Midwest Running Mom

Virtual Run for Sherry Arnold

2012-01-31T03:45:00.000-08:00

The tragic ending to Sherry Arnolds disappearance has touched us all in some way. I never knew Sherry, but I have thought about her every day since first hearing her story. I feel for her and what she went through, I feel for her family and what they are still going through. I wonder why things like this happen, and how someone can think they have a right to hurt another person. Somethings we will never know, but what we do know is that Sherry was a good person, a great mother, and a fantastic teacher. Even though many of us never knew Sherry we will never forget her, I know I wont.

Beth at SUAR is hosting a Virtual Run for Sherry on February 11, 2012 at 9am MST. Races 2 Remember has also donated there time in creating a race bib special for this event. I encourage you all to get out there and run or walk any distance for Sherry. Lets remember what a great person she was, and let her know that she will never be forgotten. To get all the information on this run and to print out the bib check out SUAR's blog .

I will be out there running for Sherry, I hope you will be too.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

2012-01-27T06:56:00.000-08:00

I don’t know about you all but this year I am pretty lucky! We have not really had a winter yet here in Kansas. Usually by this time in January I am suffering the effects of SAD so bad it is hard to get motivated to do anything, much less run.

But this year, I have got to enjoy many sunny afternoon runs in the 40’s and 50’s. I know you southern folks are thinking THAT IS COLD, I use to think that way when we first moved here from Florida but now I love running in these temps. Don’t get me wrong anything under 40 and I am cold, but between 40 and 60 those are the best runs.

The best thing about this mild winter is that I can get outside for my runs or a walk with my girls, so we are still getting our vitamin D from the sun. I think just the fact that we can get out at all is a huge help with SAD. This is the first year since we moved here that I have not suffered from this disorder and I tell you I am feeling good. I do worry about next year though and how will I keep this happy feeling through a bad winter.

Do you suffer from SAD? How do you cope during the winter to help with SAD?

Running in the Wind

2012-01-24T18:03:00.000-08:00

Most of the time when you talk about running in the wind you want to start off running into the wind and then have the wind to your back on your way home. This makes a lot of since, however in the winter this is not the best way to do it.

Today I went for a run and had to run into the wind on my way out. And when the temps are around 20 degrees it is pretty darn cold and running into the wind just makes it colder. After about a mile I warmed up and the wind did not feel so bad but then it was time to turn around and have the wind to my back. The whole time I was thinking how much nicer it would have been to start my run with the wind at my back and finish my run with the wind in my face to cool me down.

You see I am one of those people that gets very hot during a run. So much so that I have been on runs in 10 degrees and had to remove my hat and gloves after a couple miles because I was just too darn hot. But those first couple miles I am usually freezing.

How do you stay warm but not too warm during your winter runs? Do you prefer running into or against the wind?

Running Safety Gear

2012-01-19T19:04:00.000-08:00

In light of the tragedy of what happened to Sherry Arnold, I think it is important to try and be as safe as possible when we are out running. Let’s not let her death be in vain and learn what we can from what happened to her.

I recently polled some of my fellow running moms asking them what they felt were ways to stay safe while running. Many said the best thing is to just run on the treadmill, but I know that most of us won’t do that. Part of what we love about running is getting out and enjoying the scenery and sunshine on our run. However we can do some basic things to stay as safe as we can. Nothing will keep us 100% safe but I for one am willing to do whatever I can to give me the best chance possible to make it home after every run.

The easiest and cheapest thing you can do to stay safe while out running or biking is to not listen to your music. I know it is easier to zone out and just cruse to a great song. But that is when you are not really paying attention to your surroundings. And as much as you think just putting one earpiece in is enough it truly is not, I know for me even with one earpiece in I can still zone out and just listen to my music and not be paying enough attention to what is going on around me.

Carrying pepper spray is another great thing to keep you safer, or at least give you a chance to get away. Many of you already do this; I did when I first started running alone but have strayed away from taking it with me. It is a pain to carry and nothing ever happened so I just got complacent and stopped bringing it. Well I have been doing some research looking for a new bottle to carry and I found they actually have runner friendly bottles with a strap to make it easier to carry during your run so no more excuses; I am bringing some Pepper Spray with me on every run from now on.

A collapsible baton is another idea for a great self-defense item on a run. It collapses to a small size so it is easier to carry and may just give you a fighting chance. I personally am on the fence about getting one. I think it would be great to have but then I have to give up the pepper spray, because I think I can only carry one with me on my runs. If you are not a fan of pepper spray then a Collapsible Baton may be the thing for you.

Another great idea was to get a dog to run with. Since I have a dog, I am for sure taking her with me running from now on. She may not be the scarriest dog out there, but if some one is looking for trouble they are less likley to go after the person with a dog than without one.

Do yo have any idea's on how to stay safe? Please share them with us so we all can stay as safe as possible.

Happy Running everyone and rember stay safe and aware of what is going on around you.

Help Find Sherry Arnold

2012-01-09T14:00:00.000-08:00

One of the things that is always in the back of my mind when I go out on a run is, what if the unthinkable happens and I don’t make it home. This is a fear that I share with my husband, and pretty much every woman runner out there.

This morning when I logged on to my Facebook to see what everyone has been up too since I last checked, I saw a post by a friend that this horrible unthinkable thing happened to a fellow runner, and mother. I do not know Sherry Arnold who never returned home from her run Saturday morning, but she is all I have thought about since reading that post.

I shared this post on Facebook, in groups I am in and on my websites fan page. I think that was the least of what I could do, I certainly hope that if it were me that all of you would share my story in the hopes that maybe someone you know or someone that knows someone you know may have seen something that could bring me home.

I ask all of you to share this story here is the link to theFacebook page, share it everywhere you can. It does not matter that you do not know this woman, or that you do not live in the same state as her. If we all share her story maybe just maybe someone will see it that knows something. Remember if it were you, you would want people to do this for you and it only takes a second to share it.

Sherry, I am not a praying woman but I have been praying all day that you make it home safe. My thoughts are with you and your family and I will keep praying.

New Year New Goal!

2012-01-02T18:41:00.000-08:00

I am not one who makes New Year’s resolutions. To me if I want to do something I do it and don’t wait for the year to change to start. But as it turns out I stepped on the scale for the first time in over a month on the first day of 2012 and was so disappointed in myself that things are changing. So for the first time ever I am starting a new diet/workout plan at the start of a new year.

I have struggled with a lot of things this past year and have decided that I need to get over feeling sorry for myself and just move on. Nothing will change until I do something to change it. And the number one thing that needs to change is my attitude and what better way to change that then to get some major endorphins going.

I woke up today with a new attitude and a goal. Since I work from home I find myself snaking all day which has got to change. I have also been very lazy and not getting my workouts in. So today I worked out and even managed to get the hubs and my girls involved, we did some weight training before dinner. As far as my eating goes, my main plan is to eat healthy. My plan is to just add a lot of fruit and veggies to my diet and cut back on my carbs (I tend to eat way to many carbs).

I have also been toying around with the idea of going vegan or vegetarian, those two may be a little extreme for now but I ordered a couple cook books and will start adding some of those recipes in to my meals (shhh don’t tell my hubs). For dinner tonight I actually tried out a new recipe for Grilled Eggplant and everyone except my 4yr old ate it and liked it. Even my 10mo old loved it. I will add the recipe below so you can give it a try, it is super yummy!!

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? Why or why not?

Here is my dinner with my grilled eggplant at the bottom of the plate

Grilled Eggplant

Ingredients

1 large eggplant

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pinch each thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper

Directions

Slice eggplant. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with the oil and vinegar mixture.

Grill about 15 to 20 minutes, turning once.

Here is my 4mo old eating the eggplant, we had to give her seconds.

Running Dog?

2011-12-19T04:49:00.000-08:00

Prada's First 8k Race

A few years ago while out on a morning run I was followed by a van. After back tracking and some of the fastest running I have ever done I made it home okay only to be terrified of what might have happened. So I told my husband that I needed a Running Dog, too which he agreed (it freaked him out too). I started doing some research on what the best running dog would be and came up with the Australian Shepard. I then found a rescue group and talked to the lady in charge, since I had a new baby an old dog and two cats I needed dog that would fit into our already big family. She said she had the perfect dog for us and when we met her it was love at first lick. Prada (that was her name and we kept it) has not left my side since.

Well until our first winter in Kansas and I chickened out of running in the cold. You see she got fat and lazy that first winter. And I have had a hard time getting her back into running. She keeps getting fatter and fatter and lazier and lazier while I go out and get stronger and healthier. So this morning I decided to leash her up and make her run with me. Since I am just starting back again I am slower and only doing two miles at a time so I thought it was the right time to get her back into it.

My question to you all is this, do I have the right to choose if she is a running dog or not? Should I make her run if she does not want to? Is it wrong to not take her running and let her get fatter and fatter?

Running in the Dark

2011-12-13T06:39:00.000-08:00

Do you run in the dark? I usually have to squeeze my runs in before my husband leaves for work so that means I am usually running in the dark at 5am. Truthfully I usually don't mind, there is something peacefull about being the only one up and out first thing in the morning.

Before this last injury, there were mornings when my runs were just long enough to see the sun come up and I gotta say those were my favorite runs. There is no better way to bring in the day then out on a morning run while watching the sun rise and listening to the birds sing.

This time of year, I usually opt for the treadmill instead of a nice run ouside because it is so cold at 5am. But today, I was blessed with a nice warm 40 degree morning so I geared up and took my run outside. And I must say I feel awesome today, you just don't get this feeling when running on the treadmill.

I know a lot of people (espically us women) are afraid of running in the dark. So I am wondering do you run in the dark? Are you afraid? And what do you think, if you have to run in the dark is it safer in the morning or in the evening?

Scared to Run

2011-12-09T04:32:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been scared to run? There are so many reasons you could be. The dark might make you scared, the seclusion, the fear of not being able to do it, the fear that you can do it, or maybe the fear of getting hurt.

It is funny, I have lots of fears that I don’t let rule my life. Pretty much all of those fears listed above can describe how I have felt from time to time, but I don’t let them affect me or my running. Well until you get to that last one, the fear of getting hurt. I am not scared I will trip and fall (though I guess that could happen) I am afraid the stress fracture I had last year will return.

I was actually kind of lucky when I got the fracture, you see right after I found out I had it I found out I was pregnant so taking time off from running did not seem too bad. But once that baby was born and I found some motivation I started running again. My leg felt fine so no worries, I signed up for a half marathon to keep me motivated (after all I had some baby weight to loose). My training was going great, but when I got home after my 10 miler the pain was back. Yes the pain right in the same spot as my fracture. That is when the fear gripped me, Oh no it is not healed, I can’t run, what will I do?

I went to the doctor and he assured me I did not have a stress fracture the bone was just stressed. He also told me I could run, just to back off the mileage. Great news right? Well after every run my leg would hurt and my fear of not being able to run would take over till it finally consumed me to the point where I did not run.

Isn’t it funny how my fear of not running caused me to not run? Fear is a funny thing and can make us do funny things. It has actually been over a month now since I have run (well before this week that is) my fear was so strong. At the same time the fear was keeping me from running, depression was taking over because I was not running. I would see a runner out while driving and wish it were me, but then fear that if I ran my fracture would return and I would not be able to run at all.

Finally after several weeks of not running, I got to thinking about my fear and how silly I was being. I mean here I am so scared that I might not be able to run that I am not running. I was making my worst fear happen, and I was doing it to myself. So Monday afternoon, I did it I got on the treadmill and ran for 2 miles. And today I did it again. I feel great, and the best part is I have no pain in my leg.

I plan to take it slow and keep the mileage down for now, but I learned a lesson about fear. You can’t let fear rule you because if you do, it will make your worst fears come true!

What is your fear? Do you let it control you?

The Virtual 5k

2011-07-01T05:34:00.000-07:00

After a 4 day drive with some visiting along the way I am in Miami with my two baby girls (well my oldest is turning 4 in a couple days so I guess she officially is not a baby any longer).

My sister flew up to Kansas to drive down with me and help with the kids, man I am so glad she did. Two kids would have been too much even for me on this long drive. We made it to Miami on Sunday and that night I went out to do my Virtual 5k that Tara Tosta was hosting to help find a cure for diabetes.

My sister was going to do this 5k with me, but she got sick on the trip and was not feeling well so she stayed home. I can be a bit of a chicken running in a new place so I took there dog Cheyenne with me on my run. After several days of traveling and not much sleep (I don’t sleep well in hotels, and my 4mo old still does not sleep through the night) this run did not go as well as I would have liked. It was hard to say the least, but I pushed through and did it even if there was some walking involved.

I know that I will get back to my old running self where a 5k is just a walk in the park but it can be frustrating when you know you use to run this distance for fun and it is so hard now. Some days I go out and 3 miles is not so bad so I know I am getting better, just have to keep pushing through and in time I will be knocking out 10 milers like nothing.

As I mentioned in my previous blog, Tara got many companies to support her 5k by donating tons of great items to auction off for the participants. I was super excited to find out that I won a $15 gift card for RoadID. I am a huge fan of RoadID, I think everyone who goes out to run should have one. You never know when something bad may happen and I for sure would want my family to be notified if I was hurt. So I am super excited to have won this, I may already have a RoadID but members of my family who run don’t so you know they will be getting one for sure now :). Looks like Tara is going to do this race yearly so check out her blog that way you don’t miss out on the fun next year.

I am running a 5k with my sister in a few days and can’t wait to see how we do. I will be rested and not coming off a 4 day drive so I am planning on kicking some 5k booty this time.

Happy Running all and remember we may have a bad run but that just means the next one will be better!!! So get out there and run!

Need some motivation please!!

2011-06-18T04:19:00.000-07:00

It has been 4 months since I had my new baby girl, and I have to say that I am struggling to get back to my healthy ways. My diet is not too terrible but I forgot how hard it was to lose weight. For me I have to really watch what I eat and not cheat if I want to lose anything. The first 12 pounds seemed to just fall off but now these last 10 I am really struggling with. Some days I am right on point and others I cheat badly. I will keep on fighting this and know that even though it may be hard I will get back to my old weight and fit in to all my clothes!!!

As far as working out, well this is difficult to say the least with two kids around. I have gotten some great workouts in and do manage to work out every week. But having a normal workout routine has proven difficult. I am finding that I cannot commit to work out every day at a certain time because the baby may have a bad night and wake up 20times and I am too tired or I can’t get her down for a nap to get my run on in the afternoon.

Even though I seem to have some really great excuses on why after 4 months I am not in better shape, I think one of the things I am struggling with the most these days is motivation. Some days I got it, others not so much. So to help with my motivation I have signed up to run 2 5k’s in the next couple of weeks.

Virtual 5KThe first 5k is for a cause I believe in. My Ultra running friend Tara is hosting a virtual 5k to help raise money for Type 1 Diabetes. If you don’t know anything about Type 1 diabetes just know that this disease sucks big time. It is nothing like Type 2 and there is no cure. So if you want to do something to help this cause just click here to sign up for this 5k it is only $10 to enter and she has a pretty nice list of times that were donated to raffle off to the runners, so go check it out.

My second 5k is down in Miami with my sister for July 4^th. We (meaning my sister and I) are racing each other. Now I have been running a lot longer than my sister and have always kicked her booty. So going into this challenge I really did not feel the pressure. Well I find out yesterday my big sister has really been training. Yes folks I better kick it in gear or she is going to beat me.

I am planning on going out and getting 4miles in this morning after my hubby wakes up so he can take care of the kiddos while I get my run on. I really don’t feel like it but I know that I have to push myself. I am waiting for those mornings when all I want to do is run. I remember those days and look forward to getting them back.

Maybe I need to find a special reward to give myself if I stay on track for a month and loose these last 10pounds and keep a decent workout schedule (I say decent because a normal schedule is just not going to happen right now). Maybe a new running skirt or a pair of Nike Frees (I have wanted to try them). What do you all think is a good reward that could help to motivate me so I stay on track?

How do you stay motivated when life gets in the way and sleep does not always happen?

My first TRI

2010-07-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

Well I did it, I finished my very first Triathlon this past Sunday and I must say it was harder than I thought. However I can’t wait to do it again.

The morning of the Tri, by brother-in-law went with me to help me set up because I was way too nervous to go alone. He helped me load up the car and did not flip out when we had to turn around and go back to the house when I forgot my goggles. He was really great and I was so thankful that he went with me.

Once we got to the race I actually ran in to some friends from work and they gave me some pointers and tried to calm my nerves. I really just wanted to get started so I could stop thinking about it. When the time came we headed off to the beach and I was glad to see that they had 3 huge buoys marking the swim. Since I had to leave my glasses back in transition it was nice that these buoys were big enough that there was no way I could miss them. We watched as each wave took off and I decided that I would defiantly start in the back of my wave to avoid the madness at the front.

When it was time for my wave to line up I found a good place in the back and quickly learned that all the girls in the back with me were first timers too. When the gun went off I walked in the water and let the madness go before me. When I finally started swimming I realized that the pool is very different than Open Ocean and I started to freak out a little every time I put my face in the water. You see with everyone churning up the water you could not see a thing, and then the salt water would splash in your face and the taste and feel of it is totally different than the pool. Even tough I started to freak out there was no way I was quitting so I decided to just swim it with my head out of the water. I knew this would slow me down but at least I could still do it. All in all I was very happy with my swim time; I ended up finishing the swim in 10:21 which was still a PR for me.

The transition between the swim and bike was long. We had to run all the way up the beach into the parking lot and over to the transition area. Once I got out of the water I started running up the beach and then realized that I must have pushed harder than I thought on the swim since my heart was racing so much I was having a hard time catching my breath (this could also have been a side effect of the whole freak out thing), so I ended up walking a bit up the beach so I could catch my breath and calm down. The total transition time ended up taking me over 6:47 and really just took way to long. This I am sure if from being a newbie and just not really knowing what I was doing.

Once on the bike I felt good. I borrowed my sister’s mountain bike for the race and although she is much taller than I am it ended up working fine, I just had to really lean it down to get on and off of it but that was no big deal. The morning of the Tri there was a pretty good wind blowing and the bike section of the race was and out and back that took us over a HUGE bridge and then you turn right around and go back over the bridge. On the way out the wind was to our back, so I was making pretty good time with out working too hard. Once I got down the bridge and turned around I got hit by that wind and thought OH CRAP! I tried to pick up the speed so I could get as far up that hill as possible but it really did not help much. The wind was blowing so bad that all you could hear was the wind, I just kept thinking of my friend Tara who was out running in a 24 hour race and knew what ever she was feeling was much worse than my stupid little hill and wind situation so I just kept peddling along. I really can not express the total utter relief I felt when I finally made it to the top of that bridge and knew that the hardest part of the bike was now over, my smile must have been huge. When I turned the final corner to get back to the Transition area I saw my family. They all came out to cheer me on and it really meant so much to me. Even my little 3yr old daughter was there holding up a sign, and the smile she shot me really made my whole day. My bike time was not the best but it was better than my worst I finished the bike in 50 min.

The transition between the bike and the run went much faster than the first one and I was in and out in 1:57 which I am very pleased with.

Going into this I knew the run was going to be my weakest point. Not only because it was the last thing but since my leg started to bother me again, I never even got up to running 3 miles before this race. My longest run in several months was 2.5 miles on the treadmill. So although I was disappointed when I had to stop and walk I was not really that surprised. My goal was to finish and I did so should not be upset about my run time but I am a runner and to say that I am disappointed would be an understatement. My time for the run was 40:30 my worst time ever since I started running a couple years ago. I know I was not ready for the run section and could rattle off a ton of excuses for my time but really it just comes down to I was not ready for it and I knew that going in.

So my final time for the race was 1:50:23 which was 10min faster than I was hoping for. I am pleased with my final time and think I did pretty well for a first timer and being 2 months pregnant. I am however very disappointed that I can not do another one till after this pregnancy. I know I can do better and want to get out there and do it again. But I guess this will be a great goal for after I have this baby. I have already told my husband that we need to look into getting me a Tri bike because I am going to do this again.

My big comeback plan for after this baby is to do a couple where the swim is in a pool, then switch to a lake. Once I am feeling more comfortable with a lake swim I want to give the ocean a try again. I don’t like that I was so freaked out and will not give up until I can do an ocean swim and feel completely comfortable and relaxed.

Prerace jitters or lack of training?

2010-07-14T05:43:00.000-07:00

My very first Triathlon is just a few days away and I have to say I am getting nervous. I am starting to wonder why I get myself into these things and if I am just nuts. I feel like I could have used a few more weeks of training. As a matter of fact I have not done much training in the last couple of weeks at all.

You see my husband was activated and is down helping with the oil spill so he has been gone, which cuts down on my workout time. Then I planned a trip to drive down to see him and then visit my family in Florida (which is where the triathlon is) so I had to get ready for that and then drive the 2000 miles with my toddler, dog, and two cats. I also had my daughters third birthday that we went out of town for in this time frame. And then I found out that I am pregnant and with it being the first trimester I have been so tired that a few times I actually opted for a nap instead of a swim or run.

I know sounds like a lot of excuses right. I knew all this was coming up but really thought I would still have the time to get my training in. I was wrong. Last week I did nothing but pack, work, plan, and clean. No swimming, biking, or running at all. Now with just a few days till the race I am starting to wonder if I am really ready for this. I know each thing individually I can do but with them all thrown in together I am not as confidant anymore. And the last run I did the pain in my leg came back, so that has me very worried. I am going to try for one last run tonight then no running till the race because I am too worried about reinjuring the stress fracture again.

I know all my nerves could just be pre race jitters but then again I am not too confidant in my training this time around so not sure if that is all it is. To be honest I am almost feeling like not doing the race at all but feel like that would be quitting and I am not a quitter. I guess I signed up for this thing so I am going to give it my best and hope that is good enough. I just hope I do not embarrass myself in the process.

How do you all deal with prerace nerves when you are not totally confidant in your training?

The Barefoot Running Book - Review

2010-06-30T04:54:00.000-07:00

The Barefoot Running Book

By: Jason Robillard

As you all know by now after suffering another running related injury I finally decided to go barefoot. I have been back to running for a couple of months now and was ordered by my doctor to take it VERY slow. So this gave me the perfect opportunity to go all out barefoot.

I was contacted around the same time by Jason to see if I would be interested in reviewing his new Barefoot Running Book. I cannot even tell you how excited I was to get it and absorb all the information Jason could share. And man does he have a lot of useful information in this book.

By the time I got Jason’s book I had already started my barefoot journey, but still found the beginning of the book very helpful with all of his drills. You see Jason takes a do it slow and well kind of approach to bare footing it. He tells you how to get your feet ready to go totally shoe less and gives you drills to practice being barefoot. No matter what your barefoot level is you can benefit from doing his drills.

The book is broken down to sections for the beginner, intermediate, and advanced barefoot runner. For the beginner you will learn how to start going barefooted and what to expect as far as blisters go. Jason also gives you several drills to do so you can get your feet conditioned and use to sensing what is under them. The advanced section is for after you are able to run about 2 miles without discomfort during and after the run. This section talks about varied terrain, hills, and speed training. Jason also gives you more drills to practice these things and get your foot eye coordination working to peek level. For the advanced level you will learn about racing and he gives you ideas of what to do with that timing chip that goes on the shoes you left at home. He also talks about trail running and extreme weather.

I have to say Jason has covered it all. If you are thinking about going barefoot you really must get this book. He will walk you through every step to get you barefoot and running as soon as possible. This book has really helped me in my barefoot journey and will continue to help me as my feet get stronger and I can do more of Jason’s drills.

So broken down this book is a must have for anyone who wants to go barefoot. No matter what your level you will find useful information in this book. And Jason’s humor makes it a fun easy read. For those of you who are worried about the looks and comments you will get from going bare there is even a chapter to cover that. So this book is truly your one stop barefoot running shop.

Note: Even though I was sent me this book to review, the review is my opinion and I was not paid in any way to write this. I truly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it

Decided to TRI

2010-06-25T07:11:00.000-07:00

Since my injury, I have had to do a lot more biking and swimming to keep my fitness level up. And now that I can finally run again I have still been keeping up with the bike and swimming so I finally decided to go for a Triathlon.

I have always wanted to do a TRI but fear the swim. I am not a strong swimmer and have never had any professional lessons. So all I have been doing to train is jump into my pool most afternoons and try to swim as much as I can. I am for the first time in my life feeling a little confidant in my swimming. Now I am not fast and I don’t think I even look like a real swimmer, but I am able to swim a couple hundred yards no problem.

I have been planning a trip down to Miami, Florida to visit my family for a couple weeks and decided that I will do my TRI there. I made this decision for a couple reasons, the first being that it is FLAT. No hills for the bike or run which is a huge plus. The second reason is because I am so nervous about this having a big cheering crowd for just me will be helpful and I have a lot of family and friend there to cheer me on.

So now I have 2 more weeks to train before I leave for Miami, then I will have one week there before the big race. Holy Moly that is not a lot of time. I have never done an open water swim and this Tri starts in the ocean, so I guess this is a great way to break me in right? It was suggested that when I get down there I should go for a swim in the ocean and see how it is, but to tell you the truth I think it will scare me even more. If I just wait till race day, I will be nervous anyway and then really have no choice but to do it. Maybe not the best plan but the best plan for me I think.

These next couple of weeks are going to be filled with a TON of training, I need to swim or bike 6 days a week and run every other day (still recovering so can’t push it). And then on race day I will just have to hope that it was enough. This is a Sprint Tri so it is a ¼ mile swim, 10mile bike, and a 3.1 mile run.

I would love to hear any advice you have for my first TRI. What gear should I bring? What do you tell yourself when you feel like running back to the car instead of in to the ocean for the swim? How do you handle the first time you get kicked in the face during the swim? What fuel do you bring? It is going to be hot so is a wearing a camel pack with water okay for the bike or too much?

Please share your knowledge, I know nothing and need all the help I can get… YIKES am I really doing this?

Running = Happy Mommy

2010-06-16T13:13:00.000-07:00

It amazes me how even a little bit of running can make me feel great. I have finally made it to over a mile today 1.2 miles to be exact and on concrete too (which my doctor strictly forbade me from). The doc said it was too hard of a surface for my legs, but I am hoping the barefoot running will compensate for that (you know the built in shock absorbers in my feet/legs). I am getting sick of the treadmill and my feet need more of a workout on some other surfaces too so every other run I will try and get outside.

So far my leg is doing fine; to be completely honest I am aware of the spot that was hurting before. But only the day of my runs then it goes away, still not sure what it is but I am rolling with it for now unless it starts to hurt more.

The barefoot running is going great, I am reading “The barefoot running book” by Jason Robillard and following his advice (a book review will come soon). I was surprised today that my feet did not hurt and did not get tender the entire run. This tells me that I am not only on track with building my mileage up but my feet are adapting well too.

I have also decided to start swimming this week, and guess what that is going great too. I am finding the breathing to be the hardest part but find that every day I am getting better.

One other major thing going on right now is that my fellow running mom Anna Stein has brought me on as a partner on some websites. I always knew I loved doing graphics but never realized how much I really loved web design till now. We have created one site totally together www.activities-for-toddlers.com and now we are working on a total site makeover on her www.running-mom.com site. Thanks to Anna I have decided that this is what I want to be doing. I find that I can spend the whole day working on the websites and never feel like I am working at all. Of course my family is getting a little annoyed with me for being on the computer too much so I need to find the right balance, but at 33 years old I have finally figured out what I want to do for a career.

I just find it so amazing that when I could not run I felt sad and depressed. I fought more with my family and was just stressed out all the time. Now that I can run even a little I am so much happier and my life feels like it is coming together. I believe that if everyone in the world ran that the world would be a happier place, I know my house is when I run.

Return to Running

2010-06-07T10:39:00.000-07:00

Last week I finally got the results of the MRI on my leg. The doc said that it did not show a stress fracture but it might have missed it. He also thinks that it could be that my shin was stressed but not quite a fracture yet or that I just have very bad shin splints. Needless to say we still do not know what is really wrong with my leg.

He ended up giving me the option of starting to run again and see how it feels or to do a bone scan. I opted for the running. I am so sick of waiting and just want to get out there already. However when I made this choice I did not realize the return to running plan he was going to give me consisted of more time not running than actually running. Okay I knew I would have to build slowly but I just want to run so bad that I thought I could do a couple miles at a time at least.

Well my new running plan consists of starting out with ½ a mile every other day then I can build ¼ mile at a time. If I feel any pain I have to stop right away and wait a day then try again if I still have pain then I go in for the bone scan.

So far I have done 2 half mile runs and feel like it is such a tease. Just when I start to really get into it I have to stop. At the same time I am so scared of hurting myself again that I am for the first time in my running history following the plan and not pushing it. At this point I truly feel that it is just not worth more time off to get in a little extra mileage, so it is baby steps for now.

The one good thing out of all this is that because I have no choice but to build so slowly I am going totally barefoot now. The low mileage is no issue for my bare feet and I am willing to guess since I am building at this slow pace that my feet will adjust to my mileage at the same time. I am excited about going shoe free and with my history of pushing things till I am hurt I think this is probably the best way to break myself in to my new life as a barefoot runner. After all I have no choice but to go slow and build the mileage at a nice easy pace.

So I guess this last injury has finally taught me patients, well maybe not but it gave me no other choice but to practice it for now anyway. A half mile today a marathon tomorrow… well maybe next year.

Rick's Barefoot Running Clinic

2010-05-16T05:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Barefoot Ricks first barefoot running clinic here in Kansas City. I was so excited when I heard he was doing this. I mean what perfect timing for me since I have just taken the leap to barefootedness.

I arrived at the park where the clinic was taking place and as I drove around I started to look around at all the people and check out their feet. I would pass by groups of people and think; no they have shoes not where I want to be. Then I spotted a few people with sandals and VFF’s and I knew this was the group so I parked and got out of the car. Rick had not arrived yet and more people kept showing up (I guess they all knew us from our now bare feet). We all started to chat and discuss barefoot running. There were a couple of people there that have been barefoot runners for some time now and so us newbie’s started to bombard them with all our questions.

When Rick arrived we moved to a sheltered picnic area to try and stay a little dry. Rick first had us go around and introduce ourselves and give a little running background. In this group there were runners who have been running there entire lives and then runners who have been running for only about a year. Running is the kind of sport where no matter how long you have been doing it; you are part of the running family as soon as you start. As we were talking and telling our stories more people were still showing up. One of the people that showed up was Barefoot Josh. Josh is not only a barefoot runner but a tail nerd also (this is the local trail running group I am always popping in on for their beginner runs and then totally get left in the dust, hey I am slow and even slower on the trails). Josh has been running barefoot on the trails, something I thought was not possible. Josh said he was planning on run two trail races this year barefoot but that he was not going to race them. Trying to race on the trails barefoot would surly leave you with a broken toe or worse. This is why they need a barefoot running division in races now.

After all the introductions Rick and a couple more experienced barefoot runners and they showed us proper form during a short run. I will attempt to describe the proper form here for you. Start by standing with your feet flat on the group underneath your body, and then bend your knees slightly. Now slowly let your body fall forward while moving your feet forward. You want to push your legs using your buttocks. When landing on your feet you want to have a center foot strike. (I thought it should be a ball strike but I was wrong). This helps to absorb the impact when your foot hits the ground.

Now if you are doing it correctly there are a few things that should happen. First you will notice that you are not bouncing up and down like you do when running in shoes. You will also notice that you really feel it in your calves. And you should notice that you are not making much noise.

Once we all learned proper form we had more questions then we went on a group barefoot run. We stared with a half mile loop then we went off into the woods on a muddy trail. I have to say that running in the mud was my favorite. It was so cool to feel it squish in between my toes. Also since I am still new to this my feet start to hurt after a while running and the mud soothed them and made them feel fresh, until I got back on the pavement that is. I ended up running about 2.5 miles before I had to stop. My feet are just not ready for a longer distance yet. I had such a great time and met some awesome people I truly cannot wait to do this again. Rick said that he was going to try and do this once a month till the bad winter weather arrives and I can’t wait till the next one.

Now the bad news, it looks like my stress fracture has not healed. I guess I should have taken more time off from running. After my last run I started to feel that pain in my right shin again. I decided not run for a few days and see how it felt at this barefoot clinic. During the run I did start to hurt again, I know I should have stopped running but I also knew that it meant this was going to be my last run for awhile so I just ignored it and enjoyed my run (bad yes but totally worth it). I will go to the doctor this week and find out how bad it is and how long I have to not run this time. I am really sad about this, I hate not running and now that I have found barefoot running I really just want to keep going. I guess if it is as bad as I think it is I can still continue with some barefoot walking in the hopes of breaking my feet in so that when I finally can run again my feet will be ready.

Note: All the pictures above were taken by Barefoot Rick, I forgot my camera so I hope it was okay to use these.

Holy Blisters Batman

2010-05-12T06:24:00.000-07:00

I was told that blisters are a part of the beginnings of barefoot running, but oh man I had no idea. Running with shoes I would get blisters on every run over 4 miles, so I thought no big deal I am use to blisters. Well let me tell you, the blisters I was getting with my shoes just do not compare to the blisters I am getting without shoes.

Yesterday I ran two whole miles barefoot and it felt great. After about a mile I could feel some hot spots on my feet but just ignored them because it felt so great to just be running. After I finally stopped running and got to my car I realized that my feet hurt worse than usual. I checked my feet out and found a huge blood blister starting on the bottom of my right foot. I then came home and after getting cleaned up started to do some more reading on beginning barefoot running. I found that once again I am pushing too hard to fast. Blisters are normal as my feet get use to feeling the ground again, but blood blisters are from pushing too much.

So here I sit with feet that hurt to walk on them much less run, hoping that they heal up quick so that I can get out there and run some more. However I think for a few weeks I will try and run with and without shoes. You see I really want to run and just going out to do a mile or two is not enough, but my poor feet are not ready for more so the only solution is to throw in some miles with shoes on. I am seriously debating whether or not I should continue to run in my heavy stability shoes or if I should bite the bullet and get a pair of VFF’s. If any of you have an opinion on this I would greatly appreciate your advice.

My First Barefoot Run

2010-05-10T06:10:00.000-07:00

After five long weeks of no running I finally broke down and ran on Friday. I was supposed to be resting my leg (because of the stress fracture in my shin) for 6 weeks but just could not hold out any longer. I know I am bad, but the urge to run was just too overwhelming and after all my barefoot walks I really wanted to see how I did with a run.

So Friday morning while sitting at my computer working the overwhelming urge to run came over me and I figured what the heck and ran upstairs and changed. Then I grabbed my doggie and drove to the park in town.

It was not a great day to be running, it was overcast and chilly. A storm was coming in so the wind was gusting pretty well too, but on the drive over none of this mattered the excitement that I was actually going to run took me completely over. When I arrived at the park I found it to be deserted, I guess I was the only one excited to be out in such bad weather today. That was fine by me, I got out of the car stretched a little then hooked Prada (my doggie) up to her leach around my waist and started to run. I had decided on my way over that I would do my first mile with shoes. The only reason I did this was so that I could run more. It will take some time before my feet are ready to run several miles with no shoes and I wanted to get in a couple miles today so I figured the best thing to do was start with shoes. Even though my feet were covered in my old stability running shoes, I did run with the same foot strike I have been practicing for my barefoot runs. This actually made me a little faster which was a surprise since I had not run in 5 long weeks.

The park I ran at is a ½ mile loop so I ran around twice then went back to the car to remove my shoes. Once they were off, I took off again and found that it actually felt good to be bare footed and running. My stride felt good, my feet were landing lightly on the ground and I had a huge smile on my face. After the first loop around I did notice the same hot spots on my feet that I was getting during my walks. This did not discourage me at all instead it just made me feel more confident that my strike was correct (see the different foot strike on the right). During the run I did feel my calves tighten up; I have heard that with the different foot strike that it works the calves differently and they will have to get use to it, so I just kept pushing along.

After my barefoot mile was over I felt that I could have kept going, however since I did have a stress fracture I figured that I should not push and that after five weeks off two miles was a good test run. My shins felt fine the entire run so I am confident that they are healed and plan to continue my running. The only thing that felt bad after this run were my calves, they were pretty sore for a couple of days but like anything new I am sure they will get stronger the more I run.

This Saturday Barefoot Rick is holding a barefoot running clinic here in KC and I plan on attending. He is going to talk about barefoot running and check out your gait if you are interested. After he tells us all he knows and answers all our questions we will do a group barefoot run. I am so excited about this, not only will I get to see how I am doing and ask a ton of questions but I will get to meet some local barefoot runners too. Don’t worry; I will let you all know how it goes and what I learn.

Biking and Barefoot Walking

2010-05-03T06:43:00.000-07:00

For the last 4 weeks I have been a good girl and have not gone running. However I am not one to just sit around and feel sorry for myself (okay I did do that for maybe a week) so I decided that since I cannot run I would try and take up biking again. Before I had my daughter, back when I was living in the land of endless summer (Miami, Florida) I would pack up my bike and go to Shark Valley every weekend. Shark Valley is a 15 mile paved loop in the Everglades where many people go for a nice ride and to check out the wildlife. I would usually pack a lunch and a good book and have a little picnic while I was out there too.

Since having my daughter, I have not really been on the bike much. I have taken her out to Shark Valley once before we moved (Had to see it one more time). And then in the last couple weeks I have taken her out on a couple rides with me. I am always nervous when I have her on the bike with me; I tend to ride really slow and am over cautious so it is not really a workout at all. But it has been nice to get back on the bike nonetheless.

Most of my biking in these past few weeks has been at the gym. You see I live in the land of HUGE HILLS. And I am very intimated by these hills, so I decided to ride at the gym. However after several weeks stuck inside at the gym it was time to move outside and give it a try. So yesterday I took off for a 12 mile ride. WOW, those hills really did hurt. I thought I was doing hills on the bike at the gym, well I have to say it did not compare to the real thing. My legs and tushy hurt so bad it was insane. I have never hurt so much after a bike ride in my life. When the ride was finally over and I got off the bike I was walking bowlegged. And then when I got home and had to climb the stairs to take a shower that first step was greeted with a pain wrenched howl as I attempted to ascend those steps. After several hours though the pain started to fade and I decided that the bike in the gym is just not cutting it so I must get out and ride more often. I also am thinking that if I keep this up after I can run again that I will have to invest in an actual road bike in the hopes that it will actually make it easier. We will see.

In addition to the biking I have started barefoot walking in the hopes that it will help my feet adjust faster when I can run. For those of you who thought I was joking in my last post let me assure you that I was not. I really think the barefoot running is my answer to running injury free, and I totally plan to give it a shot. I have been out three times so far each time for a 2 mile walk. I now have blisters on both feet and think that I am well on my way to getting calluses in all the right places. I am also trying to vary the services that I am walking on. I am switching back and forth from asphalt and concrete as those will most likely be the two services that I will be running the most.

My first two mile barefoot walk I took my daughter and she was very concerned that I had lost my shoes. Pretty much the whole two miles she was on the search for mommies shoes. Her excitement when I finally found them back at the car was a little amusing to say the least.

My second walk went really well and I found the concrete surface to be a lot easier on my feet. Although I sill came away with a blister my feet were not sore at all from this walk. The third walk however was back on the asphalt and my feet hurt the whole way this time. I also ended up with blisters on both feet after this one. I am still very optimistic and feel that I will be thankful for these walks once I start running barefoot.

So that is pretty much what I have been up to these past few weeks of not running. I have to say that this time around being injured I have kept the most active and although I truly miss running it has not affected me as bad. I think having the biking and walking to distract and keep me busy has really helped me not feel so sad about not running. I highly recommend starting a good cross training routine when out on an injury; this has helped me really get through this.

What keeps you from going crazy when you are out with an injury?

Totally Inspired

2010-04-23T07:44:00.000-07:00

My third week of not running is coming to an end and I must say it has been hard. I have really tired to not complain and have even been happy and encouraging to all my friends that have told me about their awesome runs. I have been impressed and in awe of my friends who have run their first ultra, adventure race, and even Boston. All through it I have had the fear that I will never be able to do any of those things because every time I get my pace up or my distance up I get hurt. I have been feeling like I must just be a recreational runner who can only go out and do a couple miles a week and then sit on the couch and watch as everyone else gets to push themselves to see what they can do. Needless to say I have been miserable.

Then the most amazing thing happened. I read this post by one of my favorite bloggers Barefoot Angie Bee. I truly believe that life gives you what you need but sometimes we are just not ready for it, this time it hit me over the head with a brick. I have heard about barefoot running (I mean come on who hasn’t by now right) I even read the book “Born to Run”. When I gave it a shot for a one mile run on the treadmill my shins protested greatly, so I said this is not for me and went on my never ending shoe hunt (to which I still have not found a pair of shoes that does not hurt yet). After reading Angie’s post and chatting with her a little, I truly think that this barefoot thing might just be what I need. When I tried it, I already had bad shin splints so that could be why it hurt so badly. And this time I will be coming off of a 6week break so I am feeling very optimistic about it right now.

Angie suggested that I start walking around barefoot to get my feet use to it since I still have three weeks off. Then I will start off very slowly and increase my barefoot mileage a little at a time. Since I live on a dirt/rocky country road I will drive in to town and run on the track to start (I wonder if I could bring my dog with me on the track, anyone know?) I am feeling very optimistic and excited by the chance that this could be my answer to running. You see I love to run and not running just makes me sad and miserable. Angie I am so thankful to you for your support and advice, you have given me hope.

It’s A Stress Fracture

2010-04-09T09:08:00.000-07:00

After my 8mile run Saturday my shins hurt pretty badly. The course I ran this week was pretty hilly and I just thought that was the reason my shins seemed to be getting worse again. On Sunday when the pain was not going away and my right shin hurt with any movement of the leg I took a closer look and saw that there was one very distinct spot where there was pain and swelling. I have come to the realization that I have upgraded my Shin Splint status to a Stress Fracture.

This week I talked to several runners and got some pretty awesome advice, and I have decided not to go to the doctor. I know that the doctor will just tell me not to run and that it will heal on its own. So that is my plan, no running for 6 very loooooooong weeks. Although I am very upset about this, I know that I am the cause of this. Once again I pushed too hard and hurt myself. One day I may learn patience but so far that word has not made it into my mental vocabulary.

I am aware that I will go absolutely insane if I sit around for 6 weeks and do nothing. So came up with a new plan, which is to hit the gym every morning after taking my daughter to daycare and do some upper body weight training and then jump on the bike. I am still too embarrassed to try swimming in front of people; I tent to flop around more like a dyeing fish than an athlete. So I will wait till the weather gets warmer and we can uncover our pool so I can practice before I try it at the gym. Since swimming and biking are my only two options for cross training right now, the bike will just have to do.

On a side note, I got my new Spira shoes this week. What a way to celebrate not running by getting a new pair of running shoes right. Talk about being crushed when the mail man dropped them off. I have such a hard time finding shoes that fit and so am worried that by the time I can actually run again that I will miss the opportunity to return these that I took them for a 1mile run last night while my daughter was in swim lessons. They felt pretty good, but my leg started to hurt so I stopped and got on the bike instead. I know that 1 mile is not enough distance to really try these shoes out and so I wonder if I take them out for a two mile run next week how bad that might be for my leg. The thought has also occurred to me that I am dragging this out so that I can still get some running done. Yes I am addicted and know that not running really sucks and the thought of it, well let’s just say I don’t like to think about not running. So here I am a runner that can’t run. I guess I will have to change the name of the blog to Midwest Biking Mom.

How do you all get through the weeks of no running when you are faced with an injury that requires you give it up for a while?

My Week in Training & Boob Day

2010-04-02T12:22:00.000-07:00

After my admission last week about being a total couch potato, and totally falling out of my workout routine. I decided to really get back into things this week. So first thing Monday morning Neal (hubby) and I got up at 4:30am and started P90X again. Since I am a runner at heart P90X is only the start of my day, somewhere in there 3 times a week I have to get my run in too. I must admit I skipped Monday’s run since it was the first day and I was sore from the 8miles on Sunday I decided that just P90X was enough for then. So here is how my week played out.

Monday – P90X Chest & Back, Ab Ripper

Tuesday – P90X Plyometrics

Wednesday – P90X Back & Biceps, Ab Ripper, 4.5 mile Run

Thursday – P90X Cardio X

Friday – P90X Legs & Back, Ab Ripper, 4 mile Run

(Note: I totally wimped out and did not get up this morning for P90X, so before dinner Neal and I plan to do it and we will)

This weekend I plan to do another 8mile run and feel very confident that it will go MUCH better than last weeks. My two runs this week felt good and I feel so much more like myself after all the working out. Now all I have to do is STOP eating like a total piggy and maybe just maybe I will lose some of the weight I have put on.

On another note. Today is my fellow running mom’s Boob day. For those of you who do not know Kari she is one amazing woman. Early last year she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and that woman fought it with all she had. After a double Mastectomy and months of chemotherapy she won her battle with cancer, hey we all knew it did not stand a chance against Kari. So back to the boob day, well today Kari is getting her new Tata’s. So our running mom group decided to run today in her honor, and since we were running for boobs we were suppose to go out with just our bra tops. Okay, I feel totally bad but I just could not bring myself to do it. After the weight I gained my body image is low, so I did what any woman would do in this situation and I made my dog do it : ) See how pretty she looks! I did wear my running mom shirt and during the whole run I thought of how Amazing a woman Kari is and that if I ever have to fight the battle that she did, that I would have the courage and strength to beat it like she did. You truly are an inspiration Kari and congratulation on your new Tata’s!!!

I DID IT!!! Thanks to you all!

2010-03-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

After my blog post yesterday about being a total couch potato I got many responses on facebook and dailymile with ideas on how to get me motivated and get my booty out there and run. I am happy to report that I woke up today and went for an 8mile run. On the down side this was the hardest run I have had in a very long time.

One of my running mama’s Jimmi told me that I should post what I am going to do and be accountable for it that way everyone could kick my butt if I did not do it. So last night I decided to post that I planned to run 8 miles today and posted it on facebook. Man I wish I had not done that. I was not feeling this run today, my legs hurt my feet hurt everything in me was yelling STOP go crawl back in bed! But I just kept thinking that there was no way I could go back home and post that I did not make the 8 miles, so I kept pushing on. I also was virtually running with two other of my running mama’s Anna and Jill (the three of us ran the Princess ½ together) so I knew they were counting on me to run today. I really wish we could have actually run together today though I really could have used them to help keep my mind off the pain today. Hopefully there runs went better than mine!

I also had the brilliant idea to run with my compression socks on today, thinking that it would help my shin splints. Well let me just say THAT WAS A DUMB IDEA!!!! Not even 1 mile in to the run I plopped my butt on the ground and ripped those suckers off. Man they hurt my calves it was such a relief to get those suckers off. This just goes under the Tracey’s list of how to make a bad run worse. After I got those suckers off and the pressure on my calves was relieved the run did not go much better. I was just tired and my body hurt. I did an out and back so I had no choice but to finish, I will say that every mile I would think I could turn around now and just do 4, four is good but then I would think about everyone who was counting on me to do this. At about mile six I really wanted it to just be over and I was really kicking myself for doing the out and back, then I thought about my friend Cathy who ran her first Marathon last week and starting having a hard time at 6miles but pushed through and ran another 20 miles, if she could do that I surely could do 2 more miles right? As soon as Garmin beeped that I was at 8miles I stopped and walked the rest of the way to the car. I was so glad it was over.

As bad as this run was, I am so glad I did it. I feel so much better having gotten out there and ran. And I know that my next run will not be as bad, this one just sucked because I had not run in a while. Thanks to everyone who pushed me and kicked my tushy to get me out the door to get this run in! And remember you will never regret running but you WILL regret it if you don’t.

Just a Lazy Couch Potato

2010-03-27T07:14:00.000-07:00

Since I ran my first ½ Marathon on March 7th, my running has well… I am not running. I feel like such a slacker. Not only have I not been running, but I am not working out at all. I have always been one of those people who gets up every morning at 4:30 am to hit the gym (well lately it has been the basement for P90X). I have now passed the point of feeling like working out to feeling like just wanting to sit around and be a total couch potato. I know that if I could just make myself get up and do it I would feel better but the motivation is just not there. Today I was really thinking about a nice long run (those are my favorite kinds of runs) and then I look outside and it is cold, rainy, and windy who wants to go out in that? Then when the weather has been nice I have had so much to do I could not get out. I know this all sounds like a bunch of excuses (even to me) but between my life being busy and my drive being gone I have not run more than 4 miles at a time in over 2 weeks. That is just sad.

I need your help to kick my lazy butt in gear! What do you all do when you have lost the motivation to just get up and get out there for a run?

My Running Shoe Search

2010-03-22T11:41:00.000-07:00

As most of you know and for those that don’t go here, I suffer from Shin issues. I have tried resting; changing my stride, getting new shoes, and even barefoot running (don’t try this if you have shin splints…OUCH!). After three months of pain and having to severely limit my running, I am desperate for a solution. So last Thursday I decided to go and get fitted for a new pair of shoes in the chance that the ones I was wearing were the problem. So I headed over to one of my local running stores and we went through the process of my fitting.

The first thing that surprised me was that Caleb (the guy who fitted me) said my feet were not wide. The last time I got fitted for shoes I was told I had wide feet and was given an Extra Wide shoe. When I expressed my shock and disbelief at the fact that my feet were a normal width (I have thought for a couple of years now that I had freakishly wide feet) Caleb put me back on the scale and showed me again. WOW! My feet measured normal, ha I do not have troll feet!!! This made me very happy and opened a lot of shoe doors for me, but I am still a skeptic and wonder if this could be really true. After I ran barefoot on the treadmill to check out my gait I started trying on several shoes and running in them. I was a little concerned that they all felt a little tight. Caleb assured me that they fit and I was just use to swimming in my other shoes, which was most likley the cause of my blisters too. I finally decided on a pair and then was talked into getting some inserts for my arch that apparently rolls in and could be the cause of my shin splints. Caleb showed me the video of me running and explained how the way I was landing could cause my shin splints, and like I said I am desperate at this point and will try anything so I took them.

Later that day I went for a run in my new kicks (Brooks Ariel Medium Width). After about 2 miles my right foot started to hurt so I loosened up the shoe as much as I could and pushed through to 2.5 miles. At this point I was back to my car so I left the park and was very disappointed in my new shoes. On the drive home I decided that I really did not give them a chance and then hit the treadmill for another 2 miles when I got home. They really did not bother me much on the treadmill so I decided to try them out one more time before I took them back. The next planned run was an 8 miler and I thought that would be a great distance to try out the shoes. Well I got sick this weekend and never did get my long run in so I tried them out today. I planned to do a 5 mile run so I went to the park and took off. About 2 miles in to the run my feet were killing me, I mean really killing me and not just one both. I stopped to walk a bit then tried to run again, they hurt so bad I ended up limping back to the car. So these shoes are a flop, I am going to get them in a wider width and see how they work, and I may just take those inserts out too.

Why does finding my perfect running shoe have to be so hard? Is it too much to ask for a shoe that fits, and does not hurt my feet or give me blisters?

The Miami Runners Club – the one good thing left in Miami

2010-03-18T07:08:00.000-07:00

During my vacation I headed down to Miami, Florida for a week after the Princess half Marathon. I am from Miami and could not wait to see all my family, friends, and enjoy that weather that Miami is famous for. And of course I could not pass up an opportunity to go for a run in my summer running gear, who knows when summer will finally arrive in Kansas and I will have another chance to wear it all.

I have to say that I am a bit disappointed in the place where I grew up. I have always heard people from other places complain about the people in Miami and I never understood it. Now that I am living in the Midwest I am starting to see what all the complaining was about. Within minutes of us landing we headed out to get some lunch with my dear friend Sandi who picked us up from the airport. After lunch we were leaving the restaurant and I was holding my daughter and a women coming in lets the door go so it about hit my daughter and I. I was shocked, this would never happen in Kansas. In Kansas the women would not have even tried to come in to the restaurant till I was out the door and she would have held the door for me since my hands were full with a 33 pound toddler. But I forget that in Miami it is all about ME. This seems to be the big thing in big cities; you see no one gives a crap about the person next to them. Everyone seems to think they are better than everyone else and you should bow down and kiss their feet. Needless to say I never noticed this while I was growing up because it is all I ever knew and that is just how things were. And I am sure I was just as guilty as everyone else of having this mentality, I am so glad that I have changed though.

I am sure you all are now wondering what this has to do with running, well be patient I am getting to that. My sister and her husband have joined a running group called “Miami Runners Club” I wanted to go for their weekly Wednesday night run with them to spend some more time with my sister and check out the group. I was not really expecting much, I have run in Miami before and when I say hi to other runners I always get a look like ‘whatever’ coming from them. So we headed out to the meet up spot where we met up with Rony (my brother-in-law) and the Miami Runner Club. I was surprised right away when everyone greeted me kindly and we even laughed and joked a bit. Then it was time for the run, I stayed with my sister for the run and everyone kind of took off. We expected this, so that was okay, most of the runners in the group are seasoned runners and my sister is still pretty new to the sport. Needless to say I was really shocked when one of the other runners Wayne came back to check on us and then stayed and chatted with my sister and I for the rest of the run. Wayne is an Ultra Marathoner; he has already done one 50miler and is planning on doing a 100 soon, so needless to say our pace was much slower than his but he still stayed to chat. I was glad Wayne stayed with us; I really enjoyed running with him and talking about my favorite thing which is running.

When we were done with the three miles, Wayne took off at his normal fast pace to do a quick additional two miles while my sister and I went over to talk to a couple other runners from the group who had finished already. Everyone in the group was super nice and very accepting of this new person who just popped in for a run. When we left for the night I felt sad that I did not have this group in Kansas. I really enjoyed running with others and loved the fact that they all loved running as much as I do. After this I talked my husband into staying another day so that I could go on the group’s long run Saturday morning. I went out with Rony and we met the group at 6am (it gets very hot in Miami so you have to start early). There were many runners that were not at the Wednesday night run here on Saturday. Wayne’s wife Sheryl greeted Rony and I and gave us the low down on the run. Most of the group was doing 14 and since I had just run 13.1 the week before and the fact that Rony had only done 6 up to this point I decided that 8 was a good number for the day. Sheryl gave us directions and told us exactly where the the 4mile turn around would be. Then we all took off, we ran with Andy for a while then he took off at his own pace. When we got to a part in the path where we could go the wrong way, Andy who was running with Wayne and Sherryl waited to make sure we knew where to go and gave us directions again and told us where our turn around would be. He stayed with us for a little while again just to chat and make sure we knew the way. We then caught up with Tom who is back from being sick and doing a run/walk program so we ran with him for a while before we made our turnaround to head back to the car.

I have to say that I LOVE this group. The people were so nice and helpful; they were all very encouraging to me and to both my Sister and Brother-in-law. They took time out of there run to make sure we did not get lost and to just chat with us. After this run and we got cleaned up we went to The Runners High (the running store that the group is based out of) where Able (one of the group members who were out on Wednesday night) helped Laura (my sister) and Rony get some new shoes. Able took his time and watched them run in several shoes on the treadmill before he was satisfied that he fit them in the right ones. Nothing about this group was anything like what I was expecting from my new view of Miami. If you are ever in Miami I would highly recommend checking out this group and joining them for a run, you won’t regret it.

And I also have to give a shot out to Rony who did his longest run ever on Saturday with me. I am so proud of him and my sister, they both and turning in to great runners. In a few weeks they will both be running their first 10k, and at this rate I am sure a ½ marathon is in their future!

Plane hits runner and runner is to blame?

2010-03-16T17:54:00.000-07:00

I am so sick of people blaming runners for getting hit by cars or in this case hit by a plane because they listen to their iPod. I understand that listening to music does prevent you from hearing some things, but does that really make it your fault when a plane falls out of the sky and kills you? Is it your fault then when a driver is talking on their cell phone and not paying attention and then hit you? Why is it that so many people blame the runner?

I heard this story on the news tonight about a small plane that lost its propeller and glided to the ground and in the process hit and killed Robert G. Jones who was running on the beach. I was sad and felt very bad for the man and even the pilot of the plane who I am sure feels bad about killing another man. Then I log in to check my facebook page and Runners World posted the story on their page. What happens everyone starts talking about how the guy was listening to his iPod and it must have been his fault. I was just shocked and frankly pissed off. I cannot even believe that people are blaming the poor runner who was out for a nice run and a freaking plane kills him. HOW IS IT HIS FAULT? If these people actually read the whole article instead of the first sentence that stated that the runner was listening to his iPod (like it is even relevant) they would have seen that the propeller fell off the plane which means it was SILENT. Even if Robert G. Jones was not listening to his iPod he would not have heard the plane, and I can attest that if the propeller had not fallen off and he would have heard the plane no matter how loud his music was (I know this as a fact since I fly in a small aircraft all the time, my husband is a pilot).

I think what bugs me the most is that other runners were putting the blame on this victim (because that is what Robert G. Jones is) only because he was wearing an iPod. I understand that there is a big controversy about music and running; some think you are not a true runner if you listen to music (I don’t get that, you are still running either way). I personally do both, I will listen to my music on some runs and not listen to it on others. People need to look at the whole picture before they blame someone for the simple fact that they were listening to music. I do get that in some cases it may be the runner’s fault, if they are not paying attention and run out in front of a car and get hit. My issue is that if you run and listen to music then no matter what happens (even a plane falling from the sky) it is automatically your fault if you are hurt or killed. I don’t care what your take is on the whole iPod debate, it should not matter when someone is killed they should not automatically be blamed for the sole purpose that they were listing to music. If this was the case then all car accidents should be blamed on the driver that was listening to the radio and I am willing to bet just about everyone does.

Here is a link to the article if you are interested in reading it http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100316/ap_on_re_us/us_plane_kills_beachgoer

The Disney Princess Half Marathon 2010

2010-03-15T09:06:00.000-07:00

This race started for me in April 2009 when the decision was made in my Running Mom’s group to do a race together and we all voted for this on (I mean what better race for a bunch of running moms right). Not all of us were able to make it due to different reasons, other races, family, finances, the kiddos, etc. But the ones of us that did make it tried to have a great time for all the running moms, and the ones who could not be there were sorely missed.

Friday night we had our official Running Moms meet up. We all met in one of the hotels and then headed out to the bar for a drink (well all except for Bethany, she is prego so no boose for her). We all quickly learned that most of us get pretty drunk off of one drink except for Jill that is, she really knows her beer. I had such a great time with the girls that I did not even think about how cold it was and we were all sitting outside. These women whom I have considered my friends for over two years now and have never actually met in person are the sweetest, kindest, most running addicted women that I just love to death. I can not even describe how totally excited I was about going to this race and meeting these ladies. My only regret is that I never did get to see Bethany or Heather again after Friday night, next time we will have to plan better.

Here is a shot of some of the group on Firday, now on to the race, I can talk about how awesome my running mom’s are all day so I will just cut my self off now.

After a very long Saturday (see details here), I woke up at 2:45 with only about 4 hours of sleep and sore feet. I quickly got ready, and headed over to meet Anna and Jill so we could all go to the race together. When I got to the lobby of the hotel I was excited to see Michelle another running mom had decided to join us for the race. We all got on the bus and went to the start. It was so cold that as soon as we got to the race area we headed over to get some coffee then waited inside a tent to keep a little warm before going to our corral (which was the last one so we had a LOT of time)

We were in corral E was the last one and that ment we started the race 30min after the first group started. It was a little sad watching the fireworks go off and hearing the cheers to just stand around in the cold an wait our turn. But once it was our turn the excitement was over the top. We could not wait to get moving and see what Disney had instore for us. We quickly relised that Michelle was much faster than the rest of us so we asked if she would mind staying with us till mile one to get a group shot, she did and here we are. Then Michelle took off, she is one speedy lady. The rest of us just ran slowly along taking picutes and chatting. It was soon after the first mile that we saw Captin Jack, there was no discussing it we just all ran over to get a picture. This is about how the rest of the race went, the three of us were just out to enjoy this 13 miles so nothing mattered but having a good time. I am a slow runner and I was so surprised that the three of us really did run well together. We all run at the same pace and it was just so awesome to run with someone else. The miles of the race just flew by, I can not even count how many time we would be runnign and see another mile marker and be shocked because we had just seen one about a minuet ago (well not really but it sure felt like it).

I have to say that Disney does not disapoint in there races. I knew we would see charetores along the way, but I just kinda expected the Princess and that would be it. They had charetores from almost every story they have, the only bad thing about it was that the lines to get some of the pictures was just so long that we really did waste a lot of time getting pictures…. But I would do it the same way again if I ever have the chance.

The race went from Epcot to the Magic Kindom, and there is not a lot of anything inbetween the two. Disney did make the effort to have some charetors along the way, but it could have made for a very boring run with not much to see. I was so greatfull that I had Jill and Anna, I never did get board and just so enjoyed the company and conversations. I never knew how much we all had in common and am just so thankfull to have had the chance to meet the two of them and share this experence with them.

As far as my shins and my sore feet went it was not too bad. My shins did not really bother me at all duing the race but after they complained a little. My feet hurt so bad by the end of the race but I truly believe it was from the previous days events. I personally felt great during the whole race, I never got tired or sore. We did walk about three miles of the race which was fine by me, I knew this was not the race for a good time and I just enjoyed the company too much to run ahead. I am signing up for another half in two weeks here at home just so that I could see if I can do it with out all the photo opts. I feel very confedent that I can, but am sad that I will have to run it alone. I will be thinking about Disney and my running mama’s the whole race and wishing that all my races could be as fun as this one was. If you are thinking about running this race I say do it, but do it for fun and with friends.

After getting back from the race my wonderfull husband showed me again why I love him so much. This was my first half marthon and he had a trophy made for me. The trophy reads “Congratulations on completing your first Half Marathon. Your loving husband” How totally seet is that, I have the best husband ever!

Disney Royal Family Kids Race

2010-03-11T02:03:00.000-08:00

After the 5k my sister and I hurried back to the hotel where our husbands (who ran much faster than us were) my mother and my daughter waited for us. We did not have enough time to really get cleaned up, so we just changed clothes and got my daughter dressed in her cute little running skirt. Once we were changed we headed over to the Wide World of Sports Complex where my daughter could make her racing debut.

On the bus ride to the race I kept asking my daughter if she wanted to race and her reply every time was “YEAH” and she kept asking if she would get a medal too (she saw the one we all got for the 5k) I told her she would and that seemed to really get her excited. I guess my daughter likes her BLING!

Once we got to the race we had to find our start position and wait. There were several different kids races going on so there were a TON of people there. I ended up lining up with my daughter in our section while my mom and sister went to the finish to try and get some pictures. For some reason that I will never understand Disney decided to start the races with the 1mile kids run. This was the race with the oldest kids in it. I was lined up with a 2 ½ yr old waiting till this was over. I must say none of the little ones we were with took the extra waiting well. It is very hard to keep a toddler entertained while standing in a crowed spot for 30+ minuets. Next year Disney please start with the youngest kids first.

After about 5 min of waiting my daughter was ready to go. I kept reminding her about the BLING she would get and that seemed to calm her down for a little. After about 15 min the BLING no longer mattered to her, she needed to move and play and standing around waiting with a bunch of strangers was just not her idea of fun, she was done. So I did what any parent would do in this situation and told her that once she crossed the finish line she would get CANDY! This worked, but she kept telling me “NOW MOMMY, LETS RUN NOW!” I just kept reminding her that it was not time yet and she would get her candy soon.

When it was finally our turn to run, my daughter grabbed my arm with both of her hands and we took off. Okay she is two we did not really take off, but she started to run. I finally got her to let go of my arm and just hold my hand and she ran her 100 meters with a huge smile on her face. When we crossed the finish I picked her up and told her she did it and gave her a big hug and kiss. Then we headed over to get her BLING, she was so excited when they put the finishers medal on her. (note she wears the backback everywhere, she is a huge Dora fan and Dora always has her back pack so my daughter has to have hers too. There was no taking it off for the race)

Now we had to go find my sister and my mom then go get some lunch and then off to Disney World to meet Mickey Mouse. This weekend sure was packed, I was not even thinking about the fact that I had to run 13.1 the next day. I must say by the end of the day I was exhausted. My daughter refused to sit in the stroller at Disney World so I had to carry an extra 33 pounds around for several hours so my feet were dead at the end of the day. Once we were back in our hotel for the night I really started to wonder how I was going to do a half marathon in a few hours when my feel felt like they were going to fall off.

The Disney Princess ½ Marathon report coming next!

Disney’s Royal Family 5k

2010-03-09T02:03:00.000-08:00

The race story must begin at 3:45 when the alarm went off. For some reason Disney requires us racers to get up several hours before the race to go stand around and freeze till the race start. And yes people it was freezing. I have been getting use to the cold weather living out in Kansas and normally I would not call 40 degrees freezing anymore, but when you are just standing around for a few hours in it, it is COLD.

My sister, brother in-law, and husband all joined me for the 5k so I did not have to freeze alone. We were on the first buss to the race from our hotel and were very excited to see when we got to the start that they were selling coffee, Disney thinks of everything. We all got a cup of Joe, well not my husband he hates coffee (I know he is not normal) he got hot coco, and then waited for the race. Disney had a great DJ at the race who kept us all moving and grooving to some awesome tunes while we waited. My sister and I had a great time singing and dancing while our husbands tried to act like they were not really with us.

As the race time got closer we all split up, my sister and I were going slower than the guys so we headed to the back while they headed up to the front. When they counted down the start and fireworks went off we were so very excited. Of course like any other race we started at a slow shuffle then a walk then a little bit faster walk and so on. Once we finally got to run we started to warm up and really enjoy the fact that we were at Disney.

For the first mile we ran through the parking lot at Epcot, and then we headed in to go around the world. I have to say when we finally ran into Epcot I was so excited and giddy, I mean come on running in a Disney park who gets to do this (besides the other thousand people doing it with me)? The very first character we saw was Mulan, we stopped to get a picture and this started the trend for the rest of the race. My sister had a time goal for the race and we quickly figured out that we were not going to make it. With the very slow start then all the characters we HAD to get pictures with it just was not going to happen. Luckily we both agreed that this race was more about fun than time so we just decided to have a good time and forget all about a PR.

As we were running around the countries at Epcot there were characters all over to stop and get pictures with. We stopped at most of them and when we were not stopped at all the photo opts we were singing and dancing while running of course. There were also a ton of volunteers along the course just cheering us all on. When we finally were approaching the end of the race I was very disappointed. I wanted to keep going it was so much fun and I felt great why could I not just run around Epcot all day? We ran through the finish and got our finishers medal then headed back to our hotel. After all my daughter still had her race to do in a couple hours and we had to get ready for that.

And the Countdown Begins

2010-03-01T18:46:00.000-08:00

Only four days till we arrive in Orlando, Florida. And let me tell you, the excitement is building. There are so many things about this trip that have me excited I can hardly stand it, here is a list.

1) I get to meet some of the running moms who have help to make me the runner I am today.

2) I get to run in my first ½ marathon

3) I get to run in not one but two Disney races

4) I will run a 5k with my sister who is aiming to run the whole 5k for her first time ever

5) My daughter is running in the Disney kids races

6) My daughter gets to meet Mickey Mouse for the first time

7) I can get out of this winter hell for a week and defrost

8) I will get to visit family and friends in Miami for a week after the Disney festivities are over

Can you all see why I am so excited? I have already packed up my daughters things for the trip and have a mental note of what I am packing for myself, I am sure I will start the actual packing tomorrow.

With all the excitement of the trip I have not had much time to totally freak-out about the half marathon. Don’t get me wrong I am freaking out a little just not a total freak-out. I know I have done the miles and can run this, but my last long run went bad. I set out to do 8 miles and ended up at three. Not exactly as planned, but I know we all have bad runs right? My two long runs before that went so well I felt like I could do anything so this one bad one should not get me down or make me panic thinking that I am going to bonk at three miles. This is what I keep telling myself, and then that other little voice in my head says this was a sign, you did not train properly and those two great runs were just a fluke you can’t run 13 miles. I am wondering if this is how all runners start to feel before a race at a distance they have not done yet.

I guess with all the stuff going on and all the planning to try and see as many friends and family as I can in one little week, my head is just spinning and it should not surprise me I am a little worried about my race. I do feel better knowing that a couple of my running mama’s Anna and Jill will be running with me which really makes me feel much better about it. I know they will keep my spirits up and my legs moving.

I am curious though do you get like this; you know second guessing yourself before a big race? Or do you feel confident in your training and know you will Rock it?

YakTrax - Review

2010-02-27T19:02:00.000-08:00

I was contacted last month by YakTraxs to see if I would like to try out and review a couple of their items. Of course I totally jumped at the idea. I have heard of YakTraxs but never had the opportunity to give them a try so I was really curious on how they really worked and would hold up when running in a few inches of snow. I was sent the YakTrak Pro for running and the YakTraxWalker for walking. Please note that my review is totally my opinion, although I was sent these items to review the review is mine good or bad.

I am sure you are all wondering what the difference is between the Walker and the Pro besides the price. The only real difference I noticed is that the Pro has a strap that goes around your shoe to hold it in place. I must say people if you are going to use these to run in, you NEED this strap. The difference in price is $10.00 and I would totally recommend you spend the extra if you plan to run at all using the YakTrax otherwise there is a very good chance they will come off.

I have been doing a few runs here and there with these YakTraxs since I got them. I wanted to make sure I tried them on several different surfaces and conditions so that I could really try them out. I must say that I was totally and completely impressed the first time I tried them out and took off on ICE, yes that is right people straight ice and I did not slip or slide at all. However this was on a paved trail and in some parts of the trail the Ice and snow had melted and it was just straight pavement, the YakTraxs did not do so well on that. When I had to run on the pavement it made a crunchy sound very similar to the sound when running on ice. And the YakTraxs started to slip off. Although you may think this is really bad, I do not believe these were made to be used on straight pavement, they performed very well on the snow and ice which is what they were made for.

On another trial run the YakTraxs went on with me was right after a good snow and there was about 4 inches on the ground. I decided this was a great chance to test them out in a LOT of snow. The YakTraxs did great, I however suck at running in snow my legs were burning something fierce. With an all snow run the YakTraxs did not slip or slide at all, the strap around my foot held them in place and they griped perfect so that I could even try out a little sprint (I say little because it is very hard to sprint in that much snow). I have also been using the Walkers when I go get my mail, you may think this silly but I live out in the country and we have a gravel driveway that is very long and gets very icy. I normally slip and slide all the way to the mailbox and back but with these on I did not slip or slide once.

My overall opinion of the YakTrax is that they are AWESOME! My first snow run, I was slipping and sliding all over and had to be very cautious of every step. With the YakTraxs on I can just enjoy the run and not worry about falling and busting my face or butt. If you ever have to run in the snow or ice I would highly recommend getting a pair, they really do work. They are also very easy to get on and off so if you are out and decide you don’t need them anymore you can just slip them off and carry them, they are surprisingly very compact. You can see from the picture that they are small and fold up so they would be very easy to carry or put in a pack. The one on the left is the Pro with the strap they one on the right is the Walker.

Make the best of it

2010-02-21T07:26:00.000-08:00

So this week was a good and bad running week. I ended up missing one of my short runs early in the week and made up for it my doing a longer run mid week which was nice since the sun came out and the day turned out to be a perfect winter running day. Then as the week progressed it became abundantly clear that my long run was not going to go as planned.

My husband was away this weekend on reserve duty so that means I was a single parent for the weekend. My plan was to go visit my mother for the weekend, (I usually do this whenever my husband is on reserves) and my mom could watch my daughter while I ran my 10 miles. As the weekend approached I realized this was not going to happen since the weather was going to be too bad to make the drive.

So I came up with Plan B. Do my long run on Friday while my daughter was still at school. I was really ahead on my work for the week so I had the time to take off for a couple hours to get my run in. This sounded great to me, till Friday got here and it was about 33 degrees and a rainy, sleeting, snowing mess. URGH! I could not find the motivation to go out and run in that. I don’t mind running in the rain, I actually like it a lot, but that is when it is warm out, I just cannot imagine running in the rain when it is cold out, I just kept thinking that I would never warm up and be running while wet and cold. So this idea was a bust.

Now we come to Plan C, the dreadmill. Just the idea of running 10 miles on the treadmill was enough to make me feel depressed. Don’t get me wrong I love my treadmill, it has helped me so much this winter but 10 miles…. Come on that is just torture. All day Friday I just kept thinking how I would have to do this run on the mill, and was just sad and depressed the entire day. I did go to the video store and rent a movie hoping that it would help make the torture not so bad, but I just could not get the motivation up to be excited about my upcoming run. As a matter of fact I spent several hours trying to think of ways to get out of this run, I know bad Tracey. As the night was coming to an end I finally decided what a total baby I was being. I mean come on I had to do this run, I really need it for my training so I could either make the best of it or just be miserable right? I decided to just try and make the best of it and get it done.

I wake up on Saturday morning and get everything ready to run and then as soon as my daughter gets up I bring her down and put her in front of the TV (I know bad mom I totally used the TV as a baby sitter here, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do) got her breakfast and juice then went down to start my run. About every 15 to 30 min my daughter came down to let me know she needed more juice, more food, a clean diaper, a new TV show, or just to see what mommy was doing. This made the run take much more time than needed since I had to keep running up stairs to take care of her and get her what she needed, and the treadmill kept resetting so I am pretty sure I ran more than 10 miles anyway. But to tell you all the truth, it was not that bad. The movie helped a lot, time flew by and I still felt great and strong the entire run.

My lesson and the lesson I want to pass on to all of you is to make the best of the situation. This could very well went the other way and been a horrible long miserable run, but my decision to just make the best of it because I had to do it either way really made the difference. I went in to the run in a good mood and had fun with it even though the situation was not ideal and my run went great. Remember it is up to you to be happy or sad, if you can’t change something then make the best of it and it may just turn out better than you thought.

Happy Runner

2010-02-15T08:25:00.000-08:00

So I headed out on Saturday morning for my first long run in several weeks. The plan was to run 8 miles. I must admit I was excited and nervous at the same time. Excited because I love long runs there is just something about a nice easy long run that I crave, nervous because I have not run 8 miles in about a month. I decided not to set the alarm to just sleep till I woke up and then head out for my run. I also decided to hit my favorite trail (Mill Creek 16 miles of paved trail), mostly because it would be an out and back so I HAD to do 8 miles no matter how I felt.

The morning started out pretty good, my daughter woke up at 5:30am but I was able to get her back to sleep, so I did not have to actually wake up till around 7am (now that is sleeping in people). I had all my fuel packed up and ready to go so I got dressed ate some toast with peanut butter and then started my drive to the trail. I know with only 8 miles you don’t really need to fuel much, but I was nervous and with only three weeks till the ½ I wanted to make sure I had all my fuel down for the race. I opted to take a GU about 10 min before I got to the park for an extra boost before the run.

When I got to the trail head there were a few cars so I knew I would see some other runners/bikers whom I always love, makes me feel like I am not running alone when there are others on the trail. I did some quick stretches and put on my fuel belt and iPod hit start on the Garmin and off I went.

That first mile was not too bad; mile two I could feel the shins but again not too bad. Mile three was the usual pain but I know that after three it is all over so I get through mile three pretty fast. My fuel plan was to have a GU every 30 min so I ate my Espresso GU at this time, man that caffeine did me good. By mile 4 I was on fire, singing and dancing and very glad there was no one around me at the time. I was feeling great. At 4.5 miles I saw a family of deer, I stopped for just a second to snap a pick with my phone and send it to facebook, then kept going. About 6 miles in I had had another GU and was jumping up and down with every stride. The Black Eyed Peas started to play with the song “I got a feeling” and every time the verse came on about jumping off the couch I literally jumped in the air and sang out loud. So now I am feeling like this run is super easy and just loving life.

I thought about doing 10 miles since I was feeling so good, but opted to just stick with the 8. I don’t want to push it too much and not have my shins heal or have them get worse (see people I am learning my lesson this time) I think a lot of the fun and energy on this run was probably from all the GU I was taking (caffeine and sugar YUMMY), but it was one of the best runs I have had so that is fine with me. This weekend is my 10 mile run and since I have to do it at my mom’s it may be all in the snow, I am actually looking forward to it. And I can’t wait for the Disney Princess ½ marathon to get here, I know I am ready for it…Woo Hoo Florida here I come!

My 3 week ½ marathon training plan

2010-02-12T09:05:00.000-08:00

Some of you may be thinking, three weeks you are nuts! Well you may be right, but I think I can do this. I signed up for the Disney Princes ½ marathon back in 2009 with a group of other Running Moms. I decided that I would go all out in my training starting January 1st 2010, and all out I did. Not only did I start my ½ training I started P90X again. I think the combination of the two was the cause of my ever present shin splints. So now I am 3 weeks till my first ever half marathon (the last one I hurt my knee a few weeks prior and could not run, see the trend) and have not had a long run in three weeks and did not run at all last week, because I have been trying to get my shins to heal. Life throws things at you and you gotta roll with it or give up and I am not the type to give up so with three weeks to go I will get ready for this half marathon.

So my friend Bethany helped me come up with this plan while we were at Rocky last weekend. And so far so good, I find that my shins get worse if I run consecutive days so I am only able to run 3 days a week. Here is the my new 3 week half marathon training plan.

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday – P90X weight training and ab ripper hell (okay it is called ab ripper X but if you have ever done it you know it is HELL)

Tuesdays and Thursdays run 3-4 easy miles (speed work, and hill repeats also aggravate the shins so that is out)

Saturdays – Long run start with 8miles, then 10miles, then 8miles the weekend before the half.

So far this week I have done the plan and even though I can feel my shins in the first mile of each run, I have felt strong and like I could keep going. I am now using my compression shocks after each run and doing a ¼ mile warm up then stretches before each run. This whole plan depends greatly on my long runs, if I am unable to do the 8miles tomorrow things will need to change.

My back up plan known as Plan B (I learned at Rocky that you always need a Plan B) is to do a run 4 walk 1 for the half if I have problems with the long runs or if my shins really flare up before the race.

Now here is my caveat. Please do not try this at home, to properly train for a half marathon you should give yourself WAY more than three weeks. I will not take any responsibility if you try and do the stupid things I do with my poor body that I beat to hell every chance I get.

Rocky Raccoon - The crew report

2010-02-08T18:44:00.000-08:00

My Rocky experience is a little different than most, I crewed for a woman I have never met before with a group of women I had never met. Well we all kinda met online but never in person, you see we all belong to a group of running moms online and have become great friends. The 4 crew members all came in from different states just to support Tara in her first 100 mile race. I was so amazed by how many people run these things, I mean it takes a certain kind of person to want to run 100 miles right? Well there were over 300 people signed up to do just that, and another 300 and something signed up for the 50 miler…. WOW I felt like something was wrong with me because I really had no desire to ever do either. After it is all over I still do not want to do 100 but the 50 will be a goal after the next baby.

The race start was not too exciting for us crew members. There were so many runners that we could not even get to the start line to see it. So our real look at the race would be 4 hours later when Tara finished her first loop. It was so exciting and nerve racking trying to get all the gear and supplies ready before she came through. We all wanted to do a good job and make this easier for her so having everything ready and getting her in and out as quick as we could was our goal. I think the first few times she came through we accomplished that. As the run progressed, we found out that the Ensure we were giving her was not sitting well with her so we stopped giving it to her; we found out later that it was her only protein source so we should have had a plan B. Next time we will.

Cathy’s (another member of the Rocky Crew) husband Jack was signed up to run the 50 miler and at the last minute he decided to go for the 100. After we took care of Tara we decided to wait and help Jack out if he wanted. He was going to crew for himself. It turned out that he was running about 10 min behind Tara so it worked out great. When Jack came through we were able to get him seated and changed. We also got some water and Heed (electrolytes) in him before we sent him on his way.

That first 20 mile lap they both looked great. All smiles, big dreams, and big goals. The second 20, Tara was still looking and feeling good, the woman was on fire. We had her in and out in maybe 5min or less (we had this down now) and then she was on her way again. When Jack came through he did not look so hot. His legs were hurting pretty bad, and he did not expect to be running as much on the next loop (he was now at 40 miles). We decided to drive up and meet them both at the next aid station and barely saw Tara as she shot through and was on her way. I had a bad feeling when Jack came walking up, he really was not looking very good, you could tell he was feeling it already, this was not a good sign with 60 miles left to go.

Once night time fell and Tara took off with Marny for the next 20 (miles 60 – 80) we quickly learned that things were not going as quick as they were. Marny brought her phone with her and called to ask us to meet them at the Park aid station with Tara’s jacket,k she also let us know they slowed way down (The first two loops took 4 hours, this one took 6) It got colder than we first thought, and at this point Tara was doing quite a bit more walking and we dressed her more for running and she got pretty cold. We ended up missing them at the aid station and did not get Tara warmer clothes till she was done with that 20 mile loop. Shortly after they took off to start this loop we were still at the start waiting for Jack to come through, when Jack found us. He let us know that he DNF (did not finish) at mile 55 and caught a ride back. I was glad to see that he was not torn up about it at the time, but I think that was more the sheer pleasure he must have been feeling about not having to run again. Later he did seem a little upset about it, but I think he did great. You see Jack did not train for this, and well frankly he made it farther than he had ever run before and farther than what he originally signed up for. Jack did great and I hope he knows and feels it.

When Tara came through this time I was up to run 3 miles with her. When we took off from the start she was doing good, we started off at a walk then planed to run a bit later. She was still shooting for the sub 24 hours. When we tried to run about 30 seconds later she said no running. She decided at this point that the goal would have to be to finish. Her legs were shot after 80 miles. So we changed to the plan to finish instead of the sub 24 which would mean she had to run. I really started to worry when our pace kept slowing down and she started not understanding what I would say at times. My fears got worse when she asked to hold my shoulder for support. I knew at this point she was not doing very well. She told me she was tired and needed a nap, but I was so worried if she slept that she would not want to get up so I told her she needed to consider that. I finally decided she had to nap or there was no chance of finishing when she fell asleep walking. Her feet stopped and she started to lean on me. I pulled her forward and told her that she had to keep moving and that she could nap soon, we were almost to the next aid station. All we had to do was get to the next station and she could sleep. When we finally came around that corner and I saw the lights for the station, I cannot even tell you how thrilled I was. That was the longest 3 miles I have ever done, Tara you scared the crap out of me!

The next few hours proved to be the longest of the whole race. We checked Tara in at the aid station then pulled her off the course so she could sleep in the car. Marny and Bethany had to help her down some stairs and she kept falling asleep on the way to the car. Once we got Tara in the car she was so cold she started shaking, so we rushed her to the med tent. She told them that she was going to finish and they just said to get her warm, so we covered her with everything we had gave her some hot water and then let her sleep. We figured out that if she was back out by 4am that she could finish by cut off if she walked the rest. So that was our final plan to walk her to the finish. Bethany took the longest hardest section (total of 12 miles and 6 miles with no aid station) and the rest of us waited and worried the whole time they were gone. When we finally got to see them again Tara was smiling and moving along slowly. She only had 4.4 miles to go and more than enough time to do it in. Cathy went with her on this last four and we met them about a 1/4 mile from the finish to cheer her on. When she crossed that finish it made the whole thing worth it. There are plenty of things we would do differently as a crew that might have made it go better, but for first timers I think we did okay.

Rocky Raccoon was an experience I am sure to not forget any time soon. It had its ups and downs, the good and the bad, the victory and the defeat, but the number one thing it had was HEART. Waiting for Tara at that last aid station we got to see several other runners come through, and they all looked beat up but every single one of them pushed through the pain to that finish. I think every mile of the 100 was an adventure, but the last 20 was all heart.

The New Runner

2010-02-03T13:22:00.000-08:00

Can you runners out there remember when you first started to run? When you first made that decision that you were going to run a race or wanted to get healthier or even just too loose a few pounds. Can you picture that very first run?

I just started running two years ago. At that time I decided to run a 5k with some people from work, you can read that story here. I can still remember that first run, when I walked out my front door and took off for the first time on my journey to becoming a runner. About 3 minutes later that dream was starting to fade in the cloud of my total and utter exhaustion. I could no longer breath, my legs felt like they were going to fall off, and my heart rate was through the roof. I thought to myself, you idiot what were you thinking, you are NOT a runner, you CAN NOT run. But me being me, and of course the load of crap I just got done spewing to everyone at work about how I was going to kick their butts, kept me going. After a few weeks I finally was able to run for a mile, granted I still felt like I was going to die but I did it. Then a few weeks later I made it to two, and go figure that first mile was not so hard, it was still hard I just no longer felt like I was going to fall down and die right on the spot. Now today I can go out and run several miles nonstop and actually feel like I want to keep going. I no longer feel like I am going to die, I no longer tell myself that I am NOT a runner, I am very proud to say that in fact I am a runner.

My sister is on this journey now. She has wanted to pick up running for a couple years now and has given up then tried again a few times. You see my sister is a smoker (no bashing people, I smoked for 15 years and it is HARD to quit, I should know), so as much as I felt like I was going to die she is feeling it worse. I can remember when she first started with the C25K program. She got through that first week of run for 60 seconds walk for 90 seconds. Then week two came along and she had to run for 90 seconds and well she could not do it. She gave it a go for a little then quite figuring that running was just not for her. A few months went by then she tried again, not so much with the C25k this time as she just would go out and run till she could not anymore then walk the rest of the way. I always remember our conversations when she would call me and tell me how far she ran, she would always be so excited when she would get a little farther than the time before.

For her birthday last year we got her a Garmin 305. This is one of the best gadgets for runners; it tells you the pace you are running, the time you have been running, and the distance you have run. Oh it does a lot more too but that is a post all on its own. So when my mom and I got her this we thought it would help to encourage her to run more. Well we were right; she started running a lot more. And she started getting more excited about it. My sister has now signed up to run the Disney Royal Family 5k with me; it is the day before the Disney Princess ½ Marathon on March 7th. Laura (my sister) decided she wanted to kick some 5k butt and has signed up with a running group called the Miami Runners Club. Last week at the group’s beginner’s class my sister who could not run for 90 seconds ran 3 miles without walking. I cannot even begin to tell you all how proud I am of her, my heart just swells with pride and love when I think about all she has accomplished. She has never given up, sure she may have taken a break from running but she always came back to it and now she can run 3 miles. I would say that she is a RUNNER now, not a jogger, not a wana be, but a runner a real runner.

Running is not an easy thing to do; many who try it give up because they think they cannot do it. Well people you can! Sure it takes time to build up the muscles in your legs and build up your lung capacity and let’s not forget your heart. But come on people anything that is worth it is hard. I know not everyone will go out there and be a runner, but trust me if you have ever thought about it, you can do it, it just takes time. And if you can’t quite make those 90 seconds just remember my sister who could not do that and now she is running three. Everyone you see out there running has gone through this; it is kind of a rite of passage you can say. We all have had to push through when we thought we could not do it, and that never stops the more we want to run the farther we want to go the faster we want to go we have to push though to get there. I will tell you though it is all worth it when you finally get to where you want to be and know that you worked so hard to get there, the pride you feel in yourself is greater than any of the pain you went through to get there.

Now get out there and run people!!!

Kansas City Groundhog 5k

2010-02-01T12:58:00.000-08:00

I finally got to run the Kansas City Groundhog 5k. I have wanted to run this race since I first moved here last year. Unfortunately it was not in the cards last year. We got all signed up and went race and after having to park like a mile or so away we missed the start of the 5k. Then we decided to run the 10k since we were there and it started 1 hour after the 5k so we did not miss that one. When the gun went off for the 10k we were lined up and ready to go when a woman pulled me out and said that I could NOT run with the stroller. I explained to her I asked several people before signing up and they said it was allowed, but she said it was not and would not let my husband and I run with it. Oh well what a total disappointment that was. This year we ran with our friend Scott and his wonderful wife Kari babysat for us (THANK YOU SO MUCH KARI!!!). Apparently this year strollers were allowed but I was not taking any chances on that, been there heard that one before right.

I consider this my Birthday run since I was born on Groundhogs day and this is a Groundhog run, so this had me super excited about this race. Then the fact that this race is underground in caves which are about 65 degrees… WOO HOO I got to wear some summer clothes and run in the heat (it was about 19 outside). Well the caves were not that cool, I was thinking caves like with bats and stuff super cool right. Well this was more like an underground parking garage, sure it was a cave but a cave that was made into a parking garage the cool factor was just not there. But it was still warm and I could wear my new super cool running skirt so that was a huge plus.

Okay on to the race. Neal (hubby), Scot, and I split up for the start because they are a lot faster than I am so they went to the front and I kept to the middle of the pack. I figured this was a pretty flat course so I could hopefully make my below 30 min goal (this is my goal for every 5k). While waiting for the gun to go off I met a really nice girl. She is a runner but has not been running much in this winter because it is just too freaking cold for normal people to go outside (I must not be normal). She told me she usually runs a 24-26 min race. I wished her good luck, knowing full well I would not see her again after the start she was just too fast for me. By this time we are all getting antsy and just want to run when the gun finally announces the start of the race so we are off….well not quite we stand there for a while then move a couple fee then walk some then finally we can run (gotta love big races it takes forever to get to the start line).

Off I go in to check out this cave (I mean parking lot). The first mile had a lot of turns and I felt really good. I had no idea what my pace was since my trusty Garmin would not work underground being that it needs satellite reception and all. I am just cursing along when I see this little kid running with his dad. This kid must be about 5yr old. He is all decked out in his running gear, UnderArmour shirt, shorts, running shoes, and of course the headband (I totally must be related to this kids mother in some way, check out the pic of Amanda in the logo with the headband). I quickly realize that this kid is a STAR, he is so going to dog me, I mean come one the kid is 5 and he is totally kicking my butt. I made an attempt to keep up for a while and even ran with his dad for a bit to let him know that I thought his son was Amazing and I looked forward to seeing him in the Olympics in a few years. This kid was just awesome, and I was left hoping that one day that could be me with my daughter as he left me in his 9min mile dust.

At this point I see the girl I met waiting at the start and I pass her, really I passed her. I am thinking wow; I am really kicking some 5k butt here and am totally going to PR. I figure I am about a mile and a half in by now when I see the 1 mile mark with the time saying 10:19. BAM, I am crushed. I totally thought I was doing better than that. I mean I kept up with the kid for a while, I passed the speedy girl and I am only running a 10:19. I was starting to feel winded and with the thought that there was NO WAY at this point that I could make my PR. I probably ran about another ½ mile then I did it people I walked. Only for about 30 or 40 seconds but it was walking. Then I picked it up again and decided since I could not PR I would just keep it nice and easy and try to enjoy it a bit. By this time I am getting pretty hot, I am so use to freezing when I run that I feel like I am burning up and all I can think about is that I am going to die in a month at the ½ marathon in Florida. Running in the heat is sooooo much harder than in the cold. And yes everyone I do realize that I kind of just admitted that there is something about this frozen tundra that I like…sigh I guess I am turning in to a winter girl after all.

So as the race progresses we get close to an entrance to the cave (I mean parking lot) and get a WONDERFULL blast of that 19 degree air and I am loving it. Man that was refreshing! I skipped all the water stops since I walked and did not want to make my time even slower. I ended up passing that speedy girl again; guess she was having a bad race because if I passed her she was not so speedy. I think at this point I was speeding up and slowing down quite a bit. I for sure was not steady at all with my pace. I thought for a couple min that the finish line was around one corner so I booked it only to find that I was wrong. So I just kept cursing along cheering on all the mothers pushing their little ones in the joggers (I know when I am running it always feels good to hear someone shout Way to go Mom! Or something so I always do it when I see someone pushing a jogger too). Then I see it the 3 mile mark, so off I go as fast as I can both feet getting airborne at the same time (really check out the pic. I am flying). I am a rock star, I am a runner, I am super fast, I hope I get a good race pic, try not to look like you’re dying so you can get a good race pic, and pass these people because they are in the way. All that was going through my mind as I races across the finish line in 32:30. Neal and Scott were waiting for me and told me what a great job I did then we headed off to get some much needed water.

Later I will find out that my chip time was 31.12 which put me at a 10:03 pace. This also means that when I came up to the 1mile mark and they showed my time it was probably closer to a 9min mile and I could have made my PR and goal if I kept going. I should have considered the time it took me to get to the start. Both Neal and Scott did totally awesome, Scott (on the right) ran a 22:33 and Neal (on the Left) did 25:19. I am so proud of them both. We had a great time and I am sure we will run this race again. I need to work on my pacing and not gun it out the start like I keep doing…bad Tracey.

This race is the biggest low mileage race in Kansas City. Because of the warm temps and it being in the middle of winter everyone runs this race, that is also why they have to split up the 5k and 10k to run at different times. There is not much to see on this race, definitely not as cool as I thought it would be. I will run it again every year for the simple fact that it is warm and it falls on or around my birthday. All in all it was a good race and I was happy we did it. I was and am so proud of my hubby, he really kicked it up and had a great time. For someone who hardly ever runs he sure is getting fast. Maybe he is hiding a secret running passion and gets up in the middle of the night to run on the tready, I don’t know but he sure is getting fast. I love you honey and I am soooo proud of you.

Better to be safe than sorry!

2010-01-28T09:18:00.000-08:00

I had something happen yesterday on my run that has really got me thinking. While out for my run at a local park, I was on my 3rd lap around (it is a little over a mile around two connecting parks) two guys shows up along my path. Of course they both showed up in the most secluded part of the trail, the first one parked his truck just off the path and was standing outside his truck. The second guy came in to the park then turned around as I came around the corner and stopped his car right where the path crossed the road, so I would have no choice but to run right by his car (plenty of other places to park here). Needless to say I got a little freaked out and decided to turn around and get out of there ASAP. I promised myself no speed work this week because of my shin issues, but the need to get away was greater than the shins so I booked it. And went home to finish my run on the treadmill, so much for my nice sunny day run outside.

Some of you may remember a couple of years ago when out running in our gated community in south Florida how I got followed by a van at 5am. Ever since that day I have a very big fear while running. It took me a long time to even run in the dark after that happened. And even though I am still scared I WILL not let these people keep me from doing something I love. So I continue to run and just try and stay very aware of my surrounds and am always checking behind me and around corners and bushes. I run in the middle of the paths so I am farther away from possible hiding places and usually run with just one headphone in my ears so I can still hear what is going on. And when I see something that just does not seem right, I leave whether I look stupid or not. I for one would rather look like a total chicken shit than not come home to my family.

I posted on facebook about what happened yesterday and had some suggestions posted. One of the suggestions was to carry mace. I have been told to do this in the past, and the reason I do not is well frankly I don’t think it works. I was unlucky enough as a teenager to get sprayed in the face with the stuff (gotta love siblings, even when they fight dirty…Love you sissy) and well it sent me in to an utter rage. I had to leave the house or I think I may have killed my sister. This did not incapacitate me it just really pissed me the hell off. I know that not everyone feels the same about this as me, but then again not everyone has firsthand experience with the stuff. So I will not be carrying or spraying anyone with mace any time in the near future.

I will say that one of the best suggestions and I got and one I totally agree with was about getting a dog. I know this to be a great idea because it is exactly what I did after being followed by the van. I got the best dog ever, her name is Prada. She ran with me for about a year and then well we got hit with winter and I did not run much outside so she got fat and totally lost her desire to run. She now will only run a couple miles at most and only at about a 12min pace, I have tried to go farther and faster with her and her response is to just sit down in the middle of a run. Now anyone who has run with a dog knows that if this happens while you are running it is kind of shocking to just STOP in the middle of your stride. So I have not taken her in a while. However, I have recently been reminded by a friend Anne Marie that dogs love to run and even just a couple miles is worth the time for our furry friends.

After what happened yesterday and my reminder from Anne Marie, I have decided to start running with Prada again. I know it will be slow going and she may never want to run 10 miles with me, but I will never know if I don’t take her. I always felt safer having her with me and I truly believe that people would think twice about approaching me if I had a big dog with me. So I wanted to thank you all for the advice and well wishes yesterday, and remind you all to please stay safe and keep your eyes and ears open for anything that looks or sounds strange and PLEASE don’t be afraid to look stupid for running away it is always better to be safe than sorry!

Exercising with kids

2010-01-26T14:09:00.000-08:00

Those of you who are parents know that having kids around sometimes can be a real pain, and those of you who have kids and have to workout with them know this to be a fact literally!

I am a mom to the most wonderful 2 ½ year old little girl (I am not just saying this because she is mine, this is a fact). She truly is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. I absolutely love this little girl to death and I have no idea what I ever did without her. However, there are times when she can be a real pain.

I am sure you all know by now that I love to workout. Not just running, anything that gets me moving I pretty much love to do. Being a mother can make it hard to do at times, well not the moving part I think once you become a parent you never stop moving after all we have to chase our little stinkers everywhere. On Sunday the sun came out for the first time in weeks and I decided it was a great day to go for a run. My husband was on reserve duty and my mother who came by for the weekend was gone so it was just me and my little darling. Unfortunately the jogging stroller has a major alignment issue right now so that was not an option, so my solution was to hit the track. The track is fenced in (no escaping toddler) and there was plenty of area for Amanda to play while mommy ran, and of course the park across the street would make a good bribe to get her to be good so I could run (bribes are a parents secret weapon, we have to have one ready at all times).

When I asked Amanda if she wanted to go running with mommy she lit up, she loves to run. So we got ready and off to the track we went. I got us all set up in a spot with toys, snacks, and drinks. Amanda wanted to run for a while so I took off with her around the track. She made it about half way then wanted me to hold her, so I had to run half the track carrying an extra 30 pounds, let’s just say I was not breaking any speed records here. I get back to our stuff and ask Amanda to stay there while I ran around a couple more times. When I came around the last turn she started running towards me with a big grin saying “MOMMY MOMMY” she had her hands up and was so excited, I snatched her up and ran back to our stuff. She then wanted to run around again so I said okay lets go, we get around the turn and she head right to the fence and says “I go slide mommy” while pointing at the park. So I tell her after we run we will go to the park okay baby, let’s go run now. Her response “NO, I GO SLIDE NOW!” at this point she through a fit and I had to run around the track with a screaming and kicking additional 30 pounds. I finally get her to calm down and tell her if she is good and lets mommy run around just a couple more times we will go to the slide. This seemed to work and I got my run in, along with some extra strength training.

So last night Neal and I were doing Yoga with Amanda. She likes us to set up a mat for her and she will join us in some of it (it is really cute). I will say that Yoga with a 2yr old is NOT relaxing. While doing balance postures, Amanda found it very funny to push mommy or daddy so they would fall down; this seemed to really crack her up so she kept at it. Next while twisted up like a pretzel and having my head hanging upside down all of a sudden a little face would be right in mine saying “I WOVE OU MOMMY!” The next thing that Amanda would find funny would be to climb on top of me while I was in different poses. One such pose put me on my back with my feet bent over my head and my feet touching the ground above my head (this just sound wrong doesn’t it?), my little darling then climbed on my legs so I could not get out of the pose and frankly could not breath, Neal was kind enough to stop laughing long enough to rescue me. One hour and a half later we finished our Yoga feeling more frazzled than relaxed.

I love being a mom, and I would not trade it for anything; but there are times when it is a pain. Those of you with kids I am sure you can relate and are thinking been there done that, those without enjoy it while you can because once you have one your life changes for ever. But I will tell you this I would not trade it even for a nice run without tantrums and an extra 30 pounds to carry, or a night of relaxing Yoga.

Another running injury

2010-01-20T14:37:00.000-08:00

One of my biggest flaws is that I am stubborn the next biggest flaw of mine would be that I think I can do anything. Some would say that the second one is not really considered a flaw, but when combined with the first one it is a huge flaw.

I am a fairly new runner, meaning that I just started running about 2 years ago. In that time I have had 2 injuries the first being shin splints, the second was my knee. Both of these injuries were due to pushing too hard to fast. You see in both cases I was training for a race and wanted to do my best, and my best would be to run faster. So I pushed myself to do more speed work and a LOT more hill training. The end result was injuries. I got through the first race, but did not perform at my best, the second race I never got to do I hurt my knee too close to the race and could not recover in time to run it.

So having this experience with running and injuries you would think I would learn my lesson right? WRONG! I did it again, I have another race coming up and I want to do my best so there I go with the speed work again, this time I did cut out the hill training since my race will be in Florida on a flat course. Last week I started to notice my shins were hurting again, not to bad just tender. I decided that they would be fine and ignored them. Then the morning after my snow run this week I had pain when I got out of bed. This is a sure sign that my shins were not getting better and I should do something. Well this is where my flaws come in to play. I decided again to not do anything and continue with my training, I did however start to stretch more (a little too late for this decision I think). Well two days and 2 runs later and I had to stop in the middle of my run because the pain was too bad. So here I am with shin splints again.

For those of you who are following my training on daily mile, you may be thinking but you are not running that much. This would be a correct observation, the difference this time is P90X. There are a few workouts in P90X that I believe has helped the shin splints along quite well (Plyo). The first time I did P90X I had no issues, but I was not training for a half marathon at that time also. So here I am working out 2 or 3 times a day pushing myself in both the P90X and the running and I am injured again. STUBORN, STUBORN, STUBORN. I think if I had eased back in to my mileage and the P90X instead of deciding on Jan 1 that I was going to do both and jumped right in I would not be having issues. But once again I thought I could do it all, hell I have even decided to start the 100 push up challenge too. Can someone please knock some since into me!

So here is the new plan, I am going to take a few days off from running but continue the P90X. Then go back to only running every other day, and ONLY doing speed work one time a week instead of like every run. I will also be icing everyday and taking lots of vitamin I (Ibuprofen for those of you who did not know what vitamin I was). Then I will start the running again and hope the shin splints at the very least don’t get worse. I am also going to really start thinking about minimalist running so that maybe I no longer have to deal with these issues and can push as hard as I want to. I think a pair of Vibram FiveFingers are in my near future.

Running in the Snow!

2010-01-17T16:38:00.000-08:00

So the plan today was to get out and do a 9 mile run. I usually do my long runs first thing in the morning, but we had freezing fog and the weather man kept talking about the sun coming out today so I decided to wait it out. I ended up getting some chores done in the morning and even went to the running store to stock up on fuel supplies. So after I get everything done and eat some lunch, the fog is still there and it started to look like I was just going to have to run in it. So I got ready to go and headed out to my favorite trail.

On the way to the park the sun came out and that really brightened my mood. There is nothing like a nice run in the sun (well unless it is 90 degrees out then there is nothing like a run in the shade). I get to the park and start my stretches then put my fuel belt and iPod on and head to the trail. To my utter horror the trail is totally covered in snow. I was shocked, I mean it has been above freezing for a couple days, yeah there is still snow on the ground but this is a paved trail. I thought it would be melted or maybe plowed (I know here is another stupid winter thing the Floridian did, just something else to add to my duh what were you thinking list)

Well now I am at the trail the day is mostly gone so I say what the heck let’s give it a try. Man that first mile my calves were on fire. I knew there was no way I was going to make 10 miles in this so I headed out for 1 mile then headed back to the car. I decided that I should at least give it 4 miles and see how I felt then. So I left the fuel belt in the car this time stretched out my calves some more and grabbed my camera because I thought no one would believe I really ran in this if I did not have pictures of it.

I decided to head out in the opposite direction and see if the trail was any better that way. Nope same thing, snow covered and in some spots up to my ankles. Oh well it was worth a shot. My legs finally stopped hurting real bad and I started to actually enjoy the run. I am curious though, is there a certain form or stride for snow running? I found myself running like I was running through tires, I am sure I looked pretty stupid. There were a few spots where some of the snow had melted and I found myself really looking forward to those where I could run normal without all the slipping and sliding or knee rises. This snow running is a little confusing for this Florida girl.

After another couple miles I decide that I could do more so I head out for another 2 and now I am feeling like I got this snow thing down. In all but the deepest places I can actually run a little normal now except when I slip and slide that is. I kind of have a stride going, and am enjoying the sound my feel make as they crunch in the snow. As I get to 5 my legs are getting pretty tired and I start to feel that this is going to be my last mile. I am wishing at this point that I had not left the fuel belt in the car; I think if I could have fueled up a little maybe I could have made the 9 or at least another 2. Oh well lessons learned. I made it 6 miles in the snow on my first ever snow run. Granted this run was not planed as a snow run, but I had fun with it. It is things like this that really make me feel like a real runner. I mean come on who but a runner would say hey the trail is covered in snow let’s see what it is like to run in that! I know I am not the first and will not be the last person to run in snow, but I am glad I had my chance and now I know it is not that bad and I know I will do it again. I have a much greater appreciation for all of you who run in the snow; it is defiantly harder to run in but can be a lot of fun too!

The Winter Blues

2010-01-16T06:21:00.000-08:00

Well this week has not been such a great week. Basically the whole week I have felt sluggish, tired and totally unmotivated. It started out with me feeling sick, then just moved on to me not wanting to do anything. I got in my P90X workouts but really slacked off on my running. The motivation was just not there this week. Heck the motivation has not been there for much of anything except sitting around doing nothing. My house is a mess, and I have not really cooked dinner much this week.

So some of the things going on this week have just been crazy. As most of you know I have 2 jobs my regular full time job and a part-time job. Well my part-time job called last week to let me know they made an error and my pay check bounced. The assured me that they were very sorry and were totally at fault here and were sending me out a new check. So I get the new check at the same time I get my current paycheck in the mail, so now I have a month’s worth of pay checks and am ready to hit the bank so I can pay some bills. Before I ever even make it to the bank I find out that the checks are no good there is still no money in the accounts and I cannot cash the checks. Well let’s just say this has done a lot to keep my mood dull this week. It is now the weekend and there is still no money in the accounts to cash the checks. I am still not sure what I am going to do about this job, part of me just wants to quit, the other part knows we need the money (well if we ever get the money). I have been assured for the 3rd time that the money will be there Monday, I have no expectations of that but we will see I guess.

Another damper on the week is my wonderful daughter has decided that she is ready to test her independence and has been perfecting the art of the tantrum. There has not really been one day this week where we have not had a mind blowing tantrum. This kid is stubborn and she really knows how to hold out. I am now to the point of just ignoring her when she is having them. I have tried everything else and nothing has worked so this is the last step before we send her off to military school if they will take her (this is a joke people, don’t freak out).

So those are just some of the factors going on this week, the last one is just cabin fever. I am a work at home mom so I am home all day. I am also a total winter hater so I don’t get out much when the weather is bad, you put those two together along with the bad winter he have had and you got me stuck in this house for almost a month straight. I can’t take it anymore. I am an outdoors person; the sunshine makes me happy it recharges my batteries. I did make it out one day this week and had the best 5 mile run of my life. I am starting to think that had a lot to do with just getting out.

So I have decided that I need to get the heck out of this house, so I am taking my daughter out for a girls day. I have no idea what we are going to do, but as long as we are not home that is good for me. I am also secretly hoping that a bonding day may help with the tantrums but not sure if that will work on a 2 yr old. I need to start figuring out something to do that gets me out of the house more. It looks like the weather is warming up a bit and the ice has started to melt so more outside runs maybe in my future. But what other things are there to do in the winter? I will have to start finding something or get some airline miles and start flying south for the winter like the birds.

The Sole F80 Review

2010-01-11T16:57:00.000-08:00

I recently purchased the Sole F80 Treadmill. After many discussions (for those who can’t read between the lines, this means fights) with my husband about the dire need of a treadmill living in this frozen tundra he moved me too, I started my search for the perfect mill for me. A lot of my research was pretty easy a friend recommended that I check out the site treadmilldoctor.com for reviews on most of the treadmills out there. This site is great; I could see what seems like a good buy, what is the best treadmill in a price range and stuff like that. But now I had to figure out what my price range was and what exactly I wanted in a treadmill, because once I get one it will have to last me years.

From everything I was finding on treadmills, there is a huge difference if you want to run on one or just walk. That huge difference has a lot to do with price, all those treadmills you see that cost about $500 are not made for runners. The motors can’t handle it, the belt is not long enough, and the belts tend to slip after a while. What I found was that if you are looking for a running treadmill you need to start at $1,000 and up.

Now came deciding on features, wow people you can get a treadmill with almost anything these days. From heart rate monitors a virtual screen with a virtual runner to run different trails. Crazy the stuff you can get, but of course the more stuff you get the higher the price goes. I finally decided that what I wanted was a heart rate monitor strap not the hand holds (I mean come one try running and holding those things it is a pain in the Arse), an ipod hook up, and a fan would be nice.

OK, so now I finally had an idea of what I could spend and what I wanted then my search began. I read a ton of reviews and finally decided that the Sole F80 was the treadmill for me. It has an older sister the F85 that I was checking out also for about $500 more; the only difference is a larger motor and larger running surface. Granted those things are important for runners, but what the F80 had was perfect for me. You see I am not a fast runner and I am sort so the 3.0 horsepower motor and the 20x55 running surface is just fine for me.

Now I am sure you are wondering just what I think of it. All I can say people, is it was LOVE at first run. This thing rocks. The motor is quiet, the belt is soft and smooth, the speakers are clear and loud, the heart rate strap is accurate. The only down side is the fans kinda suck. Truth be told I don’t even feel them when they are on. But I can live with that. One of the best features this treadmill has is controls are the arms so you don’t have to reach up to the display if you want to speed up or down or increase or decrease the incline. This makes it a lot easier to change everything during a run. I have used several treadmills at different gyms and have always hated the heart rate grips. If I wanted to check my HR I had to grab those stupid things and hold one for a couple minutes to get a reading and most of the time it is not accurate anyway. Well this treadmill has the grips which I don’t think are very accurate at least not while running but it also has a heart strap monitor. So before your run you just put it on and you have an accurate reading for the whole run…. LOVE IT!!

So to break it down for you, this is a very reasonable priced runner’s treadmill. The average price is $1,500 new. Here are the specs.

Specifications:
• Assembled Dimensions: 33 by 75 by 58 inches (W x L x H)
• Folded Dimensions: 68 by 43 inches (H x D)
• Motor: 3.0 horsepower
• Speed: 0.1 to 12 miles per hour
• Elevation: 0 to 15%
• Deck: 1-inch Whisper
• Belt: 2-ply
• Running surface: 20 by 55 inches
• Roller: 2.75 inches
• Fold-up: Easy Assist Fold
• Pulse Grip
• Heart Rate Control
• Heart Rate Chest Strap Included
• Display Type: LED
• Six-Window Display
• Color: Red
• Accessory tray
• Six Standard Programs
• Two User-Defined Programs
• Two Heart Rate Programs
• Quick speed/elevation buttons: 12
• Speed/elevation in handles
• Built-in cooling fans
• Weight capacity: 350 pounds

So basically I would totally recommend this treadmill to anyone who wants one.

Are we as runners ever happy?

2010-01-10T12:43:00.000-08:00

Are we as runners ever happy? A blog one of my friends Bethany wrote really has got me thinking lately. She mentioned in it that once she completed the ultimate running goal a Marathon that she was left thinking what now? Well this got me thinking, are we as runners ever satisfied with what we can do?

I remember when I first started running and could not even run ¼ mile before I felt like I was going to die. My goal at the time was to run a 5k. Well I did that so then I had to have another goal, then another and another. Now I know that part of life is setting goals and striving to reach them then setting more, but is there an end?

The reason this has gotten to me so much is because it has really made me think about my running. If you asked me if I was happy with my running I would answer yes without a doubt. But sitting back and really thinking about it I would have to say no absolutely not. Currently I have no running goals, I want to try and have another baby this year so there is not much I can really plan for, but I am still not happy with my running. 2 years ago I would have never believed that I could run as much or as fast as I am running now, but nope still not happy. I want to run faster, I want to run longer, and I want to run more.

I am always the first to admit that I am a slow runner; I tell everyone this and have accepted that fact. Well people here is the truth, I have not accepted it, I am pissed off about it. I want to be faster, I am embarrassed to run with people because I hold them back with my slow pace. Do I want to run a 2hr Marathon, hell yeah but I know that is not going to happen although a 4hr one would be nice. I think I always pretend that I am OK with my pace because it makes it easier to deal with. I do my speed work, but my pace does not seem to change much. I don’t want to just accept the fact that I am slow, I want to be faster a 9min pace would make me happy. But I know once I reached that I would want an 8min pace. Ahh the never ending goal.

As far as running longer, I am just amazed that I have gone as far as 14 miles at one time. I never in my wildest dreams would have ever thought I could do that… but I did. Of course next is the Marathon, the big 26.2 miles of running glory. I wonder once that is complete if that will be enough for me or if like Bethany I will be left feeling like what’s next? I know some runners that move on to Ultra’s 50k, 50miles, and 100miles. Or there are the runners who decide to do 1 marathon in every state, Or ones that go for the BQ (Boston Qualifying time), I even know many who move on to Triathlons, but I am not sure if I have met any runners who say OK I did 26.2 now I am done. Are there any who do? So what will happen when I do 26.2, will I be happy with it or will I want to do more? Will I ever just be happy and content with what I can do or what I have done? Don’t mistake me here, I am very proud of what I have done and what I can do, I’m just not content with it. Maybe that is it, we runners are proud and happy with what we do and can do we just are not content with it once it is done. Maybe we just have to see what our bodies can really do, what we can do if we dig deep and push harder than we thought we could.

Well the Marathon goal is out for me till I have another baby, but I am curious to what will be next for me after that. I am sure there will be something lurking behind that finish line, what will it be?

This foreign thing called winter

2010-01-08T13:03:00.000-08:00

Now really you all did not think I would start a blog and not put something on here about the COLD WINTER we are having did you?

So as you all know I am from Miami Florida, about as far south as you can get and still be in the US. Well we moved to Tonganoxie, KS (try saying that 3 times fast) about 1 ½ years ago. I will tell you, I love it here. The people are nicer, there is more to see, the traffic is not bad (OK there is no traffic compared to Miami), we are in the country so we have land (the houses in Miami have maybe 3 feet between each house), we have wild animals that come to visit, all in all I love it. Then there is this foreign thing call winter that keeps happening. I know most of you are like give me a break Tracey it is not that bad there. I totally understand that, but you all need to understand how it is to grow up in Miami. I mean really people there is not winter none, it does not happen ever… sometimes it may get cold but never for long before it is back in the 70’s.

For many of you it must be hard to believe there is a place with no winter and people may not understand what winter is; but it is true. Growing up in Miami you don’t know things that the rest of the country know, and people from the rest of the country don’t share the information thinking that it is common since…well people it’s not. There are many things that I have done that you all will think is stupid, but people who are from Miami would understand. First thing, we Summer folk put water in our windshield wiper fluid because water is free and it works just fine, well no one told me that you CAN’T do that in winter, Let’s just say when you try to squirt your windshield all it does is create a layer of Ice on your windshield so you can’t see a thing…URGH frustrating I tell you. Second thing, I never heard of an ice scraper thingy and of course did not have one for the Ice on the windshield. Third thing, being from Miami there is a thing we call Wash and go. All the hair stylists there understand this, we get hair cuts that are wash and go cuts. This means we wash our hair and then we go, no styling, and NO DRYING. This is something you absolutely CAN NOT DO in winter, but of course no one ever told me. I learned this lesson when my hair froze solid, it really froze people my hair was hard as a rock WTF. Now all of you not from Miami are thinking what an idiot, all of you from Miami are thinking I would have done that too. You see people we really are totally clueless about this stuff, there needs to be a winter handbook to prepare us summer people for this foreign thing called winter.

The Beginning

2010-01-08T11:33:00.000-08:00

Well this is it; I decided to jump on the Blogging bandwagon. It seems anymore that everyone has a blog. I have always wondered why people had blogs, and then I started reading some and realized that it is a great way to get your thoughts out there and get things off your chest. I have never been much of a writer; I have struggled with spelling and grammar since I was in Kindergarten. Because of the embarrassment of it I just hated writing, if I had to I knew I would spell everything wrong and my grammar would be wrong. So I decided at a young age that writing sucked and just did not do it. Now look at me with a blog. If you are reading this please excuse my spelling and grammar OK.

Pretty much all of the blogs I follow are from runners. Running has become a HUGE part of my life. It is funny how over the years your life can change so much. Growing up I was the smoker, drinker, burnout, party girl, who never worked-out at all. Working-out was not even in my vocabulary; it was all about going out and parting. Don’t get me wrong here, I had fun and although things have change drastically in my life I would not trade those years for anything. But today all I think about is exercise; I want to work out all the time. I think the big change came when I got my divorce. I was so unhappy back then I guess you can say I hit bottom. My salvation was the gym. I joined a bodybuilding gym by my dad’s (I moved back home after the divorce) and started going at 4:30am Mon-Fri. I was overweight and had no clue what I was doing, but I was going to get in shape. The only people at the gym at that time were people who were serious about working out, I mean if you get up at 4:30 to workout you are going to get in a good workout or you mine as well have slept in. I don’t know what they all thought of the short fat girl who obviously had no clue what she was doing, but after a couple of months we would all talk. Then they all started to train me, show me what they did and how to do things the right way. Hey free personal trainers, I guess they realized I was not going away so they should try and help be before I broke everything in the gym.

This is where my love with working out started, and when my life changed. I ended up quitting smoking because I was pissed that I worked out so much and still was out of breath climbing 3 stupid flights of stairs, so the smoking had to go. Then this all just became a part of my life. I finally got into running after I had my baby. I was talking smack with some people from work about running a 5k and then realized that I better start training if I did not want to look stupid. I ran most of that race with y sister, my now husband and pushing my daughter in her stroller. This is where my Love of running started.

Life changes, we gotta learn to roll with it!