December: 105.50 miles

November: 120.76 miles

Whoo hoo!  I'm getting closer to my annual mileage goal of 1500 this year!!

October: 120.22 miles

LB finisher photos

I always look so dorky in race photos.  These finisher photos actually aren't all that bad.  The Long Beach Marathon/Half Marathon event handed out mylar blankets -- even for the half marathon finishers and we didn't even need them given the warm day.  What a great event to treat its runners so well.  Seriously, this event is top notch.

Long Beach International Marathon (HALF MARATHON)

I've learned over the years that I'm just not a warm weather runner.  If it's over 60 or 65 degrees, it's simply too warm for me.  I sweat excessively.  I cramp if I'm not religiously taking in fluids and popping sodium tablets.  I love the sunshine but not during a race.  I didn't know what the weather would be like for today's Long Beach Marathon events when I threw my name into a contest for a free bib.  I hadn't even considered running LB but when I saw an opportunity to get a completely comped bib... well, I couldn't NOT TRY.  And I got it.  So today I ran the Half Marathon event.  It's a gorgeous course and very well-supported, but the 1.5 to 2 hour drive (each way) and the warm day are tough to deny.  I was glad to be done when I finished today.  I wish I could have remained strong to the end, but overall I'm happy with today's run.  New age group, new category (I'm now a "Masters") and a good solid effort today... 

Half Marathon

Runner Details	Race Results
Bib: Name: Cherl Gender: F Age: 40 Hometown: CA	Overall: 1118 out of 10626 Women: 280 out of 6234 F 40-44: 57 out of 969 Age/Grade: 61.57% Place: 832 Finish: 1:50:29 Pace: 8:26 Tag Time: 1:50:29 Gun Time: 1:51:48
Split Times
10 Km: 48:15 Pace: 7:46

September: 130.06 miles

the Lemon Run

This morning I had the great honor of participating in a fundraising event for two charities that raise money for pediatric cancer research.  It's a wonderful cause and participating in such a small, but very good, event was really fun today.  The course was the most supported of any race I've ever done, the route was scenic circling the lake and everyone was so friendly and fun.  I loved it.  I'm glad I participated in this event today and I'm glad I did it with three mama friends.  It's an event that I won't forget anytime soon.

Distance: 4.6 miles
Time: doesn't matter
Fun factor: 10+

August: 126.72 miles

Yay!  My monthly goal is 125 -- reaching that is always satisfying!

America's Finest City Half Marathon

America's Finest City Half Marathon ~ San Diego, Calif.

post-race photo with my running pals

America's Finest City Half Marathon (AFC) was this past weekend.  Not my favorite half marathon event, but one that I ran two years ago and one that I've wanted to run again, only because I knew I could run it better.  Two years ago I started much too fast and totally ran out of gas at the bottom of the hill.  At that point, I was about halfway through the race so the second half was incredibly long and slow.  I didn't make it under 2 hours that year.  I knew I could run it better (smarter on those hills!) so I ran it again this year.  A little better on the hills and flat portion of the course, but the hill at the end still kicked my butt.  It's a long, slow climb for 1.5 miles at the very end of this race.  For a half marathon, this event requires a lot of effort with its shuttle to the start, early race start, and event location.  I do not plan to run this one again because of that (too much work for a half!).  It would have been great to finish in under 1:50 at this race but the course is a tough one.  I'm happy with my 1:53 finish! 

Race Results
Overall: 1508 out of 6753
Women: 456 out of 3543
F 35-39: 84 out of 603
Finish: 1:53:46
Pace: 8:41

 

Why can't these race photos ever be good??

July: 98.89 miles

Yes, the 1.11 miles that I'm shy of an even 100 miles kills me.  It makes me absolutely, positively, certifiably nuts... 

Foot Traffic Flat 2011

finisher's medal -- unique, fun, and totally Portland

Five years ago I ran this same Foot Traffic Flat Half Marathon with friends and had a great time.  It was my second time running this race (2003 was the first) and I loved it - totally flat, super fast and a lot of fun.  I wanted to run it again but then I got pregnant and moved out of the state so I haven't been able to until this year.  I took almost a full 10 minutes off my previous best time on this course this year and set a new personal record for myself, by over 4 minutes!  What an awesome way to start the July 4th holiday!
 

Why can't race photos ever be good?

post race with my husband who ran a blistering 1:33 today (new PR for him, too)

Race Results
Overall: 261 out of 1641
Women: 77 out of 1070
F 35-39: 10 out of 148
Finish: 1:44:57
Pace: 8:00

June: 119.37 miles

Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Half Marathon

This morning I ran the Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Half Marathon. Three days ago I had no desire to run this race. I'm not a fan of this race series -- that's a whole other post, but basically the "circus" environment I imagined is very, very real -- and never gave it a second thought. However, my friend called me Thursday evening to say, "I think I can get us bibs for this weekend's race. Are you in?" The more I thought it over, the more I liked the idea. Friday I thought it might be iffy and I actually felt disappointed -- I really did want to run this race! Saturday morning, she texted me around 11am to let me know that she had two bibs in her hands and that we were all set to run. So this morning I woke at 3am (couldn't sleep) and we headed downtown for the 6:15am race start.

Our bibs were for the full marathon but we agreed that doing the full today wouldn't be prudent. I'd only run one 11 miler since the OC Marathon and she hadn't run much at all since Boston due to tight hamstrings. So we decided to run the half marathon. The first four miles we weaved around slower runners and walkers. Around this point we became separated and didn't see each other again the whole race. I continued to weave around people pretty much the whole race but it did ease up a bit after mile 6. Around mile 8 the guy in front of me came to a dead stop and I totally nailed him. Again around mile 12 a female on the side also wanted to weave around the same 4 slower runners that I was weaving around and we collided. Had I not held her arm up, she totally would have bit it. She apologized (it was her fault) but it still felt pretty good to take off at that point and leave her and her white tutu behind. The crowd support was amazing and I was able to pick it up to a 7:40 pace as I headed into the finish. It was a new PR for the half marathon distance (took off almost 3 minutes to finish in 1:49 -- woot!) but it isn't official since it wasn't my bib. I'm not the 32 year old female I pretended to be today. Nor is my friend the 26 year old female she pretended to be today.

Usually the races we enter are planned so far in advance. It was a different experience to "jump in at the last minute" and really a fun way to do it. We were planning to run 12 miles this weekend anyway and with the gorgeous weekend weather and bibs for 1/3 of their original prices, well... how could we possibly pass that up!? 

May: 113.50 miles

OC Marathon

Race Results
Overall: 507 out of 1657
Women: 145 out of 675
F 35-39: 28 out of 103
Finish: 4:13:01
Pace: 9:40

Split Times
5k: 27:15 (8:47)
10m 1:28:06 (8:49)
Half: 1:54:12 (8:43)
15.5: 2:14:13 (8:40)
18.6: 2:44:49 (8:52)

Yesterday I ran the OC Marathon. The race is interesting in that it actually goes through 4 Orange County cities - Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Irvine and Santa Ana. It was my 3rd marathon in less than 7 months and my 5th marathon total. Not my best finish time yesterday, but my best effort in a marathon to date.

Waking at 3am and driving up made for an early morning but the OC Fairground parking was easy and the shuttle was pretty uneventful. I overheard one man complain about the shuttles but after St. George, all other shuttles seem extremely well-organized and run very smoothly. The shuttle ride is relatively short in distance, but the bus seemed to be moving in slow motion. It took about 35 minutes to make the 6.5 mile drive -- crazy! The race itself started out great. I like their corral system because I ended up being right at the start line when the race began for Corral B.

For the first several miles I took my friend Clare's advice (she ran it last year) and kept it slow and controlled because of the hills. Not only are there hills (both up and down), but there are also a lot of twists and turns in the first half of the race. Around mile 7.5 there is a bigger hill so I basically kept my pace around 9:00 until after that hill.

Once we were on the bike path, I picked it up to an 8:45 and figured I would keep it there until the half marathoners split. After the split, I picked it up again and kept it between 8:30 and 8:45 until mile 22. I felt awesome, steady and totally in control.

The second half is not scenic unless you like business parks and running around the Costa Mesa Mall (?). There weren't many runners and very few crowd support. But it was comfortable and I was running with a few different people. The pace felt great and at one point I saw that if I continued, I could finish in 3:50 which would be a fantastic new PR for me. But it was a warm day and very windy in the second half. Blown up arches for the event that spanned the road were being blown over -- that's pretty windy! And regardless of direction that we turned, it was always a strong headwind. How is that possible??

I had taken a salt tablet before the race and was drinking fluids up until the start. I continued drinking Gatorade during the race, taking GU, and swallowing a salt tablet every hour. It didn't add up to be enough though and in the last 4.2 miles I felt it. I didn't realize I was dehydrated until an hour after the race when I went into the restroom to clean myself up and change for the drive home. I was covered in salt -- on my skin, my face, my clothes. It's no wonder I cramped up badly. The last 4 miles were torture. It took me an hour to cover that distance (15 min. miles!?!?!?!). I would try to shuffle along but every time I would cramp up in my calves, my butt, thighs, everywhere. The last 1.5 miles my right ankle gave me grief and was painful to apply much pressure to. So, a bummer ending to what was shaping up to be a fantastic for me. I'm not disappointed because the first 22 were so awesome and I'm really happy with that. I can see how much I've improved over the last year.

The short story: Great first 22 miles, sucky last 4.2 miles to end the race in 4:13. Dehydration was the culprit. It was hot and windy. A guy passed me at mile 1 dripping in sweat. I was pretty warm by mile 1 also. Overall, I'm very pleased with my effort and proud of how I ran the race.

April: 131.43 miles

March: 169.48 miles

Just when I think I couldn't possibly run more miles in a single month, I do! Highest month yet and I feel great. Whoo hoo!

February: 147.99 miles

My highest one week mileage has capped off my highest monthly mileage -- ever!

January: 112.75 miles

Not the 125 mile goal for the month, but better than expected given the marathon this month and all the tapering and resting afterwards... An excellent month of running!

Carlsbad Marathon

the running gang post Carlsbad Marathon & Half Marathon races

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I ran the Carlsbad Marathon this morning and finished in 4:05. It was my fourth marathon over the course of 9 years (!!) and today's time was 22 minutes faster than my previous best which I got in St. George just three months ago.

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I was really nervous going into this race, probably more so than any race I've ever done. STG was a disaster. I had trained really well for months, but that day none of it mattered. It was certainly not what I was expecting and incredibly disappointing. I knew I had to redeem myself soon and quietly almost all of us exchanged our Carlsbad Half Marathon bibs for the (full) Marathon.

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The training started out great because we had already been in training. The weekend after STG I ran 10 miles and that kicked off the new training session for Carlsbad. But winter marathons are tough, esp. when they are right after the holidays. I was sick for several weeks and had a cough that took 5 or 6 weeks to shake. There was also a week of travel in November and frigid conditions in Portland. My training got off track and I was very concerned. I started really wishing I hadn't exchanged my bib because I was not feeling ready at all.

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Tapering was a nightmare. I began to have difficulty sleeping, I couldn't think of anything else but the marathon, I lacked patience... all the typical behavior but it hit me harder this time than in previous races. But suddenly just 4 days before the marathon I felt a sense of calm. All the self-doubt went away. Despite some spotty training, I began to think that maybe I could finish this one okay.

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Running the hometown marathon is a much different experience. I had been waking at 4:50am to run with the group for 7 months. I knew what to eat, when to wake, what things I needed to lay out ahead of time. I also knew the course like I know the back of my hand. I know when to ease up, when to give a little more, which hills I needed to mentally prepare for, etc. I carbo-loaded with friends the evening before and woke marathon morning feel fresh and ready.

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The 6am start meant the first hour of the marathon was dark. It also meant the miles flew past. I was totally suprised every time I approached a mile marker. I couldn't believe how fast the first 11 miles went by! Miles 14 to 16 are run with the half marathon racers. They were all fresh since it was miles 5-7 for them while some of us were beginning to look a bit more ragged. The hill at 15 is along the coast and I knew it would be a tough one. It's really not a tough one, but 15 miles into the race it feels really big. I shuffled up that one and was so happy once I got to the top.

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I had run races with my husband and friends before and during those shorter events we had even run together. But for the marathon, it's always been just me by myself. At Chicago, Mike and I split up pretty early on. And at STG, my friends trudged up the killer hill at mile 7 while I had to slow to a walk due to breathing difficulty. I was very relieved and happy to see my husband waiting for me at mile 16.5, ready to run the last 10 miles with me.

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Miles 18-21 were the toughest. All along I had kept an incredibly steady 9:00 pace. I wanted to maintain this pace the entire race to finish in just under 4 hours. However, just before the turn around at mile 18 I started feeling sick. Like really, really sick. I thought I might vomit. My stomach was in knots. I had to take my first walk break for a minute to calm my stomach. It didn't help so I shuffled along until it eventually passed -- three miles later! That was a little disappointing but I'm so thankful it passed.

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From that point on, the last 5 miles were really slow. They were steady and strong, but very slow. I couldn't get myself to move faster than a 9:45 pace. At this point we were once again running alongside the half marathoners all the way to the finish and this helped tremendously. For them, they were looking at a 2.5 hour+ finish so their pace was like 11 or 12 minute miles. Many of them were walking and stopping to stretch. Despite my slow pace, I was passing people and that felt incredible! It was a huge motivator and kept me moving because nothing is better than picking out a person, passing them, and then picking the next person to pass.

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I gave it my all in the end. I had hoped a strong, steady pace would bring me home in under 4 hours but today that strong, steady pace in the final miles were just way too slow. Regardless, I'm absolutely thrilled with my 4:05 finish. I finally have a finish time that reflects my running ability (or non-ability, depending on who you are!). I couldn't be happier with the finish time or the fact that I felt great after the race. No injuries. No lost toenails. No blisters or chafing. And really, can you ask for much more than that?

2010: 1241.17 miles

Love that my running has been taken to a new level. Enjoying the great running weather all year long down here and love the group I started running with in June. I've had running groups on and off throughout the years and I've always enjoyed the social part of it. Some of my best conversations with friends have been during runs. Life's problems get figured out, ideas are bounced off each other, solutions for something totally minor are found... The folks you run with are there 3x a week, rain or shine, cold or hot. There's nothing better than battling out some tough miles with others who love it as much as you do -- and then to top it off with some hot coffee, breakfast, a cool dip in the ocean, or even just 15 minutes of stretching and talking about what we just accomplished. I absolutely love it.
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My goal for 2010 was to run 1200 miles. An average of 100 miles per month seemed realistic given unexpected things in life, vacations, etc. I'm thrilled with this year's total miles run!
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Goal for 2011: 1500 miles. Bring it.

December: 139.28 miles

November: 122.38 miles

Turkey Trot at the Oregon Zoo

Note: This is not a photo of me.
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This morning Mike and I ran a very cold Turkey Trot at the Oregon Zoo. The course is a 4 mile out and back that ends with the last .5 to .75 miles zipping down inside the zoo. There were snowflakes falling when we arrived an hour before the start. The temperature never got above freezing which made for some slick conditions on the forested, leaf-covered roads. Despite the cold and slippery conditions, it was a great way to start the holiday! My time was just under 33 minutes. Mike ran a quick one, finishing about 1.5 minutes ahead of me!

October: 115.57 miles

St. George Marathon

St. George (Utah) Marathon

4:27:11

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Not even close to the finish time I had envisioned but nothing about this race was what I expected. I didn't think altitude would be as big of an issue as it was, but it definitely played a big part in my race day. Running up hills was very tough and when I hit the first big one around mile 7, I realized then and there that it wouldn't be the race I had hoped it would be. I stopped at nearly every water station because of the warm weather, was rubbed down with Icy Hot when my calves started to cramp, had to re-apply Vaseline, lost my running peeps on the hill at mile 7 and was plagued with an obnoxious side stitch the last 8 miles of the race. I tried everything I know to do but was unable to get the stitch to go away. The whole race was just not a good one for me. My next one will definitely be local and at sea-level. I'm pretty sure the four others I train and ran STG with feel exactly the same way. It was a tough day all around -- only one of us made our goal and two were left feeling very disappointed. Three other friends who ran that day also missed their goals. Boo. Onward and upward, right?

my SoCal running peeps

September: 136.18 miles

August: 147.88

Highest month ever. Woo-hoo!!

July: 133.70 miles

Training with this new running group is definitely pushing me! This is the most miles I've ever run in a single month. And probably the fastest miles, too! The marathon is just 61 days away!!

June: 100.97 miles

I've started running with a group and the last three weeks have been great! I love group runs. They are very motivating, hold you accountable, can push you to run further and faster, and runners are just really fun people to be around. I've been running with a small group within the larger group three times a week. We're all training for the St. George Marathon in October and we all would love to qualify for Boston. We'll see how training goes!!!

Camp Pendleton 10K Mud Run

I ran the world famous Camp Pendleton 10K Mud Run this morning. What a fantastic event! I've been waiting all year to do this one and it was definitely worth the wait. Super fun morning spent with friends sloshing through mud, climbing over walls, wading across a lake and more. I can't wait for next year's race!

May: 67.72 miles

April: 38.15 miles

Ouch.

Have you heard of Pure Barre? It's my new obsession. I have 10 days left in my one month unlimited trial. I. Love. It.

Carlsbad 5000

I'm leading the pack!

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This morning's Carlsbad 5000 was a great race, as usual. It is definitely my favorite 5K because of how well organized it is, how family friendly the whole weekend's events are and just the great crowd support. I love that kids can participate the day before (both of mine did!) and today it's the adults' turn, followed by the elites who run the invitational. It's truly an amazing and very fun event.

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Not a PR for me this morning, but I was pleased with the results today. Running hasn't been easy these last two months and to just get out there and run was awesome. And a 7:52 pace for me is pretty good!

March: 58.02 miles

starting over

It feels like I am starting over with the whole running thing. January was a fantastic month with high, quality miles and a PR at the Carlsbad Half Marathon. Then came along February. I had a last minute 4 day trip back home the first weekend, surgery mid-month and no running the second half of the month. I'm just now starting back after giving my body some time to heal. Probably way more time than was necessary, but I didn't want to push things. My body needed the rest. However, now I need to get back to running and, as always when I take a break, I feel like I'm starting over. It was almost 3 weeks between my surgery and yesterday's first run back. It was hard and this evening's run was also hard. I'm looking forward to 5 miles being quick and easy again.

February: 28.92 miles

January: 101.20 miles

Carlsbad Half Marathon

seeing my family at mile 11 along Hwy 101

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The Carlsbad Half Marathon has become my favorite 13.1 race. You just can't beat the scenery, the size (10,000 runners today, but it doesn't feel like it due to the wave start), course support is unmatched and the weather is always perfect for running. This morning I ran it for the second time -- last year was the first. I'll be running this one every year for as long as we live here!
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This morning's race was my 10th half marathon since I started running them 8 years ago. My first half was finished in 2:32. Today's finish? A new personal best (by a full 2 minutes!) of 1:52:29. The 8:35 pace felt very comfortable and my overall pacing was pretty consistent. The first 7 miles I ran with the 1:50 group. My strategy was to stick with them through the entire race and then kick it up at the end to finish just under that mark. However, I slowed to take some GU with water and never caught sight of them again. I'm very pleased that I was able to continue at that pace for the remainder of the race.
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Next up: Carlsbad 5000 in April and the world-famous Camp Pendleton Mud Run (10K) in early June.

2009: 1019.87 miles

After knocking out 1019.87 miles in 2009, it feels a little strange to be starting back at 0.00 miles. Today I ran a quick and easy 4 miles up and down Hwy 101 with the glow of the gorgeous sunset alongside me. Looking at my 4 miles and thinking about my goal of 100 miles a month this year, well... it feels a bit overwhelming, but I know I'll get it done.

December: 70.3 miles

November: 58.80 miles

Ouch. You'd never guess I'm in the middle of marathon training with such low miles... :(

October: 106.57 miles

September: 100.40 miles

Carlsbad Marathon

Twenty-six point two!

Sweat, smiles and great fun -- whoo hoo!

I signed up today!

August: 80.40 miles

America's Finest City

The AFC Half Marathon in San Diego was yesterday. I knew it'd be a challenge given the last few weeks of icky runs, two weeks away from home and the course itself. It was tough. The course is a point-to-point, beginning at Cabrillo Monument out on Point Loma and ending in Balboa Park. The 7am start meant everyone had to be shuttled to the start which meant I woke up at 3:30am and carpooled with friends to the start since we live 35 miles away. It made for a tough morning and one I was not familiar with in terms of when to eat, drink, how much, etc. But the course itself is a good one. The first mile is scenic... then you run downhill for about 3 miles... miles 4 to about 11 are pretty flat and all around the Harbor Island/airport area... then you start climbing from downtown to Balboa Park... the last .5 miles or so are downhill again to the finish. We were fortunate the sun stayed away for much of the race or it would have been pretty warm out there. I was ill-prepared and not focused at all. I didn't even get across the finish line in under 2 hours. !!!

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I would love to try this one again, but only to prove to myself that I can run it much better than I did yesterday but that early start with the shuttle is tough. I'm thinking my races are going to be more local and definitely not require a shuttle at the start.

July: 118.07 miles

Goal was 120 miles -- pretty close!

Orange County Mud Run & Eco Fest. 2009

during the race ~ after rinsing off

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A woman I met last month hurt her back this week so she offered me her race bib for today's 10K Mud Run. I had wanted to run the Camp Pendleton Mud Run last month, but the event was full within two days of opening registration. Today's event had all the good mud run obstacles like water bodies you wade through, hills to run up, short walls to climb over, tires to high step through, mud pits to crawl through, tunnels with sand and it was a great first experience, but I'm still thinking that Pendleton has to be on my race schedule next year. I need to mark my calendar now to ensure I have a spot when registration opens in January.

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Time today looked to be about 54:30. I'm pleased because it's actually quite a bit better than I had expected. Getting out early towards the front of the pack was key since some of the tighter spots like the tunnels got really bogged down for folks who got there later than I did. It was also a very warm morning in Irvine, Calif.

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I won't do this specific event again because I thought it was so poorly organized, but I'm definitely up for another Mud Run challenge!

Coronado 15K

Finish today was 1:20 for this pancake flat 15K. I had hoped for a little faster pace but it just wasn't the day for it. My finish was still a personal best by almost 4 minutes. Today I learned many things...

• Running with a tummy issue is not good or fun. The pharmacist two days prior had told me when she gave me my prescription that it might cause diarrhea. It did.
• I've become too dependent on my Garmin. A low battery today meant the thing didn't work. Grrrr.
• The pockets in my running skirt don't really hold things, they only pull the skirt down when filled. I ended up carrying my cell phone in my hand today. Ugh.
• The core exercises I've been doing are definitely paying off.

June: 107 miles

May: 100.02 miles

It has been THREE years since I've had a monthly mileage total this high. Wow!

April: 59.70 miles

Carlsbad 5000

Ran the Carlsbad 5000 this morning. Actually, my race started at 10:20am. !! It was weird to wake up lazily, eat breakfast, drink a grande Starbucks coffee, play with the kids, shower... and then drive over to the race with the whole family. Very strange, but something worked despite the warm weather and I improved my time from the Turkey Trot 5K in November. That one was my first 5K and today's event was my second -- today's time was about 1.5 minutes less. I finished in just under 24 minutes! Setting a goal like that and achieving it felt really, really good.
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Official results:
#107 out of 1228 and a chip time of 23:53

March: 75.65 miles

February: 64.54 miles

Started March with a nice 6.3 mile run... you know, one of those really good ones where you lose yourself and completely forget about time, pace, etc... yeah, I had one of those today.

thinkin', thinkin', thinkin'...

I've driven this course, but mostly in the opposite direction from La Jolla to Del Mar. And I've driven up the hill in Torrey Pines State Park that makes the quick 420' climb in approximately half a mile. Just thinkin'...

January: 78.42 miles

Carlsbad Half Marathon

Earlier this week I began to doubt whether or not the half marathon would happen for me today. I was hit with a nasty bug that was relentless. I finally conceded and went to a doctor Thursday afternoon. The lovely doctor gave me two prescriptions, some advise and promised I'd be running this morning. He was right!

Carlsbad puts on a pretty nice little marathon and half marathon event. They are both out and back courses that begin inland at the mall, but make a beeline for the coast. The bulk of it is down and back up the Coast Hwy which is glorious in Carlsbad. You're as close to the ocean as you can be and the cooling breezes off the Pacific are wonderful.

Temperature this morning started around 55* and only warmed to 60* by the end of my race. The sun eventually came out but not until nearly all the participants had finished. It was a perfect morning for running!

Not my best time, but a good time for me. Garmin finish of 1:58. I'm very pleased with this race. I started out really strong and ran the first several around an 8:30 pace, sometimes faster but never slower. At the halfway point I began to tire (the route is like a roller coaster and the hills were beginning to wear me down), but managed to run the entire route at a slower pace. It was especially nice to see my husband and kids around the 12.85 mark. I was really tired at that point and to see them there really sparked up my running and pushed me to the finish.

Next up: "the world's fastest 5K" in April ~ the Carslbad 5000. I watched it last year and have been looking forward to participating all year long. My goal is to better my time at the Turkey Trot and run sub-8 minute miles.

December: 59.25 miles

Carlsbad (half!) Marathon

I'm a little nervous since it has been 2-1/2 years since I last ran a half marathon, but I'm in...

November: 56.14 miles

Turkey Trot 5K

This morning I ran the local Turkey Trot 5K. I've always wanted to run a Thanksgiving morning race because it seems like a great way to start the holiday, but for whatever reason I hadn't until today. Today's race was also my first 5K. I've run many organized events from 8Ks to marathons, but never a 5K. It may be a new favorite distance.

This morning I finished strong and, in hindsight, I totally could have run faster the entire distance. Today I finished 12th in my division (age & sex) and ran an (official) 8:11 pace to finish in 25:18 or thereabouts. That's my Garmin finish time. The race was "old school" and didn't have chip timing but my finish time was just a few seconds more.

In all, a fantastic race and a great race for me personally!

October: 54.16 miles

September: 0 miles

August: 18.40 miles

July: 38.64 miles

June: 63.15 miles

Yay!

new runners

Aren't these the prettiest running shoes you've ever seen?? I cannot wait to run in them tomorrow morning! (188.98)

IronGirl 10K

This morning's 10K race was brutal. I knew it would be hot since yesterday was also very warm, but it was already in the low 70s by the race start time. Ouch. It was my first race in nearly 2 years and I'm okay with how I did given the conditions and route. Still, you always wish you could have gone a little faster or not taken a walk break. Slowly I will get there...

** Also, when did a 10K mean 6.54 miles...??

over!

Woo-hoo!! This morning's run put my mileage for the year over last year's total mileage. It's been a slow start as I get myself back into running, but things are definitely becoming easier and the runs are getting longer. Yippee!

upcoming race event

I registered for a 10K yesterday! I haven't participated in a running event in almost two full years. The last one I ran was a 4th of July half marathon in 2006 and it was a personal best with a pace of 8:43 minute miles. Running has been spotty due to life happenings and getting back into a rhythm has been difficult. Running hills all the time is difficult. I'm a little nervous about the 10K coming up!

May: 43.57 miles

So close to going over last month's total, but that last week in Oregon didn't include a single run. I thought about running, but that doesn't count so no miles the last week. Bummer.

5:30am

Some mornings I want to crawl back into bed and save my Saturday run for another time, maybe even another day. But mornings like today's make getting out of bed all worth it. It was cool, crisp and the sunrise was beautiful. Having the ocean all to myself for a half mile run on the beach was also pretty nice. Today's run (six miles!) was my longest distance run in quite some time. It was a fantastic way to start the weekend.

April: 46.29 miles

Hooray! Always a good thing when your mileage this month is more than the previous month!

spotted

I'm always surprised by just how long it takes for my body to get back into the rhythm of running. I've been running 3 or 4 times a week for the past several (five?) weeks and this morning's run was finally the one that felt good. It finally felt comfortable. It finally felt like it wasn't a struggle the entire time. I actually felt like I could have gone further but that pesty little Garmin I was wearing began beeping "battery low" and with me being the total nerd and information-obsessed person I am with running, I turned around at that point to double back. Because if the battery died along the way back, I would still know exactly how far I had run. Yes, I know, I'm a slave to the darn thing...

Later in the morning I bumped into a woman I know and she said the dreaded "Hey, I saw you running this morning." I always wonder if I looked miserable at the time of the spotting. Was my running form good? Was I running a faster pace at that point? I guess this is why I don't like family and friends to be spectators at races. Silly, silly me.

Carlsbad 5000

Yesterday was the world famous Carlsbad 5000. The race touts itself as being the world's fastest 5K and there have been many records, both national and international, set at this particular race. But along with the invited elite racers are the runners who simply run for the pure joy of running. I didn't run it this year, but will definitely be toeing the line next year.

This year we were all spectators. It's weird how runners never really look like they are moving that fast, but they really, really are! We watched the 30-something men finish and the first guy crossed in at 15:06. That translates to a 4:51 minute mile. Amazing!

Today during my treadmill run I punched up the speed to a 7:30 minute mile. And I could barely keep up. And I only held on for about a 1/4 of a mile.

I have so much respect and admiration for everyone who runs, regardless of pace or distance. Seeing runners push themselves like they did yesterday really inspires me.

March: 36.83 miles

I've impressed myself with my mileage this week. No particularly long or fast runs, but I finally was able to knock out some mileage. Whew! It's hard to "get back into running" once you've stopped for awhile. I'm really making an effort to get out there and find that love I have for the sport again. It's always been my thing, my time. I'm finding that I need it these days more than ever.

new running routes

Running has totally taken a backseat these last several months. I'm hoping some new running routes and races will revive my running. I started today by heading out for a run along the beach. It was a perfectly cool and cloudy afternoon for a run.

February: 0 miles

January: 9.09 miles

December: 2.30 miles

Wow. My mileage for this year is not even close to what I had hoped to hit. It would be a major disappointment if I were to dwell on it, so I'm not going to do that. Instead, onward and upward. I'm hoping to turn things around beginning today. Today is the first day of my marathon training program and I actually ran. Yippee!!

November: 9.84 miles

Eugene Marathon

I've officially registered. Now I just need to train. Actually, I need to start running first and then think about a training plan. Only 156 days!

October: 16.52 miles

Meet Millie

She's the new treadmill in our basement. She's going to make running much more convenient for me and with the days getting shorter and more wet, it'll be great to have a dry, well-lit place to go run!

September: 8.35 miles

This month was not a good month for running. However, I am enjoying the Bikram Yoga classes!

new shoes - yippee!

I took my kids with me this week to purchase some new running shoes. My two year old got a kick out of watching me run in the store in the new shoes. He told me these shoes will make me run really really fast. I hope so!

August: 63.16 miles

I only met my mileage goal again last month. Disappointing...

My goals for September? I'm not even going to bother making any. I'm simply going to run as much as I can, for as long as I can and as fast as I can. We'll see how this goes.

I'm also taking Bikram Yoga classes again. I've already been to two (after two years!) and I feel amazing. It's going to be a very good thing and I'm looking forward to not having to stop again after just getting started. This seems to have happened the last couple of times I started classes.

August goals

mileage - 60 miles
distance - 9 miles
pace - 10 minute miles (for 9 miles)

July: 48.65 miles

I didn't make my goals for this month. I had a feeling they were a little ambitious when I initially made them, but I wanted to give myself something high to shoot for and knew I wouldn't be disappointed if I didn't quite make them. And that's what has happened.

JULY goals
mileage - 45 miles
ACTUAL - 48.65 miles
distance - 7 miles
ACTUAL - 6.03 miles
pace - 10 minute miles (for 7 miles)
ACTUAL - 10:09 mm for 6 miles (furthest), 9:34 mm for 3 miles (fastest)

I'm pleased with my running progress this month! The only thing I'm disappointed with is my inability to lose these remaining pounds. I had hoped to be back in my pre-pregnancy clothes and hovering around 130 pounds by this time. I'm not there. Not. Even. Close. *grumble, grumble* In fact, I've only lost a whole 2 or 3 pounds this month. That is it. *heavy sigh*

happy happy joy joy

I hate to quote television personalities, but wow! was that a good run - Bam! That was exactly what good runs are made of. For me, it was my best run yet. Who knows, maybe I will hit all my July goals afterall?!

A special thanks goes out to the two teenagers who "raced me" down the hill - one on his skateboard, the other running. This old lady still has something in her! I picked it up to run that little bit with them at something faster than an 8:30 pace and when they stopped at the bottom of the next hill, I kept going. Booyah!

"Mommy run!"

I have always enjoyed running with the jogger because my little guy is such a good sport. He never fidgets or complains. Usually he doesn't even say a single word the entire time we are out there. I've often wondered how long it would be until he started talking to me more during the run and maybe (hopefully!) cheering me on as we run. He's two years, two months and talks up a storm so I knew it wouldn't be long.

This morning I heard "Mommy run!" several times during our run. I don't know where he came up with this but it was terribly cute and really got me to pick up the pace and continue running during those times I wanted a walk break. Each time I would answer "I am running, honey! I'm running as fast as I can." It really made the run this morning enjoyable and fun.

[Thanks, T! I'm looking forward to the day when we go out for runs together. Please, no rush though. You're growing up too fast as it is.]

reflections while running

I went out for a short run this morning and took T in the jogger with me. I haven't pushed the BOB while running probably since October due to my pregnancy. Morning sickness got the best of me then. It was really nice to have T with me today, but pushing a 30+ pound boy in a jogging stroller was quite a workout -- even if it was a short run!

While running this morning, I thought about what I was doing last year on this same day -- a half marathon out at Sauvie Island. I ran with a group of friends and everyone had a personal best. It's a fantastic course - super flat and fast - for that sort of thing. It got me thinking about other personal bests at different distances so when I got home I looked them up. Being the nerd that I am with these kinds of things, I had them all listed in a file...

8K - 49:44 (2001)
5 Miler - 52:35 (1998)
10K - 58:56 (2003)
15K - 1:23 (2006)
Half Marathon - 1:54:21 (2006)
Marathon - 4:20:30 gun time (2006)

Post-baby #1, all of my times for longer distances dropped. It was amazing. I had heard the year immediately following a birth is the best year for a woman runner and I believe it. I'm hoping I can get back to where I was last year at this time and drop my times even more. I've never been a fast runner and never will be, but I would love to get closer to averaging an 8:30 for all my longer distances. It would get me to Boston!

running blogs

We had too much going on this morning to get out for a run and we seem to be in a heat wave so no run this evening either. However, tomorrow morning I'll be out there!

And because I can't get enough of running and talking about running, I've joined another running blog. I'll still be posting things here, but I'll also be contributing to Marathon Mommy. See my profile for a link. These three women are amazing -- both as runners and individuals.

So, to the few out there who check here to see what I'm doing, take a look over there, too. I have no doubt you'll find yourself motivated and inspired to run!

June: 19.62 miles

Last night I was thinking about what my running goal should be this month. I definitely need a mileage goal, but shouldn't I have distance and pace goals, too? June was spent easing back into running, but now I feel like I really need to step it up. Maybe still a bit conservative, but my goals for this month are...

JULY goals
mileage - 45 miles
distance - 7 miles
pace - 10 minute miles (for 7 miles)

I also need to kick the remaining pregnancy pounds to the curb. A BBQ with old friends at the end of the month is my incentive to lose these last 12 pounds. It's certainly more than the recommended pound or two for healthy weight loss but it would put me back under 130 pounds. If I can somehow pull this off, the last 5 pounds I'd like to lose can wait until Labor Day. If the 12 doesn't happen, I'll try not to sweat it. I just want to wear my regular clothes again!

just call me "speedy"

Longest and furthest run yet! I was up every hour, almost on the hour, with the baby last night and did not feel like running this morning at all. However, having taken care of someone else all evening left me really wanting to take a little time to take care of myself this morning. Fresh air does wonders (coffee helps, too!), so out the door I went. It. Felt. Awesome. !!

I run for Toblerones

I'm happy that my runs are getting easier every time that I do them. I haven't been able to get out much yet, but that's okay since I'm still easing into it and figuring out when the best times are for me to run. With every run, I'm running a little faster and a little bit further which in turn means I'm burning more calories and eventually losing more of this pregnancy weight. I gained A LOT (just as I did with the first pregnancy) and still have 15 pounds plus to go. I pretty much hit a plateau after the first 40 or so pounds. [Okay, so I indulged a little while pregnant. Since many of my favorite things were off limits, I found new favorites that did nothing for me nutritionally but sure loaded me up with the calories and pounds.] But all my hard work with running and eating healthy is handsomely rewarded with every 10 pounds lost with my favorite indulgence -- the perfectly delicious Toblerone. I'm guessing late this week I'll be enjoying another one. Oh! how I love thee...

I'm on the road again!

Albeit slow and not for very long, but I went out for my first run this afternoon post baby #2. I waited 6 weeks, 2 days and definitely felt the difference from my first run post baby #1. Two years ago, I ran 5 weeks post delivery and it was a very slow and painful run. Back then I ran 4 minutes, walked 1 minute, ran another 5 minutes, walked 1 minute and ran a final 4 mintues to log a total of 15 minutes and maybe 1 mile. Today, I didn't feel any pain and ran 2.15 (very slow) miles for a total of 24.5 minutes. I feel great - it was wonderful to get out and start moving again!

.

This Garmin is totally addicting. It was my first run with any sort of GPS device and I know it made me want to run further and faster than I would have without it. I don't know just how I'm going to use all this data, but I love having it!

Happy Mother's Day

I've had my eye on a Garmin for what feels like forever. They are a fantastic way to track your running progress and a really great tool for runners of all abilities. M made my Mother's Day today by giving me my very own Garmin Forerunner 305. I am one very happy mama!! It's almost been three weeks since Meredith arrived via c-section, so how much longer until I can run again...??