Running around

In three months I am planning on running a half marathon.  The first half marathon since my ACL reconstruction.  In three months time.  That's 12 short weeks away.  The internal debate is do I just go out with a goal to finish it? Do I dare even think about setting a time goal?  Can I (or more directly) HOW do I use crossfit to train for this so that I'm not running too many miles on my knee?  And speaking of miles....what should the longest, long run in the training program be?

I've been running with a group on the weekends lately.  They keep me motivate, accountable, and best of all, introduce me to new running paths.

 



I found this little guy on the new route last weekend.  I think I'm in love!  I scratched his head till my hands smelled of lanolin and then was on my way.

 

 

I'm not much of a morning person but the early morning sun on these cheerful sunflowers was just what I needed to put a smile on my face.  I'm not one to run with my phone usually, but that morning my ipod battery was dead.  I was so thankful to have my camera with me so I could take these pictures.

Checkmarks and PRs

Run a half marathon - check

Don't die while running said half marathon - check

Try really hard to not be the last one to cross the finish line - check

Instead of our usual Labor Day weekend plans (which involve the most amazing ribs, little people birthday parties, small town parades and oodles of candy), the boy and I drove down to Anaheim so I could run in the 6th annual Disneyland half marathon.  I attempted to take pictures along the course so that the boy could feel like he got to see all the cool behind-the-scenes at Disney things I got to see.  But I was so impatient to get that third checkmark up there that my feet kept running and most of the pictures were blurry.  (Don't worry Husband...I'll make it up to you in January). 

I did end up getting a decent one of the Sign Shop,

in the back of the park kind of behind the rivers of America.

There were so many people starting the race that the first 4 miles flew past without much heart pounding or heavy breathing, either that or I was too distracted by all the characters and fun toons blaring over the sound system.

While I was training someone told me that at mile 6 people start to hurt.  At mile 8 the bottom drops out for a lot of first timers.  So I made sure I carried beans with me and stopped at all the powerade stations.  Miles 8, 9, and 10 came and went and I was still trotting along.  I started really watching the time at mile 11.  Apparently running and math aren't my strong suit.  For some silly reason I decided that once I hit mile 11 I only had one more mile to go...one more mile to go.  I can totally do this.  And if I hustle I'll beat that 2 hour 30 minute mark so I can start in the corral next time.  Just one more mile to go....

Except....I didn't really have one more mile to go.  I had 2.1 and 20 minutes to go.

Damn you mile 11

If I hadn't have been up since 4 am, I might have had the foresight to take the uneaten sports beans out of my shorts first and not take my "I finished and didn't die" picture in front of the sanihuts...maybe next time.

The official stats are:

13.1 miles in 2:30:37

Overall ranking 5,319 out of 12,785 finishers

2,779 out of 8,368 women

512 out of 1,410 30-34 year olds.

I'll be returning in January to run in the first ever Tinkerbell half marathon. 

New goals:

faster AND take pics with the characters



My own personal coach

I can't tell if Shasta is cheering me on or mocking me.

I must say that staring into these reflective eyes is starting to freak me out.  And more than once the cat has tried to walk across the top of the treadmill, lost her footing, and got tangled up in my feet as I ran.

 























That shelf was NOT built just for Shasta.  It was special requested for a little fan to keep me cool and to hold my amazing 3rd place running trophy from Lake Tahoe last year.

I am trying out a new training schedule this year.  It has me running three times a week.  I'm hoping to get a consistent number of weekly miles under my belt and speed up my pace a little.

I've got a couple of good, organized runs in my future that I'm pretty excited about.

I love to hate the snow

When it starts snowing outside and I'm sitting at my desk at work, chances are I will start to cry.  Not really.  But I want to.  I will spend the rest of the time alternating between looking out the window praying the snow will stop or checking my email to see if they've called a snow day yet.  It makes me wish I had my own personal driver who would shuttle me to and from work so I don't have to worry about slippery roads, four wheel drive, or other crazy drivers.


Truth be told, I enjoy the snow.  I enjoy it most from the warmth of my favorite Nintendo chair parked by the fireplace.  But, I do enjoy playing in it as long I have the appropriate warm, waterproof gear on.


Excited enough to dive over the hand rail just to get in the snow



We took the kids to a little hill in Truckee for some good old-fashioned, free exercise and fun.

The boy at the bottom, Bobbo climbing back up

















After a while, the children claimed they couldn't possibly make it back to the top of the hill because they were so so tired.  Good thing we brought the Daddy!



The Family that Shreds together....

Know what they say about the family that Shreds together?

No.

Neither do I. But we are ALL going to be lookin' amazing this summer in our swim suits. Even Bobby's committed. He's got quite the little milk belly to work off.

New Year Resolutions - they are a-happening at our house. I am 10 days into the 30 Day Shred DVD. I've only weighed myself once so I can't really do a numbers report yet, but I think the muffin-top may be getting a little smaller. And Mr Woolsey swears he can see a difference. But...I pay him to say that, right?

And, who would have guessed those 1 pound hand weights Santa put in the kids' stockings would be such a hit.

Not me.

The one where I tell you my New Year's Resolutions

So many people are forgoing resolutions this year. Mine are kind of simple:
- Take better care of myself (eating better, exercising, saying no more often)
- Learn how to make tasty delicious creme brulee all by myself (Its getting sooo hard to find restaurants in town that make it anymore.....and by the way - flan can't hold a candle to creme brulee. Ever.)

That's it. I think I can keep them this year.
Wish me Luck!


UPDATE: 3-1-10
Inspired by someone else's resolutions I ran across last week, I'm adding one more:
- Run 100 miles (total) this year

I think that might be too easy but I thought I'd start small. Hey, if Will's mom can bike eleventy-billion miles in a year, I think I can run a hundred.