Trolley Run - 2009

Today was the Trolley Run. Last year it was freezing cold and if I remember correctly, misting? Either way, it was miserable. This year I woke up to rain and humidity. I wasn't sure the weather was going to hold out, but it did! It ended up being a perfect day for a run.

As I've mentioned in my last few posts, I've been having some running issues. I got hurt a few weeks ago and didn't run-run for nearly two weeks. I didn't exactly have high hopes for today, but went in determined to beat my time last year.

I got to The Plaza barely in time to catch a bus to Waldo. I actually got to go to the front of the line because I was in a faster wave that started before the others. As I walked to the bus my left ankle started hurting a little bit. It just felt like the muscle right behind my ankle below my calve was starting to cramp...and I was just WALKING! I also forgot my visor and my iPod. Things were not starting out right.

The race started just as the sun came out! I knew right away I'd be missing that visor.... The first two miles actually went very quickly. I was pacing almost exactly 9 minute miles. I was feeling pretty good, but really hoped to either maintain speed or actually go a little bit faster. Somewhere in the middle of the third mile that pain behind my ankle started getting really bad. Everything else was fine, except for that horrible pain. Against my will, I stopped and walked about 30 seconds to a minute. Let me tell you, that is frustrating!!! Seeing big groups of people run past me just makes me angry! So I sucked it up and started running again. The 4th mile was pretty good. About halfway into that last mile a guy next to me asked if I knew how much further. I told him it was probably less than half a mile and he said "Alright, well we better speed up then!" I thought it was really cool.

I won't lie, I was struggling toward the end. Those two weeks off really set me back and the sweat running in my eyes was really starting to get to me. I could barely see anything. And lord almighty, my ankle was screaming!

I crossed the finish line and was happy I finished, but disappointed that I didn't go a little faster. I need to get over this speed thing. I'm NOT a fast runner. I can sprint, yes, but distance running I'm just slower. I need to stop obsessing...but it's hard.

I thought for sure I'd finished faster than last year. Alas, I was actually 3 seconds slower. It's a bit disappointing, but just more motivation to train harder and focus more on nutrition and form for the next race.

Here are the stats:
Distance: 4 Miles
Time: 37:18
Pace: 9:20
Overall: 2,744/6,666
Division: 250/771
Female: 991/3819

I missed my "goal" finish time by a minute and a half. Ugh. Oh well, there's always next year....

Next up... Hospital Hill Run 10K!

Lead Legs

Well, apparently my legs have gone on and decided that they do not wish to run anymore. They are done.

I'm not exactly sure what's going on, but my last two runs have been horrible (granted they are my first two runs in about 6 days, but that shouldn't matter this much). I can barely go. My legs feel like they are made of lead.

Don't they know that Sunday is the Trolley Run?! In just 4 days they are going to bus me out to Waldo and instruct me to run my happy ass to the Plaza. At the rate I'm going I'm not going to make it! I.am.so.frus.tra.ted.

Last year my time was 37:15 (4 miles). This year I signed up for the "Blue Wave" which gently suggests that you finish under 35 minutes! Hello?! Legs?? Did you hear that?! RUN!!!!

*sigh* I'll let you know if they wake up and decide to actually WORK!

Another Teaser

Ted is growing by leaps and bounds!

He will be coming home on May 9th. It can't get here soon enough!

4 weeks old....

Look at those paws!



Ted is in the red collar.

Missy can't wait either! George, well, we haven't told him yet....

Weekly Fitness Log - Week 15, 2009

INJURED :(

Monday, April 13
Run: 3 miles (straight through)
Weights
Abs

Tuesday, April 14
Walk Missy - 1.5 miles

Wednesday, April 15
Run: Try to run 3 miles, end up walking at least half of it.

Thursday, April 16
Walk Missy @ park

Friday, April 17
Walk Missy - 1.5 miles

Saturday, April 18
Nothing - hurt

Sunday, April 19
Walk Missy - 1.5 miles

Overall Notes
I'm not sure what I've done to my leg, but I'm hurt. I can't decide if it's a muscle or if I have pinched nerve or something. It's not a constant pain, but when I get up to walk there's a sharp pain on the inside of my thigh about 6 inches above my knee. I tried to run on Wednesday, but had to stop it was hurting so bad. I thought for sure I'd be better by now, but even walking the dog is painful. I'm going to try to run tomorrow because the Trolley Run is next Sunday and I'm bound and determined to beat last years time. Things are also VERY stressful at work right now and all I want to do is go run off some nervous energy. This sucks!!!!!!!!!

On the plus side, I went to a baby shower this afternoon and numerous family members said I looked skinny. I'll take that!!!

Weekly Fitness Log - Week 14, 2009

Monday, April 6
Elliptical: 30 minutes
Weights: Shoulders
Abs

Tuesday, April 7
Off Day

Wednesday, April 8
Run at the park - 4 Miles

Thursday, April 9
Walk Missy - 1.5 Miles

Friday, April 10
Run: 2 Miles + Walking
Elliptical: 20 Minutes
Weights
Abs
Sauna: 10 Minutes
Walk Missy - 1.5 Miles

Saturday, April 10
Spin Class - 1 Hour
Abs
Sauna: 10 Minutes
Walk Missy 1.5

Overall Notes:
Nothing really. I started counting calories this week. I can tell a difference, but am still adjusting. I've injured my inner thigh(about 3 inches above the knee on the inside) somehow. I can't tell if it is a pinched nerve or a muscle pull. Either way, I've only run 2 times so far this week and both have been pretty brutal. I'm hoping to be able to do something this weekend. We'll see. It's frustrating.

Zach loves our Missy dog!

This just melts my heart. Zach stayed up super late one night making this.... My Miss Moo is too dang cute. Ahh, puppyhood!

Something New to Make Me Crazy

For years I've absolutely despised the magnetic car ribbon thingamabobs. They. drove. me. crazy. At first I was like "oh that's nice, look at them, supporting the troops", then the "causes" started coming out of the woodwork... You name it, there was a ribbon for it. Heck, even the Chiefs had a ribbon!! So many times I wanted to just rip them all off of cars I saw in parking lots, but I'm a goody-two-shoe and could never do such things. So Zach just had to put up with my bitching. Good thing he agrees with me.
Finally, after a few more years than they should have, the ribbon magnets started going away. Gradually cars started to look like cars again and less like a refrigerator.



Then..... THIS happened....Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, people start pimping their kids on their car. I'm not sure what bugs me more, the fact that parents are so focused on their kids activities that they have to not only talk about it incessantly to everyone they encounter, but also have to plaster it all over their car. Or if it's the fact that these people are putting their childrens NAMES on the car! That way, when a stranger tries to give them some "candy" they can call them out by name! Great idea!!! Maybe it's because I live in suburbia now, but I've never noticed people doing this kind of stuff to their cars before. Of course there's the occasional "honor student" sticker, but really, do you have to list out every extra circular activity your child is in along with some clever clip art and detail it on your car? Is that really necessary?

I guess I just don't get the whole being so full of yourself thing.

Do people not realize how stupid this makes them look? Really?

I don't get it.

Weekly Fitness Log - Week 13, 2009

Monday, March 30
30 Day Shred - Level 1
Walk Missy - 1.0 Miles

Tuesday, March 31
30 Day Shred - Level 1 (before work)
Turbo Kickboxing - 45 minutes
Amped Abs - 15 minutes
Bike - 7 min warm up

Wednesday, April 1
Elliptical - 30 min
Bike - 10 min
30 Day Shred - Level 1 (before work)

Thursday, April 2
Day Off

Friday, April 3
Treadmill - Run 2 Walk 1
Bike - 10 min
Abs
Sauna 10 min

Saturday, April 4
Jog in neighborhood - 4.34 miles
Walk Missy - 1.0 miles

Overall Notes
Pretty good week! The 30 day shred is a great incremental workout in the mornings or on days that I don't have the will to go to the gym. However, on the days where I tried to do both, my body paid for it. I was exhausted and sore. My run Saturday was especially challenging. My legs felt like cement blocks! I will admit that so far this week I haven't done the Shred, but I plan to tomorrow morning, then go to the gym in the evening. We'll see how it actually all goes down. Zach said he can definitely see more muscle tone in my legs, so something has to be working.

I still haven't bought new shoes either. I think my feet are going to rebel at any point. This weekend I will get some. I swear!

Onward and upward!

Sneak Preview

Meet Ted...

He's a 2 week old Great Dane and will be joining our family sometime in early May! Stay tuned!

Ahh, Family Time...

Back by popular demand, it's everybody's favorite dog (for now anyway *cough cough*)... Missy!

Apparently Metallica makes her crazy. Must run in the family...




***Hmm.. the video quality is not showing up the same as it does for me normally. Oh well. Enjoy anyway.