footloose

Went for a run around the neighborhood tonight.  I was going to go to the gym, but why do the treadmill when you can run outside!  So I went around the loop in the hood and my freakin' good foot started to hurt.  Now the loop has a downhill and obviously an uphill...not a lot of flat.  I stopped and did some stretching trying to stretch out the arch in my foot and my calf.  Please oh please do not let it be plantar fasciitis!  I had that last year in the other foot and it was horrible!  So I did two miles and then stopped at the house and picked up Riley and ran 2 more miles on some flat areas in the apartment complex next door.  The foot felt much better on the flat surface.  So I am hoping that stretching it a few times a day will help.  I have been noticing that my calf has been really tight lately,so I am guessing that didn't help the foot either.

On another note my pictures came back from Cherry Blossom.  I finally sucked it up and just bought the lot of them on a cd.  What a freakin' racket that is!  The shipping and handling was over 10 dollars!  Really you just burn the stupid pictures to a cd and mail them..not that hard.  Heck you could just email them to me and save postage too...but oh well, chalk it up to memories. 

Here are some of the pictures:

I was mocking the super happy girl that kept asking me in her cheerleader voice if I was going to run Cherry Blossom next year...Of course I am!!

Happy to be finished smile

Hey look at me!

Real Hot!

So Monday I had my Girls Run with Pride girls running the neighborhood.  It was really hot..high 80's.  Some did not do so well.  I had 2 that were really walking slow and not doing so much running.  I know they can either walk faster than what they are walking and run/jog more than they are jogging.  But on the whole they did a pretty good job.  Today we run again and I promised them some Popsicles.  Hopefully that gets them moving! :)

Run Club was last night.  It was a very hot and muggy run.  Happy hour after was great.  The stupid door guy was a jerk.  My friend Megan has been going to run club regularly every week, well this week she forgot her id and he wasn't going to let her in (and didn't at the beginning of the run).  Thankfully our favorite waitress got her in after the run was over.  She just had to promise not to serve her.  Then the door guy was complaining about all the water bottles we were bringing in.  Maybe we were bringing in vodka.  Yeah I run with vodka when the temps are in the 90's.  That's just how I roll.  He obviously needs to get a life. 

Well hope everyone has a great day!

Spring Break

Last night I went to run club.  Gotta love it!  More people are starting to show up since the weather has been warmer.  Yesterday was probably the nicest run club weather wise in awhile.  It was a nice 5k run followed by a nicer happy hour. 

I may be competing in an Urban race in DC next month.  My friend Becca sounds like she is interested so we will see.  I love scavenger hunts so really this is right up my alley.  I have never done an Urban race before so if nothing else I can chalk it up to a new experience.

I am now in the middle of doing laundry and then I am off to pack and then tomorrow I am leaving for PA to visit my mom and step dad.  Sad that it means it is towards the end of my spring break.  But on a good note less than 38 days left of school!!  Yeah!!!

Giveaway @ Daily Vitamin F

Check out Kiley's blog the Daily Vitamin F.  She has a great giveaway too! http://dailyvitaminf.blogspot.com/2011/04/asphalt-me-peace-giveaway.html

Boston and a winner!

So I love reading all the blogs about the Boston Marathon.  I think I have the bug. :)  I may never get to Boston to run but I can live through every ones experiences this week.  It is amazing to think of the journey most of the runners had just trying to get to Boston.  Wow!   I hope everyone meets their  goals and rocks Boston today!

My first Winner for the Bic Band Giveaway is Kiley!!  Yeah!  Send me your address and I will mail out your Bic Band this week.  pamlansberry @ gmail.com 

Another half marathon

So my friend Megan has talked me into another half marathon.  It is local and over Memorial Day Weekend.  Megan wanted to try a half before her birthday and I thought why not.  So Alexandria Half Marathon here we come!  That will give me a few weeks to actually train.  Which is more than I did for this last half.  And it sounds like it is not that big of a half marathon (which I love) and it is flat.  Good bye killer hill!  So last year around this time I had never ran a half marathon in my life.  I would never have thought I could run a half either.  Soon I will have  my third half marathon under my belt this year!  Wow!  Who would have thunk it.

Don't forget to enter my first giveaway too!

Spring Break!

Spring Break has officially begun! So I leave you with some comics:

I will be heading to the gym in the morning and then my friend Kristi is visiting this weekend with her 3 girls.  Aunt Pam will be taking them to the Natural History Museum and Ikea.  What a great combo for the weekend.

Flying Pirate Race Day, New Half Marathon and giveaway

Kristen and I woke up to a perfect morning to run.  The temps were in the low 50's and very little wind.  I was stressing the night before about what to wear.  I brought some different options in race day clothes but I was worried it was going to be really cold and I didn't bring anything warm enough.  I was still debating to wear my light long sleeve champion shirt under my pink t-shirt or not.  All I could think of was how cold I was the previous day so I put the long sleeve shirt under my tee.  If worst came to worst I could take it off and leave it behind mid run.  We were off to drop the car off at Walmart and take the bus to the start line at 6:50.  We saw some great people in the parking lot dressed up in their pirate wear.  Oh how I would love to do that some day.  I just keep thinking how uncomfortable I would be dressed up.

The start line was not looking too bad when we go their.  I now realize how small the race is.  2500 people.  I love small races!  Before long we are off.  I barely make it to mile two before the long sleeved shirt comes off.  I decide to just tie it around the waist.  This is twice in two weeks that the long sleeve shirt has saved me so I just can't get rid of it. I am also carrying my new hand held water bottle.  Oh how I love that water bottle.  The water stops were every 3 miles.  And I like to drink pretty often since I am such a huge sweater. 
We head through the neighborhood and people are out.  I wouldn't say they were all cheering us on. Most were just staring.  Kinda like look at the strange people running...why are they all running??  But hey didn't bother me.  I was just glad they were there.  I was running around some really nice people too.  I have never heard so many people say thank you to the people cheering us on, the bike guy checking up on us throughout the run, the water people, the police officers..etc.  Which was great.  I try to smile at the people, but I am not sure it comes off as a smile.  It might come off as "I'm in pain".  I just don't talk a lot when I run so I was a bit lacking on telling everyone thanks.  And the funny thing about that is Kristen said the same thing when we were comparing our run.
Mile six we saw a nice hill into another neighborhood.  Oh how I hate hills! 

We were running through some neighborhoods on the sound side of OBX.  So pretty.  The bike guys were really great.  They were constantly riding up and down the race and checking on runners and asking if we were ok.  They were also complaining how they were cold b/c they didn't wear the heavier bike wear.  I on the other hand was sweating and feeling like the temps were perfect. 

It was at this time I was trying to distract myself from wanting to walk by counting my steps.  It worked for a bit.  But then I was irritated b/c I was losing count of my steps b/c my stride was off from my count. Well I guess I can walk some.  I was trying not to push myself too much because when I did that last week at Cherry Blossom I thought I was going to throw up at the end and I felt all shaky and horrible.  So I didn't want that to me again so I was backing off a bit and just enjoying the run.

Mile 8 put us around the Wright Museum was a bit windy and long.  5.1 miles to go!

Now we are starting to head towards the dreaded woods.  Where the possibility of typhoid, malaria and ticks are very real.  As I am running through the woods I notice how hilly it is.  I really don't like running in the woods or on trails.  I like the road under my feet.  As I am running through the woods on the gravel/sand/dirt/ mud path I am reminded that I like to run on pavement.  Sometimes I find my foot hitting the gravel wrong.  Please God don't let me twist an ankle today.  The water stop at mile 12 was being served by pirates and wenches.  How great is that!  at the end of the road we turn to go into the woods on a lovely mulch path and this is what we see...

It is the hill from hell!  I turn to the volunteers and ask them if they are trying to kill us?  They just laugh.  Yep they are trying to kill us.  The last half mile or so is straight up and straight down and straight up and straight down.  Ugh
I end up finishing the half in 3:01...3 mins faster than my Philly run when I was sick. It was also a lot more hilly than the Philly run.  My last half of the course I was more than 2 mins slower per mile than the first half of the course.  I think that is because of the hills, especially those last 3 miles. Considering how little training I did for this race I will take that PR.  Even though I didn't properly training I made it.  My legs were a bit sore but that is ok.

Two days back and my friend Megan asks if I would do the Alexandria 1/2 marathon on Memorial Day weekend.  After thinking about it I decide why not.  I have 6 weeks to train more than the OBX run.  Maybe I will PR on this race too :)  Fingers crossed.  It is supposed to be a really flat run, so that should pretty much ensure a PR. 

Remember if you haven't checked out my giveaway you have until Sunday.

Flying Pirate 1/2 Marathon recap part 1

So Kristen and I headed down to OBX on Friday.  We figured we would enjoy a day off of work and then we could relax a day and then Saturday will be all about race prep.  Well we got there and found out we couldn't check in to the hotel so we decided to head over to the race expo.  When we get to the expo I couldn't beleive my eyes!  It was the smallest expo that I have ever seen!  It was at the Comfort Inn in Kitty Hawk and it was in a small room.  We got our bibs with our names on them and got a really cool pirate tech race shirt.  On the back it says "AARRGH we there yet?"  Yes!  I can feel this is going to be a great weekend!  They had some vendors there and I wanted a new 13.1 magnet for my car.  But the one person selling them didn't really have much to offer so I guess that will have to wait.  Then I decided to buy a hand held water bottle.  Best choice ever! 

The rest of Friday was eating and then sitting on the beach reading a book and enjoying the sound of the waves.  What a great Friday! 

Saturday started out very very cold.  Windy and cold.  I hope that it doesn't stick around until Sunday.  So we decide to drive the race course.  Map in hand we head out.  The beginning is not bad.  We are running through some neighborhoods.  Then we see some water on the sound side.  So far a pretty nice run.  I am a bit worried that there will be nobody to cheer us on, but that is not that big of a deal.  Then suddenly we end up on a road that turns into a dirt road...Kristen thinks we have made a wrong turn...but no...welcome to mile 10!

Yep..we might end up being killed and carted away by some beasts in the forest!  Ahhhhh!!!!

Well continue on down the road that-a-way! 

As we continue to go off roading we notice the lovely green swamps along the gravel and dirt road.  I forgot to get my typhoid and maleria shots, darn it!

As we continue on we notice some lovely signs.  Yeah they are trying to entertain us while we run the lovely woods. 

They had Outer Banks facts and even a stupid Knock Knock Joke!  I loved it!  I tried not to read the signs so I could be surprised the day of the race. 

Then towards the end of the dirt road there is a path that goes into the woods that goes straight up. 

Yep that is where the last 1/2 mile or so is to take place, straight up the woodchipped trail.  So I will be walking that portion for sure. 

We are done with our drive of the course and end up heading over to the largest sand dune on the east coast.  Jockey's Ridge here we come!

 When we get there I have to return to the car.  I didn't realize I was not allowed to bring my shotgun to a sand dune.  Great, I never get to carry my shot gun anywhere!

We end up walking up the dune and head over to the sound side.  Oh it was so windy and cold.  After trekking all over the dune we head back to the hotel and end up in the whirlpool to warm up.  Considering the whirlpool was steaming hot it didn't take long to warm up. 

Looks like we were all prepared for the race on Sunday.

Bic Band Giveaway!

So I have decided to do my first ever giveaway! 

I have been really lucky to get to try a bunch of great running stuff by winning things from other people's blogs.  Now it is time for me to pass on some of the things that I love.  I am starting with a bic band giveaway.  I usually don't like bands in my hair because they always fall off of my head.  I guess I have a small head.  As I am running I am constantly rearranging my headbands.  Not so with Bic Bands, they actually fit my head and they don't slip off!  Yeah!! 

Since I just ordered some new bic bands for myself I decided to pass along one of my new bands to a follower.  I am passing along this lovely gem:

A pink with black polka dots bic band. 

Here is some information from BicBands

BIC Bands~ Headbands that stay in tack and always give back!

Because I Can Bands~ We run because we can…for those who can’t so that one day they will!

This listing is for a THIN 1" Hot Pink with Black Dots BIC Band. This woven material is reversible, please specify at checkout if you would like it reversed, making a Black with Hot Pink dots BIC Band. This band also matches the thick band of the same name. Mother Daughter bands maybe? Best friends? Twins.... CUTE!!!

BIC Bands will not slip~ (SERIOUSLY!) They are great for any workout, a trip to the coffee shop, going out with friends, work....you name it, your BIC Band will keep your hair looking FAB!

$1 from the sale of EVERY single BIC Band will be donated to charity to help those in need. There's a new charity each month, so check out which group we are supporting in the Shop's Announcements

So how do you win a great BicBand??

Leave a comment for each

• Leave a comment that you are a follower
• Visit BicBands and tell me which BicBand you like
• Tweet or post on Facebook about the giveaway
• Post about the giveaway on your blog

I will randomly pick a winner on Sunday, April 17th.

Flying Pirate - PR and Success!!

Got back last night from OBX!  The Flying Pirate Half was great!  The last half was a killer, but it was well organized and a good time was had by all.  Race report  coming up soon :)

Flying Pirate Here I come!!!

I love having my Friday come on a Thursday!  Yeah  my weekend is here:)  I am dropping Riley off at a friend's house to play with their little pug Molly.  Hopefully Riley will not be too big of a pain in the ass.  He has a bit of separation anxiety.  Then tomorrow Kristen and I will be heading to OBX!!!!  Yeah!  Friday is our day to lounge around.  It is supposed to be a beautiful weekend, maybe hang out at the beach some and have some local beers.  Saturday is packet pickup and race crap along with lounging around...then Sunday off to the Flying Pirate Half Marathon!!!  Yeah!   My goal is to try and finish it in 2:40 or just finish it in less than 3 hours.  I should get a PR since the first race I was sick and walked most of the race.  Which reminds me I need to stop and pick up a can of lysol to spray the room down.  I really don't want to get sick again from a hotel room...ugh the memories. 


Wish me luck and ARRRRGH!  I'm off to practice my pirate speak for the weekend.

Cherry Blossom Race Recap

So if you couldn't figure it out from my lack of running posts, I didn't really train that well for the Cherry Blossom 10 miler this past weekend.  Three years ago I ran my first Cherry Blossom 10 miler (first 10 miler ever) and I ran 4 miles in training and then went out and ran 10 miles the day of...yeah I thought I was going to die.  Well fast forward to this year and you can add an extra mile to the 4 and you've got my longest run (and yes I know I have a half marathon next weekend!)  So I was a bit worried.  The only thing that helped was I had a really good 5 mile run earlier in the week and I at least was familiar with the race course.  Last year I had a pretty good training schedule and followed it and ran it in 2:05 (just call me speedy Gonzalez)  I was originally shooting for 2 hours or less...well with my fabulous training I think that goal was pretty much scrapped.  Now I am hoping to finish, not get picked up by the slow bus, not want to get picked up by the slow bus, and to run more than I walk. 

The morning of, I get up and everything seems to be going well.  I was a little stressed over the outfit.  I sweat a lot and hate to be hot when I run.  But I didn't want to be cold during most of the run either, so I settled on a cheap champion performance long sleeve under my t-shirt.  I figured it was cheap enough I could take it off and leave it behind if I really get hot.  It never came off, but the option was there.  My friend texts me as I head out the door and into DC to catch the metro that she missed her alarm and will probably be late so she will meet us at the race.  Not a good way to start the race for Megan.  So we all meet up at the metro (nobody is really late, shocker) and head off.  Then we end up in the longest portapotty line ever!  By the time we were done almost all the waves were through.  Kristen was running to the start as they were calling 2 mins left until the gates are closed..wow! 

The beginning of the race was super packed.  I almost got a black eye from some lady who was throwing some mean elbows.  I was trying to think of what I did to her to make her want to give me a black eye. 

It slowly started to loosen up as we headed over the bridge towards Arlington.  I ran into my friend Grab at the first water stop.  So that was nice.  She is faster and has longer legs than I do, so I knew there was no keeping up with her.  I slowly hit the 5k and next thing you know I see the 5 mile mark.  Yeah half over!!  I hit 5 miles in 1 hour.  Hey if I keep the same pace up I can make my 2 hour goal! :)  I am feeling pretty good.  It is perfect weather for running...not too cold and not too hot.

Mile 4 or 5 the running juggler past me.  Really why do you have to mock me by juggling as you run.  I know you are such a good runner that you have to throw something else in there to make it more of a sport. grrr..either run or join a circus...but please don't do both.  I see the juggler every year at Cherry Blossom and I saw him at the RnR Philly Half marathon this past September....ugh stop the insanity!!  I also saw a guy around mile 9 who was jump roping as he ran...and not jump roping with the rope going forward, but with the rope going backward...again please do not mock us slow runners! 

I ended up running more than I did last year (just a bit slower)  I didn't make my 2:00 time but I did run it in 2:10 which is fine considering I didn't really train for the run.  I am sad I missed the guy who was giving away free beer and oreos somewhere between mile 7 and 8.  My friend Dennis went back for the beer after he figured he wasn't going to make his goal lol.. 

It was a great day..I did think I was going to be sick after the run as we were in the metro..but as normal once I got some food in me I was fine.  I just saw some of the pictures from the race and I might actually purchase a few...finally a picture that doesn't look completely horrid!! 

Cherry Blossom here I come

So I dropped my mom and step dad off in Baltimore to catch their ship headed south.  (What a nice daughter huh lol)  I'll then pick them up the day after my half marathon.  So now I think I am going to rest up for the Cherry Blossom 10 mile run tomorrow.  I stopped at Borders and picked up some reading material (but I am feeling very sleepy so we will see how much reading is done today)  Then I have a nice steak in the frig for and early dinner. 

I am a bit worried about the weather tomorrow morning.  I think the rain should not be a problem.  The problem is that I am not sure what exactly I should wear.  I have a fun homemade shirt to run in but it is short sleeved.  I don't really want to wear a long sleeve under my shirt b/c I get hot pretty quickly while I run.  But I don't want to be cold while running for most of the run either..what to do, what to do...I did buy a cheap champion jacket at Target (clearance 7.49..winning!)  and I bought a cheep long sleeved shirt for around the same price.  So I guess I have options.  But I don't want the jacket to cover up the back of my shirt.  Here is what the back reads: 

This year's shirt is black (well actually it worked out that everyone had whatever color shirt they felt like using..but we were supposed to get black)

This shirt was great!  Everyone thought is was funny.  People were giving me high fives and thumbs up during the entire run.  It really helped me finish...so this year why mess with a good shirt?  So I don't really want to block the back of the shirt.  I also bought some funky knee hi socks and might cut the foot part and make some super cheap arm sleeves that I can just discard as I start to warm up.  Well lots of options we will see what turns out to be the outfit :)

Good luck to everyone running tomorrow!