Walking On Sunshine Half Marathon

Ok, I totally made that up. But I DID run 13.1 miles today....just for fun. Really. When I posted my run on my Facebook page, a friend commented that I was INSANE. Well maybe, but not because I actually enjoy running long. I kissed SD goodbye as he was headed to the airport and left for my run. I had 8 planned, but it was so so so nice today (64F/17C) that it just felt freeing and peaceful after 4 long & busy days at work that I just kept going. The air was warm and I know there won't be many more days like this before old man winter rears his frozen head and I have to put my skirts away for good :(. I can't lie and say it was super easy, but that's ok. I kind of like it when I have to push through those last couple miles. Makes the finish that much sweeter! I really like this distance. Just long enough to be challenging but not enough to kill you ;)

And I got in my 7 veggies for HBBC after discovering this awesome new vehicle for veggies at Wegmans. I could spend all day in the cheese section...yeah I know that's sad!!!!!

So since my computer is in the shop, here is a pic of my garmin while it patiently hoards stats until I can upload again...I hope it has a ton of memory!

HBBC: 13.1 run + .5 walk/run home + 7 veggies = 14.6 points for me today....yeah, I busted some bootie!

Turkey Day Showdown!!!

Mandatory pre-race family photo ;)

It is Thanksgiving here & I am often asked if we celebrate American Thanksgiving. My response is ALWAYS "heck, yeah"! The opportunity to celebrate twice = more delicious turkey & pie for me! Of course I'm all over that! Today was different for me though... I actually didn't work! Normally if it's my holiday off I will work for a co-worker anyway as I've already had my true thanksgiving & it makes no difference to me if we chow down a day late or at an odd time of day. But no one asked me so here I am at home lazing away :)

Thing 1, the Victor! Dad is sad.

Thing 1: 1, SD: 5

I can be lazy because I participated in my 1st Pie & Glove 5k this morning & completely exceeded my expectations! 5k is NOT my distance... Too speedy for me....BUT, I got to run with the whole family today so I was IN! We woke up to sunshine & frost covered ground. It was cold, but fine once we all got ourselves bundled up.  In fact, if we hadn't had to wait around so long once we got to the start, I could have easily ditched the jacket.  1500 people came out to run today....double the number of runners from last year! Wow! Today was a big day in our house....the Turkey Day 5K Showdown between SD & Thing 1! Thing 1 lost the 13.1 to SD by 48 seconds....there was much trash talk this week about who was going to come out victorious. In the end, Thing 1 ran a PR & finished in 19:08, 39/1500 runners beating SD by 54 seconds. SD ran 20:02 and came 4th in his age category...Darn, missed out on a pie by 1 place!  There was much discussion after the race however, and by SD's calculation, he is still the winner because he still holds the 8k, 10k, 13.1, 26.2 & Tri categories.  Here he is counting it out:

I think my socks may have given me
 the winning edge ;D

As for the showdown between Thing 2 & I.....well, I was flying....average pace 8:37!!!!!! For a time of 26:16....a PR by over 2 minutes for me!  Thing 2 stuck with me for the first 2 miles then dropped off, for a finishing time of 28:40....which is still pretty good in my books!  What a great way to start a day of Thankfullness!

Today I am Thankful for:
1: My Family, who supports me, laughs at my socks but still has a sense of humour enough to come out in public and run with me! Plus they tolerate my constant taking of photos & don't mind when they randomly appear on my blog :)
2: My husband, who still makes my heart flutter when I see him. (Sorry boys, if I made you wretch a little bit reading this ;))
3:  My boys, whom I am so proud of...you are both turning into fine young men!
4: My job, that I love, even when it makes me scream...& my awesome co-workers who always make me laugh when I need it the most.
5: All of you in the blogosphere who give me support, encouragement & virtual high-fives! I can't thank you enough.

And finally, on this Thanksgiving day, I am VERY thankful for a son who chose to learn how to cook for his International Bacclaureate Personal Project, because he came home from the race and made these:

Pumpkin Pie

Tarte de Sucre
(Sugar Pie)

Go ahead, let me have it.....

I know this will not be a popular thing to say, but I can't help it. It's my blog & I'll be pissy if I want to. So today I'm reading all this news/posts about the 2 guys who died during the Philadelphia marathon on the weekend. It is a tragedy, absolutely! My heart & prayers go out to their families. What gets me on my high horse are the people who say "see, running will kill you" , or "running a marathon is dangerous & there should be more REGULATING of it". But no one (except one magazine article I read) makes mention of how many lives that running saves! Thousands of people each year die from sitting on their couches forking back crappy food. Thousands more die or are dismembered by diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is almost entirely preventable by exercise and diet! How many people ran Phili? Around 26,000? Thats alot of people who made a CHOICE to live healthier and embrace excercise! How awesome is that???? Freaky things happen all over. We can't always control it? But what if you considered that maybe those 2 guys bought themselves a couple extra years through a healthy running lifestyle? So yeah, occasionally someone dies running.....I kinda hope I go that way....at least I'm doing something that brings me joy.

That's me on my soapbox. Peace out my friends.

Drinking the Kool-Aid...

Saucony Kinvara 2

Saucony Shadow Genesis

I've been really wanting to try some Newtons...my neighbour swears by them. I've watched youtube videos and read blogs about them.  HOWEVER, here's the kicker, I live in the middle of nowhere and there isn't a running store that carries them within a 150 miles of here.  In fact, there isn't even a REAL running store. I have a Dick's Sporting Goods & that's all folks :-P. They are too much $$$ to mess with ordering online to just try them on for feel & size.  So, since this is not in the cards right now & I currently have over 400 miles on my Asics Cumulus'....I really needed to just PICK SOMETHING, or stick with the same old thing.  After trying on almost everything they had, I narrowed it down to these 2: The Saucony Kinvara 2 or the Saucony Shadow Genesis.  They both felt pretty good on & I was definately partial to the sweet orange colour of the Shadow Genesis.  It was kind of a tossup.  It came down to two things: First, I looked at the treads.....which looked like it was going to slip less as the conditions deteriorate into winter & what kind of mileage are they going to tolerate.  I went with the Kinvara's because, whether it turns out to be true or not, the tread looked a bit more 'rugged' & then went with an unconventional test opinion.  Thing 2 has run in Kinvara's since August.  A full muddy, rugged, XC season plus training.  At his level (Grade 8) they are not allowed to wear spikes.  I figured if he could run muddy, hilly trails in them and post some great times, then they ought to be able to handle what I dish out to them!

I took them out for 10K today.  All the reading I've done said you should only run a mile or so and ease into more minimal shoes, but being the crazy runner that I am, I figured that I've already been working on my midfoot strike for months now so I wanted to give them a real run.  I went slow and easy, but the verdict is "AWESOME"! I feel good.  No calf pain.  They are so light I hardly feel like I'm wearing anything at all.  I'm very happy with these shoes so far.  Plus, I can buy 2 pairs for the price of one pair of Newtons! I still would like to try the Newton distance shoe, but will wait until I find myself in a big city with a real running store.

They match my socks!

I want to find some 'winter shoes' too, but that is a whole different shopping day! What do you wear in the snow?????? The same shoes, or something more rugged and trail worthy?

Red Baron Half Marathon Race Report

It was AWESOME!  I rocked it! SuperDad & Thing 1 rocked it! Man, what a day!

Mandatory Pre-Race photo...man that kid is getting tall!

Check out that dude stretching on the starting line. Really?

The day started out early, but with the time change and the extra hour of sleep I got, having to work 7-11am before heading to the race didn't seem too bad at all.  In fact, it was a good, smoothe morning on the trauma floor & I finished on time, did a quick change & headed out to meet SD & Thing 1 at the race.  They got there ahead of me & got our race numbers/tshirts so I didn't even have to stand in line.  Good deal! The weather was beautiful! It was a perfect fall day, 50 degrees, sunny & I was about to run a half marathon with my family.  When I got there I was a little disappointed to find that Thing 2 had decided to stay at home, but I understood. He had a BIG english project to finish up.  Race photographer Mum volunteered to send frequent updates to Thing 2 so he didn't feel too left out.  Race photo Mum is awesome! As we stood at the start, SD turned to me and asked: Did you ever think we'd be running a race like this together??? Nope. Never in my wildest dreams.  I never thought I'd be a runner & SD thought his days of running long distances were over. In fact, his last half was this very race in 2002! Never underestimate the power of a teenage challenge.  When I said I'd be running this race (for the shirt;)) Thing 1 said he'd like to do it too. Then he says to SD.....I think I can beat you now.  Well, the gauntlet was dropped & SD picked it up & with a 4 week training plan, set out to keep his speediest runner of the house title.....Thing 1 actually trained....they were ON!

We are off! The beautiful CCC campus :)

Mile 3

Believe it or not, I'm walking on air....;)

The Red Baron starts on the campus of Corning Community College, a place near & dear to my heart as this is where I went to nursing school.  We started in the shadow of the nursing & science buildings & I reflected how far I'd come in the past few years.  I was happy. I was going to run with my family...even though it was the loosest sense of the term since I didn't see those speed demons after the gun went off...but it was enough to know they were there joining me in this challenge.  We wound through the campus & into the adjacent neighbourhood & immediately began tackling the rolling, relentless hills that encompass the first 5 miles, culminating in the local version of Heartbreak Hill. I started off well, though I thought I was probably pushing the pace a bit when I saw my first mile under 10 minutes.  I was feeling ok & thought that if I could get a couple minutes in the bank I wouldn't be too behind when I hit the BIG ONE.  Running photo mum was waiting at mile 3 taking photos.  Thanks! I was pretty pumped to realize that I ran through 4 miles in around 38 minutes.  I was doing WELL! At mile 4 I put my head down for the mile slog to the top.  I didn't look up. I didn't want to know how much I still had to endure.  When Big G beeped 5 miles, I grabbed my Gu & took it before I hit the next water station. There wouldn't be another until mile 9.  This is a low key local race. Water was at 3,5,9 & 12 only. That's it. If you wanted more or other fuel, you had to carry it.  I didn't mind.  After all, I only paid $20 to run & it was for a good cause.

The last mentionable hill comes just before the 10K mark. I hit 10K in 59:45! The first time I've done it in under an hour in a longer distance! Yay for me! Miles 6-9 are downhill.  I think I might  have uttered Weeeeeeeeee!!!! at one point ;-D  I was a bit concerned when I felt a sharp pain on the inside of my right knee....didn't impeed my running, but was a bit annoying.  Any idea what that is?  (Probably my crappy form...which I have had an epiphany about. I will address it in an upcoming post)  By the time I got to mile 9, I realized that because I was STILL hitting sub 10 miles, my goal of a 2:10 was not only attainable but beatable.  I was pumped.  The last area is flat, which was a relief.  I gave this race everything I had.  I held nothing back.  During the last mile I reeled in 7 annoying people that passed me during the downhill.  Gotta say I loved that. 

1:36:02 a 39 minute PR!

1:35:14 a 2 minute PR!

I finished strong. 2:05:34 & I was done!  Saw SD & Thing 1 and asked how their race turned out.  It was a close call.  SD caught Thing 1 around mile 12 and beat him by 48 seconds! Wow!
SD 1:35:14

2:05:34....an 11 minute PR!

Thing 1 1:36:02

The best part of this race was that although I had a secret in-the-back-of-my-mind goal of 2:10, I really was out there to enjoy the race & spend time doing something I love with my family.  I finally realize that I ran well. Not just well 'for me', but well for any regular runner! 9:34 pace is nothing to belittle myself about...it is a GOOD pace & I'm proud of myself for having fun, giving it my all & being able to acknowledge the change in me over the past year.  I am no longer just a beginner....I am a runner!

Post race photo by Thing 2: OMG! They are making me take another family photo!

Plus....I got my shirt! My Club 'O Crazy now has an official membership shirt:

Official member of the Wine Baron Club ;-D

Photo Friday

Hubs took the day off...we had a sloth-like morning...yup, that clock says 9:48 & we are still sitting in bed with our coffee!

& playing scrabble...

This is Mr Bigglesworth...he is NOT supposed to be sleeping here. He doesn't care that I saw him.

Thing 2's latest watercolour

Yes, I finally did get out of bed & go for a run...didn't even have to wear pants!

Thing 2 wishes he had pants. It's not a STAC Championship if the weather doesn't suck!

Thing 1 says the weather was 'fine'....he never gets cold.  I have to yell at him to make him wear pants in the winter.

TTT: pants or no pants?

My husband invited me to go play D&D with him and the other nerds cool guys this evening. He was serious. Sorry honey, the blogosphere needs me ;-D. Plus my wizard hat is at the cleaners.

This Sunday I run my 'for the shirt' half. Hubs & Thing 1 are running too. Thing 1 thinks he can beat dear ol Dad. He can, but Dad has been messing with his head for the last week or so & may succeed in psyching him out.

It is November. There is frost on the ground. I have to wear pants to run. Sigh.

What is your transition temperature? When do you give in and put away your shorts or skirts?