You, Go Girl

 

September 18th I ran

well, wogged

(walked/jogged)

You, Go Girl half

in Tacoma.

I was going to re-cap

the race.

I finished.

I was a tad faster

than See Jane,

but you see

I received a phone call at

6 the next morning.

My mother had passed away.

I was at my besties house near Seattle.

I was 6 hours from home.

My younger two were en-route to Alaska

on a cruise with my MIL.

My hubs was home.

My older two lead their own lives.

We were NOT together.

Suddenly, finishing my 2nd

half marathon seemed so

unimportant.

I hadn’t talked to mom

to tell her

I finished.

So.

I know I often take blog breaks.

I haven’t run since the race.

I do know this.

I won’t stop running.

I want to run a marathon

when I am 80!

Mom was 81.

So

please bare with me as I

have been quiet here

and on my

other blog

MamaKautz.com

I will be back!

See Jane Run photos

Start of the race

mile 3  still all smiles

My FAVORITE running quote

My daughter had the camera….the above pics were here view of the race. I think they were taken with her cell phone!

running it in with my boy!

a smile that I DID finish!

See Jane Run re-cap

 

My FIRST half marathon!

This post is long…..just warning ya

We drove over to Seattle Friday night.

I was running this with my friends Dyann and Alesha

We headed to get our packets around 9ish

The “expo” didn’t open until 11…we were 40 minutes early.

So we found a place to cop a squat and chatted for awhile

read: I tweeted while Dy and Alesha chatted

We finally get in to get our packets.

I was excited because I wanted to look around at the

“expo”

Boy howdy am I spoiled with Bloomsday

There were maybe 10 booths. So disappointing!

So we didn’t spend much time there.

We were going to be observing Dy’s hubby in the Warrior Dash later in the day SO DOING THAT! FUN TIMES!

Sunday morning: Race Day

I am not feeling nervous at ALL!

I choose between two outfits.

After seeing pics it was cute, but not becoming at all!

I ate a Chobani. Great for the stomach…not so great for enough fuel.

I always start feeling hungry around mile 7 Ha ‘always' because I have run that distance so often lol

I had been drinking water most of Saturday. I had leg cramps Friday night and that told me I wasn’t hydrated enough. My biggest concern about this race was the humidity. I paced my drinking on the way to Seattle with the intent to use the bathroom before and then hopefully be ok. If you have been reading much you know my bathroom issues.

Hubs made me a quick PBnJ and that got things moving down there so I was thinking this is going to be great if business doesn’t happen at mile 1.

Uh the bathroom lines.

This was my first clue that See Jane wasn’t very organized. This was a women’s race. There were 10 maybe 15 porta potties. We stood in line for 45 MINUTES in the park bathroom line and missed the start of the race. Our thought was what is the point of starting on time only to stand in line later. (after reading other race re-caps it bottle necked bad anyway so we didn’t miss anything)

While waiting in line I saw Tall Mom on the Run and Mom vs Marathon.  I ran over and introduced myself….WAY out of my comfort zone….but was excited to meet them in real life after reading their blogs.

Finally get through the line and to the start of the race…uh 15 minutes after it started! My official time sadly reflects that so I guess that means September will be an easy PR I mean I better be able to beat 3:40 something for crying out loud!

I felt amazingly great! No pain ANYWHERE! I was keeping up ok with Dy and Alesha…but I had said if I can’t don’t wait. They had a chance to PR and I wasn’t going to hold them back. About mile 3ish??? I took a walk break. Then a potty break….that was enough for them to get far enough ahead I wasn’t going to try to catch up.

Mile 4-6 was good…walked when I needed to ran when I could.  I GU’d at mile 3 and 6…realized I didn’t have enough…ooops…used one of the free GU’s at mile 9 I think it was. Then it started. Knee pain (mile 6ish)…and it was my RIGHT knee. What the heck!! My IT band was SCREAMING…and then there were a couple SUPER steep hills, short, but steep. I almost walked down backwards.  One of the race officials asked if I wanted a ride? Uh nope I am gonna finish.  I apparently looked like I was in pain….hmm…maybe it was the almost crying that cued her in.

See ALL ALONE!

Oh and as for porta potties at every water stop as I read somewhere…ya NOT…I didn’t find another stop until mile 7 I think it was…..honestly I can’t remember what mile it was…I was just focusing on finishing.

Mile 9! Uh an out and back PAST the finish line…so you know seeing other racers with their medals…oh and MY FAMILY!

I was starting to get a bit emotional. Saw my hubs and yelled

I WANT TO QUIT!

He said well you can! (looking back I know he was trying to help, but at the time it was NOT what I needed to hear)

He picked up on my expression because he then quickly said
YOU CAN DO IT!

Mile 10 they say Just a 5K to go…uh….ok

side note: I ran with a lady at this point that was crying. This wasn’t her first half, but she hadn’t trained well for this one. I ran and hugged her when she crossed the finish line…she was alone :( no hubs or family

not smiling

At this point I am really mostly walking…In fact I texted hubs at the point I started mostly walking…like

Here is what I wrote:

9:06 am with pic: 3.5 knees hurt, otherwise good

9:38 am: mile 5.7 knees tweaking bad.mostly walking.leg feels fine

10:05 am: both knees are toast. I am walking lots of pain

11:25: I mule (yes it said mule) to go

I remember how thankful I was that it was raining….I guess more pouring, but I was freaking out so concerned about the humidity and the rain was just what I needed. It was PERFECT running weather.

I remember how ANNOYED I was that I had to stop for cars to cross the road…the support for us bringing up the tail was sub par! The course wasn’t closed and we should have been protected. I was also annoyed that it wasn’t a closed course and I had to keep getting out of the way of bike riders.

I rounded the last bend and saw the finish line…and my kids. They ran across the finish line with me! That was the highlight. I didn’t get overly emotional because, to me, it felt like just another long run. I didn’t feel like I had finished a half marathon at all.  Add to that the the 5K’rs got the same medals and shirts as us and my thought was heck I should have just done the 5K and then gone to the Bite of Seattle

I got my champagne glass half full of rain water  with 3 pieces of chocolate at the bottom…gave those to the kids.

This wasn’t ANYTHING that I expected for my first half.

I did finish and that was my goal after my stress fracture. Which incidentally didn’t hurt one iota with the Kinesio Tape…pretty pink for Jamie of course!

 

 

 

 

Bloomsday 2011~and a PR

What is a trip to the city without a

bus ride?

Me and my bloggy friend Dawn

this was Dawn’s first Bloomsday

&

first race EVER

She kicked some serious tushblue section

of course if you get hot

just throw your clothes

up into a tree

you know

like you do

I started out pretty strong

although, again, lots of people dodging

then a complete bottleneck

where we just about stopped

I didn’t have to

stop to pee

until mile 3ish

then again at the top of the hill

as a safety measure

so I could

actually try to run

I need a running diaper

it was ridiculous!

Top of Doomsday Hill

Me and my man

he was hurt so we didn’t run together

he ended up only being 2-3 minutes behind me

note to self: check the bunching of the shirt

the ugly shirts

I don’t do yellow lol

Overall I am pleased

I did PR

last year was

2:07:42

this year

1:53:19

I didn’t enjoy the journey

I was so caught up in a PR

that I didn’t

‘stop to smell the roses’
Not that I would literally

Plus I wasn’t with my man

Next year I hope to break 1:30

No big deal if I don’t

Ya right!

 

Bloomsday!

 Sunday is Spokane’s Bloomsday 12K  where I get to run with 50,000 of my closest friends….Jealous?

I knew you would be!

I am way back in BLUE
Hope to change to at least Orange

Jelly Bean Virtual 5K

So this run pretty much sucked. I felt great for the first mile and was like oh oh….bathroom stop needed. It went downhill from there. I couldn’t for more than a few feet

E took the camera to take pictures and J2 and the Principal rode their bikes as well.  So it was THE BEST time I have had on a 5K. Worst time pace wise…but we got out there as a family. No cell phones, no tv, no Wii.  This is my all time favorite route now.

The knee brace is hard to maneuver with capris

The Principal pretty much just circled around me.  Tried to encourage me to RUN…uh…honey I CAN’T!

Just fast enough to tell her to put the camera away!

I sure feel skinnier than this outfit looks

What is a 5K without an ant hill to throw rocks at

The Run Down

Race for the Cure 2011

because we all need pictures of ducks

Here I am all cute before the race

I think I may have to hunt down a

running skirt

So this run was not

what I had hoped

I didn’t run the whole thing

I didn’t PR

or even

PR the race from last year

There were, again, a ton of walkers

I just wasn’t feeling it

For one I am not an early riser

and

I am an hour away from any run in Spokane

So I always have to get up

early

I felt great this morning

and even when I got in line at the start

I just ran out of gas early!

Pretty sure it is because I am a heel striker

not a

toe runner

I ran on the treadmill the other day

barefoot

and love it

Hmmmm maybe I need to change things up???

I will still run Race for the Cure for Jamie

just might be in

Coeur d Alene

less people

Revised schedule

I blogged HERE about my schedule

I am changing things up

a bit

okay

a lot

Pretty much only 2 races on my original plan

Race for the Cure 04/17/11

Bloomsday 12k 05/01/11

then the rest, as follows

Relay for Life 5K 5/21/11

See Jan Run 1/2 Marathon 7/17/11

You Go Girl 1/2 Marathon 9/18/11

 

Losing it

Yep I am losing it

weight!

In August I was 152

Today 145!

I am down 7ish pounds

I say 7ish

because the same 2 pounds

seem to miss me

and come back

I am not sure what exactly is the

key because I haven’t been to

the gym in 2 weeks!

I quit taking

fat burner pills

I started taking

Kelp tablets

and

I am drinking

Muscle Milk smoothies

Which by the way

THE best price on powder

is Costco

it is an investment

but MUCH better price than

Wal Mart

 

So my first race of the season is SUNDAY!

Race for the Cure 5K

This was my first race ever last spring.

I hope to PR that time

and if the world is on my side

PR my 5K time

I will be blog about the race Sunday night

a new plan…again

 

Well

I have changed my training plan

yet again

I am not going to

be able to walk the

3 Day for a Cure

in

Minneapolis.

Even if I were able to raise

the

$2300

with gas prices

as INSANE as they are

I can’t get there.

In October when I signed up

it wasn’t an issue

So

I will just

ya, just

run

See Jane Run

July 17th in Seattle

and

You Go Girl

September 18th in Tacoma

My goals?

To finish Seattle

PR Tacoma

Until I start that training

I am going to focus on strength

increasing my muscle to fat ratio

Just going with the flow…

Do you find plans change often?

my tentative race schedule

 

These are the races

I would like to run 2011

Bold are for sure

Race for the Cure 04/17/11

Bloomsday 12k 05/01/11

Windermere Marathon (5K) 05/14/11

Coeur d Alene Marathon (5K) 05/29/11

Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon 06/25/11

Run for the Berries 07/30/11

Susan G. Komen 3 Day for the Cure~ Twin Cities 08/19/11

Portland Marathon 2011 Sunday, 10/09/11

Boo Ya! I PR’d

 

I ran a Turkey Trot Saturday.

I woke up feeling great.

Had a cup of coffee before leaving the house

then refilled for the 40 minute drive to CdA.

I was well rested.

I have been doing the 30 Day Shred

and I fully believe it helped me.

I am (feeling) stronger all over, not just my legs.

I tried to suck down an energy gel

GAG

I will stick with cheweys

It was a brisk 25ish and a little breezy

I was okay with that. I chose not to wear

my light jacket

instead I had on a tech shirt under

my Race for the Cure

long sleeved –ahem- cotton t-shirt

I also wore running pants

with shorts OVER them

so nobody had to look at my

big ‘ol butt in tights

I was set!

They let us go in waves…

I was in the last wave of 5K’rs

and since I am a 12 min mile

I thought for sure I would be last

I wasn’t

I was at about the 3.5K when I did the math

and figured out I would be getting a PR.

Not by a few seconds, but a full

2 MINUTES! (2:19 actually)

I felt like I had WON the race

Such a great feeling to PR!!

I compare it to my first race finish

While there won’t be another

first ever race

I do get to PR again.

tweet up anyone?

 

Anybody going to be at the

Spokane Marathon

1/2 Marathon

or

10K

on

10/10/10

I am running the 10K

hoping that my friend

who is running the 1/2

doesn’t pass me

Race for the Cure

 

I am going to run another

Race for the Cure

tomorrow

for Jamie

Praying it is

In Honor Of

and not

In Memory Of

 

I haven’t run in 3 weeks

but that really doesn’t matter

I will, as long as I am able, always run

Race for the Cure.

I will someday complete

A half Marathon for the Cure

and

Marathon for the Cure

WE NEED TO BEAT BREAST CANCER!

race this weekend

 

I laugh at myself’

If it is called a

FUN RUN

I am offended that a 5K is FUN

if it is a race

I will never be 1st

or even 1st female

maybe in my age division

someday.

I am getting faster

and I really

enjoy outside

not the treadmill.

My pace out side is 11-12

treadmill is 15-16

No clue why.

Shooting for a PR for Saturday

Will be very happy with under 40.

Bloomsday 2010

So we survived Bloomsday

I wasn't sure what the hype was about

and since this was only

my 2nd race ever

I didn't have much to compare it to

Doomsday Hill was not that bad

the hills before it

SUCKED

There were a TON

of walkers

who I thought were

supposed to be in RED

as walkers

so we had to do a LOT of

dodging of people

like off the road

on the sidewalk

or whatever trail was there

dodging

We (DH ran with me)

got to

MILE 1

in record time

I thought

Oh this will be easy!

UH NOT!

Mile 2 and still dodging

Frustrating

and

energy sucking

I then had to pee

seriously I had to by

Mile 1

but really had to

at 2

(so did hubs)

and the lines were long

at least 8 minutes

SHOT!

Then there was a hill

finally water about 2.5

or felt like it

might have been sooner

another hill

then we finally get a groove

and are doing well

feeling great

another hill

more water

Mile 5!

don't remember if that

was after

Doomsday Hill

or before

Mile 6-7 totally walked

there were

so.many.people

half mile to go

walk another 1/4 mile

then I hear some guy say

only a 1/4 mile to go!

We.can.do.this!!!

We did manage to run across the finish line

it helped that the last 100+ yards was

DOWNHILL!

Overall it was a good time

liked that hubs went

learned:

~drink more water

the night before

not the morning of

~not to eat tacos

the night before

and

~to lie about how long it

will take to finish so

I can actually be

 with fellow runners

and not with the walkers

Bloomsday is near

Well

I have a 12K on Sunday

that is more than

twice

what my first race was

AND

I have yet to go farther than

5 miles

AND

DH hasn't trained

although we signed up together

I have more time to run

or I make more time to run

My knee wouldn't cooperate yesterday

AT ALL

I have not had any pain since my 3rd or 4th week

of running (which started in January)

My left knee,

which is jacked up anyway

due to surgery 14 yrs ago,

is not happy

whatever

I will finish

may end up walking most

I don't want DH to have a heart attack

seriously

So

I hope to get out

Thursday and Friday

and rest Saturday

countdown to my 1st race

My first race is Sunday.

it is 'only'

a 5K.

Two months ago

a 5K wasn't even in my

vocabulary.

It is even cooler

because it is

to honor my cousin

Jamie

She is fighting the breast cancer demon

my race is

Race For The Cure

I will post before the race

and hopefully a

play by play

about how it went.

how it all started

rthe hubs and I decided to run Bloomsday

a mere 12K

I started to train

(read walk the treadmill at the gym)

I made it a mile

then I actually wogged

(my friends word for walk/jog)

I wogged my first 5K on the mill

I was SOLD

Then I signed up for Race For The Cure

in honor of my cousin

Jamie

I will be running this alone

I am okay that I am a loner on my team

I found out I don't like running with people

like in a group

I am there to run not visit

I barely have enough energy to run

much less TALK and RUN

So I am now training for a half marathon

Training meaning I am looking at a little piece of paper

with a 10 week guide on it

from some website I found when googling

Half Marathon Training

I was surprised the google page didn't come up

Come Again??

or

Are you Nuts?

It tells me how far to go each day

I am now happy when I 'only' have to go 3 miles

I am still a wogger

but I read somewhere as long

as you are mostly jogging

you are a runner

There is a half at the end of May

in Coeur d Alene

there is one in September

in Sandpoint

I am shooting for May....

you know cause

I have nothing else to do with my time

So that is how it started....why I run