And were off......

Well it is here. It is time to pack up and hit the road when I get off from work today. All the long runs, the daily short runs and watching my weight is all together. No turning back now. It is time to go run 26.2 with Donna. I just read that the ratio of women to men is 5:1 so if nothing else, it will be fun running with a bunch of women.

I found the tracking site where you can watch and keep up with runners. www.raceit.com/liveresults/bcm2010/search.aspx?event=1084

I hope this link works if not you can go to the 26.2 page on Facebook and it will show you how to track. Well for now, it is time to go and see yall next week with a recap.

Funeral arrangements coming soon...

As I sit and think about what I need to take to the 26.2 with Donna this weekend, I am pondering that I have not broken the 5 hour mark YET. I have this demon that has pondered me for nearly 3 years now. Well no more. I am going for it this weekend and hopefully be able to lay the demon to rest.

Looking back on the last couple of months, I have logged in more miles and long runs than I have had in any of my past marathons. I think both physically and mentally I am ready for this task. I have had this hanging over my head long enough. It is time to move on and work on new goals. I want to get this behind me so that I can go out and finish my bucket list with a smile on my face.

I am taking time off this week from my normal mileage and it is giving me more time to think about the race. What to take, when to gu, when to take electrolytes. And I thought running a marathon was just going out there and running. Man what was I thinking. HaHa.

Well, if you get a chance and have some free time this week, please sit down and say a prayer for me for trying to reach my goals. I hope and pray to be able to have a race recap that will have nothing but great and exciting news.

Giveaway

I am posting a link about a giveaway from another TRI who has given us details about a new GU. If you go to www.danglethecarrot.blogspot.com you can read his review and see more about the giveaway.

Is running for fun or is it WORK........

It was not long ago when I felt like I had hit a wall. I was on a runner's high and thought everything was going great. Boy, was I wrong. I then had gotten to a point when I just did not want to put my shoes on and to hear about running made me want to throw up. So what did I do to get out of my slump..........
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GET ON THE BIKE AND SWIM


Yes, I found out when I was running so much and pushing myself to try and get faster and lose more weight, I found myself burning myself out. I was to a point where I did not know if running was for fun or was it work.. I had schedules put out for me and I did not have to think about what to run. It was laid out for me everyday. Where to run, what pace to run, how far should I run, Tempo or Easy long run?????? That is when it hit me that I got into running to help myself physically and not to go crazy.

Since I have joined up with the Galloway group, it has given me a chance to run with different people who are among very different goals and outlooks. This has been great because it reminded me why I did my first marathon and how I felt. It has brought back so many memories that I forgot I had lost.

When I thought I had done everything I could possibly physically do, I did a Tri. I never thought I could do something like that. I always said that was for the totally fit atheletes and not for me. Well, I was wrong. I found out you can do anything you put your mind to it and get someone to help you where you might think you have some not so strong points.

What I am trying to get at is when you think that running is just for going out and training like WORK, try something different. I found that when I trained for the TRI, it was nice because my mind and body was always thinking about what I was going to do next. My body was always in check because it was getting changed everyday.

This kept me from going stir crazy. It helped me get out of my rut. If you think you cant do a TRI, well, try and find something else. Maybe you just need to volunteer and help someone else. You will find yourself coming back stronger and better.

I just hope this post will help at least 1 person out there. If so, this blog is totally worth it. Thank you and have a wonderful day in the snow.......

Getting nervous

I have about 10 days to go before the 26.2 Donna Marathon in Jacksonville Florida. This will be my 9th marathon on my lists of ones to do. You would think by now that races would not bother me but for some reason my nerves are starting to kick in somewhat. I have a 5 hour demon that has followed me since I started running marathons.

I want to be able to break this internal record and get rid of the PR and start on a new number, Sub 5. I am feeling good about going for this next week. I think I have alot of base miles for the last 6 months and have several 20 plus mile runs in.

I am trying to loose a couple of pounds before I go cause 1 pound = 2 seconds/mile. For some people that would not mean alot but for me if I could drop 5 - 10 pounds it could mean a PR for me. I am going down to Fl with the Jeff Galloway group and they are so fun to run with. I have had so much fun getting long run in and being able to share some of my knowledge of running. This Friday we are going to meet and talk about last minute preparations. Then we are going to watch the movie "Making of a marathon".

Well I felt like I needed to sit down and talk for a minute before going to work to help release some of my feelings and butterflies. I just want to go ahead right now and go to Florida. I am pumped about the race and everything it stands for.

Until later, have a blessed day and continue to get out there and run....

Bike ride

I have been a slacker this week with my runs. I have gone to the gym and gotten on the treadmill some but it just not the same as getting out on the road. Friday night our bike group from Warner Robins called me and asked if I was going on the bike ride. I told them sure if it was not raining.

Well, I got up Saturday and it was dry and windy. Oh did I mention it was cold. So I told them I was going so I loaded up the bike and headed out. It was a small group of about only 8 riders. Normally we would have about 20 or so.

I was able to maintain an average of 15 mph for 26 miles. The wind was horrible. It was in our face from the start. It was making us get out of the saddle and work the legs. After mile 5 I actually thought about going back and not taking a chance of getting sick. I glad I did not turn back. It was fun when I got through.

I felt good and stayed warm except for my feet. I should have worn 2 pair of socks but lesson learned. Now I need to clean the bike due to the little bit of drizzle we went through before we finished the ride. Now that was cold.

I have 2 weeks before the marathon and I will be on the treadmill this week in the mornings. I am working on shedding some more pounds. So what did I do, I went and got the P90X videos. More to come later with the videos.

Have a great week and keep up the great work....

YEAH.......

I finally got a chance to get back out and try my new shoes. I went to the Wellness Center and got on the treadmill so that I could change up the speed and incline to test them. The final answer is ...............



They passed!!!!!!!

I love my new Asics 3010's. They are great! I did not have the traditional pain across the top of my foot nor the pain around my big toe. They are super comfortable. I am so glad that I went back to Run Fit and got my feet checked again. I think I have been in the wrong shoes lately. I hope this fixes my problem. I will know after the 26.2 with Donna in 18 days.

Until later, have a great pain-free run......