Saturday, September 11, 2010

Call me crazy, but...

Signing up for 2 more half marathons, one of them only a week away, is my idea of...well, fun I guess. :) At least it motivates me to get out there, the less time I have to think about a race, the better off I usually am.

Sooo, coming up we have:

9/19/10 Locomotive Half Marathon (benefits Cystic Fibrosis) Reann's doing this one too!
10/10/10 Mystery Mountain Marathon and 12 miler (volunteering)
10/23/10 31st Annual City of Douglasville Moonlight Run (volunteering)
10/30/10 Silver Comet Half Marathon
11/14/10 4th Annul Peachtree City 25K/50K (I'm doing the 25K)
11/25/10 Atlanta Half Marathon (on Thanksgiving no less, Chels and Reann are doing it with me, we'll be earning our turkey dinners!) Will be Chelsea's first half!
2/6/11 Red Top Rumble 11.5 Mile Trail Race (either running or volunteering)
3/5 - 3/6/11 GUTS Reactor Run 100 miler (volunteering)
3/20/11 Georgia Marathon (my first!)

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

The people you meet

If anyone had told me 2 years ago about all the people I would meet after I started running, I would have laughed. Not to say I'm shy about meeting people, it's just that after living down here in GA for 6 1/2 years, the people I'd met thus far had mostly been through work and there weren't many.

Since August of 2008, when I first started putting my feet to pavement, I have been lucky to have met some pretty wonderful people, many of whom I now consider family. How did it start? Well, I quit smoking in May of '08, and told the trainer I was working with that I wanted to run a 5K, so she got me running on a treadmill (which I can't stand doing anymore), and then got me out running on pavement. Danja has since become a very good friend, and I love her to bits!

My training led to my first 5K, the Moonlight Run in Douglasville, and that's how I met the Rogues. The Douglas County Rogue Runners, what a fabulous group to join! After completing the 5K, I started getting out occasionally with them on their group runs, but I wasn't completely confident in my running ability. I soon learned with them that it didn't matter, seeing my progression as I gained ability was something they loved. They introduced me to trail running as well, and in combination with the races the Rogues put on, I've met some other very cool people in other clubs. Runners, marathoners, and ultra runners - what a fabulous and diverse group of people!

Thanks in large part to these runners I've met, I've not only completed 5K's and 10K's with improved times, but also half marathons. I gain experience with each race, and the support from other runners really motivates and keeps me at it. Now with a 25K in my sights, and a full marathon coming up, I know I can call on any one of these people for advice, support, training runs and friendship. One thing they may not all realize is that through their own races and challenges, they impart so much wisdom, humor and honesty about what they go through, that it helps me, challenges me, to push myself further than I may be comfortable with.

Rogues are: Johnny B., Cindy R., Linda P., Jennifer M. (x2!), Jennifer S., Scotty P., John and Desiree L., Terri E., Jonathan W., Orlando B., Michael (Crump) C., Steve C., Patrick O., Sherri C., Tracy H., Jack G., Karen H., Dave and Alicia M., Alex A., Lee B., Enithie H., Jeff F., Roger B., Mark G., Billy L., Amy K. and the list goes on as new members join.

GUTS members: Sally B., Kena Y., James T., Christian G., Tony G., Jason R., John C., Marty C., Charles R., Spurgeon H., Wayne D., Sean O., Elizabeth, Nick, Chris, Janice A. and the countless others who's faces I know but names I don't...yet!

And then the various other runners I've met: Kate B., Stefanie N., Margaret C., Jon R., Graham G., David H., whew! Lots of great people!

Can't forget about the Peachtree Road Race blogger from the AJC, Lauren D.! If you read any of the blogs she posted leading up to the race, you'd get a kick out of her insight as I did. Wish I could've seen her during the race, but I think we just missed one another.


You all are such wonderful inspiration to this still fairly "newbie" runner, and I thank you all for being you!

See you out on the road/trails soon!

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

AHA!

The Peachtree is just a few days away, and I am so happy it is! Not that I'm ready to tear it up and set a PR (I may just do that, but don't want to jinx myself!), but this is a party in the Atl every year, so planning on having fun with it. It will be the second time for Reann and I, for Chelsea it's her first.

I've added a race to my calendar also, the Peachtree City 25K on November 14th. Slightly longer than a half marathon, and with the benefit of having other Rogues either doing the 25K as well (Jonathan) or the 50K (Billy), this will be a fun one.

As for volunteering, I did so at the Blake Gammill races on 6/19, and am planning on volunteering at two GUTS events - Hot to Trot 8 hour on 8/7/10 and their GRR100 on 3/5-6/11. Great opportunities to meet more of the GUTS crowd!

Here we go:

7/4/10 41st Annual Peachtree Road Race 10K
8/7/10 Hot to Trot 8 Hour (volunteering)
11/14/10 4th Annual Peachtree City 25K
3/5-6/11 GRR 100 Miler (volunteering)
3/20/11 Georgia Marathon

Saturday, June 19, 2010

So now what?

It's the middle of June, and I only have two races on the calendar, and one of them isn't for another 9 months! It's been a crazy couple of months but here I am. Need to buckle down and get back into the running and getting myself back in shape.

5/22/10 Warrior Dash, Mountain City, GA - Well the drive up there was worth the price of admission. It was mine and Chelsea's first time up that way and we sure didn't want to head back to Douglasville afterwards! This was a fun time, between the water walk, tires, obstacle walls, cargo net wall, junk yard, mud crawl and fire jumps, we got our butts kicked! Definitely one we're going to do again if it's back in the Southeast next year.

Coming up in 2 weeks is the Peachtree Road Race, Chelsea and Reann are doing it with me, should be another fun time!

I know that one way to challenge myself is to sign up for a race I know will kick my butt, but at this point I'm going to focus on the running itself, build the distance back up and then see how I feel. By August I should know if I'm ready to another race (or more) this fall.

7/4/10 Peachtree Road Race, Atlanta GA
3/20/11 Georgia Marathon, Atlanta, GA

Friday, April 23, 2010

Why yes, I DID run some races this year...

Time has that fun way of sneaking right on past you. It's almost the end of April already, graduation is right around the corner for my oldest daughter and I haven't updated this since January. Well, here goes...

2/7/10 - Red Top Rumble 11.5 mile trail race: My longest trail race at this point, and hardly my shining moment, at least that's how it turned out. I felt good about it, and was over halfway through it and keeping pace with two other ladies when that
powerade I'd had a couple mouthfuls of back around the 2 mile mark reared it's ugly head. Lesson learned, no powerade at any point during a race. But I finished, dead a$$ last - lol. It's a finish for me, better than a dnf! I refuse to not finish a race. All in all, this was a great race put on by the GUTS group, I look forward to improving and running more of their races.

2/13/10 -
SweetH2O Sweetheart Half Marathon: Who knew Georgia would see snow and ice the day before, and yet the race was still on? It was too cool, driving out there that morning, wondering how many would actually show. A pretty respectable crowd turned out to run on that very cold morning. It was cool to see a few runners I've gotten to know over the last year and run a race with them (well, not actually "with" them, as they're far faster than I). And of course this race was put on by my home team, Douglas County Road Runners.

The cold, snow, and ice added to this challenging half, and perhaps it wasn't wise of me to do it 6 days after Red Top, but I feel this compulsory need to challenge myself once in a while. As long as I finish, right? Now I'd run out to
TOTW a few times before, so I knew what was waiting for us, but it still kicked my a$$. Thankfully, I didn't wipe out anywhere, as quite a few did after the sun came up and starting melting the snow and ice, creating a wonderfully muddy mess. Reann ran this, but had fallen behind before we'd gotten to TOTW, which is where I caught up with her friend Sada. She and I stuck together the rest of the race, and finished together. Reann, well, she was one wooped kid, but I'm proud of her, she could have quit, she wanted to quite a bit, but she finished probably one of the toughest half marathons out there. That's 2 for me, and 1 for her. Go us!

2/21/10 - Resolution Rush 5K: I decided to the 5K at the last minute with
Chels, instead of the 10K. Chelsea did a great job with her 1st race! Came in at 32:13 for her very first 5K. What a kid! I came in a few minutes later and was happy with it. Got to see Sally B. take the 1st female prize while we waited for Jennifer to finish the 10K.

3/6/10 - Berry 10K: Another race
Reann and I did together, Chels had to bow out due to a band commitment. A good race for me, actually posted my best 10K time to date (good thing, I wanted a better time for a peachtree qualifier, and this was it!). Reann did really well also, coming in very close to her best time at the Resolution Run back in January. Also stuck around for fellow Rogues Jennifer, John, Alex and Terri who were running the half marathon. Very cool to see Alex cross the finish line for his first half, and posted a fantastic time too!

Now, I decided in February to sign up for a 50K (what?!?!?). Yeah I know, and I was really wanting to do the one in June in South Carolina. I've heard nothing but good things about Terri Hayes races, and this was her
Chatooga 50K. But, after living in GA for 8 years, I've apparently developed allergies, and they responded to the HUGE amounts of pollen in the air earlier this month, and I went down for the count. As such, I scratched the 50K in June, but am still contemplating signing up for Stump Jump 50K in October. One, it's 5 months away, two, it's in the fall, three, no less than 5 Rogues have signed up for it. A Rogue trip, how fun! Or, there's Mystery Mountain Marathon, another GUTS race, also in October. Hmmmm, decisions decisions, do I focus on marathon distance for now and push the 50K off til next year?

Another great happening was the 4th annual SweetH20 50K Trail race out at Sweetwater Creek State Park on April 3rd. I really love volunteering for this event, these are the runners that inspire me to push my own goals. It was absolutely fabulous to see all the "cool kids" out there running on the first hottest day of the year. Congrats to Sally, Spurgeon, Marty, Christian, Wayne, JT, Tracy, Kena, Perry, Mark, Jason, John, Sean O., Sean B., Thomas A., Graham, and the countless others who braved the heat (and TOTW, twice!) to finish the "toughest 50K in the Southeast".



Right now, here's my pretty slim race calendar:

5/22/10 - Warrior Dash 3.2 mile run w/obstacle course
7/4/10 - 41st Annual
Peachtree Road Race 10K
3/20/11 - Atlanta Marathon (this will be my first road marathon!!)

It's slim for one reason, Chelsea is graduating from high school and going off to college between the end of May and the beginning of August,
ka-ching!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

No denying it, 2010 is here

Here is is, January 27th already. I have 3 races coming up in February, and I'm fighting with myself, trying to push past the mental anxiety of registering for an 11.5 mile race and a half marathon within 6 days of each other. My training hasn't been going the way I want it; again, more mental anxiety that I'm trying to tell myself isn't worth worrying over. Wondering if I'm subconsciously causing the ailments I've had. This stinks, no other word for it.

I have to get past this, I WILL get past this. Since my goal is to finish both long races, preferably not the last person being swept in by the sweepers, my mind is made up. No more will I let this stuff get me down. Anything else that tries to push it's way into my psyche to make me lose focus is going to get a beat down.

One thing I'm really tickled about? Both my girls are out running now. Chelsea started coming out with us at the end of the year, and is doing her first 5K on 2/21/10. She figures she'll get into running and taking care of herself now to prepare for 6 days a week of marching band practice this summer when she heads off to JSU (sigh). Reann will be doing the half marathon with me on 2/13/10. It's a proud momma I am of those two girls. Reann even got up and did the Resolution Run 10K on New Year's Day and beat her previous 10K times by 10 minutes!

So here we have it, I'm regaining my focus and pressing forward. I WILL push myself and do the absolute best I can in the races I have scheduled.

2/7/10 - Red Top Rumble 11.5 mile trail race - Cartersville, GA
2/13/10 - SweetH2O Sweetheart Half Marathon trail race - Lithia Springs, GA
2/21/10 - Resolution Rush 10K - Canton, GA
3/6/10 - Berry 10K - Rome, GA
3/20/10 - Publix Run Wild 5K at Grant Park - Atlanta, GA (did this last year in the pouring down rain and have my best 5K time, so obviously want to do this one again)

Oh, and did I mention the half marathon does have TOTW (Top of the World) in it, oh good. Described as "hefty roller coaster hills", this is probably my achilles heel in the race. Repeat after me... "hills are my friend, hills are my friend, hills are my friend..."