In Love...

Thanks for all the comments!! I'm so in love with my Garmin! How did I ever run without it? It's fantastic to see my pace and when I'm slowing or when I'm going out too fast. Awesome!

Running is going alright. I'm just having a good time doing it, I can't continue to put pressure on myself. The goal is to finish. It's that simple. I'm not competitive, I just want to be able to do it and finish what I started. I'm totally psyching myself out and it's got to stop!! It will be a good day, no doubt about it!

So..............

I might update this someday! :)

Seriously, I have been busy....beginning mid Aug......getting ready for back to school and getting on top of my counseling stuff. Reading, creating documents, procedures, etc, all in preparation for this week when all their shiny little faces walk through the door.

I love it!! It has been a fantastic first 2 days of school....some bumps, but I work in middle school, so that is to be expected! Once they realize they don't have to "front" at my school, the bumps should start to iron themselves out.

I'm still running, although, I've strayed from my marathon training. YIKES!! Panic button isn't fully pushed yet. I think I'm in the "mid way of a long a$% training program" slump. I'm doing the Rochester 1/2 Marathon this coming sunday and that will put me right back on track. I think I need to be part of the organized race to get my drive back.

I've been in the gym alot, so I'm still in decent physical shape, but I have to step up the running to finish getting ready for NYC. It's a must!

I'm thinking I'll check back in with a post Rochester 1/2 report. while I'm watching my Buffalo Bills home opener! Man this will be a good sunday!! Running and Football!!

More on Sunday!

Getting back on track & nasty little bugs!!

Taking a injury prevention time out is where I've been! I'm having some problems with my feet again (heel pain mostly, some pain on outside of rt foot as well). So, in light of that....and not wanting to be in the same predicament as last summer (plantar stuff), I took some time from running and dedicated it to gym work. I spent a little over a week just spinning and doing boot camp at Gold's. I did some short runs, 3 miles max, but that was about it. I figured if I could nip this now, then I could still jump right back into marathon training.

I got back to the running this past week doing my 4m, 7m, 4m weekday runs. I also did 2 spinning classes and 2 boot camp classes. Awesome jump back into it and I felt good on the runs. I was especially looking forward to the 12 mile run for this past weekend. On Friday, I had to mow the backyard and while mowing, something (A bug of some sort) jumped out of the ground and zapped me! Wouldn't have been a big deal except the searing pain I felt wasn't like a regular bee sting or bug bite. I did a few more passes around the lawn before I decided to go in and ice it. I was in that much pain!! WTF?? It felt like someone put a hot poker to the back of my calf and the pain just radiated throughout my lower leg. Awesome! I iced, finished the yard, and went about the rest of my day. Still had some pain, but I was trying to ignore.

I got up Saturday morning and the red area had tripled in size and it was extraordinarily painful!! Seriously?? It was a bug bite! On my husband's suggestion, I took some Advil and put some Benadryl lotion over the area. Neither of these things helped. We went out with some friends and had dinner/movie/drinks, and by the time we got to drinks, my leg was swollen, my ankle was starting to disappear and it was bright red and hot to the touch. Not a good sign.

I figured I'd see how it looked by Monday morning and call my doctor if it was worse, however, I didn't make it to today. I got up yesterday morning, again in terrible pain and I totally had a cankle at this point. In fact, the swelling was well into my foot. So, once the house was ready for the Open House, I decided to head over to Urgent Care and have them take a look at my leg. Turns out it was an infection (Cellulitis) and it started from whatever bit me. I even had a fever when I got there! I had no idea.

So now, I sit here, not discussing my 12 mile run, but discussing the fact that I'm couch bound with my leg propped and heavily medicated. While I'm feeling groggy today, I feel that my leg already looks a bit better.....well it's at least not as warm and red as it was yesterday. If I wake up tomorrow and the swelling it all gone and it looks a lot better, I will try for my 12 miler.

In fact, if I'm feeling better later today, I may try to head over to the gym for a mini workout. I hate just sitting on the couch!! Although it's raining and in the 60's, so it a perfect day to have to be immobile!!

Keeping Up!

OK, I keep putting this blog on the backseat because of all the craziness right now. Unfortunately, my running has been on the backseat as well....not so great!

NYC Marathon training officially began this week, 17 weeks to go! I can't believe it! Yikes!

Boilermaker is this weekend, this will be a SLOW training run. No PR's this weekend! I'm not nearly in the shape I need to be in for this run, but oh well, here goes nothin!

School is over and our house if officially on the market (yes, we are moving....not sure where as of yet), I can refocus on getting myself back together. Get back to the gym, get back on top of my work, and figure stuff out. Running is certainly going to help me find some clarity in life!

Now, if only we could get out of the 90's.....I'd like to run without getting heat stroke!

Solid Run

I did a solid 5 miles this morning....although I was way under hydrated for the heat! I felt good, didn't struggle at all, and loved it! However, it was a super hot morning with the sun beating down and I didn't pick a particularly shady route. Awesome! I got a little dizzy and thought I might be sick when I walked in the house, but I quickly refueled with an eloctrolyte replacement drink and started to feel a bit better. I need to be careful of that!!

Headed out for 6 tomorrow, Happy Running!

Short One!

Quickie run tonight! Maybe 2+ miles? I wasn't tracking, just running and it felt good! :) I was down by the lake with Alex and Guinness walking the trails and the lake path to the peer....which was soooo beautiful. It was the perfect evening. Instead of walking back the way we came, I decided to take to the streets and jog around the outskirts of the park to get back to the parking lot. If I had my cell I would have told Alex to meet me at home and I would've kept on running! Love it!

And life goes on.....

I've been struggling with a bunch of major decisions lately and have ultimately been rather blocked. Blocked from thinking about anything other than what needs to be done to get past these decisions. It's been a challenging few months and time is of the essence right now.

Not that long ago, I could go for a run and it would bring clarity of mind, body, and soul. I can't even manage to get out the door lately and when I do, the runs are a struggle. When I do run, it seems to be with someone or a group....maybe I need to focus on some solo runs for a while. I need to have that 'me' time again. That time with me and the outdoors to bring clarity to life again. When I put it like that, it seems so simple....just go for a run and the world will be right again! I wish it were that easy!

So, I'm getting back in the saddle and focusing on me this week. Or, more specifically, my running, that seems to be the key! I miss that feeling of freedom!! And of course, Boilermaker is only 27 DAYS AWAY!! Yikes!! I most certainly better get back out there! I can't wait! We aren't at our same hotel this year....shockingly, they were full when I tried to book our rooms back in December! I think we may like the new hotel better....more centrally located. Our group is smaller this year, but we are welcoming a Boilermaker virgin, my friend Nancy. She will do awesome I'm sure, she is a kick ass runner! Unfortunately, Derek, who normally does this run, will be a spectator (and our stuff holder) b/c he is injured. What a good sport, he's still going to come and root us on! Love ya D!

Over the past week and a half, I've run 3 times, which is way low, but 3 times more than I've run the previous month! It felt good. I did the Corporate Challenge (3.5), a run with Guinness (~3), and the Remington's Run (3.5). All good, no soreness, so my plan is to continue with anywhere from 3-5 miles 3 days this week and I'm toying with a 6 mile long run on Saturday. That should get me right where I'm supposed to be!

Oh yeah....new running shoes are in my very very near future....I don't know how much more mine can take! Happy Running!

53 Runner's Commandments

What's your favorite Runner commandment? Mine is #14.....

1. Don't be a whiner. Nobody likes a whiner, not even other whiners.
2. Walking out the door is often the toughest part of a run.
3. Don't make running your life. Make it part of your life.
4. During group training runs, don't let anyone run alone.
5. Keep promises, especially ones made to yourself.
6. When doing group runs, start on time no matter who's missing.
7. The faster you are the less you should talk about your times.
8. Keep a quarter in your pocket. One day you'll need to call for a ride.
9. Don't compare yourself to other runners.
10. All runners are equal, some are just faster than others.
11. Keep in mind that the later in the day it gets, the more likely it is that you won't run.
12. For a change of pace, get driven out and then run back.
13. If it was easy, everybody would be a runner.
14. When standing in starting lines, remind yourself how fortunate you are to be there.
15. Getting out of shape is much easier than getting into shape.
16. A bad day of running still beats a good day at work.
17. Talk like a runner. "Singlets" are worn on warm days. "Tank tops" are worn to the beach.
18. Don't talk about your running injuries. People don't want to hear about your sore knee or black toe.
19. Don't always run alone.
20. Don't always run with people.
21. Approach running as if the quality of your life depended on it.
22. No matter how slow you run it is still faster than someone sitting on a couch.
23. Keep in mind that the harder you run during training, the luckier you'll get during racing.
24. Races aren't just for those who can run fast.
25. There are no shortcuts to running excellence.
26. The best runs sometimes come on days when you didn't feel like running.
27. Be modest after a race, especially if you have reason to brag.
28. If you say, "Let's run this race together," then you must stay with that person no matter how slow.
29. Think twice before agreeing to run with someone during a race.
30. There is nothing boring about running. There are, however, boring people who run.
31. Look at hills as opportunities to pass people.
32. Distance running is like cod liver oil. At first it makes you feel awful, then it makes you feel better.
33. Never throw away the instructions to your running watch.
34. Don't try to outrun dogs.
35. Don't trust runners who show up at races claiming to be tired, out of shape, or not feeling well.
36. Don't wait for perfect weather. If you do, you won't run very often.
37. When tempted to stop being a runner, make a list of the reasons you started.
38. Never run alongside very old or very young racers. They get all of the applause.
39. Without goals, training has no purpose.
40. During training runs, let the slowest runner in the group set the pace.
41. The first year in a new age group offers the best opportunity for trophies.
42. Go for broke, but be prepared to be broken.
43. Spend more time running on the roads than sitting on the couch.
44. Make progress in your training, but progress at your own rate.
45. "Winning" means different things to different people.
46. Unless you make your living as a runner, don't take running too seriously.
47. Runners who never fail are runners who never try anything great.
48. Never tell a runner that he or she doesn't look good in tights.
49. Never confuse the Ben-Gay tube with the toothpaste tube.
50. Never apologize for doing the best you can.
51. Preventing running injuries is easier than curing them.
52. Running is simple. Don't make it complicated.
53. Running is always enjoyable. Sometimes, though, the joy doesn't come until the end of the run.

Done!

OK, bedroom is officially repainted and we are taking a time out for a few days before we begin the next house project. This project took forever....ok, it took a week, but when you are living in chaos and stuff is everywhere, it feels like forever!

Now, back to refocusing on my stuff.....still at the gym.....still haven't really run......still frustrated. Ugh! When does it end?? I'm guessing it will end when I finally suck it up and go for a run and realize it isn't that bad.....it's all in my head now. My trainer at the gym has extended our 5am workout group another 4 weeks...she rocks! At least I've been sticking with the workouts and I haven't completely thrown in the towel! I also started softball last week (team through work) and will play every Tuesday night until July. Good stuff! I'm pretty sure I couldn't move my arm the day after the game. Apparently my body wasn't used to the motion of throwing a ball! :)

I'm off to take enjoy some much needed down time! I officially won't have another day off until May 22 b/c I'm a chaperone for the Washington D.C. 8th grade trip next weekend. Whoo Hoo! I hope D.C. is ready for us!

Awesome Sunday Run!!

Fantastic run yesterday in fantastic weather! Yay for a beautiful April in upstate NY!

I ran with my friends Diane and Patty and I cut out around 6 miles to go to a baby shower and they went on to hit 11 (I'm actually jealous!). I felt great and wish I could have kept going!! Looking forward to the next 2 weeks! Spring break is coming up so I'll have some time to get in some nice spring runs. Love it!

The Unity Health Systems Flower City Challenge 1/2 Marathon (could it have a longer name??) is in just 2 weeks and I'm feeling good......although my mileage has been pretty low over the past few weeks. Yikes! So much for the much loved taper!

I've been working in a good deal of weight training and using that to supplement my running at this point. I know I have the endurance in my lungs, but I want to add more strength to my legs and overall body. It has been working as I posted a PR at the annual St. Patrick's Day 5 mile run. We will see how well it worked for the half marathon! My recent runs have all felt good, so I think I'll be OK.

Make Over....

OK, so I'm going for a new look and a fresh start as I haven't been as diligent as I would have liked at updating my blog. Of course, I haven't had much to update because just about everything I do is related to work these days.

So, let me know what you think of the new layout. I wanted something that seemed more alive, and for me, nothing is more alive that nature. I may also be moving my whole site b/c I don't feel my web address is truly accurate anymore. I'm thinking I might actually be a runner now! It seems weird to say that, or type it, I feel a little phony. I mean, let's be real....I'm pretty slow! However, I came across some quotes the other day and they put some wind in my sail's and helped me view myself in a different way. So, I leave you with this:

"All runners are equal, some are just faster than others."

"No matter how slow you run, it is still faster than someone sitting on a couch."

Out of Touch.....

I've been very out of touch with my updates, but I will get back on it very soon! I'm hoping to update this weekend.....hoping being the key word!
Updates include: Johnny's Runnin' of the Green 5 miler, Half Marathon training, BTC final week, and waiting with anticipation for the NYC Marathon lottery draw on April 7th!! :0

Welcome 2010!!

I couldn't be happier for the beginning of a new year! After all the turmoil in our lives, Alex and I are finally gainfully employed IN THE SAME CITY!! What an incredible feeling to be back on our feet and enjoying life again! I'm looking forward to what this year holds in health and happiness for everyone! So 2010, I welcome you with open arms and an open heart!!

The start of a new year, brings on the start of a new running season! Yay! I'm beginning to plan out my schedule for the year and a full marathon is on the agenda! Which one has yet to be determined. I'm filling out the lottery paperwork for the NYC marathon, but I figure that is a long shot and we will see if I get the luck of the draw. Rochester recently added an April 1/2 marathon (Flower City Challenge), so I'm planning to aim for that run in a few months. If NYC doesn't pan out this year, I'll still have time to register for Philly or Niagara Falls. I'd LOVE to run Chicago, but I don't want to register and then crazily get chosen in the NYC lottery. Maybe I'll register for Chicago and plan NYC for next year? Sorry, just thinking out loud......I have a few more weeks before Chicago opens registration, so I can figure it out.

This running season will once again begin with Johnny's Runnin' of the Green on St. Patrick's Day. Always a fun run with a huge turnout.....and of course a great way to begin a day of consumption!

On another note, the start of the new year, brings the beginning of the Body Transformation Program at Gold's Gym. I love this program and look forward to all the positive changes I will see with the support of the training team at Gold's. I couldn't have found a more positive and encouraging environment to work on my physical self. So, I have a lot of work to do over the next few months. I've allowed the stress of the past few months to negatively affect my eating and exercising habits. I desperately need to get back in touch with that side of myself.

Here I go, the start of a new year and the start of a new and improved ME!

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......

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!

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.

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!!

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!!