The parking lot work-out!

Today I burned nearly 50 calories just by leaving a store and walking through the parking lot to my car. How do I know this? Well I will tell you! Thanks to my most amazing, sweet, and wonderful boyfriend, I am now the very excited and proud owner of a Garmin Forerunner 305!!!! Believe me, I squealed with excitement!! I promised myself that I would not run until Christmas day to make sure my knees were alright, but I am finding every other excuse in the world to test it out! (For example, I burned 4 calories walking from P.F. Chang's to the car.) Tomorrow will be my very first run. I CANNOT WAIT!!! I will warn you now, you will read about this tomorrow. LOL.

I've also added some picture of me and my "baby" (my golden retriever). He's the best dog in the world!!! Oh and I also included a picture of my running Christmas ornaments. I finally ordered the two I said I wanted, and my mom had the other ornament made for me. I am "The Queen of Running Land"! Haha!

I hope you all have a very lovely Christmas!

Smart Jes wins this time

All day Tuesday I walked with a slight limp, because my left knee was hurting. The roommate and I worked out arms and abs at the gym then decided we'd test out spinning to see how my knee felt. Spinning actually rocked! It felt great, and my knee felt wonderful after the class ended. By the end of the evening the "twinge" was coming back in my knee, and by the next day I was limping again. Bleh. Smart Jes told me not to run Wednesday evening, so I didn't. Thursday I REALLY wanted to go to spinning, but my knee was still not 100% so Smart Jes won again. In fact I don't think I'm going to run again until Monday. As badly as I want to run, I want to be able to enjoy more run more. I figure that by Monday my knees should be pretty good (not to mention this weekend is packed with a birthday party, Christmas party, and driving back home to visit Mom for the holidays). I really wish the lap pool at the gym was open, because I'm craving a cardio work-out, but unfortunately it is closed. Of course with the time I've gained from not going to the gym, I have managed to finish my Christmas shopping and nearly all of my wrapping. Yay! The roommate and I have also been doing 10 push-ups (girly-style right now... I'll build up) every morning and holding a 2 minute forearm plank.

I hope to catch up on some blog reading while I'm back home. I swear you guys write too much. LOL. Of course I greatly enjoy reading all of it, so please don't stop!

In response to some recent comments:

P.O.M. and Jess: Thanks for the comments regarding my picture. :-D You guys rock! And POM good luck for your half marathon! I can't wait to run one again in February!

Doug: You don't happen to have a picture of you with a frozen beard and icicles hanging from your face... do you?! I would LOVE to see that!

My very first run in the cold!

Last night was my very first run in the cold...about 2.7 miles in 26 minutes… including walking time in the middle. Recall that I only started running in January and it was just in the treadmill. I don't believe I ventured out-doors until March... and I do live in Florida.

Just last week the temperature was in the 80s, but last night it dipped down to the mid 40’s with a wind-chill that made it feel more like 40F outside. I was freezing (okay sure, I didn’t look anything like the picture of the ice cold woman, but that’s how I felt. LOL) I was bundled up much more than Chris and Kyle, who ran with me. In fact, Kyle was wearing shorts and Chris a t-shirt. (I initially questioned their sanity, but considering they were sweating by the end... they knew what they were doing.)

It was decided that we would run to a particular corner and back. I fell behind as usual, since my pace was slower than theirs. The distance to the corner was approximately 1.2 miles (the boys each have a Garmin), and I averaged probably around a 9:30 pace (estimatation based on what their pace was). Then we walked for a bit, which was good since I needed to catch my breath. My lungs stung a bit as I expected, but I did not anticipate my ears hurting. I would describe it as the aching inner-ear pain you feel if you have an ear infection. By the end of the run it did go away, which I was thankful for. I probably averaged about the same pace for the run back, because there was a bit more distance between me and them on the way back, and their pace had increased.

I hope that my next half marathon, in February, isn’t this cold. (That’s right people… The roommate and I are officially registered!!!) On my drive home last night I called my friend who was previously stationed in Alaska. He said until my eye lids freeze shut and/or open, I’m not allowed to complain about the cold. LOL

God bless all of you who live where it actually snows! I don't know how you manage!!! In fact, this weekend I actually drank HOT coffee... considering I only ever drink iced, it was a pretty big deal.

***

This weekend I went to Chris’s work Christmas party. It was a dinner cruise and sooo much fun! There was good food, wine, and dancing. Below is a picture of us before the party.



I did rest this past weekend as I said would (excluding dancing in heels. lol). Saturday I was still limping a bit, but felt much better by Sunday. Today my left knee is sore from yesterday’s run, but my hip feels great. The roommate and I are going to do an arms/abs work-out before spinning this evening. Then I think I’ll ice my knee before we head out to finish some Christmas shopping.

Tomorrow the roommate and I are planning an easy three mile run. I’m not sure what the plans are for the rest of the week yet.

And the "Idiot of the Year Award" goes to.... Jes!

Eight miles for Friday...

...check!

Extremely sore hip and aching knees...

...check! check!

Well the roommate and I did it. We decided to run in the morning since the temperature has been in the 80s in the evening. Plus we knew we'd be less likely to skip the run if we got it over with in the morning. I got up at five this morning (she got up a half hour later) and at six we headed out for our run. The last time the roommate ran eight miles was back in October I think; otherwise, she's stuck to less than six. Although, she did run seven this past weekend in 87 minutes. Today we ran (and walked a few times when I was certain my knees and hip were about to fall off) eight in 98 minutes.

I'm certain that my knees and hip have never hurt this much during a run.

Ever.

This is pretty much how the inner conversation went with myself today:

Smart Jes: "Jessica, what in the world are you doing? You are going to hurt yourself... Don't you feel that sharp pain shooting down your leg? That's a sign you should stop. Two miles is enough!"

Idiot Jes: "I can run through it... besides, I said I'd run eight miles today. I blogged about it. I've felt like a slacker all week... not swimming Tuesday, only running two miles Wednesday, and completely skipping the arm/ab work-out yesterday to do laundry. I HAVE to do all eight miles."

Smart Jes: "You are just going to injure yourself. I mean really, the knees are NOT happy right now, and you know your right leg is extremely tight right now. Don't you feel that stabbing pain in your hip and butt?"

Idiot Jes: "Shut up! The roommate needs to go eight miles, and so do I. I won't run at all this weekend. I'll take it easy after this."

Smart Jes: "You're soooo going to regret this."

Idiot Jes: "Okay... I'll walk just a little bit. I mean that's not cheating, right? Nah... walking for a little bit is okay... Ahhh... that feels better!"

Smart Jes: "Told ya."

Idiot Jes: "Last mile... I can run the last mile... okay I can slowly jog the last mile and curse at myself the entire time... ow..."

**End of Eight Miles*

Smart Jes: "How do you feel?"

Idiot Jes: "Owie..."

Smart Jes: "I told you....... You should have listened to me."

Idiot Jes: "At least I did it! I said I'd do it, and I did! Time for more ibuprofen. The foam roller is definitely going to work with me today. And Yes... next week I'm taking it easy!"

Darn Holiday Gym Hours

Tuesday the roommate and I headed to the gym after work only to discover that the new holiday break hours meant that the lap pool is only open from 11am to 3pm. Grrr... That meant no swimming on Tuesday, and we also didn't break regular gym clothes with us. We ended up going to Target to do some Christmas/Graduation gift shopping and also purchased a second set of eight pound weights for our work-outs at home. That evening we did an arms and abs work-out at home. Let me tell you, I really need to work more on my upper body strength. I have been slacking these past few weeks, and I can definitely tell a difference.

Yesterday we had planned to run three miles before spinning, but I got caught up doing some statistics at work and only had time for two miles (in order to fit in a stretch before spin). So yesterday I ended up running two miles at a ten min/mile pace, stretched, then had an amazing work-out in spin class. Man, I love that class!

Today the roommate and I took a super long lunch and swam for an hour at the gym before heading over the chemistry Christmas party. After watching people pass by with plates mostly filled with desserts, we decided to peace out of there and went to Subway for lunch. Swimming was exhausting, but it felt really good. I am still practicing my drills... not up to free-style yet, but I'll get there eventually! I'm feeling pretty good right now!

Unfortunately my knee is quite sore. I'm hoping it will be better before tomorrow's eight mile run. We are running at the roommate's pace, so she's shooting for under two hours. I'll let you know how it goes.

Again, I'm super behind on blog reading... and I have no idea when I'm going to have time to catch up. Just know that I will eventually read and comment. I hope everyone has a great upcoming weekend!!!

Catching Up!

The nice easy two mile run last Thursday turned out to be a rather painful run. The roommate and I did finish the two miles, but my left leg cramped half way through and my hip was still pretty sore.

I ended up going back home to visit my family and see my friend in a play. The play was excellent! My friend was "George Bailey" in "It's A Wonderful Life" (see picture). Sadly I did not run my 8 miles on the 8th... I was a bit disappointed, but I know my hip was not ready for it yet.

Last night, however, I ran with Chris. I decided that any time I run with him can be logged as speed work for me. We ran 3.6 miles in 33 minutes, then walked 0.2, then ran the rest of the way to reach 5.3 miles (in a total time of 47 minutes). That was definitely a work-out for me. During the first part I was fighing off a cramp and slight nausea, but it went away (Yay!). It felt really good to run again!

Today my right leg (mostly the outside of my thigh) is tight and my left knee hurts, but I have a feeling swimming is going to help it.

Here's the plan for the week:

Tuesday: Swim for an hour and arm/ab work-out
Wednesday: Run 5K then spinning
Thursday: Swim and arms/abs again
Friday: 8 miles (this will be the roommate's longest run so far... well she did 8 miles once before... she's determined to run a half marathon! I'm soooo proud!)

I'm not sure if I'll do anything over the weekend. That's up in the air. I know I have a Christmas party and graduation party on Saturday.

I am also going to try and stick to eating well. I slacked off this weekend, and the fact that one of my best friends just sent me a one pound brick of pumpkin fudge doesn't help. (I think her plan is to make me fat. lol I will be taking it to the Christmas party to share... and of course try some myself!)

I'm still extremely behind on blog reading!! I even missed out on telling Amy good luck on her marathon! What a fantastic time! Congratulations Amy!!! I hope everyone is doing well.

Ah... dear old mom....

I did not mention in my race report about my conversation with my mother after the race. The day before the race she sent me an e-mail saying she would be cheering me on from home, and she expected me to come in first place (Joking of course... because we all know that will NEVER happen... and I'm perfectly okay with that!).

After the race she called me, and I told her I was really excited because I ran the entire race at under a 10 minute per mile pace. She asked what my overall time was, and I told her. Then my dear, sweet, sometimes-makes-me-feel-like-I-must-be-adopted mother said completely seriously, "But I thought you said you finished it in under 10 minutes?" Uhhhhh..... My response was, "Seriously mom??? You think I ran 13.1 miles in under 10 minutes??" To which she responded, "Yeah sure, why not?" She clearly was not thinking at that time. I mean let's do the math, shall we? Let's say I finished in exactly 10 minutes... I would have been running at nearly 79 miles per hour!!! While it would be extremely awesome to have super speed, I do NOT possess that power. I have to admit that after that conversation my 2:06:56 time seemed a little on the long side.

However, leave it to my mom to still make me feel like a "queen of running" even though she seems to be clueless when it comes to distance and time calculations. I received the BEST card in the mail yesterday. My mom is hilarious when it comes to cards… they always include silly sayings on the envelopes (this one read “Stomped With Running Shoes" right on the seal). I took a picture of the actual card... Note the little stick-figure I circled in red. In case you can't read it, the card says, "Not only were you up for the challenge, you went above and beyond it. Congratulations." Inside she wrote how proud she was of me (Awwww) and drew a silly picture of a stick-figure with a crown running towards a finish line, complete with a cheering section and the words "Run, run as fast as you can, you can't out run Jessica, She's the 'Queen' of Running Land!" She also included a ribbon that says "Grand (insert the handwritten words: "Great Running and new distance!") Prize Winner (insert more handwritten words: "To Jessica 12/07"). And the back has my name and "13.1 mile Queen".

Alright so I didn't inherit my math skill from my mother (or her amazing spelling skills, because thank goodness for spell-check!), I was not the first place finisher in the race, and I definitely did not run at 80 miles per hour... but I still feel pretty darn special! Seriously, you know you are jealous of my fantastic card and crazy mother!






I am finally walking without a limp. Actually, I’ve been walking like a normal human being for a couple of days now. Monday I relaxed and did chores are predicted. Tuesday I needed to work out, because I was feeling “bleh”. My hips were still a bit tight, but a half an hour in the pool did them good. It felt really good to get back in the pool, since it has been a couple of weeks. Unfortunately after this week I will only be able to go on the weekends, because the school gym hours are changing for the break. I will try to fit it in when I can though.

Yesterday I went to my first spin class in MONTHS! It was GREAT! Man have I missed spinning… the loud music, the yelling instructor making me push harder, the disgusting sweaty shirt when I’m finished… ahhh yes, it was wonderful! However… having not been on the saddle in quite some time, my butt is a bit sore today. I am going to have to get used to the seat again. I deserve it though for not fitting in more spin classes. I did feel a “twinge” of pain in my hips and knees still, but nothing bad.

I figure tonight I’ll go for a nice easy 2 mile run with the roommate. I’m hoping to be able to run my eight miles for the “8 on the 8th” (or in my case 7th) race tomorrow before heading out of town for the weekend. I’m finally going back home to visit family. I haven’t been back in a few months, and I definitely need to see them. I know I won’t fit in any working out though, so hopefully the 8 miles will happen tomorrow.

I hope everyone is having a great week!

My First Half Marathon Race Report!

You guys are seriously never going to believe my time! I didn’t believe it!!! My chip time was…

2:06:56!!!!

That's right, a 9:46.6 pace!

According to the results page there were 2049 people who finished the half marathon and 933 of them were women. In my age group (25-29) there were 162 females and I ended up finishing 63rd out of them. The very first finisher was a man from Poland with a finishing time of 1:10:25… yeah, that’s just barely longer than my 10K time… lol. He’s fast!

Okay, here’s my recap of the events:


Thursday Rebecca, the roommate and myself picked up our race packets and t-shirts (pictured above). At the pick-up place, I saw some Christmas ornaments that I just have to have... they may be dorky, but I promise you I am buying both of these! LOL




All day Friday my right hip and outer thigh were sore. I took the foam roller to work and used it off an on all day and took some ibuprofen before bed that night. A group of us also had a “Pasta Party” that evening and ate yummy spaghetti. I was seriously hoping to make my 2:30 time, but I was starting to have doubts.

Saturday morning I woke up very early and had my usual waffles and a banana for breakfast along with my caffeinated Crystal Light strawberry drink and two ibuprofen. The week before I was given free Sports Beans at the gym, so I ate about four of those and tucked some away in my pocket for just in case (I never did eat them).

Due to some parking issues, Chris and I got to the race a bit later than anticipated, and had to wait in line to get the chips for our shoes. There were soooo many people there! I had never been to such a big race. I did not even find my roommate, Rebecca or Joe before the race.

At the start of the race, I was determined to stay at a nice steady pace and not start off too fast. Around 1one I was at a 10 min/mile pace, which is where I met up with Joe. He had started in the back figuring he would be able to find me that way. He said he would run with me for the next mile as his warm up then would speed up to try and beat his previous half marathon time. While we were running, a lady passed us and complimented me on my hair. Apparently she had been following me from the start and loved my hair. LOL. That was cool. At 2 miles Joe went ahead and I continued at my pace, trying not to think about the overall distance but just taking it one mile at a time. I heard two girls next to me talking, and they mentioned that they were trying to keep a 10 min/mile pace, so I figured that as long as they did not pass me I was doing pretty good.

There were water/Gatorade stops every mile and a half. Starting at mile 4.5, I took one swallow of Gatorade at every stop (and water at one, because they did not have Gatorade). As the miles increased, I was staying at just under a 10 min/mile pace. I was shocked, but I still felt really good… like I was not pushing myself too hard. I kept thinking to myself “Wow, I can tell everyone I made it at under a 10 min/mile pace up to mile 5…” which then became 6, 7, then 8…

Mile 9 was where I had problems. That happened to be right after the stop where I drank water instead of Gatorade, which may just be a coincidence, but who knows. I ended up with a terrible side stitch that left me walking. I almost cried, but mostly out of frustration. I walked until it felt a bit better, then I would try and run. This went on for probably a quarter of a mile. I was just praying that it would go away, because I did NOT want to walk to the end. I had been doing sooo well! After the next drink station the pain finally went away enough that I could suck it up and run. I sped up a bit, trying to make up for my time and crossed the 10 mile mark still under a 10 min/mile pace (Seriously people! I was shocked too!).

The last two miles, partly on uneven brick roads, was when I was really starting to feel exhausted. But hey, I would not consider it such an accomplishment if it was easy. At about a half a mile or just under before the end, I actually caught up with Chris. This was great because it really helped me to speed up and push harder to the end by trying to keep up with him. Right after crossing the finish line, someone removed the chip from my shoe, and I received my amazing finisher’s medal (pictured below)! I then drank of Gatorade and ate some fruit.



Unfortunately Joe and my roommate did not get to see me finish, because I told them to expect me later. LOL. But some of my other friends did see the finish, and man it was great! I did eventually find both Joe and my roommate, which I was very happy about.

One of our friends, Diane, ran the 5K, and it was her first race. She said she wants to run another! YAY! The 5K finishers received medals as well, which I thought was great. The roommate did well on her 5K, and now she has the half marathon itch. We are talking about doing one that is all off-road February 2nd.

Oh yeah, after the race, there were some physical therapists offering free consultations at one of the tents. When I described my hip pain the guy actually started laughing because he said he had heard the exact same description so many times that day. He had me lay on the padded table and bent my leg into some crazy positions. The right hip was definitely a LOT less flexible than the left. He showed me an exercise to stretch the hip and told me to try that several times a day. I will definitely be doing that!

Of course today I am still limping, and I feel like an old lady who needs hip and knee replacements. LOL. I am quite sore, but it is getting better. My plan is to take it easy tonight, because I have to get some grocery shopping and other chores done. Then tomorrow I hope to go swimming and maybe just use the kick board for a while.

Thank you all for your support! I was really looking forward to writing this blog to let you all know how it went. I am still shocked and honestly proud of myself. Here are some pictures from after the race (I didn’t get any before pictures due to time constraints, and sadly both Joe and Rebecca had to leave before I could get a picture with them).

With the roommate


Chris and myself


Group Photo with Penny, Diane, Kelly, Myself, Chris, and Kyle


**EDIT**
I completely forgot to mention this... this really was the absolute BEST race that I have ever run! It went through residential areas and there were people sitting out on their lawns cheering and playing music. It was GREAT! There were even these three little bitty girls in cheerleading uniforms cheering "Go Runners Go!" Sooo adorable! The crowd definitely made a difference! I couldn't ask for a better race!

I am thankful for...

As usual, I am behind on my updating. Life has been very busy lately, and fortunately for me I have finally come out of my thesis writer’s block.

I love the winter holiday season because the weather is nice and cool (and dry… which means less frizz for my normally frizzy hair). There are decorations and twinkling lights on the streets. People are in the giving spirit and actually spend more time thinking about others instead of themselves. These are all reasons why I love the Thanksgiving/Christmas(or Hanukkah)/New Year’s holidays. Thanksgiving however tops my list! Why is Thanksgiving at the top? It’s not just because there are mounds of delicious food and an endless supply of pumpkin treats… I love it the most because it is the one time of year that people really reflect on what they are thankful for without the hassle of gift-giving. Don’t get me wrong, I like to receive gifts on occasion. I definitely love to give gifts; unfortunately, I am also a poor college student, so sometimes the gifts are cheap but I try to make them thoughtful. Thanksgiving is free of the gift-giving stress, which makes it fantastic. It is also a great time to get together with family, which is another reason I love it.

This year my Thanksgiving was supposed to be spent with my Dad’s side of the family; however, plans changed and I ended up celebrating it with Chris’ family in south Florida. Despite not spending it with my own family, I still had a marvelous Thanksgiving with really great people. I even got a chance to visit with some of my very best friends who were in town from Texas (the ones expecting the new baby…YAY!). I have included some pictures from our trip to Siesta Key Beach on Thanksgiving morning.
Chris, Myself, and Bryan
Me and Alisha

Over the weekend Chris and I ran a fast (for me) 2 miles at just under a 9 min/mile pace. We also ran 6 miles down the beach during sunset, which was absolutely gorgeous. I’m afraid I don’t have any pictures of the sunset, but trust me it was spectacular. We even ran past three different weddings! (I hope I didn’t ruin any of their pictures by running in the background. Oops!) I also watched the Battlestar Galactica Razor movie… It was awesome! Finally, this past Tuesday I saw Papa Roach in concert. They put on a fantastic show! I even got touched (more like slimed with sweat) by the lead singer.

Of course a post about Thanksgiving weekend would not be complete without a cheesy list of things for which I am thankful. Here goes:

• Good health: I am very thankful that this past year I have morphed into a runner… that’s right. I said it. I. Am. A. Runner. And I have a 13.1 mile race this weekend to prove it!

• A great job: Sure I’m a research assistant that is not accompanied by a large paycheck, but my job really rocks! Not only do I get paid to work on the research for my thesis, but I have a terrific boss/adviser and hilarious co-workers. Sure there are days when I’d rather sleep in or watch tv, but I never actually dread going to work. I love having a job that is constantly challenging and mentally rewarding, not to mention it is giving me experience as well. I just hope my next job is as exciting.

• Family: My Mom: Despite our many differences and complete opposite ways of thinking, she is always there for me and is one of my heroes. I really admire her for all that she has done and appreciate the support that she has given me. My siblings: They are all so strong and just absolutely amazing. They make their big sis proud. My dog: Yes, he is part of my family. He is one great dog!

• Friends: I really have the absolute best friends in the world. Seriously, I’m sure many of you think that your friends are the best, but I assure you that you that mine are the greatest! They are always there to lend me a shoulder to cry on, to kick me in the butt when I need it, to make me laugh when I need it, and to point out the idiotic things that I do. That’s what friends are for! I am also grateful for my roommate, who manages to keep me running on days that I feel sloth-like and puts up with my consistent babbling. She is one great roommate. And have I mentioned how awesome Chris is? Yeah… he is quite amazing and cute too. (o; He is espcially great at making me smile and feel good about myself. And since this is my running blog, I have to say that I am thankful for all of the people who have kept me running. First here is Joe for getting me hooked and running with me as many times as he has. Of course the roommate is on this list. Chris, Kyle, and the other hashers I must also thank for introducing me to a very different and fun way to run. (Espcially when "shiggy" is included! Yay for Kyle's trails!) I'm grateful to Rebecca for helping me in my quest to be a triathlete and learning how to swim. And to all of you bloggers for all of your support, wisdom, and the ability to make me cry from laughing so hard. THANK YOU ALL!!

Now about "The Race"… Yes Doug, I am pumped! I am super excited yet scared at the same time. Any words of support you guys can throw my way I would greatly appreciate. I know that I will finish it, and I am confident that I can do it in the time that I want, but I’m still a bit nervous. Pre-race jitters I guess. I will definitely keep you all updated, and I will be sure to post a picture of my finisher’s medal (like Amy, I love a good medal or trophy). *Edit* I forgot to add that the roommate and I ran a nice easy 2 miles last night, otherwise we are taking it easy this week. By Saturday my legs are going to want to run. LOL.

I’m way behind on my blog reading as well guys, but I will try and catch up soon. I apologize in advance for the very delayed comments on all of your blogs, but I will comment nonetheless. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and has a great upcoming weekend!

I'm going to have a godson!

First of all, let me just say that I am going to have a godson!!! I am so freaking excited! He is not due until May 4th, and as of right now his name will either be Shawn or MEGATRON (all caps). hehe. Either way, I'm super freaking excited! I'm also about to be an aunt again... life is good!

I just ran 3 miles outside in the cool darkness. It was very nice.

Last Thursday I said I was going to run a 10K then go to pilates, but I only ended up running 4 miles. Then I did a great 45 minute stretch before going to pilates. Friday I did a little bit of an ab work-out. The weekend was pretty busy, so I didn’t get to fit in a work-out, but I did go to the amazing JRR-B-Q concert (Bands: Operator, Fiction Plane, Skindred, Nonpoint, Finger Eleven, Drowning Pool, Seether, and Breaking Benjamin).

Today was a bit depressing, because I had to say good-bye to Joe for a little while. I’m sad that he’s moving, but we will run together again in less than 2 weeks for the half-marathon. Eek! It’s almost here! I’m a little worried that I wasn’t able to get in a long run this weekend, but it may have been for the best because my legs were really sore after all the lunges we did in pilates and a sore hip at the all-day concert would not have been fun.

Tomorrow the roommate and I are going to go swimming (I told you that I’m not giving up!), and Wednesday I’m heading out of town for Thanksgiving. I plan on running over the weekend, but I doubt I’ll get in another long run (10 miles or over) before the half-marathon. I know that I’ll still do well however. (o:

So the Muddy Buddy has been brought to my attention again and it is time to register. I think I’m going to do it, and it sounds like a lot of fun! I just need to train for it, especially transitioning from running to biking (and likewise).

Finally, yes P.O.M… the chest protectors do come in different sizes. Believe it or not, I did order what I thought was the correct size… so watch out, they must run large. LOL And P.O.M. tagged me, so here goes!

THE RULES:

* link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog
* share 5 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird
* tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs
* let them know they are TAGGED by leaving a comment on their blog.

THE 5 FACTS:

* As a kid I preferred a plate of steam veggies (brussel sprouts, broccoli and asparagus included) over cake and ice cream. (I was a strange kid... but it pretty much still applies. I love steamed veggies!!!)
* I was layout and design editor of my high school newspaper. I love Adobe Pagemaker. (o:
* I am terrified of cock roaches. I have had too many close-encounters with the creepy kind.
* The first time I ever moved was when I went away to college... and I was a navy brat.
* This last one is in response to Amy's latest blog post... When I was a kid, my dad took us kids to the zoo. We were all excited about the ostrich that was standing near the board walk, until it bit my dad's hand. I thought for sure it was going to eat him!

WHO'S IT NEXT?

* Amy
* Tangie
* Alisha.. the mother of my future godson!!!
* Bryan.. and the father!
* Jojit

8 on the 8th, Frak! and Fencing!

Swimming update:

I am sad to say that I am not a natural when it comes to swimming. I knew it would be difficult, but getting over the whole fear of drowning was a bit harder than anticipated. I practiced Tuesday and last night was the last swim lesson. I am disappointed to admit that I still do not have free-style down. It's not that I'm not trying, but that I cannot get the breathing down yet (I turn my head, but I'm too far under the water to get air). The coach told me to keep practicing my drills so my body will be more "balanced". This will result in my sinking less and being closer to the surface of the water, hence being able to get my face out of the water to catch a breath without having to lift my head. She told me that if I keep practicing it will just eventually happen. The coach also mentioned that she may teach the class again next semester... since it will be my last semester at the school, I may just take it again (it's free). I am not going to give up. I will compete in a triathlon eventually!

Running update:

I am sad to say that my running partner, Joe, has moved. I'm sure we'll be able to squeeze in a few runs together, but it won't be the same without him. (I miss you Joe!)

On a more positive note, I'm mentally feeling a lot better about the half marathon ever since my long run this past weekend. Thank you all for the support, high fives, and encouragement! I am once again very excited about the race!!! I am also excited about Non-Runner Nancy's 8 on the 8th race!!! This virtual race will take place between the 7th and 9th of December so not only is the race flexible with your schedule but it's also FREE!. I definitely plan to participate, and anyone else in blog-land who would like to join in the fun please check out the group over at the Runner's Lounge!

Tonight's work-out plan is to run 10K then go to power pilates.

Non-running related:

I am officially hooked on the series Battlestar Galactica (the newer series). That's right people... I even said "frack" the other day, much to my embarrassment! I have successfully made it through the first season, and I'm almost half way through the second (2.0 for those who know). If for some crazy chance any of you have seen this, please do not spoil the upcoming episodes for me. Also, the two-hour event of BSG Razor comes on Thanksgiving weekend, for those who are interested. (I'm pretty certain that I've mentioned how much of a dork I am before, but this blog should make it quite obvious. lol) Now I could not resist posting the picture that was sent to me today of the BSG ships made from legos. That's just amazing!

And finally, just to make sure you truly realize how much of a dork that I am... this one is for you P.O.M...

I finally pulled out the smelly fencing gear that has been hidden in the closet for close to 3 years now. Here it is... all of that wonderful, expensive gear I just had to have! (granted the blue mask and foil were given to me when my friend moved) Featured here is the bag for carrying said gear, two masks (love the blue one!), jacket, chest protector (that's right, and believe me you appreciate it!!), glove (right-handed) and two foils (the blue one is a french grip and the other is a visconti pistol grip).


And here I am ladies and gentlemen sporting the ever popular chest protector. Not only does it keep the weapon (foil in my case) from giving you a new piercing, but it also apparently triples the size of my chest. Hmmm, maybe I should wear this every day! (Note: They are available for men as well!)


I have my foil in hand! En garde!


Finally, please pay no attention to my horrendous form (it's been a while folks), but here ya go. For anyone interested, fencing is a great leg and butt work-out, with all those lunges! ouch!


I hope everyone has a great rest of the week!!!

Get Shiggy Wit It.... and Tag, You're It!

Kyle was most definitely not joking about the shiggy! To the right is a picture of my nasty shoes and socks that I took this morning after last night's hash (I was so tired I left them in the bag to be dealt with today... and the socks went straight to the trash).

The hare (Kyle) started running a few minutes after 7 pm. The rest of us began ten minutes later, following the trail of flour and toilet paper. Now we are not supposed to use flash lights, but it would have been terrible without one. We ran through a narrow path in the woods which eventually led to a muddy path. The muddy path soon turned into a swamp! Just before having to wade through ankle to knee-deep water (in the dark remember), a little snake swam past me... that was a bit unnerving. Eventually we reached a boardwalk, but not before my foot got stuck in the mud. The hare was eventually snared (which means someone caught him before he made it to the end), but it wasn't by myself. I was definitely slow yesterday. During the run my hip was pretty sore, but today it feels great! Maybe running through mud and water is the cure for a sore hip.

After the run we participated in "circle" and ate delicious chili and pasta. It was fun being with the new hashing crowd. There were some really hilarious hashers there. By the end of the night I was freezing and ready to get out of those disgusting shoes and pants. Despite the mud and cold, I really did enjoy the hash. It was a lot of fun. I cannot wait for the next one! And here is a map of the route the hare took (we of course ventured off this during "checks"). I was told by the hare that the trail was 2.92 miles. It seemed a lot longer to me.


Jess over at 21 Days tagged everyone to list 5 random things about yourself, so here goes...

1. I cannot lick Popsicle sticks. Just the mere thought makes me cringe!
2. I broke my best friend's nose when we were kids after I watched the movie Dirty Dancing for the first time... we tried to do the dance move that involves one person going under the other person's legs, but she ended up falling on her face. We both laughed hysterically until she realized her nose was bleeding.
3. I used to be in a fencing club. I even own all my own gear.
4. As a kid I would eat mustard sandwiches... just mustard and bread. Nothing else. I still do on occasion.
5. I never believed in Santa Claus as a kid.

Now I am tagging all of you. List 5 random things about yourself, and have a great rest of the week! (o:

I made it 10 miles!

Well I did it. I ran 10 miles this weekend. This was the longest distance that I've ever run by myself (the roommate was out of town), but I did enjoy getting lost in my thoughts. I didn't run until Sunday when my leg and hip were feeling much better. I maintained a nice slow pace, and refrained from looking at my watch. I was determined to run for distance and not time (which ended up being 1:51:25). If I can keep that pace then I will just make my half-marathon goal of 2.5 hours, but right now my main focus is on finishing it and not on time (yeah right... come race day my head will be thinking something different LOL). By the end of the 10 miles my hip was pretty sore, but a combination of ibuprofen and the foam roller is helping it to feel better. I really should look into going to the student health center to ask about my hip (thanks for the suggestion P.O.M... sadly I do not have insurance). Oh yes, during my run I passed a bank that had the following sign displayed: "Why shouldn't you bring a turkey to church? Because of all the fowl language." *groan*

Tonight is another hash run and Kyle is the hare. I am so excited! I was told this hash has a "Get Shiggy Wit It" theme (read as lots of vegetation, mud, water, etc.).... I'm very excited about that! I will just have to be extra careful, because it is at night. I should probably go pick up a better flash-light before tonight. I will be sure to give you guys the update on how it goes! I can't wait!

Ouch...

Here's how this week went down:

Tuesday: No intervals, because the roomy and I decided we wanted to get in a really good swim, and I didn't want my legs too sore for the rest of the week. Swimming was exhausting and frustrating. But on a good note the pool was warmer than last week!

Wednesday: No arms and abs... instead I met a friend for dinner. lol. Swim class was um.... frustrating. I just cannot get down the breathing for free-style. I'm still mentally struggling with the lack-of-air fear. Grrr... this is going to be even more challenging than I anticipated, but I WILL get it eventually... After being frustrated and exhausted, I watched the movie 300 on HD. It was great!

Thursday: 6 mile run. Here is where the pain set in. By mile 3 my right hip and the outside of my right thigh were killing me. My right hip (and butt region) is still killing me. )o: How am I supposed to make it 13.1 miles?? Maybe I just need to build up more. After the run was power pilates, which I totally kicked butt in! I'm back on my game in pilates at least! (and this was definitely and arms/abs/legs work-out! I have got to work on my hamstrings!)

Friday: Short swim.

I hope to run 10 miles this weekend, but it looks like I'll be pushing that back to Sunday in hopes my hip feels better by then. Mentally, I need to run 10 this weekend.

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!!!

Canoeing and Meatballs!

I am feeling sooooo much better now! Thursday I stayed home from work and pretty much slept off and on until 5pm. By the time my roommate got home, I felt I was up to working-out… it usually makes me feel better and would probably help me sleep later that night. I ended up running 6 miles at a nice slow 12 min/mile pace (with a bathroom break and a 30 second walk break). Then we went to power pilates. I kind of slacked-off in that class because I was feeling weaker by that point. Not to mention having not been to pilates in a while, I could feel a major difference. (I’ll be happy when swim lessons are over and I can dedicate just a little more time to pilates and spinning again!) Friday we swam for a bit, but my legs were really tired. Saturday I went canoeing for 2 hours, which was a lot of fun and an amazing shoulder work-out (oh yeah, they hurt today!). Luckily we saw only one alligator.
Then it was off to the Italian Festival where I had the most amazing meatballs and managed to avoid the mounds of free candy. Sunday was a nice relaxing day, and today I hope to run 3 miles and do a little ab work before grocery shopping.

The plan this week is as follows:
Tuesday: Intervals for running and swimming
Wednesday: Arms, abs, and swimming
Thursday: Running (6 miles)
Friday: Rest… maybe arms and abs
Saturday: 10 mile run, hopefully (we’ll see what happens)
Sunday: Rest

Seriously?!

Well boys and girls, when it rains it pours! Tonsillitis.... that's right, I got tonsillitis along with that amazing sinus infection I've been fighting. Lucky for me I now have penicillin which will fix both! I passed on swimming today, because my head was still pounding. I'm hoping to fit in a good run tomorrow, although my legs are quite sore today!

This weekend is going to be fun... I'm going to an Italian Festival! I can't wait!!!

Oh yes, and Happy Halloween to all those who celebrate! Vanilla over at Half-Fast posted a link to find out your own Monster Name. Here are mine!

Get Your Monster Name

Get Your Monster Name

Back to business...

Okay so work-outs this past week were um scarce to say the least due to a busy social calendar. I did intervals on Tuesday and went swimming. The roommate and I did arms and abs Wednesday before swim lessons. We have finally made it to free-style swimming, which is much more difficult than I thought it would be. I need lots of practice with breathing properly. Wednesday night we celebrated Chris' birthday (HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY CHRIS!!) at a local martini bar. I will admit that it was the first time I ever had a martini. I tried a "Snickertini" (complete with peanuts around the rim of the glass... YUM!!) and a "Naughty Girl Scout" (chocolate and mint, need I say more??). Thursday the temperature dropped here, which resulted in a killer sinus headache. It didn't fully hit me until late that night when we were out at a Halloween-like party (no, I didn't dress up this year). All I have to say is thank God for Sudafed PE! Friday the roommate and I went swimming, which made me feel a LOT better. Otherwise, I just relaxed on Friday. I needed a recovery day. Saturday was the big birthday celebration which was a blast!!! I had such a great time! Thus Sunday ended up being a recovery day as well...

By this morning my legs were sore and achy from having not run in so long. Today I decided I needed to get back out there! I ran 5K on the treadmill... and it was rough. Rough but AMAZING! It felt soooooo good to run again! I really need to step up my game; the half marathon is coming very quickly. Don't worry, I'll be careful, but I'm determined to do well. So here is the plan for this week...

Tuesday: Intervals and swimming
Wednesday: Arms, abs, and swimming
Thursday: Some type of run
Friday: Arms, abs, and swimming
Saturday or Sunday: a run on one day and resting on the other.

I hope everyone else is doing great! I am wayyyyy behind on my blog reading, so I apologize!

Happy Mole Day!!!

Happy Mole Day to any fellow chemistry dorks out there!

So this past weekend I didn't run at all. I did dance at the wedding, and Sunday I practiced my swimming drills. Yesterday I didn't work-out, but I had errands to run an chores to do. Today I did intervals with Joe then went swimming with Rebecca (unfortunately the roommate is sick). This week's social calendar is looking pretty packed, so I will probably slack on the working-out. But fear not, I think my body is still craving rest and then it will be happy to run 12 miles (my plan for my next long run). Tomorrow I plan to do arms/abs/swimming. Maybe a light run and swim on Friday, and a light run Saturday. Then probably swimming on Sunday.

I hope everyone has a great week!

Pictures from the weddings

With my beautiful cousin, Ashley

You have to love my cousin Dan's shirt... he wore that to the rehearsal dinner. LOL

Again with the Little Cuz

The dress

My absolutely gorgeous cousin and her husband, Corey

My self portrait. LOL

With my aunts

My favorite picture... with "Daddy Warbucks". LOL

My beautiful co-worker, April

With Chris at April's Wedding