Running Mom's Motivation

Yesterday was race day. The 31st annual Crim was held in downtown Flint, MI. When people talk about the Crim they are usually referring to the 10 mile race. There are multiple other smaller races. I ran the 8k (just under 5 miles). There are quite a few elite athletes that run the Crim. The fastest 10 miler did it in 47:11. That is faster than I ran 5 miles!

Despite that, I had a great time. Maria once again helped me keep my pace and kept me company for the race. She a great plan all thought out for me. We were going to run the first half of the race at an easy pace and then slowly increase our pace from there to make sure I didn't take off too fast and end up not being able to run the whole way. The plan was great, although we ran the first mile a little faster than we should have. We decided we should slow down for the second, but actually ended up doing it a bit faster. The third mile was slower...probably because I was getting a little tired. The last two miles were awesome. And my last mile was at about 9:36 pace. That is lightening fast for me! In the last half mile I asked a boyscout to splash water on me. His entire troop took this as an invitation and at least 4 people poured water on me...I came into the finish soaking wet and my underwear didn't dry out for hours!

After the race David and the girls walked the 5k route (girls in the stroller). They started up right when some nasty ran blew in, but David did an excellent job and it sounds like the girls had a good time.

There was free pizza and beverages (pop, water, beer, gatorade, juice) for all the participants after the race. There was a DJ, dancing, lots of food vendors and blow up slides etc for the kids. Flint has deteriorated quite a bit over the last 20 years, but they still know how to throw a party!

My overall time was 54.44. That gave me a pace of 11.01. The pace was 4 seconds faster than my last race which was about 2 miles shorter. I came in 35 out of 56 in my age group. This doesn't seem very good to most, but for a short, fat woman who has always been slow, I feel blessed to be able to move like this. I never could have seen myself running a mile since middle school. Now I can run 5 or 10 and have a respectable pace. I am elated. Thanks to God for helping me turn this part of my life around. It has spilled over into other parts of my life and given me a new confidence. I am looking forward to doing this for many years to come. Faster or slower, God willing, I will keep waddling on.

Total Miles Yesterday = 5 Approximate Miles Since Beginning = 449

Posted in: on Sunday, August 26, 2007 at at 2:42 PM 1 comments  

Well, I finally have a slight idea what I am about to get myself into in a few weeks. Last night was the last training run for Dances With Dirt. It was a 5 mile run. They had told us it would be the longest 5miles of our life...they were right! Looking back on it, I am so happy I did it. I made it through just fine, although I don't know how. I should know soon if I am allergic to poison ivy.

The first section of the trail was tight and a little new for me to get used to...there really wasn't a trail. But it was also flat, so it wasn't too bad. I got one thorn from a raspberry bush stuck in my arm on this section. Next, the mud started coming up. We have had some good rain lately, so it was nice and muddy. This was the thickest, blackest mud I have ever seen. At first we tried to run or walk around it, but soon it became obvious that this tactic wasn't going to work. We started running straight through it. At least that kept us out of the poison ivy and thorns. Our first water/mud crossing was a bit deceptive. It looked a little like a deepish puddle. Since there wasn't really any trail people would just get across these obstacles any way they could instead of following the runner in front of them. I made the mistake of going off to the left instead of following Maria. When I stepped in I quickly sunk up to my NECK! I thought I was going to go under, but got my footing quickly. This side was mainly water, but as we crossed it transitioned to being mainly mud. As I was trying to climb out, my foot got stuck in the mud above my knee. I couldn't move it at all. A nice mud covered gentleman helped pull me out only for my other foot to get stuck! After being pulled out ( I still had both shoes...bonus) we had another fairly easy, flat stretch. The only problem was that my feet now felt like they had cement blocks on them. I found myself praying for more water.

Next was the hills. I kind of lost count of how many. It could be that I was slightly delirious at this point. These were HILLS!!! There were many that no one ran up. And you just hoped to keeping your footing enough so that you didn't topple off a cliff on the way down. Then came the dirt ladder (that is what the people that were running near me called it...my team said they thought it was the stripper pole)...I am guessing it was about 75 yards long at about an 80 degree angle. I think we all took a rest at the top of that one. The rest of the run was mainly crappy hills instead of insane hills. Then we would have some areas where you couldn't run because the mud was too slippery. I actually was thankful for these areas because my heart was about to pound out of my chest. There was one man that I thought was going to clock his head on a down tree when he tried running this part.

Once I got past the point of thinking "boy, this sucks" or "am I going to make it out of this alive?" I started noticing that we were in some of the most beautiful land I have ever seen. Then I really started enjoying the run and taking it less seriously. I relaxed just in time for us to get towards the end of the run. We finished it going up a river with a pretty good current. For the most part, it was up to my waist. But there was that one hole...and it was up to my neck again. I didn't see anyone running this. There were times when my legs were moving but my body wasn't. It was cold and beautiful. At the end we all attempted to wash off some of the mud...it was futile.

Then it was time for dinner and margaritas...what a good way to end the day. I hope we didn't stink out the people in the restaurant too badly. Today I have washed my clothes twice and am soaking them for a second time because I just can't get the black out of them. The great news is that I have found a way to keep my mind off the heat and humidity...the mud weighting my legs down and worrying that I am going to die does a great job of that!

Just 2 1/2 weeks until DWD. I will only be running about 7 miles that day. It is probably a very good thing based on last night. Either way, I can't wait!

Total Miles Last Night = 5 Total Miles Since Beginning = 444

Posted in: on Thursday, August 23, 2007 at at 5:51 PM 1 comments  

Yesterday was my long run. I was planning on jogging over to the county park near our home, doing 8 laps (12 miles) around the park and jogging home. I headed out really slowly. So slowly I wondered why I wasn't walking. When I got to the park, I started running. I didn't have anyone with me. I felt an odd combination of confidence and discouragement. I wasn't sure I wanted to be there. The first lap took me 18:30...not too far off my usual pace of around 12 minutes per mile. But, I felt like I was dragging. After the first 1.5 miles, I started to feel a little better.

A couple of laps into my run a middle-aged man began running in the opposite direction with his kids. One of the boys was on rollerblades, the other ran on and off with his dad. I said hello the first time we passed and they kind of ignored me and looked like I was nuts. It was cold and rainy, so there weren't really any other people out on the path. I thought, "well this will be fun running past this stick in the mud over and over and over again." The next time I passed him I tried to make it look like I didn't notice him and he asked how far I was going..."10 miles?" I said "no, 12." He yelled out something that was meant to show his approval and his son said " 12...she is going farther than you!" That was all I needed. The next time I passed him I said "thanks for asking, now I am committed." He said he was running 10 miles. Now, you can't tell another runner you are going to run 12 miles and not follow through. So I kept at it. And I started noticing that we passed each other at about the same spots every half a lap. I was keeping track of my pace for each lap and realized this guy was helping me to keep my pace nice and even. I was going to have a good time.

Then, I hit the wall. I was on lap 5 (7th mile) and I just wasn't sure why I was doing this...only three laps to go...but could I do it? 6th lap...still hurting...literally...my knee was starting to hurt. And I noticed that I wasn't the only one having a hard time...my friend was looking a little taxed and we barely grunted at each other now. During the 7th lap I started thinking that I could finish even if I had to slow way down.

But before I knew it, my friend was telling me he was on his last lap, and I was coming up on mine. I still had a little reserve, so I pushed it a little at the beginning of my 8th lap. Then, when I approached the last 1/4 of my last lap, I sprinted as fast as I could. Keep in mind, this is still just a jog for many. But I was breathing hard and moving my legs as quickly as I could. I finished the last lap in 16:41...Almost 2 minutes faster than my first lap!!! I was so geeked, I started throwing my hands up in the air and jumping up and down. It is a good thing it was cold and rainy. Otherwise there would have been a lot of people on that path and they all would have thought I was nuts. I finished 12 miles in 2:19:38. That was only about 9 minutes longer than it took me to run 10 miles a week ago. As I told Maria a week or two ago..." I certainly can't impress anyone with my speed, so I am going to have to do it with my endurance." She assures me the speed will come later, but I am happy with where I am for now.

I was really happy that man and his kids showed up when they did. You just never know from whom you might find encouragement. I couldn't have asked for a better running partner...but before I knew it, he was gone.

Total Miles Yesteray = 12 Approximate Miles Since Beginning = 439

Posted in: on Monday, August 20, 2007 at at 9:57 PM 1 comments  

I am getting excited...I can tell I am improving, and so can others. We had a slow day at work yesterday so instead of eating lunch Maria and I went for a run. We went on our usual three mile loop, dropped the dog off at the clinic and went backwards on the loop. We were going to cut out a section because we didn't have enough time before my next appointment to do the whole three miles. We were about to head back towards the clinic when Maria said we had enough time to go down the hill into the city park and then turn around and climb back up the hill. She loves to make me run hills! After we were done with the hill, she made a comment about that hill being easier for me. Easier, but not easy. And even better, we ran 5 miles in under an hour (just barely). So it seems I may be getting a little faster too.

The other reason I am excited is because I finally signed up for my race next weekend. August 25th brings the Crim to Flint, MI. It will only be my second race, and I am upping the mileage. Maria and I are doing the 8k (just under 5 miles) and David is walking the 5k (I am so proud of him). I am starting to assimilate to the heat and I am feeling more comfortable running. I think I will be ready for this race and be able to do my best. It should be fun.

So, next weekend is the Crim and then I need to keep working my butt off, because Dances With Dirt is coming up real soon. Maria was showing me pictures of last years DWD. The people were so dirty and absolutely crazy... I can't wait!

Total Miles Today = 0, rest day and cleaning house Approximate Miles Since Beginning = 424

Posted in: on Thursday, August 16, 2007 at at 8:23 AM 1 comments  

Feeling great, but pretty tired right now. If it weren't for two little girls that need some mommy time I might be in bed. But it is a good kind of tired. Today was my long run and I ran 10 miles!!!

My neighbor Hussam went with me again this morning after he finally peeled his butt out of bed...7am is not that early. The first couple laps around Hawk Island were a breeze. It probably helps that Hussam is a teenager and has all those issues that we can discuss while on our runs. And for once, he didn't try to run too fast so that I was pushing too hard. Thanks Hussam.

When we got to the six mile mark (4 laps), I was feeling great...just two more laps and the run home to do. The fifth lap was a little harder, but I was still doing okay and knew I could do the sixth. The last lap and the run home (about 2 miles) were a killer. We had been talking about how good we felt through the whole run, now we were talking about beginning to feel it. All I could think about was getting home to some ice cold water. Hussam gets a little goofy towards the end of runs. He starts singing and jumping around. I on the other hand get annoyed. It is a good thing that we love each other, or else we wouldn't be able to run with each other. The rest of the time we get to spend together makes up for the last mile of me telling him to shut up.

Now a couple hours later after cooling of with a walk, drinking lots of water (probably too much), stretching, taking an ice bath and a hot shower I feel great again. Tomorrow is a well deserved rest day with the family. I am looking forward to it.

Bonus...I just learned that I burned about 800 calories today!


Total Miles Today = 10.2 Approximate Miles Since Beginning = 415

Posted in: on Saturday, August 11, 2007 at at 11:33 AM 2 comments  

What an awesome run today. It was my first real trail run, and I loved it!!! One of the county parks near my home has some awesome trails that I didn't even know about. I am so glad that we checked them out. My neighbor Hussam went with me today. It is a good thing, because at one point we had to pick up the stroller with the girls in it (think 94lbs) and lift it over a tree. And Hussam pushed the stroller most of the way. It slows him down a bit, so we at least have a semblance of actually running together.

I am so excited about today's run. Maria asked if I wanted to run Dances With Dirt in Hell, MI with her relay team (www.danceswithdirt.com). It is a relay for teams of 5 people. Each runner does three different legs of about 4 miles each. Think dirty, hilly (some that you have to slide down on your butt), and wet. It sounds like such a blast, but I have to up my long runs fast and get used to doing trails.

So in a little under a month, I will have completed my third race. It will be the longest yet. I also think it is going to be the most fun. I was already hooked, but after DWD there will be no turning back I am sure. So everyone pray that I don't injure myself before then.

Total Miles Today = 3.2 Approximate Miles Since Beginning = 405

Posted in: on Friday, August 10, 2007 at at 6:06 PM 0 comments  

Just a short post today. It was raining this AM, so I didn't know if I would get out for my run. I run in the rain, but I didn't think the kids would tolerate it so well. But God must know I need to run and that if I miss one run, I might just stop all together. It stopped raining long enough for me and the girls and the dog to go out together. Pushing that stroller with two good sized children can be quite the workout. It was humid, but the heat wasn't too bad, so it made for a pretty nice run. We did a little over five miles all together. Before we finished the last mile I stopped at the park near our zoo and let the girls play for a while.

Starting back up after that break was harder than I had anticipated. And to make it worse, the sun was starting to come out. I was just annoyed enough when a biker went by and gave me a dirty look because I didn't pull the dog in quickly enough and he had to go off the path by maybe a foot. It was ridiculous. I try to be considerate of others. I was in a tight spot and the bushes were growing over the path on my side. I guess that since I am a mom and a dog owner I don't have the same rights to be out on the river trail with everyone else. Sorry buddy, your dirty looks only make me want to be out there even more!

When we got back to the house I was getting lunch for the girls when I realized just how rank I was. I said "I stink." My sweet Grace responded with "I KNOW!!!" You gotta love kids. At least I don't have to huff and puff when I go up the stairs to my bedroom now.

Total Miles Today = 5.36 Approximate miles since beginning = 398

Posted in: on Tuesday, August 7, 2007 at at 4:54 PM 0 comments  

This was a crazy week for me. I worked all week long to cover for my boss while she was on vacation. It isn't just the working. I live 35 miles from the office and my kids go to daycare in the town where I work. In order to get the kids to daycare and myself to work, I have to leave about an hour and a half before I need to be to work. Then I work about a ten hour day and the whole thing goes in reverse. So on the days that I work, our whole family has a very long day. Thank goodness our wonderful child care worker took the girls for a couple nights this week to help out. She is a God send and I don't know what we would do without her. As it was, I worked late into the evening both Monday and Tuesday. I was exhausted already by Wednesday. And, I was worried that my training was going to be put on the back burner for the week. For the most part, we just live in survival mode when my boss goes on vacation. I had to alter my training schedule to get in all my runs. I just couldn't run on Wednesday like I normally do. The combination of my exhaustion and the heat and humidity would have made for a dangerous experiment. But I have been very happy that I did get in all my runs this week. I didn't know if I would be able to do it, but luckily things slowed down a bit towards the end of the week and I was able to play catch up. And, my lovely friend Maria encouraged me to get out on Thursday despite the fact that the heat was unbearable.

So, I was supposed to run 6 miles today. It was a distance that I haven't run before. But, planning for it was easy. The loop around the lake near my house is 1.5 miles. I was going to walk over there, do four laps and walk back home. But, I just couldn't do it. I wanted to run as soon as I got out my door. I just didn't feel right walking over to the park. So, I ran. I decided to go 7 today (7.24 to be precise.) I wanted to make up for the crappy long run that I had last week and to prove to myself that I could run 7 miles. The first two laps around the lake were a little hard, but once I completed them, I knew I could finish. I did the entire route in 1:28:01. Not fast by any means, but a definite record for me. It tells me if I keep training and working hard I should be able to finish in a respectable time when I run the Crim 8k on the 25th of this month. And then, I will have my eyes set on a 10k a few weeks after that.

I feel great tonight. I am looking forward to next weeks long run. I am supposed to do 6.5 miles...maybe I will do 8.

Total Miles today = 7.24 Approximate Miles Since Beginning = 393

Posted in: on Sunday, August 5, 2007 at at 10:57 PM 2 comments