I Need Remedial Running!

I was reminded this morning, while trying to run, that "Girls Just Want to Have Fun!" but I wasn't having fun!  I wasn't having any fun at all!  Today was really hard.  Actually, this week has been really hard!  My runs have not been easy - not that I am expecting them to be easy, but I would love for them not to make me doubt that I can ever be a runner.  Yes, I know... If it was easy, it would be called your mama.  Um... I mean... If it was easy, everyone would be a runner.

I wasn't able to complete the running portions of today's training plan.  I did some of the running portions, but gave in to the need to walk more than half the time that I was supposed to be running.  It was a beautiful morning, though.  I met a new neighbor who was also out for a walk and learned some new things about the neighborhood, namely that the elementary school is likely to be closed.  They will no for sure next week.  I didn't go there, but did go to many Halloween parties and other activities there with  people who did, so it makes me sad.

It was almost 60º and sunny, as you can see.  I have the day ahead of me and plan to do some yard work (I already stacked some firewood) then we are cooking out with family for the first time this year.  This evening, more time with family around a small campfire (the reason for the firewood).  

So, even though my run didn't go the way I would have like, I'm looking forward to a great spring day and I'll think on whether I should repeat this week of my training plan, or just try to move forward.

Running Outdoors

Beautiful morning for my first run outside this year.

Yep... First run outside this go-round.  I have been doing all of my running at 5:15 am on the treadmill in my living room, which is why I haven't written here... it's a treadmill run and there's not really much to talk about.  It's been feeling good.  I missed a couple of days last week because I had a cold, or allergies, or something, but I picked up right where I left off this week and didn't miss a beat.  

We are in Battle Creek for the weekend, so today's run was going to have to be outside, or I was going to have to go to Planet Fitness and use the treadmill there.  I didn't want to do that, and it was a beautiful morning (albeit chilly, at 35º and a little breezy) so I headed out in the lovely residential neighborhood that I'm staying in, and really, really enjoyed it. I saw more cars than I usually do in my own neighborhood (when I'm not in my living room) and went on some streets that I've never been on before, despite having grown up in the area.  

I ran a little faster and a little further than I have on the treadmill, which tells me that I am not pushing myelf as hard as I could when I'm running in my living room.  I had some great music and my cool down finished about 5 minutes from the house, so I had a little more time to cool and stretch than I do before work in the morning.  Plus, I stopped to visit with my mother- and father-in-law.  I was very happy with today's results.  My clothes even coordinated - which never happens at 5:15!  Tomorrow is Easter, which means a day of family time.  Looking forward to that.  Back to my early morning run on Tuesday, and I'm looking forward to that, too - but not quite as much as I'm looking forward to the time that it's light enough in the morning for me to go back outside!

Second Run...

Ok, today I did my second run on the treadmill.  It went well, but was a little harder than the other

day.  However, it was a little different because it was super early.  I won't normally be running before I work at 7:00 am on Fridays.  My plan is to run on Tuesday, Thursday (both days that I don't have to be to work until 8:00) and Saturday.  That will really be much more manageable!

Today was pretty uneventful!  It was on the treadmill and I did my scheduled training and then got ready for work.  I don't really have a seen-on-my run photo for today, but here is a picture of my new Road ID.  Obviously, I don't need this while I am in the house, but I always wear it away from home - especially when I'm outside running.  If anything were to happen to me, someone would be able to see who I am and contact my husband, in case of an emergency!  There is a link to the left of my post and I suggest that everyone look into a Road ID.  It can save your life!

Training Underway!!

Seen On My Run

Yes!  Today was the first day of my training program and it felt great! Physically and emotionally!  I was supposed to start last week, but was gone to Washington DC for 4 days, so I put it off for a week because I didn't want to interrupt my training so early with a trip. It was pointed out that I really should have started when I planned to, and not used my trip as an excuse to procrastinate.  My friend was right!  As it was, I didn't take any exercise clothes with me so, unless I wanted to run in jeans, I couldn't change my mind then.  But... I arrived home at 10:00 last night and got right on it this morning.

Also, we bought a treadmill a few weeks ago.  I was thinking that, to do this, I want to be sure that I have no excuses to not run when I am supposed to.  The last time I did the Detroit Half, I was not prepared and that was because I allowed myself to make excuses to not do my training on too many days.  Not this time!  Too hot? Too cold? Too rainy?  The treadmill is right there in the living room! Just get on it and go! I probably could have run outside today since it's mostly sunny and 39 degrees out. But I had planned to use the treadmill, so that's what I did.  Today's seen on my run photo is not really all that interesting but it was pretty much the wall in front of me, and my feet on the belt (along with my iPhone hitting that belt a few times because I hooked the headphones when making an adjustment... gonna have to work on that).

So, that's my first training entry.  I'll be back again on Friday.  Here we go!

2015! New year... New goals!

Happy New Year!  Many of you know from Facebook that I signed up for the Detroit International Half Marathon again this year.  Registration opened this morning at 12:01 am, and that's when I was on line logging in to it.  The run is Sunday, October 18. I will be running in support of the Michigan Ovarian Cancer Alliance.  More on that to come.

When I did the run a couple of years ago, I finished, but it was really not the finish that I had hoped for.  I was oh-so-slow because I hadn't prepared like I should have.  I didn't feel the sense of accomplishment that I would have, had I put the effort into it that I knew was necessary.  This time, that is going to be different.  I haven't set an overly ambitious goal for myself... I'll be thrilled with a 13:45 pace!

So... am I currently running?  No.  But I have a schedule and will start that shortly.  In the meantime I will be walking.  Today I did a short walk - just 30 minutes.  It was cold, but sunny and pretty.  The wind was 16 MPH, making the wind chill only 19 degrees.   I was bundled up but 30 minutes was enough for me for today.  It's always interesting to see what people have put out on their curb the day before trash pickup (so interesting that we have regular visitors that drive through out neighborhood to explore just that on a weekly basis) and it's especially interesting after Christmas and New Year's Eve. Today I went by neighbors...  One has gotten a new treadmill, no doubt in direct relationship to a Resolution.  The other got a folding gaming chair.  Such contrast.

I will be posting often.  Thank you for joining me on this journey and I wish you a heathy and happy 2015!

Almost ready!

Race schedule... check
ColdGear.... check
New Newton super-go-fasters... check
A plan... check
Garmin Forerunner 10 (in pink)... soon, very soon

Super-go-fasters!

Will be starting with my running program on February 1.  No, not an organized schedule where I go run with other people or anything like that - just my own solo plan that I have all the confidence will work great for me.

I also need to revamp my running play list in the next week so that I'm not hearing the same old stuff as last year.  I downloaded a new app for my iPhone called jog.fm that scans your music library and monitors your movement while you run and plays the song in your library that best matches your pace and intensity.  Alternatively, you can set a pace for yourself and it will play music to match that pace, helping you to move right along.

My new Newton super-go-fasters are awesome!  They are Terra Momentums and are a neutral all-terrain trainer.  They have a more level platform than I am used to running in, so this is the perfect time to start wearing them (when I haven't been doing any running for a while - not that I think that's a good idea every time you get new shoes).  Each shoe weighs in at about 9 oz.

This is probably my last post before starting my running program, so next time there will be something more interesting to read... I promise!

No running yet, but...

I got my new Under Armour Coldgear, which is exciting, and I also have a list of races that I plan to participate in this year, so there are goals to work toward throughout 2013.  Here are my plans:

• April 21 - I'm signed up for one but don't know that I'll be ready for it.  We'll see... that's just over 3 months fro now.
• May 12 - For Women Only 5K, Ann Arbor - this is also Mother's Day so it will take some planning
• May 19 - Race for the Cure, Kalamazoo - benefitting the Susan G. Komen Foundation
• June 29 - Dirty Girl Mud Run, Detroit, benefitting the National Breast Cancer Foundation
• Aug 18 - Run Some Mora, Ann Arbor - benefitting the La Mora Health Clinic  in El Salvador
• Sept 14 - Big Mac Shoreline Scenic Bike Tour (I know it's not a run but it's 25, 50, 75 or 100 miles, then a ride over the Mackinaw Bridge the next day)
• Sept 20 - Chasing the Cure, Sturgis,  benefitting the Gynecologic Oncology Group in finding a cure for ovarian and uterine cancers
• Oct 12 - Fall Color Mackinaw Bridge Race, St. Ignace to Mackinaw City
• Oct 20 - Detroit Free Press/Talmar Bank International Half Marathon, Detroit and Windsor
• Nov 9 - Ann Arbor Turkey Trot, Ann Arbor (maybe)

Actual running will resume shortly.  I'm still working out a couple of things to be sure that I am ready to go.  I realize that I don't have any races planned in July, but have some really busy weekends and think I may be better off just doing my solo runs, rather than planning a structured race.  Of course, if something interesting presents itself, I may change my mind on that. 

That's about all that's going on here.  More news to come in a few days!

New Year - New Plan!

My medal from Chicago

Since my last post, many months ago, I ran in the Chicago Rock 'n' Roll Mini Marathon and also completed the Detroit Free Press/Talmar Bank International Half Marathon.  I wasn't feeling particularly good about any of it.  I enjoyed Chicago in July, but it was really hot - and they served lousy beer after the finish.  I was glad that I did it, and I enjoyed it, but didn't feel that it was much of an accomplishment, and really, it was only about a 5K.

Picking up my race number in Detroit

In October I did the half marathon... Didn't run all of it - maybe only 1/3.  I started to notice chafing at mile 5 and blisters at mile 10.  I walked the last 3 miles with a young woman whom I met along the way.  She had signed up for the full marathon, but found herself unable to do it so she completed the half marathon route, instead, knowing that she would not be counted as a finisher because she wasn't completing what she signed up for.  I thought that was pretty strong - not sure I would put the effort in if I wouldn't even be considered a finisher for the race that I was doing.  But she, like me, had blisters on top of blisters and she didn't have anyone there to cheer her on or celebrate her finish.  Together, we finished up the final 5K and ran (well, maybe trotted) the last 50 yards, and dashed - as much as we could - across the finish line.  I'm glad I did it, but I was disappointed with my "performance" and didn't feel like it was much of a personal accomplishment, either.

Finished with my first half marathon

I am quite pleased to say that I raised $2175 for the American Cancer Society through the DetermiNation team that I ran with last year.  It has changed to become a destination event program  now, so I'm glad I had the opportunity to participate in that when I could do something close to home.

Since then, I've done virtually no running.  I didn't do the Mackinaw Bridge Run that I was planning on because I wasn't up to the required pace.  I've given my running shoes a good long rest and I think that all of my deep blisters have finally shown themselves on the bottoms of my feet and are history.  I've been reading about some different running programs and am ready to get going again, starting almost back at square one. This year, I'm going to RUN that half marathon and it's going to be something that I will be proud of!  I'm going to do that Mackinaw Bridge Run and be faster than the minimum speed and it will be glorious!  I'm even going to throw a scenic bike tour in where I'll be able to choose from a 25, 50, 75 or 100 mile route in September.  I will probably do the 50 mile tour, but we'll see what happens.  I can always change my distance.

Close up of my very cool medal

New technology is always a good motivater and John got me a Garmin Forerunner 10 GPS watch (in pink, naturally) for Christmas.  That will be a fun new way for me to keep track of my progress.  And since it's been cold - only 5 degrees 2 days ago and very windy today - I am planning to get an Under Armour balaclava and maybe some cold weather running pants so that I can get outside and start my program.  I'm also planning to hit the treadmill at the gym when it's too icy or blistering cold to go out for very long.

So... If you've wondered about my blog, my running or my fundraising efforts for my 5th cancerversary, now you are up to speed!  I want to get a few things in order before I start running again, but it won't be more than a week or so.  You can check back here or subscribe to my blog, or even Google+ my page.  Since I am not doing DetermiNation this year, I will be concentrating those efforts on Relay For Life, and am moving my team back to Marshall, MI.  Everyone really seemed to miss that last year, and so did I.  As 2013 begins, I am looking forward to a new year filled with challenges and achievements and lots of fun.  My mantra for this year is originally from Mae West - "You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough."  Now I have to figure out how I can plan skydiving into this year!

Today's run was great!

Well, it's over with, and that's the best thing about it!  I did well, but it was hard.  I was having thoughts like "maybe I'm just not cut out for this running thing...  maybe I'm not really a runner-girl, but a walker-girl!"  It was hard!  I was also thinking about the fact that it's 99 days until my half marathon and I am nowhere near ready for that.  Not even close!  I'm reminded of one of my favorite movie quotes: "If it wasn't hard, everyone woud do it.  It's the hard that makes it great!"  Therefore, today's run was great!

I was supposed to run yesterday, but was lazy about getting around to do it and it was too warm when I finally dragged myself out of bed.  Shame on me.  But... I made sure to do it this morning, and have a shorter run scheduled tomorrow.  Plus, I have somewhere to be early tomorrow, so I will definitely be up to do it early, when it's coolest out.  Sunday I have a long run.  I tried not to think about that when I was out this morning because it was discouraging to think that today's run was so difficult and Sunday's will be 50% longer.  Maybe we'll just go with 50% greater...

It certainly was beautiful out this morning.  I was out just after sunrise and it was a teeny bit hazy.  I saw way more cars than I ever do when I'm out.  And I have to admit that, now that I'm done with my run, and have cooled off a bit, I do feel really good - and not just because I'm not running at the moment!  Walker-girl... hmph!  That just doesn't have the same ring to it at all.  I'm a runner-girl, and I CAN do this!

Yesterday I slept in a little, sat around the house, played on my computer, did a little house work - and I felt guilty because I didn't run.  Yesterday was a scheduled rest day!  I wasn't supposed to run!  Why was I feeling guilty?  Upon reflection (today, while I WAS running), I started thinking that maybe it wasn't exactly guilt but was something different.  Yes!  What I was feeling was something new.  I wished that it HAD been a run day.  I missed it!  My husband told me that I was weird - like it was something I didn't already know. Ha!

So, after feeling like I was missing out on running yesterday, I got up bright and early today and headed out.  My run was solid.  No improvement.  I'm not quite where I want to be for my Chicago run in 12 days, so I need to work hard for the next couple of weeks.  But I was happy with my performance.  It was a great start to the day, which was followed by a very promising meeting about a new job, then lunch back at home with hubby.  Hoping to hear about the job later today or tomorrow.  It will be good, since my previous position simply disappeared during a reorganization as of July 1.  I can't complain about the time off, but have to admit that it has messed with my schedule and I do a lot better with running when I'm getting up at the same time every other day to  run before work.  Consistency is very helpful in keeping me on track - with everything.  We won't even talk about how I'm doing with Weight Watchers right now, but it is proof positive that a consistent schedule is the way for me to go!

It doesn't look like the Chicago Perimeter Ride is going to happen this year.  It's usually in August and there hasn't been even a murmur about it yet.  We were looking forward to it, and I was confident that I could do the 100-mile ride, since it's a leisurely, all-day, event.  Bummer!  But, we found a different cycling event that we're going to do, instead.  It starts in Mackinaw City, MI and has 4 different routes, taking you as far as Harbor Springs (just NW of Petoskey) before heading back to Mackinaw.  You can choose to ride 25, 50, 75 or 100 miles, and it's a non-competitive ride.  Since it's a little more hilly than Chicago, I think I'll aim for the 50 mile ride, then the next day all of the participants ride across the Mackinaw Bridge at dawn.  That's just over 2 months away and I think it will be loads of fun.

There was a small group of runners out this morning, and they kindly let me join them for a while.  I liked them!  They made me feel pretty speedy!  Here are the 5 members that I saw first, but when they joined the others, they unanimously decided to go swimming instead, while I continued on my run, alone.  I'll be back again on Thursday, running the same amount of time, so I'm looking for a little more distance in that run.

Heat relief... FINALLY!

I've been a bad runner!  But to my defense, it has been brutally hot here in the lower mitten!  Record breaking temperatures nearing (or over) 100 degrees.  Overnight it would cool down to the mid 80s. I was supposed to run twice in the last 4 days, and set the alarm, but when the time came, it was just too damned hot out. I did get out and walk on Thursday, and went along at an okay pace, but didn't put it in my running log, and (obviously) didn't write about it here (until just now).

This morning it was 70 degrees when I went out and 73 when I got back home, an hour later.  Not too bad!  My pace was slower than I would have liked, but not bad.  I've certainly been a whole lot slower!  We had a lovely thunderstorm in the night (I love thunderstorms, especially at night) that ended just 2 hours before I got up to run, so it was quite humid out, making my breathing a little harder than normal.  I ran all over our neighborhood, covering few places twice, and hitting every street, but one.  First time I've done that route.  Decided not to hit the gravel roads after the rain... I don't want my running shoes to get all dirty!

Before I run I usually have a class of water and about 8 oz. of coffee to give me my initial boost.  Sometimes, I also have a Fiber One bar for a little bit of carb energy.  Today we didn't have any bars in the pantry, so I had an oatmeal, chocolate chip, walnut cookie instead.  Probably not the best pre-run snack, but it tasted good!  Sometimes, when I'm doing a race and don't have any coffee, I'll drink a 5 Hour Energy, but don't like them very well.  I don't really like any of the pseudo-carbonated soda-pop-like energy drinks, especially not before running. I have a neighbor who loves him some Monster!  Enough to put ELEVEN stickers on his car that I can see from one side!  Seriously... there are 11 of them!  If you don't believe me, you can count them yourself!  Now, I'm all for showing support for the brands that you're loyal to, but I think this is just a little extreme.


Close to the end of my run I got to see Charlie and he loudly encouraged me to go, go, go!  He's quite the cheerleader and I did, indeed, speed up a little when he said that I should.  I barely had a chance to say hello to his person!

Next run is Tuesday morning. I think it's supposed to stay a little cooler this week (cooler being upper 80s?) so I'm hoping for comfortable mornings for running.  Rock 'n' Roll Chicago is 2 weeks from today and I want to do well there but my Mackinaw Bridge Run is in less than 3 months and I'm not at the pace I need to be for that.  I may need to be more aggressive with my training (meaning not be such a wimp about the heat and get my butt out there, anyway!)  The half marathon is just 2 weeks later, so the clock is ticking!

Well, I set the alarm for 5:30 am so I could get up to run while it was still cool-ish out, but it was storming so I stayed in bed a little longer.  I did get up and out the door at 8:00.  Boy was I in for a shock when I stepped outside!  The air was on in the house, so it was quite cool inside, and I was fully aware that it was 75 degrees outside.  What I wasn't prepared for was the humidity.  Why didn't I think of that? It HAD just rained, after all!  It was like stepping into a sauna.  My glasses steamed up and it felt momentarily oppressive.  I stepped back inside to announce that it was "sweltering" out there, then headed back outside.

It turned out to be not so bad.  I mean, it was a little hard to breathe, but I persevered and actually matched my fastest speed, to date.  It helped that today was an exceptionally short run - only 30 minutes.  It may also have helped that there was another woman out there running.  I've never seen her before and don't know where, in the neighborhood, she lives, but our paths crossed twice and there was no way I was going to let her look like she was moving along faster than me!  I'm just a little competitive!  It was nice to see someone else out there doing the same thing as me, and we exchanged pleasantries both times that we saw each other.  

Not a new tattoo, but it means even
more, today!

About a mile into my run it started thundering again.  I was thinking of it as a crowd of fans clapping for me as I zoomed by on my Brooks branded go-fasters. Well, maybe I didn't exactly zoom, but I was keeping an eye on my pace and felt really good about it.  Then it started raining.  Not much - and certainly not enough to cool me off, but it felt kind of good to run in the rain.  There were quite a few people around. I guess 8:00 is the popular time to go to work.  

I got home and my husband left for a long bike ride and when he gets back we are celebrating my 5 year cancerversary and meeting up with friends later tonight (did that last night, too).  I am thrilled to say that I'm officially no longer a cancer patient!  Five years ago I had no idea what the future held - today I'm preparing to run the Detroit Free Press/Talmer Bank International Half Marathon! Yay me!

First day of July and it's a mowing morning!

New territory

Today was a longer run than the rest of the week and it didn't go all that great.  Still not feeling quite up to par so I ended up walking a good share of the time, but went along at a decent pace, so all was not lost.  I tend to have some seasonal allergies and, naturally, there were a number of mowing.  It's been dry so lots of dust and stuff in the air.  That was nothing compared to the field that I went by where they were harvesting wheat!  Okay, I don't really know if it was wheat - could have been any grain, for all I know, but the combine was surrounded by a cloud of dust.  My eyes are still burning!

Looking to the right

I saw more people than usual.  Probably because I waited until 9:00 to head out.  That was dumb!  It was hot, and I was mostly in full sun.  The weather site said it was 84 degrees, but my iPhone said that it was 97 where I was running!  I believe it!  I covered more ground than I have in the past, at least since I started running on the gravel road nearby. Today I got to explore 2 more gravel roads on my trotting travels.  I ran by a couple of famers... their pick-up trucks stopped alongside the road, one guy leaning on the other's truck, chatting with his hands in his pockets.  They were friendly and said hello to me.  Another lady was backing out of her driveway and rolled the window down to wish me a good morning.  Plus, almost all the folks out mowing waved, and most people who passed in their cars did too.  I'm really not used to that many friendly people when I'm out there!

Looking to the left (you can see the combine across the
field in the middle of the picture)

My right calf is still feeling really tight.  I need to work on some extra stretches for that when I have a rest day tomorrow.  I'll be back on the road on Tuesday and Thursday, then both weekend days.  I'm not working this week, so I have lots of time - but will still plan to get up, and out the door, early.  It's supposed to be a hot week!

Better morning

This morning was much better for running.  The temperature was similar, but it was overcast and, at times, gusty!  Other times there wasn't a lick of breeze, but it made me really appreciate the gusts when they came along. 


My speed was better.  Possibly because I was trying to escape the deer flies...  The air was pretty heavy, so I did take a couple of short walk breaks - and I swallowed a bug so I had to stop and choke for a minute.  There weren't many people out at 7am. In fact I only saw 2 - one guy working in his garage and a neighbor who was out with her dog.  It was the fluffy little dog who always barks at me.  We actually got to meet this morning and his name is Charlie and I almost got to pet him!  I was done with my run by then, and walking back to the house and was (amazingly) not at all uncomfortable about the fact that I was talking to this neighbor for the first time and was a sweaty mess.  Maybe the fact that she was wearing a bathrobe and curlers helped.


I did see a goose walking down the road.  It was pretty funny... he was just waddling down the middle of the lane, like he had a driver's license. I also saw a cat, and apparently interrupted it's morning hunt and he ran into the woods.  


So I do feel like my running is improving, despite the little blips that I've had this week.  I am feeling less stressed today, but still experiencing the effects of my overstressed stomach. I have some things in the works next week that should help to eliminate that stress, so I foresee much improvement in how I feel - and my running - in the near future.  

How you feelin'? Feelin' hot, hot hot!

Yes... it's hot!  It was close to 80 degrees when I got done running this morning, and I was totally overdressed.  Definitely need to arrange to have some cooler running clothes available. I was wearing a pair of running capris, but shorts would have been much better, and my choice of an oversized non-wicking t-shirt was a poor one.  It weighed at least 10 pounds when I was done.  Well, that might be a slight exaggeration, but I truly was soaked when I got home.


The run itself wasn't wonderful, either. I have a list of excuses for why I was kind of slow:

1. Calf cramp
2. Foot cramp
3. Tight muscles
4. Nausea from being a bit (or a lot) stressed
5. High temperature (the air, not me)
6. The smell of manure in the air
7. The distinct odor of a resident skunk
8. Too sunny

Okay, #8 probably isn't really a valid reason, but the rest certainly came into play.  I've been pretty stressed out this week, and I know that exercise is supposed to help. What I haven't figured out, though, is how to get past the constant feeling of needing to throw up so that I can run without feeling like I need to make a mad dash for the bushes!  And let me also point out that #s 6 and 7 did not help that situation!

I took a few walk breaks and was, consequently, a little slower than usual.  Slower than I usually am?  who would have thought it possible?  I used to run with the mantra "the more I run, the sooner I'm done" But now that I am going for time, rather that distance, that doesn't work.  I tried imagining that there was a dog chasing me and I had to run faster to  get away, but as it turned out, my imaginary dog was quite friendly and just wanted me to pet him.  Go figure!  All in all, it wasn't a bad run, but I'm looking forward to a better one tomorrow.

I'm a runner!

I know I am, because I got up this morning at 4:30 to run!  I MUST be a runner to do that, right? Never mind that I had just slept for nearly 18 hours.  Yes!  18 hours!  But I was up for the 30 hours prior to that, so it all evens out.

If I thought I was out there all alone on Saturday morning, I was REALLY alone today!  I was up and out before most of the birds!  Today was my longest run yet - both time and distance.  I ran for nearly an hour, and ran the whole time with no walk breaks.  I did go a little slower than I have recently, but not much and I was really concentrating more on running the whole way - granted, most runners probably cover the same distance in about half the time, but I wasn't trying to break any speed records.  Good thing!

I know I said that I signed up for the Lansing Half-Marathon next April and a friend pointed out this weekend that it's 6 months after my first half marathon.  Six month to the day!  I thought that was pretty cool.  I knew that it was about half a year after the Detroit Half, but didn't really pay attention to the details.  I think that will be a great way to commemorate the completion of my first one! Follow it up with my next one exactly six months later!

I wish something exciting would happen on my run so I had something more interesting to report to you.  Maybe when I start carrying my pepper spray!  In the meantime, I'll be out again tomorrow morning for a shorter run, so I'll check in here again after that.

Early Saturday run all alone

And I mean ALL ALONE!  Didn't see anyone else out there.  It was just me, the doves and the robins.  No. The doves were not crying.  The robins did, however, sing "tweet-tweetly-tweet" as one would expect on such a lovely, cool morning.

The run was a bit slower than yesterday.  I felt a little stiff-legged as I headed out and am not suprised that I slowed down a little.  It's fine, though.  I feel great about this morning's run.  I also paused for a moment to admire the thin layer of fog blanketing the field, which took a few seconds off my time.  It felt great to get out there so early (6:00 am on a Saturday!) and now I'm ready to go set up my Relay site.

That's about it for today's uneventful run.  See you here on Monday, after a significantly longer - and earlier - run. 

Good run! That is all!

Didn't run yesterday because I chose to sleep in, instead.  Ah... the dangers of taking a day off from work!  I ran today and will be adjusting my schedule a bit this weekend to accommodate being at Relay for 24 hours.  I really don't see how I'm going to be able to take the time to run for nearly an hour and then drive home to shower and get back there, so I'm going to do that run on Monday morning, before work.  Getting up that early sounds nearly as challenging, but it's only once (right now).

Today's run was awesome!  One of my best yet and it felt great!  Same pace as last time...  improvement would have been nice, but I'll certainly take staying the same.  Absolutely nothing interesting or exciting happened on my run.  The gravel road is, once again, packed and I saw more cars there than I ever have.  I was out at 7:05 so that must be when people are going to work.  I felt a little sorry for them - having to go to work, and all, when I'm taking today off.  Well, except for the ones flew by me, kicking up gravel, and I didn't feel bad for them at all.

It was much cooler this morning.  A balmy 64 degrees! Well, maybe BALMY is pushing it a little.  It was very humid, but still nicer than it has been.  I when I woke up yesterday it was 83 out, which is why I didn't just go later. My run in Chicago - the Rock 'n' Roll mini marathon is one month from today!  Woo hoo.  Looking forward to that, whatever the weather is!

Sweets for sweat?

I've seen some odd things on my runs, but this may be the one that has me the most curious.  I'm tooling along, and on the sidewalk, I see this pan of hard candy.  I don't know why.  There was no one around (it was 6:15 am).  I seriously doubt that someone set it out there in case I needed some quick energy on my run - although if they've seen me run, I suppose that could be the case.  Probably not, though.  It tops my list of strange things I've come across on my runs.



This morning's run went quite well.  Speed is improved, but I am having my doubts about Sunday's run...  At some point, my iPhone app switched from using the GPS to using the accelerometor on Sunday and I think it thought I ran a bit further than I did.  Not that it wasn't a really good run, but I'm thinking it wasn't quite as great as I thought.  Regardless, today's run went very well, despite the temp of almost 80 degrees and super-high humidity.


I signed up for the Lansing Half Marathon taking place in April 2012! Decided that it would be helpful in keeping me focused over the winder, so that I'm 13-mile-ready in the spring.  And, as a bonus, when I'm done with the run I'll be able to go hang out at Eagle Monk Pub and Brewery! Ha ha!I haven't even gotten to my First half-marathon yet, and I'm already planning my 2nd one... including where I'm going to go afterward! I've always been one to plan ahead!


I'll be running a little longer on Thursday, than I did today, but I have the day off from work, so that will be good.  Tootles til then!

Know what I can do?

Anything I choose to do! Yep! My time running increased today and I am thrilled to say that each mile was faster than the last! I headed up my gravel road (which is packing Dow rather slowly) and there was a woman out getting her newspaper. She said "Wow! You have more motivation in the morning than I do!" I appreciated that because it was actually 10 degrees warmer today than yesterday morning and I could have easily skipped out on my run knowing that I wouldn't like it put there. I told her that I knew if I didn't get out and do it, it wouldn't get done. I know... Profound.

 I thought about my dad while I was running. I think he would be proud of what I am doing. Running with the DetermiNation team to raise money for the American Cancer Society. I wish that I could wish him a Happy Father's Day today and tell him all about this morning's run. He passed away, after a long battle with cancer, 9 years ago today. I'll be back on the road on Tuesday morning with a little shorter run than today, but I'm looking forward to an awesome week of improvement. I really do feel, after today, that I truly CAN do anything I set my mind to do.