I think I CAN!

5:10 AM  - I receive text my running partner is bailing on me due to sick kid.  It’s below the freezing mark and going back to bed would be an acceptable option at the moment.  Since I’m already dressed up as the stay puff marshmallow man I decided to hit the road.

I turn to leave my house and encounter a possum.  Holy cow!  Have you ever noticed how really big those things are.  I’m aware that the possum was more scared of me than vice versa but only by a hair.  We are about 25 feet from one another and I decide to back away slowly.  He never moves and I book it the other way. 

After that the rest of the run was uneventful.  I’m not even sure I even saw another person or car out.   The rain and clouds that I went to bed with were gone and only the huge beautiful moon and stars were showing.

Thought for the day:    "Running gives you freedom.  When you run, you can go at your own speed.  You can go where you want to go and think your own thoughts.  Nobody has any claim on you."   --Nina Kuscik, marathoner 

I took PTO to have an extended lunch today.  There is a really nice trail about 20 min from work.  I met my old personal trainer there and we took off for another fun adventure in middle GA.  Sorry, no crazy animal stories to tell.  It was just a wonderfully nice, peaceful, rooty, rocky, hilly run.  Our pace was nothing to brag or even comment about but the break in the middle of the day was fantastic.

My car doubled as my locker room and I was quickly changed back into a worker bee and now I back in my cubical.  Yes, I do feel for those who have to venture into my cube after my post run afternoon hours. Nasty, I agree....but it has reduced my number of visitors today.  Productivity is up. :)

It was a brisk 3:45 AM when I rolled out of the garage and headed down to Albany, GA.  I wasn't planning on leaving this early but I couldn't get back to sleep and what the heck.  I arrived around 5.30 for the 7 start.  Luckily for me someone picked up my packet for me the night before and all I had to do is hang around for half hour before calling her hotel room and waking her up.

Starting line up....as I look around at the different participants I notice that I see more home town faces than I see at the local 5 and 10Ks.  I guess everyone wanted to come out for this one.

The temps are hanging in around the freezing mark and for some reason I thought wearing shorts would be a good idea.  See what happens when you don't get enough sleep?

The race starts and I've decided to go solo and try to go a little faster than my normal running buddy.  So we say our good byes and I go on.  The half marathoners take off to the left while the full marathoners go to the right for a 4 mile loop and then follow the half marathoners up the road.  Mile 3ish.  The lead marathoners pass me for the first time.  They look so good sprinting past me with such grace and minimal effort.  I so applaud them for their skill. Mile 4ish my iPod is dead.  I guess a 5+ year old iPod (that has been dropped into a bathtub) can only hold a charge for a short period of time. 

This is the second time I've run this race.  Last year I did the full marathon.  They gave out these really great jackets to the marathoners.  This year's marathoners got a nice tech shirt but I think folks were disappointed they didn't get a jacket.

The course is flat.  There might be some gradual up hills but mostly it is flat until the end.  Then it is mostly down hill.  Can I just applaud the RD for that??  Bravo!  Somehow by accident my Garmin 405 got set to tell me how fast I was going for my interval.  (My intervals are set for every half mile).  As a result I was able to maintain a comfortably faster pace (faster for me) without ever feeling like I was going to kill myself.

Almost at mile 12....the lead marathoners pass me again.  OK, it is really bad to be passed by the marathoners the first time but it is humbling to be passed twice by the same people in the same race!!!  They still look good but there is a look of killer determination on their faces.  It was amazing to see.  Mile 12.5 Tommy (owner of Peach sports photo) track coach for our local running club was out snapping photos.  I'll have to post my big cheesy picture if I find it.

Mile 13, I'm sprinting in the last 1/10th of a mile.  Why it is nice to be a slower runner than your friends.....they cheer wildly for you by name as you run by.  Ever feel like a super star?  I sure did at the finish line today!!! 

For the first time in over 3 years I finally finished a half marathon in under 2:30.  Heck I'll have to go back and check but I **think** I PRd by a few seconds at this race.  Sweet!

70 degrees, clear blue sky, awesome day for a run!

My 7 y/o daughter and I went to a 5K for a mom/daughter bonding time.  My son was suppose to come along as well but was unable due to a never ending cold.

The morning was brisk but we got there with plenty of time to sign up and  hang out.  My Saturday running friend Deb also came along as she was going to run with one of my kids while I ran with the other.  So we all ran together.  As we looked around at the small (200?) group of participants I was looking for any other girls under 10 and saw a sweet little girl we barely beat last weekend. This young lady was the only thing that got my daughter to stop whining and start running last race.

We let the main group of folks take off in front of us before we started our race.  I had her doing the Galloway mathod with a 30/30 second run/walk.  (Side note: Galloway's wife did 30/30 second ratio at the Calloway Gardens race marathon and finished faster than I ever had.) I digress.

As normal my daughter starts out with a bang.  Her small lean legs will carry her at a 7:45 min  mile pace (per my Garmin) for 30 seconds.  She then spends the next 30 seconds sucking wind while walking.  Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

Mile 2.  Going full throttle has started wearing her down.  She has gone into whine mode. Time to go to plan A - find a target and tell her to pass it.  This normally works until the end of the race....not today

Mile 2.75ish.  She has decided that chasing down other participants isn't motivating.  She changes the target....my behind...no kidding.  Watch says run and I'm now sprinting to keep from being smacked on the rear from my daughter. (Motherhood is not glamorous).  Oddly enough, her last mile was her fastest.  She found the little girl from the previous weekend and passed her.  The little girl recognized my daughter and dropped the hammer as Madison passes her by.

Mile 3.  The tall, lean, little girl is now hammering down on Madi. Madi hears her feet closing in, looks over her shoulder, and goes full throttle. The girls have an even pace.  My daughter only 2 steps ahead of the other when they cross the line.

Post race: We find the other little girl and her family.  We congratulate the young girl on her great race.  That seems to help clear up her tears.  Shortly there after Madison and Caroline are hanging out, playing, and seemly best buddies.   Arrangements have been made to meet up this this young girl and her family once again on Tuesday at the track with our local running club. 

Madison takes 3rd in age group.  12:18 min mile pace

No running today but I wanted to share some of our local hard work with you all. 

Our running club has been working to promote fitness in our community.  We provide race timing to local races and now we are able to also provide a real cool finish line to boot!!!  Below is our new finish line and our board of directors celebrating.

7:30 PM, 59 degrees, clear skies, beautiful sunset, end the run with bright twinkly stars. Ran with my neighbor and had great company to boot.  No dogs.

I'm not sure if training runs get any better than this!

Lunch time run today.  55 degrees. Partially cloudy/sunny. 

Quiet run this morning with my good friend.  It is a great way to start a Saturday.

59 degrees - 9:30 PM

Ramblings as I was running this evening.....

I think I like night running better than morning runs. I don't have to get up at 5AM for starters. Because it is not summer yet the evenings are a more comfortable temp to run in.  The frogs/toads are out singing as are some of the night birds.  The traffic driving by is lighter and no one is rushing to work, drinking coffee, nearly missing introducing a runner to the front bumper.  

On the other hand, I've noticed there are a lot more dogs out in the evening than in the morning.  I would imagine the dogs are curled up in bed with better sense than I than to be out a 5 AM in the freezing cold.  Morning runs are also nice as the daily run is checked off the list before you start your morning.

Scott Jureck (article in this months runners world) seems to be having difficulties with his running career and other parts of life.  This is one person I really enjoy reading about.  I'm sorry this article has such bad news to share. I guess even super athletes have the same problems as the rest of us regular mortals.

 Can I complete a 100 miler before I turn 40? 

For the sake of patriotism I'll spare you the really bad Ode to the American Flag I made up on tonights run. It was really awful.

How can I finish up this task at work in a quicker period of time?

 I sooooo need to apologize to my kids this evening for acting possessed.  Thank goodness for this run. 

I think I'd like to learn how to ride a motorcycle....or go skydiving.  How about doing a rim to rim run at the grand canyon. 

As I finished up tonights run with 100+ more short odd topics that bounced around in my head.  I wonder if this is creative free flow or just Adult ADD.  I am just glad other folks talk to themselves when they run as well.

Track workout today - mile warm up/cool down....ran  circles in between

Our Tues night track workouts  are becoming more popular.  It has grown since we first started a few weeks ago.  The talent that shows up is so amazing.  I don't know if I'm more blown away at the 5 min mile pace a small 14 year old girl runs or the same pace run by a 60+ year old man.

I was actually quite excited that I was able to keep up with them.....on their recovery jogs!  Holy cow, my sprint is their relaxed pace.  Wow, what a humbling night. 

Opted for an evening run instead of watching last night's episode of lost on line.  Good idea.  Nice run.  Felt great!