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Showing posts from June, 2010

DNF, DNS and more "runner lingo"

The quick fix for my shin wasn't the miracle I was hoping it would be, so there isn't much point in sharing the details. To sum it up, it was running slowly up a steep incline to force underused muscles to get stronger faster. Unfortunately, my shin hurts a little more, not less, today. For my short little "run," I wore my Hobble Creek Half race shirt. On the back it says FINISHER . My husband asked what the people who didn't finish got. I jokingly said maybe they got a DNF or DNS shirt - did not finish or did not start - and told him those are actual running terms. Then he asked if there were DNPTP shirts. It took me a few seconds, and then I laughed. DNPTP - did not poop their pants.

Quick Fix

This is gonna be quick because I have been sucked into the book I am reading, Under the Dome , and want to use some of my quiet downtime (aka my girls napping) to read. I am also on page 724 (of 1072), so the end is in sight. The weekend running recap? There isn't one. There was no long run because my shin was very angry on Saturday. It's a little happier today. I went to buy insoles to see if something about my new shoes is causing the problem, but the girl who helped me suggested a few other things instead. She doesn't think it is my shoes since they are pretty similar to what I have always worn. So this afternoon I am trying an "almost instant fix" she suggested. I'll be sure to give you the details and let you know if it works. I'm sure a lot of you get the Runner's World quote of the day emails, but I wanted to share today's because I thought it was awesome: People can't understand why a man runs. They don't see any sport in it. Argue

The Running Fad

One powder-puff football game was the extent of my participation in high school sports. I even took Spanish dance – castanets and all – to fulfill my phys ed requirement without exerting the kind of effort actual sports would involve. I really didn’t become active until I gained weight in college and getting my booty moving was part of the key to getting rid of that extra poundage. Even then, running took too much exertion, so I stuck to fitness classes and yoga. Then four years ago, my daughter was born and I had fewer options for staying fit. You can only do the same few workout videos so many times before you can’t stand the thought of them anymore. Then I walked that fateful race that would turn me into a runner. I ran my first race in 2007. That is when I became a runner. June 23 marked the three year anniversary of that race. Someone recently wondered when or wished that (I can’t remember which) “this running fad” would end. I know more and more people are running these days. A

A Letter to My Treadmill

Dear Treadmill, As I shared some time with you yesterday, I realized how much I love you lately and that I owe you an apology. I used to dread spending time with you and chuckled when anyone called you the "dreadmill." I'm so, so sorry. I no longer dread you, and promise to never call you by that unkind name, even when we go through a rough patch, which is bound to happen now and again. I also want to say thanks for always being there. When it's so hot outside that I don't even want to go get the mail, you are there. When there don't seem to be enough hours in the day and the only time I can slip on my running shoes is while my girls nap, you are there. When the day has faded into darkness and the thought of running outside scares the bajeebies out of me, you are there. When I need you, you are there. Last but not least, you deserve mad props for what you help me do. Many of my runs wouldn't be the same without you. You force me to push myself; you won'

Running with Facebook

My hubby is not a fan of Facebook. He doesn't have a FB account or page. Really the only appreciation he has for it is the entertainment it provides as he reads through the posts of my "friends." And trust me, there is some true entertainment to be had. The longer I have been on Facebook, the less I post randomness from my life on there. I do post on my I Have Run page, but the last time I posted on my profile page was May 13, when I passed along something The Princess shared with me while shopping at Costco: The employee lockers at Costco are where the employees keep "an extra pair of clothes in case they pee their pants." The other day, I asked the hubby if he wanted me to leave my Facebook open so he could get his fill of entertainment, but he said no and pointed out that it is mostly just running stuff lately. As I pulled up Facebook today, I realized how true that is. Here's what I found: The Happy Runner Shake up your routine with Tuesday Track Nigh

All You Need Is Love

I think it is annoying and cliché to hear someone talk about the love of their life. As you can guess, this happened recently. I actually read a comment (on Facebook, where else?) about someone's love of their life. I rolled my eyes and then started to contemplate why that label bothers me so much, especially since I could so easily just roll with it since I have the most amazing husband. What I came up with (while running of course) is that first it is totally overused . I bet you could interrupt a gaggle of high school girls and at least one of them would claim to have met the love of her life. Second, I don't think you can really know the love of your life until your life is coming to an end . Ask almost anyone that has been divorced or has ended a long relationship, and I'll bet they called their former significant other the love of their life at one time or another . Third, I think you can have more than one love of your life , which kind of takes away from the who

Three Things Thursday - Summer Fun Edition

It's Thursday again ... already! Here's the latest at I Have Run: This week marks the start of marathon training, sixteen weeks until I tackle that 26.2. However, I am a still a little in recovery mode - recovering from my half marathon and the cold that took me out all weekend. I still hack up a lung a few times a day but am on the mend overall. I finalized my marathon training plan. It is too big to stick the whole thing on here as a post, but I will let you know the plan week by week. I've had a few people ask if I am going to share it, so let me know if you want me to email you a copy. It is a modified version of the FIRST marathon training plan. Summer has officially begun at our house. We made a list of fun summer things we want to do and we are marking things off left and right. Because all the fun kind of messes with our eating and napping schedules some days, I am thinking of getting up to do my runs at 6 am. It's only an hour (or some days less) earlier than I

Utah Valley Half Marathon Race Report

I’m sure we can all agree that some runs are better than others. This is true for races as well. Saturday’s race, well it was one of the others. I figured it wasn’t the best sign when I woke with a stuffy nose and sore throat on Friday. Then I picked up my packet that afternoon in a drizzle that had been going on all day. Because my Internet was still on strike, I hadn’t been able to check Saturday’s weather. I called my husband, and he checked for me: 50-70% chance of rain during all race-related hours. I actually don’t mind running in the rain, but when it is combined with temps in the 40s and low-50s, I start to mind it a little. Sure enough, it was raining when I got up at 3:15 Saturday morning to get ready for the Utah Valley Half Marathon . Luckily it stopped by the time I got to the bus and didn’t start up again until just as we started running. I met my cousin and her friend, and we rode one of the last buses to the start. We hit the potty lines and then stood by one of the fir

Three Things Thursday - Half Marathon Edition

1 - The Utah Valley Half Marathon is in two days, so I have been really focusing on what I eat and on drinking enough water each day. I am trying to do all I can to give myself the best opportunity to do well on Saturday. 2- My right lower leg has been bothering me since I ran on Monday. It is weird because I can’t pinpoint the pain. It’s almost like it radiates from my shin through to my calf. Ibuprofen is helping a lot, but I can always tell when it is wearing off. I rode the bike yesterday instead of running. I’m really hoping my leg feels better by Saturday. 3- As you can tell, I am excited about Saturday’s race. I have to admit, there is one part of the “event” that I am not looking forward to – picking up my packet. It seems like every time I pick up my race packet the day before the race, I am so intimidated by the other people there. I notice how fit and fast they look, how calm and sure they seem. It’s funny because all that melts away on race day. Somehow being in running cl

Happy Monday?

It's a new week with lots of fun things on the schedule, but it's also Monday and I have a long to-do list. So basically, I've had a love/hate relationship with this day. Here are some other things I am loving and loving not so much right now... Love: Spending time with family at weddings and family reunions. Not So Much: The extra lbs that came with the food and fun-filled weekend. Love: My new purse from Banana Republic. I am near the end of the diaper bag era and I found a great purse that is perfect since I still need to pack around some diaper bag essentials, such as the diapers. Not So Much: The purse I bought at a purse party for $18 that started falling apart the first time I used it. Guess that is why you pay what you do for a purse at Banana Republic. Love: The Princess's* excitement to earn a big-girl bike. Not So Much: The Princess was talking to me while I was showering this morning, and I couldn't hear her over the water. She stomped over to the s

Three Things Thursday (Giveaway Edition)

If your week has been anything like mine, it is hard to believe it is Thursday. Oddly enough, you would think with Monday's holiday it would seem like Wednesday, but I keep thinking it is Friday. Since it is indeed Thursday though, let's get on with those "three things." 1 - My cute little cousin is getting married tomorrow. My other cousin Stacey, the one that ran her first 5K a few weeks ago, is the maid of honor. She is also one of my favorite people, so I want to give her a little shout out because she is awesome and she deserves it. Here we are last week at the opening midnight show of Sex and the City 2 : 2 - This is my BibFOLIO : I LOVE it!! I love that it is personalized. I love that it is pink. Are you sensing yet how I really feel about it? Most of Gone for a RUN 's BibFOLIOs can be personalized, so if your name isn't listed below as the giveaway winner, you should order a personalized one for sure! What else do I love about mine? In addition to bei

Running to Stand Still

Those words have a whole new meaning after today's run. I headed out with the girls in the double jogger, hoping for ten miles. When even the downhills in the first mile seemed to take extraordinary effort and I felt like I was hardly moving, I started rethinking the distance. I was doing an out and back, so I had to decide ahead of time when to turn around. Two miles in, I was vowing to only run with the girls before 9 am. Starting at 10 am isn't going to cut it anymore. The stroller seemed to weigh more than ever and it was my warmest run of the year, so I turned around at a little over two and a half miles and we headed back to the car. I finished five and a half miles drenched in sweat. I thought about finishing on the treadmill, but I decided to spend an hour doing strength training and core instead. Monday's six miles were the complete opposite of today's run. I ran outside without my girls, so I let my legs pick the pace and just ran. I finished in 55:14. The wea