Half marathon!

I ran my first half marathon! It was great! The course was a bit loopy, but all in all it was a nice run. I ran with my friend Melinda and we made good time. We stopped to pee half way through and also stopped for some photos. My knee is a bit wonky after all the "rolling hills" and I am resting up for my second half marathon on Sunday. Wish me luck that my knee holds up!

Test

Just trying out a new app.

My uniform... and wish list

I had a whole entry typed about how my weekend runs have been great and our long runs have increased to 11 miles. Although the two of you that read this have already read it on Daily Mile I'm sure. lol So Sunday I come home from my run and Uptown was awake. Usually he is still asleep cause he works until 3AM on weekends. I walk in the door and pass the couch and am heading upstairs and he says "Why are you dressed like an anime character?" I laughed (and secretly loved the comment) I explained to him why I was wearing a hodgepodge of clothing. It's too cold for just my running skirt, so I layer with the pants. I would wear just the pants, but they don't have pockets. I need a pocket to carry my phone. I am too cold to wear just one long sleeved shirt, so I wear a raspberry shirt layered with a shiny blue tight sweatshirt. (Think speed skater) I'll take a picture later and you can get the full effect. I have exactly one skirt that has acceptable pockets, two shirts that work, so basically I wash my running "uniform" every night. I am hoping that for Christmas Uptown decided to expand my running wardrobe. I am lusting after several items. Want to know what they are? Of course you do!All of these are from SkirtSports

Love!

Item #2

I NEED these! Size Small please.

OK since it is not safe to run in all black clothing I think I should also get...

Of course it would only take two seconds for me to spill coffee on this and ruin it.

Anyway I love the clothes at this site! So Uptown if you are reading this... there is my wish list.

What are your favorite running stores/clothes. I love spending time drooling over clothes. Send me some links!

When do you run/workout?

Heading out for a 6 mile run. I feel a cold coming on. I really wish I had gotten my run done with this morning. Do you prefer to run in the AM afternoon or PM? I use to workout in the evening.. before bed, but now it's first thing in the AM.
off to get 6 miles done.

Nervous making

Just checking out some races in Mo and came across the Go! St. Louis Marathon, and was reading all about it.. then came across this little gem...

Time Limit Rules:
The marathon course route re-opens to traffic at a rolling schedule according to a 6 hour marathon pace or (13:44 minutes per mile) beginning 25 minutes after the official race start.  The marathon finish line will officially close at 1:25pm. The time limit rules will be strictly enforced, so if you need clarification before registering, please call 314-727-0800.

• There will be a pace leader leading a 6 hour, marathon pace or 3 hour half marathon pace (13:44 minutes/mile), after allowing an estimated 25 minutes for all participants to cross the start line.
• Any Marathoner, Half Marathoner, or Marathon Relay participant who falls behind the pace after turning onto Olive Blvd (approximately 6 miles), prior to the Half Marathon Turnaround will be required to move to the sidewalk and obey all traffic signals. 
• At the half marathon turn-a-round (approximately 9.5 miles), any Marathoner or Marathon Relay Participant, who is behind the pace, must either turn and complete the half marathon or get in the sag wagon.
• Any marathoner, who turns at the half marathon turn-a-round and complete the half marathon, will receive finish line amenities (food, water, medical assistance if needed).
• Any participant who does not complete the event in which they are registered will be listed as “Did Not Finish,” or “DNF.”  This list will be separate from the official results.
• After the half marathon turn-a-round, course support (police, course monitors, and water stations) will not be available to marathoners or marathon relay teams who fall behind the 13:44 minute/mile pace. Anyone who falls behind the pace must get in the sag wagon.
• Any marathoner, who does not complete the marathon within the time limit, will not receive a medal or finishing time.

• Marathoners who only complete the Half Marathon will not be eligible for awards. 
•  

While reading that I kept mistaking sag wagon for "SAD wagon" I thought OMG that's terrible that they are calling it the SAD wagon. lol I did think it was funny... but also thought there was a chance I would end up on that SAD wagon. So far we have averaged an 11 min mile on our long runs, that's with a potty break and stopping to take a drink..stopping to take pictures of a hot air ballon as it landed next to us on the trail. You know all those normal runner things that happen.

So while I would LOVE to sign up for this marathon.... I am hesitant. Will I be ready? What would Uptown say about me going to St. Louis? I think this run is close to the Olathe Marathon, and that probably just wouldn't work out. Not to mention I am not shitting gold nuggets, I can barely scrape together enough money to register for a local race, let alone travel to St. Louis. Situations change, and maybe come Jan or Feb I will be ready to travel for a race? In the meantime I am going to pour over running sites and read about the races in my area. Oh and look at running shoes. I'm almost due for a new pair. 

Pax is calling.. I have a cheesy broccoli, rice, kid to clean up.

 

hmmm

So I basically talk runners through their blogs, er I mean I like to read running blogs. I am always amazed at other runner's lives and how they juggle things. I love reading about their struggles and triumphs.. living vicariously through them. The recaps on marathons! It gives me so much motivation to get out there and run more. Today on my run my running partner/friend Mel mentioned she was reading about a girl running 50 marathons in 50 states, finishing with Boston. Well as soon as I got home and showered (and dropped G off at school) I searched online and found her. Shero! So my first thought is I want abs like that! Second thought.... Wow! I want to run a marathon. Third thought.... how the hell do you afford to run all of those marathons? OK OK I know this is NONE of my business, but I can't help but wonder. I mean my life is crazy different from her life. I'm 35 with 4 kids and a fiance. Then that started me thinking about other blogs I have stumbled upon. Some people seem to get sponsored to run and blog. So I was talking to Uptown the other day and told him it was his mission to find someone to pay me to run. I think about this a lot and I would love to get paid to run. Now I haven't even been running a year, but I LOVE it. I can't imagine NOT doing it. I love to exercise. I love motivating other people to exercise. I have entertained the thought of becoming a personal trainer, but just haven't done it. I looked into it several years ago. Maybe I should do it again.
So today was a 4 mile run. I woke up feeling a little smug.. thinking "heh 4 miles... I'll be back in time to get a nap before I have to wake G up." My calf muscle was feeling a little tender after the hills yesterday, and the damn toe taps I decided to try.. on ONE leg. I get out of the house and as I am leaving my neighborhood I see the moon and it is HUGE! It was so beautiful! I get to our meeting point (late as usual.. sorry Mel) and we cross the street and try to decide which way we want to go. Mel looked at me and I looked at her.... decision was up to me so I said it's only 4 miles let's head south. heh Start with a mile long incline and a calf screaming in protest. We get to the one mile mark and I suggest turning around since the hill just kept going. So we turned around and went down hill for mile two. Mile three I was hurting and walked some. My stomach was gurgling and my calf was mad and it just sucked! We started running again and finished, but I felt crappy. I mean I am glad we did our run, but I wish it was a better quality. Tomorrow is our day off, and then Sat we have 6 miles, then Sun is 10! I am excited to break into the double digit runs!
Off to entertain the girls and start my day.
Have a good one!

6 mile run.. added hill bonus

We met today at 5:50, should have been 5:45 but I was late as usual. We had scheduled a 6 mile run and decided to run the sidewalk. Our usual 4 mile route has a couple of hills, and they aren't usually a big deal. We got to our two mile mark and looked ahead and realized it was a very large hill. We would have had to run down hill for a quarter mile then uphill for 3/4. Then turn around and go back. So we decided at the two mile mark to turn and head south. We came to the top of a small hill and started to run downhill then saw the hill coming up. We both knew we didn't have time to tackle that monster so we decided to turn and head west and make it a loop. So we crossed the street and started to run and then realized there was no sidewalk, and no real shoulder to speak of... so it was either run in the ditch, run in the street (in the dark), or turn around and go back. We chose option #3. So we headed back and at some point my hip dialed Uptown at 6:30 AM. Poor guy, I woke him up huffing and puffing. lol SO we headed back and hit another hill. It was good.. we pressed on and ran the entire thing. It turned out to be a FANTASTIC run! We dropped 3 minutes off our previous 6 mile time.. and that was on a flat route.
I am very happy with our progress and I think we should be ready to run the half in a couple of weeks. I DO need to start up with my BFL exercises again. The running is great, but my arms need more definition. I've tried on some wedding dresses and they look fantastic, but I want my arms to look great too! lol
What are your favorite cross training exercises? I do not have access to a gym, so they need to be home exercises. I do have some weights. (Hand weights)