Hot and dangerous

So... I DID IT!!  I went to spin class.  I walked in while I saw others "gathering" by their bikes.  As I walked in I announced I had never been there before and asked if anyone wouldn't mind running me through what I needed to do.  Heh, one lady smiled and walked out... but one lady was nice enough to help me.  She said "we all had our first time!!" so, it was really nice of her to help me out.  Now the question is... now that I know my seat settings- how do I move the seat on my own for the next time?  :-)  Ah... the next adventure is tonight.  I am hoping that my sister-in-law will join me. We will see.

I did really enjoy it though and as the title of this post says... I felt hot and dangerous (Thank you Ke$ha for that!).  I think it helped that I have ridden on my bike at home a lot.  The buns weren't dying the next day :-)  Thanks all for helping to encourage me to get there!  I did really enjoy it!

One last thing that I will share.  Because I am taking off time from legit running- I have decided to revamp my whole routine: nutrition and exercise.  I am really excited about it too.  My friend Holley (my very missed running buddy back in UT) introduced me to a 12wk program that she did this last summer and holy cow- she looks amazing! No, there aren't any miracle pills, quick fixes or weird diet food.  It's just a guide to eat smaller meals more frequently along with a mock personal training schedule (list of all the workouts you need to do... without a physical person being with you.  aka: much cheaper!) In order to get myself on track for the right rest days- this will all be starting on Monday.  I know... it sounds like a "new years resolution" that will only last a month.  I meant to do this a long time ago... but I was waiting for giveaways to win money in order to do it and well... as you may have guessed- I didn't win.  Such is life :)

I leave you with this gem I found on my phone... See!  Sometimes my hair looks good!! :-)  I was sporting my awesome "marathon for the cure" tank thing... it wasn't too terrible.  However, once I put my hair up and put on a Bondi Band... I looked like a man... wearing a sack of potatoes (hehe).  At least the skirt helped :)

The morning of RnR San Antonio getting ready at our friend's house.... before I had any clue where I would be 6 weeks later:  injured

I told you... hot and dangerous :-)

Doing something new

Tomorrow I am attending my first EVER spin class.  I am so nervous!  I have been trying to talk myself out of it or come up with excuses to not go.  I always hate going to a class for the first time.  Like the time I went to a weights class at the gym- I showed up completely clueless as everyone who had been there for the 15min abs class before had all of their stuff laid out (mat, barbell, steps, etc...).  I looked silly being the last one to get all of my "stuff".  Then I came back to a mat I left behind near my water bottle only to find that someone else claimed it. Humph. 

I know, I am paranoid!  It's just like the dream you have when you go out into public naked- you panic!  Okay, no, I don't show up naked... I just feel wicked sheepish when I don't know what I'm doing or whatever.

Sunday and today my knees have been aching.  I half think that sometimes my pain might have to do with my job.  I get to play with kids on the floor... so I'm on my knees.  A lot.  Problem? Maybe.  I also sat on a SUPER comfy couch tonight, however, I was too short for it.  My knees barely reached the end of the cushion.  My legs were sticking out a little too.   It was so painful!  Needless to say... no workout tonight.  Sad.

Wish me luck tomorrow!

Do you get nervous when you go a workout class for the first time?   

2010

So, lately I have been hitting the gym and working out on the elliptical- whatever works, right??  Anyways, this last week I reflected a little bit about 2010 and not to sound all prideful or whatevs, but I have a lot to be proud of!

I know I have been focusing on my injury a lot, but I haven't taken the time to really sit down and see how much I really have accomplished. 

My goal for 2010 was originally to run the SLC marathon.  That was it.  I had that as a goal starting in 2009. 

I not only did the SLC marathon- but I ran a handful of half marathons

My last half- 1st place in age div. and I did it in under 2 hours! 1:50 baby!

I also ran the San Antonio marathon... yes my shirt says halloween... it wasn't.  There weren't really any good "after" shots from SA... believe me.  I am proud of myself for doing it... but I never want to relive the end of that race.  Well, maybe the part where a guy on a golf cart offered to drive me back to my car when he saw me holding onto the husband for dear life and hobbling back to the car after the finish.  That was pretty fantastic... yeah, I'd ride in a golf cart again... but that's it for that race :-)

Seriously though!  HOLY CRAP!  Not to mention that I got pretty speedy too.  My fastest mile time was pretty recent.  I ran it in 6:40ish!  Okay, so this is post foot surgery circa 2006... but they say all PR's only have a shelf life of 2 years anyways :-)


So, here is my plan for 2011.  Bowed out of the January marthon.. Check.  Will run the Princess Half Marathon at the end of Feb. with my sister!  I am also taking some serious time off of actual running.  This is a hard thing for me, but I know it's the right thing to do.  That means, lots of spinning, elliptical-ing, foam rolling, icing, pool running... and whatever else my body can do.  This is going to be an adventure for me- but I want to heal and if I ever want to get a BQ- this is what has to happen :-)  Depending on how the healing goes- I so want to qualify for Boston.  This is the ultimate goal (and dream!).  Boston is my home!! Of course I want to run it!! 

So, I have to give myself a pat on the back and not be so hard on myself.  Of course it totally sucks to have an injury, but it's not uncommon and I can use this as a time to learn and also reach out to other runners who have had the same problems.  I have been in contact with so many of you and it has been such a blessing to get to know all of you and to get tips and advice!

At least the Doc was right about one thing... we're all addicts :)

Today I was brave

So, this last week I was feeling strong and I decided to let myself run every other day and see how that went.  I ran 6 miles on Monday- it was awesome! I felt like I was flying!!  I ended it when I started feeling pain.  Then on Tuesday- my knees (note... knees plural... uh oh) were killing!  So I waited out Tuesday and decided to see how I felt by the end of the day and I felt fine.  Wednesday came and I was feeling great.  So, I ran 5 miles.  Same deal.  Went until I felt pain.  But boy... knees just aren't doing much better. 

So, today I was brave.  I e-mailed the race director of the Texas Marathon that is on Jan. 1st and I had to ask them to donate my spot to someone on the waiting list.  You have NO idea how hard that was.  It killed me to do it. 

I am having a hard time with this... but there will always be other races, other things to train for and I can at least volunteer and give back to other runners by helping out at local events until I can get back out there.  This has just been so depressing.  Doctor telling me nothing is wrong... but that I have just over used my muscles and they need to rest.  No other guidance other than to spin on a bike. 

Heh, can you imagine what my thoughts have been when thinking about turning to cycling for recovery??  Biking the race from Houston to Austin... I think it's called like the the MC150 or something?  I don't know... just a thought. I've never been one to be big on cycling.  I think I'm just afraid of falling off.  That's why I run.  I'm not coordinated!  We'll see... that's just a crazy thought.  I threw out my old bike in Utah... so I'd first have to get a bike... all I have is a stationary upright bike at home. 

Anyways, thank you for all of your support through this.  Any advice would be much appreciated. 

Have you had to be brave and call it quits on a race- even when it really killed you to do it?

Sorry for being MIA... I have just been in the middle of a self-pity-party.  Ridiculous, I know.  I think we've all been there though.  All I want to do is run.... and that's the only thing I can't do these days. 

This last week I went to an orthopedic doctor.  I was excited that I would get some answers and much needed guidance.  On Tuesday I got to the doctors office and an assistant brought me into a room and seriously twisted me in ways I didn't know I could move.  I was feeling ridiculous because I came in without pain.  That's how this has been going.  No  pain until at least a mile into a run.  Weird.  So the guy kept asking "Does this hurt?" and I would say, "No"... then he would ask again.. and I'd answer the same.  He then took me down the hall to get some x-rays.  I told him I felt stupid coming in not being in pain and he said not to worry and that it was better that I did come in to get some answers.  After that was done I waited back in the room for the doctor.

The doctor came in with some lady and starting spouting of terms to her that I didn't understand.  Then he told me to lay on the table and he too was stretching my leg around and popping my knee.  Again, no pain.  Nothing.  I was happy with that... but also nervous.  The x-rays looked great.  I was okay.  That was a relief... but why do I hurt after about a mile or so?  He said it wasn't my IT-Band because when he pushed on an area in my leg I felt no pain.  I owe that to the foam roller I think.  He told me that it was probably just over-usage and my muscles just needed time to recover.  I was still relieved... but it was a little anticlimactic.

Then he started talking to me about running being an addiction. He came right out and said "I believe you have an addiction."  That was awkward.  I mean yeah, I love to run and I love how it makes me feel... but if I were to miss a run- I'm not about to lose sleep over it.  Or if I had to decide between running a run/race or healing myself- I am usually good about not running it or stopping if I feel any pain at all.  Am I sad when I can't run due to injury?  Yes.  But that's because it's really my favorite thing to do.  I just shrugged his comment off and then it got a little more weird. 

He started asking me if I drank milk or if I was strict with my diet.  Then he started bringing up eating disorders.  He talked about me being at high risk for fractures because I don't take in a ton of calcium.  Okay, so that is something I need to work on.  But then he went a little further and started asking me about my monthly cycle and if I was irregular and what my history was like.  He then told me that I needed to gain about 20lbs because of how thin I am.  That statement did it for me.  I put up my hand and said "wait a sec.  You do know I am 4'11", right?"  My OBGYN told me to get down to the weight I am and I have maintained it for the last year.  I lost about 40lbs!  There is absolutely no way I am going to gain half of that back! 

Anyways... then he said "I see you are struggling with this... I am okay with you being around 115 (which I am) but you will want to consider gaining weight so you can have children.  Because you won't be able to get pregnant like this"  What? I AM struggling with this... the OBGYN told me to get down to around 115 so I could get pregnant.. and this guy is telling me to gain weight so I can get preggers... I just can't win!  We finally got off that subject and he told me that I need to keep running to a minimum and to "spin, spin, spin".  He said he didn't know if I would be healed in 3 weeks for the marathon- but that time is what is going to heal me.  Time.  I think I knew this all along.   I just got so frustrated with that slap-in-the-face-of-a-marathon and then not being able to run a mile due to pain- it just really got to me.  I am glad I went to the doctor to help me find out that  nothing  serious was wrong.  I'm just still feeling down and out about it all.  

So, that has where I've been... wrapped up in all of this.  It almost feels like a bad break up haha... because chocolate has been a good friend of mine this week ;-)   

All I want for Christmas is... a torture device??

Yesterday I made an appointment to see a knee doctor- thanks Erika for the info!  They can't see me until a week from today.. bummer.  Oh well.  I'm glad that I have it set up though.  Jon jokes that I'll be all better by then... fat chance!

So, want to know what else I did yesterday??  I bought my own personal torture device to help me with me IT-band issues.  A foam roller. I've used it before at the gym, but not for IT-band issues.  Holy crud... it is so painful!!  I had to watch videos to make sure I did it right- haha.  As long as it helps me heal faster, it will make up for the fact that I bought myself a torture device (I hope).  This week I also went out and bought new shoes... so hopefully this will all help!

PS: don't mind the awful picture...  

I'm still debating the January marathon.  I've gotten so caught up in all of this, that I forgot that I was doing this all for fun.  I don't HAVE to run it.  I won't be made fun of if I don't because I'm injured- I'll probably be more consoled more than anything. My husband will probably sigh a breathe of relief to himself haha.... this isn't me saying that I'm not running it, but I know it is possibility.  I just got so excited that it's on New Years Day and it's on a Saturday!!  That's a small part of why I'm so disappointed at the possibility of not running it.  We will see though.  It all depends on how I am feeling this week and what my doc says.  Cross your fingers!!!

Dear Knee,

Why couldn't you wait until March 1st to get injured?  Could you at least heal up for now and then give out then?  I'd really appreciate it. 

Love,

Crystal

That's right folks... I'm pretty positive that my  problem is my IT-band.  I am hopefully going to get contact info for a doctor this week and hopefully they can help me out more.  I am doing low-impact stuff and icing.  I just can't afford to stop running.  I have a marathon on January 1st and I really really don't want to be a no show to that.  I would be completely heart broken.  I had to be a no show for the 10k on Thanksgiving.  I've never ever not shown up to a race before and it was a real ego hitter for me.  I just lost so much hope.  It's just pain that I cannot run through and it is really frustrating.  If I could change things, I wouldn't have run San Antonio.  I just wish I could have foreseen all of this. 

Welp, off to ice the knee. 

What to do now?

It has been a little over a week from the San Antonio Marathon... and I have bad news.  My knee is still hurting.  The voice in my head says I probably have ITband issues... and I just don't want to believe it.  However, lets be honest, did I really believe I'd come this far without getting an injury?  The last time I had an injury was in Feb. 2006 and that just completely rocked my world. I had to have foot surgery and I had to put my love for running in the closet and it took me a very long time (2 years) to find it after I recovered.  I really don't want to go through that again now that I have found my groove!

I am going to a friend's for lunch today and she said she had some good doctor recommendations.  I just hope this is nothing serious. Hopefully he'll just tell me it's my shoes (like he told her).  I wish!

My gut tells me that I might not be running the marathon in January... or the 10k on Thanksgiving :-(  I wanted to earn my turkey this week too!

So, for those of you who have encountered this type of injury- any advice??  It doesn't hurt when I walk- only when I run.  I can't even make it a half mile before it's a very sharp pain right on the outside of my knee.  Then I stretch and walk and it feels better and then I go again and same thing- pain.  This isn't a pain I can personally run through either.  I can do the elliptical with very little problems and I can bike for the most part too.  So, my hope is that I can still cross train enough while still being able to run the marathon in January (that's a high hope...)

Question is... Do I rest tomorrow and go ahead and run the 10k on Thursday and still plan on the marathon in January, drop out of the 10k still plan on marathon, or drop out of both of them?  Decisions.. decisions...

Rock N Roll San Antonio... Train Wreck!

Alright, so I realize that I have left you all hanging for a few days now without a race recap, however, right before the finish line I thought, "I wish I didn't have to blog about this".  So, that's your warning, this might get ugly.  For those of you who don't want to sift through it all, just know I finished- check back for better pictures.  For those of you who will read on... just focus on the fact that I did finish :-)  Iy yi yi... where to begin...

Well, I'll start on a happy note- we left from Houston to San Antonio Friday afternoon.  Our friends, the Philips were so generous to let us stay at their pad.  I really cannot thank them enough.  We had a lot of fun catching up with them and their family.  Food was good and company was even better. Thanks guys!  See ya soon!

Saturday hubby and I headed down to the expo.  I was so excited.  I was feeling confident and felt like I could strut my stuff I at least sort've belonged there.  Does that sound weird?  Anyways, I picked up my packet and my coral #.  I was in #6.  I was expected to break 4 hours this time around.  I was so psyched.  This marathon had about 30 corals and about 30,000 runners total (marathon and half).  So, it was craziness!  I picked up some swag and we looked around and had fun.  We headed back to the house to get ready for our bloggy dinner meet up.

We met up with Tricia, Adam, Dawn & Leah at an Italian restaurant right in San Antonio.  They were all really amazing. It was so fun to meet everyone but dinner ended too quickly. I wish I could've spent more time talking with y'all.  Make sure to check their race recaps too! Congrats you guys!

Sunday morning.  Where to begin.  Jon didn't want to drop me off at the listed "runner drop off" because he didn't want me walking through "the ghetto" alone.  I told him I'd be fine and the park I had to walk through was right by the race.  He insisted to bring me to the shuttle.  So, we went there and I shuttled in.  It was a little chilly, I won't lie.  All the corals made an L shape on two streets.  It was absolutely madness.  I am glad that I got there early to beat the last minute port-a-john lines!  I dropped my gear bag off and headed to the coral.  I was excited and confident.  I wasn't nervous like I usually am.  I was in it to break 4 hours.  It was going to be tough, but I knew I had it in me.

We had a staggered start which was going to help reduce congestion on the roads.  I finally got to the start and we were off.  There were still a ton of people and it was hard to get into my pace for the first mile, but I knew it would all balance out so I wasn't worried.  I had my music, muscles were getting warm and then we rounded a corner and I saw the very front of a freight train pass and hoards of runners just standing there.  I was in shock.  Seriously?  A TRAIN???  It was still cold out and my body was starting to cool off.  We hadn't even hit the first mile yet.

A runner in an article I read yesterday said it best, "..She says while she waited, she had to overcome some mind games inside her head. "It's tempting to go ahead and push and compensate for that time, but that might have consequences late in the race when you start cramping."  This was me in a nutshell.  I was freaking out.  I was playing every mind game I possible could.  I was totally sabotaging myself and I couldn't see it. We stood there for about 5 minutes.  During that time- the amount of runners felt  like it had doubled. 

Once the train passed runners were yelling "Go!!" and it was madness.  It was like I was at the start all over again- but with 2x the amount of people.  I felt like I had to make up time so I was going way too fast every time I got the chance to pass people up.  That was a very bad idea.  I repeat: very bad.  I pulled a few miles at sub 8mins! Seriously!  What was I thinking??  Hence the title: train wreck.

Once I hit 13.1 I knew I had a problem.  I knew my body shouldn't be feeling the way it was at only half way.  My legs were tired, I was ready to kick the bucket.  I knew I had to finish so I just kept on.  The areas of the race were really ghetto and just run down (scary stray dogs..).  I would never walk these streets by myself.  Want to know the most disappointing thing?  I knew we were running by the Alamo (I've already seen it before) but I didn't even notice it when I passed it.  Ridiculous.  Around mile 18 I was still on track to break 4 hours, but I was slowly getting away from it.  Then, my left leg decided it had had enough.  I was cramping up (enter girl's thought from the news article) and I felt all sorts of "tugs" in my left calf.  At one point I almost fell over because my leg just locked up.  Heh, nice.  I headed to the side of the road and stretched out.  This happened multiple times after that.

At mile 22 I began the walk/run.  I was just dying.  I had no more gas.  I felt defeated.  I was balling my eyes out (how pathetic).  At mile 24 I tried to kick it into gear because I just wanted this horrid thing to be over.  I wanted to find that train and spit on it or something.  I was just beat up and bitter. I was even more upset that I couldn't use all of this stress/anger to help me keep going fast. I think some runners were feeling bad for me because a few kept trying to take Gu from their belts and give it to me... I still had some.  Sadly, this wasn't something Gu could fix- thanks though!  I felt pain I've never felt before comparing to my last marathon and all my training.

At last I got to the finish.   I pushed all the way through the last mile and got through it.  I crossed the line, got my phone out, called hubby and started to cry my eyes out.  If you saw some pathetic little person in the Susan G Komen tent crying her eyes out while her husband was helping her put on her compression socks.. that was me.

Okay so really, was I being a bit over dramatic?  Yes.  Do I feel like I had carte blanche for acting that way?  Also yes.  I was really dreading writing about this marathon.  But, looking back on it- the main goal always is to finish.  I did just that.  I finished!  Also, before you think I'm crazy for not jumping up and down about my results... remember what I set out to do.. break 4 hours.  I didn't do that and that's why I was so down and out.. BUT!  I did get a PR by about 20 minutes.  So, that should count for something, right?  I'm still working on that.

The other reason for me doing this is in memory of my mother, Carolyn who lost her battle to breast cancer 14 years ago, I was only 11.  I kept thinking about her during the race and trying to tell myself that the pain I was feeling in my legs couldn't even compare to all the surgery, chemo and radiation she had to endure.  She is truly my hero and I hope that the fundraising that I was able to do will help others.  Thank you to all who supported my fundraising.  It really is an amazing thing to be apart of.

I have another marathon under my belt and I learned some hard lessons. Unfortunately they were learned during the race, but what can you do?  Next marathon is January 1st in The Woodlands, TX (Houston area).  I can do this.  I'm going to just shake off what happened this weekend and give myself a clean slate and go out there and give it all I have. 

Are you KIDDING ME???

Okay, so this morning I decided to look at the projected weather for Sunday (RACE DAY!!).  It said 87 for the high and like 10% chance of rain.  A little hot... but I have been running in HOUSTON all summer long- so bring it on.  So, I was gearing up in my head that all will be okay and that I can do this and the weather would be great.  Sunny skies, no rain... smooth sailing for me.

Five minutes ago... this is what I saw.

High of 64 degrees
Low of 50 degrees
40% chance of rain



Seriously??  That's quite a DRAMATIC change!  I know that usually the projected weather changes and you can sort've get an idea of what to expect... but I didn't expect over 20 degrees different!!  I know, I'm being dramatic... but do you blame me??  Cold rainy weather = gross. I know I used to live in NH and let me tell you, if you haven't experienced a New England winter- thank your lucky stars.  I was spoiled these last 7 years in Utah- winter was a breeze... no pun intended.  It snowed, it was a little cold... BUT! It melted!  And  now... I am in HOT-STICKY-HUMID-HOUSTON, TX.  Okay, now I'm getting off track...

So, there won't be any snow in San Antonio this Sunday, but if the weather stays where it's at- I am going to be one cold wimp woman.  I know what  you're thinking- 64 isn't bad and is pretty much perfect for racing.  Which is true and I completely agree- but! 64 is the high and it may or may not make it there.  I'm more concerned about the temps before and at the start and I'm most bothered by rain. To think... I was getting excited today about the possibility of not having to bring a throw-away long sleeve... Humph.

4 days left... Still hacking up gunk, but feeling good.

Note to self: remember to pack a trash bag and cut armholes in it... I hate running in the rain during races :-(

To all those who have now read this and concluded that I am completely ridiculous- I'm sorry.  It was just hard to gear myself up for 80 degree weather and now have to change it all... it's a mental thing.  :-)  The more I re read this post the more I feel silly about being so bothered about something that may or may not happen... haha... Can you tell I'm tapering??

6 DAYS??

Only 6 days left until the Rock N Roll San Antonio Marathon!  I remember signing up for this when we had just moved to TX this last May.  I remember because I felt all sheepish to ask the hubby if I could spend money to do something he thinks is crazy :-) 

My worries:  I still have this blasted head cold.  I am going out to buy LOTS of vitamin C stuff today.  I went to bed at 9pm last night in hopes to kick this thing in the fanny.  I feel alright, no fever... but my head is just stuffed.  Allergies maybe?  I've never had allergies so I don't really know.  However, my understanding is that allergies don't come with swollen tonsils and a sore throat.  Correct me if I'm wrong.  I vote it's a sinus infection and I'm just bitter.  All those who have been following me since last time.. we all know I was recovering from walking pneumonia and my hubby caught it too (apparently walking pneumonia is contagious... says my doctor) and I was up the ENTIRE night before the marathon because he was so sick.  Any advice for NOT getting sick before a marathon... anyone?

Other mental worry:  this isn't so much a worry.. but more of fear of the unknown I guess?  I trained for this marathon a little differently.  My last marathon training I hit 28 miles in my long runs (yes.. I said 28).  This time, I got up to 22.  Am I a little nervous about that?  Yes.  However, I have hit a lot of race PRs this time around.  I've run a few 5ks and a half marathon and in both- I will go ahead and say I rocked them. 

The good:  I am feeling confident that I will feel better this week.  I am feeling like I can do this.  My body is feeling good (other than my head...) Another good thing: I at least know half of my outfit.   Marathon for The Cure sent me out a race tank that I will need to run in- so I at least know that.  I have run in it twice now and I am feeling good about it.  It is a little long on me but that's not a huge problem.  I just have to figure out what bottoms to wear, whether or not to wear arm warmers, hat/no hat, fuel belt or not.... decisions decisions... oh and to clarify- bottoms aren't an optional thing like the rest of it :-) 

This weeks plan:  I have 16 miles on the docket this week.  5 today, 5 on Wed, 3 on both Fri and Sat and then the big ol' 26.2 on Sunday!!  AH!! 

Other plans: 
-Drink 3-4L of h20 every day.  I cannot stress enough about how important water is (even when you aren't running)
-Eating healthy.  Cutting sugar out of my diet this week.  Lots of fresh fruits and veggies and gotta have carbs.  Although, I may be the only person I know who can't eat pasta the night before a race.  It = bad race day. Lots of gas... haha.  Speaking of eating the night before, there is an exciting bloggy dinner meet up that I am going to.  I am excited to meet up with everyone!
-Get enough sleep
-Start getting my race bag ready early- I don't want to forget anything at home.  3 hours is a long drive.
-This one isn't about running.. but I need to figure out to do with our cat.  We will only be gone from Friday night to late Sunday night... That's a little too long for her.  She has a lot of separation issues.  Anyone want a kitty to play with this weekend??

I know this is long, but one last thing.  Who wants to guess my time??  Maybe I'll send you a pack of Gu if you get close :) 

If you want to guess my time here are recent stats:

Half marathon: 1:52
5k: 24:11
22 mile LSD training run: 3:24

Huntsville Half Marathon race recap

I apologize for the delay on this race recap- but I got hit with a head cold/flu.  It had been going on for a while but it hit me hard the Monday after the race... so I took some well needed rest time.

I was getting worried about this half because the race description talked about the course having tough hills.  Since leaving Utah... hills are hard to come by here in Houston. Anyways, on the Friday before the race I went to the airport to pick up hubby from the airport.  He had been in Chicago for work.  Then we drove up to Huntsville (a little over an hour away).

First impressions of Huntsville: hardly any street lights, small town feel, and LOTS of scary hills...

We were told to pick up our race packets at a church.  We found the church but it was a serious ghost town!  No lights or anything.   I was scared that they packed up early.  I won't lie- I was a little annoyed about the whole thing.  I ended up calling the race's contact # and left a message asking where I needed to go and whatnot.  After circling around the church and trying every single door... we found this random building with some lights and cars outside it.  It wasn't apart of the church... but there were lots of boxes outside.  Lo and behold- it was packet pick up.  Random.  This was my only beef with the race- really bad race pick up location... if you are going to have it in a building not attached to the set location- at least have signs for out-of-towners like myself.

The next morning we headed over to the start around 7am.  It was warm.  It was around 75 by the time the race started at 8am.  I was hoping for a sub 2 time but decided that I just wanted to run it and feel the pace.  I started off and picked out people who I thought I could pace off of.  There was "sports bra lady and her husband", "bandanna man" (he had a sweet mustache- complete with handlebars) and "cool socks guy". 

 

I was keeping up with SB lady and husband and bandanna man.  I was feeling really good.  However, around mile 4 I passed bandanna man.  Then at mile 5 I passed SB lady and her husband.  I was getting nervous that I was going too fast.

Then as I thought about my pace I saw that I was keeping it under 9mins and was mostly around 8:30 and I figured I would try to just give it my all.  For the whole second half I was with cool socks guy.  When we reached mile ten I yelled out "5k left!!"  I at least got a smile out of him.  The last 2 miles were mostly all up hill.  It sucked.  It was hot.  I just wanted to be done.  So, I bucked up and kicked it into gear.   I was feeling strong and speedy.

I turned the last corner and saw the finish and I just let loose and ran as fast as I could.  I finished in 1:52:56!! That was a PR by 10 mins or so!  I was so excited!  I even placed 2nd in my age group!  Never expected that one!  Woohoo!

 

 

This was an amazing half marathon.  It was a 2 loop course.  I usually hate those, however, I was glad that I knew about the last 2 miles being uphill.  I was mentally prepared for it- so it wasn't as bad as it could have been.  The aid stations were well placed and always stocked with water and a sports drink.  I'm a water girl during races- sport drinks give me problems.   I would so run this again.  It was also a nice small getaway for me and hubby.  The hotel we stayed at was nice and affordable too!  I will be doing this again :-)

 I am now mostly recovered from my sickness and am approaching my last LSD before the marathon.  I will be doing that tomorrow.  Ah!  Then I will be entering the taper weeks.  I am so nervous!  I just want this to go better than SLC.  My goal is always to finish, however, I think I am setting the bar a little higher for myself.  I really feel like I can pull a 4 hour marathon.  I felt amazing after the half and even wondered if I could've gone faster.  Don't you hate it when that happens??  Bring it on, San Antonio!!

Stupid cold... and YURBUDS WINNER!

Hey all!  So, I serious hope this isn't a repeat of this last April right before the marathon!!  I have a nasty head cold with some flu like symptoms.  Awesome.  I ran the Huntsville 1/2 marathon on Saturday (race report to come... been too sick to think about writing about it... but it was AMAZING!)  and then on Monday I did 6 miles and then yesterday... I was supposed to hammer out 8 miles.  Sure.  No problem.  I got to two miles and I had almost finished my entire water bottle due to 90 degree weather and being sick.  Seriously, what was I thinking??  So, I went home.  Feeling defeated.  Achy, headache, fever... depressing.  So today I woke up feeling so awful but I still had to go to work. Anyways, enough of my self pity party...

What I am trying to remember is: listen to your body.  It stinks to be sick or to know you have an injury... but to keep running through the pain or sickness could = bigger problems.  I need to let my body heal and not worry too much about how many miles I should have this week.  There are 3 weeks until San Antonio.  I am nervous.  I am supposed to have my last really long run this weekend.  I just hope my body is up for it.  Then I will enter the taper weeks.  I sure hope I kick this cold/flu to the curb so I can get it done on Saturday.  I am just thankful that this isn't "walking pneumonia" like it was this last April.  Yeah.  That was ridiculous.  Don't ask me how I ran the SLC marathon right after I got over that...

Okay... so the real reason you are all reading this... let's get to the winner of the Yurbuds giveaway!

Out of 72 entries, Random.org chose # 44!!

#44... Pretend this is real said: I LOVE the pink ones.

Okay... so I apologize, "Pretend this is real"- I don't know your name.  I looked on your profile and blog- but didn't see it.. so I'm sorry! Please e-mail me at cscriddle [at] gmail [dot] com and I will give you all the information for ordering that you will need!  Congrats!!

Thanks again to everyone for helping support me in my fundraising and raising awareness for breast cancer.  Remember, you can still donate to the cause.  Please head over to my donation page to donate! 

Yurbuds are my budz GIVEAWAY and review!!

Alright, so you have all been reading about the fundraising I have been doing for Marathon for the Cure (Susan G. Komen). Yes, I have reached the "minimum goal", however, I want to raise as much as I can to help support the cure! Thank you all for all of your support and donations! I wouldn't be able to do this without all of you. This is going to be a fantastic event and I am so excited to be representing my mother and all those who have lost a loved one to not only just breast cancer- but all cancer. Cancer knows no gender, race or color and this is why we have to put an end to it. If you are willing and able to donate to the fundraising, I would really appreciate it. Click HERE to go to my donation page.

That being said.... On to the giveaway!

So, we all sweat, right? Okay, well when I moved here to Houston this last May- the sweat meter (from humidity) seriously JUMPED! I've always struggled with headphones. This last year I have gone through about 5 pairs just to try and find ones that fit better. No luck. Not only are my ears shaped a little funny, but with the added sweat nastiness- they ALWAYS fall out or I have to keep adjusting them. It gets to be a pain when I run! I LOVE running with music and about 97% of the time- I won't run without music. I'm just one of "THOSE" runners I guess. ;-) Just kidding.

Well, in honor of my mom and the Marathon for the Cure, Adam over at Yurbuds offered me an opportunity to try out a pair for myself AND he offered to also donate a pair of Yurbuds to one of you lucky people.

He said quote:

"Your personal mission to raise money and awareness for breast cancer is admirable and Yurbuds would be honored to become a part of your endeavors. "

Seriously, how awesome is that?

So, I was able to order a pair of my own. Ordering was REALLY easy. I just had to send in a picture of my profile holding a quarter up to my ear giving them a reference point. From there they sized me and once I received my size I ordered the pink ones, of course! They shipped fast and arrived fast. I was impressed.

These beauties showed up yesterday- just in time for my Monday 5miler :-). They come in this cute blue pouch and with instructions on how to wear them. It's not rocket science, but it was helpful for me. There is also a video online that you can go to if you want to refer to that instead.


My experience: They felt a little awkward at first because they fit in the entire inside of your ear, but once I got going- it was great. It was WINDY out so I thought for sure these would fly out as soon as I started- and they DIDN'T! Hello, excitement! But, I was still waiting to have to adjust them or for them to fly out. For me, the sweating starts right at 1.5 miles. It NEVER fails! As soon as I got to that point, nothing. It was AMAZING! Well, I was still sweating like a mad woman as usual. These may feel magical, but the sweat will still come- they don't cure that problem :-) They stayed put for the entire 5 miles and I didn't have to adjust or put them back in once. Amazing.

Volume. I noticed nothing odd or anything like that. I know I have read that some people had to turn up the volume to hear better- I had the opposite happen. I turned my volume way down. Maybe my previous headphones just sucked that bad :-) They aren't noise canceling and I appreciate that. Because when you are running, it is still important to be able to hear cars coming and things like that to stay safe.

All in all- these were a HUGE success for me. Hence the title: "Yurbuds are my budz". These will hopefully be my running buddies for a while!

I am really excited to be able to give a pair away! So, HOW do you win a pair?? There are a lot of ways you can enter so keep reading!

HOW TO ENTER:

**Note: leave separate comments for EACH entry**

REQUIRED:

1. Go to the Yurbuds site and look around and come back and tell me what you love the most!

Bonus Entries:

1. Become a follower to my blog or let me know you already are in a comment!

2. Donate any amount (even if it's only $1!) to the Marathon for the Cure by going to my donation page here and leave me 2 separate comments letting me know you did/have already done so :)

3- Share this Giveaway via Blogger, Facebook, Twitter or tell a friend. Leave a comment for each

4- Like Yurbuds on Facebook

5- Follow Yurbuds on Twitter

6- Tell me about how Breast Cancer has affected your life or the lives of those you love. Leave a Comment.

• THANK YOU to everyone who has given to the cause, together we are making a difference!!

Giveaway will End on Tuesday, October 26th @ 11:59pm and the Winner will be announced on Wednesday, October 27th

PS: Check out the shirt we got my hubby to wear while he's cheering on the side for RnR SA!
So excited!!

One month....

That's right folks... ONE MONTH to go before Rock N Roll San Antonio Marathon!!! I know, there is still quite a bit of time to go... but I am already getting the jitters!! My head cold is still here and hopefully on the mend, but I am feeling strong (unless it's all in my head...)

Not this weekend, but on the 23rd I am running the Huntsville 1/2 marathon! My goal for that is to PR and get sub 2 hours. I have been hitting 13.1 in my training runs at sub 2 times. I hear that there are a few hills... but it can't be anything like the ones I did in UT!

I would be lying if I told you that I didn't have a time goal for RnR. I just don't want to set myself up for failure, you know? Then there are whole other factors to consider: weather, hills, what I ate the night before, etc... My first marathon I finished in 5hrs flat. I would love to pull out a 4hr marathon- but that might be a stretch. So, as of right now here are my 3 goals (these may change as we get closer)

1. 4:35-40 (I think this is doable... my last long run was 22 miles and I maintained a 9:35 pace)
2. 4:15 (a stretch for race day... but I could do it)
3. 4:00 (total dream)

okay and if I had a 4th goal that is COMPLETELY stretching it... it would be to qualify for Boston (where I grew up). So that would put me at 3:40:59 I WISH! Maybe for my marathon in January... haha, yeah right!

I do have a question for yal. I always wear my fuel belt when I run 10+ miles so I can have water with me. For races though- I usually don't wear it. My last marathon (first one ever) I just relied on the water stations to get me through and I didn't wear my fuel belt. I felt like it went alright, but there were times where I wanted water and I still had like 2 miles until the next aid station. So, what's your opinion. Do you suck it up and carry water with you (either by belt or bottle) the day of the marathon or do you toss it and rely on the aid stations for water?

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Okay, sorry for the cheesy title... I couldn't resist.

Anyways... on with the winner! The winner out of 42 comments for the Bondi Band + other goodies giveaway is....

#13: track coach and adorable wife said... I love the ponytail hats! Perfect for the cold weather!

Congrats! Thank you for supporting the cause to help end breast cancer! I really appreciate it! Just e-mail me your address at: cscriddle [at] gmail [dot] com

Superwoman Saturday

**Don't forget to enter my Bondi Band giveaway (with extra goodies!!) it ends on Monday 10/11 at 11:59pm**

***Also, Thank you to all who have donated to the cause!! I really appreciate it!! You are all so generous and I am really thankful for all of your support in keeping me motivated!! I am sure my mom would be so excited to see all of this.***



Today was a long run day- wahoo! I have been feeling a little head cold coming on. Let's be honest though, my last marathon was almost the same way. I got sick a month before it and 16 days before the actual marathon I was diagnosed with walking pneumonia- awesome. I got through it though. That's what happens though. We run ourselves into the ground, love it and then we kill our immune systems along with it. Not fair. So, I skipped my 4mi run yesterday to see if I could feel a little better. Then decided to head out a little later than normal today- best idea ever! I told myself "It doesn't matter when you start- just as long as you start!"

Wahoo!! I did it!!

Before I left the house my "arch-nemesis" ran by the house. She saw both me and hubby and gave us the stink eye... what's new. Maybe someday she'll wave back and want to be my running friend?? Maybe it was an omen that was to come during my run... I headed to Terry Hershey Park- my fav place to run that I have found here in Houston. I decided to go west on the trail today. It was great! It lead to some other trails and it was exactly what I needed for distance. Love. It's hard moving to a new place and find different running routes. I loved all my routes back in Utah. So, finding this place has been such a blessing!

This run was pretty great if I do say so myself :-) However, superman would be proud of me... I totally ATE it around mile 2 and flew with arms out, hit the ground hard and had dirt and muck all over me and blood all over my hands. I think this has happened like 3x since I've been living in Houston (all in different places). Awesome. The one person who did see me (some guy) just yelled "Get up!" Thank you? I think he yelled out something else after that but I couldn't understand what he was saying. After I got up and shook off the shock and crap all over me I checked myself out to make sure I was alright and I knew I couldn't fudge this run so I just kept on truckin'.

Then after I hit 13 miles, I stopped to fill up my water bottles and this guy on a bike stopped and asked if I was training for the Houston marathon. I had to tell him sadly I wasn't- but I was training for the RnR San Antonio one next month. He invited me to join some people for a 10 miler tomorrow and told me my pace was fantastic- why, thank you... haha. I had to decline. I try not to run on Sundays and plus... a close to 22 miler training run shouldn't be followed by a 10 miler with people looking to you to help pace them. I was feeling pretty good about it all. Then my famous "hit the wall @ mile 17" came. I kept thinking- if that guy saw me now- he would take back his invite... hehe. Yeah, it was a bit rough- but I got through it and kept going and finished hard the last mile :-) Yay!

Then some HS boys were honking at me and waving and all of that... I think they'd die if they found out I'm in my mid-late 20's haha... Good run... minus the blood. But that's what we runners do- we go all out with blood and everything else and just leave it all on the road :-)

Oh and this last week I won a giveaway through Jessica's Gifts on FB and I was able to pick out what I wanted and yesterday I got my necklace from Jessica's Gifts and I wore it running today. Love it!!!

One more thing- check out those awesome compression socks. They're a little TOO long for me.. they go above my knees... what can I say- I am 4'11"!! But! I am telling you- if you've never tried them out- they are WONDERFUL after long runs!! I totally feel like my legs recover so much faster and they squeeze them in tight like they need. Is that weird? Please don't mind my kitchen. I had to move my bike to vacuum the living room. Life happens :-)

WINNER & my fav. things GIVEAWAY!

Thank you all so much for supporting me in my dream of ending breast cancer and helping to fundraise for the cause! Well, I guess I should get on with announcing the winner of last week's giveaway! I used random.org to generate the winner!

Out of 21 entries the winner is.....

#14: Natalie from Kickin' it in the Kitchen

Congrats, Natalie!!! Send me an e-mail with your email and shipping address so I can get you your prize at: ( cscriddle at gmail dot com )

Okay, so for those of you who didn't win- don't be too sad just yet! There is another giveaway!

Most of you have probably heard of Bondi Bands. I LOVE LOVE LOVE them! They generously offered to donate 5 bondi bands to one of my readers to promote my fundraising. Thank you, Bondi Bands!

I love the last one :)

They are great because they are made out of soft, stretchy and breathable material-they fit virtually every head size comfortably and fashionably. The best part? They don't slide off! I ran my 20 miler with one the other week and it didn't budge once! It was fabulous! Not to mention all of the head bands are really cute and I want them all! I am also eying their wicking ponytailhats!

So, not only will you get 5 amazing bondi bands, but you will also get this cute breast cancer awareness tote bag:

And a few things that I love to fuel up with:

Gu, Sport Beans, Snicker's Marathon Energy Bar, Cliff Bloks and Shot :-)

HOW DO YOU ENTER?

REQUIRED:

1. Go to the Bondi Band site and look around and come back and tell me what you love the most!

Bonus Entries:

1. Become a follower to my blog or let me know you already are in a comment! (+1 entry)

2. Donate any amount to the Marathon for the Cure by going to my donation page here and leave me 2 comments letting me know you did/have already done so :) (+2 entries)

3- Share this Giveaway via Blogger, Facebook, Twitter or tell a friend. Leave a comment for each (+1 entry per comment)

4- Tell me about how Breast Cancer has affected your life or the lives of those you love. Leave a Comment. (+1 entry)

• THANK YOU to everyone who has given to the cause, together we are making a difference!!

• Giveaway will End on Monday, October 11th @ 11:59pm and the Winner will be announced on Tuesday, October 12th

Long run mishap...

**Don't forget to enter my giveaway!! It ends TONIGHT at 11:59pm**

So, I woke up early on Saturday morning with expectations to go run 20-22miles. I got up and I was instantly light headed and felt a serious cold coming on. BOO! I would've just gotten up and got it out of the way- but the last time I ignored the signs of being sick- I ended up with pneumonia just weeks before the SLC marathon this last April. So, I didn't go.

I feel SO guilty!! I toyed with going out today (Sunday), however, I only ever run on a Sunday if I ABSOLUTELY have to. Like, if the only race in the area I am living is only offered on a Sunday. I haven't had to encounter that yet. I will have to do that for the RnR marathon in November and even that I am struggling with. I don't run on Sundays because of my religious beliefs. I believe it is a day of rest and a day of worship. It's a personal choice. I know I haven't talked much about that on this blog, but it is very important to me.

So, I got up this morning (still feeling like I am coming down with something... and with a pain in my inner thigh... ugh) with my husband telling me "if you have to run today, it's okay. I completely understand" Which was nice, however, I just didn't feel right about it, so I didn't go. This makes my running rest days Friday-Sunday! Ah! I promise that I didn't head out to tackle it due to excuses of just not wanting to get it done. Trust me. I had full expectations to get out there and do 22 miles. I even laid out all my gear.

I just hope that these 3 rest days will do more help than harm to my training. I am not expecting a BQ any time soon so hopefully everything will just work out.

Get ready- new giveaway starting tomorrow with winners for this last TBA! Get excited for tomorrow!!

Marathon for the Cure GIVEAWAY!

Some of you have donated to Marathon for the Cure and Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer (Thank you!!). There is research being done now that could find the CURE! And women are getting mammograms who would not be able to afford the test otherwise. I am PROUD to be a member of Team Marathon running Rock N Roll San Antonio for the Cure in memory of my sweet mom, Carolyn.

In honor of her, I wanted to have a piece of jewelry as my first giveaway. My mom loved jewelry. It never had to be fancy or anything like that, but she loved having special things to wear. She would pull out her necklaces and show them to me when I was really little and I would watch her put earrings on in the morning and wish I could wear them :-)

A friend of mine who has a REALLY cute Etsy shop, "The Dangle Shoppe" offered to donate one of her pieces to one of my readers for this giveaway.


Her description: "I call it “Milk chocolate and caramel wire knot bracelet”. The wire is a non-tarnish bronze finish. The side beads are just gold colored glass. It can fit a wrist up to 9 ¼” around. For smaller wrists, they can use a hole farther up the bracelet and let the end dangle.


Milk chocolate?? Yes please! Go to her site and look around. She has a lot of great pieces. I won't lie- I really LOVE the pink drop bracelet and all of the earrings! Want!!

To the guys, I know this probably isn't your "style" ;-) but I am sure there is a lovely lady who you may know that deserves this, right?

HOW DO YOU ENTER?

REQUIRED:

1. Go to The Dangle Shoppe's Etsy Page and look around and come back and tell me what your favorite piece is!

Bonus Entries:

1. Become a follower to my blog or let me know you already are in a comment! Who's going to be lucky 14?? ;) Plus- you'll want to know if you won, right??

2. Donate any amount to the Marathon for the Cure by going to my donation page here and leave me a comment letting me know you did. Leave a comment still if you already have donated :-)

3- Share this Giveaway via Blogger, Facebook, Twitter or tell a friend. Leave a comment for each

4- Tell me about how Breast Cancer has affected your life or the lives of those you love. Leave a Comment.

• THANK YOU to everyone who has given to the cause, together we are making a difference!!

• Giveaway will End on Sunday, October 3rd and the Winner will be announced on October 4th

Terry Hershey Park 20 miler

***Just so you know- I will be starting a giveaway tomorrow! It's my first ever on this blog and I am SO excited!!! There will also be more to come so just keep your eyes out for it all!***

So, holy moly! I discovered an AMAZING park yesterday! I have been googling places to run in the area and this one came up. It's about 25mins away but it was so worth it! It was absolutely amazing! It was a paved trail and there was an 8mile out and back trail one way and then a few miles going the other way. Perfect for long runs!

My only complaint: their map. I probably spent like 20-15 mins looking at the maps along the way. I just would get to these forks and not know which way to go. The maps didn't show forks- it just showed where the trail as a whole was supposed to go. So, I just had to sort've follow the other runners and bikers hoping they were going where I wanted to.

Oh man- lots of hills too! My mantra throughout the whole thing: "it's just a hill, get over it!" It actually worked!! I will be spending a lot of time here I think. I am so excited! It was beautiful too. Other great thing: lots of amenities! Restrooms along the way in a few places and lots of water fountains and showers! So cool! I'll give it an A+ :-) I just wish I knew it existed! It's perfect!

My first 10 miles were dedicated to Alex. You can learn about her here. It was so fitting because the Lupus foundation was having an event through out the park. There were pictures around the trail of people who had suffered from cancer and it really just hit close to home for thinking about my mom and thinking about Alex. I won't lie- I might've shed a tear. Heh, I let all the other runners think it was sweat :-) Then the rest of it- I just kept thinking about my mom and when I got to mile 18 I was back at my car and I was just like- if mom could get through it you can go one more mile out and back! So that's what I did! I struggled and stopped to fill up my h20 bottles and it was so stinking hot- but I finished strong.

So, tomorrow be on the lookout for my first ever giveaway! I am really excited about it! It'll be to help jump start my fundraising for the Marathon for the Cure (Susan G Komen).

Where the sidewalk ends...

No really. I just have to ask- why is it that sidewalks just randomly end? I really try to stay safe on runs and out of the road, but it doesn't help when the sidewalks just randomly end.

I am trying to plan my 22 miler for tomorrow and I am struggling. I hate hate hate going in loops. I know, I should be thankful that I'm not on the mill, but seriously! There are some great roads that just go on FOREVER but the downside- no sidewalks. There isn't even like the "emergency lane" or whatever it's called. I could go on the grass on the side, however, I tried that last weekend and I just ended up turning around because it was a complete mud pit.

I understand if a sidewalk ends but turns into a neighborhood because the other areas are undeveloped, but why is it that when you cross the road the sidewalk keeps going and then it just suddenly stops. Did the person putting in the sidewalk just give up and say "eh, it's Houston. who'd actually be outside? No one needs a sidewalk here." I completely beg to differ- I NEED it!! Or maybe the person had some scary experience and thought it would be best to save someone else from going beyond the edge of the sidewalk? I don't know... I just think it's ridiculous.

So, I have come up with a hopeful solution. I found a "trail" online that should be pretty good. It's an 8 mile out and back so... 16 in total. At least that's what it said. You never really know. I know, it'll almost be like a loop, but hopefully it won't be so bad. Wish me luck! If I can't do the trail, I am back to the 3 mile loop in my neighborhood. That's a lot of loops... Not to mention- a lot of loops where I could potentially pass my "arch-nemesis". I won't say too much about her. What I will say is that she is usually out running when I am and I have waved and said hello every single time I've seen her and all I have ever gotten are dirty looks. Maybe it was because I was waving like an idiot with a goofy smile while sweat was pouring off of me... who'd want to be friends with that sort of a weirdo??? Haha, oh well. She's missing out I guess ;-)

Well, here is hoping that tomorrow's 22-er will go well and I won't have to deal with sidewalks ending in the middle of it :-)

PS: The first 10 of these miles are for a girl named Alex who was diagnosed with Lupus. Cancer just plain sucks. As always- the rest are for my mom <3

Way to motivate

Whenever I go out for a run I never consider that someone I actually know will see me. Especially since we've moved here TX. I don't know a ton of people here yet so the chances of people actually knowing me is VERY slim!

Well, Monday morning I was "spotted" if you will. It was a great run for the most parts. There were a few parts where I wishing that my legs would show up to the party, but other than that- it was great. The weather was fantastic! There was actually a breeze!! That never happens in the Houston area... no really. The wind shows up for hurricanes but that's about it. Anyways, it was a good 6 miler our and back run.

I had work after the run and a co-worker came up to me and said "I saw you running this morning!" The first thing that came to mind was "oh my gosh... I hope I didn't look like a complete idiot. Hope he didn't see me when I got to that one corner and felt like I was going to die."

He then proceeded to tell me how motivating it was to see me out running. Huh? What? See, I work at a gym and most of my co-workers are pretty fit and they exercise quite a bit and I sometimes feel a little intimidated. So, when he said it was motivating I was a little baffled. He then explained that he wanted to start getting out and exercising in the morning. He was all excited and kept coming up to me for the rest of the day and saying, "I am going to start this tomorrow morning. I feel real good about it." He even thanked me for going out running that morning. He isn't a runner (yet) but maybe someday!

I guess that made me feel pretty good- even though I am still pretty embarrassed that someone actually saw me haha... I know I get wicked sweaty and can look like a total wreck- but it's nice to know that all the hard work I put into my runs are noticed and sometimes even enough to motivate.

Want to hear another secret? My dad and his girlfriend went on a cruise to Alaska this last week (lucky!). My sister called me last night and she told me that my dad told her that on one of the last days there the cruise had a 5k walk that was benefiting cancer. So, I guess it was like x amount of laps around the boat. Now, you need to understand that my dad's health isn't in tip top shape and I do worry about him often. He has a lot of health conditions, but one that makes his life more difficult is that his legs sometimes go numb on him and he can't walk for long periods of time and is in a lot of pain. But, guess what? He walked the stinkin' 5k!! It took him a while, but he did it! I think that's motivating! I know he's probably hurting from it- but someone who has a hard time walking totally stepped up to the plate and got it done! Way to be, Dad!!

hubby, me and my dad- April 2010

Has anyone ever told you that you motivate them? What motivates you?

Running For The Cure

Most of you know that I am a HUGE supporter of breast cancer research. I have run quite a few races that support cancer research and I always feel great about it. It is such a close-to-home cause for me. I lost my mother 14 years ago to cancer when I was 11 years old. It changed my life forever. Not only do I always run in my mom's memory, I also run for all the kids who have lost a parent to cancer. I don't care what kind of cancer it is because all types of cancer just suck. It's just such an awful thing to lose your parent as a young child and it shouldn't have to happen. I was with my 11 year old niece this last week and I just kept thinking- this was the age I was when I lost my mom.

Anyways, I have decided that for the San Antonio Rock N Roll Marathon on 11/14/2010 that I will be joining Susan G. Komen's "Marathon for the Cure". This means that I am fundraising for the cause! I have never done a fundraiser like this and I always feel awkward asking people for money (esp. people I don't know) however, I feel like this is a cause that has affected most of us in some way or another and it's a cause worth fighting.

If you would like to donate to the cause you can check out my fund-raising site:

Running For Carolyn

I am trying to come up with some sort of a giveaway to help make this a little more exciting, so keep your eyes out for that!

Thank you for all of your support!

Let's hit the ground running and finish cancer!!

A visit to NH

So, this last week I had the opportunity to go and visit my hometown in New Hampshire :-) It was my sister's 40th birthday and her husband wanted to surprise her by having me come out. I had such a fun time! She and I are actually going to be running the Disney Princess Half Marathon in February!

Her family have been getting into running and they have two young girls (8 and 11) and over the summer they had them running a mile loop a few times during the week. They made a goal as a family that at the end of the summer all of them would run the loop 2x. I was lucky enough to be able to participate in their family run. We stuck together for the 2 loops and the younger one did great! Then my sister, me and her older daughter ran for a 3rd lap while the younger one and my brother-in-law stayed behind. I did this lap pretty fast (7:37) and my brother-in-law wanted to "race" another lap with me because he had never been able to do it faster than 7:50 so he wanted some "competition". So we did the last lap together. He did it in 7:19 and I finished in 7:23. I am so proud of their family. The girls are learning the importance of being healthy.

It was so fun running with them- but holy crap- hills! For example, yesterday my sister and I headed out on a 3 mile run and whew.... I won't lie, it was a little rough. Then I was like "you know what? I have the opportunity to run on hills, I should tackle my old XC course." My sister lives down the street from the course so we headed over there after stopping at home to round up the family. I ran to the course (1 mile) and then I decided I just wanted to do the 2nd mile of the course- it's ridiculous. Hills, hills and more hills. Basically you are running up a ski slope... no really... there is a ski lift at the top of the hill and it's an actual skiing place haha... I was dying- esp when I saw the ski lifts! But, I did it! Then we ran up a massive hill on the way home. So, I got all my hills in :-)

It was a great time running with my sister and her family. I am so excited for February!!