Wordless Wednesday

What the???

So I had an "easy 3" on the books for taper week. So I figured, why waste a trip to the gym, when I can run around the lake a few times?

LOVE the new skirt. LOVE

I had checked my Garmin, and I hadn't done an outside run since JUNE. And that was a super short one I did in Austin when I dropped A off to visit with her dad. Wow. Really? It wasn't that hot out, but it was sunny with no breeze. It was HOT to me though. The easy three? NOT.AT.ALL.EASY. My legs felt like lead. It was like I'd never ever run before in my entire life. Blech.

Question:

To my readers. I have worn Newtons almost exclusively for the last 15 months. I have been trying to find a cheaper shoe for the last... 2 months or so. Settled on Zoots that really aren't that much cheaper. While they are "comfortable," I don't think they are great for long distances. I have a couple pairs of Newtons that should be able to survive a 26.2. However, I haven't raced in anything other than Zoots since July (except my 50 miler that I wore an old pair of Lady Isaacs).

WWYD?

Fast and the Fabulous!

Munchkin Mile with A. Originally I was wearing the pink dot skirt, but A says "Mom, I know you have this same skirt, you should change." Yes, ma'am.

Her fastest loop EVER! 14:30, and with how long we run, her average pace was 13:05. Rock star!! Her sprint at the end? Super impressive... right around 7:30 pace for the last 20 seconds or so.

I followed this run up with my RLRF long run:

MP, WK3, KR3

Goal - 13 miles @ MP (10:42)

Actual - 13.16 miles @ 10:33

Total - 13.16 in 2:19:00

Summer Is Almost Over

Yesterday A was bored out of her mind. Nothing seemed to entertain her. So I planned a SUPER full day.

First on the list? Going running.

Lake Arbor

It was pretty hot by the time we got to the lake. 77 degrees. Luckily, we had a breeze. It helped IMMENSELY. A didn't need the rest breaks like before. She did awesome:

We ran the loop about a minute faster than last week. She is gonna rock the 5k at Disney in a few weeks!

Next up? Quick trip to Starbucks and then on to the water park! We have season passes so it's a great thing to do that doesn't cost us anything.

Waiting in line... they were PACKED

I figured we had a few hours there before the afternoon storms were going to start and A had a blast!

We ended up not leaving until 1:30, and I was STARVING, so we headed home and had lunch. Then, off to get A a haircut:

All of the above took most of the day. I spent the remainder of the afternoon vacuuming, cleaning the carpets, and making dinner.

Then it was off to the gym. L has a new "thing" to entertain us at the gym. Every time we have a class, we are going to wear a shirt we have gotten at a race. In chronological order. So today? The shirt from my first 10K - the Bolder Boulder, Memorial Day 2008. I can't remember if I'm rockin' a side kick or a roundhouse:

I am STILL super sore. Why??

As an aside... Check on my link top left hand corner of my blog for Razzy Roo. Enjoy either 10% off an entire order using the promo code listed, OR, use code GLITTER40, for a FREE glitter band when you spend $40. Have I mentioned how much I love Razzy Roo??

Happy Tuesday!

Off Weekends

I really don't know what to do with myself when I'm at home. Not just with the time, but with my running. When I race? It's easy. No long run to plan. No worries about hydration or course or time. It's all done for me. I know I'm going to get 13.1 in whether I like it or not, and I know I'm not going to be a sissy. It's gonna get done, and it's gonna get done with maximum effort.

I'm off this weekend. Initially I planned on doing a "longish" run of about 10 miles on Friday morning running the Lake Arbor Loop after I took A to school. However? Epic.Fail. I thought I was dressed accordingly. Later, I'd discover that I was looking at AUSTIN's forecast, not ARVADA's forecast. Stupid weather app...

Most of the ice was melted!

I was dressed awesome! 

I did NOT take into account the damn wind. Every time I ran west or north, I was running against the wind. I was freezing. And then when I was running east or south, I was running with the wind and facing the sun and it was HOT. I honestly thought about quitting after only a lap or two, but then I figured I made ALL that effort to get out there and run. Pretty shocked I actually got five miles in. After leaving, I immediately was pissed at myself for not sucking it up and running another five. Blah.

How to spend the rest of the day? Making a healthy lunch for A:

A wanted more time on the treadmill. She is up to 17 minutes on the big one now! And like me, she can't pace nearly as well on the treadmill as she can outside. She runs like a drunken frat boy and I have to stand behind her to make sure she doesn't face plant or fly off the back of the treadmill.

What happens on a race-free weekend? Silliness.

A also has a gymnastics class on Saturday afternoons. She was pretty tired by the time she was done and actually took a two hour nap. I spend some time on the treadmill in the basement running (still nowhere near my ten mile plan) while watching "Hoarders." Anyone else watch that show? I find it FASCINATING.

After dinner (pizza buffet of course) we had some good ol' fashioned Mario Kart time on the Wii. I'll be honest. I was AWESOME at Mario Kart back in the day. You know, when the 64 was the coolest system out. I was impossible to beat. Then out comes this new fangled Wii with the steering wheel controller, and all of a sudden I not only suck, but I lose to A. Yep. A five year old can beat me. And do it easily and while talking quite a bit of smack.

Face of a Champion

Nothing planned for Sunday. However... there is a 5K race in Washington Park, which is only about 15 minutes away. It doesn't start until 10 am, so if A wakes up early, we might head over there. I'm already feeling race withdrawals.

Christmas Edition - Lake Arbor Loop (and a giveaway winner)

Saturday, December 25
Temperature - Clear, 17 degrees at start

There is definitely something wrong with me. I mean, what kind of person sets their alarm for 7:05 in the morning. ON CHRISTMAS??? I thought more than once as I was getting dressed that NO person who had all their mental faculties would be doing this. Meh. No one has EVER accused me of being normal.

I was originally going to be super festive and wear my niece's Santa hat, but at 3.5 years old, her head is smaller than mine and it didn't fit. This would have to do:

So when I checked the temperature at home, it said it was 27 degrees. I was thinking... it isn't even 8 yet, so by the time I've been running for a while, I'd be pretty hot. I figured tank top and sleeves. I have decided that anything under about 40 degrees I'm going to wear tights though. So I grab a Peppermint Stick Luna bar to eat on the drive, and my bottle of Powerade Zero and some water and head out the door. As I'm driving, the temperature keeps dropping. By the time I stop the car?

Brrr. Well. I'm going to run regardless. Good thing I keep a hat and gloves in my bag. I get dressed... and am ready to go.

Love Love LOVE my socks!!!

Clear Christmas morning... not even any snow on the ground!

I didn't REALLY have a goal of how far to go. First loop went ok. I have run this loop TONS of times and I have never really seen anyone RUNNING this. I mean, I see lots of people walking dogs, but not runners. This morning? I saw lots of them. Apparently the lake is a magnet for crazy people to go on Christmas day. In 17 degree weather. Second loop? Ugh. Stomach hurting. I have to detour and use the bathroom. Glad to have that out of the way and I keep going.

It's COLD. I'm glad I have my sleeves on. I own two pairs of them, and either my arms or getting skinnier, or the Zensah ones I have don't stay up nearly as well as my other ones. But at least they did their job of keeping me warm.

I keep running. And running. I take a Powerade gel at the start of loop 5. Then... loop 6 and my stomach starts screaming at me again. WTH?? Another detour and bathroom stop. Blech. Ironically I am keeping a pretty decent pace. Even with all my stopping.

It is still really cold out. I am actually really surprised by the number of people that are out. Not just people walking (some without dogs, even), but just driving around. When my family is around I typically don't leave the house on Christmas, unless I'm getting coffee or something.

Keep running. I think maybe I'll stop with the loop that gets me past half marathon distance. But then I got to the end of that lap and I decided to just do "one more." Yep. Something wrong with me. Who does this? Goes out and runs over 15 miles on Christmas? Oh yeah. The same person that ran a half marathon two days earlier on the treadmill. Certifiable.

Garmin Distance: 15.33 miles
Time: 2:40:04
Loop 1 - 10:15 pace
Loop 2 - 11:38 pace (bathroom)
Loop 3 - 9:54 pace
Loop 4 - 10:01 pace
Loop 5 - 10:28 pace
Loop 6 - 11:35 pace (bathroom)
Loop 7 - 10:00 pace
Loop 8 - 10:15 pace
Loop 9 - 10:12 pace
Loop 10 - 10:17 pace
Loop 11 - 10:13 pace
Loop 12 - 10:12 pace

You gotta admit I'm pretty damn consistent. All my non bathroom break loops are so close in time! Even the bathroom ones are almost the same.

Well. That was fun :D

And now... for the good part. Who won my super awesome giveaway??? According to random.org

And that would be.... RunKnitRun!!! Congrats!! Send me a message squirrelgirl44 at hotmail dot com and I'll get the socks and books right out to you!

I want to thank everyone that participated in the giveaway. Especially everyone that shared their favorite books and holiday memories. I think I need to read the "Married with Zombies" book as suggested by our winner. I'm a sucker for a zombie :D My traditions are a bit out of whack with being recently divorced and having all my immediate family go out of state (and country) this Christmas. So... this year I went running (for a LONG time), stopped and got a coffee at Starubcks, opened gifts with my boyfriend (I got a new GPS unit for my car!), watched some tv (which I rarely do, but Man v. Food?? Wow. I had never seen THAT before), then had a late lunch at IHOP (mmmm a Christmas burger) and then dozed on the recliner. Tonight we have an exciting dinner planned at Perkins and a viewing of "Paranormal Activity 2" at the dollar theater.

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas (or at least an enjoyable weekend)!