6 Days Rest

Darrell found out this morning that he needs to go Charlotte, North Carolina on March 9th to pick up some a piece of equipment for his business. We decided to make it a long weekend and as I joke I said "I wonder if ther is a half marathon that weekend."

I jumped on the computer and looked at my favorite national race site and I was totally shocked to see that there is indeed a half marathon on Satuday March 10th in Charlotte. The Alston & Bird LLP Corporate Cup 2007.

After some reasearch I found that it is a rolling course that goes through Historic Myers Park and Uptown Charlotte. I also heard they call it uptown for a reason.



The only experience I have in Charlotte is sitting in the airport between planes - about 14 years ago.

So with 6 days rest from the Sarasota Half Marathon, I am ready to tackle another one.

Think it's too close? In December I ran the OUC Half Marathon and eight days later I ran the Madeira Beach Halfathon and earned my PR.

This rolling course may not produce a PR, but it will be an unexpected race to add to my list.

Middle of the Packer :: By the Numbers

A review of the statistics from the Outback Distance Classic confirms that I am as middle of the pack as you can get.

There were:

605 Men

599 Women

1204 Finishers

So where did I fall into the mix?

Almost smack dab in the middle of it all.

Seconds after I finished



I finished 35th out of 97 in my age group. In September my age group will change - I think the next age group is a little more competitive - something to think about...

I was the 219th woman to finish.

Overall, I was the 631st finisher of the race.

So what does it mean?

I finished in the 36th percentile of my age group. remarkably, or maybe not, I finished in the 36th percentile for all women finishers.

I was in the 52nd percentile for all finishers.

I was literally 29 people behind the absolute middle of the pack.

Instant PR

I have a new PR! Today was the first 12k race I've ever run. Now I have someting to improve upon.

Today's race was an afternoon race. I've never run a race that wasn't first thing in the morning. These races always provide me with a certain amount of satisfaction. Knowing that I've accomplished something before most people are even awake.

There are some aspects of racing in the afternoon that I truly enjoyed.

Coffee when I woke up

I usually forgo the coffee until after the race

No need to set the alarm

I really don't mind getting up early - during the week it's usually 4:30 AM or 4:45 AM anyway - but if I can sleep until 8:00 AM - that's a nice treat!

My family came along

I don't see any reason to roll the kids or my husband out of bed during the wee hours so they can stand around while I'm running. By the afternoon, we'd all be sorry.

There were some aspects that would take some getting used to.

Eating breakfast

During the week, breakfast is a given. During the weekend, things are different. After Darrell and I sat on the porch with our coffee, I started some laundry, loaded the dishwasher and a few other mundane Saturday morning tasks. It occured to me that I needed to eat. Something. I grabbed a Clif Bar and continued with my tasks.

Eating lunch

The morning got away from me. I needed to get some fuel, but we needed to get on the road. I ended up with instant pasta - Think similar to Easy Mac - It was okay, but I should have found something better.

It's hot at 3:00 PM

The weather has been absolutely beautiful, and while it wasn't as warm as the OUC Half Marathon, it could have stood to be a few degrees cooler at race time!


We got downtown around 1:30 PM or so. We had to make a trip to PetSmart to get a collar that actaully fit our Boxer Dog - Darrell decided to bring him along today too. We meandered around the lake, checked out some of the wares being sold, the kids had a chance to play on the new playground that is less than a month old.

The kids also had a chance to try out the Rock Climbing Wall that the folks at Aigulle Rock Climbing Center brought for the festivities. They had a blast. My daughter is asking when we can do it again!

I had an opportunity to meet up with David at 2:30 PM. We talked some as we moved toward the starting line and he met someone he was going to pace and I moved up a little closer to the starting line. As it turns out, I had met David several years ago. What a small world.

My plan was today was to go at a comfortable pace - not kill myself or my hip. At the first mile my time was 8:48. I slowed a little. I wasn't feeling any pain in my hip but my back started to stiffen. It loosened up after the third or fourth mile.


Waving to my kids at the finish line - check out that skort!

I felt like I picked up speed after that. Not compared to my first mile, but after that, it seemed that I was moving better.

The course had a lot of brick streets which can be challenging just by their nature. I watched where I was going and made it through.

The course took me through familiar areas. We actually ran past a house I used to live in. Some areas I hadn't been through in a long time. There have been old houses torn down and new houses built in their places.

It was just a gorgeous day and I have not complaints.

The new shoes were feeling fine, the hip stayed relativly quiet and I ran 7.45 miles.

My time: 1:12:58

By the way, the kids both participated in the kids race - the Joey Run. They both had a good time. I might have runners on my hands yet!

That Darn Alarm

The alarm went off at the usual time. Things did not go as usual. Somehow the alarm was turned off and I was back to sleep until 7:00 AM. A small problem with that is the kids are usually out the door to school at 7:10.

We moved onto plan B and amazingly they were to school on time. Thanks to Darrell - he's just amazing!

Needless to say, there was no run today. I'm disappointed, but tomorrow is another day.



At lunchtime today I put the top down - the weather is sooooo beautiful - and drove to the Track Shack to get my race packet for Saturday.

I registered the kids for the Joey run. That should be fun to watch!

And eight days after the Outback Distance Classic I will be in Sarasota. Yay!

The hip is still feeling fine, and nothing new to report.

Warm Weather is Right Around the Corner!

Saturday we are steppin' out! When I lived downtown I loved to walk to Lake Eola for the festivals and events. Other than the OUC Half Marathon in December, I haven't been to a gathering at Lake Eola in years. For the second time in less than four months I will again be making my way to the lake to run.



With the temperature forecasted at 79 glorious degrees it should be a wonderful afternoon for a run!

For Track Shack events, I generally wait as long as possible to register. I try to register before the price increase,but sometimes I forget. I was going to register online on Saturday and it slipped my mind. But we ended up at the Track Shack for my new shoes. Throwing all caution to the wind, forgetting I was there for new shoes becuase my hip hurt so bad, I registered at the store Saturday afternoon.

After yesterday's 10 1/2 miles and virtually no pain, I'm giddy! I slowed my pace to nearly 1 mph slower. I felt like I wasn't moving fast enough, but I have a sneaky feeling that it helped.

Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes

The plan this afternoon was to drop the kids off at the in-laws and go to EPCOT and have a nice meal to celebrate Valentine's Day. As we were getting ready to leave, I told Darrell that I thought we would have to make a side trip to the Track Shack. Unlike David who had some soreness whispering to him earlier this week, my hip was down right yelling at me to STOP!

My attempt to run Friday was not good. I had six miles on my mind. The hip totally disagreed. After a half mile it just refused to continue. It was like rollerskating and having the wheel catch a rock and just stop rolling. I envisioned myself tumbling off of the treadmill and creating a whole other set of problems for myself. So in my never-ending quest to not be stupid with my training, I just stopped. I waited several minutes and added another 3/4 of a mile at a slower pace.

I decided I can't continue down that path any longer. I held out as long as I could, and I don't feel like I'm getting any better.

The results of my shoe shopping:



My Brooks were just not working. One of the problems: I have spent more than a year and half running in shoes (that I was fitted for) that were a half size too small. Little ole 5'2 girlie wears a 9! No wonder I'm down to 8 toenails!

I was just telling Darrell that someday I would like to get a pedicure again, but I need to get all my toenails back. He suggested I go now and ask for a discount. I think not!

The new shoes also offer more cushion to help the hip and a wider toebox.

Tomorrow I plan on a nice long slow run if the hip cooperates. I will need to drop my pace down a little bit - kicking and screaming all the way...

Here It Goes Again...

When I insist on running on the treadmill , sometimes there is nothing new to report. I got up this morning ran 6 miles and started my day. My recorded time was one second slower than the 6 miles I ran last week. The treadmill doesn't allow any slowing down. And I'm fine with that. It's not as exciting as this:

After my short run on Monday (does 1.75 miles even count as a run?)I was a little concerned about my hip. I was still sorer than I thought I would be or should be. I decided to sleep in yesterday - truly take it easy for a day. This morning I felt fine, and I am still feeling good. No pain.

So tommorow I can expect another 6 miles that will come in somewhere between 48:14 and 48:20.

I'll take it.

The Skort

Occasionally I see ladies at races wearing skorts. Is this the best invention ever? A skirt with a pair of shorts built right in. I found one that looks like a winner. And it's black, my favorite clothing color. but will it work for me?

The Chiropractor reminded me on Friday that I am not built like a runner. "You're built like me," she said. "heavy legs."

I never thought I had heavy legs. I have always been proud of my strong legs. They aren't tiny little stick legs. I am happy to say that I can work it in a skirt.

So maybe I can take the function of shorts and add a layer of a skirt. I might like some of that action shots from the races enough to finally buy one if I can't see the motion of my leg in the picture. I am going to have to act fast so I can get a long test run in. Is it worth the investment? Fifty bucks!

Sarasota to Miami

Hip Report:

In my effort to stop being stupid, After an afternoon at the Magic Kingdom yesterday with no pain, I was tempted to run and run and run today. Instead of the 12 - 15 I was planning on, I took it easy and only ran 4 at a slower then normal pace.

I'm feeling fine and I plan on keeping it that way. I hope to be back to my rugular routine tomorrow.



My plans have been confirmed. Immediately following the Sarasota Half Marathon I will head back to North Port where we will be staying with our graciuous host and hostess Mike and Pam - jump in the shower, say goodbye to the family and then head to Miami for the MarketingSherpa Email Marketing Summit, I'm an email marketing manager at an interactive marketing agency in Maitland. This is one of the best events of the year. And I am excited about it.

On Tuesday one of the VPs asked me if I was going to the summit. I said I was, but there was a possibility that I would miss a portion of Sunday's bootcamp becuase I would be in Sarasota in the morning. She asked why I was going to be in Sarasota. I told her I was planning on running the half marathon in less than two hours that morning.

"Won't you be too tired to get to Miami after that?" She asked.

"Nope. That's the beauty of 13.1." I told her.

I'll run, drive to Miami, go to some meetings, have a good meal and be fresh for the summit in the morning." I can bounce back quickly. And for that I am glad.

On the Mend

I called the chiropractor yesterday and left a message. I called back a few times. No messages, it's just that sometimes I don't awlays get a return call. Yeah - I felt like was stalking her, but I really hurt.

This morning I called at 8:00 AM. The office manager called me back at 8:30. She said they were booked. The next appointment was Wednesday at 7:30 AM. I told her I couldn't wait and I would need to figure something out, because I couldn't go through the weekend. I could hear the phone ringing in the background and we said our good-byes.

Truth be told, I was thinking that the days until the Sarasota Half Marathon are few and I so need to be running.

Two minutes later the phone rang again. The 10:45 cancelled. Did I want the appointment. I was still in the car, unsure of what I had on my calendar, but it wouldn't have mattered. I was taking it!

It took a few tries, but the hip cracked. The doctor said she thought that she was going to have to jump on it from across the room - It was all jammed in there. Good God - the relief when it popped! Wow! She couldn't say for sure if it was from running or not. I think it may have been caused by the boots I wore on Tuesday. I'm going to throw them away.


(check out the random guy in the background)

The doctor asked if I was running Gasparilla. I told her I was out. I decided against it so I could spend some time working on Sarasota. She asked what my long run plan was for this weekend. I told her I was thinking between 12 and 15. She told me I needed to take it easy. I could run, but 12 -15 is probably not a good idea. Then add some ice, and Epsom Salt Bath and I am good to go...

I will reel myself in this weekend - it's still a little sore - take the bath, stay still long enough for the ice and I will run. Not as far as I want to go, but that's okay too.

My Hips Don't Lie - The Right One Hurts

By the time I got to bed on Tuesday night my hip was a little sore. I set my running clothes out as usual, but Wednesday morning I decided not to push it. I would give it a day of rest.

By lunchtime I hurt so bad I could have cried. I took some advil and hobbled through the day. I debated with myself all afternoon. Could it be my shoes? They have less than 150 miles on them. Do I need to go to the chiropractor?

I was dead-on for my goals this month. Now and I'll spend the next few weeks catching up.



I am resistant to go to the chiropractor. I know she has helped me before, and I'm sure she could help me again. But what if it really is the shoes? I wanted to go to The Track Shack I had heels on and I was afraid I would be scolded. And I thought that maybe they would need to look at my shoes to determine if that was the problem.

I thought I would be better this morning. I was not.

My chiropractor is in Eustis on Tuedays and Thursdays, Winter Park on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I had lunch plans today anyway, so I thought maybe I could get in tomorrow. The office manager must not have been there today. I called and left a message and tried back (desperately) several times today and never got a return phone call.

The pain is in my hip and radiates to my back - just slightly. Sometimes it doesn't hurt at all - with or without Advil. Other times it hurts so bad I can barely move.

I hope I can get into the Chiropractor tomorrow. Maybe I'll wake up and feel fine.

Do I need new shoes? Already?

Damn.

The Dogs Sleep, I Run

I have fallen into a pretty decent morning routine. I get up (most mornings) between 4:30 and 4:45, get dressed and then I feed the dogs. While the dogs eat, I get my water ready, turn on the TV close the doors and get on the treadmill.

I experimented a few weeks ago with running in the evenings and it just wasn't working out for me. We solved the sudden treadmill noise problem by adding two layers of the interlocking floor mats. Darrell says he doesn't even hear it anymore and the kids have slept through it ever since.

When the dogs have finished eating they join, Greg and Vanessa, the local morning news anchors and me in the living room. They sleep. I run.

This morning while the dogs slept with their full bellies, I ran 6 miles. I have figured out the key to a decent run in the morning is to keep the display covered (I peek...) and just keep going.

I was done and totally energized before 6:00 AM.

Awesome! There are no other words for it!

Ahh, A Nice Long Run

I missed my long run last weekend becuase I ran the Lady Track Shack 5k. I had thought about a long run the day before, but I really wanted to do well on Sunday, so I passed. I also thought about running on Sunday when I got home, but I never did. I was so cold by the time I got home that I took a super hot shower, and I turned the sauna on. I never could get warmed up. I actaully brewed a pot of coffee at 2:00PM to see if that would help. It did somewhat - that and laying in bed with all of the covers. Hmmm, I wonder if the mindless TV I was watching helped warm me up too...

By the time this weekend rolled around, I was going crazy! Maybe not as crazy as these folks above participating in the Samson Stomp in Milwaukee on January 21st. That was the same day I ran Clearwater... And I thought I had it bad. It could aways be worse.

I thought about running yesterday. I even went as far as getting dressed. I decided I was just too tired and I wouldn't be happy with my results. I has a jewelry party on Friday night. You know, it's like a Tupperware party, but with jewelry. We has a bunch of snacks. Cheese and crackers, chips and dips, some pizza. It was all wonderful, but not the best fuel for a long run. I held off until this morning. I ran a fantastic 12 miles. It felt so good!

I wish I could translate my treadmill pace onto the road. It seems when I ran slower it was dead-on. Now my on the road pace is about a minute slower than my treadmill pace and it gets worse with more miles. I ran those 12 miles this morning in 1:36:22. At that pace I could run a flat half marathon in just about 1:45 +/- . I could have kept going, I actaully was thinking about 15 miles, I had other tasks weighing on me and the kids were getting restless.

My hill training HAS to start this week. I need to break out of my confort zone.

New Home

I decided to dedicate a seperate blog for posts related to my running. If you're interested in my non-running posts feel free to visit What's What with Maddy for my observations on the randomness of life.

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