I &hearts The Stick

Forget Anne Bancroft...The Stick is a miracle worker. Who knew that a 17-inch piece of segmented, space-age plastic could solve all the world's problems??!! :)

This week my calves have been tighter than Tyra's weave. Seriously, it's been hard to walk and it's causing my hammies to tighten as well! I may or may not have gone a little crazy with my calf raises on Monday during my strength training workout. Whatever the cause, no amount of stretching has eased the pain.

Then I became an expert at using this:

Lo and behold it loosened my calves, quads, and hammies for some much needed relief. I'm carrying it with me everywhere now--I used it 3 times in my office today (and of course had to explain to my boss and a coworker what the heck I was doing). :)

I am bound and determined not to let ANYTHING interfere with my training!

Guns 'n Ammo

Dad took me to the new gun range here in town today (I took the day off work). It was a gorgeous day and beforehand I did some much needed weeding in the yard. So, I haven't shot a gun in about 6 years, since Mom and Dad lived on some land in Cleveland, Texas. I was a little fumbled at first, trying to remember my grip and get comfortable. Dad had about 4 guns he wanted me to try (he is a licensed dealer and jack-of-all-trades). Even though my arm still hurts (can you say, flinch?) it was SO. MUCH. FUN. I am totally addicted to it and plan to keep practicing and take a few classes. Expect many more posts about this subject!

We had a great afternoon (as usual). Now, about this weather...

The last few days have been clear, sunny, and between 60-70 degrees. Tomorrow is supposed to be the first day of Spring, glorious Spring. But here is our forecast:

Do you understand what that graphic represents?? SNOW. IS ON THE WAY. AGAIN. Life smack dab in the middle of the USA is wacky for sure!

Later, tators

St. Paddy's Great Race of the Great Plains

Date: 3/13/2010
Time: 10:15 am
Location: Lake Hefner
Temp: 53 degrees, sunny and windyRoute: 8K, flat course along the lake

The weather was beautiful and it was a fun Saturday morning. The above picture was my view the entire time. For some reason this race started later than most but I certainly didn't mind since I was able to sleep in a bit! I had never run along Lake Hefner before and it was so pretty. There are trails all along the lake and I always see people running, walking the dog, biking, etc. Well, I am already planning to run there more often, especially as the weather warms up. Okay, on to the race. Because it was a St. Paddy's race, everyone was encouraged to wear green and there was even a contest for those dressed as a leprechaun (the sponsors gave away iPods to the top 3 costumes). I wore a fun shirt with lots of Irish-saying buttons, some green beads, and a big green ribbon in my hair. I had gotten there early and had plenty of time to warm up. I walked and jogged a good 10 minutes before start time. Finally we all gathered behind the start line...there were maybe 250 people there? It wasn't a lot and thankfully we were not clustered. I was able to start running and not worry about weaving my way through anyone. Although, maybe I didn't have to weave through anyone because they were way ahead of me. :)
I felt a little like I was starting too fast, but found another gal about my size and we stayed together, pacing each other for about the first 2 miles. I had my music on, kept in touch with my breathing, and just enjoyed the view. Unfortunately, we looped around and could see the front of the pack (i.e. all the fast people) coming back our way as they looped around. I just don't like those kinds of routes because it makes me feel even slower. But I kept smiling and kept running. By mile 2 I was a little tired...I'm not a morning runner and don't have all that much energy in the AM. This was one of those runs were a lot of mental "talking" got me through. I had my play list going in my ears, but honestly, I don't remember much of the music. I thought a lot about the upcoming half-marathon and tried not to psych myself out. I was constantly surprised at my pace and kept thinking "slow down, or you'll never push through the end." But I really never slowed down.

Here's where I start to dislike this particular race. Though it was a gorgeous route, the organization of the race was poor. There were water stops up to about mile 2-2 1/2. THEN I NEVER SAW ANOTHER ONE. Come on, I don't even start to get thirsty until about mile 3 or 4. But nothing. I was really tired and thirsty. I struggled during the last mile and had NO energy. I was having to THINK about running and concentrate on my form. Normally I don't have to think about this as I am just out there enjoying the run. But I'm pretty sure not eating enough beforehand and not eating a very good dinner the night before (pop tarts, anyone?) certainly hindered my performance. I crossed the finish line and was so happy to PR this race. BUT I wanted some water ASAP. Some guy was hounding me for my chip (which I didn't have for this race) and I asked him where the water was. Normally, someone hands you a bottle of water after you finish a race. Not only did no one offer me water at the finish line, but there was NO water left anywhere. I asked THREE "official race people" and they acted like it was no big deal but there wasn't any water.

Granted, I was not a fast finisher and most of the 'elite' runners were already eating pizza and drinking green beer. They were all waiting on the trophy ceremony when I crossed the finish line, dying of thirst. I was so angry and tired at that point that I cursed under my breath, shook my head in disgust, and promptly walked to my car to leave. Not having water for EVERY race finisher is a no-no. I paid my $20 for the race and that should include water...at least a Dixie cup! All in all, it was a neat race location and a personal best for me. But other than that I was not impressed.

Here is a frightening post-race picture...

Official Garmin data:
5.02 miles
59: 48

Splits:
Mile 1 - 11:42
Mile 2 - 11:29
Mile 3 - 11:45
Mile 4 - 12:21
Mile 5 - 12:09

3.14159265358979323846264338327950288

Happy Pi Day!

Math rules...

Boogie Shoes

For your listening pleasure on this gorgeous Friday!!

Kickin' A and taking names

After 5 days off, I am back to the world of running. THANK GOD.

I enjoyed a beautiful 5-mile run last night. I discovered a new trail and despite one long hill, it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! Other than a side stitch I felt NO pain in my right leg whatsoever. I was stoked!! I was only going to do about 3 miles, but I just kept going because I felt great. Here is the playlist I listened to jammed out during my run. Yes, my tastes are...eclectic. And no, you didn't misread...that says "Xanadu" :)

(you may have to click on the image to see it--not sure why it's so small)

Sidelined

Alas, I did not run the 10k last Saturday. For 4 straight days I followed the R.I.C.E. method for healing my shin splint. I kept an Ace bandage on it and iced it several times a day. Friday night I picked up my race packet just in case I was able to run...I got on the treadmill and walked cautiously for about 15 minutes. Unfortunately the pain was still very real. I was pretty grumpy for most of the weekend and may have indulged in a bit too much of chocolate and pizza.

But this is a new week! Last night I followed my regular weekly workout schedule and did 5 miles of indoor cycling plus my weights/abs workout. And it felt great!!!! So far so good with my right leg. Tonight is supposed to be a 4-miler on the trails but I'm just going to take it slow and steady. I'm hoping for no pain at all but we shall see. My next race is the Run the Boulevard 5k which will be an easy, fun run later in the month. But the 1/2 marathon looms, closer and closer...eek!

In other news...despite the massive downpour we received yesterday, the weather has been beautiful. Spring is definitely making her way to our fine state. I even have some pretty yellow daffodils blooming in the yard. Hello, sunshine, and welcome back!!

A trip to the Mojo Store

Lately I've been feeling a little down about my running progress...I've been getting really nervous about the 1/2 marathon. Running has been tougher the last few weeks, maybe from the cold weather and the damn hills in this town. I realized last week that I was running too fast...this 1/2 marathon training is more about slowly increasing my distance and NOT improving my pace just yet (good advice from one of my online running buddies, Jason). I've also been feeling more aches and pains than usual. My stride has begun to feel awkward and I know my form is in need of improvement. All of these things have affected me mentally. I started feeling defeated, worn out, and a little lost.

Last night I hit the trail for a 4-miler. I tried out a new area and ran through some pretty neighborhoods. The weather was in the 40's and clear. I was wearing my new running tights and they are awesome! The run went really well and seemed to fly by...I'm guessing because I was paying attention to my route and not how tired I was. I did notice a pain in my right leg, between my shin bone and my calf muscle. I have also noticed lately that I seem to be curling my toes inside my running shoes. So after my run I decided to stop by a specialty running store in my neighborhood. It's called Elite Feet and they are THE BEST. I can remember not wanting to go inside when I needed new shoes a year ago...I was overweight and felt so embarrassed. Ridiculous, I know. But I finally went in last night just to ask if perhaps I needed a smaller size shoe (since I've lost a lot of weight I figured my feet may have gotten smaller). Well, I ended up getting a full foot analysis! It was really cool--they know what they are doing. The gal messed around with my feet/toes, assessed my old shoes and the tread wear patterns, and she watched me walk. Turns out my shoes totally sucked!! She put on a few different pairs of shoes and had me run outside of the store to see how they felt. It was so nice to have someone wait on me like that, using a shoe horn and everything! :) And the shoes were so comfortable. I ended up buying a pair that I would have never picked out for myself!! You may remember when I boasted of some new running shoes not long ago...well, those will now be walking/everyday shoes. But these babies will be on my feet every time I run...Mizuno Wave Creation.

I discovered I have not been stretching correctly either. I told her I suffer from shin splints. And she proceeded to explain things to me. The pain in my right leg is what she called a "true shin splint." Most people confuse the pain in the front part of the leg as being a shin splint. But a true shin splint causes pain on the front inside of the shin bone, which is what I've been feeling lately. So when I feel pain on the front part of my leg, it means I am simply not stretching my calf muscle enough. But the new pain between the calf and shin bone is a shin splint. She showed me how to properly tape up my right foot. As soon as I stood up I couldn't believe what a difference 2 little pieces of tape could make! Here is the lovely picture...oh, and the lack of a pedicure is just part of being a runner! And if you're curious about my peculiar pinky toe, read this.

I can't wait for a my run tonight even though it's only 2 miles. I'm excited again about running and my training. I seem to have gotten my mojo back!

My first Green Monster

If you don't know what a Green Monster is, check out this site. I've seen them on some of the blogs I follow and how food bloggers rave about them. They sound kind of gross (and don't look all that appetizing either) but I must say they aren't bad. I chose the Virgin Green Monster recipe and next time will definitely be adding more fruit for sweetness.

Virgin Green Monster

1 c organic baby spinach
1 c 1% milk
1 t Flax oil
ice

It wasn't so bad...mostly it tasted like a banana milkshake which to some would be great but I need more flavor. I also wanted it more icy so I'll be using a frozen banana next time. I'm currently on a major red grape kick right now so I'm thinking of adding those...they will for sure add some sweetness to it! I may also add some greek yogurt for more calcium. All in all I'm impressed with the Green Monster craze and am happy to be onboard.