Just Plodding Along

...is what I was doing as I tried to conquer Sabino Canyon today. I like to think I looked like this: (what this ole hill, no problem)  But I fear I may have looked more like this: (ugh somebody save me from this hill before I give myself a heart attack) The first few miles were okay but the last .7 uphill was pretty brutal (see time for mile 4, ugh). But I did it with some walk breaks and going down hill after was actually fun (kinda kicked butt on the last mile, now must learn to kick butt the whole way). Split Time Distance Avg Pace Summary 01:12:49 6.01 12:06 1 00:11:19 1.00 11:19 2 00:12:12 1.00 12:12 3 00:12:47 1.00 12:47 4 00:14:36 1.00 14:36 5 00:11:21 1.00 11:21 6 00:10:23 1.00 10:23 7 00:00:07 0.01 10:00 Elevation Gain 981 feet I saw some crazy guy run this up and down 2 1/2 (can only assume he was going for 3) times in the time it took me to do it once. Now that is fit (and maybe slightly insane). I also saw some ladies rocking r...

....why yes, YES I HAVE. Since Christmas time (when I began to notice my jeans fit more like stretch pants and the under arm chicken wing situation was taking on epic proportions) I have been on a quest to drop some lbs. But since I am big into food (equal opportunity eater of most things, excluding coconuts and coleslaw bleh) and love, love, LOVE wine (mostly white, but the more I drink the more equal opportunity I become about that as well), and self- denial has long allowed me to classify myself as "curvy", losing weight has been an epic battle. Being able to run again has really helped make this easier but I think the meticulous calorie counting (hello spreadsheet) has been what has helped the most. Since Christmas I have lost about 22lbs (been pretty slow going and since I am one of the lucky ones with a giant frame (5 feet 9 inches and broad shoulders) it is probably not super noticeable to others but the loser pants don't lie. I would like to drop about 20 to 30 ...

Okay so maybe 5 miles is kind of a wimpy long slow distance run but Saturday I decided to take it to Sabino Canyon. Uphill baby. In preparation for the Mt. Lemmon 1/2 I decided that running uphill is probably in my best interest. And after 3 miles uphill and two down I felt....fantastic. I don't know what I was so nervous about, I am stronger than I think I am. I ran faster this run (11:46 min. miles, total time of 58:52) uphill  than last Sunday (12:19 min. miles, total time of 1:01:37) than I did on the flat River path. And the day after.......I feel okay. I found another 1/2 I want to do,  the Fiesta Bowl 1/2  but it is a week before the Tucson 1/2 I want to run. Two 1/2s back to back makes me a little nervous.

I signed up for the AZ Distance Classic  that is in March in August because on the website it promised free hats to the first 200 entrants. So okay then. Free stuff is apparently my downfall. I was going to sign up anyway but wait until it was like 3 months out instead of 8 but live dangerously.

Okay Arizona. I get it you are composed of mostly desert, full of things that are prickly and want to either inflict pain or poison me in some way (yes there has been an incident where tripping took me sliding down hill coming to rest a precarious distance from a very large cactus- that is when I decided trail running in the desert when you are not coordinated = not smart). It is hot and dry and sunny. But 43% humidity and 80 degrees at 6a.m. is not really necessary. How many times have I heard " but it is a dry heat" (as if that makes 105 degree temps tolerable). Well let me tell you it is NOT A DRY HEAT in August.  I love running I really do but when I run a 12 minute mile pace because I am about ready to melt into a puddle and that moisture wicking shirt is so drenched no moisture is being wicked..... I am not pleased. But I guess I did run five miles, the longest I have run in a long time. Focus on the positive people. I also think that perhaps next summer I should thin...

For my birthday I asked the hubby for a half marathon. I decided to run the Mount Lemmon 1/2 marathon. Because why not have my first 1/2 marathon in almost a year by totally uphill and at high elevation. Go big or go home I guess. I comfort myself by the fact that I have 7 hours to finish, there will be walkers and I am sure many people will be walking some of it to relieve the burning in the quads from miles and miles uphill. While visiting the fam. in CO this weekend I ran uphill for about a mile and a half. Thought I would die from the lack of oxygen but did pretty good (4.5 miles in 51 minutes). I was all proud of myself, feeling like a bad a** when I realized the one mile uphill is going to be 13.1. Then I started to panic. Oh man Mt. Lemmon is gonna be tough. But it is only August, plenty of time to train......and psych myself up.

So I have never blogged before but after being inspired by my favorite running blog  50 half marathons in 50 states  I thought I would share my adventure as I try to get in shape and complete as many half marathons as funds and time will allow. I figure if I can be inspired to get it together, get off the couch and get out there with a purpose maybe someone else will be too. Last November I ran the Women's Half Marathon in Arizona and destroyed my left leg. Stress fracture/ ligament damage in the knee etc. It wasn't the half marathon's fault. I was damaged goods on the starting line.  I was training for the Tucson Marathon and just couldn't hack it. So I have decided to stick with 1/2s for awhile (that's me on the left with my running buddy A who did the race with me and was nice enough to do the slow hobble back to the car after when I was in so much pain). Happy to say I am back to running 3 to 4 times a week and up to four miles after months of cast, crutches...