5 years?!

Has it really been 5 years since my last post?!  I thought I said goodbye to this blog for good, but after thinking about it for months on end, I've decided that it's time to come back.  My reasoning is because I've taken up running again, and I've been consistent for the past year or so.   I've done several Half marathons and a dew other races.  2016 is the year I'm really pushing myself and 2017 will bring even greater challenges.  More on that later.

Today in Vegas, it was pouring rain, but I still managed to get out the door by 7am and run 5 miles in the downpour with a few girls from my running group.  Yes, I said it...I joined a running group.  Me.  Hard to believe, I know.  But it has been monumental in helping me stay consistent in my running.  These girls are so motivating!  So happy I found them!  

Las week, John and I ran a Half marathon in Utah.  It was the Southern Utah Half.  Personally, it was not my best time, but I also was not into it mentally.  I was tired from our New York trip, it was freezing and windy.  Not ideal conditions, but then again, when do you actually get ideal race conditions?  Pretty much never.  So i sucked it up and did it.  Finished in 2:16.  Not bad.  Not great, but got it done.  Good enough!   I have another Half coming up next week, May 7, so we'll see what that day brings.  

Anyways, just touching base.  Now that I've recovered my password to this blog, I will get more consistent.  

Seattle Half

Ok...I'm ready to talk about my Half. It's taken me a week or so to contemplate what went wrong, but I'm over it, so now I can write about it. Fact of the matter is, I was not prepared. I hadn't run in a month prior to the race, so I have no idea why I even had any expectations. I lost my motivation and I was too busy moving my husband's office to a new location and frankly, running was the last thing on my mind. We arrived in Seattle 3 days before the race & did the tourist thing for 2 full days prior. I was not nervous, not excited, nothing....I just wanted to get it done. Come race morning, I was fine until we got there then my stomach started to hurt. Bad. I was waaaaaaaay back in corral 33 (out of 40-ish. Sad.) But still, would have LIKED to be done in 2.5 hours. I don't think my corral even started the race until like 45 minutes after the starting shot. I did good (decent) , steady, decent time up until about mile 8.5....then my stomach issues started back up. I had to stop for the potty @ Mile 9. After that, things went downhill (no pun intended). My left foot & right knee were in agony. And once you stop, good luck starting back up!! I was hurting and fading fast. I was starving & Gu just wasn't cuttin' it! I was done. I spent the next VERY long 4 miles at a jog/walk pace until the end. I was over it. Got my medal and decided that I would never do another Half again. I did not enjoy it, my body hurt & I could barely walk for 2 days after. Not fun. I think this has helped me get it out of my system, said I've done it and I think I will stick to 10 K's from now on. My journey is over. I started as a wimpy runner, and I've ended no better...but I did what I set out to do.. Not well, but accomplished. So, this ends my blog, this ends my desire to be a better runner...I will do it on my own time, in my own pace. A runner I will never be...more like "recreational jogger" ;) Thanks for sharing this roller coaster ride with me and giving me support when I felt like I could not go on. Next on my agenda is a midnight run in the middle of nowhere in Rachel, NV....6.2 miles and not a single step more :)

xoxo

Pain in the head!

Hello!! I'm still here! Alive and kickin'! I feel like the last time I looked at my Half Marathon countdown, it said there was 33 days until race day....I just looked at it, and it said "33 days". Ummm, hi. Did time stop or am I having a case of deja vu? I'm not complaining, but I would kinda like to get this whole 13.1 miles thing outta my way and be able to stop thinking about it for a while.

Anyways, let's focus on how awesome I am: I'm officially hitting the double digits on my long run days (Saturdays) now! Whoop!! It feels great to FINALLY see something other than 4 miles, 3 miles 2.5 miles, etc on my training calender...but I still kinda suck at this running thing. It freakin' hurts my entire body! Last weekend I did 10 miles in Red Rock {don't make me recall the events on that day...hills too traumatic for my liking!...} , this past weekend husband and I did 11, which took me a very.long.time. But 11 miles is 11 miles, right??! No matter that the SECOND my Garmin clocked 11 miles, I stopped. Stopped one mile away from my house, but there was no way in hell I could get my body to run it. That one mile walk to my house was slow and painful! The problem I'm now having with these long runs (not counting my terrible knee pain), is that I get a bad headache all day long following the run. I can't figure out if I'm not drinking as much water as I thought I was, or if my shoulders are tense ...?? Thank God I'm married to a chiropractor cause I need that adjustment after each run, but I REALLY need to find the source of those headaches! I am going to try some coconut water before & after my next long run to try to get some electrolytes & other goodies to see if that will help. It's very frustrating, but I'm determined to get to the bottom of this. So, that's the latest on my running adventures. I just keep on keeping on! (Thanks, Casey) ;)

hot hot hot!!

I am in for a world of hurt in the next month(s) to come. Today was "only" 72 degrees when I went for a run , but the Vegas sun was on full power. I haven't run since my Zion 8 miles, and I knew I would not be awesome today...I didn't disappoint my expectations :/ I took my husband's dog with me cause I wanted to run a trail that followed behind this State park by my house and it could get a little isolated and shady back there, if you know what I mean. The dog did good, and actually listened to me for the most part. Although, I almost lost her when I took her off the chain and she decided to high-tail it after a chipmunk. I didn't chase after her....but she came back anyways. :/

I think tomorrow may have to be the 1st day of my 5:30am runs again. It is just getting too damn hot in the afternoons and I don't do very well running in this heat. It always makes me feel like throwing up. I will attempt to get an early rise first thing in the morning and get a head start on my day. I'm kinda freakin' out that the Half is now only 45 days away........I'm scheduled to go 11 miles this Saturday, so I will hopefully have a better grasp of where I stand after seeing what my body can do. I'm getting excited/nervous/scared all wrapped up in one and I can't wait to run longer and push harder :)

Zion...my happy place :)

This weekend my family and I went camping in Zion. I LOVE that place! We've been camping there every year for the past 6 years. There's nothing like being out there that always makes me sad that I live someplace like Vegas :/ Anyways, I was scheduled to run 8 miles on Saturday....the furthest I have ever run in a single stretch. I was pretty nervous, but I figured if the going gets too hard, I'll walk ;) My husband and I got up early and headed out with his fat, lazy dog. If SHE can handle it, I sure was going to give it my best! We decided not to run along the freeway since cars have the habit of flying up that single road to get to Zion, so we found a trail that we weren't sure where it would lead us, but we decided to brave it anyways. I kept telling myself that I would just run 4 miles one way then turn around and run the 4 miles back...that way it seemed manageable. The trail was great and the scenery was awesome.....but the first 4 miles was all uphill. WAY uphill! I would guess it was at least a 6% grade. Yikes. I had to walk quite a bit of the steepest parts, but I did the best I could. It took me an hour and a half just to do the 8 miles, but I loved it! I had forgotten to pack my compression pants so my knees and hips were in agony that night, but I feel pretty decent today, so I'm not complaining. I feel accomplished!! I did it! I doubted myself, but I pulled through. I am so happy! It gave me the smallest glimmer of hope that I will really be able to make it through the Half in just 55 days. It's approaching fast, but I'm getting so excited!

Peanut butter, the sun & a blister

I'm trudging along with my running plan, albeit a missed day here & there due to this annoying thing called work {and spring break}. My schedule gets all crazy when I work later then usual or when I have all the kids home from school. My 7 y/o is high maintenance & demands to know how far I'm running, when I'm coming home, if I'm not home by a certain time should she ride her bike to come find me? make sure I leave a map of my run, etc, etc. So exhausting.

It's been pretty hot outside already and I have an issue with running in heat. Vegas is NOT the town for me to be in if heat is an issue! Ugh! I have to try to get myself up in the mornings again and run before the sun is fully up, but I'm so not a morning person! My body does not cooperate before 10. I've been trying to find foods I can eat before (and during) my runs to help keep my energy up, but if there one thing I seriously lack, it's my nutrition. My husband is a big fan of peanut butter before a race or long run and has urged me to try it on whole wheat toast and blogs I've read say the same thing. I've tried it before and it didn't sit well with me but I thought maybe it's because I didn't give it enough time to digest. I tried it again the other day. I ate it on toast and waited an hour and a half before running...and threw up on the side of the road. Not to mention, it was hot outside too. Yuck. I felt better after it came up, but decided that maybe PB is not the answer for me. I tried a Clif gel last week and it sat fine in my stomach, so I will have to try that again. I sure could have used it today!
I had my long run of the week and did 6 miles. Never ran more than 5.2 before and I did a lot better than I thought I would. Half way through my run, I could feel what I thought was my sock bunching up under my toes but it couldn't be that simple....got a big blister on one of my toes :/ Never had that happen before...is this my right of passage??? LOL! So it looks like I got a lot of little kinks to work out in my running world, but I'm gettin' there...even if it's in baby steps :)

Friendly competition never hurt ;)

I'm officially done with my 1st week of Half training (yay!!!!!!!), 11 more to go. I was scheduled to run 4 miles on Saturday but had to push it back a day due to my daughter's dance competition, so hubby & I decided to "run together" . I say that loosely cause he is way faster than I am, but I always feel bad that he tries to run with me and make this a bonding moment (which is why I started running in the 1st place), but I always turn him down and not allow him to go with me. I thought I'd throw him a bone and allow him this time in my presence ;) Then he had to open his big mouth (like always) and say the wrong thing. He doesn't even have to TRY, it just naturally comes out of his mouth :/ What did he say, you wonder? Well, I started to map out my 4 mile run and he said: "can you add like another 2 miles at the beginning of MY run, and I'll just catch up with you half way." I know!! He had to go there. So I mapped out his run where it would connect with mine after almost 2 miles and while he was getting his stuff together, I left. My only goal during the entire run was to make sure he did not catch up with me LOL!! There was a long stretch of straight road with the wind blowing directly into my face that I thought he'd for sure gain on me, but I was not going to turn around and look or slow down. It kinda reminded me of the old hunting game where the hunters let the fox go and wait a few minutes and then send the blood hounds out after them!

I didn't dare stop!! One foot in front of the other all the way to my stopping point...I made it, Sucka!!! I was so happy! I didn't even see a glimpse of him and that alone made it an awesome victory cause I knew his goal was to catch up with me. I got home and was already in the shower when he walked in..and I did a victory dance (yes, while in the shower)! Score a point for me! But I know the next time we do this, it's on....he's got his game face on now!