Kiawah Island 2010 Marathon

Maybe I should of titled this post "I am alive, I just haven't been blogging" or something super clever. I honestly can't think of anything at the moment to write that would sound witty or clever. The reason I am writing is to share my race report.

This all begins oh I don't even know how long go. Let's just say around May or June. I come up with the big bright idea of running the 2010 Kiawah Island Marathon. The reason I chose this one was I have time to train through furniture market. I show up at master swim one day and say "hey, Dan, Fred, Steve, Scott and Wendy - lets all run the marathon at Kiawah Island. They think for a moment or two and being the super athletes that they are, they all agree. Great! Fred or someone sends out a training plan and it looks easy enough to follow, and we all get started. Except about 6 weeks into training, I tear a calf muscle. There goes my training for two months! Dr. Fields tells me no way I am running a marathon this year. Won't happen, you might be able to run a half but that would be pushing it so just plan on a spring 2011 race. Bummer!

I am a very impatient woman (shocker) and I never gave "you won't be running a marathon this year" soak into my brain. I take the time off that I am supposed to on the calf and cross train. In cross training, I mean spin and some swimming, mainly spin class though. Which never really bothered the calf just taxied the lungs to the max in some classes. I would say I won't complain about Corey Dixon as an instructor again, but I am sure he has some new tricks up his sleeve for 2011 that will kick me into a new level (or secretly I am hoping it will) of fitness. When, I am finally able to run, it is not really long distances. I ran 5 miles a couple of days a week and I think my longest run was 9 miles about a month ago. I had thought that I would switch from the full marathon to the half but when I tried online there were no spots. Oh well... I will go and if I have to pick the cones up and be followed in by the van, well by golly I will finish. I have 7 hours to accomplish this and I am not going to Kiawah with any expectation other than to finish this race. Not to mention I am dragging my husband along to run the half and over the year he may have ran 8 or 9 miles! I only asked where the life insurance policy was in case something bad happened. He can write his own story but I am super proud of him. He finished that darn half marathon. OK Ok back to my story......

There are 10 of us going from my group, so we found a nice big house and off we go! The weather looked good earlier in the week. As good as the weather for fall/winter can look anyway. We all start arriving on the island around 5:30 get our race packets. Well our bibs and shirts. Everyone is going green this year so no fun stuff. We have a huge pasta dinner, our group and my friend Steve Price from Charlotte and his wife Cindy. We had a lovely dinner and then off to bed we went. While dinner is being prepared though we check the weather forecast. Slight chance of rain in the morning. I mean it says like 20%. OK what does slight mean to the weather forecaster? It does not mean that it will pour down rain most of the morning then turn into a steady rain for 13 out of 26 miles. Oh well thank goodness it was not bitter cold. But weather forecasters you are all fired!

Off to bed we all. I slept just o.k. I worried about my limited training and how bad of a time I would have. The other runners in my group are FAST! So I knew they would be well rested by the time I got there. So the joke became that I would be picking the cones up and van following me in to finish. I will have to admit the thought of that made me sad. I hate being last and I hate being the slowest. I should just be happy with that I am there and I am able to run I know. But I am not but I am not willing to put in the time it takes to become faster.

5:30 a.m. and it is pouring rain! Time for breakfast and to start worrying. Breakfast is a bagel, peanut butter, a banana and coffee. I could not decide what I wanted to wear so I brought enough clothes for three ladies. I dress in what I think will be plenty to keep me warm and grab a trash bag to keep me dry. Shuttle is called and we are off to the start line! We get there and now the nerves have kicked in. I honestly feel like I am going to toss my breakfast and just not run at all. Not really that bad but I don't really know how this is going to turn out. Plus I couldn't find Steve and I was getting sad. Not that running with Scott was going to be bad. I just had talked to Steve into this so I wanted to run with him. We live 2 hours from each other so we don't get to run together unless we meet at races. He finds me in the 12 minute pace group! That was a pace I thought I could keep and so did Scott. Scott is as He is as unprepared as I am. They call for the race to start in 2 min, last minute run to the porta john and then it is time. Horn blows!

We start running and we decide we are going walk the water stops. I know that at some point, I have to walk instead of run, due to training limitations but I am determined to give it my all. No shame in walking in my book. The shame comes in not starting. We are running right along, having a great time and then here comes John Barrett. WTF is what I say. How did the guy catch up? Are we running that slow, or he is running that fast? Probably both but I can't let this happen. He can't have a better time on the half than me. Then I have to be reminded that I also have 13 more to go! LOL! Oh how did I forget that? I was having so much fun that it just crept up on me. John has a great race and I am so proud of him. Now maybe he will train for the next race he has.

13 miles down and I feel great. I was soaking wet though. I tossed my long sleeve shirt hoping that would help. But not really, I was cold! Funny stories come from being cold. I won't share them with you, but poor Scott and Steve. They now know more about me than they care to I am sure. I was very thankful when two ladies walked by with a handful of clothes they had picked up and she had a sweatshirt type jacket. I asked her if I could have it and she was so kind to give it to me. Warmth finally! It was a little damp but way better than that cold t-shirt. The rain diminished and and even a glimmer of the sun comes out for a bit. I am shocked by how good I feel. It is still me, Steve and Scott plugging right along. Knocking out one mile at a time. The water stops are great. I made sure to hydrate well. I tell them, if you have it and you can leave me go ahead. I will see you at the finish. At the potty stop, Scott whose one step equals three of mine is gone. Steve though is still hanging in there with me. We had already though made a deal that if he could leave he will when he is ready. What great friends I have. Finally about mile 18 (I think, maybe 16) it catches up with me. My feet are hurting, my knee hurts, the legs are sore but never do I think I have to quit and I can't do it. Steve and I are running and there are two women that obviously have the greatest friend in the world who is meeting them and rubbing their legs out. So jokingly I ask her to rub my knee and she does. Magic hands. It was wonderful and I wished the rest of the race that she was my friend. Then low and behold, there is mile 20! Steve and I have caught back up with Scott. It was a plan we had. We were going to run past him and laugh but as soon as we got there, he started running with us. Darn it, foiled my plan! At mile 22 Steve takes off. I put my ipod on and I leave Scott. Ally fixed my music so you know I am listening to music of today's youth! That gave me a little extra jolt to my step for a bit anyway. I did have to stop and walk a few minutes but then I was down to my last 5k. I wanted to dance in the street I was so happy. Funny how good it feels when you get down to single miles needed to finish.

When I got to mile 25, honestly I got emotional. My prayer had been before this race was safety for the runners, for my race to be good eand let this be the beginning of lots of good things to come. So when I was 25 miles into the race my body was not prepared for, I was ven more thankful. Then a lady says "you have less than 1/3 of a mile to go" , the smile that came across my face made my cheeks hurt. I had done it. I had completed another marathon and wow only 22 minutes longer than a marathon I was trained for. I was happy. First face I see is my friend Steve, without him and Scott I would never have made it, I would be picking up the cones. Mile 26.2 and all of my friends where there screaming my name and my husband there when I crossed the final finish line. Thankful is all I can say about that.

I will not write about how sore I am or the other aches and pains I have. Nothing rest and darvacet won't cure. But what I will finish this with is how thankful I am for a husband and a group of friends who never doubted (outloud) that I couldn't do this. They laughed with me, they trained with me, encouraged me, they cheered for me and more than all of that, they believe in me. Thank you, you know who you are! I always am looking forward to the next year, for good things, but I am going to take the next few weeks of 2010 and be thankful for the journey and the lessons I have learned about life and people.

To those that ran this weekend, great job! It was so much fun, where are we going next?

I found a new running buddy

I am on vacation this week and Lucy is with us. John took Macy home with him so I get stuck with the one year old let me destroy everything that I know you love yellow lab. She is a very sweet girl most of the time but boy if you don't have her occupied she really does love to eat precious items. Like my new running shoes a few weeks ago.

Today is Lucy's one year old birthday and I thought what better way to start it off then to let her run with me. I wasn't really worried about running much today because after being thrown off the golf cart yesterday (by accident) my ankle was hurting so I really just was trying it out to make sure it was just tight and not really hurt. The majority of the swelling is in my arch so I thought it would be fine to walk on. So off Lucy and I are. She is not much of a leash walker so I had no grand hopes of her running far. Well my little girl has surprised the heck out of me and she actually ran the entire 2.5 miles with me. At first she couldn't decide which side she wanted to be on but after the first mile she chose my right side and just trotted right along. I am still in shock over how focused she was. Nothing bothered her. Passing cars, people and little dogs did not effect her at all. She just kept going. Lucy was totally ready for her water bowl when we got back and now is napping.

Then when I opened my email, there is an article from Runner's World on training your dog to run with you! Guess what I am going to be reading this afternoon? Lucy is officially my new training partner. I sure hope Rod and Jess don't mind her coming along in the mornings to run with us!

If anyone else runs with their dog and you have any words of wisdom, please share them with me. I want this to be a good experience for me and Lucy.

How it feels

To those of us who run regularly, you know what it is like to be sidelined and not able to do what you love and that is running for me. I will never be a winner of any age group, but I love to put one foot in front of the other and go. Therefore the last seven weeks have been very hard physically as well as emotionally.

I have missed my running friends, my early morning therapy sessions as I refer to them and several events that I would normally have signed up for. But mainly I have missed the feeling of getting the miles in and what it does for me mentally. Oh and being able to eat whatever I really wanted to was missed as well and my scale shows that more than anything.

With that said, yesterday I ran 2.5 miles. I don't care that it was 96 degrees when I started and stopped. I ran the whole thing. That doesn't included the almost half of mile I walked to warm up or the quarter of a mile I walked to cool down. I ran 2.5miles without stopping or feeling like I would die from anything other than heat! YAY!

It feels indescribable to me to be running again. I had no idea how much I truly missed it until yesterday. Now let the training begin...slowly that is!

Getting Back

I know I haven't posted anything in a long time. Haven't had anything to really post. I have an injury that I have been and am still nursing. I was finally given the thumbs up to start running again last week. Don't think that I have just been sitting around doing nothing for the past 7 weeks. I used this time to focus on swimming!

I will not bore you with how poor of a swimmer I am. If you read this blog you know that already. Well that has changed. I have turned into super swimmer and have the gold stars from my coach to prove it! Cherri Kennedy at the Hartley YMCA Masters Program has spent two days a week with me for the last 7 weeks. We both are excited when the class is over that I made and could complete the entire workout. Yesterday we even marveled that she hasn't had to adjust a workout for me in weeks! I don't mind showing up twice a week now. Before, any excuse to get me out of it worked just fine for me. Not that you care but I have also been doing spin class to keep the legs moving. As hard of a workout that I get from that class (2-3 times/week), it did nothing to keep the weight gain at bay!

So now that I can run, the plan he gave me has me starting out at 2.5 miles 4 times a week, then building on that. That seemed like way too much so I decided to run 1 mile and see how it went. Not so well the first time. My leg started hurting again and I got scared. So I took a few days off and my leg still hurt. Gun shy or just crazy I guess you could say. I emailed the PA and asked what he thought. I am sure he laughed the entire time he was typing the response. I was told to just run and follow the plan. Unless it hurt severely, then I was fine. The muscle group was not use to being used so it would hurt and that was expected. Yeah I am not buying that but I don't have DR. or PA in my title, so that is what I am doing, just running. I tried again this week and it went fine. So hopefully I really am back in the sport of running. This truly is the first time that I have ever followed Dr.'s orders so they better be right!

I do feel like a slug with the weight I have gained so I decided to let someone (I will not mention your name, but I am rethinking our friendship) talk me into trying a new class. Athletic Conditioning...Yes it sounded like something that I would be able to do when reading the class description with no problem. Well that was Monday, and John had to help me wash my hair this morning (Wed)! I can't lift my arms over my head. How sad is that? I wasn't going to do the class again but now I feel like I have too. I obviously am not very strong and need to work on some muscle conditioning. So after I come back from vacation, I am going to try it again (unnamed friend your going back with me)!

So here is to happy running times and getting back out there. The IPod is charged and I will hit the pavement or the track at the Y tonight!

Support Trooper J. D. Goodnight

I know this has nothing to do with training. I feel the need to put my feelings down on paper. Isn't that why I started this blog anyway?

On May 23, 2010, we were getting ready to leave our house when I heard alot of sirens and activity on the highway near our house. Not thinking anything about it, for the fact we hear it often, we leave and are off to our destination. We come upon a horrific accident. When I say horrific I mean horrific. You knew that there were fatalities. I said a prayer for those involved and then looked to my right.


To my right was a Highway Patrol car in the woods. My heart sank. Why you might ask would that make your heart sink? My heart had already been shaken by the sight of this accident. But a very dear friend of mine is the Trooper in this area and I knew there was a good possibility that he would be working. Like any good friend, I text him that there is a bad, bad, bad accident at that intersection. I know, why didn't I just call him? Because I am a texter! I got nothing back. We called another Trooper friend who said yes Jay had been in an accident but that it was at 29/70 so I thought thank God he wasn't in that tree. But then later at dinner I got a text from someone saying "OMG have you heard about Jay, he was in an accident. I then found out that it was Jay in that tree and that two people had died in the accident. To clarify 29/70 is Business 85 to most of us.


My first thoughts of this news went straight to praying for those families that God would send peace and comfort as only He can do in times like this. I am sorry for their loss and can't imagine what they are going through. Then my second thought was thank you God for sparing my friend. He has a beautiful wife and family at home and of course he is my friend so I would not want anything to happen to him. Who would I pick on about being a cheerleader? Cheerleader turned Trooper, I love it!


I know Jay, I know that he would not put anyone in harms way intentionally. He is a man very proud of the job he does and respects the laws that he works tirelessly to uphold. The media has decided in my opinion to turn this into "Man with a badge and a fast car, kills two innocent people". Of course anyone who knows me knows I am all over that. I wanted someone to stand up and scream “JAY GOODNIGHT IS THE BEST TROOPER I KNOW, HOW DARE YOU FOR BLAMING HIM”. So I did. I wrote an editorial, that will never see print, I am sure. I tried buddy! LOL!


There are two sides to every story. Trooper J. D. Goodnight's story is limited because of the job he holds and that we live in a sue me world. But the accident report and the independent report,completed by an independent contractor, does tell the story. All should be public record if you would like a copy call the N. C. Highway Patrol and ask for it. But what you will find in that report is a very different story than what the media has told. I am not going to tell you the results for the fear of coming across as heartless for those injured and dead. Read it for yourself if you would like.


I don't want anyone reading this to think that I am a heartless bitch. I am sorry for the loss due to this accident. Their lives cannot be replaced. Grief takes on many faces as we all know. I am sure by the reports that Trooper Goodnight and the State will be sued, their grief has turned to anger. There is no amount of money, justice, I am sorry for you loss, explanation, blame or reports that will bring them back. Only time will heal the wounds of death. Only time will heal what Jay might be going through as well. Is his life any less valuable then theirs? No it is not and I am sure anyone who knows him would agree.


Let us not forget what Trooper Goodnight and every law enforcement officer; EMS work and fire fighter go through every time they go to work. Unlike me sitting at my desk typing this, they put their life in danger and risk not ever seeing their families, friends, co-workers, and neighbors again. To that, I say THANK YOU! Thank you for the selfless act that we call a job, that you call your life.


I am sure there will be many that read this and don’t agree. You are more than welcome to your opinion just as I am to share mine as well. I would ask that for those of you that do support the job that is done by not only Jay but everyone in law enforcement to show your support of them on Support Trooper J. G. Goodnight facebook page.


Thank you and goodnight! (No pun intended)

Not really training for anything

It seems very odd for me to not really be training for anything in particular. Oh believe me, I have made my race calendar in my head and it is going to keep me busy. But right now I am just enjoying running.

I haven't enjoyed just running in a long time. It is not a chore (well most days aren't) to get up and get out the door. I am running 4 weekdays and am going to get my long run in on Saturday. I am still swimming and biking but not really focusing on anything. Just enjoying multi-sport fitness.

My goal is to learn to run by myself and if I find someone to hang with me for the long runs, that will be great, but if not, I can do it. I think there is a new lesson to be learned by me in this and it might be to find some inner peace with running. Be one with running.

We shall see how this works but so far so good.

An Apple A Day will not keep the Dr. Away

Well at least not for me. It seems I will be seeing a pulmonary Dr. for the rest of my life. How did this happen and why me is all I keep asking myself. I have never smoked in my entire 40 years of life. I have not always been active but shouldn't the last 4 years of hard training have been enough to make up for it? Shouldn't all the people I know be looking at me saying "Damn if she can, I can"? Yes I think all of those things apply. Well they don't.

As reported in my last update, I had a medical issue at the end of the race. I am an asthmatic and the granddaughter of COPD genes! Well guess who was the lucky one? That would be me. Yeap, my lungs suck. They don't move air the way yours do. Yeah you sitting on the couch eating ice cream, potato chips and french fries and you breath just fine.

As I am sure you can tell already, I am angry, I am mad and now I am reassured that I was not switched at birth, which I had always believed. But they cannot deny me now. I got their lungs! The anger comes from not doing anything to cause it and actually working hard to stay healthy. Unlike the rest of my family.

I will not stop any of this madness, I will just have to be careful. Run with an inhaler, a phone and yes I guess an I.D. bracelet. I was asked to run in moderation and watch the conditions. Which I will watch the conditions but I will not back off, I will just up the life insurance and make sure I always have clean running shorts on just in case!

Race that never was and the Race that I am glad is over

As you all know I was training for the Flying Pig Marathon for the Spring. I would love to say that I went, had a great time and I kicked major ass at it. I don't get to say any of that. I get to tell you that the best of plans sometimes get foiled. The best of plans get interrupted. I think my life is like one of those shows where they come on and say "We interrupt this program for a special announcement". I don't like the announcement coming, but oh well. It is what it is and I move on.

So with that said, Flying Pig never happened and for that matter not alot of anything happened. Training fell by the wayside and I didn't really get much done.

But I still had White Lake to worry about. As we all know that was the one I was worried about anyway. Running is second nature to me now. Not 26.2 miles but running is easy. Triathlons on the other hand, push me to my limits. Physically and mentally. Mentally probably more than anything. That was why I signed on for this multi sport madness, wasn't it?

White Lake Sprint II weekend is quickly approaching and panic sets it. I have to get in the pool to see if I can still swim, I need to get my bike from the shop, I need to ride a bike, any bike will do so Friday before a race I go to spin class. Not sure if that helped or hurt, but I did it. We are there, we have our nice accommodations (not Langston's) and we are having fun. Jill completes her first half ironman distance on Saturday. I cry when she crosses the finish line like any good friend would do. I eat a great meal and go to bed early. Not too early since my start time isn't until 8:56. Really, I won't be finished until lunch time. Just kidding. But everyone else will be finishing and I will be all by myself on the bike and run course. I wasn't but that is what I was thinking. I was on the second loop of the bike by myself for a bit. There were actually several out there and I got to pass them. YAY for the small things. Saturday afternoon I started having major anxiety over the swim. The wind had picked up and the water was getting choppy. That is never a good sign for the girl who is already worried. Sunday morning arrives I get my new wetsuit as my Mother's Day gift and I proceed to get ready. I go get my timing chip, I get my numbers (personally not happy about the Master's age group) and off we are. Like a huge baby, I get nervous about the swim and I what, yes, I cry! I don't want to swim. I want to turn around and back out. But I also hate quitting. So what is it, suck it up and swim or quit and feel horrible forever? OK I get in the water. I warm up a little and I feel better. I met several people that think they swim worse than me. Ha Ha, that is the funniest thing I have heard all morning but I will give it to them. Then they call it, 3 minutes to the Novice group goes off. I learned last year to not swim in my age group. Horn blows, swimming I begin. I am feeling pretty good at first then I realize how choppy the water really is as it slaps me in the face at every time I go to breathe. Swim takes a little longer than I would of liked....but when I got out of the water, I wasn't last and I didn't quit. I wanted to several times. Time to ride my bike 14 miles. Head wind the whole time. I have a good bike time for someone who hasn't ridden a bike other than spin class in 6 months. Bike is racked and time to run. I love running. I feel good! I have an excellent run time. Going back in from the run was hard, everyone was leaving and here I am just coming in. It really shouldn't matter should it? I finished and I finished better than I did last year. Which means I did better somewhere in one or all those of sports (SWIMMING). There is alot that went on after the finish for me but it would take two days to explain. Short of it, I experienced a medical issue and ended up in the medical tent. Glad that is over.

I say this for the second year, I hate that place and I will never do it again. I will be back next year White Lake, I also refuse to let you get the best of me and I am going to master swimming some how if it kills me!

First Real Run in Weeks

Today was my first real run in weeks. I was worried and maybe scared that it would not turn out as I would hope. But that all went out the window once started.


This will be the shortest blog post ever posted by me. Christine and I rocked that run!

Glad I am back!

Sick at the Wrong Time

I came home from Cooper River Bridge Run with what I would call deathly ill symptoms. I think I should of been a man when it comes to being sick. I am a huge baby. So when I started feeling bad, the complaining started as well. Poor Jill, Kate and Josh. They took the brunt of this complaining and I am sorry for it. But the drive home Sunday was not very much fun for me or them. I thought I had a fever but could not verify that as I didn't have a thermometer to check. I came home and went straight to bed.

Monday morning comes and I get up and shower for work. Because as most of you know,I started a job not too long ago and this is a crucial time for us. I hated to miss any time and someone else have to do my job plus theirs. So off I go to High Point. That didn't last long. I ended up at the Dr.'s office laying in a ball on the examination table. My Dr. comes in and says "I don't think in all the years you have been coming here that I have seen you look this bad, you must be sick". HELLO CAPTAIN OBVIOUS. Most people don't end up in your office for the fun of it. So with all of that said, I end up in bed for two more days and barely able to lift my head I felt so bad and the fever was high (100.5).

For the last 9 days, I have been unable to do anything really. I tried to run the other night but that didn't go as planned. We walked and there is nothing wrong with that. We were moving and that is more than I had been doing. But it made me the realization that a marathon in 25 days would not happen. So we have decided to back down to the half marathon at the Flying Pig.

With that decision, came alot of different feelings. First and foremost, I felt like I had failed. Like I had let myself down. Then I was mad at myself for all the races that I signed up for and pushed my body on. I was mad that alot of training would be wasted. Failure still looms in my mind as my top emotion though.

Then today happened. I woke up with a severe sinus headache and extreme pressure behind my eye. So back to the Dr. With that trip I left with three more prescriptions and some words of advise. NO RUNNING or strenuous activity until all meds are taken and I feel some relief. My lungs are compromised by infection. Really! Your kidding? I know, I am really a smartass, but I knew deep down this was not a typical cold.

I have mailed my form in to drop back to the half marathon and I guess I am glad that the pressure of 26.2 miles is off me. Fall Marathon training look out. I will be much smarter about it and even more determined!

Until then, I am racing for fun!

Two Races, One Day

A couple of weeks ago I decided, well we decided, Christine and I, that our mileage this week was 18 or 19 miles so we would run the NC Half Marathon early in the day and then run the 5 mile Beer Run in the afternoon. Totaling 18 miles for the day.

So I took it fairly easy during the week, not running once I might add (probably not smart) but I swam and did an improv spin class instead. I did wonder all week if I didn't run how would that effect my times on Saturday. Only time would tell no pun intended.

Friday I met Pam and Christine and we walked over to Showplace to pick up our packets. We saw lots of people we knew which is always fun. One of the most fun parts of running is the people you meet at races and see at future races. Example, I met a group in OBX from Greensboro, do I know there names, no I don't but I see them all the time and they always say hello and have a hug! I love it. So we got our packets and off we were. Carb loading we did and off to bed early we were.

Early to bed early to rise. I was up at 6:00 a.m. to meet them at 7:00 a.m. We like to get there about an hour early to get ourselves situated and our game plan worked out. Well to get my game plan worked out in my mind. That is what I have to do, I have to mentally prepare for the race. Think about the mileage ahead of me and how am I am going to conquer that. Well in my mind it was a training run and that was all. Time draws near and time to line up. We get toward the back because that is were we should be. We know our place for the day. Gun goes off and we are running. We feel good! We see people we know, slow to chat, speed up to catch other people we know. Mile one under us, a little faster than we should be running, so we slow the pace. Fun, that is what we are having.

It hits me, I am feeling good, I pull out a little ahead of Christine, not much, but she gives the me the go ahead, no I will stay back, no she says if you can go, and PR, go! That is my running group for you. It is about how good can you do.... So I did. She was never far behind me though and at the 8 mile water stop we got to cheer each other for a minute. This is course up to 8 miles is not so bad, it is hilly but it is nothing I find too bad. Then miles 9 to 13 are a totally different story. They are gruelling I tell you. At one point, I was like, SERIOUSLY! Not another hill..... I was happy to hear the water stop ladies say, your right around the corner! I normally hate to hear that, but on Saturday, it was like music to my ears.

I had a time in mind to finish but at about mile 11 I knew I was not going to make it, but I was going to PR. Which for those of you who don't run (then why are you reading this LOL!) means personal record. So I pushed ahead. There were two men in front of me and they were talking smack to each other and it bothered me just a bit so I passed them and I had to make a comment. Yes I know your surprised. I potitlety told them if they were going to talk such shit, back it up. So from that point, I passed them! Oh that felt good. You had to hear them then you would understand.

I rounded the corner and there was the finish line! I heard people yelling "go Amy B go", thanks Christie, that sure helps the push. I looked down at my watch and I had just beaten my last half marathon time by almost a whole minute!

You have no idea how that feels when unless you run and you run as slow as me! LOL! I have gotten faster, but from where I started to where I am now. Is just a good feeling.

We hung out a little while. Of course we used our beer coupon. Nothing better in the hot weather than a cold beer! But it was time to go home and get ready for race number 2.

Lunch and a shower later, we are off to number 2. The Beer Run! Year number 3 of this one and I am dreading it because, yep, more hills. Probably worse than High Point but I need the mileage, I need to finish to wear the T-shirt and the beer is at the end. So we are off...not much talking and if there is any talking, it is about why we are doing this and when we are going to walk. We did some walking, not alot but we did. I don't have alot more to say about this one, except I am glad it is over. My body hurts at this point and I just want to see the finish line or a water stop would be nice. Only two during the entire 5 miles. One was running out of water and the other was toward the end of the race. I need water sooner. Not their fault I know. But boy it was hot and humid and we are just not use to that yet.

After time to think about this idea we had, we have decided that we would not do two events in one day. Since then, I have gotten very sick and Christine is suffering some IT band issues. Not good for either of us less than 4 weeks before a big race. Glad this wasn't an A race on our list. We are going for the fun of it and only the fun of it. Our time doesn't matter just two good friends spending time doing what we love to best together.

Training, training and more training

I think I live in the gym or on the greenway...OK maybe there is a little stop off at MMPI and 104 Farriers Lane, but boy it seems like the rest of my time is spent elsewhere.

Training is going good, I think. This past weekend Christine, Kay and I set out for our longest run for this training session and that was 17 miles. Someone in our group sent out an email asking for a different route because they were tired of the Greenway. Yes you guessed it, it was me. So we decide on the following route. We started at our normal spot, the Spencer Love tennis courts and ran the first part of the Cannonball course, then we went out past Strawberry Road to the end of the Greenway. We were at 11.? miles at that point and had 5.4 back to the tennis courts. Going back seemed like such a pleasing thought. Then we ran into a fellow runner friend, Pam Connor, whom we had not seen or talked to in awhile and we stopped to talk. Mistake, HUGE MISTAKE....Not talking to Pam but stopping for so long. I hope we didn't mess her run up the way we did our own. We cooled off so starting again was PAINFUL! Oh boy, we sounded like 90 year old women who just woke up in the morning. It was funny now that I think back on it. So we ran the 5.4 back, and did a 1/4 of a mile in the parking lot. This is kind of what it sounded like, "How much further?", "really, seriously, it has to be over", "I am not telling you how much further, I will tell you when it is over". At several points during this run, I called Christine a bully! That is my favorite saying now for my friends who push me farther than I would normally push myself. When it was finally over, I wanted to dance but my there was no way dance moves were coming out of this body. I was in need of something..... a good painkiller would of been nice.

So to further punish ourselves, on Sunday, Christine and I participated in another indoor triathlon. We must of lost our minds. We biked and ran farther this time than we did the last time! How does that happen? Our bodies were sore and tired from Saturday, so how did we do better than the last time?????? Yes it is all the training! We wrangled another running friend into our madness on Sunday as well. Mindy had a great time and I think she is looking forward to more triathlon entertainment. We love sharing the madness. Come join us and see for yourselves/

This coming weekend, we are running the NC Half Marathon in the a.m. and then at 3 p.m. we are doing the beer run! Yes we run for beer! Lots of beer I might add. We will do anything for beer,mileage and TSHIRTS!

Happy training my friends.

First Indoor Tri of 2010

Well the first for me that is. I chose to skip the first one due to of course, swimming. I wanted to finish the clinic and hopefully feel a little more comfortable in the water. Then the second one was cancelled due to inclement weather hear in the Triad. Today was the day for me to finally see if I could do better than last year. Those of you who really know me, know I am going to try and rope as many friends as I can into my madness. Yes I talked Christine into joining me. This was her first experience in Triathlon. Oh, except for the fact her husband is an IRONMAN. But her first race.

We volunteered the first half of the race because we need them and we love cheering folks on. Then it came our time to get ready. Off we went to the locker room to get ready. We go to the pool and automatically I feel the butterflies. Why I don't know, I have been swimming weekly and putting in lots of laps and drills. I don't think for me that matters. I was still very nervous. I got in the water and did a 100 meter warm up and I felt fine. I laughed, I got some instruction from a wonderful swimmer Laurie Brackett that is in my TTT group. She counts the time down and we are off. I just swam. I did the best I could and yes I had to backstroke some but for the most part I swam free style. I was happy when I got out and they told me I swam 16 laps (400 meters). YAY for me! I know I am so excited over something not so great in the world of swimming. But in my world, I will take it all day long.

We are off to change and on to the bike and run. Yes it was a stationary bike but not like the regular stationary bikes. This bike is meant to mimic road bikes. So not as easy as a stationary bike. I rode 4.48 miles on the bike. I wish I would of done better but oh well. I knew I still had to run so I guess maybe I didn't ride as hard as I could have. I got on the treadmill and wow, my legs felt like rubber. I walked a minute and then the run began. I turned my IPOD on and I was off. I felt good so I covered the screen and ran. Every so often I would bump up the speed knowing I would run it out the last 90 seconds. That is exactly what I did. I ran 2.23 miles in 20 minutes. We both were stoked. For me seeing my friend so excited for completing her first triathlon and for me I finally was happy with my times. That hasn't happened in along time.

We were so excited, we are ready to do it again on March 14th. Come join us at the Ragsdale YMCA! If your reading and yoru interested, go to www.triadtriteam.com and you can find the link there.

You need a junk day in your diet!

In trying to eat better and loose some weight, my husband found a new vitamin store, Complete Nutrition. I go to buy a vitamin and protien shake. I talk to them about my schedule and my desire to loose weight. I told them that I eat well, but that I am constantly hungry and I think that is the problem. With that this really cute, thin lady says to me that I need to add a junk day into my diet. That way I will not feel as if I gave anything up. She nailed it right there. I don't feel like I gave anything up? I eat what I want, when I want, obviously!

In looking over my schedule that night, I go to John and say "when am I supposed to add a junk day"? I don't have time for that. I workout almost everyday of the week. Friday is my day off but my long run is on Saturday so I can't eat horrible on Friday because I have to fuel for a run. So when am I supposed to have my junk day?

After running so well today, I think I will just forget the junk day and focus on eating well and maybe the weight will fall right off. (hee hee ha ha)

Back on Track

After a few weeks of yucky weather and not really able to run outside, we finally got a nice weekend with sunshine. I so should be out on my bike right now but I have swim clinic to go to and really cannot afford to miss that. I am vowing this week to get back on track with my training for The Flying Pig and the White Lake Sprint II.

In May I have two very important events scheduled. I am not really sure how smart it was to plan them back to back but oh well bought and paid for, so I am going to do my very best at completing them to best of my ability. The first of course is the The Flying Pig Marathon and the following weekend I race in the White Lake Sprint II Triathlon. I really just want to swim better this year than the horrible attempt at it last year. That was my first open water event so I should really cut myself some slack. So as long as it does not take me 49 minutes, I will be very happy.

Due to the weather I have not been as motivated to train like I should. It is cold in the mornings and I have had a hard time getting up like I should. Well that ends NOW!

We got back on track with our mileage yesterday for the The Pig. We ran 11.5 miles and it was good. I had some kind of stomach something hit me Friday and really didn't feel up to running that long yesterday but I knew I had to. The work has to be put in to get the job done on May 2nd. So I pushed through it. I did have to walk for brief periods of time after 8 miles but hey better than not doing it all. I personally hate to have to walk, to me it makes me feel weak and like I failed. Oh well.....That is just my negative other personality talking. I didn't fail. How many other people ran 11.5 miles yesterday? Not many I am sure.

So my vow this week is to get back on track. Be up and out the door to train in the morning. I might need some wake up calls!

Turning 40

I think that I had dreaded turning 40 ever since I turned 30. Why, I have no idea. I think that the thought of saying I was 40 meant I was actually getting older and I could remember thinking people who were 40 were just old. As expected, my line of thinking has changed. I am agreeing that 40 is the "new" 30!

I turned 40 yesterday and I will be honest, I looked forward to it. I feel like I have arrived. My life is just beginning. My love of life is anew. My outlook on things are more positive. I am not settling. I refuse to be defined by a number.

I think for me and my life, the last 10 years have just been depressing. So many things didn't go the way I would of wanted them and do believe and trust that, this is the way God has intended it to be. I may not always like how things turn out but He knows best what is good and needed in my life and on my journey. So these next years of my life I have a feeling are going to be great. I know some of you are saying there is a song about that. Yes there is and Tim McGraw said it best for the next 30 years..... I will take as many as are layed out for me.

Things again, may not be as I expected, but once again, I know that my God has it all planned out and paved the road ahead of me. If I die tomorrow, I know that I have had a great life and am truly blessed with a wonderful family and wonderful friends.

Krispy Kreme Challenge 2010

I am always looking for fun new races to participate in. Not that I don't like my hometown races, but I have and continue to narrow down my list of races that I must do here in town. Krispy Kreme Challenge is my first new race of 2010 and will go on the list of yearly "To Do's".

One of my running partners Christine, did this race last year with her brother and sister and it sounded like a blast, so I thought why not. I just registered John and myself a couple of weeks ago and glad I did, it sold out! The Challenge is that you run 2 miles, you eat 12 doughnuts and run 2 miles back. I love doughnuts so what the heck. No Challenge in that! Yeah whatever! Everyone asked me how in the world I was going to do that and what was I thinking. Had I heard about all the people who get sick and vomit at the end and during the race?. Yes I have heard those stories, but not me! I have the weakest stomach when it comes to vomit! I cannot stand to do it myself nevertheless see anyone or hear anyone do it. It automatically kicks in my gag reflex and here we go.....So don't talk about that part of the race with me.

The weather was what worried me most. I wouldn't be able to wear my tshirt if I couldn't run this race due to weather conditions. I know funny but I love tshirts and I am very serious about not wearing a shirt from a race I didn't do! Well I can rest easy and wear my shirt proudly. I think?

I did not complete the challenge of 12 doughnuts. I ate 3 and I thought I was doing good at that. They were cold, tasted like they were made the night before and just not what I like when eating that many empty calories. Don't tell anyone, but I am a Dunkin Donut girl! Maybe I will write DD a letter and get them started on the program.

We ran our 2 miles which ended up being really 2.25 miles and Christine, my running partner and I decided to share a box. We got our box and started the fun. I ate 3 and she ate 2 and we were on our way. The mileage back was, well to say the least, not as good as getting to the KK Store. I am not sure how to describe what I was feeling, but I was glad I was carrying the box back with the rest of the doughnuts in it instead of them in my stomach.

At the finish line Christine and I crossed together holding hands and laughing. We had so much fun. Mileage according to the Garmin was 4.57 and we finished in 52 minutes which includes the time to eat and try to find the water. We have decided this is definitely one for the list. If your looking for a fun filled race with a twist of adventure, this is it! I am glad C was with me, I just found out my timing chip didn't work so therefore you will not find my time listed. Can't wait for the finish line photo.

Committment

I think that I have always had a problem with commitment. Oh I can make the commitment but sticking with it is something I lack.

Yes I am married and have been for a what seems a lifetime, but other than that, yeah, I suck at making a commitment. I said the other night when I went to swim, I need to commit to it, like I have running.

Once I got started running, I would just about cut my right arm off to not miss it. I am still that way to a degree. I know there are people that I love to be around meeting me and I can't wait to get there. Same with my bike, the group I ride with is wonderful (I need the weather to get better)and I enjoy knowing they are going to be there so therefore I go. Swimming, yeah not so much. I really like the group I am in, I am just not happy to go. I will find any reason to not go. Once I go, I feel great, I am glad I did it, I learn something each time. I just am not committed to learning to get better.

I am beginning to think that if I go and I commit, then if no improvement happens I have no excuse. Except for the fact that I suck at swimming. But if I don't go and I keep on being scared, then I have an excuse. I still have fits of panic. I don't know why. I know there are plenty of people to save me, but my head in the water thing really sometimes gets the best of me. I feel short of breath and I drink in water and then it is over. My confidence is out the door or down the drain is probably better.

So, starting Sunday, I am going to make a commitment to try harder. To stop complaining about it and JUST DO IT! Let's see how this works for me.

I think I have taken "getting my oink on too far"

I laugh as I type that heading, but it is so true. I need to get my poor eating habits under control. Something in my body and brain has gone haywire and I am starving all the time. Just like now, it is 9:31 p.m. I just had dinner (I am not telling you what I ate) and I feel the need to eat something else. I am not a super sweets eater, I would rather have some bread and butter! Toast and hot tea are my favorites at this time of day! Hence why I am spilling my guts on a blog instead of eating. Hoping I will go to sleep before I get up and go get something.

I know the main reason is my poor choices in food. I don't think anywhere is it said that eating mexican for lunch entitles me to pizza for dinner. See what I mean. POOR CHOICES! A few months back I tried weight watchers and that just wasn't cutting it for me. I need food and I think I need alot of it. My waistline is now showing the ill side effects of my poor habits.

So I am going to somehow, someway, get this under control. I am not promising that I will not be mean or nasty if I am hungry! That is just how I roll! LOL!

So if anyone has any grand words of wisdom please do share them....But don't tell me I need to make better choices, I am well aware of that!

Getting My Oink On

While training for OBX I swore that I would never run another marathon ever! Never SAY NEVER! I am officially registered for the Flying Pig Marathon on May 2nd in Cincinnati Ohio.

Of course those that know me know I roped in a friend or two to go with me. I started with Pam Connor, Kay Shore and Christine Flowe. Pam politely declined when she read the race course. Kay declined when she was told the date. Due to the fact she holds a yearly party and has for a long time and people look forward and depend on it being the first weekend in May. Tons of people better show up and have fun since she turned us down to have the party. Christine said "let me think about it"....That didn't take long. We both are officially registered. Our room at the host hotel is rented and training has begun! Then in talking to my new friend Steve from OBX, he is running it as well. I thought I had a few more suckered in but no go! I am just excited that we are going to know someone.

We actually had a hard time or I should say, I had a hard time getting a training plan that would work with the fact that I am doing a sprint triathlon the very next weekend. So to say the least, I am at the gym or running everyday! Glad John is doing the sprint as well or they might not ever see me. Training plan is picked, just tweaking it now to fit in the swim and bike.

This is our second week actually and we are doing great. The cold weather has not stopped us, maybe slowed us down a little more than normal but we are excited and looking forward to it. There is something wrong with people who are looking forward to running 26.2 miles! Come join the madness!

Starting 2010 out right

It is always a tossup on how we should bring the New Year in here at the Barrett household. Yes for anyone who really knows us, I know your laughing your butts off at that one. John and I are normally asleep. The last two years though we have done something different.

Since the love of running plays a key part into whatever we do and how we plan anything. We even plan our New Years celebration around it as well. There is a great event that helps us start our year off with the one thing that I love. Running of the Lights......Folks gather starting around 11 p.m. at Tanglewood Park and get ready for the ball to drop which we are watching on the big screen and the horn blows and we run a 5K through the winter wonderland of Tanglewood Park. Of course we are running with friends and after the run we have our own little party. This year we had champagne, hot chocolate, coffee and the BAILY'S.... that is the most important ingredient. We have our New Years toast and the party is on.

While everyone else is out drinking and eating too much, John, me, Keith, Christine and Kay are running and laughing having a blast. I cannot think of a better way to start a new year.

This year was a little different, in that, we added the Resolution Run in at 10 a.m. Another 5K to help get folks motivated to stay healthy during the year. John pushed it a little more than I did and rode 25 miles on his bike at the Polar Bear Ride. I decided I was tired and it was cold so I went to the movies instead.

I think we have a good start on 2010 and meeting our personal goals this year. I hope that each of you will put your health at the top of the priority list. You only get one chance at life, make the most of it! Wishing each of you a prosperous 2010!