Back from Vacation!

We had an AWESOME vacation!  It was so much fun :)

The cruise was amazing and so much fun!  It was hot and sunny every day and we had the chance to hang out and just relax!!

Snorkeling with sting rays was the best time of the entire trip!  We were able to swim with them, pet them, feed them, and even pick them up!  It was awesome :)

The towel animal creations were one of my favorite parts of the trip - especially when they wore my sunglasses :)  LOVED IT!

Visiting one of the ports in Mexico.

And I even had the chance to try froyo for my first time ever.  AND I LOVED IT!!

With my husband working nights, we don't get that much time to see each other.  This trip was a great time for us to just relax and hang out.  We've been back a couple days and I'm still trying to get back into the swing of things.  Looking forward to getting more miles in :)

I ran 14 miles on accident yesterday...

I would have never dreamed that sentence could have ever come out of my own mouth, but alas, I got a little lost on our group run yesterday and put in an extra couple miles.  I went out for 12 and yes, there were many people in our group, but most turned back at the turnaround for 10 miles.  I knew I only had one more mile to go, but I never saw the sign to turn.

Whoops.  In our group runs, there are typically 5 of us in our pace that stick together.  In 9 months, I've never brought my own map (even though coach prints them out for us all) since I just follow the girls I'm running with.  Yesterday, there were only 3 of us and one was feeling sluggish and the other was really speedy.  Cue me right in the middle.  As the time went on, there was increasing space between us until we couldn't see each other and then I tacked on extra miles. 

Oh well, the good news is that I turned around myself after I no longer recognized the road I was on and headed back to the last water station.  I made it there just as coach was packing it up, as everyone else had gone though.  Another whoops.  I apologized for my rookie mistake and her worrying and kept on trucking.

By the time I got back to the store, I felt great!  Even though almost all of my run was solo, I felt amazing.  Mentally, I was having a blast and physically, I was in the zone.  No pain, felt strong, and just rocked it.  I forgot my garmin at home, so I had no real idea how long I had run until I got home and mapmyrun'd it.  Yeah, that's totally a word.

14.25 miles of total badass.  I think running naked (ie no garmin) really saved me today.   To not know my pace and just run on feel was awesome.  I may do this more often :)

When I finally finished, coach just smirked at me and said, "You're the one that wants to run another marathon.  Go for it!"

So, yeah, that's the new plan!  I'm not 100% sold on which one yet, but something in May or June.  I really ought to find that out soon.

The other exciting news is that we're going on a cruise this week!  It's been booked for months and is finally here!  My cousin arrives to take us to the airport in 2 hours, so vacation, here I come!  I'm so excited for some down time and even managed to pack 2 running skirts justincase :)

Have an awesome week everyone, I'll be back on Sunday!

Choosing a Marathon based on Elevation?

So I'm thinking about doing marathon #2 this spring, but am not quite sure which one.  I have a couple options: the Kalamazoo marathon or the Flying Pig marathon in Cincinnati, both on May 6th.  Kzoo is an hour and a half away and the Pig is about a five hour drive.

Then I looked at the elevation of both races, because if I'm going to do a second marathon, I don't want hills.

Kalamazoo Marathon (click on pic to zoom)

 

Flying Pig Marathon

Holy crap!  They both look hilly.  ESPECIALLY when you compare them to the Detroit Marathon I ran in October:

Detroit Marathon

The hill at mile 3 was no big deal but the one at mile 25 seemed BRUTAL!  So while yesterday I was ready to register for marathon #2, today I'm doubting my ability to tackle the hills...  I think I've just gotten into my head and I just need to knock out another good run to set my mind straight.

Have you ever chosen a race based on elevation?  How important is it?  Before now, I've never even thought about it or ever looked at an elevation map...  Maybe ignorance really is bliss :)

14 miler down the hatch

Yes, for no particular reason I ran 14 miles yesterday morning.  Well, the truth is, I haven't had a training plan since the Detroit Marathon (my first!) in October; I've just been running whatever my friends in our running group run :)  We've completed two virtual half marathons since December and have kept our mileage up. 

Of the five of us, one is training for a half-ironman, so she certainly wants to stay above 12 miles each week so she can get used to running 13.1 after swimming and biking.  Another is training for a half in April and our coach put her on a plan that has her long runs alternating between 10 and 14 miles every Saturday from now until then.  The other three of us have no plans and just jump on the others :)

This winter has been really really mild in Michigan and we've barely gotten any snow.  I work at a school and I feel bad that our kids haven't gotten to sled at all yet - yes, we let them sled at school during recess :)  But on the flip side, it's been great for running outside. 

Well, the past three snows we've received have all been on Friday nights and early Saturday morning - making our runs snowy, sloshy and icy.  Not great conditions.  This week was no different.  It was cold (windchill 6 below zero when we started), the wind was crazy, and the sidewalks weren't cleared when we started.

But we all knew we were doing 14 miles; it has been on our minds all week when we told Liz we'd of course run them with her and we all kept chuggin' along.  I felt really hardcore when the more 'experienced' runners and much faster runners we're cutting their runs short and opting for 6 or 8 due to the weather and we stood to our/Liz's plan and finished the 14! 

It took us just over 2 1/2 hours, but we did it!  As cold as it was and as difficult as the footing was, we rocked it and felt FABULOUS at the end!  So much so, that we all went out to breakfast. 

There's something about knocking out a training run longer than a half marathon, even if it is only .9 miles longer, that makes you feel so damn good about yourself.  Mentally, this was a run all 5 of us needed.  These types of runs are far more for mental agility than physical in my book.  Rhoda, our soon-to-be-half-iron-woman, said it best when she noted, "You know you're a Warrior (our running group's nickname) when you run more miles than the degrees outside!"  And that's totally how we felt.

And it really got me thinking.  We knew all week we were going to run 14.  We mentally prepared.  We NEVER even considered cutting it short.  We just KNEW that is what we were doing.  And we rocked it.  I'm still so proud of it.  One year ago, this was completely unattainable and now look at us :)

Hmmmmm maybe I should run a spring marathon?  So I threw that idea out there at breakfast and got a few bites :)  We looked at a few - Charlevoix in June, but I'll be in Boston at a wedding; The Crim's new "Qualifier" that we got an email about on our phones JUST AS we had this discussion, but it's the same weekend as my school's Girls on the Run 5K and I want to be there to support my girls. 

BUT, this morning I saw the Borgess Run for the Health of It Kalamazoo Marathon is on May 6th!  If I were to run this race and use the training schedule I used for Detroit, I'd still be ahead of my long run mileage just starting to train now.  Hmmm, this totally could be possible.

Any other May/June races near SE MI I should be considering?  This could be real again :)  I've got the itch for number 2!

Super Bowl 5K PR Race Recap

So this past Sunday was the Super Bowl 5K and it was awesome!  A lot of the 501ers were there, including our coach who took lots of pics.  Hopefully she'll get those posted soon so I can share them.

The run was in Novi and since I hadn't been there before, I arrived really early and picked up my packet in the vacant storefront they rented.  It worked out really well and I ran right into a fellow 501er.  There were also plenty of Northville/Novi 501ers there as well, some of whom I met at the Big House Big Heart and then saw again in Detroit, so it was fun to catch up with everyone. 

I hadn't run a 5K since August (which I PR'd in 29:45) and I was really ready to get out there and kill it. I had planned on warming up a little bit jogging around the parking lot, but got to chatting with all the 501ers and all of a sudden it was time to line up.  Oh, well. 

There were quite a few people lining up - almost 2000 - and no real corrals, just a mess of people.  We ended up about half way in the line and ended up being behind a woman with crutches.  hmmm...

I knew it would be tough to bob and weave at the beginning and I know better than to go out too fast, but as soon as I crossed the timing mat, I was off.  I just felt so good!  We had a little 1/4 mile loop and then an out and back for the remainder of the course.  In the loop, I glanced at my garmin once and saw 8:xx.  I knew that was TOO fast for me, but I felt good and kept going. 

For the first time in a race setting, I really enjoyed the out and back part.  I watched the lead runner fly by and then looked out for other 501ers.  I cheered for everyone I saw and it was so much fun.  I saw another 8:xx and decided I shouldn't stop looking at my garmin.  I still felt great and out of no where, we were at the turnaround.  

I was then able to cheer for other 501ers behind me and before long I realized that it was almost time to finish.  There were a few rolling hills which I didn't remember on the way out, but still hung with on the way back.  Before long, we were coming back into the parking lot where the finish line was and I was getting tired.  I knew there wasn't much left and I wouldn't let myself look at my garmin until I crossed the finish line.  I didn't want to get in my own head about a possible PR.

So I actually managed to pick it up a bit and finish STRONG.  I hit the stop on my garmin and took a few steps before I looked down at it: 28:43!  PR by over a minute!  I just felt SO GOOD!!  When the official results were posted, I found that my time was actually 28:40!  I was so excited.  I've been putting a lot more 'oomph' into my training lately and it felt good to go out there and let loose. 

I had to leave right away to get to a baby shower, but I did manage to run into a guy we ran the Iron Turkey 15K with in November.  He was unmistakable with his mullet and barefoot shoes.  He, Amanda and I chatted about pizza and burritos during the last three miles of that race.  Fun to run into him again :)

Now, three days later, I'm still on the high.  And to think, I told my husband a few months ago that I wouldn't run any more 5Ks, cause why pay for a measly 3 miles?  Look how long this recap is!  Almost as long as my first marathon recap! 

So thanks for making it all the way through this story; I AM SO PROUD of my new PR and can't believe I averaged a 9:15 pace - I never thought I could do a 1/4 mile at that pace, let alone a 5K!!


Finishing Time: 28:40.9
Average Pace: 9:15
Overall: 921/1962
Age Group: 40/131

Finally, a new 5K PR!!

I raced the Super Bowl 5K in Novi yesterday morning and kick its butt!  New 5K PR: 28:40, over a minute faster than my last 5K PR in July!

I know speed is relative, but it's REALLY FAST for me.  9:15 average pace, heck yeah!  Full recap to come soon :)

New Running Skirt!!

Yes, it is Jan 31st and I live in MICHIGAN, but I got the chance to run outside in my new running skirt and a tank top!!  Can you even believe it??

Our running group met at a different location to knock out some killer hill repeats.  The loop was a really steep multi-level hill (up, turn left, up, turn right, up, up, up) then a low-key recovery run down a gradual slope and do it all again.  The hill was KILLER.  The steepest one I've ever done repeats on.  The entire loop was less than a half mile, so we did about 8 of them. 

The part that was so awesome was the weather.  It was 55 today at lunchtime and 52 at 6pm when our run started.  I was in my brand new skirt with a tank and long sleeve and after the first hill, I was way too hot!  Lost a layer and ran in a skirt and tank in January! 

This is the best I could get of a pic of the new skirt :)  hahaha, I'm clearly not a photographer

Say hi to Dexter's butt

This is insane but I LOVED it!  I can't wait to get some more miles in on Thursday, meet Rebecca on Friday, and rock out 8-10 miles on Saturday with the group. 

Oh yeah, and kill it at the Super 5K Sunday morning :)  Sounds like a fun week!!

 And I finally registered for this half marathon in April:

It's in my hometown and I'm looking forward to a half marathon PR this year :)

ps. is the white font difficult to read?

Kindness

I don't typically post on much other than running, but here goes...

I spent my Sunday morning at Sam's Club picking up a month's supply of snack for my after school program.  Now, I've been doing this once a month for almost 5 years, but NEVER on a Sunday - now I know why!!

It was busy, and by busy I mean barely any room to move my cart - yes, I did get the huge flat cart, but still.  I went in with a good attitude, lots of patience and just after running 4 miles.  So, I was a little sweaty and in spandex pants :) 

It took me 15 mins to cruise the store and load the cart, 15 mins for the cashier to check me out (as in ring up my items, definitely NOT me) and transfer the stuff to another flat bed cart and then finally the worst 15 mins of all: loading the car. 

Actually, the worst part of each month is simply getting the cart to the car.  There's so many potholes and bumps in the parking lot that could mess up the entire thing and knock it all over.  Me, I'm a packer and a damn good one - I got that from my dad - so everything fits on the cart perfectly when I load it up. 

The cashier, not so much.  Shit was wobbly everywhere.  I just about made it to the car when this happened:

Oh well, at least it was in front of the car and not in the middle of the parking lot.  Could be worse.  I already had bundle-ups from the run, so I just got to work packing it all in.  Doing this every month has made me realize just exactly how to fit everything in perfectly (either that or my OCDness).  I've never had to come back for a second trip. 

In the 15 mins it took me to load the car - in the snow, picking up almost half my order from the ground - NOT ONE person even acknowledged what had happened or offered to help.  Granted, I wouldn't have accepted their offer, but still.  It would have been comforting to know another kind person exists. 

It all fit in!

While this sounds bitter, I swear I'm not mad about it (I certainly could have been, but I went in with a really good attitude today), I'm just thoroughly surprised that not one soul made eye contact with me, offered to pick something up, or even said some smart remark about how much that has to suck.  And believe me, being a Sunday afternoon at Sam's, a million people passed me. 

I swear I would have helped someone if I found them in the same predicament I was in this morning.  I'm not just saying that so you'll like me, I swear it's the truth. 

So, from one nice person to another, let's all be aware of what is going on around us and be KIND to a stranger or a person in need.  You have no idea how far it will go :)

Lots of Stress & Lots of Running

So my huge work project is five days away from the deadline and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  In reality, the hard stuff is done and now it's just tweaking, cleaning up, and anal-perfectionism, that's all :)

That, in combination with regular work stuff and some upcoming family events, has me pretty stressed.  The good news is that I've been keeping up with all my running.  I'm fairly certain that is what is keeping me sane this week. 

Last Saturday we ran 8.5 snowy miles.

Sunday we ran 3.5 recovery miles in the morning...

then I played racquetball with my husband an hour later...

Thirty minutes after that, I met a new friend (of a friend) for another 3.5 miles. 

The new friend has run off and on and wants to get together with a group to keep her on a schedule.  I was so excited; I couldn't turn her down for a first-meeting, blind-date run.  Who cares if I already had my miles in for the day AND kicked my husband's butt in racquetball (actually, he kicked mine 2/3 games...)

Anyway, she was AWESOME and I can't wait for her to meet the gang. 

Tuesday night was a speed-workout at the track with Amanda and after getting home and plugging in the garmin, I realized we maxed out at an 8:15 pace!  That is AWESOME for us!!!  It felt really good.  Plus after sitting in front of a computer every day starting at 7am and staying up way too late working, I really needed a balls-to-the-wall workout.

This morning was 5 miles with Rebecca.  I felt like I was struggling like crazy and she was just floating, but her smooth stride and confidence really pushed me to keep going.  I was just glad she was taking over the conversation as I was a huffin' and puffin'!! 

So there's 17 miles for the week already, even without my long run on Saturday! 

I am just so glad I've kept my running a priority as I can really tell how much my body AND BRAIN needed it!!

Ok, back to the grind... 

Hair is about to be pulled out...

Yes, that's how stressed I currently am.  January is the busiest month for me at work - and I mean paperwork, spending an insane amount of time on the computer, data entry, design & layout, lots of details.  That is, outside of my normal 10a-6p job.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my job and what I do, but every year I have this time crunch and I'm just about to pull my hair out.

I took a break to run 8.5 miles with my group this morning.  Yes, I'm totally counting that .5 cause I worked SO HARD for it.  It finally snowed in MI this weekend and we sloshed through the snow/slush all morning.  It was totally worth it though - just what I needed before getting back to the computer.

In 10 days the stress will be over, as all my data goes 'live' Feb 1st, so it must be done by then, but in the meantime, I'll be a bit MIA.  I am keeping my run-dates cause I certainly need them to decompress, but that's about it for fun-time. 

Today, one of my 'work-breaks' was cleaning the bathroom.  I HATE cleaning the bathroom.  More than anything in the world.  I'll scrub the kitchen floor on my hands and knees before I touch the shower.  I've even hired a cleaning lady before just for the bathrooms.  Insane, I know.  (It didn't last long - we couldn't afford it, but that is totally something I want when I hit the lottery!)

So, here I go for my last break of the evening - to eat dinner... hmm should I have eggs over-easy or waffles?  I love breakfast for dinner when my hubby isn't home. 

I'll be back to my normal blogging and reading come Feb 1st, but until then I'll be gouging my eyes out and getting this thing PERFECT!!  and I'm meeting a new running partner tomorrow afternoon... so I hope it goes well :)