 pace with some hills. My achilles is telling me I did plenty of hills so I know that to be true. :-P I feel decent, no pain anywhere...
The next few days will be filled with yoga, spinervals, & kettle ball. I probably won't have time to get out for a run until Thur or Fri. Tis the season.....
The next few days will be filled with yoga, spinervals, & kettle ball. I probably won't have time to get out for a run until Thur or Fri. Tis the season.....
Friday, December 10, 2010
Catchin' up...
I went to Dr. Bell about flattening my left baby toe.
He said, “It’s been 7 yrs since I flattened your other toe?! Seems like yesterday.” Ha! He started quoting Dr. George Sheehan & talking about when he used to run trail races. He is by far the ONLY doctor in this area that understands patients who run. Just love him to pieces! So, on Dec 27th at 3:00pm he’s going to do a little surgery on the left baby toe so it doesn’t keep rolling up under my foot. Yippee! He also showed me an exercise that should help strengthen my knees/quads. (Happy Birthday to me!)
Vegas-Fremont experience!
We left early Friday morning for Vegas & were there by “vegas” lunch time. Joe’s parents picked us up at the airport & while getting bags, I ran into Hannah on her way to get her bags. She flew from Nashville, Alexa (Jeff’s daughter) flew from Chicago, & Jeff flew out of Detroit that morning. Joe’s parents got in on Thursday out of Detroit & Jake & Crissy got in late Friday night out of Detroit.
I liked Vegas but I won’t be beating a path back to it any time soon.
Don’t get me wrong, it was everything I thought it would be but the next trip in the distant future will be centered around the Grand Canyon with maybe one day on the strip. I thought the hotels were fabulous. Caesars seemed to be the biggest from my perspective. Loved New York, New York & the Paris area! We saw the Lions at MGM, walked across the replica of the Brooklyn Bridge, went into the replica of the Eiffel tower, saw the flamingos in the Flamingo, & saw Donnie Osmond’s “Dancing with the Stars” outfit & trophy from when he was on the show. Cool!
We did the Fremont experience with Joe’s parents on Friday night. Neat but I don’t care to go back there. Joe’s parents took us to get our license which took all of 5 minutes it seemed & we did the packet pick up of all our Santa stuff for the Great Santa race.
The Expo!
We did the Expo Friday afternoon also at the Venetian & the high light of the Expo was meeting Meb Keflezighi!!!! I was so excited I was nearly jumping up & down. I told him how Joe & I stood near the finish line of New York’s marathon in ’09 & cheered for him. I’ll never forget him pointing at USA on his chest as he passed us. He was so sweet. I took a blurry photo of his 2004 Athens silver medal along with his NYC marathon which were on a table next to him.
The Great Santa race Saturday morning was fun!
Hannah, Jeff, Alexa, Joe, & I all rode together to the Old Town Square, which is right outside of town (short drive from the strip). It was an experience to remember being with roughly 12,000+ people in Santa suits all running (or walking). LOL! We broke the world record that day so I wonder how long it will stand… Since they didn’t do timing chips, we stopped running at about the 1.5 mile & decided to walk. Joe & I knew we’d be walking around the rest of the day & there was the “wedding” race in the morning. (Plus it was warm! Low - mid 60’s the whole time we were in Vegas!) The Santa run was totally enjoyable & I would do it again if in Vegas at that time of the year again. We hit up the Gold & Silver Pawn shop afterwards. I already knew jewelry wasn’t selling well & for a brief second they did consider my ring but decided to pass on it. The only interesting things (to me) in there were the Super Bowl rings. Very neat but sad at the same time…how someone can win something so coveted as a Super Bowl ring & it end up in a pawn shop is just SAD! Much like I suspected, the pawn stars were not in their shop. Oh well, no big deal. They had all sorts of things you could buy related to their show. I didn’t buy a thing. Las Vegas ½ marathon
Saturday afternoon, we had to make a 3:00pm meeting at Mandalay bay with all the other couples who were renewing or getting married. (59 couples). Finding that meeting was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. We ran through the hotel trying to find it with 2-3 other couples. Crazy! Sarah Reinertsen was there with her husband. She renewed her vows. It was weird seeing her since I had read about her in Runner’s world like 5-6 yrs ago!
The wedding coordinator, Marti, had some volunteers who didn’t pan out so she asked us if any of our family/friends could help out in front of the Venetian in the morning. Joe called Jake & Crissy (his brother & sis-in-law). Jake being VERY tall stood at the course holding up a sign & directed wedding runners into the ceremony area & Crissy handed out roses to the brides. LOL!
The morning of the race we took the monorail down from our hotel. We stayed in the very nice & quiet Springhill suites across from the Hilton. We bought 3 day passes on the monorail & we got our money’s worth out of them. ($28 each but well worth it to zip up & down the strip.) Now actually going into places to find the monorail was a chore. You had to walk through the smoky casinos which all looked alike to find them but we found short cuts after a day of that. We had to be at Mandalay bay at 5:45am for basically a head count & photos. The running Elvi were there for photos. LOL!There was a guy in a Sponge bob Elvis costume that weighed 23 lbs. He was a hoot! He did the half since he had done a full the weekend before!
We took off a little late behind our corral due to Joe’s bathroom stop but caught up pretty quickly to most of the wedding runners. According to my garmin we did 2.27 miles in roughly 19 mins. I forgot to stop it when we saw Jake holding his sign. So, I really have no idea how long we were in the run thru wedding area. I thought maybe 20-25 mins but Jake seems to think it was closer to 30 mins. (which means we probably had a 2:05-2:10 half marathon in us that day, maybe) I know one thing, I got hungry as hell by mile 7. All they had on the course was gu so I took one & washed it down with water. I took several walk breaks after mile 7. (You would’ve thought I would have planned for this since I’ve only run 8 marathons & about 10-12 half marathons! Ugh!) The final 10.83 miles were at a 10:14 pace so that’s not too bad considering how many times we stopped for pics & I walked. Overall finish time was 2:40 and some change. By far my slowest half but pretty dang fun! (FYI, I didn't drink any alcohol at all & we played the slots for maybe an hour the whole time we were there! LOL! We truly aren't Vegas types!!)
We ended up getting a ride from Jake & Crissy at the finish line back to the hotel. After a few hours of rest, we went back out to walk the strip & explore. By Sunday evening my feet were toast. Thank God for compression socks because I wore them Sunday & Monday. My calves felt great. The area on my left leg that I was nervous about didn’t give me one single problem at all during the race or afterwards. The IT Band area on the outside of the knee started killing me the last 2-3 miles of the race but stopped hurting by the time I showered, took ibuprophen, & rested. I had to cancel my Dr. H. appoint for the 13th due to other more important appointments I have lined up. December is turning into an interesting month. Ugh!
On Sunday evening, we all went back to the Old Town Square to eat at Brio. (A fabulous restaurant.) Loved the food! Monday morning, Joe & I booked a trip in a hummer to go to the Hoover dam & the new bridge. It was just us two & the guide. Awesome!
Like I said above, great race, nice expo, awesome seeing the hotels but Vegas is now off my list. Neither one of us had ever had the opportunity to go there & it just wasn’t high on my list of places to visit but now it’s done. Somewhere down the road we’ll head back for the Grand Canyon I’m sure. You can’t live here in the US & not see certain sights at least once in your life in my opinion. The Grand Canyon, Lady Liberty, Ellis Island, etc…Love history & love this country. It’s only Dec 10th & it’s been stressful, tiring, fun, & interesting so far. I’ve got A LOT going on & it’s going to be a race to the finish line for Christmas in Michigan. I think by New Years I’ll just go into hiding & not leave the house.
More pics in no particular order since I don't have time to make this post organized & pretty. Happy Holidays & God Bless!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
December-always crazy...
The more research I do the more I’m thinking that I strained a tendon and/or jacked up my left knee a wee bit. It could very well be runner's knee that I have right now. This doesn’t feel too much like the stress fracture because it took me about 6 months to even realize I had a stress fracture. (the fracture never hurt!) This actually has some discomfort to it. I’m going to see Dr. H. on Dec 13th. I’ll be ok during the 1/2 marathon Dec 5th even if I have to walk/jog it. I’ve trained too well not to be ok. I’ve had some really decent runs & up until last week, had no real issues. I’ve NOT over-trained that’s for sure but something is causing some little issue. So, no running at all this week & I’ve told myself to walk/jog the fun run 1 miler with Hannah, Jeff, & Alexa Saturday morning (Great Santa Race). There’s no law I have to run that 5k, especially in a Santa suit. LOL! As for the Vegas ½, with that pit stop to get married at mile 3 we knew we weren’t going to be racing anyway. So, if I have to walk, I’ll obviously walk, no big deal…get to the finish, get the medal, & go have fun. We’ve got some really cool things to do on our agenda & it isn’t all about gambling & drinking either. I could care less about free alcohol & losing $. I’m cheap & I’ve never been that big on alcohol. Heck, I’d rather save the calories for a good meal. :-)
Sun: 1 hr spinerval dvd
Mon: 30 mins with Jillian Michael’s yoga & 30 mins light spinning in front of the news
Tues: weight machines & ab work at the gym
Wed: 30 mins of good ole Jillian Michael’s yoga & 30 mins Jillian Michael's ab workout (it was not easy!)
(Love the yoga so much that I ordered her Abs DVD!)
Thurs: no time for anything
Fri: We fly!
As for the rest of the month, my head is spinning. I've spent a lot of time thinking about how to get everything done. I’ve had some unexpected “appointments” that I pray turn into something GOOD! Who knows...
Go USA! Hoping they say Nashville will be a future venue today for the World Cup.
Sun: 1 hr spinerval dvd
Mon: 30 mins with Jillian Michael’s yoga & 30 mins light spinning in front of the news
Tues: weight machines & ab work at the gym
Wed: 30 mins of good ole Jillian Michael’s yoga & 30 mins Jillian Michael's ab workout (it was not easy!)
(Love the yoga so much that I ordered her Abs DVD!)
Thurs: no time for anything
Fri: We fly!
As for the rest of the month, my head is spinning. I've spent a lot of time thinking about how to get everything done. I’ve had some unexpected “appointments” that I pray turn into something GOOD! Who knows...
Go USA! Hoping they say Nashville will be a future venue today for the World Cup.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
post Thanksgiving....
The Bolt results confused me a bit but I think I'll go with my garmin results...eh, it's just a five mile race...And it really amped up a low lying pain in my left UPPER shin right under my left knee. (NOT the formerly cracked right one) Since I started back running in what? May? The left side of my body hasn't wanted to cooperate. I may have been overly cautious about the right shin early on? Who knows? All I know is that after Dec 5th, there won't be anymore running for me for a while. I'll be back in the saddle on my trainer doing spinervals & TONS of yoga. The left baby toe is getting flattened Dec 27th & that will mean no running for 2-3 weeks anyway. I'm going to see if Dr. Bell will X-ray the left knee/shin area but if he can't, I'll be calling Dr. H or Dr. J to get it X rayed. We get back from Vegas early on the 7th so maybe someone can squeeze me in...ugh! I hate to be forced to stop for a while but I guess it's time to regroup. (NYC marathon training is still far off, thank God!)
And what about that Cortland Finnegan on Thurs coming at The Bolt to support a child who normally runs but is battling cancer? You don't hear that kind of thing on the news, just the stupid stuff. Just love "Scrappy". :-)
I have a handful of gifts to buy/send so I'm almost done with the buying. We avoided Black Friday morning like the plague but did hit up the 'boro in the afternoon.
Friday (yesterday): Did 1 hr worth of yoga & it felt good!!
Today: Nothing....we're taking the kids to a movie & heading to the 'homa for a work Christmas party
Tomorrow: spinervals & yoga
Not sure what I'll do beyond that next week...but I do know I need to check the Vegas weather & decide what to pack. Can't wait to get there & many, many thanks to those who're coming, have given us gifts, & have wished us well. It's going to be a fun time & 2011 will be the year for major changes. (I know we've had a lot of irons in the fire lately!!)
Happy post Thankgiving-Black Friday
And what about that Cortland Finnegan on Thurs coming at The Bolt to support a child who normally runs but is battling cancer? You don't hear that kind of thing on the news, just the stupid stuff. Just love "Scrappy". :-)
I have a handful of gifts to buy/send so I'm almost done with the buying. We avoided Black Friday morning like the plague but did hit up the 'boro in the afternoon.
Friday (yesterday): Did 1 hr worth of yoga & it felt good!!
Today: Nothing....we're taking the kids to a movie & heading to the 'homa for a work Christmas party
Tomorrow: spinervals & yoga
Not sure what I'll do beyond that next week...but I do know I need to check the Vegas weather & decide what to pack. Can't wait to get there & many, many thanks to those who're coming, have given us gifts, & have wished us well. It's going to be a fun time & 2011 will be the year for major changes. (I know we've had a lot of irons in the fire lately!!)
Happy post Thankgiving-Black Friday
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Bolt 5 miler, Turkey, Football.... Happy Thanksgiving!!
Last Sunday:
Nothing since we went to the UT-Vandy game Saturday night & also the Titans-Redskins game Sunday. Drama, Drama…men are just as bad as women with drama & Sports teams are no different from “The Real Housewives of ????” Seriously!
Monday:
After work I had planned to run 6 miles but it turned into 4.7ish since my garmin died & my calves were sore anyway from Saturday’s run/fall in the yard. I drove it after I finished & it appears that I had roughly 4.7 miles at an 8:56 pace with some walk breaks. Ouch!
Tuesday:
30 mins with Jillan’s yoga & my 5 lb free weights in the morning.
Weight machines, ab work, & 1.3 miles on the treadmill at the gym after work to make up for cutting Monday’s run short. (slow 10:26 pace)
Wednesday:
Just couldn’t get out of the bed for yoga (stayed up for the DWTS finale. Ha!)
Predators game in the evening. They lost in overtime. :-(
Thursday:
For the 1st time ever, I’m in town for “The Boulevard Bolt 5 miler”.
Whoo Hoo! Didn't expecting much! Biggest turn out ever for this race. 8,700 runners!
My garmin had me running 5.11 miles at 44:07 8:38 pace
It wasn't as flat as I'd liked but ok. Dodged a lot of runners.
Hot, humid, crowded but I survived....65 degrees on Thanksgiving morning.
Now that's just nuts considering it's going to be a high of low 40's tomorrow.
I mostly ran with a couple of 12ish yr old boys the whole way. I think I did drop them the last mile or so.
Took two walk breaks, which included getting off the course to let an ambulance pass.
A guy face planted on the road & possibly broke his nose. OUCH!
Friday:
Will do yoga in the morning before we get the kids.
Probably put up Christmas décor, some shopping, & a visit with the Heusers…
Saturday:
Will have kids & will finish décor & head to work Christmas party later in evening.
Sunday:
Due to the fact that my left baby toe curls under a bit, I'm getting it flattened Dec 27th by Dr. Bell.
I had the right baby toe flattened in the fall of '03. Doc said the left would eventually bother me, well, here we are over 7 yrs later & it's bothering me a bit. Better to get it done now because it will mean 2-3 weeks of no running. I'm ok with that since my left shin (not the previously cracked right) has been bothering me a little the last week or so. I'll be due for some spinervals inside on the trainer anyway. So, Sunday will involve me on the trainer for about a hour. I doubt I run any before the Great Santa 5k in Vegas next Saturday morning but that's ok. Next week is a BIG week for us! Vegas 1/2 marathon, here we come!
Nothing since we went to the UT-Vandy game Saturday night & also the Titans-Redskins game Sunday. Drama, Drama…men are just as bad as women with drama & Sports teams are no different from “The Real Housewives of ????” Seriously!
Monday:
After work I had planned to run 6 miles but it turned into 4.7ish since my garmin died & my calves were sore anyway from Saturday’s run/fall in the yard. I drove it after I finished & it appears that I had roughly 4.7 miles at an 8:56 pace with some walk breaks. Ouch!
Tuesday:
30 mins with Jillan’s yoga & my 5 lb free weights in the morning.
Weight machines, ab work, & 1.3 miles on the treadmill at the gym after work to make up for cutting Monday’s run short. (slow 10:26 pace)
Wednesday:
Just couldn’t get out of the bed for yoga (stayed up for the DWTS finale. Ha!)
Predators game in the evening. They lost in overtime. :-(
Thursday:
For the 1st time ever, I’m in town for “The Boulevard Bolt 5 miler”.
Whoo Hoo! Didn't expecting much! Biggest turn out ever for this race. 8,700 runners!
My garmin had me running 5.11 miles at 44:07 8:38 pace
It wasn't as flat as I'd liked but ok. Dodged a lot of runners.
Hot, humid, crowded but I survived....65 degrees on Thanksgiving morning.
Now that's just nuts considering it's going to be a high of low 40's tomorrow.
I mostly ran with a couple of 12ish yr old boys the whole way. I think I did drop them the last mile or so.
Took two walk breaks, which included getting off the course to let an ambulance pass.
A guy face planted on the road & possibly broke his nose. OUCH!
Friday:
Will do yoga in the morning before we get the kids.
Probably put up Christmas décor, some shopping, & a visit with the Heusers…
Saturday:
Will have kids & will finish décor & head to work Christmas party later in evening.
Sunday:
Due to the fact that my left baby toe curls under a bit, I'm getting it flattened Dec 27th by Dr. Bell.
I had the right baby toe flattened in the fall of '03. Doc said the left would eventually bother me, well, here we are over 7 yrs later & it's bothering me a bit. Better to get it done now because it will mean 2-3 weeks of no running. I'm ok with that since my left shin (not the previously cracked right) has been bothering me a little the last week or so. I'll be due for some spinervals inside on the trainer anyway. So, Sunday will involve me on the trainer for about a hour. I doubt I run any before the Great Santa 5k in Vegas next Saturday morning but that's ok. Next week is a BIG week for us! Vegas 1/2 marathon, here we come!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Stretching into Thanksgiving….
Sunday:
Absolutely nothing & I should have done some yoga…oh well, had to do some shopping Saturday & Sunday. I loathe shopping. I’d rather do everything on the net & be done with it.
Monday:
It was raining most of the day but only misting rain after work. I parked at East & went into Tara for a few loops for 4 miles. It was slow but my Achilles & right calf were tight. I think my pace was 9:37 & I’ll take that, especially since I wore too many clothes & had to fight my way out of my neon green jacket. (when will I learn that I don’t need a jacket unless it’s pretty much freezing?!) I did my 5 lb free weights while watching DWTS. I admit, I’m addicted to it. Nothing much else interests me these days on Mon/Tues nights.
Tuesday:
Early morning with Jillian Michael’s. It’s like she’s in my living room now. Ha! 30 mins of yoga with her helps to get me stretched out. I did weight machines & some ab work at DW Wilson after work. I have to admit, I’m proud of myself for weening myself away from Harvey’s. When I did pilates class on Saturday, I got to check out their new spin bikes. After talking about if for years, they’re getting the area next door & expanding.
Wednesday:
Early morning 6.57 miles at a 9:09 pace. It was supposed to be 6 miles but I added the Tara loop, which added more than I really wanted but oh well… Yoga after work with Jillian & I had to get my stuff ready for Thursday/Friday. We went to the “official” lighting of the Opryland Hotel. Joe got free tickets so free food & entertainment. (Craig Morgain & Trace Adkins) We didn't stay for all that, though. I had an early morning Friday at work.
Thursday:
Ran 4.5 miles before work. (9:05 pace)
Opryland Hotel after work.
Friday:
Had to run errands, plus I drove into work from Nashville.
Saturday:
Ran 9.44 miles, was trying to make up .06 for an even 9.5 but face planted in the yard. ha! (9:15 pace) Struggled a little with breathing & hills but overall a decent run. I'm as ready for the flat Vegas 1/2 course as I can be at this point.
Thinking of heading to the UT-Vandy game tonight. Go Vols!
Hello Thanksgiving week….& the Boulevard Bolt!
Absolutely nothing & I should have done some yoga…oh well, had to do some shopping Saturday & Sunday. I loathe shopping. I’d rather do everything on the net & be done with it.
Monday:
It was raining most of the day but only misting rain after work. I parked at East & went into Tara for a few loops for 4 miles. It was slow but my Achilles & right calf were tight. I think my pace was 9:37 & I’ll take that, especially since I wore too many clothes & had to fight my way out of my neon green jacket. (when will I learn that I don’t need a jacket unless it’s pretty much freezing?!) I did my 5 lb free weights while watching DWTS. I admit, I’m addicted to it. Nothing much else interests me these days on Mon/Tues nights.
Tuesday:
Early morning with Jillian Michael’s. It’s like she’s in my living room now. Ha! 30 mins of yoga with her helps to get me stretched out. I did weight machines & some ab work at DW Wilson after work. I have to admit, I’m proud of myself for weening myself away from Harvey’s. When I did pilates class on Saturday, I got to check out their new spin bikes. After talking about if for years, they’re getting the area next door & expanding.
Wednesday:
Early morning 6.57 miles at a 9:09 pace. It was supposed to be 6 miles but I added the Tara loop, which added more than I really wanted but oh well… Yoga after work with Jillian & I had to get my stuff ready for Thursday/Friday. We went to the “official” lighting of the Opryland Hotel. Joe got free tickets so free food & entertainment. (Craig Morgain & Trace Adkins) We didn't stay for all that, though. I had an early morning Friday at work.
Thursday:
Ran 4.5 miles before work. (9:05 pace)
Opryland Hotel after work.
Friday:
Had to run errands, plus I drove into work from Nashville.
Saturday:
Ran 9.44 miles, was trying to make up .06 for an even 9.5 but face planted in the yard. ha! (9:15 pace) Struggled a little with breathing & hills but overall a decent run. I'm as ready for the flat Vegas 1/2 course as I can be at this point.
Thinking of heading to the UT-Vandy game tonight. Go Vols!
Hello Thanksgiving week….& the Boulevard Bolt!
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Recovered from Ragnar, I think…
I’m still assessing the damage. Ha!
Last Saturday night I went to bed at 8pm, Joe was asleep by 7pm.
We stayed awake as long as we could. I was wide awake at 5am but it was really 4am. (Time change) Joe didn’t wake up till around 7:30am.
I moved around a lot, got our laundry done, & relaxed Sunday. (sore!)
Basically, just rested & so did Joe. We ate at the “Dead Lobster” (Red Lobster) & got stuffed.
Monday afternoon, I decided to do 30 mins of Jillian Michael’s yoga & worked with my 5 lb weights after work. I felt good & not near as stiff as Sunday. It’s been a long time since I ran 17.7 miles in 1 ½ days. I’m cautious right now especially since Joe’s cousin in law, Kurt, has a stress fracture from running/training Chicago. Ouch!
Tuesday morning, I did more yoga & weight machines at DW Wilson in the afternoon.
Wednesday morning I’m got in 4.2 FLAT miles early AM at around a 9:18 pace. Felt decent. I did MORE yoga after work. Surely all this yoga is doing something other than stretching me.
Thursday, I got out for 5:06 at an 8:52 pace. I was pleased but still took it easy & ran mostly flat. I did weight machines/abs Thursday afternoon.
Friday, I had a butt load of stuff to do after work so I didn't do squat.
Saturday morning, my run was 10 miles...9:02 pace….I was pleased considering I had some hills at the beginning & end.
The weather is CRAZY. I feel like I’ve been sweating all week! I would have choked a little in the heat had we had these highs last Friday afternoon but it would have been nice not to be freezing to death in the early morning hours of our later “legs”.
As far as Ragnar goes, loved it! (Race report in previous post!) Loved every minute of it & so proud of myself for holding it together on the last, torturous leg of 4.4 miles that I did after Unionville. It felt great to be done but if I ever do it again, I want a Van 2 “set of legs”. Next Fall at this time, Joe & I are running the NYC marathon. (God willing the injuries stay away!) Paul S. threw his hat into the ring for the 2nd year in a row. FINGERS CROSSED!
I’m on the fence with the blog. I gave up on wordpress a few nights ago & got a little frustrated. My feeble, little brain can’t wrap around it & make it look nice so I scrapped it & created another google blogspot. I FORGOT the password to it, though! ARG! The one I thought I used (but didn’t write down) won’t work! Oh well, can’t even edit out the copied errors on it. I really want it out there for anyone to read that is considering a relay. I totally enjoyed the few reports I read from across the country. So, I'm going to unhide this blog for a while. If some weirdo finds it & ticks me off, I'll hide again.
My stats for my 4 Legs of the relay: 17.7 miles in 1 ½ days.
(I made up one “leg” due to injured runner)
6.1 miles of rolling hills-53:55
4.5 miles mostly flat with a pretty good downhill-38:58
2.7 miles rolling then a HUGE downhill-23:28
4.4 miles mostly flat-45:32 (Ouch!)
As for our wedding in Vegas (during the ½ marathon Dec 5th), it’s pretty much planned…got final email with directions today! Our race shirts below.
Last Saturday night I went to bed at 8pm, Joe was asleep by 7pm.
We stayed awake as long as we could. I was wide awake at 5am but it was really 4am. (Time change) Joe didn’t wake up till around 7:30am.
I moved around a lot, got our laundry done, & relaxed Sunday. (sore!)
Basically, just rested & so did Joe. We ate at the “Dead Lobster” (Red Lobster) & got stuffed.
Monday afternoon, I decided to do 30 mins of Jillian Michael’s yoga & worked with my 5 lb weights after work. I felt good & not near as stiff as Sunday. It’s been a long time since I ran 17.7 miles in 1 ½ days. I’m cautious right now especially since Joe’s cousin in law, Kurt, has a stress fracture from running/training Chicago. Ouch!
Tuesday morning, I did more yoga & weight machines at DW Wilson in the afternoon.
Wednesday morning I’m got in 4.2 FLAT miles early AM at around a 9:18 pace. Felt decent. I did MORE yoga after work. Surely all this yoga is doing something other than stretching me.
Thursday, I got out for 5:06 at an 8:52 pace. I was pleased but still took it easy & ran mostly flat. I did weight machines/abs Thursday afternoon.
Friday, I had a butt load of stuff to do after work so I didn't do squat.
Saturday morning, my run was 10 miles...9:02 pace….I was pleased considering I had some hills at the beginning & end.
The weather is CRAZY. I feel like I’ve been sweating all week! I would have choked a little in the heat had we had these highs last Friday afternoon but it would have been nice not to be freezing to death in the early morning hours of our later “legs”.
As far as Ragnar goes, loved it! (Race report in previous post!) Loved every minute of it & so proud of myself for holding it together on the last, torturous leg of 4.4 miles that I did after Unionville. It felt great to be done but if I ever do it again, I want a Van 2 “set of legs”. Next Fall at this time, Joe & I are running the NYC marathon. (God willing the injuries stay away!) Paul S. threw his hat into the ring for the 2nd year in a row. FINGERS CROSSED!
I’m on the fence with the blog. I gave up on wordpress a few nights ago & got a little frustrated. My feeble, little brain can’t wrap around it & make it look nice so I scrapped it & created another google blogspot. I FORGOT the password to it, though! ARG! The one I thought I used (but didn’t write down) won’t work! Oh well, can’t even edit out the copied errors on it. I really want it out there for anyone to read that is considering a relay. I totally enjoyed the few reports I read from across the country. So, I'm going to unhide this blog for a while. If some weirdo finds it & ticks me off, I'll hide again.
My stats for my 4 Legs of the relay: 17.7 miles in 1 ½ days.
(I made up one “leg” due to injured runner)
6.1 miles of rolling hills-53:55
4.5 miles mostly flat with a pretty good downhill-38:58
2.7 miles rolling then a HUGE downhill-23:28
4.4 miles mostly flat-45:32 (Ouch!)
As for our wedding in Vegas (during the ½ marathon Dec 5th), it’s pretty much planned…got final email with directions today! Our race shirts below.
Ragnar Relay: Chattanooga, TN - Nashville, TN - 195.5 miles
I got a facebook email back in late Spring, I think, from Michele E. asking if I wanted to join her relay team. I had received a post card from Ragnar about it already but at the time I had just been given the go ahead to run again. I had finally recovered from a hairline fractured tibia (crack right on the front of my right shin). That thing took 1 ½ yrs to heal but that’s another story…listen to your doc, don’t RUN, no HIGH impact of anything if you want it to heal FAST. Enough said!
Fast forward to October, our team (both Vans) had gone through musical chairs on runners. Van 1 van hit a deer & wasn’t going to be used. Sonia S. stepped up with an offer to use her van. She found out she had a stress fracture so she & her van were out. Paul had to drop out to work on the other side of the US so he was out. Van 2 got Pam A’s daughter, Jordan, to join in on the fun & gave us Jill M. (THANK YOU, VAN 2!) A week before game time & we’re down a runner in Van 1 & had no van. Jill offered to drive her 5 person SUV, again, thanks Jill. You saved our ass! We decided that we could handle the extra “legs” so no big deal. We knew all 5 of us were fairly strong. I knew I didn’t want to run my “easy” legs so I ran Sonia’s “legs”. We recorded all our times on each leg & those notes are not with me right now as I type this but we rocked! Our first legs were strong, which made me nervous that we would be hurting later. Turns out I was the only whiner they seemed to hurt. Ha!Our runner order was Jill, Joe, Rob, me, Anderson, & “empty legs”.
Jill left Coolidge Park at approximated 8:30am Eastern with a smile on her face & rocked up & down some concrete hills for 7.8 miles. She did awesome! She handed off to Joe & he took off for 6.2 miles. Anderson was driving then & we got lost. Ha! We missed a turn off but realized when we saw no runners or vans we needed to back track. No big deal! We found Joe looking strong & high from eating a few small bags of M&M’s. He finished faster than I thought he would because I was in a house waiting in line for a bathroom when he came to find me. I hydrated myself big time & was heading to a bathroom every 30-45 minutes. I was bound & determined a migraine was not going to ruin my weekend. Joe handed off to Rob who ran 6.8. Again, he, like the rest of us had a great fast, first leg & he handed off to me. Before I started, I saw a skinny red head from a distance while I was in the van & I thought, “That looks like Michelle, my cousin, who lives in Chattanooga!” Turns out when I was waiting on Rob to hand off to me, we locked eyes. I was surprised. I hugged her, we had a short conversation, Joe took our pic, & then I ran 6.1 miles in 53:55. It was rolling with a few bigger hills where I took 20-30 second walk breaks. I didn’t want to wear myself out by powering up the big hills the first “leg”. I was pleased! I was told about the “Muffin girl" van. It seems that there was a team of women with something on their van that said “honk for muffins”. Joe, Rob, & Anderson asked them for muffins from what I understand & the girls acted like they didn’t know what they were talking about. Joe said they were hungry & wanted muffins. Seriously, I think the guys thought they were giving out muffins. One chick stood up & shook her “muffin” at the boys. I’m not surprised at all that the muffin girls were way behind us at the finish if they did that all day/night on the course. Ha! They did cheer for me while I was running & I thought to myself how nice they seemed. I just had no idea how “nice” they were until I finished. I thought we were going to have to pour some cold water on some of our van members. Ha!!!
I handed off to Anderson & his first leg was 8.3 miles! I felt so bad for him. He did GREAT but said his legs were tired when he was done. He brought Van 1 up most of steep way on our first legs. I wish I had got a pic of him but that droid doesn’t like cold weather & I seemed to fat finger the touch screen. Arg!! During Anderson’s run there were about 4 loose rottweilers running. Most of them fell off & only one dog remained but we called it into Ragnar anyway. The one remaining “runner dog” stayed mostly with this one guy. The dog didn’t look dangerous at all & just wanted to participate. He was funny to me, tongue hanging out, & he just kept going. I think that dog ran 10 miles! Ha!
While we were running we made sure that Van 2 knew where we were & who was out on the course running. I was also making comments on Facebook when I did have a strong enough signal. It was sporadic for a while where the “banjo’s were playing” & the “meth looking” trailers were sitting. Grundy County is poor & we totally forgot to donate our canned goods to Cowan exchange area. Arg!!!Anderson handed off to Joe so Joe could cover the 1st empty “leg” of 4.2 miles so Joe got 2 “legs” first time around & by now he was on a serious sugar high of M&M’s, seriously!
Joe decided to run this leg with a paper party hat on, which was soft with his sweat by the time he finished. He handed off to Michael C. of Van 2 but botched the hand off. Ha! The announcer pointed that out, too. He had to slap the bracelet twice causing Van 2 to loose valuable seconds. (I’m kidding!!!!) Michael headed up the rest of the mountain, straight up & it appeared that half a mile to a mile into it, it was starting to sleet. Poor Michael! Kim text me later saying he did it around 54 minutes so I think he managed a 10 min pace straight up in that mess. Go Michael! Michele had to run in snow & sleet during her first leg. They had horrible weather during their first legs. We looked out the windows of the “The Blue Chair” & saw heavy sleeting rain coming down on several occasions, stopping, & starting over again… Poor Van 2! Joe decided to erase the smeared stuff on Jill’s windows. Joe put something like “Van 1 got better weather but Van 2 got to sleep in!”
After we ate a late lunch/early dinner at “The Blue Chair” we then went to Shenanigans to hang out since “The Blue Chair” was very stupidly closing. Dang, didn’t they want runner’s money?! We killed all our time in those two places watching exchange 11 from the front windows of Shenanigans. I knew Kim would be running through Sewanee campus & handing off to Marc so he could run down to the Cowan exchange. Joe got our safety flag & ran across the road to chit chat several times. He was like a kid who had too much sugar! We studied our list of 2nd legs & realized Anderson only had 3 miles to run the next time around. I told him he could do that drunk so he & Jill drank a few more beers. Ha! See what you missed, Rob, by going home for rest/shower after your 1st leg?!
Joe & I were outside on the sidewalk when I noticed a woman in a really cute hat. I saw her face & it was Kim C. I screamed to the top of my lungs when I realized it was her. When she handed off to Marc we went inside & finished up our business & got on the road to the next exchange.It got dark & it was getting SO COLD! I started debating on whether to run in my pants or just my layers underneath for my 2nd & “extra leg” to Lynchburg. Jill took off still wearing her shorts on her 2nd leg of 4.5 miles. She got to run past all the liquor stores in Winchester. Ha! When she finished she said she had been plenty warm so off my comfy, warm pants went. Joe led us through the Winchester Square towards Tim’s Ford. To me, this was one of the most confusing dark areas of the course. People were off work now & traffic picked up. Joe’s “3rd” leg was 5.7 miles & he finished it strong. He was knocking back some 8 minute miles so far on the course. He ran in shorts & would be sweating profusely, stretching after each leg. I, on the other hand, would head straight to the Van & put my heavy Titans fleece on like a big wuss with no stretching. Rob took off for another 6.1 miles. He wasn’t too thrilled to have to do this again but his belly was full of Subway meatball sub, I think & he ran real well. When he handed off to me, I was psyched up & ready to go, screaming for him when we would spot him. My voice got a little hoarse. I took off like I was shot out of a gun. All I could think about was, “We’re getting close to Lynchburg, we can get done, & get warm!” I had 4.5 miles on my 2nd leg, then I had to stop while Anderson did 3 miles, then I had to start again with 2.7 miles into the main exchange in the Lynchburg city park. I passed/chick’d 3 guys on this leg. I was fired up when I passed them like they were standing still. Joe yelled my name in the dark as I was about to head down a hill. I knew I was getting close to the next exchange at the end of the 4.5 miles. I finished with an 8:40ish pace according to Joe. When I finished, my head was sweaty & then my hair felt like it was freezing. On my 2nd & extra “leg” I wore a head lamp & a head lamp around my waist. I’m glad I did because there were times where it was so dark & I was so ALONE.
When I handed off to Anderson, I knew I had to get in the van quick & stay as warm as I could. I had a short time before he’d hand off to me & I would have to run the downhill of 2.7 & man was it DOWNHILL!! Anderson finished his 3 miles just a hair over 23 minutes. I took off knowing it would be over quickly & feeling pretty good. I think I passed two women & then the sleet started pinging my face. It stung but I told myself that I’ve run in sleet before, it’s no big deal. Keep going & push it in & I prayed it would stop sleeting for Van 2! Then the severe down hill kicked in…I couldn’t really see that well & prayed there were no pot holes to trip me up because I knew if I went down, I’d break something, probably my nose. I tried to control my feet/legs but it was weird. It was like I really needed a parachute. I can tell in my quads & achilles today that I did that hill. When I got to the bottom the volunteer read my number & yelled me in…I handed off to Michael & then Van 1 was headed to Tullahoma for some food & warmth at my place. I felt sick on the drive in…just icky sick. I made myself eat a ham & cheese sandwich after I showered but it felt like a bomb in my gut. We got to my place around 11:20ish & left somewhere around 1:30 or 2:00am, I’m not sure. I felt like crap. My stomach was rolled over & my quads were screaming a bit. By the time we got to Unionville & Jill told us the school was open, I was feeling blah… Thank God, we had use of their warm school there. Let’s just say that I felt much better when we left Unionville. Jill took off again in 25 degree weather in shorts. Amazing but I decided to stay in my pants on my next leg. She did great on her 3rd leg of 4.5 miles. Joe got ready for his final leg of 5.2 miles knocking out a 7:30something pace. He was sweaty in 25 degrees with shorts on but fired up that he was totally finished running! Great Job! Rob took off for his final leg of 6.1, bless his heart, he didn’t have anything shorter than 6.1 on all his legs.
When I took the hand off from Rob, I knew it was going to be rough. I started out ok but somewhere during the first few miles I wanted to cry. I never saw our van, my legs wanted to walk, my quads hurt, my face was frozen, my lips were chapped… I saw the Van with all the Christmas tree lights on it. I don’t know what team that was but I was grateful. This was a very long isolated area for me where there were few people around & hardly any traffic. It was around 4:30-5:00am around this time. I kept thinking to myself, “Well, on a normal work day, you’d be up anyway getting ready to run.” The Christmas tree van yelled at me, “Good job, you’ve done 2.6 miles!” I was so grateful they let me know how far I had gone because I felt like I was crawling. I wanted this done!!! Then I felt rumbling…a train came by & blew my left ear drum out. OMG! I started taking walk breaks at this point. Then off in the distance I saw light, the next exchange was within reach. I had no idea what kind of pace I had been doing but I knew it wasn’t pretty. Joe told me I had around a 10:21 pace for those painful 4.4 miles. I passed two women & one man but he blew past me right at the exchange area. I was so mad. Ha! Anderson took off on his FASTEST leg. He knocked down a 7:30 pace on 5.5 miles. He was done! Jill took off for Healthway’s on her “extra leg” to bring Van 1 into “our finish”. She did her final leg of 4.4 miles & we were so happy to see her sailing into the exchange area to hand off to Michael so Van 2 could get their final party started.
Jill drove us to her house. Joe & I headed to the condo for rest & showers. Jill let Rob & Anderson clean up at her place & brought them to the finish line. We met them at “Big River” later around lunch. It appeared that Van 2 would finish sometime around 1:00 or 1:30pm. We were all amazed at how early we got done. Jordan, Pam’s daughter rocked in the last 3 miles. “Agony of de feet” made it safe & sound to the finish line in officially 29:41:39. Ragner Relay 2010 for “Agony of de feet” was done! I highly recommend it if you didn’t do it this year. I plan to be in the NYC marathon this time next year, God willing I don’t break something.
Joe & I at the starting line. Joe waiting on his first hand off from Jill at exchange 1. He was way too excited!
I took a picture of this newspaper mailbox somewhere before Jasper. I cannot believe their paper is called "The Hustler"!!!
Van 1 Fabulous runners who are finished at Heathways!
At the Beer Sellar in downtown Nashville, TN after we all crossed the finish line.
Team "Agony of de Feet" running to finishline downtown Nashville
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Ragnar Relay Pre-planning…
The hardest part of this thing has been finding the runners & every runner staying healthy, seriously. We started out with 12 runners…2 unconfirmed that eventually backed out. They were filled easily with 2 runners that work where I work…Then the Captain’s husband’s knees weren’t cooperating. He was out.
Jill filled his spot. Then Paul, in Van 1, found out he had to be on the other side of the country for work the week of the relay….Jill moved to our van & Pam’s daughter got Jill’s old “legs”. Then Sonia, (our van provider) got a stress fracture (or two). It’s been musical chairs with the “legs” & vans. Ha! Now Jill is driving us in her SUV & we’re making up the 3 empty legs. (we’re bad ass!)
Anyway, I’m going to create a wordpress blog & write the race report there.
I’ll eventually more or less close down blogspot for that one. I do want everyone to have access to the race report because I learned a lot from reading the reports online from other Ragnar relays. (Learned more than I did from reading the race bible that’s for sure)
It’s going to dip into the high 20’s overnight Friday night.
I would prefer it only dip to the 40’s but you can’t dial up your weather.
It’s not like I’ve never ran in temps like this before…but dang my REALLY cold weather gear looks so old & shabby. (Santa, are you listening?)
I can tell I’ve not worn the stuff in quite some time but truth be known, I’ve never had to wear much COLD weather stuff anyway.
Generally, I wouldn’t even bother with tights with high 20’s but my body isn’t adjusted yet….still thinking on that. As long as my core & hands are warm, I’m usually ok.
During the day, we have perfect weather predictions so far, with highs reaching in the low-mid 50’s. That’s shorts, singlet weather for me…or I may just wear the vest over my sports bra. I ran this morning 6.27 miles….mostly flat with some short rolling hills. 9:17 pace but that’s with me stopping for about 20-30 seconds to tie a shoe lace that had a knot in it. It was 49 degrees & I was sweating off the top of my head. Sports bra, reflective vest with light around my waist, shorts, compression socks. That was plenty of clothing for me at 49 degrees…we’ll see….The main thing is to bundle up when I finish because my body heat plummets quickly.
I’m planning on sleeping in the next two mornings. When I say sleeping in…a whole hour later with the alarm going off at 5:40ish. Ha!
I’m stretching the crap out of my body the next few days, also.
Jill filled his spot. Then Paul, in Van 1, found out he had to be on the other side of the country for work the week of the relay….Jill moved to our van & Pam’s daughter got Jill’s old “legs”. Then Sonia, (our van provider) got a stress fracture (or two). It’s been musical chairs with the “legs” & vans. Ha! Now Jill is driving us in her SUV & we’re making up the 3 empty legs. (we’re bad ass!)
Anyway, I’m going to create a wordpress blog & write the race report there.
I’ll eventually more or less close down blogspot for that one. I do want everyone to have access to the race report because I learned a lot from reading the reports online from other Ragnar relays. (Learned more than I did from reading the race bible that’s for sure)
It’s going to dip into the high 20’s overnight Friday night.
I would prefer it only dip to the 40’s but you can’t dial up your weather.
It’s not like I’ve never ran in temps like this before…but dang my REALLY cold weather gear looks so old & shabby. (Santa, are you listening?)
I can tell I’ve not worn the stuff in quite some time but truth be known, I’ve never had to wear much COLD weather stuff anyway.
Generally, I wouldn’t even bother with tights with high 20’s but my body isn’t adjusted yet….still thinking on that. As long as my core & hands are warm, I’m usually ok.
During the day, we have perfect weather predictions so far, with highs reaching in the low-mid 50’s. That’s shorts, singlet weather for me…or I may just wear the vest over my sports bra. I ran this morning 6.27 miles….mostly flat with some short rolling hills. 9:17 pace but that’s with me stopping for about 20-30 seconds to tie a shoe lace that had a knot in it. It was 49 degrees & I was sweating off the top of my head. Sports bra, reflective vest with light around my waist, shorts, compression socks. That was plenty of clothing for me at 49 degrees…we’ll see….The main thing is to bundle up when I finish because my body heat plummets quickly.
I’m planning on sleeping in the next two mornings. When I say sleeping in…a whole hour later with the alarm going off at 5:40ish. Ha!
I’m stretching the crap out of my body the next few days, also.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Happy Halloween!
The Office-Halloween 2010
Kenny, Pedro
Nanami, witch
Brian, Joe the plumber w/fake cigarette & butt crack showing
me, "roll out of bed" with my "Doug" doggie
Katrina, little ole lady
Last Thursday: 6 mile run early AM 55:21, I think?
30 min kettle ball routine in the afternoon (made me sore on Friday!)
Friday: 30 min yoga dvd early AM
Saturday: nothing...
Sunday: 9 miles of mostly hills & my legs were rebelling.
9:56-9:57 pace with me walking a lot the last 2 miles
I think I was electrolyte depleted. blah!
We got out later than usual so the sun beat down straight into my eyes.
Thank God, I had sunscreen on my face but freckles are back out.
Monday: will be yoga & some light free weights
Tuesday: will be 6 miles in the morning & some weight machines in the evening
Wednesday: Will SLEEP IN!!!!!
Maybe some yoga in the evening
Thursday: Rest & getting ready for the relay.
Friday: Up at 4:15am & at work by 5:25am to meet the others!
Can't wait!!!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Winding down October….
Last Sunday, I took it easy, did a 50 min pilates DVD that I hadn’t done in a long time. I had forgotten that it was fairly challenging (not as hard as Jillian Michael’s, though).
Monday, I slugged though a painful 5 miles at a 9:26-9:27 pace. My shin actually started bothering me, which scared me. So, the last half of it, I took lots of walk breaks. I should have run a flat course as “recovery” & I should have run slower!
Tuesday, yoga in the morning & weights/ab work in the evening.
Wednesday, Today…..I did 6.28 mostly flat miles at a 9:09 pace in the rain with a head lamp around my waist. Worked GREAT & I felt great! I’m doing yoga after work.
I’m hoping to get in another 4 or 5 miles this week before doing 9 on Sun morning.
Hoping the aches & pains are just my body getting used to this all over again. So far I’ve not pushed my mileage much at all during the week. I think the most I’ve done so far in one week is maybe 24-26 miles. I pray that after the first of the year, I can start logging more than that. Nobody can really accuse me of pushing myself right now that’s for sure. Too many training runs on hills will make my shin ache a little, though. I have got to limit that right now but I will be FINE on the relay.
Oh & did I say I was fired up for the Ragnar Relay? Well, I am…pain, sleep deprivation, smelly, wet clothes, & all. I’m am ready & so is Joe. He is king of the hills right now. He’s also down roughly 23 lbs since the first of the year.
I mailed our registration for the Bolt (Thanksgiving morning) this week so that will be our next race after Ragnar. Then “The Great Santa 5k race” Dec 4th….then “Las Vegas ½” Dec 5th….both total “fun runs”.
As for the Halloween Costume contest in Lenox Village…see for yourself who won 1st place in the adult category. It seems that the neighbors are getting lazy with dressing up. He seriously was the ONLY adult to dress up! So far, he’s not been run out of the village yet but we should probably lay low. LOL!
Monday, I slugged though a painful 5 miles at a 9:26-9:27 pace. My shin actually started bothering me, which scared me. So, the last half of it, I took lots of walk breaks. I should have run a flat course as “recovery” & I should have run slower!
Tuesday, yoga in the morning & weights/ab work in the evening.
Wednesday, Today…..I did 6.28 mostly flat miles at a 9:09 pace in the rain with a head lamp around my waist. Worked GREAT & I felt great! I’m doing yoga after work.
I’m hoping to get in another 4 or 5 miles this week before doing 9 on Sun morning.
Hoping the aches & pains are just my body getting used to this all over again. So far I’ve not pushed my mileage much at all during the week. I think the most I’ve done so far in one week is maybe 24-26 miles. I pray that after the first of the year, I can start logging more than that. Nobody can really accuse me of pushing myself right now that’s for sure. Too many training runs on hills will make my shin ache a little, though. I have got to limit that right now but I will be FINE on the relay.
Oh & did I say I was fired up for the Ragnar Relay? Well, I am…pain, sleep deprivation, smelly, wet clothes, & all. I’m am ready & so is Joe. He is king of the hills right now. He’s also down roughly 23 lbs since the first of the year.
I mailed our registration for the Bolt (Thanksgiving morning) this week so that will be our next race after Ragnar. Then “The Great Santa 5k race” Dec 4th….then “Las Vegas ½” Dec 5th….both total “fun runs”.
As for the Halloween Costume contest in Lenox Village…see for yourself who won 1st place in the adult category. It seems that the neighbors are getting lazy with dressing up. He seriously was the ONLY adult to dress up! So far, he’s not been run out of the village yet but we should probably lay low. LOL!
Saturday, October 23, 2010
8 miles of talking in my head...
I talk to myself on most runs (in my head of course). If you talk out loud too much that's just a waste of energy/oxygen. I had thought about hooking up with Carla for 8 miles but then I knew I wouldn't push myself. I knew we'd chatter the whole way at probably an 9:30 pace. I needed to push this run. I thought/talked my way through the first 3 miles thinking of how fortunate I am to even be running right now AGAIN. I thought about the little old couples I past that were bundled up taking an early morning walk. I thought about the Lynchburg BBQ & how some BBQ would be so good to eat today for lunch. Next thing I know I'm at East Middle School & heading back. The only time I opened my mouth to talk was to say "Good morning" & I spoke to Ginger E. (Jody's wife) during the last mile. She was running with her youngest in a stroller.
So, I got out at 7:30am on the nose. It was cold but not cold enough for me to put on long sleeves, just a singlet, shorts, & my BIKE shorts under the shorts, compression socks (LOVE THEM), etc... Yes, I'm going to do all runs 6 miles or over in bike shorts for now on...they work way better than my underarmour running compression shorts. It's hard to explain but I feel like they're keeping my hips lined up more. I ran 8.17 miles at an overall pace of 8:56. I was extremely pleased since there were a couple of big hills and rolling ones. I am so much stronger on hills than I was even 6 weeks ago but 6 weeks ago I was also running in the dreaded heat/humidity, too. I even did a negative split. The first half was at a 9 min pace. I noticed that when I uploaded my garmin.
My recovery drink above. LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Happy glorious Saturday & thank you God for giving me a great run!
So, I got out at 7:30am on the nose. It was cold but not cold enough for me to put on long sleeves, just a singlet, shorts, & my BIKE shorts under the shorts, compression socks (LOVE THEM), etc... Yes, I'm going to do all runs 6 miles or over in bike shorts for now on...they work way better than my underarmour running compression shorts. It's hard to explain but I feel like they're keeping my hips lined up more. I ran 8.17 miles at an overall pace of 8:56. I was extremely pleased since there were a couple of big hills and rolling ones. I am so much stronger on hills than I was even 6 weeks ago but 6 weeks ago I was also running in the dreaded heat/humidity, too. I even did a negative split. The first half was at a 9 min pace. I noticed that when I uploaded my garmin.
Happy glorious Saturday & thank you God for giving me a great run!
Friday, October 22, 2010
Through “The Middle” Up & back….
Our fast trek to Wisconsin went ok…left Friday around 4:30ish & got to the south of Indianapolis & in bed by 11:00pm-ish… We joked about the tv show “The Middle” through Indiana. I love “Sue Heck”! Ha! We made it to Milwaukee the next day by lunch time. (Meeting Vassar for the 1st time.) His mom is Joe’s cousin, Erin, & she’s married to Kurt. They took us to the Miller Brewing Co. tour. Very cool, only an hour long, & free drinks at the end. I wish we could have been there on a week day to see the assembly line running full throttle. I had never been anywhere near Milwaukee or in Wisconsin for that matter. Definitely “Dairy Land” for sure! We hit up a place called “Kopps” for custard. We headed to Sheboygan Falls for dinner & homemade lasagna (YUM!) with Joe’s Aunt, Uncle, cousin Kevin, cousin Jenny, husband Mike, & their boys. 
Joe & I were both impressed with the bike lanes & the people out on bikes. We even passed by a PE class of kids who were on bikes. So cool! The weather was just perfect. We could not have picked a better weekend to go. Sunday morning, Joe & I ran 6 miles…I was slightly sleep deprived & definitely dehydrated. Pace was 9:12 & we found hills! My body still hurt from being in the car & I sure missed yoga. We took the kids to the Kohler design center which was literally almost around the corner from Joe’s family.
I think my favorite bathroom was one I dubbed “The Finding Nemo” bathroom. I have a pic of the shower somewhere & will look for it or steal one from Joe off FB. The shower was huge with bamboo hanging down.
Very cool.
Kohler fire dept run team 1920 & pics of the "finding nemo" bathroom.
Joe in "boxer" bathroom
Below is the flag that Admiral Byrd gave the Kohlers.
Monday afternoon we took a drive down the coast looking at Lake MI. We headed to Jenny’s house. She took us to a cheese factory. It seriously made me crave some Mexican cheese dip!
After a few hours with Jenny & the boys, we headed south driving to the south of Chicago to stay the night. We got up Tuesday morning & made it back to Nashville around 3:00pm-ish. We had a good time but the next time I’m up there it will involve a Brewers OR Packers game. Or possibly the marathon….Kurt has already put the Milwaukee marathon on his calendar for next year. It’s too close to NYC so we’ll put it on our calendar for another year other than 2011. (Kopps custard pic below)
As far as running this week.
I ran Wed afternoon 6 miles & it was painful. Very tight right calf. So I took Thur & Fri off from running. Mostly strength & yoga. My body seemed to crave the yoga this week anyway.
I am running tomorrow...hopefully a good 8 miles.