New Personal Records Feel Awesome!

Race-2-Place 10K yesterday and I ROCKED IT!!!
I beat my 10K pace from last year (different course) by 17 minutes and 56 seconds.
Can you say "New PR!"?
Plus! I had my fastest per-mile pace to date.
Say What?
I was behind another runner the whole time and all I could think
was, don't let her get too far ahead.
She'd gain some ground on the straight aways,
but I'd pick up the distance on the hills (of all places).
Coming into the last stretch of the run, I put everything I had into
finishing as close to her as possible.  I didn't end up beating her,
but, as I told her, she was great motivation to help me push myself.
And, because of her, I crossed the finish line right as they
were calling my bib number as the winner of a free sweatshirt!
10 seconds later and they would have went on to the next number
and I'd have never known.

Nice tech tee from the race.  I got caught up in the event and forgot to take any other pics...oh well!

This quote is so very true.  My body will never be perfect, but every time I run I become more of the person I want to be--physically and mentally.  Even if I have to walk, even if my times are slow, my body can do some amazing stuff and that's all I can ask for.

Will Run For Sushi

MmmmMmmmm Love me some Sushi! I may or may not have motivated myself
with the prospect of a post-run sushi trip yesterday.

Dinner is ready! I don't like "real" sushi so I get mostly vegetable and avocado rolls,
with lots of spicy sauce!

Actually, I got a call from my mother-in-law during my run UPHILL and
once I hung up I thought about how I told her I was running.  And I told a friend
I was running.  And I told my husband I was running.  So, dang it all, I was going to
RUN! I picked up the pace and thought about why I run--because I can,
because it makes me feel alive and accomplished,
because I am a runner.
Before I knew it, I finished five miles with a pretty dang good pace
(something that has been lacking lately for me).

He gets a slimy spot on the left side of his face from where his tongue
hits him while he is running.  yum.

Someone is watching me...he wouldn't get up until another dog came along.
Even then he kinda just stood around. Score one for me.  A tired Mac is a happy family.

Today is a rest day and then tomorrow I have the Race2Place 10k.  I like doing runs that

have a purpose.  The Race2Place was founded by the family of 8 year-old Parker

after he died of Leukemia.  They raise money to support the camp they started to help

families that have lost a child or family member to illness.  I'm excited for the run--weather should be warmish but a little windy.  Here's hoping for a PR!

Here is the pic from the Bulldog Jog 5K a couple weeks back:

See me? I'm where a blue long sleeve shirt, middle left. It was a wee bit chilly with the wind going.

Perseverance

Just finished a morning run with Jessica and her husband, Sean.

I forgot how much I missed running in the morning.

It was a beautiful day and we got in a little over four miles along the river

with the sun shining on us...perfect way to start a day!

I'm planning on taking Mac out later today for, at the minimum, a walk and

quite possibly another run. 

That's one thing I love about morning runs--you have your afternoon/evening

to get in a second workout. Or, you get it out of the way and 

can relax the rest of the day.  

Monday I did my long run and boy was it l-o-n-g.  

Before I even started I didn't want to do it.  My body was tired but I made myself

get out there and move.  It took me longer than I wanted, I walked quite a bit

more than I wanted (dang knees) but I did it.  I set out with the goal of doing an 8-miler

and that's what I did. I didn't break any records, but I learned a lesson in perseverance.

At 4 miles, I wanted to stop.
At 6 miles I told myself that was an admirable run, time to stop.

But I kept going and stuck to my plan.  I know there will be a point (or two or three...)
in my half marathon when I think those same things.
Now I know I don't have to listen.

I know how to keep going.

 Mac enjoyed the first bit of it, then after a while

I could tell he was wondering why we weren't stopping, especially when
I had to double back a couple of times to make sure I got all the miles in. 

He got a rest day yesterday (I don't want to overdo him), but I can tell he is antsy

to get back out there.  Luckily for him, so am I.

Mac proved his point. He took my arm band so I couldn't run anymore.  Good thing we were already done.

Once he realized we were done, he took a breather.

Just For The Run Of It

Happy Sunday, all!

This morning I ran the Komen Run for the Cure 5K with my great friend, Bronwynn and her daughter, 12 year-old Brooklyn.  No PRs were set But I had a wonderfully fun time!

We laughed through every step of the 3.1 miles and afterwards Bronwynn and I were 

able to sit and catch up--we haven't seen each other in AGES!

Bronwynn actually asked me to do the run with her right after my post about running

the Bulldog Jog solo.  Whether it was because she read the post or just serendipity,

I'm glad she asked.  While I wanted to run full-out and try to get a good time,

it was a great reminder of why I run--for fun.  For enjoyment, not for numbers.

Numbers have their time and their place, and they definitely help motivate me,

but if I'm getting good numbers and not having fun, what's the point?

I'm going to have to start asking people to take pictures for me so I can not always be doing the same "arms out, body back so I fit in the picture" pose.

Gorilla for the cure? Why not?!

If The Shoe Fits...

So I took my New Balance shoes back.  They weren't cutting it for me.  

I realized I don't want a minimalist shoe. 

I want a minimalist-like shoe.  Meaning I want to be able to connect with the 

ground underneath my feet, I want a zero-drop, but I also want a bit of padding.

The first pair of running shoes I bought were Brooks PureGrit.  

I. Loved. Them.

They were pretty darn ugly, but function over form, right? 

Why I didn't just buy them again when it was time for a new pair I have no idea.

The shoes I most recently had were Brooks PureFlow2; 

they seemed to be a bit too thick in the sole for me--I just didn't feel connected with 

the trail when I was running. 

After trying to push through it, trying a different style all together,

I decided to do what I should have done from the beginning: 

go back to the shoes I loved.

I went for my first run in them yesterday (approximately 30 minutes after I purchased them.  I wasn't too worried about hurting myself with a new shoe because their design/style is close enough to the shoes I was currently running in that it wouldn't be a huge transition for my body).

Four miles with Jessica along the river.  Ran the whole time (great job, Jessica!). 

 Pain. Free.

Whether it was our pace, the shoes or pure coincidence I don't know. But I felt no pain.

There are different camps that either say the shoe doesn't cause the pain or the shoe is the ultimate factor because it effects everything else.  I tend to be in the latter camp. 

When did my pain start? When I switched up to a different type of shoe.  When did my pain get a little better? When I switched to a shoe that was part-way to being my original shoe. When did I go on a run with no pain? When I switched back to that original shoe.

It could all be in my head (I don't think it is, no matter what the guy 

at the last store said. Idiot.),

it could all be coincidence. Whatever it is, if it makes running more enjoyable? I'll take it.

Happy Feet.

Quit Whining and Keep Running!

This is what I felt like yesterday.

I did my 7 miles and at mile 5 was feeling ready to stop.  So I thought, I'll at least do 6.

And then I thought....eff that!

I came out here to run 7 miles and that is what I'm gonna do! I didn't do it particularly fast
 (it was slow, even by my standards), but I committed and I finished.

The feeling of overcoming a challenge is freaking awesome! 


Next week: 8 miles.  
Seven was hard; can't wait to see what eight is like!

I'm also starting to see some major weight loss results.  In fact, I may or may not have tried my husband's pants on and found that they fit...!

That's always been something that really bothered me...how much bigger I was than my husband.

He is pretty dang skinny just by nature (he doesn't work out OR eat anything resembling a healthy diet)

and I felt like it just highlighted my own body and diet (even though I was trying).

While I am seeing the number on the scale change, and I am noticing 

a change in how clothes fit,

I did my measurements the other day and found that most of my numbers went up.

And those that went down only did so by trivial amounts.

Some of that might be due to muscle versus fat, but my waist was one that went up...?

Stuh-range.

All that matters is I feel great and am enjoying eating healthy and running.

Couldn't ask for more than that.

He was so tired after 7 miles (and 6 the day before) that he couldn't even bring himself to pose for the camera.
He will be getting a rest day today :)

A Run With A View

Jessica and I went on a post-injury run yesterday and we rocked it.  Our typical run is 3.5-4 miles, usually with no set distance in mind when we start out.  At mile 2 I asked her how far she wanted to go--she didn't care. I said, "how about 6?" She was game so we just kept going.  At the turn-around at the top of the hill we stopped to enjoy the great view of the river and sunset.  Running with a view is so much nicer than watching cars drive by!

 A little past mile 3.  Don't go into the light!

I was a little worried about what the distance would do to my calf and knees (which were a tad sore during the run), but today they feel great.  I have my 7-miler this afternoon and am looking forward to getting into the groove of a longer run.  Yesterday before our run I was so dang tired I almost didn't want to go.  I am so glad I did! The run energized me, put me in a great mood and made me want more.

Hooray for nice weather.  Hooray for running. :)