A Whirlwind Week...

26.2 Here I Come!

I've been contemplating a full marathon for several months. After learning about what my friend and co-worker was going through, the decision was really a no-brainer.

My friend Casey, who is graduting from the University of Central Florida next Friday, is a part of the Media Services department at my company. She is a beautiful, bright 22 year old young lady. Casey was recently diagnosed with Lymphoma. She spent her senior spring break in the hospital having biopsies done and a port installed in her chest to make chemotherapy easier.

I decided to join the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training to help raise awareness, and some money in hopes of finding a cure. I am running the San Francisco Women's Marathon in honor of Casey. To learn more, or to see how you can help, click here.

In Other News...

Last week seemed to be a little busier than most, although I can't really figure out why.

My hamstring is still feeling a little tight, but I'm working through it. Someone on Thursday asked me if I had tried a foam roller on it. I had never even heard of a foam roller. I was told it was like a large pool noodle, only shorter.



Friday afternoon, someone else asked me if I had tried a foam roller on that nagging tight hammy.

When I left my office, I made a beeline for Target and purchased said foam roller. It has seemed to help. However, I am still trying to play it smart.

I had a nice 7 mile run yesterday at a 6.5 MPH pace. That is a half mile per hour slower than my regular pace, but I'm trying to keep the pressure off that leg. Another three miles today, I swear I'm playing it safe...

I need to be sure I'm healthy enough to run a good time next Sunday at the Women Run the World 15k. I'm really excited about this one!

The Worst Stretcher of All Time...

I had finally conquered the hip problems by continually stretching my ITB.

The trouble just moved on. It has taken up residence in my right hamstring. Argh!




I will stretch more. I will stretch more. I will stretch more.

My lack of stretching has had an adverse affect on my running this week. 1.1 mile yesterday morning. And that is all.

The reckless runner in me wants to keep going on the tight muscle, the sensible person in me knows that with a 15k a week and half away, I need to be smart and stretch and rest.

An early meeting tomorrow means no morning run either.


Not Related to Running:
A book I contributed to, Email Marketing by the Numbers was released this week. I'm very proud, it's the first time I have been published in a book and I wanted to share my excitement with you!

Weekend Report

I was planning on 5 miles on Saturday. But I really wasn't thinking about it when I woke up. Darrell was up before I was and brewed his version of coffee, Turbo Joe. Don't get me wrong, it is absolutely wonderful. I drank two huge cups - probably the equivelant of a half a pot. I watched TV for a little bit and ate a Clif Bar and started my run. I got as far as 2.6 miles and I was so jittery, I was having a hard time getting into it.

We debated most of the afternoon if we were going to do anything. We decided to just stay in. My daughter and I made it as far as the grocery store to get some really bad for you, but quite tasty garlic bread pizza.




Sunday I was determined to get a nice long run in. I missed last week's long run completely, the week before that, a bit under the weather, I put in seven miles, my last long run over ten miles was on April 1st. I really needed to get a decent run in.

I ended up running 12 miles (1:45:57) and I felt great when I was done! I truly wish I could translate my treadmill speed onto the road...

Play Lists

I need some new music. Again.

I have some standards that I love and I plan on keeping, but the majority of my running music is in desparate need of an overhaul.

Please let me know what keeps you running!

Montly Total: 61.9

38.1 To Go. YIKES!

Corporate 5k :: Recap

Marathon Chris and me after the race

My office is a 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM type of place. With the start time of the Corporate 5k set at 6:45PM I knew we'd never make it in time if we didn't leave early. I was able to recruit Ross, Trey and Val to join in the fun. We headed out the door at 5:30 PM and at 6:00 when we still hadn't parked, I was starting to feel a little stressed. I'm early by nature.

We made it with a few minutes to spare, enough time for potty breaks and then we made our way through the Citrus Bowl to the starting line.

Along the way, I located Chris' tent, but I didn't see her and I figured she was tending to her team of about 75.

Ross(23:15)wanted to get as close to the starting line as possible. That was probably a good strategy. There were a lot of people lined up where they shouldn't have been. It took me almost 2 1/2 minutes to get to the starting line and then the first half mile or so I ran on the sidewalk, because it was next to impossible to jockey around people. A 2 lane road is tad too narrow for 7,300 people.

The course wound it's way through a small residential area, an industrial area and past some Mom and Pop shops. Some of the area residents came out to see the commotion, but it was a much different feel than people sitting in their driveways cheering us on at the Winter Park Road Race.

As we passed through a retail area I saw a sign on my left that said "Hot Food". Across the street a man was chanting and shaking his fist triumphantly. I had my MP3 player on and I couldn't quite tell what he was saying. He was either said Je-sus, Je-sus or he was saying Cheese-burger, Cheese-burger. My group used that man as a reference point when recapping the race amongst ourselves. Val(29.32) told me he was definately saying Je-sus, Je-sus.

As we made our turn to start heading back to the Citrus Bowl, we were heading due West at Sunset. Genius me, totally forget to wash my face before I left the office. Direct sun, strenuous activity and mascara don't mix well. It felt like I had acid in my eyes. Not good.

About the same time I started feeling dizzy. I have never felt like that before. I was almost scared and my mind was racing. What if I passed out? Would people run over me? How would my crew know what happened to me? I won't finish and I would never live that down. I CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN! I HAVE TO SHAKE THIS OFF. After 50 yards or so, I started feeling better.

My team made arrangements to meet at the finish line as we completed the race, or at the Disney tent, because surely we could all remember that. I was anxious about finding everyone after the race. Ross, Val and I rode together, Trey (25:30) drove himself and we didn't find him before the race started. I was plesantly suprised to see Ross and Trey waiting together at the finish line chute. I was so excited to see them that I totally missed the water. Once I realized I had passed it, there were so many people I didn't even attempt to go back. I made my way around to join the boys and a few minutes later Val came through the chute. She joined us and we spent about 15 minutes people watching.

We saw the mullet guys and we were all happy about that. That is one entertaining group of guys.


The Mullet Guys and Friends

As we passed through the crowd gathered near the beer table, I handed off my two beer tickets to a group of people who were enjoying the brew. No sense in letting them go to waste... During the process we lost Trey again. Apparently he ran into some people he knew and stayed with them. I told Ross and Val that I wanted to stop by at Marathon Chris' tent and the next thing I knew, she was walking right beside me! It was perfect timing!

We chatted for a while took a picture, and then Ross and I were trying to decide if we should fill out a scorecard for our team.

I was in shock when I read Chris' post this morning that we took first place for a Co-Ed team in the Advertising/Media/PR industry. w00t w00t!

Wow!

My final time (net) was 27:51.

Run The City

Tomorrow is the Corporate 5k.

There are 4 from my office participating. I was feeling like that was a small turnout - but it's close to 10%




I hope I see Marathon Chris. Her company has a tent on the field. I'm hoping to swing by to say hello.

David is also supposed to be there. It would be nice to run into him again.

I finally got a few miles in this week.

Monthly Total: 44.2

55.8 To Go!

It's going to be close...

Run At The Speed of Chat

I don't run in Reebok shoes. I never have. I don't ever hear of Reebok running shoes. They must make them.

Reebok is getting the word out with this appealing commercial



I tend not to run at the "speed of chat". Darrell asked me about that just before the Winter Park Road Race. I told him I was going to meet Kelly and she was going to run too. He asked if I waited for her, or how that worked. I told him that I'm really motivated by time and Personal Records. We would drive together hang out before the race, pick a spot to meet after (lesson learned at Watermelon 5k last year), line up together and then go to the meeting spot.

Sometimes, I think it would be nice to have a training run with a buddy. The Reebok commercial reminded me of that.

I had a crazy weekend.

Walt Diney World three days in a row. Dinner with Darrell on Saturday night. His parents watched the kids and we went out to celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary, which is actually today. More about that in another post...

The kids went back to school today and it has just been go, go, go. I have not run since Thursday. That's just too long.

I'm back on track (har har - no pun intended) tomorrow.

Mad Props to all who ran in Boston today. The Running Chick is AWESOME!

I'm that fast in my dreams!

Monthly Total: 41.2
58.8 to go!

The Cold, Spring Break, and Another 3 Day Weekend

The cold is wearing out it's welcome. My head congestion didn't last a real long time. But this dry cough is making me crazy. It hasn't slowed me down or even caused me not to run, but it's just hanging on.

I wish it would go away.

Spring Break is moving right along. Yesterday was the first truly nice day since my kids have been off. They have been sleeping in as much as their little body alarms will let them. And that might also be because they are staying up later.

This week I have run a night and in the morning. I really prefer the mornings, but when the kids stay up late, so do I.

I was planning on running this morning, but I just don't feel like I have the juice. I will run tonight.

I am looking forward to the laid back aspect of the summer where I will know that if I can't run in the morning, I run at night without stressing about it.

I decided to take this Friday off of work. I can't send my kids back to school without doing anything on Spring Break. It looks like a trip to Disney World is in order.

Monthly total: 36.20

63.8 to go.

Three Day Weekend

I was off on Friday and was looking forward to a nice 3 day weekend. We had planned on taking the kids to one of the Disney Water Parks on Friday. We had no idea that (hopefully) the last cold snap of the season would muck things up. I also wasn't planning on getting sick.


My whole house had the flu a few weeks ago, maybe I was too smug thinking that I had escaped the germs. While I was lucky enough to skip the flu - Darrell lost 12 lbs. in two days... Yuck -

Wednesday afternoon I started getting scratchy throat. Not good. I quickly jumped on Airborne every two hours. Despite what the instructions say, I have been pretty successful keeping the colds away... Until this time. I was able to get three miles in on Wedesday night and I had hoped on a few miles Thursday night. I just couldn't do it. I was thinkin of Petra's post about listening to your body, and as much as I don't want to sometimes, I know when I just can't do it.

Friday was much of the same. I was home from work and felt guilty for napping. I wanted to get a good run in and then do something fun with the kids for their first day of spring break even though the water park was out of the question.

Saturday morning my daughter had her first Tae Kwon Do belt promotion. It was very exciting, it was also very early. - Yawn.

When we got home, I ran a mile and I just wasn't feeling it. My stomach was cramping, and it wasn't working for me.

So today, finally,feeling better, and with a belly full of M&M's and jellybeans, I got to steppin'. Seven miles, a little slower than normal. Of course, I would have liked to go further and faster, but it's better than nothing.

Monthly total: 26.2 miles.

73.8 to go.

Ted Doesn't Know...

... About Body Glide

My friend Ted is the Former CEO and current Chairman of the Board at my company. He started a new company almost a year ago. He started running again 3 months ago.



I'm going to send some Body Glide his way.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I ran 4 miles this morning. I was prepared to go farther, I was thinking at least 5, maybe 6, but my son had the famous Florida History Field Trip to St. Augustine today. That meant an early day for everyone here.

I was wondering earlier this evening if I would get more miles in this summer. I can't imagine I wouldn't when the kids get to sleep in, and I don't have to worry about braiding hair, and laying out school uniforms and making sure there is lunch money... And I run longer and still make it to the office by 9:00 AM.

Next week is Spring Break. It will be a good test to see how many extra miles I can get it.

April Total to Date 15.2 Miles

84.8 to go.

Stretching To the Limit

Have you ever seen those guys that randomly practice their golf swing?

You know, with an imaginary golf club. Waiting for a table at a restaurant, having a casual conversation at the office, where ever they are, their swinging...

I may not be that over the top about it, but I have been making sure I have been stretching, not only before and after I run, but also a few times throught the day.

I found a stretch from the fine folks at Rice University that gave me almost instant relief.

I slowed things down last week. Not always on purpose, on the heels of my kids having the flu back to back, Darrell was next in line. So there was a lot of scurrying for me to take the kids to school, I also had a 7:30 AM meeting last Tuesday. So then with the achy hip there was a mile here and two miles there.

But today...

If I was a scone, this would be me

Happy! Happy! Happy!

This morning I ran 11.2 miles. It was glorious! A beautiful day, with a beautiful view. My treadmill faces the pool, and the sliding door was open and the window behind me was open, there was a nice cross-breeze that kept the temperature just right.

**Yesterday morning I registered for the Disney Half Marathon. I was starting to think that I might miss the opportunity. I think two years ago, I registered in June, but I really didn't want to push it.

When I got the mail yesterday afternoon I recieved my finisher's certificate. What a coincidence...

On a side note, we also took the kids to see Meet the Robinsons - It was cute. Then, Darrell and I had date night and we went to the Magic Kingdom It was a Disney kind of day.

Today is the first day of April. All jokes aside, I'm planning on 100 miles in the next 30 days.

88.8 left to go.