A week off and a lot of rain!

It's Saturday and I should be out running the Run Around the Universe at Universal Studios but was asked by the husband to not run today since he had plans with Cody, so we didn't put in our last minute registration. Kevin's plans with Cody got cancelled late last night. Oh well! I have a long run tomorrow, then I need to get some miles in for February as I fell way short on my 80 mile goal this month.

I have 2 races this month. I'm doing the Catch Me if You Can 5K in Sanford on Valentine's Day and the Healthy Heart 10K in Port Orange the following weekend. I'm nervous and excited. I know I can do the distance, but haven't raced a 10K before so don't know how to pace myself yet! That's OK, the first for me is to just set a baseline time to improve on!

I can tell racing season is winding down. I will only be doing 1 race a month March and April, then I start triathlon training for the Tigershark Sprint Tri on June 27th (tentative - final date will be announced February 20th.) After that, it is indoor marathon training! I will wait and see what the fall races look like to get my schedule ready for Sept - Dec! I wanted to do the Firecracker 10K but it is the same day as the Tri unless they change it!

6 miles! Now can we speed it up!

Yesterday, despite knowing better to take it off after a race I knew my time was limited to get ready for the Healthy Heart 10K, I went out and ran a long slow distance run of 6 miles (took just over an hour.) I realized real quick at the end the importance of fueling during a run. I really need to get some more sport beans! I hit fatigue in the 6th mile and wanted to give up, thank God for my stubborn streak! I made it through and got my water and then did a nice long stretching session.

I was going to run again today but the fog was sooo thick out and it was too dark so I went with safety and stayed in. I'm hoping the boys will cooperate and let me get in a decent workout tonight. I am running tomorrow, I don't know how far yet, it will all depend on when I get up and how I am feeling. I am planning on 6.5 this weekend..maybe trying for 7.

Daytona 5K...what fun!

Saturday started early for me! I had been out a little later than planned with my friend Tanya and her other half Graham. I was good and didn't have a glass of wine with dinner and ate light. I knew I had to be up at 4:30 am! So I get up, have no problem getting out of bed, took a quick shower so my hair would be somewhat easy to deal with and cuddled up on the couch with 1/2 a bagel. I watch one of my DVRed shows and then got dressed. I woke Cody up to see if he wanted to go with me, and bless his heart with 4.5 hours of sleep (he did stay up late with Daddy) he got dressed and went with me. The morning seemed to be going off without a hitch. I called Sueann and made sure she was up as I was headed over to Tanya and Graham's hotel to pick them up when I realized I had forgotten my iPod and my Forerunner. I had to go back! Mind you it is 38 degrees outside and DARK! I managed to forget to bring something warmer for Cody than his sweats. We get to the race track at the same time as Sueann and her family. I have never been inside the track before this. We walk in and get on a tram and ride around the back loop and into pit road where we send everyone off to register the boys for the kids race and we go to get our chips and meet up with our friend Zik and Sueann's cousin Amanda who had also signed up. It is COLD COLD COLD! We get up to the start line and I'm jumping up and down trying to stay warm. This is the biggest race I've ever been in with 2000 runners and who knows how many walkers (they had a different gun time.) The gun went off and Zik took off, then me, dodging through people like a rabbit. I had barely trained before this race, so I was happy when I looked down and noticed I had maintained a sub 10 minute mile. I had been taking in the enormity of the track. I can not believe how huge it is and how high the banks are on the sides. My next split wasn't as good I had creeped up to 10:20, the 3rd I was back just above 10 and had finally caught a comfortable stride. Next thing I know, I'm coming around the last corner and there in the distance is the finish line! I looked at my Forerunner and saw I was going to come under my best time! I wish I had been able to run more in the 2 weeks I was off..but well...I didn't and it showed or I would have picked up speed!

I made if in 31:10, my pace averaged 10:03/mile. For only being into running for 6 months I'm very happy with the progress I made, considering some of my more seasoned running buddies told me not to expect this big of a drop in my time until into my 2nd year. I'm hoping this time next year I'm running 25 minute 5Ks!

I missed Cody's race, but took him out on the track to get pics of him running across the finish line. We also looked at cars, checked out the garages where they were prepping the cars for the Rolex 24, had bagels and bananas. It was a nice day. Poor little guy took a 5 hour nap when we got home!

So it's been awhile...what have I been up to?

Nothing! I was doing really well then got some weird stomach issue last week and everything has fallen off! I am back on the running wagon tomorrow with only 2 days to get runs in as I have a race this Saturday. Really wish I could take someone with me to get photos as this is on the Daytona 500 speedway! I could care less about Nascar, but running that track just seems cool! I will update more later, but for now I just needed to get something in to make me feel more accountable!

Wow, 2 runs in less than 12 hours!

I went to run last night, I got in 2.5 miles. I wanted it to go nice and easy since I planned on running this morning. We (Sueann, Ashlee and I) ran from the park on the river all the way over the causeway and down to the beach ramp, then walked back. So I got 5 miles in, half running, half walking, then we all stretched right on the river, very zen! Brendan enjoyed it too, he was tucked in nicely to a jogging stroller with his binky and blanky!

This morning I went out to run and froze. I was cold, it was hurting to breathe. I wasn't dressed appropriately (ie capris and light shirt) but didn't have time to run in and change. Instead of running the 5 I wanted to, I gave up at 3 to get warm! I could actually see my breath this morning! After I got home I did about 10 minutes of lower body strength training and then jumped in the shower. Now I sit here at work ready for a nap. It's quiet, too quiet. I didn't get my sleep I needed as Kevin got home at 4 banging through the house and I couldn't go back to sleep. UGH! I may run and grab a sandwich for lunch, or heat up some soup I have here and take a nap in my car. I hope he doesn't do this again tonight!

Preparing for the long run

I have been hydrating, increasing my mileage during my morning runs, etc to get ready and attempt a 7-8 mile run this weekend. I know I will have to decrease my pace and be ready to take almost 2 hours, but I am curious how my body will react to the stress. I'm doing 4+ miles in the mornings now and I know I'm increasing my weekly mileage quite a bit and trust me my calves are letting me know it! I'm aware they are there! So it's Wednesday, I missed a short run this morning (30 minutes) but Laure is letting me borrow her jogging stroller, so I'm going to try and get a 30 minute easy run in tonight so I will be OK for tomorrow!

A whole lotta working out!

Well, I started the day off right. I got in a nice strength training session, much to the dismay of my already fatigued legs. I did a lot of lower body today, some upper body and core. I also got some cardio in. I am going to try and get a 4-5 mile run in in the morning, but don't know how far I will make it with what I did today, I only did some calf raises, most was on my quads and glutes so I should be OK.

I have 19 days until my next race and would like to strengthen up a bit to try for another PR, I really would like to get a sub 30 so I can see Cody race, but I know not to count on it. I shouldn't even count on a PR as that race falls under the worst week a month for me to run, when the relaxin is coursing its way through me. Yikes!

I am having a hard time with my water intake today, I really just want to ignore it, but can't. Oh well! I know I need to get it in so I won't have issues in the morning with my run and strength training.

Wow...I'm behind!!!

OK, so things have been a little hectic here in the Nash household. The boys got a new playhouse/swing set. We have been outside a lot. Brendan is cutting his eye teeth so he has been VERY CLINGY! He's sitting with Cody right now, behaving so let me catch you up on today and the Deleon Springs 5K.

The morning started off behind. I wasn't feeling too motivated to get out of the house. I was running a little late to get Sueann (her farm is on the way out to the race site) as I forgot to print out instructions to get to the race site. I get Sueann, we have to go back for her sunglasses. Neither of us were on our game. We get to DeLeon Springs and go through DeLeon Springs, turn around and go back. The directions were a little lacking on the site! We ask directions, get there and there are a TON of people! We have to use the restroom pretty bad at this point, but are running close on time, so decide most important is pick up our packets and put our chips and bibs on in line for the potty. We got everything on, had NOT moved 1 person, so I said I'd be right back and ran and put our packets in the car and grabbed my iPod. I turned on my Garmin to make sure I'd have satellites. I jogged back to Sueann, no one had moved!!!! So we and the lady behind us all headed to where they said there were more restrooms. We met our first race person! Her name was Lisa, she also started running when we did. She walked to the start line with us, my car was right there so she snapped a pic for us. We had less than 5 minutes to start. We cozied up in the line to get closer to the start point. The air horn blew and off we went, dodging people. This race was also a 1/2 marathon so we were all intermingled. I hit my Garmin as soon as I crossed the actual start line. The race was all country side that runs along a state park so there wasn't a lot to look at but fields of cows and trees. I hit the 1 mile mark alone, at 10:20 and was happy to see I was ahead of where I was last time. I hit 2 miles at 21:15, still on pace to get a PR. I hit the 3rd mile a little fatigued telling myself to keep it under an 11 minute pace. I saw the finish line around the bend, it said 31:42 and I started sprinting for that finish line! I ran on grass, dirt and asphalt to finish this race. Officially, from airhorn to finish line I completed the 5K at 32:05. According to the Garmin I came in at 31:23 (I could see the extra just trying to get up to the start line.) I still don't care!!! I still got an official PR!!! My previous time was 33:18.

FEMALE AGE GROUP: 30 - 39
Place O'All No. Name Age City St Time Pace
10 126 253 Holly Nash 34 Edgewater FL 32:05 10:20

It was a nice finish too! Lisa, the lady we met in line, met us at the pancake place in the park and we ended up sitting at a long table with more runners from the race. It's the kind of place you cook your own on big griddles in the middle of the table. It was fun talking about upcoming races and getting advice from them on the sprint tri. I left feeling awesome, made a new friend, got great advice and it was a beautiful day!

I got home and did my Boot Camp workout and moved the boys toy chest from their closet into the living room, as they love playing out there with us. I also went to the store, collected more toys from their room for the trash and a garage sale. Now, I'm catching up where I left off here and hoping to keep this back up!

I have tomorrow off from running, then hoping to get 4-5 miles in Tuesday. I have to go to court that day, so I'll be getting home early enough to hopefully do a 30 minute kickboxing workout. I was hoping to get a 90 minute session of yoga in, but they don't have a class until 6 and I will be home with the boys by then!