Goals for 2011 - Recycling is the Key!

Geez, way to start the new year. My first post of 2011 is kind of late. Oh, well, my blog, my rules, right?

Like so many others, I have set New Years resolutions for countless years. And, then again like so many others, those resolutions fall to the wayside by February not to be looked again until it's time to set resolutions again for the next year.

A new strategy for this year: recycle last year's specific goals for this year. Recycling is always good!

Anyhoo, let's take a look at last year's progress and what I'm working towards again this year.

Lose weight: reach and maintain 150 pounds - FAIL

I'm actually quite pleased with my weight loss success in 2010. According to my Buckeye Outdoors training log, I weighed 181.5 1/1/10. At some point during the year, I distinctly remember weighing 186 pounds because I had setup a weight loss ticker for this blog that I deleted once it started depressing me. I didn't reach the 150 pound mark, but I am in the low 160s for the first time in years. That is a huge accomplishment! I will weigh 150 pounds or less on 12/31/11!

Run more miles: run 520 miles before January 1, 2011 - FAIL

Not just a FAIL but a big, fat FAIL! The disappointment of a super-slow time at the half-marathon in March resulted in a huge let-down and no running at all until June. Not only did I fall out of love with running, I moved past like and viewed it as a chore for several months. It took a long, long time to start enjoying running again. I've hesitated setting this as a goal again, but I'm going for it anyway since running is so much easier and enjoyable now that I've lost weight.

Race different distances: complete at least one at each of the following distances - 5k, 10k, 10 miles and half-marathon - SUCCESS

Well, that's better. I'm not sure which of the distances I prefer. I liked them all, actually, and would love to run a race of all these distances again in 2011.

******

Don't forget my Body by Vi giveaway that ends tomorrow (Thursday, January 6). A little self-promotion never hurts, does it? And you have a pretty good chance of winning because there aren't a lot of entries yet!

Medoc Ten Miler

Today has been a great day! I accomplished my goals at the Medoc Ten Miler this morning. Now, I'm on the sofa and will be napping as soon as I type this. Score!

This was a race of many firsts for me: first trail race, first time going 10 miles, first time at a race less than ten miles from my house (that was incredible), first race medal and first time at a race with a marathon (so inspiring, don't know that I'll ever be at a point where I can do that, but I loved seeing those guys/gals today).

Honestly, for the first time I felt like a REAL runner while out on the trails today. Not because I ran the entire way or because I was blazing fast: big NOT to both of those. But I really felt like I was the exact place I wanted to be and I just felt "right."

It was tough but I had a plan/goal in mind and I stuck to it. Since this was my first trail race and I knew the rocks, roots & hills would be much tougher than the paths here on the farm, my very conservative plan was to run 4 minutes/walk 1 minute. My time goal was 2:30 or 15 minute miles ... yep, I'm still very, very slow but I'm getting better.

When I came home, Will asked me "did you win, Mama?" My answer: "yeah, I did sweetie" because I did exactly what I set out to do. I finished in 2:28 something (forgot to stop my watch when I crossed the mat). I lost a couple of minutes sometime during mile 5 because I backtracked and was convinced I'd gone on the wrong trail because the flags were placed a farther apart than they had been everywhere else. There weren't too many people behind me and I was by myself most of the time except when some of the fastest marathoners passed me on their next loop.

I had a great, great time! It was so much fun and I loved every minute of it (yes, even while struggling on those steep stairs at mile 8 and during mile 9)! I'm absolutely convinced now that if I can finish 10 miles at Medoc, I can definitely do 13.1 at the Roanoke Canal Trail Half Marathon in March. I'll hopefully be running at a faster pace by then, too.

I've been looking at some online HM training plans and I've found a novice plan that I think will work for me. It's scheduled to begin the week of Thanksgiving. I'm ready to start now! But that's just the "high" from today. I'll just stick to doing easy runs 3 times a week between now and then. I'm also going to focus on losing about 10 pounds in the next 5 weeks. That will definitely help, too. I know my weight works against me and makes running harder than it needs to be. Sigh ... it's a lifelong battle that's just really, really hard.

The Canal Trail HM should be easier than today's ten miler. The Canal Trail is mostly flat and isn't rooty and rocky like Medoc's trails. Medoc has some steep ups and downs in sections, too (well, steep for northeastern NC). The good news is that, like today, I'll be guaranteed a PR since it'll be a new distance for me!

I guess that's it for now. This sofa is very comfy and I've earned this nap!

Mile 1: 12:06
Mile 2: 15:59 (includes a stop by my car to drop off my sweatshirt)
Mile 3: 15:48
Mile 4: 15:12
Mile 5: 16:32 (includes the backtrack to confirm I wasn't off the trail)
Mile 6: 13:52
Mile 7: 15:04 (ate 1/2 granola bar, steep stairs at the very end)
Mile 8: 13:56
Mile 9: 15:29 (more steep stairs)
Mile 10: 14:11

Chip time: 2:28:13.9 / 14:50 pace

I wanna see a straight line!

The name of this blog is "GISrunner" ... I tell people when they ask about my exercise plans & I say "I run" ... I even have a subscription to "Runner's World." But deep down inside, I don't consider myself to be a runner yet because I think I still take way too many walk breaks and my slow shuffle is really a jog. I'm being very generous to describe myself as a runner.

I've been using the Nike+ since September. I bought it about 5 weeks or so after I started the Couch to 5k plan. I like it because it keeps up with the mileage and pace for me. I know it's not completely accurate, but for the most part I think it's at the most 5% off when I've measured routes on my mapping system. I can live with that. Plus I really like using the slowgeek website to graph the runs so I can see the run/walk portions.

Here's the first run measured with the Nike+ in September. I was at the track and made an effort to warm-up, break up the run/walk portions evenly and then cool down. Yep, I did a pretty good job of doing just that.

Now here's graph for the Harvest Days' 5k in October that was more of a cross-country type course on the horse trails at the 4H Rural Life Center. It measured slightly short and that didn't surprise me at the time. There were parts that were not marked very well and I may have cut a turn or two a little short. I started off too fast and had to take a lot of short walk breaks.

So now here's the graph from Saturday's Patriots' 5k.

Argh, there are those dips from the walk breaks again! I'm really looking forward to the day when I can have that magical straight line graph. I have a few treadmill workouts that are like that. I just have a hard time maintaining a consistent pace outdoors that I can maintain the entire time. The hills in Saturday's 5k were a little unexpected as was the headwind and it had an impact on my legs. But on the bright side, there are some good stretches at a 10:00 pace, so I need to concentrate on that.

Maybe I'm being too hard on myself ... after all, that's what I do best! I just really want to call myself a runner and believe it!

Still here / still running / still blogging

Yep, I'm still around ... life just seems to take over sometimes, doesn't it? I'm still running although not nearly as much I had hoped during the month of April. We went to Orlando April 17-25 and I didn't run any while there. I'm a little disappointed in myself about that because I'd really planned on running at least a couple of times. I allowed myself to get a little too involved in family stuff while at the resort on the days we didn't go to the parks. I just didn't want to wake up early enough on those days to run before it interfered with family time. This running thing is a not the habit/necessity I want it to be yet, but I will get there. There's no way I feel guilty about having fun with Taylor and the kids and doing the things they wanted to do, though. I want running to become a consistent part of my lifestyle, but family absolutely comes first.

I've run twice this week so far. Both runs were while Kate had softball practice. The 2 mile route around TJ Davis Recreation Center is on the roads and is hillier than I'm used to, but I did okay. Last night was at Chockoyotte Park and it was the best run I've had in a while! I really like the crushed gravel path around the park. For the first time in quite a while, I ran (well, jogged at about an 11:00 pace) an entire mile without taking a walk break. I was frustrated because my left shoe came untied at about 0.8 mile & I stopped to tie it. I thought I'd paused the Nike+ but apparently did not because there's a dip there. Then the right shoe came untied a little around the 1.25 mile mark. Same thing happened again with not pausing the Nike+. I have absolutely no idea why I didn't double-knot them before I started ... lesson learned.

I'm still so slow, but I did try to push it a little during the last .25 mile & did that at around a 10:00 mile. My stride felt better & I don't think I was "bouncing" as much. I need to concentrate more on doing that & hopefully it won't be too long before I can maintain that for a longer distance/time. Here's the graphic from slowgeek showing the run ... I like the fact that there aren't too many dips from walk breaks. All in all, I'm very pleased because I had the 2 shoe-tying stoppages & two 2-minute walk breaks. Not bad, not bad at all ...

Next up is tomorrow's Patriots' 5k. I'm really excited because it's one of a few local races & the first I've done since the Harvest Days 5k in October. Dare I put a time goal in writing? Yikes ... I'd love to come in under 35:00. Anything under 37:30 minutes is going to be due to adrenaline and pushing myself harder because I'm still really averaging 12:30 miles for the most part. I'm looking forward to the day when I will come in under 30:00.

Kate is also going to do the kids' 1 miler. I would love for her to gain a love of running at a young age and I hope she'll have a great time. I think I'm finally wearing Taylor down a little, too, although he hasn't actually run any yet and won't participate tomorrow. I printed the C25k program & he thinks that'll work well for he & Kate to do together. I hope so although I'm sure he'll fly past me in no time!

There's also a 10k on June 20 in our county that I'm toying with the idea of entering. Hopefully Taylor & Kate will do the 5k together.

That's it for now, I guess. I'll try to post again tomorrow after the race with a report.

What's this? A new post?

Wow, it's been a looong time since I last posted. Not much of an excuse for not blogging other than life happens. The holidays were great and as always, a blessing to share the joys of the Christmas season with my family. But now it's January (almost February!) and back to a more "normal" pace.

I took a break off running beginning in November that lasted for the most part until January 1. It all started with a very tender spot beside on my left foot's big toenail. And ... fast forward to today when I'm sitting at home with a bandage on said toe. It turned out (or rather in) to be an ingrown toenail. Let's just say I've never been so happy to have a doctor do a procedure involving shots and sharp instruments. Honestly, it already feels better. Even though it's still a bit sore, it's not a sharp pain like it had been for the last 2-3 days when it had worsened.

I'll have to bandage it for a while & take care of it with daily soaks & cream, but if I'm feeling up to it, I'll try to run again in a week or so. I'm in the middle of training for the Sweetheart 5K on February 14. I guess you can call the slow run/walk thing I do training since I actually printed a schedule from Runners World Smart Coach. I ran my longest distance Saturday - 5 miles! It was great and I may have been able to go a little longer. But looking back at it now, it probably had a lot to do with the toe pain flaring up again.

I really don't have huge expectations for this 5K. I'm obviously still very much a beginner. I'd like to best the time at the Harvest Days 5K in October ... that's a reachable goal. A tougher goal is to finish under 30 minutes. I doubt that'll happen due to the toe issue, but we'll see.

The goal for this afternoon? Reading and hopefully a nap ...

20 minute mark & running away from home (not what it sounds like!)

I DID IT! For the first time, I ran for 20 minutes without stopping.

Of course, this was on the treadmill instead of outside like normal, but I'm in Chapel Hill until Friday. I'm not really comfortable running by myself in a strange place, so I decided to use the hotel workout room instead. Zero percent incline & still slow, but that's the most time I've run without stopping for a walk break yet!

It felt great and I am so very, very proud of myself. What a great way to start the week. I'm really, really missing Taylor and the kids already so this was a good mental pick-me-up.

I can't wait until Friday when I'm back home ... just talked to Kate, though, and she's doing much better now. She and Taylor are baking halloween cookies and Will's at Papa's house. I'm glad Kate's not so sad now ... I left her crying this morning which just broke my heart. She's the "star of the week" in Mrs. Garrett's 3rd grade class. I'm going to surprise her Friday afternoon by going to school to be the "mystery reader." I can't wait to see her reaction when I walk in the door.