Healthy Heart 10K - My first 10K!

Wow! It was COLD this morning!!! I was running a tad bit late as there was ICE on my windshield! Sueann had it too. I talked to her while we headed to our meeting place down the road from the race. The temp gauge said 30, it was 32 when we got to the race site, we hit the restrooms, got our bibs on, picked up our chips and then warmed up some and lined up. Sueann stayed up with me for a couple of minutes after the horn went off, then hit her pace and I got mine, I was hurting, but I had gone into this expecting to maintain a 10:30 - 10:45 minute mile so I knew I would be able to finish. We were running with elite runners and knew it (the winner ran it in 35:33.) I decided to just enjoy it and run, and try to stay warm! There were several hills I wasn't prepared for and I felt them! On our first loop, we had 2. We ran through a neighborhood with a hill and then back out onto a main road, I couldn't believe the frost everywhere! We came out of the neighborhood and rounded 2 more corners and there was a bigger hill, this would be the 5th mile on the 2nd loop so I prepared myself mentally for it. We were 3.5 miles in when we got passed by the winner. Then 60 seconds later the next guy passed, 20 seconds later, the next guy, well we come around the curve a couple of minutes later and the guy who was in 3rd is in front of the guy was was in 2nd and they had made a bad turn, the guy who had been in 2nd upped his pace to try to pass the guy in front of him who had been behind him. I wondered if anyone else would make that mistake. I ran on, completed my 2nd loop the weird pain in my leg finally gone, I came around the last curve and picked up my pace then sprinted the end of it. I came in chip time of 1:05:54 but Garmin time of 1:05:44 - I go with Garmin since I shut off the iPod after the guy pulled my chip and the iPod said 1:05:54! I maintained a 10:37 pace even with a shooting pain from my ankle up my calf for 4 miles. I am happy with my time, I wanted to complete this in under 1:15 since it was my first and I did that!!! I will do the 10K again!

Nerves and exhaustion!

I am tired, I want to sleep for a whole 8 hours! I need sleep! I hope I get it! I had a dream last night that I was late to my race, I had to take the boys, and I had to carry them all the way to the race site and I could barely pick up my legs. It was my first race related dream. It was bizarre and although there was more to it, that's all I remember. Seems this one has my nerves up.

On another note, not necessarily a good one, I realized this morning as I was fighting back tears, that weren't provoked by anything, that running is the only way to keep myself balanced. I haven't run since Tuesday. When I go this long I have a hard time stabilizing my mood. I don't run and the darkness sets in and I worry more and I lose my patience easier. I can feel the shift in balance. I was worried about the race tomorrow as my legs are still bothering me some, but now all I want to do is run, run out the bad and take in the good, to get to a place of zen. I need my fix. I need to run to feel myself again. I know that these tough times will pass, I always pull through, I am strong and can make it, especially now with running. I'm stronger when I run. I use to be like this with soccer. I would go out and kick the ball and kick and kick until I felt balanced. I could always maintain the balance between whatever negative mood and happiness. I find the same in running, if I'm mad, I run and the anger dissipates. I'm sad, I run and the tears dry up. I'm anxious, I run and I wonder why I was anxious to begin with. I'm scared, I run and the fear leaves my body. If I'm confused, I run and all things become clear, the fog lifts. So I guess in the end, my nerves are more silly than effective, so I will push them aside and Sueann will have to remind me in the morning when I ask to use the potty 4 more times that it's just pre-race jitters, for now...I feel ready!

Heavy rains coming and so is the cold...

We are due for heavy thunderstorms today and then the cold will creep in behind it. I'm on my taper before my 10K, I haven't run the distance in 2 weeks because of a race last weekend, I couldn't get a longer run in. It is now set to be about 35 degrees that morning. I don't like the cold, 40 and I'd be happy...45 is what I consider perfect running weather. I know I should enjoy this as soon it will be HOT! I am thinking about hitting the gym to walk 6.2 tonight...only because I feel antsy and need to do SOMETHING, ANYTHING to maintain my sanity!

Resting although not happy about it

I went out to run this morning, I don't know what I did between yesterday on the treadmill and this morning on the pavement, but running HURT! I called it quits after 5 minutes and decided it was best to rest my legs before the Healthy Heart 10K this weekend. I did some heavy strength training on Sunday for the legs, but I ran on the treadmill last night and it was OK, however I was at a 6% incline at 6.5 mph to strengthen my legs further. I knew my arms would be sore from my upper body workout, but man!!! Well, I guess it will be quiet on the blog while I take it easy on the legs.

One quick note, Sueann and I are looking at dropping the Sandpiper 5K from our race list and replacing it with Eye of the Dragon 10K. We will see how Saturday goes!

Catch Me If You Can 5K

This was not my best day! I didn't feel good when I got up, no appetite, got a little water in, but that's about it. I had gels with me to get down before the race so I'd have some sort of calories. I picked up Sueann, we headed towards Orlando, pulled off and had to find the park we were starting from. Sueann was also fighting some stomach issues, she thinks it was nerves. We get to the race start, pick up our packets, head to the bathroom, got our pre race pic, it will be up later, I have very little time to write this, dropped stuff off at the car and went to warm up. I needed it, I was still sore from my sprints. We stretched and lined up. The race was really big for a first time race! I think the concept attracted a lot of people! I hit my garmin when I went across the start line. I was dodging people and finally found a good place and pace. We ran through downtown Sanford and when we hit mile 1 I was at 9:34. I was doing really well, still feeling sick, but it was manageable, by mile 2 my stomach was really churning. I was at 19:12 when they called the split. In the third mile I was feeling really sick, I gave in and walked. I realized I was less than 1/2 a mile out so I started running again. My stomach really not agreeing with me! I saw the finish line, picked up the pace and then sprinted the end. Garmin read 30 minutes on the nose!!!!! Gun time was 30:48. Either way, I did it! I beat my last time and I walked for 2 minutes because I was so sick. I still feel really ill, we have a birthday party to go to, then I'm coming home and laying down.

Sueann also nailed her run and came in in the 36 minute range.

Hoping for my 10K next week I feel better!

Oh and the women swept the race...even though it was only a 3 minute head start!

Moving Meditation

I walked into work this morning and was thinking about my conversation with Sueann last night during our run. We were having the talk about distance running and how after 3 miles you go into auto pilot and go into a sort of trance, like a moving meditation. I know in my case, the first 2-3 miles are warm up, the body is rejecting the punishment it is receiving and in that 3rd mile it says, OK, I give into your needs. My mind clears and stress leaves my body. I notice my breathing evens out and I don't need to focus on breathing or form, it almost becomes effortless. I enjoy those moments, when everything falls in and you watch the world go by, small random thoughts passing by like leaves blowing across the ground. It is that trance that has me hooked, moments of peace in a chaotic, stressful world.

We also discussed our last long run, I got in 8.5 miles and she got in 8 (I loop back and up so not to get too far ahead.) How it was a good run, running the boardwalks at Smyrna Dunes

and along the beach

It is all very peaceful.

While we were running last night we hit pockets of cooler air and that fresh, clean smell of impending rain. I told her about my virtual running buddy in Belgium and how he had said in his exact words "I hope someday even the rain isn't gonna stop ya. The most incredible experience is 2 overheat during a run & then the heaven surprises ya with a refreshing shower. Pure heaven." We were talking about how rain is in the forecast for Saturday and how it is supposed to be warm that morning and I was thinking he might be right. He has been a big motivator for me, always there with a positive comment. I really wish him the best!

This morning I was bummed when I came out and it had rained, the smell of everything wiped clean by a gentle rain is one of my favorites. I sat and inhaled and wished I could have been running. I think this morning was the first time I really felt I was a runner. I wanted to enjoy the clean, moist air and run for hours. No thoughts of I'm glad I didn't run this morning. I wanted to, BAD! I'm on "rest" until Saturday for the race and it is actually tough to be on rest this time!

Well, I suppose I should get back to work and daydream some more about the perfect run!

Running weekend and a sick week

OK, so I know runs over 75 minutes drain your immune system, but come on! I had a beautiful run Sunday, nice long slow distance run (what we like to call a LSD run - not the drug!) I clocked in 8.5 miles from the park over the causeway, down Peninsula until it dead ended at the Coast Guard station, into Smyrna Dunes park where we ran the boardwalks, ran the stairs over the dunes and onto the beach- Ouch! Sugar sand is a big workout! We got past the sugar sand and past the jetty and closer to the surf. It was warm out, the surfers were in full force the sun slowly rising over the water. It was a phenomenal couple of miles, then back up Flagler over the causeway and back to the park for a quick stretch on the docks above the river. That was Sunday. I logged a short 2 miler on the dreadmill Tuesday before a nice hard lower body workout. I started feeling sick about an hour after I got home, showered, headed into our Edgewater office to deliver laptops to the nurses, then got to Indian River Elementary to have a meeting with Cody's new speech teacher, was finally sitting still and noticed I was getting very congested. How did this come on so quick and right before a race? Are you kidding me? Only 1 race I've done was I not under the weather and I've managed to improve my times each time.

I felt a little better this morning, that is until I started running! I did notice my legs were into it...pushing me a long on a nice tempo run, however from the neck up was not working, I couldn't breathe deep enough, my nose was starting to run and I was getting a really bad headache. I called it quits a mile in, one of my best miles and I would have loved to have carried that on for the 5 miles I had planned on getting in this morning. I stopped running, felt sick, decided if I was going to get sick, I might as well push it to force it, so I turned the garmin back on and sprinted until I saw a block in the road and a car coming. I managed to hit 11 mph! Granted it was a 20 second sprint, but I think I could have done longer. When I get better, I am going to start doing sprints! It was fun, challenging and rewarding when I saw my speed! I am going to take the next 2 days off and rest and try to get better for my race. I am hoping to get some upper body and core work in tomorrow, but no cardio.

I got e-mail on my race Saturday, I am thinking I need to go pick up my packet Thursday or Friday in Lake Mary. I love the logo for it.



Well time to get ready for work, I'll be back on Saturday post race I'm sure!