2010 RACES

Today I ran 5 miles and I felt like I could have gone a lot longer so that gives me hope for my Half coming up very soon....
I have been able to run outside a lot more because I have my parents here to watch the boys I feel this is helping me a lot to prepare for my half also.

Went to see a movie with Bill...a rare thing for us!  We saw The little Fockers.  It will not win any Oscars but funny like the other 2, just what I needed!

Tomorrow movie again but with my boys : Yogi Bear this time!!


I am done racing for 2010.
I started in March with my very first race and ended up running in 12 races this year!
I did not have this blog for most of 2010 so I wanted to have a post to recap the year.

1. March 2010: Susan G Komen Race for the Cure: 5k.:
I will be back for this one as long as I can walk so for a long time hopefully.  It started it all for me and also it is for an important cause! If you are in California and you want to join a team you are welcome to join mine!

2. April 2010: Carlsbad 5000:
A very popular and fast 5k.  I loved it! I would do it again but not in 2011 because I am doing the half marathon in Carlsbad in January.

3. May 2010: Cucamonga Challenge:
A 5k Race, will not do this one again.  It was the worst organization ever.  No time, no real start or finish.  We had to wait for the lights at crossing streets.  I am not paying for this race again!

 
4. June 2010: Fontana Days of Running:
I loved that one! First I PR for 5k by a lot, it was a fast course, very popular, very organized, they also offer half marathon at that race.  I would have done it again, the half this time but I will be in Quebec in June this year for my 25th High School reunion (yep I am that old!!) !

5. July 2010: Claremont July 4th 5k race:
I loved having a local race on the 4th of July! I will do it again even though not perfect as far as organization goes.  They had a really crazy start...walkers in front, strollers in front...not good for the runners...hopefully they learned something...but I will be back for that one.

6. August 2010: Angel Stadium 5-10k race:
Loved that one! We got to run inside Angels Stadium twice! The second time the team was practicing and it was really cool!  I am doing the 10k next year!

7. September 2010: Disneyland 5k run:
Loved it! My kids ran the Kids race also.  It was the best, running inside both parks, really fun.  Next year I am doing the Half Marathon!

8. September 2010: Rose Bowl 5k:
Fun race. Beautiful place. loved the course.  I won my first top finisher medal!  I will do that one again!

9. October 2010: LA Cancer Race:
This was a Halloween Race, I did the 5k and the kids ran the Kids race.  We liked it a lot, it was on the Veterans Ground, really nice place but VERY HILLY, will be back for the 10k next year.

10. November 2010: Mission Inn 10k:
My first 10k.  It was hard.  Hilly and also very windy that day.  I want to do it again to do better!  They do offer a half marathon so maybe....but at least 10k for sure.

11.  December 2010: Universal Studio backlot 5-10k race:
I ran the 5k.  If I do it again I would still do just the 5k.  This is a really hard course, the HILLS are killer.  It was the hardest course for me of all 12 races.

12. December 2010: Make Room for Santa 10k in Tustin:
My second 10k. I PR by 5 minutes so I was really happy.  I would do it again for sure!
Fun Holiday Race everything was great for me that day!

The Comeback

Today I ran a slow 3 miles. 

I kept one hand on the treadmill and I took a couple of break to drink.  The gym was a SAUNA!!  Here in Southern California we have been hit by really heavy rain...I mean a lot of water.  Some people had to evacuate their homes...that's how much water..!  I guess they decided to put the heat on at the gym and it was a bad idea and it turned into a Sauna...not easy to run in a sauna when recovering from the FLU...but I did 3 miles and I am happy with that I hope tomorrow will be less shaky on the legs, still feel like Jello!  I stepped on the scale...minus 7 lbs...hopefully I get it back in a few days...

Have you heard of this?

Sherry and Lesley are leading up this new Challenge for 20111. 
The challenge - 12 races in 12 months. 
The distance - ANY distance. 

I ran 12 races in 9 months this year!

I am in!
Are you?

This is how you can join the Challenge:

• Send an e-mail and let them know you want in on the challenge. Include your name and a link to your blog (if you have one)!

• Follow the blog at http://www.runfortheblingofit.blogspot.com/

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We made some ornaments yesterday and those 2 are my favorites!
The boys wanted to put a picture of their first race!
It was the Kids Race at Disneyland!

Week 6 recap and Week 7 plan and the meaning of 5 minutes

This was week 6 and I did what is in red

Mon: Stretch and Strength: Stretch and Strength
Tue: 4 miles: 4 miles
Wed: 2 miles or cross: 2 miles 
Thu: 4 miles + strength: 4 miles
Fri: Rest: Rest
Sat: Rest: Rest
Sun: 5 k race: 10 k RACE
total: 13: 16.2 miles

Good week for me, ended with my best race this year!

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Started week 7 today, was afraid my legs would hurt after the 10k, but no all is good.  This week will be challenging..last week of school before the Christmas break, lots to do for the kids and helping at their school...will have the dilemma...motherhood vs runninghood....we'll see how that goes plus I have  husband's Christmas party this weekend...

8 miles on Sunday....I have never ran 8 miles...hope it wont be too hot..in the 90s here today crazy weather...yes I complain about that...what can I say I am Canadian!!!!

Week 7

Mon: Stretch and Strength: Stretch and Strength + biking
Tue: 4.5 miles:
Wed: 3 miles or cross:
Thu: 4.5 miles + strength:
Fri: Rest:
Sat: 50 minutes cross:
Sun: 8 miles:
total: 20:
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I want to thank all of you who read my blog and leave nice comments for me, I appreciate this a lot. 

Yesterday after my race we went to a kid's birthday party at a friend's house and people asked about my race and when I said I took 5 minutes off my time it really meant nothing to them.  They did not understand why I was so happy about "just 5 minutes"...but it is OK and I get it.  What is 5 minutes? It is nothing in a day..what can we do in 5 minutes really? not much right...It is all relative and a question of context.  Yesterday 5 minutes meant a lot to me.  It meant progress, getting better, that I am on the right track, hope, pride,  that I can show my kids that if you make an effort you will get results, that age does not matter.

It meant a lot to me that you left comments after my race yesterday. 

Thank you.

Make room for Santa 10k Race Report

Today was my 12th race since I started running in March of 2010.  It was my second 10k race and.....

I PR by over 5 minutes!!!!

I am so happy!!!  I got up at 4:20 this morning to get ready and have my coffee and hopefully get the system going..if you know what I mean....well no luck...so I was a little worried...Got the supporting crew up at 5 am and out the door at 5:20 am.  Got to Tustin at 6:20 am and had plenty of time to get bib and goody bag (they had great goody bag and long sleeve t-shirt!) and hit the lovely porta potty.  Temperature was low 50s so perfect for me.  I was anxious, did not sleep well last night, tried to warm up as best as I could.  I wanted to beat my time really bad.  Lot's of people had Holiday costumes, a few Santas, lots of elves! I had the cutest elves on my supporting crew I think...

 Went towards the back for the start, I did not want to start too fast and I figured it would be better to pass people as I go then to be in the way.  The course was 2 5k loops.  I saw my kids at the start, they had their bells to cheer everybody passing in front of them, I was told they were a big hit!!!

I started not too fast and was feeling pretty good..the course was FLAT, a nice change from last week.  I passed the first water station and I decided not to stop until the 2nd loop. 

 

 

 First 5k went by fast!  I saw my kids again coming out of the first loop and decided to take the gloves off for the 2nd half.  This is me trying to get my son's attention to get him to catch my gloves!

I was still feeling pretty good at mile 4..no side pain and I passed the water station and again decided to skip it and continue...I knew after that the last one would be at mile 5.5 after the turning point at the top of the loop.  When I got to that one, I was afraid to stop and loose my momentum and was afraid to drink and get side pain for the last stretch.  My mouth was really dry so I grabbed a cup and just rinsed and did not stop to drink any water.

Saw my crew for the last time before getting to the finish line.  I was tired but I still had some juice in the tank, I did not want to stop, I had not stopped once and was not about to do it at that point!  I looked at my watch there and I knew that I would beat my time for sure.

After that I just focused of passing one person at the time and keeping my pace and oh yeah not throwing up...(sorry gross portion of the post).

I passed all these gals

 Celebration pose where I look like a dork

PR by over 5 minutes!!!

I was so happy with my time and that I did better then a month ago.  I tried something different and it was better for me:  no walking breaks. Of course it helped that it was flat and we had no winds.  A good last race for my first year of running!  Next is the BIG ONE!

The big guy was there!

Got a free massage after the race! They told me I need to find a good chiropractor pronto!

It was the night before the make room for Santa run!

Second rest day today...I feel weird on rest days especially when I have 2 in a row.  But it is on the plan and I follow orders!  Hopefully it will make me run super fast tomorrow am for my 2nd 10k!  Start time is early....7 am and it is 1 hour away....feel bad for my supporting crew...Got the kids Christmas bells and Santa Hats for the race!  It is a double loop...not my favorite but the good part is that it will be easy for me to see my kids at the half way mark.
Course is supposed to be flat, after the HILLS at last week's race I am ready for flat, REAL flat!!!  Santa is supposed to make an appearance that's good..for the kids and for me to remind him I want a GARMIN for Christmas!!! Ho! Ho! Ho!  We got our tree today all is good..my kids were threatening to find another house, one with a real tree!!!!

Must go get some rest now...will be up early..to be continued with report and I hope a PR!!!

TAG! I'm it!!!

EMZ  tagged me with these questions today: A running edition of "tag".   First if you are reading this and you are not following her, you must become a follower TODAY!  You will not be bored I guarantee it!!

OK now the questions

What are you most proud of accomplishing in 2010?

That I became a runner

and that I went from left to right loosing 70 lbs along the way:

Running goals for 2011?

Easy: To run my first half marathon on January 23rd 2011.  The goals are to finish and to not die.  I am optimistic and I think I will achieve both!

My favorite race?
I made a video answering that question for a Runners World-Hood to Coast contest. (do you have your tickets?)  Now you will all know what I sound like ..and that clearly English is not my first language!!!

****I just got this!!! "Congratulations! Your video has been selected as a runner up in the “BEST RACE EVER” video competition by Runner’s World and Run All Night Productions, LLC"****




Favorite Holiday Guilty Pleasure?
Hmmm Well it used to be good food but now that I cannot eat any of it....this one is hard to answer...I think it will be to take full advantage of many  some free babysitting hours from my parents and go spend a few dollars at the movies!!

 Most embarrassing running moment?
At my 4th race I did my best time for 5k and I almost puke on the guy who was trying to remove the time chip...I kept telling him give me a minute please...and he was just freaking out about the chip like I was going to take it and run away with it...and when he saw that I was not kidding he stood up and cleared the way...just in time!!! :)


Now the fun part who to  tag...

Miss New Marathoner Julie
The never boring Kovas
Our Distant Dreamers fabulous leader Abbi

Nothing to report on the running front, today is rest day.

Week 5 recap and Week 6 plan

This was week 5 and I did what is in red

Mon: Stretch and Strength: Stretch and Strength
Tue: 4 miles: 4 miles
Wed: 2 miles or cross: 3 miles
Thu: 4 miles + strength: 4 miles
Fri: Rest: rest
Sat: 40 min cross: 30 min Elliptical + 1 mile
Sun: 6 miles: 5k RACE
total: 16: 15
I am happy with that week, except for the pain in my shins from all those hills in yesterday's race :(
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Today was the start of week 6....half way point of the plan...getting closer to the BIG RACE.
This week I also have my last race for 2010, a 10k on Sunday.  It will be race #12 since I started in March 2010. 

Week 6

Mon: Stretch and Strength: Stretch and Strength
Tue: 4 miles:
Wed: 2 miles or cross:
Thu: 4 miles + strength:
Fri: Rest:
Sat: Rest:
Sun: 5 k race: 10 k RACE
total: 13:
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Today I did some biking at the gym and strength, then went to see the dentist (would have rather run the hills from yesterday again instead) and was told I need a root canal....crap crap crap. :(

Say No to Drugs Universal Studio 5k race- Race Report

This morning was my 10th race since I started running in March of this year.  It was 5k #9 and by far the hardest course I have ran so far.

This was in the race info: "course will wind you through the back lot, up and down several steep hills and through some of Hollywood's most famous sets."

Well they did not lie about the hills!  Wow...I don't think I knew what a hill was before that!

So the whole family got up super early to head to Universal Studio for my race.  It is about an hour drive so we left at 5:30 am...thank you husband and kiddos! 
There were over 2200 runners total, they had a 10k race also.  Found a parking and went to get my bib and goodie bag.  They had a really nice bag with lots of samples in it, pretty cool.

Next stop, the always fantastic porta potty...boy I hate those...:(  They had a group warm up set up but I decided to skip it and I headed to the starting line to avoid being  to far back.  Found a spot and I waited..it was pretty chilly at 8 Celsius so I was happy to have my gloves and warm hat!  I was next to some people who had ran the race last year and they were telling someone that the hills were the worst they had ever seen on a course.  I wanted to ask where they were to be prepared but I did not and decided to take it as it comes.

First mile went by fast, fairly flat, lots of people to pass before getting to a good pace.  I looked at my watch at mile 1 and I ran it faster then my usual pace, wasn't tired so I kept going at that pace thinking the hills would slow me down when I get to them and a minute later there they were.....A whole mile of super steep hills with lots of turns and no flat section.  That was really hard, I felt my age for that mile!!! I had to walk for a few minutes, I fought as much as I could but it was just too hard for me.  At the top there was the house from the Alfred Hitchcock movie Psycho and Norman Bates, with a dead woman in his arms, came out of the house to scare the runners !  I thought we were done with the hills after that but no, no....more were to come after a short flat section.  Then we went down for a little bit and I knew the finish line had to be close because Lance Armstrong (via Nike + app) told me I was done and he always lie to me but usually not by too much.  One more turn and there it was: the finish line and yes of course at the top of the last hill!!!!

I saw my family and good thing I did because they would have missed me!!! My husband thought I would come in slower because the course was so hard so he was not paying attention!!!  I crossed the line and almost puke on one of the guys there...but I didn't!  I got a medal so that is always really cool and my kids think I won!! So cute!

Looks like I am skipping instead of running!

I finished 322/1587 overall, 119/1032 women, 14/119 in my age group.

After we went to  Universal Studio city walk looking for a Starbucks!

That place is usually very crowded but it was still very early so we were able to take some pics of the boys with the huge Christmas Tree they have in front of the Hard Rock Cafe.

And my guitar fanatic sons saw this thing so we had to take a picture in front of it!

And one last one at the Universal Studio entry.

1 day until next race/ People at the gym (part 5)

Tomorrow next race: 5k at Universal Studio backlot.  Should be fun but hard.  Weather is pretty cool right now and I hope it stays that way!

Went to the gym before my son's basketball game.  30 min on Elliptical and ran 1 mile.

People at the gym:  In the locker room, I am there with another woman in her late 50s, enters one of her friend about same age.  The friend says "Hi! Happy New Year!!!"  the other one goes super serious "Are you drunk dear?" Haaaaa!!! Could not help it, I started to laugh !!!

Decisions, decisions...

I don't have a fuel belt or bottle.   I never carry water with me on my runs.  I have yet to go long enough to need fuel while I am out.  Now as I move down the weeks on my training plan the miles increase (shocker I know!) so I will need to have a solution for fuel for the long runs.  Since I am a total novice I don't know what to get.  I will need one of these:

I think I belt would get on my nerves and carrying a bottle does not sound good either..I am afraid I would get cramps in my hands or something.  At the half marathon they will have water station at each mile (big race 10000 runners) and GU at mile 4 and 9.  GU,  that is another thing I need to figure out.  I have never tried it and I have major gastric issues so I am afraid of trying it and getting sick.  I know I have to try BEFORE the race.  They are giving 2 flavors:  Chocolate Outrage and Vanilla Bean..I already know I cannot take the chocolate one so that leaves Vanilla.  If my stomach does not like that one I will have to carry my own.  I could use safety pins and pin it to my shorts at the waist and not carry any bottle or belt.  Is that a good decision? Will I regret not carrying my own water?  Even if I decide not to on race day I still need something for the long runs starting next weekend...

What to do, what to do?  I am open to all advices and suggestions if you are reading this and have something to say please do, it will help a novice runner like me!!!

Today was rest day so that is what I did.  Still not sure about tomorrow..I think cross training is what I will do...

Sunday = 5k race day!

10k RACE!

Today I ran my first 10k race!  I already had a couple things not going my way: back pain and a cold and then last night my neighbors decided to have a really loud party from 5 pm to 2 am.  The kind of loud that makes you call the cops....not once but 3 times....so thank you rude neighbors.  We got to the race early, me and my supporting crew aka husband and 2 sons!  Parking was insane so they just dropped me close to the starting line and off I went.  First goal: finding the porta potty...well no porta potty at the start! Really? This race had a half marathon, a 10k and a 5k...more then 5000 runners....porta potty at the start should be a must I think...Anyway...saw a Starbucks and decided to go there to take care of business...I figure I get coffee from them enough they kind of owe me that much!  Thank you Starbucks!  Ok so that is done now back to the starting line!
At the start the usual funny stuff...people with strollers trying to get in the front in the already packed crowd..I don't get that.  The sun was out already and it was warmer then I would have liked but oh well could be worst.   And finally the start! I had decided to try the Galloway method for this race with ratio 5:1.  First 5 minutes went by real fast and  I hesitated to stop but I stayed with my plan.  First mile went by quick and easy, I skipped the first water station and continue...Mile 2 first hill...a nasty one...Mile 3 came following a pretty hard hill and that was the best part of my race because my crew was there with signs to cheer me on!!! I checked the time: 26:00! WAY too fast for me.....must slow down.

Best Supporting Crew ever!

Getting to half way point, I saw my kids there

Waiving to my family, best part of the race!

 

"See you at the end!"

After that things got pretty hard.  The nasty GUSTY winds! NOOOOOO! For 2 miles that included hard hills we raced against really strong winds.  That was really hard.  I had to take an extra walk break, made me upset but it is what it is.  After mile 5 I thought ok you got this, hang in there, the worst has to be over...and it was.  The winds were not as bad but we had one more big hill...ok I can do this...turning the corner for the last stretch a guy yelled at me: "Come on finish strong!" thank you stranger I needed that!!!

Turning the last corner.  I can see the finish line!

I finished a little over an hour, don't know the official time yet, forgot to stop my watch but I think 1:06 something like that...so second half much slower but that is ok.  I did it!  I was very tired at the end and I had a few tears but I was happy!  Now my back is not happy with me...so tomorrow must take it easy I think!!!

Smiling at end that is a plus!!!