I couldn't make this up...

For those of you West of the Eastern Seaboard, we have a serious snow situation. And when I say serious, I mean 10-15 inches of snow depending on location. Yesterday in South Carolina, I had no idea what was taking place north of me. Prior to leaving I checked the web and it looked like VAB would get about 6 inches of snow and I-95 was clear. Thinking that I needed to get back so I could get to work on Monday, I left SC and headed to Hampton Roads. This is the first decision in my life that I am deeply disappointed in myself for making.

The web had been truthful and I-95 was pretty clear. There was snow falling but the roads had no accumulation or other drivers for much of it. I figured I could roll into VAB around 3 and beat sundown. About 50 miles from my destination, I was stuck on Hwy 58 not moving with well over 7 hours in the car. I was 7 miles from interstate and certain once I was there it would be smooth sailing. Sitting still I heard a pop and smoke began to exit from the hood. I had no idea what to do so I just turned my car off in the middle of the road. We weren't moving, so I wasn't going to try to get out of the way. I completely lost it, certain I would be stranded in the cold and already feeling somewhat claustrophobic from the bumper to bumper traffic. What happened next reminded me of my favorite movie as a kid, Adventures in Babysitting.

Before I could really get a bearing on what had happened, a wrecker pulled up in front of me and the guy got out. He wasted no time and told me to call my insurance and he would start hooking me up. I was so confused and uncertain of what would happen that I could not stop crying. The wrecker driver, Adam, got in and then started to try to figure out what to do with me. At first he was angry that I got stuck and yelled at me for crying. And he sweared A LOT. None of that helped the situation and only increased the tears. He informed me that he couldn't take me home because the bridges were closing and many of the exits were doing the same. I had to find a place to go that side of the High Rise Bridge and I could not think of anywhere. I just started calling people that I thought were in the area. In the process, he assured me he wouldn't leave me in the cold and told me I would just ride around with him until I could figure out where to go.

Sitting shotgun in a 30,000 pound wrecker, my mind started to wander. My first thought was Adventures in Babysitting and I knew if I opened his glove box, there would be a gun. And if he wanted to go check on someone's house I was toast! Then I began to think of all the Criminal Minds episodes I watch every night. That did not help my sanity. Sure he was in a legit truck, but how did I know he hadn't hijacked the real driver and he was picking up innocent victims to drive away and kill? I just began to pray that everything would work out and that I would be safe and warm somewhere that night. I managed to warm Adam up to the idea of me hanging out with him for a bit and after he yelled at me and made me cry more, he got soft. By the end of the trip, he was trying to joke around with me and I think he enjoyed the company. After numerous phone calls, I managed to track down a friend from high school that lived 1 exit away from the wrecker service. We arranged a meeting spot and he dropped me off with Haley's husband. When I exited the wrecker, I hugged him. I'm not sure he knew what to do with that since he just stood there, but I was so grateful for him.

I spent last night with the McPhail's and their hospitality is extremely appreciated. This morning Haley's husband drove me to my car to retrieve the contents and then drove me to my house. I'm home now, but sans car. Right now, I'm just praying for an inexpensive fix and life to return to normalcy soon. I've had a number of inconveniences in the last 2 months, so I'm a bit exhausted.

The whole situation has really done a number on me emotionally. First of all, I wish with every fiber of my being I had stayed in SC. I could have spent a few more days with my family and enjoyed it post Christmas stresses. I always get emotional leaving their home and wish I had more time with them. Second, I'm in awe of how awesome God is. Adam insisted that if I hadn't been in the middle of the road, he wouldn't have stopped. And we all know on a normal travel day it takes a while to get a wrecker. Even if my car hadn't broke down, I wouldn't have made it home if everything truly did shut down. And just before the pop, I told my dad I was done. I wanted to just pull over and quit. I drove for 7 hours white knuckled and teary eyed most of the way, and I was exhausted.

I learned 2 things out of this:
1) You are never too cautious. Safety is more important than anything else. And if people want to call you a pansy, just remember the time I got picked up by a wrecker in a snow storm. I'm never driving in snow again.
2) Even when you make poor decisions, the Lord doesn't leave you stranded. He always provides, even if it is a grumpy old man that gets mad at you for breaking down. In the end, that mean old man turns out to be an angel.

2011 Race Calendar

My running partner and I have been trying to decide what 2011 will look like for our running careers. Neither one of us wanted to make any decisions since Richmond. Well, I received the following email from her this week:

"Wishy Washy Running Partner sees four possible spring scenarios - pick one and I will commit.

'We are a hot mess.' - Run Colonial 1/2, Outer Banks Pirate 1/2, Wine Country 1/2 (this is one every other month beginning Feb), ... Marine Corps a given.

'Karen avoiding running in cold for one more month.' -Shamrock 8k, Outer Banks Pirate 1/2, Wine Country 1/2, begin marathon training.

'Same old, same old.' - Shamrock 1/2, add Wine Country 1/2 prior to beginning marathon training.

'Hills, Hills, Hills.' - Colonial 1/2, Shamrock 8k, Wine Country 1/2...[Marine Corps]..."

So, I have spent the week considering my options, performing cost analysis, and deciding what our best plan of action would be. I was drawn to the first plan, but after reviewing the costs for the races and the hotel needs for each I made a proposition. Let's swap OBX with Shamrock. This puts us running 2 local races (no accomodations needed) and 2 travel races. Sure, we have run Shamrock about a MILLION TIMES but it is a good race. AND you get a free hat. I like the hat.

Karen agreed and registration has begun. We are officially "a hot mess."

Tonight I got an email from Coach to determine my goals for 2011. I must admit, this last year of training has shown me that I truly can improve and accomplish goals I never thought possible.

To keep myself accountable, here are the announced goals for 2011:

Colonial Half (Feb): Finish and enjoy the scenery. Running has been minimal for the Holiday season, so I'm not going to kill myself in 2 months of training.
Shamrock Half (March): Finish in 2:05. This will be 6 minutes faster than Richmond averaging 46 seconds faster each mile.
Wine Country Half (June): Finish in 2:00
Marine Corps Marathon (October): Less walk breaks than Shamrock 2010 and finish under 4:50. That shaves 9 minutes off my other marathon time. However, I have been told that runners typically shave about 20 minutes off marathon time for the second attempt.
5k Goal: Finish in 27 minutes. That only shaves 37 seconds from my current PR.
8K Goal: Finish under 47 minutes. That shaves about 1:20 from my current PR.
Other: I would like to make 9:40 the new "slow".

Stay tuned in 2011 to see how I perform with an increased "big" race schedule (4 instead of my typical 2 in a year) and high mileage weeks. As crazy as this sounds, I'm pretty pumped about it!

A Hoarder's Home

I have spent the last 2 days with my floor guys. Day one they removed all the paper backing from the vinyl that was pulled up earlier. This was in preparation for the new floors. Today, their 2nd day working, the kitchen tile was put down and the vinyl in the laundry room completed. Since the tile has to set, my oven and fridge have joined all of my other furniture in the dining area. And since the bathroom vanity cabinet has to be replaced, the new one is hanging out in the laundry room. Tomorrow, they will replace the bath cabinet and I assume lay the tile in the master bath.

I say all of this to say, I live in what looks like a hoarder's home. I cannot even watch that show from the stress and frustration of the living conditions. Yet, I am there right now. It is absolutely killing me. My dining room table blocks the door to my guest room so I have to enter through the guest bath. I'm trying to get some sewing projects completed in the midst of this chaos, so I have to enter the guest room through the bathroom and shimmy my way to the sewing machine, which is a straight shot from the bedroom door that is blocked. Ugh! All of my "stuff" is stacked in the guest room, not to mention my Christmas presents that I have already purchased. Everything that was in my bathroom cabinet is now hanging out in my bedroom. Nothing is in its proper place.

I cannot stress enough how anxious I am to get this place back in order! Looks like I can move back into my kitchen and laundry room tomorrow afternoon. Carpet dude is scheduled for Tuesday and any outstanding work on the other floors should finish that day as well. Fingers crossed this place is back to normal by Tuesday. I want to decorate for Christmas, but I'm starting to lose the motivation. What timing!

The Floors Are Coming!

Well, I am finally getting my floors tomorrow morning. The "incident" occurred on 6 November, so it has been close to a month that I have been living on concrete slabs. Insurance is a bear to deal with, so it has taken time to get that squared away and to pick out something not to mention the Thanksgiving holiday. After much tile previewing, I have finally settled on the kitchen floor. I'm pretty sure on the bathroom floor, but I haven't gotten the vanity cabinet yet. I'm asking to do that whole job on a later date. The carpet will be laid on Tuesday morning.

As long as I can get my kitchen and laundry room taken care of, then the carpet folks can fix the dining area and hallway. So, all of my home that is visible to guests will be put back together in the next few days. You have no idea how excited I am to get this settled. As soon as home life resumes normalcy, I get to decorate for Christmas!!!!!

Color Scheme Quest

Since the Flood of twenty-ten, I have the opportunity to do a little upgrading and redecorating. As exciting as it is, it is also a big headache. I feel like I can't do anything until 1) I get the moolah squared away with insurance and 2) I figure out what the crap I am going to do.

In the meantime, my home is an absolute wreck and I'm walking on concrete slab in half of my house. I have discovered I own more things than any single woman should own. And my Christmas projects are behind schedule since my home is in disarray. I hope this chaos is over very soon.

Here is one of my main dilemmas: Master Bath colors. I get to repace the vanity cabinet because it was damaged and the floor. I figured this was a great opportunity to fix it up since I have hated it for sometime now. I really want a black cabinet. I can't find any COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) cabinets I can afford and would want. I've almost decided to go custom. But I could save a lot of money if I just bought a standard white cabinet at Home Depot. I think I want to paint the walls a shade of gray but I'm struggling with the accent color. I have thoughts of Red (because I hate red) or yellow. I cannot decide on anything! Anyone have suggestions? HELP!

My First Travel Race

When I moved to Virginia Beach, I started running races because there were more than enough to fill a runner's calendar in the immediate area. All of my big races have been right here. Traveling to run never really crossed my mind. I had heard lots of good things about Richmond's race, mostly the presence of a junk food table on course. When my running partner's husband registered, we decided we would try it also. That's when we began speed training with a goal of breaking 2 hours.

My best half time was 2:15. To cut 15 minutes off would be quite a feat. As the race approached, I decided it best to be more realistic. I decided that I would try to hit 2:05. Still a lofty goal, but something to shoot for.

This race was very different for two reasons. First, our hotel was about 2 blocks from the start. That means no stress in finding a parking spot and more sleep time. Second, it was a new place to run. I'm not at all familiar with Richmond, so I was excited to "see the sights" as we ran.

For the first 8 miles I felt great and kept my pace just where I wanted. However, at mile 8 I hit an unusual wall. Perhaps it was the unexpected number of hills the first half of the race presented or just a mental block but I have no idea what happened. I began to slow down for the next 2-3 miles. I had to completely get in my head and talk myself out of going slow. Around mile 11 I started to get a little faster and finally came back to my target pace for the 13th mile. I finished at 2:11:19. To cut off 4 minutes is pretty substantial and has only fueled me to find another one and try again. Thanks to Coach Tim, I'm getting faster and I know if I can get myself together mile 8-11, I can reach my goal.

Karen and I after the race. Shortly after this picture, we saw the Marathon winner cross the finish. His time was 2:18. He took 7 more minutes than I to run twice the distance. It just makes me sick. Kenyans....

This is my friend from work, Christa. I have this habit of convincing people that they can run long distances and twisting their arms to register for a race. This was my most recent victim. Not only had she never run a Half Marathon before, she had never run A RACE EVER. She was on a definite runner's high when I saw her. So proud of you, Christa!!

Believe it or not, I ran into a college friend at the finish line! It truly is a small world.

I'm taking a bit of a break this week on running but I'm aggressively searching the internet for a new half. Send me your suggestions. I'm willing to travel. :o)

Flood of 2010

If you knew me in 2003, you may recall the Flood of 2003. It went something like this: Woke up on a December morning with my entire home flooded by a burst pipe. Fast forward to Saturday night when I arrived home from my Mecca trip. This time it goes like this: Neighbor's hot water heater overflowed and flooded half of my home. Ugh!

We are well on our way to restoration. Carpet is probably salvageable although the padding has been removed. Linoleum was removed this morning, so that's a loss. I have obnoxiously loud industrial fans blowing hopefully for the last night to dry the concrete slab. Just waiting on the insurance adjuster so we can get this renovation started!

I'm handling this flood much better. After sulking over the inconvenience and frustration that goes with ALL of my belongings residing in the dry areas of my bedrooms and living room, I have changed my attitude. For the last year, I've been rather anxious to purchase a new home. I resolved a few months ago that I cannot afford what I want right now so I should make the most of what I do own. This morning, the Lord reminding me that although this situation is a bit of a nuisance, it is His way of helping make this dwelling place even better. So, three cheers for new floors! Hip! Hip! Hip!

Homecoming 2010

I made a last minute decision to make the trek home for Lee University's Homecoming weekend. It seemed that most of my girlfriends were making the trip and once all of my transportation woes were solved, I bought a plane ticket to the ATL. The surprising part: Chip decided he wanted to see what the kids were talking and check out TN. So, he joined me and learned first hand the awesomeness of all things Cleveland.

We boarded the big white bird on Thursday night and headed for ATL. Whatup and her new beau, Kit (who is awesome, by the way), scooped us up from the airport to transport us to Joanna. We met up with her at a very "classy" Waffle House and decided to just go in and make a memory of it. We were the only patrons at 10:00pm, so we convinced Joanna we had reserved the place for us. Once we finished stuffing our faces with smothered and covered hashbrowns, we headed to Jo's place. Let the fun begin!

We woke up Friday morning and headed straight over to my college roommate's house, Amberly. Berly just gave birth to her 3rd daughter, so she is a for real FULL TIME mommy. We went over for breakfast and to spend some time with her kiddos. Her oldest is quite a character. She speaks in full monologues at the age of 3 and a half. Her middle girl is adorable with her scratchy voice. We had a blast eating waffles and fruit with her fam and then began to make our way North to TN.

After running a few errands, we made it to TN at lunchtime. If anyone has ever spent time in Cleveland, TN you know exactly where to go for lunch: JENKINS! We met Sarah Bragg and her 2 girls and Kelly Denbow's family. It was so nice to see everyone and their little ladies. We finally finished our chicken salad sammies and wound down before the Class of 2000 evening event. We joked at lunch, "What if we are the only people that show to the reunion?" Of course that wouldn't happen, right?




We arrived fashionably late to a very empty gathering place. Other than a handful of folks that we didn't know, our crew was the only group there! Can you believe it? We didn't care though. We intended to spend time together and we did. So, Brittany, Willis, Mac, and baby-to-be joined the lunch crew plus Sarah's husband. We hung out until the babies had to go home and sleep. Then Jo, the Jepson's minus Mac, and Chip and I met up with Whatup and Kit at Jenkins for an evening of chocolate cake and offensive conversation. I haven't laughed that hard in a long, long time. I think we have decided to get a group together to head to the Kentucky Derby next year. You in?

Saturday morning, Joanna and I ran the Homecoming 5k and then did an additional 5 miles. Once that was said and done, we went to our respective lodging facilities and cleaned up for the day. Chip and I took Keri to the Rebel for brunch, my first place of employment. Man, those biscuits and gravy are still awesome! Then we met up with the previous night's crowd with the addition of Joel and hung out for a bit at Gardner's Market. After getting a full commentary tour of the Bragg's historic home renovation, we headed to ATL to fly home.


If you are worn out by reading all of that, imagine how spent we were when we got home. I needed that trip so badly and loved seeing everyone. It's funny because many of those ladies I only see once a year and conversations are spread out in between mostly through email and Facebook with a handful of phone calls. But the friendships we developed at Lee were relationships of substance. They are still near and dear to me even if it is just once a year visiting.

I think Chip enjoyed himself in the land of Mayfield's and Jenkins. I know he was a hit with the age 3 and under crew. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he goes back to just visit Sinclair. He assured me he would send me a postcard if he did.


Ladies, glad I saw each of you and looking forward to Berly's Girls Weekend. Hopefully we can add Cybil and Mur to that one!

(Me, Britt, Kelly, and Sarah. We couldn't resist getting a picture here. Photographed by Jo.)

Little Chicken

I have a friend at work that grew up on a farm way up north. His way of introducing his family to farmlife and bringing a little bit of home to VA is raising chickens. Yes. I said chickens. He raised 12 chickens to lay eggs for his family. He told me all about it a few weeks ago and I was just excited about the thought of fresh eggs on a Sunday morning. Unfortunately, I have no space for chickens in my condo and I'm pet averse. So, I'm not a good candidate for chicken raising right now. He informed me that his chickens were laying eggs like crazy and much more than his family could enjoy. If I brought in an egg carton, he agreed to fill it up. How exciting is that?!?! So, I brought one in for my little share of farm freshness.

My co-worker bought 8 more chicks and we agreed that I could "sponsor" one. He brought in a video of them all chirping away and let me pick out "my" new chicken. I asked if I was going to get pictures as my little chick grew up to be an egg laying chicken and if I would receive letters that I could display on my refrigerator. He said he will work on both. Then he showed me what my little adorable yellow chick will look like as an adult.

Here is what she looks like right now:

And this little ball of feathery fun is what she will look like in a few months:

She is a White Cochin. I'm sure mine will be much more adorable than this interweb picture, but you get the idea. Here's the problem. I have to name her! Give me some suggestions, people! The sooner we name her, the sooner she can mature and lay eggs. Well, that last part may be a bit of an exaggeration but I do not want her to be nameless. She needs an identity other than egg provider.

Oh! And I'm sure you are dying to know what culinary delight I'm going to attempt this weekend with my fresh eggs? Cheese Souffle! Bon Apetit!

Snuggle Buddy

As you may recall, I decided to make the 6 years of employment with Starbucks Coffee a gift that keeps on giving. I had so many t-shirts from my years with the company and knew that I wouldn't wear them again. So, I pulled them all out and started cutting them up. I kept one intact since I already had the 4x4 panels and, as any good barista would do, I opted NOT to use the Vivanno shirt. (There are so many reasons baristas hate Vivannos.)

This little project taught me a few more sewing skills even though the finished product isn't perfect. T-shirts creep even with interface. If I were to do it over again, then I would have used a stiffer interface. I was pretty far into the project when I realized there were numerous mistakes. I finally resolved that I was making something to curl up on the couch with and not something to enter into a quilt show. I pressed on and thought I would finish it last night. However, due to a number of wrong stitches and the need to remove entire quilt length seams, I ran out of thread with one side left to bind. I was so frustrated! I only had 5-10 minutes worth of work left and out of thread. It is times like that I wish I knew more neighbors, preferably ones that sew and wouldn't mind loaning out spools of thread. I made a stop on the way home from work and finished my new snuggle buddy up.

I'm happy to announce that I am typing this right now with said quilt on my lap and it is mighty comfy. I think I'll try to make another one really soon. Next time, I'll shoot closer to perfection...maybe.

Fall Celebrated

Can you think of a better way to spend a Saturday evening to kick off fall than pumpkin carving?

I didn't think so. So, that is exactly what we did last weekend. To celebrate the cool weather, Kirsten and Jesse came over with pumpkin in tow for an evening of carving.

The boys had not carved pumpkins before and I had no experience with it either other than watching my parents as a kid. As a result, I didn't have proper carving tools. The fellas ran to the store to purchase the proper instruments and found a fun pumpkin carving book with an assortment of patterns for us to choose from. And here are the products of our loverly evening:

My pumpkin was the "easiest" and so it doesn't look as cool as everyone else's pumpkin. Plus, I was the last one finished. It is suppose to be an owl in a tree. I'm just not good at artistic projects but I had fun anyways.

I think Jesse's was considered the hardest according to the book. He did a really good job, but that is to be expected. He is good at everything.

Kirsten chose the fun white pumpkin and freehanded her carving. She's an artist with blantanly obvious talent.

Chip wanted to find a Thundercat pattern but settled for the howling wolf included in the book. I think he was pleased with the wolf.

I love fall!! Are you carving pumpkins this year?

Prescription To Read

Today I participated in my first ever physical. (Don't judge me.) I figured 32 was a good age to get some baselines for future preventative care. I had bloodwork taken last week and today was the "inspection."



Doc had a med student shadowing him. He went through the assumably usual questions and, of course, my answers were pretty boring. Sometimes you want to just make stuff up so you don't seem so ridiculously boring, but I figured medical visits and FBI investigations are moments that you don't want to try the story telling. Sort of makes the lying less entertaining.


As you may recall, I sliced my finger Memorial Day Weekend. Doc had removed the sutures, so he asked me about the healing. I showed him the finger and commented about the nail that was sliced below the cuticle in the accident. I was curious about where the nail started since it was split under the skin and was now growing out. He took a look and remarked about how quickly it is growing. Without thinking much, I responded, "I drink a lot of milk." I said it partly because it was the first thing I thought of and partly in attempt to entertain the obviously bored med student. Cricket. Cricket. No response but a glaring look from both. Seriously? Lighten up, people!



So, we continued with the physical. Doc asked about my feet, "Do you have any pains in your feet?" I went on to explain my Plantar Fasciitis issue during Marathon training but I assured him I haven't hurt in the last 6 months. This must have sparked his interest and he asked how much I run during the week.



I had brought a book in with me since we all know appointment times mean zilch in the land of medicine. I recently picked up a mindless chick lit book to read from the Shopaholic series. He looked at the book and started asking me questions about it. At that moment, I thought "I should have been reading something more intellectual or classical." Oh well, I admit it. I read mindless books on occasion.



The results of the physical were pretty good. I am pretty proud of my 142 cholesterol number with 57 HDL (good kind). Looks like my good eating habits (Monday-Friday) and my running have paid off. They are concerned about my B12, though. He asked if I was a vegetarian which I laughed and said "No, I love animal products." I had to get more bloodwork done today so they can look specifically at my B12. I hope that is just something I can add to my diet. I'm horrible at remembering pills.



So, I'm waiting at the lab area and Doc comes over and hands me this:




He told me "If you like to read and you are a runner, you should read this book." I told him thank you. I thought it was nice of him to try and connect with me. Most doctors don't. A few minutes later, he comes back with the book and says, "You can't take this home with you, but read the first chapter before you leave." I thought that was really cool of him. And you know what? I want to finish the book now.


So, physical went well. I'm pretty healthy and Doc has prescribed that I read about the Tarahumura Indians to improve my running. The real question here is: Does MedCo cover Barnes and Noble?

I cut. I'm committed.

A friend at work also started sewing when I did. So, we swap ideas and share things that we learn along the way. Today, she brought in her latest project, a quilt! Let me tell you it was so awesome! I felt guilty since I have been rather slack in my sewing sessions, but seeing her excellent craftsmanship inspired me. All day at work I was thinking about what I could make tonight.

Today we had a bit of a tropical storm, so afternoon running was easily cancelled. Since I had extra time, I came home and made myself some coffee ready to get some things accomplished. Boy, did coffee do the trick!

I decided to close the loop on some napkins I had started last year. Here is a picture of one of my new fall napkins:

Well, when I finished those I decided to bite the bullet and dive into my Starbucks T-Shirt quilt. I had a discussion today that I've been putting this off because I'm nervous. You see, once you cut, then you are committed. (I'm not the world's best at commitment.) I have spent hours designing this quilt, but just couldn't cut the shirts...until tonight. I decided I would just do it! I managed to cut 4 of the larger panels and attach the interfacing. I've got goals to cut a few each night and attach interfacing so that I can start piecing them together. I'm getting excited about it now! I hope this thing will turn out and in the next few weeks I have something comfy to curl up on the couch with. I'll keep you posted.

The Ladder

Tonight's speed training was another push towards our 2 hour goal by following "The Ladder." This exercise involves increasing the distance while slowing down the pace. Tonight it was suppose to look like this:

400m with goal pace of 8:00/mile
600m with goal pace of 8:10/mile
800m with goal pace of 8:18/mile
1000m with goal pace of 8:24/mile
1200m with goal pace of 8:30/mile

I found it interesting how you can trick your body into thinking it is going slower than it truly is. The first lap wasn't as bad as we thought it would be. It doesn't get easier, it just becomes manageable. The last few laps were incredibly difficult but it doesn't feel so fast since you are technically going slower than before. Breathing is still difficult but I am beginning to learn how to relax my upper body. I find that helps with the running faster.

How did we do? Here are our stats for the evening:

400m/7:41
600m/8:05
800m/8:12
1000m/8:15
1200m/8:27

Not too shabby, huh? I'm so proud of us!!!

8k PR

As you have read, I'm trying something new this time for my half marathon training. This go around, we are training for time. This involves speed work, something I have done very little of until now. Surprisingly, the training has made us faster. (Duh?!?!)

Today was my first race to actually race. You either run a race or you race it. This is a common question you can ask a runner before a race: "Are you running or racing?" Before now, I would just run to finish and keep my pace pretty comfortable. I would cross the finish hardly breathing hard. Well, that can't be the case anymore. We are bumping it up a notch. Today was that opportunity.

I got to the race early enough to watch the 5k start. Then my running partner and "Coach" ran a very slow mile to warm up and get our legs ready to move. Karen and I laughed again about being "those people" now as we saw a few others doing the same and the participants waiting on the 8k glaring like "Why are they running NOW?"

We had a game plan to start slower and speed up as we went and then open it up full speed ahead the final mile. Well, it didn't go exactly as planned. I think we started too fast because we slowed down at mile 3 and mile 4 was horribly slow. However, we opened it up for the final mile. That was so stinkin' hard! Luckily, "Coach" ran the last quarter mile or so in with us pushing us to the end. The moment I crossed the finish my watch said 7:00 minute/mile pace. WOW!

Today's race was a personal record (PR) for me, which is good. However, it was a little humid. I hope that means we would be faster minus humidity. Nonetheless, I finished in 48:20. I need to get down to a solid and comfortable 9:00/mile. Working towards that. Here are my splits for the race today:

Mile 1: 9:16

Mile 2: 9:26

Mile 3: 10:00

Mile 4: 10:49 (Eek! VERY bad)

Mile 5: 8:45

Now, I need to add Tempo runs to my weeks. I think I'm going to kick hills to the curb and swap that out for tempo. This training thing is a part-time job!

3-2

Last weekend I celebrated my 32nd birthday. Presumably so, I spent the weekend eating, eating, and more eating. Chip took me to The Melting Pot, my unofficial birthday spot. And I was able to go spend some time with my folks on Sunday in Raleigh. This is the yummy carrot cake my momma made for me to bring home. Half of this cake is in the freezer now. I ate entirely too much food for a week. Something's gotta give, so to the freezer it went. I'm sure I will enjoy it on a rainy day in October.

Thank you to all my friends for the birthday wishes, cards, and gifts. I am truly blessed with some incredible friendships.

Coconut Water: Miracle Drink or Gimmick?

I'm not going to dance around the issue. If any product has a compelling argument that it will make me run better, improve my health, or increase weight loss, chances are pretty great I will buy it and give it a chance. Sales folks for these type products see me coming a mile away.

I have read a few articles on line and heard from a co-worker about coconut water. I hadn't seen it in any stores yet, so I hadn't given it a shot. My trip to Trader Joe's this weekend gave me an opportunity to purchase. I figured I could spend $1.49 for the test.

According to the interweb, coconut water has more potassium than a banana and contains the 5 electrolytes that your body needs to stay hydrated. The potassium helps to maintain water balance and helps optimizing your muscles contracting and relaxing. And BONUS: The 11 ounce package I purchased only had 60 calories.

I decided I would try it today with my easy run in case I had some adverse reaction to it. It has a very unusual taste. Something about the name lead me to believe it may have a taste of coconut. Not true. It is a taste I have never had before. Since it did not meet my expectation of coconuty flavor, I was extremely surprised. It wasn't gross and I will probably enjoy it more now that I know what to expect.

Nonetheless, I drank it about 45 minutes before running. At the beginning of my run, I noticed that my legs still felt tired from Saturday but I had plenty of energy to finish. In fact, our schedule for today said 5 miles at a 10:30 pace. I averaged 5 miles at a 10:00 pace and I wasn't trying. I also noticed that I wasn't dying for water at the end as I usually do. Now, this could all be in my head since I ate well today and also had a yogurt and fruit this afternoon before the drink. AND the weather isn't a million degrees so I'm not as dehydrated as I was this summer. AND I drank about 80 ounces of water before the run. Lots of factors could have played into the success of the run but it is way more exciting to say I found a miracle drink.

Sew much to do...

As you may recall, I am teaching myself to sew. I've gotten in the habit of buying random patterns when they are 99cents and then trying them out when I find some fabric that I think will work. Today I finished some napkins and created a reuseable grocery bag. I'm not wild about the bag because there are several imperfections but I'm hoping to improve.


Now, I'm going to make myself a clutch bag as soon as I decide which pattern and material to use. What do you think? A clutch with a zipper or flap?

Pushing the End

This week was our first intense week towards our Richmond goal. So far training has been both challenging and encouraging.

Here's how it is suppose to work. Long runs are run about 2 minutes slower than your desired race pace. In order to run the half in 2 hours, we need to pace about 9:10/mile. My best half marathon time was a 2:15 which calculates a pace of 10:18. Math majors, that is over a minute per mile cut. This is no easy goal, to say the least, but we are going to try. The speedwork we are doing is an effort to eliminate that minute from our pace.

This weekend "coach" suggested we run the first 7 miles at about 11:00/mile pace but run the final mile at race pace. We weren't certain we could pull off the final push for speed. Tim says this sort of thing trains your legs that they can push even when they are tired. That's what we need. So, half heartedly we agreed to at least try it. I have to admit it was sort of fun. Our final mile was a nice trail that had a few small inclines and some winding parts. It sort of felt like we were on a roller coaster. We were breathing pretty hard and anxious about hitting the end but we did it. Final mile pace: 9:07.

I DID IT! I DID IT!

Well, it's training season again so I'll probably be posting a lot more about this event's preparation. We have set a goal to break 2 hours at the half in November. This is a pretty lofty goal since my best is 2:15 and Karen's best is 2:09 (I think). Realistically speaking, we thought 2:05 would be more reasonable for November and shoot for 2:00 in March at Shamrock. BUT, we will see.

Tonight was our first speedwork effort. Tim, Karen's husband, has agreed to meet up with us one evening a week and lead us in some speed intervals. His goal tonight for us was to complete 6 intervals x 4 minutes at 9min/mile. Now let me put this in perspective for those of you unfamiliar with running. I am a very comfortable 10min/mile and have managed to keep about a 9:40 for very short runs of 3 miles. To trim 1 min from your pace is a pretty big deal. Well, I did it tonight.

The first 3 weren't really bad. He informed me that interval 4 and 5 would be the hardest and the last one would be easy. That was not the case for me. ALL of the last 3 were difficult with the final one being the absolute hardest. I have never breathed so hard in my entire life!!! I didn't think it would ever end or that I would catch my breath afterwards. According to "Coach", I ran all of my intervals under a 9 min pace except one at 9:01 AND I finished my last one at 8:47 (or 8:41 I can't remember). No wonder I was dying.

I feel pretty good tonight and I'm more motivated for November than ever before. My goal doesn't seem so lofty after tonight. Hip-Hip!

Amendment: Here are my official paces.
Interval 1: 8:39
Interval 2: 9:00
Interval 3: 8:59
Interval 4: 8:56
Interval 5: 8:42
Interval 6: 8:40

Weekly Lunch: Stuffed Taters

Since my life isn't overly exciting and nothing too noteworthy to report, I figured I would post about something I've gotten sort of excited about in the last few weeks. You may or may not know, but I spend one day of the weekend (mostly Sundays) fixing food for my week. I'm always in a hurry in the mornings because I love sleep, so I get everything together in the fridge that needs to be taken each day to work. I fix 5 breakfasts, 3-4 lunches, and 5 snacks. I allow myself either to grab something out once a week and/or take a leftover from dinner for lunch. Without boring you with the details, I wanted to share something that I have started to fix each week for lunch.

Training has started back up and now that fall is on the horizon (officially 16 days from this post) I will mostly be running in the afternoons. So, I need to fuel up at lunch with a nice blend of protein and carbs without putting myself into a coma for the afternoon. I got this recipe idea from Clean Eating magazine. They had published a Blue Cheese and Chicken Stuffed Potato. I'm not too wild about Blue cheese, but I do like Gorgonzola. So, I opted to try it and sub Gorgonzola to see what happens. What happens is a very filling lunch for minimal calories and a template for many variations.

Here's the skinny:

I bake 3 taters in the oven at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. To make it sort of "fancy", I spray the outside of the taters with cooking spray and sprinkle a little sea salt on the skins and place them in a baking dish. This makes the skin really yummy since you need to eat the whole tater. While the potatoes are cooking, I chop up 1 chicken breast in small 1 inch cubes and sprinkle with S&P (Salt and Pepper). I saute those pieces up until no longer pink and then remove them from the pan. Then I throw in half a red onion, sliced and half a bag of baby spinach. Let the red onion cook a little prior to adding the spinach and once the onions are soft and the spinach is wilted, take it off the heat.

Now the potatoes should be ready. Pull them out of the oven and let them cool for about 15 minutes. Then it is time to mix the "stuffing". Scoop out the potatoes leaving the skin for the shell of your meal. I try to keep the skin about 1/4 inch thick so it doesn't fall apart. In a big bowl mash the potatoes, 1 oz. cream cheese, and 1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese. You can add more S&P if you like. Once that is all mixed together, throw in your chicken and veggies. Now all you do is stuff the potatoes with your mixture and cook another 15 minutes.

After they cool, I place 2 stuffed halves in a portable dish and they are ready to tote to work for lunch. All you have to do is nuke it at lunchtime.

This week I decided to change it up a bit. I added a bag of broccoli florets, chopped, and swapped the gorgonzola for a cheddar blend. The added broccoli made them super stuffed, but it's broccoli. So, I don't feel at all guilty! The beauty of this dish is the versatility of it. You can get your protein and carbs and add all the veggies you can handle. And think of the various cheeses and veggies you can add to it all not to mention any spice you like. I added garlic powder this week to the chicken.

I'm pretty excited about the potatoes this week.

Just in Time for Fall!

If you will recall, last winter we had several snow storms keeping many of us indoors for many days at a time. I had this brilliant idea that I would take up sewing since I couldn't go anywhere. Well, I didn't have that moment of brilliance until after the first time I was stranded indoors. So, I made my way to a fabric store the following week and picked up some stuff and printed instructions from the web to make a tote bag. Before I knew it, spring had sprung and I wasn't overly motivated to stay inside and sew.

Flash forward to August. I have placed myself on a self imposed spending freeze. I've had numerous unexpected expenses along with a few expected ones. So, I'm not shopping right now. This weekend I decided that I would finish the barely started tote bag so I felt like I got something new without spending any money.

Meet my new fall accessory, the lovely tote bag.




Here is one of the pockets inside. The stitch isn't perfect but I like to call that "character."

And to spice things up, I added a ric rac top stitch around the top. Again, not perfect but FULL of character.

What's next you ask? I'm going to see what kind of T-shirt quilt I can make out of all my old Starbucks uniforms. That will make a great blanket for snuggling on the couch this fall and winter!

My Yoga Fix

Last winter, I took advantage of a fantastic special at a local hot yoga studio. I wanted to try it out and one of my friends was willing to join me. I absolutely loved it. I could tell a difference in my running and my stress level. When the special ended, so did I. I wanted to renew it, but couldn't justify the extra monthly cost when the studio was all the way down at Shore Drive, a good 20-30 minute drive from my home. It wouldn't be convenient.

Since then, I have thought a lot about yoga and wondering how I could fit it back into my life. My most recent issue of Runner's World advertised a new DVD, The No Om Zone. I did a little internet research and decided what the hay. I ordered it and received it today. I'm actually pretty pumped about it. I tried one of the workouts this evening. They are short individually, so it wasn't as intense as the class. I imagine if I do all workouts together, it will be more similar.

The appeal for this particular routine is it prides itself in "No Chanting, No Granola, No Sanskrit." It is strictly the physical part of yoga and not so much the mediation/chanting part. That always weirded me out in the class. I just hope this thing works me out as much as the class did.

So, if you are looking for some yoga options, this might work for you. I'm hoping it works for me!

Plain is good for something

My sister came to visit me last year. In an effort to help her not be frisked for too much liquids in her carry on, I offered to just have toothpaste, shampoo, etc here. I thought that it would be easy to just pick up a few travel sizes. Well, I learned from my little sister that she does not do well with just any toothpaste. She needed PLAIN toothpaste. Who in their right mind uses plain toothpaste? I'll tell you. My sister. And probably your grandmother. I don't have to tell you they don't sell plain in the travel size. Travel sizes are the hip, new flavors to get you hooked. I bought a full size tube for her visit.

This brings me to today. I uncovered an old silver necklace I use to wear but it was tarnished to black. In an effort to revive this piece of jewelry, I went on the interwebs to discover if there were regular household items that could polish that silver necklace. Did you know that PLAIN toothpaste polishes silver? I didn't either! Sure my hands and neck smell of minty paste, but that silver is silver once again.

That Keri and her weird preferences turned out to be good for something...this time.

One Hundred Pushups

The running community in VAB is both very large but rather small all at the same time. What I mean is there are lots of runners, but everyone has a connection to someone else. Races, running groups, running spots all create opportunities to "know" every one else. I've met several of the local competitive folks only because my running partner's husband introduces me to these people at races. They couldn't pick me out of a lineup. This leads me to today's post. One of these guys that would not remember me but that I recall is Steve Speirs. He's a pretty serious marathoner and puts all of us to shame with his sub 3 hour race time.

A few months ago I learned about his website: one hundred pushups. The idea is to commit for 6 weeks to his program in an effort to improve your pushup count. Last week I took the initial test fully aware of my lack of upper body strength. I'm gonna give this thing a go. Sure, 100 pushups is a rather lofty goal, but so was 26.2 miles.

Today starts day one. Anyone want to join me?

My new addiction

When I was a little girl, my parents called me a chipmunk. Know why? Because anytime I would eat a dessert of some kind and it had nuts in it, I would sift through the yummy cake/ice cream/brownie/etc. and stock the nuts in my cheeks. Then at the end of the dessert experience, I would spit them out into a napkin. My parents loved nuts, so it was my only way of still enjoying sweet treats even though I couldn't stand the nuts.

Oh, how times have changed. I love almonds, pistachios, pecans, and walnuts. Sometimes I enjoy cashews and rarely indulge in peanuts, but I don't stockpile the edible kernels from confections any longer. Which leads me to this recent addiction.

Every week I indugle in a trip to Trader Joe's. I love food and cooking, so it is sort of a fun field trip every Saturday that I cannot wait to make week after week. With list in hand, I always allow myself one "off list" item that I want to taste. This week I purchase Pecan Pralines. OH MY GOODNESS! I have had some yummy pralines in my life made by the hands of Louisianans. I've even had pralines from the famous Savannah Candy Kitchen. Those are all yummy but these are by far the greatest pralines I have ever ingested. My new problem: I just can't stop eating them! Oh, how self control would be good about now.

Quick Catchup: Good News & Not So Good News

Well, I have had an interesting last few weeks that have inhibited me from posting, both physically and mentally. Here's a quick catchup.

Memorial Day Weekend was awesome. I made a trip down to see my folks and just relax. They have recently landscaped the back of their yard and so we spent some time out there adding more plants. This is what they call "paradise." They had a wooded area they cleared out a lot and added landscaping and this adorable patio with adirondack chairs. My parents laid this floor by themselves. They are so handy!


I helped my mom plant up this area while I was there. The round disk was intended to placemark a future birdbath. I enjoyed helping her out but this little plot of land turned out to be my worst enemy. It was just dirt and we added the plants and straw. However, we were unaware of what roots still existed. How about poison ivy and poison oak? Yea, I managed to get that all over my legs. I refuse to dig any dirt there again. But I will tell you all about that later since it took about 72 hours to show up. More exciting things happened right before.


We also visited Charleston while I was there. I have been a few times, but always enjoy the markets and just walking around. For whatever reason, I'm really into pineapples right now. Maybe it's my Southern heritage and my love for hospitality? Nonetheless, I loved all the pineapple items in SC.

I returned home on Sunday night so that I could get organized on Monday for a new week. However, Monday's event made me wish I had stayed one more day. First let me preface with EVERYONE has made irresponsible decisions in the kitchen at one time or another. You are lying if you say you haven't. You know what I mean, when you say to yourself, "This is really quick" or "I can do this and be safe." Unfortunately, I got caught. While making sandwiches for the coming week's lunch, I managed to slice my finger open. At first, I was terrified that I had taken a chunk completely off and refused to remove the papertowel I had wrapped it in mostly out of fear to see what really happened. The actual cut didn't hurt but the splattering blood did nothing for my confidence. The kitchen looked like a CSI crime scene: blood on the counter, blood on the floor, blood on the cabinets. Chip came and took me to the ER and I returned home with 5 stitches: Two stiches on the front of my finger, one on top, and two on the back. I had made it 31 years never getting any stitches and then as a "responsible" adult, I get 5! This whole experience really has hindered my typing and functioning with the left hand. Stitches have been removed and now I'm just wearing a bandaid as I wait for it to completely heal.

These pictures aren't great because, well, I couldn't really take good ones with the lone hand available to use. But, you get the idea.

When I showed it to others, they all agreed that it was disgusting. Everytime I looked at it, I was reminded of some horrible B grade horror flick or Frankenstein's face.

As if this was not enough, I discovered the poison ivy 2 days after the slicing event. So, now I was itching all over to the point of nausea and my left hand was handicap. Argh!

It pretty much took over my lower body. I was able to get the doc to prescribe me a topical steroid when I had my stitches removed, but that was not enough. The poison continued to spread. I had washed everything and couldn't figure out why it was still going so strong. And then it hit me. MY SHOES! I was wearing my running shoes when I was digging in the dirt and had put them on at least 8 times before I realized it was the culprit. Thankfully, I talked my doc into giving me something stronger. I spent the last 10 days on Prednisone (steroids). You know it's bad when the doc tells you to take 10 on the first day. I didn't like the way it made me feel at all and thankful it is over. When I picked them up, I asked the Pharmacist if I should start lifting for the 10 day duration to see what would happen. He didn't find that funny...at all.

So, that's what occurred to my health. In the meantime, I had the most bizarre situation happen in my car. The Anti-Glare liquid found in the rearview mirror leaked out on a random Tuesday destroying my center console and staining both leather seats. Everyone I have talked to about this issue (BMW and my Insurance) say they have never heard of it occurring. However, the internet and my new friends on the E46 Fanatics forum know exactly what I'm talking about. This issue continues to unfold and quite frankly I'm not in the mood to explain. It will be some time to get my car back to how it was, but luckily insurance is paying.

If you notice the brownish liquid in the lower right corner of the mirror, you can see what is left of the substance in the mirror. I'm waiting for the rest to leak out and have the interior of my car covered. Fortunately, the mirror will be replaced on Thursday and I can get rid of the old rags covering everything.

On top of all of that, my TV died last Saturday. That actually turned into a blessing because I have flirted with the idea of getting a new one for awhile. It just sort of made me do it sooner. I'm ok with that.

So, that's what's going on here. Never a dull moment in the V-A-B!

Wedding Solo

I had a rather interesting evening. A very dear friend of mine, Meghan, got married this afternoon. I had 4 folks that were going to go with me and other things came up, so I was going to attend this celebration solo. I have never attended a wedding where I knew no one other than the bride, groom, and the bridesmaids before. I was a bit nervous and extremely hesitant to go. But guess what. Weddings aren't about you. They are for the bride and groom. So, I got myself dressed and drove down to the oceanfront for the beachside nuptials alone. I arrived a few minutes before the ceremony was scheduled to begin, so I was in a bit of a rush to make it to the sand. As I got out of my car and headed towards Atlantic Ave., I noticed 3 dudes slightly dressed up going in the same direction. I'm rarely intimidated by strangers, so I turned around and said "Are you guys going to a wedding?" They said yes. "Shane and Meghan's wedding?" "Yes." "Sweet, me too." An original solo affair ended up as the 4th addition to the three amigos. I haven't had that much fun at a wedding in a long time. Those guys were so great and you would have thought I had known them for awhile. They were friends of the groom, so they were asking me to tell them about the bride. They had not met her before. By the end of the evening, they asked me to introduce them to her. So, I took them over and said, "Meghan, these are my friends John, George, and Dan." HA! Going solo isn't so bad after all...

Possible Pet Poll

I need to stop living just for me and rather than pick up a homeless man on the side of the road for 'companionship', I am considering a furry friend. Not that the homeless man wouldn't be furry, I'm thinking more four legged though. So, I'm asking you, my friends and complete internet strangers for your suggestions. Tell me cat or dog and why.

I'm looking for a low maintenance, starter pet. I like cats because they are clean. I like dogs because they can be trained/controlled. I would enjoy a running partner, but that isn't a deal breaker. I have a small space so nothing large. I did recently fall in love with an American Bulldog, but he is the perfect size now...at 4 months. He will be freaking HUGE soon. Don't think I can do that.

Anyways, tell me what you think. Your opinion matters.

When Life Gets Hard - The Soundtrack

A few years back, I was trying to explain my faith to someone. He loves music, as do I. So, the only way I knew how to explain Mindy, the Christian was to make him a playlist and just explain each song and why it struck a chord with me. Sometimes things you want to explain find meaning and emotion in a song much better than a casual conversation.

Over the years, when life gets hard I listen to the playlist. Each song has a memory of something that I overcame or a moment of worship victory. Well, as life would have it, I'm listening to that playlist once again tonight. Although I no longer have the letter that originally accompanied this playlist, I thought it would be refreshing for me to share with you a little bit about it. And hopefully something will strike a chord with you, too!

Welcome To Delaware - Watermark
I was introduced to this song in college. Originally it was just a fun tune that I liked and I would do crunches while it played at night. In fact, Amberly would give me such a hard time at bedtime, "Are we going to Delware again?"
It was this song that God used to tell me to move to Virginia Beach. As strange as it sounds, I was listening to this song driving home from Myrtle Beach after leaving Mur and Berly and I heard something in my spirit that I don't know that I have heard so strongly since. The chorus says something about how things won't be what they use to be but all you will have there will be God. Of course, it is much more melodic in the song but I recall emotion overtook me as the Lord told me to leave all that I had known most of my life and get uncomfortable. It has been the most satisfying and rewarding decision I have ever made. I like remembering that hard God decisions mean joy and reward. That's what I need to know tonight.

Lead of Love - Caedmon's Call
This song talks about how we go through life with struggles, but those struggles really help to see the beauty at the mountaintop. "Had to walk the rocks to see the mountain view. Looking back I see the lead of love." It's pretty awesome to trust that even when life is pretty crappy or things go entirely different than you wished, you will make it to the mountain top and be in awe of the beauty of what you see and proud of the trip there. And to know that it was love that brought you there, the love of a Heavenly Father that longs to give good gifts to His children. Out of His love for us, we struggle but only to build character and testimony. Out of that leading is a pretty awesome view. I'm trusting in that tonight.

Phobic - Plumb
I actually didn't really get into Plumb until I had moved to VAB. My sister turned me on to them and this song really struck a chord with me. It's a pretty awesome song about grace. "Phobic, don't be. Grace means a little more freedom." I put this originally on that playlist to communicate how awesome grace is with a nice little beat and soothing vocals. "Phobic, don't be. Love means room to breath." So many times people view this whole God's Grace thing as something to be terrified of. Totally unnecessary! I'm pretty into freedom. So, I'm pretty into God's Grace. I'm trusting in that Grace tonight.

You are Good - Jeff Deyo Band
I bought this album only because I learned Jeremy McCoy was playing bass for this dude pre The Fray days. Then I learned that Jer helped to write this one, so naturally I enjoyed it more. It brought on new meaning when Mur used it at her wedding when she walked down the aisle. Well, she almost didn't use it thanks to Rob Varnell, but we will not even go into that story. Nonetheless, she did and it was beautiful because if know her story, this was from her heart. Of course, a wedding is a celebration so naturally you would scream how awesome God is at such an occasion. I find that I only listen to this song when life is not good. It is a good reminder that even in the depths, He is there. And even when we think he is absent, He is there. "You are Good. And your love endures forever." This is an awesome reminder of who God really is. Good.

Who Can Satisfy? - Lee University Campus Choir
This is both serious and humorous. I mean, if you went to Lee you know all about this song and could make bets how many times you were going to hear "There is a fountain!" during chapel when this song was going. As we alum laugh about it now, I think we can all agree that that song has brought you to your feet, arms stretched heavenward, and tears streaming at least once. Sure, there wasn't a shofar involved on this one, but when Doc would get them wound up. You know what I'm talking about. All kidding aside, there is something powerful in this song that I can't even explain. Probably the reminder that He really is our Rock and Strength. I need that.

How Could I Ask For More - Cindy Morgan
I like this song because it fondly remembers various stages of life and in that reflection she says "How Could I Ask For More?" My favorite line of it all is "So many things I thought would bring me happiness. Some dreams are realities today. But such an irony of things that mean the most to me, are the memories that I made along the way." I want to not only make memories, but savor them. I want to cherish every step of the way with no regrets. I want to proclaim at the end of every chapter of my life "How could I ask for more?"

Jesus, Lover of My Soul - One of the Passion Albums
If you were a Christian in the 90s, you know this song and this music series. I love the melody and the guitar strumming but more importantly the message. "It's all about you, Jesus...It's not about me. As if you should do things my way..." What a hard pill to swallow and how many times I have choked myself on that one. It's a nice song to put life in perspective especially when you don't understand why things happen when they do and the reason they occur. God is quite a bit bigger than we are. I can only predict what the week will hold in my little pink planner, but He's got it scheduled for eternity. If we knew what He knows, we'd understand. It's over time when you begin to see how things unfold that you can be thankful he does things His way. I'm trusting in that.

What I Thought I Wanted - Sara Groves
This song talks about how we want things a certain way or in a certain time but that's not always the case.
"...What he thought he wanted, what he got instead Leaves him broken and grateful..."
"...What I thought I wanted, what I got instead Leaves me broken and somehow peaceful..."
"...About what it is he wanted and what he got instead How to be broken and faithful..."
The broken part sucks, but it's part of it. I want to be grateful, peaceful, and faithful. Those are products of brokenness. I can deal with that...I hope.

...AND...I'm back...

Ever since the marathon, I have not exactly been my normal running self. Part of it was "recovery" but the other part was "lazy." I guess I had been so mileage driven for six months, that I just wanted to not be for a little while. Of course, it doesn't make you feel very good not to run often.

I managed to run a slow and short 2 miles the week after Shamrock. The following week I ran twice, both times short and slow. Last week, I managed 3 days of 2-3 miles each time. I haven't been extremely motivated to get out there with bouts of heat, ridiculous levels of pollen, and finding other things to occupy my time. I have decided to try a few new things to get back on the train.

The first thing I wanted to try was get up and run before work. I went to bed EARLY on Sunday night after I laid my clothes out. Of course, I couldn't force myself up. Luckily, Chip decided he would run with me after work. We did a nice 3 miles around my part of the Beach. The last mile he made me increase pace, so we both managed to finish out of breath. Today I was forced to run alone. I finally got out there and ran a little less than 5 miles at a normal pace without feeling like my legs were made of lead. I'm back in business!

I ran into a running buddy this afternoon and he's already agreed to join me on Thursday. We are going to try out a running group in the area and join them for a hills workout. I'm pretty excited. I like new routines! Speaking of routines, I'm super pumped to get back into the long run routine. I need it, not to mention I haven't seen Karen in like 2 weeks! Hooray for back to normal!

V-Card for Austen

Last fall I joined a classic fiction book club led by a friend of mine at work. I have always loved classic fiction and to find a club solely devoted to it was a perfect fit. We have read some fantastic books (Uncle Tom's Cabin) and attempted some less than fantastic ones (Ivanhoe). This month I was finally able to read an author that I have always wanted to read but never had the opportunity. It's quite an embarrassing confession: I have never read Jane Austen. Don't judge me! I have felt like I was somehow less of a woman for never falling in love with Mr. Darcy or meeting Emma. You can imagine the excitement when I learned that we would be reading Mansfield Park. The others said they were disappointed that my introduction to Austen would be this book, but I was looking forward to it nonetheless. The book started out slow and she had lots of characters to keep up with in the beginning. Once I learned who was related to whom, I was able to follow the story much better. Plus, my knowledge of English history and culture is very limited, so things that were considered unacceptable and "vulgar" did not register at first. About mid-book, the plot finally began to develop and I was intrigued to find out where she was going with this descriptive family dynamic. Then, the story took off and I absolutely loved it. So, I'm watching the movie tonight to compare and looking forward to reading her more familiar novels soon. I'm proud to declare I am no longer an Austen virgin!

Recovery Week

Well, believe it or not, the week of recovery has not been miserable. I was expecting not to be able to walk and completely worn out. That has not been the case. The first few days were difficult on the quads. Going downstairs was nearly impossible and going to the restroom was worse. Until Wednesday, I was certain I would need to install handicap railings in my bathroom to assist in the sitting down process. Thankfully, that pain went away.

The weather has been rather nice this week, so you can imagine how I was itching to get out there and run again. I considered a light run on Wednesday, but read online I should not attempt anything until at least Thursday. So, I texted my buddy Rob to see what his schedule was like on Thursday. He was dying to run again too so we agreed to meet. We didn't make it very far before my legs were worn out. I think we may have run a little more than 2 miles, but not much more. My legs felt like I had just run 20 miles! It was nice to move again, but I didn't push it. A return of 2 miles was sufficient for me. I was completely worn out when I got home, though. I'll try again on Monday.

Instead of running this morning, Karen and I met for breakfast. We recalled the race and compared recovery week stories. We both agreed that this was not our only marathon. We are now discussing running a half for time. We have been running all of our races to finish but now it is time to take a different approach. That means speedwork, something I'm not very good at. I guess that's why they call it training. We agreed to keep Saturdays between 6-8 miles for the summer and then we start for real training as fall approaches. Her husband has already signed up for the Richmond full and booked a room. I think I have enlisted some folks to come down to run their first half at the Outer Banks. Both races are on the same weekend. So, if my OBX plan falls through, I'll run Richmond. They have junk food tables on the course in Richmond!!! It's always about the food for me. But, you see, that's a big part of why I even run. It is an excuse to eat. I love excuses to eat.

26.2 Miles in Tube Socks and All Smiles

The weekend started off with my parents arrival on Friday evening. They met me up at the Expo and we looked around for a bit. I love the excitement the Expo brings and all the crazy gear you can purchase. I knew this year was monumental, so I wanted to make sure I bought something to commemorate the big day. The shirt above was that item and I will wear it the next time I run. Heck, I may wear it everytime I run from now on!

While there, I ran into my running partner and her husband. He has been our coach through this adventure, so he gave me some last minute tips, the most important being you get your rest 2 nights before. I could see why when the night before hit and I was so anxious I couldn't sleep. He also told me that I needed to stay off my feet as much as possible on Saturday and just relax. I felt extremely lazy, fat, and unproductive on Saturday but I believe it helped me out come Sunday.

My dad agreed to wake up at zero dark thirty to shuttle Karen and I to the Oceanfront for the race. Our entire training season had been in cold weather, so when we woke up to 56 degrees at the start it was a shocker. We arrived early and walked around the place a bit to warm our legs up and just keep from getting anxious.

Karen is always creative in the ways to make things work for running with minimal resources. This time she came up with using a headband around our hats to hold our GUs. The course only provided 2 (1 of which I didn't even realize was available during the race) and for 26 miles we needed way more than that! So, we attached 2 to our hats, one in our key pocket on our shorts, and Tim (her husband) would be at the halfway point to give us another one.

It was a little chilly, but we knew it would be rather warm later. I didn't want to wear long sleeves, but my arms always are cold. So, Karen let me borrow a pair of her husband's tube socks to wear at the beginning. It helped out alot. Of course, they were off by mile 3 and I gave them back at mile 13 in exchange for GU.

It was pretty cool how everyone waiting to start chatted with one another. The veterans told us about their previous marathons and us novices just listened in anxiety waiting to turn in the V-card for our first. I have never been so nervous for something in all of my life. I imagine this would compare to the night before a wedding or any other ceremonious moment in which you have waited a significant amount of time to experience.

I have to admit, the entire race was amazingly awesome. There were fans everywhere and people at several houses along the way had sprinklers to provide a much appreciated misting. When we ran through Camp Pendelton, an entire line of service men and women were there cheering for us and giving high fives as we ran by. They appeared to be proud of us and all I could think about was how proud I was of them. It's amazing what perspective can do.

Karen had to slow me down several times as the nervous energy moved my feet much faster at the beginning. At the halfway point we felt great and we managed to carry on a pretty steady conversation for the first 19 miles. Tim always said to trust our training, and when we hit the 20 mile mark I realized the truth in that. Music kicked in when we realized we had solved the world's economic crisis and discovered why women have a difficult time accepting their accomplishments rather than discrediting them. (We had plenty of time, might as well have productive conversation, right?) At mile 23, Tim joined us. He had run the half that morning and agreed to run with us the last 3 miles. I guess he knew that we would need something new at that point. I felt really good at mile 20, but I was starting to struggle around 23. I wanted to keep it slow and steady for the end even though I was ready to see the finish. He offered some nice conversation and helped to take our minds off of the last few miles. (Thanks Tim!!)

Once we hit the boardwalk and I could see King Neptune's statue, I decided I would crank it up a notch. It was time to be done. Never in my life have I been so focused and determined to finish something. I fixed my eyes on that finish line and just started talking to myself. I couldn't even hear my music anymore. It was just me. I must have looked crazy as I began to speak to myself out loud. Over and over again I was saying "Dixon, push it. This is your race." And for my Sigma sisters, I began "When I face a mountain, I will not quit." Unfortunately, at that moment I didn't care about the rest of that poem nor could I completely remember it. I just kept repeating that first line. What seemed like forever probably lasted about 1-2 minutes. I pushed myself and achieved my goal of under 5 hours. Final chip time was 4:59:43. :0)

(Like my "just in case" Carb Boom gel stuck in my hat at the finish?)

It wasn't long after I had crossed that I heard my mother yell my name. Shortly after Kirsten and her mom were yelling, too. I am so thankful for all of those that came out to support me. Watching a race is not fun I realize, but thanks for showing up! My mom took this picture of everyone that came (excluding her) chatting with me post race. Even Sassy the bulldog came to the beach to see me and she hates sand.

I started planning for our next race around mile 8 but Karen has made me agree not to discuss it for at least 2 weeks. I can't wait to do another one! Well, I mean I can wait since this took over my life for 6 months. I guess what I mean is, I'll do it again. Guaranteed!

Yesterday was the day that changed my life. I accomplished something that I never dreamed possible. I learned that there is power in commitment and determination. If you set a goal, make a plan, and dedicate yourself to it, there is nothing you cannot accomplish. I ran a marathon and joined an elite (and insane) group of people. A year ago, I was satisfied with 13.1 and intimidated by 26.2. I threw caution to the wind and added one more to the 1% of the population that has completed a marathon. My feet are sore, my quads are tight, but my pride is bursting. I did it and in the words of Robert Frost, "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference."

We are here...

This morning was my last long run before the big day next weekend. I can't believe the time has flown by and 6 months of training has come to a close. The last Saturday run really isn't a "long" one prior to a marathon if you consider the 15; 18; and 20 mile mornings we have had. Nonetheless, we coasted through 8 miles in decent time and still have the rest of our day ahead of us. Trust me, that is a BIG deal.

It absolutely amazes me to recall all the Saturday mornings we have trodded the streets of Virginia Beach at unreasonable hours. I must say, I'm pretty proud of myself. I am asked all the time, "Are you ready?" At first, I wasn't so sure but after considering the hundreds of miles I have put in and the success of our 20 miler, I have to say I am. I'm really nervous about it but super excited.

They say when you cross the finish of a marathon, emotion will overtake you. I use to giggle at the thought, but now I can see why. What a feeling it will be to run that distance and reflect on the commitment and challenge you have dedicated yourself to the last 6 months. We have run in some very unsightly weather: nor'easter, ice storm, and just plain freezing. But all of that will pay off on the morning of March 21. I imagine this sort of thing will help push you through life, too. When life presents its challenges, I can tell myself, "You ran a marathon, this is nothing!"

Wish me luck and I'll report back, if I'm not laid up for days after. :o)

Hardest Week Complete

T minus 19 days and I'm running my first marathon!!!!!! I can't believe it. This training has absolutely flown by and I have truly enjoyed the long runs.

Last week was the hardest week for my training. The weekday runs were a bit longer than normal and then I completed 20 miles on Saturday morning....all morning. I convinced my buddy Rob to run 9 miles with me on Thursday. He's training for the half, so I told him to use it as his long run. I have never completed a run of that length during the week, so I was a little nervous. I was afraid that my legs would still be tired on Saturday, but soon found out that it really helped me. The 20 miles were not as bad as I anticipated. I felt good during it and even got a second wind around mile 16. We went extremely slow, which was a bit discouraging. However, they say you should train running 2 minutes slower than usual. We definitely did that! Total mileage for the week = 38 miles.

Training is down hill from now on. Now I have to focus on NOT eating as if I ran a million miles and curb that appetite. I've found hard boiled eggs really help with that. Any other ideas of snack options that will satisfy but not make me gain weight? I can't afford to gain weight in the last 3 weeks of training. No sir!