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!
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Thursday, April 8, 2010
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!
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!
Monday, March 22, 2010
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.
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.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
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.
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.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
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.
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.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
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)
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)
Sunday, February 21, 2010
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!
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!
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