Marathon #2: Rocket City Marathon Race Report!

 

Rocket City Marathon: new PR: 4:35:53! 

Wow, talk about an amazing day yesterday! I am going to try to categorize my blog today so I know that I am not forgetting anything! 

Weather/Course Map 

The weather forecast for Saturday fluctuated throughout the week (as usual!), but we ended up with a fairly windy day that was quite cold! It stayed in the 30s-40s throughout the morning, and honestly, with the sun staying behind the clouds, I am not quite sure if the temperature got to 50 degrees like they predicted. Katrina, Remy, and I ended up ditching our jackets at mile 13.1, and even though I was in long sleeves, the wind kept me feeling VERY cold! I don't think that I felt hot during the entire race! The new Rocket City Course was quite flat, and I loved how you didn't stay on a stretch of road for very long...there were constant turns and changes of scenery! Of course, the best part to me was running through the Space and Rocket Center, but honestly, around mile 18 or so did NOT feel good while running on gravel at the Botanical Gardens. My feet were already hurting at that point! :-O Overall, I liked the course, and I loved the flat stretches where you felt more encouraged to pick up your pace. All of the volunteers/spectators made it worth your while too...so many people out in the cold just to cheer us on! It was GREAT motivation!!! 

 

Fueling/Hydration:

A lot of people ask me (nutrition-wise) how to prepare for a run, and what you eat during a run. A lot of runners do different things depending on personal preferences and health needs. I try to eat relatively healthy/moderately anyway, and Friday night, I ate green beans, salmon, and rice! And of course, as always, LOTS OF WATER throughout the week! Yesterday, I took strawberry/banana GU at mile 5, 10, 15, and 19, and I had a mixture of golden & black raisins in a baggie to help me as well (I feel like these help with my blood sugar and kept me going the last five miles!). I also drink half gatorade/half water to hydrate whenever I feel it's necessary, and with my thyroid issue, I feel like I do drink a lot more compared to my other running buddies. I got a little lightheaded during the Botanical Garden (around mile 17-18), but the raisins and extra hydration helped me get through that! I didn't have any restroom breaks, so when that happens, I know my fueling was just right and successful! :)

Training Plan:

I stuck with my Hal Higdon Training Plan as close as I could. I ran 3-4 days a week, and cross trained (yoga and/or circuit trained) 2-3 days a week. I kept my long runs for Saturday or Sundays. This race was special to me for two reasons. First off, this was supposed to be my first marathon to complete last year, but unfortunately, I got the flu two days before it and was too physically drained to complete it (I only made it to mile 10), and I knew that this year I was going to be ready to do it and complete it! A week before this race this year, I got really sick with a sinus infection, and had to get a steroid shot/medication (and now that I look at my race pictures, I can still see that my face was still pretty puffy/swollen from all of this). I was somewhat nervous about my recovery time, but I felt a week's time was sufficient, and I ended up being right! :) Secondly, I was running this marathon with soooo many people that I know in the running community, that I knew that I wasn't going to be on this endeavor alone. These people made waking up early on Saturdays and Sundays way more bearable! It was so cool to be apart of this journey with so many people! I am also thankful for the night runs with my sister, Benj's Monday Night trail group, and Chelsea's Thursday night group...there were days that I just wanted to go home from work and be lazy, but I was encouraged to train with awesome people!

 We Run Huntsville
I am very thankful for the people that I run with. These people have seen me at my worst: no make up, sweaty, stinky, and sometimes cranky, but they still take me as I am. I thank God for the ability to run, and I thank God for placing people like this in my life that keep me motivated! There were many times during the race yesterday that I was right in my head enough (no pain, distractions, etc) that I was able to tell myself "you're okay, you're doing great" and just be able to thank God for giving me the drive to do this (my usual running prayer as I run is "thank You God for this day; thank You God for the ability to run", and I just repeat that over and over and over). I am also thankful that God placed people like this in my life to remind me that I can do this and I am capable! There were even some points in the race that I felt God touching me physically and mentally and people praying for me, and I haven't felt those feelings as strongly as I have with any other race. It was a good feeling :) Thank you for praying for me!

 Final Thoughts
Once again, thank you to those that were apart of my 50k and marathon #2 journey for the fall and winter. I can't even put into words how accomplished I feel, and how good it feels to be over! I am not sure what's next in store for me, but I know it's going to be GREAT!!! Marathon #2 felt really special to me, mainly because not only did I felt like I was running to PR and better myself, but I really felt myself running WITH people, a lot of people actually, that I knew. A lot of the time, I wasn't necessarily running with these people physically, but we were ALL running the same race, and they were constantly in my thoughts throughout the race. It was awesome to see how far we all came from when you look back at day one. God gets the glory! :) The feeling of crossing a marathon finish line is PRICELESS!

Denise and I crossing the finish line!

Once again, yesterday was GREAT, and so many memories were made! It honestly makes me want to plan marathon #3, I am just not sure when and where! I hope everyone has an awesome week and a wonderful holiday with their loved ones! :)

 

-Holly 

November 15th, 2014: My FIRST 50k & Trail Race!

 

Monte Sano 50k 2014-Official Time:  6:53:53

I still can't believe how successful my first 50k/Trail Race went! It was a VERY cold Saturday morning (no rain, thank goodness!). I kept my gloves, earwarmers, and jacket on the entire race...I didn't start feeling warm until mile 20! I sweat like a man, so the cold weather was a Godsend to me! 

This was a great first 50k. Because of the continuous loops on the course, you were able to stop at your aid station every 5 miles if you needed it! Here is a picture of a course map: now you see why it's called "Dizzy 50"...you are running in circles! We ran on the green and pink loops that you see!

This race was a good day for me! I had no stomach issues (which is an on and off things for me, but it's gotten MUCH better!), lots of energy (boo you, thyroid!), and the only pain that I experienced was from my new trail shoes...and the problem ended up being that I tied them too tight, so that was an easy fix!

 I was fueling when I was supposed to, and I told myself I would walk down Sinks Trail and up Sinks Trail to prevent injury...I don't want to miss out on Rocket City!  My first 15 miles felt really great...I had great running company, good conversation, and just felt good in general after refueling at my aid station (I used Strawberry/Banana GU, golden & regular raisins, and peanut butter pretzels!). However, I hit a wall at mile 17. You fellow runners know what I am talking about. After being at the aid station, I became unmotivated and wanted to quit. Confession: I even told myself that I could quit at mile 20 so I could go home early...

But then, I started going through my mental checklist...

1) Are you injured? (no)

2) Do you need more fuel? (no)

3) Is your head hurting? (no)

4) Can you breathe? (yes)

So, I told myself...

QUIT BEING LAZY! YOU ARE OVER HALFWAY FINISHED! YOU ARE NOT QUITTING!

 It was so weird at this point of the race...I couldn't see any runners, and I was all alone, which is weird for this kind of race that you just run in a figure 8. I saw Gregg and he took my picture, so that made me feel a little better! HAHA! It was nice to see a human! And shortly after that point, I saw another runner that was completing her first 50k too. She seemed happy, comfortable, and bubbly...and it was just the kind of person that I needed to talk to at that point in the race! Jenny kept me company and motivated around mile 20 to mile 26. It kept my mind off the fact that I had completed 20+ trail miles. Thank you, Jenny! 

But yes, it was a successful finish! My blood sugar dropped at about mile 29, so I felt a little loopy crossing the finish line! The Coca-Cola and water helped with that after I crossed the finish line! I am so thankful that David drove me to the race and picked me up...he's awesome like that! :) And he took some finish line pictures! 

Overall thoughts of the race: like I already mentioned, it was a great/challenging location for a first 50k. The volunteers were awesome, and I love how you could bring your own aid and set up your own "station"! I love that it's a local race, and I loved the bible verses that were on the trees, and I loved the Christian music that I heard almost every time I was at the aid station! I'm thankful for the ability to run, and I am thankful for how successful this race turned out for me! I felt like a million bucks after the race, and some of the runners went out for dinner that evening to share stories and just to chat! It was yummy and fun! :)

MY TRIP/FALL COUNT: I did not fall ONCE during the race! I tripped three times and I was able to catch myself. I was so proud! However, I did trip and fall on the way to my car while walking on pavement...LOL! Oh, goodness:-P Saturday was awesome!

But, the next day, this happened....

  Sunday was pretty horrible! Even with stretching and yoga twice on Saturday after the race, I woke up in SO MUCH PAIN. Everything was hurting..legs, arms, chest, back...it was crazy! Of course I tried to stay on my feet most of the day, stretched, and drank plenty of water (and took some Aleve,which I was taking Aleve starting on Thursday to help with this soreness!). I even did my yoga routine even though I really didn't want to. On Monday, I woke up fine, and I didn't walk funny at all at work! :-P 

     Once again, I am thankful for how this race turned out. I give credit to a great training plan (Thanks, Runners' World!) and the strength/patience to get through it! I am thankful for cross training. I thank God for my health and the ability to run. I am thankful for awesome running buddies and their continuous company, and I am thankful for my sweet husband that puts up with my running schedule! :) He has never been negative about it, and he always will ask me when I walk in the door, "How was your run?". :) :) :) 

     It's funny to be typing this after running ten miles today was a struggle. I felt nauseous, congested, and just yucky. My plan called for three hours of running, but it took all I had to do two hours. I plan on relaxing, drinking plenty of water, and getting some more vitamin C today! I can't believe the Rocket City Marathon is three weeks away! It's going to be a GREAT long run with friends with 26.2 medals and celebration to follow! I hope everyone has a great week and a happy thanksgiving! :) :) 

-Holly

Fall Break, Monte Sano 15k, and WHOA, IT'S 35 DAYS UNTIL MY FIRST 50K!!

Okay, so my last blog was somewhat lengthy. I am hoping since I am sleepy that this one won't be as long and wordy!

I can't believe that fall break is almost over! I am really thankful though, I had a lot of down time, but at the same time, I had some busy days. I was able to see both of my nephews, all of my siblings, my family, and spend more time with my husband...it was fantastic! During the school year, I stay tired with working long hours, so I am thankful for these breaks:)

 

So...I PR'ed AT MONTE SANO 15K TODAY! :D I was able to keep a sub 10 pace, which had my relaxed, marathon training legs running with SPEED! My time last year was 1:33:53 and I averaged over a ten minute pace, but this year my average pace was 9:33! It doesn't sound like much, but really, it is!! :D

I will be honest, I haven't done speedwork in so long that at one point I thought I was going to throw up. Note to self: add speedwork in the weekly training! :-O If I want to PR at the Huntsville Half Marathon next month and beat my half marathon PR (2:16:58 at a 10:22 average pace), I need to incorporate it in my training instead of doing mostly hill training.

It was great to see running friends (and my sister!) run this race today! It just reminds me what an awesome community Huntsville has, and it's great to train with athletes in all levels/experience when it comes to the sport of running! I learn so much from this group of people! I am so thankful for We Run Huntsville!

Speaking of training....OH MY GOSH I HAVE A 50K IN 5 WEEKS! Seriously, even though my training plan is on my refrigerator and I see it daily to keep up with my training, I am still in shock right now. It really hit me yesterday that I am actually going to attempt this. The distance is not what's intimidating me (I feel if I fuel correctly, pace myself, and be realistic mentally during my race, I will be alright), but the fact that it's a trail race is making me super nervous. But you know what? It's alright to train for something that scares you and challenges you...if you train correctly, it WILL make you stronger! Like Walt Disney once said, it's kind of fun doing the impossible!

 I try to get on the trails to train at least once a week, but with five more weeks left, I will try to make it two times a week instead. I have to be strong and "trail fit" to accomplish this with no injury...it's a lot different running on trails than running on the flat pavement. I am also going to become more strict with myself with my cross training...I have really been slacking the past few weeks. I know better, I don't want to get injured, so I need to remind myself that yoga and circuit training are my friends. It just gets difficult with long work hours...but I have to discipline myself better! I HAVE TO! I have done well, but now it's crunch time! One positive note: at least with the trail race being in November, I won't see any snakes, right?! 

I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their weekend! Congrats to everyone that raced today! 

-Holly 

Teaching, future races, and the misconceptions of running...

I can't believe that it's been over a month since my last blog post! My job has kept me busy, as always, but this school year is going so much smoother than my first two years of teaching. Granted, I feel that this class is doing so much better in regards to behavior, but the more I think about it, I feel that I am the one becoming more comfortable with teaching, and maybe it's not that my job is getting any easier, I am just becoming a better teacher & worker! I am truly enjoying 1st grade so far, and even though the ups & downs of teaching, I am thankful that God thinks I am capable & worthy enough to have such an important (and rewarding) career!I love teaching, not the silly, testing political stuff that goes with it ;) 

Okay, so not to sound nerdy, but I am getting SUPER EXCITED about some upcoming races! :) I am running the Monte Sano 15k on October 11th! I haven't ran a race since July (The Race for Hope 10k!), so I am SO READY to feel the joy and anticipation of a race again! Last year, I ran the 15k (9.3 miles) in 1:33:53 with a 10:05 pace...my goal this year is to run it in sub 10, and honestly, I think I can do it! It will be tough with the hills, but that's what I have been keeping in mind when I have been on my long and shorter runs during the week!

My other scheduled races...

November 8th--Huntsville Half Marathon--Goal: to beat my half marathon PR (personal record) of 2:16:58 (10:22 average pace)

November 15th-- Dizzy Fifties 50k (my FIRST trail race AND 50k (31 miles) distance! AHHH!)---Goal: TO FINISH (haha!)

December 1st---Galaxy of Lights 5k---Goal: to beat my 5k PR of 26:47

December 13th-- Rocket City Marathon (Marathon #2!!! Woo hoo!!)---Goal: to beat my first and only marathon time of 04:49:24 (10:48 average pace)

I had to cancel out of the Recovery for Holidays 50k due to holiday plans, so that is why I signed up for the November 50k trail race! 

So, before I start typing what I feel like are some misconceptions to running, I would first off like to say that I LOVE when people message me/text me about running. It reminds me of where I started, and where I am now. I hope that I am helpful and encouraging, because I NEVER want to be annoying! Anyway, that's what I LOVE about the sport of running: the growth of your athletic ability from where you started from what you become. You know what breaks my heart? When I hear someone say "I can't run a mile", "I could never run a race", etc because that was me. I couldn't do that. And I was right...I couldn't, because I never tried and I didn't believe that I could do it.

If you read my first blog post, you will read about my running journey and how I got started, so I won't bore you and type it again. What I would like to type though has been done before in different ways, but I would like to type out what I believe to be some of the things that I get the most questions or comments about when I talk about running...

1) You will NOT enjoy running when you first start running. 

Unless you are some lovely gosh darn ray of sunshine all the time, I highly doubt that you will get "runner's high" when you begin to run, especially if you haven't been active before. You are talking to someone that would tear up/cry on a treadmill back in 2011 because it HURT. My legs HURT. My lungs HURT. I was OUT OF SHAPE. That's part of it. As cliche as it sounds, nothing worth having in life comes easy, it's going to take some strength, dedication, and perseverance. You WILL one day enjoy a run, it just won't be in the first week. Shoot, if you're like me, it won't be for a few months...

2) You will most likely feel some sort of pain when you first start running. 

 There is a difference between the aches/pains that you feel when you first start working out because you have not been active and an actual, full blown injury. There is a careful, pain free way to go about walking/running. First, I would just recommend getting a walking plan, and then, once walking is comfortable, find a Couch To 5k plan (I used the one on my runkeeper app). Because of being 25 lbs heavier, I would experience pains in my knees/shins when I first started being active, but those aches/pains went away once I stayed with my plan, stretched, etc. Don't let aches/pains get you away from being healthy/trying something new. As I mentioned in one of my previous blog, don't believe the myth that running blows your knees out. YES, IF YOU RUN 5 DAYS A WEEK AND NOTHING ELSE, YOU WILL BLOW YOUR KNEES OUT. But like I will mention in point #5, a well balanced runner does MORE than running! 

3) Shoot, you might not even enjoy your first race (one miler, 5k, 10k, whatever...)

If your first race is anything like mine, you might over plan, get nervous, give too much energy during the race, etc...and in turn, you stress out/freak out and don't enjoy it. I remember freaking out before and during my first 5k (and getting sick to boot I might add!), but at the end of the race, the sense of accomplishment/happiness of finishing that I felt couldn't compare, and that's why I enjoy races so much! However, I have a few running buddies that HATE races and refuse to sign up for them (they enjoy running on their own) and there is NOTHING wrong with that either! 

4) You do NOT need top brand running items, but you do NEED quality items. 

 I can be frugal about a lot of things, but the more I ran, the more I realized that you don't need name brand everything, but you do NEED quality, especially in SHOES. DON'T GO CHEAP ON SHOES. Crappy shoes can lead to foot pain, shin pain, hip pain, injuries, etc....and in turn, you will give up on running. I am not saying that you have to spend $200+ on a pair of shoes, but I am saying that shoes are VERY important. I would recommend going to the Runner's World website to research shoes along with reading reviews to see the BEST shoe for you. There are even running shoe stores that can even let you test them on a treadmill. If you don't have that option, try them on for a mile or two at your leisure, and if they don't work, RETURN them! When it comes to shorts, shirts, socks, bras, etc here are some of my favorites...

Socks: Nike Dri Fit

Sports Bras: Old Navy (crazy, I know) and Target

Shorts: Moving Comfort

Shirts: Anything that has the moisture wicking fabric...I am NOT picky

5) Runners don't JUST run...we do other things too!!!

In order for runners to become better runners and to stay injury free, they HAVE to cross train, no if's or but's!!! The only time that I got injured was when I stopped cross training and only ran....it's not worth it! My weekly schedule looks something like this....

Sun: 35 minute Circuit Training (sit ups, push ups, lunges, squats, planks...and I use 5 or 10 lb hand weights)

Mon: Rest Day

Tues: 3-6 mile run & yoga

Wed: 35 minute Circuit Training

Thurs: Trail Run or hillwork 4-7 miles

Fri: Rest Day

Saturday: Long Run (10+ miles depending on training schedule) & yoga

 

I DO NOT RUN EVERYDAY. That would make me a crazy person that would probably end up on the injured list! I have no desire to blow my knees out, have shin splits, tendonitis, or stress fractures. Can injuries still happen, even if you're careful? OF COURSE. You're human and you're being active! But with cross training, stretching, cycling, yoga, strength training, etc you will be less likely to be on the injured list, and your cross training will make you a stronger athlete/runner! 

I write all this because 1) I love running, 2) I loved how it's made me healthier/happier, and 3) YOU CAN BE A RUNNER! Trust me, if I can be, YOU can be! :) Find something active that makes you healthy/happy! 

Well, I am OUT! I have one more week of work, and then it's FALL BREAK! :) I can't wait to see my running buddies on Tuesday & Thursday mornings since I have missed out on those during the school year, and, of course, I will see my running buddies on Saturday morning so we can crank out those long distance trainings for Rocket City! I hope everyone has a great week!

-Holly

Anniversary, 30 Day Ab Challenge, first week of school, marathon/50k training, WHOA

Okay, so my title is what I am going to talk about, and I promise to not ramble like I usually do. I will make it brief!

1) Anniversary 

It's been 4 years of marriage for David & I! I am so thankful for him; he makes me the happiest person in the world. He's always so supportive of me and so caring, and I couldn't ask for a better husband, friend, and gentleman :) Who would have thought I would have married that silly, short 7th grader?! :-) We ate at Carrabba's for our anniversary, and the food was AMAZING and our server was polite and professional. It's nice to have yummy food & good service :)

2) 30 Day Ab Challenge 

Day 15 of 30 Day Ab Challenge

 

Day 1 of 30 Day Ab Challenge

 Of course, I don't have a six pack (wasn't planning on having one!), but I wanted to do something to hold me accountable for working on my core, which is HUGE when you are a runner (and great for anything else, really). No, I didn't go to the gym and crutch myself to death, I just found a free 30 Day Ab Challenge App on my phone so it could hold me accountable and I could keep track of my days. I did bicycle crutches, sit ups, leg lifts, and planks. I didn't live in a gym, I would just do my workout plan on my app for that day which only took about ten minutes. Shoot, we sit longer in a fast food drive thru for ten minutes, so you could make time to work on your core! I like how my sides got slimmer (no side rolls when I put on my running shorts!) and my tummy isn't as bloated! And I could tell a difference in my speed/strength while running, even with this summer heat!

3) First Week of School

Before

 

48 hours later

 My first week with my first graders was this past week, and it went WONDERFUL! I can't believe what an awesome week that I have had with them! They have so much self control and they are great listeners. When they make a mistake, they say they're sorry, calm down, and make it right. I have preached and taught character education 30 minutes or so each day since we don't have a counselor yet, and I feel like starting my year off with this along with constantly repeating/reviewing rules & procedures have helped so much! They are already finding out this week that when we make good choices/decisions, we have a great day! There are incentives of course, but I feel like they enjoy just the praise alone and just me talking to them (WAY different than my students from last year!). I have taught kindergarten for the past two years, but this move to 1st grade has been GREAT so far! I really like the team that I am working with too! Let the long work hours begin!

4) My 2nd Marathon/ My first 50k Training 

Training starts this Saturday. I will start with 10 miles this Saturday, no matter how hot and humid it will be! :-( I am sooooo ready for the cool, fall mornings! Rocket City Marathon is on December 13th (a Saturday), and the 50k (my first!) will be on December 31st (a Wednesday)! 18 Weeks until the Nike Rocket City Marathon and 20 weeks until the Recovery from the Holidays 50k! I feel like once I get my high mileage in for Rocket City, that the 31.06 miles for the 50k won't feel too bad. Hey, it's only a little over 5 miles more than a marathon, right? Wait, what did I just say? Oh no, I turned into one of these people...

I hope everyone has a GREAT week! :-)

-Holly

Summertime, vacations, and races, oh my!

I can't believe that it's been a month since my last blog post. It really doesn't seem like it, but summertime sure does fly by, especially when you are a teacher! :-)

It's actually quiet in the house right now since my nephew, Sawyer, is taking a nap! He is so precious! I have been watching him 2 days a week in the summer, and wow, are those days BUSY! Shout out to the moms/dads out there...I don't know how you do it! I would stay TIRED! We've had a great day today though. We played at the playground, fed the ducks, and played with chalk. That kid would LIVE outside if he could!

I am getting him into Disney already:-P 

 I posted about Mountain Mania 15k in my last blog, but I did not post about the Chick-fil-a 10k in Decatur on June 14th! The race started at 7:30, and it did get hot rather quickly! My goal was the finished the 10k in less than an hour with the race course being so flat BUT keeping the heat in mind, and I DID IT! This race was to celebrate my sister's bday, and of course, she did AWESOME too! She even won a $50 Target gift card in a random bib number drawing....woo hoo!

It was my best 10k so far with my fastest mile being at a 8:31 pace and my average pace being 9:02! I honestly couldn't believe it, and it makes me hope if I can be this much faster in the heat, I hope to be even speedier in the fall/winter while training for marathon #2 (Rocket City Marathon!). For this race, I started out much faster (in my mind I was telling myself "it will only get hotter so speed it up NOW!") so once I "slowed down" and got a little tired around mile 4, I was really still going much faster that I usually do! I placed 3rd in my age group, and Christina and Heather placed 1st in their age groups! :-D

 

Honestly, I thank the Tuesday & Thursday group in We Run Huntsville that I started running with this summer for my increase in my pace, and wow, some of those folks are FAST!

 I don't recommend running with faster people all the time, but it really does help when you change it up and you do, it can only make you better! And let me be real, do I always stay at their pace? HECK NO! But my goal is to not lose sight of them, so the run ends up turning into a mental game for me:-P I am going to be so sad when school starts and I can't make these morning group runs :-( 

By the way, I just went to the beach with my husband, and it was AMAZING! The weather was beautiful in Ft Walton, and the ocean water was so clear, and the sand was so clean! Even with it being Fourth of July week, it wasn't too terribly crowded. We stayed at the Sheraton Four Points, and it was wonderful! Pools, hot tubs, lounging areas...it was really a lazy trip! David works so hard with grad school and now his NEW job, so he deserved a LAZY, FUN trip! :) And I will be going with Leslie to Chicago this weekend, and I have NEVER been to Chicago. Should be a lot of fun! :)

So, my next races coming up for this year. I signed up for the Monte Sano 15k in October, and like I already mentioned, I signed up for the Rocket City Marathon in December for marathon #2! I also plan on signing up for the Huntsville Half Marathon once registration opens. I might be convinced to do the Dizzy 50s Trail Race...just maybe, and I know that I will do the Recover from the Holidays 50k...it will be my first Ultra (about 31 miles!).  For next year, I will be doing the St Jude Country Music Half Marathon in Nashville since I enjoyed it so much last year, but it is in April, so I got a while until that race! I did the full marathon this past year. I signed for the half marathon, but you can upgrade to the full marathon on race day for a small fee...maybe I will be persuaded to do 26.2 for a third time...haha!! :-P And I also plan on doing the McKay Hollow 25k Trail Race for the first time...I really want to do my first trail race this year or next year.

Well, I am actually resting today, no running and weight training, because of my bruised and swollen foot. My clumsy self injured my right foot/ankle during trail running on Monte Sano yesterday while running Death Trail....owww. The rocks, elevation, etc made me trip twice and fall once, ugh! Trail running does keep me humble, and it makes me think that running on the flat, nice pavement or treadmill is EASY! HAHA! So I am elevating my foot and icing it when I can. I can already tell a difference and the swelling is going down. Woo hoo:) 

Enjoy the summer, folks! Spend it with the ones you love, stay active, and hey, be lazy every now and then. :-P My next blog post will be about my 30 day ab challenge for July (before and after pictures included!). I am curious to see the results! 

-Holly 

I stole this from my running friend, Patricia, and I love it!!! Pardon the sassiness:-P It doesn't have to be running, folks! Find the exercise of your choice to help you feel better and live longer!!!

Mountain Mania 15k, CFA 10K, and being a "slow" runner

I wanted to start off by saying that my last blog on hypothyroidism had the MOST views that I have ever had, and I was able to message back and forth with ten different people on their questions/frustrations regarding hypothyroid and being active. This is what I love about the Huntsville running community...we help each other out! When I had running/fitness questions, I always got answers, so thanks to everyone that makes We Run Huntsville the awesome group of runners that it is!! :) If I have talked to you once or even 100 times, it doesn't matter...THANK YOU!

It's only been a little over two weeks since school let out and this teacher started her summer vacation, and WOW! It hasn't even felt like two weeks; it has felt much longer (which is a good thing!). David was on travel for work for the first week and a half of my break, but now he is back home, and that makes me happy:-) I can't believe it will be our 4 year anniversary in July! I have seen my nephews already, and will see them some more, which has been GREAT! I have already started on my "to-do" list for around the house...I will be honest, the week of Memorial Day I was a LAZY sack of skin! I didn't want to do anything but eat, sleep, watch tv, read, and run;-)

After the laziness went away, I ran my first race for the summer...MOUNTAIN MANIA 15K! It was at the Burningtree Country Club in Priceville, and WOW...what a race! I don't know if it was the timing of the hills on the mountain, the time of year (HEAT), or whatever else, but it felt much more difficult than Oak Barrel had been for me. Crazy, I know. I did REALLY like the flat stretch around miles 4-6...I was really trying to get some speed in and go as fast as I could with speed intervals (sprint-comfort pace-sprint-comfort  pace...repeat!). It was a small race (which I like smaller local races!) and I ended up getting 3rd in my age group because of that (and got a Fleet Feet gift card to boot! woo hoo:-P) ! With the hills, I got very close to a 10 minute pace, and I couldn't have been more surprised, because those hills had me huffing and puffing when I was walking up them!!! My goal was to keep Troy and Susan in my sight, and I was able to until the last couple miles of the 9.3! It was great to run the previous Saturday with them to get an idea on how our paces are somewhat close together!

And what's next?! The CFA Race in Decatur! Woo hoo! I have finished the 5k race there for the past two years, and this year will be the first time that I run the 10k! I remember the race always being SO HOT, but it is VERY flat. I would LOVE to do a sub 60 minute 10k....so I am going to try to beat that goal with speed intervals, along with the help of my sister of course! :D Here is a group picture of the Legacy Ladies in our cow printed tutus from last year's 5k race! :)

And this year's costume idea? Well, I will give you a hint...it is from a past marketing cow design that I thought was super cute...and I still have my stuffed hippie CFA cow that gave me inspiration! But here is some of the art that will be on my running tee!!

But yes, I am super excited about getting crafty and getting mine and Heather's shirts ready! And the CFA race is ALWAYS a fun one! There is a lot of fun activities for the kids while you or your loved ones are racing and some yummy CFA biscuits to eat. The money goes toward the Winshape Camps for kids...which is fantastic! Can't go wrong with that! :) And of course, you will have to see the life of the party....

I am looking forward to Saturday! I will have my sweet adorable nephews to keep me busy these next few days, so it will be here before I know it! 

I would like to end this blog with a thought that I had on Monday. So, on Monday, I was a lazy pants and did not get up and run that morning...I hit my alarm clock and went back to sleep. I knew that I would TOTALLY regret it because it would be SO HOT later on, but I went out at 2:30 in the afternoon and did it anyway. Oh my gosh, I was so miserable. It was hot, and barely ANY wind. Even though the greenway trees kept me somewhat cool where it was shaded, it was still humid and hot....and this was my first run by myself in a long time. I have either been with one or more people, which is awesome to have running buddies that keep you motivated, but sometimes, it is just nice to go for a solo run.

On my run though, like I always do, I started thanking God for the ability to get in my car, drive, and go for a run. I thank Him for my health and for helping me be motivated to stay active about my health. This is one of the many things that I thank God for when I can and in the moment that I think of it, because I never want Him to think that I am ungrateful. As I was running and thinking, I thought about how tired and hot I was, and how much slower that I was being because of the heat. But then...I got to thinking...I am not slow. I mean, what is "slow"? What's slow to me is a different definition than someone that runs a 15 minute mile or a 5 minute mile. Why do I care so much about being "fast" or "slow"? But I do. I like to think about it to keep me motivated and to allow myself to keep pushing myself to become better (I like to be competitive with myself!), but I never should be hard on myself for it...and you shouldn't either. You know what's slow? The person on the couch that physically COULD be doing something, but doesn't (and yes, I am talking about running right now, but it could be about anything active).. That's what I need to remember when I am pushing myself too hard mentally...and I know where that limit is. What was "slow" to me on Monday would have been my "fast" two years ago. As Walt Disney once said,  you keep moving forward. Progress is good. Progress takes time. 

And on that note, I will end! Take care and have a GREAT week! Stay safe with this NASTY weather!!!

-Holly