Sorry this is a little late but here it goes. We arrived to start our journey bright and early. 5 a.m. and we are off. We had about 7 of us in our group and about 10 or 12 in the other group. I was not good and awake but I was ready for the run.
We were going to go our route that we tried to do 2 weeks ago. This time we would do the whole thing and see if the miles would add up to 15. Well they did. When we started out the temps were in the low 80's with high humidity. It made it aweful to try and get a good run in. We had to drop back a little on our times so that we could breathe and not pass out. I will be so glad to see the cooler temps come back. I miss them.
When we came into the Indian Mounds, we came upon a split in the road. It was very dark and I asked the group if they wanted to have some fun. They said Yes. So we hide around the corner until Brandi's group came around and then we started to run again. It was dark and they could not see us. I think someone said some ugly words when we came out. It was funny and I think personally we all needed a good laugh to start the day.
As the time went by, the humidity slowly got better but the temps got higher. On our first loop of the course, we were holding a 2:1 ratio of run/walk with a average time of 12:47/mile. That is about what we have been averaging on the long runs. Well on the 2nd loop I decided to back it down to 1/1 and the time almost stayed the same. We all agreed that the 1/1 felt better.
After the run I went out for a 1/2 mile walk with no shoes. It felt great o get out of them. Brandi had brought chocolate milk for us. IT WAS SOOOOOOO GOOD!!!!!!!! That is one of the best after run drinks you can every have to replace carbs.
Well this weekend I think we are going for mile repeats. I believe it is seven. Seeing that I am one of the leaders you would think that I would have the calender memorized by now. Well I don't.
Until later, have a wonderful week.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Boy it is early
Saturday morning and its 4:00 a.m. I am getting ready for a 15 mile practice run for the Chickamauga marathon. We are going out early this morning to try and break away from all the HOT temps. I just hope that my energy level will stay with me til the end.
Well I need to get off the computer and get dressed and get out the door. I will post later and I come home and eat, shower, and get a nap. Have a great day.
Well I need to get off the computer and get dressed and get out the door. I will post later and I come home and eat, shower, and get a nap. Have a great day.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Training for Chickamauga Marathon
I need to start by saying I am going to start posting more often like I use to do. I have gotten caught up in a lot of life activities lately and have forgot to write things down.
I am currently involved in our local Jeff Galloway program that trains runners and non-runners on how to run a marathon injury free. We have ratios of run/walk/run and it depends on how fast or not so fast you run. Our group is trying to finish the marathon in under 5 hours and we run a 2:1 ratio. We run several times a week for maintenance runs and a long run on Saturday mornings.
We are right now about 1/2 way through our training with the race on Nov. 13. I have run this race 2 other times so I kind of know what to expect throughout the race. I have been trying to pass along info to the other runners about the course, hills, 2 loop course and other things. I am having so much fun helping others and it is also helping me out.
Along with training for this marathon, I have also enrolled in a biggest loser program with our club. We started 4 weeks ago and I am just trying to take it slow so that I KEEP the weight off. So far I am down 6.5 pounds and I hope to get off about 20 pounds before the race. If so it will be the lowest I have ever been for a marathon. I have been so close to beating a 5 hour race but so far it has not happened. This has been a burden in my life. It is just weighing heavy on my shoulders. That is one reason why I am trying to loose the weight. I love it when people look at me when I tell them I love to run marathons. I mean normally when you look at someone who is 6'3 and weighing 263 pounds, you would not think he would be out running.
Tomorrow morning our group is meeting for a 15 mile run. I cant wait because some of the runners have never run this far before in their life. I love to see it when people go past their last goal. It is fun to be able to run this far and then go home and do your normal activities for the day.
Well for now I am going to get some rest so that i will have plenty of sleep for tomorrow. I promise to post more often so that I don't get behind. Have a great weekend.
I am currently involved in our local Jeff Galloway program that trains runners and non-runners on how to run a marathon injury free. We have ratios of run/walk/run and it depends on how fast or not so fast you run. Our group is trying to finish the marathon in under 5 hours and we run a 2:1 ratio. We run several times a week for maintenance runs and a long run on Saturday mornings.
We are right now about 1/2 way through our training with the race on Nov. 13. I have run this race 2 other times so I kind of know what to expect throughout the race. I have been trying to pass along info to the other runners about the course, hills, 2 loop course and other things. I am having so much fun helping others and it is also helping me out.
Along with training for this marathon, I have also enrolled in a biggest loser program with our club. We started 4 weeks ago and I am just trying to take it slow so that I KEEP the weight off. So far I am down 6.5 pounds and I hope to get off about 20 pounds before the race. If so it will be the lowest I have ever been for a marathon. I have been so close to beating a 5 hour race but so far it has not happened. This has been a burden in my life. It is just weighing heavy on my shoulders. That is one reason why I am trying to loose the weight. I love it when people look at me when I tell them I love to run marathons. I mean normally when you look at someone who is 6'3 and weighing 263 pounds, you would not think he would be out running.
Tomorrow morning our group is meeting for a 15 mile run. I cant wait because some of the runners have never run this far before in their life. I love to see it when people go past their last goal. It is fun to be able to run this far and then go home and do your normal activities for the day.
Well for now I am going to get some rest so that i will have plenty of sleep for tomorrow. I promise to post more often so that I don't get behind. Have a great weekend.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
I finally went
I have been having a problem with some pain in my right foot. When I get up in the morning, it feels like a knife is being stuck in it. Usually after about a couple of minutes it goes away. So far it has not plauged me with my running. It hurts at first but then goes away. I have thought about going to the doctor to get some xrays done but I was afraid of getting bad news and being sidelinded from sports. So I did not go for a while. Well I finally broke down and went and got the xrays.
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NO BROKEN BONES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now I just have to figure out what is wrong. The doctor told me to try Advil twice a day for 10 days and see if that helps. I hope so cause it is racking my brain. So for now, I am still running.
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NO BROKEN BONES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now I just have to figure out what is wrong. The doctor told me to try Advil twice a day for 10 days and see if that helps. I hope so cause it is racking my brain. So for now, I am still running.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
MIBM 2010 recap
Another MIBM is in the books again. I always say that this is the hardest race I have ever done and then I sign up and do it again. There is something about running the 3 H race: hills, heat and humidity.
As I drove up to the club house, we passed a few runners that started early. I got there about 30 minutes prior to starting and got my packet. This race is getting bigger every year. When it first started I think it was only about 10 of us in the race. This year we had 50 runners and had to tell about 35 that he was full. WOW it is getting bigger and better every year.
I placed my number on my fuel belt and stretched the old legs trying to get the blood flowing. I had some friends from our Galloway program running with me and Stef was going to help pace me. We run 2:1 ratios and try to hold a 11:26 but with the history of this course, I knew that this was going to be very hard.
So we were off and running. RAIN yes it started to rain and boy did it come down. We had only gone about 1/4 and I was soaked. It felt great cause I knew when it stopped, it was going to be very humid. Luckily it was getting late and the sun was going down so that the humidity was not going to be too bad.
Hills, hills and more hills is the only way to describe the course. Andrew said he took out 3 hills this year and replaced them with 2 BIG hills. He was telling the truth. WHEW it was hard and hilly. We were holding a great pace for the first half of the course with the possible hope that we could finish on pace. Well that did not happen. The second loop was hard. The rain had stopped and I was getting hot and tired. I kept telling myself that every hill I went over I would only have to do it again. Then I would be through.
I think that the last 3 miles was the hardest. Our bodies were starting to cramp up and we were looking at our watches counting down the 1/10ths of a mile. The mileage would not go any faster. It was just dragging by but our pace overall was staying the same. That was good because I thought we were falling way off pace. As we came into the last mile, we knew that we had one last big hill to concour. BOOM there it is and we hit it hard. Over the hill and down to the finish. YES it was over and I was glad. Mandie was there to get our pictures and Stef, The Princess Runner, was there to give me my medal. She told me that since she was not running she could give us our medals. It is always super to see friends that you know at races. Thanks Stef.
For the next 1 1/2 hours, I spent drinking a lot of fluids and trying to snack to get my strength back. Luckily I was not one of the 2 participates that had a DNF. I think they were from FL and not use to the humidity and hills. The last I heard they were ok and would soon recover.
A big thank you to Andrew and Deb for putting on a great race again. There were so many other people to thank like Andrew's wife, Kenny and Stef at the finish line, Mandie taking pictures and see a happy face of Marcus Parker passing out water at one of water stops. Without the numerous other volunteers that I did not mention, this race could not have happened. I hope to have some pictures soon for viewing.
As I drove up to the club house, we passed a few runners that started early. I got there about 30 minutes prior to starting and got my packet. This race is getting bigger every year. When it first started I think it was only about 10 of us in the race. This year we had 50 runners and had to tell about 35 that he was full. WOW it is getting bigger and better every year.
I placed my number on my fuel belt and stretched the old legs trying to get the blood flowing. I had some friends from our Galloway program running with me and Stef was going to help pace me. We run 2:1 ratios and try to hold a 11:26 but with the history of this course, I knew that this was going to be very hard.
So we were off and running. RAIN yes it started to rain and boy did it come down. We had only gone about 1/4 and I was soaked. It felt great cause I knew when it stopped, it was going to be very humid. Luckily it was getting late and the sun was going down so that the humidity was not going to be too bad.
Hills, hills and more hills is the only way to describe the course. Andrew said he took out 3 hills this year and replaced them with 2 BIG hills. He was telling the truth. WHEW it was hard and hilly. We were holding a great pace for the first half of the course with the possible hope that we could finish on pace. Well that did not happen. The second loop was hard. The rain had stopped and I was getting hot and tired. I kept telling myself that every hill I went over I would only have to do it again. Then I would be through.
I think that the last 3 miles was the hardest. Our bodies were starting to cramp up and we were looking at our watches counting down the 1/10ths of a mile. The mileage would not go any faster. It was just dragging by but our pace overall was staying the same. That was good because I thought we were falling way off pace. As we came into the last mile, we knew that we had one last big hill to concour. BOOM there it is and we hit it hard. Over the hill and down to the finish. YES it was over and I was glad. Mandie was there to get our pictures and Stef, The Princess Runner, was there to give me my medal. She told me that since she was not running she could give us our medals. It is always super to see friends that you know at races. Thanks Stef.
For the next 1 1/2 hours, I spent drinking a lot of fluids and trying to snack to get my strength back. Luckily I was not one of the 2 participates that had a DNF. I think they were from FL and not use to the humidity and hills. The last I heard they were ok and would soon recover.
A big thank you to Andrew and Deb for putting on a great race again. There were so many other people to thank like Andrew's wife, Kenny and Stef at the finish line, Mandie taking pictures and see a happy face of Marcus Parker passing out water at one of water stops. Without the numerous other volunteers that I did not mention, this race could not have happened. I hope to have some pictures soon for viewing.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
MIBM 2010
Well today is the day. Our annual Make It By Midnight half/marathon is tonight. If you are not familiar with this race is that what ever you think it will take you to finish the race, you subtract that from midnight and start. The best thing is for everyone to finish at midnight together. I love this race but it has 3 H's. Heat, humidity and hills. This is the slowest of all races I will do this year. I am hoping for a half finish somewhere between 2:30 and 3 hours. I am not going to push myself cause I am having some friends run with me for help and companionship. I hope to be able to post a report in a couple of days.
I have been busy running with our Galloway program. I am the 5 hour pace leader for the group. I figured if I can't break 5 hours in my 11 marathons then I need to train better and have more accountability for my actions. So if my group does not break or get near the 5 hour mark at Chickamauga, then I will be to blame. I don't want that to happen so that is why I am steeping down from my TRI training for now. I am not stopping, I am just taking a break. I signed up for the Augusta 70.3, I have not officially unsigned. I am going to hold it open so that if I get a chance to go, I will. But I am not making any promises.
I know that I am a good runner, but that is not enough. I want to become a great runner. I want to help others get better and reach their most inter abilities. I have come to a conclusion that I want to help others in hope that it will help me also. It is a long story that we discussed in church last week and I think it will help me in my running ability also. I know that some of you will think that running a church lesson don't go hand in hand but it did for me that day. It hit me hard and I am not looking back. It is time to go forward.
Have a blessed weekend and have fun.
I have been busy running with our Galloway program. I am the 5 hour pace leader for the group. I figured if I can't break 5 hours in my 11 marathons then I need to train better and have more accountability for my actions. So if my group does not break or get near the 5 hour mark at Chickamauga, then I will be to blame. I don't want that to happen so that is why I am steeping down from my TRI training for now. I am not stopping, I am just taking a break. I signed up for the Augusta 70.3, I have not officially unsigned. I am going to hold it open so that if I get a chance to go, I will. But I am not making any promises.
I know that I am a good runner, but that is not enough. I want to become a great runner. I want to help others get better and reach their most inter abilities. I have come to a conclusion that I want to help others in hope that it will help me also. It is a long story that we discussed in church last week and I think it will help me in my running ability also. I know that some of you will think that running a church lesson don't go hand in hand but it did for me that day. It hit me hard and I am not looking back. It is time to go forward.
Have a blessed weekend and have fun.
Friday, July 9, 2010
I am still alive
I know that I have not posted in a while and I am very sorry. I have has a lot of things going on in my life. I have been training for TRI's, marathons and long bike rides. I have been doing a lot of soul searching lately and some things are getting ready to change. More details to come soon.
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