Monday, February 28, 2011

Mile #15 was a little hard this morning.

Maybe it had something to do with the wine I drank last night.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

The Dilemma

Chalk up another 4.96 race miles to my goal of 50, add that to my 13.1 for a total of (drum roll) 18.06. Leaves 31.94 to go.

I almost didn't do the Brea 8K this morning.

Didn't really commit until 10 minutes before the race. I just wasn't into it. Couldn't get myself motivated this morning. When I finally decided to leave home at 7:15am (race starts at 8 and I still hadn't registered), I had to scrap ICE off my windshield...yes,...ICE. First I tried the water sprayer thingy and the windshield wipers....didn't work....so I tried them again, ...... and again.... and again. When I finally succumbed to the fact that it wasn't melting the ice I looked around in the car....what can I use....? All I had was an umbrella. So I get out of the car and scrap some figure eights on the windshield thinking maybe that will weaken the plate of ice thereby allowing the sprayer thingy and wipers to do their job.

Nope. Didn't work. Geeze, I don't even want to do this race anyway.

FINE, I'll use the bar-b-que scraper in the garage (if I didn't have all this crap in the garage, I could park my car in there and I wouldn't have ice on the windshield in the first place).

Ok, ice off.

About a mile from home I realize I don't have my trusty Garmin with me. CRAP!!! I have to go back for it. On the way back home as I turn on my street I have to swerve to the right to avoid a head on collision with a woman who did not take the time to scrape the ice off her windshield with a bar-b-que brush/scarper. Geeze.

Now I want to do this race even less than I wanted to do it an hour ago.

Garmin on wrist, clear windshield, back on road.

The Brea mall is like 5 minutes from my home. You'd think I'd be able to get there very simply. But I tried to be tricky and every time I try to be tricky I get myself in trouble....I knew I wouldn't be able to get on Birch, so I stayed on Lambert, thinking I'd be smart and to go to Kramer to get into the backside of the Target parking lot. GEEZE, what a maroon. I should have turned on State College! Got caught up in detours for the race.....man I should just go home, I don't want to do this race anyway!

Oh and while I'm doing all this.....I had decided to wear a different pair of shoes. They are exactly like the shoes I've been wearing, but I thought they were in better shape and therefore I would perform better. Since my podiatrist has ordered me to wear my orthodics 24/7 (even in my running shoes) I had to pull out the pads in those shoes, and insert the orthodics. Anyone who wears custom orthotics knows that they squeak like crazy when you put them in a new pair of shoes and you have to put baby powder in the shoe, insert orthodic, and more baby powder to squelch the squeaking. So I took the powder with me when I went back for Garmin. Figuring I'd powder up at red lights. Easier said than done. Let's just say if I'm pulled over in the near future, I'm gonna have a hard time explaining that white powdery substance all over the passenger seat.

Finally I get parked....15 minutes before the race start time. Run to the mall parking lot and look for the late registration table. Where the heck is it? One person sends me one way, another person sends me another way....finally I find someone with authority. Security,...he knew the right way.

Finally, I have my bib, I'm heading to the start, I see Julie H., she takes a pic of me (I realize later I have one shirt up while I'm pinning the bib on as I pose for the pic, geeze, I don't even want to see what THAT looks like. (Julie still rocks even if she's taken a very unflattering pic of me....she placed 3rd in her age group in the "Race on the Base Tri" yesterday, Whoo Hooo!!!!!)

I search the crowd for my bestest running buddy Alicia, to no avail. I look for my friend Carolyn who comes all the way to Brea from Lancaster almost every year to partake of "The Best Post Race Food Court". I don't see anyone! Geeze, I so don't want to do this race!

And we're off. Again, I'm at the back of the pack. I hate the way this race back tracks through Poplar past the community center, and that's what I'm thinking the whole time......heck I didn't want to DO THIS RACE!

My shoes feel like bricks, like snow shoes, why did I wear these shoes? And despite the powder they are squeaking like crazy! ugh, why did I come, I don't want to do this race. I'm wishing I would have just found Carolyn's parents and walked with them. Shoes are bricks.....

At about 1.75 miles I think of this quote that Julie P. sent in the email once.

"Ability determines what you're capable of doing.
Motivation determines what you do.
Attitude determines how well you do it." (Lou Holtz)

I need an attitude adjustment.

I struggled with my attitude for the next 2 miles.

Finally by mile 3.5ish I am getting "In the Zone",

Ok, by about mile 3 it's kinda all downhill anyway......and I finally got to my "Slim Shady" on my ipod....a little anger and attitude never hurt anyone (thank-you Anthony).

There is Julie H., Alicia, and John S. cheering me in to finish, thank you guys, I seriously needed that.

Race done, no time for "Fantastic Post Race Food Court", I've got a funeral to attend.

4.96 miles done in 1 hour 4 minutes and 43 seconds, gads, worst time yet (fix that attitude Cindy!).

And here's the dilemma.....

Can I count one of these race miles as my "mile for the day'?

Lorrie and Tom say yes I can.

I know John S. would say "ABSOLUTELY NOT".

In my heart I feel like it's "double dipping"

After Andy's funeral I go home and discuss with Denny. He also feels like it would be double dipping. That's all I need.

So I change clothes, put on my running shoes, and run my mile. Mile #14 for you Andy Cannon, A Gentle, Kind, Quite, and Loving Soul.

14 miles down 36 to go, as for race miles 18.06 down, 31.94 to go.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

It was such a beautiful morning.....the sun was shining, the ground was wet, water droplets were on the leaves and flowers....like biting into a cold, crisp, juicy apple (lame). I even saw a rainbow.

So I'm thinking should I run now while it's early, and not raining? Or should I wait until later? I see my sister Lorrie today and thought maybe I could talk her into doing my mile with me.

In the long run I decided better to be safe then sorry. What if we got distracted and I forgot about the mile? I would have wasted 12 miles!

Mile #13 down, 11:28, I'm thinking I may abandon the time challenge, it's kinda making the solo runs a little sucky.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Piddling, stalling, piddling, stalling, piddle, piddle, stall, stall.....

JUST DO IT (insert swoosh here)

Mile #12 done, thanks to Nike.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Sometimes it is so hard to get going.

So hard getting started tonight. Even with running buddies! Tonight did not feel like cheating. We even joked about turning around and forgetting about it. Well, Alicia was joking, but I really would have turned around at the half mile mark and called it a night.

We had a 4.6 mile run planned. At about a mile and a half I wanted to take a short cut....but I couldn't talk anyone else into it. Come on, we are at the back of the pack....no one will even know! Unless we managed to get in front of them......

Then at about mile 3 a funny thing happened. This started feeling like a great run. Wow, am I glad I didn't turn around at 1/2 a mile!

At about mile 3.25 Mark was hinting at a shortcut....but he couldn't talk anyone else into it. (Alicia and I are feeling great at this point!). We had one more opportunity to cheat at about mile 3.8, but by now we were all determined to finish.

Amazing how getting started can be so hard and yet it ends so fantastically.

I think I'll count that first difficult mile as mile #11.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Mile #10 down this morning. Wondering if I should set a time goal. Mile #1 was done in 12:25 (excuse: it was late and after dinner out). Subsequent miles have been in the 11 minute range. Best pace so far 11:07. This morning's pace 11:19.

I'm thinking I want to break 11 minutes. And I don't mean 10:59, I want 10:55 or less.

40 Miles to go!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

R.I.P.

This morning I was feeling guilty. Like I really am cheating when I don't run in the morning and instead count a regular run as my daily mile.

Then I find out this afternoon that my cousin Andy died on Friday.

NOW I feel real guilt. I live maybe 3 miles from his home, yet I didn't even know he's been sick since 2005.

After hearing the news all I could think of was how much I needed tonight's run. A "Therapy" run.

Amazing how talking it over, and running it out helps.

Mile #9 dedicated to Andy Cannon, see you on the other side of the finish line.

Monday, February 21, 2011

One Long Mile

One of those days when just making myself go out and do it feels like the hardest part.

Very cold.

Felt like I was running in slow motion up the hill.

Should have worn gloves.

Even my toes got cold.

Mile #8 One of the Longest Miles yet.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

The Sunday Paper

Sunday morning and I would love to sleep in. Why don't these two dumb dogs get it? It's Sunday morning, we don't have to get up early! Someone needs to breed a small dog with a very large bladder (A Bladoodle?). Ok, already, quick walk around the block.

I should do my run......but the Sunday paper is wrapped in plastic like a gift waiting for me on the welcome matt. It's calling my name, telling me to pour a cup of coffee, get comfy on the sofa and emerse myself in it.

Will I have the self disipline to run later if I choose to answer its call?

Maybe not, shouldn't take the risk.

The rain has washed the earth, and the sun is warming it up.

Mile 7 done, Hello Sunday!

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Maybe it is Cheating.

This morning's mile was run with running buddies.

We have spent so many Saturday mornings together running that it has become a habit. I wonder how many miles we've covered in the years. It's how we start our weekend. And what better way to start the weekend then running with good friends .

I don't know what I like the most, the exercise that we get, the conversations we have, or the adventures we sometimes find. Like today....it had rained so hard yesterday we didn't know what the morning would bring, yet it turned out to be perfect.

We saw a rooster crowing in a tree at Tri-City Park. Along the trail were Donkeys, geese, pigs, two big scary dogs (behind a short fence), and a sign on a miniature barn that claimed there were miniature horses inside.

How can you not enjoy a run like that?

It almost does feel like I'm cheating to count a run like this as my 50 in 50.

Mile #6 Done!

Friday, February 18, 2011

Alarms.....

So hard to resist pushing the snooze button, once, twice, ten times.

Must get up and run.

It's a full moon tonight and when I first went out this morning (6:10) I could actually see the moon low to the west. One of those huge yellow moons. I've never seen it like that in the morning before (maybe something to do with that snooze button?) I wanted to take a picture of it to freeze it in time and post here, but by the time I came back in and got the camera it was gone.......must be behind clouds.

You'll just have to take my word for how serene and amazing it looked.

But nothing like a brisk morning run to get your heart pumping!

I can't think of a cheaper more efficient way to stoke the internal furnace.

Friday here I come!

Mile #5 done.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Running with Friends

So easy to do the mile when it's a regular run with friends. Almost feels like cheating. Tonight I got to run side by side with Irma. Haven't run with her in ages. Felt like old times, amazing how good friends are like that, no matter how long it's been since you've seen them it feels like it was only yesterday.

Topped our run off with dinner at "The Renassaince Bistro" with Ramona and Kelly. Yummy food, a little wine, great conversation.....what better way to end a run?

4 down already? This may go faster then I want!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Done

Cold, Dark, Raining, 7am, what more can I say.

3 down 47 to go.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Day 2 Mile 2

Today's mile was a piece of cake!

Tuesday's are a regularly scheduled running day and according to MY rules, the miles I do with my running group count towards my mile a day. I don't care what John says. Yes I know I stole his idea of running 50 before 50, but I still get to make my own rules and my rules state ANY mile I run be it in the morning alone, with my running buds on a regular running night, or after work by myself, they all count.

Tomorrow's run will be a real challenge, I'm having dinner with friends tomorrow evening which means I have to do my mile first thing in the morning....

2 down, 48 to go.

Monday, February 14, 2011

One down 49 to go.....

Tonight I began my 50 in 50 mile journey. In 50 days I will turn 50......I pledged to run a mile everyday ....with the final 50th mile on my birthday. That was several weeks ago.

My niece Kristine and my sister Nita and I were having a lovely dinner tonight when I realized today is day one. If I was really going to do this, this is the day I must start. Crap. I forgot all about it. Hmm.....It's dark....I just finished dinner.....maybe I won't do the 50 in 50 after all. If it wasn't for Kristine, I would have abandoned the idea that has been brewing for several weeks, went home, put on my PJ's, turned on the TV and watched Intervention.

Kristine said she'd run the mile with me. Instead of PJ's I donned my running shoes and we did it. The first couple of minutes are always the hardest...in fact the first mile is always the hardest. We ran half a mile out and came back, high fived and felt FANTASTIC!

I am also committing to completing 50 race miles this year.....as I type this Kristine is trying to talk me into signing up for "The Warrior Dash", website describes it as "3.08 Hellish Miles".....I'll have to think about this one....

One mile down, 49 to go, Whoo Hooo!!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Back of The Pack(ers) <---subtle superbowl plug

To anticipate, commemorate, celebrate, and embrace turning the ripe young age of 50 this year, I have decided to embark on a 50 mile journey. No, I am not going to do a 50 mile run, that would probably kill me, or at the very least leave me with bloody stumps for feet. I have decided to complete (run, walk, or crawl) 50 race miles this year. My journey began Superbowl Sunday at the "Surf City Half Marathon" in Huntington Beach.

I knew I wasn't going to break any records. Come on, my Dr. didn't even release me to run until beginning of December! When I registered I listed an estimated finish time of 4 hours. My estimated time put me at the back of the pack. While waiting for our turn to start I was looking around checking out the other "Back of the Packers" Geeze, a bunch of overweight white women. Eeeks! That's me!

Note to self, no matter how cool I think it would be to get an ankle tattoo, it is not attractive on the kankle of a middle aged white woman. I can only hope that if I ever get a wild hair up my a*s and think it would be a good idea, someone, friend or family will be the voice of reason and talk me out of it. You have my permission to tie me up and hold me captive till I come to my senses.

First wave started at 7:45am....us back of the packers didn't cross the start line until well after 8 am. My goal was to walk the first 5 or 6 miles and then begin to run like a gazelle to the finish line. I accomplished my first goal.....I walked the first 5 miles. Stopped for a quick pee at the port-a-potty. Yippee!, no lines at the back of the pack, uh, no toilet paper either. Another quick stop at the First Aid tent for some mole skin.....walking causes much more friction on the balls of your feet than running!

And I'm off------ok, no gazelle here, (and to be brutally honest there have been a number of occasions that a running buddy has looked at me huffing and puffing, red faced and perspiring, and asked "are you ok?"....gawd). I did follow my plan and consistently ran for one minute and walked two for the next 5 miles. The absolute beauty of starting in the back of the pack is that every person with the exception of 2 rouge run/walkers that I passed, I never saw again. Can't catch this gazelle!

At mile 10ish, I switched my intervals to run 1 minute walk 1. Wow, was I passing them now! See ya later back of the packers! Mile 10 is usually when you realize, wow, I'm gonna do it. I am going to accomplish something that without determination, training and sheer will, I would not otherwise be able to do. I'm alive, and I'm doing it. It can be a very emotional mile. I choose to keep my music in my ears to distract me from becoming an emotional wreak.

I finished in 3 hours, 11 minutes and 17 seconds, way better then my original estimate of 4 hours. If I hadn't had to stop for that mole skin I probably could have finished in 3:09 or less!

So nice to spend the morning with my running buddies and see them at the finish, and to hear them say "You did it!"

Leaving the race I noticed the same older gentleman I had seen on the course, one of the "back of the packers" that I passed in my zeal to finish strong. I had wished at the time I could stop and talk to him. He had a sign pinned to his back, it said something like:

F*ck Cancer
January 2010 Lung Cancer
March 2010 Lung Surgery
February 2011 Surf City Half Marathon

"I like your sign" I told him, "this time last year I was undergoing chemo". He told me it was his daughter's idea, she was walking with him. I told him I liked the angry tone, sometimes a little bit of anger isn't necessarily a bad thing.

13.1 race miles down, 36.9 to go.

Bring it.