NOT broken!

WOO HOO!

Looks like I'll be able to run with my old crew at Fleet Feet in the morning. I will definitely need to log some miles to work off all the pumpkin pie from yesterday and the gnocchi I'm making tonight.

Happy long weekend everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope everyone has a great day of wonderful food and great friends/family to share it with.

So, I still don't have my damn xray results back.  One would think it should be back in a day...two at the most.  Apparently, my foot must be complicated. 

Anyway, I was a bad girl and ran on Tuesday.  It was 60+ degrees here in Philly and I was itching to get out.  It had been over 2 weeks.  I NEEDED to run.  I couldn't wait any longer on the x-ray.  I ran my regular 3 mile route and felt like I did well.  I was stunned (and not in a good way) at my time.  31 minutes.  WHAAAATTTTT....when did I cross back into over a 10 minute mile pace.  I thought I was faster than that.  My last 5K was a 28:05.  That's what taking two weeks off will do to you.

This morning I headed out for 6 miles.  More running = more pumpkin pie later!!  I felt great until it started sleeting on me the last mile.  I did it in 59 minutes at a 9:43 pace.  Much better.  It is now snowing and absolutely gorgeous! 

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Black Friday Madness

Wow...where did November go?  I can't believe it's Thanksgiving already.  I am looking forward to some time off to enjoy some good food with family and friends.

One thing I won't be doing...Black Friday.  I have no desire to get up at the crack of dawn (or not even go to bed) to go to stores and fight the crowds/traffic/rude people.  I am just losing my patience, I guess.  Ask me about my Babies R Us experience...and prepare yourself for the onslaught because it still makes me mad and it happened nearly 2 weeks ago.  Nope, I'll be sleeping in on Black Friday.  Once the whole family rolls out of bed, we'll put up our tree and all our decorations.  Then, our friends Bill, Jen and their son Tyler are coming for dinner.  I doubt I'll ever leave the house.  And you know what, that's fine with me!

Is it broken?

Notice the lack of posts? It's because I'm not running. I've taken the week off to see if my left foot would start to feel better. It didn't. I went for xrays yesterday. I will find out on Monday.

I HATE not running. I'm not happy when I'm not running. I'm grumpy, bitchy, and it makes me feel bloated. I get even more pissed when I'm driving to work and one of the songs on my running play list comes on. It makes me want to run even more.

Keep your fingers crossed it is just a tendon issue and it will heal soon.I don't think I could bear 6 weeks of this...I may end up like Beth at Shut Up and Run!  Her posts on her new life in the pool are hysterical.  Check them out.
 

Why can't I stay on my 'effin feet?

I fell again. Yes, again. This is the third time I have fallen on a run. The first was the worst...remember the nasty spill this summer (see injury report here).  The second time was during the last 1/2 marathon I ran on halloween.  This fall was totally explainable because we were on a rocky trail covered by fallen leaves.  There is no excuse for the third one that happened this weekend when I was out on a 6.5 mile run with my friend Wayne.  I just tripped.   Damn, I'm a klutz.

We had a great weekend in Baltimore with our friends Wayne and Michelle.  Thankfully, not nearly as eventful as our last visit (see Putting it in Perspective).  We ate (Michelle is a great cook), drank (a lot) and just relaxed.  The kids played great together.   I got in two nice runs...they live in a hilly area so I really appreciated the challenge (despite Saturday's fall).  Coupled with my 11 miler on Thursday, I estimate I did 20 miles in 4 days!

Back to work, back to school, and back to reality.  Only a few more days until Thanksgiving.  Fall really does fly by.

Another PR!

Yesterday's Free to Breathe was cold...but I think the cold helped me run faster! We had a record turn out and donations! 

The race began at 8:30.  The first km was tough with jockeying for position and running room.  I hit the 1 mile mark at 9:27.  I new I needed to step it up to get in my goal time of somewhere in the 28s.  I hit the 2 mile mark at 18 and new I had this in the bag!  I finished at 28:05.   That's 1:05 faster than my last 5K from the summer!

Free to Breathe TOMORROW!!

The Philadelphia Free To Breathe 5k is tomorrow!  This is how my whole running career began!  With a simple google of "walks for lung cancer".  Who knew it would turn me into a runner??  This race will be my second year on the planning committee and running it.  Last year I was recovering from bronchitis and got a 31:33.  Not bad for a sickie.  I hope to come in somewhere in the 28s tomorrow. 


A lot of people say their life changes after they lose a loved one.  For me, that would be a huge understatement.  My Dad has motivated and inspired me so many times since he's passed.  I've created a product as a result of his passing.  I'm pursuing a dream in bringing this product to the market to help folks celebrate and remember their loved ones.  I've become a runner whose completed two 1/2 marathons.  Every run provides a quiet time to reflect on my wonderful memories of my Dad.

Life is short.  Seize each day and make a difference. 

Oktober Lauf Fest 1/2 Marathon Recap

Quick Version: 

Beautiful, crisp, fall day in upper 50's.  Gorgeous, scenic course in PennyPack Park with no traffic, but beware of hidden rocks on the trail.   Finish time of 2:13:33...12 minutes faster than my last 1/2 marathon!!

Long Version:

My goals for this half marathon were to finish the race, run the whole race, and seek redemption from my failed 2:20 goal in the Rock N Roll Half Marathon on 9/19.  I was disappointed in my 2:25 time at the Rock N Roll half...recall that I had a horrible side stitch and right side quad cramp and walked most of mile 11.  As a result of my cramping issues at the Rock N Roll half, I adjusted my race strategy for this 1/2 by drinking electrolyte (NUUN) from the beginning of the race and doing shot blocks at the half way point.  I guess it paid off!

We started out in grass and quickly moved onto a paved trail.  It was a small field of about 170 runners.  The field thinned quickly and I never felt like I had to jockey for position like you do in larger races (like Broad St and the Rock N Roll Half).  I settled into my happy pace pretty early on and was quite comfortable rockin' out to my newly created playlist.  The course has some really steep hills (although quite short).  I was cruising nicely up (and down) them and was feeling great.  I was thanking my running buddy Jeff for all the hill training he drug me on...especially when I was passing folks who were walking the hills!  I caught up with two women ahead of me and were chatting with them as we approached 1/2 way.  At 6.5 miles I was at 1:03 which is PHENOMENAL for me.  I chomped my shot blocks and continued on.  At about mile 7, there was an aid station.  I refilled my water bottle and headed off into the trail portion of the course.  And then the hell began....

They warned us at the start that there were lots of rocks on the trail and that the falling leaves were covering them.  I slowed down immediately on the uneven ground.  I HATE unstable footing.  I kept focusing myself on watching my feet and trying not to get lost in the music or the beauty of the scenery.  I rolled my right ankle twice with bad foot placement.  Somewhere after mile 8, my left foot hit a rock in a bad way and I fell.  I got up, brushed off, winced in pain, and realized I needed to keep going.  Those first few steps were painful until the adrenaline & endorphins kicked in and my body realized I was going to run through the pain.  I paid extra careful attention to my footing the rest of the trail.

I was never so happy to see a paved path again.  I put my head down and took off.  At mile 10, a woman next to me told me we were at 1:42.  WOW...again, much faster than I anticipated.  How could this be with a fall and a sore left ankle?  For comparison, my Broad Street time was 1:50 and my 10 mile time in my previous 1/2 marathon was 1:45.  At this point, I'm smiling because I know I have 2:20 in the bag. 

I plowed through the last 3 miles.  As I approached the finish, I smiled ear to ear when I saw Mike and the kids had decided to come and surprise me at the finish.  2:13:33!  WOO HOO!  So proud.

The foot was pretty swollen and red yesterday and I had quite a limp.  Today, it seems noticeably better.