Weekend Race Recap

Yesterday, this non morning person woke up at 4:40 AM.

On Purpose, no less.

I, shockingly, was happy to get up because that meant it was race day. My first NYRR race for 2015. My first event on my quest to qualify for NYCM. Plus, I was going with a bunch of Mom’s Run This Town Mamas and that ALWAYS makes for a fun morning.

It was warmer than I thought it was going to be,

but it was still in the 20’s.

I worked out my layers pretty nicely if I do say so myself and I do.

Layer one – Long sleeved Athleta Taped Chi Top as it is super soft and has thumb holes

Layer two – Under Armor short sleeved Heat Gear shirt for added warmth

Layer three – Athleta Full Speed Jacket

Layer Four – (to come off right before the race) Throw away fleece jacket that would then be donated

On top of all my layers, I had gloves, a Gaiter neck scarf, and my cute hat that I borrowed from my sister. I think I may want to keep this hat now, but I think I might need to negotiate that. She lives in sunny California where this hat is not practical at all. She also ran a half marathon yesterday, but she didn’t have to worry about layers either. We are going to here from her tomorrow as a guest blogger:)

As far as all my layers, I think I hit the money. If it had stayed colder, I would have been perfect but it did warm up to a balmy 35. So things did come off. It might have been because my hat was so warm, but there was no way I was taking it off! I would have had such hat hair!!!!

Although my husband didn’t think it was that cute, I did (and that’s really all that matters). I also got many compliments on it at the race. My Godmother bought it at a church bazaar because no one was buying them and she felt bad. I told her that the woman needs to skip the church bazaars and market herself to runners. We are a fun group and I think she would sell many! Then again that’s not a good idea because it’s fun having something different.

Anyway, because my cool hat kept me so toasty warm the Gaitor and gloves came off by mile 2 and were put into the roomy inside pockets of my jacket. Then I impressed myself by taking off my Heat Gear shirt without removing my jacket or stopping. Another reason to love wearing my Fitletic Belt because I tucked the shirt in the back of the belt and didn’t notice it all race. Then unzipped the jacket about mile 8 and I was good to go till the end. Then once I finished, everything went right back on with a nice heat blanket handed out at the end!

As far as the race, my goal was to finish around 2:20

Finish Time: 2:18:48

I would say that is pretty good.

I did change up my running a bit. Not on purpose, but due to lack of training. I did some walking. I would push myself up a hill and then allow myself to walk for a short bit. It was a nice trade off and I really like this option. I’m not sure if I would do this every race, but it is nice to know that you can have a decent finish and still walk if needed.

We had a big group from my local MRTT there too. We drove in two separate cars and met in the city before the race.

There were 8 of us and we all went into it thinking we would be running like a training run and pretty much together. Although we did finish within 10 minutes of each other; we did spread out some because ultimately you need to run your own race. There were no hard feelings as we were all on the same page. Then when we were all done a trip to Magnolia’s Bakery for a treat before the ride home.

Yum!

I really think that I am going to have a fun time running in New York City!

Did you race this weekend?

Friday Five Things about My Childhood

Jan23

Today is Friday Five link-up hosted by Eat, Pray, Run DC, Mar on the Run, and You Signed Up for What?

1. When I was about 10, I went a local amusement park and rode the roller coaster 32 times in a row. This may be an exaggeration, but this is how I remember it. We kept getting off running around and getting back on again as there was no line. To this day, I still love Roller Coasters and go on them with my boys now!

2. I had a Schnauzer named Pepper who everyone but me hated. I can’t blame them as Pepper only liked me:) I even saved his life when a German Shepard attacked him. He returned the favor by waking me up when I fell asleep with a small candle on my big boom box (remember those?) and it melted through tipping the candle. The curtains were about to catch fire when he woke me up. Thanks to him, I’m here today.

3. I went to a Catholic High School by choice even though we weren’t Catholic. I was ready for a change.

4. I lived in 6 different houses before I turned 20. One of them was literally just up the street from the other. I now judge time frames depending upon which house I lived in. I never want to move again and my children will grow up in the same house I’ve lived in for going on 16 years now.

5. I was a very shy kid who took a while to come out of my shell, but once I was your friend I had your back. I’m not as shy now, but I am still have my moments. I will still go to bat for anyone I call a friend.

It Is What It Is!

Jan21

I will never have the body that I want. At this point in my life it really is not lack of trying. Although, in all honesty I could eat better and eat less cake and chocolate; but what is life without cake and chocolate? For me though, it really is partly the way my body is designed and shaped. I do not have an hourglass figure. As much as we all try, we can never look like those that we see on TV or magazines. A lot of that may do with the fact they have a style crew, a nutritionist, a trainer, and have many of their photos airbrushed to beyond perfection. We have all seen where the airbrushing has even gone too far! Think Kardashian. Actually, lets not think about her! But even when it’s not taken to the extreme, it does remove ever “imperfection” making the rest of us mere mortals think somehow we are doing something wrong.

Case in point

Cameron Diaz is a beautiful and fit woman, but she is a normal woman

at least in the first picture!

There are no amount of exercise that will get you to the second picture.

It’s just not going to happen.

Never Ever.

So we all need to stop buying into the hype that we are somehow lacking because that just isn’t the case. Now, I am not saying that I don’t look in the mirror and see things that I wish I looked different. I think that is normal. I know that I was looking at a picture that my sister took of me at the Philadelphia Marathon. Rather than looking at the picture and reveling in the accomplishment of what I had accomplished, I looked at it and thought,

“My God is this what I look like from behind!”

Luckily, my next thought was,

“What is wrong with you? The picture shows you completing a major major major accomplishment! This is the body that carried you 26.2 miles. This is what strength and endurance looks like. This is the way God made you to so that you could do these things.”

Now, don’t get me wrong. I still wish that I looked more like Cameron Diaz. I will even take the unedited version. But in the whole scheme of things, my body does not define who I am. If you were to somehow put what makes me in a completely different body, I would still be me. The outside does not define who you are. It is who you are on the inside.

So I will stick with what I’ve got. This is the body that carried 3 children. This is the body that went through 3 c-sections to birth them. As my favorite expression goes,

It is what it is!

Time’s They Are Changing…. Or Are They?

Jan18

When I ran my first Half Marathon in May of 2014, I had no plan. I had not a care in the world other than finishing the race. I literally went into it on a wing and a prayer. No training plan and hoped to finish. No idea. Just planned to run. I think all first Half Marathons should be like this. Actually this is how all my first races no matter what the type went!

Things are a little different now. It’s not that suddenly I know what I’m doing (because I don’t). It’s just that I’ve now run a few Half Marathons. Not many actually. I’ve only run 4. Although it seems like more. The difference is due to all the different events that I have run in the last year, I do have an idea of what I can and can not do. I’ve also followed actual training plans and have goals. That being said, I am still figuring it out.

So next week, I will be running my 5th Half Marathon. My first race that will count towards my 9 plus 1 program for NY. This race has snuck up on me and I will admit that I have, sadly, NOT been doing any training for it AT ALL. So maybe times are not changing as much as I would like to think. I have been sporadically running, but not training. Chalk it up to post marathon I need a break from training and am just going to run now.

Another reason I have not been training is because from the time I signed up for this race, I knew this was one that I was going to run just to run. A way to jump into the 9 plus 1 early. I do not plan on setting any type of PR’s. Plus since it is a winter race, I was not and still am not sure what the weather conditions will be that day. Therefore, from the get go this has always been a race that I planned to just run to finish.

See I am even borrowing a cute hat from my sister to keep me warm and have some fun:)

I will check out the weather later in the week to finish up what I will run in.

Now all this being said, I am still putting more thought into this than I did my first half. I know that I am not running full throttle, but I still want to finish decent. I would be happy with around 2:20 which is what I ran Gretta’s Gallop (same location as this half). Although, I did have a great pace setter then that I will be missing this race. (Robyn – the ski slopes can wait and I miss you!) But I do think it might be time for me to put my Big Girl panties on now and set my own pace.

YUCK!

This requires thought.

This requires knowing what I’m talking about.

and

This requires follow through.

So I found a online Pace Calculator and working it all out.

WHAAAAAAA

It’s so much easier to just follow along:)

Do you have a race plan?

What’s In Your Bag – Friday Five

Jan16

Friday means another Friday Five link-up hosted by Eat, Pray, Run DC, Mar on the Run, and You Signed Up for What?

Today’s topic –

5 Things in your Gym Bag

Now first of all, I will admit because I’m somewhat of a freak; I have 4 different bags that I keep together.

The first is my swim bag for when I’m good and actually swimming.

The second is my running bag which has all the goodies I might want or need and then some.

The third is my yoga bag

Then there is my gym bag.

It’s a good organizational system for me, because I can just grab the appropriate bag for the appropriate activity. Not that I currently have a routine or anything, but when I’m in the zone it works:)

So my gym bag that I use….

1. Jump Rope – when your all of 5 foot 2, you want to have your own jump rope. It just makes it easier as most of them are just too long.

2. Gloves – my feet are calloused enough without having to worry about getting work man’s hands. So when I lift, I use gloves. I also have a pair of warm gloves on the off chance we are running outside.

3. Extra Water – normally I take a reusable water bottle, but sometimes I need extra water and it’s always good to have afterwards too.

4. Extra Head Band and Hair tie – just because:)

5. Towel – With any luck I will work up enough of a sweat to need it and I am a sweater! TMI

Some of the other things come and go in my bag, but these items usually can be found at any given day.

Now I am off to see what everyone else keeps in their bags. It’s kind of like looking in someone’s purse. You never know what you will find!

What’s in you bag?

Be All That You Can BE

Jan15

I’ve been told recently that I am a competitive person. It was pointed out that I run the races that I do only because I’m competitive. I’ve even been told that my cake baking proves that I am competitive because no one spends hours on a cake unless to “show off.”

I’m going to show off now…..

These are birthday cakes that I made for my boys birthday parties. These were the “family” cakes.

I am proud of them. i do like to show them off:)

Moving along…..

I, honestly, do not agree with this assessment that I am competitive. Yes, I like to bake extravagant cakes. Yes, I like to run all types of races. Yes, I post it all over the place and am proud of my work and accomplishments. That being said, I am not a competitive person. I have a very simple reason how I can prove that I’m not competitive too.

Because although I am decent at cake decorating and I am usually a middle of the packer in my races, the truth of the matter is that if I compare myself to others I will not win.

Now, hold on……

I’m not putting myself, my skills, or anything down. I’m speaking honestly. I’m ok with it. I know that I would never win the next great baker competition. I also know that I do have some mad skills:) I know that I will never win any of the races that I enter. I also know that I have come unbelievably far in a short amount of time. Knowing that there are those who are better than me, doesn’t take away from any of the enjoyment that I get from them. Not in the least. It might even allow me to enjoy them more than those that are always trying to prove themselves because if you are always looking at what someone else is doing you are missing out on what you are doing..

There is NOTHING wrong with being a middle of the packer.

With anything.

As I tell my boys, the only thing that you can do in life is to try your hardest. I give whatever I do 100%. The only person that I ever compete with is myself. All I want to do is push MY limits. Do the best that I CAN do. If you waste your energy comparing yourself to everyone else that leaves very little time to see what you can accomplish.

It’s ok not to be in the front of the pack.

It’s ok not to win.

Just remember that the only person that you are really competing with is yourself.

The Army got it right….

Be All That You Can Be

Every Day.

In every part of your life.

Unless your Shirley McClain, you only live once.

So you might as well give it your all:)

Lastly, I just want to say that I am not putting anyone down who is competitive. It’s just not my nature:)

Are you competitive?

No Apologies Necessary or is it?

Jan14

I have ugly feet. I had them well before I started running. That being said, running has improved many things in my life; but my feet are not one of them. What doesn’t help is that I got out of the habit of getting a pedicure. I was good for a while. I was supposed to get one after the Philly Marathon, but then that rolled into Thanksgiving which rolled right into Christmas. No matter though, I still have ugly feet. No amount of polish will make them pretty.

As the saying goes…..

It’s like putting lipstick on a pig.

Pointless, but I still do it.

Today, I couldn’t take how dry, cracked, calloused, and nasty they were. (Aren’t I painting a pretty picture?) On a whim I decided to go for a pedicure. I picked up some DD and sneak off for a Spa Pedicure even though I’m hosting a meeting at my house tonight and really should have been cleaning. Oh well…..

Off I went

I sit down. Roll up my pants and horror to horror realize that I have Chewbacca legs!!

Ok, maybe not this bad

but bad!

That’s what happens in winter.

Sometimes.

Even without the hairy legs, I am always embarrassed when I get my pedicure. Like I need to apologize for how bad my feet look. I try. I really do, but there is only so much lipstick you can put on a pig. Please tell me I am not the only runner that feels the need to tell the person doing your pedicure that you are a runner.

Please…

I honestly do not know how they do it. I couldn’t do it!!! I look down at my feet and want to throw up at all the “shavings” they scrape off my feet and they are my feet. I will further admit that I am a good tipper because of it! How can I not be with all the scraping they have to do with a smile no less.

At least now my feet, although not pretty, are presentable. Even more important both my feet and legs feel so much better after a foot and leg massage.

Now must remember to shave my legs in the morning:)

Do you feel the need to apologize for your feet?

Baby It’s Cold Outside!

Jan11

I woke up this morning at 7:00 after setting my alarm last night to meet my MRTT Mama’s for a cold winter run. Normally, I do not meet them on the weekend. Often they meet too early for me and I do enjoy sleeping in on the weekend. I really had no excuse not to go seeing as they were not meeting till 8:00 and I did need the miles. On top of that I really did need to get out there and run in the cold and it was cold. The car thermometer registered 17 degrees when I got in. I will admit that running in the cold is not at the top of my list of things to do, but seeing as I have a Half Marathon coming up on the 25th I need to suck it up!

Besides I needed to try out my new running jacket that I got just for cold weather running. If you recall in my previous post The Most Expensive FREE Sport Ever, I have been searching for the perfect coat to run in. So far nothing that I got seemed to work, but I do think that I have a winner!!

Ding. Ding. Ding.

The Athleta Full Speed Jacket

My only problem that I had today is that I thought this was like a normal jacket and ran with one too many layers.

Layer One – Under Armour Long Sleeve Shirt

Layer Two – Under Armour Short Sleeved Heat Gear Shirt

Layer Three – Athleta Long Sleeved Extra Long Chi Top

Outer Layer – New Full Speed Jacket& Reflective Power Lift Tights

And off my BA MRTT Mama’s and me went.

I will also admit that even though the whole point of the jacket is to reflect my body heat back to me to keep me warm that I had my doubts. No more. By mid run, I had my gloves off and my jacket fully unzipped as I was warm. So next time, I will try just the short sleeved Heat Gear over the Chi Top as that one promises to be unstinkable and was so soft! I do know though that I will have to suck it up at the beginning and realize that I will be toasty warm in no time. I got the large for comfort with added layers which did make the sleeves a little long but to me that is a plus for running in the cold.

Overall I would highly recommend this jacket. I wish that I could have waited for a sale,

but as Violet from Charlie in the Chocolate said,

So I paid full price.

It was not cheap.

But it was so worth it.

Like the Reflective Running Tights.

Now I wish I could say that Athleta was sponsoring this post or giving me a freebie for saying these things, but they aren’t. This way though you know I speak the truth as I always do.

So Athleta feel free to sponsor me for some honest feedback:)

What is your favorite winter running item?

Friday Five – Favorite City

Jan9

Another Friday means another Friday Five link-up hosted by Eat, Pray, Run DC, Mar on the Run, and You Signed Up for What? Today’s topic – 5 Things You love about your Favorite City….

I will admit that I almost skipped this one because at heart I really am a country girl. Now I live in the burbs and not the country, but at heart I am a country girl. I grew up with space and I admit that the suburbs are as citified as I want to become. Then I gave it a second thought and realize that even though I am not a city girl, I do enjoy an occasional visit to the Big City.

New York City, of course!

Some of you who have been with me a while may remember my first (and at this time only) NYC run last year. It is where I discovered I’m a Little Bit Country, but Now I’m a Little Bit Rock N Roll. This is where I saw a different side of NYC and realized that I liked it. I really really like it. So Here we go…..

Top 5 Reasons

It’s New York City. I mean come on their slogan alone says it all. The city that never sleeps. The city where Broadway was born. The city where you can go to Chinatown, Little Italy, and everything in between all in one day.
Central Park. This is really what sold me on NYC. My first NYC Half Marathon in Central Park. That in the midst of this massive city is this massive park. It is amazingly beautiful!
The People. There are whole books written about them. Facebook Page dedicated to them. I even bought my former NYC living sister one of the books for Christmas (Humans of New York). Very cool book filled with all the types of people that you will meet at any given time in the City.
The amazing skyline – It is one that can really only be seen to be appreciated. The buildings are a site to see from the Empire State Building to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Stunning.
Last but not least. It is a City that hosts one of my Bucket List Items that I am working towards in 2015 for 2016. The New York City Marathon. The largest marathon in the world. A marathon that closes major bridges. A marathon that I hope to run one day.

Everyone should visit NYC at least once in their life. I am lucky to live just an hour away, so I can visit more often and this year I plan on spending a good deal of running time there too:)

What is your favorite city?

We All Need a Little Rest

Jan7

As the year starts to slowly begin, I am still pondering how to meet my goals for it and also how I can remain injury free. I think when you start running (or really anything) as a younger person, you don’t contemplate possible injuries as much as you do when you start in your 40’s. Life is really not as footloose and fancy free as it is when your younger and the thoughts of being sidelined by an injury does not creep in until you are older (not that I’m old). Besides the fact that as a mother of three and the Household Manager (fancy title isn’t it?), I really don’t have time to nurse a possible preventable injury.

Now when I say injury, I am not talking bad toe nail or such. I’m talking the type that will require rest, doctors, ect. Things that I don’t have time for. Things I started thinking about after my Marathon when my ankle developed some tenderness. Tenderness that I still notice now and then. I must remember that I am not that spring chicken that my mind things that I am.

Yes, that sucks.

As I’ve said before since starting this journey, I have never been good about the “Rest Day.” In the beginning, my Rest Day would consist of Crossfit. I will admit that Crossfit is NOT a rest day. I love it. I really do. I love adding on the weights and seeing how far I can push myself. But that is not a rest day especially if the WOD includes Box Jumps or running or any other things. Crossfit by design is meant to push your body to the limit. The more I read, the more I realize that my running rest day should be something that isn’t pushing myself with high impact exercises but something low impact.

There are many other things that I can do on my Rest Day’s. Things that give my joints a break. Things that I enjoy too.

Things that I could use for my Tri training too.

Swimming

Biking

also

Bikram Yoga

Even strength training, but maybe not at the intensity that Crossfit requires.

I’m struggling with this.

I haven’t been to Crossfit a lot recently.

I thought that I would jump back into it as I enjoy it,

BUT

I’m struggling to put a plan in place.

I’m struggling to realize that going may not be what I need to meet my goals.

The more I think about it,

the more I know the truth.

The sadder it makes me.

Kind of like saying by to a good friend that you know you won’t see for a while.

I guess this post is making me see what I need to do…..

Time to sign up for swim lessons again.

Time to get to Yoga again.

Time to give my body low impact rest days on rest days:)

Time to show off (not really) how much I can lift at YMCA.

I’ve already been told that I lift a lot for a girl.

Really:(

What is your go to “rest day” exercise?

The Accidentally Running Mama

Run, Bike, Swim and Have a Life!

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