Taking a Trip Down Memory Lane

At night when I am having trouble falling asleep, I try to relax my mind by thinking about running. I conjure up memories of previous miles ran and some of my favorite running experiences.  This method tends to work most times and I drift off falling asleep as I'm "running" free. 

I was looking through my keepsakes the other day and I came across two photos that made me smile. These photos were taken when I lived overseas and I was really having a blast with my running.



The photo above was taken at the finish of my second marathon.  I ran the Venice marathon for the first time in 1998, then I ran it a second time in 1999. For the first year  that I ran it, I followed a training program from a Running Times magazine. The following year I worked with a coach/mentor and he really whipped me into shape.This marathon wasn't even a "goal" race for me.  I had been training to run the ARMY 10 miler which had taken place earlier that month.  I didn't do as well as I had hoped at the 10 miler. This marathon was a total redemption run for me. I qualified for the Boston Marathon but, I didn't have the resources to run the race. It took me almost nine years to qualify for Boston again. 

This next photo was taken at the finish of Montefortiana. This was my first half marathon. It had taken place in January of 2000. The race was run in Northern Italy and I remember it being freezing cold.  It was one of the most spectacular courses that I had ever run. It went through quaint villages and beautiful farm lands. It was a hilly course with a mixture of roads and dirt trails.  I had finished 8th woman overall and I received a neat little backpack filled with treats and a bottle of wine.  

I hope someday to return to Europe to run one of these events again. 

27 weeks pregnant. Not much running going on over here.

I have reached the end of the road with running. My hats off to the ladies that are able to run through out their entire pregnancy. (I'm looking at you Hungry Runner Girl)

I was so looking forward to the weather cooling off so I could workout on my lunch break. It has cooled off but,  my motivation has taken a nose dive.  I'm happy if I get to go out for a two mile walk. Most the time I will find errands to run so I don't even bother with working out. The weekends are a little better. I'm going out for walks while pushing my son in the stroller and I get exercise from chasing him around the playground at the park. 

I tried running last week and I was super uncomfortable less than a quarter mile in. I just felt so much pressure on my bladder and the last thing I want to do is piss my pants while out on a run.

This is usually my favorite time of year when it comes to running. There are tons of races and the weather is perfect. I feel kind of left out. Earlier this year I was invited to be part of a fast Ragnar team for the Las Vegas Ragnar race. I had to give up my spot when I found out I was pregnant. To be honest I'm not a real big fan of Ragnar. The idea of spending 24 hours in a smelly van and running doesn't sound fun to me. I was super jealous though when I found out that the team I was going to be on won their division.



Nice Work Sin City Balls and Dolls

The Rock n Roll Las Vegas marathon is next month. I'm excited for friends that are running. At this point I'm daydreaming about future races and running goals for the future. 

 I'm going to take the plunge next year and I'm finally going to buy a Garmin. I'm happy that they have made a watch cheap enough to meet my price point. $129.99 is just about affordable for me.  I think having a new fancy running watch will light a fire under my ass to get me motivated to run. 

Feelings about pregnancy weight gain and a 4 mile run

A little over two weeks ago I went out to participate in a local track club race.  The weather is cooling off and the mornings are nice.  I didn't have any specific goals for this event. I just wanted to be able to run the whole way.  I lined up in the back and when the horn went off to start the race I took my time and made sure that I was careful. I kept my eyes focused on the ground in front of me and I kept my pace steady. My splits for each mile were 9:17, 9:23, 9:20, & 8:42.  Towards the end I had plenty of energy left over and I just wanted to finish the run. I'm happy with my time for sure. Since then I have been run/walking about 3-4 times a week mostly pushing my son in his stroller. 

Running is starting to feel pretty awkward. My body feels like it belongs to someone else. The baby is starting to sit really high up and it puts pressure on my lungs and it makes my breathing a little bit harder. My stride is changing because of the extra weight in my belly. I'm hoping that I can still run for a few more weeks but, I don't think I"m going to be able to run all the way through this pregnancy.  I'm getting worried because I'm afraid that I'm just going to blow up like a balloon once I stop running.  But, I can't force my body to do something it can't do.  I'm also really going to miss the endorphins I get from running. 

My priority is obviously the baby.  I found out that I am having a little girl. Her health and safety override any feelings of vanity that I may have.  Feeling her kick and squirm around really makes me happy. It seems like she is more active than my son was.  I think I am having a mini pity party today because I am so tired. Even though I got eight hours of sleep last night I could  put my head on my desk and take a nap right now.

92 degrees in Las Vegas is a really nice day

This last month has gone by in the blink of an eye.  I haven't been too motivated to blog about running much. I was really in a funk for about three weeks over losing my beloved dog.  If I thought about it enough I would start to cry.  I have a lot of good memories of her and I think I have turned a corner with my grieving.

Being a couch potato

This picture is from 2009 and is one of my favorites.

Flashback from 1996

In other news I just celebrated another year of being married.  My husband and I reached the 16 year mark last weekend.   We got married so young and we have grown up together over the years. Most people are shocked when they hear how long I have been married. We celebrated by going out to dinner while a babysitter watched our son. 

Since this is a running blog I will return to regularly scheduled programming and tell you about my running.  We are finally out of the dog days of summer.  The day time high out here is still 94 degrees but, when you go from 105 to 95 it really does seem a lot cooler. I have been running/walking with the stroller. It has gotten so much harder to push my son around. He weighs 27lbs and with the extra weight I am carrying it is much harder to run.  I was debating on weather or not to buy an actual running stroller or maybe even a double jogger. But, the thought of pushing two kids at the same time seems scary right now. I think my son may be too old by the time I'm ready to take the new baby out running. So, maybe I will just buy a single jogging stroller and take turns pushing each kid.

These mountains are so pretty

With my back to the mountains

I did manage to get a few solo runs in this month. At the beginning of the month I ran 5.5 miles around my neighborhood and it was wonderful.  It was pretty early so the sun wasn't out in full force. I took my time and I even took a few pictures.

The other day I went out for another 5.5 mile run. I had been getting discouraged because stroller running had gotten so much harder over the course of the last month or two. I was worried that  my running days were coming to an end until I deliver the baby and recover. Instead I was treated to a great run. I was able to run the whole 5.5 miles. I only had to stop at red lights and I only needed one bathroom break. I was also thrilled to be running at 9:30 pace.

Last but, not least I am now 21 weeks pregnant. I still feel pretty good and I'm trying to stay as active as possible. I'm starting to feel the baby wiggle around and it makes me so happy.

All Dogs go to Heaven



From her younger days

Her last photo. She was always so photogenic





Bella 2009



Bella as a puppy



I lost a very dear member of my family yesterday. My beloved Italian Greyhound passed away.  I had my dog for over ten years and I am so devastated



We purchased our dog at a time in my life where, I really needed a friend. My husband and I had moved to Phoenix, Arizona at the beginning of 2002, so he could attend a technical school. We didn’t have any family or friends living in that town. We were also ready to become pet owners.  We purchased Bella when she was just a puppy from a pet store. I was ignorant to the fact that most pet store dogs come from puppy mills. We just fell in love with how pretty she was and she would be a great apartment dog because someone would always be home with her and she wouldn’t be a very large dog.  We chose the name “Bella” because we had lived in Italy and it had such a pretty ring to it.

For the first couple of years she was a great dog to take along for a short run. She could handle short runs (3-4 miles).    She also enjoyed daily walks. Over the years the pads on her feet grew worn so she wasn’t able to run very far, she was a much better sprinter. Eating was probably her second favorite thing to do. She loved hanging around my son when he was eating in his highchair waiting for food to drop on the floor.  She also enjoyed sunbathing outside.

In 2008 we found a stray shitzu and she became a great companion for our Bella. 

I noticed earlier this year that she was losing a little bit of weight. Last month I took her to our Veterinarian/Groomer for grooming and her rabies shot.  During her wellness exam they had noticed that she lost over 3lbs in the last six months. That’s quite a bit of weight for her lean frame.  We were given the option to do blood work and an X-ray. My husband and I weighed the pros and the cons and we declined to do the X-ray and blood work. We figured that we would keep her as comfortable as possible.  We also were naive and we figured that she would live for another year or two.

Two weeks ago our girl started having trouble keeping her dog food down. We began feeding her small meals of scrambled eggs and steak.  These last few days she barley ate at all.  As her appetite diminished so did her activity level.  I began to worry when she no longer wanted to go outside to sunbathe.  It was heartbreaking to see her loose her beautiful muscle tone.  We knew it was time when she started to appear disoriented. We didn’t want to see her suffer anymore.  I made the appointment with the vet. It was one of the hardest decisions I had to make. My husband and I went to the veterinarian’s office with Bella and we were with her during her final moment of life.  I’m glad that she is no longer suffering but, I am shocked at how fast her decline in health and quality of life was. ..

 It seemed like just a month ago she was running around in the back yard chasing birds and begging for scraps from my son’s highchair.

August in a nutshell




Happy to be at a wedding

My August got off to a great start. I ran 5 miles on the treadmill on the 1st but, then it really went off the tracks.  The next day after my 5 miler I took a rest day and I treated myself to a manicure/pedicure. That night I felt tickle in my throat. I was looking forward to attending a wedding that weekend so I was determined to "push through" whatever cold I might have.  My husband and I haven't gotten dressed up for an event in months so, I was really looking forward to my friend's wedding.  

One rest day turned into two weeks of not being able to do much.  After the wedding my cold hit me full force. I went to  see my doctor and it turned out that I had bronchitis.  I was given antibiotics and I felt miserable. It's really hard to handle cold symptoms without over the counter medicine like Nyquil.  A week later I went back to the doctor for a follow up visit I had started to get better, but my sinuses were still hurting. I was almost positive that I had sinusitis as well.  The doctor diagnosed that I had a facial spasm on my right cheek. That spasm was causing the pain and not letting my sinuses drain properly.  I had been hoping that the doctor would be able to prescribe a pain medicine that was safe for me and the baby. Instead I received an OMM (Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine)  treatment.  I had never had this kind of treatment before and it was amazing. The best way I can describe it is that the Dr. worked on specific sections of my scalp, face, neck, and shoulders using resistance, and pressure release techniques.  The doctor worked on me for about 30 minutes and when I was done my sinuses felt much clearer.  I also didn't need any pain relievers or additional antibiotics.  By the next day I was able to get a light workout in. I ran 3 miles and stretched.  

My body is defiantly changing. I'm 15 weeks now and my belly has started to "pop".  Taking two weeks off from running was  a good thing. It gave me a chance to recover from my illness but, I really missed my endorphins.  Also my running fitness is starting to decline a little. I used to be able to knock out 5 miles at lunch time. Now I am happy to run 3 miles and run/walk 1 extra mile.   Over the weekend I was able to run 5 miles with a few walk breaks. It was pretty warm outside so  I didn't want to try to run any farther. I am so ready for the Summer to be over. 

If you would like to know a little bit more about Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, I have included two links below.

Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment

AOA-American Osteopathic Association
    

Running Through the Dirt

source

I signed up for a small low key 5k two weeks ago.  It was being held at the Sunrise picnic area, which is less than 5 minutes from home.  I figured it would be nice to go out and be social with other runners. This race was intended to be a tune up for next months Legends of Cross Country race. This race would be off road to simulate a cross country course. The Las Vegas Track club is really a great resource for our local runners. They use these low key races to raise money for scholarships at the end of the season for local area high school students. There were also lots of younger runners out there that morning getting ready for the upcoming cross country season.

The conditions for this race were not ideal. It was really hot and the course was in the dirt with gravel and small rocks. I knew this would not be a "fast" course. My goal was to be really careful and have fun.  When the gun went off the younger runners took off like jackrabbits. I kind of eased my way into it. I kept my eyes focused on the ground right in front of me. It was really rocky.  I almost felt like I was tippy toeing over the rocks but, I figured that I can't be too careful.  When I was pregnant two years ago I had a really bad scare. I was about 18  weeks pregnant and I was running with a friend. We were chit chatting and I took my eyes off the sidewalk for a minute and I tripped over a raised edge of sidewalk and I fell hard on my belly. It was one of the scariest things that had ever happened to me.  Fortunately the baby was just fine but, I was really shaken up by the experience and now I'm just extra careful..

I brought my trusty Nathan handheld water bottle with me for the race. It was loaded full of ice water and I used as a spray gun to pour water down my back, front and on top of my head.  I was getting close to the turn around point and the leaders were running back in. It felt good to cheer on the other younger runners. It reminds me of what it was like to be a teenager running cross country.  I'm glad I started off slow. I didn't feel like I was pushing my self too hard and I had energy to chase down a few runners towards the end.  I finished 26:06. After the race I talked to a few of the other runners but, the heat was getting to me and I went home soon after the race.

I didn't race at all during  my first pregnancy. I thought I would be too competitive and I wouldn't know how to back off. I was also foolishly vain, I didn't want to have slower times show up under my results list.  Since then I have learned that it may be awhile before I am back to where I used to be. I may never be back where I used to be. But, to sit on the sidelines and not participate in anything is just lame.  I really enjoy going to these low key races.  I hope there are at least one or two more this Fall.

Running while pregnant, the second time around

Lately I have been dealing with first trimester nausea and feeling tired all of the time. I feel as though I am over the hump with the nausea.  The tired feeling is still there but, I'm just learning to deal with it.

Running is going well. I'm mostly indoors on the treadmill. It's nice to be in an air conditioned room with a big fan blowing on you.  Today I ran 5 miles in about 43 minutes. I've been doing my 5 mile treadmill run a couple of times a week. It's a progression run where I start out slow and I increase the speed on the treadmill every so often.   The hardest part is getting dressed and getting started.  I almost talked myself out of working out today but, I managed to get it done. My motivation to keep running is the fact that it's not going to get any easier as the months go on. I'm not going to wake up at 6 months pregnant and  feel like running 5 miles at  8 minute pace. It's not so bad either, once the legs get going and I find my rhythm I have a really good time.  

Over the weekend I tried to recreate the magic that was the solo 8 miler that I ran last week. I set out to run at least six miles without the stroller. I was a bit overexcited and I took off too fast for the first two miles. I felt it during the middle miles, and I ended up running just six miles. The weather in Las Vegas has cooled off (it's only temporary), but the humidity has increased and it sucked the energy out of me during the run.

During my last pregnancy I made it to about 5 1/2 months before I had to stop running.  I think it was because I wasn't watching my calories too closely and I gained more weight than I should have. This time around I'm trying to be more mindful  of my diet. I would like to run as long as possible (within reason). I also plan on purchasing a maternity belt. It's  almost like a sports bra for your tummy.

I think with this pregnancy I am having more "fun" with my running. On the weekends when I push my son in his stroller it is near impossible to run faster than 10 min miles. So I'm not worried about how fast I'm running. During my first pregnancy I didn't know how to slow it down. I think I expected too much from myself.  I started reading fitness/running blogs in the Summer of 2010. I was looking for "training tips for running while pregnant".  I was surprised at how many blogs I was able to find. But, it can be a slippery slope when you see someone running at 35 weeks pregnant and you think, "that should be me too".  Or when you seen someone running the Boston Marathon 3 months postpartum.  I think my views on recovery were a little skewed.    It will be quite a while before I will seriously race again. I will miss the competition but, I'm not going to put crazy pressure on myself to get back to my pre baby race times.

8 miles solo. It's been a long time

I had the best run the other day.  I don't get to run outside very often, so I really got to appreciate the joy of running last Friday morning.

Summer in Las Vegas. It is what it is......  And what it is; HOT really fricking HOT!! So hot, that I have not been outside to run by myself in almost two months. During the week my son is up at 5:30am so unless I want to run at 4:30am (that's not going to happen) I am usually stuck on the treadmill at lunchtime. On the weekends I take my son with me in his stroller.  My husband does air conditioning and refrigeration,  this time of year is the busy season for him.  For the last month he has been picking up work on Saturday mornings.  When he's not working he will be doing chores around the house (sweeping the pool, trimming trees, & other yard work).  I feel guilty leaving him with our son. The farthest I have ever taken my son out running is 6 miles.  It's just too hot to be outside running after 8:30am.

Total lifesaver in the Summer

This weekend I had my parents and my mother-in-law staying with me for the weekend. I was excited because I knew I would have someone to watch my little guy. On Friday morning I filled up my Nathan Handheld bottle full of ice with a splash of water and I headed out.

I wanted to run at least 6 miles.  Because I'm pregnant I knew I had to be careful, it was 85 degrees when I left the house and the temps were climbing fast.  I was about two and half miles into my route when I decided to make this an 8 mile out and back run. My motivation was that there would be a gas station at mile 4, where I could refill my bottle with ice. It was good motivation! The climb up the hill to the gas station was tough.  I took a few rest breaks. There is no need to get my heart rate too high up.


When I arrived at gas station I realized that I forgot to bring money with me, but the lady working at the gas station was very nice and she let me refill my bottle with ice for free.

The ride back home was great. 4 miles of gradual downhill running. I also get a wonderful view of the Strip. I never get tired of the view.

These pictures were taken last winter but, it's from the
 same route I ran on Friday

I felt so happy, relaxed, and grateful to enjoy something that I sometimes take for granted. Even with the heat it was one of those perfect runs.

There's always a first time for everything

Photos courtesy of LVTC

Saturday was a day of firsts. I raced while pushing my son in his stroller for the first time and I ran a race, just for "fun".  The heat in Las Vegas is pretty brutal right now. I'm also feeling super sluggish all the time. I wanted to shake up my routine a little bit. I also needed something to motivate me to workout.   Working out feels like a chore right now, but when it's over I'm so glad I did it. 

The Las Vegas Track Club was offering a timed 4 mile run out on the same bike course where I ran a 10k in February.   My husband had to work on Saturday morning so, I knew that I would be bringing my son with me. I really like this bike trail but, it is pretty isolated and I wouldn't want to run out here all by myself.  Even though this race was going to be for fun I still got that nervous / excited feeling that I get before a race. I love that feeling.

I got there about 5 minutes before the start, I signed up and, I lined up in the back. My goal was to finish the 4 miles in around or under 40 minutes. I didn't want to push myself too hard in this heat and if I needed to stop to walk I would. 

The first half mile was quiet and I ran past a guy and I heard him say "oh great I'm being passed by someone pushing a stroller". I just kinda laughed it off, 50 yards later he passed me. 100 yards later I passed him.  

During the first mile, I'm the shorty pushing the stroller.

At mile one my hat started to come off my head and my kid dropped his sippy cup.  I also noticed that I was running an 8:40 mile (a bit faster than I planned). I had to stop to pick up the sippy cup and toss my hat into my stroller basket. The guy behind me caught me and I could tell he was happy about it. At the turn around point I saw him again and I joked "don't let me catch you" and he responded with a "oh hell no". I think the teasing was good natured but, a part of me wished that I would have caught him. On the way out we were running with the breeze behind us on the way back we were running into the breeze. It felt much harder on the way back.   My arms and back got tired before my legs did. I stopped to get a drink of water at mile 3 then, I took off again.   I finished 38:11 (9:33 per mile). 

I'm so glad that I decided to do this. It was a lot of fun. It was nice to cheer on runners at the turn around point and I enjoyed the change of scenery.

Exciting News!

When I first started this blog a few months ago I decided at the time to not share my family and home life with you. I'm not too comfortable putting pictures of myself and my family on a public blog.  I also didn't want this blog to become a place where I vent about everyday life (I'm not that interesting).  Running has been a passion/hobby of mine for most of my life. I figured I would have enough to say just talking about that.  However, my news that I'm going to share, will definitely effect my running for the next year or two. 

I just found out that I am expecting my 2nd child. I'm still pretty early in my pregnancy. My estimated due date is February 8, 2013 and my first Dr.'s appointment is next month. This news came as a surprise to my husband and I but, nonetheless we are thrilled.  Even though we were not actively trying to get pregnant, we did want our children to be close in age.  They will be about to two years apart.

My little Sammy is going to be
a big brother.

This explains why my running has felt a little bit off lately. I'm tired!  Speaking of running I'm staying indoors on the treadmill during the week, on the weekends I'm leaving the house early for some stroller running. I  don't really have morning sickness, I feel queasy in the afternoons but nothing serious. I'm just a more tired than usual.

My Mini Obsession with the Las Vegas Skyline and, other photos from the neighborhood

Sunrise Mountain

Smart phones are the best. I didn't buy in to the iPhone when it first came out. I was very anti-smart phone. My whole logic behind this was, that I sit in front of a computer all day long, I know how to read a map, and my lame phone already takes decent pictures. Well as time went on my blackberry was going the way of the dodo and I needed a new phone. I've been with T-mobile for many of years. Last year I bought a Motorolla MOTO BLUR phone. It's great for taking pictures of my son and uploading them to sites like Picasa or Facebook.

I don't normally take pictures of myself while I am out running. However, when I am out stroller running it is a different story. I'm not going out to hit certain paces.  I notice my surroundings a lot more.

Last year I moved to a neighborhood further east of the Las Vegas Valley. During my weekend outings I notice the Las Vegas skyline.

I love skylines in general. I think New York City has an amazing skyline. But, I think the Las Vegas Strip has  a great skyline that could easily rival any city in the world.

I took this picture in March one afternoon out for a run.

This picture was from over the weekend.

 I think I need a better camera besides my phone. I think I do a better job of capturing the dirt lot in front of me instead of the skyline.

National Running Day-I totally forgot about it (again).

I'm not a big history or military buff. However, I always associate June 6th with the D-day invasion in Normandy, France during World War II. It was one of the largest military offenses and it turned the tide for the Allied forces during World War II.

I didn't even know national running day existed until last year. Yesterday (June 6th)  was a planned rest day for me. Over the weekend I did some stroller running with my son, on Monday I lifted heavy and I destroyed my legs doing squats and lunges. On Tuesday I ran 7.3 miles on the treadmill in an hour. I've been feeling weird about running lately. I was almost worried that I wouldn't be able to finish the hour before I even got started.  My legs were tired from Monday's workout but, I had some great tunes to rock out with and it felt good. 

Ebb and Flow

Since my shitty race last week I have been taking some much needed "down time". I have been a runner for 20+ years and I have come to realize that not all things are going to be "Crimson and Clover" Have you ever had a race that you trained your butt off and failed to meet your expectations? Or have you entered a race with little to no idea about how you would do, and then you blow your own socks off?

I think I have been in training mode for the last year. Trying to loose the baby weight, thinking about my next race, and trying to be a good runner wife mommy.

Lately I haven't felt like training. So far this week I have been in the weight room twice, and the pool once for cardio. I also took my son out twice for two four mile walks.

One of my favorite guilty pleasures is to listen to Slacker radio and to listen to their "Adult Comedy" station. I put my son in his stroller and I put my ear buds in. I listen to everything from Dane Cook, Eddie Murphy, Artie Lange, Lisa Laminelli, etc. Really raunchy stuff. It's junk food for the brain. I get to zone out and just laugh my ass off.

But back to running. I am so annoyed with the abundance of motivational posters on most running blogs and websites. These images do not impact how I feel about running/training.

source

This skinny lady is running through the Forrest maybe I should go run.

I know this is just a bit of PMS and burnout. I don't have any big races up ahead. I've been pretty rigid with my schedule considering I have a little one. I think I'm just going to take it one day at a time and smell the "roses".  I'm going to enjoy splashing around in the pool and my weekend morning runs with my son.

It will be there when I get back. I'm not taking a break from running or blogging. I'm just taking a break from the seriousness of it all.

Come Run in the Sun. The Good,Bad, and the Ugly.

I'm writing this post quick, fast, and in a hurry.  I don't want to think about this race any longer than I have to.

So, where do I begin? I try to be positive, because I love to run. I also love to race. The race I ran a few days ago was a bust.......Big Time. Is it the end of the world? No. Will I recover?, Yes. OK. On with the post.

Come Run in the Sun is a 10k that I am quite fond of. It's a tough out and back course that I have run twice before with great success. In 2008 I won the race.

Lean and Mean 2008- 43:51. I love my electric blue Mizuno racing flats.

In 2009 I ran the race again, and I have pictures to prove that this is a tough course. I came in 2nd in 2009 with a time of 45:25.

 I didn't run this race in 2010. I just found out I was pregnant so, I didn't want to race.  In 2011 I was still unpacking boxes and dealing with a 4 month old that was way more fun than running up a hill.

This year I thought that this would be another test of my fitness. Plus, (I feel like a dick face for admitting this) but, I thought this would be any easy race where I could place in the top three overall (women's runners) 10k  race.  I ran a 10k in February in  47:10. Since then I have been enjoying my workouts, my schedule is getting easier and  I feel, as though I have been getting faster.  I ran a great half in April and I ran a decent 5k at the beginning of the month.

On Saturday I woke up tired. It was windy and I was asking my self, "Do I want to run this?'. 

I got dressed, ate breakfast, and left the house.  I got to the race site and picked up my bib.  I was still feeling "wonky and off" I took a lap around the track where the race was going to start and I felt like poop, and the strangest thing popped into my mind. "Wow, Dolly you haven't had a bad race in awhile". "Huh, what?' I finished my warm up and lined up behind the front runners. 

The gun went off and I found a good spot to find my groove in. Then we rounded the corner and we headed up the hill.

There were two other female runners with me. We started to climb up the grade. Two miles of straight climbing followed by another mile of rolling hills. I tried to show these ladies who knew the hills best but, I got my ass handed to me on the climbs.

Another picture from the 2009 race. Thank you Daly Costanza for taking the pics. :)

Then the turn around followed by another mile of rolling hills, followed by two miles of downhill thunder on the quads.  Hindsight is always going to be 20/20, but I feel like I had no 'huevos" (balls) during the second half. I was less than a minute back from the leaders on a course that I had smashed in previous years. I finished 49:12.

I finished 3rd overall. Yeah, I accomplished my original goal. But, I feel that this was not a good race mentally for me. I don't normally race with an Ipod for 5k 10k races. I wish I would have had a distraction during the climb. It was a day where I got in my own way.

Again, I feel like an asshole for venting about race times. I also feel like Al Bundy from Married with Children. He loves to talk about his glory days "4 Touch Downs in one game".

1999 and 2009 were some of my best racing days ever!!

  Again hindsight is 20/20 I wish I would have started this blog in 2005. I can't help but want people to know about my past and future potential.  

Distracted drivers suck

My mother's day rocked! But, it got off to a really fucked up start. I had been getting bored with taking my son out to run loops around the park. So for the last two months I have been taking him out for a four mile loop around my neighborhood. On Sunday morning I headed to the park to do a loop around the track. Then I crossed the street to exit the park.I was then walking  on the sidewalk with my stroller. As I was crossing another street, I was running  with my son in the stroller and a Ford pick up truck comes flying around the corner. It almost seemed as if he was speeding up towards me. I know he didn't see either myself or my son. I was able to push my son out of the way and I  narrowly missed being hit by a truck. I screamed out at the top of my lungs. I was terrified of what almost happened. The driver of the truck then hopped out of his vehicle. He was a big burly man and he  started to approach me.  I was so shaken up that I didn't even want to talk to the man. Several people at the park saw what happened and came over to diffuse the situation. I ended up walking back towards home with my son and I walked two miles with him to calm myself down. I didn't want to be a hysterical mess when I came home to my husband.  I dropped my son off and I ran 5 more miles solo.

I have always been a fearless runner when I am out running. But, I am also really careful to face traffic head on, I never cross in front of a car if I know they do not see me and I'm always scanning the road for what's coming up ahead.

I don't want to be afraid to take my son out running. I know he enjoys going out to see the neighborhood. I'm just going to have to take even more precautions when I am out running with him. I am so grateful that we are both safe and sound.

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5k

Photo courtesy of Southern Nevada Susan G. Komen

I want to get this race report out before the details start to become fuzzy.  The morning of the race, I woke up at 5:30 with my son so I could feed him breakfast, eat breakfast myself and leave the house early.

For  breakfast I ate a toaster waffle with a little bit of butter and a tiny amount of syrup. I also threw half of a cliff bar in my purse to snack on before the race.  I left home at 6:30 anticipating that the traffic and parking downtown would be awful. I got  to the Las Vegas downtown area around 6:45 and scored great parking. I had a half hour to kill so I just sat in my car and listened to the radio on my phone. At 7:15 I met up with a runner friend, and we hung out before the race. It really made the time go by much faster. At 7:45 we did our warm up together, and then it was time to head into the corrals.



photo courtesy of Spy on Vegas. I'm the little bit of yellow in the picture.

I was pretty nervous about this race. I was worried about my performance but, the start of this race always scares me. It is a large race and sometimes with big starts there can be a bit of pushing and shoving. I lined up pretty close to the front and my goal was to run a sub 22:00 5k.

The thing I love about 5k's is that they are over before you know it. The first mile I ran it  bit fast for the first 400 meters to get away from the crowds and to find my groove. By the second mile the crowds had thinned out and the lead women were way ahead of me.  I don't really know what my split times were. I'm using a really cheap watch that just acts like a normal stopwatch.

With a mile to go I  just tried to keep my speed constant. I was able to pick off a few runners but, I also got passed by a few runners.  My allergies were still bugging me but, I was able to run fine.

I borrowed this picture from Facebook.  This picture is kind of deceiving.
The lady who is behind me in the picture actually beat me by four seconds.

I crossed the finish line 21:54.  I felt like I was going to barf  right after I crossed the finish line.  I dry heaved a little bit. After I walked for a few moments I was fine. They gave awards out for the top three finishers. I ended up being the 10th woman overall and 2nd in my age group. I am happy to have placed in my age group. I'm even more excited about getting faster and watching my times get lower.

* By the way my runner friend did really well she was 4th woman overall with a time of 20:44. Nice!

I went to the Dr. today

Well I went to my general practitioner today because my allergies are bugging the heck out of me.  In the last year I have had bronchitis and sinusitis due to allergies. 

In previous years I have been able to deal with allergies by taking Claritin or Zyrtec for a few days during the beginning of Spring. Then I become acclimatized and I am fine. I am usually able to run just fine, blowing a few snot rockets here or there.  This year I feel like a pansy.  I went for a run outside last Friday and I gutted out 7 miles. It felt like I was breathing through a straw and when I returned I had a nasty coughing fit followed by spitting up enormous amounts of phlegm. I know this sounds gross, but I wanted to write down my feelings before I change my mind.

I was hoping to get an allergy shot. My husband suffers from terrible allergies (much worse than I).  He got an allergy shot last month and he is fine. Well my Dr. suggested a different route and I have a few medications to try.

I signed up for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 5k this weekend. This race has special meaning for me. Personally, I have not lost any close family members to this horrible disease. I do have an aunt that is a survivor. I also have friends that have lost mothers, sisters, and friends to breast cancer.

This race is also one of the largest 5k's in Las Vegas. I ran this race in 2005, 2007, 2008, & 2010.

In 2010, I was pregnant (4 weeks, but I didn't know it at the time).  Last year so much was going on, my son was only 3 months old and we had just moved into a new home. Talk about hectic.

I am hoping to see what kind of 5k shape I am in. I don't like to enter races just for fun or use them as training runs. I like to push myself as hard as I can. There is something very satisfying in knowing that you have left it all out there on the course.


*My last post got a bit of traffic from the whole Nicole and Gwendolyn craziness. I decided to comment on her blog, because she had some unkind remarks about Deena Kastor. I love all things running, and I am quite fond of Deena. I watched her on TV in 2004 during the Barcelona Olymipics when she won a bronze medal.  She is an inspiration and a class act. I never decided to attack Nicole or call  her any names.  She chose to come to my blog to harass me. Either way, Thank you for stopping by.

Hello Summer In Las Vegas

It's that time of year again. We are now officially in the hot season here in Las Vegas. It seemed like we had one or two pleasant weeks of temp's in the 70's before the ever present sun is now upon us.

 

Last year was a fairly mild summer. We only saw two days hit 110 degrees. For the majority of the peak hot summer days the temps topped out only at 102-104. Usually we don't see 100 degrees until May.  I have lived in the desert going on 10 + years.   Believe it or not 102 is a big difference than 112 degrees.

I honestly believe that the Summer temps are what will make or break a runner out here. This is going to become my treadmill season....

I'm bummed because my days of running outside at lunch time are over.  Even my habitual weekend stroller running will need some improvising over the next few months. Last Saturday I took my son out for our "run" we did 4 miles and we left the house at 8am. He was very warm when we got home, and I felt like a bad mommy. On Sunday we went out again, but we left earlier, and  I put a huge netting over the stroller so it looked like a bee keeper was riding along with me.. I also stopped to drink water and splash water on his little legs and forehead.

Tips for surviving the hot temps:

• Leave early in the morning (I don't have the option to run outside at night, it's too dangerous)
• Bring water with you, or stash water along the course you will be running
• Wear light colored clothing, dark clothing attracts heat
• Wear sunscreen
• Wear a hat or sun visor. (I am a habitual hat wearer) I worry about skin cancer, also another fun trick to try is to dunk your hat in water, then put it in the freezer for a few minutes. Crunchy hat, but it is really nice on a hot day.
• Energy gels or electrolytes are really essential this time of year.   I also wear a "fanny pack" in the hot months (mine is a Nathan so it's not quite as dorky). I carry a gel, money for water, and my phone just in case).

I honestly believe that these brutal summers have made me a stronger runner. Happy Training!

What's next or more like what's not next....

I was hoping to get in another half marathon this summer. The first race I had in mind was the Fontana Day's Half Marathon. This course is crazy fast. It is 6 miles down hill then 7 miles gradual down grade.  I ran this race in 2009 with a friend and we PR'ed big time (1:31:49 for me).  It was also a dirt cheap race, $40 for the half.  No freaking way! Well word spread like a wildfire and the race is now sold out.


Another option was the Ojai to Ocean half marathon on June 3, 2012. It has a super pretty course that starts in the Ojai area and runs down to the beach. I'm from Ventura County and this race was 25 miles from my parents house and also really affordable. Registration for the half topped out at $65 before it sold out too.

Rock n Roll San Diego... Not really an option for me. The last time I checked it cost $135 for the half and $160 for the full.. I just can't reason paying more than $100 for a half marathon! 

I'm a procrastinator when it comes to registering for these events. The farthest out I have ever registered for a race was 6 months out when I entered the lottery for the St. George marathon. I got in and it was a great race. But, typically I like to register a month before the race so I can make sure that I am ready to run the race and that there are no other outstanding commitments (family, work, etc.)

So, now what? There is a a half marathon this summer in the Las Vegas area called "Running with the Devil" That's not my cup of tea. I'm not going to risk heat exhaustion just to run a half.

I think now I'm just going to focus on 5k's and 10k's. I'm still going to run longer distances on the weekends (Friday-Sunday) But, my racing dollars are too few and far between to commit to something big.... Bummer.

Rockin Rabbit Half Marathon Race Recap

1:40:04. I sliced 7 minutes off from my previous half marathon.Today was one of those days where everything went right.

I woke up at 4:45 and was out the door by 5:10am.  I had to drive to the finish line, and then take a shuttle to the start line. I got to the start line around 6:10am and I had time to relax indoors in the casino.  I just tried to relax and make small talk with some of the fellow racers.

I lined up pretty close to the front. I was worried because the start line was pretty narrow. When the gun went off, I expected a bit of pushing and shoving but, it was a calm start.   I had a strategy for this race. Take it easy during the first 4 miles  and 'hold back". These first four miles climb 400 feet, but then the course descends for 4 miles. I hit 4 miles at 32:20 (8:05 pace). This was right were I wanted to be. When we hit the downhills, I wanted to run hard but, still conserve energy. At mile 6 we hit  a stretch of road that was concrete. I was trying not to think of how sore I would be later on. I wasn't sure if there would be energy gel or Gatorade on the course, so before the race I hid a packet of energy coconut water under my hat. I pulled it out and drank it fast, around the same time this guy came flying be me. I tried not to pay attention to anyone around me. I kept telling myself to focus on my own race, later on if I felt good I would try to "pick off" runners. At mile 7 there was another hilly climb, but my legs felt fresh and I was able to catch two runners on this stretch (including the guy that flew by me). The course then continued downhill. I hit the 10 mile mark at around 1:16:10.(7:36 per mile). I realized that if I could run a sub 24:00 for the last 5k I could break 1:40. 

The last 5k of the course was a trail 5k. It ran through train tunnels. At one point I couldn't see because the tunnels were so dark. The half marathoners also had to share the course with the 5k runners. Over the next 3 miles I was able to catch 3 more half marathon runners and several 5k runners.  I wish I would have started my finishing kick sooner. I saw the clock flashing 1:39 and I was hoping to come in under 1:40.  I finished 1:40:04. I think I did break 24:00 for the last 5k but, my math was a little fuzzy and it wasn't enough to go under 1:40.
I am on cloud nine right now.  This race far exceeded any expectations I had.  I finished 4th woman overall and 2nd in my age group. I didn't stick around for the awards. I had to hurry home, I am hoping to post photos from the race later on this week.

11 miles in the wind. I loved every minute of it.

The half is less than a week away. Last Friday I was starting to have thoughts of  "have I done enough".  I went running at lunch time in my new Mizunos. It was 78 degrees I felt sluggish.  I only ran three miles and my new shoes just felt stiff.  Well that night I wanted to give it another go so I ran 6 more miles on the treadmill. On Saturday I took a rest day, it was more of a trade off with my husband. He promised me he would watch our son on Sunday morning. If I knocked out my chores (sweeping and mopping) and shopping on Saturday (Target). It was a deal.

On Sunday morning. I looked out the window and the trees were being whipped around in the wind.  I got up did the typical morning breakfast routine with my son. I let my husband sleep in for an extra hour. Finally it was time to head out. I didn't want to put  much pressure on this last long run.  I took off and the winds were cold. The first 3 miles were easy flat some of it was running into the wind and some of it was at my back. Well after that 3 the climb began. I climbed about 300 feet in the next 3 miles. I had the wind at my back for some of the uphill climb but the majority of it was run directly into the wind. I thought I was going to hurt really bad during this part. But, I was really enjoying it. I was climbing up an upgrade and I got passed by a couple on bicycles (they weren't hardcore cyclists). But when we rounded the corner and were going directly into the wind I enjoyed passing them right back. I kept thinking that running into the wind was like an investment. I knew that on the way back I would be flying downhill with the wind behind me. 
I really felt great.  Even with the head winds  I finished 10.95 miles (I'm rounding up here) in 89 minutes. I used map my run with my phone. It tracked the time but the GPS cut out and I lost some of the split times....  So this run averaged out to about 8:06 per mile.  I know I was taking it easy during the first half into the wind.  The second half I felt like I was flying.  I am hoping to repeat this strategy this Saturday. First half easy, second half  haul ass.

Dirt Devils and new shoes.

I am starting to eyeball the weather for next weekends race. I don't suffer from allergies as bad as some people do. Yes, I have nasty sinus drainage, and lately I've been running indoors if it's windy.  On Tuesday I was out running at lunchtime  and I almost got caught in a small dust storm.  I was running a typical 5 mile route that I normally run and I wanted to cut through a park. I decided against it because I didn't want to "cheat" on the distance.  I'm glad I didn't cut through the park.  The area that I would have ran though had a small dust cloud whirling around.

Not the actual dirt devil from Tuesday. But, similar in size.

Lately when I go out running, I feel like an excited dog that is going out for a walk. I get so excited that I take off at a fast pace and I turn a 5 mile run into a 5 mile tempo, lets run race pace, and make it hurt run. Work has been stressful lately so I think I am just trying to release some pent up energy. I've got one more long run this weekend and then I'm taking it easy next week. 

My new shoes are coming in the mail today. I've been running in the Brooks Adrenaline for the past two to three years.  Before that I was running in the Mizuno Wave Rider, Precision, and Inspire. I'm going back to the Wave Riders because I found a sweet deal online. $50 for running shoes. I'll take em.

    

I will probably buy another pair of Brooks Adrenalines when I find another good deal online. I love sites like Zappos and their clearance site 6pm.com. Another site where I found shoes cheap was the running warehouse.  Half marathon is 10 days out. No butterflies yet.      

Why did you start running?

I belong to a running club, called Sin City Road Runners.  I am not able to attend their mid week runs. But, sometimes I am able to run on the weekends with the group.  The other day on their facebook page the following question was asked; "Why did you start running?" So many thoughts raced through my head. But, I decided to share the following answer
Well.... I was in Jr. High. I hit puberty and I got chunky fast.... My mom had been a runner and I decided to give it a go. I would run around the block in my Keds sneakers. One day my best friend and I decided to run to the beach and back. It was three miles round trip. We stopped a couple of times to walk, but we felt like champs after completing our run. We kept it up and eventually ran our first 5k together. I went into high school leaner, but I fell in love with running.  I then decided to do track and cross country. 20 years later I couldn’t imagine my life without running. It has given me more than I could ever ask for.

That's it in a nutshell. But there has been so much in the last 20 years that I don't feel like that answer gives it justice.

Running opened many doors for me and has made my life better in so many ways:

• When I joined the ARMY I was able to pass the APFT (the physical fitness test) on my first try.
• While in the military I was able to get promoted faster because of my physical fitness ability.
• I was able to travel to Washington DC on a competitive 10 Mile team for the all ARMY 10 Miler.
• Running has been a productive outlet for all of my nervous energy.
• It's still a fantastic calorie burner.
• I've had great running friendships over the years.
• Nothing feels better than that endorphin high.
• It gives me patience and peace

I plan on running till my wheels come off. So now my question to you  is same. Why did you start running?

Half Marathon in 3 weeks

Rockin Rabbit 1/2 Marathon & 5k Run

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Hacienda Hotel & Casino at 730am

To register please click the on the Rabbit below.

My birthday is coming up next month. I want to celebrate it by running a half marathon. I'm finally getting over my cold/sinusitis infection. I ran 10 miles last Saturday and my legs felt great but my head and chest were somewhere else.  That was the last time I ran. Today I'm going to run some easy miles. I have been thinking about this half for a few months.  I'm not as stressed out about this race as I was the LV half. However I do have some goals in mind. First I want to break 1:45 for sure. I'm 10lbs lighter since then, the baby is sleeping through the night, and I just feel fitter. I haven't been doing any super long runs lately. But I feel like I have a great base mileage and the stroller running has got to help some right?  The course is out near Bolder City and Lake Mead and it could be a doozy. The first 4 miles climb 400 feet, but then it rockets down 1000 feet over the next four miles. So this could be a fast course if I don't go out too hard.  

Being sick again sucks... (only one good workout to talk about)

I hate for this to be a downer post... But, this week has blown chunks.. On Monday I took a much deserved rest day. Because last Friday night I threw down 9 miles on the treadmill. On Saturday I pushed my kid for 5 miles. On Sunday I ran 6 solo, then I took my son out in the afternoon for a CVS run (4 miles round trip). We "jogged" there and back. Monday my legs were tired. On Tuesday I had to take my son to the doctor because he was sick. He had an ear infection and it is really sad to see him in pain. On Wednesday I began to feel a little worse for wear but, I was needing a  running fix. On my lunch break I ran on the treadmill for an hour.  The last half hour included a set of 8 X 400's with a two minute rest in between. It felt good to push myself hard. After my workout I knew I was feeling feverish. That night I had the chills and since then I have just felt like crap. I got the flu shot earlier this season. But it still feels like I have the flu. I have a headache that goes from light to almost migraine. I feel weak and I have little to no appetite. I feel better today than I did yesterday. I hope I can shake it off this weekend. I really miss running.

10 Random Running Things About Me

1. I have run 16  marathons. Some have been smashing successes. Some have been really downright awful!

2. I ran my first marathon when I was 20 years old.

3. I actually ran two marathons before I ran my first half marathon.

4. I got bit by a dog while running on New Year's Day in 2010. It was an Australian Heeler. I think he thought I was  a sheep and he was herding me along. I always assumed it would have been a Pit Bull. I have come across Pit Bull's on three separate occasions.

5. I am a terrible sprinter. 800 meters is a sprint for me.

6. I don't want to try new things like snowboarding or water skiing for fear of hurting my running legs.

7. My favorite marathon pre race ritual is to sit in a warm bath the night before the race and drink two beers.

8. I ran the Boston Marathon to celebrate my 30th birthday. I hope to go back for my 40th birthday.

9. My favorite distance to race is the 5k.   Run as fast and as hard as you can for 3 miles. Plus you can decide at the last minute to race one of these.

10. My second favorite distance is the marathon. It is such a mental race. The drawback to this distance, is the months of training and thinking about the race.  Plus they are so freaking expensive!

10k racing

I had a nice weekend. On Saturday I raced a 10k. This was my first race at this distance in over two years. My last race was in 2009. It was a Turkey Trot 10k and I had set a PR at that distance.

It really felt like I was a brand new runner trying to conquer a distance that I wasn't used to racing. My Saturday morning got off to a bumpy start because, my husband got a call early in the morning, informing him that he had to go to work. He knew how much I had been looking forward to my race so he  informed the dispatcher, that the earliest he could be there was 9:15am. He had made prior arrangements to watch his son, while his wife went to run a race.     This made me swoon. Normally work always comes first.

The race itself was a small local track club race. The goal of the race was to collect used running shoes for the less fortunate. I woke up at 6am and I made breakfast for my husband and son. I wolfed down my eggs and toast, got dressed in a hurry and left the house at 7:30 for an 8:00am start. In my haste I forgot my donated running shoes.

The course was on a pretty paved bike path located on the far east side of the Las Vegas valley and if you didn't have directions you wouldn't know it was there. I did a short warm up and did my ritual of saying a short prayer. The "gun" (horn) went off and the runners were on the move. The weather was perfect, no wind and it wasn't a very chilly morning. I took off and found my groove. I had a specific goal to run 7:30 per mile. I had to borrow my husbands watch to keep track of my splits. I hit the first mile at 7:23 and I felt good. At mile two I felt someone running up behind me. I had a feeling that it was another woman and I threw it into another gear to get some distance. I hit the turn around point and I realized that I was in 2nd place. I was excited and nervous at the same time. I knew I was running well. But "could I hold on"?

This was early in the race. I felt good here.

Well  the lady that tried to pass me at mile two caught me at mile five, and it became a dogfight. She would move up close I would pull away. She would eventually catch me down the home strtecth. I usually pride myself on my finishing kick, but I was dead at the end.  After the race I had a quick cool down, cheered on a few runners racing,  and then I had to hurry home because my husband had to go to work.
Today I am looking at the race in hindsight. I thought my legs would be trashed but, my back and core were more sore from pumping my arms. Also at the halfway point I had energy to cheer on runners and at the end when I was fighting it out I managed to  tell my competitor,  "good job". So I think I need to start doing shorter intervals (200, 400 meter repeats) I usually do tempo runs or progression runs. I need to do shorter harder stuff to increase my lactate and pain threshold.


I finished the race 47:10. That's about 7:35 per mile. I am happy because it is getting easier. In other news I am down 7lbs. I still have another 10lbs to lose but, it will happen. I can't wait to see where I am a month from now.