So, what's next?

I have been asked that often now that I have finished my first run.

I have been thinking about it quite a bit. I know that I have been enjoying running and finishing something has been great! I took a look at http://www.runnersworld.com/ and did a search for runs in the area. There is one that I think would be a good cause. I am interested in the "Be Ovary Aware 5K run and 3K walk" as you can guess from the name of the run it is to bring awareness to Ovarian Cancer. The other is the "Thunderstorm 5K" this is a fundraiser for the department of Discovery Canon Campus. The funds are used for counseling programs in schools.

I am just not sure yet which one I want to do. I know that the school I work for is also holding a 5k that I will happily participate in, which is September 11th, lets hope I do better in that one! I should think about it a little and see what comes to me.

The results are in!

Saturday's 5K Run was great and it felt good to accomplish something. I am notorious to start something and not finish it.

The weather was cool but shortly after the race started it got warm quickly.

So, here are my stats for the Alex Hoag Run for Sunshine:

• Official time: 0:33:38
• I was 260 overall out of 348 runners
• I was 116 out of the 181 women
• I was 22nd out of 27 in my age class

Overall if feel good about my run. I did not reach my goal of finishing under 30 minutes, my I did get my personal best and that is good enough for me. I started very strong, but it was also down hill, I think I should have let the hill carry me down. Then I took a hard left on North Carefree and that was all uphill for about a mile, I was not ready for that, then back down, I need to practice hills so I can learn how to let the hill carry me down, but I was worried I would crap out and come in dead last. I need to let go and not over think things. This was a good first real run. What on to next?

Sea-Level ROCKS!!

One of the things I was really looking forward to when I got to San Jose this last week was being at sea-level. You see Colorado Springs is close to 7,000 feet and training in the thinner air is supposed to give you a great advantage when you get down to sea-level, where your body just "swims" in the extra oxygen and propels you to great athletic feats of wonder. IT must be so, because the U.S. Olympic Committee has a large training center in the Springs, and we all know how many Olympic medals U.S. athletes accumulate thanks in part to their high altitude training.

Now, granted, my expectations of finishing a mile in record speed was a little high. I had visions of me running all over the neighborhood that I grew up on and people would see me running and be in awe just like I am of those that pass me on the Tuesday night runs. I was hopping that I would run swiftly and smoothly and feel light as a feather.

Well, I did clock some of my best miles and that gave me a boost of confidence and it motivated me. I felt great about my runs, however, my vision were a little off. The cold air felt so good and it felt like my lungs were not as tight and was much easier to breath.

I just hope when I hit the Colorado pavement that I will not turn into a wheezing asthmatic. I think that I will hit the elliptical machine since this week bring 90+ degree weather, which makes it hard to run.

It's offical!

After running my fastest mile on Sunday and the endorphins ruining through my bloodstream I decided it was time to officially sign up for the Alex Hoag Run for Sunshine race which will be on Jul y 17th.

I decided that I would sign myself up for the run. I will pick up my packet on July 15th and I will find out where the race will be held. I plan to walk the course and see what it looks like. I am scared that there will be an uphill spot. In which I know that I am not ready to tackle that yet.

So, will the endorphins pumping I decided to sign up. I am register for the female under 35 age group. Me run against 25 year olds? I feel like they belong in their own running group, this intimidates me. My check in will be 6:30am and the race will kick off at 7:00am. With what I am currently running, I see my self finishing by 7:30am. Fingers crossed that I make my set goal.

The map will not be released until the 15th, so I have no clue what I will be running let's hope there are no hills. I know that the race will start out side the Sky Sox Stadium, and finish in front of third base. After the race, there will be a pancake breakfast prepared by Colorado Springs Firefighters! YUM!!

I have bragging rights!

I ran the Jack Quinn's 5K last Tuesday and I beat Brad! Can you believe that? Brad says we came in "on time" but I was clearly a few minutes before him! I officially have bragging rights! I finished with a time of 38 minutes. Now, I said that I would shoot to finish the Alex Hoag Run for Sunshine in under 30 minutes and I think I can do that. For one, I would not be running in 80-90 degree weather! So that will be a plus!

My stats (according to my Nike+):

• Time: 0:38:50
• Pace: 0:12:28
• Total K: 5.01
• Calories Burned: 251

Next Tuesday work is having a good-bye thing for me at 5:30. So, I am thinking I will leave straight from work and run then go to the Jack Quinn's thing. This really puts a damper in my training schedule Tuesday's are my big run days and I have already missed one big day. I can not let this be a habit.

As for the run, that stupid hill gets me every time! I think it's the devil and it is there to make me work! I guess everything can't be easy!

"I just felt like running so I went for a run..."

I have been asked when I decided to start running. I have also been asked why? I could Forest Gump it and just say:

"I felt like running..."

The truth is as a woman of my family we all have the tendency to be bottom heavy so I have always tried to keep an eye on my weight, and that I did. I watched it go up and down and up and down. At my heaviest I was 160lbs on a 5'2" frame, which was not good. Prior to getting married I got down to 120lbs in the course of one year. The weight returned faster then I anticipated. I quickly jumped back up to 14olb before I knew it, guess I went on a binge and ate all the stuff I couldn't have before the wedding :o) I gained weight so fast people started to think I was preggers! YIKES! I started to work on the weight again and got back down to 120 which took me about 9 months. Then it started to creep back up! It would have kept going up if Brad did not make the decision to go to Mexico this year.

With the impending date of heading to Mexico and having to wiggle myself into a two piece made my stomach twist. So, I decided that I would start to work on my weight again. I started to take part in a walking group at work. I would walk 1 1/2 miles at lunch and focus on what I am eating. Finding foods that I like are are good for me has been hard and I get off track often.

Wiggling in to that two piece still made me want to up chuck my last meal but I was a trooper and did it. I felt better after I bought a wrap to cover up. I mean have you "seen" the scenery in Mexico? I felt like the kid no one wanted on their soccer team and had to be the "second goalie"

So after I returned from Mexico, and realising that there would never be a day that I would look like I used to at the current rate, I decided that walking was not enough, so I decided to start running.

So to bring you to the current date and time, I have noticed physical changes in me I also noticed mental changes. For one I bought a scale which was a huge step. Brad once tried to bring on in to the house about two years ago and I tossed that before it even hit the bathroom floor. I never wanted to obsess about my weight ever again. The focus is to feel healthy and feel comfortable in my own skin. For me to step on that little white scale by choice and not for the annual doctor's visit is scary thought.

There are times that I ask myself what have a gotten myself into? and wonder if I am going to finish it. I would only be out $25 bucks but the shame I would face by not finishing something I started kicks my butt back on the wagon. There are times when I back off running and I think that I need the mental rest, but when I get back I feel great and what makes it better is I do a run better then the last time!

Sore Legs Go Away

I have been running although I forgot my Nike+ adapter to my iPod, work was very quite on Thursday. I have been listening to my body and trying to heal. My right quad is still very sore, nothing seems to be helping. My left shin split has healed but it brought on a left quad acke.

I look rather funny hobbling around, I am trying to tough it out though. Tomorrow is another Jack Quinn's Run. I am thinking of hitting the elliptical upstairs and see how my legs do. It happens to be 90+ outside and the idea of running is less then desirable.

I am seriously considering taking an epson salt bath, and those that know me know how I feel about submitting my self in a bath of salt. It may find its way into places it DOES NOT belong. So I will continue to stretch and rub out my ackes.

No Pain No Gain right?

I have 25 days to go and I am getting a little scared that I will not reach my goal. But I have four weeks to go! I guess a few days out is not so bad as long as I kick but in my training.