I'm still alive, still running, oh and a couple marathons.

Today’s workout:
6 miles on the treadmill

Well, I guess you could say it’s been awhile since I posted! As in close to a year! HELLO...

I can, at times, be rather good at getting really excited about a project and then letting it fall to the side... what can I say, I like to dream big. I tend to forget how many hours I have in the day...and often get frustrated because I always feel like I need MORE HOURS in the day!

Well I can at least say that my running hasn't taken a downturn! I've done a whole bunch of races in the last year... including my first 2 FULL MARATHONS!!! My original goal was just to complete 1 marathon.... but my training partner and I decided to sign up for another marathon as a training race.

so on December 16th we did the Mt. Dora Inaugural Marathon and then on January 13th we did our GOAL RACE - The 20th Anniversary Walt Disney World Marathon.

Before our marathon training began, the farthest I had ever ran was 13.1 miles... the idea of a full marathon - 26.2 miles - was scary. VERY SCARY!

many many training miles later - 

26.2 didn't seem nearly as scary and I can honestly say the experience was amazing. DISNEY is amazing! I have to take some time and do a race re-cap for both races.

My training partner and I - post raceI'm the one in pink who looks like they're in pain...LOL4:38

happy with my time...was aiming for 4:30 but it was so.very.hot. more on that later.

Now that the marathons are over, I don’t have another marathon on my schedule, but I do know that I will have many more in my future. 

Right now I am focusing on ½ marathons and short races. I’d like to shave some time of my shorter distance races. 

I also really want a sub-2:00 ½ marathon.

For now here is what my race schedule looks like: 

1/26/2013 - Seasons 52 Park Ave 5.2K: 25:54 5K Split, 26:55 finish: Course PR & 5K PR!
2/2/2013 - Lady Track Shack 5K
2/3/2013 - Melbourne Music ½ Marathon
2/16/2013 - House of Hope Run Around the Pines 5K
2/24/2013 - Disney Princess ½ Marathon
3/3/2013 - Swamphouse ½ Marathon
3/17/2013 - Sarasota ½ Marathon (depending on HUSBAND’S schedule)
3/23/2013 - Winter Park Road Race 10K and 2 Mile
4/6/2013 - Gr8 to DON8 8K
4/13/2013 - Clearwater IronGirl ½ Marathon
4/20/2013 - PTF Spring Sprint 5K
11/9/2013 - Disney Wine & Dine ½ Marathon (this is the race I do for my brother Dave)

I’m sure there will be some other races thrown in there....and maybe a tri, but for now, this is what I have on the horizon.

I’m hoping to keep with my blog this time...and use it as my “OUTLET...” (Watch this spot ;)

Rut

Well, yes, it’s true. I disappeared for a little while. I’m kind of in a rut. I’m angry at the world. I can’t wait for the work day to be over. I’m watching the clock. I can’t wait for my Spring Break to start. I may just take Friday OFF and start my Spring Break early!

This past Saturday I got in a GREAT run. FIRECRACKER had his first soccer game of the season. Since I had a commitment Saturday morning and his game was at 12, I knew I’d have trouble finding the time for my run…so…I decided I would run home from soccer. It was a perfect run! Perfect route…I ..loved…everything…about…it… Just under 10 miles at an easy pace. There was only one HOT section.

I’m not yet used to the heat, but it won’t take too long…I hope…

I’m thinking of running tonight but want to avoid doing  it with the jogger. It is so much hard to run with the stroller and even though L’ilCHUBBYMAN loves it – I also worry about bad running form and risking injury. So…when HUSBAND gets home tonight, I am planning on heading out for a run. Hopefully he won’t be home too late… My head really needs it.

Tomorrow morning I’m planning on SPIN class and a short run. I’m hoping my SWIMGIRL partner joins me because my motivation has been dragging and we all know that having a partner in crime keeps us accountable.

On a side note – life is funny isn’t it.  I **KNOW** that GOD puts people in your path all the time.

On that note – I’ve got someone coming in a couple days to give me an estimate on solar heating my pool. HUSBAND and I have a mess of projects – a never ending list actually. One project includes expanding the screened in pool area, which involves having some trees taken out, having cement poured and additional pool screen involved. I also want to have solar panels installed so that our pool is warm. I know too many people who’ll be swimming during their spring break and I can only look and our pool and cry that it’s too cold to even put my toe into, let alone my whole body!

Since the Princess 1/2 on Sunday morning, I have been on a race high! I wish I had a race to sign up for this weekend, but 1 - there isn't anything close and 2 - HUSBAND is working all weekend so it's just me and the kids.

Workouts since Sunday:

• Monday - Easy 2 mile run
• Tuesday - 3 miles
• Wednesday - 3 miles

All the above were done in the evening...9pm or later - which I HATE to do because I am therefore up later and getting up in the morning has been ROUGH! So today was a great relief 

• Thursday (today) - 5:30AM Body Pump class + I still need to get my run in tonight.
• Friday planned - run & swim

So the Tri training is beginning. I'm not super excited about the tri training this time around because I am enjoying my running so much. So I am going to keep on training for my running events and sign up for as many as I can.  On the schedule right now are:

1. Winter Park 2 mile + 10k - doing both for the distance dare - 3/24
2. Clearwater Irongirl 1/2 - 4/22
3. Run for God 5K - 4/7

I've been in a crappy mood all day and am so ready for the work week to end. I might even take the day off tomorrow. I have so much to do around the house its freaking me out! I can't stand it when my house is a mess and since the HUSBAND has been working for 3 weeks straight - no days off - (I know...that's rough, but I'm complaining here :) )  I am behind on everything and can't get anything done because I am so busy with the kids.

I'm also in a crappy mood because HUSBAND is acting like an ass because he is over tired. I should be more sympathetic, but honestly, being tired really isn't justification for being an ass. Is it? I think NOT.

Anyways, looking forward to my run tonight and then hopefully going to be early!

Disney Princess 1/2 Recap

The Disney Princess 1/2 was AMAZING!

PR 2:01:52

Overall Pace 9:18

I am trilled with my time. I was aiming for 2:05 as my last (and first) half was the Epcot Wine & Dine last October and I finished at 2:13.

So I SMOKED my TIME!!! 

YAY!

So I am, of course, still riding my race high!

If you're interested in a recap...

The Princess Half kicks off at 5:45AM. I'll have to tell you - having done the Epcot Wine & Dine, which kicks off at 10pm - I without a doubt prefer the evening races...

Since I didn't stay out on Disney property, I had my alarm set for 2:00AM. I'm still nursing L'ILCHUBBYMAN, so I topped him off and handing him over to HUSBAND and was out of bed by 2:15. I was pretty good setting everything up the night before so I grabbed everything, got ready, had a COFFEE (so needed it) and was out the door by 3:00AM.

It was easy getting out to Epcot, where the race start/finish was located. I was out there early, but was glad for it. I was able to check everything out and not feel rushed. Hit the dreaded port-o-let...twice...darn coffee.

I didn't get to hook up with any of the girls I knew who were also running, so that was a bummer. Oh...it was FREEZING...60. Yep - I know...wimpy me...but 60 feels pretty chilly in the morning sometimes! 

There was quit a hike to the start corrals! About a half a mile. I don't think I have ever seen so many port-o-lets. I guess a race of 20,000 women demands that.

Here I am in my corral - I found a gal from Tennesee to chat with and had her take my pic!

 

There were many many women in tiara's, tutu's, or sporting some kind of Princess Flair. So Disney..and very cute. Yes, I dressed up...as Snow White.  I had a royal blue tank that I paired with a self - made tutu of yellow with some red, blue and yellow ribbons throw into it. Then I made some sassy red arm bands. Oh and a sparkly red headband and a red bow. I was feeling pretty princess like! Silly girl that I am.

Princess Attire 

 

Disney does such a phenomenal job with their races. There is entertainment at every mile marker. One thing that did surprise me is just how many people run this race and  stop for all the photo opportunities! There were lines! I guess if you are not running for your time, then it is fun to stop and get you photo with all the Disney characters. I wish I had snapped pictures of the entertainment as I was running... Maybe I will bext time. I'd kinda like to look back.

The run felt easier for me than I anticipated. I didn't have as many long runs in as I had hoped and I was of course worried about feeling ANY pain around my stress fracture site. But no pain!!!

Once I got to mile 10, 11, I was starting to feel it...but not bad. I was running a great race and I felt good! Ther are only like 3 inclines/hills during this race. They are all after mile 10. They sucked....but there was this guy pacing right close to me that I followed up the hills. He MASTERED the hills...I tried to followed. It was weird... I swear he was channeling Dave. I followed him most of the rest of the race.

The only part of this race I was NOT impressed with was the last half mile or so...it was ugly. We were running through back, employee only access areas. Nothing interesting to look at. The last 400 meters or so it opened up and there were LOTS of people cheering the runners on. 

When I crossed the finish line I had to do a double take at my watch. 2:01! I couldn't believe it....what I couldn't believe more - was that I felt like I could have ran it harder. So next time I am working on sub 2:00.

Disney corralled you along -there was water and Powerade -I grabbed both. They were both warm. YUCK! Then they picture both....I can't wait to see that! LOL...I did a funny pose. Then we picked up our "goody" boxes. Which I was very impressed with. But it would have been nice to have a little bag so it wasn't hard to carry that and my banana and drinks.

I found a spot and stretched and noshed on my banana. I tossed the Powerade. Warm lemon Powerade is NASTY. Then I again looked at my time! WOW! I was impressed with myself!!! Disney allows you to set up running tracking and it sends texts to you phone with your splits. For the Epcot these texts were very accurate - as far as when you received them - but for the Princess I was getting the text within about 10 seconds of crossing timing mats. Anyway, I cjhecked on my girlfriend and once I got the text that she had completed we met up and congratulated one another. She did great and set a PR as well! So proud of us both!

This is a race I will, without a doubt, do again and again and again. It was so fun! And dressing in costume...LOVED it! I got to be a Princess and run through Cinderella's castle! I LOVE FLORIDA!

Check out my race BLING! I need to get a better picture for ya.

Oh yeah...Feeling Sassy!

Tapering

1 mile last night

Tonightt 1-4 depending on how I am feeling

Saturday 1-2 

Yes, I am in full taper mode

Sunday Princess 1/2

Picked up my race packet at the expo today. 

I had to go to runner relations to submit my proof pf time and to change my name, as they had made an error when they registered me.

I don't know how I managed this but I did...I had my corral changed - I'm in corral B

But I FORGOT to have them change my name! 

And the worst thing is...I didn't even realize that I forgot until hours later after I was back at work.

Oh well...at least I know how to find my results! But jeesh!

I'm not going to make an extra trip out there tomorrow just to have them swap a V for an R.

At least the mistake is in my last name and no my first so my bib is still correct!

I am on a Pre -half -marathon high! I am super excited and ready to sign up for my next race!

There is the Clearwater IronGirl 1/2 on April 22. 

I'd register for it right now if I could be more sure of HUSBAND'S schedule.

Missed my first 1 mile

So I have my 30 day challenge of running no less than 1 mile every single day for 30 days. On some days (regular off days) that means 1 mile while on other days it means 6 or 7 or whatever is on my plan for the day. 

I didn't run yesterday.

I didn't even realize it last night. 

I had planned a morning run, but overslept. 

Then I figured, OK, np, I'll run tonight when HUSBAND gets home.

Well, HUSBAND got home and I had totally forgot that I needed to get in my 1 mile because I had missed it in the morning. It was also raining outside, so maybe my mind just wasn't there.

Anyways, when I woke up this morning, late again, and unable to get a quick run in...I also realized that I completely missed yesterday. 

I was really mad at myself and couldn't believe that I had forgotten!

I struggled with it all morning.

But you know what...I have been hitting it everyday for the last two weeks and I am proud of myself. I am going to let this little slip up go...I will lace up my sneakers tonight and run run run - because that it what I like to do and just because I missed a day of my challenge doesn't mean I have to beat myself up!

Excited! First 1/2 post SF!

Actually I am SUPER excited for the Princess 1/2!!!

This is my second 1/2 marathon. My first was the Epcot Wine & Dine 2011 last October. It was amazing! I was pleased with my time, but hope to break that PR of 2:13:50.

My only regret is not getting in enough LONG runs...this is really a challenge for me and something I hope to change in the months between now and the Wine & Dine.

Hold up!!!

I do have a valid excuse ...which I tend to keep forgetting when I am moaning and groaning about not having enough long runs.

I had a stress fracture people!! Diagnosed November ,1 2011. I wasn't able to start running again until January and I had to take it very very very slow.

So here I am, end of February...I should be CELEBRATING that I can even run!!! not complaining about not having enough long runs. It just gets better from here baby!!! I'll keep taking it as I can and be thankful I can run! Yay! I feel better now...much better, in fact.