The family..

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SouthEast, PA, United States
This Blog is all about me and my life as a mom of a beautiful 9 year old and my dear husband who entertains me as much as my girl does.
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Getting closer..

The training has been progressing through the month of March. I found my way to Daily Mile through the various pod casts I listen to and it's fun to track on there and not bore everyone to death on Facebook with my running stats.

I am doing the Running class at the gym again this spring and I still love it. That class is soooooo hard and well worth the cost. Every Monday and Wednesday I get my butt kicked and then the homework gets me too.  Today I did speed and hill Farklets on the treadmill and while short (30 min) it was INTENSE.  I hope to see a change from all this work I am doing. I really want to A) go under 30 min in a 5K and B) Do better in my half marathon time then I did in my first one.  I know B will be hard because my next course has a significant HILL in it but I am training to get myself up it in a decent time anyway.

This Saturday is the Pottstown 5K.  DH is running it for his first 5K ever and I hope it goes well.  I am super proud of the effort he has made to be able to run.  I know he will be fine for the distance but I want him to love it like I do (or maybe at least like it) so we can keep doing this together.  I am even okay with him beating me eventually, even though I am highly competitive ;)

Miss Talkative (DD) is running it as well.  It will be her first 5K as well and she is so nervous.  My plan is to let her run and just stay with her so my time won't count - unless she is a lot faster than I think she will be.  I have confidence in her ability to finish it. She may be tired at the end but she is a determined girl and I think she will do awesome!

It is the first Race of the year so here is the kickoff to the season.  I can't wait to see how it goes!

Keep running, keep training, keep eating right :-)

Monday, February 7, 2011

The training begins

The training season has officially kicked off in my household. My DH and I have entered the Warrior Dash in June and he has never run before so he has just started the couch to 5K program. I have also signed my daughter up for a 5K in early April so we are all running together now. This entails going to the local Y and running on the indoor track until the weather begins to cooperate again but it is a start.

I have also started running using a mix of Hal Higdon's training plan for a Half marathon and Runner's world training program. I like Runner's world since it gives me pace times to hit but I don't feel like it includes any realistic ramping or training progression so I want to combine Hal's with it. I used Hal's program last time and it worked great for me. This week was a running overload. I ended up running 5 days in a row which is a big NO in my book. Luckily several of those runs were easy track runs with the family. I did get outside yesterday (and yes I went to a Super Bowl party and went for a run from their house just so I could squeeze my run in). It was great to get outside. I can't wait for spring!!

So I am taking today off to recover and will just do some ab and upper body work at home tonight so my legs can rest. Tomorrow is an easy run day and then Thursday is more speed work. This week I am focusing on my diet so I can get lighter and faster.

Historic Half is in 96 days :-)

Here's to happy training!

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

The gloom sets in....and a resolution

The last few weeks have been lazy and uninspiring. I completed a big training and weight loss push 2 weeks before Christmas and now I am officially on a mental (and physical) break. No logs or journals to complete, no counting everything I do, no caring in general. It's not the best approach I can take but mental refreshment is vital to me. I am in the midst of the worst time of year for myself. The time when sunlight hides and I want to hide too. I am a winter gloom and doom type. My relationships suffer in the winter, my motivation suffers, and my outlook suffers as well. I am well aware that I am this way and I will continue to move on reaching for the hope of the spring, just with a few extra tears thrown in.

I did manage to get some running in my life though and that always makes me feel better. I love to run but I HATE running inside. The hot air bothers me, the people bother me, the redundancy bothers me. So last Sunday I laced up my shoes and went out to run in the snow covered streets in the 20 degree weather. I have to say, "I loved it". I was dressed well and I only went 3.5 miles due to lack of daylight (it took me hours to work up to getting out there) but it was wonderful! I really enjoyed it and I think I may become an all season type of girl. My New Year's resolution was that I would run (inside or outside) on Saturday or Sunday. I have no problem during the week since I am at the gym everyday, but weekends get sucked up in family time. This resolution will help me get out there and get moving on weekends too. I like resolutions, I like to be specific, and I like to succeed :)

Have a great day and I hope a great run too!

Sunday, January 4, 2009

2009 is here - Resolutions abound!

As for 2008 it went by too quickly and I can only imagine what 2009 will bring. I made my New Year's resolutions again and I am confident that it will be maintained. For 2008 I gave up French Fries (and waffle fries and all other fries) and I made it without even sneaking one (which is hard when your 6 year old orders them and only eats a small handful leaving all of those lovely fries to the garbage).
This year I am dedicating myself to running at least twice a week ( I tend to do other cardio instead when I don't have a race scheduled) and adding in other mini resolutions as I go. My first one is the hardest - I am going to stay within my designated calorie range until the week of April 20th. This means no pizza binges, Chinese food buffets, or ice cream sundaes covered in hot fudge and caramel. My biggest challenge for this is the weekends. On weekdays, I have no problem staying within my goals. But oh those weekends are rough - it is too easy with the family around to just get some junk food and go crazy with it. I have made it 3 days (all off days - woohoo) so I am on a roll now! I am looking forward to losing the rest of my weight and hitting my goal this year.
In other goals, I want to run a 10K without walking and finish a 5K in under 30 minutes. That's where the running twice a week will help. I need to have less weight to carry and build endurance. Look out 2009 here I come!
Happy New Year everyone! I hope your resolutions (if you make them) challenge you and inspire you to achieve all you can! Here's to a wonderful 2009! Cheers!

Sunday, October 26, 2008

The Off Road Experience

Today was my first off road trial run. I have competed (OK not really competed but participated) in 4 - 3.1 mile races since April of this year. As I planned my summer/fall racing schedule, I looked at the numerous races being organized and timed by the local company. One of these was entitled the "Evansburg Challenge" and included 2 races (a 10 mile jaunt and a 4.5 mile fun run - funny how they think 4.5 miles is just for fun). My running buddy and I decided that by October we should be ready for something longer then 3 miles so we signed up.

As the last few weeks have past there has been a significant lack of rainfall in the area. Besides not having to mow my grass very often, the lack of rain encouraged me into thinking this trail run wouldn't be too painful. Then the storm moved in. Yesterday it rained, and rained, and poured, and rained some more (oh and don't forget the accompanying high winds). So much for my dry, fast, runnable trails.

This morning I woke with great anticipation and a good dose of nerves. I know I can run 3 miles on the flat, but 4.5 miles over an unknown course was a bit intimidating. I headed out of the door 15 minutes later then I had planned due to forgetting everything I needed. I made so many additional trips into the house that Chris asked me if I was ever leaving. At one point, I even backed down the driveway only to drive right back up into the garage to retrieve yet another item. I had a quiet drive to the park where the race was being held and found it with relative ease. I turned onto the entrance road and followed the line of cars down a never ending two lane road. At one point everyone began to turn into a parking lot and I thought I had finally arrived when I realized a tree had fallen during the storm and was blocking the road. My first thoughts were to how many trees fell across the race trail that I would have to climb over/under.

I successfully parked and picked up my registration material and began the long wait. While waiting I had the opportunity to overhear a conversation between two other runners. They were running in the 10 mile run and were discussing the water crossings. I specifically decided against the 10 mile run due to the water crossings (OK the 10 miles might have had something to do with it too). After all it is October people, do you have any idea how COLD that water is going to be? The one girl was concerned due to her inability to swim that she might slip and go under. Really, how deep is this water? My question was soon answered when runner #1 indicated that the water was only about upper thigh high (thigh high - who wants to run through that!!!) but that runner #2 could hold on to her for safety. My running friend soon arrived (a bit after I started to panic that I would have to tackle this feat on my own) and we proceeded to the starting line.

Our initial plan was to run/walk the course. Although we spend a significant amount of time in the gym on a daily basis, 4.5 miles was a new challenge. We figured we could run until we were tired and then walk as one of us needed a break. To begin the race, the organizer went through the directions on how the trail was marked and made sure to call all those who had never run this course before "the lost boys:". With a final word of good luck, the race began and we took off running with the crowd (and they do run slower when they know they have 10 miles to go instead of 3) and headed down the road to the first trail entrance.

The first mile was pleasant. We had a nice steady pace underway and the trail was manageable. The conditions were a bit mushy but nothing worth tiptoeing through. We went along nicely to a point where the trail narrowed to a single file path. The trail began to get a bit muddy and then we came to the "drop off". This is the point where I stood at the top looking down and pondered how you were supposed to even get down this hill. I considered sliding on my butt but then we side stepped down the hill holding on to tree branches as we went.

Now the trail got exciting. We were running up hills, across rocks, through mud, and over tree roots that looked more like steps. We kept running unless the conditions didn't permit it (too muddy or having to go down in ditches and back out again). The time just flew by (and the miles). The scenery was very beautiful, even with the mud, and I saw some of the biggest maple leaves ever on the ground. The run was interesting because you had to be so aware of where you placed your foot and time your jumps as obstacles appeared. We ran along the river, up and over the power lines, through tiny one lane horse trails, across rustic wooden bridges, and through the woods. The flags marking the trail were easy to follow and a measure of comfort as we ran. The thought of getting lost was not comforting because after that first mile, we made so many turns I had no idea how to get back to the starting line. This makes the trail run exciting but then having the ambulance waiting at the start seems pointless. If anyone needed the ambulance, how would you find it to tell them (and then find the hurt person again)?

After picking our way through the trail and encouraging each other to keep running we made the turn towards the finish line. The finish was uphill, of course, which is just the race organizers being cruel, but we went running right up to the top and grabbed our celebratory cup of water. We were the first ones to finish that had signed up for the 4.5 mile fun hike(and while in my dreams there were about 100 people behind us, there were only a few others) and we finished in 55 minutes and 15 seconds.

The best part was that I really felt that I could have kept going. I thought 4.5 miles would be stretching my abilities but I could have done at least 6 miles. It was so much fun and now I am looking for my next longer distance(7 miles? maybe 10?) trail run. So while I may not be fast, I know I can just keep going and finish without dying. That is a wonderful feeling!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

The Race - Sweetpea's turn

One of the main reason's that Chris and Sweetpea attended this 5K is that Sweetpea wanted a chance to run too. She has heard me talk about running and seen me practice so she wanted to join in. Her wanting to join has made my heart glad. I would love for her to find joy in something as simple and wonderful as running at her age instead of at 32 like I did. Maybe, just maybe, if she starts now, she won't be struggling at age 33 to make it through a 5K in under 35 minutes.

Her race was to begin after mine ended but I still had Chris waiting in the wings if she needed someone to run with her(you really didn't think I was going to run another 0.5 miles after my own hellish 3.1 miles). While he is not a runner (he thinks I am psycho for running), he can manage a half mile if the occasion calls for it. The kids were all anxious to begin and when the race director called them to the starting line, they were there faster then you could bat an eyelash. They all lined up in classic race starting position (one foot in front of the other) some with parents but most without. After consulting Sweetpea, Dad did not have to run, and off she went to the lineup with a few hints from me. She had her foot right on that starting line and she was ready to go with a serious look on her face.

The race director got on his bike and got a head start before he yelled go and off the kids went. Sweetpea was doing well and keeping ahead of the pack but I was sure she was going to run out of steam before she reached the turn around. I quickly ran over to try and peer around the bend but I couldn't see her any longer. As the kids began to came back into view I first saw the 10 year old girl out in front (who just finished the 5K and beat me too) and the little boy (maybe 5) who's Mom kicked butt in the 5K finishing in 16 minutes (oh how I hate her). Then came Sweetpea, in 3rd place and going strong. As she got closer she slowed to a walk and I thought she was done, but she took my advice and after 5 or 6 steps, took off running again. She went ripping towards the finish line as fast as she could and crossed in a speedy 3:30.

She was so excited that she came in third and wanted to know what award she was getting since 1st,2nd, and 3rd always get awards - right? I had to explain to her that the kids all get the same award (a bag of candy in this case)but that she did a great job. We ended up staying around for the awards ceremony just in case but after baking in the sun for 15 minutes, she decided we could leave. I was relieved it went so well and I hope that she enjoys taking part in these races until she can run with me (and probably beat me) in the 5K races.

Monday, September 22, 2008

How I love to torture myself

This weekend I entered in another 5K race. There were two important differences in this one though. First, I would be running alone. My friend who always runs by my side was unable to attend since she just had surgery - I guess that's an excuse of sorts. This means that I had no one to stay with me as the rest of the pack runs swiftly by or to keep me motivated when I reach the point of exhaustion. The second thing that was different is that my family (Chris and Sweetpea) was attending as well. For some reason this induced a good set of nerves in me. I already knew I wasn't going to win and that I could only hope to finish well for me since I am not a fast runner. I run these races strictly for finishing them. Each race that I finish drives me forward in my quest to be in better shape. I know if I can run 3 miles today then maybe tomorrow I can do 4.

As the race started, I already regretted being there. It was a small field of runners (about 85) so I had an uncharacteristic spot near the starting line. I prefer to line up in the back of the field since I know 90% of the runners will pass me. In this race though, Sweetpea kept encouraging me to get close to the front so I could win. She wanted me to come in second since I told her there was no way Mommy was going to win the race. As we all took off the pace was fast as always and people were soon leaving me behind as the slower runners fell into their places.
At about a quarter mile in, I was tired and only my will kept me going forward. I was tired, the sun was beating down on me, and I really didn't feel like running. I vowed to make it past Chris and Sweetpea who were waiting for me at the bridge crossing and at least look like I was doing well.

Well I made it past the bridge and then I made it to the 1 mile mark in 10:10 (which is good for me). Now I just had to make the loop before I could head back for the finish line. At this point there were 2 women in front of me and no one behind me. I couldn't see anyone at all behind me and even though I knew someone was back there somewhere, the thought of coming in dead last was not pleasant. I just kept running hoping to do well and even if I came in last, I would know that I had tried. After I made the turn, there were no more splits to tell me my pace. There wasn't any water either (which I was very upset about, I count on that water station 1/2 way through the race). I headed back for the bridge where Sweetpea was waiting for me.
As I came across the river bridge, there is my beautiful girl hanging on the end of the bridge looking desperately for me with a very concerned look on her face. I took out one earphone so I could hear her and what words of encouragement do I hear? "Mommy, you're in last place!" Oh she is so sweet!

Chris gave me some much needed water and a smack on the butt along with an enthusiastic "Keep moving!" and they were off to the finish line to cheer me in. I only had about a half mile to go now and at this point I wasn't going to stop. I made it around the last few blocks and I headed for the finish line. As I came down the home stretch the other faster runners are there clapping for you and telling you what a good job you are doing. As I get to Chris he encourages me to sprint for the finish because I can make it in under 35 minutes if I hurry. I summoned up all the energy I had remaining in me and I sprinted as best I could to cross that line. My final time was a speedy 34:42:59. Yes, that 1/100th of a second is vital to my time! This was my fastest 5K yet and I am amazed at how far I have come since I started this quest. My first 5K in April I finished in 38:30 so I have cut almost 4 minutes off my time. Maybe by the end of next year I can be under 30 minutes - oh how happy would I be then!