First (non-official) 5K race today

Sometimes I run with the Chico Running club on Wednesday nights (sometimes actually meaning ... once. lol) and so I was put on the Wednesday night list of those to email about the 5K they put on for the No Boundaries 5K training class they held. I, being invited to a FREE 5K, of course said. "HELL YA! See you there suckers!" I'm bad I know. Most of these people didn't start running at all until 8 weeks ago and there I am all "i ran a half marathon 3 months ago" on them. Actually I said that in my head because I didn't want to say it and then do AWFUL and them wonder what the hell was wrong with me. Ya know.

My "in my head" goal was -30 minutes.... or 29minutes 59.9seconds. That was going faster than 10 minutes a mile with that extra little 0.1 mile in the 5K. I thought I started out too fast. 4 guys passed me right off the get go. A older lady (WAY OLDER THAN ME) and her teenage daughter passed me. A guy with his dog passed me then a gal with tunes in her ears passed me. I think that was it though. I think I came in 9th or 10th. (side note: when I told Sista about this she said, "out of 10 or 11?" Bitch. ) There were 30+ maybe even 50 people there. Hard to tell the watchers from the runners. There were 4 gals (the walking Divas) out there walking the distance. Anyway I started out a little too strong but stayed firm in my efforts. I was wondering at the bridge (a little more than half way) where the end was. This does not bode well for the half and full marathons I will be running (with apparently no tunes in my ears) in just a few months. I stayed at the pace til I hit the overpass on the way back as I ran under it I picked up the pace a bit. That 1/3 of a mile were killer on my lungs. When I crossed the Dam(n) Bridge at the creek I pushed it into high gear and finished strong. I was surprised by my numbers. I'm not sure what they showed but my watch showed 28:49. So a minute 10 less than I had hoped. I could have pushed harder but the first Official 5k is next weekend and I didn't want to hurt myself. lol

Still no stinkin' Garmin and the rest of my day

I have been waiting (rather impatiently) for my Garmin Forerunner 405 for WEEKS! I am not kidding. I was hoping to have it by Mother's Day... its still not in. Well they haven't called me anyway and Alan promised I would be the first since I have been the only one calling like 6 times to see if and when its going to be in. I'm getting frustrated. I wanted to take it for a run before my 5K next weekend. I was hoping to play with it at the Fun Run 5K this weekend. I just want to play with it. URGGGHHHHHH!

On a high note I was supposed to run with Laura yesterday but she got off work late so she invited me to run with the Girls only 6miles at 6pm group that is forming. I met a new gal-Danielle and I already knew Tracey and Max so that made 4 of us for the run. We went running in places I have always been too scared to run, right along the creek on Yahi trail then on the other side of the creek where I had never been before. It was amazing and beautiful and although I don't have a heart monitor because, you guessed it... I don't have my GARMIN 405, I couldn't tell what zone I was in. I was a little beyond talking ability and I was hanging out at the back not doing my part in leading the group. I almost felt guilty but I did not feel strong enough with where I was or how fast I could go to actually hang out in front. I played the part of the guest last night but had a great time. I kind of regret signing up for the 10K program since they run on Tuesday nights. That and my husband doesn't have one of those predictable 8-5 jobs these girls husbands do (or in Laura's case no man at all in her life).

I proceeded to get up a million (or so) times for the bratty black lab doggie who had to go potty every half hour last night then got up at 5:30... or 6am to run two miles with Laura this morning. At noon I met Good Neighbor in the park for a nice 5.8 mile loop walk. Started out pretty s-l-o-w but we caught our grove and moved more quickly as the walk moved on. I love my Mizuno Wave 4's but bought a pair of Brooks that I need to desperately try out. I'm just nervous because I haven't bought anything different in a long time. We will see.

I rode my bike (pulling Blondy with me on the tandem he doesn't help me with) to school to drop off Hollywood this morning then again to the Hass house to pick up Hollywood from a play date then to PV pool for swim then home. I figure I did about 7 miles today. Why can't http://www.buckeyeoutdoors.com/ manage to calculate the added calories I burn for pulling an extra 80lbs around on my bike. That would be nice wouldn't it?

Hubby stuck his finger with a fishing hook. And it stuck. And now he's at our friend, the surgeon's office getting it taken out. Nice hu? So I'm going to take fishing away from him now. Just kidding. He is actually not so much into fishing as he is into hunting so this winter is going to be interesting when I want to train. At least the Marathon is the beginning of Duck and Goose season and a month and a half after Elk and Deer seasons. Lucky me.

You want me to do what?

Running has been a bit beyond me these last few weeks. I've been fighting some fatigue do to insomnia and hubby's schedule hasn't been conducive with what I feel I need or want to do. I have been getting in some decent walks though.

I got an email from Susie at our local Fleet Feet this week. Those of us who are running on Wednesday nights were invited to participate in a 5K fun run that was set up for those finishing up the No Boundaries 5K training. I'm a go! My big hope is that my Garmin Forerunner 405 is in before I can play with it before the Nike women's fitness festival 5K the next weekend.

Today I got an IM from my running buddy for a Girls Night Run in upper park... meeting for 6 at 6. Sounds good to me. I don't know how slow I've gotten. I was able to do 6miles in about 56 minutes a few months ago but I haven't run that far in a very long time. I guess we'll see.

There is less than 50 days til my SF Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Did I tell you my fundraising is in high gear? I have over $2000 from the bunco game that I'm sorting and filling out the necessary paperwork to send in and qualify for and my MIL is throwing a yard sale fund raiser for me that will hopefully net $500 plus towards my LA walk. I still need to sign up for LA but with nearly $1000 towards that goal I should be doing pretty well. I do have some other businesses to beg for money from to qualify my $1800 minimum. I have to say that this year has definitely been the most rewarding so far in my quest to help others who cannot provide themselves with needed health care while they are undergoing Breast Cancer treatment. I am so thankful for the supportive family I have....

but I am not looking forward to those SF hills again. LOL

matters of the stomach

I go back and forth on eating really healthy. Most of the time it depends more on if I want to go to the grocery store for the third time this week since we ran out of milk and cereal again. But most of the time I would rather just eat us out of house and home before spending money on gas (at $4 a gallon... ouch!). I'm trying really hard to limit my milk consumption. I find that my tummy tolerates more when I don't drink milk. I do have a tendency to drink it in my tea though. I have, do to GI issues and consequently a borderline wheat intolerance, forgone all bread, pasta and most cereals. Mostly whole wheat is what drives my body to hives and tummy issues but I just find that I feel better, and happy, overall with what my body is telling me I am a more successful person with these things out of my life.

I do get tired of eating the same things over and over again. I have the most problems with breakfast. What do you guys eat that does not involve cereal or bread? I miss this meal more than any other mostly because of prep time. I mean... most of the time it does not exist. i just cannot bring myself to eat oatmeal (my winter favorite) in the summer. I literally gag.

I just need some ideas to get me started again. I like so little food that if it takes too long to prep or cook than I have, then I just don't eat. Bad I know. If I truly want to do a marathon in December than I had better get my nutrition in check.

What do you guys eat or drink before during and after races? I'm not so worried about 5K or 10K but definitely worried about half or full marathon training and racing. I really would appreciate your input! Thank you.

exercise girl

That's an order. Hubby bought me one of those ride along additions to my bike to essentially make my bike a tandem to add Blondy (my 6 year old son) on the back for trips to school and back. Since he's in Kindergarten at the moment. I'm able to take Hollywood (oh so the drama king my 7 almost 8 year old son is) too and from school =3.7miles and then do it again 3 hours later for the little guy.Today I din't just ride home though. I rode to the park to meet Good Neighbor/Good friend for a 5.5mile walk. Got on my bike and rode back to school and then rode home. My lower body is going to rock. Gotta get motivated to work on the upper body soon. I don't want to look disportionate. :D

I've been so bad about eating. I drank a ton of water this morning (about 56 oz so far today) and a small Gatorade but just now sat down to eat something. I chose.... berry pie left over from Blondy's birtday party yesterday, 8 huge pieces of watermelon, two big slices of Pineapple and a serving of orange sherbert/vanilla ice cream. Tonight is another baseball game. Not sure what I'm going to do for the kids for dinner yet. I should probably get on that.

My first Running club run

I haven't run with the Fleet Feet group since my half marathon March 1st. I was sad that many of them moved onto another half or the full marathon class and I stayed behind due to scheduling conflicts with the hubby and chillins. I missed running with them A LOT. I didn't realize so much how I missed these motivational runs. Its so hard to put speed work into your routine when you are running by yourself. Tonight although I ran with the group my heart rate stayed higher and I ran farther than I had been. Nice slow warm up, some stretching that out I went. I got to talk to some new people, Linda who has been running for a long time. She did the Napa to Sonoma run last year and I am so jealous. Liz who works with my mom and is totally a better athlete than me. I'm OK with that. Its only been a week and a half since her first marathon and she rocked the house even with a sore knee. I hope she runs the CIM with us in December. Heather who is new to running. She is so sweet and she runs more my speed.... I don't want to say slow because its just that everyone else is FAST so I'll say that we run normal human speed. Hows that? There were several others also. I think Alan, owner of our local Fleet Feet is tired of my begging for my green Garmin Forerunner 4o5 wrist watch. He said I have been the only one to ask like 4 times. LOL. I am really excited and don't want to have to wait a moment longer than I have to. I have never used a heart monitor so that will be interesting.

The weather was so hot. We left the store for our run and it was a nice cool 92 degrees in the shade. We took it easy to the park where we stretched and got the group together. Alan led us around the path out about half of an hour. We made it to the bridge with my heart pounding and having to concentrate really hard on speaking. On the way back we hit a wall of Humidity. YUCK! We made it back all wet and sticky but that was the longest run I've done in a while. I really pushed my boundaries since I haven't been running consistently fast or for that distance for a long time. I hope to run with them again next week.

I have so much to tell you

and absolutely no time to actually sit here and type. I did want to send out a shout out to my Aunt Sandy for organizing such a wonderful fundraiser and my mom and all my aunt's friends for all of their help. They raised over $2000 for me in one afternoon. You gals rock! Happy Belated Mother's day to EVERY mama out there. I had a great one and I'll fill you in on that later too. Got lots of thank you cards to do and still need to go running so I promise to update you ASAP.

p.s. sorry about the duplicate post for those of you who read more than one of my blogs. I just wanted to cover you all sufficiantly so you didn't think I fell off the face of the Earth or something.

I know, I know

I'm not running nearly as much as I should. Actually this week has been on hold for running due to way too much OVER SCHEDULING on all of our parts. Hollywood has a big field trip up to Shasta Caverns tomorrow and although I shouldn't go because I have way too much do to I'm going anyway. We leave at 7am. Blondy is going to Gma and Gpas for the night and they will cover the whole get him to school on time thing. Hubby is in his big module 5 testing phase and has been spending his extra time down in Vville studying for his test. So all my "extra" time has been running around getting sponsors and donations for gifts for the big bunco party this weekend.

My wonderful Aunt Sandy, her friends and my mom are throwing me this wonderful Bunco party for like ... 48 ladies this weekend! Last year we had about 28 I think and we made an amazing amount of money, like $1400, for my Avon Walk for Breast Cancer I do in support of my MIL a survivor and anyone else who is fighting, surviving on living in loved ones memories from BC. We have to raise a requirement of $1800 to walk 26.2 miles on Saturday and 13.1miles on Sunday. Anyway I have gifts and food and decorations and tables and chairs and ...... way too much to do between now and then. I know I would feel better if I could just get out for a half hour run. A half hour run turns into 45 minutes then the shower and extra load of laundry because I cannot let my sports bras and work out clothing to sit. then I have to do my hair again because the only time to run is middle of the day while Blondy is at school (afternoon kindergarten) and gosh... it just ain't gonna happen. Saturday I'm hoping to get up early and go for a 6 mile run. We will see. I'm packing my running gear just in case.

I'll give you an update when I get home. I probably wont get the chance to update between now and then. I'm going to make a half-assed attempt to run with the Chico Running club tonight.

How do you make friend?

I join virtual groups. I have real face to face friends too but its so easy to team up with a group of people who have the same ideas, goals and dreams that you do with a group like What's a few miles among friends? They have graciously added me to their group. We set goals to run a cumulative # of miles each month and check in on Mondays with those totals. We can also be bloggers on that site if we wish to add anything or report anything interesting. As well as that we may get some traffic through my site. My friends who are runners are the only ones tolerant of my newest/healthiest obsession so my friends and family who do not run for fun don't really lurk amongst my posts like they do on my other (uhem... 6! yikes) blogs.

So this new running group seems so sweet and have welcomed me with open keyboards with virtual hugs to their domain. Shoot on over there to see whats going on. Some of them are participating in the VERY FIRST Breast cancer MARATHON! its called Run with Donna 26.2 and it takes place in Florida in February. Anyone who needs a late winter marathon fill please check here. I'm hoping for a 2010 race here but we will see. That's a long way from California.

So here's a shout out to my Mates! Thank you for letting me join this very cool running club! I definitely keeps me wanting to get out there and run so I can post my progress with you all. 5 miles tomorrow morning for my weekend run since my hubby will be at work all weekend and I have no childcare. =(

Spinner

I jumped into a spin class yesterday. It was hard. REAlLY HARD. I run because I have no coordination. I didn't know it took coordination to ride a stationary bike. Well I guess it doesnt but I kept having to remind myself to keep my back straight and not hunch over. Today I am so sore but since that was my first spin class in like a year I guess I shouldn't be disappointed since I kinda liked it and I loveed the instructor. I will try to make it there on Mondays and Wednesdays if I can for some cross training. 55 minutes aint bad for the new girl. I just need a real bike now.