"Shamrock, here I come!"

OK, so today is the official start of my 8 week training schedule for Bank of America's Shamrock Shuffle If you want to run this one, you better sign up quick, it sells out fast. http://www.shamrockshuffle.com/cms400min/ I am doing Hal Higdon's 8 week advanced program. You ought to check the guy out. He has been running for years and posts appropriate training schedules for any type of runner. http://www.halhigdon.com/
Anyway, I had to switch the program today and I ran a 24 min tempo run at the park while my little one was in gymnastics. I would have gone longer, but I couldn't see in front of me and could my husband yelling at me in my head. I felt pretty good for my first official run. We will see how the rest of the week pans out.....My official chip times for the Shamrock in 2010 and 2011 were 50:24 and 44:42. What do you think I should shoot for this year?

Let's see, I am reading a good book called Rebirth and Rejoice written by a good friend of mine, Tina Swain Rebirth and-Rejoice. One of the key points I took away from it today was, how often I walk or run around without my full armor of protection on. In any arena if there is provided protective gear available for you to use and you don't use it, what does that make you?.....You fill in the blank! Currently my hair is standing straight up in the air! I guess the infamous bun will have to do for my birthday. Wow, a year older and I still don't have a good hair plan! Happy Birthday to me!

Your talk talks and your walk talks, the key is to let your walk talk louder than your talk!

-Pastor James Ford

Running In The Elements

Ok,
So I ran today in the snow. While it was a short run and a slow one, I can honestly say that it was one of the best runs I've had. The snow was falling, I had to run primarily in the street, through slush and defend my feet from the elements. Thank God for gortex! 3m 34:38 11:33 pace avg bpm 162. I know, nothing but....".SLOW! However, the reason I am reporting that this was a good run is because, I did it for me! I was able to have a full conversation with my spirit and my God! No, I am not crazy! I've heard other runners speak of it as a spiritual experience, but I don't think I've experienced many of them myself. Oh yeah, my hair is in a tight secure bun at the nape of my neck and as a result,I have a headache!! I miss my running buddies......

The 5 senses were given to us as gifts to help us enjoy this world and help us to be alerted of harm. They were never intended to govern the spirit man -C. Dollar

OK soooooo.......I feel like I need to apologize!

Hello,
I hate starting something and not finishing it!  The break is over from blogging.  I ran my last race in Orland Hills before Thanksgiving 2011.  25:51 5K, 8:19 pace....I'll take it!
Needless to say, since then I have been partying like a rock star....indulging in the fat of the land.  I enjoyed my holidays, but now it is back to work.  In fact, this year's motto is.....DO WORK! Put it in so you can get it out

2012 RUNNING GOALS:

• Sub 2 half....8:24 pace
• 8:30 pace for Solider Field Ten
• Do a half some place other than Illinois
• Sub 25 min 5K
• Run the Shamrock really fast! :)

I ran with my buddies on Saturday (1/7/12) and I felt like the old fat lady, slowing everybody down!  :) I'll get it together....

If you can forgive the person you were, accept the person you are and believe in the person you will become you are headed for joy, so celebrate your life

Barbara Jones

I'M BACK...A Buddie I Forgot and One I've Fallen Out With!

OK, so yes, get all of your jokes out, your laughs, etc.  Yes, he finally beat me!  I have been enduring all that I deserve about the huge upset that took place on June 12, 2011.  Marc clocked in at an amazing 1:57:51 for the North Shore Half-Marathon.    I don't think I was as challenged by him beating me as I was about him running a sub two half.  How did it do that?  I guess fast don't lie! :)

Enough about him, I had a pretty rough race, I felt fatigued, dehydrated and just out of breathe for the whole race.  I ran sub 9 minute miles until about the 5.5 mile marker (with Marc) and then I just decided I needed to finish as best I could.  I actually didn't feel my tendinitis until about mile 9. I finished in 2:04 and some change.

I really didn't run much last week, I got new shoes which I am afraid of because the salesperson took me down from full motion control to stability.  I am now in a Brooks Adrenaline GTS 11.....we shall see...I did a couple of short runs in them without compliant and I finally got a Nuu Muu!  If I could ever find my friend again, (Running,) maybe I'd wear it!  I did do six miles at the trails with my running crew, however I felt like I was in a wind tunnel with all the wind going in the opposite direction of me.  The buddie I forgot last post, Daisy (the NEET guy's albino boxer,) felt just like I did during the run....she laid down and refused to go anymore in the middle of the trail!  That's what I am talking about.  Well, I'll give myself another week of weight training and cross-training and see if my running buddie wants to check in with me like old times!  Oh yeah, this pony tail is getting old, plus I think my hair is breaking off, gotta look for a new do! Until the Springbok finds a new running hair do or at least starts running again on a regular........

Pre-Race Rituals...

OK, its 10:10 pm and I really should be in bed, but as always the excitement and nervousness that a race generates for me has me wide awake!  You'd think I was really doing something, like winning part of the $10,000 pot that is available to the runners in the top categories...Instead I am only running against me.  I AM MY BEST COMPETITOR! 

Well, since I am full of energy, I thought I'd share the laundry list of things I do to prepare for a race.  No I don't believe in superstitions, however, I have not veered from these practices this year and so far, I have taken 6 minutes off my previous time in every race I've run and completed.  (BTW, that's big in the race world!:)  Also, the ponytail is hanging in there.  It just might work.  OK, let's see.... (in no particular order)

• Drink half my body weight in H2O two days and one day prior to the race...Gotta stay hydrated (believe me, my body knows when it has enough water, and when it doesn't.  During those times I feel like quitting every mile)
• Full body yoga stretch, throughout the week, but specifically the day before in the sauna at the gym (at least 20 minutes or more if I can stand the heat.)
• Create my Ipod play list for the race
• Eat a high-carb meal (tonight was pasta and shrimp with tomato basil sauce...yum-yum,) garlic bread and salad
• A total coffee cleanse (won't give all the gory details...inbox me if you want to know the real deal!)
• Shave, shave and shave.....(Somehow I think this makes me faster, doesn't Mike Phelps do that? :)
• Prepare my travel bag and any injury equipment (tonight I am preparing my K-T tape for my tendinitis
• Check my garmin and my Ipod and charge them if need be
• Set the coffee pot...(Gotta get 16oz. of Joe in 30 minutes prior to race)
• Try to get in bed in a decent hour (never works!)

Well, that's it I think...oh and now...BLOG...BLOG...BLOG!  Keep me and hubby in your prayers!.....Until the Springbok races again!

Well.....hum!?!?

Don't know what to think about this upcoming race.  Of course, I am still gonna show up, but....  well, I laid off Sunday, did cross training and weight training on Monday.  Swam and lifted on Tuesday and today I tried a tempo 30 min run on the TM.  I felt pretty good until I got up to training pace (8:47 min mile).  Felt a slight pain in the left side of my left shin.  Decided to walk on an incline the rest of the way.  Don't feel it now, gonna rest & IBP and see what happens.  Gotta run though found the cutest Aspire outfit to run in at Sports Authority on sale.  Of course, its about the fashion statement too!!:)  Also got my hair lathered in gel, pudding and hair sprayed up into a nice neat pony tail thanks to Momma Andrea!  I think I can rock this style for a while, just forgot my scarf at the gym today is all.  Gotta try and slick it down again.  Oh the troubles of a black woman running! :)

MY RUNNING BUDDIES!

Let's see here....My running buddies are something else...A big hill, another big old hill, mosquitoes, a toe ring, horse poop, horse poop smell and then my favs...Tequila Sunrise, an Artist, a Short Techie, a Tall Techie, a NEET guy and last but most importantly, my lovely, handsome hubby.  The combination of these buddies made for great running today.  At 5:30am, the heat hit me and my cornrows like a dryer at a car wash!  We completed a great 8 miler in my favorite place to run these days, which was supposed to be a 2 hour run, thanks to my big mouth!  Me nor the heat were interested in running that long today.  Thanks to Marco Speedy Gonzales I ran an 8:19 mile pace during mile 6 of the run.  He just came out of no where and blew by me.  I am convinced he is a great rabbit! I felt great despite the heat.  HEAT for me is a great running partner for some reason, except for those moments when your breathe and air meet and both refuse to give in to the other and you panic momentarily, thinking, "I am gonna pass out!"  I did suffer a minor injury, I have self-diagnosed as peroneal tendinitis.  Plan to nurse it for a few days and be ready for my HALF.  No excuses, I will beat him, even if I have to cut my sore toes and my left leg off below my knee.  OK, really, my husband is running quite well.  I have to keep talking trash because I feel a !#%*-whooping in the near future.....Well, not so near! :) Anyway, got my braids down on the way home from the trails....and after taking Aerin to a bday party and hosting a dinner book club, my head still looks the same way it did when I left the trails!  I see a wig in my definite future.  Alright, I'm out of here, gotta rest my eyes some time. I am 18 hours into my 40 hour weekend of festivities, you know what, a baseball hat will do fine for church tomorrow.  God has seen my head and He hasn't given up on me yet!  :).....Until the hobbling Springbok hits the road again.....