4.62 miles ~~ COLD breeze but sunny

Okay, it is March 29, almost April, and I was COLD on today's run.  Of course, Chris says I am always cold, but that is beside the point.  It was sunny, but the breeze was very chilly.  

It is spring break, so after working on projects around the house, I hit the road. I should have worn a jacket, but I didn't.  Luckily I warmed up a bit as I got running.   I wanted to go 5 miles, but the wind makes it a bit harder.  I logged 4.62 miles and kept an 11:32 pace.  That is faster than the last two runs--I think I was trying to get home to warm up!  

I actually ran my second mile in 10:59, just under 11 minutes!  If I could do more of those, it would be great.  Of course, I am still running on the roads around home and the hills are the killers.  I keep telling myself that the hills are strengthening my muscles and making me stronger.  I sure hope it is true!  (It is)

3.75 miles after work

I am back to shorter runs after I work.  Even though I work pretty close to home (half an hour) I just can't seem to get longer runs in after work.  I think part of it is just being tired from working all day.  I really do enjoy getting out and doing something different from my work.  Running helps clear my mind, solve issues, and destress.  It is the motivating myself to come home, deal with the animals, check mail, then suit up and get outside that is hard.  Once I am out there, it is easy and I enjoy it.  It is getting out there that is hard.

I ran 3.75 miles today and kept an 11:47 pace, very similar to last run's pace.  If I can just keep this pace up for a longer time, or speed up some on the shorter runs, I would feel like I was making progress.  Of course, when I look at what I was doing a year ago, I have definitely made progress.  I downloaded a spreadsheet created by David Hays that I adapted to my use.  He has an incredible amount of information that you can track, but I started small and just created a spreadsheet that tracks my races.


Here is the link to his spreadsheet: David Hays spreadsheet

  

5.53 miles ~~ weekend run

I like running on the weekends, because I can usually fit a longer run in than I can during the week.  That is, if I don't plan too many activities or jobs to do.

It was a beautiful day today with the sun shining.  I've missed the sun and the warmth.  Sometimes it seems like spring will never really get here...but I guess spring is the ups and downs in weather.  I ran 5.53 miles near home and tried to push myself a little more than usual.  I kept an 11:46 per mile pace, so it was better than the last time I ran.  I've been wearing my Vibrams most days I run and having very little pains or aches.  I've also been trying to stretch a lot after I run, and that seems to really help.  My breathing has been great, if I take my inhaler before hand as I should.  

I haven't been in a race since the Disney Half Marathon, and I am starting to miss that.  I do like the excitement and energy that races and events have.  Luckily, we have one planned in a week or so.  I just hope the weather is nice!  

3.1 miles

Well, I have been a little lax in blogging lately.  No real excuse, except life jumped in! I had spring break, but as usual, I planned more things to do than I actually had time to do.  But I did get a lot done.  So the next couple of posts are posted late, but I've put the correct date for my runs.

I ran 3.1 miles today in 38 minutes.  Not my best time, but I never seem to do as well with my runs around home as I do when I am in an actual race.  I guess the excitement gets my adrenaline going and I just do better in races.  I averaged 12:27 per mile.  I have been tired lately, but that is probably because I just finished Book Fair last week.  That is an exhausting week and takes a lot out of me.  I am almost back to my regular schedule, so I can get back to my regular running.  Snow days seem to be interfering too.  It is hard to be motivated to run when it is 30 or 40 degrees outside and wet and slushy.  

Even though I was slow, I ran!

5.46 and sunny!

Work this week has been very hectic and busy.  I had Book Fair this week, so my days were much busier and longer than normal.  I came home  every day exhausted, so thinking about running was not a real option. 

 It was supposed to rain and thunderstorm all day today, so it was very iffy whether or not I would be able to run. It rained pretty hard in the morning, but then the sun peeked out.  I was able to dress quickly and get out there and run.

I ran a total of 5.46 miles with a little slower pace than my last run, keeping it at 11:58.  I wore a rain jacket in case it started to rain, but ended up having to take it off and tie it around my waist.  I haven't had a day at home that was that warm, so this was weird!  I did push myself and ran as hard an fast as I could the last 3-5 tenths of the run at a 9:45 pace. But I don't think I could keep that up for a whole mile!

I was so glad I could get out and run.  Waiting a whole week to run was hard--I didn't like not running all week, but that is how it is sometimes.  So long as I get out there and can pick it back up, it's good.

5.21 miles--great pace

This has been an interesting week.  I've been busy at school with Read Across America and activities for the students, then we had a heavy snow on Tuesday night, closing school for two days.  We also lost power for three days, making running almost unthinkable.  I couldn't imagine running and then not being able to take a shower!  While we have a generator that powers our well water pump, it does not power the hot water heater, so cold showers would be excrutiatingly painful.  

Luckily, we were able to get power restored on Friday night, so I could run today. I ran 5.21 miles and kept an 11:36 pace.  It was still a bit cold but it felt good to get out and move.  The house had been pretty cold without power (we have a wood stove, but it doesn't heat the whole house).  Knowing that I could come home and take a long warm shower after running was satisfying and motivating.

At this point in my current running career, I have logged 450.3 miles on the road.  Amazing.

5.55 miles

I was able to get out and run today for a 5.55 mile run.  It has been a week since my "big" event, so this seems like a short run compared to 13.1 miles!  I tried to push myself a little more and was able to run at an 11:37 mile pace.  I wore my Vibram Five Fingers (and just learned that you say it Ve brums, not Vi brums...) and toe socks and felt great.  

My breathing has been doing great so long as I use my inhaler before I run.  I have been so lucky and not gotten so sick that I've been down for days.  I had the one week bout that kept me from running for a few days, but it didn't get so bad that I had to call into work or anything like that.  So running has done one of the things I wanted it to do, it has made me healthier.

3 mile run

After getting home from Walt Disney World and having to become an adult again and go to work...

I worked all day, trying to get back in the groove.  I was still feeling proud of myself.  I took my medal with me and wore the t-shirt I bought with the Disney Princess Half Marathon emblem on it.  I got to brag a little, so it kept me feeling great.  To think that 1 year ago today, there was no chance I could run a half-marathon is hard to grasp.  But I did it.

After suiting up and heading out, my husband and I ran most of the way together.  He was trying to work on his form and running with more of a mid-foot strike.   He did pretty well with it and can't wait for his new shoes to come in the shop.  We ran about 3 miles tonight and it felt great!

Disney Princess Half Marathon! 13.1 miles

Wow.  This day finally arrived. For months I have trained for this particular race.  I doubted I could do this race even when I registered.  In June, I couldn't run 1/2 a mile without stopping.  Today, I ran almost the entire 13.1 miles.  Wow.

I woke up at 2:30 am in our room at the Wilderness Lodge.  Luckily, the family with the screaming child next to us left during the day, so we didn't have to try to fall asleep with wailing next door.  I still had a hard time sleeping, partly because I was excited, partly because I was nervous.  My goal was to be at the front of the hotel at 3:00 to catch the first bus to the race.  I made it, but then the bus waited for 20 minutes "to fill up" before heading out!  I still got there in time, but felt a little more rushed.  

I had a ticket to the Race Retreat along with one of my other friends, Shelly, so I headed in and relaxed.  I ate a bagel with peanut butter and had coffee and water while I waited for her to arrive.  The Retreat was nice--it had food and drinks, private porta-potties with water to wash up, a padded stretching area, and extra amenities for after the race.  Shelly arrived, so we stretched, hit the potties, and headed out.  Our third friend, Tammy, was already at the corral, so we headed there. I was placed in E corral, but I jumped back to be with my friends in the G corral.  The amount of people was staggering.  We walked for quite a while before even getting to the corral.  Once there, we stood, talked, took photos, and watched the other corrals start.  There was a chance of rain, but luckily, it didn't.  It wasn't too cold, so I was ok without a jacket or pants.  What a surprise, coming from this always cold girl!  Each corral had the Fairy Godmother waving fairy dust over the crowd and fireworks at the start.  It was quite exciting!  Once we began, we moved to the left so we could have our picture taken and to run in front of the video camera.  

The course was pretty crowded and became even more so when the course got smaller at different parts.  Since it was humid, they had plenty of water and Powerade stops along the way.  My two friends and I kept together pretty well, even though it was more difficult in the crowded sections.  I knew there was going to be over 20,000 people, but imagining how the run would be with that many people and actually running it are two different things.  We had to run at a slower pace than we had planned because we had to weave around slower runners and walkers.  My friends truly should have started in a higher corral, but didn't have times to place them there.

Along the route there were several stops for taking your picture with characters, but all the stops had very long lines.  We discussed it while running and decided that wasn't something we really had to do in this race.  Disney also had large mile markers, and I took photos of mile 1, 2, & 3, but then I really didn't see the markers after that. I must have just been oblivious or something, because they were there! There was a timing pad at the 5K and 10K points that took our time as we crossed.  At one point, the first couple of runners that were waaaaay ahead of us, passed on the opposite side of the road.  You could hear the ripple of applause and cheers from the runners on my side of the road  that became louder as it reached me.  What an uplifting thing to see, hear, and experience.  Runners who were at least an hour behind were happily cheering on the fast runners.  It restored my faith in humanity a bit.  And it really motivated me to be one of the cheering runners.  I also hooted and hollered as they passed. I hooted and hollered when we were half way.  I hooted and hollered when we reached the 10 mile point--"Only 3.1 miles left!  WooHoo!"  I hooted and hollered when we ran up the on-ramp uphill.  Which, by the way, is pretty small compared to some of the hills in my neighborhood--yay!

My husband was a part of the "Chear" squad, and Disney had two locations where I could hopefully see him.  He stayed and watched our corral start, then headed to the 5.3 or 5.7 mark.  I kept waiting for the "Chear" squad to appear, and my friends asked what color shirt Chris was wearing so they could help look for him.  I couldn't remember, and told them his jacket was bright orange, but knew he would take it off due to the heat.  When we came out of the castle (a very cool moment by the way) I noticed the "Chear" squad and giggling, told my friends that he was wearing a blue "Chear" shirt....like the multitude of other "Chear" squad members congregated there!  I frantically looked for him--the photographers actually got a great shot of me running with my eyes off in the distance---and caught sight of him as I was turning the corner.  I smiled, blew him a kiss, and waved and trotted off to catch up with my friends.  He is and always has been my greatest supporter.  I am so glad he was there to cheer (um...chear) me on!

Shelly was in a little pain with her constantly aching knee.  The three of us kept pace for the first half of the route. She said she was going to start walking at 8 miles, but we cheered her on and she ran to 8.7 where we got the Clif gels, then to the water station, but then she told us to run on without her at the 10 mile point.  I really hated to leave her, but her running buddy Tammy said, "When she tells me three times, I know she means it."  The two of us went on and actually the Shelly kept close behind us, catching up when we stopped at the BioFreeze table briefly.  

The final miles of the run were the hardest.  We had to weave in and out more (it seemed) than before.  But, the worst was at the 12 mile point and after.  We ran on a back lot road where there were characters in front of a sparkly castle float and then towards Epcot.  I began to get chilled, which was unusual since it was close to 80 degrees if not warmer.  It was also humid.  I realized that I was probably hitting my limit and my body was beginning to protest.  But I was not going to stop or slow down.  Instead, I actually picked up my pace.  Tammy told me later that I "took off".  Luckily, she kept up with me.  I started my iPod music so I would be motivated to continue.  I remember hearing "Wagonwheel" by Darius Rucker; I just began smiling and singing.  Turning the corner and seeing the actual finish line was an unbelievable sight.  Months of pain, freezing runs, hot runs, sore muscles, breathing issues, and fun all brought me to this point.  I was actually going to finish a half-marathon.  Before I turned 50.  Before I became a grandmother.  Without a major injury.  It was really happening!

Tammy and I began our journey to being healthy together over 30 years ago, and we finished this running journey together.  Tears began to well up in my eyes as I neared the finish, and I turned to her and grabbed her hand.  As we crossed, we raised our hands above our heads.  We did it!  Less than two minutes later, Shelly also crossed the finish.   As I crossed the finish, we were told to move along, but there was a little commotion behind us.  My friend turned and said, "Barb, you dropped your camera!"  I checked my arm band (that had been zipped up, I thought) and sure enough, the camera was missing.  We told the volunteer about it, and at that point a runner behind us dressed in yellow brought it to me.  This wonderful person must have seen it fall from my outstretched arm, stopped at the finish line to pick it up, and brought it to me!  I thanked her profusely and we headed on.  

While Tammy and I were waiting in line for photos Shelly joined us, then we found my husband, Chris. Shelly and I headed into the Race Retreat since our tickets were for before and after the race.  We were given a printed Princess towel, Princess flip flops, a drink ticket and then we sat down so she could ice her knee.  I grabbed us both drinks and we had some breakfast and relaxed.  When we headed out, we used one of the provided computers to check and print our final times.  I finished under three hours, my secret goal!  I didn't know my actual finish time until then since with my camera drama I forgot to stop my watch!  The final goodies we received were a tube of hand lotion and energy bars to go with the boxed goodies all runners received.  

I am so happy I committed to do this.  I had a blast and am extremely proud of myself.  I set a goal and achieved it. 

Next up...Disneyland Half Marathon in September!  And my husband is doing it with me! 
 

3.7 miles~~only 5 days until Disney Half Marathon!

Today my husband had off for President's Day, but I worked as a make-up day for a snow day.  I headed home and got ready to run.  We were going to run this weekend, but the wind was blowing and the wind chill left it at 19 degrees!  So, instead we ran today.  It was closer to 40 degrees, and no where as windy as yesterday.  I still wore my Buff face cover, which was lucky, because the wind did blow a bit, enough to make my breathing catch and concern me.  But it wasn't too windy and cold luckily.  I felt really good running, and was able to concentrate on my form and enjoying the run.  

I have been a bit nervous on my last couple of runs.  First, because I really pulled my calves on my almost 14 mile run, I've been trying to speed their recovery and not cause more strain or damage.  Secondly, I've been nervous because I didn't want to fall, injury anything else, or do anything that might jeopardize my upcoming Disney Half-Marathon.  After all the training and miles that I have logged, it would be horrible to be hurt or unable to run for whatever reason.  Luckily, my run tonight was great!  I felt good, I ran well, my breathing was good...and I didn't fall!   

It is hard to believe that in less than a week, I will have completed my very first half-marathon.  I've been running for over a year, and training for the last six months.  I hope I can savor the days and experiences and not become too stressed or tired.  Wow...it is almost here!