Not to be deterred...

I know I didn't finish the 310 miles on my first attempt. I wasn't prepared and the temperatures got too warm, too quickly, however, now that things are cooling off some and the temperatures are back in the 90's, now is a good time to get back at it!

I've decided to change things up a little bit from the first time. I was originally going to run the 310 miles in 51 days, but since I ended up doing little running during the summer due to the heat, I found myself in the pool. Ironically, I ended up getting a swim coach and haven't looked back. I am in the pool anywhere from 6-10 times a week and have really started putting in the distance. Additionally, I now have a road bike and will be doing group rides with other bike enthusiasts. All miles, be it pool, open water swims, bike rides and runs, will now count towards my goal! I KNOW I will accomplish the task this time.

I am currently signed up for 2 running events - one in December (a half marathon) and one in February (a full marathon). Both events will be run in memory of Ethan and Reid!

Reid's mom is shaving her head with the 46 mommas event on 21 September (http://46mommas.com/) and I have chosen that day as my start day! I am excited to get back in the game and look forward to updating you as to my progress...for Ethan and Reid.

Another slow week

Now that I'm taking over more and more responsibilities at work (in preparation to become the new NCOIC later this year), I've been busier and busier at work and with work related things. Tuesday I was unable to run much due to the blisters and thought I would give them a day or two to heal up. Wednesday we participated in a family run downtown by the zoo. It was fun, but only 2 miles (still on the fence as to whether or not I should count those miles, but I will count Eli's 2 miles and add that to his total, for sure). Eli skipped Cub Scouts to go to it and both of the kids missed getting a free homework pass by skipping the Chick-fil-a night for their school (we took them to eat there after the race, but the school officials were all gone by that time) - they both wanted to go to the race so badly!

The race was a trail run and was littered with rocks, twigs, sticks and other trail debris, so no way was I going barefoot for this run, although the thought did cross my mind! Mark and Eli ran together and I ran with Zsa Zsa. She finished her first mile in 13:48 and her total 2 mile time was 28:23...we were much slower on the second mile than the first, oh well! Eli's final time was 22:22. Mark stated that he ran the majority of the race.

The way this run works is that it costs $1 to sign up. I was sent several e-mails/facebook msg's about said zoo run, but there was never a price attached to it, so we thought that it was a free race. Silly me...nothing in life is free, I suppose. Anyway, when you get there and pay your dollar, you put your name in this binder that has pages broken down by both age and gender (Male 9 and under; Male 10-14; Male 15-19; and so on, as well as the Female category). Once you finish the run, you go back over to the table and fill in your time (honor system). Once everyone has crossed the finish line, they look at all the ages/genders and figure out who came in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd and those individuals get a ribbon (which the $1 entry fee goes towards, as well as water and cups for after the run). Since we did not know it was $1, we didn't stop to get any cash, so we scrounged around and came up with $2 so we could enter the kids.

At the end, they called out both of their names as being 1st place in their age group! We were so excited! Mark and I both discovered that if we had entered, we would have each placed 3rd in our respective age groups. Next time we'll have to make sure we have money to enter.

Thursday found me doing volunteer work after I got off of work and not getting home until almost 7pm, so once again, no miles.

Friday was another late day at work followed by a trip to return some library books the kids checked out...you know how many miles I got in, so no need to say it :( Oh, and it was 97 degrees when I got home, so it would have been a VERY HOT run!

Eli is looking forward to running with me tomorrow before swimming lessons, so maybe we'll be able to get a few miles added to our totals...for Ethan and Reid.

!!

As I was dressing for the run today after work, I reached into my bag and pulled out 1 sock! Root around the bag and find NO other sock - matching or not! Well, guess I'm going to run without socks today...suppose there's a first for everything.

Look in my bag and can't find my sunglasses (I ALWAYS keep a pair around since I had eye surgery a few years ago and was directed to always wear them outside). Surely I must have left them in my car...nope! WHAT IS GOING ON HERE???

Forgot my water bottle in the fridge at work - you know, the one I specifically put in the fridge before lunch so it would be nice and cold...AAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!

I call home to see if my son is going to meet me out at the track - husband says no, he's scheduled for a sleep study tonight up at the hospital.

At this point, I'm wondering if I should even attempt to run since it seems that everything is against me! But, I decide to go anyway and see how many miles I can muster out.

The weather is beautiful. It's not hot, but it is very windy. We were getting wind warnings all day long with gusts between 35 and 50 knots! This is my first day running the 1.5 mile track as opposed to the 1/2 mile loop I have been running. I look forward to only needing 5 laps plus a 1/2 mile instead of the 16 laps I needed over at the parking lot! At least is sounds a lot more do-able!!

It's usually very windy on the back side of the track, but today, it's extremely windy on the front side. It was hard to breath it was so windy. It was hard to pick up my feet - it felt like I was running in concrete shoes and I felt like I was being pushed backwards and sideways, so I felt like it was taking a LOT of effort to just move forward.

Okay, so I might only be out here for 1.5 miles today...

On the back side, the wind was pushing me...so much so that there were several times I tripped over my feet and almost landed on the asphalt! I figured that as long as it's pushing me and I can keep my feet under me, then it will help me progress. At least it's not too hot!

First lap - okay that wasn't so bad, but I still wish I had my sunglasses and socks! I can do a second. At least that way I'll have accomplished 3 good, solid miles.

Second lap was much of the same...wind holding you back on the front side and trying to push you over on the back side...still feeling okay.

Seriously thinking about a 3rd lap...4.5 miles sounds totally within my realm of possibilities.

Third lap was identical to the first two. Not so bad, but still wish I had those blasted sunglasses (and the socks - my feet are going to STINK)!!

Okay, so I've got 4.5 miles down. If I do one more lap that will put me at 6 miles. I think I can do that...let's see.

Once again, the 4th lap was the same as the first 3 with one exception: Retreat! At this point I'm doing a lot of run/walk/run/walk depending on how I feel (remember the water that was left in the fridge? It really would have been helpful!) and what my heart rate is doing. I usually run based off of feel and not let a heart rate dictate what I do, but I figured I should probably walk a minute when I checked it and it was well over 200 (208 to be more precise). So when I hear the first note of Retreat, I stop and face the music (no flag out here) - umm, yeah, it hurt more to stand still than it did to just keep moving!

Okay, so that is over and I get going again. Towards the end of the 4th lap I start thinking about how I could certainly squeeze out another lap plus a 1/2 mile to finish up with 8 miles, so I keep going!

At the end of my 5th lap, I decide to run the last 1/2 mile without shoes on. I've been doing some research on "natural running form" and how it's supposed to be better for the mechanics of your body and all that technical stuff. I even took a class on it late last year down at the Riverwalk and we ran barefoot down there a little bit, but I just haven't done it lately and figured there was no better time than this last 1/2 mile to ease back into it.

By this point, I was thrilled that my run turned out to be so much better than expected, despite being physically exhausted (no doubt dehydrated as well) and ready to go home. So, I took my shoes off and did the last 1/2 mile shoeless! It was GREAT! I was very aware and cognizant of my form and technique, as well as the ground under my feet (while avoiding as many little pebbles and rocks as possible). I also felt faster...whether or not I actually was faster matters not - it's just important that I at least felt good about my decision to remove my shoes...
.
.
.
.
.
UNTIL I got home and looked at the bottom of my feet and saw two big ol' blisters! What the heck? That didn't happen the last time and I ran a lot more than a 1/2 mile at the Riverwalk! Oh well, nothing a little bit of time can't fix up! Total milage count for tonight was right under 9 miles, but since it's not exact, I'll keep the number at an even 8.5...for Ethan and Reid.

It's been a really bad week for running

We have been staying extra at work and dealing with all kinds of kinks due to the new MRI machine and the mobile magnet we are now using. One of our magnets is being replaced with a much newer and powerful magnet, so the old one is going to be removed...by ripping off the ceiling and using a crane to pull the magnet out of the room! Anyway, due to the fact that we are dealing with a lot of growing pains during this first week (and will be for the next 6 months), this was not a good week at all to get any real miles in (not like I've been doing too good on that front anyway)!

With the bad news out of the way, I now have some good news! My son has decided that he is going to dedicate 100 miles for Ethan and Reid! He has been out there with me the past few times and decided today that he wants to do this for them. He already has 7 miles done! I think it's awesome and can't wait to see him reach his goal...for Ethan and Reid.

Major change in plans

After running out at the parking lot behind my house for the last few weeks, I have decided that it cannot continue. I have witnessed some strange things and don't feel entirely safe running alone or even with my son by ourselves. For one, the area is surrounded by woods - and not pretty woods either, more like scrub and cactus's and a big ol' drain ditch. Normally woods aren't a bad thing (especially when I'm stalking Bambi), but these woods are used for more sinister things, I think. I see people driving up to the woods, getting out of their car, walk into said woods, and then come out a few minutes later and drive away. I've also seen police cars sitting next to the woods for hours on end - they don't just sit there for hours to socialize. Since it's a large area I've also noticed that you cannot hear things that go on such as vehicles driving into or out of the parking lot and there really is no one close to come help if the need arises.

My change of plans include moving my run area to the 1.5. mile track on base. It's safer over there and as a bonus, there's a bathroom next to the track area, which will prevent me from having to quit and drive somewhere if need be. The downside is that I won't be able to just pick up my son to go run with me, which has proved to be quite entertaining these past few runs. It's also not the same as the 3100 mile run in New York that is on a .5 mile course. Oh well, I weighed my options and this is the best that I could come up with. I wish there was a better answer, but I have yet to find it. Ultimately, I guess it does not matter if I run on a .5 mile track or a 1.5 mile track...what matter's is that I am out there...for Ethan and Reid.

Not exactly

I was on call this weekend and was not expecting much. I was asked by one of my co-workers to go with her car shopping since English is a second language for her and it's not always easy for her to understand. I was also asked to do a photo shoot for a family that lives down the road - it's bluebonnet season here and it's a yearly tradition for most families to have their picture taken in the bluebonnet patches. The kids also had swim lessons and I needed to go purchase some new running shorts. Busy, busy weekend!

Saturday I was able to squeeze in a 2 mile run after swimming lessons. My son ran with me. Afterwards, we went home and he wanted his head shaved...it's a current fad, I guess.

Sunday my daughter had a fever and I ended up getting called in to do an MRI scan. I was there for a while, and when I got home my daughter was very clingy, so nothing got accomplished.

I went to the Y with my son to do some core work this afternoon after a CRAZY, HECTIC, FRUSTRATING day at work. Afterwards, we went by the parking lot to get some laps in. In the end, we only got 1 mile in. It should have been a lot easier as the temperature was only about 70 degrees, but I just wasn't feeling it today.

I have off tomorrow to spend some time with my husband on our anniversary, but already have a run planned for the morning before the sun comes up. Hopefully I'll be able to do something worthwhile...for Ethan and Reid.

No run today :(

I am on call this weekend and don't know if it will happen at all until Monday. I am carrying the pager and tomorrow is not looking good. I was going to go this afternoon, but remembered we have the pinewood derby race tonight and had to get my daughter's car ready to race. By the time I finished with it, there would not have been sufficient time to get out there to log any distance and then run back here, shower, change and get to the race...I'll get there...hopefully...for Ethan and Reid.