Easing back into it

I'm ashamed to say how long it's been since my last good run. I could blame it on our family vacation to England but I won't. I'll just blame it on the fact that I slipped back into my sedentary lifestyle so effortlessly....until tonight.

Don has been trying to get me to run with him and I've managed to finagle my way out of it. Today was different. I could feel that if I didn't start running soon, then all of the training I did for the RTO would be for nothing and I'd be back at square one. So I agreed to go for a run tonight.

We had dinner fairly late and it took a while for our bellies to un-bloat. By ten o'clock I was feeling like if I didn't run right at that moment that I'd never run again. I cajoled my husband into getting his running gear on; he was midway into a show and I made him stop it.

The weather couldn't have been better. It was about 75 degrees and as many stars as I've ever seen in Reno. There was a nice breeze so it felt cooler than it was and it made the run all the more perfect. There was very little traffic and we cruised around the neighborhood, hoping we wouldn't get lost on the dark streets.

We finished just over 4.15 miles in 49:14. A nice run on a nice night to ease myself back into training. For what, I have no idea. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Happy Father's Day, honey!

As I sit here writing this it's Father's Day and you're over in the UK. I miss you terribly. I am sad that we have to spend this Father's Day apart. It has made me start to pine away for you and reminisce about all of the things I love about you. I'll save the details for when I see you again but know that every single day I am so proud to be your wife and proud that our children have you for their father. You are the kind of man that mothers want their daughters to marry. Kind, loving, funny, charming, devoted, romantic and intelligent are just a few of the adjectives that pop into my head when I think of you.

Happy Father's Day sweetheart. You are an amazing, father, husband and friend and it has been a pleasure to raise our two fine boys with you these past sixteen years. I miss you like crazy and I love you even more!

RTO 2011-Part 2

**Picking up where I left on in my previous blog post**

So Van #2 was now beginning our second leg. We met up in the Raley's parking lot for the handoff with Jason. John, God love him, had to run hills AGAIN. His leg (19) took him from Tahoe Basin (elevation 6200') to the top of Daggett Summit (elevation 7334'). He was a champ! He finished his leg ahead of his estimated time and we were all so proud of him. Marlaina and I were getting ready to split up the run down Kinsgbury Grade.

She did great! She's excellent on the hills and we were all suitably impressed as we watched her pass other runners on the course. Keep in mind it's probably 1 am at this point and you can't see a thing. We recognized other runner's reflective vests and gave them loving nicknames, like Sparkle Vest and Angel Wings; there was definitely flappage on that one. I was nearly ready to run and we parked the van on a pullout to await Marlaina. It was so cold out there. I decided to keep warm by waiting in the van. I had just barely sat down on the seat when my teammates shouted that she was within eyesight and I needed to HURRY!!

Another super rushed exchange between Marlaina and me I was off and running. The experience of running in the inky blackness was well worth the price of admission. With nothing but a headlamp and the occasional van headlights to light my way I hauled ass down the last half of Kingsbury Grade. I had a nice chuckle to myself as I passed a couple of runners (roadkill) while "You Sexy Thing" pumped out of my iphone. As I made my way to the bottom I could see Steve ready with his night gear on and a smile on his face. We made the exchange and I was back in the van, surging with an amazing runner's high.

While Steve worked through his second leg we maintained our cheerleading duties, careful not to blow the vuvuzela too loudly in town lest we incur the wrath of the locals. His exchange with Nico took place at the Genoa Courthouse Museum. Bless those checkpoint volunteers! This was by far the funnest exchange point. Remember, it was the middle of the night, so it was pitch dark outside. This particular checkpoint had a killer runway for the runners. It was made up of assorted shoes wrapped in glow sticks. Most excellent.

In keeping with our theme of hasty exchanges Nico was "indisposed" while Steve ran his to the end of his leg. We tried to track down Nico for the exchange as quickly as we could. It didn't take long and Nico was running like the wind. His leg was pretty long (6.2 miles) the last half of it was uphill. Poor bastard. He ran like a champ! Our team was making great time as he ran up to where Don was waiting at the Jacks Valley Fire Station.

The handoff went great and Don, who would later be lovingly referred to as Night Ranger, began his leg looking dapper in his black running gear and fluorescent yellow vest. His run took him down into Carson City and into the Wal-Mart parking lot where Van #1 was waiting for us for the next big exchange. Don finished up his leg, once again making the Trots proud by coming in under his estimated time. We were starting to feel pretty good, if not a little exhausted.

Don and Jason made the handoff like old pros and we were off to find food and rest while we waited for the other half of the Trots to run their legs. We were two-thirds of the way through this thing and our spirits were high. Lucky for us, a Trot that had to bow out offered us up use of his property to rest our weary leg and eyes. We made our way to his house where he was waiting for us; by this point it was probably 4 am-ish. He cooked waffles that I heard were amazing. While Nico, John and Steve had a literal breakfast of champions Don, Marlaina and I opted to catch a few winks in the van. Thanks Nate! That was so so nice of you and was very much appreciated!

It seemed like my eyes had just shut when we got the call that we needed to get back on the road. Holy shit! Van #1 was making excellent time! We made our way to Virginia City, to the exchange at the Bucket of Blood Saloon. At this point in the race it was just past sunrise and the wind was picking up. It seemed even colder than when we ran at night. Joe ran up the last hill with amazing speed. Van #1 did an amazing job with their portion of the race. We clearly had our work cut out for us. We couldn't have them showing us up. :)

John took off on his final leg like a man on a mission. He had one last of hills to tackle and tackle them he did. His last 5K came in under time AGAIN! He made the exchange with Marlaina and she began her final leg, nearly 4 miles all uphill. At one point during the run those of us on cheering duty lined up to give Marlaina a series of well-deserved high gives. She killed those hills!

It was getting time for me to begin my last leg and I was getting really sick to my stomach. My legs were a little sore from running down Kingsbury Grade and now I was getting ready to face my longest leg-6.5 miles down Geiger Grade. The elevation for that leg drops from 6'500 to 4'500 feet. With Marlaina fast approaching I got myself psyched up for the last stretch. I wasn't used to having to wait around at an exchange; the other ones had been so chaotic. She ran in with a giant smile on her face and I started my run.

Something wonky happened with my RunKeeper and while it played music during my run it didn't offer any coaching, which meant that I had no idea how fast I was running or how far I had run. By this point in the race there was a fairly good distance between me and any other runners, though I had my eyes set on a Thong Distance Runner. I made roadkill of that chick and enjoyed the view as I ran down the windy mountain road. My feet slapped on the pavement as I passed another runner, not sure which team he was on. The grade of the hill was really taking a toll on my feet and the hotspot on my right foot started to burn. I ran through it, eager to hand off to Steve and finally be done with the race.

I came to the bottom of Geiger Grade and past the church where Steve was waiting with his ever-present smile. I think I may have slurred the word "Go!" as I handed him the bracelet, but I may have just been making guttural noises at that point. We hopped in the van, ready to cheer! As soon as I sat down, my calves started shaking. 6.5 miles downhill will have that effect on them. I took my shoes off because I wanted to check on my foot. As soon as I took the sock off I saw a HUGE blood blister. Seriously, it was bigger than any one I've ever seen before. As Steve ran my cheering was done mostly from the van windows, screaming and blowing the vuvuzela as we would drive by. We had to get to Double Diamond Athletic Club for the exchange with Nico. And a weird thing was happening. Calculations were being done and it was starting to look like we might actually be able to finish the race in under 24 hours. What?!?

Steve and Nico made their exchange and we grabbed some pulled pork sandwiches before we got back on the road. Nico's final leg took him down Double R Blvd. and onto Longley Lane. We tried to hit the light at South Virginia to make it easier for him to cross the street. Alas, Reno traffic can be a bitch and we weren't so lucky. Nico made the charge up *and* down Windy Hill where he met up with Don who would run it in to the finish for team Tater Trots. Not to add to any pressure he might have felt, it was figured that if he could run his last leg (5.4 miles) in under an hour then we would finish in under 24 hours. To most people, this would seem fairly manageable, but then again most people haven't already run two other legs on no more than 4 hours of sleep. We were confident that he would be able to kill it!

As Don ran, we drove and cheered like maniacs, whipping out the vuvuleza and the air horns for this final leg of the RTO. Each time we pulled up to a stop we would check out watches to what kind of pace he was running. It was looking good for the Trots. As he ran into Wingfield Park towards Idelwild we realized that we needed to find a parking spot FAST in order to cheer him in on the last stretch near the finish. We hurried to Idelwild Park and while Nico parked the van, Steve and John grabbed the tots bag off the antennae and whipped up a makeshift flag. Marlaina and I ran to the end as Don was rounding the turn to head into the park. We found hte folks from Van #1 who were there to root for Don. He was handed the flag and in true Tater Trots form gave it everything he could to finish strong, tongue hanging out and all.

He crossed the line and team Tater Trots finished the 2011 Reno Tahoe Odyssey with a time of 23:48:52. Yes, that's right. We finished in under 24 hours. When the final results came in we learned that we had placed 23rd.....out of 204 teams. How amazing is that?!!? I couldn't be more proud of our team if I tried. It was truly and honor, a pleasure and a thrill to be allowed to compete amongst such a fine group of people. I have made friends for life and have shared in an experience that I will remember forever. Despite being exhausted, sore, and hungry as we all grouped together for the ceremonial picture of us crossing the finish as a team we couldn't help but talk about getting a team together for next year. It's been two weeks since the race and I still haven't come down from my runner's high. Awesome.

RTO 2011-Part 1

Well, I did it. I completed my first Reno-Tahoe Odyssey.....and it was AMAZING!! All those months of training truly paid off. I will admit to being more than a little nervous on Friday morning, knowing what I was about to face. Don and I got down to Wingfield Park to meet our teammates for the start of the race. For us, it was the first time that we would be meeting most of the members of team Tater Trots. What a fantastic bunch of people! Seriously, I was truly honored to be a part of this team. Here is our lineup:

Van #1:

Jason A. (leg 1)

Stephen P. (leg 2)

Angelo M. (leg 3)

Lauren M. (leg 4)

Eric N. (leg 5)

Joe D. (leg 6)

Van #2:

John J. (leg 7)

Marlaina S. (leg 8)

Nicolle M. (leg 9)

Steve J. (leg 10)

Nico A. (leg 11)

Don M. (leg 12)

After a few introductions and the doling out of goodies and numbers the race was nearly on. 11:30 rolled up and Jason took his spot on the line with a few other teams, noticeably Pink Bunny Death. They took off and the folks in Van #1 took off to begin their runs and those of us in Van #2 made our way to Eclipse Pizza for some sustenance to help us through the race. The pizzas were great. After lunch we made our way to Nico's house to load up the van. Don and I had to head back to the house to check on Mabel and grab our gear. We arrived back to Nico's to see a fully decked out ride, complete with a Tater Tot bag flag on the antenna. We needed to hurry up because Van #1 had called and the 4th leg was on!

We made our way to the first exchange point where Intuit had set up a sweet recovery station. John was our first runner to go and he did an amazing job when Joe handed off the baton/bracelet. Woohoo! We're really doing this thing! Off we go, into the van, to find a spot to park while John runs his leg. As John ran we supplied water and encouragement along the way. Five screaming teammates and a vuvuzela are sure to inspire even the most tired runners.

Back in the van Marlaina got into her racing gear and prepared for the handoff. Another fantastic showing! She took off like a rocket and stayed strong for her first leg which took her into Truckee. The rest of Van #2 continued cheerleader duty. We were on fire! As Marlaina hit the roundabout in Truckee we yelled "Keep it up, just about a mile left!" Imagine our surprise when we found out that the exchange was actually just down the hill, maybe 200 yards. ACK! Time for us to get in the van and get our asses down there, pronto! We pull up into an intersection, Nico throws it into park and I get dumped out of the van like I'm the victim of some crazy Mexican kidnapping gone wrong. As I get over to the exchange Marlaina is just running into it. Not the best way to start a leg but we made it work and I was off. It was a nice easy leg to start out the race; 3.9 miles on beautiful CA-89. Despite my rocky start, I like to think that I finished strong and met up with Steve for our exchange after running my leg in 34:35.

At the start of Steve's leg it was about 5:45 pm and we were all running ahead of our target paces. Woo hoo! Even though the sun was still shining, reflective vests were required from this point of the race on. Steve put his on with a smile and from that point on a grin never left his face. I've never seen anything like it. Happiest runner on earth. He made quick time of his 5 mile leg and met up with Nico just after the entrance to Squaw Valley. Seriously, could you run a more gorgeous course?!

Nico and Steve exchanged the bracelet in epic fashion and Tater Trots were looking good. His run took him right along the Truckee River Bikepath. With vuvuzela and water in hand we met up with him along the way to offer support and liquid refreshment. Nico was clearly in the zone, appreciated the cheers and quickly got rid of his reflective vest. He flew into Tahoe City where he met up with Don, the last one to run in Van #2.

The exchange point was just across the footbridge near the bikepath parking lot. Don was the lucky one that got to run right next to Lake Tahoe. Well, I suppose we were the lucky ones, since our runs were over and he still had to tackle 6.2 miles. Still, the view was fantastic. Plus, our van duties didn't falter; cheering and water breaks were plentiful. I was so proud of my honey bunny. He did amazing! As Don finished up his run, we drove ahead to find Van #1 so we could let them know that we were ready for the exchange, not to mention some food and rest.

Don finished up his leg with the entire Trots crew cheering him on. He handed off to Jason and with that Van #1 took off to follow and Van #2 quickly got on our way to find food. We ended up grabbing some grub at Raley's and headed to town where Lauren's parent's graciously offered us the use of their house (Thanks so much!) so we could crash for a bit. After food was eaten and excited conversation had been had we all made our way to our sleeping bags and crashed, hard. It seemed like my head had barely hit the pillow when my phone rang. It woke me up but not with enough time to answer it. Then Don's phone rang. It was Van #1 letting us know that they were nearly done with leg 16 and that we needed to get moving. At the most, we got an hour of sleep. Meh, we're champions. It was pitch dark by the time we got back on the road and headed for the next van exchange. By this point we were one-third into the race and we were LOVING it!!

**More to come-It's a long story, but worth it!**

:)

Last minute preparations

It's the night before the race and I'm having a very familiar feeling come over me. I can't believe that after nearly 20 years I've got pre-race jitters. There's something oddly comforting about a healthy mix of nerves, anxiety and excitement. Right now I've got all three.

Our gear box is all packed up and aside from some clothes finishing up in the dryer everything is nearly ready to go. The weather looks like it's going to be a great day for ice fishing. In an ideal race we would have a great forecast calling for temperatures in the low 70's, and a nice mild breeze. As it turns out this weekend is not the ideal race weekend. The temperatures have been unseasonably cold here and it's not changing anytime soon. It's looking like we might actually see snow on a few of the legs. *gulp*

I know I should be sleeping right now but my mind is racing...wondering if we have enough supplies, wondering if I'll be warm enough, wondering if I will succeed in my goal of finishing the race without vomiting. I suppose there's only one way to find out.

Remember, there will be all sorts of people posting on Twitter during the event so look for #rto2011 to see updates and tweets from me and my fellow racers. Wish us luck!!

Another day closer

Today brings me yet another day closer to the big race. My husband (Don) and I decided to lower our mileage and step up our pace for our run today. The weather was lousy all weekend so we figured we'd head out in the early evening. The temperature was perfect for running (low 60's) and I got a chance to try out my running skort....anything to detract from these lily white legs.

Our pace was decent; we averaged 9:30 minute miles for a 3 mile run. I wish I had felt better. That burning pain on my inside left arch was still there for the first mile or so of the run, and was soon joined by his friend stomach cramp. That cramp lingered with me for the entirety of the run. I have never been one to stop running and walk out a cramp, I usually just power through them. Today the cramp was having none of it. I'm confident that on race day, the cramps will be too afraid of my wrath to show their faces. They'd better be if they know what's good for them.

Despite having the foot pain and the cramp the pace was good and I imagine will be slightly faster on race day. You can always expect to goose a little bit off your time when running in actual competition. If you know me, you know that I am an incredibly competitive person. I am really looking forward to having other runners out there on the course to set my sights on. I'm not expecting miracles out there on the course but a few "feel good" moments might be nice.

We're hoping to get one last run in on Wednesday and a nice little 1-miler in to keep our legs loose on Thursday. Will keep you posted. Wish me luck!

Less than a week and ready to go!

The big race is less than a week away and I've got a healthy dose of excitement and nervousness going on. I think I've done well with my training and only get slightly nauseated at the thought of my longest leg. My thighs are already quivering at the thought of a 6.8 mile stretch all down hill. If you live in the Reno area then you are familiar with Geiger Grade. My leg (Leg 33) has me running down pretty much the entire thing. While downhill running might sound easy (hey, it's all downhill!) it's actually murder on your quadriceps. I imagine that Monday at work I'll be begging for a piggyback up the stairs to get to my classroom. Perhaps the custodian will load me up on a dolly and cart me up there if I ask him nicely.

We've gotten our supplies in order and it's starting to look like we actually know what we're doing. It's actually quite difficult planning for a 24+ hour race when you've never done one before. There's lots of information on the RTO website and a few of our teammates have run the race in the past so we've been relying on all of that expertise (shout out to Nico-hollah!). Still, there's always a little part of me that wonders, "Do we have enough stuff? Are we bringing the right stuff?" Guess there's only one way to find out.

The RTO makes safety their number one priority. As such, regulations on mandatory nighttime gear are pretty strict. To keep with the rules Don and I both got ourselves reflective vests, headlamps and reflective wristbands. We took them out for a test run earlier in the week and once I managed to look at RoboDon without having to pee my pants from laughing so hard it wasn't a bad run. It shouldn't be too bad during the race.

We also had to think about our food/drinks while out on the course. We hit R.E.I. to pick up a few different kinds of energy gels (shudder) to see which ones would be palatable. The GU brand was a huge disappointment. They were overly sweet and had a very grainy texture. They also left a lingering gummy feeling in my mouth that left me needing more water than if I hadn't had any of the GU. Upon the recommendation of a friend of mine who is an ultra runner we tried Hammer Gel. It wasn't bad. The flavor (raspberry) was yummy and the texture didn't make me feel like I had a booger in my mouth. Win-Win! Hammer Gels it is! We also tried a chocolate concoction called #9 that was super tasty! It wouldn't be very good during a run but we picked up a few pouches for a sweet treat while we're chilling in the van.

All in all, the only true test of our preparedness will come when we're actually out there next weekend. Our start time is 11:30 Friday morning. We should be finished by 4:30 Saturday afternoon. I will be posting information and pictures during the race on Twitter so follow me-my username is roguepixie.

I hope to post once more before race day but if not, wish me luck!!

Countdown Begins

I've been slacking again. Things at work have been a little crazy in the last few weeks and I haven't really had the time nor desire to blog about my runs. As it stands right now, one month from today my RTO team will be somewhere in the midst of our 178 mile relay race and I think I'm going to do alright.

A week ago, my husband and I got together with our friend for a nice Sunday run. Nico is much younger and in much better shape than my husband and me, but we held our own with him as our pacer and we ended up doing a fairly hilly 5.5 mile run with our average pace hovering right around 9:36/mile. Not too shabby.

Right after that run I started noticing a pain in my left inner ankle. It's weird. It's not swollen and it's not all the time, but throughout the day and always for the first mile of my runs I've been having this terrible burning pain just below my inner left ankle bone. It doesn't last too long, but it's excruciating while it's going on. It feels like my ankle is touching a hot stove. I have been doing some stretches in hopes that it will help alleviate some of the discomfort. Here's hoping that they work. Cross your fingers for me. :)

Sunday, my husband and I decided that we needed to up the ante. Our slots for the race have been assigned and now we both know what our longest leg will be. His is 6.2 and mine is 6.5. We needed to tackle a run that was further than 6.5 miles so that we knew we could cover the distance on race day. We ran the same course as we had done with Nico the week before, but instead of starting at the park we started from our house which added more mileage. When all was said and done we had run 7.01 miles in 1:12:22 at an average pace of 10:20. Sure our time was slower but (hot damn!) we ran 7 miles!!! It was a great run and we finished with giant smiles on our faces. I've had several moments in my life that have made me proud and finishing that run ranks right up there.

Which brings us to today....not my finest run. Don (my husband) and I went out for our run right around 4:30. The sun was shining and it seemed perfect. We took off and by the time we hit the end of our street I was already regretting it. Neither of us had remembered gum and a quarter mile into the run I was super phlegmy. My ankle was burning like crazy and this grody blister on my right foot was screaming at me. I ignored all of that nonsense and we kept on running. We ran loops around the park and by the time we hit loop 2 (nearly 3 miles into our run) I was running with such a full bladder I could hardly stand it. We stopped by the restrooms. Bad move. That small break caused the muscles in my legs to seize up and when we started back up it was like my shoes had been replaced with cinderblocks. The blister was throbbing so much I kept imagining it like one of those huge cartoon toes, that pulsates rhythmically after someone drops an anvil on it. The final mile back to the house was the worst mile I've run so far. I just felt bad. We made it home after running 4.02 miles in 37:03 at an average pace of 9:13/mile. I wish my body didn't feel so awful so I could celebrate pulling a decent time.

Friday will be a nice easy run because Don and I have entered ourselves in the Run Amuck on Saturday. Our costumes are almost put together and I'm keeping it a surprise because they are going to be pretty funny. I'll throw some pictures on here after the race so you can see them. It should be a fun day. I'm looking forward to having some quality goof-off time with Don and this event is just the place to do it. Don't forget to check back on Saturday to see the pictures.

Wish us luck!

What a great day!!

Today was a gorgeous day. The temperature was perfect, the sun was shining all day and the birds were singing. It's nice to finally have the snowstorm portion of our spring (hopefully) out of the way.

My day started out great! My husband let me sleep in. I went shopping and got some great deals on new clothes for work and my boys went out to watch the local roller derby. I decided to take advantage of the nice weather and empty house and hit my run while all of my men-folk were gone.

That hot spot on my right foot didn't bother me today and that weird pain on my left foot was noticeably absent. Yay! As I was trucking along listening to Squeeze I was surprised at how good I felt. Since I haven't picked up any gum lately, my mouth was pretty phlegmy. Other than that, I was content to keep on running. Ultimately, I decided that I wasn't ready in this portion of my "training" to make the 3 to 4 mile jump in a day. I've already figured out a little hook to my loop to make it a nice 3.5 miler and I'll be running 4 miles by next weekend, easy. :)

Hurray for great days!

Long time, no see

Seems I took an unintentional hiatus from blogging. My apologies. It wasn't because I haven't been running. I'm just incredibly lazy.

Since the last time I posted I've actually put in quite a few runs.

March 30th: 2.31 miles in 20:39 (avg. pace 8:57/mile)

April 1st: 1.26 miles in 12:04 (avg. pace 9:34/mile)

April 4th: 2.50 miles in 22:29 (avg. pace 9:00/mile)

April 6th: 2.52 miles in 24:05 (avg. pace 9:33/mile)

April 10th: 1.33 miles in 24:17 (avg. pace 18:13/mile.....this was me bringing Mabel for a walk)

April 12th: 2.92 miles in 26:54 (avg. pace 9:12/mile)

Which brings us to today. I upped my mileage so that I was finally in the 3-mile mark. Truth be told, I was pissed on Tuesday that I ended my run just shy of three miles. Grrrrr. It was a windy run today and I've come to the conclusion that there are few things worse than running head-on into the Nevada wind. Not only is it bracingly cold but it comes at you with such force that it can stop a person in their tracks.

I wish my body had felt as good as my soul on the run today. I spent the majority of my run trying to focus on something other than the hotspot that began to form on the outside of my right big toe. And if it wasn't my toe, it was the tendon on the inside of my left foot, just sort of messing with me. No matter. I trudged through and did 3.14 (Pi!) miles in 32: 45-average pace of 10:27/mile. My slowest pace yet, but considering I was feeling pretty lousy I'm going to consider it an accomplishment. Today marks the longest distance I've run since training started and I officially hit my "most miles run in a month" on RunKeeper. Woohoo, go me!

Now that I've hit the 3-mile mark there is no going back from here. Four miles by middle of next week! Wish me luck!

Spring in my step!

Talk about a beautiful day! It's gorgeous here today. The temperature is great, the sun is shining and it's an amazing day for a run. I got started on my run today earlier than I usually do and I'm so glad I did. Today I had my best run yet.

It didn't start out very good. I was borrowing my husband's armband iPhone holder and the velcro was too big for my scrawny bicep. I pushed up my sleeve on my shirt, hoping that the bulk of the material would be enough to keep the thing on my arm. It worked alright for a little while and then slipped down my arm. I spent the remainder of my run with the phone flopping around my elbow. It rubbed against it so much that I now have a yucky little scabby thing on my arm. C'est la vie! I'll consider it a battle wound.

I noticed about a quarter mile into my run that I was getting a side stitch. The pain was pretty sharp and it nearly had me convinced that I should make today a short run day but with the weather so nice I just ran through it. It went away by the time I hit one mile.

My pace today was the fastest so far and I'm going to chalk that up to the weather. Seriously. It was such a nice day for a run...and the first time since I've started running that there wasn't an icy breeze hitting me straight in the face Hurray for spring! My total run today was 2.3 miles and I completed it in 20:39. My first mile, otherwise known as the yuck mile, was 9:02. I picked it up for the second mile and did that one in 8:51. I'm getting there. Slowly but surely, my pace is getting better. I should be running 2.5 miles by the weekend. I've already got a nice little route mapped out.

Wish me luck!

Hells yeah!!

Wow. I'm sitting here typing this out, my breathing under control and my calves as tight as drums and I just can't stop smiling. Perhaps it's the runner's high, perhaps I'm a little light-headed from being a bit hungry but I just can't wipe this goofy smirk off my face.

I took my own challenge from yesterday and finished my 2-mile run....and it felt good. It felt so good that instead of walking the last .25 mile for a cooldown I ran it in, so my total run today was 2.26 miles and I did it in 20:43. Woohoo! Personal best! Broken down, my first mile was 9:10 and my second mile was 9:11. Not too bad for someone who was all whiney about running yesterday.

Prior to my run today I spent a good 15 minutes getting myself psyched up to finish what I set out to do. As I put away laundry I kept muttering to myself, "You're gonna rock this. You can totally do this. Once you get past the first mile, it gets easier." I realize that might make me come off as slightly nutty but it's what I needed to do to muster up the energy to not give up and take a nap right then and there.

I had finally found my JogBra, gotten some gum, and didn't even bother with sunglasses. No excuses today. Only myself to blame. With that as a motivator I turned on a different playlist and hit the pavement. I was by no means running with the cheetahs, but I found a nice groove and those 2 miles went by easier today than ever before. I'm confident that I'm going to progress enough to not embarrass myself or my team for the Reno Tahoe Odyssey.

Tomorrow I'm taking the day off. My calves are sore and I think a day of walking or stairs is in order.

Wish me luck!

Disappointed today

Today is the first day since I started running that I am disappointed in myself. My run didn't get started on a good foot. I couldn't find my jog bra and didn't want to waste anymore time looking for it, lest I skip the run altogether. So I went with what I already had on. That was a mistake.

I got my music together, put my sunglasses on and headed out the door. About 3 minutes into the run I realized that I forgot gum and was drowning in my own phlegm. Horrible! Just horrible. Between the hacking and the fact that my sweaty face was making my glasses slip off my nose this run was going lousy.

Shortly after the half-mile mark I got a cramp on my left side. I've been pretty lucky so far to not have gotten any cramps while running, but I also haven't had my Aunt Flo during any of my runs, until now. I'm now sure if it was psychological, biological or what but all signs pointed to me ending the run early. I just wasn't feeling good.

After I got home and showered, and as I sit here writing this now, I'm really disappointed in myself. I should've pushed through the cramp and just taken the damn sunglasses off. Instead, I didn't and now I sit here feeling like I let myself down. :(

Tomorrow is a chance to redeem myself and come hell or high water I will finish another 2 mile run.

Wish me luck!

I didn't scare the neighbors!

So today was the day I had been fretting about. The dreaded two mile run. I would be lying if I said that I didn't try to rationalize ways to get out of it: I ran yesterday, looks like the weather is going to get ugly, I don't want to push myself *too* hard....and on and on and on.

Then a funny thing happened right after I put out my cigarette (I know, I know). I walked upstairs and put on my running gear. I didn't give myself a chance to change my mind, I just went into autopilot mode and got ready. With my newfound earbuds firmly in place I started my RunKeeper app. and faced my fears, and a strong wind, head on.

The first mile was ok. I was feeling a little out of sorts but I think it was mostly my body adjusting to the temperature. I'm still working out the kinks on my layering; I didn't anticipate being such a sweaty broad. My feet felt a little leaden as I tried to remember the last time I heard the automated voice tell me I'd hit a half-mile. It seemed like forever ago. My first mile was completed in 9:38. Not bad.

Hearing the voice chime in my head, telling me that I was ahead of my "desired pace" of 1o min./mile filled me with unadulterated joy. Without realizing it, I picked my pace up a little bit more. Despite running into the wind for the majority of the run I was feeling good. The nice lady in the earbuds let me know I had finished 1.5 miles and was still ahead of my "desired pace." YAY!

As I finished up my last half-mile I'm sure I was grinning like an idiot competing with myself in my head, pushing myself to run, just a little bit faster. And I did. I finished my second mile in 9:20. Two miles in 18:58. I'm over the moon!

Tomorrow is going to be a non-running day. I plan on doing some stairs, walking, and getting old school with some jumping jacks.

Wish me luck!

Contemplating tomorrow

As I sit here, nearly ready to head upstairs to bed, I can't help but thinking about my run tomorrow. Wednesday marks the point in my "training" where I amp up my distance. I think amp up might be taking it a bit too seriously, but I'm going from 1 mile to 2 miles. Though some of you are probably thinking, "I could run that in my sleep," rest assured that it is a truly terrifying thought for me. I know that once I get in my groove my endorphins will overtake my fear and I'll hack and gag my way through it. However, right now, it's going to haunt my dreams.

If I don't post tomorrow with an update on the run it's because my muscles froze up somewhere along my route and I'm probably lying in the fetal position in someone's front lawn.

Wish me luck!

Time to lace up the new shoes

I'm not sure what I was thinking. I joined a team for the Reno Tahoe Odyssey and now I've got a 176 mile relay race in my not so distant future. Don't get me wrong, I think it's going to be great to be part of a 12-person team. I'm just a bit nervous about my performance. It's been nearly 2 decades since I've run competitively.

I'm not going to lie. When I was in high school I was the star on our cross-country and track teams. I even made it to college (the first time around) on a track scholarship. I was blessed with a natural ability and I ran my legs off; to the point where I didn't care if I ever ran again. And so I didn't for a very long time. Sure I dabbled in jogging once or twice but my pack-a-day smoking habit always seemed to get in the way. Until last week....

Last week I looked at the calendar and realized that I had 12 weeks to get myself into decent enough shape so that I wouldn't end up dragging myself along the course by my nostrils. Getting into shape meant running, and I had to start somewhere. With a newly purchased pair of Nike Air Pegasus (my preferred running shoe) tied firmly in place I was unstoppable. Hardly.

I didn't beat any record on my first go out...I ran a mile in 9:32. My high school self would've laughed her ass off at me with a time like that. I was just happy to finish the run while maintaining the entire contents of my stomach. Today, I am happy to report that I finished my 4th run! It's baby steps, I know, but for me it's small victories, like not wanting to run but doing it any way. Today was my last mile run-next time, I kick it up to 2 miles and run 5 days/week instead of 4. Again, baby steps. And in case you're wondering, I haven't quit smoking altogether (yet!) but I am certainly smoking much less now. That is another project in and of itself.