Cindi SLOW DOWN

My 3 mile run was 27:36! I was DRAGGED by my crazy little dog. She is so fast. The first half I spent the whole time pulling her in and the second half she was much better and stayed by my side unless she was chasing squirrels. I was productive and I think she's getting the hang of the leash (thanks to the chain) and finally got tired of choking herself. I was hoping that 3 miles would wear her out and keep her from chewing every thing in sight but no luck. during my shower she found a pair of ipod headphones (I hate them they don't fit in my ears) and Blondy thought they were his and went off in a fit because if he can't listen to his Video Killed the Radio Star the world would end.

So 3 miles today and I'm hoping for 3-4 miles on Thursday to bring in the new year the right way. Maybe the tree farm? Sounds good to me. Saturday starts the half marathon program but I'm going to stick to the transition miles into the marathon program even though I'm not doing a marathon this spring because I do better the longer I go... It takes me a while to warm up. LOL I will be so ready for that Shamrock'n in March for my birthday, so so so ready.

Chrismtas blessings

So thankful we are all together.

left to right, top then bottom: Hubby, Me Mom, Princess Nani, Daddy, Tyler, GI Bri , Hollywood, Blondy, JJ and Sista.

Blow Up

I totally have the COLD. It hit last night about 11pm. I wish I could say I really want to go for a run but all that on my mind right now is giong to buy some Adv*l Cold and Sinus. Although tomorrow I will take Cindi out for a stroll when the hubby gets home. I would love to get together with some running friends and hit the pavement or the trails for a little jog. Its on my mind and in my heart but the rest of my body? yea, not so into it.

When my head stops exploding with (sorry for the word visual) SNOT then maybe the rest of my body will follow in that running desire. You know what will make me feel better? A trip to the Fleet Feet to pay for my half marathon program. Yea I think thats it.

Running in Circles

I love the holidays but ... I don't like all the stress and the lack of time for taking care of that stress. I really, really, really need to go for a run but just don't see the time. The hubby is at work and we still have at least one family get together so tomorrow is out too. This makes me sad.
Upside... I see the light. January 3rd is the first day of the new half marathon program and I am SO going to be there, with bells on and a drop in athletic ability but hopefully not for long. Do you think a helping of Guitar Hero will make up for not running?

Back to running and to life

The computer was on the fritz again but I got a lot done in the off the computer time. Nearly all the Christmas presents are done and a few more stocking stuffers to go. Cindi is getting better every day and needs less of mommy freaking out and more of mommy guiding her. The boys are driving me a bit bonkers but this weather is not good for their little boy needs or running around and getting their energy out either.

Today I ran with the Hash House Harriers Chico group called the Flying Monkeys. Ill explain what I can of that on a later post since its all still so new to me but I look forward to meeting up and running with Ed and the gang again soon. Added bonus? Vicki and Liz ran today too. Another added bonus? Susan and Alan down at Fleet feet sent me a Christmas card with a little surprise in it! My second official Christmas present! Cindi is of course my first.

I ran about 6 miles today. Not sure of the pace since I want to take this month to run what I feel instead of looking at the numbers. I can run, not look at my watch, and wait til I get back to check it out. I'm an instant gratification kinda girl you know? We did get to stop when we were almost back to the start and ate at a cute little restaurant for brunch. Brunch with the running group, a good run, and I got to go to Paradise and visit with my Dad for his birthday and spend the evening with my sista, niece, nephews and BIL. I can't believe I haven't seen them since August!

On the table for this week? Kettlebells tomorrow night. Run on Tuesday (if Hubby gets back at a decent time), Christmas eve with the in-laws, Christmas morning with my little family, Christmas night with My extended family, Saturday with the whole crazy Riggins family. Crazy crazy crazy....

Ready to run again

I did a whole half mile today. WAHOO! I was afraid to take Cindi out on the streets so I stuck close to home today to see how it felt and to see how out of control she was, and it was FREAKIN' COLD TODAY! Yea, she's pretty crazy but I've had her on a leash at home so she goes with me everywhere and she's getting used to being on it and sticking close. I think tomorrow I'll take her in the car to the kettle bell information thingy at Fleet Feet and then to the park for a two mile run. See how she really does. My legs are getting itchy for some miles let me tell you. I'm ready and willing. I'm not sure if this will be an especially fast or slow couple of miles but I'll tell you when we get back (and after the hubby heads out hunting without the fat dog). I would invite others to run with us but it may be TOO embarrassing to watch me and Cindi working together for awhile .

Cindi Lu Who

My sweet new running partner. We picked her up at the shelter last night. She was a stray but not anymore. Her new forever home is here with us! I took her (umm... she took me) for a "jog" around the block this morning but when Gma comes to pick up the boys we are off to the park for a proper easy recovery run and to test out her manners. She has never been in a house that we know of. She was brought to the humane society as a young pup and was waiting patiently for a home. She is as sweet as can be took turns sleeping in each of our beds last night. Every time she came in from outside she had to check on us all and give us all kisses. Since she is NOT house trained, and didn't even know sit when she came, mommy has her work cut out for her.But this Aussie mix is a beauty (I think she has some pointer in her too) and a sweetie and her official name is Cinnamon Dulce Latte since she's spicy and sweet with a touch of cream. We call her Cindi Lou Who after the little girl on the Grinch.

I have already taught her consistently how to sit and we are working on lay down, stay, bed and outside. Her table manners are awful and I have to put her out when I'm cooking or the kids are eating for now. She's a pretty mellow pup considering she's only about 5 months old. We are blessed to have found each other. She was a perfect Christmas present.

This Journey has led me to you

I posted a little more about my feelings over at my other blog mostly because when I started this amazing journey my writings started over there. That's where my goals and aspirations started to set in the concrete so to speak. Thank you all for being so generous with your advise and wisdom. Without you today I might not be the MARATHONER I am. I have a lot to improve on but I'm good with that, just more goals to set, more bridges to cross and more frontiers to explore. On the upcoming agenda? A half mary to break an amazing PR. Who's in for my Birthday weekend (March 14th, 15th) in Sac? Let's do a little Shamrock'n!

California International Marathon report

WOW what a weekend. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to meet up with some of you. I love my purse... but my phone totally gets lost in there sometimes and with so many people squeezed into that room I had trouble finding it! I guess that means I'll have to do another run where all you guys are there right?


We (Liz, Vicki and I) took off around 10:30am to head to Sac and eat lunch, check out the expo, eat dinner as Lucca and be back to our very cute hotel room by a decent time. We did see a lot of our training program group about town and enjoyed the company of some of them at dinner. Liz, Vicki and I headed back to the hotel but stopped by a convenience room to grab some dessert (ice cream and donuts) and a quart of milk for Liz and my breakfast in the morning. We headed to bed, ate our desserts, watched the Guardian and turned off the lights just before 10pm.


I tossed and turned and worried about the race and my knee and whether I was doing the right thing or not. Finally the wake up call came even though it was about 10 minutes early. We took our time getting up and around and finally Liz decided she should eat something. She poured the milk into the container that had her cereal in it and thought it smelled kind of sweet, like strawberry milk. she tried a little more and decided she probably shouldn't eat it. Looking at the expiration date we realized that we grabbed milk that was a week over its sell by date. Good thing we had extra bagels and bananas. We got ready and headed out to meet the extraordinary line of buses that would take us to the start line.


We got there hit the pottys early and got in line in the 4:30 group. It was cold and it stayed cold. Vicki had given me one of those pacetats to wear with our times in mile and 5k increments to keep us on track. The first few miles were tough. My knee gave out on me several times and it hurt like the dickens. I was really starting to doubt myself and my ability to finish. My gloves came on and off as my body warmed up then cooled down again. By mile 5 I just hurt but no more giving out... those were the tedious miles. At mile 10 or so I had to stop for a quick potty break and it took me a long time to catch up, like almost 3 miles at 9:30 or faster pace on a sore leg. Vicki's hubby and In-laws were there waiting for us! They brought bananas for us and took jackets and sent us off for a great second half. Let me tell you having real food in my system really helped to curb that hunger that was inching up on me. I took some Advil just after the banana and by mile 15 my leg didn't hurt at all. I really don't think it was ALL the Advil but partly that it just takes a LONG time for my body to get warmed and loosened up.

Those last 11 mile sailed by. I was all smiles and feeling so good. At mile 18 or so we lost Liz but she had the rest of her Relay team to hang with so we felt OK taking off and pushing those last few miles. At mile 20 I had this surge of endorphins from the knowledge that we were in uncharted territory. Vicki and I were running our FIRST marathon ever and that elation was showing through. My hubby and the boys met us at mile 21 and again at mile 26. That really helped me push through to the end. We were making great time and by mile 25 my energy stores were pretty tapped. I just thought... I have to stay with Vicki for that last mile. The tears welled up on several occasions on those last few miles but didn't fall. When we made the last corner and I took inventory of my body... nothing really hurt, not my feet, legs, hips, back, head, arms... nothing. I really just felt exhaustion. I just kept saying "Wow...." over and over again. Crossing that finish line was amazing though. Just like in Clarksburg Vicki came in a second a head of me! YEAH VICKI! My time was 4hours 26 minutes and 15 seconds. thats 3 minutes and 45 seconds faster than my projected time. I was so tired that I couldn't even cry. I felt feelings I had never felt before and that I can't even describe. WOW...

Me, Vicki and Liz post race

We met Terry by the capitol and checked to see how he was doing, he took 20 minutes off his last marathon! He and his wife headed around the post race party so we went up to meet with the family and then back to catch up with Liz and her relay team who ran in with her. We met up with Vicki's hubby and in-laws too. We got pictures and celebrated together before heading back to the hotel to clean up.



We had a 2pm check out for the marathon runners. When we got to the hotel apparently our key didn't work because it had gotten too cold. Management sent up someone to open and give us the new key and they also sent up two big ziplock bags of ice for us. What a great place to stay! We took turns taking showers, icing and rolling with the foam roller. I took the first shower but my poor lips were blue from the cold. After a 10 minute shower at as hot as I possibly could I was "less blue". We all cleaned up and headed out for lunch at a Mexican restaurant then came home. The kiddos stayed with a friend so we could head for Sierra Nevada for appetizers and met with many of the fleet feet group who ran. It was fun finding out who did well. It seemed that everyone did well and most reached PR's.



January 3rd starts the half marathon program for the Shamrock'n in Sac and I can't wait!

On the Road

Well this is my last post before my first marathon. Tomorrow morning I head out with my friends for Sacramento to attend the CIM. I'm excited and nervous. I'm anxious and exhilarated. I'm worried and I'm elated. So many emotions that its almost to the point that I need to step back and examine them from a fresh perspective because it all seems like a daze, or a mirage or a hallucination. So we will see how I feel Sunday. I will try to get on and give out a race report ASAP but with the hubby home on bereavement because he lost his Grandpa Mike this last week, its hard to find the time to get on and type.

I hope to see some of you Bloggers over at the EXPO! GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE RACING THIS WEEKEND!!!!

Tuesday

On the agenda for this Tuesday is various important matters to attend to.

first of all chocolate chip cookie dough from Papa Murphy's is clearly not for baking but for eating with a spoon out of the tub. Don't forget that. Cookies are nice, Cookie Dough is better. I need to get carbs in this week right.

Second thing is that Tonight is Biggest Loser. Don't forget. My friends down at Fleet Feet don't even know who Jillian is! Aren't you appalled! They asked what "The Biggest Loser" was. I know, I know, I feel for them too. BUT tonight we are having our LAST meeting before the marathon and there is NO run tonight. We are supposed to run tomorrow but I can't remember how far. I think I will do it for time not distance, and do some 2 to 3 minute pickups dispersed in the middle. Sounds good to me. BUT that leaves time for me to get the kiddos in bed tonight so I can cuddle up with some peppermint ice cream and watch Michelle and Renee kick VICKI and HEBA and ED's butts. that's what I'm hoping for anyway.

third is that my leg is feeling so good that I'm having phantom pains elsewhere in mental preparation for Sunday. Isn't that great! I'm still icing and rolling and rolling and icing and stretching and S-T-R-E-T-C-H-I-N-G some more but I feel good and don't want to loose that, ya know?

So that's my day! Pizza for dinner since Hannah is coming to take over kiddo duty while I'm at my meting, ice cream for dessert, cookie dough for lunch and my after school snack is a big old bowl of broccoli salad. YUMM-O! I did have some fruit salad and a chai tea for breakfast so I'm not doing too bad. I'll be better for the rest of the week though. OHHH tonight I need to buy enough GU and Luna Moons to get me through the marathon and some gloves since its going to be cold cold cold Sunday morning!

Tale of the Cursed Nikes

Ya'll know I run with the Fleet Feet Marathon Training group right? Well let me tell you that the owners of this fine establishment ROCK! Not only are they the ONLY running store locally but they have the BEST business practices around.

My Nikes are cursed... I discussed this with you guys on my last post and may of you (thanks guys) gave your input and were pretty spot on. Since I've bought the Nikes (like 3 weeks or so ago) my foot tends to roll out on any uneven and even some even surfaces. Its been doing that so much that ***ding ding ding*** my ITBand got a bit pissed and started acting up.It went from acting up to hurting like hell. I have been icing and rolling like crazy and my 10 mile run yesterday was almost perfect. I went back to my trusty Brooks (that are OK but not great) since they only have 200 or so miles on them and put my new Super Feet in them. I used the ITBand wrap that really seems to work and then jumped into the FREEZING COLD CREEK but that only lasted about two minutes before we couldn't stand it any more.

I got an email from Alan at Fleet feet (he's also our lead coach for the marathon program) and he asked me to stop by and bring in my shoes. He also said if I didn't feel up to it I should pass on the CIM and try the Redding marathon in January. That really disappointed me... it made me think I shouldn't even try this weekend. But since I'm feeling so much better...! I will keep icing. I will see my chiropractor to see if an adjustment is in order before the race. I will continue to ice and roll on the trusty foam roller.

I headed to Fleet feet with the hubby and kids in tow and talked to Alan. He checked out the shoes and we talked about them. He offered to trade them out for equivalent (not Nikes) shoes but I passed. I said I would use these for everyday run around town shoes and get some new ones after the marathon since it was too late to brake new ones in anyway. But the offer was great and Alan and Susan are Great and I'm so glad I'm part of this running community, on line and in this wonderful little town. How lucky am I? Well I guess we'll see on Sunday when I finish my race. I did change my goal from 4:20 to just finishing. Hard to change that in my head though you know?