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! :)