Only 8 days til the 1/2 Marathon!

Thought this was a funny shot of me and the hubby!  Photo booth is not just for kids!

Only 8 days until the Richmond Marathon and 1/2 Marathon in Richmond, VA.   I can't believe it is already here!  I feel confident that I will complete the 1/2 without any trouble.  I know that Karen and Tisa will also do great.  

My new favorite place is the Wellness center at the hospital.  I am enjoying the classes, the availibility, and the amenities, etc.  So far I have used the indoor track, the eliptical, the steam room, sauna, and I have taken a few classes.  I have also gone through the weight circuit a few times.  Hannah and Doug have also been a few times with Hannah enjoying it the most.  It is funny to watch her run 1/2 mile on the track and feel like she is dying.  She basically flitters from the eliptical, to the track and the to the pool for laps.  I know that right now she is experimenting with new activities and hopefully she will see that physical fitness can be fun and a lifelong adventure.  Here is a link for the wellness center and you can take a virtual tour.  Wellness Center

Today I am feeling it the most.  Yesterday I took a Total Toning class.  It most resembles body pump routines I did at Gold's Gym a few years ago.  Holy cow, I think every muscle in my body hurts today.  It is a good kind of hurt though.  I know I challenged myself.  

Lately on the running front, I have traded a few runs for stints at the gym.  I have tried to squeeze in a weekly long run with Tisa.  We have been doing 10 miles at  a time.  Hard to believe we can do this.  Never in a million years did I think I could run 10 miles--double digits--as we call them.  Tisa is keeping up great with the foot issues.  She is now in love with her othodic and I am still coveting her shoes :)  

Karen sent me a great gift recently.  I have been wanting a road I.D. and was also coveting hers.  So, she broke down and sent me one.  It is a great product for anyone running alone or on open roads.  Check out the website....Road I.D.com

So this coveting this is a problem for me, obviously with the shoes and the road i.d.  I will try to work on this, but I have to admit I am a gadget girl and shoe girl.  Can't help myself.  

Atlantic City Trip

 

This week I ventured to Atlantic City, NJ for a conference.  My friend Karen traveled with me so that we could renew a certification in fetal monitoring.  We started our co-venturing for this fetal monitoring thing about 8 years ago, when we first traveled to New York City for the original conference and exam.  We saw Blue Man Group on that trip.

This year we thought we'd try Atlantic City.  We thought it would be a nice, relaxing trip.  We are both pretty low maintenance.  The adventure started when, just into Delaware a little neon green neon motioned to us that one of the van tires was flat.  We pulled off, changed it and found, with Doug's help via phone, a Costco to replace the whole set in 30 minutes and we were on our way.  Karen and I are both pretty handy with the jack....we won't mention out loud the lug nut covers we (I) busted when removing them.  

In Atlantic City, we did a little gambling on the slot machines.  I think we did a good job of limiting our spending.  Tuesday night, we went to the Comedy Stop at the Tropicana.  It was ok.  The best part of the evening was the dinner at PF Changs.  Yum-O!
Here is a nice shot of Karen on the beach.  The weather was quite cool, although Karen wears flip flops and birks year round.  
Our hotel was the Resorts Hotel.  We had a room in the older part for $69.00 a night.  The hotel was right on the ocean.  
Here I am after a run on the boardwalk.  I probably did 4 miles.  It was a pretty easy jog for 50 minutes.  It could have been farther but I did not bring my Nike sportband.  Who would have ever thought I would try to catch a run while at a work conference?  Never in a million years would I have done this before. I am proud of myself for making it a priority.  

Coming up, I have a run with Tisa on Friday that should be 10 miles.  I just came from the gym and some weight lifting with Hannah.  Only 3 weeks until the 1/2 marathon!!!

Blue Ridge Hospice 5K

Here we are at the Hot Air Balloon Festival and Blue Ridge Hospice 5K.  Hannah (in green) is crossing the finish line. This turned out to be a beautiful day.  Below are pictures from the day.  This was fun to run since this was my first race last year. As much as I wanted to run my fastest time just to be competitive with a co-worker and to just say that I could improve my time, I decided to run with my daughter Makenah (9).  We decided to run .5 mile then walk .5 and so on to the end.  I have included some pics of her below.  She actually won 3rd place in her age group and received a medal.  How awesome for her.  I have also included a few pics of the balloons launching in the fields around us.  (yes, I ran with my camera).

Lilah took some pics, including this one of our feet.  Love it.  Then she got the one below of my bib number.  It is fun to see things from her level. 
Here is my Makenah with her medal.  I hope this was a self-esteem booster for this little person.  
My hubby, who I could not run without.  He also completed the 5K this year by keeping Lilah focused.  He makes it possible for me to run.  
Here is Makenah about 1.5 miles in.  She is so cute in her little running hat and ipod headphones.  
Here is Lilah at the beginning of the race.  Yes, she is wearing and ipod as well.  
What a beautiful day for a run.  The trees were fabulous.  The temp was about 45 deg.  Lovely to run.
Some shots of the hot air balloons in the fields around us as we ran.  
The food at the end of the race includes the usual lot of carbs, fruits, cheeses, water, muffins, etc.  Even hot chocolate and coffee were provided this year. 
Lilah isn't sure about this whole thing.  
This is my friend Shellie.  We work together at the hospital.  She is a mom of 4 and very busy as well.  I am proud of her for working in time for herself and starting to run.  I know secretly, she is training for the Apple Blossom 10K, not to be outdone by me.

The runner in green is my Hannah and my  co-worker, Valerie is in pink.  Here they are at the start of the race.  Beautiful day.

These are a few last shots of the balloons in the fields around the run.  

I am proud of my family for completing this 5K run/walk to raise money for the local Hospice.  We talked about what a great organization this is and how important they are to the community.  It also makes me happy to think that my whole family, minus the 3 year old, completed a 5K in approximately 45 min or less.  No complaining, no crying, and no whining about it either!!!!  I hope they remember the time we spent together raising money, exercising, and enjoying each others company.  I would like to think that this will also lead to life long healthy activity so that they may not have the years of being overweight that I had.  I will keep my fingers crossed, and continue to sign them up for races (even if it is against their will).

13 miles!! Holy cow!!

Last night we did it!  Tisa and I made the 13 mile distance.  I can't believe we did it.  It makes me feel better to know that when I run the half marathon in November, I have already been able to complete the distance.  I also logged my run for the Worldwide Festival of races.    This makes me so happy to have met my commitment!  

This 13 miles was 22.8 laps around Clearbrook, so we did 23 for good measure.  My family came so I had dogs to run with for some of it and then Makenah ran a total of 5 laps.  Lots of people came and went at the park over the 2 hours and 28 minutes it took us to complete the run.  I was pretty sore afterwards and now, 24 hours later, the soreness continues and is somewhat worse in some areas.  It's a good sore though!  I hope we didn't overdo Tisa's ankle!!

A big congrats to Tisa.  1 year!!!!  You are awesome!!!

This week will be a visit to the Wellness Center for a workout, a long run with Tisa, and the Blue Ridge Hospice 5k this weekend.  

Double Digits!!

   Here I am after my first double digit run.  10 MILES!!!  Holy cow.  I was so tired.  Tisa and  I  went to our usual hang out,  Clearbrook Park.  10 miles there equals 17.6 laps so I did 18 for good measure.  I feel like this is a great accomplishment and definitely something I never thought I would do.  It makes the 1/2 marathon seem a little more attainable.

Tisa was unable to complete the full 10 but here's why.  This passed weekend, she went hiking

with some friends from work.  She did a mere 9 miles on Saturday and then 5-6 more on Sunday with a  30 lb pack on her back.  The fact that she completed 6-7 more running miles today is awesome and shows her dedication.  I am very proud of her.  

Here is a screen shot of my Nike Plus upload to show the documentation of the 10 mile run!

The weather was perfect.  70 deg with a breeze.  Sweet for running.  We have about a month left to train and I think we should be just where we need to be for the 1/2 marathon.  

Catch up post!

It has been almost 2 weeks since I have updated my running adventures.  It has been a busy 10 days.  Last week I traveled to Nashville for a work conference.  I was able to run on the treadmill in the hotel's fitness room.  How nice.  It is quite a lifestyle change to think I would seek out a fitness room in a hotel on a getaway weekend.  But, it was good for me and Doug came and walked with me on another treadmill.  

Thanks so much to Nora for coming to stay with the Freak Fest!!!  It would seem they all enjoyed each other's company.  

When I came home Sunday, early am, we went right to bed so that we could be up for the Grace Community Church 10th anniversary service.  Nora and Nick got on the road early.  

In the early evening, I made the whole family come to Clearbrook Park so that I could run with Tisa.  Doug brought the dogs and walked some.  Isaiah mainly played.  Lilah and Makenah took turns running with me and Tisa for a few laps each.  Tisa and I made it 9, yes 9 miles!!!! It took us 1 hour and 39 min.  I was very pleased.  

Tuesday, the 30th, I ran after work 2.7 miles or 3 times around the hospital.  

Today, I ran 3.5 with Isaiah in the jogger.  He actually fell asleep for about 20 min of the run.  It is beautiful out so I can't really blame him.  I would be loving a nap while someone pushed me around in this 70deg weather with a lovely breeze.  

Coming up, I have a long run planned this coming  Monday with Tisa.  Our goal is 10 miles.  Our first double digit run.  OMG!!! 

                                    

Yesterday, 9/20/08, we celebrated Lilah's 7th birthday.  My sister Nora and her children came to my mother's house for dinner and cake.  We were also joined by Doug's parents.  Lilah's birthday has seemed to be the never-ending birthday.  She has received cards and money in the mail, birthday dinner and shopping with grandparents and now this get-together.  She still has something else to come from Aunt Rebecca and Uncle Barry.  Lucky Girl!

We also spent some time taking pictures of Brittany as I am still working on her senior pictures. I like this one at the top. 

Britt is also very good at taking pictures and grabbed this one of my sister Meredith and me.  Meredith usually is very reluctant to allow photos, but isn't she beautiful.  

Today I finally made my 8 mile run.  In fact, it was 8.5 miles this am at Clearbrook.  Beautiful weather and temp.  Perfect weather for a long run.  Tisa came today and ran!  Yeah!!!!!!! She did 12 of the 15 laps.  I hope this was not too much since she has been off for 2 weeks.  Valerie also came and ran along for a while.  She is very low maintenance and can come any day!  I am so pleased that we finally made that run after 3 weeks of attempting it.  First, the course was shorter than anticipated and the laps did not add up.  Then, the heat was too much to finish last week.   Good day!  Only 5 more for 1/2 marathon!