Half Crazy

I am so sorry it has taken me 3 days to finally sit down and write about my second half-marathon.  My family was hit hard with the stomach bug.  We are finally all feeling better and I actually have 10 minutes to sit down and talk about this great race I completed on Sunday.

After running the Las Vegas Rock 'n' Roll, I told myself I would only run races that were destinations, basically as an incentive to train.  The running partners convinced me to register for one right here in my backyard, the Sugar Land half-marathon.  I must confess, it definitely was nice to sleep in my own bed the night before the race.  Plus, compared to the 30K that were in Las Vegas, the number of participants was minimal. 

We got there bright and early so we could make sure we had plenty of time to stretch and "take care of business."  The race started promptly at 7:00 am and I have to give props to the race organizers.  They were right one time.  This was definitely a well organized race.  Erin and I had a race strategy we had put together the week before during training, mile 1-10 at an 11 minute pace, 10-12 at 10:30 and then mile 12-finish as fast as we could go.  According to her Garmin, we started at around 9:30-9:45 and we felt great so we decided to continue around that pace the entire time.  I don't think we ever got above 10:30, it was great.  The weather was AMAZING, the crowds were cheering, some even handing out snacks, it was definitely a great race.  

Here we are around Mile 7:

At mile 11, we decided we would just go as fast as our legs would carry us.  Obviously, Erin's legs carried her a little faster than mine did.  She finished a full minute ahead of me, but that's okay.  I still beat my previous time and met my goal of finishing in less than 2:15.  Official time was 2:13:47!!

Now I know I am half-crazy.  I think we have decided to run another one February 19.  I figure, why not?, I'm already trained for it. :)

Total mileage count: 65.76!!!

You inspire me

Wow!  Who would know that those 3 words could hold so much power?  I have always known that 3 words could be powerful, "I love you!" "I am sorry!" "Will you marry me?"  Okay, so that last one is 4 words, but I've never known "You inspire me" could mean so much.  Until someone told me those 3 words.  ME?  The former high school mascot, runner up to class clown, and overall goofball, inspiring?  I feel I have been pretty average most of my life, hoping to one day inspire my children to do great things, I've never thought I inspired others.  Sure, I had a tough pregnancy, okay 2 tough pregnancies, but both of those ended in c-sections, you don't really have to do much when you have a c-section.  I have a friend that recently had twins, the right way, after laboring for 30 hours.  Now THAT is inspiring!!

I digress, twice this past weekend I was told by friends that I inspired them with my running.  Wow!  Not because I can run a sub-2 hour half-marathon (one day) or finish a full marathon (maybe next year) but just because I run.  Prior to January 3, 2010 I didn't run, EVER.  I was that girl that said if I had to run for my life, I would die.  I said I didn't diet because I liked food too much.  My mother and grandmother told me I was "too pretty to be overweight" (sorry mom) but I just accepted that was the way life was going to be.  I embraced my size 14 jeans and went with it, because I didn't think I could do anything about it without sacrificing everything I loved, you know, ice cream, cupcakes, cheese, and fried chicken.

Here I am with the big one, December 2010.  Notice the conveniently placed child to hide myself.  This was a common trend in photos.  That girl didn't really inspire people to do anything, except maybe cook.  :)

But this girl:

apparently, people find this version inspiring.   (that's my RBF Erin on the left)

I still don't diet because I DO really love food, especially sweets, but I make better choices and I love running more.  And trust me, if you eat nothing but junk all week and then try to run 10 miles, you will be hurting, I learned that from experience.  

It makes me feel important when people ask me how I got started, or for advice on training programs.  I hope to continue to inspire more and more moms to get out there and run.  As I always tell my friends who are just getting started, "It doesn't matter how slow you go, as long as you go."  My other favorite is, "A 15 minute mile or a 5 minute mile, it's still a mile."  

Thank you to those of you who have told me I've inspired you.  Each of you inspire me to strive toward my goal, even when the Debbie doubters tell me 1000 miles is too high, and remind me that I'm 31 not 18.  I don't care.  I will run those 1000 miles!!!

Mileage count:  47.5

The more I run, the less I want to run away

I tell myself this daily and even have it on a t-shirt (check out another mother runner) and today I am chomping at the bit to run.  Fridays are my "day off" from my mommy gig.  The big one goes to school everyday and Wednesdays and Fridays the little goes to Mother's Day Out.  For those of you who are new, I have two of the smartest and most beautiful little girls you have ever seen in your life, and yes I am partial.  But most some days, they drive me absolutely BONKERS!!!  Don't get me wrong, I love both sets of those big black eyes, but there is only so much whining you can take before you start to go a little crazy.  And today, even though it was my day off.  I still had to work the paying job, as well as my volunteer job, (both of which I love!!!), and then picked up the little one, only to find out she didn't nap today.  Welcome to meltdown city, population 1!!! 

So I run.  I run fast and I run far.  Then I have to turn around and run home.  When I get home, I am a better wife and mother.  I feel more patient after I have sweat all of the "Moooommmmmmyyyyy!" out.  The hubs isn't home yet, but once he gets here, I will lace up and take off.  I don't know how far I'll go but I'll run, and it will make me feel FABULOUS!!!  

Mileage count 39.5

Sweatybands

While I am enjoying my taper, I wanted to tell you about a few of my favorite running necessities.  I have discovered many really cool and amazing things that I cannot live without over the past year, and I'm sure I'll find more during the 1000 mile journey, but might as well start at the top.

Let me tell you about Sweatybands.  The most amazing headband you will ever wear in your LIFE!!!  Seriously, it's like they are magic.  Their tagline is "OMG!   They don't slip!" and they ain't lyin'!  I have very thick hair and for some reason while I'm running it likes to all fall in my face, which is SUPER annoying, as I am sure you know.  I have heard of these amazing headbands a few times before, but never bought one.  Well, in October my wonderful personal trainer friend bought me one for my birthday.  I was just as skeptical as I am sure you are, but I put that fancy thing on and headed out the door.  Seriously, I never had to adjust it once.  It really didn't slip!!

And don't worry about being boring with your headgear, sweatybands has hundreds of colors and many different styles.  I have been using the thin one since October but just tried a thick one, and I love them both.  The thick one definitely keeps more of the sweat out of my face than my thin one did.  But no matter what size you use, you will LOVE it!!!!

And click on my link to the right and you can get 5% off!!  Woohoo!!!!

Restrooms and watercoolers

If you have ever been on a roadtrip for longer than 2 hours than you know the importance of a clean restroom.  My husband's family lives in Dallas and I can tell you all of the best places to stop on I-45 (Buc-cee's is #1) for a potty break.  In running, it's not much different.  My RBF (run best friend) Erin and I map our routes out based on a pitstop.  While training for our first half-marathon in December, I think the people who worked at Burger King got sick of seeing us on Sunday mornings when we stopped to potty and refill our waterbottles.  Unfortunately, Burger King closed sometime in the last month.  I'm more of a Chick-Fil-A girl so I wasn't even aware of it's closing until I realized I was going to have to find a new pitstop.

Last week we decided to try a different route and run around the golf course near our house.  Being that both of us are married to football coaches that don't have the time to play golf, we had no idea that some golf courses have water stops along the cart path.  Imagine our surprise when at mile 7 of a 10 miler last week, we found somewhere to refill our water bottles.  Oh the JOY!!!!  You have no idea how refreshing ice cold water is until you are out of it during a run.

Then this morning, there it was, right there around the 5th hole, a restroom, in all it's glory.  Unfortunately, you had to have a code to unlock it.  Damn!!  Well, lucky for Erin and me, my kids are HUGE Dora the Explorer fans and I was able to communicate enough with the grounds keeper to get the code to open the door.

Compound this with the discovery of a watercooler to refill our water bottles we found last week and this route is runner HEAVEN!!!  I'm not sure how the golfers feel about us running on their cart path, but for right now this was just what we needed to complete our 12 mile run to prepare for our next half-marathon in 2 weeks.

Now BRING ON THE TAPER!!!!

Mileage count:  36.5

Just a mom who runs

I am not an athlete, nor have I ever pretended to be.  I was the kid in elementary PE that had to tie her shoe every 10 yards during the Presidential Physical Fitness test.  The I was my high school mascot, not to be an athlete, but to be an "athletic supporter."  (warning:  I speak frequently in movie lines.)  The few times in my life that I was a member of a gym, I hopped around from machine to machine, probably never running further than half a mile on a treadmill before slowing to a walk.  You are probably asking yourself, "Why is she telling me all of this?"  Well, I'm telling you this because on January 3, 2011 something miraculous happened, I became a runner.  I laced up my running shoes and hit the pavement.  A friend challenged me to run a 5K with her so I made it my resolution.  So on that Monday morning I dressed in the 1 pair of running shorts that I owned, laced up the $50 pair of tennis shoes I had bought myself, a cute pair by the way, I was still doubtful I was going to be serious about the running thing, kissed the husband and girls goodbye and headed out "for a run."  I walked for 21 minutes before SLOWLY jogging for 9 minutes, but for the first time in my life I RAN!  It felt amazing, not because I was out of breath or sweaty, but because I ran and I didn't die.

Fast forward to today, January 14, 2012.  I now consider myself a full-blown runner.  I have completed 5 5K's, 1 10K, and a half-marathon.  I logged over 400 miles in 2011, thanks for keeping track runkeeper.  I have discovered I can do things I never knew I would be able to do.  I have spent more on a pair of running shoes than I have on any other shoes I've ever owned in my life.  And I have loved every minute of it.  Finally, I have something that is mine and I can do on my own.

At midnight New Year's Eve 2012, I toasted my running partner Kathy and told her my goal for the year was 1000 miles in 2012.  To help obtain that goal, I will be running 1 race a month.  Some will be 5K's (3.1 miles) some will be half-marathons (13.1 miles) and I may even do a few adventure races.  Who knows?  But either way I hope all  of you will join me on this journey.  This blog will be my outlet for my training runs good and bad, my race results, and for those days I want to hang up my shoes and go back to my couch potato ways.  I hope you will enjoy my journey, and maybe even join me along the way.

And in case you are wondering, I have run 24.5 miles in January so far.

As I tell myself during a tough run, "Come on!!"