Plugging Along!

Sort of! :) 

The past few weeks have been interesting!  I have really enjoyed getting my run on!  Last Sunday on Mother's Day I completed race #5 during a 7 mile training run! (It was a 10K)--and it felt GREAT!! 

However, I have been dealing with some health issues!  Back in January I suddenly got hit with some CRAZY dizziness.  And unfortunately--it hasn't gone away.  It had gotten better--but within the last few weeks it has gotten way worse again :(  In fact--last week it has been at its worse since the first onset.  But that's not the only thing I have been dealing with---exhaustion, headaches, and upset stomach also make this list!  I was talking with a friend and she mentioned to have my iron levels checked.  This had never occurred to me before she had mentioned it!  I decided that before I went into the Dr. I would do some research--no use in taking a trip to the doctor if I don't NEED to!  We still have craptacular insurance (until June 1st!)--so I wanted to make sure I was pretty sure this would be something I could fix easily--and simple to determine.   Upon my research I found that--ALL of my symptoms fall into this category--INCLUDING the increase in time per mile!  Basically--when your iron levels deplete--your body can't effectively run fast!  I have been seeing a decline in my running speed and it has been bothering me!  I have increased my mileage and the number of times that I run--and my base is pretty solid!  So I should in theory be getting faster and more efficient at running!  Although-I am not :( 

My dr's appointment is on Wednesday! :)  They will be checking my iron levels for anemia and iron depletion (which, oddly enough is 2 different issues!  From my understanding--Anemia is a basic how much iron is in your blood--and depletion is the amount of iron in your muscles/bones/ect.--there is a different hormone/chemical they have to test the amount of to determine depletion!)  Hopefully it will be simple and I will know what the next step is by the end of the week!

This weekend I am hoping to get out for some training miles!  And then next week I am thinking about switching over to morning miles vs. evening miles since I am basically done for the school year!  The last week of school is pretty much dead for substitutes!  :)

Have a fabulous week everyone!

Oh My goodness I almost forgot!!

I TOTALLY almost forgot some super exciting news!!! :)

Ashley, owner and photographer for Ashley Heim Photography, will be photographing me in my running gear AND tutu coming up very soon! :)  I am PUMPED for this!  And I can't WAIT to see what fun we have out and about!!  She is such a talented photographer (not to mention an amazing mother, wife, AND daycare provider to my boys!)

So yes.....look forward to some awesome pictures and fun new designs coming to my blog soon! :)

You can find the awesomeness of Ashley right here at http://www.ashleyheimphotography.com/

1/2 Marathon Training!

I embarked on my 1/2 marathon training a few weeks ago, however, I haven't been sticking to the "plan" very well.  In particular--the last few weekends have been EXTREMELY busy so long runs have been lacking!  However....

This week I put in 2 runs (1 not-so-good run and 1 better run!) and I also put in an additional workout both nights! :)  Tonight I am going to do a workout and some agility drills instead of running.  Tomorrow I hope to log in a few miles--and Sunday I hope to put in 6 miles!  :)

Mother's day I am scheduled for 7 miles!  Crazy!  That will be my farthest distance yet!! :)  I can't wait!  I actually have a race that day (which reminds me I need to register for it!).  Its a virtual race I found--and I really liked the shirts! (LOL right?!) and the race entry goes to a good cause--so I figured why not!  The race distance is a 10K!  So I will go ahead and just record the time when I made it to 10K and then continue with the last .9 miles of my long run!! :)

Overall training has gone well.  The only exception is that my pace has somehow managed to slow significantly since I started running :(  I am definitely incorporate some speedwork into my exercises--but I am thinking I need to add some strength/agility training as well.  Part of me feels my lack of speed is from the sheer weakness of my leg muscles.  They are moving as fast as they can carry my body--and I need to strengthen them in order for them to be able to carry my body faster.  I could be totally wrong--but I figure its not going to hurt anything right!?  Now if I could only have the cool machines at my house--it would make strength training that much easier!! :P

With the school year coming to a close--and the days getting longer--I feel a longing to be out running and I just LOVE it! :)  Honestly--its fabulous!  I enjoy working out in the evenings--however, I think I am going to try to start getting my runs accomplished before my husband leaves for work/I have to get ready for work in the mornings.  In reality--that will mean I have to get up at 5:45 vs. 6:45 (and that's only when I have to work!)--which may prove to be a BIT difficult--but I think that I will really enjoy the morning runs! :)   IF I run in the mornings--it will give me extra time in the evenings to not only enjoy my family all that much more--but this also opens up the opportunity to take 30 minutes in the evening to get a strength work-out in! :)  Which is what I need!  I find it VERY difficult to run AND work-out in the evenings!!!

There you have it!  Look forward to updates weekly (I am going to try!)  from here on out! :)

(PS>>>>There are some major changes going on with the American Cancer Society's DetermiNation program--so there have been some changes and I need to make some ultimate decisions about my fundraising.  I would LOVE to fund raise for both races--but combined that would mean about 2,000.00--which is just plainly AMAZING--however, I am worried that I won't be able to raise that much money---and then have to pay it out of (my) pocket.  If you have any thoughts--please let me know!  I am really going back and forth!)

Powder Blue 5K

I know I know...I am really failing you guys on this blog!  I apologize--I promise that I will start blogging more often! I have some really exciting things coming up!  Therefore I will definitely be around more and more!! Plus, school is almost out therefore I will have a LOT more time on my hands!! :)

SO--How did the Powder Blue 5K go?  Well, it was crappy as far as time goes...but it was AWESOME as far as the race itself was concerned!! :)

Going into the race I really wanted to get under 33 minutes--but, when I got to the actual race site--and found out that well, there were crazy hills and a crazy head wind--I knew that I would NOT be likely to run that time.  And, since I hadn't really ran consistently in awhile--I figured finishing would be the best goal for me!

I started out probably a little toooo fast.  The race started out on a hill.  Lovely right?  Me--the person who trains on completely flat land!  Yep!  However, I was feeling alright the 1st mile in.  I managed to get that done in 11 minutes.  1/2 way in--I knew I needed to slow down and take a short walk.  That did me in really.  I shouldn't have walked--I should have slowed WAY down--but kept the motion of running going!!

I knew I wanted to give it my all--but into the 2nd mile the hills and wind were killing me.  I honestly thought I had a lot further to go--so I didn't push on the back run.  I should have....it would have proved myself a MUCH faster time--and the distance around the corner was MUCH shorter than I thought, which stunk because I would have TOTALLY pushed myself had I known that the finish line was SO close once I turned the corner!  Le sigh.  Live and learn!  I will know that NEXT year when I run it and will definitely push myself through the back part of the race!

BUT the best part of the race--the people I ran with!  These are such great friends--and such an inspiration to me!  We went to lunch afterwards and had a great time!  It was such a lovely race!  And despite my horrible time, it was great to race with such great friends!!  Maybe I will even see if they would have me up (to their hilly town) for some training runs! :P  Since, like I said--I have NO hills what-so-ever where I train!

Now--for the fun pictures! :P

The group before running! Me, Thomas' Mom, Rebecca, and Thomas (the race director! :P)

Heading to the start! :)  I posted this because you can see the back of my shirt really well here! :)  Love it!

At the start--I was ateempting to get my Pandora up and running...it didn't work!

This is me down the final stretch! Please excuse the horrible look--I was full out sprinting INTO the crazy wind!!!

Crossing the finish line! :) My mom and boys were in the car on the corner as I came across!

DONE!!  Crossing the finish line! (You can see Thomas with my "official" time!!) And is actually the picture Rebecca is taking in my previous picture! :P

Race #4 Tomorrow!! :)

I am excited and nervous about race #4 tomorrow!!! 

For starters--I haven't been training like I should have been.  I really haven't ran all week--although mid-week I got out for a good run--and yesterday my husband and I got out for a 5 mile bike ride!  So I have done SOMETHING to help keep my body moving--however, I haven't ACTUALLY ran in a week.  Le sigh.  It is what it is....I am just getting out there to run this race! 

2nd--I am just getting over this stinkin cold!  Its like God has this plan to make me wait all this time...its been 3 weeks since I have seriously done any training/running :(  That makes me terribly sad.  1st it was my teeth (which by the way--are feeling MUCH better!! Woot woot!)  Then last week I came down with a HORRIBLE cold, just as I was starting to feel better! 

HOWEVER--I AM going to get out there tomorrow and get my 5K in!  Its a measly 3.1 miles!  I CAN do it!  I KNOW that I can--I just have to make sure I am giving it my all--and know that I am not any worse than I started at the finish line!  My time might stink--but whatever!  It will be fun no matter what!

So here are my goals for tomorrow!
1) Survive :P  Really...I just want to cross the finish line!
2) Run the 5K under 35 minutes.  This shouldn't be TOO terribly difficult--just making sure that I am pushing myself! 
3) Give 110%--when I am ready to quit--keep going!  Just KEEP GOING!  I find myself wanting to quit--but when I push through--I tend to be just fine!  I am going to really push--and only take a break if I REALLY need it! :) 

And my "wishful" goal--to log a time under 33 minutes!  Which would be freakin fabulous!!  Yes, this is wishful thinking...but I gotta have a wish right?  I really really REALLY want to log a sub-30 5K in September!  So I gotta keep plucking away at my time!!!

So there you have it!  :)  Tomorrow I shall survive a great 5K with good friends! An inspiration really--Thomas is the one who inspired ME to start running!  And I have been happily passing the inspiration along! :)  (Oh, did you know YOU can join in the Powder Blue 5K?  If you want to race--sign up here: Powder Blue 5K Website and comment on this blog post!!  Take a picture of you before, after, during your race--and finish up by giving Thomas your information and picture!  And poof--you have just ran your first 5K!)  Enjoy!

Exciting news...and not so exciting news!

Well...this past weekend I emailed the American Cancer Society person who is working on my website--just to check in on how things are going!  I am starting to get nervous about being able to raise the money I would like to raise before July 22nd!  I know its still a far ways off--but I really wanted to get started sooner than later!  Ultimately I have TWO races to raise money for (with an ultimate goal of 2,000.00+) so I really wanted to get a kick start with fundraising!  Anywho--she emailed me back saying there has been some big changes around their office and that there WILL in fact be a team racing the Marathon in October!!  So that is TOTALLY exciting!! She said she is just waiting on word from the designer's/other people that the website is a go!!  I am just excited to see it and can't wait to get things rolling!! :)

However, on another exciting note!  A good friend of mine (who also just happens to be the 2nd in command at the daycare with the boys!!) is also a great photographer!  AND I asked her if she would do some pro-bono (aka free) shots of me in my gear for some fundraising items (and my blog!!)  And, wouldnt you know SHE SAID YES!!  So look for those to be coming soon!! :)

On a training note--I haven't done any since last Sunday.  Yes--almost a week and a half without running :(  This, makes me miserable for one thing.  And I HATE that--BUT, I had the 2 wisdom teeth pulled last Monday morning (so--not this past but a week ago Monday) and I have been dealing with some crazy, intense, miserable, pain and complications.  I had a dry socket last week---and then over the weekend it got crazy worse!!  And it seemed as if there was something STILL in my socket.  WELL--went back Monday to find out that there was still a pretty big chunk of tooth still attached to the bone :(  So--they had to numb me up and pull that part.  SO I was back at Day 1 for recovery on Monday.  Yesterday was miserable--but today I woke up feeling a bit better!  I am hoping by the end of the week that I be on the up and up!  My dad is coming to town and we are planning a run for Friday!! Which I am REALLY looking forward too!  Although, it might just kick my tooshy--as it will have been almost 2 weeks since my last run!!  And he has been running several times a week--and his speed is really picking up!  Oh well I guess! It will be nice to just get out and go!! :)

Until next time! :)

New Runners!!! :)

I have been anticipating getting new running shoes for quite some time.  My current runners are Nike LunarGlides--and while they get the job done--I knew that it would be in my best interest to get myself fitted for the correct running shoes!  At the time I started running, money was tighter--and we couldn't afford 100+ dollars on a good pair of running shoes!  So I got what I could and they have served me well! :)  We had set aside money from our tax return for me to get my shoes--however, when our tax return came--we wanted to use that money for a few other things--and I knew that my Nike's were serving me well, so it wasn't a huge deal.  We have had the money several times over--I just hadn't gotten to the store before the money was allocated to other things (although the money should have been in a cash envelope...but that's for another day/blog!).  Finally yesterday Justin and I decided the money was there--so I headed up to Peak Performance!

However, yesterday when I went fitted I must have come at the perfect time! :)  Aside from the person helping me get fitted--his good friend was there to talk to him--who just happened to be a podiatrist.  SOO I got the opinion of someone who I value to be a professional in the sense of fitting people for running shoes--and someone who is a professional with how the foot works!!  Awesome right?!  Ya I thought so as well!

I went in not knowing what to expect--I figured I had a pretty "normal" gait and such--I have "pretty good" arches so I knew that wouldn't be an issue.  However, I walked out of there with a wealth of information!

The lo down--I over-pronate.  And my current runners do nothing to help correct this--and allows my foot/leg to twist all crazy--and in turn locks my big toe from moving smoothly.  The podiatrist said he knew this simply by the wear on the toe of my running shoes. (It is significantly worn)

So what does this mean for shoes?  This means I spent 117.00 on a "transitional" pair of shoes.  Basically--I need a shoe that is going to support my foot completely through my gait.  I need a "structured cushioning" shoe.  However, to go from what I am currently running with (My Nike Lunarglides) to the Asics Kayano shoes would mean a substantial, potentially miserable adjustment period for me.  So instead of making the "leap" they put me in Asics GT-2170's.  I tried on a pair of Saucauny's--but they felt much "stiffer" and they were very very bulky, in my opinion--the Asics were much "softer" and felt much smoother!  Plus, I like the looks of the Asics a LOT LOT LOT better!  The Saucauny's were pretty darn ugly :P  I know that shouldn't sway my decision--but it did! :P 

So here they are:

Cool right?  Yep--I like them too :P  The "next" shoes I will need to get for serious running--and which from what I can gather will be "my" shoe for a long time to come--are the Asics "Kayano" shoe.  The price for those babies are 160.00---ya, my eyes about popped out of my head as well!!  Never in my life have I spent more than 100.00 for a pair of shoes--let alone 150 dollars!!!!!!  The 2 guys helping me suggested I log about 250 miles in these, and then make the final transition to the Kayano's.  I am not so sure we will be able to afford it when I hit the 250 mile mark--but I will purchase them when we can afford them.  I figure even if I can't buy them when I am "supposed" to--by the fall I am thinking we will be able to get them--and I may actually see if the Expo's at any of the major races I will be running in are selling them!  That might be a way to get them slightly cheaper (even if they are the "older" model!)

In all--I am glad I went!  They said that the Asics should prevent my foot from rolling/twisting-allowing my big toe to move freely rather than lock.  Oh, and the podiatrist said I was a "great example" of over-pronation! :P  Made me giggle!