First Saturday Morning Team Run!!

Saturday morning, day 25 of training, and I was up at 4:45 a.m. and on the interstate by 5:00 a.m. heading into downtown Charleston to meet our team at Colonial Lake for our first morning team run. We were supposed to be there and ready to run by 6:00 a.m. and I was. Everyone trickled in between 5:30 and 6:00 and we were off and running by about 6:15. Once again everyone split off into groups running either 4 miles, 6 miles, 8 miles and I think I heard perhaps 11 miles!?!? Seeing as I was in the first group of 4 milers, I really didn't have to listen to the rest of the information for the longer distance runners.

We headed out around 6:15ish and did a warm up lap around Colonial Lake and then proceeded on down Broad Street all the way to the Joe Riley Stadium once again. This time we were greeted at the stadium by a gorgeous looking bottle of Gatorade to quench our thirst. Just a quick sip of Gatorade and then back to Colonial Lake!

4.22 miles in right at an hour and 12 minutes, for an average of approximately 17 minutes per mile. On the date of the actual race, we have to pace ourselves at 16 minutes per mile, so I was glad to see I was not really too far off at the beginning of my training. Since I have a little over 3 months to go with training, surely I can get much faster than 16 minutes per mile.

Right now we are just worried about the heat. The temps have been in the high 90s and 100s already which is why we run so early. However, during the week I dont have time to run in the mornings so I run when I get home from work. But even then, it is still 90-95 degrees at 6:00 or 7:00 at night. Trying to convince myself to drink plenty of water throughout the day to help keep hydrated....very hard for me to do since a bottle of water would usually last me a day or two since I dont drink that much, but I'm trying my best!

Tomorrow, Sunday, is a day of complete rest for our training so, once again, I will be glad to oblige by that rule! Today was pretty rough since I am not a morning person at all. Not only did I get up at 4:45 a.m., but then I ran 4.22 miles only to come home to go to lunch and some shopping with hubby, then back out in the heat to do some clothes shopping with Jessica. Then we had a family anniversary party to go to which of course I had to make my famous mac n' cheese for. I did manage to squeeze in about a 30 minute nap between shopping and dinner, but not sure that even helped. By 10:00 p.m. I was pretty much exhausted and couldn't wait to lay my head down on the pillow!

Hope everyone had a great week/weekend!

Tina

Day 22 - Somethings you never forget.....

Like riding a bicycle! So true! I have probably not ridden a bicycle in 6+ years but today I got on mine and went for a little ride. For today's race training, I was supposed to do 30 minutes of "activity". That activity could be swimming, weight lifting, bicycle riding, walking, etc., etc. Well, when you have no pool and no weights, the next thing on the list is a bike, and I actually happened to have one. So, hubby loaded up our bicycles and we headed over to the Sawmill Branch Trail here in Summerville. I have never been on this trail, although I pass it numerous times a day. It was really nice being able to ride on a path and not worry about traffic. I think we may start coming over during day light hours to do our walking and running over here. Can't do much past 8:00 or so however, since there are no lights in this area. But it is definitely a nice, peaceful, quiet area.

This trail is actually 14 miles "round trip" if you take the entire trail, but obviously I did not do that. Little ole me managed to ride 3 miles total. Hubby was ready to keep on going, which I told him he was more than happy to do, but I would just wait at the truck. Being the sweetie that he is, he didn't want to show me up, so we loaded up the bikes and headed back home. That 3 mile ride took me 19 minutes. I will say that I did not "coast" but about 1 minute total since I did try to keep my legs pedaling and not "cheat".

Apparently when you run, you use totally different muscles than when you ride a bicycle. I say that because all the muscles that have not been bothering me since I took on this adventure are now sore. I also apparently had a death grip on my handlebars since even my arms are sore! I am so out of shape - I should not be able to say that though come the end of this adventure!

See you on the trails!

Tina

Day 21 of Training - First Team Run and I live to tell about it!

(Pretend photo inserted here - meant to take pic of the group and forgot camera......)

Tonight was the first "team run" I have experienced. I was nervous to go for several reasons........was i going to be the slowest person there.........does everyone else look as silly in running shorts as I do........was I going to be able to manage to at least run a mile, much less the 2 we were scheduled to do......was I going to be able to remain on my feet and not flat on my face..........the lists goes on. However, I actually enjoyed myself!

We first met for about an hour and went over tons of ideas for fundraising. (As you know, I have to raise $2,500 before July 20 to remain in this wonderful group and learn to run a half-marathaon by October! - so the ideas were great to have!) Afterwards everyone headed outside and split off into groups that were going to run 2 miles, 3 miles, 4 miles or even 5 miles for those "Oh great runners". (I am sure you can figure out which group I was in.........!)

We started off at the MUSC Wellness Center and ran aallllllll the way over to Joe Riley Stadium where the Charleston Riverdogs were actually having a home game that night. How exciting to run by hundreds of people in funny running clothes, breathing heavy, no makeup on and your hair sticking up everywhere. Luckily, there was that big tall wall separating the spectators and me so no harm done - I didn't scare anyone at least! I was with a group of four ladies and we decided that instead of stopping at the 1 mile mark and turning around, we would plug forward for another 1/2 mile so then by the end of the walk/run, we would complete 3 miles and not just 2. We were hesitant, but we plugged on.

We managed to all get back safely and soundly to the MUSC Wellness Center and we were all still standing tall and proud when we returned. After all - we did it - 3 miles! 1 mile more than we were expected to complete. We finished strong and I am actually looking forward to getting up at 5:00 a.m. on Saturday for our next team run which is supposed to be 4 miles!!!

The best part of tonight - no leg pain!!!! Woo Hoo!!!

Tina

Actually returned to scrapbooking today!

Since I started focusing my crafting on greeting cards the last year or so, I do not think I have scrapbooked at all other than throwing together my very simple wedding album last year. I really want to get back in to it and actually get pictures off of my camera. Pretty sad when a scrapbooker has to show people pictures by letting them skim through photos on her camera! LOL.

Anyhoo, I have never done tear bears and have been wanting to take a class on them for the last few years. I finally found one that was held on a Sunday and that I could actually participate in! Sometimes I think the LSS forget that a lot of people actually WORK during weekday days and they tend to offer the "fun classes" during that time. :( So, off i went today to my LSS and made this layout:

Isn't it cute? Hard to tell from the photo but the bears are actually "fuzzy". They are VERY time consuming to make but I am sure as you make more of them and are home alone (and not in a room with 12 chatty women) it would actually not take too long. The paper you use to make the bears is called Mulberry paper and is kind of a "bumpy" type of paper. You take a little tool or wire brush and actually "pick" or "brush" at the paper to get the fluffy, fuzzy effect. I think it turned out cute for my first one. Not sure if you can see from the picture, but below the word "beach" in the lower left hand corner, there is actually "sand" on the page. I grumbled at the class and was whining and "ewwing" because it was gross and wet. (I don't like messing with gooey, wet things on my scrapbook pages.) Well........needless to say I have to go back to the LSS and now admit to Ivy that I love the effect and actually buy some of the stuff to do it! She is going to give me a hard time - I just know it. Maybe I'll go next week when she is on vacation and then it will be our little secret! :)

I can't wait to get back into my scrapbooking. Would love to be able to actually scrapbook our summer vacation this summer that we are taking next month in the same year that we go on it! LOL

Today was "Day 19" of marathon training. I was so happy to wake up, look at my "training schedule" and see that today is our first "day of rest". I was like woo hoo - finally a day I can meet goal!! LOL So, no running for me today!!!

Going to get rested up and wait for hubby to return home tonight since he has been gone all weekend, so my girlie scrapbooking, card making, chick flick watching weekend is now over.

Have a great week!

Tina

Day 17 & 18 - Cards finally made!

Well, Friday, June 4, was pretty uneventful and nothing too exciting. The doctor did call to say no leg fracture - yeah! But to "take it easy". I been "taking it easy" all week, no more time for taking it easy. However, I heeded his advice today and worked all day and then came home and had dinner out with Jess since the boys were off on a 4-wheeling weekend in the hills of Kentucky. Figured I would rest up since I had full packed weekend of card making, scrap making, cleaning and running to fit in.

But, Saturday, Day 18 of training' I was busy as a bee and loved every minute of it!

Here are some of the cards that we made in our card class this morning and one or two I made after the class while I was watching my "chick flicks" while hubby out of town:

I was waiting all week to watch Julie & Julia this weekend while hubby gone, but could not find it to rent, so I ended up settling for "Leap Year", "Bride Wars", and "Dear John". All pretty good.

Prior to settling down late this evening, I figured I better try out the old legs and see what they were going to let me do. Since the boys were out of town and Jessica was working, I was really worried to do too much since I didnt know if I would end up hurting on the other side of the block and have no one to come pick me up! LOL. So, I actualy only did .6 mile. I know - lame! However, I was able to alternate 1 minute running to 2 minutes of walking for a total of 9 minutes and no pain when I got home! Doctor said to TAKE IT SLOW and not to follow schedule by trainers but to do at my own pace. So.....here I go. Tomorrow morning the plan is to get up at at 6:30 so I can try to get in a mile or so. Figured in broad day light if I was laying on side of road perhaps someone would come along and pick me up! LOL

Tomorrow I get to look forward to going to take an actual scrapbook class. I have not gone and taken one myself in probably over 2 years so I am looking forward to actually being a student and not a teacher and to try and get back into my scrapbooking versus card making!

Have a great night!

Tina

Day 16 - What a day!

As I indicated yesterday, dad was having his gall bladder surgery today. He was scheduled for 2:30 so my boss said I could leave and head to the hospital to see him when he came out of surgery, which was my plan all day. Luckily I called dad to chat before surgery this morning and let him know I'd be there and check in on him later, because after that, my day just pretty much went downhill.

I have been struggling with a lingering cough the last couple of months and 3 weeks ago the doctor had put me on some medication that was supposed to "knock it out". Told me if it returned after 2 weeks to call him immediately. Well, I finally called him today - I know - a week late - and told him as soon as I went off the medication the coughing returned and has progressively got worse. Made an appointment with the nurse to go see him next week. Five minutes later got another call back and said I couldn't wait til next week and I needed to be at his office by 4:00 today. Well - - no biggy, that gave me time to at least pop in to see dad when he got out of surgery at 3:00 and then rush to Summerville - WRONG!

Left work to head to hospital but was told by mom that dad would go straight to recovery until probably 4:00 or later. So......no seeing dad.

Went to doctor, where I was put on more medication for next 5 days and if that don't cut it, have to go for some further pulmonary testing. What fun!! Then while I was there and having to pay my $30 co-pay, figured I could kill two birds with one stone and went ahead and mentioned my leg pain assuming the doctor would simply say "push on girlie - you are simply out of shape!" Well, that ain't what he said. Instead, he said "Oh, you might have a stress fracture, let's send you for xrays." WHAT?!?! REALLY?!! I dont have time to sit and "rest" any more doc. So....there I went and hobbled off to xray and now I am doing more sitting and waiting for results. Grrrrr.

Came home to "lay down for 5 minutes" then will go see dad. Well, 2 1/2 hours later at 8:10 p.m. woke up. Where did my day go?!? Called dad and chatted with him, he seemed to be a little doped up but otherwise said he was doing fine and would be released in the morning and they had already had him up and walking the halls. Good news!

Tonight however, my legs (even the one I didn't have xray'd) was really bothering me. Remember yesterday how I said I was supposed to rest but made cards instead? I guess standing up on my legs for 3 hours at my craft table has taken its toll and wasn't a very good idea. :( Then again, I told you before I didn't do this "rest" thing very good.

So, here's to hoping the doctor will call me in the morning with a "clean bill of health" to return to running/walking tomorrow and my legs will feel like new when I wake up.

Tina

Day 15 - Presented with a Straight Jacket

Yes, you read that right. I came home from work today for my husband to present me with a "Straight Jacket". Lucky for me it was the model name of a pair of brand new Oakley Sunglasses that he bought for me to run in. LOL! (Although I still think I am crazy for doing this whole marathon training so either type of straight jacket at this point would probably have been in order!)

Anyhoo - I am always the one that buys the $10.00 glasses off the rack at Walgreens when I need sunglasses since I am constantly losing or breaking them. He said I needed a "good pair" of glasses so he surprised me with these today. Needless to say, they are not $10.00 glasses so I guess I need to sew them to my head so I don't lose them!

This was another "day of rest" as far as walking/running goes. Hopefully by tomorrow will be back up and running. So, since I could not run, figured I better take this evening to design cards for my upcoming card class I am giving on Saturday. Nothing like waiting until the last minute!!

Thanks for everyone's support by providing fundraising for this event. Hope I can get back on my feet and make everyone proud.

Update on dad - got word this afternoon that dad met with the surgeon and they have scheduled him for gall bladder removal surgery tomorrow afternoon so off to the hospital I will head after lunch tomorrow! Stay tuned......


Tina