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Showing posts from March, 2010

What would you do?

I need some advice. My big race is seven weeks from this Saturday. After two months of physical therapy put me WAY behind on my training, I tweaked my training plan to fit the time I had left. However, my long runs haven't been happening according to plan. Last weekend's run was moved to Monday because of my (still unresolved and still here) breathing issues and dizziness. Monday, I had to cut my run short at seven miles because my left knee just wouldn't cooperate. It was so frustrating because I didn't even have a twinge of discomfort during my 10K. I keep asking myself: What am I doing wrong? Why can't my knees get healthy and STAY healthy? So with seven weeks to go, I feel completely unprepared. I have been feeling this way (unprepared) for a few weeks but just haven't wanted to give up completely. Monday night, I finally let reality set in and told my hubby I don't think it is going to happen. "Respect the distance" is the thought that keeps

100 Things About Me ... Or Not

I am a very private person. Believe it or not though, I am more open on this blog than I am in my everyday life. It is sometimes difficult to push that "Publish Post" button. Other times it doesn't happen and I end up deleting a post that I can't bring myself to share. I'm sure I could scare some of you away with my honesty and lure in some other voyeurs, but I am what I am. In honor of my upcoming 100th post though, I am going to push privacy aside and answer any questions you might have. I was going to do "100 Things About Me" as my 100th post but got stuck on #5. And I knew it was a bad idea when even I was bored as I read back over the first four things on the list. So this is my solution: ask me a question and I will answer it as completely and honestly as I can. You can ask your question(s) as a comment to this post or email me at ihaverun@hotmail.com. Also, I just want to tell you how great you all are. You will never know how much I enjoy and app

Runner Barbie

My last post was partly prompted by a nickname I received from another running/blogger, Tall Mom on the Run . Mel started calling me Runner Barbie sometime last fall; I thought it was hilarious the first time I saw it. Other than my blonde hair, I am about the farthest thing from a Barbie. Yet I take the nickname as a compliment. I don't come from a long line of active and physically fit or genetically trim and slim people. I work hard to stay in shape and be healthy. It doesn't come naturally and it doesn't come easy. I also take time each day to do something with my hair, put on clean clothes, and do what I can with a little makeup. If that's all it takes to be a Barbie, I'm going to take my Runner Barbie nickname and run with it. As for the runner part of my nickname, I took an unplanned break from running over the weekend. On Thursday, I started feeling dizzy and short of breath off and on. I decided running might not be the best idea and took it easy instead. W

Skinny People

I have a hard time around skinny people. Skinny people mess with my head just by being skinny. I look at them and wonder what they eat, how much they eat, if they work out, if they have always been skinny, if it's in their genes, if they know they are skinny. Around skinny people, I feel like this: This is a somewhat forgiving picture. I had another one in mind that I wanted to share but gave up looking for it after 45 minutes (my "fat" period was pre -digital). I didn't look like that when I started running, but remembering how I felt when I did look like that is one of the reasons I run. My first year of college, I gained that dreaded freshman 15 and then some. I spent the next few years hating the way I looked but doing nothing about it. I finally joined a gym but never ended up going because I felt like everyone was looking at me and I didn't really know what I was doing. I got to the point where I really wanted to do something about the way I looked and felt

Running (and more) in Hawaii

Most of you know I spent a week in (Kauai) Hawaii recently. This was my first time in Hawaii, and it was amazing. The weather was perfect and the scenery breathtaking, perfect for playing tourist and for running. Because this is a running blog and because I still need to write a Hawaii trip post on my family blog, I decided to share a few of the highlights from my trip in pictures.

Spectrum 10K Race Report

I ran the Spectrum 10K on Saturday. It is one of the Runner Series races for the St. George Marathon. One race down, one to go. It was my third 10K. Here are my times: Smile Center Memorial Day 10K May 23, 2009 1:00:07.28 (9:42) Freedom Festival Freedom Run 10K July 4, 2009 57:48 (9:19) Spectrum 10K March 20, 2010 54:51 (8:50) PR!! 2:57 faster! I drove down the night before the race with my girls and my mom. I slept okay considering I was in a hotel bed and had a little girl glued to my side all night. In the morning, I dropped my girls off at the hotel where my dad (he drove up from Arizona and met us the night before) and mom were staying and headed to the race. It was a little colder than I expected until the sun came up over the mountain to warm things up just before the race started. The first couple of miles had some little rolling hills, but it was downhill overall. And thanks to all who prayed to the weather gods for no wind. It was a perfectly calm day. The first half of th

Snorkeling at Sunset

It's hard to believe exactly one week ago, I was snorkeling at sunset in Hawaii. The past week has gone by so quickly. There hasn't been as much running as I'd hoped, but I did get a final pre-race run in today. I'm giving my legs a rest tomorrow. Tomorrow afternoon I am driving the three and a half hours to where the race will be held on Saturday. I am running the Spectrum 10K in St. George, Utah. My last 10K race was in July; my time was 57:48. I am really hoping for a PR this weekend. Please pray to the weather gods that it is a calm day. After several windy runs in Hawaii and today's very windy run, I don't think I can stand another one. I would rather have a hilly run than a windy one! I'll be back next week with a recap of my Hawaii trip (finally) and a race report (of course). Run happy!

I'm Back

Holy busy bloggers! I just checked my Google Reader and found 520 new items! I'll have to get to that later though. I'm back from paradise so it's time for the winner of the GU Giveaway. I called my hubby at work and had him choose a random number to determine the winner. Based on his unbiased selection, the winner is Libby at 0 to Runner ! Email me your address and I will get the GU in the mail. I plan to share more details of my trip to Hawaii and my runs there later this week, but I have to get back to the mountain of laundry surrounding me. I need some clean clothes to pack because in a few days I am heading to Arizona (with an overnight stop in St. George to run a 10K). In the meantime, here is a peek at what it was like to run in Hawaii.

GU for YOU

Since I probably won't be posting while I'm in Hawaii, I figured I'd leave you with a giveaway. I have 15 packs of Vanilla Bean GU Energy Gel for one lucky runner (or biker or person who just likes using GU for the heck of it). And yes, I am too lazy to take a picture of the GU in question so you get a stock photo. Don't let that fool you though. There are indeed 15 packs of GU waiting for you. The GU is from my own arsenal of energy gels. I bought a 24-pack but realized on my last "long" run that I prefer fruit flavored energy gels. So my changing taste is your good fortune. I'm not going to ask you to visit the GU website because they didn't give me the GU and they aren't giving me any incentive to share it with you. If you want to learn more about GU, Google it. Here's what you can to do to enter to win: Tell me why you want it. (Leave it in a comment following this post.) Become a follower or let me know you already were. (Leave another co

Gasping for Breath

Remember last week's post about running being hard? That was again true during Monday's speedwork. In the middle of 5.3 miles, I did 3 x 1600 @ 8:20 each (w/3 minute recovery). Halfway through the second 1600, I thought I was going to die. I realized I was gasping for breath so I really focused on my breathing after that. It wasn't easy but was certainly more bearable, and focusing on my breathing was a good distraction. The most remarkable thing about the run: less than two weeks ago, Alicia and I were talking about her speedwork and how I could never do my 1600s in 8:27 like she does . She thought I could and said I would probably surprise myself if I tried. I can do my 800s that fast or even a little faster, but 1600 is twice as far my friends. But I did try. And I did it. It's amazing how much someone's confidence in you can push you to do things you didn't think were possible! There are 10 miles (on the treadmill) on the schedule tonight and a tempo run o

Sanity Runs

This is going to be a crazy week, so I will need my running more than ever to keep me sane. On the running schedule this week: Monday - Speedwork (10 min warm, 3 x 1600 w/3 min recovery, 10 min cool) Wednesday - Long run (shooting for 10 miles) Friday - Tempo run (10 min warm, 4 miles @ tempo pace, 10 min cool) All my runs will most likely be on the treadmill because the hubby is out of town. The treadmill is probably better for me right now since some ITB /knee pain on Saturday cut my planned eight mile run down to seven. I hope to do a few miles Tuesday and some recovery miles Thursday as well. There will be no running Saturday because that's the day we head to HAWAII! My cousin called this morning to invite me to do a relay with her and some of her friends (one of them dropped out at the last minute) this weekend. I was a little bummed because I really want to do a relay and this one is a qualifying race for the St. George Marathon runner series. I guess a week of running in Ha