Run4Fun2

someone who is busier than you is running right now

2012-01-15T23:01:00.002-05:00

Life is insanely busy right now and I'm failing at finding the perfect balance between work, parenting, exercising, house keeping, sleeping, and spending time with friends. And guess which activity got pushed to the back burner this week.. Yep.. running.. logged a whopping 9.19 miles in 3 runs (and swam 1000 meters). Didn't meet my weekly goal, but eh.. there's always next week! Think I'll tattoo the saying in this picture on my hand as a reminder ;-)

inspiring by example whether you realize it or not

2012-01-08T22:05:00.001-05:00

I'm happy to say that my first "long run" of 2012 marathon training didn't involve episodes of Law & Order! Thanks so much to my Daily Mile Secret Santa for the cool gift! LOVE IT! I haven't had a decent long run in over a month. Either the long run was horrible or I wimped out or was too busy. But finally made the commitment to "JUST DO IT!" today. I set myself up for a win.. I strapped on my heart rate monitor and set my goal of LSD (long slow distance). I kept my heart rate in the 70-80% range and it was EASY! Slow.. but EASY.. until the end when I couldn't handle going so slow any more and picked up the pace for a happy finish!

You never know who you may inspire by just being you.. There were several mountain bikers on the trail today. On my last lap, a lone rider slowed as we passed and said, "you must be running 20 miles today" (we had passed each other at least once or twice already). I replied, "nah.. only 11". And he said, "my god.. I can't even imagine running that far.." and at the same time I was thinking that 11 miles is less than half the distance of my longest runs. Lesson learned is that what seems easy to you may be impressive to others.

So get out there and inspire someone today!

parking lots are much more fun with grocery carts

2012-01-05T22:27:00.001-05:00

Although I swore no "resolutions" for 2012.. I did resolve to try something new this year.. and thought about a few goals in order to make 2012 better than prior years. I registered for a few triathlons for 2012 for fun new adventures. My big goal is a half IM in October. And since I've never tried a tri, a lot of people suggested that I start with a sprint so I registered for a sprint triathlon in May, and an olympic distance triathlon in August so I will be better prepared for the half IM.

I thought about a goal of "streaking" in 2012.. but couldn't decide if it should be simply to exercise each day or run each day or are both insane because my body will probably perform better if I take occassional rest days? I started the year with the "A" goal of running every day, but that ended yesterday due to an insanely busy work/personal crisis day. However, I realized early into the day that I wouldn't have time to run until maybe midnight so I shifted to the "B" goal and made a point to walk/jog the 11 flights of stairs (each way) at work throughout the day. I think I covered the distance 4 times, so that's certainly better than not doing anything.

I ran my planned 5 miles on my favorite trail today and then added a "fun, unplanned, naked (without a gps watch) run" tonight as I ran while pushing my teenaged daughter in the grocery cart, and then chased her (while videotaping) as the cart rolled down the sloped parking lot. She said several people were staring at us like we were crazy teenagers, and we both laughed. I told her that her life would be so much more boring if I were an obese/sedentary mom and she thanked me for being a fit/fun mom instead. Life is great! Live like you're a kid when you can because it is so much more fun!

taking a step backward in order to leap forward

2011-12-31T23:00:00.000-05:00

2011 was AMAZING! Much better than the prior few years.. I made many new friends in 2011 and two of those significantly positively improved my life. I've had many more ups than downs.. I ran farther and faster, lost weight, explored new adventures and have been happier than I have been in years. But with all ups, come downs.. I'm not going to dwell on the downs though. For the first year in forever, I'm not going to make a specific New Year's resolution such as lose weight, run 1000 miles, etc. I'm simply striving to make 2012 more adventurous/fun than 2011. I'm bored with marathon training so I did something crazy and registered for a few triathlons in 2012. This will be a first for me. At least now, cross training will feel more like it has purpose in my life!

I'm going to take a step back.. by replacing some of my runs with swimming and cycling instead. It's going to be hard, mentally, because running has always been a huge part of my life, but I'm fairly certain that this will result in a leap forward for progression and new challenges and therefore, new thrills. The most important lesson I learned in 2011 was to strive for what you desire and be open to new possibilities because they may just turn out to be a highlight in your life.

My hope for you is that you embrace life's adventures, live life to the fullest, and choose to be happy each and every day!

silly boys.. make life so much more fun!

2011-12-24T13:27:00.001-05:00

I ran on cruise-control along my favorite trail this morning, but it just wasn't the same.. My mind was cycling through the disappointments of the work week instead of focusing on the tranquility and joy that this trail typically evokes. I was stuck in a mental and emotional black hole until..

backtrack: On most Saturday mornings, there is a group of 6 or more young men that run in a pack (or two) on the Yellow River Park trail. I assume they are high school (possibly college) cross country runners since they disappeared during cross country season and I've occassionally overheard their conversations about their running successes. One day I'm going to work up the nerve and talk to one or more of them as they stretch in the parking lot..

Anyway.. so I'm used to seeing this pack of varying young lean bodies running in the opposite direction as me on many Saturday mornings. Most of the time they are considerate gentleman. More times than not the "leader" will say, "Excuse us" as they approach/pass. This morning I noticed that they were exceptionally louder than usual; I could hear them long before I saw them. Since they are fast, I was grateful for the advanced warning of their approach on the single-track parts of the trail. As we spotted each other approaching for the 3rd time this morning, the black guy that was 2nd in line chasing the faster white guy yelled, "STOP HIM! HE STOLE MY WALLET!" I laughed SO HARD at the reverse stereotypical image as they throttled past me.. If I didn't know better, I would have believed that he and the other white guys behind him were truly chasing a guy that stole the dude's wallet! This took me out of my mental/emotional black hole and brought me back to the joy that this trail always leaves me with! These "kids"/young men were smiling and joking as they trained. Which is the way life should be.. Live more, laugh more, let the worries float away and RUN FOR FUN!

yikes!

2011-12-23T06:47:00.010-05:00

Scary.. right? I probably had the same terrorized expression on my face after yesterday's trail run when I did the math and found out that I will have to run 7.66 miles per day, every day for the rest of December, to meet my goal of 1,000 miles in 2011. And considering how little I've run this month, that most likely would have 2012 starting off with an injury. It's still possible that I can hit 1,000 miles, since I'm taking a few days of stay-cation, but how important is this number, really? I've already exceeded my 2010 accomplishments.. I've ran more miles, ran more days, ran my fastest marathon ever, found a nearby trail that I LOVE, had more FUN, met a few exceptional athletes that have enriched my life, and lost 20 pounds! I'm HAPPY!

2012 new challenge? fastest pace on this route this year!

2011-12-04T20:17:00.001-05:00

I've known for months, if not longer, that I need a new challenge for 2012.. An ultra? a triathlon? an adventure race? On Friday I received an email about the Beach to Battleship triathlon. It will be on my mom's birthday in October 2012; if she were still alive it would be her 70th. I've spent a lot of time in Wilmington and know the area well; I consider it my home-away-from-home. So my mind starts churning.. Now the bigger question is whether to attempt the full Ironman distance or the half? I put the question out on Daily Mile and received support as well as input that training for a 70.3 is a little more challenging than for a marathon, but training for the Ironman is a huge time and energy commitment. I looked at registration fees and time results from last years race at this same location. The half is much more affordable $185 vs $390, and based on finish times, it looks like the half would take me longer to finish than a marathon, and it would be a first, which both equal a new challenge.. so I'm leaning towards that.

I mentioned it to the guy that I'm dating and he's so excited about it! He's a cyclist and wants to help me train for the cycling portion, which is my weakest link. Friday night we talked about going to Stone Mountain this morning and me running 5 miles while he cycles and then me hopping on a bike and riding with him as far as I feel like. But that didn't work out.. We talked early this morning and he said he was going elsewhere to ride with his friend that he hasn't ridden with in a long time. My main focus now is training for my March marathon, so it didn't bother me too much because I felt the need to run ~10 miles today. I have plenty of time to kill before seriously starting to train for an October 2012 triathlon.

I had planned to run an easy 10 miles this morning. But as I was getting ready to leave to go to Stone Mountain to run, I received a text from a friend inviting us to go see a movie at 2 p.m. Which meant I must run harder than "easy" in order to do both. Since I was such a running slacker this week, and felt great this morning, I started a little harder than easy and then began to push the pace on the second 5-mile loop. I ran the entire way, with the exception of stopping to talk with Ron (aka @losttrailrunner) and his daughter, Laura. He asked about my shoes, saying they looked like the kind that triathlete's wear and that further put the bug in my brain to try a tri next year. For probably the first time ever, I passed a male runner! Of course several males passed me, but I was thrilled to pass at least one! I was shocked at my overall pace (10:58 min/mi for 9.75 miles) which is much faster than I've run on this route all year! And it was an even bigger shock because I honestly didn't feel like I was pushing extremely hard. Loving the progress!

I've met some of my goals for 2011 already.. achieved a marathon PR; lost weight; run more miles than last year.. but still have 88.64 miles more to go to achieve my big goal of 1,000 miles. I know it's achievable, barring major injury or illness, since I ran more than that many miles for 4 of the past 11 months. But it also means no slacking.. maybe this big goal will keep the mojo flowing :)

lost my mojo, hopefully only temporarily

2011-12-02T17:18:00.002-05:00

It's been a busy week.. I worked long hours on Wednesday and skipped that day's run.. Was busy on Thursday and skipped that run too. Was determined to run today, and actually wanted to, but just couldn't get into it. Usually the first mile is gruelsome but then I get into the groove and don't want to stop.. But that didn't happen today. Not sure what my problem was.. I was low on energy, but not bonking.. I decided that rather than force myself through the planned five miles, I would stop at 2 miles and just enjoy the hike back to the car and snag a few scenic photos since my motto is "run for fun" and the fun was missing today.

bad turned great

2011-11-27T19:19:00.000-05:00

I didn't sleep well last night, waking up several times and then couldn't fall back asleep when I woke at 4:30 a.m. So I got up, did laundry and dishes, made breakfast, got dressed, had an upset tummy and took an imodium because I HAVE to get my long run in.. no excuses.

As soon as I began seeing light in the sky, I packed my gear into my car and got ready to go to Stone Mountain for my planned 11 mile run. I opened the garage door to this amazing sky and my perspective totally changed from feeling ill to in awe. With a sky like this.. my run is going to be fabulous!

I was surprised that there were so few people at Stone Mountain. Usually there are a lot of walkers, runners and cyclists. Is it because of the holiday? The temperature was 60-65 degrees. I carried a water bottle with two gels in the carrier pouch. My original plan (according to Hal Higdon Advanced plan 2) was to run an easy pace (45-90 seconds slower (or more) than marathon goal pace). I planned to walk for 30 seconds either every 2 miles or when I consumed the gels at 45 minutes apart. My goal marathon pace is 10:45 so I intended to run at an average pace of 11:30 - 12:15 minutes/mile or slower. I ran at an easy exertion pace. I felt strong and didn't feel the need to walk. I consumed the first gel at 45 minutes as I ran. I consumed the second gel at 90 minutes while still running. I never felt the need to walk. I got bored, but never tired or depleted or overexerted. I didn't listen to music, I just focused on the environment and the random thoughts that flowed through my head. I pushed a little harder the last few miles, remembering Higdon's 3/1 option. I finished the 11 miles, no walking, in 2:10:59, an 11:54 average pace with mile 10 my fastest! I think this may be the first time post-childbirth, that I've run this far with no walk breaks.. and it felt easy! Progress is sweet!

love trail hurdles..

2011-11-23T21:42:00.001-05:00

I love how the trail is different every time I run it. The roads probably are too, but I just don't notice those changes like I do the ones on the trails. Last night there were severe storms. I had planned to do a track workout last night, but the downpour of rain was just too strong. I was thrilled to find a new hurdle to jump over (not trip over) on my favorite trail today! It instantly brought back feelings I once had about another fallen tree across another section of the trail that I loved to climb over until someone cut out a segment of it to make the path accessible to mountain bikers again. I'm sure someone will eventually cut or move this one too.. but until that happens I'll be in bliss. I LOVE trail hurdles!

On today's run, the day before Thanksgiving, I thought of things that I'm grateful for that occurred this year. Number one on my list is the meeting the guy that led me to this trail again. He made the biggest impact on my life this year and for that.. I will be eternally grateful!

2011-11-20T20:09:00.003-05:00

I finally settled on a marathon training plan for marathon #5 that I will be doing with my relative, Ande. My aunt mailed me old photos that my uncle recently found. The couple on the left in this photo are my maternal grandparents. My grandfather's sister is Ande's grandmother. Our mom's were cousins and I remember my mom saying that she was her favorite cousin. So what does that make us? Cousins twice removed? Not sure what the correct term is.. Anyway.. He's leaning towards either the FIRST marathon training plan or a Runners World rookie marathon training plan. It will be his first marathon.

I'm feeling the need for something a little more advanced since I'm in the best shape I've been in in years, I just completed a marathon two weeks ago, and this will be my fifth marathon. So I picked the Hal Higdon Advanced 2 training plan. I'd love to PR again, but realistically am not sure if that's possible for a much hillier marathon. But I have 18 weeks to train hard and lose weight, so anything is possible. I didn't follow the plan perfectly this week, but I got most of the miles in, ran them all without walking, ran much faster than I thought I was capable of on the speed days, and enjoyed a much needed lazy day with the-main-man-in-my-life on a rainy Sunday.

no walking.. no pain (except..)

2011-11-13T17:54:00.001-05:00

I took four days off from running after my marathon. I didn't have a set time frame in mind, I just played it by how I felt. I was sore the first three days, felt better on the fourth, and decided to go on an easy trail run on the fifth day after my PR marathon. My left hamstring was extremely tight that morning and I hoped a run would loosen it up. 2.7 easy miles on the trail made me feel much better. The next day I tried 5 easy miles on the trail; my left IT band started hurting a little at 3.5 miles so I took the next day as a rest day.

Today I ran another easy 5 miles on a different trail. No walking and no pain.. except.. Yes, 3rd time is a charm.. I tripped and got back up immediately without looking at my knees until afterwards. Oh well.. a scraped knee is totally worth a heavenly trail run :)

motivation threesome

2011-11-06T23:12:00.018-05:00

I met a guy this summer who instantly became my motivation to lose weight and train hard. We encouraged each other to perform our best in our respective sports. He pulled out two wins and now it was my turn to shine with a PR in yesterday's marathon by 41 minutes! We don't talk as often as we used to, but he's forever ingrained in my soul. He once admired my shell collection, so I spent my day-after-PR-marathon walk on the beach collecting new shells and reflecting on how he brought me to where I am today.

The second amazing guy that I met this summer is also partly responsible for my PR. He didn't necessarily encourage me to achieve my best, but he made sure I got out of bed many Sunday mornings and go for a run rather than lounge around until it would be too hot. He is committed to cycling with his friends on Sunday mornings, which is a quality I really admire about him.

Now I have a new man in my life.. Well, since we're relatives I guess I can't call him "new". We were never close, but his mom was my mom's favorite cousin. We reconnected this year through Facebook since I haven't made it to family reunions in years. He and his brother ran the half marathon yesterday and I really enjoyed having dinner with them the night before the race. He said I was his hero for finishing the full marathon. Now he's motivated to run his first marathon, but doesn't want to train alone. He's thinking about the Publix Georgia marathon in March and asked if I would run it too and train with him. I rolled my eyes and said I swore (pre-race) that Savannah would be my last marathon. But since I improved my marathon PR by such a huge amount, I can't help but wonder how fast I can go if I train even harder and lose another 10-20 pounds. He's much faster than me, but if he's willing to run slower I'll gladly make an effort to run faster and help him train for his first marathon. I'll help him with endurance and he'll help me run faster. Looks like marathon #5 is in the planning stages..

marathon PR!

2011-11-05T20:48:00.001-04:00

It was a perfect day for a marathon personal record (PR)! I registered for the inaugural Savannah Rock n Roll marathon over a year ago with a promotion code that saved me $30. Then shortly afterwards, there was talk amongst my twitter friends of renting a house on the beach; count me in!

I finally got to meet Tara yesterday after interacting with her for years on twitter. She ran the half marathon with two of her other wonder women friends. Loved their costume! Here we are waiting in the long line for the shuttle buses to the start. If this were my first race I would have been panicking because time was ticking and we were still in a long line. The race actually started before our bus dropped us off. But thank goodness there was a wave start and chip timing! I wasn't able to get to my starting corral, which was disappointing because I really wanted to start with Tonya. But I didn't let it get me down because this was going to be the day that all my hard training would pay off.

The temperature ranged from mid-40s to mid-50s with sunny skies and little humidity. I wore a skirt, tall socks, a singlet and my Chicago marathon arm warmers. I had applied body glide liberally to every part that I thought might chafe, but since this was only my second time wearing arm warmers I found out the hard way that I forgot to apply body glide to the parts that would rub against the arm warmers. I started with what felt like a slow pace, although the splits on my Garmin Forerunner 310XT seemed to indicate otherwise. It was an easy, comfortable pace but faster than what would normally be easy which I chalked up to being on a flat course rather than my usual hilly training routes. I decided to go by perceived effort rather than the watch. At 10K, I picked up the pace a little more. It still wasn't a hard pace, but a little more than easy. Miles 4-17 were at roughly a 10 minute/mile pace. Then the wheels started to fall off.. Not from pushing too hard of a pace, but because my left IT band started sending shooting pain into my knee. I took more frequent walk/stretch breaks to try to work through this, which resulted in paces in the 11 minutes/mile range for miles 18-22 and then 12 minutes/mile for the last 4.2 miles.

The shooting pain hurt, chafing from my arm warmers screamed, but I was determined to finish this race running rather than walking. I worked hard to get this far and am leaving it all out on the course. My fastest marathon finish time before this was 5:27 in my first marathon in 2008. My second marathon finish time was 5:45 in Chicago thanks to IT band problems. My third marathon finish time was 6:16 over a mountainous course. I've lost 20 pounds, trained harder and had my goal set for 4:59 on this flat course today. I totally ROCKED it with a 4:46 finish! 41 minutes faster than my fastest marathon. I'm a happy girl!

I cried tears of pride and amazement as I crossed the finish line. I shared my success with friends and family via phone calls and text messages and to my virtual friends via twitter. The congratulations were almost overwhelming. I am so thankful to be part of this great running community! I eventually made it back to the beach house and rewarded myself with an ice bath in the Atlantic Ocean. Life is great!

what not to do the week before a marathon.. if you trip easily..

2011-10-29T21:27:00.000-04:00

Georgia International Olympic Mountain Bike course. My daughter is participating in the Boo Rama horse show at the Georgia International Horse Park this weekend. She came in 3rd place (out of about 15) in all 4 of her events today! After her last event, I headed for the trails. This time, unlike others, I followed the signs for the bike path/no horses. The first mile was so easy that I wondered how this could possibly be the Olympic course. Then I realized that that must have been the "warm-up" portion because the following miles were more challenging. I'm sure bikers take the ramp in this picture, but I chose to leap over the fallen tree instead.

There were only a few bikers on the trail and they politely warned me that they were approaching from behind so I jumped off the trail to let them pass. I felt strong as I ran and took 30 second walk breaks every 5-7 minutes depending on the terrain and my breathing. Just shy of 2 miles I tripped and fell. I didn't bother to look at the damage.. just got up and continued along the path paying closer attention to the trail obstacles in hopes of not tripping again. I can't afford a serious injury a week before my marathon.. 4.27 miles was the loop. I assessed the damage at the car. Hopefully this is just surficial scrapes rather than more significant damage since I have a marathon to run in 7 days. I posted on Facebook and Daily Mile: note to self (aka trail tripper) NO MORE TRAIL RUNS until AFTER your marathon :-P (But I somehow doubt I can stick to that since I am now a trail addict.) Please wish me safe trail travels instead..

Oscar warned me before he left for Colombia to please be careful.. He didn't want me to injure myself before my marathon. Obviously he knows me too well.. Today is his birthday and I miss him more than I thought I would. Hope he is having a fabulous time with his family and friends!

ready

2011-10-23T22:21:00.000-04:00

Bring on the marathon! Most of my miles during the past few months have been on trails. I decided that my last long run before my marathon should probably be on the road to better simulate race conditions. I ran at Mountain Park Park with the strategy that I plan to use on race day. At every 5 minutes took a 30 second walk break. At every 4 miles (~45 minutes) ate half a clif bar and drank about 6 oz of gatorade plus water. Except for the chafing, this was an amazing run! Guess all those trail miles paid off since I felt strong the entire run. I used to walk the minor hills here, but now they are easy to run. Woohoo!

zen run

2011-10-10T21:26:00.002-04:00

I love how the trail looks different every time that I run it! Today was a rainy run and the bright red leaves of fall approaching caught my eye on this section of the trail today. It was much more gorgeous than this photo could possibly portray. Maybe because I was in the moment, smelling the fresh scent of rain and mud, feeling the cool drips of rain on my skin, hearing the leaves rustling lightly. Zen running at its best!

dirty girls have more fun

2011-10-08T23:07:00.002-04:00

At least this time I tripped and slid in mud rather than doing too much damage. It was actually kind of fun! Today was my longest trail run ever. I had planned for an easy 5-miler; I normally do my long runs on Sunday. But I was feeling great and had enough snacks and water in the car, so I decided early on to shift gears and listen to my body and turn this 5-miler into the 15-mile long run that I had on schedule for tomorrow. Best decision ever! At 5 miles I returned to the car, had a snack and drank water. I run a 2.5 mile loop at Yellow River Park trails, so every 2.5 miles I stopped by the car for another small snack and gulp of water. Fueling was perfect! By the end, I felt I could easily run more, but my knee was starting to hurt a little so I didn't want to push it. Dirty girls have more fun!

rattlesnake.. thanks for the warning instead of the strike

2011-10-05T21:57:00.001-04:00

Take a close look.. a very close look.. what neither of us see in the image was the rattlesnake that was half-way up this trail climb. I had a work meeting at Sweetwater Creek State Park today and went for a trail run afterwards. I decided to go a different route than I did last year. I loved the first mile or so. The trail thinned and I wondered if it was a true trail but decided to continue forward. Then I came to a steep incline and wasn't sure if it was a trail "dead end" or only for the hard-core. I was tempted to turn around but decided to be adventurous and climb. It was steep so I went slowly, grabbing branches/trees to keep me from slipping. About half-way up I reached for a small tree, near its base, and heard the rattle of a rattlesnake. I glanced to my left and there it was.. within inches of my hand.. I'm so grateful that it warned me instead of biting me!

If you've read any of my previous posts you may surmise that trail runs can be dangerous. Trips, lyme disease, insect stings, rattlesnakes.. Yet the trails are also where I find nirvana. I'll trade a boring/safe run for a trail any day. New adventures keep my life interesting.

stinger fast

2011-09-27T21:22:00.004-04:00

Fastest pace on this trail ever! Progress.. sweet progress.. I purposely ran this one fast. I didn't push too hard, but my goal was to beat my previous fastest pace on this trail route. I left my phone in the car on purpose and only carried my key in shorts pocket and Garmin 310XT in my hand (since my dog at the wrist band). I was stung by some flying insect on my lower right calf during the first mile but kept going. I kept my eye on the trail and the "virtual partner" rather than the pace and kept seeing the "time ahead" increasing until that last steep uphill. I walked up it and noted that I lost 40 seconds, but gained 20 of it back before the cut-off to return to car. I ran two loops and was amazed at overall pace (75 seconds/mile faster than my previous best), especially since I didn't think I was pushing too hard. Woohoo!

impromptu 5K

2011-09-25T12:47:00.001-04:00

Spontaneity ROCKS! My original plan was for a long run this morning, but last night Lisa called and asked if I would run the Duluth Fall Festival 5K with her. I'd much rather run with a friend than do a long run alone, so it didn't take much to twist my arm. She hasn't been running as much as I have so we went at her pace. I had so much fun running with her!

Lisa's daughter and her friend (who both run cross country) came in 2nd and 3rd in their age group! We all left happy and plotting out our next adventure. Another 5K? Adventure Racing? Triathlon? The sky's the limit..

limbo contest?

2011-09-24T21:26:00.001-04:00

So who wants to join me in a limbo contest on the Yellow River Park trail? The storms of last night left two downed trees along the paths. Thankfully a mountain biker coming in the opposite direction warned me as we passed or I might have slammed right into it since it was just after a turn. I love how the trail looks different every time that I run it! Fun 5 miles this morning!

Coosa Trail

2011-09-17T15:38:00.002-04:00

I need a new goal.. I'm tired of training for marathons.. I love trail running and started contemplating my first Ultra. I don't necessarily want to run the ultra distance, but I learned about a nearby 30K/50K trail race that will be two weeks after my marathon and I thought that if I treated my marathon as a "training run" instead of a race, that maybe I could do a 50K two weeks later. The Duncan Ridge Trail 50K/30K held a "training run" today. My hair colorist's boyfriend is in the band Skid Row; I went to their concert last night and stayed out way too late.. Had a great time, but just couldn't get up 3 hours later to drive to Vogel State Park for the training run start. Yet I was determined to check out the trail before registering for the race, so I drove up and ran a section of the trail alone. OMG! There is no way I will be able to run this 50K two months from now. This was a hike, not a run, and the first few miles of the race are nowhere near as steep as later sections of the race. Glad I tested it out before registering! Am still contemplating registering for the 30K for the adventure, but the 50K is totally out of my current ability range.

Tallulah Falls

2011-09-16T19:07:00.000-04:00

I've driven past Tallulah Gorge State Park almost monthly this year when I travel to/from one of my work projects. I've kept saying that one day I will stop here and go for a run.. I'm usually traveling with co-workers and haven't had a chance, but today I was driving back to Atlanta alone. I stopped at the park and ran the North Rim Trail in my brand new Brooks Cascadia 6 trail shoes (that I LOVE). The North Rim Trail was more of a walking path for visitors than a real trail for runners/hikers, so I was a little disappointed, but enjoyed the view. Will have to check out the High Bluff Trail next time. And since I name all of my running shoes, my new Cascadia trail shoes are now named "Tallulah".

darn distractions = OUCH

2011-09-08T21:27:00.001-04:00

I worked from home today and it was gorgeous weather (70s and sunny instead of 90s) so I planned to run 8 miles on the Yellow River Trail during my lunch break. I was startled by two deer running across the path within the first quarter mile and was amazed at their beauty. I was in awe of how the trail looks so different every time I run here. It looked even more different than usual after the storms of a few days ago. I was daydreaming and not paying close enough attention to the trail. And then it happened.. I tripped over a rock. Yes.. a rock.. on the same path that I've managed to not trip over a few dozen times. I tripped on Monday and fell in the soft sand and only had a teeny scrape to show for it. Not so lucky today.. I banged my knee and skinned my shin pretty badly. On the bright side, it happened at a scenic part of the trail and I sat for a minute, watching and listening to the river water flow over the rocks beside the trail. I was grateful that my waterbottle protected my left hand from injury and my Garmin that I carry (because my dog ate the watch strap) protected my right hand from scrapes. I then decided to be tough and stick to the plan. But my knee HURT! Well, it's going to hurt whether you walk or sit or run so.. keep running! But the pain increased and my pace slowed significantly and realized that I may be doing more harm than good so I decided to cut it short since this is just a training run and not an actual race. oh well.. later in the day my knee is swollen and I can barely bend it. I hope I get a cool scar! this sucks.. but it was an incredible run that I will cherish rather than regret. And a great excuse to wear a short skirt to the office tomorrow :)

prize

2011-08-29T21:27:00.001-04:00

once upon a time I met an amazing guy.. we had a freaky fantasy life.. much better than a soap opera or trashy romance novel.. i kept wondering if it was a dream.. there was such mystery.. intrigue.. the build up was unreal.. then finally, finally, finally.. all the stars aligned.. and it became a reality.. prize earned and happily given..

VFF trail run + fun bike ride

2011-08-28T22:46:00.000-04:00

Just an easy jog/walk in my Vibram Five Fingers (VFFs). Thought I would try something other than my usual clunky trail shoes in hopes of improving plantar fasciitis. Loved running on the trail in VFFs with the exception of over stones and slamming my toes into tree roots a few times. Have a new black toenail now from one root :) But it felt awesome running in VFFs in the deep sand and smooth sand/clay/pineneedle surfaces. Purposely kept it an easy jog, with walking over stone filled areas, for transitioning to VFF purposes.. and because I had plans of cycling with Oscar this afternoon.

I haven't ridden a bike in ages.. But the old addage holds. I had forgotten the little things, like when to use the big-vs-little front ring, but thankfully I was riding with an expert! Great 23-ish mile ride on the Silver Comet Trail! Easily floated along and at times felt giddy with the rush of wind as we sailed down the path. Just hope those padded shorts were effective enough to keep my butt from hurting tomorrow..

2011 pace PR (and possibly prior years)

2011-08-25T20:36:00.000-04:00

Holy smokes! Fastest run in years? And it included 30 second walk breaks every 5 minutes. WOW! Goal was to beat fastest pace on this route this year (11:03); killed it (9:46)! Guess increasing base mileage, running hilly routes and losing weight is starting to pay off. What a great tempo run!

Harbins Park PR

2011-08-23T22:27:00.000-04:00

Wow.. this was the fastest pace that I've ever run this trail! 3 great runs in a row = huge ego boost! Felt really strong and properly fueled. Took 30 second walk breaks about every 5-7 minutes depending on where the inclines were and ran like a kid on the downhills. Tons of fun and feeling strong for a change. Yay!!!

lucky day

2011-08-21T23:27:00.000-04:00

Today was my lucky day.. It started out with the best long run that I've had in over a month! I made major changes yesterday and today and it paid off.. I ate lots yesterday to refuel my body from the trail run. I took a nap yesterday and then went to bed at 10 p.m. I woke up at 4:30 a.m. and forced myself to go back to sleep, turning off the alarm clock. Which meant waking up later than planned, but still in the nick-of-time to get a long run in before other duties called.. Ate a decent breakfast. Started run with a Camelbak full of water and with gels tucked inside. Consumed one gel at every 3 miles and drank as thirsty. Topped off Camelbak at mile 10, when returned to car, to make sure I wouldn't run out of water as I have the previous two runs here. Nutrition and hydration were perfect! I kept a steady pace throughout the run with a 4.5 minute run/0.5 minute stretch/walk for the sake of my aching plantar fasciitis. The last 3 miles were the fastest and I felt strong the entire time! And as a bonus.. I got a kiss from the cute cyclist that I met here 3 weeks ago.. Just wish I had time for more..

After my run, I quickly returned home to shower before "Bubby" arrived. After lunch, I took my daughter, "Like a Boss", and "Bubby" bowling. Although my hamstring cramped each time I bowled, I still managed a win against these 12-year-olds. What a lucky day!

twice the fun

2011-08-20T23:54:00.001-04:00

I am sooooo blessed! Two trail runs in one week = heaven! Saturday is my typical trail run day, yet I had the luxury of a trail run earlier this week too. Kyra had horse riding lessons this morning so I went to the nearby Harbins Park for a trail run. I wanted to run 8 miles, but only had time for 6 and a half in order to get back to the barn before riding lessons ended. I took it easy.. Did a 4.5 minute run/0.5 minute walk interval with intense stretching of calf/PF during the "walk" breaks. It felt great! I felt like I could have run forever.. and would have if kiddo wasn't waiting on me..

Hitchcock Woods Trail adventure

2011-08-16T23:51:00.001-04:00

hmmm... wish I had seen this sign before I crossed the following photo.. I drove to Barnwell, SC today for a business trip and decided to end the day with a trail run at Hitchcock Woods in Aiken, SC. I ran here once before and enjoyed the sandy trails. The website boasted of over 70 miles of trails so today I opted to explore a different pathway. I didn't have a trail map with me, but did have my Garmin 310 XT. I made random turns along the route and LOVED the intriguing scenery!

My favorite part was when I crossed this area that looked like it was once a river/creek that appeared now to be filled with sand. I cautiously made my way through it and then later saw the sign in the former picture. What a beautiful escape! Then the reality sunk in.. I was 3 miles into the trails and not sure how to return back to my car, my heel was hurting badly, a lone dog was following me, and the sun was setting. What to do.. I switched my Garmin to the "back to start" function, yet it had me retracing steps what weren't exactly a direct path to the car. I followed obediently until the battery died.

I should have learned this lesson a long time ago.. Make sure Garmin battery is fully charged before going on trail runs.. So then I turned to my phone, which did have a fullly charged battery, and opened up the mapping system. I had book-marked my car and just headed in that direction. My foot was KILLING me. I decided that maybe if I took off my shoes, the sand on my feet would feel so much better. It did. I eventually made it back to my car as dark was encroaching. My moments of panic subsided completely and returned to the bliss that only trail runs can impart on my pshyche.

murky water

2011-08-13T23:05:00.002-04:00

Yet once again I slept later than planned and only had limited time for my trail run. I got into a zone and wanted to run for hours, but didn't have that luxury. This trail is now my total escape route. It soothes my soul. It brings to life fantasies and dreams yet realized. It invigorates my life force. It fills me with desires yet unfulfilled. Its murky waters totally reflect my current predicaments. It renders me exhausted and semi-satisfied.

they should create a new lane for that..

2011-08-07T15:55:00.000-04:00

Remember the cyclist from last Sunday? We had a great date last night! So when I saw him on my long run at Stone Mountain today, he stopped to say good morning. We were straddling the line between the bike path and run path, and the next thing I know, he's kissing me! Then I laugh as a woman runs past and happily says, "They really should create a new lane for that." The kiss and comment really put a spring in my step and I run my warm-up miles way too fast. Miles 6-10 were supposed to be run hard according to the training plan that I'm following, and I loved that lap! I felt so strong and free and happy! But I ran them a little too hard and struggled through the last few miles of my run. My 70-ounce camelbak was completely drained by mile 13 and I was very thirsty. At that point, I shifted to a run/walk pattern. 14.47 miles done.

What's the biggest lesson learned today? Don't wear a racerback tanktop if you wear a camelbak on a 10+ mile run. Yes, I'm the one you heard screaming in the shower.. major chaffing on my shoulderblades. Ouch!

Moving on..

2011-07-31T22:27:00.003-04:00

Notice how my stop doesn't equal my start? My plan was 15 miles which equals 3 loops around Stone Mountain. I started out running in the opposite direction of cyclist traffic. I used to run in the same direction as cyclist, but then realized that if I ever wanted to possibly meet up with one particular cyclist, I had to see him coming. I knew he wouldn't be at Stone Mountain today, but thought I might as well practice running in that direction. And honestly, I'm trying to get him out of my system, so might as well keep my options open. At about mile 3, I notice a cyclist easily climbing a hill.. he's cute and looks familiar... maybe I've seen him before and he's just now catching my eye. I smile at him as he passes. The next time we pass, I smile and he smiles back. For the next few passes we both exchange smiles. I fantasize that I could have this guy if I wanted.. I think about saying "You're cute!" at the next time I see him, but I don't.. At the next pass he waves. I wave back. The next pass he says, "good morning" and I respond "HI". OMG.. I'm loving this flirt as it is keeping me distracted from the heat induced dehydration that I'm struggling through. I mentally backtrack and realize we cross paths about every 15 minutes. I make sure I'm looking like a strong runner each time I anticipate him appearing. I wonder how long he will be riding. Then he takes me off-guard and slows down to a stop at our next pass. We exchange names and he asks how much longer I am running. I'm at mile 11, so I say 4 more. He says I'm strong to be running 15 miles. He has 3 more laps to go and says something about seeing me later.

Then fast forward.. I made the mistake of carrying only muscle milk on my last lap. It provided great nutrition, but was thick and I desparately needed water, and lots of it, in this 95 degree heat. I stopped at each fountain and drank as much as I could. Yet that still wasn't enough and I had a hard time keeping my heart rate within my target range. So I walked the majority of mile 13. At 13.92 miles I reached the mountain walk-up trail parking lot. I thought about going toward the restrooms and filling my bottle with water, but then thought I would just walk to my car where water awaited in the cooler in the trunk. As I was weighing my options, I see a guy waving at me. He's in different clothes now, so I don't recognize him at first, but decide I should stop to say hi to whoever it is that is waving at me from afar. It's the cute cyclist.. I explain my dehydration and he offers me his bottle. I drink half of it and appologize and he says no problem that he has more. We leads me over to the shade to talk. He rode 50 miles today and he's impressed with my strength to run 15 miles? It turns out, he lives in the same town as me. He has two daughters, one that is the same age as my daughter. I ask her name and I immediately recognize it and tell him that she and my daughter are friends. He asks me to lunch or to just get something to drink and I have learned my lesson from the dude I'm trying to forget and say yes. He drives me to my car (hence the lost mile) and then he follows me to the nearest open restaurant I see (did I mention major dehydration?).

I'm still not completely over Mr. Sexy, and honestly doubt I ever will be, but it's time to move on..

over or under?

2011-07-30T19:32:00.001-04:00

Over or under? Which would you choose? Decisions.. decisions.. to be made on trail runs.. Saturday has become my trail run day. Stone Mountain used to be my trail of choice due to convenience and familiarity. Then a friend suggested Yellow River a few months ago, and now I doubt I'll go back to Stone Mountain for trails on Saturdays. Why do I like Yellow River Trails so much? It's much less crowded and most importantly.. I LOVE running beside the river. I've always been drawn to water bodies.

And I recently realized that a group of high school cross country boys run there on Saturday mornings. Therefore, I don't feel afraid of running the trails alone.. I know they'll cross my path often. Today I enjoyed eavesdropping on their conversation as I stretched at the parking lot after my run.. One boy was telling his peers that even though he was in the top 10 in time trials, he always takes Sunday as a rest day and listens to his body and takes other days as rest as needed. He was telling his buddies that it is important to not over train. If you overtrain, you get injured and/or burned out, and that is totally not worth it if you want to be competitive. This made me feel better about taking yesterday off of running to give my plantar fasciitis another day to recover, and for running slow/easy today to be able to run my planned 15-mile long run tomorrow.

So.. over or under was my original question.. Cross country rock star would choose under (training). Yet I opted for leaping over the log, yet not attempting to make up for missed mileage yesterday. Win win.

ice ice baby

2011-07-28T20:46:00.001-04:00

Started out as just a general aerobic run, then realized that I haven't run hard in weeks. So I picked up the pace the last 3 of 6 miles and ended up the fastest pace for this route all year! Plantar fasciitis really flared up, so as soon as I got home I took the advice of a friend (wife of a sports medicine doc) and soaked my entire foot in a bucket of ice water rather than rolling it on a frozen water bottle. Daisy and Diesel thought this was a fun idea too..

chasing boys

2011-07-23T19:25:00.001-04:00

i think too much.. need to put things back into perspective.. nothing like a trail run to do that for me.. especially a trail run that includes being passed by cross country boys.. how fun it was to chase them until they left my sight.. they were so happy and carefree and i let my worries go.. at a point where i wasn't sure which path to take, i simply followed the path they took.. for once in a very long time i didn't care if i got lost on the trails.. i actually needed to get lost on the trails.. i eventually made it back to the parking lot, miles sooner than i had hoped, but i'd reached a sense of clarity and called it a day. trail runs rock!

beach run

2011-07-19T21:55:00.000-04:00

Had an amazing 8 mile run! 4 miles to the beach, took off my shoes and ran 2 miles on the beach barefoot, then rinsed my feet/put back on shoes and ran 2 miles back to the hotel. Life doesn't get much better than this! Then showered and went out to dinner with a co-worker at the Oceanic. I have to credit him with this photo that he shared with me. We dined at table 95 over the beach and feeling the ocean breeze. Ahhhhhh... so peaceful!

sunset over the Cape Fear

2011-07-18T23:30:00.001-04:00

Ahhhh.. home-sweet-home-away-from-home.. Returned to my favorite town to travel to today for a business trip. Did an easy recovery run this morning before leaving home, and looking forward to a great 8-miler on/near the beach tomorrow. This photo was taken as the sun was setting over the Cape Fear River while we were at Elijah's in downtown Wilmington, NC. Today was full of pleasant surprises to cherish..

ran an errand

2011-07-17T23:10:00.001-04:00

Might as well run an errand during my long run.. Last night Kyra (my daughter) told me that we needed to go to the grocery store in the morning to buy muscle milk for her county swim meet. I told her that I had to do a long run, but we would leave a few minutes early for the swim meet and stop by the grocery store. She said that she wanted it for breakfast at 9 a.m. and suggested that I run to the grocery store and buy it during my long run.. She requested 6 bottles of chocolate muscle milk. That seemed like a good idea at the time..

So I got up early, ate a light breakfast, filled my camelbak with water and started my 3 mile trek to the grocery store. Since she wanted 6 bottles, I thought it would be easier to carry it back home in a wine sack rather than the typical plastic bag. Six bottles of muscle milk is heavier than I imagined and slowed my run a bit. I got lots of odd stares as people passed this crazy lady running with a wine bag. But at least it made my long run less boring! I dropped the muscle milk off at home at 6.25 miles and then continued my journey to the greenway for a total of 13.22 miles today. Nothing boring about my day!

if it seems too good to be true..

2011-07-16T23:20:00.001-04:00

If it seems too good to be true.. it probably is.. so what to do when you discover that it's not as perfect as you'd hoped? "You want something, go get it. Period. ~ Pursuit of Happiness." was the twitter quote that I favorited that came to mind as I ran the trails today. When faced with a tough decision, I can always rely on clarity to come out of a run, especially on trails where I bond with nature rather than being distracted by tunes. I started the run with a dilemma that weighed heavy on my mind in the middle of the night. Then I let it go and let my mind wander to the fun memories instead. I chose to literally and figuratively explore new trails. I was less inhibitive about getting lost.

And once I found my happy place, clarity came to me through nature. I saw a gorgeous doe, and a few minutes later two of her babies. My mind shifted to animalistic nature and let the brain-washing of my youth go. Life is way too short to not pursue happiness to the fullest. I entered the trails confused and left confident. Living life to the fullest!

such a tease..

2011-07-14T19:00:00.001-04:00

Talk about a tease.. I LOVE running in the rain.. I worked from home today and had flexibility on when I chose to run. The sky grew dark and the thunder roared. My heart raced and I quickly changed into running attire. Out the door I went, only to be disappointed as the clouds passed overhead and the sun began to shine without a single drop of rain. Not quite the adventure that I was looking for, but at least I was wearing a tank top and worked on evening out my sleeve-tan lines :)

few are willing to plow

2011-07-10T19:34:00.000-04:00

I was on such a roll.. then my 16 day run streak abruptly ended on Thursday. I was violently ill all day on Tuesday. Woke up feeling better on Wednesday and did an easy recovery jog with the pups, but was totally exhausted. When the alarm clock went off on Thursday morning for a 9-mile run, my body refused to budge. I turned the alarm clock off and went back to sleep. I woke up in just enough time to make it to work an hour late.. But I felt much better for doing so! I debated about making up the miles missed, but decided to just call it a cut-back week instead. I've been building mileage for the past two months, so I'm probably overdue. My body definitely needed rest more than that run. With the exception of two weeks ago when I purposely ran hard on my long run, today was the fastest paced long run I've had in a long time without even trying to make it fast. Thrilled with progress!

On my long run today, I saw a marque at a church that said, "All want a harvest, but few are willing to plow". I thought about that throughout my run. Once upon a time I wanted to run marathons and put the minimal effort into it. Now I'm on a mission for improvement in all aspects of my life and am putting in lots of hours to accomplish that. I am finally now a plower..

on a streak

2011-07-03T20:26:00.001-04:00

Just like this feisty little pony, that I adored at a horse show last weekend, I'm feeling high strung and am on a streak. It's funny how meeting a guy can transform my attitude about life. Who knows if I'll ever see him again, but he's stirred up an overwhelming desire for me to finally whip this body back into shape. I've wanted to lose weight for years. After seeing photos of myself from the Mojo Loco in December, I quickly made the firm decision to lose it rather than just half-heartedly try. I started off the year at 158 pounds. (I can't believe I'm actually publishing the number.) Up until recently, I was slowly losing about a half pound a week, with a few weeks of gaining when I had business trips. I had dropped down to 152 on the day that I met him two weeks ago, and now the weightloss has skyrocketed. I've been running more and eating less. I used to find that the more miles I ran, the hungrier I would be the next day and couldn't seem to lose weight. But now the opposite is happening. Maybe I'm just not giving my body the down time to be hungry. I've run every day this week, as well as all but Monday of last week, resulting in a 13 day running streak. This is my highest mileage week of the year (36.14) and my lowest weight in years (146). I still have a long ways to go towards my goal, but am thrilled with the progress. At this rate, I should be able to achieve my goals of running the Savannah marathon in November, lighter and faster. Progress is sweet!

sweet treats of trail runs

2011-07-02T18:22:00.001-04:00

There is a god.. and he led me to berries.. as I was feeling the effects of failing to carry nutrition on a trail run.. and oh how sweet the reward!

After last week's trail run at Stone Mountain where I didn't get lost or trip, I sent out a request to fellow local trail enthusiasts asking for suggestions on other trails to try. Obviously I know this trail too well if I no longer get lost or fall down.. Mr. Sexy and my buddy Javi both suggested Fort Yargo. So I decided to check it out today. Saturdays are now my official trail run days. It was a longer drive than to Stone Mountain, but turned out to be not far from where my kiddo takes horse riding lessons. In the parking lot, the guy that pulled in beside me struck up a conversation. He rides his mountain bike there often. I love how friendly trail folks are!

I looked at the map fairly closely. There was a 7 mile option and a 12 mile trail. I was interested in the 7-miler and the trail appeared to simply follow a path around the lake. But once on the trail, I was totally confused. When I did see trail markers I wasn't sure which way to go. I eventually decided to just follow the closest path along the lake. At one point, I encountered a wooden bridge that crossed the lake. It appeared to be marked by a blue trail marker and I knew I needed to be on the yellow trail. I thought it odd that it wasn't the yellow trail since it looked like a lovely path to take across the water. But, I kept moving forward along the lake. I eventually encounter a trail map and realize that I should have crossed the bridge afterall. So I backtracked, going against the flow of traffic. You're supposed to go clockwise on certain days and counterclockwise on others and was met by surprise from a few bikers barreling down the path.

There were other times that the path wasn't clearly marked and I had no clue where to go. I stuck with my instinct and followed the edge of the lake until that was no longer an option. I found myself running through a campground, then out in the middle of nowhere, and then in a nature garden. I was starving by this point since I was an idiot and didn't bring food with me. I had been hungry for at least a mile or two before. As I'm wandering around the nature garden and pulling up google earth on my iPhone, something catches my eye. FRESH BLACKBERRIES!!! Most were still red, but a handful were black and I greedily devoured every black berry that I could reach. Ah.. the sweet rewards of trail running!

mileage leaps

2011-06-26T19:51:00.003-04:00

Ever had one of those crazy rollercoaster emotions weeks? Well, this one sure was for me. It's been full of the highest highs and lowest lows, so I ran harder and more miles to try to manage the stress better. I've exceeded the 10% mileage increase rule the past two weeks, and honestly, I feel much stronger rather than the dreaded injury that people have been warned about. My plantar fasciitis comes and goes on a day-by-day basis and seems to flare more when I wear high heel sandals than flats. It actually seems to be improving with more mileage. I'm wondering if the 10% rule is meant more for beginner runners rather than those of us that have been running regularly for years.. Or is it just a myth?

I used to live by the 10% rule. Now I'm living in the moment and letting my body decide what it's capable of rather than following a text book number geared for the masses. And I'm totally loving this powerful feeling of growing stronger each day.

frickin lost on a trail run...

2011-06-18T21:52:00.001-04:00

That's it! LostTrailRunner needs to give me his name... I bet I get lost on trails more than him! Last night I sent a text to Mr. Sexy (that I met on Thursday) asking again what trail he said that was great to run on. Little did I know that would lead to an all night text session. He had a few suggestions and I decided to go for a run at Yellow River this morning. A mile into it, I couldn't help but to text him, thinking he was still on a plane. But shortly afterwards, he texted me back. Crap! I guess his flight was faster than I thought it would be. I tried to run, but knowing it was a "recovery" run and wanting to talk to him more, I gave in and hiked/texted. Of course, this would turn out to be a disaster since I totally wasn't paying attention to trail markers... Which would have been OK since I had my Garmin 310XT and hit the "back to start" mode which would have taken me back to my car... if I only had enough battery power... Note to self: make sure Garmin is fully charged before a trail adventure! Battery died on Garmin and Mr. Sexy is texting distracting things and I'm totally frickin lost... I want to focus on him, but I'm starting to fret because I'm on a trail, without water because this was only going to be 4-5 miles, and I'm well beyond that distance. I go with the flow and continue texting... and eventually it hits me that I can look at google earth on my phone to find my way back to the parking lot! I have no clue how long I actually ran/hiked today. Garmin died at 4.49 miles at 1 hour and 20 minutes and I probably hiked for an hour beyond that. I was so happy to see the street, then freaked out because it wasn't the same entrance, and I had no clue which direction to go to. I looked again at google earth and made my way back to the parking lot that my car was at. I was so happy that I swung on the swingset for a few minutes.

fate?

2011-06-16T23:23:00.001-04:00

Earlier this week, I planned to order a Father's Day gift for my daughter's daddy (my ex-hubby), but had challenges with the website and couldn't get it to send the gift to a different address than the billing address. So I gave up and opted to go to my local REI today instead. And wow... was that a great thing! I picked out a new pair of sunglasses for myself since mine were scratched, then headed to the biking section for him. I found a cool pair of socks, but wanted to spend more, so I started staring at the riding gloves. I know he has both of these, but sometimes it's good to retire/replace. I'm standing there looking at the different options and sizes and a guy walks up and asks me if I ride. I say no, that I'm looking for a father's day gift, and ask him if he rides. He looks at me with those incredibly sexy eyes and most adorable smile and holds out his hand, palm down, to show his riding glove tan mark. I say that obviously he is a rider and rides a lot. I tell him that I'm a runner and he hates running, but enjoys hiking and there we connect... or maybe we connected before... we chat about local trail options. He often rides at a place that I run at a few times a month. I stare into his eyes and feel the draw. He touches my hand and my palms sweat and the butterflies are going crazy. I panic... I'm so not ready for this... I find a way to end the conversation, reluctantly, and he starts stumbling for how to respond. I sense a connection... I wander around the store to clear my mind in a pretend search for running socks. I regain my composure and head to the cashier. He appears at the next register shortly afterwards and finishes his transaction a few seconds before me. He very slowly walks out the door and lingers there. I walk out feeling all fluttery. He asks if I would like to get a coffee. It's been a long time since I've felt this way... and I needed to get back to work... so I say that I can't now, but would love to on another day. I write my personal cell phone number on the back of my business card and give it to him. He calls me before I pull out of the parking lot. He asks again to go to coffee today because he's leaving Saturday and will be gone for two months. I hold firm and say I can't today, but would love to when he returns. It's a short conversation that I immediately regret... I'm so busy right now and not sure I'm ready for a relationship. As the minutes tick away, I regret it even more... But force myself to stick to my word. Later I can't resist anymore and send him a text message. I watch my phone by the minute hoping he'll respond... but hours pass and nothing... until... YAY! He responded! Where will this go? Probably nowhere, but I'm going to enjoy the fantasy for a few days...

Moutains-to-Sea trail

2011-06-10T22:26:00.002-04:00

I'm one of the few people from Georgia that had never visited Asheville, NC until I was assigned a business project there... Beginning in February, I've gone to Asheville once a month for business. I typically run near the hotel because of time constraints (long work hours), but I've been eager to check out trails. I did a little research and found that the Mountains-to-Sea trail was only a few miles from the hotel that I stayed at this time. I worked long hours Monday - Thursday so I decided to splurge and get a trail run in this morning after catching up on email and before driving back home. After google searching and talking to a local professor, I drove to the nearby Folk Art Center and parked my car. But I didn't see the trail anywhere! A woman wearing hiking gear pulled into the parking lot shortly after me. I asked her where the trail was and thankfully, she pointed me in the right direction. The trail marker for the south direction was barely visible from the parking lot.

So I ventured forward, but photographed backward. Two days ago someone told me about the trail; he lives near it and runs it often. He said that if you start at the Folk Art Center and head south, you'll go over a bridge and through a pasture, along the Blue Ridge Parkway, etc. I started at the Folk Art Center and followed the trail marking until it led to a road with no markings but a faint worn path along the road/bridge. So I followed the path over the bridge and then saw markings for the trail to continue. The next thing I know, I'm dead-ending into a pasture. I look around and there seems to be no other path than through the pasture under the bridge, so I climb through the gate and follow the foot-path while avoiding big piles of animal (cow?) poop.

I exit the pasture and am not sure where to go. I see bikers and walkers coming from two different directions but don't see any trail markers. Obviously I'm confused, looking in multiple directions and moving slowly. I run towards the tunnel, then return back towards the pasture gazing in a zillion directions. Then a woman walking her dog asks if I'm looking for the trail and she tells me to go through the tunnel and then turn right immediately afterwards. The trail marker is the white dot on the right side of the tunnel, duh, I just didn't see it.

After the tunnel is a gravel stairway, which was very cool. I had wondered why the hiker in the parking lot had on long pants with the temperature in the mid-70s. But I quickly found out why and wished I had worn long pants too. With few exceptions, the trail is a narrow single track with LOTS of POISIN IVY. I tried to dart each tri-leaf plant as best I could and prayed I wouldn't have a reaction later. I think I did more hiking than running, but thoroughly enjoyed the change of scenary.

Due to time constraints, I turned around at about 2.05 miles and returned to the Folk Art Center. I was grateful for the clean restroom and wished I had brought money to buy something from their gift shop. Will definitely have to make a return trip! Loved this trail!

Tunnel Road dilemma

2011-06-08T23:59:00.001-04:00

I'm on a business trip this week in Asheville, NC. My favorite hotel (primarily due to location) was full, so I stayed at the Hampton Inn on Tunnel Road instead. I ran from the hotel, through the tunnel and beyond, and then returned back to the hotel this morning. Running thru the tunnel was COOL! but the neighborhood is a little sketchy. I started gaining on a young man walking on the sidewalk in front of me as an older couple were coming towards us. The old man was pushing an old woman in a wheel chair and they asked the young guy that was walking in the opposite direction, passing them, for money. The young guy started yelling at the old man: "GET A FUCKING JOB AND SUPPORT YOUR WIFE!!!" and the old man yelled back and then the young guy pulled off his backpack and said it was full of bricks and if the old man didn't leave him alone he would beat him. I veered off the sidewalk into the adjacent parking lot while this was taking place and then ran faster without paying any attention to heart rate like I normally would. But it made me think... When asked for money from homeless, I either decline or give them whatever fresh fruit that I happen to have with me. The reaction of the young man today was something that I've often thought, but never proclaimed. What would you do?

Harbins Park turtle

2011-06-02T22:57:00.001-04:00

Sluggish aerobic trail run keeping heart rate in the aerobic range through walking up quite a few hill. HOT! Kiddo has horse camp this week near Harbins Park. So instead of getting up early and running in the cooler temps (low 70s), I decided to go for a trail run after dropping her off. Listened to Slow Runners Club podcast during the 85oF run. Their logo is a turtle. Guess what I saw near the end of my slow run? Yes, a live turtle! At least there was one creature on the trail moving slower than me!

While driving to horse camp, Kyra decided my running shoes need names since I have so many pairs and some of the same brand (3 pairs of Asics, 2 pairs of Nike, etc.). We settled on "Berta" for my trail shoes; named after a Clydesdale trail horse at Southern Cross Guest Ranch. She picked "Punkin" for my bright orange with green accented Newton Gravitas. That's as far as we got before arriving at camp. Looking forward to picking names for the rest of my shoes :)

back in the saddle

2011-06-01T22:50:00.001-04:00

Although the calendar claims it is still spring, the heat suggests summer. Mid-90s for the highs this week with lows in the 70s. Despite the humidity, we haven't had much rain lately and when I arrived to pick up my daughter from horse camp, the arena was quite dusty. Yes, that is dust, not fog, obscuring this picture.

After two months of low mileage, trying to let my foot heal, I realized it was time to get back in the saddle. Two and a half weeks ago I picked a marathon training plan (Pfitzinger's Advanced Marathoning 18 weeks up to 55 miles per week) and worked it backwards to that current week and my then fitness level. I've been very good and have run all the miles planned thus far, slowly increasing my weekly mileage, and am happy to report that my foot started feeling much better after getting back into more consistent running. In fact, it doesn't hurt at all today. Yay! Right now I'm running 4 days a week, increasing my mileage by 3 miles each week and my long run by 1 mile each week. This should safely put me where I need to be to begin the official marathon training plan which starts with a 33 mile week (12 mile long run) in early July. I'm doing all of my runs by the heart rate ranges listed for each type of run in the book rather than by my goal pace, primarily because of the heat/humidity and being out of shape. For the first time in my life, I don't feel guilty about running a 13-minute/mile pace. I know that with consistency, increasing milege and weight loss, my pace will improve. Getting back in the saddle is awesome!

mother-daughter bracelet :)

2011-05-19T21:26:00.000-04:00

Hmmm... It's been a while since I found the time to update my blog. And honestly I haven't had much to write about since my last entry. I've had a pain in my left foot for way too long and took some time off running since my next big race isn't until November. I had initially thought that I would just run whenever/however far I wished for a few months. Hoping my foot would heal in the interim. Then I realized that I hadn't run much at all over the past 6 weeks and my foot pain was about the same. So I buckled down Sunday morning, picked an 18-week marathon training plan and worked it backwards (reducing miles) to extend it to a 25-week plan since that's how many weeks until my big race. I'm so glad that I did. I've been so much happier this week running (and resting) with a purpose!

As I was typing this, my daughter came in and put a "silly band" on my wrist. She said it was a mother-daughter bracelet. I accepted it lovingly without thought. Later, I was curious which silly-band she had given me. Was it a cowboy hat? or a horse? (horse riding is her passion). I took it off to see what shape it would create. I laughed... her favorite treat is an ice cream cone. Life is good :)

Team 65ROSES

2011-03-12T22:20:00.002-05:00

Thanks Susan for delivering my Team 65ROSES t-shirt! I LOVE IT!!! Still looking for donations... If you'd like to support Cystic Fibrosis charities, please contribute at: http://www.razoo.com/story/Miles-For-Cystic-Fibrosis-For-Susan-Burroughs

stress relief

2011-03-09T22:06:00.003-05:00

I'm in Asheville, NC this week on a business trip. It's insanely stressful. The day-to-day work is calm enough, but preparing for a presentation at a public meeting on Thursday evening is insane. I much needed a stress-relief run this morning. I didn't take a photo, but the riddle on a marquee that I saw improved my spirits during this rainy run. "When is a door not a door? When it's ajar." Okay, so it's corny. But it's a good distraction from the way-to-serious stress I'm under.

Friendships

2011-03-06T21:53:00.007-05:00

Today was a day of sharing with friends. We went to see a movie with one set of friends, then my daughter and I went for a run at the park, which was followed by going to visit another set of friends. Our flowers are starting to bloom, as our friendships are blossoming. I am so greatful for such amazing relationships!

Team 65ROSES

2011-03-05T15:55:00.000-05:00

Sam & Susan - March 2008

It's that time of year again... so... Please consider donating to Miles for Cystic Fibrosis. I will be running the Publix Georgia Half Marathon on March 20, 2011, on Team 65ROSES for my dear friend, Susan Burroughs. Susan was one of the first people to welcome us into our neighborhood and has been a great friend. She has CF and had a double lung transplant in May 2000.

Sam & Susan - March 2009

Donations will be split between the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the national organization that funds research of new drugs and treatment, and Susan's own charity, the Cystic Fibrosis-Reaching Out Foundation, a Georgia non-profit that provides financial grants to CF families to keep up with the overwhelming costs of medications and treatments. Any amount would be greatly appreciated!

bye bye groundhog day

2011-03-02T22:08:00.002-05:00

I had to put my running streak on a mini-break. My legs were dead on Monday and it's been a crazy busy work week. I still consider it a success, since 26 groundhog days is a record for me! Will I try a streak again? Probably, but think I'll make this a rest week and gear up for a PR in my next half marathon (March 20th).

Songbird Habitat Trail

2011-02-27T18:03:00.000-05:00

My plan was to run 1.5 - 3.5 miles to bump up my mileage to no more than 10% over last week. My legs were tired from yesterday's 10 mile hilly run around the mountain. And my body was under-fueled. I managed to lose a pound yesterday and haven't had much of an appetite. Tired legs + under fueled = not a fun run = walk up the hills and jog slowly on the flats/downhills. Plus, part of it (the Songbird Habitat Woods Trail) was a trail that isn't frequently used and was covered with slippery leaves and had a good bit of rocks, so I took it slow to be cautious too.

But, it was a gorgeous day, 73 degrees, so I had an awesome drive to and from Stone Mountain with the top down on my convertible. (the picture here is from the day I bought it and includes my daughter and her current bff a.k.a my other daughter). I wanted to run on the Confederate trail, but all the parking lots near trail intersections were full/overflowing (cars parked on the grass). So I ended up at the more secluded Songbird Habitat Trail. It's a short trail, but a change in scenery is always appreciated. I remember walking here with my friend, Anna, and our daughters about a decade ago, when the girls were 2-3 years old. They chased butterflies on that warm spring day. Fond memories.

Despite today's run not being the best, and not feeling well earlier in the week, I'm happy with my accomplishments this week. I lost an average of 1.7 pounds from last week, logged 24.7 miles (which is my highest weekly mileage in 2011), and maintained my running streak. Groundhog Day #26. Yay! Now, unfortunately or fortunately, my pants are sagging like those silly boys that think they are cool. I hadn't planned on going clothes shopping until I hit my goal weight, but think I might have to buy a few intermediate sized pants if I want to maintain a professional look at the office. 8 pounds does make a difference. Woohoo!

big red blinkie light

2011-02-26T22:48:00.001-05:00

When did 10 miles become "easy"? For the first time in forever, I set out on a 10 mile run with no dread or fear or thoughts of it being hard. I went out with the intention of running very slow and just enjoying a few hours out in the sunshine with the hundreds of other bikers, walkers, hikers, and runners at the park. I've run the 5-mile loop around Stone Mountain many times over the past few decades and know it's a hilly route. But I've also learned how to manage those hills... walk when needed.

It was a gorgeous day; 65 degrees and sunny. My favorite parking lot was overflowing with cars when I arrived, but thankfully I snagged the last spot in the next lot. I wore my camelbak and had 3 fun-size snickers instead of energy gels. They are easier on my tummy than the sports gels, and taste better too without the stickiness of gel packets. I started slow and remained slow. I took 30 second walk breaks up some of the steepest hills, and jogged the rest. I was honestly surprised when I finished the second loop and felt like I could easily run another lap (5 miles). But I stuck to my plan of 10 LSD (long slow distance).

Near the end of my first lap, a woman on a bike with a big blinkie red light on the back passed me. She seemed so chipper pushing up the hill. She wasn't on the bike pictured, but she was just as bright and glowing. I couldn't help but wonder... is that Katie that posts regularly on Daily Mile? I didn't see her face, but saw long blond hair. When I returned home and sat down to log my run in Daily Mile, I noticed that she had posted a 15 mile bike ride at the mountain in shorts and a tank top. I couldn't help but ask if that was her... it was.

I completely enjoyed this 10 mile easy run. So what made it "easy"? Slow pace, perfect weather, and... the number one contributor: my running streak. Groundhog day #25

In the eyes of the beholder

2011-02-24T22:53:00.002-05:00

If I had been listening to my iPod during this lunch time run, as I normally do, it would have been just another ordinary average run. A happy one because I exceeded my goal of beating my pace from a month ago on this same route (11:48 avg on 1/19, goal today was 11:45 avg, accomplished 11:33 avg). But what made this run truly extraordinary would have gone unnoticed if I weren't tuned into my surroundings. This route passes the high school and elementary school.

As I was approaching the elementary school, I noticed a teacher with 3 or 4 visually impaired children standing beside the sidewalk. As I got closer, I heard her describing to the children the noises they were hearing ("we're near the road", "cars are approaching", "a bird is chirping", "a lawn mower is cutting the grass", etc.). I was tuned into their conversation and ran past without saying a word. As I passed, with thudding footsteps and slightly heavy breathing, one little boy said during a pause in the teacher's description, "and someone is running. Is that a high school track star?" This totally made my day! and would not have been known/heard if I had earbuds in my ear. Life is so much sweeter when experienced totally.

Later, my daughter drew on my hand. A star makes you special, a smiley face makes you happy, a heart makes you loved... she explained. Life is grand!

groundhog day #22

2011-02-23T22:45:00.001-05:00

Groundhog day #22. Felt awesome to get in a solid 3+ miles this morning! I've been preparing and packing my meals/snacks yesterday and today to make sure I stay gluten-free. Yesterday and today I had no gluten, but apparently the effects from the weekend lingered through this evening. Daisy enjoyed checking out my lunch bag :-)

gluten hates me

2011-02-21T22:06:00.009-05:00

After the race on Saturday, I went to Ally's house to pick up kiddo. They had just finished grilling hamburgers, and freshly sauteed onions that smelled heavenly, and kindly offered one to me. I couldn't resist. I was starving and LOVE burgers and onions, and wanted to spend a little extra time chatting with their family. I thought for a second about eating it bun-less, knowing how massively improved my digestive system has been since going gluten-free, but didn't want to appear to be weird, so I ate the amazingly delicious burger the traditional way... on a white bun. What was I thinking? Obviously I wasn't! That evening, the traditional gluten-intolerant symptoms reappeared. No fun. The next day wasn't much fun either. The following day, today, a federal holiday, I had plans to go to a lunch movie with a friend, but she had to cancel last minute for work reasons... So... what to do? Might as well go to my favorite Mexican restaurant for lunch. Not sure if there is gluten in the tortilla chips, but I didn't care at that moment since I was already having issues from the bun on Saturday. Might as well enjoy comfort food...

Run the Reagan half marathon

2011-02-19T21:39:00.000-05:00

Supercalifragilisticexpialadocious! I had planned to run this half marathon with Tonya, but she had to cancel last minute to fly to Wisconsin to be with her mom who is in the hospital. I almost backed out, since I haven't run anything over 6 miles in the past month and wasn't sure about leaving kiddo home alone for the morning because she woke with a sore throat on Friday.

But... Friday after school, kiddo called me and said she has a group science project due on Monday and the kids needed to get together to work on it. They ended up at Ally's house. Later I called to check on their progress, and spoke to Ally's mom. She asked if I was going to run the race and said they always volunteer. Then it clicked!... I remembered seeing them at an aid station during the last few years! I explained my predicament, that kiddo was originally going to spend the night with Tonya's family, but that fell through so I was backing out of it rather than leaving kiddo home alone. She said that she was more than welcome to spend the night with them and help them at their aid station in the race, which is the last one before the turn around point. Kiddo wanted to, so now the race was back on.

Best part of the race? Kiddo ran with me for the middle mile of the half marathon, from aid station to turn around and back to her aid station. That was such a boost! She wanted to run faster, but I explained the importance of a slower pace in a longer race, and she stuck with me. Since she compromised for me, I compromised for her and "raced" her the last 20'ish yards back to the aid station. She won, of course!

The 5K was underway as I arrived at their turn around point. Running with the 5K people the last mile and a half of the race was also a huge encouragement. Some were running, some were walking, most were breathing hard and I was experiencing brain fog as I pushed as hard as I could to the finish. I saw my neighbor, Sarah, just ahead of me in her first 5K ever. I was a little disappointed in the medal; the one last year was so much cooler, but this year isn't the ugliest one I've received.

After the last half marathoner went through the turn-around aid station, they packed up and went to the finish line. Kiddo saw one of her classmates running the 5K. Now she wants to run the half marathon next year. She's only 12 and hated running until a month ago. Woohoo!

(after we got home, she wanted to go to the park to run. She wanted to run 3 miles faster than her classmate ran the 5K this morning. I was shocked and impressed!)

Groundhog Day #18 - "Think it will be an early spring?" Yes... I should have worn sunscreen. Was 68 degrees and sunny at the end of the race. Then I had to drive with the top down, and go to the park, etc. All day in the sun without sunscreen was not a smart move. OW, my face is fried!

kiddo asked me to run!

2011-02-15T21:25:00.001-05:00

I needed to go into work insanely early, so I planned to do my run in the evening. Imagine my surprise when kiddo called and wanted me to hurry home from work so we could go for a run together with the pups! I've dreamed of this day... She's always hated running, but her new PE teacher is obviously a great influence! Fun run/walk by the light of the moon. Thought this would be a great opportunity to continue breaking in my Newton Gravitas. LOVE these shoes!
Groundhog Day #14

skating legs

2011-02-12T21:00:00.001-05:00

Once upon a time... many, many years ago... I spent way too much time in a tiny little town on a business trip. On this trip, I worked long hours in a stressful environment in a town that had very little to offer in terms of entertainment. I've always hated running in cold weather. The small town didn't offer much, but it did have an ice skating rink so I decided to skate instead of run to relieve stress. I spent hours gliding around the rink as fast as I could propel myself. There weren't many people there so I could freely go as fast as I wanted. For some reason, each time I've gone ice skating since, that memory returns.

I had planned to do my long run today, but kiddo had alternate plans. Does ice skating for 2 hours = a long run? Probably not... especially considering the crowd, which meant speed was not an option. But we had fun... (And I did manage to squeeze in a mile before going skating to make groundhog day #11.)

groundhog day #10: Hitchcock Woods, Aiken, SC

2011-02-11T23:49:00.002-05:00

Movie quote of the day: Phil said, "I'm betting he's going to swerve first."

Which is exactly what I was hoping as I ran on trails shared by horses. Thankfully, I saw lots of horse poop, but didn't have to dodge any galloping ones. But... who would have guessed that wet clay is slippery? Ooops, busted my butt, but got up and dusted off and continued on. Glad I was wearing tights!

It's been a busy travel week. I was in Asheville, NC, Monday through Wednesday, and Aiken, SC yesterday and today. Last night at dinner I google searched trails in Aiken and found a place called Hitchcock Woods. One of the parking areas is less than three miles from the hotel, so I decided to go there for a lunch time run before driving back to Atlanta.

What a find! The coolest part was seeing an owl on a limb in a tree beside the trail. Aiken seems pretty flat, so I was a bit surprised at the rolling terrain in these woods. I covered 5.03 miles of trails and that's nowhere near the total distance of trails in these 2100 acres of woods. The website states there are 65 miles of sandy trails. Looking forward to checking out other trails when I return in a few months.

groundhog day #9

2011-02-10T23:45:00.001-05:00

Movie quote of the day, "Do you ever have deja vu?"

This morning I certainly did to wake up for at least the 4th if not the 5th time this winter to snow on the ground. I can't remember it ever snowing this many times in one season in Georgia.

groundhog day #8: Asheville Biltmore Park

2011-02-09T23:40:00.001-05:00

Movie quote of the day, "Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cooooooold out there."

It was definitely cold, 18 degrees, but a lot more scenic than the wall in front of the treadmill! Just an easy mile near the hotel to keep the streak alive.

groundhog day #7 = 1 week!

2011-02-08T23:20:00.011-05:00

As Phil Connors said, "You gotta want it." It's getting easier as the routine is starting to gel. But this treadmill running is getting old. The best time for me to fit in runs during the week is early morning, while it's still dark outside. I've been weary of the boogie man, but don't think I can handle another treadmill run. Tomorrow, I'm heading outside, regardless of lighting or weather.

groundhog day #6

2011-02-07T23:11:00.003-05:00

Movie quote of the day, "Phil, if you could be anywhere in the world, where would you like to be?"

I started my day with an easy run before a long drive to Asheville, NC with two hilarious co-workers. This isn't the place that I would pick out of "anywhere in the world", but I'm definitely not complaining!

I decided to add Groundhog Day movie quotes to my Daily Mile entries to keep this more entertaining. Since my runs haven't been particularly blog-worthy, here's a summary in case you are wondering.

groundhog day #1 = 3.12 miles
groundhog day #2 = 3 miles
groundhog day #3 = 1 mile
groundhog day #4 = 3 miles
groundhog day #5 = 3.75 miles
groundhog day #6 = 2.38 miles

Groundhog Day

2011-02-02T22:25:00.001-05:00

Here we go again... In December I attempted my first running streak, which lasted 15 days until I was derailed on a particularly busy and stressful day. But I was happy because running daily cured the plantar fasciitis that I had been struggling with for about a year. In January, I ran much less than I intended each week and I've had this nagging ankle pain ever since a trail run that I did on New Years Day. So I decided to start a running streak again. And why not start on Groundhog Day? Not only is 2/2 my grandmother's birthday, but Groundhog Day was a hilarious movie, so this will be an easy day to remember. This is going to be FUN!

Phil Connors quote from the movie Groundhog Day: It's the same thing your whole life: "Clean up your room. Stand up straight. Pick up your feet. Take it like a man. Be nice to your sister. Don't mix beer and wine, ever." Oh yeah: "Don't drive on the railroad track."

And I'm simply going to add one more thing to the list: run at least one mile.

Groundhog Day #1: Ran 3.12 miles

frickin awesome run! + a tribute to 3 Non Joggers

2011-01-23T20:07:00.000-05:00

10 frickin awesome miles done! Some runs are just better than others!

And let me backtrack... I listen to running podcasts on my 45-minute-ish commute to/from work and usually on LSD runs (LSD=long slow distance for those of you not up on the running lingo). Mid-week, I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts, Dirt Dawg's Running Diatribe, and near the end Mike mentioned that he just started listening to, and was really enjoying, the 3 Non Joggers podcast by two ultrarunners and a mailman. Well... I've always been fascinated with ultrarunners, and am considering my first for later this year, so I thought I'd give it a listen. Since they only have 15 episodes out... and I'm weird about having to do things in chronological order... I downloaded and have listened to the first 4 episodes and am totally hooked! These guys are HILARIOUS. And we have another thing in common: Dead Guy Ale by Rogue is one of my favorite beers (but hard to find in Atlanta)! (And I was happy to hear that I'm not the only one that takes a beer into the shower after a long run.) I went to Portland for the first time on a business trip in September 2010. It was there that I was introduced to Rogue beers and it has ever since been my favorite. On that trip, I also had the pleasure of meeting and running with Deb on the Wildwood Trail in Forest Park, so I can totally picture the places that these guys speak of!

Now back to today's run... I went to Alexander Park and my goal was 8 to 10 miles of LSD with a sub 13 minute pace for each mile. On purpose, I walked up the steep hills (for no more than 30 seconds each) and ran the rest. This is a dirt trail (about 1 mile) around a disc golf course. My first two miles were 12:02, 12:03, then I slowed a bit not wanting to burn out too early. I felt sluggish on mile 3, but then got into a groove. Three miles in the 12:30s, then totally shocked myself with a 12:04 for the 6th mile. WHOA! I better slow down so I can get through ten. Holding back, mile 7 was 12:18. At 8 miles (12:26) I was tired. I could have quit, since that was my minimum goal, but told myself I was going all the way. I knew that in future races I'll get tired miles before the finish and need to practice pushing beyond. I told myself that I was going to 10 unless mile 9 was at more than a 13 minute pace. 12:26 again. So then 10 it was going to be! I was feeling light headed, tired beyond tired, wishing I had brought more than 22 ounces of fluid energy. But glad I had paced my consumption. I gave that last mile all I had, finishing strong with a 12:16 pace for the 10th mile. I finished strong, leaving nothing in the tank.

Woohoo! This is one of the best/most rewarding LSD runs that I've had in a while. For most of my LSD runs, I've just totally ignored time/pace and focused on heart rate (HR), trying to keep it in zone 2 (according to Garmin pre-sets, not personally-calculated-zones). On this run, I wore a HR monitor, but didn't look at the data, just went by feel with a goal of sub 13 per mile (90 seconds more than marathon goal pace). In hindsight, the data shows 9 miles were in HR Zone 3 (Garmin pre-sets). It was definitely more effort than my easy rambles, but much more rewarding. Learning more each day.

scenic run (thanks to the snow)

2011-01-16T22:07:00.008-05:00

It started snowing last Sunday night and due to temps being at or below the freezing point most of the week, the snow/ice still lingers in places. My driveway finally thawed Friday afternoon. This afternoon I took a chance in the balmy 50 degrees and went for a 7.77 mile run. I left home and headed towards Camp Creek Greenway trail. Most of the sidewalks were clear and the snow is slowly melting away. But shaded areas still had ample snow/ice. I decided not to go down this section of the trail...

snow day

2011-01-10T20:59:00.004-05:00

Enjoyed a walk with Kyra and the pups through the neighborhood this morning. Amazed that we received 4 to 5 inches of snow overnight! Tasha, our husky, was one happy pup!

snow angel

2011-01-09T23:27:00.001-05:00

19.3 miles for the week puts me 0.17 mi ahead of target for a 1000 mile year! Woohoo!

And what better way to celebrate than with SNOW! I was totally surprised at how quickly it accumulated! We couldn't resist going out and playing in it, despite it being 10 p.m. Even the dogs had fun getting caught in the middle of the snowball fight. I LOVE my cute little snow angel!

volunteer + Pigeon Hill trail

2011-01-01T21:52:00.001-05:00

I decided to start the year off right, with good karma, by volunteering at a race that I've run a few times. I volunteered for the Atlanta Track Club's Resolution Run 5K/10K. I was assigned as a monitor and told to go to a specific office complex parking lot entrance and not let cars leave while runners were on the course. Thankfully, there were enough volunteers that there were two of us at this location and therefore, had someone to chat with. It was cool and raining, so I'm hoping for extra brownie points for volunteering in the rain. It was amazing watching the lead runners; what incredible form and speed! When I grown up, I want to be just like them...

After my duties ended, I grabbed a bite to eat and then went to Kennesaw Mountain for a trail run. When I had researched it, the directions indicated that I should go to the visitor center, park, and then hit the trails from there. Unfortunately, the visitor center and parking lot was closed for the holiday. Oh no! What do I do? So I hoped that Spurgeon was on twitter and sent out a tweet because I know he runs here often. He responded immediately and told me exactly where to go. Take Old Mountain Road until it dead ends into Burnt Hickory. There are parking spaces on Burnt Hickory. To the left is Pigeon Hill, which has an initial steep climb, and to the right is a great trail without the initial steepness.

I only planned to run 2-3 miles, but I was having so much fun splashing in the mud puddles that I lost track of time/distance. I was actually a little surprised to see a few other runners on the trail. At the top of Pigeon Hill, I made a right turn onto the East Trail. I followed it across the street to Cheatam Hill. This trail is by far more scenic than Sope Creek, which was my favorite local trail... I loved that it was mostly a narrow dirt road with minimal rocks/roots to trip over.

I crossed this bridge and headed along the creek for a little ways until the trail ventured off into the woods. So many decisions on which path to take. I vowed to return to try out some of the other trails on a later date. I took it slow, stopped to take photos, and had a great time! My only regret is not carrying a water bottle with me so I could have gone longer. When I came to a road (I think Dallas Highway), I turned around and tried to back track my route. At one point I couldn't remember which intersection to take, so I switched my Garmin to direct me "back to start". Thank goodness for this feature!

On my return, I stopped to photograph a sign for Eaton House and heard a scamper. I looked over and saw three deer about 20 yards away from the trail. I stood and stared as one stared back at me. He started stomping his right hoof. The stomping increased so after snapping a photo I went on my merry way. A few minutes later I felt like I was being watched. I looked to my left and saw at least a dozen deer, equally spaced about 10 yards apart, about 10 yards off the trail. Wow!

5.53 miles later, I made it back to my car. I was completely soaked and filthy! Glad I had a towel in the car to wipe off some of the grime.

What a great way to celebrate 1/1/2011!

last run of 2010

2010-12-31T23:59:00.001-05:00

I wanted my last run of 2010 to be an enjoyable one. So I returned to Sope Creek for an easy trail run. I ran some... hiked some... walked some... talked some... enjoyed exploring new-to-me trails and chatting with a cute mountain biker :-) I wondered if one of the runners that passed me, saying hi, was Spurgeon. We've tweeted back and forth for at least a year, I know he runs here regularly, and the guy that I crossed paths with looked similar to his twitter photo. After the fact, I found out that it was him!

I walked the last few miles reflecting on the past twelve months and thinking about goals for 2011. Totally happy! I decided to not set any New Year's Resolutions other than to laugh more (and maybe run a few more miles too). So... here's a toast to you, my friends! May you run happy in 2011.

true love

2010-12-26T21:42:00.002-05:00

although my longest running streak, 15 days, came to an end today... their love will last a lifetime... Daisy LOVES Riley!

white Christmas

2010-12-25T23:59:00.002-05:00

And we were blessed with a white Christmas! I went for a short run at 4 p.m. after passing off the kiddo to her dad. Slushy rain fell lightly as I ran. And as luck would have it, within minutes of finishing my run, the slush turned into snow. This photo was taken many hours later, after returning home from celebrating Christmas dinner with close friends. Wow!

Daily Mile Secret Santa

2010-12-24T13:21:00.001-05:00

After my 7.85 mile run, I stopped at my mailbox before coming inside. Woohoo! I found my Daily Mile Secret Santa gift in the mailbox. Smartwool socks!!! Can't wait to wear them on my next run! THANK YOU Secret Santa!!! (Jim D.)

coincidence?

2010-12-19T23:01:00.002-05:00

Warning... this post isn't running related. My daughter and I went to visit my sister and her family today to help celebrate my nephew and niece's upcoming 8th birthday. My sister keeps a magazine basket by the toilet. I swear this wasn't staged... My niece's book was on top of my sister's magazine. I stared in amazement at the resemblance on the two covers. Are Barbie and Christina related?

Life is like a box of chocolates

2010-12-18T22:06:00.000-05:00

Life is like a box of chocolates... I felt low on energy earlier than expected in my 14 mile run, but pinapple coconut juice was exactly what I needed. I felt much better after drinking it earlier than I had planned. Started out with run 1 mile, walk 0.05 mile ratio, and later decreased to run 0.5 mi/walk 0.025 mi; and even later switched to taking a 0.025 mi walk break every quarter mile. I could have easily gone longer, but have too much to do today and 14 LSD was what was on my schedule. I listened to several podcasts, but the last thing I listened to was Phidippidations episode 257: The Mojo Loco. AMAZING! I laughed in the beginning and middle, reliving those conversations. Tears came to my eyes later regarding the amazing bonding that occurred at Mojo Loco. That was THE MOST AWESOME running event that I've ever participated in. 13 people arrived on 12/11/10 as virtual friends and left as family. The podcast came to a close as I approached mile 12 of my planned 14. I contemplated starting another podcast or listening to music, but I just couldn't. I needed silence. Time for reflection. Steve's podcast brought back so many emotions. I laughed so hard at the Mojo Loco; smiled more than I think I have all year; and hated for that day to end. Epic adventure!

the morning after

2010-12-12T22:37:00.000-05:00

I woke just before sunrise this morning. I sat on the balcony of our hotel room and watched the sun rise over the ocean while Maddy and Susan still slept. GORGEOUS! What a beautiful way to start off the morning after a most memorable day!

I then hit the beach for an easy 4.27 miles in my VFF's. I only ran 9 miles yesterday, thanks to being in the last leg that was only 1.11 mile. I wanted to get in a total of 13 for the weekend to equal the number of runners that participated in the MOJO LOCO. (Yes, I'm weird like that.) I love running on the beach and part of me wanted to keep going, but I knew that Maddy and Susan needed to leave mid-morning and joining them for breakfast was more important to me than extending the run.

After breakfast and saying goodbye to Maddy and Susan, I found Elf Edward on the balcony in my souvenier glass, not wanting to leave... neither did I. I wished I could stay longer... but I have to work tomorrow and didn't want to get home too late.

When I left Daytona, the temperature was in the upper 60s. I drove with the top down for about a half hour until the rain clouds started to sputter. As I drove north, the temperature began to plummet. By the time I arrived home, it was 27 degrees and SNOWING! See the white specks on the windshield? What a drastic change!

MOJO LOCO

2010-12-11T23:12:00.001-05:00

It is difficult to put into words a description of this most amazing running event. Adam Tinkoff (aka Zen Runner) and Maddy Hubbard were geniuses to create this life-altering event! Marathon Chris said, we arrived as friends and left as family.

Chris Russell's blog post, A Convocation of Souls, was the best I have read. Steve Runner's podcast, Phedipidations #257, brought tears of happy memories as I listened to our voices from the day again.

Steve Chopper did an equally excellent podcast about the event as well, A Mile with Me #047. But the most anticipated podcast, 4 Feet Running, was a special treat! They were one of the first podcasts that I ever listened to, as well as one of my favorites.

The Crazy Runner wasn't nearly as crazy as I had expected. Unless you call running four instead of three legs insane. Susan was just as sweet as you would expect her to be from listening to her contributions on The Extra Mile podcast. But Eddie Marathon, who co-hosts the Slow Runners Club podcast, was the most genuinely sweet and welcoming guy I've ever met.

And last, but not least, it was a true pleasure to meet Norm, (we share a birthday), and his lovely family.

Eleven of us met at Starbucks in Daytona Beach at 7 a.m. and then carpooled to St. Augustine Beach where we met up with Nik and Dan at the lighthouse. Steve Chopper was our surprise guest, officiator, and fellow runner. We were assigned numbers: I was 8, infinity. Steve drew three poker chips out of a bag selecting three people to run the first leg: Adam, Maddy and Dan. After they crossed the starting line, the rest of us drove down the road, about four miles, and waited for them to find us.

When they arrived, they selected a chip. Next up would be Steve Chopper, Susan and me. And the cycle continued... Everyone ran at least three legs of approximately 4 miles. The pace was set by the slowest person, with absolutely no complaints.

Many hours were spent in laughter. No one wanted the day to end. After completing approximately 50 miles from St. Augustine to Daytona, we celebrated at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. I've had many memorable runs over the years, and this one is definitely one of my top 5. What a unique bonding/running experience!

Twas the day before the Mojo Loco

2010-12-10T22:27:00.002-05:00

Twas the day before the Mojo Loco and all through the house... not a creature was stirring, not even the moose. Well as you can tell the magical elves and reindeer wanted to join in on the fun that would soon be had. They plopped theirselves into the bag that was intended to go in the car (and ultimately to the funnest kennel on the planet). Elf Kendall and Reindeer Moki somehow escaped... knowing that a little girl would be sad if they didn't appear the next day. Elf Edward clung strong until the pups were dropped off... then he magically reappeared in the car for the long drive to Daytona Beach, FL. Needless to say, I was happy for the company... He tucked himself into the handle on the passenger-side dash, and bopped to the music and podcasts that were blared for hours on end.

I finally arrived and was greeted with hugs from Maddy and Susan at the hotel we would share. The three of us met Chris Russell at Carrabba's Italian Grill for carbo-loading pre-MojoLoco. We shared happy running conversation as well as a good meal. We laughed over sausages and got to know each other better thanks to Susan's interviewing skills. Then Chris entertained us by showing Susan how to stretch her problem area in the foyer of the restaurant. Anticipation lingered as we awaited the next day...

some days are better than others

2010-12-05T22:46:00.003-05:00

I had planned to run a long run yesterday, but didn't feel well. Made up for it today. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow and modify the plan. I felt much better today than I did yesterday! My original thought was 8 miles, but still had juice left in water bottle and felt good, so added 2 more miles. Yay! This is my highest mileage week since June and two 20+ mile weeks in a row = Progress!

And note... the magical elves and reindeer had fun cruising the the top down! Elf Edward loves the sunglasses that I bought at the Chicago marathon Expo in 2009!

best mile of the year

2010-12-02T21:34:00.006-05:00

At my daughter's middle school, they take PE for two of the four quarters. She gets it the last half of the school year. She's learned from her friends that in order to make an "A", you have to be able to run a mile in under 8 minutes. So yesterday she said that she wants to start running a mile with me every day. I was ecstatic!!! I've forever been jealous of people whose children like to run with them. She hasn't run in quite a while, so before we even left the driveway, I told her that we should start slow, take as many walk breaks as she needed, and just use this as a baseline. We didn't get very far down the street before she wanted to walk. She begged me to turn around and go back home. This was HARD. I insisted that we keep moving forward and told her that we were going to go a mile, but we could walk as much as she wanted. She slooowwwllllyyy moved foward. I cracked silly jokes and we kept putting one foot in front of the other. I let her set the pace. We walked more than we ran, but we had fun and laughed and knew that the next time we run a mile, it will be faster.

I bought a pair of Newton running shoes at the Atlanta half marathon race Expo. The representative told me to start with one mile, every other day, and slowly add to it. So I used today's run with Kyra for my first mile in these shoes. Since we walked more than ran, I can't really give the shoes a review, but they are definitely different from my typical running shoes and I loved the bounce.

Elf Edward arrives ready for the Mojo Loco

2010-11-30T21:01:00.002-05:00

Three years ago, our first magical elves arrived at our house. My daughter was in 4th grade and she came home from school one day saying that Grace said that if she wrote to Santa and requested an elf, he would send one to her. So that very night, she wrote to Santa. I had never heard of magical elves and had to do some quick research. Santa wrote her back with a photo of the elf he was sending. I thought she would be thrilled, but she was upset. It wasn't the elf she was expecting. So that elf became my elf Edward. (I was reading the Twilight series at the time.) And the next day, her beloved Elf Kendall arrived; she was exactly what Kyra wanted. If you'd like to read more about our first year of elf adventures, click here and browse through December 2008 blogposts. And if you're really into magical elf adventures, click here and scroll down from 12/24 to Thanksgiving 2009 for last years antics.

This year, she wasn't as eager to write to Santa for the elves to return. But I missed my elf and sent a letter to Santa. Elf Edward arrived during the night and I found him ready to run this morning. He wore my MOJO LOCO headband as a tube top, was in a festive pair of running shoes, had my Garmin 310XT on his arm, my recent half marathon medal beside him, and my running log book open to the page reserved for the MOJO LOCO relay race. Woohoo!!! This is going to be so much fun!

Atlanta Half Marathon - bittersweet

2010-11-25T23:57:00.001-05:00

Ahhh... traditions... changing for the better...

I registered for the Atlanta Half Marathon because of tradition. I ran it first in the mid 1990s and numerous years after that. Now I'm on an alternate year schedule... when my daughter is with her dad. They changed the course this year; I was sad to hear. I have such fond memories of running the same course over the years with a variety of friends, my ex-husband (when we were still married), and sometimes alone. I know that course like the back of my hand. I had a bad experience two years ago and wanted to beat my time... But... they changed the course route so I can't compare.

My alarm clock was set for 4:30 a.m., but I woke at 4:17 on my own (or maybe thanks to the pups or kitties). I always fear oversleeping my alarm clock and set back-ups, but more often than not I wake earlier. I showered, ate, and left home early because I hate being stuck in traffic. Traffic was exceptionally light at 5:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning. Why did I think it would be like rush-hour? I made it to Turner field and into the parking lot with no delays! I sat and waited...

At 6:50 a.m. I made my way to my starting corral, just a short walk from the parking lot. I kept looking around hoping to see someone that I knew. No luck. Guess they were in a different corral. They did a wave start and I was in wave 4 of 5. They announced 12,000 runners for this morning. Wow! This race has grown significantly; I remember when there were less than 2,000 runners in the 1990's.

For decades, the race began near the Chamblee MARTA train station and went down Peachtree eventually ending in Piedmont park. I used to park at/near the MARTA station, run the race, and would hop on MARTA after the finish to return to my car. While waiting in my starting coral this morning I saw a couple wearing t-shirts that said, "In memory of..." and then had a map of the former route. I smiled nostalgically and totally sympathized. I felt the same way.

They started the waves about 3 minutes apart; at least that's what I'm guessing by comparing my Garmin time to the time I saw when I crossed the finish line. The first mile flew by way too fast, and the second and third as well, despite stopping a few times to try to stretch out my shin cramp that began in the first mile. During mile 5 I settled into a more realistic pace, and was HOT. It was 57 degrees and foggy when the race began and the forecast was for a high of 60 during the race times, so I wore shorts, long-sleeves and a hat. But the weatherman LIED. 66 degrees and sunny and I desparately wished I had worn short sleeves!

At mile 6, I HAD to stop at the porto-potty. I hated to lose so many minutes, but I run more for fun than for speedy times, and the much needed relief was well worth the added minutes. I felt so much better physically, as well as mentally, afterwards!

Around mile 8, I was gaining on a man wearing a prosthetic leg and a Sports Medicine South t-shirt. I was in awe and my self-defeating thoughts floated away. As I ran past him, I said that Dr. Levengood and his wife are close friends of mine. He lowered his head and then said sweetly, "They are great people." I regret not slowing down and talking with him more. I wish I had asked his name and his story. But I trotted along instead thinking about my amazing friends: Gary & Lisa Levengood and their incredible children. I've known them for 6-7 years now; our girls are best friends; Gary surgically repaired my torn ACL/meniscus in December 2005, as well as treated my IT band, hamstring tendonitis, plantar faciitis, etc.; and Lisa is one of my best friends and we ran the Chicago marathon together with our other BFF, Ty, in 2009. They truly are great people!

The new course brought back memories. We ran past Georgia Tech, where I went to college in the late 1980s. We ran past Ikea, where I bought my couch before knee surgery in 2005 and spent many days/nights recovering on and now the pup has chewed out parts of the cushion (repaired with duct tape). We ran through Piedmont Park which has been a part of many races I've run; most memorably the pup runs with my daughter and our oldest dog, Tasha. We ran past my old office building and later past my current office building.

I slowed again near the end when I saw a co-worker; she was jogging slowly and I slowed down and chatted with her for a while. I couldn't remember her name and was relieved when she asked me mine again; we've only met once or twice briefly, but I recognized her. Caroline... I'll remember her name now. As the end neared, I couldn't help but pick up the pace and finish strong. 2:46:51 according to my Garmin. Back-of-the-pack, not my fastest or slowest, but I'm okay with it considering the effort. The medal is so much better than the last time I ran this race, 2 years ago!

After showering, I went to one of my best friend's lake house for Thanksgiving. I have the best friends ever! I had such a relaxing afternoon hanging out with Ty, Will, the kids and their relatives. I knew most of them, but enjoyed meeting others and getting to know the rest better. The only thing that would have made this day any better would have been to have my daughter there. The girls have been close friends since before kindergarten. I had so much fun helping cook, playing corn hole, relaxing, chatting... We made plans to do it again next year, and Ty and Cassie said they'll run the half marathon with me. I wonder if Lisa will join us? Looking forward to it!

Stone Mountain Cherokee Trail

2010-11-13T15:54:00.000-05:00

Well, once again I find myself a month or so behind on blogging. I need to mow the grass and clean out the garage, but think I'll catch up on the blog instead ;-). I had a great trail run/hike at Stone Mountain along the Cherokee Trail this afternoon. The temperature was a perfect 66 degrees with the sun shining brightly. The trail was shady with lots of people out walking. I was surprised to pass my neighbor and his daughter about a mile into my run. The best part, however, was getting a cool-off shower from two golden retrievers that came out of the lake as I approached. They showered me with water as they shook beside me wanting to be pet. The owner said, "Thanks for being tolerant!" after he reprimanded the dogs. I laughed and said it felt good and that I have a golden retriever at home.

At about 3.5 miles I passed a woman and dog that I had seen earlier. She said, "Don't tell me you've gone the whole way around." I said yes and she responded, "Wow, I'm in awe." I said thanks and kept going but was thinking to myself... it's only been 3.5 miles, what's so impressive about that? Then I came back to reality and remembered that most people don't run at all, so I guess it would be impressive to a non-runner or a beginning runner. Glad even my slow pace inspired someone today.

Hmmm... Guess it's time to retire these compression shorts, huh? They've served me well over the past few years.

Zooma Atlanta half marathon

2010-11-06T21:25:00.001-04:00

I arrived at Chateau Elan early before the start of the Zooma Atlanta women's half marathon. Traffic was light and I had plenty of time to spare. Since I pulled into the parking lot over an hour before the race, I sat in the heated car for a little while; it was 33 degrees Fahrenheit. I saw my neighbor's car pull into the same parking lot. After visiting a port-o-potty in the dark (quite an experience), I met her near the race start and we chatted with her friends. She's walking the event with several of her work buddies.. I enjoyed hanging out with them before the race start! They postponed the start from 7:30 to 7:45 because a long line of cars was still coming in. We were freezing and have things to do later this morning and were a wee bit disappointed since we had arrived early. I jogged with them at the start and when the slowed to a walk at the first hill, I kept running. I started at a faster pace than I had planned, but it didn't feel fast. I thought that maybe it was because of the cold temp and mostly downhill route rather than overexertion. The first 10 miles were great! and even thought a PR would be possible. But what goes down, must come up... I slowed down on the last three miles which were mostly uphill.

I finished in 2:38; not my fastest nor my slowest half marathon finish time. I enjoyed the race and the post-race Expo. Instead of a medal, finishers received a necklace. It's kind of plain, but then again, it's something I can wear anytime without being to ostentacious. It has "Zooma Atlanta" and "11.06.10" engraved on the back and a runner girl on the front of this peach shaped necklace. The post-race Expo was inside (where it was warm) and included a bagged brunch, free glass of wine or champagne, a live band and cool stuff to purchase. The course wasn't as scenic as I had hoped, and finished uphill, but overall, I would rate this as an event to repeat or recommend to a friend.

Boo

2010-10-29T21:19:00.002-04:00

Remember the weird Wednesday I had? Well last night the black cat re-appeared. My daughter claimed it as her birthday present, but I'm not quite ready to take it in. We already have 3 in-door cats and 2 dogs. I did give it some food and water and let it spend the night in the garage. Even a small piece of salmon that I had leftover from dinner. It ran out when I opened the garage door this morning when I returned home after my 3.14 mile run. Wonder if it will come back? She named it Boo.

black cat birthday weirdness

2010-10-27T22:27:00.001-04:00

Freaky morning. I woke up at 4:15 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep. I got up at 4:45 (alarm clock was set for 5). As I was setting my Garmin 310XT in the dining room window to catch satelite signals before I went outside, I noticed that the old dishwasher that I had put at the end of driveway last night was gone... It's too early for the trash truck to have come. As soon as I stepped out of the front door, I was startled by a black cat on the walkway staring up at me. It ran away as I was closing the door. A quarter mile into my run I saw a huge possum? scampering across the road. I've never seen one of them in the neighborhood. Then my Garmin was off... this route is almost always 3.11 miles, plus or minus 2 hundreths, but today it registered 3.01 miles. Lots of weirdness on my daughter's birthday. Hope she has a happy 12th birthday!

stick in the foot

2010-10-20T21:54:00.001-04:00

I enjoyed an easy run in the light misting rain this morning after a week of not running. Towards the end I felt something stab my foot. Thankfully it was just a stick that got stuck in my shoelaces.

Today would have been my mom's 68th birthday. I miss her! I remember she used to have Chinese for lunch on her birthday, so that's what my daughter and I did tonight. Then my daughter convinced me to get manicures to celebrate (next door to Mah Jong, our favorite Chinese restaurant). We had a great time talking about memories of my mom.

Corn Maze

2010-10-18T21:44:00.002-04:00

I didn't get a real run in today, but did take a brisk walk with a few sprints through a corn maze with my daughter at Jaemor Farms. Then we had fun picking a pumpkin (make that three) off the vine in the pumpkin patch. And after that, we had homemade peach and strawberry ice cream and purchased fresh vegetables to take home for dinner. Great day!

The truth about pasta

2010-10-17T21:35:00.000-04:00

In case you were wondering... A ramen noodle, taken out of boiling water and thrown on the ceiling, sticks for a very long time... At least 24 hours. My precious daughter has learned to make her own snack/lunch of Ramen noodles and thought she'd be cute and toss one up to the ceiling to see if it was done. I was getting my hair cut and she called me laughing so hard that I thought she was crying. I worried that she was seriously injured to only find out that the noodle wouldn't fall from the ceiling. (I climbed up a ladder and removed it the next day.)

Sweetwater Creek State Park

2010-10-13T21:23:00.002-04:00

Once a year we have an out-of-the-office business meeting to celebrate our accomplishments from the prior fiscal year. This year our meeting was held at Sweetwater Creek State Park. I know that a 50K trail race is held here so I took my running gear with me to the meeting. I planned to do a trail run, but a little over a mile into it, it turned into a technical hike. I decided to forego the running for the adventure of attempting to cross the creek. Gorgeous! Technical! Great adventure!

Mr. Grinch and the monsters

2010-10-11T21:32:00.001-04:00

After my daughter's horse riding lesson this evening, I left her with her step-mom and I headed to the nearby Harbins Park for a trail run. Mr. Grinch* and the monsters started following me at about half-way into the trail run... I passed a scruffy looking guy wearing a backpack and with a dog off-leash and this set my imagination rollling... Thankfully, I made it through the 5.13 mile run unscathed. I should probably limit my trail running to weekend days or with a friend or pup to keep from going psycho. I tried out my new Mojo Loco headband today from http://www.goheadband.com/. It worked as advertised... kept the sweat out of my eyes and didn't slip. It even worked double duty to keep my hair out of my face while crusing with the top down in my convertible afterwards.

*When my daughter was 2 years old, I made the mistake of taking her to see the movie How the Grinch stole Christmas. I didn't bother to check the movie rating beforehand, but regretted taking her to a PG movie mid-way through it and even more so afterwards. Mr. Grinch scared her. Beginning that night, and continuing now, ten years later, every night at bedtime, after prayers, she asks me "Is Mr. Grinch or the monsters coming?" To which I always say, "No". I think now it is more out of habit, but funny how things affect your life.