Renee High

My new blog site

2011-07-10T10:18:00.000-07:00

Read my new post on www.reneehigh.com

Weekend Running Report

2011-06-26T18:22:00.000-07:00

So this weekend was a great running weekend. A wonderful start to picking up where I left off weeks ago. Cardiovascular wise I am still in great shape. I had no problems convincing my physical therapist Lucas that I was up for the 8 mile run on Saturday with Coach and the rest of the BDP clan and of course my good friend Kelley Taylor. He agreed and so on Saturday I ran!
Saturday morning was a beautiful, warm summer morning. I showed up right on time and the whole crew was already gathered. We set off at different times and slightly different paces but that didn't really matter b/c it was easy to feel camaraderie between us all.
I had a blast running down the trail with Kelley and we soon found ourselves running 7:10's with no issues and the best part...my knee was holding up. My stride was in full swing and I felt very comfortable. The trail looked better than usual and I was quickly reminded why I love running so much....especially with a wonderful friend (and even though she's been gone, the love is still there).
Then it was off to yoga to practice my headstands (love them!). I'm improving in my yoga as well.
Sunday was a work day but I didn't let that stop me from getting in another 8 mile run.
Ran with Andy (while he biked beside me...what a wonderful guy). Another great run and I had to hold myself back when I realized I had increased the pace to a nice, steady 6:35 pace. I admit that I did hold it for a while and only backed off b/c I didn't want to hurt my knee. Oops. Then it was 30 mins on the bike and then another quick yoga session.
Crazy busy but I feel good and I'm going to sleep well tonight.
It's really great to have Kelley back.
It was awesome to see all of my BDP friends b/c I do miss them so much.
And it's great to have running back.

Now on Tuesday I get my second injection of Synvisc and it will be another 48 hours of no running but I'm anticipating feeling even better after the 2nd injection. Of course, I'm afraid it's going to hurt even more then 2nd time b/c I still have a pretty bad bruise from the first shot and he's going to inject the same area again......so I'm a little anxious again.

Advice

2011-06-21T08:36:00.000-07:00

So I want to go back to school. Registered Dietitian. I already have a degree BSN so from what I understand I can go back to school and just take the necessary classes to sit for the exam. Lots of people think I'm crazy and that I should stick to nursing or further my education in nursing. That's really not where I want to be in 20 years.
I eventually want to work for myself.
I also want to find the time to study yoga more in depth. Any advice?

Synvis 1

2011-06-21T07:57:00.000-07:00

Today was a special day for many reasons. I had my first post France run with Kelley (Taylor) and I had my first injection of Synvisc into my knee. Kelley held my hand which was awesome.
First the next 48 hours no running but I can bike and swim. No hard impact just b/c of the pain that comes with having a needle pushed into your knee joint.
I'm very confident that this is all going very well. Today I had an awesome 5 mile run with Kelley and there was no pain and we kept up a pretty pace.
Let's just say......I'm not far from being my ole self.

Knee Update

2011-06-15T14:20:00.001-07:00

Hey guys,
Just wanted to give an update on my knee. It's actually doing very well. I'm back to running. Today I ran 5 miles at a 730 pace. This is very good for me. I've been running 4-5 miles a day at an 8 minute pace so today was the fastest I've gone in a while. Yay for me!

I've been going to physical therapy for a week now. We are working on increasing the muscle strength in my left leg. The idea is to build up the muscles in the patella and created a medial patella pull. This changes the tracking of the knee joint while I run. We've been taping the knee and I've had great success so we are going in the right direction. I will have my first Synvisc injection next Tuesday and then will continue to have 2 more in the following 2 weeks.
I'm really excited about how well things are going. Thanks for all the good wishes.

A taped knee is a good knee indeed

2011-06-10T17:19:00.000-07:00

So today was another big day for me. I ran 4 miles this morning at an 8 minute pace. No pain and no swelling. Very cool, huh. I'm very happy. According to my therapist Lucas, I need to keep the pace and distance during the weekend. I can increase my distance hopefully after Monday's visit with him. Although we are increasing distance before speed is increased. It's odd but my muscles are sore a little from the running.
I saw Dr. Donato again, he's the ortho doc that I'm seeing, but this time it was at work. When he saw me he asked me if I still hated him. I laughed and I told him that after I saw him I did have a hard time taking in the information and I sat in the car and cried for a while. It was amazing how much more gentler he was during this conversation. Maybe it's me and my attitude. IDK.
Anyway, I can't tell you how much better I feel just after a few visits with my physical therapist and talking to other doctors. Dr. Donato said that I may never forget which knee had the pain it but I'll be back to training soon.
So tomorrow...a nice easy 4 mile run and then a kick ass swim with Bryan Ruff.
Things are looking up.

I went for a run today...here's what happened

2011-06-08T14:35:00.000-07:00

So today was all about being proactive and taking care of business. I had a physical therapy appointment with Atlantic Physical Therapy. They have always been wonderful to me and really understand how important running is to me. Lucas (my PT) was completely supportive and positive. He discussed lots of options and how treatment plan. Basically we need to strengthen the entire leg so it's going to require work and commitment on my part. Not a problem.
And then there is the tape option. He taped my knee today and there was some improvement in my pain for my knee. Now I'm not sure if it was the time off or the tape...I'm hoping it was the tape so I can keep using it and keep running.
I went for an easy 4 mile run today. 8 minute miles is slow for me but I was happy to be out there. But since most of you know me pretty well, what I also love about running is being competitive and fast. Otherwise, and I hate to say it but I don't feel the same love.
Also, I'm getting a second opinion tomorrow from a Pain Management and Rehab Sports Medicine doctor tomorrow. I don't expect a miracle but I have a hard time believing that in this day and age when people can run with bionic legs and can live off of a fake heart that there isn't more options out there.
Anyway that's my little update on whats going on physically.
Otherwise, I'm very frustrated with my little ability to run and be as active as I want to be. If I have one more person act surprise that I have osteoarthritis and say ("at your age...oh my goodness) I might just go off. I'm trying to hard to be patient but it's not what I'm known for.
I do appreciate all the positive thoughts that you guys have sent my way. I appreciate and love you guys a ton.
Now I'm off to ride the damn trainer and take my glucosamine and Naproxen. haha

And the Doctor says....

2011-06-07T18:00:00.000-07:00

The good news is that my diagnosis is Osteoarthritis
The bad news is that there really isn't any real fix for this pain diagnosis. Just pain management. My ortho doc wasn't as optimistic as Dr. Bresnahan was to me.
Plan in Action
1. I already take Glucosamine
2. Shark cartilage? Cat's claw bark?

3. Physical therapy, taping
4. Orthotics
5. New shoes...Newtons?
6. Dr. B visits
7. naproxen every day BIS
8, Synvisc shots
The Synvisc shots act as a cushion between the joints. It's temporary and it only works 6/10 patients. Here's hoping.
I'm going to be very honest with you guys about how I felt and how I still feel.
When the doc was talking to me I wanted to cry. I was angry. He acted as if there was nothing I could do. That if I had any sense at all...I should stop running. I didn't cry in front of him. I waited until I was in the elevator. I put on my glasses and walked to my car. I sat in the car and cried until I felt better.
Then I got angry. Who the fuck did he think he was to sit there and judge me? I have a runner girl tattoo on my hip?! Imagine a girl who as a runner tattoo but can't run...should I put her on crutches? I can do anything. I can withstand this pain if need be. I just can't imagine that in this time there's nothing to be done.
Now I'm in denial. (If anyone else wants to join me then they are welcome). According to Dr B, I've had this condition for a while I'm just in a flare up right now and it will be managed.
So tomorrow I have an appt with Andy Altman and I'm going to go for a run.

MRI results -It's not pretty

2011-06-06T16:37:00.000-07:00

1. Mild joint effusion (not too bad)
2. A full thickness chondral lession approximate 15x9mm (I'm screwed)
3. Small Medical meniscal peripheral interior corner tear, posterior body (not too bad, again)
4. No lateral meniscal or ligament tear is identified
5. No stress fracture is identified

So what does this mean....I haven't spoken to my ortho doc....I just got the report from the radiologist and I know enough to freak myself out and to be a pain in the ass. From what I've read a chondral lesion (at least the full thickness huge ass lesion that I have...from what I've read this lesion is large) does require some arthroscopic surgery. Not cool at all and no amount of glucosamine will help this. I do take it but it's not going to help now.
From what I can see..b/c I demand high impact from my knee what they suggest is debridement and then repair. Repair can be done several ways but one method is to replace the cartilage with new cartilage (hyaline cartilage).
So, I think I should prepare myself for the long haul here.

The bad news

2011-05-31T08:18:00.000-07:00

So I just got back from the doctor. The xray showed some arthritis and nothing really else. So for now.........no running at all. And an MRI. I'm really sad about the no running. I'm a running junkie. But for now, it looks as if I need to focus on some other activities. Riding my bike and swimming. These aren't activities that I normally look forward to but I really have no option right now. Maybe if I find some a goal or a race to look forward to..some bike event maybe that will help.

Doc appt....keep your fingers crossed

2011-05-30T18:49:00.000-07:00

I have a doctor appt tomorrow with an orthopedic surgeon...here's hoping that he figures out whats going on with my knee. Keep your fingers crossed please! I'll let you guys know as soon as I know.

Staying busy

2011-05-20T08:37:00.000-07:00

So my knee has been swollen for a couple of days. I started back with yoga. I joined the studio Oceanfront yoga. They are literally 10 feet from my apartment. And today will be day 2 of no running. I'm lucky that I have a road bike and a trainer that I can set up in my living room and get a workout in at any time..........but I'm a runner not a cyclist so it's driving me a little crazy. I enjoy cycling but I hate that I have to depend on it for a workout. It doesn't feel as good as running does. I'm trying to stay strong and dedicated to my resolve of taking a couple of days off to get my knee better.
I think the knee thing is my own stupid fault. I think doing some hill repeats really bummed my knee. Actually, if you are familiar with muscles in the legs........the peronous muscles on my left leg were really tight and hurtful. I think I just hurt my leg b/c of that.
Anyway, I came up with a creative way to work out. I did 3 sets of 30 minutes on the bike and then I lifted weights and did abs in between each set.
I then baked for like 4 hours to keep myself entertained. So, I'm staying busy.

My knee

2011-05-19T09:23:00.000-07:00

Okay so my knee has been swollen for a couple of days. Well, since last Thursday so it's been a week now. I've seen my doctor....Dr. Don. I've been icing like crazy. I've been able to run but only about 8 or so miles and I have to run at an easy pace. When I'm done, I immediately have to ice again. This morning I spent 90 mins on my trainer and I lifted weights. I want to run this evening. I know I can run easy and ice and I can deal with the pain. But there's a part of me that says I should not run. What should I do?

Words into Actions

2011-05-18T11:50:00.000-07:00

Today was a day all about action...putting my words into action.
I've always loved Yoga but I have a hard time going. Sometimes it's b/c I lose interest in an hour class or I don't want to drive but I've found an amazing place. Actually I've lived beside it for a year but I just started there recently. Oceanfront Yoga. It was wonderful. The room wasn't overcrowded with too many people. The instructor Emily was amazing. The view from the room was the best ever. It's an unobstructed view of the ocean. Truly beautiful...I loved doing yoga with a view of the ocean.

Also, today I had lunch with the owner of Norfolk's Fitness Together. There will be some interesting plans developing later. I will keep you posted

Taking Care of Myself

2011-05-17T14:04:00.001-07:00

So I'm someone who hates stretching. I'm inconsistent at best and I only stretch about 2-3 times a week for about 15 minutes. I really do believe I need to stretch everyday b/c this would make me a better runner..... not to mention just someone who overall is just in better shape period. But how in the world do I make myself do this.............
I need a stretching buddy! Just like I have people who run with me, I need someone who stretches with me. Who at least someone who calls me and says "Hey Renee, um did you stretch today?" I know lots of people say they stretch while they watch television. Well, I don't watch that much tv but I guess I could do that.
1. Must stretch when television is on!
When I do get on the floor to stretch my puppies believe it is play time. I guess when I'm on the floor I'm in their territory now. It's a free for all anytime I get down on the floor to stretch. I try to pretend it's puppy play time and that they are trying to help me. Although it can be hard to stretch when you have a puppy on your back.
2. Stretch after every run.
I've done this in the past. Even cutting runs short so I can stretch if I'm running out of time. This works best if it's the Tuesday/Thursday/or even Saturday run.

So what do you guys do?

Rejection?

2011-04-28T16:43:00.000-07:00

So my last post was about rejection and the rejection that I've been dealing with lately. The rejection I've been dealing with has to do with my work life. I currently work in a job that I'm not entirely happy about. My work is very stressful and it's leaves me feeling drained and often so stressed out that I 'm not very happy when I get home.
I've been doing some soul searching trying to figure out what I'm doing with my life. I know people who are off traveling the world and enjoying life but I'm still here stuck in a rut. I'm stuck somwhere between wanting to be free to live my life my way and car payments, school loans, health insurance and all the other bullshit. Figuring out a way to be happy.
So I've been looking around and I've had to deal with some rejections. I don't like rejection and I hate when things don't go my way. So, every time I get knocked down it's harder to get back up. That's all.

The Power of Rejection

2011-04-27T10:09:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I'm not sure how much rejection a person must take in life. I grew up knowing that not everyone's dreams come true and that's just how it is. And last night Andy told me that Life is about rejection and I thought "how horrible is that".

But I've always thought my dreams would come true. Day after day I work at them and I've always tried to do the right things during my life but still somehow I still deal with daily disappointments and rejection. So I ask you when is it too much? How much rejection can one person take?

Don't work too hard..........It might kill you

2011-04-09T17:24:00.000-07:00

A study released on April 5, 2011 says that if you work more than 11 hours a day it could kill you.
Basically those who work more than 11 hours a day have a higher risk for heart disease and are more prone to heart attacks. I've attached a link to the article.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/05/work-long-hours-heart-disease_n_844885.html

I've always thought that we (most Americans) work too hard and don't take care of themselves. I see these people everyday at work. (I also work with these people -nurses and doctor tend to work way 10-12 hours a day). People who depend on medications way too much and who have never taken care of themselves. I've always lived my life putting my health first and taking care of my body both through exercise and nutrition. I don't think it takes a research article and years of studying a group of people to realize that working yourself to hard is literally working yourself to death but I am glad to see the research.
I've always wondered why doctors and nurses (people who know what inactivity) tend to be so unhealthy and I've realized that it's b/c of the long working hours and the physical difficulty of the job)
Just goes to show I'm right in living my life the way I've chosen to live. We have to realize that we need to take care of ourselves in order to not be a burden on the healthcare system ortherwise.............who knows where healthcare will be by the time we're (I'm) old.

A letter to my thighs and glutes

2011-04-07T05:33:00.000-07:00

Dear thighs and glutes.
I know that yesterday I did something horrible to you. I went to a bootcamp class where they made you do lunges and squats repeatedly. And now you must pay for it. You are so sore and stiff I can barely move you guys. It hurts to walk and to sit down. It's 0830 and I still haven't taken the dogs for a walk because I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to walk them. I'm so sorry.
The worst part is........I have a tempo run tonight from Final Kick and I feel that this is really going to hurt. And then, I hate to break the news to you but we have another class tomorrow morning. I have no idea how we will get through this but we will try.
In one of those life is unfair bits Andy walked out of here this morning without even a wince. I wonder if he is hurting as much as we are.
Once again, I am sorry but we will get through this. We are strong! We have the legs of a champion. Thank you for all that you do.

Love, Renee

Even if it kills you.........

2011-04-06T10:01:00.001-07:00

For me, it's very important to support those who are important to you in life. So this morning I got up really early 0450 and went to a bootcamp class with Andy. I know how important it is to me to have someone to run with so I can understand needing someone to go to an exercise class with him. Especially if you don't know anyone and it's your first class.
So.........this morning I did more lunges, squats, burpees, and mountain climbers than I've ever done before. My glutes are gonna hurt like hell tomorrow morning. They are already kinda stiff. Then I went for my own workout this morning after that. A nice run with Dai and Mike........then they tried to kick my butt.
So now I'm exhausted and I think I need a nap. OMG
But hey, what doesn't kill me will only make me stronger.

The one about Pat B and Dai R

2011-04-02T10:07:00.001-07:00

So today I am one week out from my last marathon. Probably dealing with a little post race blues. It's always hard to figure out the perfect balance between recovering after a marathon race and just being lazy. LOL. Today I ran 10 miles with a couple of friends and they ran way faster than I thought we were going to run. I was thinking 6:40's and for a while we were keeping 6:17's. I was like wait a minute this is race pace for me.........I'm suppose to be recovering. Anyway, halfway through the run I slowed it down and tried to enjoy running on a beautiful day instead of trying to run my ass off and keep up with the boys ( I love you Pat and Dai).

I've also been really tired lately. Not quite sure what's up with that but I took a nap anyway.

Think I will now get on the trainer to ride for about an hour. That should help my post race blues a little bit

pics and finish line video

2011-03-29T18:43:00.000-07:00

http://www2.brightroom.com/browser.aspx?eid=76785&bib=28

2011-03-26T11:55:00.000-07:00

It's not how many times you fall off the horse but how many times you get back on.
Even though I haven't spoken to many people about last Sunday it's obvious I didn't have a great race and I didn't finish it. It's hard for me to discuss these things b/c I get emotional and I get pretty upset with myself. The day wasn't my day. I went out faster than what was smart, my left shoe came untied (this is where I began to lose focus mentally), I threw up green Gatorade at mile 13.....I hung in for a while but after a while I knew that the day wasn't mine.
I didn't want to lose my training. So I decided to run the National Marathon up in DC. After talking with Coach I knew that I had to work on my mental thinking and adjust my mental talk. Think positive. Focus on taking one step after another.
The race was a little different. The marathon started with the half marathoners so it was a little interesting at first. It didn't take very long before I knew who was my competition. She was a Russian girl.
The first half of the race was very hilly. Long steep uphills and long sharp downhills. The leader and I kept pace beside each other for the first half of the race (until about mile 18). At this time the fatigue starting setting into my legs and I began to fall off the pace a bit. It was actually a conscious decision b/c I really wanted to finish feeling strong. The course evened out until mile 23 or 24 when we entered a residential area and it started going back into steep hills.
Overall, it was a good race. I was pleased with the finish. The most important part to me was being strong and steady and finishing well. I was a little upset or maybe I should say confused b/c my training and been going so well and I really thought that I had a PR in me.
I do have changes I want to make to my training program that I think will improve my race in a couple of months.

Only a few days to go

2011-03-16T18:13:00.000-07:00

So it's Wednesday night and I'm in full taper mode which means I'm slowly driving myself crazy. I have all the time in the world on my hands right now with nothing useful to do (and I have to stay off my feet). I'm anxious all day long and then I sleep like the dead during the night. I'm so tired which is crazy b/c I'm not training hard core.
I had a great run today with my running peeps. I hit marathon pace with no problem on the boardwalk........running into the wind.
Wore my racing flats, racing socks, gloves and singlet.
My singlet......I'm hoping it's ready by Sunday........I had it tailored to fit me better. I'm not sure if that's weird but I was tired of it being to large around me. It was the strangest small I've ever seen.
Anyway, so far.........so good.
I hope everyone's taper is going well.

time to Taper

2011-03-13T12:49:00.000-07:00

The Shamrock Marathon is a week away. Well if we want to be technical it's less than a week.......by now next week I will be napping b/c I will be exhausted from all the Shamrock Festivities.
These past couple of months have been wonderful. It's been some of the best training that I've ever had.
-Great longs runs
-Perfect paced tempo runs
- a happy life/wonderful friends
- and an awesome coach
I've felt very comfortable during my longs runs.....so much that my 20 miles runs weren't as mentally tough as I thought. I took this as a good sign.
I feel like this race is going to be a good one for me. I'm ready mentally and physically.
The taper week can be tough. It's a time for rest but all the rest makes a runner begin to feel restless. This restless feeling creates anxiety and it makes me feel like I need to go out an run. Which I can't b/c I'm suppose to be resting and only running a little. Agh.
Running a marathon is very tough mentally and physically. It's a long distance with lots of variables (nutrition, water, wind/weather). And anything can happen. A runner does their best to control whatever they can but in the end it's all in God's hands.
So this is the taper week. It's a week to rest, relax, eat good food, stay off the feet, and get a massage. I've spent weeks mentally envisioning the race and how it will go. I can't wait to see how it's all going to play out.

Yoga.......to do or not to do?

2011-03-10T17:18:00.000-08:00

I really like yoga. I love the feeling I get when a class is over and I feel flexible and relaxed. The problem I have is that I usually end up getting hurt or something b/c I try to be like all the other yogi's who practice everyday. So the question is.......is yoga good for running.
According to Runner's World "Yoga realigns the body and releases tension from connective tissue," (Sharon Stocker, mind/body editor of Prevention magazine and a veteran yoga instructor) . The musculoskeletal realignment comes from stretching and an emphasis on proper posture.
We all know that running causes microscopic tears to the muscle fibers and when they begin to heal, they tend to bunch up and shorten if there's no stretching. Also, with our daily stresses at work, at home, and trying to squeeze in a workout our muscles become tight. The result: misaligned muscles are stiffer and less efficient which is something you don't want after all the hard work that's been done with training)
Yoga can help flexibility and strength so practicing yoga a couple times a week is very beneficial. And the result is more flexibility and reduced injury risk. And better overall strength can only help your running.

But let's not forget the cost of yoga. Yoga is expensive. If you dropped into a yoga class the price is about 10-20 dollars. If you buy a package then the cost will decrease to something like 10 dollars a class. That cost will add up and that can be difficult to afford in these hard economic times. There might even be a time constraint. A small solution could be buying a dvd and doing it at home. Maybe a group of people could get together and everyone buys a yoga dvd and you could take turns. Finding what works for you is important.

I've practiced yoga a couple of times this week. It's easier when I'm tapering to get yoga into my schedule. My goal is to integrate yoga into my training schedule whether I'm doing it at home or if I'm going to a yoga studio

20 miler

2011-03-05T09:15:00.000-08:00

This was a beautiful morning. The temperature was great and the sky was beautiful. There was an amazing turn our at Final Kick..........just tons of people everywhere. Today was one of my last 20 mile runs before the marathon. I ran it with Dai.......who made sure to keep me on pace.
I'm really hoping for a great Shamrock. I've been running very well and the 20 mile runs have rocked better than ever.

Colonial Half Marathon

2011-02-27T15:24:00.000-08:00

If you decide you need to add some serious hills to your training or if you think that you are awesome at hills then you need to head up to Williamsburg and do the Colonial Half Marathon. This race will kick your butt and send you home limping and crying. Once again, I put my legs up to the challenge of a hilly and difficult course.
This race starts at 1pm so it's kind of hard to get in the rhythm that this is going to be a serious race with some difficult hills. The good thing is that by mile 1 you know that things could get rough. The first 3 miles are a challenge, it's a constant up and down and sometimes the down can be quite steep and your shins and feet really take a pounding. After the first 4 the hills weren't as steep but they were still there.
The last 5k were the hardest for me. I could feel the fatigue setting in (I felt last weeks races on the legs) and I really slowed the pace down. I wish I had been stronger on this part of the race. I wish I could have pulled it together and really powered through the hills. Even the very end was up a stinking hill. I will be better prepared next time for this race.
In retrospect, I liked the course. I would love to run it again.......knowing what's ahead of me. Also, after all the races I've done in Virginia this past year............I've realized I need to get stronger on the hills.
The race was really well organized. The course was lonely but I knew exactly where to go on the course as all times. All in all it was a good running day. Got in a solid 18.5 miles...........but I am done with hilly courses for quite some time.

Washington Running Report -Va is for Lover's 14k

2011-02-24T08:06:00.000-08:00

http://www.runwashington.com/news/3149/314/

This article was posted on the Washington Running Report website.

Action Sports International

2011-02-23T21:08:00.000-08:00

Action Sports International

This is my finish. Looks who's behind me? I have proof.

Don't mess with Austin!

2011-02-21T07:12:00.000-08:00

First of all let me begin by saying that Austin TX is a beautiful fun city that makes you want to get out and run/bike. People seem very young and active in Austin.
Let me also say that these people are crazy b/c the hills in Austin are no joke. I'm both envious that they get to train there and also glad that I don't have to try and run there to recover from yesterday's run.
Race morning was beautiful. The air was crisp and the sky was very pretty. It was still a little dark when the race began at 0700. The second turn of the race lead us into 6 miles of hills and head wind. There was just no relief from the wind until after mile 6 and the only time you weren't going up a hill is when you were going down one. It was a constant up and down, up and down.
First and Second place female had a cyclist beside her. I was very grateful for mine b/c it help me stay focus and in the game. Also, he knew that by the end the hills were really getting to me so he tried to encourage me and let me know what was ahead of me. Thank goodness. The worst of the hills ended up being at mile 11.7. It was a killer. I don't see how cars get up that hill. It would be horrible if that's where your car broke down b/c the only place it can go is down. This is also where I learned that Lance was fast on my heels. I did not want to get past my Lance Armstrong. How humiliating would it be to get past my one of the world's most amazing athletes and 7 time Tour de France winner?! (totally kidding, I's bow to him in a heartbeat).
The post race was nothing to brag about though. The best thing was the company and the Jamba Juice (we really need one of these in Va Beach)
And then it was off to the airport. The flights went well and I'm very glad to be home. I kind of miss Austin already and I wish I'd had more time to hang out. I'd also love to train on those hills. But as always, I'm glad to be back at the Beach!

Hotel, Motel, Holiday Inn

2011-02-19T07:38:00.000-08:00

I am in Austin and it is fabulous. The weather is warm but since I'm only doing the half I should be good. Poor Jfab is doing the Full.
The plane ride from VaBch went really well. Nothing great to report.
We have an amazing view from our hotel. It of a river and it has a running trail beside it. This morning we've seen several people out having crew practice.
I'm sitting in the business center right now while Jfab is sleeping upstairs. He's already threaten several times to write horrible race reports concerning me. He says I'm high maintenance (HM). But I disagree. Just b/c I put my running shoes on the floor and then began freaking out b/c I thought I had forgotten them doesn't mean I'm HM.........just forgetful b/c your yelling that I'm late and to hurry up. LOL
FYI, as a side note
There's a guy who is sitting in the business center with me on another computer who is a total @$$hole..........he's upset b/c I'm on this computer and the computer he is on won't print. He's angry that his computer won't print and the one I'm on does print. If he had been nice to me I would have moved but from the very beginning he had been nothing but rude to me so I'm not moving at all......I know that's really mean but I'm a firm believer in you catch more flies with honey instead of being a jackass to someone.
And b/c I'm a vegetarian we had to look for a place that served nonmeat options for dinner. We ate at PF Chang. Don't let Jfab lie to you....I gave him bites of my dinner which had tofu in it and he loved it. And of course we split the most amazing chocolate cake. It was huge. I seriously it was meant for 2-3 people to eat.
I can't wait to go to the expo. I always find them so exciting. The clothes, the people, and all the free swag........you can just feel how excited everyone is.
Since it's the LIVESTRONG race I'm hoping Lance is there. Love Lance Armstrong
The city (what I've seen so far-the downtown area) is really cool. People running, cycling, crewing (if that's a word) and you can see people working out in their apt or condo gyms as well. Everyone is so healthy. Except for the whole meat eating part. Huge buildings and everything. Just seems like fun. Even the cab driver from the airport was super nice.
So like I said...........so far we are having the best time. (Besides the little butthole old man who's already left the room)

Austin.......we are a Go.

2011-02-17T15:14:00.001-08:00

So I'm preparing for my Austin Half Marathon (set for Sunday) and I'm already getting anxious. I believe getting anxious is good.........it means I still have something to prove to myself. And it keeps me on my toes and working hard.
I'm really excited. Everyone who I've spoken to about Austin says that its an amazing city and lots of fun. I've been to Houston and I thought it was beautiful so I'm sure Austin will not disappoint. I'm flying down tomorrow where I will be meeting Jfab. He will be running the full marathon (good luck to him). I'm glad he will be there to hang out with........it will be fun to catch up and hang out. Just hanging out, picking up our packets, and resting.
I have an interesting link concerning the race on Sunday.
It tells all about the course and gives you tips. Its kind of a fun read.
http://www.austinpost.org/content/a-guide-livestrong-austin-marathon-and-half-marathon-part-one

Anyway, I'm prepared and I'm ready. yay. I got an amazing massage from Rebecca at Balance and I plan on staying off my feet.
I will give you guys an update after the race. Wish me luck!

This is The Life

2011-02-15T09:09:00.000-08:00

This morning was one of those mornings that was just amazing. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the ocean water was a vivid blue and very calm, and the runner partners rocked. I had the pleasure of meeting Mike D and Dai Roberts for a morning run. The scenery was stunning (the Virginia Beach Oceanfront).
The first couple of miles were easy and fun. Light conversation with a huge tail wind. Once we turned around at first street........the last couple of miles were straight into a huge head wind. I tucked in behind Mike for the most part......it's not cheating......it's called being smart. And the way I see it....I'm really helping him out by making him a stronger runner. We finished up and decided it was time for breakfast.
This is always the best part. A great run, good food, great conversations, and wonderful friends. We ate at Big Sam's (Mike's favorite place and apparently the best pancakes in the Hampton Roads area). The pancakes were great. I ate mine with strawberry jelly and they were wonderful. We spent most of the time discussing running, Trader Joe's, and memories.
As always the great time had to end and it was time to go home. But that's okay b/c the best part.............is that with where we live......it will happen again real soon.

VA is for Lovers 14K

2011-02-12T18:45:00.000-08:00

What can I say? J&A Racing pulled off another great event. I was impressed from the moment I arrived. The very first thing I noticed was how smooth parking went. You knew exactly what to do and everything was fast and efficient. The race started right on time and the course was well marked. The ice was not my friend (and Steve Speirs chose those moments to make his move) but at least it was well marked! It was awesome seeing Dai Roberts on the course not once, not twice, but three times. Finishing in the SportPlex rocked. I don't know why it's so cool to finish inside but it is..........maybe b/c it makes you feel as if everyone can see you finish. The most amazing thing was how the awards started right on time. I hate when race awards take forever. While waiting for the awards we did get to listen to Rock Star Parking........I loved it when a girl who had just broken up with her BF b/c he cheated on her sang "I will survive". She had tons of energy and even though she didn't know all the words (she did way better than I would have) she made up for it all in enthusiasm. She was fun.

The race went really well. I felt great and the legs were strong. It was chilly in the morning.......I did warm up very quickly but I also got really cold the moment I stopped inside the sportplex. It was just another really great Saturday.
I'm not one of these runners who watches my Garmin the entire time. I basically use it to make sure I'm never going too fast. But everytime I looked at my Garmin I was pleased with the pace. I would love to give you a play by play of each mile but it all just goes by so quickly for me.
Basically what I can remember is that Steve left me between 3-4. There was a really cool dj guy right around mile 5. I wish I could have stopped at the Candy Corner but I didn't have the time. I almost caught Steve and Tom Purcell but I didn't. And my shoes got really muddy from running in the mud. LOL.
Thanks Steve for another awesome run. Thanks Dai for cheering me on. And it was great to see Pat Bowler at the race cheering for us. (He ran all the way to the SportPlex from his house (13 miles and then another 5 while watching up run)

Just another evening at Final Kick-I don't think so.

2011-02-10T17:49:00.001-08:00

So today is a couple of days before I plan on racing the Va is for Lover's 15K so I did an easy morning run instead of going to do tempo with the Final Kick group. But I went to Final Kick b/c I knew the infamous Dai Roberts is back in town and I knew that he would be there.......he didn't let me down. It was great to chat with him...it was like he had never left.

While I was there I was able to sell a pair of compression tights. The customer asked for help and I was available to help her. I didn't realize how much I actually knew about them. Compression tights are wonderful training aids. They help promote recovery after hard workouts and are great to wear if you have to travel long distance after racing (flying or driving on long trips).
Compression tights are wonderful after hard training sessions. They help promote blood flow which can decrease fatigue and muscle stiffness. I've experienced this personally after track sessions and long runs.
When sitting down, blood can pool in your lower extremities (this is bad) and compression tights can help promote blood flow which will decrease swelling (edema) in your legs. Instead of fluid and blood settling in your legs which can damage your veins and cause blood clots, the tights help keep the fluid and blood in circulation and back to your heart (so it can be redistributed)
I really think the tights are wonderful. I also use the the socks at work. I'm on my feet a lot so I use the socks to help prevent swelling. I think they work.....and I know other nurses use them as well.
Anyway, it was fun to help out for once at the store. And it was wonderful to see Dai. I think we are all glad he is back.

Mentally Tough

2011-02-08T09:36:00.000-08:00

Last night someone said to me "How do you keep going after it gets tough? How do you not give up? I have trouble with the negative thoughts in my head." I thought this was a wonderful question. There have been many times when I've had to deal with negative thoughts
1. When the pace becomes difficult.
2. When the fatigue is beginning to set into my legs.
3. When I have a girl beside me who is pushing the pace and I'm wondering if I can keep going.
These thoughts enter my mind during training runs and in races. These thoughts are normal. I don't know anyone who hasn't dealt with negative thoughts in their head. I can remember having them back in high school. I can remember a high school race (I believe it was the state cross-country championship race) where I was 5th and we were coming up on mile 1 and thinking I'm already hurting...I'm in 5th place....I really want to stop........maybe I should fake an injury. These thoughts actually crossed my mind!! Now I didn't fake an injury and I kept going. I finished 6th overall (damnit) and it was a great race in the end. The point is....we have to face these negative thoughts. You have to change your mindset. Focus on something else.
When I have these negative thoughts I refocus on my race and I push through it. I think one of my strengths is my mental capabilities. Mentally I'm strong. I refocus on my body, on my pace, doing what I know I can do and pushing my body. That's what I tell people. Once you are concerned on what other people are doing or you are thinking about how much further it is until the end you have lost focus on the race (or training run). Also, you can think about the entire run or workout b/c that can be overwhelming. When I go out for a 20 mile run I'm not thinking I have 20 miles to run. Instead I break it up...I think about the first 5 miles or maybe I think about getting to the visitors center, 64th street, 1st street-great now I'm heading back home to 64th street-and now it's only 5 miles back (this only works if you live in Va Beach and you know what I'm talking about). The point is you have to find mental strength and that takes practice. Practice mental strength on your workouts. Track, tempo runs, and your long runs are great for this type of training.
Jerry Frostick (owner of J & A Racing-director of Shamrock Marathon) told me that he believes running ,especially marathons, are 90% mental. I believe he is correct. Once you lose focus, and if you don't regain it quickly, the race is already over and you have lost.
So practice being mentally tough. I know you can do it.

Love to my new kicks and my awesome training partners

2011-02-08T07:32:00.000-08:00

This morning I ran 7.61 miles with Mike D. (I'll write 7.5 in my training planner tho) and it was awesome. We had a really good run. The wind was perfect and the sun was out. We always meet at 34th street b/c that's where I live so we always have the pleasure of running on the boardwalk or in the park. We are very lucky. I ran in my new shoes (Brooks ST Racer-thank you very much Final Kick) b/c I'm making sure they are broke in before I race in them (VA is for Lovers 14K on Feb 12th) and b/c I'm thinking of training in shoes that are similar to these.
(btw, if you don't race or train in flats I strongly suggest you try it b/c they really change make you feel faster and they make your feet feel lighter which is awesome for race day)
Let me explain, for probably the past 5 years I have trained in the same shoe Saucony Omni (which is a great shoe and I love it) but it's made to be a stability shoe (moderate stability) and it has extra cushioning. This shoe has served me wonderfully but I'm wondering if maybe my foot strike has changed (since Bill Bernard took over my coaching b/c I know he has worked on changing my stride) and if I need a shoe with less stability now. This is all speculation. I still need to talk to Jim Golden (owner of Final Kick) and have him re-evaluate my foot strike. If you've never had a professional look at your feet to help you get the right shoe...you really should. Helps prevent injuries.

So this morning was an awesome training run. Mike and I had a great steady pace out to 64th street and down to the Narrows-on the way back we really picked up the pace and had a nice steady run. I really appreciate the importance of a good training partner. Having one always makes the workout more fun, passes the time, and usually makes you work harder and better. Great examples would be my girlfriend Sika and me lifting weights at the rec center and then Mike and me running this morning. Great and wonderful times. They really allow you to bond and to get to know and love your training partner/new best friend. I know I can trust Mike and Sika with anything and that they will always be there for me (and Mike doesn't complain about my bathroom breaks-lol).

After my run and stretching I did about 25 minutes of yoga. I love yoga b/c it's wonderful stretching and core work. I have to be careful with yoga b/c I can (and I've done it in the past) get injured with yoga. I have to remember I'm not a yogi and I will get hurt it I stretch too deeply. I love the deep breathing and the whole mind body connection. It's an amazing feeling. When you finish you feel limber, stretched and you do feel more connected to your own soul. If you haven't tried it.......I suggest you do. If you've tried it in the past and you didn't like it.......maybe it's time to grab a friend and go again.

Now I get some time to relax and catch up on my todo list. Tonight I have track with coach and I have a feeling it's gonna be tough and intense. The number and intensity of the mile repeats are increasing and I think we are going to be doing 2x1.5 mile repeats very soon. Ouch.

A 20 miler

2011-02-04T18:27:00.000-08:00

20 miles is never easy. I don't care how many times you to it. It never gets easier. Today was a 20 mile run. To a runner, it sounds great in theory but as always actually doing it is a lot more painful. Started at Hot Tuna and ran all the way to 1st street and back. 2:18mins which is an average of 6:55. The boardwalk section (2.5 miles) really brought down our time b/c of the head wind. We saw a couple of 7 min miles and the rest of the way every time I looked at my watch we were in the 6:40's. The pace was hard. The legs were tired. Mentally, I was able to keep it going but there were times when I wanted to just slow it down but I couldn't b/c I had to stay with Billy Chorey. Once Coach even gave me an out by saying "hey when we get to the end if you want you can go straight instead of doing the extra in the neighborhood". When it came to that point (about 19.5) I wanted to take the out but I knew that later I would regret it deeply......so I kept it up. All the way baby!
Like I said, 20 miles is never easy but the feeling is always amazing. Something to thing about when you are on your long run.

Upcoming Races

2011-02-04T14:09:00.000-08:00

VA is for Lovers 14K Feb 12th Virginia Beach VA
Austin Half Marathon February 20th in Austin TX
Shamrock Half Marathon March in Virginia Beach VA

Does it matter if he won't say I Love You?

2011-02-03T17:18:00.000-08:00

This topic is a little different than my usual topic but it's something I've been thinking (and perhaps struggling with) for a few weeks. If your significant other can't (or won't) say I love you does it matter?
Are these words that are important? Do we, in our western culture, place too much emphasis on these three little words?
I've been in relationships in the past that didn't last despite being told I Love You. I have a good friend who just broke up with his girlfriend and they had said those three little words to each but yet they only lasted about 6 or so months. What is it about these words? Why do we only think our relationship is credible once we have heard these words? In the end, they don't mean that the relationship will last. But somehow these words bring comfort, hopes, and dreams.

So if you are in a good relationship where there is mutual respect, you have a lot of the same values, dreams, and goals, you love being together, and everything is good............does it matter that those words haven't been reciprocated.

The importance of massage

2011-02-03T13:27:00.000-08:00

It is well known that running can cause muscle soreness, muscle damage, and reduced muscle function. From the newest beginner to the most experienced of runners, virtually all runners frequently experience the muscle pain associated with running.
A massage is a very important component of training, which can be used to promote recovery and enhance performance.

When training at a high level it is hard for the body to recover sufficiently, which can cause a decrease performance as well as injuries. Without proper recovery, an athlete may never reach their fullest potential. There are a lot of athletes who do not give their bodies enough rest between exercise bouts, and in the long run end up cheating themselves, or worse injured. Recovery is just as important to a strength and conditioning program as the program design itself, and should always be included. Massage techniques can promote blood flow and stimulation to muscles, which will bring in more nutrients to the muscles. In fact, a massage can be just as restoring or more to your muscles as a mid day nap.

Point to take home
Find a good place to get regular massages. You will find these beneficial and your body will thank you.

Track workout

2011-02-02T05:32:00.000-08:00

Tuesday night is almost always a track session for me. And no matter what I always find myself grateful that I have the ability to choose to run around in a circle no matter how hot or cold it is (because it seems that hot and cold are the only 2 temperatures we have in at the Beach) and last night was no different. But last night was a struggle for me. It was a hard workout for me mentally b/c the legs (and the hip) were tired and hurting. It takes a while to fully recover from a 20 mile run (on Saturday) and my body was still feeling the ouch. My mile was fine. I hit the time that coach wanted 5:23, It seemed that I struggled with the speed stuff (ugh). The first 400 was tough. I hit it in 75 seconds instead of 70 and who knows why. It could have been the legs or just that I had no one behind me pushing me. The second one I recovered with a 68 (much better but didn't make up for the blistering 75). The 200's have never been my favorite which is why I think Coach loves them so very much. He usually does us a favor by not timing them.........well that wasn't the plan last night. Not only was he time but he was critiquing as well.
The workout was just tough. But as coach says, "It's a workout not a race. You just have to get through it." And I did.
The whole point is....it doesn't matter how much we love our sport, sometimes it just tough and we have to get through it. Sometimes there is a part of us that doesn't want to be there and we have to get through it. This is what separates a runner or a swimmer (or pick your sport) from just the weekend warrior or the fair weather athlete. You are out there training.......even when you kinda of don't want to be. And of course having your coach there also helps :-)

The Treadmill is your Friend

2011-02-01T08:45:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday Andy was talking to a buddy of his about working out. He told him that all Renee needed to get a fully body workout was a stick and a chair. I've been working out for a while and he's almost correct. I can get a workout in without using any special equipment. One of my favorite sites to get motivation and workouts is Nike Women on facebook. They totally rock.
So the headline reads the treadmill is your friend. I really want people to think about this during the cold weather and when it's just miserable outside. You can use the treadmill to get a small run in for the day. It's a mindset. You can do it. The treadmill can be used to get in an awesome workout and you can walk away feeling like you did your body good and you mentally overcame the treadmill. I do all different sort of workouts on the treadmill!
This morning my workout included 1.5 mile intervals at a 7min pace (I have track tonight so I didn't push it
Then I did 3 sets of planks (these aren't your usual planks but involve alternating raising R arm and L leg with L arm and R leg) alternating with bicycle crunches.
Along with 2 sets of Walk Out Pushups to a Swivel
And some intense lower ab leg raises on the bench.
And tricep dips
The point is I keep my heart rate up the entire time
I immediately got back on the treadmill for another 1.5 mile interval.
I kept this up until I was finished with my 5 miles.
Also during this workout I incorporated dumbbells for bicep curls and side crunches

When I was finished running I completed any exercise that I had left to finish and added anything that I still wanted to make sure I did for the day. For example, I didn't do my 1 legged squats until after I was finished running.

Then I stretched. And headed home. This morning I was able to get in a good run on the treadmill and I worked out my major muscle groups.
Besides knowing my abs are going to hurt tomorrow (b/c they are already sore) I feel great.

One helluve weekend, I'm glad its almost over

2011-01-30T12:20:00.000-08:00

This weekend was one of the busiest weekends I've ever had. I'm exhausted. Combining my running with having house guests............I'm ready for the weekend to be over. LOL. On Friday, I ran an indoor 5k track meet at CNU. My time posted was 17:53. Not my best, and I thought it would be faster on an indoor track meet...........I think it was hard for me to get into the right groove. Several factors played into it....running alone, passing on the corners ( I hate doing this but it was inevitable) and I'm sure there were other factors. I did my best and I can live with that. The hardest part of indoor track is the instant dry mouth that occurs and then for me............I spend the next few days sneezing my head off and watery eyes. I don't know why this occurs but I was prepared for it. Tissues, halls and dayquil.
Then I had to go see a play at the Wells Theater. It was so much fun but I didn't get to bed until midnight and I had to be up early for the Distance Series 25k. (FYI...the musical was called Sckbstd {Sick Bastard} and it was comical and sweet)
I knew that I wanted to run 20 miles on Saturday so I had to stick to my guns and get up and run. Saturday at 0715 I was dragging. I parked at 64th street and ran into the park to the registration table for bib/chip pickup. I was a good 10 minutes late if not more b/c I was dragging but as soon as I started I got right into the groove. It was kind of fun starting a little late b/c I did spend the entire time trying to chase some people but it would have been nice to run with Steve Speirs. I ended up with a 1:40:10. I was happy with it b/c I knew I had ran a track meet about 12 hours ago and I do think I was a little tired. Not completely recovered. Anyway. I got in my entire 20 mile run and I felt great about it.
As always I love the support that everyone gave me yesterday while I was running. It really helps and it keeps me going. So I'm very appreciative. People were very funny, making joking comments about if I would catch them and how many times I passed them. I love hanging out with other people on the trails.
Also, watching coach almost run over another runner yesterday was priceless. I felt bad for the poor guy but poor coach didn't even see him and I don't think the runner was anticipating coach (the guy on the bike) turning his bike around. Hilarious.
Then I had to plan a dinner party for a small group of people (8). Once again it was beyond fun but I woke up this morning with a pounding headache and a slightly swollen knee. Body's message to me, you are taking a freaking break today, regardless what you think you are NOT a machine.
Non runners like to judge those of us who are faithful runners. But there's a reason I go to bed early and get lots of hours of sleep. Dear God I need it. With that being said. I'm going to finish icing my knee and go take a nap.

I'm a hard person to read

2011-01-26T05:54:00.000-08:00

Let me begin by saying, I’m a very private person and I know that I am hard to get to know but it really is hard for me to put myself out there for others to see and to criticize.

Jenn Shelton came up to me once (this was probably around 2004 or 2005 and told me that I was much nicer than she had previously thought I was. I thought this comment was odd…….I’m a friendly person and people like me, right? I questioned her on this comment and apparently people had asked if her if I was nice and how come I didn’t smile more and wave while I was running on the trails. I thought, why would I, I’m here to work. This is serious to me. But after that I did make an effort to smile more and to be more approachable to others. And I do think it’s worked. More people come up to me and say hi now. I want people to talk to me!!!!!!!!!! LOL

Then………

A couple of years later Kelly Taylor told me someone similar. She had a hard time getting to know me and commented “You are a hard person to get to know but I’ve learned that with the amount of training that you do, it’s merely self preservation.” What she meant it that my whole life is dedicated to training.

When I go to a race, I’m serious about it. I spend the majority of my life training. I run twice a day and if I lift weights that means I’ve worked out 3 times that day. On days I work, I get up at 0430 to run before work and then when I leave work I might have to work out again. I sleep a lot b/c I’m tired. I also have a life to take care of just like everyone else (bills, dogs, errands, cleaning ect.). This doesn’t leave time for socializing. I rarely go to parties. I don’t go to clubs. I don’t drink. And I don’t stay out past 8 or 9pm b/c I’m tired and I have to run in the morning. So, wow don’t I sound like a lot of fun. LOL. This means I don’t have a lot of friends unless they are runners. I’ve isolated myself. Don’t get me wrong, for the most part I’m okay with this. I’ve chosen this life and I love it. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Occasionally, I wish I had more time to hang out with other people and make more friends but there’s only so much time in the day and I can only do what I can.

Point is……..I’m a hard person to get to know. I’m very private and I don’t give a lot at first. But I think once someone takes the time to get to know me……I end up making lasting friendships. Ones that are real and stand the test of time.

I love my running buddies!!

Inspiration for me.

2011-01-25T17:53:00.000-08:00

Running will always be there for you. You just have to find your way back.

To answer your questions

2011-01-25T17:20:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been asked some questions about compression socks........do I use them, why do I use them, do I think they work.

To answer, Yes I do use compression socks. I use them in a couple of different situations. I use them when I travel, especially if I've raced and then I have to travel. The idea is....that blood can pool in your lower extremities which can cause a lot of stress on your veins which will lead to other problems....using compression socks will help keep the blood circulating and prevent the pooling. This will prevent edema and will help circulate fresh blood which will decrease fatigue. I also wear compression socks to work. I'm on my feet alot at work and this helps prevent edema and fatigue on my poor legs. ( I will want to prevent varicose veins). These socks basically promote recovery and I'm a believer. In the end, it can't hurt anyway. And heck yeah, they keep you warm.

Also, I've been asked if I lift weights. I'm a firm believer in lifting weights also. I prefer free weights b/c I feel I get a better workout and also I can do lots of different exercises instead of doing the same ones every time. If you use the machines.......those are fine but the muscles will get use to the same exercises and then basically that exercise no longer works as well. You have to change it up in order for the muscles to keep responding. It's kind of like getting in a rut and not seeing results anymore.
I believe the core muscles are so important. These muscles need to stay strong b/c once these muscles are tired you are going to lose form and will become inefficient. Once the core muscles are tired that's when I believe it's all over. So yes, I do work out 2-3 times a week, doing different exercises but always working the muscles. We are runners......we don't want to get big but we do want to be strong. Also, it's good for us ladies to keep our bones strong.

Hope this helps.

Frosty Bite 15K

2011-01-23T17:56:00.000-08:00

I got up this morning at 0515 and headed up to Richmond VA to run the Frosty Bite 15K. I was pretty excited b/c I hadn't raced in Richmond since the Richmond Marathon in 2005. The morning was beautiful but without a doubt the coldest race morning I've ever encountered. The race has an usual start. Everyone gets on the starting line and about 150 meters ahead is a stop light. When the light turns red that's the Go signal. After the first mile I had a girl come up beside me, that's pretty much where she stayed until the very end. At the end of the race, she took the initiative and out kicked me at the end. Looking back, I just want to kick myself.
Why wasn't I more aggressive? (There's that thin line b/w aggressive and running yourself into the ground

Could I have done better?

Am I weak? (Mentally, sometimes I fight with myself)

Damnit, I can't believe I let her get me in the end!! (What am I? A wimp?)

I ended up with a 56:20 (she out kicked me by 1 second) so averaged 6:03 pace not bad considering I felt I could have held that pace for a while and the course was very hilly. Also, not bad considering 1 week ago today I was struck with nausea/vomiting and on a clear liquid diet.

I had to admit.............. I hated taking 2nd place. I felt I let it go at the very end.

A weaker person might hang her head and just say "obviously this is the pace I was meant to run. " Not me, I want more and it only fuels my hunger and my need for speed.
BTW,
I strongly recommend this race. It was fun and it was small.

I am a Runner

2011-01-20T11:17:00.000-08:00

This morning I had a thought...I am a runner. Many of you may be thinking, um duh we all know that but just let me explain and I think you might understand. As far back as I can remember I've been running. Running is some of my earliest memories. I remember running in 1st grade during the field events. Or running up and down my road............I grew up on a farm and it was a long gravel road..........after school playing or during the summer. In 5th grade I challenged a boy I liked to a race. I kicked his butt and then he didn't like me anymore. The true fun began when I met a man named Coach Leathers. I didn't realize on the first day of track how this day was going to define the rest of my life. This day I was on my way to finding my place in this crazy world and becoming comfortable with myself. I finally had found who I was. To most people track in high school is just a happy memory. I hear it all the time, "Oh I ran track back in high school" or "I ran track back in high school, I use to be pretty good at it. Those were the days". When people (teachers or relatives) would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up I never really had an answer. I knew what to say, "Oh, I'm going to be a history teacher" or I want to learn about psychology b/c I'm thinking that would be interesting." They always loved my answer. I picked a college b/c I was able to run there. I didn't really care how much it cost or what type of education they were going to offer me. I only knew I was going to be able to run and that's all I cared about.
Some of the darkest times in my life involved me not running. And involves me not being able to share my love of running with others. I love running. But I also love being able to share running. For me, the shared experience makes it more enjoyable and fun.
But I'm getting off track (haha.....pun was totally not intended). The point is, I've been searching for what I want to be when I grow up. There's this part of me that feels I grew up and became a nurse and that's not enough for me. That's not what I want out of life. Being a nurse doesn't fulfill me in the same way that running does. I'm not sure if there is anything else out there that will ever provide me with the feelings I associate with running.
So this morning as I was dragging my sleep deprived body out of bed (I worked the late shift at work and then didn't sleep at all during the night) and getting ready to go run it occurred to me........I am a Runner. No matter what else I do with my life...........I am a Runner

A hard week

2011-01-08T11:57:00.000-08:00

So this week has presented itself with some challenges. The biggest and most major challenge would be my car breaking down. Now I knew it would happen eventually. My car is 10 years old. I got her when I was a senior and high school and we've had some great times together. Let's see, I can remember when I first got her I made people (mainly my cross country buddies) take off their shoes. Then I got hand towels and put them in the floor (b/c my cc buddies complained). We went off to college together. She went to Charleston SC when I lived there and up here to the beach when I moved here. She has been so good to me and I just couldn't imagine not having her in my life. On my way to work my car overheated. I made it to work (barely) before she turned herself off. Andy who has been so amazing to me this week took care of the situation b/c I was working. Tow truck called (and he waited for the tow truck guy) and off my car went to John (citgo off shore and west great neck). So, couple hundred dollars later (a new radiator) and Andy taking me to and from work..........I have my car back. I can't complain, my car has treated me very well and in return I try to treat her very well. She's 10 with only 132,000 miles on her. I'm hoping she makes it another couple of years. I'm not ready to part with her and a car with no payment is invaluable (and very green). So here's a huge thanks to Andy for being wonderful and taking care of me the past couple of days (me going to work is also beneficial to him as well) and here's to my wonderful green ford focus.......may we have years left together.

My boo

2011-01-03T16:14:00.000-08:00

Let me start this by saying I ran 20 miles yesterday and hit the gym. Oh, and my glutes (my butt) hurts like hell. I called Andy from work today just to say hi, I mentioned him and I running together (on treadmills) when he got home (to encourage him to workout-having a buddy). But tonight, he was my running buddy. When he got home it was to find me on the couch (by this time I'd already eaten a bowl of cereal and oatmeal. (Yes, I'm a glutton). As I'm laying on the couch hoping he doesn't mention the dreaded word he comes out of his closet wearing.........running clothes. Ugh. He asks me if I'm ready to go to the gym. I can't say No, I'm the athlete, right? So I changed clothes and trudged downstairs to the gym. Got my butt on the treadmill and pounded out the miles. And now, I feel so much better.
I know that training even on days when I feel like crap are important. This is one of the reasons I miss my girl Kelley so much. And today Andy was my saving grace. Thanks babe.

Recipe

2011-01-02T17:42:00.000-08:00

2 frozen bananas, in pieces
1 T Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams
2 T Nestle semi-sweet morsels

In a food processor, whirl the bananas until chalky.
Add the peanut butter and morsels and whirl again until like ice cream consistency.

Amazing Recipes and Great Blogs

2011-01-02T17:16:00.000-08:00

I found a couple of great blogs that I wanted to share with you guys. Food is one of my favorite hobbies (LOL) but I have to admit I'm not an amazing cook. I can follow recipes but I'm not very good at creating recipes so I have to look to other people for ideas. And I have found 2 great ones. One is called The Runner's Kitchen. And the other is Marci Gilbert's blog.
These recipes are from women who are active and who enjoy eating healthy foods. I hope you guys enjoy these recipes. Me, I can't wait to try the Banana Peanut Butter Ice Cream.

Austin Half Marathon

2010-12-30T13:02:00.000-08:00

I've been offered an elite entry into the Austin half marathon on Feb. 20th. I'm pretty excited. It's suppose to be a beautiful and fun course. This will be a perfect race for me leading up to the exciting Shamrock Marathon which I plan to participate in (March).

Granny Linda

2010-12-20T15:59:00.000-08:00

My grandmother died today. Respiratory failure. At the end, she was tired and ready to go home. I believe that she was looking forward to meeting GOD and to even see her son who died over 20 years ago. She was an amazing woman. Kind and beautiful, you saw the American Indian in her features. Black hair, dark eyes, natural tan skin........yes she was beautiful.
But she had a hard life. She grew up with very little and had to share that with 2 other siblings. Married young and had 5 boys. Once again, money was scarce and times were hard. She worked hard to make ends meet which was difficult considering the man she married made life even harder. Let's just say.............he made life more difficult for her then life had to be.
She believed in hard work. She spent her entire life working in the fields, working in a factory or caring for others. 7 days a week all hours of the day.
She ever knew any other life. I'm not sure if she every had the opportunity to be happy. To know true happiness. 'm hoping she's happy now.
My mother told me that she's sure that my grandmother found happiness in me. This is something that definitely brings me comfort.
She was so young. I always thought I had time to take care of her. I wanted to take care of her. Now I will never have the opportunity.

Make it Hurt So Good

2010-12-07T17:18:00.000-08:00

Oh my gosh it was freezing tonight at track. I thought I was going to freeze to death. Usually at this point normal people go inside b/c they don't enjoy being cold. But no, we (the crazy runners) are outside running in circles (or on a street) enjoying the cold weather and complaining about the weather. Also, our poor coaches are standing on the sideline freezing their butts off and listening to us complain. Why in the world are we complaining? We are so lucky.
We are so lucky that we are able to enjoy such activities as running in a circle on a cold night. We are so blessed that we are healthy enough and we are "free" enough to spend our leisure time doing whatever it is that we love.
If I said it once, I've said it a thousand times. I love running. I'm so blessed to be able to run.

Surf n Santa

2010-12-04T09:01:00.000-08:00

Today was my first attempt at fast running since I hurt my hamstring about 4 weeks ago. Starting the race I was a little worried, I just didn't want my hamstring to hurt so much that I would cause more damage to my hamstring. So the goal was too take it easy and just let the pace go where it needed to go. The race went well. My hamstring didn't start hurting until Mile 3 and the pain never became unbearable. So I decided to just keep the pace at 6mins and to just have a good time at the race.
I crossed the finish line right at 60 minutes and 14 secs. Not a bad day considering I'm not at the top of my game. I did have my pride hurt (and they know who they are). All in all, a good race and a good day. Not a bad way to spend my Saturday morning.

Still Recovering

2010-10-26T18:37:00.000-07:00

Hi guys,
So I'm still recovering but tonight's track workout really helped me begin to feel like my old self. My mile tonight was a blazing 5:04. Not my best but I'm still trying to get my speed back. It was so much fun.
I'm leaving for Utah in a couple of days. I'm really excited about training in Utah. According to my mom, the weather is amazing and perfect for running. Also, there's a super cool running store up there that's pretty popular called The Salt Lake City Company. I'm planning on meeting up with a group of people there to run on Saturday morning. It won't be the Final Kick group but it should still be fun.
Happy Running in SLC,

Marathon Recovery

2010-10-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

My marathon recovery has been going well. I've been doing my recovery the Bill Bernard way which involves continuing running after a marathon to recover. In the past I've taken time off from running and slowly recovered but Bill thinks I'll recover better if I continue running. I have to admit I'm tired and I even ran a 5k on Saturday at a pretty good effort. Right now I'm actually always tired. I sleep a lot and they are really deep sleeps. I was so tired the other night I woke up confused about where I was, actually kind of scary. But my legs do feel good tho.
I need to focus more on better nutrition. Any suggestions?

Chicago Marathon

2010-10-13T17:53:00.000-07:00

So I spent the Saturday before the race doing very little. I went to the Expo (which was pretty awesome). Everyone was taking pictures in front of the 10-10-10 signs (fyi - this date won't happen again until 2410- I learned this fact from Ms Margarat Taylor) and it was all very exciting. I spent the night watching the marathon portion of Kona. It was actually very inspiring and motivating.
Sunday morning was exciting but unfortunately it was already warmer than what I wanted. I was hoping to wake up and need a long shirt or gloves but it didn't happen. The race was only a short distance from the hotel so we walked to the Elite Development Tent. At 0705 we began walking to our corral. We had to walk thru all the other corrals and the oddest thing happened. I saw more men peeing EVERYWHERE. On sidewalks, in bushes, on fences. I mean everywhere. I just couldn't believe it. Why do people think that's okay. It's not. There were port a potties everywhere.
So the race began right on time. I was in a crowd of people. I've never been surrounded by so many people. Very fun! We started off running and I realized that someone had lied to me. Chicago is not flat. We immediately began running up and down over bridges and hills. I was really excited for the race to begin. I'd been training and racing for months all to prepare for this one race. I knew that my goal was to qualify for the trials. Play it safe and qualify for the trials. Besides I already knew it was going to be too hot for me to take any chances. Around mile 7 I kind of found myself alone. I had a group of people ahead of me. I decided I would catch up to them and see what the pace was like. Once I caught up with them my garmin said 6:06. Oops too fast. I knew I had to options I could take a chance on the pace or I could slow down. I opted to slow it down back to my planned pace. At mile 10ish my Italian guy caught back up to me. (I had decided earlier in the race that this was my guy - and I was afraid he had let me down). We ended up running the rest of the race together. He didn't speak much English but we were able to communicate enough that we took turns getting each other water/Gatorade. And every time I fell off pace (mile 21-23 were a little tough for me ) he yelled something at me and pointed beside him. At the halfway point I was right on 1:22:38. Yay. Right on cue. At mile 20ish I passed Joan Benoit Samuelson. The crazy thing was that she was smiling. Still smiling and she ran a 2:47. She's amazing.
Also at this point I knew that it was going to be a very hot rest of the race. Very hot. It was already very warm. Like I said there were a couple of miles that were a little rough but the crowd kept cheering for my Italian running mate (Italia!!) and that kept me going as well. Mile 24 was beyond sweet b/c this is when I knew all I had to do was run 2 .2 very consistent miles. The finish for Chicago is uphill. Once again, this isn't a flat course. But it was amazing. It's been such a long time since I ran a fun marathon so it was great to finish. The announcer said my name and city as I crossed the finish line and he welcomed me to the Olympic Trials which was pretty cool.
The finish line was very smooth. The massage tent people were pros. I've never seen the massage tent run so smoothly. Very cool.
We had to fly back to VaBch that evening. I would have loved to have spent more time in Chicago but it was back to reality and real life.
Real life means Coach made me run 7 miles the next day with him while he rode the bike. Coach actually has a different take on post marathon running. I usually take at least a week off from running. He doesn't believe in that. So I even went to track last night. Yay for me. I actually feel good. So, I'm already looking forward to my next marathon and hoping I get faster
After mile 20, it started getting very hot. I realized that

In Chicago

2010-10-08T19:02:00.000-07:00

I'm here in Chicago and I already feel very overwhelmed. Already I'm thinking way too much. Am I good enough? Should I have trained more? Should I have trained harder? Being here is very humbling and all I can do is trust in myself and remember what I'm doing here in the first place. It's very easy to forget that the only reason I run is for myself. Not for my sponsors. Not for my coach. Not for anyone but me. I'm the only one whose opinion really matters. No one else is going to be out there with me on the course but me. At mile 21 I'm gonna have to push myself to the finish line.
All I can say is that I'm so excited about being here. I have to remember that I've trained very hard and that I really love running. I can't wait for race morning. I can already feel the butterflies and the anticipation.

The Taper

2010-10-07T17:07:00.000-07:00

So for the last couple of days I've been in "The Taper". Some people hate the taper. They complain about feeling like they aren't doing enough and are restless. Me, I love it. After months of training I can feel my legs again and it's great.
I've spent this week doing all the right things. I've stayed off my feet, got my massage from Balance (thank you Jessica) and getting my hip worked on by Jim Browning.
I also seriously believe in making sure I eat enough pasta and cookies (sugar is fuel also). Oh, and pancakes too.
I'm very excited b/c I leave tomorrow. I plan on getting my good luck run in with Mike D and then I'm off to Chicago.

And I'm off to watch Grey's Anatomy. Love the show.

The Competitive Edge

2010-10-02T13:51:00.000-07:00

On my long run on Wednesday Coach and I were discussing the Competitive Edge. What it is and who has it? According to my Coach, it's also called the Rocky Factor. It's an internal feeling that drives an athlete to sacrifice for his/her training. This athlete will go out on race day and will leave everything out of the course. This runner isn't afraid of blowing up and not finishing because he/she will leave nothing to chance.
Not everyone has this competitive edge. Do you?

Lynchburg 10 Miler

2010-09-26T18:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I ran the Lynchburg 10 miler which is a very historic race (37 years). I have the privilege of writing that I won the race. So awesome! I join the list that has Joanie and Greta on it as well as Catherine the Great. The race was awesome. It starts on a downhill slope so for the 1st mile you are flying. Then starts the pain. The hills of Lynchburg are hard. No lie. I was breathing hard by mile 2 and having a few doubts about my sanity. Around mile 4 a guy comes up and passes me. Every time we went down hill he would pass me and then we would go up a hill and I'd pass him back. He had me worried for a bit b/c I couldn't figure out if he knew something I didn't. After a pretty ugly hill that topped out at mile 5 he went away so then I was just back to cruising. The cool thing about this race was the support. Lots of people along the side of the road yelling and it is an out and back course so heading back there were tons of people cheering which was super sweet. Around mile 6 it occurred to me that 1st place girl was pretty close and I could catch up. It's amazing how your mind becomes totally focused and it's all so clear (b/c the only thing that matters is that one person). This was another race that where I don't remember ever feeling pain. I was just so focused. We took a left corner that would take us back to the finish line and this is where I passed her. The crowd actually went crazy which was pretty cool. So for the next couple of miles all I could think about was running hard. The last mile was pretty crazy. It really is a long hard mile up a pretty steep hill.
This race is one of these days that just makes it all worth while. The pain and the work. All the long hours of running, planning, lifting weights, and just all of it. It's just all worth it.

The Last Run

2010-09-21T11:03:00.000-07:00

So my good friend (and amazing runner partner) is off to France. We had a wonderful morning run (20miles) this morning with Coach on his bike. It was a beautiful morning and we had an amazing run. Needless to say, I'm happy for Kelley but I'm sure gonna miss her.

Chicago Half Marathon

2010-09-11T10:09:00.001-07:00

Hello all,
I'm in in the amazing windy city of Chicago. I love this city. The tall buildings are beautiful and it's just so cool. I'm in a wonderful hotel called The Palmer House Hilton which was built in the late 1800's. Very cool. I woke up this morning and the weather was in the 50's and it was raining. WAY different than our fair city of Va Beach. I've already wondered out loud if I could move to Chicago but I would miss my city way too much. IDK.
The weather tomorrow is suppose to be in the 60's in the morning. So the weather is definitely ready for racing, I've been to the Expo. It was small which is nice for trying to figure stuff out in a big unfamiliar city. But this is perfect for me figuring out Chicago before the marathon. Speaking of the marathon there are flags out everywhere with 10 10 10 on them. How cool is that!

Who knows what tomorrow will bring. I do know that I have a horrible head cold and my sinuses are draining (very attractive, I know) so that really sucks. I'm hoping it won't affect my performance for tomorrow. I feel that I've emotionally put RnR out of my mind and that I'm ready (emotionally and physically) to race tomorrow. Wish me luck!

2010-09-05T11:34:00.001-07:00

pics to follow soon

RnR update

2010-09-05T11:15:00.002-07:00

Okay so the race is over. The times are in the book and a personal record was achieved.
The race was truly wonderful today. I had an amazing time. From the first moment of standing on the starting line with the Great Constantina Dita our 2008 Olympic Marathon Gold Medalist from the Beijing Olympics to the finish line and seeing my wonderful friends David (Balance Therapeutic Massage) and Kathy (my Italian mother) and of course the amazing Andy and Coach Bill.
I started the race feeling very good and relaxed. Mile 1 was no problem with a smooth 6 minute pace. Realizing I felt great I picked up the pace to catch up with the next group. Then I totally just settled in and ran as hard as I could. I never looked at my watch. I remember seeing the 10mile time which was 59:00 minutes and all I could think was sweet I'm on target. The finish was amazing and I wish I had ran harder but that's easier said than done b/c at the time I felt I was running as hard as I could.
I've had people already ask me what my plan was or what was my strategy. Literally, it was to trust my training and my coach. Also, I planned on finding someone to run with and just sticking to her as long as possible. Basically, run hard.
So the race is over with. I'm going to enjoy this night and tomorrow it is back to business as usual. I have a massage at Balance tomorrow and an easy run. And this I will be off to run the Chicago Half Marathon on Sunday the 12th.

rock n roll half marthon

2010-09-05T11:15:00.001-07:00

http://running.competitor.com/2010/09/news/songoka-ogi-claim-victory-in-virginia-beach_13096

Article about the race already posted online. short mention of me near the bottom.

Dear RnR

2010-09-04T13:59:00.001-07:00

So tomorrow is Race Day and it's pretty huge. I've been invited to have an Elite Start and I take that responsibility pretty serious. My number is F14 so that means that there are at least 13 other amazing, fast women who all mean business. But I think I'm ready
I haven't posted anything in a while for lots of reasons. I've been pretty busy with work and training and sometimes it doesn't always cross my mind. But let's just say I've been running better lately than I have in the past 2-3 years. Things in my life have finally settled down enough that I can focus. Last week during a track session I ran a 5:04 mile on my own. Totally awesome feeling. Also feels great to have coach Bill so happy as well. A couple of weeks ago I ran the Lynchburg Half Marathon in a time of 1:20:22 which broke the course record of 1:25:36. I totally recommend this race b/c it's a challenging course and it's only 20.00. I got a cool shirt that actually fit me (how many times have you gotten a shirt that was way too big), everyone was nice, I was less than a half mile from the starting line, the course rocked, and did I mention it was only 20.00 bucks. And the city of Lynchburg is beautiful. (I'm actually returning on September 25th to run the Historical Lynchburg 10 miler)
So now that you are all caught up. LOL.
Tomorrow is race day. I've been blessed to have amazing friends who are gonna be on the course. And I can't wait to see you guys. Remember to cheer loudly!! I want to hear you. I'm gonna need it. I've also been blessed to have gotten my legs massaged (thanks David) and to have gotten an amazing Elite entry into the race (Thanks Jim Golden). And Coach, awh we are gonna have an amazing time tomorrow.

So dear RnR,
Tomorrow morning we are going to meet again. The weather will be amazing and the competition will be stiff. You will be (as you have always been) a very worthy opponent. But I am ready for you. And this time is like no other time before. We are meeting on under different circumstances and I am ready.
Your most devout servant.

Good luck to everyone running. See you out there.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods

2010-07-14T08:44:00.000-07:00

Did you know that there are foods that can cause or worsen already present inflammation. According to different experts foods that are high in fat such as processed meats (hot dogs and luncheon meat), red meat, and junk food can cause or increase inflammation. Processed meats such as lunch meats, hot dogs and sausages contain chemicals such as nitrites that are associated with increased inflammation and chronic disease.

This little piece of information is very important for runners and athletes. If I can eat or avoid eating certain foods to decrease the inflammation in my muscles then I want to do that. I believe that a healthy diet is better than taking vitamins or anti-inflammatory medicines.

Well, the number one best thing to do is drink water. Lots of water!

Also our body needs protein to build healthy body tissues. Good protein sources include lean poultry, fish and seafood, nuts, legumes and seeds. Red meats may trigger inflammation, so cut back on fatty red meats.

Soybeans, tofu, and soy milk are three great sources of soy proteins that may help to reduce your pain and inflammation.

Over all, when you are choosing anti-inflammatory foods to help reduce your inflammation and pain, choose fresh foods instead of heavily processed foods. Here are some tips:

Breakfast could be oatmeal served with fresh berries and walnuts, with a cup of soy milk.
Snack on whole fruits, nuts, seeds, and fresh vegetables throughout the day instead of cookies and candy.
Eat more fish and less fatty red meat.
Stay away from deep fried foods and bake or stir fry your meals instead.
Choose green, orange, and yellow vegetables for your side dishes.
Drink plenty of water, fresh 100% fruit and vegetable juices, herbal teas and green tea.

Crazy Ass Saturday

2010-06-19T12:26:00.000-07:00

Today I'm running 2 races. I ran the CHKD 8K this morning in Norfolk. Won 1st place Overall Female with a time of 28:59. A huge PR for me! The races was great. And I loved running through the city of Norfolk between the tall buildings. Very cool! A huge win for BDP peeps. Tonight, Kelley Taylor and I will be continuing the crazy day of racing with another run in Newport News. The Icelandic 8K. Should be lots of fun. I won't lie to you. My legs are a little tired but I got a massage from David at Balance Therapeutic Massage on my legs to promote recovery. I'm sure this will be a huge help to me. Anyway, off to get my legs up in the air.

Skinny People Shop Here

2010-06-09T09:53:00.000-07:00

There's an article on AOL Health which states that according to a survey that was taken b/w December 2008 and March 2009 only 4% of shoppers that go to Whole Foods are overweight (this location was in Seattle). The reason is b/c obesity is linked to poverty and Whole Foods Grocery store is anything but cheap (the average price for a market basket of food at Whole Foods was between $370 and $420, compared with the same basket of food at Albertson's for $225 to $280). Basically people who have lower incomes are looking for foods with more bang for their buck (these usually are the more calorie dense processed foods). MSNBC even reported that in a separate study in 2008, it was estimated that a calorie-dense diet costs $3.52 a day, compared with $36.32 a day for a low-calorie diet. So deep down obesity is a economic issue and eating healthy require more money and requires more preparation time then eating a processed high calorie diet.

It really is sad that in a country like America and with as much food as we seem to have that we still have people who can't afford a healthy diet. I know that buying fresh vegetables and fruits are expensive but I believe it is possible for a family on a budget to still buy foods that are good for them. Frozen vegetables are always a good option. I think I find this topic very frustrating b/c I really believe in eating healthy and always having fresh fruits and vegetables in the house and ready to eat.

Taking the time to Recover from an Injury

2010-05-20T13:35:00.001-07:00

So it's been about 7 weeks since I wrote that I was going to focus on rehabbing my hip until it was truly better. Ever since then I've been religiously attending physical therapy at Atlantic Physical Therapy, getting my knots worked out at Kinetic Health, and attending sessions at Range of Motion with Nick. Now this sounds like I'm trying to do advertising for my sponsors but I'm not. These are people who have been a huge part of me getting back to doing what I love (running fast!!!!). When my hip hurts its hard to be motivated. I can stand pain..........just not this kind. And let me tell you, if you stay committed to getting better, then its going to work for you. As runners, cyclists, ect. sometimes we feel that pain is a part of it but it doesn't have to be. Your knee doesn't have to hurt and your hamstring doesn't have to be tight. But considering all the time, money and effort we put into training it is so worth it. I've learned that I have to take care of my body. I'm getting older (yes I know I'm still young but I've been running since I was 14 and that is a lot of miles on my body) and I have to realize that it is going to talk longer to recover and it's going to get easier for me to get injured if I don't start taking care of myself NOW.
So these are just some thoughts to think about. Have you had to take some time off? Why did you have to slow down or take it easy? Is there someone out there who can help you get back to doing what you love?
Here's another thought. Preventing injury. This is so important b/c once you are injured its going to take weeks to get back to being healthy. So maybe it's important to take steps to stay healthy. Once I'm healthy I'm going to continue seeing Nick (Range of Motion) and Jim (Kinetic Health). I want to stay healthy.
B/c all I wanna do is have some fun (running fast)

Bike to Work

2010-05-20T13:30:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, tomorrow is bike to work day. I don't have to work but I do have to do my long run. Thinking I might try to bike to Final Kick and then to my long run and ride my bike back home. Could make for a long day, lol. Maybe I can get my running partner to just drive me home. haha

Complete vs Incomplete Protein

2010-05-18T13:06:00.001-07:00

A few days ago I was talking to a brilliant neurosurgeon (this man is very intelligent and I would totally trust him with my brain) and we were discussing my running and my hip/glute injury. As we were talking, he told me that part of my problem (the slow healing of my leg) could be because of my vegetarian diet. He thinks that because I'm not eating meat that my leg muscles can't repair themselves as well as they could if I ate animal protein. He based this off of the idea that the body needs and wants animal protein to heal. At first I shrugged his comments off but I have to admit that the comment stuck in my head. Here I am days later still struggling with the comment.

"Am I hurting myself?", "Should I start eating chicken again? That isn't as bad as red meat and what harm could it do" And I'll only eat it every once and awhile and isn't running way more important to you." As these thoughts ran through my head there was another side of me struggling with the idea of eating meat again. I don't want to eat meat. I stopped eating it not only for my health but also because I believe its wrong to mass produce meat and I hate the way animals are being treated.

So I began conducting some research and I've found that a vegetarian diet can supply quality protein as well. Instead of just eating chicken and getting your protein a dinner of beans and rice is just as good and the heart benefits are numerable. Yes, it requires a little more thought and planning but its worth the work. Most research says that Americans eat way too much protein thinking they need it and that all that nice protein is helping their muscles be nice and strong but that's not true. All that extra protein is just turned into fat and it's causing a high protein and low carb/vegetable diet which is far from healthy not to mention the environmental problems it's causing.

This subject is something that really means a lot to me. I grew up on a farm where we raised cows that we sent to be slaughtered and I hated it. I still hate it to this day. As proud as I was (and still am) I could never be a part of it with my family. I would love to hear your comments and thoughts but I'm off to track practice. But let me know what you think.

Cycling

2010-05-04T07:23:00.001-07:00

Taught my first spin class last night at Range of Motions. It was tons of fun. I was a little nervous. I was afraid my class wouldn't be hard enough. Turns out it was just the right amount of difficult. I recieved a huge compliment from one of the participants. He said, "It was just the right amount of difficult. You took us to our edge and you could tell when to bring the level of difficulty down a bit to keep us going". Cycling is a great workout for everyone. The level of difficulty is controlled by the participant with the instructor just being there to lead you through the workout.
Cant wait for the next class.

Weekend

2010-05-04T07:12:00.000-07:00

Had a fabulous weekend! My new strategy is to fall in love again with racing. So I spent the weekend running hard and getting focused again. Ran a local 5k on Saturday (Cinco de Mayo) and then ran a local 8K on Sunday (Jewish Family Services). Had the greatest time hanging out with friends and enjoying the weather. Also picked up some great prizes for winning Overall Female Divisions like a gift card to Final Kick and a gift certificate to The Shoe Box.
I had a reason for racing this entire weekend. I like to use them as tempo runs and to get me use to racing. To remember not to take any race for granted.

Setting Goals

2010-04-29T08:24:00.000-07:00

So to continue this topic about Setting Goals I decided I'd like to share more. I'm a big fan of Evan Lysacek (he is our current gold medalist 2010 Ice Skating champ). He has accomplished a lot in his life already. He is the first American male to win the gold medal in 22 years. That's huge. This is a sport that's been dominated by one Russian male for over 12 years. How did he do this? Since he was about 8 years old he has been skating, for as long as he can remember he's been wanting the gold medal around his neck. He's been working toward this for years. He trains 7 hours a day, he doesn't party and stay out late, he eats well, he gets his sleep every night, and he stays focus. When asked why did he do Dancing with the Stars, he said it was b/c he needed a new goal and structure. Also, he needed something to fill the void that he was afraid he would feel after winning the Olympics. To me that's amazing and it was so inspirational. I started thinking about how many hours do I devote to training and how can I train better and smarter. If I run or workout twice a day that's anywhere from 3-4 hours depending how far I run, ROM days give me another hour, core work.......well that's another 30 mins and I can't forget physical therapy which is another 90 mins.

But he has accomplished all this through setting goals (small ones all leading up to the Big One). As an athlete I have to set goals even if the goal is I need to attend two times a week for rehab and then do exercises on my own 2 days a week as well. But I need to keep in mind my one Big Goal as well (whatever it may be)
Setting goals will help us all be better runners, swimmers, cyclist (athletes)

Setting Goals and Helping Out

2010-04-29T06:44:00.000-07:00

I had someone ask me today why haven't I been posting and whats up with me. I really didn't have a good answer b/c there have been several times that I thought about posting something.

Since the last time I posted I've actually been very productive. I've been going to physical therapy for my hip every week, working out at ROM with Nick, coaching track at Cox, I passed my test for my Master's Degree, and I've been thinking about my goals for my future.
I even ran a 5K for Alzheimer's (A Run to Remember).

I do better in my life when I have goals to work toward and my life is organized. I work well in a structured environment. The last couple of weeks I've struggled to make Physical Therapy and my Master's Degree my goals but I'm beginning to feel better now and I'm itching to start planning and racing. Once again this goes back to another problem I'm well known for........my lack of patience.

Whats the answer to this problem? Being true to myself. Who am I? What do I want?
I want to train and race. How to I do this? I've picked a race........Utah Half Marathon....I can't wait.

My new toy

2010-04-03T17:58:00.000-07:00

Today I bought a trainer for my road bike. A Kinetic from Final Kick. Used it with my bike this evening and it was a lot of fun. Great ride. It wasn't running but it was fun. I need something while I'm rehabbing his hip. Yea!

A Different Goal

2010-04-01T07:11:00.000-07:00

Setting goals is a big part of life as an athlete. It's was keeps you going. It's what makes you get up in the morning. It's what makes you lace up your running shoes and gets you out the door.
But setting goals also leads to one of my biggest human flaws.
One of my biggest personality flaws is my inability to be patient. When I want something, I want it then and now. When I set my mind to something, there is rarely anything that will stop me from reaching my goal. It's one reason I'm able to train the way I do but lately that mindset has done nothing but get me in more trouble. I've had to put the spring marathon on hold. My left leg hasn't been functioning properly for a long time but I've just kept going. I've continued training and it's finally caught up with me. Yesterday, I was no longer able to deny the fact that I have to take time to let me left hip heal and get stronger.
Last week my plantar fasciitis returned. So my solution.....multiple pairs of new shoes, orthotics, and stretching. But instead of healing, my right knee starting hurting and then the hip starting hurting and last but not least my hamstring started hurting. This is most definitely one of those times when an athlete is just down and out. What to do? I could give up but that's really not my style. So I've decided to put all my trust in Atlantic Physical Therapy again. They've fixed me before (shin splints) and I know they can do it again. But I have to stay focused and stick with the program. My first action to show my commitment, this morning when I got up I did exercises that Lucas (the PT guy) gave me. Two times a week with Lucas, two times a week at home all for 6 weeks. I just have to be patient and remember the goal.

It's just hard. This time the goal isn't a race.

A Learning Experience, the Hard Way

2010-03-23T15:07:00.000-07:00

This might seem like an odd time to begin a blog but I actually think it's the perfect time. I'm hoping I can just explain what happened on Sunday and close this chapter of my racing career. Chalk it up to a lesson learned.
So, my first DNF
I'd been training for the Shamrock Marathon. I'd put a lot of pressure on this race and I really wanted to do well. I had trained hard and I had family watching (it would be their first race) But a week and a half before the race I came down with a horrible cold. Basically, I developed a cough, chest congestion, and I was tired all the time. I wasn't able to run more than four miles at a time but I kept hoping that I'd wake up the next day and be cured. I still did everything like I usually would. I got a massage from Balance Massage, I went and saw Jim at Kinetic Health, and I rested and ate my pasta on Saturday night. Unfortunately, I never did get better. On Sunday, I woke up still coughing but I just prayed that I'd be able to get through the race.
I started out feeling great. Mile 1 was perfect 6:20 (I was right on pace) and I thought, I can keep this up. But it didn't last. I began falling off the pace early and all I could think about was, that it was too early for me to be feeling this way. I was tired. Exhausted already. decided to end the race at Mile 11 hoping to save the fight for another day. It was a tough decision. I fought the idea for almost 2 miles. When I found my friends, I cried. I couldn't believe that it was over. At first, I was beyond crushed and I felt like I had failed.
But I know that I did the right thing. I will pick myself up off the ground and do it again. This time I will not be sick and I will be much stronger. Just got to get better and refocus.
So, I hope this will help people understand.