PR for pizza....Who knew?

That's right. Apparently you just have to dangle the promise of pizza at the end of a race & I'm gonna do a PR. Here's the breakdown:

Mile 1: 9:06
Mile 2: 9:07
Mile 3: 8:44(could smell the pizza..It was the proverbial carrot on a stick)
Mile .1: 1:01(was knockin' peeps outta my way to GET to the pizza..;-))..(sorry M,beer just doesn't do it for me but hey whateva' works for you,go for it!)

Finish time was 28:00. Over a minute faster than my previous week's time. How ya like me now?..lol AND,it was a good 10 degrees warmer(about 95 at the 7:00 race time compared to the mid-80's of the past 2 races).

Last night marks the last in this series & it's going to be my last race this summer. Definitely looking forward to building up distance & working on my speed in the relative comfort of the treadmill when it's above 90 outside. I may do a winter race(depending on my finances) but this is it until I start training for the 10k(held next year). Hope everyone is staying cool & catch ya on the flip side!

2nd 5k race report

Ok so I've done another 5k. And as you can see from the sidebar my time is about 36 seconds slower than last week. Yeah.. Here's the splits:

Mile 1: 9:37
Mile 2: 9:27
Mile 3: 9:01
Mile .1: 7:39

Negative splits again baby! Anyway despite running on too little sleep & a pms-induced migraine,I'm happy w/ my overall performance. I actually had little bit left over to push towards the end as you can see. And right now w/ everything that's been going on w/ my living situation I take whatever time I can get. I wanted thank all those who sent me much love on my race results last week. You guys totally rock!

Next week is the last race in the series & there's pizza at the end. Wonder how fast I'll finish that one so I can stuff my face & undo all the work in the end?..;-) (Kisses)

7 seconds faster

Yeah I've become one of those bloggers that only post every once in a while. So much going on but I wanted to give a short race report(I know it's been so long you probably don't realize that I had a 5k yesterday).

Yesterday's was the first of a 3-5k race series. We basically ran thru a subdivision w/ a few long cul-de-sacs thrown in for fun. Here's the breakdown:

Mile 1: 9:12
Mile 2: 9:20(tried to slow up a little. Realized Mile 1 was a little fast)
Mile 3: 8:58(umm....yeah there was a downhill..there were cars coming..umm..ok,I booked it)
Mile .11: 8:12(not EVEN gonna offer an excuse for this one)

Finish time was 28:51. Even though I'm about 30 seconds slower than my time last year for this first race,I beat my last 5k(Race for the cure) by several seconds! That's huge considering that last year I hadn't been injured yet. Overall I am pleased w/ time & weather wasn't too shabby. High 80's cloudy w/ a storm a-brewin'. Next week will probably be in the mid-90's & blistering hot so I really enjoyed the temps yesterday.

Don't know if I'm gonna post again this week so I hope everyone has a good one!

Misc.

Well some progress has been made on my living situation. Even though my credit score is pretty good,I've got a little too much debt(who doesn't these days) for the amount of income I have & that's what's providing to be challenge in getting me pre-approved. My lender has been trying to work on a plan to reduce that(because in the long run regardless if I rent or try to own I need to have this monkey off my back).

But I am exploring lease-w/ the option to buy. It would get my foot in the door in terms of the housing market while working on getting a down payment. The way it works is that part of the rent would be put into an account to build up over the course of a year or more to be put towards closing costs if I chose to buy the place that I'm renting. Of course,I would need to chose a place that I really like so it give me motivation to buy. So I have looked at a couple of condos in my area & just waiting to hear what my lender says in terms of financing for me.

On the running front,I have signed up for my yearly 3-5k race series coming up this Monday(as you can see from sidebar). They are held for 3 consecutive Mondays in July in subdivision w/ lots of cul-de-sacs(hence the name). The races start at 7pm so hopefully it would be a smidge cooler,but I doubt it. Last year it was still in the low 90's by the time the race started but good thing was,there were a lot of homeowners out there w/ hoses & sprinklers drenching us during the course of the race. So let's hope they are generous w/ their water again!..until next time...

Still here...

Yeah I'm still alive. Been groovin' on the road,getting my speed up(slowly) & rockin' the x-training. Playing the waiting the game w/ my living situation. Working on getting my financial house in order so I can,Lord-willing, buy my own place. Got a little over 2 months to make this happen otherwise I'm going to be renting for a year or 2(it's way too expensive to do month-to-month). But wanted to pop in & give ya'll an update,cause I know that you're just waiting on the edge of your seat for a post from me..;-) ((Hugs))

Miss me?

I know,it's been a minute since I last posted(or commented on your blogs-my deepest apologies). Lots of things going on. Some I hinted to here. Let's just say I've started the process. Running has been going good. Did speed work on Friday & had my 4miler yesterday.

Got a chance to try out my gym in its new location. Other than the fact that they switched the cardio area to the ground floor(made sense since you tend to get more heated doing cardio & heat rises & all that) & put the weight machines on the 2nd floor,I can work wit' it. But get this,they have some weight machines out of order already! They've only been opened a few days. Doesn't look too good when they touring w/ prospective members but oh well. At least when they were in the old building,they had the excuse of we're moving to brand new place w/ all new equipment..umm yeah.

Posting might be sparse here over the next few days but know that I'm trying to get my life in order & I'm makin' moves...Later

Movin' on

So the heat,where my gym is currently located & even me are moving. First the heat. Looks like we're going to be in the low 90's tomorrow(instead of the furnace that we had earlier this week) which should be a little better for my speed work.

Next my gym is moving about a couple of miles of where it is currently. They have built a spankin' brand new-bigger(supposed to be around a 100,000 sq. feet) than all the other gyms in the area. All I know is they will have an indoor track(sweet but too bad they couldn't have been opened on Monday or tomorrow-they won't be opened for business until Sat.).

Finally me. My lease is currently coming up for a renewal & I need to get into a cheaper place. Plus I'll have my Dad moving in w/ me for a bit. I know everyone is getting into buying a house but I have to admit that I'm kinda(read a lot) apprehensive about the financial commitment. I grew up in apartments & was never told about how important it is to own. But of course now that I have been on my own for nearly a decade everybody & their mother is trying to get me to buy. I don't have any money saved up & I know that can help greatly towards lowering the final amount. But I don't want to be one of the many who are right now going thru foreclosure in a few years cause I can't keep up w/ the payments. If anyone has any advise,clue me in.

Until next time...

The heat...

Ok,I'm certifiable. I..am..completely..INSANE. Wanna know why? I ran yesterday. 100 degrees/heat index 105. 4 miles in 39:21/avg. pace 9:49. Lawdy hav' mercy. Even the devil wasn't laughing yesterday. I think he was passed out from the heat! Funny thing there were times when I thought- Maybe I should walk,you know bring me heart rate down out of "heart attack" zone. But then I thought I'll just be out here longer than I really want. So I pushed thru to the end. I know,I don't have/use the good sense God gave me.

But there maybe some relief soon. Weatherman predicting the east coast heat wave will HOPEFULLY be easing up tomorrow. But of course I have swimming tomorrow so it would be cooler tomorrow. Until then....

Now I know what hell feels like...

Tempo run(5x/3min @9:29pace-w/ 11:11 recovery jog btwn each set)...3+ miles total...95 degrees/heat index 100...Heaven help me it was HOT!! I think at one point I saw the devil laughing at my a$$ as I tried to bang out my run. There was just enough breeze to tease(really just pissed me off) cause just when I thought there was some relief...THERE WASN'T. I know what you all are thinking. Why would I do any type of speed work in the summer? Well I got a 3 5k race series coming up in a month & I didn't realize when I was planning my running(getting my pace & distance up after my injury) that I would be doing it throughout the WHOLE summer.

Don't get me wrong,I ran last summer so it's not like I haven't done any heat training but after the fall/winter running it's easy to forget how hot your body can really feel out in that. So anyway I figure that I'll take this month to do some concentrated speed work,do my race series & then do the rest of my speed work/tempo on the mill if it's too hot.

G,the leg has been holding up well & I hope your tempo run went ok in this heat as well. Well I hope everyone stays cool(or at least be camped out in front of the A.C.) this weekend! (Toodles)

Got to keep my balls..

Bwahahaaa...Yeah I was at the gym tonight & sent death rays to anyone who even thought about taking one of them. So my workout tonight went off w/o a hitch. Hey I was an only child. I DON'T share well..;-)

So M wondered how I dropped 48secs from Mile 1(9:55) to Mile 4(9:07) on my long run on Monday. I have to say...that...I...have...no...idea. Honestly I was haulin' bootie. Probably since it was hotter than hades I was just ready to get the run over w/ so I can get in some A.C.! I know I gotta watch that this summer if I don't want to overtax myself. Heat stroke,heck even heat exhaustion is no joke.

Speaking of heat & speed got my first speed work session(tempo run) tomorrow. Supposed to be in the mid-90's. Pray for me.

Those beyotches stole my balls!

Let me set the scene. Imagine me at the gym. Doing my thang. Just finishing up one exercise & heading toward the stability balls. Then to my horror,these rather young things just prance(yes,they pranced..shut up) up & took them all. I just look at them & say as nicely as I can.."Hey I was just about to use one of those". They looked back at me & said in a grating, sweet voice.."We need them for a class". No compromise & say hey let's leave one for one of the many(like me) who are NOT taking a class. It's just like oh well we got to them first,sucks to be you. I tell ya I wanted to stick the balls where the sun wouldn't even think about shining! Alrighty I'm done w/ my rant.

I did manage to bang out my 4miler yesterday(kinda wish I could have run today too after I got "robbed" at the gym). Finished in 38:14/avg. pace 9:35. Check out these splits:

Mile 1: 9:55
Mile 2: 9:33
Mile 3: 9:32
Mile 4: 9:07(somebody DEFINITELY lit a fire under my a$$)

It's been a long time since I've negative splits like that. I was shocked at that last mile. Did not think I could go below & hold a 9:15pace for longer than a few hundred feet since my injury. Obviously I underestimated my legs.

I've got swimming tomorrow. At least I'm not using any balls in the pool! (Kisses)

I'm "melting"...

How about I'm ready for the hot weather to be over w/? And it's not even officially summer yet. Did my 2miler on Friday in the nice 80 degree heat(thank goodness there was a good breeze & low humidity). Finished 19:21/avg. pace 9:37. And let me tell you,I felt like I was a puddle of sweat by the end of it(believe me,I SWEAT-no healthy glow or lightly perspiring so that's sayin' something).

Picked up a couple of nice things at Victoria's Secret at their semi-annual sale yesterday. I heart their bras even though they are a bit on the $$ side. Let's face it their undies aren't cheap either but hey,what can I say? Got champagne taste w/ a beer budget.

So looks like there's a consensus w/ me not spending the money on x-trainers & to stick w/ wearing my running kicks to the gym. I have to admit I did look at some x-trainers yesterday when I was out & about but honestly I think I'm going w/ the majority & when it's time to replace my running shoes that I use at the gym,I'm going w/ a cheapie pair from Walmart or someplace like that. Thanks so much for the advice guys!

I've got my usual long run(4miles) tomorrow but this week I start my speed work(tempo run on Fri.). Even though it does feel like I've been getting faster all along since I've started back running after my injury. I'm really looking forward to doing some concentrated speed work & also to see how far I can take this part of my training to hopefully make me a better, more efficient runner. (Toodles)

Question?

Love it that it's almost the weekend already(gotta love those short work weeks due to the Monday holiday). Did my usual x-training at the gym tonight. No surprises there. I've got my short run(2miler) tomorrow in the mid-80 degree heat. Thank goodness it's only 2 miles. But I know that even my long runs will be in this heat soon enough.

Wanted to throw this question out there. How many of you actually have x-training shoes? I'm using some relatively old running shoes to wear to the gym when I do the ellip & weights but I debating on whether or not I actually need x-trainers. I know that they are supposed to be designed a bit differently but not sure if I'm looking to spend the moolah for them. Also eventually I will wear out the running shoes & REALLY don't want to spend even more money(considering x-trainers are relatively cheaper compared to running kicks) on new running shoes to replace them when I'm not actually going to be using them for running. Decisions,decisions...

They're keepers after all

Looks like my new running kicks can handle the road(& me for that matter) after all. Did my 4miler this morning in 38:58/avg. pace:9:38. No blisters or pain anywhere else for that matter.

I know everyone is probably in food coma(from all the hot dogs & burgers-so this post is short) but I wanted to wish everyone a safe & happy Memorial Day!

The long & short of it

Don't ya just love 3 day weekends? Nothing but laziness & sloth(I mean look,I haven't posted since Wed.) until Tuesday. Anyway a little bit of catchup. Did my 2miler on Friday. And I wasn't alone. Looks like I was willing to bend. Yeah,the r.b. & I ran together. I didn't wait until 5 or 6 to run but 1/2 hour later than what I normally do. The issue that I have w/ waiting is that not only do I run but I also do some strength training afterwards & I just don't want to put off doing my whole exercise routine(run included) for an hour or more. I mean it's not like I have a significant other(don't remind me) or kids where I can fill up the time doing something else. I would be just sitting waiting for the r.b. And Lisa,I don't see a prob(no issue of safety-yet,but you never can be too sure) w/ running solo. In fact I had been running that way for several months before I met the r.b. I love the advantages of doing my own thing,in my own time & not having to consider someone else. But I also love the benefits of running w/ someone else,having another person to b!tch to & whatnot.

Anyway the run was good. Finished in 19:16/avg. pace 9:30. I decided to set my Garmin for 9:30 instead of 9:55 just to see if my legs(former injured one esp.) could handle the faster pace. I knew I could & would slow down if I felt any pain. Didn't feel anything at all & haven't felt anything for the rest of the weekend. So I believe I have a new pace for my shorter runs.

Also managed to try out my new running shorts. They worked good for the short distance(even though I did feel self-conscious at first,not used to having shorts THAT short). I even joked to my r.b. that it almost felt like I was running in my underwear.

And I have finally replaced my running kicks. Picked up these babies...




They are the Mizuno Wave Inspire 4. Let me tell you there's a BIG difference between these & my Nikes. For one,the Nikes are a lot cushier but it's a more neutral shoe(I need something w/ light motion control). Also these are a lot stiffer(due to the motion control). Ran for about 10mins on the tread this morning & I have to say that I like em'. Didn't think that I would because of the less cushion they have a bit more stability(I know,that's the point..;-)) that makes me feel more sure of my footing. I'll be taking them on the road for my 4miler tomorrow so I'll report back how they handle it.

Hope everyone is enjoying the extra time off & I'll catch ya the flip side!

This & that

Did the swim thing today & I have to say I think I'm getting stronger. My stroke still leaves something to be desired,but I'm feeling more comfy in the water.

In answer to Red's comment about whether or not I have a running club in my area,I do & actually I'm a member. But I have not gone to any meetings(they don't meet at a good time for me). When I first started running,I posted to their website looking for a running bud & no one responded. I get off a little earlier than most folks around here(4pm) & I'm not willing to wait until 5 or 6 to run. But maybe I'll try again or maybe not(may try running solo for a while). We'll see.

And then there was one

Well it's happened. The r.b. & I have parted ways. It was a amicable split. Who am I kidding? She dumped me! Said I was too inflexible about our running schedule. Claimed that I wasn't willing to bend,to compromise & run when she could fit us in. Ok,enough w/ the dramatics. But it's true her job has gotten crazy it was just too hard for her to meet at our regular time & I didn't want to meet later so I am runnin' on my own again. I have to admit that I'll miss running w/ her though & hopefully her job will settle down & we can tear up the road together again.

Speaking of tearing up the road,I did 3.5 miles today. Temps were low 70's,low humidity,good stiff breeze partly cloudy. Here are me splits:

Mile 1: 10:11
Mile 2: 9:46
Mile 3: 9:49
Mile .5: 9:11

Finished in 34:40/avg. 9:48pace. I had set my Garmin to alert me when I went faster than 9:55. Well you see how well that worked(for the record it did alert me,& I promptly ignored it). I'm thinking that might be a bit slow but then again I have to consider the distance. So I might play around w/ that pace a little but not too much because I'm still adding distance & trying to not to do speed.

And Steve,as far as I know you can't legally buy another human in this country but I would be too chicken to do an extreme makeover!

Running solo

So it's Sunday already. Where did the weekend go? Anyway did my 2miler w/o the r.b. on Friday. Finished in 19:20/avg. pace 9:35. Actually my 1st mile was around 10min & the 2nd mile was a good minute faster. Was I sleepwalkin' the 1st half?! I definitely pushed myself & I thought that my leg was going to be pissed at me but not a peep for the rest of the weekend.

Managed to pick up these at Target..



Too bad I couldn't get the body to go w/ the bra & shorts. Definitely needed a new sports bra(I have several in multiple colors & my red one was way past it's prime). I got the running shorts in the blue you see there & black.

I have a confession to make though. These are the first running shorts that I have bought. I know,I know how can I call myself a runner w/o running shorts!? I do have running tees,singlets,jackets,capris..etc. but no shorts. I have..hate to say the word..cotton. I do have some that are made of poly-blend but they don't wick. Most of the running shorts that I have seen have the built in undies. Which I know that would be the one place that you want to keep cool,but I like my underwear(even though they don't wick). The ones I bought yesterday are the first I've seen w/o them. Even though they are a little shorter than what I'm used to they felt good(even ran in place for a few mins in the dressing room). I know the true test is when I take them on real run so I will report back.

I wanted thank those who gave their opinion on which fins I should get. I believe I'm going w/ the red Zoomers. Hopefully they'll work out. I hope everyone had a good weekend. ((Hugs))

Business as usual

Things have been going along good here. Been doing the x-training thang for the past few days. But I do have a question to ask. I normally use swim fins that my club provides but I'm looking into getting my own. Here's a couple that I'm looking at...




The red ones on top are by Zoomers. They say the way how their designed is supposed to reduce ankle strain(the short length). The multiple pic on the bottom are by Tritan. Both are roughly the same price(around $20). Don't want to spend too much but I do want something that will last thru at least one season. I have a decent kick & good running muscles but I don't how this equates in the water. Any suggestions,advice,info would be mucho appreciated!

Got my short run(2miler) tomorrow(t.g.i.f.). Good luck to all those who may be racing/running this weekend. Manana

Who ordered a cold run?

Alrighty,yesterday's run was..shall we say..a bit chilly. Now you know I'm ALL for a cool run,but considering the fact it was a good 20 degrees cooler than it normally is this time of year(it was in the low 50's) was a shock! I had to dig out my cool-weather running gear. Managed to bang out 3 miles in 29:29/avg. pace 9:44. Also ran w/ the r.b. so that always make the run more fun(hey a rhyme..;-))

As you can see on the side bar I do have tentatively another race roughly 2 weeks from now but I'm not sure if I want to run it. My leg has been feeling good but I'm not sure if I want to push it just yet by racing again. I really want to concentrate on getting my distance back & building up my speed the right way. The r.b. is thinking about running it & I told her that I would be her cheering section. May sport some pigtails,poms-poms, & a cheer leading skirt just for her. She said she might just register just to see that! I've never spectated at a race before so I think it will be fun.

I wanted give thanks to all those who gave me mad props on my race this past weekend. It really means a lot coming from you(knowing the challenges that you have faced) & I will always be amazed by the outpouring of support from the running community. You guys rock!

5k race recap

Well even though I didn't PR(last year's time was 28:41) I am proud of my time this year(28:58). I ran conservative & smart race. Plus I ran the whole(no run/walk combo) way. No pain from the leg the entire time. But this was technically a harder course than last year. They moved the course to a new location which provided a bigger space for the starting line(there were 9,000 participants compared to about 3,000 last year). But this year's course was a LOT hillier. Now normally that would not be a problem but I haven't done hills in about a month since my injury,so let's just say they were a unexpected surprise. They were some steep downhills & one uphill that although was not steep was gradual that went on forever. Here are my splits:

Mile 1: 9:36(had to maneuver around the walkers,strollers & people who thought that this was a chance to sight see)
Mile 2: 9:13(hilly part,some downhill & that monster uphill that felt like I was still on it 2 days later)
Mile 3: 9:14
Mile .1: 7:47(wicked downhill. You would think this would be a good thing at the end,but the grade was steep & unexpected).

Couldn't have asked for better weather(in the mid 50's & partly cloudy). Started w/ the r.b. but she was pulling away too much & I wanted do the race w/o pain & more importantly not have pain afterwards so I told her to go ahead. She however didn't fair as good on the course & to walk some due to stitches. But she did finish about 2mins ahead of me.

So far I have had no pain today(thank God) but I think instead of adding another 1/2 mile for my long run tomorrow,I'm going to stick w/ just 3miles(since I raced yesterday & give my legs a chance to recover a little more). I hope everyone is having a good Mother's Day weekend & ((Hugs)) to all the moms out there today.

Race anniversary

Well I'm prepping for my 5k tomorrow. Some mixed emotions here. It's one year ago that I started racing & I feel like I have ran(pun intended) the gamut in this year. From starting w/ run/walk combo to running for miles at a time to training,getting injured but finishing my 1st 10k,I have had a full year!

I wondered whether I'll be walking some tomorrow realizing that I walked(some of the race) the first time a year ago. Even though it will bittersweet if I do(I thought after a year I'd be runnin' that thang) I know that it's because I'm getting my running legs back from my injury & there's no shame in that. So I will stay positive because I know that there will be plenty of people out there who are going thru bigger ailments than I had,that will be grateful just to be there.

Graduated!!

Yup,I don't hav ta go ta pt no mo'. I still will do some of the exercises that challenge my balance & coordination,but I is freeee!! Can you tell I'm really happy about this? Anyway if I have any probs or questions I can pop my head in from time to time but that's it.

Did my usual 2 mile pool jog today & I swear I saw the hairiest man in existence! I kept looking to see if it was a sweater he was wearing. Ok,can we say manscape,please. Steve has nothing on this guy.

Gina that perfect runner's place also needs volunteers w/ water,Gatorade,whatever fuel we need & a guy named Sven to massage our sore muscles after we're done!

Holy moly it's HOT!!

Even though it was in the upper 70's & low humidity it was sunny & very little wind. Today's 3miler was a mite toasty. And I know I'm gonna be praying for these temps come August. Alrighty here are the splits:

Mile 1: 9:22
Mile 2: 9:33(went a little fast on that first mile tried to cut back)
Mile 3: 9:41(Better,see most runners want that negative split but I'm going against the grain w/ a POSITIVE split..;-))

Leg felt good the entire time but I was definitely a little more winded on this run. Ran w/ the r.b. & she went a little faster(I wanted to do a 9:45pace..oh well) than I had planned. I've got pt tomorrow(I'm hoping this the last appointment) & the gym. (Toodles)

Run

So I didn't have to drag the r.b. back home on our 2miler on Friday. Howeva her friend didn't fair as well. He ended up getting a stitch about a mile into our run. Poor guy! He did manage to finish but I thought he may have needed the dragging back home. I had stitches when I ran for P.E. class in high school(many decades ago) so I definitely felt his pain. Finished the 2miler in 20:11/avg. pace 9:59. I'm getting faster. No pain from the leg for the whole weekend so I'll be doing 3 miles on Monday.

I've got a the Race for the Cure 5k coming up this Saturday so that(tomorrow's 3miler) will be my only long run(or run in general) before the event. I'll be running in memory of my Aunt who lost the battle a couple of months ago. She was a 3 year breast cancer survivor & it was because of this event that I started running in the first place. So this marks 1 year that I have running/racing & I had hoped that she was going to be still w/ us so that I could show her how far I had come(from doing the race the first time w/ a 5min run/1min walk to running the entire thing). But I know that she is looking down on me & I pray that I will make her proud. I know it's going to be an emotional day for me & I don't know how much running I am going to do but I am hoping to finish w/ a smile on my face. (Kisses)

Little post

Things have been going good here. Did my 2mile pool jog & swum some laps yesterday. Did my 2x/week ellip & upper body weight training tonight. Tomorrow I have 2miles on the road w/ the r.b. & her friend who is a newbie to running. Hopefully we can impart some wisdom & keep him injury free!..;-) Told my r.b. to remember to bring water for herself(she has a bad habit of not doing that) which isn't a big deal in the winter & she's not going far but it's going to be in low 80's & even though we're going a short distance dehydration can be sneaky. Besides I told her,I'm not dragging her butt back home! ((Hugs))

Back in the dentist chair

So I found myself back there again today to alleviate the pain I had been having since my fill-in(2 weeks ago). My dentist filed down my tooth a bit so that it would have less of a crevice for foods to fall into & grate against my tooth. She also said that I would have to baby it more & if I wanted to continue to eat my pre-workout snack(1/2c of Kashi Go Lean cereal) that to do it on one side of mouth to break it down more before moving it to the affected side(lovely). But if I continue to have pain then I'm going to be looking for another snack to eat before my workouts. Which totally bums me out because this food is pretty high in fiber & protein plus I can leave it in the car when I eat it on the way to the gym. She did recommend a protein shake but honestly I'm not sure because it's not like I can leave that in the car. So we'll see.

Did the ellip thing at the gym w/ some upper body strength training. Tomorrow is swim day. Maybe I should do a little imbibing of my own tonight!..:-)

Wet run

Gotta love it when you have rain on a run. Actually it was heavier in the beginning then gradually got lighter until it stopped when my run ended. Was able to do 2 1/2 miles in 24:46. Here are the splits:

Mile 1: 10:32
Mile 2: 9:47
1/2 mile: 4:27(wouldn't that be something if I could do that pace for the ENTIRE run?!)

I'll be taking a half a day off tomorrow to deal w/ my broken tooth again. I got a fill-in almost 2 weeks ago but unfortunately I'm still having pain when I eat something crunch and/or chewy. Talked w/ my dentist's office they suspect it might be a bad alignment. So hopefully all I will need is a re-adjustment. I want to be to eat cereal on BOTH sides of my mouth w/o wincing in pain!

M,I hear ya on getting older & taking longer to recover after night of imbibing. Used to be I could drink all night & be up w/ the sunrise the next day. But now after a couple of drinks,I'm ready for bed & don't EVEN talk to me the next day!..;-)

Candles,movies & food(oh & a 2miler)..

I hope everyone is having a good weekend(mine wasn't as romantic as my title sounds but I had fun). Ran 2 miles on Friday. Had some mild cramping in the middle of the run but it went away fairly quickly. Could have been the way I planted my leg at that moment. Finish time 20:42/avg. pace 10:13. My leg has been feeling good for the rest of the weekend. So hopefully tomorrow I can add a 1/2 mile to my 2miler!

Got my hair done Saturday & did a little retail therapy(had to celebrate making it thru my 1st week back to running..;-)). Picked up a pair of dark blue cargo style linen/cotton pants that I had been looking for forever. Stopped by Bath & Body Works picked up some candles..

Love this scent. Not too fruity or sweet but a clean scent. I also got some Cucumber Melon body wash & lotion. I'm not a floral or overly sweet scent girl. I tend to lean towards more crisp scents(think citrus) so I'm surprised that I like this. Burning the candle now & w/ the dreary weather we're having here,it really makes my place smell good!

Also went to Best Buy & bought these...



(Jennifer Beals has certainly come a long way since Flashdance-for those who aren't familiar w/ this t.v. series it's about the lives & loves of a L.A. lesbian community. Very well written show)



(I heart Catherine Zeta. The guy isn't bad lookin' either.)


The movie is cute & some funny parts & some sad ones(surprisingly) & it definitely made me hungry. I give it 2 thumbs up but I wouldn't watch it on an empty stomach..;-)

Speaking of food,I better get started on my big meal that I make for the week. Got some chorizo & garlic flavored chicken sausage defrosting in the fridge that I'm going to saute & then add to a can of black beans & a whole box of instant brown rice cooked in chicken stock w/ a little onion & fresh garlic thrown in. Makes a big pot of it that I can eat(along w/a simple salad) off of all week. Yum.

Pool jogging

No stiffness today. Leg feels good but still undecided what mileage I'm going to do on Friday. Managed to do 2 miles of pool jogging tonight. My pt said to roughly take the same amount of time that I would do the mileage on the road & do it in the pool. So I went conservative(20 mins). Yeah...My muscles are worked! After that I just did some regular laps. And Gina,I'm starving!

M,runnin' is the only thing I got to keep me sane!..man I need to get more batteries..;-)

W/ that said I'm off to have some dinner..((Smooches))

The morning after

Pretty evocative title? Yeah,well considering the last time I got some,yesterday's run was orgasmic. And heck a lot less risk,right? Anyway woke up this morning w/ a slight stiffness but nothing too bad. I actually expected it so I wasn't disappointed. X-trained for tonight & for the next 2 days but too early to decide whether I'm going to do 1 or 2 miles on Friday. Here's to a couple of hopefully pain-free days! But I know not too push too soon so even if I don't have anymore pain I may still only do 1 mile on Friday. Trying to listen to my body this time & be smarter about my running.

I wanted to thank everyone who congratulated me on my run yesterday. I think maybe it was all of you whispering in my ear yesterday(you got this)..;-).

Gina,I'm going to try pool-jogging for 2 miles tomorrow. I think I've become addicted..;-)

Whoa.....

Today's run. My first run since my 2 week running break to let my leg heal from the slight stress fracture. All I can say is....Whoa.. 2 miles in mid-60's w/ a light wind & drizzle. Finish time 20:44/Mile 1 10:43/Mile 2 9:49. Talk about your negative splits,baby! When I started I felt a light twinge as if my ankle was saying: I know this chick ain't tryin' to run..

But the twinge quickly disappeared. And then I felt nothing. NOTHING people for 2 glorious miles! There was a point in my run where everything clicked. You know the feeling when you hit the sweet spot. It's like your breathing,your legs,your arms,your heartbeat become one. It feels like your flying like every step is effortless. I swear,when I looked up in the sky the clouds had parted like someone up there was watching my back & whispering in my ear: you got this. Sorry for the mush,but after all that I had put my poor body thru(by forcing it run thru the worst of my injury),I worked hard at x-training & the pt during my break to deserve this run. I know not all runs are going to be like this. Heck,I could wake up tomorrow & my leg could be in pain & could be limping but I know this run is a start.

So depending on how my leg feels tomorrow will determine what I do on Friday(either 1-2 miles). I normally x-train on Tues. & Thurs & will swim on Wed. My pt thinks that's a good plan for my first week of running. I'm outeeee....

No lollipop..:-(

Ok so I don't know any dentist that will give an adult patient a lollipop after a visit these days so I guess it was wishful thinking. On second that considering the fact my mouth got the lovely needle(could they make them any longer?!) full of Novocaine having anything in mouth is cause for instant drool. I'm not supposed to eat for a few hours(not that I could anyway) but I can drink water(lovely). But the tooth is fixed so that's all that matters.

I'm just glad that I scheduled the dental appointment after my workout. Cause even when I drink water I can't do it out of a regular cup(I normally drink out my water bottle anyway) & even that I have to hold my head to the side as I swallow. Which makes for a odd image right now.

I've been invited out to happy hour this evening w/ the r.b. so here's to more numbing substances! ((Smooches))..on second thought you might not like the drool..oh wth..we're all friends here...;-)

I passed!

So in addition to the usual x-training I had my pt appointment. He did series of flexibility & agility tests w/ both legs & I passed w/ flying colors! I have to say that's the first test that I have "aced" w/o "studying" for it..;-) So I'm set to run 1 1/2 to 2 miles on Monday. And providing how that goes he's ok w/ me slowly(as in 1/2 mile increments per run if I'm feeling good/per week if not) building up my distance. Since I'm going to be running about 2 to maybe 3x/week we're talking max 3miles(to have a little base for my 5k on May 10th).

Gina, 30 laps before you felt totally worked?!? Man I only did it for 2 laps. I've got some catching up to do! Trust me my coordination is not great either. I've been known to fall when standing completely still.

Jen don't let my & Gina's experience turn you off to pool running. It DEFINITELY works & it's the best alternative to running.

Annette I got the ball roller from my sports doc. But I have seen them at places like Bath & Body Works stores.

Well I've got the day off tomorrow. Gym early in the morning then a dentist appointment to get a chipped tooth fixed...ugghh..Maybe I'll get a lollipop..((Hugs))

Playing catchup

I've been doing my x-training faithfully. Went swimming this evening. It was nice to work out the kinks although my toes cramped up w/in the first few mins because I was wearing flippers & weren't quite used to the stiffness. But gradually my feet relaxed & it was all gravy. Even did a little pool jogging. yeah..Let's just say that's something that I definitely need to work on.

Lisa asked about the foam roller that I have been using. Actually what I use is a massage ball roller like the one below...



It fits in the palm of my hand & I can really dig in between my shin bone & calf muscle to get at the one that tight. I only use it for a couple of mins(because it's hard to keep the pressure w/ such a small device) but really that's all the time that's needed to loosen up the muscle. It's been a godsend.

Gina the leg has been feeling pretty good although I still haven't ran on it yet(this upcoming Monday..YES!!). I know that will be the true test so we're counting down the days.

M,gotta love that spell check!

So I guess that's it for now. More you-know-what at the tomorrow. *Kisses*

Monday x-training

I went...I sweated...I went home...I do have to say since I've been on this running break I've noticed that when I do my deep tissue massage w/ my ball roller my muscle is not cramped at all. But still do it as more of a preventative measure than anything. I know the real test is when I start running again(next week...WOOHOO!!)

Red thanks for disagreeing about the "girls" not being around the knees..;-) Funny thing is I was wearing one of my better sports bras! You know the kind where the elastic isn't shot to hell & you actually look decent.

And Kim maybe next time I get a photo w/ "them" on the upswing!

((Hugs))

Race photos

Race pics from my 1st 10k are here! Ok obviously I get excited over the littlest things,I'm on a running break,sue me..So for your viewing pleasure(or pain,amusement take your pick)




This is apparently before my stress fracture reared its ugly head..Got the head up & a smile for the camera..







Alright right towards the end..giving it that final push..But man could the "girls" be any closer to my knees?..Also injured leg was pretty tight at that point..I remember at this point wanting to throw up...







At the finish line(thank GOD!)..I'm the goofball in the gray tee & dark shorts w/ the white hat in the center w/ my hands raised thinking..Hallelujah I can GET OUT OF THE RAIN..



Sorry for the broken pixels but don't have the moolah to pay for photo quality so I just copied & pasted. I realize that now everyone who sees these has a pretty good idea what I look like. I think I'll go drown my sorrows in some Ben & Jerry's..;)

X-training(day 3)

I decided to do something crazy tonight w/ the ellip. I went from an average resistance level of 5.3(spread over a 31min period)....to get this...wait for it....6.2!!! I know,where do I come up w/ this stuff? But while I was at the gym I thought about totally overhauling my strength training routine. I'm finding that I'm getting in a rut w/ doing same weights,same reps for months now. I know my body is no longer challenged so I don't know why I am so hesitant to push further. Lazy I guess. I use Sparkpeople to log my workouts but I can't put any dates on it as far as how long I've been doing a particular exercise at a certain weight/rep. I was thinking about using an Excel sheet but I don't wanna have to go yet to another place(I also use Sparkpeople to log my food) to log my daily activity. If anyone knows of one place on the net that I could do both,hook a sista up!

I wanted to thank Gina for saying that I'll still have readers after this running hiatus. Gina I remember reading your older posts about out for months but I have to say that you are more entertaining to read than I am.

M,I've heard about those swim mp3 players. I think they're cool but I'd be afraid of my head getting a shock when I hit the water!

Well you know the drill for tomorrow. I'm outeeee.

X-training(day 2 but no ouchie)

That's right I did the ellip tonight at the gym. No evil bike. Also did my usual upper body strength training. Even though the privates & how shall we say..the "crook of my butt"(tailbone..yeah I know there's a visual) is still tender. A good time was had by all. Doesn't get any better than this folks...Heaven help me if I have to fill the next 2 weeks of "x-training posts". I'm going to lose the few readers I have! Anyone know where I can get a life?

1st x-training day(ouchie!!)

Well I spent some time w/ the bike at the gym. And let's just say my privates aren't too happy w/ me right now! I spent 35mins w/ the cycle of death & that was 35mins too long. It feels like someone had batting practice down there. Luckily I only I have to do this today(my PT wanted me to ease back into doing the ellip after my race this past Sat.) Since it was too cool out for me to do the pool(my gym's pool is indoors but I would have to go out w/ a wet head since I am too lazy to drag my hair paraphernalia to the gym & if the temps are low,then no swim);I chose the bike. But tomorrow it's ellip all the way baby!

I talked w/ my PT tonight about a running plan to get back on the road after my injury. I do have a 5k(Race for the Cure) coming on May 10th. I had planned on treating it as a training run(& may have to do some walking during it). He thinks that if I take the next 2 weeks off & keep my cardio up(by doing ellip and/or pool running) then start off doing 2 miles/3x a week that I would be fine for my next race. I pray that will be enough time but if not then I could walk more & run less for the race.

I know you're thinking why I am so bent on doing this but I'm running in memory of my aunt who lost the battle w/ breast cancer a few months ago & it's important to me that I do this race. In fact this event will mark my 1 year anniversary of racing.

Well I've got more you-know-what at the gym tomorrow evening. I'm out.

58:14(100th post)..blood,sweat, & tears

(start of the race,my wave is first tiny sign after the big Ukrop's banner in front. 31,158 runners there about 24,055 that finished)

This day has been unbelievable. So many thoughts were going thru my head as I prepared,waited & finally ran my 1st 10k. Here's a recap:

Morning of:

Woke up an hour before my alarm went off & realized that I never cut it on. Oh well I was too excited to go back to sleep so I just turned on the news to watch the weather & just laid in bed. Finally got up,did quick rinse w/ some mouthwash & then waited for my r.b. to show up so we could head to the race.

At the race:

Scored a really good parking spot. My wave wasn't due to start until 8:53 but we got there at 8 which was good given the size of the event(31,000 runners) & parking was going to be a bear. The r.b. & I checked our jackets & just hung out & people watched until the start. Saw some interesting characters(really need to get a camera). There was a costume contest held by the local paper & runners were encouraged to dress up. Saw gorilla & a banana,Austin Powers & a "Richard Simmons & Co.". Couldn't imagine running in costume but since this was a fun run for those of us not competing for cash(we had elites & Olympic hopefuls),why not?

At the start:

Temps were in the 60's w/ a light drizzle. It was awe inspiring to be in the midst of that many runners at once.

And we're off:

Mile 1: 9:28(alrighty we're a little speedy here but feeling good)

Mile 2: 9:12(okaaaay was there a downhill? Anyway at this point I started to feel the first twinges of my "light" stress fracture rear it's ugly head)

Mile 3: 9:22(better but considering I thought I was going to be doing 10min/pace this is too fast. But oh well. Did walk thru a water stop. Twinges still there but don't get any worse.)

Mile 4: 9:23(This is where my r.b. started to pull ahead & I told her run her race & I will run mine. She felt bad about leaving me but I knew I couldn't nor wouldn't hold her back)

Mile 5: 9:28(Starting to flag a little bit but still felt good energy-wise. Still the ever-present twinge but never progressed to full on pain.)

Mile 6: 9:16(In the home stretch baby! I can see the finish line but it's still a ways off. It almost feels like at this point the closer I get,the further away IT seems to get!)

Mile 0.2: 8:04(Sprint it home! Been a LOONNG time since I've seen a number 8 in my pace. Oh how I've missed thee. I believed there was a tear that mixed in w/ sweat over that number)

Official chip time 58:14/place 7191/age place 318 /gender place 2393/avg pace 9:22. I hope get some race pics here next week when the become available.

Overall even though I went faster than what I had planned(even my r.b. wanted to run a conservative 9:45min/mile but you see that didn't happen) I still felt good throughout the race. In fact for the first couple of miles I experienced no pain at all. At all(remember that just a few weeks ago I was jazzed about how I went 5mins w/ no pain). I know that was due to me not running on it since Monday & now I know I need this time off to get my leg back in shape. I do have some stiffness now as I sit & type this & it is tender to walk on but nothing that I didn't expect to happen. I'll be doing some pt tomorrow(therapist wanted me to take today off cause he figured my legs would get enough action doing the race itself) & then it's x-training for the next few weeks.

I even managed to donate blood today too. There's local muffler shop that works w/ the Va blood services to do blood drives several times a year & if you donate he'll give you a free oil change. Of course I wore my race tee to the drive & all the nurses were like "I can't believe you ran 6 some miles & now you're here donating blood" What can I say I like to give & there's nothing like a free oil change!

Finally it's my 100th post! Very nice how I planned it to coincide w/ my 10k race report..;-) Well I'm sure I've rambled enough. I hope everyone is having a good weekend & I'm off to baby my legs. *Smooches*

Race Day eve

So I've got my bib(#6879),got the chip,got the pins,got the case of the nerves. The expo was cool & picked up a new summer running hat & tech tee. Got my race outfit together(short-sleeve t & shorts,Garmin & heart rate monitor). I plan on carrying a fuel belt w/ 20oz of water. Other than the requisite shoes & socks,I'm set. I wanted to thank all those who have wished me well. Here's the link if anyone wants to follow: http://www.sportsbackers.org/ Although I know who would want to be up 8:30 on a Sat. morn if they weren't running. Please think of me as turning over in your nice comfy,dry beds tomorrow. *Kisses*

2 days & counting

Well we're down to 2 days until the race. I keep seeing the ads for it on tv & I'm getting excited! Had a pt appointment after my x-training tonight. He said that I could reduce some of the exercises since I have made a a lot of progress w/ them & they becoming much easier. YES!! I can't wait to get back to regular workouts.

I'm going to the race expo tomorrow to pick up my bib & packets & scope out the competition. Kidding. I believe you can follow my bib # online & I'll try to post the link(for all 4 of my readers..;-)) tomorrow. It's supposed to be in the high 60's & raining on race day. Slip & slide time. Hopefully not. ((Hugs))

Little post

Well I decided to do another ellip session instead of swimming tonight. No test fire alarm so I was able to do my entire cardio uninterrupted. Yea.. I also did about 30mins of lower bod weight training in addition to my pt. Man my legs are sore!

Gina thinking of my race(30,000 racers) as a BIG training group is not a bad idea. Hopefully I won't be left behind!..;-)

Fire! Fire!

Not really. But guess what did happen when I was more than half-way into my ellip session at the gym? A damn test fire alarm. I understand the need to test because fires don't happen when it's convenient for the victims. But come on..At 4something in the afternoon AND I didn't need to stop because one of the gym employees got confused & thought it was a real fire. Oh well.

Did my last run(2miler) yesterday w/ the r.b. Finished in 19:50. Here are my splits:

Mile 1: 10:01
Mile 2: 9:39

Not too shabby. Can't decide whether I'm going to do more ellip tomorrow or swim since I am now in taper madness. We'll see.

And Gina,I like the idea of ignoring the crowds for my race on Sat. & just thinking of it as a training run but there's going to be more 30,000 racers there so I am going to have to do some MAJOR blocking out!..;-)

Don't hate me because I have one

So apparently the jury is split on me having my new "toy". What can say I Steve? Never say never. And Robin,I know I'm weak. Doesn't it take a strong person to admit that?..;-) I promise every once in a while I'll run w/o it,just to keep it real.

Well I am in the final stretch this week for my race. I'm only going to be running a couple of miles today & then no more until the race. I've got to get a fill-in for a broken tooth on Friday & pick up my race packet. Plus I've got a pt appointment on Thurs. for real good,deep stretch/massage.

Only 4 more days to go!

Secret product review

I have a secret. I'm almost ashamed to admit it. I broke down.....and.....got....this.....


I know what you're saying. But Dana you were so against having one. You liked not having yet another gadget to use when you run. And you would be right. I mean lamented over & over to my R.B. about not wanting to get one. What made me decide to get one was considering the fact that I have this light stress fracture due to going too fast too soon & increasing my distance at the same time. And I figured I would benefit from knowing my pace while I'm running rather than go mile marker to mile marker after the fact. Like I told my r.b.(who is also dealing w/ a stress fracture),the watch cannot physically make me slow down. Only I can do that. All it can do is give me the info & it's up to me to decide what to do w/ it. So once my leg is healed I'll work on building my pace more slowly(could use some advise in this area. I know about increasing your distance 10% each week but what about speed?) & hopefully the Garmin can keep me on track w/ that.

W/ that said,I have had a chance to use it for a couple of runs last week. The buttons are really hard to push but I'm getting used to them. It was interesting to see my pace while I was running(so much so that I had to work a little a harder to pay more attention to the road & less to the watch). I used it on my 4miler on Fri. Other than the fact that it lost the satellite about a 1/2 mile into my run,it's been cool to have.

Mile 1(1st half): 11:02(that's when the satellite dropped)
Mile 1(2nd half): 9:18(Ok going a little fast. I was still pissed that the it dropped the signal)
Mile 2: 9:50(Better)
Mile 3: 9:53
Mile 4: 9:19

Of course I have 1 more run(2miles) on Monday & then no more running(yeah I know,why did I get a Garmin right before I have to go on a running break? What can I say,my timing is priceless) until my leg is healed more. I'm going to be x-training Tues. thru Thurs. of this week & then my race on Saturday. After that I do have a 5k on the 2nd Sat. of May & hopefully w/ a month of not running my leg will be well enough to run that.

Hopefully I haven't lost too much running cred by bowing down to technology. Cause ya know every once in a while you know I'm gonna hav' ta kick it ole' skool & go "naked"!..;-)

Shirtless runner

And no it wasn't me. No need to blind people while they're driving & scare small children. I saw a rather nice looking specimen of male runner out yesterday when I was doing my 2miler. He was running towards me but I had to turn off on a side road before we could pass each other. Darn. But let's just say what I did see...Yowza.. Might explain why I ran my 2nd mile slightly faster than my first..;-) Finished my run in 20:09/avg pace 10:03.

And Gina whatever do you mean by it sometimes takes getting a stress fracture to get that rest? *insert eyes blinking innocently*

Anywho I got you know what today at the gym. Gosh,I'm going to have to find a different way of saying that once I'm doing it all the time. I'm outee.

Better

So yesterday's post was full of piss-offendness(yeah I just made that word up. Sue me), I figured today's post should be better(maybe..;-))

Did my x-training last night. Went as planned. I've got a 2mile quickie(relatively speaking) today. I'm actually kind of looking forward to just doing x-training & no running after my race next week. I can't believe I said that. But in a weird way I look forward to the break from running & to do something different for a while. Plus I want to get back to running basically pain free & not having to deal w/ extra-tight muscles(due to the fracture not the normal tightness) after a run. I can't wait to get back to not having to do roughly another 30mins of exercise(pt) on top of my normal workout routine(which is about 40mins itself).

But I know once I stop running,it's not going to take long for me to get the itch to get back out there. ((Hugs))

Missing...in...

Yeah I know that I have been missing in action for a days. So let me give ya run down on what's been up w/ me:

Friday: Did my 3miler(actually I did 3.24) but w/o the R.B. Finish time 31:30/avg pace 10:15.

Saturday: Just hung around. Ran some errands.

Sunday: I...was...in...tax...HELL!!! Finally decided to do my taxes. Started about 9am figured I can get it knocked out in an hour. I used one of the online programs(H & R Block Taxcut). So they do all the calculations for you(after you plug in the numbers). As you know I am single & no kiddies so it should be pretty simple? Right? AND I should get a refund like I always have? Right again? WRONG. You see where this is going?

Several hours later I came to the sickening realization that I...OWE. How, may you ask. Well apparently Uncle Sam didn't take out enough(as if that's even possible). And then you may wonder well how come he didn't take out enough? Well folks it seems that on my employee W4 there were 3 allowances(deductions) on the form. Well I know I didn't get married in the past year & unless I suddenly became the Virgin Mary(ha!) then I didn't have any little ones. How did my job get that number? Well your guess is as good as mine.

In addition I also have an extra $5 coming out just so I won't owe. But w/ the 3 allowances it wasn't enough to offset it. I have corrected the form but I gotta give good ole' Sammy $374. Which compared to some others that's doesn't seem like a lot but when you don't have that exactly lying around it might as well be millions.

Did you know that if you want to setup a payment plan to pay taxes you owe,the IRS charges a setup(What exactly do they setup? I don't know) fee of $100? I didn't. Now if you owe thousands then the fee would be a drop in the bucket. But for my situation it's not worth it. And that fee doesn't go towards the bill. So I will be filing an extension but..MAN this bites! I had planned on using my refund(ha! again) to cover my moving expenses when I leave my current apartment(trying to get into a cheaper place).

So yesterday I had 6 miles to do. And the R.B. was w/ me(she's going thru a similar thing w/ taxes-found out she owed more than she thought she would for state and she's getting back a smaller refund(I wish I had THAT prob) than she expected from federal). So we were both needing to work off some serious stress. We finished the run in 1 hour/avg. pace of 10:00. It's been a few weeks since we've run together & it was good to catch up & b!tch about our taxes.

Sorry for the long post. I guess that's what happens when you don't blog for a few days. I've got the usual 2x/week x-training today. My race is now 11 days away. I'm starting to get really excited! And Robin,I also giggled when I was talking about player condoms. *Kisses*

Player(a) condom?

X-training at the gym workout went as planned last night. I've got 3miles for today hopefully w/ the R.B. I'll update the stats later.

I mentioned in my previous post about needing something to protect my mp3 from the rain. Annette said she clips hers to her shorts. I normally wear mine w/ an armband. I've tried doing the shorts thing but it's a little too heavy. This is what mine looks like..
It's a Creative Zen vision 60gb. It also has a built-in FM tuner(which explains the slight bulk)

Red mentioned one of her running partners going the condom route. Interesting concept,I wonder if I should get some glow-in-the dark ones for those dark runs?..;-) But you know that's too depressing that the only reason nowadays I would buy condoms is for my player. Ok,I need to get "some"(read: sex)...Soon..

And on that note I wish you a happy T.G.I.F. ((Hugs))

Totally spaced on a title

We actually didn't have the gale force winds that the weather man predicted yesterday for my 3miler. Honestly,I wish it was windier. It was in the mid-70's so I had on shorts,singlet & a jacket. Yes, I said a jacket. It's a wind-breaker & I know you think I'm crazy for wearing it w/ those temps but I needed to protect my mp3 from the rain..that never happened. So when the wind blew it felt great but when it didn't I roasted a bit. Total time 31:56/avg pace 10:20.

I have tried looking for a water-proof pouch for my player but the only thing out there are for iPods. So if anyone knows of something I can use,let me know cause when I have to wear a jacket in the summer during a possible rainstorm I'm going to be hotter than I was yesterday!

And just to let you know(cause I know it would TOTALLY make your day) I did not forget to pack my workout clothes for the gym today. See,the world will now be safe from my flying "appendages". *Smooches*

I got your Victoria's Secret

A funny(yet not) thing happened to me at the gym last night. I was in the locker room,opening my gym bag so I could change into my workout clothes. Guess what? They weren't there. Forgot to pack them. I did however have my track pants & cotton shirt that I put on after my workout. But no sports bra or shorts. So I had a few choices:

1. Go home & get the workout gear-It would take 20mins round trip,my workouts take an hour & half & I had a pt appointment right after which I would have been late for.
2. Workout in track pants,cotton t & my regular bra-I won't even talk about working out in a cotton shirt. But my regular bra? It's a Victoria's Secret(although not so secret if I end up using it). Not a lacy number,fairly substantial but not a sports bra.
3. Workout w/o the bra-Uhhh..SO not an option. Way to endowed. I'll be poking my as well every one's eye out!

So what to do? I made the executive decision to wear the cotton t,track pants & regular bra. And ya know what? It wasn't too bad(I was on the ellip for 31 mins). I mean there was some bouncing but not as much as I thought there would be. Now had I been running that would have been a different story. But definitely gave Vickie a workout.

Let this be a lesson. Never try to multi-task while packing your gym bag. I bet the Victoria's Secret product testers never thought to put one of their bras thru an hour at the gym!

Gina thanks for reminding me that the slow times I am putting in now are not indicative of my true potential. And I guess that what makes it hard to take. I know what my body is capable of & I've had reality give me a b!tch slap thru this injury.

Robin I know that you are going thru your own pain & I wish I could take away some of your knee trouble(might take my mind off my fracture!..;-))

Supposed to have 3 miler today but they are calling for gale force winds(up to 40mph) along w/ rain. The rain I can handle but not sure about the high winds. So we'll see. Happy hump day!

Stuff

My r.b. found out yesterday from the doc that she has a healing stress fracture. Must be something in the air. She's running the 10k w/ me so we both will be taking it slow. Speaking of speed(or lack thereof) did my 4 miles yesterday in 40:37/avg. pace 10:06. Red,it definitely wasn't as warm as it was on Fri but I'll take it.

Both Lisa & April mentioned that I shouldn't worry about my speed right now. And I have to say that's been easier said than done. Mentally as well as physically I'm used to going a lot faster. But I know it's not about speed but just getting time on the road & letting myself heal(as much as I can w/ me running on it). It's hard for me to stop comparing my times pre-fracture as oppose to now. Especially since I log all of my runs & w/ a click of the mouse can access the info. Ain't technology great?

Well I got the usual 2x/week x-training today. Gosh,I don't know what I'm gong to talk about once back off from running entirely & x-training 5x/week. Have a good Tues. everyone!

R.B.'s half-mary

So my R.B. ran her 1st half-mary at the Shamrock Marathon in Va Beach yesterday. She did it in 2:02. I am SO proud of her! She had been dealing w/ some numb/tingling pain(she's seeing a sports doc today about it) in her left shin off/on for the past few weeks. But my girl rocked! She does have another one coming up in May(Nashville I think) that I know w/ enough rest to let her leg heal more she may be able to pull a sub-2 hour time.

Gina I guess the one thing that I have been afraid of is losing all the speed & endurance that I have built up by taking time off. But I realize that by continuing to run on an injury that's trying to heal that I losing it anyway. Even though my endurance is still there my speed definitely is not. But hopefully I am getting better about listening to my body & will take the time off. But come back to me after the race & I'm climbing the walls from not running!

Red it was kind of nice to run in shorts on Fri. Get some sun on my skin(should have remembered to put some sun block on..oh well). But it's back to pants(or at least capris) today for my 4miler. It's only supposed to be in the mid-50's. *Kisses*

Not a rainy run after all

So I didn't have to run in the rain on Fri. Oh darn.. But it was warm enough to run in a sleeveless tank & shorts. Did the 5miler in 50:32/avg. pace 10:20. Only about a minute slower than my last 5miler. Because of my injury I had been slowing down by several mins on all of my runs so hopefully I am on the mend.

Red I wanted to give you an update. I don't have a complete stress fracture according to my doc. Just the beginnings(or almost) fracture. I agree that if I had a complete one I wouldn't be running period. But honestly I probably shouldn't be running at all even w/ an almost one until I completely heal but I've got a race in now two weeks. Gulp.. So a runnin' I go. But I have kept my speed down & built my mileage back up slowly. My leg has slowly been getting better & I know that I won't be going for any fast times at the race. I'm just going to take it slow & walk if I need to & enjoy my 1st 10k. My pt agrees that if I do that & not try to push it that I won't cause any further damage.

W/ all that said once I'm done w/ that race I may take a week or maybe 2(or possibly 3) & just x-train to let my leg heal more before I get back to running. Cause I have another race in May(Race for the Cure 5k) & I know that I need let my leg heal more than I have let it(w/ me constantly running on it) before I get back to running again.

I hope everyone had a good weekend out there in blogland & catch ya on the flip side.

Rainy run?

Not much too say in this post. Just glad it's Friday. I've got my usual 5miler this afternoon. I may be doing it in the rain(how fun). I'll let you know the stats later. *Hugs*

This & that

Another 2 mile run. Another double digit pace(avg.10:20 pace/total time 20:47). Some pain as usual but nothing severe. Gosh I'm starting to sound like a broken record!..;-).

Wanted to give some love to a new commenter on this blog. Gina has done a bunch of races & a few tri's is training for the Kona IM in 2015. She too dealt w/ stress fracture last year & her posts about it has helped deal w/ mine.

Same x-training/different day. *I'm outee*

Going deep

Yeah I know..Provocative title but git yer mind outta the gutta. I had my pt appointment yesterday. He focused on the "soft tissue"(think muscle not joint) stretching that included about a 20min deep tissue massage. He had me lying on my stomach w/ my right leg bent at a 90 degree angle. He had me in that position because when he first started it was going to be really painful(no kidding) & I might involuntarily kick him. I'm thinking..how often have you had that happen?. But Oh...my...God...for the 1st couple of mins I had to keep biting my lip from crying out. Yup he found the sweet spot. But eventually my leg gave up the goods & relaxed. After it was over I wanted to ask him was it good for him to?..;-)

We also talked about my race a bit more. He felt I could run the race but not to go all out. Keep my pace really slow,enjoy my surroundings & don't worry about times. Because if I try to go fast(which honestly I can't) I could end up doing more damage. This definitely made me feel better. Anyway since this is my 1st 10k it would naturally be a PR right? Plus I figured w/ all that I have learned thru having this injury & I could come back next year(cause yes I will be running this race again) & hopefully run for a faster time.

Speaking of running,I've got a 2miler today. *Later*

Running company

Even though I couldn't run w/ the R.B. yesterday(due to her having to help out another friend of hers),I actually had quite a bit of company when I ran yesterday. I saw a total of 4 runners! Now to some of you that may not be that big of a deal. But since I've been running for a year I've only seen 2 runners. Now I don't run on trails(yet),I run thru subdivisions. I was wondering if any of those people got outside to exercise(doesn't have to be running) or do they go to gyms or have home gyms or what. But anyway it definitely gave me the warm fuzzies to give the runner's nod to those I came across.

So I mentioned yesterday that I had 6 miles to do & I would stop if the pain got too bad. Well I am happy to say that for the first couple of mins I felt no pain at all. Usually as soon as I step one foot out the door my right calf gets a small knot that accompanies me for my entire run. Doesn't get any worse,just let's me know it's there. It felt so weird to have no pain,I almost did stop! Unfortunately it didn't last long as my injured leg remembered it's place & cheerfully reminded me of it. But I did complete the run for a total time of 1:02/avg. pace 10:25. I'm in the double digits now!

I've got x-training & a pt appointment today & I hoping to focus on the right leg since my left leg's tendinitis has been getting better & my right leg(stress fracture) is causing me the most trouble. *Byeeee*

Realizations

I've got a 6miler today. But as usual I'll cut it short if pain gets bad. I am noticing that w/ each run the pain(calf tightness) isn't getting any worse(good thing) but is still there. So I guess that's progress!

Robin mentioned needing a new running plan in regards to dealing w/ her knee pain & G.I. issues. She realized that she needed to change something in her running otherwise she will continue to leave herself open to injury.

I also came to the same realization. Why does it take having an injury to get us to see that what we may be doing is wrong? Now I realize that I'm somewhat a newbie to running(1 year this month) but it's not like I'm new to exercise in general. I just figured that if I started slow(doing Galloway run/walk combo) that I would be ok. But somewhere along the way I realize that I could run longer than 5 mins & jumped one day from doing 5min run/40sec walk to running for an entire 30mins the next. I believe that coupled w/ a month later training for a 10k(went from avg. 6miles a week to 13) may have been my downfall. I increased both distance & speed at roughly the same time & I have read that you should do on or the other.

I've learned a painful lesson from all this but I pray this will make me a smarter & stronger runner. *Hugs*

Recap

I hope everyone's weekend is going good. Other than being extremely windy yesterday(we had 20-30mph winds here in Va) it was a good day. Did some grocery shopping & bought a couple of books from Borders. Spent some time in Radio Shack & upgraded my phone. I used to have this model(mine was an espresso color-no offense but I don't do pink)..


(pic courtesy of Sprint.com)


I came away w/ this model..


(pic courtesy of Sprint.com)

I was debating between the one you see above(Motorola Razr V3m) & this year's model(which is a Motorola Razr V9) but it's also twice the price of the one I got. After my rebate($150-for being a too lazy to switch carriers..cough..loyal customer) the V9 would have cost me $229,the V3m cost me $69. No brainer there. Spent the evening switching over my address book from the old phone to the new one. Anyone find that when doing that you discover numbers you didn't know you had? There must have been at 5 people that I hadn't talked to in years that didn't make it to my new phone. Why was I still holding on to their number? Oh well..


So I mentioned in Friday's post about how I wasn't going to do anymore tempo runs. Well ever since my injury of course my times have been getting slower. Well after the pt told me to change my stride & my doc told me to slow down while I am trying to heal,I realize that there isn't any way for me to continue to work on my tempo pace. I know that I won't get any faster due to my injury & stride change in time for it to make a difference at the 10k(it's in a little less than a month).

My Fri. run ended up being 5 miles. In the rain...In the wind...Uphill...W/ a fracture... Just kiddin' about the uphill part unfortunately. I had basically a knot in right calf(where the fracture is) the whole way but felt ok. Finish time was 49:25/avg. pace 9:50.

My fastest 5mile tempo run was 41:30. So at least several mins slower. But you know what? It doesn't matter to me anymore. Right now is about me learning a whole new way of running so the can I hopefully prevent future injuries. It's about taking each run one at a time until & I get to the race. Because I had been in training for the past 2 months I have done the 10k distance & then some a few times now. So I know that I have a good base to finish. Now I realize that the injury throws a wrench into it but just as long as I keep my pace slow,build up distance again(slowly),do my pt,x-train & rest when I'm supposed to,hopefully I will be ok for the race. Because I'm not looking for any fast times(never was to be honest),just looking to have fun & finish it should be all good. *Kisses*

Usual x-training & restaurant review

Same x-training,different day. No surprises. Very little pain. I know you guys really needed to know that..;-)

Went out w/ a co-worker/friend last night. Tried out Qdoba Mexican Grill. I got this(w/o the shell,grilled chix,lite sour cream,tomato & corn salsa)....



My friend got this..But he didn't eat the tortilla.



They weren't bad but I have had better Mexican(Nacho Mama's-local place/killer-read: they actually get the tequila near the drink-margarita).


(See doesn't this look like a fun place?)

Anyway we also tried some of their queso dip & it was thinner then we would have thought & preferred. Qdoba doesn't serve alcohol although may be they should because it might have made the food taste better or we would have been too drunk to care. Their prices range from $5-$7 so relatively cheap but flavor nor the quality was there. Actually when my friend was ordering his burrito & he had to convince the server that the amount of beef that was on the "assembly line" wasn't enough to fill his order(it was literally a couple of tablespoons left). Sad.

I've got 5 miles on tap for today but this is my longest run this week(3 instead of my scheduled 6 on Mon. & my usual 2 on Tues.) since the doc diagnosed me last week w/ a light stress fracture. So I'm going to take it easy on speed(no more tempo runs but more on that later) & I'll shoot for about 4 & take it from there.

Go wish Robin lots of fun w/ her hubby at their 12k fun run trail race this weekend. Happy T.G.I.F. ya'll!