Gasparilla 2006 - Distance Classic - 5K

I DID IT!! I ran like a pirate!! I ran the whole way!! I really really did!! And they give you a medal for finishing!!

I took only a few walking steps twice to slow down to drink water at the two water tables (and they were crowded so you had to slow down)….That was it. Other than that I ran the whole way!! I had a chip time of 41:54 and a pace of 13:25.7. (According to the results posted to the web site!!) I know from my own watch that my first mile was under 12 minutes which was better than all the training runs. So I must have really slowed up after that but I ran the whole way!! When the pictures come in I will post them. And we don’t have to discuss my placing in either the women or the over all or the age group but there were more women then men and there were 6419 total runners!!

I wasn’t going for a time and I wasn’t going to run the whole way I was going to have fun and do it and I did better than I had hoped!! AND had a lot of fun too!!!

To top it all off, just when I got back into my truck a friend called and said she had an extra ticket to the Storm game this evening!! I said I had to check on some stuff, but then called back and told her I was in. THEY WON!! And they beat the only undefeated team in the AFL. It was a very exciting game and a lot of fun.

Needless to say I am wiped out!! I’m going to bed early tonight and I am going to read. Then tomorrow I am going to putt around the house most of the day and relax!! (Is it legal to drug the kitties so they will sleep in….it’s not….darn!)

AAAARRRGGGG!!!!! (<----Pirate for RUN!!)

My Running Feets!!!

I went to the Health and Fitness expo today to pick up my Race Package for the 5-k tomorrow. There are free samples, my number, coupons etc in the bag. How ever they made me walk to the very back of the expo to pick up my stuff. Aren't they smart all those booths of stuff to buy and people to hand you free stuff.

Then in front corner of the room that I walked passed as I was leaving, there it was, a booth of people selling Nikes. Big deal people selling Nikes, but they had those treadmills with the camera behind them to watch your feets!!! I HAD TO DO IT!! I stand slightly pigeon toed and have very flat feet but I don't tend to over pronate (roll my ankles in) like most flat-footed pidgin-toed people (well no one is perfect). Soooo I waited my turn and put on the shoes they gave me (so they have everyone in the same shoes). What did I find out? That I don’t pronate like most people with flat feet, I have a good heel strike, I run up the outside of my feet like I should, and my toes come up off the ground like they should. Basically I run correctly!! That was good news, he said he would never have guessed from my stride that my feet were flat and my big toes were best friends. I should still wear the shoes with more support in the arches. He confirmed that it is my flat feet that make my knees hurt when the arches in my shoes are bad.

The coolest part was watching my feet do their thing with out messing them up by looking down or sideways to try to watch them. On Monday I went to MOSI to the BODIES exhibit. I saw all the bones in the feet, ankles, and legs and the muscles that move them. Then to watch my very own two little feets running on the screen moving like they should was really cool!! I imagined the bones in my feet pulling and pushing the ligaments hanging on and my bones allowing my ankle to stay straight. Very interesting. I would recommend it!!

I got runner feets!!

Happy Presidents Day!!

Distance: 3 miles         Time: ??:??         FOGGY  8:45 am
Temperature: 56 °F        Humidity: 96%       Pressure: 30.26 inches

3 M I L E S ! ! ! Ok still some walking spots but only .3 miles and not all at once!! I can now do Gasparilla 5k this weekend. Good thing too since I have already paid to take part. It should be fun, I am really starting to look forward to it. I think tomorrow night I am going to go look at the race route, and I will try to just run 1.5 tomorrow with out stopping and a short mile on Friday to stay loose.

My calf didn't tighten up at all so I hope my shin doesn't start to ache like after the 2.75 run. I also have not been getting the cramps in my calf at night so maybe I am finally getting in better shape.

I ran near my home today. That way I only knew the half way point much like on race day. I won't have tenth mile marks like in the park. So I had to push to make it just a little farther before a break. I think it worked. I had a little bit of an idea of how far things were and I will for the race but I really only knew the route and the turn-around. I like to map the routes using "America's Running Routes" I don't save mine but I have my own list. I know it is about around the cemeteries near my house. That is a quiet run. (hehehe)

The park is my favorite but I like the streets too. Most people are nice and smile as you pass. I try to say "morning" as I pass and most smile and say it back. The neighborhoods near my home are older and near downtown so there are many different people on the streets. The only rude people were some tourists that had all of their luggage on the sidewalk waiting for the city bus and between them and their luggage they took up the whole sidewalk and they didn't even make an attempt to give me a path. I had to drop off onto the busy street. I didn't say morning to them. I usually like the tourists but these people were just rude. Most of the people on the street in the morning are part of the "work force" walking to work or waiting for the bus. They all look different and you can tell they all have different backgrounds and stories. All the shops are opening too getting ready for business for the day. I would be one of them most of the time driving to work or already there by this time but I happen to get Presidents day off, so it’s nice to see what happens when I’m not rushing to work myself.

I can run miles and miles :)

Active People Watching

Distance: 2 miles         Time: 28:44         Clear  12:30 pm
Temperature: 75 °F        Humidity: 50%       Pressure: 30.2 inches

I think that someone has tied lead weights to my ankles this week. I ran today instead of yesterday because I also have Monday off for President’s Day so I can have a good long run on Monday.

So my park that I run in is always fun because on weekend days like today I can kind of people watch while I run. There are some pavilions that always have some activities going on.

Parents dropping off children to birthday parties and handing them gifts before they run off and telling them not to forget to say thank you for being invited.

Two guys starting a grill and hanging balloons while asking on the phone "where everybody at?"

The guy who runs around the outside of the park backwards...yes backwards...this is the second time I have seen him.

People who walk to work who must live nearby walk through the park in restaurant uniforms.

The guys playing basketball with little kids, and the cheering that goes on when one of the kids scores.

There are older people walking around the path together sitting on the benches that are along the path for a rest. (There is a senior center at one end of the park)

There is a shuffle board court next to the senior center too, but I have yet to ever see anyone on it. I figure that even they think that shuffle board is dumb!!

Little kids playing, riding bikes with training wheels, rolling down the hill.

A group of guys playing soccer…sort of, because there really isn’t a big enough area but they kick the ball around and try not to run into little kids.

And finally the guy who plays racquetball in the courts that is often there and is way too excited for a guy playing for free in a park. He wears the goggles with the thick elastic strap, a head band, and wrist bands and swears like a sailor about every play.

Running...and watching.

Introducing.....

A friend of mine, magnetbabe, has declared February 15th Blog about your Cats day. So....

LOKI
He is an acquisition from a 4th of July party. And I was the sober one!!






FREYA
I got Freya because Loki was a lone kitten and needed a friend...(Or I was going to lose my sanity) She was from a litter from a friends cat that "got out" before getting fixed.




SAGA
This baby girl was pathetic and starving on the street corner and my heart just melted for her. (and when I say pathetic she was P A T H E T I C ! !) She is now Happy and Healthy and Loki's Pride and Joy.




So those are my Kitten Mittens!! And while I get no sleep on cold nights because they are all on top of me I love every minute of it.

Going for the gold

Distance: 1 mile          Time: 12:15:01      Partly Cloudy  4:30 pm
Temperature: 45 °F        Humidity: 64%       Pressure: 30.13 inches

Way tooooooo cold. I did only a mile because I was very uncomfortable. If this is the weather on race day I may be walking more than I run. Or maybe I shouldn't wear the jacket and just freeze at the beginning. I warmed up after about 3/4 miles and could of taken off the jacket. I know that people up north run in much worse than this but I am not used to how to dress or to prepare. Lucky for me I only have a few days a year to deal with it so the odds are I will be just fine on the 25th.

I haven't done the Yoga yet. I also ran hungry....never a good idea. I can't run right after I eat but I shouldn't be hungry either. So I ate. I will do it after the longer run on Tuesday.

Sometimes it's fun during the Olympics to know that I am not an athlete like them but I can do something that more than 50% of the population cannot do. I can run over a mile. So I still do what we all did as kids. When I finished that mile today....I took the gold. In my own little race.

Crusade update: Today I registered for two of the three events coming up. Now the money is spent and I am committed. I was glad to see when I looked up the Miles for Moffit 1 mile fun run/walk that it is especially for walking/running in memory or in support of some one who has cancer. That is exactly what I wanted!!

Running for my own gold

Yoga Stretch Theory

Distance: 2.75 miles      Time: 38:05         Partly Cloudy  7:30 pm
Temperature: 55 °F        Humidity: 64%       Pressure: 30.13 inches

A bit chilly last night but I did very well. I finished the 2.75 strong and while my right leg was tight I was able to run to 1.5 miles (21:01 min split) before I took a .1 mile walk. I don't think I needed it but I wanted it. I will think about waiting till I really need it tomorrow when I do the shorter run, and again when I do this distance on Tuesday.

I started something new last night. I picked up a video of Yoga for flexibility. I really hope that helps the night cramps in my legs and the tightness in my calves and arches especially on the right side. I figure on Friday and Sunday I have time after the run usually so I will do that video at least both of those times as soon as I am done running so that I am still warm. It felt very good last night after the run.

For the first time I feel good about being prepared in time for the run on February 25th. I know that is because I have had more time in the last two weeks to make my scheduled runs. I look forward to next Friday when the first 3 mile run is scheduled.

Running to make the distance.

I need gills!!

Distance: 2.5 miles         Time: 34:19            Cloudy/Foggy  4:30 pm
Temperature: 55 °F        Humidity: 83%       Pressure: 30.13 inches

First I notice that the local pressure is exactly the same as on Sunday but the temp is down and the humidity is WAY WAY UP!! It is worse in the summer but with the cold it was a weird sticky mess, making it feel more like swimming, I can not breath like a fish!!

Next, I noticed that the time is greater but I also realized on the trail that Sunday's run was really more like 2.3 miles so I will have to correct that. Most importantly I walked less this time and ran longer legs. My right calf still got tight but did not completly cramp up!! The sections I ran were each a mile with a .1 mile walk then the next mile and a .1 mile walk.

Friday's goal will be 2.75 miles and to make each leg between walks 1.25 - 1.5 miles. I am feeling confidant that I will be able to run like a pirate on the 25th. I am not worried about having to walk on that day because I know that I could mess up my first time and end up going out too fast with a group and needing to walk but I want to walk a minimum.

I also counted the steps during the 2 .1 mi walks it's ~190 steps/.1 mi that is a good enough estimate for the race if I need too walk I can count steps.

Crusade update: My friend's sister is soooo excited to do the Miles for Moffitt she has recruited more people (as have I) and she wants to put together something fun like t-shirts and stuff with his name on them!! I think it will be FANTASTIC!!

I'm a Runner!!

Crusade

Distance: 2.5 miles       Time: 28:53 min     Sunny 12:45 pm
Temperature: 61 °F        Humidity: 48%       Pressure: 30.13 inches

A week ago my friend with leukemia passed away. As my running buddy he kept me going. Now as the drive behind my new crusade he is still doing the same. When I started this blog I didn’t know what I was looking for. Why share my meager progress with total strangers. Now I think I know. Soon I will post a blog about my friend and place the “I fight cancer” Ribbon on my page. The post will fulfill one of several suggested ideas for a requirement to post the ribbon on a web or blog page, several of which I will end up doing before my crusade is finished. For now I run.

I finished the 2.5 miles today and it was beautiful out. I miss him running with me most on days like this. I had to walk a few times due to some calf cramping. I have also had cramps in my leg at night. I hope when the stress has passed and I can run on more of a schedule some this will all pass too.

I stated that the training to work up to 5k was for a run here in Feb. That will still be the first run. There is also a run on March 4th to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and one on April 8th to benefit Moffitt Cancer Research Center where my friend was treated. The first thing I can do on crusade is pay the money to take part in these events where the proceeds go to these charities and that also encourage healthy activity and thus reduce the risk of cancer in people.

I am honored that my friend’s mother and youngest sister, who will be in town in April, and some of his closest friends would like to take part in the Miles for Moffitt run with me. I hope we make him proud. And I hope that better treatments and cures are found soon.

Running to keep running