Halfer Sunday

This is gonna be short but sweet peeps!

Been training for this half. Hasn't really gone along as I had hoped but with the GREAT help of my runner friends, I am running that half. Reg, Ed, Debi, Frank and Josephine are all running the half and Bobby (not my husband) and Chris are running the full. Bobby'll probably finish his full about when the rest of us are finishing our half...LOL!!! I'm holding out hope that Mike will be joining us...(C'monnnn MIKE!!!!)

My husband is meeting me at the finishline. Jim and Bethany will be in strategic spots along the way to kick our butts if we look like HELL...LOL

Reg (from Canada) has been extremely helpful. He's been pacing me and encouraging me every step of the way. Even when I was 15 minutes late for our run last week! Wait'll you hear this:

I was 15 minutes late for my run with Reg. He started without me so I went the opposite way figuring I'd meet him somewhere along the way. As I ran along, feeling bad that I was late etc, up ahead was a policeman stopping traffic. I ran up to a guy standing there and he told me someone got hit by a van and the coroner was taking him away. HIM??? HIM WHO??? He didn't know anything other than it was a "he". Of course my guilty mind thought it was Reg because every time we run across that bridge I tell him not to get hit by a car and we sprint across it. I ran to an officer and asked if it was an athletic middle aged man and he said no. I didn't believe him. I ran as fast as I could over the bridge and as I got to the corner here comes Reg. OMG!!! I was so happy to see him! I hugged him and cried a little bit. He told me I must be a sensitive person. Well yeah, call me sensitive...LOL. We had to walk awhile so I could calm down. When we passed the bystander who told me what was going on before, he asked Reg if he knew how happy I was to see him....haha! REG IS ALIVE!!!!

Reg has never run a half marathon. That surprised me because he runs all the time. Distances too. I can't imagine not competing. Reg decided he is running this half marathon. With me. Not running to compete, running to stay with me the whole way. I keep telling him if he feels the pull to take off to just go. I don't want to hold him back. But Reg says no. He's running this halfer with me. I can't believe someone would do this. It means the world to me that Reg is running this with me. I have my worries about finishing because of my muscles acting like 2 year olds who don't listen. So far we got to 10.12 miles before I couldn't go on. Hopefully we can get to 13.1 Sunday. If I have to roll the last 3 miles I will. Haha! Just kidding. I'm gonna do cartwheels across the finish line.

Saturday Long Run

Got a nice run in this morning with my Canadian friend, Reg. I keep calling him Reggie but he doesn't really like that. He told me that the first time we met. I keep forgetting until the last syllable is out of my mouth, then I make a point to say "Reg" the next buncha times I say his name.

So anyway, me and Reg did a 10 miler this morning and here are the stats...

Run time: 1:44
Run distance: 10.12 miles
Avg pace: 10:20
Best pace: 6:50 (no Jim, we didn't run down a big hill, hardy har har)

Good news: We're done with long runs since our half marathon is a week from tomorrow.
Bad news: I got a bra burn. Yep. Right in the middle. In between. You know....THERE!

Here's what happened, and I blame my oldest daughter for this. You'll see why.

She's mad at me so she stopped "helping" me with the laundry, so the best running bra I own (which isn't even a running bra) was still in the laundry pile from Wednesday's run. I never even gave it a thought until 10 minutes before I was headed out the door. No special bra. Shoot. I grabbed the first one out of my drawer, strapped 'em in and took off without a thought.

About two miles out, I was thinking about 'em again. In fact, I was thinking about 'em for the next 8.12 miles. I had a tank top under my shirt so I tried pulling that up through the bottom, but forget it. Bra burn is here people. And I felt it in the shower worse than ever.

Doesn't hurt now though. But see if I buy HER those blueberry poptarts she loves so much. Not this week ladies and gentlemen. She'll be sorrrreeeeeeeeee

The run was a good one. We talked the entire time. Me with a lot more effort than Reg. Also, here's the thing about Reg: he likes to be about 8 inches ahead of me AT ALL TIMES. I have figured out (finally) that if I speed up so I can HEAR WHAT HE'S SAYING...he just speeds up. That's why we've been running so freaking fast. But I caught on last week so now I don't try to catch up anymore. I'd rather be able to talk. This little bit of info is what's gonna get me a new PR for a half marry folks. Cuz in that half, I'm not going to speak to Reg. I'm going to wear my iPod so I can't even hear him if he tries to talk to me. And guess what else??? Yes. You are quite correct everyone: I am going to try to run BESIDE Reg. YEAH BABY.

I'm thinking I'll just keep an even sub 9 minute per mile pace until 7 miles, then go for it. This could be a joke, who knows. I'll find out, won't I? As long as my legs don't start ignoring commands, I should make it just fine. Our leisure runs have gone well, my feet didn't get numb until about 9 miles this morning. The stabbing pains in my legs came and went but I'm learning to ignore that. The mind is a very powerful thing.

My friend and coach is runing his marathon Sunday morning. Originally he wanted to Boston Qualify but that particular race is full, registration has closed for 2009. What a ripoff!!! Jim said he feels like the pressure is off, so I think he might be doing a joy-ride marathon Sunday. I know a few friends have asked me if I would post Jim's results here and OF COURSE I will...as soon as I get them. Jim's wife, Bethany and her brother (who came down from Massachusetts) will also be running this race. I'll get all their results posted...PROMISE!!!

Ok, I need to go clean the house so my husband doesn't know I spent 3 hours in the hot tub today. WHAT???? It was so cold I was afraid to get out!!! It's like 62 degrees here in SW Florida. That's like 30 degrees for you Northerners. Ya, chilly! Our plants are even dying. Imagine trying to get out of a hot tub????

Have a fun weekend!!!
xxooxxooxxoo

Running Again...

I've been busy with running, having a grandbaby (tons of fun that's becoming), working and reconnecting with old friends on Facebook. I feel like I don't have time for anything!! My husband is working 12-15 hours a day and I am feeling the loss of having my other half here. I feel a little lost. =( Even the kids are pretty quiet. When Bob does get home we are on him like Asics on a marathoner.

BUT...I am running again and I'm very thrilled to say I'm overcoming a few of those health obstacles that popped up over the summer/fall.

I can now get 10.6 miles (in 1:45) before the pain in my feet make me stop. I'm getting used to the muscle weirdness too. A numbness starts at my hips and spreads down to my knees, then my muscles just stop working. My cardio seems fine so it's very frustrating to have to stop when that feels strong. I don't bother trying to run through that anymore, so I haven't fallen. Although Jim says not to do another long run (hopefully he's not reading this) I'm meeting Reg Saturday for one more long run before the half on Feb 15th. I want to go into that half KNOWING my legs will behave. It seems like I get further and further each time, so one more long run for me.

Last night in yoga was THE BEST balance I've had in about 6 weeks. Jim decided to add some leg (quad) holds in yoga that are extremely painful. At first I couldn't even do them. Now I can hold them for half the time. The pain is unbelievable but I think it'll help when I'm running and it starts up. I used to have to stop after 2 miles, getting to 10.6 was so wonderful. I'm skipping yoga this morning because Reg noticed I have my hardest times when I run right after a yoga class. Maybe it's too much? We'll see since I'm meeting him at 9am today.

I used to use yoga as a stretch/condition before I ran. I'm not sure I like that I can't do both anymore so we'll see. I'm glad Reg pointed this out to me, I've been trying to just get it all back so determinedly, that I didn't put the two together.

Jim has his full marathon this weekend on the east coast of Florida. Boston registration is full, so if (WHEN) he pulls that BQ time, he'll be running Boston 2010! Good luck jim!!

Monday, Monday...

Even though it's now TUESDAY! Monday's are a busy day. With my husband's new schedule it's a little less exciting too. He's pulling 15 hour days and I don't like it too much. By the time he walks in the door, he's all done. Nothing left... =(

I met Reg (my Canadian friend) at the gym for a 5 miler. He's convinced he can get me across the finish line in just under 2 hours! I know HE can run that, but I'm not sure I can. Maybe if my legs would start obeying my commands, I can. The numbness is making me crazy(ier)!

Anyway...we took off, talking away. I looked at my Garmin and saw 8:10 pace. WHAT??? And we'd already run our first mile! I immediately worried I'd use all my energy and not even finish 5 miles, but Reg kinda laughed and pulled me along. We had to keep slowing down, mostly because I was freaking out. I didn't run this speed when I was feeling good! I was thrilled and worried at the same time. All I could picture was Jim telling me to pace myself for the long haul, don't fly the first few miles, save some for the "bank" at the end of the run. My endurance training is fighting my speed training.

I've had this conflict from the start. Even in a 5K race, I prepare myself mentally to run 10 miles instead of a 5k. I've discussed this with Jim, he said I need to change my thinking for different mileage, but I am stuck in marathon training. I need new words for my brain. Jim is in massive marathon mode. He's trying to qualify for Boston, his marathon is in 2 weeks. I know he thinks he's running on the fence with his time...it's gonna be a close one but I know he can do it. He runs so effortlessly, very into the negative splits. His 2nd half will be faster so if he hits the halfway mark at the right time, he'll make it. I am confident he will. His marathon is 3 hours away, so I can't be there to see him cross the finish line. Kinda bummed about that. With my husband working such crazy hours, I won't even ask him to do a 6 hour round trip to watch my coach QB....LOL....

So back to my run with Reg. We noticed that if I looked at my Garmin and realized we were under a 9 minute pace, I'd need to walk 15-20 seconds. If I didn't look at all I could keep going. MIND OVER MATTER! This proves mentality plays a huge roll in my running. We have another 5 miler Wed. I'm going to give Reg my Garmin, he won't tell me what we're doing. Let's see if I can trick my mind....

Here are our stats:

Run time: 46:51
Distance: 5 miles
Avg pace: 9:22
Best pace: 5:43 (!!!!!!!)

See what I mean??? I have NEVER run 5 miles in 47 minutes. I am thrilled.

Glaven Q. Heisenberg

Glaven....where the heck did you go?????? If you're looking for attention, you got it, now get back here!!!

UPDATE: GQ is only gone a few days. He'll be back to entertain us soon.