Just Plodding Along

This past Saturday I ran the Mental Health in Motion 5k with the awesome Run Therapy team, aka some of my most favorite running peeps. I finished in 27:36. Not bad for someone who hasn't really been running all that much lately. It was super fun to hang with these people. I will miss them quite a bit when we move. Love these runners  After the 5K I realized I probably needed to get better about running more consistently again if I wanted to avoid the super loud mouth breathing, oh my god I am out of shape feeling from getting worse. Ever since the Lost Dutchman Marathon in February I have kinda just been winging it. Running when I want, for as little or much as I want. Which has been pretty nice. I realized that I haven't had a voluntary break from consistent training in a few years. Probably not since I started my goal of running 30 marathons before turning 30. After the constant training for and running half marathons that were back to back to back I just kind of ...

Last Sunday I ran a 5K in memory of a constable who often volunteered for the local races my running store puts on. He was killed during an altercation at a haunted house this past Halloween. Being the first year the race was pretty small with about 100 people coming out. My plan was to run hard. No watch, just push and try not to throw up. When it comes to race planning I really nail it...don't vomit..it is good to have goals. The course is not super easy with quite a bit of climbing and ending pretty much uphill but that means there are downhills which are always nice. I don't have splits cause I didn't wear my watch but I took off too fast and then struggled to not die for the rest of the race. On the last hill I was the third place female but then a youngin came motoring up behind me at top speed and left me in the dust. Need to work on my hill game. But fourth female, 17th overall and a finish time of 25:58 with 1st in my age group seems not bad at all. My r...

This weekend was super fun! I got to pace my friend Amanda to a 5K PR by like a whole minute or something crazy like that. She is pretty tough and hung in there even though I am sure she was contemplating how to trip me or shove me off the bridge for part of the time because I would not ease up. But I know she is super awesome so bam goal obtained there! It always feels so good to see other people reach their goals. In other exciting news she signed up for her first half marathon in June! I know she is gonna rock the training and the race. My awesome running friend Nicole also got a new PR and placed in her age group. Whoop! Whoop! Fantastic race all around. I love being surrounded by all this running greatness! This Sunday I am running the Georgia marathon with Nicole and our friend Kelcey who ran the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon yesterday. We are some crazy marathon fools. I have decided that I don't have any real goals for this marathon (I mean finish is always a goal). I ...

I'll be honest. I was not that interested in running Sunday afternoon. But then I ran into these awesome ladies and we decided to run together and have fun and hopefully help Kendra kill it and get a PR. Our goal was a sub 40 minute 5K and we were on it.  Amanda, myself and Kendra ready to race. I think our constant chatter may have annoyed Kendra into her blazing pace in an effort to get away from us. But whatever it worked! 39:43 for the win Super fun run. Running with friends is the best. Watching your friend get a PR and then win a free massage = awesome! Kendra and Amanda have both been working so hard at running lately and are a total inspiration. Thanks ladies for a great race! (and thanks for letting me steal your photos Amanda!)

On Saturday this happened at the Blake Reynolds Memorial Fund 5k race Which was good enough for 2nd place in my age group, 8th female and 33rd overall. So that was pretty cool and painful, mostly cool.  The race was well done and the course was nice. There were nice long sleeve shirts or a vest as swag and those signed up for the Winter Series (four races at a 5k or 10k distance) were able to get their shirts which are nice brooks cold weather gear. This race got me excited to try and run fast. I am hopeful that I can eventually get under 25. Overall I had a great time, except for when I almost puked at the end. Apparently there is a price to pay for picking up the pace. D ran the 10K and kicked butt finishing in 45:29, 4th in his age group and 15th overall. The hubs is insanely fast because he ran so fast but in the end he admitted that he took it easy since his leg has been bothering him. Whhhaaattt I'm sorry 7:20 minute miles does not seem easy. Oh...

Okay so that might be a bit harsh. But I did fail to get my butt to Pilates this morning. But in defense of my laziness I had to be at the hospital for lab work at 8 a.m. this morning (physicals are fun...). Then I was faced with a very tricky choice. Starbucks and baby drumstick (and just to clear up any confusion, drumstick is his nickname because he was supposed to be due on Thanksgiving, he has a nice normal name but he will always be lil' drumstick to me) holding or the gym. Well you can see what won. I will totally trade working out for cuddling with this little guy any time. It is now late afternoon and no working out has been done. Eh. I know if I don't get it done in the morning it is most likely not going to happen unless someone else is expecting me to workout with them.  I like to think I am resting up for the 5k on Saturday. Yes resting. I realized this morning that the marathon is March 1st. I knew it was March 1st but today I realized it is MARCH 1ST o...

This week was a total bust in the training department. No 8x400 repeats, no 45 minute tempo run, no Saturday pancake run with people much faster than me to keep me motivated to run an unnatural speed at 6a.m., no body pump- nada. The only thing I managed to do was Pilates on Monday and my C25K runs (followed by a decent amount of hacking) for a total of five miles this week. All because Monday night I came down with a raging cold. Total bummer and I feel like since we moved here I have been sick/ hurt ALL THE TIME. I have thrown out my back twice, had like a million colds (okay three). What the heck. So like any normal person I ordered this: By the power of mega sized Kirkland brand vitamins I swear I will never be sick again. So I may have over reacted and good lord must all vitamins come in size horse pill? Luckily D was kind enough to not really say anything about my massive vitamin purchase when it showed up at the door. For some reason getting a package full of vitamins is j...

Last week's training:  Monday- Run in Destin Florida along the water = awesome. Tuesday- 6 a.m. body pump and couch to 5K run of about three miles Wednesday- 6 a.m. run with Big Dog Peeps to try Brooks stuff for 4 miles. Thursday - Couch to 5K for about two miles and blatant ignoring of body pump Friday- Rest day Saturday- 5.5 fast miles at the Big Dog pancake run Sunday- 75 minute run for 7.7 miles. Total miles around 24. Cross training not great. Overall I feel like I am getting a bit faster and have been pushing it on a lot of runs. I can feel it in my legs since they are a bit sore and my abs and arms are in constant pain from body pump. Maybe that will stop one day. On to the randomness. I bought this sign the other day. Love it. Makes me happy every time I see it. Found these tortillas at Sam's and they crack me up. XTREME Wellness. So much healthy wrapped in a tortilla. Holiday baking time. So excited. Fancy marshmallows make me happy.  ...

This morning I was scheduled to run an easy three but due to some soreness I decided to hit up Pilates and call it a day. I will get in an extra three miles tomorrow morning so am not overly worried about it. Better to feel good for speed work than run just because the schedule says. Foam rolling will be happening today. Cathryn over at My Heart's Content asked about working at Big Dog so I thought I would share what it is like to work at a running store. Big Dog Running Company  has four locations in the area. One in Uptown, one in Columbus Crossing, one on Fort Benning and one in Auburn. One big plus about Big Dog is they are willing to hire military spouses. People can be hesitant to do that because inevitably we will be moving on but Big Dog hires a lot of us. The other great thing is that everyone who works there is a runner. Some are new to running some have been running for awhile but everyone is pretty much a run nerd. Source The owners are runners and are very co...

Today I am having a Treat Yo Self day And I am very pleased about this. Holiday craft fair and nail salon here I come! I will also throw in a dash of responsible adult by doing laundry and taking Max for a check-up at the vet. Hello Friday! I love you. This will also distract me from being sad that the parents left yesterday. Thanks for coming! I had so much fun! Kim over at IlaxStudio  asked what my 5k training plan was like so I will share a bit. Mondays are easy runs. This Monday I did three miles plus Pilates Tuesdays are speed work days. I did 6x400 on the treadmill after a body pump class. So basically speedwork without functioning arms. Then ran another three miles with my Couch to 5k group. Wednesdays are rest or x-train days. I walked. Thursdays are tempo runs. I ran 30 minutes at about a 8:30 pace. Again after body pump so seemed a hundred times more difficult than it actually was. Fridays are rest days. I am doing nothing productive in the exercise area. TR...

It feels weird to not have a marathon or half marathon looming in the near future. My next distance race isn't until the Georgia Marathon the end of March sooooooooooo now what. At first I was like "sign up for all the marathons in the area! Run all the races!" I don't know if it was getting sick and not being able to do Seven Bridges or just mileage overload the last .....uh.....like two years, but I don't feel the usual drive to sign-up for all the races. Instead I have signed up to run a couple 5Ks and a 10K. I have also joined the Y and have been trying different classes there. So far yoga and Pilates both destroyed me so I think I will keep trying to go to those as my schedule allows. Tomorrow I am going to try a body pump class which is basically weight lifting  class set to music so if I never post again it is because that class killed me. Been nice knowing ya. My general  plan for the next few months are to run but instead of distance I am going to focus...

When my coworker asked if I would be interested in running the Foxtrot 5K with her I was helpless to resist since my motto is: I am still in post marathon recovery so I had no goals but to just enjoy being out with other crazy runners and exploring a new area. This race is put on by the City of Elgin and also has a 10 mile race. It is a very well put together event and a lot of fun. The area is hilly but the course seemed fast even with the hills. I couldn't even wear my Garmin since when I went to put it on it was dead. I think that worked out great because then I could just run without caring about how fast or slow I was going which tends to happen when I know how fast or slow I am going. Usually it is too, either too fast or too slow. Information free running is kind of fantastic.  The weather was perfect. Not too hot or too cold with a slight breeze. My coworker worked for the City of Elgin for many years so she knew everyone. I got to meet the Mayor, Council members ...

I can run faster than I thought. Yesterday was otherwise known as the first 5k I have done in three years. My main goal was to get under 30 minutes and I did. Official time 27:51, Garmin time 27:39 average of 8:55 a mile. Whoop. I was pretty dang excited for myself. I thought for a second that I might have placed in my age group because the girl who came in 20 seconds after me placed in her age group, but no. My age group was full of tall, willowy, speedy people running it in 20 minutes. Dang. I placed 7th in my age group. Overall this race was a lot of fun. It was fun to do a race where I knew it would be over quickly unlike half marathons, 5ks can hurt early on and no big deal because as long as you don't pass out you can stop moving in about 30 minutes. The course was a flat loop along a dirt road and on grass and was extremely muddy. About half way through my feet got really heavy with all the mud stuck on my shoes until the giant clumps started flying off onc...