Holy jumping armadillos!

It's been awhile since I've run. Actually, since the Rock N Run. Two races back to back with hills, a bit much on my legs. Sueann and I were supposed to do a rebuilding run yesterday 5-6 miles, but severe thunderstorms kept that from happening. Well, we were bummed. She calls me about 5 to let me know her husband had offer to watch all 5 boys so we could go run. He's a BRAVE, BRAVE man!

I get out to her farm, drop the boys off, we load up in her car and drive to the nearest housing addition. I'm feeling rather rested from 6 days off and I get all crazy-like and start running the hills off the path, the path minds you backs up to the golf course and well, the hills were around the sand traps. Some were steep! It was fun though and well, I shouldn't have done that in the first mile! We go down to her 2 mile mark (my Garmin is off as I didn't do her straight run, I ran hills, ran down random roads and back, etc) then I marked out the next 1/2 mile and told her where to turn. We are running back, and I have a horrible problem with running too far ahead, and there is an armadillo. I am all alone the only witness to the evil that is me. I louldy went PSSSST and immediately started laughing when the poor creature flew straight up in the air and came down scrambling. I couldn't believe that little thing could jump so high! I laughed for about a 10th of a mile.

I was happy with my run, 5.5 miles, my pace was all over the place, but between running hills, jogging with Sueann, playing chicken with a car, it's OK. It was fun though.

Rock N Run 5K - a PR!!!!!

This morning started early, 4:30 early! I get up, get dressed, get to Sueann's where I got a really good laugh!! I was switching cars from mine to Sueann's and one of her dogs was doing something, so she yelled at him, he took off running and ran smack dab into her husband's car, we both couldn't stop laughing.

With that fun little scene playing through our heads, we drove out to Eustis in the chilly air. We get there a wee bit too early, they are just getting there! It was an hour and a half until the race started. We hung out in the car, went to the bathroom, back to the car, then got our packets. We hung out, got our pre-race photo we didn't get yesterday since I forgot the camera! Found Sueann's friend Michelle who was running it, chatted some then headed over to the starting line. We were disappointed this wasn't a chipped race, then found out the chips were in our bibs! I though the other number in there with the weight on it was because they only gave everyone 2 safety pins, turns out it wasn't a weight!

So we start running and to my horror, realize we are running up a giant hill, then I look at the plus side, we finish by where we start, which means ALL downhill!!! Well, we are running, and keep going up and down all these hills, bigger than the ones we ran yesterday! I think the fatigue hit my thighs at 2 miles, I was debating a walk up a hill when my lovely Garmin told me I only had 1/2 mile left!!!! I ran up that hill, knowing I'd be going back down soon! I cross back over and down through the chute knowing even the chipped time was a PR, when I stopped the Garmin I was at 30:10, the gun time was 30:27! I'm getting closer to a sub 30 minute 5K!!!!

Sandpiper 5K...12 seconds from a PR.

I almost PRed...and I could have easily PRed, but I took a couple of walk breaks going up some hills! I never expected this 5K to be that hilly! The morning was cold, although it was in the 60s, winds have been around 20-30 mph, but we got lucky and weren't affected this morning. Usually, it feels nice at 60, but something this morning made it feel cold! We chatted with some of the other runners we always see at all the races and hit the portapottys. We went window shopping around the center where the race was starting and ending and then went back to get ready for lineup. The run was a nice tree lined neighborhood with lots of hills!!! I did really good at first but I was maintaining a faster pace than I should have been trying for on a hilly course. I took a couple of walk breaks, but finished strong. I missed a PR by 12 seconds...12 (11 to tie!!) I should have run more!!! Was a nice race, I did enjoy it. I felt pretty good considering how my last race went!

A Safety Precaution, finally made

I finally remembered to order my RoadID. I have been talking about getting once since November and while I was registering for 3 5Ks, I remembered to order it! I also ordered Sueann's for her when I ordered mine. I had found a coupon on the net for a couple of bucks off, which was nice as I got the bracelet and the shoe pouch. I need something for my key after all when I'm running in my pocketless stuff. I got blue, my favorite color and Sueann got pink, her favorite color. They got shipped out today! Next up, a fuel belt, I have a small one that will suffice for a HM, but not one that will work for a full or God forbid I like the full and decide on an Ultra.

On another note, I'm still not 100% over my leg issue, I thought I was (UGH) and I have 2 5Ks this weekend! I will be blogging Saturday (Sandpiper) and Sunday (Rock N Run)! I get a weekend off, then I do Run for the Sparc, another weekend off, then Rayz, then Flamingo, a week off, then Gecko, then I'm done until I either find a race I want to do that falls in line with my HM training or I run my first HM. The race season starts back up in September and I will be busy with training for 3 HMs and a full. After the full, if there is room and I like the distance, I'm going to do the ultimate crazy and sign up for Goofy (39.3.) If I don't like the full, I will figure out my favorite distance and work on it!

St Patrick's Day fun run and the joining of a club...

Well, despite the fact I ran a 10K (well most of it) this morning, I decided to take Cody and Brendan to my local running store for a fun run that was being put on by a running club I had been talking about joining for the past 6 months. We get to Spikes, get our name tags, chatted with Donna, the VPs wife, who had just got back from the Gate River Run 15K, and waited on Sueann and her family to get there. We all headed out and since the little ones were running a mile, Sueann and I stayed with them. I really wanted to do the 4 miler, but I didn't want to leave my most precious running buddy on his own. Mike, Sueann's husband stayed with Brendan, even though I did have him in the jogging stroller. Cody almost made the entire mile, he fell and skinned his knee on the uneven pavement. I carried him the last .2 mile. We went in, had some Irish food, chocolate cupcakes with mint flavored green icing and some yummy punch. The kids had a blast! Sueann won a year membership to the club, Donna told her she was trying to hold them for us as she really wanted us as part of the club, I didn't get drawn, but I joined anyhow - for 2 years!! This group of runners are the nicest people! We will be running our first club sponsored 5K next month - RayZ Awareness, which I was set on doing anyhow as it is for melanoma research and my mom's side has all died from melanoma. Anything cancer, stroke or heart I will run as they all have affected my family!

Eye of the Dragon 10K

Ok so, a little background on why I haven't blogged, something has been wrong, my legs have been hurting from the knees down and I have been literally exhausted for 2 weeks, so I hadn't been training. My only goal for this race as it was very hilly was to finish it.

Sueann and I got to the race site early, it was a long drive to Melbourne. It was still dark but the humidity was already present. We decided to walk over and check out the causeway, it was big!!! When we were headed back we must have run in front of Jeanine because she called and asked if it was us she just saw. We let her know it was us and we met her over in the parking lot where we officially met for the first time (she is on the running boards with us.) She has such a happy, upbeat personality and we all got along great right off the bat. We went up so we could pick up our race packets and we chit chatted and waited on Nancy, Sueann's friend from work to get there. We got some pics then headed down to line up, where we found out the race had literally doubled in size from last year's group. I was a little shocked it wasn't chip timed, so thank God for the Garmin! When we started off I was dodging through people in my normal fashion and feeling OK, despite the tightness in my legs. I was in front of the 4 of us but Jeanine quickly caught up and passed. I kept my pace as 1/2 mile in my ankles were burning, I do know now I shouldn't wear the Saucony's for any more runs, they have been officially retired from running. I will say by 2 miles I had to take a walk break, I was hurting really bad. I ran off and on from that point. The first 5K was hilly, but smaller hills, but they got to you. The humidity was getting higher as the heat increased and I kept getting the feeling I was going to pass out, those little tingly feelings, so every time I did, I would walk, then it would pass and I would run. I got to the causeway at this point knowing it would be close if I could run the rest to beat my PR, but I didn't have it in me. I walk/ran up the causeway, waved hi to Jeanine as she cheered me on, and then ran down the causeway, then walked/ran the way out and back up, then ran it down and saw Jeanine walking to the base of the causeway (she finished in the same time frame as my last 10K,) she ran it back in with me, I did manage to dig deep and sprint the end. I came across the finish at 1:12:02 (6 minutes behind my last 10K) I got my water and we headed back for Sueann, jogged back in with her from the base of the causeway, she got her water and we headed back to the base of the causeway to find Nancy, we jogged in with her. We stretched a little bit and watched the paramedics looking over a woman. We watched the end of the kid's race, then headed in for carbs! We stayed for part of the awards, then headed out. They gave out dragons as trophies. We stopped at Running Zone on the way home and got some running skirts for 50% off. We had only left 10 minutes from the race site when it started pouring rain. I realized then why the humidity had gotten so bad! I really enjoyed meeting some fellow runners!

I will say after running with Jeanine and Nancy, Sueann and I are planning 2 more races in their area! I'm hoping my other virtual running buddy Kallie will be able to make one of them! Every runner I have met so far through the boards has been awesome!!!

I also saw pictures at Running Zone of the Space Coast runs (13.1 and 26.2) and they look like sooo much fun I can't wait!!!! I will have a great group there to share it with also!!!