Greetings from the Quad Cities

Ugly, industrial...even the Mississippi River can't make it beautiful... I had so many hopes that I would fall in love with this area...but alas...that is NOT the case.  So on that note...I am certain they will offer him the job....LMAO!!

I had a good run Tuesday morning.  I woke Vincent up at 4:50 A.M. and drug his ass out and ran him for 4.5 miles.  Now that's not JUST because I'm a mean mama...I signed him up for that 5K in April and told him if I was going to spend money on entering him in races....the least he can do is be prepared for them.  He did fine....he hadn't run since Cross Country in the fall and he still knocked out 4.5 miles on an average of a little over 9 minute miles....rockin...that boy. 

So today was a cross day.  I didn't bring any videos with me so I hit the 'little' gym at the hotel and did 50 minutes on the elliptical and 15 minutes on free weights.  It took everything in me not to hop on that treadmill....or go outside for that matter.  Freakin GORGEOUS out today!!!!  But I did it.  And later found a nice path that runs along the Rock River that I'm going to do intervals on in the morning.  It's strange cutting my mileage...but isn't driving me nuts yet.  I guess I'm just so damn tired that I can't kick up a fuss about it?  Who knows.

So Skips interview was this morning @ 7:30 in the morning.  Poor guy...we didn't even get in till 9 the night before...and damn lil T got up about every hour on the hour wanting to know if it was morning and if we were going to go swimming!!  He was exhausted...but I'm sure did fine.  Now lil T and are are chillin in the hotel and the boys are out to dinner somewhere or another.  I did find a running store and got a hand held water bottle...it was called 'Running Wild'...kind of a cute place...not real big....it was in Davenport, IA. 

Anywho....that's all I've got.  Going to try to get some sleep tonight.  I'm sure my little one will have me up at the butt crack of dawn wanting to go swimming, eating, shopping...whatever.  This girl was born for vacations.

The Amazing Women I Know...and The Taper

So it’s done….I can do nothing more to improve my race. I’ve put the work in…been basically going nonstop since like…November. I’ve done at or above race distance MANY times….done my intervals…*recently :)*, tempo, easy and long runs. Did I miss anything? Oh yes…weight training, cross training…and so many freakin leg lifts, squats, lunges, etc I can’t even count that high. Now I just need to get through this taper and not injure myself…which will probably prove harder then all the training put together!



Anyways…..I put in my 13.3 yesterday. Started at quarter to 6 so I could get in some miles before gathering Jeff…he did make an appearance by the way. It was dark but not too cold. It’s nice running early on the weekend because there’s like…no traffic. I didn’t see any other runners…weird..because it was a perfect day for it. So I hit 6 miles right as I was getting Jeff…then did 4 with him…and then the 3.3 miles home. I felt like I could keep going…but barely. My left quad felt like someone had taken a bite out of it…that’s new. And for a couple hours after I got home I could hardly walk. But it did ease up and I did a ton of shopping including making the pleasant discovery that T.J. Max carries TONS of running clothes and are priced cheaper then…like…anywhere! I picked up a new pair of running shorts….which I’m extremely picky about..surprise surprise. It’s supposed to be almost 60 while we’re down in Moline so I’m hoping to try them out. The hard thing about being so short..is finding running shorts that don’t go down to your knees. Added to that….the fact that I’m a small and a half…if there is such a thing. ..so the smalls are a bit tight for my liking..and them mediums are too loose. I’ll take the loose though.


Today was perfect.  I did my best 5K time out of a race. My personal best in a 5K race is 28:05…today I ran it in 28:15….without any race day adrenalin….just me, Kid Rock..and some sunshine….good stuff. I met Amy and Traci today. This is their second time doing race distance and we did 4 minutes running and 1 walking. They did awesome!! I am so thrilled with these girls….both rockin their new running shoes and smiles. Amy signed up for the race last week. Their excitement is contagious and I can’t WAIT for this race!! Today we shaved almost 7 minutes off our time from last week. Last week was 56:16…this week was 49:22. Good progress…we have 4 weeks.


So that’s my weekend in a big ass nutshell. Hope everyone has a great week! I need to get off my ass and start packing for our trip….it’ll be good to see Racine in the rearview.

Windy Intervals and the Beaver Lodge

It was GORGEOUS out this morning!! I didn’t want to get up…but I knew I had my last serious interval run to get in this AM and I was all about getting that out of the way. I ran on Pike River Path and just clocked out my intervals by my Garmin…damn I love that thing. Brian came with…or I went with Brian…not sure which. Saturday will be my last race distance long run….can’t wait. Jeff cornered me at work yesterday saying he wanted to run this weekend….we’ll see.

It’s funny how the lighter weather brings out the runners out here. Actually I don’t know if it’s the softer weather or if these are people training for the half in a couple weeks. The coarse is basically in my backyard…and I have NEVER seen this many people out when I’m out. Maybe one….two at best…today I saw like 4 other runners. I even chicked one on my way to the trail….that was fun. I’m a bit concerned at the current numbers for the half…..it’s looking like a VERY small field..and I really don’t want to be last. And the price? Insane….and it only goes up the closer we get to race day. I think that may be deterring people…and I’m not sure why they did that…but it was really stupid. As of today…15 days before the race…there are 293 people registered for the half…and there is NO race day registration. That’s crazy small….I’m hoping it will at least double in the next couple weeks…but with the registration fee now at 60 bucks..and going up to 65 on April 2nd…I don’t see it happening…hope I’m wrong.


The beaver lodge is now completely visible….which is awesome! I wonder if I’ll ever actually see the occupants.


I’m going vacuum hunting today….I hate my current vacuum….I’m going to drop it off a cliff later….


Have a great day everyone!

Ugly long run and the Taper plan

Why are my long run days ugly and cold…and the day after…it’s beautiful and sunny? And why am I such a tightass that I won’t adjust my long run days when I know this is going to happen?


It was miserable out yesterday. I hit the road by 7AM and wanted to turn around by the time I reached the end of the driveway. With that being said…the fact that I completed the 13.1 miles is actually pretty good. I ran to the lake and back..and also hit Shopko so I could pick up New Moon for the kids. All the while I was heading east with snowysleet pelting me in the face, I kept thinking how this was my last REAL long run before the half…until I started doing the math in my head and realized that I actually have two more….a 13 plus next Saturday and a 10 miler the following Saturday. I’ve decided to start my taper after my long run next weekend. Cut my mileage by 25% the first week…and by 50% the week of the race. Keep my intensity up…but mileage down. That’s the plan…nothing loose about it. Most of my big taper week I’ll be out of town so this shouldn’t be too difficult….someone remind me I said that. Training/running has completely taken over my life…or as much as it can for a working mother of three. I eat, drink, and sleep running. I don’t think about much else…I analyze race strategy…plan my runs…go to bed WAY early. I’ll almost be happy when this is over…and I can go back to a more enjoyable running existence. My 3 other races I have planned for this year don’t require much. A 5K, a 10K and a 10 mile…no big….nothing past the 4th of July. That is…of course…as long as I don’t get a bug up my butt and decide to throw my hat in the ring for a fall marathon…but that is NOT in the plan.


Today was great! I met J and Traci at Lake Andrea and we did race distance….5K. That was the first time for either of them and they held up well. We ran 3 and 2 so they were able to complete it….and they were tired. Not to mention…it is ALWAYS windy out there for some reason….so that last mile was a bitch. Their assignment for the week is to run at least 30 minutes..2 other times…but try to increase the run/walk ration. J and I have a date to get her some running shoes on Thursday….her feet and knees are bothering her and I’m fairly certain it’s due to the fact that the shoes she’s been running in are older then my first born. I’m thinking we’ll try 4 and 1 next Sunday. I think I am more excited for them then I am about my half. By the time of this 5K my half will be 2 weeks behind me….and I will be able to run this…hopefully score a new PR…and watch these incredible ladies finish their first race. I plan to go back after I’m done…and run behind them screaming until they finish. Maybe not screaming…but running with them. I’ve explained what will happen…they know the coarse….they’ll be with friends…this should go off without a hitch. Can’t freakin WAIT!


In other news….there is no other news…and isn’t that grand? Just sitting around waiting to hear about Katies big run!!!

Days off with Lil T

Finally some pictures that I keep yapping about.

Mounds Cemetery

Monument Square

Wind Point Lighthouse

lil T checking out Lake Michigan

Soccer Mom?  Hardly.

Really T?

Dat dere folks is pure sass.

Icecream anyone?

There isn't much of Racine lil T and I didn't cover yesterday.  What a perfectly wonderful day off.

Intervals, Pushups and the return of RunnerDog

He actually returned last week…but I took him out this morning to do intervals with me. I wasn’t sure how he’d do because these beat the hell outta me…but he was fine…rockin out an 8:56 pace on mile repeats like he was taking a nap. Too funny….I guess if I was 16 pounds I could do that too? And speaking of weight….not sure if I mentioned the weight goal I had of being at 150lbs by raceday….but I don’t think that one’s going to happen. I know I’ll meet my time goal if I stay injury free….but the weight one…not so much. It seems my body is determined to stay around 160lbs…regardless of what I do to my diet…or how much I’m working out…that’s just where I stick. Since I’ve started to try and drop it….I’ve stayed at or around 160 the entire time. Today I was 159….oh well.

Pushups-
Suck…big time. After my last exhaustion test I did in fact drop into the lowest level as I only completed 20 pushups before I dropped to my face….but….I’m still in the game…and I AM getting stronger…and there’s something real bad ass about doing them off your toes. Vincent is still in the top of the tiere and Dominic has decided to repeat week two before moving on…but still doing them. I am VERY proud of Dom….he could barely do one good one when we started…and he’s hanging in there…doing them off his toes as well….being awesome…being Dom…I wish I could clone him.


Work-
Skips..not mine. So he has submitted his qualifications to several different airports and made the best qualified list in Moline, IL. So the end of this month we’re packing up the kids and taking a few days down there to check out the area and he has an interview. Looks like he’s going to be the first of 6 interviews they do….knock it outta the park baby…the rest is up to God. It’s like a week before my half…so I’ll be tapering..and it will give me something else to think about.


Shoes-
So after not even 100 miles on my new ASICS, the toe on my left shoe was already wearing out. Since I bought the insurance this time…and it covers all wear and tear for a year and thirty days after the date of purchase….I took those badboys back to Dicks and got a brand new pair for nothing. I showed my runnerdude the shoes…told him I had a half in less then 30 days…and he grabbed another pair and told me good luck. Since it was under 30 days since the date of purchase…I was able to exchange them in the store….after that..I have to call Dicks and I send them the shoes and they send me a gift card for the original purchase price. This is an incredible deal if you blow through shoes the way I do. You figure you get 350-400 miles on a pair of kicks…..I run around 120 miles a month…that’s maybe 4 months on a pair of 100 dollar shoes. That shit racks up in a year! The insurance is like 12 bucks….depends on the price of the shoes….but dang…that ain’t bad.


That’s it…that’s all I got. I feel strong in my running….things are clicking and barring any catastrophe….I think this is going to be a great season. I just got mine and Vincent’s stuff in the mail for the 5K that is two weeks after my half. This is also the one that my Sunday girls are going to run. I am so freakin excited that I’m about to bust. I can’t WAIT to see them finish…and Vincent too. I bet he takes his age group….he almost did last year. And with any luck…I may take mine this year too….I came in second last year….wohhoooooo…there must have only been two of us.


Have a great day everyone…and get movin!

Cemetery Running

My long runs have taken a bit of a morbid turn the last two weeks. Today I ran in Racine’s 3 large cemeteries….Mound, Graceland and one other one. Mound is so beautiful…I spent almost an hour in there…old old old. The other two are not nearly as memorable….but I’ll definitely go back to Mounds and look around. I know it may seems strange…but really…where are you going to run during the day and it be more peaceful….and safe? Full of beautiful old headstones..mixed with new ones…and a fountain..and these unbelievable mausoleums. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a cemetery that had HUGE headstones like the ones in Mounds. Crazy…I’ll take pics one of these days…and don’t I keep saying that? Racine is so very beautiful and full of history and interesting architecture…it’s a shame it’s turned into such a shithole.


So I ran 13.4 slow miles. I feel pretty good…and have an eventful weekend ahead of me…and already behind me. This morning Vincent had his first solo competition. He played Handel’s Water Music for the Solo and Ensemble competition. It was a class B and he received the highest mark they give for it which is a 1. I’m so proud of him…even if I want to strangle him most of the time. We’re having people over in about an hour for his birthday party. Right now…he’s out in Burlington with Skip bowling with his league for his first meet…or whatever bowlers do. Tonight I’m taking Dominic and his girlfriend to the movies and lil T and I are going to see Alice in Wonderland while the little lovebirds see something. I’m very curious to meet her…I asked him what she looked like and he said she looks like me….isn’t that adorable?


Tomorrow I’m meeting the girls for our morning run at Lake Andrea and then shoe shopping for at least one of the girls.


I hope everyone is having a restful or crazy weekend…whichever suites you.

1600 meter intervals

So I’ve added interval training into my runs maybe a month ago or so….but..like much of my training..it has been extremely unstructured. As in…I had no real idea what I was doing. So last night..after reading *this* blog entry….and reading a few other things…I did my first REAL interval workout this morning. Now I don’t know if this is correct….and someone please give their two cents if it’s not…or you know something better…but I read that for longer distance running…as in anything over 10 miles….you want to do LOONNNGGG intervals…as in 1600 meters…or roughly a mile.
So I mapped out a mile stretch that was about 1.3 miles from my house…put out my gear..and went to bed. I also used *this tool* to figure out what kind of time I should be running these intervals in. Which basically for me broke down to maintaining a pace of 8.56 to 9.16 minutes per mile…with a half mile recovery time at whatever slow pace.


To make a 1hour 8 minute story short….these are tuff! It’s always been difficult for me to maintain a steady pace…..with the Garmin it’s definitely easier to track..but still hard for me to do. I did do it though…to the tune of 3-mile long intervals at target pace. They say intervals are the best way to increase speed…and with only 4 weeks till my half…I don’t know if these will even make a real difference….but…they are now a part of my weekly routine…and I intend to keep them there. Followed of course…by the dreaded Thursday pushups. I’ve now completed week two and am set to do another exhaustion test sometime in the next couple days to see if I am to stay in the middle range where I was…or drop down to the low one..which is what I’m thinking will happen. I plan to do this test either after or before my long run on Saturday.

Do you interval?

Not enough Hours in the Day

To get done what I need to get done. I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed today. I should be doing a million things beside blogging…but I’m out of juice.


I got up at my usual 4:25 AM so I could get my run in….but when I looked outside my front window and could not see the house across the street due to the fog…I decided to postpone. I did my pushups…which sucked BTW…did dishes, lunches for the kids, laundry and prepped dinner. Got Dom off to school, folded laundry…started another load..showered…got lil T ready for school…got Skip up, Vincent up…made my lunch…made coffee..and this was all before 7 AM. Then I did my 30 minute commute..dropping lil T off at daycare and was at the hospital by 8…..when my actual workday starts….as if I hadn’t already been working for 3.5 hours….


After putting in 7 hours at the clinic…I blew outta there…..2 of our last 3 patients cancelled. I brought running clothes in hopes this would happen. So I changed..headed over to the Lake and knocked out 6 miles in my fastest time to date. Then I headed over and picked up lil T…came home…made dinner…put dishes away…took a bath with lil T, started MORE laundry…and am now blogging instead of making dinner for tomorrow night, making lunches…folding laundry…and doing the dinner dishes which is all stuff I need to do before I hit the sheets tonight. ..and I’m sure I’m forgetting a million things.


RAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I need a vacation.

Another Awesome Sunday

Aside from Skips phone going off at 5:30. I get one day in the week where I don’t have to get up at the butt crack of dawn and Sunday is supposed to be it…and thanks to my darling husband….that was shot to shit today.

Because he was being punished…I made him drive Brian and I to Lake Andrea and go run errands until I was done. Allison couldn’t join us but did her miles at home…as did Amy..so it was just Traci, Jules, Brian and I. I got there early…sort of. When we went to leave our house…Brian decided to haul ass around the neighborhood for awhile because he thought Skip looked like he could use some exercise and decided to give it to him in the form of a game of chase…little shit. So by the time I got there it was already 10 after 9 and I really trucked it to try to make it back to the parking lot by 9:30. Didn’t happen…but I had called Jules and told her to start without me and I’d just catch them. It was a good run. There were a number of people out running and enjoying the weather. The girls are getting better…breathing easier…and running a little faster. We did even splits and decided that next week we are going to start to get a bit more serious. I’m hoping that enough meltage has taken place by then that we can actually mimic the 5K so that they know exactly what they’re going to be doing.


Brian did awesome! I don’t even remember the last time I had him out. Between it being freezing..and then his surgery…it’s been a couple months I think. He knocked it out like nothing and bounced around the rest of the day. What I wouldn’t give to be able to come back like that…LOL.


I also did my pushups this morning…since I was up anyways. Today was a struggle. I feel like I AM getting stronger…but the rest of this week is going to BITE! I imagine that at the end of the week when we retest…I’m going to get knocked into the lowest level…and damn if I’d even mind.


Date with Billy Blanks @ 5AM and work tomorrow. Hopefully it goes a little better tomorrow then Friday. Our drug screen bathrooms started gurgling and something went crazy and backed up water into docs office…it was a freakin mess…but a funny one.


Hope everyone has a great week….my baby Vincent turns 14 tomorrow….and if it gets really bad at work…I can console myself with knowing at least I’m not giving birth like I was 14 years ago!

32.19 miles this week...booya!

15 Miles..and Hammer Espresso Gel

I did it…I ran 15 miles….and it was bright out and beautiful and I really didn’t feel like shit when I was done.


I left the house a few minutes before 6 because I wanted to get 5 or 6 miles in before I swung by Jeffs..that way I could do 4 miles with him and be almost done. It went really well….I like it more every time I go with him. We did a slower pace today and it really reflected in his running/walking ratio. We did WAY more running then walking today. He laughed when he saw me because my hair was white with frost…and he wondered how I don’t catch pneumonia….good question Jeff. So after I dropped him off I went and ran in the cemetery by his house…talk about peaceful! There are different sections with different names….and it about broke my heart when I came to the Cherub Garden and saw all those little headstones and people had left toys and different things….terrible…but very sweet as well.


After I left the cemetery I headed home…and I have to say…that even with Jeff in the run….I finished 13.1 miles in 2.5 hours…which was my initial goal time for the half….not bad…not bad at all. And once I realized that it would be over 14 miles by the time I got home…I added on that extra and made it an even 15 miles…which to date…is the farthest distance I have EVER run. And I don’t feel bad…a bit achey….but nothing major. I also went to Racine Cyclery after I went home and showered and picked up a BUNCH of Hammer Gels. I tried Espresso today…and Katie wasn’t kidding…that stuff was great! I picked up enough to get me through the rest of my half training and the half itself….

I then came home and picked up lil T and grocery shopped…..came home again and did laundry, scrubbed the hallway…walls, pictures and all, made shrimp stirfry…and am now relaxing waiting for MORE laundry to dry. I think I’m going to crack open a Mikes Harder Lemonade and let the laundry fold it’s damn self.


Meeting with the girls in the morning….so stolked! I'm taking Brian out for the first time since his surgery...I told him today..and he was VERY excited...maybe I'll bring my camera...hmmmm

6.5 miles and 42 pushups

And man have I been productive today!!!! After a 6.5 mile run sans Garmin…apparently these things need to be reset every so often…and poor Skip just couldn’t manage it before I had to get out the door. But it was an amazing run!!! It was light out for a change…which was mad cool….and everything clicked. I did intervals…by time on my old stopwatch..not by pace…but felt awesome! I came home covered in frost but feeling fantastic. Met my wonderful husband in the driveway as he was leaving for work and hung out with Vincent before he had to go to school. After shoving V out the door…I took the pushup plan off the fridge and had at it. I won’t say it was easier today…because that would be bullshit….but it didn’t suck as bad as it has the other two times. I did 42 pushups…off my toes..and didn’t die. But…today..I discovered….that the whole chest almost to the ground doesn’t apply to me….because my belly hits first..LMAO. Now when I said I had very little loose skin from my surgery…that is true. The skin on my stomach looks like I’ve had 3 big ass babies. Looking at me nekkid….you would never think I’ve had gastric bypass….you’d think…DAMN THOSE BABIES DID A NUMBER ON THAT BROADS BODY!!


Anywayssss….the pushups were better today. And after reading more of the program..I realized that after week two…you do another ‘test’ to see if you’re on the right level. So instead of repeating week one which I was considering….I’ll muscle out week two…do the test at the end…and see if I’m doing the right level.


In non killing my body with exercise news….I started my spring cleaning today…and I started with the bathroom. I scrubbed floor to ceiling…pulled everything outta there…and really went to town. I have been doing laundry since I opened my eyes…and gave the rest of the house a onceover. I figure each Thursday that I’m off I’ll ‘attack’ another room…and of course..by the time I’m done..I’ll have to start over HA! But this way…if for some reason the good job gods smile on us and Skip gets a job where we can relocate….listing the house will be a bit easier. I think next Thursday I’ll hit the kitchen.


Do you spring clean? And where the heck did that idea come from anyways?

Second Day of Pushups..and 6 miles

This blows…this is hard. I always knew my upper body was weak….in spite of my weight training that I’ve never neglected…but damn…I’m realizing it’s pathetic.


I was able to squeak out 8 pushups for my initial test. That puts me in the middle group of three…and I'm struggling….aching…. I could say that I did Taebo yesterday…and I do that with weighted gloves..or that I did a 6 mile run right before doing these pushups..so that’s why it was so difficult today..and that would all be true…but the fact remains…that I suck at this…LOL!!!!!! But!!! The good news is…the boys are having just as difficult of a time with it..so it’s not just me. Poor Vincent came home from school yesterday and told me that when he raised his hand in class…his whole side cramped up. We had a good laugh about that. So I’m thinking we’re going to repeat week one…and then move to week two..and see how that goes.


In work news…the new clinic is awesome! I love being away from the ER…although I miss some of the people. We’re still waiting for some of the things to be hung up..like sharps containers and whatnot…but they have to APPROVE nails in the wall! So I’m wondering what happens if they don’t approve them? Do we hang them with duct tape? Seriously people…micromanaging at it’s finest.


One thing I forgot to mention about my Sunday run with the girls….I get there 20 minutes or so early so I can lap it before they get there…and as I was finishing that up….I heard a car pull up beside me. I turn…ready to light somebodys shit up with my mouth and fists if necessary…and it’s Dr. F!!! I’ve worked for this man for 9 years and love him dearly….but man…don’t DO that to me!! After I recovered from wanting to beat his ass….I said “so you’re here to run with me right?” He laughed….