I Did it!

I signed up for a 10k at the end of October.  I have gotten through the run on a nice flat, even surface so I know I can do it but I set 2 months for training time to really be able to do this God awful, hilly course.
I also scheduled myself for a 5k prior.

Yesterday, September 29th was the big day for my 5k.  My training has been half-assed.  I don't ever seem to get out except for one weekend day or if I'm lucky, the one day off during the week I get rarely.   I was a bit nervous.  My week was a hellacious one.  I had appointments and places to be almost every day.  I kept thinking "Today, I'll get out" but by Wednesday it wasn't happening and then on Thursday, my daughter had me wrangled in to go Homecoming dress shopping.  Mind you, Homecoming was Saturday.  Yeah.  Last minute.

Friday, was my usual, speed downtown for cello lessons, then across town for the Homecoming football game.  I hate to say it, but when the game was delayed at half-time for weather, we thankfully took our leave so that I could possibly get a little sleep.

Daughter was volunteering at the run so we had to be up at the butt-crack o' dawn to get her there.

I woke up at 5am.  To a massive thunderstorm.  Holy shit. Really?

I woke Daughter up at 5:30 and praying the weather would settle.  It did to a degree and by 6:30 we were on our way.
My husband dropped me off at the registration area and then took Daughter to the water station.
I walked around, ate a banana, hit the port-a-johns way too many times and psyched myself up for the run.
There were several work friends at the run, either volunteering or running.   One PT I work with, was running with her boyfriend.  They were 25 and 26 respectively.  I wished them luck and told them I would follow them in.

 The start/finish line.   The picture was taken as the finish line.  

When the gun fired, a light rain had begun.  I said to myself, this ain't your first rodeo and remember to pace yourself.  And I did!

I paced myself with a woman who, like me, was not a die hard runner.  I seemed to be always 5 steps behind her.  Until she started to walk.  I hadn't needed to walk and was just continued my methodical pace.   I passed her at one point and again, just kept trotting.    She passed me again some time in the last mile.

When I saw the finish line was about 1/4 mile away, I started to really run.  I mean, what the hell, right?
As I passed my "friend" I heard her mutter "shit".  She was trying to stay in front of me!!!
I came under the clock at 31:45.  The best run I ever had!!!  

I have no idea what is growing out of my head.  It wasn't some aerodynamic wing that helped me.

They finally posted my official chip time.  30:30.  I can't believe I ran a 10 min mile.   No shit.  I RAN A 10 MINUTE MILE!!!  BTW.  I came in a minute before my 25 year old friend and her boyfriend.  I beat them in!!!!!

I was 7th in my 40-44 age group.  Out of 19.  That is one for the books!!!!

Now if I can just get time to run up those damn hills.

Holy Hell Hills

The weather for the last week has been hot.  And who am I kidding?  I didn't run because I need motivation.
My friend wanted me to run a 5k in town but honestly, I didn't want to wake up for registration.  Seriously.  I have to work tomorrow (Sunday) and I didn't want to be up at 5 for the next 7 days.
After a leisurely wake up, I headed out for a hill run.   I decided to do the hilliest part of the 10k which includes a hellacious hill up my neighborhood.
I almost forgot my inhaler.  You'd think I had learned.  I set my running playlist, my MapMyRide app and Todd Lange to motivate me.

The temperature was humid but tolerable.  5min walk to begin and then off I went.

The first hill is long but it is a sidewalk for the most part.   Unfortunately, towards the end, the sidewalk ends and you are left running on a very busy road.  So I turned, went back down hill and then UP my long road into my neighborhood.

I did have a bit of stitch kick in towards the end.  I passed my husband on the final leg and he told me I was hot and he would do a double take if he hadn't known me.  Nice to know how sexy a 44 year old sweaty, mother of 2 can still be.  :-P

I did a 3.2 run in 37mins.  Averaging 5.1miles/hour.

Those hill suck ass.  Just sayin'.

Breathe….

I decided that while my daughter was at her cello lesson, I would do a short run.  I wanted to be done within 30 mins. (the building where her lesson takes places locks 30 mins in.)  so that I could get into her building and use the bathroom and refresh my water.

As I started my run I realized……..I do not have my inhaler.

Oops.

Seriously.   The inhaler really does make a difference in my ability to breathe.
Breathing is good.   No.    Really.


So my 1.6mile run in 20 minutes was 1. Hot and 2. hard to breathe.


I will always remember my inhaler from now on.

Holy Crap….I did it.

I wish I had started my blog when I began training.  It would definitely show the progression I have made better than at this moment.

Sunday, I decided to go out early and try and run for an hour.  I was not feeling it at all that much when I woke up but considering it was my last real day off for a week, I felt I had to push myself to do it.
My husband, who had been complaining non-stop of the pain he was enduring from an ingrown nail, decided he would walk.  My daughter, who was celebrating her 15th birthday, wanted to ride her bike. We decided to go to the Neuse River Trail, a really nice paved section of greenway.  It is 6.5 miles long and spans from the "Falls" to the WRAL soccer park.


It was a really nice morning.  The temperature was really quite nice for  August.  When we pulled into the packed parking lot, I realized we weren't the only ones with the idea.

I decided to follow the last day of my 5k101.  Todd Lange could coach me and deciding how I felt, I could turn at the 15 min mark or I could run 30mins and then have to run back.  I took off and felt pretty good.
I walked my 5 minutes and then started to run. I felt pretty good.  My daughter would ride her bike ahead and then circle back around as I ran.  The trail was packed with runners, walkers and bikers.  Adult, children and dogs.   It was actually nice to see how busy it was.

I ran about 20 mins and thought "I think I've got this" and decided not to turn.  I ran 30 mins and as the 5 min walking cool down kicked on, I turned.   I was worried that I hadn't seen my daughter in a while and distractedly turned periodically to look for her.
I alternated running and walking.  I really did feel pretty good.   I use an app called Map My Ride to get an accurate distance and since I have never run more than 50 mins, I didn't realize it updated. As I was listening to my music I heard a voice in my head.  The voice stated "You have run for 1 hour and 28 seconds.  You have run a distance of 5 miles.  You have run at a speed of 5 miles/hour".   WOW!  REALLY!??!!

I heard a bike come from behind me.  My daughter was just finishing her ride which was over 13 miles long.

As I came into the parking lot, I could see my husband and daughter sitting on a park bench.  My husband walked 4.5 miles.  I had run 6.3!!!    I think I can do this thing!!

Now mind you, my run this past Sunday was fairly flat.  My run in October, not so much.   As I came home today thinking I would try a hill run today and promptly proceeded to fall fast asleep.  I guess my next run will have to wait.

Setting Goals

The Big Move/Raleigh, my first attempt at blogging, ended with the Big Move.   I know, I know….a shocking way to end.  My year was chaotic and crazy and my life has been a tad out of control.   I don't have a gym, I barely know my neighbors and I have been dealing with "sick parent".

At the beginning of the year I began the 5k101 training app. which, I failed miserably.  I ended up with an injury and I just liked eating.  I then realized that since last August, when I moved, I gained close to 15 pounds.  Ouch.  This was just not going to do.

So hubby and I joined The Biggest Loser at work for the second time and I put my body to the grindstone.

Do you realize how long 8 weeks is when you have to motivate yourself not to eat and to walk/exercise routinely.  It ain't easy.

1 week ago we had our final weigh in and I ended up losing 8 pounds and 4% body fat.  YAY me!

I do better with goals and deadlines.  So now I have to think of something else to do to keep me on the straight and narrow.  But WHAT TO DO?

My other goal that I completed just this past Friday was that I finally completed the 8 week 5k101 program.  Now mind you, I completed it in I would say, 12 weeks, if I'm going to be honest but by God, I did it.

This achievement came with several perks.  My weight is down.   My thighs and gut are shrinking AND I had my fastest running time for a 5k EVER.  Oh, and yeah, I actually ran 4.5miles on week 7(maybe really 10).  I know?!  Right?!

So I have set a new goal.  The "I hate running" fan club president has officially signed up for a 10k.  I KNOW!!!!  What is she thinking!!!

Remember: Running is cheap.  I don't need a gym.  All I need is a really good pair of running shoes.  Seriously.

I have 8 weeks to train.  GO ME!  Day 1 starts TOMORROW!

Come share my pain with me!!  Wooohooo!