Monday, March 31, 2008

My first Race, my first PR




We went to see Run Fat Boy Run last weekend and I was flooded with that feeling that they new exactly how I felt. First when the main character Dennis, played by the witty Simon Pegg, decides that running a marathon for charity might be his chance to win his ex-fiance back, all of his friends ask WHY? "Why would you want to run a marathon?" or "You know that's 26 miles, right?" His journey turns into fulfilling a promise and changing your life by not running away but towards a goal.

So familiar. Those questions. Over and over in my head, by some friends, by people who could care less if I did it or not. Why? Well I can't tell you why anyone else runs just me so here it goes.

I run for too many reasons to count so here are just a few. (1) it feels good to run. It feels good when you stop and it feels good in general to know I went out to run today and be a healthier fitter body (my secret desire to be HOT MOM). (2) I need a goal and need to finish that goal. (3) I wanted to set a good example to my kids about taking time for yourself to exercise and eat right. (4) my crazy best friend asked me if I wanted to run a marathon and I said yes. She apparently wanted to be talked out of it. TOO LATE NOW. (5) I needed to break up the time by setting small obtainable goals by enlisting in local shorter and progressively harder races before the CIM in December. I choose the Bidwell Classic as my jump off for a race. 13.1 miles here in my home town.

The class through Chico's Fleet Feet was wonderful. I can't tell you how much I miss all the friends I made. they moved on to the marathon training and another half and I just have too many commitments with the kids this spring to commit. I learned so much though. I learned about where I can push myself and where I need to rest. I learned a better way to eat and stay hydrated but most of all I got miles in. I did a half of a marathon. I finished and crossed that line 8 minutes and 21 seconds faster than my goal. I used the chip timing and that was really cool strapping it to your shoes and seeing the real 13.1 mile time.

I started out really fast... too fast for me and 13 miles. I had the first 6 miles in the bag at 9:28minute miles but then the congestion and sinus drainage kicked in and my head felt like it was flooding and overflowing. Between mile 10 and 11 I walked off and on since I was coughing like crazy and just couldn't catch my breath. I jogged the last 2.2 miles at a slow dragging pace. I really feel like the coughing sapped my energy. But I finished. and I know I can do better next time.

Races:

3/1/2008
Bidwell Classic (Chico, Ca)
Half Marathon (flat and fast 2 lap course)
Chip Time: 2:11:39

6/8/2008
Nike Women's Fitness Festival 5k
Sacramento, Ca
Goal: 30minutes


10/5/2008
Cowtown Half Marathon
13.1 miles
Sacramento, Ca
Goal:2:09:00


11/7/2008
Paul Reese Memorial Clarksburg Country Run
Clarksburg, Ca
20 miles
Goal:3:30:00

12/7/2008
California International Marathon
Folsom to Sacramento
26.2 miles
Goal 4:30:00

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Disneyland

I ran 11.5 miles the weekend before we went to Disneyland and it felt great. We adjusted the route but mainly stuck to the Bidwell Classic course. It felt so good. Kept a nice easy pace all the way through and finished in about 2hours 20 minutes.

Then we went to Disneyland. We left at 9am on February 10th and drove all the way there. 8 hours in the car. But it was worth it to get up the next morning and see the kids see Disneyland for the first time. Unfortunately I got bronchitis... bad. It was so bad in fact that I had to call our Doctor friend to call a script in for me for antibiotics and an inhaler. By Tuesday I was feeling on the mend and we had a great time with the Hass and Whilhelm families. The rest of the week flew by and the bronchitis held on by its teeth to all but disappear.

Running that week was out of the question but I did do some core work, gotta do something.

That next tuesday was speed workouts and they hurt. The problem was that my sinuses were still draining and I was still coughing. But I did them and survived. I ran 8 miles that weekend as we were tapering and I was thankful for the shorter runs to recuperate.