Hello Again.....

Once again, it's been a long time!! Since I last posted, I ran the first ever St. John Fisher College Run for Courage 5K to benefit Camp Good Days and Special Times. It was a fantastic run...I missed a PR by 10 seconds....around my alma mater (in fact, a double loop....hilly campus....not THAT enjoyable the second time around) which ended with the finish line in the middle of the football field. I had a great time with some great running friends and hope they plan it again for next year. The run was planned and carried out by the students in the Sport Mgmt program as a class project, so I hope future classes choose to continue the event.

I also ran the 37th annual Webster Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning, which has become somewhat of a tradition for me. The run is 4.4 miles...give or take .2....and begins a little less than a mile from my house. So, after we drop the turkey off at the neighbors for smoking, I head home, meet up with some friends and we trek down the road. This year was a banner year for the run as they had over 2200 people registered, which is close to a 50% increase from last year! Crazy! Parking is tight around the start, so people were parked beyond my house, well over a mile from the start line. We tried to drive to the start area, but didn't even get 1/4 mile from my house. Pure craziness, but such a fabulous way to start the Thanksgiving holiday! I had a good run, felt good, and was motivated by thinking about all the thanksgiving goodies that were waiting for me at home!

Now, I'm figuring out a new training schedule because Rochester has added a Du/Tri/Half marathon weekend in April. I would actually really love to train and complete the Duathalon, which is on that saturday, and then the Half Marathon on sunday. I think it's doable with the right training, but we shall see. I'm started back at the gym about a week and a half ago and my body seems to be responding well and getting back into the groove fairly easily. Gold's is holding their Body Transformation Challenge again this year, starting next month. I'm definitely going to register because you absolutely can't beat the price for access to trainers and special classes, along with nutritional advice. Good stuff!

Long Time!

It's been a long time since I've updated this thing! The new job is kicking my butt and leaving little time for anything not related to work. Awesome! That also means my running has fallen to the wayside. Since I last posted, I have run maybe 5 times! Yikes! I did the Barktoberfest 5 mile run last month and had a good run. I also did Johnny's Run Like Hell 5K yesterday and it was not such a good run. It was one of the worst 5K times I've had since I started running! Time to kick up the training again......and monitor the nutrition. I had something I shouldn't have had about an hour and a half before the run, and it reaked havoc on my stomach, causing my stomach to cramp so bad I could barely breath. Awesome. I need to get it back together, I was doing so well going into the half!

I haven't even been to the gym in ages.....actually, I take that back, I went 3 times in the past 2 weeks. Seriously, not good! I did find a new class I now love! It's called Zumba and it's dancing but in an exercise class! Love Love Love it!!! So, I'm hoping between the horrible run yesterday and my new found love of Zumba, I will get back into the exercise swing of things. Not sure what's up next for running. Possibly a 5K at SJFC on Nov. 15. We shall see......

2009 MVP Healthcare Rochester Half/Full Marathon & Relay

What an absolutely perfect day for Running in Rochester, NY!! I simply could not have asked for a better day to run a half marathon. It started off and stayed nice and cool throughout the entire race, there was a good amount of crowd support throughout the course (compared to the past 2 years), and plenty of water/gatorade/gel on the course. I felt fantastic for the entire run and actually ran the ENTIRE way!! That is absolutely a first for me. I may have been able to keep going.....but that will be for another day! It does give me hope that I will reach the goal of running a full marathon within the next year.

I also had a PR at the Rochester half, finishing 10 minutes faster than my fastest half marathon! I was going for a time of 2:40, which would be 7 min faster, and actually finished in 2:37! Whoo Hoo!! I was so absolutely excited when I turned the corner, could see the finish line, and the clock indicating that I would most certainly come in under 2:40. What an amazing feeling!! My legs did begin to cramp up as soon as I stopped running, but after some wonderful stretching from my friend Neil, I was feeling alright. The picture above is my friend Derek and I at the finish line with our medals. He also had a fantastic finish with a time of 2:05 for his first ever half marathon! Congrats! Our friend Nancy also ran and also had an amazing finish! A great run was had by all!

It's Marathon Weekend!!

Yay!! The 2009 MVP Healthcare Rochester Marathon and Half Marathon is tomorrow morning and I'm so excited!! A group of us are heading to the expo today and then partaking in a carbo loading feast late afternoon/early evening. The weather looks like it will be perfect for running tomorrow, mid 60's and some sun. It's raining today, so hopefully that will eliminate any humidity that may have crept into the area this week. As long as we don't have the same conditions as last year (insanely hot weather), I'm golden tomorrow! Good luck to everyone who is running tomorrow!!

Less than a week!

Our event is coming up in 6 days!! We are all ready at this point! This weekend we did a 12K in Mendon Ponds Park called Summerfest. It was hosted by Fleet Feet and was part of our package when we signed up for the Distance Training program. It was crazy crazy hilly, but we all made it to the end and I was personally quite happy with my time and how I felt. The only hitch with the run was the finish. We sprinted for the finish line downhill on gravel......after running 7.5 miles, tired legs don't work super well on loose gravel. One of the coaches ran with another runner and I around 7 miles and was cheering us on with wonderful motivational words.....and then warned us to be careful on the gravel. I was so focused and using all my leg/butt muscles to keep my legs/ankles safe that I ended up rolling my ankle anyway!! Isn't that always how it goes. Immediately upon crossing the finish, I asked for ice b/c I wanted to stop any damage from getting worse. I felt o.k. but still wanted to play it safe, especially with the half marathon only a week away. After icing and eating, I headed home (still feeing ok) and went to a pool party where the water served as great post race rehab!

Here I am 2 days after Summerfest and I am now icing my ankle a few times a day. I woke up yesterday morning with a bit of a stiff ankle which I stretched and worked on throughout the day and then iced. Today, I woke up with an even stiffer ankle that was a bit sore as well. So, I will continue icing and doing ankle exercises throughout the week in the hopes it will be fine for sunday. Worst case I wear an ankle support on sunday to make sure I don't do anymore damage.

Happy Running to all!! My week is filled with easy 3 miles runs and rest days before the Rochester Half Marathon on sunday! Whoo Hoo!!

Yay for 12 miles!

OK, maybe I shouldn't be that excited because it was 12 miles and who gets truly excited about 12 miles of running at 8am on a Saturday morning?? I'm probably more excited about the running being over and that I finished it having not run since the week before! I was so worried because I had been in such a running slump and I felt I was really going to struggle with the 12......but, I actually felt great!! Well, I felt great right up until 10.5/11 miles and then I had some difficulties. My damned feet were hurting so bad it felt as though I was running on stumps. Not good.....

So, in talking with some people and doing some research on my symptoms, it turns out I have Plantar Faciitis. Awesome.....can I please get through a running season without an injury?? I met with Todd (my massage therapist) yesterday and he worked on my feet for a while to get them feeling better. This issue actually started at least a month and a half ago, but I'm really good at ignoring pain (with the idea that I push my body pretty hard, so of course there will be pain) until it never goes away.....then I take notice. The defining symptom is the foot pain when you first get out of bed in the morning. I have been experiencing excruciating pain first thing in the morning and it takes me about an hour to get my feet moving properly. Once I'm past the initial pain, I'm good, unless I stand or sit too long, then I have to start from square one again.

Now I have a whole schedule of remedies I'm following to ease the pain. I always ice when I come home from a run to ease the inflammation. I also froze a water bottle and I roll my foot over the bottle to ice and stretch at the same time. Todd, my massage therapist, is awesome and will work on my feet a few more times before the half marathon (and he is in the massage tent at the end, so I will certainly be seeking him out!). I think I should be able to move past this and maintain some running!

So now I'm headed into my taper!! Whoo Hoo!! This is my favorite part of the training because you know the event is right around the corner! I'm excited to have met some fabulous new running friends who actually run at my pace.....this means I'll have people to run with during the half! Love it!

Happy Running!

Slumpin....slumpin....slumpin....

Wow, I'm in a wicked slump right now!! Seriously!! The half marathon is just 3 weeks out and I'm having a really difficult time getting out there and running. In fact, this week, I've only done some elliptical work and weight training. I think I'm a bit burned out on the running thing.....which is not good at this particular moment! We have a 12 mile run coming up tomorrow and I'm a bit nervous.

The same thing happened to me last year and the year before. I thought I had run through it this year, until I hit the wall last week. Ugh!! So, I'm planning on the 12 mile run tomorrow, I'm heading out right now to do about 4/5 miles and I'm hoping that gets my head back into the game heading into the home stretch toward the half marathon!

Athlete Performance Insole by Sof Sole

I started running with these insoles about 2 weeks ago and have had some good runs. I was having problems with my feet becoming incredibly sore during a run and felt that my current insoles were pretty worn down. So, I replaced them with the Athlete Performance Insoles from Sof Sole and have been feeling less foot pain. It took me a few runs to get used to them being in my sneakers, but now I'm really enjoying the extra cushioning that these insoles provide. The forefoot cushioning is incredible as that is where I was having the most pain and now I'm not.

If you want some extra cushioning for that long run (or even the shorter one!), this is a great insole! It not only offers minor arch support, but incredible cushion support and moisture management. The insole paired with the Coolmax sock really works to keep my feet happy and dry during through all the miles I run.

Barktober Fest '09

I just signed up for Barktober Fest '09 at Lollypop Farms. It's a day dedicated to the animals that Lollypop works tirelessly for day in and day out. The morning begins with a 5 mile road race (which is what I registered for) and then offers attendees a 1.5 mile nature walk where you can bring your dog. The past 2 years I've run as a member of Team S.O.S. (well, last year I signed up but ended up on crutches, so I road marshalled the race) and we have been the fundraising champs both years.

Once again I will be running with Team S.O.S. and have set up a donation page. If you love little furry friends and you want to support them, feel free to donate on my page at: http://lollypop.org/melash.

The many animals of Lollypop thank you immensely!!

Coolmax Liner Sock

I have been running in these socks most of the summer and couldn't be happier with them! They are a nice and thin/light sock that keeps the air flowing in your feet while running. My feet stay very dry through all my runs as well as being super comfy! The sock itself is also lowcut, so it doesn't come up much higher than the top of my sneaker. I don't know about anyone else, but I really like that quality because I am not a fan of my socks showing! That's just me!

The socks are made by Sof Sole and if you check out their website, you can find a local retailer. I highly recommend checking them out, they are worth it for those long runs!!

One Month....

Rochester Half Marathon is one month from today! Whoo Hoo!! I feel ready....although I'm having a little running slump this week....but I'm ready! Everyone has their weeks right? I've only fit in about 7 miles this week. Yikes! We have 11 on tap for saturday so that should be interesting.

What do you do when your in a training slump? When you are having a hard time getting out of the house and hitting the streets to pound out your miles? The gym is always an option to just maintain fitness......but how do you work past the running slump? Just curious if there are any thoughts.

Hydration Belt

So I finally bit the bullet and bought a hydration belt for my longer runs. I've been struggling once I get around 8/9 miles so I had to find something that would help me push through. The belt I got has one larger waterbottle in an insulated sleeve, a smaller bottle for gatorade (or other sport drink), and a pocket to carry whatever I'd like.


I used the belt during our 10 mile run this past saturday and loved it!! I was always hesitant to use the belt because I was afraid of the extra weight and how it would feel while running. Running with it, I didn't feel any extra weight and the sloshing water sound didn't bother me b/c I had my headset on the entire time. I loved it!! I had water and G2 anytime I needed it, and I filled the pocket with Sport Beans by Jelly Belly for some added fuel.

Great Week!

This week I covered all my training runs and felt incredible! Wednesday I did 8, Thursday was 7, and Friday 5. We then had our saturday long run (10 miles) starting at Fleet Feet and wandering through parts of the Rochester Half Marathon course and ending back at the store. After yesterday's run, I'm at 30 miles for the week.....which is a first for me!! I've never made it out of the 20's for miles run in a week. I have 4 on the schedule for today, so I will end with 34 for this week.

The half marathon is inching closer, just a little over a month to go. I'm hoping for a PR this year, and if I keep running the way I have been over the past few weeks, I just might be on target!

Happy Running!!

Yay t-roller!!

I love this little guy!! After our 9.2 mile run on saturday, the t-roller came in very handy to work on my legs! The best feeling after a long run is to have your legs massaged and this gadget does the trick! I highly recommend checking it out and investing in the t-roller! Love it!

It's been soooo long!

I have been bouncing around with a million and one things on my plate for most of the summer.....which ultimately kept me from blogging. Isn't it crazy how busy the summer becomes! I can't believe it's already August! I'll try to keep my update short and sweet to get the blog back on track.

First, Alex and I have spent most of the summer working on the kitchen remodel.....which has been such a long drawn out process. We gutted the entire kitchen the last weekend of June and we are finally getting to the last stages of the remodel. It's amazing how much we've learned about remodeling and how different the kitchen looks! Love it!! We just started cooking in it this week, even though there are a few things not quite done yet. Love all the new gadgets and appliances!

Second, I spent a large chunk of the summer job searching.....which is quite the task when looking for a job in education. My search paid off with a job offer in mid July at Urban Choice Charter School in Rochester. I will not only be a School Counselor, but also a Heath and Home & Careers teacher. The idea is to educate students on balanced living through nutritional, physical, and emotional health. What an incredible concept!! I am absolutely excited about the opportunity and looking forward to becoming part of the team at UCCS!

Third, I have been running pretty regularly, with little time outs here and there. I finished the Boilermaker in mid July and beat last year by only 15 seconds. I was on target to finish almost 5 minutes faster than last year until I hit my wall around 8.5 miles. Not good! My legs felt like cement and I had to talk myself into continuing to move toward the finish line. Thankfully the finish line is at the bottom of a downhill! Since then, I have been focusing on the Rochester 1/2 marathon in September and following my Fleet Feet training program and group runs. I'm feeling great and running better than ever before. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can make it injury free throughout the rest of my training!

OK, I think that does it for now. I'm contemplating adding a blog focusing on kids nutrition to coincide with my classes, so stay tuned!

Darn Computer....

I'm having some computer malfunction difficulties right now, so blogging has been challenging. I will be back online and posting after this weekend b/c a few stressors will soon be lifted from my life!!

This weekend we are headed to the 32nd annual Boilermaker in Utica, NY, which is always a fantastically fun weekend! I'll post once I return and finish my product reviews.....I tried another fabulous pair of socks!! Can't wait to wear them for Boilermaker!

Anti-Friction Women's Performance Sock

I tried the Anti-Friction sock on my coached tempo run last night and fell in love. Just to make sure I had a solid base of comparison, I decided to run with my regular old running socks this morning. Wow, what a difference!!

Last nights run was about 5 miles (1 mi warm up, 3 mi tempo run, 1 mi cool down). My feet felt absolutely fantastic!! It was rather damp out because it had been raining most of the day, but it was also crazy muggy and humid, so I was hoping the socks would at least keep my feet dry from all the moisture. I loved how soft the socks were when I got back to my car and yanked my sneakers off, my feet were bone dry and felt like a million bucks!! I can't say enough about these socks, they feel better than any other sock I have ever run in.....definitely check them out by clicking here!!!

Sof Sole Products Arrive!

Yesterday afternoon the products I'm testing arrived from Sof Sole. They sent 2 different shoe inserts, 2 different packages of socks, and a sports clothing laundry detergent. I can't wait to test them out on my upcoming runs!

Currently, I'm wearing a pair of the socks and they are super duper soft and comfy. I'm heading out for our first coached tempo run with the Fleet Feet group in a little bit, so I'll report back on the actual type of sock and how well it performed after my workout.

Yay....Running Skirt!

I wore my new running skirt for our Fleet Feet group run yesterday morning and I can't believe I didn't mention this in my last post!! I absolutely loved it!! It felt so good, so comfortable, and so workout friendly.

The skirt I have is by Champion and is available at places like Target. It has nice compression shorts underneath that kept me comfy the whole run. The only minor drawback with this particular skirt had to do with it not having a little pocket/hidden pouch to hold a key. I didn't notice until I got the the run and went to put my remote door opener in the hidden pouch.....and didn't find a pouch! Otherwise, the skirt was a hit and I can't wait to wear it again. In fact, I will need to get a few more skirts to get me through my summer of running!

First Fleet Feet group run

This morning was the first group run at Fleet Feet since the distance training program began. I wasn't feeling 100% this morning so I opted for the 5mi run, which actually was a 5.5mi course. Felt good, ran the whole way. My legs started bothering me in the last mile, but, like I said, I wasn't feeling 100% to begin with, so I'm not worried about it.

I met some great people who were obviously so happy to be out running on a beautiful saturday morning. And it was, an absolutely beautiful morning to be running through Rochester, including Park Ave area and Cobbs Hill. Can't wait until next week....although the mileage will be about 8! Yikes!!

Another 4

Guinness and I took on another 4miles today, same North Ponds park path. Nothing exciting to report, it felt good and I feel like I'm starting to get my running legs back.

Tomorrow is my first run with the Fleet Feet group. We are scheduled for 7mi, but we can cut off and do 5 if we choose. I'm on the fence right now, I'll probably see how I feel in the morning.

Nice 4 miler

Today Guinness & I went for a nice 4 mile run starting in North Ponds Park and heading West to Five Mile Line Rd. The weather was beautiful!!! What a perfect afternoon for a run. I felt fantastic and Guinness wasn't doing too bad himself. We took a mid run bathroom break at my gym (Gold's Webster), but that was the only break in our romp. I didn't try my running skirt yet because I wanted to save it for our happy hour Social run on Thursday.

On another note, I'm excited because I will begin sampling the Sof Sole summer line of insoles and socks for runners! Yay!! I should be receiving my first samples next week and once I try them out, I'll share my thoughts. Stay tuned.....

Fleet Feet Distance Training Program

Tonight, Derek and I decided we wouldn't try to get to the half marathon on our own. Instead, we will be joining Fleet Feet Rochester's Distance Training program.....beginning today! We went to a meeting at the store and met a great group of people who will be training along with us. Just about everyone is training for either the Rochester half or full Marathon in September, with a few exceptions. One women is training for Chicago and another for the Baltimore half marathon. I am very excited to begin this journey with a bunch of people who are running because they love it, want to have fun, and meet new people.......not to break any records.

I was so inspired after our meeting, that I stopped at the park on the way home and ran 2 miles. This Saturday will be our first group run of 5-6 miles and we will also benefit from 5 coached tempo workouts over the next 14 weeks.

I'm also hoping to try out some new running gear and equipment over the course of the program so I'm running safely and having fun! In fact, one of my running buddies, Diane, gave me a running skirt as a graduation present and I'm super duper excited to try it!! Nothing like running and looking sharp!

Fear....

Fear is some crazy thing that sneaks up on you when you least expect it. I've been struggling with what I thought was motivation issues, when really, what I've discovered today, is that I was simply allowing fear to control my decision to get out and run. I think I've been dealing with this on and off since the hip injury and I've been allowing it to hold me back. It's interesting because this is exactly what I preach to those around me....yet, here I am allowing fear to take the wheel in my life.

So, I pushed through today and hit the road for an easy 2.25 mi run. Nothing crazy, just wanted to get out there because it had been a while......actually, many weeks have passed since my last run! I needed to start somewhere and this was a simple run I could use to get me started. Now, my road is rather hilly, so not only did I get my starter run in, I also made it over some hills. I felt pretty darn good when I got home and started thinking, what the heck was I so afraid of?!?

This week I'll probably keep to the 2.25 mi run, maybe move up to 3.5 depending on how I'm feeling. I'm planning a longer run, maybe 5 mi max, as my long weekend run. I'll still be keeping my gym workouts in check, so the running will be added exercise this week. Boilermaker is only 48 days away, so I need to be very diligent about getting my runs in and increasing my miles over the next few weeks.

Motivation.....

Please, someone help me locate my motivation to run because I seem to have misplaced it!!

I'm really struggling to get out there and I can't pinpoint the issue. I had been doing an incredible job of hitting the gym almost daily, but I still wasn't running. Now, officially a solid week has gone by and I haven't even been to the gym. What is up?? Last weekend was incredibly high stress because my wonderful husband forgot he put something on the stove and a beautiful friday afternoon turned into grease fire insanity!! Firetrucks, cops, marshalls, and shutting down part of our street until everything was squared away. We then cleaned the kitchen, repainted the ceilings, and washed the walls until 3am because graduation was the very next day and about 30 people were slated to be coming over for a celebratory party. Awesome! Thank god for amazing friends (Derek, Alana, & Chris) who came over and helped us until the wee hours of the morning. Now, for some reason, this has thrown off my entire exercise regimen. The exhaustion from the weekend really hit me on monday & tuesday and I was blindly tired. I need to cut myself a little slack and know that I probably needed the rest and time off, but I'm really hard on myself and a week off is something I have a hard time excusing.

Anyway, I'm hoping to start fresh tomorrow morning. I'm planning to get up and go to my usual Body Pump and Body Attack classes and then go for a nice run on sunday morning. I need to snap out of it because the Boilermaker 15K is sneaking up on me as we are moving into June. Time is ticking and if I want to come close to beating my time from last year, I need to get on the ball!!

Back in Business...

The Running & exercise business that is!

My thesis is done, classes are ancient history, & the poster session is over. In fact, at the poster session, I was completely shocked to be awarded an Exceptional Student award from the Faculty!! Seriously, me, a B/C student most of my life (straight A's in grad school though) who has had to bust my butt in every academic venture, received and exceptional student award! Now that grad school is officially over and my only remaining duty is to walk across the stage on Saturday, I can refocus on what is incredibly important to me, exercise!!!! Yay!!

The past 2 weeks I have been pushing myself to new places at the gym and feeling like a million bucks. I'm finally getting my energy back and my stress level is at an all time low. It has been a true struggle to fit my workouts into my crazy schedule over the past few months and I have definitely felt the difference. It's amazing how much your emotional well being is tied to your physical well being. I am acutely aware of how much I need exercise in my life and what an integral role it plays.

My gym began a program called Art of Strength that is focused around kettle bells, ropes, logs, etc. It started May 1 and I absolutely love it!! In a little over a week, I can already feel changes in how my muscles are working together as a team and strengthening my overall body. In addition to that, I tried a Body Attack class with has been supplementing some of my running. It is a high intensity, fast moving, cardio class that works well as a running alternative. While I'm not talking about actual running a great deal, I'm working on exercises that will help me run better and safer so I don't have a repeat of last years accident.

For now, this is where I'm at. I'm hitting the gym all but 1 day a week and running when I can. At this point, I've adjusted my running schedule a bit b/c of how hectic things have been. I just don't feel ready for the Buffalo 1/2 marathon, so I've axed that one. I also was a no show for the Pink Ribbon 5K, I had worked a 7 hour shift at Beale St the night before and Sunday morning my legs were shot. Right now I am really focusing on Boilermaker in July and the Rochester 1/2 marathon in Sept. Still haven't decided what fall marathon I want to do, but the ones I'm looking at still have a good deal of time before they will be full or registration closes. I need to see where my training goes over the next few weeks.

Yay Mark!!!

Congratulations to my friend Mark on his kick butt finish in today's Boston Marathon!! You rocked that course with a 3:26:21 finish time and a 7:53 pace. Great job!!

Congrats to all who ran in Boston today! What a race!! The women once again had a very exciting finish with the top 3 shoulder to shoulder within 600 meters of the finish. Unfortunately USA's Kara Goucher fell back after leading for a good part of the race, but she still placed an awesome third!! The top two women crossed the finish line with 1 second between them!! On the men's side, USA also had a great third place finish with Ryan Hall!

Congratulations!!

Time Out.....

I'm taking a blog/run time out so I can complete my master's thesis. It's my final step in reaching graduation and is completely consuming me. While a good run would certainly be helpful, they will most likely be few and far between since I can barely tear myself away from my computer to even eat!!

I'll get back online the end of the month, as my goal is to turn in the project on April 28th. Graduation is on May 16th and quickly approaching!! I can't believe I'm actually in the home stretch after 4 long years of working toward this degree!! Yay me!!

In the mean time, happy running!!

The Social, Happy Hour Run

Thank you Fleet Feet for a fabulous happy hour run starting and ending at The Social on East Ave.!! I had a great time, it was fantastic running weather and the post run buffet (thank you Social) was super yummy. We did a 3.5 mi trek down East Ave, across Culver, over to Monore, and then back toward East on Alexander St. Linda and I ran the first half of the run together and then I lost her b/c I fell behind going up a hill. I then met and ran with a guy named Mark and his daughter who he was pushing in a running stroller. We had a great conversation to finish out the run.

A perfect night and I already have the next Social run on my calendar.....May 14th!!

Meaghan's 5K & Weather Disaster

Yesterday morning Derek & I ran in our first 5K of the season, Meaghan's 5K. Although, I think we must have lost our minds for a little bit because the weather was insane!! I don't know that I will ever agree to run in weather as bad as that again!! Seriously.....and I've run in some pretty bad weather, but today was a perfect storm combo (Rain, Sleet, Snow, Freezing Temps, & Extreme Winds). We were discussing our Turkey Trot Run from '07 where we ran in rain, cold and had to end in Webster park down a mud slicked hill and then trudge through inches of mud to get to the finish line, only to find out that the mud was so bad the timing equipment disconnected and no one received times. Sweet. Or better yet, last July when we ran the Jungle Jog in a torrential downpour. It was fine and the minute the gun went off, the thunder cracked & the skies opened up on us. Still, I would take both of those experiences over yesterday.

The weather was consistently horrible throughout the entire race, there was no letting up at all. This actually drove me to run hard so I could finish as soon as possible! I was making good time and potentially headed for a PR, until I turned a corner in the last mile and was hit with winds that were blowing my legs out from under me and rain/sleet that was coming down sideways and pelting my face. WTF??? I was spewing a few choice words under my breath at this point and my pace went into the toilet. Finishing was all I could think about. Our final steps included 1 time around the track at Victor HS and then we were done, except, the back side of the track put us back into the crazy winds, so sprinting to the finish was nearly out of the question. Anyway, I finished, didn't have a horrible time, and physically felt good....even though my breathing was labored from the cold and wind.

Next up, Happy Hour run @ The Social next Thursday!

Great Week

Running has been great this week! I've put in 5 days of running, along with my gym workouts, which makes this week the most consistent running week since my busted hip. I'm not breaking any PR's or anything, but I'm feeling incredibly comfortable with the longer distances, which is nice. I think the next step is to push it a little harder so I can begin to improve my times. Again, nothing crazy, I just want to get back to my pace from last summer. This weekend will be my first official 5K since September which will give me a sense of where I'm at right now and what I need to do moving forward.

Tuesday Run

This was my first run since the Johnny's 5miler & it was much easier than I thought it would be!! I ran the canal path near/around UofR (before class), and went 30 min out and 30 back. I think I got in around 5 miles at a nice jogging pace. The weather was beautiful and perfect for a nice afternoon run (around 45/50 and sunny). I felt really good, my lungs were nice and clear and my breathing was very even. That has been my biggest problem lately, keeping my breathing under control. The chest cold definitely didn't help and I think the inhaler's are keeping the lungs nice and open. I'll head out for another run with my dog tomorrow, so it will be a shorter, less focused run.

No Running.....Again....

Seriously! So the chest cold got worse over the weekend and decided to make a dr's appt yesterday to see what was going on. I feel alright, I'm just coughing so violently that I give myself a headache and every part of my body hurts!! Ugh! Anyway, the doctor gave me a nebulizer (sp?) treatment in the office and then sent me home with prescriptions for an aggressive steriod treatment to open up my lungs along with an antibiotic and an inhaler. Seriously. My doctor is also a runner and absolutely forbade me from running outside for a while. She even told me to cut back on the gym workouts for a few days. Not loving that idea. Anyway, I think I'll head back to the gym tomorrow, it will have been 3 days since I last exercised. We'll see how that goes!!

Johnny's Runnin of the Green

What a beautifully perfect day for a run!! Seriously! It was around 40-45 degrees with virtually no wind and lots of sun. Simply fantastic running weather.....and St. Patty's Day parade weather!

It wasn't my best run, but I still had a good time. Lucky me came down with another chest cold, along with a very nasty cough on Friday, so my lungs weren't exactly ready to be put to the test on a 5 mile run! Within the first mile I could feel whatever was in my lungs start to rattle, but I was already out there so I figured I'd just run it and deal with it after!

I'm aiming for the Spring Forward 15K on April 5th as my next run. Let's see how quickly I can get over this chest cold and get back out there training!

Happy Running!!

Running Update....

Today marked my longest run since the hip injury and it felt good!! Not only did it feel good to run, but if felt fantastic to be able to go outside and run in the beautiful 50 degree weather! I ran with my friend Diane and her daughter Heather and we started on the canal path in Fairport. Diane's house is 5.2 miles from where we started, so we ran along the canal and then headed to her house to finish. We then drove back to the start to pick up our cars. It felt great to get out there and just start running again!! I had some little pains in my hip, but I think it's just residual pains. We are doing the same loop on Tuesday afternoon b/c we are trying to get ready for Johnny's Running of the Green 5 mile run on March 14th. I was freaking out a little because I hadn't been running alot and I knew we were going to do this run, but after today, I'm feeling a bit better. I'm excited that running season is about to begin!!! I'll have to step up the running b/c we will be doing a very hilly 15K the beginning of April as well!!! Ugh!!

I have yet to decide what marathon I'm going to work toward, but it will definitely be in the fall and I'm leaning toward Niagara Falls.....I mean really, how awesome would it be to not only run across the Peace Bridge, but also the border!

Gold's Gym Body Transformation Challenge

The challenge has been wonderful again this year!! I have been attending the small group sessions as well as the Wednesday night circus workouts when I can. We are now at the end of week 7 of the challenge and the workouts are certainly getting much more challenging!! While I haven't been as dedicated to the program in the first 6 weeks, I still had some weight loss as well as losing some body fat percentage points at the mid program weigh in. I feel much stronger and feel that my core is much tigher as we have been working a great deal on strengthing the core. The plank position is my new best friend!! Overall my experiences have been wonderful in the program and I'm very much looking forward to being much more dedicated for the second half of the challenge!!

Quick Update Post.....

To bring my blog up to date!! I can't believe it's been soooo log since I last wrote....in fact, an entire month has gone by The chaos began when my husband, Alex, was laid off (yes, we became victims of this fabulous economy). I haven't been working b/c it's my last semester of graduate school and I'm finishing my internship and thesis this semester, so that put us in a bit of a bind. I started working crazy hours at different places and then landed a long term subbing position in the city school district as a School Counselor. I've been doing that over the past month and it has kept me crazy busy and completely off the computer!! I also was waiting for my "new" computer to arrive b/c we had to send my husbands computer back to his company after the layoff. Anyway, long story short, he has been interviewing all over and is headed to Baltimore next week to interview with another company. This would be a perfect position for him and they seem to love him, so keep your fingers crossed for us!!!

As for my running and the Body Challenge program, I have been doing a little, but haven't been as focused on the exercise and running as I should be. I've been so focused on what is happening within our lives, that I haven't had much time to dedicate mentally to my exercise goals. Also, due to the changes in our lives, Derek and I will not be doing San Diego and we are thinking about what marathon we can look forward to in the Fall.

I will certainly be more diligent about posting now that I'm bringing the blog up to speed! I left it for so long, the update seemed overwhelming!! Of course, with the weather change, I will be running much more frequently!

Stay Tuned....

New updates coming soon. Life has been a bit hairy the past few weeks, so I haven't had a chance to catch up with the blog.

I've been running and hitting the gym pretty regularly though! And of course, the Gold's Gym Body Transformation Challenge has begun! We are 1 week in and it's been fantastic so far!!

Rochester Runner of the Year (RROY)

The banquet for RROY was last night and my friend Adam and I were in attendance to receive our awards. Adam ranked in the top 10 overall and won his age group, as well as receiving a silver patch for running over 100 miles in road races. I won 2nd place in my age group as well as a bronze patch for running over 50 miles in road races (79.4 to be exact). Alex & I also won some wonderful door prizes. Love the door prizes! Overall it was a great night and I was able to visit with a number of people I've met through various road races and other running events. I am looking forward to running in this years RROY races!

OMG!!

This is hysterical!! I might have to do the LA Marathon just to see Cousin Sal!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZrRoTcme0o

Fantastic Run!

I had a fantastic run at the gym today! It felt awesome!! I did 4.5 miles on the treadmill and then headed for some lower body and ab training. I just need to get to 20 mi per week by the end of the month. Then I will know if I'm ready for the marathon training!

I won't start logging weight loss for a few more weeks. I officially registered for the Body Challenge and scheduled my photo and measurements for 8am on Jan. 17. Yikes!!

Runner's Live Longer...

If you are wondering how running can affect your life, check out this CNN story:

http://edition.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/health/2008/12/31/gupta.run.good.health.cnn.html

A friend of mine posted this recently and I love it!! Yay to living longer and becoming healthier!!

Training Begins.....Sort of

Well, it's the start of a new year and a new running schedule! It looks like Derek and I are on for San Diego....although we haven't officially registered yet.

I began running earlier this week and I feel great! My legs were a bit sore, but nothing crazy. I did 2 miles on Tuesday and 1.5 miles yesterday, all solid running, no walk breaks. I know it's baby steps, but I have to start somewhere!

Over the next few weeks I'm focusing on weight loss and building up my mileage. I'll be starting the Body Transformation Challenge at my gym the middle of this month to work on the weight loss part of my goal. More to come.....