Race Pic.

Michele, Dianna, April

Did you notice that we are all wearing our yellow Live Stong wrist bands?
Dianna...Where is your orange hat? :)

Race Results

August 29th
When I looked up the weather online an hour before heading to the Brooklyn Fair 5k race and saw that it was already, "70 degrees, hazy, with 94% humidity" I knew it was going to be a difficult race, but in the end..it was a success. Despite the weather and "gentle rolling hills of New England" (which aren't so gentle!) I was able to finish the course. I ran with Dianna for the first 2 miles-ish and I felt like we were really speeding along until the last water stop, when I knew I couldn't keep the pace and had to slow down. At the end I had a little kick left, and crossed the finish line--still breathing and alive! :)
An hour later, as Dianna and I were walking back to the parking lot we both realized that we were feeling good--considering we had just run a 5K race in crazy humidity.
* I really don't understand how all my long and slow runs actually prepare my body for short and quick races, but it works...so I will leave my question happily un-answered! :)

August 30th
Fall semester has arrived which unfortunately means less posting and less commenting. :( (Booo!) Yet on a positive note, it means that fall weather is just around the corner-perfect running weather and as Mark said, "For me, running in the fall is like eating chocolate for breakfast, lunch and dinner".

- 45 minute slow and relaxed trail run at the hollow, miles = ?

Old Socks = Not Good

28th
Hooray for a training day off (especially because of this crazy humidity)! I'm getting ready for tomorrow's race by drinking a lot of water and of course a pasta dinner. Good Luck to any one else who may be racing tomorrow!

27th

I headed back to the Air Line Rail Trail with Amy.

Weather: warm and sunny (no humidity yet) :)
Miles: 8.5 ish
Time: 1:22
Results: It was a very good run, but now I have a slight blister on my right heel. I haven't had a blister since last winter, so I'm guessing it was caused by my socks. All my running socks were in the laundry, so I had to wear an old pair--not a good idea. Oh well, live and learn....right? :)

The Nocturnal Runner

My normal routine was thrown completely off schedule, because my boss called me into work at the last minute. After I got home from work, I ate a large dinner and bummed around (completely forgetting that I had to run). At quarter of 8 it hit me......."oh my gosh, i forgot to run today". Within two minutes, i was in my sneakers and running clothes, ready to go. It was getting really dark by the end of third mile, so I was happy to see a near full moon which provided some light.

Weather: beautiful night, warm and breezy
Miles: 4 (I'm guessing)
Time: 39.21
Results: No problems, although my pacing was way off. The first mile in the woods was a little scary so I nearly sprinted the whole time. After that, I felt drained and had to slow down significantly.

Crossing States

23rd - A fierce game of tag while I was baby sitting, which I considered my speed workout for the week (20 minutes)

24th - I ran from Connecticut to Massachusetts!!! I can hear all the "ohhhs and awww's" coming from the RBF. Although it sounds impressive, the state line is only a few miles from my house. But Shhh...no one has to know that. :) :) :)
Miles: 6.6
Time: 57.46

25th - I met Dianna and Michele for a run in the trails. Our pace was a little slower than normal, but it was still a great run.
Miles: a little over 5
Time: 51.34

A few highlights since Sunday:
1. I received my 1/2 marathon e-mail confirmation
2. I went to a doughnut shop in town and I was able to resist buying one for myself-shocking!
3. I was finally able to call my sister. It was so nice to hear her voice and catch up a little. (She is in the Philippines so I haven't talked to her/seen her in a long time.)
4. I received a package in the mail from my cousin, which included recipes, a CD, and a new Nike running long sleeved t-shirt. :) (Thank you Kia!!)

Tip of the Week

This computer is on the Fritz and I'm expecting it to either crash or blow up any time now. So, if I don't post for awhile, you will know why. :)

I took Saturday off because it poured nearly all day and I must admit, I was simply being lazy. I made up for my laziness, with today's long run. After watching the women's marathon in Athens (Go Deanna Kastor!) I was inspired. I decided upon a long route that would include two miles of wooded trails at the beginning and end of the run, with one semi-long hill in the middle of the route.

* Tip of the week * When running in the woods, always look at the ground! (I had one minor problem at the end of mile one. I wasn't paying attention, and I tripped over a rock, which made me fall onto another rock. As I fell, I dropped my sport walkman and the CD fell out. Thankfully the CD survived scratch-free and the walkman still worked. My leg is still a little sore (from where I landed) and I'm expecting a bruise by tomorrow, but it was worth it. I love trail running because you never know what to expect!

Weather: Sunny/Warm/Beautiful (No Rain! Hooray)
Miles: 9 (seven on the road, two in the woods)
Time: 1:27.13
Results: My leg was a little sore after the fall, but other than that--no pains/no problems.

Finished the Book

I just finished reading the book The Complete Book of Running for Women by C. Kowalchik (which I highly recommend). I thought I would post a few quotes which I thought were helpful, interesting or motivating.

* "The rewards of training don't come with just one final excellent race; you receive them every week, with every challenging run you take." (pg. 291)
* "Most injuries aren't caused by running itself but by running too much relative to what your body is ready to handle." (pg.340)
* "Good posture is the most important element of good running form. Imagine a big helium balloon attached to your head by a string and pulling your body straight up." (pg. 35)
* "Don't avoid eye contact with strangers. A potential attacker is more likely to approach you if he thinks he can catch you unaware." (pg. 53)
* "After you run, take the time to take them (your running shoes) off by hand rather than prying them off with your feet. The latter can ruin the heel of your shoe." (pg. 191)
* "Don't let yourself get caught up in timing EVERY run. You can quickly become too focused on it. Becoming a slave to pace only sets you up to become over trained and ultimately injured." (pg. 38)
* "A cotton shirt can more than double in weight when it gets wet, and it retains 80% more moisture than most synthetic shirts do." (pg. 194)
* "It's on the rest days of training that your body actually gets stronger and faster. Rest is just as important to improvement as long runs, intervals and hill repeats are." (pg. 289)

August 20th
Time - 32.11
Miles - ?
Results - slow/easy run

August 19th
Time - 1:14.51
Miles - I met Dianna for an eight mile run, which was really good because I never would have finished 8 on my own in this heat/humidity.
Results - I bet you can guess.....of course we had random pacing again. But it's okay, because we were running up/down hills and on/off the pavement. So, what else can be expected? :)

Low Iron

After work I went to the community center in town to donate blood for the American Red Cross. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to donate because of my my low hematocrit reading. Your hematocrit reading should be at 38% in order to be accepted as a blood donor, and mine was at 36%. I was so close, but not close enough! A low hematocrit level results from not having enough iron in your diet, which means I really need to start eating healthier. Even though I have started my cooking class (which is going well) I have still been eating very unhealthy. I feel like I never have enough time to prepare healthy meals, seven days a week.

Weather: very sunny, 74 degrees
Time: 20.24
Miles: 2 miles of the "speed work-out" and .5 mile warm up/cool down

*In the evening I met my cousin Karin and we played for tennis for almost an hour. What Fun! :)

Mind over Matter

How does that expression go, "It's all mind over matter" or something like that? If you would have told me I was going to run 8 miles today, I never would have believed you, but I really did it! I think that is the longest distance I have ever run. I met a new "running buddy", Amy, at 3:30 with no great expectations, but it turned into an absolutely wonderful run. I'm still beaming right now, as I think about it. When we set off for our run, Amy asked me how far I wanted to run for, and I said I was flexible and it was up to her. (Of course her comment, "I could run forever" didn't hit me until the end of the run, when I was beat and she was still going strong--way to go Amy). :)
We ran for 5 miles at a really good pace and then took a quick ride across the road to finish up with another 3 miles, a little slower. It was my first time on the Air Line Rail Trail and I instantly fell in love with it. The trail was primarily flat and shaded, with bright green vegetation surrounding us. (And do to the fact that it rained for the past two days, it was a little adventurous running through mud puddles.) :) I can't wait to go back!

Time: 1:15.49 (this includes two times we stopped to tie shoe laces and a quick break when we tuned around when the mud started overtaking the trail)
Miles: 8
Results: a wonderful run, no pains/no problems. I can't believe how quickly the time passed, most likely because I wasn't worried about my pacing or miles or time, I was just running to enjoy a run and of course chatting with a friend make the time fly! :)

Race Results

Monday - I met Dianna for a quick trail run. 4 miles - 36.53 minutes

Sunday - Day Off (although I did baby sit for my 3 yr. old and 6 month old cousins from Saturday to Sunday night, which felt like a continuous work out) :)

August 14, 2004 Saturday - Dearly Memorial 5-Mile Race
I woke up before my alarm clock buzzed, full of excitement and anticipation. It was a beautiful, sunny morning and the humidity had cleared. I started doing some laundry and cleaning and before I knew it, I was running late. I jumped in my car and headed to the race with ten minutes to spare. I found Dianna and Michelle, pinned on my race number, and we made our way to the starting line, along with 272 other runners. It was so nice having a "race buddy" because it made the time fly by and we were even able to chat for a few seconds here and there (a big "no-no" according to my old cross country coach. I always remember him saying, "If you can talk during a race, you are not running fast enough." But believe me, we were running fast, even if our pacing was a little crazy! :) :)

Mile one - 7.32...too fast.
Mile two - we slowed down to 7.56...much better
Mile three - getting hot and tired, 8.23
Mile four/Mile five - ? (I completely forgot to check my stop watch). I don't remember where I was, but at some point, I felt like I had burst of energy, so I decided to increase my speed a little and try to keep the pace. Eventually I made my way across the finish line.

One of things that I love about repeating a race, is being able to see gradually progress. I'm happy to say that I have a new PR. Last year my time was 44.41 and this year I finished in 39.17 minutes.

Ready....Set...Go..

I'm ready for tomorrow (the Deary Memorial 5-mile Race)! I had a large bowl of pasta for dinner and I've been drinking a lot of liquids. I did a slow and easy run tonight and power walked up the hills. (I told myself I was power walking to save energy for the race, but in reality, I was just being lazy) :) :) This afternoon, Jane dropped off my race number and "free" t-shirt, and let's face it--the real reason why we all race is for the free t-shirt, right? (because we don't already have stacks of them in our closets) LOL :) ~ My goal for every race is simply to finish the course. Specifically, I would love to beat my time from last year. I feel more prepared this year and I know Dianna will be there, so I'm hoping to keep up with her planned 8 minute mile pace. ~ Good Luck to any one else who may be racing this weekend, may you out run the humidity!! :)


Time: exactly 30 minutes
Miles: 3ish
Results: slow/easy run (after two minutes into the run, I had a slightly weird pain in my right knee, but I kept running and within a few minutes it went away--good thing!)

New Trail

Thursday: I ran on a new trail tonight. I heard about the trail at work and was extremely excited to check it out. After work I jumped in my car and quickly found the park where the trail was located. Parts of the trail had not been cleared for awhile, so I was jumping over fallen tree logs and running through grass up to my knees (don't worry--I did a major tic check after the run) but overall.....it was a good trail. It was on the shorter side, so I had to run the trail twice and then do a little extra running around the park.
Nature Observation: one deer, and one chipmunk type thing--maybe it was squirrel. All I know-is that it was Fast! :)
Time: 40.16
Miles: ?
Results: a good run, but the hills were killing me!

Wednesday: I took a training "day off". After work I met some friends at a coffee shop/cafe. We had a fun time and the food was delicious!!

Tuesday: I met Dianna and Michelle for a quick 3 mile tempo run, and as always, it just flew by!

What do you think about?

During my run today, I was thinking about, what I normally think about when I'm running on my own--and this is the list I came up with.

1. If I'm listening to music, I think about the song or the artist, and occasionally sing along in my head.

2. Some times I think about nothing (especially during speed work outs on the track). It's strange how some times I can go for a 20 min. run and come back and have no idea what I was thinking about.

3. I think about the future, which may be as simple as what I'm going to wear the next day or what I'm going to cook for dinner that night. ~ When I'm a student, I spend a lot of time thinking about assignments that are do, papers I need to write and books I need to read. And of course, there are times that I think about the distant future, like kind of house I want to live in, and how I want to be involved the community and will I allow my children read "Harry Potter" or not.

4. Some times when I'm running, I pray and not just, "God, please get me though this run". (although I have prayed that many times), but I try pray for my friends and family and thank God for the amazing ways He has blessed my life.

5. I try to think about my running as much as possible. I think about my pace and form, specifically....are my arms helping or hindering the run. How is my posture? How is my speed? Are my strides to long or short? etc...

So, I'm curious...when you are out for a long run or even a short one, what do you normally think about?

Weather - sunny, 75 degrees
Time - 39.43
Miles - ? (the same route as yesterday, I'm hoping it was at least four)
Results - Overall, I was pleased with the run, but I was 5 seconds slower than yesterday. I know 5 seconds is really not a big deal--but psychologically it stinks when your time increases.

I love this weather!

I had another wonderful run today. The weather was absolutely perfect; 70 degrees, sunny, with a slight breeze. I didn't even mind running on the roads. I had planned to run for 15 minutes and turn around, but before I knew it, twenty minutes had passed by when I looked at my watch and realized I should turn around. I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful weather too! :)

Passion For Running

Saturday- What a great day! I met Dianna and Michelle for today's long run. Michelle and I ran 6 miles with Dianna and then Dianna headed out for another 4 miles, as we cooled down. The weather was absolutely perfect, it was a good running route, and the time flew by (55.34)! I still can't believe it was six miles. Whenever you get three girls together--there is always something to talk about! :) ~ I love the fact that three people from different lives and backgrounds (a thirty-something running chick, a married/mother of one, and a single college student) can get together for a great time, because we all have the same passion in common. We all have a passion for running. It's the same passion that can bring 10,000 very diverse people together, to run for a common cause in a race, and not only get along, but also appreciate and accept each other, and become friends. ~ One of the joys of racing, is meeting new people who share your same passion. I am so thankful for the all the racing friends I have met along the way! :)

Friday- Despite the fact that I said I wouldn't go back to Mashamoquet, the roads around house I'm staying at, are not very safe, so I decided to head back and try the red trail. It was definitely better than the blue trail, because it was less steep and I didn't have to stop to walk over rock formations this time. ~ On the way back to my car, I was trying to run fast and I tripped over a rock. It was a strange "trip" because it felt like I was tripping in slow motion and I was able to catch my balance just before I hit the ground-lucky me. :) (Beautiful night, 35 minutes, 3.67 miles)

Thursday- Day Off (Hooray!)

Wednesday- an exercise video in the AC! :) (10 minutes sports conditioning & 10 minutes kick boxing)

Shuffling Along

There is nothing really new to report today, but I'm addicting to posting so I had to write. :) Actually...I asked John (from work) if he wanted to run in the CT 1/2 Marathon, and he said he would.....but who knows if he was serious or not. :)
Side Note--John is the trooper, who's office is across from mine, and besides my sister, he is the funniest person I know, which is one of the many reasons why I love my job--I laugh all the time.

Weather: 75 degrees, 80% humidity
Time: 32.35 min.
Miles: ?
Results: I was dreading the fact that I had to run today. Normally, I feel great after I start running, but today I felt like my feet were just shuffling along the whole time and my mind was thinking "I can't wait until this is over". I am soo looking forward to my day of rest on Thursday. :)

Updated Goals

I always look forward to the first of every month, because it feels like a fresh start. You can leave the previous month behind and look toward the future. With this mind, I thought I would update my goals.

~ July Goals
1. Starting training for the half marathon - check
2. Eat healthier - hmmm...Well, I've been doing a little better...But in general not very good. Although, I did register for a cooking class, so I'm on my way to eating healthier soon, and I've given up donuts and soda.
3. Stop stressing about little things - a little improvement, but it's a process, right?
4. Learn how to pace myself while running - Oh my...Will I ever accomplish this goal? :)
5. Get more sleep - check

~ August Goals
1. Continue with all the goals from last month
2. Give up cookies (I still plan on snacking, but I'm trying to let go of one bad food item a month--but never fortune cookies!!) :)
3. Attempt a few sit ups and push ups a few days a week.

So there they are....My goals are out there in blog land and I can't them back. I'll (hopefully) report my progress at the beginning of next month!


Time - 13 min. down the street -- turn around -- 15 min. back up the street
Miles - ? (I'll clock it tomorrow)
Results - A normal Monday night quick tempo run, but this time it was not as fun, because Dianna and I weren't able to get together because of our crazy schedules.

Hiking Trails Are Not Running Trails

Sunday
Weather - hot and humid
Time - 1:1.29
Miles - 6.6
Results - still feeling good--no pains, no cramps, no problems :)

Saturday
This week I'm staying at house near Mashamoquet State Park. I looked up the park online, http://dep.state.ct.us/stateparks/parks/mashamoquet.htm, and found that the it had hiking trails. I found a trail a little over four miles long and thought it would be perfect for a run. A hiking trail had to be the same thing as a running trail, right??? I was wrong! A mile into the run, I realized I was on a Serious hiking trail. Parts of the trail were really steep and there were a lot of rocks, everywhere! At one point, the trail went over a huge rock formation. It was a challenge to know where to step, to keep my self from falling.
It took me a total of an hour an two minutes. I "ran" aka "stumbled along" for 48 minutes, and walked for 14. ~ Despite my complaining, it was a beautiful trail and if I'm ever up for "serious" hiking, I will definitely go back. (I almost forgot to mention one of the best parts. I was able to help two hikers who were lost. Most of time, it's me asking for help!) :)

Friday
40ish min. easy/slow in the woods