8 days til the big day!

In 8 days, I will run my second half marathon. One year ago, I didn't run a single step.

One year ago, I was getting over a sprained toe, which limited me to the elliptical. I could hardly walk, but I could push my feet and legs on the elliptical, and that's what I did. For two whole months. I watched the Biggest Loser, and at that point I had already lost 18 lbs, but still had many more to go. I had hit a plateau, and wished that I could try to run.

Yesterday I set out for 9 miles and ended up with 10 (I am sensing a pattern here...). Today I went out for 4 hard miles with hills (remember, hard for me is probably not hard for other runners, but definitely hard for someone who doesn't run at all, right?). I really believe I am ready for this half marathon--as ready as I can be.

So what are my goals?

1. To finish. As long as I finish, I win!
2. To finish in 2:24 would be really great. That would be right around 11 min miles. (11x13.1=144min=2.4 hours = 2 hr 24 min.
3. Anything under 2:24 would be icing on the cake.

I told my husband, anything over 2:25 means that something went very wrong...let's hope that doesn't happen. My first (and only) half was in June and my time was 2:38. My goal was 2:35, but I had to make two stops--bathroom and to take off my coat, which meant repinning my bib. Well, won't have the repinning issue since a bought a fuel belt! I also had a massive flu bug one week before, so really, 2:38 was a time I could be happy with...then, not now.

So now, I have to figure out my taper plan. I've been reading and reading...basically, I need to rest my legs, but not too much. With this half marathon on a Monday, it is a tough one to figure out. I'm taking tomorrow off due to Christmas all day. Here's the plan (I think).

1. Tuesday--5 mi
2. Wednes--3.5 mi
3. Thurs--off
4. Fri--3.5 mi
5. Sat--2-3 mi jog
6. Sun--rest
7. Half Marathon!

Unless someone has a better idea, I think this should do the trick.

Merry Christmas!

Running after tragedy

Usually I run to relieve stress, but last night the stress, anger, sadness, and confusion was too much to bear. My energy was zapped, and I just couldn't run.

Early in the week I found out that a teacher I taught with at a former school lost her battle with cancer. On Friday I arrived at school to learn that two of our students lost their father unexpectedly. And then as if that wasn't enough, I learned later that morning that my beautiful cousin also lost her battle with cancer, and she leaves behind a 1 year old daughter. Those three things alone had me pretty shaken up and asking WHY WHY WHY??

And then I learned of the unthinkable, horrific tragedy at the elementary school in Connecticut. I read about it at lunch, and I teared up. I was so sick and shaken to the core. Maybe some readers don't know this, but not only am I a parent, but I am a teacher. Just like all parents, I send my kids to school everyday trusting the teachers and staff to keep my kids safe. To other parents, I am that person who is supposed to be keeping their children safe. I had to teach math, and I made mistake after mistake, and the class (bless their hearts) laughed at me. I apologized, told them I heard some sad news at lunch, but I would be more focused. I didn't tell them the news, and I continued to choke back the tears as I looked at them and thought, "What if...what would I do?"

My daughter was sick yesterday, so she was not at school. I coached her team's basketball practice after school, then I went home with every intention of running. But the anger and sadness totally overwhelmed me. I just didn't have it in me.

I keep thinking, "What would I have done? Would I have kept calm? Could I do what those teachers did to keep those kids safe?" I want to think I could. I want to think I have it in me...I did a lot of soul searching, and of course just tried to process how in the hell this could happen, as all Americans were last night. So I snuggled with my son, and we watched Home Alone, and we laughed not just at the movie, but laughed at my son laughing at the movie!

So we all woke up this morning, and our daughter felt like she just couldn't manage to play in her basketball games today. At that point, it was early, and I set out to run 4-5 miles. It wasn't the greatest of training weeks. It went something like this:

Sunday 12 mi long run
Monday 3 mi recovery run (and all I had time for)
Tuesday 0
Wednes. 5 of the most horrendous miles ever (not going into detail)
Thurs 2.5 mi on treadmill and 45 min spin class

So Friday should have been 5-6 mi, rest on Saturday, long run again on Sunday. That was the plan. Well, we all know that plans change.

So I figured an easy 4-5 miles wouldn't affect my long run on Sunday. I didn't wear gloves (I figured I'd survive), and I wore cotton socks. I also didn't set out water, so this all proves, I did NOT set out for a long run today.

So I started out, and after almost two miles, I thought HEY!
1. It's daylight
2. It's not pouring rain (only softly raining)
3. I FEEL GOOD.

At that point I decided I'M RUNNING 12 MILES TODAY! I called my husband, told him the plan, and kept going. So while running, I thought about everything. The tragedy, the sad passings in the community, my son's upcoming surgery, my kids, my family, ...EVERYTHING.

But after 13 miles...yes, I ran 13 miles...I only came to a few conclusions. I still don't understand this senseless tragedy, and I probably never will. But I know that I am strong, and God is always with me. I am mentally and physically tough. If I were in that position, you'd better believe my mind would take over and I would protect my students come hell or high water, just like I know my own children's teachers are doing for my kids. Let's just hope and pray I am NEVER and my kids are NEVER in this position!

After my run, I feel better. Not great, but better. The anger is gone, but the sadness remains. I know everyone else is feeling the same way. So I sit here trying to wrap up this post...and I still don't know what to say, other than I have no words to explain how I feel, and I hope that says it all.

Half Marathon coming up!

That's right...I did it. I signed up for a Half Marathon on Dec. 31, 2012. My rationale: I started the year running less than a mile...I'm going out on 13.1!

And I couldn't have done it at a more stupid time.

My daughter has an activity literally every night of the week: basketball, fastpitch, or piano. Then she has 2 games on Saturdays. Tyson also has piano, and he is having surgery on the 21st. Kacie has two piano recitals, and Tyson is in one of them :)

So all that on top of being ready for Christmas before Tyson's surgery, teaching (report cards due Dec. 3), two field trips to Seattle, and just normal life. So yeah, sign up for a half marathon...that's a smart thing to do, right!

It is. It really is.

With all that going on, it would be really easy for me to say, "I'm too busy to run." After all, the days are now so much shorter, so it's harder to get out there. I knew I NEEDED motivation to keep going. Oh sure, a 10K would have done the trick and been less stressful...since when do I do things that make sense?

This is my motto this month, and yes, a half-marathon on Dec. 31st it is!

I am not training to beat a time or anything like that (although I should PR since my RnR half-marathon time was 2:38. I should beat that!) My goal is to be able to run the whole thing. There is one really good sized hill that if I need to I will walk up. About 10 days ago I ran 9 miles (which is what got me thinking I could do another half!), and last Sunday I ran another 7 miles. My knee has had a dull ache to it, so I've taken it easy this week to let it recover, but I am planning a flat 10 miler either today or tomorrow. After that, I really only have 3 more weeks of long runs, Then the weekend of Tyson's surgery (it's on a Friday) that is the weekend to start tapering anyway, so I think it will work out fine.

So yes, a lot going on...it's a great time for a half-marathon for sure!

Wish me luck!
J

My running life in the last week

I woke up last Saturday with every intention of running a 5K race that benefits foster kids. There was a 10K option as well, but after two weekends of 10Ks in a row, I have to say, my legs were not feeling too swift. In fact, I really just wanted to stay home in my warm bed. I think it was in the upper 30s or lower 40s at the race. But my friend is a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer, and they were sponsoring the race. I had to keep my word.

So I arrived, along with a few others from my running group, and before I knew it, I was registering for the 10K like it was the most natural thing in the world. "I'm already here, I might as well just go for a nice 6.2 mile run and hope to finish in around 1:06." So that was the goal.

Here are some people I have met through the running group before the race. Two did the 5K and 3 of us did the 10K.

So the race started, I just started jogging. I was FREEZING! My fingers were purple...time to buy gloves! I felt good, and I really just felt like I was jogging, as I chatted with people I knew along the way. We got to a water station and I asked, "Is this the one mile mark?" The answer was, "No, this is the halfway turn around for the 5K. It's about 1.6." Say WHAT? So I looked at my time (which meant my purple fingers had to try to work my iPod) and sure enough, about 17 min had passed, which is a little fast for me, but yeah, that made sense.

Finally by mile 2.5 or so, the feeling in my fingers came back and I actually started feeling warm. As you can see from the picture, it was a beautiful sunny day, just cold. We were also next to the water, which is usually a little windier and colder as well.

I hit the 3.1 mile mark, which was a turn around at the South Side Bridge, and after a quick sip of water, I decided I would unpin my bib number and take off my jacket. This was what slowed me down a bit at the half marathon last summer, when I had to stop and deal with the pins and the bib, as well as the jacket. So I got two pins off, got to the third pin, and....I had pinned not just through my jacket, but through my shirt too. That meant it was WAY too complicated, and since I was not stopping, I would just have to sweat it out and be warm.

So I finished out the 10K, crossed the finish line, pulled out my iPod, and I said NO WAY! And my running friends who waited for me said, "Yes way!" Yep, 1:00.55. That is a PR for me for 10K! I honestly felt super great during that run. I started slower, and I think for me that is the key. I was tired at the end, but it felt amazing to know that I could pull that time off. My short term goal is to get 10K in under 1 hr. That was a pace of 9:48, so I'm on my way for sure. And to think I wasn't even going to do it...wow, I would have really missed out! Now I know part of this time is due to it being very flat. Well, I guess some races are like that...it's a great chance to PR, and I took it!

Here is my friend who is a CASA volunteer and me after the race. She does at least 2 races every month with her daughter. She is an amazing mom and person!

So on Sunday, before we knew it, a big group of us decided to go for a 3 or 5 mile run on a trail in our area. We met at 10 am, and off we went. I did 5 miles, and by the end, yes my legs were feeling pretty tired, but the trail was flat and beautiful.

On Monday, since it was a day off, I decided to connect with another runner I met last spring, and at the time she so kindly took me on a 10 mile run when I was training for my half marathon. Even though she was much faster than me, she slowed down and ran with me. On Monday, she already had plans to run with someone else, and she invited me to join them. First I said no, I'm too slow...I didn't want to slow them down--and that was the honest truth. But she encouraged me and said, "Really, you should come with us!" So I did, and we did 5.25 miles around a little town near my house.

Ok, at this point, almost 16.5 miles in 3 days, even for me that's a bit much. I took Tuesday off.

Wednesday was a horrible day at school, and let me assure you, it's not the students. They are the light of my day! So naturally, I felt the need to go run for 1.5 hours. I covered about 9 miles, which included several small hills and inclines. I say about 9 miles because I used mapmyrun.com, and I don't know how accurate it is. Nike Plus had me at 9.05, so I'm hoping it was about right, but I won't know unless I go out and drive it--which I will eventually.

Thursday was a spin night, and it felt great as well. I haven't done a spin class in awhile, and I like to mix things up.

Which brings me to today: Friday. No run today...my knees are a little achy. I have taken ibuprofen a few times this week, plus iced my knees before bed. I think I will put in 4 miles or so tomorrow morning, because I have a plan for Sunday: a trail run. Not just any trail run, but a trail run back in my hometown, and there is supposed to be a storm tomorrow. Some people from our running group are planning to join me, so I am hoping all will be OK for running on Sunday morning! We shall see.

The moral of the story...I am running with people. Me, the loner from January to May who was scared to death to run along side someone...I now run WITH people. That alone is a reason to celebrate!

Thanks for following along! Things are about to get interesting...more on that later :)

J

-50 lbs, 2 Races, and a New Goal!

That's right! I finally hit the -50 lb milestone!

Here's a review of the before picture:

And this is today:
Disclaimer: I hate pictures of myself, but I bought these boots last weekend and this picture shows that I can now actually fit into these kinds of boots because

A. My calves are small enough to actually fit into the boot.
B. I am down another jeans size, and these are skinny jeans that I bought just for the boots!

And through the blurry picture Kacie took as we were rushing out the door this morning, yes, that's a pug on a purse (a birthday gift to Kacie from a friend) and I can explain the pug purse: We were goofing off this morning before "stuffed animal day" at school. This was my stuffed animal, and then Ty attached himself to it and wouldn't let go. Oh well, there are worse things.

OK, here's the pic:

And without the pug, but with the boy who has to pose!

It felt great to finally hit that 50 lb goal. I'm still not advertising what I weigh, and I know I'm no where near "thin", but I feel SO much better. I'm most proud that I did it without a fad diet or weird regimen. It took 15 months for me to lose 50 lbs. It wasn't easy. I wanted to quit. There were nights I didn't want to run...didn't want to work out...wanted to eat the ice cream and drink that Mike's Hard Lemonade. I have made a life-style change. Do I still eat crap food? Of course, but in moderation. I don't eat fast-food, and if I do, it's a snack wrap or a salad. I don't eat deep-fried food. I'm not perfect...far from it...but I'm careful and sensible--most of the time ;)I knew that if I was going to do this, I had to figure out a way that I wouldn't torture myself and give up.

In running news...

I did end up running the 5K Zombie Dash. It was pouring down rain, but it was fun anyway. I ran with a group and we just took it easy since we were in the dark on a trail with zombies jumping out at us. Here we are after the race, and that's me in the reflective coat, which is so funny because I'd rather blend in than stand out in any picture.

Then last weekend I ran another 10K with a great friend who traded in her PE teacher job to be a stay at home mom. We had a great time. She is a great runner, and her goal was to get me to finish with 10 min miles. Well, we almost made it. Final time was 1:02.34, for about an average of 10.06 per mile. I was beat by the end!

Now tomorrow is another race, a small local fun run to benefit local foster kids. To be honest, I'm beat. I'm beyond beat. But this benefits kids, and where I live, we have a NEED to help foster kids. So I'll probably just do the 5K, then come home and do some elliptical. The race for next weekend was cancelled. Probably a good thing for me!

And now I have a new goal...you won't believe it. I don't believe it. I signed up for another half marathon, but not just any half marathon, oh no...this is the Hillbilly Half Marathon on March 2nd. It's a trail run up and down a mountain. This is for me to prove that I can do it...not for a time or a PR, but just to show that I can. It's going to be wet, cold, muddy, slushy, snowy, and FUN! There is a group going, so it should be a memorable day.

So, time to start trail training...in the winter! Brrrrr... :)

Thanks for reading and following my journey!
J

10K PR TODAY!

I can sum this up by the two Facebook posts I wrote today.

From early this morning: "Today is my 10th race since I started running. BUT...it's my FIRST race in the RAIN! Ugh! This is hard. I want to stay home, I admit it. 10K in the rain is just not sounding fun right now. But I'm tough, and I'll do it anyway. I already know it's not going to be pretty. I even thought about switching to 5K, but nah...if I'm going to do it, I might as well go for it and just get soaked!"

And here is my post after the race: "I actually got a PR today at my 10K! Lots of hills at the beginning, but nice and flat for the second half. The rain didn't even bother me. My time is 1:01.52ish, but Hoquiam says 1:00.15. So actual time is somewhere in between, but hey, better than my old PR of 1:05.30, so yay!"

Not everyday is one of success, but today it was, and it feels good to know that sticking with it has more results than just weightloss. It may or may not be important that I was the second to the last one to finish. Our local 10Ks generally only attract those who run competitively, unlike bigger cities that draw a larger crowd and a variety of times. If I had to guess, I'd say there were about 15 of us in the 10K. The rest ran the 5K or the 2mi. I still don't think my time is that bad--my average was 9.51 per mile! Putting this into perspective: in March, I ran my first 6 mile run in about 1:17. I really believe that quote at the top of the page--I'm racing myself. Sometimes I win with a PR, and sometimes I don't.

I saw this picture today, and I felt like it clearly sums up my experience so far with running:

So next Sunday, another 10K. Wish me luck!
J

How many races in one month?

First of all, I love this picture and quote. It is exactly how I feel!

I could do a 10K every weekend for the next 4 weeks, if I wanted to. The question is, do I want to? I've never been in this situation before. In fact, as I look at my calendar, it's more like I could do 5 races in the next 6 weekends, Thanksgiving weekend being the only one off. I was going to do a 4mi Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving, but it turns out I'm hosting Thanksgiving, and since I've never cooked a turkey....I'm a little nervous.

So, tomorrow is a go for sure--local city 10K. Then Sunday is a 5K local Zombie Dash. Not sure on that yet.

Next Sunday is an event called Turn Back the Clock, which celebrates daylight savings. This one is a go as well--I'm signed up and running with a good friend. This one is about an hour away from home, and I'm looking forward to it!

The third Saturday is a local event to support Advocates of Foster Children. It's a Fun Run, and I want to support this group.

The fourth Saturday is another local city fun run.

All of these races have 5K or 10K options. My dilemma is that I have a hard time fitting in a long run on any day EXCEPT weekends. If I do 10Ks every weekend, I will not have the energy for a long run the following day.

So I've decided the next two weeks are a go. After that, I will show up at the local events and decide. I STRONGLY support local events because even though I've been running less than one year, I see the need to support local races, or they will disappear. I am not fast, so I don't like 5Ks. Heck, I"m not even fast at 10Ks, my goal is just to finish. But I always figure that if I'm going to pay for a race, I might as well get 6 miles out of it. But now...I don't know.

As for my weight loss, I'm down another pound, so just two more til I hit the 50 mark! Work and kids has been very hectic. I am a teacher, mom of two amazingly spunky children, and a wife of a Law Enforcement Officer. My husband's schedule is insane, so I'm like a single mom 4 days a week. It was also conference week at school, and I've been battling a virus for 3 weeks. Some nights I just can't get out there, and the nights that I can, it's hard to motivate myself.

But I got a new running jacket this week, and when it came, I was like a kid at Christmas. :) I had it shipped to my school since no one was home this week, and wow...if I was tired, that perked me up! I got to try it out last night, and I think I like it! It still has to pass the rain test. I can't figure out how to get just the picture, so here's the ">link to the Brooks Women's Nightlife Jacket II. It is on sale at Brooks.com for $65, regular $100. I bought a size up, XL, because it said go the next size if you have long arms. So I did...sleeves are great, but the jacket is a little big. I figure for rain running thought, that's OK.

So nothing like something new to get you motivated again!
Happy Running!
J

I have 3 pounds to go--reflecting back

It seems that I have broken through my weightloss plateau. I have lost another 3 pounds after losing nothing for 4 months, maybe even gaining a few over summer (gotta love s'mores!). But now, I'm 3 lbs away from -50. It might take another month, but I know I'll get there.

With the daylight hours shrinking and my daughter's activities increasing, I'm feeling anxious about how I will get my workouts in without impacting my children too much. For this reason, I don't have any half marathons planned until at least April. Instead I'm sticking with 10Ks. I've done 2 10Ks, and my times have been 1:05:55 and 1:05.30. Both had hills, and the 10K I'm doing at the end of October also has hills, so my goal is to finish under 1:05. So I must continue finding time to work out.

A year ago, I still owned a treadmill, so I would just go out to the man cave/rec room/what-ever-you-want-to-call-it room and I'd walk. I also had and still have an elliptical, so when the walking would get boring, I'd use that instead. I remember my goal being to walk 2.5 miles, and later it was 2.85 miles, and I know it took me almost 50 minutes to do that. That's where I was at physically, and it was all I could do. And I did it, 3 times a week plus at least 1x on the elliptical. But in early November the treadmill died, and plus I sprained my toe--bad--so bad I could hardly walk. After taking a week off and contemplating just giving up, again (I hurt my back in October), I decided to just see if I could do the elliptical, and by golly, I could! So I spent two months on it, 4 nights a week. It was parked in my living room at the time because my husband was working odd hours and I needed to be near the kids (the man cave is detached from the house).

So two nights ago, I came home from work, and I was STARVING. Therefore, I ate dinner without getting my running in. That meant that at 8:15 pm, I had choices.

A. Do nothing.
B. Run in the dark.
C. Elliptical, which is now in the man cave.

Husband was home, Ty was in bed, so I opted for C. It's been a LONG time since I went out there to work out, other than a few times with weights. But I turned on X-Factor on our old TV, and I started my cardio. Suddenly, the last year came flooding back. I haven't watched TV and worked out since I first started exercising over a year ago, whether it was in the house or in the man cave, whether it was treadmill or elliptical. And my show of choice was Biggest Loser! If Biggest Loser was on, I was on the elliptical. I'd also watch the Voice or X-Factor...that must be what triggered these reflections.

I remembered how I'd get on the elliptical at a level 2, and if I was really pushing it, I'd move up to a level 3 resistance. Now I start at level 5 and move up to 6. I remembered walking those 2.85 flat miles on the treadmill in about 50 minutes. Last night after school I ran 5 miles in 54 minutes, with hills. I thought about the sizes of clothes I've gotten rid of, and how soon I'll be buying more pants so I'd better wear the ones I have now while they fit!

And I thought about what it will be like to say, "I've lost 50 lbs." Now last night, I blew it. I was starving and ate later than I should have. These last 3 are going to be a fight, and sadly, running 20+ miles a week just doesn't do it for me anymore. Although I've changed my diet, I've done nothing drastic, which I'm also proud of. I haven't done any weird diet, shots, pills, or anything. I know some people have health issues as to why they must change their diet, and I totally respect that! So don't think I'm saying that you shouldn't try different things. I just had NO EXCUSE! My body was and is fine. I've had little injuries along the way, and a few bigger ones, but I've worked hard and kept at it. I still drink coffee, but I also eat breakfast everyday. I pack a lunch to school everyday rather than eating fattening cafeteria food or running to Safeway for greasy sandwiches. I keep a protein bar in my desk for after school to get me through to dinner. And I TRY not to eat late at night. One thing I can improve on is portion control, so that's my focus. But tonight is pizza night...and I'll have my thin-crust pizza, with a side salad. It's the choices I make, and if I continue to make good choices, those last 3 pounds will come off.

So I have 3 pounds to go. I've lost 47 pounds...I'll get those last three. When? Maybe by the end of October, or November...I have no time line. I've never rushed this weightloss. It will come off, with God's help, it will happen!

No races this weekend, just planning a flat 7-9 miles in the morning to enjoy this beautiful fall weather. So I leave you with this saying, and if you like it, check out Slow is the New Fast on Facebook. I love her posts!

Enjoy this beautiful weekend!

Jolene

The Bridge Run--I did it!

There are moments that stand out in your mind as highlights of your life. Not necessarily like your wedding day, birth of a child or Gotcha day (the day you meet your adopted child), but just moments where you say, "Wow...I just did that." More like college graduation, landing a great job, running your first half marathon...those kinds of highlights. Crossing the Astoria Bridge in the 10K Great Columbia Crossing was definitely one for me.

The weekend started on Friday. My kids went to my mom's house, and I was blessed with a migraine. The last time I ran was Wednesday. I went to spinning class on Thursday, and I was going to run on Friday night. I had this all planned out, but you know what they say about plans...Of all the stupid nights for a migraine...this was supposed to be my "easy 3 miler" night so I could take Saturday off and be ready to go on Sunday. Didn't happen that way. Instead, I woke up Saturday morning after taking way too many meds on Friday with an upset stomach. Nevertheless, I waited til daylight Saturday morning and did a slow and easy 3.3 miles.

And off we went, my husband and I, to Astoria, Oregon. Yes Goonies fans, that's where the movie was made! It was a nice getaway for the weekend. And we did what any other married couple for 14 years does when they are away from the kids...we went to Costco because there's no tax in Oregon. Yeah, we are that exciting! But really, we did manage to enjoy a few meals out kid-free, and this was the view of one of the restaurants we went to.

Finally Sunday morning rolled around. I actually woke up at 2:30 am with a dream that I missed the race! Oh boy, I have issues! I truly got up around 5:15 and headed down to breakfast with my friend D and her daughter M. 7:00 came quickly, and off we headed to the Port of Astoria, where we were shuttled by school bus over the bridge to the WA side to a rest area known as Dismal Nitch. Somehow, they fit 3,000 people over there! So at 8:00 am, there we were...race didn't start until 9. Fortunately, it was a beautiful day.

Finally it was close to 9:00, and I lined up for the race. Now I knew I wasn't fast, but I knew I wanted to run. Many people walk this race because this is the one time a year when you have this opportunity. They cap the registrants at 3,000 people, and you must cross within 2 hours. So I lined up toward the front, but not in front. There was a need for an ambulance at the start, so the start time was delayed for about 10 minutes...no big deal...but when the race started, it was utter chaos. Suddenly I wasn't moving, but the outsides were. When I finally hit the chip time mat, I tried to start jogging, and I looked up to see at least 1,000 people in front of me. WTH? How did that happen? I'll tell you how it happened, several of the walkers started in front of the runners! Then us runners had to bob and weave around the walkers. Somehow my husband, who thought he was behind me, ended up in front of me, and he saw me actually running along the ditch to get around the walkers. UGH! This is one case where a wave or corral start would have been nice.

These are pictures my husband took just before the bridge. In fact, all of the race pictures were taken by him. He walked the first half and jogged the second half.

After a mile on the highway, we hit the bridge. I still had some walkers to pass, and I'm guessing I was a half a mile on the bridge (1.5 miles into the race) when I finally got in a group with like-minded and like-ability runners. We all know I'm not out to smash records, but I did want to run this. My goal was to run that entire incline, which started at about mile 3.7 in the race. I knew I had to pace myself and conserve my energy. That's exactly what I did.

Not only did I make it up the inline (0.7 miles at 7% incline), I finished the race with a time of 1:05.30. Not earth shattering, but for me, 10.33 min miles, not too bad. I actually finished 30/82 for my division for females 35-39.

Someday, I'd love to run a 10K in under 1 hour. Someday, I'll do it. But on this day, I conquered a bridge. It had been a goal for 3 months, and I did it. All I could think about was how my old self wouldn't have walked this bridge. I'm afraid of heights, and this bridge really has low rails for most of it. The race is on one lane, no water stops, no bathrooms. All of those things were reasons to say no to this race, and I did. But one day I woke up and realized, what a unique experience! I have to do this! So, I did it. And that's what keeps people coming back is how unique and incredible it is to just walk across the bridge, or run, or whatever.

Will I do it again? I don't know. Of course, it depends on our schedule. And I would have to know that the start will be better. That was chaos, but it was the first year for chip time, so I'm going to hope that next year will be better because they will maybe line people up in a different way.

But one thing is for sure: The amount of volunteer work that goes into that race in amazing. Two states must work together, the buses that take people to the rest stop, the entertainment at the beginning and end, packets, etc...it was an amazing display of teamwork and volunteers for sure.

For now, I'm just glad that I attempted the Great Columbia Crossing, I met my goal of running it, and hey, I even got a 10K PR (I've only been in two, so that isn't saying much). Life is good!

After 3 races in September, I'm taking a breather. Next race is Oct. 27th, a local 10K with some good hills, so it looks like I'll be training for hills this month! But, daughter is now in 2 sports and playing two instruments, plus homework...and Tyson still has his issues too. Not sure how I'll make the time, but somehow, I will.

Thanks for reading!
Jolene

Five Mile Fun Run--and the day after

Background info for those who don't know me well or don't live in the area.

I grew up in a small town, and the town of W was our main rival. All the while, we were also friends through sports and whatever else. So as fate would have it, year 7 of my teaching career was a side stop at W. My family had moved and I wanted to teach closer to our new home. W was a 30 min drive literally over the river and through the woods. I only spent one year there, but I met wonderful people that I still love to this day.

So when I found out a few weeks ago that they did a fun run every year to benefit Relay for Life, which is a big event that raises money for cancer research, I was in! My former students--fourth graders at the time--are now Seniors there!

I posted the race to my running group, and I was so excited that a few of them came out in support as well. I think we all just enjoy races in general and who could pass up a beautiful crisp morning to go run and up and back on a rural road? I couldn't!

The race was a 3mi/5mi fun run/walk. There were turnarounds at 1.5 and 2.5 miles. It started at the school and went up the valley. To be honest, I hadn't really driven past the school much, so I thought I remembered it being fairly flat.

I was wrong.

Well, anyway, my awesome friend D.G. was there with her wonderful daughter, and we sported our Q gear, but it was to show solidarity between communities. We are rivals, but friends too! But I swear, I will never run in cotton again! OK, we all know I will, but not if I have to. I was cold at the end!

So off we went, and immediately I could tell it was going to be bad because my iPod decided to go haywire. That woman who talks on it once in awhile decides to read my playlists during the music, or she'll stop my music all together, thus stopping my time on Nike Plus. Therefore, I had NO idea of my time. Immediately, I'm mad. "Oh Well, ENJOY YOURSELF!" I said to myself. I looked up and saw blue sky, runners, and realized how healthy I am and I thanked the good Lord for such a beautiful day. So I kept running. I tried keeping up with one runner, A.J., but after a water stop at 2.5 mi, she kept her pace, but I fell back. I had no idea how many rolling hills there were on this little jaunt! It was definitely not flat, but nothing too killer either. Just rolling hills.

On the last straight stretch, I could see the signs to the school, but it was deceiving. No matter how fast I ran, I didn't feel like I was getting there fast enough. Down on myself, I just kept at it. I had no idea what my time was, but considering I ran a 48.07 5 mi on a fairly flat course 2 months ago, and a 49:45 on a fairly flat course a month ago, I figured this had to be in the 53ish minute mark...

So imagine my surprise when I got up there and saw 49.25....26....27....

I crossed at 49:30. I was seriously shocked. I kept my pace right at 10 mile min. Surprised. HAPPY! This means I am on my way back! I had run several 5 milers leading up to this, and most times were around 53 min. A.J. finished about 2 minutes ahead of me, and I figure keeping up with her both helped my time and killed me in the end because I was DEAD.

Here are the two awesome ladies I had the honor hanging out with at the race from my running group. I'm the slow one of the three, but they seem to keep me around anyway :)

And again, here's D.G. and me after the race. Friends for life! And we will be rocking it on the Astoria-Megler bridge next week---ooooh YEAH!

Which brings me to today, and my blog is updated! But my run today was an interesting one. I wasn't sure if today should be a recovery 3 miles, a regular tempo run for 5 miles, hills for 4 miles, or a long run of 7ish miles. Last Saturday was a non-race weekend, and I went out for 7.2 flat miles and finished in 1:16. That was my longest run since the half marathon in June, and it felt good. But keep in mind that word "flat". I wasn't sure if today would be "recovery" even though I ran faster yesterday than normal, it was still only 5 miles. So I decided on the 6-7 mile option with rolling hills. Say WHAT? Yep, I'm that stupid. I finished 6.55 miles, totally dead at the end. Lots inclines, and I had to walk twice. Finished in 1:15. Not pretty, but it's done. My legs felt very heavy by the end, which I attribute to yesterday's harder than normal run for me.

On tomorrow's agenda: Work out at home--arm weights and elliptical as recovery. Probably a smart plan. Then Tues-Wed-Thurs a little harder. Friday will be a shorter easier run, then Sunday is the Bridge! Full report when I get back! My goal is to run the whole thing. On fresh legs, it could happen...or not. We shall see!

My first 10K!

So it took 8 days after the hike to finally run again. I felt like I had to start back at square one, and it was humbling. My first day back to hitting the pavement was Sept. 1st. I had been looking forward to running my first 10K on Sept. 8th for quite awhile. It was a local run that went along with some festivities in our community. This event includes a 2mi run/walk; a 5K; and a 10K. I was contemplating the 5K just based on the fact that by Sept. 5th the most I had run was 4.5 miles, and I just didn't feel ready for 6.2 mi.

But by the Thursday, I decided what the heck, I'd go for the 10K. The worst that could happen was I'd have to walk, and since technically it was my first 10K, it would be a PR no matter what!

So we made it a family event, and my husband and daughter walked the 2 mile race while I ran the 10K. I would guess there were around 30ish participants from ages 4-??? I won't bore you with the details, other than I was totally right, I was NOT ready, and at just after the 5 mile mark there is a good hill, and I had to walk-jog it. I was more upset about that than I was about my time. My chip time was 1:05.55. For not running much up to that point, I wasn't upset with my time. I was upset with having to walk though.

I was one of the last two finish, but evidently it wasn't horrible because I was third in my age group and got a bronze medal--Ha! But of course I had to hear about it from Dan and Kacie, both who got Gold medals in their age groups for the 2 mi--oh, and did I mention there was only 1 person in those groups--both of them! I am honestly not sure on my age group. A few people finished behind me, but I don't know their age groups.

Below is my friend R.R. and myself sporting our medals, but mine is backward, like the dork that I am. R got 2nd in the 5K for age group. She and I started running at about the same time last winter.

And this is my friend R.J., who I have been friends with since FIRST GRADE! She was maid of honor in my wedding, and I love her to death. I was so happy to see her at this race. She took first in the 5K in her age group (ahead of R.R.)--the girl can run!

Here's what I took away from this experience:

Like I said, I'm not upset with my almost 11 min/mi pace. I was upset that I had to walk that last hill. But...had I been training for that? Not in the last three weeks! Even the week before my hike I only ran 3 times because they week before I had logged 23 miles and was feeling some aches and pains. So I really hadn't worked for this. So how could I be upset? I couldn't...but it motivated me to get back to work!

My next race was a 5 mi fun run for a great cause, and it will be my next post! And it all leads up to the end of September for the Great Columbia Crossing. Yes, that's THREE RACES in one month. I can't help it, I love it.

Thanks for reading and following my journey...which by the way, I'm down another 2 pounds, making weightloss now -46 lbs! I might hit that -50 mark yet!

The Great Hike, and my afterthoughts

Summer came to an end, and school had a chaotic beginning, to say the least.

We had our last summer outing on Aug. 25th. My husband and I hiked up to a Mountain in the Olympics known as Colonel Bob. There are two routes up: One side known as Pete's Creek, which is about 4 miles virtually straight up. The other route is known as the "Quinault side" which is 7 miles from the summit. I need to give some background info before you get the real story--I'll make a long story short.

I grew up in Quinault, yet I had never hiked up to Col Bob. Dan and I did a basic hike through the long switch backs of the Quinault side when we were first married, but we stopped at the creek. In 2007, the area experienced a horrible storm, and it destroyed the trail. Due to government red tape and lack of common sense, the trail could only be cleared with hand tools--no power machinery, including chain saws. Finally in 2011, a crew went up and began the job of clearing the trail. But we heard there was another blow down, but it was passable. My original plan was to hike up and back on the Quinault side since that was where I grew up and originally was my first partial hike in the wilderness area. I remembered those switch backs, but hey, I'm in shape now, right? I'll be OK!

But then we realized that we had a unique opportunity. Because my parents live in the area, my dad could drive us the 20-30 miles to the Pete's Creek trail, drop us off, then my parents could leave our truck on the Quinault side. We could experience the ENTIRE trail! So that's what we did, and here we are, getting ready for our adventure.

When we waved good bye to my dad, this feeling of, "OMGosh, we are in the middle of no where...we are really doing this!" set in...So with our packs packed with food, 6 water bottles each, and emergency supplies, At 6:50AM away we went, and up, and up, and up. The only thing we forgot was our camera. We each had our iPhones, so at least we got some pictures.

One advantage to hiking in late August is that the creeks are pretty well dried up, like this one.

This is what most of the terrain on the Pete's Creek side looks like.

There is a point at which the Quinault side and Pete's creek side merge into the same trail, and then there is only one way up. The Mulkey Shelter is on the Quinault side.

Going up was great, but I realized I made three rookie-hiker mistakes. Mistake #1: I was getting a blister on my left foot around mile 2, which without realizing it meant that I was putting more force on my right leg...so soon my right knee started giving me fits. I was so worried about keeping my feet dry that I wore running socks instead of hiking socks--Mistake #2. Luckily I brought an extra pair of socks, so that seemed to help. But Mistake #3 was we forgot our trekking poles. UGH! That would prove to be one of the biggest mistakes of the day. And the last mistake, which isn't really a mistake, is that I wore my old running shoes, not hiking shoes. I don't own hiking shoes! But you'd better believe I will next time!

Getting closer to the top!

Snow near Moonshine Flats. This was all the snow we saw that day. Just a month prior, hikers were still hiking THROUGH the snow!

And at 10:30, we made it to the top of Col Bob. 4 miles, just over 3.5 hours. We sat and had lunch on top of the world, 360 degree views including Mt. Olympus, Lake Quinault, Mt. Rainier, and if you looked hard...the Pacific Ocean! Not to mention the amazing Mountains of the Olympics.

Dan with Lake Quinault in the background.

Not a great picture, but it proves that we did it!

So after a nice lunch and signing the book at the top, we started our decent, and here's where my exhilarating experience becomes something out of a Good-Hike-Gone-Bad story. First, going down is TOUGH! It doesn't matter how many miles you can run, you are in for a tough downhill hike. My husband had to hold my hand several times, and once I fell on a rock hard, and I just missed my tailbone, but I did manage to mess up my wrist a little bit.

When we finally got to Moonshine flats, we breathed a sigh of relief. We knew the terrain would get better and softer on the Quinault side (or so we "thought" we knew) because Dan had done the hike from that side several times many years ago. At Moonshine Flats we met up with a family who had come up the Quinault side, and they said it was brutal, and at points you have follow ribbon to find the trail. We sort of played it off, and off we went...but once again, we were going UP another mountain to get to the Quinault side. Should have seen it coming...

We had to climb a few logs, no big deal, and we thought, "Is this the blow down those kids were talking about? This is NOTHING!" We rested at Mulkey shelter, thinking we had about 3.5 miles to go. We'd be done in a few hours. My knees and toes were aching. And at this point, our iPhones died, so no more pics. Little did I know...

We got to the blow down area. We were walking along the side of the mountain, and at first I said, "Well, this is so pretty! This blow down area makes for a nice view." Such a tourist remark, I'm embarrassed to say. Like those people who think Wild Olympics is a good idea...but I digress. Anyway, there were places were logs were cut, and then there could be a 3-4 foot drop, which doesn't sound like much, but do this times 15, and add in dirt, no place to hold on, brush, logs etc...and we'd get out of one area and think we were through it...then there'd be another one! I wondered if I was being secretly taped for survivor. I would have failed.

Finally we knew we were off the side of the mountain when we got to the creek that we had turned around at many years before. We had no idea how much farther, but soon we hit the switch backs, but our pace had slowed considerably. I had lost my footing several times, and I stepped in a hole and rolled my ankle. But I'm tough and got back up.

Finally, at 5pm, we walked off the mountain. 3.5 hours up, .5 hour up there, 6 brutal hours down. I would NEVER tell anyone to hike the Quinault side until it is cleaned up, unless you enjoy that kind of thing. I couldn't walk right for 6 days, and it took a full week until I could run again. I lost a lot of progress in my running. But once again, I did something I never could have done one year ago.

I need to make one more rant about Wild Olympics: Wild Olympics is a plan for the Park Service to take more control of wild land. While the Col Bob area is not Park area, it is government owned. I experienced that blow-down area and thought, "THIS is how the government takes care of wilderness areas--they don't!" People enjoy spending time in the outdoors, and trails are a great way to do that. That means less people out getting lost, creating their own trails, camping in areas they shouldn't be, etc...It is important for people to experience nature so that the next generation will respect it. Yet I saw first hand how the government manages and takes care of wilderness areas. THEY DON'T! Please, please, if you are a Washingtonian, do not support this plan! Wild Olympics is a wolf in sheep's clothing. I love nature as much as the next person. I grew up fishing, camping, hiking, and experiencing the outdoors. I want it protected more than anyone else. But I need to see that the government can manage what it has, and it is obvious that they can't. If it's lack of resources, then fine...but why give them more land? It makes no sense to me!

Overall, it was a great experience. But next year, I'll stick to the Pete's Creek side!

Race last weekend

Last Saturday I did the 5 mile "Run 4 the Light" run at the beach near where I live. The course went along a paved "dune trail" along the beach for the last half, which was really nice. It was a fundraiser for a maritime museum.

I had to start off a little slower. I have this odd muscle pull on the front-left side of my leg just below the knee. If I take off too fast, it pulls (see the S'mores post). But I forget about it because it doesn't bother me on a day-to-day basis. But I started running, and AGGGHHH! It went. I took a few slow steps, took it easy, and within a a few minutes it worked itself out, and I kept going.

My 5 mile time at Lake Fair was 48:07, and that was a relatively flat course. This course was also flat, but not quite as flat as Lake Fair. There was one hill and then a few up-and-downs along the trail. My time ended up 49:45, so I can say it was still a sub 10 min mile pace...barely.

Waiting to start, and as you can see, Tyson had to come out to give me one last hug!

After the race!

This week has been a good training week. I ran 6 miles in my neighborhood on Monday; 6.5 miles on a new-to-me trail with a running friend; 6 miles with several hills and inclines on Saturday; and then Tues and Thurs I did 15-20 min elliptical then a 45 minute spinning class.

I am trying to get my eating under control. The harder I try, the worse it gets! I think the stress of getting my classroom ready for school is starting to get to me. Hopefully I can get myself back to a place of control and healthy food soon. We had a party, and now we have a ton of food left over that I feel compelled to eat. Well, I'll just keep running it off and hopefully it will all even out :)

This week will just be another week of exercise and running, but the plan for Saturday is a hike! Very excited about that. Then I have a few 10Ks lined up for September, which is really exciting because although I've ran 6+miles before, these will be my first 10K races! I'm looking forward to it.

Enjoy the week!

:) Jolene

My two not-so-favorite topics: weight and speed

Have you been watching the amazing running events in the Olympics? Elite, chisled-muscled athletes who can run these insane time, competing in the pinnacle of sports--the OLYMPIC GAMES!

Yeah, that will never be me. In fact, it won't be most of us.

You see, I've learned a secret about running...are your ready? Here it is: "You don't have to fast, and you don't have to be skinny. In fact, running doesn't necessarily make you skinny!"

Let's talk about weight first, since that seems to be the most fun to talk about, right? Yes, running will help you lose weight. Exhibit A: This is me from last summer taking my daughter to the American Idol concert. I have not shared this on FB or any other blog, so if you are seeing this, it means you are truly one of my readers, and I love you, so here you go:

Yep, that is THE picture. When Kirstie Alley said she didn't realize how fat she really was, that was me too. I had no idea. Here I am taking my daughter to a concert, and I truly had nothing to wear. I bought this cheap shirt thinking, OH, it's a T-shirt, it will look fine. I couldn't have been more wrong. And let's face the facts, it wasn't the shirt, it was me.

So from Aug-Dec, I exercised. I tried to start running, but I sprained my toe on the treadmill and had to do the elliptical for two months. Some people would have quit, and normally I would have too, but I set this crazy goal to lose 20lbs by December. Well, I made it to 18 lbs. Couldn't be too upset about that!

In January I started running, and at first the weight melted off. By June I had lost another 26lbs. Since June, I have lost no weight. In fact, I've gained 2 lbs. That's OK! I'm not going to stop running, especially since now that I've done some races, I see that people of ALL SHAPES AND SIZES run! It's not just the skinny, chisled Olympic athletes or the elite runners you see on TV commercials and magazine ads. It's EVERYONE--REAL PEOPLE.

So now I look like this...it's a blurry photo that Ty took on my phone as we were at one of his cleft appointments, but you can see the difference just in my face and arms:

Even if I never lose another pound, I'm not going to stop running. I may never be "skinny" or have that BMI that says I'm not overweight. I may still wear a pant size that is higher than the average for a woman. I'm OK with that because if you compare those two pictures, I think you can see the happier person. And I need to throw it out there...I love food. I love to eat. It's a battle everyday. Maybe if I did better with my eating, I could be a better runner...I'm not there yet.

Which brings me to the idea of speed. See this guy?

Probably not a speed demon, I'm just guessing. But maybe he is? That has been the other thing I've learned. You can be overweight AND FAST! I am not! But...I am gaining some speed. Speed does not equal fast, it just means my 12.30-13 min miles are more like 10.30-11.00 miles. It's progress. I could probably do even better, but I LOATHE speedwork. I just keep at it, keep going, throw in some shorter faster runs with a longer run each week, and it's helping. Again, look at my pictures. Who is the happier person?

I read one John Bingham's books, I think it was called "The accidental athlete". I highly recommend it. He talks about running in the back of the pack. It's actually really fun! Even for walkers and walk joggers, they are also competitive. One of my friends told me, "I saw these women, and they were NOT going to finish before me." That was her goal, and that's why races are fun. Once you decide you are out there for yourself to be all that you can be, regardless of speed, it's so much fun!

If you are ready to start, I highly recommend starting with walking. That's where I started. Don't overdo it, and explore some couch to 5K workouts. Sign up for a 5K when you feel ready so you have a goal. I will promise you...if I hadn't made that crazy half marathon goal, I'd have quit a long time ago. Goals are important. And of course, without my Lord and savior, none of it would have happened. I love it when God takes me on these crazy life journeys!

In fact, I have a 5 miler tomorrow! Wish me luck! I may not hit that 48 min mark, but I'd like to finish under 53 min.

Keep moving, keep smiling!
Jolene

I ran it! Results of yesterday's 5K

I woke up at 5am, breakfast and coffee ready for my 8:00 5K race...or so I thought.

This was a 5K fun run, and it was part of our city's "Art Walk" festival. It was supposed to start at Totem Park, and lot of us were like, "Where is Totem Park?" We figured out that it is the bottom of a bridge that has a restored totem pole. OK...

So, again, small town, lots of parking at the nearby stores, no need to be too early. So I drive down the bridge at 7:30 am, and NO ONE is there! WTH??? OK, where is Totem Park, seriously? I park at the local outdoor store, and it's one of those moments I'm so glad I own an iPhone. I pull up the race page...race starts at NINE O'CLOCK! UGHHH! So I call my friend D and she gets a good laugh.

Eventually it all comes together, and at 8:30 we line up for the race. My friend D and her daughter M also entered the race. D does about 2-3 races a month, and she pushes her daughter in every single one. Before the birth of M, D did all sorts of Tri-events and races, so she is getting back into it, and it's awesome to have a friend to enter events with! She is actually the person who got me to do the St. Patrick's Day Dash in Seattle (the one in which I had the flu..grrr....)

Myself, D, and sweet little M after the 5K

Another friend, C, was also there, so it was a lot of fun to finally enter a race with her too. And another person I met on a FB running book page also entered the race. Unfortunaly, there weren't as many people as I had hoped for. The organizers did a good job, and hopefully it can attract more next year.

My knee/leg was feeling good, so I decided I'd go all out, and all out I did! Too much. I started off way too fast. I passed a lady at about mile 1, and then she was a good 50 yards behind me. Unfortunately, in the last mile, I had no steam left, and she past me. It was a lot of fun and a good reminder why I do not start fast. I had nothing left to kick into gear with. It was another good reminder as to why I shouldn't run the day before a race--my legs were heavy by the last 1/2 mile.

Results? I'm very happy. My goal, due the the circumstances, was to finish under 31 minutes, but I knew I could pull of around 30. My time ended up being 28min 28sec! Yep, 28:28, 9:30ish pace. I was far more tired after this race than I was the 8K (5 mile) race last week, with a pace of 9:41. But, I am happy with the time. In fact, out of 4 in my age group, I was 2nd--14 seconds behind the gal who passed me at the end! We had a great chat at the end...it was a fun race!

Now, my goal is to get back into longer distances again. My next race is another 5 mile race on the coast on Aug. 11. I'd like to maintain my time of 48 minutes. Overall, I just want to get some longer runs in. That's what I enjoy the most! Until then....

Thanks for reading!
Jolene

For the Love of S'mores

That title will make sense in a minute. First the good news.

Last Saturday I ran a 8K race (5 miles) about an hour or so from my house. It was a flat course and a great way to really see what I could do. I haven't been running as far or as long as I did during my half marathon training, but I've been picking up my pace, so that's been exciting. I was hoping to finish under 55 minutes for 11 min mile pace...that was a SMART goal. But in reality, I knew if I pushed it I could do it in under 53 minutes, not much more though.

When I crossed the finish line, I wasn't sure of my time because the clock was for the half marathon that was going on simultaneously. But I looked at my iPod and it said 48:47. WHAT? That would mean my pace was less than 10 minute miles, and honestly, I could feel it. I pushed it pretty hard, but I made sure I had fresh legs that day so I could push it hard. So when I got home, I checked my chip time. Are you ready? 48:07! That is an average 9:41 pace! Me? Again, slow for some, but for me...well, amazing!

So the next day we left for camping, and I normally don't run the day after a race. But I wanted to enjoy the next day of camping, so I set out for a recovery run. Bad idea. Several stops, got stung, etc... so I took Monday off.

Tuesday morning, I decided to set off on a long run (well, what is now a long run). I have no idea what my distance was, but I know I was out for 1:05. Again, that seems funny for a long run, but again, I also know I've picked up my pace because I was exhausted!

Tuesday night I was walking my dogs back up to the campsite, and my husband was driving down to my sister in law's site. We met up, and he said he couldn't find the s'mores supplies we had just bought. Me being me, I said, "THEY ARE IN THE YELLOW BAG! OH forget it, I'll just RUN to the site and get them. I can run faster than you can drive there and back." Which was true with a 5mph speed limit, I could run faster than he could drive. So I sprinted, and I'm thinking to myself, "Wow, this is awesome that I can run to a campsite, which I never would have done last year," and I got to the site, and ZING! The lower-outside of my left knee gave out. I felt a pull, pang of pain. "OH SNAP!" I thought...but I didn't say snap if you know what I mean. I got back, and told my husband that I hurt my knee, and it might be bad. Yet, I could still walk on it without pain. All for s'mores...the love of s'mores...and the love of my kids, who would have been really disappointed without the chocolate for their treats, and we can't have that while camping, now can we?

We got up Wednesday morning, and I had no pain. We packed up camp and went home. After dinner, I decided since I have a 5K coming this weekend, and I want to try to finish in under 31 min, I'd head out to a park with a flat loop. Upon arrival, my iPod went goofy...should have been my first clue. Finally fixed that, and I began to pound the pavement.

Step, step, step, step, AGAGHHHHAHHAGHAHG! What in the world....oh it must just be tight...stretch...step step step step step AGHAHAHAHAHAGGGGHHHHH! What the.... OK, rub, massage, work out the kinks, it'll be fine....step step step AAGGGGHHHHH! OK, this is not fine.

I walked back to my car...the whole 40 feet. Yes, I could not run barely 5 steps or 40 feet. There was no way. The pulling pain in my knee was brutal. I drove home, and walked in the door to the words, "Well that was fast." and I cried.

No swelling, no discoloration, just a pain I could only feel if I ran. Was this it? Was I done running? I'd had aches and pains, and I was even sidelined a few times, but this was scary. So it was ice and ibuprofen time...and that's what I did. I also researched every part and muscle on and around the knee. I kept self diagnosing, which was hard again because I couldn't pin point the pain.

So yesterday I decided to see if I could handle a spinning class. I didn't push it 100%, but I did survive the class with little to no pain. More ice, more ibuprofen, and more rest.

Today, feeling good, so I wanted to test this out to see where I am with this injury, so I went for an easy run. My first mile was a 12 min. mile (which included walking down a hill which I usually have fun running down--but I'm going easy)...dang, haven't run like that in over a month, but it felt good, so I kicked up the pace a bit, and ended with 3.5 miles in about 38 min, so the pace was just under 11 min miles. And I feel good! Again, more ice, and that area does feel tight, and it's a tough one to stretch, but massage should take care of it.

Praise God. I will run the 5K tomorrow, but not for a PR (Personal Record), but I probably will PR because my only other 5K is 35:15, so even at a jog I can beat that, but my goal was to do it in under 31 minutes. Not sure that is a smart thing to try to do, so I'll just go out and have some fun and praise the Lord that I'm there.

In fact, everyday that I run is a blessing not promised to me. And I realized I need to thank the Lord for all He has given me. He has provided me with all need, and he has given me running when I needed it most. I praise God that my health has been restored, my energy levels are up, and I'm setting a good example for my kids. This little injury is a good reminder that nothing in this life is a given.

Thanks for reading, and I'll post my 5K experience tomorrow! (There is a part of me that is perturbed I can't go "all out" tomorrow. It's a flat course!)

Jolene

The Saga of the Perfect Running Shoe

I saw this picture yesterday, and I had to post it on FB because it was very much ME the other day.

I have been struggling with shoes. Last summer I went to good ol' JC Penny and bought a cross trainer shoe...and I'm almost positive that's how I killed my toe to begin with. So when I decided to start running, in late December I went back to JC Penny and bought another pair shoes, this time a little more spendy and were "made" for running. They were Nike Dual Fusion, and to be honest, they are so darn cute, I wear them all the time (which tells you, I no longer run in them). The funny part of this is that I was supposed to go to a running store, but I chickened out. I didn't feel like I belonged there, so I stayed with what I knew. That was my first of many mistakes. But admit it, they are cute!

After about a month of running in my Nikes, my knees were just aching. I knew I couldn't keep it up, and my friend assured me that the problem was my shoes, which were fine for everyday wear, but not for running up to 12 miles a week like I had been at the time.

So mid February, I did it: I went to a running store. I came out with my first pair of REAL running shoes: Asics 2170s.

On my first run, I hated them. They felt very heavy compared to my Nikes, and my friend explained it was because it was a minimalist shoe and now I'm in a more stable shoe. OMGosh...there is so much to this! (Oh little did I know then...) But I kept at it and soon the knee pain subsided, and I was on my way. I did end up with a foot injury, and I had custom orthotics made. That's another story...

I wondered when I would need new shoes, and everyone said "You just know". So mid May, I felt my knees ache again, so I went back to the running store and bought the same style shoe, only in a different color. The running store has a 30 day policy that if you don't like the shoes, you can bring them back with the receipt and exchange them. But hey, I didn't need to keep that receipt right? These were the same shoes, so all should work out, no worries.

The shoes I now refer to as The Devil Shoes

And I ran in them, and something didn't feel right. My ankles ached, my knees ached...I felt like I was back to square one. I even started to feel some shin splints--what the heck? And of course my friend said, "Well, you kept the receipt, take them back..." Ughhhhh....no I didn't. BIG MISTAKE! So I went to Wal Mart, bought some gel insoles, and put those in the 2nd pair of Asics. No bueno, so with the half marathon approaching and my custom orthotics lost in space, I put the gel inserts into my first Asics, and the knee pain subsided, ankles got better, and life was good again. I ran the half marathon in those purple asics with the Wal Mart gel insoles.

So finally, the following week my orthotics arrived and I took some time to break them in, and I knew the day was coming that I would need new shoes. The old shoes were ripped on the inside, and hole was forming on the top where my big toe would rub up against the material. And even with the orthotics, they were just done. I tried running in the newer white Asics again, and the knee pain came back. I have particular issues with the outside of my right knee.

So last weekend my family was on an outing, and my husband is getting ready to start running, so we wanted to get him some new running shoes. But you know where I'm going with this...I walked out with new shoes. I was hesitant on what to do because I loved the first pair of Asics but not the second pair. I put on another pair of the same Asics (in another color), but something wasn't quite right. Then I put my feet in some Sauconys--Guide 5.

I fell in love. They were softer and felt less bulky than the Ascis. So I walked out of the store with these, and Dan walked out with...nothing. All of his friends told him about the pressure point tests, treadmill tests, etc... and this particular running store didn't do these tests. I told him I didn't really care, but if he wanted to do them, I'd find a store.

A friend had told me about Road Runner, and I found one. When we walked in, we saw the treadmills, and that was what Dan wanted, and since I'd never done it before, I wanted to try it too. Then I was nervous...I just bought a pair of shoes one hour ago...and they are not cheap. What if they're the wrong ones?

So what did I learn? Well, I learned that I should buy shoes in the neutral plus category. The Asics were stability shoes, which probably were OK when I first started running because I was heavier. But the new ones were pushing my leg in, causing the outside knee pain. And guess what the new Sauconys I bought were? Yep, stability shoes. So I tried some neutral plus shoes on, and the heavens parted: Saucony Triumph 9.

But the only way to really know and really feel a difference was to try each shoe on opposite feet and feel the difference. These neutral plus sauconys were so much softer, where the yellow ones were more rigid. So I walked out of Road Runner with ANOTHER pair of shoes. :) Not cheap, for sure.

I went out in the new shoes last night for 6.7 miles. No knee pain! I did another 3.4 today (in 35 minutes I might add...10:18 min/mi pace--which for me is outstanding), and my knees and ankles feel great. So since I do run an average of 20 miles per week, I should be rotating my shoes anyway. My plan is to take the Guide 5 pair back and exchange it for another Triumph 9. I was told it takes about 24 hours for a shoe to reform, so by alternating shoes, you actually add to the life of the shoes. So that's what I'll do!

Now I'm having arch issues in my left foot, but I think that's because I've been wearing the orthotics a lot, and I didn't wear them this afternoon in the Nikes (that I still love to wear with jeans) and I pulled something--it's nothing ice and ibuprofen won't fix. I'm not running much, if at all, tomorrow anyway.

Anyway, finding the right shoe is not easy, and it's expensive. I can still use those white Asics for spin class and elliptical machines, so at least I still can use them. I cannot use the Nikes for anything except everyday wear, which is great because I'm not using my workout shoes for walking around. And my orthotics fit into every pair of shoes I own, so that's a great benefit. So hopefully I won't need to buy more shoes for another 6 months...let's hope! And then I'll probably love something else. But for now, these are it!

The long and short of it is this: I have learned that the right shoe can make or break your work out. My feet are pounding pavement, and I need to take care of them, and if I take care of my feet, I'm taking care of my knees, back, and everything else. They will keep me on the road...and that's where I want to be.

Keep running!
Jolene