I am 37???!!! What?...

I turned 37 yesterday. I had 36 written in my planner for the last year. Oops. I sincerely thought that I was turning 36 until a friend reminded me otherwise. Early senility does run in my family. Oh, GOD!!

I can't figure why it is that I can only seem to get to my blog only once a week or so...but, I do have a theory. There is a lot going on in my life aside from running and until some of it is resolved, I don't want to post about it. There is nothing overly dramatic or anything, but I don't want to take the risk (the point will be clear at some time down the road...) Even though I have pegged this as a running blog; I think it is important to chronicle other events in ones' life to better understand the day to day things that can affect a persons psyche, motivation, drive, mood etc...So, I am thinking that I am witholding blogging because some of the things that I really want to share, I can't (yet.) Theory explained.

With that said...
Running - Good
Birthdays - Good
Running 7 miles with Jods ON your birthday - Priceless!

8/17 - 4 miles (good)
8/19 - 10 miles with Jods (Great!)
8/20 - Cross Training Day (Walk with the dude)
8/21 - 4 miles (good)
8/22 - 5 miles (good)
8/23 - 7 miles (with Jods) - (good)

I talked to a friend that has done several marathons and asked for any words of wisdom that he may offer and he said, "Just Run." Love It! How simple?! Yet, how perfect!

So, my friends..."JUST RUN!"

Jods and I are doing a 1/2 marathon in Rochester, MN this weekend! Wish us luck! This is Jods first BIG event, so check her out at "Always a Stride Behind" (blogspot) and send some cheer her way! Thanks!

Happy running and all the other stuff that "moves" you in life!!

Rock on! Run Wild!

So much to do...so little time...

Just when you think the blogging coma is over...it returns.

So much going on...some of it I will save for a later date...but, for now I will say that I LOVE WISCONSIN! We spent the weekend with some friends in Friendship, WI and it is about one of the prettiest places ever. Sometimes when I am in Wisconsin, I feel as if I have stepped back in time. Everything is so simple and clean. The pace is slow and the people are so kind! The Misters managed to get good and drunk on Friday night, so they had fun!! The other two Mrs. are both preggers, so I tempered myself a bit for them and a bit for myself. I had a scheduled 9 in unfamiliar territory (sans Jods), so I wanted to make sure that I could get that in as painlessly as possible. And...that I did!! It was a great run. The hubby drove me out 9 and dropped me off and then met me about an hour later with a Gatorade refill for my fuel belt. When I got back to the condo, everyone was just getting rolling, so the timing was perfect. We headed to the pool and chilled for a few hours. Well the rest of them did...the Mister and I were spending the time swimming with the Toddler. He loves the water, so it was super fun!!

I am going to back-peddle here and recap last week. Do you know that show on VH-1 called "The Best Week Ever"? Well...it was NOT mine...

Monday - Day OFF work...sick...no run. UGH!

Tuesday - Scheduled 4. I finished...that is the most that I can say.

Wednesday - Scheduled 5 turned into 4 (with a lot of walking) when I had some tummy "issues." There is a whole big story that goes along with this, but I am not in the mood to humiliate myself this morning...if you use your imaginations, I am sure that you will get the idea. No good!

Thursday - Scheduled 6 turned into 4 due to time constraints and lack of energy...why? why? why? (It was one of "those" days...)

Friday - the Mister offered to delay or departure to WI so that I could run (since I have not been able to get the arse out of bed in the mornings all week), but I declined, since feeling so sorry for myself regarding the rest of week. Seriously...can anyone say "Roller Coaster"? Up, Down, Around, Throw Up....Do it all again!!

And...Saturday - noted above! Awesome! Reaffirming! Fast! Lonely (missed Jods)!

Therefore, I took the momentum that had been gained from that outing and "ran" with it! Great cross-training on Sunday...long power-walk with the Toddler. And then long drive back to Minnie.

Yesterday - Scheduled 4 turned into 6, because I was feeling so great! Ended with wind sprints (up a bitch of a hill) for my last mile! The Mister was just about to come and check on me...he watches my times closer than I do. He is a worrier!

There, my friends is where we leave off!! I love this!! I hate this!!

Have a great day!! Rock on and run wild!!

Treadmills, Rain and Other Stuff...

Friday 7/28 OFF Needed to give my legs some recovery time...personal trainer friend demanded!!
Saturday 7/29 - 8 with Jods...one of thoses reconfirming runs that reminds you that, YES, you can do this. High five, Jods!!

Water warrior legs...better...still tight, but managing.

Monday 7/31 - First off, I want to apologize to the treadmill...you offer me a place to put my miles in when the streets are searing hot and what do I do? I SPIT on you...oh, yes...I did!
It was 101 in the shade, so I decided to revisit the club. Thankfully, they welcomed me back with open arms...I expected nothing less, since I still am paying dues, but sometimes I wonder if they are secretly snickering in the office when they see the dates of the last check-in. Well, they were tactful if they did...So hopped on the good ol' treadmill, strapped on the mp3 and was off! 2 miles, 3 miles...and so on, and so on (scheduled 5)...somewhere in there I lost track of my surroundings and let one fly. Jods can attest to the fact that I am a notorious spitter when I run...I gotsa spit...can't help it! Yep, I just wadded one up and thwap...it hit the treadmill before I even realized what I had done. God...I about died. The guy next to me grimaced and looked away. I have expected to get escorted out at that point (dues or no dues, that is gross), but it seems as if nobody else witnessed the offense. Whew! So, to the treadmill I say...at least it was Gatorade flavored...could've been worse. Sorry.
Tuesday 8/1 - The heat wave finally broke with a good rain. When the rain seemed to have cleared, I laced up and hit the trail for and evening with the scheduled 6. At about mile 2, the skies opened up again. Oh well, beats the heat...ran the last 4 in combination levels of drizzle to pelting downpour...It was great. It was a great run! Go figure! I was squishy, soggy and see-through (white shirt...no good, for me anyway...i think there were a few people that appreciated the show!), but rocked!! Yeah me!!
Wednesday 8/2 - OFF
Thursday 8/3 - TODAY...Flat, blah, ugh...nothing worth bragging about. Got 'er done. Only scheduled 4, but just not "feeling it." Not good, not bad, just was!! It has been so dark in the mornings that I have a bit of apprehension heading out the door. On the one hand, it is nice because it is SO quiet and still, but on the other hand, it is SO quiet and still. Kind of feel alone out there...keep my mp3 on low volume and feel a little jumpy until the sun starts to rise. I don't know where my other morning buddies have gone, but I don't see any fellow a.m. runners any more...come back...
So, with that...want to say, that I have been feeling pretty good, putting in my miles and feeling my confidence grow by the day. Every "marathon finish" story that I read makes me cry. I feel so excited and emotional about the whole thing. Can't wait. Every once in a while it is a good thing to take a step back from the whole process and absorb the fact that this (the training, the commitment, the first step) is a huge thing! Sure, anyone could do it. But, they don't! Finishing will be hard, but starting (WOW!) is quite possibly harder! Congrats to those of you who have finished, to those of you who have started and to the rest of those that are cheering us on!! We rule! Keep running. Rock on and run wild!!

Water park warrior...

Blogging coma...over!

Last week and a 1/2 in review:

Keeping up with scheduled runs and adding an extra day in here or there. I have found some new routes around the home-base and fortunately have also found some new pit-stops as well (read: port-o-potties/public restrooms.) What gives? It is as if the old gastric system just waits for me to run, just waits for me to be a good distance from home, and just waits until I strap on the fuel belt...this being an issue, because it tends to push on the offending area when I run. Oh well, I am learning to function with it, and if that is the worst thing that I have to put up with, then not a biggie!

Wed, 7/19: Jods and I ran the Torchlight 5K...FUN! Had a couple of beers after and then walked the same route back to cars.

Thurs, 7/20: Off day

Fri, 7/21: 5 Miles in the heat. 2 of them with the jogger/stroller and toddler...I am straining to pat myself on the back for this one, because...well, just because.

Saturday, 7/22: 7.5 Miles in the cool. It was gorgeous...63 degrees and no humidity. Excellent run!

Sunday, 7/23: Cross-train: Mowed (40 minutes), Biked (40 minutes), Walked (30 minutes). The family Jods came over for a little BBQ and few beers...it was nice to see Jods in a non-running moment!

Monday, 7/24: Off...lazy...I took my little sister to the Mall of America, so that could technically be a second day of cross training, right?

Tuesday, 7/25: 5 miles - 5:00 am - Pea soup!! Not so much hot as HUMID! Decent run!

Wednesday, 7/26: DITTO!
That eve, took the toddler to the local water-park and here is where we get to the Water park Warrior part of my story...The toddler wanted to go down the water slide. He is not yet two and has never done such a thing, so after checking with the "Abercrombie" sweetie, lifeguard, took him to the top of the platform and waited our turn. At this point, the little one decided that, "NO" he did not want to go down...I coerced him to try and on our turn, put him on my lap and launched us down to chute. We were flying around the turns and having a super time on our way down and then it dawned on me that we were going to "land," at some point and that may just scare the shit out of my little one...So, when we hit the water, I just PUT ON THE BREAKS (on the bottom of the landing pool) and had an immediate pain shoot through my thighs...I could hardly get myself out of the water...it was excruciating, but not wanting to disappoint the little man, I continued to climb the platform, launch down the tube and land at mach speed with the toddler in my arms. Don't get me wrong, IT WAS AWESOME!!! SO FUN!! But...

Thursday, 7/26: 5.5 miles, in pain, in pain, in pain...duh!!! At this point, I am hobbling around and groaning.

Friday, 7/27: Off...I hate that...I want to run, but I can hardly walk! Please, send advice...I have no idea what to do...ice? heat? rub? rest? run? walk? what?....HELP!!!??? I have a scheduled 8 tomorrow that I DO NOT WANT TO MISS!!

Looking forward to any wisdom that you, my fellow runners can offer...thanks!

WooHoo...

WooHoo...was it hot tonight. I think that people are probably tired of thinking of, talking about and running in the heat, but wowweee...hhhhhhhhhottttttttt! I have been such a lazy bum in the mornings that have been paying the price by running in the evening heat. I felt good for the first few miles, but the last mile, my legs felt like wood. I thought that maybe I would go beyond the scheduled 4, but alas, not gonna happen. 4 it was!
So, sitting in bed with a beer in one hand and my laptop in the other. I am reading all of your insightful blogs, checking out some running sites and registering for a couple of races before the marathon. Just signed up for a 1/2 in September. I have rescheduled my sons birthday party due to my need for speed (ha). Is that bad? My hubby just referred to himself as a marathon widower. Funny guy.
Jods and I are running an excellent fun run tomorrow eve. It is part of the Minneapolis Aquatennial and we have done it many times before. It is a 5k through the streets of DT Minnie and it kicks off the Torchlight parade, so the streets are packed with audience, radio stations, food and drink vendors, etc...the run ends up at the Metrodome, where they host a party for the runners. There are bands, beer, food, prizes and general carrying on. It is a blast! One year a squirrel flew out of a tree and smacked my melon on the way down. Darn varmint, made me spill my drink!
So, wish us luck...should be a hoot!

Stinkin' HOT!...

The Lifetime Fitness tri that I did a couple of years ago (see above) was on Saturday. The heat was in the high 90s and humidity was up there too. Can't imagine what a struggle it was for those athletes. We were going to watch, but thought it would be too hot for the toddler, so did not make it! There is a $500,000 total purse, so the ELITE triathletes (again...see above...lol) participate. It is AMAZING to watch!

The Chicago training is turning back in the right direction! No "walls" in sight! Good scheduled 4 on Friday am and a much better 7 on Saturday with Jods. We went out about 6:30 to beat the heat and were SO glad that we did. We ran the miles in about 1 hr 15 mn. Not bad. We run a pretty consistent 10 minute mile, so were back on track after our last joint outing. If anyone out there knows of the Minneapolis Lakes...they know what an excellent place it is for long runs! Gotta love it! Fountains, potties, parking, concession stands, shade, etc...always alot to look at...if you know what I mean (naughty...naughty, Jods.) If you find yourselves in our lovely Twin Cities, you must check them out! They are in the heart of the city and very easy to get to! Sunday was a day of rest...I am looking to add strength training circuits into my program and planned to start yesterday, but did not get to it. I'll add that 2 days per week and hope to start tomorrow.

Awoke to 86 degree temps and high humidity this morning, so decided to hit the treadmill tonight (cause it ain't getting any cooler today.) I hope there is good TV on! Got 5 miles to do, so boredom is definitely possible. I see that everyone else is in the midst of these temps, so take care, run smart and keep those nutrition links, tips, etc...coming my way. As you all know, it is great to have the support that fellow bloggers offer and I appreciate yours!

HAPPY MONDAY!!

Ohmygosh...has it been a week?...

Where did the week go? North Dakota was fun, but not so exciting that I would lose time. I ran my long run in some blazing heat, my friends!! Holy Hannah, I did not think it was meterologically possible for that state to see such temperatures. I may have seen a Eddie Van Halen (another story for another day) mirage at one point, cause I know that I was not lucid. To be honest, my dad drove out to check on me and tried to make me get in the truck. I was on my last mile, so I declined, but he parked at the end of the trail and waited for me. (Sweet) I wish I could say that I had an excellent run, aside from the heat, but I did not! It blew! It was one of those runs that make you question your ability to complete a marathon. One of those runs that makes you feel like crying. It was only 6 miles, but might as well have been 60. I did not run the next two days, because I was feeling so shitty about the whole deal.

But...Monday was back on track and ran my scheduled 4 (however, had company). I can't remember which blogger was asking if running while pushing a toddler in a "jogger" counted as double miles, but I think it should. I think my boy hides cement in his diapers...! Whew. Again, not a stellar performance and feeling really bummed about this.

Tuesday I ran 4 in the morning and it was fine. Not great, but better than my last two outings.

Wednesday I ran the scheduled 4 in the afternoon, and faced the heat again. Again, not great.

This week is really challenging my patience. (Also, the a.m. running partner is MIA again...) These distances should not be that challenging. But, the good thing is that I am now getting pissed. I am going to climb that damn wall instead of letting it get in my way. What I have concluded is this...I need to eat more...need to eat wiser...and need to cut out the Diet Coke. (Jods is gasping in disbelief right now!!!) I truly believe that my nutrition is a large part of the problem. We eat pretty healthy at our house, but I just think that I need to pay closer attention to the fuel that I am putting into my body. So, with that I have looked into the book, "Nancy Clarks Food Guide for Marathoners." Does anyone have any other suggestions? I know the basics, but would love more information.

So, with that I will say...I am scaling "the wall" and hoping to cross the threshold by my long run with Jods on Saturday. We are returning to a familiar route, so that will be a plus! We are going out way-early (to avoid the heat) which is another plus! And, we will be together, which is the king-plus!

Happy ("wall" free) running to you all! I am thinking about those of you who are facing the same heat wave that we are. Stay cool!