Seasons

August after a morning run.

Today at the end of the morning run.  

The seasons are changing and this morning the weather was perfect.  Cool but not too cold with a slight breeze.  I always start off a little tight and nervous (???) takes about 1/2 mile to calm down and get my mind in the right place.  Wore a different pair of shoes this morning (New Balance 1/2 size bigger)  but forgot to put in my inserts.  Didn't realize what a difference they made, shins are hurting but toes are better.  Will run in these until I can get a new pair. 

Haven't heard from the treadmill service folks so I will work on that again today.  Although we haven't been using the treadmill a lot lately I need to know it's there if I need to use it (and it just chaps my butt that it's not working).

Football 7th and 8th today and Varsity tomorrow.  I still haven't gotten my eating together for football weekends.  I have to work it where I either eat a late lunch and then light snack after the games or get a grilled chicken salad on the way to the game (need to order Waldon individual dressing packs) and have my fruit after the games.  That's for the home games.  Away games are another issue.  I try to eat just before we leave (usually between 2 and 3) and take an apple and tea with me.  After the game I'm at the mercy of Coach where we eat and just hope it's some where I can either have a salad or eat the meat out of the hamburger.  I just have to be careful that I don't get home starving.  Working on eating issues is a job in and of itself...I get so tired of worrying about it.  Yesterday I really really wanted to get candy corn and peanuts and eat the whole thing...but I didn't, that's progress.  I still have sugar cravings ALOT!

On a totally unrelated subject I'm thinking of dying my hair one color (no highlights)  thinking about a medium blonde, what do you think?

I'm Back (nearly)

4:30 run this morning, a nice 64 degrees.   Although the run was not comfortable I made it through it at the planned intervals and just a few seconds off scheduled time.  Just couldn't get to a comfortable rhythm.  I do seem to do better in the am than in the pm.  The sun hadn't even begun to show itself when we finished.  Really need to get reflective wear especially when daylight savings time begins even though we are the only ones on the track at that time of the morning.  Sometimes you can hear voices outside the trail but don't see anyone which is really freaky.

Having some real body issues not sure why.  Have had to cut out the morning hot green tea until I can get past this nausea issue and really having to watch what and when I eat to not get nauseous or dizzy.

I need new shoes, sorry about the visual, also looks like I need a pedicure!  This means a trip to either Lubbock or Amarillo cause I feel like I need to try some different brands...I love Asics but when I did the Runners World Shoe finder I need Saucony ProGrid Hurricane 13.  Not sure I want to spend that much money but need to try on to see.  Probably need to go to Get Fit in Amarillo (the only running store around these parts) and let them suggest a shoe.  I found this shoe at Big Five, Saucony Stratos 4 but not sure it's what I need.  I like a grey shoe not a white shoe which I feel you can see a block before you actually get there, my feet are big enough without bringing any attention to them!


Got all ready to treadmill it yesterday and the treadmill is dead.  Everything works on it but the belt.   Just five months old, I have a call into the service department to see what I have to do.  Really hoping I don't have to haul it back to Academy.

Have you ever been fitted for shoes (or a sports bra) at a running store?

Bad Week

It's been a bad week
No workouts since last Sunday
Tonight run was bad
No excuses
No photos
Just going to have a better week
Then end.

1st Rain Run

First rain run this morning!  I found out that you need to wear a visor under your hoody to keep the light up and I need to get reflective gear cause this was all you could see of me

Ran thru the dry spots, walked thru the water puddles.  I am suffering this morning from the weight workout yesterday, really sore, but I will work thru that.  Pain makes you stronger (irony intended) and my muscles are screaming this morning.  That's what I get for staying away from the gym so long but the run this morning worked out a few kinks.  Hope the rain continues thru the day, we really, really need it.

Back to the Gym

Gym workout this morning.  I hate carrying a paper with me so thank goodness for my arm.

3 sets of 12 each:  squats, seated row, step up, dead lift, bench press, wide grip lat pull down, lunges, plank, 30 minutes on the eliptical bicycle.  I like to have a plan so I can go in do what I need to do and then get out.  Good times to go to the gym are 8:30 or 9ish in the morning and 1:30 or 2ish in the afternoon.  I like morning and was pleased when I got there this morning there were not many folks there and more than pleased to find that there were no muscleheads (no offense but it's hard to get on the free weights when they are there).  I had half an apple on the way to the gym, glutamine drink while at the gym, and the other half of the apple after the gym.  No nausea today....oh yeah!  This is our gym: 

and a sign on a piece of equipment that I took just

because I thought it was neat! 

My weight was down this morning, a great way to start the day!

Hope your day is going great too!

1st Virtual Race

I did it, I signed Michael and I up for the 2nd Annual Rock Your Socks Virtual 5k.  We plan to run it on September 18.  Has to be between September 12 and 25.  We'll be running anyway why not.  Possibility of some really good prizes!

http://racingwithbabes.blogspot.com/2011/09/virtual-race-2nd-annual-rock-your-socks.html

Run this morning was good, 69 degrees and a bit chilly when we first started, not really just felt that way after all the triple digit temperatures we've had for so long.  I am getting better about listening to my body and consistently increasing speed as I go.  I like that the training schedule says "easy run" less to stress about when you put it that way.

Back on serious eating plan and could really tell after the run.  Quite nauseous, green tea not helping, nothing to drink that didn't have too much sugar in it.  Purchased Glutamine from the gym today hoping that will take care of that.  Inquired about Bootcamp while I was at the gym.  Trainer will be on vacation until the 21st, I will start then.  Pay as you go which is nice!

No pictures today, nothing really to photograph (gasp!) It is getting lighter earlier which only means it's nearing time for daylight savings time, fall back in the fall, I wish they would just leave it the same all time...you know I don't do well with change.

There is always something to be thankful for.  I am thankful for you!  

Have a great day!

New Season, New Goals

I have done NOTHING since the Turtle Race last Monday. 


After a totally cheat weekend of junk like this

I feel like this 









And after we ran tonight I looked like this

Moral of the story:  sometimes you have to slip back into old habits to realize how good your new habits feel.

Time to get serious about getting the rest of this weight off.  Goal - 20 pounds in six weeks, 10K training schedule plus get back into the gym for weight training.

It was really nice to run while it was light outside and the weather was a cool 79 degrees.  We sat outside for a while when we got home and the moon was beautiful

It's getting darker earlier, a sure sign that the season is changing.  I need to change too...what are your plans for the fall season?

Jill's Story

I liked this idea Jill, so I'm stealing it!  Jill's side of the story...

http://cardio-cowgirl.blogspot.com/2011/09/turtle-half-marathon.html

At times when we are down on ourselves we need to look back and see how far we have come.  NO, I don't like the photos of me from the Turtle Race but they are so much better than when I started this journey.  Not where I want to be but not where I was...thank goodness!

Turtle Race

This is a long post, grab a glass of water and experience my 3rd race!

I am having a post-race love-hate relationship with the Turtle Race. 

J and I drove to Roswell on Sunday.  We checked out the course, then met our new friend Bob to pick up our packettes and clarify some points of the race. 












With the new 411 from Bob we drove the course again and found J's cut off to the hiway and turn around point which she would find after climbing this mountain, wow!

("Little Bill" asked what J was doing stopping in the middle of the race to take photos!  He has no faith in us!)

We checked into our hotel, went to eat, got our stuff ready and went to bed.

We were both up before the crack of dawn (4am) knowing we would have to find a place to park and get J ready for her race at 5:30

Everybody was flashing with various kinds of running lights, on caps, shoes, shirts, belts.  Five lighted bicycle guys would lead the marathoners.

 J took off and I went to my designated place to await her arrival to exchange drink packs and other needs she might have (and oh boy did she have needs ..lol..she explains in her blog) at the almost halfway point.

Here's the view (very Roswell alien looking) of her as she came up the hiway

After getting J on her way for her next half of the race I went to get ready for my race. 

This was my first time being all alone running a race I was very nervous and I totally panicked when they changed the race start to the street.  I'm trying to relax and breathe when the race starts and we run a block turned left and run a block turned left and run a block (yes we went in a circle)  right back to where we started and then proceed onto the running trail. I'm already off kilter and having to run around the block in a pack put me off my intervals at the very beginning of the race.  I'M PANICKING!  In a very short time I am all alone and talking to myself "just get a rhythm".  All along the trail I am playing games in my mind, just run to that tree, run to that incline, walk up this incline and then sprint down...then I look at my garmin and realize I had changed the screen that had the time on it and I would only know how many intervals I had passed and what my average pace was.  So I continued playing games in my mind and calculations (math is really not my strong point, remember I'm the one that had to write intervals on my arm before I got my garmin).

Enough of that, I got to the near end of the race and J was waiting for me, it was sure great to see a face I knew!

 I really was all on my own (sing "all by myself, don't want to be, all by myself... anymore") and then I saw it, the finish line and I took off for it

I bettered my last Roswell 5K time by 3 minutes, J bettered her last 1/2 marathon time by 18 minutes!

Here we are post race waiting on them to call our names for a door prize, which they didn't so we went back to the motel, showered, packed and started home.  A 2 hour drive in a car after running leads to very stiff bodies, but we had lots of laughs and it seemed only a short time and our trip was over! 

Now for the love-hate.  I love that I can call myself a runner;

I hate that I have slacked on the weight loss;

I love that I get to spend time with my nieces;

I hate that I walk too much;

I love that I run  more;

I hate that I cheat myself;

I love that I always have another chance to change every new day! 

Now we get ready for Oklahoma www.24thehardway.com on October 22.  J will be doing the 6 hour and I will be doing the 1 hour. 

Looks like fun, you should join us!

2 more days!

After getting to bed at 11:30 last night didn't know how a 4am run was going to go, but it went really well.  3 miles 3/2 intervals.  Everything felt good with a good pace time, finished with a "that was good feeling"! 

I am ready for Monday.  Packed, arrangements made to pick up packettes Sunday afternoon, look at course, have a good meal and then check in the motel and get a good nights rest.  J starts 1/2 at 5:30, I start at 8:00.

Off to Lubbock for the Tech game and to check on one of our past Texico players who had a motorcycle accident yesterday morning.  He was in surgery this morning, has a lot of damage to his left side.  Medical bills will be a huge problem for this family, please keep them in your prayers.

I will report post race.   "I CAN"