Ready Set Go!

Count down, start time in one hour. Got our bib numbers and timing chips. Beautiful morning for a run. 

Hey Lady....

 The other day my husband and I went out to the Spring Creek Greenway to do my 20 mile training run. It was a beautiful day and with some cool dry air finally I was looking forward to enjoying a comfortable 10 minute/mile pace. Easy Breezy! My husband was riding his bike along side me for the run. He was, as always, keeping me company chatting away, telling funny stories and catching up on the latest news and carrying my water bottles.  We enjoy saying "good morning' to all the regulars and new people on the paved hike and bike trail. It has been getting very busy and popular out there especially on the weekends. This particular morning was no exception. We encountered a group of young bike riders with a couple of chaperones enjoying the trail and closing in behind us. So we moved all the way over to the right side so they could pass easily. Several of the young boys rode along side for a minute and were very chatty with us while the rest of the group passed us one by one. They were surprised we were that far into the trail and I was running and my 'chaperone' was riding his bike. Intrigued enough that one of the young boys said " hey lady... can't you afford a second bike, so you don't have to run''? I almost fell on the ground laughing. I love kids, they say the darnedest things sometimes. The entertainment factor from that carried us through the rest of the day.  

Pre Run Jitters

   Placing 3rd in my age group at the 2012 Huntsville Texas Half Marathon inspired me to come back last year to push harder for a 2nd place finish in my age group. WooHoo! It was the fastest half marathon I have ever run 1:50:32, averaged an 8:24 mile pace. I'm thinking about this upcoming Huntsville Half Marathon. The questions always sneak up on you. Am I ready? Can I run faster? How strong do I really feel? Most important... what am I gonna wear?? Anticipation is high and confidence is low. Feeling the rising pressure from within.

    Huntsville has scenic rolling hills. I love this double looped course it goes around some of the Huntsville State Prison buildings, so it does seem to make you want to run faster, or not break the law, because their watching your every step. It is the first race of my running season and it gives me an idea of my fitness level. I think that is why I am always so anxious about this race. A cold front has come through the area so weather conditions should be perfect for another PR this year. My husband running stride for stride beside me, I can't ask for anything better. What a wonderful day it will be!! 

Fastest Workouts

  The hotel that we stay at in San Diego for our layovers has had an old out dated fitness center for many years. The best description of it would be a closet with one treadmill and an elliptical machine. Both of them definitely have seen better days. The placard on the door says ''maximum capacity of 6'', that always makes me chuckle when I use the "gym".  I've never seen anyone else working out so the 6 max rule must be working. Of course I'm usually in there around 3am so that might have something to do with it as well. I can tell you it was tiny and possibly in the Guinness Book of World Records for the smallest gym. Recently the hotel has completely remodeled and updated the fitness center. They now have beautiful state of the art equipment, lots of space to move around and I love this new facility. The best part is that they haven't calibrated the treadmills yet for some reason. I've brought it to their attention several times. My normal routine is to get on the treadmill, walk for about a quarter mile to then start jogging for another half mile or so until my legs feel warmed up enough to turn up the speed. On these treadmills no matter what speed you set it at above a 10 minute mile pace the treadmill belt will only run at a 10 minute mile pace. So I get to have some fun. Since I'll never be able to really run a 6 minute mile. I crank up the pace on the screen to a 6 minute mile pace and pretend that I am flying through my workout, lots of smiles and singing. At the end of my 40 minute run the treadmill screen tallies up my milage and says that I have completed about 7 miles. WooHoo. That is super duper fast. Gotta love those treadmills. 

  Apparently I run so fast in San Diego now that maybe Cliff Nutrition has heard about me. I received a strange package in the mail the other day, I'm not sure why but it was from Cliff Nutrition Company. It contained a sampler of their chocolate chip bar, electrolyte mix, Shot Bloks, Gu, and a recovery drink mix. I feel like a paid elite athlete with a sponsorship. I'll keep dreaming and working hard and running 6 minute miles in San Diego, you never know what might happen!

Did you know...

'' the scariest moment is always just before you start'' Stephen King..This is one of my favorite mantra's, along with 'you have to start somewhere' (unknown) I repeat it often to myself and others.

    The hardest and scariest thing I ever did was stub out my last cigarette on March 4, 2001 after being a heavy smoker for 20 years.       

    The second hardest thing was learning how to run. I was never really a talented athlete. It took me a very long time with lots of trial and error to complete that first mile. When I did... I felt like I had won a gold medal at the Olympics. So what if it was the slowest mile on record. It was My Record. Never to this day forgetting that feeling of accomplishment. My husband has helped guide, motivate and encourage me to run better and more efficient. It was not easy or fun at first, but once I got my feet in a forward motion, I never looked back. Running is not bad for you. I am having fun setting new goals and distances.  

    Always striving for a new goal, ''It's a process'' my husband always says. When I quit smoking and  started running the next thing I had to do was eat healthy. Learning, researching and applying the technics has become such a passion in my life. I never want to stop cooking new food recipes or trying new exercises. It amazes me how many choices are available. You just have to pick the ones you like and get started!!

Pushing through....Fun?

     My friends John and Katie (they been have been married a long time) have a passion they share in their life. They like to 'bicycle', as he calls it, riding really long distances while site seeing, touring and  experiencing the countryside along with its different cultures. Every year they take a hiatus from work, pick a new destination and go on an adventure ride. Admiring their free spirits, we understand each other's passion. Mine for running long distances and theirs for riding long distances. Our conversations usually involve something about gear, fueling and hydration. Our mind sets are very similar. It's very much about being able to push through. 

   I had to chuckle when John sent me this text a few days into his latest adventure. 

  ''You once told me the start of a long race lacks fun, but then, when you find your groove, it becomes fun.  Well, I'm riding my bicycle, solo, across western Canada, and the first 3 or 4 days were a grind.  But now it's fun.  Started in YVR, over 4 named mountain passes, now in Lake Louise. Will meet up w/ Katie tomorrow night in YYC, and together head east bound.  Goal, (might be possible), is the Terry Fox memorial statue just outside''.  

     Pushing through and grinding is exactly what I experienced this morning during my first training run on the local trails. I had to remind myself that I was having fun. Road running and trail running, are two completely different styles and surfaces. I have been doing most of my training on pavement lately for the Maui Marathon and up coming Huntsville Half Marathon, now it's time to hit the dirt trails and kick it up a notch for my future races. Wow, what a difference on my leg muscles. More endurance training is needed. I had to focus, concentrate and look ahead to see where I was going to plant my next footstep without tripping on roots or stepping on any critters. Chasing away the early morning cobwebs and also running through a few along the trail is always an added challenge for me since I do not like spiders. Yuck! Another hot and humid day in Houston. Even the beautiful canopy of trees are great for shade but it also locks in the stagnate hot air making it hard to settle in my breathing. Am I having fun yet? It wasn't pretty but I got it done, 10 miles of a trail workout, I'm  completely soaked and exhausted but I went home with a smile on my face knowing that every run will get better and stronger. That's why they call it training.