Recovery Time Completed...

Handsome hubby, Bob on a harley at Disney

Some cool fireworks, Disney style.

People dancing to "YMCA".....lol

National anthem....

Here's Ellyn and Cindy, we were in line for the powder-potty....heehee...

The pictures from the 15K didn't come out too well. Posted them anyway...

I had a great time running the Minnie Mouse 15K, but my calfs and right hammy have been sore. Today my muscles feel WONDERFUL! I did my yoga class this morning and got a great stretch out of it. It's such a relaxing class. I enjoy it very much.

I was supposed to meet Mike at the gym for a 6 miler after yoga but he came in with his pants all ripped to let me know he took a spill on his motorcycle! He said he was going home. That was 3 hours ago and I've left messages for him. He hasn't called me back yet. I hope he's not at the hospital!

So now I'm kinda hanging around waiting. I'll go for a short run in about 30 minutes if I don't hear from Mike.

I ran into my neighbor PJ, the fireman at the gym. He had knee surgery and couldn't run...wahhhh...I'm solo today. I have half a mind to lay by the pool.....

Slowing (or stopping) To Smell The Flowers

I mentioned a few posts ago about my method of running. I had talked with my coach, Jim about a week ago about how I didn't think I was a "real" runner because I am so lax about about it. Half the time I forget my watch, the other half I forget to time myself. Never mind the fact that I have NEVER remembered to hit the stop watch thingy on my watch. Jim listened as I talked (just one of the things I like about this guy)...and I was telling him how I don't time anything. I walk when I feel like it, I run when my legs start back up. It's a mindless method. There are times when I don't realize I've walked until I've started running again. The distance I set out to run is never the distance I wind up doing. Ever. Sometimes it's shorter, sometimes it's longer. I just never really know what I'm in for.

If I'm running with someone, I don't think twice about stopping to walk so I can enjoy the conversation. (this drives Mike CRAZY, which is why I do it when I run with him....haha). Running with Jim is an experience. He is a coach by nature, I learn something new every time we run. I walk away from those runs with a confidence only a great coach can bestow so effortlessly.

During my first couple months of training for the Sarasota Marathon with Jim, one thing that stuck in my mind was him telling me to always pay attention to my body signals. He said I'd learn to recognize the cues for when I needed a walk break and when it was time to run again. Jim said so much of it is mind over matter and believing I could do it. I had to learn to run through some stuff, like laziness, boredom or just plain not being in the mood to run. Getting the breathing down was probably the most difficult part for me. There were times when I thought I'd faint from lack of air, but I'd hear Jim's voice telling me to walk until I could breath again. It was like getting "permission" to rest a bit. I realized pretty quickly into the training that it was MUCH more enjoyable to let myself build up the endurance, rather than running until I hated it.

As I began to see that I could run for longer periods of time without stopping, I felt such a feeling of pride in myself that I learned to use this as fuel. Distance became my main focus. Endurance was what I was training for. I wanted to LEARN how to run 26.2 miles in under 5 months. I did get a few looks of utter disbelief. And I had my moments of self doubt, but luckily I had a coach who would remind me I was the captain. It was going to be up to me, so I'd pull it back together.

Jim set the pace for 12 minute miles in the beginning. I never did learn that pace, I kind of went with about an 11 mm. As soon as I told him I had the 11mm down, he said to go to 10 mm. Jim thought this would be a good pace for the marathon. It would get me a decent finishing time without killing me. He was right. I loved that marathon. I enjoyed myself immensely. I met a lot of fantastic people along the way and I didn't feel like I was dying until mile 23....lol. (I did snap out of it fairly quickly though)

Another very smart thing Jim taught me, was that all I really wanted to do for my first marathon was FINISH. He said the next marathon would only be better if I took that perspective. I admit I didn't really feel that way until about mile 2 of the marathon. I wanted to finish in 5 hours but Jim wouldn't even answer me when I asked if I could. He said try for 6 hours. I was mad at him for that....lol. I thought it meant he didn't believe I could do it. At mile 2 of that marathon it hit me for what it really was. He didn't want me to feel any pressure. He knew I'd never have another first marathon and he was trying to tell me to enjoy it for what it was. He actually said those words but my stubborness blocked it out until mile 2. I could almost hear him say it again right at that moment and I felt a relaxation that surprised me. I swear, I think I smiled every step of that 26.2 miles. Except at mile 23, but within 10 minutes I was smiling again. (I think...lol)

I told you THAT, to tell you THIS...

I learned that (almost) every step can be enjoyable. It even works with my life motto, which is...MY LIFE IS WHAT I MAKE OF IT. (my other motto is EVERYTHING IS RELATIVE) That means, if I'm feeling miserable, I have the choice to let go of whatever it is that's bothering me and have a great day, OR...I can embrace the misery and lose an entire day of my life. Anyone who knows me, knows I am happy 98% of the time. I guess it's only natural that this would tie into my running too.

Yesterday at the Minnie 15K, I felt this. I had not been able to run for almost 2 months because of the flexor. I have run 3-4 times in the last week or two, 4 miles being the longest run. With lots of walking. I had no idea how I would do in the 15K. I worried I'd lost all my endurance, I worried about my flexor being reinjured, I worried about having to pull out because of those things. But once again, when the starting gun went off and I began to run, something happened. As I put one foot in front of the other, I paced my breathing first like I always do. I had my iPod on this time and I had the volume on low so I could talk to Cindy. I had to find a slower pace because it was so crowded, so it was easy to just tell myself to enjoy. I looked around at all the other women, some were mom/daughter teams, some sister/sister, some were groups. Every shape, size, color and speeds. I felt the kinship immediately. I was so happy I was running after the flexor injury. I was so happy my family was sleeping soundly at the hotel.

Once again I took the time to take it all in. I heard Jim's voice telling me I'd be fine. Friday we ran a trial 5K and afterward he told me I was a strong runner, that I'd do well. That came back to me in the first 10 minutes of the race. I felt peaceful, which is a weird thing to be feeling in a 15K race, but it's true. The conversation I had with my coach that day about my not feeling like a "real" runner came back to me too. Jim said I AM a true runner, I just choose to enjoy it. He said I took what I needed from my training and I use it to fit my running.

I've been thinking a lot about this, since I haven't been able to run I've had the time to think. And I think it goes back to my coach. Right from the start he trained me to enjoy running. Jim's method of coaching is to instill confidence and comfort. I'm not the only one to see this. Quite a few people have told me how much they get out of Jim's training whether it's personal training, running or even fitness of all levels. He's even tempered, calm and reassuring. He has a straight forward attitude that is mixed with just the right amounts of teaching, positive encouragement and discipline that makes us believe in our own abilities. So it's no wonder that I have taken my own road to my personal running goals. Between Jim's easy going words of encouragement and my own longing to enjoy ALL of my life it's only natural for me to find the joy in running.

Today I am tired and sore and...yes...very happy. I feel good about myself and I'm back to running. I have more goals, like running Boston someday. Honestly, I think it will be 2010 but that's ok. I have plenty of time to reach that goal. I also think it would be VERY cool to run that particular race with my coach. I haven't told him that part yet though.....lol. Just seems fitting since it's because of him I am a runner, don'tcha think????

This post was prompted by my friend Sherry's blog post. http://www.blogger.com/profile/02082457871394785441 Sherry was bitten by the "I'm gonna enjoy this gift" bug on Saturday while volunteering for the TriAmerica series. (and she thought that bug was a noseeum). Sherry has been training for her first triathalon since October and was feeling a whole lot of emotions during Saturday's race. She met someone who she saw as a wonderful athlete. He took the time out of his race to wish her luck and tell her she'll do a great job. I felt it in her post when she said she realized at that moment that she had a choice to race hard or to stop and smell the flowers along the way, and she "chose the latter". Sherry wants to enjoy her first triathalon next week. She wants to come away from it knowing she's an athlete, that she can finish what she set out to do. All of us who know her already know she'll do that. But it was the words of that man that struck her soul. Made her understand that what she is going to do that day is wayyy deeper than finishing her first tri with a good time. It's about an inner feeling of an accomplishment that only she can give herself. Anyone can tell you to run real fast, pedal your bike hard, swim across the pool. Only Sherry can actually do that for herself in the end. It's really up to us to see that commitment we made to ourselves pay off. It's a very fine line between racing so hard we lose the joy, and racing hard enough that we do a good job AND can still love what we're doing. Sherry got that from that athlete she met on Saturday. I understand that because that's what I got from my coach, Jim. Only I didn't "get it" until mile 2 of my marathon.

Sherry wrote that she hopes that man could find out what a difference he just made for her. I bet she'll get to tell him. I've been trying to find a way to tell my coach those very words without sounding like a crazed stalker. And crying....lol. Maybe he'll read this and "get it". At least he won't have to run a marathon to figure out that I think he's an awesome coach. He won't get a subliminal message at water table 2 that he made a huge difference in my running. That because of his coaching methods he has created a runner who loves to run, who does stop to smell the flowers along the way and who will be running for a very long time.

I do have a competitive streak in me too, I do plan on meeting a few goals, two of which are running a faster 5K and BOSTON. But you can bet I'm gonna have a good time along the way to getting there. Thanks to my coach Jim AND myself.

Minnie Mouse Race Report

We left for Disney Friday afternoon. We were going to stay 2 nights but my 10 yr old Emily got sick last night. She was up pretty much until I had to leave at 4:30 this morning for the race. I didn't get a whole lotta sleep....So we booked another night, tonight, so Bob could take our 9 yr old son to Epcot. Worked out well, Emily and I slept for 3 hours this afternoon. Hence the early race report! I have some pictures, but I can't download them until I get home. I'll post those later.

I had pasta premivera for dinner at Planet Hollywood....ok, ok....and 2 beers. I carbed this time instead of the steak philly I had before the Sarasota marathon...lol. Went to bed at 10pm, but was up most of the night with Emily. I met my friend Cindy at the big coke cup and we drove over to the Epcot parking lot. Disney bused us over to Animal Kingdom to the starting line. We were early. I even said it didn't look like 3,000 people were running. I was wrong! They began to show up in droves! I ran into my friend Ellyn too! We let her cut us for the port-a-potty, what are friends for??????

We lined up at the 9-11 mm and got ready to go. As we came up on a curve we looked ahead and saw about 1000 runners! It was amazing to see. Then when we got to the end of the curve we looked back and saw another 1000 runners! It was a pretty tight crowd. It wasn't like that for the marathon. I didn't like that feeling at all. It probably worked out though because I couldn't take off like I wanted to, I had to keep a slow pace. I worked a few frolics in when I could.

The first 4 miles went very well. It was warm, but not too bad. A little breeze came through now and then. I hit mile 4 at 42 minutes. Mile 7 at 66 minutes. I wanted to finish at 1:20 but I knew it would be a stretch. I have only been running 3-4 times since the marathon March 2nd, thanks to a hip flexor injury. I was very concerned with injuring it again today, I went easy because of that too. I swear it had nothing to do with the tight proximity to the other runners throughout the entire race...ha!

I was pretty hot by mile 7. By hot, I'm not talking about goodlookin'. I'm talking about sweating like a P-I-G. Very sexy, I know. I took water at every table but it was hard to drink it for some reason. I took note of my running group. I was pretty much staying with the same group of ladies. When I did my 45 second walks I memorized the people I was dropping behind. Then as I started running again, I found myself back with them. Jim is so right, you don't lose much time when you take a quick walk break. I felt rested and invigorated and I wasn't struggling. I love this method because it lets me enjoy these races. I need to be able to talk (oh, big surprise), and I love to see the sights. If I'm not having a good time, I don't want to do it.

I was with Cindy for awhile, but lost her before mile 4. I couldn't see too far ahead. Cindy doesn't like to talk while running so it was probably for the best....lol. Ellyn sprinted past us at mile 2, never saw her again. She was like a blur.

Another thing I love about this walk/run method is, I have some energy to make a strong finish. It feels so fantastic to get into a full out sprint to cross that line strong. Very satisfying.

Cindy finished 6 minutes ahead of me, I never saw Ellyn again.

So I finished at 1:40:08. I had hoped for a 1:20, but my best 5K time is 30:50. Kind of a far reach to hope for 1:20. If I had stayed at my 10 minute pace I would have finished at 1:35 for this 15K. All in all, I am very pleased with 1:40:08. I haven't been able to train for 2 months. Been stuck in the gym on the machines while my flexor healed. And healed it is! It is a little sore right now, but not bad, not bad!! Once again, I had a great time, lots of fun and met some new people. I've been to Disney about 5-6 times but running it gave me a new perspective. It may never be the same for me again!

My next race is Saturday. A 5K run called "Miles For Smiles". All proceeds go to kids with cleft palate. Worthy, worthy cause.

Count Down To Minnie Mouse 15K

We leave for Disney Friday afternoon. I have runner's club at the YMCA on Fridays and HATE to miss it. Luckily my husband cycles so he wants to get a good ride in before we sit in the car for 3 hours. With 2 kids. Who are very excited to go to Disney. Ooooohhhhh, can you say "are we there yet" 4 million times????? UGH.....Anyway, we plan on leaving around 1pm.

My hips are a tiny bit sore today. I did run a little faster yesterday to make up for my wandering pace (or no pace). Although I did go up on some weights at the gym too. I can do 120 lbs on that machine you sit and push back on with lower back and legs. Up to 115 on the abductor. I also did 30 minutes of hills on the bike before I ran yesterday. Maybe my hips are sore from those exercises. I can't seem to get stronger on upper body though. It's driving me crazy.

I'd planned on doing a 3 mile run this afternoon just to see how fast I could do it but I was in a meeting that went on foreverrrr. 10am to 1pm. So I was starving and I have to work at 5pm. No run today.

I'm also running a 5K called "Smile Train 5K" on May 10th. Proceeds go to kids with cleft palet. My friend Ed is running that one too. I jokingly told him I'd race him, but he's a fast runner. He beats me by 15 minutes and he has a knee injury. Illeo-something band injury. Still fast. Maybe I'll bring him a cheesecake before the race. He loves cheesecake....that might slow him down....lol.

Off to do some housework....does it ever end???????

Had A Nice Little Run Today

I wanted to run a 5 miler today, but I woke up not feelin' it. I lounged around the house (if you call laundry, dishes and coloring my hair LOUNGING)....then decided to go to the gym for inspiration. I walked in, it was basically empty. Mike was supposed to be there but was not. I found Jim but he was busy. So I hopped on the bike for a quickie.

Within about 5 minutes I was feeling a spark of energy. I glanced to my right and looked out the door....I felt the pull....I finished the 30 minute hill workout and went home to run my route. I hadn't run it since before the marathon. I remembered Non-Runner Nancy's picture tour of her run, she gave me permission to copy her, so I grabbed my camera and headed out. Bye house!

.......HAPPY FEET.......

As you can see, it's long and flat. No hills here in florida. it was about 85 degrees and kinda humid but breezy. Perfect for me! No one was out today though, I was a little lonely....I love when I see the people who are usually out and about, but not today.

I started with a slow jog, letting my flexor get into the swing. I decided to do a 4 miler since I knew I'd be stopping to take some pictures along the way. I felt happy to be out on my route again.

The picture above is where I was bitten by that dog back in January. The house way over on the right is where the dog came from. The bushes to the left is where the man with no shirt and a gray beard down to his big belly came running out when I started screaming my bloody head off. Nice man. He stayed with me until my husband came.

Little Salt Spring is one of those sinkholes. It's pretty deep and the archeologists have divers that go down once a year. They've found all kinds of cool stuff in there. Google it, it's very interesting. This is so beautiful. In the early mornings the dew shows up all the spider webs in the branches of these trees. There is a wire fence that is hidden but the webs are all over this fence. It's very interesting and I usually have to stop and look real close for the spiders. Funny thing is, I'm petrified of spiders! They are still interesting though.Kinda like this dead grasshopper. Huge, isn't it?? Gives you an idea how big the spiders are that eat 'em, huh? Yeah...like in a movie! The wood or wolf spiders are as big as my hand. And they come in the house when it rains. My 9 yr old son saw one on his ceiling once and it took us 2 weeks to get him to sleep in his bunk bed again. HA!
I ran through this soccer field because I noticed a bubbler (water fountain to you non-Bostonians) as I was driving by the other day. I hate running on the grass, but I did it for a drink! And guess what..... Looked a little questionable from there. Check it out close up!

Oh yeah! Out of commission! This meant I'd be stopping at my work down the street, which is my 2 mile marker. I got there and ran in for some water. My friend Cheryl's husband was sitting there so I sat and talked with him for about 30-40 minutes. Talk about a leisurely 4 mile run....LOL...but that's how I roll...I enjoy running and I stop to smell the flowers (and look for spiders) along the way. I also forgot to time myself (as usual). I recently told my coach I didn't think I was a true runner because of this. He said I am, that I just let myself enjoy it. And i am enjoying it!

Here's another spot I tend to slow to a walk to look at. I haven't seen a crock in there yet, but I know they're in there.

This bridge is for the golfers. Florida has a huge amount of people who golf. I do not golf. I think I may have mentioned the fact that I can't play games where I have to wait my turn. I'm a little imature like that.

Just to give you an idea how flat Florida is......

More gator territory....someday I'll see one and probably pee my pants!

More beauty....you can see the fence where the spider webs are from this view.

Home Sweet Home
My marathon sticker on the back window of my car.

My cool, brand new Asics! Love 'em!!!! Not real sure why I took this one, but there it is! Hope you enjoyed my little wanderings...now you know why I have no idea how fast I could be. I forget my watch most of the time, when I do bring it, I forget to set the timer. I stop and look at everything as if I've never seen any of it before, and I never hestitate to stop for a chat with neighbors and friends.

I REALLY have to get my act together. Did I tell you I'm running the Minnie Mouse 15K on Sunday????? That should be a blast. Imagine all the things to see on THAT race!

Boston Marathon Day!

I saw some of the Boston Marathon while I was at the gym this morning. It was so exciting to watch the women going neck and neck for so long! A few blogger friends ran it too. Nitmos finished in 3:59:03! Wow, awesome run Nitmos!! Hugs to you!! And hurry up and post a detailed race report, I'm DYING!
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After the first woman crossed the finish line, I took a run with my coach, Jim. I was so fired up from watching the marathon. I think we did a 5k in about 44 minutes. Pretty slow, but a great workout considering my flexor and Jim's quads. His were a little achy from a run he did on a rubber kind of track. I went a little easy for him. And if you believe THAT I have a bridge I'd like to sell ya. I feel fantastic and ready to train for the Minnie 15K. Jim predicts a 1:40 finish, which means I need to come in under that. It's a psychological game we play. He throws out a time, I endeavor to beat it.
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So I'm thinking of buying a Minnie Mouse costume to run the race in. Kinda goofy, huh? (no pun intended) I figure no one knows me there anyway, so why not?? If I do decide to wear it, I'll post a pic here. Maybe. I think I'll check out some pictures from last year's run, see if anyone else did that. I have heard this is the last year Disney will hold the Minnie 15K. I'm very glad I am running it. My husband and the kids are excited to spend the weekend there too. We'll have a great time no matter what!