last week and anothr 5k PR (post 4th baby)

I cant believe Christmas is this week!!
Last week was another busy week, but light with the running.
Sunday after the reindeer 5k, I did 45 minutes of elliptical. My piraformus on my left side felt tight after that race, so I kept it easy.  Monday was a 5k tabata treadmill workout.
1 mile warm up then 3minutes @ 8.5, 2minutes at 9.5 and 1 min @ 10.5 and then 13 minute cool down @ 7.5. nothing too speedy but enough to get a turnover. Rest on Tuesday and a fun run on Wednesday with Fleet feet. It was 3 mile run around town with the objective to catch the gingerbread man and pass the fox. The first 10 to catch  the GBM got starbucks gift cards, the first 25 to pass the fox got a pair of feeture socks.

 Even though I passed both the GBM and fox, I didn't want a starbucks card so I traded with someone who did so I could get a pair of socks.
: )
Since the track crew skipped speed work to jump in on the fun, I use this as nice tempo. After the run, there were raffles for prizes, adult hot chocolates, cookie decorating and good times spent with friends.

Thursday and Friday were active rest days and Saturday was the Cocoa Cup 5k.
My husband and oldest daughter were able to run the race as well! I was able to get in a 12 mile run on Sunday with Amy and the onshore running group. I felt really really tight in my SI joint/piraformis after the run so have rested today with periods of stretching and foam rolling.
NOW about that 5k......
A rundown of the race:
My husbands work is a large sponsor of this event, which brought in over 1700 runners(the largest one here in Summerville!). Many of his Co-workers were there, and so I felt pressure to not bomb the run in front of them,lol!
I woke up nervous to run. Last week there were no nerves whatsoever. But I just kept thinking if I was really a 20minute 5ker or if last week was just a fluke because it was a really flat and fast course. We arrive about 8:20 and meet up with my husbands co workers at their tent.
I find a couple runners from the track crew and do about mile and half warm up. it was cold when we left at 8am (low to mid 30's) but by 9:30 things had warmed up in the lower 40's. I felt I had overdressed with a long-sleeved shirt and t-shirt over it, ear warmers and gloves. I ditch the gloves, grab my ipod and head to the start line ( the start is delayed by 10 minutes due to heavy traffic causing some runners to be late). I try to make my way to the very front, but am stuck a few rows back. my goal going in:
1)top 3 in AG
2)faster than last race
3) even splits


Gun goes off and the first half mile of the race I felt it wasn't going to be a good run. my legs felt heavy, I already felt out of breath and I was hoping I would hit mile 1 at 6:30. I was trying to go over my goals in mind as I was running in order to stay focused and not let my mind wonder all over the place. I see my friend Sandy ahead of me and know she runs in the 19's. I also see an older guy in a blue shirt directly in front of me, and he looks like he could run in the 19's as well. I make it a point to stay with blue shirt guy.when I pass the 1 mile marker my fitbit didn't buzz.I looked at it and it read 0.97. great. the markers were off. would this be a short course?? I was hoping and praying it would be a legit 3.1!
My watch buzzes at me when I reach the first mile. it read 6:28.
when we make our first turn, I am able to spot the lead runners,and Sandy is still in my sight but further ahead now. I didn't lose sight of her until about a half mile later. again, I am trying to keep my mind from getting distracted but I keep worrying about a short course, if I went out too slow or too fast, if I was slowing down because I wasn't as out of breath as I was the first mile, and if I would see 20 on the clock again. Finally I tell myself to just shut up and run. I refocus and make a goal to reach mile 2 at 13minutes. And again, the 2 mile marker if off.


My watch buzzes and lets me know I hit mile 2 in 6:45. Dang! too slow!! I really had to pick things up. The last mile felt the best mentally and physically. I finally felt in the zone and focused and went on a rabbit hunt. I had no clue where I was in regards to placing. this race brought a lot of speedy runners and I knew I didn't have a shot at the top 3 overall. since I missed a top 3 in my AG by a second last year, I was determined to be 1rst in AG. Blue shirt guy is still in my line of vision, I try to close the gap. I pass 2 men. I see a gal in front of me. she looks like she's in my AG. I zone in on her heels and pass her. I pass another guy and see another girl ahead of me. I wasn't going to take any chances if she was in my AG or not so I catch up to her and pass her about 800m before the finish. I pick things up as I didn't know if she would try to pass me back up. I see the 3 mile marker, and dangit! its short again I briefly look at my watch and see 19:40. I mutter a few choice words out loud and give a good kick to the finish. I stop my watch at 20:23 and right on the nose of 3.1miles. it wasn't a short course afterall!
AND I was 1 second faster than last race, which is technically a new post 4th baby 5k!!!
it wasn't a fast as I had hoped, but a second is a second, so ill take it!!!


I congratulate the runners around me then head back to meet Alex and my husband. I find them and finish the race with my Alex. We get our cocoa mugs and wait in line for hot chocolate. Terry tells me when he saw me after the 1 mile mark he counted me as 6th overall female. I knew I had passed 2 females the last mile so I thought I had 4th overall, which mean I would be first in AG. while I was happy to meet my goal of first in AG this would be the 3rd big race I got 4th overall at. (I was secretly hoping terry counted wrong) oh well. we wait for a good bit in line and the hot chocolate was cold.Alex is disappointed so we go look for the donuts that had been advertised. they had ran out of all he glazed donuts and just had powdered donuts. Alex doesn't like that kind but she was hungry and thirsty. So we go back to the water line for water and a banana but all the water and fruit is gone. We make our way back to my husbands company tent and thankfully someone had an extra water bottle. We hear that awards will be coming up. one of my husbands co-workers says that he was counting the top females and I was 3rd to cross the line. I really hoped he was right!
we waited for awards and I was so excited when my name was called for 3rd overall!!
I won a gift basket with some pretty cool stuff!
I placed 3rd female
32/1719 runers

Sandy ended up taking 1rst overall female and as a matter of fact, most of the track crew placed in their AG for this large race! I am so proud of everyone as we have all made some pretty significant improvements since this summer and ended the last race of the year on a good note!!!
Now its time to gear up for next years races, which are just around the corner!


Happy Monday!!!

The newest member of the Cunningham Clan

Introducing the most adorable baby girl ever---
Reece! (like the peanut butter cup)-
Her adoption was finalized on December 12th, 2015

We adopted Reece from the Sinbad Sadie Rescue shelter over the weekend. All the animals I have ever owned were ones that have been abandoned or strays, and once Kenosha crossed Rainbow Bridge I knew our next furbaby would be a rescue....





While Reece wasn't the first choice or even second, she was an unexpected 3rd choice (3 is a significant number in our family).
What we were looking for initially- a young dog, not a puppy. A small dog, not a large one. A calm dog, good around children and other dogs.
The Rolling Stones had things right:
You cant always get what you want, But if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you need.....


Once we met Reece in person, we fell in love and then had a 1 week trial period after an initial home visit (to make sure the pup would be in a good place).
Let me tell you about this puppy. She is a Plott Hound mix  (less than 6 months old).She will be a big girl. TTwo things we really weren't looking for. BUT this baby girl is AMAZING! she is a CALM puppy who loves to cuddle and give kisses.Ive never seen such a young puppy act so mature. Shes not a jumpy barky yippy pup, and she loves children. My younger two children have been skittish of larger dogs due to a bad experience (being knocked down by a large breed) and I wasn't sure how they would respond. Reece did an amazing job by being a gentle puppy around the little ones, but could be a rough and tumble pup with my older kids. She knows which kids to play hard with, and which kids to be gentle with. When my oldest daughter was sick last week, Reece stepped up to the plate and became my daughters sense of comfort. The entire time my daughter was sick, Reece was right by her side and refused to leave her, even when I tried to take her off my daughters bed and move her to my bed. She went right back to my daughters bed and whined to be picked up and put next to her human. And then once she started feeling better and I started getting sick, Reece was my cuddle pup an didn't leave my side until I felt better. She has an innate sense of being able to pick up on human emotional need. Reece's foster mom described her as an old soul and I believe it!
Reece reminds me of the dog I had a child. Her name was Lady.

I didn't know where Lady came from, but when I found her she was scared, dirty and very hungry. I left food on my front porch for 3 days until she got close enough for me to even pet her. She was very afraid of people, especially men.It was painfully obvious she had been abused. She seemed to like me pretty well and with a lot of TLC, her personality and sweet disposition really shined, and she grew to love and trust people again. She also had an innate sense of human emotional need and should have been a therapy dog.

I found her when i was 8 years old,and she passed away when i was 22,shortly after i got married. this dog was part of my family. She was my child hood sidekick,my running buddy through high school,she was in my senior pictures

(pictures of pictures,excuse the blurriness)

AND even a part of my bridal portraits!! yes,i LOVED this dog. Sadly,she crossed Rainbow bridge a few months after this picture was taken....

she was the.best.dog.ever.
And she lived her last 14 years of life they way she should have lived from the start-filled with joy and love, so much so that she was overflowing and wanted to make everyone feel happy. After she passed away I told myself that if I found another dog like my sweet Lady, with those innate senses,then I would take the appropriate steps to have a certified therapy dog.....(this may be in Reeces future!)


NOW if your still reading, here is Reece's Story:
She was a stray that was brought into a high kill rate shelter. She was found along the road as just a baby, without her mom or siblings in sight.  She lived in an overcrowded shelter, with minimal human contact. No one came in to claim her, no one adopted her. So she was placed on the euthanasia list when her time was up.The same day she was set to be killed was the same day Sinbad-Sadie came to the rescue and got her in a Foster home until she could find her forever home.
When I was surfing the Sinbad-Sadie webpage for adoptable dogs, I was drawn to 2 specific dogs that I thought would work well together and for our family. When I inquired about the dogs, Reece (rescue name Delaney) was suggested due to her calm nature. The good thing about this particular rescue group is that they really try hard to find the best fit for each animal and family. They don't just let anyone adopt.And there is a mandatory home visit and 1 week trial period before an adoption can happen. This helps ensure that the family is a good fit for the animal.
Turns out we had a perfect match and I am looking to get Reece a little sister so she can have a companion-and of course she will be another rescue. Our family will be growing again soon!!
: )

5K PR!!(post 4th baby)

Its still been busy around here in the Cunningham house, but I was able to run the Reindeer 5K over the weekend.This was my first year running this event, and it was held in downtown Charleston. This is probably my most favorite race of the year so far. Not only was the course scenic and beautiful, it was full of crowd support,music, holiday decorations, holiday costumes and much more!
AND they were not kidding when they advertised this course as flat and fast!
Due to the sickies in the house, I wasn't sure if I would be able to run so I asked my friend Amy (who was running this race as well) to pick up my race packet for me on the chance I would or wouldnt be there. Thankfully, no one was sick on Friday night so I was able to meet up with her and many others from the Charleston running club the following morning. The treasurer of the running club owns Marion's,a fancy event venue that is located jut a few feet from the start and finish line. He opened the doors for us so we could store our belongings there as well as use the nice restrooms (no porto potties, no lines!yay!). We really felt like VIP's, as we had the venue to ourselves, despite the large race crowd
: )
A brief run down of the race:
Woke up at 6:45, so not in the mood to race. My legs and calves were still sore from the Wednesday night track workout AND I didn't have the chance to run any on Thursday and Friday. But I get dressed and ready and make the 40 minute drive to downtown and had a surprisingly easy time finding the parking garage and a parking spot. I find Amy and Kendal and just smile when I see Kendal's costume (he ended up winning the costume contest after the race and yes he ran in costume)

Amy and I do a 2 mile warm up. At first I wasn't planning on 2 miles, but I'm glad I got the 2nd mile in because the first mile my legs felt completely like led and my calves were very tight. The second mile my legs felt a little bit better. Then it was time to make our way to the start, in front of all the kids so we wouldn't get trampled. It was 61 degrees at the start of the race. The music was loud, the energy and excitement were contagious yet I felt surprisingly calm and didn't set an expectation to be much faster than last race. My plan was to listen to how my body felt, go fast if i felt good and to just shutup and run.
The gun goes off and I take off. I try to make my way around the young kids and up until a little less than a half mile in I see Emily, a super speedy runner (18's for a 5k) ahead of me. even though my legs felt good, I thought I was going out too fast if I was able to stay behind her, so I force myself to slow myself down a bit.
I hit mile 1 at 6:45.
Dang. Part of me wanted to be faster than that so I told myself to pick up the pace and try to be at mile 2 by 13:30. that way, even if I bombed in the last mile, I could still break 21 minutes.
I then turn my music up and try to go on a rabbit hunt. I didn't want any one to pass me from this point on.
Mile 2:
I pass several people during this mile, and quite a few females. I feel pretty dang good,my legs feel sore but not tired and I get in my zone and just go.
I get this mile in 6:42  (13:27)
Mile 3
After I hit the second mile, I knew there was only a mile left and it was on one of the prettiest stretches of Charleston. The temperature was rising but there was a nice breeze coming off the water front- and I was still feeling in the zone. I make a point not to look at my watch until I crossed the line. I really really wanted to break 21, and knew I probably would as long as I kept up the pace and not slow down. the time I wanted in my head was 20:57, as it would be a post 4th baby 5k PR for me. The final mile was pretty fun in the sense that I was on a major rabbit hunt. I didn't start feeling winded/tired/exhausted until probably the last 600-800m of the race. I pass a young boy, he passes me back.I pass a female and her friends ahead of her look behind  and scream at her to go faster because I was chasing her down. Dagnabit, she listened to them and scooted ahead  of me. I catch back up to her and we both try to outkick the other....
i look up briefly at the clock and i see a 20:xx. i couldn't see the xx because a tall dude was blocking my view. that gal outkicked me to the line but only by a shoe lace!
I stop my watch and I did the snoopy dance when I saw my time
20:24
6:42 for the last mile with a 6 minute pace for the last 0.1
I had no clue I was going that fast,and I surprised myself by shaving 1 minute and 23 seconds from my last 5k.
I stay at the line and cheer Amy in and Emily finds us both. (She got 2nd over all female and landed a PR. Amy landed a PR as well!!) then we all go on a sticker match hunt to win a pair of free socks. They gave you a sticker at the end of the race and if you found someone wearing the same sticker as you,then you won. (Amy won her some socks!)
 we do a 2 mile cooldown and wait for awards.
We were all happy to place-Emily was 2nd overall and won $$$, Amy placed 2nd in AG and I placed first in my AG

 And this is what the results showed


I placed
30th/3031 runners (or 48th, I think they took out the top 5 overall male and female and the masters/grandmasters in this count)
4th non top 5 female (9th female overall)
 9/1890 females
1/235 in my AG
It was a great race day,and I am so thankful to have found a such a great running group!
I am looking forward to doing this race again next year!


when I got home I totally felt like this:

And I pretty much could have fallen asleep on the floor. But I couldn't because life with 4 kids just doesn't allow it,lol!
I did go to bed early that night because I  felt like I got hit by a truck
: /
Felling better today and am gearing up for the final race of the year this weekend. Im going to see what I can do. ideally I want sub 20 but don't think im in that kind of shape right now. ill just be happy with anything in the 20:2x range as I don't want to think this race was just a fluke!!!!!
Keeping fingers crossed for another good race- I am going in seeking redemption and even if I don't make sub 20 I DO plan on top 3 in AG. (I missed it by 1 second last year)


Happy Monday!!!

this and that and running

the past couple weeks have been busy
and the sickies are in our house still-
Ive been on puke patrol since Sunday night......
My oldest daughter had it first,
 I think I caught it Monday morning but it either didn't hit me as hard as it did her, or I made myself sick worrying and stressing about it (I have emetaphobia so I have been a nervous wreck since Sunday!)
And then last night my youngest son was up all night...


Needless to say,  I've been cleaning and sanitizing the entire house multiple times and trying not work myself up.
On a more positive note,I have managed a few good runs since the turkey trot.
Last Wednesday night I managed to get in a ladder at the track.
It was raining and yucky and miserable outside and pretty much everyone was smart and didn't get out in the mess. but I showed up anyways and only one other person was there. Kendal and I got in the workout, in the rain, in the dark. And it was quite refreshing and "fun"

we did 400, 800,1200,1600,1200,800,400
my paces were consistent, but I tended to run the 400 and 800's at a faster pace than the 1200's or the 1600.
Saturday I was able to make a 12 mile run with friends at a good pace.

My left upper hamstring started bothering me some so I did active rest on Sunday before the sickies hit. I rested Monday and Tuesday and wanted to keep a steady pace for track this past Wednesday.


12x400 were on the agenda and my goal was to stay under 6 min mile pace.
I felt pretty good and I hit every 400 under that pace,even though the last 2 I was feeling it!
: )


it was really pretty to see the fog rolling in and onto the track and I could see steam rolling off all of my friends backs. this picture doesn't give it justice.

 we ended the workout with a selfie, with Bruce rolling in on his last victory lap.

 Afterwards we all went out for food and recovery beverages. I love track Wednesdays!!!!!

Midway through the meal my calves started to cramp. They felt better by the time I got home but I still had a hot shower and foam rolled and stretched like crazy.
Just out of curiosity I compared the first 12x400s I did at the start of the summer to the ones I did last night and I was impressed with how much improvement I saw! I went from struggling with 1:40-1:45, to being able to keep a steady 1:28---THIS is why running speed work with friends is awesome-aside from the friendships you build of course!!!
Today is a rest day, I may squeeze in some elliptical tonight and depending how son is feeling I may get in an easy 2-4 miles tomorrow.
I have a 5k race planned for this weekend and am hoping to see a faster time than last race...
even if its just by a second or two, any type of improvement is a good thing!!!


OH!!! I cant make an official announcement yet but our family will probably be growing soon......

More about that later!!!!!


Happy Thursday!

Turkey trot recap

Its always nice to spend time with family during the holidays, and we had a nice long 5 day weekend back home in TN.
Thanksgiving was a bit out of the ordinary this year, (first time ever our turkey day meal was not homemade among other things) but we all got to spend time with each other and that is what matters most. Time is something we can never get back, and im grateful I was able to spend it with family!
One of the highlights of the week was doing a 4 mile turkey trot with my husband, sister and father.
I ran the same race last year and made 4th in my AG (missed 3rd by 1 second!). I was determined this year to make top 3 in my AG. This race brings out a speedy bunch of runners and I knew I couldn't make top 3 overall. I also wanted to be under 28 minutes, which I knew was very realistic.
A brief rundown of race day:
It was a mad dash to the start line. literally. T and I drove separate from my MIL house who lives way out in the country. We didn't know where to park and ended up parking almost a mile away from the start. I told my sister and dad to meet us at the start line. By the time we get close top the start, the anthem is already being played and a huge crowd (close to 3,000) is gathering. How am I supposed to spot my sister who has mine and T's race bib? I left my phone in the car. Thankfully, with less than a minute to spare, we find my dad and sis, and pin our bibs on.



 a quick hug and kiss and I made my way up front, and my family made their way closer to the back. I was going to race and then run back and finish up with everybody.
Gun goes off
The first 800m is spent weaving in and out of the crowd and trying to get in a good groove. I spot a couple of females that look to be around my age and I make a mental note to keep them in my sight. My legs feel pretty good, the weather is a perfect 48 (but with wind gust), and even though the lead runners are already out of view, I don't see very many females around me. I hit mile 1 at 6:48
Mile 2:
I still feel good and start to go on a rabbit hunt. I pass a few females around me, I pass pack of young boys and a group of men. As we start to make our turn into downtown and run around the square, we can see the lead runners who have already completed the turn around. I spot the lead female and cheer for her like crazy. I then try to count females and see if I can figure out if im in the top pack. I keep waiting to see a second female before I complete the downtown loop. I don't see any gal close to the lead female. When I complete the loop and am able to see the stretch in front of me I count 5 gals ahead of me. I make this mile in 6:58
Mile 3.
hello hills.
I thought this course was labeled "flat and fast"
Oh wait, I forgot. Im used to running the flat land here, which is really flat, so any hill in TN feels like a mountain. I really need more hill work!!!
But, I still feel good. I know I have a good 1.5 miles to gain some ground.
I see 2 gals in front of me and pass them. I focus on a group of 3 guys ahead of me.
I catch them and try to pass. One guy stays with me.
I get this mile in 6:58.
Mile 4:
The wind is picking up, and there is another hill about 800m before the finish, and the last 400m of the race is an incline finish.
Im keeping pace with a guy and wont let him pass me. During this time Im trying to remember if there were anymore females ahead of me that I missed. Was I 4th overall, or 3rd?? I really try hard to think if I missed any. I catch a glimpse of a blonde ponytail and then try to close the gap. I put my head down as the wind picks up and power forward up the hill. I pass a few guys up the hill but the guy I was pacing with climbs this hill like a billy goat and just takes off. I take advantage of the downhill and start closing the gap between me and the gal ahead of me. I see the final turn and turn my jets on. and then I see part of the clock. 27:xx!
I was going to make my goal!
But the last 400m stretch to the line takes forever, and the gal ahead gets faster. I do catch up to the guy who passed me on the hill though and I cross the line at 27:36 (chip time- and 27:42 gun time)
(6:48 mile 4)
I am greeted by the real Santa Clause and get a high five!


I shake hands with the guy I ran the last mile with,and find the gal ahead of me and thank her for giving me that extra push
I get my medal and head back to find my family.
I use this time as my cool down. after about 15 minutes I find T. I try to run with him but he encourages me to find my dad and sister and finish the race with them instead. He would finish the run, then come back and find us.
So I keep running back and finally find them amongst the large sea of people. I was worried I would miss them!
we of course tried to get a selfie to capture the moment, but failed multiple times

My dads original plan was to run 1 minute during each mile, which would leave him about 40 seconds faster than last year. But after that first minute of running, he landed wrong and his knee started bothering him.  He was a trooper though and kept up a pretty fast pace power walk!
We make our way up the hill, down the hill and then to the final stretch. I was able to cross the line with my dad and sister, which felt awesome. My dad gets a hug from Santa and then we try to find T.
Awards are about to start. I make my way to the results tent and find out I made 4th overall female and 1rst in AG. I had missed 3rd place by a good 20 seconds. At least I had met my goal of top 3 in AG! (and don't worry, next year I am aiming for top 3 overall ).

We hang around for awards, and I actually get to stand on the podium

we take a couple of pics and then get ready for dinner at my moms house

the final results:

48th/2412 runners overall
4th female/1,1379
and 1rst/179 in my AG


in order for me to place in the top 3 next year I need to be able to run this course in 23-26 minutes.
Thankfully ive got a full year to get faster
: )
Hope all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!!!!

Now its back to the daily grind and back in the swing of running and getting ready for Christmas!

Recovery week and a 5k.....

Last week was a recovery week from the Half Marathon ( A new PR!!!)
To be honest, it started off as a rough week. The day after the half, I stayed in bed most of the day and generally felt like death warmed over.
Monday- I felt more human and very hungry, I ate a lot of junk.I dragged myself around all day and managed to make 40 minutes of elliptical
Tuesday-rest, my quads were still screaming,and I was still eating junk.
Wednesday- 4.5 mile tempo. My legs felt a little better and I celebrated by eating more gummibears.
Thursday- 3.5 miles slow. My legs felt better and I ran out of gummibears.
Friday-rest. My legs felt less sore but really heavy. And I ate more junk.
Saturday- 5k- went better than expected.
Sunday-rest


Oh and last week was the final week of soccer for my kids. The older kids ended the season with very close games that were so much fun to watch! A's team won their game, B's team lost but all those kids played their hearts out!!
Now the younger kiddos, they really didn't care that much. it was more about getting through the game to get a trophy.....
oh well. While its always great to see my kids play and watch them grow as athletes, the season is over and I am glad. No more being at the soccer fields 5 nights a week!!!!! We can finally sit down at the table for dinner at a normal hour...
I do think next year my oldest daughter will be trying out for a competitive soccer league and not a recreational league. She is really gaining a love for the sport and has developed the skill sets to play at a higher level. We will play it by ear though!


Now,about that 5k-
it was a VERY  small local 5k(50-75ppl?) that benefited my childrens schools (both the middle school and the elementary school). All the proceeds went to support the health, wellness and PE programs.
I am all about supporting programs my children will benefit from, so I was in! (my kids didn't run because they had soccer games immediately after the race).
It was a cool morning (around 40) and slightly breezy.
We all make our way to the start. My friend Sandy (a really fast runner and amazing triathlete) who was running with her kids gave me a thumbs up and told me to win. I just laughed and said i probably had a shot since she wasn't racing
: )
We get to the line. I spy a gal who looked liked a fast seasoned runner. I make a mental note to try to keep her in sight if she started out fast from the get go.
the gun goes off. that gal goes out straight to the front, and breezes by all the kids who all go out way to fast and die by mile 1. I  keep up with her and my legs feel surprisingly good. after about a half mile in, i pass her up and pace with a guy next to me. I am just hoping that i didn't make my move too soon and that i wouldn't get passed later if my paced slowed down.
at the turn around point (close to a mile in) Sandy hollars at me and tells me that the gal behind me is close and to just GO.so i did.
mile 1: 6:46
I feel good and try to chase down some boys. we enter a neighborhood off the main road and zigzag through the streets.
I pass the guy id been pacing from and spy 3 guys way ahead of me. I was pretty much running alone from this point on.
at mile 2, I enter a different subdivision and get this mile in
6:51
My legs feel great but I can really tell how poor my nutrition had been the past week!!
I still have no idea how close the other gal is behind me. I really thought she was close. I didn't want to look behind me but when i made the turn into the second subdivision i did a quick nonchalant look behind me and i was all by myself with no other runners in sight. And then i catch a glimpse of a neon green shirt in front of me. I see occasional glimpses of 3 guys ahead of me. I try to close the wide gap.
The last mile was full of small rolling inclines, which felt like hills.(if you live in the Charleston area, they are hills, if you aren't from this area,they are inlcines,lol!) There were also several turns that slowed down any momentum. But I am making progress at closing the gap on the boys, at least a little bit.
at mile 3 i hit
7:09
I knew i would see 21:xx so i pick up my pace slightly and get the last 0.14 at a
6:47 pace
I cross the line at 21:43 by my watch (21:47 by theirs)
The event wasn't chip timed but was timed using an ipad app. It was a very low key race without all the bells and whistles. But sometimes less is more!! (ie less $ spent on race= more $ for school!). This race reminded me of how road races used to be in the early 90's. Pay $10-15, get bib#, maybe a cotton tshirt, run, get a banana and water at the finish and see the hand written (or sometimes computer generated) results as they came in. wow how times have changed lol!!!
I did manage to snag First female and 5th overall. I won a nice plaque and got my picture for the school paper. The race shirts we got pretty cool too.
My kids school friends all know me now, and I earned some major coolness points (-I'll take all i can get as im sure i wont be so cool anymore in a few years!)
 After the race, it was off to the soccer games!
Today is a new week,
my legs feel better
im no longer stuffing myself with guimmibears
and i have a 4 mile turkey trot race on thanksgiving. The same one i did last year with my father, sister and 4 of my nieces and nephews.
My goal this time is to make top 3 in AG (its a huge race, i don't stand a chance for overall) and to break 28 minutes. Realistically i know i can achieve this goal,but it would be nice to see a lower number. If it happens, it happens. If not, oh well.
Ive got 4 weeks until my goal race of this year. This turkey trot should provide me with a chance to push my pace as the course is flat and fast with a lot of speedy runners!
Im looking forward to training hard the rest of this year and then seeing what can happen in 2016.


Now its off to get a run in and get things ready to travel back home for turkey day!!!!!


Happy Monday!

#upliftparis
The recent events simply sicken me-there are no words!
Heartfelt thoughts and prayers to all those directly and indirectly effected by this tragedy....







Paris, you are not alone in this fight!!!!!

1/2 Marathon recap- A new PR!!!!

The older you get, the harder it is to PR. So when one comes along, you feel like a million bucks!
Now granted, I've only ran 8 half marathons before-
2 of them were while i was pregnant with babies #1 and #3
2 of them were ran a few weeks after delivering  babies #3 and #4
1 of them was ran while injured,
1 of them I semi trained for
and 1 of them was ran without training at all.


The one I ran today, I actually trained for it. And  I started off in probably the worst running shape of my life aside from 3 weeks post partum races. Since I don't run many distances farther than a 5k for racing, I actually spent 10 full weeks preparing for today. I loosely followed the Hal Higdon race plan, but missed several long tempo runs and my longest long run was 13 miles, with the other long runs ranging between 8-12 miles.  I did keep on top of speed work though, despite only logging in only 30-35 miles per week.


So here is the run down of the race.
I am up at 5am, hit snooze 3x and do NOT want to get out of my warm and cozy bed. the weather had turned cooler and it was a cold 38 degrees with winds about 7-10mph. I briefly questioned if I should go back to bed,or just suck it up and run. I grab a quick breakfast of a piece of peanut butter and honey toast and a diet dr. pepper. get dressed, and wait for the baby sitter. I leave the house at 6am so I can find a good place to park, far away from any other cars--im driving my husbands BIG truck and I am not a good backer upper (I have a tendency to back into non animate things such as trees, mailboxes, bushes,etc). I find a good spot to park and wait in the truck for about 20 minutes as I do not feel like getting out in the cold. thank goodness I had sense to bring gloves and earmuffs!
I find a handful of the track crew, do a brief .24 warm up, find the 1:40 pacer and get ready to go. I had no expectations going in this race,other than trying for a time between 1:40-1:44. I also did NOT want to go out too fast.
7am--gun goes off. I have to hold myself back from going out too fast, even though I start in the front pack.
miles 1-3
I stay with John W from the track crew. 2 females pass me up, I can see the lead gals, or so I think and I put myself at 6th or 7th female.
7:49,7:27,7:39
I felt good.
miles 4-5
7:51,7:45
I didn't feel good. I had fallen behind from John.
I felt very nauseated. (i am taking antibiotics for an irritation that got infected on my side-I have an area of skin about the size of a softball that is like an open sore now) I was thisclose to stopping and taking a DNF. I am so proud of myself for not stopping. For me to push past this feeling is a HUGE deal!
miles 6-8
7:21,7:36,7:18
I start to feel better and was on a rabbit hunt. I started feeling my second wind. Through these miles I make it a point to catch John and the female in front of him. and I do.
miles 9-11
7:42,7:21,7:33
I feel really good (but mile 9 was hilly and I just don't do hills,lol!) . At mile 9 I look at my watch and see myactual time(not split times) and figure that even if I hit 32 minutes for the next 4 miles( 8 minute pace) I would see 1:40. Its at this point that I know my "A" goal of 1:40 was very reachable!!!!!I see a pack of about 4 guys and a gal. I zone in and focus on passing this group.
And I do. I have myself at 4th or 5th overall female
I see 2 more members of the track crew and try to catch them.
miles 10-12
7:21, 7:33,7:24
still feeling good, I catch up to Jon and B and pass them and focus on another female,the 1:40 pacer and another guy who occasionally shows up for track.At the start of mile 12, I feel my legs getting heavy.
I pass the female and I think I'm 3rd female now. I close the gap between me and the 1:40 pacer-she leaves her guy she was pacing and turns around to find another to pace. I focus on Michael and try to close the gap. Could I be 2nd overall female??
mile 13-the last 0.14
7:12, 6:40
I start to feel tired and winded for the first time. This mile takes forever but I pick my pace up because I know there is gal behind me. I hear footsteps behind me, and a dude passes me so I stay with him and we race to the finish. He beats me by 4 seconds.
I cross the line at 1:38:51 (chip time) 1:38:54 gun time
a full 5 minutes faster than my old PR set 5 years ago.( My previous PR was 1:44:17,when I was pregnant with baby #3).
I talk to several runners after the race and meet up with the track crew. I was told that I was either 2nd or 3rd overall female by a spectator, so my hopes really sored!
All of us were all very happy with our times-most of us hit PR's this morning!!!! and we all placed in our age group.



(i'm freezing here!!)
 I ended up being 4th overall female and missed 3rd by 3 seconds!
I was disappointed with that only because I didn't know how close another female was ahead of me, I don't think I even saw her?
maybe if I didn't hold so much back those first 6 miles, I could have made top 3?
Oh well, 4th place isn't a bad spot to be,so I really cant complain!!


To be perfectly honest, I had no idea I could break 1:39 even though it was my ideal goal. I didn't know if I had any speed over that long of a distance. Given the fact that I am still trying to get back to running shape, I had some serious doubts I could even pull a 1:44 out of  my rear end.
BUT I guess I was doing something right!!!!!
And I really think that having running friends doing the same race REALLY helped push me along this course. If I didn't know them, or do speed workouts with them, then I highly doubt I could have ran the time I did.
Overall this was a really good day. It was a chilly start at race time but warmed up to about 43 degrees by race end. Perfect conditions aside from the wind.
And the local running store did a great job accommodating runners. they utilized their store as a bag drop off/pick up and a place to use the restroom and change clothes after the race...
oh and they had hot coffee to help warm us up!!!
NOW the next question I have is will I be able to continue to PR in he half.
Today was a good race,and I hope the next is just as good or better!!!!!


anyways, I've rambled enough-for those still reading, bless your hearts!!!!!
now its time to foam roll and eat a lot of food. I am feeling a bit weary and the soreness is already kicking in!!!!!


Hope yall have a great rest of the weekend!!!!

Friday favorites

1) Who's line is it anyway with Drew Carey on youtube
This ALWAYS puts a smile on my face and leaves me literally laughing out loud
And even  the newer version is hilarious
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx56h5cTPTw




2) TV series I cant get enough of and not looking forward to their season end
Walking dead
The Bastard Executioner
Gotham
The Curse of Oak Island
Cut Throat Kitchen


Looking forward to new season on:
Vikings
Fear the Walking Dead
The Little Couple




3) New running shoes
I got a great deal on New Balance Fresh Foam Zante's
They are a neutral fit and super light weight. Ideal for track workouts and pavement/road running but not recommended for trail running due to the sole design. I tried these babies out on Wednesday night speed workout and I was impressed! I don't think I could wear them for the half though, my feet need a bit more support for longer distances, but I so love these shoes for track nights!
We had a larger than usual turnout  at the track the other day,and I think the big group combined with the cool temps made for a super fast workout. Im not sure if it was smart or stupid to have made 8x400 at paces I haven't seen in a very long time-BUT it was fun and recovery beverages afterwards is always a welcome relief.
Hopefully my legs have a chance to recover by Morning!
15 more hours until the half marathon!!!!

running and stuff

The past couple of weeks of running have been on the light side. The week of Halloween I only ran twice. Once was 10x400's and then I ran 6 miles later in the week.
Last week I was able to get in four days of running with two 6 milers, 6x800's, and a 12 mile long run. The long run and speed workouts were done with the running group, and I know there's little chance I would have gotten the paces and miles in without the company of other runners.
: )
This week was started off with a 6 mile tempo, with four of those miles at race pace. And it felt very comfortable. It could be because I knew it was a shorter tempo though. This week is supposed to be a taper week for the upcoming half marathon this weekend. However I feel the past 2 weeks were more like a taper. All I have planned the rest of the week is  light speed workout and one more easy 4-6 mile day. If I feel the need, I'll add in the elliptical.
While this is the most I have ever trained for a half while not injured, pregnant or post partum, this is also the most out of shape I have ever been going into training.
I DO feel I am slowly regaining speed over the shorter distances. Currently I am on track to see the 20's for a 5k (or so I hope!). But in regards for half training, I don't feel like I've gotten in enough long runs and longer tempos. I don't feel like I will have enough speed over the longer distance to reach my goal of 1:40 or under. BUT I feel pretty confident I can make at least 1:45 with a secondary goal of under 1:44 (to PR). All I can do at this point is show up on race day and see what happens. Negative self talk wont do any good. My plan going in is to just shut up and run!!!!
T- 5 days!!!!

Laundry tips for sweaty dirty running/workout clothes

Well, my grandma was right.....
baking soda really does have 1,0001 uses!





I don't have a lot of workout clothes. I have a about 3 pairs of the basics (shirts,pants, sports bras,socks) that I rotate.
In order to keep my workout clothes from getting that baked in grungy workout smell (even after they get washed multiple times) I add about 1/4 cup of baking soda on top of the wash before I start the cycle.


Sure there is "special" laundry detergent that does the same thing, but why spend an extra $$$ on that special detergent when you can spend $1.25 and save the difference?


Do you have any tips or  life hacks for runners/athletes/active folks?
Please share!

what my older running self would tell my younger running self

This month marks my 23rd runniversary.
I've been running for almost a quarter of a century.
It all started with my first mile ,and over the thousands of miles since then, I've learned a thing or two......
(or at least I would hope!)
If time travel were possible, and if I could talk any sense to myself between the ages of 14-21(highly unlikely as I was- and still am to a degree-pretty bull headed)
Here are 5 things I would tell my younger runner self:
 1) Despite what name brand clothing is saying these days, every run is NOT a race. You do not have to give 110% every day at practice. You will not prove a point by running as hard and as fast as you can every day, you will only get injured and stay that way until you learn the value of REST and RECOVERY. Then and only then will you be able to get stronger and faster --remember,  run your fast days fast and your slow days slow.


2) A stronger runner is a faster runner. Cross training is another key to stay injury free. Its all about balance, and strengthening the entire body and not just your running muscles. You know that pansy 2lb dumbbell routine your HS XC coach taught you? Yeah that was a joke, but the concept is right. Keep up a regular weight training regime and throw in some bike/elliptical/swimming for an alternative cardiovascular boost (and not just when coach sidelines you due to injury).  Who knows, you just might fall in love with the weight room and win 3 Pro cards in the bodybuilding realm and almost not die in a triathlon one day....after you have 4 kids (yup, despite what you told yourself when you were 15, you WILL become a mother, and its pretty awesome-you will also still be running too)


3) When you race, run YOUR race. Don't compare yourself to others, or even your self at previous races. While it helps to have others push you along the course, no one can finish it for you-only YOU can. Only you can determine the effort, guts and the grit it takes to get there.Control the things you can (-food, water, sleep),and don't focus on the things you cant control such as who shows up and the weather.


4) Even though it will add fuel to your fire, don't listen to or believe what mean girls say. You are not ugly, fat, stupid or slow and your legs do not look like a chicken's. Take their words with a grain of salt. You will win a "Best Legs Award" when you earn your 2nd Pro card in figure (after you become a mom-which,you will be a pretty badass mom with abs and no one will mess with you if you unless you let them).


5) Believe in yourself and don't hold back when you feel you need to make your move. Another key to getting faster is pushing yourself to the next level. You might not like your coach,but he sees your potential (So quit being stubborn).You wont know you have another level until you push past it to the next. This will be uncomfortable, this will hurt, but it is necessary. Do not doubt your abilities, and don't let that doubt stop you from seeing what you are made of. Dont listen to that voice that tells you you are not good enough, not fast enough and that you cant give anymore. Don't be afraid to push past your limits and exceed your own expectations. Running is the perfect metaphor for life. What you get out of it, is what you put into it. Working hard for something equals results. Not just in sports but in life in general. If you want something in life, you have to make it happen because it is rare that anything will be handed to you. If you want to be faster, work hard, train hard,train smart. If you have big dreams, fearlessly chase them down!


NOW would I have listened to my older self back then? Probably not. I had to learn this on my own for it to sink in and make sense. Learning these things has sent me on quite the journey, and sometimes it really IS the journey and not the destination that matters most.


SO what are some things you would tell your younger self??
Do share!!!

5 things Friday

Just because its Friday and feels like this week has been a perpetual Monday, its time to change gears.


This is a list of some of my favorites lately:




1) Pumpkin spice/ holiday scented candles
I may or may not be stocking up on candles and air wick/glade plug ins. I LOVE the smell of pumpkin spice, gingerbread cookies and vanilla cupcakes!






2) Pumpkin carving with my kiddos


yeah, something usually goes wrong, or somebody gets pumpkin guts in their eyes, but its all about making memories!!!








3) Fall weather!!!!! While its still warm here in the south, there is a cooler breeze in the air,and the change in weather(typically but not always here in SC) signals the fast approaching holiday season. 56 more days until Christmas!! I Love the holiday season and Christmas CD's may or not be already playing in my car.










4) A good run when it was needed most. Wednesday track night was a much needed workout, not only physically but mentally. I missed the first part of the workout and ended up doing only 10x400 instead of the 16x400 that was on the agenda. That's OK though. this was the fastest I have done 400s in a while! I don't think I could have held that pace for another 6x400, but the 10 I did was around a sub 20 pace for a 5k. I run aggressively  when I'm stressed out, pissed off and need to clear my head. I pounded my frustrations out on the track.








5)Running friends that immediately know when you need a hug, invite you to go grab a recovery drink even though the rest of the gang isnt going, and help you find your car because you cant remember where you parked it, or what it looked like because it was a rental.
Yup, its been one of those weeks!!!!!



But the good thing about bad days/weeks is that they eventually get better.
Onward and upward!
Hope all have a safe and happy Halloween!!!!!

Training and such....

At first I really didn't think last week's training was enough to make my legs feel like crap.
I was wrong.
Monday: a TM HIIT
 12x 1 minute sprints ranging from 9.5mph-11.0mph  with 1 minute jogs inbetween (7.0mph)
Tuesday - rest
Wednesday- 4 miles around neighborhood
Thursday- 5x800 under 5k pace
Friday-  3 miles easy
Saturday- 9 miles with 7of those at tempo pace
Sunday- slow 11 miles.
I was done and ready to stop at mile 7.My legs did not want to move. They felt heavy. I felt yucky. I wanted to be done and stop. I couldn't do that though because there was still 4 more miles left to get back to my car, and even though I've ran this route a couple times now, I don't know it well enough to run it without navigational help. Thank goodness I have friends to run with who didn't mind slowing the pace down a bit and not leaving a runner behind! (Thank you Amy!)


And now, my legs are shot.



Needless to say, today is a complete REST day and I will pick back up with the training in the morning.
19 days until the half........

Birthday weekend and last week in review

My oldest son turned 12 on the 17th.
12!!!


My brother in law and his wife and children came down for the weekend as a surprise. It was  spur of the moment decision on their end, but the kids had a blast with their cousins (ages 12 and 13).


 In regards to training, it was a lower mileage week last week.
I think last Sundays 13 miler about did me in. I felt like crap most of the week
Monday-rest
Tuesday-rest
Wednesday- 6 easy miles around the neighborhood
Thursday- 4x1200 with 400 recovery jogs inbetween. (all under 5k pace)
Friday- rest
Saturday- rest
Sunday-10 miles (9:20 pace)


I felt better today and started the week off right with a 30 minute  TM HIIT
I would sprint for 1 minute then jog for 1 minute.
I jogged at 7.0 and my sprints ranged from 9.5mph all the way up to 11mph. I haven't been able to sustain those speeds on the TM for a while so it made me feel good to see under 6 min mile pace again
: )
Hoping the rest of the week goes well!
Happy Monday!
AND
 I still cant believe my first baby is 12!!
 It seems like it was just yesterday, I was holding him for the first time----simply amazed, scared to to death,but so in love with the amazing gift god chose to give to me....

i watched him grow big and strong..and big!!!

i loved to watch him play in the pots and pans...

 and smile almost all the time

even when he became a big brother for the first time....

and second time..........

and 3rd time.....

I have been so blessed to have such an amazing young man as my son. He is a loving,caring soul with such a big heart. From the moment he was born,I knew there was something special about him.Something beyond a mothers love. I felt it,and still do to this day.

 And other people,even complete strangers,have told me there is just something about him,his aura,his countenance.....


Bailey, you are an amazingly unique individual. I love how you still give me a hug and kiss each night before bed, how your not embarrassed to be seen with me in public (yet), and how you treat other people.You hold doors open for others, you like to help the elderly get their groceries in their car and then put away their cart for them. You don't look at others with judgment, you see them for who they are and not what they look like or how they dress.
You make sure your homework is done on time without me having to remind you.
You make sure you keep your room clean (mostly).
You are just an over all good person, and I am truly blessed God chose me to be your mom.You are an old soul and have a servants heart and I look forward to watching you grow as a young man and seeing what life has in store for you.  Know that your father and I love you beyond words,and will always love you and be there for you no matter what.

SO  heres to great things,Bailey....
because YOU are great,and I love you!!!!!

5K recap and training

I had the chance to run a semi spur of the moment 5k over the weekend. And I didnt know how bad I have missed a "good race" until it actually happened!
I initially wasn't planning on racing but since I thought my kiddos soccer games were cancelled, I went ahead and registered for it on Friday morning. But shortly afterwards, I got the email from coaches that the fields would re-open and games would be on.
(With the recent flood here in SC, schools and sports activities have been cancelled for the past week and a half. Slowly but surely the waters are receding and the community is pulling together to help those who were effected by the flooding.Things are just now starting to get semi normal around here!)




Race day turned out to be a sunny morning, around 68ish-a little muggy but nowhere near the humidity levels of summertime! A cool fall breeze could be felt,so it was all good.
When I get to the line I see my friend Virginia from the Wednesday night track crew. I also saw a speedy looking high school gal. My goal going in was to just keep these 2 gals in sight. I had no expectations to be faster than last race but was hoping I could shave a few seconds off.


Gun goes off and HS gal is right up front with the boys. An older lady passes me and a pink shirt guy darts in front of me. The entire course is a paved trail throughout a park and neighborhood with curves and unexpected inclines (which made the course a little bit more challenging than expected!). Around the 1 mile mark I catch up to the older lady and try to pass her but her and a high school boy are blocking the narrow path and I cant get through.
I hear Virginia's voice holler politely (but loudly) at the pair to move over so we could pass.
I hit the 1 mile mark at 6:59 and pass the older lady.
Pink shirt guy surges and  passes me. I know I have to stay with him or pass him again-and I also know Virginia is behind me (and I didn't want her-or any other female- to catch me!) I still have my sights on the lead gal,so I turn my jets on and keep pace with Pink shirt guy, I pass him and am just hoping to close the gap between me and HS gal.




Mile 2:
This was my fastest mile. All I could think about was catching the HS gal and keeping Pink shirt guy behind me. I thought I shook him off my heels but every now and then I would see pink from the corner of my eye and would speed up. Initially I thought the pink was another female but I figured out it was a dude when I was changing songs on my ipod shuffle and heard his grunts and heavy breathing. I deliberately turned my music louder to drown out the sounds so I could just focus on keeping up my pace. At this point I am feeling winded but generally am feeling pretty damn good (something I haven't felt in a long time during a race!)
I see 6:46 for this mile.




Mile 3
This mile was a down right duel between me and pink shirt guy. He would catch me, run by my side for a minute, then I would pick up the pace. I could. not. shake. him. off. my. heels.
We race eachother the rest of the race and pass a few high school boys in the process. I start feeling tired at 2.6miles in and just tell myself all I have left is an 800!
Pink shirt guy makes his move and passes me. When I try to catch him, he speeds up. I stay on his heels until mile 3 and then he shifts gears into ultra fast mode and beats me to the line.
BUT when I see my time on the clock  I am pleasantly surprised to see a huge drop in my time from last race- a full 1:15!
I finally had a "good race" and saw  a time I haven't seen in over a year and some change. This was a real boost in my confidence as I have been getting discouraged lately with running and not seeing improvement. I've been facing some health issues lately that have left me feeling less than my best, so It felt pretty good to run and feel like I was actually "racing" and not just running to finish.
I ended up placing 2nd overall female and 20/134 runners
(Virginia was right behind me and ended up with 3rd overall.)




I couldn't stay for awards because I had to high tail it to the soccer fields to help out my husband as the younger 2 kids had games at the same time and the older 2 kids had their games on fields that weren't close by. Turns out one game got canceled due to rain and another game got cancelled at half time due to thunderstorms.
The kids were a soggy muddy mess when it was all said and done.
 But the sun is back out today,school is back in session and the soccer fields are drying up, so hopefully a good week ahead for practices and make up games. I love watching them all play, especially my oldest daughter as she is the most competitive at the present moment. Soccer may just be her sport to continue with as she gets older-I'm still trying to convince her that running 5ks with mommy is cool and will make her better at soccer
; )


Last weeks running:
It was a light week
Monday- 45 minutes elliptical
Tuesday- easy 3 miles
Wednesday- 3 miles of speed work on the track
1200, 1000, 800, 400, 400 with 200 jogs in between
Thursday- 6 mile TM easy pace
Friday-rest
Saturday-5k race
Sunday- 13 mile progressive run
I really enjoyed running with the group for this long run. A handful of us met an hour early to get in some easy miles before the group run ( a pre-run run). My legs were sore and tired, I was physically tired and really wanted to stop after the first 6 miles. But once the group got started I convinced myself I needed the distance. I ended up staying with a few runners who were going faster than what I originally had planned on, yet I am so glad I was able to hang on the last 5 miles with Amy!(well, I say that but the real reason I kept up with her and the group was because I have no sense of direction and needed to keep her in sight so I knew which way to get back to my car,lol!).





But seriously, for the bigger picture I needed the longer run and the faster miles at the end. There is no way I would have done this run on my own on the TM!
Running with friends trumps TM miles any day of the week
: )
And the weather was perfect for a long run, with cooler temps and that nice fall breeze...... Fall is finally approaching!(knocking on wood loudly)

Race quiz

So, I stole this survey from Amy, aka The Tiny Terror
(I had to really sit and think about a few of the answers, and some have links to race recaps)
If your reading this, you've been tagged to fill it out! Please do so and share-it would make for a good read!!

1. Number of races you have run:
Too many to count-probably in the hundreds

2. Where was your first race?
My first XC race was a place called Tompkins Farm in Nowhereville, TN. I was completely clueless, had a painful race, questioned my sanity, yet became completely hooked. My first road race was in Smyrna,TN. It was the Nissan Classic held at the Nissan plant. My entire cross country team from college was there and my coach used this as a "meet and greet" before the official start of practice. What I remember most about this is that my  niece was born the night before and I was up waiting most of that night. I got the call shortly after midnight that she had arrived. I bombed this race miserably as I went out WAY too fast to impress the coach!



3. Favorite race course:
In HS and College:
Louisville,KY
The Louisville Classic
I've ran this course 6 times. 3 times in HS and 3 times in College
Probably the most beautiful XC course I've ever ran, complete with hillside running

Tree canopies along the course



And a down hill finish(on the actual course pictured below)




I loved this race in HS because it was the only overnight race trip we ever took. This was something to look forward to, despite having to do fundraisers. Also,we all knew that the D1 Universities ran this exact same course for their championships.
I loved this race in college because we raced against D1 schools,(we were NAIA) and even though we got our rear ends handed to us, it was always fun to say " Yeah, we raced against the big dogs this weekend"


Fav Course as a recreational runner:
There are many but the most recent favorite is the
Cooper River Bridge run

This was my first "big race" (almost 40,000!)
and even though the course is simple, the sights are pretty amazing, and for as big as the event is, it is highly organized and easy to navigate (important factor for a gal like me with NO sense of direction whatsoever).
My recap is Here



4. Most memorable race:

I have quite a few but one of the best races ever was the very first race my husband and children did with me. It was my oldest sons very first 5k. The recap can be found here
Another memorable race was my very first sprint triathlon! I remember this vividly mainly because I lived to tell the tale!!!! Recap of my near death experience is here

5. PRs?
I've been running a long time and its been a long time since I have PR'd.
5k: 18:47-short course at campus meet
       19:52 time trails on same course but correct 3.1 distance
after that, I wouldn't break 21 until after I had kids
(I liked XC better than track, mainly because it was place, and not pace that scored lower points-I wasn't the fastest runner on my team but could run in our pack to help our overall score)
400m- 61.71
800m-2:18
1500m-5:36
1600m- 5:17 XC, 6:03 track
NOW
to keep it recent:
 Post baby PR's 
5k: 20:12 (after 2nd baby),
 20:58 (after 4th baby) recap here
10k: 47:24 (pregnant with baby #3) Recap is Here
1/2 marathon 1:44:17 (recap here)
 and 1:45:06 (pregnant with baby #3)Recap is here
I've ran very few races longer than a 5k, so I've never had the chance to really train (not pregnant and injury free) and chase down the 1/2 and 10k PR.
I'm hoping to change that!

6. Ever run in a costume?
Not yet but I really want to!

7. The only running shoes for me
I'm currently running in Brooks Glycerin and love them. My other love is discontinued, Adidas Supernova Series 5....(I also love Saucony  mainly because I have a wide foot and over pronate)

8. Ever injured?
Yes. (most of my college years)
Foot surgery (bone removal and reconstruction),Shin splits, stress fractures, patellar tendonitis, IT band, torn rotator cuffs(not from running but swimming and lifting weights), broken nose (twice),sprained ankles just to name a few.....
Lets just say I'm no stranger to  aquatic running, TENS unit, ice baths, RICE, etc

9. Hot or cold weather runner?
Cold, but not too cold. I run best in 35-55 degree weather, but can run in almost anything between 20-90 without too much issue. Anything under 20 and I am miserable. Anything over 90 I am miserable

10. Morning or evening runs?
Morning! but there have been plenty of evening TM runs after hours when the kiddos are in bed. 

11. What is your Motivation?
  Getting back in shape, setting, reaching and hopefully exceeding goals and of course the swag and bling  ; )
This may sound corny-But honestly, my main source of motivation stems from my children. I want to set a good example for them.  Now granted I'm just your average recreational runner,(with a few figure pro cards under my belt) but I know they see me get the training done and I know they have seen my efforts bring home trophies and goody bags and such from winning or placing in the smaller road races (as well as winning figure competitions). I hope when they see me training hard and being dedicated with prep,they equate that to working hard for something= rewards/results. Not just in sports but in life in general. If you want something in life, you have to make it happen because it is rare that anything/everything will be handed to you.
If you want the swag and bling, run fast(er)-If you have big dreams, fearlessly chase them down.....



" I run because it is symbolic of life. You have to drive yourself to overcome the obstacles. You might feel that you cant. But then you realize you're capable of so much more than you thought."

12. Ever DNF?
No. But I have a few  DNS's (did not show). There have been races I have signed up and paid for but haven't been able to make for various reasons 

13. Race I’d like to forget
All the races I've done post partum (as early as 3 and 5 weeks PP). They just sucked. But the most recent suckfest race was The 2014 Rock Pink 5k.
I didn't feel well going in and I should have never ran. I even stopped about 400m in the race and turned around to jog back to the start to leave but I thought since I was already there on the course I should finish it anyways....I didn't want a DNF on a 5k!
Should have listened to myself and went home, as I became quite ill moments after I stopped running. Thank goodness my husband was there as there was no way I could drive myself home.



14. Favorite post-race nosh
As in immediately post race- it would  be ice cold watermelon and gummibears in the hot months, chocolate donuts and hot cocoa or coffee during cooler months.

15. Galloway or Higdon?
Higdon.

16. Flat course or hills:
Flat. Although in my younger days I was really strong at running hills.



17. Back, Middle, or Front of the pack?
I used to be front of pack, now its close to front but not right at the line unless its a very small local race.

18. Run alone or with a partner:
Both. I have been a solo runner for a long while now, with the occasional running buddy when I could find someone willing. I enjoy the solitude of running alone at times. However, here recently, since I found a running group, speed work and long runs are awesome with a group or partner in crime. Misery does love company after all
: )






19. Ever win your age group?
Yes, quite a few times, if not Overall female--
but winning isn't everything! While its great to win the bling, its more about having a good race and improving,even if its only in small increments. I've had some of my best races and fastest times without placing, yet I've also had not so stellar races and end up with an overall win.
 To quote The tiny Terror 
" What really matters is running a good race. Winning is more about who shows up on race day, and you can’t control who shows up. Running a good race is all about controlling the controllables".

20. Favorite post race indulgence:
 In addition to #14, if I really want to indulge I go for just about any type of Pasta ,or a double meat Chipotle burrito bowl.....
: )


21. Funniest T-shirt spotted on another runner during a race:




This guys shirt says
50
Fat
Diabetic
Ahead of you

Other favorites:
"Does this shirt make my butt look fast?"

And the next one Its more crude than funny but its something most 12yr old boys would giggle at.
At the Cooper Bridge run last year, a woman was  dressed as a beaver and was wearing a shirt that said "Just a Beaver looking for some Wood"

22. One part of your body that has never seen body glide:
All of it. I’ve never used BodyGlide.

23. Best part of running:
Do I have to choose just one?? One of the best parts is seeing the results of the hard work pay off and feeling the endorphin rush of the "runners high".

24. If I didn’t run I_______________.
Would be a complete and total gym rat. Running has always been my first passion, but after I had foot surgery in college and couldn't run for a while, I turned to lifting weights for an outlet.

25. I can’t run without______________________.
 The basics. I'm a very low maintenance gal and I don't need fancy stuff-just a good pair of running shoes,some open space and I can get by (with or without a watch).

26. Ever lose a toenail?
Yes. More times than I would like to admit.

27. Gatorade or Cytomax?
Gatorade



28. Favorite gel flavor?
None. They all taste icky. (but its been a while since I've tried them--any suggestions???)
I used to eat one before races in college and I honestly cant remember which flavor. I guess they were so horrible, I blocked that memory out entirely.

29. How many days after a race do you usually start running again?
Usually the next day to help flush out lactid acid build up.

30. I run, therefore I ________________________.
Am a better, stronger version of me.
I started running when I was 12, when most kids are involved in some type of sports/activities. But I didn't have an average preteen/teen life. It wasn't horrible by any means,but I had more responsibilities than some adults and had to grow up a bit faster than most kids. Running helped me cope with every day stresses. It was my  outlet and allowed me to just be me. It was my safe haven, my sanctuary without walls... where I felt a sense of peace and freedom amidst a hectic, crazy world. I was able to push myself to be good at something, and no one could dispute it.
What I learned from running in my youth/informative years carried over into my every day life:




31. Pre-race routines? (night before or morning of)

Night before: Eat a good dinner,(typically a light pasta or chicken and rice) hydrate well, make sure ipod shuffle/fitbit is charged and have a bag of dry clothes and snacks already packed and ready to go. I also lay out my clothes/shoes/socks to wear day of race. I have a pair of lucky socks I wear almost every race. Over the past 2 years I have started wearing superhero themed shirts to race in, (in hopes of channeling my inner strength and the superstition that it will bring good luck).

Day of: Eat a granola bar(or 1/2 a bowl of cereal or something else that is light), drink a diet dr. pepper on the way to the race suck on peppermints.

32. How often do you cry during a race?
Never. But I have felt the urge a few times when I see amazing individuals on the course. Probably the most choked up I get is seeing the participation of  any survivor of cancer or any other disease/illness/disability during a race. These individuals are completely awesome and I usually make a point to high five/cheer them on or even give them handshakes or hugs when I see them after the race.
 A few other instances that come to mind include:
during a half marathon I ran in a couple years ago I saw a couple running really close to each other. I thought they were holding hands but the female was gently touching the top of the mans wrist. As I got closer I could hear him speak and he was guiding her with his voice, giving her vivid descriptions of the course and her footing and was encouraging her to pick up her pace. The woman was completely blind.
Another moment that moved me (from a personal trainer standpoint ) was cheering a last runner in.He was running with 2 of his coaches, one which was being very vocal, literally screaming encouragement to the young man who was visibly struggling. Other people took notice and within seconds a large crowd of runners, myself included, rallied around this man the final stretch of his race. It was like he had his own entourage! The MC read his name aloud as he crossed the finish line and the cheers came out like he was an Olympic athlete winning the entire race.
The tears and smiles that came from this man could not be contained. He was morbidly obese and had just completed his first ever 5k. I found out later that he used this 5k as a celebration for losing 150lbs in a year, and to test his endurance .A year prior he could barely walk without assistance. While he still had another 200 pounds to lose, he was reaching his goal one step at a time... 

33. What are your dream goal(s) for running and how do you plan on attaining them?
Present goals are to break 20 minutes in a 5k, to break 1:40 in  a half marathon, to break 44 in a 10k and to eventually BQ. (I admit, 26.2 sounds so daunting, I'm not sure if I will ever feel ready to tackle that distance!)
I plan on attaining these goals by properly training both efficiently and effectively to keep injury at bay.Keeping a strong mind and healthy body is the key. Mindset/detrmination is just as important as the training.






"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement"


Steve Prefontaine