2015: I done did it
Posted: May 24, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized 1 CommentIt is never to late to celebrate accomplishments.
In many ways 2015 kicked my ass. In terms of running and my running goals:
I kicked 2015’s ass.
423 miles
89.5 hours
16 races
6 states
August Recap
Posted: September 28, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: goals, recap, resolutions, run, running, sick, training Leave a commentWhen I returned home from my trips at the end of July, I promptly got a nasty strep throat which put a huge damper in my early August Runs. I was couch/bed ridden for days and even with an antibiotic, it took a full 10 days to recover. I was immensely bummed but focused on healing and recouped thanks to the care-taking of Mr. and MT.
I searched around for an August Race I was interested in and just didn’t find one that made sense. After running two races in July (and previous months), dealing with sickness in the first weekish of Aug, and moving to a new place, I decided to not have an August race.
August Totals:
- 8 Runs
- 25.3 miles
- 0 Races
Year-to-date Totals:
- 232 miles
- 10 races (holding steady)
April Race Part 2: Fun with the Fuzz 5k
Posted: April 21, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized 1 CommentRaces 2 and 3 for the month are now in the books! (race 1 recap here) They were back-to-back this past weekend (Sat/Sun) are both steeped with special meaning. I’ll separate their posts so I don’t bore you to death 🙂
Fun with the Fuzz 5k (Saturday)
This race has become a yearly tradition. It is one of the only races I have done annually since I began running and I enjoy it every year. It is a course that runs the areas/neighborhoods I run in anyway, so it feels familiar. Also, it benefits a great cause (Behind the Badge Foundation) and they really give out a top notch swag bag for a reasonable entry fee. The organizers of this race do it right every year – great course monitoring, chip timing, pint glasses and shirts, great trough afterward, and overall it is just well run (no pun intended). I had 4 close friends running this year including MT. Mr. sadly coudn’t make it. I ran with two fantastic pals and we made several fellow racers giggle with our conversation. It was a sunny gorgeous day and the race was a delight!
MT and I stumbled our unplanned mutual love (obsession?) with ‘Nannerpuss recently. I predict this will result in many similar pics in the future as our races will be dotted with mustachioed one-eyed bananas.
Two for the Road
Posted: March 4, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 5k, breath, breathing, GBRC, gifs, ipod, Mr., MT, podcasts, race, recap, run, running, side stitches, training 2 CommentsWhat it feels like to run with my ipod:
What I fear it will be like to run without my ipod:
What I feel like after I’m done running without my ipod:
My February race was the Two for the Road 5k at Whatcom Falls Park on Valentines Day. This is a race put on by the Greater Bellingham Running Club (GBRC) and is free to members. I am a sucker for a free race and the GBRC does a great job with set up, course marking, volunteers, and the trough. Also, what a lovely way to celebrate the heart and love by exercising and engaging in some self-care! It was muddy from a few days of rain, but not actively raining and not too cold.
I was sorta dreading the hills since this race goes through some decent ups and downs, but I was looking forward to a run with my best running buddy – MT – and my Mr. I left the ipod at home expecting some lovely company but instead both MT and Mr. ditched me (how rude!) to run their speedier paces. While I was a bit bummed to slog solo and without my necessary aural distraction (always podcasts or audio books – never music), I instead took it as a challenge to listen to my body, my breathing, and take in the sights and sounds of the first glimpses of spring. And, truly, there were no hard feelings!
Anytime I run without listening to my ipod it is an accident: I didn’t charge my ipod. I left it at home when on vacation. I broke my headphones and haven’t gotten new ones yet… or some other version of those circumstances. It happens occasionally but not often and I always grumble about it as I get started. It typically takes me about 1 block to totally forget I was upset about not having my podcasts and to become absorbed in everything else going on around me.
In particular, I find that when I run without listening to my ipod I pay much more attention to my breath – counting the ins and outs, intentionally regulating the number of strides I take on each breath in and out (rhythmic breathing method), and ensuring I get a good exhale to clear the CO2 out of my lungs which makes room for more oxygen and decreases the risk of side stitches. When I do this, the time and the miles seem to fly by – well, maybe not fly by – but it certainly isn’t the death march i always fear it will be. One-two-three (IN), one-two (OUT). Repeat.
But, I digress, back to the race. Despite stopping to help a fellow runner who may have misplaced her young son in the forest, the hills didn’t slow me down too much and I finished in a respectable time (for myself). I tacked on an extra .5mi while backtracking to help the woman look for her son and still managed to rival some of my slowest 5k times – and this was with hills!
Overall, a great race. I still prefer to run with my ipod and I still have to check the disgust that boils inside as I approach a hill… but it is a race I intend to do again next year and I’m happy to know there will be many more hilly, sans-ipod runs in the future.
Pop Pop – Poplar Run
Posted: November 3, 2014 Filed under: Races, Running, Uncategorized | Tags: 5k, Mr., run, running, trips Leave a comment
I recent ran A Very Poplar Run in Boardman, OR. A few years back it was rated a top ten most beautiful run (or something like that) in Runner’s World and it has been on my running bucket list ever since. Well, RW did not lie. IT WAS GORGEOUS and oh so fun. The crisp air, the blue sky, the yellow and orange hues… it was just wonderful. Mr. got sick and couldn’t join which was a huge bummer, but I have a feeling I’ll want to do this one again. After hurting my foot pretty badly in the Bham Half just a few weeks prior I decided to opt out of the 15k and instead did the 5k. Two friends hopped over from Salem,OR and we had a blast. Here is a smattering of pics from the event
Flash Back Count Down
Posted: June 12, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: daily, family, NKOTB, summer vacation, trips, weddings 1 Comment
My sister sent me the most joyous email this afternoon. It included this gem of a video and made a gigantic smile break out on my face. Please Don’t Go Girl has always been one of my top five New Kids on the Block songs. I grew up loving NKOTB and still do. My sister and I are somewhat obsessed still (she more than I). I am counting the days till we get to see them in concert for the fourth time in the last 5 years. July 9th we get to see NKOTB perform after enjoying the Boyz II Men set and tolerating the 98 Degrees set. 28 Days.
And, before that wonderful event, I get to fly to Alaska for a friend’s wedding, visit the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown NY, and see my dear dear siblings and father and nephew! The next 28 days are going to be wild!
EDIT: Can we also talk about how several of the NKOTB appear to be in love with the same girl yet none of them take any issue with that? Oh music videos from the late 80s! The lip-syncing is TERRIBLE (sorry Joey!), but their dance moves are smooth as buttah. They truly have just gotten better over the years. Take a look at them now: Remix (I like the) – NKOTB
June 30 Day Challenge
Posted: June 3, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 30 day challenge, half marathon, injury prevention, rehab, training Leave a commentSo I created my own 30 day challenge for this month (a few days late)! I borrowed ideas from other challenges around the interwebs. As I being my half marathon training I’ve been reading about how to rehab my ankle and fend off other injuries I’m prone to (plantar fasciitis and shin splints) so I can stay on track and healthy. I picked lots of jumping activities for my June challenge because they not only strengthen and improve calves, but they will help me with running speed, rehabbing my ankle, and serve as a reminder to stretch, stretch, stretch.
Will you follow along on my Jumping June?