2 miles and feeling good

So I decided to bite the bullet and attempt to run.  It was a nice cool evening and I thought "it is now or never"..so the running shoes went on and I was out the door.  I decided to try and run a quick 2 miles.  Turned out I am sure I could have ran more but 2 miles for the first run after last weeks horrible 13.1 is not bad.  Tuesday night I will be back with the Shirlington Running Club running a 5k (as long as it doesn't rain) following by some socializing with some brews. :)  Gotta love those kind of runs.  I still haven't shaken off last week's horrible run but looks like I am on my way to putting it behind me. :)

1/2 marathon = fail, sort of...

Well it has almost been a week since my first 1/2 marathon and I think I am ready to finally write about it.  I guess I will start with the day before the race...

On Sat. morning K and I met at the commuter lot in Northern Va.  We were on our way to Philly for packet pick up day!  K is from the Philly area so we were going to stop at her house first and then meet up with her friend Shannon and Lisa to head over to the expo center.  We have an enjoyable ride to Philly and a short 3 plus hours later we have arrived at her house and I get to meet some of her family.  Shannon comes over and we head to pick up Lisa and we are off to packet pickup. 

Yeah we are rock stars at the expo! 

I love expos.  Normally I don't buy much but it is my first half marathon.  So I pick up a shot glass souvenir and start to look at some nice t-shirts to remember the run and the shirt we got for running the race is a god awful orange and I hate orange.  Well looks like no shirt in my size so I don't have to spend any extra money at Brooks.

Well we are off to experience all the booths and try all the samples.  We are also on the hunt for a 13.1 car magnet.  It is the one thing that I knew I was going to look to buy at the expo.

Oh that is going to look so nice on my car!

 Had to stop and get our beer bracelet.  Turns out that I would not use the beer bracelet but I didn't realize that on Sat.  I also end up buying a new visor and we leave the expo and end up walking down to the Art Museum because I want to run the Rocky Steps.  "Yo! Adrian!

It felt like such a long walk after walking the expo...not sure if I want to really run the steps. 

You have to get a picture with Rocky.

 K has a much better pose than me.  Not quite sure what I am doing with my arms..maybe I am bracing for a blow from Rocky...

Rocky here I come!!

So we finish the Rocky steps and K tells me that I need to experience a Philly pretzel.  And the only person to buy a pretzel from is The chief. 

The Chief has been set up outside the boathouse for 66 years (it says so on the side of his minivan).  Everyone loves buying water and pretzels from him.

After the pretzels we head to Shannons for some pasta.  I am not usually a pasta before the race person but I didn't want to get lost trying to go back to the hotel and eat by myself so pasta it is.  The pasta was good.  We eat and then head off to the hotel to meet Lucy and Dennis to give them their race packets.  Packet exchange was a success.  We then settle in for the night excited for our first 1/2 marathon.  Out of our group, Lucy is the only one who has a half marathon under her belt.  The rest of us would be half marathon virgins. 

Well we plan to meet up at 7:30 with everyone.  We are up and ready for race day.  K is not feeling the best but she has a great game face on for the day.

We meet up with everyone and then walk to the start line..I am in corral 22, a.k.a. the slow peoples corral.  I head back and wait for the race to begin.  We slowly move up and as we approach the start line we see the elite runners go by...that right I haven't even started and the elite runners are already at mile 5 of the race! 

We are off..I am running pretty good..feeling a bit tired but nothing too bad.  I am trying to pass some people and weave around some of the walkers (I guess that is what you get when you start in corral 22) lol.  I feel like I am running slow..and turns out that I am 4 or 5 mins off of my goal time..at the 5k mark I was feeling a little light headed and I was already starting to walk!  What?  Walk??  I can't walk at mile 3!  But that is what I did..I walk a bit and then started to run again (although the pace I was keeping I am not sure I would really call it much of a run) 

We are headed back towards the fountains and I see a man with a sign for me.  I didn't think anyone was coming down to hold a sign for me, but turns out I was wrong.  The guy had a sign that read "Hey complete stranger, I'm proud of you!"  How nice, that gave me a little extra giddy up in my step :)  I am now at the spot where I saw the elite athletes run and think I could just jump off the course and end my misery...but no, that man was proud of me.  He wouldn't be proud if I quit..so off I continue..The nice thing about the race is they supplied a nice amount of water and Cytomax.  It seemed it was about every 1.5 miles or so.  So I couldn't complain about being thirsty.  Although at one point I thought maybe I was drinking too much.  Ugh..what  a horrible race I am having! 

So at this point I am run/walking and I am guessing I am barely at mile 5.  I am now trying not to count down the miles because there are just too many left.  We are now running along the river and it is shaded (which is nice..no hot sun beating down on me).  I can see the people on the other side of the river running...but I see no bridge across..grrr.  I keep running.  I see a runner down and the medics are putting her on a backboard.  I am feeling lucky that is not me.  I am still feeling blah..thinking maybe it was that pasta (I know I should have went back to the hotel and had a burger...) but looking back it was not the pasta..but I wouldn't realize that till hours later. 

So I am feeling like the bridge is never going to appear...I realize there is no quitting b/c either way I still have to make my way to the finish line to meet up with everyone and go back to the hotel.  So I am trudging along.  at around mile 8 I pass a double amputee man.  Yes it took me till mile 8 to catch up with him.  Well I guess if he can do it, I can too!  Finally the bridge!  Oh I have never been so happy to cross a bridge in all of my life!  I am now making my way back to the finish, yeah!!!  Every mile I feel a bit happier.  We pass some cheerleaders dressed up as KISS with a sign that says if you walk we will kiss you. lol  That made me giggle...free high fives from them. 

Someone had a sign set up that read 13.1 miles = 5.5 doughnuts.  That made me a bit depressed...all of this for 5.5 doughnuts?  Ugh!  At the ten mile mark I was so sad...I had a goal of 2hr 30 mins to finish..I know the first 1/2 you should just aim for finishing but I wanted that time!  Well at 10 miles I was at 2 hrs and 20 mins.  An entire 15 mins slower than my 10 mile usually is!  I wanted to cry.  At one point a lady asked if this was my first and if I had a goal..I told her to finish it.  I already missed my time goal :( 

Well finished the race at 3 hours and 4 mins.  What a miserable time!  Then went to find everyone at out meeting place.  We were supposed to check out of the hotel at noon and it was going to pushing that by the time we walked the mile back.  Found everyone and I ate a small bagel (think lenders type of bagel) and carried my banana.  I could quite eat that banana yet (which is odd b/c usually I can't wait for food after a race).  We head back to the hotel and K doesn't feel well...we stop for her once along the trek back.  We get back to the hotel and neither one of us wants to move.  I am going to head back with Lucy and Dennis while K sticks around to celebrate her dad's birthday.  Seems K is not looking forward to that she just wants to crawl back into bed and sleep (not normal for K) 

I head out with Lucy and and Dennis to experience a Philly Cheesesteak.  And if you really want a Philly cheesesteak you need to go to either Pat's or Gino's.  Since they are across the street from one another we head down...

Lucy can't wait to try some cheesesteak.  I order and end up giving half mine to Dennis and throwing my 4 dollar fries away.  Really not normal for me at all.  I should be starving right about now.  Instead I can't wait to go to sleep in the back of the car.  We eat and head out.  Turns out I am not a Geno's cheesesteak fan...I ended making Lucy pull over in Deleware 3 times on the ride back.  Yep I picked up a stomach virus!  I guess that now explains why I felt sluggish during the run and light headed at mile 3...And it turns out K was sick too..we both ended up calling off the next day.  I am guessing that we caught something at the hotel.  Can you pick up something that quick and get sick??  Well that is what I am thinking happened.  Odd that we were both sick on the same day...

So I feel horrible about a horrible run, but a little better that the reason for the horrible run was a virus. 

I now need a new 1/2 marathon to help redeem my horrible first experience. :)

Philly Rock n Roll 1/2 Marathon here I come!!

I leave in the morning for Philly.  So excited my first 1/2 marathon!!!!  I hope it is a successful and fun day :)  That 13.1 sticker for my car will be mine come Sunday.  Recap when I get back on Monday or Tuesday.

9/11 5k run

Had a great 5k run...not my fastest but that is ok.  It was a great race though.  I went to the double tree to meet up with Zack, Becca and Zack's parents who were in for the 5k this weekend. 

Becky showed up later and was very excited for her first 5k.  I was very excited for her first 5k too.  If she has fun she may be another running buddy for Kristen and I.  We can always use another person at our 5k's :)

We left the room to head down to wait for the start of the race.  The music was pumping, people were everywhere. 

Contrary to Zack's face, he was very excited for the race.  Although he was whining about forgetting his garmin back in Atlanta...big cry baby! lol 

The race started and it was slow going.  People were everywhere.  There was really no lining up according to pace at all.  I almost was taken out by 4 different strollers throughout the race.  I ran most of the race...I walked a few seconds here and there around the pentagon parking lot..considering that I walked the entire parking lot the year before..not too shabby.

Crossed the mat at 34 mins...slow but steady right?  I am fine with that.  Maybe my next goal will be to finish with a faster pace but really I am always happy that I just finish. :) 

We ran into a friend from high school, Caren.  Funny how you run into people you know in a large crowd of people! lol  Good seeing Caren and she had a great run.  All was great!

Becky has decided she is going to run some more 5k's with us...Success!! :)

9/11 run

Tomorrow I will be running around  the Pentagon for the Arlington Police/Fire/Sheriff 9-11 Memorial 5K.  It is at 6pm.  Looks like the weather should be nice and mild this year too, so that is always a plus.  Last year the run around the parking lot of the Pentagon was just murder.  It was so hot from the sun baking the pavement all day long.  Just thinking about it and I want to cringe.  This year I beleive the highs are going to be in the 80's for the day.

9 miles - SUCCESS! finally!!!

Finally I finished that horrible 9 mile run that I have been trying to complete all weekend!  Went running with K and B this evening.  Perfect running weather.  We found a track near our house (I wish I would have found this track awhile ago).  The evening was cool..no sun beating down..it was if the running gods were wanting me to finish 9miles tonight :) 

Tomorrow is the first day of school.  What a way to start off the new year, with a 9 mile run finally completed!

9 mile run - FAIL!

I have no idea what has been happening with my running (or lack of running).  I have been so tired and my legs have felt like lead.  3 miles has been difficult for me lately, which is not good considering I am going to be running 13.1 in 2 weeks!  Yikes!  I ran with the running club last Tuesday.  I ended up walking the last bit b/c it was so hot out and I was feeling sick from the heat.  Wednesday and Thursday were a no run day. 

Friday I decided to get my 9 mile run out of the way.  Boy look how proactive I am being.  So yeah I ran 2 miles and stopped.  I was tired and just couldn't do it. 

No problem K and I were going to go to Occoquan regional park and run our 9 miles (or close to it)  yeah 2.5 miles and I gave up.  There are a lot of  hills in that freakin park!  We did end up walking some and the days total was 4.64 miles.  Boy I am just feeling horrible.  I know it is mostly mental (or at least it better be by this time!)  I am really having a hard time getting past the running block.  Not sure if it is because of going back to school or what.  I came home after our "run" and slept for 4 hours...and then I slept that night too.  CFS is that you??  (ok I haven't been tired for 6 months like the link states but still..)  That is a lot of sleeping! 

Sunday I got dressed and laced up the shoes and took off!  That's right today is the day for my 9 miler..I mean my 3 miler..failed again!  I was going to try again later in the day at the gym but K was having a cookout so I couldn't go late right??

We are going to attempt (I mean I am going to definitely) run tonight.  I am much better at running in the evening than in the morning.  We are going to run track.  I know boring!  But I figure it is flat (so no excuses about the hills) and there are 4 of us going so I don't have to try to keep up with anyone.  I can just go at my own slow pace.  Fingers crossed that this works.  I am also going to change up my playlist.  Maybe some knew tunes will keep my feet moving.  I did 7 last week so I should be able to do 9 this week...I just would rather lay on the couch.  I have not been in the swing of the whole workout out thing since starting back to work.  I feel like this has be worse this year than in previous years.  Although it could just feel that way b/c normally I do not have a training schedule to follow at the beginning of school...who knows.  I just wish I could feel all into my workouts and running soon...