September 2012 – 27.41 Miles Total

The continued prayer is, “Lord keep me focused. Keep my mind stayed on You. Help me to bring You praise. I know You believe in me. Please help me in my unbelief. Amen.”

It has been quite a while since I’ve posted but I have been keeping up with my running schedule. School starting back up seems to help a little. With the kids on a more structured schedule, there are fewer cancelled runs.

Early in the month, I did the Awesome 80’s 10k in Pasadena! It was fun but a little disorganized. It started about a half hour after it was supposed to, which wouldn’t have been terrible but, I showed up an hour and 15 minutes before the 10k gun was set to fire so I could meet with the BGR Group. Parking issues forced me to miss the group photo, which was the main reason I showed up early. Otherwise, I would have been happy just to meet the girls. So I was there for almost 2 hours before I got to run!

I had fueled up with 2 bananas before I hit the registration tables. Typically, that’s a lot of food for me but carbs burn quickly so by the time I was belly up to the Start Line, I was already hungry again. Starting a run properly fueled is Job One! And the lack of it could be the difference between an OK run and a GREAT one!!!

It was CRAZY hot out there but so many people were dressed for the event! It was fun.

This race was extra special because it was my 40th Birthday present to myself. I turned 40 the next day. This is a BIG deal on many levels but turning 40 means I get bumped up into another age group. This could be exciting.

I’m looking forward to this new phase. Don’t get me wrong, by no means am I saying that the 40-45 Women’s age group is a piece of cake! These ladies are no joke! They are crazy competitive. But as I move further and further into this age group, my children will become more independent and I will be able to make running more of a priority.

Also, I will be more focused on the mechanics of running. In so doing, running will likely become more beneficial for me. Gone are the days where I can run without stretching. Gone are the days when I will run without proper fuel. Gone are the days where I will run through injury. All of this means I will be more careful and aware of what my body is doing.

Getting older forces you to take better care of yourself. There will be fewer late nights, fewer missed doctor’s appointments and no more overlooking aches and pains…. That pain could mean something now and I’ll be getting it checked out.

This race taught me a few things (or *reminded* me of a few things, I should say. They were things I already knew):

First, 6+ miles is a long distance run for me. I know many people who run more than 10 to 20 miles every time they go out, but that’s not me, and there’s no shame in that. It’s just a fact: 6 miles is a long distance.

Secondly, fuel and hydration are key! Duh! Yes, I know this. We all know this. But it’s easy to get into the habit of expecting the race coordinators to have well supplied aid stations during an organized run. This wasn’t the case here. The 5k runners got to go first and the supplies were completely diminished by the time the 10k runners were on the course. I should have replaced my calories at mile 4 but I didn’t. That was on me, but I should have been able to get fresh water on the course by then. The Gatorade I had in my fuel belt was completely gone and the aids stations were tapped out. This was *very* disappointing and the last 2 miles were pretty rough.

Thirdly, 90+ degrees is hot!!! It was 92 degrees by the time we were able to get running and that is HOT!!! The 10k was scheduled to start at 9am, which is on the late side for an organized run AND this one started late so it was nearly noon when many of the runners were finished and it was burning up by then. Extreme heat is another thing that can make difference between pleasure and torture.

And finally, this race taught me that I am responsible for my racing experience. While all of these things might be a bummer, it was completely within my power to combat all of them. And next time I will. Sure, it’s nice when race coordinators have their sh_t together, but it’s not their job to make my race worth running. That’s all on me.

I have another 10k race on October 6th and a Half on the 21st….. I’ll keep in touch!


Now, on to the Run!:

September 1st – 6.36 Mile Run – Awesome 80’s 10K
September 4th – 3.06 Mile Run
September 7th – 7.38 Mile Run
September 8th – 3.36 Mile Run
September 11th – 3.87 Mile Run
September 15th – 3.38 Mile Run

August 30, 2012 – 6.17 Mile Run

The continued prayer is, “Lord keep me focused. Keep my mind stayed on You. Help me to bring You praise. I know You believe in me. Please help me in my unbelief. Amen.”

This was a good run. I had to get this run in because I just *had* to cover the distance before my race this weekend.

It’s been a while since I’ve done a race and I am *really* excited about this one. I am a part of a cyber-group of lady runners called “Black Girls Run – Los Angeles” and I am going to meet many of them for the first time!!!

I’ve met a few BGR girls at races and when scheduling permits, I meet with a beautiful lady that I met on BGR.

At the beginning of the run, the goal was to just cover the distance. It had been awhile since I’d covered more than about 4 miles. However as usual, during the run, the goal shifted. I wanted to maintain 5k pace.

The goal changed for a couple of reasons: (1) I was losing daylight and I wanted to make it home before it got completely dark, (2) I had chores to do! I still needed to feed the kids, comb Jayda’s hair for school the next day and check Jordan’s homework, (3) My body was ready for it…. Craving it really and (4) I really wanted to take inventory of what my body would need to cover a 6+ mile road race.

It felt good. Here is what I discovered: (1) Even though I’ve been bothered by injury for the last few months, my fitness level hasn’t been greatly affected so a PR is not out of reach. Thank you, running! (2) After about the half way mark, my form suffers and I am too hard on my right side, so knee pain sets in at about the 5 mile mark. I’ll have to watch that. And (3) Be properly fueled and hydrate every mile or so.

I’m ready! I’ll letcha know how it goes!!!

August 28th, 2012 – 3.07 Mile Run

The continued prayer is, “Lord keep me focused. Keep my mind stayed on You. Help me to bring You praise. I know You believe in me. Please help me in my unbelief. Amen.”

This was a good run. I was losing daylight, so I didn’t do more than the usual distance.

The focus of this run was to work harder. Chris and I were watching Extreme Makeover and they had a lady on the program who needed to lose 150 lbs and they were running her through all the normal stuff. Exercise, nutrition, crying and whatnot.

They had her push herself to a certain HR (150, I think it was) and she whined until she got there. Then they let her stop. It reminded me that I needed to start tracking my HR again, too.

Ever since Coach Dion gave me that advice about how to run my daily run, pushing from one street pole to another, imagining I’m at the front of a race with the cameras on me and finishing the distance in 35 minutes, I’ve been setting my pace to always finish within that time frame, allowing for stops at traffic lights, of course.

Well, I’ve been able to do that distance, at that pace for quite some time without really pushing myself. So now it was time to push!!

I warmed up for the first mile or so. After that, there is the slightest incline on the route for the next half mile. That was when I turned on “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” by the one and only Michael Jackson and hit it hard!!

It felt good. When I headed back home, I killed the declines cuz that’s just free money and only took breaks at the traffic lights.

A great run but the original intention was to get more distance in. I have a race this weekend and it’s a 10k. I know I can cover the distance. It would just be nice to get the distance in before the race.

Can’t do it tonight, though!!!

August 29th is Michael Jackson’s Birthday!!!!! And like every good MJ fan, I will be out celebrating!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHAEL JOE JACKSON!!!!!

August 24, 2012 – 2.09 Mile Run

The continued prayer is, “Lord keep me focused. Keep my mind stayed on You. Help me to bring You praise. I know You believe in me. Please help me in my unbelief. Amen.”

This run was all joy! Our good friends Craig and Trista came to visit for a few days. Craig and Chris have been friends since high school and he is super cool. Craig and I worked together at the same software firm for about 3 years and Trista is my favorite Facebook buddy, so we go way back too.

We knew that they were planning a visit and Craig and I had this run planned for months. He’s a big bad Army dude who had completed a 20-mile hike two days before he came to see us so he was ready for an easy run.

This was great. He showed up at our place at about 10am and the scorching heat had passed so the weather was just perfect.

He set the pace and we talked and laughed and I just loved it. Running with Craig is as close as I’ll get to running with Chris. He’s easy going, I felt protected and the run was nothing but pleasure.

Thanks, Craig!

August 22, 2012 – 3.78 Mile Run

The continued prayer is, “Lord keep me focused. Keep my mind stayed on You. Help me to bring You praise. I know You believe in me. Please help me in my unbelief. Amen.”

This was a great run and this was the prize: A Coconut Crème cupcake from Sweet Arleen’s. Mmmm….

It’s hard to say which I enjoyed more, the run or the cupcake. Both were sweet and delicious!






It was the evening of the first day of school!!! This is a happy Mom!!

Finally, summer is over! The kids can get back to their regularly scheduled program and maybe I can settle myself into a regular running schedule too.

Jordan needed a chapter book for his reading project, so we had to go to the public library. I love the public library. What self-respecting nerd doesn’t?

The books, the quiet, the relentless order and organization, the endless and accessible information…. It’s an anal-retentive, erudite, Type-A personality, Virgo’s dream!!!

And what can make a great trip to the public library a PHENOMENAL one? When Chris comes with us, and leaves me there so I can run the nearly four miles home!

The great thing about most city libraries is that they tend to be in a really pretty, well kept part of town and ours is no exception. It’s on the same block as the City Hall and the Police Department, so it is not only well kept, but very safe. The trees are beautiful and the walkways smooth and clean. Love it.

A beautiful run! My pace was decent but my main concern was making sure I consumed some calories while on this run because I wasn’t able to fuel up before we left. I brought a bottle of Gatorade and that did the trick. I was still very aware that I was starving during the whole run but it was only about 4 miles so I wasn’t worried about hitting The Wall.

I worked on breathing and form and it was a good time.

When I got home, I was too amp’d up to eat a cupcake, so I took a shower, played with my kids and had the cupcake for breakfast the next morning with my green tea. Mmmm…….

August 20, 2012 – 3.01 Mile Run

The continued prayer is, “Lord keep me focused. Keep my mind stayed on You. Help me to bring You praise. I know You believe in me. Please help me in my unbelief. Amen.”

This was a really good run. I am trying to get back to my “normal” after a minor bout with injury. This was a perfectly comfortable run.

However, I found myself distracted by my music. Usually, I really enjoy music and it enhances my experience far more often than not. Maybe because I was really interested in being in tuned to what my body was doing and the music pulled focus.

Whatever the reason, I found myself making conscious efforts to focus on how all the parts of my body were responding to the run. When I can do that, I tend to just run and “lose miles”. I’ll just start running and before I know it, I’m three miles in and have very little idea how I got there or whether or not I passed (and completely snubbed) a neighbor.

I love it when I can get lost in a run like that. Usually, I have no trouble with it. It clears my mind and I just…. Go.

I know I tend to block out everything around me during a run, so I’ve gotten into the habit of blowing a coach’s whistle whenever I’m crossing a street or driveway. I’m sure it annoys people, but I’ve got too much to live for to worry about looking stupid or offending the odd stranger for a second or two. I tend to run on busy streets and every time I hear a story of an accident caused by distracted drivers, reading or sending text messages, I get less and less concerned with offending drivers by making darn sure they see me when I’m on the street.

Also, being a woman, a whistle is a good idea, whether you’re running, shopping or just out and about. I’m always strapped with pepper spray too, which I also highly recommend. But if you’re going to carry both, just be sure you don’t fire the whistle and blow the pepper spray!

See ya on the next run! And be careful out there!

August 17, 2012 – 3.03 Mile Run

The continued prayer is, “Lord keep me focused. Keep my mind stayed on You. Help me to bring You praise. I know You believe in me. Please help me in my unbelief. Amen.”

This was a wonderfully victorious run. I have been dealing with bulging disc issues. My previous 3-Mile sprint was the last straw and my back just….. Gave up. The pain was immediate, excruciating and appeared to come out of no where.

That is not exactly true. I first tweaked my hip on a pretty intense trail run several weeks ago and never let myself recover completely. It started out with sciatic pain. Compensating for it during subsequent runs, swiftly moved the pain to my back. About a week and a half of this twisted form was all my 40-year-old frame could take.

After popping many Ibuprofen gel caps, I finally had to admit that I really messed myself up and couldn’t fix it on my own. I needed to see a doctor to get myself back to normal. Fortunately, just about everyone in my office goes to the same chiropractor and he’s right next door to our building. So I made an appointment and went to see Dr. Ed.

My biggest fear was that he would tell me that running was not for me and I would have to find another means to get my sweat on.

This is a big problem for me, as I believe running is the only real sport. No disrespect to all those wonderful, swimming, tumbling, racketing, throwing, shooting and diving Olympians. They all have my love and respect but frankly, Track & Field, the Marathon, and even that ridiculous Steeple Chase were the only things that held my attention. Although, honorable mention goes to Women’s Beach Volleyball. Yowza!

After seeing the doctor, I was told that I was twisted up pretty good and it would take a round of treatments to set me straight again. Being a sports doctor, he was just as eager to get me back into my running shoes, but in the meantime, I would have to do something else.

I had agreed to join a team for the Ventura County Dirty Girl Mud Run this November, so I figured swimming as well as other aquatic exercise was a good option to work into my cross training. So I headed to the nearest public pool and purchased a punch pass:

This is a washed out picture of me after an hour of swimming laps and water jogging. Feeling good:

But it wasn’t just swimming and water jogging. Dr. Ed also approved of yoga. This was not my favorite but it helped a great deal:

I spent the next two weeks, swimming, doing yoga and spending time with the fam. It was a great time.:

I made several loaves of Amish Friendship Bread. Yum!:

I went to see Michael Firestone in concert. He’s the best Michael Jackson impersonator around. He was great:

Spending time with my girl. She's cute!:

Chris and I took the kids to Hurricane Harbor. That was awesome!:

This is me and my Beloved. Sweet!:

Now I am back and ready to (slowly and easily) roll!!! I will continue on with the swimming and as much of the yoga as I can stand. Cross training is never a bad idea. Taking it easy was rough but it reminded me of how grateful I am to be strong and healthy. Injury sucks but I have so much respect for my body and how wonderfully and fearfully made it is. God is so good and He made our bodies so perfectly. I’m so glad I get to run around in this one. It’s a good one.