Last weekend, I went down to Dallas to visit some friends. I had a 10 mile training run on the schedule and knew that I would be more likely to get that training run in if I registered for a race. There was a Leaping Leprechauns race in McKinney, TX, the town I used to live in and they had a 1K kids run, a 5K and a 15K. I thought that would be perfect, so I registered and showed up Saturday morning, March 12th. I didn't get all dressed up in green or anything (I know, I should have been more festive). And I didn't get any pictures of myself at the race, but I promise I was there!
The course was more hilly than I thought it would be, but it was a nice challenge. No killer hills, just quite a few smaller ones. The weather down in Texas was obviously a little warmer than what I was used to, but I couldn't complain because the sun felt great! The race was small. It was put on by the Stonebridge Racers, a great community of runners there in McKinney. They raffled off some prizes after the race, so that was neat. I won a coupon to Road ID that I can't wait to use!
I finished the 9.3 miles in 1 hour 33 minutes and 9 seconds. That was an average pace of 10:01 minutes/mile. I guess you could call it a PR for me since this was the first 15K I'd ever competed in. I was 110/169 overall and 7/21 in my F 30-34 Age Division. I was proud of how I raced it and I walked through the 2 water stations, but other than that, I ran the whole thing.
I had a great rest of the weekend with my friends and then headed back to Kansas on Monday. I started feeling sick Monday night and just got progressively worse on Tuesday. I still feel sick almsot a week later, but I finally did get out and run 2.5 miles this afternoon. I didn't feel great doing it and it might not have been the best thing to do, but I needed to run for my mental sake! I think I'll head to the dr tomorrow to see if they can help me because I really need to feel better so I can get my running schedule back to normal!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
My Run is coming to the Big Screen!
I have been an athlete all my life and a true runner (who enjoys running) in just the last few years. We all know there are tons of sports movies out there! The majority of them are about football, basketball or baseball. I love sports movies of any kind, but I'm extremely excited about seeing My Run! And it's not a running movie that I'll have to rent, I can actually go watch it in the theater on the big screen! And this isn't just a regular ol' movie, this is an inspiring documentary that will be in theaters only one night: March 31st.
I could write what it is about in this post, but I really encourage you to visit the website HERE and watch the trailer. And you can also check to see if it will be playing in a theater near you. I am lucky that it is playing where I live and can't wait to see it!
Also, you could win a pair of tickets to the movie by heading over to Sara's blog: "Words to Run By" HERE to enter the giveaway. But hurry, you only have until midnight on Thursday the 10th to enter!
I could write what it is about in this post, but I really encourage you to visit the website HERE and watch the trailer. And you can also check to see if it will be playing in a theater near you. I am lucky that it is playing where I live and can't wait to see it!
Also, you could win a pair of tickets to the movie by heading over to Sara's blog: "Words to Run By" HERE to enter the giveaway. But hurry, you only have until midnight on Thursday the 10th to enter!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Dear Ol' Man Winter: GO AWAY!
Yesterday afternoon, I ran 6.25 miles outside in shorts and a t-shirt. It was somewhere around 60 degrees and it was amazing!
And this is what it was like tonight when I got home from work:
And this is what it was like tonight when I got home from work:
Seriously? Snow again? Don't get me wrong, I love the snow for a very big reason: snow skiing! But if I'm not skiing, I don't really want it here. A couple snow storms during winter is fine, but I've had enough of it this winter! And I think it's even worse because we've had some really amazing and beautiful days. I feel like Spring is teasing me with nice days here and there where I can run outside. And then it is taken away! But, there's nothing I can do about it, so I'll just make the best of it.
A couple days ago, it was a little colder, but I was still able to run outside. I had some new gear that I wanted to try out, so the colder weather was perfect. Here I am after my run:
Yes, I realize that nothing about my outfit matches (even my husband pointed that out to me)! The bright orange Vizipro jacket, the black and yellow Livestrong shorts, the black and blue Amp Pro2 tights and even though you can't see it, I do have a bright pink Sweaty Band on. But, it wasn't about matching. It was about trying out my new jacket and my new tights. The company I work for is owned by the same company that owns Saucony. The fitness center at my office is appropriately named the Saucony Center. And at Saucony, they run! And they have great shoes and great gear!
I wanted to try some of their compression tights, so I chose these HERE. It was only a 4 mile run, but my legs did feel great and the fit is really great as well. And then I got this jacket HERE that I have been eyeing for quite some time! It is really lightweight and it is water resistant, so it would be great if it is raining. It does come with a USB_LED light, but I didn't take it with me this run. The ViZiPRO line is so visible and is just an extra safety measure for running outside. I do run on the sidewalk when I can, but sometimes I can't avoid running in the street, so the better cars can see me, the safer I am! And the reflective strips work great, as you can see in the picture!
So even though my outfit didn't match, I ran at a faster pace than normal. So "Yay" for the new gear! And I can't wait for the weather to get nice so that I can hit the pavement again!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Home Base Raffle!
Stephanie, over at Running to Health, is going to be running a 9K at Fenway Park on May 22nd! She is committed to raising at least $1000, which will go toward treating veterans of war, specifically with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). In working to raise the money, she has set up a raffle with some pretty amazing prizes that you could win! Go over to her blogpost HERE to check it out! And below is a paragraph about Run to Home Base:
From the Run to Home Base website:
"In New England, an estimated 50,000 veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan are affected by TBI and/or combat stress. These invisible wounds of war are extremely complex, highly individualized and extraordinarily difficult for all those affected. Families of veterans suffering from combat stress and/or traumatic brain injury often need support and guidance as they seek ways to better understand and support their loved veteran. Many veterans struggle with the stigma associated with these injuries and the so called "invisible wounds" caused by battlefield experiences. While anxiety and distress may not be as obvious as the physical wounds of war, the scars are just as painful and deep. Such injuries require attention and treatment by a team of providers who are familiar with and experienced in the complexities of combat stress and traumatic brain injury."
You can find out more about the program HERE on their website.
Run over to Stephanie's blog to check out the raffle and help her raise money for a great cause!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Back on campus!
No, I'm not back in college, but I did go back to the campus of the University of Kansas because it was an amazing 75 degrees this afternoon! I don't live in Lawrence, but I really wanted a change of scenery, so I thought running on campus would be perfect!
This was the view out of my sunroof (when I was parked of course) and it was so beautiful outside!
Here is a view of the Campanile. The following pictures are from my cell phone, so they aren't the greatest quality. And I did stop running for a few seconds while taking these, but I wanted to at least capture this run with a few pictures and share them with you! I enjoyed being out in the nice weather and being on campus again.
I walked these sidewalks more times than I could ever remember while in college and it was so great to be back on them again running. It was around 5:30, so there were still lots of people out and about and I had to be careful when crossing the streets with all the traffic. But people driving on campus are used to always yielding to pedestrians, so it was no trouble.
Below is Fraser Hall. If you go to the top of this building, you are at the highest place (in a building) in Kansas. I am not quite sure if that is still the case after they built the Oread Hotel on campus, but at least while I was in school it was. And I had a few classes in Fraser and went to the very top floor to look out the windows a couple times. It was pretty neat!
And below is something new that I hadn't seen before. I did stop to read the plaque in front of it. I can't remember all the details because I skimmed over it, but some artist creates these all over the country. It should be there about 2 years before the tree branches decay and they have to haul it off. It was too neat not to take a picture of it!
And I had to capture one of the many STEEP hills leading to campus. This picture doesn't even really catch how steep it is. I didn't make it running all the way up and even while walking (hiking) up it, I was breathing harder than I do when I run! I had already went down this exact hill and was coming back up when I took this picture. While going down, I couldn't even run fast (make up some time) because I thought I was going to slip from it being so steep and there being sand all over the sidewalk from all the snow we had! Challenging, but different scenery and route for me today!
University of Kansas sign by the Student Union as you're entering campus.
And below, the best place on campus - ALLEN FIELDHOUSE, home of the KANSAS JAYHAWKS! After some challenging hills, some awesome weather, seeing many people, and having time to think back on the time I spent here, I had the most fun 6 miles I've had in a long time! I thoroughly enjoyed this run with it being a change of scenery and the scenery being a place that I hold very dear to my heart! ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!
This was the view out of my sunroof (when I was parked of course) and it was so beautiful outside!
Here is a view of the Campanile. The following pictures are from my cell phone, so they aren't the greatest quality. And I did stop running for a few seconds while taking these, but I wanted to at least capture this run with a few pictures and share them with you! I enjoyed being out in the nice weather and being on campus again.
I walked these sidewalks more times than I could ever remember while in college and it was so great to be back on them again running. It was around 5:30, so there were still lots of people out and about and I had to be careful when crossing the streets with all the traffic. But people driving on campus are used to always yielding to pedestrians, so it was no trouble.
Below is Fraser Hall. If you go to the top of this building, you are at the highest place (in a building) in Kansas. I am not quite sure if that is still the case after they built the Oread Hotel on campus, but at least while I was in school it was. And I had a few classes in Fraser and went to the very top floor to look out the windows a couple times. It was pretty neat!
And below is something new that I hadn't seen before. I did stop to read the plaque in front of it. I can't remember all the details because I skimmed over it, but some artist creates these all over the country. It should be there about 2 years before the tree branches decay and they have to haul it off. It was too neat not to take a picture of it!
And I had to capture one of the many STEEP hills leading to campus. This picture doesn't even really catch how steep it is. I didn't make it running all the way up and even while walking (hiking) up it, I was breathing harder than I do when I run! I had already went down this exact hill and was coming back up when I took this picture. While going down, I couldn't even run fast (make up some time) because I thought I was going to slip from it being so steep and there being sand all over the sidewalk from all the snow we had! Challenging, but different scenery and route for me today!
University of Kansas sign by the Student Union as you're entering campus.
And below, the best place on campus - ALLEN FIELDHOUSE, home of the KANSAS JAYHAWKS! After some challenging hills, some awesome weather, seeing many people, and having time to think back on the time I spent here, I had the most fun 6 miles I've had in a long time! I thoroughly enjoyed this run with it being a change of scenery and the scenery being a place that I hold very dear to my heart! ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Valentine's Day
I am not a Valentine's Day fan. I never have been and it doesn't stem from "not having a special someone." I have a very special and completely wonderful husband who would pamper me the whole day...if I would let him. It's not that I don't like Valentine's Day, because I really have nothing against it, but I could do without it. I would rather get flowers on a random day than on the day you are "supposed" to get them! And I really don't need an extra day where it is "okay" to eat chocolate. I do that perfectly fine on my own on a normal day.
But, when you get home from a long day at work and you find these Valentine's in the mail from your nieces, it sure makes the day extra special.
But, when you get home from a long day at work and you find these Valentine's in the mail from your nieces, it sure makes the day extra special.
My 4 year old twin nieces and their sister, my 2 year old niece, worked on these at my Mom's house and she made sure to get them in the mail to us. I'm sure they had a great time coloring them at Grandma's house and I loved skyping with them tonight to thank them for the wonderful pictures! It made my Valentine's Day super special!
Melting Snow, Sunshine and a Long Run
I have been dreading my long runs that are coming up. Not the runs themselves, but where the runs were going to take place! I was dreading running 10+ miles on a treadmill in a stuffy, hot gym! I did run 8 on a treadmill a few weeks ago and I actually felt great. But I also know that feeling great in that situation might not have been the norm.
I was getting excited last week when the weather forecast for the weekend was supposed to be really favorable and warm for this time of year. My training plan was calling for a 10 mile run on Saturday and I was planning on running outside in the sunshine. But due to being at a car dealership most of the day, that didn’t happen. It was a good day though because we got my husband a new truck! When I got home, I did have time for a short run, so I still got out in the sunshine and did a couple easy miles.
When Sunday came, it was even warmer than Saturday, the sun was shining, the snow was melting and I headed out for my run at about 10 am. I had an idea where I would run, but the route came together as I went along. Those are my favorite ones. The route I decided on took me on some major hills that I wasn’t expecting, so my 10 mile run turned into a rather challenging, hilly endeavor! But, I would take every one of those hills over a run on the treadmill any day!
Living in a small town, you have to get creative with the longer runs. I mostly had to run on the streets because not everyone had shoveled their sidewalks, and the snow hasn’t fully melted. I would try the sidewalks and would end up having to go to the street anyway, so I just gave up on the sidewalks all together. I had to try to dodge the many water puddles, but after a while, I gave up on that too. I kind of felt like a kid again just splashing through the puddles! The backs of my legs were all muddy when I got done (yes, it was nice enough I wore shorts)! I felt amazing and finished my 10 miles in 1 hour, 41 minutes and 41 seconds. My pace was 10:10 which was way better than what I was expecting, so I was very pleased with that. Maybe it was how fast I was able to go while running down all those hills!
I plan to enjoy this nice weather as much as I can! I also know that living in Kansas means we probably aren’t fully done with winter, but I’ll take the warmer weather any day I can get it!
I was getting excited last week when the weather forecast for the weekend was supposed to be really favorable and warm for this time of year. My training plan was calling for a 10 mile run on Saturday and I was planning on running outside in the sunshine. But due to being at a car dealership most of the day, that didn’t happen. It was a good day though because we got my husband a new truck! When I got home, I did have time for a short run, so I still got out in the sunshine and did a couple easy miles.
When Sunday came, it was even warmer than Saturday, the sun was shining, the snow was melting and I headed out for my run at about 10 am. I had an idea where I would run, but the route came together as I went along. Those are my favorite ones. The route I decided on took me on some major hills that I wasn’t expecting, so my 10 mile run turned into a rather challenging, hilly endeavor! But, I would take every one of those hills over a run on the treadmill any day!
Living in a small town, you have to get creative with the longer runs. I mostly had to run on the streets because not everyone had shoveled their sidewalks, and the snow hasn’t fully melted. I would try the sidewalks and would end up having to go to the street anyway, so I just gave up on the sidewalks all together. I had to try to dodge the many water puddles, but after a while, I gave up on that too. I kind of felt like a kid again just splashing through the puddles! The backs of my legs were all muddy when I got done (yes, it was nice enough I wore shorts)! I felt amazing and finished my 10 miles in 1 hour, 41 minutes and 41 seconds. My pace was 10:10 which was way better than what I was expecting, so I was very pleased with that. Maybe it was how fast I was able to go while running down all those hills!
I plan to enjoy this nice weather as much as I can! I also know that living in Kansas means we probably aren’t fully done with winter, but I’ll take the warmer weather any day I can get it!
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