I tried to save a life on Sunday

Let me start by saying all human beings involved are alive and just fine.

This past Sunday morning was the last day of my week-long vacation, so I took advantage of it and slept in.  Til 9:30am.  This is huge for me.  I got up slowly, dinked around the house and then got out for my 3 easy recovery miles.  By the time I got home around 11:30, my husband was up (about 2 hours earlier than normal), dressed and ready to go!  He had gotten out our bathing suits and rollerblades, packed some snacks and was just waiting for me to get home.

Since we were heading to the nearby Metropark to throw the football, rollerblade and then swim, I knew I didn't have to shower, so I changed from my sweaty running clothes to some new clothes to get immediately sweaty in.  We headed straight to the park where I had to buy my second season pass this year - since the one I bought in February was on my old, dead car.  No big deal, I use this park enough to make it worth $50 this year.

We threw the rock around for a little bit.  I hate this part, but it's my husband's favorite.  Then we strapped on our rollerblades and headed to the path.  We only went about 3 miles, but they were tough!  I was still tired from my earlier run, it was pretty hot out and the trail was pretty hilly.  All paved, but lots of hills.  

After getting really sweaty once again, we headed back to the car to switch our rollerblades for our bathing suits.  After a refreshing dip and lazy river ride, we were ready to head back home.

As we were driving out of the metropark and almost to the entrance, we came to a point where the bike path crosses the road and keeps going to a neighborhood.  I've never been on this part before, so I looked down the path.  I could see in the distance a bike lying down and a person that just looked like a blob, not moving at all. 

I immediately asked my husband if he saw what I saw and turned the car right around.  I yelled at him to grab the first aid out of the glove compartment and grab my phone.  I stopped on the shoulder, grabbed the first aid kit and cell phone and ran out of the car.  I ran across the street and started down the path toward the hurt biker. 

Now, we had just come from the pool and I didn't bother to put any clothes on over my bathing suit.  So here I am running in my bathing suit and flip flops, trying to get to this hurt person that's about a quarter mile away.  I couldn't make out any details, but the blob that looked like a slumped over, face-down person that still hadn't moved.  

At this point, I realized my husband wasn't running behind me any more and I was just flying.  I thought nothing of it but once I got closer, I saw not one but two bikes just lying on the path and two adults sitting up chatting with one another!  They were just staring at me like I was crazy.  I asked them if they were okay and they said, yeah, just taking a break.  

I wasn't sure if I should be relieved or livid at this point.  They scared the crap out of me.  I thought for sure a biker fall off his bike and landed in such a way that it broke his neck and he was lying there paralyzed.  I was so scared for him!  Then to find out two grown adults decided to just lie their bikes down on the path - not even on the side of the path or standing up against a nearby tree - and just sit in the middle of the path to catch their breath.  They were just fine, taking a break.

So in that split second, I turned around and walked back to my car.  Am I crazy?  Did I just make that up?  Did that seriously just happen?  My husband was making fun of me and the bikers thought I was just crazy.  I guess I may have too if I saw someone running at me like a psycho in a bathing suit and flip flops.

Now here comes the selfish part: they didn't even say thanks or express any gratitude that I was so worried about their possible injury, I pulled over and ran to help them.  They could've cared less and my husband thought I was an idiot.  What jerks!  I hope that someday if something happens to me on a trail and I'm by myself and with out a cell phone that someone takes a second to come see what's wrong.  

I should be relieved they were okay, but in reality I was just annoyed.  I'm not a person to overreact to situations, especially medical ones as I have plenty of experience working in the emergency room, but I really thought someone was in danger.

Weird Weird Day!  I hope it doesn't happen again!

Solstice Run Recap (aka the worst race pic in the world)

This past Saturday my running group participated in the Solstice Run in Northville.  This was the first time I've ran this race and I think it might be my favorite.  It started at the Northville Downs race track.  The funny thing about this is that my husband wanted to go to the track for his birthday this year, so I had been there before!  In fact, this came in handy as I knew where there was an indoor bathroom without a line, so I shared that knowledge with a handful of ladies waiting in the long line.

I didn't get there in time to meet with the 501 team for the group picture, but I did manage to find them before the start where Coach Gina took my pic.  

It was actually kinda cold in the morning, so I ended up running in my long sleeve tech shirt from the Mt Clemens half marathon in April.  We started the race on time and did the first lap around the track.  It was fun cause only a few months ago I won $3 on a horse on this very track!  Lots of fun!!

The race had a lot of hills, but I kept it slow and steady the whole time.  I was determined not to go out too fast, as I have been doing that a lot lately in my group runs.  I am proud to say that I kept an even pace throughout the entire race and never felt like I had to stop to walk.  Let me first state I don't think there's anything wrong with that, but I've never had that feeling until recently and didn't have it at all this race.

Split	Time	Distance	Avg HR	Calories
1	0:11:30	1.00	154	140
2	0:11:29	1.00	166	142
3	0:11:34	1.00	167	141
4	0:11:20	1.00	167	142
5	0:11:50	1.00	166	139
6	0:11:18	1.00	170	142
7	0:02:37	0.28	174	38
Summary	1:11:41	6.28	165	884

This is me trying to export my garmin info like everyone else.  Massive fail.  I'll figure it out sooner or later :)

Not only was the race a lot of fun and steady throughout, the 10 milers ran the same course, so about half way through we heard a very annoying honking of a convertible pushing us over to the side.  He was leading the 10 miler guy who was SOOOOO fast.  It was incredible just to watch him run past us - in that split second!  Later in the race, they joined us/passed us again and it gave us all a little boost to the finish.  Yes, he finished the 10miler before I finished the 10K, but I'm okay with that!

Toward the end of the race, I had enough juice in the tank to pick it up the last half mile or so.  It felt really good to not just end the race, but finish strong.  Stronger than any race I've finished so far.  LOVED IT!  They also called our names out as we were crossing the line and I actually heard my name - felt awesome :)

Here's the pic of me at the end of the race, just about to finish the line.  WORST RACE PIC EVER!  I don't even know why I'm even showing it to you, but here goes:

Not only do I look like I'm going to die, but I think my thighs are glued together.  Weird.  Oh well, it won't ruin my memory of such a fun race.

At the end was my favorite part: a mini expo for the finishers!  There were lots of fun tents with freebies and lots and lots of food.  More food than I've ever seen at a race.  I loved it.  Why don't more races do this?  At the expo before the race to pick up your packet, I'm too excited to race and don't have the time to check it all out.  But after the race, right at the finish line was perfect!  Lots of fun and I got lots of goodies!

After I got all the free things I could fit in my hands (they had no bags left), I headed to my car to drop it all off.  I then went back to the race line to cheer on the 10 milers and remaining 10K runners.  This part was SOOOO much fun.  I positioned myself on the course with a half mile left and really cheered my heart out.  I'm not normally that person, but I felt like people really liked having me there!  I got a lot of smiles, eye contact, 'thanks' and happy remarks.  This was a very very fun part of my day.  I probably hung out there for another hour and a half or so after my race.  Lots of fun!

Can't wait for next year!  I'll definitely do this race again, hopefully the 10 miler next year!!  Have you ever ran a race that you love so much you can't wait to go back??  This was my first one and I will be running for years now!

A Brand New Car!!

Since I haven't quite figured out how to use my Garmin stuff, the Solstice Run race recap will have to wait.

I am proud to share that we just bought my first brand new car ever!  It is so exciting!  While the actual shopping for the car was not fun at all, when I first saw what was to become my first new car, I knew it.  Like I knew it when we found our first house or my wedding dress.  It was such a great feeling!

I'm the proud owner of a brand new HONDA FIT!!  And I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!

Here it is posing by my parents' rose bush.  Anytime anything big happens - graduation, Mother's day get togethers, weddings, birthdays, engagement - we take pictures in front of this rose bush.  This is the first non-human rose bush photo shoot :)

So I wasn't sure if I wanted a larger car or a smaller suv and the FIT made it so I didn't have to decide.  It was perfect!  There's a lot of space in the back seat and the hatchback, but with the middle seats flipped down, there's even more space for things. 

Or you can flip the back seats straight up for more vertical room!  Like, if I wanted to transport a tree, or anything else that's tall :)  It's deceptively huge on the inside.   

The great news just keeps getting better!  While there is so much space in this thing, it still fits in my incredibly small garage.  Our garage just barely fits my husband's impala, but there's even less space for my car as we have a strange set up with a fence in the garage to our dog run.  This way, our boys can let themselves out whenever they need and I wouldn't have it any other way!

 I can empty the groceries with the garage door closed - there wasn't space for that in my old car!

So here we are - an awesomely perfect car with the happiest car owner ever!  Can you tell what my favorite color is??  Hint: check out the car, or my husband's car, or my dress, or the house, or my wedding ring if you zoom in like crazy :)

I love the FIT so much!  It has a lot of space but still drives like a small car.  I can zoom around downtown Ann Arbor and easily parallel park still.  It's actually shorter than my old 2-door civic.  Until Wednesday, I had never seen a FIT before, but now I've been noticing them everywhere!  

It even has made me a better driver!  I go the speed limit - or less- and am much more cautious.  I even got passed on Huron River Drive twice today!  Usually I'm the a-hole passing people!  I hope this sticks with me!!

I've never owned/driven/purchased a new car before, so this is really exciting.  I got mad at my husband for sneezing in the car yesterday.  Today, I vacuumed and wiped down the interior and washed the exterior.  You know, cause cars get so dirty in 3 whole days!  I've never washed a car in my life; I had to purchase a sponge today!!  Maybe I'll wash my car every weekend!  I did this when we bought the house too; I couldn't wait to vacuum every Sunday!  That wore off though, so I doubt this car washing will stick around forever!

Solstice 10K Quickie

Once I finally got to sleep last night at 2:30am, the alarm went off 3 hours later.  Even so, it was a great race day. 

Official 10K time 1:11:40

I know that's not fast for a lot of you, but it felt great to me.

Grocery shopped all day with Pat (Sam's and Meijer) and couldn't wait to fit everything in my new car!

With no nap, I'm heading to bed for a good night's sleep.  I'll detail the race (and new car) manana!

Weirdest Race Eve Ever

So my alarm is set to go off in 5 hours for my 10K in the morning, but I can't sleep.  I went to bed over two hours ago and just tossed and turned.  I'm not nervous about the race.  In fact, I'm not worried at all about the race.  When did I become so laid back about races?

This is the first time I'm so relaxed about it and not stressing over each detail.  Nothing is laid out, clothes not even picked out, not sure if my favorite shorts are clean in my drawer or the laundry.  This thought actually crossed my mind earlier today and I still haven't investigated it further.  Let me state for the record that this is not me at all.  I'm a planner.  I set things out for everything the night before, not just races.  I pick out my outfit every night.  For work on a normal day.  For my husband when he gets home from work.  I'm a planner and have no desire to today.

I'm looking forward to this race tomorrow.  It's the Solstice Run in Northville and the first race my running group is doing together.  I should be freaking out cause the team singlet I picked up on Tuesday doesn't fit properly - or even appropriately to wear in public.  Coach wants us all to wear it tomorrow, but I'm not even worried about it.  Have I learned to loosen up?  Am I so over stressed that I can't handle things anymore?  Have I given up?  I think the answer to all those questions is no.   

I've been off work all week, which has been fun, although a bit boring.  I don't relax well.  I like schedules and being busy.  I'm a bit stir-crazy from not having anything planned all week.  On the flip side, I shopped for a new car all week - NOT FUN - and found the car of my dreams on Thursday - a lot more fun - bought it and drove it off the lot that day.

I should be thrilled, excited, elated, ready to go.  But I just feel blah.  Don't know what the deal is.  Perhaps the fact that everyone I know is busy tonight (and my husband is at work, like usual), so day 2 of my first-brand-new-car-of-my-entire-life is spent at home by myself not showing it off to anyone.  Maybe that's the deal.  

Maybe the fact that my running week started off so great - great group long run on Saturday, fun 3 mile easy run with my dogs on Sunday, extra bonus run for fun of 4 miles on Monday, awesome hill workout with the class on Tuesday.  Then it ended.  Took scheduled rest day on Wednesday and had to cancel my run with my running buddy on Thursday as we were at the dealership signing our life away for hours on end.  Today I felt I shouldn't make up Thursday's run to stay rested for tomorrow's race.  So, now I'm just antsy.  

Maybe just venting this out will help me sleep.  It's amazing how much this blog has changed over time for me.  What started as a place to keep a record for myself on my 'trial run' with running was then shared with 2 friends six months later and then a handful of family members a couple months later and then finally to the world is now more like a personal journal to me.  And it feels great to have this place to vent.

The good news is that in addition to the running group (wannabe) friends I have running tomorrow's race, Detroit Runner and Watch MeGo Run (who's like famous now, on the nuun team) will be there.  Maybe I'll run into them and swoon as they're like celebrities to me :)  I think I recall Eastside Stoney Creak TNT Coach mentioning he'll be at the race tomorrow, too.  

Here's hoping I can fall asleep soon and come back with a great race report tomorrow!  Or at least snap out of this funk. 

Chocolate Explosion and Hill Work

I have this week off and it's been fun!  Since my husband works nights and we rarely get to see each other, it's been a blast just hanging out all day.   Today we walked to the library, checked out some great books since I'm already bored and came home for lunch.  The deal was if I made us lunch, he'd make us dessert.

Now, we don't typically have dessert with lunch, it was just a fun and hot day after our sweaty walk to the library.  I made us some pretty delicious sandwiches - my husband's favorite thing in the world - and he headed to the kitchen for our surprise dessert.

I took a phone call in the other room and came back to this:

There was chocolate EVERYWHERE!  Don't let the smile on his face fool you, he was freaking out that a) the dogs would start licking it up and get sick and we've already had a really bad experience with that which resulted in recarpeting the entire house and b) the chocolate would stain his favorite shorts forever!!

He was yelling for me to get a towel to clean it up, while I'm laughing so hard I'm crying!  I wouldn't let him move until I got the camera - it was hilarious!!

By the time we got the kitchen cleaned up, my chocolate milk (not shake) was delicious :)  Oh well, he tried!!

Tonight was my first hill workout with the running group and boy, was it tough!  Tough in a good way, but we were all completely soaked in sweat when we returned back to the store.  I met a couple more runners today, so it's definitely getting more friendly.  

We did an out to a hill and back.  More experienced runners did the hill loop a few times, but just there, up, down, and back was 5.69 miles (thank you garmin!).  It was longer than my longest run this session, but it felt great and makes me feel a lot more prepared for my 10K this Saturday.

I think I'm going to love this group more than I thought!  

Tomorrow we're heading out to my Aunt and Uncle's boat all day to relax on the water!  I can't wait!!

I LOVE to Run!

Finally!  I've come to the point where I love to run!  I think about it all the time, I can't wait to get out there, I've found the perfect outfit, I love my garmin, life is great!  

I just got back from an evening 4.5miler and it couldn't have felt better; it was just what the doctor ordered.  After a long day of new-car shopping, I was exhausted, confused, overwhelmed and crabby.   I came home, shared all my new car knowledge with my husband, felt like we'll never have enough money (ever, let alone to buy a car soon), and had to lace up and get outside.

The past week I've been stopping for walk breaks, which I've rarely done since since I was able to run 3 miles continuously.  This past week, I've been feeling very sluggish and taking walk breaks before the 2 mile marker.  I've had some serious self-doubt, but nothing my normal 4 mile route couldn't fix tonight.

I ran the first two miles without even looking at my garmin!  From last week's stopping for walk breaks just after a mile to this felt amazing!  All was smooth sailing until the 3.5 mile point when I had to stop for a train.

Now, I was kinda out in the country and didn't want to chance my life with a train, so I stopped and jogged in place for a few minutes.  I was bummed that I had to take a short break, but in the grand scheme of things, not a big deal at all.

Finished running 4.15 miles and continued to walk the rest of the way home.  I felt amazing and it was just what I needed today!  Hope it'll help me power through more car dealerships tomorrow!

Our first hill workout of our group class is tomorrow night - it's sure to be a fun experience!

Running with a Group

I've had two group runs this week with my new running class through the local running store and they've been great!  I hesitate to say 'fun' cause they were hard workouts, but I enjoyed them.

Tuesday night was our first meeting of the Spring class.  We had over 30 people easily and did a tempo/hill/step/fartlet workout.  It was crazy but fun.  I like it since I would never do it on my own. But, with 30+ other people around you, it's hard to stop.  It was a really tough workout, but a great time.  

From the running store to our loop location and back to my car was 5 miles!  That's long for me, kinda.  I'm realizing that taking the month of May off wasn't the best idea I've ever had, but I needed it for my mental health.  I was a little burnt out, just a little, after my April half and decided May would be laid-back and just run when I wanted to.  

Surprgisingly, with two 4-day vacations in there and a busy time at work, and loving to sleep in all the time, I didn't et out there much.  I'm not going to beat myself up over it, but definitely learn from it.

This morning was our first group long run.  There were people doing 10, 6, & 4 miles today, all on the same out and back course.  I opted for the 6 mile run and made my first friend of the class: Elizabeth.  It was fun chatting with her in the first mile, but then I sent her off as she's faster than me and I knew I was going out too fast.  

When I hit the water station at mile 2, I felt 80% depleted physically and about 99% mentally.  So I took this as an opportunity to turn back and run the 4 mile loop.  While I wasn't feeling too bad about it, I ended up finishing the 4 mile strong and thought I should've stayed for the 6, but oh well, it's over now.

Next week I have 4 on the schedule for my long run, so I'll just switch it with this week and do 6.  I'm still slugglish from the New Orleans weekend (does this ever happen to anyone else?  I've been back for 6 days and still feel like crap!) and working on building up my fitness again.

I'm afraid to over-do it just to keep up with the class and injure myself.  I know there's a slower group somewhere behind me, so I should just buck up and get in the right group to start off with.  

My typical pace is somewhere around 10:30min/mile.  Tuesday I ran the first mile with the group around 9:30.  I knew it was too fast for me and that I'd peter out, but I didn't know the route and thought I'd get lost.  Rookie move.  Now I show up on time and get a copy of the map!!

Either way, I'm excited for what this class has to offer me.  I run on Tues, Thurs, Sat and Sun.  Tues/Sat with the group, Thurs with a local running buddy (hopefully we can continue this trend) and then Sunday on my own.  I think I'm spoiled with this routine :)

Hope everyone's running is going great!  If you have any advice or words of wisdom for a first-time marathoner, please share!!

Quick Updates

My husband and I had the best weekend ever - vacation to Baton Rouge and New Orleans for a friend's wedding.  It could not have been more fun!!

After getting back to our hotel from the wedding/Bourbon Street around 430am, we get up at 730 and made it to the NO airport at 9am.  After several over-booked flights and crazy delays, we were home in Detroit just before midnight.  I hate airports.  I hate them even more hungover and going on 3 hours of sleep :(  But, it was still the best weekend ever!

My car was in the shop while we were out of town.  Diagnosis: dead as a doornail, Smalls.  Rx: borrow mom's car until I can get around to buying our first new car ever next week!  Exciting!!

Three more days of work until I have a week off!!  Then begins 8 weeks of the most intense part of my job: Director of Summer Camp!!  I love it, but it's exhausting.  Can't wait to rest up next week!

Went to my first running class tonight.  I didn't make any friends yet and got a little discouraged with how I felt, but I'm ready and excited to go back for my long run on Saturday.  (Surprisingly, eating fried everything in sight and drinking like you're 21 again for 4 days makes you feel bloated and yucky and isn't condusive for running - shocking!)

Meeting friends for a Tigers game tomorrow night and taking my Mother in Law to go see Carmen on Sunday = fun, fun, fun.

And yes, I'm excited to be starting marathon training for real!

I'll be back soon!!!

Motivation Found and the Big Easy!

My motivation has been found!  Between my new garmin, great walks with a running buddy and the kick off to my new running class, you can't find me anywhere but out running!

My Running Fit 501 class met tonight for 'orientation'.  There were quite a few people there - no parking spots and no chairs when I arrived!  Even though the meeting was kinda boring, I'm excited that it's finally here.

I have a training plan all set for my first marathon and am so excited!  With my new garmin on my wrist, I can't wait to get out the door!!

On top of this excitement, my husband and I are heading to New Orleans on Thursday!!  We have a long weekend planned complete with a friend's wedding, visiting our old digs in Baton Rouge, eating all the best foods we've missed for 4 years and catching up with old friends.

My husband lived in BR for 6 years and I for 2, so it'll be fun to get back and reminisce.  I can't wait to go past our first apartment together!!  Oh the memories :)

Plus, we get to finally meet our friends' son and catch up with everyone since we moved back to Michigan in 2007.  This will be our last vacation for this year, so we're not planning on holding back!  Woohoo!!  This is a new concept for me, we'll see how it goes....

We'll celebrate with old friends, have our last hurrah and then when we get home, I'm 100% in training mode for my first marathon - does it get any better than this??!!