If there was ever a day...

...that I didn't want to get up and run, it would have been today. 

But I got up and went. Begrudgingly, I might add. And when I started to do my mile warmup, my body was still sleeping. I swear. It wouldn't move. I wanted to fall to the ground right there on S. Dixie and go to sleep. Or cry. Cry would have been okay too. But I didn't. I stretched. And started to run. Slow. But I was moving. Felt the cramp in right foot. Ankle ache on the left. Quad pull on the right. Nose pouring with snot. It was stellar.  And I made it thru the whole mile without stopping. And when I realized I just did that, I recalled thinking to myself as I was getting dressed "I will run the entire mile and then some. Just do it."

And then the 4x800's. At this point, I wasn't sure what I was hating more. Myself, or the 800's. Regardless, I was there and was going to do them. And they sucked. First one was a FULL minute off my goal time. But honestly, I didn't care. Last year the goal time was 6 minutes. I did it in under 6 minutes. The next 2 the same. The last one...well, half way around the first lap, I said, "I quit" and I did. I stopped running. Kelly must have heard me and she turned around and came back and made me go again. And again. It was slow. It was over the 6 minutes. It was the last one. And I was done.

Every part of my body is aching right now. From my shoulders to my toes. I hope it's just the aches from the run and not something else. I hope it's just the aches because I was camping. I hope it's just the aches from being tired. I just hope the aches go away. 

My dear friend Aly asked if I would be up for a run/walk this evening. Of course this was yesterday when I kinda felt like a rockstar! But I will go tonight. I will push thru it. Because in the end, I know I will be better.  The run will get better. The speedwork will get better.  It has to.

Run. Strong.
-t-

Week 1 Recap: Starting All Over

One and done. 

Long run/walk of 6 done with my dad on Saturday. Walk/run because I was still trying to get a grip on my allergies. Unfortunately, they got the best of me. But it was a great time with my dad and he does push and encourage me. 

Monday, Cristen and I set out to do a full 6. We did 3. Tired. But we did something.  

Kelly was back Tuesday so Wednesday we dragged her butt to some speed work at BHS.  I still love speed work. Even after sub par times: 4x400: 2:19/2:30/2:31/2:31 

Should have been 2:15.  But I think I've figured out what I need to adjust so I plan on working on that!

Thursday we met Training Planner at the Rec and headed out for Farrell Road for hill repeats. The run down there felt fabulous. I was in a good groove. Pace was nice. Cristen fell. Trash was stinky. 2 hills for us; 3 for Training planner.  I timed my hills but can't find them on my watch now. I want to say it was like 4 minutes something. Because I remember Cristen and I talking about how it was only 2 minutes slower than our 400's.  I will time again on week 2.  

And that was it for the week. Nate and I went camping this weekend. Beautiful weather, minus the monsoon that came thru Saturday morning. Good thing I didn't have a long run planned. That would have been very wet. 

So what's in deck for this week...800's, hills, long run of 8, and gonna try a TEMPO run this week too. Boss Lady is gonna go with me to pace me and talk to me. I don't have to talk. Thank goodness. That 11:15 pace for 3 miles is gonna be KILLER! 

I will check in later! 

Run. Strong. 

-t-

It's all in the head.

Well, week one is complete. I didn't blog about each training session, 4 to be exact (but will recap later). And I didn't take pictures of myself after these sessions.  And here is why...

This 1/2 is weighing heavily on me. I am trying to wrap my head around the whole thing and I can't figure out why. What is different this year from last year? Lots of things, really. Silly things...

• Shoes. Not my typical Asics that I wore all last year...they are great though!
• Weather is all inconsistent (i.e SUPER hot, cool, rainy, humid). Last year it was HOT and HUMID from the get go!
• Allergies have been horrible the last month. They were practically non-existent last year so learning to run with tissues is quite a challenge.
• Boss Lady and Training Planner aren't out there with me every run. That is really taking some getting used to. But I do get calls/texts making sure I am doing what I am supposed to be doing. Training Planner has been there for hills and that is GREAT! Boss Lady is going to do  tempo runs with me starting next week.
• The Training Plan. Yeah, it really has me frightened. I ain't gonna lie! It was tweaked, but not ridiculously. There has been more emphasis put on the Tempos and the pace of the long run and I think that is what is in my head. But here's the thing, I know it will work. I know I will get that PR if I follow the plan. 
• Crazy/Busy traveling. Whether it be vacation, trips home to Canton to see my family, camping, I've just not been home. And that makes me tired. Tired. Ahhhh, the worst excuse for not getting up for a run. Not body tired, mind tired. 
• My head. I have to get out of it. I've switched up my playlist so I am hoping that helps some. I think if I got out of my head, all of the above would be nonexistent.

 

I will get there. I will get it done. Cause that's just what I do. I'm putting away the Pinterest. I'm putting away the "smut" books. I'm putting away the DIY projects around the house. For the next 9 weeks (week 1 lost), I am focusing on running. My running. After all, I have something to prove to myself....

Run.Strong.
 -t-

First time for everything!

3rd Place in 43:43

For the first time in my running "career" I placed in my age group! 3rd Place! And yes, there were MORE than 3 runners in my age group! (believe me, I checked!)

Oh the race...

 3rd Annual Bec's Bunch Remembrance 5k Run/Walk

 July 13, 2013

I was not super stoked about the time. It was definitely not my best, but it wasn't my worst either. My allergies had been kicking my butt that week and every run was difficult. And it was humid.  But I am not even going to let the weather play a role because I have ran in worse conditions. 

Training Planner and her ROCKSTAR smile!

That race was special in many ways. First, it was the first race I would be doing with Boss Lady and Training Planner. I was excited to see them! I was hoping to keep up with Boss Lady since she was about 9 weeks post baby but she's been working hard at her comeback and comeback she did! She placed 1st in her age group with a finish time of 28:24! Training Planner was very encouraging and excited! She "tweaked" my plan from last year and she knows I can do it! Even on my worst complaining days, she reinforces in me that I can do this. And if I feel like I failed, as I did after this race, she will go thru the events, step by step, and help me figure out what went wrong and how to improve. And that is exactly what she did! AND! She took 1st in her age group with a finish time of 24:17! 

Pam Drewry (r) and her lovely friends!

About 1/2 way thru the rec center route, a fellow runner came running up next to me and said "come on, keep going!" I was walking at this point and ready to pull my shirt off and blow my nose. Gross right?! Allergies in full arrest. I looked at her, and said, "you're right. Let's go." She then recalled that I ran with her last year and got her thru this exact same race last year.  And then I remembered. I did. She reminded me I said I wanted to finish under 40 minutes. And I did. With her by my side. She had on a "Bec's Card Bunch" t-shirt, with a picture on it of what I am guessing is Rebecca Pelfrey, the namesake of this race, and some other women. She was incredibly inspiring. And it really motivated me. I kept running. And then I would walk. But only when she was walking. She got ahead of me, but was always in my sights...guiding me.

So, imagine my surprise after the race when I place in my age group and see her on the side and run over to give her a hug and tell her thank you. Because honestly, I didn't think I was going to make it until she came up next to me.  And then, she places! 1st in her age group with a finish time of 43:01!!! So, I got a picture of her with her friends! It was a pretty special moment.

Rocked the race in 31:01!

Kelly also ran this race, with her youngest son JP! And they both placed in their age groups too! Kelly placed 3rd in her age group, finishing in 36:29 and JP finished in 2nd place with a finishing time of 31:01!

Aly, Me, and the twins!

This was also my dear friend Aly and her mom's 2nd 5k in a week and ever! They pushed Aly's twins in the jogging stroller at the Vandalia Freedom Run 5k the week before and I somehow managed to talk them into doing this one too! Her mom placed 2nd in her age group finishing in 48:49! They both improved their time from the week before by minutes! They were quite excited about running more this race than the week before! Pretty ahhhhhmazing!

So while this race may not have been a perfect time, it was a perfect race with lots of firsts...and I don't just mean 1st place!

Run . Strong.
-t-


A little more about the Race itself...

This event is being held in memory of Rebecca

Pelfrey, a true warrior in the battle against breast

cancer. She also truly loved kids and education.

Therefore, race proceeds will be donated to

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, The American

Cancer Society, The Pink Ribbon Girls to fight

breast cancer, and to the Rebecca Pelfrey Fund to

provide scholarships to students.

More information can be found on their FaceBook page: 

Bec's Bunch Remembrance Run

Past, Present, Future

Yes, I know the title to this post is a bit...intriguing...you know you're thinking..."hmmmm wonder what's going on with Tami...."

The Past. 

After the race. Quite muddy.

Finished the Indy 500 1/2. Blogged. Fell off the face of the earth. No, not really. Just life picked up again and it got busy.  Two weeks after the 1/2, I participated, for lack of a better word, in the 2nd Annual Ft. Recovery Mud Run with the sisters from the North...aka Deanna, Beth, Erica and their spouses... that fabulous 5k Mud Run Obstacle Course race that I did last year...yeah...and again said this year that I was not doing this again!  It was fun. I can't lie. It's a lot of laughs and support. I did more of the obstacles this year and I ran a lot more of it too. Which surprised me. But I did it. And I didn't get any "flesh eating bacteria" like I thought I would. I did get some sort of horrible rash on my legs which I thought was poison ivy, but it wasn't...then I thought it was chiggers, but I don't think it was that either...then we just figured it was something in the mud and it went away in, oh, about 3 weeks.  'Nuff said. It's over. Registration is open for the next year. Yes, I will be signing up. Yes, I am shaking my head. 

Sisters from the North and their families...and me.

Two races since then...My traditional Vandalia Freedom Run 5k July 4th. It's the race that started it all! Time was not spectacular. But I finished. And I did beat my past years times, so I will take it. 

Me and Nate - VFR 5k

BFFAE, Kelly, Cristen, Me - VFR 5k

It was hot. It was humid. It was tiring.  Week later, bring on Bec's Bunch Remembrance Run 5k. Same route as the VFR so I have a route time to compete with. Yay.  And of course all my running mentors are there...aka Training Planner and Boss Lady.  Allergies are a mess. Can't breathe. Want to puke. Somehow place 3rd in my age group. Say what?! Yep, you heard that right! First. Time. Ever.

I will blog a bit more about that race later. Lots to say about that one. 

Kelly, Training Planner (Shirley), Me, Boss Lady (Amy)

Moving on....

The Future  for a brief minute then back to the Present, to go to the Future...rambling Tami...

I am officially signed up for Akron 1/2 Marathon September 28th. Again. I love this race. It is my race. And about 10k others, but it's my race. It's the race that I am basing all my personal accomplishments on. It's the race that I work for. It's the race that will earn me my bragging rights. It's the race that I legit train for. Which is now a good segue back to the Present.

The Present.

So, here I am now at the 10 week mark until the Akron 1/2. I did a 5 mile run/walk with my dad on Saturday. Marathon Deb is in the midst of her marathon training and had to run 18 miles. I can't even imagine. So, dad and I did a 5 mile loop so he could hop on his bike and catch up with her for support. She was doing the 8 mile loop I did back in August. My allergies or this cold or whatever it is was truly getting the best of me and I damn myself for allowing that. I had tissues. Just not enough. And I couldn't breathe. Running on the country roads wasn't the smartest thing I realize now (literally).  But dad did push me. And that was good. And it was just nice to get out there with him. He used to give me "car talks" now I get "run talks". About everything and anything. I wish he lived closer so we could do that more. 

Training Planner has tweaked my plan from last year. I will admit it is a bit more intense and a lot more daunting. And I am trying to get out of my head. I need for her to get in my head instead. And she will. As soon as she reads this. Mark. My. Word.

The Future. Again.

On the plus side, those that ran with me last year, Kelly and Cristen, are back in for the fun again this season. Kelly took the plunge and signed up for her first 1/2 Marathon in Akron! I'm still working on Cristen...I mean, if you are gonna commit to running with me, you may as well take the plunge too and sign up silly.   Kelly is on vacation right now. Returning on Tuesday, so it's some speed-work Wednesday morning and back to Fabulous (would like another F word) Farrell Road for hills on Thursday! 

Cristen and I on first run of Training Season 2013!

Oh, back to The Present. 

Cristen and I went out for 6 this morning (long run miles) but only accomplished 3+ miles. In the rain and humidity. But we got out there. Started out REAL good and fast too. It was feeling great! And then it fell apart. Not sure when or where. I think it was when the first car came up behind us. Feel kinda like a failure for not completing what we set out to do, but we got out there. And my legs are sore. Just have to punch it out and get it done. Oh, Kelly is in for a treat when she gets back from vacation!

So that's a quick recap. There will be more to come. Especially since it's now out there....

Run. Strong.

-t-

PS. Check out my MA friend's blog about her running/hiking/biking/craziness! Click here!