Kiss Me

Mike was the big winner of the Greater Cleveland XC race pass at the NERC Winter Banquet ~ and the Kiss Me I'm a Runner 10k was his first free race.  I figured we were driving out to Legacy Village...and there was free beer after, so I would run the 5k.  I was anxious as I wasn't sub 25:00 all last race season... I didn't want that horrible self-defeating feeling of working so hard and being so slow.

AND IT WAS COLD.  Like 19 degrees cold.  Like Legacy Village isn't an inside mall, we have to wait around outside cold.  But it was fine.  We were dressed well.  We peed (3 times for me), drank our pre-race drink, ate our pre-race snack, took our pre-race selfie, ran our warm-up and got to the start line.  Two of my runners were there (LOVE to see my kids at races)!  Saw them at the start...and they were done when I finished (placed 9th and 10th ~ without really trying too hard, I think)

The race started in front of Bar Louie and went behind Dick's and around to the Cleveland Clinic Wellness trail...which is DOWN in the the valley.  DOWN... and of course, what goes down... we came back UP to Richmond Road & crossed over into the former Acacia Golf Course.  The golf course was gentle hills for the most part.  There was one up that was rather steep...and I remember thinking that I had to be running 12 minute miles my pace slowed so much.  I never looked at my watch...didn't want to know...just wanted to run my best, which I feel I did.  I was working and I was breathing fine and never had a moment when I thought "I can't do this"  or "This is too hard"  I consider that in itself a BIG WIN.  I did know that the third mile was the same at the first...just in reverse.  Crossed Richmond Road & went down into the valley...the up on the other side just didn't stop.  We went up.  Then we went up some more.  Then we ran the access road behind Dick's and had to go back UP into Legacy Village.  At that point I knew the rest was flat & I gave it may all.  When I turned the corner to where I could see the clock... all I was thinking was, "please be 24, please don't be 25".  When I saw it & it was 24...oh the relief and joy.  Ran it in for 24:25 & a first place age group finish.  I knew I was running well when I could hear the announcement of the first place female finisher.  I was fifth female and 19th overall ~ {and the first old lady.}

Totally happy with my time & expect that to drop with flatter courses & more races.

Love that Lake Health takes pictures of EVERYONE and posts them on Facebook ~ encouraging us to share them.  Lake Health Running Series is awesome.  Here I am...noticing the camera so I don't look horrible as I usually do when I run.

And then there's Mike...who always has this little grin on his face when he runs.  Here he  is finishing the 10k.  He finished in 54:01.

Won me a really cool shirt & I can't wait to wear it on St. Patrick's Day.  Love that we race together :)

run log: February

Start at the end ~ I suppose.  I got in my head I was ready for some speed over the long distance.  Asked Dodd to pace me in an 8:30  7 mile run.  Yeah.  I need to remember that Dodd likes to start fast (which is really not fast for him)  First mile was 8:10.  Turned into the wind at mile 2 & I died.  Got to 84 & had to stop,  I had to stop.  It sucked and I was a giant baby.  Dodd even said, "You're really being a baby."
So I sucked it up and ran the last two and a half just under 8:30.  Mind wasn't right.  Body hurt.  Breathing was tough.  UGH.  Really sucked.  Tried to talk to Mike about it ~ but he didn't want to hear me whine either.

SO...other than today ~ running has really been going well.  I've been rocking my track workouts...because, for the most part, my mind has been right.  Gotta figure that out.

The weather has been amazing & I've been beach glass hunting with Kelly a few times:

Found some good ones and had fun last Friday when it was 75 degrees ~ skipped drinking at Joey's to walk the beach :)








Jacob has completed his diving season ~ placing seventh at OAC.  {there were seven competing divers}  He improved greatly over the season and had fun.  Observations from a non-swimming parent:
1.  MUC swim parents are REALLY nice people.
2. Swimming is LONG.  We had to watch 4 heats of the mile swim before the divers took 45 minutes to warm up & then dive.
3. It's HOT in the pool cheering area ~ really HOT.  Like 95 degrees hot.  Like I'm sitting here sweating hot.
4. MUC swim parents are REALLY nice people.

That was Saturday ~ his first tennis match was Monday.  He's playing exhibition...but we got to see him play in Erie.

His serve is really improving ~ beat this kid from Allegheny pretty easily with his ground strokes ~ the kid's serves were amazing.

Back to running and working out ~ I'm going to coach MMS track this spring.  Pretty nervous and excited.  I know nothing about track...except how to run.  Hope I learn the rest pretty quickly.

Been consistent with the lifting ~ gotten 95# in the air ~ like 3 times ~ but working on it.  I've been doing ab work daily for a week now.  Don't have a six-pack yet.

February Run Log:

February Totals:

113.02 miles for the month 
233.70 miles for the year 

245.51 miles in my Gortex Ghosts ~ not worn at all this month.

379.42 miles in my old pink Brooks Glycerin 13 

278.98 miles in my new pink Brooks Glycerin 13 

389.78 miles in my teal Brooks Glycerin 13 

Training for:  Hall of Fame Marathon April 30, 2017  ~ Signed up for the Columbus Marathon October 15, 2017

Cross Training: Swimming Monday and Friday mornings.  Lifting Sundays.  Yoga class on Thursdays.  Daily core (for a week)

Podcasts I'm listening to: Marathon Training Academy, Dear Sugar, Story Corp & Reply All & Undone

My WEIGHT: I was at 137 the other morning.

Some interesting facts:

Longest run this month:   18.01 ~ with a 8:17 mile at the end.

What hurts?: IT band is a little tight ~ but over all I feel great.

Highest  weekly mileage this month:  43.06 Feb 19-26 ~ but only because we did a long run Sunday and then a long run the next Saturday.

Favorite place to run this month: Spire?  Great track work outs :)

Monthly mileage record: 156.69 ~ March 2015 {purposely ran 8 (on a treadmill) on March 30 to beat the August 2013 record}
Highest mileage ever-at-one-time:  26.78, October 30, 2016, Marine Corps Marathon, Washington DC

PR's:
5K: 22:30 (Run For the Grapes 9/28/14}
10K: 50:13 {Run for the Hills 6/22/14 & TIED the time Run for the Hills 6/21/15)
10-miler: 1:21:29 (Hermes Cleveland 10-miler 4/28/12)
half-marathon: 1:44:42 (Northern Ohio Half Marathon 10/4/15)
marathon: 3:57:31 (The Cleveland Marathon 5/17/15)

January Run Log

Happy Running January ~ This month Good Running supported Girls with Sole and we were sponsored by Farm to Feet socks.  They are cool ~ they have a cool Captain America-like star on them.
January had many treadmill miles {14 of my 22 runs were on the mill} and the first of my speed workouts at Spire.  While I like having DONE speed workouts...I'm a big BIG whiner while doing them.  I don't like that heart pounding...like it's going to explode feeling.  When I finish a speed interval, I want to lay down and die.  I do not want to jog for recovery...I don't even really want to walk.  I want to lay down and stop doing that.
I don't know if I'm getting better or faster...Had to skip last week because of a track meet at Spire... So I voluntarily (my idea) did a hill workout at the cemetery in Geneva.  Don't know if that made me better or stronger either.
Last Sunday I told Mike I was not running our 14 miler on a treadmill ~ so we went to the Greenway Trail in Ashtabula.  There was a little snow (an inch or two) by the parking lot.  We headed north & the snow got deeper and deeper.  The trail end to the north about 6.25 miles from Jewels Dance Hall.  And it's kinda a scary place...Like I think the Gallaghers live there.  As we near the end...we notice more and more footprints in the snow.  We know these people are not out walking their dog or taking runs...These footprints were many and probably not good purposed.  Luckily for us...it was early morning.  Everyone knows bad people sleep late.  Anyway...we don't turn around at trail's end...we're not at 7 miles.  We run through the scary neighborhood ~ houses with broken out windows...and four cars in the driveway.  Sad conditions for many of these folks.  But we turn around and trudge the 7 miles back to the car with no bad situations to report.  So maybe my stereotype needs to be altered.  But this is a prime example of why I always take my Mike with me.

January Run Log:

January Totals:

120.68 miles for the month ~ ran 7 today to make average 30 miles/week
120.68 miles for the year 

245.51 miles in my Gortex Ghosts ~ went inside for any questionable days...didn't want them for my 14 miler in the snow...but my feet would have been drier {but not as cushy}

369.29 miles in my old pink Brooks Glycerin 13 

247.94 miles in my new pink Brooks Glycerin 13 

317.93 miles in my teal Brooks Glycerin 13 

Training for:  Hall of Fame Marathon April 30, 2017 

Cross Training: Swimming Monday and Friday mornings.  Lifting Sundays.  Yoga class on Thursdays.  Want to add more core.

Podcasts I'm listening to: Marathon Training Academy, Dear Sugar, Story Corp & Reply All & Undone

My WEIGHT: At one point this month I was down to 136...but after my run today I was 139.  Seems that those Klondike Bars I bought...and ate may have had an effect.

Some interesting facts:

Longest run this month:   14.06 ~ and it was a hard one.

What hurts?: The weird feeling in my left shin (which I was calling calf issues) is gone {thank you} ~ I have to say nothing hurts.

Highest  weekly mileage this month:  32.3 ~ Jan 8 - Jan 15

Favorite place to run this month: ?  It's been cold and snowy outside & a treadmill is a treadmill...

Monthly mileage record: 156.69 ~ March 2015 {purposely ran 8 (on a treadmill) on March 30 to beat the August 2013 record}
Highest mileage ever-at-one-time:  26.78, October 30, 2016, Marine Corps Marathon, Washington DC

PR's:
5K: 22:30 (Run For the Grapes 9/28/14}
10K: 50:13 {Run for the Hills 6/22/14 & TIED the time Run for the Hills 6/21/15)
10-miler: 1:21:29 (Hermes Cleveland 10-miler 4/28/12)
half-marathon: 1:44:42 (Northern Ohio Half Marathon 10/4/15)
marathon: 3:57:31 (The Cleveland Marathon 5/17/15)

funny

Playing Simon Says with Palmer (6) and Jackson (4) at Joey's.

Palmer:  "Simon Says touch your nose."

Jackson and I touch our noses.

Palmer: "Simon Says touch the gum under the table."

me: "WHAT?"

Palmer:  "It's gooey."

Jackson picks some off, holds it up and says, "It's blue."

End of dinner at Joey's.

Prom

We've been to three NERC Winter Banquets now, and they are much fun.  Kelly has dubbed it Adult Prom ~ and it's very fitting.  We get all dressed up and go to a fancy place to eat and drink and dance.  Mike got a bow tie & I work my LLR sparkly/twirly dress (doesn't look very sparkly in the picture, but it was)

Trying to take a nice picture of me and my marathon man...and these goof balls "ruin" it :)

This year I placed first in my age group :)  I'm very happy with this considering I had a less-than-stellar race season.  I just happened to pick the races that other people avoided...so I was able to accumulate points.  Funny point:  I have yet to spend any of my NERC Grand Prix winnings from any of the three years I've won something.  I have a good little stash of cash...which I've decided is my tattoo money.  Now I just need to figure out what exactly I want ~ on my foot...

This weekend has been beautiful.  It was 65 degrees for NERC Prom ~ and it was still warm this morning.  I joined the Distler-Chandler crew at Lake Erie Bluffs and found some beach glass.  

I learn from Landon that with the Lake gets too full and the water comes to the parking lot it's called a flood.  Good to know.

Winner

Team Beef Ohio has a Garmin Group (and five of us are in it!)  Someone started a challenge...who could run the farthest in a week.  AND I WON.  I love the distance I ran last week...26.2 miles.  And this is proof that I am way to motivated to win for my own good.

And yesterday's funny.  Ohio Trail Runner posted an article about Good Running ~ and one of the questions was the following:

LOVE the answer!  It's funny because it's true :)  I cropped it and made the fun frame...and posted it here because it's worth remembering.

#SnowFun

Thursday we went back to school & Friday was SNOW DAY #2!  Gotta love a snow day right at the start of the second semester.  Got up bright and early that Friday morning ~ headed to the Y for my swim...the roads were snow covered & it was coming down, but honestly, I'd driven to the Y in worse weather...so the thought of a snow day didn't really enter my mind.  Dodd showed up late with the news of our day off!  So I swam a mile.  Kelly wondered if we wanted to ski, but Dodd said no, so we decided to try snowshoeing instead.  Headed to Chapin Forest around noon...and they were closed!  Seems the snow only fell in Eastern Lake County & Ashtabula County.  So we hiked & made snow angels and sledded with the kids.  It was a BEAUTIFUL Colorado-like cold and sunny day.  Glorious.

Another snow day highlight...It was Friday, so we had BBQ "burger" with curry kraut & roasted sweet potatoes for lunch from CLE Juice Box.  Amazing.  ~ and tried the VACATION juice for the first time.  The Cranberry Beet is still my favorite (wish I remembered the name) but this one with carrots and pineapple was pretty amazing.

While Friday was bright, crisp and sunny...Saturday morning's fun run was cold and snowy.  Love that we had reservations {complete with name tags} for breakfast...so we really weren't going to back out.  Without the NERC peer pressure today would have been a treadmill day.  We got to Big Creek Park in Chardon a little before 7 & at 7 all these bundled up runners with headlamps emerged from their warm vehicles.  Off we went for a five mile out-back.  At 8 we met up with the main group & went for another 5 mile out-back.  It was beautiful.  The snow falling in my headlamp and the crunch of our feet on the snow packed road...peaceful.

Crazy NERC runners!

Then we went to breakfast...best sausage gravy & biscuits I've ever had!  and mimosas and bacon and oatmeal and fruit and eggs and pastries and...YUM

Lots of my favorite people!