Back at it and LOVING IT!

Currently I have had 4 easy runs since Rocket City 26.2,  and will run another easy run today.  I am feeling great.  Just easy running for now, but REALLY looking forward to training with intensity again.  I will run the Steam Whistle 12k this Sat., Jan. 1st, and that will be my first run with any intensity to it.  I really do not have a plan for the 12k, and will just run by feeling that day.  I will run with intensity and see what the day brings.   I will run 3-4 days prior to the 12k, but will limit those to easy running. 

Christmas morning I headed out for a rainy 6.5 mile run.  I was determined to start the day with a run.  It went something like this....

This is how it's done BQ or Die (ha ha) 45-50 degrees and windy

Thanks Linde (my sister), for taking the pics.  She came to rescue me from the rain, but I was have having such a great day, I decided to finish the run.  I asked her to take a few shots so that I could pick on my blogger friend, Chris K.  (just kidding Chris).  Mom recently got rid of her treadmill so it was the road, or no run.   Plus, I am not good on the mill, but I do believe it's great mental training and discipline to get those longs runs in, on the treadmill.  
It ended up being a GREAT run.  One of those days you remember.  

Yippie - my bloggie gift arrived!

Total Excitement today!

When I read Lindsay's post on Tues. (a blog I'm always sure to read), I wondered if she might have my name.  I wondered because I had not received my gift.  Was totally excited about the possibility of the "raise your ade" CD heading my way. 

Package arrives with a SC addy, yep it's my friend Lindsay.  

Quickly open the package to find total awesomeness.

 A Plametto hand towel as a souvenir of South Carolina,

A 26.2 towel for my training, and a totally awesome piece of art.  The  Christmas ornament says BOSTON

2010 with the cute Boston 2010 logo.  

So clever, creative, and artistic.  Yes, I'm jealous of all three because I have none of those talents.  Thanks Linday!  I have enjoyed reading your blog for the past couple of years.  You keep me entertained, and inspired.  

Love my bloggie secret Santa gift - THANKS!

and once again, thanks to Jill for pulling it all together.

About the running?  So I went to my Mom and sister's house last weekend for a Christmas party and totally, over indulged. (duh).....so I couldn't take it any longer.  Yes, Christmas day was supposed to be my next run, but Christmas came early in my world.  Hubby totally surprised me with an IPAD.  

Now let me explain a few things.  The past couple of years, we have not been doing much of anything for Christmas.  We both have Christmas all year long.  Chad with his tournaments, and me with my running adventures, and running toys, well, let me just say we are blessed and spoiled.  

(no children, by design, so we spoil ourselves, lucky me in soooo many ways)

Next, I am NEVER on the front end, or even in the middle of a technology curve.  Typically, by the time I get something, everyone else is moving on to something new and better.  So this year, I have this year's HOT gift item.  SWEET!  

Thanks Chad!  I LOVE the Ipad, but I love you so much more.

...back to the running.  Yes, I said I would take 2 weeks off after Huntsville, and typically, I do just that, but remember the Christmas party, ahhh, yes the Christmas party with desserts galore, and my inability to control myself.  Yes, a dessert buffet after a big bowl of delicious gumbo, well, actually 2 bowls of gumbo.  

My Mom and sis can cook!

So this past Tues. was the day.  I couldn't take it any longer, waaayyy to many calories being consumed to be taking time off from running at this time of year.  Tues., I headed out for a 5 mile run with Amber.  It was a little on the warm side, I was huffing and puffing, and loving every minute of it. 

Today, another 5 mile run with my beloved Ipod.  

Music in my ears, music to my heart, music to my soul.   

Merry Christmas to you, 

Merry Christmas to me!

Heading back to my Moms house on Fri. for 2 more days of celebration and feasts galore.  

Then I'm back on track.  I have some goals for 2011, and they DO NOT include an expanded booty, and a larger pant size.

Happy Birthday Jesus!

CRRAAAV V VING AN I-POD RUN! SERIOUSLY!

Oh yes!  Typically, I try to take 2 wks off from running after each marathon.  It's my way of saying thank you to my body and mind for getting me through another training season.  I like to let my body heal and give myself a break from the training.    During this time, I will do some other type of exercise for 30 minutes each day.  I can't seem to talk myself into biking in the cold, and I do not have a trainer for the bike, no access to a gym, so most of the time it ends up being a 30 walk.  This week has been nice because each day I have walked with my hubby.

The race was on Sat. and by Sun. night, I was already craving a run.  That's a nice feeling, especially so soon after the race.   Yesterday,(Thurs., after Sat. race), as my hubby and I were driving around completing "work errands", I mentioned my craving an I-POD run.  Yes, I missed my 4 hour session on marathon day, and it has left me craving a long run with my MUSIC.  

I can't help it, yes, apparently I'm addicted to more than running (duh).  

I'm suffering from music withdrawals too.

Christmas Day is supposed to be my next run, but I think Christmas may come early in my world.  

 Jennifer and I, just out the door of the hotel and ready to race.

early in the race - "serious racing" or was it serious misery (no music) ???
(it looks like I'm missing a tangent and bummed about it.  Looks like I can see the tangent, but can't "run it" in the group) 

Ha Ha!

(very happy to see my arm at roughly 90 degrees.  I have been working ALL SUMMER and FALL to lower my arms and keep my thumbs down - it's been tough!)

Notice the arms getting a little higher and yes, swinging across the body....fatigue urgh!

  Look at the positives....thumbs still down - yay!

I did it!  Yes!  I didn't let the "no I-POD thing"  "get me."  Immediately after this race, I felt REALLY, really BAD.   Typically, I go straight for the water, gatorade, then hit the food table...yes, stop running, and go eat.  On Sat.,  I felt BAD.  I had some water and gatorade,  and headed straight to the room.  My legs felt really bad, so I headed up to the room for an ice bath.  The first round, I didn't have enough ice, but after sitting in the cool water for 10 min., I immediately felt better.  I went back to the ice machine, reloaded, and went back in the ice for 10 more minutes with my coffee this time.  After I finished, I felt much better.  During this process, Jennifer called and gave me her excellent finishing news, and she was already at the massage tables.  That sounded like a GREAT plan, so I headed down for a quick massage. 

We celebrated that night with my favorite.... PIZZA!  It was so delicious!

READY to run, but trying to wait.......

Wishing all of bloggerland a very 

Merry Christmas!

Hope you get some cool new running gadgets!

My blogger gift has been mailed, and I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival from my secret blogger gift.  

(thanks Jill)

Up next - the year in review, and looking toward 2011

Rocket City 26.2 RR (Huntsville, AL)

Rocket City Marathon

3:56:49

Division - 22/65

Overall 465/1148

Good weekend in Huntsville even though.....

7 -10 days prior to the marathon the Huntsville Track Club started escalating the info., and the intensity about NOT wearing I-pods in the race.  The no I-pod logo moved to the top of the homepage, and each email seemed to have more information about not wearing I-pods.  They said you would be "pulled off the course and DQ'ed."  At a recent half marathon, it was reported the HTC,  DQ'ed 20-30 runners  (not sure if that's true or not).  When I signed up, I was aware of the no i-pod comment, but most races have that comment on the website for insurance purposes, and rarely is the "no I-pod rule" enforced.  

 

Going into the race, I felt I had a chance to BQ again (Boston qualify), so I decided I would not risk being DQ'ed.  (had I known I would be so far off my BQ number, I would have certainly taken the risk to be DQ'ed)  Before the race, as Jennifer and I discussed NOT wearing our Ipods, she mentioned, "maybe you will find that you like it"  I told her that I seriously doubted that would happen.  Music is a HUGE part of my running enjoyment.  It's like visiting an old friend each time I'm on a run and hear a song I haven't heard in a while.  It's also like meeting new friends when there is a new song that inspires me to pick up the pace, or just "puts me on cloud nine".   

As I predicted, the day was LONG!  I did not enjoy the race as I normally would.  I started with a pace group for several reasons.  The one other time that I tried it, I enjoyed it, (except for the pacer was going too fast).  Another reason I joined the pace group was because of the no I-pod rule. I wanted the company of other runners to chat with, but mostly to listen to, as I ran.  My 3rd reason was because it was a windy day.  The wind was out of the South, and we had a 5-6 mile stretch that headed into the South wind.  My plan was to be in the back of the pace group so the group would protect me from the wind.  One of the big problems with a pace group is you do not have the freedom to run the tangents as you normally would.  This created an immediate problem.  The other issue is some pacers do not "pace" evenly.    After the 1st couple of miles our pacer started picking up the pace, I stayed with the group for a while,(too long), but eventually let them go.  When I let them go, I was on the windy section of the course.  I couldn't find anyone running the same pace, so not only was I running with no protection into the wind, I was also running solo - WITH NO TUNES in my ear.  Brutal!   Many times during the race, I thought to myself - this is NOT fun.  I was actually a little shocked to find out just exactly how important my music is to my enjoyment of running.  I already knew music is very important, but now I know EXACTLY what it means to me.  

I ended up running 3:56 for the day.  I wanted to run 3:50 or better, but this is my 2nd fastest marathon time, so I feel fortunate to end the day with that.  I finished with the Garmin @ 26.39 - tangents, tangents, tangents - urgh.  Obviously, Ginny WILL NOT be running Rocket City 26.2 again.  I hate it because EVERYTHING else about the race is GREAT.  The weather, the course, the organization, the shirts,  the size of the race - it's all perfect for me.  We walked out the door of the Holiday Inn at 7:50, walked about 30 yards to the start line of the 8:00 race.   I loved the convenience, the organization, the post race massage - all GREAT! 

So if you are not an "I-poder" - in other words if you are a "real runner", a "purist runner",  I would highly recommend this one.  

It was a fun weekend, even though the whole I-pod thing messed up my race experience.  Jennifer and I had a GREAT time.  Jennifer PR'ed by 21 minutes in only her 2nd marathon.  So excited for her!  She ROCKED IT!  

Overall, it was a good weekend.  I am still disappointed by the no I-pod rule because this would be a race that I would go to often.  Although, I did not enjoy it as I normally would, I did experience endurance in a new way, I survived it, I endured, and I endured and ended the day with my 2nd best 26.2 mile finish.  It was a new experience, and now I know for sure that I NEVER want, or need, to do that again.    I fell off the pace at mile 17, I came back at mile 18, and then 21-26.2 fell off and went into "sub 4:00, survival mode".  Urgh!  I finished with my "C" goal for the weekend, but hey,  I'll take it!  (I've been a "C" kind-of-girl most of my life)

  I found this pic on an unknown fb entry.

To the left, face totally covered - "drinking on the run"  

Ha! Ha!

should have been more than water in that cup!

# 18 DONE! Rocket City Marathon

3:56:51

Wanted 3:50, but sub 4:00 is always nice. 

Thanks for the support!

More Later

Opinions NEEDED today!

So I'm in the typical pre-marathon quandary of what to wear on race day.  Actually, most of the time, I know what to wear because most of my marathons have been on the WARM side of things.  Today, I think I know what to do, but wanted to get some "racers" opinions.  

As of this am, the forecast is as follows:

It will be mostly CLOUDY and humidity around 50%.  

36 degrees at race start with a real feel temp. of 32 degrees

For my final hour of running it will be around 48 degrees with a real feel of 44 degrees.
I mention cloudy because cloudy and 36, feels much colder to me than sunny and 36.  

So the question of the day is.....

Would you wear, shorts or tights?

So very excited to be in this particular dilemma.

(I'm very COLD-natured, except for my running.  For running I like it chilly.  So I'm excited about Sat.  Just need to figure out what to wear, ha!) 

Updated - Strong Body Strong Mind and Beautiful GoodBye!

Be sure to read the previous post before this one.

After reading my post, my friend, James, sent me the link below, from my previous post.  (I had tried to do this, but I am technically challenged, and couldn't figure out how to save it, so that I could use it.  For this post, I wanted to display it on my page, but again, I am CHALLENGED, and couldn't do it.  Please be sure to check out the link.  Hopefully, I did manage to do that right.  If not, copy and paste the web address.  :) 

 Inspired
http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/2844182/Rocketcity

(click on Inspired to see the inspired art - wordle.net) (thanks James)

So this evening I headed to the track to run my last hard workout before Huntsville.  In fact, it will be my last hard workout for 2011.  (taking 2 weeks off, from running, after Rocket City).  Tonight, was solo because my running partner had work/school stuff going on - can you believe she lets her work and grad school get in the way of our workout?  ha ha  After the 10 X 800 last wk, and with the race on Sat. tonight was a shorter, "just get the legs turning over" workout.  2 mile w/u, 8 X 400 at 1:47 avg. w/ 1 min recovery, then c/d to get 6 miles total for the day.  Next I headed to Serenity Yoga - a nice way to end the evening.

As I was running the final 400, like an artist painting the final strokes on a beloved painting, my ARTISTIC I-pod pulls up the perfect message in a song ....  

Beautiful Goodbye by Amanda Marshall.  

 This was the final 400 of the night, the final hard workout before Rocket City, and the final hard workout of 2010.   

Goodbye to hard workouts, goodbye to fall marathon training, and goodbye to training for 2010.

yes...a Beautiful Goodbye 

Once again I am reminded how lucky I am to be able to run, and run hard.  

Tonight, I am thankful for my health and music - You are BEAUTIFUL!

ART IN MOTION -   I LOVE THAT!

And a few more.....

Don't quit,

Don't Give Up

You Can Do Anything Your Heart DESIRES

And, just in case......

 

:) :) :) :) :) :)

Strong Mind Strong Body!

This is what I'm thinking about this week.

....training I've done, races completed, mental prep. .....

long runs, tempo runs, hard runs, easy runs, 2 miles, 5ks, 10ks, half marathons, marathons, persistence, tenacity, perseverance, go for it, 

finish it, do it, strong mind, strong body, hills, hill repeats, track, running in the moment, friends, blessings, passion, 26.2, "totally doable damn-it"(thanks for the reminder LMC), speed work, PRs, bad days, good days, fast races, slow races, humidity, cold air, good runs, bad runs,  good days, bad days, health, 5:15 am runs, 5:15 pm track workouts, planning, pace, technical runs, mindless runs, mindful runs, yoga, weights, stretch, core work, education, green tea, treadmill - some days, dreadmill other days, nutrition, walking, rest, recovery, anticipation,desire, 3:45, work ethic, 3:50, count down, masters runner, running in the mile, fast days,  

10 X 800 @ 3:42, 

tomorrow is NOT promised, do it today!

http://frayedlaces.blogspot.com/

St. George 10-09

This fall I have been using the following mantras for my long runs and races:

Strong Mind   Strong Body

Finish It!

You've worked too hard to give up now.

Hoping for a good day on Sat. for Jennifer, Bridgett, and myself.

Rocket City Huntsville, AL here we come!