Friday: Rode 17.6 miles & got my first flat tire. Thanks to Terri J. I know how to change my bike tires now. It's not a cake walk but I think if push come to shove I could do it by myself. It would take a while, though.

Saturday: Noticing a lot of soreness in my ankle/foot from the porch fall last weekend. It's bruising & still a little swollen. Weird! So, I decided NOT to ride or do the jog/walk on base. I did 65 mins on the elliptical, weight machines, some crunches, & pilates. (I got an early start to my Saturday morning!)

Later in the afternoon, Joe, the kids, & I saw "Up". It's fantastic & I think everyone would love the story. I almost cried. I bought "Dug" the golden retriever in the movie at the Disney Store. He was just too cute! Best Pixar movie ever in my opinion.

Sunday: We headed to the zoo for the Titan's "Play 60" event. They are helping to fight childhood obesity. It's to encourage kids to play at least 60 minutes a day. Lots of activities set up & freebies. I took most of the pics with Joe's camera so all I have right now is the one below of Kyle Vanden Bosch & a few other guys. It was fun & also nice hanging out with Hannah & Jeff, too!

Now it's time for June...

Closing in on friday...

It's been a week...
I'm a bit tired & blaming the heat, of course.
I have to blame something.

I could tell you that I did get up Tues morning for the 1 hr spin class & I did go do weights n' stuff at Harvey's after work...
I could tell you that Wednesday's planned bike ride with Kim, Terri W., & Kim's hubby, just didn't happen because I had to work a little over...
(I mowed instead.)
I could tell you that I got up for this morning's spin, did the elliptical, & ab work at Harvey's after work...
....but what would it matter? I have to say my mind is on cousin Faith right now & her struggle with her health. Pray for my Aunt Mary's youngest, please. :)

It's been a week to say the least but I count my blessings. Speaking of which, I called my TX sister to see what was up in San Antonio. Apparently, Austin made the golf team at the high school. She didn't even know he played that well since all he ever has in his hands these days is a basketball. :) Avery's still playing spring soccer & school is winding down despite being closed for a week due to the swine flu scare there a few weeks ago.

Yep, tomorrow is Friday & thank God for it. I'm starting to feel the need to get the heck out of Dodge soon. I think I hear "Disney World" & Michigan calling my name....with 2 kids & a sweetie. :)

Still banging myself up, apparently...

I fell off the front porch & twisted my right ankle. (Same leg as the stress fracture) I would take a pic but the swelling has gone way down.

I'll back up a bit. I did a walk/jog of 4.85 mi with Terri J. on the Marine Corp route out at the base Sat morning. It was VERY humid but felt good nonetheless... We did Carlates (pilates) afterwards. I fell off the front porch as Joe & I were heading to the Drive In later that afternoon. After about 30 mins of ice & whining, I was ok. We saw "Night at the Museum 2". It was good! FYI, we now get facebook updates from the Montana Drive-In so we know what's coming up. Exciting isn't it? ha! How the little things thrill me! :P

I did run my finger tips across the tibia bone to see if I could feel soreness. The shin didn't hurt at all while running but I felt some soreness Sat night/Sunday that's not really there today, Monday. What that means, who knows...? June 30th I get another X-Ray. On Sunday, my ankle was pretty swollen. I iced it more & took some ibuprophen. It wasn't black n' blue like I thought it might look, though. I managed to walk down & back up the steep, gravel drive to the Waggoner's boat dock on Sunday with no problem. It's safe to say I do NOT need to pay a visit to a doctor, thank God.

So, how did I fall off the front porch steps? Well, I was running my mouth, had my feet turned sideways on the front step, looking at the cute pooches next door, & my right foot just rocked off sideways & I hit the side walk. I think I scared the neighbors to death who happened to be sitting in their front yard.

Today I managed 65 slow minutes on the elliptical, some crunches, & arm weights. I feel good, rested, ready for another 4 day week. The 1 hr spin class in the am should be interesting....

Oh & congrats to Jill who won the 40-44 age group & to Paul S. who won the 25-29 age group today at the GJCC tri. You guys rock!

Oh my, it has been a week, hasn't it?!

This past weekend was fun despite the late coming rain on Saturday. Joe’s kids (+ Morgan-Jessica’s friend) played in the rain/mud. Sunday, we headed to the Sommet Center to look at seats for next season. We got to tour the Predators locker room, the kids played games, & there was free ice cream & face painting. Kinda scary, eh?Predators Locker room

Ahhh, the end of the season for “Grey’s Anatomy” & “Desperate Housewives” last week…I now have 2 extra hours to get a little more productive or just read. I hate to admit it but I just can’t find the time or energy to start another book. It’s easier to do when it is cold outside that’s for sure. “The Shack” will have to wait along with a few other books. I’m spending on average an hour a week mowing now. Then I have to spend time unclogging my sinuses. Ha! Oh and the fact that Adam Lambert didn't win "AI" was just weird to me. What little I did see of the show, Adam sang circles around everyone. Chris Allen was good & I loved the duet he did with Keith Urban but still...Adam rocked! It's all a matter of taste & I'm a rocker chick at heart I guess... I'm glad Shawn Johnson won "Dancing with the Stars"...what little I caught of that I thought she was great. The Gilles dude that was in the "Sex & the City" movie looked good too. Maybe he & that chick that got dumped from the "Bachelor" show will actually become famous because they are good dancers. Who knows... ha!

I got invitations to join “Twitter” & “Plaxo”. I don’t have time to stay in touch with everyone on 2,3,4 different sites, seriously! I barely turn on my computer at home anymore. What little I do on facebook, is done via blackberry. What is “Plaxo” anyway? A pharmaceutical company? Ha! There’s always something new it seems. Myspace was so ‘07, then Facebook in ’08, & now Twitter in ’09. What’s next?!

This coming Saturday will mark exactly 4 wks since I did the CMM ½. I don’t feel any pain at all but with this injury it’s been deceiving. We’ll see how it reacts now that I feel a little more comfortable & less guilty about the CMM ½. Ha! I think it’s time to do what I was supposed to do in Mar/Apr. Run a few miles here n’ there slowly. (Basically introduce my shin to running again) I have NO lofty goals right now. If a miracle happens early June, we’ll be “training” for the NYC marathon. How do you train for a "sight-seeing" jog/walk tour of 5 boroughs that stretches 26.2 miles? Maybe we'll find out.

We may end up at the Drive In again this weekend, who knows…so much coming out that I want to see! They’re supposed to have “Night at the Museum 2” at the Montana. I’m also excited about “UP”. Disney/Pixar are my favorites! I want one of those talking dogs!

I’ve come to the conclusion that my weight isn’t budging until I’m running. I did notice a small change with the little bit of running that I did in Mar/Apr. Some slow n’ steady miles for now sure couldn’t hurt. Less than 4 wks, we’ll be at Disney, just over 5 wks, we’ll be in Michigan...

Here’s the run down of my week of working out.

Fri: About an hr on the elliptical & a few leg weights

Sat: 1 hr spin class, some time on the elliptical, & some ab work
The weather tricked me. I thought it would rain at any moment.
Then to make matters worse, I found out that 2 folks I know braved it & did 62 mile charity rides Sat morning. At 3:00pm the downpours finally came in on the Lenox village cook out. :(

Sun: Some pilates in front of the tv (better than nothing)

Mon: 45 min spin class & some ab work
I cannot find the neon green bike jacket that I put in my car last week. Odd? I knew that if I rode in short sleeves, I’d be cold & mad so I bailed for a good sweat in spin class. thanks Kim!

Tues: 1 hr spin in the am & weights in the afternoon

Wed: I managed 17.2 mi on the bike (13.1 mph, yes I'm slow & still gear illiterate!)

Thur: some ab work, a few weights, & mowing
I totally skipped the early spin class. My quads were sore from the Tues evening weights & I was just plain tired!

Fri: I rode 39.6 mi (12.5 mph) according to my garmin. The last 2-3 miles were a struggle because I got hungry despite eating 2 little Larabar squares. I think my electrolytes got too low because all I had was water. It was pretty HOT & I wish I had started earlier than 8:30am. I couldn't muster up an even 40 miles. :( When I got to the car, it appeared that the entire Moore County elementary school had shown up at Waggoner Park. I just wanted to get the heck outta there!!
(I saw a snake & a turtle on the roads today. I felt guilty for not moving the turtle but the snake had no trouble moving at all. eeekkk!!)

Sat: The plan is to meet up with Terri J. around 8am for 3-4 miles & to do pilates.

Sun: Who knows...supposedly a 70% chance of rain. Probably a good day to "veg".

To everyone racing this weekend, good luck! I know that Paul S. & Jill will be at the sprint tri on Monday. Jessie will be at the "Cotton Row". I'm just hoping to get back out on the bike Monday after Joe leaves for El Paso. See you soon, Joe!

Mid-May sure got here FAST!

Tues: 1 hr am spin class (we had a big morning class!)
17 miles on the bike in the afternoon

Wed: Weights, Abs, & some time on the elliptical
(I push mowed for an hr after the gym)

Thurs: 45 min spin class in the am (still tired from mowing!)
1 hr elliptical & some pilates in the afternoon

Fri: 65 mins on elliptical & a few weight machines

Sat: ? (Weather will determine what I do.)

Sun: ? (Possibly nothing & that's ok...)

I'm tired! So tired that I could barely stay awake for “Grey’s Anatomy” Thur night. My oh my…I was too tired to cry but what an ending... Shonda Rhimes sure does know how to write a show!

Can you believe it's already May 15th?!

"Desperate non-housewife seeks a non-grey anatomy with a perfect shin"

With my two favorite shows coming to a season end & more daylight in the evenings, I feel like I can suddenly get a little more done. There’s something going on nearly every weekend & if there’s not, I’ll totally go with the flow or plan something fun. I’m not a HUGE fan of summer but I am a fan of longer daylight hours. The cook outs, good times at Tim’s Ford lake, traveling (thanks to Joe), & getting out on the bike are all top priority right now. I’m not registering for anything at all this summer, btw. I just refuse to pay for anything else no matter how great the cause until I know for a fact I have a clean, streamlined, rejuvenated shin bone. I did, however, drop two names into the NYC lottery yesterday. (The marathon!) If we get in & just walk/jog it, that would be perfectly ok with me as I’ve stated over & over again. If it’s not meant to be then maybe an actual “running” marathon in 2010 in my favorite U.S. city. Who knows… I just know I'm totally excited about going back with my favorite man. :)

Sunday:
Cousin Ben, from Vegas, is in town for a while. It was nice catching up with him Sunday evening. Joe & I did get some time in at the gym & we walked the greenway behind THS. There actually looks like there’s some progress going on with the new stadium!

Monday:
This afternoon it seemed too cold to ride with short sleeves. Any other day I'd have a bike jacket in the car but not today for some reason! I wussed out & headed to spin class. Tomorrow I’m heading to spin in the am as usual. Tomorrow afternoon looks warmer & I have my jacket in the car already so there will be no excuse not to ride the Fuji.

Lord only knows when I'll get this wet, green yard mowed this week because it looks like there's a chance of rain all week long. It doesn't look as bad as last week, though. You should see the hostas here. They are getting so big I could just about hide behind one.

Here we go...off to another rip, roaring week!

Weekend in a nutshell...

Thank goodness we didn't get near as much rain as the weather people predicted. Right after work on friday, I rode 2 hrs on my bike around UTSI, Wood's Reservoir, etc... At times, it looked as though it might rain but I kept going & if I hadn't run out of fluids, I would have stayed out a little longer.

Saturday morning, off to the gym I went...it was misting rain. Pilates felt good! I sure wish Carla taught it in the middle of the week, too. I got in an hour on the elliptical & some ab work.

We sort of "undid" the good I had done but that's ok. We went to the open house at the Coker building, did a cake/pie walk, & we both won! (Coca cola chocolate pie & cheese cake) Yes, we should both be shot!

We hit up the Montana Drive In for "Star Trek" & "I Love You, Man." I actually liked "Star Trek" better & I'm not even a trekky. :) This was a milestone for me. I've never stayed for an entire double feature there. With the start times at 8pm in the warmer months, it's really hard to stay awake now.

Today it's back to the gym & maybe some time in the sunshine while it lasts. Happy Mother's Day!

Bike or Lawn mower?

As a general rule of thumb, if you think you could lose a small dog in the yard, you really should mow before doing anything else. :P So, I chose to get the yardwork done after work today.

I'm going to load my bike into the car in the am just so it will start raining right as I'm leaving work tomorrow. Just so ya know, we'll have rain in Coffee County tomorrow, ok...probably by 4pm.

I did spin this morning as usual. It was a good sweat as usual. Thanks Kim!

Adjustments

Looks like I’m losing my partner in crime to Atlanta. Jeff & Hannah are relocating there in the near future. Guess I’ll be making some shot gun trips down there to get crazy & she promises to make it up here for some Titans games. Umm, maybe I see the Fox theater or this little race in our future adventures....

Weather permitting; I’m dropping my Monday evening spin class for time on my bike starting next Monday. If I can just get Mother Nature to work with my schedule it would be great! Spinning in the early morning hours two days a week has worked out great. It’s made me a coffee fiend but that’s a trade off I’m willing to keep.

I’m trying to make more time for food preparation. Meaning I’m spending more time in my kitchen chopping up fruit n’ veggies. It’s a chore! I usually put my head set on & catch up on phone calls when I do it. I’ve also decided that “Smartones” taste way better than “Lean Cuisine” but I’m sure I’ll burn out on them soon.

I was going to wait a full 2 wks to even try to run on this piece of crap shin but I think I’ll wait a full month. It’s not hurting but I just want to be extra safe! If the Marine Corp trail ever dries out, that's where I plan to run.

As far as the NYC marathon goes, I’m going to drop our names in this weekend. I refuse to lose my place in line for the lottery. So, we’ll see what the roll of the dice holds. If we’re both in, it will be a walk/jog with a camera in hand to sight see along the way.

Joe turned 41 on "Cinco de Mayo". His neighborhood had a really cool celebration. Blue Coast Burrito catered. They had a clown doing balloons, businesses set up tables, a band was playing, & we had margaritas & beer. Fun!!!Saturday: May 2nd (Joyce wore me out!)
1 hr spin
20 min elliptical
30 min aqua jog

Sunday: May 3rd
We ended up at the Frist Center with the kids. Great ArtQuest!

Monday: May 4th
45 min spin class & ab work

Tuesday: May 5th Happy Cinco De Mayo & Happy Birthday Joe!
1 hr spin class

Wednesday: May 6th
Weights, ab work, elliptical @ Harvey’s

Congrats to Michele & David on their pig run over the weekend.
One day I’d love to do that marathon!
HUGE Congrats to Dirk. (I want your shins, Dirk!)

Self Inflicted Stuff

The most popular “forwards” of the week:

I don’t know about you guys but I have got plenty of emails regarding the pig flu this week. (how to wash my hands, germs, etc...) I’m ready for this to be done already. I KNOW HOW TO WASH MY FRICKIN’ HANDS!
My San Antonio sister is climbing the walls with her boys this week. NO SCHOOL, NO SOCCER, NO BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS, ETC. They have 8 confirmed cases in their county as I type this…. Why don’t people get this nuts over the regular strains of flu? It’s really not that different.

Weekend:

It’s so hard to plan a weekend when it rains every time I think about getting on my bike. Last weekend would have been ideal for getting it out but I chose self torture instead. Seriously, I don’t regret doing the CMM ½ even though I know some people thought I was nuts. To each his own I say…I’m damn proud of my 2:22 “untrained” time. ha!
Weather.com says there’s a break in the rain in the early morning hours tomorrow so we shall see about getting out the Fuji. I don’t mind running in the rain but clipped into pedals in the rain frightens me! Carla wants to train for the “Jack n’ Back” so maybe some long rides here are in our future this summer.

Assessment of the Self Inflicted damage:

I had no real bad signs from running on the fracture until Wednesday afternoon. Towards the end of the day, my shin became tight & a little uncomfortable so I stretched it out with the ever popular wall stretch. I went to Harvey’s for weights, elliptical, etc…it was fine. I did spin Thursday morning, wore my calf sleeves to work, & did more of the same at Harvey’s after work. It felt fine. I did seem to tweak my left hip. (Remember the bursa tissue issue the fall of ’07?) My chiropractor could tell that I had done something to my left hip on Tuesday. “Well, let me explain what I did on Saturday, Dr R.” She is wonderful, doesn’t belittle me at all for what I’m TRYING to do, & she told me she would like to do the ½ next year. I say, “Go for it, Dr. R!”

I have felt great this week. I have that feeling of wanting to run again and/or sign up for something, ya know, but I won’t...not until I decide about NY, not until I know the damage is healed, not until the moons line up... I still have until May 30th to throw our names in the lottery hat.

Stubborn Self Inflicted Weight:

As for my stubborn 5 lbs, all of it is still here after 5 full days of serious snack control. I am watching everything I eat & adding more protein. The “ultimate snacker” is logging every snack in my food journal. I’m a nibbler, sorry, I can’t help it. I am used to eating every 2 hrs. I’ve done it all my life. I just have to keep it in check right now. Running made my weight notsomuch of an issue. “5 foot 3 me” has to find my running body without the running right now because I have a NEW bathing suit to put on soon! We did eat mexican for lunch today & I worked some of it off at Harvey's after work. See how happy we were to be piling into the back seat to go to Las Palmas. (me, BB, & Michelle)

So, if it's not raining in the am, I'm going out on the bike & possibly hitting up pilates class. If it is raining I'm building an Arc & floating to the Rec Ctr for spin class & aqua jogging in the pool.

Much Good Luck to those racing this weekend!

Drought areas...

I need to load up my bike & go to a severe drought area of the world because everytime I think about riding it rains! :(

A few random things in no particular order...

On Saturday night, we (Joe, Patti, & myself) met up with Terri J., Scott U., Jen & Jeff L., Pam & Tim W. (and Ella) for Mexican. It was nice to just sit & nibble. I still felt pretty good. Just tired from lack of sleep really… You can tell it in my face I'm sleep deprived. I look OLD! Ella had Patti's camera and took random photos. (Notice size of margaritas!) "Hello, I'm tired & he's delirious. Nice to meet you." As I age, I see my father, which is really freaky. I couldn't look more like him. Ella & Patti at Casa Mexico. Our good friend, Scott U. He's my buddy who built the dome house. Fuzzy photo taken with my cell at Expo. (Fara, Pam, Patti, & me (can I NOT stand up straight for pete's sake!) Btw, the Larabars at the Expo were fabulous! Wayne S. with the "Biggest Losers" contestants from last season, I think...I don't watch the show so I'm not sure. They ran the full marathon. "Absolut(ly) Fit While Drinking Martinis" ran with them. She has a full race report.

Sunday morning, I woke up to find my shin a little swollen. I had used the Exogen machine all last week on it & Sat when we got back. So I used it again & the swelling went down. My fingers are crossed that I didn't set it back too much on healing. Did I ever tell you all I was dropped on my head at birth & I don't know how to allow myself to heal properly? Well, there ya have it!

We went to Ella’s dance recital on Sunday afternoon. (Pam & Tim's daughter) She was just too cute! Cheslyn, Tim, & Ella. As soon as I snapped it I remembered him doing this same pose with Pam's bridesmaids at their wedding. ha! At Ella's recital. Man, I look stupid tired!

We then made a quick trip to Rutledge Falls. It was beautiful down there. There was a guy jumping in believe it or not. The water was cold! Can we cram a lot into a Sunday afternoon or what?! We can certainly cram a lot into a weekend that's for sure!

Monday I went to work & noticed some soreness while I sat at my desk. I took Patti to the airport so no gym time on Monday. Tueday morning's spin pushed out the rest of the soreness. I feel great but I can tell my shin is going "What the hell?" I'm not in any pain but I can tell I did something. So, I'm going to wait a full 2 weeks before I test the shin out again. I got all my mowing done so tomorrow is weights, abs, & elliptical. I jumped on the scales after spin this morning. At 5 ft 3 inches tall, 130.5 lbs is way too much for me. I look like a puffed up short girl. I hate that! So, I looked at the calendar...7 weeks before we head to Disney Orlando. I'm dropping it down to 125 or lower by then. Wish me luck! Ugh!!!

Here's the short version for now.

Despite the heat, the shin issues, the pollen, a stomach virus, etc...we survived & had fun again this year.
I'm going to start with the zensah sleeves. If you have any type of shin/calf issues, get a pair. By mile 2, I could feel them massaging my legs, seriously! I had a couple of conversations with people about them on the course. I saw a few folks wearing compression socks, too. Without them I know my calves would have tightened up by the end but they didn't. LOVE THEM! Best dang $40 I've spent in a long time.

Even though my longest run was on a treadmill for 7 miles at 75 mins with no incline, I managed to pull a 2:22 1/2 out of my a$$ in the heat. I'm thanking Wayne S. for the first 3-4 walk/jog miles because if I had run how I felt the first 3-4 miles, I would have died earlier. I had not run 13.1 miles in exactly a year. Who knows how much healing I just set my shin back but I do NOT regret one single step I took yesterday.

I did NOT pull out any tissues. The reason...my pace only went below 9:00 a handful of times early on & it was on the downhills. The heat never really bothered me because I kept it light, walked when I felt like it, drank a lot, & just took my time, etc... I was actually very surprised at how I felt during & after the race considering everything. I would not have missed this 10 yr anniversary for anything, obviously. Next year, though...God willing I will be doing something different around this time.

Backing up to the Expo. We went twice simply because I had to make a shot gun trip to the airport on Thursday to get Patti. The Thursday trip to the Expo wasn't planned but hey, I took most of the day off & we had fun downtown. We went into the Tennessee Sports museum at the Sommet Center. I'll post photos later in the week from there. It's $3 to get in, takes less than an hour to go through, & pretty interesting.

We took Pam & Fara back on Friday. I got a great deal on some Mizunos. I haven't worn them in about 5 yrs. This time I got a pair that are very compatible with my Adrenalines. I can't wait to run in them. When, who knows....I'm going to allow the shin some time to heal now. I PROMISE!

I'm so proud of Pam for sticking it out in the heat & with her knee issues. Wayne S. pulled Patti along to her 1/2 mary PR of 2:41. She was thrilled with that considering her shin splints & her longest run was only 6 miles.
Fara M. ran her first 1/2 in 1:56 despite some terrible blisters on her arch.
Carla & Chris did great despite the stress of being stuck in traffic & dealing with the heat. Carla got a 2:28 & Chris 1:55.
Despite some back issues at mile 11, Paul S. pulled out a 2:13 with Chad O. a minute or so behind him, & Jessie right behind them...so glad you guys had fun. I'm proud of you running your 1st 1/2 in miserable heat.
And Joe...well, if I could channel his energy the days leading up, I could have had a PR without training, seriously. He did a 2:05 & was still bouncing around at the end. Something tells me this won't be the last 1/2 marathon he does...& if I have my way, he will be doing a full with me, right Joe? :P (He's definitely got it in him.)

The rest of the weekend was super busy. I hope everyone had a GREAT weekend.

Happy Hot Friday!

Talk about winging it, well, yall know my deal....
Cousin Pam's daughter has had a stomach virus the last two days so let's pray Pam doesn't wake up with it tomorrow morning.
Patti has been plagued with shin splints for a month or longer but she's bringing her Detroit Tiger's spirit to the 1/2 marathon course. :)

I'm just going to have a great time. I tasted the cytomax at the Expo for the first time & it reminds me of Crystal light Lemon. Not bad at all. (WAY better than accelerade!)

I'm ticked off that my insurance was charged over $200 for an aircast that I wore less than a week. I got a bill for $25 for it. I will be calling Dr. J's office first thing Monday morning to see if I can return the damn thing. :(

Other than that...it's a beautiful day & it's going to be a fun weekend. Next week/weekend I will get myself on my bike. No running at all on the shin next week that is for sure.

Can I buy a phlegm sleeve anywhere?

I did the 1 hr spin class this morning. Great sweat!
This afternoon I did 4 miles with Carla.
The first 2 miles were fine.
The second 2 miles were a repeat of what was going on last year.
Damn allergies! I felt like my oxygen was cut off.
We walked a lot the last 2 miles but had a 10:06 pace overall.
The first 2 miles were around 8:30, then all phlegm broke loose.
NOTE TO SELF: Carry as many tissues as I can in my nathan belt.
NOTE TO Wayne S.: When we walk, I'll get off to the side to clear my throat so I don't gross you or anyone else out.

Carla has decided to try to run with Wayne P. in corral 13. She's going to try to hang with him at a 10 min pace. (His wife is walking the 1/2) We may catch them, who knows... All I know is that I seriously love these sleeves. In that short 4 miles, they felt awesome. Now if I can just find a sleeve to cram down my throat to soak up all the phlegm! I am doing everything I'm supposed to do with the allergies. Much like last year, when I push the pace down, it's ugly. :(

Ignore the slow woman in the calf sleeves, please....

Saturday’s workout included just over 3 miles, pilates class, & crunches. I had to be done quickly to run errands & get to Trisha’s shower. The twins are absolutely adorable. Below they sit on their Great Granny Dot’s lap. Conner & Brayden, welcome to the world!Sunday, I walked/jogged 3.5 SLOW miles in Joe’s neighborhood while it misted rain. It was just warm enough that it didn’t make me cold to be out in it. I felt good & I thought to myself that if it misted rain on the 25th, I would be A Ok with that. In the afternoon I felt like an elephant was sitting on my sinus cavities. I wasn’t stuffed up at all & no draining in my throat. My sinuses in the front radiated so much pain that I ended up taking an extra migraine pill. I guess it all started when the front started coming in, who knows… I just know it made me almost nauseated but at least I did get out & I worked with my 5 lb weights. I even got Joe & Joey into the plank position while stretching.

I got a little too distracted by “Jon & Kate Plus 8” on Sunday afternoon. They had a marathon going on & the next thing I know 5 hrs had passed. Ha! Man, all those kids look exactly like their daddy!
The departure of "Edie Britt" (Nicholette Sheridan) from Desperate Housewives was sad to me. I remember my college roomie, Joanie, & I stopping everything to watch "Knots Landing" on Thursday nights. WOW, how old am I?! :P

Looks like Carla will start with Wayne & me Sat morning. She says she’s not been running well at all lately. I’m sure she’ll be fine. Patti says she's going to change corrals & try to keep us in her sights. Should be interesting with a string of us chasing each other! Apparently our party will start in corral 16 & end somewhere near the finish line. I know it will be my slowest 1/2 ever but I'm determined that it be the most fun I've ever had in a 1/2. :) Good luck to those running this Sat & the next Sat in Cincy.

Congrats to Chuck H. in Boston today! He’s the only person I know personally that ran. Judging from his time, I think he stopped to take a few photos & chit chat with the crowds. I wouldn’t doubt it anyway. One day, (probably when I’m 60!), I want to run Boston. For now, I think I’ll just try my best to heal the 2 mm crack that's left in my shin without losing my mind. I did buy the Zensah calf sleeves on Saturday at FF in the ‘boro. Originally I was going to get the socks but the guy waiting on me really talked up the sleeves. Apparently, he uses them & can tell a difference in his calves when he wears them to bed after a long run or long bike ride. Ummm…

Tonight I did some ab work & spin class. I’ll more than likely go to spin in the morning & then get in a run in the evening. Wednesday, is weights & the elliptical. Not sure if I'll get up for Thurs am spin or not. Thinking of sleeping in Thursday. :P

Sooooo busy!

Picking up with Thursday's workout, I had no problem with spin that morning after doing just shy of 6 miles on the deathmill Wed evening. Yes, I was a wuss & just basically wanted to watch the news so I got my slow self on a treadmill for 65 mins. I managed 5.95 miles with a 1% incline. So, the 5 mi per hr goal with the hills should be doable, who knows... I'm going to try to hang with Wayne as long as I can...he's doing the full. We're in corral 16. I cleaned Thurs after work so no pm workout.

I had friday off & had big plans for a long ride. Due to lawn mower issues, the stupidity of Walmart, & having to put together a lawn mower the long ride just wasn't meant to be...I settled for a 25 mile out & back through the base. I ate & drank on my bike without stopping, didn't drop my chain simply because I refused to use all the gears. ha! I was slow! It took me 2:03:41. Friday was a beautiful day & I hate that I wasted most of it in Walmart, Lowes, & the yard. :( My nose felt like a suitcase full of pollen.

This morning, I'm heading to Pilates & I plan to get in a slow run/walk on the treadmill. Yes, I really do need to be outside doing this but with all that I have going on today, it's just easier to get done this way. I have to be at the Women's Club for a baby shower. I finally get to see cousin Clint's twin boys! :)

I'm heading to my favorite running store (FF) after the shower to purchase the compression socks. I can't wait to try them out! If it's not all stormy & rainy tomorrow, I will get out for a little while in them. Next weekend will totally be an experiment in so many ways.

2009 Fall Schedule: Titans

The Tennessee Titans' 2009 schedule as released Tuesday night by the NFL. All times Central:

Preseason
Aug. 9--vs. Buffalo in Canton, Ohio, 7 p.m.
Aug. 15--Buccaneers, 7 p.m.
Aug. 21--at Cowboys, 7 p.m.
Aug. 29--at Browns, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 3--Packers, 7 p.m.

Regular Season
Sept. 10--at Steelers, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20--Texans, noon
Sept. 27--at Jets, 3:15 p.m.
Oct. 4--at Jaguars, noon
Oct. 11--Colts, 7:20 p.m.
Oct. 18--at Patriots, 3:15 p.m.
Oct. 25--Bye
Nov. 1--Jaguars, 3:05 p.m.
Nov. 8--at 49ers, 3:15 p.m.
Nov. 15--Bills, noon
Nov. 23--at Texans, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 29--Cardinals, noon
Dec. 6--at Colts, noon
Dec. 13--Rams, noon
Dec. 20--Dolphins, noon
Dec. 25--Chargers, 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 3--at Seahawks, 3:15 p.m.

A great Easter Service & a 10 mile walk/jog

I have to say the World Outreach Church really does it up for Easter. They had an awesome service Sat night at Murphy center. Joe & I joined Hannah & Jeff there & then hit up Mimi's for dinner. I snapped a photo with my cell of Charlie Daniels performing during the service. He goes to this church & performs at Easter service every few years. The preacher allowed him to do "The Devil Went Down to GA". I cracked up!

On Sunday, we took it easy...we decided to walk/jog most of the CMM 1/2 course. :P It will be weird to actually run past Tootsies, the Country Music Hall of Fame, & to the side of the Flying Saucer bar. Now if they could just get 2nd ave & Printer's Alley in there somehow...

We took our time, walked, talked, helped a lady find Vanderbilt hospital, took one short wrong turn, got back on track, & totally enjoyed the Belmont Blvd area & the gulch. We decided to go up a not so nice stairwell to get back to the car instead of heading down for the Bicentennial Park area of the run. (I'm still laughing about that actually. You just had to be there.)

I completed my LAST physical therapy session on the shin this afternoon. I figure it's just stupid to do a 5k, walk 10 miles, & then keep going to therapy. I feel that I don't need it. True, I do need to build the strength back up in that shin & I will but I hate wasting money, especially when it comes to insurance.

Tomorrow is early spin, weights, & a whole lot of ab work for sure!

Happy Monday Everyone!

Backing off...........just a bit....

By thursday morning, I was feeling a little back to normal with spinning. Not a whole lot of soreness anywhere... Friday morning the X rays still show an approximate 2 mm crack according to Dr. J. He said that the "old crack" on the back was completely filled in & this one may take a full year. Well, it's been almost a full year since it was diagnosed so who knows...just a wait n' see game that I'm pretty darn tired of playing. I told him about the 7 miles on the treadmill & of course he said that if there's any pain at all in the shin, I've pushed it too much. So, after analyzing what I've done the last 4 wks, I've determined that 2-4 miles at a 10 min pace doesn't make it sore, pushing the pace down for 2-4 miles will cause some shin pain but not enough for good sense to click in for me to stop. If I'm with Terri & we're walking/jogging for say 6 miles, I'm ok. No real soreness to speak of so far.

In the afternoon, we saw the Hannah Montana movie with the kids & I have to say it made me want to head to Rutledge Falls. That water is cold year round but imagine how it feels after a hot run on your sore calves. :) The rope swing scene is the falls scene. I also recognized Wartrace & Columbia, too. It was a pretty decent little movie I must say. :) While we were in the matinee at the Hollywood 27, the 'boro got hit again with tornados in a big way. It took my sister calling me from TX for me to realize just how bad it was...horrible. I got a hold of April to make sure she was ok since her house is north Murfreesboro. It took her 2 hrs to get from State Farm to her house but she & Sam are fine, thank God.

Today, Joe & I headed to the Shade Tree 5k Trot. It was a bit colder than I expected it to be but perfect running weather. We had a blast! Talked to John S. & "Sparky" before the race, which started late but that was ok. It was low key & for a very good cause. The first mile had a lot of downhills to it so I was propelled to an 8:31 first mile, which I've not done in MANY months. The 2nd mile was still under a 9 min pace. What goes down, usually goes back up.....so, the 3rd mile I was toast! I think the clock said 27:20 but according to my garmin, the course may have been about .07-.08 short. I had slogged a little over a mile before the race so I got in just over 4 miles today. The planned 9 today just wasn't going to happen after hearing that 7 on a treadmill was too much. So, depending on the shin, I may get out for a very slow 5 tomorrow and/or get my bike out for a little while. The post race food was awesome, plenty pizza, coffee, water, bagels, & doughnuts. Several people did this race after doing the Purity Race. Maybe I'll do both next year if they fall on the same day, eh? ;P They didn't get all the results done before we left since it was all done by hand but we didn't care. Joe did 23:something & was happy with that. I could definitely tell a difference in my legs since the Tom King 5k. This was not a totally flat 5k like Tom King but the hills didn't bother me as much as I thought they would which was surprising. Looks like I'll definitely be backing off my goal A for the CMM 1/2. Goal B is just to finish whenever my legs allow me to finish COMFORTABLY. Like I said before, I don't want to feel like crap the rest of the day.

I hope everyone had a great run today!

Waking up the lost muscles...

Due to the fact that I have very recently started using the old running muscles, Tuesday’s early spin nearly killed me. My body is still in shock from the sudden use of the dormant muscles. Tues evening, I hit the weights & the elliptical machine at Harvey’s. I am rethinking the decision not to renew again. Like I’ve said before, sometimes it’s my “Cheers”. I’ll admit it takes me longer than it should on most evenings to get out of there because of the socializing. How else would I keep in touch with people I don’t necessarily call, text, work with, run or bike with occasionally? So, I caught up with Tim & Tammie G. & Mike F. last night.
I got my confirmation email for the CMM ½ last night. I’m in corral 16, which is a 2:15 group. Back in Dec when I registered, I thought I’d at least do it at that pace. Not to rehash last years debacle but even at mile 9 when I had to walk because I had this mysterious shin pain that made the back of my legs hurt, I still pulled out a 2:11. I still look forward to whatever the day brings despite a slow finish. I’m praying for no rain, no extreme heat, & lots of fun. I am thankful that I’m healthy enough to even participate.

This afternoon I decided that I really needed to run my lunch off. I had so much chicken at lunch that I felt like I’d start pecking at people if I didn’t burn some of it off. I did the jog/walk thing with Terri. I got in 6.19 miles with the last mile & a half totally walkin' n' talkin'. :) Today was gorgeous!
Below is a pic that BB from work took when he went to Burger King for lunch. Sponge Bob was soaking up the rays in Manchester today. Even Sponge Bob had to get outside. Ha!

Confession

Ok, I confess I've watched it in spurts here n' there. The few times I've watched Adam Lambert has blown me away. They need to send everyone on home & give it to him!

Weekend Slogging

Saturday morning, I woke up stiff as a board from the 7 miles on Friday on the deathmill at Harvey’s. It has been MANY months since I have covered 7 miles outside or inside! I walked some at the soccer fields & in the village which helped, though. By Sunday, I was ok to do the planned hills. I slogged through 3 miles of up & down & then when it felt too windy to get on my bike, I slogged another 2 miles of rolling hills. (with one BIG one that makes the Bell Buckle hill seem like a joke!). Yes, I’m a slogger right now, slower than a jogger, but faster than a walker able to leap small buildings…ummmmmmm, maybe not!

I can now relate to those of you who have watched kids while running loops around them. The neighbors were probably wondering what I was doing. I kept calling out my loops (each loop being just short of .25 with the hill right in the middle) to the kids. “Hey, I’m ready for loop 7!” By loop 8 or 9, the kids didn’t care. Joe got in 5 miles somewhere in the village & had the sunglasses lines on his face to prove it. The weekend was beautiful, wasn't it?! We had highs in the 70s this weekend but today it sleeted around 5pm. Isn't that insane?!

Ummm, do I have a finish time goal for Apr 25th? I want to get this slog run in under 3 hrs & be coherent enough to drive 3 other women back to Tullahoma. Apr 25th will get me my slowest ½ mary time ever but I plan to have fun, not kill myself, & enjoy the family. Joe, Paul, Chad, & Jessie are all doing this for the 1st time & it will be interesting to hear what they think about it. I am feeding off their excitement! I just hope I’m not too awfully far behind them.

Below is a pic from Jessica's game & one from Joey's. I totally enjoyed the games. The next time, I'd like to get there early to run around the fields.

The dark headed boy to the left will probably be a professional soccer player one day. His name is Axel & his dad is a former Pro in Mexico. (I have that right, Joe?) Axel has it going on with the Jonas brothers hair. ha!

I can't wait to see the "real" Tiger in June with these folks. :)

Today, I did some crunches & the 45 min spin class. If we're not iced in tomorrow, I plan to hit up the early 1 hr spin class & then weights n' stuff at Harvey's in the afternoon. (Can ya believe we're worrying about crappy roads on Apr 6th?!)

Productive Friday Off from Work!

I was up at 4:30am this morning & by 5:30am, I had my stuff set up at cousin Pam's house. By 6am, even though it was cold & damp, we had people rolling in... I guess some folks go to yard sales on their way to work but it was mostly retired people. I knew I wouldn't make much but spending time with my family sure was fun this morning. The Peaches, (aunt Becky & Joe) are always entertaining. That man could sell the rocks out of a gravel drive way, seriously.

I left about noon to grab lunch & take a quick nap. I decided to go ahead & mow since the grass seemed dry enough. Then I headed to Harvey's for a quick workout. I did a few leg weights & jumped on the deathmill. (7 miles in 75 mins with slight incline) I'm ok with that right now because I was actually going to try to get in 7 miles sometime this weekend. It felt good & I had to make myself take the walk breaks. My body is weird. The first few miles kill me but once I'm past the 4 mile mark, I sometimes feel as if I could just keep going & going....slow as molasses but still moving... Something tells me I'm not going to have to stress too much about endurance on Apr 25th. It's the speed that has suffered the most. (Not that there was that much speed to begin with!) The planned 9 miles for Easter weekend should be doable. I hope to do that outside so let's all keep our fingers crossed for good Easter weather. We have plans to meet Hannah & Jeff at Murphy Center for the World Outreach Service Sat evening & then dinner.

I hope to jog some hills sometime this weekend in Joe's neighborhood & maybe get my bike out at some point. Lately the rain sure has screwed up my planned bike time & I just refuse to get on it anymore when it's windy/cold. My toes still hate me for that, ya know....

TGIF!

Some familiar soreness & good times are coming!

Tuesday evening I did the walk/jog thing for 62 minutes on the dreadmill (no incline) & got in 5.5 miles exactly. The weather looked sketchy & cold so since I’m slow I might as well go inside & stay warm, eh? I did a few leg weights & called it a day. I was tired not because of the workout but because I had woke up with a sore throat & drainage. Yes, another sinus infection…so, needless to say I didn’t make it to the Tues am spin class. I did get some meds & I felt 100X better today.

This afternoon I met up with Terri for a walk/jog around THS. Their track is locked up since they're breaking ground on the new stadium, FINALLY! Remember a while back when it made the news that it was condemned? I had just run on it like the day before..so they finally condemned it after I had just spent the afternoon before going up & down the stairs. Coincidence? Ummm.... I was out with Terri for about 4.3 miles, which gave us a good little sweat. I had to get the stiffness from the day before out of my legs. Spin in the morning should be interesting....

My goal for the next few days is to go to the Thurs am spin class & spend the evening getting ready for our yard sale on fri morning. At noon on fri, I’m packing up what doesn’t sell & heading for the house to get my bike out if weather permits. I hope to get in an hour or two then mow the yard. The plan is to get to Nash by 8pm because I was invited by Jessica to watch her soccer game a while back. (She turns 11 next Tues) The plan for Saturday is to try for 7 run/walk miles at some point in the day. Sunday, we’ll see how the shin feels then determine what to do next.
All this weather permitting, of course because the forecast seems to be rain off & on for the next 4-6 days! :(

23 more days until my curly haired Michigan cousin flies in for yet another CMM ½. It’s been touch & go because of her job & the economy but I’m glad she’ll be here again for it. Joe & I need to go up there for a race with her sometime for sure. :) Good Times!