Good running week

I am probably jinxing myself by titling my post this way, but I have been pleasantly surprised at how good my runs have been feeling lately. Running and me aren't always the best of friends :) I do this because it is a GREAT cause and I always feel so accomplished when I realize that I have run XXX miles on a Saturday a.m.

We ran on the Mall last Saturday which was great. DC definitely is a great place to run...so many options and always something beautiful to take your mind off of the pain.

I am enjoying being a mentor again this season. I have some great people on my team...that is another reason why I keep doing this crazy running thing...you meet some amazing people!

Well, if you are going to get sick it might as well be early in the season!

I have been hit with the cold that about 75% of the population has had over the last month. It was just a matter of time. Today I am feeling a bit better. I am hoping I can run my 4 miles this Saturday...we shall see.

We had a great first group run...well, I should say my teammates had a great run, I on the other hand was not having a good day. My shins and knees were not happy (this seems to be a common occurance these days --do you think I need new shoes?!) and the 3 miles felt much, much longer. But, I did it. And that is all that matters in the end.

I am 66% to my fundraising goal of $1,000. Woo-hoo. Love my family and friends.

New season is starting!

I am excited for another season to begin. I will be starting my training for my third half-marathon this coming Saturday... who would have believed I could run 3 half-marathons...not me! We had the kick-off celebration this past Saturday and it got me very excited and pumped up. We heard a very moving speech by a woman who lost her husband, Steve, to Leukemia and how she has worked to ensure there are "No more Steve's". It really moved me...I am training and fundraising for such a worthy cause. I am so honored to be a part of this amazing mission and group of individuals. Go TEAM!

In other news, I purchased a new car this Saturday...very exciting! I pretty much get a new car every 10 years :) It is a honda cr-v in Red. I think I am naming her Ruby :) (thanks Margo!)

Race Report!

I have been wanting to write my race report, but needed to wait until the photos were ready....b/c this time, I went a little crazy taking pictures with all of the various Characters along the route :) My second half-marathon is in the books and I am now debating doing the full next year!

Report
We woke up in the middle of the night...2:30 am. Yes, you heard me right. They start the race super early b/c they close the park down and want to ensure they can clean up and open in time for guests at normal hours. We gathered at the bus stop and waited for the bus to take us to the starting area. (first picture: Katie, Coach Jim, me, and Anne; second picture: my fabulous mentee group! Katie and Team Jeanne's Peeps!)

After a 40 minute wait, we finally got on the busses. We arrived at Epcot parking lot at around 4:15. We then made the "great migration" towards the corrals. This was literally a 25 minute walk to the actuall starting line. See, there are 27,000 people participating in this race, so there is a lot of herding activities :) I had been through it before so knew what to expect. The weather was so much better than last year, so the waiting around for another hour wasn't too bad.

At around 6:00 am, we were off! This is where it got tricky for me. Immediately my shins and right knee were not in a good place. I knew that my shins would eventually get better, but my knee was concerning me. I kept moving as best I could and just hoped for the best. At around mile 5, we started heading into the Magic Kingdom....and this is where my picture taking extravaganza began...

As you can see, I had some fun :) Yes, I did actually run most of the time and here is a shot to prove it:

From miles 6-13, I felt much better and was able to just enjoy the sites and the race. I ran with my coaches at various points (Jim- in the Magic Kingdom, Colin - around mile 8 and mile 10, I think?) That is always really helpful! As I approached the finish in Epcot, I got emotional again. It is just amazing to think that I raised over $2,500 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society AND I completed 13.1 miles. They have a gospel choir right before the finish line and that is such a wonderful motivator to just get across the line! My time was nothing to write home about, but that wasn't the point for me...I just wanted to have fun and enjoy the race. Which I did!


I was also able to enjoy the many Disney parks throughout the weekend and feel like I got the true experience! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you to everyone who supported me - whether through a donation to LLS, words of encouragement, or training with me this season.


Who is in for doing it with me next year?

Side tracked by cold from hell

So, it has been a while since I have blogged or run due to a very annoying cough/chest cold. I am hopefully finally "on the mend" and looking forward to running this Saturday with the team.

We are getting so close to race day!!! I am looking forward to hugging some Disney characters again and just soaking up the energy and fun that is Disney World.

On another note, Molly is growing like a weed and is 6 months now. I have definitely had a hectic few months getting used to life with a puppy. We are looking forward to going down to North Carolina next week for 12 days and spending time with my rents and Mattie (their 6 month old black lab/australian shepard). Should be fun!

Turkey Trot and 12 miler!

I had a big running week last week. I did my second Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. The weather was about the same...cold and threatening to rain. The rain held off for the run which was good! I wanted to break one hour (12/min miles). I felt pretty sore in the beginning...shins were not happy. The spectators were great. The kids yelling "Happy Thanksgiving" were precious. At around mile 4, I wanted to see if I could pick it up and not stop to walk. I think I ran the last mile in about a 10:30 pace. As I came into the finish, I knew it was pretty close to 1 hour. I finished at 1:00.30. That is ok by me!

On Saturday, we had our 12 miler. I had never done more than 9 miles in training last year. I had done 10 miles a few weeks ago, so was not too nervous about the 12 miler. I wasn't feeling that great (cold) and the weather was not good...windy, in the 30's. I said to myself...just see how you feel and you can always turn around and come in early. It was a 6 miles out and 6 miles back run. For the first few miles, my knee was not feeling good and it was a concern...wasn't sure if it would hold up for the entire run. I pushed through it and before I knew it I was at the halfway point. One of the TNT coaches, Rich, came up to me on his bike and biked with me for about 1.5 miles. That was very helpful as it took my mind off of the run and we just chatted. The last 3 miles were rough, but I was able to get through using a 3 min run/2 min walk ratio. Felt very proud of myself at the end!

We have 8 miles this Saturday. No problem! :)

2 x 8 milers and back pain

It has been a bit since I have updated my blog. Sorry! I ran 8.5 miles by myself Sunday 11/7(couldn't do the group training b/c I was managing one of the water stops). Felt pretty good. I have to admit that running with my ipod makes the miles go by much quicker! I ran 8 miles this past Saturday in Rock Creek Park. It was BEAUTIFUL. I have to say that 8 miles is becoming "no big deal" for me...never thought I would say that!

I got a massage and facial on Sunday and told the masseuse that my lower back was a little bit sore, I have a history of throwing it out, etc. During the actual massage, it was sore and I could feel it tightening up as she was loosening other muscles in my upper back and legs. By 5:00 that night, my back was a mess. I didn't technically throw it out again, but it is not in good shape. I am really, really frustrated!!! I hate having back issues. I don't think the running hurts it, but I also know that I can't run 10 miles this weekend and not expect to have some pain. I will see how it progresses and make a "game time decision" on Saturday am. I have 6+ weeks until the half marathon, so I am not too worried. I just need to be smart and take care of my back.

I am hitting the final stretch in my fundraising. I need about $900 more to hit my goal of $3,000.