Saturday, April 30, 2011

Thrill of the Grill 5k Race Report


I won't beat around the bush. It wasn't pretty. I busted on all three of my goals and didn't PR. It wasn't my legs, it was my lungs. I'd rather run a half marathon at a comfortable pace where I'm not out of breath! I run fast, get short of breath, and just give up. I hate that.

I finished in 28:36.5 and placed 17th (of 114) in my age group. There were 1358 finishers- 514 men with an average time of 35:00 and 844 women with an average time of 41:00. I was the 86th female finisher and 269th overall. Kinda funny, though- Jake decided last minute to run a different 5k that started earlier and was closer to where he was working. I guess we're SOLE MATES because he finished in 28:37... one second after me.

That's enough negativity. I'm going to keep running and working on speed. I enjoy my long runs and if I remember correctly I move up to 7 miles this week.

The french toast casserole after the race was really good. They also had eggs and bacon and were doing a BBQ cookout to be judged later. It smelled good, just not right after I crossed the finish line!

We saw this guy (and his shirt and shorts) after the race while we were waiting for the awards ceremony. My friend finished in under 24 minutes so we thought she might have a chance at a medal. She didn't medal but I bet she was really close because I think the 3rd place winner in her age group was in the 22's or 23's.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Plan for Thrill of the Grill 5k

Tomorrow morning I'll race for a 5k PR. These are my goals:
  1. No stinkin' walking!
  2. Negative splits.
  3. Under 27 minutes.
I'm going to achieve these goals by:
  1. Running my race at my pace!!! This means a "7" should not be the leading number on my Garmin during the first or even second mile. By all means, if I have that in me at mile 3, I grant myself permission to run that fast. There are already over 1500 people registered for this 5k. It's going to feel like everyone is running past me and I will resist the temptation to keep up with them.
  2.  Pace. Pace. Pace. My average pace needs to be 8:41 or less. I'm going to aim for 8:40 in mile 1 and a little faster from there until the finish line. If I'm feeling like a total badass and push for a sub-26 PR, my average pace would be 8:21. I don't have any business running faster than that early in the race. Save it and finish strong.
  3. Push through the pain. Racing a 5k is different than finishing a half marathon. This is a speed challenge, not a distance challenge. It hurts in a different way. The good news is that it'll be over quickly and there will be french toast casserole at the end.
I'm going to share my babysitter with a friend and we'll ride to the 5k together. She'll be running faster than me. But, I'm hoping to see the couple from my run club and/or the girl from the running store social runs. Either one of them would be great partners to run with since we're all looking for a sub-27 time.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Three Things Thursday

1- Yesterday Jake took me to the gun range. He (and I agree) thinks it would be a good idea to do something to add to my safety when I run alone, especially in the dark. I have a long way to go before carrying a concealed pistol in my Amphipod belt is my best safety option. I realize that you don't carry and/or pull a gun without full intention of using it if/when it's ever needed. So in the meantime I'm learning how to shoot the pistol we already own and we're researching other guns to practice with and eventually buy for the purpose of carrying while running. Totally southern thing, I'm sure!
2- My upper body is sore today. See number 1.
3-  Yesterday I picked up my race packet for Saturday's 5k. I feel so happy when I have a race bib in my hands! I'll post tomorrow about my plans for the race.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Speed Work with Run Club

Tonight I joined the run club at our gym for a speed workout. I was hoping to cover more miles and get a more continuous workout like the last speed workout I did with them (which was also my first) but it was still worthwhile and something I wouldn't have done on my own. I don't even know what to call the drills we did but Jake said they sounded like stuff he did in football off season. I won't even try to explain them here. There were probably 12 people in the group tonight and I was middle of the group fast. The leader ran behind me for 100 yards and analyzed my form. He said I need to keep my arms higher but otherwise my form looked good. Total mileage was 2.45 but that includes walking after each of our 100 yard runs (10-12 times). I want to believe that drills like this will make me faster. 5k on Saturday so I'm hoping to see some results!

Monday, April 25, 2011

Sometimes the "Feel Good" Doesn't Come Until it's Over

This morning I planned to do a 35 minute tempo run. As soon as I started running I felt the same pain in my left inner thigh that I felt when I tried to run on Friday. I made the decision to switch to my long run so I could keep a slow pace. It'll work out. I'll do ice and anti-inflammatory meds for a couple days and hopefully that will help. Then I can do my speed workout with Run Club on Wednesday night. I ran 6 miles and almost got caught in the rain. It started to sprinkle so I put my phone inside a ziplock bag I packed in my hydration belt.

Total miles: 6
Total time: 1:05:39
Average pace: 10:56
Slowest mile: 11:20 (first mile)
Fastest mile: 10:43 (fifth mile)

This was one of those runs when it never felt good. I kept hoping my leg would loosen up but it never did. It felt good when I stopped running.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Happy Easter

The Easter Bunny brought the kids a speedy runner bunny and us a motivational hanging for the racing wall (to be) in our master closet. Happy Easter!

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Past 2 Runs + Jelly Bean Virtual Race

My mom spent the night with us on Tuesday night and Jake worked that night so I took advantage of having somebody home with the kids. I got up at 5:45 on Wednesday for a morning run. That was my first run in the dark. I stuck to main roads where I thought I'd have decent lighting from streetlamps and traffic from cars. Only one of my side streets was a little darker and less traveled than I would have liked. I'll have to figure out what route will work for dark:30 runs. I didn't eat before I ran and I figured out that doesn't work for me. I was feeling great in mile 2 and thought I'd go ahead and run 10k for The Jelly Bean Virtual Race but toward the end of mile 3 I crashed. I just had no energy and had to push to finish the 4th mile home. It had to be the lack of calories... 4 miles in 42:27 (average pace 10:37)

This is my week that the social run at my closest running store works for our schedule. I got up at 5:30 to be at the store by 6. I checked the radar on my phone before getting out of bed and didn't see any green. I got in my car and it was misting but I figured I was up and dressed so I'd see if the group runs in the rain. They're runners, of course they do. I don't know if it stopped, the tree cover protected us from the mist, or the 95% humidity had me sweating enough that I'd never know it was misting, but regardless- it didn't bother me. I ran with a woman who I ran with the first time I did this social run and a man. The man ran 3 miles and we continued on for a little over 4. My running buddy is more experienced than me but very similar in pace for all distances and we're both nurses. We're both trying to break 27 minutes on our 5k! I asked what races she has coming up and one is on 4/30 when I was trying to race so I'm going to register for that and try to run with her. I think we could pace each other to sub-27. She encouraged me to sign up for the half marathon training program through the store for my fall races even if I can't make all of the training runs. I may have to look into that for some extra push since I'll be aiming for sub 2 hours on those races. We ran 4.24 miles in 41:01 (average pace 9:40). This was my fastest run for the week so I'll take a portion of it for The Jelly Bean Virtual Race and call it my 5k... 29:06. Not bad but real life race atmosphere does a lot for me!

It's been a busy week and I'm exhausted. Peanut is at preschool today so Shankopotamus and I are going to have a pj day. The boy gets to watch Handy Manny and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and I get to read blogs. Awesome.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

To Race or Not to Race?

Last night I went to register for the 5k I planned to run on 5/7 and discovered that it's been postponed until next year. Ugh- I was looking forward to that race. I looked at the list of races for 5/7 and a week earlier on 4/30 and nothing totally interests me. They all appear to be bigger than I want, but there are some cheap ones so they may win out. Or maybe I shouldn't race until 5/14 so I can keep focusing on speed and hopefully beat my last PR by a bigger margin. Or I thought about finding a race on one of those days that offers a 1k for the kids. Peanut has been begging to race again. But I didn't see many 1k options and I don't want to pay $25 x 2 for my 2 and 4 year old kids to run. I don't think Peanut could do a 5k yet (even walking she would be too tired) and I had to encourage Shankopotamus to keep going at that 1k (or less) that they did several weeks ago. Hmmm... to race or not to race?

Update- I'm still looking for a race and I just found this one on Active.com! I couldn't make this up. But I will NOT be entering.

The Skinnydipper Sun Run is a clothing optional cross-country race that is fun and challenging and includes ravines, logs, gravel roads, trails thru woods and open meadows

See How Far I've Come?

I came across this picture this morning. I should claim to be any of the other pregnant women in the picture, but I'm the 2nd from the right. This was 2 weeks before Shankopotamus was born. I worked out through my pregnancy (even running stairs the week before he was born) but I ate everything in sight, too. I think I weighed 60 pounds more than I do now!!!

Monday, April 18, 2011

First Track Workout

It took me a couple of tries to find a track that wasn't on lock down, but I ended up at the high school track this morning. My plan was to run a 1 mile warm up, 6 x 400 with rest laps between each, and finish with a cool down mile. I'm still not really sure how fast to run the 400's. I'm loosely following Hal Higdon's intermediate 5k and 10k plans and he says "somewhat faster than 5k race pace." Runner's World says speed form pace for me should be 7:48. I'm really Type A personality. I need to know an exact plan! I think I followed more of the Runner's World speed for workout than what Hal Higdon had in mind. I only have track workouts scheduled every other week, so I think pushing this hard is OK as long as I recover quickly.

I ran my 1 mile warm up as planned. Then came the 6 x 400 part:
  1. Ran it in 2:11 (I was in one of the outer lanes- track etiquette right?) with a pace of 7:38
  2. 2:05/7:36
  3. 2:13/7:39
  4. 2:04/7:17
  5. 2:01/7:28
  6. 2:04/7:27
I walked one lap after the sixth 400 and called it good. It was already in the mid-70's and I had a ton to accomplish while both kids were in preschool. The 400's felt OK. It felt like I was running really fast, maybe not 100% effort but pretty close to it. Total distance was 4.4 miles.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

I Might be Crazy, But...

Today's leader at run club has run 5 marathons- White Rock x 4 and Cowtown x 1. She suggested White Rock over Cowtown for my first, but then she also asked why I didn't just run the full marathon instead of the half when we go to St. Louis in October. Hmmm... that's a good question. I really want to do a full marathon but I'm just not sure that trip is the time to do it. I've been looking at MarathonGuide.com and there's a full marathon in Galveston in February. It's flat. Big plus. Weather has potential to be good. Plus. It's not too far from home. Another plus. Downside? It's 2 loops and I hate multiple loop courses... but I'd probably never notice on a 26.2 mile course. I didn't even know I ran past a Taco Bell on my half marathon. I get in the zone and don't notice much of anything. It's also small (that can probably be good and bad). Last year there were 149 finishers, and 53 of those were women. The first loop is shared with half marathoners and there were significantly more people running that race. It's February 5, 2012. That's 9 weeks after our half marathon in Vegas. So...  

What do you think???
How would I set up my training plan to run a half on 10/23 and 12/4 and a full on 2/5? 
If you've run a marathon, what training plan did you follow?

I think I have Marathon Fever. All this Boston hype has me fired up.

First Run Club

I joined the running club at our gym months ago but haven't attended any of the runs until today. They recently added a Saturday morning run to the schedule. The only other run is on Wednesday nights. Evenings are difficult for me/us since we have young kids and early mornings are tough with our non-traditional work schedules. Excuses, excuses... I put the kids in childcare this morning and waited at the front of the gym for some fellow runners. The regular leader was out of town but we still had a leader. Other than her, it was me and 2 other new people. I'm sure she was thrilled to have all newbies. She gave us the option of doing the planned speed workout or going for a longer run together. I voted speed since I need all of that I can get. Here was our workout:
  • Warm-up 1 loop (a loop is about 0.4 miles)
  • 4 x 1/2 loop with 1/2 loop recovery @ 5k race pace
  • 1 loop easy
  • 4 x 1 loop w/ 90 second recovery after each loop @ slightly slower than 5k race pace
  • Cool down 1 loop
The leader ended up running with the other woman. The man said his 5k time was 27-28 minutes so we ran together. It was really enjoyable. We did those first 4 x 1/2 loops at faster than (my) 5k pace - about 7:30ish. The 4 x 1 loops that were supposed to be slower we ran at what should be my 5k pace- about 8:30ish. We ran a total of 4.66 miles. I stopped my Garmin for the 2nd cool down loop that we walked because I didn't want that skewing my numbers. Average pace for the entire workout was 9:31.

I enjoyed the workout and it was nice to have company. The guy joked that I was a thoroughbred and he was just trying to keep up with me. I was just trying to keep up with him, though!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Speed and Rest

Weather temptation got the best of me this morning. I could either do my speed workout today or tomorrow and the weather was better today. About halfway through the run I knew yesterday's 6 miles took a bigger toll on my legs than I initially thought. I planned to run the first mile slowly, run 9:19 pace for 30 minutes, then finish with a slower mile. I managed to do 2 miles at my tempo pace (9:15 for first mile and 9:10 for second mile) but I couldn't keep up the pace to finish out the 30 minutes. The next mile dropped to 10:26 before I slowed down even more for the last mile. 5 total miles with average overall pace of 10:10.

Note to self: don't do speed and long runs back to back and probably plan on doing speed first on most rested legs. That might even force me to run the slower pace I'm supposed to run on the long runs.

Ahhh... live and learn. 11 miles in 2 days has left me exhausted. I feel exactly like I did a few weeks ago when I was running 11 miles in one day.  Silly rookie me, trying to do more than my body is used to.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Two Thoughts on Tuesday

Marathon thoughts: Watching my friend's marathon was awesome. We found a spot at mile 21.6 to sit and wait. We got there just in time to see the male leader/winner pass. We also saw lots of people walking the half marathon (our spot was mile 8 for the half). I watched my sister-in-law run when she did her half at White Rock last year, but I've never watched a marathon. It was just as motivational to see people walking through that area as it was to watch the winners. Probably more so, since that's more likely where I would be in a marathon. It helped me realize that I can run a marathon, even if I can't RUN the entire 26.2 miles, and now I want to do one. Since we're already committed to Vegas the weekend of White Rock this year, and White Rock is probably the biggest marathon in the Dallas area, it will likely be White Rock (December) 2012 before I do it. My mom is already freaking out- the long distance running worries her. It shouldn't. My last 5k was more painful than my half marathon.

Today I ran 6 miles. That's my longest run since the half. It felt good and the weather was great (temp in the 60's and almost no wind). My pace was 10:26. My pace got faster with each mile, starting at 10:46 and speeding up to 10:10. That's a little faster than Runner's World thinks I should be doing a long run (11:08-12:30), but sometimes it just feels good to run. I bought some new shorts at Run On! last weekend so I got to try them out for the first time. I only had running skirts and capris, but haven't been able to find shorts that I like. The standard running shorts with built in briefs make me feel naked and I can't run when I feel naked! I found these New Balance 2-in-1 shorts that have build in compression shorts (not hardcore compression, but just like what's under my running skirts). I loved them. I need to get more.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Not a Pretty PR- Updated


Jake and I both ran the Seton Soles 5k- this was his first 5k since returning to running (3 weeks ago).

It was warm, about 70 degrees by the 8:30 start time. It was a pretty big 5k, with 637 finishers. We knew there were a lot of walkers, so we started near the front, maybe 5 rows back or so. I've read enough and been told enough to "run my race, my pace" and I didn't do it. I allowed myself to get caught up with faster runners and I started out WAY too fast. I knew it. I must have checked my pace on my Garmin 10 20 times in that first mile. Each time I saw a pace starting with a "7" I knew I was too fast and wouldn't be able to sustain that speed. I tried, though not very hard, to slow it down. First mile split was 8:07.

I tried to find my pace in the second mile. I knew I needed/wanted to be around 8:41. I just couldn't find it. I was either in the 7's or 9's. I ended up walking for the first time (of too many) in the second mile. The water station was a little before the 2 mile marker and as he passed me a guy said, "You go, girl!". There weren't very many women around me. I got passed in mile 2 by a woman in her 70's. I saw a few ahead of me, but I was running with the big boys for the first time in my life. Second mile split was 8:56.

The third mile wasn't much different- more walking. At about 2.8 miles I was going to pass a guy who was walking. As I caught him I said, "C'mon let's finish!" and he groaned but started running again. I wanted to walk and I needed somebody to push me just as much as I pushed him. Peer pressure is a b**** sometimes. When he picked up the pace he pushed hard. We ended up walking one more little stretch. I told him we still had a minute for me to PR despite my terrible run and he asked, "What time? 30 minutes?" When I told him under 28 he commented it was no wonder he felt so tired. We sprinted it out to the end. Third mile split was 9:10. Last tenth (0.16 on the Garmin) was 8:40 with a best of 5:57. I did say sprint!

After I crossed the finish line I walked back toward the course to find my camera (stashed in some bushes just before the start) so I could take pics of Jake as he finished. I heard somebody call my name and my marathoner-to-be friend was there. She came to watch us run (and the kids and I are about to go watch her somewhere around mile 21 of her race). Jake wasn't far behind me at all! He finished in 30:05, smashing his goal, even though he was a little sick over "leaving 6 seconds on the course."

We waited around a little while to see results posted. I was pretty sure I hadn't placed in the top 3 of my age group, but you never know. I didn't. My time was 27:37 with a pace of 8:53 (still a PR by 19 seconds) and I finished 5th (out of 36) in my age group. I finished 140th overall (out of 637). I have to be happy because it was still a PR, but I'm not happy with how I did it. Totally positive splits, didn't stick to my pace, and walked way too much. Our gym is starting a 90 day weight loss challenge, which I'm not participating in, but they're kicking it off with a 5k on Tuesday. I'm going to run that and work on finding that elusive 8:41 pace.

There was another 5k in our area yesterday that I didn't choose because the age groups were bigger. Go figure, I would have been first in my age group in that race. I'm going to add another 5k to my calendar in May. Jake has to work that day, but I've already booked our babysitter and I may even let her and the kids come to the race. 

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Working for the Weekend

It's time for me to start overanalyzing thinking about my 5k this weekend. Being a beginner runner is really fun because there's almost always an opportunity to PR. My 5k PR is 27:56, set just a month ago, on a day when the weather sucked was highly unfavorable (windy and cold). The weather is still predicted to be windy (I don't think I ever noticed or cared about the wind so much until I became a runner and I'm pretty sure we haven't had more than a couple days of light or no wind in the past month) but it's going to be warm (low to mid 60's). Even though I've done very little speed training, I feel like I can PR again. I'm competitive (are there runners who race and aren't?). I'm driven to race so I can beat my own times, but now that I've had a little taste of finishing toward the top of my age group? Oh, yeah, I'm racing my little 180 beat per minute heart out. My goal is to get under 27 minutes, so my pace needs to be no slower than 8:41. My outfit has been chosen, race packets picked up. I'm ready to race this weekend!

Jake and I ran 3 miles together today on the trail behind the running store. This was our first time to run together and it was so much fun. I can't wait until we start training for 1/2s together. It's going to be so much better to have a partner for long runs this time!

Monday, April 4, 2011

First Speed Workout


Whew. That's not easy stuff. But the goal is to be "faster than fast" as Shankopotomas's pal Lighting McQueen would say... So somebody just tell me that speed intervals, tempo runs, etc. work and I'll get faster. Please???
I got a text from my marathoner-to-be friend last night inviting me to accompany her on her planned 8 mile run today. I'm still babying the foot a little, even though it felt painfree pretty normal yesterday, so I passed. Plus the forecast was calling for strong winds + rain. She didn't care. I do. I'm a fair weather runner. I totally own it. I've learned to appreciate, and dare I say like, the "cold" (and by cold I mean anything between 32 and 50 degrees- I don't do below freezing). No freaking way I was running in sustained 20mph wind with measured gusts up to 42mph. So I hit the treadmill at the gym.

I started with a 1 mile easy jog. Then I did 1/4 mile intervals (would have been 400's if I was on the track). My faster than fast speed was 8mph (pace 7:30/mile) and my recovery jog was 4.5mph (13:19/mile). I did 4 of the intervals at that pace, then slowed the fifth one to 7.5mph (8:00/mile). I think I might was well run it at the 7:30/mile pace because that means it's over faster it'll make me better. I finished with a 1 mile cool down jog. Total distance 4.25 miles.

Three thoughts that I remember from this run:
1- Holy cow that chick 4 treadmills down is in badass shape. Tall and lean and muscular. And she's making her intervals at an incline of like 15 look easy.
2-  This is "only 7:30 pace." The guy who won Dallas Rock n Roll was under 5 minute pace. How. Does. That. Work. That must feel like flying.
3- The person on the treadmill behind me sounds like they have 4 hooves. I could hear them pounding the treadmill over my music. 

My foot feels good. I'm praying that it's all better and I can go back to running as planned. I'll do 3 miles on Wednesday and maybe 2 on Thursday after I strength train. That'll be 12-ish for the week, including the 5k on Saturday. Longer runs will resume next week, though even those will feel short compared to what I've been doing for the 1/2 marathon.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Triple Crown?

I've been thinking pretty seriously about adding the St. Louis Rock n Roll Half Marathon to my race calendar for 2011. My only cousin lives in St. Louis, so we could drive there (would rather fly but airfare for 4 is not an option) for a long weekend and get to see them. The race is the weekend after my birthday (10/21), on 10/23. That would leave exactly 6 weeks until the half in Vegas. That's not too close is it? My half was a week ago today and other than this stupid foot I feel back to normal. I guess there's always a chance I could hurt myself running in the smaller races or training runs leading up to Vegas, so what's another big race? I would say I could just "run it for fun" like I've seen other runner bloggers write, but I can't honestly do that. I don't know how.

Plus, Rock n Roll awards "Heavy Medal" based on the number of their half or full marathons you run in a year. Based on running Dallas and Vegas (since we've already paid for that trip), I would get this medal:
But if I run Dallas, St. Louis, and Vegas, I would get this medal:


I have until 6/30 to decide before the registration fee goes up, but I'd probably decide before then. I'd need to start training at the very end of July or first of August. Ha! Training in the hottest part of the year for Texas only to go and race in cooler St. Louis. The average low for October is 48 and average high is 68, but I read somewhere that the average date of the first fall moderate freeze is 10/25. So it could be pretty cold.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Lessons Learned Today

I'm sort of kicking myself (and Jake) for not running the 5k in the race that the kids ran this morning. It was a really small race. I know I could have won my age group (30:29 was the time to beat) and the winner in Jake's age group was 32:23. I think he could have beat that. He ran 2 miles in just over 20 minutes this afternoon. He's getting faster, well... fast. We even kicked around the idea of one of us registering last minute but decided to stick with our plan of racing next weekend.

The kids had fun. Peanut more so than Shankopotamus. Only 5 kids ran the Kids K and Shankopotamus was the yougest kid and only boy. Peanut was in fourth place until the turn around when she started making up time. She was making ground on the leader as she neared the finish line! She even got a stitch in her side- it was a little funny to watch her grab at it as she ran. Shankopotamus ran the first part with Jake, then decided he wanted to run with me. After the turn around he said, "I want to walk" so we walked for a few seconds before I encouraged him to run again. They got medals so they were happy.

We took turns running at the park before our nephew's t-ball game. I wanted to run 1 mile as fast as I could so I could get an idea of the pace I should use for my first speed workout on Monday (5 x 400). I don't think I've ever really run for speed. Not like, give it everything you've got, speed. Maybe that's part of being a new runner and not really knowing what I'm capable of. I'd rather run a little conservative and not have to walk... or die. Anyway, I took off hauling ass on my one mile run. I quickly realized that a one mile run is not a sprint for me. I ran the first half mile in under 4 minutes but thought I was going to die. I don't have my Garmin in front of me but each 1/4 mile in the first half was under 8 min pace. I don't think I've ever seen a "7" leading the numbers for my pace unless maybe it was down a hill or something. I walked for a minute, then finished the rest of my mile at a more reasonable pace. I still wanted to throw up at the end, don't get me wrong. Maybe that's what people mean when they say "just below puke pace." My time was 8:34. I know that's a little skewed because of the walk, though.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Three Random Trains of Thought

1- I have race fever. I got an email today for a half marathon in May and I want to run it! But I'm not going to do it. I have a plan to work on speed and focus on the 5k/10k distance through the summer and that's what I'm going to stick to. The half training will resume soon enough. Sigh... but at least I have a 5k next weekend. Is it crazy to look at last year's results for this race to try and figure out if I have a chance of placing in my age group? Well, I looked.

2- In the meantime, I'm jealous of my kids who have a race tomorrow. They're both going to run their first 1k. Peanut is the 4 year old (girl) and Shankopotamus is the 2 year old (boy). She's fired up like you would not believe and he's into pretty much anything that she's into. I am praying that they give medals to the kids who run the 1k because otherwise we're going to be looking for somewhere that sells medals tomorrow. I think she thinks that's the coolest thing about racing. She might be right. I like my bling. A lot. She made a comment at the gym today about "beating everybody and winning a trophy."  Then, in the car, she asked if they would have snacks after the race. I think she's pretty much got races figured out. If she knew that some girls wear tutus I'd be screwed. There's high probability that she'll ask to wear a skirt for the race anyway. Before bed tonight we picked out their race attire. It almost pains me that they don't have any athletic clothing, much less running gear. They will if they actually get into this.

3- Today I did my first strength training workout in, oh, 2 months? I don't know why I haven't been doing it. I always forget that I actually like strength training. I just did one rotation on the circuit that my trainer had me doing when I lost all the weight in the fall... the first circuit, not that crazy trainer crap he had me doing as I got stronger. Next week I'll add the second and maybe third rotation. I just didn't want to be majorly sore this weekend.